> Spike the Fairy
>  by PonyJoel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Enough is Enough
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just another typical day in Ponyville at the Castle of Friendship, Spike is waking up as Princess Twilight Sparkle enters his bedroom. Spike yawns and stretches as Twilight tosses him a list of chores. 

"Morning, Spike. I hope you had a goodnight's rest," Said Twilight, happily. 

Spike unveils the list to read. He sighs as he reads the long list of chores. "Wash and scrub the floors, windows, reorganize the shelves and dust the shelves in all library rooms, buy food, supplies for studying, clean the kitchen, clean all spare rooms, sweep the throne room," Spike groans. 

"I know you can do it, Spike. Also, Rarity has asked me to give you this," Twilight uses her magic to levitate a list of chores for Spike to do at the boutique. Spike sighs as he reads what Rarity wants. "I would help but, my friends need me to organize our anniversary as being friends," Twilight smiles with glee as she leaves.

Spike gets out of bed and goes to the closet to grab a bucket and scrub. He starts his day by scrubbing the floors after washing them, then the windows. Washing and scrubbing took five hours of his day due to how big the castle's interiors are. Spike takes a break and decides to head over to Sugarcube Corner for a tasty treat. As Spike opens the front doors of the castle, a bucket filled with ice water pelts him. Due to Spike being cold-blooded, he shivers in pain. Two ponies, in particular, are laughing at Spike's misery. 

"Gotcha!" Pinkie delightfully glee as she points at Spike with her hoof. 

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but mock Spike. "So much for the Brave and Glorious," Rainbow laughed. "More like Lame dragon," Rainbow chuckles.

Spike balls his claws as he's shivering like crazy but sighs. He is not in the mood for any of the prankster's nonsense. "Good.., prank," Spike calmly said, sounding a little distraught with the prank. 

"Oh, relax, Spike," Pinkie noted, putting an arm around Spike's neck. 

"Yeah," Rainbow concurs with a smile. "We're only messing around," Said Rainbow, shoving an apple pie in Spike's face. 

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash laugh harder as Spike starts walking away from the pranking duo. Spike loses his appetite thanks to the pie in the face prank. As Spike heads over to Rarity's boutique, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie hurry over to meet with Applejack and Twilight. Spike enters the boutique and goes to the bathroom to wash up. After a few minutes, he grabs a broom and starts sweeping the floors. According to Rarity's chore list, he needs to sweep the floors, fix Rarity's room, clean Sweetie Belle's room, and feed Opal. It's not much but, Spike had just enough with the chores. 

After an hour of cleaning up, Spike's appetite returns. Spike crumbles Rarity's list and tosses it away. He opens the door to the boutique and stands back. He sighs in relief as Pinkie and Rainbow didn't plant another bucket of ice on top of the door. Spike leaves the boutique and walks over to Sugarcube Corner. As he's walking, he wonders if there is some miracle that Twilight and her friends would decide that he should come along as well.  Surely they would appreciate his company. Right? As Spike enters Sugarcube Corner, he sees Twilight and Applejack waiting in line to get cupcakes. 

"Hey, Twilight," Said Spike, greeting his sister-like friend.

Twilight turns around and sees Spike. She gives Spike an inauspicious look. "Spike," Twilight said. Not sounding pleased with him. "What are you doing slacking off?"

"Slacking off?!" Spike said in shock. "I've never slacked off!"

"Spike," Twilight commands. "Get back to work. No time for lollygagging. You have other chores to take care of."

"Twilight, I came here to-" Twilight's hoof cuts off Spike's speech. 

"To the castle and finish your work," Twilight said. 

"Better run along, Sugarcube. Don't want you to get into any more trouble with Twi, now will you?" Applejack said. 

"Now, Spike," Said Twilight, annoyed. 

Spike sighs in defeat and leaves. As he walks out of Sugarcube Corner, a bucket filled with ice water pelts him a second time. This time, the bucket hits Spike on the head. Not only he fell to the ground, clutching onto his head a bit, but Spike is also in pain once more. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash come out to laugh at the baby dragon. Twilight and Applejack saw and couldn't help but laugh as well. It reminded them of the ice block incident. Spike gets up. His teeth couldn't stop chattering as he walks back to the Castle of Friendship, upset. 

"Pinkie, that's a new record," Rainbow said, still laughing at the ice bucket prank. 

"Two for two!" Pinkie cheers. "We should get him again with the same prank later tonight. When he opens the door for Twilight."

"Definitely!" Rainbow nods as she smiles. "We gotta tell Twilight and the others of our prank."  

As Spike slowly walks back to the Castle of Friendship, he reminisces all the times Twilight had used him instead of being a friend. Twilight gets to live her life as a pony, as a Princess while he is left behind, doing everything as a slave would and being called a slacker. It hurts him. More than anyone could have ever known. He sighs sadly. Spike enters the Castle of Friendship and goes to the kitchen. He opens the fridge to see some carrots and a slice of apple pie. Spike takes the carrots and puts them on a plate. A tear fall from Spike's eye, hitting the plate of carrots. 

"Why must I suffer while Twilight and our..., no.., Twilight and her friends get to enjoy life?" Spike looks up at the ceiling as he takes a bite out of a carrot. "The things I do for all of them, with my dragon code and all.., they still take me for granted," Spike takes another bite out of the carrot. "Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash have no remorse with their ice water bucket pranks whatsoever. Including other pranks they have pulled, Rainbow mocks me for not being like the other dragons. Today, she used my Crystal Empire title as Brave and Glorious in a disrespectful manner while calling me a lame dragon," Spike finish one of the carrots on his plate. "Does she care about my feelings? Do they realize that they are killing me slowly with ice water? Do they want me to die?" Spikes gasps as his eyes widen in shock after the question came out of his mouth. He starts getting teary. All he experienced, all he went through, it's starting to add up. 

Spike spent the next hour writing everything he experienced during his tenor in Ponyville. All the times he's been with Twilight and her friends. He wrote in full detail of their wrongful doings and rightful doings. 

"I can't believe this," Said Spike, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't remember an actual good time I had with Twilight and her friends. I'm a slave to them, an errand boy. An object that they pass around," Said Spike in tears. "Twilight uses me for chores, cooking her breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She belittles me for being too young but gives me all the responsibility of taking care of the castle while taking care of her. Also, she would use me for any of her research as well as being a test subject. Rarity uses my emotions for her benefit. She uses my crush for her for leverage and uses my body as a pincushion," Spike groans in the realization that he was nothing more than a tool for Rarity at the time. "Pinkie Pie never invites me to any parties she's thrown unless it's my own birthday," Spike sighs. "Only one time she threw one. She has forgotten three birthdays of mine. Pinkie hasn't invited me to any of her social gatherings as well. Rainbow Dash continues to mock me and participate in any way of humiliating me for laughs," Spike sighs heavily. "Applejack would use me as an example of sporting or hogtying me with her lasso. She uses me as an object and not be my friend. Whenever I do help, she rarely thanks me. I get no appreciation. The time with my dragon code, instead of talking to me about it, she tried many ways of getting rid of me. Fluttershy has slowly forgotten about me. She pays more attention to Discord than me. Not that I'm jealous but, she has more of a friendship with him than me. Am I just a forgotten friend to them?" 

Spike walks down the corridors of the castle to his room. Disregarding the rest of his chore list as he is too sad to handle it. As he walks down, he remembers all the other times he missed out due to work and chores. Visiting Cloudsdale and seeing Rainbow Dash performing at the Young Flier's Competition, getting left behind at the Gala in Canterlot, missing out on Twilight's birthday party cause it got relocated to Canterlot, not invited to see Maud Pie. Spike continues to think about every possible outing he missed because of chores and Twilight leaving him behind. Spike starts to question his faith with the friends he has. He enters his bedroom and lays in bed.

"They're not my friends," Spike exclaims. "They are nobodies. They claim I'm their friend but, I'm not. I'm a slave. A tool for their amusement," Spike sadly claims. Spike burps a letter. The seal on the letter is from Princess Celestia.  "Screw it," Spike uses his flames to burn the letter. He's not in the mood to leave his bed. Also, he has a feeling that another bucket is placed for when he leaves the castle. "Celestia probably wanted Twilight to come over for a party or some sort," Spike falls asleep on his bed to ease his emotions. 

Hours later. It is now 9:30 at night. Twilight and her friends are on their way to the Castle of Friendship. After having a splendid time together at the river, celebrating their anniversary as being friends. Twilight wants her friends to sleepover at her castle. She promises that Spike will make his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. As they enter the Castle of Friendship, Twilight and the girls see Spike's handiwork on the floors and windows. As they trot down the corridor, Twilight notices that several libraries have not been reorganized and dusted. Pinkie Pie trots to the kitchen and alerts Twilight that she doesn't have much food. Twilight goes into her study room to find out that there are no new supplies. 

"What the heck?" Twilight said in frustration and disappointment. "Spiiiiiiike!" Twilight shouts in anger. 

Twilight angrily stomps her way to Spike's bedroom as the others overhear Spike's name. Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity follow Twilight to Spike's room. Twilight slams the door open with her magic, startling Spike in his sleep. 

"Spike," Said Twilight sternly. 

Unbeknown to Twilight and her friends, Spike has a mild cold. He yawns and looks at Twilight. 

"Yes, Twilight?" Spike replies, coughing a little. 

"Spike, why haven't you finished your chores?! It's 9:45 at night!"

"I was tired. I've done so much and endured a lot," Spike tiredly said. 

"Well, Spike," Twilight turns and uses her magic to levitate Spike's Power Ponies comic. "I am officially revoking you of reading any Power Ponies comic until further notice."

"You can't do that!" Spike retorts, balling his claws. 

"I specifically told you no lollygagging back at Sugarcube Corner. I caught you slacking off. Surprise surprise, I've come back home with our friends and find the library's shelves not reorganized and dusted, there is no food in the fridge, no supplies for my study room. All I see is a slacker sleeping off!" 

Spike is now infuriated with Twilight and her tone in demeanor. He breathes heavily as a lot of anger is swelling up from the inside. If he were to breathe fire from his breath, he could melt some structure of the castle in his room. 

"Slacker.., SLACKER!" Spike raises his voice at Twilight. The sudden outburst surprised Twilight and her friends a bit. "I've been doing chore after chore every day while you get to live your life! I do all the cleaning, all the cooking, all the errands," Spike stomps up to Twilight as she starts backing up a bit. "What do you do? Sit around reading books or hanging out with the girls on all sorts of get-togethers, social outings, parties, adventures, and creating memories. What do I get, abandoned by my so-called friend! Spike breathes a little fire in anger.

"Spike, calm down," Pinkie said in a lighter calming tone. 

Spike turns to face Pinkie. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down, you, wild party animal!" Pinkie and the girls gasps. "The party mare of Ponyville that brings smiles and cheers, and yet, you forget all about me!"

"What?!" Pinkie shockingly expressed. "I don't forget about you! You're my friend Spike." 

"When was the last time you invited me for a hangout or party?"

"Well.., uh..," Pinkie ponders for a few moments. Trying her best to recall the times she has. After a few moments, Pinkie realizes that she has not invited Spike to any parties or hangouts whatsoever. Her mane deflates a little. 

"That's what I thought," Said Spike, angrily. He turns back to Twilight. Twilight sweats a bit, seeing Spike in an agitated state. He walks in front of Twilight. "I've done more for you than anypony else in their lifetime. You've shown me no appreciation, no fellowship. The rest of you are equally as bad as Twilight and Pinkie!" Spike takes deep breathes to calm himself. He doesn't want his anger to get out of control. "I'm done. Goodbye, Fiends of Harmony," Spike shoulder bumps Twilight as he leaves the room. 

Twilight and the rest are left dumbfounded by Spike's remarks. Twilight couldn't believe what she heard from Spike. Pinkie Pie cries her eyes out. Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow start to question what Spike meant by being equally as bad as Twilight and Pinkie. They don't understand. 

Spike leaves the Castle of Friendship. He's starting to regret not telling what Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash has done to make his life more miserable. He knows they deserved it but, he chose not to.

"They are not my friends. They were never my friends. I'm a slave, an errand pony to them," Spike sighs heavily. "They don't deserve to have me as a friend. They are not worth my time anymore." 

Spike walks to the river aimlessly. He sits by a tree, looking up at Princess Luna's night sky. "I guess I should write to Princess Celestia and tell her all I have been going through in the hooves of Twilight and her friends. However, she could end up sending me back to Twilight to patch things up. I could go and live in the Crystal Empire. Continually being the Brave and Glorious around my peers. Then again, Princess Cadance or Shining Armor will tell Twilight of my whereabouts, and try to make amends." Spike sighs heavily. "Who am I kidding? Anywhere I would go, someone will eventually tell Twilight of where I'm residing to make amends. I'll never be free. Plus, if Twilight were to tell Celestia of what transpired, Celestia will find me no sweat. My life is doomed to slavery, isn't it?" 

"Alright, that does it!" Said Discord. He rises from the grass Spike was sitting on and transforms into his Draqonecuus self.

"Discord! What were you doing here?" Asked Spike. 

"So, I have a habit of listening to stories of sad folk. They are usually alone looking at the night sky. It's a way of learning how to deal with Fluttershy or any of our friends whenever they are depressed." 

"Interesting." 

"So, what's wrong with you, Spike?" 

"There are a lot of wrongs, and I wish to get away from it."

"Hmm, where would you like to go?" 

"A world where friendships are like family. It doesn't matter what you look like as long as they appreciate your company. A world where friends do care about your well-being. Is there a world that exists, Discord?"

Discord looks down at Spike. "Look up," Discord said. Spike looks up and sees a shooting star. "Make a wish, and I shall grant it."

"I wish to live in a world where I can be free and make all sorts of new friends. Going on adventures, partying, creating new memories, laughing, and having fun."

Discord smiles and snaps his claw. A swirling vortex appears before Spike. 

"When you enter the portal Spike, it'll take you to the world you wished for."

"Thank you, Discord. I will always remember you," Spike thanks graciously. 

"Ah, you're welcome. Before you go, care to share what transpired you into leaving our world?"

Spike reveals his emotions to Discord. Everything in full detail on what he'd endured. Discord becomes perplexed. He can't believe that Twilight and the Elements of Harmony have brought Disharmony to Spike unintentionally, having no regard for his feelings whatsoever. Using him for their benefits. Having no grace to say thank you whatsoever, using and abusing Spike. Making him feel abandoned and forgotten. He is also upset that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie plant buckets of ice water to dump on Spike. He knows Spike could die due to cold water. 

"Wow.., I'm shocked..." Said Discord in disbelief, shaking his head. "Most things don't shock me as much. I now understand why you want to leave so badly. They don't treat you as one of them. They treat you below them. I understand why you would call them Fiends of Harmony. Friendship within their species and fiends outside of it."

"Yea," Spike nods. 

"Well, I wish you luck in your new life, Spike."

"Thanks, Discord," Spike hugs Discord. Discord pats his head. "Bye, Discord," Spike said, waving goodbye. 

Spike walks into the portal. It closes as Discord stares at the night sky. A star twinkles. Discord salutes, then transform into Spike. "Farewell, Spike. Have a nice life."



In a land far, far away, lies the Kingdom of Fiore, a small peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with magic! Found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace, for most, magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, magic is an art, and they have devoted their lives to its practice. These are the mages. Banded together into magical guilds they apply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born... a guide that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name... is Fairy Tail.




> Spikes' Newest Adevnture
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Right after Spike enters the portal, Discord is pondering what to do next as Spike. 

"Hmm. Crystal Empire or Canterlot? Crystal Empire?" Discord leans to the left. "Canterlot?" Discord leans to the right. "Princess of Love, Sister-in-Law, Cadance?" An image of Princess Cadance appears next to Discord on the left. "Princess of the Sun, Twilight's mentor, Celestia?" Princess Celestia's image appears on the right of Discord. 

Discord hovers around the river, making sure no pony is insight while disguised as Spike. Discord ponders more in thought, drawing likely scenarios on where Spike would run off too. 

"If I were Spike, I would run to Princess Celestia. Tell her what Twilight and her friends have done to me. Inform her of all the wrongs. The abandonment," Discord is smirking as he chuckles. "Oh, the faces of Princess Celestia unleashing her wrath on Twilight Sparkle and her friends. I can't pass this up!" Discord turns around and stares at Canterlot. "It's too good to pass up," Said Discord, delightedly. Discord stops hovering and goes to the train station in Ponyville. As he is walking to the train station, he senses the turmoil Twilight and her friends. 

At the Castle of Friendship. Twilight and her friends are trying to figure out why Spike called them Fiends of Harmony. 

"I don't get it. I don't understand. What did Spike meant by calling us Fiends of Harmony?" Asked Rainbow Dash. 

"I don't know Sugarcube," Said Applejack. "I don't understand what he meant by calling you, me, Rarity, and Fluttershy as equally bad as Twilight and Pinkie Pie."

"He was .., angry at Twilight for.., calling him a slacker," Said Fluttershy, quietly.  

"I understand that, his anger. In his outburst, it seems that he was hiding his feelings," Rarity noted. 

Twilight Sparkle has her head down, looking depressed. What Spike told her, she took it to heart. She understands why Spike threw a tantrum. Calling him a slacker, taking advantage of him, and not showing much appreciation. Twilight never thought of abandoning Spike in her lifetime. He always seemed happy when doing the chores and running errands. Spike is her Number One Assistant, after all. 

"Twilight, are you okay?" Asked Applejack with a level of concern. 

Twilight couldn't hear Applejack's question due to Pinkie Pie's continual crying. For a while now, Pinkie Pie has been crying due to the realization of being a bad friend. Fluttershy is hugging Pinkie Pie, trying to ease her emotions softly. 

"Twilight!" Rainbow shouts, trying to snap Twilight out of her trance. 

Twilight lifts her head and turns to her friends. She has tears in her eyes. Rainbow and the rest comfort her as Fluttershy continues to comfort Pinkie Pie. After a while, they settle down with their emotions. They talked about what has transpired for Spike to unleash his anger.

"We have to go find him, try to make amends for all that has happened," Twilight said, immediate. 

"And we will, Twi," Said Applejack, perking up. 

"I'll throw the biggest, bestest party a dragon could ever dream of!" Said Pinkie, more cheerful than she was earlier. 

"I guess Pinkie and me could apologize for the ice water pranks earlier. The bucket did hit him hard when he fell," Rainbow address, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof. 

"Also, the apple pie in the face. He must have been infuriated from it," Pinkie also noted. 

"Right," Rainbow said, displeased with herself. 

"I should stop asking Spike to do my chores in my boutique for a month or so. Giving him time to be with us more," Said Rarity. 

"I'll be there for Spike. He is our friend. Despite what he said of us," Fluttershy said.  

"Alright, everypony. Let's go find our friend!" Twilight confidentially expressed. She leads her friends into finding Spike. 

As the girls go on their search for Spike, Discord is getting off the train at Canterlot. He made sure that his train ride with quick. The train drives off with rocket boosters in the back. 

"Whoops," Discord shrugs as he thought to himself. Chuckling a bit as everypony in Canterlot is left with confusion. Seeing a train drives off faster than usual. "Note to self, undo the rocket boosters behind the train."

Discord is running to Canterlot Castle. Due to Spike not having his wings yet, it's all Discord can do. Making sure no one raise suspicions of his chaotic nature. After a while, Discord is in front of Canterlot Castle. The Royal Guards standing in attention sees Spike (Discord). They allow him to enter the castle. A Royal Guard escorts Spike (Discord) to the throne room. Upon arrival, Spike (Discord) sees Princess Luna talking to Princess Celestia. 

"Your Highnesses," Said the Royal Guard. "Spike has arrived." 

Princess Celestia and Luna see Spike and are perplexed. Princess Celestia nods, signaling for the Royal Guard to leave the throne room. Spike (Discord) approaches the Princesses. 

"Good evening, Spike. Is everything alright?" Asked Luna. 

Spike (Discord) sniffs and falls to his knees. Princess Celestia extends her wing to comfort Spike. She can tell that everything is not alright. 

"No..," Spike (Discord) said, trembling. "I'm far from alright," Spike (Discord) looks up at Princess Celestia, teary. 

"What's wrong?" Said Celestia, now worried. 

"What I'm about to say, it'll change your lives," Said Spike (Discord), sadly. 

"We're all ears, Spike. Please tell us," Said Celestia, reassuringly. 

"Alright, better than what I anticipated," Discord thought to himself. 

Spike (Discord) reveals to the Princesses all that Spike ever endured in his life. Being abandoned nearly every day, doing all sorts of chores alone, doing all the errands alone. Not being invited to any social gatherings, the Crystal Empire several times, to any parties unless it's his own. Also, mentioning that Pinkie Pie has forgotten his three past birthdays during his tenor in Ponyville. Being used as a test subject by Twilight Sparkle, being used as a pincushion by Rarity, and being mercilessly pranked by Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Discord also added that the pranks are buckets filled with ice water, implying that too much ice water on him can cause him to die. Discord has mentioned Rainbow Dash continuing to humiliate Spike by mocking and comparing him to other dragons. Discord reveals to the Princesses that Twilight has forgotten about Spike numerous times, ignoring him when he talks at times, disregarding his needs, and putting her pony friends as a higher priority than him. He also adds Fluttershy into the mix, saying that she has turned her attention more on Discord than on him. 

"So you see, Twilight and her friends have no regards for me whatsoever. Also, what you sent to Twilight in the letter, I burned it up out of frustration. Twilight has used me more and more, giving me more responsibility to take care of the castle, her, her friends' chores. She gets to live her life while I remain in prison, used as a slave. She never thanks me. I can't live that life no more," Spike (Discord) breakdown in sadness. 

Tears swell up a bit for both Princess Celestia and Luna. Jaws dropped in shock and horror after hearing Spike's tale. Spike (Discord) expressed more as he breaks down. Celestia and Luna pants a bit in anger before calming down. 

"I.., I don't know what to do..," Spike (Discord) expresses, feeling hopeless for the time being. 

Princess Celestia is taking deep breathes to steady herself. She is more than disappointed with Twilight and her friends. She is livid. Luna is calming herself down, not wanting to release her frustrations in front of Spike. 

"Luna," Said Celestia, serious. 

"Yes, sister," Luna replies. 

"Send a message to Twilight for me. We're going to have a serious discussion on the matter in the morning."

"Understood, sister," Princess Luna trots out of the throne room.

"What's gonna happen now?" Said Spike (Discord) in curiosity.

Princess Celestia sighs. "I'm going to have a serious discussion with Twilight and her friends tomorrow morning. What she and her friends did is unimaginable. The acts they've committed on you, they have forgotten what friendship is for another species. From what you told me, Twilight has committed child negligence and exploitation. After the meeting, Twilight Sparkle will no longer be your legal guarding."

"Who would be my legal guarding then?" Asked Spike (Discord). Curious to know who will his legal guardian be. 

"For now, I'm thinking of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. Considering you are Shining Armor's brother, he would welcome you after I explain to him all that has happened."

Spike (Discord) smiles graciously and hugs Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia embraces Spike, using her hoof to rub Spike's back. Princess Celestia yawns a bit. 

"We better get some rest tomorrow. We have a lot ahead of us." 

"Understood. Thank you for doing this."

"Thank you for informing my sister and me of how you were feeling this whole time." 

Princess Celestia escorts Spike to a guest room next to her bedroom. Spike (Discord) enters the guest room and gets in bed. Princess Celestia uses her magic to tuck Spike in. She kisses Spike on his forehead and leaves the bedroom. As she closes the door, her smile faded. Celestia trots to her bedroom. She looks out the window, looking at the Castle of Friendship shaking her head in disbelief. Discord, however, can't believe that things are going smoothly.

"If Spike would have done what I've done. He would be in good hooves. Wow.., just wow.., Twilight is going to receive a punishment of a lifetime. I wonder how this will turn out," Discord thought. He turns to the window to see the star twinkling from earlier. "Well, I still wish you luck, Spike. Wherever you're at."





"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISCOOOOOOORD!!!" Spike shouts, free-falling moments after walking into the Portal. Spike sees different colors swirling as he's free-falling. His body alters a bit, as well as his magic and fire. He's a little taller. Instead of being two feet tall, he is now three and a half feet tall. His arms and legs stretch further out more as well as his tail. 

As Spike continues to free-fall, he hears voices. They are unfamiliar to him. Spike sees the light of the end of the portal. He sees a colorful new world. He sees a forest nearby. His heart is pumping with adrenaline. He can't wait to explore as soon as he gets down! Spike screams as he's falling to the ground. 

"I swear, your face is a magnet for anything."  

"Hahaha, very funny-" Gets hit in the face by a falling baby dragon and knocked to the ground.

"Winning by a technical-" Eyes widen in shock and amazement for the blue Exceed known as Happy. 

"OW! Cheap shot!" A pinked-hair wizard known as Natsu expressed as he's rubbing his face. 

"Look!" Said Happy, pointing to Spike.  

Natsu turns to look at what Happy is pointing at. Natsu gasps in shock and amazement. He can't believe what he is seeing. 

"NO WAY!" Natsu loudly shouts.  Due to Spike landing on Natsu's face hard, he is knocked out and unresponsive. Natsu picks up Spike. "Hey! Are you okay?!" Natsu worriedly expressed. He puts his ear on Spike's chest. "He's still breathing."

"Thank goodness," Said Happy, sighing in relief. "Where did he came from?"

"I don't know. We won't find out until he wakes."

"Natsu, we should take him to the Guildhall," Happy suggests. 

Natsu clutches onto Spike. "Yea," Natsu nods. "Let's go, Happy!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy shouts, he spawns his feathered wings. 

Natsu and Happy take off to the Fairy Tail Guild in Magnolia Town. Hurring themselves as Spike needs some medical attention. 

"Hang in there, baby dragon. You're going to be alright," Natsu said as he continues to run to the Fairy Tail Guildhall in Magnolia.
> Awakening Moment
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natsu and Happy are hurrying themselves to the Fairy Tail Guild in Magnolia. Twenty minutes have gone by since Spike fell and landed on Natsu's face. 

"I can't believe it!" Natsu thought, looking at Spike as he runs. "I've been searching for my dad, Igneel. Now, a young dragon has found me! I have so many questions to ask of him! Maybe, he knows where my dad is!"

Natsu and Happy arrive at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. It's been two days since they returned from their last adventure. Natsu and Happy enter the Guildhall to see all their friends talking among each other. 

"Hey, Natsu!" A Celestial wizard known as Lucy Heartfillia introduces herself. She smiles as she waves her hand. She stops smiling when she sees the baby dragon Natsu is holding onto- "Holy Crap!" Lucy shrieks loudly. 

Everyone in the Guildhall turns to Lucy's sudden shriek. They are mesmerized to see a baby dragon in Natsu's arms. 

"Holy crap! Where did you find that thing, Natsu?" A smoke wizard known as Wakaba Mine asks. 

"Yeah, I thought dragons went extinct," A flare transformation wizard known as Macao Conbolt said.

"I found him on my way to the Guildhall with Happy by the East Forest," Said Natsu, answering Wakaba's question. "He's breathing but, he's knocked out."

"Yea, Natsu's face is a magnet. His face welcomes anything that falls on him," Said Happy, jokingly. 

"Not funny, Happy!" Said Natsu, angrily. 

Spike is showing signs, moving a bit in Natsu's arms. Natsu places Spike on a table. Everyone in the Guildhall surrounds the baby dragon. Waiting to see what he'll say or do. As all of this is happening, three wizards, in particular, walk into the Guildhall.

"What's going on here?" A wizard with red hair wearing armor, a blue skirt, black boots, and diamond-shaped silver earrings demands. Her name is Erza Scarlet.

"Yea, what the buzz is about?" An ice wizard wearing nothing but his underwear asks. He is known as Gray Fullbuster. 

"Gray, your clothes," Erza pointed out to Gray. 

"Not again!" Gray panics after finding out he's stripped again. 

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" A wizard who is smaller than everyone except for Happy asks. He is known as the Guild's Master, Makarov Dreyar.

"Natsu and Happy found a baby dragon and brought it here," Said Lucy, replying to their question. 

"What?!" Makarov, Gray, and Erza shout in shock. 

The trio comes up to the table to feast their eyes on the baby dragon. Their jaws drop as they see the baby dragon on the table. 

"Natsu, where did you find this dragon at?" Asked Makarov, curious to know. 

"By the East Forest, Gramps," Natsu replies. 

"The East Forest. Sounds eerie similar to where you found Happy, Natsu." 

"Uh, Déjà vu?" Replied Natsu as he sweats a bit. 

Spike starts moving a bit more. He sits up and rubs his eyes. All he remembers is falling from the portal he entered and hitting something hard. Spike opens his eyes to see many faces all around him. Human-like faces except for the blue cat flying. What seems like forever for Spike is only a few moments passing by. Are they here to see if he's doing alright? Does he want to be friends with them? Did Discord send him here by mistake for his chaos purposes? Is this the right world? So many questions are popping into Spike's head. 

"Hey, are you alright?" Said Erza, being the first to break the ice. 

Spike is about to speak but pauses. He looks away to see more faces. Everyone around him is eager to know how he is.

"Yes. I am," Said Spike. 

Everyone around the table is surprised to hear the baby dragon speaking except for Natsu. They weren't sure what age does a dragon can speak or not. To them, Spike is a baby dragon. 

"I had a rough landing," Spike said, rubbing the back of his head with his claw. "So, mind telling me where I am?"

"You're in our Guildhall. Fairy Tail," Said Erza. 

"Tell me, young dragon," Makarov jumps onto the table to approach Spike. "Where did you come from?"

Spike opens his mouth, ready to answer his question but hesitates. Sadness is swelling up. Everyone can see it may be a heartache for him to say the moment a tear falls from his eye. 

"It's.., it's a long story." 

Every Fairy Tail wizard in the Guildhall grabs a chair and sits. Spike pants a bit cause he's going to tell his tale from the very beginning. The emotions are riding up already. Spike sighs heavily and starts talking about his origins. Four hours later, Spike finishes his tale. Everything he experienced, the abandonments, being used and abused, treated, and use as a slave. Most of the wizards want a piece at the pony princess and her friends for such atrocities. Natsu balls his fist as fire bursts. He slams a table in anger, startling Spike in the process. 

"HOW DARE THEY?!!!!!!" Natsu roars in anger. 

"I wish they come, so we can make them feel sorry," Gray retorts.

"For a Princess and her friends to do such things to you. Atrocious, disgusting, and vile actions. They are unforgivable," Said Erza, balling her fist. Imagining this pony princess is in front of her so she can smite her. 

"Well, it's obvious your wish led you to us. Now, I have a question. Would you like to become a member of Fairy Tail?" Asked Makarov. 

"Me..?" Spike points to himself. 

"Yes. We are the kind of guild that spreads unity in friendships. We don't use and abuse each other as slaves as you experienced. We treat each other as a family would. Everyone here is special and unique. We're different from each other, but we put those differences aside. For instance, Happy here," Makarov points to Happy. "Is a blue flying cat. We treat him like family. We care about him, his well-being, and everything else of him." 

"Yea, things may get rowdy in here, but it's fun at times. We love each other, hang out, go on adventures, seeing new places, and creating new memories. Right, Happy?" 

"AYE, Sir!" Happy cheers. 

Everyone around nods in agreement. 

"Even though you are a dragon, you are a real man for walking away from those troublesome friends of yours," Elfman said, hoping it'll cheer up Spike. 

"Thanks," Said Spike. Smiling a bit more. 

"By the way, you haven't told us your name," Said Makarov. 

"Oh, I'm Spike." 

"What is your last name?" Said Natsu. 

"I don't have a last name," Spike frowns. 

Erza can relate a bit to the young dragon. Being used and abused as a slave and having no last name. She approaches the young dragon. 

"I can relate to you more ways than another, Spike. I have lived a similar life as you have in the beginning. As for your last name, I thought of a name for it."

"Really?" Said Spike in excitement. 

"What name you have in mind, Erza?" Asked Gray out of curiosity. 

"Fairy."

"Huh?" Almost everyone said in unison. Confused for the moment with Fairy being a last name. 

"Fairy is all you can come up with, Erza?" Macao unimpressively says while drinking his chug of beer. 

"It's fitting. Spike is from an alternate world seeking a new place to call home."

"I like it," Spike said with glee, feeling a lot better. "You can call me Spike the Fairy!"

"Now that's a manly name!" Elfman shouts with pride. 

"Spike the Fairy, I can get used to saying that," Said Macao. 

"Same here. It'll be awesome to have an actual dragon being a member of the Fairy Tail Guild," Said Wakaba. 

"I'll drink to that," Said Cana. Cana is one of Fairy Tail's heavy drinkers. She is a Fortune Teller wizard that uses magic cards for her arsenal. 

"So, Spike," Said Mirajane, holding the Fairy Tail emblem stamper. "What part of your body would you like to wear your emblem?"

"On my chest. I want everyone to see that a Dragon is a part of the Fairy Tail guild!" Spike does a chest pump. 

"What color would you want?" 

"Black, please," Said Spike. 

Mirajane places a black Fairy Tail Emblem on Spike's chest. He is now an official member of the Fairy Tail Guild.  

"Since I told you all what my name is, what are yours?" Asked Spike. 

"My name is Makarov Dreyer, I am Fairy Tail's Guild Master." 

"I'm Natsu Dragneel, I am a Fire Dragon Slayer," Said Natsu. Flames burst out his hand in the process.  

"I'm Lucy Heartfillia, I am a Celestial Wizard," Lucy reveals her celestial keys to Spike. 

"I'm Gray Fullbuster, I am an Ice Wizard," Gray uses his ice make spell to create a Fairy Tail Emblem in front of Spike. 

"I'm Happy the Dragon, but call me Happy," Happy flies around. 

"I'm Erza Scarlet, S-Class Wizard." Erza spawns a sword in front of Spike, showing him her Requip Magic.  

"I'm Macao and this is my son, Romeo," Macao uses his purple flames to lift a chug of beer to drink. 

"Hey, Spike!" Romeo is a foot taller than Spike and is six years old. 

"I'm Elfman Strauss, I use Take Over Magic. This is my older sister, Mirajane," Elfman puts an arm on Mirajane's shoulder. Mirajane smiles. 

"I'm Wakaba Mine, I use Smoke Magic," Said Wakaba, waving slightly. 

"I'm Cana Alberona, Fairy Tail's Fortune Teller Wizard," Said Cana, drinking a barrel of beer. 

"I'm Levy McGarden, I'm a Solid Script Wizard." 

"We're Alzack and Bisca. We use Gun Magic. We're the best shooters in all of Fairy Tail," They say in unison.  

"I'm Laki Olietta, I'm a Molding Maker Wizard." 

"Max Alors," Waves at Spike.  

"Nab Lasaro."

"Jet, Fastest runner in Fairy Tail. High Speed is my magic."

"Droy, I use Plant Magic."

"Put Droy, Jet, and I together and we're Team Shadow Gear!" Levy cheers. 

"Reedus Jonah, I use Pict Magic, Oui," Reedus is now drawing a picture of Spike.

"Vijeeter Ecor. I'm a Dancer Wizard."

"There are other faces to go around, but they aren't here right now. Some of our friends are doing jobs so you'll get a chance to see them sometime tomorrow," Said Natsu, patting Spike's head.  

"Now that's settled, let's start celebrating in honor of our newest guild member, Spike the Fairy!" Makarov decrees joyously. 

"Yeah!" Everyone cheers. 

Everyone in the guildhall starts to party. Spike is having a taste of what's yet to come. The first day in the new world he wished, he's making all sorts of new friends in Fairy Tail. Lucy Heartfillia is writing to her mother about the newest addition to the Fairy Tail guild. All that he's been through and still thriving. Spike's life could be an interesting story to write on in her next novel. A Traveler seeking a new home from a dreaded world he left behind. 






"Celestia, please stop!" Wailed Twilight. She and her friends are being slammed into the wall by Celestia's magic. They are in great pain. 

"How dare you make Spike's life feel like Tartarus!" Said Celestia lividly. 

"You shall suffer greatly, Twilight Sparkle!" Said Luna, angrily in her Canterlot Royal tone. 

Spike (Discord) is enjoying the scenery. As he watches, he hears a Royal Guard knocking on the guest room door. It snaps Discord out of his daydream. Spike (Discord) walks up to the door and answers. 

"Morning Spike, the Princess summons you to the throne room." 

"Alright, I'll be there," Said Spike (Discord). 

Discord freshens up and leaves the guest room. The Royal Guard escorts Spike (Discord) to the throne room of Canterlot Castle. As he enters, he sees Princess Celestia and Luna. Neither of them had a good night. They see Spike (Discord). 

"Come here, Spike," Princess Celestia commands softly. 

Spike (Discord) walks up to Princess Celestia. 

"Twilight and her friends will be arriving in an hour or so. According to my sister Luna, Twilight and her friends were searching for you."

"They have?"

"Yes," Princess Luna nods. "They seem eager to make amends. However, I don't think they know the full extent of the situation as well as they think."

"I don't think I can ever trust them nor forgive them..," 

"Forgiveness is a long road, Spike." 

"I know, Celestia. It just, this heartache. I don't think I'll survive another one similar to this." 

"You won't have to, Spike. After today you are being shipped to the Crystal Empire. I already informed Cadance during her dreams. I showed her a memory file of mine. She now understands your pain. At some point, she'll have a word with Twilight and her friends."

"Thank you, Luna."

"My pleasure." 

An hour later, two Royal Guards escort Twilight and her friends to the throne room of Canterlot Castle. Twilight can't wait to have Spike back and make amends for her wrongful doings. Pinkie Pie can't wait to surprise Spike with a party. The rest can't wait until things go back to normal. 

"Princess Celestia, thank you for finding Spike," Said Twilight, graciously. 

Spike (Discord) puts his unhappy face and turns away. 

Princess Celestia narrows her eyes on Twilight and her friends. Twilight and her friends start to become unnerved by Celestia's stare. 

"What exactly happened between you lot and Spike?"

"Well, I gave Spike a list of chores yesterday. He did his best but his best wasn't good enough. I revoked his Power Ponies comic and called him a slacker," Said Twilight nervously. 

"Rainbow and I pranked him twice with buckets of ice water," Pinkie said. 

"I told Twilight to give Spike my list of chores for him to do," Rarity said.

Princess Celestia sighs. She then asks, "How were you treating Spike, overall?" 

"We made some mistakes but, overall. We treated Spike like a good friend would," Twilight replies. 

Spike (Discord) turns around in disbelief after hearing Twilight's reply. He heard Twilight lie in front of the Princesses. 

"You liar!" Spike (Discord) roars in anger. "You didn't make some mistakes! You made a ton of them! All of you!"

"What?!" Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow said in shock. 

"What did we'd ever do to you, Spike?" Asked Rarity

Spike (Discord) pants heavily and turns away. He sits and covers his face as he becomes teary.

"I can answer that," Said Celestia irritatedly.  

"Spike has revealed more than what you told us," Said Luna, giving a stern look at Twilight and her friends. 

"I am very disappointed in each of you. It seems you have forgotten the true means of friendship towards another species."

"That's not true!" Rainbow shouts, defending herself. "We know all sorts of friendship lessons and wrote them to you! Who knows more on friendship than us?"

"Then why was Spike out of the picture?! Is he not your friend?!" Said Celestia, raising her tone in anger. 

The sudden outburst surprised everypony in the room except for Luna. 

"He is our.., friend," Said Rainbow, quivering a bit. 

"Do friends mock a friend because of their species?"

Rainbow Dash bites her lip a bit. She is starting to remember all the times she mocked Spike for being a Lame dragon. 

"Do friends make a friend work and show no appreciation?"

That was a direct hit on Twilight. She looks down in shame. Rarity feels somewhat guilty about using Spike for her benefits.

"Do friends use a friend as a tool, an object of their amusement?"

The girls took it to heart. Twilight remembers using Spike for many of her tests during the late nights, early mornings, and late afternoons. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash remember the times they humiliated Spike for their amusement. Rarity remembers using Spike as a pincushion. Applejack used Spike as an example for her lasso at times. Fluttershy couldn't recall a time she used Spike.  

"Since when friends forget to invite a friend for parties, hangouts, and get-togethers?"

"Sometimes, but not all the time..," Twilight answers nervously once more. 

"Oh really? According to Spike, you leave him abandoned almost every day of his life," Said Luna, frustratedly. 

"Spike was right for calling you Fiends of Harmony." The girls gasp at Princess Celestia's statement. "You've kept friendship within yourselves but haven't shown fellowship to Spike." 

"Well, we're here to make amends and undo the damages we caused on Spike, right girls?" Twilight said. The girls nod in unison. "We understand it'll be a long road ahead of us. We will be honored for a second chance, Princess Celestia."

Spike (Discord) takes several deep breathes. Princess Celestia trots up to Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends, staring into their eyes. She takes a deep breath. 

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, you and your friends have brought Disharmony to Spike. According to him, you have exposed him to child negligence and exploitation. For years, Spike has been abandoned by you and used by you. You will not have a second chance to redeem yourself, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight starts panting as tears swell up. "Please.., don't!" Twilight starts crying. "Please don't take Spike away from me!" 

"My decree is final, Twilight. Until you and your friends know how to spread friendships through every species, you and they are forbidden to see Spike."

"How..," Twilight starts to hyperventilate. She couldn't find the right wordings. 

Spike (Discord) gets up and approaches Twilight. "How are you going to take care of yourself? You're going to find out on your own." Twilight's jaws dropped. "I'm done taking care of you. Also, I just realized something. You're supposed to take care of me, not the other way around." Spike (Discord) turns to Twilight's friends. "I hope you're happy and can sleep at night. Using me, mocking me, relentlessly pranking me into submission, showing no appreciation for what I do. As for you, Fluttershy," Spike (Discord) points at Fluttershy. "You've slowly forgotten about me and spend more time with Discord. You have a stronger connection with him than me. Each of you is the Fiends of Harmony to me. Brought me nothing but Disharmony and despair."

"Spike..," Twilight tries to hug him but, Celestia's wing blocks her path. 

"Princess Twilight Sparkle. You and your friends are no longer needed in the throne room. Please leave."

"Spike.., I'm so so so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" 

"Your words don't heal scars and painful memories. The same goes for the rest of you. Words are not good enough for an apology." Said Spike (Discord) 

"Wow. I thought it'll be worse. I thought I'll get to see the wrath of Princess Celestia and Luna." Discord thought to himself. 

"Also, Princess Twilight," Luna noted. "You and your friends are forbidden to enter the Crystal Empire." 

"What?!" The girls shout in unison. 

"Your brother Shining Armor and his wife Princess Cadance will be Spike's legal guardians from now on."

"What if my friends and I are needed? For emergencies or outings? Flurry Heart is my niece!"

"Arrangements will be settled for duties only," Luna states. "Either than that, family visitations will be strict at the Crystal Empire."

Princess Celestia calls for her Royal Guards. 

"Yes, your highness," They bow in respect. 

"Please escort Twilight and her friends out of Canterlot Castle. Their visitation is no longer needed." 

"Right away, Princess," The Royal Guards escort Twilight and her friends out of the throne room. 

"Spike," Princess Celestia turns to him. "I promise you everything will get better for you from here on out." 

"Thank you, Princess Celestia. Thank you, Princess Luna," Said Spike (Discord) graciously. 

The two princesses hug Spike. They inform him that the Royal Guards will fly him to the Crystal Empire later today. 

"Thank you once more."

"You're welcome, Spike. Mind joining us for breakfast?" Ask Celestia. 

"Sure," Spike (Discord) smiles. 

Spike (Discord), Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia head over to the dining hall for breakfast. After an hour of eating breakfast and enjoying each other's company, the Royal Guards arrive to inform Spike that it's time to go. Spike leaves the castle and gets on the chariot the Royal Guards will use to fly. 

"Farewell, Princess Celestia, Luna," Spike (Discord) waves his claw. 

"If you ever need to get in touch with us, please write to us. We'll be there to help you any way we can," Said Celestia. 

"I will. Thank you!" The Royal Guards take flight. 

"Wow. Both Princesses held in a lot of anger towards Twilight and her friends. They do have a long road ahead of them for redemption. I better keep the charade going until the time is right to reveal myself. As for my actual appearance, I'll send in one of my clones to be me for a while. I'm still technically needed around them as a friend. Let's see if they are truly worth of redemption down the road."
> Later in the Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour ago. Princess Celestia has decreed that Twilight Sparkle will no longer be Spike's legal guardian. Princess Luna forbade Twilight and her friends from entering the Crystal Empire. It is now 10:30 in the morning. The Royal Guards land in front of the Crystal Castle. The center of the Crystal Empire. Spike (Discord) gets off and thanks the Royal Guards as they leave. 

"The Brave and Glorious Spike has returned!" A random crystal pony cheers in excitement. Every crystal pony around gathers to meet their hero. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor approach Spike (Discord), as he's getting all the attention. 

"Welcome home, Brave and Glorious Spike," Said Cadance. She hugs Spike with her wing. 

"Welcome home, bro," Said Shining Armor, joining in the hug with Cadance and Spike. 

"Thank you," Spike (Discord) graciously expressed. "It's good to be surrounded by a loving family." 

"We love you too, Brave and Glorious Spike!" About twenty-five crystal ponies cheer in happiness, wanting to show their affection to their hero.

"Wow. Spike has it good here in the Crystal Empire. Peers that love their hero, a statue dedicated to him, I wouldn't be surprised if Spike has a throne here as well. I bet if he would have come here. Any of the Crystal Ponies would have told Twilight and her friends to back off. Maybe even starting a riot. I'll have to send a clone to meet with Twilight and her friends. To see how they are doing and what will they'll be planning to do next." Discord thought. 

"So, uh.., what are we going to do today?" Asked Spike (Discord) eagerly. 

"Princess Cadance and I are considering having a family picnic. Flurry Heart will be there along with Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer,"  Said Shining, answering Spike's question.  

"Starlight is here?" Said Spike (Discord) in confusion. 

"I'm guessing Twilight has forgotten to tell you that she sent Starlight here to spend a week with Sunburst. To increase their friendship since it's not often they see each other," Said Princess Cadance. 

"So that's why I haven't seen her around recently," Said Spike (Discord). "No wonder why Starlight wasn't around when Spike released his emotions. She was here this whole time. Here I thought she was involved with Twilight for bringing Dishamrony to Spike. Also, I do recall that Starlight has not forgotten of him and spend some time with him, from time-to-time. I wonder if Celestia would have made her Spike's legal guardian if Shining Armor and Princess Cadance weren't a good option for Spike." Discord thought to himself. "No matter. She is innocent here, and my test still has to go on. I need verified results from the clone later today to commence my next motives."

"Starlight arrived two days ago," said Shining Armor.

"Is she aware of my situation?" Spike (Discord) nervously asks, rubbing the back of his head. 

"Yes. I told Starlight Glimmer of what has transpired right after Luna told me in my dreams earlier today." 

"How is she feeling?" 

"Disappointed, angry, and upset at Twilight and her friends." 

Spike (Discord) sighs a little. "Alright, thank you for letting her know."  

Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Spike (Discord) head off to the Crystal Fields of the Crystal Empire. As they walk, they see Starlight and Sunburst keeping Flurry Heart happy. Sunburst and Starlight see Spike (Discord) approaching. The two went up to their friend and hug him dearly. 

"I'm sorry that you've endured a lot of heartaches, Spike. I wish I've seen what Twilight was actually doing during those times," Said Starlight, apologetically. 

"Thank you, Starlight. I consider you more of a friend for the times you've helped me back in the Castle of Friendship. You were the only pony who would spend time with me whenever you can."

"So, I hear you'll be living here, Spike," Said Sunburst. 

"Yea," Spike (Discord) nods. 

"I'll definitely make the time to hang with you more Spike."

"Thank you, Sunburst," Said Spike (Discord) happily. Spike (Discord) walks up and holds Flurry Heart. "Hey, Flurry. Things are going to change but, it's going to be for the better. You'll be seeing more of me than Twilight."

Flurry Heart giggles. Spike (Discord) couldn't help but smile at the Alicorn baby. "So, this is what it feels to hold a baby. Feels nice, actually." Discord thought. He looks and gives Flurry Heart back to Princess Cadance. 

Spike (Discord), Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance sit down. Starlight and Sunburst were giving out tea and cupcakes. To Discord, it feels like having a tea party at Fluttershy's house. Speaking of Fluttershy, Discord telepathically calls one of his clones to head over to Ponyville. To see how Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends are doing. As they continue to enjoy each other's company, the Discord clone is on his way to Ponyville. 

An hour later, the clone arrives in Ponyville. The clone decided to wait a while until Twilight and her friends returned from their trip. The clone wanders around Ponyville, searching for Twilight and her friends. 

"Hmm, I guess the Castle of Friendship would do. If they aren't there, I'll check the Castle of the Two Sister," Said Discord (clone). He flies over and sees six ponies walking together, looking all depressed as they slowly walked. Discord (clone) arise from the ground, surprising them a bit. "Hello, everypony. How are you doing?"

"Discord..," Said Twilight, unamused by his antics. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I thought today would be a good day to spend time with my friends. Say, why the long face?" 

"We're not in the mood for your jokes, Discord," Said Applejack. Sounding upset at the moment. 

"What happened with you ponies?" Asked Discord (clone), wanting to know their thoughts, feelings, and reactions while not raising suspicions.  

"We lost Spike today," Answer Twilight sadly. She lowers her head in guilt, sadness, and shame. 

"Did Spike perish or something?"

"No, Discord," Said Fluttershy. "Spike no longer resides with Twilight. Twilight lost her legal rights of caring for Spike."

"Ouch. How did this happen? I thought you were taking good care of Spike."

"No," Twilight shakes her head. "It was the other way around. Spike testified to the Princesses of all he endured. I am a terrible friend to another species."

"So, you were racist?"

"No! No..," Twilight sighs sadly. She takes a deep breath. "I guess you can say I took him for granted and treated him like a slave." 

"Wow, Twilight. I'm kinda surprised you didn't get arrested for that."

"It's not just me, Discord. My friends played a part in it as well." 

"Even Fluttershy?" Asked Discord. Fluttershy looks away in shame. 

"Yes, even Fluttershy." Said Twilight, answering Discord's question. 

"Wow. So, tell me. What happened?" Said Discord (clone), hovering in the air while eating popcorn. 

"Can we discuss that inside the Castle of Friendship? I want no pony finding out what my friends and I have done to Spike."

"Alright," Discord (clone) snaps his paw. He teleports everypony to the throne room of the Castle of Friendship. Discord is hovering on top of the Equestria map while the girls are sitting on their thrones. "Please tell me what happened."

Twilight starts talking immediately. "I made Spike do a lot for me and took him for granted. I made him do all the chores in the castle without helping him whatsoever. I made him go on errands on his own. I made him take care of me. I used him for my personal gain. Using him for my research on different types of magic. I would leave him behind to be with my friends nearly every day of my life in Ponyville," Twilight slaps herself hard for being cruel to Spike and a horrible friend. She's mad for becoming the pony she was towards Spike. 

"I used Spikey-Wikey for my personal gain too. I used his emotions as leverage to get him into doing my chores around the boutique. Spike has a crush on me, and I would use his feelings to get him to do what I want. I used him as a tool. Just like a slaver owner would." Said Rarity, full of regret.

"I prank too hard on Spike. I've forgotten about him. I didn't even bother to invite him to any of my parties whenever I throw one. I even forgot a few of his birthdays. Whenever I plan something for my friends, I excluded Spike.  There were a few times when I made Spike rived in pain from a few pranks, Rainbow and I pulled." Said Pinkie as her mane deflates. She becomes teary in the process. 

"I continually harrassed Spike. Always mocking him for not being like the other dragons. Calling him a Lame dragon and finding ways to humiliate him. Might as well call me the element of disloyalty." Said Rainbow, looking down. "I'm a monster for doing that to him..,"

"I have used Spike as an example of what I do. I used him at times to help around at the farm and showing no appreciation. I have used him as a tool, hogtying him with my lasso and laughing at his misery from time-to-time. One time, I tried to get rid of Spike cause of his dragon's code instead of talking to him."

"I.., I slowly started to ignore him and his friendship..," Fluttershy quietly admits. "To put it in simpler terms. I have more of a friendship with you than Spike, Discord. I've become uninterested in him. He was irrelevant to me. My time was with you and the girls when not saving Equestria or solving a friendship case," Fluttershy starts whimpering and crying.

"Well, you deliberately brought Disharmony to Spike. You basically broke him into submission. Taking away years of his life into serving you," Discord (clone) turns to Twilight. He sighs heavily. "What do you plan on doing to redeem yourselves?" 

"Nothing. I'm not allowed to come near Spike at the Crystal Empire. I don't think I'll ever get a second chance to be with Spike," Said Twilight in defeat. 

"Princess Celestia and Luna will come to terms with giving you a second chance once the waters calm down," Said Discord reassuringly. 

"Why are you helping us, Discord? We basically took your job of creating Disharmony," Asked Applejack out of curiosity. 

"Well, since you ponies took my job of creating Disharmony, I'm taking your job on restoring friendships," Replied Discord, countering Applejack's statement of taking his job.  Discord (clone) can see the devastation written on his friends' faces. "Well, I hope you don't treat your siblings like this. That'll be even worse." Said Discord. 

A few moments later, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash perk up. Hearing how Discord just said about the siblings' part made them leave the castle in a hurry. Rarity and Applejack do not wish upon having their sisters taken away or hurting them. Rainbow Dash soars looking for Scootaloo since she has been looking out for her as an older sister would. 

"Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy. You have to pick yourselves up and look for a brighter future. Write out how you're going to redeem yourselves as a better friend. Not just for one species but all. That way, you won't make the same mistake twice. Who knows, maybe if Celestia and Luna see that you've changed, they may allow you to earn a redemption quest to be friends with Spike again."

Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy remain in silence but thought over what Discord said. Discord leaves the Castle of Friendship as his time is up. He's gotten all the info he needed. Hopefully, Twilight will find the spark to ignite her and her friends. Becoming better than they use to be. Maybe, just maybe, there'll be hope for them after all. Discord (clone) leaves Ponyville. He'll see his original in Spike's (Discord)'s quarters at the Crystal Empire. 





https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x370h1e The chosen arc for Spike in Fairy Tail.





It is now 10:30 at night in Magnolia. Lucy Heartfilia finished taking her bath. She comes out of her bathroom to see Natsu, Happy, and Spike in her bedroom. Spike and Lucy shrieks. 

"Aaaaah! Get out!" Lucy throws a pan at Natsu's face. 

"Ow! That hurts, Lucy," Natsu painfully said. Rubbing his face as it's red. 

"Wait a minute. You said this was your place, Natsu!" Said Spike, covering his eyes as Lucy still wrapped in a towel. 

"It is not. Why are you here anyway?" 

"Sorry, Lucy. I thought of showing Spike this awesome place we hang around a lot," Said Natsu, chuckling a bit nervously. 

Lucy sighs. "Please, leave." 

"Alright, we're going. Let's go Happy and Spike." 

"Aye," Said Happy. 

"Except for you, Spike." 

"Whaaaaaaaaat?" Said Happy and Natsu in shock.  

"He can stay because he wasn't aware. As for you two, beat it," Said Lucy, waving her hand at the two to leave. 

Natsu and Happy grumble as they leave Lucy's apartment by hopping out the window. Lucy complains about them leaving by not using the door. 

"I swear, those two use my apartment as a hotel," Said Lucy. She turns to Spike. "Give me a few moments then we can talk." 

"Okay, then." 

Lucy goes to a different room and puts on her pajamas. After a few moments, she comes back. She sees Spike sitting on a chair waiting. 

"Sorry for the intrusion," Spike said apologetically. 

"Ah, it's fine. This happens so often. I should have expected it. So, how are you holding up?"  

"I'm good. Better for the first time in years if I'm being honest." Said Spike, calmly. 

"Would you like some tea?" Lucy politely offers. 

"Sure. Do you have green tea?" Spike smiles. 

"I do. Coming up," Lucy goes to her kitchen to start brewing tea. 

Spike looks around her apartment from the chair he's sitting on. "You have a nice place here. How much you have to pay rent?"

"Thanks, Spike. I pay 70,000 Jewels a month."

"Wow, that's a lot." 

"It's a steal. Being a member of the Fairy Tail Guild, there are job offers that wage a lot of money. So, back in this Equestria world, you come from, did you use magic?" 

"I can teleport letters using my dragon's breath. Back in Equestria, I would often send letters to Princess Celestia. It's all I know how to do," Spike sighs. "I wish I can learn more about magic and adapt it to my likeness. Everyone in Fairy Tail is unique with their magic and, I don't have much to offer," Spike slumps a bit. Putting his claw on his cheek looking down. 

Lucy walks up to Spike handing him his cup of green tea. Spike takes it and drinks it a bit. Lucy grabs a chair and sits across from him. 

"So, what kind of magic would you be interested in learning?"

"Hmm," Spike ponders for a bit. "The story of how Gray uses maker magic is cool. Like, I would like to learn maker magic and use it for my flames along with learning powerful spells."

"Definitely talk to Gray about it. He can teach you some things about maker magic."

"I will," Spike drinks more of his green tea. 

"Anything else coming into your mind?"

"Being able to use my flames. That part, I'll ask Natsu. The same goes for Macao. Learning how to use my flames to lift things."

"Sounds good, Spike," Lucy cheerfully said. Hoping Spike would smile a bit.

"I wonder whose team I'll be joining. Do you have any recommendations, Lucy?" Ask Spike, taking another sip of his green tea. 

"Well, I'm sure Erza, Natsu, Happy, and Gray wouldn't mind adding another member to our team. There is Shadow Gear as well. I would personally love you on our team."

"You and they would want me on their team?" Spike perk up a bit. 

"I honestly don't see why not. Plus, you'll be on a ton of adventures with us. Surrounded by friends and creating memories on the way. Also, you'll gain experience in the magic world. That is what you wished for, no?"

"You have a valid point. I did wish for this. I will make it worth wild." Spike said as he's cheering up a bit more. 

"I'll vouch for you. Knowing the others by heart, they would love your company. Especially Erza and Natsu." 

"Thanks, Lucy."

"You're welcome, Spike." 

"Can I ask you something?" Asked Spike, nervously. 

"Sure, what is it?"

"Mind if I spend the night here? I don't know where else to sleep for the time being," Spike kinda knows what to expect in his heart. A no. Still, he had to ask and see what happens. 

"Yea, you can stay over. You can stay until you find a place of your own."

Spike smiles more. He gets off his chair and hugs Lucy for being kind to him. Lucy returns the hug. 

"Thank you, Lucy." 

"Of course, what are friends for?" 

The next day. Lucy and Spike walk to the Fairy Tail Guildhall. On the way there, a lot of people are observing Spike. They thought all dragons are deceased. They are surprised to know that one remains. Parents and kids alike couldn't help but take pictures of Spike so they can tell their friends about what they see. Spike couldn't help but stare at the structure of the Fairy Tail Guild. It's massive and beautiful. Upon arrival, Lucy and Spike see Erza, Gray, Natsu, and Happy by the front door. 

"Hey, guys," Said Lucy, greeting her friends. 

"Morning, everyone," Spike waves his claw. 

"Hey, Lucy. Hey, Spike," Gray answers. 

"Sup," Natsu replies. 

"Hey, you two," Happy replies. 

"Hey, Lucy. Morning, Spike. I have news for you."

"What is it?" Spike asks, wondering what Erza has to say. 

"After giving it some thought, I've decided to have you become a member of our team."

"Really!" Spikes shouts happily. He couldn't help but smile widely. 

"Yes." Erza nods then turn to her friends. "Gray, Natsu, Happy. Any objections?" 

"I'm cool with it, Erza," Gray calmly said. 

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouts with pride. 

"Aye!" Happy agrees with the verdict. 

"Lucy?" Said Erza calmly. 

"Actually, you beat me to the punch, Erza. I was going to suggest if it'd be alright to have Spike on our team."

"Then, it's official. Spike the Fairy will become our newest teammate." 

Everyone cheers in unison. Spike becomes estactic. Arriving yesterday, getting to know his new friends, partying like there is no tomorrow, and now, being part of a team in Fairy Tail. This is the best wish he ever made that came true. 

"Lucy, I forgot. I was supposed to give you this last night," Happy hands Lucy a flier. The flier reads of the Magnolia Harvest Festival. The flier also mentions a Miss Fairy Tail contest with the winner receiving 500,000 jewels. 

"Whoa, that's a lot of money," Lucy exclaims. 

"Uh-huh," Happy nods. "It's taking place later in the afternoon."

"I better get ready!" Lucy hurries back to her apartment, leaving a trail of smoke behind.   

"Thank you for allowing me into your team, guys." 

"No sweat. Also, I think you'll enjoy the Fantasia Parade later tonight. It may be a little too late for you to participate, but you'll be able to enjoy the scenery. If Makarov says you can participate, then you'll more likely be smiling and waving on a float. If not, the following year you'll participate for sure," Said Gray. All of a sudden, he's stripped down to his underwear. 

"Gray," Spike laughs, "You're clothes," 

"Darn it! Not again!" Gray panics. His clothes are scattered. 

Spike, Erza, Natsu, Happy, and Gray walk inside the Guildhall. Spike sees some faces he didn't see yesterday in the Guildhall. One of those faces walks up to Spike. 

"So, you're the one that goes by Fairy Dragon," Said Gajeel, the Iron Dragon Slayer. 

"Well, my name is Spike the Fairy. Nice to meet you."

"The name is Gajeel, the Iron Dragon Slayer. By the way, do you know a dragon named Metalicana?" 

"No. Sorry, I'm not from this world. I do not know about this world's dragons."

"Well, welcome to the guild, I guess," Said Gajeel. He leaves Spike alone to chow on some iron. 

Juvia approaches the group to greet Gray. When she sees Spike, she couldn't help but be amazed by the sight of him. Not that she's in love with him but, this is her first time seeing a young dragon. She looks down at Spike.

"Hello. You must be this Fairy Dragon I heard about since I came back. My name is Juvia Lockser." 

"Hi, Juvia. I'm Spike the Fairy. Nice to meet you," Spike offers his claw for Juvia to shake. 

"Nice to meet you too," Juvia smiles and shakes Spike's claw. Then her attention is directly at Gray. "Hi, Gray, my love!"

"Huh, she loves you," Spike jokingly said. 

"Don't be like Happy now, Spike!" Gray retorts a bit. 

"That's my joke. Glad you use it," Happy said, flying past Spike. 

"Hey, Gray. Mind if I talk with you for a few moments?"

"Sure," Gray replies. He sighs in relief as Juvia watches Gray walk to Spike to have a private discussion. "What's on your mind?"

"Is it possible for you to teach me some concepts on maker magic?" Ask Spike. Hoping Gray would give him some pointers and tips. 

"Well, there is a lot to it for maker magic. Maker magic allows you to be creative with the style you want. When you train hard, you'll be able to create a style of your own. After that, you can make it as powerful as your desire. That is what my Master, Ur taught me."

"Interesting, I will remember that. I'll put it to heart once I figure out how to use maker magic with my style. Thank you, Gray," Spike graciously expressed.

"No problem. Happy to help when I can," Gray said.  

Spike sits at a table to talk with everyone in the guildhall. They are telling him about the Fantasia Parade. How awesome it's going to be. How beautiful the parade will be as well. Unbeknown to Spike and most of the Fairy Tail Guild. Laxus is watching from afar. Jotting his motives as the Thunder Legion is getting ready to mobilize and seize control of Fairy Tail.
> Confrontations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hour has arrived for the Miss Fairy Tail contest. Spike is sitting next to Gray, Happy, Natsu, and Elfman. Spike sees not only members of the Fairy Tail Guild but everyone else in Magnolia in the guildhall. Everyone waiting patiently as Max Alors gets on stage with a mic. 

"The long wait is finally over, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the one and only Miss Fairy Tail contest. Where your favorite Fairies fight in the battle of beauty, I'm Max Alors, sand wizard extraordinaire. I'll be your host for this exciting event!"

Everyone cheers loudly in excitement, and Spike wonders who's going to win. He hopes that his friend Lucy will come up on top. 

"Now, let's meet entry number one, the exotic beauty who'll drink you out on the table any day of the week! Cana Alberona!" Max Alors steps aside, revealing Cana Alberona standing by. Everyone cheers for Cana. "Now, bust out some magic and show us your stuff!"

Cana aligns her magic cards in position, getting ready to transform to show off her beauty. Her cards circulate her as a bright light illuminates. After the flashing bright light, Cana reveals herself as wearing a swimsuit. Everyone gaze at her beauty, with lots of wows and cheers for Cana's beauty. 

"The prize money can cover my tab," Said Cana as she smiles, noting to everyone that she can use the prize money to get drinks for all. 

"A swimsuit, no fair!" Said Lucy, peering behind the curtain. 

"That's a clever idea. Maybe I should do the same," Said Erza, also peering behind the curtain.  

Lucy gasps, seeing Erza competing. "You're in this too?"

Erza couldn't help but smile as she closes her eyes. "When I hear the word contest, I get all worked up." Said Erza, admittingly. 

"Bye-bye rent money, it's over for me," An image of rent money flies away as Lucy is admitting defeat. Knowing Erza, she'll have the prettiest, gorgeous outfit that no one has ever seen before. 

"Hey, Spike. What you think about Cana?" Said Elfman.

"She's does look great. She's only the first participant we've seen. I'll give you a fair judgment later." 

"On to entry number two, she may be new to the guild. But her magic is S-Class. A radiant beauty rain or shine, Juvia Lockser!" Max Alors stands aside as Juvia walks up. More people in the crowds cheer on for Juvia. 

"Please," Said Juvia, using her water magic to position herself. "Let these feelings reach you, my beloved Prince," Juvia reveals to everyone her swimsuit. Everyone is astonished to see Juvia in a beautiful blue swimsuit. "Look at me, Gray! Do you like what do you see?" Said Juvia cheerfully. 

"Well, I gotta admit, Juvia looks better in the swimsuit than Cana," Said Spike. 

"Agreed. But no one can defeat my sister in a beauty competition!" Elfman claims proudly and boldly. 

"Gray, I see you blushing," Happy make kissy sounds to taunt Gray. 

"I'm not blushing!" Gray angrily expresses as he freezes Happy's fish. 

"Another swimsuit?! Give me a break!" Said Lucy, complaining that another woman used the swimsuit getup. Erza nods, agreeing with Lucy's complaint. 

"Next up is entry number three," Max Alors announces. "Fairy Tail's famous centerfold. Her beauty has stolen the hearts of men and women all over the land," Max Alors jumps out of the way, joining with the crowd to introduce, "Mirajane!" 

"There's my sister! Get ready to feast your eyes on elegant beauty, Spike the Fairy," Elfman claims, cheering for her older sister loudly. 

"Now, show off your stuff!" Max Alors shouts into the mic, getting too excited to see what Mirajane has to offer. 

"My specialty is in transformation magic. So, I'll show you a new side of me," A lot of men are gazing at Mirajane. Some even have hearts for eyes, showing how much they care and love Mirajane. Mirajane transforms her head into the shape of Happy. "This is my Happy face, Aye!" Everyone is stunned and heartbroken. Some even flop to the floor hard. They can't believe what they are seeing. Mirajane then transforms her head into Gajeel's appearance. "Here's my Gajeel face," Gajeel can't help but stare at the handsome look of himself, courtesy of Mirajane. "Cool, huh?"

Happy and Spike burst out laughing as everyone is dumbfounded. Elfman is taken back by his remarks. He can't believe that his sister decided to step back a little, allowing someone else to take the win. His jaw, like everyone else's, is dropped in shock and disbelief. Lucy holds her laughter a bit. Stating lesser competition in which, Erza agrees. 

"Entry number four, the Fairy Queen herself who needs no introductions-" 

"That's my cue," Said Erza, coming out of the curtains and hopping on stage. 

"Erza Scarlet!" Said Max Alors, stepping aside. 

Everyone cheers loudly for Erza Scarlet. The energy is reenergizing the guildhall due to Mirajane depleting it with her performance. Some of the men are chanting her name as others are complimenting her armor. 

"Wow, she's really popular," Said Lucy. Now nervous about losing the contest. 

Erza chuckles. She knows which outfit to requip into, "Let me show you a Requip you don't get to see every day," Erza powers up, she screams as she transforms into a Gothic Lolita outfit. Everyone is stunned at the beauty of Erza Scarlet. 

"Wow.., talk about seeing a beautiful girl," Spike's jaw is dropped just like everyone else's. He thought Rarity look elegant. Erza Scarlet takes the title in Spike's eyes for now. 

"She's going to win for sure," Said Elfman, to is his shock. 

"Gothic Lolita!" Lucy shrieks horribly, knowing she just lost the competition. 

"Looks like I win," Erza claims victoriously. 

"Never thought I'd see her dressed like that," Said Macao in shock. 

"Oui," Reedus nods in agreement. 

"And here is entry number five, patinaed and cute. This Fairy is smart as she is charming. Let's hear it for Levy McGarden!" 

Jet and Droy cheer of Levy lovingly and supportively, knowing that she'll do great and win the competition. 

"Let me show you my solid script!" Levy uses her magic to spawn her wording in their elements as a background of her image. 

"Here, we have entry number six. The sniper with the sights on your heart. The one and only Bisca Mulan!"

Bisca is in her swimsuit. She reveals to her peers four heart coins. Then, she tosses them in the air and requips her sniper rifle. With one shot from her sniper rifle, she pierces all four coins dead center. Alzack couldn't help but fall for her beauty and precision with the sniper. 

"How can I top that?" Said Lucy. 

"Wow, I have to say. From what I've seen, Erza got this in the bag," Said Spike. 

"Definitely. Runner up is definitely Juvia," Said Natsu. 

"Aye," Happy replies as he's eating a new fish. 

"Mirajane is down below. Last place.., I wonder how Lucy would fare in the rankings," Said Elfman.  

"We will have to look and see," Said Gray. 

"Let's move on to entry number seven, Fairy Tail's rising star. She shines as brightly as the spirits guide her way, Lucy Heart-" 

"Stop! Please don't say my last name out loud," Cried Lucy, waving her arms in motion, not wanting her last name to be revealed and reminded. 

Everyone except members of the Fairy Tail guild starts to question Lucy Heartfilla. Spike, is cheering for Lucy to win, throwing the thumbs up to boost her confidence, hopefully. Lucy regains her confidence after sighing a bit. 

"Now, show us what you got!" Said Max Alors, hoping to see what the newer guildmate can do. 

"Me and my Celestial Spirits are going to do a cheer for you guys," Lucy brings out the pom-poms. Everyone cheers until a sudden voice interrupts, announcing herself as entry number eight. "Hey, hold on, I haven't even started to do my cheer yet," Said Lucy frustratedly. 

"I'm the very definition of Fairy. Not to mention the definition of beauty," She steps forward. "I'm the only woman who embodies everything men desire. Therefore, the winner is me, the lovely Evergreen,"  Evergreen reveals herself to the entire guildhall and its patrons. "Now, this idiotic contest can end." 

Lucy shrieks a bit, having a painful feeling she already lost the competition. 

"Uh, who is that?" Ask Spike in curiosity, pointing towards Evergreen on the stage. 

"Whoa, she's back?" Said Gray in shock. 

"Then, Laxus is here too," Said Elfman, sounding discouraged. 

Master Makarov glares at Evergreen. Earlier today, he and Mirajane were walking after getting some supplies. Mirajane mentioned that she heard Laxus was in town after hearing some rumors from Levy. Makarov now waits and listens to see what will unfold in his presence. 

"Can you go and mess up a different contest?" Said Lucy, irately. "Give me a break here. I really need this prize money!"

"Lucy!" Gray alerts loudly. "Don't look her in the eye!" 

"I'm sorry, what was your name?" Evergreen looks directly at Lucy, activating her magic. 

"Lucy!" Spike cries out as he sees Lucy turning into a stone statue. 

"This is bad," Max Alors turns to the people after seeing Lucy turned to stone. "Everyone, get out of here! Now!" Max Alors announces. Everyone panics and runs away from the guildhall. 

"What do you think you're doing, Evergreen?" Said Makarov, demanding to know what her intentions are. "You've ruined the festival for everyone."

Evergreen couldn't help but chuckle at Master Makarov. "On the contrary, I think things are just getting interesting," Evergreen reveals to everyone in Fairy Tail that she's turned every woman that competed into a statue. 

"No, Mira!" Elfman expressed angrily. 

"She got Erza too!" Happy said.  

Spike is stunned to see his friends turned into a stone statue. "I can't believe this. This girl has the power to turn others to stone. I remember hearing the Elements of Harmony turning Discord into stone. The fact that she did this no problem.., this world's magic far exceeds Equestrian's magic. Just how powerful everyone in the guild is? How powerful can I be in my current state?" Spike looks up as others started to gather around. 

"Don't be a fool!" Said Makarov, "Return them to normal this instant!"

The guildhall starts getting brighter. Everyone looks up to see a flash of lightning striking on the stage. Laxus is now revealing himself to all of Fairy Tail.  

"Well looks like all your fans have decided to head home. Pity, the party is about to start," Laxus sees Spike for the first time. He's behind his grandfather Makarov sitting by a table. 

"I should have known," Said Makarov. 

Gray looks up to see Freed and Bickslow as well. 

"The Thunder Legion," Said Macao in shock and awe. 

"What the heck you guys trying to pull?" Asked Wakaba frustratedly. 

"C'mon! Let's have some fun!" Said Laxus in good spirit. "That baby dragon in the back will make a fine good pet for me. It's rare seeing a dragon up close."

"I had enough of your nonsense, turn them back or, else," Makarov demands. 

"You better play nice if you want these ladies to join the parade," Laxus threatens, using his lightning as a bargaining chip to smite Lucy. 

"No, stop!" Makarov pleads. 

The lightning missed Lucy by near inches. "In other words, I'm taking all of them hostage," Laxus puts an arm around Lucy's stonified statue. "Break the rules, and I'll shatter these chicks one by one or, I can just smash them all right now."

"I'm not amused, Laxus. Stop fooling around!"

"I'm serious, old man."

Freed hops down. "I've always wondered who is strongest in the guild. Now it's time to find out."

"Yea," Bickslow hops down. "Let's have some fun," Bickslow has these floating tikis that do talk, "Fun, fun," they repeat what Bickslow said. 

"There's only one rule. Whoever left standing is the winner," Said Laxus, explaining his demented game. "It's a Fairy Tail Battle Royal!" Laxus decrees. 

"Nice and simple," Natsu slams his fist onto the table. He's enjoying the idea of fighting to see who is the strongest. "I'm fired up now." 

"Glad you can see it my way. If nothing else, you've got the right attitude." 

"Natsu," Makarov and Spike retort at the same time. 

"This is a festival, right?" Asked Natsu, smirking a bit. "Let's party," Natsu starts walking up to Laxus. 

"Have you already forgotten how badly he beat you the last time you guys went at it?" Asked Warren, worried that the results of this fight would end up the same as before. 

"I was just a kid back then," Replied Natsu, powering up. 

"What do you mean? That was last year!" Warren retorts. 

"Yea, and since then, I've become a man!" Natsu lung at Laxus. 

"On the other hand, I think that attitude of yours is going to get you into a world of hurt. Why don't you sit back down?" Laxus uses his lightning to hit Natsu, knocking him back onto the floor. 

"Natsu!" Said Gray. 

"I told you so," Said Warren. 

"He's no man," Said Elfman. 

"Wow, and this Laxus guy didn't have to move. He took down Natsu like he's nothing," Said Spike shockingly. 

"Poor guy," Happy flies next to Natsu. "And he was finally feeling all better too."

"Naturally, if you want me to turn the girls back to normal, you're going to have to defeat us first," Said Evergreen, confidentially. 

"But, those odds aren't bad. There's four of us and a hundred of you guys," Bickslow laughs. "Laugh at you. Laugh at you," Floating tikis mocks. 

"You have three hours and not a second more. After that, these pretty statues of yours will be reduced to dust," Said Evergreen. 

"All of Magnolia will serve as the battlefield. The battle will begin when and if you find us," Said Laxus, explaining more of the Fairy Tail Battle Royal.

"Laxus, how could you?" Makarov expressed, feeling betrayed. "I won't stand for this!" Makarov increases his size into a near giant in the guildhall. Spike is mesmerized by the size of Master Makarov. His jaw drops in shock a second time. 

"Now now, simmer down, old man!" Laxus expressly mock. "It's all part of the festival, right?" A flash of light blinds everyone in the guildhall. "It'll be fun!" All there's left is Laxus laughter as everyone complains of the blinding light. "Let the battle of Fairy Tail begin!" Everyone sees that Laxus and the Thunder Legion had vanished. 

"He disappeared," Said Gray. 

"So, it's high stakes and hide and go seek? Huh," Macao rhetorically states. 

"Let's go, we gotta man up and save our girls!" Said Elfman proudly, rallying everyone in the guild to partake in the Fairy Battle Royal. 

"Bisca, hold on. I'll do everything I can to save you," Alzack hurries off to find Laxus and the Thunder Legion.

Nearly everyone in the guildhall rushes out the door in search of the Thunder Legion. Spike watches everyone leaving. He wants to help. He knows he can be useful, but due to his current state, he doesn't know how to fight nor use his magic. 

"This is bad. My friends are stonified, out for blood, and all I can do is sit and wait. I have to do something but, what?" Spike starts pondering a bit. He walks up to the stone statues of his friends. "I'm sorry that I can't help you at this given time. I wish there is something I can do to help," Spike looks down and sits. Then he starts to imagine himself using Maker Magic, thinking of using different stances and commanding what his fire should do. Spike sighs as he feels powerless to do anything at the moment. 

Rage starts fueling in Makarov's heart. Seeing his children in peril and his grandson going astray, he had enough of Laxus' childish game. Spike looks up and sees the frustration on Makarov's face. 

"You insolent brat!" Makarov turns and runs toward the exit. "Just wait. I'll stop you with my own two hands!" He claims then collides with a barrier. 

"Master Makarov!" Spike shouts. He's surprised to see Makarov slam into an invisible wall. 

Gray turns back to see Makarov slammed after hearing Spike's cry. "What's wrong? What happened, Spike?" 

Spike runs next to Makarov. "I saw our guild master slammed into an invisible wall!" 

"Don't be silly, Spike. There's nothing here!" Gray tries to lift and pull Makarov but, he can't get through. "Man, what's the deal?" 

"Look!" Spike points up to the lettering above. 

Gray and Makarov look up to see the writing Spike mentioned. They are dumbfounded at the moment. 

"Must be one of Freed's enchantments," Said Makarov. 

"Uh, what do you mean by enchantments?" Asked Spike. 

"Can you explain, Gramps?" 

"It's a barrier formed by magic runes," Said Makarov. "Anyone who steps inside is bound by its rules. The only way to escape is to follow them." 

"Any idea what it says?" Asked Gray. 

"Stone statues and anyone over the age of eighty years shall not pass." 

"Wow, Laxus is making sure that he and the Thunder Legion win. We no longer have an ace on our sleeve," Said Spike, crossing his arms. 

"Whoever writes the rules wins the fight, huh?"

"Perhaps, but enchantments like these take time to write. As such, it'll be useless in a one on one battle. Still, as you can see, they quite effective as setups as traps." 

"You're really stuck? You can't break through?" Asked Gray. 

"I'm afraid that the rules of the enchantment are absolute." 

"Well, that settles it. It looks like we're going into this battle without you, Gramps." 

"I'm sorry," Said Makarov. 

"I won't show mercy even, if Laxus is your grandson. He's going to pay for this," Said Gray, determinedly. He runs off looking for the Thunder Legion. 

Makarov turns as Spike becomes worried. "Master, are you okay?" 

"No, Spike," Makarov shakes his head.  "I don't think Gray and the others are capable of defeating Laxus or any of the Thunder Legion members, alone. Erza might be our strongest candidate to defeat Laxus. Either than her, I don't know who else may stand a chance against, Laxus."  

"Is there any way we can dispel Evergreen's petrification magic?" Asked Spike. 

Makarov thinks it over a bit. There is a way to reverse the effects. Makarov and Spike enter the guild and see Reedus Jonah cowering behind a pillar. 

"Reedus, why aren't you out there fighting?" 

"I'm afraid that Laxus will hurt me, Master." 

"Then, I have another objective for you. Head on over to the East Forest and to see Porlyusica. She may have a potion to cure petrification." 

"Oui!" Reedus complies and leaves the guildhall.

Natsu wakes up, sits up, and screams. 

"You're awake," Said Happy happily. 

"Hold on? Where did Laxus go?" Ask Natsu in confusion. He looks around and sees Spike and Makarov. "Where did everyone go?"

"Natsu," Makarov said. "If he gets serious, he could be strong enough to pull it off." 

"Gramps, Spike," Natsu runs up to them as Happy follows him. "Do you know where everyone ran off to?"

"Now, listen up," Makarov commands. "The festival is underway. Laxus is hiding somewhere in Magnolia. Find him and beat him!" Makarov points to the exit of the guildhall. 

"Alright!" Natsu roars, now having a fire in his belly. He runs after Laxus. "Just you wait, Laxus-" Natsu collides at the barrier face first. Spike, Makarov, and Happy are in shock. They can't believe what they saw. "What the heck?" 

"Unbelievable! Laxus must have made sure anyone he sees as a threat couldn't get through!" Exclaimed Spike. 

"That ingenious maniac!" Makarov irately express. Everyone looks up to see the runes display a new message above. "Battle of Fairy Tail status report. What, it says Jet versus Droy versus Alzack. Is this some kind of joke?!"

"I think Freed made sure to give us an insight on the battle royal," Said Happy. 

"I don't understand why those guys would be fighting each other," Said Natsu in confused. 

"Of course," Spike lowers his head. "This is a divide and conquer strategy. If Freed placed an enchantment here, there could be possible locations all around Magnolia with Freed's enchantment circles to force them to fight each other," Spike explains. "And, we're sitting ducks. The question is, what does Laxus want?" 

Seconds later, the runes revealed the victor of the fight. "The winner is Alzack," Said Makarov. The runes reveal more battles, more winners, and losers. 

"This isn't fair!" Natsu presses hard on the barrier. "I wanna fight too!"

"Is that all?!" Spike, Happy, and Makarov said in unison. 

"Man, you suck!" Natsu starts slapping the barrier. "Go away, invisible wall!"

Makarov slaps Natsu on his head. "Why do you want to fight your friends?!"

"Cause it's a tournament to see who is the strongest!" Replied Natsu, eager to fight. 

"This is not a tournament! As Spike mentioned, it's a divide and conquer. Laxus is using everyone like pawns in his twisted game. If we can't beat the Thunder Legion in time, the girls are going to be smashed to pieces." 

"Unfortunately, most of Fairy Tail are fighting among each other instead of working together. Trying to be the best of all may not help in the long run against the Thunder Legion or Laxus," Said Spike. "The girls are more likely to perish when the hour is up."

"Spike, Laxus is one of us. I don't think he'll cross that line. Honestly, I don't think he'd meant to harm them in critical condition. Sure, he can be a pain but, who isn't?" 

"Wow, Natsu still considers Laxus as a member of Fairy Tail despite his wrongful doing. He doesn't believe that Laxus will go this far into hurting the guild members. What goes in Natsu's mind is beyond me at times."

"Time remaining, two hours and eighteen minutes," Said Happy after reading the status update. "Participants remaining, forty-two." 

"No way, that's all that's left?!" Said Spike in shock. 

"In less than an hour, more than half the guild has been defeated."

Now there are forty remaining members as sixty are defeated. Natsu is calling Laxus game and situation a bluff. There is nothing more to it. 

"A bluff, huh?" Laxus makes an appearance behind Natsu, Happy, Makarov, and Spike. "You sure about that?" Laxus is in a thought projection form. To Spike, it's more of a hologram. "Natsu, what are you doing holding up in this dump? Are you scared? And who is that baby dragon?" 

"I'm not scared!" Natsu responds angrily. "I'm stuck." 

"None of your business, bully," Spike replies. 

"None of my business?" Laxus chuckles. "You have the Fairy Tail emblem on your chest. That makes it my business." 

"I'm Spike the Fairy," Spike balls his claws. 

"Ooooh, scary," Laxus mocks Spike, waving his hands in a mocking motion of fear. "A Fairy Dragon, how profound," Laxus chuckles, knowing that Spike is utterly useless. 

"What do you want, Laxus?" Asked Makarov, sounding displeased. 

"How's it feel, knowing that your children are annihilating each other? Too bad that Natsu and Erza can't join the game. You don't have anyone too strong to beat the Thunder Legion."

"Gray is out there! He'll take you down!" Spike throws the thumbs down at Laxus. Laxus laughs. 

"The ice wizard? You put all your hope on that loser?" 

"Yea!" Happy concurs. "He's as strong as Natsu."

"Me?!" Said Natsu furiously. "No way, man!"

"Sorry, but you are in denial." 

"I wouldn't underestimate the boy's power if I were you," Said Makarov confidentially. 

Moments after mentioning Gray's name, he loses his fight against Bickslow. 

"One more down," The runes revealed that Gray is defeated. "Only twenty-eight contenders remain," Said Laxus. "Who else is left that you can depend on?" 

"Wait, I just remembered. Gajeel is out there. He'll stop you!" Spike claims. Laxus laughs. 

"Gajeel, really? He made it clear that he doesn't want to play." 

"Stop this, Laxus. You had your fun. I surrender." 

"What's gotten into you? I thought you were the almighty master of the Fairy Tail guild? You can't just give up in a drop of a hat. But, if you insist on quitting, then, by all means, hand the guild over to me. And take an early retirement." 

Makarov now knows the fruition of Laxus scheme. He wants to become the next Guild Master of Fairy Tail. Laxus divided the guild to tear each other apart, Evergreen using her petrification magic to use as a bargaining chip to persuade everyone into doing his bidding. Laxus is crossing the boundaries that can get him kicked out of the guild.  

"You only got an hour and a half to announce your retirement on the guild's loudspeaker if you wish to save the girls. I want you to tell all of Magnolia that you are relinquishing Fairy Tail over to me. What means more to you? Your children or your title?" 

"You're insane! Your too much of a dictator to ever treat Fairy Tail as a family!" Spike shouts angrily. "And dictators don't last long either."

Laxus laughs. "You'll be a fine addition to the new Fairy Tail guild, as my pet," Laxus smirks. 

"You won't get away with this, Laxus!" Natsu lunges at Laxus with a fist. Unfortunately, Natsu had already forgotten that Laxus is a thought projection. Laxus is done talking and disappears. Natsu collides with a pillar head first. "If he wants to be master, he should have the guts to face me in person! How come he won't fight me?" 

"All we know is that Master Makarov cannot and should not revoke his title as the guild's master. We have to hope that someone is willing to help each other to defeat an enemy instead of hurting each other," Said Spike. 

"Agreed," Makarov concurs. "Laxus doesn't have the conviction and heart to run Fairy Tail."

"There has to be someone who can defeat Laxus and his pals," Said Happy. 

Happy, Makarov, Spike, and Natsu hear loud metallic crunching sounds nearby. Gajeel gets up and appears to be eating metal. 

"Wow, he actually eats metal," Said Spike, surprised a fourth time. "Today is full of surprises."

"He was here this whole time!" Said Natsu in shock. 

"He's eating the dishes too," Said Happy. 

"Gajeel," Makarov calls out. "Will you fight for the guild?" 

"Might as well," Said Gajeel, fiercely. "I have a score to settle with that guy. Don't worry, I'll handle him," Gajeel walks out the door only to be slammed by the barrier as well. 

Makarov, Happy, and Natsu scream in horror. 

"Noooooooooo! Not you too!" Spike shouts, stunned in disbelief. 

"Don't tell me your over eighty too?!" Natsu exclaims. 

"Do I look eighty to you, moron?!" Gajeel retorts. 

"Holy crap..," Said Happy. "Only three remains."

"Three? Who's the third?" Ask Spike in confusion. 

Makarov realizes something. Laxus mentions that Spike is his business. "Spike, can you step through the barrier?"

"I.., I haven't tried, I guess it's worth a shot," Spike walks out of the Fairy Tail Guild. He doesn't get blocked by the barrier.

"Spike!" Natsu shouts. "You have a chance at defeating Laxus and the Thunder Legion!"

"ME?!" Spike points at himself. "I don't even know the basics of magic in this world! I don't know how powerful or weak I am!" Said Spike, horrifyingly. 

"You have to try! The guild's future depends on you!" Natsu believes in Spike despite the odds against him. 

"I know you have what it takes to defeat them," Happy says, putting his hope in the claws of Spike the Fairy. "I believe in you!" 

"So do I!" Said Natsu. 

"You can do it, kid," Makarov is unsure about Spike's capabilities but believes he can overcome the impossible when any Fairy Tail wizard puts their hearts and souls into everything they got.  

Spike turns to see Magnolia. He's shaking a bit. He's nervous that he's going to face the challenge alone. Then, an idea struck him. "Wait! I have an idea of freeing the girls from their imprisonment!"

"What is it?" Makarov is curious about Spike's theory. 

"It may be a long shot, like my chances of defeating Laxus and the Thunder Legion. What if we melt the structure of the stone, weakening it to crack it?" 

"It's definitely a long shot but, what else is there to try?" Gajeel wholeheartedly doesn't want the last young dragon to perish in a battle he may not win. 

"If my idea doesn't work, I'll try my hardest to defeat Laxus and the Thunder Legion," Spike painfully accepts his goal if his theory backfires. 

Makarov sighs heavily. "Alright, let's give it a go. Natsu." 

"Yes, Gramps." 

"Grab Erza's statue. We're going to try Spike's idea on her." 

"Understood, Gramps," Natsu lays the Erza statue on the floor. "Hahaha, it's toasty time," Natsu's hands are near Erza's chest; he smirks a bit pervertedly. 

"Please be careful!" Makarov pleads. Now unsure of Natsu's behavior on melting the stone. 

"No joke, watch where you put those fire hands, bro," Said Gajeel. 

The Erza statue starts to crack. Natsu, Happy, Makarov, and Spike freak out, shouting in horror at the sight. 

"I didn't mean to break her! Ah! Someone get me the glue!" Natsu panics.    

"Glue is not going to work you, idiot. We gotta use your fire and my iron to weld her back together," Gajeel turns his arm into an iron club.

"Erza, nooooooooooo!" Makarov shouts horridly at Erza's predicament getting worse. 

Spike's eyes start twitching. His idea immediately backfired. The Erza statue continues to crack; Natsu starts bowing down pleading to any Gods for forgiveness of his sin. Then, the petrification dissolves. Erza is free from her stony prison. Now everyone is dumbfounded for the moment. 

"I feel hot," Erza glares at Natsu, showing him fear. "It was you, wasn't it?" Erza punches both Gajeel and Natsu in one swing. "We're you trying to cook me?!"

Surprisingly, Spike wasn't afraid of seeing Erza's vicious glare. He likes it a lot. Spike runs up to Erza, hugging her. "Welcome back, Erza," Said Spike happily. 

"Erza is back in business," Happy cheerfully expresses. 

Makarov sighs in relief. Now there's a chance of defeating Laxus. "How is the spell broken?" 

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure," Erza answers calmly. "If I had to guess, it has to do with my right eye." 

Makarov gasps. He realizes that the artificial eye has weakened Evergreen's spell. Happy flies up to Erza. 

"Erza, are you aware of what's happening right now, or do you need a quick summary of what's been happening?" 

"Even in stone, I was able to hear most of what was said. Also, I heard that Spike is a participant in Laxus's game." 

Spike nods. 

"Alright, it's time to strike back-" Makarov is interrupted by Gajeel after he reads the update. 

"Now there are four remaining members."

"The runes already added me into the fray. That's impressive. It updates automatically."

"Gajeel and Natsu are trapped within the enchantment. That only means you and I can leave." 

"Wait, now it updated to five," Said Gajeel. 

"Who's the fifth?" Spike asks. 

"Can't be any of the girls. They're still petrified."

Erza chuckles. "Aren't you guys forgetting about someone? The member who is frequently out of town?"

"Who?" Spike asks again. 

Natsu and Happy gasps. "Hold on. You don't mean him?" 

"And he's back when we need him the most!" Makarov excitedly expresses. 

"He's always one to make a grand entrance," Erza smirks. "Looks like the real battle is about to begin."

"Mind telling Spike and I who you guys are talking about?" 

"We're talking about a man who can be the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail, Mystogan," Erza answers. 

"Erza, I have a theory," Said Spike. 

"What's your theory?" 

"If you take out Evergreen, her spell may wear off on the girls, freeing them from their stony prison. Then we'll have better odds of a fighting chance against the Thunder Legion."

Erza nods. 

"Once the girls are free, then Levy can work her way around Freed's enchantment. Allowing our two Dragon Slayers to bring down Laxus," Said Makarov. 

"Alright, I'm on it!" Erza leaves the guildhall. She is now searching for Evergreen. 

"All we can do is watch," Makarov said, watching the runes until there's a slight change. 

Ten minutes later, Erza defeats Evergreen. "Look!" Happy points, "Erza defeated Evergreen. That means," Happy and the rest turn to see everyone freed from their stony imprisonment. 

"They're all back to normal," Natsu said with glee. 

"What happened? I can't remember anything?" Said Lucy. 

The girls have no memory of what transpired and what is happening now. Happy, Natsu, and Spike are explaining all they can. 

"Good, now Laxus no longer has any hostages. He can't continue with his game no more."

Somewhere in Magnolia, Laxus is pissed. Evergreen lost a fight to Erza, and his bargaining chip is now diminished. Time to resort to Option B of his operations.  Another ten minutes later. 

"He called it the Battle of Fairy Tail?" Asked Lucy. 

"Yea. He's gone haywire," Answered Spike. 

"Laxus outdid himself this time," Said Cana, highly upset and angry at Laxus. 

"At any rate, it's over now," Said Makarov. "I played along with his foolish game cause your lives were in danger. I won't be indulging him anymore."

"Master, we can't allow him to get away with hurting our friends," Said Mirajane. 

"Yea, she's right!" Bisca proudly exclaims. "If we don't teach Laxus a lesson, he'll never learn." 

"Oh, don't worry. I'll give that boy a punishment he will never forget," Answered Makarov, already devising a punishment for Laxus. "He should know better. He can mess with me but not with my guild." 

"Hey, now. Hold on a sec," Said Natsu, stopping Makarov from speaking any further of Laxus' punishment. "I don't know about taking hostages but, I don't see any harm in finding out who's the strongest. I say we should keep the battle going." 

All eyes turn to Natsu. Makarov punches Natsu to knock some sense into him. Then, all of a sudden, the runes of the enchantment enters the guildhall and transforms into looking like a skull. 

"Can you hear me, old man?" Laxus asks. "The rest of you better listen up too." 

"What do you want?" Natsu demands. 

"Looks like one of the rules has gone out the window. That's fine. In other words, I'll just add a new one. Since I would hate to end the Battle of Fairy Tail early, I've decided to activate the Thunder Palace." 

"Are you out of your mind, Laxus?" Said Makarov infuriated. 

"You have one hour and ten minutes. If you think you can win, then you better get moving. Unless you're ready to hand the guild over to me now, Master," Laxus maniacally laughs as the rune skulls disappear. 

"This game has gone long enough, boy!" Said Makarov lividly. "I won't allow you to drag innocent people in this!" Makarov clutches his chest a bit.  

"Master!" Cana and Spike shriek worriedly. 

"Is he hurt?" Asked Natsu worriedly. 

"What's going on?" Ask Lucy, nervously. 

Makarov collapses as Bisca goes to check on him. Everyone is stunned to see Makarov in such a state. Mirajane offers to grab his medicine as everyone becomes more worried. 

"What does he mean by Thunder Palace?" Asked Natsu. 

Mirajane returns with Makarov's medicine. When she went to grab it, she notices something hovering outside. "Hey, look outside, you guys." 

Everyone heads outside to see what Mirajane saw. They see lightning lacramite hovering in the skies. There are hundreds of them orbiting around Magnolia. 

"Does Laxus plan on executing everyone if he doesn't get what he wants?" Said Spike. 

"Looks like it," Said Gajeel. 

"There floating with lightning magic," Cana explains. "This can get ugly. If we don't defeat Laxus and the Thunder Legion soon, Magnolia will cease to exist."

"I won't let that happen!" Bisca requips into her sniper rifle. "Target locked on," Bisca is aiming at one of the lightning lacrima and shoots it. One magic bullet destroys the lightning lacrima. 

"Nice shot!" Said Lucy, complimenting Bisca's aim. 

"You can easily shoot them all down," Said Spike, happily. 

"Now, all I gotta do is take down the rest," Bisca gets zap with lightning and screams. The lightning strike was so strong it knocked out Bisca. Levy is trying to wake up Bisca to see if she is okay.

"Why did she get zapped by that thing?" Asked Natsu. 

"I don't get it. How did that happen?" Asked Lucy. 

"It must be body link magic. By destroying one of the lacrimas, the magic you use to attack it with gets redirected back to you." 

"Fantastic," Spike exclaims sarcastically. "We need to take Laxus and the Thunder Legion down now. Time is wasting, and we need to hurry," Said Spike. 

"I'll go evacuate the citizens," Said Lucy, offering to help. 

"I'll go with you," Said Happy, flying with her. 

"Bickslow and Freed are still out there. Be careful, you two," Said Cana, now springing into action. Juvia follows pursuit with Cana. 

"Levy," Levy turns to Spike. "Makarov mentioned earlier that you are capable of lifting Freed's enchantment. See if you uplift the ruling so Natsu and Gajeel can join in the fight." 

"Alright, I'll get to it," Levy heads back inside. Gajeel, Natsu, and Spike follow Levy to the first floor. 

Twenty minutes later. Levy is in the process of decoding Freed's enchantment. Gajeel is impressed with Levy's skill. Spike is trying to get Natsu to stop headbutting the barrier and to be patient. 

"I want out already!" Natsu complained. 

"I know!" Spike shouts frustratedly.  He breathes fire to ease his tensions. His flare is sparkling green. 

"Whoa, your fire is sparkle green," Said Natsu in shock. 

"Yea, nothing new." 

"Release your fire on me," Natsu commands. 

"What?"

"Set me on fire." 

"Why would I do that?" 

"I can eat fire and, it helps me get stronger."

Spike takes a deep breath and breathes his sparkling green fire at Natsu. The impact isn't huge, but it's effective. Natsu starts eating the sparkling green fire. Spike jaw drops. He's lost count for how many times he's done it in a day. 

"Man, this is the tastiest fire I've ever eaten!" Said Natsu, satisfyingly. 

"Uh, glad you like my fire," Said Spike. 

Minutes later, Natsu reads the Battle of Fairy Tail status. "Whoa, Lucy kicked Bickslow's butt." 

"No way! That little Princess can actually fight?" Said Gajeel in disbelief. 

"Princess?" Said Spike. Spike has a sudden flashback, remembering Princess Twilight Sparkle and how badly she treated him throughout the years. He sighs quietly and sadly. 

"Yea, she's tough as nails," Said Natsu. 

"She's just a cheerleader," Argued Gajeel. 

"Well, they can be tough." 

"Yeah, right, I never heard that before."

"Really? You never heard of the story of the Tortoise and the Cheerleader?" Asked Natsu, now holding a tortoise puppet in his left hand. 

"It was a hare, you moron! And the dumb bunny lost, remember?" Gajeel is wearing a bunny puppet on his left hand. 

"Duh, the first time." 

Natsu and Gajeel continue to bicker with each other. Spike is watching Levy trying to decode Freed's enchantment. As she hears more of the bickering from Natsu and Gajeel, she decided to their bickering story to translate into code. As she continues her work, the message becomes clearer.  

"I got it! I'll be able to dispel the enchantment!" Gajeel, Natsu, and Spike cheer loudly. "Now, I just need to rewrite the enchantment."

"You bet," Gajeel and Natsu said in unison. 

"This is it, you guys. When I'm through here, you two will join the battle of Fairy Tail."

"Three," Said Spike, standing in between Natsu and Gajeel. 

"Huh?" Natsu responds, looking down. 

"You sure?" Asked Gajeel. 

"I told Makarov if my idea of melting the stone didn't work, I would fight Laxus and the Thunder Legion. It didn't work. Therefore, I'm honoring the promise I made." 

"Alright, time to test the waters for you, Spike," Said Gajeel. 

"I'm all fired up now!" Said Natsu proudly. His arm is now engulf in fire by his magic. "Let's bring that bastard down!" 

Gajeel, Natsu, and Spike leave the Fairy Tail guild. They are going to search for Laxus and Freed and bring them down. Gajeel, Natsu, and Spike have decided to split for now to cover more ground. When one of them finds Laxus or Freed, they should try to alert one another for backup. Mainly for Spike's sake since Gajeel and Natsu believe he'll have a tougher time surviving the fight. 

Spike runs down the street. He sees civilians looking at what's going on but having no clue about the evacuation. Spike figures that telling them what can happen may cause a riot. Something that all of Fairy Tail doesn't need. Natsu is trying to find Laxus' scent but, there are too many people around. Gajeel is taking the time to speak with Master Ivan, giving him all the details of his doing in Fairy Tail. 

"Where would I go if I want to separate myself from the action? Spike thought. He looks around the area. He sees a big tall building down the center, blocks away from the guildhall. "I should check that place out. No way he'll be in somebody's home orchestrating this," Spike starts running in that direction but stops for a few moments. He is unsure of how to use Maker Magic. He didn't train himself when he was with his friends for the past hour and so. "I only imagined using different positions and stances for my Maker Magic. Can I be able to use Maker Magic on other things with my fire?" Spike looks at his claws, clutching a bit. "Only one way to find out," Spike takes a deep breath and starts running towards the tall building in the middle of Magnolia. 

Spike sees a flashing color of black and purple lights in the sky blazing. He knew it was powerful by the sheer size of its light. He continues to run towards the center of Magnolia. Everyone in Magnolia is in shock and awe by the amazement. Spike and the others see an update of the Battle of Fairy Tail. 

"The numbers dropped. That means Laxus is all the remains," Said Spike. 

"This game just got interesting," Gajeel smirks. 

"Now, there's just one. I'm coming for you, Laxus," Said Natsu. 

As time goes by, with ten minutes remaining, Erza and Natsu are on the run searching for Laxus. Spike is nearing the tall building in the center of Magnolia. Gajeel is doing his best looking for Laxus after his talk with Master Ivan. Porlyusica enters the guildhall to see Master Makarov in the infirmary. Porlyusica tells Levy to find Laxus and bring him to see his grandfather one last time. She is aware that Makarov is dying. Levy leaves the guildhall in search of Laxus. 

Meanwhile, Laxus is sitting at the Kardia Cathedral, waiting for the timer to go off along with the Thunder Palace. All of a sudden, he starts to remember some good and bad memories with Makarov. He remembers the time of feeling betrayed when his father got kicked out of the guild and being second-fiddle to Makarov as a predecessor. 

"Why am I remembering this crap?" Said Laxus. He gets up to look at the timer. "Only six minutes until the Thunder Palace is activated, I guess that stubborn old geezer is going to hang on until the very end. Typical."

Spike is now in front of the tall building in the center of Magnolia. He gazes at the structure of it. "Wow, big as the guildhall. Wait," Spike sees a hooded cloak person walking inside. "Who is that?" Spike goes up to the window and sees who the hooded cloak person is. "Could that be that Mystogan person Erza was talking about?"

Laxus turns around to see Mystogan walking inside. "Oh, hey Mystogan. You've actually shown up," Laxus chuckles. "I'm surprised you're here. I didn't think this game would be of any interest to you."

"If you bring down the Thunder Palace right now, we may be able to convince the citizens it was part of the festival," Said Mystogan, subjecting to Laxus. Hoping he'll listen to his reason. 

"Is that why you really came back? Give me a break. You're looking for a piece of the action. You want to know who is the strongest in Fairy Tail is. You or me?"

"Don't be so quick to rule out Erza," Msytogan replies. 

"Are you kidding me? Sure the girl got spunk, but she's still weak."

"Huh, you think she's weak? You're either blind or more ignorant than I thought."

"Nothing against you. I think we can both agree we're stronger. It's clear that one of us is Fairy Tail's top wizard. The question is, who deserves the title?" 

"If you see the world as simple terms, perhaps you are blind."

"I'm sick of talking about it. Let's settle this. Here and now! Mystogan. Or should I say-"

Mystogan uses one of his staff to direct an attack on Laxus. Laxus counters with a lightning strike from his hand. The two magic beams collide causing an explosion shattering the windows of the Kardia Cathedral. Spike takes cover before the glass of the windows can pail him. Natsu and Erza hear the explosion coming from the church in Magnolia. They now know where Laxus is. Gajeel hears from afar and goes to the church as well. In Gajeel's and Natsu's mind, they believe that Spike may be in serious trouble fighting Laxus. As the smoke clears, Spike looks at the window to see Laxus and Mystogan standing where they are.

"Wow, so powerful," Spike trembles a bit. He can feel the intensity of the two. Something which he couldn't do back in Equestria, sense magic.  

"Tell me, how did you know that?" Mystogan demands. 

"Oops, did I strike a nerve? It's a rare treat to see you lose your cool like that. I gotta deal for ya, beat me, and I'll swear, I'll tell you everything I know."

"You're going to regret that statement, Laxus. You're about to witness magic the likes you'll never see before."

"Oh, I'm so scared," Laxus mocks. "Go on and show me everything you got, freak! I'm dying to see how much stronger I am."

"Whoa," Spike starts sweating as he's observing. "Things are getting heated up between the two." 

Mystogan grabs all his staffs and strikes them in a pattern on the floor. "Skyscraper," Mystogan commands and uses his magic. 

Bright flashing lights encircle around Laxus. Laxus is lifting out of the church and wrapped around tightly he sees a demon ripping the fabric of space to attack Laxus. Laxus screams in fear. Spike sees Laxus lackadaisical, standing there screaming as there is no movement. 

"Is Mystogan's magic all about illusions?" Spike said to himself. 

"What kind of magic is this?!" Laxus squeals a bit, seeing the demon getting closer. He then uses his lightning to shatter Mystogan's illusion, laughing it off as it was nothing. "Now that's funny! Did you seriously think you'd be able to defeat me using some kind of stupid illusion?"

"He was toying with Mystogan. How strong is he?" Asked Spike, talking to himself more as he watches. 

"Impressive, but it seems you're still a bit slow on the uptake," Purple flare illuminates under Laxus. 

"What?" Laxus looks down then up to see five circles spawn above him. 

"Sleep," Mystogan lifts his staff and points at Laxus. "Five Layer Magic Circle Sacred Song."

"You think I'm the slow one, huh?" Laxus places a lightning circle below Mystogan's position. It starts to electrify. 

"No," Said Mystogan, not anticipating this counterattack by Laxus.  

The two spells go off. Laxus laughs as Mystogan takes a blow. Laxus is smirking as Mystogan is hovering. Mystogan uses his purple containment wave to trap Laxus. However, Laxus slips through Mystogan's attack. 

"He slipped through." 

Laxus laughs more and hits Mystogan with a lightning tackle. Laxus stands as Mystogan recovers. 

"Now, that's more like it," Said Laxus. 

"Are they at a standstill?" Ask Spike. He turns to see his friends Natsu and Erza arriving in front of the open door, not noticing that Spike is next to them. 

"So here you are?" Natsu and Erza said in unison. They see Laxus and Mystogan. Laxus and Mystogan turn to see them. 

"Erza." 

"Hey, you made it out of there." 

"Hey, you two," Spike comes next to them. 

"Wait, who the heck is that guy?" Asked Natsu. 

"Mystogan. He's been fighting against Laxus," Answer Spike. 

"So, that's what he'd look like." 

Mystogan sees Erza. Not wanting to reveal his identity, he covers himself. 

"You're wide open!" Laxus sees this as a chance and strikes Mystogan's mask, burning it. Natsu and Erza see Mystogan's identity for the first time. They are stunned in disbelief.

"Jellal..?" Erza couldn't comprehend the situation. To her, it's like seeing a ghost. It's eerie similar to Jellal and Siegrain as being brothers. 

"What the..?" Said Natsu, nearly speechless. 

"Who is this Jellal guy and, why does Erza look like she's seen a ghost?" Spike thought to himself. Curious to know what relations does Erza have with Jellal. 

"But..., how..? Y-You're still.., alive?" Said Erza, shaking and tearing a bit. 

"Oh, so you know this guy?" Said Laxus. 

Everyone remains motionless. All eyes are on Mystogan. 

"Wait, I don't get it? So Mystogan, is really Jellal?" Asked Natsu. 

"Jellal, I..,"

"Erza, please forgive me. I was afraid you'd see this. I'm not your friend Jellal. I do know of him but, I'm not him," He looks at Erza. Erza still has tears in her eyes. More questions come to her, distracting her from her mission. "I'm sorry. I must be going," Mystogan disappears, leaving Erza, Natsu, Spike, and Laxus. 

"Hey, wait up!" Said Natsu but, it was too late. Mystogan is now long gone. "Alright, man. It's you against me. I'm going to take care of this clown," Natsu turns to Erza.

Erza is now in a trance. Laxus sees another opportunity and strikes Erza with a bolt of lightning. Erza screams in agony from Laxus' attack. 

"That's quite a face you making there, girly. Ugly!" Laxus continues his attack on Erza, knocking her down. 

"Erza!" Spike goes to Erza, checking to see if she's okay. 

"That's enough!" Natsu roars in anger. "I told you. You're mine, you jerk," Natsu points at Laxus. "Let's go."

"Hey, didn't even notice you," Said Laxus. 

Natsu stands there, stunned to hear that Laxus didn't even bother that he'd existed. 

"Oh, you're about to notice me, pal," Natsu's hand is now engulf with his fire magic. Laxus removes his jacket, getting ready to toss Natsu like a ragdoll. "I'll burn you into a crisp." 

As Natsu and Laxus brawl, Spike uses the opportunity to lift Erza out of the danger zone. Spike had no trouble lifting Erza despite her wearing armor. Erza wakes up from the attack she endured and sees Natsu struggling a bit. Erza notices Spike carrying her to a safe spot of the church. She didn't realize how strong Spike can be. 

"Are you okay, Erza?" Asked Spike worriedly. 

"I'll be fine," Erza gets up and springs into action. Inadvertently knocking Natsu down and Requips into her Purgatory form. Erza roars and slashes her sword on Laxus arm. Laxus uses his lightning to block Erza's attack. 

"Be careful, Erza!" Natsu shouts. 

"Alright, Laxus. What did you put in the sky?" Erza demands. "Tell me, now!" 

"What you haven't heard? That would be my Thunder Palace." 

"You're absolutely despicable. To think that you'll attack your home town." Erza retorts. 

Laxus chuckles at Erza's remarks. "Honestly, it breaks my heart. But, that's how the game is played, doll face." 

"Damn you!" Erza kicks Laxus but, Laxus catches her kick. 

"It's only two minutes to go," Said Laxus. 

"Go, destroyed them now, Natsu," Erza commands, turning to Natsu. 

"He can't. There's a body link magic within the lightning lacrimas. It'll zap Natsu in the process," Said Spike, informing Erza of the Thunder Palace hidden ability to her. 

"Seriously?" Erza turns to Laxus. "You're using body link magic to protect them?"

"Yeah! They'll stay up there until I give the order to blow." 

"You coward!" 

Laxus electrocutes Erza more with his lightning magic. "It's a shame you won't be around to see it."

"Requip!" Erza requips into her Lightning Empress Armor. 

"Lightning Empress Armor, nice try. It won't protect you from my attack," Laxus shoots a beam of lightning at Erza. She jumps in the air and attacks Laxus with her own lightning beam attack. 

"Now, we're using the same magic. It's a fair fight!" 

Spike gets out of the way as the two clashes. Natsu watches and gets agitated. Laxus blocks Erza's attack and jumps back. Erza stands her ground, staring at Laxus. 

"Let's see if your armor can handle this!" Laxus shoots lightning from both his hands, aiming directly at Erza. Erza is able to withstand the attack. "Still standing, huh?"

"When two wizards do battle using the same type of magic. Many different factors determine the victor," Said Erza. 

"Their level of magic, energy, technique, and experience, right?"

"One more, their heart," Said Erza boldly. "I know the Master taught you that, Laxus." 

"Yeah, he mentioned it. But, he also taught me power trumps everything else."

"You couldn't be more wrong."

"Heart. Gotta put my heart with my magic," Spike looks at himself. Hearing the two talk about differences in magic is teaching him something new about this world. Seeing Erza, Natsu, and Mystogan taught him to have the heart in the fighting. Otherwise, you are dooming yourself during the fight. 

"Erza, would you leave it alone already?! I told you that I was going to be the one who fights him."

What are you thinking?! Erza is fighting better than you? Spike thought, not wanting to express his frustration and concern in front of the two as he stands by the sidelines. 

Erza turns to Natsu. The two glare for a moment then Erza smiles. 

"Then I have to put my faith in you," Erza leaves the battle. 

"Hey!" Natsu shouts. "Where you going?" There is a pause during the moment. "Hold on. You're not going to take that thing down?"

Laxus chuckles, knowing that Erza's plan is futile. "I like to see you try. Attacking even one of those lacrima could be deadly. Who knows how many are floating above town right now. Besides, you're out of time." 

"I'll just destroy them all at once," Said Erza, confidentially. 

"You crazy?! That will kill you. I've seen what it did to Bisca and, she's knocked out cause of the spell," Spike exclaims, now more concerned about his friend's life. 

"I'll take my chances," Erza leaves the fight between Natsu and Laxus. "I'm leaving him in your hands Natsu, so don't let me down."

"Come back!" Laxus demands. 

"I'm putting my faith in you too, Erza." Erza turns and nods, then keeps on running. "Whether you can destroy those things or not, you better make it back, alive." 

"Don't worry, I promise that I won't throw away the life you fought so hard to save," Erza thought as she keeps moving. 

"Spike hit me!" Natsu commands. 

"Right," Spike nods. He uses his heart as the confidence to breathe fire at Natsu. His sparkling green fire ignites Natsu. Natsu consumes the fire, powering up.  

"Now I got a fire in my belly!" Natsu roars. 

"No!" Laxus rushes after Erza. 

"Fire Dragon Roar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at, Laxus head-on. It causes a small explosion on impact. Spike's jaw drops again. Seeing how much flame burst from a roar. "Alright, jerk. Prepare yourself for a beatdown."

"You mouthy little brat!" Laxus retorts, now having a mark from Natsu's Fire Dragon Roar on his face. 

Erza is a few blocks away from the Kardia Cathedral. She requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, summoning as many swords as she can. "I call upon the power that lies in my swords, give me strength, help me protect my dear city. My comrades in Fairy Tail. Please, lend me your strength as well." 

Somewhere in Magnolia, Lucy and Happy hear Erza's plea. Gray hears it as well. Knowing how crucial the situation is for Erza to cry out to her comrades, Gray needs Warren's telepathy magic to expand Erza's message all-around Magnolia. He struggles to get up after a brutal fight with Bickslow. As Gray goes looking for Warren, Natsu and Laxus are still fighting at the Kardia Cathedral. 

"Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!" Natsu ignites both his hands in flames and then brings them together, creating a fiery explosion. Laxus counters by blasting Natsu's attack with his lightning strike. 

"Don't you see what has happened to our guild, Natsu?"

"What?"

"Thanks to the old geezer, Fairy Tail is nothing more of a joke now!" Laxus lightning expands erratically. Natsu is dodging the lightning attacks. "All I'm trying to do is make things right!" Natsu continues to dodge as Spike is now dodging Laxus's uncontrolled lightning. "When I become Master, our name will strike fear into people's hearts," Natsu gets hit and sent flying back, hitting a pillar. 

"Natsu!" Spike shouts. Natsu lands on the ground after the impact. Spike turns to Laxus. "You're demented!" 

"No.., I'm determined!" Laxus answers, now going into insanity a bit. He looks at the timer. "One minute and thirty seconds remaining until the Thunder Palace is activated. What the hell you're waiting for, old man? Are you really gonna stand back and watch all these people die?"

Natsu chuckles. "I wouldn't worry if I were you. It's over. You know as well as I do, it ain't going to happen." 

"So much confidence. Can Fairy Tail really pull it off? With less than two minutes remaining?" Spike thought as he continues to observe the fight. 

"What do you mean?" Asked Laxus, now confused with Natsu's remarks. 

"You can blow up the town but, your still not getting Fairy Tail. You just upset cause you can't back out of it now." Laxus' face reveals the truth behind Natsu's statement. He glares at Natsu. "The town will be fine. Erza is taking your spell down," Natsu's hand is blazing, getting ready to strike at Laxus again. He rushes at Laxus. 

Laxus is charging up, getting ready to beatdown Natsu. "Shut up. What the hell do you know?!"

The two clash once again. Erza is trying her best to summon as many swords as possible. It's starting to drain her magic each time she spawns a weapon. The Thunder Palace is charging up as the final minute is approaching. Erza managed to summon two hundred swords but, it isn't enough to take down all of the lightning lacrimas. Gray is in hot pursuit to find Warren. 

"I still need another hundred to destroy them all," Said Erza, a bit tired from summoning a lot of weapons. 

"Hey, Fairy Tailers, can you hear me?" Said Warren, spreading his message throughout the minds of all Fairy Tail wizards in Magnolia. All around in Magnolia, most of the Fairy Tail guild is down and taking recovering after losing their fights during the Battle of Fairy Tail.

"That's Warren," Said Erza, realizing he's using his telepathy magic to send the word.

"We're going have to pull together, so get off your butts and give us a hand."

"Hmm," Macao looks up. "Is that, Warren?"

"What's in the sky?" Asked Jet, getting up from his brutal loss. 

"What the heck are those things?" Asked Droy, looking at the Thunder Palace. 

"If any of you guys are still fighting, just give it a rest for a second."

"Hold on," Said Lucy. "Now I hear a man's voice inside my head."

"Warren is using his telepathy. It must be important cause he never really call anyone like this," Said Happy. 

"Now listen carefully. Those lacrimas up there are part of a spell called the Thunder Palace. Laxus is using it to turn the entire town. So we have to take it out before he can set it off. We don't have much time. So, we have to work together," Said Warren. 

"Man, he's got issues," Said Wakaba. 

"But, why?" Asked Laki in confusion. "Why would he do this?" 

"Wait a minute," Said Erza. "How did you find out about the Thunder Palace, Warren?" 

"I've never been happy to hear your voice. I was worried about you," Said Gray. 

"Gray. I see you're the one who told him." 

"Yea would have happened sooner but, I had to track the guy down."

"Was that Erza? You mean she's not petrified anymore?" 

"Wait, if she's back to normal?" Said Droy. 

"What about the other girls? How is Levy?" Asked Jet. 

"There's no need to worry, boys," Said Cana. "All the ladies are fine."

"Even Juvia is back on her feet," Elfman confirms. 

"Yeah. So is Bisca," Mirajane confirms as well. "Hear that, Alzack?"  

"That's good to hear," Alzack leans on the wall and lowers himself down a bit. "I was worried. I thought she was a goner."

"There's one problem. My telepathy can't reach all the way to the guildhall. So we have to make do with the people who can hear me. If we work together, we can do this."

All of a sudden, everyone that hears Warren start to complain about what transpired during their fights. Nearly all of them arguing and feeling conflicted about working together. Gray snaps, giving Warren an earache as his message spreads far and wide. The others negatively respond, still arguing and feeling hate among each other. 

Lucy musters enough courage to get everyone's attention. "Shut up!" Everyone that was bickering quiets down. "We shouldn't be wasting our time arguing. The citizens of Magnolia are in danger and we're the only ones who can help them. So, we're going to have to work together. Look, I know things have been rough with all of us having to fight against each other, but we can do anything if we pull together. That is what you guys taught me. I know that I'm fairly new to Fairy Tail, but I promise you, I love being apart of this guild. Just as much as the rest of you. I always dreamed of joining Fairy Tail someday. That's what I want more than anything in this world. Now that I've joined, it.., means everything to me," Lucy tears up a bit. "If you feel the same way, let's work as a guild and save our town!"

Everyone that was arguing among each other looks deep inside and, they take Lucy's speech to heart. Erza respects Lucy's heart-filled speech. Despite being at the Kardia Cathedral, watching Natsu battling Laxus, Spike heard everything Warren said all the way to what Lucy said. He senses the love for the guild. A love he didn't know exists.

"But, if none of you are up to the challenge, then I'll do this alone. I'll destroy those things myself," Said Lucy, grabbing her whip. 

All of Fairy Tail that heard Lucy's statement smiles. Now wanting to take down the Thunder Palace as a family. 

"What's it going to be, guys? You heard the lady. You gonna let a newbie show you up like that?" Said Cana. 

"She may not be a member as long as some of us, but she has more Fairy Tail pride than all of us put together," Max Alors said. 

"Right, we gotta save the town," Alzack said. "We can work out our other problems later.

"Geez, now we gotta agree to help, or we gonna look bad, huh?" Wakaba said. 

"You've done good, Lucy. You got everyone to cool their jets," Said Macao, impressively. 

"Alright, guys. Are you ready to do this?" 

"Thank you," Said Lucy. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Said Erza. 

"Warren, we'll work out our issues after we get the job done," Said Max Alors. 

"Careful, Macao. An old man like you can't handle all this action," Said Wakaba. 

"Calling me old? That's rich," Macao chuckles. 

"Right, let's do this," Said Lucy, wiping a tear away. 

"But they got that body link magic. If we attack them, we're going to get attacked right back. And, it's going to hurt," Happy warns. 

"We're going to have to deal with it. I've always looked up to Fairy Tail, and now, I couldn't even imagine my life without it. We've been through so much in such a short time. And no matter what, everyone is always been there for me. I really feel like this is where I'm meant to be. It's my home. After all these years, I finally found a place where I belong. So, I'll fight cause I don't want to lose it. Fairy Tail had made me who I am today, a strong capable wizard."

"I'm right with you," Said Happy. 

"So am I, Lucy," Spike thought, still being able to hear what Lucy said due to Warren's telepathy magic. "I'm happy to be in a place where I belong as well. Now, I will have to fight for my home as well," Spike sees Natsu struggling a bit during the fight against Laxus. 

"Let's go," Said Lucy. 

"Aye!" Happy flies Lucy towards a lacrima in the sky. 

"I'll take the two hundred in the north. Everyone else can take the rest," Erza announce. "We can do this!"

"We can't afford to miss any of them, Ice-Make Lance," Gray uses his Ice Maker Magic to shoot lances at the lightning lacrima. 

"Demon Blast," Mirajne transformed into her She-Demon for and shoots a demonic energy beam. 

Elfman transforms into his beast form and throws a pillar at the lacrima. Cana uses her cards to destroy a lacrima. Juvia uses her water magic to strike one down, Alzack shoots a lacrima down. Reedus draws a cannon on his belly and uses picto-magic to shoot at the lacrima. 

"Now go forth my swords," Erza unleashes two hundred of her swords to destroy two hundred lacrimas in the sky. 

Happy flies high enough to separate from Lucy. Lucy cracks the lacrima with her whip as Happy headbutts the lacrima in full speed. One by one, the lightning lacrimas in the sky are being obliterated. To all the citizens of Magnolia, what they see from the sky looks like amazing fireworks. A kickoff before the Fantasia Parade. Moments after saving the town, everyone gets zapped by the body link magic, all screaming in agony. 

Laxus see the status of the Thunder Palace getting destroyed. He's pissed off. He should have gone after Erza, but instead, took his sweet time toying around with Natsu. 

"Told you it wouldn't work," Said Natsu. 

Spike is speechless. After hearing and seeing the Thunder Palace being destroyed, Spike now has newfound confidence that his home in Fairy Tail will continue to thrive with everyone working together. 

Everyone started complimenting each other on a job well done as a family. Also, checking to see if everyone is alright through Warren's telepathy magic. 

"It's over Laxus," Said Spike. "You've lost. There is nothing else you can do." 

"Our guild is getting along nicely. How did you expect to become our Guild Master if you can't get along with the rest of us?"

Laxus stands still. Rage starts bubbling up from within. He's not willing to give up. Laxus roars and unleashes a wave of lightning magic. The sheer force of his outburst is stronger than before. 

"I'll take Fairy Tail by force if I have to! Watch me! It's mine!" Laxus angrily proclaims. 

"Give up while you can! You're not taking Fairy Tail!" Natsu said, warning that Laxus won't have anything to claim. "Cause I'm never going let that happen."

"You tell him, Natsu!" Said Spike. 

"Oh yeah?" Laxus replies. "You don't know who you are messing with. I'm a lot stronger than any of you would ever dream. I can take over the guild by force anytime I want. And, you're not strong enough to stop me!" Laxus continues to power up as it's getting intense in the church. "You're best bet is to get out of my way!"

Natsu powers up as well. He leaps in the air and strikes at Laxus. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" The attack landed on Laxus' head, leaving no damage whatsoever. 

"C'mon, that all you got!" Laxus uses his lightning to send Natsu hurling towards the ceiling. "You're gonna have to do a whole lot better than that. I got more power than you in my little finger." 

Natsu soars as Laxus clashes with Natsu mid-air. Laxus gut punches Natsu, punches, and kicks Natsu several times down to the floor hard. Then shoots heavy lightning directly at Natsu. Natsu is down hard from the impact. 

"Man, I don't understand this. He's so strong."

Spike watches in horror, thinking about stepping in now or not. 

"Can you feel the electric energy of the lightning I summoned for?"

"What the heck?" Natsu's body has lightning swaying in his body. He is unable to move. 

"It will plummet for the heavens and turn you into ash. Raging Bolt!" Laxus raises his clenched fist in the air. A large bolt of lightning will now descend upon Natsu. 

"Natsu!" Spike cries. Seeing his friend die in front of him. 

Laxus victoriously laughs. "So, who's the most powerful wizard in our guild now?" Laxus turns to Spike as he cowers a bit behind the pillar. "Oh, what's wrong? I thought dragons are fearsome? Show me what you're made of!"

Spike is trembling in fear after seeing Laxus power. He clenches his claw as fear overtakes him. 

"Pick on someone your own size, punk," Said Gajeel, holding Natsu. Laxus looks up to see Gajeel unamused. "Only a nut job like you would be so giddy about taking down one of his friends and stalk on the weak. Good thing I got to him first," Gajeel hops down and lets go of Natsu. 

"I have another challenger?" Laxus smirks. "You'll all end up dead soon anyway. Anyone who stands in my way will be eliminated." 

"We have to take him down together, Natsu. He's not messing around. The guy's a monster. We're all that's left who can stop him. Everyone else has been taken down by the Thunder Palace or by each other." 

"You're forgetting one more," Said Laxus, powering up. "You're forgetting about the twerp!" Laxus shoots lightning from both his hands, aiming directly at Spike. 

"SPIKE!" Natsu shouts, unable to intercede with Laxus' attack. 

"NO!" Gajeel shouts. Laxus' lightning moves quicker than his reaction. 

Spike closes his eyes and crosses his arms in front of his face to shield himself from the attack. There was a loud explosion on impact. Laxus laughs maniacally as Gajeel and Natsu are stunned. There is smoke covering the area where Spike stood. 

"You.., BASTARD!" Natsu angrily remarks at Laxus. Natsu's body is engulfed in flames as he becomes teary. He turns to Laxus. 

Gajeel just stood there watching. In an instant, he saw the last dragon getting wiped out. "You've just made a grave mistake," Gajeel said lividly. He's going to use his emotions to take down Laxus. He turns to Laxus. 

"Now, it's only you two that remains," Laxus claims as he chuckles.  "That right there was a prime example of what happens when you get in my way," Laxus laughs more but, he stops. "Impossible!"

Natsu and Gajeel turn to see a sparkling green flaming shield in front of Spike as the smoke clears. They are stunned once more. Spike is unharmed. The lightning from Laxus attack vanished. He still has his eyes shut until he opens them. 

"Spike!" Natsu and Gajeel call out. 

Spike is in shock. His eyes widen. "Did I just summoned a shield?" The sparkling green flaming shield is now gone. He can't believe what he pulled. 

Gajeel and Natsu nod. "Let's do this!" They said in unison, charging at Laxus. Gajeel, Natsu, and Laxus are fighting hand-to-hand. Laxus electrocutes Natsu, sending him hurling back. Gajeel catches Natsu. 

"Use your breath." 

"Fire Dragon Roar!" The impact of Natsu's breath attack hits Gajeel. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" His arm extends with the fire to hit Laxus but, he dodges out of the way. "Iron Dragon Sword!" Gajeel's leg turns into a sword to slash at Laxus but misses in mid-air. Laxus unleashes a fury of lightning balls at Gajeel but, Spike's new flaming shield blocked it.

"Damn you for interfering!" Claimed Laxus. 

Natsu jumps behind Laxus. "Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!" His attack knocks Laxus mid-air.

"Iron Dragon Lance! Demon Log!" Gajeel's arm turns into a large spearhead, from which a large number of steel spears are fired at Laxus when he fell.  

"Come over here, Spike. We need a little boost!" Natsu encourages. Spike nods and stands between Natsu and Gajeel. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu powers up his fire breath. 

"Iron Dragon!" Gajeel powers up his iron breath. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his power for a breath of his own. He tried it one time during a belching contest with other teenage dragons. Normally it was small breaths for sending letters to Princess Celestia. However, being in this world, it could be much bigger than he anticipates it. 

"ROAR!" All three said in unison, unleashing their breath. A blend of fire, sparkle flames, and iron mash together into an ultimate breath attack hits Laxus dead on. Lots of smoke is in the air from the attack. 

"Don't tell me that's the best you three can come up with?" Laxus stands there after the smoke clears. "Neither of you deserve the title of Dragon Slayer. As for you, Fairy Dragon. Prepared to be slain today."

"What the heck? He doesn't even have a scratch on him," Said Natsu. 

"But how? I don't get it. I know he's strong and all, but we whipped out a ton of dragon-slaying magic on him," Said Gajeel. "How's he still standing?" 

"Slain? What you mean by that?" Asked Spike. 

Laxus is smiling as he powers up. "I'll let you guys know in on a little secret. I haven't told anyone about this cause I really hate the old man's lectures. But I guess I can trust the three of you," Laxus starts growing fangs, his eye pupils disappear,  his body starts bulking up as his shirt rips apart, and his arms become scaly. He roars as lightning bursts. 

"You gotta be kidding me?" Said Natsu in disbelief. "He's a dragon slayer too!"

"Oh, no way," Said Gajeel.

"This can't be good," Said Spike. 

"Lightning Dragon Roar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath. The shockwave of his lightning roar is so strong it causes the floor to crack. Spike conjures his shield. On impact, the shield shatters. Gajeel and Natsu are on the floor with lightning flowing on them. Spike is standing unfazed by the attack. "Figures the wannabe dragon slayers have fallen. You," Laxus points at Spike. "I will slay you and become the true Dragon Slayer." 

"Ain't gonna happen," Said Natsu, unable to get up.

"You won't be slaying any dragon today," Said Gajeel, unable to get up. 

"Damn, you're still alive. I was sure that would have finished you off."

"You want to finish them," Spike walks past the two. "You're gonna have to get through me," Spike points at himself to make a claim. Laxus laughs. 

"Spike, no!" Said Natsu.

"Get away from him!" Gajeel urges. 

"A baby dragon versus a Lightning Dragon Slayer? Gee, I wonder who would win?" Laxus mocks Spike. He then powers up once more. "Let's see if you can handle this!" A wave of powerful magic amplifies the area in the Kardia Cathedral. Natsu and Gajeel get scared with the magic surrounding Laxus. 

"So much magic energy. Where is it coming from? Said Gajeel. 

"This feels familiar. Like one of Gramps's spells."

"This guy is insane. He's trying to cast Makarov's ultimate judgment spell. It'll target anyone the caster sees as their enemy."

"Spike! Run while you can! He's going to unleash Fairy Law!" Natsu yells, warning Spike. 

Spike closes his eyes and steadies himself to embrace anything Laxus throws at him. Laxus positions himself as a powerful magical bright orb forms in between his hands. It continues to grow more powerful by the second. 

"SPIKE! GET OUT! RIGHT NOW!!!" Natsu pleads for Spike to leave but, he ignores. 

"Laxus! Stop!" Levy shouts from the entrance of the church.

"Levy?" Said Natsu. 

"You idiot? Now you've endangered yourself!" Said Gajeel. 

"You gotta see the Master. He doesn't have much time!" Levy said as Laxus continues to powerup Fairy Law. "Master Makarov. I mean your grandfather, is close to death," Natsu's eyes widen with horror from the news as well as Gajeel. Laxus eyes return to normal after hearing that. "Stop this now. Go see him one last time, please hurry before it's too late."

"No.., it can't be. Master is going to die?" Natsu couldn't believe it. He refuses to believe it. 

Spike becomes distraught hearing what Levy said. He turns his attention back to Laxus to see his reaction. 

Laxus starts to lose himself after hearing those words but, he couldn't help but engage with the possibility of taking over the Fairy Tail Guild. "This is working out perfectly for me. Now that the old man is at death's door, I have even a better chance of becoming Fairy Tail's new master." 

"Damn you," Said Gajeel. 

"This will be a dawn of a new era of Fairy Tail," Laxus continues to powerup Fairy Law. "I'll rebuild everything from the ground up. I'll form the ultimate guild! One so powerful, all will tremble in our name!"

Levy falls to her knees. "No, Laxus." 

"You can't do this! Don't you even care about gramps at all?" Said Natsu in despair. 

"Fairy Law!" Laxus invokes Fairy Law. A bright light of power flashes throughout the entire church. He laughs. "I finally surpass the old man."

"Think again," Spike claims, still standing where he was. Unharmed and unfazed.

"What?!" Laxus looks and sees Natsu, Gajeel, and Levy coughing and panting. Now Laxus is stunned in disbelief. His spell failed. He turns to Spike. "How did a runt like you dispel Fairy Law?! I put so much magic energy into that spell." 

"The other guild members and citizens of Magnolia remain unharmed,"  Said Freed, informing Laxus by the front door of the church. 

"Freed." 

"Looks like your spell didn't work."

"All thanks to that runt there," Laxus points at Spike. 

"No, it wasn't because of the baby dragon. Your feelings had betrayed you, Laxus," Laxus looks at Freed angrily and disbelief into a word he says. "Not only you inherited Makarov's strength, but you also inherit his heart. Whether you admit it or not, it's evident you care for your comrades. Including the baby dragon bearing our emblem's mark on his chest. The Fairy Law spell only affects those that the caster sees as their enemies. Since no one is hurt, we know how you truly feel." 

"His magic concedes to his heart, and that's why we're still here," Said Levy. 

"You can try to hide your feelings, Laxus. But your magic will always reveal the truth in your heart." 

"No, that's ridiculous. The truth is, anyone who ever dares to stand in my way is my enemy!" Laxus denies the truth to himself and believes in it. 

"This has gone long enough. You need to go see the master before he is gone." 

Laxus starts powering up once more. "Let the old man die for all I care! He's nothing to me! He may be family, but I'm stronger!" Laxus' lightning becomes erratic once more. Gajeel is protecting Levy. Spike puts a shield to defend himself from Laxus' uncontrolled lightning. 

"Who do you think you are?!" Natsu calls out Laxus. "You're not stronger than Gramps! You can't even pull Fairy Law. You may be his grandson, but you're no better than the rest of us!" Natsu powers up. His body is covered in flames. "Don't you know blood types don't matter, cause everyone in the guild is considered to be family."

Laxus glares at Natsu. "That's just a lie. Blood types do matter!"

Natsu and Laxus start brawling. Their dragon slaying magic allows them to hover in the air. They burst through the ceiling, fighting in the air. Gajeel, Levy, Freed, and Spike go out and see the fight unfolding. The two are hitting each other blow after blow. Laxus continues to have the upper advantage in strength, knocking Natsu down as the townsfolk start gathering around to see the action. 

"Why don't you just die?!" Laxus kicks Natsu hard that sends him back. 

Natsu struggles to get up. "Why don't you just give up the fight? The guild doesn't belong to you. It never will!"

"Oh yeah?! Lightning Dragon Demolition Fist!" Laxus gathers a large amount of lightning around one of his fists then extends the fist forward in a punching motion.  After the attack, Natsu is still going strong. He slams his fist and gets up. "That was your last mistake!" Laxus conjures another spell. "Now I'm going to obliterate you!"

"That spell, don't do it! That much magic energy will kill him!" Freed pleas. 

"What?!" Levy and Spike shout in horror. 

Laxus laughs maniacally, knowing he'd already won. "Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus raises both of his hands in the air at his sides and generates electricity. This is rapidly shaped into the form of a massive spear composed of lightning. He throws it at Natsu. The lightning intercedes with Gajeel's Iron Dragon Club. Gajeel takes the full attack of Laxus' Heavenward Halberd attack.  

"No way! Gajeel just used himself as a lightning rod!" Said Spike. 

Gajeel falls back after taking the blow, saving Natsu's life. "Get him!" 

Natsu powers up again. "Damn, he's still alive?" Said Laxus. 

Natsu reveals his Fire Dragon rage face. "Fire Dragon!" Natsu conjures more of his fire magic power. Laxus lunges at Natsu. "Iron Fist! Talon! Wing Attack! Sword Horn! Flame Elbow!" Left and right, Natsu is unleashing all of his power at Laxus. Each of Natsu's Dragon Slayer Spells cause Laxus to take heavy blows from exhaustion. "Flame Loaded Explosion Flame Blade!" Natsu circularly swipes his arms, creating a powerful, and highly destructive, torrent of flames that takes down Laxus in the process. 

"He did it. He beat Laxus," Said Freed. 

Natsu victoriously roars with pride. You can hear the dragon's roar in him as well.  

"Wow. What an adventure on my second day in this world," Said Spike. "I saw my soon to be best friend take down Laxus." 

An hour later, everyone returns to the guildhall. Most of Fairy Tail is getting patched up after this afternoon's event. It is now 5:00 in the afternoon. 

"Thanks to Porlyuscia's help, the Master is going to pull just fine," Said Erza, announcing the condition of Master Makarov to everyone in Fairy Tail. Everyone cheers loudly. 

"Whoa, so you're a Maker Magic Dragon?" Asked Lucy after hearing what Spike did. 

"Yeah," Spike nods. "I covered myself and, a sparkling flaming green shield spawns in front of me. I blocked one of Laxus' attacks. He was livid when he saw I survived unharmed."

"So, what kind of Maker Magic would you call it?" Asked Gray, patting Spike's head. 

"I don't know what to call it. I guess it'll be Energy Making Magic? I'll work on the name and focus on it later. I also used my dragon breath attack with Natsu and Gajeel. I would say that was a highlighted moment of my life.  I also got to see Mystogan in action." 

"What?" Gray replies. 

"Lucky," Said Lucy. 

"Hey, you saw what he looked like?" Asked Elfman, hearing the conversation. 

"I did. Actually, I know what he looks like, but that's a conversation for a different day." 

"Fair enough. You're a man now, Spike! You stood up to Laxus and honored your promise as well."

"Thanks, though I am just a young dragon at best." 

Erza warns everyone to be on their best behavior, especially with Makarov's health. Discussions are brewing about the Fantasia Parade. Lucy was a bit concern with all that has happened. Mirajane tells Lucy that the Master wants to go onward with the parade. It's his idea to cheer everyone up after today's actions. As the conversations of the Fantasia Parade brew, Laxus walks inside the guildhall. All bandaged up from the war he lost.  

"Laxus?" Said Macao. 

"What do you want?" Asked Wakaba.

Everyone in the guildhall looks at Laxus. Anger and disappointment fill the air. 

"Where's the old man?" Asked Laxus. 

"We ain't telling," Said Jet. 

"You think you can just barge in here and ask to see the master?" Asked Droy angrily. 

Everyone complains a bit and argues until Erza shuts them up. Erza tells Laxus that the Master is in the infirmary. Laxus makes his way to the infirmary. Everyone except Spike looks at him with emotions flooded in their heads. For some reason, Spike sees Laxus as a changed person. Laxus waves his hand as he enters the infirmary. Showing a sign that he's a changed person. Natsu sees it now, some of the others as well. 

"Show's over. Let's get ready for the Fantasia Parade!" Said Erza, rallying everyone up. Everyone cheers and starts planning for the parade. 

Master Makarov is in bed staring at the ceiling. Laxus is standing by, looking away a bit. 

"They're a rowdy bunch, aren't they?" Laxus claims calmly. 

Makarov sits up. "Laxus, I don't think you understand the seriousness of what you have done," Laxus looks away from his grandfather. "Look me in the eyes, young man," Laxus turns to Makarov. "Fairy Tail is a place where friends can gather, wizards can find work, and children who have no kin to call their own can feel that they're part of a family. It's not something that can be owned. It's important. That each member not only be loyal but also trustworthy. Otherwise, no bonds will be formed, and the entire guild will eventually fall apart. Your actions have proven you lacked both of those qualities. And, you threatened the lives of your comrades. That's unforgivable."

Laxus takes it all in. His actions, his belief in what was right is wrong. All wrong now. He now feels remorseful of what he did. "I'm sorry, sir. Honestly, I never meant to hurt the guild," Laxus walks up to his grandpa a bit. "I just wanted to make it stronger."

"I swear, you're just as strong as I am. You'd better try to relax or, you'll end up here with me. Take some time to smell the roses. If you do, you'll be able to see things as you couldn't see before. And, you'll hear things that you have never been able to hear. Life can be fun if you allow it to be," Laxus looks down sadly a bit. "Over the years, I have watched you grow into the man you are today. Where did we go wrong? What lesson did you not learn? But the past is the past," Makarov looks down. "I am only left with one choice," Laxus sniffs a bit. Knowing what his grandpa is about to say. "Laxus, you are hereby expelled from Fairy Tail."

"I understand. Thanks for everything," Laxus turns and about to exit the room. He smiles. "Grandpa," Makarov turns and holds back his tears. Sniffing as it's painful to see his grandson walking away. "You take care of yourself, okay old man?"

"Please, just go," Tears stream down on Makarov's face. He wants to cry but withholds it. 

Laxus leaves the infirmary. Two hours later. 

"Noooooo! You must be joking? Why would he kick you out and not the rest of us?" Evergreen complains. 

"Yea, I mean, we're just as guilty as you are," Said Bickslow. "Just as guilty. Just as guilty," Floating Tikis repeat what Bicklsow said. 

"Guess the old man doesn't see it that way," Said Laxus. 

"Well if you're leaving the guild, I'm leaving too," Said Evergreen. 

"Why should we stick around if you're not going to be here?" Said Bickslow. 

"You guys can be such a pain in the neck. Can't you say goodbye and be done with it?" Said Laxus. 

"I don't understand. We're at fault too. So why are you taking all the blame?" Asked Freed. 

"You've got it all wrong, my friends. You can say whatever you want, but I know you guys are much more attached to the guild than I could ever be." 

"If we talk to the Master, maybe we can change his mind," Said Evergreen, trying to persuade a way for Laxus to rejoin the guild. 

"Yea, Natsu, and Gray respect you. They'll probably go with us," Said Bickslow. "He loves those guys, I'm sure he'll listen to them." 

Laxus smiles graciously at his friends for their kind gesture. They see that there is no persuading him. The decision is final. 

"Are you really leaving?" Asked Freed, not wanting to see his friend leave. 

"Take care of yourselves," Laxus starts walking away from his friends with his belongings. 

"Laxus, wait!" Evergreen shouts. 

"Hey, you can't leave us behind! What will happen to the Thunder Legion?" Said Bickslow, not wanting to see his friend go. "Man, I can't believe this!" Evergreen starts to cry a bit. 

Freed smiles. "I'm sure we'll meet again, Laxus." Freed thought to himself. 

It is now 8:30 at night. The Fantasia Parade is starting. The streets are crowded with people as most of Fairy Tail is participating in the parade. The streets of Magnolia is more beautiful than the Crystal Empire during the Crystal Faire. Spike is not participating in the parade. He wanted to see it himself then come up with an idea for next year's parade. Due to Spike's height, he is unable to see the parade properly. He is unable to get through the crowds to see first hand. 

"Need some assistance?" Said Laxus. He picks Spike up and places him on his shoulder so he can see the Fantasia Parade better. 

"Thanks, Laxus. Wow, the Fantasia Parade is beautiful. The floats, colors, fireworks. All of it is amazing."

"Sure is, Spike." 

"Hey, I heard what happened. Sorry, you got kicked out of the guild." 

"I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. Sorry for how I nearly got you killed and treated you poorly. No excuse on my end."

Spike takes a deep breath. "Apologies accepted. So, were you once part of the Fantasia Parade?" 

Laxus looks down a bit. "I was until I changed for the worse."

"But, you are renewed."

"Huh?" Laxus perks up in confusion. 

"You're different. I've seen a change unfolding from those who've committed serious crimes against all. You're on your way towards redemption." 

"Name someone you've seen change after they did something horribly."

"My friend, Discord. The Lord of Chaos." 

"You are friends with a Chaos God?" Laxus asked. He's confused about how a God be friends with a dragon. 

"Before Discord reformed, he took over Equestria. Equestria was my homeworld. Discord uses his chaos magic to alter reality. He did it twice actually. Also, he helped a Tyrant named Tirek. Nearly ending all life as we know. After seeking redemption, he turned around. He's the one that granted my wish. I wished to be in a place where friendships are like family. To grow, go on adventures, laugh, and do other things that life has to offer. There's more to it than pain and suffering. I hope you find the spark that'll lead you back to Fairy Tail."

"Thank you," Laxus sees an opening for Spike to get to. "Hey, Spike. You see that opening?" Laxus points at it. 

"Yeah?" 

"Go to it, you'll see the Fantasia Parade better. I have to get going soon." 

"Thanks for the heads up. I hope we'd meet again." 

Laxus looks around. "Here," Laxus gives Spike a calling card. "Whenever you need me, I'll be there."

"Thanks, Laxus," Spike smiles at his kind gesture. 

"One more thing you can do for me?" 

"What is it?" Asked Spike. 

"Look after the Thunder Legion for me from time to time. Those guys can be a pain in the neck at times." 

"Can do," Spike salutes. He then goes to the opening where Laxus pointed to. 

Just as Laxus is about to leave, the crowd starts mentioning Master Makarov on the float. Laxus is reminded of the first Fantasia parade he participated in while his grandfather watched. Laxus made up a sign to use during the parade so Makarov would know that even if Laxus couldn't see him, he was looking for him. All of a sudden, Makarov and the entire guild started using his sign. Spike does it too after looking at what his friends are doing. Sticking his index finger high towards the sky with the thumb out. 

"Grandpa," Laxus starts crying in sadness and happiness.  

"I may not be able to see you. There may be hundreds of miles between us, but I always be looking your way. I'll be watching over you forever. I promise," Said Makarov, telepathically for Laxus to hear. 

"I know," Laxus leaves the crowd and Fantasia Parade. "Thank you, Grandpa."

"The party is only getting started!" Natsu chuckles. "I'm all fired up now!" 

"Aye aye, sir!" Said Happy cheerfully.

"Hey, Spike! Come on up!" Natsu shouts, seeing Spike in the crowds. 

Spike looks at Natsu. Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Cana, Happy, Mirajane, Makarov, and all the other members of Fairy Tail are trying to inspire Spike to come on board. Spike reluctantly agrees and gets on a float. Everyone is amazed to see a baby dragon and cheers. Spike waves to the townspeople of Magnolia and every one of Fiore that came to see the Fantasia Parade. 

"Okay, guys! Who's proud to be a member of Fairy Tail!" Said Natsu as everyone cheers loudly. 

As the Fantasia Parade continues, Spike looks up at the sky. "Thanks Discord for granting my wish. Everyone here in Fairy Tail is cool. I embarked on my first adventure and it went well. I made new friends and enjoying the time of my life. I will never forget you, Thank you."
> Reckoning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike (Discord) is in his room after a long day of play. A lot of the Crystal Ponies joined in earlier today for the picnic. Spike (Discord) decided to tell every Crystal Pony what he'd endured during his tenor with Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Every Crystal Pony felt disgusted, distraught, and hateful towards Twilight Sparkle and her friends. For treating their hero with disrespect and dishonor. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor had to inform every Crystal Pony to refrain from any actions when Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends arrive on such occasions. After the discussions, every pony had fun playing a few games of kickball in the Crystal Fields.

It is now 10:30 at night. Spike (Discord) is wide awake. He knows that Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart are asleep. Starlight Glimmer is sleeping over at Sunburst house. Discord's clone visits Spike (Discord) in his room.

"Hey, Spike. Had a good day?" Discord clone asked in happiness.

"I did," Spike (Discord) responds. Looking around and creating a silencing circle in his room. No one can hear the two talking. "So, how are Twilight and the others doing?"

"Horrible," Said Discord's Clone. "They are sad, mad, disgusted with a lot of emotions with themselves and each other."

"So, what are they planning?"

"Twilight and the girls have a lot of thinking and planning. I inspire them to find a way to show Princess Celestia and Luna that they can have redemption with Spike. It'll take time but, we can only hope it's for the best."

Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. "Alright. I predict that Twilight may try to create a social gathering with some species to expand friendships."

"That's possible. Celestia did say that friendships cannot be for one-sided species. It has to be for all species."

"Anything else I should know about, me?"

"Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash are praying that they don't make the same mistakes with their respective sisters. Leaving and abandoning them to hang with their friends and such."

"Alright, then. Thanks for letting me know how it went. It gives me more of an idea to stir things up here in the Crystal Empire. Nothing should ever come easy to Twilight and her friends on their lessons in Friendship." 

"Alright, Spike. I'll get going now. I have some things to hold up since I'm you until one of these days, you reveal yourself as Spike or get caught in the act."

"Hahaha, very funny, me," Said Spike (Discord). 

"Later," Discord (clone) turns into leaves, flowing away with the wind out the window. 

Spike (Discord) disables the silencing circle and gets in bed. He looks at the night sky to see the Twinkling Star he saw. He understood the star as Spike is sending him a thank you.

"Enjoy yourself, Spike. I'll take over from here for you," Spike (Discord) goes to sleep. His sleep is dreamless, so Princess Luna doesn't get suspicious.

The next day in Ponyville. It is now 8:30 in the morning. Twilight Sparkle opens her eyes and yawns, waking up from her slumber somewhat. She didn't have a good night's rest. 

"Spike, can you make me some breakfast!" Twilight instinctively asks. Still tired from the lack of sleep. After a few moments, there was no response, only silence. "Oh.., that's right..," Twilight lowers her head. "I'm all alone in my castle," Twilight groans. "And I just asked if Spike can do something for me instead of me doing something for him..," Twilight sighs heavily and gets out of bed.  

As she trots in the corridors of her castle, all Twilight can hear is her hoofsteps. For the first time in her life, she is all alone. When she reaches the kitchen, she decides to eat cereal. Twilight opens her fridge to find nothing. 

"What?" Said Twilight. She opens her cabinets around the kitchen to find no food. "I thought I told Spike to get-" Twilight remembers the humiliation that Spike went through with the ice bucket prank back at Sugarcube Corner and scolding him of being a slacker. "Oh.., that's right," Twilight sighs and leaves her castle. She'll pay for a trip to Sugarcube corner for breakfast. 

As Twilight is about to leave the castle, she instinctively says, "Spike, can you clean the castle for me as I get breakfast?" Silence reign once more. No answer from Spike. Twilight lowers her head. "Oh.., right. Spike is at the Crystal Empire," Twilight shakes her head. "I'll clean my castle. I mean, how hard can it be?" Twilight leaves her castle and trots to Sugarcube Corner. Ten minutes later, Twilight arrives at Sugarcube Corner. She opens the door and walks inside. "Hey, Pinkie," Twilight greets. 

"Hi, Twilight," Answered Pinkie in her usual cheery tone. "What can I get you?" 

"Banana pancakes if you can," Said Twilight in a sad tone. 

"Coming up," Pinkie smiles but knows the heartache that Twilight feels. 

Twilight sits down near a table and waits. Pinkie is in the kitchen baking banana pancakes as fast as she can so she can comfort Twilight. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash walk inside of Sugarcube Corner and sees Twilight. They sit next to her. 

"Morning Twilight," Said Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash in unison. 

"Hey," Twilight sadly responds.

"So, uh, how are you holding up?" Asked Rainbow. 

"Fantastic," Twilight sarcastically said. 

"Mind telling us how you feel, Twilight?" Asked Applejack. 

Twilight groans. "I'm upset. Instead of resorting of doing things for myself, I instinctively ask Spike to do things for me. The first thing I do after I wake up was asking Spike to make me breakfast. When I trot to the kitchen, I was upset at Spike for not getting food for the castle. Then, I realized that we'd made Spike's day feel like Tartarus. The more I think about it, the more I feel like a horrible friend. I always asked Spike but never gave him any recognition. I made Spike do so much I didn't bother helping him by all means. I'm a horrible friend," Twilight becomes teary.

"There, there, Twilight. No need to be upset with yourself. We're at fault as well," Said Applejack. 

"Yea. We've done things we aren't proud of," Rainbow chimes in at fault, remembering all the times she mocked Spike and pulled heinous pranks on him. 

"Agreed," Rarity concurs, using Spike to do her chores and using Spike as a tool. 

Pinkie Pie comes out with banana waffles and places them in front of Twilight. "I overheard the conversation. I have my share fair of doing Spike wrong. Forgetting about him mostly as well as pranking him. I can't believe I have forgotten to throw him three birthday parties, three!"

"There is much more to add on of the wrongs we did," Said Twilight as she starts eating her banana pancake.  

"So, what are your plans for today, Twilight?" Asked Rarity. 

"I can't hang out with any of you. I have chores to take care of first." 

"Want some help?" Ask Pinkie cheerfully. 

Twilight smiles at the gesture but frowns. All the times she ditched Spike to be with her friends, all the times Spike had to do everything by himself, she declines. Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow decided they will still help anyways, knowing that Twilight can be stubborn at times. After Twilight eats her breakfast, she and her friends trot to the Castle of Friend. On the way there, they meet up with Fluttershy. As they went inside, Twilight and her friends clean the whole castle. With everypony working together, it took them an hour to clean. 

"Wow, that was swift," Said Rainbow Dash. 

"And fun. Weeeee!" Pinkie Pie is riding on a bar of soap on the floor. 

"I know, darling. It wasn't that bad," Said Rarity. 

"I wonder why Spike didn't ask for help," Said Pinkie. Her statement causes a rift with her friends and Twilight. 

"He has, Pinkie..," Twilight looks down in shame. "I'd ignored him cause he wasn't important to me at the time. I treated Spike as he's capable of handling things himself," Twilight sighs heavily. "All those times, now I do recall, I chose my priorities instead of compromising with Spike. Just pack up and leave almost every day."

"The hours of Spikey-Wikey endured on his own without friends to help..," Said Rarity. 

"How does he get it spotless on his own is beyond me," Said Rainbow. 

"I wish I can have a second chance. To earn his forgiveness and prove I can be a better friend for all species and not just one," Said Twilight. 

"We all do, Twilight. It's not just you. It's all of us," Said Rainbow. 

"Also, how would we be better friends for all species?" Asked Pinkie in curiosity. 

"I.., I don't know..," Twilight said, answering Pinkie's question with uncertainty.  

"Twilight," Twilight turns to Applejack. "I'll be back. I have to go pick up Apple Bloom. Today is half a day at school. I promised Apple Bloom to spend more time with her today."

"School, school," Twilight ponders, then an idea struck her mind. "Applejack, you're brilliant!" 

"I am?" Applejack is perplexed, Looking at Twilight as she becomes ecstatic. 

"To spread friendship for all species. I shall create a school. A school for all species to come together in harmony. I shall call it the School of Friendship!" 

The girls ponder on the idea of opening a school. It would help in the long run with creating friendships with all other species. Plus, it could persuade the Princesses into giving a second chance to be with Spike. To show they can be friends with others. They nod in unison. 

"Alright, Twilight. Tell us what we have to do to create the School of Friendship," Said Applejack. 

Unbeknown to them, a small mouse runs out of the Castle of Friendship. The mouse turns into a full-grown Draqonecuus. Discord (clone) opens a door leaving Ponyville. He opens another door leading into Spike's (Discord) room. Spike (Discord) is rock candy (gems). 

"Hey, Discord. What's up?" Asked Spike (Discord). 

Discord (clone) snaps his paw, activating a silencing circle. "I have some intel for you." 

"Well, what is it?" Spike (Discord takes a bite out of his rock candy.

"Thanks to Applejack's mentioning of picking up her sister from school, Twilight came up with the idea of creating her very own school."

Spike (Discord) spits his rock candy out in shock at Discord (clone). Discord (clone) wipes the spit with a hanky and tosses it away in a biohazard trash can he spawns. 

"What kind of school are we talking about?" 

"School of Friendship. Twilight Sparkle wants to spread friendships through all species in an attempt to have a second chance with you, Spike."

"Very persistent, isn't she?" Asked Spike (Discord).

"Not even a week and, she has the solution to fixing a problem. I guess she doesn't want to bear with the mistakes she made with you, Spike. She's determined to correct them. Determined to earn redemption if the Princesses are willing. Our ace in the sleeve is if the Princesses allow you to have the final saying." 

"Also, I have to be sure that Twilight leads by example when she does take over for Celestia and Luna. Rumor has it that they'll be retiring soon." 

"Agreed. How long you can keep up the Spike charade?" 

"As long as it takes for Twilight to restores herself as a true friend for all species or until I get busted. Only time will tell in that department. Hey, you should stick around, Discord."

"Why is that, Spike?"

"Today is Princess Cadance birthday. Shining Armor is distracting Cadance with a date for her birthday. I'm meeting up with Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Trixie, and Party Favor to organize the party. We're throwing a surprise birthday party."

"One that Pinkie Pie will be missing." 

"Interesting enough, the letter I burnt the other day, that was Celestia asking Twilight and her friends to help set up Cadance's surprise party." 

"Wow," Said Discord (clone) in amazement. 

"Yea, this would have been a party Spike would have missed." 

"Definitely, Twilight would make him do all sorts of chores and, he'll get abandoned again." 

"Well, let's get moving, Discord. We wouldn't want to keep our friends waiting."

"Right, let's go, Spike (Discord)," Discord (clone) winks and releases the silencing circle. The two hurried off to meet up with Starlight and their friends. Together, they start orchestrating the preparations for Cadance's surprise party.
> Spike & Erza Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is now 8:00 in the morning. Lucy and Spike are waking up. Lucy gets out of bed as Spike gets out of his sleeping bag. 

"Morning, Lucy."

"Morning, Spike. You had a good night's sleep?" 

"I did. Did you?" 

"Yea, I did," Lucy smiles. 

"So, what's today's agenda?" Asked Spike.

"Well, we're going to see if we can find work today. I can't wait till I get the results of the Miss Fairy Tail contest."

"If I have to be honest, you would be placed in second or third. You'll be in the top three for sure," Said Spike.

"We will see. Plus, I didn't get to do my cheer with my Celestia Spirits. With Evergreen stealing the show and what Laxus has done and such."

"Fair enough. I still can't believe that Laxus had a dragon lacrima in him."

"I know, right. What kind of parent would do that?"

"One that is caring enough. Not every parent is loving," Spike claims from his experience with Twilight Sparkle. 

"True," Lucy remembers that her father sent a dark guild to bring her back home, which nearly ended Fairy Tail as well. 

After a half-hour, Lucy and Spike leave the apartment. The two walk to the guildhall. Residents of Magnolia are greeting their neighbor, Spike. After seeing him bearing the Fairy Tail Guild emblem, they are more relaxed, knowing that he won't grow up and kill everyone just like the old days of Earth Land. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," A Bystander on a boat passing. 

"Hello," Spike waves at the guy on the boat. 

Spike has been residing in Magnolia for five days now. It doesn't take too long for people to accept how things are in Fairy Tail as long as they are protected. Seeing a dragon is rare. Having a dragon live among them is unheard of nowadays. The town of Magnolia feels lucky to have a dragon living among them. 

Spike and Lucy enter the guildhall and sees everyone talking to each other. Spike is noticing how Nab Lasaro has been standing by the job board for two days now. 

"Hey, Lucy. Does Nab stare at the board all day, or does he work?"

"From all the times I've come here, Spike, he stands there all day like a tree," Lucy replies. "He said, when he finds the right one for him, he'll take it." 

"Alright, then." 

"Lucy! Spike!" Natsu shouts and greets the two. "There you are! Gray and I have been waiting for the two of you to arrive. We're going after a dark cult trying to raise the dead back to life!" Natsu chuckles. 

"Are they trying to start the zombie apocalypse?" Spike nervously questions. 

"Yes, and no, Spike," Said Gray. "The pay is 300,000 Jewels. You down?" 

"I can use the spare change to pay my rent," Said Lucy confidently. 

"What do you mean by spare change?" Asked Happy. 

"The Miss Fairy Tail competition. I have a feeling I won the 500,000 Jewels."

"The results aren't in yet. Gotta wait another week for the results, Lucy," Said Gray, who is half-naked.

"Gray," Spike chuckles, "Your clothes." 

"Darn it! Not again!" Said Gray. 

"Man, why not get a job at the stripper club, Gray," Said Natsu, suggesting an idea. 

"What was that, Pyro?" Gray grabs Natsu, looking directly at his face. 

"You gotta problem, Ice Breath?!" 

The two start fighting, punching, and hitting each other with fire and ice magic. Spike, Happy, and Lucy steer clear as the two brawls. Then all of a sudden, half the Fairy Tail guild joins in the fight. Lucy, Spike, and Happy are behind the bar as everyone continues to fight each other. 

"How often does this happen?" Asked Spike. 

"More times than you can count. However, this is a norm for Fairy Tail. Soon enough, you'll join in on the fun," Said Happy, answering Spike's question.

"When I first came to Fairy Tail, a brawl happen cause of Natsu. It's another way that Fairy Tail gets stronger and shows love in a way most people wouldn't think," Said Lucy. 

"Alright. Now that I know this isn't a one-time affair, I'll be participating in future brawls for fun." 

"Enough!" Erza commands. The sound of hearing Erza's command causes the brawl to end. Gray and Natsu are still fighting each other. Erza groans a little. "Typical," Erza elbows Gray and Natsu on their stomachs and grabs their heads, slamming into each other. "Now behave." 

"Cheap.., shot..," Said Natsu. 

"You.., got lucky.., Erza," Said Gray. 

"Enough with the fighting. Save it for something else," Said Erza. 

"Speaking of saving it for something else, I got our next job. Our first one with Spike as well," Said Natsu. He gets up and reveals the flier to Erza. "We're going to stop a dark cult from raising the dead."

"Go on without me. I wish to be alone," Erza goes up to the second floor of the guildhall. 

Spike sees Erza going up. Still upset after finding out some info about Mystogan. 

"So, Spike. You and Lucy coming?" Asked Natsu, waving the flier. 

"I'm coming, Natsu," Lucy hops over the bar and meets up with Natsu and Gray, Happy flies next to Natsu. "Spike, you coming?" 

"Uh," Spike looks at Erza sitting alone at a table. "Go on without me. For my first job, I want all my friends present." 

"You sure?" Asked Gray. 

"Yes. I know what I'm doing." 

"Alright, see you later, Spike," Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy leave the guildhall to embark on their quest. 

Spike walks upstairs to the second floor. He looks around a bit since it's his first time on the second floor. After doing some sightseeing, he sees Erza sitting alone. 

"Hey, Erza," Spike greets. 

Erza snaps out of her trance a bit. She turns to see Spike. "Hey, Spike."

"Mind if I sit there," Spike points to the empty chair. 

"Yes, I do mind. I wish to be alone." 

"No, you don't," Said Spike. "I know what it's like being all alone. You need someone to reflect." 

"You're right," Said Erza admittingly. "Please sit."

Spike sits on the empty chair and looks at Erza. "The other day back at the Kardia Catherdral, you saw Mystogan for what he looked like and, you looked like you've seen a ghost. Care to explain?"

Erza's eyes widen with the mentioning of Mystogan. His exact resemblance of Jellal from another recent event welcomed back some scars of her past. She frowns a bit and sighs. 

"You nailed my reaction. Remember your first day in Fairy Tail?"

"Yea. I told everyone my life story in Equestria."

"Also, I mentioned relating to you in more ways than another from your troubled life." 

"Yea," Spike nods. "You mentioned it."

"I'm going to tell how and why it links up to Mystogan." 

"I'm all ears, Erza." 

"It was many years ago. I was young. A few years younger than you, Spike. I once lived in a small village known as Rosemary Village. It was a nice peaceful village until one night, a child hunt happen."

Spike gasps and covers his mouth in shock and horror. He never heard anything of it before. Erza takes a deep breath. 

"I remember saving this one girl. She was very much afraid and had a white ribbon. After she was safe, I tried to run away but ended up getting caught. Then I was enslaved by a Zeref-Following Cult." 

"Who's Zeref?" Spike curiously asks. 

"A Dark Wizard with extreme powers of darkness and destruction. Good thing he stays dead." 

"Yea," Spike sweats a bit, imagining all sorts of possibilities that can go wrong. "Good thing."

"Anyway, the Zeref-Following Cult brought me and those they've captured to an island. Their purpose was to resurrect Zeref by building a passageway to Heaven."

"That is bizarre," Said Spike. He never thought there was magic that can get people or anyone into heaven without dying. 

"I spent years on the island, building the Tower of Heaven. I bled, I cried, I worked tirelessly. It was brutal, Spike. I got whipped, shackled, and zapped for trying to escape and having trouble working. Throughout the mix of it, I made friends to bear the hard times. Like you, Spike, I wasn't given a last name at birth. A close friend of mine gave me the last name, Scarlet," Erza touches her hair. "My friends had their opinions but, I loved it."

"Is this close friend of yours happen to be this Jellal guy?" Asked Spike, piecing the bits together. 

Erza nods. "Once again, you nailed it."

"I'm good with putting things together."

"Throughout the tenure at the Tower of Heaven, Rob, who was a Wizard of the Fairy Tail Guild, told me a lot about magic. He's the one that led me to Fairy Tail after I left the Tower of Heaven."  

"So, that is how you found your way to Fairy Tail." 

"I search for months to locate Magnolia. I told Makarov everything I endured and the passing of Rob. After that, I became an official member of the Fairy Tail Guild. Now, going back to the story. My friends and I were in trouble with an escape plan. Jellal tried to take the blame. It was futile as they took me instead. I showed no fear of my punishment, so they decided to scar my friends by taking my right eye."

Spike gasps in horror again. Now he understands the artificial eye comment when she broke free from Evergreen's petrification spell.

"After they took my right eye, Jellal came to my rescue. He patched my right eye. After a few, he was captured and taken away. That was when I had enough of living in fear. I sparked a revolt and a rescue plan to save Jellal. The hundreds of inmates and my friends fought off the cult. When I freed Jellal, he was, unfortunately, corrupted by Zeref. He continued building the Tower of Heaven after letting me go."

"Wow," Said Spike. 

"Can you keep a secret, Spike?" Spike nods. Erza whispers. "I have feelings for Jellal."

Spike nods in understanding. So much for being Erza's lover. Hopefully, like Lucy, Erza can be a sister type of friend to him. Spike will now have to try someone else to fall in love. To stop trying to go after those who are older than him.

"You have my word as Fairy Dragon that your secret is safe with me." 

"Thank you, Spike." 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles reassuringly. 

"A month before you came, I went on vacation with Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Lucy. We had a fun time too. Then later in the night, I had a nightmare about the Tower of Heaven. The next thing I knew, while playing poker in the casino, my friends and I were ambushed by my old friends. Simon, Shô, Millianna, and Wally. They took me and Happy to the Tower of Heaven."

"Why Happy?" 

"Millianna is a catgirl. She loves cats and seeing a blue flying cat, to her, it's like, how can she not take him?"

"Okay, makes sense with me," Said Spike. 

"Jellal had a brother named Siegrain. He used to work for the Magic Council. Jellal was planning to sacrifice me to Zeref."

"Was the Tower of Heaven used for blood sacrifices?" 

"Yea. Life for a life. One needs to perish to resurrect the other."

"Damn," Said Spike. That is the first time he'd ever said damn. He knows the meaning of it. 

"Yea," Said Erza, remembering that night. 

"Our friends and Juvia got involved with my problems and situation. I tried to urge them to leave but, they didn't. I was unhappy but relented. In the end, I was happy they stood around and helped me. Jellal played a twisted game with us as well as the Magic Council. Siegrain was persuading the Magic Council to use Etherion Blast on the Tower of Heaven. Jellal hired bounty hunters assassins from a dark guild to take my friends and me down. After some time, my friends and I defeated the dark guild."

"Is Siegrain and Jellal one of the same person?" 

Erza nods. "Yes. Jellal had everything set up according to his plan."

"Wow, he's good." 

"Was," Erza lowers her head. 

"What happened next?" 

"I told Jellal that there is a flaw to his Tower of Heaven. He needed a lot of concentrated magic energy for the Tower of Heaven. Something in which he doesn't have. He needed 2.7 billion Edeas to activate the Tower of Heaven. He had a look that everything is going according to plan. He wasn't worried, which made me worried. I fought Jellal. Jellal was planning to sacrifice my life for Zeref's. After a few minutes of fighting, I had Jellal pinned to the floor with my sword near his throat. Jellal demands me to strike him, take his life away. I didn't. I couldn't. During that time, I still considered Jellal as my friend so, I hugged him. Next thing we knew, the Tower of Heaven got hit with Etherion Blast. The outer structure tore apart as the Tower of Heaven was covered in Etherion Lacrima. The final piece to his plan."

"Wow," It's all Spike can muster from hearing the story. He wonders how powerful is the Etherion Blast. He'll ask or find out another time. "Please, continue."

"Jellal placed a spell on me when I hugged him. A spell that allowed the Tower of Heaven to pull me in to sacrifice for Zeref. Then, Natsu saved me from being sacrificed."

"He did?" Asked Spike, feeling like this the climax of the story. 

"Natsu's sense of smell led him directly to me, saving my life from being sacrificed to Zeref.  Then, Natsu knocks me out. He took it upon himself to fight Jellal." 

"Ouch, that had to suck. Also, how was Natsu able to knock you out so easily? A while ago, you elbowed him in the gut and slammed his head on Gray's head." 

"The spell Jellal used on me disabled me from moving for the time being." 

"Ah, okay then," Said Spike, nodding in understanding. 

"When I woke up, Natsu was bombarded by Jellal's attack. Natsu decided to destroy Jellal's Tower of Heaven so he couldn't use it. Jellal then decided to unleash a powerful spell capable of killing Natsu. I decided to offer my life to spare Natsu. However, Simon intervened and took the blow. Simon confessed his love for me right before he died, saving my life. I mourned a bit as Natsu starts eating the Ethernano. It was too overwhelming for Natsu but, he mustered enough to defeat." 

Spike is imaging the fight. How intense it must have been as Erza had to watch on the sidelines. Spike sees how strong Natsu could have been with that kind of power versus what he had against Laxus. 

"What is Ethernano Lacrima made of?" Asked Spike curiously. 

"All forms of elemental magic power, to be precise." 

"Okay," Spike now understands that there is a water element in the lacrima that could weaken Natsu.

"After Natsu defeated Jellal, I tried to carry him to safety as the Tower of Heaven was falling apart. It was becoming unstable in the process. To control the magic power from overloading, I tried sacrificing myself to make it stop. Natsu refuses to let me go and tries to pull me out. The Tower of Heaven took me in. Everything became a blur at first. Then, I saw a bubble of the future. A future where all of Fairy Tail was sad and depressed, it was horrifying to see. The heartache, the anguish, the cries. I thought my sacrifice would bring happiness but, it brought the opposite. It was then I wanted to live. Then, out of the blue, I heard Natsu calling my name. I see him reaching for me. Then, I realize what I saw was a dream. Natsu held me in his arms, filled with tears. Natsu, in tears, told me not to sacrifice myself like that ever again. I swore that I'll never do such a thing ever again."

"That meant the Tower of Heaven blew up and, it killed Jellal in the process?" 

Yes..," Erza looks at the window, imagining that her friend Jellal is back to his old self. 

"My condolences to you for the loss of your friends." 

"Thanks, Spike," Erza smiles. "At the end of the madness, I made new friends along the way. Juvia Lockser, Gajeel Redfox, and Spike the Fairy." 

Spike smiles. "Would it be alright if we hug?" 

Erza nods. She and Spike get off the chair and hug. Erza feels relieved that she told someone about this, knowing that Spike will keep the secret she told him to himself. They hug for a minute more. 

"Sometimes, it's good to hug. It eases some tensions," Said Spike. 

"Sure does, Spike," Erza lets go of Spike. 

"Erza, since you told me your secret, I want to tell you mine."

"Of course, Spike." 

Spike takes a deep breath, knowing it'll be a bit of an embarrassment. "I have feelings for you. I thought," Spike blushes in embarrassment. "Maybe you and I can be.., together?" Spike starts sweating a bit after he says that. 

"I'm flattered that you have feelings for me but, you're a bit too young, Spike."

Spike nods in understanding. He knew he was out of his league. 

"However," Spike perks up hearing, however. "I will consider you as my brother. I'll be your sister, Spike," Said Erza, smiling at Spike. Hoping it'll cheer him up.

"Sounds good to me!" Spike smiles in glees. 

"Also, the next job we go on, we're all going together. I promise," Said Erza. 

"Thanks, Erza." 

"You're welcome."

Erza and Spike go downstairs and to the bar. Erza orders two slices of strawberry cake for her and Spike. Mirajane gave the duo their slices of cake. Spike takes the first bite, claiming it was better than any dessert he had in Equestria. 

Two hours later, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy return to the Guildhall. 

"Hey, guys. How did the job go?" Asked Spike, sitting next to Erza in the main hall at the table. 

"Terrible. We had to pay the damages of the town with our reward money," Said Lucy tiredly. 

"C'mon, Lucy. Those punks deserved it!" Claimed Natsu. 

"Yea, they tried to sacrifice me for a demon dog! Happy proclaims. 

"Good thing they sucked with the enchantments and incantations," Said Gray, wearing nothing but his underwear. Spike chuckles. "What's funny, Spike?" 

"Do your clothes come to life and run away from you?" 

Gray looks down to see himself nearly naked. "Crap! I must have left my clothes behind!" 

"Nah, you left it at the stripper's club," Said Natsu. 

"That does it, Natsu!" Gray lunges at Natsu. The two brawl once more. 

Natsu and Gray continue to fight in the Guildhall until Erza breaks it up. She grabs both their heads and collided with each other. Erza then punches the two in the gut, causing them to fall asleep. 

"Now, good night," Said Erza. 

"Well, it's been fun. Let's go home, Spike."

"Right behind you, Lucy," Spike walks with Lucy. "Bye, Sis. See you tomorrow," Spike waves at Erza. 

"See you tomorrow, Spike," Erza waves back. 

As Lucy and Spike leave the guildhall, they start talking for a bit. 

"So, what's with the sis talk?" Asked Lucy. 

"After a long talk with Erza and her reflecting, she and I decided to treat each other like brother and sister." 

"How nice and thoughtful, Spike." 

"It was Erza's idea after I confess something to her." 

"Oooh, what is it?" Lucy is curious to know what Spike had to say when he confessed to Erza. 

"Sorry, Lucy. That is a secret between Erza and me."

Lucy sighs. "Fair enough, Spike." 

Ten minutes later, Spike and Lucy are home. They see Natsu and Happy on the bed lounging. Lucy strictly tells them to get out. She yells and starts throwing pots and pans at the two. She doesn't want to deal with their nonsense for the night. Natsu and Happy hightailed out of Lucy's apartment by hopping out the window. Spike gathers everything that Lucy threw at the two of them. Happy flies Natsu back home after getting some bumps on their heads. Spike gets into his sleep bag, wanting to get a good night's rest for the next day of adventures.
> Spike's Magic & Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Lucy are at the Fairy Tail Guildhall. The Thunder Legion are now opening themselves to the guild and everyone more. Bickslow couldn't help but tease Lucy with Happy about her and Loki falling in love. Evergreen lets Reedus know she doesn't do nude drawings. She poses around a bit in hopes that Reedus will draw her as beautiful as she is. Freed is idly observing what goes around. Then, the Thunder Legion see Spike sitting alone at a table as Erza gets up to talk with the Master. They proceed on introducing themselves to Spike. 

"So, this is the Fairy Dragon everyone has been speaking of?" Said Bickslow. "Fairy Dragon. Fairy Dragon." Said Bickslow's Floating Tikis. 

"I have to say it's rare seeing a dragon this close and personal," Said Evergreen. 

"Agreed. We only heard tales from Natsu when we grew up," Said Freed. 

"So, how did you joined Fairy Tail?" Asked Bickslow. 

"Yea. I've always wondered how a young dragon such as yourself found the Fairy Tail guild," Said Freed. 

"Well, it's a long story," Spike answers, rubbing the back of his head, indicating that his story isn't pleasant. Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen grabs a chair. They sit around Spike at the table. 

"Is it that bad?" Asked Evergreen. 

"You'll see," Said Spike. 

Spike tells his tale from the very beginning and everything he went through. He reveals more on the abuse and negligence he endured throughout the years of his childhood. With the ongoing pranks and mockery of being compared to other dragons, his friends use him as a tool. An object of their amusement. Spike reveals more to the Thunder Legion. They are unhappy. After a while longer, Spike concludes his tale. The Thunder Legion are irate about Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends on how they used and abused him. 

"That's child exploitation and negligence. Anyone who is a legal guardian that did that to a child will wind up losing the child. Either by the CPS if they have one, or by other legal means of removing the child from the parental guardian's custody," Said Freed. 

Spike looks down. 

"Don't worry, if they ever come around these parts, we'll show them what happens when you mess with a member of Fairy Tail," Said Evergreen.

"My babies will turn those pretty ponies into ugly ponies," Said Bickslow. "Ugly ponies. Ugly ponies," The Floating Tikis said. 

"We'll make sure they won't get away scotfree," Said Freed. "No child should ever endure that kind of treatment." 

"Thanks," Spike replies. 

"So, what do you have plans for today?" Asked Bickslow. 

"Well, ever since I fought alongside with Gajeel and Natsu, I found out that my magic comes from Maker Magic. I call it Energy Maker Magic." 

"Energy Maker Magic? Please explain, Spike," Asked Freed. 

"Well, Gajeel was explaining to Natsu that they are all that remains to face Laxus during the Fairy Tail Battle Royal. Laxus pointed out that the two were missing me. Laxus shot two streams of lightning blasts at me. I closed my eyes and covered my face. During that timeframe, I imagined that a flaming shield would be in front of me. When I opened my eyes, I saw the flaming shield in front of me. Green and sparkling as I took no damage from Laxus' attack." 

"Wow," Said Evergreen in shock. 

"That's impressive," Said Bickslow. 

"So, can you demonstrate your flaming shield?" Asked Freed. 

"Sure," Spike crosses his arms and images a sparkling flaming shield. Seconds later, one spawns in front of the three. 

"Wow," The Thunder Legion said in unison. 

"Thought process of Maker Magic. Similar to Gray's Ice Maker Magic," Said Freed. 

"Yea," Spike nods. "He told me bits of pieces of Maker Magic. However, there is a lot to learn about Magic and, I don't know where to begin."

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem. We know where you can learn all sorts of Magic," Said Freed, smiling at Spike. 

"You do? Where?" Spike excitedly expressed. 

"The Magic Library. There are all sorts of Magic you can learn to add into your arsenal," Freed replies. 

"How far is it?" Asked Spike. 

"Not far if we take the train," Said Bickslow. "I've been there a few times."

"Want to know powerful spells? The Magic Library is the place to be," Said Evergreen. 

"Sweet!" Spike does a fist pump in the air. He's excited to learn more magic. 

Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow gets up and heads over to see Master Makarov.

"Greetings, Master," Freed greets. 

"Freed," Makarov turns to Freed and the Thunder Legion. "Going on another job?" 

"Well, more like a field trip. We're taking Spike the Fairy with us to the Magic Library. We want to help him learn more about Magic. Perhaps train him as well." 

"Very well, take care of our Fairy Dragon. He is the last of his kind in all of Earth Land." 

"What?!" Natsu shouts from afar, hearing the conversation. He rushes to the Thunder Legion and Makarov. "You're taking Spike to the Magic Library?!" 

"Yes, we want to help him learn more about Magic. He has a lot of potentials to be a powerful Fairy Dragon for our guild. He doesn't know where to start, so we're taking him there to learn."

"But, I want to teach him how to use Fire Magic! He can use his flames for other purposes as well!" Natsu proclaims. 

"Hold up," Gray intervenes. "I should teach Spike more about Maker Magic. He needs to learn more with creativity in mind."

"Well, I have a solution," Said Erza, walking up to Natsu and Gray. "Spike is part of our team. Where he goes, we go as well."

"Very well, Erza. Onward to the Magic Library," Said Freed. 

"Hold up, there," Said Gajeel. 

"Gajeel," Natsu calls out. 

"Something is telling me that you may need me. To help train our Fairy Dragon," Gajeel chuckles. 

"Anyone else wants to tag along?" Freed asks. Team Shadow Gear steps up, wanting to go with Spike the Fairy. "Alright, let's go." 

The Thunder Legion, Team Shadow Gear, Spike, Erza, Gray, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, and Gajeel leave the Guildhall. Erza has a haul of suitcases and other luggage on her wooden cart. Spike doesn't question it. It reminded him of Rarity bringing so many things. At least Erza is pulling her weight instead of him doing it. They arrive at the Magnolia train station. 

"Hold on. We gotta take the train?" Asked Gajeel. 

"Yes. We'll get to the Magic Library there faster," Freed answers. 

"You have a problem with trains, Gajeel?" Asked Spike. 

Gajeel and Natsu are sweating a bit. Spike is surprised by the reactions of the two dragon slayers. Neither of them is a fan of trains. 

"Dragon Slayers get motion sickness," Said Lucy. "Transportation is a weakness for all Dragon Slayers." 

"Ouch," Spike cringes a little. 

"It's either you two get on or get out," Said Erza sternly. 

"I'm coming. I still have this feeling that I'm needed. I'm pretty sure Salamander wants to be left behind," Said Gajeel. 

"Yea, right!" Natsu shouts. "I'm going with Spike! You can go home, you metal baby!" 

"Enough!" Erza commands. "The train is about to leave."

"We're coming. We're coming!" Gajeel and Natsu said in unison. 

The train departs from Magnolia Station. Spike sits next to Lucy by the window seat, Erza and Gray are sitting together facing Spike and Lucy. The Thunder Legion and Happy are sitting across from them. As for Gajeel and Natsu, the two of them are sitting behind the Thunder Legion. Freed places an incantation for Natsu and Gajeel to sleep off the motion sickness. Team Shadow Gear is sitting across from the sleeping Dragon Slayers. 

"So, how far the Magic Library from Magnolia?" Asked Spike. 

"Two hours, the Magic Library is located in the Isgar Forest," Freed answers. 

"Yea. I'm pretty sure you can even find spells that dragons once used. The library is one of the tallest structures in Fiore," Said Bickslow. 

"As well as other spells to add into your arsenal," Said Evergreen. 

"So, how long will we be staying there?" Asked Spike.  

"Two days, to be precise. We're still waiting on a client to give us vital information for our next job." 

"Alright. Let's make these two days worth my wild," Spike smiles. 

"Believe me. It will be your wild." 

Two hours goes by. The train arrives at the Ishgar Station. 

"Alright, let's wake up the Dragon Slayers," Freed deactivates his incantation allowing Natsu and Gajeel to wake up. 

"We're up," Said Gajeel and Natsu in unison, stretching themselves as they leave the train. 

"Alright, follow us." 

The Thunder Legion leads the rest of the Fairies into the Ishgar Forest. As they enter, they see a tall building not far from their position. As they get closer, Spike is mesmerized by the sheer size of the Magic Libary. It's taller than anything he'd ever seen. Possibly taller than the Crystal Empire Castle. 

"Here we are," Said Freed. 

The library's entrance is a circular gate. It features one big circle in the center and three other circles on each side. Spike enters inside to see the interior of the Magic Library. Spike is awestruck. He sees the walls shaped like a hexagon with numerous bookshelves, books upon books. There are bridges to connect all around the library. Spike's jaw drops with so many possibilities flooding in his head.  

"Wow!" Spike shouts, which causes an echo within the library. 

"Maker Magic columns should be in the East Wing if I'm not mistaken, I'll go and search," Freed and the Thunder Legion goes to the East Wing.

"In the meantime, Team Shadow Gear will check the West Wing to see if there are any books about dragons and their magic," Said Levy. "C'mon guys, let's go," Levy leads the team to the West Wing. 

"I'll set up camp for all of us. Happy, Lucy, I'll need your help." 

"Of course, Erza." 

"Aye!" 

Erza, Lucy, and Happy head into a different wing to set up camp leaving Gray, Natsu, Gajeel, and Spike behind to train a bit. 

"Alright, Spike. As our friends find you some books to study, it's time I teach you a bit more on Maker Magic," Gray takes off his shirt, making sure he doesn't strip all the way. "You can think it, and it becomes real. My Master Ur taught me to use one hand as the base of your creation," Gray balls one fist and slaps the palm of his hand. "Yours can or will be different, depending on your stance as your base. Ice-Make Shield!" Gray extends his hands forward, spawning an ice shield in front of him. "Different stances help generate your thought process. You can be thinking of something big, small, or medium. Depending on how much magic energy you use and your thought process as well."

Spike crosses his arms and generates a shield in front of him. His shield consist of sparkle green flames. It's bigger than Gray's Ice Shield. 

"I never thought on doing anything else besides a shield," Said Spike. 

"Think of some weaponry that can help you in battle. Eventually, you'll have to fight. Can't be defending all day." 

"Okay," Spike nods. Spike starts thinking of a cool idea for one of his attacks, imagining the stance and precision. "Flaming arrows!" Spike extends his claw in a C formation. Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows comes out of Spike's fingertips. The flaming arrows Spike conjures are small. Gray uses his shield to protect himself from the burst fire of the flaming arrows. 

"Whoa," Gajeel is impressed with Spike. 

"That's so cool! Flaming arrows from Spike's fingertips," Said Natsu excitedly. 

Gray's Ice Shield starts melting a bit. Spike eases his attack and lowers his claw.

"Alright, Ice-Make Wall!" Gray creates a tall ice wall with his magic. The same stance but, he had raised his hands.  "Try getting through this. Don't hold back your flaming arrows."

"Alright," Spike extends his claw in a C formation again. "Flaming Arrows!" Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows comes out of Spike's fingertips once more. This time, much bigger in scale. Spike decides to move his other claw, controlling the flow where the arrows will strike. The flaming arrows strike at the center, the top, and sides of the ice wall. 

"Impressive. Fairy Dragon has creative movement with his flow," Said Gajeel. 

"Spike is going to be a valued member of the guild for sure. With the way he's using his magic," Said Natsu. 

"Impressive, Spike!" Gray shouts. 

"How bout this?" Spike uses his claws in a gun formation. "Phew, phew," He said, mimicking the action of a gun. Green Sparkling Flaming Bullets forms out of Spike's index fingers, piercing Gray's Ice Wall. Gray dodges out of the way as Spike's gun mimicking destroys Gray's Ice Wall. 

Gajeel and Natsu's jaw drops. They couldn't believe that Spike just mimicked gun movements to obliterate Gray's Ice Wall.

"Well, Bisca and Alzack may have competition on the shooting range now," Said Gray. 

Spike chuckles and blows the heat away from his index fingers. "Hmm, I wonder," Spike starts pondering. He lifts his claw to conjure a sparkling green flaming ball.  Gray uses his magic to create another ice wall. This time, it's thicker. "Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike lowers the sparkling green flaming ball, using his other claw to press hard, imagining the flaming ball turning into a fiery heat cannon. The Inferno Heat Wave is near identical to Spike's breath attack. It's smaller but hotter. On contact, the Inferno Heat Wave attack melts Gray's Ice Wall faster than his flaming bullets. 

"Spike!" Natsu shouts. "Hit me!" 

Spike turns to Natsu and smirks. He's starting to have fun while showing no fatigue. 

"Just how powerful Spike truly is?" Gray thought.

"Fairy Dragon," Spike conjures his fire for his breath attack for a few moments. "ROOOOOOOOAR!" Spike's fire breath scorches Natsu. Natsu is now engulf in Sparkling Green Fire. 

"I gotta admit, these flames pretty hot," Natsu is now consuming Spike's fire. "Try this on for size! Fire Dragon!" Natsu conjures more fire for his breath attack.

"Careful, Salamander. You don't want to fry the dragon," 

"ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAR!" Natsu unleashes his full-powered dragon breath attack at Spike. 

Spike's claws are now sparkling green. He decides to try and cut Natsu's breath attack in half. Spike chops at Natsu's attack. He succeeds in cutting Natsu's Fire Dragon Roar in half, causing Natsu's flames to hit the wall behind Spike at two different spots. Gray and Gajeel's jaw drop in shock and amazement. Natsu stood there dumbfounded. He didn't think Spike would come up with a counter like that. Spike looks at his claw in astonishment. He didn't think it'll work. 

"Did I..? Did I just stopped Natsu's attack..?" Spike's claw stops glowing in sparkling green. 

"I have never seen anything like that in my whole life. I've seen my fire being redirecting by other magic users but, splitting my breath attack in a single chop, using bare hands uh claws.., that's bizarre." 

"Fairy Dragon is full of surprises," Said Gajeel. 

Team Shadow Gear returns from the West Wing. 

"Sorry, Spike. We were unable to find books about Dragons in the West Wing," Said Levy. 

"It's okay. I don't think I'll be needing that. I need to know more spells to add into my Energy Maker Magic." 

"We can look for some. So, how's training going along?" 

"Fairy Dragon continues to impress us with his power, Levy," Gajeel answers Levy's question. 

"How so?" Asked Droy. 

"My creativity under Maker Magic has proven to be more powerful than I anticipated." 

"Mind showing us a few of your moves?" Asked Jet. 

"Sure," Spike mimics the gun movements with his claws. "Phew phew," Green Sparkling Flaming Bullets form out of Spike's index fingers, hitting Natsu. 

"Whoa!" Said Shadow Gear in unison. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C formation. Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows comes out of Spike's fingertips, hitting Natsu in the process. 

"Flaming Arrows, that's hot," Said Levy. 

"No kidding. Energy Maker Magic is the correct term for your magic, Spike," Said Droy. 

"That's cool. It's all I have to say," Said Jet. 

Natsu consumes Spike's fire. 

"Alright, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel turns his arm into an iron club. "Let's see how you handle iron."

Spike steps back and gets into a different stance. "Let's do it, Gajeel." 

"Iron Dragon Lance!" Gajeel's arm is now a steel spear. "Demon Log!" Gajeel shoots many steel spears at Spike. 

Spike crosses his arms then extends. "Flaming Metallic Shield!" A Sparkling Green Metallic Shield spawns in front of Spike. It looks metallic but consists of Spike's flames. The Sparkling Green Metallic Shield blocks all the spears that Gajeel unleashed. 

"No way..," Said Gajeel in shock. "Your shield looks metallic." 

"Wanna try and eat it?" Asked Spike. 

Gajeel walks up to the shield and feels it. "Unbelievable. It feels solid and hard," Gajeel knocks on it. It sounds like it is metal. Gajeel takes a bite of it.  His eyes widen in shock. "It tastes like warm iron," Gajeel continues to eat the metallic shield Spike conjures. 

The Thunder Legion returns with several books from the East Wing. They see Gajeel consuming a flaming metallic shield. 

"Whoa, Gajeel. Where did you find that shield to munch on?" Asked Bickslow. 

"Fairy Dragon conjured it," Gajeel continues to eat. 

"What?!" Said Bickslow in shock. 

"You missed it," Said Levy. "Spike is capable of anything when he puts his mind to it." 

"Yea, he shot flaming arrows and bullets from his fingertips," Said Natsu.  

"His flames melted my ice shield and wall. He was able to maneuver the movements of his flames with his other claw," Said Gray. 

"His different stances allowed him to create a new element into his arsenal. I believe he can do the same with boiling water," Said Gajeel. 

"Impressive, the Thunder Legion has found different books for you to read, Spike," Said Freed. 

"Yea. We found a dragon book where you can increase your size," Said Evergreen. 

Spike's eyes widen. Not in amazement but horror. He looks down, remembering the last time he grew in size. 

"Uh, what's wrong, Spike?" Asked Freed. 

"Oh.., It's just.., I remember growing in size but, it was for the wrong reason." 

"What do you mean?" Everyone except Erza, Lucy, and Happy say in unison. 

"Back in Ponyville, my 'friends' threw me a birthday party. It was then I received a lot of gifts from them. Something I wasn't used to because my birthdays from before, I only get one present. From Twilight. A book," Spike sighs. "Anyway, I went to Sugarcube Corner to get the cupcake that the Cake family made for me. After I had my dessert, I bumped into Ms.Cheerlie. I told her it was my birthday, and she gave me a hat. Then, I went into a phase. A phase of wanting more items." 

"Nothing wrong with wanting a little more," Said Natsu. 

"Dragons in Equestria are ravenous with greed when they are uncontrolled. I grew more when I continued to receive more. Then, after receiving more, I started taking things and piling them up. Dragons in Equestria like to hoard and keep them hidden away from everyone else. It was due to my greed that I grew into a terrorizing dragon. I destroyed half of Ponyville in the process. It was then I made a vow. To never allow obsessions with possessions to take control of me ever again." 

"Perhaps you should change that perception of thinking and logic," Said Freed. 

"Yea," Said Levy, nodding. "Instead of obsession with possessions, how about obsession with succession." 

"Obsession with succession?" Spike ponders a bit on it. 

"Affirmative. Use your motive to transform into a larger dragon. Once you succeed in winning the fight or succeeding in what you do, you can revert to normal," Said Freed. 

Spike's jaw drops. It's a first that someone would want him to grow. He remembers that ponies in Equestria prefer things their way. Knowing that his friends want to help him further, he smiles. He feels relieved and encouraged. To thrive for greatness and to grow even more. 

"Alright, I'll give it a go. I may need an opponent."

"How about two Dragon Slayers?" Said Natsu. 

"We won't slay you if you're worried. You need to test the theory out."

Spike nods and smiles. He then thinks about how big he wants to be. He imagined being the size of Laxus. He sits down to concentrate on using his magic to create tensions within his mind, body, and soul. He focuses on wanting to defeat Natsu and Gajeel. Spike breathes as he's concentrating. Lucy, Erza, and Happy return to the group. 

"Camp is set up. What is Spike up to?" Asked Erza. 

"We're training him," Said Gray. 

"Freed and Levy inspired him to grow in size. The crappy world Fairy Dragon came from; ponies hated that his greed destroyed their town," Said Gajeel.

"He vows that obsessions with possessions will never turn him into a monster," Said Natsu. 

"As far as his power is, Erza. Spike has a ton of magic energy. We can sense it continually to rise." 

"I can feel it too, Levy," Said Erza in response. "Please, be careful, brother."

"So, instead of obsession with possession, Levy suggested obsession with succession," Said Bickslow. 

"So, with that in mind, Spike seems to be channeling his emotions with the thought process," Said Freed. 

"Spike, wants!" Spike starts growing in size. His arms, his legs, his tail are expanding. 

"It's working," Said Freed. 

Erza sees how big Spike is growing. His arms grow muscular, his chest and stomach are becoming ripped. Spike's scales on his head expands into a pointer spike. His teeth grow into fangs. His eyes are the same as he is now, the size of Laxus when he transformed. 

"Holy crap, he's the size of Laxus when we fought him," Said Gajeel, stepping back a bit. 

"Spike, are you in there?" Asked Natsu. 

Everyone else steps back. Unsure on how Spike will react. Spike stares at his opponents and smiles. 

"Oh, I'm here," Said Spike, his voice sounds darker and lower. Spike moves his limbs a bit to see where he stands. "I'm the size of Laxus. Just how I imagined."  

"Amazing," Said Lucy. 

"I don't know how I'm doing this," Said Spike. 

"Perhaps the book I found about dragons may answer." 

"Good thing I brought my Gale-Force Reading Glasses," Said Levy, holding her pair.  

"What can those glasses do?" Asked Spike. 

"With these glasses on, I can read this book in a matter of moments."

Spike's jaw drop. He now knows what he needs to buy. 

Levy starts reading the book Freed found using the Gale-Force Reading Glasses. Levy is able to find a ton of info about dragons' magic. She summarizes the book to her best of knowledge. 

"Alright, Spike. I have the info you need to hear the most." 

"Let's hear it, Levy." 

"Dragon's magic is larger in scale due to the size of their origin. Dragons' origin is fifty times the size of a human's or creature's origin. There is so much that a person can have. However, dragons can exceed far better than humans. Dragon Slayers can have a 20-35% difference with their origin depending on how strong and powerful the Dragon Slayer can be." 

"Wait, wait, hold it," Said Natsu. "You mean to tell us that Spike is stronger than the two of us?" Referring to him and Gajeel. 

"Stronger than any of us. The problem is, Spike is still relatively young for a dragon. His magic power depletes faster. Young dragons such as Spike, their magic gets depleted within an hour or so." 

"An hour?" Asked Spike. 

"Yes. If you train to pace yourself, you can delay your depletion within a few hours. Now, like all dragons, they can replenish themselves by eating their element from elsewhere. Since you have chosen to be an Energy Maker Dragon, your best food supply for replenishing your magic is by consuming any means of energy." 

"Hey, Spike. Try eating this!" Natsu turns to Spike. "Fire Dragon ROOOOAAAR!" Natsu uses his fire breath attack to hit Spike. 

Spike embraces the impact. Natsu's flames are hot but, they can never match the lava he swam in. Spike starts eating Natsu's fire. To him, it's delicious. Best fire he's ever eaten. 

"Natsu, that fire was delicious," Said Spike, patting his belly in satisfaction.

"Good to know, now we can help each other in battle even more," Natsu throws the thumbs up. 

Spike closes his eyes shrinks down back to size. It catches everyone off guard as they were not expecting that to happen. Spike opens his eyes to see his friends dumbfounded. 

"I made peace with myself cause I resented transforming into a monstrous, ravenous dragon. Instead of going rogue, my focus is on myself and how I should control my transformation. Obsessed for success is what it is. What I wanted to do is transform and not engaged with battle. It worked. I've decided to use my transformation as a resort for facing tougher opponents or challenges that awaits."

"Good, Spike," Said Freed. 

Everyone around gives him a good pat on his head and a thumbs up. One thing that bothered Spike back in Equestria was the level of trust and love in a friendship. He didn't have any of it. With the friends and family he is now surrounded by, Spike feels more relaxed and at peace. 

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Spike clutches onto his head as he starts having a nosebleed. "What is happening to me?" Spike groans a bit in agony. 

Everyone is in shock, especially Erza. They wonder what happened that lead to Spike getting a massive headache and a nosebleed. Levy rereads the book use the Gale-Force Reading Glasses. She made a mistake by leaving a crucial detail about increasing a dragon's size. 

"My apologies, Spike. I missed a crucial detail. When younger dragons increase their size, they develop some migraines. It'll happen a few more times before the transformation becomes a norm to them." 

"It's alright, Levy. I forgive you," Lucy hands Spike some tissues to wipe his nose. "Thank you, Lucy."

"Anytime," Said Lucy as she smiles. 

Erza, Lucy, and Happy lead everyone to their campsite. Everyone gets adjusted as Freed starts cooking. Spike lays down to rest after receiving that migraine. Bickslow and Evergreen give Lucy books for Spike to read on his according. Erza decides when Spike is feeling better to engage in battle for the next part of his training. They comply with Erza's statement. Eventually, Spike will have to fight and, he'll be on his own from time to time. Spike falls asleep to wear out the migraine of his. 

The next day. Spike wakes up early in the morning. He sees his friends still asleep. Not wanting to wake them up, he quietly leaves the campsite and goes outside. 

"Hey, Spike," Said Erza. 

"Hey, Erza." 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Better actually, though I am hungry," Spike rubs his belly. "How long was I asleep?" 

"Thirteen hours. The migraine you had was severe on you."

"Wow, I missed dinner," Said Spike in shock. 

"Please, don't scare me like that," Referring to the migraine that Spike had yesterday. 

"I'll try. As I mentioned, I'll only use that transformation for tougher opponents and challenges that await for me."

"Okay," Said Erza. 

Spike looks around and sees some fruits at the campsite. He grabs a banana and apple to fill himself. Erza wonders how to hold back her strength for training Spike later today. To help him get into the fighting spirit, perhaps giving him one of her swords could help him. An hour later. Everyone starts waking up. Lucy sees Spike reading a book. He's ten pages into the book, learning about different fire magic that can be helpful. 

"Morning, Spike," Said Lucy. 

Spike lowers his book to see his friends. "Morning, Lucy. Morning everyone." 

"Morning," They say in unison except for Gajeel. 

"Sup, Fairy Dragon." 

"Hey," Spike waves at Gajeel. 

Freed starts making breakfast for everyone. 

"So, how are you feeling?" Asked Happy. 

"Better now. Sleeping to wear out the migraine was perfect."

"Good. We have another day worth of training to do," Said Gajeel. 

"What kind of training?" Asked Spike. 

"We're gonna put you in a situation where you have to fight," Said Bickslow. 

"But, don't worry. We're not going to brutalize you or worse. We need to see where you stand when you do engage," Said Natsu. 

"I thought I was doing that with Gray yesterday." 

"I held back my magic power to boost your confidence. Now, we need to see where you stand." 

"Plus, you may be powerful than all of us but, what about when fighting as a team. Sometimes, we encounter that," Levy explains. 

"Don't worry, though. We'll do some tag team action as well," Said Natsu.

"Sounds great." 

After everyone ate their breakfast and relaxed, they head to the center of the library. Freed set up an enchantment to protect the books within the library. It's raining outside, and everyone has agreed to train indoors. Spike is eager to engage in practice battles with his friends but nervous as well. He doesn't know what to expect in this type of training. 

"Spike, you'll be battling me first," Erza spawns her sword. "I want you to show me what you got and, don't hold back." 

"Are you sure?" Asked Spike nervously. 

"I'm sure," Said Erza confidentially. "Requip!" Erza requips into her Flame Empress Armor. "Flame Empress Armor!" 

"Wow." Spike thought to himself. He wonders if the armor has similar aspects to the other armor she wore to fight off Laxus. 

"Ready?" Asked Erza, steadying herself with her flame sword. 

"I am," Spike nods. 

"Fight!" Natsu shouts, signaling the two to engage. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C formation, shooting sparkling green flaming arrows from his fingertips. Erza uses her sword to deflect the arrows. Spike increases the size of the flaming arrows. Spike uses his other claw to maneuver the flaming arrows in different directions, causing Erza to take flight and dodge the arrows. Spike ceases his flaming arrows attack. 

"I have to say, Spike. I'm impressed with that attack." 

"Phew phew," Spike uses his claws to mimick gun movements, shooting sparkling green flaming bullets at Erza. Erza uses her flame sword to deflect Spike's flaming bullets. She swings her sword, releasing a fire slash attack at Spike. "Gah!" Spike dodges as Erza's attack was too quick for him to think of a counter. 

"I wonder what else he has on in his sleeve." Erza thought. She's trying to read Spike's body language.

Spike raises his claw, channeling a sparkling green fireball. It grows bigger. 

"What's he doing with that fireball?"

"Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike lowers the sparkling green fireball, using his other claw to press hard, imagining the flaming ball turning into a fiery heat cannon. Erza uses her flame sword to dispel Spike's attack with several slashes. She gets carried away as she was about to slash at Spike. His claws are sparkling green when he caught Erza's sword near his face. Erza gasps and hops back. 

"Sorry about that. I'm sorry," Erza pants. She nearly sliced her brother in half. 

"It's okay, Erza," Said Spike. "While I was reading earlier, I learned something new today," Spike's claws are blazing in sparkle green aura. 

"What did you learn?" Asked Erza. 

Spike claps his claws together and stretches his flames as far as he could. Erza and everyone watches. Spike grabs the far end and slams it on the floor, revealing a sparkle green metallic flame sword of his own.

"No way!" Natsu shouts in shock. 

"Wow, he made a copy of Erza's flame sword," Said Lucy in shock. 

"I'm shocked," Said Gray. 

"Fairy Dragon continues to impress me. Might as well call him the strongest in Fairy Tail in a few years," Gajeel says watching Spike continue his magic training and finding new ways to increase his prowess.  

"Impressive, he must have studied a spell of copycat magic," Freed states. 

"Man, he'll be perfect with the Thunder Legion," Said Bickslow. "Fairy Dragon, Fairy Dragon," Bickslow's Floating Tikis chants. 

"I concur," Said Evergreen. 

"Man, I wouldn't want to mess with Spike the Fairy," Said Jet. 

"Me neither," Said Droy. "He'll burn my plants to a crisp." 

"We saw him reading ten pages this morning. How much did he learn already?" Asked Levy. 

"It's a good thing you have your sword, Spike. Now, I can teach you how to use it properly," Said Erza, smiling. 

"I'll be honored to learn from you, sis." 

"Sis?!" Natsu and Gray shout. 

"Oh, that's right. I never told you two about my talk with Erza the other day. Long story short, we decided to have a brother-sister bond." 

"Okay," The two say in unison. 

"Ready for round two, Spike?" 

"I am, Erza," Spike wields his sword. 

The two roar and starts slashing. Erza compliments Spike's initiative strike, talking him through other means of using a sword. The two continue to fight as Erza gives Spike more advice about fighting in close quarters combat. Erza mentions to Spike about using his breath attack when he sees an opening during a fight. After ten minutes of sparring, Erza calls it. 

"That'll be enough, Spike. You did well. Continue with your efforts and study to improve yourself." 

"I will, Erza. Thank you," Spike turns to his friends as his sword dissolves. "Who's next?" 

Jet and Droy opt-out, Levy thinks about going next, but she isn't sure if her magic would be suitable for Spike. Gray steps up. 

"Me, Spike." 

"Let's do it, Gray." 

"Hey, why did your sword dissolved?" Asked Lucy. 

"I don't need it now. Like Erza, Bisca, and Alzack's Requip magic to spawn weapons, I can do the same with my flames as long as I have good memory of the weapon." 

"Look, I know you're cold-blooded and all, I won't kill you with my magic."

"Thanks, and I'm glad you're stepping up to help me. I'm tired of being a bitch to cold water and freezing temperatures," Spike understood the meaning of bitch after hearing some people using the word throughout his tenure in Magnolia. 

"Try using your flames to create a protective aura. When the cold hits you, you won't feel it cause of your flames," Gray suggests.  

"Wow, that's brilliant. Why haven't I thought of it?" Spike ponders from all the times he would have felt nothing with the ice bucket pranks. Then, he remembers that magic in Equestria is different for dragons than here in Earth Land. 

"Give it a try, Spike." 

Spike concentrates his magic once more. This time, it doesn't take long for what he wants. "Protection Ring," A sparkling green aura engulfs Spike. He doesn't feel anything different. 

"Ice-Make, Cannon!" Gray creates a cannon made of ice and shoots at Spike. On impact, the ice blast melts, turning into water. Spike didn't feel a thing. His eyes widen to his surprise. 

"Oh, my.., I didn't even felt that." 

"Wow," Gray thought. 

"Make the area colder," Spike commands. Gray uses his magic to create an Ice Prison. Only he and Spike are in it. Spike still doesn't feel the cold. "I still don't feel the cold."

"How long you think the protection ring will sustain?" 

"I don't know. I never tried this idea before." 

"Here, sit on this. Ice-Make, Chair!" Gray creates a chair made of ice for Spike to sit on. He sits on it and waits to see how long his protection spell will last. 

Half an hour later, Spike starts to shiver. He gets off the chair as the ice bothers him. 

"Fire Dragon ROAR!" Natsu uses his fire breath to melt Gray's Ice Prison and warm Spike up. Spike warms up as Natsu's fire breath made him feel better.

"Thanks, Natsu." 

"You're welcome, Spike." 

"Half an hour," Said Erza. "He can survive the cold with his protection ring for thirty minutes. Could be useful for him in the long run."

"Agreed," Said Gajeel. 

Freed walks up to make an announcement. "I hate to disclose the session but, it's time to leave." 

"What? Why?" Asked Spike. 

"I have been monitoring our time for the client to get back to the Thunder Legion and me. He'll be coming in four hours. We need to pack up and go."  

Spike nods in understanding. Plus, they know how to navigate them back to the Ishgar Train Station. The Thunder Legion promises Spike to train him personally. Erza, Happy, Lucy, and every Fairy else start packing up. Spike picks up the books he'll be borrowing from the library. After an hour of packing up, The Thunder Legion navigates everyone back to the Ishgar Train Station. Like before, Freed places an enchantment for the Dragon Slayers to sleep the trip back to Magnolia. Spike is reading more into the book he was reading earlier.  

Two hours later, the train arrives in Magnolia. Freed uplifts his enchantment so the Dragon Slayers can wake up from their slumber. As everyone is walking in town together, Lucy can't help that someone is following her. Ten minutes later, they arrive at the guildhall. 

"This is where we depart, Spike," Said Freed. He sees the client waiting patiently for them. 

"Like before, we promise to train you personally," Said Bickslow. "Train, train." Bickslow's Floating Tikis repeat.

"Take care of yourself, Spike. We'll see you around," Said Evergreen. 

"Have fun on your next job," Said Spike. 

The Thunder Legion wave bye and talk with their client. Spike sits at a table with his friends. Everyone else comes by, eager to hear what Spike has to say and learn from his venture with his friends. Spike spent a few hours talking and showing his newfound power and magic. Wooing and awing everyone in the guildhall. Lucy looks back, having the same feeling from earlier today. That someone is stalking her. 

It is now 8:00 at night. As things simmer down, Lucy decides to head back home. Spike decides to go with Lucy back to the apartment after a long day. They say their byes and leave the guildhall together. As they walk, Lucy uses her gate key to summon Plue. 

"Hey, Plue," Spike waves. 

Plue waves back, making a happy murmur sound. 

Lucy, Spike, and Plue walk together. Lucy is walking on the edge next to the river line.  

"You're going to fall in one of these days, Lucy," A bystander on a boat remarks. 

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Lucy replies. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," The other bystander on a boat calls out. 

"Hey," Spike waves back. 

"Be careful on your way back home, you two," The same bystander says. 

Lucy continues to walk and stops. Her feeling of being stalked has returned. She looks back.

"Lucy, something wrong?" Asked Spike. 

Lucy sees a man in a hoodie staring at her from the corner of a house. Lucy panics. Seeing Lucy panic, Spike, Lucy, and Plue hurry back to the apartment. Lucy now confirms her suspicions. Someone is after her. Spike looks back and notice the man following them. They pick up the pace a bit more. After a few moments, the two look back as Plue goes back to the Celestial Spirit World due to the lack of energy. 

"Guess he's gone," Said Lucy. 

"Good thing," Said Spike. "How are you holding up?"

"Better." 

"Lucy," Said her name behind her. 

Lucy screams. "Leave me alone!" She has her eyes close. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C formation, shooting sparkling green arrows as a warning shot at the stalker. His hoodie burns a bit for a second. 

Lucy cowers as the man puts out the flames quick. He sighs and looks down at Lucy and Spike. 

"There is no need to get hysterical," Said Jude Heartfilia. "It's your father."

"Whoa," Said Spike. 

"You must be this Fairy Dragon that people been speaking of," Said Jude Heartfilia.

Spike nods. Lucy is curious to know why her father is here. She has sudden flashbacks and realizes it is her father. 

"It is you," Said Lucy. "What are you doing here? What's with the beard and tattered clothing?" 

Jude Heartfilia closes his eyes. He explains to Lucy that he no longer owns Heartfilia Railway. Someone bought Heartfilla Railway without his consent. With that in mind, he lost the company, the estate, and all his money. 

"What about mom's grave?" 

"Don't worry. I had it moved here," Jude hands Lucy a paper. 

Jude Heartfilia couldn't help but laugh at his misfortune. Everything he had ever worked for, was gone in an instant. Lucy questions her father's motives for coming to Magnolia. He explains on wanting to see Lucy and wants a hundred thousand jewels for his travel. Spike sees where this is going. Coming to ask his daughter for money cause he no longer has any. Possibly seeing his daughter as a failure for not having the kind of money he needs at the moment. Jude's reaction is spot on to Spike's claim. Jude freaks out until Lucy scolds him about money and tells him to go away. Lucy shoves her father aside and runs home. 

"What kind of father focuses his wealth over family?" Spike runs after Lucy. 

Jude Heartfilia ponders on that question and walks away. 

Spike catches up with Lucy as she stops running. Spike looks up and sees Lucy in tears a little.  

"Lucy?" Lucy looks down at Spike, still in tears. "Need a hug?" Lucy nods and lowers down to hug Spike. Spike rubs her back a little as she sniffs. Question her father as being a horrible man who cares about money than her. 

"Thank you, Spike," Said Lucy, graciously. 

"You're welcome." 

The two walk back home together. Lucy proposes to Spike about having a brother-sister type relationship. Similar to the one he has with Erza. Spike accepts. He knows that Lucy went through a tough time seeing her father. He remembers that Lucy doesn't have any other siblings. Minutes later, they see Natsu and Happy standing in attention in front of their apartment. 

"All clear on your end, Sergeant Happy?" Asked Natsu, saluting. 

"Aye aye, Captain Natsu," Said Happy Saluting. 

Spike couldn't help but laugh, seeing the two pretending to be soldiers guarding the premises. Natsu and Happy see that Lucy is saddened. 

"Yo, welcome home," Said Natsu. 

"We're happy to report that no suspicious individuals are detected," Said Happy. 

Lucy smiles at the two for a brief second, then frowns a bit. "Thanks, you guys." 

"Captain," Happy Salutes to Natsu. "It appears that the boat private is a party pooper, Sir." 

"Nah, she had a bad outing," Said Spike. 

Lucy gets the feeling of being watched again. She turns. Happy flies over and confirms a stalker on the loose. Natsu jumps and lands on Gray, thinking he's the stalker.  

"Oooow! What's your problem?" Said Gray in his underwear. 

"Man, what the heck you doing here?" Asked Natsu with his arms crossed. 

Happy and Spike hurry on over to see Gray. 

"It was Gray?" 

"I never would have thought you'd be the perv who is stalking, Lucy," Happy flies next to Gray. 

"Wait, you've got it all wrong," Said Lucy. 

Gray explains that he overheard someone was following her. He wanted to be sure that Lucy gets home safely.  

"You love her, don't you?" Happy teases and mocks Gray, which pissed him off. 

"Watch it, or I'll punch your face in, cat!" 

Happy continues to press Gray's buttons until Gray punches him so hard he is flying back. Gray and Natsu get into a fight as things between them get heated once more. Lucy and Spike leave them be and enter the apartment to call it a night. 

The next day. Lucy and Spike are heading to the guildhall. They're about to embark on their first job together as a team. Lucy overhears Macao and Wakaba talking about what's been happening in Acalypha. She demands to know where the town is after hearing the Naked Mummy Guild. Knowing that her father is in Acalypha, she set course there. Spike sees this and goes with her, knowing that something is amiss with Lucy. Lucy explains to Spike the possibility of her father being in danger.  

Later in the day, Spike and Lucy made it to Acalypha. They arrive at the Luck and Lucky Merchant Guild. A crowd of people is questioning the soldiers of the status of their loved ones. Lucy tries to sneak in only to get dropped off by a soldier. Lucy and Spike huddle to form a plan on getting inside the guild. Lucy looks down to see ants rising from the ground, giving her an idea. 

"Now open, Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!" Lucy uses her Celestial Spirit Key to summon Virgo. Virgo rises from her gate and lands in front of Lucy. 

"Princess, do you wish to punish me?" Virgo said with glee. 

Spike couldn't help but chuckle. Lucy freaks a bit. 

"What is with you?" Asked Lucy frustratedly. "No, I need your help with something?" 

"Want me to feed the baby dragon?" Asked Virgo. 

"I'm good, thanks, Virgo." 

"Anytime." 

"I need your help with something." 

Spike, Lucy, and Virgo look at the crowd. Lucy wonders if Virgo can drill into the guild. 

"Princess," Virgo grabs Lucy's thighs a bit. Spike covers his eyes as he's too young to see what devious ideas Virgo wants to do with Lucy. "I should have no problem drilling a passageway into the building," Virgo creates the passageway for Lucy. 

"Thanks, Virgo," Spike throws the thumbs up. 

"Are you going to punish me now?" Asked Virgo. 

"You're starting to creep me out," Said Lucy feeling uncomfortable. 

"What about all the wizards inside? There seems to be quite a few. Are you sure you can handle them on your own?" Asked Virgo nervously. 

"I'm not alone. I have Spike the Fairy with me," She looks down at Spike confidentially. Spike nods, his claws start to glow sparkling green. "Let's do it, Spike!" 

"Right behind you," Said Spike proudly. 

Lucy and Spike go into the hole in the ground that Virgo made leading into the guildhall. Once the two are inside, they see the possible leader of the Naked Mummies Guild. He shoots his weapon at a defenseless captive. Lucy uses her Celestia Spirit Key to summon Taurus to block the attack. 

"Mooo! What an utterly despicable mooove," Said Taurus 

"What the heck?" 

"A cow?" 

"A Celestial Spirit?" 

"What's it doing here?"

"How did it get inside the building?"

More members of the Naked Mummy Guild ask more questions. 

"Wow," Said Spike. "I was expecting to see mummies, not monkeys." 

"A dragon?" 

"Wait, I thought dragons died a long time ago?" 

"How is this one alive?" 

"Wait, something doesn't add up." 

"How did a dragon got in?" 

"Funs over, boys," Lucy decrees. 

"What the?" 

"A chick?" 

Lucy summons another Celestial Spirit known as Cancer. He starts shaving the heads of the Naked Mummy Guild. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C formation, shooting arrows at the monkeys. The monkeys were knocked back by the attack. 

"Sagittarius!" Lucy summons another Celestial Spirit known as Sagittarius. He takes them down with his archery skills. 

Spike sees Lucy running as he finished taking down the last remaining monkeys of the Naked Mummy Guild. 

"Now, the final blow!" Lucy runs after the leader. Spike watches to see what she's going to do. The men that are tied up are eager to see what sort of magic Lucy will do. "Lucy, Kick!" Lucy kicks the leader of the guild in the face. The men were disappointed to see Lucy ending the fight with a kick. They are relieved that it's all over now. 

"Good job, Lucy," Said Spike, congratulating Lucy. 

"Thanks. You did well." 

"You did most of the world with your Celestial Spirits. I took down a few monkeys with my flaming arrows. They'll remember not to mess with Fairy Tail ever again." 

"Let's hope they remember to never pull a stunt like this ever again." 

"High five?" Spike lifts his claw. 

"Yea!" Lucy high fives Spike. 

Spike uses his flames to incinerate the rope of the captive. Everyone cheers as the soldiers finally came in to free and save the day. They are dumbfounded to see a wizard and a baby dragon taken down a dark guild on their own. Then they are glad that everyone is safe and sound. People start to crowd in front of Lucy and Spike, complementing their magic, efforts, and teamwork. Spike follows Lucy as she starts looking for her father. Lucy continues to look around. She is unable to find him. 

"Where are you, dad?!" Lucy shouts. 

"Lucy?" Jude Heartfilia sees Lucy. Lucy turns around to see her father. 

"No, don't tell me?" Lucy feels frustrated. "That you just made it to town? There's no way." 

"Yes took me a while to get here, I didn't have any money, so I had to walk." 

"What brings you to Acalypha, my dear?"  

"I was worried. I knew you were heading to this merchant guild and, I heard it been attacked."

"You came all this way 'cause you were worried about me?" 

"It doesn't matter, well, see ya," Lucy starts walking away. Spike follows her until her father reached out and calls her. 

"It does matter. Thank you, Lucy,"  Lucy stops walking after hearing her father thank her. 

"Let's get one thing straight. Just because I was worried about you doesn't mean I forgive you, okay?" 

"Right, I know that, can't say I blame you,"  Jude looks down. "The walk here from Magnolia was definitely a long one. I found myself plenty of time to think about my actions and the question your dragon friend told me about." 

Spike turns to hear what Jude had to say. So does Lucy. 

"I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. I wasn't in my right mind. I wish I could take everything I said. I really do. I promise you I'm going to change. I managed to make it here without using any money at all. I'm learning to live my life without it. To be a better father that values family over money." 

That statement impresses Spike. He answered his question last night. Spike can see the change in Lucy's father. He is being sincere and honest. Lucy is having a little hard time believing it. 

"This merchant guild holds a great deal of memories for me. Actually, this is the spot where I first met your mother." 

Lucy doubletake her father's statement. She starts having some memories of her mother. Spike sees Lucy's demeanor changing. 

"After we were married and she was pregnant with you, I decided that I was ready to try and start my own business. We left the guilds so I can presume my entrepreneur dreams. When we were leaving, we notice the guild sign was missing it's K. Where Lucky became Lucy. We thought it was the funniest thing. At that moment, we decided that if we have a baby girl, we will name her Lucy." 

"Wow." Spike thought. 

"Give me a break? What kind of parents would name a kid after a broken sign?" 

"Well, I supposed not the best parents," Said Jude. "You know, I'm so glad you came here. I finally got to meet the plain old Lucy you told me about. I must say, she's a much stronger woman than Lucky Lucy Heartfilia could ever hope to be. I'm proud of you."

Lucy smiles. "Thank you, dad."

"And, she has a cool, smart, friend of a dragon," Referring to Spike. "Thanks for asking me that question last night. It opened up new possibilities to explore as a better father figure." 

"You're welcome," Said Spike, throwing the thumbs up.  

There is a loud rumbling with smoke. Spike and Lucy turn to see. 

"Round two with more of those monkeys?" Asked Spike as his claws glow. 

"Possibly," Lucy gets her Taurus Celestial Key.

"There you are! You okay?" Natsu shouts. He, Gray, Erza, and Happy are hurrying themselves to Spike and Lucy. 

"You had us worried sick!" Gray shouts.

"Lucy!" Happy shouts as well. 

"Nope, they're not monkeys," Spike confirms. 

Erza sees Spike and Lucy. Everyone stops running to catch a breather. 

"You were able to defuse the situation by yourself? Calling me impress." 

"Well, Spike the Fairy was here to assist."

Spike nods. His claw stops glowing. Lucy turns to her father and he nods. 

"Take care of yourself, dad," Lucy waves, showing her father the Fairy Tail emblem on her hand. 

Spike, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Happy are now heading back to the guildhall in Magnolia. Jude Heartfilla smiles, knowing Lucy will be happy with her friends and continue to grow as a stronger woman in the arts of magic. 

"You two wanna explain to us why you ditched us like that." 

Lucy chuckles. "It was no big deal." 

"Yeah right, no big deal my butt!" Said Gray. 

"We had to cancel our job because of you!" Said Happy. 

"It was urgent with Lucy so I had to tag along with her. You lot were so busy on the job request to notice Lucy's change in demeanor earlier." 

"My apologies for not catching that, Lucy. It won't happen again," Said Erza. 

"It's okay, Erza. My apologies about the job request guys." 

Spike, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza head back home to Magnolia. Lucy couldn't help but smile. She now knows her father will become a better man. It is now 9:30 at night. Erza, Happy, Gray, and Natsu say their byes to Lucy and Spike as they enter the apartment. As the two head up, Lucy's landlady reminded her that she has two weeks to pay up her rent. Seeing Spike with her and not wanting a dragon going rampage on her for evicting the two later, she extends the due date to a month. Lucy thanks her landlady for her kind gesture. Lucy and Spike enter the apartment. 

"What a day," Said Spike, sitting on Lucy's bed. 

"No kidding," Lucy sits on the bed and lays back. "Aaah, much better."

"It's cool seeing your father reforming." 

"Yea," Lucy concurs. 

"I can't believe the guild we fought were monkeys and not mummies." 

"Looks can be deceiving, Spike. It was awesome kicking their butts side by side, Spike." 

"Yea," Spike yawns and gets off the bed. 

"When we get paid for the next job, I'm getting you a bed, Spike." 

"Thanks, Lucy." 

"You're welcome, Spike," Lucy smiles. 

"Want anything before going to bed, Spike?" 

"I'm good. Thank you, Lucy." 

"You're welcome." 

As Spike gets ready to fall asleep, Lucy starts writing a letter to her mother, telling her about her friend, Spike. His abilities, his magic, his creative freedom with his Energy Maker Magic. She also tells her mother about the adventure the two embarked on in saving her father and the merchant guild. How everyone was impressed and how upset Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Happy were about Spike and she ditching them. She mentions that Spike told everyone the reasoning for ditching them. After Lucy writes her letter, she gets ready for bed. Knowing that tomorrow will bring new excitement. Especially Spike, who is eager to go on a job with all his friends.  

Lucy puts on her pajamas and gets in bed. "Night, Spike." 

"Night, Lucy. See you tomorrow." 

"It's going to be great tomorrow, Spike." 

"How do you know?"

"It's going to be our first job working together as a team, Spike. All of us."
> Coalition of Guilds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Lucy are on their way to the guildhall. Yesterday Spike decided to stay in Lucy's apartment reading the books he took from the Magic Library the other day. Lucy, Erza, Natsu, and Happy were working in Yajima's 8-Island Restaurant. Lucy pays her landlady in advance for the next two months. As Spike and Lucy enter the guildhall, they see a chart listing all sorts of dark guilds. 

"What's all this?" Asked Lucy in confusion. 

"It's a chart listing out the dark guilds," Mirajane replies. 

"Oui, she had me draw it up for her," Said Reedus. 

"A troubling sight. There are far more than I realized," Said Erza. 

"What's the deal with the dark guilds then?" Asked Spike, curious to know what is going on.

"Unfortunately, they have noticeably been more active as of late," Said Mirajane. 

"That can't be good," Said Spike. 

"That means we need to strengthen relationships with our fellow guilds," Said Mirajane. 

"What's the big circle in the middle supposed to be?" Asked Gray. 

"I know exactly what it is," Said Juvia. "It's the bar of the alliance of dark guilds." Everyone is silent after Juvia explains it thoroughly. "The three major players in that alliance are Oración Seis, Tartaros, and Grimoire Heart. All powerful in their own right. But combined, they are the strongest force in the shadowy guild underworld. Each control lesser guilds that carry out the dirty work they don't wish to do themselves. However, there is one on this chart which remains independent. Raven Tail."   

"Oh, man. I recognized the name Eisenwald," Said Lucy. 

"I'm sure. That's the guild Erigor belonged to," Said Erza. 

"So Eisenwald was actually a kind of sub-guild that worked under the Oración Seis?" 

"I've seen a lot of these names before," Said Wakaba. 

"I think some of them used to be legit," Said Macao. 

"There is one more," Mirajane points out. "Ghoul Spirit. Which the Thunder Legion took out."

"Must have been taken out recently. I remember coming back the other day from the Magic Library cause of a client with important info," Said Spike. 

"Oui," Reedus nods. He overheard that conversation with the client the other day. 

Juvia mentions that she and Gajeel took out the other guilds under the Oración Seis. Gray told Juvia that it would be best not to remind everyone of what Phantom Lord has done in the past with Fairy Tail. Lucy is freaking out by how powerful the Oración Seis is. Wakaba downgrades them by mentioning that the guild only has six members. 

"Don't underestimate them," Said Mirajane seriously. "Those six wizards make up for the most powerful guilds out there."

Lucy goes back to freaking out. Spike is calm and nervous at the same time. Master Makarov walks into the guild behind his children's backs, getting ready to make an announcement. 

"Speaking of the Oración Seis," Everyone turns to the Master. "Word has come down. We must destroy them." 

"What?!" Said everyone except Mirajane in unison. 

"Welcome back, Master," Everyone flops on the floor after hearing Mirajane calmly calls out to the Master. "I hope you had a good time at the conference," Mirajane smiles. 

"Master, what do you mean by that?" Asked Erza, eager to know what Master Makarov is planning. 

"Oración Seis recent activity was the focus on much discussion at the conference. They pose an urgent threat and can no longer be ignored. Therefore they must be dealt, immediately. We will take them down before they harm any of our fellow guilds we are sworn to protect."

"And we gotta do all the heavy lifting, right?" Asked Gray. "Typical." 

"Fairy Tail will be taking them on by ourselves?" Asked Juvia. 

"This enemy is far more powerful than any other we have faced before. To fight them alone would be too dangerous. Our attack will surely incur the wrath the entire bar alliance in no time. Which is why Fairy Tail will join a coalition of magical guilds," Master Makarov decrees. 

"A coalition?" Everyone said in unison. 

"Fairy Tail. Blue Pegasus. Lamia Scale. Cait Shelter. These four guilds will select members to represent them in the allied force. Together we will work to bring down the enemy!" 

"But we can handle it ourselves, Gramps," Said Natsu. "In fact, I can probably do it all alone." 

Erza slaps Natsu, knocking some sense into him. "Don't be a fool. The Master is wise to consider the long-term consequences."

"Whoa..," Lucy backs up as she becomes more nervous. "Just hold up a second, you guys. We are only talking about six people, aren't we? I mean, are they seriously all that scary?" 

"Apparently so, Lucy," Said Gray. 

"Now, I have decided who should represent the guild for us," Everyone perks up. Whoever Makarov chooses, they will accept it. Spike wonders who will be representing team Fairy Tail. "Natsu Dragneel, Happy, Gray Fullbuster, Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet, and Spike the Fairy shall represent Team Fairy Tail," Makarov decrees. 

Spike's jaw drops after hearing his name. He didn't think he'll be representing the guild. He feels ecstatic that Master Makarov is putting a lot of faith in him to succeed.

"Alright!" Natsu shouts. "Our team's first mission together!" 

"Aye! Spike finally gets to be with us on a job together." 

"I can't believe he picked me," Said Spike in disbelief as he's smiling.

"I can't believe he picked me..," Lucy complains a bit. 

"Let's get packing and moving," Said Erza. 

A few hours later. Team Fairy Tail is riding in the back of the wagon to the rendezvous point. Lucy continues to complain about being on this mission. Mentioning she isn't strong like the others are. 

"Don't beat on yourself, Lucy. You're stronger than you think you are," Said Spike. 

"We're here for one reason. Because Master put his faith in us, so let's not disappoint him," Said Erza, 

"I won't disappoint him, Sis. He chose me, and I will honor his wish." 

"Good Spike. Glad to see someone in good spirit." 

"I think Natsu would say the same but, his motion sickness says otherwise," Said Spike. 

"I know," Lucy sighs. "But Gajeel and Juvia are better fighters." 

"They can't go. Master sent the two of them on another mission," Said Happy, munching on a fish.

"It seems we're always picked for this stuff," Said Lucy. 

"You should consider it an honor, and today will be our first joined operation involving the other allied guilds," Said Erza. "It's important we all focus our efforts on starting to build a positive rapport."  

"There it is! The Rendevous spot," Said Happy. 

They reach Master Bob's Palace. It's a pink building with many hearts on it. 

"Wow. I wonder if this be a place for Valentine's Day," Said Spike. 

"Probably with the heart-themed building," Said Gray. 

Erza opens the doors as everyone enters inside. 

"Great, another creepy old mansion," Said Lucy. 

"It's the second home of Blue Pegasus, Master Bob." 

"Who's Bob?" Asked Spike. 

Gray cringes, remembering who Bob is. "He makes me feel funny," Said Gray.

"When you see him, you'll be a bit disturbed," Said Natsu. 

"Gray, Natsu, be nice," Said Erza. "Master Bob may be a bit eccentric but, he deserves our utmost respect." 

"Yea.., eccentric," Said Lucy. 

"Just tell me when we're there," Said Natsu, still feeling the aftermath of motion sickness. 

"Okay, we're there," Said Happy. 

"They're here at last." A member of Blue Pegasus said. 

"At last," Two more members of Blue Pegasus said in unison. 

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" He claps. "Hello!"

"Hello!" The same two Blue Pegasus members introduce. 

"Fairy," He said. 

"Fairy," They say. 

"Tail," He said. 

"Tail," They say. 

"Wizards!" All three Blue Pegasus welcome their allies in unison. The Fairies look at Blue Pegasus. "We're so glad you came," There's an echo in their greetings. 

"We are," Said Hibiki Lates.

"Blue Pegasus," Said Eve Tearm.

"Elite Crew," Said Ren Akatsuki

"The Trimens," They say in unison. 

"Hundred Knights, Hibiki," Hibiki poses. 

"Holy Knight, Eve," Eve poses. 

"Still Knight, Ren,"  Ren poses. 

"The Trimens of Blue Pegasus," Lucy blushes a bit. "Wow, that is so cool. Those guys are the hottest wizards around now." 

The Trimen starts getting flirty with Lucy and Erza. Erza and Lucy start to feel uncomfortable with how the Trimen are behaving. 

"Calm down, men," Said Ichiya in a handsome smooth tone as he walks down the stairs. "Give these ladies some breathing room." Erza starts to cringe, remembering a horrid experience cause of that man. "It's been far too long, Ms.Scarlet." 

"A long time.., yes," Erza stutters her wording a bit. She trembles a bit. "I never expected to see you here."

"Ooh, how I missed you, my sweet honey. But, don't cry. I'm here." 

"Who the heck is that weirdo?" Asked Spike. 

"That's Ichiya. One of Blue Pegasus's strongest wizards," Said Hibiki. 

Spike sees Erza reacting differently. He walks up to her. "You okay, Erza?" 

Erza becomes unresponsive. Ichiya sees Spike the Fairy for the first time. 

"So the rumors are true. There is a Fairy Dragon." 

The Trimen are dumbfounded for not noticing Spike the Fairy. They greet him with their utmost respect and apologize for their rudeness of being blind to him. 

"It's alright, guys. No worries," Said Spike. 

"It seems that Destiny has brought us together. Ms.Erza, Ms.Lucy," Ichiya turns to Spike. "You, Mr. Dragon." 

"It's Spike, sir. Spike the Fairy or Fairy Dragon." 

"You two," Ichiya points to Natsu and Gray. "Not so much. Sniff sniff, sniff sniff," Ichiya starts sniffing. "Sweet Parfume." (Ichiya's way of saying perfume) 

"Were you born in a mental asylum?" Asked Spike. 

"He's freaking me out," Said Lucy. 

"Yea, me too," Erza admits. "I never choose to be in his company," Erza steps back. "However, he is a gifted wizard." 

"Listen up, you Blue Pegasus Playboy wannabes. You be wise to keep your hands off these ladies, we clear?" Gray remarks. 

"Clear as crystal," Said Ichiya, speaking for the Blue Pegasus Guild. "Now, take your leave." 

The Trimen say their goodbyes to Gray, which is pissing him off. 

"We're here on serious business, you know. Can you pretty boys even fight?" 

"You wanna find out?" Asked Ren, eager into laying the smackdown on Gray. 

"Yea, we're real tough, pal," Said Eve. 

"Fight? Now count me in!" Natsu shouts. 

"Everyone needs to calm down this instant," Erza hears Ichiya say, my honey. Which causes her to freak out. 

"Your sweet parfume, it still drives me crazy," Ichiya is sniffing Erza. 

Erza punches Ichiya in the face. Sending him hurling away from the punch. "You stay far away from me!"

"Maan..," Said Ichiya in response. 

"Nice right hook!" Said Lucy. 

The Trimen gaze in awe as Ichiya is flying out the door, only to be caught by Lyon Vastia of Lamia Scale. 

"You dare to greet us with this wide buffoon? Lamia Scale deserves more respect. We insist on it." 

"It's you," Said Gray in shock. 

"It's you," Said Lyon in shock as well. 

"Hey, you went and joined a guild after all," Said Natsu, happily. 

Lyon tosses Ichiya back to Blue Pegasus. 

"What is wrong with you?" Asked Gray. 

"He is the one who attacked me, Gray." 

"Watch it, that's our leader your messing with, pal," Said Ren. 

"How dare you?" Eve remarks 

"You and your men should turn around and go home," Said Hibiki. 

"I suppose that means women can stay and fight? Marionette attacks," A carpet rises and apparently attacks Lucy. 

"What did I do?" Lucy asks. Then she remembers the voice. "Hold on, I recognize that magic." Sherry Blendy chuckles and rises from the carpet, revealing herself to the guilds. "Sherry, no way. You joined a guild too?"

Sherry chuckles. "I was hoping you Fairies haven't forgotten who I am. But please, do try and forget who I was, okay."

"Still crazy," Said Lucy. 

"I have been born anew by the power of love." 

Everyone around starts to go astray, getting ready to fight each other. Erza is getting ready to kill Ichiya if he dares try to sniff at her, and make her feel uncomfortable. 

"Enough!" Spike roars, and Jura commands. 

Everyone turns to Spike the Fairy and apparently Jura. Jura is mesmerized to see a baby dragon but glad that he's on the same page as he. Spike nods at Jura in respect for ceasing this foolish activity. 

"We're here to work together as a group to destroy the Oracíon Seis. This is not the time to fight among ourselves," Said Jura. 

"Yes, Jura," Lyon understood Jura's claim. 

"That's Jura?" Erza is in shock to see Jura with them. 

"Thanks for explaining to everyone what we should be doing, sir," Said Spike gratefully. 

"It's an honor to be in the presence of you, Fairy Dragon," Jura doesn't know Spike's name but, he sees his emblem on his chest. 

"The name's Spike. Spike the Fairy. I don't mind you calling me Fairy Dragon, though." 

"Pleasure to meet you, Spike," Jura bows in respect to his new comrade. 

"So, that's really him?" Said Ren. 

"Lamia's Scale top man. Iron Rock, Jura," Said Hibiki. 

"Who?" Asked Natsu in confusion. 

"That guy is one of the Ten Wizard Saints," Said Happy, informing Natsu. 

"Yea, which means he's kinda a big deal," Said Lucy. 

"Four from Blue Pegasus, six from Fairy Tail. Huh, honey, our guild needed to send three guild members," Said Sherry, showing off. 

"It seems we have representatives from three guilds. The members of Cait Shelter have yet to arrive," Claimed Jura. 

"Yes, about that guild, I heard they are sending one," Said Ichiya, hanging on Erza's spearhead. 

"One member?" Said Erza. 

"That's insane! We're supposed to up against a powerful group, here!" Said Gray in shock. 

"One?" Lucy freaks out again. Thinking how powerful this member of Cait Shelter. "If that's true? How crazy and intense this guy gonna be?" 

"Only time will tell, Lucy. For all we know, this one member will be crucial for all of us," Said Spike. 

Everyone hears the yelp of a small child running in and falling on the floor. They all turn to see a blued hair young girl. She gets up and dusts herself. Everyone is stunned to see a child in the presence of the meeting. 

"Hi. I.., uh.., I'm sorry that I got here so late. I've come from the Cait Shelter Guild. My name is Wendy Marvell. It's nice to meet all of you." 

"She's a kid?" Lucy's eyes widen in shock. She's surprised to see a kid from the Cait Shelter to represent her guild. 

"A little girl?" Said Lyon, not expecting this outcome from the Cait Shelter Guild. 

"Wendy, huh?" Said Natsu. 

Spike sees Wendy for the first time. Wendy looks at Spike. She can't believe that there's a dragon, a baby dragon in the room. She runs up to the dragon with so many questions to ask. 

"Hi, there," Wendy smiles. "Do you know a dragon named Grandeeney?" 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "I don't know any dragons that existed in this world. My name is Spike. Spike the Fairy." 

"Nice to meet you, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

"Nice to meet you as well," Spike smiles as well. 

Jura takes a good look at Wendy and suspects her of having great potential. "Now, then. Since all guilds are present, we can begin." 

"He's not even fazed by this?!" Ask Gray, seeing how calm Jura is at the situation. 

"Obviously, not," Said Lyon. 

"What in the world is Cait Shelter thinking?" Asked Sherry, believing Cait Shelter made a mistake. "The guild must be hurting with members since they sent her here on her own." 

"She isn't alone. You shouldn't jump to conclusions," Said Carla walking into the meeting. She's a white cat in a dress. 

Everyone turns to the new face that walks in. Happy sees and becomes awestruck with love.

"What is this?" Asked Gray. 

"A cat," Lyon answers. 

"Hey," Spike greets the new cat. 

"A dragon?" Carla is surprised to see a dragon. In this manner, a baby dragon. Nonetheless, she is still surprised. "Wendy, I apologize for my remarks a while back about dragons." 

"It's okay, Carla. I'm surprised you followed me here, though." 

"Of course I did. You're far too young to travel unaccompanied, child." 

"My name is Spike the Fairy. You can also call me Fairy Dragon if you wish." 

"Spike, will do," Said Carla. 

Happy becomes madly in love with Carla. Carla sees this and shuns him. Happy turns to Spike as Carla is looking directly at him. 

"What makes Spike so special..?" Happy thought to himself. 

"Sorry, I'm probably not what you expected. I know I'm much smaller and younger than most of you. And, I may not be much of a fighter. I can use all kinds of support magic. So please, let me join the group! I'd be so embarrassed if you sent me home!" Wendy expressed nervously. 

"You'll never gain their respect if you can't show confidence, child," Said Carla. 

"I'm sorry, Carla," Wendy cries a bit. 

"I swear, you'll drive me to catnap."

"I can't help it," Wendy complains a bit. 

Carla sighs. 

"No reason to be afraid, Wendy," Said Spike reassuringly. "You have magic that'll be subtle for us. Support magic, I support that," Spike chuckles a bit. Wendy chuckles as well.  

"Forgive me," Erza said, smiling at Wendy. "I was caught off guard. Rest to sure with no offense met. We're glad to have you aboard, Wendy."

"Oh, wow. You're Erza, right? I can't believe it's really you!" 

"You're not quite the monster I pictured," Said Carla. 

"Sure, you heard of Happy the Catmander? Brace yourself cause he's right here." Carla turns her back at Happy. "She loves me! This must be destiny!" 

"Destined to be rejected. She's totally ignoring you," Said Lucy, mocking Happy from all the times he teased her. 

"I use comments like that, prove you know nothing about women and their wild ways."

Lucy feels conflicted with that comment. "I really have to break this to you but, I'm a woman." 

"That girl is going to be gorgeous when she grows up," Said Ren. 

"Doesn't look like Hibiki wants to wait," Said Eve. 

"Would you please come with me, little lady?" Ask Hibiki in a friendly manner. 

"Hands off!" Spike jumps up to punch Hibiki in the face. Hibiki is down on the floor. "Stay within your age limit, you pedo." 

"Ooooh," Ren and Eve cringe. "That had to burn." 

"My beautiful face hurts..," Said Hibiki, rubbing his cheek.

"Spike has a mean hook. Similar to the one Erza gave to Ichiya," Said Gray. 

"Thanks for doing that, Spike," Said Carla graciously. 

"I could have done that!" Happy exclaims. 

"What stopped you?" Lucy chuckles, mocking Happy a bit. 

"Spike beat me to the punch!" Happy retorts. 

Ichiya steps up to Jura. "You sensed it too? The girl's parfume is quite unique. She is no ordinary child." 

"I sense that about her right away," Said Jura. "The magic she possesses is somehow different than our own. It seems Lady Erza notices her power as well." 

"Impressive," Said Ichiya. 

"Wendy, if I see the Trimen do that sort of stuff at you, I'll whack 'em," Said Spike. 

"Darn that dragon for messing with our mojo!" The Trimen say in unison. 

"Thank you," Wendy smiles. 

"I have to say, you are the nicest dragon who is normal here," Said Carla. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles.

Happy is getting upset seeing how Carla is treating Spike. He wants that attention and now sees Spike as his rival. 

"You love her, don't you?" Lucy mocks. 

"Hey! Don't steal my lines!" Happy angrily replies. 

"Now, with all the guilds present, I think we should get start the mission briefing," Said Ichiya. 

"Agreed," Said Jura. 

"Our first order of business is determining the location of the Oracíon Seis. Right after I make a letter of the alphabet," Ichiya heads to the bathroom. 

"Great, if he's making the letter poop, I'm outta here," Said Gray. 

"We're rooting for you, teacher," The Trimen claps. 

"Gross. I see why women stay away from you three," Said Spike. 

"Not cool!" They angrily say in unison. 

Lucy and Erza couldn't help but laugh. The Trimen want to lay the smackdown on Spike. After a few minutes, Ichiya returns. 

"Much better. Now, please, pay close attention. To the north lies the Worth Woodsea where the ancients once sealed a powerful force. A magic called Nirvana." Ichiya is posing as he's explaining. Gray is getting bored seeing Ichiya posing. Everyone starts to question themselves about Nirvana. Spike has no clue what Nirvana is. He's going to wait and listen until Ichiya finishes talking. Happy offers a fish to Carla but, she rejects his gift. 

"We don't know much of this magic either than its name and that it's destructive in nature." Said Ren. 

"And, the Oracíon Seis wants it badly," Said Eve. 

"Destruction magic," Natsu said. 

"Okay, bad feeling confirmed," Said Lucy nervously. 

"We assume that's why they traveled to the Worth Woodsea. They're desperate to get their hands on powerful magic," Said Hibiki. 

"To prevent that from happening, we must destroy the Oracíon Seis," Ichiya and Blue Pegasus pose. 

"We may have the advantage in numbers, but remember," Said Ren.   

"We cannot underestimate them," Said Eve. 

"They're incredibly strong. We may be over our heads," Hibiki snaps his fingers to spawn an archive memory bank system. He reveals images of each member of the Oracíon Seis. The Snake Wizard, Cobra. The Speed Wizard, Racer. Hoteye, a Wizard that will kill anyone for money. Angel, a vicious beautiful wizard. Midnight, apparent a Wizard with unknown magic. Brain, the Commander of the Oracíon Seis. "Alone, they can wipe out entire guilds. Together, they are unstoppable. We have thirteen to their six but, that's our only advantage." 

Lucy and Wendy volunteer to stay behind as they don't want to die. After hearing and seeing what they look like, they are afraid to fight. Carla told them they can't back away from their duties. Ichiya comforts the two by telling them not to fear, revealing there is more to the plan. Suggesting with their help, they can find the enemies' stronghold. 

"Stronghold?" Natsu repeats what Ichiya said. 

"You heard the man. We've looked everywhere but had no luck," Ren explains the situation. 

"Here's the deal," Eve using his archive magic to show an image of the Worth Woodsea forest. "They got to have a temporary base in the Worth Woodsea."

"Once we located their base, our plan is to gather the Oracíon Seis inside," Said Ichiya. 

"How do we do that?" Asked Gray, hoping there's an answer to his question. 

"We beat them up and drag their butts there!" Said Natsu, eager to fight. 

"You're definitely too excited about this," Said Spike. 

"What's the next part of the plan?" Asked Erza. 

Ichiya points up. "There, we'll give them a one-way ticket to oblivion. Courtesy of Christina, the Majestic Pride of Blue Pegasus Guild."

Lyon is in shock. He never heard of the Christina before. Sherry has but believed the Magic Bomber Christina to be a myth.

"Whoa, is that necessary? It's only six of them?" Asked Lucy in shock. 

"That's the type of enemy we face," Said Jura. 

"Sir, yes, Sir," Said Lucy in fear after hearing Jura's response. 

"Remember, under no circumstance should ever engage the enemy in solo combat. Our best bet is to separate them and devote two wizards to each fight. One group will have three." 

"Spike, be sure you stick by me," Natsu points to himself. 

"Okay," Spike nods. 

"Or me," Said Erza. 

"Alright, Sis," Spike nods again. 

Lucy and Wendy start to panic, they feel they can't handle the pressure of fighting a member of the Oracíon Seis. Carla scolds them for behaving like children. 

"Let's go! I'm all fired up!" Natsu slams his fist to the palm of his other hand. His hand is now blazing with his fire magic. He burst the door and searches for the Oracíon Seis on his own. 

"So much for sticking by him," Said Spike as he scratches the back of his head. 

"He probably didn't listen to a word Ichiya or Jura said," Said Gray. 

"I bet five fish he didn't bother to listen," Said Happy. 

Everyone is now outside, scratching their heads to figure out what to do next. With Natsu on the run, Erza suggests that everyone follow Natsu's lead. 

"Guess we're playing catchup with that dork?" Said Gray. He starts running in the direction Natsu ran off too.  

"Awwww, do we have to?" Lucy complains and cries a bit. She starts running as well. 

"Quit crying," Said Gray. 

"Their energy is as infectious as I remember. Ready, Sherry?" Lyon smiles and starts running. 

"Yea!" Sherry responds with love. 

"Wait, stay together," Said Jura. 

"So, we're hunting demons?" Said Ren. He and his fellow Blue Pegasus members are on the run as well. 

"Mmhmm," Eve replies. 

"And an Angel too," Said Hibiki. 

Wendy is standing there, watching the others go on without her. Carla is looking at Wendy, feeling the urge to drag her with the group. 

"Wendy," Said Spike, looking at her. "We should get going. They'll be needing us too," Spike offers his claw. 

Wendy is petrified about pursuing with the rest to get the Oracíon Seis. She sees Spike's claw and grips it. Spike's warm smile eases Wendy up a bit. 

"Alright, let's go," Said Wendy, more encouragingly.  

Spike and Wendy run together as Carla flies next to them. "Thank you for that, Spike."

"You're welcome. I'm happy to help a fellow comrade." 

Happy sees Spike and Carla talking. He feels the need to slay Spike to get Carla's attention. Happy flies, catching up with the others. After ten minutes of running, Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Happy joined the rest of the group. They wondered where Jura and Ichiya is. Everyone looks up to see The Magic Bomber Christina in the air. 

"Whoa," Natsu said in awe. 

"Lyon," Said Sherry. 

"I see it," Lyon answers. 

"That's the Magic Bomber Christina," Said Erza. 

"I want one," Said Natsu. 

"Definitely lives up to the hype," Said Gray. 

"Horses can fly to?" Asked Happy. 

"Please refrain from opening your mouth again," Said Carla, answering an idiotic question.  

"Alright, let's split up and find their temporary base," Erza commands. 

"I'm flying the bomber thing!" Natsu calls dibs. 

"Not happening," Gray responds. 

The Magic Bomber Christina is under attack. Bombs going off within the Magic Bomber Christina, it falls out of the sky in the process. Everyone is in shock to see the Magic Bomber Christina blown into smithereens. 

"Not good..," Said Spike in shock and horror. 

Natsu starts sniffing. "Gray." 

"I know, we've got company. Everyone stay frosty!" Meaning, get ready. 

"I can't do this," Wendy is behind a rock, cowering in fear.  

"Yes, you can," Said Spike encouraging Wendy. "You have to believe in yourself."

"Easier said than done," Wendy replies, still afraid to approach the situation. 

"It is easy to believe in yourself to face the challenges head-on. Just take one step at a time. If it helps, get behind me. I'll protect you." 

"Okay," Wendy is now behind Spike. Spike's determination is helping Wendy feel better. Carla couldn't help but be thankful for Spike's encouraging words. 

"What kind of dragon are you?" Asked Carla. 

"One of a kind," Said Spike in response. "In all seriousness, I'm a Fairy Dragon that uses Energy Maker Magic." 

"Energy Maker Magic?" Carla repeats with a question. 

"Yes. I think and, my flames do the rest." 

"Darn that dragon for taking Carla away from me!" Happy yells in his thoughts, not wanting to cause a scene. 

Smoke from the Christina rises along with the Oracíon Seis. They reveal themselves to everyone that witnessed the fall of Christina. 

"Lonely maggots, swarming together," Said Brain. 

"I'm afraid that short stuff isn't going to make it to the party," Said Angel. 

"Neither is that bald wizard saint. We took them down," Both Gemini said.  

"They're defeated?" Lyon said in shock. 

"Impossible," Hibiki said. 

"There's terror in their voices. I can hear it," Said Cobra. 

"The quicker we wrap this up, the better," Racer suggests. "I'll run you over so fast, it'll make your head spin." 

"Money determines strength in this world. Oh yeah, if you save a penny today, it shall be a vast fortune in the future. Furthermore-"

"Enough with the preaching Hoteye," Cobra and Racer said in unison. 

"Is it sad that I'm terrified of the snoring guy?" Lucy is referring to Midnight, who is sleeping. 

"I have to admit. I didn't expect you to show yourselves," Said Erza. 

Cobra sees Spike for the first time. "A dragon? I thought they went extinct? Today's my lucky day."

"Ready?" Natsu cracks knuckles. 

"You bet," Said Gray in response. 

Spike's claws start glowing sparkling green. "Wendy, I may have to engage. When I do, get behind the rock."

"Okay," Wendy quietly said. Nervous about the situation. 

"You want an invitation?" Asked Cobra sinisterly. 

"You being here is enough for us," Said Gray and Natsu in unison. They charge together, going after the Oracíon Seis. 

"Take them," Brain commands. 

"Yes, Sir," Racer intervenes and knocks down Natsu and Gray using his fast speed. 

"Natsu! Gray!" There are two Lucys that said in unison. Then Gemini attacks Lucy with their version of Lucy's whip. 

"I see you. Oh yeah!" Sherry and Lyon go after Hoteye. Hoteye uses his magic, liquefying the ground. "Forget love. All you need is money! Money is all you need." The liquefied ground becomes a swirling vortex of quicksand, trapping Lyon and Sherry in the process. 

"What is this stuff? Quicksand?" Asked Lyon, confused with Hoteye's magic. 

"How dare he say love is less important! Grab my hand, love," Sherry tries to reach out to Lyon. They are far apart from reaching distance. 

The Trimen tries to go after Angel only to be taken down by Racer. "If you're slow, you'll be eating my dust." 

Erza jumps up. "Requip!" 

"That's impressive," Said Cobra, watching Erza requip into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. 

"Dance my swords!" Erza summons fifty swords. She launches her attack at Cobra. Cobra slightly moves, dodging all of Erza's sword attack. "No, he dodged them all. Can he read my attacks?" Racer gets behind Erza and is about to attack her. Erza quickly counters Racer's kick. 

Natsu gets up and sees Midnight sleeping. He uses his Fire Dragon breath attack. Midnight in his sleep redirected Natsu's attack. 

"Requip! Flight Armor!" Erza requips into her Flight Armor. The armor increases Erza's speed dramatically. She tries her hardest to land a hit on Racer. Racer moves faster than Erza, dodging all of her attacks in the process. 

"That's more like it," Racer is having fun seeing someone fast trying to attack him. "Yea, I like fast women."

Cobra smirks. "It's no use," He gets behind Erza. "I can hear your next move, Titania," Cobra kicks Erza in the stomach. "You might as well give up now." 

"He is reading me but, how?" Erza thought to herself. 

"You look confused," Said Cobra. "Having trouble figuring it out? I told you, I hear everything!" 

As Natsu complains about Midnight dodging his attack in his sleep, Racer comes from behind, attacking Natsu. Racer's intense speeds allow him to punch and kick Natsu harder. Telling him by waking up Midnight, he'll be in a nightmare. Lyon and Sherry try to combine their magic to attack Hoteye. Hoteye counters with his magic, taking the two down. Brain watches everything unfolding but turns his attention to Erza fighting Cobra. 

"I see, this is the famed Erza Scarlet," Said Brain, amused by Erza's fighting spirit. 

Cobra catches Erza's attack. "I can hear it all, you know. It's like a symphony. Your muscles are contracting. Every breath you take in, and all your thoughts," Cobra gets inside of Erza's memory. He's in shock, realizing that Erza was also part of the Tower of Heaven project as a child. "You were there?" 

"He's open!" Erza takes the opportunity to attack Cobra now that he's defenseless. 

Hoteye uses his magic to attack Erza but gets blocked by a sparkling green metallic shield. Racer interjects Erza's attack, telling Cobra to wake up. 

"Huh?! Where did that come from?" Hoteye wonders as he looks around. "Money?" He sees the source. 

"Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike lowers the sparkling green fireball, using his other claw to press hard, imagining the flaming ball turning into a fiery heat cannon.

"I wonder how much money people will buy for dragon scales! Oh yeah!" Hoteye uses his magic to block Spike's attack. When the attack is blocked, Spike runs up to Hoteye, surprising him a bit. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooar!" Spike breathes his fire at Hoteye, sending his back a little from the sudden and surprising outburst. 

Brain couldn't help but smile. He becomes ecstatic to see a healthy baby dragon fighting. He thought he knew that dragons went extinct. Now, he stands corrected.

"I'm impressed that a young dragon like you still existed. I can't wait to kill you and sell you for money! Oh yeah!" 

"I can't wait to see you pee yourself in the next moment," Said Spike as he's powering up.

Racer finishes attacking Erza as she plummets to the ground. "Hmm, that was easier than I thought."  

Cobra reads Spike's mind and becomes worried. He is now aware that Spike can increase his size at will. If Spike becomes a full size dragon, the Oracíon Seis will be finished. "That dragon has interfered long enough. Cubellios!" Cobra orders Cubellios to attack Spike from behind. 

"Nooooo!" Erza shouts. "Spike!" 

Spike turns around and sees Cubellios. It was too late for him to counter. He closes his eyes. Erza acts fast and sprints to take the blow for Spike. He opens his eyes as Cubellios bites into Erza's arm, hearing a loud painful wail from Erza.  Cubellios takes Erza up then releases her. She plummets and lands hard on the ground. 

"Congrats, Titania. You saved that dragon's life from Cubellios' poison. Enjoy riding in agony till death claims you," Said Cobra. 

"Erza!" Spike horrifyingly shouts. 

"Gotcha now," Tracer moves left and right, punching and kicking Spike around his body in an instant. 

"This is for the breath attack, you pipsqueak," Hoteye uses his magic to create a liquifying wave attack, slamming Spike into a boulder.

"Spike!" Wendy sees Spike knocked down from the impact. She's worried and scared as everyone else has fallen. 

"How pathetic. Prepare for oblivion's embrace," Brain uses his skull staff to unleash a dark death spell. As he conjures the magic to kill everyone, he notices Wendy looking at Spike and powers down.  

"What's the matter, Brain?" Racer asks. 

"Are you going to cast that thing or what?" Asked Cobra. 

"Wendy," Brain calls out in shock. 

"Do you know her?" Asked Cobra. 

"No doubt about it. That's Wendy, the Maiden of the Sky," Everyone is confused about Wendy's title. Even she doesn't know what it means and cowers. "To think we simply stumble upon her here, we made quite a find my friends. Grab her!" Brain uses his skull staff to create a dark arm to grab Wendy in the process. 

"Wendy!" Carla and Happy shout.  

"Unhand her, now!" Carla demands as she's chasing the dark arm. 

"Help me!" Wendy cries. 

Spike gets up and sees what's happening. He sprints after the dark arm. 

"I'll save you. As soon as I'm able to catch up," Said Happy, carrying a club to fight them off as well. 

"Striking us when we're down, that isn't fair!" Said Natsu. 

"All is fair in money and war. Oh yeah!" Hoteye causes the battleground to shift, sending everyone else far back from the Oracíon Seis. 

"Grab my paw!" Carla commands Wendy, extending her paw. Wendy grabs Happy's paw by accident. "You got the wrong cat!" Wendy screams and disappears with Happy. 

"Happy!" Natsu shouts. 

"Wendy!" Spike and Carla shout. 

"I have no use for the rest of you. Begone!" Brain uses his death spell to finish everyone else. 

"Iron Rock Wall!" Jura uses his magic to secure his comrades. Creating an iron rock barrier to block the death spell. "Just in the nick of time. 

"That was awesome!" Sherry happily said. 

"Thanks, Jura!" Said Spike. 

"You're the best wizard ever." Said Eve. 

"I second that," Hibiki concurs. "We owe you one." 

"Yea, we were almost goners," Said Lucy in relief. "Thanks a million." 

"Okay, let's take them down," Said Natsu as he gets up. 

"They're long gone by now," Said Gray. He and the others no longer see the Oracíon Seis. 

"Why we let them get away?!" Natsu complains a bit. 

Carla walks up a bit. "Oh, Wendy," Carla sadly said. 

"Carla," Spike walks up to Carla. "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect her." 

Carla sighs deeply. She takes a deep breath. "You were in the right to engage in battle. To help save a comrade."

Spike turns to Erza. He can't help but blame himself for allowing her to be poisoned by Cubellios. It should have been him, not her. 

"I'm glad you made it out unscathed, Jura," Said Lyon, wounded.

"Not quite. In fact, I barely made it out alive," Jura's statement made Lyon step back a bit. 

"You're wounded?"

"Their power terrifies me. I hate to admit it, but if it weren't for Sir Ichiya's pain-killer parfume, I would be in utter agony right now."

Ichiya makes a bold case of winning the battle by default since the Oracíon Seis isn't around. Gray scolds Ichiya's statement. Ichiya releases his pain-killing parfume. It soothes and refreshes everyone. All their pain goes except for Erza's poison in her arm. Natsu takes off, wanting to know where Happy is along with the Oracíon Seis. Carla flies and grabs Natsu's scarf, pulling him and knocking him to the ground. 

"You mustn't be reckless. You need to calm down and think this through." 

Everyone except for Spike questions Carla about her wings. It's like they have never seen a cat fly before. Carla explains it's aera magic. She finds it natural to have others think it's surprising. Carla urges everyone to come up with a plan of attack after getting destroyed in the first encounter by the Oracíon Seis. 

"I wholeheartedly agree, Lady Carla. The enemy is far stronger than we anticipated," Said Jura. 

"Maaaan." 

Everyone then turns to Erza. She is riving in agony from the poison. Ichiya releases a power dosage of his pain-killer parfume, which also has a cleansing effect. Unfortunately, the parfume does not affect Cubellios' poison. The poison intensifies as Erza screams. 

"Erza.., no..," Spike is now worried and scared for Erza's life. 

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I need to borrow this," Erza grabs Lucy's belt to tie around her arm as tightly as it can be. Lucy's skirt falls to the ground. The Trimen gaze at Lucy more thoroughly. 

"Look away!" Lucy kicks the Trimen, feeling humiliated as three pervs were looking at her. "Just what are you going to do with that?"

"It's harsh but, it's the only way I can keep fighting," Erza puts one of her sleeves in her mouth and spikes her sword to the ground. She extends her arm. "Somebody cut it off," Erza commands. 

Everyone is stunned, including Spike.

"At least give us time to find an antidote!" Gray suggests. 

"I don't have time..," Said Erza as she continues to feel the pain of the poison. 

"Very well," Lyon picks up the sword. "I will do it." 

"How kind of you," Said Sherry with love. 

"Put down the sword!" Gray gets in front of Lyon. 

"Do it!" Said Erza. She accepts life without an arm. 

"No, don't!" Gray urges. 

"Lyon, are you seriously going to do it?" Asked Lucy. 

"We can't lose one of our strongest when we are facing such a powerful foe," Lyon now wielding, and aiming to cut Erza's arms. 

"Just hurry up and cut it off. Before the venom spreads to the rest of my body!" 

"Put the sword down!" Gray angrily demands. 

The Trimen are arguing about it, suggesting that they can find a cure. Jura tells them not to interfere, that they should respect Erza's wish. 

"Ready!" Lyon lifts the sword. He slashes, but Gray freezes the sword. Everyone is stunned, including Erza. "Her arm is more important to you than her life? Where are your priorities?"

"This'll affect her for the rest of her life, so we can't jump the gun. There's gotta be another way we can save her." 

"You're just as spineless as ever," Said Lyon. "Figures.

"I really thought you had changed. You're just as shady as ever," Gray retorts. 

Erza passes out. Everyone comforts her. 

"We need Wendy. She can save your friend," Said Carla. Everyone looks at Carla. "This is no time to be bickering among ourselves. We need to work together to come up with a plan to rescue Wendy."

"Wait a sec, you're saying that the little girl has some kind of anti-venom magic?" Asked Eve. 

"Amazing," Said Ren. 

"Not just venom, she can cure fevers, relieve pain, and heal wounds." 

Ichiya feels conflicted about his role when he helped everyone relieve pain and healed wounds with his pain-killer parfume.

"That's crazy. Everyone knows healing spells are lost magic. There's no way the kid could use them," Said Sherry. 

"Do these powers have to do with that whole Maiden in the Skies thing?" Asked Lucy. 

"Yes, it does," Carla answers. "You see, that little girl is the Sky Dragon Slayer. She's Wendy the Sky Dragon," Everyone is in shock. 

"She's a Dragon Slayer too?" Asked Natsu, repeating what Carla said. 

"No wonder why she asked me about that Grandeeney dragon. I should have known better," Said Spike. 

"I'll give you all the details later. Although, to be honest. There's not much more you need to know. Wendy is the only wizard capable of saving your friend. We need her right now. Unfortunately, the Oracíon Seis feel they need her too. For some unknown reason." 

"Carla, think it's possible that Wendy can resurrect something demonic in nature?" Asked Spike. 

Eyes widen in shock for everyone as they gasps. Spike has figured out the Oracíon Seis true motives. They are going to use Wendy to bring Nirvana to them. Carla gave it some thought, she too, can't believe that Spike has figured out the Oracíon Seis' plans. 

"It's.., it's possible for Wendy if they force her... Oh my," Carla becomes worried. 

"In that case," Said Lyon. 

"There is only one thing for us to do," Said Hibiki.

"We're going to have to rescue Wendy," Said Eve.

"We'll do it for Erza's sakes," Said Gray. 

"Happy's as well," Said Lucy. 

"And, we'll prevent the Oracíon Seis from succeeding with their goals," Said Spike, confidently. 

"Okay! Are you with me!" Natsu shouts, raising his fist in the air. 

"Yea!" Everyone says in unison. Raising their fists as well. 

"Alright, I believe we should split into teams of four. Three groups to search for Wendy and Happy. The fourth group stays with Erza," Said Jura.

"I'll take Ren and Eve with me," Said Ichiya. 

"Lamia Scale should stay together," Lyon suggests. 

"I'll go by myself!" Natsu decrees. 

"Not alone, you lamebrain idiot!" Said Gray. 

"I'm going with you two," Said Carla. 

"Hibiki, Spike, and I will remain behind with Erza," Said Lucy.  

"Let's get moving!" Jura declares. 

All three teams scatter in different directions. Hibiki, Lucy, and Spike see the venom spreading wider on Erza's arm. 

"Instead of sitting around and worrying, let's try lending our team a hand," Hibiki spawns his Archive Network. "I know we don't consider ourselves a team since our coalition was thrown together, but we need to start thinking that way if we're going to beat the Oracíon Seis."  

"Archive Magic. That's the name your working on now, right?" 

"That's right. It comes in handy whenever I need to keep tabs on people. You're not going to join the others, Lucy?" 

"No, I need to stay with Erza," Said Lucy. 

"What about you, Spike?" 

"I need to stay and protect Sis. She saved me back there. I'm the one that's supposed to be poisoned, not her."

"Why aren't you joining the others, Hibiki?" Asked Lucy. 

"What kind of man would I be if I leave you two ladies and a young dragon?" 

"Thanks. Guess you're not so bad after all," Said Lucy. 

"Sorry about striking you earlier," Said Spike. 

"It's fine. I deserved it for going out of line when I was flirting Wendy. I'll ask of you to keep doing it when the Trimen and Ichiya cross that line again. We need a wake-up call." 

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind." 

"So, what are you doing with the Archive?" Asked Lucy. 

"Keeping track of everyone. I can telepathically send them coordinates where our position is, once they find Wendy and Happy." 

"That's cool. Similar to Warren's telepathy magic," Said Lucy. 

"Difference is since I know where our comrades are at, it's a direct message without any drawback. My Archive will deliver on cue."

Twenty minutes later. Hibiki calls Natsu. 

"Natsu," Natsu freaks out a bit, hearing Hibiki's voice in his head. 

"What the heck?" Natsu observes his surroundings. 

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Asked Happy. 

"Can you hear me?" Asked Hibiki. 

"This tree is talking to me." 

"Can you hear me, Natsu?" 

"Yes, Great Tree." Happy looks at Natsu confused as ever. 

"Great, what? This is Hibiki from Blue Pegasus. Anyway, I'm glad I can reach you. No one else has responded so far." 

"You're a ventreeloquist?" 

"Will you knock it off and keep your voice down. The enemy has scouts throughout the Woodsea. There might be no telling who can be listening in on us. That's why I'm speaking directly into your head. Pretty neat, huh? What's your status? Have you found Wendy and the cat?"

"They're both right here," Natsu confirms. "Wendy is unconscious but, Happy has already woken up." 

"That's wonderful, now hang tight. I'm gonna upload a map into your mind. It'll lead you straight into the temporary camp we set up. I was going to send it to the cat too, but I can't seem to make a connection. He must be running low on magic power." 

"Hold on, what is this upload stuff?" Asked Natsu, confused with Hibiki's magic. "Stay out of my head." Natsu sees a bar above his head. It glows yellow and poofs. Natsu now knows where to go from his position. He starts moving. 

"Natsu, I think it's about time you saw professional help," Said Happy, calling Natsu crazy for talking to himself in front of the tree moments ago. 

"Not now. I have to follow this map inside my brain. Wow, I can even see exactly where Erza is. This upload stuff is cool. Thanks, Great Tree, I mean Hibiki." 

"Aw man, he's even more far gone than I thought," Said Happy, now knowing Natsu is insane. 

"Please, hurry," Hibiki turns to Erza. "I'm afraid we don't have the luxury of time right now."

The venom within Erza continues to spread at an alarming rate. Lucy questions how Natsu knows the exact layouts of their camp. Hibiki explains that his Archive Magic can send telepathic information at a faster rate. Without having to verbally explain the full details. With Archive Magic, he can share all sorts of things, including maps, directions, status of magic, and much more. His Archive Magic is new, so there would be lots of confusion about the art. 

"Not sure if you can hear, Erza. Wendy will be here sooner than we think. Please hang in there and continue to fight the poison," Said Spike. 

Lucy continues to watch over Erza with Spike. Until Erza is healed, Lucy vows to protect Erza. As they wait for Natsu to return with Wendy, Gray, Sherry, and Lyon are battling Racer. As they battled, Lyon discovers the truth about Racer's magic. After Lyon explains Racer's magic to Gray, Lyon freezes gray into a tall ice pillar. Lyon decides to take down Racer all on his own. Lyon distances himself from Gray, luring Racer deeper into the Woodsea Forest. Racer has foolishly followed Lyon near a cliff. Lyon reveals that Racer's magic is nothing more than an illusion, that Racer was altering the perception of everyone else into fooling that he is faster. In reality, Racer is slow. Lyon also mentions that Racer lost the battle. By being more than a mile away from his magic perimeter, Gray has the perfect shot to take Racer down. Gray creates an ice bow and arrow, he shoots it hitting Racer straight on. Racer reveals that his prayer from the time he was tortured in the Tower of Heaven project, was to be fast, faster than anyone else. In the last-minute effort, Racer rigged himself with a bomb lacrima, planning to commit suicide and bringing Lyon, Sherry, and Gray with him. Lyon sacrifices himself by tackling Racer off the cliff as the bomb explodes. Due to Racer's defeat, Brain loses a tattoo on his body. That's how he knows that Racer lost. Each member of the Oracíon Seis has a prayer tattooed on Brain's body. Brain wakes up Midnight, giving him commands to send everyone into a nightmare of his. 

A few moments later. Spike, Lucy, and Hibiki raise their guard as they hear ruffling from the bushes. Natsu comes out of the bushes.

"You missed me?" Asked Natsu, happy as ever. 

"Natsu," Said Lucy in relief. 

"Great, you arrived," Said Spike. 

"How did you do that anyway? All of a sudden, your map popped right into my head," Asked Natsu in confusion. 

"I'll explain it to you later, is Wendy alright?"

"She's fine," Natsu lays Wendy, Happy, and Carla down. "Time for you to wake up, kid. I saved you now you gotta save Erza," Natsu shakes Wendy for her to wake up. 

"Dude, no need to shake her like that," Said Spike. 

Wendy wakes up and crawls back away from Natsu as she shrieks. "I had to do it," Wendy holds her head in shame and guilt. "Sorry," Wendy freaks out as she wanted to cry. 

"I'm willing to overlook that right now," Natsu bows down. "As you know, Erza was bitten by a poisonous snake when she saved Spike. She's in bad shape. Please, save her," Natsu pleads. 

"I will save her! I can do it!" She remembers what Spike told her a while back. "You have to believe in yourself. It is easy to believe in yourself to face the challenges head-on. Just take one step at a time." "One step at a time," Wendy goes over to Erza and uses her healing magic on Erza. The venom starts going away.

"It's working!" Spike couldn't help but smile. Erza is going to be better than okay. 

"I have you to thank, Spike," Said Wendy, still in the process of healing Erza. 

"Me? What did I do?" 

"It's about believing in myself. You have given me much-needed confidence. Thank you," Wendy smiles. 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles as well. 

"That should do it," Wendy finishes healing Erza. "I got rid of the venom. All we got to do is wait." 

"Wait?!" Natsu, Happy, and Lucy exclaim, not sure how long to wait. 

"Relax, It could be mere seconds or moments," Said Spike. 

Erza is showing signs of progress. Everyone cheers in celebration. Happy walks up to Carla, wanting a high paw (five). Carla relents and gives Happy a high paw. 

"Thanks, Wendy," Natsu high-fives Wendy. "Guess I owe you one," Said Natsu, happily. 

"She's probably not going to wake up for a little while but, she'll be back to normal when she does." 

"That's incredible. Who knew Sky Magic was so strong?" Said Hibiki, his face is above Erza's face. "She's already looking much better-"

"Knock it off!" Spike punches Hibiki in the face. 

"Ooow.., my other cheek hurts," Hibiki rubs his face. 

Spike sighs. "It's not right to do that on a recovering comrade."

"Excuse me. Now that your friend is healed, please don't make Wendy use her Sky Magic again. She'll insist she's fine but, I can tell she is exhausted by the look on her face."

"No, you got it all wrong. I'm just worried is all." 

"We're gonna strike back once Erza gets up," Said Hibiki. "There's no need to worry, okay." 

"Yea, watch out Oracíon Seis!" Lucy shouts pridefully. 

"Aye! We're not going to let you get Nirvana!" Happy claims. 

All of a sudden, the Woodsea starts glowing white. Then a pillar of white and black rises, indicating that Nirvana is unleashed. Everyone is panicking a bit. 

"That's a lot of energy from being unsealed," Said Spike. All he can do is gaze at the energy stream. 

"Yea, that's Nirvana," Said Hibiki, confirming what the stream is. 

"Seriously?" Asked Lucy in disbelief. "How did the Oracíon Seis beat us to the punch." 

"That pillar of light. I know Jellal is there!" Natsu set his eyes at the pillar of light. 

"Jellal?" Said Lucy. She couldn't fathom Natsu's statement. She sees Natsu running off. "Hold on! Wait, don't just run off without telling us what's happening!" 

Wendy becomes worried and scared, blaming herself because she revived Jellal when she was captured by the Oracíon Seis. 

Spike turns to Erza to check on her. He remembers the story Erza told him about Jellal. He wonders by mentioning his name would wake her up. 

"Jellal," Erza thought. 

Spike walks up to Erza as everyone is watching the pillar of light. "Erza, you're okay." 

"I have to go, Spike," Said Erza.

"Not alone. Remember what Jura said about going into one on one combat. Plus, you told me to stay by you." 

Erza sighs, remembering what she said to him. "Very, well. Let's go." 

Erza and Spike leave the area. Spike follows Erza as she knows how to find Jellal. 

Carla shrieks. "Erza has gone missing." 

"So have Spike," Said Wendy, not seeing him around. 

"Spike must have followed Erza. We better keep up with Natsu before we lose him" Said Happy. 

"And what he meant by, Jellal?" Asked Lucy in confusion. 

"I'll explain later. Right now, we're wasting time," Said Happy. 

Hibiki notices how Wendy is behaving. She's in tears as she continues to blame herself for everything. Hibiki uses his magic to knock her out. He explains his reasoning as they took off running after Natsu. Apparently, Nirvana is able to switch light into darkness and darkness into light depending on the emotions of someone. The way Wendy was behaving, Nirvana would have made her evil instead of good. Hibiki warns that everyone needs to be careful during this stage of Nirvana's rising. 

"Erza were you able to hear anything that was said moments ago?" 

"I heard Natsu say Jellal's name. Knowing Jellal, he would help the Oracíon Seis achieve their goal. This is my second chance to see Jellal and hopefully stop him." 

"I want to say, judging from Natsu's and Wendy's reaction, the Oracíon Seis may have forced Wendy into reviving Jellal."

Erza sighs. "I wonder why the Oracíon Seis would force Wendy to do it."

"We'll have to find out one way or another." A dark guild sees the duo and charges at them. "Phew phew," Spike uses his claw to mimic the movement of a gun. Green Sparkling Flaming Bullets form out of Spike's index fingers, hitting the dark guild head-on as they rive in agony.

"Nice shooting, Spike," Said Erza as she's impressed with Spike, taking down a dark guild on his own. 

"Thanks, Erza." 

As they continue to run through the Woodsea Forest, Lucy is fighting against Angel in a Celestial Battle. Lucy struggle in her battle when Gemini took control of Lucy's spirits by becoming an exact duplicate of Lucy. Lucy summons her next spirit which is Leo the Lion. Angel counters by summoning Aries. As the two had no choice but to attack each other, bound by the ruling of the contracts they have with their Celestial Wizards, Angel summons another spirit. Caelum. Caelum is a metal sphere with a halo-like circle at the top. Caelum transforms into a cannon, destroying Aries and Leo in the process. Lucy tries summoning Taurus only for him to be seduced and taken out by Gemini when Gemini transforms into Lucy. Lucy begs and pleads Angel to release Aries from her contract, to set her free and be happy. Angel couldn't help but laugh at Lucy's misery. Angel orders Gemini to finish Lucy. Gemini, with Lucy's body, knows her heart. They are moved by Lucy's care and love for Celestial Spirits. Gemini disobeys Angel's order. Angel closes their gate and proceeds to kill Lucy herself. Hibiki approaches Lucy from behind and transmits a spell in Lucy's head. Using his Archive Magic, Hibiki transmits Urano Metria spell successfully. Lucy uses the Spell on Angel, taking her down in the process. After winning the fight, Angel rises and uses her remaining magic on Caelum in hopes of killing Lucy. Caelum misfires as he decided to help Lucy. Angel falls back after her magic is depleted. Her prayer is to vanish into the heavens, like an angel. In the hideout, Brain loses another tattoo, signaling that Angel lost her battle. 

Spike and Erza continue to run in the Woodsea Forest, Erza starts reminiscing about Jellal and wonders why is Jellal here of all places. Spike can see the displeasure on Erza's face. He knows she's thinking about Jellal. The sun starts to set as the two are nearing closer to Jellal. They are covering themselves from the sheer force of power from Nirvana. 

"The magic power of Nirvana is intense, Erza," Said Spike, walking slowly next to Erza. 

"Keep moving, don't stop," Erza looks up at sees Jellal. She is stunned to see him alive after all. 

Spike looks up and sees Jellal. "He looks a lot like Mystogan." 

Jellal and Erza has a staredown. It's like, Erza didn't hear anything Spike said. She's lost in her world with Jellal on her mind. Unbeknown to the trio, Cobra is spying on them. 

"No, she survived?" Cobra thought to himself. "Impossible. Why wasn't I able to sense her approaching. The dragon is here too. He must have done something to help Erza. I'll have to take him down myself. Right now, I can't let Erza take Jellal down until Nirvana is fully activated."

"Jellal," Erza finally speaks. 

"Erza," Jellal replies. 

"Now tell me, how did you end up here?" 

"I can't answer that." 

"You will," Said Spike. "You will tell us how to stop Nirvana!" 

"Erza.., who is that? I have no memory and yet, I remember that name." 

Spike and Erza gasps. Hearing that Jellal has no memory, things can only get worse. Even Cobra is off guard. He can't believe he heard Jellal say he has no memory. To test it further, Cobra starts listening to Jellal, only to find more questions than answers. 

"I don't know who I am," Jellal lowers his head. "Oh, where I came from. Can you tell me? Do you know, please tell me who Erza is? Please, if you know, you have to tell me." 

Erza is on the verge of tears. The man she sees is an empty shell. Could it be possible that bringing Jellal back would cause memory loss? Spike sees Erza wanting to cry after hearing her long-lost friend losing himself because he has no memory either than the name, Erza.

"Jellal," Erza approaches him. Spike stands by in case anyone happens to show up. 

"Stay back!" Jellal extends his hand and fires a magic beam attack at Erza in self-defense. Erza has a mark on her face but doesn't acknowledge the pain. 

"Alright, you come to me. I'm the person you're looking for," Erza commands. "I am Erza. And you are Jellal. There was a time we were close friends." 

Jellal gasps as he heard the news about himself. "We were?" 

"Yes, that was before you became deranged. Desecrated the dead, hurt my friends. destroyed the Magic Council, and killed Simeon," Jellal becomes teary. "If you try, if you even dare forget the pain you caused, I'll take my sword into your heart and engrave it there!" Erza pants. "Now come to me! Face your atonement." 

"I.., did that..? To my comrades? What have I done? Please, tell me. That isn't true. Tell me, how can I make amends?" Jellal starts crying.

"Erza, you told me he was possessed. It could be that he's no longer bound to that Zeref guy and is taking a longer time to process a new life. He has no clue what has happened in the past because he's no longer possessed. He's pure now."

Erza takes Spike's theory to heart and concludes he's right. Whatever happened right before he got healed could be that separation of Zeref's control. 

"If you lost your memory, that would explain why I couldn't hear your thoughts," Cobra makes himself known to Jellal, Erza, and Spike. "Now, I have a whole lot of questions for you to answer." 

"I should have known we were being watched," Said Erza. 

"My bad for lowering my guard for a moment," Said Spike. 

"I like to know how you found Nirvana, but I want to know how you broke its seal," Cubellious hisses. 

"While I was unconscious, I heard a voice. I must have Nirvana, it would say. It's strange but when I woke up, I knew precisely where to find it. Somehow, I can also sense how incredibly dangerous and powerful it is. And so, I decided to break Nirvana's seal to obliterate it." 

Cobra and Spike gasp. They couldn't believe what Jellal said. Erza is stunned by Jellal's claim.  

"How do you intend to destroy something like that?" Asked Erza.

"I rigged this monstrosity with a self-destruction circle. It's only a matter of time before Nirvana clutches itself."  

"You're planning to commit suicide to stop it?!" Asked Spike. 

"Yes. Nirvana will be swallowed into a void of its own energy before it begins the onslaught. Thus, being destroyed in the process and so will I."

The self-destruction circle reveals itself in front of Jellal. Cobra goes up to the circle and tries to deactivate the spell. Cobra doesn't want the spell to condemn the Oracíon Seis's plans. He demands Jellal to deactivate the spell. Jellal tells Erza that she can be free from his burden and he's going to make it right for her. Erza runs up to Jellal, telling him that she refuses for him to die by self-sacrificing. Telling him he has to own his guilt and live. Cobra can't do anything but watch. Spike is eyeballing Cobra as Erza cries a bit, holding onto Jellal. Brain comes in to see what's going on. 

"What can be the meaning of all this foolishness?"

"He's back," Said Cobra. 

Spike and Erza turn to Brain. Spike's claws start glowing sparkling green. 

"A magic circle of self-destruction," Said Brain. 

"This is Jellal's doing!" Cobra informs Brain. "We've gone through all this trouble to revive Nirvana, and this idiot is trying to destroy it." 

Brain smirks. "Spare the hysterics," Brain reminds Cobra and everyone on what he used to do and reminded Jellal about teaching him those powerful spells. "We have no further need of his assistance," Brain walks up to the self-destruction circle and deactivates it, which also deactivates the circle on Jellal's chest. "Nirvana is now under my control! Nirvana, arise!" 

"Yes! I can hear the voices of the future!" Cobra hears Nirvana rising into its final stage. 

Erza requips her sword to attack Brain. Spike is dumbfounded cause he didn't know what to do when Brain came. Plus, Cobra has Cubellios with him. Cubellios would have been a major problem. Rocks crumble under Erza's feet as she falls. 

"Reveal your true face!" Brain commands. 

Spike and Erza free-fall as they are separated from Jellal. Everyone outside in the Woodsea Forest sees Nirvana entering its final stage. They all freaked out as they see Nirvana rising from the grounds. It's massive that can stretch for miles. Erza is hanging on a ledge of Nirvana, holding onto Jellal. Spike is a few feet away and hurries to Erza. 

"Erza," Spike is at the edge. "I'm going to pull you up." 

"Okay, Spike."

Spike grabs Erza's hand and pulls her and Jellal up. Jellal is somewhat surprised that a young baby dragon is strong enough to pull them up. 

"Thanks for the assist, Spike," Said Erza graciously. 

"You're welcome. I'm sorry that I didn't do anything back there.., I didn't know how to approach the two during that time." 

"It's alright," Said Erza. 

"Now.., the world is doomed," Said Jellal. 

"No, there's always hope," Erza turns to see a trail of smoke on Nirvana's leg. "Look there," Erza points to what she's seeing. Jellal looks and sees as well. Spike couldn't help but chuckle a bit. They see Natsu, Gray, and Lucy running into Nirvana. "You see, as long as we draw breath into our lungs, we shall keep hope alive inside our hearts. And that hope will guide you throughout your life," Erza smiles at Jellal. 

"Erza, we should catch up with them. It's time to stop the Oracíon Seis. Once and for all."

"Agreed, Spike," Said Erza. 

"Let's go," Said Jellal. 

Erza extends her hand to Jellal. Jellal grabs Erza's hand as he stands. The two lock eyes at each other. Then they run with Spike to meet up with everyone else. As they're getting closer to the center of Nirvana, Erza and Spike can hear Natsu's roar. During the time Erza, Spike, and Jellal ran together, Natsu was fighting Cobra. Natsu defeats Cobra by using his advantage to a disadvantage. Cobra has a good sense of hearing. Natsu roars loud into Cobra's ears causing him to fall. Brain makes an appearance after Cobra's defeat and blasts him by using his skull staff. Brain says that what good is a false dragon slayer to him that is so easily beaten by one of the official guilds. It breaks Cobra cause all he ever wanted is to hear the voice of his one true friend. Cubellios. Another tattoo is removed from Brain. 

"I wonder where everyone is," Spike ponders. Then he hears an explosion nearby. 

"Must be there," Said Erza. 

"Near the throne," Jellal informs. 

"Father can be so selfish sometimes," Said Midnight, behind the trio. "He took a bit out of my fun and left me with easily scraps." 

"I'm not easy, punk," Spike boldly claims. He turns around to see Midnight. 

"Now, since your the last of my prey, make it entertaining for me," Midnight starts walking at the trio. 

"Gladly," Spike's claw starts glowing sparkling green. "Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C formation as Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows comes out of Spike's fingertips. 

"Hmmph," The Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows has reflected away from Midnight. He stands there, smirking at Spike's pathetic attempts. "That's the best you got?" 

Spike clutches his other claw as he continues to shoot his Flaming Arrows. As Midnight redirects his attack, the arrows strike Midnight's back. Surprise him a bit from the impact.  

"How's that?" Spike smirks. 

"Impressive. You've managed to maneuver your attacks telepathically. This should be fun after all," Midnight smiles. There's a mark on his back from Spike's attack.

"Fun for me," Spike's claws are blazing in a sparkle green aura. He claps his claws together and stretches his flames as far as he could, creating a sparkle green metallic flame sword. "Take this!" Spike lunges at Midnight to slash his sword. Midnight stays still and reflects the attack. "What?!"

"You think I'm going to take it?" Midnight uses his magic to hurl Spike away. 

Spike claws the ground to make him stop hurling back. He jumps in the air. "Take this! Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike slashes his sword in mid-air. Sparkling Green Flame slicers are heading towards Midnight's face  

"Too easy," Spike's flame slicers are once again reflected. "Your attacks are futile." 

Spike once again uses his other claw to maneuver the attacks, hitting Midnight once more. This time, Midnight turns to redirect the slicer attacks. Jellal and Erza are watching the fight. Erza wants to step in but sees that Spike is figuring out Midnight's magic. She has figured him out and knows how to defeat him. She's going to see if Spike can do it on his own. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooar!" Spike conjures his fire for a breath attack. It's not wide but should keep Midnight occupied with two attacks at once. 

"Grrr," Midnight turns to reflect Spike's fire breath attack. "I find you annoying."

"Here I thought you were having fun," Spike chuckles. "Phew phew," Spike mimics his claws for guns. Sparkling Green Flaming Bullets form out of Spike's index fingers, hitting Midnight. 

"Guns too? Heard of friendly fire?" Midnight redirects all of Spike's flaming bullets back at him. In the process, Erza Requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. She deflects a lot of Spike's flaming bullets, protecting her and Jellal. "You can shoot a million and, it still won't hit me." 

"So far, I managed to hit you. I can do it again." 

"See if you can reflect this, Spiral Pain!" Midnight initiates by swiping one of his arms and extending his index finger. Spiral Pain creates a vortex of distorted air, inflicting heavy blows on Spike as he screams a bit. 

Spike uses his breath to teleport Midnight's Spiral Pain away. Midnight is left dumbfounded that his attack was wiped clean from a single breath attack. 

"What's wrong?" Spike chuckles at Midnight's reaction.

"No one has ever done that with a breath attack. What did you do?" Midnight is in complete shock that one of his more powerful spells was dissolved so quickly. 

Spike chuckles more. "Simple, I teleported your attack away from me." 

"He can do that?" Erza thought to herself. She's in shock. Spike never told him about that ability. 

"Now, you made me mad," Midnight is now getting serious. 

"Spike! Be careful," Said Erza, a bit worried about Spike. 

"I will," Spike readies himself in a new stance. 

"Erza, we should step in and help him," Jellal suggests. 

Erza thinks about it but, this is Spike's first fight against a powerful foe. She decides to wait a bit longer before involving herself. Midnight is channeling a lot of magic power. Spike is a lot channeling magic power as well. 

"Get ready to die," Said Midnight. 

"Get ready to sleep in a hospital bed," Said Spike. 

A loud bell is ringing, signaling that the midnight hour has arrived. 

"What's with the bell?" Erza asks, demanding to know why it's ringing. 

"The hour has arrived. Get ready to see the true face of terror. When the clock strikes midnight, my powers reach their terrifying peak!" Midnight transforms into a hellish behemoth. As he transforms, the scenery around Spike, Erza, and Jellal changes into a hellish background. "Say your prayers," Midnight laughs sinisterly. 

"Spike wants!" Spike starts growing in size. His arms, his legs, his tail are expanding. He continues to grow as Erza and Jellal become mesmerized at the size of Spike. 

"What?!" Midnight steps back a bit. He sees Spike continually to grow. 

Spike becomes as large as he once was when his greed for possessions took over. His scales become pointer, his claws become sharper, his teeth grow into fangs. Spike roars which echos all around Nirvana. Everyone else in Nirvana that hears Spike's roar, becomes terrified. They wondered what it was. Spike is now taller than Midnight's hellish behemoth by five feet. He opens his eyes as Spike is in full control. 

"You're finished," Spike punches Midnight on the head. 

Midnight feels the full force of the impact. He didn't feel the blow as a hellish behemoth but instead, Spike winded up punching Midnight to the ground with his massive claw. The hellish behemoth and scenery were all an illusion. Midnight loses his fight against Spike as he's unable to get up. Jellal couldn't believe that what he and Erza saw was nothing more than an illusion. Erza couldn't be more proud of Spike for taking down a member of the Oracíon Seis on his own. Midnight couldn't believe he lost a fight, to a baby dragon. 

"My.., my prayer.., is to one day find a quiet place and finally sleep in peace.., Father..," Midnight passes out. Another tattoo is removed from Brain's body.

Spike pants heavily as he calms himself. He closes his eyes and shrinks down. After a few moments, Spike is back to normal. He holds onto his head a bit as he starts to have a severe migraine. Erza walks up to him.

"I'm impressed, Spike. You took down a member of the Oracíon Seis all on your own," Erza smiles. 

"He was tough but, I figured him out. He's unable to use his magic for two different fields. He can reflect my attacks in the front but, not the back. That illusion he pulled, I had no idea it was an illusion. In the back of my head, I had to counter his behemoth size with my own."

Erza pulls Spike into a hug. She's proud that Spike got to claim his first victory. 

"We should get to the others. See if they need help and to stop Nirvana." 

"Agreed," Erza and Spike say in unison.

The trio run towards the throne area where it was blown up a while ago. Before Spike was fighting Midnight, Iron Rock Jura defeated Brain with not much effort. A tattoo disappears from Brain's body as his prayer was sent to Midnight. What led to the explosion at the throne room was a booby trap set up by Brain. It was Iron Rock Jura that saved Happy, Natsu, Lucy, and Gray. Brain's Skull Staff reveals to the survivors the story of Nirvana, its purposes, and the Cait Shelter Guild. Now, with all members of the Oracíon Seis is defeated, the Skull Staff announces fearfully that the Great One is coming. Brain's body illuminates and transforms into a new being. Revealing a whole new person that was contained within the six prayers. His name is Zero. Zero makes an appearance and obliterates everyone at ease. 

A few moments later, Zero is directing Nirvana to the Cait Shelter Guild. To destroy them so no one of their bloodlines can seal Nirvana away a second time. He can't wait to destroy and create carnage wherever he goes. Meanwhile, Wendy and Carla are traveling together. Wendy wants to find Jellal in hopes that he can stop Nirvana. As the two continue to find Jellal, they see him with Erza and Spike. 

"Is that Erza?" Carla sees Erza. 

"And Spike," Wendy is happy to see Spike. 

Jellal looks which made Erza and Spike look in the direction he's looking. Wendy laughs happily. 

"I found you," Wendy smiles. 

"Look who's here," Said Erza. 

"Good, a friendly face," Spike smiles. 

"You okay?" Asked Erza. 

Wendy nods and turns to Jellal. "It's good to see you." 

"Do I know you?" Jellal doesn't recognize Wendy. 

Wendy and Carla gasps. Wendy becomes sad. 

"Wendy, Jellal has amnesia. It may take time for him to recover his memories," Said Spike.

"Okay..," Wendy gasps. She sees Spike having a nosebleed.

"What?" Spike rubs his nose and sees blood. "Not again," Spike is trying to shrug off the migraine. He's still needed to take down Nirvana. 

"Are you okay?" Wendy asks. She is worried about Spike. 

"I'm fine. Just a little migraine after increasing my size to defeat Midnight."

"You defeated a member of the Oracíon Seis?" Carla asks, wondering if Spike did it alone or had help. 

"I sure did. It was hard but I managed," Spike smiles then clutches onto his head. He's hurting badly. 

"Sometimes for a young dragon, he gets this type of pain. It won't be long until he's adjusted to increasing his size without the migraines," Erza informs the girls. 

"Here, let me help you," Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Spike. She removes the migraine and causes Spike to stop having nosebleeds. 

"Oh, this is much better than that nutjob Ichiya's pain-killer parfume."

Erza shudders at the name, Ichiya. "Please, don't bring Ichiya into any conversation, Spike."

"Duly noted." 

"Thanks, Spike."

"Thanks, Wendy. For healing me. Sorry that I took off a while ago. I couldn't let Erza go on her own."

"You're welcome, Spike. Also, it's alright. I know you have good intentions."

"I concur, Spike," Said Carla. 

"Thanks, Carla."

"Wendy Marvell, right? Sorry, I don't remember you or anything," Said Jellal. 

"Since that's the case, then you've forgotten about stopping Nirvana, haven't you?" Asked Carla. 

"He tried to stop Nirvana with a self-destruction circle, but Brain deactivated it. Since now I'm feeling much better, I could increase my size again to greater lengths and try to destroy Nirvana," Spike suggests. 

"No," Said Erza. "I don't want you to overstress your body. There has to be another way." 

"Then.., what do we do?" Asked Wendy, not sure of how to stop Nirvana. 

A loud bang is heard, which startles everyone around. Nirvana starts shaking a bit. 

"What was that?" Asked Erza. 

Spike sees a swirling dark purple-black magic. "What is that?!" Spike points at it. 

"Oh no! Nirvana is about to destroy the Cait Shelter Guild!" Carla fearfully shouts. 

"What?!" Erza, Jellal, and Spike shout in unison. They are stunned to hear that Nirvana is about to destroy the guild. They run to the light. Wendy and Carla follow them. A few seconds later, they see the Cait Shelter Guild along with a lot of light and magic power. 

"This is not good! They're about to fire at the guild!" Spike shouts. He starts to panic. 

"Noo.., the guild..," Carla is speechless, not wanting to see the guild die. 

"Please NOOOOOOOOOO!" Wendy pleas and cries, not wanting to see her guild die. 

Zero fires Nirvana at the Cait Shelter Guild. As the magic power intensifies, Nirvana's attack misses its target. Magic missiles hit one of the legs of Nirvana from the sky. Multiple magic missiles hit Nirvana. Nirvana starts tilting as Wendy loses balance. Erza grabs Wendy's arm, pulling her closer. Spike looks up and wonders what cause Nirvana to misfire. 

"Erza! It's the Christina!" 

Erza looks up to see the Magic Bomber Christina flying in the air. She smiles as the Christina saves the day. Everyone around then all of a sudden hears Hibiki's voice in their heads.  

"Do you read me? Someone, anyone respond. Please, let me know you are okay," Hibiki instructs, hoping to find anyone to hear his message.

"I know that voice, it's Hibiki," Said Erza.

"Yea," Said Wendy. 

"I'm alright, Hibiki!" Spike shouts. 

Hibiki sees an Archive image of Erza, Wendy, and Spike. "Erza, Wendy, and Spike. Good to know you're alive and well." 

"In case you are wondering, I'm alive but not well," Said Ichiya. During his time, he was captured by a guild and left tied up on a pole. When Nirvana rose, the guild abandoned him to run for cover. Ichiya was lucky that he was in the middle of Nirvana.

"Master Ichiya, glad to hear it." 

"I can't believe it, I never expected to see the Magic Bomber to fly again," Said Erza. 

"Nor did we," Said Spike. "Last time we saw, the Oracíon Seis crippled the Magic Bomber." 

"How did you get her flying again?" Asked Wendy. 

"Hard work, and lots of it," Hibiki explains. "For a group of wizards who barely know each other, are pretty good working together to get the job done. Christina lost one of her wings when she was shot down. Lyon is using his Ice Maker Magic to replace it. Sherry is combining her Marionette Magic and Ren's Air Magic to keep the damage hold intact. Our attack on Nirvana was thanks to Eve's Snow Magic." 

"Thank you so much," Carla graciously said. 

"I used it to fuse a couple of Christina's magic bombs together... When fired, they did very little damage to Nirvana... Even though, they're so powerful.., That took, the last of my magic energy," Eve collapses. 

"We owe you one," Said Erza. 

"Because of you, my guild is safe. Thank you," Wendy graciously thanks everyone on the Christina. 

"I'm sure you can tell that everyone here is running low on magic energy. I'm afraid we cannot attack from the ship anymore. Power is too low. Just flying this far was hard enough. Don't worry, we're going to be fine. Listen up, there's one last thing. A little bit of good news. I've finally found what I've been looking for in the archives. I know how to stop Nirvana." 

Eyes widen in shock for everyone. The best good news they heard so far. Wendy and Carla become ecstatic. 

"Please, tell us," Erza commands. 

"You know the six appendages we thought there were legs? Well, they aren't. They're pipes. Apparently, they suck magic energy from the earth. Which then is used to power Nirvana. At the base of each leg is a lacrima that controls the supply of magic energy. If all six lacrimas are destroyed simultaneously, it'll wreak havoc on Nirvana's control system. Therefore, forcing it to shut down. They must be destroyed at once. Or the other five will simply repair the damaged one." 

"Simultaneously destroy six lacrima? How do we do that?"

"If I could, I maintain telepathy to timeout the strain. Try this, I'll give you guys each sync timer." Bars spawn above Erza, Wendy, Ichiya, Carla, and Spike's heads. "I'm uploading to you know but listen, guys. It has to be precise." 

"What? Twenty minutes?" Spike feels the timer ticking in his head. 

"That's when Nirvana will be fully charged and ready to fire again," Said Hibiki. 

"We have to destroy all six," Said Erza. 

"At once," Said Jellal. 

"Maaaan," Said Ichiya. 

"Is that so?" Zero hijacks Hibiki's telepathy. 

"Who are you?" Erza demands to know who interrupted Hibiki's telepathy. 

"It's that creepy Brain guy," Wendy said. 

"How is he able to hijack my telepathy?" 

"I am Zero. Master of the Oracíon Seis. Brain is no more. First of all, allow me to commend you. You fooled me. I never suspected that they might be other wizards capably of Archive Magic like Brain. Now heed my words, Wizards of Light! I am going to obliterate everything you hold dear. I've already begun by destroying three of your little friends. A Dragon Slayer. An Ice Wizard. And, a Celestial Wizard," Zero chuckles. "And, a cat." 

"He got Natsu and the others?" Hibiki is stunned to hear the bad news. 

"What did they ever do to you?!" Wendy shouts. 

"Did I hear you say something about destroying Nirvana's lacrima simultaneously? Well, you can try. I'm standing in front of one of them. And I have no intentions of leaving. As long as I'm here, it'll be impossible to destroy all six at once!" Zero disconnects himself from Hibiki's telepathy. 

"Though it seems impossible, we can destroy all six at once. We must split up and attack individually," Jellal suggests. "And hope we all strike at the same time."

"I probably have a better chance of defeating Zero," Said Spike. "I took down Midnight. I'll increase my size during the fight against Zero."

"It's too risky for you to go alone," Said Erza. "You need an ally to back you up." 

"Then, I can stall long enough for someone to defeat Zero as I take out the lacrima. We have one in a six chance of finding him. Time's wasting. We need to get moving." 

"You're forgetting something crucial here," Carla explains. "We don't have enough wizards to pull it off."

"And.., I can't fight..," Wendy feels ashamed. She apologizes. 

"Is there anyone strong enough to help us?" Asked Erza, looking up at the Christina. 

"Yes, my honey. I'm at your service but a little tied up at the moment."

"Master, Ichiya. That's four. Just need two more. Who else?" Hibiki falls back, feeling his magic draining. The Magic Bomber Christina is losing altitude as everyone else is being depleted of magic energy. "Can you hear our voices? Please respond."

"Yea.., we hear you," Said Natsu as he's getting up from the brutal attack by Zero earlier. 

"Destroy.., all six.., lacrima.., at one time..," Said Gray, catching his breath. 

"So, who's fighting Zero cause we want another crack at him," Said Lucy. "Right boys?" 

"Eighteen minutes left. We gotta hurry. We owe it to Carla and Wendy to protect their guild!" Happy claims. 

"Guys, my telepathy is about to wear out. A while ago, I uploaded a map to each of your mines. I numbered the lacrima so you can find them. Everyone chooses a number, okay? Then split up-" The Magic Bomber Christina starts to fall apart and descend.

"I'll take one," Spike and Natsu say in unison unexpectedly. 

"Two," Gray said. 

"Guess I'll take three," Said Lucy. "Please don't let Zero be there." 

"Then I shall take number four, I can tell it's closer to me thanks to the smell of its parfume." 

"You mean because you see it on the map," Said Erza, implying to Ichiya's statement. 

Ichiya is stunned and feels like a fool. "My honey, why insist on making a fool out of me." 

"I can take number five," Said Erza. 

"Erza, guess you're feeling better," Said Natsu, relieved to hear his friend's voice once more. 

"Yea, all thanks to you guys," Erza turns to Wendy. 

"That leads me with-" Erza cuts Jellal's speech. 

"You're left with number six," Said Erza, informing Jellal. 

"Who's voice did I hear just now?" Asked Natsu. "Is there someone there with you?" 

"Natsu hasn't been made aware of your situation yet. He still thinks your the enemy, so try to keep quiet." Jellal nods in understanding. 

The Christina crash lands along with losing Hibiki's telepathy to communicate with each other. After a quick speech, everyone heads on over to the lacrima sites to destroy them simultaneously. Spike hurries himself to site one. He meets up with Natsu as everyone else made it to the other lacrima sites. 

"Hey, Spike. How are you holding up?" 

"Pretty good, Natsu. I took down Midnight earlier. What about you?" 

Natsu's jaw drops. He can't believe that Spike took down Midnight. He's impressed cause earlier in the afternoon, he couldn't defeat Midnight in his sleep. 

"I'm impressed, Spike. I took down Cobra earlier. Turns out he's a Poison Dragon Slayer." 

"Wow. Hey, mind sharing some of your fire. I kinda need the energy." 

"Sure, give me some of yours," Spike breathes his fire on Natsu. Natsu breathes his fire on Spike. The two of them consume each other's fire as they are replenished. "Thanks, Spike." 

"No problem. Hope that'll be enough in case we see that Zero guy." 

Spike and Natsu walk further into Site One and see Zero stationed by the lacrima. 

"Fancy meeting you here, brats," Zero chuckles. "You looking for a fight? You two found one." 

"I wonder which of us will make it out alive," Natsu chuckles. Eager to fight. 

"I took down Midnight. You're going down Zero. Funny that your name is Zero cause you have zero chance against us." 

"Bold words from a baby dragon. Let's see if you live long enough to make that claim." 

"Ready?" Natsu looks at Spike.

"You know it!" Spike nods at Natsu. 

"Bring it, fools!" Said Zero, wanting to see what these two dragons can do. 

"Here we come!" Natsu and Spike say in unison. 

The two run after Zero. Natsu punches and kicks at Zero. Zero dodges all of Natsu's attack at ease with his hands behind his back. Spike conjures his metallic sparkling green flame sword. He uses his Flame Sword Slicer in hopes of hitting Zero. Zero dodges in mid-air. Natsu goes for his Fire Dragon Iron Fist attack on Zero. Zero grabs Natsu's fist and throws him at Spike. 

"Natsu, prepare for another attack!" 

"Understood!" 

Spike uses his breath to teleport Natsu. Zero becomes perplexed. 

"Where did he go, Dragon?" 

"Where he needs to be," Spike smirks. He powers up. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu yells as he crashes through the ceiling of Site One. "Brilliant Flame!" Natsu ignites both his hands in flames and brings them together, creating a fiery explosion hitting Zero. "Nice, trick Spike. That had him fooled." 

"Thank you, Natsu," Spike gasps as he hears the sound of clapping. 

"I'm astonished dragons," Zero continues to clap. "However, I'm twice as strong as Brain. Dark Capriccio!" A beam of darkness is fired from Zero's hand. He's able to maneuver the movements of his beam of darkness to attack Natsu and Spike. Natsu and Spike try their hardest to dodge his attack but winds up getting hit several times. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu punches Zero's Dark Capriccio attack but, his attack was for defense as the dark beam sends him back. He holds off the attack long enough to stop the piercing spell. 

"I must say, I'm surprised you were able to stop a piecing spell," Zero compliments. Then he sees Natsu getting blasted by a fire spell which knocks him down. "Who's there?!" Zero demands. He sees Jellal.

"Jellal!" Natsu yells. 

"Well, hello. I take it your memory has returned?" 

"Yes," Jellal responds. 

"You shouldn't have come here." Jellal stares at Natsu. "Jellal!" Natsu runs after Jellal. 

"Spike wants!" Spike starts growing in size. His arms, his legs, his tail are expanding. His arms grow muscular, his chest and stomach are becoming ripped. Spike's scales on his head expand into a pointer spike. His teeth grow into fangs. His eyes are the same as he is now, the size of Laxus when he transformed for a second time.

"What?" Zero turns to Spike. 

"Take this!" Spike punches Zero in the face, sending him hurtling towards the wall. 

"Why you little-" Spike grabs Zero and tosses him across the room. "Dark Capriccio!" A beam of darkness is fired from Zero's hand. 

Spike crosses his arms, creating a Sparkling Green Flaming Shield in front of him. Zero's beam of darkness couldn't pierce Spike's shield. 

"Impossible!" Zero shouts frustratedly. 

"Nothing is impossible," Spike grabs his shield and tosses it at Zero. Zero dodges and goes after Spike. "Fairy Dragon Roooooar!" Spike's fire breath is stronger this time. Zero takes the full impact of Spike's fire breath attack. He musters enough strength to keep walking through his breath attack. Spike continues to breathe fire until Zero punches him in the stomach. 

"Gotcha, you rodent! Dark Gravity!" Zero creates a hole that Spike fell into. "Dark Capriccio!" Zero shoots another beam of darkness, this time it pierces Spike on his side. 

"AAAAAAAAH!" Spike crash lands on the lower levels of Nirvana. He's no longer the size of Laxus. He's been reverted to his normal self. His migraine returns along with his nosebleed. "No.., I'm not out..," Spike feels his sides hurting him a lot. He looks up. "I have to get back up there..," His magic energy is depleting. 

Zero chuckles. "Had enough?" He's talking to the hole where Spike fell into. 

"You tell me!" Natsu tackles Zero, surprising Zero as he's forgotten about Natsu. Natsu uses his breath attack on Zero, causing him to crash into the ceiling. "Spike! I'll take care of Zero. You take care of the lacrima!" 

"I will!" Spike holds his side. "Scorch Zero for me, Natsu!" 

"I will!" Natsu turns his attention to Zero and proceeds on attacking him hand-to-hand. 

During the time Spike and Zero were fighting, Jellal gave Natsu the Golden Flame of Rebuke. Which allows Natsu to use his Dragon Force transformation. 

"I got it," Spike uses his magic energy to create a flame circle in front of him. "Let's see if it works..," Spike breathes his fire, igniting the circle to create a teleporter to the lacrima. He chuckles in pain a bit. "It worked..," Spike jumps in the circle and lands in front of the lacrima. He pants heavily from the pain and near exhaustion. "One last spell should do it..," Spike sits down to catch his breath. 

Natsu continues to fight Zero. Exchanging blow after blow on each other. Zero continues to unleash his dark magic on Natsu. Natsu continues to unleash his fire dragon magic on Zero. It comes to the point that Zero dominates Natsu in their fight. 

"You disappoint me, Dragon Slayer. I expected more from you." 

Natsu catches his breath. Spike lifts his claw, creating a fireball with the remaining magic energy he has left. 

"Just.., a little more..," Spike sees the timer counting down on its final minute. 

"You cannot defeat the Master of the Oracíon Seis. I'm more powerful than a lonely guild wizard like you could ever hope to be." Natsu slowly gets up. "It's a shame your friends aren't here to help you because you don't stand a chance against me on your own. Also, that baby dragon of yours couldn't do much to me. He's as useless as you are right now."

"I'm not on my own. Everyone is reaching out to me. I can hear them. Loud and clear. I hear everyone's voices, and they're telling me no matter what, I can't give up the fight. They're what keeps me going. They're the only reason why I'm still standing right now." 

"The time has arrived," Spike smiles. He conjured enough magic for his fireball. 

"They're so strong. I can feel my friends' determination." Natsu powers up even more. 

"Natsu!" Natsu looks at Spike. He's smiling "Take my remaining magic!" Spike tosses Natsu his fireball. 

Natsu catches it. "Thanks, buddy," Natsu consumes Spike's fireball and powers up tenfold. He now has the magic power to defeat Zero. "Dragon Slayer Secret Arts!" Zero is powering up his ultimate spell. "Flame Loaded Exploding, Flame Blade!" Natsu circularly swipes his arms, creating a powerful, and highly destructive, torrent of sparkling gold flames hitting Zero.

"Genesis Zero!" Zero conjures a large amount of Darkness Magic around his fingertips before, ultimately, unleashing it as a wave of countless phantoms that seek to erase Natsu's soul.  "History will come to an end before my eyes. A new era of nothingness shall be ushered in," Zero proclaims. His Genesis Zero spell engulfs Natsu. 

"Natsu!" Spike yells. 

"Your turn to die as well, baby rodent," Zero glares at Spike. 

Spike doesn't have the magic energy to defend himself. He becomes worried as he sees Zero powering up. Then, Spike sees a glow from Zero's spell. 

"No! It can't be!" Natsu shatters Zero's spell and dark phantoms. "How did he come back from the void?!" 

"He's not only a Dragon Slayer," Spike shouts confidently. "He's also a Fairy Tail Wizard!" Spike proclaims cheerfully. 

"NO! My magic is being burnt away!" Zero becomes worried as Natsu roars like his father, Igneel. "His lost magic gives him a power of a dragon, and it turns the power to defeat one." Natsu punches Zero in the face. "This boy is a true Dragon Slayer."

"I'm done playing games with you, pal. Dragon's Slayer Secret Art! Flame Loaded Phoenix Sword!" Natsu smashes Zero upwards, engulfing both of them in flames. Both of them then crash into the First Lacrima at the same time as Gray, Lucy, Ichiya, Wendy, and Erza destroying the lacrimas in different sites. 

"We did it! We stopped Zero and destroyed Nirvana!" Spike cheers loudly while holding his side in pain. He sees Natsu and Zero crashed into the lacrima on time. The pipes of Nirvana fall apart as Nirvana is trembling. 

Natsu gets up after the attack. He turns around to see Spike clutching to his side. He also sees Spike having another nosebleed. Spike throws his thumb up. 

Natsu chuckles. "We did it, Spike. We stopped Nirvana and we took down Zero," Natsu walks up to Spike. "High five, buddy," Natsu lowers himself to give Spike a high five. 

Spike does the high five. "Hey, think you can carry me for a bit. I'm worn out," Spike falls to his knees. He clutches his head as his migraine worsens. 

"Sure, Spike," Natsu picks up Spike. The floors start to crumble as Natsu and Spike fall into the hole. Jellal grabs Natsu's hand. "Jellal!" 

"Nice catch," Spike looks up.

"I got you." 

"Look out!" Spike shouts as rubble falls on them.  Jellal falls in with Spike and Natsu.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" They scream in unison until someone grabs them and brings them to safety. 

Minutes after Nirvana fell, Hoteye rises from the ground with Spike, Natsu, and Jellal. Everyone that escaped Nirvana's fall is happy to see them survived. Spike is perplexed with Hoteye saving them. 

"Love drives to save our friends, oh yeah!" Said Hoteye. 

"Natsu! Spike!" Wendy and Erza happily call out. 

"There he is, always making the dramatic entrance," Said Gray. 

"What? Weren't you talking about money earlier today?" Spike asks in confusion.

"It's a long story but, Richard is on our side. I'll explain more later."

Hoteye puts down Jellal, Natsu, and Spike. Wendy runs up and hugs Spike. 

"Oof, careful.., hehe," Spike has another nosebleed. "I hate to ask but, can you heal me again?" 

"You transformed, didn't you?" Erza looks down at Spike, giving him a glare. 

"I did. I held Zero long enough for Natsu to finish him."

"Hey, did you guys know that Spike can teleport using his flames?" Natsu said, patting Spike's head. 

"He can do what now?" Gray asks in confusion. 

"Oh, yea. Spike mentioned that to me a while back ago," Lucy confirms. 

"He teleported me in the air, and I got to smash Zero with my flames." 

"Spike, stay still," Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Spike once more. His migraine and nosebleed go away. 

"Thanks, Wendy. You're the best," Said Spike, feeling a lot better.

"If it weren't for you and Natsu, Cait Shelter would have been wiped out." 

"Well, there was no way we could have done it on our own. It was each of us that helped. Thanks, you guys," Said Natsu. 

"You saved our guild," Said Wendy. 

"No, we saved your guild," Said Spike. 

"I didn't do much," Said Wendy. 

"You've done more than you think, Wendy. You healed Erza and me. I know you destroyed a lacrima since Jellal was the one who amplified Natsu with a gold flame. Your support magic was crucial, Wendy. I knew you'll have an important role the moment you came to the gathering," Said Spike as he smiles. 

"You're right," Wendy smiles as she becomes teary. "Thanks for the confidence, Spike," Wendy kisses Spike on his cheek as gratitude. Spike blushes a bit as he's in limbo. 

"Cute," Said Lucy. 

Natsu lies down as Wendy starts healing him. 

"I'm glad everyone made it out of there okay," Said Happy. 

"It was close, excellent work by all involved," Said Jura.  

"I think it's time for a group hug. Who's with me?" Said Ichiya. When he destroyed the lacrima earlier, he used a power parfume. He is tall as Jura and brolic. 

"Forget it, creep," Lucy said, not wanting to be hugged by a Blue Pegasus playboy. 

"Hey, speaking of creeps, who's that?" Gray said, looking at Jellal. 

"I don't know," Lucy replies. 

"Another pretty boy from Blue Pegasus?" Gray asks. 

"That's Jellal," Spike answers. 

"You kidding me?!" Gray freaks a bit. 

Lucy panics. "Oh no, not him again!" 

"He's changed. He's not the same man we dealt with before," Said Erza. 

"He completely lost his memory," Wendy informs the two. 

"He was crucial during our fight against Zero. He helped Natsu by amplifying his Dragon Slaying Magic," Said Spike. "I transformed and kept Zero occupied until it was Natsu's turn to take him. I thought I could after defeating Midnight." 

"You defeated Midnight?!" Lucy, Gray, and Hoteye say in unison. They can't believe that Spike defeated Midnight. 

"He did. Jellal and I witnessed his power in defeating Midnight a while back ago. He's grown stronger," Said Erza. 

"Hey, Spike," Hoteye looks down on him. "I want to apologize for attacking you earlier. My mind wasn't in the right place. I joined the Oracíon Seis to earn enough money to find my long-lost brother." 

"I accept your apology. I hope we can be friends in the future." 

"We shall be friends, oh yeah!" Hoteye smiles. 

Spike sees Erza walking up to Jellal.

"I wanted to thank you. Honestly, we couldn't have done this without your help," Erza smiles. 

"Erza, that's not true. I didn't do anything worthy or such praise. Not at all," Jellal looks down. 

"Actually, that's not true," Spike walks up to them. "You've done more than you think. You tried to stop Nirvana by using a self-destruction circle.  You gave Natsu the much-needed firepower to take down Zero. You tried to save me and Natsu from falling. You did good and it worked out better than anticipated."

"Still, I don't think I deserve the praise..," 

"Stop doubting yourself. What you were back then, doesn't define who you are today." 

"Your words are encouraging, Spike. Thank you," Jellal nods at Spike. 

"You're welcome," Spike leaves Erza and Jellal be. 

"So, what would you do now?" Erza asks, wanting to know Jellal's next motives. 

"Good question, I wish I knew." 

"It's alright. I'm sure you're not the only one in that position. Who knows what tomorrow has in store." 

"I'm afraid..," Jellal becomes emotional. 

"Of what?" 

"My memory, of it returning."

"Don't be. It wouldn't change anything," Erza said reassuringly. "Even if we become enemies again, it wouldn't change the fact that I care about you."

"You do?"

"More than you know," Erza smiles. Shedding some light on how she feels about Jellal. 

"My handsome face!" Ichiya slams his face into an invisible barrier. Everyone around turns to Ichiya's discomfort. 

"Huh?" Natsu is confused with Ichiya's tactics. 

"There a problem meathead?" Asked Gray. 

"I wanted to go make a letter of the alphabet, but I ran into an invisible wall," Ichiya tries to force his way through the invisible wall. 

"Look, there's weird writings on the ground," Said Wendy. 

"Those are magic runes," Spike confirms. Remembering the time Freed used ancient runes to create barriers during the Fairy Tail Battle Royal. 

"An enchantment?!" Everyone says in unison. 

"Maaaaan! I really need to pee, you guys!" Ichiya exclaims as he's holding it in. 

"Who would do such a thing?" Carla asks, wanting to know who would place an enchantment to trap them. 

"How come we didn't notice who cast it?" Asked Happy. 

"How are we going to get out?" Lucy asks. 

"Okay, who did this? Show yourselves!" Natsu demands. 

An army wearing white robes surrounds the wizards trapped within the enchantment. 

"Who are all these people?" Wendy asks nervously. 

"Let me go.., please..," Ichiya really wants to pee. 

"There's no need to panic," One of them steps forward. "We mean you no harm. Sorry about this, but we were forced to do something to restrain you." 

"Who the heck are you?" Happy asks. Wanting to know who the punk is. 

"I am the Captain of the New Magic Council Fourth Custody Enforcement Unit, Lahar. And this is my army." 

"What?" Natsu freaks out. 

"There's a new Magic Council?" Said Gray in shock. 

"Sure didn't take them long," Said Lucy. 

"It is my duty to uphold the law and preserve justice throughout the land. So, all evildoers must be arrested." 

"We're not evildoers," Carla explains. 

"I don't get why we're in trouble when we didn't do anything wrong?" Happy states. 

"Please, not that we know of," Said Natsu, in fear of the Magic Council. 

"That's not going to sell them our innocence, Natsu," Said Lucy. 

"I'm not here to arrest you," Lahar states. "I've been ordered to take the Oracíon Seis into custody. I ask if you please cooperate and hand over the member codenamed Hoteye." 

"No! Never!" Jura shouts in defense of Richard. Lahar's army is positioning themselves to fight. 

"It's alright, I'll surrender." 

"Richard, why?" 

"I cannot fully embrace the life of virtue when my past transgressions continue to haunt me. This is my chance to atone for my sins. It's best I have a clean slate when I find my brother. That way, I have nothing to hide. Don't you agree?" 

Jura smiles. "Indeed. May I continue the search for your brother in your stead?" 

"You do that for me?" 

"I would be honored. I just need his name."

"His name is Wally. Wally Buchanan." 

Natsu, Happy, Gray, Lucy, Spike, and Erza remember the name. They can't believe that Wally is Hoteye's brother. 

"He's your brother?" Said Erza. 

"The blockhead?!" Happy, Natsu, Gray, and Lucy say in unison and shock. 

"I miss him dearly. He was a good kid. He was the best little brother a guy could ask for. My brother and I struggled to survive after losing both of our parents. It was a trying time. We worked diligently in growing vegetables in our vigor garden. Unfortunately, when it came time for the harvest, we were left disappointed. However, in the midst of our sadness, we grew one potato and shared it. Even though many years have passed since that day, I can still remember the taste of that potato." 

"I know your brother, Richard," Erza walks up to Richard and Jura. It got both of their attention. 

"You do?" Jura asks. 

"Yes. He's an old friend of mine. He's happily traveling the continent right now." 

Richard starts crying after hearing the best news of his life. "All these years, I kept telling myself that if I stay positive, a miracle would happen and Lord behold it has. Thank you." Richard walks to the prisoner's wagon with Lahar's two soldiers. 

"He's on his path to redemption," Said Spike. 

"I feel kinda bad for him," Lucy states. 

"Me too," Happy concurs. 

"I guess it can't be helped," Said Gray. 

"It must have been difficult but I think he made the right decision," Said Carla. 

"C'mon, help me out here," Ichiya is pleading to be set free to pee. "If you don't undo the enchantment, I'm going to wet myself." 

"Sorry, but I'm afraid that's simply not an option at this time. Not till we capture our true objective. A fiend who infiltrated and destroyed the Magic Council and fired the Etherion cannon. A man more villainous than the Oracíon Seis. Truly black of heart. I'm referring to you, Jellal. Let's go. Know that if you resist, we have explicit orders to kill you." 

Erza is stunned. She doesn't want to see Jellal be locked up for the rest of his life. 

"Leave him alone!" Wendy orders. 

"You're making a mistake man," Said Natsu. 

"Jellal Fernandez is a criminal. Society is in danger as long as he roams free. He must be brought to justice." The Magic Council places Jellal in cuffs. "Jellal Fernandez. You are hereby under arrest. For crimes against the kingdom." 

"No, please don't take him away," Wendy pleads. "It's not fair. He doesn't know what he's done. All of his memories are completely erased." 

"Ignorance of one's crimes is no defense. Penal code section thirteen states this explicitly," Lahar explains. "You may remove the barrier now." 

"Yes sir," A Rune Knight says. 

"Hold on," Said Wendy. 

"It's alright. I will not resist arrest," Jellal looks at Wendy. "Please, forgive me. I wish I can remember you. I'm sorry that I cannot." 

Spike ponders a bit as something doesn't add up. He'll ask Wendy about her relationship with Jellal later. 

"When she was lost and alone, you found her wandering and saved her life," Carla said, hoping Jellal can remember that moment in time. 

"Did I? I may never know the harm I inflicted upon you and countless others but, at least I know that at some point, I helped one person. Erza," Erza looks down. "I won't forget your kindness." Jellal starts walking with the Rune Knights. 

"I can't let this happen.., I can't let them take him away like this. It's not right. All these years he was sleepwalking in the darkness. He's finally let in the light again, they can't shut him away..," Erza thought to herself as she becomes emotional. Spike and Natsu see tears streaming on Erza's face. 

"You have any more parting words?" Lahar asks. 

"No," Jellal replies.

"You'll get at least a life sentence. That's if you're lucky." 

"No way," Lucy heard what Lahar said to Jellal. 

"In any case, you'll never see these people ever again." 

Wendy breaks down. "He's gone." Spike does his best to comfort Wendy. 

"I will not let him go," Erza decrees. 

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Natsu grabs two of the Rune Knights' faces. Erza and Jellal perks up. 

"Natsu!" Gray yells. 

"I don't think that's a good idea," Said Lucy, worried that Natsu will be arrested. 

Natsu starts fighting with the Rune Knights. 

"Stop this," Lahar commands. 

"Out of my way!" Natsu tries to get closer and knocks some Rune Knights down. "He's one of us! That means he comes with us!" 

"Natsu," Wendy cries out a bit. 

"No, don't do this," Jellal pleads to Natsu. 

"Subdue that man!" Lahar orders his army. They charge at Natsu. 

Natsu charges. Erza watches. Gray steps in to provide cover for Natsu, taking down some of the Rune Knights. 

"Keep going, Natsu," Gray advises Natsu to do what's right. He continues to fight the Rune Knights. "Give up, there's no way you can stop him." 

Spike decides not to intervene. He doesn't have the magic energy to help fight off the Rune Knights. Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Ichiya, and Jura starts fighting the Rune Knights. Some of them grab Lucy and Wendy. Spike is deciding to increase his size to protect his friends. 

"That's enough!" Erza shouts, everyone stops engaging in battle. "I apologize for this disturbance. It's gone too far. I'm the one to blame. Now please.., take him away." 

"But why?!" Natsu complains. 

"Sit down!" Erza commands. 

Natsu sits down, not wanting to displease Erza. "Yes, Ma'am." 

Jellal walks and remembers one thing about Erza. "I remember, it was the color of your hair," Jellal steps in the wagon. "Farewell, old friend."

Lahar and his army leave the wizards, taking the fugitives away. Hours later, everyone around sits down and relaxes. Erza decides to take the time and be alone for a while. Spike is using this time to put the pieces in place about Jellal's involvement with Erza's and Wendy's lives. Spike turns to Wendy first. 

"Hey, Wendy. Mind telling me what's your relationship with Jellal?"

"Sure. It was seven years ago.  After Grandeeney left me, I wandered. Crying about being abandoned. It was then I saw Jellal for the first time. He asked why I was crying. I ran to him, hugged him about being abandoned. For the next month, we traveled together. He was like an older brother to me. He took great care of me and we saw a good portion of the world and its beauty. Then one day, he said anima. I don't know what that is. For whatever reason, he sensed it and wanted to depart. I begged him not to. I wanted to be with him. Jellal is the reason why I'm in Cait Shelter. He took me to Cait Shelter and left me. I owe him so much cause he was there for me in my time of need. That was why I resurrected him when the Oracíon Seis took me. As much as Happy told me not to and knowing all the bad things, it felt right for me to do so."

"Wow, Jellal saved you and you returned the favor."

"Yep. Now you know why I have a strong connection with him. I wish he'd remembered me." 

Spike takes a deep breath and gets up. "Thanks for telling me your story. I hope you feel better. I'll be back in a bit."

Lucy sees Spike walking in the opposite direction after he spoke with Wendy. "Where are you going, Spike?" 

"I need to comfort a friend of mine. I'll be back momentary." Spike leaves and goes on a small walk. He knows where Erza is sitting and feels the need to comfort her. 

Erza is using the time alone to remember all the good times she had with Jellal at the Tower of Heaven when they were younger. She remembers the day when she got her last name. It was Jellal that gave her the name, Scarlet. She tears up as the man she got back is now gone forever. 

"Erza?" Spike calls Erza's name. In Erza's mind, she hears Jellal calling to her. She turns and sees him. 

"Spike..," Erza wipes her tear. Not wanting to cry in front of Spike. 

"It's okay to be sad," Spike sits down. "I'm sorry that you had to lose the person you loved." 

Erza sniffs as she remembers what Jellal said to her all those years ago. All Jellal has to do is remember Erza's pretty hair to remember her name. "Jellal..," Erza can't hold back her tears. 

"Need a hug?" Spike offers one. Erza grabs Spike and cries loudly as the sun rises. "Let it all out, Sis," Spike rubs her back a little as Erza continues to cry. Wendy sees how Spike is treating Erza and appreciates it. She kinda wishes Spike will do the same with her soon. 

After a while, Jura and Ichiya decide to look for the rest of the alliance guild members and regroup. Wendy tells them to head on over to Cait Shelter. Erza and Spike walk down to meet with everyone else. Erza remains silent but is glad that Spike help comforted her. Even though she wished to be alone. Wendy escorts everyone to the Cait Shelter guild to put on a new set of clothes. Spike is with the guys but decides not to put on any clothes. He's fine the way he is. Jura and Ichiya announce it was time to head to the center of the Cait Shelter Guild as the Master of Cait Shelter want to thank them. Spike sees the ladies walking down to meet up with the rest. 

"Fairy Tail. Blue Pegasus. Lamia Scale. Not to mention Wendy and Carla. I commend your efforts not only in defeating the Oracíon Seis but saving our village from Nirvana's wrath. Speaking as a representative of our regional guild leaders, I Rouboul offer my deepest gratitude, thank you. We are in your debt."

"We were happy to help you," Ichiya poses. "Master Rouboul. It was a hard-fought victory. Against a ferocious opponent. From the deepest darkest depths of the spell, light shined down on us. It was the bright and warming glow and true friendship. We followed all the way to victory," Ichiya poses some more as the Trimen clap and congratulates on a well-spoken speech. 

"I suppose it's over now," Sherry said with less love. 

"You two should know," Jura puts both his hands on Lyon and Sherry. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, sir," Said Lyon graciously. 

"Hey, we deserve a victory party!" Natsu suggests. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy chimes in. 

Ichiya starts dancing with the Trimen. Lucy, Gray, Happy, and Natsu partake in the dancing. Wendy joins in but Spike notices the demeanor on Rouboul's face which causes him not to partake in the celebration. He feels there is more in store than anyone realizes. Everyone stops and sees the look on Master Rouboul's face. 

"I'm truly sorry, I've neglected my duty to tell you about the Nirvit people. Please accept my sincere apology."

"It's alright, Master. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Said Wendy, speaking for everyone else.  

Master Rouboul tells everyone it is important to tell his tale. He tells one of the most shocking truths. Master Rouboul reveals that Cait Shelter are not descendants of the Nirvit people. He reveals that they are the Nirvit themselves. Four hundred years ago, Nirvana was created. Fashioned by his hands. 

"No way!" Spike shouts. He can't believe that Master Rouboul was the engineer of Nirvana's creation. 

"By you?" Lyon is startled to hear such a thing. 

"I don't believe it," Said Lucy. 

Everyone is having a hard time captivating the information. Master Rouboul continues with his tale by revealing the true purpose of Nirvana. To erase the darkness of the world and stop the wars within the world. By doing so, a different chain reaction occurred. The Nirvits that lived in Nirvana turned and killed each other due to the darkness Nirvana contained. Rouboul reveals as the sole survivor of Nirvit's downfall. Technically he can't call himself a survivor cause his body stopped functioning years ago. What everyone is seeing is a projection of the man he once was. 

"A projection? You're a walking spirit?" Spike asks. 

"Yes. As punishment for my sins, I remain in place, watching over until the one who can destroy Nirvana can sign it to the pages of history. And now, I am no longer needed."

Wendy is devastated to hear the news. The dark truths of the Cait Shelter Guild. "No.., why didn't you tell me..?"

Master Rouboul releases his projections as his time is up. That he can be set free into the afterlife. Wendy and everyone around are in shock to see Cait Shelter members disappearing left and right. 

"What's happening? Don't go!" Wendy cries a bit, seeing her friends going away.

"You can't just leave us!" Carla can't believe what she's seeing. 

"Everyone's disappearing," Hibiki said, he can't explain what's going on and why it's happening. 

"Why are you doing this?" Wendy is sad and confused. "Please don't go," Wendy is in tears. 

"I deceived you, Wendy. For that, I'm deeply sorry," Master Rouboul said, seeing the sadness in Wendy and Carla's eyes. "All your fellow guild members were spectors. They were nothing but illusions." Wendy gasps. 

"Are you kidding me?!" Natsu is in shock. 

"Illusions with their own personalities?" Lyon couldn't believe what he heard. 

"That takes powerful creation magic," Jura implies. 

"For many years, I lived in this deserted village alone. Always keeping a watchful eye over Nirvana. Until one day when a boy came to me with a companion needing help." Wendy remembers Jellal. Him being the one who brought her there. "His eyes burned with such intensity and sincerity that I simply had no choice but to take the little girl in. I resigned myself to a solitary existence but there she was. I filled the village with apparitions so she wouldn't be alone." 

"You created an entire guild just for Wendy?" Lucy asks in a rhetorical. 

"Wow. That's cool and messed up at the same time..," Spike turns to Wendy. She is freaking out with the sudden news. 

"No one I cared for is a real person?! How could you do something so cruel to me, Master?!" 

"Don't fret my dear. Calm down. Now you and Carla don't need those imaginary friends," Master Rouboul points to the alliance guilds behind Wendy and Carla. "You're surrounded by real friends who care for you," Master Rouboul laughs happily, knowing that Wendy is in good hands. Wendy continues to cry a bit more, it's becoming too much for her to handle emotionally. "A bright future awaits you. Embrace it with open arms," Master Rouboul's projection disintegrates as his spirit is about to ascend to heaven. 

"Master!" Wendy runs up to her master. She doesn't want him to go after all these years of living with the Cait Shelter Guild. 

"To each and every one of you, I owe my deepest gratitude. I know I can leave Wendy and Carla in your hands," Master Rouboul is now gone. 

Wendy and Carla's Cait Shelter emblem disintegrate as well. Wendy falls to her knees as she continues to cry. Spike sees how heartbroken Wendy is. 

"Maaasteeeer!" Wendy calls out in tears. Spike and Erza on cue hugs and comforts Wendy. Erza extends her hand on Wendy as Spike hugs Wendy. Wendy hugs Spike back as she cries into his arms. First losing Jellal forever, now the Cait Shelter Guild as well. 

"I know all too well, the pain of losing a loved one. But, you'll heal. We'll help you," Said Erza calmly and assuringly. 

"You will..?" Wendy turns to Erza. 

"We will," Spike smiles at Wendy, to assure her that she'll be in good hands. 

"How?" Wendy asks. 

"Come with us. Be a part of Fairy Tail." 

"You want me in Fairy Tail?" Wendy becomes ecstatic a bit. 

"I want you to join us," Said Spike. "Dragons stick together, hehe." 

"Alright, I'll join Fairy Tail," Wendy looks at Erza. 

An hour later. Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, and Lamia Scale bid their farewells. Spike says it was an honor to meet everyone and hopes to see them soon. Jura asks Erza to give his warmest regards to Master Makarov. Lyon mentions to Gray about fixing his stripping problem. Gray retorts at Lyon for being a hypocrite. Carla and Wendy go with Fairy Tail to the docks to board a ship. 

Another hour later, team Fairy Tail is on their way back to Magnolia. Spike is watching the ocean's view but kept thinking about Jellal. According to Erza, Jellal spent his time working at the Tower of Heaven. According to Wendy, Jellal spent time traveling and seeing the world. After much thought, Erza appears behind Spike. 

"Something on your mind, Spike?" 

"Yes, actually." 

Erza sits next to Spike. "What's up?" 

"It's about what transpired with Jellal. You said many years ago, Jellal was with you at the Tower of Heaven as slaves."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Wendy told me that seven years ago, she and Jellal spent time traveling the world together. I've been thinking about it."

"Seven years ago..?" Erza thinks about it and it doesn't add up. Jellal spent most of his years at the Tower of Heaven. Sure there is Segrain but he was more active with the Magic Council. 

"Erza, I don't think the Jellal Wendy healed is hers. I believe her Jellal is none other than Mystogan."

Erza steps back a bit in shock. She thinks about it. Mystogan would be the more realistic choice of being with Wendy during those times. Jellal was more focused on the Tower of Heaven and nothing more. It makes sense. Over a week ago, she'd seen Mystogan's true identity. He looked like her Jellal then disappeared. 

"So, are you going to tell her?" 

"I don't think so. I don't want her to feel any more confusion and sadness with what has transpired. Especially hearing the news about Cait Shelter and seeing all of them vanished."

Erza takes a deep breath. "Very well. I won't tell her either."

Erza and Spike see how happy Natsu is. Being able to enjoy the boat ride with no motion sickness whatsoever. Wendy warns that her healing spell doesn't last forever. After a few moments, Natsu's motion sickness kicks in. He pleads with Wendy to cure him. Wendy says it only works a few times and that's it. Gray jokes around saying it's back to barf bags. 

"We're joining Fairy Tail. This is so exciting," Wendy couldn't help but smile. 

"So are you," Spike nearly said out loud for everyone to hear. 

"What was that?" Wendy turns to Spike. 

Spike covers his mouth. "Oh, nothing. Just really happy to have you and Carla in our guild." "Am I falling in love with Wendy Marvell?" Spike thought to himself. "I think I am. This time, I have better luck with someone around my age."

With the Oracíon Seis locked up, Lucy gains three new Celestial Spirits. Gemini, Aries, and Scorpio. They decided to work with Lucy, knowing she is the perfect Celestial Wizard to be contracted to. Two hours later, the ship docks in Hargeon. Everyone gets off the ship. Spike carries Natsu due to his motion sickness rendering him useless. 

"Here you go, Natsu. Think you can walk?" 

"Yea.., I can.., Thanks, Spike." 

"You're welcome."

An hour later, they arrive back at the Fairy Tail Guild. Erza explains the whole trip in detail. Especially with the newest additions to the guild, Wendy and Carla. The guys in the guild are happy to see Wendy. 

"We're so glad you made it back safely," Mirajane said happily. 

"It was brutal," Spike walks with Erza to the Master and Mirajane. "Thanks for choosing and believing in me, Master Makarov." 

"You're welcome. I'm surprised that you defeated Midnight all on your own. Well done, Fairy Dragon. Great work, Erza. I'm sure things will quiet down now that the Oracíon Seis are out of the picture. Thanks for bringing two precious yet powerful additions to the guild back with you."

"You're welcome, Master." 

Mirajane walks up to Wendy and Carla, welcoming the two to Fairy Tail. Wendy reveals to everyone that she's a Sky Dragon Slayer. Everyone is stunned to hear the news. They cheer loudly as they have another Dragon Slayer. Now they have three Dragon Slayers and an actual dragon in the guild. No other guild has that feat. Everyone starts welcoming Wendy and Carla more. Gajeel becomes jealous that he's the only Dragon Slayer who doesn't have a cat friend like Wendy and Natsu do.  

"Alright everyone, listen up! Let's welcome our new members the way only Fairy Tail can!" Makarov decrees and everyone celebrates. "Now eat, drink, and make merry!" Everyone starts to have fun, the energy of joy and glee is in the air. 

"Everyone is so lively and filled with happiness," Wendy happily expresses. 

"Keep your guard up, child," Said Carla. 

"You know, it was this wild when I became a member of the Fairy Tail guild." 

"By the way, how did you become a member of the guild in the first place, Spike?" 

"Long story, Carla. Very depressing too. I'll explain later. Right now, let's have some fun!" 

After a long day of partying and celebrating, Spike and Lucy let everyone know they are leaving. Wendy and Carla start to worry about their sleeping conditions. Mirajane told them about the girl's dorm that Fairy Tail has. They'll be living there from now on. 

"Wow, what a day that was, huh Lucy?" Spike asks as he's walking up the stairs into their apartment. 

"Yea. Not only I got three new Celestial Spirits, we have new friends in the Fairy Tail Guild." Lucy opens the door to the apartment. 

"Aaah," Spike sits on the bed and leans back. "Home sweet home." 

"No kidding," Lucy does the same. "I can't believe you were able to defeat Midnight." 

Spike chuckles a bit. "I couldn't believe it either. I thought Jellal and/or Erza would have stepped in to help me. I guess Sis wanted to see what I can do on my own." 

"Well, congrats on earning your first victory, Spike. Also, thanks for your encouraging words earlier." 

"What encouraging words?" 

"That I shouldn't beat myself. That I'm stronger than I think. It's true. I am stronger. With the help of Hibiki, I was able to defeat Angel."

"Congrats, Lucy. Also, those Celestial Spirits are cool. I can't wait to work with them when we go on our next job." 

"Speaking of jobs. How do you feel about the one we went on?" 

"Oh, it was amazing. The adventure of a lifetime. The thrills, the chills, blood, sweat, and tears. Working together, compromising, and caring about each other. Best adventure I've ever been a part of," Spikes takes a satisfying breath. "I can't wait for more to come. Best wish that ever came true." Spike yawns and gets off of Lucy's bed. "I'm going to bed, Lucy."

"Same with me," Lucy gets off the bed. She grabs her pajamas from the drawer and puts them on. 

Spike gets into his sleeping bag. He smiles, knowing that he can't wait to see the most beautiful girl. Wendy Marvell. He blushes just thinking about her.

"Hey, Lucy." 

"What's up, Spike?" Lucy gets in bed. 

"I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring." 

"We will see what tomorrow will bring. An adventure on a job together or something greater to remember." 

Spike sighs happily. "Night, Lucy. See you tomorrow." 

"Night, Spike. See you tomorrow."
> A Cold Storm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been several weeks since Discord granted Spike's wish. Discord has been residing in the Crystal Empire as Spike. He has been enjoying his time and the affections of many Crystal Ponies, especially Flurry Heart. Spike (Discord) has been working with Princess Cadance from time to time, playing with Flurry Heart, learning how to be a commander for his very own Crystal Guard Squadron, and spending time with his new family. During his tenure in the Crystal Empire, making friends wasn't hard when being the center of attention. Spike (Discord) is enjoying it too much. What should be dull to him is not. It's weird and exciting to live a life as someone else.

Today is a new day as Spike (Discord) wakes up. A Crystal Guard knocks on his door.

"Brave and Glorious, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor want to see you in the throne room."

"Any reason why?" Spike (Discord) asks as he's yawning.

"It's about a Canterlot Friendship Festival. Princess Cadance will explain furthermore with you."

"Alright, then. Thank you, Captain Amythest."

"You're welcome, Brave and Glorious."

Spike (Discord) gets up and gets ready. He's eager to know what Princess Cadance has in store about telling him about the Friendship Festival. As he walks up to the throne room, many Crystal Guards wave at Spike and greets him with a good morning. Spike (Discord) feels happy to be among the Crystal Ponies since moving in. Something he didn't think he'll be enjoying. Spike (Discord) enters the throne room. He sees Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Sunburst.

"Morning, everypony," Spike (Discord) walks to Princess Cadance's throne.

"Morning, Spike," Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Sunburst say in unison.

Flurry Heart flies out of her crib and lands in Spike's (Discord) arms. He hugs her, showing much love as a big brother would.

"Now that you're here, Spike. I can inform you about the Friendship Festival taking place in Canterlot."

"What about it?" Spike (Discord) acts like he's confused.

"Princess Celestia and Luna have invited you to the Friendship Festival hosted by Twilight Sparkle."

Spike (Discord) gags a bit after hearing Twilight Sparkle's name. Discord is trying to make it sound awful as possible. Flurry Heart tries her best to help soothe Spike's unease tensions by being adorable.

"I know it sounds difficult but, hear me out before making your decision, Spike."

Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. "Alright, what you have to say?"

"For the Friendship Festival to reach a higher peak, another species has to be present with pony kind. With some dragons in our world still not too keen on pony kind, Celestia and Luna want you to be our Dragon Representative. Ever since Ember has found out about the situation with you and Twilight, she's deciding to end the truce between Dragons and Ponies. With the thought of Dragons being inferior to pony kind and used as slaves, it has drawn a lot of tension. We need to keep the peace with Dragons and Ponies, so we don't have a war on our hooves."

Spike (Discord) scratches the back of his head. "I don't know. What if this Friendship Festival is a ploy for Twilight and the others to get my attention and beg me into submission?"

"During your presence at Canterlot, Twilight and her friends are forbidden to see and come close in contact with you. They will be aware of you being there but, Canterlot Royal Guard will keep a keen eye on their activity. Princess Celestia and Luna already warned them of coming close contact with you due to their..," Princess Cadance could not finish that sentence. It still breaks her heart knowing what Twilight Sparkle and her friends had put Spike through the years.

Spike (Discord) sighs. "I know. I don't think they can take no for an answer either."

"Which is why you'll be by my side during the Friendship Festival. I will have the guard escort you when I come in close contact with Twilight Sparkle on other official matters. The same applies when I'm with Celestia, Luna, and Twilight. I guarantee you'll have a fun time at the Festival."

"Thank you, Cadance. What are you doing, Shining Armor?"

"Well, today is take your daughter to workday. So, I'm taking Flurry Heart with me."

"What about you, Sunburst?" Spike (Discord) asks.

"Keeping an eye on Flurry Heart. Alicorn babies need two supervisors. In case she starts losing control of her magic, again."

"Fair enough." Spike (Discord) replies. "Though around me, she never uses her magic. She's always calm and happy. Maybe today will be the day Flurry Heart rips Sunburst's goatee."

"We will be leaving in an hour, Spike. The Festival is later today," Princess Cadance smiles.

"We flying there or taking the train or what?"

"We're flying."

"Sounds good to me. I'm going to eat up before we leave," Spike (Discord) pats his belly.

"Sounds good. See you in an hour in front of the Crystal Heart."

Spike (Discord) gives Flurry Heart to Cadance. Cadance smiles and hugs her baby lovingly. Spike (Discord) heads to the kitchen. He makes a sandwich (which is bread with paper in it) and chocolate milk. He turns the gemstones into rock candy to munch on as well. After his breakfast, Spike (Discord) walks down to the Crystal Heart. He sees his peers cheering for him.

"We love you, Brave and Glorious Spike!" The Crystal Ponies cheer and chants. 

"Love you all. Thank you for making me feel at home throughout my tenure here," Spike (Discord) smiles. 

"You're welcome," They reply. 

As Spike (Discord) takes some pictures with the Crystal Ponies, Princess Cadance comes down to inform Spike that Princess Celestia has sent her Royal Guards to come and pick them up. Spike (Discord) nods in understanding. He's eager to see how today will play out. Discord's clone is visiting Princess Twilight Sparkle at the Castle of Friendship before going to Canterlot. 

"What do you mean I can't go to the Friendship Festival?" Discord (clone) complains a bit. 

"We don't need a Draqonecuus stirring trouble in Canterlot," Said Twilight as she's packing. 

"Me, Causing trouble? That's profound, Twilight," Discord is hovering in the air, circulating Twilight Sparkle. 

"Look, in case you've forgotten, Dragons are not keen with ponies right now. The last thing we need is something chaotic from you to stir things up," Said Twilight, serious. 

"Do you really think I would cause chaos when I'm reborn as a new creature of Friendship?"

"Yes!" Twilight closes her luggage in frustration. "Look. I don't want you. I don't need you when trying to make peace with another species." 

"Says the Princess that booted Spike out of her life," Discord retorts. 

Twilight Sparkle takes a deep breath. She hates it when Discord brings up the fact she and her friends screwed up with Spike. It's a painful reminder of how not to treat a friend due to being another species. 

"With all due respect, Discord," Twilight sighs. "You're not needed for today's Friendship Festival. I'm the Princess of Friendship. I need to set an example with Ponies and Dragons. Not Draqonecuus." 

"So, that's it? You're keen on keeping a bond with Dragons but not me?" Said Discord, sounding upset. 

"We're nearing war with Dragons because of my friends' and I boneheaded decisions towards Spike. We want to prevent that. We're not at war with you since you have a bond with Fluttershy." 

"Fine. Whatever happens at the Friendship Festival, it's on you. Don't cry out to me for any help cause I won't listen," Discord turns his back on Twilight. 

Twilight sighs heavily. She knows she hurt Discord but, it's the right call. She can't afford to have any distractions that'll spur from her objectives. 

"I'm sorry, Discord. I need to focus on renewing the bonds between Dragons and Ponies. I have to get going. My friends are waiting," Twilight levitates her luggage and leaves. 

"Our friends, Twilight. Our friends. They're not yours but ours. It's not a one-sided friendship!" Discord yells. 

Discord's statement hits Twilight hard. Once again, she remembers Spike and the times she said her friends instead of ours. She's starting to think that she is treating Discord the same way, ignoring him because he's a different species and treating him differently. After today, she's going to work on becoming a better friend again. Twilight leaves as Discord (clone) go home to his realm. 

"Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie greets her friend with a wide smile. 

"Hey, Pinkie," Twilight smiles. 

"You ready?" Applejack asks. 

"More than you'll ever know," Twilight looks at Canterlot. 

"Let's go!" Pinkie shouts. 

Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash are on their way to Canterlot. They take the train. On the way there, they wonder if they can see Spike and hope to have an opportunity to talk to him. Twilight Sparkle was the one to inform the Princesses that Spike should be a Dragon Representative since Dragons were starting to hate Ponies once more. Princess Celestia and Luna accept the proposal but warn her and the Bearers of not coming in close contact with Spike. Despite the Princesses' warning, they still feel the urge to try and make amends, even if Spike doesn't want it. 

Half an hour later, the train arrives in Canterlot. The Royal Guards escort the Bearers to Canterlot Castle. As they got there, they enter the castle and go straight to the throne room. Princess Celestia and Luna look at Twilight Sparkle and her friends. 

"Greetings, Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Bearers of the Elements," Said Princess Celestia formally. 

"It's nice to see you once more, Princess Celestia," Said Twilight in response. 

"Now, the Friendship Festival will be underway in a half hour. Everything is set up accordingly to your design," Said Princess Luna. 

"Besides ponies, has any other creature arrived?" Asked Twilight. 

Princess Celestia and Luna shake their heads. Not the answer Twilight and her friends were anticipating. Pinkie is devastated more than the rest of her friends. The rest frown with their attempts thus far. 

"I'm sorry, Princess Twilight," Said Celestia. 

"The Dragons, Griffins, Changelings, and Yaks are still mad at us?" Asked Rainbow nervously. 

"Rightfully so," Luna replies. 

Twilight and her friends recall their time when speaking with the Royals of those creatures. How upset they were after finding out the truth about their situation with Spike. 





Pinkie's Flashback with the Yaks. 35 days ago.

"What do you mean banished?! Why am I exiled?!" Pinkie asks as she's in tears. Her mane deflates after hearing the news. 

"Yak heard what Pony did to baby dragon friend," Prince Rutherford said, sounding very upset at Pinkie Pie.

"You heard?! From who?!" Pinkie shrieks a bit in shock. She didn't anticipate Princess Rutherford to know about Spike's unfortunate mistreatment. 

"Yak heard from Crystal Ponies this week. Pony Princess and her friends, using and abusing the baby dragon cause he's a different species. Yak no want Friendship from abusive Ponies that discriminate against other creatures. Yak feels betrayed. Yaks no inferior to Ponies." 

"I don't think you as inferior! What happened with Spike and I was an accident!" Pinkie tries to object. 

"Yak knows everything. Yak knows what you did was spiteful and disrespectful. Yak knows Princess Twilight Sparkle is a monster. Yaks no socialize with monsters," Prince Rutherford angrily decrees. 

"I made a mistake..," Said Pinkie in tears. "I'm trying to patch things up."

"How? By pranking Yaks by removing our rings and call us despiteful names? Forgetting about us when you throw parties?"

"No..," Pinkie sniffs. 

"Yak also bans Pink Pony's friends from entering Yak Yakinstan."

"Nooooohohohoooo!" Pinkie bows, pleading for Prince Rutherford to uplift the sentencing. 

"Yak's decision is final. Yak no want troublesome fiend in Yak Yakinstan. Leave," Prince Rutherford turns his back on Pinkie as two yaks closes the gates to Yak Yakinstan. 

"I'm sorry!" Pinkie cries as the gates close on her. 





Princess Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack's Flashback with the Changelings. 27 days ago.

"How could you..?" Thorax asked, very disappointed with Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends that are present. "I take that back. How dare  you treat my best friend like a slave? A tool for your amusement?!" Thorax is livid. 

"Whoa whoa," Rainbow pause Thorax. "Calm down, Thorax." 

"Don't tell me to calm down in my own Kingdom, Rainbow Dash," Thorax replies. "I know what you've been doing to my best friend now that he resides in the Crystal Empire." 

"Spike told you..?" Asked Applejack, surprised that Spike told Thorax what went down.  

"He told me everything that you lot put him through. Especially you, Princess of Friendship. Can you even call yourself a Princess of Friendship when you abandoned your friend, leaving him to rot in isolation nearly every day?" Princess Twilight Sparkle sighs heavily. "How can you be the Element of Loyalty when you haven't been loyal to Spike? He told me you have been calling him names and pranking him mercilessly. Nearly killing him with your ice bucket pranks every time."

"Look, I was stupid. I admit that for my wrongful doing. It shouldn't have happened but, it did. Right now, I'm trying to make amends. We're here because we are good friends of yours and-" Thorax cuts her off. 

"Friends?" Thorax  sarcastically laughs a bit. "You and your pony friends didn't even bat an eye in giving me a fair chance. Wanting me to go away because you hate different creatures."

"We don't hate!" Applejack protests. 

"The looks you gave me, those awful stares. What was that then?"

Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow try to come up with a good excuse. Unfortunately, they remain silent. Not wanting to talk about the discussion at Canterlot Wedding cause it was Queen Chrysalis doing. 

"We.., didn't trust you, after what happened at Canterlot during Cadance's wedding," Twilight replies. 

"Trust has to build up slowly. Spike has done that while you all resent me because I was different. You resent and treat all creatures differently, and it's wrong. That's not how friendships work. What you did to Spike is beyond wrong. Making him do all the work while you live your lives to the fullest under your care, Twilight." 

"I know it's wrong. It's beyond the comprehension of a pony committing those acts towards a baby dragon," Said Twilight admittingly. 

"Twilight, because of you and your friends. For discriminating Spike, abandoning him, hurting his feelings, forgetting of his existence, and treating him as a slave, considering our Friendship disbanded for the mistreatment of my best friend. Changelings will no longer associate with Equestrian Ponies," Thorax takes a deep breath. "The Princess of Friendship and the Bearers of the Elements are banished from the Changeling Hive. Leave."

"Wait, there's a Friendship Festival in Canterlot, and we would like-" 

"Not interested. Why would I send my Changelings to the Friendship Festival only to be discriminated against because they are different? Or better yet, Ponies having painful memories cause of what Queen Chrysalis did." Thorax turns away. "Changelings are not inferior to Ponies. If I ever hear you mistreat a creature poorly again, consider the peace with Changelings and Ponies disbanded as well," Thorax is feeling hurt. He doesn't want his Changelings to embrace the same feeling as Spike has in his tenure with Twilight and her friends.

Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash leave with their heads low. Another species that cut ties with them due to the mistreatment they gave to Spike. The Changelings ignore them, not wanting to give them any attention to their sorrowful faces. Twilight as a Princess feels like a failure to her teacher, Princess Celestia. 





Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's Flashback with the Griffons. 25 days ago.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are in Griffinstone. Several Griffons are eyeballing them. It makes Fluttershy feel uncomfortable. As for Rainbow Dash, she is disturbed by the looks of the Griffons. Gabby the Griffon confronts the two. 

"What are you doing here?" Gabby stares at the two. She sounds upset. 

"Visiting, wanting to see if any Griffin would be interested in going to the Friendship Festival that's being held in Canterlot," Rainbow replies. 

"No way, Dash," Gilda approaches the trio after hearing her proposal. 

"Oh, I know you won't be going. It's not cool enough for you anyhow." 

"It's not that. You remember how you reacted when I went after that Pink friend of yours into thinking she's the one pranking me. Or the time I bullied Fluttershy?"

"Yea, that was low on your end," Rainbow retorts, now remembering that day like it was yesterday. 

"Well, I heard the stories of you trying to kill a baby dragon for laughs." 

"What..?" Rainbow steps back a bit. 

"Who told you that..?" Fluttershy asks quietly but, it's loud enough to hear. 

"When I delivered a package for Thorax to Spike, I found out he resides at the Crystal Empire. After I delivered the package to him, he told me everything you two put him through. Along with your friends." 

"After Gabby told me what transpired, I felt conflicted cause you didn't like it when I bullied your friend, Fluttershy but you had the audacity of doing it to Spike for years. You're a hypocrite, Dash. Shame on you," Rainbow Dash remains silent, not wanting to talk back. "After Gabby told me, I spoke to the other Griffons that ponies are as cruel as we thouht."

"That's not true..," Said Fluttershy in defense. 

"When was the last time you invited Spike over to hang out?" Gabby asks. 

Fluttershy slowly cowers as she has no answer for that. She has no memory of asking Spike to come over and hang out. It was either her other friends or Discord. 

"We're trying to renew ourselves through Friendship but, after hearing what kind of Friendship you six have with Spike, we don't want that kind of toxic in our lives," Gabby said. 

"Grampa Gruff already declares that Pony Kind should not enter Griffonstone unannounced. So, you two should take your leave," Gilda announce.

"What?!" Rainbow and Fluttershy shout in response, not anticipating that outcome. 

"What little peace Griffons and Ponies is now deceased. When rebuilding our bonds with other Griffons, we don't want those Friendship practices you give to other creatures. We won't be blatantly disrespectful when we go out to make friends with others. It will be on better terms. No discriminating, no child slavery, and no abandonment," Said Gabby. 

"Would anyone be interested in going to the Friendship Festival in Canterlot?" Rainbow shouts louder so every Griffon can hear.

"No way, you monster."

"Nope."

"I want no friendship with a cruel pony." 

"Fiendish Festival is more like it. You treated a species like lower than dirt." 

"Not even in a body bag I would go." 

Fluttershy and Rainbow continue to hear the responses from other Griffons. All of them are negative as they are upset. 

"And FYI, Rainbow Dash," Gilda walks up to her and Fluttershy. "Griffons are not inferior to Ponies. Got it?!" She angrily states. 

They nod as the two fly back to Ponyville. The Griffins stare at them until they are out of reach. The Griffins go back into bonding with each other. To become a better species than they were once before.





Princess Twilight Sparkle Rarity, Fluttershy's Flashback with the Dragons. 14 days ago.

"Look, who happened to show up? I'm guessing you want more of our dragon eggs to grow into your slave labor camp?" Ember asks irately. She and other dragons land, surrounding Twilight and her friends. Fluttershy quivers as she sees so many ferocious dragons glaring at her and her friends. 

"Who told you..? Not that we have slave labor camps, but who told you about Spike?" Twilight asks nervously, not wanting to enrage the dragons around her and her friends. 

"My good friend, Thorax. I went by to visit him the other day. He told me what you were planning and the mistreatment you gave to Spike. I can't believe you would stoop down into treating dragons like slaves, a tool for your amusement. Dragons are not inferior to Ponies. If we wanted to, we could destroy all you hold dear in honor of Spike but, we won't. Since he resides at the Crystal Empire, we will spare those ponies. As for you traitors, I would leave before you start a war," Ember decrees. She doesn't want anything to do with Twilight and her friends. 

"Look, I'm here to personally apologize for the mistreatment I gave to Spike and giving dragons a bad name. I want our Friendship to grow more and-" Ember cuts Twilight's speech. 

"Friendship?! More like slavery to me! You want to control us!" Ember walks up to Twilight as she backs away, sweating in the process while staring into the eyes of an enraged Empress. "You don't treat our kind as equals. You treat our kind below than the scum you have in your lands. Your Friendship is a lie, an ideal to control other species. A prime example is how you raised and treated Spike in his life. We don't want your friendship. It's intoxicating to us."

"Please, we made our mistakes, but give us a second chance to-" Ember cuts Rarity's speech. 

"No way. If you say back to normal, that means back to being slaves to Pony kind. We will not tolerate Equestrian Ponies anymore. You, Princess Twilight Sparkle, are dead to me. If I ever find out that a pony takes a baby dragon, I will declare war on Equestria. I will not standby as a pony kidnaps our kin." 

Rarity bites her lip. The severity of the situation is worse than anticipation. One wrong move would cause a war between the two species. Fluttershy hides herself with her wings as the dragons snorts and puffs angrily at the ponies. Twilight sees the anger and wrath that Ember has in her eyes. 

"All Equestrian Ponies except for those residing in the Crystal Empire are forbidden to enter the Dragon Kingdom. Now leave, you intoxicating ponies. Also, I'm not going to the Friendship Festival. No Dragon here is going. You can keep your friendship and how you treat others to yourself. We don't need that kind of poison in our lungs," Ember decrees. She extends her staff towards the exit. "Out you go before the Dragons here decide to do it themselves." 

Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy waste no time in leaving the Dragon Kingdom. They now know how badly they messed up with Spike. They never knew it would lead to many possible wars and banishments from the other kingdoms. They never knew it cost them the friendships they'd made with them as well. Twilight made a solemn promise to undo the mistakes she made by becoming a better figure as the Princess of Friendship. 





Present time.

After a few moments have gone by, Twilight and her friends sigh sadly. They screwed up big time. 

"Only one dragon will be coming to the Friendship Festival. Our Dragon Representative, Spike the Dragon," Said Celestia formally. 

"He is the key to have a second chance with all Dragon Kind. We cannot afford another slipup. Which is why, when he arrives, you six are forbidden to see and communicate with him," Princess Luna decrees. "Do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes, Princess Luna," Twilight and her friends say in unison. 

"Now, we have other matters to attend. Twilight, I want your friends to make sure that everypony is enjoying their time. There is something you need to know when Princess Cadance arrives." 

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie leave the throne room. They'll do everything they can to ensure that the Friendship Festival is active and lively. Princess Twilight Sparkle trots up to the Princesses with her head down, feeling like a failure to the concept. No other creature has decided to join in on the festivities of their own accord. 

Half an hour later, Princess Cadance and Spike arrive in Canterlot Castle as the Royal Guards drop them off. The two enter and walk to the throne room. Spike (Discord) sees Twilight Sparkle in the throne room. She becomes ecstatic to see him in nearly two months. 

"I guess this is the part where the Royal Guards escort me elsewhere?" Spike (Discord) asks, looking at Princess Cadance nervously. 

"Not just yet. After this quick session then you and I will be seeing other ponies. Making sure we build trust with Pony Kind and Dragons."

"Spike," Twilight is about to trot to him when Celestia's wing blocks her path. 

"Refrain from approaching Spike, Twilight. My declaration is still in effect at this giving time. You are to remain still and listen to the news at hoof. Do I make myself clear?" Celestia scowls at Twilight, still upset that she caused so many complications with other species.

"Yes, Princess," Twilight replies. She's afraid of disappointing her teacher evermore. 

"Princess Cadance and Spike, welcome back to Canterlot," Princess Luna welcomes the two with grace. 

"Thank you, Princess Luna," Princess Cadance bows to Luna. 

"Thank you, Luna. Hi, Celestia," Spike waves at Princess Celestia. 

"Glad you can make it, Spike," Princess Celestia smiles. 

"So, has any other creature besides Spike has come?" Princess Cadance asks. 

"Nay, Cadance. With recent discoveries, no other creature besides Spike has come to the Friendship Festival," Princess Luna answers.

"What about Discord? Is he coming?" Spike (Discord) asks. He looks indirectly at Twilight. She's behaving differently at the mention of Discord. 

Twilight perks up and looks the other way. Princess Celestia and Luna suspect that Discord would come. It's a party about friendship, and he would most likely show up. 

"Uh, I have some news about Discord," Said Twilight. She's deciding whether to tell the truth or tell a little white lie. 

"What is it?" Princess Cadance asks. Hoping it'll be good news. 

"Discord has decided not to show up. He doesn't want his chaos to cause conflict with other species, in case they happen to show up." 

"Unbelievable. She's lying in front of the Princesses and me. She is in sooo much trouble when they find out the truth. Should I send the clone in now to bust her and have rumors spread, thus creating a war between Ponies and other creatures..?" Discord is thinking and scheming of ways to get Twilight in more trouble due to her lying. 

"That doesn't sound like Discord," Said Spike (Discord). 

"He gave it careful thought and consideration that it'll be best," Twilight responds. 

"Wow, she's a great deceitful liar. Add that to the Friendship column Princess of Friendship."

"Okay, thanks for informing us, Twilight," Said Princess Celestia. She sighs heavily, hoping that at least one other creature can arrive on their accord. 

"Now, we have another matter to attend to," Said Princess Cadance. 

"Of course. What you have to say, Princess Cadance?" Princess Luna asks. 

"It's about the Crystal Empire. After considering much thought with my husband and Spike, we have decided that the Crystal Empire will become an independent nation. We won't be affiliated with Equestria anymore." 

"What?!" Twilight Sparkle shockingly shouts. 

"Since you and your friends have ruined Spike's life occasionally, Twilight," Princess Cadance sighs heavily as what Spike has gone through still breaks her heart. "Many of Spike's friends are the creatures that disbanded Equestria's friendship has decided to keep the peace with the Crystal Empire. The Yaks, Griffons, Changelings, and Dragons have welcomed the Crystal Ponies with open arms and hooves. They want no part of Equestria but willing to cooperate with the Crystal Empire. With that in mind, the Crystal Empire will be able to make peace with Equestria, thus keeping war away from us."

Thorax, Ember, Grampa Gruff, and Prince Rutherford have decided to create the Bar of Alliance. They added the Crystal Empire into their Bar of Alliance," Spike explains. "The Bar of Alliance represents the different breeds of creatures that live within the kingdoms. The goal is to become a United Species that care about each other ever since they found out what has happened to me under Twilight's care."

"A United Species?" Asked Celestia in confusion. 

"With the thought of Friendship on their minds, they want to keep the balance of peace for other species. As for Equestrian Ponies, not so much. With the mistreatment of one species, it created a domino effect that all the other nations do not want to experience or be part of," Said Spike (Discord). 

"With that said and done, The Changelings, Yaks, Dragons, and Griffins have explored into creating unity with other species worldwide. Each of the nations will have smaller groups of creatures that other nations are forbidden to go to war with," Said Princess Cadance. 

"So by having us as a smaller group, the Crystal Empire will be saving Equestria from all forms of war?" Asked Twilight. 

"Yes," Cadance nods. "However, that doesn't mean you're off the hook. You still need to undo the damages you and your friends have caused."

"How can I when Celestia and Luna forbade my friends and me of coming in close contact with Spike?! I would need a second chance to set things right with him so news can spread that I can change! I need Spike back!" Twilight protests.

"You're going have to be creative with your approach, Twilight. I'm sure you can figure it out." 

"Can I go now? I don't feel comfortable being around Twilight." 

"Of course, Spike. We're about to leave and check on everypony else. Let's go," Princess Cadance and Spike leave. 

Twilight looks down, feeling more upset at the moment. She wants Spike and feels the only way to fix this crisis is through him. 

"Twilight, think about how you'll solve this crisis another time. Let's get this festival underway," Princess Luna takes flight, leaving the throne room. 

"Princess Celestia..?" Twilight looks up at her.

"Let's make this Friendship Festival one they'll never forget, Twilight," Princess Celestia leaves the throne room. 

Outside of Canterlot Castle, Rainbow Dash is clearing the skies. Pinkie Pie is making balloon animals. Fluttershy is making sure the birds choir is in tone. Applejack is trotting around offering free samples of her family's apple cider and, Rarity is decorating the stage for the concert later tonight. 

Twilight comes outside, shaking her emotions to focus on her Friendship Festival with all ponies around Equestria except for the Crystal Empire, and takes out her list, checking to see her friends' progress. 

"Hey, Twilight," Her friends say in unison. 

"Hey," She weakly responds. After seeing Spike and hearing the news about the Crystal Empire, she's not focus for the time being. "How are things going along?" 

"Have some minor setbacks but, we'll fix it before the biggest event of the Friendship Festival," Pinkie said, hoping it'll cheer up Twilight. 

Twilight smiles at her pink friend. She frowns and sighs. 

"What happened in there, Twi?" Applejack asks as she offers a cub of apple cider. 

"Changes that'll be happening soon for the Crystal Empire and, how lucky we are that Cadance and Spike have solved a problem from impending warfare," Twilight drinks the apple cider. It helps calm her down a bit. 

"Wow," The girls said in unison. 

"However, we still have a mess to clean. We're not off the hook just yet."

"Of course, Twilight," Said Rarity. 

"And, we'll be by your side one step at a time," Said Pinkie. 

"Thanks, girls," Twilight smiles more. 

Twilight and her friends bring cheer as they set up more of the Friendship Festival. They are glad to see Zecora setting a potion booth. Twilight and her friends start singing as everypony else starts getting in tune except for Spike (Discord) and Cadance. They see how everyone is participating. Spike (Discord) turns away and looks for other ponies to commune. 

Songbird Serenade makes herself known as she's looking for the pony in charge of the Friendship Festival. As they're about to talk, a loud thunder can be heard, which catches everyone's attention. Dark clouds are moving towards Canterlot. A ship appears as it's the cause of the dark clouds to appear then lands. 

"Spike, you stay here as I go approach the situation," Cadance takes flight to meet with whoever is onboard the ship.

"Sure," Spike (Discord) nods. "This should be interesting. That symbol looks peculiar. I wonder who and where it's from."

Princess Celestia and Luna land next to Twilight. Cadance lands next to Twilight as well. A small dark gray hedgehog comes down with a crate that transforms into a speaker. He grabs a mic. 

"Ponies of Equestria!" The speaker echos throughout the area of the Canterlot stage. "We come on behalf of the Fearsome, the Powerful, the Almighty, Storm King." Storm King emblems and an image of the Storm King unveils on the ship he walked out of, everypony gasps. "And now, to delivery the evil, evil message, put your hooves together for Commander Tempest!" He shouts and reveals Commander Tempest walking down the ramp. 

"Is that a unicorn?" Twilight questions after seeing the sparks from the broken horn. She's confused as to why a unicorn would be working for an evil king. 

"Tempest, is it? How may we help you?" Celestia asks. 

"Oh, I'm so glad you've asked. How about we start with your complete and total surrender." Tempest replies calmly. 

"Hi there, Princess of Friendship," Twilight greets. "Not exactly sure what's going on, but I know we can talk things out," Twilight nervously smiles. 

"Hey, I heard rumors about her, something about nearly killing a baby dragon or torturing it. Enslaving it, I might add," Grubber said to Tempest. "Maybe we can use another ally?"

"We'll see," Tempest focuses her attention on the four Princesses. "Here's the deal, ladies. I need your magic," Tempest said as she's walking down the ramp. "Give it up nicely, please or, we'll make it difficult. For everyone." 

"And why should we cower before you?" Luna demands. "There's one of you and hundreds of us!" 

Tempest chuckles. "I was hoping you choose difficult." 

Storm Creatures come out as more warships arrive. Everypony gasps as Storm Creatures drop down, creating havoc. Everypony starts running away as Tempest jumps up, kicking a dark magic orb at Princess Celestia. Cadance jumps forward, creating a shield to protect Celestia. It was futile as the dark magic orb hits Cadance, turning her into a crystalized statue. 

"Cadance!" Celestia shrieks. 

"No! Cadance!" Twilight shrieks, as well. 

Tempest goes after the remaining Princesses. 

"Luna, quick! Go south, beyond the badlands. Seek help from the Queen of the hippo-" Celestia gets hit with the dark magic orb. She turns into a crystalized statue, like Cadance. 

Luna gasps. She attacks a Storm Creature and attempts to flee, only to be knocked down and turned into a crystalized statue. Twilight uses her magic to catch Luna from being shattered on impact. Storm Creatures corner Twilight as Tempest launches another dark magic orb at Twilight. Derpy happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as Rainbow Dash swoops in and flies her away from harm. 

"Easy as pie," Tempest claims, knowing victory is hers already. 

"Oooh, I love pie," Said Grubber, imagining a pie in front of him. 

Derpy winds up turning into a crystalize statue. Tempest becomes infuriated as she orders her soldiers to grab Twilight. Grubber commands his comrades to aid him in capturing Princess Twilight Sparkle. 

Rainbow drops Twilight next to her friends as they flee together. Spike (Discord) is running from the scenery. He inadvertently runs into Twilight and her friends in the middle of the bridge.

"Spike!" They exclaim. 

"Look out!" Twilight shoots a magic beam at the Storm Creature. His shield repel the attack back at Twilight. The bridge breaks, causing her friends and Spike to fall into the waters. They wind up falling on the waterfall, escaping the Storm King's army. 

After a while, the girls and Spike drifted near a beach-like lake. Applejack picks her hat from the waters and asked if everypony is alright. 

"Well, this is interesting. I'm on a little adventure with Princess Twilight Sparkle and our friends. Let's see how this plays out. Hopefully, I can give a good report to the Princess in hopes that Twilight and her friends do change for the better around me."

"Spike, how are you holding up?" Asked Applejack. 

"Terrific," Spike (Discord) sarcastically expresses. "I'm with the ponies that enslaved me," The girls groan as Twilight is in a trance. It's something they don't need to be reminded of right now. "Gotta be sure to make it as hard as possible. For the years, they tortured Spike."

"The Queen," Twilight said. 

"Yea, the Queen," Pinkie hops behind Twilight. "What, Queen?" 

"Celestia told Luna to find the Queen of the Hippos. Luna can't. So, I have to," Twilight proclaims. 

"Uh, hippos? Seriously?" Rainbow asks. It sounds ridiculous to her as to why Hippos could be very powerful. 

"They're somewhere south, past the badlands," Said Twilight. 

"That means," Fluttershy panics a bit. "We have to leave Equestria." 

"I'm not even packed!" Rarity states. 

"Good. That means you can't make me carry it," Said Spike (Discord). Glad that Rarity has nothing to bring. "Gotta make sure I keep the Spike act on how he feels. Can't screw this up." Discord reminds himself. 

"I understand you're scared and, no pony else has to go. But, I have to find this Queen; she might be our only hope." 

"Why not ask Discord for help?" Asked Spike (Discord), suggesting that Discord would be more helpful for this scenario. 

Twilight bit her lip. She remembers what Discord told her earlier today. Fine. Whatever happens at the Friendship Festival, it's on you. Don't cry out to me for any help cause I won't listen.

"I don't think he'll be coming. He has other things to do. That's what he told me. He said I can handle it..," Twilight sighs as she has to lie in front of her friends and Spike. Not wanting to admit the mistake she made earlier today. 

"Graaaaah! I can't believe you Twilight! You're on a bad streak of lying! Why not admit you did wrong? How hard is that?! Oh, I guess because I'm too chaotic to help, huh! Wait till I decide to send the clone and reveal what you said to him! For Celestia's sake, do something right for once!" Discord screams in thought, not wanting to expose himself for the way Twilight answered Spike's question. 

Twilight decides to go alone. Rainbow and her friends nod in agreement. They'll go with Twilight. It'll be like searching for the Elements of Harmony in the Everfree forest. 

"Spike, you coming or what?" Asked Rainbow Dash. 

Spike (Discord) sighs heavily. "I'll go but, we're not friends. I'm just with you until this whole thing blows over," Spike (Discord) coldly states. 

Twilight sighs. "Fair enough." "I'm glad that this'll be my chance to make amends with Spike. Perhaps earn his friendship on this wild adventure."

Everyone starts heading south to the badlands. Pinkie asks anyone to play eye spy but, no one wants to play. The Storm Creatures now holds everypony in Canterlot as prisoners. Tempest has a brief meeting with the Storm King. She promises him in three days, he'll have the power of a hundred armies with the Staff of Sacanas. Storm King reminds her that only he has the power to restore her horn thus making her whole again. After the briefing, Tempest learns that Grubber wasn't able to capture the Princess so, she commands her soldiers to get her ship ready. She'll capture the Princess herself. 

Throughout the trip, the girls remained quiet around Spike. They weren't sure how to handle this opportunity with him. Discord is disappointed with them. They should take this risk in talking to him. After a while in walking the desert, Twilight, her friends, and Spike (Discord) arrive in a town filled with different creatures that they have never seen before. Fluttershy becomes petrified with the animals that are locked in cages. She is sad and heartbroken. Twilight aids a tortoise in restocking. He yells at her saying no magic around his merchandise. A cat is watching the scenery. 

"Okay, we gotta stick together, be careful who we talk to, and try to blend in," Said Twilight after upsetting the tortoise. 

Pinkie ignores what Twilight said and causes a ruckus. The townspeople are getting annoyed at Pinkie's shenanigans for wanting something. Twilight becomes agitated with Pinkie Pie's constant shouting. In fear that allies of the Storm King may be lurking around in secret for being in uncharted territory. Everyone starts surrounding them. 

"How much for the giant gecko?" A bystander asks. 

"Who you calling a gecko?" Spike (Discord) asks. "I wish I can just use my magic and turn him into a small gecko to step on. Put some fear in everyone as they see my Chaotic Masterpiece unfold. Making them wish they wouldn't mess with the Lord of Chaos."

The crowd gets closer as they want something from the pretty ponies. That's when the cat steps in to tell everyone to back away. He creates a distraction by revealing the bright colors of ponies to be an infection to the bland colors of every creature else. Applejack was about to ruin his plan but his tail shuts her up. He assures everyone as long as they don't touch the ponies, they won't be infected with purple spots. He sees paint on the ground and uses his tail to splatter some on a bystander. The bystander sees and everyone freaks out. Clearing away as the cat, dragon, and ponies are remaining. 

"Awesome!" Rainbow Dash cheers, patting the tall cat. 

"You are charming," Rarity giggles. 

Spike (Discord) doesn't care for the moment. Just glad that the idiots are gone. He was close to snapping and turning those creatures into cupcakes and eat them alive. 

"Capper the name. Charming's my game. So, to the hippos then?" 

Pinkie hops with Capper until Twilight blocks her way. "I don't know if we should trust him."

"We can definitely use a friend out here," Pinkie glees. 

"You know what," Capper butts in after overhearing their conversation. "Little cotton candy is right. And, I do say so for myself," Capper sings about how dreadful the town is and how they need a friend like him. 

Twilight and Spike (Discord) have issues about Capper but, they let it be for now. See how it goes as everyone else is sucking up to him. Capper brings them to his home to shelter for the time being. Twilight walks around and finds a map book that piqued her interest. Spike (Discord)  looks out the window, feeling bored as the girls are more intensive to Capper than him. 

"I now see how infuriating it is for Spike to be ignored as the attention goes to someone else. This is their chance for redemption and, they're letting that slip through."

Twilight looks at the map and notice what they are looking for is the wrong Queen. It's not the Queen of the Hippos. It's Queen of the Hippogriffs, which are part pony and part eagle. 

"Oh, Hippogriffs. Now the trouble with that is, no one knows where they are," Capper said in his charming voice. 

"Says here," Twilight points to the map. "They are located on Mount Aris."

"You mean the mountain outside the window?" Pinkie points to it. Everyone looks out the window and sees it from afar. 

"Objects and windows may be less mountains than they appear," Capper is stalling for time as Twilight takes the map. 

"Let's go everypony," Said Twilight. 

Capper blocks the exit. "Wait, you can't make it by yourselves. You need an airship. And lucky for you, I can get you a ride," Capper said in a persuasive, charming tone. 

"I think we can get there on our own," Twilight opens the door. 

"Here's Verco." A giant rat comes in. 

"For a second, I thought he's gonna say Here's Johnny while swinging an ax through the door. Like those movies you watch, readers. Yea, I see the references you lot like to make. Now, I gotta be silent before the author finds out I'm breaking the fourth wall."

"These ponies better shoot rainbow lasers out their eyes if it'll settle your debt. Brought the big cage," Verco shows the cage to store Twilight and her friends. "Let's load them up." 

"You were going to sell us?" Rarity infuriated asked, feeling betrayed. 

"I knew it!" Twilight's suspicions were accurate. She knew that Capper couldn't be trusted. "We gotta get out of here." 

Tempest chuckles loudly as Storm Creatures are behind her. Everyone gasps except for Spike (Discord), he's curious to know why a broken unicorn is working for the Storm King. 

"Silly little ponies," Tempest smirks. 

"Tempest!" Twilight shrieks. 

"Gaaaah!" As much as it pains for Discord to shriek in terror, he has to continue to play along. 

Tempest and Grubber walk into Capper's home.  "Trusting strangers, big-"

"Huge," Grubber explains. 

"Oooh, my goodness," Verco walks up to Tempest and grabs her cheeks. "Well, look at you. With your scary broken horn," He talks cutely. "And scowly eyes. What tricks do you know, my little pony-wony." Tempest charges her magic to electrify the rat. "Not bad..," He falls back after getting burnt into a crisp. 

Twilight, her friends, and Spike (Discord) are fleeing through the window. Tempest commands her soldier to apprehend Twilight. They're hanging on a windmill as it spins. A Storm Creature grabs it, stopping the flow. Twilight and Rainbow push the windmill until it snaps. The windmill runs down the alley as everyone holds on to it. They hop off and run towards a docking area. They see an airship about to take off. Rainbow flies and grabs the rope with her teeth, creating a tightrope for everyone to board the ship. Pinkie jumps on the tightrope causing Rainbow Dash to lose her grip. Pinkie free-falls as Twilight saves her from her demise. She flies Pinkie to the back of the airship. 

"Best escape plan, ever!" Pinkie shouts louder. 

"Pinkie, quiet down before they hear," Spike (Discord) said. "Oh, she's bound to get everyone busted if she gets louder. What an idiot."

"Did you hear something?" He asks his crewmate. His crewmate squawks as a response. "Yea, probably just the rats. If we find them, we'll eat them." 

The girls and Spike (Discord) are in hiding, trying to devise a plan. Applejack and Rainbow see that the crew are parrots. 

"What do you think, Twilight? Should we just ask them to take us?" Applejack suggests. 

"Last time we trusted somepony, he tried to sell us," Twilight exclaims as she whispers. 

A parrot lifts a crate, exposing them. "Hey guys, come check this out," 

Another parrot with an eyepatch comes to take a look. "Look like a pack of stowaways." 

"What are we supposed to do with them?" A pink parrot approaches them. 

"I think we tie 'em up." 

"Nah, we'll clip their wings." 

"Nah, we'll scar 'em, emotionally," The ponies gasps as they hear the horrors from the parrots. Especially Fluttershy. "Wait wait wait wait, what say the book, Captain Celaeno."

Captain Celaeno brings the book out. She starts reading the Storm King's guidelines when dealing with stowaways. "Storm King's rule book says, throw them overboard." 

Her crew activates the plank. She is about to grab the girls and Spike (Discord) when a loud whistle blows. 

"Alright! That's lunch!" Captain Celaeno announces. Captain Celaeno and her crew bring the stowaways to their dining quarters to have a meal. 

Twilight is perplexed by the sudden hospitality. Spike (Discord) and Applejack are the only ones eating the food the parrots are eating. He turns it into chocolate milk once it enters his mouth. Rainbow looks around, feeling conflicted a few moments ago. 

"Whoa whoa whoa. So you were about to toss us overboard and, you stopped for a lunch break?" Rainbow complains a bit which causes Twilight to glare at her. 

"Storm King allows only one break a day for meals and it's back to hauling goods," One of the parrot crewmate states. 

"So, you're delivery guys?" Asked Spike (Discord). Discord knows what they are without any further questioning. Seeing the trophies and treasures behind Captain Celaeno is revealing enough to proclaim that they are pirates. 

"And gals," Captain Celaeno said in response. "These uniforms aren't exactly doing us any favors." 

"Then, can you deliver us to Mount Aris?" Twilight asks, hoping to get a yes as she holds the map. 

"Sorry, we do what the Storm King orders," Captain Celaeno holds the guidelines of the Storm King in her claw. "Or we suffer his wrath," She sounds gloomy. 

"Right.., still going overboard," Twilight lowers the map. 

"Ah, it's nothing personal," Said the pink parrot. "Pudding?" She offers. 

"There's pudding?" Rarity asks, hoping not to eat the disgusting mush the parrots are eating. She sees exactly what it is when given to her and groans. 

"You weren't always delivery birds, were you?" Rainbow asks, wanting to know their past a little. "What about before the Storm King?" 

"Yea, we used to be much more adventurous," Captain Celaeno reveals the crossbones and skull flag. 

"Whoa, you used to be pirates?" Rainbow becomes excited. 

"Uh, we prefer the term swashbuckling treasure hunters." 

"So, pirates?" A parrot squawks confirming Rainbow's statement. "You birds have a choice to make. You can let some cloven-hooved Storm King tell you how to live your lives. Or," Rainbow pulls down the poster of Storm King. "You can be awesome again." 

Rainbow Dash starts to sing and dance about being awesome, inspiring Captain Celaeno and her crew to resume their pirate ways. As they sing, Twilight and the pink parrot start marking the ways to get to Mount Aris. Spike (Discord) is not participating in the singing. He hopes Rainbow Dash doesn't do something stupid like creating a Sonic Rainboom to expose their whereabouts to the Storm King's forces. Mainly Tempest Shadow. The pirates unveil their ship, exposing the pirate rainbow wingspan of their airship. It's majestic and beautiful. 

"Awesome, I knew you had it in you. Now for the finishing touch!" Rainbow Dash flies up.

Pinkie starts chanting Rainboom over and over. 

"Wait! Don't do the Sonic Rainboom, you idiot!" Spike (Discord) shouts as he knows it'll expose them. 

"Rainbow, no!" Twilight shouts. 

It was too late as Rainbow Dash flies faster, creating the Sonic Rainboom in the process. She flies over and under the pirates' airship creating a bright rainbow color effect. Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Captain Celaeno, and her crewmates are stunned to see beauty. Twilight and Spike (Discord) groan, facepalming themselves in the process. A few moments later, the alert bells start ringing, informing that the Storm Guards are approaching. 

"Tempest!" Twilight shouts in fear a little. Knowing it's Tempest's ship. 

"Secure the rigging! Lockdown the cargo! Everyone prepared to be boarded!" Captain Celaeno commands. Her crewmate escorts Twilight and the others down below as they'll take care of Temptest. 

"You think she saw my Sonic Rainboom?" Rainbow nervously smiles, looking at Twilight. 

Spike (Discord) back claws Rainbow in the face. Everypony gasps as they saw what Spike did. "She deserved that. I have no regrets."

"Spike!" Rainbow shouts, feeling hurt. 

"We're supposed to be in hiding, not exposing ourselves, you idiot!" Spike (Discord) proclaims. He's irate cause he can't use his magic to bail them out. He can't do anything and, holding his anger isn't helping him either. He needed some relief to release, and Rainbow happens to be the perfect pony. 

"As much as I hate saying this, Spike is in the right. We can't be exposing ourselves and make things complicated," Said Twilight. 

"We had a perfect opportunity to set sail to Mount Aris and, you blew it, good job," Spike (Discord) sounds cold. "Again, my life in the hooves of my torturers. I'm going to die before this whole thing ends." 

Twilight and the others frown, more so with Rainbow Dash for allowing herself to become overconfident. Tempest airship shoots a harpoon-grappling hook on the pirates' ship, reeling closer to board. Tempest, Grubber, and some Storm Creatures board to inspect the ship. 

"Where is the Pony Princess?" Tempest asks Captain Celaeno. 

"Princess?" Captain Celaeno takes a look at her list. Speaking loudly. "Princess, Princess," she looks thoroughly at her list. Hoping that Tempest is watching her movements. "Nope. All we're hauling is Storm King merchandise."

"You do realize that if you were to shelter fugitives, the Storm King, will be quite explosive," Tempest decrees. 

Twilight overhears from the cargo area. She looks around to piece together an escape plan. After looking at some of the items in the ship, she devises her escape plan accordingly. 

"Now, I'm going to count to three," Tempest and her Storm Creatures approach Captain Celaeno and her crewmates. "And if you don't tell me where they are, your ship is going down. One." 

Twilight removes a Storm King long sheet telling Rainbow to hold onto it as she pulls the lever to open the door below them. 

"Two," Tempest counts. Captain Celaeno is getting ready to draw her sword. 

"Oh, this is intense," Grubber is enjoying the scenery, a standoff between Tempest and the Storm creatures versus Captain Celaeno and her pirate crewmates. 

"Three," Tempest counts. She hears loud screams below the ship. "What?"  Captain Celaeno sighs in relief. 

"Oh, for Celestia's sake!" Rarity shouts as she and her friends are free-falling. Pinkie enjoys skydiving a little too much. 

Twilight springs into action. Using her magic to catch everyone and puts them in the crate. Rainbow was about to help when Twilight catches her. She pouts as Twilight does all the work. She grabs the rope and ties the Storm King long sheet to the crate, creating a hot air balloon. After looping it several times, Twilight grabs Spike and squeezes his body, forcing him to breathe fire for the hot air balloon to fly. The hot air balloon flies and, Discord is enraged. 

"Thank goodness," Rarity sighs in relief. 

"Quick thinking, Twilight," Applejack congratulates Twilight on her quick planning skills. 

"Yahoo! Haha!" Twilight cheers. 

"That was fun! Can we do it again!" Pinkie asks. "Oooh, I see something red falling. 

"Red?" Twilight and Applejack look down to see something red dropping. "What is that?" 

Fluttershy gasps as Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie turn to see what Fluttershy reacted to. 

Spike (Discord) coughs out blood after the tight squeeze to make him breathe fire. He glares at Twilight angrily. His eyes speak malice. 

"Are you freaking kidding me, Twilight!" Spike yells at Twilight. "You could have compromise in giving me a signal to breathe fire. Not having to squeeze the ever life out of me like a tool for you to use!" So Discord overdramatically made the scenery worse, but he held in a lot of anger during this adventure. Coughing out blood is something a dragon wouldn't do but, it added the tension that was needed to make Twilight see the error of her ways. Even though coughing out blood wasn't necessary, it helped him relieve more of his anger. 

"Spike.., I'm sorry..," Twilight frowns, her memories of using Spike are returning, haunting her with endless mistakes she'd made. 

"No, you're not! If you were, you would have told me what you were planning so I could have helped. Instead, you sought to do things your own way without seeing the bigger picture!" Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. "I'm so telling Cadance about this," Spike (Discord) crosses his arms. 

"No! Don't! Please..," Twilight begs Spike not to tell. 

"Uh.., next stop. Mount Aris," Rainbow Dash pushes the hot air balloon towards the mountain. Hoping the change in subject would clear everyone's mind. 

The ride to Mount Aris is quiet. Twilight is trying to overcome her haunting memories of abusing Spike. She just abused him by squeezing him into making him bleed. She's now getting worried that war may be impending. 

A while later, Rainbow Dash inadvertently crashes the hot air balloon at the bottom of the mountain. The only way up is by taking the stairs. Everyone starts heading up. Twilight is next to Spike (Discord). 

"Spike, I'm really sorry. Please, forgive me." 

"Like I said. You're not sorry. You were never sorry unless I speak about the Princesses. This adventure is Tartarus. Nearly got killed, I bled, and our allies are probably dead because of Rainbow's stupid Sonic Rainboom!" Rainbow sighs a bit. Now realizing the predicament she put Captain Celaeno and her crew in. "Wait till the rumors spread of how ponies manage to kill parrots for the enemy." 

Twilight sighs heavily as she walks. She trots ahead of Spike to keep herself distance. 

"We had to crash the balloon at the bottom of the mountain!" Rarity complains, which is irritating Spike (Discord). Rarity sounds like it's the end of the world. "That's it. I simply cannot! Even! I have nothing. The bad guys have won! I'm so sorry!" Rarity flops to the ground. 

"Shut up, Rarity!" Spike (Discord) yells to make Rarity stop complaining. Discord is fuming with rage. "How does Spike handle these bimbos is beyond me now. They're more chaotic than I am. At least I'm civil with my chaos."

The girls gasps again. Hearing the way Spike sounds is unlike him. He's normally not this angry. Then again, he's been through so much; and has every right to be angry from what they've done to him throughout the years. Rarity remains shut. She's going to climb up and not complain anymore. 

Moments later, the girls and Spike (Discord) are at the entrance of the Hippogriffs. Spike (Discord) wants this adventure to end. The rest are excited to meet with the Queen of the Hippogriffs. As they enter, they see how desolate the area is. Then they discover a cave-in entry. 

"Let's check it out," Applejack suggests. 

Twilight goes in first and illuminates her horn. She and her friends walk together as Spike(Discord) stays behind to control his anger. 

"I don't think I can hold in this anger of mine anymore. I know I'm supposed to be testing Twilight and her friends but, she's more focused on saving Equestria. My timing wasn't right, and now I see it. Twilight managed to abuse Spike instead of compromising. She hasn't changed during the timespan of being separated from him. She lied to me, her friends, and the Princesses about the reasoning about why I didn't show up nor can help; she reverted to her ways of using Spike, and she's changing for the worse. I don't see Princess Celestia and Luna retiring anytime soon. This adventure sucks and, there is nothing I can do unless I make myself known and ruin my image as Spike. I hope things take a turn for the better. Please, let it turn for the better. I want this to end." 

The sound of humming is heard within the cave as they travel. It gets louder as they draw near. They see eagle-like statues flowing with water, ancient runes, and a rose in the pond with a bright light. Pinkie takes the first step but causes some stone to break off the stairs. It scares the creature in the rose and dives into the water. Pinkie follows pursuit by doing a cannonball into the pond. She tells her friends that she's unable to locate the creature. As everyone gets in the pond, the rose descends, creating a whirlpool. Discord is enjoying the whirlpool ride as everyone else screams before becoming submerge underwater. Right before passing out, the creature returns, giving them air bubbles to breathe. Pinkie is relieved that Twilight made the air bubbles at the last second. However, Twilight confirms it's not her doing. In the darkness, the group huddle together as they saw something swimming by. 

"Hello? We're looking for the Hippogriffs," Said Twilight. 

"How do I know if I can trust you?" The creature is illuminating light in the darkness of the waters. 

"Please, the Storm King invaded our land, and we need their help." 

"The Storm King?" She becomes flustered. "I'm so glad I saved you guys,"  She reveals her Seagriffin form in the presence of Twilight. "I'm totally taking you to my mom," She grabs Twilight as they form a chain. She's escorting everyone to her home. 

"Does your mother know where they are?" Asked Twilight. 

"She might have an idea," She responds as she swims. Moments later. "We're almost there." 

The girls and Spike (Discord) swim into an undersea kingdom. They are mesmerized by the beauty of the undersea kingdom. The girls and Spike (Discord) swim into the Queen of the Hippogriff's throne room. 

"Mother," She swims to her mother to inform her of the visitors. "Look what I found." 

"Is it another shell?" She replies to her daughter as her eyes are closed. "Cause I am telling you if it's another shell, I'll," She gasps horribly after opening her eyes. "Princess Skystar, what have you done? You know surface dwellers are forbidden here. Guards!" Her guards corner Twilight and her friends. Discord is getting annoyed. 

"No, no, no, no, no, mom, please. It is so not like that. The Storm King is trying to destroy their home too," Princess Skystar explains. 

"We need to find the Hippogriffs. Do you know what happened to them?" Asked Twilight. 

"Well, of course, I know. I'm the Queen. I know everything." 

"Oooh, ooh, ooh. It's such a good story," Princess Skystar claims. 

"Don't you dare tell them," The Queen said. 

Princess Skystar ignores her mother's command and proceeds in telling the story. How they once lived on Mount Aris until the Storm King arrived to steal their magic. She explains that Queen Novo hid the magic. Deep underwater where he cannot grasp the magic. She finally explains that she and her species are the Hippogriffs Twilight was seeking. 

"Well, I guess the pearl is out of the oyster now. I am Queen Novo." 

"Hold on now, let me get this straight," Applejack swims toward Queen Novo. "When the Storm King came, you abandoned your entire city and fled?" 

"We didn't flee. We swam. In order to flee," Princess Skystar explains. 

"But, how?" Twilight asks. Curious to know how the Hippogriffs did it. 

"Oh, can we show them? These are the first guests we had in like forever," Princess Skystar asks her mother. She repeats the can-wes several times. 

"Well, I suppose I should make sure it still works," Queen Novo swims up to the magic pearl. She activates the magic turning Twilight and her friends into seaponies. As for Spike (Discord), he's turned into a blowfish. 

The girls are enlightened being seaponies as Spike (Discord) feels conflicted with the transformation. 

"So the pretty demonic ponies get something beautiful while I'm this blowfish? That is wrong. I bet the real Spike would have hated this. Good thing I have experience on being a blowfish to control its reaction."

"This is amazing!" Twilight becomes ecstatic as she swims to Queen Novo. "With this, we can transform everypony at home into something powerful enough to face the Storm King's army." 

"Or," Queen Novo swim up to Twilight with authority. "It could end up in his greedy claws," She sighs. "I'm sorry about your home. I truly am," She takes a deep breath. "But my responsibility is to protect my subjects. The pearl is not going anywhere," Queen Novo declares. 

"But.., we come all this way. You can't just hide down here, trapped forever. There's so much you're missing," Twilight protests. She didn't want to go back empty-handed. 

"We are one hundred percent okay with that," Queen Novo gets interrupted and goes for her seaweed wrap. 

"So that's it? We left home for nothing?" Applejack is upset. 

Princess Skystar gets an idea for spending time with her new friends since they'll be living here from now on. However, Applejack and Rarity explain that they couldn't stay. Pinkie Pie suggests staying for a little longer and give Princess Skystar a pleasant time with friends. Twilight agrees with Pinkie's idea. Everyone follows Pinkie Pie as Spike (Discord) sees the change in demeanor on Twilight. 

"Twilight, you're not planning on stealing the pearl, are you?" Spike (Discord) asks. 

"What? No, no. I'm just devising a plan of strategy against the Storm King. Singing and dancing with Skystar will not help," Twilight replies hesitantly. 

"Alright," Spike (Discord) swims to see how everyone else was doing. "If you plan on stealing it Twilight, you are no better than Tempest and the Storm King. Please, do something right for once."

Spike (Discord) sees how Pinkie Pie is drawing interest with a lot of the Hippogriffs. They partake in the singing and dancing. It catches the attention of Queen Novo. Princess Skystar is having a time of her life with the few minutes Pinkie and her friends can share. Queen Novo is touched with the scenery, seeing her daughter genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. 

"Well, I've decided there is something we can do," Queen Novo has decided to give the ponies the pearl to stop the Storm King. 

"So, it's decided? You're going give them the pearl to defeat the Storm King?" Asked Spike (Discord).

"Yes, young dragon. Also, why you say them?" Queen Novo asks. She's perplexed when he said them and not us. 

"It's a long story. Something I wish not to explain that'll jeopardize the situation."

The girls sigh in relief as they'll be avoiding another conflict with another species. Then everyone gasps as a loud alarm goes off. Queen Novo glares at her daughter for bringing in trespassers. The alarm is the security alarm for the magic pearl they have. Queen Novo and everyone returns to the throne room. They see Twilight being entangled with jellyfish stingers as she tries to reach the pearl. Queen Novo feels betrayed due to Twilight's antics. She takes the pearl away from Twilight's reach. 

"Noooo, please," Twilight cries.

"All of this so you can sneak in and take the pearl?" Queen Novo is livid at Twilight. She feels like a sucker to trust a species. She pulls Skystar to her. "This is why we don't bring strangers into our home." 

Twilight feels disappointed as she now has remorse for her actions. 

"You don't deserve to be one of us," Queen Novo uses the pearl to transform the girls and Spike (Discord) back to normal as she exiles them from her home. 

The girls and Spike (Discord) reach the surface of the waters. They swim towards shore as Twilight walks in shame. Right before Applejack was about to say something, Spike (Discord) beats her to it. 

"Unbelievable Twilight!" Spike (Discord) roars in rage. "I asked you earlier that if you planned on stealing it and, you told me no. You lied to me! You betrayed my trust, again! You lied to your friends because you didn't compromise. You sought to fix something on your own! You betrayed the trust of another species. Do you know how hard is it to build trust?! Do you?! Equestria is doomed because of your lack of trust. My home, our home..." Spike (Discord) sighs heavily as he looks up. "Is going to perish because of you..," Spike (Discord) wipes a tear. He still has to sell his character as Spike. "Why must I suffer for your mistakes!" 

"Spike.., I'm.-" 

"No! You're not sorry! You tried to do things your own way, again! This time, you left your friends in the dark of your schemes. I thought you were the smart one in the group. You're redundant as the rest of these idiots." 

"Idiots?!" They reply in unison. 

"Yea! Idiots!" Spike yells back in response. "Rainbow Dash got the pirates killed by Tempest. Pinkie is too loud to draw unwelcome attention, The Princess keeps everyone in the dark and inflicts pain and torment on me, and Rarity complains too much." Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. "Applejack and Fluttershy, I admit you two did nothing wrong but, it doesn't excuse you from past actions throughout those years," Spike (Discord) turns to Twilight. "I hope you're proud of yourself, Princess of Friendship. You continue to deter other creatures away from Pony Kind," Spike (Discord) starts walking away. 

"Where are you going?" Applejack asks.

"Anywhere that isn't here. I had enough of deceitful and idiocy from you lot."

Pinkie Pie was second to unleash her frustrations on Twilight. The two have a heated argument. Pinkie agreed about Spike's claim of Twilight having trust issues, especially with her friends. Twilight comments that she doesn't need a friend like Pinkie in anger. It upsets her as Pinkie trots away. Seeing the pink mare upset, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy follow her, leaving Twilight all alone in despair. They took their pride with them but, they can't admit that Spike is in the right with the whole mess. Twilight trots the other way alone, feeling sad and depressed about everything that transpired. 

Twilight is by a cliff with her head down. She cries as she's losing everything and more. She blames herself for everything she messed up. As she looks up, a magic nullifier cage contains her.

Twilight is by a cliff with her head down. She cries as she's losing everything and more. She blames herself for everything she messed up. As she looks up, a magic nullifier cage contains her. Twilight does her best trying to break the cage. Every magic beam she shot and every nudge wears down Twilight. The cage hoisted into Tempest's ship.  Tempest comes down to greet the Princess. 

"The Princess of Friendship with no friends," Tempest chuckles at the irony. "And no way out." 

"Why are you doing this? You're a pony. Just like me."

Tempest ignites her magic angrily, scaring Twilight a bit as she sees malice in her eyes. "I'm nothing like you. I'm more than you'll ever be."

Tempest starts singing about her tragic story of how she came to be and about trust, why friendship is meaningless. Twilight understands that Tempest was hurting for so long. Alone in solitude with no friends throughout her life. Tempest pulls a lever that hoists the cage, revealing their next destination. Canterlot. 

"I'm so sorry you felt so alone," Said Twilight with sincerity. 

"I saw the truth. My friends abandoned me when they saw the truth. Looks like I'm not the only one," Twilight looks down. "Face it, Princess, friendship has failed you too."

"Friendship didn't fail me. I failed friendship. I failed a lot of things..," 




Moments ago while Spike (Discord) walked away.

"What should I do? I took this chance for Twilight and her friends to bond with me as Spike and earn redemption. Poor choice of booking on my end. They were more focused on saving Equestria while drawing unnecessary attention. Managed to kill the parrots and betray another species' trust." Discord sighs heavily. He's at a crossroads within his mind. "Twilight lied to me on more than one occasion. She squeezed me in order for me to breathe fire. It doesn't bother me but, my mindset was on Spike on how he would react if giving that scenario. The blood thing, I will say I went overboard but, I had to release my anger. Throughout this whole trip has made me feel angry and, it shouldn't. But it did. Should I just have Spike go to the Crystal Empire and have my clone fix this mess? Should I try to find a way as Spike to fix their mistakes? Queen Novo was pretty suspicious as to why I said them instead of us. I could explain to her the Bar of Alliance and all that happened to Spike. Or should I try looking for the menacing ponies and have them patch things up with Twilight and bring down the Storm King?" Discord groans as he sits. He looks up and sees Tempest's Airship heading to Canterlot. "I sensed Twilight on that ship. Time to rally her friends for a rescue mission," Discord has decided to have Twilight's friends be the ones that save Twilight and all of Canterlot. If that fails, he'll step in and finish it no sweat. 




Present time.

Spike (Discord) is following the trail of Pinkie Pie and her friends. It wasn't long until he caught up with them. The girls turn to him as they see him panting.

"Twilight has been captured by Tempest! She's on the airship heading back to Canterlot as we speak!"

The girls gasps. 

"We gotta get her back!" Rainbow Dash shouts. 

"How? We'll never catch up," Said Fluttershy, knowing it's hopeless. 

"And we got no way to beat those monsters," Applejack states. 

"Well, good thing I happen know a group of mighty heroes that can handle this easily," Capper announces on top of a rock.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in, himself," Said Rarity, not amused with Capper at the moment. 

"These heroes have faced the Storm King's army and escaped. I've seen them tackled the streets of the roughest town, break out of the tightest situation, and inspired others to join their cause," Capped added. 

The mares were in awe except for Spike (Discord) and Applejack. They know that Capper was talking about them. 

"He meant us, stupid," Said Spike (Discord). 

The girls groan. They were hoping for some other group. 

"They even escape certain doom," Capper slides down the rock to meet with the mares and dragon (Draqonecuus). "At the hooves of Commander Tempest." 

"Yea," Rainbow smiles. "That was pretty great," Rainbow feels motivated. 

"Are you kidding me?" Captain Celaeno and her crew jump down from a different rock to meet up with everyone. "That was awesome!" She does a fist pump. 

"Figure you can use a claw," One of Captain Celaeno's crewmate says. 

"You're alive!" Rainbow shouts, hugging Captain Celaeno. 

"You think we'll go down quietly?" 

"So you didn't die after all," Said Spike (Discord). "Whatever happened, Twilight and her friends are extremely lucky that they made it out one piece. No rumors of ponies killing parrots for the enemy will happen."

"We're on board to help you fight the Storm King," Captain Celaeno announces after the hug. "Just not on board on our actual ship."

"That crazy unicorn sunk it," The other crewmate says. "But you got back our aargh. And, we're ready to kick some booty." 

Princess Skystar transforms from a Seagriffin into a Hippogriff. Everyone is in awe except for Spike (Discord) to see a beautiful transformation. 

"Helloooo, me again," Princess Skystar chuckles. "I'm going to be so grounded but, I talked things over with Shelly and Sheldon and, they pointed out that you were just trying to help your friends. So, I want to help too," She flies up to Pinkie Pie. "Cause you know, one small thing, can really make a big difference," Princess Skystar whispers in Pinkie's ear. 

Everyone goes into a discussion to develop a plan of strategy. While they discuss, Tempest's airship lands in Canterlot. She marches down the streets of Canterlot as prison ponies drag the wagon that held Twilight's containment cell. Twilight sees the horror on everypony's face and feels like a disgrace. She failed them, the Princesses, and her friends. 

Ten minutes later. Storm Creatures open the doors to the throne room as Tempest walks in. She places Twilight's containment across from Luna. Twilight sees the crystalized Celestia statue and remembers her screams. Grubber closes the door and laughs. 

"Tempest, don't do this," Twilight pleas. "Don't give the Storm King-"

"Your magic?" Tempest finishes Twilight's sentence. "Did you think you'll keep it all to yourself? Time to share. I love for everybody out there to know what I can really do." 

"Oooh, fascinating," The Storm King interrupts Tempest's moment of glory and walks in. "What can you really do?" 

"Your bidding, of course!" Said Grubber, answering for Tempest. Tempest stands in attention to the Storm King. "Your Mighty One," Grubber bows to his King. Then he leaves the throne room as quick as possible. 

"Biddings good. I like bidding," The Storm King walks forward then sees Princess Twilight. "What are you supposed to be?" 

"I'm the Princess of Friendship," Twilight formally answers, showing fear to the Storm King. 

The Storm King laughs. "Oh, I heard rumors about you. Something about enslaving a baby dragon, leaving it behind, and something about nearly killing it," Storm King continues to laugh then turns to Tempest. "Why is this one still moving?" Storm King sternly asks. 

"She and her friends put up a bit of a fight, but she's alone now. She won't be a problem." 

"Yea so, speaking of problems. This place seems a little too.., oh I don't know.., CUTE!" Storm King is frustrated, saying that he never liked cute. It doesn't resemble his mighty powerful authority figure. Storm King uses the Staff of Sacanas to absorb the magic from all four Alicorns. He laughs in triumph as he feels the power of the staff increasing. "Check out the light show." 

Twilight feels heavily drained of magic power. She cries a little due to being a failure to all of Equestria. 

"Wow! Let's get this storm started. Oooh, I should trademark that," Using the Staff of Sacanas, Storm King blasts Twilight Sparkle to test its power. "Not bad. Actually, kinda first rate. What else does it do?" 

"Your excellency," Tempest walks up to the Storm King. "You promised to restore my horn-" 

Storm King cuts out Tempest speech. "Okay, hang on," Storm King lifts the Staff of Sacanas and moves the sun in either direction. "You gotta be kidding me! I can move the sun?" Storm King becomes overjoyed with satisfaction. "Now this is what I'm talking about," He walks over Twilight. 

Twilight looks at Tempest. Tempest, for whatever reason, is having second thoughts but chooses to ignore them. She walks up to Storm King.  Storm King moves the Staff of Sacanas, making the Sun and Moon move at his command, playing and goofing around with it. 

Around this time, Capper is disguised as a baker delivering a cake to the Storm King. He has his pony friends as prisoners, dragging the cake on a wagon. Spike (Discord) is a candle blowing fire. 

"Pinkie Pie better no blow it. Knowing her happy nature of hers, she'll more likely ruin the surprise." Discord thought to himself. 

"Yea, I got a delivery here for a Mr.Storm King. I was given explicit instructions to bring this here cake to this here castle's throne room," Capper explains as he points at a Storm King emblem list to prove its legal documentation. 

The Storm Creatures look at the ponies and cake and deny entry to Canterlot. They pitch their spears at Capper, signaling him to leave. 

"Alright, then. Look here, could one of ya'll go be a pal. Go tell your boss he's not getting his congratulations on subduing defenseless pastel ponies cake. Cause I don't want to be the one responsible for the big guy missing his special dessert. You know what I'm saying," Capper smirks as he walks back to the ponies, suckering the two Storm Creatures. He counts three seconds, and the Storm Creatures step aside, allowing entry. 

Pinkie smiles on cue as she walks. Capper leads the way. Spike (Discord) sees Pinkie smiling happily from her change in demeanor. He knows Pinkie Pie is about to screw up until Applejack mentioned that Pinkie needs to put a sad face to convince the Storm Creatures. She puts on her saddest face as she walks. Spike (Discord) sighs as he continues to breathe fire like a candle. 

Grubber is eating pie when he sees the cake on the wagon strolling by. He couldn't help himself, so he follows the wagon. Grubber climbs up the wagon and grabs a handful of cake to eat. After he compliments the taste of it, he sees an eyeball and freaks out a bit. After the eyeball blinks, Grubber yells ambush before being taken inside of the cake. The Storm Creatures hear and prepare for battle. 

"Uh oh, plan B?" Capper suggests. 

"The jig is up," Rainbow bucks the wagon, alerting Captain Celaeno and her crew to fight the Storm Creatures. 

Princess Skystar aids the pirates in battle as Spike (Discord) gets out of the way. He still feels a bit annoyed that he can't use his Chaos Magic to aid them. He decides to go with Capper and the girls to the throne room while Captain Celaeno and her crew hold back the Storm Creatures. As they move, Princess Skystar tells them to keep going as she'll hold off as many Storm Creatures as she can. Capper, Spike (Discord), and the girls approach another wave of Storm Creatures. 

"Say, aren't you a fire-breather dragon?" 

"Yes," Spike (Discord) answers. 

Capper picks up Spike (Discord) and uses him as a flamethrower. Discord is somewhat enjoying it but wishes he can use his magic. Spike (Discord) ignites the Storm Creatures, causing them to rive in agony in green flames as they press onward. 

Tempest sees what the commotion was all about. "What? How?" 

"It's.., it's the magic of-" Storm King cuts off Twilight's speech. 

"Friendship," Storm King finishes Twilight's sentence and puts an arm around the two ponies. "Flowers and ponies," He talks cutely in an insulting tone. "I'm so totally over the cute pony thing. This ends now!" Storm King uses the Staff of Sacanas to conjure a storm unlike any other. He also creates a tornado in the process. "Now! I'm truly am the Storm King! And the entire world will bow to my ba-ba-ba boom, baby!" Storm King proclaims. 

The tornado made Capper, Spike (Discord), and the girls go in hiding as the wind speed is too much for them to walk through. 

"Yes, yes, you are every bit as powerful as I promise, Sire. Now, restore my horn, and I swear to use my magic to serve you," Tempest bows to her King. 

Storm King laughs sinisterly. "Who cares about your dinky little unicorn horn," Storm King shoves Tempest aside as he walks. 

"But," Tempest confronts the Storm King. "We had an agreement."

"Get with the program! I used you! It's kinda, what I do," Storm King tries to vaporize Tempest with the Staff of Sacanas. Tempest retaliates by using her magic to block the beam from the staff. The two are sent back from the aftershock. 

Twilight gasps and seizes her opportunity to claim the Staff of Sacanas or save Tempest's life from being dragged into the tornado. Tempest loses grip as she's about to go with the winds. That's when Twilight chooses to save her life. 

"Hold on!" Twilight says as she grabs Tempest's hoof. 

"Why are you saving me?" Tempest is confused that an enemy is saving her. 

"Because this is what friends do," Said Twilight as she smiles. 

Tempest rethinks a lot of her choices after Twilight's statement. She now has a friend..? She smiles for the first time in a long time. Twilight pulls Tempest back. 

"Daw isn't that so sweet," Storm King is taunting the two for having a moment. He aims the Staff of Sacanas at them, getting ready to end their lives. "See ya." 

Pinkie Pie, her friends, and Spike (Discord) are inside the giant party cannon. Spike (Discord) didn't agree to get in, but Pinkie brush that aside and takes him, knowing it's the right decision. The parrot pirates fire them into the tornado, heading to Canterlot Castle and crashing into the Storm King. Storm King's staff crashes into a wall. Its power becomes unstable as the storm becomes more powerful by the second. Twilight sees her friends and hug Pinkie. She's glad and relieved they're okay. Spike (Discord) isn't thrilled that he was forced into the cannon but takes a look at the chaos. 

"Ah, chaos. I wish it's my doing."

Twilight and her friends form a chain to grab the Staff of Sacanas from the wall. They ask Spike to help. He reluctantly says no after being used cannonball without his consent. Then after hearing their pleas, especially from Rarity, he sighs and complies. Spike (Discord) helps with the chain as Twilight is nearing closer to the Staff of Sacanas. 

Storm King rises from the rubble. "The Staff belongs to me," Storm King leaps from rock to rubble to grab his staff and seize control once more. "No! That's my staff!" He sees Twilight nearing closer to the Staff of Sacanas. With a leap of faith, the Storm King jumps to grab it, only to be blown away after Twilight grabs it.

"Got it!" Twilight shouts. Pinkie loses grip as the winds carry Twilight away from her friends. 

"Twilight!" Pinkie shouts in horror. 

Tempest sees the Princess of Friendship gone as the chain of friends lower down. Spike (Discord) sits on a broken piece of stone, waiting for Twilight to come back. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack looks up. They can't believe that Twilight is gone. The storm is easing up a bit. After a few moments of silence, Twilight flies back with the Staff of Sacanas. Everypony celebrates except for Spike (Discord). All he wants to do is go back home to the Crystal Empire. He had enough of this adventure. Everypony except Tempest group hugs Twilight. 

"What's wrong with you?" Tempest asks Spike (Discord) as he's isolated from the ponies. 

"If I tell you, you will never look at the Princess of Friendship ever again. It's best that I don't say right now." 

"Are the rumors true? Are you that baby dragon they spoke of?" Tempest asks, remembering what Grubber and Storm King said to her a while ago. 

Without saying a word, Spike (Discord) nods his head. Tempest's jaws drop a little. She shakes herself in disbelief that the Princess of Friendship, the pony that saved her life, actually did what the rumors spoke of. Then, she sees Storm King with a dark magic orb in his clutches.  She hurries to save Princess Twilight and her friends. Out of nowhere, a vortex of distorted air spawns in front of the Storm King. It caused him so much pain that the dark magic orb explodes on him. The Storm King is crystalized as he falls to his demise. He shatters on the impact on the ground. 

"Uh.., where did that swirling vortex came from?" Asked Applejack, dumbfounded like everypony else, including Spike (Discord). 

"That wasn't me."

"Tempest, was that you?" Asked Twilight. 

"No. I was going to shield you all with my body when that vortex came at absolutely nowhere." 

"Wherever it came from, it saved us," Said Applejack. 

"Tempest, can the Staff of Sacanas reverse the effects of the crystalization?"

"Yes, Twilight. It can." 

Twilight and the others walk back into the throne room and use the Staff of Sacanas to turn the Alicorns to normal and restore their magic. They took deep breathes and sees Twilight Sparkle and her friends. 

"Twilight," Princess Celestia smiles. 

"Princesses," Twilight hugs Celestia. Luna comes to hug her as well. 

The Staff of Sacanas repairs all the damage that the Storm King and Storm Creatures have done. Everypony is free from containment and celebrates. Princess Cadance walks up to Spike to check on him. 

"How are you holding up, Spike?" 

"Not well, Cadance. Can we go home now? I had enough for one adventure," Said Spike (Discord), perturbed with all that has happened. 

"Are you sure? We still have a Friendship Festival to-" 

Spike (Discord) sighs heavily. "I'm sure. I don't want to talk about it cause it's unpleasant. Just know that I winded up going with Twilight Sparkle and her friends."

Eyes widen for Princess Cadance as she turns to Twilight. She's smiling and hugging her friends as they celebrate a victory. Princess Cadance closes her eyes and nods. Thinking all sorts of things they put him through and the unfortunate mistreatment as well. 

"Okay. I'll talk with the Princesses real quick, and we'll get going." 

"Okay," Spike (Discord) looks down. 

"Let's see if everypony is out of containment and see how our friends are doing!" Pinkie Pie suggests as she hops out of the throne room. 

"Right behind you," Rainbow Dash soars out the throne room, wanting to check on Captain Celaeno. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity follow pursuit. 

"Princess Celestia." 

"Yes, Cadance," Princess Celestia smiles at Cadance. 

"I'm taking Spike with me to the Crystal Empire now."

Twilight's heart sank. She fears that Spike is going to tell Princess Cadance on what transpired. Especially the moment when Twilight squeezes him for fire, making him bleed in the process. She prays that Spike doesn't tell her that. 

"Any reason why you want to leave, Spike?" Princess Celestia asks. She's worried about what has happened to him during this time. 

Spike (Discord) looks up at Princess Celestia. He eyes Twilight for a few seconds. She's sweating a bit as things for her are already taking a turn for the better. Spike (Discord) sighs heavily. This alarm Princess Celestia and Luna. 

"I had an unfortunate adventure with Princess Twilight and her friends. I don't want to go into detail. I had enough for one day. Literally," Spike (Discord) sounds upset. He turns to Tempest. "Come by to the Crystal Empire. We can use a commander like you there," Spike (Discord) suggests to Tempest since she doesn't have a home for the time being. 

"Uh, sure," Tempest answers. Unsure of what to think of it. 

"If Brave and Glorious believes you can be anew as a commander, I suggest you come to the Crystal Empire. When you can, that is," Princess Cadance smiles. 

"Sure. I would like that," Tempest smiles a bit. It doesn't excuse her for betraying Pony Kind but, after knowing the rumors about Twilight are true, she looks to better herself. 

Princess Cadance and Spike leave the throne room. Princess Celestia turns to Twilight Sparkle. Princess Luna goes to the window to raise the moon. 

"After the Friendship Festival, tell me what went down, Twilight."

"Yes, Princess," Twilight nods slowly. She's unsure how the Princesses will respond when she mentions making Spike bleed by squeezing his body for fire. 

As the Friendship Festival goes underway with Songbird Serenade singing, Spike (Discord) and Princess Cadance are on the train, leaving Canterlot. Princess Cadance looks out the window and sees an awesome blaze of fireworks displayed. 

"Sorry that I made you miss the Friendship Festival," Said Spike (Discord), who still has to act like an innocent baby dragon. 

"It's alright, Spike. I'm more concerned about you than a party," Princess Cadance reassuringly said. She extends her wing to Spike to comfort him. 

"Thank you for understanding," Spike (Discord) smiles. "What a living nightmare that was. I never felt so vulnerable in my life. It sucks not having to use my Chaos Magic to fix things up or spice things up. Except for that blood thing I did but, I now have regrets for doing that. Oh, what was I thinking during that time? I picked a bad timing to see if Twilight and her friends would try to earn redemption. I have to pick my timings better. I'll tell Princess Cadance and Shining Armor about the parrots and Hippogriffs. Have them in our alliance for the Bar of Alliance with the other nations. I'm going to wait a while when things settle down to speak about what transpired. I do hope to see Tempest soon. She's cool, and I respect her. As for Twilight's project, I'll do a briefing with the Bar of Alliance about that. I won't partake but, they should decide for themselves about it."

"You're welcome, Spike. Is there any good you can say about your adventure?" 

"I got to see new things and new places. I want Tempest Shadow to live with us at the Crystal Empire since we're becoming an independent nation." 

"I'll see what I can do and, good that you got to enjoy some things from the adventure."

"I did not enjoy my time with Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends."

"I know," Princess Cadance sighs. 

An hour later, the train arrives at the Crystal Empire. Princess Cadance and Spike (Discord) leave the train. As they walk to the Crystal Castle, several Crystal Ponies welcome the two back home. Some whistle at their Champion and Princess. Spike (Discord) smiles and waves for them. The two enter the Crystal Castle and walk up to the throne room. As they enter, they see Flurry Heart soundly asleep. Shining Armor had some hair loss and burnt markings on his body. Sunburst no longer has his goatee. 

"What happened while we were away?" Asked Princess Cadance. She's a bit horrified to see her husband a bit burnt. 

"Flurry Heart wanted to be with her mother and Spike today," Shining answers. "She threw a temper tantrum." 

"What happened to your goatee, Sunrbust?" Spike (Discord) asks. "Let it be what I hoped for."

Sunburst sighs. "She used her magic and yanked my goatee out. The most excruciating pain I ever felt in my whole life, Spike." 

"Sorry to hear." "Yes, she yanked it out!'"

"So, how was the Friendship Festival?" Sunburst asks. 

"I rather not talk about it. I'm going to bed," Spike (Discord) yawns as he leaves the throne room. 

"Seriously, what happened?" Shining asks Cadance. 

"A lot happened. I'll tell you later, Shining Armor."

Spike (Discord) enters his room and activates a silencing circle. He sees his clone lounging on his bed. 

"So, how was it?" Discord (clone) asks as he drinks hot sauce. 

"Terrible for me, a holla victory for Twilight Sparkle," Spike (Discord) sighs. "I still can't believe she got away with several lies. She lied about us, lied in front of the Princesses, lied to me, and lied to her friends."

"Her friends?"

"I still have to keep the charade, dummy." 

"Oh, right. Sorry, I'm still going the emotions when Twilight told me not to come to the Friendship Festival."

Spike (Discord) lays on his bed, feeling tired. "I picked a horrible timing to see if they would want to engage with Spike, to see if they repented. Apparently not when they were focused on stopping the Ice King." 

"Storm King," Discord (clone) corrects. 

"Whatever, don't care, he's dead. A vortex of distorted air came at absolutely nowhere to finish him off. It wasn't me cause I couldn't use my magic to help. I felt so useless. Is that how Spike felt whenever he was with them? Useless?" 

"He told us what he felt throughout the years, so we're experiencing it firsthand. All we can do is hope that she becomes better. Especially with the Bar of Alliance." 

"Right." 

"Anyway, I suspect something big in a few weeks. Something related to the School of Friendship project Twilight spoke. I'll keep a closer eye on it." 

"Alright, see you another day, Discord," Spike (Discord) gets under the blankets as Discord (clone) opens the closet door and leaves the room. Discord uplifts the silencing circle. "I have to pick a better time for Twilight to earn her redemption. I rushed the first opportunity that came to me without prep-time. I have to do better." Discord closes his eyes and falls asleep.
> A Cold Storm: Aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Friendship Festival lasted all night. Everypony and creature that celebrated a momentous victory is heading home. With the Storm King defeated, Princess Twilight Sparkle has another challenge that awaits her, revealing to the Princesses what went down on her adventure after seeing how sad and distressed Spike was before Songbird Senerade sang. 

Princess Twilight Sparkle is heading towards the throne room. She takes a deep breath, unsure how the Princesses will react once they hear the whole store of her adventure, especially the lies she made throughout the trip. Twilight Sparkle takes another deep breath and enters the throne room. She sees Princess Celestia and Luna talking with Queen Novo. 

"Please excuse us, Queen Novo. Princess Twilight is present and, we would like to have a word with her," Princess Celestia formally address. 

"Understood," Queen Novo nods. "I have to take Skystar back home. She's grounded for the stunt she pulled tonight."

"Understood. It was great seeing you once more, my friend," Princess Celestia smiles. 

Queen Novo leaves the throne room. She, her guards, and Princess Skystar take flight back to the kingdom on Mount Aris. Princess Celestia's smile faded as she turns to Twilight. Princess Luna gazes at Twilight. Twilight feels uncomfortable as she takes deep breathes to calm herself. Twilight's heartbeats rapidly while she has butterflies in her stomach. The thought of mentioning Spike during the adventure is excruciating enough. It feels like at any moment. She could have a heart attack. 

"Princess Twilight Sparkle," Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. She steadies her mind to embrace the outcome of Twilight's speech. "What happened during your latest adventure. And, why was Spike distraught when we were free from our petrification prison?" 

Twilight bit her lip. The fear of telling the truth is overwhelming. Should she lie to the Princesses again? No. Someone would eventually reveal her secrets. Twilight looks down, ready to be banished to the moon for lying. She shakes her head as it's too much to bear. 

"Twilight," Princess Celestia announces, snapping Twilight out of her trance. 

"Well, you see-" Twilight gets interrupted by Discord (clone). 

"Surprise!" Discord walks in as confetti explodes behind him. "Did I miss the show?" 

"Discord? What are you doing here?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Well, I have something to inform you after my talk with Spike. Right before he went to bed." 

Twilight's eyes beam wide open in horror. She steps back a bit. Princess Celestia catches Twilight's reaction the moment Discord mentions Spike's name. The worst is yet to come, and it hasn't begun for Twilight. 

"Really? Also, the Friendship Festival ended a while ago. Sorry, but you missed it. Twilight told us that you decided not to show, in terms that your chaos wouldn't cause complications with other species if they were to come."

Discord's (clone) jaw drops to the floor then his body starts to boil and turn red. That was a clear indication that there was some deception from Princess Twilight Sparkle. 

"You have got to be joking, right?" Discord (clone) turns to Twilight. His eyes are fiery. 

"It's.., uh..," Twilight is lost for words. 

"Well, let me tell you what Twilight said to me a while ago," Discord pulls up a movie projector and plugs the wire into his brain. The movie reveals their lengthy conversation about Discord's presence at the Friendship Festival. 

"Twilight.., how could you..?" Princess Celestia sounds disappointed. She's lost for words. 

"Princess.., I'm-" Discord cuts out Twilight again. 

"You're not sorry. You never were until you got in trouble. Also, you lied to the Princesses and Spike. Princesses are honorable, Twilight." 

"I can't believe you rejected Discord, Twilight. Is he not your friend?" Luna asks in a bit of disgust from Twilight Sparkle. 

"Yes! He is my friend!" Twilight exclaims. 

"Doesn't look like it to me," Said Discord (clone), pointing to the part when Twilight said; Look. I don't want you. I don't need you when trying to make peace with another species. "That hurt me more than you'll ever know."

"I understand your frustrations, Discord." Princess Luna states. 

"Wait, it gets better," Discord points out another statement Twilight said; "With all due respect, Discord," Twilight sighs. "You're not needed for today's Friendship Festival. I'm the Princess of Friendship. I need to set an example with Ponies and Dragons. Not Draqonecuus."

"I'm not needed? A creature that represents all species combined is not wanted? Twilight made it clear what a one-sided friendship is. When she told me about meeting up with her friends, she didn't say ours. She said hers and, it's insulting to me." 

"Very understandable, Draqonecuus," Said Princess Luna. 

"What else, Discord?" Asked Princess Celestia, eager to know what else Twilight said to him. 

"Twilight didn't say much after I left. She barred me from going to the Festival. Ever felt insignificant in front of your friends like that?" 

"Nay," Princess Luna and Celestia shook their heads. 

"Well, should I tell you what Spike told me, or should Twilight do it?" Discord (clone) turns to Twilight. Discord's stare causes Twilight to pant. She's afraid of hurting the Princesses' feelings evermore. 

"I asked Twilight to speak. If she cannot, then, by all means, speak what Spike told you." 

"After running away from Tempest, my friends and I ran into Spike. We fell after my magic beam got deflected by a Storm Creature, causing the bridge we were on to collapse. After getting to safety, Spike asked if Discord could help. After lying to you and him during the briefing of the Crystal Empire becoming a more independent nation, I lied to Spike and my friends about Discord and why he won't be coming." 

Discord (clone) puts a paw on his face. He can't believe what he's hearing, feeling conflicted that Twilight lied to her friends and Spike. Though he already knew what went down, he still needs to sell his acting like he's surprised and stupefy. 

"We went onward to the badlands after I remembered what you said. Queen of the Hippos which, was later corrected as Queen of the Hippogriff. Pinkie Pie drew a lot of unwelcome attention until we made a new friend. Then Tempest found us, and we were on the move. Pinkie," Twilight gulps. "Pinkie pounced on a tight rope, nearly causing Spike to fall and hold onto the rope for dear life when boarding an airship..," 

"He didn't tell me about that part. That Pinkie Pie almost got him killed when Rainbow Dash grabbed the rope," Said Discord (clone). 

"The airship we boarded used to be a Storm King merchandised airship delivering goods until Rainbow Dash inspired them to resort to their Pirate glory days. It helped until Rainbow Dash performed the Sonic Rainboom, exposing our positions which made Spike infuriated. Even I was not fond of Rainbow Dash's reckless stunt. Spike actually back claws Rainbow Dash in the face and scolded her. I didn't see it at first but, Spike was getting angry. Spike complained that we were going to get him killed before they do. Then, Tempest's ship boarded Captain Celaeno's ship and interrogated her and her crewmates. I devised an escape plan by creating a hot air balloon while free-falling. Spike was livid after the stunt and..,"

"What?" Celestia said. "What happened next, Twilight?" 

The idea of revealing what happened is unbearable. Twilight wishes that Discord wasn't here. 

"The better question is, why was Spike livid?" Discord (clone) asks, applying pressure for Twilight to confess. 

"To..," Twilight looks at the Princesses' eyes. She starts trembling in fear. Knowing her next part of the story could be the death penalty. Twilight balls up a little as fear is overwhelming her. 

"Allow me," Discord (clones) spawns a podium to speak in front of the Princesses. He coughs and gathers all the notes he needs. "For Twilight to create a hot air balloon, she had all the components except for fire. A long sheet, rope, and a large basket to fit everyone in are what she used. As for fire," Discord (clone) coughs as it's uncomfortable to say. He displays a deplorable look, indicating how serious his comment is going to be. 

"Please, the suspense is killing me," Said Celestia. She's in dire need of knowing what happened to Spike. 

"Don't delay any further. Please, spill it, Draqonecuus," Said Luna. 

Discord (clone) sighs heavily. "Twilight squeezed Spike's body so hard for him to breathe fire that'll sustain the hot air balloon."

Princess Celestia and Luna's jaws drop in utter shock. They are horrified to hear what Twilight has done to Spike. Princess Celestia's facial features an oh why look. Princess Luna could only turn away from Twilight. 

"As a result of squeezing his body vigorously and not compromising," Discord (clone) takes a deep breath that showed how serious the result is. A tear shed as he looks directly at the Princesses' eyes. "Spike winds up coughing blood..."

Twilight hears the loudest bloodcurdling shriek of her life from her mentor. Never in her life, she ever heard Celestia shriek emotionally like that. Princess Luna closes her eyes like giving someone a moment of silence in the wakening of death. Twilight knows she's going to suffer a lot of consequences when this is all over. Princess Celestia can imagine the anger and sadness Spike must have felt. The pony that raised Spike; abandoned him, just made him bled. She sniffs as she's hurt. Hurt in the sense that Twilight is going astray and Spike continues to suffer. 

"I'm terribly sorry for the grotesque info about Spike's unfortunate injury," Said Discord (clone), as he too shed some tears. "Shall I continue?"

"What else happened to Spike," Luna asks since Celestia lost for words. 

"Spike shouted at Rarity for complaining too much. He winded up being in a body of a blowfish while Twilight and the others became seaponies. Twilight lied in front of Spike about stealing the pearl. Spike's anger grew throughout everything as sheer luck was on Twilight and her friends' side. Pinkie Pie forced him into a gigantic party cannon hurling towards the castle. Other things do happen but, it's not worth mentioning."

Princess Celestia and Luna cover their face with hooves. Twilight remains silent. All she can do is look down in shame and defeat. The worst is not even over. 

"Spike told me he doesn't want to see Princess Twilight Sparkle nor her friends for the rest of his life. After that adventure," Discord (clone) said. Lying from his tongue but, he sounded like the most honest creature in the room. 

"Granted," Princess Celestia, with no explanation precepts. 

"What?!" Twilight shrieks, breaking her silence. 

"Seriously, Celestia?" Discord (clone) is appalled by Celestia's decree. 

"I will not allow Spike to suffer anymore," Princess Celestia is in tears a little. She is furious. "Princess Twilight Sparkle, I hereby suspend your entitlement as Princess of Friendship for six months." 

"What?!" Twilight is in utter shock with this revelation, her jaw drops. 

"I hereby suspend you and your friends of any royal duties that inquiries of the Crystal Empire and Canterlot. Also, you and your friends will not come in close contact with Spike behind my back. If I receive word from Discord, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, or Spike on any attempts to come close contact with Spike or write a letter to him, I will strip you of being a Princess of Equestria permanently." 

Twilight wanted to cry. She wanted to ball her eyes out and plea with the Princesses for forgiveness and redemption. Princess Celestia has never been more disappointed in Twilight to a degree of disowning her as a future Princess of Equestria. 

"Twilight Sparkle and her friends are barred from entering Canterlot unless it's dire when facing a ravenous villain," Princess Luna added. 

"You have a lot of thinking to do, Twilight Sparkle. You and your friends on how to treat other creatures fair and equal. Perhaps Starlight can give you a lecture on how friends are supposed to be?" Princess Celestia coldly states. She closes her eyes as turns away. "Twilight, you are dismissed. Please, leave Canterlot." 

Twilight trots out of the throne room. A celebrated victory has turned into shame and disgrace. 

"What am I going to do..?" Twilight looks down as she leaves Canterlot castle. 

Discord (clone) turns to the Princesses. "With Twilight suspended as Princess, what do you have in mind as a temporary replacement?" 

"Starlight Glimmer has shown promises to become an Ambassador of Friendship for all of Equestria. She will be our guide in uniting Equestria with the Bar of Alliance. Ember and Thorax are great friends with Starlight Glimmer. She's our best option in maintaining any peace within the other nations, Discord." 

"Should I tell her that?" Discord (clone) asks. 

"Please do," Princess Celestia nods. "Tell Starlight to head to the Crystal Empire tomorrow." 

"I'm on it," Discord (clone) leaves the throne room by opening a passageway from the ceiling then closes the door. 

"Luna," Celestia turns to her sister. 

"Yes, Celestia?" Luna responds. 

"We're going to the Crystal Empire tomorrow. We're going to check on Spike then discuss with the Bar of Alliance." 

"Understood," Luna hugs her sister as Celestia cries a bit. The heartbreaking news of Spike coughing out blood is too much to bear when she imagined it. 

An hour later, Discord arrives in Starlight's room in the Castle of Friendship. Starlight walks in after taking a plate of cookies and milk to her room. 

"Discord?" Starlight is perplexed on why Discord is here. 

"Before you ask, Celestia sent me here." 

"Okay," Starlight sees the intense side of Discord which is rare for her to witness. "So, what does Princess Celestia want?"

Discord reveals to Starlight what has gone down during the past few days and everything Spike endured in full detail. Starlight becomes awestruck and disheartened with the news about Spike coughing out blood. Discord also reveals the punishments Twilight and her friends will have. Starlight can't believe that Twilight is suspended in her role as a Princess. 

"Which comes down to this. Since you have a strong bond with Thorax and Ember, Princess Celestia has asked me to make you an Ambassador of Friendship for Equestria." 

Starlight is dumbfounded with the revelation of becoming an Ambassador of Friendship. She looks at the ceiling in disbelief, then turns to Discord. 

"I'll accept the offer if it means that Equestria will be spared from future wars," Starlight said. 

"Excellent. Tomorrow, we'll be going to the Crystal Empire to discuss the matter. Also, to check on Spike and see how's he doing overall." 

"Of course," Starlight nods. 

"I'll be here tomorrow to pick you up," Discord (clone) leaves Starlight's room after taking two cookies from her plate. 

"Wow," Starlight gets in her bed. "Ambassador of Friendship for Equestria. Who would have thought?" Starlight lays on her bed. "So many responsibilities lie in my hooves for all of Equestria. Celestia, Luna.., guide me through all my decisions for what's best for Equestria," Starlight uses her magic to levitate a cookie and eats it. "I hope you sleep well, Spike. Sorry for what you've endured during those times."
> Bar of Alliance Briefing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike (Discord) wakes up after a horrid night. Unable to dream to ease the tensions of the nightmare made it worse. Discord needs to continue his charade as Spike as long as possible however it's eating him alive. He still needs to inform Princess Cadance and Shining Armor what went down during his latest adventure. 

"I'm so glad Spike doesn't have to embrace all of this. It'll cause him to go into the brink of insanity for sure," Spike (Discord) said as he has his claws covering his face. "I'm better off being turned into stone for all eternity than go on an adventure with Twilight Sparkle and her friends ever again." 

A Crystal Guard knocks on Spike's (Discord) room door. Discord takes a deep breath and walks to the door. 

"Morning, Brave and Glorious." 

"Morning, Luetinant Pearl," Spike (Discord) salutes as he yawns. 

"Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor want you in the throne room." 

"Any reason why?" Spike (Discord) yawns again. 

"To discuss what transpired with you and the events of the Friendship Festival."

Spike (Discord) sighs and nods. Lieutenant Pearl escorts Spike to the throne room. Spike (Discord) looks down in sadness. He still needs to act in the character of an innocent baby dragon to entice the situation furthermore. Moments later, Lieutenant Pearl opens the door to the throne room. Spike (Discord) thanks Pearl as she goes on patrol. 

"Morning, Spike," Princess Cadance said as she's feeding Flurry Heart. 

"Morning," Spike (Discord) weakly responds as he walks up closer. 

"How are you feeling, buddy?" Shining Armor asks with a level of concern. 

"Sad, disgusted, angry.., all sorts of emotions that'll drive you into stress and depression at the same time," Spike (Discord) looks at Shining Armor. 

Shining Armor and Princess Cadance don't see an ounce of happiness on Spike's face. Not even in his eyes. They wondered what happened during the events of the Friendship Festival. Princess Cadance is more concern, considered she was in petrification imprisonment. 

"Spike, I've been, meaning to ask you this..," Princess Cadance sighs. She can tell it'll be heartache for Spike to talk about it. "What happened with you and Twilight on the adventure you've embarked on?" 

Shining Armor is in shock. His eyes lit up in revelation.  He hoped that Spike didn't suffer by the hooves of his sister, Twilight Sparkle. 

Spike (Discord) sighs heavily. "It's.., I...," Spike (Discord) choked up a bit. He closes his eyes as a tear sheds. "I can't say. I did tell everything to Discord. He can tell you what has happened. I can't bring myself into reliving the nightmare.., not now..," Spike (Discord) said in a depressed tone. 

"Okay," Princess Cadance nods. "I understand." 

"I'm gonna.., get some breakfast..," Spike (Discord) leaves the throne room. 

Flurry Heart senses the distraught in Spike. She looks at her mother. Showing some signs that she wants to be with Spike. 

"Let's accompany Spike in the kitchen. He needs us and shouldn't be alone," Said Cadance as she holds Flurry Heart. 

"Agreed," Shining Armor nods. 

As the two trots to the kitchen, Discord (clone) is on his way to the Castle of Friendship. It is 9:30 in the morning. Discord (clone) can feel the unease tensions in Ponyville. The news article reports about Twilight's suspension as Princess of Friendship. Discord lands in front of the castle. 

"Alright, so far, so good," Discord enters the castle to look for Starlight, hoping to avoid Twilight Sparkle by all means. "Now, where will Starlight be?" Discord hovers and checks several rooms until he reaches the kitchen. "Oh great, both of them are here." 

Starlight is giving Twilight a cup of coffee. Twilight is a mess. She hasn't slept all night, has bags on her eyes, and her eyes are red. Twilight sighs as she slumps over. Starlight is livid at Twilight but chooses not to allow her emotions to get the better of her. 

"Thanks, Starlight..," Twilight drinks her cup and sees Discord. "Oh great!" Twilight shouts. "You've come to rub salt in my wounds, Discord?" 

"No," Discord (clone) crosses his arms as he hovers. "I"m here to pick up Starlight Glimmer." 

"Psst, for what?" Twilight retorts. She is angry and grumpy with her current condition. 

Discord (clone) takes a deep breath. "For a briefing with the Bar of Alliance at the Crystal Empire," He sees Twilight drinking her coffee cup. "She's the Ambassador of Friendship for Equestria." 

Twilight spits her coffee at Starlight in utter shock. Discord (clone) snaps,  removing the coffee stains off of Starlight. 

"What?!" Twilight shouts. "When did this happened?! Why was I left under the loop?!" 

"Right after the Princesses decree your punishments, it was Celestia that informed me to offer the position to Starlight Glimmer. I arrived last night to inform her everything that transpired." 

"After what Discord told me last night. I took the role of Ambassador of Friendship since I have relations with Ember and Thorax. The fear of impending war was on my mind, and I have a clear shot of protecting Equestria from future wars." 

"So, that's it? You're my replacement for screwing things up?" Twilight is irritated and conflicted. 

Starlight sighs. "Unfortunately." 

"You know, you could have contacted me instead of lying your way for success, Twilight." 

"You told me not to! You told me that whatever happens, it was on me to handle it!" Twilight barks back angrily. 

"Ever heard of apologizing? Maybe you could have asked Spike to send me an apology letter, and I would have come and helped you a lot." 

Twilight groans. "Be on your way!" Twilight said coldly. She turns her back on Discord and Starlight. 

Discord (clone) sighs. "Let's go, Starlight." 

"Right behind you," Said Starlight, a bit distressed from what she sees in Twilight as of late. 

Discord uses his magic to transport him and Starlight to the Crystal Empire. Twilight trots angrily to her room but, her pacing eases up as guilt and sorrow wraps around her mind. She starts questioning who she has become. She becomes teary while slowly walking down the corridors of her castle. 

It is now 10:00 in the morning. Princess Celestia and Luna have informed the Royal Guards to be on patrol. They'll be back sometime later today. They are flying to the Crystal Empire. 

"You had a good rest, Celestia?" Princess Luna asks. 

"No," Celestia shakes her head. "How can I when Twilight Sparkle is going astray, and Spike continues to suffer? How can I sleep knowing an image of Spike coughing blood out is on my mind?" 

"It is disturbing. I tried visiting Spike in his dreams, but his door won't open. He has blocked me from entering. I can only speculate that he doesn't want me to endure his view of horrors he endured."

"You think Starlight is the right choice?" Celestia asks, doubting herself with choosing another. 

"Starlight is friends with Ember and Thorax and trusts her. Spike's testimony a few weeks back, Starlight was never mentioned abusing and neglecting to a certain degree. Therefore, she is the right candidate for the position."

"I hope so," Celestia sighs. 

Spike (Discord), Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart are eating together in the kitchen. Discord (clone) and Starlight appear in the kitchen, startling Princess Cadance, and Shining Armor. 

"Sorry, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. I was teleporting to meet with you. I didn't know you were eating breakfast," Said Discord (clone) apologetically. 

"It's alright," Princess Cadance sighs in relief. 

"Hey, Starlight. Uh, any reason why you are here?" Shining Armor asks. He's confused why Discord brought her here. 

"Oh that," Discord (clone) chuckles. "Starlight Glimmer is the new Ambassador of Friendship for Equestria."

Spike (Discord), Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance's jaws drop. Flurry Heart giggles as the surprised faces the trio expressed. 

"Yep, hehe," Starlight sweats a little with the new responsibilities. "Today, Princess Celestia and Luna wants to address a briefing with the Bar of Alliance."

"What about Twily? Sure she would be involved with this.., no?" 

Discord (clone) and Starlight shake their heads. More questions about the severity of Twilight Sparkle's role as Princess is on their minds. 

"Princess Celestia and Luna are coming. They can inform you what Spike told me. Starlight can also tell you what went down. I told her what happened during the events of the Friendship Festival. During the invasion of the Storm King," Said Discord. 

"Okay. We'll have a better understanding of Spike even more," Said Shining Armor. 

"Spike," Discord (clone) calls to him. 

"Yea?" Spike (Discord) answers. 

"Come with me so we can bring Ember, Thorax, Grampa Gruffs, and Prince Rutherford to the meeting." 

"Sure thing," Spike (Discord) walks up to Discord (clone). Discord teleports them to Yak Yakistan first. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor escort Starlight Glimmer to the meeting room, the Crystal Guards escort Princess Celestia and Luna to the meeting room when they arrived in front of the castle. Princess Celestia and Luna thank the Crystal Guards as they leave. 

"Celestia," Princess Cadance gulps a little. "What happened with Spike during the invasion of the Storm King. He didn't tell us much." 

Princess Celestia looks down from the sadness, then at Princess Cadance. "Well-" 

Discord (clone) and Spike (Discord) arrive at the gates of Yak Yakistan. They see two Yaks standing by. 

"Hello, Baby Dragon. Welcome to Yak Yakistan," Yakistanian Guard said. 

"Thanks, Yakkon," Spike (Discord) said. "I'm here to speak with Prince Rutherford." 

"Right this way, friend," Yakkon leads Spike (Discord) and Discord (clone) to Prince Rutherford's palace. The two see him coming out of his home. 

"Dragon Friend!" Prince Rutherford approaches Spike. "Yak happy to see Dragon Friend once more. So, what's on your mind?" 

"I was thinking of holding the Bar of Alliance Briefing today. There is so much to discuss and much to address as well." 

"Yak will arrive in one hour. Yak need thirty minutes to prepare himself," Prince Rutherford decrees. 

"Sure. The meeting won't start until all is present," Said Discord (clone).

"Excellent! Yak will be there soon as possible!" 

Discord (clone) teleports Spike (Discord) to Griffonstone. When they arrive, they see a change in scenery. Griffins around are communicating better and welcoming newer creatures with open arms except for Pony Kind. They look around until Gabby lunge and hugs Spike. 

"I'm so happy to see you again, Spike!" 

"Glad.., to.., see.., you.., again..," Spike (Discord) is being squeezed a little from the hug. Gabby lets go of the hug, allowing Spike (Discord) to breathe. 

"Ah, you must be this Gabby Spike has mentioned to me a while back." 

"You must be the Dracona.., no. Draqonuis.., no. "Draqonco, no," Gabby is struggling to pronounce Discord's race. 

"Draqonecuus," Discord (clone) corrects. 

"Yes. Draqonecuus that Spike told me about; one of his best friends he'd considered," Gabby smiles. 

"The name is Discord, the Lord of Chaos." 

"Pleasure to meet you, Discord," Gabby shakes his claw with hers. 

"Anywho, do you know where Grampa Gruffs reside?" Spike (Discord) asks. 

"Yea, he's walking around town at this hour since there is much activity in reuniting the Griffins as a better colony. There he is now," Gabby points to Grampa Gruffs as he's walking down the streets. 

"He seems renewed," Said Spike (Discord). 

"After Gilda and I told him about what happened to you under the care of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the friendship that they showed us, we didn't want it nor want to practice the beliefs of racism. We decided to improve on friendship and decided to spread the love through our community. It's the first time in years I've seen Grampa Gruffs smiling the way he is right now." 

"Wow. Talk about a twist of turns," Said Discord (clone). 

"Hey," Grampa Gruffs approaches the trio. "Are you the baby dragon was a slave to Princess Twilight Flopple and those wretched ponies she called friends?" 

"Yes," Spike (Discord) sighs. "I'm here to speak on behalf of the Crystal Empire." 

"Ah, yes. What is it, son?" 

"We're holding a Bar of Alliance Briefing at the Crystal Empire today. Will you be joining us?" 

"Of course, also, I want to bring a delegate as my representative," Grampa Gruffs said. 

"Who do you have in mind?" Discord (clone) asks. 

Gilda lands in front of the two. "That'll be me, gentlemen." 

"Wow, you're more mannered than the last time I saw you," Said Spike (Discord). 

"Well, I'm anew in a different kind of friendship I have with the Griffins. So, I thought I become an Ambassador for Griffinstone." 

"Interesting," Said Discord (clone). "I'll snap you two to the meeting room. We're on our way to the Changeling Hive and the Dragon Lands."

"Alright then, will it hurt?" Grampa Gruff asks. 

"Not at all," Discord snaps his claw as he teleports Gilda and Grampa Gruffs to the Crystal Empire. "On to the Changeling Hive," Discord snaps his paw, teleporting he and Spike (Discord) to the Changeling Hive. 

"Spike!" Thorax happily greets his friend. "Heya, Discord." 

"Nice to see you again, Thorax," Said Discord (clone). 

"Hey, Thorax," Spike (Discord) said with more enthusiasm. 

"So, you two want to hang out, talk, or do something?" 

"Discord and I have come here on behalf of the Crystal Empire. We're having our first Bar of Alliance Briefing." 

"It's today. Why wasn't I informed?" Thorax asked. He feels left in the shadows. 

"Well, we're doing it today. No other creature was informed, so that's why Discord and I are traveling from Kingdom to Kingdom; letting you and they know that today is the first-ever briefing at the Crystal Empire," Said Spike (Discord). 

"Oooooh," Thorax sighs in relief. "Good. I thought I was being cast aside from the meeting." 

"You kidding me? You're my best friend. I would not do that to you." 

"Thank you, Spike," Thorax smiles. 

"You're welcome. Discord, please teleport our friend to the Crystal Empire. We have one more Kingdom to go." 

"As you wish, Brave and Glorious," Discord snap his claw, teleporting Thorax to the Crystal Empire. "Onto the Dragon Lands," Discord teleports he and Spike (Discord) to the Dragon Lands. On arrival, the two see Ember eating her stash of gems. 

"Uh.., hi," Ember waves as she's eating a fire ruby. 

"Sorry for intruding on your mealtime. We're here to inform you of a Bar of Alliance Briefing that's being held at the Crystal Empire today," Said Spike (Discord). 

"Let me finish this, and I'll go grab my scepter." 

"Understood," Spike (Discord) and Discord (clone) say and nod in unison. 

The two wait a while as Ember continues to enjoy her meal, not wanting to disturb her. Ember finishes and grabs her scepter. She comes out to greet her friend and Discord. 

"Alright," She burps loudly. "I'm ready to go. It should be good to hear the other nations and what they have to say." 

"Agreed," Discord (clone) nods. He snaps his claw, teleporting to the Crystal Empire meeting room. Upon arrival, the trio sees sad looks on Thorax, Grampa Gruffs, Gilda, Prince Rutherford, Princess Cadance, and Shining Armor. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ember asks as she walks up to Thorax. 

"We learned something crucial about Spike and his mistreatment from Twilight Sparkle and her friends from a recent and unfortunate adventure," Thorax sadly replies. "Come here, buddy," Thorax walks up to Spike and hugs him. 

"What happened, Spike?" Ember turns to Spike. Not only she's worried, but she's also livid at Twilight and her friends. 

Spike (Discord) shakes his head. "I don't want to talk about it..." 

"Ember, I'll inform you what went down later," Said Discord (clone).

"Alright," Ember turns to Starlight. She's sitting with Princess Celestia and Luna on the opposite end of the table. "Hey, Starlight." 

"Hey," Starlight waves. 

The door slams open as Prince Rutherford enters. "Thanks, Crystal Ponies. Yak appreciates the warm welcome and escort." 

The Crystal Ponies nod and closes the door. They are standing in attention while guarding the meeting room. 

"Now that every creature is here; let's discuss," Said Princess Celestia. 

"Agreed," Princess Cadance nods. 

"First order of business, Princess Twilight Sparkle is barred from any meetings with the Bar of Alliance from here and out," Ember declares. 

Thorax, Prince Rutherford, Grampa Gruffs, and Gilda nod with approval; after finding out what Twilight has done recently, it's hard to trust a self-acclaimed pony that speaks about friendship but keeps it within her species. 

"Twilight Sparkle will not attend any meetings such as this but will be informed," Princess Celestia formally addresses. 

"Second, the Crystal Empire will become an independent nation. Aligning with the Bar of Alliance," Princess Cadance formally addresses as well. 

"Then, we should expect the Crystal Empire to become allies with Equestria?" Thorax asks. 

"Yes. However, Equestria is not off the hook. They need to set things straight with all of you." 

"How do you plan on setting things straight? Yak wants to know!" Prince Rutherford snorts. 

"Twilight Sparkle and her friends have circulated a plan of action. She told me of her idea a while back. She calls it the School of Friendship. To teach and spread the knowledge of Friendship for all kinds throughout the world," Said Starlight. 

"School of Friendship?" Thorax, Ember, Prince Rutherford, Grampa Gruffs, and Gilda say in unison. They ponder on the thought of it. 

"The idea sounds good but, the Friendship they spoke of, it doesn't suit my species well," Thorax claims. 

"Yea, especially with Dragons. I don't trust Twilight to be teaching Friendship when in reality is about controlling us," Ember coldly states. She snorts. 

"I know how you feel about Twilight's perspective on Friendship. Believe me, what I've seen is one-sided," Said Discord (clone).

"Discord," Princess Celestia glares at Discord. 

"However, perhaps Twilight should not be the one teaching," Discord (clone) walks behind Starlight. "Perhaps it should be her student who is better with Friendship than anyone else," Discord flashes an arrow pointing at Starlight. 

"What? Me be a-" Starlight double takes for two seconds. 

"Yes, you should be leading the curriculum of Friendship for all species." 

"Well," Starlight ponders a bit. 

"Starlight has a better friendship with Changelings and Dragons. I don't see why not for her to teach the true meaning of Friendship," Said Spike (Discord) in an encouraging manner. 

"I'm not sure how it would work. I have no plans or ideas to make it work," Starlight said, looking at every creature around her. "Plus, it's Twilight project." 

"We don't trust Twilight nor her friends, for that matter," Gilda said, speaking for Grampa Gruffs. 

"Also, we don't want her friends to influence teaching Friendship as well. For teaching the qualities of Friendship, it should be those we can trust, and you can trust Starlight," Thorax inclines. 

"Well, I know a handful of friends that can help. That includes Discord and Spike."

"Say what now," Discord (clone) and Spike (Discord) say in unison. 

"I will only ask as I cannot force anyone into doing anything. Discord, would you like to become a teacher in the School of Friendship?" 

"Well.., I.., uh-" "This is perfect. I can use some chaos here and there. It could spark something in Twilight Sparkle into becoming better, wanting to partake in teaching, or becoming a student to have a different understanding of Friendship. I messed up the fray with the Storm King's invasion. The timing with the School of Friendship could be my better option." "Alright, Starlight. I accept the proposal on becoming a teacher in the School of Friendship," Discord (clone) shakes Starlight's hoof. 

"Spike?" Starlight asks. 

"Two things. Where will the School of Friendship be located? How many days a week for school to be in session?" 

"Unfortunately, the construction crew has already started in Ponyville. Also, the discussion was for five days a week. Monday through Friday." 

Spike (Discord) ponders a bit. He turns to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. 

"It's what you decide, Spike. I won't force you into doing something you're not comfortable with, bro," Shining Armor calmly said. 

"What you decide is on your accord. Shining and I support you any way we can," Said Princess Cadance. 

"Well, I do know a lot about Friendship and the things that are not necessary as well." "Plus, the motivation from Twilight and her friends seeing me should skyrocket even more if they were to discover I'm back in Ponyville. It will be a risk, a bigger risk than what I'm doing while disguised as Spike. I know Celestia issued a warning at Twilight Sparkle. That she could end up losing all privileges as a Princes of Equestria permanently if word got out." "I have one more question."

"What is it, Spike?" Starlight asks. 

"What if Twilight and her friends see me working at the School of Friendship?"

"With my ruling, Spike. They are not allowed to come in close contact with you. If they wish to become students, then I'll uplift the boundaries a little. If not students then, they are barred from the school," Princess Celestia explains, which every creature nods in acceptance. 

"Alright, that answers my question then. What are the hours?" 

"From 10:30 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon. I suggest that the School of Friendship should have dorms for students that travel far and wide." 

"So, is any of you in favor of the School of Friendship?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"Yak wants to know who'll be teaching at the School of Friendship," Prince Rutherford said. 

"Me, Discord, I'm planning on asking Sunburst and Trixie. Hopefully Spike, uh," Starlight tries to think of someone else who can help. "Maud Pie.., um." 

"It's a good start. Perhaps down the road, some students can become teachers for future generations," Said Thorax. 

"As long as it's not Twilight Sparkle nor her mischievous friends, I'm cool with who you decide, Starlight,"  Said Ember. 

"Yak would like that," Said Prince Rutherford. 

"Sounds good to me. You Gilda?" Grampa Gruffs turn to Gilda. 

"Hey, I'm cool with it. As long as history doesn't repeat itself in the sense of controlling friends and becoming racist enslavers." 

"I'll do it. I'll become a teacher at the School of Friendship," Said Spike (Discord) after giving much thought. In actuality, Discord needed to show some that Spike was giving thought to the opportunity. "As long as Discord can teleport me from the Crystal Empire to the School of Friendship and back."

"Granted," Discord (clone) approves with the stipulation. 

"I'll be sending delegates of my Kingdom to the School of Friendship once we all affirm on the start date," Said Thorax. 

"Same with me," Ember concurs. 

"I know who to send to give it a shot," Grampa Gruffs said. 

"Yak will send Yaks to School of Friendship," Prince Rutherford decrees. 

"I could ask the Crystal Ponies to see if they'd be willing to go to the School of Friendship," Said Princess Cadance. 

"I'll ask a good friend of mine. Queen Novo into sending some of her subjects to the school," Princess Celestia formally pronounces. 

"Alright. Anything else we should discuss?" Princess Luna asks, breaking her silence. 

"Keeping the peace within all nations. As much as I wanted to go to war, I can't bring myself into doing so," Said Ember, looking at Spike. "I hate what Twilight and her friends have done to Spike. I want the two of you to swear that no other shall repeat what Twilight and her friends have committed." 

"We swear," Princess Celestia and Luna say in unison. They don't want to upset the Empress Dragon Lord any further. 

"I want to know now, are Changelings acceptable to Pony Kind, or do we need time?" Thorax asks. 

"There are some that feel Changelings are still monsters from the Canterlot invasion and the widespread of the newspaper. However, I believe now that most of Equestria will be welcoming the Changelings into the lands. If not, I will make them open their eyes," Said Princess Celestia reassuringly to Thorax. 

"Alright. I'll trust you since your friends with my friend, Starlight Glimmer." 

"As long as Yaks and Ponies get along, Yak is okay. Pink Pony and her friends need a lot of time to redeem themselves and the trust for us," Prince Rutherford declares. 

"I made it perfectly clear to Dash and Fluttershy that Griffins and Pony Kind peace is deceased. I will make an exception with the School of Friendship only. We don't want the toxic part of what Twilight teaches throughout the years. Knowing what she and her friends have done to Spike." 

"Fair enough," Said Starlight as she sighs. 

"You did good, kid," Grampa Gruffs puts an arm on Gilda for appreciation. "You'll be a fine leader someday from Griffinstone." 

"As Princesses of Equestria, we will earn your trust and build on our Friendship as a peaceful United Species," Said Princess Celestia. 

"We will do our best to ensure that history will not repeat itself and welcome all species with fair and equal treatment," Said Luna. 

Starlight chuckles a bit. Fair and equal. Oh, what a reminder that is. 

"Any objections to what we discussed?" Spike (Discord) asks. 

Every creature shakes their heads, satisfied with what they spoke and agreed. 

"Once everything is settled with the School of Friendship, getting the teachers aboard and the curriculums, I'll send letters to all nations that'll partake in enrolling to the School of Friendship with the accurate first day," Said Starlight Glimmer. "I'll be the Headmare of the School." 

"There will be some things to address with the Equestrian Education Association but, that shouldn't be a problem," Said Princess Celestia. "Starlight, Luna, and I will be speaking to Chancellor Neighsayer to affirm about the school." 

"Alright, sounds good. Briefing dismissed," Discord (clone) is wearing a judge's rob and hits the gavel on the table. 

Thorax and Ember walk up to Spike (Discord) as everyone else leaves the meeting room. 

"How are you holding up?" Thorax asks. 

"I'm good. I'm glad that everyone is good and that there were no conflicts for warfare."

"Also, mind telling me what happened? When I arrived. I saw Thorax, and the rest were heavily upset." 

"I'll explain to you later, Ember," Said Thorax. "It's best not to discuss it now."

Ember groans. "Fine. I can wait," She crosses her arms. 

"I'm surprised that the two of you were reluctant to agree on sending some of your subjects to the School of Friendship." 

"Well, I trust Starlight and you more than anypony else. I know you can be a great teacher for Starlight. I wasn't expecting you to take the job, though." 

"Same," Ember nods. "I'm happy to know that a fellow dragon will be teaching the real ways of Friendship. Not the enslavement part."

"Trust me. I won't be teaching anyone into disrespecting one another or become racist punks." 

"Do you think Twilight will-" Spike (Discord) cuts out Thorax's speech. 

"Yes. Twilight will try to teach or become a student. She'll try to make amends with me after what she's done dishonorably," Spike sighs. "I see it clear as day but, I don't want Equestria to die because of how I was mistreated. I don't want to see or hear anypony suffer because of what I've endured by Equestrian ponies. I don't want that guilt to wrap in my mind."

Ember and Thorax nod in understanding. Ember was willing to go to war but, now, she could be hurting Spike more than she realizes. She facepalms herself for thinking cluelessly. 

"For you, Spike, I promise I won't go to war against Equestria," Said Thorax. 

"Likewise," Ember concurs. "I mentioned to Twilight that if her kind were to kidnap my kin, I'll declare war. I guess now I have to reword my phrase."

"Alright then, thanks for coming to the first-ever briefing. I'm glad we are clear with certain things," Said Spike (Discord). 

"You're welcome. I wasn't sure how to address the first-ever meeting. I think it'd be wise to have a rotation on where to hold the meeting." 

"I agree. Next time, it'll be by the Dragon Lands. That way, the nations will have a fair turn when hosting the briefing," Ember said. 

"Sounds good. You should let the others know at some point."

"I will, Spike." 

Flurry Heart flies from her crib into Spike's (Discord) arms. She smiles and laughs at Spike. 

"You couldn't stand being far from me, huh?" Spike (Discord) smiles at Flurry Heart. She giggles and gets comfy in his arms. 

"I have to admit, that was cute," Said Ember. "Maybe you'll hook up one of these days." 

"With who?" Spike (Discord) turns to Ember, smirking a bit which causes her to blush a little. 

"Uuuuh..," Ember shakes her head. "Don't look at me." 

Spike (Discord), Thorax, and Flurry Heart chuckle a bit from Ember's blush. 

"Yak is going home now. Yak will see you all another time. Yak has a busy schedule in Yak Yakistan" Prince Rutherford is escorted out of the castle since he doesn't know where the exits are. 

"Anyways, I have to get going. Today is Pharynx's birthday today."

"Cool, wish him a happy birthday for me," Said Spike (Discord). 

"You know what, I'm going to bring you with me. You'll have fun with the Changelings."

"Sounds good. I need to alert Princess Cadance and Shining Armor that I'm going to a birthday party at the Changeling Hive."

"Alright, Spike." 

"Hey, mind if I tag along?" Ember asks. 

"Sure, I don't see why not." 

"I'm coming too. I've always wanted to see how a Changeling parties," Said Discord (clone). 

"Perfect. After Spike tells his folks, we can head there right away. Hey, Gilda, want to tag along?" 

Gilda turns to Thorax. "Uh, sure. I don't mind," Gilda shrugs in the process as she accepts the invitation. 

"There. Asking friends as a good friend should," Thorax proclaims. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor walk up to Spike in search of their daughter. 

"There you are," Shining Armor takes Flurry Heart out of Spike's arms. "Daddy misses you," He said in the cutest gibberish tone. 

"Hey, Cadance. Thorax invited me to go to his brother's birthday. Letting you know that I'm going to the Changeling Hive." 

"Sure, have fun, Spike. Hope to see you for dinner tonight," Princess Cadance smiles. 

"I'll bring him back in a quick of a snap. Speaking of which, let's go," Discord (clone) snaps his claw, teleporting everyone to the Changeling Hive. 

"Have fun Spike, hope you have a great time surrounded by real friends," Said Princess Cadance. She turns to Shining Armor and uses her magic to nab Flurry Heart. "Want her, Shining? You're going have to catch me," Princess Cadance playfully said as she gallops down the corridors to the family room. 

"Give me back my daughter," Shining Armor playfully said as he chases his wife down the corridor, laughing along as Flurry Heart is giggling happily.
> A Dragon Encounter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike is waking up from his slumber. He gets up from his sleeping bag and goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. After his bath, he leaves the bathroom and sees Lucy making breakfast.

"Morning, Spike," Lucy smiles. 

"Morning, Lucy. You had a goodnight's sleep?" Spike smiles as well. 

"I did. Did you?" 

"I sure did." "I dreamt of Wendy. I wish I didn't have to wake up." Spike thought to himself. 

"You want some eggs, bacon, pancakes?"

"Yes, please. I am hungry," Spike said as he pats his belly, he goes to the fridge and grabs orange and grape juice, and brings it to the table. Spike grab two cups, forks, knives, and syrup. 

"Spike, can you grab the-" Lucy is surprised when she sees Spike already assembled the table.  "Oh, Spike. You didn't have to do everything." 

"I wanted to do it. You were cooking. It's the least I can do ever since you allowed me to live here with you." 

"You're too kind, Spike," Lucy gives Spike two pancake slices, three strips of bacon, and two eggs. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Spike graciously thanks. 

"You're welcome," She gives herself the same amount of food on her plate. She then sits down. 

"Want some juice, Lucy?" Spike offers. 

"Sure. I'll have grape juice." 

Spike pours Lucy grape juice in her cup. He then pours orange juice into his cup. He sits down at the table. 

"Hey, Lucy." 

"What's up, Spike?" 

"I'm thinking about going on a solo mission today. I want to use the money to buy me a bed." 

"Of course. I have been pulling that off cause I need to pay rent and in advance just in case. There are plenty of jobs on the board for you to do. I would steer clear from the S-Class jobs, though."

"Point taken. Thanks for the advice." 

"You're welcome." 

The two eat their breakfast and enjoy each other's company. After eating their breakfast, Spike and Lucy work together in cleaning the dishes. Spike feels happy that he's able to help and have someone to help him. He feels at peace knowing that all he's experience is not a fantasy. A half-hour later, Spike and Lucy leave the apartment and start walking to the guildhall. 

"Morning, Fairy Dragon," A Bystander on a boat passing said.

"Morning, Mister. Have a safe travel!" 

"You too!" He replies. 

"Careful, Lucy. One of these days, you'll go for a swim!" Another Bystander on a boat passing said.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Lucy replies as she walks on the edge of the street. 

"If anything, I use my breath to teleport you before landing in the water." 

Minutes later, the two arrive in the guildhall. Spike and Lucy see their friends hanging around, eating, and drinking. 

"Alright, Lucy. I'm going to check the job board." 

"Have fun picking the right one," Lucy sees Levy and starts a chat with her. 

Spike walks up to the job board. He observes the jobs listed. "I need something right with me. Something not too complicated," Spike analyzes some more to pick the perfect job. 

Wendy and Carla walk into the guildhall. They look around and see Spike looking for work. Wendy and Carla approach Spike. 

"Hey, Spike," Said Wendy. 

"Morning, Spike," Said Carla. 

"How come you didn't say morning to me, Carla?" Asked Happy, feeling upset that she said morning to Spike first. 

"That's because I didn't see you, Tomcat," Carla responds, turning away from Happy. 

"Hey, Wendy. Morning, Carla." 

"We want to say sorry for what you've been through," Said Wendy. 

"Huh?" Spike is confused. 

"Erza, Evergreen, and the girls told us what happened to you and this Equestria world. We heard the horrors you've endured," Carla explains. 

"Oh," Spike groans a little. "Well, now you know my story. No need to fret. I'm fine." 

"Good. Just need to be sure," Wendy smiles. 

"Hey, Spike," Erza calls Spike to come over.

"I'll be back in a few to talk more. Erza needs me," Spike walks over to meet Erza. Wendy and Carla start looking at the jobs on the board. "What's up, Sis?" 

"Hope you don't mind. I explained to Wendy and Carla what you told the guild a while back." 

"It's fine. Thanks, Erza." 

"Also, you interested in going on a job with us as a group today?" Asked Erza. 

"Uh, not today. I'm going on a different job to earn enough money to buy a bed." 

"Very well, there are other jobs that await us in the future. I wish you luck on your first paying job, Spike," Erza smiles, knowing Spike will do well. 

"Thanks, Erza," Spike walks back to the job board. 

Wendy and Carla are having a hard time finding the right job to start on. Mirajane walks up to them. 

"Has any on the board caught your interest?" 

"There's so many it's hard to pick one," Wendy responds to Mirajane's question. 

"Take your time, though you wouldn't mind a little advice. I would stay away from solo jobs for now. Since your just starting out. It might be best to assist another team out with one of their jobs. You'll take a pay cut, of course, but the experience is well worth it." 

Wendy looks at Carla then back at Mirajane. "Sounds like a lot of fun." 

"I admire your enthusiasm but take a look at your potential partners," Carla said as she pointed to those around her. Some are eating; some are drinking; some are fighting each other; some are drunk. Happy comes behind her as a perfect partner. "Not a chance," Carla coldly states, causing Happy to go away in sadness. 

"Mirajane," Spike holds a flier. 

"Yes, Spike."

"I'm taking this job," The job Spike picked is gathering gigantic strawberries for the Cake Shop Owner. The reward is 90,000 Jewels. Beware of Vulcan territory by the mountains. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel approaches Spike. 

"Hey, Gajeel. What's up?" Spike asks. 

"Thought you and I can go on a job together."

"Uh, sure," Spike finally relents and allows one of his friends to join on his job. "I hope you don't mind that I want to use the money to buy a bed. Whatever is left is yours." 

"Sure, what are we doing?" 

"Gathering gigantic strawberries by the mountains. The flier mentions these Vulcan creatures. The Cake Shop Owner wants those strawberries for a baking project."

"You grab the strawberries and, I'll pummel those apes," Gajeel chuckles, his arm turns into an iron club. 

"Spike. Mind taking Wendy and Carla with you?" Mirajane asks. 

"What?" Spike's eyes widened after hearing Wendy's name. 

"Yea," Levy walks up to the group with Lucy. "Strawberry picking sounds like fun and safe for Wendy. Especially with Gajeel around doing most of the fighting."

"Well.., uh..," Spike is lost for words as he didn't anticipate something like this to happen. 

"Yea, compared to what I had to go through to get experience by working with Natsu. So many dangers I faced," Lucy said in tears of fear a little. 

"Well, I think Spike makes an excellent teammate for Wendy. Also, the job doesn't sound too vicious," Said Carla. "Along with Gajeel."

"Alright, then. I'll have you two come with me." 

"Thanks, Spike. This'll help Wendy for sure," Mirajane graciously smiles. 

"Alright, let's get moving," As Spike, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla are about to leave, Happy stands in front of the exit. 

"Can I come too?" Happy asks. 

"No. I really need the money to buy a bed. Another time, Happy." 

Carla sighs in relief. She's glad Happy isn't coming. Happy pouts but, he has this look to spy on them. Erza catches onto Happy's antics. She grabs hold of his tail. 

"Nice try, Happy. Can't have you spying on Spike, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla." 

"Noooohohooo. Life is cruel. I want to be with my one and only," Happy thought to himself. He watches Carla walking away with Spike, Gajeel, and Wendy. 

"Alright, I just need a map to find the mountains where those Vulcans reside, and we'll get the strawberries we need," Spike said as he's walking. 

"This should be fun. Three dragons, working together side by side. Along with Carla." 

"Agreed," Spike nods. 

"There has to be a cat for me out there by the mountains. I'm a Dragon Slayer and want a flying kitty cat." Gajeel thought to himself as he walks. 

"Also, how many strawberries are we getting?" Wendy asks out of curiosity. 

"The flier said around 20 gigantic strawberries. What I will do is either borrow a cart or enlarge my size to carry them like actual strawberries." 

"20 gigantic strawberries?" Carla and Wendy are perplexed by the number. 

"Yea, which isn't so bad. 90,000 Jewels will be more than enough for me to buy a bed. I hope you don't mind me giving you the change of my purchase as the cut. Just as I mentioned to Gajeel." 

"What have you've been sleeping on since you came to Fairy Tail?" Wendy asks. 

"A sleeping bag that Lucy has. I don't mind it but, I really want a bed."

"We understand. What you give us will be fair enough. There are other jobs with higher rewards for us to grab in the future." 

"Thanks for understanding, Carla. That means a lot." 

"You're welcome." 

Spike, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla are at the train station. Spike takes a map from the station to see where the mountains are. 

"We can't take the train, so we'll have to walk it," Said Spike. 

"Fine by me. I'm sick of trains," Said Gajeel. He sighs in relief in his head. He dodged a bullet of taking the train, thus getting motion sickness. 

"Lead the way," Said Wendy. 

Spike, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla walk towards the East Forest. From there, they navigate their way out of the East Forest. A Vulcan has their fur colored green, their pectorals, abdominals, hands, ears, and facial features colored a bright shade of purple. Also, they have a decorative pattern on their arms consists of five pink hearts on their arms. One tries to snatch Wendy but, Gajeel intervenes and uses his Iron Club. The Vulcan holds his stomach and falls back, and starts wheezing.   

"Well, here's one of those apes," Said Gajeel. 

"Wendy, are you alright?" Spike asks. 

"Yea, I'm fine. What is up with that ape?" 

"Trying not to scare you kid but, these apes sometimes get perverted," Said Gajeel.

"I'm sorry for trying to nab you," The Vulcan apologetically expresses. 

"Now that you're talking, we have some questions for you," Gajeel picks up the Vulcan. 

"Please, don't hurt me," The Vulcan begs for his life.

"I won't unless you lead us in the wrong direction. Your death will be slow and painful." 

"What do you want?" He asks. His hands are in a prayer position. 

"The strawberries, lead us to where those gigantic are at," Gajeel commands. 

"Of course," The Vulcan nods. 

"Show us," Gajeel lets go and shoves the Vulcan forward. 

The Vulcan walks and strategizes on the way. Gajeel turns his arm into an iron sword. Just in case the Vulcan decides to betray him and his friends. 

"This'll be easier than I thought," Said Spike. 

"Yea, and strawberry picking. I can't wait to see how big they are," Said Wendy.  "I hope we can take an extra for the ride." 

"We will have to see, child," Said Carla as she's flying next to Wendy. 

Two hours later. The Vulcan stops as they reach the mountains. Gajeel and Spike look around and see no strawberries in sight. 

"Where the hell are they?" Gajeel demands. 

"Over that mountain," The Vulcan points to, "is where the strawberries you desire are at." 

"Better be," Said Gajeel, keeping his guard up. 

The Vulcan's friends and family show up, surrounding Gajeel, Spike, Wendy, and Carla. There are about fifty of them. 

"We're surrounded!" Wendy shouts as she becomes terrified. 

"Where did they all come from?" Carla asks as she looks around. 

"We have our places when needed to ambush unfortunate souls," The Vulcan laughs. "This is payback from the gut punch, runts." 

Gajeel and Spike powers up. Gajeel's body turns into Iron as Spike's body is ablaze with Sparkle Green Flames. The Vulcans are perplexed by the sudden change of Gajeel and Spike. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. Up for a little game?"

Spike chuckles. "I"m down."

"Let's see how many of these wimps can one of us take down the most," Gajeel's right arm turns into an Iron Dragon Lance. 

Spike claps his claws together, creating a metallic flame sword. "I'll have more than you." 

Some Vulcans panic a bit, seeing hostility from Gajeel and Spike's eyes. Some back away, not wanting to die today. 

"Let's do this!" Gajeel and Spike shout as they fight the Vulcans. Carla and Wendy got out of the way as Gajeel and Spike takes it too far. 

"Iron Dragon Lance! Demon Logs!" Several steel spears fire towards the Vulcans. Each Vulcan fell after getting hit in the chest and sides. 

"Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike slashes his sword in mid-air. Sparkling Green Flame Slicers cause some Vulcans to burn in agony. "I got eleven. What about you, Gajeel!" 

"Fifteen!" Gajeel throws a Vulcan away as he falls down the cliff. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his fire breath. 

"Iron Dragon!" Gajeel conjures his iron breath. 

"ROOOOAR!" Their breath attacks collide in unison as they both took out nineteen Vulcans. 

"Wait! We surrender!" The remainder of the Vulcans and those that survived the attacks raise the white flag. "We will take you to the gigantic strawberries," They say in unison. "Please, no more torture." 

Wendy and Carla regroup with Gajeel and Spike. She's astonished to see Gajeel and Spike work together. She wishes to muster enough bravery to fight alongside Spike in the future. Carla couldn't believe how powerful Spike and Gajeel were, and yet, she feels that they were both holding back. 

"How are you two holding up?" Spike asks. 

"Fine. Just amazed to see what kind of magic you use, Spike," Wendy answers. 

"Well, I held back if I had to be honest." 

The Vulcans overhear that statement and gulps. They now know they didn't stand a chance against a baby dragon. Let alone an Iron Dragon Slayer. 

"I have to say, you and Gajeel have good chemistry," Said Carla. 

"We once fought together against Laxus. Though during that time, I was a novice at best. Using my magic for defense instead of offense." 

"Now," Gajeel picks up one of the Vulcans. "Take us to those strawberries." 

"Of course. Please, follow us," The Vulcan quivers in fear. 

The Vulcans navigate the group over the mountain. Spike, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla are amazed by the sheer size of the strawberries. The strawberries are half the size of Erza's wagon to carry her belongings. 

"Wooooooooow," Spike, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla say in unison. 

"Amazing, right?" The Vulcan asks. 

"How are we going to carry that? That's twice my size," Said Gajeel. 

"Spike wants," Spike increases his size into a full-size dragon. In which he believes to be a full-size dragon. For Gajeel and Wendy, Spike is a quarter size of a dragon. 

"Yea, that should do it," Said Gajeel. 

The Vulcans panic and run far away from Spike's sheer size. They believe he'll gobble them alive. They leave a trail of smoke behind. 

Spike starts grabbing the strawberries. He manages to carry ten gigantic strawberries in each claw.

"Alright, I got them," Spike sighs. "I wish I had a cart or a wagon." 

"Walk Fairy Dragon. Shouldn't be that far with your size," Said Gajeel. 

"You're right. I need to remember not to squeeze my claws." 

"Wow, Spike is incredible. I never thought I see him increase his size so easily. I wonder if he thinks about me after I kissed his cheek the other night." 

"Wendy," Spike calls her. "Want a ride on my shoulder?" Spike uses his tail to pick up Gajeel and places him on his left shoulder.

"Sure, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

Spike uses his tail to pick up Wendy and places her on his right shoulder; Carla flies up to Wendy. Wendy holds Carla in her arms. Spike jogs a little to get used to this size. 

"Now this is how you travel," Gajeel gets motion sickness and falls off of Spike. Carla dives down and catches him. 

"Boy, you're heavy, Gajeel," Carla grunts a little after catching Gajeel.

"I'm an Iron Dragon Slayer. Of course, I'm going to be heavy," Gajeel retorts a little. 

Carla puts Gajeel on the ground and flies back to Wendy. 

"Keep going, Fairy Dragon. I'll catch you by the guildhall later." "In the meantime, I'll search for my flying kitty cat."

"Alright then, thanks for the help," Spike continues to jog as Gajeel follows. 

"Wow, the air feels nice up here," Said Wendy as Spike continues to jog. 

"I'm glad you are enjoying the breeze," Said Spike happily. 

"I concur, Wendy," Said Carla. "It does feel nice when I'm not flying. So, how are you doing, Spike?" 

"I'm good. I can't complain for the first time in my life. I'm genuinely happy. I have a guild to call home to, the greatest friends a guy could ever ask for and, to be loved and cared for; I continue to make new friends along the way," Spike smiles. He sighs in happiness. 

"That's good, Spike. I'm glad your wish came true," Said Wendy. 

An hour later, Spike arrives in Magnolia after picking up the pace. The people in Magnolia are not panicking since they are aware of Spike the Fairy. Seeing the emblem on his chest made them feel more secure than ever. Wendy and Carla hop down to knock at the Magnolia Cake Shop. 

"Coming," The Cake Shop Owner opens the door to see Wendy and Carla. 

"We have your strawberries," Said Wendy. 

"Oh, where are they?"

"Come on out," Wendy steps aside as the Cake Shop Owner comes out. He is startled a bit by seeing Spike the Fairy. 

"Relax, it's me. Spike the Fairy." 

"Right, my apologies, Spike. I have never seen you this big."

"Well, how else would I have carried all these strawberries," Spike places them down gently; the gigantic strawberries are still fresh. The Cake Shop Owner is stupefied. He becomes ecstatic. 

"Oh, thank you so much, Spike the Fairy."

"You're welcome," Spike smiles. He shrinks down to normal. 

"Now that's the dragon I remember. Thank you so much for getting these. Now I have enough to make my cakes." 

"You're welcome." 

"Here you go," The Cake Shop Owner gives Spike 90,000 Jewels. He rolls the gigantic strawberries into his bakery one at a time. 

"Here, Spike," Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Spike. "It's to prevent you from having a migraine and a nosebleed."

"Thank you, Wendy." 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla walk down the street together. Spike is looking for Magnolia's furniture store. After a while, he finds it and enters. A store clerk approaches Spike, Wendy, and Carla. 

"Hello, Fairy Dragon. My name is Mark. How can I help you?" Mark is aware who Spike the Fairy is after seeing him from the Fantasia Parade and hearing the rumors about him in town.

"Hi, Mark. I'm looking for a bed to sleep on." 

"Follow me, Fairy Dragon," Mark navigates Spike to the bed section of the furniture store. "See and feel which one you want."

Spike tries out the first bed he sees. It was too soft. He tries another bed, and it was firm. He lays on his side and gets real comfortable. 

"Ooooh, yea. This bed feels too good for me." 

Mark approaches Spike. "I see you like the twin extra large bed. It's a firm mattress, Spike the Fairy."

"I love it. How much?" 

Mark takes a look at the price tag. "60,000 Jewels."

"I'll take it," Spike gives Mark 60,000 Jewels to pay for the mattress. Mark's co-workers go to the back to bring out the firm mattress Spike purchase. Spike gives Mark the info where he's residing. 

"We will deliver the mattress you purchase to the apartment you reside with Lucy Heartfilia in an hour or so. Give or take. Gotta grab a few components before shipping," Mark explains. 

"Thank you, Mark. Please let the landlady know that the package is for me." 

"I will. Take care, Fairy Dragon," Mark waves as Spike leaves.

Wendy and Carla are outside waiting for Spike. Spike comes outside.  Counting the remaining money he has left. 

"Hey, Spike. How did it go?" Asked Wendy. 

"Great. The bed cost 60,000 Jewels. So, here's you pay," Spike gives Wendy and Carla 10,000 Jewels each. 

"Thanks, Spike. The experience is greatly appreciated."

"You're welcome, Wendy." 

"Hopefully, the next job we go on, we'll be more useful," Said Carla. 

"No need to worry. It wasn't like we faced a powerful guild. Just a bunch of Vulcans." 

"Let's head back to the guildhall and see how everyone else is doing." 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla walk back to the guildhall. Mirajane and Lucy see the trio coming back. 

"Welcome back, you three. Did you had fun?" Asked Mirajane. 

"I did. It was cool seeing Spike using his magic and increasing his size," Said Wendy. 

"You did what?" Erza stares down at Spike. Most of the time, whenever Erza stares at someone, it puts fear in people. It doesn't bother Spike as he laughs a little. 

"I didn't have a wagon to carry what I needed to bring, so I had to improvise."

Erza sighs and pats Spike's head. "Well, I give you a pass for thinking logically. Next time, prepare how you will approach things," Erza walks to have a chat with Master Makarov. 

"I will, Sis." 

"So, where's your bed, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"It'll be delivered later today. Have you seen Gajeel?" 

"Right here, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel is chowing on iron. 

Spike walks up to Gajeel. "Here you go," Spike gives Gajeel 10,000 Jewels. His cut on the job. 

"Pleasure fighting alongside, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel takes the money and chows on another piece of iron. 

"What?!" Natsu runs up to Spike. "You went on a job without me?!" 

"Yea, sorry. I thought I'll be going alone. Gajeel wanted to tag along and, Mirajane wanted me to bring Wendy and Carla." 

Gray walks into the guildhall with crucial info for Natsu to hear. "Yo Natsu." 

Natsu turns to see Gray. "Yea, what is it?" 

"What's wrong my, love? You seem troubled," Asked Juvia, worried about Gray. 

"When I was on my way here, I heard something.., crazy," Gray said, sounding serious. 

"And that would be?" Natsu is curious to know how crazy it has to be. 

"The rumor mill is running pretty hardcore around town. Apparently, there's been a dragon sighting." 

Natsu's eyes beam open in revelation. Wendy overhears the conversation. After a seven-year disappearance of their dragons, they have a newfound hope of seeing them again. 

"Okay, you have my attention. Was it Igneel?" 

"I didn't hear any names specifically," Gray replies. 

"Alright, did you at least talked to the guy who saw this dragon?"

"No, like I said. It's just a rumor I heard. Apparently, the person who started it, is some woman named Daphne. Who says there is more to the story. According to her, she didn't just see it. She says she actually spoke with the dragon." 

"Like in person? Is it true, Gray?" Natsu looks at Gray, wanting to know more. 

"Don't know, but it's worth checking out," Gray smiles. "Don't you think?" 

"How do we find her?" Happy asks. He flies next to Natsu after hearing about the dragon rumor. 

"Goes to the Rise Lodge. It's in the western wasteland." 

"Thanks, I owe you one. Let's go, Happy." 

"Aye, Sir," Happy nods. 

"Mind if I come?" Wendy asks. Hoping the dragon that this Daphne person spoke to is Grandeeny. "I won't bug you. I want to see if it's Grandeeny." 

"Sure, the more, the merrier. Tagging along Gajeel? What about you, Spike?" 

"No way," Said Gajeel. "You hear a rumor about a dragon sighting and now going for a wild goose chase? Think for two seconds. The story is sucker bait." 

"Sucker bait?" Natsu feels conflicted. "What if it's Metalicana?" 

"Look, here's a legitimate reason why it's sucker bait," Gajeel points to Spike. 

"What about Spike?" Natsu is still confused. 

"Spike is the only dragon that people have seen. Our dragons left us. If you truly believe that this Daphne person saw a different dragon, then she hooked on a sucker." 

"I'm not going. I believe it's a scam. People would want to profit from dragon sighting and exaggerate the story. I've seen dozens of people every day, and for all we know, one of them told this Daphne person, and she sought to change the perspective of the story. Also, my bed will be arriving later and, I would like to set it up." 

"Guess it's just us then," Natsu turns to Wendy. 

"Now, hold on, child. I know how ambitious you are but, listen to detail. Gajeel and Spike made bold statements of what it could be. I don't want you wasting your time on nothingness and meaningless."

"I have to see this through. I can't pass this opportunity. What if it is Grandeeny? What if it is her and I miss my chance of finding out where she is. Natsu will go searching in a heartbeat looking for Igneel without thought," Wendy responds rebelliously. "Let's go, Natsu." 

Carla sighs. "Just don't get your hopes up. You may feel disappointed later." 

"Right," Natsu nods. "Let's go." 

Natsu and Wendy run as Happy, and Carla flies with them. Gray watches and goes on his way. Spike and Gajeel look as they left. 

"Wow, Spike. I'm surprised you decided not to go with them," Said Lucy. 

"I've seen many dragons in my lifetime. Back in the other world, the dragons have their kingdom near the volcanic. Some dragons are big, some small, some huge. Knowing that I'm the last young dragon of this world is my reason why Daphne may have used my name as profit." 

"Fairy Dragon is thinking clearer compared to those morons. What this Daphne punk is trying to do is sell some merchandise or food, I bet," Gajeel claims as he eats more iron. 

"Hey, Spike," Erza walks over. "I'm going to get Wendy and Carla a welcome present. Want to join me?" 

"Sure, I don't see why not. It'll help me kill some time." 

Spike and Erza leave the guildhall. They walk down the street as several people wave and greet Spike. 

"So, where are we going?" Spike asks as he waves at some people. 

"Going to one of my favorite shops in Magnolia." 

"Cool." 

Half an hour later, Erza and Spike walk into the Cake Shop. Spike couldn't help but chuckle; since he was here a while ago. 

"Welcome back, Fairy Dragon. Hello Erza," The Cake Shop Owner happily greets his customers. 

Erza looks at Spike. She wonders what kind of job Spike went on. "I would like this one," Erza points to the Strawberry Cake that has the Fairy Tail Emblem on it. 

"Sure. I must say, you are my most loyal and frequent customer." 

"I buy one each time we recruit new members," Said Erza. "I guess you can say it's tradition now." 

"So, this is where you got the Strawberry Cake when I joined Fairy Tail." 

"Yea," Erza nods. "I had them deliver it to the guildhall. So I can share with you." 

"Thank you, Erza," Spike smiles. 

"You're welcome." 

The Cake Shop Owner cheers. "Happy to know that my treats are appreciated."

"You're a master of your craft," Erza compliments the Cake Shop Owner. "So are fifty cakes doable?" 

"Huh? You've recruited fifty new members?" The Cake Shop Owner is in awe. 

"Only two, actually. The rest are for me." 

The Cake Shop Owner is stunned in disbelief. Even Spike is stunned. Both their jaws drop after hearing Erza's response. 

"Well..," The Cake Shop Owner chuckles a little. "Good thing Spike here gave me all those gigantic strawberries as I ordered." 

Now Erza is stunned. She turns to Spike in utter shock. "Gigantic.., strawberries..?" Erza is lost for words now. 

"They were huge, and the Cake Shop Owner needed it. Good thing he now has a fresh supply, huh," Spike laughs a bit, seeing Erza's shocking reaction. 

"I meant to say twelve gigantic strawberries, not twenty on the flier," The Cake Shop Owner chuckles. "Good thing I have eight spare to make fifty cakes for Erza." 

"Well, I bid you a farewell," Erza leaves with Spike. 

"Please, come again," The Cake Shop Owner says as he sees Spike and Erza leaving. 

Erza feels that an unknown force is watching her and Spike. She keeps her guard up as Spike follows. 

"So, you upset that my first paying job was gathering gigantic strawberries?" Spike curiously asks. 

"Well, I can't say that I am. I'm glad you went on your first paying job. I wish I can see those gigantic you, Gajeel, Wendy, and Carla saw. How big were they?" 

"I had to increase my size to fit-" Erza shoves Spike aside as a hooded enemy drops down. 

Erza dodges the sword attacks that the hooded enemy used; she requips her swords to counter the hooded enemy. Erza blocks the sword strike from the enemy. 

"What is that?" Spike asks. He sees the hooded enemy giving Erza a run for her money with swords. 

"I don't know," Erza breaks the hooded enemy sword. It spawns two sets to fight Erza. "Requiping!" 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the hooded enemy away from Erza. It lands behind her as Erza turns and shatters the enemy's two swords. Erza jumps up as the hooded creature sees what Spike is doing. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his fire breath. "Roooooar!" It's not quite powerful but should have some effects on the hooded creature. It gets burned by the flames and vanishes. 

"Spike, did you teleported it away again?" Erza asks as she no longer senses its presence. 

"No. I was aiming to burn the enemy. It wasn't human but reptilian. I saw its tail. It was green and had scales."

"We should regroup at the guildhall and see if there is any news relating to what we encountered," Spike suggests. 

Erza and Spike head back to the guildhall. They keep their guard up in case the hooded enemy decides to strike back. Minutes later, they return to the guildhall to inform Master Makarov of the recent ambush. Master Makarov ponders on the situation. 

"Strange that he would attack then retreat," Said Makarov. 

"He was letting us know that he's out there and attack us whenever he chooses," Said Erza. 

"As I mentioned. The guy is a reptilian. He's not human," Said Spike as a reminder to everyone else in the guildhall. 

"Sounds to me another dark guild out there needs a manly kicking in the pants," Said Elfman. 

"We'll be cautious but not overly so," Makarov decrees. "I'm sure we'll see him again.

"Are we to sit back and do nothing?" Erza questions Makarov's command. 

"That's exactly what we'll do for now. We waste resources otherwise. Proceed as nothing has happened. That should provoke him into revealing himself sooner rather than later." 

"Right," Erza nods. 

"Don't worry. We'll pay this guy back. Plus interest," Said Lucy. "Spike and I are with you, Erza." 

Spike nods. "After I assemble my bed," Spike chuckles nervously.

"Lucy and I will help assemble your bed as quickly as possible. Then, we'll wait for Natsu and Wendy to come back." 

"Thanks," Spike graciously said. 

Spike, Lucy, and Erza head over to the apartment. Upon arrival, they see Mark and his crew bringing in the bed. 

"Just in time. Want us to assemble it for you?" Mark asks. 

"Yes, please," Spike answers. 

Lucy heads upstairs to allow Mark and his crew to assemble the bed. After twenty minutes, Mark and his co-workers leave. Spike sees how nice the bed is and goes back to the guildhall with Lucy and Erza.

It is now 8:30 at night in Magnolia. Natsu and Wendy have been gone for four hours. 

"They're late. What can possibly hold them up?" Said Erza. "It doesn't take this long for a simple lead."

"He was asking someone about the dragon sighting. You think he found what he's looking for?" Said Lucy. 

"I doubt it. What kind of caring dragon would leave the one they raised without any word or reason behind it? Plus, Natsu has told me how passionate he is with Igneel during his youth. I'm pretty sure the same is for Wendy," Said Spike, still thinking that Daphne's ploy is a scam. 

"Or, maybe he's catching up with Igneel," Macao suggests. 

"Or he got tired of chasing rumors, got fed up, and called it a night," Wakaba noted. 

"No," Mirajane shakes her head. "Normally, I would agree, but Natsu had Wendy with him. He would have brought her back first." 

"Salamander might be reckless but, he wouldn't keep a kid out this late at night. It's not the kind of man he is," Said Elfman. 

"What's more. The hooded reptilian hasn't made any moves since attacking Erza and me earlier today. Perhaps it went after them?" Spike implies as he crosses his arms. 

"I'm afraid that Gray is out there needing my help. We should form a search party immediately. If something happened to him, I'll never forgive myself for not being there," Juvia worriedly expresses. 

"Gray's a big boy. He can take care of himself," Macao reassures Juvia. 

"Seriously, you worry way too much. It's bad for your health," Said Wakaba. 

"You be wise not to underestimate the intuition of a woman madly in love," Juvia infuriatingly said, feeling conflicted by Wakaba and Macoa's statements. 

"I'm going to look for them. Lucy, Spike. You're with me," Erza commands. 

"Right," Spike nods. 

"Lead the way," Said Lucy. 

"I will accompany you as well," Said Juvia, wanting to find Gray more than ever. 

"You're going to need a man with you," Elfman proposes. 

"No, we can't divide our forces so thinly," Said Erza. 

"Especially with the hooded reptilian enemy that could be lurking around Magnolia. He may have friends with him as well," Spike advises. 

"Point taken, Spike. We'll do our part," Said Mirajane. "Careful out there, you three." 

Spike and Lucy go with Erza as she leads the way. They're heading to the Rise Lodge in the western wasteland. After an hour of running, the three arrive at what should have been the Rise Lodge but, they don't see it in sight.

"Is this the spot?" Spike asks. 

"I don't know. I've never been to the Rise Lodge before. You, Erza?" Said Lucy. 

"Yes, but something is not right. Keep your guard up. I fear we are not alone," Said Erza. 

The same hooded reptilian rises from the ground. It growls a little, freaking out Lucy. 

"What is that thing?" Asked Lucy, she's a bit petrified at the moment. 

"The punk that attacked Erza and me," Spike said as he's eager to battle it. 

"I had a feeling he'll show up again," Said Erza, getting ready to embrace the battle. 

"I think this hooded reptilian may be the cause of Natsu and Wendy's disappearance. Why else would he attack us earlier?" Said Spike. 

Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, the hooded reptilian requips two swords that are identical. The two attack, slashing swords. 

"Tell me what you're planning here?" Erza demands. "Are you the reason why Natsu and Wendy haven't come home? Answer me!" Erza slashes her sword revealing the reptilian creature. 

"An alligator?" Spike is surprised to see an alligator wielding the swords. 

The alligator attacks Erza, once more giving her a run for her money in the sword art. Spike and Lucy run after the creature attacking Erza. 

"Open, Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!" Lucy uses her Celestial Spirit to summon Virgo. 

"Is there someone you would like for me to spank, Princess?" Virgo asks. 

"We gotta work on your term of phrase," Said Lucy, profoundly. Spike laughs a bit. 

"I look forward to being disciplined," Said Virgo. 

"Whatever, Erza needs our help pronto," Lucy commands. 

"It would be my pleasure," Virgo descends a little until she senses the same creature appearing behind her. Another alligator soldier appears in front of Lucy. "Have no fear, Princess. I'll take care of this one," Virgo drills into the earth to get under the creature.

"She's going to try and catch it off guard. That's a great idea, Virgo," Said Lucy. 

"Lucy, look!" Spike shouts. Lucy sees the alligator copying Virgo's magic by drilling into the earth. 

"Spike! Lookout!" Lucy shouts as an alligator soldier appears behind Spike. 

"Didn't think they'll be more than one!" Said Erza as she continues to fight the one in front of her. 

Spike's claws glows Sparkling Green. He claps his claws together, forming a metallic sparkle green flame sword, and wields it. He attacks the alligator soldier before it can copy his magic. With one slash, the alligator soldier holds its left side. The alligator soldier tries to copy Spike's magic but struggled for some reason. Spike lifts his claw and conjures a fireball. 

"Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike lowers the fireball and presses both his claws forward. Creating a heat cannon incinerating the alligator soldier. 

Spike turns to see Erza and Lucy holding their own. Virgo rises after taking a pounding from the creature. Lucy closes her gate key and summons Loke (Leo the Lion). 

"It's been a while, sup gorgeous," Said Loke. His hair extended into fashion reminiscent of a lion's mane, and he's wearing a black suit.

"I'm kinda in a bind right now, but I know you can help me out," Said Lucy. 

"I never turn my back on a beautiful face. That's not how a leader of the Zodiac spirit does things. I still owe for taking Aries and the others," Loke confidently said. The alligator soldier lunges at them, and Loke punches it away. It changes form into looking like Loke with hair, a red tie, and black pants. 

"No, it changed again." 

"Alright, he'll be a tough nut to crack," Said Loke. "It's nice to have challenges."

Loke and the alligator soldier exchange blows in hand-to-hand combat. Loke notices that the alligator soldier is increasing in power and strength. 

"I just figure out what's its doing," Said Lucy, a bit terrified. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack immensely. "Rooooooooar!" Spike's fire breath incinerates the alligator soldier that was fighting Loke. The alligator soldier didn't stand a chance as it incinerates. 

"Whoa!" Lucy looks back in shock. 

"Nice save, Spike," Loke is impressed with Spike. 

"No problem," Spike sees how Erza is faring. 

Erza figures out that the alligator soldier is using imitation magic. Erza requips into her Giant Armor. A large, furry, golden colored armor with that sports a large cross on the breastplate. The armor also has headgear with the appearance of a pair of large metal ears. The alligator soldier copies Erza's armor and weapon. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack immensely again. "Rooooooooar!" Spike's fire breath incinerates the alligator soldier that was fighting Erza. He runs up to Erza. "Those things don't have a shot against my fire for some reason and have a problem imitating my magic. I want to say I'm their kryptonite." 

Erza chuckles. "Well put, Spike. Now then," She turns. "Let's go find our friends." 

Sanddust from the ground rises as a loud roar is sound. It's no longer invisible as a mechanical dragon emerges. Spike, Lucy, Erza, and Loke are stunned, shocked, and in awe at the same time. Their jaws drop as they remain motionless. Spike thought he saw colossal dragons back in Equestria. He now stands corrected. 

"Yes, yes, it's alive! Concealment magic dispersed. Prepare to activate lacrima core. Neurotransmitter lacrima is good to go. Anyone not named Salamander, get away from my precious baby!" Daphne yells as she's in control of the dragon he's piloting. "Yes, yes, yes. Firing up this bad boy with a Salamander Heart!" She plays an organ piano keys. "Let's get this party started!"  Pressing some keys, Daphne powers up her Dragonoid by draining Natsu's firepower. "Now, my Dragonoid, activate!" 

"Okay, that's bigger than any other dragon I've seen in my lifetime."

"Interesting name choice," Said Erza. 

The Dragonoid roars loudly. "Yes, yes, yes. Like a newborn, it cries!" Daphne cheers. "Such majesty. The world's first-ever artificially constructed dragon. The unstoppable Dragonoid and that Salamander magic is its lifeblood." 

"She's using his magic power?" Said Erza. 

"Apparently so," Said Spike in shock. 

"Lucy, Erza, Spike," Wendy runs up to the trio. Happy and Carla is flying next to her. "You're okay." 

"I'm glad you're safe," Said Erza. 

"We need to do something fast!" Happy said. 

"Way ahead of you," Said Spike. He starts powering up. 

"No! That kind of buildup will be too much for you, Spike!" Erza knows that Spike is planning; to match the size of Daphne's artificial Dragonoid.

"I have to do this!" Spike has pushed himself a bit too much. He falls to one knee as his magic power is depleting. He pants as he realizes that he overused his magic power a bit too much. "I.., I used too much magic.., I can't match the size," Spike looks up at the Dragonoid. 

"Oh.., Spike..," Wendy becomes more worried about Spike than ever. 

"You have to tell us what's going on," Said Erza. 

Happy explains that Natsu is inside the dragon. Daphne is piloting the dragon, and Gray is working for her. Gray and Daphne planted an ambush for Natsu to fall. 

"What did you say?" Erza, Lucy, Loke, and Spike say in unison. They are in shock. 

"What's worse is he's not being manipulated. It's all on purpose. Gray's doing all of this on his own free will," Said Wendy. 

Lucy turns. "Up there," Gray is on the snout of the Dragonoid. 

Gray hops down, telling Erza he doesn't have a reason for betraying the Fairy Tail guild. Everyone eyeballs Gray. Spike couldn't believe he'll betray them. Daphne reveals that Natsu will slowly perish as he'll be the heart of the Dragonoid. Within the heart of the Dragonoid, Natsu is struggling to free himself. He sees what the Dragonoid sees. 

"Wendy.., lend me some of your Sky Magic..," Said Spike. 

"What are you planning..?" Wendy looks at Spike. 

Spike struggles to stands up a little. "What needs to be done," Spike turns to Wendy. "Use your breath on me." 

Gray sees this and wonders what Spike is thinking. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy conjures her breath attack. 

"Huh?" Daphne looks down and becomes fascinated. She couldn't tell if her eyes are playing tricks on her. 

"Roooooar!" Wendy's air breath hits Spike.

"What are you doing?!" Daphne shrieks. 

Spike is consuming Wendy's air breath, replenishing his magic as he starts powering up again. Spike roars as it startled Daphne a bit. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size like before. His spikes from his body enlargen, his claws become sharper, his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. He levitates in the air as he's growing into the same size he was when gathering the gigantic strawberries. 

"Oh.., wow," Gray said in utter shock. 

"That's.., that's a real dragon!" Daphne smiles happily, knowing that people will have to believe her dragon story when she was younger. "I knew it! I knew they were real!"

"Real enough to take you down!" Spike lunges at the Dragonoid, causing it to stumble back a bit. 

"Yes, yes, yes! I now have a real challenger on my hands! What's a better way of testing my Dragonoid against a real dragon! Fight, fight, fight!" 

The Dragonoid flies up and stomps on Spike. Spike then uses his fire breath to teleport the Dragonoid behind him instead. The Dragonoid stomps on the ground, and Spike grabs the Dragonoid's tail. Spike pulls and yanks the tail ripping a piece off in the process. The Dragonoid back wings Spike in the process. Spike collides next to a mountain. 

"Yes, yes, yes! So much data I'm collecting for my prototype. I wish that the dragon was older and more of a threat," Daphne wants to agitate Spike for calling him a weak dragon. 

"Phew, phew!" Spike mimics gun motions with his claw, causing the Dragonoid to take flight dodging all the sparkling green flaming bullets. 

"My my, what an interesting spell you're using. Mind if I add that to my next Dragonoid creation!" 

"You can use it in Hell!" Spike jumps but doesn't reach the Dragonoid for not having wings yet. 

"Such a weak dragon with no wings! How pathetic! Yes, yes, yes!" Daphne programs the Dragonoid to stomp on Spike. This time it connects as the Dragonoid cracks a few ribs on Spike. 

Spike roars in pain from the impact. 

"Spike!" Erza, Lucy, Loke, Happy, Carla, and Wendy shout in horror. Blood-curdling screams are all Spike can hear from his friends. Gray cringes a bit but doesn't show it. 

"We gotta get him out of here!" Wendy shouts. 

The Dragonoid continues to stomp Spike, wanting to see more of Spike's capabilities. Spike couldn't think as the Dragonoid continues to stomps his body. Spike is taking heavy blows. 

"No, no, no! No way out for this sorry excuse of a dragon!" Daphne programs the Dragonoid to lift Spike with its mouth. "I expected more from you, you pathetic dragon. Now perish! Yes, yes, yes," Daphne coldly states. She drops Spike and kicks him far away. Spike turns back to his size as he's unconscious from the kick. 

"Spike!" Happy flies in pursuit of Spike.

Sounds of a magic mobile driving draw near the group. Macao is driving with Wakaba and Elfman riding. They are pissed at Gray for betraying Fairy Tail. Elfman jumps up and punches Gray in the stomach, knocking him out cold. Erza runs up to Elfman as Macao pulls over. 

"Master sent you?" 

"Yea, when he got word what Daphne is up to, he told us to come out here," Macao explains. 

"He said he'll decide what to do about the oversized lizard once he gets to talk to Gray one on one," Wakaba informs Erza on what Makarov told them. 

"Erza! Daphne is taking flight!" Lucy shouts as Daphne programs the Dragonoid to take flight. 

"Oh no," Wendy is appalled. "The Dragonoid is heading the same direction where Happy flew to grab Spike." 

"That direction leads to Magnolia," Lucy pants a bit. "Daphne wants to test her dragon on the people of Magnolia!" 

"Alright, listen up," Erza watches the Dragonoid flying in the direction towards Magnolia. "I need you all to return to the guildhall as quickly as possible. Get everyone ready to fight the Dragonoid by all means. Wendy," Erza turns to Wendy. "As much as I hate to ask you.., heal Spike and have him ready for round two against the Dragonoid. He may be our best option in taking it down." 

Wendy nods, understanding her task at hand. 

"What happened to Spike?" Macao worriedly asks.

"What you mean by round two, Erza?" Wakaba is confused. He wants to know what she meant by round two. 

"The Dragonoid defeated Spike in his first encounter," Said Erza, filled with rage against the Dragonoid.

"Oh, man," Macao said as he pictures the fight in his head. 

"Poor dragon, he must have felt like a failure for losing his first fight," Wakaba said. 

"Spike's not a failure! How dare you call him a failure?!" Wendy retorts at Wakaba, showing emotion for Spike. "He'll bounce back from this! I just know it!" 

Carla is a bit surprised that Wendy showed that much care for Spike after knowing him for three days. She sees that Wendy is changing more and more when she's with him. It's peculiar. 

"Okay, okay, calm down, kid. We gotta get back to the guildhall," Wakaba said after upsetting Wendy. He didn't mean to upset her like that. 

"What are you going to do, Erza?" Lucy asks, wondering what Erza is planning after giving them an instruction. 

Erza gets on top of the mobile as Lucy enters. "I'm going dragon hunting." 

"Carla, we better fly ahead. Gotta get to Spike before the Dragonoid gets to Magnolia."

"Understood, Wendy," Carla grabs Wendy and flies in the direction, following Happy's trail. 

Happy flies faster, nearing closer to Spike. Spike feels the winds hitting him as he starts waking up. He groans in pain as he feels his ribcage. Happy swoops under Spike, catching him from the rear. 

"Gotcha, Spike." Happy pants a bit from flying faster than he thought. 

"Thanks..," Spike takes a deep breath to steady himself. "Oooh, what happened?"

"You got your butt handed to you by an artificial Dragon Daphne created." 

Spike groans after hearing that. "Right, I tried to take it down, but I was no matched for it cause it can fly, and I.., I can't..." 

"We're close to Magnolia. I'll fly us to the guildhall to inform everyone of the artificial dragon." 

Spike nods as Happy flies to the Fairy Tail Guildhall. As they arrive, they see some of their fellow guild members evacuating the town into the guildhall. Spike and Happy are confused. Happy continues to fly when he sees everyone else outside of the guildhall. Happy land, releasing Spike as he lands on his feet. Spike struggles and collapses onto the floor. 

"Spike!" Mirajane runs up to Spike, comforting him. "What happened?" She worriedly asks. 

Spike sighs in defeat. "I got my ass handed to me by Daphne's artificial dragon after I increased my size," Spike hears loud gasps from everyone around him except for Happy. 

"No way," Levy said in shock. 

"Unbelievable," Droy said. 

"Did it fly?" Jet asks. 

Spike nods with tears in his eyes as he failed to stop the dragon. Mirajane holds him as he's hurting. Cooing him softly that everything is going to be alright. 

"What do we do now?" Juvia asks. 

"We fight. And bring down that fake dragon once and for all. For Spike," Said Cana confidently. 

Carla and Wendy arrive at the Fairy Tail guildhall. Wendy looks for Spike and sees him in Mirajane's arms. Wendy feels a bit jealous but pushes that emotion aside. 

"Mirajane, I need to heal Spike."

"Go ahead," Mirajane lays Spike on the ground as Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Spike. 

"Where's everyone else and Natsu?" Levy asks. 

"Daphne is using Natsu as a battery for her Dragonoid. Draining his magic to amplify the Dragonoid's power," Everyone except for Happy and Spike gasps louder. 

"Gray, Lucy, and the rest should be here soon while Erza is trying to slow down the Dragonoid from coming here," Said Carla. 

"And I thought I was crazy for tackling the Dragonoid on my own," Spike claims as he feels his ribs healing. 

The roars of the Dragonoid made everyone feel dreadful. They all turn to see the Dragonoid flying in Magnolia. It's miles away, but the sheer size sends terror down their spines. Spike stands up after Wendy heals him but feels discouraged fighting the Dragonoid a second time. 

"Spike, you ready to go at it again?" Jet asks, throwing the thumbs up. 

"I'm not sure," Spike looks down. "I got my ass handed, and I'm afraid that it'll happen a second time.., or worse. What if I fail again..," Spike sighs in defeat, unsure how to handle the Dragonoid a second time. He starts doubting himself and his power. 

Minutes later, the magic mobile arrives. Elfman, Macao, Wakaba, and Lucy are all beaten up. They have Gray safely returned. What happened was that the lizard soldiers appeared and ambushed them. It took them some time to defeat the lizard soldiers. Wendy starts healing Elfman, Macao, Wakaba, and Lucy. Gray grunts a little, causing Cana to try and wake him up. 

"Leave him alone," Juvia shoves Cana a little. Her love for him is stronger than petty traitor talk coming from the other guild members. "Don't you dare call him that! My beloved will never turn his back on Fairy Tail," Juvia said in tears as she defends Gray, standing in front and shielding him from everyone else. "Whatever happened to hearing both sides of the story before accusing someone? I have faith in him even if the rest of you don't. I always will-" 

Gray puts his hand on Juvia's shoulder. "That's enough. It's alright. You're supposed to take me to see Gramps, right? I'm ready unless you want to chat some more." 

"Fine, start walking," Alzack said, wielding his magic pistol. 

"My trigger finger is itchy, so don't give me a reason to scratch it," Bisca said, holding her magic rifle. 

Alzack and Bisca escort Gray to have their discussion with Master Makarov. Wendy finishes healing Elfman first and loses some of her magic in the process. She becomes a bit tired. 

"Wendy," Mirajane and Spike said after seeing Lucy catching Wendy a bit. 

"I'm okay. I might need help getting to other people to treat them." 

"Definitely not. If you keep using your magic to heal others, you risk losing your own life, child," Carla demands. 

"If that happens, so be it!" Wendy answers with determination.

"No! I forbid you!" Carla responds profoundly. 

"I'm not a baby anymore, Carla. I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard so, I'll act like one whether you like it or not!" 

Carla is stunned by Wendy's statement. "Such stubbornness, I can't imagine where you get it." 

"Wow, I have never seen Wendy that passionate or strong before. Perhaps I should start acting like a Fairy Tail Wizard as well. Not lose hope but to keep fighting!" Spike thought after taking a good look at Wendy and hearing her thoughts. 

"We're all Fairy Tail Wizards! So let's take down that dragon and rescue Natsu!" Lucy encouragingly shouts. 

"If we were trapped, he wouldn't waste any time crushing what he got in the way!" Jet proclaims. 

"He helped every single one of us at some point, so it's time to pony-up!" Said Droy. 

"Yea, he was there for us when Phantom struck and always fighting for what we believe in!" Said Levy. 

"He taught me I can do anything if I try. I got courage cause of him," Said Romeo. "We all do, this is our chance to pay him back," Everyone agreeing with Romeo. It's time to rise up and fight for Natsu. 

"Okay, guys. Let's work together and bust him out of there!" Happy rallies everyone. 

"AYE!" Everyone says in unison. 

"I'm ready for round two! This is for you, Natsuuuuuuuuu!" Spike, now rejuvenated, starts powering up. 

"Not so fast!" Makarov commands. Spike stops powering up to hear what the Master has to say. "The well-being of both Fairy Tail Guild and the town of Magnolia are tied together. Preventing Magnolia's destruction takes priority over everything else."

"But if we do, what would happen to Natsu?" Lucy asks. 

"We can't destroy it while he's inside!" Happy shouts to Makarov. 

"I'll make this as clear as I possibly can. As Fairy Tail's Master, I order you to stop the Dragonoid before it can destroy the town. There's no need to worry about Natsu. He's as tough as they come. If anyone could survive this, it's him." 

The Dragonoid lands in Magnolia. Everyone sees it from afar. 

"Let's take it doooooown!" Spike shouts as he leads the charge. 

"YEAH!" Every Fairy Tail Member charges at the Dragonoid. Some shoot their magic from long range, and some shoot from short range. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a quarter size of a dragon. His spikes from his body enlargen, his claws become sharper, his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. Spike roars louder than before. It's his warcry roar. 

"The Dragon?" Daphne sees the dragon she desolated earlier, now rejuvenated. "Yes, yes, yes! More data for my Dragonoid!" She ignores the other attacks from the other Fairy Tail Wizards and sees Spike from afar. "Still no wings, but you will lose! Yes! YES! YES!"

Spike runs to where everyone is heading to; they find Erza standing by. Daphne waits patiently. Why start attacking and lose more data. She'll wait for a while to see what happens next. They inform Erza what Makarov told the guild to do. 

"Let me get this straight. Master told you destroying the Dragonoid should be our top priority? What about saving Natsu?" 

"He said he's tough enough to survive this," Lucy answers Erza's question. 

"I see... Natsu, we've been ordered by Master Makarov to destroy the Dragonoid by any means necessary. But before that, I need to know what you want us to do," Erza said to Natsu. Daphne ignores it as it won't affect her creation. "Answer me." 

"Sure," Natsu chuckles. "It's about time someone asked that." 

Erza and everyone becomes worried with that statement, seeing that Natsu is willing to die for the safety of Magnolia with his predicament. Spike is unsure of handling the Dragonoid. He can't end the life of his best friend. Spike looks down in sadness as the idea of killing a friend starts giving him guilt. 

"Now listen up. I'm going to say this once, so clear the gunk out of your ears. Forget about me! Destroy this thing no matter what!" 

Spike looks up at the Dragonoid. His confidence fades as the thought of seeing his friend dying becomes too much for him to bear. Daphne becomes bored and decides to spice things up. She programs the Dragonoid to roar and creates havoc around them. Everyone jumps and lands on the rooftops surrounding the Dragonoid. Spike is a few feet away from the Dragonoid but paralyzed in thought like he's in a trance. 

"Wake up, pathetic dragon!" Daphne yells at Spike. He ignores Daphne's voice as the thought of ending a friend's life puts him in a trance. "Grrraaah!" She programs the Dragonoid to charge and kick Spike while the others continue to hit the Dragonoid with long-range attacks. "Naptime will start when I kill you, so wake up!" Daphne is fuming. 

The kick from the Dragonoid wakes Spike up from his trance. He stares at the Dragonoid but powers down. Daphne becomes infuriated when she sees Spike lowering his size. Everyone else sees it too. 

"Spike, why are you decreasing your size?" Juvia asks as she's closer to Spike. 

"I can't do it," Spike shakes his head. "I can't take the life of a friend away. I'm not.., strong enough to muster enough bravery and confidence." 

As everyone starts formulating a plan of attack while encouraging Spike to fight the Dragonoid, Gray starts talking to Master Makarov about Natsu and the Dragonoid are related. 

"I was working on a job when I started to hear the rumors. There was someone who was trying to build an artificial dragon. So, I looked into it."

"That's when you had this secret rendezvous with this reckless fool?"

"Her plan centered on capturing Natsu somehow and then using his magic to power this fake dragon. I don't think she realized it then but, she told me something I thought was important. Once it starts, the only way to stop the Dragonoid is for a Dragon Slayer to attack it from the inside."

"Yes, that might be helpful at this point but, you could have prevented it from ever starting in the first place if you never handed over Natsu," Said Makarov, disappointed in Gray that his decisions led to this. 

"I had to, your missing part of the story, Gramps." 

"What is it, my boy," Said Makarov, now intrigued with the other half of the story. 

"There's another city counting on us. It was for their sake. Natsu made a promise to the city without sound but forgot about it cause he's an idiot. Self-control isn't his strong suit, you know. So I used to check up after he finished a job to make sure everything is cool. Whenever anyone mentions Igneel, he gets distracted and completely forgets the task at hand." 

"So, you feel the need to tell him while finding Igneel is important; fulfilling his obligation to the guild is more important." 

"I never had my chance to prove myself to Ur but, there's no limit for him. Every challenge that's put before him, he overcomes. I know he ever found him, he would beat Igneel. He always has that. He can always be ready for that day. He needs to get stronger and stronger. He's the only person I need to prove myself too!" Gray sighs after getting heated. "However, I messed up. I thought he had no problem beating this fake chicken or dragon. Let me clean this up. Please." 

Makarov sighs after hearing what Gray had to say. He looks at Gray in the eyes and sees the remorse he has. Gray has good intentions but made foolish decisions. Gray waits while his conscience is reminding him of the foolish decision of luring Natsu into the Dragonoid while reliving the moments that Spike was getting stomped. He's willing to allow Spike to smite him for that. Gray sighs deeply for putting his friends in a heap of trouble. 

"Very well. But you must promise to do exactly what I tell you," Makarov has already figured out the solution for Natsu to overcome his predicament. 

"What is it, Gramps?" Gray asks after seeing the tone of his Master changing rather quickly. 

"Light a fire in Natsu, if you know what I mean," Makarov smirks. 

Gray smirks as well, now knowing what needs to be done.

Meanwhile, the Dragonoid continues to create havoc as Spike gets out of the range of the Dragonoid's feet. He's using his magic for long-range attacks as he still couldn't muster enough courage and bravery to take down the Dragonoid head-on. Knowing it'll end Natsu's life. Daphne is having a lot of fun collecting all sorts of data while trying to encourage Spike to grow in size once more. She wants another match with her Dragonoid and the baby dragon. Natsu has enough with Daphne using his power like a battery. Daphne monologs that no one believed her that dragons exist thus, going into insanity. 

"C'mon you, little runt, increase your size, or else I'll kill all your friends. It'll be your fault that they all die because you wouldn't transform! Yes, yes, yes!" Daphne programs her Dragonoid to roar, causing some members of Fairy Tail to hurl back. 

"SPIKE!" Natsu yells. "It's okay! You have to defend Fairy Tail! You have to defend Magnolia! You are a Fairy Tail Wizard! Start acting like one and fight!" 

"Says, the one that's willing to give up so easily like a coward," Said Gray in response to Natsu's plea. 

"WHAT?!" Natsu irately responds, which fuels the Dragonoid a bit more with the added energy. Daphne documents the energy flowing from Natsu's rage burst. 

"Gray," Spike turns to Gray. He is upset at him for all he's caused. 

"You have a lot of nerves showing yourself," Said Erza. 

"Okay, I'd be the first to admit I screwed up," Gray said admittingly. 

"Damn right you did," Spike responds. "What were you thinking?" 

"Look, I need everyone here to listen to me." 

"Go on," Said Erza, speaking for everyone. 

Gray reveals the forgotten promise Natsu made years ago. Natsu made a promise to the town of silence that he'll free them from the curse Daphne plundered on them with a spell after a failed experiment using smaller artificial dragons. For the curse to be uplifted, Natsu needs to defeat Daphne and the artificial dragon. After hearing the story furthermore, everyone is upset, angered, and stunned. 

"Are you serious?" Lucy asks in disbelief. "How could he forget something like that?"

"Well, better late than never. I know and experienced the never part many times in my life," Said Spike as he reminisced his time in Equestria. 

"I swear, no matter what happens, he never learns," Erza is livid at Natsu's forgetfulness. 

Juvia is relieved and happy that Gray is alright and that it's not entirely his fault. 

"This was the only way I could think of to make things right. But, before we can do that, we gotta deal with the Dragonoid first." 

"How do you propose we do that?" Carla asks. "Spike's transformation is out of line due to how he feels about Natsu being trapped in the Dragonoid." 

Wendy sees a civilian on the ground from the wreckage. "There's someone down over there," Wendy points to the Cake Shop Owner. 

"The man from the cake shop," Erza points out. 

Jet and Droy go with Erza to rescue the Cake Shop Owner. Daphne programs her lizard soldiers to spawn and attack everyone. 

"Damn, there's a ton of these things," Bickslow sees more inbound. 

"Spike wants," Spike increases his size again. The same size he was earlier. His is spikes from his body enlargen, his claws become sharper, his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. Spike roars louder than before.

"Finally! He grows in size! The fight I've been waiting for; Yes! Yes! Yes!" Daphne said with more enthusiasm. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his fire breath. Due to his size, his power with his fire breath is stronger than the other times he'd unleashed it. Daphne becomes too excited to maneuver Spike's next attack. "ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Instead of aiming at the Dragonoid, Spike uses fire breath to incinerate the lizard soldiers. 

"What?!" Daphne is perplexed. She makes some quick diagnoses to see why the lizardmen are vulnerable to Spike's breath attack. 

"Whoa, Fairy Dragon took them all out," Bickslow said after seeing what Spike can do to the lizard soldiers. 

"I'm their kryptonite. As for the Dragonoid, I don't think I can take it down. Not while Natsu is still in there." 

"What were you thinking of being out like this?" Erza asks while checking on the Cake Shop Owner. 

"My shop is flat as a pancake, but I was able to save this for you," The Strawberry Fairy Tail Cake he made for her friends. 

"So, you put your life in danger." 

"This is a gift for your new friends, right? We can't make this monster truly forget what is important." 

Wendy walks up to the Cake Shop Owner and heals him using her Sky Magic. She then notices the cake Erza has for her and Carla. 

"Um, I can't stand the taste of pickled plums," Said Wendy, hoping she doesn't get Erza upset with her gift. 

"Pickled plums?" 

"I know they're good for you but, I won't eat them. It's kinda like my weakness. Everyone's got one, you know. I'm still new to Fairy Tail, and I got a lot to learn. There's a bunch of things I need to do to be part of the guild. I want to go through more stuff with you guys. To laugh and cry, get mad together, to go on more adventures together. I want to get better at high-fiving with Natsu. Along with fighting with Spike the Fairy after seeing what he can do earlier today. So please, save Natsu," Wendy passes out from using too much of her magic. 

Mirajane checks on Wendy, assuring Carla that Wendy needs to rest awhile. Erza wants to know why Master Makarov insists on attacking the Dragonoid when Natsu is capable of handling it himself. Then, Erza understood the fruition of Master Makarov's plan.

"Gramps told me what to do in order to defeat the Dragonoid, Erza," Said Gray. 

"I know. I figured it out," Erza Requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. "Now, the rest of you take out the lizardmen."

"I took care of that, Sis," Spike walks up to the group. He tears a lizard soldier in half and tosses it. 

"Spike, I need you to come with me. We need to weaken the Dragonoid a bit for Natsu to shatter." 

"Understood," Spike nods and gulps a little. He charges at the Dragonoid. 

"Haha! Round two, baby! Yes! YES! YES!" Daphne becomes ecstatic. 

"Heaven's Wheel!" Erza conjures many swords to spawn. "Scatter petal!" A fury of sword hits the backside of the Dragonoid. 

Spike uses his breath to create a portal on the ground. He jumps in as Daphne is confused with the tactic. 

"Where did you go?" Daphne surveyed around in hopes of finding Spike. 

"Inferno Blazing Fist!" Spike appears from the skies and lands on the back of the Dragonoid. His claw is ablaze with Sparkle Green Flames as he punches the Dragonoid. 

"Hey! No fair!" Daphne complains as the Dragonoid trembles a bit from the punch; she programs the Dragonoid to fly in the sky. Spike grabs a grip of the Dragonoid's wing. He punches the size of the Dragonoid. "Stop that! I'm warning you!" Daphne does a barrel roll in hopes that Spike loses his grip. 

Erza flies under and strikes many different areas of the Dragonoid, trying to figure out where is the weak point. "Where is it?" She wonders where the weak point is. 

Daphne programs the Dragonoid to collide with several buildings on the side Spike holds on to; it causes Spike to loosen his grip as he lets go. He lands on the ground hard but still in his size. The Dragonoid roars, but it sounds more like Natsu's roar. It's so loud that everyone has to cover their ears. 

"Help you guys. You gotta stop me! I mean, you'll never stop me! I'm going to destroy everything!" Natsu is on the brink of insanity as the Dragonoid continues to drain his magic power and soul. 

"What's happening?" Lucy asks while seeing the Dragonoid moving as Natsu was controlling it. 

"The Dragonoid is nearly done absorbing Natsu's spirit. He's at the breaking point. This isn't good at all," Said Bickslow after sensing Natsu's soul. 

"Destroy! I mean, destroy me! Aw man, I don't know what I'm thinking anymore!" 

Spike watches as he's unable to form a plan of attack, he seeing Natsu's final hour. A wave of lizard soldiers attack Erza but, she quickly annihilates them. 

"Would you two shut up! If your going to argue, at least get out of my answers!" 

"What's happening now, Bickslow?" Cana turns to Bickslow. 

"Apparently, Natsu is seeing his version of a shoulder devil and a shoulder angel interacting with his subconscious. These are the weary effects of losing your spirit at times." 

"Aw crap!" Spike sees another wave of lizard soldiers. "How many more of these pests are there?!" Spike gets up then shivers a little. "What is that?" 

On the Toy World's rooftop, Gray asks Juvia to lend him her power so they can help everyone destroy the lizard soldiers Daphne keeps producing. She agrees, and they fuse their magic together, creating a unison raid. Ice and water generate spikes to penetrate all lizard soldiers only as everyone is unharmed by the attack.  Everyone is astonished to know that Juvia and Gray pulled off a unison raid. 

"No, I can't let the cold claim me," Spike gets up, standing tall and embracing the cold instead of succumbing to it. 

The miniature Natsus sees and compliments that Gray is more awesome than Natsu is. 

"Shut up! This is making me so mad!" Natsu is controlling the Dragonoid in a stomping frenzy of anger. "I should just squash everything! No, I should. Yes, I should! What the heck is wrong with me?!" 

"Listen up, you pink-haired freak!" Gray shouts. 

"What you say?!" Natsu barks at Gray. 

"Are you seriously that helpless man? It's pathetic. I should have known you were nothing but a bunch of hot air. We're tired of this lame comedy routine you doing there, so man up already!" 

"Hold it, freezer burn!" Natsu is getting irritated. 

"This isn't the time to be mean with each other," Then Happy realizes what Gray is doing. 

"What are they thinking?" Spike shrinks in size and runs back to the group as the Dragonoid and Daphne are distracted. 

"You know that a real Fairy Tail Wizard never forgets a promise! You're making the guild look like a bunch of liars!" Gray shouts in anger. "You should show them how we really do it. Smash that thing into smithereens." 

"I'm super duper disappointed in you, Natsu," Said Happy. 

"What?" Natsu uses the Dragonoid to turn to Happy lividly. 

"I mean, what's your problem? I thought you're the kind of guy that crushed whatever trouble you got into no matter what! Now you're going to let this fake dragon beat you?" Happy shouts angrily at Natsu. 

"Oh, c'mon. Help us out. Everyone in Fairy Tail needs you right now, and you're just gonna give up? We expected a whole lot more from you. But I guessed you decided to take the easy way out and let this thing win!" Lucy shouts, irritating Natsu even more. 

"WHAT?!" Natsu responds lividly. He groans as his body starts becoming ablaze with his fire magic. "Give me a break Lucy. You don't have to get so personal." 

"They're right, Natsu. I know you got caught off guard at first but, you lost heart so quickly," Erza claims as she requips into her  Black Wing Armor. 

"No, I didn't! Yea, I give up. NO! NEVER!" Natsu is struggling to maintain his sanity. 

"You said to destroy it with you inside. That's the very definition of losing heart. It's nothing more than a pitifully embarrassing display of weakness. Allow me to give you what you asked for; I'll put you out of your misery myself." 

"Uh, why being mean to Natsu in his final hour?" Spike rejoins the group standing by. 

Happy whispers in his ear that sometimes pissing off Natsu gives him an adrenaline rush to overcome his toughest challenges. Spike nods in understanding but doesn't partake in provoking Natsu. He watches how the others continue to press his buttons. 

"Give me your best shot!" Natsu roars as the Dragonoid breathes a wave of fire. 

"Yes, yes, yes!" Daphne is enlightened with the power surge Natsu is providing. "I lost all my lizardmen, but this glorious power makes up for it."

"Woooo, hahaha," Natsu feels satisfied with the display of his fire dragon roar as his mind is nearly submerged within the Dragonoid. 

"If you can't muster the confidence to value your own life, Fairy Tail has no need for you!" Erza shouts. 

"Say what?!" Natsu continues to provide power to the Dragonoid. Daphne becomes elated as the Dragonoid is having new waves of power. 

"I'm sure if your precious dragon ever saw you again, he'd be ashamed of what you've become. If he had any kind of pride, he'd beat you senseless for disgracing his legacy." 

"This ends now," Natsu is now spoiling for a fight. His subconscious duplicates are telling Natsu with this kind of power. They can finally beat Erza. "You and me, Red. It's time to party! I've been waiting for this day for a long time!"

"Were you able to locate any weak points on the Dragonoid when you and Erza were fighting it, Spike?" Happy asks. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "I only managed to rip the tail, but the tear wasn't big enough. The only other spot on the Dragonoid I haven't attacked was the head and the chest. The Dragonoid is very durable. Then again, I wasn't the exact height of the Dragonoid. If I were, it would be a different scenario," Spike sighs. "Who knows?" 

Daphne is starting to lose control of the Dragonoid with Natsu controlling its function. She's trying to burn the power that Natsu is overloading. Erza goes for the attack at the chest of the Dragonoid. It wasn't good enough to make a scratch. Natsu becomes so fired up, his flames burst through different sections of the Dragonoid as Daphne starts to lose more control of the Dragonoid. 

"No, no, no. There is way too much power being absorbed. Geez, what is going on?" Daphne starts to panic a bit. 

"All your trash talk has got me more fired up than ever!" Natsu powers up more as the Dragonoid looks like it's on fire. 

"No way," Spike, Lucy, and Happy are in awe as Carla is silent. 

"Man, that kid is an idiot," Said Gajeel, walking his way to the scenery. "I tried to warn him that this kind of thing might happen. Even Spike claimed that this punk is all talk. I expected Natsu to be a hot-headed loudmouth, but this is taking it way too far." 

"Gajeel," Spike, Lucy, and Happy turn to see Gajeel. 

"It's time to make him shut up," Gajeel said as he looks at the Dragonoid. 

"You know where to strike the Dragonoid?" Spike asks. 

"Yea," Gajeel nods. 

Spike turns to the Dragonoid to help aim Gajeel. "I can use my breath to teleport you above the Dragonoid, giving you a wide range of your attack."

"First of, I didn't know you had the power to do that, Fairy Dragon. Very cool. Second, let's do this!" 

Gajeel runs at Spike. Spike uses his breath to teleport Gajeel high above the Dragonoid. Everyone else that didn't know Spike can teleport using his breath is astonished. Gajeel is now in range. 

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art, Karma Demon Iron Spiral!" Gajeel transforms his legs into a giant drill, which rotates at high speed, heavily damaging and piercing through the chest of the Dragonoid. On impact, the chest of the Dragonoid is shattered. Natsu is now free of his imprisonment. 

"Gajeel," Natsu is surprised and yet happy to see him. 

"You can thank Fairy Dragon for the assist. You lucked out that this isn't the way how I planned. I was hoping to sneak up in the middle of all the confusion to beat the ever-loving snot out of you." 

"Is that so?" Natsu cracks a smile.

"Hey, Lucy. Call up your weird horse guy. We need to get some flaming arrows over here A S A P," Gajeel shouts to Lucy. 

"Good thinking, open Gate of the Archer. Sagittarius," Lucy opens the gate key to unleash Sagittarius. 

"Howdy do, my good lady," Sagittarius salutes while wielding his bow and arrow. Sagittarius is a tall, black-haired, and lanky man sporting a horse costume. The horse costume consists of a green vest with yellow trims over a white dress shirt, followed by a red and yellow pair of striped pants and purple frills.

"Alright guys, we need to come up with much fire as we can." 

"You got it, Lucy!" Spike lifts his claw and conjures a fireball. He focuses his magic power on increasing the size. 

"Yea, you bet," Said Cana. 

"Oui," Reedus concurs. 

"And then, we're going to give it all to Natsu," Said Levy. 

"Fire it up," Bisca said, wielding her rifle. 

"Yep," Alzack said, wielding his pistol. 

"Count me in," Said Macao. 

Erza Requips into her Flame Empress Armor. "The perfect occasion for my Flame Empress Armor," Erza's flame sword is powering up. 

"It's all you, Sagittarius," Lucy commands. 

"Okie doke," Sagittarius steadies his bow. 

"Hold on! I call timeout!" Daphne pleads as she's losing stabilization within her Dragonoid as it becomes unstable. "If I get any more power, this thing will blow sky high!" 

"That boneheaded chick tarnished the dragon's reputation for nobility and grace, so teach her a lesson that she won't forget," Gajeel said as he hops down. 

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Natsu smirks devilishly. 

"Alright, now. Fire away!" Lucy orders. 

"Yes, indeedy," Sagittarius fires his arrows. 

"Bring that bitch down, Natsu! Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike presses his claws as the fireball turns into a fiery heat cannon hitting the arrows. The Sparkling Green flares are stronger than before. 

"Solid Script Magic, Heat Spell!" Levy uses her solid script to spawn the word fire as it intercedes with the arrows. 

"Requip!" Bisca shouts. 

"Guns Magic!" Alzack shouts. 

"Blast shoot!" Bisca and Alzack shout in unison, shooting a flare bullet at the arrows. 

"Oui!" Reedus draws a cannon on his belly, and it fires a fireball at the arrows. 

"Explosion Flames!" Cana uses her cards to light up the arrows in flames. 

"Hey, Natsu! I told you I owed you one!" Macao unleashes his purple flames at the arrows. 

Erza roars as she uses her flame sword to light up the arrows with fire. All the combined fire attacks light up the arrows. 

"There you go, Natsu. Now, eat up!" Lucy said as she controls the arrows that are hurling directly at Natsu. 

The Dragonoid takes heavy damage as Daphne is blind from the firelight. Natsu consumes the fire his friends conjured. 

"Now I got a major fire in my belly!" Natsu is all fired up now. "I'm all fired up!" Natsu roars as his flames engulf the Dragonoid. 

"His most Powerful Dragon Force will be his righteous anger," Makarov walks up to his children (Fairy Tail Wizards). 

"Oh, hi, Master," Said Mirajane. 

"If you want Natsu to push through, to triumph over adversity, to overcome any obstacle he may face, make him mad. It's a sure-fire way to give him the proper motivation." 

"You're right about that," Lucy replies to Makarov's statement. 

Wendy wakes up after hearing Natsu's roar. She sees everyone and Master Makarov walking up. 

"What happened?" Wendy asks. 

"A change of tides in this battle. Fairy Tail is about to win, Wendy," Said Spike. "Look," Spike points as Natsu leaps into action. Natsu to pummeling the Dragonoid left and right. 

"I told Gray to make Natsu extremely angry. It appears that Erza figured it out on her own. I have to say, Spike. I'm impressed with your size capabilities. Perhaps I can lecture you on increasing it furthermore." 

"I would like that, Master," Spike nods with grace. 

"You're about to see a Fairy Tail Wizard in action, carrying out our most sacred duty as a guild. Eradicating evil," Said Makarov as he and everyone else observes the action from afar. 

"You've seen what a dragon can do, but now, prepare to see what an Angry Dragon can do!" Natsu refers to Spike as he's sure Daphne has seen him by now. Natsu scorches the two lizardmen that tried to subdue him at ease. 

Daphne panics as she sees Natsu in front of her. She sees malice and no remorse in Natsu's eyes. 

"Let's see if you try to pull that vanishing act, four-eyes. My senses are sharper now than they ever been. And I got so much power running through me I might explode," Natsu said menacingly. 

"At last, I get to see it again," Daphne, for whatever reason, can see the dragon she witnessed as a child. 

"You owe Igneel and Spike a big apology!" Natsu's fist is on fire and continues to power up. "Along with hurting my friends for your sick twisted game! You stupid dragon wannabe!" Natsu uses his Fire Dragon Iron Fist to annihilate the Dragonoid. The Dragonoid explodes from Natsu's attack. All that's left is debris from the Dragonoid as Daphne is defeated. 

Somewhere in Earthland, the Town of Silence is now free from Daphne's vanishing curse, freeing everyone to live another day of life. Natsu fulfills his promise to the Mayor now that he has Daphne in his clutches. 

"Wherever you are, Igneel. I hope you saw that." 

"Well, guys. Looks like the Dragonoid's weakness was an-" Gray cuts off Gajeel to finish the sentence. 

"Was an unstable power source known as Natsu." 

"Funny how that worked out, isn't it?" Mirajane asks. 

Natsu tosses Daphne aside for the moment. "What's the big idea with putting me through all that, Gray?!" Natsu retorts at Gray for putting him in the clutches of Daphne to use as a battery. 

"It's your own fault for breaking promises!" Gray responds, just as angry as Natsu. Everyone gets a good laugh.

"That was amazing," Spike said in awe. He never knew that Natsu could be that powerful in anger. He turns to Wendy. "How are you holding up, Wendy?" 

"I'm fine," Wendy smiles. "Thanks for asking." 

Spike smiles. "You're welcome. I have to say. Thank you for your encouraging words." 

"Huh?" Wendy is confused. "What you mean?" 

"About acting like a Fairy Tail Wizard. It made me realize that I was too quick in giving up a fight that seemed hopeless. After getting my ass handed by Daphne, I wasn't sure about a round two. I wasn't strong enough, but now, I have more than enough motivation to keep me going. Thank you, Wendy. For sparking that motivation," Spike hugs Wendy. 

Wendy wants to gasp but kept it silent. She returns the hug while trying to hold the blush. She and Spike let go of the hug. The two of them, smiling at each other. Spike turns to see everyone in high spirits. 

The sun rises as it dawns on a new day. Everyone heads to the guildhall to celebrate a momentous victory. As for Daphne, she was turned over to the local police that'll be waiting for the Fiore Royal Military to escort her to their imprisonment. Spike sits with Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Happy, and Wendy. 

"Well done, Spike," Erza pats Spike a bit on a job well done. "You've continued to amaze me. 

"Thanks," Spike gets a delayed nosebleed. It's a sign that his body is adapting to the size increase. Soon he won't be getting those nosebleeds anymore. 

"Spike, you okay?" Wendy worriedly asks. 

"Yea," Spike rubs his nose to see blood. "Not again. Ugh," Spike, however, doesn't get a migraine. "I don't have a headache, so that's good." 

"Hey, Spike," Gray walks up to him. 

"Hey," Spike waves at Gray. 

"Sorry that I put you in that situation," Gray refers to the time when Daphne used the Dragonoid to stomp on Spike relentlessly. 

"It's fine. You had good intentions this whole time. Kinda wished we got a warning ahead of time, and we could have acted all along," Spike sighs a bit. 

"My apologies. I won't be making that mistake again." 

"Good," Spike yawns. "I'm surprised that you got away with this scotfree." 

"Oh, Graaaaaay," Master Makarov said in an eerie tone. Gray begins to sweat and tremble in fear. "It's time for your punishment," Makarov laughs sinisterly. 

"I rather not go through with another punishment!" Gray then tries to make a run for it but, Erza grabs his arm. 

"You're not getting away that easily. Master, what you have in store for Gray this time?" 

"Candy?" Master Makarov has a big bucket filled with candy as a double extra-large piñata to stuff Gray inside. 

"Noooooooooo!" Gray shouts as several of his friends start to stuff him into the piñata filled with candy. The piñata is shaped like the Dragonoid they fought a while ago. "You can't do this!" Gray's head is sticking out from the Dragonoid piñata. 

"Alright, everyone. Start whacking the piñata for your candy," Master Makarov decrees. 

"Hold it," Natsu walks in front of the piñata. "Spike should have the first swing. I saw what has happened, and Daphne did stomp Spike."

"Spike, please. I didn't mean for that to happen to you," Gray pleads. 

"Hehehehehehe," Spike grabs a bat for whacking piñatas. "Round three," Spike chuckles. 

"Nononononono, Spike, please!" Gray pleas as Spike as he swings at the piñata several times. 

"My turn," Spike hands Natsu the bat to take a swing. The piñata, like the Dragonoid, is durable as Gray is getting beaten by the swings. 

After several swings from everyone except for Carla, Wendy, and Lucy, the piñata breaks as candy fall to the floor. Gray falls face-first onto the floor.  Everyone, including Spike, grabs their haul of candy. 

"Hope you learned your lesson about working with the enemy, Gray," Master Makarov said in a pleasant tone. 

"Lesson learned, Master..," Gray said with many bumps on his head and bruises from his body. 

Spike yawns as he holds his candy. "Well," Spike yawns again. "I'm ready to go home, Lucy." 

"Sounds good. Bye everyone, see you tomorrow," Lucy said as she waves to everyone. 

"Bye, Lucy. Bye, Spike. See you tomorrow," Everyone except for Gray and Gajeel say in unison. 

"Later, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said, chowing on a piece of iron. 

As Lucy and Spike walk home, they see Daphne getting into a prisoner's wagon, hyperventilating about seeing dragons. The Royal Amry issued about Spike's presence being the only dragon to walk among them, labeling Daphne as a lunatic. 

Twenty minutes later, Spike and Lucy enter the apartment. Spike places his candy on the table first, then leans down on Lucy's bed. 

"Home sweet home," Spike said in satisfaction. 

"Aaaaah," Lucy leans down on her bed. "No kidding. Though I am surprised your lying on my bed instead of yours," Lucy points at the bed Spike bought yesterday. 

"I forgot I bought that after last night's altercation. I guess you can say this is a new tradition for me after a long day." 

"Hey," Lucy shrugs a little. "Who am I to complain?" 

Spike gets off of Lucy's bed and sits on his. He then lays back and feels the firmness of his bed. "Oooooooh yeah, this feels great." 

"What kind of bed is it, Spike?" 

"It's a firm mattress," Spike yawns. "I'm going to sleep, Lucy." 

"Same with me," Lucy takes off her boots. "After an all-nighter, I can use a day off." 

"Night, Lucy. See you tomorrow," Spike yawns. 

"Night, Spike. Have a good sleep," Lucy smiles as she drifts to sleep. 

"You too, Lucy," Spike drifts to sleep.
> Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a week since Daphne unleashed her artificial dragon on Magnolia. She's sentence to life in prison without parole. All of Magnolia thanked the Fairy Tail Guild for keeping them secured during the attack. 

It is now 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up after having an incredible dream. He looks around and sees Lucy sitting down drinking her tea. 

"Morning, Spike. You slept well?" 

"I did, Lucy. I can't wait until tomorrow." 

"The Rainbow Cherry Blossom is going to be fantastic. I missed it last year cause I came to Fairy Tail a few days after they had it."

"This will be our first, along with a few others as well." 

"Especially, Wendy?" Lucy teases Spike a little as Spike blushes a little. 

"Yes," Spike fake coughs to stop blushing. "Wendy and I are starting to become great friends as time progresses."

Lucy laughs a little. "Don't worry, Spike. I won't tell."

"It's not like that," Spike doesn't want to admit his emotions for Wendy. 

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Lucy giggles a little. 

"I think you have the same feelings for Natsu," Spike teases Lucy, giving her a taste of her own medicine. 

"What?!" Lucy blushes a little. "What makes you say that?" 

"Oh, how you've been calling out to Natsu. Natsu, Natsu!" Spike imitates Lucy when she calls out to him. 

"We're just friends!" Lucy defends her statement 

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Spike chuckles. 

Lucy and Spike have a good laugh. They promised to keep each other's secret safe. Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. As Spike freshens up, he imagines being with Wendy in the later years of his life; as a couple. After a few moments, Spike leaves the bathroom and walks up to Lucy. 

"Ready to go and meet up with our friends?" Spike asks. 

"Yea," Lucy smiles. "Just waiting for you," Lucy gets up and puts her cup in the sink. She washes her cup and leaves the apartment with Spike. 

"Let's go." 

Spike and Lucy leave the apartment together. Many people passing by greets Spike and took pictures of him. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon! Be safe, you hear," A bystander riding a boat shouts to Spike. 

"I will. Have fun on your travels!" Spike waves back to the bystander. 

"See you around, Lucy!" Another bystander shouts. 

"See you later," Lucy walks on the edge of the street near the waters. 

"I wonder what's on today's agenda," Spike said, wondering what kind of job they'll be doing to kill time. 

"Erza said she has a right one for us. She picked it last night. Something about gathering herbs." 

"We will see what kind of herbs they are." 

Spike and Lucy walk up to the guildhall. They see Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, Carla, and Wendy waiting for them. 

"Finally! What took you two so long?" Natsu asks after waiting twenty seconds. 

"Yea, we have a job to go on!" Happy said. 

"Where are we going exactly?" Lucy asks. 

"To Mt. Hakobe," Said Erza. 

"How far is it from here?" Spike asks. 

"Pretty far on foot, which should kill time for tomorrow's Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party," Said Gray. 

"Sounds good to me," Said Lucy. 

"However, we still need to get there by carriage," Said Erza, informing of the group. 

"I rather walk, to be honest," Natsu said, hoping to avoid the motion sickness of his. 

"We'll have plenty of time to walk. For now," The carriage arrives on cue. "Get in." 

"Wow, that was instant," Spike is in shock when the carriage arrived on cue. 

Lucy, Wendy, Gray, Happy, and Carla are inside the carriage. Natsu starts sweating as Erza drags him into the carriage. Spike is last to get in as he closes the door. 

"Onward to Mt. Hakobe," Erza commands the carriage driver. 

"Sure thing, Ms.Scarlet," The carriage driver takes the group to Mt. Hakobe. 

During the ride, everyone is talking about tomorrow's possibilities for the Rainbow Cherry Blossom party. Spike learns about the bingo game they host, the food, the drinks, and the cherry blossom tree itself. As for Natsu, he gets his motion sickness. Erza punches Natsu in the gut, allowing him to rest on her knees. Spike is daydreaming of a possible future with Wendy as the ride is slow. 

"Something on your mind, Spike?" Wendy asks. 

"Huh, what-" Spike snaps out of his daydream and turns to Wendy. "Oh, um. Just thinking." 

"Thinking about what?" 

"Gotta be cool, gotta be cool. Can't let her know that I have feelings for her just yet." "I'm thinking about tomorrow's party and the possible prizes for the bingo game." "Smooth, Spike. Smooth."

"Should be fun tomorrow. It'll be our first ever Rainbow Cherry Blossom party. Almost like a date," Wendy's eyes widen after saying that. 

"Well, uh," Spike is trying to come up with a better excuse. "More like a get-together, Wendy. A date would be two people or creatures, depending on how I see it, go out together."

"Yea, that's what I meant to say. I don't even know why I said date," Wendy sighs in relief. Sure she has feelings for Spike but, now isn't a good time to reveal those emotions. 

Everyone remains silent until they reach Mt.Hakobe. After the ride, Erza drags Natsu out. In a few moments, Natsu is back to his old self, feeling better than ever. 

"Brrrr," Lucy shivers. "It's cold."

"I know. So much snow," Spike is shivering. 

"Now, I know I wore the wrong kind of outfit for Mt.Hakobe,"  Said Wendy. She is shivering like crazy. She's wearing an orange dress and sandals.

"I know what to do," Lucy takes out her new silver gate key. "Open, Gate of the Clock Constellation! Horologium!" 

Horologium appears in front of Lucy. He is a tall brown grandfather clock with long, black arms, a glass case, a Roman-numerical clock at the center, and a small face at the top with slit eyes and a thin, twirly, mustache-like mouth. Lucy opens the protection case and sits inside. 

"Hi, Horologium," Spike greets. 

"Hello, Spike. Nice to see you again. Would you like to come inside? Ms.Lucy asks generously." 

"Oh, that's right. You speak when there is someone in you. Uh, no thanks. I want to adapt to the cold. Freezing temperatures are a weakness of mine, and I had enough of the cold riving me in agony. I have to power through."

"What about you, Wendy? She asks politely." 

"Child, you should learn to adapt to the climate," Said Carla. 

After Carla said that, Wendy steps inside to be with Lucy as it's getting colder. Carla sighs as everyone starts walking up on Mt.Hakobe. 

Twenty minutes pass by as the snowstorm is starting to ease up. Spike remained calm as he shivers. Instead of using his protection flame ring to shield the cold, he's mustering and powering through the walk. He sneezes, causing the snow everyone's walking on to melt. 

"Whoa, Spike. Those flames are hot," Said Natsu. 

"I didn't mean to sneeze like that."

"Man, it's getting cold. Even for me," Gray is walking in his underwear. 

"Consider putting on a shirt?" Erza asks. 

"Nah," Gray responds. 

"Hey, Natsu. I'm not convinced that this herb we're looking for even exists," Happy said as he flies next to Natsu. 

"It's gotta. Why would someone post a job if it didn't exist?" Natsu asks with another question. 

"It sounds too good to be true! A wizard can boost their magic power just by putting it in tea and cake. I bet it got some-wicked side effects. Like you can grow a second head or give serious gas," Happy said, picturing the side effects happening to Natsu. "Like they say, it's like poison to every good fish." 

"I think you meant to say there is no such thing as a free lunch," Said Erza, correcting Happy's phrase.

Happy gasps. "I've been saying it wrong this whole time?" 

"Hah," Spike chuckles. 

"Side effects are not our concern. The job flier said to collect and deliver so, that's what we do. If we find extras, we can bring them and use them for bingo prizes tomorrow." 

"My second job of collecting and delivering. At least the first job wasn't this cold," Said Spike as he shivers more. 

"Would you like to come in; it's nice and warm? The young girl implores." Horolugim said, referring to Wendy's question. 

"No. I need to confront the cold," Spike said. 

"Hey, herbs! Come out and fight me!" Natsu yells. 

"Shush, you may start an avalanche with that yell," Said Spike. 

"Agreed, shut up Natsu," Gray concurs with Spike's statement. 

"What you say?!" Natsu retorts. 

"How's a plant suppose to answer you and duke it out? Now, if it could, it'll mop the floor with your face." 

"Watch it frosty," Natsu and Gray are at each other's faces. "If you got something to say, say it to my face." 

"Next time, if you get the bright idea to talk to a plant, keep it to yourself!" 

"Will you shut up!" Erza butts in the two angrily. 

"Aye," Gray and Natsu say in unison. 

"We're nearing a cave. Maybe the herbs are in there," Erza points to a cave as they walk. 

"Let's check it out, Sis." 

As they walk into the cave, Wendy and Lucy talk about the Cherry Blossom Tree and the party tomorrow. Wendy and Lucy are so excited. As they recon the cave, mountain Vulcans swarm the group. These Vulcans have their fur colored white and their pectorals, abdominals, hands, ears, and facial features colored black. The lower half of their body is a darker shade of black, and the decorative pattern on their arms consists of five black circles on each arm, which are composed of black tufts of fur.

"Hey, my cousin told me about the baby dragon. He needs to die first, then we can pounce on these punks," The Vulcan said. 

Erza gives the Vulcans a death glare; she requips her sword and strikes first, ferociously. Gray and Natsu partake in beating up the Vulcans. Erza didn't take too kindly that the Vulcans wanted to kill Spike. Gray freezes some as Natsu cooked some. The Vulcans surrender as Natsu interrogates one. The Vulcan tells everyone that he and his family have no clue where the herbs are. The Vulcans retreated as the group go back on in search of the herb. Wendy and Lucy had their eyes shut as they heard the carnage. 

"Wimps," Said Natsu, not satisfied with the lack of info they got from the Vulcans. 

"Next time they threatened to take Spike's life, I will slay them myself," Said Erza. She turns to Spike. "How are you feeling?" 

"Cold, but I'll live. I'm not going to use the flame protection ring yet." 

The gang leaves the cave together and continues their search for the herbs. Wendy and Lucy continue to discuss the endless possibilities of the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party. Lucy mentions that tomorrow will be her first one but knows how it plays out. Half an hour later, the group stops as Horologium bids Wendy and Lucy a farewell. His time was up and, he heads back to the Celestial World. Lucy and Wendy hug each other for warmth. 

"Get a grip," Said Gray, shirtless in the freezing cold. 

"We'll get home faster if you help get the herbs," Erza said irritatedly. 

"Here," Spike conjures his fire to create a protection ring. He gives a protection flame ring to Wendy and Lucy. Spike's flames cover their bodies and vanishes. "It'll help fight off the cold for a while. I haven't done it in a while, so I don't know how long it'll last." 

"Wait?" Carla stops for two seconds. "Why haven't you done that a while ago?"

"I wasn't thinking of using the protection ring during the time. I want to embrace the freezing cold temperatures head-on. There have been many accounts of the cold nearly killing me and, I want to overcome that weakness." 

"I admire your persistence and determination, Spike. Unlike a certain someone who also is a dragon," Carla refers to Wendy. 

"Thank you, Spike," Wendy graciously said. She feels better and warm. "I can't feel the cold anymore." 

"Me neither," Lucy confirms. "It's like, I can strip naked and be fine." 

Gray and Natsu blush and dares Lucy to strip naked. Erza slaps the two of them for thinking pervertedly in front of a child. 

"Sorry, ma'am," Natsu and Gray said in unison. 

Natsu starts sniffing. "I found ya; I knew you couldn't hide forever, you stupid plant!" 

"Behold the power of a dragon slayer's schnoz," Happy said, knowing that Natsu is smelling gas or something else. 

"Wait, how can you be sure if you found the right herbs? You smelled them before?" Carla asks, unsure if Natsu knows what he's talking or sniffing. 

"Doesn't matter. I know it is them," Natsu takes off at high speed. "Let's go, Happy!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies after Natsu in pursuit. 

"Wait for us, jerk!" Said Lucy. 

"So, who else saw that one coming?" Gray asks, unamused. 

"I did if I have to be honest," Spike answers as he raises his claw. 

"Stop gawking and start following him. His witts may be dull, but his smell is sharp," Said Erza. 

"Am I the only one who senses impending calamity?" Carla asks in a rhetorical manner. 

"Maybe a different set of Vulcans or a possible snow blizzard monster," Spike shrugs, thinking of the possibilities. 

"Please be wrong," Said Wendy, hoping not to face a fierce creature today. 

Erza, Lucy, Spike, Wendy, and Carla follow Natsu's footsteps leading up the mountain. On the way up there, they hear a successful and satisfying cheer. 

"Yay," Lucy cheers, and in a few moments, they'll be heading home with a haul of herbs. 

"If he starts bragging, we bury him in snow," Gray suggests. 

"Well, I'm impressed," Said Erza. 

"So, your hunch was wrong," Said Wendy. 

"That remains to be seen," Said Carla. 

"Wendy, Lucy, how are you two holding up?" Spike asks, referring to his protection ring spell. 

"So far, so good, Spike. I can't feel the coldness," Said Wendy. 

"I concur; this should be a breeze," Lucy said. 

"Good. However, be mindful. When I first used it, it lasted for half an hour. Out here, I'm not sure how long it'll last depending on the situation." 

"Fair enough, Spike," Wendy and Lucy say in unison. 

Erza, Wendy, Lucy, Spike, Gray, and Carla walk up the mountain. Then a few moments later, they hear a roar. They hurried up the mountain to feast their eyes on a Blizzardvern. A Blizzardvern is an exceedingly large, draconian beasts that are predominantly white color, black talons on its feet, and black spikes running down their back. They are also herbivores. Their favorite food is the herbs Happy and Natsu found. 

"You gotta be kidding me?!" Natsu shouts. 

"I don't think it wants to share!" Happy panics. 

"Whoa!" Spike shouts a little, seeing the Blizzardvern for the first time. 

"You just had to be a jinx, huh?" Lucy turns to Carla. 

"It was a hunch. My hunches are normally correct," Said Carla. 

"Looks like we'll get to finish the job and take home a juicy bonus in one fell swoop," Gray said, powering up. "White Wyvern Scales go for a lot of money, and this guy got plenty to go around."

"Sure does," Natsu powers up. "You hear that stingy? We're going to take your food and strip you for good measure." 

"I suggest the four of you to stand back and collect those herbs," Erza requips into her Lightning Empress Armor. 

Spike powers up. "This should be interesting. Time to test myself in these cold conditions in combat." 

"Let's do this!" Erza commands. She, Gray, and Natsu leap into action. 

"Fire Dragon, Brilliant Flames!" Natsu conjures his flames to attack the Blizzardvern. It deflects the attack straight at Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Lucy. 

"It deflected it!" Wendy shouts. 

"Oh no, you don't!" Spike said. He uses his breath to teleport Natsu's attack hitting the Wyvern in the back. 

"Ice Make Saucer!" Gray creates a large, spinning ice disk, capable of cutting through like a buzz-saw at the Blizzardvern. It redirected the attack at Lucy, nearly hitting her. 

"Gaaaaah! Watch it! You almost hit me!" Lucy complains. 

Erza uses her Lightning Spear to generate a lightning strike at the Blizzardvern. The Blizzardvern dodges as the lightning hit Natsu and Gray. They were both cooked from the attack. 

"Idiots, don't you know how to dodge?" Erza is in disbelief that Natsu and Gray didn't bother moving out of the way. The Blizzardvern tries to attack again but, Erza casts a shield, protecting herself. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size. He is now matching the size of the Blizzardvern. His is spikes from his body enlargen, his claws become sharper, his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. "Pick on someone your own size, punk."

The Blizzardvern looks in shock. It roars as Spike roars back at the Blizzardvern. The ground quakes as the two roars. Spike tackles the Blizzardvern to the ground. He punches left and right on its face until the Blizzardvern uses its legs to push Spike. Spike uses his breath to teleport himself. Instead of falling backward, he is now falling from the skies. 

"We might want to stand clear," Said Erza. 

Gray and Natsu stand aside as the Blizzardvern gets up, unaware that Spike is above him. 

"Inferno Blazing Fist!" Spike's claw is ablaze with Sparkle Green Flames as he punches the Blizzardvern on its head. It causes the Blizzardvern to stumble around from the impact. 

"Let's take it down!" Natsu shouts. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu's hand is on fire as he punches the Blizzarvern's head. 

"Ice Make, Ice Cannon!" Gray creates a large bazooka-like hand-held cannon. He fires a cannonball made of ice to deal massive damage to the Blizzardvern's chest. 

Erza uses her lightning spear to blast the Blizzardvern's body from the backside. The Blizzardvern collapses after the barrage of attacks. While Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Happy, were collecting the herbs, an avalanche happens. Carla grabs Wendy and flies away. Happy flies away on instinct, leaving Lucy to get hit with the avalanche of snow. 

"Is everyone okay?" Erza checks on everyone after the Blizzardvern fell in defeat. 

Natsu suffers a bit. Unfortunately for him, he was on top of the Blizzardvern when it happened. He now has motion sickness. 

"I'm good," Spike shrinks down to normal size. He's shown to have no nosebleed but a slight migraine. "Just a little headache. I think my body is getting used to increasing and decreasing. Plus, Master Makarov has been tutoring me with my increase in size." 

"Good, Spike," Said Erza. 

"Hey, whatever happened to Lucy?" Gray asks. 

Lucy raises her hand with the herb. "I'm.., here.., barely..," Lucy is shivering like crazy. "So.., cold..."

"Oh boy, my protection ring wore off," Said Spike. 

"So cold!" Wendy stats shivering. 

"Let's grab as many herbs as we can and take Lucy back home," Said Spike. 

After ten minutes of gathering the herbs, Erza spawns a magic mobile. Everyone gets inside. 

"I have more energy to use, Sis. You should let me drive," Spike offers. 

"No," Erza shakes her head. "Keep Wendy, Lucy, and the rest warm with your protection ring. I'll drive us back to the guildhall." 

"Understood," Spike nods. He enters the magic mobile and uses his protection ring to warm up Happy, Carla, Wendy, Lucy, and Erza. Gray and Natsu are fine as is. 

Erza drives the magic mobile back to Magnolia. An hour later, Erza stops the magic mobile as they arrive in Magnolia. Lucy couldn't stop sneezing. 

"Sis, I'm going to take Lucy back home. She doesn't look good." 

"Alright then, thanks for the help you two. See you later," Erza said. 

Spike and Lucy walk back to the apartment. Lucy couldn't help but sneeze as she starts to feel ill. Lucy and Spike arrive at the apartment and walk up the stairs. As soon as Lucy walks in, she gets in bed and lays down. Spike decides to feel her temperature. 

"Not good," Spike said. "You are in the midst of having a cold, Lucy." 

"Oh, great," Lucy sneezes. 

"I'll make you some soup," Spike goes to the kitchen to make some chicken soup. 

"Thanks, Spike," Lucy graciously smiles. 

"You would do the same for me if it's the other way around," Said Spike as he's making the chicken soup for Lucy. 

"Of course. What are friends for?" Lucy said as she cracks a smile. 

Spike hopes that Lucy's cold will wear off late tonight, early tomorrow. He's thinking about having Wendy come over to heal Lucy of the cold so she can participate in the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party. After a while, Spike finished making chicken soup and pours a good portion into a bowl. He also grabs crackers for Lucy. 

"Lucy, you want water or juice?" 

"Water, please," Lucy's voice sounds raspy a bit. 

Spike goes to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water; he puts it on a tray with the bowl of chicken soup. He brings the tray to Lucy as she sits up on the bed.

"Here you go, Lucy."

Lucy sniffs, "Thank you, Spike," Lucy grabs the spoon and blows on it. She takes a first sip of the chicken soup and becomes astonished. "Wow, Spike, this is delicious." 

"I don't mean to brag but, I'm good when it comes to cooking. Also, save your voice a little." 

Lucy nods and continues to eat her soup. Spike sits on his bed and watches Lucy eat her soup. 

"Lucy, after you eat. I'm going to the guildhall to get Wendy. She can heal your cold so you can be ready for tomorrow's party."

"Thank you, Spike," Lucy eats another spoonful of chicken soup.

"You're welcome," Spike smiles reassuringly.

As Lucy eats, she can't help but think how messed up Twilight Sparkle and her friends were for not appreciating the good Spike does on his own accord. Willing to help a friend in need. Lucy doesn't want to take advantage of him. She made up her mind. If she is unable to go tomorrow, Spike shouldn't stay. He should have as much fun as he can with the others. They'll be other parties in the future for her to participate in. 

Spike is thinking, whether or not to go tomorrow or stay to help Lucy. He doesn't mind staying home to help his friend in need. Lucy allows him to live with her. Spike doesn't want to be ungrateful for all Lucy has done for him. 

"Ah, that was delicious, Spike," Lucy finishes her chicken soup. She sits up and drinks her water. 

"Glad you enjoyed it, Lucy," Spike grabs the tray and brings it to the kitchen. He starts cleaning the bowl and tray. 

Lucy watches as Spike cleans. She frowns a bit. "How can that selfish of a Princess take advantage of his kindness and generosity? He's doing this out of his love for friendship, and this Twilight Sparkle takes full advantage of him. It makes me sick to even think about it. All those years of him being alone and being a slave to her. I swear that I will never take advantage of him or any of my friends." Lucy thought to herself as she reflects on Spike's past from the story he told a few weeks back. 

"Alright, Lucy," Spike finishes cleaning the dishes. "I'm going to grab Wendy. I'll be back shortly." 

"Take your time," Lucy responds. 

Spike leaves the apartment and walks to the guildhall. He sees new faces walking in Magnolia. Some people wave and spoke of him; others took pictures to brag to their friends. Nothing new for Spike as more people recognize him as being Fairy Dragon. Spike arrives at the guildhall to see everyone eating and drinking for the pre-celebration. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Bickslow said, walking up to him with his plate of food. "Where's Lucy?" 

"She's home. She has a bad cold from today's job." 

"Bummer." 

"Have you seen Wendy?" 

"Yea," Bickslow points to Wendy sitting with Erza and Carla by a table. "Wendy is over there."

"Thanks," Spike walks up to the table. 

"Hey, Spike. How's it going?" Erza asks. 

"How's Lucy doing?" Wendy asks. 

"Not so well," Spike sighs a little. "Wendy, can you come by and heal Lucy. She's having a cold." 

"Sure. Let's do it now," Wendy said. 

"I'm coming to," Said Erza. "She shouldn't be home alone." 

"What?!" Natsu runs up to the group. "Lucy is sick?!" 

"Yea. She has a cold," Spike replies. 

"I wonder how?" Gray said. He's wearing his underwear. 

"She was bombarded with snow, genius," Carla said in a rhetorical tone. 

"Also, you're in your underwear," Spike points. 

"Dammit! Not again!" Gray shouts. 

"Alright, let's go see Lucy," Erza said. 

Spike leads the group to the apartment. As they head up, Spike opens the door and walks in first. 

"Lucy, we have company." 

"Who?" Lucy sniffs and sees her friends. 

"Hey, Lucy. Got you a fish," Happy holds a fish with a red ribbon on it. 

"Thought we can comfort you and stay with you for a while. Can't have a pre-celebration without you, Lu," Gray said. 

"Yea, wouldn't be the same without you," Said Natsu. 

"Don't forget about Spike, you guys," Said Wendy. 

"Wouldn't dream of it," Said Erza. 

"He's the catalyst of our family," Said Happy. 

"Family," Spike smiles after hearing that. 

"Like Master once said, we may be guildmates but, we are also family. Family sticks together," Said Erza. 

"I'll heal you," Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Lucy's cold. After a few moments, Lucy feels a bit better. 

"Thanks, Wendy," Lucy's voice sounds better than before. 

"You're welcome," Wendy smiles. 

The rest of the day goes accordingly. Everyone eating, drinking and having a good time. Lucy's health is getting better as her cold goes away. Instead of heading home, the gang decides to sleep over with Spike and Lucy. Wendy nervously asks if it is okay if she and Carla sleep with Spike on his bed. Spike reluctantly agrees, and he goes to the far end of the bed to sleep. Spike held in his blush as one of his fantasies came true; he just wished that Carla wasn't involved. Natsu and Happy slept on the floor, Erza and Gray slept on the couch and chair. 

The next day, everyone wakes up. Lucy feels better than ever, thanks to Wendy's healing. Everyone starts preparing to head on over to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party. 

"Thank you, Spike. If it weren't for you, I would still be sick with a cold and missed the party," Said Lucy as she walks with her friends to the party. 

"You're welcome, Lucy. Happy to aide a friend in need," Spike smiles as they see the Rainbow Cherry Tree. 

"Wooow," Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Spike say in unison. "So pretty."

"Wait till the nighttime comes. You'll see the rainbow effects of the tree," Erza said. 

"Wow, even Gajeel's here," Natsu said. He's surprised to see him here. 

"I guess he'll be feeling lonely in the guildhall all by himself," Said Lucy. 

They walk to an open rug and claim it for themselves. They are next to team Shadow Gear. Juvia sees Gray and immediately decides to sit with him along with the others. 

"Hey, Juvia. Guess you'll be sitting with us?" Spike asks. 

"Yes, also. I want to sit with Gray and enjoy the celebration."

"Flowers are manly!" Elfman shouts loudly. 

"Sure thing, big guy," Said Levy. 

Spike sees Gajeel sitting alone. He excuses himself to chat with him. Gajeel is eating iron when he sees Spike walking up to him. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. What's up?" 

"Nothing much. Just checking on you since you're alone."

"Psst, I'm fine," Gajeel chows on another piece of iron. 

"Well, you don't have to sit alone. You can join us by our rug," Spike suggests. 

"I'm good, Fairy Dragon. Thank's though," Gajeel pats Spike's head. 

"Well, then I'm sitting with you then," Spike joins Gajeel. 

"Look, you don't have to." 

"But, I want to. We're starting to have that brother relationship. You got my back, and I have yours."

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel chuckles a bit. "Man, I can't believe those bozos you called a Pony Princess treated you with no respect and fellowship. You're a straight-up guy. I respect that." 

"Thanks. I still can't believe that my wish allowed me to make all sorts of new friends and being part of a family, a real family that cherishes everyone's livelihood." 

"Do you miss that other world?" Gajeel asks, curious to know how Spike feels. 

"Not really. The only good thing that came out was saving the Crystal Empire and Crystal Ponies, dubbing me as their hero. They made a statue out of me with the Crystal Heart. I did have some good friends that I left behind. I do miss Thorax and Ember but, they're busy with their kingdoms and their subjects. As for me, being in isolation is one of the worst experiences." 

"I nearly put myself in isolation because of the wrong I've done," Gajeel admit. 

"What you do?" Spike asks. 

Gajeel reveals he used to be in a dark guild known as Phantom Lord. He destroyed the first Guildhall of Fairy Tail. Then attacked and crucified Team Shadow Gear with his irons. Gajeel slaps himself for doing that which made Spike realize how changed he becomes. Gajeel mentioned that he started the war that led to Phantom Lord's downfall. His guild was tasked to bring Lucy Heartfilia back to her father. That was more than enough motivation to kill Fairy Tail. He lost to Natsu in a fight thanks to Lucy's horsey. 

"Sagittarius?" 

"Yea. He shot an arrow and created some fire for Natsu to eat. Never underestimate him and his potential power." 

"So, how did you end up being a Fairy Tail Wizard?" 

"After the war and Phantom Lord Jose was arrested and relieved of his position as the Ten Wizard Saint, Phantom Lord disbanded. I was in the remains of the guildhall eating the iron, not having any ideas what to do next. That's when Makarov showed up. He was mad at me for what I've done but, he had the heart to see the better in me. He offered me a chance to become anew. To be a Fairy Tail Wizard. What changed me that day on, I've decided to live in solitude when he said that; he'll never forgive himself if he allowed someone to go astray in isolation. He forgave me. So, I accepted his offer in becoming a Fairy Tail Wizard. I have to say, it's been an awesome ride for the most part."

"What makes it so awesome, then?" Spike smirks. 

"Well, I had to earn everyone's forgiveness so, I let them release their anger on me, and I took a lot of beatings. In the end, though, they accepted me and my mistakes. Especially Levy. She's cool. As for the other part that makes it awesome, I would have to say, meeting you. Training and fighting alongside you, Spike. My dragon left me seven years ago. Same can be said for Salamander and Wendy. You're a good kid. After hearing your story by the others, all I wanted to do is beat down those ponies and be your.., friend."

"Well, we're brothers now," Spike raises his claw to do a fist bump. 

"Yea," Gajeel fist bump. "We're brothers."

Mirajane starts passing out the bingo cards as it's time to play bingo. When she comes up to give Spike and Gajeel, she notices that Spike doesn't have any food.

"You hungry, Spike?" Mirajane gives Spike and Gajeel their bingo cards. 

"I'll eat after bingo." 

"Okay, then," Mirajane smiles and continues to give bingo cards to everyone. 

"I wonder what are the bingo prizes this year?" Gajeel wonders. 

"I know what one of them will be. As for the others, they are unknown to me," Said Spike. 

Mirajane now stands next to Master Makarov. "Everyone have a card now? Let the Annual Flower Viewing Bingo Tournament begin!" 

"Bingo!" Everyone cheers except for Gajeel. 

Makarov laughs with the excitement he hears from his children (Fairy Tail Wizards). "We got some great prizes for the tournament this year. I hope you're all ready to play!" 

"Yeah!" Everyone except Gajeel cheers louder. 

"Alright, everyone ready?" Mirajane said. 

"Aye, Sir!" Everyone except Gajeel and Spike said in unison. 

"Okay, you may now poke the center hole open," Mirajane commands. Everyone does so. 

"The grand prize is as soon as mine," Macao decrees. His son Romeo cheers him on. 

"Alright, time to get every number!" Lucy said. She's so excited to partake in her first-ever bingo with her friends. 

"I'll get the numbers first," Said Natsu, eager to win. 

"Not a chance," Said Gray. "I'll be taking the best prize and make sure your left with scraps." 

"Silence, Makarov is about the roll the number." 

"The first number is coming up!" Makarov rolls the number as 24 appears. 

"Awesome," Cana pokes her number on the card. "I got one already."

"I got 24 next to the center. Just need three more," Said Spike. 

"Heh, got mine at the corner," Said Gajeel. 

"Darn, I don't have 24," Lucy pouts a bit. 

"Welcome to my world," Said Happy. 

"Same with me," Said Wendy. 

The next number is 99. Everyone groans except for Erza. She needs two more numbers for her bingo. After that, the following number is 47. 

"You sunk my battleship!" Spike shouts, which causes everyone to laugh. 

"Alright, I give you an A on that joke, Spike," Said Makarov as he had a good laugh. 

"Number 5!" Mirajane rolled the next number. 

"Yea! I got that one! I'm a man!" Elfman shouts. 

"Shut it before I do it for you," Said Evergreen. 

"Got that one," Said Lucy, poking the number on the bottom left corner. 

"I do too. I'm so close," Erza is getting excited. She needs one more number for her bingo. 

"You got 5, Gajeel?" Spike asks. 

"Yea. The numbers are drifting apart. I'm nowhere near close of getting bingo, you?" 

"So far, I have two. 24 and 47."

"Man, this game cheats! I don't have any numbers!" Natsu complains. His body is starting to become ablaze in fire. 

"Careful, hothead, you may wind up burning your bingo card and be expelled from the game," Said Gray. 

"Shut up!" Natsu retorts. 

"Silence!" Erza punches both Natsu and Gray in their stomachs. "Mirajane is about to call the next number." 

"Number 68," Mirajane announces. 

"BINGO!" Erza shouts. Almost everyone groans and complains.

"Darn it..," Natsu looks at Erza. He sees 68 and punches it. 

"You got lucky, Erza," Gray punches his number. 

"Oh, I'm close to getting a bingo," Said Juvia. "Just need two more numbers." 

Erza runs up to Mirajane and Makarov. "I have all my training to thank," Erza said with glee. "So? Do I win a special prize?"

"Uh-huh. Here, an amazing herb rumored to temporarily increase a wizard's magic power," Mirajane gives Erza the herb that's withered. 

"What?!" Erza is dumbfounded that the herb she picked yesterday happens to be her prize. "But, it's one of the plants we picked yesterday. And, it's already wilting." 

"Yea, that's bound to happen when you bring it into a warmer climate," Said Makarov. 

"So.., that's it..?" Erza is on her knees in defeat. The prize was all for nothing. "My precious bingo..."

"I'm sorry. Better luck next year," Said Mirajane. 

"Our next number is 127!" Makarov announces. 

"Yes!" Cana cheers. "Bingo!" 

"Say, what? I haven't got any numbers," Macao complains. 

"Today isn't your day, chump," Wakaba said. 

"Not getting any bingos. The numbers aren't close," Said Gajeel. 

"I just need one more, haha," Spike shows Gajeel his bingo card. It's horizontal to the center of free space in bingo. 

"Well, you need is 115." 

Cana walks up to Mirajane and Makarov. "What is my prize?" 

"Well, I was hoping for someone else to get this prize cause it'll make you highly upset. I guess the joke is on me," Said Makarov. 

"Here you go, Cana. A one-year free supply of beer in the guildhall," Mirajane hands Cana the free pass to use whenever she wants. 

"Aw, yeah! This is worth any prize you have left!" Cana celebrates. 

"Wow, imagine someone else getting that card," Said Lucy. 

"I bet Cana would do anything to get free beer and booze," Said Happy. He imagines Cana doing all sorts of humiliating things to get a free beer. 

A few numbers go by, 3, 1, 10, 18, 51, 28, 72, 104, 54, 45, and 71. No one has gotten a bingo yet. Levy is close to having a bingo. Juvia is anxious for her next number. Elfman is impatient, he punched every number he heard, and it's nowhere close to being a bingo. The numbers are scattered. Spike is waiting for 115. 

"Number 115," Mirajane announces. 

"Bingo!" Elfman, Levy, Juvia, and Spike shout at the same time. They gasp as they look at each other. 

"All four of you?" Mirajane blinks twice. 

"Well, this is a first. So, let's have a tiebreaker. The best short performance wins the grand prize," Makarov declares. 

"Short performance?" Elfman, Levy, Juvia, and Spike shout in shock. 

"This is what you're competing for," Mirajane holds two tickets. "Two tickets for three days, two nights at the luxury at Akane Resort."

"Wow," Levy couldn't believe the prize is that amazing. 

"Two?" Jet and Droy have hearts for eyes. They imagine Levy taking one of them to go with her. 

"The Akane Resort! Sounds like a perfect gift for my sister!" Elfman manly states. 

Juvia can't stop blushing and thinking about the possibilities of spending those days with Gray. "Three days and two nights with Gray, it's too much to take. My thoughts are so hot I might evaporate." 

"Wow, that sounds like an awesome time," Spike blushes when a certain someone is on his mind if he were to win. 

Gajeel goes on stage with his music gear. He starts playing his guitar in tune. "Short performance, where there is five in the ring, and four feel the sting. Try not to cry when I take the prize, you dig it?"

"You're not competing!" Jet and Droy react when they see Gajeel playing. 

"Off the stage! Last time I check you weren't near bingo!" Elfman said. 

"Hey, Gajeel," Spike walks up to Gajeel. 

"What's up?" 

"You got a piano?" 

"A piano? Nope," Gajeel grabs his gear and hops off.  

"You need a piano, Spike?" Mirajane asks. 

"Yes, it's for my short performance."

"Well, we do have instruments for the music part later tonight so, help yourself," Mirajane smiles. 

Spike walks over to see the instruments. He grabs the piano and pushes it on the stage. Everyone wonders what Spike is doing. 

"My short performance will be a melody played on the piano." 

Spike's Melody

As Spike plays the piano, everyone feels all sorts of emotions. Some are sad, and some are happy. Mirajane is astonished to see and hear Spike play the piano like that. It reminds her of her younger sister, Lisanna. Elfman cries, just thinking of her sister, Lisanna. As Lucy listens to the melody, she reflects on her time in Fairy Tail. Natsu listens carefully and reflects on his time with Igneel. Gray remembers his days with Master Ur as he listens. Makarov starts remembering Laxus as how good he was years ago. Every Fairy Tail Wizard starts remembering a lot of good as they listen to Spike's melody. 

"And, done," Spike finishes playing. He sees his friends in tears and cheering. 

"I.., I can't compete with that," Elfman said in tears. "You win by default." 

Levy agrees with a nod. "I didn't fare well with the Miss Fairy Tail contest. No way I can compete against that." 

"You win, Spike. That was so beautiful," Juvia said. During Spike's melody, she imagined so much with Gray. She's unable to think for a short performance. 

"Wow, Spike. You win by default. What do you call that song you played?" Mirajane said, handing Spike the two tickets. 

"Fairies Flow in You," Spike answers. 

"Sounds fitting since you made most of the guild cry with the song," Said Makarov. "Onward with the game!" 

Spike walks and sits with Gajeel. He holds the tickets. 

"Congrats on winning the prize, Spike. Who are you taking to the resort with you?" 

"I have some ideas but, I'll think about it." 

"Choose wisely," Said Gajeel. 

"87," Mirajane announces. 

"Bingo!" Lucy shouts. She runs up to Mirajane and Makarov. 

"What?" Macao said. "The newbie gets a bingo while I didn't get any numbers?" 

"Guess it's not your year," Wakaba laughs a little. 

"I wonder what the prize is," Levy said. 

"Here you go, Lucy. 500,000 Jewels in cold-hard cash," Makarov hands Lucy the money. 

"Whaaaaaaaaat?!" Gray grabs the back of his hair; he was one number away from bingo. Everyone else shouted what except for Cana and Spike. 

"With that, the Bingo Tournament is over," Mirajane announces. 

Loud groans and cheers go around. Mirajane starts collecting the bingo cards as everyone sits down. 

"Man, Lucy. You got a ton of money," Gray said. 

"Well, this'll make up since I came in second place during the Miss Fairy Tail competition. Spike and I will good with rent for the next while. Along with other expenses, of course." 

"I wonder who Spike will take to the Akane Resort for those three days," Natsu asks. 

"Hopefully, it'll be one of us. Who knows who he chooses," Gray said, now stripped down to his underwear. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. How long are those tickets valid for?" Gajeel asks. 

"It's valid until next year. That's what it says." 

"Good. You have plenty of time to think it over. Just hope that no one does any favors for you." 

"Oh, I've seen what happens and how crazy it can be," Spike remembers the incident with Twilight Sparkle over the Grand Galloping Gala. 

"Good, you hungry?"

On cue, Spike's stomach growls. "Yeah, I am. I'm famished."  

Mirajane arrives to take Gajeel's bingo card. "Hungry Spike?" She asks. 

"Yes, I am," Spike pats his belly. 

"Coming up," Mirajane smiles and heads on over to the buffet table to bring Spike something to eat. 

"Fairy Dragon, one of these days, we gotta play music together."

"Sure, Gajeel. I don't see why not. You were solid on the guitar earlier." 

"Cool," Gajeel throws the thumbs up. 

"Here you go, Spike," Mirajane returns with a plate of food. 

"Thank you," Spike smiles as he takes the plate. 

"Enjoy," Mirajane smiles as she watches Spike eat. 

As everyone enjoys their time together, Lucy looks up at the sky as the sunsets. She remembers all the good and bad times that led to this moment. Being surrounded by friends that she calls family, having an incredible friend that lives with her, having that brother-sister type feel. Then she decides to stick her index finger high towards the sky with the thumb out. Everyone else decides to do the same, even Gajeel. Spike does it while eating a steak. 

As everyone lowers their hand, the blossoms of the cherry tree change color, from pink into a rainbow. Everyone ooohs and ahhs the tree changing color except for Gajeel. 

"I'll admit, that's cool," Gajeel munches on a piece of iron. 

"That is the most beautiful rainbow I ever laid eyes on," Said Spike. 

"Wooow, that's so beautiful," Wendy couldn't help but feast her eyes on the tree. 

"I will say, the tree is fascinating to look at," Said Carla, drinking her tea. 

"So, this is what it looks like to gaze at the cherry blossom tree at nighttime. So cool," Said Lucy. 

"No joke, probably the best part of the party," Said Gray. 

"Agree," Erza nods. 

Mirajane walks up to Spike. "Hey, Spike. Mind playing that song you played earlier. It'll set the tone of the tree." 

"Sure, why not," Spike finishes eating and goes back to the piano. Everyone sees and enjoys Spike playing the melody while watching the rainbow petals fall from the tree. 

"Good call for having Spike play that melody again, Mirajane," Said Makarov. 

"Well, he did play well. As well as bingo, of course," Mirajane chuckles a little. 

"Glad to see many new faces this year. From Lucy to Gajeel and Juvia, to Spike to Wendy and Carla. They've been pivotal for Fairy Tail." 

"No kidding. Spike has been amazing for Fairy Tail in his short time here. Think he'll be ready for S-Class Trials in a few months, Master?" 

"At the rate, he's going. I don't see why not. However, we'll have to see who else gets to participate." 

"Very well, Master. Glad to know that Spike will be the first entry in the S-Class Trials." 

Spike finishes playing his melody as everyone claps. He yawns a little and sits back with Gajeel. He hears some whistles from his friends for playing fantastic on the piano.

"See you next time, Gajeel. I'm heading home." 

"Later, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel and Spike do a fist bump. 

Spike walks up to Lucy and the others. "Hey, I'm heading home. I'm starting to feel a little sleepy." 

"I'm coming with you, Spike," Lucy gets up. "See you all tomorrow," Lucy waves to everyone. 

"Take care and stay safe," Wendy said as she waves. 

"You too," Spike replies. 

As everyone continues to enjoy each other's company, Spike and Lucy are on their way back home. Lucy walks on the edge of the street. Spike is wondering about choosing Wendy or someone else to accompany him to the resort.  Half an hour later, the two arrive at the apartment. They head upstairs and lie on their beds. 

"Aaaaaaah," Spike and Lucy say in comfort. 

"What a day," Said Spike. He puts the tickets away. 

"No fooling. I know I thanked you earlier, but I have to say it, again; thank you, Spike."

"You're welcome, Lucy. I'm happy to help you when I can yesterday. I told myself that if you weren't going to make it, I was going to stay and help you." 

Eyes widen for Lucy. She didn't expect Spike to say that and be that devoted as a friend. She's speechless for the moment. 

"Wow. I was going to say that if I wasn't feeling good, I would want you to go and have fun," Lucy said. 

Spike does a doubletake. He's not used to hearing that. He is now speechless. 

"Wow," Spike blinks a few times. "I wasn't expecting that kind of outcome from you, Lucy. I guess you can say that I'm still trying to get used to this way of living with real friends." 

"It's okay, Spike."

"Thank you, Lucy. For everything you have done for me," Spike smiles graciously. 

"You're welcome, Spike," Lucy puts the 500,000 jewels away. 

Spike gets under the blankets. "Night, Lucy." 

"Night, Spike. See you tomorrow." 

Spike drifts to sleep.
> Fairy Tail Endurance Race
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a dawn of a new day in Magnolia. Spike is waking up after having a great dream. He dreamt of Wendy having fun together in the park. He looks around to see if Lucy is around. She isn't. Spike takes a look at the clock to see what time it is. 

"10:30!" Spike groans a little as he overslept. "Well, Lucy is probably at the guildhall and didn't want to disturb my slumber. Oh well," Spike shrugs as he makes his bed. 

Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. He still thinks about who to take to the Akane Resort. It's been five days since the party took place. He cleans the apartment a little since Lucy hasn't been around all day yesterday. 

"Let's see who I'll be working with today," Spike grabs a banana and an apple as he leaves the apartment. 

Spike walks down Magnolia to the guildhall. He's waving at people while eating his fruits. He waves at the two people on the boat passing by. 

"Safe travels for you, Fairy Dragon." 

"Yea, tell Lucy we say hi!" 

Spike finishes eating his fruits and sees lacrima cameras flying around. He remembers that today is the Fairy Tail Endurance Race. 

"Crap! Did I missed it?" Spike enters the guildhall to see everyone eating as much as they can.

"Finally! You made it!" Natsu said, walking up to Spike while eating a drumstick. "Here, I thought you were going to miss the race!" 

"I overslept and nearly forgot when I saw the lacrima cameras flying around," Spike slightly chuckles. 

"Well, glad you can make it. Also, what happened to you for the past two days?" 

"What do you mean, Natsu?" Spike is confused. 

"Wendy went on her first paying job. I'm surprised that you didn't come to the guildhall the day before." 

"Oh, that. Well, I stood home to catch up on some reading. I've been practicing magic after learning some new spells and fire spells to go along with my arsenal. Trying to hone my magic instead of using lots of it in short bursts."

"Oooh, so that's what happened to you. Now that makes sense," Natsu now understands why Spike was missing. 

"Also, what happened to Lucy? Why was she away for over a day?" Spike asks. 

"Oh, that. You see," Natsu explains how everyone overreacted a bit on allowing Wendy to work at the theatre alone. So, a good portion of their friends decided to check on her progress. Some ended up exhausted or sick upon arrival, and Wendy winded up having a different job at the theatre. 

"Seriously?" Spike is baffled. 

"Yep. So, here we are. Getting ready for the annual Fairy Tail Endurance Race. I have a secret weapon that'll help me win." 

"Same with me, Natsu. I need to hear the rules of the race to formulate my plan." 

"Hey, Spike," Lucy walks up to Spike. "Sorry about leaving you like that. I was worried about Wendy and-" Spike cuts Lucy's speech. 

"No worries. You have a legitimate reason why. I took the time to hone my magic and learn new spells from the books I have from the Magic Library trip. No need to worry. Everything in the apartment is as is, Lucy. In case you were wondering." 

"Thanks, Spike," Lucy bends down to hug Spike. Spike returns the hug. "Not only you've been an awesome friend, but you're also an amazing roommate." 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles. 

"Listen up, everyone!" Master Makarov shouts to grab everyone's attention. They all turn to him. "Time to get moving. The race will start at South Gate Park in one hour. I'll explain the rule furthermore over there." 

"Well, time to go," Said Natsu. 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard walks over to the South Gate Park. Jason from Sorcerer Magazine will be documenting the event. Jason is a young man with blond hair. He wears a pink t-shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes, and black sunglasses; he becomes ecstatic to see Spike the Fairy for the first time. Instead of heading over to last year's champ, Jet, he approaches Spike the Fairy. Jet feels upset that Spike is getting the attention instead of him. 

"This is so cooooool!" Jason is filled with adrenaline and excitement. "This is the first time ever I get to see a real-life dragon! Tell me. What is your name, what magic you use, and how are you planning to win the race!" Lacrima cameras are viewing at Spike. 

"My name is Spike the Fairy. You can call me Fairy Dragon if you wish. I use energy maker magic. As for winning the race, you'll have to find out," Spike said calmly. He waves at the cameras. 

"Cooooooooool! I have a new fan favorite that I want to win for sure!" Jason smiles widely. He takes many photos of Spike. "Will you be interested in a Sorcerer Weekly Magazine interview, Fairy Dragon?" 

"Sure. I don't see why not," Spike replies. 

"Cooooooool! This'll be so awesome!" Jason could see it all as it'll be his latest greatest Sorcerer Weekly Magazine in the history of his lifetime. 

"Hey!" Jet shouts. "What about the Champion?" 

"I'll get to you later," Jason responds. 

Jet growls at Spike for stealing his thunder. Now he wants to smoke Spike in the race. Spike doesn't respond to Jet's reaction in all of this. He's talking to his friends while warming up. Jason sits at his table, getting his mic to announce the big event. 

"Good morning, and welcome to today's highly anticipated event! Fairy Tail's mandatory for all wizards 24-Hour Endurance Road Race has arrived and, we're bringing you every heart-pounded second! I'm everyone's favorite Sorcerer Weekly Reporter, Jason, and I'll be your guide to all today's sweet action! It's filling up fast out here so, you better hurry if you want to witness what should be the coolest race in Fairy Tail history!"

The lacrima cameras are now viewing last year's champ, Jet. Now he's focused as Jason has turned to him. 

"There he is, folks. The reigning and undefeated champion, Lightning Fast Jet! Rumor has it he does this to compensate for being lackluster on quests." 

"Hey!" Jet glares at Jason. 

"Cool it speed demon, it's only a rumor," Said Jason. "Now, let me introduce you to who I want and believe will win this year's Fairy Tail 24-Hour Endurance Road Race. Introducing Spike the Fairy!" Jason loudly announces. 

Spike overhears Jason and waves around to the people that'll be cheering him. 

"HEY!" Jet becomes agitated. 

"What? Can you blame me? We have a dragon in a guild that's participating in this year's highly event! I hope he defeats you," Jason said, hyping the crowd around him. 

"I never lost, and I never will!" 

"Doesn't matter, Jet is still the fan-favorite. Everyone's definitely putting their money on him to win this year," Said Gray shirtless. 

"Hah, I hope they're ready to lose it. This year's champion is going to be Salamander," Natsu proclaims. 

"Big talking morons are sure to end up in a ditch before they get close to the finish line," Said Gajeel. 

"Those morons don't have a secret weapon like I do," Said Natsu, smirking about his secret weapon. 

"Fire breathers blowing smoke. Geez, you're such a child," Gray said. 

"By the time you finish, I'll be taking a nap," Spike said as he smirks. 

"Say what?!" Natsu replies. 

"I'll ice ya before you can finish," Gray responds. 

"Careful Fairy Dragon, you might end up seeing iron," Gajeel chuckles. 

"You can talk a big game, Spike. However, you'll never be a real man!" Elfman said. 

"I'm a dragon. A Fairy Dragon that's capable of doing anything once I put my mind to it," Spike responds. 

"Good on you, Spike," Said Lucy. 

"This should be fun. Just running the race," Wendy said. 

Happy is freaking out. Wendy, Carla, Lucy, and Spike don't know why. Juvia is eyeballing Gray's shirtless body. Cana drinks a barrel full of beer she got from the guildhall. 

"Happy, what's wrong?" Lucy asks. 

"Everyone is on the edge cause Master Makarov has a rule for the loser of the race! Whoever loses the race has to play his punishment game!" Happy freaks out. 

"Say what?!" Lucy shrieks. 

"Last year's game gave me nightmares!" Happy said in tears. 

"Everyone, listen up!" Makarov grabs the mic. "Fairy Tail Wizards know without the proper balance of intelligence and physical endurance are doom to failure. Over the next 24 hours, you'll use those attributes against each other."

"A real man never uses his brain," Elfman states. 

"What?" Spike is confused with Elfman's statement. 

"Yea, physical strength is all that matters in this race like this," Said Gray. 

"The rules are very simple. From the starting line, each of you will make your way to predetermine course ending at Mt.Ivor. On the top, there are white wyvern scales. You are to grab one and bring it back. Once it's across the finish line, you've completed the race and proven yourself a worthy member of Fairy Tail. Never forget, forfeiting is not an option for any of you. Fairy Tail pride themselves on that willingness to go that extra mile. I've decided to place a new restriction in this year's event. After numerous complaints, I've decided that the use of flying magic is now forbidden," Master Makarov declares. 

Happy and Evergreen are unhappy with that decision. Now it's going to be harder for Happy to run on foot. Knowing he's the slowest runner.

"All other forms are still permitted," Makarov said. 

"Guess I won't be drawing any hot air balloons," Reedus said in defeat. He knows he'll probably be the last to arrive at the finish line. 

"The old man is not pulling any punches this year," Said Wakaba. 

"And, whoever is unfortunate enough to come in last, will face the most horrific punishment game I've ever devised," Said Makarov, smirking with the idea of his punishment game. Everyone else is afraid to think of the possibilities Makarov has in store except for Spike. He is confused with Makarov's sadistic schemes. 

"Can't be worse than the piñata he forced Gray to be stuffed in," Said Spike. 

"It's way worse, Spike! It's way worse!" Happy is relives his horrific experience. 

"Is it just me, or does he put on this event for the punishment game?" Macao asks in a rhetorical tone. 

"Last year's was beyond sadistic," Alzack said, remembering what happened to Happy. 

"Quit complaining, you sissies. It's embarrassing. If only one person is punished, don't come in dead last," Said Gajeel. 

"Although what you say is true, your phrasing could use a little work, Gajeel," Erza said. 

"You're making fun of me?" 

"I say if you're competing, do it with all your strength," Erza requips into her sports gear. It happens to be revealing. "This is custom-made equipment. It keeps muscle fatigue in bay, thus increasing my endurance."

"If I didn't know better, I say you're just showing off," Said Gajeel. 

"It's on," Natsu sees Happy. "I'm not holding back this time. Today, you and me are rivals." 

"I won't hold back either, okay!" Happy retorts. "But, this new no flying rule sucks kitty litter," Happy bitterly expresses, having little hope of winning the race. 

"With the opening speech now concluded, it's time for the main event!" Jason shouts. "Let's get all the contestants at the starting line! I'm rooting for you, Fairy Dragon!" 

"Now, I'm ready," Spike said. 

"Watch my start Levy, it's gonna blow your mind," Said Jet confidently. 

"I can't promise anything," Said Levy, looking at Lucy. 

"Oh, c'mon, he wants to show off for you," Lucy responds. 

"I'm not playing hard to get or anything like that. It's next to impossible to watch him when he goes all out," Levy said. 

"Ready! Bang!" Makarov's saying of go. 

Jet uses his high-speed magic as every Fairy Tail Wizard is blown away from his outburst; Jet is in the lead as everyone gets up. 

"Alright! Let's start this off big! High Speed!" Jet continues to run faster. 

"Once again, Jet starts the race with an overwhelming lead!" Jason documents. "So Coooooooool!" 

"See, now you know what I was talking about," Levy said. Now Lucy understands what she meant by being blown. 

Natsu gets up and uses his Fire Dragon Iron Fists as a booster as he runs. Gray couldn't believe that Natsu thought of an ingenious idea. Spike understands what Natsu meant by a secret weapon. However, his is better. 

"Told you I had a secret weapon this year. This is my Fire Dragon Iron Fist Boosters!" 

Everyone starts running except for Levy and Lucy. They realize they are dead last and have to play Makarov's punishment game. They hightailed out of there, hoping to catch up with the rest of them. 

"You better hope I don't catch up to you, cheater!" Elfman angrily yells as he's running. 

Spike runs but uses his fire magic to place a marking on the ground. The others don't bat an eye into what he's doing. Jet is in the lead, Natsu is behind him, most of the Fairy Tail Guild is behind Natsu, Wendy and Carla are behind the guild, Lucy and Levy are catching up, Happy is dead last in the race so far. 

"Jet, the reigning champion, maintains an impressive lead. Natsu isn't far behind him, rocketing in second place with his Fire Dragon Boosters! Spike the Fairy is marking the ground with his Sparkling Green Flares! So cool! I want to know and see more of his magic and his strategy! Spike is in fourth place orchestrating his strategy while the others are competing for third place in a heart-pounding free-for-all! Which one out of the package will claim it! Happy is dead last," Jason reports. "C'mon, Fairy Dragon! You can win this!" 

Jason is in the guildhall with Makarov and Mirajane. Jason is watching the race through a lacrima globe while the cameras are recording the event. 

Wendy and Carla caught up with Spike during the race. They notice Spike leaving sparkle green markings on the ground. 

"Hey, Spike. What are you doing?" Wendy asks, eager to know why Spike is marking the ground as he runs. 

"You'll see. You all will see," Spike smirks. 

"Okay then, good luck," Wendy said. 

"Wendy, Spike is the enemy of this race. It's everyone person and creature for themselves," Carla informs. 

"Speaking of enemy," Spike smirks. "Surprise," Spike teleports Wendy and Carla further back of the race. Spike continues to run as Wendy and Carla are next to Happy in the race. 

"HEY! NOT COOL!" Carla shouts a little in anger. 

"Carla!" Happy becomes ecstatic to see his beloved. "So glad you waited for your cat." 

Carla runs as fast as she could, hoping to stay away from Happy. Wendy catches up as she's a little upset at Spike for pulling that stunt. But, impressed as well. 

"Wendy may kill me or get back at me for doing that later in this race." Spike thought to himself. 

"Cooooooool! Ladies and Gentlemen, I have witnessed Spike teleporting people with his fire breath. That is a cool magic spell he has in his arsenal!" Jason gasps. He now knows what Spike is thinking. "Of course! Spike is planning to use that tactic to make sure others are behind him! That's how he'll dethrone Jet! So coooooool!" 

"Well, I'll give credit when credit is due. Fairy Dragon is thinking strategically as he runs. While everyone else is running using their strengths, Spike is using both to his advantage." 

"Not only that, Master Makarov, I see that Spike is pacing himself," Mirajane said. 

"What?!" Makarov and Jason said in unison. They look at the camera feeds to see Spike pacing himself as he runs. He sits in fourth place but doesn't look tired. 

"Finally! Someone is taking my advice!" Master Makarov becomes pleased with Spike's efforts. 

"Well, he's been quite the student you have about teaching him to increase his size," Mirajane smiles. Jason becomes excited. 

"He can increase his size?! That's so cooooooool!" 

Meanwhile, all of Fairy Tail has reached the gorge. Jet still takes a commanding lead as Natsu is a few feet behind him. Reedus decides to draw. He draws a pit and made Droy and Warren fall into one. 

"Hah! This'll be easier than I thought. I'll draw more to lure them in and win!" 

"Out of my way!" Gajeel punches Reedus as he falls into a pit trap. He couldn't help but laugh. "Not every day you see Humpy Dumpy see his fall." 

Gray decides to create an ice rink on the gorge, causing lots of his guildmates to slide and stumble. Nab and Vijeeter fall as well. 

"Sorry, every man for himself," Gray slides on his ice rink. 

"Better hope I don't catch up on you, Gray!" Nab Lasaro swears. 

"Eyes in front, ice boy!" Elfman claws on the ice and kicks Gray back. Gray is knocked out from the kick as Juvia slides on the ice. 

Spike slides and continues to use his sparkle green flames to mark on the ground. His fire melts the ice making its mark. Wendy and Carla catch up and slides on the ice. Happy is trailing as he slides on the ice. They pass about twenty other members of Fairy Tail. 

"I need a drink," Cana said as she's running next to Wakaba. 

"That's the last thing you need right now," Wakaba said. 

"Funny, coming from the guy who can't put down his pipe," Cana said, making Wakaba sound like a hypocrite. 

"I'm not mocking your habits. I just don't think getting drunk is the answer here." 

"It's not about getting drunk, it's about easing my stress." 

"Hah! You guys are out of shape!" Macao runs in front of the two. "If you two worked out instead of smoking and drinking, you might have had a chance."

"Shut up!" Wakaba and Cana said. 

Spike catches up with Evergreen, Bisca, and Max. Evergreen steps on a rock which activates an enchantment.

"What the heck is this?" Bisca irately asks. 

"It's Freed's enchantment." 

"Has he booby-trapped the course?" Evergreen asks. 

Freed appears in front of them. "That's correct," Freed smiles in satisfaction. 

"You're not going to leave us here? I know Master said no flying, but this is ridiculous." 

"I don't plan on keeping you trapped for good," Freed replies; he uses his magic to spawn many Fairy Tail workbooks. "You must complete all the workbooks to be set free." 

"Good, you'll have plenty of time to do it, alone," Said Spike. 

"Enlighten me, Spike. How do you plan on escaping and turning the tables?" Freed taunts Spike. 

Spike takes a deep breath and breathes fire in a circular form. He, Evergreen, Bisca, and Max are free from Freed's enchantment. Freed is stunned, he's now surrounded by his rivals. 

"Well, Fairy Dragon. Thanks for the assist. Now, let's teach this bum a lesson he'll never forget," Evergreen said, smirking deviously. 

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I was just joking. Y'all can take a joke, right?" Freed underestimated Spike's potential with his magic capabilities. 

Bisca requips into her Tommy Gun. Max Alors is powering his sand magic. The sounds of a bell ringing can be heard as Spike, Evergreen, Max, and Bisca beat Freed into a pulp for his stunt. After a few moments, while other Fairy Tail Wizards run ahead of them, Spike teleports Freed into his enchantment without his sword. Freed has a black eye, bloodied nose, a mouth filled with sand, and bruises around. 

"Next time, don't set up enchantments that'll backfire you," Spike said. "You might end up messing with the wrong wizard." 

"Aye.., sir..," Freed said. He now has dozens of workbooks to complete since his sword is outside the barrier of his enchantment. 

"Thanks for the save, Spike. Owe you one," Said Bisca. 

"No joke. Thought we were screwed," Max said. 

"It's fine. Now, let's get back into the race." 

Spike, Bisca, Max, and Evergreen go back into the race as Freed watches from his imprisoned enchantment. He grabs a book and begins answering questions. 

"It's an all-out battle within the race. Each Fairy Tail Wizard is pushing each other hard! Spike the Fairy escaped one of Freed's enchantments and put him in one! So cooooool! This Fairy Dragon is full of surprises! I'm still cheering you on, baby!" Jason documents what he sees while hyping the audience around him in the guildhall. Jason gasps. "There's movement on the summit of Mt.Ivor. It's Jet!" 

Jet arrives at Mt.Ivor. He grabs the white wyvern scale. Now, he's on the run again. Jason picks up the action with the rest of Fairy Tail heading into the forest region. 

Lucy is taking a little break after sprinting for too long. Levy is next to her, trying to convince her to keep pushing herself. Spike continues to create markings using his Sparkling Green Flares. After a few moments, Lucy calls forth Virgo to carry her to Mt.Ivor. 

"Phew, I need a drink," Spike said as he's sweating. He sees Juvia getting water by the stream. "Hope the water is clean." Spike gets closer as Juvia gets sucked into the stream. "Juvia!" 

"Ah! What's happening to me?!" Juvia panics. While she was getting water, she felt remorse about abandoning Gray, so she decided to wait until he arrives. 

"Whoa, you're in the water. Can you get out?" Spike asks as he sees Juvia. 

"No, I can't. Can you help me?" 

"Yea, I'm hoping this'll work," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Juvia out of the stream. It works, much to his surprise. 

"Thank you, Spike," Juvia graciously thanks. 

"You're welcome. I'm surprised that actually worked," Spike drinks some water to refresh himself. 

Juvia gets back in the race. She catches up with Gray, Wendy, and Carla. 

"Hey, Juvia. You've seen Spike?" Gray asks. 

"He's over there getting a drink," Juvia points to Spike. 

"Well, glad he's doing okay," Wendy said. 

"I want to claw his eyes out for teleporting us to that Tomcat!" Carla said. 

"Oh, leave him. I bet he was just playing around. Besides, it was only ten feet away," Wendy said. 

"Doesn't matter. I didn't want to be around with that Tomcat." 

Spike is now hydrated. He places another marking on the ground and gets back in the race. It's getting darker as everyone is making their way to Mt.Ivory. Natsu's Fire Dragon Iron Fist Boosters give out as he's all out of magic. 

"Damn, I'm all out. I guess I overdid it," Natsu sighs a little. "Half a day, not bad," Gajeel is incoming. Natsu sees him. "Gajeel?" 

"Out of the way!" Gajeel punches Natsu away from him. "Gotcha," Gajeel takes a white wyvern scale. 

Natsu lands near a campsite; he then takes a nibble of the fire to replenish himself. 

"The twelve-hour mark has come and gone in the cool-night atmosphere has fallen over the track. Many of the runners have already reached the summit and snatching up wyvern scales as fast as they can before heading back," Jason reports. "What happens next is anyone's guess. Wait!" Jason becomes overjoyed. "Spike the Fairy grabs his wyvern scale! Let's see what he does now."

"You know, he's going to run just like everyone else, right?" Mirajane said, spoiling Jason's mood. 

Natsu gives Happy a wyvern scale since he couldn't reach up and grab it and takes a good look at Spike. "Hey! You awake?" Natsu sees a wide smirk on Spike's face. "Spike?" 

"Hey, you okay?" Happy said. 

Spike is standing still as he's concentrating his magic. Natsu and Happy decide to run, not wanting to face the punishment game. 

"Only twelve hours left in this crazy race of endurance! If you're just joining us, you're in on this super cool show! The wizards and their wyvern scales are speeding towards Magnolia's South Gate Park where the crowd is waiting in sweet anticipation. It's so cool I can't take it! Jet still maintaining his lead! Not far behind him is the lovely Erza who's just as calm as the start of the race! And battling for third are Gajeel, Lucy, and Gray. They fight hard for their spot on the track but, can they pull ahead?! The rest of the guild is bringing up the rear in an intense doggie dog showdown that won't let up! Everyone's giving all they can to avoid the horrific punishment that the Master has in store. Don't even think about looking away! In dead last, we have Fairy Dragon, Spike the Fairy. I am worried folks, he has been standing there since collecting his wyvern scale." 

"What is he up to?" Mirajane ponders as the lacrima cameras are on him. 

Spike is taking a deep breath as his body starts glowing Sparkling Green. This entices Jason. 

"Whatever he's planning must be good!" Jason said. 

Spike raises his claw, "Sparkling Markings! Arise!" All the areas that Spike placed his sparkle marking lights up in green flames. The cameras are capturing every marking being light up. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I am so confused and excited for Spike the Fairy! I'm having goosebumps just thinking about what possibilities he may be doing in the next second." 

Spike breathes fire on his claws and creates a fire lasso. He ties it around the wyvern scale around his back for safekeeping. 

"Spike! The suspense is killing me!" Jason shouts at the lacrima globe that's viewing Spike. 

"What the heck?" Jet sees green flare sparks illuminating. He ignores it and keeps running. 

"What is Spike planning?" Erza said. She notices the green flare sparkles as she's running. 

"Fire Glider!" Spike shouts. The sparkling green markings turn into a fire trail railing. Spike runs and glides on the fire trail. He extends his arms backward and shoots fire from his claws, creating a booster of his own. 

"COOOOOOOOOOOL!" Jason shouts in excitement. Mirajane and Makarov's jaws drop when they see Spike's plan in fruition. 

"That boy is clever. I outlawed flying but, he used his witts to create a trail to glide his way back to Magnolia. Those marks he left behind are the connections to create the bridges of his trail. Pure genius." 

"He's a prime example of using both intelligence and physical strength, Master," Mirajane said. 

"The others should learn how to combine the two and not rely on one aspect. They can learn a thing or two from Fairy Dragon," Makarov is proud of Spike. 

"Hey!" Natsu notices a green flare trail on the side of the race. "What's this for?" Spike passes Natsu on the fire trail. "No way! This is what Spike was planning all along?!" Natsu sees Spike gliding on the fire trail. "He took my booster idea!" Natsu runs faster to catch up with Spike. 

Spike glides faster passing a good portion of Fairy Tail Wizards. They are astonished to see Spike gliding faster than they can run. 

"Whoa! That was Spike!" Wendy said. 

"So that's why he planted so many markings. It was to create a trail to glide on. Very impressive," Carla said as she runs with Wendy. 

"Damn you, Spike, for using your head!" Elfman said. He's mad that Spike was able to one-off him from his earlier statement about a man not needing to use his head. 

"Eat my dust, dust eaters!" Spike gets cocky a bit. He shakes his head. "I can't be overconfident. I have to focus."

"This is unbelievable, ladies and gentlemen! Spike is catching up to Gajeel, Lucy, and Gray. At this rate, he'll surpass them and catch up to Erza. This is soooo cooooooool! I could have a heart attack if Spike catches up to Jet and take the lead!" Jason's heart is pounding. 

Gajeel sniffs. "Fairy Dragon? How?" Gajeel notices the green flare trail next to the race track. "Where did that got there?" 

"What got there?" Gray asks. He sees the green flare trail Gajeel is seeing. "What is that?" 

"I don't know," Lucy said. She's perplexed by it. 

"Third place!" Spike shouts as he glides past the trio as they continue to run. 

"No way!" Gajeel, Gray, and Lucy say in unison. They are in shock. 

"Did Spike just used that as a rail?" Gray asks. 

"Yea. When and how did that happen?" Lucy asks. 

Erza continues her run and notices a green flare trail on her right. She knows it's Spike's magic. "What are you planning, Spike?" 

"Second place!" Spike shouts, gliding ahead of Erza as she runs. 

Erza blinks twice as her jaw drops. "Well played, Spike. Well played," Erza continues to run faster. 

"There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Spike now has a commanding lead in second place. He passed every single Fairy Tail member competing except for Jet! This is coooooool!" 

Jet is in the forest region near the gorge after taking a commanding lead. He grabs a pear from a tree and eats it. 

"Looks like another clean victory. However, those green flames are peculiar. Ah, nothing to worry about," Jet lays back and relaxes a little. 

"First place!" Spike shouts. He sees Jet sitting by a tree having a little snack. Jet spits his pear out. He didn't think anyone would catch up to him so quickly. 

"And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Spike takes the lead! Spike takes the lead!" Jason jumps around in excitement. "The race is on its final stage as Spike takes the lead! We could have a new champion! Here comes Jet! He's looks super pissed as he's hightailing it." 

"You cheater! Run, don't glide!" Jet yells at Spike as Spike is several feet ahead of him. 

Spike starts slowing down. Jason sees this and becomes worried that Spike may not win the race. Erza and Natsu are catching up to Jet. Jet is nearing closer to Spike. 

"Gotcha," Spike smirks. 

"Wait!" Jet realizes what Spike is about to do. 

"See you next fall!" Spike breathes his fire at Jet, teleporting Jet as he ends up colliding into Erza and Natsu. 

"Oooooooh! You saw that, people! Spike used his fire breath to teleport Jet. Causing him to crash into Erza and Natsu! So cool and smart for taking out his competition!" Jason reports. 

"I give Spike credit. He's playing chess while the rest are playing checkers," Makarov said. "Come on, let's go meet up with him at the South Gate Park." 

"Coming Master," Mirajane said. 

"Right behind you! I have to see Spike come in as our new champion!" Jason hightails out of the guildhall and makes his way to the South Gate Park. 

As they head over to the South Gate Park, Spike is gliding faster than before. He steadies his breathing as he feels his magic is depleting. Jet gets back on his feet and uses his remaining high-speed magic to run faster. He won't let Spike win the race no matter the cost. Natsu and Erza pick up the pace, pushing themselves more to try and win the race. 

"I see Magnolia," Spike said as he glides. He starts going slower. "Okay, I still need to work on honing my magic for longer periods of time," Spike looks back to see Jet, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Gajeel a mile away. "Gotta keep going. Stop looking back," Spike continues to glide as he enters Magnolia first. He's a few blocks away from the South Gate Park. 

"Oh my goodness! Spike is here! Spike is here!" Jason announces as the crowd goes wild. Jason jumps around in pure excitement and joy. 

Spike stops gliding as he's depleted of magic energy and runs into the finish line with his wyvern scale. The crowd cheers loudly as confetti explodes. Spike falls to his knees breathing heavily. 

"I.., I could use a nap about now," Spike is tired. After a long day of running, pacing himself, helping some of his guildmates while sabotaging them a little, using more of his magic, Spike falls asleep on the ground. 

"We have a new champion! We have a new champion!" Jason cheers loudly. "For second place, it's neck and neck with Jet, Gajeel, Erza, Gray, and Natsu!" 

Natsu trips on the street, causing him to crash into Jet, Gajeel, Erza, and Gray. This allowed Happy to run into second place. 

"Happy takes second place in this race! What are the odds of that outcome! So cool!" Jason is overjoyed with this revelation.

"I did it! I didn't come in last!" Happy cheers. 

"Second place, little buddy," Jason said. "Congrats on beating the odds. I told you all that this'll be a historical event! Not only a dragon came in first, but we also have a cat coming in second! What are the odds of that? Don't forget that Sorcerer Weekly was here bringing you all this super cool action!" 

Jet, Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, and Erza are stunned and dumbfounded. They lost to a dragon and a cat. 

"I don't think I ever felt so alive!" Happy claims cheerfully. "Hey, where's Spike?" 

"Over there!" Jason points to Spike sleeping under a tree. 

"Poor guy, he must have used a lot of magic energy to tuckered himself," Said Happy. 

"No way! What Spike said actually came true?!" Natsu is in disbelief. He remembered what Spike said yesterday. "By the time you finish, I'll be taking a nap."

"Wow, what are the odds?" Gray asks. 

"I'm surprised you're not taking this hard, Jet," Said Erza. 

"I shouldn't have stopped when I did. I should have known that Spike was up to something when I saw some weird markings on my way back. He's clever and shrewd," Said Jet admittingly. 

Wendy and Carla run past them. Wendy claims third place, and Carla claims fourth place.

"What are we doing?! The race is still on!" Erza shouts. 

"Newcomers Wendy and Carla come in third and fourth! So cool!" Jason announces. "I would take a picture of you four but, that'll be for later," Jason points to Spike sleeping under a tree. 

"I can wait till later today," Wendy said. 

"Same with me. I need a break," Happy concurs. 

"Well, I'll admit. Spike outplayed us all in this race," Said Carla. 

Then, all of a sudden, the rest of Fairy Tail caught up and tramples Gajeel, Gray, Jet, and Natsu as they finish the race. Erza crosses the finish line sighing in relief. She turns, looking for Spike. 

"Where is Spike?" 

"Over here, Erza," Mirajane picks up Spike from the ground. "He's tuckered out from using a lot of magic getting here." 

"I see," Erza looks at Spike as he's sleeping. "Well done, Spike. You claimed victory today." 

"Hurry, my love, get up!" Juvia shouts for Gray to cross the finish line. 

"C'mon Natsu," Happy shouts. 

Jet hightails to the finish line. However, Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray grab hold of Jet. Finishing the race in the first-ever tie for last place. 

"We have a shocking conclusion. We have a first-ever four-way tie for last place!" Jason announces. 

"Say what?!" Jet, Natsu, Gajeel, and Gray say in unison. 

"No one in a million years would have ever predicted such a dramatic outcome like the one we hear today. Tied in last place are Natsu, Gajeel, Gray, and the previous champion, Jet! But, it's not over for them. Now it's time for the punishment game!" 

Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Jet freak out. They turn to Makarov as he smiles happily and sinisterly. 

"This turned out better than I hoped," Makarov delightfully chuckles, which send shivers down in Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Jet's spines. 

"We all get punished?" Natsu asks. 

"Oh, c'mon! Why can't we run another race to break the tiebreaker!" Gray argues. 

"Quit complaining!" Master Makarovs becomes a little agitated with their complaints. "I expected better from you. Just like real work, wizards don't get any do-overs when they muck up. You gotta deal with the consequences. Painful consequences for you and fun for me. Yea, four times the fun." 

Everyone is worried to hear Master Makarov's punishment game. They can only imagine the embarrassment of their lifetime. 

"Fine! Bring it on! I'm not afraid of your punishment game! I can take whatever you dish out!" Natsu confidently expresses. 

"That's it! Keep that resolve, lad! Believe me when I say you'll need it for what I have in store. Behold, your punishment," Master Makarov holds a magazine of Sorcerer Weekly. Gray, Natsu, Gajeel, and Jet are baffled by this punishment.

"I can't be the only one who's confused right now," Said Gray. 

"Are we supposed to read the thing?" Gajeel asks. 

"No, it's something much worse. Sorcerer Weekly will print an issue of nothing but glamor shots, and the models of these pinups will be you, boneheads, a deluxe twenty-page spread complete with up close and personal interviews." 

"Whaaaaaaaaat?!" Natsu, Gajeel, Gray, and Jet horribly responds in shock and horror. 

"If I came in last, I would be on Sorcerer Weekly?" Lucy is stunned. It could have been her in the magazine. 

"Oh, my darling. I can't wait to read your interviews and hang your pinups over my bed," Juvia blushes a bit, imagining the pinups of Gray. 

"I'll destroy every copy!" Gray retorts. 

"Oh, this is the coolest outcome ever! First, my fan favorite wins this year's Fairy Tail Endurance Race and now getting ready to interview the losers with glamorous shoots and pinups. Now, if you gentlemen will follow me, we'll get your outfits picked out!" Jet, Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray hightail out of here, not wanting to go through the punishment game. "Wait! I still need to measure you!" Jason chases after them. 

"Not happening!" Natsu responds. 

"You're gonna look so cool!" Jason shouts as he continues to chases after them. 

"I'm surprised they can still run after the race," Lucy said. 

"It appears they weren't giving their all either. Calling me impressed," Said Erza. 

"Wait, what do you mean either?" Lucy is confused with Erza's statement. 

"Does this mean no Gray centerfold?"

"Hey, Lucy," Mirajane walks up to Lucy. 

"Yes, Mirajane?" Lucy looks at Spike and knows what to do next. She grabs Spike from Mirajane's arms. "I'll take him home now. I can use a nap myself." 

Lucy walks back to the apartment while carrying Spike in her arms. Master Makarov walks up to his children (Fairy Tail Wizards). 

"Listen up. There is something you all should know." 

"What is it, Master?" Erza turns to Makarov standing by. 

"Do you know how Spike won the race?" 

"He used his magic. He glides his way back to Magnolia," Erza answers. 

"Ah, do you know how?" 

"I know, Master," Elfman said, walking up to the Master. "He used his head and planned ahead of time."  

"Correct. Spike is the prime candidate of how to execute intellect with physical strength. While all of you were pushing yourselves and battling with each other, Spike was devising a plan while using the info given to him from the beginning. I outlawed flying but not gliding. That's how you win. If you go charging in without thought, you fall. You collapse, and things backfire on you. I'm sure Spike had moments of overconfidence. However, he made up for it by concentrating on the task at hand. Jet was overconfident and reckless. He didn't plan things through and wind up losing the race. Today's lesson is to have balance physically and mentally when facing any challenges. No matter how big or small things be. Never out rule a one-sided technicality. It'll be costly if you do." 

"Thank you for your teachings, Master. We as Fairy Tail Wizards won't forget this life lesson," Erza speaks for everyone. They nod in agreement. 

"Good, time go home," Master Makarov leaves the South Gate Park and heads back to the guildhall. 

Lucy arrives at the apartment with Spike in her arms. She smiles at Spike as Spike is dreaming. Lucy tucks Spike in his bed. 

"Wow, I can't believe he won the race. I thought Jet would win for sure. He had a plan to win. He planned out any possibilities that got in his way. He's getting better, stronger, I may add. Have a good sleep, Spike. I'll see you when you wake up," Lucy takes off her clothes and puts on her pajamas. She gets in bed and falls asleep.
> Meeting Gildarts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up in the middle of the night. He sees Lucy sleeping on the floor. 

"Lucy?" 

Lucy slowly wakes up after hearing Spike call her name. She looks around to see that she's on the floor. 

"Huh? How did I end up here?" Lucy turns to see a sleeping Natsu and Happy on her bed. "Why you," Lucy slaps the two on their faces, waking them up in the process. 

"I'm up, Erza! I'm up!" Natsu instinctively said. 

"Happy is up!" Happy said. 

Natsu and Happy see Lucy upset. "What are you two doing in my bed?!" 

"Sorry, Lucy. Your bed is so comfortable," Natsu nervously chuckles. 

"Aye," Happy nervously concurs. 

"Get out!" Lucy points to the front door. "It's 2:43 in the morning. I need my sleep! I don't have the energy to deal with you two right now." 

"Sorry, Lucy," Natsu leaves the apartment with Happy. "Can we at least sleep on the couch?" 

Lucy slams the door. She's too cranky to deal with their nonsense at the moment. She sighs and turns to Spike. 

"You okay?" Spike asks. 

"I'm fine. Just need a little more rest," Lucy gets back in her bed and falls asleep. 

It is now 8:30 in the morning. Lucy wakes up after smelling the aroma of pancakes. She sees Spike making breakfast. Spike is feeling better after the 24-Hour Endurance Road Race. He decided to make breakfast since it was Lucy that carried him home yesterday. 

"Morning, Spike," Lucy smiles. 

"Morning, Lucy. Feeling better?" 

"Yes, and rejuvenated," Lucy gets up and stretches. 

"I'm making pancakes. I already finished making sausages. It's on the table," Spike points to the table. 

"Sounds good, Spike. Thank you," Lucy graciously said. 

"You're welcome. I wonder what we're doing today." 

"We will find out sooner than later, Spike."

Spike finishes making pancakes. He places them all on a big plate. Lucy is getting dressed after freshening up for the day. She smiles as Spike starts serving her two slices of pancakes and three sausages. Spike adds the same amount to his plate. By the window of Lucy's bed, Happy and Natsu are drooling. 

"Uh, Lucy," Spike said after noticing the two. 

"Yea?" Lucy is about to sit at the table. 

"Look," Spike points to Happy and Natsu that are outside the window. 

"Hey, can we come in?" Natsu pleads. 

"We're hungry," Happy said, drooling a little. 

"Up to you, Lucy," Spike said. 

Lucy sighs and nods her head. Happy and Natsu come through the window and sit by the table. Spike made double portions, in case he or Lucy wanted more. Now it goes to Natsu and Happy. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Natsu grabs his plate of food. 

"We're sorry about last night," Happy said. 

Lucy sighs. "Please, just ask if you want to sleep over, okay?"

"Okay!" Natsu and Happy say in unison as they start gorging on Spike's cooking. It is the first time they ever tasted his cooking and fall in love with it. 

"Spike! This is delicious!" Happy said as he continues to eat. 

"Who taught you how to cook like this?" Natsu asks. He continues to eat joyfully. 

"I had to teach myself. Then I would cook for the others before coming here."

"Oh," Natsu, Happy, and Lucy said. They know Spike meant by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. 

"Look," Spike looks at each of his friends seriously. "It's okay. I'm okay. I don't mind answering questions about my life in Equestria as there are some good." 

"It's not that, buddy. It's just," Natsu sighs. "You are an awesome friend. You're quite amazing, I should say. You're helpful, fun, powerful in your own right, smart, and caring about others."

"Yea," Happy nods. "We still don't understand how those ponies that claimed to be your friend treat you below them when they are these Elements of Harmony you spoke about." 

"Also, this Friendship of Magic thing of theirs is flawed due to how they treated your species. If you were to ask us, our guild is the embodiment of what Friendship suppose to be." 

"Another thing, we're family. Family sticks together," Natsu puts an arm on Lucy and Happy to show what family is. 

"Thanks for reminding me, guys. It puts a smile on my face," Spike smiles. 

"You're family, Spike. We care about you. Now, let's eat and go on a job together!" Natsu happily said. 

"Yea!" Spike, Happy, and Lucy cheers. 

Natsu, Spike, Happy, and Lucy eat more of their breakfast and enjoy each other's company. Natsu and Happy were telling some stories of their previous adventures before meeting Spike two days later. All the jobs they went through and how they grew up in the Fairy Tail Guild. Spike had good laughs as Lucy smiles. She laughs and cries a little when the stories reminded her of her embarrassing moments. After breakfast, Natsu and Happy decide to clean the dishes. Lucy was caught off guard when they volunteered to do it. After a few minutes, the gang leaves the apartment and walks to the guildhall. 

After they arrive, they see Wendy and Carla sitting by a table. Gray is shirtless while looking at the job board. Erza is talking to Master Makarov. Things in the guildhall are busy. 

"C'mon, Happy, let's find a good job for Lucy, Spike, and us to go on!" Natsu said. 

"Aye, sir!" Happy flies next to Natsu as they observe the job board. 

Spike walks up to Wendy and Carla. "Hey, you two. How are you doing?"

"Doing well, Spike. Thanks for asking," Carla said as she drinks her cup of tea. 

"I'm good, Spike. How are you feeling?" Wendy asks. 

"Pretty good for the most part," Spike smiles. He decides to sit next to Wendy. "What book are you reading?" 

"Just some book of spells that could be useful with my Sky Magic." 

"Interesting. Perhaps you and I can train together. Blend our magics into a unison raid." 

"Sounds like fun. One of these days, we should try it." Wendy loves the idea of working with Spike. Training, of course. But being around him is sweet.

Warren and Max slams the door of the guildhall open with important news. Then all of a sudden, warning bells and alarms sound off. The people of Magnolia recognize the alarms and scatter. 

"What is that?" Lucy asks. 

"Sound like bells," Carla, Wendy, and Spike said in unison. 

Natsu and Happy are delighted to hear the bells ringing. Most of Fairy Tail becomes excited except for Cana. They all cheered and chanted Gildarts is coming home! 

"Gildarts? Who's that? Are they in the guild?" Lucy asks in curiosity. 

"He's the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail," Mirajane answers Lucy's question. 

"Strongest, huh? I have to meet him," Spike said; he's eager to know how powerful Gildarts is. 

"Are you serious? I thought Erza was top-dog around here," Lucy freaks a little. 

"All modesty aside, I don't even hold a candle to him," Said Erza. 

"I bet he's the King of Breaking Stuff around here," Lucy said, thinking about how crazy this Gildarts fellow is. 

"You think I have a shot against him, Sis?" Spike asks, curious to know where he would stand in a fight. 

"Hmm, that's an interesting thought. What do you think, Mirajane?" 

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen all of your magic capabilities, Spike. I want to say for sure but, I'm not sure. Too soon to think of an answer here." 

"Fair enough," Spike shrugs. 

"Wow, everyone is going nuts," Lucy said as she watches the guild going into a frenzy. 

"Look how happy they all are," Said Wendy. 

"Certainly more out of control than usual," Carla noted. 

"It's only natural that everyone's excited; he's been gone for quite a while. Three years, in fact."

"Wow," Spike and Wendy said on cue. 

"So, what has he been doing?" Lucy asks. 

"Well, we have regular jobs and S-Class Quests. Above those are S-S-Class Quests. And above those are called Decade Quests." 

"What?!" Wendy and Spike are in shock to hear about jobs that are like that. 

"Decade Quests?" Lucy's eyes beam wide open. 

"There jobs that no one has been able to complete in less than ten years. Thus the name Decade Quest. Actually, Gildarts took on a higher-level job than that. A Century Quest," Erza informs. 

"No way," Spike's jaw drops. 

"You've got to be kidding? Who in their right mind would take a job that lasts for a hundred years?" Lucy couldn't believe that Gildarts would go on a job that takes a hundred years. It's unheard of for her. 

"Him," Erza calmly answers. 

Everyone hears the announcement that the citizens need to get to their designated positions for the Magnolia Gildarts Shift. Lucy and Spike ponder what that sequence is all about. Carla says it's ridiculous how Magnolia is treating Gildarts as he's making his way home. Erza suggests that Lucy and Spike step outside to see what the Magnolia Gildarts Shift is. Lucy and Spike take Erza's suggestion to see for themselves. Wendy and Carla follow them. 

"No way!" Spike shouts. 

"Unbelievable, the entire town of Magnolia is elevating," Carla said in shock. 

"The builds and structure are rising and expanding!" Wendy shouts. 

"Look! It's creating a narrow pathway!" Spike points at the arrow stickers on the grounds of the pathway. 

"Wow, Magnolia split in two!" Lucy can't believe what she and her friends witnessed. 

"A precautionary measure for Gildarts Crash Magic," Erza informs the four of his magic expertise. 

"Since he destroys everything he touches, it's much better for everyone if he stays clear of their homes and businesses," Mirajane said, adding onto the info Erza said. 

"Lucy, you called it. The King of Breaking Stuff," Spike chuckles. 

"I was joking around. I didn't think it'll be literal!" Lucy replies. "They modify the town cause he's clumsy!" 

"He sounds amazing!" Wendy said. 

"Amazingly stupid," Carla said. 

Natsu is so excited to see Gildarts for the first time in three years. Everyone else can't wait to see him. They all stand by patiently waiting. Gildarts arrives in front of the guildhall and enters. Gildarts is a tall, muscular man with shoulder-length orange hair and a stubbly beard. He wears a long, black, high-collared, and tattered cloak with shoulder plates; around his waist is a simple belt. Gildarts also wear loose-fitting dark pants, complete with an armored waist-guard bearing plate similar to the ones on his shoulders, tucked inside simple boots. Gildarts looks around and takes a deep breath. 

Natsu greets Gildarts. "C'mon, you old geezer, let's throw down!" 

"Hey, that's no way to treat a man!" Elfman said. He's angry that Natsu only wants to fight Gildarts. 

"Welcome home," Mirajane welcomes Gildarts as he walks up to her. 

"He's the most powerful guy in the guild?" Lucy thought that Gildarts would be more mean-looking. 

"Sorry to bother you miss, but I'm looking for a guild that used to be around these parts called Fairy Tail," Gildarts calmly said. 

"This is it, remember me?" Mirajane looks up at Gildarts. "Mirajane." 

"Mira?" Gildarts doubletake a little and remember Mirajane for who she used to be and see the transition into who she is now. "Wow. You sure have grown up a lot, little girl. Did you change some stuff around the hall too?" Gildarts is now noticing a lot of changes within the guildhall and becomes excited. 

"He didn't notice from outside?" Lucy said. She can't believe that it took this long for Gildarts to notice the changes. 

Gildarts notices Spike standing there and froze. The sound of a dragon's roar echoes in the back of his mind, sending chills down his spine. Gildarts sees Spike's face and imagines the face of the dragon he fought. The terror on that day gets to him mentally. He walks up to Spike. 

"Hey, Gildarts. I'm new to Fairy Tail. I'm Spike the Fairy. You can call me Fairy Dragon if you wish," Spike offers his claw to shake his hand. 

Gildarts has pure vengeance in his eyes as he's ready to take out the dragon he fought that he's imagining. He raises his right hand to attack when he hears Natsu yelling, snapping him from his trance. 

"Gildarts!" Natsu is happy to see Gildarts. 

"Natsu," Gildarts smirks. "Hey pal, there's someone I recognize." 

Natsu chuckles. "Good to see ya!" Natsu springs into action, wanting to fight Gildarts. 

Gildarts uses his right hand to catch Natsu, spin him around, and let go, causing Natsu to crash into the ceiling with force. "Not now, kid," Gildarts said. 

Lucy's jaw drops, seeing how easy Gildarts defeated Natsu with one hand while standing still. Spike is in awe after seeing that. Wendy and Carla remain quiet after seeing that happen to Natsu, silently agreeing that Gildarts is indeed powerful. 

"Thank you for snapping me back into reality, Natsu. I nearly ended this dragon's life." Gildarts sighs quietly. He knows that this isn't the dragon that attacked him but, for whatever reason, seeing Spike causes those flashbacks. 

Natsu snaps out of his daze from Gildarts' counterattack. "Oh yeah, he's still so awesome." 

"Same old tough guy we've always known," Gray states. 

"Genuinely old fashion man's man," Elfman said, pleased to see Natsu getting his just desserts. 

"I see a couple of new faces here, too," Gildarts smiles. He turns back to Spike. "What's your name again? Sorry, I was a bit distracted when you introduced yourself to me." 

"Spike the Fairy. You can also call me Fairy Dragon if you wish," Spike smiles. 

Gildarts gently pats Spike's head so incredibly slow. He's still on the edge due to the flashbacks. 

"Gildarts," Master Makarov calls his name. 

Gildarts walks up to Master Makarov. "Oh, Master, you're looking well." 

"How the job go?" Makarov asks, hoping that Gildarts completed the task at a record-breaking case. 

Gildarts thinks it over and laughs a little. "No good. Way too much for me," Gildarts admittingly addresses. 

Everyone is stunned to hear that Gildarts quit on the job. One of Fairy Tail's strongest wizards admits that the quest is tougher than it sounds. Lucy wonders what it'll take to go on a Century Quest. Erza knows what Lucy is thinking but, Lucy says that she wasn't thinking. Gildarts mentions that he has a gift for Natsu and something for Fairy Dragon. Instead of leaving the guildhall through the door, Gildarts walk through the wall. His magic shatters the wall creating a hole. Everyone is amazed to see it happen.

"I wonder what he has for me?" Spike wonders. He just met the guy today, and he has something for him already. 

"Not sure but, let's wait a while before visiting him, Spike," Natsu put his hand on Spike's shoulders. Natsu then punches the wall, creating a way out just like Gildarts. "Let's go, Happy and Spike." 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies out the wall. 

Spike follows through the wall. The trio walks together as Magnolia resets itself in formation. Natsu starts remembering the old days of growing up with Gildarts being more involved in his life. Spike wonders what Gildarts have for him. It's all he could think of as he's following Natsu and Happy.

Two hours later. 

"I bet he bought me some kind of rare fire from another kingdom or something," Natsu said. 

"Yea, I wonder what it is," Said Happy. 

"I wonder what Gildarts have for me. I just met the guy a while ago. What could he have possibly for me?" Spike said, confused as to what Gildarts will be giving him. 

"Must be cool if he chose you, Spike." Natsu, Happy, and Spike arrive at Gildarts' house and opens the door. "Hey, Gildarts."

"What's up, man?" Happy said. 

"Uh, hey, Gildarts," Spike said nervously. 

"Hey, good to see you," Gildarts is sitting on his chair while making tea. "Glad you can make it, young dragon." 

"Man, it's been a long time since we've been here, huh, Happy?" Natsu said. 

"Aye. It's been forever," Happy replies happily. 

"So, what you got for me, pops?" Natsu asks. 

"Never mind that. How have you and little Lisanna been getting along since I've been gone? Huh?" Gildarts smirks a bit. 

"What?" Natsu's demeanor changes after hearing Lisanna's name. 

"You don't have to play coy," Gildarts laughs, thinking that Natsu is in denial. 

"Lisanna died. Two years ago," Natsu seriously replies. Sounding upset. 

"Who's Lisanna?" Spike thought to himself. He never heard of a Fairy Tail Wizard named Lisanna. 

Gildarts gasps. "You serious?" Gildarts takes it all in and now knows how Mirajane changed her personality. He mourns a little. "I see. That explains why Mira.., my condolences." 

"If that's all you want to talk about, I'm out," Natsu turns to exit his home until Gildarts stopped him. 

"Listen, while I was gone, I met a dragon." 

Natsu turns to face Gildarts. He's silent from hearing that. 

"You didn't get the info from some bozo named Daphne, right?" Spike asks. 

Gildarts shakes his head, confirming what he saw was a real dragon. Natsu, Spike, and Happy remain quiet so Gildarts can finish his explanation. 

"It's not the one you're looking for, though. It was black as a moonless night."

"Where was it?" Natsu is now eager to meet the dragon Gildarts met. 

"Sacred Mount Zonia. He's the real reason why I failed on my quest." 

Spike and Happy's jaws drop. Natsu is daze with the information. Natsu clears his conscience and decides to search for the black dragon. Spike and Happy turn to Natsu. 

"So, what are you going to do?" Gildarts asks. 

"Well, obviously, I'll ask him if he knows where Igneel is." 

"Think again, kid. That black one is long gone by now. He's out flying out in the wild blue yonder." 

"I don't care. I can track him down when I put my mind to it," Natsu retorts. 

Gildarts sighs and stands up. "Natsu, look at me," Gildarts zippers his cloak to reveal his injuries. Spike and Happy gasp in horror while Natsu starts trembling. "It was over before I knew what hit me," Gildarts reveals his injuries. His left arm is missing, his left leg is wooden, and bandages on his left side of the body. "It ripped off my arm, my leg, and it gutted me," Gildarts puts the cloak back on, covering his injuries. "Igneel may be a different kind creature, but I'm telling you this black one is no friend to anyone. There's not a man that can beat him." 

"Look! We Dragon Slayers aren't just called that for nothing, you know! This guy doesn't stand a chance against what I'm capable of," Natsu fires back on Gildarts' statement about defeating the black dragon. 

"If that's what you believe, I'm not going to try and stand in your way," Gildarts calmly said. 

"Good!" Natsu angrily expresses and leaves Gildarts's home. He is running to Scared Mount Zonia to begin his search on the black dragon. Happy follows him. 

Spike remains silent as he heard everything Gildarts had to say to Natsu. Now, he wonders what Gildarts has for him. 

"You're Spike, right?" Gildarts turns to Spike. 

"Yes. What do you have for me?" Spike nervously asks. 

Gildarts sighs and sits on his chair. "I want to apologize to you, actually." 

"For what?" Spike is confused. 

"Before Natsu came to attack me, seeing you for the first time gave me flashbacks when the black dragon attacked me. I was close to ending your life without thought." 

"Oh," Spike looks down. 

"However, there is something else you need to hear." 

"What is it?" 

"In two weeks, I want you to spar with me."

"What?" Spike is perplexed. 

"The reason why is because I believe when you're older, you may have a better shot of taking down the black dragon."

"I.., I'm not sure..," Spike doubts himself. "A while ago, this person named Daphne created an artificial dragon, and I had my ass handed over badly. I can't even fly, so I'm not sure if I can defeat this black dragon." 

"I say you can because you still have a lot of growing to do. I want to test your power to see if I can pinpoint how close or far you are from the black dragon's power."

Spike takes a deep breath. "Why in two weeks?" 

"I have to make an appointment to get an artificial arm and leg. Then, I have to get used to my body once the operation is a success. To break it down, I need a strong opponent. As you saw, Natsu is not a match. You," Gildarts take a deep breath. "You are a dragon, and dragons' magic is different than man's magic. I heard some stories Makarov told me when he came by to visit an hour ago. I was astounded when Makarov talked about your capabilities. I have to see for myself." 

"Okay. Should I tell anyone about this?" Spike asks. 

"It's up to you. I think the guild will explode to see the two of us spar with each other. As for your wings, I think yours will come when the time is right or during a growth spurt."

"Okay, then. Need anything before I go?" 

"For now, I'm good. See you in a while, Fairy Dragon." 

"Later," Spike leaves Gildarts' home and goes back to the guildhall.
> Progress in Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been two weeks since Twilight Sparkle has received her punishment from Princess Celestia. Her title as a Princess is suspended for six months, banned from entering Canterlot, and forbidden from seeing Spike for the rest of his days. Her friends are in the loop as well. Twilight Sparkle thought hard about her actions and behavior towards Spike.

"I can't believe I was blind to Spike's suffering for years. What kind of friend am I?" Twilight starts questioning herself as a friend. She's a great friend with pony kind. However, she's an enemy for several creatures throughout the land. 

Twilight is outside with a construction crew building the School of Friendship. She hopes that the school will bring closure to her and perhaps an opportunity to see Spike one more time. To apologize to him for all the wrong and set things right. No one can hate forever, she thought to herself. 

Throughout the weeks, Starlight Glimmer has been visiting other nations and kingdoms, talking about the connections of Equestria through peace and friendship. Princess Celestia has informed Starlight Glimmer that she will have a briefing with Chancellor Neighsay later today. 

Starlight Glimmer is with Discord (clone) meeting with Princess Celestia in Canterlot. The two have grown together since Pharynx's birthday party at the Changeling Hive as friends. 

"Greetings, Starlight Glimmer. Hello, Discord," Princess Celestia smiles as she greets her friends. 

"Hey, Celestia," Discord (clone) said. 

"Hello, Princess," Starlight said. 

"You'll be having a conference with Chancellor Neighsay in the EEA Court. I'm guessing Discord will be a representative as a teacher of the School of Friendship within the conference?" 

"Yes, Celestia. Also, to understand the guidelines of their protocols," Starlight answers Celestia's question. 

"You know. I always wondered what EEA stands for? Eat Everyone Alive? Evilest Evil Association? Envy Ever After?" 

"Discord," Starlight chuckles a little. "That's not appropriate." 

"Sorry, I never heard of them. EEA sounds sadistic for some reason," Discord (clone) shrugs a little. 

"EEA stands for Equestria Education Association. For the school to be sustainable in Equestria, the EEA needs to approve it," Celestia explains. Then, she chuckles. "Eat Everyone Alive, that's a new one, Discord." 

"Alright, anything we should know before we see this Chancellor Neighsay?" Discord (clone) asks. He spawns a notepad and a pencil to jot what Celestia has to say. 

"The EEA ensures educations for all ponies in Equestria, whether it's unicorns studying magic, pegasi learning weather, and earth ponies researching agriculture. All schools are held to the same high standard."

"Huh," Discord (clone) jots everything down. "I wonder what the EEA have to say about teaching not just ponies but other creatures in this world about Friendship." 

"We will find out, Discord. You got the copies?" Starlight asks, holding onto the original book of lectures for the School of Friendship.

"Yes indeedy," Discord (clone) pulls his cotton candy cloud as it rained all the copies of the lectures.

"Good. Let's go see the EEA." 

"Hopefully, they'll be cool about it." 

Starlight Glimmer and Discord head into the EEA Court to talk with Chancellor Neighsay. They see ponies sitting in high chairs of the EEA Court. The area is darker than anticipation. The only lights on are small lanterns each member of the EEA has other than the spotlight on Starlight and Discord. 

"What is this? A cult?" Discord (clone) is surprised to see the EEA in a dark area. 

"Very funny, Draqonecuus," Chancellor Neighsay said unamused.

"Our apologies. We didn't expect the EEA to present themselves like this," Starlight said. 

"My name is Chancellor Neighsay. State your case. Why are you two here, Ambassador of Friendship?" 

"The School of Friendship-" Chancellor Neighsay interrupts Starlight's speech. 

"Right, the supposed School of Friendship. However, to speak any further, Princess Twilight Sparkle needs to be present in order to continue." 

"Unfortunately, due to recent events, Twilight Sparkle is suspended as Princess of Equestria. As for the School of Friendship, the new Headmare is Starlight Glimmer," Discord (clone) formally informs. 

"I'm Ambassador of Friendship for a short term. After Twilight's suspension, that's when I'll be the Headmare." 

"Unfortunate indeed," Chancellor Neighsay is calm but in disbelief that Twilight would be foolish in losing her position in her own project already.  "I expected more from the Princess of Friendship lecturing ponies. However, soon to be Headmare Glimmer, I expect you to do things by the book!" Chancellor Neighsay uses his magic to levitate the EEA Guidelines to Starlight Glimmer and Discord. 

Starlight looks at the book; she gives Discord the EEA Guidelines for him to read. Discord skims through and processes the information. 

"We believe you'll find the curriculum to meet all your requirements, Chancellor. Discord, give them the copies." 

Discord (clone) spawns a piper and plays music. The books sliver to each of the EEA members and the Chancellor. The EEA members start reading as Chancellor Neighsay scans through the curriculum. 

"Can we trust you to go through with this plan? You leave the school unattended off in your adventures?" 

"On Twilight's behalf within this statement, her journeys showed her first hoof that the threats out there are greater than we imagined," Starlight said. 

Each of the EEA members discusses among themselves about hearing such a thing. Chancellor Neighsay remains silent. 

"If we're going to keep our land safe and create a better tomorrow, we need to teach the Magic of Friendship far and wide," Starlight said. 

"A school for ponies to learn and protect themselves?" Chancellor Neighsay said. 

"Not just ponies but other creatures such as Yaks, Dragons, Hippogriffs, Changelings, and Griffins." 

Members of the EEA gasps. "The EEA is only affirmative with Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies. Those creatures you presume are not part of our system. Therefore, the EEA denies the School of Friendship," Chancellor Neighsay decrees.

"Do you have something with other creatures, Chancellor?" Discord asks. 

"They are not part of Equestria. Any other creatures outside the borders of Equestria will not be associated with our standards of education. Yaks, Griffins, Dragons, Hippogriffs, Changelings are not residents of Equestria. They are not part of the trinity in our education system."

"You're avoiding the question, Chancellor Jackass," Discord said. Every member of the EEA gasps louder. Chancellor Neighsay glares at Discord. 

"No, I don't have a problem. However, as I said, any creature beyond the limits of Equestria will not be associated with our standards in education. What you're asking of the EEA cannot be helped. I declare that this meeting to be dismissed and have a nice day."

"I'm giving him coal for the next Hearth's Warming day." 

Starlight smiles; she now has an advantage over them. Chancellor Neighsay sees it as well. 

"Why are you smiling, Starlight Glimmer?"

"You've given me all the info I needed to hear. Therefore, my School of Friendship will be successful without the EEA's approval."

"Explain. Elaborate your conclusions." 

"The EEA is solemnly focused on Pony Kind. However, my school is for all species to learn. Therefore, the EEA cannot override a school that's for all creatures. Thank you for your time, Chancellor Neighsay. You too, EEA members." 

Starlight leaves with her curriculums. Discord takes all the copies back. Each member of the EEA is in awe and shock. Knowing they can't overrule the School of Friendship no matter how much they want to. Chancellor Neighsay is impressed and livid at the same time. 

"Wow, you beat me to all sorts of questions I was about to say, Starlight," Discord is impressed. 

"All I had to do is wait and listen. When Celestia mentioned the EEA and how it benefits only pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies, she never mentions any other creatures. I had to be sure if the EEA would include the Yaks, Griffins, Changelings, Dragons, and Hippogriffs. Unfortunately, they do not. Therefore, we can proceed as planned without their approval." 

"Nicely played, Starlight. Well done," Discord applauds. "Have you told Twilight about the..," Discord couldn't finish that sentence. Starlight stops walking and turns to her friend. 

"I don't know when to tell her. She's lost so much. She doesn't even know that we did this."

"You can't hide these things from her forever, ya know." 

Starlight sighs heavily. "I know. Mind being with me when I reveal everything to Twilight?" She nervously asks. 

"Of course. I'm not going to leave a friend hanging. Sorry about the late delay with Pharynx's birthday. Kinda slip our mind after the meeting." 

"Don't worry about it. Princess Celestia needed me to attend a meeting with Queen Novo that day. No worries. I was glad to celebrate his birthday during the night." 

"Good. Still, I needed to be sure," Discord lightly chuckles. 

Starlight sighs deeply. For two weeks, she hasn't spoken a word to Twilight nor her friends. She's aware that Twilight is still in the process of building the School of Friendship. Discord knows that Starlight is stressing out and puts a claw on her back. 

"Look, I know it's going to be challenging confronting Twilight about another change. I'm right beside you, and I will defend you. Wanna take the long way or teleport to her?" 

"Teleport. I want to get this done and over with," Starlight closes her eyes to embrace some wrathful hatred from Twilight Sparkle. 

"As you wish," Discord (clone) teleports Starlight and him to Twilight. Twilight is in the kitchen of her castle, having lunch in solitude. 

Twilight sighs as she eats her salad in solitude. She slowly eats as she's becoming lonely. Her friends are busy with their tight schedules. It also gives her time to reflect on how Spike felt during the years. 

"So, this is what's like to feel all alone, huh?" Her voice echoes in the kitchen and the castle a little. "Only having your thoughts?" Twilight groans loudly. Discord and Starlight Glimmer spawns in front of Twilight, startling her. "Gaah!" 

"Sorry, Twilight," Starlight said. 

"Hello, Twilight." 

"Hey... So.., uh.., what brings you both here on short notice? Normally Starlight would enter the castle on her accord." 

"Twilight, what I'm about to say won't be easy." 

"Let me guess," Twilight throws her hooves up. "You're going to be the next Princess of Friendship? Are my wings going to be removed and given to you? I'm going to embark on a quest to see what Spike endured in his life to understand his pain?"

Starlight shakes her head. She deeply sighs as Twilight understands how serious it's going to be. She stops patronizing Starlight will all sorts of questions. 

"It's about the School of Friendship." 

"What about my school?" Twilight asks with a level of concern. 

"There is much I didn't tell you because I didn't know how to or when. So, allow me to start at the beginning." 

"Why is Discord here?" Twilight eyeballing Discord. 

"For moral support, Twilight. I am friends with Starlight Glimmer after all," Discord (clone) calmly said. 

Twilight groans in her head. Still to this day, she hasn't apologized to Discord for lying on multiple occasions. 

"Two weeks ago, I went to the Bar of Alliance conference, and things went well. Equestria is safe from all future wars with the other kingdoms." 

"Oh, that's good. That's one major problem now avoided," Twilight sighs in relief. 

"However, Equestria is not off the hook as they need to redeem themselves to the Yaks, Griffins, Changelings, and Dragons." 

"Of course, I knew that was coming. That's why I'm building the School of Friendship. To spread friendships far and wide, to create harmony for all species."

"About that," Starlight takes a deep breath, knowing that this info will more likely upset and/or devastate Twilight Sparke even more. 

"What about it?" Twilight asks, anxious to know what Starlight Glimmer has to say about the School of Friendship.

"The Bar of Alliance has approved on sending their chosen delegates to learn at the School of Friendship." 

Twilight leaps for you that she'll be having students coming to her school. All she has to do is get certifications and approvals from the EEA to make it official. 

"However," Starlight looks at Twilight with her demeanor changing from calm to serious. 

"What do you mean, however?" Twilight doesn't understand. Her idea is getting approved, and things seem to be looking brighter for her and her friends to get another opportunity to earn Spike's forgiveness. 

"The Bar of Alliance-" Starlight takes several deep breathes to recompose herself and embrace the reaction Twilight will have in the next moment.

"What about them? Starlight, please, what is it you have to say?" 

"The Bar of Alliance, Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance decree that you, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy will not be teaching." 

"What?!" Twilight angrily shouts. She slams her hooves on the table, shattering it. 

"They decided to decree me as Headmare at the School of Friendship." 

Twilight's jaw drops as she becomes livid. "So that's it?! You're taking my life away from me?! After everything I've done for you, taught you, now you're replacing me?!" 

Starlight steadies her breathing as Twilight is agitated. "No. What I'm doing is fixing the mistakes you and our friends have caused in Spike's life. However, there is something else you should know." 

"Like what? Can't get any worse for me!" Twilight retorts.

"I have made my selections of teachers to replace you and your friends. Spike is one of those teachers." 

Now Twilight is in shock. She didn't foresee that outcome. She looks up at the ceiling like looking up at the heavens. 

"Princess Celestia will uplift the ruling of you and your friends of coming close contact with Spike if you and they become students of the School of Friendship." 

"This is it. Despite what I'm losing, I get to see Spike. This could be the chance to earn his forgiveness after everything I've done to him unintentionally and intentionally. I have to make this opportunity count, no more mistakes and foolish decisions. At last, one of my prayers has been answered, thank you, to whoever answered my prayer."

"Twilight?" Starlight comes closer to her. Twilight pulls her into a hug. 

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Twilight continues to thank Starlight as her anger lifts. 

"So, you will be a student at the School of Friendship?" Starlight asks. 

"Yes," Twilight nods. "Perhaps, this is how I can be reborn as a better friend to all creatures. Who else is going to be a teacher at the School?" 

"Me," Discord (clone) waves. 

"Sunburst, Maud Pie, myself, Spike, and Trixie. Each of us has been working on ideas to help grow the school's curriculum." 

"Okay, Starlight. So, what you need to do next is to inform the EEA and get their approval," Twilight informs. 

"We were there a while ago. For our school to succeed, we won't be needing the EEA's approval," Discord (clone) said. 

"Huh? Why?" Twilight is perplexed. 

"They Eat Everyone Alive-" Starlight hoofs Discord's griffin arm. 

"Discord," Starlight said. 

"Right, right. I can't help myself but change the dullness and seriousness into a lighter tone. The Equestrian Education Association only approves schools that are for the trinity; Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth Ponies. Any creature outside of Equestria's borders is not permitted to receive the affirmative of the EEA. Therefore, they cannot overrule and override a school that is meant for all creatures in attendance. The EEA will have no power to control the School of Friendship." 

"Woooow, you found a loophole," Twilight is impressed with Discord and Starlight for finding it. 

"You may continue with the foundations of the School of Friendship, Twilight but, you and your friends need to decide whether or not to become students of the school." 

"I understand. Thank you for telling me all of this," Twilight turns to Discord. "Discord."

"Yes?" Discord (clone) looks down at Twilight. 

"I want to say sorry for how I treated you, especially banning you from coming to the Friendship Festival. You were right; you're still right. Friendship is not one-sided. I'll be the first to admit that I have treated other creatures differently than ponies. With ponies, I give the benefit of the doubt. For other creatures, I take precautionary actions without giving them a chance. I hope we can be friends once again." 

Discord (clone) did not foresee this outcome from Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps she is changing for the better. The humility and humbleness from her are making her see the bigger picture. Discord (clone) smiles, knowing that Twilight is taking a step forward in the right direction. Perhaps her being a student will renew Twilight after all. He has to hope that Spike (Discord) doesn't blow his cover and make things worse. 

"We can be friends. That apology shows me that you are taking the next step in the right direction."

Twilight smiles. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I'm free right now," Discord (clone) answers. 

"I have no meetings to attend to and no conferences with Princess Celestia. I can hang with you, Twilight." 

"Thank you," Twilight said. "Discord." 

"Yea?" 

"How is Spike doing?" 

"He's happy. He's doing well."

"Does he think about me?" Twilight asks. She knows that Spike doesn't but needs to know. 

"Sometimes," Discord (clone) lies. "He thinks of what you could have been instead of what you were."

"Fair enough."

Twilight decides to be a full-pledged student to renew herself. She promises herself not to take any shortcuts to earn redemption. Discord is planning to make it difficult for Twilight in the school once class is in session. Starlight hopes that Twilight isn't devising a scheme to take the school back or try to make things harder on Spike. 

The rest of the day goes smoothly for Twilight Sparkle. She has newfound confidence in earning redemption. She, Discord, and Starlight played a few board games and ate desserts. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash decide to check on Twilight. They are aware that she'll be lonely due to their busy schedules. 

"Twilight darling, are you here?" Rarity asks. 

On cue, she hears laughter from her, Discord, and Starlight. The girls gallop to the throne room to see Discord, Starlight, and Twilight having fun. 

"Okay, what did we missed out on?" Rainbow Dash asks as she hovers around the Equestrian Map of the throne room. 

"Well-" Twilight explains to everypony of what was happening behind their backs. They couldn't believe that they'll have a chance to see and possibly interact with Spike as a student. Pinkie is delighted to know that her sister will be a teacher. The rest couldn't believe that Trixie of all ponies would be a teacher as well as Discord. 

"So, if we decide not to become students," Rainbow asks. 

"Then forget about seeing Spike. It's the only way Princess Celestia will uplift her ruling," Discord (clone) replies.

"Alright, I'm in," Applejack said. 

"Same with me, I need to learn more about friendship," Rainbow Dash said. She remembers all the pranks and discrimination done to Spike. 

"It'll be cool seeing my sister more often. I'll definitely become a student. It gives me greater joy to spread out and create more birthdays for every creature that comes and goes. Especially with the Yaks," Pinkie said. 

"To make amends and learn not to be forgetful, I'll join," Fluttershy quietly said. 

"I'll be a student as well. I can balance with my work ethics as well as some study to improve on my generosity aspect." 

"Well, this is better than what I hoped. I expected pride to get in the way. Twilight and her friends do seem genuine with their motives. I wonder how Spike is doing in that new world my magic sent him to." 

"Discord," Twilight turns to Discord. "Starlight." 

Both of them turn to Twilight. "Thank you for telling us about the School of Friendship news. Now, we can plan things in advance for how we approach the situation. Also, can either of you let Princess Celestia know what we are doing?" 

"I'll do that, Twilight. I was planning on informing the Princesses what transpired anyways," Discord (clone) said. He opens a door to the ceiling and walks up, entering the throne room of Canterlot. 

Discord informs everything to Princess Celestia and Luna. They are happy to know that the School of Friendship will not be needing the EEA's approval since Starlight has found a loophole. They are hoping that Spike doesn't get traumatized when he sees Twilight and her friends as students. 

"If you two are worried about Spike, I'll address the situation with him now." 

"Thank you, Discord. Things seem to be moving rather quickly than we anticipated," Luna said. 

"If what you say is true, Discord. Then, Twilight could continue to be the Princess of Friendship after all, and if not..,"

"Have Starlight take that role after her time in the School of Friendship," Discord (clone) suggests. 

Princess Celestia and Luna nod with that statement. They've kept a close eye on Starlight and see a better potential in her than Twilight as of late. 

"Let's hope that things go smoothly when the school year begins," Celestia said, hoping that there won't be another disaster in Spike's life. 

"From what I saw today, things will be going smoothly. I'll keep the two of you inform on any changes whatsoever." 

"Thank you, Discord," Princess Celestia smiles. 

"Yes, thank you, Draqonecuus." 

"You're welcome. See you two another day," Discord (clone) leaves the throne room and heads home. He sends a telepathic message to Spike (Discord) about what went down and what to expect next. Spike (Discord) is feeding Flurry Heart in her room as she has woken up to a nightmare.
> Gone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 10:15 in the morning in Magnolia. The weather is supposed to rain later today. Spike and Lucy are in the process of cleaning the apartment together as they are talking. 

"I think today I'll be staying home, Lucy. I want to catch up on some reading with the books from the Magic Library." 

"Are you sure, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"Yes. I want to continue my studies to improve on my magic. Perhaps I can find spells that'll be more useful without draining my magic quicker."

"Okay, Spike," Lucy finishes sweeping the floor. 

"I'll come by to the guildhall later today, like around 3:30 through 5:00," Spike finishes cleaning the bathroom. 

"Sounds good, Spike. I don't think any of us want to work today. Just chill and relax." 

"Also, I have a special treat for you all later. I have to bake it later." 

"Oooh, what you have in mind," Lucy drools a little. 

"My freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies," Spike smiles. He laughs, seeing Lucy's wow face. 

"I think my heart skipped a beat. That sounds so good." 

Spike chuckles. "You'll see how tasty they are later. I promise. Also, I'm aware that today's the day that Wendy's Dragon departed her so, the cookies are to help cheer her up as well." 

"Oooh, I get it," Lucy chuckles. 

Lucy grabs her belongings after putting the broom away as Spike puts the cleaning utensils back in the closet. Spike and Lucy hug each other. Lucy leaves the apartment as Spike grabs a book to start reading. 

"Okay, here's the chapter I left off. Marking Connections," Spike reads thoroughly, marking a fire marking can activate as a beacon. "Yep, though I made several of those to create a trail for me to glide. I wonder if the same concept is usable for teleportation." Spike uses his claw to mimic a gun to shoot a single flame bullet. It leaves a marking on a trashcan. "Okay," Spike goes across the room and has a paper crumbled up. "Time to test this theory," Spike uses his fire breath on the paper ball. The paper ball teleports from his claw into the trashcan. "Success!" 

Spike spends the hour practicing a bit more with his magic as well as meditating. Makarov taught him by meditating from time to time. He can hone his magic and concentrate better. Spike spends another hour reading a different book from the magic library. It talks about a unison raid. Fire and Air definitely work with a unison raid which makes Spike happy and blush. He's thinking about Wendy while doing the unison raid someday. 

Spike goes to the drawer and grabs a notebook. He starts jotting down what he's learned so far and theorize some possibilities. One of those theories happens to be teleporting to his friends using the markings as homing beacons. It'll be used for quick getaways or aiding a friend in battle. Another theory is for teleporting his magic without using his claw to navigate his attacks. 

"Okay, I'll test those theories another day. Now, I have a week to prepare for my sparring against Gildarts. Crash Magic will be challenging but, I think I can manage. Perhaps use his magic against himself, or increase my size and go hand-to-claw against him to see how strong my physical capabilities are." Spike looks at the window as the rain starts to downpour. "Boy, it's raining cats and dogs," He looks at the clock. "Wow, it's 12:35. I better start baking to get these cookies done." 

Spike goes to the kitchen and starts preparing his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. He gathers the ingredients he bought yesterday. Spike spends two hours making and baking the cookies. He uses his fire instead of the oven to warm them up.  Spike winds up producing twelve dozens of his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. 

"Alright, I think that should be enough for everybody in the guildhall. I hope everyone enjoys my cookies," Spike starts packing them in a big bag that'll hold them. "Alright, gotta take my time," Spike uses a protection ring on himself and the bag so; the rainwater doesn't ruin the cookies. 

Spike walks out of the apartment when he sees flashes of white light appear. He starts running down the stairs as it starts to deteriorate. He sees the landlady vanish right before his eyes. 

"Holy shit!" Spike shrieks as he swears with that word for the first time. He jumps out of the apartment as it disintegrates. "I.., I.., could have saved her..," Spike looks up as he sees a beam of light hitting the core of Magnolia. "What the hell is that?!" Spike sees the buildings around him disappearing left and right. He looks down to see the road turning into a white rock. "A twister!" Spike sees a twister engulfing all of Magnolia into the skies. He didn't move as he's paralyzed in fear. 

Minutes later, the twister goes away, leaving all of Magnolia desolate. Spike falls to his knees as all he hears is total silence. His friends, his family, all gone within a few moments. Spike curls on the ground and breaks down in tears. After a few moments, rage kicks in for Spike. 

"Damn you, Twilight Sparkle!" Spike gets up and raises his fist at the sky. "So, this is what you try to do?! Instead of letting me live my life, you try and take it from me?! When I find you, I'm going to rip your heart out! Do you hear me?!" Spike gets teary again after his outburst. He knows that Twilight would have been the only one powerful enough to try and bring him back home. Also, Spike knows that Twilight can be overpowering when she accidentally uses too much force with her magic. 

Spike stops crying after a few more moments. "Okay, let me see if there are any survivors," Spike takes a deep breath and starts walking around in search of anybody. 

Spike spends an hour searching and having no luck. He falls to his knees again and screams loudly. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" 

"Yo, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel approaches Spike. 

"Gajeel?" Spike looks up to see Gajeel. "Gajeel!" Spike lunges at Gajeel. He's happy to see his brother survived. 

"Geez, Fairy Dragon, it's okay," Gajeel puts Spike down. "I'm glad you survived as well. Any clue what's happening and what I missed?" 

"It's Twilight Sparke." 

"You sure?" 

"Who else? If Twilight were pissed to find out I'm missing in Equestria, she'll do whatever it takes to bring me back. She wouldn't care until the 'slave' returns home and try to make amends."

"Good point. However, I have no clue how to get there? You?" 

"I guess we go into the sky and follow that twister back to Equestria. From there, we'll pummel them for taking our home and our friends." 

"You got that right. Also, how are we going to get up there?" Gajeel asks. 

"I have no clue. If I had one of my notes or magic books, I would have found the solution. Also, increasing my size won't help. I still don't have wings, and my teleportation magic would have us free-falling." 

"Alright, those options are out. Since I found you, there have to be other survivors. Let's keep looking before heading into this Equestria world of yours."

"Right," Spike nods.

Gajeel and Spike walk around the remains of Magnolia in search of any survivors. They see one who is standing still. 

"Who is that?" Gajeel asks. 

"Beats me," Spike answers. 

The two approach the survivor standing idly. He turns to them, revealing himself. 

"Mystogan?" Spike said, seeing him for the second time. 

"So, that's Mystogan." 

"Hello, Gajeel. Hello, Fairy Dragon," Mystogan introduces. 

"What happened here?" Gajeel asks. 

"Anima." 

"What's Anima?" Spike is in shock. He thought for sure that Twilight Sparkle was the one behind all of this. 

"An inter-dimensional gate that transfers everything into Magic Lacrima and brings it to Edolas." 

Gajeel and Spike's jaw drops. They can't believe what they heard from Mystogan. 

"So, has anyone survived?" Spike asks. 

"Moments ago, I encountered Lucy Heartfilia."

"Where is she?!" Spike asks, wanting to know where Lucy is right now. 

"I've sent her to Edolas. She's going to help bring back the Fairy Tail Guild and all of Magnolia. Since Gajeel survived, I can assume that Natsu and Wendy survived as well."

"Well, we know where to find them. Those cats of theirs flew them to Edolas for sure," Said Gajeel confidently. 

"Definitely. Good thing that they're safe," Spike concurs while sighing in relief. 

"However, they didn't take the vitamin and could be in great peril. Also, I'm going to need your help as I handle things here."

"What is it?" Gajeel asks. 

"I need the two of you to go into Edolas. Find our friends and help them escape. You'll be needing this," Mystogan gives Spike and Gajeel a magic vitamin for them to eat. 

"Uh, what was that for?" Spike asks as he's confused about what he ate. 

"It's for you to properly use magic in Edolas as it is scarce with magic power. The magic vitamin will help sustain your use of magic like how it flows here in Earth Land. Take the rest with you in case you find the others that did survive," Mystogan places the bottle in Spike's backpack.

"Okay, now that's out of the question, how do you supposed we go to Edolas?" Gajeel asks. "We can't fly up there, ya know." 

"I'll do that for you," Mystogan uses his staff to levitate Spike and Gajeel. "I warn you, being in Edolas will be a lot different than Earth Land. The environment will be more difficult to travel. Please be careful up there."

"We will," Spike salutes to Mystogan. 

"Fairy Dragon, what's in the bag of yours?" Gajeel asks, wondering why Spike has a bag, to begin with. 

"Uh, twelve dozens of my freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. It was going to be a surprise for the guild. Especially, you, Natsu, and Wendy for losing your dragons on this day."

"Guess it'll be our food supply despite finding some loose iron." 

With Mystogan's magic, Spike and Gajeel see all sorts of blazing colors as they are heading to Edolas. Spike hopes to find Wendy and the others, hoping to stop the nonsense and making sure that everyone returns home safely.
> Day 1 in Edolas: Discovery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Gajeel are now entering Edolas. They see many floating mountains, a green sky, a river that defies gravitational logic, multi-color agricultures, and different unknown species flying around. 

"Woooow," Spike and Gajeel said in unison. They are surprised to see Edolas more different than they thought. 

Gravity kicks in as the two start falling. Spike and Gajeel sees a building out in the forest region and winds up crash landing. Spike lands on Gajeel. 

"Ow," Spike gets up. "You alright, Gajeel?" 

"I'm fine," Gajeel gets up. He sniffs. "Man, this world has all sorts of new smells. As for people, it appears this place has been abandoned for a few years." 

"Interesting," Spike sees a book and reads it a little. 

Gajeel looks around and finds two cloaks. A big one and a small one. He finds a safe and forces the door open. Inside the safe, there is money. Gajeel takes it and starts counting. 

"Gajeel," Spike looks up at Gajeel. 

"Yea?" Gajeel looks and tosses Spike a small cloak as he puts on his. 

"In Edolas, there is one Dragon, but it's sealed. It's known as Dorma Anim."

"Sealed? That means that other dragons we knew doesn't exist in this world. We need to be cautious around these parks." 

Spike puts on his cloak. "Is there a mask?"

"Keep the hood up. It'll conceal your face better. If anyone asks about your head, tell em it's a mohawk." 

"Point taken," Spike puts his hood on. The hoodie does conceal his face better.

"There, now you look like a young kid. As for your tail, it's a medical condition."

"I can curl it," Spike curls his tail. "I have to remind myself about it."

"Alright. The safe had 75,000 Jewels, so we'll be fine for a while. Let's start searching for our friends."

Gajeel and Spike leave the abandoned building. As they walk, the region of the area changes from a forest into a desert. The two walk for an hour until they reached civilization. The town is called Louen. 

"Hey, there's a town nearby," Spike points at it.

"Maybe Salamander and that kid are there. Let's scope the area." 

Gajeel and Spike head into town. They look around as the people are different. They wonder where they are supposed to go from there. 

"Let's start asking around. I pretty sure there has to be someone with vital information," Spike suggests. 

"Alright but, I'll do the talking."

"Of course, lead the way." 

Gajeel and Spike walk down the street together as they start searching for the right kind of people. Left and right, people around Gajeel start walking away. A couple of thugs appear in front of Gajeel and Spike. Gajeel and Spike smirk, knowing they found people who'll be persuasive to talk. 

"You looking to start something with us, punk?" One of the thugs asks. 

"Step off, you lousy horsefly," Another thug said. 

"You got a lot to learn about insults, pal," Gajeel menacingly said. 

"Ah, cut the crap. We ain't got time for a lecture." 

"You don't like horsefly? You're a house maggot." 

The thugs burst into laughter. Gajeel headbutts the thug in front of him. The thug is knocked out as his companions horribly freak out. 

"That's it. You want a piece of me?" The thugs say in unison and about to punch Gajeel. When their fists connect on Gajeel's head, their hands broke on impact. 

"Too easy," Gajeel punches one of them in the gut, the other in the face, and grabs one of them to interrogate. "Listen. A giant lacrima should have popped up somewhere around here recently, and you're going to tell me where to find it. So, start talking!" 

"I don't know where it is," The thug pleas, not knowing where it is. 

"Is that so, then let me jog your memory." 

The thug quivers in fear as his goons get up. "Please don't hit me! We really don't know, I swear!" The thug begs. "Right, guys?" The thugs agree. 

Gajeel lets go of him. "Fine, I'll ask someone else. You're off the hook so go get lost." 

"What's with you, Gajeel? How in the heck you get so strong?" 

"Huh?" Gajeel is confused. 

"Huh?" Spike is confused. Then, it hits him. He pulls Gajeel's cloak. 

"Wait a second," Gajeel lowers down so Spike can whisper in his ear.

"I think the person we should be looking for is the you in this world. Perhaps he has information that can help us."

Gajeel nods and turns to the thugs. "Tell me, what does the Gajeel here do for a living?" 

"Huh?" The thugs respond, confused that this person sounds like him but isn't him. 

"I'm not him. We just look alike, okay." 

"You joking? You look exactly like the guy." 

"Just answer the question. Tell me what he does or eat a knuckle sandwich," Gajeel cracks his knuckles. 

"He's one of those freelance journalists. He has a reputation for being way too nosy." 

"A journalist?" Gajeel said. 

"Perfect, he's our guy to talk to." Spike thought. 

"Yea, that guy has written a bunch of magazines and newspaper articles on ragging on the King." 

"No one in town can stand him for the smack he talks about the King." 

"That explains why no one would talk to me around these parks. All because I look like him. Gajeel, a freelance journalist. Better get the scoop on him. Let's go, son." 

Gajeel and Spike start walking away from the thugs. Now the thugs made an error. No way Gajeel The Journalist would have a kid. As the two walk a few blocks down, they start talking. 

"I should have known better. Mystogan is from this world, and him being a copy, there has to be a copy of Fairy Tail as well." 

"I agree with you, Fairy Dragon. However, the Gajeel in this world doesn't work for Fairy Tail so, there may be other members of the guild that doesn't work for this world's Fairy Tail."

"Another thing, and I could be completely off. I want to say that Edolas' Fairy Tail could be a dark guild." 

"It's possible. We will have to see. First, let's find the journalist." 

After two hours of searching, Gajeel and Spike enter a bar. They overheard someone mentioning extracting a lacrima in two days. The two sit down by the stools to hear the conversation some more. After a moment, Gajeel and Spike decide to talk to the group about the lacrima. 

"Interesting conversation," Gajeel and apparently Gajeel the Journalist say in unison. "You three might telling me in greater detail."

The two Gajeels look at each other. Spike couldn't believe how quickly they found him after searching the streets. 

"Seems you and I are interested in the same story. So, gentlemen, mind telling us the scoop about the lacrima extraction?" Edolas Gajeel said. 

"Uh, sure. No skin off my bones when the Royal Army go after you, Gajeel." 

"There's a big lacrima sitting at the Royal City where people can see like a monument. In two days' time, the King will channel the magic from the lacrima and fill us with what we need. It's as big as a small building in the Royal City." 

"Okay, that'll be all. Have a nice day, gentlemen," Edolas Gajeel leaves them alone. Gajeel and Spike follow him. Edolas Gajeel, Gajeel, and Spike sit down at an empty table in the bar. "So to summarize, you and this Tyke," Edolas Gajeel said. He wears a dark blue suit with a red tie and a matching hat. He also wears a pair of glasses. Unlike his counterpart, he does not possess any piercings except for his ears.

"Yep, that's my name. Tyke Draqon," Spike said, faking his identity for the time being. 

"Were sent to this world by Mystogan with a simple explanation?" Edolas Gajeel said. 

"Yea," Gajeel nods. "We're on a mission to recover what was taken from us." 

"Fascinating, and Tyke is your," Spike interrupts Edolas Gajeel. 

"Younger brother. Though, he treats me as his son." 

"Interesting," Edolas Gajeel jots the info in his book. 

"Getting used to this place ain't no picnic, I'll tell you that much," Gajeel said, taking a drink. 

"This has to be the most bizarre story of my career," Edolas Gajeel put his book down and sits on the vacant chair. 

"Well, duh. How often you meet yourself in a bar?" 

"I have to say your simple perception is certainly refreshing," Edolas Gajeel grabs his cup. 

"Hey, want a cookie?" Spike offers one of his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. 

"Sure. It's been a while since I had one," Edolas Gajeel takes one and bites it. He becomes awestruck with the flavor as he never tasted anything that delicious in a long time. "Oh my, this is delicious. May I have another?" 

"Sure," Spike gives Edolas Gajeel a few more. 

"Let me try one, Sp-Tyke," Gajeel nearly blows Spike's identity. Spike gives one to Gajeel, and he eats it. "Wooow! This is crazy good," Gajeel takes a few more to munch on. 

"So, what made you a journalist anyway?" Spike asks Edolas Gajeel. 

"Investigating and reporting is my life's true calling, seeking out the truth and enlightening the masses," Edolas Gajeel answers.

"Truth isn't an easy pill," Gajeel said. "Bet you got some haters. In fact, there are a few losers that are much in dirt cause they thought I was you." 

"Well, I thank you for taking care of such annoyances for me. I apologize for the inconvenience. Truth be known, I've become a thorn in the side of many powerful organizations. My articles have caused numerous problems for the King and the government over the years. As long as I can put pen to pad, I can write the truth." 

"You know, when I heard about this place, I thought it be completely different from my our world," Gajeel refers to Spike. "But, you and me are almost exactly alike."

"You and I are exactly alike." Edolas Gajeel said. 

The two Gajeels put an arm on each other. Spike follows them as the two continue to talk and compliment each other, saying if they would do the opposite if they felt that way. 

"Hey, sorry to intrude on the brotherhood your having but, we have some loose allies running around. They may be running amuck around these parks. Think you can help?" 

"Yes, I'll let the two of you know the moment they strike. I got contacts everywhere. The King can't scratch his nose without me knowing about it so, keeping tabs on them will be easy."

"We're counting on you. We'll lie low until you give us the word," Gajeel said. 

"Well, till then," Edolas Gajeel said. 

"Don't keep us waiting. Let's go, Tyke." 

"Coming." 

Spike and Gajeel depart as Edolas Gajeel go the other way. The two find a hotel nearby. They paid 15,000 Jewels for the night. 

"Alright, Fairy Dragon. Seven hours of rest, then back to searching for our friends and the rest of the guild."

"Gotcha," Spike gets on the bed, still wearing the cloak. He places his backpack on the floor. 

Gajeel sees an alarm clock and sets it to wake them in seven hours. He gets on a different bed. 

"Hey, Gajeel. Want some iron?" 

"Sure," Gajeel smiles. Spike's claws glow as he claps. He stretches the aura creating a metallic flame sword. He tosses it to Gajeel. "Thanks, Fairy Dragon."

"No, sweat," Spike uncurls his tail. "Much better." 

Gajeel takes a bite out of the metallic flame sword. He looks at Spike, who seems to be worried. "Something on your mind, Fairy Dragon?" 

"It's just," Spike sadly sighs. "Everyone in Fairy Tail turned into a lacrima. Lucy, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, and Carla could be in a tight spot while Lucy being the only powerhouse." 

"Lucy is a strong Fairy Tail Wizard in her own right. I'm sure she can handle the soldiers. Plus, Salamander can still throw punches when he's unable to use his magic. You should know better than to doubt a Fairy Tail Wizard."

Spike chuckles. "You're right. However, what if they are not together. Can the Gajeel we met be working for us or be a spy for the King." 

"Huh," Gajeel does a doubletake. "Never thought the me here can be an undercover agent. So far, he seems genuine. If he backstabs us, rest to sure he'll answer to me."

"Agreed," Spike nods. Then, he sees a map of hotels across the room. He gets up and grabs it. 

"What you got there, Spike?" Gajeel takes another bite of the metallic flame sword. 

"A map. Perhaps we can find a shortcut to the Royal City where the lacrima will be extracted from." 

Gajeel gets up and looks at the map with Spike. They found an alternate route where people can fly on a carrier to the Royal City. As much as Gajeel hates vehicles, he'll be sucking up on the carrier ride. 

"Okay, there must be a schedule for those carrier departures," Gajeel opens the first draw and finds it. "Well, that didn't take long," He reads the schedule. "Alright, in eight hours from now, there'll be an express carrier. That's the one we'll be taking. It's a boom shot straight to the Royal City." 

"Alright, let's get some rest. In a few hours, we'll be in the Royal City. Hopefully, our friends are there as well, plotting to free them as we speak."

"Agreed," Gajeel nods. 

Spike and Gajeel get in their beds and fall asleep.
> Day 2 in Edolas: Search & Rescue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The alarm clock goes off as Gajeel and Spike groan. Gajeel gets up and stretches. 

"C'mon Fairy Dragon, time to wake up," Gajeel yawns and stretches. 

"Five more minutes," Spike yawns. 

"Okay then," Gajeel turns his arm into an iron club. "Five!" He hits Spike off the bed to wake him up. 

"I'm up! I'm up!" Spike gets up from the hit. 

"Hate to do that but, we have to get moving." 

"Thanks for doing that," Spike curls his tail.

"You're welcome," Gajeel grabs the map of the Royal City as it'll come in handy. 

Spike grabs his backpack and leaves with Gajeel. Forty-five minutes later, the two arrive at a port where the carriers are station. The two see a line of people getting onto the express ship. As they get in line, they see an entry booth with two Royal Soldiers standing by. 

"Crap, this ain't good," Gajeel said. 

"Let's see what happens next," Spike gulps a little. 

Spike and Gajeel walk up to the entry booth of the carrier to see how it'll play out. 

"Tickets, please," The Royal Soldier calmly commands. 

"We don't have tickets. Do you know where to get them?" Spike asks. 

"Over there," The Royal Soldier groans and points to the ticket machine. "For two tickets, it'll cost 35,000 jewels a pop for the express line."

"Look, we don't have that kind of money or the time to buy them. Are you willing to trade in exchange for tickets?" Gajeel asks. 

"What do you have to trade?" The Royal Soldier asks. He's thinking of another set of clothing or for them to owe them one. 

"Cookies. My freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies," Spike takes out a dozen of his cookies and presents them to the two Royal Soldiers. 

"Interesting name for a cookie," The Royal Soldier takes one and eats it. His hand shakes as he is overwhelmed with the flavor of the cookie. "Dude, try it." 

The other Royal Soldier tries one and falls in love with the cookie. The Royal Soldiers turn to Spike. "Two dozens for two tickets." 

"Deal," Spike gives the Royal Soldiers another dozen of cookies as they allow entry for him Gajeel to board the ship. 

"Huh, who would have thought those cookies would be vital for our mission, Tyke."

"Not me," Spike chuckles. "Now we secured a pathway to the Royal City," Spike takes out a barf bag from his backpack and gives it to Gajeel. "You may need it along the way." 

"Thanks," Gajeel takes it. 

An hour goes by as Spike sees more of the landscapes of Edolas. Gajeel's motion sickness kicked in a while ago. He's unable to see what else Edolas has in store. Spike and Gajeel hear the people talking about the lacrima they'll see in the center of the Royal City. The carrier lands as Spike carries Gajeel into the Royal City. After a few moments, Spike allows Gajeel to walk on his own. 

"Thanks for the assist, Tyke." 

"You're welcome." 

Spike and Gajeel follow the crowd to the center of the Royal City. They are astonished to see how big the capital is. Spike and Gajeel see the giant lacrima in the middle of the Royal City's Square. 

"Whoa, that's big," Spike said. 

"Could be the guildhall for all we know," Gajeel suggests. 

"Wait, do you see what I see?" Spike points up.

"The King of Edolas." 

The King of Edolas is a tall and slim elderly man with a very long, wavy grayish-white hair reaching down below his shoulder, with a similar beard going down below his neck to his upper chest, and mustache. He wears a garment that is brown in color, possessing multi-color shades. He also wields a staff in his right hand. 

"Children of Edolas, it brings great joy to my heart to tell you that our anima program has produced enough magic power to last another decade!" The people cheer joyfully in success and gladness that they'll be thriving with magic power. "Let us rejoice together! Let us sing and dance! Let laughter roar through our sacred kingdom!" 

Spike stumbles back a bit. The King of Edolas sounds so familiar to him. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Gajeel asks. 

"Didn't you hear him?" Spike looks at Gajeel. 

"Yea, I heard him," Gajeel is confused as to why Spike would ask him that question. 

"No.., did you hear him?" Spike asks again with more emphasis. 

"I heard him speak. What's the point, Sp-Tyke?" 

"Listen to him thoroughly, Gajeel. You'll understand what I mean." 

"The power within this lacrima that belongs to all loyal subjects of our fair homeland. Today we hold our future in our hands to ensure its prosperity into tomorrow and beyond! Therefore, we must swear and protect this gift from Heaven with our very lives! My dear children, today I shall make a solemn pledge you as your beloved ruler. I will bring you more power! So much more you can possibly imagine." 

"Did you hear it that time?" Spike asks. 

"Yea, the dude is insane. What a joke." 

"The King of Edolas sounds like Master Makarov," Spike finally states. 

Gajeel's eyes widen in shock. The way the King was speaking sounds a lot like Makarov Dreyar. "Oh man, I can't believe I didn't catch that. Who else in the guild that's our enemy in Edolas?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to find out." 

"So, I see the two of you made it," Edolas Gajeel approaches the two. 

"Hey, Gajeel," Spike waves. 

"Hey, Tyke. Gajeel, how are you holding up?" 

"I'm dazed, but I'll be fine." 

"I have a place not far from here. We can discuss more on how to approach the situation without the King's attention being in the way." 

"Lead the way," Said Gajeel. 

Edolas Gajeel navigates Spike and Gajeel to his place. It's a house fifteen blocks away from the lacrima. Spike sits on the couch as Gajeel sits down on a lounge chair. 

"Please, make yourselves comfortable," Edolas Gajeel politely says. 

"Thanks," Gajeel and Spike respond. 

"So, you found any loose corners since we last saw each other?" Spike asks. 

"Either than the Lacrima in the Royal City, and I shouldn't be surprised to see it there but, I am. I haven't heard any nuisance of those friends you spoke about. I do see major flaws in how they are protecting the lacrima site. I need to thoroughly investigate a bit further to see if they fixed that flaw or not." 

"Alright, that's a start," Spike said. 

"So, any plans on cracking the lacrima?" Edolas Gajeel asks. 

"Tyke here has impressive teleportation magic. Perhaps he can teleport those who are trapped in the lacrima out. If not, something will come to us sooner," Gajeel said confidently. 

"Teleportation magic, I heard that the Fairy Tail Guild uses that to escape the Royal Army, but hearing that a child can manifest that magic, I'm impressed." 

"Here, this is for you," Spike gives Edolas Gajeel a dozen of his cookies.

"Thank you," Edolas Gajeel puts the dozen in the fridge. "Are you two hungry by any chance, or are you good?" 

"What do you got?" Gajeel comes to the kitchen with Spike. 

"Good stuff. I'll prepare dinner, my treat." 

"Sounds good," Gajeel chuckles. 

Spike looks around and sees the music room. He sees a piano by the corner of the room. Gajeel talks to his counterpart about other similar traits and likes they share. Spike sits on the chair and remembers the time he played the Fairies Flow in You song. 

"Oh, Wendy," Spike sighs heavily. "I would hate myself if something bad happens to you. Why can't I muster the bravery to say I love you? I'm brave to take on other fights and challenges. Why is it the simplest thing I struggle with?"

Spike imagines all sorts of perils Wendy could be facing alone or separated by any means. Then he starts playing the Fairies Flow in You to calm himself down. He can't afford to think of the worst at the moment. 

"So, here's another news coverage I picked up on-" Edolas Gajeel hears a sweet melody coming from his music room. "What is that heavenly music?" 

"The song is called Fairies Flow in You. He played that at a party not long ago."

The two Gajeels head over to the music room to see Spike playing on the piano. He has tears in his eyes as he plays. 

"Wow, Spike is in rhythm." 

"Spike?" Edolas Gajeel has a flashback of Spike, which brings back unwanted memories. 

"I meant to say, Tyke. Geez, I get the names mixed up with our dog a lot, again!" Gajeel said, hoping his Edolas self buys the cover. 

"Oh," Edolas Gajeel sighs in relief. "Forgive me, hearing the name Spike brings back unwelcome memories."

"How come?" Gajeel asks. 

"I don't want to talk about it. I better check on the roast," Edolas Gajeel goes back to the kitchen. 

"Tyke, are you okay?" 

Spike nods. "I just need to play this a little longer." 

"Take your time. I'll holla when the food is ready." 

"Thanks," Spike goes back to playing the piano as Gajeel leaves the music room. 

Edolas Gajeel checks on the roast chicken he's making for Gajeel and Spike. Gajeel enters the kitchen to check on his counterpart. 

"So, when you think we should take measures?" Gajeel asks, avoiding the topic about Spike. 

"After dinner. During that time, the King of Edolas Faust will be having his dinner with his commanders of the Royal Army."

"Alright, then." 

Spike finishes playing the piano as it cools his nerves. He still thinks about Wendy and saving her. Along with the rest of Magnolia and Fairy Tail. Spike leaves the music room and goes to the kitchen. 

"Ah, just in time," Edolas Gajeel takes out the roasted chicken. He also made white rice. 

"Thanks," Spike sits down, and inadvertently, his hoodie drops down. Revealing who he is. Edolas Gajeel becomes astonished. 

"Holy crap! You're, you're, you're a baby dragon!" 

"Shush!" Gajeel covers Edolas Gajeel's mouth. "Don't blab about it."

Edolas Gajeel nods and recomposes himself. "My apologies. I've only read about dragons in children's books. Seeing one for the first time is bizarre."

"It's fine. I was worried about revealing my appearance in this world."

"Very understandable. Most people like me would freak out, become amazed, or try to kill you." 

"Nothing new," Spike said rhetorically. 

"Mind keeping this a secret?" Gajeel calmly asks. 

"Hey, this is one story that will not be published." 

"Thank you." 

Spike, Gajeel, and Edolas Gajeel start eating as much as they can. Spike and Gajeel compliment the counterpart for his delicious cooking. Edolas Gajeel feels flattered by the compliment. After eating, Spike pulls up his hoodie and grabs his backpack. Gajeel pulls his hoodie and starts getting ready. 

"Alright," Edolas Gajeel grabs his pen and notepad. "Time to get moving." 

Spike and Gajeel climb to the rooftops and freeruns. Edolas Gajeel walks down the streets where the lacrima is. Ten minutes later, Edolas Gajeel is in position as Spike and Gajeel are spectating the view from a rooftop. Multiple Royal Soldiers are guarding the lacrima on one side of the plaza. Many Royal Soldiers approaches Edolas Gajeel as he was writing simple notes. 

"What are you doing?" A Royal Soldier demands. 

"Thanks for all your hard work!" Edolas Gajeel said politely. 

"Who are you?" Another Royal Soldier asks. 

"Oh, I'm just your average journalist. I'm covering the ceremony. I would love to ask you a few questions if you wouldn't mind." 

"I got no comment, so beat it!" The Royal Soldier points to the exit. 

"I see the King has troops stationed along the northern side of the plaza. Is it safe to assume soldiers stationed on the southern side of it as well?" 

The Royal Soldiers feels conflicted with Edolas Gajeel, so they tell him to get out of here. Edolas Gajeel thank them for their time with him. Gajeel and Spike see the signal the counterpart gives. The two wait patiently as Edolas Gajeel continues to investigate. 

"So far, we may have to rush in and attack them, Gajeel. Think they'll be petrified to see a monster like me rampaging out of nowhere?" 

"That'll draw a lot of attention, Fairy Dragon. We cannot make foolish decisions when there are civilians in the midst."

Edolas Gajeel walks to the southern plaza and approaches a Royal Soldier standing by. The Royal Soldier is unaware that a journalist is beside him. 

"I see things are finally getting underway."

"Mmhmm, the kingdom will be more stable after this." 

"We're on the southern side of the plaza. Let me ask, are security as tight on the eastern and western sides as it is here?" 

"No, only because there is not enough room for anyone to hide there." 

"Oh really, is that so?" Edolas Gajeel said. The Royal Soldier panics after revealing crucial evidence. 

"Please don't write that in the article. It'll get me in trouble," The Royal Soldier begs. 

"I never do such a thing," Edolas Gajeel said, ensuring the soldier he's in good hands. "I assure you, I know what's appropriate to write and what isn't. I strive to be a fair journalist."

Edolas Gajeel makes his way through the crowd to alert Gajeel and Spike to go in a different direction of the lacrima. Gajeel and Spike hop from rooftop to rooftop to get lower. They slowly walk their way into the crowd. They see the Royal Army starting the lacrima extraction right in front of them. 

"I guess time here is different to predict. I can't tell by the hours Edolas has in this world," Spike said. 

"Doesn't matter, be ready to strike," Said Gajeel. 

Edolas Gajeel displays some fireworks spelling out North. Spike and Gajeel look up to see it along with everyone else. Gajeel gets an interesting idea.

"Soldiers, that must be some kind of warning. We must protect the lacrima. I suspect that there's someone suspicious on the north side of the plaza." 

"What? We gotta do something," The Royal Soldier said after hearing the warning. 

"That's the rear side of the lacrima," Another Royal Soldier informs. "Keep your forces here, and I'll take the others north. Push the crowd back."

"Right," The soldier nods. He commands his soldiers to get the people into safety. 

"Ready, Spike?" 

"You know it. I'm tired of wearing this stupid thing anyway."

Gajeel and Spike remove the cloaks. The Royal Soldiers become scared when they witness a baby dragon. 

"Round two, Gajeel. Let's see how many of these wimps one of us can take down the most." 

Gajeel chuckles. "Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel turns his arm into an iron club, pummeling some Royal Soldiers. 

"Phew phew," Spike mimics gun movements with his claws. Shooting Royal Soldiers left and right. 

"Iron Dragon Sword!" Gajeel's right arm turns into an iron sword. He cracks the lacrima with the strike. 

Spike continues to shoot at the Royal Soldiers. They are defenseless against the attack. Their shields can't hold up the pressure for long periods of time. 

"Take this!" Gajeel swings his Iron Dragon Sword at the lacrima again. This time, it lights up. 

The Soldiers continue to be obliterated by Spike's magic. His flaming bullets are becoming a problem for them to handle. The bright light of the lacrima blinds the Soldiers. 

"No freaking way," Spike said as the Soldiers' watch was happening. 

"You gotta be kidding me," Gajeel said. 

The lacrima that Gajeel shattered reveals to be two people. Two Fairy Tail Wizards. Gray Fullbuster and Erza Scarlet. They get up after feeling weird and different. 

"Look alive, Gajeel!" Spike's claws are glowing Sparkling Green. "Flaming Arrows!" Spike extends his claws in a C formation. Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows come out of Spike's fingertips, hitting the soldiers surrounding them. The arrows are bigger than the flaming bullets. 

"Gajeel, Spike?" Erza said in confusion. 

"What's happening?" Gray asks. He tries using his magic, but he's unable to. "Why can't I use magic?"

"Spike and I will explain later. Right now," Gajeel turns to see more Royal Soldiers incoming. "Iron Dragon Rooooooar!" Gajeel's iron breath hurls the Royal Soldiers away. 

Spike comes and breathes his fire, teleporting Gajeel, Erza, Gray, and himself to a safer location in the Royal City. 

"How come you and Spike were able to use magic?" Gray asks. 

"Tyke, take out the vitamin." 

Spike places his backpack down and takes out the vitamin bottle. 

"Why did you call him Tyke?" Erza asks. 

"There's a reason, and we'll get to that. But first, take these," Gajeel gives Gray and Erza the vitamin. 

"If you take it, you'll be able to use magic power freely like in Earth Land. Edolas is scarce with magic, thus making it impossible to use," Spike explains. 

Gray and Erza eat the vitamin. The two feel normal as they feel their magic energy surging in their veins. 

"Now, tell us what happened," Erza commands. 

"The two of you have been turned into a giant lacrima," Edolas Gajeel said, approaching Gray and Erza. 

"Told you, it'll be easy," Gajeel said. 

"Indeed, but I expect no less from Earth Land me, and Tyke. I knew you two were right for the job."

"This is insane," Gray said in shock. 

"Is it true?" Erza said in shock. 

"Although we look alike, we're quite different," Edolas Gajeel at your service. 

"I have to say this guy has been a big help for Tyke and me. Crazy how he looks like me. We look like twins," Gajeel puts an arm on his counterpart.

"This world is full of surprises, Sis. Some surprises are more shocking than this."

"Never mind that, what do you mean we've been turned into a giant lacrima?" Erza said, wanting to know more of the predicament. 

"Erza, the King of Edolas, issued a project known as Anima. According to Mystogan, Anima is an inter-dimensional gate that transfers everything into Magic Lacrima. Then it creates a twister to absorb the lacrima, bringing it here."

"Mystogan?" Erza and Gray said in shock. 

"Yea. He told us what Anima was, gave us the vitamin, and sent us here. Lucy, Salamander, Wendy, and the cats are here as well. They could be in great danger." 

"We thought the lacrima in the plaza was the guild; turns out it was you two. We can assume that there is a larger portion of lacrima somewhere around."

"Agreed," Both Gajeels nod. 

"We need to formulate a plan," Erza said. She does the arms cross.

"According to my sources, there are prized prisoners by the West Tower basement. Maybe some of your friends are there?" Edolas Gajeel said. 

"Then we better get moving," Erza said. 

"Gajeel," Spike turns to Gajeel.

"Yea, Tyke?" Gajeel replies. 

"I'm going to place a flame marking on you. If we find vital information of the lacrima whereabouts, I can teleport to you faster instead by memory." 

"Two things. One, very impressive. Two, sounds good to me. Now, hit me." 

Spike hits Gajeel with a flame marking; it doesn't burn him at all. Spike turns to Erza and Gray. 

"Let's get moving," Erza commands. 

"Right," Gray and Spike said. 

"I'll show you the way," Edolas Gajeel said. 

"In the meantime, I'll keep these wimps occupied," Gajeel sees a wave of Royal Soldiers approaching. 

Erza, Gray, and Spike follow Edolas Gajeel in the direction where the West Tower is located. After a ten-minute trip, Edolas Gajeel stops. 

"Inside, you'll find the stairs leading down below. I can't enter but, I'll do some investigating to see if my resources can locate that lacrima." 

"Thank you, Edolas Gajeel," Spike graciously said. 

"No problem, see you around, Tyke," Edoals Gajeel goes on his way. 

"I hate that name for you, Spike. So annoying," Erza said as she enters the West Tower.

"I needed a coverup name. Apparently, dragons are a myth except for one that's sealed away. I was wearing a cloak before you saw me fighting the Royal Soldiers." 

"Fair enough," Gray sees the stairs. He, Erza, and Spike walk down. 

"However, for some reason, mentioning the name Spike brings unwelcome memories for Edolas Gajeel." 

"Really? How come, Spike?" Erza asks. 

"Edolas Gajeel never says why it brings discomfort to him. Gajeel and I didn't pressure him to say anything else." 

"I see. Well, hopefully, there's nothing wrong with it while we're here," Erza states. 

"Shhh, do you hear that?" Gray quietly said. 

A loud crash is heard, along with some squeals. The squeals of Natsu and Wendy echo the basement. Erza, Gray, and Spike are pissed. They want to take down the monsters for inflicting pain and suffering on their friends.  They move quickly as the squeals are getting closer. They hear Happy saying to kill his friends, they'll have to get through him. As they move, they see soldiers lined up with their commander. Gray uses his ice magic to draw their attention, creating a mist in the process. Happy, Carla, and Lucy are stunned to see what's happening. They become elate to see Spike, Gray, and Erza. 

"You got some nerve, lady," Gray said. "You know they're with us, and you decide to mess with them anyway."

"Anyone who'll lay a hand on our fellow guild members will be dealt accordingly," Erza sternly proclaims. 

"Taking joy and delight in killing our friends makes me sick. You just signed a death warrant, and Fairy Tail will deliver," Spike irately said. 

"But.., how.., I thought you were gone..," Carla is in awe. 

"You've made a big mistake, you should have known better to mess with us," Gray powers up. 

"Gray, Erza, Spike!" Lucy excitedly shouts. 

The mist goes away as the soldiers are stunned to see Earth Land Erza. There is a second Erza present. Erza Knightwalker. Royal Army Captain of the 2nd Magic War Division. She wears a very provocative outfit comprising a revealing armor breastplate top that leaves much of her cleavage and stomach exposed. She has light-armored gauntlets and greaves on her forearms and forelegs, respectively, as well as her thighs. She also wears a dark bikini bottom with a piece of cloth obscuring her hips. She wears a dark scarf around her neck.

"No way, the Earth Lander looks like our Captain." 

"That Gray Surged?" A soldier asks. 

"No, that's Earth Land Gray."

"Who the heck is that dinosaur?" 

"I'm a dragon," Spike corrects. 

The Soldiers gasps. They are stunned beyond belief. Erza Knightwalker can't believe what she's seeing. 

"You guys have some explaining to do. Where are our friends that your King turned into a lacrima!" Gray uses his ice magic to attack the soldiers. 

Erza Knightwalker tries to attack Gray with her spear, but Spike uses his breath to teleport Knightwalker behind Gray. 

"Impossible," Knightwalker said. 

Erza Scarlet requips her sword and attacks Erza Knightwalker; Knightwalker blocks the attack with her spear. The two power up as things get tense. 

"It's Erza versus Erza," Lucy said. She watches the two take the fight elsewhere. 

"You guys are in big trouble now! I'm gonna beat the crap out of every last one of you!" Natsu proclaims. Then he squeals in pain. 

"He sounds closer than we thought," Spike said. 

"Must be nearby,"  Gray said. 

"More like up ahead. That's where Wendy is as well," Happy said. 

"Spike, Gray, go on. I can handle this," Scarlet said. 

"You sure, Erza? We can take this fake down together." 

"Who you calling fake, dinosaur!" Erza Scarlet becomes agitated as she attacks Knightwalker. "When I'm done with you, Earth Lander. The dinosaur is next!" 

"Don't you dare call him that!" Scarlet roars and pushes Knightwalker away. "Go now!" Erza demands. 

"Let's go, Spike," Gray pulls Spike to run down the hallway. 

"I'll be back to assist, Erza," Spike said. 

Spike sees Lucy's bindings and burns them into a crisp, disintegrating them without burning Lucy.

"Where the heck did you guys come from?" Lucy asks. 

"We'll tell you along the way, gotta get to Natsu and Wendy," Spike said. 

"Aye!" Happy and Carla fly beside them as Spike, Gray, and Lucy run in the direction of Natsu's squeals. 

"To summarize what I know, Gajeel and Spike freed us by shattering the lacrima in the plaza."

"Whoa, that was you and Erza this whole time?" Lucy asks. 

"Yea," Spike answers. "After finding out that the lacrima in the plaza was Erza and Gray here, we figured that they were cut from a larger portion."

"Uh, Spike. Why do you carry that backpack?" Happy asks. 

"Oh, well, originally, I was planning on coming to the guildhall later to give everyone my freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies as a present. I made twelve dozen cookies, and it turns out that they have greater use than I thought. Also, I'm carrying the vitamin that Natsu and Wendy need to eat to regain their usage of magic."

"Can I have a cookie?" Happy asks, then Carla smacks his paw. 

"We'll eat after we get out friends to safety," Carla said, unamused with Happy's distraction for food. 

"Aye," Happy reluctantly said in defeat. "

"Now, we have a serious problem. We don't know where the larger portion of the lacrima is located," Said Spike. "We figure it has to be somewhere close by for the Royal City to grasp. 

"Wait, I know where it could be. Carla and I saw it on our way to the Royal City." 

"Perfect, tell Gajeel and take him to that giant lacrima," Spike commands. 

"Wait, you don't want to come?" Happy said. 

"I have other priorities to do with my friends here. Gajeel is capable of destroying the lacrima better than I can. I'll teleport you to him right away."

"Aye, Sir!"

Spike uses his breath to teleport Happy straight to Gajeel. Happy is back in the plaza. He sees Gajeel beating up Royal Soldiers left and right. Happy flies up to Gajeel, informing him where the gigantic lacrima is. Gajeel chuckles as Happy fly him to the lacrima sighting. 

"Let's keep moving," Gray said. 

"Right," Lucy, Carla, and Spike said. 

Gray, Lucy, Spike, and Carla run down the hallway once more. They see a tall door shut. Gray kicks the door open and sees Natsu and Wendy knocked out and drained of their magic energy. 

"Wendy!" Spike and Carla shriek. 

"Natsu!" Gray and Lucy shriek. 

Spike goes up to Wendy. "Are you okay, Wendy?" Carla cries blaming herself for the cause of this. Spike is confused as to why Carla is blaming herself. "Why are you blaming yourself?"

"Because.., it's all my fault!" Carla said in tears. 

Spike takes out the vitamin and puts one in Wendy's mouth. Spike tosses Gray a vitamin to put in Natsu's mouth. They both wake up after taking the vitamin. 

Wendy opens her eyes to see Carla and Spike. "Sp-Sp-Spike.., Carla?" Wendy stutters her wording. "Spike! Carla!" Wendy realizes that she's not dreaming and hugs them both. Spike and Carla hug Wendy. 

Natsu wakes up and feels enraged. He slams his fist to the ground as fire bursts. 

"Are you feeling better?" Lucy calmly asks. 

"Yea, but we gotta hurry and stop them," Natsu is boiling in anger as he does a Fire Dragon Roar. He then runs after the punks that stole his and Wendy's magic.

"What happened with you lot, Wendy, Carla, and Lucy?" Spike asks. Now he wants to know what they know. 

"The others.., are in trouble..," Wendy panics a little after what they told her. "It's.., it's horrible. The Royal Army.., they're going to destroy Extalia. By crashing the giant lacrima into it." 

"What?!" Gray, Lucy, Carla, and Spike shout in horror. 

"All of our friends and Fairy Tail are in danger because the King of Edolas is going to use them like a bomb," Wendy said, then she cries, imagining the horrors that await them. Spike holds Wendy as she cries. 

"I don't know if you notice, but Edolas has islands that float in the sky.  There's a bunch of them. Apparently, Extalia's power keeps them afloat. What's more, the book I read said it maintains the magical balance of this entire world," Said Lucy now that she remembers an article in the Edolas History book. 

"That means the lacrima is on a floating island. No way a lacrima of that magnitude would fit in the Royal City properly," Said Spike. 

"Yes. Happy and I saw, and it's close to Extalia," Carla said. 

"The Royal Army is planning on hitting that floating island with a bunch of Dragon Slayer Magic. They want to speed it up, so it crashes into Extalia," Wendy sniffs. 

Gray is daring himself to ask a horrid question. "What would happen then?" 

"They're saying when their powers collide, it's going to cause a gigantic explosion in the sky, and their magic will fuse together. Then magic power will rain on the Kingdom forever," Wendy finishes explaining the Royal Army's motives. 

"If that happens, all our guildmates will-" Gray finishes Lucy's statement. 

"Be lost forever." 

Natsu runs back after he saw something horrifying. He witnessed two Erzas fighting each other. Natsu questions the Gray in front of him and finds out the stupid way that the Gray in front of him is from Earth Land. 

"A bunch of stuff happened, and now I'm here," Gray said as he's shirtless. "Erza and Gajeel too." 

"Along with me, Natsu," Spike waves. 

"Spike! Man, I'm glad to see my favorite Dragon buddy," Natsu picks Spike up and hugs him tight. 

"Glad to see you too!" Spike said as he has trouble breathing from the tight hug. Natsu puts Spike down. "If you're wondering where Happy is, I teleported him to Gajeel so they both can go to the lacrima and free the others." 

"Also, why are you carrying a backpack for?" Natsu asks. 

Spike sighs. "I made cookies as a gift for all of you, knowing that July 7th is a day when your dragons disappeared. Now we should-" Natsu interrupts Spike's speech as he reaches for a cookie and eats it. 

"Holy crap! Spike! This cookie is delicious!" Natsu grabs more to chow down.

"Hey, how many did you made?" Wendy asks. 

"Twelve dozens. But now, I'm down to six. Turns out the cookies played a pivotal part in the journey," Said Spike. 

Gray reaches and eats a cookie. "Okay, this is delicious," He takes a few more. 

"Hey! We can't be snacking!" Carla profusely said. 

"Can't fight hungry too," Gray said in response. Carla sighs. 

Wendy tries one and falls in love. "Wow, this is soo good," She eats a few more. 

Lucy tries one for herself. She's amazed at how delicious a cookie tastes from Spike's baking skills. 

Carla finally relents and tries one, so she doesn't feel left out. "Okay, if I had tea, this would have been perfect." 

A few moments later, after everyone has their fill. 

"Alright, are you guys ready? Let's go find the King and stop him from crashing that lacrima!" Natsu announces. 

"Yea!" Spike, Lucy, and Gray said,  running in the direction where the two Erzas are fighting. 

"No, wait!" Natsu alarms them. "That's where the two monsters are fighting. We should go this way," Natsu points a different direction. 

"We can't leave Erza to defend herself," Lucy objects. 

"I'll go," Said Spike. "I have a feeling that both Erzas are at an impasse. With me in the fray, Erza will succeed." 

"Alright then, wish you luck, Spike," Natsu said, saluting to Spike. Natsu, Gray, and Lucy run together in a different direction leaving Carla, Wendy, and Spike. 

"Carla, I think you should warn the cats in Extalia," Spike suggests. 

"I agree," Said Wendy. 

"No! Absolutely not!" Carla refuses to help Extalia. 

"We need to warn them about the Royal Army's plan and help everyone escape," Said Wendy in her defense. 

"I don't understand. I thought we're going to stop the attack," Said Carla. 

"There is no way we can allow the King to do whatever he wants! I know Natsu and the others will stop him!" Wendy shouts. 

"Plus, what if the King and the Royal Army have other weapons to utilize and we can be totally unaware of," Spike chimes in the discussion. "I don't know what happened with you and the experience you have with Extalia. But no one should die under the King's cruel wrath." 

Carla takes it all in, and still, she refuses to help. She looks at Wendy and Spike in the eyes. 

"You know, it has nothing to do with being Human or Exceed," Said Wendy calmly and reassuringly. 

"Exceed?" Spike is confused. 

"It's the race that Carla and Happy are, Spike." 

"Oooooh," Spike understands. 

"If there is something we can do as fellow living beings, then we have to do it," Wendy said. 

"Save the Exceeds?" Carla thought to herself and relives her short time in Edolas. 

"I promise I will always be by your side. No need to be afraid. Kay?" Wendy smiles. 

"I too, will be your friend. Through the good, the bad, the ugly, and through everything else that life dishes at us," Said Spike wholeheartedly. 

Carla smiles. Spike pulls Wendy and Carla into a warm hug. A moment later, they stop. 

"Alright, Wendy, let's go," Carla spread her wings. 

"I wish you two luck," Spike starts running in the direction where the two Erzas are fighting. 

"Good luck!" Wendy shouts. 

Wendy and Carla leave and fly up to Extalia. Spike continues to run and hopefully hear the sounds of Erza's roar as she fights. 

"I'm coming, Sis." Spike thought to himself as he runs. 

Erza Scarlet and Erza Knightwalker are fighting as the two are on par. They compliment each other on their skills a little. Erza Scarlet is fighting in her Flame Empress Armor, then gets blasted from behind, allowing Knightwalker to gain the upper advantage, striking and knocking Erza down hard with her flame explosion attack. 

"Nice of you to drop by. Thanks for the assist," Erza Knightwalker smirks. 

"Who is that?" Erza Scarlet gets up. She sees a hooded man drop from the ceiling. 

"I knew you needed my help. I heard from the soldiers what you've encountered." 

"Wait.., why does he..," Erza Scarlet sees who the guy is. He's wearing a purple hooded assassin's uniform, black boots, a skull chain necklace, dark purple jeans. He has a green mohawk, and his eyes are green as well. His weaponry consists of dual-wield pistols, a green sword, a purple and green bow, and arrows. "No..," Erza pants as she's trembling a little. 

"Now, we can end this," Knightwalker places her hand on the guy's shoulder. He's six feet two inches tall. "Spike Knightwalker."
> Day 3 in Edolas: War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sp-Spike.., Knightwalker..?" Erza Scarlet said in shock. She didn't think that there'll be a Spike in Edolas. 

"So, they were right, Erza of Earth Land," Spike Knightwalker wields his pistol. His voice is like Spike's but sounds sadistic. 

Erza is seeing Spike Knightwalker but, she imagines seeing the Spike she knows and loves. The Spike she knows is from Equestria, so where does this Spike come from?

"Mother, she seems to be in a trance," Spike Knightwalker said. 

"Mother?" Erza Scarlet said in shock once more. 

"Let's finish her and proceed as plan, son," Erza Knightwalker said. 

"Erza! Erza!" Spike shouts as he enters the battlefield. He sees someone next to Captain Knightwalker. 

Spike Knightwalker is stunned to see a baby dragon that sounds exactly like him. He fires a magic bullet at him. Spike counters with a flame bullet of his own by mimicking a gun movement with his claw. The two magic bullets collide and disintegrates. 

"Spike, that's," Spike Knightwalker interrupts Scarlet's speech. 

"Spike Knightwalker. Who the hell are you?" 

"Spike the Fairy!" Spike proudly claims, pointing his thumb on his chest where his Fairy Tail emblem is. 

Spike Knightwalker has this sinister look on his face. He draws his second pistol. "I'm going to enjoy this, mother. I'll trust you to take on the Earth Lander as you can trust me to kill the baby dragon." 

"Good. Later tonight, we'll be having roasted dragon." 

Erza Scarlet grits her teeth. She requips into her Flight Armor and lunges at Erza Knightwalker. 

"Go, Sis!" Spike cheers. 

"Sis? How profound!" Spike Knightwalker is wearing a backpack that transforms into a jetpack and flies at Spike the Fairy. 

Spike the Fairy uses his fire breath on Spike Knightwalker, teleporting him behind. 

"What?" Spike Knightwalker can't believe his counterpart used a teleportation spell. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Spike the Fairy breathes Sparkling Green Flames at Spike Knightwalker, hurling him into several concrete walls. 

"Son of a bitch," Spike Knightwalker removes his jetpack and sends it hurling at Spike the Fairy. 

"That's what you are!" Spike the Fairy responds and uses his fire breath, teleporting the jetpack at Spike Knightwalker's back. The jetpack explodes on contact. "Gotcha." Spike Knightwalker is channeling the explosion into his dual-wield pistols. "What!? How!?"

Spike Knightwalker smirks. "As long as I am able to wield a weapon, I have a unique ability to channel all forms of energy into my weapons," Spike Knightwalker is powering up his guns. "Locked on loaded, punk." 

Spike the Fairy's claws glow Sparkling Green. He claps his claws, creating the metallic flame sword. Both Spikes charge at each other, roaring loudly. 

Meanwhile, Erza Scarlet and Erza Knightwalker continue their fight in a different room of the tower. 

"Tell me, how do you know him?" Scarlet demands as she's confused about Knightwalker's son. 

"I found him naked on the streets outside the Royal City's borders eight years ago. He was nine at the time. I helped him, trained him, cared for him. He's a Knightwalker. A trained assassin. How did you found that ridiculous baby dragon!" Knightwalker uses her spear to attack Erza. 

Erza Scarlet uses her sword to block the attack. "He came to Fairy Tail months ago after running away from a different planet. He was used and abused on so many levels it makes me sick. I won't allow you nor your son kill him!" 

"We're not going to kill him. We're going to eat him too!" 

"Over my dead body!" Scarlet shouts. 

"That can be rearranged!" Knightwalker shouts as the two clashes again. 

Spike the Fairy and Spike Knightwalker are fighting in the main hallway. Each of them has some bruises on their bodies from the magic attacks. 

"I gotta admit, for a half-pint of a dragon, you're not bad," Spike Knightwalker chuckles. 

"I've dealt with worse. One thing that's been bothering me. How did you end up with Erza Knightwalker?" 

"Want to know, huh, might as well tell you, then I'll stab you. Eight years ago, I ran away from a horrid caregiver named Twilight Sparkle. She and her friends inflicted pain and suffering throughout my childhood. Always making me do their chores, support them, chain me up in the basement for not completing my tasks fast enough, starved me, beat me up, and whipped me. I was basically their slave, an object of their amusement. One night, when they chained me, they forgot to lock the chains. I escaped from the basement and ran for my life. I was naked when I ran; it was humiliating.  I found a bench while it was raining and cried under the bench. That's when my mother found me. Erza Knightwalker. She was touched by my story and decided to adopt me right then and there." 

"Twilight Sparkle. Let me guess; her friends are Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash?" 

"Was," Spike Knightwalker corrects Spike the Fairy. "After my mom took me in, trained me as a Knightwalker. I decided to pay the bitches a visit a few years later. They were pissed and demanded me to work until I shot and killed Rarity with the same pistol I'm holding," There's a dried bloodstain on the pistol's muzzle. "The girls were begging for forgiveness after realizing how strong and powerful I was compared to them as they didn't know what they were doing. I took liberty of slaughtering each one of my tormentors.  I saved Twilight Sparkle for last. I chained her up the same way she did to me; I used barbed wire as my whip. I relished each cry of mercy she gave for an hour. She apologized for her gruesome behavior but, I didn't listen. I slit her throat with a knife, so I can watch her die," Spike Knightwalker laughs maniacally and insanely. "As for the Guild Masters, they were beaten and hung the next day."

Spike the Fairy's jaw drops in horror. He didn't think that Edolas Twilight and her friends were that cruel compared to what he endured. 

"Were Twilight and her friends.., ponies?" 

"Ponies?" Spike Knightwalker laughs sinisterly. "That's a good one. Twilight, Rarity, and the rest of those scumbags were wizards of a Dark Guild known as the Celestials. Their Guild Masters were known as Celestia and Luna. They needed ample magic power to transfer into six elemental stones. They kidnapped orphans to raise as batteries for their magic. When the orphans have no more to give, it's either death or enslavement until they get bored. I'm the only one that got to live and tell the story of what the Dark Guild was capable of doing. How ironic, their purposes of channeling magic energy into elemental stones is what I'm doing. The difference is, I use the energy around me, and they use orphans to build up these elements of fiendship by making the orphans feel misery every day.  Anyway, going back to the story, I convinced the King of Edolas to have all Dark Guilds disbanded and drained of their magic power as it'll be more useful for the cause. Any guilds that ignore the declaration were to be arrested or put to death. I have the privilege of slaughtering numerous Dark Guilds without mercy. One remains, the Fairy Tail Guild. However, I managed to kill a couple, slow and painfully," Spike Knightwalker smiles as he enjoys reliving the moment of killing some Fairy Tail Wizards. 

"That's beyond wrong..," Spike the Fairy is in shock. 

"Just last month, I took down Gildarts, Fairy Tail's Guild Master!" Spike Knightwalker chuckles sinisterly.

"Unbelievable..." 

"There are a few Fairies I need to finish off. Especially one that somehow survived two years ago. That Fairy escaped my clutches many times thanks to her friends. Earth Land's Fairy Tail, however, is a threat and needs to be dealt with immediately. Before I end you, what's your story?"   

"Similar to yours, but I'm from a different world. I was used and abused but, I didn't kill my caregiver nor her friends. Twilight Sparkle and her friends are in Equestria, alive and well.  I asked a friend, and he sent me to Earth Land. Erza Scarlet and I have a brother-sister-type relationship." 

"You're weak!" Spike Knightwalker feels conflicted about his counterpart. "You allow those that tormented you for years to live life scot-free?! Are you crazy!? They deserve to die. Now," Spike Knightwalker powers up. "Prepare to diiiiiie!" He shoots Spike the Fairy with his pistols once more. 

Spike the Fairy jumps in the air. "Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike the Fairy slashes his sword in mid-air. Sparkling Green Flame slicers are heading towards Spike Knightwalker.

"Shit!" Spike Knightwalker jumps back and shoots at the flame slicers. His magic bullets neutralize the flame slicers. "That does it," Spike Knightwalker reaches for his bow and arrow. He shoots an arrow penetrating Spike the Fairy's knee. 

"Gaaaaaah!" Spike the Fairy cries in pain a little. 

"Gotcha!" He pulls on the ropes towards him. 

"Fairy Dragon Roooooooooooooar!" Spike Knightwalker pulls out his green sword and slashes Spike the Fairy's breath attack. His sword is capable of slicing the flames in half; he punches Spike the Fairy in the face. Spike hurls back a little from the punch. 

Spike the Fairy gets up and conjures a fireball as Spike Knightwalker steadies his bow and arrow. "Not on my watch, Arrow Sparrow!" Spike Knightwalker releases a barrage of arrows heading towards Spike the Fairy. The Arrows infuse together into creating an explosion arrow. 

Spike the Fairy smirks, which startles Spike Knightwalker a bit. His arrows are now infused with Spike the Fairy's fireball as it starts changing color. From Sparkling Green into Sparkling Orange-Green. He now realizes a fatal flaw with his Arrow Sparrow attack. 

"Inferno Exploding Wave!" Spike the Fairy presses the fireball with his claws creating a heat cannon. 

"Shit shit shit shit!" Spike Knightwalker shields the attack with his sword. He feels the full force of pressure from the attack as he holds his ground. 

Spike the Fairy uses his fire breath to teleport behind Spike Knightwalker. He takes Knightwalker's pistol and shoots him in the back several times. 

"Aaaaaaah!" Spike Knightwalker yells in pain. On instinct, he turns but sees Spike the Fairy teleporting away only to be hit with Spike the Fairy's Inferno Exploding Wave. 

The main hallway explodes as Spike takes cover. The hallway is surging with sparkling orange-green flames. Spike Knightwalker is on the floor as he's burnt. He's knocked out due to the explosion. Spike looks around and decides to look for Erza and help her defeat the other Knightwalker. He runs in the direction, hoping to find her. 

Ten minutes later, Spike runs into Erza but, it was Knightwalker. She stares down at Spike the Fairy. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack.

"I was proud of you when you took down Midnight on you're own," Erza said as she smiles. 

Spike stops his breath attack. He hugs Erza. "I'm glad you've won."

"Likewise. However, we will have to put up a little charade. I'm going to 'capture' you as well as a few others."

"Alright, then," Spike understands as Erza carries him. 

"So, anything you learn about Spike Knightwalker?" Erza walks down the hallway disguised as Knightwalker. 

"He has a similar life as me but in much more cruel details. He was taken care of by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. However, in this world, they were wizards of a Dark Guild. Since then, Knightwalker trained Spike, and he turned into a killer. One that relishes the suffering of his victims, thus going into a sadistic insanity. He killed Twilight and her friends viciously. He takes pleasure in hunting and torturing Fairy Tail Wizards as well as other wizards from other Dark Guilds. He's keen on someone who survived an attack two years ago. Wanting to end that life." 

"Wow, that's uh..," Erza is a bit disturbed to hear that. 

"I know, he's the opposite of me. I'm sane, and he's insane. His weaponry is similar to mine. The thing is, I haven't increased my size against him." 

"Good, Spike," Erza and Spike sees an amusement park and follow a trail after hearing Natsu's voice and his smoke. 

"I'll act all defeated and such," Spike closes his eyes and limps in Erza's clutches. 

Erza walks down the path where she saw Natsu's smoke trail. "So, I found you, and it seems you have the key." 

"Whoa, it's Erza," Natsu said in shock. He can't believe that Erza Scarlet lost. 

"Oh no, Spike!" Gray shouts. He holds an Ice-Make Dragon Key. 

"No way, our Erza lost?" 

Erza smirks, and after a few moments, she knocks both of them out. She drags the three to the Dragon Chain Cannon storage room. 

"Glad to see you are unharmed, Captain Knightwalker." 

"You idiot, she's obviously harmed. Do you need assistance, Captain?"

"Don't trouble yourselves," Erza said. 

"May I ask who these men are?" 

"Keys to the Dragon Chain Cannon," Erza responds. She has Natsu and Gray tied up. Spike is in her arms. 

"What about the dragon?" 

"A gift for my son. His Majesty is inside?"

"Of course, Captain." 

The door to the Dragon Chain Cannon opens. 

"We're very close, men; everlasting power is in reach," Erza proclaims. She drags Gray and Natsu while carrying Spike in her arms to the King of Edolas. 

King of Edolas Faust sees Erza Knightwalker bringing prisoners to him. He becomes delighted to see Erza as she's successful in retrieving the Dragon Key that was taken from him a while ago. He becomes elated to see a baby dragon and wonders how it came to Edolas. 

"I heard you successfully retrieved the key. Is this true?" Faust said. 

"Not entirely your majesty, it was destroyed." 

"Explain yourself," Faust demands. 

Erza shoves Gray to the ground. "This one can fabricate a working copy." 

"Not happening," Gray retorts. 

"And who is this?" Faust asks. 

"He's an Earth Land Wizard, Sir. And, a comrade of the Dragon Slayers," Erza replies. Gray growls a little. 

"Is that so? Is he connected to the lacrima that vanished from the plaza?

"He is, indeed."

"Free him now and have him produce this key immediately." 

Erza frees Gray and places a sword near Natsu's throat. Spike is listening to what's going on. He has his eyes shut like he's defeated. 

"Get up, Earth Land Wizard, and don't do anything rash," Erza commands. Gray gets up and feast his eyes on the Dragon Chain Cannon. "You will activate the Dragon Chain Cannon." 

The structure of the Dragon Chain features two heads of King Faust standing side by side. Each head consists of large statued-like wings; the cannon is facing vertically. There are a hundred Royal Soldiers lined up. Fifty on one side and fifty on the other. 

"So this is it, huh? It's not quite what I imagined it would look like. This is going to be way too complicated than I thought." Gray thought to himself. 

"Quit stalling," Erza commands, keeping the sword close to Natsu's throat. 

"I got no other choice," Gray uses his ice magic to create the Dragon Key he destroyed earlier when he fought one of the Captains of the Royal Army. 

Everyone in the room except for Erza, Natsu, and Spike becomes bewildered. They start questioning the different sides of Earth Land magic. 

"Back off, I'm not some kind of circus freak," Gray walks to the Dragon Chain Cannon mechanism. He inserts the key and activates it. "This is going to be my only chance."

Everyone sees the Dragon Chain Cannon lighting up and powering up. The eyes of the statue light up. Everyone is overwhelmed with its power as King Faust rejoices. 

"Yes, this is a glorious day in our kingdom!" King Faust laughs victoriously. 

The Royal City illuminates with magic power as everyone celebrates the welcoming of a new era. Gray is wondering how to aim the Dragon Chain Cannon, knowing that using it will bring destruction to Extalia. He wonders where the controls to the Dragon Chain Cannon as King Faust laughs in victory. The Royal City's manufactures start changing. Walls are rising as the Royal City starts to look like a cannon for the Dragon Chain. 

"Prepare to fire!" King Faust commands. 

"No!" Gray shouts. 

Erza whispers in Natsu and Spike's ear. "Now's our time," Erza shoves Natsu and lets go of Spike. "Natsu, Spike!"

"We're here!" Natsu and Spike said. Their bodies are ablaze with fire. 

"What?" King Faust turns. 

"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Fire blazes from Natsu's elbows hitting the Royal Soldiers. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooooar!" Spike uses his breath attack. Sparkling Green fire burns the Royal Soldiers. 

"It burns!" All the Royal Soldiers complain and cry in pain. 

"What's going on here?" King Faust is confused. "What's the meaning of this." 

Natsu and Spike smirk as they face the King. His Royal Soldiers are defeated and riving in agony. 

"I'm calling off the launch!" Erza said, now holding her sword at Faust's throat. 

"You traitor! How dare you?!" King Faust is irate at Erza Knightwalker. Gray, Natsu, and Spike smile as everyone else have no idea what's going on. "You are playing with fire, Erza." 

Erza requips into her normal outfit. Everyone now realizes that this Erza is an Earth Lander. "My name is Erza Scarlet. I'm an Earth Land Wizard."

King Faust glares at Erza. 

"Then, why is there a baby dragon present?!" King Faust looks at Spike. 

"My name is Spike. Spike the Fairy!" 

The King and Royal Soldiers gasp in horror. 

"Holy Hell! That Earth Lander is our Spike Knightwalker!"

"His counterpart is a baby dragon?!" 

"Spike Knightwalker?!" Gray and Natsu shout, imagining how scary Spike Knightwalker could be. 

"One thing for sure, they actually fell for it! Good ole plan D! Deceive the Royal Army Dummies!" Natsu said, feeling more confident. 

"I want you to aim the cannon directly at the lacrima!" Erza demands. 

"And I want you to fire it now! At the original target!" King Faust commands. 

The Royal Soldiers are confused. They don't know what to do in a hostage situation. Either listen to their King or listen to Era Scarlet. Natsu made it clear that they'll do whatever it takes to turn their friends back to normal and save Magnolia, that they shouldn't ever mess with the Fairy Tail Guild.  After some thinking, the Royal Soldiers complies to set fire the Dragon Chain at the lacrima. 

"You fools! You're throwing away our chance for everlasting magic power!" King Faust said. 

Erza and King Faust are looking up at the Dragon Chain. Erza sees someone coming down. 

"SCARLET!" Erza Knightwalker returns to attack Erza Scarlet. 

Erza Scarlet shoves the King to defend herself. 

"Captain Knightwalker!" King Faust is happy to see her Erza back in action and ready to take control. 

"Change coordinates to the original target!" 

"I thought I was through with you, Knightwalker!" 

"I don't give up so easily, Scarlet! Now, prepare to fall!"

"Fire!" King Faust commands. He laughs maniacally. 

Everyone is watching as the Dragon Chain powers up. No one, daring to move as everyone is astonished. Spike, Natsu, Gray, and Erza Scarlet are stunned beyond belief to watch it unfolding while the Soldiers rejoice. The head of the Dragon Chain roars, causing everyone's jaws to drop. The Dragon Chain looks alive as it's fired into the sky. It targets the lacrima floating island where Gajeel and Happy are. Due to their time fighting in the tower, Gajeel and Happy were engaging with the First Captain of the Royal Army Magic Warfare Unit Panther Lily in battle. 

Panther Lily is like a black panther, but he has a tall, muscular build similar to a human while wearing body armor. 

"Attachment complete! Smash it into the Exceed's Kingdom at once!" King Faust decrees. 

"NO!" Spike shouts in horror. 

"WE CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN!" Natsu shouts. 

Something huge smashes into the Dragon Chain Cannon Chambers. Coco and Lucy are riding on a Legion to rescue their friends. A Legion is a  massive, swine-esque entity that's for both combat and transportation purposes. It's covered in smooth, dark fur, possesses a very flat, pointed, angular head, and large, round, beady eyes. A Legion can fly, have immense speeds and strengths. 

"Hey, you guys!" Lucy shouts as the Legion lands. 

"What is that thing?!" Spike, Gray, and Natsu said in unison.

"Get on right now!" Lucy demands. 

Spike, Gray, Erza, and Natsu climb on the Legion. The Royal Soldiers are puzzled by this encounter. 

"How is this possible? How can she control a Legion?" King Faust asks in great confusion. 

"It's because this one is mine!" Coco said. Coco is a small yet fast, barefooted girl who serves as a messenger. She looks like a puppy, with a small nose and a green headgear possessing her large floppy ears. She has brown eyes and long brown hair. She's wearing a yellow dress over a dark blue, skin-tight bodysuit that runs from the middle of her forearms down to her shoulders. She wears white gloves on both hands and is barefooted.

"Coco," King Faust now has hatred for Coco. 

"Are we going to stop it with this thing?" Natsu asks while the Legion takes off. 

"We never know until we try," Said Lucy. 

As the Legion takes flight, Erza Scarlet and Erza Knightwalker stare at each other. Then Erza Knightwalker cuts her hair with a dagger. Every Royal Soldier is in awe and scared by Knightwalker's action. The Legion has left the Kingdom. 

"Knightwalker," A Royal Soldier comes in, carrying Spike Knightwalker. 

"Spike!" Erza Knightwalker shoves the soldier aside and holds Spike Knightwalker. 

"Mother..," Spike Knightwalker sheds a tear, knowing he failed as his PTSD kicks in, thinking he'll be whipped and starved. "I'm.., sorry...." 

"Get me the adrenaline healing shot now! Or I'll cut some heads off!" 

"Yes, Ma'am!" The Royal Guards hurry to get the medicine. 

Erza Knightwalker rubs Spike Knightwalker's head, making him feel that his PTSD is an illusion. She's pissed off. She will mount the head of Fairy Dragon in their home when this is all over. Spike Knightwalker's body burnt to a crisp. He has a scar on his eye, which is new to him and her. 

"Mother.., I want another chance.., to prove myself.., to.., you..," Spike Knightwalker said in tears. 

"You've already shown me on numerable occasions. However, I will grant you another chance to have a go at it. Today, the Kingdom will rise as everything else falls."

The Royal Soldiers return with the adrenaline healing shot. Erza Knightwalker takes it and stabs Spike Knightwalker's arm with it. Spike Knightwalker's body starts healing rapidly, as he's no longer burnt. His scar, however, remains in place. Spike Knightwalker gets up, feeling better than ever. 

"Let's bring them to their knees," Erza Knightwalker reaches her hand to Spike. 

"Tonight," Spike Knightwalker grabs his mother's hand. "We go to WAR!" Spike Knightwalker lifts his green sword in the air. The Royal Soldiers shout their warcries. 

"Prepare the Second Magic Warfare Unit Legion Platoon, now!" Erza Knightwalker commands. She walks with Spike Knightwalker to her Legion, the Royal Soldiers complies. 

"I will be going as well. Prepare to deploy the Dorma Anim," King Faust commands. The Royal Soldiers proclaim that the spell is forbidden until King Faust threatens them. They comply, not wanting to upset their King any longer. 

The Legion is catching up to the lacrima. Spike, Erza, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Coco see the lacrima moving already. The Legion slams itself into the lacrima, trying to push it the other way. The lacrima is nearing Extalia. 

"It's not going to work, it got too much mass and momentum," Gray said. 

"If we fall, we'll do so with the rest of Magnolia," Said Erza. 

"Don't worry! We'll save you guys!" Natsu runs on the Legion's head and tries to use his strength to push the lacrima island. 

"Natsu!" Happy flies down to see Natsu. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..," Happy wants to say he's sorry, that he and Carla had no intentions of betraying him and Wendy for Extalia's purposes. 

"Give me a hand, buddy, would you?" Natsu smiles at his friend. 

"Aye, sir!" Happy complies with helping his best friend wholeheartedly. 

Gajeel smiles and calls for a temporary truce against Panther Lily; to help the others stop the lacrima island from crashing into Extalia. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size. Coco's jaws drop to see Spike increasing his size for the first time. Spike becomes a quarter size of a dragon. His spikes from his body enlarges, his claws become sharper, his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. 

"Whoa!" Coco is amazed by the dragon's size. 

"Way to go, Spike! Now push it!" Gajeel said. He jumps down on top of the Legion's head to push the lacrima. 

"SPIKE?!" Coco shouts, then it hits her. This Spike is Spike Knightwalker's counterpart. 

Spike pushes the lacrima island.  His size and strength help slow down the lacrima a bit but, it's not enough. 

"Whoa," Panther Lily sees Spike for the first time. He knows even with the dragon's strength isn't enough to stop the lacrima from annihilating Extalia. 

The lacrima island is halted, with everyone using the Extalia island's rock as leverage. 

"Don't give up! We can still push this thing back!" Natsu encouragingly shouts to motivate everyone. 

"AYE, SIR!" Happy continues to push his hardest with everything he has. 

"Keep pushing!" Spike roars his warcry as he pushes with all his might. 

"We're not giving up!" Lucy shouts. 

Panther Lily sees Coco pushing the lacrima island. "Coco, what are you doing?"

"Lily," Coco responds. "You're still in one piece. I'm glad. Who needs eternal magic power when you can have eternal smiles?" Coco smiles as she pushes. 

"What kind of nonsense is that?! You have to get out of here, Coco!" Panther Lily pleas. "These people can't stop Extalia's destruction!" 

"Don't be so sure," Natsu retorts. "If there's one thing Fairy Tail Wizards always prove is that nothing is impossible!" Natsu roars. 

"You tell him, Natsu!" Spike pushes more. "Spike wants more!" Spike increases his size more as his strength intensifies. He roars louder that could send shivers through the heavens. 

Panther Lily is appalled by everyone's willpower to achieve the impossible. 

"Keep it up! I can feel a change in pace!" Natsu shouts as Spike is reaching his size limitations. 

"I can't increase my size any further! This is the largest I've accomplished!" Spike shouts as he pushes. 

"Keep going!" Erza shouts. "Use every magic power you got and push!" 

An Exceed made her way to the lacrima island and help push it. She's next to Happy, pushing the lacrima as hard as she can. 

"Carla! It's you!" Happy joyfully shouts. 

"I'm not giving up! I'll protect Fairy Tail and Extalia! I can't watch my homes be destroyed!" Carla shouts. 

Another Exceed shouts and crashes headfirst into the lacrima island, pushing with all of his might. Then, all Exceeds from Extalia ascend and make their way to the lacrima island. Panther Lily and Carla see that they're coming. Hundreds of Exceeds flying together to help push the lacrima island away from their home. One of them is carrying Wendy. 

"We can do this!" Spike shouts, seeing all the Exceeds coming to push the lacrima island away from Extalia. "Keep believing and keep pushing!" Spike roars louder. 

"For Fairy Tail!" Gray, Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Lucy, Erza, Spike, and Gajeel shout in unison. 

"For Extalia!" The Exceeds shout in unison. 

They all roar as they push. With everyone on board to push, the lacrima island is slowing down. Panther Lily sees the Queen of Extalia falling and saves her. He tells her that it's all his fault, that he could have prevented all of this from happening. He cries as he admits that Extalia is still his home, despite being banished for saving a young human child. 

Spike gets an idea and jumps onto Extalia's land; he runs a little and turns with great force. He charges into the lacrima island. His strength and speed help push the lacrima island even more as everyone continues to give it their all. After a few seconds, the lacrima island stops, saving Extalia from impending doom. 

"They push the lacrima in a safe distance away..," Panther Lily is in awe at the accomplishment. 

"What's happening?!" Spike shouts as a light beam hits the lacrima. 

Gray, Natsu, Erza, Wendy, and Lucy are bewildered by the sight. They are confused with the situation after pushing it. The lacrima implodes as everyone is blown away. Several Exceeds catches Erza, Gray, and Lucy. Happy catches Natsu as Carla catches Wendy. As for Spike, multiple Exceeds caught him due to his sheer size. 

"Boy, you're heavy," The Exceed said as well as six others. 

"Sorry, I didn't get to shrink down to normal size," Spike does so, allowing the Exceeds to hold him in flight better. Only one is holding onto him. 

"The lacrima, it's gone," Said Erza in shock. 

The island supporting the lacrima is gone. The Dragon Chain vanishes. Everyone wonders what happened to the lacrima. 

"Are they.., dead?" Spike asks. 

"Don't worry, they're all safe and sound," Mystogan said, riding a white legion. 

"Mystogan," Erza said. 

"Sorry for the delay. Finding an adequate Anima vestige to restore everything took longer than I thought. Without your efforts, I would have never made it in time. You have my gratitude." 

"Everyone's back to normal?" Happy asks Mystogan. 

"Yes, by passing through the Anima again, the lacrima will return to its original form in Earth Land. It's finally over." 

Everyone cheers in celebration. The Exceeds are delighted to know that their home is safe and sound. Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Wendy, Carla, and Erza celebrate happily, knowing that their guild is safe from harm's way. 

"Lily, long ago, you saved my life. I'm glad that I can return the favor today," Mystogan smiles at Lily since it's been ages for him since he last saw him. 

"Yes, I couldn't begin to thank you, My Prince," Panther Lily smiles in tears. 

"The long-lost Prince is home at last," Coco said in tears. 

"He's what?!" Lucy said in shock. 

"Look out!" Spike conjures a flaming metallic shield behind Lily. It blocks a magic beam shot from Spike Knightwalker on a Legion not far off. 

"What in the world?!" Mystogan shouts. Everyone turns to see the shield Spike placed. 

"DAMN YOU TO HELL, FAIRY DRAGON!" Spike Knightwalker shouts. He has a magic sniper in his hands. 

"We're not done here! Destroy every last one of them!" Erza Knightwalker commands. 

"It's the Edolas Erza," Said Natsu. 

"And Spike Knightwalker," Panther Lily said. 

"Spike Knightwalker?!" Happy, Carla, Wendy, Gajeel, and Lucy said in shock. 

"Scarlet!" Erza Knightwalker calls out Erza. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike Knightwalker calls out Spike, demanding a rematch. 

"Let me handle this," Said Mystogan, hoping to resolve the issue before it takes a turn. "I had enough of your insolence, Captain Knightwalker. You as well, Lieutenant Spike Knightwalker. How dare you point your weaponry at me! The Royal Prince of Edolas." 

"You're banished! Why else you were dumped in that other planet, jackass!" Spike Knightwalker answers. 

King Faust laughs. "You the Royal Prince of Edolas? Don't make me laugh. You don't deserve the title because I never thought of you as my son!" 

"That's the King's voice," Said Coco. 

"Yea, where the heck is he?" Lucy asks. 

"You have some nerve. You can't run off for seven years, and suddenly Walt's back in as though as nothing happened. Do you think you can fool me? I know you've been at Earth Land sealing all the Animas. You're a traitor, and as such, you need to be punished; for your actions." 

"Where's the voice coming from?" Wendy asks. 

"No idea, he sounds angry," Said Carla. 

"Come on, show yourself, bucko!" Natsu demands. 

"Come out and face us!" Happy said. 

"Your Anima plan has failed. Please surrender peacefully," Mystogan decrees. "You have no reason to fight anymore." 

"Ridiculous! Who said I need a reason to fight!" A green aura is lighting on a small island where there is a desolate coliseum. 

"You guys hear that? It sounds like it's coming from underground," Gray said as everyone sees where the green light is illuminating.   

"Feeling the magic power building up in the air?" Lucy asks as she's sensing the magic power buildup. 

"This is not a simple fight; this is retribution. The extermination of all who would dare to oppose their King," A metallic egg rises from the ground. 

"What is that thing?" Lucy asks. 

"Some kind of magic weapon?" Gray answers, not knowing what else it can be. 

"Since you and your meddlesome friends insist on standing in my way, I have no choice but to obliterate each and every one of you. Regardless of who you are!"

"Father, please," Mystogan pleas to stop the senseless violence. 

"I'm not your father! I am the King of Edolas! If I dispose of you here and now, I will no longer have to worry about you sealing away my Animas at Earth Land. I'll be free to create another giant lacrima and fuse it with the Exceeds. Limitless magic power will be mine!" King Faust unveils his weapon into an Artificial Dragon known as Dorma Anim. He laughs sinisterly. "Try as you might; there is no stopping me! I am the King! My power is absolute!" As King Faust declares who he is, the Artificial Dragon roars. 

"It's the Dorma Anim, Gajeel! The one I mentioned to you the other day!" Spike said. 

"That's what it looks like, the only Dragon in Edolas," Gajeel couldn't believe he's seeing the Dorma Amin. 

"Dorma Anim, Dragon Knight," Prince Jellal said. "It's enhanced dragon armor!" 

"It's an enhanced armor made from an anti-magic lacrima called Wizard Canceller. It's bad news for us because our attacks will not have any effects on it," Coco explains what the armor does. "The King must be inside of it. He's controlling the Dorma Anim's every move." 

"As your King, I order you to capture the Exceeds at once!" The Royal Soldiers comply. 

"Hurry! Fly for your lives!" Princes Jellal warns. The Exceeds flee. 

The Royal Soldiers fire lacrima transfer cannons at the Exceeds, turning them into magic lacrimas. 

"Do your best to protect the Exceeds from the Royal Army. I'm going to try and take down Erza Knightwalker," Erza said to everyone. 

Panther Lily flies over to Prince Jellal as he's with everyone on Coco's Legion. 

"I can't fight Spike Knightwalker. The dragon down there, I have more of a chance stopping that than anyone." 

"We got it, Spike," Natsu said, throwing the thumbs up. 

"Who better to stop a dragon," Said Gajeel. 

"Than three Dragon Slayers," Wendy said. 

Panther Lily approaches Spike. "I could handle the boy scout," Referring to Spike Knightwalker.

"You need a weapon? I can conjure you one," Said Spike. 

"You can?" Lily asks. 

Spike's claws start glowing. He claps them together and stretches, making a sparkling metallic sword but, this sword has an added ability. He gives it to Panther Lily. 

"The sword I just gave you, you can create the effects of it by using your memory. However, there are two side effects. One, the sword will carry the weakness of the weapon you choose. Two, the sword will only be active for an hour." 

Panther Lily smirks. The sword in his paw recreates his Bustermarm sword that was destroyed in his last fight against Gajeel. It's Sparkling Green to Panther Lily's surprise. 

"I have to admit. This is pretty cool. I'll take down Spike Knightwalker as you help your comrades," Panther Lily's Bustermarm four times taller than he is. The sword is decorated in a way that resembles a monstrous cat's face.

"Thank you," Spike smiles. 

Gajeel chuckles and places his hand on Spike's head. "Now, that that's settled, let's bring that fake dragon down!" 

"Yea!" Natsu, Spike, and Wendy shout. 

Wendy, Gajeel, Spike, and Natsu run and jump off the Legion Coco controls. 

"Where the hell you going?! Fairy Dragon!" Spike Knightwalker aims his bow and arrow and shoots. "Arrow Sparrow!" Panther Lily intercedes with the arrows, destroying them with his Sparkling Bustermarm sword. "You!" Spike Knightwalker sees Panther Lily. 

"I won't have you interfere any longer, boy scout." 

Erza Knightwalker sees Panther Lily. "You traitor, even as a fallen, you're weak!" 

"Eyes open!" Erza Scarlet shouts. She's in her Black Wing Armor, flying straight at Knightwalker. 

"Take care of the cat, then the dragon! I got this bitch!" Erza Knightwalker said. 

"You got it, Mother," Spike Knightwalker activates his jetpack and flies at Panther Lily. He uses his Green sword. "You're going down, cat!" 

"Bring it!" Panther Lily flies at Spike Knightwalker, getting ready to clash. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu's fist is ablaze with fire as it damages the Dorma Anim. 

"What in the name of?" King Faust said. "The Dorma Anim shouldn't be taking any damage!" 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel's iron club hits the Dorma Anim in the chest. It stumbles back. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy conjures her breath attack. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack. 

ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!" The two unite their breath attack. Sparkling Green flares and air winds collide, causing the Dorma Anim to stumble back. Taking more blows than it should have. 

"You little brats!" King Faust angrily expresses. He sees Gajeel, Natsu, Spike, and Wendy together. 

"Nice combo moves, you two," Said Natsu. 

"Thanks," Spike and Wendy said in unison. 

"Geezer, prepare to lose," Said Gajeel. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size one more. His spikes from his body enlarges, his claws become sharper, his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. He tosses his backpack aside. 

"Unbelievable," King Faust sees Spike increasing his size and mass. The Dorma Anim is still bigger than Spike but, it's going to be difficult. 

"Another artificial dragon. This has to be the counterpart of Daphne's artificial dragon. This is my chance to redeem myself from the beating it gave me." Spike thought to himself. 

"Ready?" Wendy asks. 

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu said as he's powering up. 

"Let's do this!" Gajeel said. 

Spike roars his warcry. 

"Oh, swift winds that speed through the heaven!" Wendy uses her Sky Magic by enchanting an incantation. Spike, Gajeel, and Natsu feel super light all of a sudden. "Vernier!"

Natsu and Gajeel hightail at the Dorma Anim as it was charging a breath attack. They dodge as the Dorma Anim fires. Spike decides to eat the flames of the Dorma Anim to regain his strength and magic power. Spike tackles the Dorma Anim head-on.

"This dragon is stronger than it looks?! How can I lock a target on these two moving around so quickly!?" King Faust is getting intimidated. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" 

"Iron Dragon Club!" 

Gajeel and Natsu continue to attack the Dorma Anim as Spike lifts the dragon up. 

"What?! NO!" King Faust gets scared. 

Spike spins the Dorma Anim around and lets it go; the Dorma Anim falls flat. Gajeel and Natsu fly above it, conjuring their breath attacks. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu conjures his breath attack. 

"Iron Dragon!" Gajeel conjures his breath attack. 

"ROOOOOOOOAR!" Their breath attack collides, hitting the back of the Dorma Anim. 

"I don't understand why the Dorma Anim is taking damage! What's wrong with it?!" Spike turns around and has an idea. He runs and jumps off the island. "What's that dragon doing?!" King Faust sees Spike jumping off the island. He programs the Dorma Anim to stand up. 

Spike uses his breath to teleport above the Dorma Anim. "Inferno Blazing Fist!" His claw is ablaze with Sparkle Green Flames as he punches the Dorma Anim on its back. 

"Damn that dragon!" King Faust grabs Spike and tosses him away. Spike hits the wall of the desolate coliseum. 

"Spike, you alright?!" Natsu asks as he continues to attack the Dorma Anim. 

"I'm fine," Spike gets up. 

"That does it!" King Faust is getting pissed off. With the increase in speed and power coming from Wendy, he decides to take her out first. "Launch Dragon Miner Missiles!" Missiles are launched from the Dorma Anim, all heading towards Wendy. 

"Oh no, look out, Wendy!" Natsu said, seeing all those missiles heading directly as Wendy. 

"Don't worry. I can handle this! Vernier!" Wendy dodges the missile strikes as more comes after her. 

"They're tracking her?" Gajeel is amazed to see such weaponry like this.

Unfortunately for Wendy, she trips on a rock. She looks up as Spike shields her from the attacks. 

"Spike!" Wendy shouts. 

Spike takes all the pain from shielding Wendy with his body. He acted fast as all the missiles hit him hard. Gajeel jumps up to destroy the Dorma Anim's missile launchers beyond repair. Two missiles are heading towards Spike. Natsu intercedes them, but they explode, engulfing him in flames. 

"Gotcha!" King Faust proclaims. Knowing he took down Spike and Natsu with his missile strike. 

Natsu eats the fire of the missiles, claiming it's the nastiest fire he ever consumed. Gajeel is eating the tail of the Dorma Anim, claiming that the metal is nasty. 

"Spike, are you okay?" Wendy worriedly asks. 

"Some bumps and bruises. I'll live, hehe," Spike lightly chuckles. 

"Incredible. Are all Earth Land Wizards this powerful?" King Faust asks. "I want their power all to myself. I must have it!" King Faust powers up the Dorma Anim. Vast magic energy streams are flowing into the armor. King Faust uses the energy to tap into Dorma Anim's second transformation. Dorma Anim's Black Sky. 

Dorma Anim's Black Sky stands straight. It's equipped with sword blades on both arms. Its appearance resembles a Dragon Warrior.

Spike's claws glow Sparkling Green. King Faust uses Black Sky to attack Spike first. Spike catches the sword blades on both arms and kicks the Dorma Anim Black Sky a bit. 

"Hah! That barely tickled. In this transformation, Black Sky is invincible! I'm the one dragon none of you will be able to slay." Spike smirks. King Faust sees this. "Why are you smiling?!" 

"This is why!" Spike copies the sword blades. He now has one on each arm, matching the power and intensity of Dorma Anim Black Sky's blades. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike Knightwalker yells. He uses his green sword to cut into Spike's scales on his sides, causing him severe pain. 

"Aaaaaah!" Spike screams in pain as he holds onto his sides. 

"Spike Knightwalker. How pleasant of you to join me," King Faust said. 

"Spike Knightwalker!" Wendy shouts. 

"I had to deal with a certain traitor, my liege. He won't be a nuisance anymore." 

"What did you do to my cat?" Gajeel demands. 

"Stabbed him in the stomach and body multiple times. I watched him fall. I wanted to rip both his wings out but, that'll be stalling my time. I have a score to settle with Fairy Dragon, and I don't care how big he is." 

"You bastard," Gajeel irately said. 

"My liege, take out the supposed Dragon Slayers; you leave the big guy to me." 

"Very well, kill that dragon!" 

"My pleasure," Spike Knightwalker smirks. He flies directly at Spike's head. 

Spike the Fairy shrinks down in size but matches Spike Knightwalker's height. Spike grabs hold of Knightwalker as they fly out of the battlefield. 

"Spike!" Wendy shouts. 

"Leave him be. He can take care of that punk. For now, we have a dragon to slay," Said Gajeel. 

"I'm all fired up now!" Natsu said. 

"For Spike, we will take this dragon down!" Wendy shouts. 

Spike the Fairy and Spike Knightwalker are in the air. They are punching each other in the face. Unfortunately, they weren't looking where they're heading; the two land near the debris of Extalia. Spike the Fairy gets up, using the sword blades that are on his arms. Spike Knightwalker gets up, wielding his green sword and pistol. 

"Good, we're near your Fairy Tail wizards. They shall see your demise!" 

"They'll see victory as you'll fall!" 

The two Spikes battle each other; Spike the Fairy uses one sword blade to attack, the other to deflect Spike Knightwalker's magic bullets. The two move down the road shooting magic bullets at each other. Spike the Fairy mimics his claws as guns while Spike Knightwalker uses his pistols. Then the two clash with their swords. 

"Die damn you!" Spike Knightwalker yells. Spike the Fairy uses his breath to teleport himself behind Spike Knightwalker. "Not this time!" Spike Knightwalker elbows Spike the Fairy in the gut. He kicks his chest so hard Spike is hurling back as he crashes into an abandoned home. Spike Knightwalker takes out his bow and arrow. "Arrow Sparrow!" He fires several exploding arrows as the house explodes. 

Spike the Fairy stands up after the explosion; he pants from the attack. Spike Knightwalker looks at him and shoots a wave of exploding flame arrows. The arrows explode as flames engulfs Spike the Fairy. Spike the Fairy starts eating the fire. 

"What?" Spike Knightwalker sees Spike consuming the fire. 

"My turn," Spike the Fairy's claw is in a C formation. "Flaming Arrows!" Spike the Fairy starts shooting Sparkling Green arrows at Spike Knightwalker. 

"Oh, c'mon!" Spike Knightwalker decides to take the hit so he can transfer those flame arrows into his magic pistols. He removes his assassin's hoodie now that it's burned to a crisp. There are all sorts of scars on his chest and body. It's a reminder of what the Celestials have done to him during his childhood. "Now you're finished." 

Spike the Fairy lunges at Spike Knightwalker. The two shoot and clash with each other in motion. The two are taking blows left and right. Spike the Fairy's sword blade destroys one of Spike Knightwalker's pistols with one slash. Spike Knightwalker destroy Spike the Fairy's left sword blade by shooting at it multiple times. 

Spike Knightwalker grabs Spike the Fairy and flies. Spike the Fairy teleports himself out of Spike Knightwalker's grip using his breath. Spike Knightwalker anticipates a backstab encounter. He turns only to see nothing. 

Spike the Fairy is above him as he falls. "Inferno Blazing Fist!" Spike's claw is ablaze with Sparkle Green Flames as he punches Spike Knightwalker on his head. 

Spike Knightwalker grabs Spike the Fairy's tail as he plummets. The two Spikes crash into the two Erzas that are fighting each other. Spike the Fairy lands on Erza Knightwalker's chest. Spike Knightwalker lands on Erza Scarlet's chest. 

"Ow," Spike Knightwalker sees who he landed on. "Oh shit." 

"Get off of me!" Erza Scarlet punches Spike Knightwalker so hard in the face; he falls off the Extalia debris. 

"Ow," Spike the Fairy sees who he landed on. "Uh oh."

"Get off of me!" Erza Knightwalker punches Spike the Fairy so hard in the face; he falls off the Extalia debris. 

"HEY!" The two Erza glare at each other. "How dare you harm my Spike!" The two clash at each other once more. 

Spike Knightwalker and Spike the Fairy lands on the ground; they see the Royal Army and Edolas Fairy Tail fighting each other. Spike Knightwalker gets up first and takes off his jetpack. He sends it flying at Spike the Fairy. This time, Spike the Fairy wasn't able to counter the jetpack attack. 

"You're finished!" Spike Knightwalker decrees. He shoots at the jetpack as it explodes. 

Spike the Fairy lands a bit farther away from Spike Knightwalker as he is losing his magic energy. He's taken a lot of blows from this encounter. "Damn, he's tougher than before." 

Spike Knightwalker sees Fairy Tail Wizards around, fighting the Royal Army. "Today is my birthday. I have my presents to unwrap," Spike Knightwalker goes up to Max Alors with his green sword. 

"Holy crap! Spike Knightwalker is here!" Max Alors alerts his guildmates. Fairy Tail Wizards that are around Edolas Max Alors panics and scream in terror.

"Slice," Spike Knightwalker said as he uses his green sword to cut Max Alors' ribs. He screams in agony as some blood gets on Spike Knightwalker's mouth. "Fairy blood, my favorite," Spike Knightwalker sadistically said. 

"You're going down this time!" Jet runs up to Spike Knightwalker. 

Spike Knightwalker does a leg sweep and powerbombs Jet to the ground, breaking his back in the process. Jet wails in agony. 

"Don't worry. You'll live. Long enough," Spike Knightwalker steps on Jet's body and continues to move. 

"Spike!" Gray sees Spike the Fairy on the ground, wounded. 

"Got some spare magic energy for me to use?" Spike asks. 

"I thought you were fighting the Dorma Anim?" Gray uses his ice magic to make it edible for Spike to eat. 

"I was. Then Spike Knightwalker showed up. He and I have been fighting since. He's here, and I need to take him down," Spike is slow to get up. 

"Where are you, baby dragon?" Spike Knightwalker smiles devilishly. He comes across another Fairy Tail Wizard and slices his arm off. More blood splatters onto his face as he licks it clean. 

Spike eats Gray's ice as he powers up again. A new surge of energy flows through him. A new element; is now added into his arsenal. Spike's claws are Sparkling Green, but it's colder. 

"I'm ready," Spike the Fairy is now rejuvenated. 

"Well, well, well," Spike Knightwalker approaches Lisanna. 

"Spike!" Lisanna shrieks in fear. 

"You've been running away for far too long. Now," Spike Knightwalker sees Natsu running up to him with enough courage. "Bang," Spike Knightwalker shoots at Natsu's leg, causing him to fall and rive in agony. He turns his attention back at Lisanna. 

"Stay away from me!" Lisanna shouts. 

Spike Knightwalker grabs her shirt and lifts her with one hand. "I don't understand how you survive the beating I gave you two years ago. I still don't understand how you don't have the scars to show. I'm going to finish what I started. Then, your siblings are next," Spike Knightwalker murderously smiles.

"No.., you can't!" Lisanna fears the possibilities this monster can inflict on Elfman and Mirajane. 

"Ice Spike!" Sparkle Green ice spikes appear on the ground and hit Spike Knightwalker in the back, forcing him to drop Lisanna. 

Spike Knightwalker turns to see Spike the Fairy. He's pissed off. "How did scum like you survived? That jetpack explosion is capable of destroying an entire building!" 

"I'm tougher than you think! I don't fight alone! I have my friends that keep me going!" Spike the Fairy charges at Spike Knightwalker. He uses an ice spike to hurl Spike Knightwalker away from the other Fairy Tail Wizards that are continuing their fight against the Royal Army. 

"Thank you," Lisanna said, watching the baby dragon bring the fight to Spike Knightwalker. 

"Take this!" Spike Knightwalker shoots more magic bullets at Spike the Fairy. Spike the Fairy uses his newfound power and turns the magic bullets into ice bullets. He redirects the attack at Spike Knightwalker using his claw. "Shit!" Spike Knightwalker wasn't able to deflect the ice bullets as they explode on contact. 

"Ice Scythe!" Spike's claws glow Sparkling Green and create an ice scythe. It's long that has many uses. 

"Since when you can use ice magic?!" Spike Knightwalker angrily asks. 

"A friend of mine lend me a little of his magic energy. His magic flows through me!" Spike uses the scythe to unleash an ice ball from the ground, hitting Spike Knightwalker. Spike Knightwalker uses his green sword to block the attack. 

"Graaaaaah! Such power!" Spike Knightwalker stands his ground but is push back from the force. 

"Take this!" Spike the Fairy uses his ice scythe to attack. Spike Knightwalker rolls out of the way and counters the strike with his sword. 

"Mind if I take a little?" Spike Knightwalker uses his sword to steal some of Spike's ice magic. His sword is now adaptable to Spike's ice magic. "Now, take this!" Spike Knightwalker uses his sword to attack Spike the Fairy. 

"Begone!" Spike the Fairy uses his breath to teleport Spike Knightwalker's sword. The sword lands somewhere in the Royal City. 

"Nooooooo! Not my sword!" Spike Knightwalker is now defenseless. He used his dagger earlier during his fight against Panther Lily. He used it to stab him in the stomach and several times around his body. 

"You have a lot to learn about," Spike the Fairy is powering up for his final attack. Spike Knightwalker has nowhere to run. "Bullies never prosper! Those who are evil will always fall! Your tyranny ends here, Spike Knightwalker!" Spike the Fairy is levitating as he's powering up. 

"What kind of monster are you?!" Spike Knightwalker sees Spike as his body is ablaze with Sparkling Green flames. 

"I'm no monster. I am a Dragon! I am a Fairy Tail Wizard!" Spike roars loudly.  "Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike the Fairy lifts his claws and conjures ice missiles from the air. There Sparkling Green with flames inside. He spawns hundreds of them. 

Spike Knightwalker tries to run as fear gets a hold on him. Spike Knightwalker relives his day of running away from his tormentors that beat him down badly. Spike unleashes the barrage of ice missiles as they all hit Spike Knightwalker. Sending him flying as half of his body is freezing cold and the other half burned. 

Spike the Fairy pants a little. "That's for everyone that suffered cruelly by your hands, punk." 

Spike Knightwalker is once again defeated; he wasn't strong enough. He still needed more power. Spike the Fairy sees a small island crashing on the surface of the ground. The same area where Spike Knightwalker flew to after the attack. 

The two Erzas that fought don't have any magic power nor strength to get up. Spike Knightwalker lands hard on the ground. He has little energy to move. He sees his mother lying on the ground, not moving at all. 

"Mother..?" Spike Knightwalker calls to Erza Knightwalker weakly. 

"Son?" Erza Knightwalker moves her head slightly to see Spike Knightwalker. 

Spike Knightwalker sniffs. He crawls his way to his mother's arms. He's teary as he failed her once more and expects the lashings later. 

"Mother..," Spike Knightwalker becomes teary as he crawls. 

"Come to me, come to momma," Erza Knightwalker encourages as she smiles. 

Spike Knightwalker hugs his mother on the ground and cries. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I failed you!" Spike Knightwalker cries in her arms. 

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay. I'm not mad at you," Erza Knightwalker coos him softly. She feels that half of his body is hot, and the other half is freezing. 

Erza Scarlet smiles at the heartwarming moment. She wonders if there is a heart inside of Spike Knightwalker ready to blossom freely without the Kings' influence. 

Spike the Fairy rests for a few moments. "Now, I have one more fight to finish," Spike uses his magic to sense where the marking is on Gajeel. "Here I come," Spike runs and uses his breath to teleport back to the fight against Dorma Anim Black Sky. 

"Fire Dragon!" 

"Iron Dragon!" 

"Sky Dragon!" 

"ROOOOOOOOOOAR!" Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy combine their dragon roar attack against King Faust's dragon. He's baffled that their magic power continues to increase. 

The combined attack creates a massive explosion on impact. When they see the Dorma Anim isn't there, they believe they won. 

"We got him," Said Gajeel. 

Natsu and Wendy celebrate until they hear King Faust laughing. Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel look up to see the Dorma Anim hovering in the air. He's high up with the super jump that he programed the Dorma Anim to do. 

"How did something so big jump that high?" Gajeel asks. 

"Oh no, our three-on-one attack didn't even touch him," Said Wendy. 

"Then we'll try it again!" Natsu suggests. 

"You fools!" King Faust said; as he unleashes a barrage of Dragon Light bombs, hitting Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy in the process. They lay on the ground from the attack, unable to move. King Faust laughs victoriously. "You may be powerful wizards, but I imagine it takes time for you to recover the magic power you've exhausted.  If you wish to surrender, this is your chance. Agree to supply my world with magic power, and I will compensate you accordingly."

"It's all over. I can't even stand up." Wendy thought in defeat. 

"So, this is it?" Gajeel thought in defeat. 

Spike is above the Dorma Anim as he grows in size. "Inferno Freezing Fist!" His claw is ablaze with Sparkle Green Icy Flames as he punches the Dorma Anim on its head this time. 

"What?!" The Dorma Anim stumbles back a little. "You again?!"

Spike the Fairy is in front of his friends. "I'm not through with you!" Spike powers up as King Faust sense his newfound magic power. "Neither are my friends!" Spike creates a metallic sword using his magic and gives it to Gajeel for him to eat. Spike breathes his Sparkling Green fire on Natsu for him to eat. Spike blows sparkling warm air for Wendy to eat. 

"What are you doing?!" King Faust demands Spike to cough out the answers. 

"Giving my friends the magic they need to bounce back. This is what happens when you share the magic with your friends!" Spike smirks. 

"WHAT?!" King Faust sounds a bit scared at the moment. 

"OH YEAH!" Natsu gets up, now feeling better than ever. 

"NOW, IT'S PAYBACK TIME!" Gajeel gets up, now feeling stronger than before. 

"TIME TO END THIS!" Wendy gets up. She's ready to bring down the Dorma Anim this time. 

"I GOT A FIRE IN MY BELLY!" Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, and Spike shout in unison with pride. 

"I am King of Edolas! Bow down before me!" King Faust proclaims. 

"Dragons bow to no one!" Spike shouts; he spears the Dorma Anim, causing it to fall back. 

"NO!" King Faust program for it to stand. 

"Ice Spike!" Sparkle Green ice spikes appear and strike the right foot of the Dorma Anim, holding it in place. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel spikes his iron club through the left foot of the Dorma Anim. 

"NO! I CAN'T MOVE!" King Faust tries to jump and move but couldn't prevail. 

"Wendy, use your full power Sky Dragon Roar on me." 

"Gotcha, Natsu," Wendy conjures her breath attack. 

"Let me go! Let me go now! I am the King of Edolas!" King Fraust commands as he tries to move. 

"You're getting dethroned today, punk," Gajeel said. 

Spike grabs hold of both of the Dorma Anim's arms. He uses the Ice Spikes to pierce the arms, holding them in place. 

"Sky Dragon!" Natsu jumps in the air. "Rooooooooooar!" Wendy's breath attack sends Natsu hurling towards the Dorma Anim at immense speeds. 

"Nooooooo! It can't be! It can't end this way!" King Faust is about to face defeat. 

"Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" Natsu lights his entire body ablaze and headbutts the Dorma Anim at high-speed thanks to Wendy's Sky Dragon Roar. The attack was so strong it pierces the Dorma Anim. Natsu takes King Faust out of the Dorma Anim. 

The King is hurling back after the Dorma Anim explodes. He can't believe that he tried to possess magic power that terrifying from Dragon Slayers. King Faust passes out from the stress after taking many damaging blows mentally. 

Spike shrinks down and goes to the spot where he tossed his backpack and puts it on. 

"Hahahahahahahaa! We totally took down the King! This is the part where I can yell checkmate, right?" Natsu asks. 

"Actually, you're supposed to say that before taking down the King," Wendy corrects Natsu." 

"Even I knew that," Said Gajeel. 

The ground starts shaking. Spike looks up and sees the horrors. "Guys, look," Spike points at the skies. 

"Whoa, the islands are falling!" Wendy shouts. 

"Must be because of the King's selfish desires of harvesting magic energy for the Dorma Anim of his," Said Gajeel. 

"Could be," Natsu looks at Spike. "Hey, mind tossing me some cookies, Spike?" 

"Sure," Spike gives his friends some cookies to chow on. 

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"Thank you, Spike," Said Wendy. 

Spike smiles. "You're welcome."

"So, how was it fighting against your counterpart?" Natsu asks. 

"Very unpleasant; he's insane and broken at the same time." 

"Hey, look at that," Natsu points up at the sky. He sees a yellow stream ascending. 

"Must be the magic power that the Dorma Anim caused," Said Spike. 

Spike Knightwalker sees a yellow stream ascending all around him. "Mom, I think Edolas is losing all of its magic power..," 

"Don't worry. We'll get through together. I promise," Erza Knightwalker said. 

Magic energy all around Edolas is ascending in the sky. Everyone panics as the apocalypse is upon them. 

"I think we should head back to the Royal City," Wendy suggests. 

"Any particular reason why?" Natsu asks. 

"If the citizens start panicking, a lot of people can get hurt. We need to go out there and see if we can help," Wendy said. 

"Yea, and if we can find Edolas Gajeel, he might know what to do," Said Gajeel. 

Spike picks up King Faust. "I got the King. I'll teleport us to the Royal City." 

"Sounds good, Spike," Gajeel said. 

Spike uses his breath to teleport every to the Royal City. As they arrived, an Exceed approaches them with crucial information regarding Prince Jellal. He tells them about Prince Jellal's willingness to end his life for the sake of Edolas. Natsu devises a scheme that'll work in Jellal's favor. 

Twenty minutes later. Natsu starts laughing maniacally as an evil villain does. He's dressed up as one as well. Spike, Wendy, and Gajeel follow the same tactic, running amuck in the Royal City and scaring the people of Edolas. 

"I am a Demon called Dragneel! I've come to this world to steal all of your magic power!" He continues to laugh sinisterly. "Faust ain't your King anymore! Cause I kicked his sorry old butt!" Natsu reveals the King of Edolas tied up on a pole. "But, I decided to spare his life, for now." 

The people panic down below as they see their King in distress. 

"Come on, Redfox, Sparks, and Marvell. Now, my faithful servants, it's time to trash the city!" 

Gajeel uses his Iron Dragon Sword to slice several buildings in half. He laughs sinisterly in the process. 

Spike roars as he's a quarter size of the buildings. He grabs fruits and vegetables that are disguised as people and eats them. He burps. "The fatty people are my favorite," Spike looks down at the people that are in fear. "My my, more people to eat!" Spike laughs devilishly. 

Edolas Gajeel sees what they are doing and knows what to do. "These villains won't stop until they destroyed everything in sight. The city is under attack by demons of another world!" 

"You better run!" Wendy tries to act scary, but the person is confused. Gajeel appears behind Wendy, giving a sinister evil look that terrifies the person. 

"Just look at them; they are an unstoppable force of evil!" Edolas Gajeel exclaims. 

"What do you think you're doing? Stop this!" Prince Jellal sees from afar. He's the one that activated the Anima but reversed its projectory. Anima is absorbing the magic energy of Edolas and sending it to Earth Land. 

Panther Lily is beside Prince Jellal, all bandaged up from his battle against Spike Knightwalker. 

"Now, my loyal servants of Lord Dragneel, don't stop destroying stuff!" Natsu commands. 

Spike punches a building and roars louder, scaring the people below. He turns to Natsu. "Dragneel, my strength is now your strength. We are intertwine as Demon and Demon as of now." 

"Excellent! I knew stealing Edolas Magic will work in my favor!" Natsu laughs evilly. 

"Hold on, is he playing the villain for Jellal, and if so, how does he know about this?" Panther Lily thought to himself, realizing what Natsu is doing. 

The people are blaming Dragneel for stealing Edolas' magic. Edolas Gajeel confirms that he is the brains behind the whole operation. One person demands Natsu to give them back their magic, Natsu decides to breathe fire as a warning to those that oppress him. 

"Natsu! Stop this now!" Prince Jellal orders from afar. 

Natsu turns to see Prince Jellal as the people overhear that person challenging him. 

"Are you telling me what to do? You little punk," Natsu smirks, raising his fist at Prince Jellal. 

"Stop this foolishness! The King has been defeated. There's no need to attack innocent people!" Natsu ignores Jellal and breathes fire at the people, missing them on purpose. 

"If you're trying to scare me, it ain't going to work. I don't care if you are the Prince," Natsu smirks, hoping it'll bait Jellal to fight him. 

The people are stupefied with the news of their Prince returning home after disappearing for seven years. Edolas Gajeel announces that Prince Jellal has returned. The people are amazed to hear about Prince Jellal's return. They all came to the kingdom to see him and hope Prince Jellal can end the demon's tyranny. 

"What are they doing here?" Panther Lily asks.

"I'm responsible, sir," Nadi said. Nadi is a black Exceed. His tail is thin, his head and tail are rectangular. Nadi wears a black jacket with three golden buttons and a light-colored turtleneck beneath it. He also wears a dark yellow pair of pants and small brown ankle-high boots. He also has a habit of fist-bumping in everything he does. 

"What did you do?" Panther Lily asks Nadi. 

"I overheard your conversation about who should be the next King of Edolas after learning about the lost Prince and how Prince Jellal should die of the crime of reversing the Anima in Edolas and sending the magic to Earth Land. The people need a rightful ruler, and it should be Prince Jellal, so, as I was searching for someone to become the villain. Those four out there running amuck are the ones I told them about the situation. They appear from thin air like there was a God answering my prayer. Giving you the villain you need to become the next King of Edolas."

Panther Lily turns to Prince Jellal. "Seems we have our villain. It's your chance to play the role of hero for all of Edolas, my Prince."

The citizens of Edolas start questioning the whereabouts of the Royal Army and if Prince Jellal is the actual Prince that can save them from the supposed demons. Jellal decides to take the opportunity to earn the people's trust. 

"Natsu, stay right there!" Prince Jellal leaps into action. 

"Didn't you hear me? I am the Great and Powerful Lord Dragneel," Natsu waits for Mystogan to show up. 

As Prince Jellal runs to fight Natsu, Edolas Gajeel is shouting truths and facts that the Prince has the courage and bravery to stop the demon terrorizing their home. Jellal tries to use his magic then realizes that Anima has taken his power. 

"What's the matter? You scared without your magic power?" Natsu taunts Prince Jellal. "You should be, cause check this out. I've got plenty," Natsu uses his iron fist attack to destroy a layer of the building he's standing, causing the people to flee from the area. 

"I said, stop!" Prince Jellal orders. 

"Natsu, you're going way too far!" Wendy shouts. 

"No, he's not," Gajeel corrects Wendy. "The more powerful the villain's magic seems to everyone, the stronger the hero looks when he beats him without using any magic power whatsoever."

Prince Jellal and Dragneel face each other after the rummage. "Listen to me, Natsu. You're making a big mistake with all of this, this whole show you're putting on, you can't expect to fool all these people." 

"Hah, I challenge you!" Natsu punches Prince Jellal in the face, knocking him on the floor. 

"You fool, you can't bring the people together like this!" Prince Jellal said as he gets up. "Through evil!" Prince Jellal retaliates. He throws a punch at Natsu. 

Natsu catches the punch and feels it was weaker. "Fight me for real," Natsu gets angry. 

On cue, Prince Jellal super kicks Natsu in the face. The people around are cheering. That's when Spike reacts to Natsu's kick in the face. He mimics the reaction. 

"Look! Any attacks Dragneel feels, the giant demon feels the pain as well!" Edolas Gajeel shouts and points at Spike's reaction. The people cheer louder. 

"Yea, now they're really getting into it," Natsu said as he's excited. 

"Idiot, you should have stayed down so we wouldn't stretch this out further," Prince Jellal whispers low enough for Natsu to hear. 

"Not my style!" Natsu gut punches the Prince. 

Prince Jellal strikes back. Natsu takes the pain of being punched in the face as Spike mimics the reaction. Natsu punches Jellal. The people are chanting 'Go Prince' repeatedly, believing that Prince Jellal will win the fight. 

"This is it, buddy. I'm going to give you a real Fairy Tail Send-Off." Prince Jellal realizes by staying in Edolas, he won't be a Fairy Tail Wizard any more. His new life as King of Edolas will begin. "Since you're leaving Fairy Tail, you gotta swear to follow these three rules," Natsu and Prince Jellal continue to fight. "Number one, You should never ever share sensitive information about Fairy Tail with anyone for as long as you live. Two-" 

Prince Jellal punches Natsu hard in the face. Spike is mimicking every reaction Natsu takes as he shows signs of losing his magic energy. 

"Number two, You must never contact past clients you may have work for while in the guild, for your own personal gain," Prince Jellal said as Natsu was sidetracked with the punch in the face. 

"Yea, and don't forget Number three! Although our path must stray, you gotta promise to live the rest of your life to the fullest. That means to treat every day like it's going to be the last day in this world. Don't forget the friends you loved," Natsu smiles. 

"You must treasure them for as long as you live," Prince Jellal and Natsu punch each other in the face. The two fall back a little. 

"Did you catch all that? When a guild works together, there's nothing they can't do," Natsu falls to the ground as Jellal regains his ground. Spike falls to the ground to mimic Natsu's defeat. 

The people cheer loudly as Prince Jellal defeats the demons without any use of magic power. They rejoice as they believe everything will be alright in the end. 

"Thank you," Prince Jellal said. 

Then all of a sudden, Natsu's body starts glowing yellow. Wendy, Spike, and Gajeel's bodies are feeling the same.  Panther Lily and Nadi apparently feel the same. Nadi explains that Exceeds possess eternal magic power so the Anima is going to send all Exceeds to Earth Land. All the Exceeds that were turned into lacrimas is free from their imprisonment. Their bodies start glowing as well. Gray, Carla, Happy, and Lucy are glowing as well. They are being lifted into the Anima. All the Exceeds are panicking due to the uncertainty that bestows on them. Everyone that has magic power is being lifted into the Anima. 

"Hey everyone," Spike said, greeting Lucy, Gray, Happy, and Carla. 

"Spike!" They joyfully greet. 

"Natsu," Happy comes closer to hug Natsu. 

"Hey buddy," Natsu smiles. 

"Wendy," Carla smiles seeing Wendy again. 

"Hey, Carla," Wendy smiles seeing Carla. 

Edolas Fairy Tail starts believing that without magic power, their guild will be disbanded. Gray tells them that having friendship keeps the guild going forever. That magic is nice, but friendship is all that matters. The others chuckle happily cause it's true. Friendship keeps the bonds close as a family. 

Erza and Spike Knightwalker see Erza Scarlet glowing and levitating. The two sit up as Spike still holds onto his mother. 

"Farewell, Scarlet," Knightwalker said. 

"I'm going to die for my sins aren't I?" Spike Knightwalker said. 

"No, you're going to live life to the fullest. You're going to be anew, Spike Knightwalker," Erza Scarlet said. 

"How do you know?" Spike asks. 

"You're counterpart has a great heart. You have one too. It'll be blossoming before you know it," Erza Scarlet smiles. 

Spike Knightwalker closes his eyes as he heard someone else believing in him besides his mother. He cries and vows to become a new man starting tomorrow. 

"Thank you," Erza Knightwalker said as she sees Erza Scarlet leaving their world. 

Everyone is saying their byes to the Edolas Fairy Tail Guild. Panther Lily says his goodbye to Prince Jellal. Spike sees Edolas Fairy Tail for the first time. They see him too as some become frightened with the resemblance of Spike Knightwalker. Spike and Gajeel see Edolas Gajeel and waves. 

"We did it, we're going home," Spike said as he and his friends enter the Anima in the sky.
> Coming Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Edolas

After seeing Erza Scarlet entering the Anima in the skies, Spike and Erza Knightwalker gets up. The two walk back to the Royal City. Spike Knightwalker starts reflecting on a lot that he's done in his life. Erza Knightwalker notices that Spike is silent more than usual. 

"Something on your mind, son?" 

"I've done so much for the King, and I relished in pain and suffering; I gave out to a lot of dark guilds cause of how I felt. A while ago, I brutalized some Fairy Tail Wizards on my way looking for Spike the Fairy."

"I know, and I've done my fair share. Let's not worry about what happens then. Let's focus on getting back to the Royal City."

"Understood, mom," Spike Knightwalker nods. 

Spike and Erza Knightwalker took three hours to walk back to the Royal City. Upon arrival, the Royal Army arrests them. Spike and Erza Knightwalker didn't fight back as they allow the Royal Soldiers to take them to King Jellal. Spike and Erza Knightwalker see Sugarboy, Byros, Faust, Hughes, and Coco.

"Whoa, Spike. You don't look good," Sugarboy said. Sugarboy is a tall male with blue eyes and blond hair in a pompadour style.  He wears light pink shiny armor with gold chain mail and a bronze belt. He also wears a white cape with the Edolas insignia. 

"I got my ass kicked twice by my counterpart," Spike answers. 

"I can't believe how different you two are," Coco said. 

"What did his counterpart look like, Coco," Byro asks. Byro is an elderly short man. 

"A baby dragon. Such a cutie too," Coco said. 

Spike Knightwalker gets annoyed as Byro, Sugarboy, and Hughes laugh a little. 

"Enough!" Erza Knightwalker said, silencing the laughter. 

"We're sorry, Ma'am," Byro, Sugarboy, and Hughes said in unison. 

The Royal Guards escort them all to see King Jellal. King Jellal turns to them as they wait for their punishments. 

"Edolas Royal City has entered a new era. Its people are now looking forward to the future. However, they haven't forgotten the pain and trouble you caused them in the past. Therefore, you must be given due punishment for your actions." 

"Yes, we understand," Faust said, speaking for everyone around them. 

"As the new King, I hereby proclaim, Sir Faust, you're permanently exiled from the Kingdom. You are prohibited from stepping foot in the Royal City ever again." 

Faust accepts his punishment. Everyone didn't expect that outcome, they thought for sure that Faust was going to die. They wonder what else is at stake. 

"Erza Knightwalker, you cannot leave the Kingdom unless I authorized you to do so," King Jellal decrees. 

"I'm prepared to die for my sins," Erza Knightwalker said. 

"Spike Knightwalker," King Jellal turns to Spike. 

"Yes, Sir?" Spike Knightwalker looks at his new King. 

"You cannot leave the Kingdom unless I authorized you to do so. Also, I heard that you are in the midst of developing a new power source. Is that true?" 

Spike Knightwalker nods. "Yes, it's true. It was in case the Anima continued to fail us, King Jellal. Also," Spike Knightwalker kneels. "Forgive me, as I committed many sins throughout my life," Spike bows head first to the ground. "Many unforgivable sins as I have a deranged, sadistic problem."

"I am aware of that from your encounters with Spike the Fairy. And numerous witnesses on your brutality towards people and other wizards that survived your gruesome attacks. You are not to engage in battle unless I give the order. You have a brilliant mind, and we need that." 

"Wait, you want my help?" Spike Knightwalker looks up to his King. 

"I want you, Erza, Sugarboy, Hughes, and Byro to rebuild the Royal City." 

Erza, Spike, Sugarboy, Hughes, and Byro gasps. They thought for sure that they'd be facing death. 

King Jellal walks up to Spike and helps him up. "I believe each of you can help create a better tomorrow for all of Edolas. Start anew with a new beginning. As for you, Coco, you are pardoned. For reforming on your accord, that shows great courage, and you are noble." 

Coco is in shock to hear the revelation. 

"My King, if you follow me, I can show you what I was working on." 

"Very well, Spike Knightwalker. As for Sir Faust, I order you to leave immediately." 

Faust walks up to King Jellal. "I am grateful to you for showing great mercy. I learned something last night, something that awakened me, seeing the true light that I was blind to with arrogance. I suppose this is goodbye," Faust turns to Coco. "Coco, don't ever stop running, child," Faust grabs his belongings and leaves the Royal City. 

"Spike, show me what you've been working," King Jellal commands. 

"Follow me," Spike Knightwalker walks down the hallway. King Jellal, Erza Knightwalker, Sugarboy, Byro, Coco, Hughes, and several Royal Soldiers follow Spike Knightwalker. 

After ten minutes of walking, everyone made it to Spike's science room in the castle. Spike Knightwalker kicks the door down. 

"Uh, why you did that?" Sugarboy asks. 

"I need magic to unlock it. Since magic is outdated, this is my second-best option," Spike Knightwalker goes around the room and lights up the lanterns in the room. The room is bright thanks to the lanterns. Spike Knightwalker lifts a panel and puts it on the table. 

"What is that?" King Jellal asks. 

"This is what I call a solar panel. Using this device of absorbing sun rays, I can create energy that works like magic."

"Wow," Everyone in the room said in awe. 

"So far, I have limited parts to create this one solar panel. I need more. With lots of tools and items that were heavily reliant on magic energy, I can use that to convert into solar panels. It'll take four years time to produce for the Royal City and everywhere else in Edolas if I get the right materials for such a project." 

"I'm impressed," King Jellal sees the architecture of the solar panel. "So, how much power can this solar panel generate?" 

"With quick calculations, I can say a small house of the Royal City." 

"Then, your job is to create more for a sustainable future. Erza Knightwalker, I want you to aide your son in building these panels."

"Yes, my liege." 

Spike Knightwalker smiles. Having his mother around will help him even more. "My King, what about my killing sprees? What is my punishment for that?" 

"You'll apologize to all the citizens of Edolas, and you'll explain how you intend on correcting your ways." 

"Thank you, King Jellal." 

"Now that that's settled, let's rebuild our home," King Jellal proclaims. 

"Yes, Sir!" Everyone cheers. 

"Wow, I can look forward to something great, mom," Spike Knightwalker smiles at his mother. 

"We can, son. We'll create a better tomorrow as a family," Erza Knightwalker said. The two of them hug. 





In Magnolia

Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Spike, Gajeel, Erza, Happy, and Carla scream as they fall to the ground after the Anima trip. 

"We're back, everybody!" Natsu cheers as everyone returns to Magnolia. 

Magnolia continues to rain as it did so days ago. Spike opens his backpack and counts how many dozens he had left. Spike only has four dozens of his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. Natsu and the others turn face to see the town of Magnolia back to normal. 

"Yes! Everything is back to normal!" Natsu shouts. 

"There's Magnolia!" Lucy happily said. 

"We did it!" Happy said. 

"Wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We shouldn't celebrate until we know that everyone's okay," Said Erza. 

"They're just fine. We got here a while ago, so we checked in for you," An Exceed said. 

"We decided to fly in town real quick," Another Exceed says. 

"Your friends and everyone in town are doing great!" Another Exceed explains. 

There are hundreds of Exceeds flying around. Everyone is dazed by the sight of them.

"When we talked to them, they didn't even know they were turned into a lacrima." 

"Earth Land is totally awesome, you guys. It has tons of magic power." 

"Wow, so many Exceeds," Spike said in awe. 

"What are they doing here?" Carla said, sounding upset. "It's not right. The Exceeds don't belong in Earth Land. We cannot allow them to stay here! They're far too dangerous."

"How so?" Spike asks. He's confused why Carla would say such a thing. 

"They stoned Wendy and me," Spike gets angry after Carla's explanation. 

"What?" Spike turns to the Exceeds that are on the ground. He sees the Queen of the Exceeds as well as everyone else from Extalia. Most of them have their heads down. Spike calms down as he won't become anything like Spike Knightwalker. 

"We apologize for throwing rocks at you, lady." 

"We have no place to go now that Extalia is destroyed."

"We promise to be nicer to you now."

"Please say you'll forgive us." 

"It has nothing to do with you kids. It's her, I'm angry because Extalia's Queen and her lackeys sent me to Earth Land on a mission to kill the Dragon Slayers," Carla said. 

"Say what?!" Gajeel and Spike said in unison. 

"We thought this was all King Faust's doing?" Spike said. 

"No joke, you mean to tell us that the cats sent you to our demise?" Gajeel asks. 

"I know! The Queen ordered us to give up all our eggs! How could she be so heartless?! Gaaaah!" Lucky angrily shouts. 

"Hey there, Mister," Happy waves at Lucky. 

"Yea, no joke. She never told us why did she?" 

Queen Shaggote and her royalists explain that she had a vision of Extalia falling into ruins. They didn't believe Extalia would fall naturally, so they decided it'll be the cause of humans. In order to preserve the future of all Exceeds, the unborn were to be sent to Earth Land. They cover up a story about working with humans to deceive them from their actual plan once they discover their lies about being angels. The Royalists felt guilty for having the Queen lie to every Exceed. The idea of sending out the eggs was to destroy the Dragon Slayers in which they had no intentions whatsoever. 

Wendy understands now that the story is clearer to understand. Lucy agrees with the Exceeds about creating a cover story to protect them from the horrible future and truth. Spike doesn't agree with lying to the masses as they deserve to know what they could be possibly dealing with and how to prepare for it. 

Queen Shaggotte explains that one of the eggs that was sent to Earth Land carries her gift of seeing into the future. The Queen explains that Carla has that power. When Carla was born, the gift allowed Carla to see the fragments of Edolas' future. The gift caused her to mistake the info for a personal mission, therefore, Happy and Carla was never given a mission. 

The Exceeds promise to be better in Earth Land and to get along with the humans. They decide to find all the other children that were sent here six years ago. Carla decides to forgive the Queen for what she's done and everyone else. Happy and Lucky notices Queen Shaggotte and Carla look alike and their similarities. Lucky and Marl want Happy to come by every so often since they'll be living in Earth Land for the rest of their days. Natsu and Gray start fist-pumping with Nadi. 

Spike sits down on the ground as Erza walks up to him. "How are you holding up, Spike?" 

"Well, to be honest. When all of this started, I thought it was Twilight Sparkle pulling Magnolia to Equestria in hopes of trying to bring me back home. It turns out it wasn't her, but Edolas version of Makarov's doing." 

Loud gasps came from Erza, Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Wendy, and Carla. They didn't realize it before, but now, they remember how King Faust talked and sounded. 

"Holy crap! Why didn't I recognize that?!" Gray shouts as he grabs his head.

"Oh wow..," Erza said in shock. 

"Woooooow! I can't believe I missed that!" Lucy said, facepalming herself. 

"Gramps.., Gramps.., we fought an evil Gramps..," Natsu said in shock. 

"Tell me, am I'm dreaming?" Happy said as he's dazed. 

"Wow, now that I think about it, King Faust did sound like Makarov," Said Wendy. 

"No comment," Said Carla. She's in shock as well. 

The Queen and her Royalists leave the Fairies as they fly to their new home. Erza and Lucy start fist-pumping with Gray and Natsu. Natsu suggests to head back to the guild and inform everyone what transpired. Wendy joins in the fun of fist-pumping. Erza decides to tell everyone about Mystogan's departure from the guild. 

"Gajeel, you alright?" Spike walks up to Gajeel. 

"Yea, I'm fine but, where the heck is my cat?! Don't tell me those flying felines took off Lily with him!" 

"Who is Lily?" Gray asks as he continues to fist-pump. 

"Remember that big brolic Exceed that took on Spike Knightwalker?" Lucy said, reminding Gray of who he is. 

"Are you blind? I'm right here," Panther Lily is now small like Carla and Happy. 

"So tiny," Everyone except Spike said in unison. 

"You look really cute that size, though," Happy said. 

"Unfortunately, it appears that my previous physique wasn't well suited for Earth Land," Panther Lily said. 

"Obviously, that doesn't bother you?" Carla asks. 

"Well, normally it would. Yes, but right now, I want to join the guild that took care of my Prince. You promised me, you said you get me in, Gajeel. Can you?" Panther Lily asks. 

Erza nods, giving the okay at Gajeel. "Consider it done, buddy! Welcome to Fairy Tail!" Gajeel said in tears, hugging Panther Lily. 

"Now, on an unrelated note, I happen to come across a suspicious person." 

"What an overachiever, you're definitely my cat." 

"Come here," Panther Lily tugs on the rope he holds onto, forcing the person to move forward. 

"Hold on. It's not what you think. Please, let me explain," Lisanna falls onto her knees. She's tied up.  "I'm not suspicious. I'm a member of Fairy Tail too." 

"It's.., Lisanna..," Natsu is amazed seeing Lisanna again. 

"Don't be so rough with me, cat! Wait, are you an exceed?" 

"The name is Panther Lily." 

"If you got a problem with my cat, you have to take it up with me, lady. Well?" Gajeel is beside Panther Lily. 

"Who is that?" Spike asks. 

"Whoa, she looks like..," Gray said. 

"Lisanna," Erza finishes Gray's sentence. 

"No way..," Happy has flashbacks. 

"It can't be. Perhaps she's the one from Edolas?" Carla said. 

"How in the world did she end up here?" Lucy asks. 

"What should we do?" Wendy is confused to do what's next. 

Lisanna sees Natsu. "Natsu!" Lisanna runs and hugs Natsu. "Natsu, it's you," Lisanna is in tears of joy. "I thought I never see you again." 

Natsu looks at Lisanna like looking at a ghost. Lisanna hugs Happy as well, telling him she misses him too much as well. Spike is confused as he watches. 

"It's been so long since I've seen everyone. This makes me so happy," Lisanna turns to Lucy and Wendy. "Oh, you must be the two new members of the guild I haven't met yet. The little one looks like Wendy, and the blond must be Lucy." 

"Wait, you're our Lisanna?" Gray asks. 

Lisanna nods. 

"You can't be our Lisanna. She died two years ago. And she couldn't possibly be resuscitated," Erza claims.

"The truth is, I didn't actually die that day. Two years ago, I was pulled away by the Anima. I'm not sure, but I assumed there were little ones back in Earth Land back in those days. It was a real shock when I woke in Edolas. I was confused because everyone looked so different, but I recognized all the people there. They welcomed me cause they thought I was the Edolas Fairy Tail Lisanna. I can only assume she died."

"By the hands of Spike Knightwalker," Said Spike. 

Lisanna turns to see Spike. Lightning strikes as she sees Spike Knightwalker's sinister smile. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! SPIKE KNIGHTWALKER!" Lisanna shrieks and crawls away in fear. 

"Where?!" Natsu gets ready to throw down. 

"She meant me, Natsu. I have a canny resemblance of Spike Knightwalker." 

"Oh..," Natsu sees it after getting a glace of what Spike Knightwalker looks like. 

"There is a lot he told me during our encounters. It's like watching a horror movie based on true life," Spike walks up to Lisanna. 

"Get away! Get away! Get away from me!" Lisanna closes her eyes. 

"My name is Spike. Spike the Fairy. I am not like my counterpart." 

Lisanna opens her eyes to see Spike the Fairy. She sees the same dragon that took on Spike Knightwalker after saving her. 

"I figured it out cause he told me that one of the Fairy Tail Wizards that he brutalized survived. Since you're Earth Land's Lisanna, that meant he was targeting you." 

"That bastard!" Natsu said. 

"Well, he's not here, so there is nothing you can do about it, Natsu. Plus, I did defeat him during our brawls twice. So, there's the retribution if you want to call it." 

"I'm sorry.., it's just.., you sound exactly like him, Spike Kni-" Lisanna coughs. "Spike the Fairy." 

"You can also call me Fairy Dragon if you wish." 

Lisanna nods though it'll take time to see a friendly Spike. Spike sighs sadly. He turns his back on his friends. 

"Hey, where are you going, Spike?" Natsu asks. 

"Home," Spike lowers his head. "I'll see you at the apartment, Lucy." 

Spike leaves the group. Lisanna feels bad, but she couldn't help herself. Spike the Fairy looks and sounds like Spike Knightwalker that gave her hell in Edolas for the past two years. 

"Is he going to be alright?" Happy asks. 

"Considering that Spike the Fairy has an unfortunate resemblance of Spike Knightwalker, he must have been feeling all sorts of guilt. Perhaps giving Lisanna some space," Said Carla. 

Spike is walking alone in the rain with a whole lot of thoughts rushing in his mind. He's thinking about all the possibilities that Spike Knightwalker has done during his time in Edolas wiping out dark guilds, especially the Fairy Tail guild. Wendy decides to go after Spike. She catches up to him walking down the street. 

"Spike!" Wendy calls out. 

Spike turns to see Wendy. "Yea?" He sheds a tear. 

Wendy hugs him. She understands the sadness running in his mind. Spike returns the hug, not wanting to let go of Wendy. 

"I think it's best that I stay away from the guild until Lisanna cools down from seeing me." 

"No. That won't help you. Lisanna needs to see the real you. The you each of us have gotten to know." 

"How would I..," Spike gets an idea. The two tickets he won from the Bingo Tournament. "I got an idea. I know how to make her see the real me and not Spike Knightwalker." 

"How?" Wendy wants to know. 

"First, let's get inside the apartment."

"Agreed." 

Spike and Wendy enter the apartment and walk up the stairs. Spike sees the landlady well and alive. Spike opens the door to the apartment and enters. He and Wendy lay down on the bed. 

"Aaaaaaaah," Spike and Wendy say after a long adventure. 

"Okay, this bed is better than the one in my dorm." 

Spike chuckles. "Well, it's a firm mattress."

"So, how do you plan on showing Lisanna the real you?" Wendy asks as she takes off her shoes. 

Spike gets up and goes to the drawer. He takes out the two Akane Resort Tickets he won. "With these," Spike shows Wendy the tickets. 

"That's a great idea, Spike. The trip to the resort should help you and Lisanna connect better." 

Spike sighs a little. "To be honest with you, I was planning on asking you to come with me as a da-get together." 

Wendy blushes a little. She understood that Spike meant to say date. She would have enjoyed anything with Spike anyways. 

"And I would have gone with you. Perhaps when we work enough money, we can go together. Just you and me," Wendy lightly chuckles. 

"Yea," Spike blushes with that possibility in his mind. Spike hugs Wendy again. "Thanks for comforting me." 

"You're welcome, Spike. You would have done the same for me," Wendy smiles. 

"For sure," Spike smiles. 

"Oh, I think I should head back to the dorm. I don't think Carla knows I'm here." 

"Uh, mind being with me a little longer. I can use the company." 

One of Wendy's fantasies has come true, Spike asking her to stay with him. She agrees and stays with Spike for the rest of the day. 

Two hours later, Lucy arrives in her apartment with Carla and Erza. They see Spike and Wendy sleeping on the bed. They thought it was cute. Erza picks up Wendy. Erza and Carla leave the apartment as Lucy looks at Spike. 

"Sleep well, Spike. I'll see you tomorrow."
> Getting Along
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is 9:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike is waking up after a good sleep. He sees Lucy preparing breakfast. 

"Morning, Spike. You had a good night's sleep?" 

"Yea," Spike yawns as he gets out of bed. "It felt like I slept for two days." 

"Actually, you did sleep for two days," Said Lucy. 

"What?!" Spike said in shock. 

"And this time, I'm not joking around. You were asleep for two days straight."

"Wow," Spike places his claw on his head. "I guess increasing my size caused me to sleep a bit more cause I didn't have any headaches or nosebleeds whatsoever." 

"Who knows," Said Lucy. "We were worried about you. I didn't leave the apartment yesterday in case you woke up." 

"Wow, thanks for looking out for me." 

"You're welcome," Lucy smiles. "Hungry?" Lucy has bacon and eggs ready for Spike. She hears Spike's stomach growling. 

"Yes, I am," Spike makes his bed and freshens up for the day. He comes back and sits at the table. "Hey, Lucy?"

"Yea, Spike?" Lucy finish setting up the table. 

"How is Lisanna?" 

"She's great; she spent some time with Elfman and Mirajane ever since she came back with us from Edolas. We're going to bring her to the guildhall later." 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I have something in mind for Lisanna."

"You do?" Lucy puts eggs and bacon on Spike's plate. 

"Yea. I've decided to take her with me to the Akane Resort. For us to bond better as friends since she sees me as her tormentor." 

"Oh, right. Spike Knightwalker." 

"Yea.., he's a monster. I don't want Lisanna to see me as Spike Knightwalker. I want her to see me as Spike the Fairy. You know, Fairy Dragon." 

"Of course. Natsu and the others feel the same. Lisanna feels guilty for how she reacted towards you. She asked of you, and well, all I can tell her was that you were sleeping." 

"So, what time are we supposed to meet up with her?"

"In an hour, Spike. Plenty of time to get our fill before we leave." 

"Yea, thank you, Lucy." 

"You're welcome." 

The two eat their breakfast. Spike thinks about how to approach Lisanna. He also wonders how Wendy is doing. After a while of eating, Spike decides to wash the dishes. After he finishes, Lucy grabs her belongings and leaves the apartment with Spike. Natsu and Happy are waiting for Lucy and Spike outside of the apartment. They start talking as they head on over to the Fairy Tail Guildhall. 

"Hey, Spike. Had a good nap?" Said Natsu. 

"I did. I want to say the extra day of sleep could be a new side effect for increasing my size a whole lot in Edolas."

"That's good. Better than having a migraine and a nosebleed," Said Happy. 

"Definitely. So, how are things with you two?" 

"Things are alright. Happy, and I was pretty worried about you yesterday. Same can be said for the others."

"So, how was it at the guildhall?" Spike asks. 

"Don't know. We spent time with Lisanna yesterday. Even Gajeel and Panther Lily stood by to know who Lisanna is. Gajeel even spoke about how great you are," Natsu answers. 

"Wait, what?" Spike is confused.

"Well, after you left us when Lisanna freaked out, Gajeel wanted to let Lisanna know how different you are compared to Spike Knightwalker." 

"Wow, how did she react to it?" 

"She was quite surprised to hear the opposite of you but, we figure that she may have some trouble getting used to seeing you around cause the Edolas Fairy Tail always runs away from your counterpart," Happy explains. 

"My counterpart did vicious atrocities not only at the Edolas Fairy Tail Guild but numerous Dark Guilds as well. He even killed Fairy Tail's Guild Master." 

"You know, we have never seen the Guild Master so, who it was, Spike?" Natsu asks.

"Gildarts." 

Natsu and Happy gasps. "Whoa! You gotta be kidding me?! Your counterpart killed Gildarts?!" The two freak out. 

"Yea. He did," Spike nods. 

"What else did your counterpart tell you?" Lucy asks. 

"Too much. I rather not talk about it."

"Fair enough," Said Lucy. 

Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Spike meets up with Gray, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna at the guildhall. Lisanna looks away at Spike a little. She still sees Knightwalker's face. 

"Hey, glad that you're okay, Spike," Wendy said, approaching him. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. 

Lisanna walks into the guildhall first as everyone watches her. Everyone else in the guildhall is overjoyed to see Lisanna after thinking she was dead this whole time. Lucy is happy that the guild is the same as before. Erza is glad to see them safe and sound. 

Gajeel and Panther Lily arrive at the guildhall. "Hey, Fairy Dragon. How are you holding up?" 

"Good Gajeel, thanks," Spike answers. 

Panther Lily sees what it's like being in a guild. Master Makarov approaches Lisanna, letting her know how happy he is seeing Lisanna. Master Makarov decides that everyone should celebrate Lisanna's return to Fairy Tail. Everyone welcomes Lisanna back to Fairy Tail and starts partying. 

Spike walks up to Panther Lily. "So, how did you fare with Spike Knightwalker?" 

"Apparently, the sword you gave me lasted for fifteen minutes. Not an hour. Fighting Knightwalker without a weapon proved to be too much of a challenge. If you're asking about my health, I'm recovering quite well. How did you fare against him?"

"I beat him twice. The first encounter, I defeated him. The second encounter, Gray lend me his ice magic, and I took him down. He has a similar arsenal with his weaponry with some of my magic. Sorry about the sword. I thought it would last an hour. I'm still new to using that spell." 

"Apologies accepted. I hope we can become great friends. Considering I never liked Lieutenant Knightwalker." 

"Sounds good to me, Panther Lily," Spike and Panther Lily do a fist bump. 

Spike, Gajeel, and Panther Lily see Natsu running amuck a little, having fun roughhousing several guild members. Natsu runs up to Gildarts, wanting to fight him. Gildarts slap him on the head lightly as Natsu crashes into the floor. 

"Geez, they're sure a rowdy bunch, aren't they?" Panther Lily said. 

"I think that's everyone's first impression of Fairy Tail," Carla said. 

"There's never a dull moment," Said Happy. 

"So, everyone possesses a magic power or some sort?" Panther Lily asks. 

"That's correct. The same holds true for all Earth Land wizards," Erza said. 

"Hey, Sis," Spike waves. 

"Erza," Panther Lily looks up at Erza. 

"However, I don't think the magic itself is what's most important. I believe it's the hearts of those who wield it, wouldn't you agree, Lily?" Erza looks down at Panther Lily. 

"You may be a different Erza, but I have to admit, I find it comforting I have a familiar face around here. As for you, Spike, better face than the other Knightwalker." 

Gajeel goes up to Natsu, proclaiming that his cat can beat the stuffing out of his cat. Natsu says that Happy can beat Panther Lily anytime, anywhere. Wendy becomes worried cause she doesn't want Carla fighting with Happy and Panther Lily. Then all of a sudden, Natsu and Gajeel start throwing punches. Soon enough, everyone else starts fighting each other in a brawl. 

"Spike wants," Spike increases his size matching Erza's height. "Cannonball!" Spike jumps into the brawl and joins in. 

Spike throws punches and kicks left and right. He did promise to join in the next time he sees a brawl in the guildhall. Gajeel and Spike throw down harder than anyone. The two look like they're about to take it further. 

"Hey, Spike. Natsu. What was I like in this other world you visited?" Master Makarov said. 

"You were the King of Edolas that we defeated, Master," Spike answers. 

"Wow. Does that mean that I was evil?" Master Makarov asks. 

"Well, driven with mad power is the correct term," Spike said. 

"So, what was I like over there? Was I a dashing prince or a great soldier?" Gildarts asks, sitting next to Master Makarov. 

"You were Edolas Fairy Tail Guild Master but, you died," Natsu answers.

"What?!" Gildarts yells. "Who killed me?!" 

"Edolas version of Spike the Fairy," Natsu points to Spike. 

Gildarts and Makarov gasp in horror. They can't believe that Edolas Spike killed Gildarts. 

"Spike Knightwalker told me he did it a month ago. He never went into full detail about how he did it. You still ready to throw down next week, Gildarts?" Spike asks. 

"Yes, I am. I'm eager to test my new body now that the operation is a success." 

"Wait! What!? Why him?! Why not me?!" Natsu complains a bit. 

"This is why," Gildarts slaps Natsu's head again as he crashes into the floor again. "I need a tougher opponent." 

Natsu gets up and goes back to brawling with the others. Spike walks around in search of Lisanna. He finds her talking with Mirajane, Lucy, and Wendy. He takes a deep breath and approaches her. 

"Hey, Lisanna," Spike calmly greet. 

"H-Hey, Spike Kn-the Fairy," Lisanna trembles a bit but remembers that this isn't Spike Knightwalker. 

"I know that it's hard seeing me as you remember Spike Knightwalker, so to help forget about him and you see the real me, I want to take you to the Akane Resort," Spike presents a ticket for Lisanna. 

"The Akane Resort!" Lisanna takes the ticket. "I remember that place being very expensive and fun." 

"Yea, I never been there before, but I heard the stories. I won the tickets from the annual bingo tournament."

"It was a four-way tie. Spike melts the hearts of everyone with a song to break the tiebreaker," Mirajane said, remembering the melody Spike played. 

"Wow," Lisanna sees the goodness in Spike's eyes. "I'll be happy to go with you." 

"Awesome," Spike smiles. 

The rest of the day goes accordingly, with everyone having fun. The next day, Spike and Lisanna go on their way to the Akane resort together. Throughout their time there, Spike and Lisanna connect with each other better. Spike shares some stories of his previous days in Equestria before coming to Earth Land. He tells her so much of what he can do and has already done for the Guild. Lisanna tells him stories of her younger days in the Fairy Tail Guild. How she and Natsu raised Happy like a family. Lisanna apologizes to Spike for how she behaved, and Spike told her he understood the canny resemblance. He knew it would take time. 

Spike and Lisanna created many memories at the Akane Resort, taking many goofy pictures, riding on the amusement park rides, winning big in the casinos, laughing, and enjoying each other's company as good friends would. They bought many souvenirs with their winnings at the Akane Resort.  

After three days of enjoying each other's company and getting to know each other better, the two decide to walk back to Magnolia. So they can sightsee as they travel. Throughout the time, Lisanna has slowly forgotten about Spike Knightwalker's image on Spike the Fairy. She sees Spike the Fairy as an honest, noble, fun-loving friend. She admits it's cool being friends with the only dragon in Earth Land. Spike chuckles at that statement. 

It is now 3:30 in Magnolia. Spike and Lisanna walk back into the guildhall to see how everyone is doing. 

"Hey, you two. Welcome back," Mirajane said, welcoming Spike and Lisanna from their trip.  

"Thanks," Spike and Lisanna said in unison. 

"Hey, Spike. Hey, Lisanna. How was the Akane resort?" Lucy approaches the two. 

"A lot of fun, Lucy. Spike and I had a lot of fun. We gambled a bit and won some serious winnings, laughed, took some silly photos, went on the amusement park rides, and chill together by the beach. The water was fantastic." 

"I got you a souvenir, Lucy," Spike gives Lucy an Akane Resort neon color shirt. 

"Thanks, Spike," Lucy smiles, holding the shirt. 

"I got you one as well, Mira," Lisanna gives her sister the shirt. 

"Thanks, Lisanna. I'll try it on later," Mirajane smiles. 

"Huh, where did everyone go?" Spike sees that more than half the guild is gone. 

"Oh, they're out on jobs as this month gets pretty busy with everyone," Mirajane said. 

"Well, in that case, I'll be heading home. I still have one luggage to bring back to the apartment safe and sound." 

"Oh, what is it, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"The remaining amount of my winnings. 550,000 Jewels after getting a Royal Flush playing poker against Ichiya of Blue Pegasus. He bet all his winnings and got a full house of 2's and 3's." 

"Wow," Lucy and Mirajane said in shock. 

"I have to admit, seeing him bragging that he had the hot hand was hilarious when he saw Spike getting the Royal Flush. I have never seen him swear at the card keeper like that. He threw every word in the book at him," Lisanna said. 

"Yea," Spike chuckles. "He had to be escorted out for disturbing the peace. I think he was drunk too." 

"Had to be drunk, Spike," Lisanna said. 

"So, how much you won, Lisanna?" Mirajane asks. 

"700,000 Jewels in a game of roulette."

"Wow!" Mirajane and Lucy said. 

"I gambled a bit too much, and well, Spike helped me from gambling more that night. We'll be set for the next while, Mira."

"Anyway, I'll see you two later. I'm heading back home," Spike said. 

"See you later, Spike," Lisanna hugs Spike wholeheartedly. 

"I'm coming with you, Spike," Said Lucy. 

Lucy and Spike start walking to the apartment. Spike tells Lucy more about the trip and how he wished he had more tickets to take every one of his friends there. Lucy chuckles a little. She's glad that things with Lisanna and him are going in the right direction. That Lisanna will no longer see Spike the Fairy as Spike Knightwalker.
> School of Friendship: Preparations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been an interesting few weeks since Starlight Glimmer told Twilight about the future of the School of Friendship. Maud Pie and Trixie moved into Ponyville to help Starlight teach at the School of Friendship. Twilight and her friends finished constructing the school according to its original design. It still bothers Twilight that she won't be teaching, but being a student to get closer to Spike is worth it. 

Twilight Sparkle and her friends are eager about the first day of school. More so to be in a class where Spike is teaching and hoping to seek redemption in his sight. They are wondering what kind of subjects will each of the teachers will be teaching. 

Twilight Sparkle wakes up to a sunny morning. She wakes up knowing today is going to be the start of her redemption road. She stretches and overhears Starlight talking with Discord outside her room. 

"So, what time will Sunburst and Spike be arriving?" Starlight asks. She has her clipboard with today's agenda. 

"In a while. I hope things will go smoothly with every creature," Said Discord, as he's eating butter toast. 

"Good. There'll be a staff meeting at 9:15 where all the teachers will be discussing what they'll be teaching to the students. Then we will allow the students to come inside the school and talk to the other creatures present."

"Sounds good. How's Twilight doing?" 

"Pretty good for the most part; she's eager to see Spike again. I  hope she doesn't take over or run amuck with messing up today's lecture in classes or any other day for the future of the school." 

"She'll have to be on her best behavior. She cannot allow her emotions to get the better of her," Discord said. "Anyway, I better get Sunburst and Spike." 

"Alright, Discord. See you in an hour," Starlight sees Discord opening a window and gets blown away like paper to the Crystal Empire. Starlight knocks on Twilight's door. "Twilight, are you up?" 

Twilight opens the door after hearing the discussion Starlight and Discord had. Twilight has her saddlebag ready with quills, paper, index cards, folders, and much more. 

"I'm ready to embark on this new adventure of mine," Twilight smiles. "Oh, I can't wait to see Spike!" 

"And learn about Friendship to become anew as a Princess of Friendship, right?" Starlight asks to make sure it's about bettering herself and not getting Spike's attention. 

"Of course, I got my saddlebag ready," Twilight takes a deep breath. "And, I'm hoping I don't get criticized for being a student in the School of Friendship when I'm the Princess of Friendship." 

"Technically still suspended for another two months." 

"Don't remind me!" Twilight shouts. 

"My apologies, Twilight," Said Starlight. She looks at her list. 

"So, what's today's agenda?" Twilight asks. She and Starlight are trotting down the corridors of the castle. 

"I have a meeting with the teachers at 9:15. We're going to decide how we're going to be teaching for the first week. Since I am Headmare, I'll be doing my part of teaching and helping students whenever they seem distressed." 

"Good on you, Starlight. Who's the counselor?" Twilight asks. She had Starlight become the counselor of the school. 

Starlight chuckles. "Somepony you would not expect." 

"Really? Who?" Twilight smirks a bit. 

Starlight and Twilight are in front of the castle doors. When Starlight opens the door, they see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. 

"Morning, Headmare Glimmer," The CMC said in unison. 

"Morning, CMC Counselors," Starlight said in response. 

"WHAT?!" Twilight looks at Starlight. "They're kids, Starlight!" 

"Well, I needed someone that embodies Friendship and shares the ideologically with multiple creatures. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo are prime examples that you don't have to be alone. Through thick and thin, they've been through a lot of challenges and have shown how their friendship keeps them together. When other creatures come to them, I'm sure they can handle the situation. They believe in themselves as I do, Twilight."

"We believe we can handle the responsibility, Twilight. There is no need to fret," Apple Bloom said. 

"Yea! Plus, there could be younglings of other creatures coming into the school, and we're the type that can help them fit in more," Scootaloo said. 

"Also, we chose to do this. We could have said no but, we are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. We don't give up on ourselves, and we won't be giving up on others who need guidance in Friendship," Sweetie Belle said. 

"I talked it over with Ms.Cheerlie, and she believes that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo will be great counselors. I've talked it over with Granny Smith and Big McIntosh. They approved Apple Bloom being a counselor. I've talked it over with Lofty and Holiday. They approved Scootaloo being a counselor. As for Sweetie Belle's parents, Hondo and Cookie. Discord helped me in that department and teleported me to them. I discussed Sweetie Belle being a counselor for the School of Friendship and how vital her credentials are. They approved Sweetie Belle to become a counselor for the School of Friendship."

"So, everything is fine," Scootaloo said. 

"Oh, does Applejack and Rarity know about this? Sweetie Belle? Apple Bloom?" Twilight asks. 

"Rarity was not in favor of it but, she has no saying for the matter." 

"Applejack was mighty upset but, she understood the position that an Apple can achieve anything once they put their mind on something." 

Twilight sighs. "Okay, I wish you three luck in the responsibilities you now have." 

"Thank you, Twilight," The CMC said in unison. 

As Starlight, Twilight, and the CMC trot to the School of Friendship, Discord arrives at the Crystal Empire. He sees Sunburst and Spike (Discord) outside of the Crystal Castle. 

"Hey, you two. Ready to go?" Discord (clone) asks.

"Yep," Sunburst nods his head excitedly. "I have everything planned down for this week's session." 

"Same with me, Discord. Also, I may need you from time to time," Spike (Discord) said. 

"Good, good," Discord (clone) is about to snap his claw when he sees Flurry Heart flying out of the Crystal Castle into Spike's (Discord) arms. 

"Oh, Flurry Heart," Spike (Discord) smiles warmly at Flurry Heart. "I have to go. I'll be back later." 

"Spike!" Flurry Heart spoke her first word. Everyone around is in shock. 

Spike (Discord) is lost for words. "I know Spike isn't here but, I'm technically her first word. Wow." 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor come down to retrieve Flurry Heart. They see Discord, Spike, and Sunburst in shock and awe. 

"What happened?" Shining Armor asks. 

"Spike!" Flurry Heart says her first word again, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are lost for words. 

"Flurry!" Shining Armor lifts Flurry Heart with his magic. "You said your first word. Daddy is very proud of you," Shining Armor nuzzles Flurry Heart. 

"Mommy is proud of you as well," Princess Cadance nuzzles Flurry Heart. 

"When we're finished with today's school day, we're coming back to celebrate," Discord (clone) said, speaking for Sunburst and Spike (Discord). 

"Absolutely, see you three later," Shining said. 

Discord (clone) uses his magic to teleport Sunburst and Spike (Discord) to the School of Friendship. They are inside Headmare Starlight Glimmer's office. They grab a chair and sit in the circle. 

Starlight Glimmer, the CMC, and Twilight are now outside of the School of Friendship with Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. 

"Alright, I'm going to ask you six to wait outside. Students are not allowed to come inside the school just yet," Starlight announces. 

"Oh, c'mon," Rainbow complains. "We built the school and, you're asking us to wait outside?" 

"Yes. I have a meeting to attend to, CMC Counselors, come with me."

"Coming," They say in unison. 

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived, Headmare Glimmer," Trixie said, trotting with Maud Pie. 

"Hey," Maud calmly said. 

"Glad you two can make it. Let's go," Starlight leads the group inside while Twilight and her friends wait outside. 

Pinkie Pie has her binoculars and sees all sorts of creatures arriving. "Oooooh! I see the Yaks, Griffins, Hippogriffs, Dragons, and Changelings coming!" Pinkie becomes excited to make all sorts of new friends. 

"What about ponies, Pinkie?" Twilight asks. 

"Oh yea, they're coming. That's a given." 

Twilight groans a little. The girls see some creatures coming, including Prince Rutherford, Thorax, Ember, Grampa Gruffs with Gilda, and a representative of Queen Novo. They look at Twilight and her friends. 

Ember takes a deep breath. "Seems you six have decided to become students after all."

"Yea. We need a wake-up call on what Friendship is supposed to be and not a one-sided relationship," Twilight said as she sees ponies arriving as well. 

"All I ask is neither of you treats my kin the same you have treated Spike."

"Of course," Twilight sweats a bit. 

Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash draw unwelcome attention from the Royals of each Kingdom except for the Hippogriffs. 

It is now 9:15 in the morning. Starlight, the CMC, Maud Pie, and Trixie enter the office. They see Discord (clone), Sunburst, and Spike (Discord) sitting down on their chairs. 

"Alright, thank you, everyone, for coming to today's meeting. Today, we're welcoming students far and wide to teach them the values of Friendship. Our first semester will last for four months before taking two weeks off. For the first day, let's do some introductions to understand each other. I know each of us knows each other to some degree but, it's good to know where each of us stands and how we can help each other," Said Starlight.

"I'm Discord, everyone. I'm teaching students to embrace being friends with other creatures since I do represent all of them. I have today's class going through a trust exercise and a group partner mystery exercise. I'm teaching students how to build character, be honest with each other and, interact with one another." 

Everyone claps to encourage Discord. 

"I'm Spike. My classes will be featuring more on a roleplay aspect of what to do and what not to do. As you know, I had horrid experiences by the hooves of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, so I will be teaching what is okay to do or say to a friend and what isn't. To help create unity and eliminate the hate. Discrimination and racism have no value or place in Friendship. Today will be introductions like Discord but, I'm going to have the students say what they want to see in their friendships and what they don't want to see. Once everyone knows of each other better, they'll know how to respect one another as well." 

Everyone claps to encourage Spike. 

"My name is Trixie. As you know, I am the Great and Powerful Trixie. My classes will be about why having friends is vital. I'll be going in-depth about how far one creature can go on their own versus when friends are together achieving greater and higher things in life. I spent many of my days alone until I met Starlight. That's when my life changed for the better. That's why I have chosen this curriculum to teach to the students. Today, students will be introducing themselves, and they'll pick who to partner with within today's activity. I'll let destiny be their guide like how I was destined to have Starlight as my first friend."

Everyone is amazed and impressed with Trixie. They didn't think she'll be going in that direction. They clap to encourage Trixie. 

"Hey, my name is Sunburst. I'll be teaching the core value of Friendship on why it is important to value a friend. I'll be teaching them that ignorance toward a friend is not permitted in Friendship. I'll be teaching them some life experience on what can happen when you separate yourself from a friend. You can have a great friend but, if you separate yourself from life, you'll lose sight of what they're going through, or you'll lose them completely." 

Everyone claps. Starlight rubs the back of her head a bit as it reminded her of going astray when Sunburst left her. 

"My name is Maud. I'm teaching students how to be still like Boulder," Maud shows Boulder to everyone. "Boulder is a good listener as it is important to listen to what your friends have to say. Listening is important in Friendship. By not listening, you won't hear what a friend is trying to tell you or explain something important to them like a birthday party, a get-together, a project. Something important that means to the friend no matter how big or small it is. Ignoring your friend when he or she is in front of you shows how little you care."

Everyone claps after they listen to what Maud had to say, giving her encouragement as well. 

"We are the CMC Counselors. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and I will be helping every student that wants or need to fit in within the school. Help encourage anyone that are distressed or worry about not finding their place. We will be helping every creature understand that they have a place among any group. We will bring smiles and cheers to brighten their days."

Everyone claps to encourage the CMC on their biggest challenge in the school. 

"As you know, I am Headmare Starlight Glimmer. I will be helping out during your classes from time to time. I will be having one on one discussions with students that are having problems understanding when the CMC is occupied with another student. I'll be the substitute for anyone that'll be busy on any day for any of you. I'll be teaching what it's like to be in unison. I'll be teaching real life in the Friendship world and how we as creatures can overcome anything. I'll also be teaching that the Magic of Friendship can disperse any evil that wants to take over our homes."

Everyone claps to encourage Starlight. Starlight feels that things will be rocky at the start but, every creature will come out on top as friends. 

"Headmare Starlight, it's 9:30. Just wanted to let you know," Said Discord (clone). 

"Thank you, Discord. Now, the hours of the school are from 10:30 to 3:00. This'll give every student time to come to school. We have dorms for the students. As for the teachers, you are more than welcome to live in the Castle of Friendship unless you have homes to call to in Ponyville." 

"I'll be crashing in the castle, Starlight," Discord (clone) said. 

"Same with me," Trixie said. 

"I'll be sleeping at the castle. As for the weekends, I'll be going back to the Crystal Empire," Sunburst said. 

"I'm not staying," Spike (Discord) said. "Discord here is going to teleport me back and forth."

"Yep," Discord (clone) said in response. 

"Sure," Maud said, accepting Starlight's proposal to stay in the Castle of Friendship. 

"We have homes to go to," The CMC said in unison. 

"Alright. Now that that's settled, I'll conclude this meeting. Everyone, come to the main hallway and greet the students. We'll divide the students into different classes and begin from there," Starlight smiles. 

"Sounds good. Let's go," Said Discord (clone). 

Everyone leaves the office and goes to the main hallway. Everyone is eager, while Maud is calm to greet the students. Spike (Discord) has to play along when he sees Twilight and her friends. Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. Starlight uses her magic to open the doors and allow the students to enter the school.

Twilight walks in with her friends feeling uncomfortable by the glaring stares from Ember, Thorax, Prince Rutherford, and Gilda. Grampa Gruff was ignoring them during the wait. Ember, Thorax, Prince Rutherford, Grampa Gruff approaches Spike and Starlight Glimmer. 

"Hello, Headmare Glimmer. Hey, Spike," Said Thorax. "I want to introduce to you, Ocellus." 

Ocellus uses her changeling magic to transform herself into an earth pony to blend with the other ponies that walked in. 

"Uh, where is she?" Spike (Discord) asks. 

"Ocellus, what did I say about using your magic?" 

"Sorry," Ocellus transforms back to normal. 

"Please, stay in your form. You'll learn to make great friends by being you." 

"Okay, Thorax," Ocellus shyly replies. 

"Nice to meet you," Starlight smiles. "You'll fit right in. Trust me." 

"Hey, Spike. I want to introduce the only dragon participant that volunteered to come, Smolder," Ember steps aside as Smolder crosses her arms. 

"I didn't volunteer to be here. Ponies are uptight and cruel. Why should I be friends with them in the first place?" 

"You'll be learning that not all creatures under the same species are not terrible as you claim to be," Said Spike (Discord). 

"Whatever," Smolder rolls her eyes. 

"Baby Dragon!" Prince Rutherford gets the teachers' attention around Spike. "Yak wants to introduce Yona to Friendship School. She has the potential of making the school better and, to help all Yaks know the true meaning of Friendship." 

"Yak can't wait to meet nice ponies and others that'll be learning!" Yona proclaims. "And tell all about Yak Yakkistan," Yona terrifies some ponies with her running around. Discord (clone) catches her before she trips. 

"Whoa, this one got lots of energy. You'll be a prime candidate for my exercise later today." 

"Yona can't wait!" Yona is excited. 

"Trixie can't wait to have a student like Yona in Trixie's class." 

"Hey, Gilda. How's it going?" Spike (Discord) asks. 

"Good, kid. I have someone that'll be registering for the School of Friendship, handpicked by me and Grampa Gruff, say hello to Gallus." 

Gallus walks up to Spike (Discord) and Starlight. "So, you'll be teaching Friendship, huh?" 

"Yes. You'll embark on a school unlike any other to experience the qualities of Friendship and what it's supposed to be. Not what you heard from my experiences," Spike (Discord) said as he scratches the back of his head. 

"Right, the no discrimination and racism part. Got it," Gallus sarcastically expresses. 

"There won't be any of that within the School," Starlight said. 

"Okay, I'll trust you, the Headmare, and the teachers. Don't disappoint me," Gallus said. 

General Seaspray approaches Spike and Starlight. The two look in awe seeing the Hippogriff. "Hello, Headmare Glimmer. I am General Seaspray of Queen Novo's Navy. I would like to introduce the Queen's Niece, Silverstream."

Silverstream flies up to Starlight Glimmer and Spike, shaking their hoof and claw. "It's so great to be here! This place is amazing already!" Silverstream excitedly expresses. She flies around interacting with other ponies and creatures. 

"I think she can keep up with Yona's adrenaline rush in excitement," Discord (Clone) said. 

"This'll be a fun semester," Sunburst said after greeting several ponies that traveled far and wide. 

"They'll be good," Said Maud calmly. 

The CMC Counselors are introducing themselves to everyone around them. Letting them all know that when they need help, they know who to turn to, Applejack approaches the trio. 

"Hey, Apple Bloom. You still think you can handle this responsibility?" 

"For the hundredth time, yes!" Apple Bloom groans. "I can take care of it and, I'm not alone."

"Okay, okay, I just need to be sure," Applejack shakes her head and trots to meet up with her friends. 

Discord (clone) spawns a trumpet and plays to gather every creatures' attention. "Hello, every creature. I would like to say thank you for coming to day one of the School of Friendship. If you please come with us, we can get you organized to pair up for the year."

Every creature follows Headmare Starlight Glimmer, the CMC Counselors, and the teachers to their separate classrooms. Discord (clone) decides to pair an earth pony with the creatures representing their kingdoms to see how it'll flow. The earth pony Discord (clone) select is known as Sandbar. 

"Follow me, everyone creature. It's time to get cracking," Discord (clone) chuckles. 

"Follow me. It's time for a little show. Uh, Discord. May I borrow a clone?" 

"Sure thing, Spike," Discord (clone) claps as a clone appears from the closet. "Call him Disco."

"Why?" Spike (Discord) sees that Disco has an afro. "Ooooh, I get it," Spike (Discord) and Disco lead his class to their classroom. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack follow them. 

"Everyone, follow Trixie," She leads her class to her classroom. 

"Follow me," Maud calmly said as she leads her class to her classroom. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity follow Sunburst. 

"Come with me, every creature. It's time to commence with our Friendship Lesson of the day!" Sunburst leads his class to his classroom. 

Starlight sees everyone going with their teachers. She and the CMC will keep a keen eye on what goes on. Starlight will be keeping a closer eye when Twilight and her friends are in the same with Spike. She hopes that everything will be perfect in the end.
> School of Friendship Week One: Discord's Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord (clone) leads the students into his classroom. Several desks are hovering in the air as cotton candy clouds are roaming around. The classroom smells like chocolate milk as the walls are bright pink. The students are in awe to see much creativity within the room. 

"Now, I know that other classrooms are not like this. For everyone that doesn't know me, my name is Discord, the Lord of Chaos. My species is known as a Draqonecuus. I am part of every animal put together. I possess chaos magic. That's why the room looks like this. To make it homey for me. Now, the floating desks are for creatures that can fly. Those who can't, your desks are grounded." 

Every creature takes their seats. Discord (clone) sees several students unsure about the scenery. They look around to see if their eyes are not playing tricks on them. Silverstream is enjoying every bit of it. Gallus thinks it's cool to sit on a floating desk. Ocellus is somewhat enjoying it. Sandbar thinks it's cool seeing the Lord of Chaos do his thing. Smolder is going with the flow. Yona is excited and cannot wait to tell Yak Yakkistan about her first day. 

"Now, every creature, I want each of you to introduce yourself to the class," Discord (clone) spawns a ball. "Whoever I throw to will be the first to break the ice. Think fast!" Discord (clone) throws the ball at Gallus first. He catches it. 

"Hey, I'm Gallus. I'm from Griffinstone. I am somewhat interested in having friends with other creatures besides the Griffins." 

"Well, you'll have plenty of friends to go around. I'll be your friend as well," Discord (clone) smiles. "Now, you choose who to throw the ball to." 

Gallus smirks and throws the ball back at Discord. Discord catches it. "Hahaha, very funny. Though, I should have been more specific. Think fast!" Discord (clone) throws the ball at Smolder. She catches it. 

Smolder takes a deep breath. "Am I allowed to be honest, Discord?" 

"Of course. Friends shouldn't hide any secrets in the long run. It'll hurt them later." 

Smolder sighs again. "No offense to you, Sandbar but, I heard a lot from the other Dragons on how they despise Pony Kind after what the supposed Princess did to Spike. I'm having trust issues with all ponies but, I want to make friends. I want to be friends with all kinds of creatures that exist in our world," Smolder sighs. "I'm willing to give you a fair chance if you don't treat dragons as inferiors."

"Say what?!" Sandbar shouts horridly. "I never once thought that Ponies are superior to all kinds of creatures. Never ever ever ever!"

Smolder sees the sincerity Sandbar has. She knows she's making the right decision in trusting him. Smolder tosses the ball to Sandbar for him to speak. 

"I heard the news around town that Equestria may have been on the brink of war cause of how some ponies treated a baby dragon so horribly that makes you sick to your stomach. I didn't want to be known as a bad pony based on what has happened. I want everyone to know who I am. My name is Sandbar. I want everyone here to know the real me and not what they know about my kind."

Everyone nods in understanding. Sandbar tosses the ball to Yona. 

"Yona wants to learn to be friends with everyone that Yona likes. Yona wants to learn to teach Yaks how to become better friends with other creatures. Yona can't wait to be friends with everyone here!" Yona tosses the ball to Ocellus. 

Ocellus ducks as Silverstream catch the ball. "My name is Silverstream. I spent many years underwater on Mount Aris. I never made any friends outside of Mount Aris borders, so I want to make new friends," Silverstream smiles. She tosses the ball lightly to Ocellus. She catches it. 

"I'm a little insecure after finding out what Ponies did to a baby dragon but, I want to seek Friendship with other creatures that are in the Bar of Alliance. I do want to give Pony Kind a second chance." 

"Good. Just to let you know, my class will be merging with Spike's class from time to time. He asked for a clone a while ago but, that clone is temporary. So, expect Spike and I to teach you important values of Friendship along the way." 

"Alright, Discord," The students say in unison. 

"Now, today's exercise is all about trust," Discord (clone) claps as all the chairs and desks align themselves like a mountain pile. "Every creature here will take turns falling backward from the small mountain. The rest down here will be catching you. Trust takes time to build, so we're going to start building it slowly." 

"Yona want to go first! Yona want to go first!" Yona hops around. 

"Good," Discord (clone) snaps his claw. Yona is in position. "Now, everyone, form a pattern you believe will work to catch Yona. Remember, she's putting her trust in each of you." 

"Yona, ready!" Yona said, excited to see who will catch her. 

Every creature talks among themselves to align themselves properly to catch Yona; they ask Discord for a blanket to use. Discord gives them a blanket. Every creature spread out and made sure they hold the blanket as tight as they can. 

"Alright, Yona. Drop now, and we'll catch you," Gallus said. 

"Yona trusts Blue Griffin and Friends," Yona falls back as every creature catches Yona safely with the blanket. 

"Well done," Discord (clone) applauds. "Thinking outside the box to catch your friend. Now, who's next?" 

"Me!" Silverstream flies up to the mountain pile. 

Silverstream falls back as her friends catch her with the blanket. Gallus, Sandbar, Ocellus, and Smolder take their turns and having fun with the exercise. Discord watches how this group of students is interacting with each other in their first class together. Discord allows them to repeat the cycle two more times before changing the next topic in class. 

"Alright, that'll be enough as each of you has proven to trust each other for this exercise. Now it's time for-" Discord (clone) hears the bell ringing. "Your next class. Tomorrow we'll pick up with the next activity." 

Gallus, Smolder, Sandbar, Yona, Silverstream, and Ocellus leave Discord's class happily. Their next class is with Trixie as their teacher.
> School of Friendship Week One: Spike's Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike (Discord) sees Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack in his classroom, along with several ponies he doesn't recognize.  He knows what to do to get under Twilight's skin a bit. Spike (Discord) asks everyone in the class to introduce themselves and to be honest about themselves. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack had difficulty explaining themselves and why it led to this. The other ponies in the room felt disgusted that Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends would ever treat their teacher lower than dirt. They are not even sure if they can look at Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends the same ever again. 

"Now, I ask of you, please do not allow hate to consume your minds. It'll mess you up on how to become friends with other creatures in our world," Spike (Discord) explains. He takes a deep breath. 

"What will today's class be about, Spike?" A green pegasus named Buddy asks. 

"Today will be the first of many that I'll be teaching you what's acceptable in Friendship and what isn't."

Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack gulp a bit. Their in for an unpleasant surprise in reliving moments of their lives. Everypony else is anxious to know what Spike has in store. 

"Disco, you got the bucket?" Spike (Discord) asks. 

"Yes, I do," Disco brings in the bucket. He brings all sorts of items that are for pranking. 

"Oh no," This causes Rainbow Dash to remember her pranking spree on  Spike. She's not looking forward to being reminded of her actions. 

"Now, who here enjoys a good prank once in a while?" Spike (Discord) asks. He sees many ponies raising their hooves except for Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. "Now, I see somepony who is lying. Telling lies doesn't build character in Friendship." 

"I can't! I can't raise my hoof! I don't want other ponies to give me a bad reputation! Why me? What did I do to deserve this punishment!" Rainbow thought to herself. 

Spike (Discord) sighs. "Very well, remember that lying to yourself and others isn't healthy in Friendship. Now, going back. A prank is good as long as it's a harmless prank, right?" 

Everypony nods their heads except for Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack. 

"What if I tell you that certain pranks can make some creatures become ill or hurt. Will you pull those pranks?" 

Everypony shakes their heads. Some are saying that somepony willing to pull those kinds of pranks are merciless and not caring. Rainbow Dash feels ashamed of herself. 

"Now, here's a classic bucket of water prank on a door," Disco places the bucket where it's slightly open. He teleports outside. "As you see, the bucket of ice water is placed above the door. Anyone who opens the door without knowing will be drenched with ice water." 

Disco opens the door as the bucket filled with ice water hits him on the head. Some ponies laugh a little as Disco falls to the floor with the bucket hitting on his head. 

"I see we have some ponies who laugh at other creature's misery," Spike (Discord) seriously says. 

Those ponies who laugh stops as they just laughed at someone's misfortune. Disco is slow to get up. 

"As you see, getting hit on the head with a bucket is serious. Disco may be a clone of Discord but, what if you've done that to a dragon? Do any of you know what happens when you prank a dragon with ice water? Anyone?" Spike (Discord) looks thoroughly around the room. He anticipates for Twilight, Applejack, or Rainbow Dash to answer. The trio doesn't want to answer. "Rainbow Dash," Spike (Discord) calls out. 

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh," Rainbow prolongs the answer. 

"You should know; you saw it happen before."

Rainbow Dash sighs. "Dragons are cold-blooded, so when they get drenched with cold water, they feel extreme pain depending on how much cold water is in the bucket. Also, too much cold water can render them sick or death," Rainbow Dash closes her eyes and looks down in shame. 

"That's correct," Spike (Discord) hears everypony else jotting down notes so they don't harm dragons with cold water when they decide to joke around them a little. 

Disco plants a whoopie cushion on Spike's (Discord) chair. He sits on the whoopie cushion making a fart sound which causes everyone to laugh. 

"As you see, this prank may be old school but, it's harmless," Disco pulls the whoopie cushion. "Harmless pranks are the better pranks. Even some scare pranks."

"Pranks that cause pain is no laughing matter unless you have a cruel-sick mindset for joking around." 

"So, besides pranks, what else will you be teaching us?" Rainbow asks. 

"Name-calling," Spike (Discord) smiles. 

Rainbow gulps. She feels targeted with today's lesson. The other ponies turn to Rainbow Dash and see that she has a problem with name-calling. Twilight raises her hoof. 

"Yes, Twilight?" Spike (Discord) answers. 

"Why are you teaching topics like these? Why not go over the basics of the Elements of Harmony and how they bring Friendship to everyone?" 

"This is my class and how I'll be teaching. Sure the Elements and what they represent are important but would anyone here like to have a racist as a friend?" Everypony shakes their heads as their answer. "I'm teaching everyone here on what to do and what not to do. Say what is good and pleasant, and don't say anything that is hurtful. Are you saying that I shouldn't teach those kinds of lessons?" 

Twilight stumbles with her wording. Spike got her good. "Well, uh, it is good to know that everypony.., I mean every creature should say what's right and not disrespect them. Do things that are fun and not harmful. But, the Elements are-" Spike cuts Twilight's speech. 

"Not important with my lessons going forward. I have everything planned out. Maybe someday when you decide to be a teacher, you can teach how important the Elements of Harmony are. Until then, do not interrupt my class on what I teach. You'll be wasting my time, your time, and everyone's time here in this class. You are here to learn, not challenge my teaching efforts based on what you think it's appropriate, Twilight."

Twilight pouts and sighs. "I still think it's important that everyone should know about Laughter, Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and Magic." 

"It is but not in this class I'm teaching. Maybe Headmare Glimmer will be teaching that in her class," Spike (Discord) formally said. "Now stop asking about the Elements of Harmony and allow me to go forth with my teachings, Twilight." 

"It's blatant!" Rainbow shouts, disrupting the class. "You're targeting us on what we did to you!" 

Spike (Discord) glares at Rainbow Dash. The students in the room feel awkward. Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. 

"I'm using my experiences to teach other creatures what not to do towards a friend. I didn't say who cause what to me. This roleplay act I'm doing is to show what can happen to certain creatures who may not like the outcome," Spike (Discord) takes a deep breath. He goes to his desk and writes a form. He walks up to Rainbow Dash and hands it to her. 

"What is this?" Rainbow asks. 

"Your detention slip. After school, you'll be in detention for one hour for disrupting the class." 

Rainbow Dash's jaws drop. She never received detention on the first day until today. She feels targeted even more. 

"I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to start giving out detention slips to anyone that interrupts my class. Twilight, this is your last warning. Remind me of the Elements of Harmony in my class again; you'll be going to detention. Now, let me teach before class-" Spike (Discord) hears the bell ringing. "Over." 

Everypony hurry out of the classroom, not wanting to stick around to see Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash having their arguments with Spike. Spike (Discord) balls his claws then relaxes. 

"Go to your next class and remember what I'm teaching. I mean no disrespect but, this is what I decided to teach to my students. So no one has to go through what I endured," Spike (Discord) sounds displeased and upset. He watches Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack leaving. 

"This is going to be a long year," Said Applejack as she walks with her friends to their next class.
> School of Friendship: Lunch Break
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is now 1:15 in the afternoon at the School of Friendship. 1:15-2:00 is the lunch hour. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy sits at a table together and isolated from every other creature in the cafeteria. 

"I can't believe he gave me detention," Rainbow said, looking at her detention slip. 

"I can't believe he's using his experiences to teach other creatures what we did to him, telling what's pleasant and what isn't. Disregarding the Elements of Harmony and what they represent as well," Said Twilight, eating a hayburger. 

"Well, Spike does have good intentions to make sure that no other creature experiences what he endured. I mean, would you want a friend to be blatant disrespectful for laughs?" Said Applejack. 

"Oh, c'mon, AJ!" Rainbow feels conflicted. "He's targeting all of us! You were probably next in that class of his! He's disrespectful to us!" 

"A painful reminder but, it'll be my wake-up call. Also, to never neglect my younger sister. Always be by her side when she needs me," Said Applejack calmly.  

"How were your classes, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy?" Twilight asks. 

"Maud's class was so boring, Twilight," Said Rarity. "She made us listen to some ponies yap about comics, superheroes, food, and hobbies."

"C'mon, it wasn't that bad," Said Pinkie. 

"Listening is one thing, but go on and on and on, ugh!" Rarity's head slams on the table of exhaustion. 

"What was the moral of Maud's class?" Applejack asks. 

"That we should listen to each other. Missing some crucial details will drift friends apart," Pinkie said, already knowing the core value of Maud's teachings. 

"Wow," Applejack and Rainbow said. 

"And, by not listening, we start forgetting about their existence," Pinkie sadly sighs. She remembers all those times that she forgot Spike on numerous occasions. 

Twilight rubs her face with her hooves as that statement hits her hard. All those times, she'd have forgotten about Spike consistently.  

"After that class, we had Sunburst's class," Fluttershy explains. "He taught us what happens when we depart as friends without connections. That some friends go astray with no one to lean or depend on. Some friends deal with abandonment and why no one should ever be isolated. He gave his speech about leaving a friend behind and how hurt that friend felt. Something that no one in the class ever wants to feel or put someone in that position. It was tough and a bit of a heartache."

"Wow," This caught Twilight by surprise. 

"I will say, Sunburst's lessons are hitting me harder than my sister's. I would hate to put any friend of mine feel abandoned again, and I do not want to do that again."

The girls continue to discuss what they went through in class. Gallus, Ocellus, Silverstream, Yona, Sandbar, and Smolder come into the cafeteria. They find a table to sit and talk to.

"Wow, I have to say, Discord's class is the most fun," Silverstream said. 

"Yona likes Trixie. Trixie and Yona talk alike." 

"One thing is clear, Trixie is right about having friends achieve higher things in life. United we stand, divided we fall," Gallus said. 

"Yea," Everyone nods in unison. 

"It's great to have fun in classes. Trixie's magic is spectacular with the assistance of Headmare Glimmer," Smolder said. 

"Two friends working together like that, imagine what the six of us can achieve?" Sandbar said, getting excited. 

"Yea! What if and this is just me saying this, what if we are tasked to fight a superpowered villain?" Silverstream excitedly expresses. "If my cousin helped defeated the Storm King, what's in stored for us?" 

"Hmm, us taking down a powerful foe?" Gallus thinks about it. 

"Yona says, bring it on!" She slams the table, spoiling for a fight.

"Well, uh, I think we can achieve the impossible cause when having friends, there is no giving up," Ocellus said. 

"As long as we believe in ourselves and in each other, we can overcome anything," Sandbar said. 

"Yeah!" Everyone said in unison. 

Spike (Discord), Sunburst, Trixie, Maud, Discord (clone), Headmare Starlight Glimmer, and the CMC Counselors come into the cafe. They see everyone interacting as well as Twilight and her friends isolated from everyone else. They sit at an empty table away from the students. 

"So, how is everyone?" Starlight asks, breaking the ice. 

"Well, Spike informed Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and I that we'll be hosting Rainbow Dash in detention," Sweetie Belle said. 

"Detention already?" Starlight is appalled with the statement. 

"She interrupted my class, calling it blatant cause it involves her and her friends. I came close to giving Twilight detention cause of her interruptions. She kept on pestering about the values of the Elements of Harmony. That Generosity, Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness, and Magic is what I should be teaching. I told her, Twilight, and Applejack that I'm teaching about my experiences so no one ever goes through what I endured," Spike (Discord) said, putting his claw on the table holding his head. 

"Twilight did the same in my class," Discord (clone) said. "She hated the fact that my classroom was chaotic when the other students enjoyed it. She hated my trust exercise as she deemed it too dangerous when no one got hurt. Rainbow Dash didn't mind sitting on the floating desks and doing the trust exercise. Applejack didn't mind one bit. She enjoyed it as far as I know. Twilight was yapping that I could have told some truths about the Elements of Harmony when I told her about my curriculum. She's starting to behave like a control freak. She's starting to think that she should appeal that the school should be teaching the values about the Elements of Harmony." 

Starlight groans. "Twilight was so excited, and now she flipped a 180. What about the rest of you? Any problems with Twilight's friends?" 

"Rarity didn't like my listening class. She looked bored when I had other students talk about their likes. Pinkie was keen on paying close attention. So was Fluttershy. Rarity needs help to listen to everyone, like how she listens precisely to her customers at her boutique." 

"Ouch," Discord (clone) said, knowing that was a shot at Rarity as a businesswoman versus a student." 

"They were fine in my class. I want to say they had a heartache when I made my speech about forgetting a friend. I want to say it reminded them of how they forgot about Spike," Sunburst confirms. 

"All Trixie can say is; Trixie likes Yona and her new friends. They have the potential of becoming great friends down the road." 

"Yea, I saw it too. When we were performing an act of what happens when friends work together," Starlight said. 

"We were watching things outside of the classrooms," Apple Bloom said. 

"Yea, we decided to split up and watch the classes," Scootaloo said. 

"It's for us to see who is struggling to make friends or understand how to greet a creature. So far, from what we've seen. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity need the most help. Applejack is calm. Pinkie is keen on improving herself as a friend. The same goes for Fluttershy. If things continue with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, we may need your help Headmare Glimmer to settle things with them," Sweetie Belle said. 

"Understood," Starlight nods. 

Everyone in the cafeteria finishes eating their lunch and goes to their next class. Starlight hopes that Twilight controls her emotions better. Stop being critical. And learn something rather than disrupt a lecture.
> Spike vs Gildarts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few days since Spike has come home from the Akane Resort trip with Lisanna. Spike wakes up after dreaming about Wendy going on a date. He wants to make that a reality someday. Spike sees Lucy, Natsu, and Happy sitting by the table. 

"Morning, Spike," Natsu chuckles. 

"Morning, sleepyhead," Said Happy, chowing on a fish. 

"Had a good sleep, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"I did. Today's the big day for me. I get to spar with Gildarts," Spike sees Natsu and Happy smiling more than usual. "Okay, what's the deal?" 

"Well, after finding out that you'll be fighting with Gildarts, everyone will be watching and betting to see who will win," Natsu said. 

"Whaaaaaaaat?!" Spike freaks a bit. 

"Yea and my money is on Gildarts," Natsu said. 

"Really? You don't think I can beat him?" 

"I fought the old man plenty of times. He's wicked powerful. I don't know how long you will fare. If Gildarts were with us in Edolas, a lot of those chumps, including that Knightwalker guy, would be creamed." 

"You do remember that my Edolas counterpart was the one who killed Gildarts Edolas counterpart, right?" 

"Well, Gildarts is the strongest. That means that Edolas Gildarts had to be the weakest," Natsu replies. 

Spike was about to counter, then he rethinks a little, agreeing with Natsu's statement. "Well played. However, this is different. I think the outcome will be different, so better switch sides before it backfires." 

"Nah, I know Gildarts better than you and Lucy. Gildarts is going to cream you," Natsu eats his breakfast. 

"We will see," Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. He looks at himself in the mirror. "You got this. No bet is going to alter my thinking in this sparring. I can't make myself look like a fool in front of Wendy if she's watching."

"Spike," Natsu knocks on the bathroom door. "Lucy, Happy, and I will be waiting for you downstairs," Natsu, Happy, and Lucy leave the apartment to wait for Spike. 

"Alright, Natsu," Spike leaves the bathroom and goes to the fridge. He makes a sandwich and takes it with him. He leaves the apartment and meets up with his friends. 

"So, I'm guessing we're watching behind the guildhall?" Lucy asks Natsu. 

"Yea, by the beach. The place where I fought Gildarts," Natsu chuckles. 

"And lost badly," Happy snickers. 

"Don't remind me!" Natsu fires back at Happy. 

"Wow, I bet Spike can last longer than you did, Natsu," Lucy laughs a bit. 

"Oh, c'mon!" Natsu is getting irritated, which causes Spike to laugh. 

"How long did he last, Happy?" Spike asks. 

"20 seconds," Happy teasingly says, which causes Lucy and Spike to laugh. 

"That's a lie, and you know it, Happy! I lasted two minutes with the guy!" 

Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Spike arrive at the guildhall to see everyone outside. Master Makarov directs everyone to the beach where Gildarts is. Max Alors sets up a betting booth on the beach, taking all bets. Every Fairy Tail Wizard except for Wendy and Carla place their bets. 

"So, what's the bet, Max?" Lucy asks. 

"So far, I have over a hundred Fairy Tail Wizards betting their money in Gildarts on winning the fight. No one has chosen Spike the Fairy to win the fight."

"Seriously?!" Spike sounds a little upset. 

"Well, I'm betting you to win or tie, Spike." 

"The odds are not in your favor, Lucy. Wish you luck anyway, Spike." 

"So, Fairy Dragon. You ready to fight?" Gildarts asks. He's betting himself to win the fight. 

"I'm ready to win," Spike said. He looks at Gildarts. 

"Sounds good, let's see what you're made of," Gildarts distances himself a bit. 

Everyone gathers around to watch the fight. Carla and Wendy are with Gray and Erza. Wendy doesn't want to see them fighting each other like this. She is rooting for Spike. Carla thinks it's inhumane to bet against each other in a simple fight. Gajeel and Panther Lily are standing next to the Thunder Legion. They ask about Gildarts. They reply by saying that Gildarts is one of the strongest wizards in Fairy Tail. 

Spike is a few feet away from Gildarts on the sand. Gildarts and Spike smirk at each other. Master Makarov rings the bell, signaling the two to fight. 

"You're going down, Fairy Dragon," Gildarts said. 

Spike's claws start glowing. He claps and creates his metallic flame sword to wield. 

"Nice trick, Fairy Dragon. Though I'm going to show you how pointless the weapon is," Gildarts uses his Crush in the form of an energy blast to destroy Spike's sword. 

Spike drops his sword as his claws are still glowing Sparkling Green and grab firm of the energy blast. 

"What are you doing?!" Gildarts asks. He has never seen anyone grabbing his energy blast like that before. 

"This!" Spike slams the crush energy blast into his metallic flame sword. "Sparkle Merger!" 

"What's that?!" Gildarts is in shock. 

Spike grabs his sword. "Spike wants!" His arms, his legs, his tail are expanding. His arms grow muscular, his chest and stomach are becoming ripped. Spike's scales on his head expand into a pointer spike. His teeth grow into fangs. His eyes are the same as he is now, the size of Laxus. "Say hello to my Metallic Sparkling Green Flare Shatter Sword," Spike chuckles. 

"You gotta be kidding me!" Natsu is in shock. Everyone gasps after hearing what Spike said. 

"A bluff," Gildarts say as he smirks. "It's a nice trick but, my magic can't be  manipulated just like that." 

"Damn, he figured me out that quickly." Spike thought to himself. 

"Though, I'll admit. You look like Laxus if he were an actual dragon." 

"Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike jumps in the air and slashes Sparkling Green Flames at Gildarts. 

Gildarts blocks the attack by shattering it. Gildarts jumps in the air to punch Spike. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Gildarts. 

"What?" Gildarts could have sworn Spike was in front of him. 

Spike uses his tail to swat Gildarts from behind. Gildarts lands on the sand and looks up. "So, that's what Master meant by teleporting people with your breath. Clever tactic. I give you that." 

Spike smirks. "Ice Spike!" A Sparkling Green Ice Spike appears under Gildarts. It cuts a piece of his cloak as Gildarts jumps in the air. 

"Impressive. I didn't think you can use ice magic as well." 

"Fairy Dragon! Roooooooar!" Spike uses his fire breath attack at Gildarts. 

"Not this time, kid," Gildarts shatters Spike's fire breath attack and punches Spike. Spike feels the full force of the punch and lands on the sand hard. 

"Down and out," Natsu said. 

"Well, least he lasted longer than you did, Salamander," Elfman said. 

Spike gets up after the punch. Gildarts is impressed with Spike's durability. "Is that the hardest you can throw a punch, or were you holding back?" Spike asks. 

Everyone oohed at that statement. Gildarts lands on the sand; he looks at Spike and reads his body language. 

"So, you really want to go all out, huh?" 

"You asked me to spar with you to test your body. It wouldn't be much of a test if you hold back." 

"Very well," Gildarts powers up. "Your wish is my command!"

Everyone around feels Gildarts' magic power reaching higher peaks. They become a bit scared with the intensity building from Gildarts. Master Makarov remains calm as he knows what Gildarts is doing. 

Spike senses Gildarts' power increasing. He positions himself to counter any attack Gildarts may throw at him. Gildarts takes the first step shattering the sand. Spike now sees the intensity of Gildarts' magic. Spike's claws start glowing again. 

"You're going down, Fairy Dragon," Gildarts lunges at Spike, throwing another punch at his face. 

Spike catches his punch with his claw. The impact of Gildarts' punch caught in Spike's claw causes the sand they stand on to explode. Everyone around gets whiplashed with sand in their faces. 

"My eyes! I can't see!" Natsu screamed. 

"That punch, so powerful!" Wendy shouts. 

"Man, all of that from a single punch. It makes me wonder how strong Gildarts is," Said Gray. 

"My turn," Spike gut punches Gildarts with the same force of energy Gildarts used. Gildarts is hurling back as he stands his ground. He clutches onto his stomach a bit, not anticipating that kind of maneuver. 

"What..? How..?" Gildarts looks at Spike. 

"I've been learning something new with my magic, transferring energy into my body and redirecting it back. Defense is sometimes my best offense."

"Wow, Spike continues to impress me. He's using his head and strengths like the time during the 24-Hour Endurance Race," Master Makarov said. He couldn't help but smile at Spike's focused mentality. 

"He's a wonder to behold, Master," Erza said. 

"No joke, when he first came, he didn't even know the basis of magic. Now, he's getting stronger by the day," Said Lucy. 

Spike raises his claw, creating a Sparkling Green Fireball. Gildarts hits the ground with a powerful strike, fused with his crash magic that sends shockwaves at Spike. Disrupting Spike's Fireball as he hobbles over but, Gildarts notices the look in Spike's eyes. 

"Gotcha again," Spike's Fireball absorbs Gildarts crash magic on the ground with his fireball and presses his claws. "Inferno Crashing Wave!" Sparkling Green Flares with Crash Magic infused; is fired at Gildarts. 

Gildarts extends his hand to neutralize Spike's Inferno Crashing Wave. It shatters and explodes on contact. Spike roars as he's all fired up. Spike charges at Gildarts. After Gildarts hears Spike's warcry, his body starts trembling. When he looks at Spike, he sees the Black Dragon he fought and lost. 

"No..," Gildarts tries to punch the dragon but, it dodges out of the way. He grits his teeth as he sees the Black Dragon toying with him. He tries using his energy blast to shatter the Black Dragon but, it absorbed it like was nothing and breathes fire at him. Gildarts gets hit with the fire breath attack and gets knocked down to the sand. 

"No way! Gildarts is losing to Spike?!" Natsu shouts. 

Everyone around is in shock; they are watching Gildarts now getting his ass handed to him by Spike. Spike is punching left and right. He uses his Fairy Dragon Roar to knock down Gildarts. Spike is getting excited as he's powering up. Master Makarov is the only one watching Gildarts' body language. Two things pop into his mind, Gildarts is letting Spike win or Gildarts having his PTSD. 

Gildarts powers up while fear is getting a hold of him. Spike leaps at Gildarts to hit him with his Inferno Blazing Fist. Gildarts, nearly full-powered, punches the Black Dragon so hard on his head. He sees the Black Dragon down and stomps on his neck. Gildarts is then tackled by several of his guildmates. 

"No! Stop! I need to kill the black dragon!" Gildarts frantically pleas. 

Natsu slaps Gildarts several times in the face. "Get a grip, old man! That wasn't what you saw! That was Spike!" Natsu grips Gildarts shirt to pull him up and point. "Look!" 

Gildarts sees Spike motionless on the ground as Wendy is tending to him, using her Sky Magic to heal Spike from the gruesome attack. Spike is no longer the size of Laxus as he's reverted to his size. Wendy has tears in her eyes while Lucy and Erza are comforting him. Everyone else is in shock and horror. Master Makarov feels a little guilty and should have stopped the fight. 

"I.., I should go," Gildarts gets up and leaves. 

Half an hour later, Spike is on a bed in the infirmary. Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Erza, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Natsu, and Gray are by his side. Gildarts returns to the guildhall and feels dreadful for what he did. He walks up to Master Makarov by the bar stool. 

"You saw it again, did you?" Makarov looks up at Gildarts. 

"I lost control of my senses when Spike roared. I wasn't seeing him but the dragon that scarred me. How is he, Master?" 

Master Makarov sighs. "He's durable. In most cases, what you pulled would have killed someone. Spike will pull through in a couple of hours. Give or take."

"I see. I should consider myself lucky that he's tougher than he looks."

"Agreed. So, how long are you staying in town?"

"I'm thinking about leaving after what I pulled at the beach. Something on your mind, Master?" 

"Yes. The S-Class Trials are coming up, and I could use you as an instructor."

"Alright, Master. Also, for what I caused today, you should have Spike compete in it." 

"He's my first entrant to compete. I've decided to extend the participants from eight to nine this year." 

"Alright then, I better get going," Gildarts leaves Master Makarov and the guildhall. He'll come by to check on Spike later.
> School of Friendship Week One: Outburst
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's now 2:05 in the afternoon. Twilight and her friends decided to stay together instead of splitting up in triples. Twilight and her friends go into Starlight's class. Gallus, Smolder, Yona, Silverstream, Sandbar, and Ocellus enter as well. Headmare Glimmer closes the door. The CMC Counselors decides to observe the class to see how it plays out. Hoping that Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity won't misbehave. 

"Good afternoon, class. I am Headmare Starlight Glimmer-" Rainbow interrupts her speech. 

"Yea, we know, Starlight," Said Rainbow, unamused. 

"Do not interrupt me, Ms.Dash. You know who I am but, you are also a student. Interrupt me again, and I'll send you to detention for being blatantly rude." 

Rainbow Dash sighs. "Sorry for interrupting you."

"Wow, Gilda wasn't pulling any punches about Rainbow's ego." Gallus thought to himself. 

"That was rude." Smolder thought to herself. 

"Now, as I was saying, my name is Headmare Starlight Glimmer. I'll be teaching real life in the Friendship world and how we as creatures can overcome anything."

"Finally!" Twilight raises her hoofs in the air. 

Starlight takes a deep breath. "I'll also be teaching that the Magic of Friendship can disperse any evil that lies in our world."

Twilight Sparkle becomes ecstatic. Someone is going to teach the students about the Elements of Harmony. Gallus raises his claw. 

"So, Friendship has the power to overcome evil?" 

"Y-" Twilight cuts out Starlight's speech. 

"Yes. I have many experiences first-hoof that Friendship can overcome any evil in Equestria. No matter how powerful a foe may be, the power of Friendship overcomes all evil. My friends and I are the embodiments of the Elements of Harmony. We together have stopped the likes of Nightmare Moon, Discord, Tirek, Starlight, and much more," Twilight smiles in satisfaction. 

"Twilight!" Starlight shouts angrily at Twilight. Everyone flinches hearing Starlight yell like that. 

"Sorry," Twilight lightly chuckles. 

Starlight trots to her desk and writes a detention slip. She trots to Twilight to give it to her. "Congratulations, Twilight. You have detention." 

"Detention?! I have never been through detention before!" Twilight panics a bit. "You can't do this to me!" 

"There's a first time for everything. I'm teaching this class. You have been told explicitly not to interrupt the class. Discord and Spike told me about your behavior in class. You've completely made a 180 turn. I will not have you interrupt any more classes with this foolish, self-righteous behavior. I've been reading your body language, Miss." 

Everyone is silent, not daring to speak out of turn. Starlight takes a deep breath to calm herself. The CMC flinch after hearing and witnessing the outburst. They never thought of seeing Twilight behave like this on day one, let alone seeing Headmare Glimmer angry. 

"Twilight Sparkle, you and I are going to have a serious discussion when class is over. Do I Make Myself Clear?" Starlight Glimmer sternly said. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Twilight said in defeat. 

"Class dismissed every creature," Starlight said. "I will teach you what I have planned today tomorrow. I cannot continue with how I'm feeling." 

Gallus, Sandbar, Yona, Silverstream, Smolder, and Ocellus leave disappointed. They see the CMC Counselors. 

"Is there another class we can attend?" Sandbar asks. 

"I'm afraid that all classes are full. Today, school ends early for you lot," Scootaloo said. 

Every creature sighs sadly to hear the news. 

"We can show you your dorms," Apple Bloom suggests. 

"Yona wants to know where she'll be sleeping at." 

"Follow us," Sweetie Belle said. 

The CMC Counselors escort Gallus, Sandbar, Yona, Silverstream, Smolder, and Ocellus to the dorms. Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Applejack remain in the classroom with Starlight Glimmer. 

"Everyone except Twilight, leave now," Starlight instructs. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack trot out of the classroom. 

"Starlight, I'm-" Starlight cuts Twilight's speech. 

"Let me tell you what's going to happen. During class, you are to listen and learn what any teacher instructs. You are not allowed to interrupt the class to explain how or what you did with Friendship unless given the authority by us teachers. If you wish to talk about other Friendship lessons you learned and wrote to Princess Celestia, be my guest after school hours. In here, I'm in charge of what goes on. I am the Headmare of the School of Friendship. It is my responsibility to have every student learn the qualities of Friendship. What you did today, you ruined a day's worth of learning, for those new creatures in which I should remind you that nearly went to war against us!" Starlight takes a deep breath. "I'll see you and Rainbow Dash in detention by 3:05 in the afternoon. You have a lot of thinking to do, Twilight Sparkle." 

"I'm sorry, Starlight. Really, I am. It's just-" Starlight cuts Twilight off again. 

"You want the teachers of this school to have the students learn about the Elements of Harmony and what they represent. You want the school to run things your way."

"Yes....," Twilight said as she lowered her head. 

"Look me in the eyes, young mare," Starlight commands. Twilight looks at Starlight. "Continue to go on this path, and you'll go astray. That's the last thing you want to do. You've forgotten your true objective of becoming a student in the School of Friendship. Redemption. You're here to redeem yourself, not become a pariah. You're here to earn Spike's forgiveness. Not running amuck because you disapprove with the teaching methods every creature decides to go forth." 

Twilight remains silent. She's forgotten what she's supposed to be doing and already slipping up. She groans as she's displeased with herself and the pony she's becoming. 

Starlight trots out of her class. "Think about what type of pony you want to be in the School of Friendship."

Twilight tears up a little and trots to the cafe to kill time and be alone. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack see Twilight coming into the cafeteria. They approach her. 

"Twilight, are you okay?" Rainbow asks. 

Twilight shakes her head. "I've become a control freak. I'm losing myself cause the school I built is not going in the direction I want and, I have to accept that. It's frustrating what I've become. I complained and ruined two classes in one day. Me, a pony that thrives in school all my life, is now sentenced to detention for behaving like a mad-pony." 

"So, it's a rough start. We gotta pull through together in order to make this school year go smoothly for us," Said Applejack encouragingly. 

"Yea. It's different for us, but it's about earning forgiveness and get closer to Spike. Also, to renew ourselves to become better and greater friends for every creature!" Pinkie exclaims. 

"We owe it to ourselves to become better for the sake of Friendship," Rainbow said. "For that to happen, we need to reflect our history and change our ways." 

"Agreed. I have to listen better," Rarity admits. "I can be so negligent at times. I may need another session in Maud Pie's class. What if she has a pop quiz setup tomorrow based on those ponies that spoke about their favorite things and hobbies." 

"Well, I have to go back to Sugarcube Corner since my day in school is over," Pinkie said. She says bye to her friends for now. 

"Time for me to tend to the animals, see you all tomorrow," Fluttershy leaves. 

"Gotta go back to the farm. I have to pick up where Big Mac left. Later, ya," Applejack leaves. 

"I'll see you two later. I have to continue my work with the next dress I'm designing," Rarity leaves. 

"I guess you and I stay here cause we both got detention," Said Rainbow. 

"Detention? Who would have thought I'd be in detention?" Twilight rhetorically asks. 

"Not me," Rainbow answers. "I have to do better in controlling my ego."
> School of Friendship Week One: Detention
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's now 3:00 in the afternoon. Twilight and Rainbow Dash hear the bell ringing, signaling that the first day at the School of Friendship is over. They look at the detention slips as it starts to glow. 

"Why is it glowing?" Rainbow asks. 

"Could be Discord's doing," Twilight assumes. 

The detention slips levitate and go into the floor, creating a red path beam.

"What the hay?" Rainbow is confused. 

"I think it's supposed to lead us to the detention room since we don't know where it is." Said Twilight. 

"Clever," Rainbow rolls her eyes and follows the red path beam to the detention center. 

"I want to say it's for those who'll be going to detention for the first time."

Twilight and Rainbow arrive at the detention center. The two enter inside to see Discord (clone), Spike (Discord), and Starlight Glimmer. They gulp a little while taking their seats. 

"Thank you for coming and not ditching detention," Starlight calmly said. 

"So, what are we supposed to do in detention?" Rainbow asks. 

"Discord, Spike, and I have decided to have you two here for half an hour. It will act as an only warning." 

"After the first warning, detention will be an hour for any misbehaved students of the school," Discord (clone) informs. 

"While you're here in detention, take the time to reflect on your actions and try to improve better. And, one more thing," Spike (Discord) said. 

"Do not question how we teach and don't speak out of turn," Discord (clone), Spike (Discord), and Starlight said in unison. 

"Honestly, we took the time to decide what to teach to our students. We came up with our plans and objectives. So, don't be subjective based on what we do to help better students in the understanding of Friendship," Discord (clone) said. 

"Hey, Discord. Starlight." 

"Yes, Spike?" Starlight replies. 

"You two can leave. I'll stay." 

"You sure?" 

"Yes, Starlight. There is something I want to say to them in private."

"Alright, see you tomorrow, Spike," Starlight and Discord (clone) leave the detention center. 

Spike (Discord) takes a long deep breath. He clears his head to focus on what he needs to say. 

"When I decided to become a teacher here, I knew you six, will join immediately. I took the opportunity to see if you would better yourselves and embrace the change. Obviously, I stand corrected." 

"That's not true! It's only the first day!" Rainbow exclaims. 

"On the first day, will you make a good impression of yourself or act like a clown?"

"I'm not a clown!" Rainbow is getting irritated. "You've been targeting us like some sort of.., revenge scheme!" 

"I didn't explicitly say who did what to me. I only showed what can happen. Disco and I were doing prank lessons to show what is exceptional and what isn't. Your pranks on me throughout the years have been brutal but, I didn't say what you did in my class, did I?" 

"Well, uh.., no. No, you didn't..," Rainbow sighs. 

"Also, it should entice you to learn what pranks you can scheme that'll be fun for all and not inflict pain on the victim. So you won't hurt the creature's feelings." 

Rainbow sighs. "You're right. And my pranks have gotten out of hoof at times. I need to control myself better." 

"And change for the better," Spike (Discord) sighs heavily. "I may not want to be friends with you cause I still need time to forgive you. I want you to change, not for me but for yourself. Become a better you. For some changes to occur, reflecting on the past will help." 

Rainbow Dash nods. "Then, you weren't targeting us..." 

"No. You made yourself an open target. I never said what you did to me when I was teaching. When I called you to answer, I was testing you to see if you'll take the initiative step on your road to redemption.  Obviously, I saw you taking a turn in prolonging the simple answer. Then, you made a mockery of yourself and your friends in the class."

Rainbow Dash lowers her head as she failed the first day already. Twilight understands Spike's teaching methods better. It's a hurdle for her and her friends to overcome to become better friends for all creatures. 

"The question is, you want history to repeat itself?" 

"No way," Rainbow Dash quickly answers Spike's question. "I will succeed in improving myself starting tomorrow. No matter how painful the lessons are, it's a good reminder of who I once was and who I want to be going forward." 

"Good, Rainbow," Spike (Discord) turns to Twilight. "What about you?" 

Twilight sighs. "I need to accept how things are within the School and make an effort to change myself for the better. I was so excited earlier today about becoming a student; I wind up becoming a tyrant in class." 

"According to Discord and Starlight, you have. Interrupting the class and wasting time is not a good way to better your image. I want to forgive you for your actions and want to see you change for the better. I can't because of how scarred I am, and you're showing me signs that you don't want to change your ways. You're seeking to take control and do things your way in the School. You lost your privileges to that. Also, the School of Friendship is for teaching every creature what Friendship is. It can't be the pony's way of teaching. Pony Friendship is flawed, and I should know. I experienced it my whole life, disregarding other creatures and being suspicious while ponies get the benefit of the doubt. It has to be the creature's way of teaching. So every creature can be together as one in unity. Every creature can embrace and share the same qualities of trust while keeping their guard up. Ponies seem to lower their guard with other ponies but not creatures. That's the area that needs fixing. Remember how Thorax was treated at the Crystal Empire?" 

"Yes, I remember, Spike," Twilight remembers how that day went. 

"Everypony never gave Thorax a chance to explain because he was different from Pony Kind. If he was a Pony, how do you think he'll be treated?" 

"With open hooves and hearing his story..," Twilight said admittingly. 

"Exactly. Remember the Zecora incident weeks after we moved into Ponyville." 

Twilight sighs heavily, remembering that moment. "Yes." 

"What did everypony do?" 

"Go into hiding because she's different." 

"And if Zecora was a Pony?" 

"Greetings, welcomings, and let's be friends immediately." 

"That's Pony Friendship right there. That is not needed going forward. That's one of the sole reasons why the Bar of Alliance was formed. The Friendship Ponies have, they don't want it. The Elements of Harmony is solely focused on Pony Kind. Teaching what the Elements of Harmony representation is important but, other qualities needs to be taught first. Do you understand?" 

Twilight nods as she needs to rethink her logic way of thinking towards Friendship. Rainbow Dash has a lot to study to better herself as a friend and as a better pony. 

"I would appreciate if you tell this to Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. They should know and understand what the School will be instructing going forward. Also, to reflect on their experiences on treating some creatures versus all of Pony Kind." 

"We will, Spike," Twilight and Rainbow said in unison. 

Spike (Discord) smiles and sighs in relief. "Good. I hope you learn something from detention. I hope to never have to sign you up or see you here for the rest of the semester. I will say it's nice seeing you," Spike (Discord) leaves the detention center. 

Twilight and Rainbow Dash leave the detention center. As they leave, they see Spike talking with Discord. Discord snaps his claw teleporting Spike home to the Crystal Empire. Twilight now knows that Spike doesn't intend on coming back to the Castle as a teacher. Twilight and Rainbow Dash takes flight and flies to Sugarcube Corner to meet up with Pinkie Pie. To inform her what they learned in detention.
> Spike's Recovery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is now 1:30 at night. Spike wakes up and feels a slight headache. He looks around to see his friends sleeping in the infirmary. 

"They didn't want to leave my side," Spike smiles. "What should I do?" Spike sits up and notices Wendy resting her head on her arms on the bed. His slight adjustment on the bed wakes Wendy up. 

"Sp-Spike?" Wendy turns to see Spike awaken. "Guys," Wendy starts waking everyone in the room up. "Wake up. He's awake." 

Natsu yawns. He still feels sleepy but glad to see Spike feeling better. Gray, Erza, Lucy, Gajeel, Carla, Happy, Panther Lily, Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna wake up after their snooze. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. How are you feeling?" Gajeel asks. 

"I'm better. I don't remember what happened." 

"You were fighting Gildarts by the beach. You were winning until Gildarts snapped and pummeled you to near death," Erza answers. 

"I have to say, the way you moved out there, mighty impressive, Fairy Dragon," Elfman said. 

"No joke, we didn't think you'll last that long against him," Said Gray. 

"Where's Gildarts?" Spike asks. 

"Home. He felt dreadful after what he did to you. I know what happened. When you roared, it triggered his PTSD when he fought the Black Dragon. He wasn't seeing you and lost his senses," Natsu explains. 

"You want to go home, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"After I check on Gildarts," Spike gets off the bed. "After I check on him, I'll head home, Lucy." 

"Should we come along?" Wendy asks. 

"I think I should have a private discussion with him. I'll see you all later since it's," Spike looks at the clock. "1:37 in the morning."

"Alright, we'll see you later, Spike," Said Wendy. 

Spike walks down the stairs and notices other Fairy Tail Wizards asleep in the guildhall. Spike figures that they must have stayed to know about his health conditions. Lucy and the other go on their way back home. 

Spike looks up at the night sky for the first time this late. "Wow, the stars sure are beautiful. I bet Princess Luna would love to hear that. Too bad I have no way of contacting her," Spike sighs as he starts remembering Princess Luna and Celestia. "Do they miss me? Are they searching for me? Will Discord ever tell them the truth?" Spike starts remembering the Fairy Tail Send-Off. "No, I.., don't want that image in my mind if they try to bring me back to Equestria. I am happy here. Truly happy for the first time in years! I have magic, I have friends, I have a home, I have someone that loves me," Spike blushes, thinking about Wendy. "Wendy. Oh Lord, I love Wendy. Why can't I utter those three words to her every time I see her?!" Spike stops walking and looks at the night sky. "Would Wendy marry me someday? Does she want me that close, or will I be friend-zoned?" 

Spike continues his walk to Gildarts' home while thinking of the many possibilities of Wendy in his life and Princess Twilight Sparkle trying to find a way to bring him back to Equestria. Spike arrives at Gildarts' home and knocks. A few moments later, the door opens. 

"Spike?" Gildarts looks down at Spike. 

"Hey, got a few minutes?" 

"Yea, come on in, Fairy Dragon," Gildarts closes the door after Spike steps inside. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did to you earlier at the beach. I didn't mean to go overboard."

"It's fine. I'm here to say that I forgive you. That you don't have to feel guilty about what happened." 

"For real?" Gildarts asks. "Master told me what you went through in this other world, and I-" Spike cuts him off. 

"For real. Natsu told me your PTSD kicked in, and you lost your senses. I wanted to let you know that I'm fine and I forgive you. No need to hold grudges over an accident." 

"Thank you, Fairy Dragon. I wasn't sure how you would react after the attack." 

"We're friends. Friends understand what's intentional and what's unintentional. In your case, it was a freak accident."

Gildarts smiles. "Thank you for being patient and understanding." 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles. "I'll see you later in the morning." 

"Wait, Fairy Dragon. I know a way that we can settle the score at the guildhall." 

Spike chuckles. "I'm listening." 

"Arm wrestling." 

It's now 9:30 in Magnolia. Lucy wakes up to see Spike, not in the apartment. She hurries and rushes out the door. Lucy runs to the guildhall to recruit her friends to go on a search party for Spike. When she arrives, Lucy sees her friends huddle around a table. 

"Hey! What's happening?!" Lucy shouts, trying to get everyone's attention. 

"Nice of you to join us, Lucy," Said Natsu. 

"Yea, what took you so long?" Gray asks. 

"What?! What do you mean?" Lucy is confused. "I don't know what the fuss is about." 

Erza walks up to Lucy. "Spike and Gildarts are settling the score from yesterday with an arm-wrestling match."

"The bets have been cast for today's battle instead of yesterday. So far, you are the only one that says Spike will win or tie. Everyone else still says Gildarts as the winner," Max Alors explains. 

"You ready, Fairy Dragon?" Gildarts places his right arm on the table. 

"Spike wants," Spike increases his size like he did yesterday. "Ready," Spike places his right arm on the table. 

"Ready, set, wrestle!" Master Makarov shouts. 

Spike and Gildarts engage with their strengths on the table, trying to get leverage to force the arm into going either direction. Gildarts grips the table tight and uses his strength to move Spike's arm to his right. Spike's arm moves slightly to the right. Spike grips the table to give Gildarts a taste of his own medicine. He uses his strength to move Gildarts' arm to his right. 

"For arm wrestling, this is not that bad to watch!" Elfman said. "Those two are manly!" 

Wendy is watching and wonders if Spike would love to be in a relationship. Wendy can't help herself to stare at Spike and picture all sorts of things to do together. She hopes to go on a date with him and utter the three words she struggles saying; I love you. 

"You're stronger. I give you that. But are you the strongest?" Gildarts powers up and forces Spike's arm to move more to his right. 

"I don't know," Spike smirks as his right claw starts Sparkling Green. "You tell me!" Spike uses Gildarts strength to boost his and forces Gildarts' right arm to move right, nearing the end of the table on his right. 

Everyone gasps, thinking Gildarts is going to lose. "Hey! That's cheating!" Gildarts claims. 

"I didn't hear the official ruling of Arm Wrestling," Spike keeps the pressures. 

"So, that's how you want to play it," Gildarts powers up, using his Crash Magic to shatter bits of the table to startle Spike's concentration. 

"Gah!" Spike gets startled a bit. 

"Gotcha!" Gildarts forces Spike's arm more to his right more. 

Spike recomposes himself and his concentration, focusing more on using Gildarts' strength against him. The two are generating a lot of magic energy that the table starts glowing. Everyone around is getting excited. Oohing and awing on who's going to win. 

"All this magic power for an arm-wrestling match, how profound," Said Carla. 

"Well, we did see what they can do in battle," Wendy said.

"Yes, but Spike was using Gildarts' strength as a booster, not his own. He should get stronger on his own terms, Wendy." 

"I guess you're right in that department, Carla." 

It's been ten minutes of intense arm-wrestling; Gildarts and Spike roar loudly as the table shatters. Everyone is in awe after seeing the table breaking. Gildarts and Spike look at the remains of the table and laugh. 

"Truce?" Spike offers his claw. 

"Truce," Gildarts shakes Spike's claw. "Can't afford to break all the tables to settle the score." 

Everyone is in shock except for Lucy as she leaps for joy. She's the only one that won the bet. Lucy wins 35,000 Jewels. 

"I can't believe they decide to call it a tie..," Natsu said in shock. 

"They're men, alright..," Elfman said in shock. 

"Just how powerful Spike can be in a couple of years?" Bickslow said. 

"More powerful than Gildarts if that is the case," Freed said. 

"More powerful than any of us," Evergreen said in shock. 

"I would hate to fight Fairy Dragon one on one," Said Nab Lasaro. 

"Since when you fight," Some of his guildmates questions since the man doesn't take a job. 

Spike reverts to his size and looks up at Gildarts. "It was an honor sparring with you."

"Likewise, Fairy Dragon. Though I will say that you should build some muscle on your own." 

"I will. Thanks for the advice," Spike walks up to his friends. "Enjoyed the final conclusion?"

"No, you tied, and we lost our winnings," Gray and Natsu said in unison while Lucy receives her winnings. 

"I will say, you continue to impress me, Spike," Said Erza. 

"Thanks, Sis."

"I will say, seeing you increase your size reminds me of Master," Lisanna said. 

"Actually, he's been teaching me other methods of increasing my size. I'm learning a lot from Master Makarov." 

"Oh wow, Spike," Lisanna chuckles. 

"This dragon, going to be a real man!" Elfman states proudly. 

"I'll take that as a compliment." 

"So, what you want to do, Spike?" Wendy asks. 

"Go home and relax. I didn't sleep last night since I went to Gildarts' house. I'll catch you all later," Spike yawns and walks back to the apartment. 

"Lucy, wanna come on a job with us?" Natsu asks. 

"That's okay. I'm gonna head home as well. See you all later," Lucy leaves and catches up to Spike. 

"Hey, Lucy," Spike yawns. 

"You good, Spike?" 

"Yea, just tired. I'm going to take a nap." 

"Sounds good. I'm going to be writing my novel. I don't want to leave you in the apartment alone." 

"Thank you, Lucy. That means a lot," Spike smiles. 

"You're welcome. Why would I leave a friend behind?" 

Spike feels more at peace with the friends he has. He saw them in the infirmary late last night, showing care and love to a friend and brother. A tear of happiness falls on Spike's cheek while he and Lucy walk home together.
> Big Announcement
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's now 7:30 at night. Lucy is in the bathroom taking a shower while Spike is cooking dinner. Spike is making rice, spinach pasta, and sausages. Lucy is enjoying her bath until she screams. 

Spike slams the bathroom door open and wields a frying pan. "What happened?!" Spike sees Lucy and Cana naked in the bathroom and shuts his eyes. "I-I-I didn't see anything!" Spike leaves the bathroom, pretending that he didn't see what he saw, and goes back to cooking. 

"Geez, what's up with him?" Cana asks. 

"Uh, you're in our house!" Lucy exclaims. 

"Speaking of which, got any adult beverages?" Cana asks. 

Lucy sighs. "No, I'm not a heavy drinker like you. Would you like to stay for dinner?" 

"Sure, I'll bite. What's for dinner?" 

"Spike is making rice, spinach pasta, and sausages. He wanted to cook tonight. So, why are you here?" 

"Sounds good, I guess," Cana looks down. 

"Something on your mind?" 

"I've been thinking for a while. I'm considering quitting the guild," Cana admittingly said. 

"What?!" Lucy shrieks so loud. Spike comes back wielding a kitchen knife. 

"What happened?!" Spike sees the two still naked in the tub. "Oh, come on!" Spike covers his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm going back to the kitchen," Spike closes the bathroom door as he leaves. 

"We better put some clothes on," Lucy suggests. 

"Okay," Cana agrees. 

After a while, dinner is ready. Lucy and Cana come out fully clothed and sits at the table. Spike brings food to the table. 

"So, how did you sneak inside the apartment, Cana? What made Lucy shriek the way she did earlier?" Spike asks. 

"I came through the window. Just some life-changing decisions, Spike. Also, why were you covering your eyes? We see you naked all the time." 

"Yea, well," Spike coughs. "My uh.., parts are hidden. They only appear when it needs to be," Spike trying not to sound so awkward talking about his privates. 

"Whatever," Cana rolls her eyes. 

"So, what are you deciding? Changing your drinking habits?" 

"Hah, you wish, Spike. Though, that's not the life-changing decision I'm considering. What I'm thinking is quitting Fairy Tail."

Spike drops the plates in shock after hearing Cana's possible decision. He didn't expect that outcome to come out of her mouth. 

"Now you know why I shrieked, Spike," Lucy gets up to sweep the broken plates. 

"Uh, any reason why?" 

"Sorry, not in the mood to talk about it, Spike." 

"Okay," Spike grabs another set of plates and brings it to the table. "Hope you enjoy my cooking." 

"I'll be the judge of that," Cana said as Spike is serving her plate. She questions about the spinach pasta and tries it. "Oh.., wow..," Cana is overwhelmed with Spike's cooking and chows down. 

"Looks like another biter loves your cooking, Spike," Lucy smiles a bit. 

"Yea. I bet if I cooked for the whole guild, they would want three or four more plates." 

"I wouldn't be surprised if it happened." 

"More, please," Cana asks after finishing her plate. 

"Wow, that was quick," Spike gives Cana another serving. 

After an hour of eating dinner, Cana leaves the apartment satisfied with Spike's delicious cooking. Spike and Lucy clean up a bit before heading to bed. 

It is now 8:30 the next day. Spike and Lucy wake up at the same time. 

"Morning, Lucy." 

"Morning, Spike.

The two see dark clouds in the sky, signaling it's going to rain. The two sigh and get ready to go to the guildhall. They'll eat breakfast over there. Spike and Lucy walk out of the apartment and down the street. Many people wave to Spike while they walk. 

"Have a good day, Fairy Dragon," A bystander on a boat shouts. 

"Stay safe, Lucy," Another bystander on a boat says. 

"We will. Have a safe trip, you two," Lucy waves at the people on the boat. 

Spike and Lucy enter the guildhall to see everyone in the center of the messhall. They wonder what's going on. 

"Are we under attack?" Spike asks Gajeel. 

"No," Gajeel shakes his head. "Makarov has something important to tell us. Judging from how everyone is reacting, it must be good." 

"I'll say. Everyone here is amped and anxious to know what the Master has in store," Said Lucy. 

Master Makarov is on stage with Erza, Mirajane, and Gildarts with important information. Everyone cheers loudly; they are excited to hear the news. 

"In accordance with the Fairy Tail's Guild Time-Honor Tradition, I will now announce this year's entrants for the S-Class Wizard Promotion Trials!" 

Everyone cheers louder than before, believing that Master Makarov will be choosing any one of them for the spot. 

"Wow. No wonder why people are super hyped today," Said Spike. 

"No kidding. Maybe yesterday, after watching the arm wrestling, everyone went nuts on crazy jobs going left and right," Said Lucy. 

"Perhaps what Cana was feeling relates to this." 

"Maybe..," Lucy put some thought into Spike's theory. 

"Please be quiet, everyone," Erza said, 

"Shut up and let the Master finish talking," Said Gildarts. 

"The trial this year will take place at Tenrou Island, our Guild's sacred grounds. The strength you possess inside, your character, and your heart. These are what I consider while making my selections. And I have chosen nine participants. Natsu Dragneel," Makarov announces first. 

"Thank you, Sir," Natsu accepts with honor. 

"You got this in the bag, Natsu," Said Happy. 

"Gray Fullbuster."

"It's finally my time to move up," Gray said happily. 

"Juvia Lockser." 

"Really? The Master chose me?" Juvia is astonished to be selected. 

"Elfman." 

"S-Class deserves a real man like me," Elfman proclaims. 

"Best of luck, big brother," Lisanna said. 

"Cana Alberona."

Cana is silent. She knew she was going to be picked again this year. 

"Freed Justine."

"So, I'll be following Laxus' footsteps, interesting," Freed said in response. 

"Levy McGarden." 

"I'm so stoked about this," Levy said. 

"Levy is totally going to win this one!" Jet and Droy cheer in unison. 

"Mest Gryder." 

Mest Gryder hears his comrades reminding him of coming close to becoming S-Class last year. 

"And finally, Spike the Fairy." 

Spike's jaw drops. Everyone around shrieks in terror. Gajeel couldn't believe that the Master picked Juvia and Spike but not him. Everyone couldn't believe that Spike is chosen to be a participant in the S-Class Trials. Other Fairy Tail Wizards become jealous of Spike but push that thought aside. Erza is in shock. She didn't expect that outcome from Master Makarov. 

"Spike! I believe in you! I know you'll come out on top!" Wendy cheers. 

Spike couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Wendy!"

"Although nine wizards are selected, only one will emerge victorious. The trial will begin next week time. So you better step up your preparations. For the benefit of the newcomers, let's go over the rules of the challenge, shall we?" 

"The nine participants will each choose a partner. This person will also be allowed to train with them during the week leading up to the event," Mirajane explains. 

Spike's eyes widen as he knows who to ask to be his partner. He overhears Max Alors and Warren explaining that having a partner will also be putting their friendship to the test as well. 

"Observe these two rules when choosing your partner. Number one, they must be a member of Fairy Tail. Number two, your choice cannot be an S-Class Wizard," Erza also explains. 

"We will reveal all the particular details of the trial once we arrive at Tenrou Island but know that you'll have to get past Erza to claim victory," Everyone except Spike freaks out a little. 

"I'll be doing my very best to weed out the rest of you right beside her," Mirajane said. Everyone panics even more. 

"Quit your bellyaching. The three of us had to go through this trial. It's only fair you do too," Said Gildarts. 

"Bring it on! Any of you!" Everyone gasps hearing after Spike's optimism. "I will be ready to fight you!" 

"Does Spike have a death wish?!" 

"Remember, he fought Gildarts the other day and held his own. He can take Erza as well." 

"But what about Mirajane?" Some Fairy Tail Wizards think about Mirajane's insane power that frightens them. 

"Oh my, Spike has the devotion and motivation to embrace any challenge," Said Mirajane. 

"The rest should have his optimism. Believing they can overcome anything," Said Master Makarov. 

"He's tough, however. I didn't go all out. Perhaps when we meet again, I won't hold anything back." 

"Easy, Gildarts. Remember, I ordered you to restrain yourself a bit."

"Sorry, Master. It's been a while since I had an actual challenger to go toe-to-toe with," Gildarts sweat a little. 

"If Spike and I were to meet, I don't think he'll ever forgive me if I held back," Said Erza. "This year's should be interesting." 

"Spike has never seen my magic before. If he and I were to meet, it should be interesting to see how it fare," Mirajane smiles. 

"The nine participants I named earlier and their chosen partners are asked to meet me at the Port of Hargeon one week from today. So, get to work," Master Makarov declares. 

Spike leaves the guildhall. 

"Spike, where are you going?" Lucy asks. 

"To pack up my things for this week's training. When I'm finished packing, I'll select my partner, and we'll go to the river by the East Forest to train there!" 

Wendy couldn't help but smile more. She knows that Spike will ask him to pick her as a partner. Carla reads Wendy's body language and senses something is amiss around here. 

It is now 1:30 in the afternoon. Spike is in the apartment eating lunch. After he eats, Spike grabs his luggage and starts packing for the week. He takes 100,000 Jewels, books from the Magic Library that mention unison raids, a first-aid kit, and the sleeping bag Lucy gave him to sleep on before buying his bed.

"Alright, gotta go in town to buy a few more essential items, and we'll be good to go," Spike smiles. "This'll be a blast. I can hardly contain myself!" 

Spike takes 70,000 jewels and leaves the apartment. He walks around looking for the Magnolia Sports store in hopes of buying a quality tent to sleep in. Spike sees a snowflake coming down. 

"Oooh, it's going to snow. Here I thought it was going to rain." Spike sees lots of people going into different stores to buy shovels and salt. "This'll be longer than I thought." 

Spike walks around to see many stores jampacked with people buying food, water, salt, and shovels like it's Black Friday. Spike kept his cool and imagines Wendy as his partner. Spike finally finds the Magnolia Sports Store and sees a long line. 

"You've got to be kidding me?" Spike sighs and walks to the back of the line. People see him on the line and take pictures of him. "How long will this take?" 

It is now 5:30 in the afternoon. Spike is still standing in line, waiting to go inside the Magnolia Sports Store. A store clerk comes outside to tell everyone that they ran out of shovels and mini snowplows. A lot of people leave except for Spike. He walks inside. 

"Excuse me, where is the tent section at?" 

"Downstairs, Spike the Fairy," A Store Clerk named Garry said. 

"Thank you," Spike goes downstairs to the tent section. He looks around to find a quality tent for him and Wendy. Something a bit big and not small. To have room, so it isn't tight. No matter how much Spike wants to be closer to Wendy. 

Spike spends two hours looking for the right tent. He sees a blue one matching Wendy's hair color. 

"This could be the one," Spike looks in the interior of the tent and sees how big and roomy it is. "Definitely the right one," Spike gets out. He walks up to Garry. He's doing stock with several baseball bats. 

"Hey, Spike the Fairy. Found what you are looking for?" 

"Yes, Garry. I want that blue tent over there," He points to the tent he wants. 

"Ah, Traveler's Prime. One of the best-underrated tents to use. Good choice, Spike the Fairy." 

"Thanks. How much is it?" 

Garry walks up to the tent price clipboard and scans it. "45,000 Jewels." 

"I'll take it," Spike smiles. He knew that the wait was worth it. 

"Excellent, follow me to the register," Garry leads Spike to the register. Garry places a large package of the tent Spike wants to purchase. 

"Here you go," Spike pays Garry 45,000 Jewels. 

"Thank you for shopping at Magnolia's Sports Store. Have a nice day, Spike the Fairy." 

"You too, Garry. Want to see something cool?" 

"Sure." 

"Spike wants," Spike increases his size. He's the same size as yesterday when he took on Gildarts in an arm-wrestling match. Garry's jaw drops. "Pretty cool, huh?" Spike places the package on his shoulders. 

"You made my day. Wow..," Garry is speechless as Spike walks up the stairs. 

People upstairs don't panic and freak out. They know that Spike is a gentle and a great defender of Magnolia. It is now 8:00 in Magnolia. Spike walks to the apartment to gather his belongings. Now he's ready to ask Wendy to be his partner. Spike opens the door to see Cana and Lucy coming into the apartment. 

"Thanks for opening the door, Spike," Cana gratefully said. She's a bit drunk.

"Where you off to, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"Uh, you're welcome... I'm heading off to ask Wendy to be my partner so we can train together." Spike leaves the apartment and walks down the street. Hopefully, Wendy is still in the guildhall talking to everyone. 

Spike walks down the same pathway to the guildhall when he sees Wendy, Carla, and someone he doesn't recognize. He walks closer to hear Wendy say. 

"Sure, I'll be your partner since your Mystogan's pupil." 

Spike balls his claws but sighs. He walks a different way to the guildhall feeling a little sad. "I should have asked earlier. That's a blunder on my end. How can I be so stupid!" 

The different route Spike went on took twenty minutes to reach the guildhall. He sees a lot of his friends talking, strategizing, and having fun. Spike walks in feeling sad but brushes his feeling aside. He needs to find another partner. 

"Hey, Spike. Looking for a partner?" Panther Lily asks. 

"I am, actually. The one I was hoping to ask is taken. Would you like to be my partner?"

"Hmmph," Panther Lily smirks. "I'll be honored to be your partner. Also, it gives me a chance to have a rematch against Gajeel if we wind up fighting him." 

"Alright, I've packed up to go training by the river of the East Forest. Let's get going." 

"Perfect," Panther Lily follows Spike. "So, who were you going to asked originally?" 

"Wendy Marvell. Mest Gryder asked her to be his partner. I have no idea who the guy is and never heard of him either."

"Odd. Maybe, this Mest guy took on serious jobs that lasted longer than usual." 

"Probably. Have you ever trained with Spike Knightwalker?"

"As much as I don't like the guy, his fighting techniques are efficient in battle. I was forced to train with him by King Faust. The man may be deranged but, he's ingenious in strategy. I'm hoping when you and I train, it'll be pleasant and thrilling."

"It will be. Plus, it'll give me time to work out the spell I use to create the sword for longer periods of time. From what you told me, it lasted fifteen minutes." 

"Yea," Panther Lily nods. "If you can improve on that, it'll be more useful in battle when you need to take a breather of using your magic energy." 

"Yea, imagine Gajeel's reaction when he sees you as my partner. For weeks he's been wanting a flying cat. Now, he will have to wait a little longer to fight alongside you." 

"It'll be disheartening for him a little bit. It should be interesting to see how he reacts." 

"Definitely," Spike concurs. 

An hour later, Spike and Panther Lily arrive in the East Forest. They are near the river. Spike and Panther Lily set up camp together and mark the days till the Hargeon meetup. The two enter the tent after setting up camp. 

"Night, Panther Lily." 

"Night, Spike. Get ready for some hard physical training."

"Sounds good, bro. Sounds good."
> S-Class Trip
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a grueling six days for Spike and Panther Lily. The two have been training physically and mentally. Spike gain some muscle mass, improved with his magic, and grew a foot taller. He is now the same height as Wendy Marvell. Panther Lily can extend his battle form to longer lengths of time. Spike and Panther Lily go to Hargeon to meet with anyone showing up early. 

"How are you feeling, Panther Lily?" Spike asks. 

"Fine, stronger than before, thanks to you. How about you?" 

"Better. I think now the sword spell for your Bustermarm will last for 47 minutes. An improvement from 15 minutes." 

"I'll say. Our strategies will come in handy if we come face to face with any of the S-Class Wizards. They won't know what'll hit them." 

Spike chuckles. "Definitely." 

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Gajeel shouts as he arrives in Hargeon with Levy. 

"Hey, Gajeel," Panther Lily smirks. 

"Whoa, Spike. How did you end up with Lily?" Levy asks. 

Spike sighs. "Mest took Wendy, and it was my fault for not asking sooner. I thought about planning ahead, then asking later."

"Well, best of luck, Spike," Said Levy. 

"Thanks. Wish you luck as well." 

Panther Lily and Gajeel are eyeballing each other. They want to throw down again. Lucy and Cana show up to Hargeon. 

"Whoa, Spike chose Panther Lily?" Cana said while drinking her beer. 

"Spike, what happened to Wendy?" Lucy asks. 

Spike sighs. "Mest asked Wendy before I can. I made the bold move of packing before asking." 

"Speaking of Mest, here he comes," Levy points to Mest and Wendy walking together. 

"There's Natsu and Happy," Lucy points at them, walking next to Gray and Loke. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Said Bickslow. 

"Greetings, Spike," Freed formally said. 

"Hey, you two," Spike said. 

"We're looking forward to battling you when the time comes," Said Freed. 

"Yea, my babies, have been dying to test their strength against you," Bickslow said. "Fairy Dragon, Fairy Dragon!" Bickslow's Floating Tikis chant. 

"We'll see what happens." 

"Hey, Spike, can't believe you are borrowing Gajeel's cat without his consent," Natsu laughs a bit. 

"You missed his reaction Natsu, it was priceless," Spike smiles. 

"Damn it!" Natsu can only imagine the reaction Gajeel had. 

Wendy sees Spike and frowns a little. She should have waited a bit longer before accepting Mest's request. Spike sees Wendy and couldn't take his eye off her. 

"She's so beautiful." Spike snaps back into reality when Wendy notices him staring. 

"Wow, he's as tall as me now. He must have grown during the week." Wendy thought to herself. 

"So, what's the holdup?" Gray asks. 

"Not everyone is here yet, plus we are a bit early," Said Freed. 

"That's a manly boat!" Elfman shouts, seeing the Fairy Tail Ship arriving. 

"Shut it, can you quiet down with the manly this or man that?!" Evergreen said as Elfman is irritating her. 

"Hey, Big Bro!" Lisanna shouts as she arrives in Hargeon with Juvia. Juvia stares at Gray's behind. 

Makarov is on the ship, getting ready to make his announcement. "Now that everyone has arrived. Get on board. It's time to set sailing to our Sacred Ground Tenrou Island!" Makarov hears his children cheering in passion except for Gajeel. 

Everyone boards the ship and puts their belongings away. Natsu and Gajeel are not thrilled to ride on a boat. As soon as it starts sailing, the two get motion sickness immediately. Spike goes on the deck to see the ocean's view. Wendy is next to him. 

"Hey, Spike." 

"Hey, Wendy." 

The two look at the ocean's view. The peaceful waters and the cooling air of the sea. The two take it in, in peace. Spike and Wendy's thoughts run wild with their love for each other while feeling nervous to say to each other. 

"Uh, sorry for not asking you sooner than later to be my partner, Wendy." 

"Oh, no, no, I'm the one that should be saying my apologies, Spike. I did hear you say you were going to pack. I should have waited for you. That was my mistake."

"It's okay. At least we're both going to the island together."

"Yea," Wendy smiles. 

"I hope we don't have to fight against each other. I would hate to fight you," Spike admittingly said. 

"I agree. You're such a great friend. Everyone else is unique but not like you. You're special," Wendy smiles. 

Spike blushes but hides it. "And you're kind, caring, strong, and beautiful in your own way," Spike smiles. 

Wendy blushes but hides it. She can't believe that Spike called her beautiful. 

It's been two days since leaving Hargeon. It's been getting hotter on the ship as most of the Fairy Tail is in their bathing suits. Due to the hot air, Wendy is drowsy. Spike is thinking of a way to cool everyone off. Panther Lily sees his antics. 

"What are you doing, Spike?" 

"Thinking of a way to cool everyone down. Nearly everyone is suffocating due to the extreme heat."

"How you intend on doing so?" 

"Well, I'm hoping this works," Spike mimics his claw to shoot a flame bullet into the waters. 

"The water dissolved it," Panther Lily states. 

Spike shoots multiple flame bullets all around the waters in different sections. Spike turns around to concentrate and shoots magic bullets around the ship. Everyone is wondering what Spike is doing. 

"Spike, what are you doing?" Lisanna asks. 

"This," Spike blows his fire breath, igniting the magic bullets around using the water from the seas to sprinkle all around the ship. Everyone on board releases a satisfying sigh. 

"Wow, that feels so much better," Said Lucy. 

"Thanks for the assist, Spike," Cana said. 

"Smart thinking, it was getting way too hot," Bickslow said. "Thank you, thank you." Bickslow's Floating Tikis said. 

"Clever indeed," Said Freed. 

Everyone on board gives a lot of compliments to Spike for helping them cool off. An hour later, Tenrou Island is in reach. Everyone gets a good look at the island, especially the tallest tree on the island. 

"That tree can possibly be as tall as the Crystal Empire Castle," Spike said while gazing at Tenrou Island. 

"I have to admit, Tenrou Island is magnificent from this position of view," Panther Lily said. 

"Wow, so much magic power. I can feel it here," Wendy said. She's astonished to feel such power miles away from Tenrou Island. 

"There's a legend about this place," Makarov gets everyone's attention. "That it was once populated by Fairies." 

"Is the legend true?" Lucy asks Master Makarov. 

"Nobody knows. It is of great importance to our guild, the resting place of our first Master Mavis Vermillion. Now, to reveal for the first round of your trial," Everyone gathers closely to hear what Master Makarov has to say. 

"There's more than one round?" 

"If any of the Master's event ever deemed simple, he'll probably keel over," Mest answers Wendy's question. 

"Please direct your attention to the smoke coming from the shores. Your first task is to head over to the source. Once there, you'll choose one of the nine routes leading into the island. Each is meant for a single team only, so don't wonder and pick one! After you make your choice, you have to conquer these obstacles," Makarov uses his magic to spawn a map. The map details what each route has to offer. 

Everyone looks at the description of the map. Three routes lead to three S-Class Wizards to battle. Two sets of routes for two teams to battle and proceed. Lastly, there are two serenity routes. 

"Wow, talk about tough competition," Panther Lily said. 

"No joke, intense combat with S-Class Wizards." 

"I hope I get Erza or Mirajane or Gildarts," Spike said, wanting to face the challenge nobody wants. 

"Good luck with them, no skin off my bones," Levy said. 

"I hope you and Lily get one of those routes so Levy and I can pound you, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said, his arm turns into an iron club. 

"Combat routes are self-explanatory, two teams clash, but only one moves on. Use every power at your disposal. Intense combat routes are more difficult. Find yourself on these, and you'll be fighting Fairy Tail's Elite. The serenity routes, you move onto the next round without fighting." 

"Why are there two serenity routes, Master?" Elfman asks. 

Master Makarov smirks. "It's in case more than half of the teams happen to lose in the first round. I guarantee that none of you yahoos will be surpassing Erza, Gildarts, and Mirajane. Prove me wrong, and your chances in the second round will be higher than before."

"Make sense to us," Everyone said in unison except for Spike. He's eager to take on the challenge. 

"Passing this challenge requires quality teamwork and a whole lot of luck."

"How do you test that?" Everyone asks in unison. 

"You don't test it. You believe in yourself and your teammate to achieve anything." 

"Well put, Spike. You seem to be one step ahead out of everyone," Makarov throws the thumb up for Spike. 

"Teacher's pet," Some of his friends say. 

Some are not looking forward to losing in the first round. Some are not looking forward to fighting one of the S-Class Wizards. Some are eager to fight. 

"Alright! You're ready?! Your trial starts right now!" 

"What?" Gray is confused. 

"Wait, it starts before we get on the island?" Loke asks. 

"You know what that means, pal? It's time to jet," Natsu said, looking down at Happy. 

"Aye, Sir!' Happy grabs Natsu and flies. 

"Looks like the first pick is ours, losers!" Natsu shouts.

"Catch you later," Happy says bye for now. 

"Hey, get back here!" Gray angrily shouts. 

"Losers?! You want to die!" Elfman retorts. 

Natsu and Happy crash into Freed's enchantment and falls back on the ship. 

"An enchantment?" Cana said. 

Freed and Bickslow are outside the enchantment. "It isn't permanent. Five more minutes on that boat won't kill you." 

"No! But I will since you haven't learn your lesson!" Spike snorts. 

Freed cringes a bit while remembering the last time Spike gave him a beating for imprisoning him inside his enchantment and hightails to Tenrou Island's shores with Bickslow. 

Evergreen laughs a little, remembering that moment. "Give him one for me if you run into him, Spike." 

"Not often you see Freed panic the way he did," Loke said. 

"I will, Evergreen. I'll give him one for each of you." 

"Gramps! Do something!" Gray pleads. "That's gotta be against the rules." 

"Chill, it's not a race," Makarov responds. 

"If he gets to the island first, we're all screwed. He can cover the whole island with enchantments." 

Levy uplifts Freed's enchantment. "Sorry, I only wrote for me and Gajeel," Levy and Gajeel jumps out of the boat and swim to shore.

"Not cool!" Everyone except Spike and Panther Lily says in unison. They are pissed. 

Spike mimics his claw to shoot a flare bullet at the shore of Tenrou Island. "Panther Lily, let's go!"

"Right!" Panther Lily grabs onto Spike and flies. 

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Natsu shouts. 

"Where we need to be," Spike smiles and uses his fire breath to teleport him and Panther Lily to the shores. 

"Oh, c'mon!" Everyone complains that Spike left them behind. 

Spike and Panther Lily are the first to arrive by the routes. Then they see Freed and Bickslow arriving. 

"Oh shit," Bickslow said as Spike is powering up. 

"Wait! Can't we settle this inside?" Freed pleas. 

"Fairy Dragon ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike unleashes his fire breath at Freed and Bickslow. Everyone on the ship sees Sparkling Green Flames bursting from the shores, larger in scale than before. 

"Wow, looks like Spike answered our wish on Freed. Like a real man," Elfman said.

Evergreen laughs. "Thank you, Spike." 

"That's what you get for imprisoning me in your enchantment. Let's go, Panther Lily." 

"Right behind you," Panther Lily follows Spike in Route I. 

Freed and Bickslow are scorched with Sparkle Green Flames and on the ground. 

"Bickslow, remind me not to set an enchantment on Spike ever again." 

"Duly Noted."
> S-Class Trials
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moments after scorching Freed and Bickslow, Spike and Panther Lily took the first route. Route I.  The two walk down a dark tunnel. Spike's claw blazes with Sparkling Green Flames to light the way. 

"I feel weird. How about you, Panther Lily?"

"I'm fine. What do you mean by feeling weird?"

"I don't know. This feeling I have, I never felt it before," Spike starts scratching the side of his cheek a bit which nows leaves a red spot. 

"Hmm, it seems this tunnel doesn't have any curves, just a straightforward
narrow direction," Panther Lily observes the caves using Spike's flare. "We could be on one of the two serenity routes. 

"Bummer, I was looking forward to fighting one of the S-Class Wizards," Spike pouts a bit. 

"Which one in particular?" Panther Lily asks. 

"More so with Gildarts. I have a feeling he was holding back during our encounters," Spike responds. He starts scratching his face more. 

"Hmm, wonder if there are certain plants or minerals you may be allergic to within the caves." 

"Probably," Spike scratches his face more.  "This itch sucks." 

As the two walk further down the cave, they hear a thundering roar and some laughter. 

"Thunder!" Panther Lily shrieks. 

"That laughter," Spike hears the laughter of his former friends. 

"Spike..," An apparition of Twilight Sparkle walks out of the shadows. 

"Noo..," Spike pants as fear gets the better of him. 

"Spike-Wikey," An apparition of Rarity walks out of the shadows. 

"Lame Dragon," An apparition of Rainbow Dash walks out of the shadows. 

"Spike..," An apparition of Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy comes out. 

Panther Lily hears thunders that petrifies him left and right. He covers his ears and closes his eyes. Reciting that there's nothing to be afraid of over and over. Spike sees his former friends and tormentors coming out. 

"We want you to come home. We're ever so sorry for treating you the way we did," Twilight's voice sounds enticing to believe. 

"We need you, buddy. Things aren't the same without you. I'm so sorry for how I treated you," Rainbow said, sounding a bit sarcastic while walking closer to Spike. 

"I have something to show you!" Pinkie giggles while holding onto a bucket.

"My animals want to play with you," Fluttershy quietly said as she walks closer to Spike. 

"Gonna need some work done at Sweet Apple Acres. Your help will be much appreciated. Also, I need some practice with my lasso," Applejack has her lasso in her mouth, ready to tie Spike tightly with it. 

"Oh, Spike-Wikey, I need you at the boutique. There's a lot for you to do," Rarity said, using her charms as a lady to intrigue Spike to fall for him. 

"The castle needs some cleaning, Spike. Don't worry. Afterward, we will spend time for an hour," Twilight said. "As good friends should." 

"We need you. You're vital for us and our friendship!" Rainbow shouts. 

Spike remembers what Makarov said about the serenity routes. They may encounter some challenges. Spike holds his ground and looks into the eyes of his former friends. 

"NO!" Spike shouts, causing the apparitions to stay in the place. "I will not allow you to ruin me a second, third, or fourth time!  I will never ever allow you to rob me of my happiness! You're in the past. My past and I will not allow my past affect my future!" Spike powers up. It's intensifying as everyone on the island can feel the surging magic power. Fairy Dragon ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spikes unleashes his fire breath, obliterating the apparitions on sight. The flames are denser than the time he released his fire breath of Freed and Bickslow. Spike pants a bit after unleashing a surge of Sparkling Green Flames igniting the caves. "I will not allow my past to haunt me. IF they come, they'll have to deal with me as I'm staying in my home." 

Panther Lily is struggling to hear what's going on as thunder continues to roar louder and louder. Spike hugs Panther Lily, snapping him out of his trance. 

"It's just thunder buddy, picture it as going bowling. Rolling the bowling ball down the lane to hit the pins." 

Panther Lily takes a breather. "Yea, just like bowling..," Panther Lily calms himself a bit as the thunder ceases. 

"That was brutal," Said Spike as he pants a bit. 

"While I was dealing with my fear of thunder, what was your fear?"

"Twilight and the others, coming to get me and bring me back home. I cannot allow my past to haunt me. It cannot affect my future. My future is here, with my friends and being a member of Fairy Tail. After all, I am a Fairy Dragon, and I am a Fairy Tail Wizard. C'mon. Let's get moving to the next round." 

Panther Lily notices several red spots on Spike's face but, Spike sounds and looks fine. Maybe it is a side effect with one of the plants inside the cave. As the two reach the other side, they see Gajeel and Levy waiting. 

"Huh, looks like you two took the second serenity route," Gajeel said.

"Whoa, Spike. You don't look so good," Levy sees multiple red spots on Spike's face. 

"I think there may be something in the cave my body is allergic to; I'm fine," Spike scratches his face a bit more. 

"You sure you're fine? You look like you got the chickenpox," Gajeel said. 

Spike scratches his face more. "Look, I didn't come all this way to get bounced from an allergen reaction." 

"So, what were your fears from the serenity route?" Panther Lily asks.

"Fears?" Gajeel and Levy are confused. 

"Look, there was nothing to do. Just a straight walk in the park," Gajeel said. "I was itching to fight anyone of you. Especially you, Lily."

"Did your route had to do with anything about facing fears?" Levy asks. 

"Yea. Spike conquered his demons in the cave. He even helped conquer mine a bit."

"Whoa," Gajeel said. "I heard what those punks did to Fairy Dragon. Having him see them again must have been terrifying for the little guy." 

"I was scared but, I can't allow my past to haunt me and affect my future. My place is here in this world. With all of you and everyone in Fairy Tail." 

"Whoops, I have forgotten to say that one of the serenity routes makes you face your fears. My apologies," Master Makarov said, coming from the bushes. 

"So, how long should we wait for the others?" Levy asks. 

"Let's give the teams an hour. If no team shows up, we will start the next round." 

"Sounds good with us," Gajeel, Spike, Panther Lily, and Levy said. 

"Spike, are you alright? You don't look so well," Makarov observes Spike's condition.

"Just a little rash. I'm fine," On cue, Spike scratches his face a bit more. 

A few minutes later, a lot of magic power intensifies. Massive in scale than Spike's powerup a while ago.

"Whoa, does anyone feel that magic force?" Levy asks as the ground starts quaking. 

"It's stronger than what we felt earlier," Gajeel said. 

"That was me when I conquered my demons in the cave. I think this is Gildarts' magic. Feels familiar to me. One thing is clear. I'm upset he held back during our arm-wrestling match."

"Seriously?! You're upset about the magic power of the arm-wrestling match?!" Levy and Panther Lily are in shock to hear Spike say that. 

"No joke, this power is terrifying enough," Gajeel admittingly said. "Gildarts is no laughing matter from what I heard and saw."

"And yet.., the Black Dragon he lost to is stronger than this," Said Spike. 

Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Levy are silent. They didn't want to imagine the dragon Gildarts fought and lost. Ten minutes later, they see Gray and Loke come out. 

"Man, that was too easy," Gray said confidently. 

"Easy, how?" Spike asks. 

Gray and Loke cringe a little when they saw Spike covered in red spots. "Dude! You okay?!" They both say in unison. 

"Just itchy, but I'm fine. I think I may be allergic to something in the caves," Red spots swarm around Spike's body a bit more. "If I feel worse, then I'll head to the base camp and rest. Right now, though, I'm ready to go." 

"Just don't touch us!" Gray and Loke said while cringing a bit more. 

"Let's hug," Spike gets closer and jokingly chases the two around to kill time. 

Natsu and Happy come out. Natsu has a lot in his mind and ponders what to do next. Lucy and Cana come out as well. They feel refreshed after the battle they fought.

"Now that everyone has made it, these are the results," Master Makarov approaches the group to let them what each team has gone through in the first round. "Cana and Lucy defeated Freed and Bickslow in combat. Nicely done, ladies." 

"They beat Freed?! HOW?!" Gray is in shock. 

"I guess you can say that I roughen them up a bit. I did scorch at the shore after all," Said Spike. 

"Natsu and Happy surmounted the obstacle known as Gildarts. Good job." 

"No way! Those two?!" Gray shouts in shock again. 

"Yea, but I didn't do much of anything," Happy admits to everyone. 

"Levy and Gajeel chose the calm serenity route." 

"Calm serenity route?" Everyone says in confusion except for Gajeel, Levy, Spike, and Panther Lily. 

"Spike and Panther Lily chose the serenity route that challenges their fears." 

"Whoa, that sounds very unpleasant," Lucy said. 

"I'm glad I didn't take that route," Said Gray. 

"No joke, better you two than us," Said Loke. 

"Gray and Loke defeated Mest and Wendy in combat. Way to go, boys." 

"If the second round features another fight, I know who to go after," Spike stares at Gray and Loke. 

"Whatever happened to Juvia?" Gray asks. Master Makarov freaks out a bit. "What's with the creepy face, Gramps?"

"Unfortunately, luck was not on Juvia and Lisanna's side today. Their route led to she who knows no mercy!"

"Lucky. I was hoping to fight Erza," Spike said. 

"Maybe next time, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"Elfman and Evergreen aren't here. What you think happened to them?" Lucy asks Cana. 

"By process of elimination, the only other route left is," Cana and Lucy realize that Elfman and Evergreen met with Mirajane. 

"I feel sorry for them," Said Levy. 

"I could take her, but those two have no chance," Gajeel said confidently.

"I wonder how powerful Mirajane is," Spike imagines what kind of power Mirajane possesses. 

"Don't count us out yet," Elfman shouts. He and Evergreen arrive with the rest of the gang. "Didn't think we can beat my Big Sis, did ya?" 

"Guess who's moving onto round two?" Evergreen smirks. 

"My word," Master Makarov is in shock and impressed. 

"How the heck you beat Mira?" Happy asks Elfman. 

Elfman cringes a bit. "A real man doesn't brag about his win." 

"Let's say we took full advantage of catching her off guard," Said Evergreen. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy asks.

"Saying something that isn't true to Mirajane, I bet. Oldest tactic there is in the book," Spike explains. Elfman and Evergreen nod. 

Makarov gets everyone's attention. "Back to the trials. As it stands, there are six teams left. Spike and Panther Lily. Natsu and Happy. Gray and Loke. Levy and Gajeel. Cana and Lucy. Elfman and Evergreen. Congratulations on passing the first round. I expected fewer teams to make it. Thanks for proving me wrong. Now, let's move on to the second round." 

"Should be good," Spike can't wait to see what the second round has in store. 

Happy walks up to Natsu. "Natsu, I hate to see you so down in the dumps." 

"I'm not. I'm just doing some thinking," Natsu replies. 

"You're thinking?! You never do that!" Happy shrieks. "Be careful! You might hurt yourself!" 

"Geez, how little you think of him, Happy?" Lucy walks up to Happy after overhearing that statement about Natsu. 

Natsu gets up. "Gray! Cana! Levy! Elfman! Spike! Only one of us will become an S-Class Wizard, and that's me!" 

"Good luck stopping me, Natsu!" Spike proclaims. 

"Yeah, right. There's no way I'm losing to you," Gray responds. 

"Not gonna happen," Levy replies. 

"Bring it on, dork," Said Cana. 

"Challenge excepted!" Elfman manly states. "Cause I am a Real Man, baby!"

"Ah, yeah. I'm all fired up now!" Natsu's fist is blazing with fire. 

Everyone is pumped up with adrenaline to win while jabbing at each other in the process. Master Makarov allows his children to reenergize themselves before speaking about the second round of the S-Class Trials. 

"Alright, everyone. That's enough. I'm about to speak about the next round of the S-Class Trials, so listen up," Everyone stops and looks at their Master. "To pass the next round, you must search the grave for the Fairy Tail's Founder. Mavis Vermillion."

"I forgot she was buried here," Lucy said. 

"And we gotta find where that is," Cana said. 

"C'mon Gramps, that almost too easy," Said Natsu. 

"No joke," Happy concurs. 

"You have six hours to find it, or you fail. No excuses. Is that challenging enough?" Everyone is silent. "Very well, I'll be waiting at Mavis' grave." 

"You ready? Let's go!" Natsu starts running. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy follows Natsu. 

Everyone else split and go in their separate directions. Spike and Panther Lily stood. 

"If I were the First Master and wanted to be buried here, I would like to see the beauty of the island and water," Spike suggests. 

"So, your suggestion we fly around the island to have a better look?" 

"Yes, Panther Lily. It wouldn't hurt to try." 

"Let's do it!" Panther Lily grabs onto Spike and flies to the outer rims of Tenrou Island. 

As Panther Lily flies and Spike observes the beaches, the two see something small flying towards Tenrou Island. They decide to investigate the flying object. 

"Carla?" Spike and Panther Lily are confused to see Carla flying to Tenrou Island. 

"Hello Lily, Spike."

"Uh, what are you doing here?" Panther Lily asks. 

"Couldn't be away from Wendy?" Spike asks. 

"No. It's not that. To be honest, I only approved Wendy to come here if you chose her, Spike," Spike sighs as it's creating a constant reminder. "However, this Mest Gryder has me worried."

"How?" Panther Lily asks. 

"Well, Mest said that he's Mystogan's pupil." 

"Impossible. From what I've been told about Mystogan, he's secretive about his appearance. For him to have a pupil, it's not possible." 

"If what you're saying is true, Spike. We need to keep an eye out for Mest. Wendy could be in great danger," Said Panther Lily. 

"You're right. Let's look for Wendy. My second part of the S-Class Trials can wait. If I fail, I fail. No shame in wanting to protect a friend." 

"My word, Spike. That's noble of you to give up being an S-Class Wizard for the safety of your friend," Carla is impressed with the devotion Spike has for his friends. "Also, are you okay?" Spike has purple and red spots on his face and body.

"Perfectly fine except for the rash. There's something on the island I'm allergic to." 

"Alright then, let's fly," Carla, Panther Lily, and Spike start searching for Wendy and Mest, hoping that Wendy is not in peril. 

20 minutes later. A shiny pinkish-red flare is in the sky. Spike, Carla, and Panther Lily see it in the sky. 

"What is that?" Panther Lily asks. 

"Not sure," Carla responds. 

"I know what it is. The flare is a warning of an incoming enemy, or it's here on Tenrou Isalnd." 

"Mest," Panther Lily and Carla said. 

"We gotta keep searching for them." 

The trio flies towards a rock that looks like a wolf and sees Mest and Wendy on top. 

"Wendy!" Carla calls her name. 

Wendy and Mest look up to see Spike, Panther Lily, and Carla. Mest is bewildered seeing Spike having a rash. Wendy is worried. 

"What are you doing here?" Wendy asks Carla. 

"Never mind that, get away from Mest!" Carla commands. She lands with Panther Lily and Spike, cornering Mest Gryder. "Now, why don't you cut the act and tell us who you really are!" 

"Huh? What the heck do you mean by that? I'm Mystogan's pupil-" Panther Lily scares Mest when he slams his fist on the rock as a warning shot. Panther Lily is in his battle form. 

"I find it hard to believe that my Prince would take on a pupil in this world. Now, you were smart enough to use someone who doesn't live here anymore to back up your story. But, are you going to be smart enough to tell us the truth? Who are you, and what are you trying to hide?" 

"Why are you doing this?!" Wendy is confused. 

"We believe the flare in the sky is a warning of an unknown enemy to Fairy  Tail. The way Mest orchestrated his story, he may be the supposed enemy of Fairy Tail," Spike explains. He continues to scratch his body. 

"Tell me who you really are," Panther Lily commands. 

"Wh-What do you mean?" Mest is confused. 

"It's my belief that the magic you wield allows you to manipulate people's memories. If I'm correct, you've been using that magic to masquerade as a member of Fairy Tail before the trial." 

Spike and Wendy are in shock. Spike didn't think about an amnesia magic spell to infiltrate Fairy Tail. Carla is impressed with Panther Lily's strategic mind. Mest is worried due to the predicament. He looks in the eyes of Panther Lily. 

"Too many things don't add up, including your story about being Mystogan's pupil. From what I've seen, no one has any real connection with you. And just now, you had no idea what the guild's flare signifies. There's no way of talking out of that." 

Mest is silent. He senses someone and vanishes using his magic. Panther Lily and Spike couldn't believe he vanished so quickly. Panther Lily turns to see Mest tackling Wendy. Spike couldn't use his magic in fear that he would hurt Wendy. 

"Get down! Now!" Mest orders as an explosive hit the top of Wolf Mountain. 

Panther Lily grabs Carla and flies out of the explosion. Mest teleports Wendy and Spike to a safe distance. Panther Lily flies down to them. 

"What was that?" Spike asks. 

"He protected them? But.., why?" Carla thought to herself. 

"Who are you?! Show yourself!" Mest commands. His tone and demeanor change. 

Everyone around sees a tree on the mountain. It changes form into revealing a face. 

"Ugh, that's creepy looking," Spike said. 

"You're one to talk, chickenpox dragon," The tree responds. "I will say, your senses are sharp."

"Out! Come and face us!" Panther Lily demands. 

"I'm from Grimoire Hearts. Names Azuma. I'm one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory." 

"Hey wait, that guild is in the Bar of Alliance," Spike remembers the chart when Juvia explained to everyone what the Bar of Alliance is.

"Grimoire Hearts..?" Wendy is paralyzed in fear a little. 

"A Dark Guild," Said Carla. 

"I'm amazed that the chickenpox dragon knows what the Bar of Alliance is."

"I'm Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon!" Spike shouts then, sounds raspy. 

"Whatever, a bit too late to be worrying about your friends," Azuma chuckles. 

"What's exactly is going on here?!" Panther Lily demands for answers. 

Mest reveals that he originally came to Tenrou Island to find dirt on Fairy Tail. Finding out that Grimoire Hearts and Zeref being on the island, he hit the jackpot. Mest reveals to work for the Magic Council. His priority was to find anything to bring down and disband Fairy Tail. Mest's fleet is outside the borders of Tenrou Island, ready to disperse the devil's heart.

"You.., bastard..," Spike said. It sounds like he's saying, your master. 

"What did you say?" Mest is confused. 

"I.., said.., You BASTARD!" Spike covers his mouth. His voice went from sounding raspy into loudly. 

Azuma chuckles. "The poor thing is sick. I'll take it out of its misery. As for those battleships, they look so fragile from here," Azuma, without moving, annihilated the Magic Council's fleet, killing everyone on those ships.

Everyone is stunned beyond belief. The ships are laid in ruins as the people on board are dead. Azuma comes out of the trees, ready to destroy anyone on sight. Azuma is a tall, massive, and highly muscular man with tanned skin and thick brown hair. He has brown eyes and long sideburns, joining his hair to his prominent goatee, which takes the form of several triangles pointing downwards and extending upwards on his chin. Azuma wears an outfit decorated with a green tribal-like motifs leather armor covering his upper body and wearing orange pants. He wears earrings shaped like a round crescent moon pointing down.

"Panther Lily, you READY!" Spike's voice is on and off of sounding raspy and loudly. 

"Yea, time to use our techniques to the test," Panther Lily extends his arm while Spike conjures a metallic energy sword. Panther Lily uses his memory to recreate the Bustermarm Sword. 

"Heh, how interesting. A cat and a dragon want to fight me. After this, they should dub me as a Dragon Slayer," Azuma smirks. 

"Let's do this!" Panther Lily and Spike lunge at Azuma. 

"Spike! Lily!" Wendy cries out. 

"Bleve," Azuma extends his hand forward, Panther Lily and Spike are engulfed in an explosion. The two take the hit and knock down Azuma in the process. Due to the attack, small explosives around the two implode on them. The explosion hurls everyone back with great force. 

"Spike wANTs!" Spike tries to increase his size, but he's unable to. The rash on his body, the itch is distracting him. "Stupid allerGIC reacTION!" Spike's voice is getting worse with the raspy and loudly toning. 

"I heard about you. Not much to say but, you can increase your size. I'm disappointed that you can't. I was looking forward to fighting for real," Azuma is displeased with the results of Spike's condition.

"I may NOT be ABle to incrEASE my SIZE! I can still fIGHt, you PUnk!"

"Such a shame," Azuma replies. 

"They're not alone in this fight!" Wendy gets up.

"Wendy, no!" Carla pleas. 

"Oh, swift winds that speed through the heaven! Vernier!" Wendy's Sky Magic allows Spike and Panther Lily's bodies to become lighter while their bodies start glowing. 

"Oh YEah!" Spike becomes excited. 

"Whoa, my body has become lighter." 

"O strengthen of arm to cleave the heavens!" Wendy's Sky Magic is now granting Spike and Panther Lily strength as well. "Arms!"

"Round two!" Panther Lily and Spike said. They lunge at Azuma a second time. 

"Fools," Azuma uses his explosion magic. Spike and Panther Lily dodge each one like they were nothing. 

"Inferno Blazing Fist!" Spike's claw doesn't blaze with Sparkling Green Flames; his magic is behaving awkwardly due to the rash. He winds up punching Azuma. "What?" 

"Now you'll suffer for your foolishness," Azuma explosions go off. 

Panther Lily swoops in and deflects the explosions away using his Sparkling Green Bustermarm sword. 

"I don't feel so good..," Spike belches his Sparkling Green Flames. Azuma dodges the sudden attack. 

"You bore me," Azuma said. Spike uses his claw to redirect the flames hitting Azuma's back. Azuma feels the flames. "Lucky shot."

"Mest, I need your assistance to take down Azuma."

"You, kidding me? I'm your enemy trying to take down Fairy Tail. I work for the Magic Council!" 

"I don't care who you work for; no one can defeat or takedown Fairy Tail. As a member of the Magic Council, isn't it your job to take down a law-breaking dark guild?" 

"You make a valid point. Fine, what you need?"

"Your speed to get behind Azuma."

Azuma continues his barrage of explosions at Panther Lily and Spike. Spike is having difficulties dodging due to his condition. Panther Lily continues to fight Azuma in close quarters. Spike gets up feeling weary. 

"Fairy DRAgon," Spike pants as his itch continues to distract him. "roooooAR!" Spike unleashes his fire breath attack, but it fails on him. Spike falls to one knee. 

"Spike!" Carla flies towards him to get him to safety. "Lily! Fly up to strike Azuma." 

Panther Lily nods and flies in the sky. Carla sees the rash getting worse and drops Spike to a safe distance. She's worried about catching the rash he has. 

"One dragon down, now the cat will go as well. It doesn't matter where you go. My explosions always hit their mark," Azuma said. 

Mest teleports Wendy behind Azuma. Wendy conjures enough magic to hit Azuma with her Sky Dragon Roar. Panther Lily sees and smirks. 

"You pathetic fools," Azuma is aware of Wendy's motives and prepares an attack of his own. "Go, Tower Burst!" Azuma extends both arms out to his sides, summoning forth an enormous tower of explosive flame hitting Wendy, Mest, Carla, and Spike. Panther Lily tries to block the attack with the Bustermarm blade, but it disintegrates due to Spike's magic behaving erratically. 

The mountain they stood on falls apart. Azuma is left standing on the remains of the mountain, looking down at those he defeated. Panther Lily's battle form expires, thus turning him back into his exceed form. Spike's rash becomes worse as he's knocked out due to the explosion. Wendy and Carla are down and out for the time being. Mest couldn't believe the power Azuma wields. 

"I never imagined the Seven Kin of Purgatory would possess such power." Mest Gryder thought to himself.

"This guild. Are cats, baby dragon, and kids all their defense?" Azuma said. "I'm really disappointed with the baby dragon. I expected more from him." 

"There are six more of these guys? We're all doomed. Fairy Tail doesn't stand a chance..." Mest Gryder feels a bit hopeless with the situation he's in.

Ten minutes later. Natsu and Happy arrive to see everyone desolated. Spike belches uncontrollable Sparkling Green Flames. 

"Holy crap!" Natsu goes up to Wendy. "Wendy, please say something. Come on, Wendy," Natsu is worried. 

"Spike! Lily! Carla!" Happy is worried and sees Spike's condition getting worse. "I think they took the full force from that spell we saw a while ago." 

"Dammit! Someone is going to pay for this," Natsu looks up to see Mest Gryder. He grabs hold of him. "Hey, was it you?! Answer me!"

Mest looks into the eyes of Natsu and realizes his memory manipulation wore off. Wendy wakes up to tell Natsu that Mest is part of the Magic Council. Natsu and Happy freak out into believing that the Magic Council is the enemy. 

"You're wrong," Carla struggles to get up. "The enemy is Grimoire Heart. A Dark Guild." 

"From the Bar of Alliance?" Natsu asks, remembering the chart Reedus drew a few months back. 

"You mean they're on the island?" Happy asks. "How are we supposed to fend off the entire guild on our own? What are we going to do?!" 

"Why are you asking me?!" Natsu freaks out a bit. 

Panther Lily struggles to get up and notices something flying in the sky. Everyone except Spike sees the person soaring in the air. Orange orbs fall from the sky as many soldiers of Grimoire Hearts surround every Fairy Tail Wizard on Tenrou Island. Azuma senses the rest of the Seven Kin of Purgatory arriving on Tenrou Island. Natsu is ready to pummel down anyone that hurt his friends.
> Tenrou Island: Fairy Tail vs Grimoire Hearts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!" Natsu starts attacking Grimoire Hearts soldiers with an explosion of his flames. 

"Get 'em, Natsu!" Happy shouts. 

Wendy, Carla, Panther Lily help drag Spike away from the conflict. Spike is immobilized due to the explosions earlier and his sickness. Wendy tries to use her Sky Magic to heal Spike, but more Grimoire Hearts soldiers come and intervene. Panther Lily fought off those soldiers but can't keep his battle form for much longer. He exerted his magic battling Azuma. 

"Spike! Wake up, please! Spike!" Wendy uses her magic to heal Spike. Spike's rash isn't going away. "Spike!" Wendy becomes teary. She doesn't understand why her healing spell is failing on her.

"Wendy stop, you'll overexert yourself," Carla said. 

"NO! Not until Spike is healed!" Wendy tries only to get ambushed by another wave of soldiers. 

"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu saves Wendy from the soldiers and scorches the soldiers in the process. 

"You guys should take Spike and hide. Natsu and I can handle these guys." 

"Very well, Happy. Wish you luck," Said Carla. 

"I got Spike. Carla, take Wendy." 

"Don't feel bad. You can kick back and take the load off. Leave the work to the real heroes of this story," Happy proclaims. Wendy, Carla, and Panther Lily feel conflicted. Spike belches Sparkling Green Flames and hits Happy. "Aaaaaaaah!" Happy rolls on the ground to get the flames off. 

"I want to say that was karma for the way he was talking," Said Panther Lily. 

"I agree. Let's go,"

One of the Grimoire Heart Soldiers shot a flame bullet at Natsu. Natsu consumes the flames and becomes reenergize. He takes out his frustrations on the soldiers due to a powerful wizard turning his scarf black. 

"Enough already!" Zancrow had enough of seeing the wimps getting tossed around like flies by Natsu. Zancrow has long and spiky blond hair. He wears a yellow and dark blue skirt-like armor with a red waist ribbon that exposes the right side of his chest and his right shoulder. On his right shoulder is where the Grimoire Heart Emblem is located. "Leave him to me. I was hoping to get some exercise from this trip. I'll pound this runt in the dirt while you go look for Zeref. Judging what I've seen so far should only take a few minutes." 

"So, Grimoire Hearts' goal is the Black Wizard," Said Wendy. 

"And we're caught in the middle," Said Panther Lily. 

"Why are things so complicated?" Carla asks. 

Zancorw overhears the soldiers of Grimoire Hearts talking about Natsu's strength and kills them right then and there. Natsu sees that Zancrow uses black flames. Everyone except for Spike feels a strong magic power coming from Zancrow. 

"You jerk! How could you do that to your friends?" Natsu shouts at Zancrow. 

"They weren't my friends. It's not your business anyway. If I were as weak as you, I'd be careful who I run my mouth too," Zancrow unleashes his black flames at Natsu. 

"What a joke. Don't you know that your fire ain't going to hurt me!"

"Natsu! Stay back! Those flames are bad news! Don't let it touch you!" Wendy warns Natsu of the danger of the black flames. 

Natsu gets hit with the black flames and has a hard time consuming them. "Why can't I eat it? What is this?! You tricked me!" 

"That's what you get for being so cocky," Zancrow responds. "Now it's time for the main course!" Zancrow unleashes a larger scale of his black flames at Natsu while laughing at his misery. He jumps down to confront Natsu after he took the blow. "Serves you right for trying to eat up your stature, you lonely dragon-hunter. You like my divine flames?"

"What do you mean, divine flames?" Natsu asks Zancrow. 

"Exactly what it sounds like; my magic is way out of your league," Zancrow laughs sinisterly. "You're up against a God Slayer. Make peace with your own fast." 

"A God Slayer?" Happy is in shock. So is everyone else. 

"It doesn't matter what you are!" Natsu's body is blazing with fire. "I'm going to take this punk down. Anyone who dares attack the Fairy Tail Guild will live to regret it!"

Zancrow laughs. "Bring it on, runt. Let's see if I can scrounge a meal out of those pathetic flames!"

Zancrow reveals himself to be a God Slayer and battles Natsu. Panther Lily and Carla take Wendy and Spike out of harm's way. Wendy still needs to find a place to heal Spike so he can get back in the fight. Happy observes the battle and sees Natsu getting dominated by Zancrow. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Zancrow unleashes God Slayer Divine Flames at Panther Lily, Carla, and Happy. Panther Lily and Carla lose grip of Wendy and Spike and fall to the ground. "Poor weaklings. Next time we meet, your deaths will be slow and painful," Zancrow laughs. 

"You bastard!" Natsu jumps from behind, ready to use his Fire Dragon Iron Fist. 

"That's no way to talk to a God, peasant!" Zancrow unleashes his divine fire at Natsu, causing him to feel pain as his fire explodes on contact. Natsu hurls down the mountain and lands hard. "This is so much fun! However, I'm not through with my prey," Zancrow maniacally laughs. He jumps down in hopes of finding Natsu. 

Spike lands hard on the ground. His rash gets worse while he suffered a few bruises. Wendy looks at Spike after she got up. 

"Spike..," Wendy sees Spike unresponsive to her call. Spike belches his flames, hitting Happy in the process. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" Happy runs with his arms up in circles for a bit. Then rolls on the ground to get the flames off of him. After a few moments, Happy sighs in relief. 

"He looks worse," Panther Lily sees purple spots on Spike's body. 

"We gotta get him away from the dangers," Said Carla. She's getting worried about Spike's condition. 

Natsu lands hard on the ground. He's separated from the others. "Great! I can't believe he beat me!" Natsu is livid. He sniffs the area. "Wait, I know that smell," Natsu runs in the direction of the scent and finds Master Makarov severely injured. 

Master Makarov tells Natsu that Master Hades is responsible for all this. He commands Natsu to gather everyone and retreat. Natsu hates the idea of running away from Grimoire Hearts. He refuses to allow the Dark Guild to get away. Zancrow appears before the two and attacks Natsu. 

Zancrow and Natsu duke it out while Master Makarov is helpless to aide Natsu against the God Slayer. Zancrow engulfs Natsu with his divine flames, hoping to kill him in the process. Master Makarov enlarges his hand and grabs onto Zancrow, trying to squeeze the life out of him. Zancrow's body illuminates in his divine flames to burn Master Makarov's hand. Natsu gets an ingenious idea of emptying his magic power to consume Zancrow's flames. It works as Zancrow and Makarov see Natsu consuming the divine flames, infusing them with his dragon flames. Natsu annihilates Zancrow with a Dragon God Brilliant Flames. One of the Seven Kin of Purgatory is now defeated. 

Meanwhile, Azuma has been running amuck. He's located the Fairy Tail Base Camp and has been battling Mirajane and Lisanna. The two combined are no match for Azuma's power. However, Azuma becomes intrigued after hearing that Mirajane can use Satan Soul. Azuma confines Lisanna in an explosive root with a timer, leaving Mirajane no choice but to fight Azuma. Also, Rustyrose. Another member of the Seven Kin of Purgatory has found Elfman and Evergreen and battle them. Ultear is on Tenrou Island looking for Zeref. Meredy has located Erza and Juvia. Capricorn is battling Loke, Gray, Cana, and Lucy. Kain Hikaru is aimlessly looking for food or anyone to fight. 

A while ago, Yomazu and Kawazu ambushed Gajeel and Levy. Gajeel winds up battling the two on his own while Levy was searching for help. Gajeel defeated the two after proclaiming to be a Fairy Tail Wizard, and Fairy Tail never loses. 

Ten minutes later. Happy, Carla, and Wendy finds Natsu and Master Makarov. Panther Lily arrives seconds later while carrying Spike. Wendy tries to heal Natsu. However, Master Makarov tells Wendy to heal Natsu's scarf first. Wendy heals Natsu's scarf, eradicating the darkness within the scarf and turning it pure. Master Makarov asks about Spike's condition. Panther Lily explains that Spike is getting worse. Wendy is teary and tries her healing magic on Spike again. Like before, no sudden changes on Spike's body. 

"What's wrong with me? Why isn't my magic healing him..?"

"Perhaps you are drained a bit?" Panther Lily said. 

"No! I can heal anything! Ailments, broken bones, colds, fevers.., anything!" Wendy pants as she looks at Spike. 

"I guess whatever he has can't be healed," Happy said. Spike belches green flames on Happy again. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Happy flies in circles and rolls on the ground. "Why me..?" Happy said in tears of anguish. 

"I should have seen that coming. However, I don't think we should be near Spike." 

"What?! Why do you say that, Carla?!" Wendy is upset. 

"Not to be rude or anything, child. Spike is carrying a new disease. He's a dragon, and whatever he's carrying can affect you, Natsu, and Gajeel. We can't risk you getting terminally ill."

"Terminally ill?! " Wendy is horrified to hear that possibility. 

"No, no, I'm sure it's an allergic reaction. That's what he told us a while ago," Said Happy. 

"Which is true. I've been around Spike the longest, and I haven't caught any symptoms," Panther Lily states. 

Wendy tries her healing magic on Natsu to see if her magic is failing on her. Moments later, Natsu wakes up feeling better than ever. 

"I think I need a timeout on using my healing magic. Perhaps my healing spell will work on Spike later." 

A loud explosion with a surge of energy is heard. Everyone around feels the power not far off. Several explosions occur around Tenrou Island. Natsu and Wendy become worried for everyone's safety. Natsu picks up a familiar scent and runs after it. Happy follows him. Also, to get away from Spike's belching. 

"What do we do now?" Wendy asks. 

"We should find the base camp and bring the injured there. Once that's settled, we can continue the fight against Grimoire Hearts," Panther Lily suggests. 

"I agree. We're sitting ducks for any attack by being stationary," Said Carla. 

Wendy picks up Spike while Panther Lily picks up Master Makarov. Carla follows them to the Fairy Tail Base Camp. Wendy hopes to bump into Natsu for protection. Forty minutes later, The gang joins Natsu, Happy, and Lucy. Lucy is in shock to see Spike's condition. 

"What happened to him?" Lucy sees Spike unresponsive. 

"His condition is getting worse. We don't know how long it's going to take for him to recover. Wendy's healing magic won't work on him either," Panther Lily exclaims. 

"Poor guy..," Lucy is now worried for Spike's life. 

"Despite in his condition, Lucy. Spike has a belching problem," Spike belches Sparkling Green Flames at Happy. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Happy runs in agony and rolls on the ground. "Grrrrrrr," Happy gets angry and grabs a club. "It's Clobbering Time!"

"Don't you dare touch him!" Wendy viciously glares at Happy, scaring the life out of him. 

Happy becomes afraid and cringes. "Sorry, Ma'am!" Happy apologizes and bows down to Wendy. 

"Scaaaary," Natsu and Lucy said in unison. They have never seen this side of Wendy before. 

"So, have you found any trouble?" Panther Lily asks.

"One minute I was with Cana, next thing I know I was being chased by the fatty of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. Natsu and I defeated him. Also, Capricorn was a member of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. Now he's on our side. He's a Celestial Spirit," Lucy reveals Capricorn's Celestial Key. 

"Wow," Wendy and Carla said. 

"Yea, the fatty used this weird voodoo dolly thing, and we used that against him," Natsu said. "Right now, that's three of the Seven Kin of Purgatory down."

"Alright, we should get moving. We gotta get Spike and Makarov out of harm's way," Panther Lily said. 

"I got Gramps," Natsu picks up Master Makarov and puts him on his shoulders. 

Out of nowhere, Mest regroups with everyone carrying a communication lacrima.

"The traitor returns," Panther Lily sees Mest. 

"Where you run off to, whoever you are?" Natsu asks. 

"That's Mest. The spy of the Magic Council," Said Lucy. 

"To be quite honest, my name is Doranbolt." 

"What are you doing here?" Wendy asks, unamused at the moment due to Happy's antics a few moments ago. 

"You can say that I'm on a rescue mission. I can use my magic to transport your guild members somewhere safe. I'll get you as far away from this island as possible. But first, I need to know where everybody is in order to do that."

Spike belches Sparkling Green Flames at Doranbolt. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Doranbolt runs around and rolls on the ground. "Did he do that on purpose?!" Doranbolt becomes agitated. 

"No! He's sick. Whatever is happening to him, he can't control it," Said Wendy in Spike's defense. 

"Also, we don't need your help," Natsu said, speaking for everyone. 

"What makes you think we trust anyone who's acting interest from the Magic Council?" Carla said. 

"This is our problem, not yours. We're more than capable of taking care of it ourselves." 

"Listen to me!" Doranbolt warns. "I guarantee once the Council finds what's going on here, they'll do whatever it takes to neutralize the threat."

Happy freaks out, thinking the Magic Council is willing to use the Etherion Blast again. Lucy and Happy explain to Panther Lily and Carla what the Etherion Blast is capable of doing. Natsu says that they'll have to take care of business before they can use Etherion. Lucy and Happy tell Doranbolt to have the Magic Council step aside. Doranbolt feels threatened by Fairy Tail, in which Natsu gives him a warning. Natsu tells Doranbolt that it doesn't matter who it is. Anyone daring to make an enemy of the Fairy Tail Guild will regret it wholeheartedly. 

An hour later. Dark clouds are now hovering over Tenrou Island. Wendy looks up at the sky, wondering what's going to happen now. It starts raining, and everyone takes off looking for a place for shelter. Natsu finds a cave nearby and directs everyone to go inside. Natsu and Happy are keeping watch.  Doranbolt is next to Spike and Makarov while they're resting on the ground. Lucy uses her Celestial Spirit Key to summon Virgo. Virgo gives Lucy and Wendy a new change of clothing from the Celestial Spirit World. Carla and Panther Lily decide to fly around Tenrou Island in search of the Grimoire Hearts' ship. 

"Man, this sucks," Natsu said. "Why or why did Spike had to get sick? Of all times too?" 

"I know how you feel, Natsu. We're going have to wait until Wendy is full of magic energy to release Spike's sickness." 

"He would have definitely take down some of the Seven Kin of Purgatory on his own," Natsu crosses his arms. 

"Who knows what could have happened."

"How are you holding up, Happy?" 

"Fine for the most part. I have to keep my distance away from Spike. Sometimes, I feel his belching is on purpose." 

"Thanks for the set of clothes, Virgo," Wendy is now dressed in her new outfit. 

"You're welcome," Virgo goes back to the Celestial Spirit World. 

Fifteen minutes later, Carla returns to the caves. 

"Hey Carla, did you lose Lily?" Natsu asks. 

"We decided to visit base camp on the way here. Gajeel and Mira are in pretty bad shape. So Lily is staying with them while they recover."

"Whoa, what happened to them?" Happy asks. 

"According to Levy and Lisanna. Gajeel took on two wizards of Grimoire Hearts on his own. As for Mirajane, Azuma destroyed her in battle while trying to protect Lisanna." 

"They won't live to regret for attacking our friends!" Natsu declares. 

"We spotted Grimoire Hearts' ship on the east coast of the island," Said Carla. 

"That's good. Let's swim over and bust heads." 

"Hold on, Natsu. We need to head to base camp. We can't carry Spike and Makarov to Grimoire Hearts' ship," Lucy suggests. 

"Yea. Plus, I want to heal the others that are badly wounded from today's ambush," Wendy concurs. 

"Alright, let's get moving," Natsu picks up Master Makarov. 

"I got Spike," Wendy picks up Spike. 

"You sure? I can have one of my spirits do that," Said Lucy. 

"He's mine. He protected me many times before. Now, I want to protect him," Wendy seriously states while she has a firm grip on Spike. 

"Okay, okay," Lucy puts her hands up a little. 

"What about me?" Doranbolt asks. 

"Keep the council from blowing us up," Natsu answers. 

"Listen, we don't want their help. We can take down Grimoire Hearts and Zeref on our own," Said Lucy. 

"Just tell them there is no need to fire an Etherion Blast," Said Wendy. 

"You think they'll listen?" Doranbolt rhetorically asks. 

"Just find a way to buy us some time," Natsu starts running in the direction of the base camp. 

Wendy, Lucy, Happy, and Carla follow Natsu's lead. Doranbolt mentions that no guild that faces Grimoire Hearts ever lived to tell their tale. He questions Natsu and the others to see if they have a plan. Natsu answers by saying giving Grimoire Heart everything they got. 

Twenty minutes later. Natsu and the gang halts as another member of the Grimoire Hearts approaches. He slowly walks to the group. 

"Who are you?!" Natsu calls out to the man walking up to them. "One of the Kin?" 

"Tell me, have you learned how to fly?" He answers. "No pity," He extends his arms and stops the rain. "Then you fall," He uses his gravity magic to hold everyone down hardly. 

Everyone is unable to move. Wendy screams as Spike starts smelling foul. 

"Wendy, what's wrong?" Carla shouts. 

"It's.., it's Spike. He doesn't smell well."

"What?!" Everyone shrieks. 

"Spike. The supposed Fairy Dragon everyone talks about," He keeps applying pressure with his gravitational magic. 

"Agh," Natsu tries to cover his nose. "Smells like decay," Natsu shuts his mouth. 

"NO! Spike's not dying!" Wendy doesn't want to believe that Spike is dying. 

The Wizard demands to know the location of Mavis Vermillion. Lucy tells him that they don't know where it's located. Then she calls Cana using the calling card. The Wizard unleashes his singular gravitational pull on everyone until he gets what he desires. Fairy Glitter. He gives them one chance to tell him where Fairy Glitter is, a light spell that's supposedly more powerful than Fairy Law. 

Natsu uses his strength to overpower the gravitational pull and runs after the Wizard. Natsu jumps up to unleash his Fire Dragon Iron Fist only to be swatted away by a gravitational force. Spike wakes up a bit and feels different. 

"Oooooh.., what happened?" Spike rubs his head. 

"Spike!" Everyone shouts. 

"The Dragon lives," The Wizard sees Spike standing and, for whatever reason, unfazed by the gravity. 

"Spike, we're in deep trouble. That guy is way too strong!" Wendy points to the Wizard above. Then she gets slammed down with a brutal gravity force causing intense pain. 

"Leave THEM alone," Spike demands. His voice still sounds raspy and loudly. 

"Tell me where Fairy Glitter is, and I'll leave them be," He responds. 

"Go get some at the flea market. I heard it's 20% off on Tuesday," Spike jokes. 

"Insolent brat," He uses his gravitation magic on Spike. Spike is still unfazed. "What?"

"You're going to regret attacking my friends," Spike sounds better as he's focused on stopping the Wizard. Then all of a sudden, Spike starts turning into stone.

"Noooo!" Wendy and Lucy cry out. "SPIIIIIIKE!"

"Spike!" Happy, Carla, and Natsu saw what happened. They see Spike as a stone statue.

"It seems the sickness and my gravity turned him into stone. Oh well, tell me where Fairy Glitter is right now!" 

Cana arrives to see her friends getting leveled. She also sees Spike petrified in stone and figures it had to do with the Grimoire Hearts Wizard. 

"Are you the one I need to squash!" Cana shouts. 

"Look!" Natsu shouts, pointing at Cana. 

"Cana," Lucy is happy to see Cana. 

"She's okay," Wendy smiles. 

"Better late than never," Said Carla. 

"Aye!" Happy cheers. 

"I'm not going to let you lay a finger on my friends!" Cana throws her exploding cards at the Wizard. He redirects the cards to explode around him. "You're going down!" Cana jumps down, ready to strike. Her arm is glowing brightly.

"It can't be," The Wizard uses his gravity to pull down Cana. "Tell me what that magic is, or you die here."

The stone statue of Spike starts cracking. Everyone turns to see a bright light shining. 

"What's happening?" Wendy tries to see what's going on. 

"I think it came from Spike!" Lucy shouts. 

"The smell, I can't smell it anymore," Natsu sniffs the air. 

The blinding light vanishes and so does the Spike Statue. Everyone wonders what happened.  Natsu tries to smell his scent; Wendy does the same. Lucy, Happy, and Carla try to look around. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Spike shouts. 

"What?" Sparkling Green Explosions hit the Wizard below his feet, causing his gravitational magic to cease. The Wizard looks around to see something moving fast. "Show yourself!"

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooaar!" Spike flies straight at the Wizard and unleashes his fire breath on him. He's hurled back a bit.

Cana, Wendy, Carla, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy become astonished to see Spike looking healthy and, more importantly, seeing his wings. The Wizard looks at Spike. 

"Spike, think you can distract him?" Cana asks. 

"Yes, I can! Spike wants!" Spike increases his size, matching the Wizard in front of him. He glares at Spike. "What's your name, bitch?" Spike's voice is darker due to his size. 

The Wizard is astounded to see Spike's ability. "Bluenote Stinger." Bluenote is a tall, muscular middle-aged man with intense gravitational magic that outclasses All members of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. "Prepare to die with your friends." 

The two clash while Cana powers up Fairy Glitter that she learned from Mavis' grave. Natsu and the others watch Spike going all out against Bluenote Stinger. Spike is showing some signs of having difficulty. 

"Explosion Spike!" Spike conjures an ice spike on the ground, hitting Bluenote, and it explodes on contact. 

"Yes! It seems I have a worthy foe," Bluenote uses his gravity to hit knockdown Spike with his punch. 

Spike gets up. "Inferno Raging Fist!" Spike's claw is ablaze with Sparkling Green Flames. He punches Bluenote, but he uses his gravity to lower the flames of Spike's punch to kick him in the stomach. The Wizard throws Spike aside. 

Spike uses his breath to teleport himself. Instead of crashing onto the ground, he teleports above Bluenote. "Fairy Dragon Rooooooar!" Spike unleashes another fire breath at Bluenote. This time it connects. "Gotcha," Spike smirks. 

"Good trick. Not good enough," Bluenote swats Spike away with his gravity like he did to Natsu. Spike lands hard on the ground. 

"Now, time to deal with the other brat," Bluenote turns around and sees Cana fully powered. 

"Assemble! O' River of Light Guided by Fairies!" Cana chants and raise her arm in the air. Cana's arm shines brightly due to her Fairy Tail Emblem marking of Fairy Glitter. "This is what a member of Fairy Tail can do!" Bright yellow lights illuminate Cana and ascend into the skies. Everyone watches what Cana is doing. 

"She's doing it, but how?" Bluenote ponders. 

"Her spell is breaking through the rainclouds," Said Wendy. 

"Sunlight with moonlight and the light of stars," Said Lucy 

"Let Your Radiant Shine and Vanquish the Fangs of Wickedness! Adios you, bastard! Go! Fairy Glitter!" A ring of absolute power and light encases Bluenote tightly. He screams in pain. "For my family and friends!" Cana shouts. 

"Fall!" Bluenote escapes the final conclusion of Fairy Glitter before it done severe damage to him by using his gravity on the ground below him. Then, Bluenote uses his magic to blow everyone away with his gravity. He walks up to Cana. 

"Leave her alone!" Spike flies and tackles Bluenote from behind and does a german suplex.

"I'm getting sick of you, you freaking lizard!" Bluenote gets up and uses his gravity beam on Spike. Spike reverts to his size from the impact and lands next to Cana. Bluenote walks up to the two of them. "You didn't give me the fight I want, lizard. I guess now I can have some fun sending the two of you in the pits of hell!" Bluenote extends his hand to deliver the blow when Gildarts shows up to intercede the attack. Gildarts shatter magic sends Bluenote flying a bit. 

Everyone is excited to see Gildarts returning to help them. Spike and Cana gets up. 

"You need to get out of here. All of you!" 

"What for?" Natsu asks. Then he sees Gildarts and Bluenote powering up. 

"Now go!" Gildarts and Bluenote clash with each other. 

Spike teleports Cana to Natsu and the others. "You go to base camp, Natsu! I'll fly around and look for any of our friends that could be fighting the remaining Seven Kin of Purgatory!"

"You got it, Spike! See you later!" Natsu picks up Master Makarov and books. Spike flies in a different direction. 

"I'm so happy to see you well, Spike. When this is all over, I'm going to tell you the three words I had problems saying." Wendy thought to herself. She catches up with her friends, making their way to the base camp. 

After five minutes of flying, Spike sees Erza and Azuma by the roots of the Tenrou Tree. 

Azuma sees Spike flying by. "Impossible. I thought I killed you." 

"Spike, you have wings," Erza sees Spike's wings. 

"You attacked me when I wasn't 100%. Now, I am." 

"I have no interest in you. You didn't give me a fight. I have my warrior now. Erza Titania." 

"You didn't see what I'm capable of. You saw a sample of my power. Allow me to change your perspective."

"Very well. I'll fight the both of you," Azuma said. 

"Sis, Azuma uses explosion magic. Be careful of your swings." 

"Understood, Spike," Erza requips into her Flame Empress Armor. 

"Let's see what you got," Azuma positions himself. 

Spike conjures a metallic flame sword and increases his size. He and Erza nod and go after Azuma. Azuma uses his explosions to deflect Erza and Spike's flame attacks. 

"Bleve," Azuma extends his hand forward at Spike. Spike's claws are Sparkling Green when he grabs hold of the explosion wave. "What?"

"Explosion Spike!" An ice spike rises from the ground and explodes on contact. Azuma feels the force of the attack. 

"Incredible, you used my attack and amplified it to your power," Azuma sees Erza about to attack. "Not good enough, Titania," Azuma's magic also allows him to use the trees and roots all around him. He uses a tree root to grab Erza and fling her away. Spike uses his breath to teleport Erza. "Huh, where did she go?"

"Where she needs to be," Spike answers. "Inferno Freezing Fist!" 

"Yea, right," Azuma is about to intercept Spike's punch only to be attacked from behind. "Ah!" Azuma leans back as Spike punches him in the face. His face is half burnt, half freezing. 

"Thanks for the assist, Spike," Erza said. She requips into her Purgatory Armor. 

"No sweat," Spike flies after Azuma. 

"You made me mad!" Azuma is irate. "Tower Burst!"

Spike consumes the flames of the Tower Burst. Azuma is in shock. "Now I got a fire in my belly," Spike quotes Natsu. 

"Is this a power of a dragon?" Azuma thought to himself. "He consumed my Tower Burst. The last time I used it, he was down and out." 

Spike moves his arms and recreates the sword blades on his arms. Just like the Dorma Anim Black Sky. 

"Whoa," Azuma said. "I'm done holding back," Azuma unleashes a barrage of explosions and tree roots to attack Erza and Spike. 

Spike and Erza slash through and focus their attacks on Azuma. They two are keeping the pressure up. Azuma is having a hard time; he thought handling Erza and Spike would be no problem. Spike uses his breath to teleport Erza. 

"You bastard," Azuma said. "Resorting to your cheap tricks." 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his fire breath on Azuma. It's denser than before. 

Azuma extends his arm to implode the fire roar attack. Erza comes to his side and slashes him. Azuma is hurled into a tree and slams it hard. Erza goes after Azuma, not allowing him to catch a breather. Spike flies with Erza. Spike and Erza roar and punches Azuma in the face. 

"This can't be happening. I'm unable to counter against the two. Spike is eating my magic while Titania is hitting me with everything she got. Spike is also teleporting her and some of my magic away. Is this the power of Fairy Tail?" 

Azuma uses the trees to his advantage but, Spike burns them into ashes, leaving no room for a singular blow. No matter what Azuma thinks, Spike is there to burn them into a crisp. Erza is proving to be a tough opponent in close-quarter combat. 

"I'm nearly all out of options. These two are giving me hell. I can't dish out anymore with Spike eating my magic." Azuma is blown with a combined attack of lightning and green flames from Erza and Spike. Erza is in her Lightning Empress Armor when she delivered that blow.

"This is for my friends in Fairy Tail! Their friendship and love give me power!" Erza is powering up. She requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. 

"This is for what you and your guild have caused. The pain and suffering they inflicted on my friends are not acceptable!" Spike powers up. 

Azuma feels the combined magic coming from the two. It's overwhelmingly powerful. Azuma then decides to do the one thing to render all Fairy Tail Wizards of their magic power, according to Master Hades. To cut off the Tenrou Tree. Spike sees the look at Azuma's face and lunges at him before Erza does. With Spike's flight, his speed is twice as fast. Spike strikes Azuma first. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Azuma screams and looks up to see Erza's attack. "Nooooooooo!" Erza attacks with her sword at Azuma, finishing him off as Azuma's body explodes. "Well done," Azuma falls to the ground. He's unable to get back up. 

"I gotta say, we make a formidable team, Spike," Erza takes a breather. 

"I saw what he was about to do next. For some reason, he was going to cut the Tenrou Tree. I didn't want him to so, that's why I attacked first." 

"Well done, Spike. Now, we should regroup with the others." 

"Natsu, Wendy, Lucy, Cana, Carla, and Happy are at the base camp. I heard while I was in a deep sleep, that Zancrow and a fatty Kin of Purgatory are defeated. Capricorn is a Celestial Spirit that was part of the Kin as well. Lucy has him now.  I battled Bluenote Stinger with Cana. She used Fairy Glitter on Bluenote, but he got himself out of trouble. That's when Gildarts came and took the fight," Spike reverts to his size. 

"I see. Onward to the camp, Spike," Erza and Spike go to the Fairy Tail Base Camp. 

Erza tells Spike what she and Juvia encountered. Another member of the Seven Kin of Purgatory named Meredy. She also informs Spike that Gajeel defeated two Wizards from Grimoire Hearts on his own. 

Somewhere within Grimoire Hearts' ship, Master Hades grows tired of his wizards falling into the clutches of Fairy Tail. He senses Azuma's failure against Makarov's children. Rustyrose, Bluenote, Ultear, Meredy. Fallen. Master Hades decides to finish the Fairy Tail Guild by himself. 

Half an hour later, Erza and Spike see Gray collapsing a bit. Spike and Erza catch him. 

"Gotcha, Gray," Said Spike. 

"Spike, you look better and have sprouted wings," Said Gray. 

"Marvelous, aren't they?" Said Erza. 

"Turns out my 'sickness' was part of my transformation to grow wings. I never knew that dragons go through that process." 

"Heh, that meant Loke, and I had nothing to worry about when you chased us," Gray chuckles a bit. 

A few moments later, Natsu, Wendy, and Lucy meet up with them. 

"Hey, guys," Lucy smiles. 

"Glad we found you," Wendy is happy to see Spike once more. 

"So, what's the plan, Natsu?" Erza asks. 

"We're going to kick Hades' ass. You down Erza, Spike, Gray?" Natsu smirks. 

"You know it," Erza, Gray, and Spike said in response. 

"Follow us. We know where to go," Carla said. 

Carla and Panther Lily lead the way. The rain continues to pour down with thunderous lightning. Everyone arrives to see Master Hades on his ship. Master Hades blinks to see Spike the Fairy as the rumors are true. Fairy Dragon in the flesh that's been giving dark guilds a headache. 

"So you wish for the same treatment I gave your Master?" Hades looks down at Makarov's children. "Come face your destruction, Children of Makarov," Hades walks back inside his ship. 

"Hey, old fart! Give us a way up there!?"

"Natsu, I could teleport us up there," Spike said, silencing Natsu's shouting. 

Natsu gets a brain fart after remembering Spike's teleportation magic. 

"We owe him one for Gramps," Said Gray. 

"He'll answer for it soon enough," Erza said. 

"Happy, I want you to head inside and find a way of disabling the ship of taking flight." 

"I guess it'd be a major problem if it started moving," Happy replies. "At least for you." 

"We shall help him," Carla said. 

"You can count on us. Can we go in now?" Panther Lily said, covering his ears. 

"Panther Lily, there is no need to be afraid of Thunder and Lightning. Think of it as playing bowling. You roll the bowling ball down the lane. When you hear lightning, it's a strike." 

Panther Lily takes a couple of deep breathes to focus on himself. He calms himself, remembering the bowling technique to conquer his fear.

"Wow, Spike. I would have never thought of that. How did you come up with a tactic like that?" Wendy asks. 

"The route Panther Lily and I chose happened to be a serenity route that challenges your fears. Panther Lily is Thunder. Mine was my former friends coming to get me and bring me back home," Spike answers. 

Wendy, Carla, and Erza cringe a little. They imagine the fear intensifying on him during that time. Wendy casts her Troia spell on Natsu to prevent motion sickness for a while just in case Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily fail to disable the flight mechanism on the ship. 

"I think we kept him waiting long enough," Gray uses his ice magic to create stairs heading inside the ship. "Let's go!" 

Everyone runs up except for Spike. Erza warns her friends that Master Hades' power surpasses theirs combined. She commands her friends to hit Hades hard and fast. After a few moments, Spike flies up to aid his friends in battle against Master Hades. 

Spike sees his friends fighting Hades as he dodges left and right. Spike sees Lucy summoning Scorpio and Wendy using her Sky Dragon Roar. Scorpio and Wendy do a unison raid combining their magic as a booster while Natsu's body is engulfed with flames. Natsu does a Fire Dragon Sworn Horn attacking Master Hades dead-on. 

"Whoa, in a matter of moments, Hades is hurled back," Spike said. 

"I often heard young people who refer to their mistakes as life experience.   But, true mistakes do not yield experiences as there is no coming back from them such as the case here. Your future consists only but the grave. There will be no lesson to learn other than opposing me was the biggest mistake of your lives." 

Everyone is stunned to see Master Hades has no scratch on him from the combined attack moments ago. Master Hades' power is unreal. 

"Very well, now that I'm all warmed up, it's time to get serious," Master Hades starts powering up. Everyone is in fear of Master Hades' magic power. It's more powerful than Gildarts. 

"Get ready," Erza commands. 

"Understood, Sis," Spike positions himself. 

Master Hades roars as he targets Wendy. Wendy is vaporized right before everyone's eyes. Spike's jaw drops as tears fall on his cheeks. Wendy's clothing is all that's left. Spike gets angry as a surge of energy rapidly grows. Spike's body is ablaze with Sparkling Green Flames. 

"Hades." Spike angrily breathes heavily as the area around his friends starts quaking. "THAT'S MY WENDY!!" Windows on the ship shatter while Spike increases his size and lunges at Hades. Natsu, Erza, Lucy, and Gray look at Spike and notices something different in him. They wonder if his magic is now on par with Master Hades. 

"Bang! Bang!" Master Hades mimics his hands like guns and shoots purple-piercing bullets at Spike. Spike grabs the purple-piercing bullets with his claws and throws them back at Hades with great force. "What!" Hades couldn't react as his bullets hit him. Hades jumps up to be gut-punched by Spike. 

"Die!" Spike punches Hades on the head, slamming him on the ground. 

Hades and Spike punches and kicks each other hard, trying to get the upper advantage. Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza notices Horologium on the ceiling. He tells them that he used his magic to save Wendy's life and won't be able to do so again. Wendy comes down with a new set of clothing, ready to fight Hades once more. However, Wendy sees Spike and Hades going all out. Wendy sees Spike's eyes and only sees malice and vengeance. 

"Spike wants Hades to die!" Spike throws Hades across the room. "Fairy Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his fire breath at Hades. Due to the fire breath, there's a hole on the left side of the ship where Hades stands.

"You need a time out. Formula 28!" Hades extends his arm, which causes a seal to engulf Spike in a massive dark spherical shockwave. Spike screams in agony and crashes into a wall across from the two. 

"Spike!" Wendy shouts. 

Spike reverts to himself after the attack and sees Wendy. "Wendy..," Spike smiles and gets back up. 

"How profound. A Dragon and a kid being together. Don't worry. You'll join hands in the grave," Master Hades decrees. 

"I'll dance on your grave," Spike gets up. 

"Let's get him!" Natsu and his friends spring into action. 

Master Hades starts shooting purple bullets at everyone in sight. Spike tackles him, but Master Hades punches his back and kicks him. Sending him flying away. Spike uses his breath to teleport himself above Hades' ship. 

"Where did he go?" Hades continues to shoot at everyone. 

"Inferno Blazing Fist!" Spike crashes through the ceiling hitting Hades on the head. 

"You brat!" Hades grabs Spike's tail and throws him. He shoots Spike with his purple-piercing bullets. "Bang! Bang!"

"Phew! Phew!" Spike mimics his claws to shoot Sparkling Green Bullets at Hades. 

"You copycat!" Hades becomes infuriated. 

Spike's Sparkling Green Bullets doesn't help as Hades is stronger in magic than he. The bullets collide, only slightly changing the course of their target.

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Spike shouts. Sparking Green Explosions implode under Hades. There is smoke where Hades stood.  Spike pants a little. 

"Mind if I borrow that trick?" Hades walks through the smoke, unfazed by Spike's attack. 

"How?" Spike asks in shock. 

"I'm not one to take weak hits like that. You're quite gifted, and in the Grand Magic World I'll be creating, you'll live to be my pet. Now sit!" Hades shoots a grappling chain at Spike's throat and slams him hard. 

"Stop that right now! Sky Dragon," Wendy conjures her breath attack but gets shot down quickly by Hades' bullet. 

Everyone tries to destroy the chain only to be shot by Hades. Hades swings the chain around, causing Spike to feel all sorts of pain by crashing into the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. 

"Stop!" Lucy shouts. 

"Leave him alone!" Erza shouts. 

Wendy gets up and gets shot down by Hades. Wendy cries a little as she can't help Spike. Hades releases the chain and uses another Formula 28 on Spike. Everyone sees Spike standing after the attack but has many bruises on his body. He falls to his knees, struggling to breathe. 

"Spike!" Wendy runs up and hugs him. She cries as Spike is trying to catch his breath. 

"You monster! I won't let you get away hurting my friends like this!" Natsu shouts. 

"Don't worry, you're next after I kill the lovebirds," Hades walks past Natsu and up to Spike and Wendy. 

"Don't kill them, please!" Lucy cries out. 

A lightning bolt crashing into Master Hades' ship and causes Hades to cease his attack. 

"What's the meaning of this?!" Hades is unable to move his hand. 

Another lightning bolt strikes in front of Spike and Wendy. Hades, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza are stunned seeing the figure in front of them.

"I'm here now, Spike. Time to take out the fossil that ambushed the guild," Said Laxus. 

Hades sees the image of Makarov through Laxus. "The Boy?" Laxus headbutts Hades. 

"You'll regret hurting Gramps and my brother!" Laxus refers to Spike as his brother. 




Outside of Hades' Ship. 15 minutes ago. 

Spike sees his friends running up the stairs and decides to wait a few moments before fighting Hades. 

"I hope I don't get in trouble for doing this," Spike uses his magic to teleport a calling card that Laxus gave him a few months back. "Hey, if you can hear me, Laxus. We can use a little muscle to defeat Master Hades at Tenrou Island. I'm leaving the calling card outside of the ship, so you know how to get here," Spike places the calling card next to the ship and flies up to help his friends fight against Master Hades. 




Present time

"It's Laxus!" Said Gray in shock. 

"How did he get here?" Erza asks. 

Spike lightly chuckles a bit. "Good thing he answered my call," Spike uses his magic to teleport the calling card he planted outside. 

"No way! He gave you a calling card?!" Natsu couldn't believe that Laxus gave him a calling card. 

"Talk about timing, Spike!" Lucy couldn't believe that Spike called Laxus. 

Laxus and Hades power up. Laxus punches Hades first and moves fast like lightning. Hades is impressed with Laxus' power. Laxus uses his Lighting Dragon Roar on Hades. Hades moves left and right as Laxus directs his lightning. Hades shoots his chain grappler at Laxus but winds up hitting a large sphere. He directs the sphere to hit Laxus, but he dodges. Spike uses his breath to teleport the sphere outside of Hades' ship. 

"I hate your teleportation magic!" Hades is pissed off. 

"You're going to hate this more! Raging Bolt!" Laxus raises his clenched fist in the air. A large bolt of lightning strikes at Hades. 

Hades jumps back and sees Laxus lunging at him. He swats Laxus back with his magic and creates another Formula 28. Laxus moves out of the way when collides on the floor and strikes Hades in the back. Laxus and Hades continue to battle each other. The two showing their dominance in power. Everyone watches and notices that Laxus is slowing down. Hades starts demolishing Laxus with his bullet magic and chain magic combo. Erza realizes that Laxus was indeed hit with Formula 28. An Amaterasu spell. Hades hits Laxus with a Grimoire Ray blast. Laxus transfers his lightning to Natsu for him to merge with his fire magic. Laxus takes the hit and falls to the ground in defeat. 

Natsu powers up after consuming Laxus' lightning. Hades questions Laxus' logic of thinking. Natsu is now a Lightning Flame Dragon Slayer. 

"I got a fire in my belly!" Natsu turns to Spike. "Have some!" Natsu shoots lightning flames at Spike for him to eat. 

"What?!" Hades watches as Spike eats the lightning flames Natsu gave. 

Spike stands up as Sparkling Green Lighting ignites on his body. 

"Two lightning flame dragons," Wendy said in awe. 

"Ready, Spike?"

"Ready, Natsu!" 

Spike and Natsu roars and punches Hades in the face. Hades crashes into the wall. 

"Fire Dragon Talon!" Natsu kicks Hades on the head. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame, Lasso!" Spike conjures a Sparkling Green Lightning Inferno Lasso on Hades. "Let's see if you like it!" Spike slams Hades around the ship like he did a while ago. On the floor, on the ceiling, and the walls. 

"You bastaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!" Hades screams in agony due to Natsu hitting Hades with a lightning strike after using his Fire Dragon Iron Fist. 

"This is what happens to anyone messing with Fairy Tail!" Natsu and Spike said in unison. The two's fists are blazing with their flames and lighting. Tag teaming in punching Hades left and right. 

"Lightning Flame Dragon!" Natsu conjures his breath attack. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike conjures his breath attack. 

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike and Natsu combine their breath attack in a unison raid. It becomes too much for Hades as he gets annihilated with the combined lightning flame roars. Erza, Gray, Lucy, and Wendy hurl back from the immense force and power of Spike and Natsu. The unison raid is so strong, the wall of the ship gets obliterated, and a crater is formed on the beaches of Tenrou Island. Everyone on Tenrou Island believes it to be Natsu's doing when they felt the magic energy coursing through the island. 

Spike and Natsu pants after the combined unison raid. Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Wendy are astounded by the combined efforts of Natsu and Spike. Master Hades is down after the attack. 

"I warned you not to mess with us," Natsu falls back, but Spike grabs his arm. 

"Where do you think you're going," Spike pulls Natsu over. 

"Nowhere," Natsu chuckles a bit. 

"Spike is so powerful. I can't believe earlier he said That's My Wendy. He does love me." Wendy thought to herself. "There is no doubt. I have to tell him. I have to say I love you. No more waiting for the right moment." 

"Another one bites the dust," Said Gray. He's impressed with Natsu and Spike.

"We won!" Lucy cheers joyfully. 

"I know how we should celebrate. When we get back home, I'm making my cookie specialty." 

"Oohohohoho," Natsu rubs his belly. "Those cookies you made a while back ago, Spike. I can't wait to have more."

"Cookies? What cookies?" Erza turns to Spike. 

"Oh, that's right. You never tried my freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies."

Erza's eyes beam wide open as she can imagine the flavor. Spike and the others laugh a little at Erza's reaction. 

"You may have knocked me down but, I'm not out," Hades gets back up while everyone is stunned. "Well done, Makarov. You truly raised some remarkable children despite your flawed philosophy." 

"There's no way," Wendy said in horror. 

"I can't remember the last time someone had me tattered after a good brawl," Master Hades recovers quicker. 

"How?" Lucy asks in horror. 

"I recover quicker. I appreciate the entertainment, but I must get back to work. I'll be obliterating you now. Believe me. You wish I have done so sooner." 

"What kind of monster can survive such a powerful attack from two dragons?" Erza asks in shock and horror. 

"Devil's Eye, open," Master Hades opens his Devil's Eye. "You will now witness what you have never seen before, the abyss of sorcery. From here extends a realm that surpasses your feeble imaginations," Master Hades' power is increasing rapidly. He's creating a dark aura around everyone to engulf them in fear as his power continues to grow. Hades uses a spell called Nemesis that creates Demons from rocks.

Everyone becomes afraid as the demons and pure magic become stronger by the second. Spike looks up and senses the energy in the area. 

"Everyone, forgive me," Spike said, knowing what must be done. 

"Huh, what are you-" Erza's jaw drops as she sees what Spike is doing. 

"ARE YOU MAD?!" Master Hades sees what Spike is doing. 

Spike is consuming the abyss's energy coming from Master Hades. 

"Spike no! That may kill you!" Wendy becomes worried. 

"Spike..," Natsu, Gray, and Lucy said in shock. 

Spike finishes eating and starts twitching. Spike looks up at Hades feeling different. His eyes are no longer green but pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. He grows in size while his claws and his teeth are sharper. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns blood red. 

"Hades." Spike's voice sounds sadistic. Just like Spike Knightwalker. 

Erza gasps. She didn't think she'll hear the voice of Spike Knightwalker's sadistic tone. Wendy crawls away from Spike in fear. Natsu looks at Spike in pure shock and horror. Gray sees Spike as a demon from the books of Zeref. Lucy can't believe what she's witnessing. Her friend, her roommate, now looking like a monster. 

"What are you?!" Hades demands to know what Spike has become. 

"I am Spike. The Fairy DEMON Dragon." Spike powers up. 

"Fairy Demon Dragon!" Master Hades couldn't believe that he's facing a Fairy Demon Dragon. "After him!" Hades commands his demons to attack Spike. 

Spike's claws glow Sparkling Black. "Dark Energy Blast!" Spike unleashes a Sparkling Black Energy Blast vaporizing the demons at ease. 

"Impossible!" 

"Nothing is impossible!" Spike lunges at Hades. The two are outside the ship. 

"Enough! Formula 100!" It's similar to Formula 28 he used earlier but five times stronger. Spike grabs the seals and rips them to shreds with his claws. "Unbelievable! You shredded one of my more powerful spells. The same one I used to take down Makarov."

"Fairy Demon Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack again. "Roooooooooar!" Sparkling Black flames engulf Hades as he screams in immense pain. Spike jumps in the air and lands on Hades' body. He coughs out blood. Then all of a sudden, Hades starts feeling weaker. He then realizes that his Devil's heart is damaged. Spike punches Hades in the face left and right. Then he grabs Hades' left arm and breathes black fire on it, and rips it out of him. 

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Hades screams as everyone is scared of Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"This is for everyone you and that dark guild hurt!" Spike flies in the skies and lifts his claws. He's generating a Sparkling Black Fireball. 

"Wait! I surrender!" Hades is powerless to stop Spike's terrifying power. 

"Dark Inferno Wave! Hellrising Cannon!" Spike presses his claws and unleashes Sparkling Black Flames at Hades. Burning him into a crisp completely. Spike lands down, feeling sick as he throws up dark magic liquids. 

"What did we witnessed..?" Gray is disturbed by Spike's power. 

"Total annihilation..," Natsu said in response. 

"Spike!" Wendy runs up to Spike. Spike is reverting to normal while he continues to throw up the dark negative energy he consumed and pants tremendously. Hades is down and out this time. Wendy hugs Spike from behind and cries. "Don't ever do that again!" Wendy cries loudly. 

Spike takes several deep breaths after throwing up a lot. "The energy.., from Hades.., it tasted so foul..." 

Erza walks up to Spike and looks down at him. "I forgive you," Erza places her hand on Spike's shoulders. "Just promise us you won't do anything that reckless ever again." 

Spike nods. "Promise. I only did it because Hades was so strong. Natsu and I, our combined magic, didn't work. I'm sorry for scaring you." 

"Apologies accepted," Erza smiles. 

Gray, Natsu, and Lucy walk up to Spike. Lucy falls to her knees and hugs him. 

"Dude, that was hardcore. I have never seen anyone pulled off what you did," Gray said. 

"Don't do that again! That was reckless!" Natsu shouts. 

"Says the reckless fool that ate an Etherion lacrima," Said Erza. 

"I only did it to defeat a crazed-up Jellal!" Natsu retorts. 

"Not to be rude or anything, Natsu. That's what Spike did minutes ago. He ate the dark energy Hades produced to defeated a crazed-up Dark Guild Master." 

"Aaaaaaa-" Natsu coughs. "You have a fair point. Who am I to criticize," Everyone laughs a little.

It's a dawn of a new day as the sun rises and the dark clouds drift away. Everyone hears the cries of Happy running. 

"Hey, what's happening?" Spike turns to see Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily are being chased by Soldiers of Grimoire Hearts. 

"I don't have enough energy to take them on," Spike said. 

"Good, this one is on me!" Natsu is fired up. 

"On us," Gray powers up. 

"Let's finish this!" Erza said, Requipping into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. 

"Stay right where you are," Makarov and all of Fairy Tail arrive at the debris of Grimoire Hearts' ship. Grimoire Hearts Soldiers stayed in place. 

"Hey, Gramps," Natsu is happy to see Makarov. 

"Everyone's here," Said Lucy. 

"Master's better, and so is Gajeel," Wendy looks at her friends that recovered. 

"Good to see you guys," Said Gray. 

"Indeed," Erza concurs. 

Grimoire Hearts Soldiers see more Fairy Tail Wizards, as well as Master Hades, defeated. 

"I order you to get off this island immediately!" Master Makarov demands. All of the Grimoire Hearts Soldiers flee from Tenrou Island. 

Everyone celebrates a victorious victory as Grimoire Hearts is finally defeated. Spike walks away a bit as he pukes the rest of the black liquids. He doesn't want anyone to panic. Wendy walks behind him and hugs him while everyone is celebrating. 

"Wendy," Spike turns to Wendy. 

"Spike," Wendy smiles. "I heard what you said when you thought I died."

Spike blushes a bit. "Oh.., uh..," Spike sighs. "Oh, who am I kidding. I can't hold it no more." 

Wendy smiles. "Then, let's say it at the same time."

"I love you," Wendy and Spike said in unison. Spike and Wendy shed a tear of happiness. Everyone witnessed and says aww at the same time except for Gajeel, Master Makarov, and Laxus.

Master Makarov walks up to Laxus. "I'm proud of you for coming back," Then Makarov turns a 180. "Is that what you expected me to say! How dare you set foot on Tenrou Island after I kicked you out of the guild! What were you thinking?! You're still expelled you know!"

"Gramps, stop. You'll have a heart attack. I came here because Spike called me." 

"Huh?" Makarov is confused. 

"The day you expelled me from Fairy Tail, I went up to Spike to make amends. I gave him a calling card if he'd ever need me. He called me, and I came to help."   

Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen sees Laxus and becomes overjoyed with happiness. The three hugs Laxus. 

"Now! Let's get back to the trial!" Natsu shouts. 

"No way! After what we've been through, I want to rest," Said Spike. 

"Agreed. I say we should go back to base camp," Said Wendy. 

Everyone starts walking to the Fairy Tail Base Camp to recover and rest. Makarov lets Hades go with a warning and tells him to leave Tenrou Island. While everyone walks to the base, Spike and Wendy hold hands on the way there.
> Unexpected Arrival on Tenrou Island
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two hours passed since Fairy Tail defeated Grimoire Hearts. Everyone is back in the base camp safe and sound. Wendy and Spike are sitting together, enjoying the scenery. 

"So, how did you feel when you heard me say that's my Wendy?" 

"I knew from that point on you loved me. I was over the moon when you said that, Spike. How are you feeling?" 

"Better, now the dark energy is out of my systems. Now, I need to train harder to become stronger than before. That way, I won't resort to consuming dark energy to gain an advantage."

"Good call, what you did scared us all," Said Wendy. 

"Well, I did say forgive me, didn't I?" Spike chuckles a bit. 

"You did. What you said was fair at the time." 

"Wendy, can I be honest with you?" 

"Of course, Spike. What you have to say?" 

"I've been having dreams of you ever since we've met. I couldn't stop thinking about you. The first thought that comes to my mind every morning when I wake is you. I can't stop staring at your beautiful face. Every time I see the color blue, I think of your hair. How marvelous your blue hair is. You are kind, sweet, caring, and beautiful, Wendy. I would love to spend an eternity with you, Wendy. I want to be your boyfriend. Can I be your boyfriend?" 

Wendy is in tears after hearing what Spike told her. Her fantasies are becoming real. She couldn't think of anyone else to spend a lifetime with; she nods and smiles lovingly at Spike. 

"Of course. Now, it's my turn, to be honest with you." 

"Go ahead," Spike smiles back. 

"Ever since we met, I saw the love and kindness you shared, how you wanted to fight and defend your friends. The fire and desire that burns in your heart. When I kissed your cheeks for saving my first guild and saw your gentle spirit when you comforted Erza when she needed comfort, I wished that you do the same, and you did. You helped make me feel right at home in Fairy Tail. Being around you puts a smile on my face. I have many fantasies, Spike. All of them are about you since I can't stop thinking about you. I've dreamt of sleeping with you and being with you. I want to be your girlfriend, to follow you until the end of time. As cheesy as it sounds, I've been sleeping with a Spike plush from the gift shop I bought and, imagine holding you in my arms. I would prefer the real thing now."

"Granted," Spike leaps in Wendy's arms as she holds him. The two embrace and feel each other's warmth. 

"I promise to be with you forever," Spike and Wendy said in unison. 

Juvia watches and wishes that Gray would act the same. She's jealous of the two love for each other and wants that kind of love and affection with Gray. She comes out of the bushes. 

"Someone's there," Gray hears rustling in the bushes. 

"Show yourself, now," Said Erza. 

"It's just me. Please don't attack," Juvia said.

"Wait, Juvia?" Erza looks down at Juvia. 

"Geez, what happened to you?" Gray asks

"I'm so sorry. I tried to catch Zeref, but he ended up getting away from me," Juvia said in tears. She scoots over to Gray, wiggling her butt, asking for a spanking as punishment for her failure. 

"Thanks but no thanks, I'm not into that stuff," Gray said, horrified to see Juvia degrading herself a bit. 

"Spike."

"Yes, Wendy," Spike looks at Wendy. 

"I need to start healing our friends."

"Sure thing," Wendy lets go of Spike and sits down to start healing each of their friends. 

Spike walks around a bit and sees Juvia chasing Gray, begging to be spanked, Gildarts talking to Laxus, Natsu getting knocked out by Gildarts, Cana and Lucy talking, a line formed for Wendy to heal. Spike decides to walk not far from the base to reflect a little. Erza dresses up as a nurse and draws the attention away from the guys. By doing so, Wendy sees Spike wandering off the base camp and decides to follow him. Lucy follows as well. She wants to know what Spike's thinking.

Spike walks near a riverine of Tenrou Island and sits down. Wendy and Lucy are behind some trees to hear what Spike has to say. 

"Wow, I can't believe I found love. Actual love that is shared and not used for one's benefit. Rarity, that gold-digging high-class chasing bitch. I feel sorry for anyone else falling in love with her the way I did before leaving them. Rarity, a woman like her deserves to be alone for the crap she put me through. Using and abusing my love to get me to do her shit like a slave," Spike looks up at the bright blue sky. "Wendy. Every time I see the color blue, I think of her blue hair every time. She's a real woman, filled with love and compassion. I'm so happy to be her boyfriend and having her as my girlfriend. Discord, if you can somehow hear me, thank you for granting my wish months ago. If it weren't for you, I think I would have committed suicide back in Equestria to be free from Twilight Sparkle and her friends. I want to say thank you. I'm happy being with friends, going on adventures, laughing, crying, and having a family. I swear in my name that I'll be the best loving boyfriend Wendy will ever have. Always being by her side, protecting her, fighting battles with her, loving her, never ever use or abuse her. As for my friends, I'll always be at their side, fighting with them, protecting them, enjoying each other's company, training with them. I'll sacrifice my life if it means protecting those I hold dearly."

Wendy and Lucy are awestruck hearing Spike's reflecting on what he endured. Fairy Tail struck gold the moment Natsu and Happy brought him to the guildhall. Wendy and Lucy walk up to Spike. He turns around. 

"Hey, you two," Spike notices that Wendy and Lucy have tears in the eyes. Spike realizes that they heard him reflect on his life. Wendy and Lucy hug Spike. Neither one of them speaking a word during the embrace. 

Spike, Wendy, and Lucy return to base camp after a few minutes of hugging. They see Makarov getting ready to make an announcement. 

"Be prepared. Change is on the horizon. I have a serious announcement I need to make. Once we leave Tenrou Island and return to the guild, all female members will be required to wear uniforms! Nurse outfits and school girl swimsuits galore!" Makarov hops left and right excitedly. 

"In your dreams, you perv," Lucy responds. 

"Swimsuits huh, I haven't worn mine in a while," Erza likes the thought Makarov came up with. 

"Shut it, Erza. You're not helping!" Said Lucy. 

"Swimsuits," Wendy looks at Spike. 

"It's up to you. I'm not going to force you into doing anything your not comfortable with." 

"Get serious. If you don't, then I'll have to," Mirajane scolds Makarov. 

"Can an old man have some fun, party pooper?" Makarov sighs and goes straight to business. "I've decided to cancel this year's S-Class Trials. We start again next year." 

"Is this a freaking joke?!" Some of the guys say in unison. They are pissed off with Makarov's decree. 

"It's no joke, so deal with it," Makarov responds.

"We can still compete! C'mon!" Gray complains. 

"I agree with Master Makarov to cancel the S-Class Trials," Said Spike. 

"You kidding me! That means you don't become the fastest and youngest S-Class Wizard in the history of the Fairy Tail Guild, Spike! Don't you want to claim it?!" Gray asks Spike. 

"I turned into a Fairy Demon Dragon to take down Hades. I went through an uncomfortable transformation to get my wings. I got tossed around like a ragdoll by Azuma first, Bluenote second, and Hades third. I've been through enough for two days now and want to go home." 

"Fine! You go home, and we'll finish competing!" Natsu said. 

"Enough! Spike has a valid point. Each of us has taken a toll throughout the invasion of Grimoire Hearts. Also, to compete for the rest of the trials will be tiresome, and no one would finish."

The guys groan and complain about wanting to become S-Class. While everyone admits defeat since Makarov won't change his mind, he made an exception for Natsu. All Natsu has to do is defeat Makarov in battle. In an instant, Makarov punches Natsu into a tree, giving Natsu the TKO. Gildarts come by to drag Natsu and Happy. He wants to take them fishing. 

Spike walks up to Laxus while Wendy talks to Carla. "Hey, Laxus. How are you holding up?"

"Fine for the most part. You seem to be stronger the last time we've met."

"Yea," Spike scratches the back of his head. "I've been improving so much since I came here."

"Fairy Demon Dragon. You'll turn into that in the future?"

"No," Spike shakes his head. "I think it was a one-time thing. I promised my friends I won't be that reckless again. So, how's life after Fairy Tail going?" 

"Boring but, I'm learning life lessons as I go on. I miss being in the guildhall and being with my friends."

"I still have a feeling that someday, you'll return to Fairy Tail as a member once more."

"Huh," Laxus chuckles a bit. "When that happens, I'll have you tag along with some jobs of mine and the Thunder Legion."

"Sounds good. There is one thing I want to ask of you." 

"What is it, Spike?" 

Spike smirks. "I want to spar with you. Even though you weren't yourself, you were mighty powerful. I want to fight the new man you are." 

Laxus smiles. "Sure. I won't hold back either. I want to see what you're made of. Let me know when." 

"Will do," Spike and Laxus do a fist bump to seal the deal. 

Spike decides to sit with his friends by the table. He sees Wendy and sits next to her and Carla. A loud noise is distant, which catches everyone's attention. Gajeel jokes about Lucy's stomach growling. 

"All jokes aside, what the heck was that noise?" Gray asks. 

"No clue. Maybe it's Hades' ship malfunctioning. We did trash his ship fighting him," Spike said. 

"Whoa, now it sounds like some animal and heat panting," Gray feels something different. 

"Dude, it's your chair," Bickslow points at it. 

"Why, is it squeaking or something?" Gray looks down to see Juvia. Gray now knows that he was sitting on Juvia's behind. "What the? What are you doing?" 

"You wouldn't spank me due to my failure, so I thought of becoming your chair as my punishment," Juvia said. 

"I almost smack you for scaring me, but I'm afraid you get the wrong idea!" 

Spike laughs at Gray's comment. "I think someone's in denial," Spike teases Gray. 

"Hey! Since when you turned into Happy!" Gray retorts. 

Mirajane gives Wendy a cup of water. "Here you go. I bet you're pretty thirsty."

"You don't have to do all that when you're not feeling well," Said Wendy. 

"It's fine. Helping out makes me feel better," Mirajane smiles. 

"Working through the pain. Just like a real man!" Elfman throws the thumbs up. 

"I don't think so," Said Carla. 

Evergreen whacks Elfman on the head. "Please tell me you didn't mean to do that?" Elfman turns to Evergreen. 

"Oh, I meant it alright," Evergreen relentlessly whacks Elfman on the head. "If I hear you say real man in the next five minutes, I'll turn you into stone!" 

"Why do you care?" Elfman retorts. 

"It's driving me crazy!" Evergreen replies. 

"Oh, yea? It's only a short trip for you, you know?"

"A real man wouldn't talk back to a lady!" 

"You two should fight so closely to your wedding day," Mirajane said. 

"That was a lie!" Elfman and Evergreen say in unison. 

Wendy notices the movement in her cup of water. Spike is laughing, watching Evergreen smack Elfman up. A loud roar scares everyone. Wendy recognizes the roar immediately. 

"That sounds like a dragon's roar."

"That's a dragon's roar?" Said Spike. 

"Dude, you roared before," Said Gray.

"NOT LIKE THAT!" Spike yells at Gray. 

"Are you sure that was a dragon and not thunder?" Panther Lily asks. 

"There are no dark clouds in the sky!" Elfman said. 

"Hey! Is everyone alright?" Lucy asks. She's running with Gildarts, Cana, Happy, and Natsu. 

"Do you hear that crazy noise?" Happy asks. 

"Yea, we heard it," Said Gray. 

Gildarts groans a little. "Are you okay?" Cana asks Gildarts. 

"My wounds are starting to burn like hell. There's no doubt. That dragon is getting real close."

"The Black Dragon," Spike becomes worried. He remembers the time Gildarts nearly killed him because of it. 

"Look up in the sky! Something is coming its' way!" Panther Lily points to it. Everyone looks up and becomes stunned beyond belief.

"Holy Crap!" Gray sees the dragon descending. 

"That thing is humungous," Said Elfman in shock. 

"HOLY SHIT! THAT'S BIGGER THAN ANY OTHER DRAGON I'VE SEEN IN EQUESTRIA!" Spike is lost for words. He thought the Dragonoid and Dorma Anim were big. He stands corrected. 

A humungous dragon of black and blue arrives on Tenrou Island. Gajeel and Wendy couldn't believe their own eyes of seeing a huge dragon. Natsu knew there was one out there. 

"I'm afraid that's Acnologia," Master Makarov approaches everyone. "The Black Dragon of the Apocalypse."

"Yea, it's definitely him," Gildarts starts having flashbacks of his first encounter with Acnologia. 

"Hey, Dragon! You know where I can find Igneel? Tell me! Grandeeny and Metallicana too!" Natsu speaks loudly to Acnologia. 

Gildarts go up to Natsu. "Stop it, Natsu. You don't want to provoke him. Did you forget what happened to me? How I lost my arm and my leg? Hell, I'm lucky I didn't lose my life that day." 

Natsu remembers the day he, Spike, and Happy saw what happened to Gildarts. Acnologia lands in front of everyone. 

"I don't think this is the same dragon that raised Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel. This one seems evil!" Happy exclaims. 

"You're certainly right about that. He's the most evil thing there is," Gildarts says. 

"Are we going to fight it or what?" Natsu asks. 

"We can't, Natsu. You don't understand the situation. It's not about winning or losing a fight. This is about getting away with our lives. I'm not sure that all of us are even going to be lucky enough to do that." 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size. 

"What are you doing?!" Wendy shouts. Everyone looks at Spike while he's increasing his size. 

"Buying you time to leave!" Spike continues to increase his size. He pants a little. "Spike wants more!" Spike increases past his capabilities to match the size of Acnologia. 

"NOOO! DON'T!" Wendy becomes worried for Spike's life. 

Acnologia roars seeing Spike for the first time. Spike roars at Acnologia. 

"We.., we.., we can't leave him!" Wendy is in tears. 

"I know it's painful but, we have to honor his wish," Gildarts talks to Wendy. 

Spike and Acnologia collide. The two generate enough force to wipe out a section of the forest every Fairy Tail Member stands. They start to run away and go to the ship. Spike punches Acnologia in the face hard. Acnologia does the same. Spike is knocked down but, Acnologia grabs his tail and throws him around a bit. He lets go and tackles Spike. Spike uses his breath to teleport behind Acnologia's back and tackles him to the ground. 

"He's bringing the fight to Acnologia," Makarov is appalled. 

Spike pants as he's hasn't fully recovered. Acnologia uses his breath attack on Spike. He hurls from the attack and collides into a mountain. Acnologia lunges at Spike in full force. He punches Spike left and right, rag dolling him around like paperweight. 

"I.., I refused to leave him!" Master Makarov increases into his maximum size. "He's still my child!

Acnologia chokes Spike and bites his left shoulder. Spike squeals from the pain. Spike uses his breath to teleport Acnologia to give himself breathing room. 

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," Spike spits blood. Acnologia flies directly at Spike. Spike smirks. "Come to daddy," Spike conjures his metallic flame sword with one claw. Spike swings and misses badly. Acnologia uppercuts Spike and claws him to the ground. Spike reverts to his size, feeling drained. "My friends.., my Wendy.., you're safe now," Spike smiles and closes his eyes. "I could die as a happy dragon. I lived, I fought, I loved. I saved them."

Master Makarov comes and tackles Acnologia. Spike opens his eyes to see his Master battling Acnologia. Erza is next to Spike. 

"Sis?" Spike is surprised to see Erza next to him. 

"There's no way I'm going to lose a brother," Gajeel is next to Erza. 

"We were all in to evacuate but, you're part of the guild, Spike. We don't leave our kind behind," Said Laxus. 

"Now attack!" Erza commands. 

Spike sees his friends battling Acnologia. Everyone combining their magic into an ultimate attack.

"Spike, join us," Wendy extends her hand to help Spike up. 

"Yea," Spike grabs her hand. Spike flaps his wings and flies up with Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu. 

"Iron Dragon Roooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath. 

"Sky Dragon Roooooar! Wendy unleashes her sky breath. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooar! Natsu unleashes his fire breath. 

"Fairy Dragon Roooooar! Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green Fire breath in a unison raid. 

Acnologia crashes into a mountain due to the combined attack from everyone except for Gildarts. Spike collapses. He's now all out of magic energy. Wendy holds him and heals him from his injuries. 

"Did that work?" Erza asks. 

"Of course not. He's not even using as half of much power as the time he fought me," Said Gildarts. He turns to Spike. "Spike, that was noble of you. Sacrificing your life to save everyone." 

"I was hoping, once everyone is on the ship, I can teleport myself to the boat when the time came. Problem was, Acnologia beat my ass badly. All of my remaining magic energy went into the Fairy Dragon Roar. I am unable to increase my size. I'm too tired..," Spike admits. 

Acnologia rises from the attack and prepares to do a breath attack. Stronger than the one he gave Spike. 

"Spike! Think you can eat the energy from Acnologia!" Natsu asks. 

Spike shakes his head. "I'm too tired. I'm.., sorry," Spike looks down and cries a little.

Everyone starts losing hope. Levy suggests using solid script magic for defense against Acnologia's breath attack. Mirajane tells everyone to hold hands to lend Levy and Freed for a powerful defense spell. Spike sniffs and sees Gajeel and Wendy reaching their hands to him. 

"C'mon Fairy Dragon. Let's do it," Gajeel said. 

"We're with you," Said Wendy. 

Spike holds their hands and forms a circle with his friends that are also holding hands. 

"Fairy Tail never gives up the fight!" Lucy shouts. 

"We all gotta face our fears together. We'll show him we have a bond that'll never be broken!" Gray shouts. 

"Okay, kids. Let us all go home together," Makarov said in tears. 

"Back home to Fairy Tail!" Everyone said in unison as a bright light shines in the middle of the circle.

Acnologia unleashes his breath attack on Tenrou Island. After the attack, Tenrou Island is gone. Water fills up the hole where Tenrou Island stood. Acnologia, now satisfied, flies off into the skies.
> School of Friendship Week Three: Progress in Session
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is Friday. It's been two weeks since the School of Friendship opened. Twilight Sparkle and her friends have difficulties in Spike's and Discord's classes while excelling in others. Spike's lectures create nightmares for Twilight and her friends to endure while knowing the differences between fun and blatant. As for the Young Six, they have been excelling through all their classes while dealing with uncertain creatures with a lack of trust and friendship.

The school bell rings, signaling lunch for all creatures in attendance. Twilight and her friends sit at their usual table, away from everyone. 

"Boy, Spike's classes are intense this week," Said Rainbow Dash. 

"Discord's is worse. It's like he's purposing punishing us for what we did whenever his class merges with Spike's! We did say we're sorry in private," Pinkie said. 

"I know Pinkie Pie, it just, ugh," Twilight groans a little. "It can't be helped. I will say that the lectures are rather important. It's teaching us how to associate with different species. Be courteous, kind, and gentle with creatures. Every creature goes through a different struggle, and we can't be so dismissive and judgemental on it." 

"Also, we have to learn to treat every creature fairly like we do with every pony. I will say, Discord's trust exercises for the past two weeks made every creature realize who they can trust and who they cannot. So far, some ponies are having trust issues with Yaks and Changelings now that more of them have shown up," Said Applejack. 

"Yaks are rough, and Changelings still bring some fear to ponies thanks to Queen Chrysalis," Said Rainbow. 

"I still can't believe you refused to make Ocellus a dress during class, Rarity," Fluttershy said. 

"Don't remind me! I had a different Changeling mocking me by turning into what it used to look like!" 

"Him Rarity! That Changeling is a living creature like us. You can't call a Changeling it!" Applejack corrects Rarity. 

Rarity sighs. "I'm still working on it. Now that I have a counseling class with the Changelings. Sweetie Belle and her friends are going to resolve the issue. I want to go home and work on a new dress to relieve my stress." 

"You should start by apologizing to Ocellus," Pinkie suggests. 

"I will. I wished that Spike didn't open his mouth up to Thorax or any creature. They didn't need to know what we did," Rarity groans. 

"There are no takebacks, Rarity. Also, wishes don't come true just like that. It's up to us to create a better tomorrow for all creatures," Applejack said. 

"Or, when a super-duper boss fight comes, and we step in to take it down! Then every creature could forget what we did, and things can get better!" Pinkie exclaims. 

"Sunburst's classes throughout the week made me realize how good I had it with Spike until I turn astray. I can't stop thinking about Spike as a friend. Not as an assistant. Not as a slave for how he sees. As a friend. I miss him. I missed raising him when I was younger. I allowed my ambitions and studies to get in the way. I became distracted and didn't listen to what Spike said throughout the time. Pinkie, your sister Maud made me realize that I don't listen as much as I should have. Spike, a different creature that I turned my back to."

"Also, Discord. We had problems with him, even after he reformed," Rainbow said. 

"No joke, we never gave him a chance, unlike Fluttershy." 

"I was doing what a good friend would. Allowing Discord to be himself and make himself comfortable. Sure, he was complicated but, it takes time to build trust as a friend. Trust is easily broken when it doesn't build."

"And you have been Starlight's best students for her real-life lectures of the Friendship World, Flutters," Said Rainbow. 

"That the bad guys aren't outside of the borders but inside as well," Said Twilight. 

"Trixie's class is a reminder of what we achieved as friends," Said Pinkie. 

"Out of all the classes, Trixie's is the better class that doesn't make any of us stressed out," Said Rainbow. 

Everypony nods in agreement. 

"It's strange that Trixie is showing how every creature, when they band together, can do great works. I'm glad that she allowed us to tell our tales on stopping greater foes in the world and helping each other out," Applejack said. 

"No joke. I guess Trixie wants to show that we're all not that bad from what the rumors say about us," Said Rainbow. 

"Yea. She also expressed herself about her boasting and how far she has gone on her own. I like the fact that having friends by your side, there's only one place you can go," Twilight said. "She'd learned a lot from her previous ventures. She's more humbled than any of us right now. All thanks to Starlight Glimmer." 

"Headmare Glimmer. We're still in school, Twilight," Pinkie corrects Twilight. 

Ten minutes later. Ocellus, Yona, Silverstream, Gallus, Smolder, and Sandbar sit at their table. Ocellus is down after what Rarity told her a while ago during Discord's class.  

"How are you feeling, Ocellus?" Sandbar asks. 

"Not well. Some ponies still fear Changelings," Ocellus sighs. "They still think of us as monsters."

"Yona knows Ocellus is not no monster. Yona knows some ponies don't change their perspective on other creatures. Not all ponies the same as Sandbar." 

"You're an awesome friend, Ocellus. Don't let what Rarity said put you down."

"I know, Sandbar. It's just. She still sees me and doesn't trust me. Some ponies are having trouble accepting Changelings." 

"I know what you mean. Some ponies are having trouble accepting Dragons. They see us as fire-breathing monsters but, I don't let that stop me from being happy and myself. I have you guys as my friends. Those who don't want me as a friend, they are missing out." 

"Agreed. Sure other species have many different views, but we as friends share the same qualities that bring us together. Sandbar, you're cool.  Yona, you're unique. Silverstream, you're cheerful. Smolder, you're awesome. Ocellus, you have awesome powers. You can do anything when you put your mind to it. I have more trust with you than the ponies that outcasted Spike in their lives." 

"Harsh," Silverstream said. 

"Yea," Gallus scratches the back of his head. "I'm still working on changing my personality for the better. All I ask is everyone be patient with me." 

"No sweat. Not everyone can change in an instant. It takes time like building friendship does," Smolder said. 

"Thanks for understanding. You five are the closest thing to family I have." 

"What happened to yours?" Sandbar asks.

"I don't want to talk about it. It's not good to reflect too much on the past if it doesn't help you. Trust me when I say, reflecting about what happened to me isn't healthy." 

"We understand," Yona, Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, and Smolder said in unison. 

"Thanks," Gallus smiles. 

Rarity walks up to the Young Six. Ocellus turns away from Rarity, thinking she's going to scold her. 

"Hello, Ocellus," Rarity coughs a little. "I want to apologize for my rude behavior. I'm still in the process of getting used to Changelings daily. One of the other Changelings joked around by turning himself into an old feature for laughs, and I got scared. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." 

Ocellus turns to Rarity, hearing how sincere Rarity is sounding. "Okay, I forgive you." 

"To make it up to you, after school, I will start making you a dress that no one has ever worn before." 

Ocellus smiles. "Thank you, Rarity." 

"As Professor Discord says, no creature should ever feel disgrace due to the history of their kind out of spite. Every creature is different and unique." 

"Yea," Ocellus smiles and hugs Rarity. 

"Whoa, I can't believe Rarity called Discord, Professor Discord," Rainbow said, overhearing what Rarity said to Ocellus. 

"Well, times are changing. Discord seems to be less chaotic nowadays," Said Applejack. 

"Which is confusing. He must be serious about what he does," Said Pinkie. 

"Something's odd now that I think about it. I mean, sure, his classroom is chaotic but hasn't done much chaos since," Twilight thinks about the times' Discord have done something chaotic, and not much comes to mind. 

Discord (clone) walks into the cafeteria with the other teachers when the CMC Counselors approach him. 

"Hey, you three. Need something?" 

"Yea, we have a new student arriving, and Starlight wants you to help introduce the School of Friendship," Apple Bloom said. 

"Sure. Let's go meet this new student," Discord follows the CMC Counselors to Starlight's office. 

"It's still crazy that the CMCs are the Counselors of the school," Rainbow said. 

"No joke. Sweetie Belle, my younger sister, teaching her older sister how to get along. Does that make any sense to you?" Rarity asks Applejack. 

"Nope. However, throughout their time here, they far exceeded expectations. I'm proud of Apple Bloom's progress." 

"They've been quite helpful to every creature in the school. Helping them settle with each other in class and finding the right groups to pair with," Rainbow admittingly said. 

"Yona loves CMC Counselors. Always helping Yona with homework whenever Sunburst gives a project for students to do." 

"For three young fillies, they have hearts strong as horses," Sandbar says. "Staying in school for extra hours to help each of us out." 

"Yea, they helped out with Maud's class about listening cause I missed something crucial about Rarity's hobby." 

"Why didn't you ask what you missed about me?" Rarity asks Smolder. 

"You hightailed to your boutique. Something about receiving mail," Smolder replies. 

"Oh, right," Rarity nervously chuckles.  

"So," Twilight approaches the Young Six. "Are any of you interested in learning about the Elements of Harmony?" 

"Well, you did mention how vital the Elements of Harmony are in Equestria during Trixie's classes," Gallus said. 

"Also, Yona is interested in learning a bit more about its power." 

"I'm willing to learn more if knowing the Elements of Harmony is meant for all creatures and not just Pony Kind," Smolder said. 

"Of course. I'll ask Headmare Glimmer to see if she can approve the values of the Elements of Harmony as an extra curriculum for the School of Friendship," Twilight leaves the cafeteria. 

Ten minutes later. Discord and the CMC Counselors arrive at Starlight's office. 

"Was it necessary to take the long way, Discord?" Scootaloo asks. 

"Yes. I have a feeling that Headmare Glimmer needed a little more time with the new student before we introduce ourselves," Discord (clone) answers. 

"Well, can't argue with that," Sweetie Belle said. 

"Hey, CMC Counselors. Hey Discord." 

"Hey, Spike," Discord and the CMC Counselors said in unison. They see Spike walking with Maud, Sunburst, and Trixie. 

"So, who's the new student?" Sunburst asks. 

"No clue. We're about to find out now," Discord (clone) knocks on the door. 

"Come in," Starlight answers. 

Discord (clone) opens the door and walks in with the others. They see a young filly pegasus sitting quietly and nervously. 

"Every creature, I want to introduce our newest student, Cozy Glow." 

Cozy Glow looks at her teachers. The CMC Counselors approach Cozy Glow. 

"Hi, Cozy Glow. I'm Apple Bloom." 

"I'm Sweetie Belle."

"I'm Scootaloo." 

"Not only we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders. We are the School of Friendship Counselors!" The trio cheer in unison. 

"I'm Discord. Here, have a balloon," Discord (clone) gives his cotton candy cloud on a string to Cozy Glow. 

"I'm Sunburst," Sunburst smiles at Cozy Glow. 

"I'm Maud," Maud calmly says. 

"I'm Trixie." 

"I'm Spike," Spike (Discord) introduces. 

"Welcome to the School of Friendship. Here you will learn how to make all sorts of friends. You'll learn how to communicate with all kinds of creatures. Learn what to do and know what not to do as well. Every creature here is different and unique. That's what makes them special in our school," Spike (Discord) said. 

"Wow," Cozy becomes enlightened. 

"We know which group to set you with, Cozy. Follow us, and we'll introduce you to-" Sweetie Belle gets cut off with several knocks on the door. 

"Come in," Starlight answers. 

Twilight Sparkle walks into the room. She didn't anticipate all the teachers in the room. 

"Oooh, is it her?" Cozy points at Twilight. 

"Uh no-" Twilight walks past the CMC Counselors.

"Headmare Glimmer. My apologies for the intrusion but, there is something I want to discuss with you for a few moments." 

Starlight takes a breath. "Sure, Twilight. What's on your mind?"

"I asked several of the students if they'd be interested in learning the Elements of Harmony as an added curriculum. Gallus, Smolder, Yona, Sandbar, Ocellus, and Silverstream are interested and eager to know about it." 

Cozy Glow becomes interested in learning the Elements of Harmony. Starlight sighs and takes out a signature board. 

"Twilight, if you can get enough signatures that aren't from Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash, I may consider having a class that solemnly focuses on the Elements of Harmony."

Twilight happily gasps. "Really?" 

"Yes. You have by the end of next week and no fake signatures." 

"Me, giving the Headmare fake signatures?" Twilight feels conflicted. 

"I had some students giving me fake signatures for a dance recital project that no one participated because no one was informed, as a prank. I don't want to be suckered, a second time. So, I'm trusting you to go around the school and getting every creature's signature for a class based on the Elements of Harmony."

"If or when I succeed in getting the signatures, who'll be teaching the class?"

"I'll decide who'll be teaching, Twilight. I will say you have been improving much since applying yourself in the school after the second day. If you continue your process, I may select you." 

"Hey, excuse me," Cozy Glow raises her hand. "I would love to know what the Elements of Harmony are and how vital they are to friendship." 

Twilight happily gasps again. "How wonderful!" She uses her magic to levitate the signature board. "Sign your name, and you'll be signature number one!" 

Cozy Glow signs her name first. "May I help you along the way. I need to make some friends." 

"Yes, I can use the help." 

Twilight and Cozy Glow leave Starlight's office and trot around the school, asking for signatures. 

"Well, so much for paring her with Yona and her friends," Said Sweetie Belle.

"I think it'd be wise to keep a close eye on Twilight. Like Headmare Glimmer said. She was pranked with faked signatures." 

"Let's go, girls," The CMC Counselors leaves Starlight's office. 

"Well, I'm off to lunch. Anyone coming?" Discord (clone) asks. 

"I'm going. I haven't eaten since leaving the Crystal Empire," Said Spike (clone). 

Everypony else leaves except for Starlight Glimmer. Starlight Glimmer looks out the window. 

"I hope my decisions don't come to haunt me. Twilight needs at least a hundred signatures for the Elements of Harmony to become a curriculum for the school. As for teaching-wise, there is some pony else I want to teach if she's up for it," Starlight looks down. "I was hoping to teach the Elements myself but..," Starlight sighs heavily. "Twilight and her friends know it better as they are the representation of the Elements. I hope Spike is okay with my decisions as Headmare. I don't want him to feel uncomfortable."
> Discord's Unfortunate Visitor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's Friday, 3:35 in the afternoon at the School of Friendship. Spike (Discord) walks up to Discord (clone), asking to teleport him back to the Crystal Empire. Spike (Discord) arrives at the Crystal Castle at the Crystal Empire. Flurry Heart flies down to meet him. 

"Hey, Flurry Heart. Missed me?" Spike (Discord) asks. Flurry Heart nods. She hugs Spike the best she can. "I'll take that as a yes as always."

Every Crystal Pony around him waves and greets their hero. Princess Cadance comes down to greet Spike. 

"Welcome back, Brave and Glorious Spike." 

"Thanks, Princess Cadance," Spike (Discord) follows Princess Cadance inside the castle. 

"So, how was your day teaching at the school?" 

"So far, so good. Twilight and her friends are still adjusting to my class. The same is said for Discord whenever he merges his class with mine. Today's lesson was about abandonment and how creatures react to it."

Princess Cadance cringes a bit. "That had to be..," Princess Cadance couldn't finish her statement. 

"I know. It's tough but, every creature needs to know that some creatures suffer abandonment and need to know how to help them during their times of need." 

Princess Cadance sighs. "Well done. How did Twilight and her friends felt?" 

"Uncomfortable. Twilight shed some tears in class. After class, she apologized to me."

"She did?" Princess Cadance is surprised that it took Twilight this long to apologize for abandoning Spike on many occasions. 

"She did. It took her a while to process what true abandonment can feel. Also, several students in my class opened up what abandonment meant for them." 

"Wow," Princess Cadance is in shock. 

"Twilight and her friends were touched by their stories. How several of my students' friends and family abandoned them for days and years without saying anything," Spike (Discord) yawns. 

"Sleepy, Spike?" Princess Cadance asks. 

"Yea. I'm looking forward to catching up on z's," Spike (Discord) yawns again. 

Spike (Discord) gives Flurry Heart back to Princess Cadance and goes to his room. He locks the door and lies in bed. 

"Man, I'm losing my magic energy by the second being Spike," Discord sheds his Spike disguise to relax. He's been using his disguise as Spike for five months. "I'm not sure if I can keep this up for much longer," Discord gets in bed and puts his disguise back on in case Flurry Heart flies through the window again. 

It's now 8:30 at night. Princess Luna raises the moon. She goes into the dream realm once more to see if anypony or creature needs her assistance battling a nightmare. Since the School of Friendship opened, Princess Luna has many new doors opening to her. One door, in particular, has been shut for many months, Spike's door. For some reason, with Princess Luna, Spike's door has remain shut without an explanation. 

Princess Luna trots down the corridors of the dream realm, making sure that everyone has a good dream. She comes across Spike's door. She sighs. 

"Spike, what is it you don't want me to see?" Princess Luna tries opening the door. In the back of her mind, she expected the door to make a raddle noise. This time, there is no raddle as the door is open. "The door is open?" Princess Luna couldn't believe the door opened. She wanders inside to see what nightmares Spike may need help easing. 

Discord is dreaming of being home tormenting the candy fish that swims in his chocolate lake. Discord says he can't wait to taste the rainbow by grabbing a cheesegrater and shredding Rainbow's mane on it. Princess Luna is confused. She knows she entered Spike's door, not Discord's. She approaches Discord. 

"Discord, what are you doing here in Spike's dream?" 

"Princess Luna!" The candy fish swims away from Discord and Princess Luna. Discord realizes that he was dreaming and groans. "Stupid me," Discord sighs. 

"Discord, what are you doing in Spike's dream?" Princess Luna asks, wanting answers for Discord's intrusion in another dream. 

"Well, uh..," Discord sighs tiredly. He knows that lying is not an option since he's teaching every creature that lying can create problems unless there's a reason for it. Otherwise, might as well call him a hypocrite.

"Well, Draqonecuus?" Princess Luna starts losing her patience with Discord's delayed antics. 

"What I'm going to say, you must not tell anyone. I need you to make a solemn promise not to speak what I say to anyone. Do you understand?" 

"Very well, Draqonecuus. Speak, and I won't tell anyone. It's between you and me." 

"Spike isn't here in Equestria anymore." 

Princess Luna's jaw drops in pure shock and horror. "Did he..?"

"No," Discord shakes his finger at Luna. "Spike isn't dead. He's not in Equestria. He's no longer in our world." 

"What happened?" Princess Luna is now worried sick for Spike. 

Discord claps his paw and claw together. The scenery within the dream changes to the night Discord last saw Spike. Princess Luna watches Spike walking by the river. He sits by a tree, looking up at the night sky.

"I guess I should write to Princess Celestia and tell her all I have been going through in the hooves of Twilight and her friends. However, she could end up sending me back to Twilight to patch things up. I could go and live in the Crystal Empire. Continually being the Brave and Glorious around my peers. Then again, Princess Cadance or Shining Armor will tell Twilight of my whereabouts, and try to make amends." Spike sighs heavily. "Who am I kidding? Anywhere I would go, someone will eventually tell Twilight of where I'm residing to make amends. I'll never be free. Plus, if Twilight were to tell Celestia of what transpired, Celestia will find me no sweat. My life is doomed to slavery, isn't it?"

Princess Luna is teary, watching Spike reflecting on his dilemma. She sees how sad and depressed Spike is, trying to figure out what to do next. 

"Hard to listen, isn't it, Luna?" Discord asks. 

"He sounds heartbroken and judging his emotions, he sounds like he's giving up on life..," Princess Luna sniffs. 

"I heard what he said that night. I rose from the ground and talked to him. He basically told me everything in full detail on what he endured. I thought I was bad with my chaos. What Twilight and her friends committed was beyond wrong." 

"Indeed. So, what happens next?" Princess Luna wants to know what happens. 

"Watch and listen," Discord said; he claps to play the memory scene. 

"Discord! What were you doing here?" Asked Spike.

"So, I have a habit of listening to stories of sad folk. They are usually alone looking at the night sky. It's a way of learning how to deal with Fluttershy or any of our friends whenever they are depressed."

"Interesting."

"So, what's wrong with you, Spike?"

"There are a lot of wrongs, and I wish to get away from it."

"Hmm, where would you like to go?"

"A world where friendships are like family. It doesn't matter what you look like as long as they appreciate your company. A world where friends do care about your well-being. Is there a world that exists, Discord?"

Discord looks down at Spike. "Look up," Discord said. Spike looks up and sees a shooting star. "Make a wish, and I shall grant it."

"You make wishes, Draqonecuus?" Princess Luna asks. She sees the shooting star passing by. 

"Yes. However, the wish has to come from the heart. It's how I operate now cause I do care. I was worried that Spike was going to end his life to get away from Twilight. He didn't know what would happen if he came to you and Celestia with the urgency."

Princess Luna sniffs. "I understand. Poor kid..," Princess Luna continues to watch the memory. 

"I wish to live in a world where I can be free and make all sorts of new friends. Going on adventures, partying, creating new memories, laughing, and having fun."

Discord smiles and snaps his claw. A swirling vortex appears before Spike. Spike reveals everything he told Discord and hugs him. Spike walks into the portal while Discord transforms himself into looking like Spike. Princess Luna is crying at the heartwarming scenery of granting happiness. Discord places his paw on Princess Luna's back, soothing her. 

"I don't know what he's going through in the other world. All I know is that Spike is happy there."

"Why you decide to replace Spike in this world?" 

Discord sighs. "I wanted to answer the possibilities. To see if Spike made the right decision for wishing a new life or not. Also, Twilight and her friends needed to wake up cause friendships are not enslavement. What they did was enslavement, and you know because-"

"You told my sister and me everything Spike endured during his time with Twilight that same night." 

"Yea. I meant no wrong or disrespect but, Twilight needs to be a better Princess and friend for all creatures. I decided to test her and her friends to see if they are worthy of becoming Spike's friend again." 

"The blood accident, that doesn't happen to dragons, no?" 

"When the Storm King came and invaded Canterlot, I thought it'd be the perfect adventure for Twilight and her friends to reconnect with 'Spike'. Obviously, I chose wrong. I did get to experience how Spike would go through. It wasn't pleasant. Twilight lied to me, lied to her friends, Pinkie nearly killed 'Spike' for being too careless, Rainbow exposed everyone with a Sonic Rainboom when Tempest was hunting Twilight Sparkle, Twilight didn't compromise with 'Spike' and squeezed his body for fire. During the whole trip, I was angry. Angry in the sense that I couldn't help and angry that Twilight abused Spike without warning and no communicating. The blood thing, I did it to relieve my anger. I wish I can take that back. Ever heard of stepping in someone's hooves. Well, I'm doing it, and it sucks. I want to say screw this and do what I want to but, I can't have Twilight blow a fuse and try everything to get Spike back and prevent herself from becoming better." 

"How long are you planning to keep this up?" Princess Luna turns to Discord. 

"When I see the time is right or when I'm exposed in front of everyone. I'm leaning more so on the first option." 

Princess Luna takes a deep breath. "I hope for your sake you don't get exposed. Twilight will unleash her wrath on you for lying to her and partake in messing up her life." 

"I didn't force her to make the choices and decisions she made that led to that point. I have my fair share but, it is on her as well. The same goes for her friends," Discord yawns. 

"So, why was Spike's dream door locked all this time?" 

"I needed everyone to believe that Spike isn't missing and for him to have dreamless dreams in his sleep. That he was here all along and Twilight to feel less pain than how she's feeling right now. Imagine telling her that Spike is no longer in Equestria while feeling like a wreck? How do you think she'll react?" 

"Fair enough, Draqonecuus. I know I promised you but, can I tell my sister, Celestia? She needs to be ready as well in case you get exposed on bad timing." 

"If she swears not to tell anyone else, then yes. If you suspect she'll tell others, then no. I'm trusting you with this info. I would hate to take away Spike's happiness if word got out about his disappearance," Discord looks down and hopes he doesn't regret his decision. 

"I know. Spike's happiness is important to him. Who are we to take it away from him?" 

"Thank you." 

"You're a good friend, Discord. You are willing to help a friend change their lives for the better and help to create a new world for all creatures. You should be proud of yourself," Princess Luna smiles. 

"Thank you," Discord smiles. 

"My time is up. Leave your door open so we can continue our talk." 

"I will," Discord sees Luna leaving the dream and wakes up. Flurry Heart is in his room, sleeping next to him. "I guess you couldn't sleep well," Spike (Discord) looks at the clock. "7:30 am. Wow, I had a good rest. I hope that I didn't make a mistake," Spike (Discord) stares out the window from his bed.
> Luna Informs Celestia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Luna leaves the dream realm after discussing with Discord. She returns to Canterlot Castle, lowers the moon to raise the sun, and trots to Celestia's room. She knocks on the door.

"Five more minutes," Celestia groans a little. 

"It's 7:30 in the morning. You're going to be late for breakfast. Pony Joe is delivering the donuts for breakfast again, Celestia." 

Princess Celestia wakes up and gets ready. She opens the door immediately, and Luna steps in to close it. 

"Forgive me, sister, as that was a lie. There is something crucial I need to speak to you." 

"Alright, what you have to inform, Luna?" 

"Promise me. Promise me that you won't speak of this to another." 

Princess Celestia nods. "I won't tell a soul to anyone. It's between us and no one else. I've kept many secrets in the past. One more wouldn't hurt." 

Princess Luna sighs. Celestia understands the gravity of the situation. She wonders what her sister has to say. Princess Luna creates a silencing circle so no one else can overhear the conversation within the room. 

"It's about Spike." 

"What about him?" Celestia's tone changes. She sounds serious and worried at the same time. 

Princess Luna takes a deep breath. "Spike isn't here in Equestria." 

"What are you talking about? He works at the School of Friendship and lives in the Crystal Empire. Is this a dark joke?"

"That's not Spike. That was Discord." 

"Dis-Dis-Discord?" Princess Celestia sounds a little angry. "If that's Discord, then where is Spike?"

"In a better place where he's free from this world." Princess Celestia pants as she becomes teary, thinking that Spike is dead. "Sis, Spike didn't die. Spike made a wish, and Discord granted it."

"What?" Princess Celestia wipes her tears. "What did he wished for?" 

"To be in a world where friends are treated like family and for him to be happy. We don't know what world Discord sent him to but, we do know that Spike is happy." 

"So, why is Discord disguising himself as Spike?" 

"To test Twilight and her friends," Princess Luna trots up to her sister and places her hoof on her forehead. "I'm going to use my night magic for you to see my memories through the dream. You'll see what transpired from the last time Discord spoke to Spike and our conversation."

"Okay," Princess Celestia nods, giving consent to her sister. 

Princess Luna allows Celestia to witness the dream memory from last night as well as their conversation. Princess Celestia cries, seeing how heartbroken and depressed Spike was during that night. She now understands Discord's true motives. After twenty minutes of watching the memories, Luna's spell shuts off. Princess Celestia steps back to recompose herself. 

"Is there a way to bring Spike back home?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"You want to intrude his happiness?" 

"He doesn't belong there. Also, how do you know he's happy? What if he's miserable, and it was Discord's doing?" 

"You don't trust Discord?" Princess Luna is appalled by Celestia's reaction. 

"Discord is unpredictable. He's the embodiment of Chaos, Luna. What he's doing is chaotic and messing around with Twilight's life a bit. He lied to Twilight and her friends. Lied to us!"

"I can't believe you. You're like them," Luna is displeased with Celestia. 

"I'm nothing like them, Luna." 

"You are! You sent your student to Ponyville to learn Friendship because you don't know what it is. You have no problem associating with every pony except for other creatures."

"Don't you remember what Discord did to Equestria a thousand years ago? When he took over Equestria." 

"Yes, and he changed. It takes time to change, like building trust. May I remind you that you were quickly dismissive of me before I turned to Nightmare Moon?" 

"Stop," Princess Celestia commands. 

"Stop what, speaking the truth to you? I know what Discord is doing is noble. Would you helped Spike if he wished to go somewhere he can be happy, or would you sit idle and watch him die?"

"I said stop!" Celestia stomps her front hooves to get Luna to stop talking. She breathes heavily. 

"So you are willing to sit idly until it's too late." 

"No. If I would have known what was happening with Spike, I would have stepped in." 

"Have you been keeping contact with Spike? Before all of this, when was the last time you reached out to the only dragon you can talk to?"

"I-I was busy. You know how it goes," Princess Celestia responds. 

"You have no problem making time for Twilight and her friends. When it came to Spike, apparently that wasn't the case."

"That's not true..," Princess Celestia tries to remember the times she had with Spike. 

"You've been surrounded by ponies of higher power that don't care about any other creature. Guess what, we have an EEA system that's racist to other creatures. Now I know where it came from," Princess Luna stares at her Celestia. 

Princess Celestia gasps. "I am not the origin of that, and you know it!"

"No, but you carried that influence from the founders of our nation which isn't great. They started with hating each other cause they were different until they settled and become united. When other creatures came into the fray, you know where that hate went to?" 

Princess Celestia sighs, remembering her childhood like it was yesterday. "Them."

"Exactly. Remember Chrysalis when she was younger? How did ponies treat her?" 

"Hate and spite because she's different at the time," Princess Celestia admits. 

"Do you know what happens when hate and spite get in the midst of a creature later in the years?" 

"They plot and seek vengeance or, they hate our kind..," Princess Celestia lowers her head. 

"Now you know how Discord felt all those years ago when everypony teased and mocked him for being different."

Princess Celestia sighs heavily. "Even so, Spike doesn't belong in that world he's in. He needs to come back. The other nations started their Bar of Alliance because of what happened to Spike. If they find out that he's been missing this whole time, things will be at a catastrophic level. Don't you agree?"

"Yes," Princess Luna admittingly nods. "However, you willing to pry away one's happiness for all? A dragon that's grown to misery to continue that path here?"

"You have to look at the bigger picture, Luna. If it's meant to be, then it's meant to be." 

Princess Luna shakes her head. "Outrageous, Celestia. We as in every single one of us, should choose our paths and strive for happiness. Even if it's a 1% chance." 

"No sacrifice, no victory, Luna. Remember that," Princess Celestia trots past Luna. "I won't tell anyone. I'll leave that up to Discord. It's on him if things reach a catastrophic level due to his antics and deception. I hope we have the real Spike back before global warfare begins," Celestia leaves her room. 

Princess Luna looks at the floor. She now regrets telling Celestia about Spike as she seems to be blind. Princess Luna groans and decides to pay Chancellor Neighsay a visit.
> School of Friendship Week Four: New Student, New Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is Monday at the School of Friendship. It's 9:17 in the morning. Students are arriving early to catch up on their studies and homework. Starlight Glimmer trots down the main hallway when she sees Princess Luna trotting inside the School. Every creature is wondering why Princess Luna is here on short notice. 

"Princess Luna. Welcome to the School of Friendship. How may I help you?" 

"I'm here with a new student that'll be joining your school; he's 'eager' to learn the values of Friendship." 

"Oh, and who he be?" 

"That'll be me, Headmare Glimmer," Neighsay said. 

"Chancellor Neighsay?" Starlight is surprised to see Neighsay in the school. "You're going to be my newest student?"

"Indeed. After having a formal discussion with the Princess of the Night, all EEA members need to be reevaluated for the future of Equestria with newer creatures soon to be residing in Equestria. The members of the EEA refused to reevaluate themselves as they chose to be strict with Pony Kind. After my talk with Princess Luna and reviewing my history of how I feel about other creatures that can cause harm, I had to take account of ponies of our past that caused harm as well. I admit that I am a hypocrite. So, I'm atoning myself to become better by seeing the bigger picture with creatures someday living in Equestria and may want to affiliate themselves with Equestrian's Schools. I am the only member of the EEA willing to change." 

"Wow," Is all Starlight can say. She didn't expect Chancellor Neighsay to be open-minded. 

"Princess Luna reminded me of how our founders used to be when they brought in a lot of hatred due to their differences. I do not want to bring the Windegoes that were drawn to hatred and spite. So, here I am, Headmare Glimmer. Coming into your school to become a better pony." 

Starlight Glimmer offers her hoof for a hoof-shake. "Welcome to the School of Friendship, Chancellor Neighsay. I'd be honored to have you in the School of Friendship." 

"It's an honor to be here, Headmare Glimmer," Chancellor Neighsay shakes Starlight's hoof. "Now, what class should I be paired with?" 

"I'll pair you with a group of friends that speak volumes and shown unity among all species. Follow me, their in the cafeteria having breakfast." 

Chancellor Neighsay follows Starlight Glimmer to the cafeteria. Princess Luna turns and sees Twilight Sparkle and Cozy Glow going around asking for signatures. She smiles, knowing that Twilight is getting better as she goes. Princess Luna leaves the School of Friendship and flies back to Canterlot. 

Twilight and Cozy got over a hundred signatures and believe that should be good enough to convince Starlight Glimmer on having a class based on the Elements of Harmony. They trot to Starlight Glimmer's office. 

Five minutes later, Starlight Glimmer meets with the Young Six with important information. 

"Students, you'll be paired with a student that I believe he can learn from the most while he's here in our school to become better. Please, welcome," Starlight Glimmer stands aside. "Chancellor Neighsay." 

Chancellor Neighsay struggles to smile at the group. Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Sandbar, Silverstream, and Ocellus see why Starlight Glimmer would want Neighsay to join him. 

"My apologies for the way I smile. I'm used to be somepony else. I'm trying not to be the pony I once was."  

"What kind of pony would that be?" Sandbar asks. 

Chancellor Neighsay sighs heavily. "Promise not to be mad?" The Young Six look at each other and nod respectfully. "A hypocritical racist," Chancellor Neighsay looks down. "I know you may not want to talk to me for some time, and I expect that. I hope I can change my ways so we can become friends." 

"Dude, you're honest about yourself and want to change. You're cool in my book," Sandbar said. 

"Yona likes Neighsay. Neighsay is honest with himself and wants to improve his image. Yona respect that." 

"Lots of ponies are like that. I'm happy you want to atone for your beliefs to become better," Smolder said. "You're definitely better than the ponies that abused a baby dragon," Smolder didn't want to bring up the fact about Spike. 

"I'll give you a chance. As Professor Discord says, no creature should ever feel disgrace due to the history of their kind out of spite. Every creature is different and unique," Gallus said. 

"I concur," Ocellus said. 

"Ditto," Silverstream says. 

Chancellor Neighsay didn't expect the outcome from his potential friends. He thought for sure he'll be facing backlash. Starlight is impressed with her students for showing kindness and gratitude for someone who wants to change for the better. 

"Thank you. I won't let you down," Chancellor Neighsay grins a little. 

"First of, Neighsay," Gallus said, which causes Neighsay to sweat a bit. "We need to help you smile better." 

"Agreed, come sit next to Yona, Chancellor," Yona smiles. 

Chancellor Neighsay trots and sits next to Yona. "You don't have to call me Chancellor. Neighsay will do." 

"Welcome to the group, Neighsay!" Everyone cheers. 

Chancellor Neighsay slightly chuckles a bit. His new friends now see that they have a lot to do to help him. Starlight leaves them and goes to her office. Ten minutes later, she sees Cozy Glow and Twilight waiting for her. 

"Morning, Headmare Glimmer. How's your morning?" Cozy Glow asks. 

"So far, so good," Starlight smiles. 

"Headmare Glimmer. Cozy and I have collected over a hundred signatures for you to see," Twilight gives Starlight to signature bored. She reads it. "So, have you decided which teacher should be instructing the class?" Twilight glees. 

"I have. Come by during lunch, and I'll tell you." 

"Wonderful!" Twilight said. She leaves the office to go to her next class. Cozy follows her. 

Starlight sits at her desk to look at her signature board to match the students in attendance. Discord (clone) walks into the office. 

"Gee, what is Twilight wild up about?" 

"Remember that I told her to get signatures for the Elements of Harmony class she proposed last Friday?" 

"Yea, she got the signatures?"

"She does. I need to go over the signatures with the students in attendance. I need to make sure the signatures are not fake." 

"Allow me," Discord (clone) takes the signature board with the attendance sheet. He scans through and tosses both to Starlight. "The signatures are verified. I detect no deception among the signatures. The students have spoken Headmare Glimmer." 

"Well, that takes care of that." 

"So, who do you want teaching the class?" Discord (clone) looks eyeballing Starlight. 

"I may not have a choice but to select Twilight Sparkle. I thought about Luna but, I don't think she can make the time with her royal duties. Also, we have a new student." 

"Oooh," Discord (clone) becomes ecstatic. "Who is our new student? He? She?" 

"Chancellor Neighsay," Starlight answers. 

Discord's (clone) eyes drop into his mouth and swallow them. His eyes are back in place. "Why?" 

"Princess Luna had a formal discussion with Chancellor Neighsay and the possibilities that Equestrian's schools may expand for all creatures that can live in Equestria. He's the only EEA member that wants to reevaluate himself. The rest are too prideful to change."

"Woooooow," Discord (clone) is in shock. 

"So, I paired him with Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Sandbar, Silverstream, and Ocellus. I believe in due time; he'll change and become anew." 

"If you believe in it, I'll believe in him as well. As I always say, no creature should ever feel disgrace due to the history of their kind out of spite. Every creature is different and unique."

"That's our motto for the school, so thank you for thinking creatively," Starlight said. 

"Ah, you're welcome," Discord (clone) smiles. "Anywho, I better get going. I'll be teaching in fifteen minutes." 

"Have fun," Starlight watches Discord leaving the office. 

It's now 10:05 in the morning. Neighsay is in Discord's class with the Young Six. He's nervous about seeing Discord again and wonders what the class will be about. 

"Hello, class. It appears we have a new student. Please, tell every creature your name," Discord (clone) says. 

"Hello, class. My name is Neighsay. I am new to the School of Friendship and look forward to becoming better in friendship."

Everyone claps to make Neighsay feel right at home. He relaxes a bit and wonders what today's lesson will be about. 

"Today, we're going on a field trip." 

"Wh-What kind of field trip?" Neighsay asks. 

"One that involves with working together, Neighsay. Trust me when I say, it'll rock your world." 

Neighsay gulps a little. He isn't sure what he meant by that. Everyone else in the classroom is eager to go on the field trip. Discord leads the class out of the school when they meet with the CMC Counselors.

"Hey, Discord. Going on that field trip?" Sweetie Belle asks. 

"Yes, I am. We'll be back by lunch hour." 

"Sounds good. We'll see you then," Scootaloo said.  

"Hey, isn't that the new student?" Apple Bloom looks at Neighsay. 

"Indeed. This is his first-ever work together field trip. Since you know a lot about working together, Apple Bloom. How about you join us?"  Discord (clone) proposes. 

"Sure. Also, encouraging the students into working together will help things go smoothly," Apple Bloom said. "Plus, I can help advise with my knowledge on working at Sweet Apple Acres." 

"Have fun, Apple Bloom. We'll see you at lunch," Sweetie Belle said. 

"Bye girls, have fun helping others in school," Apple Bloom follows Discord and the class to the field trip destination. 

Discord takes his class into the forest. Neighsay wonders why Discord is taking every creature there. Everyone stops when they see a riverine. 

"Excuse me, Professor Discord," Neighsay speaks. "Why are we here in the forest?" 

"I'm glad you asked," Discord (clone) turns to his class. "I've decided for this work together field trip; there'll be one obstacle that features three aspects. Trust, patience, and motivation. "

"Clever tactic, Professor Discord," Neighsay is impressed. 

"Thank you, Neighsay. For today's exercise, we'll be sailing this boat," Discord (clone) spawns a canoe on the riverine. He spawns helmets and lifejackets for every creature to wear.

"Yona has a confession," Yona sweats a bit. 

"What is it?" Neighsay asks. 

"Yak not like water," Yona is afraid of the water. 

"Sometimes, when I try something new, I whistle." 

Yona starts whistling. Gallus and Smolder help Yona get on the canoe as she has a little difficulty getting on. Sandbar, Ocellus, and Neighsay get on the sailboat. 

"Now, I have a map to your destination. It's on the other side of the riverine near the checkered flag I've marked. Apple Bloom will be with you guys and gals for guidance. She has the answers to some questions I predict you'll ask," Discord gives the map to the students. "You are to follow the map to the designation. I'll be there waiting for you. Warning, you may encounter some obstacles along the way. Remember, every creature is working together, so communicate with one another." 

"We will, Professor Discord," Every creature except Neighsay said. 

"I wish you luck," Discord (clone) pushes the canoe to get it going; he teleports to the checkered flag.

The canoe goes down the riverine while every creature takes a look at the map. 

"Hmm, there are some rocks in the path, some fish that are considered d-d-dangerous, some waves that'll be difficult. How is this supposed to teach us trust, patience, and motivation? We're just following instructions on a map?" Gallus asks. 

"Yea, I don't get it. Sure, Professor Discord's exercises have been different, but this is a whole new level," Smolder said. 

"Yona don't feel motivated. Whistling isn't helping. Yak no like water!" 

"Calm down, Yona. No need to be afraid."

"Hey, every creature, who's in control of steering the canoe?" Apple Bloom asks. 

"Uuuuuuaaaaaaaaah!" Every creature screams as the canoe is going off course except for Neighsay.  

"What do we do! We're going to get lost and fail this exercise!" Silverstream panics. 

"Rocks! Spiky rocks are approaching!" Gallus shouts. 

"Enough!" Neighsay shouts to get everyone's attention. "Within every group, there needs to be a leader. Otherwise, everyone becomes disorganized," Neighsay gets on the back of the canoe to see what's ahead. "Alright, follow my lead. Sandbar, I need you to read the map loudly."

"Understood, Neighsay," Sandbar looks at the map carefully.

Every creature gets ready and has their oars ready. Apple Bloom watches to see what Neighsay has in store. 

"Gallus, Smolder, Yona, paddle hard left," Neighsay sees the spiky rocks incoming, "Now!" 

Gallus, Smolder, and Yona paddle left as strong as they could. They pass by the spiky rocks that would have shredded their canoe. 

"Sandbar, we pass the first wave or rocks. We're coming close to separate pathways. Which way do we take? Right or left?"

"Right, Neighsay!" Sandbar shouts. 

"Every creature, paddle to the right!" Neighsay commands. 

"Yona sees a drop coming!" Yona panics. "Yona hates water!" She stops paddling. 

"There is no need to be afraid! You're surrounded by friends that won't let you down," Neighsay encouragingly says. "Every creature, paddle in reverse slowly."

Smolder, Gallus, Ocellus, and Silverstream paddle reverse slowly as the canoe goes down on a small drop. To Yona's surprise, she enjoyed the small drop. 

"Huh, that wasn't so bad. I expected worse," Gallus said. 

"Yona likes slow steady drops." 

"Oh no," Sandbar reads something terrifying on the map. 

"What is it, Sandbar?" Neighsay asks. 

"The path we took, we're heading straight for the Bite-acudas!" Sandbar panics. 

"Yona wants to get out now! Yona more afraid of flying-fish-eating yak and friends!" 

"What are we going to do? If we leave, we could fail," Silverstream panics a bit. 

"Swimming is not an option. We can fly to safety and walk to the checkered map," Smolder suggests. 

"No. There are too many turns that have water regions. It'll take us hours to get there on foot, and time is running out," Sandbar said. 

"Alright, I have an idea," Neighsay said. "Gallus, Smolder. Paddle in reverse. Yona and Silverstream, paddle forward. We'll create a flow where we'll be stationary." 

"Understood, Neighsay. Let's paddle!" Gallus and Smolder paddle in reverse while Yona and Silverstream paddle forward. The canoe is still moving forward. 

"Apple Bloom, I know you're here for guidance but, we can use a little more muscle. Help Gallus and Smolder paddle in reverse."

"Hey, wait. Why isn't Ocellus paddling?" Apple Bloom asks. 

Neighsay chuckles. "Ocellus is going to buy us some time before moving forward." 

"How?" Every creature asks. 

"Ocellus, turn into a bigger a Bite-acudas to scare the ones we're heading into. Once you give us a signal, we'll paddle forward and pick you up." 

"On it," Ocellus transforms into a bigger Bite-acudas and swims after the smaller ones. The smaller Bite-acudas become scared and go away. After a few moments, Ocellus gives the signal to paddle forward. 

"Alright, every creature, paddle forward," Neighsay commands. 

Everyone paddles forward, and Neighsay helps Ocellus back in the canoe. Apple Bloom is impressed with Neighsay's leadership. 

"Alright," Sandbar reads the map. "Keep going forward till the next pathway and paddle left. That's where Professor Discord will be. Also, there are more spiky rocks along the way." 

"Thanks for the heads up, Sandbar. Every creature, steady your paddling forward until the next pathway comes up." 

"Yona likes Neighsay's leadership." 

"For a pony that was racist, he's a nice guy," Gallus said. 

"He's smart too," Smolder noted. 

"And motivating," Silverstream added. 

"He trusted me with the task of scaring off those mean-looking fish. Plus, we're trusting him to navigate us. The same he's trusting Sandbar to read the map," Ocellus said. 

"He's patient in knowing what to do and what not to do," Sandbar states. 

"You know it," Apple Bloom said. "The way I see it, Neighsay fit the categories of Trust, Patience, and Motivation. He's inspired you to work together as a team. He's right with one thing. Every group needs a leader. I think you found yours." 

"Keep it steady. I see the pathway coming," Neighsay sees the pathway and sees an angry group of Bite-acudas coming. "Hard left now!" 

Every creature paddles to the left. Neighsay uses his magic to swat the Bite-acudas left and right as they try to fly into the canoe. Neighsay sees a swarm flying and uses his magic to teleport them away. Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, and Apple Bloom are astonished to see the magic Neighsay used to teleport the Bite-acudas away.

Discord (clone) is sitting on a lounge chair drinking lemonade while waiting for the canoe to arrive. A few moments later, Discord (clone) hears Neighsay commanding every creature to ease their paddling as they are coming close to the checkered flag. Discord (clone) claps in celebration. 

"Bravo, good job on completing your obstacle," Discord (clone) smiles.

"That was fun!" Yona cheers loudly. She jumps out of the canoe with her friends. 

"I'll say. What a wild adventure," Gallus said. 

"Who knew canoeing would be dangerous?" Smolder states. 

"That was the best field trip activity ever!" Silverstream shouts. 

"I'll admit, reading the map was difficult. I can't imagine what would happen if we didn't have leadership," Sandbar says. 

"It was fun chasing the Bite-acudas away," Ocellus said. 

"That was exhilarating. I haven't had that much fun in years," Neighsay said. 

"So, Apple Bloom," Discord (clone) walks up to Apple Bloom. "Will you call it a successful operation?" 

"Affirmative, Discord. Every creature was motivated and trusted each other. Neighsay was patient with his decision makings as he led the group to success."

"Is this true, every creature?" Discord (clone) asks. 

"Yona likes new best friend, Neighsay! He and Ocellus motivate me into not being afraid." 

"He's cool. He took control when it was needed," Gallus said. 

"He was motivating us throughout the way, and he didn't panic," Smolder informs. 

"As Apple Bloom mentioned, he was patient with his decision making," Sandbar said. "He trusted me to read the map, and every one of us put our trust in him as a good friend should." 

"He gave everyone hope when we panicked. He was calm when we were not," Ocellus said. "He made sure we stay on course and not look for an alternative when the time was running out when we came in close contact of the Bite-acudas." 

"With that concluded, every creature here gets an A+ on their exercise. Now, let's get going. It's nearly lunchtime," Discord (clone) snaps his claw teleporting everyone to the cafeteria. 

"Follow us, Neighsay. We'll show you our table we sit," Sandbar said. 

"Lead the way," Neighsay smirks, which is better than his smile. 

"We will," Smolder, Sandbar, Yona, Silverstream, Gallus, and Ocellus said. They navigate Neighsay to their table and sit down. 

Starlight walks into the cafeteria and sees Discord. "Hey, Discord. How did our new student fare?" 

"Perfectly on his first day in my class. He took control of the situation and lead his classmates to victory. According to Apple Bloom, he valued the three aspects of my exercise. Trust, patience, and motivation. I have to admit, he sounded different. Different in the sense of improving his image for the better. Whatever he and Luna spoke about, it's hitting Neighsay hard to better himself." 

"That's fantastic, Discord. Well, I've decided to trust Twilight in lecturing the Elements of Harmony to the students. The days will be every other day so she can catch up with any assignments she may miss." 

"Have you told Twilight that?" Discord (clone) asks. 

"Not yet. I will in the next hour or so during the lunch period. I am starving." 

"Very well, then. Let's eat." 

Neighsay sits next to his friends. They turn to him and asked one question. "Where did you teleport those Bite-acudas to, Neighsay?" 

Neighsay chuckles. "Where they need to be." 

A while ago, the Bite-acudas were teleported to the EEA members that refused to change their ways. They were bitten by the Bite-acudas and thought it was a bad omen.
> School of Friendship Week Four: Class Approval, New Instructor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's Monday at 1:45 in the afternoon. Starlight had a quick meal and trot to her office, knowing that Twilight will be waiting for her. She's happy to hear from the Young Six that Neighsay has improved so much in a short amount of time. As Starlight arrives at the front door, Twilight and Cozy Glow greet her. 

"Hey, Headmare Glimmer, had a good lunch?" Cozy asks. 

"I did." 

"So, Headmare Glimmer. Have you decided who'll be teaching the important values of the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight asks. 

"I have. After a lot of thinking and consideration, I have selected you and your friends to teach the class," Starlight said formally.

"Yes!" Twilight and Cozy cheers and celebrates. 

"However," Twilight and Cozy stop celebrating. "You are still students of the school and have not graduated. Therefore, you'll be teaching Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

"There's no class on Saturdays, Headmare Glimmer," Cozy said. 

"There will be for two hours to learn about the core values and representation of the Elements of Harmony. From 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon on Saturdays only. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the class will be 70 minutes long. It's only for those who want to learn about the Elements of Harmony. No bribing, manipulation, and swindling. Students must go to the class on their accord. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, Headmare Glimmer," Twilight becomes ecstatic. 

"I suggest you get something to eat before your next class, Twilight. Thursday, you'll start teaching the core values of the Elements of Harmony. Discord will create a classroom that'll meet your and your friends' requirements to make it more comfortable for them to teach. You and your friends will rotate on teaching the Elements. Think you can handle that?" 

"Yes, Headmare Glimmer. You won't regret this," Twilight bows in respect for Starlight's grace. She leaves, and Cozy follows her. 

Starlight turns to look out the window. Starlight looks at the sky. "Please, in Celestia's name, don't let this class drawback and things get worse." Scootaloo knocks on Starlight's door. "It's open," Starlight turns around to see Scootaloo walking in with some pony. 

"Hello, Headmare Glimmer. I need some assistance," Professor Fossil walks in. 

"Sure, what is it?" Starlight said. 

"It's about Rockhoof. I can't use his talents with my team for finding lost treasures and artifacts. He doesn't work well with what we're trying to accomplish. I was hoping if you can find any use for him." 

"I'll see what I can do for Rockhoof."

"Thank, Celestia. I was afraid that the poor stallion would run amuck and destroy what we're trying to preserve for generations to come." 

"Understood.  I'll go have a conversation with Rockhoof and take it from there," Starlight smiles. 

"Thank you! Thank you," Professor Fossil leaves the office. "I'll tell Rockhoof to come into your office." 

"Of course," Starlight waits for a few moments. Then she hears Rockroof walking inside the office. "Rockhoof, how are you doing?" 

"Fine, I guess. Kinda miss being in me homeland. With ponies left and right, pillaging to store my home as a museum of some sort," Rockhoof sighs. "I'm having trouble finding my place in this new world. Think you can help me, lass?"

"Of course I will. I'll help you fit in the world we live in today," Starlight thinks what Rockhoof can do in the modern world. "You know, we don't have a historian teacher that can help students find inner strength. I believe you can be the School of Friendship's newest teacher."

"Really, lass? Me a teacher?" 

"Why not? Perhaps the students would be interested in hearing stories of back in the days." 

"Hmm, I'll give it a shot, lassie," Rockhoof thinks and remembers a lot of the good ole days. The time he saved his village from the volcanic lava and fighting the Ursa Major.  

"As for where you'll be teaching, I think you'll have a fun time being outside. We don't have a class suited for the outdoors. Plus, I think it'll be something new and innovating for the students." 

"Also, where can I stay and sleep if I'll be teaching?" Rockhoof asks. 

"At the Castle of Friendship. Several teachers of the school reside there. There'll be a room for you there, and Discord can help make the room feel more at home for you." 

Rockhoof gasps and remembers how his room used to be back home. "Home..," Rockhoof shakes Starlight's hoof. "Thank you. I cannot wait to teach the students of this fine school." 

"You'll start on Wednesday. Take the time to think about what you want to teach your students. Also, I'll give you the grand tour of the School of Friendship." 

"Thank you, lass. This means a lot to me." 

"You're welcome," Starlight smiles. "For the rest of the day, I want you to partake in a few classes so you have an understanding of how you'll be teaching." 

"Sounds good. Mind showing me which class to go to, lassie?" 

"Of course. I'll take you to Trixie's class." 

The school bell rings as lunch comes to an end. Starlight escorts Rockhoof into Trixie's class. As Trixie's class goes underway, Rockhoof sees how creative Trixie teaches. The students in the class are working together on a group assignment. Rockhoof sees the passion of every creature working together. He gets some ideas of teaching the students that you can overcome any challenge when you believe in yourself and to never give up. Also, he's thinking about telling tales to inspire students. An hour later, class is dismissed. Rockhoof meets Discord, the Lord of Chaos. 

"Hello, potential new teacher."

"Aye, hello, Discord." 

"So, Headmare Glimmer told me that you'll be our newest teacher. So, I arranged your quarters for teaching outside of the school."

"Aye, and I can show the students the stars and constellations at night. I decided to have some of my classes take place during the night to get more of a field to my stories. If, Headmare Glimmer approves." 

"I'm sure she will. She's allowing a Princess to teach the values of the Elements of Harmony." 

"How interesting, Discord. Also, I'll be living at the Castle of Friendship. Think you can make my room a bit like home?" 

"Sure, thing. I'll do just that,"  Discord (clone) snaps his claw. "Done." 

"That's it? A snap and it's done?" Rockhoof is confused. 

"When you get to your room, you'll see how homey it is for you," Discord (clone) replies.  

"Alright, then. I better start practicing since I start my next chapter in life on Wednesday." 

"And, I'll wish you luck," Discord (clone) watches Rockhoof trot down the main hallway interacting with several students. "This day gets better and better. All I can hope for is Luna and Celestia keeping their mouths shut," Discord (clone) walks the other way as he sees Spike (Discord). He's going to teleport Spike (Discord) back to the Crystal Empire.
> Returning Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oooooooh, what happened?" Spike wakes up and looks around. "Acnologia," Spike groans and gets up. "Damn, he kicked my ass badly," Spike moves and remembers that his body is in a lot of pain thanks to Acnologia. "Hello! Anyone nearby! Hello!" Spike shouts and hears no one. "Great, I better start walking," Spike limps into Tenrou Island, looking for his friends. 

Spike walks in the forest and trips on a twig. He falls, hitting the ground hard. Spike clutches his sides as it hurts him the most. Spike hears movement coming closer. 

"Hello?" Spike looks up. 

"Spike," Wendy sniffs and hugs him. "I'm so glad I found you! I woke up, and I was all alone! I don't know where anyone is!" 

Spike hugs back. "It's okay. I'm pretty sure they're somewhere on the island."

Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Spike. Spike feels better as his injuries wear off. Spike takes a deep breath in satisfaction. Wendy feels a bit weak after doing that. 

"Oh Wendy, you didn't have to use your remaining magic on me," Spike helps Wendy up. 

"After your heroics for facing Acnologia, sacrificing yourself for us, how can I not?" Wendy slightly chuckles. 

"Fair enough, let's start looking for our friends." 

Spike and Wendy walk deeper in Tenrou Island; they found Carla and Lucy on the ground. 

"Lucy, are you okay?" Spike asks. 

"Carla? Please tell me you're okay," Wendy asks. 

Lucy and Carla wake up to see Spike and Wendy. 

"Spike," Lucy smiles. "How are you feeling?" 

"I'm good, thanks to Wendy," Spike helps Lucy up. 

"Wendy," Carla smiles. 

"Carla," Wendy picks up Carla and holds her. 

"Our friends are somewhere on the island. We gotta keep searching." 

"Understood, Spike," Said Lucy. 

Spike, Lucy, Carla, and Wendy walk around in search of their friends. The four hears rustling by the bushes and decide to check it out. They see a group of people looking down at a ditch. 

"Not good," Said Lucy. 

"I may not have magic power but, I can still throw down. I'll go and distract the group." 

"Understood, Spike. Please be careful," Said Wendy. 

"I will," Spike flaps his wings and tackles the big guy in front.

"Aaaaah! I'm being attacked by!" He looks at Spike. "Sp-Sp-Spike!" The big guy is in tears. 

"Whoa, you sound like," Spike's eyes widen. 

"It's me, Droy!" Droy said in tears, hugging Spike tightly. "I missed you so much!" 

"Too tight! Too tight!" Spike is getting squeezed. 

"Whoa, he grew wings," Jet said. 

"Whoa, it's Jet," Lucy, Carla, and Wendy come out of hiding. 

"Alzack and Bisca look different too," Wendy said. 

"They all do! What's going on?" Carla is confused. She sees her friends completely different. 

"Wendy, Carla, Lucy!" Everyone shouts and greets their friends. 

Droy lets go of Spike, allowing him to breathe. Natsu starts waking up and sees Spike and Droy. 

"Hey, Spike. Who's the fat guy?" Natsu asks and sees Droy crying. 

"Natsu!" 

"Droy? Man, why do you look so different?! As a matter of fact, why do you all look different?" Natsu looks at the rest of his friends as they all look different. 

Jet, Droy, Bisca, Alzack, Max, and Warren sees their friends for the first time in a long time. They come rushing down to meet with everyone. 

"Is it morning already?" Happy asks. "Can I have some fish for breakfast?"

"Happy!" Bisca and Alack are glad to see Happy. 

"What's going on? Acnologia just attacked us, but now, I'm so confused!"

"I have no clue, Natsu," Spike said. "I think we survived his attack." 

"Wait, where's everybody else?" Natsu asks. 

"We're coming, Natsu," Lucy said while she, Wendy, and Carla swoop down to meet up with their friends. 

"They're over here," A girlish voice says. Everyone turns their attention to her. She smiles at them. She's wearing a long dress, barefooted, and has long blond hair. She looks younger as well. 

"Who are you?" Spike, Natsu, and Happy ask. 

"Don't worry. I mean you no harm. I'm the Fairy Tail Guild's, First Master. My name is Mavis Vermillion."

"What?!" Everyone shouts in shock. 

Mavis Vermillion leads everyone else to the rest of their friends. Everyone unites with their comrades, cried is tears of joy while everyone is confused. Erza and Makarov couldn't believe how different Max, Warren, Droy, Jet, Bisca, and Alzack look. Mavis Vermillion explains when Acnologia attacked, she was able to convert the bonds of trust and friendship between the guildmates into pure magic power. The bonds were so strong that Fairy Sphere was activated. One of the Three Grand Fairy Spells. An absolute defense spell capable of protecting the guild of all manner of evil. Those inside the impenetrable sphere were in a suspended state for seven years. Mavis tells everyone that the year is 791.

Master Makarov is happy to know that he and his children were saved by Fairy Tail's First Master. Mavis explains that she used her remaining energy to convert all of Fairy Tail's love for each other into magic power. 

"Now, Back to Fairy Tail!" Makarov decrees. Everyone cheers loudly. 

"Follow us to our ship, and we'll get sailing," Said Bisca. 

Everyone follows Bisca and Alzack to the Fairy Tail ship and leaves Tenrou Island. Spike is looking into the seas where Ternou Island is and rethinks about his encounter with Acnologia. He closes his eyes and remembers how badly he beat him. Wendy looks at Spike and knows something is bothering him. She walks up to him. 

"Everything alright, Spike?" 

"I got my ass handled by Acnologia. The way he moved, his power. He was overwhelmingly powerful. I wasn't sure if I can pull off what I did with Hades, consuming his magic into my own. I know I promised, but I wasn't sure what the aftermath would feel or what Acnologia's power can do to me. Corrupt me even more?" Spike sighs. "I wasn't strong enough, and it was due to bad timing as well." 

"Well, Natsu, Gajeel, and I couldn't bring down Acnologia, and we're Dragon Slayers. There's no need to fret. We'll get stronger together, and the next time Acnologia comes, we'll be ready." 

Spike smiles a little. "Thanks, Wendy. I needed to hear that." 

"Anything for you, silly," Wendy kisses Spike's cheeks. Spike blushes and remembers that he and Wendy confessed their love for each other. 

17 hours later. It's the dawn of a new day. Everyone from Tenrou Island arrives in Magnolia. They see a guild running amuck at their supposed guildhall. Natsu, Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Makarov take down the remaining members of the guild messing with Fairy Tail. 

"Look who's back," Said Natsu. 

"Sorry for keeping you guys waiting for so long," Happy said. 

Romeo is older, Macao and Wakaba are in shock to see their friends looking the same as they were seven years ago. Everyone else in the guildhall is so happy and cries in tears of joy. Makarov explains everything in full detail about what happened on Tenrou Island. Everyone was shocked to hear that Spike fought Acnologia. Romeo, for the first time in seven years, smiles and welcomes everyone back.

After the explanation, everyone parties like no tomorrow. Spike finds a piano and plays the Faries Flow in You song. Seven long years of depression disappear throughout the day.

Spike is sitting alone as the thoughts of Tenrou island still gets to him. Fairy Demon Dragon mode, Master Hades, scaring his friends half to death cause of his decision. Wendy and Romeo approach Spike. 

"Something wrong, dude?" Romeo asks. 

"Just reflecting Tenrou Island." 

"Is it Acnologia again?" Wendy asks. 

"No. It's when we fought Hades. I saw you and our friends get tossed around like nothing. I was beaten badly by Hades, and he kept on going. Then, I turned into the Fairy Demon Dragon. To be honest, I still feel bits and parts of Fairy Demon Dragon. I don't know why I feel it. I puke out the dark energy. Either than that, what we went through on Tenrou Island, the battles I fought in. It makes me think just how powerful other foes can be. After I'm settled and get the feeling of Fairy Demon Dragon out of me,  I'm going to train harder physically and mentally."

"Hey, we should join as well," Said Wendy. 

"Yea, I couldn't cause I was younger. Now though, I can pull my punches with my fire magic."

"Sounds good. I would like that. We can also go camping as well as training. So it'll be both fun and adventurous." 

"Now, you're talking," Romeo said. "Let me know when and we'll start planning. The future of the guild will be brighter," Romeo looks at Wendy. 

"Yea. We're the future of the guild, so we should stick together," Said Wendy. 

"Agreed," Spike kisses Wendy's face. 

"Uh, since when you started kissing, Spike?" Romeo is confused with Spike kissing Wendy. 

"Back at Tenrou Island, Wendy and I confessed our love to each other." 

"Say what," Romeo turns pale and knows his chance with Wendy is already over. 

"Yea, everyone saw and were in awe. Spike even said, 'That's my Wendy!' when he thought Master Hades killed me." 

Spike blushes while remembering what he said during the fight against Master Hades. 

"Congrats," Romeo said. "Curse that dragon. Now I have to start looking for another one around my age."

The doors of the guildhall open; Lamia Scale walks in after finding out that Tenrou Island not only reappeared but, everyone survived the Acnologia attack. Max Alors let everyone know that Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus helped searched for Tenrou Island longer than any other guild. 

"Hey, thanks for searching for Tenrou Island all these years and keeping the Fairy Tail guild hopeful," Spike flies up to Lamia Scale. 

"Wow, seven years ago, when we last saw you, you didn't have wings. How did you grow them, Spike?" Jura asks. 

"I went through an uncomfortable transformation. After a while, I turned into stone and broke free with these wings." 

"Interesting. So, what did Acnologia looked like?" 

"Black and blue. Huge and terrifying. I fought Acnologia one-on-one." 

"No way," Lyon is in shock. "You fought Acnologia one-on-one?" 

"Yes," Spike nods. "He kicked my ass badly. Though, I was stalling for time. To allow my friends to get to safety. My friends came and, help fight off Acnologia. He's too powerful." 

"Wow," Sherry is in shock. "I'm glad we don't have to fight him." 

"Trust me; you don't. It's like asking for a death wish," Spike said. 

"Well, we're glad you're all home safely," Said Jura. "If you excuse me, Spike. I need to speak with Makarov." 

"Understood, Jura," Spike watches Jura walk to Master Makarov. "Hey, Lucy," Spike flies up to Lucy.

"What's up, Spike?" 

"I'm gonna head to the apartment. I can use a good nap." 

"Sounds good. I'll come with you." 

Lucy and Spike said their byes and leaves the guildhall. The people in Magnolia are surprised to see Spike and Lucy look exactly the same seven years ago. People that didn't believe that Spike the Fairy was the last young dragon in all of Earth Land now see that the rumors were true and take pictures of him to boast to their friends. Lucy and Spike enter the apartment and sees the Landlady standing by the stairs. 

"Crap, it's the Landlady," Said Lucy. 

"Hey, nice to see you," Said Spike. 

"I heard you were back, Ms.Heartfillia. I hope you and your pocket are in good health cause you owe me seven years' rent. 5,888,000 Jewels." 

"Hey, I can pay off some of that rent if I can grab my briefcase of winnings," Said Spike. 

"I already took it," The Landlady said. 

"What!" Spike angrily said as his left eye turns white while his voice sounds deeper. This freaks out the Landlady and Lucy. "You took my money without my CONSENT!" Spike increases his size in anger. Half of his body has turned into dark purple. 

"I'm sorry! For my arrogance of taking what isn't mine, I'm giving you and Ms.Lucy the first few months without rent. You'll pay me when you have the money in full after six months!" The Landlady is afraid of getting eaten. 

"Spike! Calm down! Calm down!" Lucy waving her hands in front of Spike. 

Spike takes a deep breath and reverts to his size. His eye is back to normal.  "I'm sorry, I'm just tired and been through a lot. I fought someone that used dark energy and I consumed it to take that madman down, Landlady. The side effects of doing so are still in me. I thought I flushed it out. Guess I was wrong."   

"Well, it was my fault for rummaging in yours and Lucy's belongings. Truth be told, if it weren't for your winnings, I wouldn't be able to hold the apartment for much longer. I didn't mean to make you upset. There is mail for you, Ms.Heartfilia." 

"There is?" Lucy asks. 

"Yes. On the table upstairs. Your room is fine as you left it. I cleaned it every week until your return. As for you, Spike. I'm sorry for taking your winnings." 

"It's alright. It was the side effects that triggered my anger. I'm sorry for scaring you like that." 

"Apologies accepted. Now get some rest and flush out the rest of that bad mojo. It isn't healthy for a dragon like you."

"I will," Spike and Lucy walk up the apartment and enter their home. Spike gets in bed "Aaaaaah, much better." 

Lucy looks at her mail and sees many letters from her father. She starts reading them to herself while Spike falls asleep. The Landlady answers the door to see the mailman giving her another letter and package for Lucy Heartfilla with seven years worth of rent money. Lucy is now up to date with rent. The Landlady walks up the stairs and knocks on the door. Lucy answers and sees the Landlady hand her today's mail. Lucy reads the final letter from her father which had explicit details of his illness. The letter reveals the location where he's buried. Natsu and Happy come inside and knock on the door. They wanted to see if Spike and Lucy will join them on the next job. Lucy said she'll go but, she points out that Spike is sleeping and still having side effects from consuming Hades' dark energy. Natsu and Happy nod in understanding and leaves with Lucy on their next adventure.
> Spike & Fairy Demon Dragon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up in the middle of the night. He looks around and doesn't see Lucy in sight. "What time is it?" Spike looks at the clock. "1:30?" Spike groans. 

"Hello." A dark voice greets Spike. 

"Who's that?" Spike turns on the light and sees an apparition of himself as Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"I'm you. Fairy Demon Dragon."

"Why are you here?" 

"I know you have intentions of getting rid of me in the morning. Can't blame you cause I'm the remains of Master Hades."

"Remains? Did I killed him..?" Spike asks. 

"No. Zeref finished him. We crippled him. As for answering your question, I'm here to warn you of an upcoming event."

"What are you talking about?"

"They are coming."

"Who's they?" 

"A guild. A powerful magical guild that'll take something from you soon, I cannot explain much more in detail. I am dying, after all. The rage burst you had earlier; that's me losing control of myself. I am the last remnants of Master Hades, and he wants to possess your body."

"How do I get rid of it?" Spike pants a bit after hearing the news of his side effect. 

"Visit Porlyusica. She lives in a treehouse in the East Forest. She's not a fan of humans. However, you'll do nicely."

"Thank you for telling me this."

"Of course. I'm also you. Well, parts of you made from anger. The rage when we thought Wendy died. You're going to do good when you feel better."

"So, after I flush out the remains of Hades, what's going to happen to you?"

"I'll be around. You can tap into your Fairy Rage Dragon once the remnants of Hades in me are gone. Say Spike Rage instead want, and I'll take control until you say that's enough. If you ask why you'll still be in control, I'm an emotion of you. Also, I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard. I got your back and everyone else I consider to be a friend. I won't interfere with your life. Just know, when you need a little boost, I'm here for you. Also, it's in case of any mind trickery from any wizards.  I'll see what goes on and protect your mind from any spells that'll affect you."

"Wow, I'm speechless. Talking to myself that doesn't want to take full possession of me after I get rid of the rest of the dark energy." 

"As I said, I'm you but as an emotion. Rage doesn't last long. Love does. You have a ton of it for the guild, our friends, and Wendy. Farewell, Fairy Dragon." 

Spike sees the apparition of Rage Dragon vanishing. "See you soon, Fairy Rage. Thanks for the information," Spike turns off the light and goes back to sleep. 

It's now 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up and leaves the apartment. Spike decides to go straight to Porlyusica's house in the East Forest. On the way there, he wonders what guild did Rage Dragon mentions last night.

A Vulcan approaches Spike and wants to make a meal out of him. Spike shoots flaming arrows from his claw, igniting the Vulcan as he flees for his life. 

"I guess they don't remember the butt-kicking Gajeel and I gave them seven years ago." 

Spike walks in a different direction, hoping to find Porlyusica. He didn't want to worry anyone about his condition. After forty minutes of searching, Spike found the treehouse that belongs to Prolyusica. He takes and deep breath and knocks on the door. Porlyusica opens the door. 

"Hello, Fairy Dragon." 

"Hi," Spike waves. 

"Is there something you want? Something Makarov needs?" 

"Seven years ago, I fought Master Hades. I consumed his dark energy, and the remains of Master Hades are trying to possess me. Think you can help?"

"Come in," Porlyusica allows Spike to enter her home and looks at her potions and medicine. "What were you thinking consuming his dark energy?"

"Protecting my friends cause when we fought him on Tenrou Island, he dominated Erza, Gray, Wendy, Natsu, Lucy, even Laxus. He recovered after taking a big blow from Natsu and me when we used a unison raid of fire and lighting. I am an Energy Maker Dragon, so any form of energy I sense, I can replenish myself by eating that energy."

"Interesting. So that's why Hades' energy particles are in you," Porlyusica finds the potion she needs to give to Spike. "Here you go," Porlyusica gives Spike some pills. "Take two a day for the next three days, and you'll be cleansed."

"Thank you," Spike smiles. 

"You're welcome. I would advise you not to work for the next three days. Using magic with the medication will cause a side effect with the dark energy you're trying to flush out." 

"Thank you for the advice, have a nice day," Spike leaves Porlyusica's home and goes home. For the next three days, he's going to chill with his friends, perhaps spend a day with Wendy, study, and relax. 

On the way back to the apartment, Fairy Rage starts talking to Spike telepathically.

"So, no use of magic for the next three days due to the side effects?"

"Yea. I can live without magic for the next three days. I didn't know I can talk to you in my mind." 

"One of the perks of being you while having my own subconscious as a backup when your mind gets infiltrated with mind trickery spells or manipulations or memory erase."

"Memory erase?"

"You never know, and it's always good to be prepared for anything."

"True. Can't argue with that. Expect the unknown, right?"

"Expect the unexpected at times. First Grimoire Hearts, then out of nowhere, Acnologia. We will get stronger when he shows his face again."

"Agreed. This is cool, though. Another me to talk to like a clone."

"Well, that's one way of looking at it. However, I'll be idle until you need me. I'll hear and see your memories to catch up to date. If I feel that I need to step in, I will. That's the only time I will. You're in control of your life. I'm here as a Rage Boost. Nothing more or less."

"Thanks, Fairy Rage. I'm going to tell the others about you."

"By all means. They should know about me and how I can help when it's needed. I just want Hades out of me so, I don't lose control of myself again."

"In three days, he'll be gone."

"Can't wait."
> School of Friendship Week Four: Twilight's Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is Thursday, 9:15 in the morning. Starlight is in her office, pondering how Twilight's class will go. Yesterday, Rockhoof's class was phenomenal with his stories and how everyone was engaged, wanting to learn more about Rockhoof and finding the inner strength to achieve anything. Discord walks into the office. 

"How are you holding up, Starlight?" Discord (clone) asks. 

Starlight sighs. "I hope that the class doesn't backfire on me. It's all I'm hoping for." 

"Let's have some faith in Twilight to turn things around. She has become better in the school and opened up more to other creatures during class." 

"Agreed. If I see it doesn't go well, I'll pull the class." 

"Trust me, it's going to be a killer," Discord (clone) said. 

"Hopefully," Starlight chuckles. 

It's 9:25 in the morning. The Young Six and Neighsay are in the cafeteria having breakfast. 

"So, any of you going to Twilight's class?" Neighsay asks. 

"We didn't signup for the class to be active but, I guess I'll take a look at it," Smolder said. 

"Yak will listen to what Twilight has to teach." 

"If I had to say for everyone, we're going but, we have our suspicions, considering what Twilight and her friends have done to Professor Spike," Said Sandbar.

"Same," Gallus said. "Maybe it'll be as good as Rockhoof's class. I don't know..."

"After knowing what Twilight and her friends have done cause news spread like wildfire, I hope her lectures do teach what the Element of Harmony goes well. I wonder who else is going," Neighsay said. 

"We will find out," Ocellus said. 

"Twilight's class is starting at 10:00 today. After that, we get Discord's class again!" Silverstream cheers. 

"I'll admit, Discord and Spike's classes have been very entertaining. The homework isn't complicated. The tests are fair, giving the understanding of group projects and working together." 

"It is, Neighsay. We thought it be different when we first arrived but, it hasn't," Sandbar said. 

It's 9:50 in the morning. Twilight is getting ready to teach the first lesson about the Elements of Harmony. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy set up their sides to teach about the Elements. Cozy Glow is arranging the desks in the classroom. 

"Thanks for the help, Cozy Glow," Twilight said. 

"Anything for you, Princess. I know that this class will help bring friends closer together than any other class. The Elements of Harmony are crucial to everyday life as well. You teaching me in private has been most helpful and useful for any of my classes. I still would like to know about the magic hidden in the Elements."

"We'll get on topic another day. For today, I'll be teaching what the Elements are and going over the basics." 

"Alright, I'm ready," Rainbow said. 

"Me as well," Applejack said. 

"This should be good and exciting than the dull classes Maud and Sunburst gives. No offense, Pinkie." 

"None-taken, Rarity," Pinkie replies. "My side is clear to have a party!"

"Same. Hopefully, the students will enjoy seeing the animal." 

"Oh, they will. I can't imagine no one showing up for class," Cozy Glow remarks. 

Neighsay and the Young Six arrive early to class and sees that the seats are station on a rotating spinner, indicating that Twilight's friends will be teaching. Neighsay sits in the middle of the seats, formulating a circle around his friends. Twilight waits a while to see if any creature else will be showing. The school bell rings, but Twilight decides to wait five more minutes. 

It's now 10:05, and Twilight decides to start the class. For a hundred signatures signed, it seems no one else wants to come to class today. Cozy sits near the Young Six and Neighsay, opening up her notebook to jot notes. 

"Morning, Class. I'm Professor Twilight Sparkle. I'll be teaching you the core values of the Elements of Harmony and what they represent. From here and out, you'll have six instructors on each of the Elements of Harmony. Applejack for Honesty, Rainbow Dash for Loyalty, Pinkie Pie for Laughter, Rarity for Generosity, and Fluttershy for Kindness, and I'll be instructing the Element of Magic." 

Twilight decides that Rainbow Dash should start by teaching the class about the Element of Loyalty. The seats rotate facing Rainbow Dash. She starts talking about how being Loyal is vital for a healthy friendship. 

"So, were you Loyal to Spike when he was with you as a friend or disloyal to him?" Gallus asks. 

"Let's not get off topic about Spike and me. I'm teaching why being Loyal is important," Rainbow proudly exclaims. 

"But, you're avoiding the question. Were you Loyal to Spike?" Gallus smirks.

Rainbow sighs and grits her teeth to answer the question. "No. I haven't. But, I'm trying to teach you to always be Loyal to your friends and don't make the same mistakes as I have." 

"Thank you for answering my question," Gallus said with a smile. 

"Punk." Rainbow thought to herself. "Another thing you should know, being Loyal takes pride to go with the good and bad. Always be there for your friends through all things."

"Where were you when Spike needed a Loyal friend?" Gallus shrewdly asks. 

"Hey! I didn't become an instructor to answer questions about what I did wrong with Spike! I'm here to teach you not to make the same foolish decisions I made when being Loyal to one kind and not all!" Rainbow huffs. 

"Okay, okay. Take a chill pill," Gallus said. 

"One more crack like that, and I'll give you something else," Rainbow barks. 

"I'll speak on behalf of my friend as he's sorry for his rude behavior," Neighsay said. 

"You get one chance to behave in my class," Rainbow extends her hoof at Gallus. "Otherwise, I'll give you detention." 

"Wow, talk about Déjà vu from Starlight's class," Smolder said. 

"Yea, it's like the first day but reversed after hearing what the others say about Discord's and Spike's classes," Sandbar said. 

"Please, proceed with your lecture," Neighsay said. 

"Gladly," Rainbow takes a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Being Loyal is like rooting for a team you like. You in the high ends and low ends. Not everyone likes being around certain creatures, but those who do are considered loyal."

"Does being Loyal also means being friends with those who hate or don't like other creatures, or do you drop that friend?" Ocellus asks. 

"Well, that depends on the hate or dislike," Rainbow answers. 

"Then that's not being loyal," Gallus said. 

"Excuse me?" Rainbow is getting irritated by Gallus. 

"I concur with Gallus' statement. Yona heard that blue pegasus said that being Loyal must take in the good and bad. If you only their for good but neglect the bad, that's not loyal. That's following a crowd." 

"Well, when you put it that way..," Rainbow is losing track. "I supposed that technically true. However, if a friend were to go astray, would any of you still be Loyal to that creature? I wouldn't." 

"Yes," Neighsay answers. "I would help that friend of mine see the light and help him/her recover from the troubling issue. I would be there to help see a better tomorrow. You say that you wouldn't? What's wrong with you, Element of Loyalty?"

"Uh, nothing is wrong but seeing a friend do heinous crimes, terrorizing my friends and Equestria and don't change. That isn't a friend. That's a fiend." 

"Says the pony that dunked ice water on a baby dragon," Smolder said. "From what Ember has told us in the Dragon Lands, what you and your friends did would consider being heinous crimes." 

"I'm trying to change my ways. My friends are with me. Now, I have a rule. Any questions are allowed as long as it doesn't involve Spike, starting now!" Rainbow decrees. 

Smolder sighs and rolls her eyes. "Whatever." 

"Dash, let me take this one and teach about Honesty," The seats rotate to her. "As ya know, I'm Applejack. I'm the Element of Honesty. Now being Honest with friends can be helpful and sometimes hurtful. During the hurtful situations, it's to understand the deeper concept of the situation at hoof. For instance, Rainbow Dash is a prankster and hotheaded at times. However, she's proven to be a good friend." 

"To ponies, that is," Smolder said. 

"Give her time, and she can be the bestest friends with any creature, Smolder."

"Yeah, okay," Smolder doesn't believe that claim. 

"To be honest, I know she will become great friends with another creature. The same goes for the rest of us," The girls nod in agreement. "Also, being honest with each other helps strengthen our relationship as friends."

Cozy Glow is jotting the tensions between the students and teachers and wonders how Friendship can help in this situation. Cozy raises her hoof. 

"Yes, Cozy Glow," Applejack sighs in relief. 

"I see that the tensions are rising. With the power of Friendship, how can you and your friends overcome the situation?" 

"Well, we just need to talk things through. Also, my friends and I can admit that we did wrong and want to do better. I had my fair share of wrongful doings towards a friend. Well, he's no longer our friend, and we deserve it but, there is a thing in life called second chances. You honestly believe that we should have a second chance or continue to be demoralized of past actions?" Applejack speaks to everyone. 

"Well, uh," Gallus rethinks his remarks a bit. 

Smolder didn't see that question coming and rethinks based on what Ember has told her. 

Neighsay looks at the ponies and answers. "I believe you need a second chance to redeem yourselves to become better. To atone from your decisions." 

"Well put, Neighsay. Tell us, how did you come up with an exquisite answer," Twilight said. 

"That's what I'm doing now, actually." 

"Say what now?" Applejack, Rainbow, and Twilight said in unison. 

"How?" Pinkie asks. 

"Before becoming friends with Gallus, Smolder, Yona, Silverstream, Ocellus, and Sandbar, I was a hypocritical racist." 

The Mane Six jaws drop hearing that. They couldn't believe that their student used to be a racist. 

"You? A racist?" Rainbow points at Neighsay. 

"Yes. I admit that. I had a problem with other creatures before I met my friends. They opened my eyes to see new things ever since I came here. The one regret I have is taking hold of the hatred of my forefathers from generation to generation. Always hating a kind out of spite. I recall you six performing play about hatred and why it shouldn't exist." 

"That is correct. Uniting Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns to create Equestria," Twilight said. 

"Then, do you know where the hatred went once we were united?" Neighsay asks. 

"No?" Twilight shakes her head. 

"To them," Neighsay points to Ocellus, Smolder, and Gallus. "No offense to you three, but I need to make my case." 

"None-taken, Neighsay," Smolder, Ocellus, and Gallus said. 

"What?! You're not offended for what he said and doing?" Rainbow asks. 

"To be loyal with a friend, you gotta go through the good and bad and everything in between. Some things can be hurtful; being honest is one of them," Smolder said. 

"We trust our friend, Neighsay. What he speaks is the truth," Ocellus transforms into the old changeling form. "Would you be friends with this?" 

The girls flinch a bit and remember what those changelings have done to Canterlot. They weren't expecting to see that from Ocellus. Ocellus sighs and reverts to normal. 

"And sometimes, the truth hurts. Rarity, remember how you denied me a dress because of the other changelings messing with you by being their old selves?" 

"Yes, I remember. I did say I was sorry, though." 

"You did. However, if I came to school like the old form changeling, would you be my friend?" 

"Well, I.., uh..," Rarity stutters her wording and sighs. "If it weren't for the change, I would have problems. I'm sorry," Rarity looks down and feels ashamed of herself. 

"I forgive you. As friendships continue to grow, it takes time. The same can be said for ponies and changelings when most ponies still fear us." 

"I am sorry for how I reacted, Ocellus," Rarity sincerely apologizes. 

"I forgive you." 

"Neighsay has a point. Before the Bar of Alliance formed, every creature was against each other and hated each other. It's not only you but for us as well. What the Bar of Alliance has accomplished is creating peace and unity between nations. As for Friendship, we're still in the process of building it and with every pony. I'm sorry for being a hardhead on you, Rainbow. Hearing what you and your pals did to Professor Spike still makes me angry. I'll try to ask better questions from your class," Gallus said. 

"Same with me. I'll admit that I wanted to scold you six for what you put Spike through but, it's not fair, and no one should ever be ridiculed due to past actions," Smolder said. 

"As Professor Discord says, no creature should ever feel disgrace due to the history of their race," Neighsay quotes. "Every creature is different and unique."

The Young Six nods in agreement. They go up to their instructors and apologize for demoralizing them about what they have done to Spike. They vow to help every creature to stop scolding Twilight and her friends for what they have done. It's time to eliminate the hate and start healing. The bell rings. Neighsay and his friends leave and start chatting with every other creature to stop bringing hate onto Twilight and her friends. 

"Golly, Twilight. For your first day of class, the seven are being loyal to each other, honest with each other, and showing the true means of Friendship by healing the open old wounds," Cozy said. 

"Yea. Also, if Spike sees how everyone is giving us a second chance to becomes friends with every creature, he would turn around and allow us to be his friends again," Said Rainbow. 

"So, Twilight. Can you teach me more about the Elements of Harmony and how powerful they can be?" Cozy Glow glees. 

"Sure, and I'll go even more in-depth with the magic powers of the Elements. After school is over." 

It's now 11:25 in the morning. Twilight and her friends wait eagerly for more students to arrive in their class. They waited a bit longer, but no one shows up. Twilight and her friends are puzzled by the situation. 

"Uh, where is everyone else? Why aren't they coming?" Rainbow asks.

"Must be Discord's class or Spike's class. They are the more popular instructors of the School of Friendship," Pinkie said. 

"Perhaps, you can teach me more about the Elements of Harmony now, Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Cozy asks. 

"Sure, might as well. Also, why aren't you going to the other classes?" Twilight asks. 

"I'm more interested in the Elements of Harmony. The other classes are not that important to me. Plus, learning from the Princess of Friendship will provide me with the most crucial teachings of my life. The Princess of Friendship with the aide of her friends to conquer all forms of evil. That's powerful. Imagine the magic of Friendship in each of us and so much magic power to stop maybe, just maybe, the most powerful villain in Equestria." 

"The kid got spunk. I give Cozy credit for wanting to know more about us and our Friendship," Rainbow said. 

"So, just to be clear, you want to stay and learn more about the Elements of Harmony, the power behind Friendship, and the history of Friendship for the remainder of the school year?" Twilight asks to be sure. 

"Mmhmm!" Cozy nods.  "I propose that if no creature comes to your class, you continue to teach me what's vital with the Elements of Harmony, the power of Friendship, and the history of Friendship. Along with certain artifacts and relics that can be useful for my understanding."

"Wow, you have that thought through," Twilight is impressed with Cozy. 

"Of course. Other qualities are important, but without the Magic of Friendship, I believe everything will fall." 

"Well put," Twilight said. "Let's begin your next lesson. How the Magic of Friendship defeated Lord Tirek."
> Dancing Under the Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's now 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up and takes his medicine. Two more days until he can use magic. Lucy is awake and getting ready. 

"Morning, Spike. How are you feeling?" Lucy smiles.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking. Two more days and, I can use magic again." Spike slightly smiles.

"I'm glad that Porlyusica was able to give you medicine to fight off Hades' side effect." 

"No kidding. It sucks that I can't be useful on jobs for the next while. I wonder what we will do today." 

"Well, you can still be helpful, Spike. Never doubt yourself due to the circumstance you're in." 

"Thanks for the advice, Lucy. So, what you thought about Fairy Rage Dragon?" Spike asks, wanting to see Lucy's reaction. 

"He's cool. When you told the guild about Fairy Rage Dragon, we couldn't believe that Master Hades gave you a powerup unintentionally. I know that Fairy Rage will be a big help for us in the future. What has most of us worried is the warning he told you." 

"It still bothers me, and he is unable to say any more information about it." 

"Well, all we can do is wait until the time comes to strike and prevent the powerful guild from taking something away from you," Lucy tosses a banana to Spike. "Ready to go on a job?" 

Spike eats the banana. "You know it. Also, I can't wait to see Wendy again." 

"Of course you can't," Lucy chuckles. She and Spike leaves the apartment. 

Spike and Lucy walk to the guildhall and see how people turn away for some reason, calling the Fairy Tail Guild a bunch of weaklings while trying not to offend Spike in fear that he'll eat them for breakfast. Spike doesn't care much about the insults as much as it would have. He's grown past the insult names unless it's to make an enemy of Fairy Tail. 

"You think someday people will respect the Fairy Tail Guild name again, Spike?" 

"They will. We're back home, and eventually, they'll notice that we're stronger than ever," Spike answers. 

Lucy and Spike enter the guildhall after a long walk and sees Natsu and Happy looking at the job board. Happy picks out a job that requires capturing Velveno for 4,000,000 Jewels. Lucy walks behind them. 

"Oh, right. Now we're talking. I'm broke, and a huge cash injection is just what the doctor ordered," Lucy smiles. 

"Hey, Lucy," Said Natsu. 

"Hey, Spike. Can you use your magic yet?" Happy asks. 

"In two days, I will. I don't want to go through the side effects. So, what kind of job is it?" Spike asks. 

"This guy named Velveno. The bounty is with 4,000,000 Jewels. He's more valuable now than he was seven years ago?" Happy said. 

"Please explain. I'm missing the mark a bit." 

"Seven years ago, we were supposed to take this job, and it would have been your very first one but, you and Lucy took off, and we had to drop the job," Happy explains. 

"Oooh, I remember now. Lucy and I took out the Naked Mummies Guild. Though, to be fair. They were monkeys. I expected to see actual mummies."

"Hmm, I wonder who the client is?" Lucy takes a look at the flier.

"Uh, some guy called Count Balsa Mico. Sounds like a sour name," Natsu said. 

"Count Basla Mico? Rumor has it that Velveno is going to make a huge appearance at the ball that the Balsa Mico is throwing this year," Macao says after overhearing the job request. 

"What the heck are you talking about?" Natsu asks Macao. 

"They throw a big fancy party every seven years. It's very exclusive. You gotta be a wizard to get through the door," Wakaba explains. "The next one is happening this Saturday." 

"Alright, let's crash this rich guy's party this weekend and walk out four million Jewel richer," Happy said. 

"Alright, I'm all fired up!" Natsu said, about to take off when Lucy stops them. 

"If we're going to this high-class ball, we gotta work on our dance routine." 

"Our dancing?" Natsu is in shock. Happy gasps. 

"Yea, let me show you," Lucy takes Natsu and Happy outside. 

Spike imagines dancing with Wendy. He decides to see how ballroom dancing is done since it's different than with ponies. Wendy, Romeo, and several other guildmates come outside to watch Lucy's instructions. Spike sits by a makeshift bleacher and watches Lucy dance with Natsu. Natsu accidentally steps on Lucy's foot. Gray comes by thinking it's a game. Gray takes his shirt off, and Lucy kicks Gray away, telling him he's disqualified. Erza comes out telling Natsu and Lucy that she's the Dancing Demon.

"You were?" Natsu is scared of what Erza can do to him in ballroom dancing. 

"Requip!" Erza changes into her light blue ballroom practice dress and takes Natsu for a spin. Natsu spins at immense speeds in different ballroom dancing positions that he feels like throwing up. 

"Poor Natsu," Spike said. 

"Definitely, Erza was telling the truth about the Dancing Demon nickname," Happy said. 

"I can teach Natsu. He'll be a pro in no time," Lisanna said. 

"If you don't mind, I like to take a break now," Natsu said, too exhausted from the spinning. 

Lisanna takes a spin with Natsu. This time, Natsu is going at faster speeds with the different ballroom dance positions. Elfman mocks Natsu and tells him to be a man. Erza decides to dance with Elfman, which causes him to suffer the same fate as Natsu. 

Wendy walks up to Spike after seeing how much fun ballroom dancing is. "Hey, Spike. Want to dance with me?" Wendy smiles at Spike. 

Spike blushes and nods. He takes Wendy's hand and starts ballroom dancing with her. Spike imagines wearing a suit for the occasion while Wendy is enjoying herself dancing with Spike. Happy and Carla start ballroom dancing. Moments later, everyone starts to ballroom dance. Capricorn uses his power to dance with Lucy. After an hour of ballroom dancing with each other, Natsu claims that it's time to get moving. 

"Unfortunately, I'm going to sit this one out," Spike said. 

"Whaaaaaaaaat?!" Everyone is surprised to hear Spike backing out. Wendy is upset to hear that and was looking forward to showing off her new dress for Spike. 

"How come?" Erza asks. 

"Porlyusica's advice on not taking any jobs until I finish taking my medicine. Also, if Velveno fights, I'm in no condition to fight. If he sees me unable to defend myself, he can take me and use that as his advantage."

"But what if-" Spike cuts off Natsu's speech. 

"My mind is made up. I refuse to be a burden on this job. There'll be more jobs when I finish taking my medicine. I'll see you later, guys," Spike walks back to the apartment.

"Let's go," Erza said. She leads everyone to where the ball will be at. 

It's 8:00 at night in Magnolia. Spike is under Cherry Blossom Tree, looking at the stars in the night sky. Spike wonders if he do the right thing earlier today. 

"Of course I did. I had to. It sucks that I won't be dancing with Wendy tomorrow night. I wonder if she's upset with me or not?" Spike talks to himself. He knows that his friends are at the ball by now, preparing for tomorrow night's ambush on Velveno. 

"Someone approaches." Fairy Rage warns Spike. 

Spike gets up and hears footsteps coming closer. The Cherry Blossom petals turn into a rainbow, igniting the area, revealing Wendy coming up to Spike. She's wearing a pink dress, pink shoes, white gloves, white bows on pigtail hair. Spike is in shock at what he's seeing. Wendy smiles, looking at Spike. 

"Hi, Spike. Lovely night we're having?" 

"Y-Y-Yes..." "Wow." Spike is in awe as he sees his beautiful, marvelous girlfriend. 

Wendy giggles a bit. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I could kiss you and dance with you now," Spike's imagination getting the better of him. He covers his mouth with his claws. 

"It's okay, Spike. I would love to dance with you. Also, I want to be with you tomorrow since the others are getting that Velveno person." 

"I'm not dressed..," Spike wants to present himself better for Wendy. 

"Since when you're ever dressed?" Wendy chuckles which causes Spike to blush more. "You're fine just the way you are." 

Spike gets on one knee in front of Wendy. "Shall we dance, milady?" Spike extends his claw to Wendy.

Wendy blushes a little, seeing this side of Spike. Yet, another one of her fantasies coming true. Spike smiles, seeing Wendy blush. Wendy takes his claw. 

"Yes, my handsome dragon." 

Spike and Wendy look at each other in the eyes. Without saying anything, they ballroom dance together. Magic is in the air as the rainbow petals from the Cherry Blossom Tree swirls around the two as they are ballroom dancing. Spike and Wendy saw but didn't say a word, just kept dancing during the beauty of the night. They move in circles in perfection, twirling in style and enjoying each other's company. They continue to dance like this for a few more minutes. The one thing that is missing is music but, they didn't care. After a minute of dancing, the two kiss each other lovingly for a long moment. 

"That was beautiful," Wendy smiles at Spike. 

"So are you, beautiful," Spike smiles at Wendy. 

Spike and Wendy sit down by the Cherry Blossom Tree. They couldn't believe they danced while the rainbow petals swirled around them and did not interfere. The two hold hands and enjoy looking at the stars. 

"Hey, want to come over and sleepover since I have the apartment to myself?" 

"Sure, Spike. I want to pack a few things so I can stay over with you. Mind coming with me to the dorm."

"Sure, Wendy."

Spike follows Wendy to the girl's dorm and waits outside. Wendy changes her clothes and packs a few things. Carla hears the commotion and walks up to Wendy. 

"Wendy, what are you doing?" 

"Packing to sleepover at Spike's apartment. I'm going to be with him tonight and tomorrow."

Carla sighs. "Is that wise child?"

"Carla, I'm not going to change my mind on this. Also, when will I have another opportunity like this? His former friends could be on their way and try to take him back at any moment. What if they do, and we miss the chance to fight back?" 

Carla nods. She understands the fear of those terrible creatures trying to find a way to get what they want, regardless of the consequences like any other dark guild. She looks at Wendy in her eyes and sees the determination in them to be with Spike and make every moment count. 

"Very well, Wendy. Have fun with Spike. I'll swing by tomorrow to hang out." 

"Thanks for understanding, Carla. Have a good night." 

"You too," Carla smiles. Wendy hugs Carla and leaves the room. 

Spike is outside looking at the moon. He thinks about Princess Luna a bit and wonders how every pony is doing during the past seven years. He doesn't care about Twilight nor her friends, and if they happen to show up, he'll be glad to burn them to a crisp with his newfound magic power. 

Spike takes a deep breath and sees Wendy wearing her celestial spirit clothing. "Ready?" 

"You know it," Wendy holds Spike's claw. 

The two walk back to the apartment together. Spike and Wendy chat more about the dance and the possibilities that their friends blew up the ball trying to capture Velveno or Erza making the other ballroom dancers sick with her style of dancing tomorrow night. 

It's now 9:00 at night in Magnolia. Spike and Wendy enter the apartment after saying hi to the Landlady. Wendy puts her backpack on Lucy's bed and sits on Spike's bed. Spike takes out some board games the two can play. He takes his medicine. Only one day to go. They played and laughed for the next two hours in the apartment. The two yawn and decides to go to bed. Wendy gets into her pajamas and waits to hold Spike in bed. Spike gets in bed, and the two fall asleep happily.
> School of Friendship Week Six:  Progress Report
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:15 on a Thursday morning in the School of Friendship. Starlight is in her office deciding whether to pull Twilight's class or not. Discord arrives in the office while carrying two mugs of hot chocolate milk with whip cream, a wafer, and a marshmallow on top. He sees Starlight Glimmer a bit different than usual. 

"Something troubling you, Headmare Glimmer?" Discord (clone) asks. He gives Starlight the mug of hot chocolate.

"Well, it's been two weeks since I greenlit Twilight's class. So far, not many students are interested. The ones that signed up rarely go. Only one student remains faithful. Yona, Silverstream, Sandbar, Neighsay, Gallus, Ocellus, and Smolder have gone to Twilight's class three times and stopped," Starlight drinks her hot chocolate. 

"The Unity Seven is what I call them as of late," Discord (clone) said. 

"Well, the Unity Seven has been more focused on going to the other classes. Plus, they helped eliminate the hate towards Twilight and her friends. I'm grateful for doing that. However, my concern is with Twilight's class. Should I withdraw the class?" Starlight asks Discord. She needs a second opinion. 

"Well, the way I see it, I think it should be a private study than a class. Only those who want to participate should go."

"Private study. Why didn't I think of that?" Starlight said. 

"It's fine and, no worries. Shall I bring Twilight here?" Discord (clone) offers. 

"Yes," Starlight nods. 

Discord (clone) claps his paw and claw. Twilight Sparkle falls from the ceiling, landing on a chair in front of Starlight. "There you have it, Headmare Glimmer." 

"Thanks," Starlight says. 

"A little warning next time, Discord. I was in the process of creating a chart explaining how crucial being united is with the Elements of Harmony," Twilight said, rubbing her back with her hoof after the rough landing. 

"My apologies for the intrusion, Twilight. I need to discuss with you." 

"About what, Headmare Glimmer?" Twilight formally says. 

"It's about your class." 

"What about my class?" Twilight is confused. 

"The signatures you and Cozy got from the students are rarely showing up in your class, especially on Saturday. I had high hopes, but one student remains faithful to your class while everyone else has moved on from it or ignored it." 

Twilight sighs heavily. She knows what's coming next. "So, you're going to disband my class?" 

"No. Instead of teaching a class, it's going to be a private study on the students that want to learn. I know you had over a hundred signatures, but those students haven't shown up repeatedly. I need to take accountability for what goes on in the school." 

"I understand," Twilight nods. "Thank you for allowing me to have a private study to teach instead of a class. I'll make the best of it count." 

"I know you will. You already have a faithful student. More will come in the future. I have faith in you and your curriculum. I wish you luck, Twilight Sparkle."

"Thank you, Headmare Glimmer," Twilight smiles and leaves the office. When she closes the door, she sighs sadly. "How did Cozy helped getting those signatures and not even half shows up to class?" Twilight thought to herself. She trots to her classroom. 

"Well, that went well," Discord (clone) said. 

"I expected resistance from Twilight and her defending the cause of her class. She'd impressed me when she took the news calmly," Starlight said. 

"She's changed for the better. Who knows, maybe Spike will see how far Twilight has changed and gives her a second chance." 

"That'll be the best outcome for Twilight. I don't think he'll come back to live in Twilight's castle but, family restrictions will uplift." 

"Definitely, Starlight. Let's call Spike in," Discord (clone) claps, and Spike falls from the ceiling, landing on the chair. 

"Ow, Discord. That hurt," Spike (Discord) rubs his back. 

"My apologies, my friend. There is something urgent we would like to speak with you." 

"What is it about?" Spike (Discord) turns to Starlight. 

"How do you feel about Twilight Sparkle and her friends?" Starlight asks. 

"Fine, actually. I see the change in Twilight's face. The same is mutual for the others. Twilight is showing me remnants of herself before she forgot about me. She's focused on achieving her goals while trying to earn my forgiveness. Celestia told me a few months back that forgiveness is a long road. I see the energy and synergy within Twilight."

"When do you think you'll forgive them?" Starlight asks. 

"I don't know when. I will say it's soon. During my classes, they accepted the facts on what they did wrong and are trying to atone for those sins against me." 

Starlight smiles. "Well, you've been an excellent teacher for the school. Your classes are helping students say and do what's pleasing and not doing what isn't pleasant." 

"Thank you, Headmare Glimmer," Spike (Discord) happily says. 

"You're welcome. You earned the recognition based on your hard work. Now prepare for your next class, Professor Spike." 

Spike (Discord) leaves the room. He feels light-headed due to his magic draining slowly from not using more of his chaos magic. 

"Call in the Unity Seven, Discord," Starlight says. 

"Right away," Discord (clone) claps, and the Unity Seven falls from the ceiling, landing on the chairs in front of Starlight Glimmer. They felt a little pain from the ceiling drop. 

"Professor Discord, not cool," Neighsay said while his friends rub their backs from the landing. 

"My apologies but, Headmare Glimmer wishes to speak with you." 

"What is it, Headmare Glimmer?" Sandbar asks, speaking for every creature. 

"How are you enjoying the classes here in the school?" 

"Yak loves most of the classes in School of Friendship."

"It's pretty cool. Especially, Rockhoof's class about finding inner strength," Gallus said. 

"I enjoy Professor Spike's class. He's teaching Neighsay and I how to interact with other creatures better and how not to upset them," Sandbar said. 

"I concur. Professor Spike has been an excellent instructor. His roleplaying techniques are fascinating with his experiences," Neighsay said. 

"I enjoy watching you and Trixie enact different scenarios on achieving greater things compared to solitary work," Smolder said. 

"The classes here are entertaining! I love being with my friends as we learn more and more about friendship!" Silverstream cheers. 

"I'm more open with my friends here than at the hive. The classes here make me more welcomed. Maud and Sunburst's classes are reminding me to listen and never to take advantage of my friends. Never forget about them as well," Ocellus said. 

"I'm glad to hear. So, any thoughts on Twilight's class?" Starlight asks. 

"Uh, at first, Smolder and; I had a personal vendetta to scold Twilight and her friends for the mistreatment of Professor Spike. We were planning to use the Element Ranks and put that to the test against them. To see if they are honest about themselves and loyal to Spike when he needed them the most," Gallus said, looking down a bit.

"However, we learn that we shouldn't be doing that to them. Professor Discord's motto got the better of us, and we started to become no different than they were. No creature should ever feel disgrace due to the history of their race," Smolder said. 

"After that, we apologized. Then we start spreading the word about forgiveness," Neighsay said. "As you saw, most of the students started to forgive Twilight and her friends."

"Yea, I saw that, and I was in awe to see my students forgiving the ones that caused Professor Spike trauma throughout the years. So, tell me. Why haven't you been going to Twilight's class more often?" 

"Well, Headmare Glimmer, Twilight's lectures with her friends were boring us," Gallus said. "No disrespect but, some of us have fallen asleep and weren't interested in learning about the Elements of Harmony. As important as they are, it's a weapon for Pony Kind. What the other classes teach is for all kinds of creatures to be in unison. That's why Professor Discord gave us the nickname Unity Seven." Every creature nods with that statement.

Starlight takes a deep breath. "Has any of you seen the students that partake in Twilight's class?" 

"No, Headmare Glimmer," Silverstream said. "Just that one pegasus filly called Cozy Glow. She is the most eager student to only focus on the Elements of Harmony. We rarely see her in any other class." 

"Is that true, Discord?" Starlight turns to Discord. 

"Indeed. I haven't seen Cozy Glow in my classes in a while. I want to say that's the same for any other classes." 

"Hmm," Starlight thinks a bit. "Alright, Unity Seven. I'll see you later. Have a fun day with your classes." 

The Unity Seven leaves the office. After they left, Discord (clone) claps and, Cozy Glow falls from the ceiling, landing on a chair hard. 

"Ow, golly, that hurts," Cozy rubs her back. 

"Sorry, Cozy. Headmare Glimmer wants to speak with you." 

"Oh," Cozy coughs a little. "Good morning, Headmare Glimmer. How are you doing today?" 

"Good, Cozy. I notice that you haven't attended any other classes except for Twilight's as of late. Care to explain?" 

"Well, to be fair. I'm more interested in learning about the Elements of Harmony, the history of its Friendships, and the relics that symbolize Friendships as well. When I heard about the school, I was so excited to learn from the Princess of Friendship herself. When I came, I was so disappointed. I didn't want to show that impression when I met you. I know the other classes are important but, it's not my calling to learn. I need to learn about the magic of friendship that defeats all evil in the world. The only way for me to learn is through Princess Twilight's teachings. I'm sorry," Cozy looks down. 

"So, that's why you stayed with Twilight and her friends," Starlight understands Cozy's motives clearly. 

"Yes. Please, don't take Twilight's class away. I still need to learn. It's my calling to know more and understand the power deep inside." 

"Well, Twilight will now have a private study. You can continue to learn from her. I'll determine your grade based on Twilight's private study since you devoted your time in her class." 

Cozy Glow joyfully smiles graciously. "Thank you!" 

"You're welcome. Have fun learning from Twilight."

"I will!" Cozy leaves Starlight's office and runs to Twilight's classroom. 

"You've done the right thing. I can't imagine bringing sadness to that young filly," Discord (clone) said. 

"Yea. She has good intentions for devoting her time to Twilight's teachings. Who am I to strip that away from her after telling me her story," Starlight said. 

"Agreed," Discord (clone) nods. 

"For all we know, she'll be vital for something important down the road."
> Invisible Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 10:30 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike wakes up and sees Lucy coming back home from a hectic job yesterday. Yesterday, Lucy, Natsu, Wendy, Happy, and Carla took on a job. The day before, Lucy told Spike what happened with Velveno, turns out it was a fairy tale romance between Velveno and Balsa Mico's daughter. 

"So, how was work, Lucy?" Spike asks. 

"Horrible. Some gang called the butt jiggle gang ruined our payday. They are a fart gang, and it's so disgusting. Also, Wendy somehow became their goddess," Lucy groans. 

"That's weird. If I ever see that gang around my Wendy, I'll roast them and feed them to the sharks. No one gets to kiss my Wendy," Spike snorts. 

"So, how are you feeling?" Lucy asks. 

"Better. I can use magic again. I'm going to the guildhall and meet up with our friends." 

"Have fun, Spike. I'll see you later," Lucy smiles. 

Spike leaves the apartment and flies to the guildhall. Lucy overhears Happy reading her fiction about an invisible villain. Lucy becomes irate and takes the novel away from Happy and Natsu. Natsu and Happy offer a job to Lucy, but she declines, telling the two they can go on without her. Natsu states that she, Happy, and he are a team, then begs for food. Lucy kicks Happy and Natsu out of her apartment out of frustration. 

"Those jerks. Mooching me for food..," Lucy sees a potion she made seven years ago. "Hey, that's right," She picks it up. "I made this potion right before I went to Tenrou Island with Cana and the others. It's supposed to make my skin super clear. I'll definitely use this while taking a hot bath." 

Spike lands in front of the guildhall. He, Gray, and Erza are about to go inside. 

"Hey, Spike. How are you feeling?" Gray asks. 

Spike laughs. "Better, you stripper," Spike sees Gray stripped down to his underwear. 

"Dammit, not again!" Gray shouts. 

"Are you able to use magic?" Erza asks. 

"Yea. I no longer need to take medication. I can use magic again," Spike smiles. 

"It's true. I no longer have Hades' magic flowing through me. The medication uplifted the remains of him out of our system."

"Glad to hear it, Fairy Rage. I have to say, Spike. He's going to be a valued  ally for our guild." 

"He will be, Sis. Also, he'll come out when he has to or when I say Spike Rage instead of want. I'm in full control of myself. Rage wanted to let you know that Hades' magic is no longer inside of me." 

"Good to know, Spike," Erza walks inside the guildhall with Gray and Spike. 

"Hey, Spike," Wendy waves. 

"Hey, Wendy," Spike walks up to Wendy and sits with her. 

"I have to say, you two have grown closer together," Wakaba said, smoking his cigar.

"We sure have ever since we confessed our love to each other," Wendy said. 

"Lucky dragon. I wanted to ask Wendy." Romeo thought to himself. 

"Congrats. Never thought of you two becoming a couple so soon," Macao said. 

"Thanks," Spike said. He flies and sits at the bar. "Hey, Mirajane." 

"Hi, Spike. You hungry?" She smiles at Spike. 

"Yes, I am. What's on today's menu?" 

"Freshly made bread, chicken soup, and steak," Mirajane replies. 

"Sounds good to me. I'll take it," Spike answers. 

"Coming up," Mirajane starts cooking for Spike. 

Natsu and Happy come inside the guildhall. They are starving. The two sit by the bar. 

"Man, I can't believe Lucy kicked us out!" Natsu complains. 

"What happened?" Spike turns to Natsu. 

"We came by, read her invisible novel, asked for food, and she kicked us out! Literally kicked us out!" Natsu said. 

"Yea, and she sounded ungrateful when we proposed a job to go on," Happy said. 

"Serves you right," Carla said. "I heard you two clowns use Spike's and Lucy's apartment as a cheap hotel." 

"Well, they are family to me. I guess they had bad timing with Lucy and going through her stuff without her consent. I do understand her frustrations after hearing a job go haywire by a farting gang." 

Carla cringes when Spike mentions the gang that idolizes Wendy. Romeo sits next to Natsu by the bar. 

"So, does Lucy kick the two of you out all the time?" Romeo asks. 

"Not all the time. We were supposed to ask to stay since it's also Spike's apartment ever since we first showed him Lucy's place. Though when Lucy makes us leave, we leave by hopping out the window."

"You know, you can always come here when you're hungry," Kinana suggests. Kinana is a short girl with violet-colored hair and green eyes, with a round face. Her attire consists of a light green dress. 

"Wow. Are you sure you really want to make him that offer? She kicked him out cause he's a pig," Gray said. 

"Be nice, Gray. Lucy has her reasons," Spike said, defending Lucy. 

"Well, Lucy can try to be a little nicer to everybody once in a while. That's probably the reason why all the single guys in town call her the blonde beast," Happy said. 

Some of the Fairy Tail Wizards laugh at that remark. Spike doesn't find it funny. 

"You hit the nail on the head," Wakaba said, lifting his jug of beer. 

"Yea, she's about as likely to start dating as Droy is to go vegetarian," Max Alors jokes. 

"You can take the rich girl out of the mansion but not the other way around," Macao said. 

"I have no idea what that means but, it sounded manly, so I'll go along with it," Elfman said. 

"If you ask me, Lucy could stand to learn a thing or two about being a lady from Levy," Droy said. 

"Yea, she's cute and delicate like a flower," Jet said. 

"It's nice of you to say but, I don't know if delicate is in Lucy's vocabulary," Levy said. Everyone laughs a little except for Wendy and Spike.

"One more crack about Lucy and, I'll be cracking your skulls!" Spike said, raising his claw to the guys mocking Lucy. Spike's claw is ablaze with Sparkling Green Flames. 

"Chill, dude. We're only messing around," Wakaba said. 

"Yea, no need to get upset," Macao said. 

"She's my roommate and friend. You mess with her, you mess with me."

"Sorry, Spike. That foolish behavior won't happen again. I won't make fun of a friend like that," Erza said. 

Unbeknown to everyone, Lucy is in the guildhall but invisible. She's happy to know that Spike is standing up for her but, she feels compelled to mess around with everyone for mocking her. Lucy grabs a mug of beer and splashes it at Macao. 

"Hey," Macao grabs Wakaba. "You got a problem, wise guy?"

"What? You're the one with the problem!" Wakaba retorts. 

"Don't play dumb. Wasting booze is bad enough, but bathing me in it is suicide!" Macao gets angry. 

"I think you had one too many, old pal!" Wakaba is ready to throw down. 

"Fine, if it wasn't you, then who did it?!" Macao demands answers. 

"Beats me!" Wakaba responds. 

Lucy gets behind Jet and pulls his left ear hard. 

"Aaaaah! That's my ear! Not a potato chip!" Jet punches Droy in the face. 

Droy punches Jet in the face. "Eat my fist!"

"Sorry, not into eating fatty meat!" Jet retorts. He and Droy grab each other's collars. 

Gray takes off his shirt. "Been a while since we had a pointless brawl!" 

Some of the guys start fighting each other. Mirajane is confused about the situation. Spike says it's karma for cracking jokes about Lucy. Romeo says that his father spilled his drink and throws a temper tantrum. Freed is posing while Reedus is drawing. Due to Wakaba and Macao fighting each other, they ruin Reedus' portrait of Freed and throws a stool at them. Lucy blocks the stool attack with a chair, which winds up hitting Natsu while he's trying to eat. Natsu deflects the stool shot after getting hit and strikes Gray on the side of the head. Natsu and Gray start getting intensified and start beating each other up. 

"Well, good thing they're doing my job. I was one more joke away from beating the stuffing out of them," Said Spike. Mirajane gives him his food. "Thanks, Mirajane."

"Anytime," She smiles. 

"I wish they stop fighting," Wendy said. 

"Just let them have at it, Wendy. If they tear the guildhall apart, then they'll rebuild it," Erza said. 

"Here's your food, Erza," Kinana gives Erza her plate of food. 

"Thanks," Erza tries to eat. She gets hit with a barrel first. "They'll tire themselves in a few," Erza gets hit with a chair in which is irritating her. 

"You okay, Sis?" Spike asks. 

"I'm fine but-" A table hits Erza in the face. It agitates her so much she joins in the brawl. 

Lucy sees that her antics went overboard and tries to get out of the way. Gray shoves Natsu towards a wall, hitting Lucy in the process. Natsu hears and smells Lucy for some reason. He sniffs Lucy's scent and gets closer. 

"It is you," Natsu grabs her, but his hand placement was an accidental grab which causes Lucy to gasp. 

"Watch where you're touching, perv!" Lucy slaps Natsu hard in the face. 

Everyone stops fighting after hearing Lucy shouting at Natsu. Everyone looks around the guildhall to see where she is. 

"Lucy, where are you?" Spike asks. 

"I'm by the wall next to Natsu," Lucy responds. She grabs a chair and sits in the middle. Some of the others freak, thinking she's a ghost. Mirajane decides to give Lucy some of her old clothes so everyone can see her a bit better. 

"I bet Lucy heard you all cracking jokes about her," Spike said. 

Gray, Happy, and Natsu freaks out. More so with Happy and Natsu since they frequently go to her apartment. The two throw themselves in front of Lucy and bows down in forgives and mercy. The others kept their cool and hope that they don't get scolded by Lucy for their remarks earlier.

"Does anyone find this weird?" Max Alors asks. 

"Not really. I've seen stranger things happen," Spike answers. 

"To be honest, I'm too confused to know what I'm thinking," Gray said. 

Everyone stares at Lucy. "Hey, could you guys please not stare at me like that? It's embarrassing," Lucy asks. 

"Creepy!" The guys say in unison. 

"Thanks a lot!" Lucy retorts. 

"Grrrraaaah!" Spike jumps up and clobbers the guys on their heads with his Inferno Raging Fist. "What did I say about cracking jokes on Lucy?"

"We're sorry!" The guys say in unison while having bumps on their heads. 

"Huh, Spike wasn't fooling when he said he was one joke away of beating the stuffing out of them," Romeo said.

"Keeping his promise like a real man," Elfman chuckles while he throws the thumbs up but, he's one of the guys that has a bump on his head. 

"I have never seen a potion do this before," Mirajane said. 

"Do you know how to change back, Lucy?" Wendy asks. 

"Well, actually, I was hoping someone here could help me with that," Lucy responds. 

"If you ask me, you shouldn't worry about changing back. You should go on some jobs first. You're the perfect ninja assassin now," Natsu said. 

"I'm not a freaking hitman!" Lucy shouts. "There has to be some way to fix this!" 

"I'll fly to the East Forest and see if Porlyusica has any potions on fixing the invisibility," Spike said. 

"Alright, and we'll do our part in trying to help Lucy the best way we can," Erza said. 

Spike leaves and flies to the East Forest. While Spike flies over to the East Forest, Natsu suggests using his fire to wear off the potion. Lucy isn't sure but, it's the only option they have. Romeo decides to help Natsu with the flame idea. Lucy says that she's better off waiting for Spike to return. Natsu and Romeo hit Lucy with their flame attack, which does nothing for Lucy either than giving her pain. 

After a few moments, Reedus decides to color Lucy's body into a more stylish figure. Unfortunately, Reedus color Lucy's eyelids. When Lucy opens her eyes, it's shallow, and everyone freaks a little. Then Reedus decides to try other faces since Lucy's face is a canvas. Then all of a sudden, everyone takes turns drawing all sorts of faces. Some of the drawings are comedic. 

"Wait until I tell Spike that you guys have been drawing comedic faces on my face! I bet he'll unleash Fairy Rage on you!" Lucy angrily shouts. 

Some of the guys panic after hearing that statement. They don't want to be the first to experience Fairy Rage Dragon. Some even bow down to Lucy, begging for forgiveness like a Goddess. 

Meanwhile, Spike lands in front of Porlyusica's treehouse and knocks on the door. Porlyusica opens the door and sees Spike. 

"Hello, Spike. I'm guessing the medication didn't work?" 

"It worked. I can use magic."

"And I'm free from Hades' mind control."

"Who is that, Spike?" Porlyusica asks. 

"That's Fairy Rage. When I absorbed Hades' magic, Fairy Rage came to life. He's my emotion with a mind."

"I have no interest in taking Spike's life. I'm here to help him any way I can. Give him a boost and protect his mind from mind trickery, manipulations, and memory erase spells."

"Interesting. So, why are you here?" 

"I'm here to see if you have any potions or medicine that can help dissolve invisibility." 

"Hmm, who's invisible?" 

"Lucy, Porlyusica. She came to the guild invisible and wants to be normal again." 

"I'll see if I have anything on invisibility," Porlyusica enters her home. "You're welcome to come in, Spike." 

"Thanks," Spike enters the treehouse. 

Back at the guildhall, Wendy and Carla return with Lucy's Celestial Spirits and the potion she used. Wendy gives the potion to Freed and Levy to solve. Happy suggests Lucy use Gemini to transform into Lucy. After the transformation, Happy puts a blanket on Lucy as Gemini talks friendly to everyone. 

"Now, if she does this for the rest of her life, the problem is solved," Happy states. 

"This is perfect! Nice work, Happy!" Natsu says. 

"This doesn't solve anything call-for-brain!" Lucy retorts, removing the blanket in anger. 

"Man, you really do look just like her, calling it crazy," Gray said. 

"Mmhmm, I also copy her thoughts and abilities. Cool huh? And, I can maintain this form indefinitely," Gemini said. 

"If that's the case, couldn't we say this is the real Lucy? That works for me," Max Alors said. 

"It'll make all this a lot easier so, I'm down for it," Jet says. 

"Yea, and this Lucy is friendly and far more ladylike than the old one was," Droy said. 

"I'm still here! I'm telling Spike about this!" Lucy yells. 

"Ah! No, please! We're just joking! We're sorry!" Jet, Droy, and Max say in unison. 

"Sorry is not good enough! I'm tired of you making a joke out of me!" 

Jet, Droy, and Max are on their knees, praying to Lucy for forgiveness. She said she'll think about it. Back at the treehouse in the East Forest, Porlyusica is brewing a potion. 

"Alright, Spike. The potion I'm giving you will wear off any invisibility side effects. Lucy needs to take a bath twice in order to get the effects out," Porlyusica gives the potion to Spike. 

"Thank you, Porlyusica. This'll help big time," Spike said. 

"Now, hold on before you go. I'm coming with you. I have to give Makarov his medicine for the month." 

"Alright then. Should I fly you to the guildhall, or you want to walk?" 

"Hmm, flying on a dragon? If you fly at a steady pace, then yes." 

Spike steps out of the treehouse. "Spike wants." Spike increases his size into a quarter dragon. His wingspan extends as he increased in size. He goes on all fours for Porlyusica to get on. 

"I have to say, this is impressive, Spike."

"Thank you," Spike takes off and flies to the guildhall, taking his time getting there so, Porlyusica doesn't fall off. 

Half an hour later, Spike lands and reverts to size. Porlyusica thanks Spike for the joyous ride. They enter the guildhall to see Lucy visible and hear everyone else invisible. 

"What happened?" Spike and Porlyusica ask. They are stunned to see a turnaround. 

"Uh, we figured a way to reverse it but, the potion spread onto everyone else, turning them invisible," Lucy nervously chuckles. 

"Spike, use the potion in the Fairy Tail bathhouse and make sure everyone takes their bath twice to reverse the effects. I'm going to give Makarov his medicine now." 

"Will do," Spike replies. 

"And Spike, I have something to tell you," The guys see Lucy and know she's going to tell him about the jokes and mischievous behavior they were on Lucy. 

"What is it?" Spike asks. 

"They were super mean to me. Making jokes about me left and right, making me feel invisible, and they drew comedic faces on me!" 

"You monster!" The guys say in fear. 

"I'll take care of them later. For now, let's get everyone cured of the potion first." 

Some of the guys that were making fun of Lucy and joking around now regret doing so. Erza pulls them to the bathhouse to get cured. The guys try to cling to the ground, not wanting to get beaten up by Fairy Rage Dragon. 

"Please, have mercy! Fairy Demon Dragon!" The guys say in fear of getting pummeled by Spike. They now remember his remark earlier about cracking jokes on Lucy.
> School of Friendship Week Eight: Day One, Losing Magic
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been seven months since Discord disguised himself as Spike after granting his wish. While being disguised as Spike, Discord is getting weaker by the moment. It's slow but, Discord's chaotic nature within him is becoming erratic. He's unable to control it even when his clone is doing the work for him. Spike (Discord) is at the Crystal Empire sleeping, hoping that his dream can be as chaotic as it should be. Unfortunately, that is not the case. His dreams, as of late, are becoming shallow. Princess Luna decides to extend her period of the dream realm to speak with Discord. 

"Draqonecuus, where are you?" Luna looks around in Discord's dream. It's pitch black except for single candle lit in the center. 

"I'm here," Discord is sitting by the candle. He looks down as his chaos magic continues to deteriorate. 

"Are you okay, Discord?" Princess Luna gets closer. 

"No..," Discord sighs. "I can't keep this up for much longer. I'm starting to become less of myself in this state. If I continue, I can cease to exist." 

"Perhaps, you should reveal yourself now while you can. Twilight is a new pony and understandable with the lessons she learned from you, 'Spike' and the other instructors of the school." 

"I don't know. Twilight might freak out and go berzerk with the info of Spike being in another dimension." 

"Discord, eventually, she's going to find out. Don't you think you should be the one to do so on your accord and not wait for an unprecedented timing?" 

Discord sighs heavily. "You make a valid point. I miss being me. I miss being myself. I want to create something in my own image."

"So, when will you do it?"

"Next month when the students have a week off of school. That way, no one would be around if or when Twilight creates a scene." 

Princess Luna takes a deep breath. "Very well. Know that you have my support. As for Celestia, I made my mistake in telling her. She wants to bring Spike back."

"Understood," Discord watches Princess Luna leave the dream realm. Spike (Discord) wakes up to another day. "Monday morning," Spike (Discord) gets up and gets teleported to the school. He doesn't want to say hi to anypony and wants to conserve his focus and energy in the next set of classes. 

Spike (Discord) enters the school and collapses onto the floor. Twilight sees and rushes to him. 

"Spike! Are you okay?!" Twilight looks at Spike and feels super worried. 

"I'm fine. Just feeling different is all," Spike (Discord) said. 

Twilight helps Spike up and searches for Discord at Starlight's office. Twilight sees Discord looking a bit weak today while Starlight comforts him. 

"Twilight, what are you doing here?" Starlight asks. 

"I'm here to bring Spike to Discord so he can heal him. Look like Discord is under the weather too, huh," Twilight answers. 

"Headmare Glimmer, I need to.., ow!" Sunburst crashes into the door after he fails to open it with his magic. 

Starlight tries to use her magic to open the door but seems to fail on her. "What? Why isn't my magic working?" 

Twilight tries using hers, but it short-circuits. She starts to feel weary about her magic not working as it should. Sunburst opens the door and enters. 

"Starlight. We have a serious situation on our hooves. More than half of the unicorns in my class are losing their magic!"

"Trixie has become nervous, Headmare Glimmer. Trixie's magic is failing, and Trixie doesn't know what to do!" 

Cozy comes flying in. "Headmare Glimmer! I've seen unicorns going stir-crazy due to their magic no longer working all of a sudden. I've watched Rarity crying due to her magic failing on her. She tried using her hooves to straighten her mane after being out of place. She's panicking and crying in the room. What are we going to do?" 

"This isn't good. This isn't good at all!" Starlight said. 

"Wait, didn't something eerie similar to this happened not that long ago?" Trixie asks. 

"Yea. Twilight taught me about the creature that eats magic. Troq, Tire, Tyke..," Cozy loses her train of thought. 

"Tirek!" Twilight shouts. 

"Wait, isn't he still imprisoned in Tartarus?" Starlight asks. 

"I don't know, Starlight." 

Spike (Discord) starts coughing and manages to burp a letter from Celestia. Spike (Discord) reads the letter. 

"Twilight. You and your friends are needed at Canterlot for an emergency meeting." 

"But, I'm still-" Spike (Discord) interrupts Twilight's speech. 

"Your punishment is uplifted as you and your friends have shown promise throughout the weeks in the School of Friendship. All punishments related are disqualified except for coming close contact with Spike before school starts and after school ends," Spike (Discord) read from the letter. 

"Alright, I'll see you all later," Twilight hurries to locate her friends and get to Canterlot as fast as they can. 

"Should we suspend school for the next few days?" Trixie asks.

"No! Friendship classes need to continue to show that even in the darkest hour, we can achieve anything," Cozy said. 

"I'm in no condition to teach, Headmare Glimmer," Spike (Discord) says. 

"Me neither. I'm too weak to teach my classes," Discord (clone) weakly says.

"Alright, we'll continue with teaching our classes without magic," Starlight proclaims. "We'll teach our students that through friendship, nothing is impossible to overcome." 

"What should the CMC Counselors do, Headmare Glimmer?" Cozy asks. 

"They should fill in for Spike's and Discord's classes. They've seen first hoof on what goes on.

"I want to help and do my part. I know I haven't been attending any classes except for Twilight's tutoring but, I feel that I'm needed here for something important. Twilight taught me something about the power of relics and how to channel magic into them. There's a book about them somewhere in the library. If I can find it, it can help us all if Tirek were to escape Tartarus." 

"Good thinking, Cozy. Since Twilight trusts you wholeheartedly, I'll allow you to study in the library with Spike's supervision." 

Spike (Discord) nods. "Of course. I may not be able to teach a class, but helping one student shouldn't be a problem." 

"Perfect. Discord, take the rest of the day off," Starlight commands. 

"Of course, Headmare Glimmer," Discord (clone) leaves the school and goes home. The clone goes into Spike (Discord) to give him a bit more power and strength. 

"Let's start reading," Cozy flies while Spike (Discord) follows her to the library. 

Two hours later, Twilight Sparkle and her friends return to the school. Twilight and her friends see Starlight Glimmer trotting down the hallway. She sees Twilight. 

"Twilight, what's happening?" Starlight asks. 

"It's not just unicorns in the school that's losing magic. It's all of Equestria. Starswirl the Bearded sent a message to Celestia detailing the possible outcome. In three days' time, all magic of Equestria will lose magic forever. On the first day, which is today, unicorn magic and spells will fail. The second day, creatures will lose their magic abilities." 

"What?!" Starlight shrieks. 

"And, on the third day when the sun sets, magic artifacts and relics will stop working."

"So, how do we fix this?" Starlight asks. 

"We've been tasked to go to Tartarus and search for Tirek if he'd escaped or not. He may have answers to what's going on." 

"Alright, thanks for informing me, Twilight." 

"But," Twilight said. 

"But what, Twilight?" 

"We can sure use your help in this, Starlight." 

"Really?" Starlight is surprised to hear that from Twilight. 

The girls nod. "We need you, Starlight. You are vital for this mission." 

"Alright, I'll have Spike take control in my absence. Let me inform him of what's happening and pack my things."

"Sure thing. How is he?" Twilight asks. 

"Better than he was earlier. He and Cozy Glow are looking for relics that'll be useful before their magic expires." 

"Wow," Twilight is impressed. "Cozy has learned so much with my teachings. She's already one step ahead." 

"She's a good listener, Twilight," Rainbow said. 

"She always asks the right kind of questions to you," Said Applejack. 

"I'm glad I made the right decision. Having Cozy Glow focus on your lectures instead of the other classes is proving to be my best decision yet." 

"Yea!" Pinkie shouts. "She's always saying that it's her life's purpose to become empowered in friendship to help for the greater cause." 

Starlight trots to the library. Spike (Discord) and Cozy wrote about relics that can be useful for the time being. Starlight informs Cozy and Spike (Discord) that she'll be going with Twilight Sparkle to Tartarus. She explains the situation clearly to Spike (Discord) and Cozy on what's going on in Equestria. Spike (Discord) understands and takes responsibility as temporary Head-Dragon of the School of Friendship. 

"Starlight, before you go. You may need to take this relic with you," Cozy gives Starlight the Key of Unfettered Entrance. "Twilight taught me the powers of that relic. Capable of opening any seal once."

"Wow!" Starlight's eyes gleam open. "That is thoughtful and helpful. You really know your stuff, Cozy," Starlight smiles. 

"I'm impressed with her. She's able to find what's helpful and what isn't. Her having that relic in hoof was a surprise when she mentioned it to me a while ago," Spike (Discord) said. 

"Alright, I'm going with Twilight and her friends to Tartarus. Please inform the teachers what's happening in Equestria for me, Spike," Starlight trots out of the library. 

"Can do, Headmare Glimmer," Spike (Discord) said.  

As Cozy Glow watches Starlight Glimmer leave the library. She moves onto her second objective.
> Equestria's Depletion of Magic Day One: After School
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 3:00 in the afternoon. The teachers and counselors are on their way to the office. Students are going home and wondering why unicorns are unable to use magic. 

"Neighsay, you alright?" Yona asks.

"I'm not sure. My magic has never failed on me," Neighsay said, trying to conjure a simple spell. 

"Something is screwy," Sandbar said. 

"You think?" Gallus sarcastically says. 

The Unity Seven are outside of the school while the teachers are in Starlight's office trying to figure out who's temporary Headmare or Headstallion. 

"Who could it be?" Silverstream asks. 

"I have a notion on who it could be," Neighsay said. 

"Who, Neighsay?" Smolder asks. 

"Tirek. He has powers capable of absorbing magic. I lucked out when he didn't come after the EEA. However, I witnessed many ponies losing their magic, strength, and flight. It was terrifying." 

"Where is Tirek?" Ocellus asks, sounding nervous. 

"In Tartarus. That's where all evil intended creatures go if they don't reform or atone. There is a slight possibility that he escaped once more." 

"And if not?" Sandbar says. 

"There could be someone working with him or some creature with evil intent to make all of Equestria suffer," Neighsay says. 

"You think it's Queen Chrysalis?" Ocellus asks. 

"I'm not sure. Queen Chrysalis is powerful in her own right, but her taking magic from all of Equestria may be out of her element. Not even singularity spells could do such a thing. Maybe an old relic is in play, but even so, there isn't much left that has the power to take all magic away," Neighsay answers. 

"Also, why would you suggest Queen Chrysalis, Ocellus?" Yona asks.

"She has hatred on Equestria, especially Starlight Glimmer. With the hive changed for the better, she's the only Changeling that hasn't transformed. I believe she may have some intentions of ridding Equestria's magic, so there is no defense once she unleashes her wrath..," Ocellus looks down a bit. 

"That is possible. We should take that into consideration," Neighsay said. 

"Yak agrees," Yona nods. 

"So, what can and should we do?" Silverstream asks. 

"Let's check in with teachers. I'm sure Professor Spike knows what's going on better than the rest of them," Ocellus suggests. 

"Alright, let's go look for Professor Spike," Neighsay leads his friends inside the school to search for Spike. 

During this time, Sunburst, Trixie, Maud, and the CMC Counselors are in Starlight's office, wondering what to do next. 

"Should we suspend school until Twilight and the others solve this crisis?" Sweetie Belle suggests. 

"I vote yes for the matter," Sunburst raises his hoof. 

"I'm not sure. Starlight entrusted us to teach during situations like this," Trixie exclaims. 

"Perhaps we shorten the school hours until things go back to normal?" Maud calmly says. 

Cozy Glow walks through the door. "I have a suggestion." 

"Cozy, what are you doing here?" Apple Bloom asks. 

"Professor Spike is the Head-Dragon of the school and has decided to grant me some power to override what goes on." 

"Excuse us?" Everyone in the room said except for Cozy. 

"Why you and not one of us?" Sweetie Belle asks. 

"I'm the one that knows the severity of the situation. I'm the one that helped Twilight, Starlight, and their friends on their quest. Plus, I helped pull every creature together after classes were over while you all came here to discuss what is next. Spike entrusted me to help out after answering many questions since he's under the weather. Isn't trust also part of friendships? Do you not trust me with the vital information I have?" 

"Well, when you put it that way, uh..," Sunburst is trying to come up with an answer. 

"Trixie doesn't like this. A filly in charge of the school?" 

"Yet, you have three fillies as counselors of the school. You afraid that a filly can do much more than an older mare or stallion?" Cozy asks. 

"That's not it," Maud answers. "It's the responsibility that comes in taking over the school." 

"Plus, what happened to Spike?" Scootaloo asks. 

"He's not feeling well. I put him in a quiet place where he can rest," Cozy smiles. 

"How thoughtful," Apple Bloom says but, having suspicious thoughts about Cozy Glow's behavior. 

"Also, what other options do any of you have that you can agree on?" Cozy asks. Everyone sighs and turns to Cozy. "We have three days before all Equestrian magic depletes. On the first day, which is today, unicorn magic and spells will vanish. On the second day, creatures will lose their magic abilities. On the third day when the sun sets, magic artifacts and relics will stop working."

Everyone gasps in the room except for Maud, as she shows little emotion. They can't believe what's happening. 

"What should we do?" Sunburst asks. 

"Dismiss classes until further notice. Teachers and counselors should go home and rest until Equestria is back to normal. For students that want to continue their study or try to help one another, I'll be here doing my part until Head-Dragon Spike comes and take his rightful position until Starlight returns. Head-Dragon Spike asked me to sent you all home." 

"Alright, Trixie will respect Spike's wishes and rest," Trixie leaves the office. 

"With Applejack gone, Big Mac is going to need help at the farm. I better skedaddle," Apple Bloom leaves the office. 

"I better go back to the Crystal Empire. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor may need my help with Flurry Heart. With their magic depleted, trying to stop Flurry Heart from taking off would be harder," Sunburst leaves the office. 

"I'll come back to check on you and Spike from time to time," Maud said as she leaves the office. 

"I guess we should help Apple Bloom, right Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle turns to Scootaloo. 

"Yea," Scootaloo nods. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders stick together," Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle leaves the office. 

Cozy happily sighs. "Such good hearts and friends," Cozy flies and sits on Starlight's chair. "I'll be making more and more as time goes by. Thank you, Spike, for entrusting me with power," Cozy chuckles a bit. "Speaking of which, I should check on him," Cozy leaves the office. 

The Unity Seven runs into Sunburst as they are on the search for Spike. Sunburst looks at them and wonders why they are in a hurry. 

"Hey, Neighsay, Ocellus, Sandbar, Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Silverstream. Why are you seven in a hurry?" 

"We're looking for Professor Spike. Yak and friends want to know what's going on."

"Spike is under the weather, according to Cozy Glow. Things in Equestria may change for the worse. I have to get going. I don't want to worry any of you," Sunburst leaves. 

"Let's go look for Cozy Glow," Silverstream said. 

The Unity Seven go in search of Cozy Glow. They spotted her going into the library and proceed with caution. As they enter the library, Cozy goes down the shaft to the basement of the school. 

"What the..?" Smolder is confused as to why Cozy Glow would go down there. 

"Something is not right; why would anyone go to the basement of the school that way?" Sandbar says. 

"Yona don't know? Neighysay?" Yona turns to Neighsay. 

"I'm as clueless as every creature else is. For reasons like this, we should investigate." 

"Agreed," Sandbar goes down first. "Guys, there's a ladder," Sandbar reaches the basement. "Geez, it's dark. Can one of you grab a flashlight or something?"

"I'll grab some flashlights," Silverstream zooms to the nearby closet to grab a few flashlights. Moments later, she returns with four flashlights. "This is all I can find at short notice."

"Alright, let's go down," Neighsay said. 

He and his friends climb down the ladder slowly and turn on the flashlights to see the cave. The Unity Seven see crystal roots and branches all around. 

"What is this place?" Silverstream asks. 

"We're in the basement of the school," Gallus answers. 

"Doesn't look like any basement I've ever seen," Neighsay said. 

"Nor any caves I've seen in the dragon lands," Smolder said. 

The crystal roots and branches glow while a sparkling alicorn approaches the group. The area illuminates in a sparkling glow, igniting the crystal branches and roots to generate a bright light. 

"Welcome," The sparkling alicorn says. 

"Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Ocellus says. 

"Aren't you supposed to be solving the Equestrian Magic crisis?" Sandbar asks. Every creature is confused and wants answers. 

"I am not Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am a representation of the Tree of Harmony." 

"The Tree of what now?" Gallus is in shock as well as his friends. 

"Why are you taking the form of Twilight Sparkle?" Sandbar asks. 

"She is a representation and the Princess of Friendship. You seven are here for a purpose to save Equestria," Tree of Harmony explains. 

The Unity Seven takes a step back with the revelation. They don't know why or how to save Equestria.

"As I speak for everyone, how are we intended to save Equestria? We don't know the root of the situation," Neighsay says.  

"Yona is confused. What are we supposed to do?" 

"Yona? We're confused, and we're looking for answers," Gallus said. 

"The answers you seek, I shall explain. A creature is using relics to take away Equestria's Magic. This creature is innocent on the outside, deceptive on the inside. This creature wishes to use friendship as power, not love or unity. You seven have extended the love of friendship to new bounds. You're all united as one. Only you can rid of the evil that's taking away Equestria's magic." 

"Where do we go?" Neighsay asks. 

"I'll guide you. From there, you'll know what to do," The Tree of Harmony's form descends into the ground creating a pathway to the source. 

"I'm scared," Gallus says as he sees the trail way leading into a shallow cave. 

"Why is Griffin scared?" Yona asks. 

"I.., I.., I..," Gallus stutters a bit. 

"Are you claustrophobic?" Ocellus asks.  

Gallus nods. "I hate small spaces!" Gallus balls up a little. 

Ocellus and Silverstream comfort Gallus. Yona and Smolder don't know what to do or how to help with claustrophobia.  

"Guys, we should go in together. No creature gets left behind," Sandbar helps Gallus up. "Focus on us. Your friends, your pals that won't let you down." 

"Hold hooves, claws, and paws as we walk together," Neighsay says. He extends his hoof to hold onto Gallus' claw. "In the name of friendship, we're getting through together." 

"Yeah!" Everyone cheers. 

"Wait!" Gallus shouts as he looks at the trail heading into the shallow cave. "I should lead, I.., I need to overcome this fear." 

"Lead the way," Smolder said. 

Gallus leads his friends into the shallow caves that the trail marked. As they travel and the caves get denser, they hear a familiar voice speaking loudly. A few minutes later, the trail ends by a window. Down below the window, the Unity Seven sees six relics and Head-Dragon Spike within the magic containment bubble. 

"Oh, I'm sorry that it came down to this, Professor Spike. I can't have you telling the Princesses and ruin all my plans," Cozy smiles and enjoying the suffering of Spike (Discord).

"Innocent on the outside," Sandbar says. 

"Deceptive on the inside," Neighsay says. 

"With the teachers gone, Headmare Glimmer to be trapped in Tartarus with her friends, they'll be no one stopping me from completing my objectives. Seizing friendship as a weapon to overthrow the remaining Princesses of Equestria, thus I'll proclaim to be the Empress of Friendship! There is one other creature that can pose a threat but, he isn't feeling well," Cozy chuckles.

The Unity Seven sees Spike breathing heavily and becomes worried. Cozy Glow notices Spike's change of demeanor. Spike (Discord) reverts within the magic containment bubble. Everyone is stunned to see Spike turning in Discord. 

"D-Discord?" Then it hits Cozy. "Golly! Discord was Spike this whole time! And that means..," Cozy's smile widens. "I've defeated the Lord of Chaos!" 

Discord is unable to use his magic as he's horribly weak of not using his chaos magic. No matter how many times he snaps his claw, he remains in the bubble. The Unity Seven turn back a little. 

"Discord was Spike this entire time?" Silverstream is in shock. 

"What happened to Spike if Discord was him the entire time?" Ocellus asks. 

"I..," Neighsay shakes his head. "I have no clue. I don't think anyone knows what happened to the real Spike except Discord." 

"What should we do?" Sandbar turns to Neighsay as well as the rest of his friends. 

"We need to formulate a plan. We have two days to rescue Equestria's magic. With Discord trapped in that bubble, we have one way of reaching Princess Celestia and Luna." 

"How?" The Young Six asks. 

"I have a medallion that'll allow me to teleport where I need to be. I need to get to my room and grab it. As for the six of you, find a way to lure Cozy Glow away from there. Perhaps get some help from our counselors."

"Wait, can't you use the medallion to get to Tartarus and back?" Silverstream asks.

"I have never been to Tartarus, so I have no idea how to get there. Our best chance is to get Princess Celestia and Luna into the fray."

"Let's head back before Cozy notices we're missing," Smolder suggests. 

The Unity Seven go back the way they came. Cozy Glow is relishing Discord's predicament. She monologs that her spell needs three days to transport the magic of Equestria into another dimension.
> Equestria's Depletion of Magic Day Two: Tartarus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity are on their way to Tartarus. They've been traveling since yesterday. The flies and weather have gotten the better of everypony during their travel. After hours of traveling, the girls approach the gates to Tartarus. 

"Finally, we're here," Twilight said. 

"We only have today and tomorrow before Equestria loses all of its magic. Time matters, so we better make sure every second count," Starlight said. 

"Gotta give it to the kid for suggesting to take the Key of Unfettered Entrance," Rainbow said. 

"No kidding. Otherwise, we'll be sitting ducks," Pinkie said, eating a moldy cupcake. 

Starlight takes out the Key of Unfettered Entrance to unlock the seal of Tartarus. The doors to Tartarus open while the key shatters. Starlight forgot that using the key only works once. Twilight and her friends enter Tartarus when a cockatrice stares at them. Everypony shields their eyes except Pinkie Pie. She alerts that the cockatrice's magic has failed. 

"Oh no, it's the second day. That means creatures lose their magic abilities," Fluttershy said. 

"Uh, that may have been a good thing for us. Otherwise, we'll turn to stone," Applejack said. 

"No, that's bad. That means we have less than two days to complete our objective," Said Twilight.  

"Now, where is Cerberus," Starlight said. 

Twilight and her friends wander off to find Cerberus in Tartarus. A few seconds later, Cerberus approaches them and wonders why they are here. Fluttershy volunteers to talk to Cerberus and politely asks to visit Tirek. Fluttershy pets and shows Cerberus a little love and care like a pet. Cerberus licks Fluttershy a little and escorts them to Tirek's cage. 

"The Princess of Friendship. Here for a visit," Tirek turns to Twilight and her friends walking up to his cage. "What have I've done to earn the honor of your company?" 

"We want answers, Tirek. Magic is disappearing from Equestria." 

"Oh, I know. What a waste of delicious power," Tirek licks his lips. 

"So, you are behind this!" Rainbow shouts at Tirek. 

"Silly filly, if I had all that magic, you still think I'll be locked up in this cage? However, I may know something about it," Tirek chuckles a bit. 

"Where is Equestria's magic going to, Tirek? What's making it disappear?" Twilight demands. 

"If you let me out, I'm sure it'll make me more persuasive," Tirek smirks a little. "What do you say? I scratch your back, and you'll scratch mine."

"How about you tell us what you know or, you'll be stuck here forever because we're all out of magic keys, and no pony can open the door," Rainbow Dash grabs hold of Tirek's goatee. 

"Oh, that's right. We only had a way in, not out," Starlight looks at the ground a bit.

Tirek laughs in triumph. "What a pity. Well, for you, that is and sweet revenge for me. It seems that my little protege's plan worked out after all,"  The girls gasps after hearing that statement. 

"Which little protege?" Applejack asks Tirek. 

"Oh, we've never met. We're pen pals. Each letter had so many questions about draining magic." 

"And you answered them?!" Pinkie jumps onto Tirek's cage to get closer to his face. 

"Well, I was bored. Being locked in the cage for the rest of your life is boring, and I needed the entertainment. So, I pointed my pen pal in the right direction," Tirek answers while Pinkie falls off the cage. 

"Can't you just tell us who the protege is since we'll be stuck in Tartarus for the rest of our lives?" Fluttershy asks. 

"Oh, why not. The irony is too perfect. Her name is Cozy Glow," Tirek smiles.  

Twilight and her friends' jaw drops in horror and shock. Twilight couldn't believe that she taught Cozy Glow so much in so little time. Starlight couldn't believe that a young filly like Cozy Glow is the one draining all magic in Equestria. Tirek is laughing at the faces Twilight and the girls are showing. 

"I'm not a fan of ponies, but draining your precious world of magic so she can trap the seven of you was inspiring!" Tirek proclaims. 

"Oh no.., and.., and..," Starlight starts freaking out a bit. "The School of Friendship is under siege because of her! Spike and Discord are under the weather! There's no protection, and the Princesses have no clue what's truly happening!"

"We gotta get out of here!" Rainbow Dash soars fast and hopes to tear down the doors with her immense speed. Instead of bursting through the door, she crashes and falls. 

"Fail," Pinkie said. 

"How are we going to get out?" Fluttershy asks. 

Twilight looks at the creatures in containment. She understands that the creatures are losing their magic power. However, she affirms that they could borrow the magic power of what makes each creature who and what they are. Twilight commands that Applejack and Rainbow Dash should help entertain and tire Cerberus. 

"You ponies are trapped here forever like me. If my protege's plans work as I instructed, tomorrow when the sun sets, all magic in Equestria are gone forever!" 

Twilight flies up to Tirek's cage. "Have you even thought about what losing magic would mean?"

"It means that the seven of you will be trapped here. Like me," Tirek laughs. 

"Exactly," Twilight smirks. "It means you're trapped here. Forever. With us," Twilight has a smug look on her face. 

Tirek groans a little as he miscalculated the fall of Equestria a bit. "I haven't thought about it like that..," Tirek becomes a little worried with the unfortunate possibilities of torture that Twilight and her friends can unleash. 

"So, what's next?" Starlight shouts to Twilight. 

"We'll have to tire Cerberus a bit more to use his magic. Fluttershy is going to talk with the other creatures in lending their magic to help rescue theirs."

"I'm pretty sure Tirek has some magic we can use and, I'll be the pony who'll extract it from him," Pinkie trots to Tirek's cage. 

Rarity helps Applejack and Rainbow Dash tire Cerberus long enough for him to transfer his magic to Twilight. Starlight hopes that everyone in the school is doing okay. She wonders if Spike and Discord are trying to stop Cozy Glow's plans. Pinkie Pie is annoying Tirek into submission with her fun-loving attitude. Pinkie goes even further by saying she can keep it up for all eternity. Tirek taps out to Pinkie's antics and decides to help Twilight and her friends leave. 

It takes Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity three hours to tire Cerberus long enough to borrow his magic. Fluttershy has every creature in Tartarus willing to lend their magic to Twilight. Tirek wants Pinkie to stop tormenting him with her fun-loving attitude. Starlight couldn't stop circling. She's worried about every creature in the hooves of Cozy Glow's clutches. 

"Now, Tirek. Give Twilight your magic, or I'll give you a big huuuuuug," Pinkie is ready to hug Tirek. 

"No! Take it!" Tirek shoots his magic energy at Twilight. 

"Every creature, time to share," Fluttershy said. Every creature in Tartarus lends its magic to Twilight. 

Twilight takes the magic from Cerberus and turns to the gates on Tartarus. She uses the magic to open the gates, allowing her friends to leave. She flies out of the gates as the door shuts behind her. 

"I'm glad we're out," Starlight sees the sun setting. "We have one day to get back to Ponyville and stop Cozy Glow." 

"Let's get moving. We still have a chance to save Equestria before it's too late." 

Twilight and her friends gallop as fast as they can to Ponyville. Starlight hopes that Discord is well enough to stop Cozy Glow from taking all the magic in Equestria.
> Equestria's Depletion of Magic Day Two: Plan of Action
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Unity Seven are heading to the dorm as quickly as they can. They still can't believe moments ago that Cozy Glow is the creature that's taking away Equestria's magic to weaponize friendship, and Discord was in disguised as Spike. Cozy Glow finish monologuing and decides to make as many friendships as she can while the teachers of the school are resting. 

Neighsay enters his room and opens the drawer. "Here is it," Neighsay picks up his medallion. "With this, I can teleport to the Princess and tell them what's been going on. Before I go, let's review what we know and need to do."

"With Discord trapped in the bubble, we need a way to get him out of it," Ocellus says. 

"Perhaps, if we pull one of those relics Cozy is using, it could free him," Sandbar says. 

"Or, it can disrupt and have a side effect," Smolder says. 

"But if we don't try, we may lose the magic forever," Gallus said. 

"Pulling the relics may release the magic back in Equestria. However, we need to keep Cozy occupied," Neighsay says. 

"I'll fly to Sweet Apple Acres. The CMC Counselors should provide a much-needed distraction to defuse the magic power trapping Discord," Silverstream says. 

"Yona want to smash evil filly." 

"In due time, Yona. Once the CMC Counselors distract Cozy Glow, we'll get to the relics and remove them. That should free Discord from his imprisonment," Smolder says.

"Also, one of you, go alert Professor Maud and Trixie for help. They can be vital in watching Cozy's motives in the school."

"Will do, Neighsay." The Young Six watches Neighsay teleporting to Princess Celestia and Luna. 

Cozy Glow is trotting in the main hallway. She watches every student wondering why none of the teachers are in school today. She grabs a podium and flies it over to grab everyone's attention. 

"Hello, students of the School of Friendship. Headmare Glimmer has anointed Spike as temporary Head-Dragon of the school. However, Head-Dragon Spike is feeling blue and won't be attending his duties until he feels better. He has entrusted me to lead everyone into learning what friendship is about. I have learned from Princess Twilight Sparkle several key elements that bind creatures into a loving embrace in friendship."

"What about our teachers? What happened to Discord, Maud, Trixie, Sunburst? What happened to our counselors?" A random pony asks. 

"Head-Dragon Spike has commanded them to take a day off. In all honesty, they could be sick with his bug," Cozy hears the students gasps worriedly. "Don't worry. That's why I'm here. To bring you all closer together and to be friends with you. Cause when we're together, there's nothing in life that can stop us. No threat in Equestria will come remotely close to our power of friendship." 

"I like her optimism," Another student says. 

"So every creature. My name is Cozy Glow. I'm here to deliver you into my friendship. Follow me to class as we'll get started." 

Every creature follows Cozy to the classroom. For a while now, Rockhoof has suspected something unusual with Cozy Glow. Rockhoof sees the Young Six leaving the school and follows them. He notices that the six of them are uneased for some reason and decides to approach them. 

"Lads and lassies, where you going? What are ye doing?"

"Professor Rockhoof!" Yona shouts which cause her friends to turn to Rockhoof. 

"What are you doing? Why weren't you sent home?" Sandbar asks. 

"I didn't know there was a meeting with the teachers, lad. I was still performing my duties as a teacher, instructing my class to find inner strength. What I saw was this young lassie flying around sneakily. I think this Cozy Glow may be a terrible nuisance to all of Equestria." 

"She is," The Young Six say in unison. 

"Cozy Glow is draining all magic from Equestria. Yak and friends saw it."

"Also, we have another situation. Cozy Glow trapped Discord in a magic bubble that's absorbing the magic," Ocellus said. 

"That's no good, lassie."

"We need to keep Cozy Glow distracted long enough. Think you can handle it?" Gallus asks. 

"I fight Ursa Majors, volcanic lava, three demonic sirens, and darkness pony. A wee lassie has no chance against me, lad." 

"Perfect, then we can go back and remove the relics." 

"Let's do this!" Silverstream shouts. 

"YEAH!" Everyone cheers. 

When Rockhoof approaches the Young Six, Neighsay arrives in the throne room of Princess Celestia and Luna. 

"Chancellor Neighsay, what brings you to the throne room?" Princess Luna asks. 

"I have vital information about the disappearing magic in Equestria." 

Princess Celestia and Luna fly to Neighsay. They are eager to know what Neighsay discovered. 

"Neighysay, what have you come across?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"A young filly goes by the name Cozy Glow is using relics to absorb all of Equestrian Magic and plans on sending it to another realm. She's doing so beneath the School of Friendship. My friends and I also discovered something shocking." 

"Wh-Wh-What is it, Neighsay," Princess Celestia is lost for words. 

"My friends and I witnessed Spike reverting to Discord. We believe that Discord may have been deceiving to many ponies and creatures as Spike or protecting him."

The Princesses are silent. They knew that Discord was Spike this whole time. They decide to stay in shock rather than show the impression that they knew about Discord's antics. 

"Any way on stopping Cozy Glow?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"We have some theories, but we're unsure due to the possibilities on short notice and time restraint." 

"Alright, let's gather our forces and apprehend this filly. Whether if we have magic or not, this Cozy Glow is a threat to all life in Equestria. Luna, gather as many Royal Guards as you can. I'll do the same. Neighsay, help us gather as many platoons as possible." 

"Can do, Princesses," Neighsay salutes to the Princesses, then he uses his medallion to leave the room, arriving in front of a Royal Guard BootCamp, informing the rookies to follow their Princesses' command urgently. 

"There won't be any running away, Discord. You will tell the truth in front of everypony and creature you lied to," Celestia thought to herself. 

An hour later, Rookhoof tells the young Six to wait until Cozy Glow chases him or the students follow him outside of the school. Rockhoof goes into the classroom and disrupts Cozy's lecture. 

"There you are, lads and lassies."

"Hey! You're interrupting a very important friendship lesson!" Cozy shouts. 

"Well, I can't help but notice that some students of mine are playing hooky. It's time for another story of me past life."

Some students gasps and decides to leave the class Cozy's teaching. 

"Wait! Head-Dragon Spike entrusted me to teach the classes while every teacher is resting." 

"I need no rest, lassie. I'm strong enough to take on anything. Have I ever tell you, lads and lassies, the story of how I defeated a phantom?"

The students gasp and shake their heads. They are eager to know about the story. 

"Please, can it wait after class?" Cozy asks. 

"No, lassie. Cause if my students don't come to class, they'll fail on an assignment I have in store and will have to do a punishment segment to make up for the failure. Now every creature, follow me to my stage. Outside we go," Rookhoof leaves the classroom. Every student follows Rockhoof outside. Cozy Glow goes with them, trying to argue with Rockhoof. 

"Aww, Yona wants to hear the phantom story," Yona pouts. 

"We can ask him later. We gotta save Equestria," Gallus said. 

The Young Six enters the library and goes down the same way as they did last night. The trail way illuminates once more. The Young Six follow the pathway. 

"You are making a mistake, Rockhoof! Wait until I tell Head-Dragon Spike what you are doing! You're supposed to be resting!" Cozy is getting irate due to Rockhoof's interference.

"Sorry. Truly I am. I want to tell the story of how I defeated Le Phantom of the Earwax." 

"You're making that up! There is no Phantom of the Earwax!" Cozy is fuming. 

"Aye, there was. No pony never got to tell the tale because I was sealed for a long time with my friends, containing the Pony of Shadows. It's about time I tell every creature here about the Phantom of the Earwax. Please, stay awhile and listen, lassie. You may learn something." 

Cozy Glow groans. "Fine! Take the students. I'll teach em something else later," Cozy flies to the library. 

"Wait," Rockhoof calls out Cozy. 

"You've taken the students away from me to tell a ghost story.., I'm supposed to do my job and, you're being mean."

"I'm doing my job, and I want you to stay. After my class, you can teach the class outside of the school." 

"I'll think about it." 

While the two are talking, the Young Six made it to the area where Discord is contained in. They see Discord getting weaker inside. 

"He doesn't look good," Smolder says. She's worried about Discord. 

"So, how are we going to do this?" Gallus asks. 

"I don't think we should take one. I think we should take all the relics," Sandbar says. 

"Yona thinks it is wise. What else is there to try?" 

"Discord, if you can hear us, we're going to remove the relics. Thumbs up or down to as a yes or no. Should we take all the relics?" Silverstream asks. Discord heard the question and weakly gives the thumbs up. "He said yes!"

"Quickly, before Cozy shows up," Ocellus says. She and her friends go to each of the six relics that are being used to drain all of Equestria's magic. 

"Ready?" Sandbar asks. 

"Yes!" Everyone shouts. 

"One! Two! Three!" The Young Six shouts and pulls on the relics. 

The magic bubble containing Discord unleashes all of the magic that was stolen. Discord is free from his containment but, he's too weak to use any of his magic. Yona puts Discord on her back. 

"Yona will carry Discord upstairs." 

Throughout the land of Equestria, colorful magic orbs go into every creature that lost its ability to use magic. Princess Celestia, Luna, Neighsay, and Royal Guards heading to Ponyville gain their magic back. Twilight and her friends gain their magic back as well. Twilight uses a teleportation spell to get back to the School of Friendship. Cozy Glow decides to check on her prisoner when she sees the magic flowing in Equestria. Rockhoof sees the expression written on Cozy's face. 

"Looks like your mission is a failure, lassie," Rockhoof stands his ground. 

Cozy gasps. "You were stalling me?!"

"Aye, lassie. You fell for my distraction. I'm aware of what you were trying to do." 

Cozy tries to fly away when she is stopped by Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Neighsay. Cozy tries flying towards the exit and are met with Twilight and her friends. She gasps and tries to fly high when the Royal Guards surround her. Cozy groans and surrenders. 

"Take this one to the deepest darkest pits of Tartarus," Princess Celestia commands her Royal Guard. 

"Yes, ma'am," The Royal Guards respond. 

The Young Six arrive while carrying Discord. Starlight rushes over to check on Discord. 

"How is he?" Starlight asks. 

"He's not good," Gallus answers. 

"He's weak, and there's so much to tell you, Headmare Starlight," Silverstream said.

"Yona still can't believe that Discord was Spike all this time." 

"WHAT?!" Twilight angrily roars. She stomps up to Discord. Discord hears the angry cry and looks up at Twilight. "You have explaining to do."

Everyone around is in shock except for Princess Celestia, Luna, Rockhoof, and the Unity Seven. The only sound every creature hears is Twilight's angry breathing.
> The Truth Hurts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Twilight, can it wait? Discord isn't well," Starlight says. 

"No. Discord is going to answer all my questions. I want them answered right now!" Twilight is fuming after hearing what Yona said a moment ago.

"Twilight, we don't know if it's true or not. Perhaps Discord was protecting Spike when Cozy went after him," Neighsay said. 

"Heal him. So he can speak for himself," Twilight glares at Discord. 

Princess Celestia and Luna trot up to Discord. Discord looks at the Princesses. Luna wishes it was under better circumstances, and Celestia is disappointed with Discord for deceiving Twilight and every creature all this time. The two ignite their horns and heal Discord. Discord gets up after being healed and looks at every creature around him. 

"Where's Spike?" Twilight demands to know where Spike is. 

Discord turns to his right. Celestia is glaring at him. He now knows he can't hide anymore. 

"Well?!" Twilight stomps her hooves in anger. The force from her stomp cracks the concrete, scaring the students and everyone around her. 

"Twilight, calm down," Applejack pleas. 

Twilight ignores Applejack and focuses all of her attention on Discord. "Don't make me ask twice."

"Discord, don't delay and answer her question. She has the right to know," Princess Celestia says. 

Discord takes a deep breath, he was hoping for the right time, and it backfired like the time he tried to get closer to Twilight during the Storm King invasion. He looks at Twilight in the eyes and sees pure hatred and anger. 

"Spike isn't here with us anymore."

"What do you mean Spike isn't here anymore? Where is he?!" Twilight barks at Discord. "What happened to him?!"

Discord takes another deep breath. "The night I saw Spike, he was sad. He told me everything you and your friends, excluding Starlight Glimmer, put him through. He told me exactly what kind of abuse he took from you six. The neglect and abandonment," Discord is sounding serious while he speaks. "That trauma that you gave him had him thinking about what to do next. He was afraid that the rest of his days are to be in enslavement. If I hadn't stepped in when I did, Spike would have committed suicide to be free." 

The Unity Seven, Starlight Glimmer, Rockhoof, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, every creature else except for the Princesses are in shock and horror to hear such a thing. Twilight's anger turn to sadness. Tears stream on her facing thinking that Spike was close to ending his life.

"That night when we last spoke, he made a wish, and I grant it. He said: I wish to live in a world where I can be free and make all sorts of new friends. Going on adventures, partying, creating new memories, laughing, and having fun."

"Where is he now?" Twilight asks. 

"No clue," Discord answers. 

"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!" Twilight's sadness turns to anger. "What do you mean, no clue? Where in Celestia's name did your magic send Spike?"

"As I said, I have no clue where my magic send Spike off to." 

"Why in the wide, wide world would you send Spike and not know where he's going?! Are you that stupid? Also, how do we know that your wish granted him happiness? You're basically a chaotic deity that deceives everyone for your benefits! Spike could be more miserable than we think!" Twilight snorts. 

"Spike is not miserable."

"How do you know? You don't even know where he is, so clearly you don't know that he's happy!"

"Right before I go to bed at times, I would see a star twinkle in the night, and for some reason, I believe it's Spike thanking me." 

"I want Spike back. You are going to bring him back home, Discord," Twilight demands. 

"Sorry, that's out of my element." 

"I wish Spike comes home right now!!" Twilight demands with her wish. 

"That's technically interfering with Spike's wish. I'm not granting it."

"Oh yes, you are. You owe me. There are wrongs you've committed, and you owe me for the pain and suffering I endured because of you! More importantly, the pains and suffering my friends went through. What gave you the intention of turning yourself into Spike in the first place?"

Discord sighs heavily. "I was testing you six to see if you are worthy of being friends with Spike. Also, I wanted to answer a what-if scenario. Turns out, if Spike would have gone to Canterlot that evening, instead of making the wish, he would have been fine. I'm sorry that it came down to reveal my true intentions like this."

"I know how you're going to make it up to me for denying my dream to become Headmare of the school I built. You are to grant my wish. I wish Spike didn't make the wish he made that night." Everyone gasps at Twilight's wish in order for Spike to remain in Equestria. 

"I cannot grant that wish. That still interferes with Spike's happiness wish." 

"What wish can I make that wouldn't interfere with Spike's wish?"

Discord sighs. "I don't want to answer that."

"Discord," Fluttershy walks up to him. "Please tell us. Spike is our friend." 

"He isn't Fluttershy. According to Spike, he's done with you," Discord replies. 

"How can we apologize if he's isn't around?" Applejack asks Discord. 

"Some things are better left unsaid and to let go," Discord answers Applejack's question. 

"Please. You've nearly put all of Equestria on the brink of war for how you enacted as Spike. I know there are some things he wouldn't do. Like the blood incident," Fluttershy said. 

"Yea? What was all that about?" Rainbow flies up to Discord. 

Discord sighs. "While disguised as Spike, I understand how hard he has it by being with you lot. Unable to do anything, his life being in jeopardy due to careless actions, being used as a tool. If Twilight squeezed Spike for fire, he wouldn't have bled. I did it and, it's a constant reminder of that mistake because I was so angry. Angry in the sense that Twilight was lying throughout the Storm King's invasion. I'm sorry for having you all go through a lot of pain and punishments."

"I forgive you, Discord," Fluttershy says. 

"Same with me. Despite what you did, it gave me time to reflect on my actions and how to better myself," Rainbow admits. 

"I admit that I've done my fair share of wrongs after counting them. Especially hogtying Spike for sport," Applejack said. 

"There's no excuse of how I treated Spike and used his love for me as an advantage. I regret using him as a tool throughout the years," Rarity said. 

"I made my Pinkie Promise to never forget a friend, the way I have forgotten about Spike. I've been blind to my pranking spree when in reality, I was hurting him more," Pinkie said, she uses her tail to wipe some tears away. 

"I'm still waiting," Twilight said impatiently. 

"Sorry, I refuse to give you an answer, Twilight."

"Please, Discord," Fluttershy asks. "It could help Twilight cope better."

"Discord," Princess Celestia walks up to him. "You deceived every creature for many months now. You owe it to Twilight and her friends to see things through. You sent Spike to a world he doesn't belong. All creatures should stay in the world where they are meant to be."

"Spike belongs here, not there. No creature should live in a world that they don't belong in!" Twilight said, agreeing with Celestia's statement.

"Hypocrites," Discord said. 

"Excuse us?" Princess Celestia and Twilight are confused by Discord's statement. 

"You just said that no creature should live in a world that they don't belong in," Discord snaps his claw and a journal appears in front of Twilight and Celestia. "If you truly believe that, then bring Sunset Shimmer back home." 

"What?!" Princess Celestia and Twilight said in shock. 

"You heard me," Discord responds. "Sunset Shimmer is a unicorn that originated here and is living in a world she doesn't belong. If what you say is true for Spike, then it's true for Sunset Shimmer."

"Sunset Shimmer has a purpose for being in the alternate dimension. She is pivotal in that world!" Twilight said in defense of Sunset Shimmer. 

"So, what you're saying is, all other creatures should stay while Pony Kind gets to travel between dimensional plains. Is that what you're telling everyone?" 

"Well, I.., uh..," Twilight stutters a bit with her wording. 

"Also, Spike could be pivotal in the world he's in now. You're also saying that Sunset's happiness in another world is more important than Spike's?"

Twilight grits her teeth while responding to Discord's question. "No. Sunset's happiness is not more important than Spike's."

"Bring Sunset Shimmer here and tell her why she has to stay in Equestria," Discord dares Twilight. 

"Not until you tell me how to make the wish that won't interfere with Spike's wish."

Discord sighs heavily once more; he sees how persistent Twilight is in getting her desire. 

"Discord. Tell Princess Twilight what to say. Please. Twilight and her friends need to see it through," Princess Celestia asks. 

"And if Spike refuses to come back to Equestria?" Discord asks. 

Princess Celestia sighs. "We'll try other matter of reasons. If that doesn't work, he can.., stay..." 

"I think that's fair. Considering the good intentions Discord made throughout the span of being Spike," Princess Luna says. 

"Very well. Twilight, you need to say: I wish my friends and I can go to the world that Spike wished at the right time."

"No trickery?" Twilight asks. 

"There'll be none of that," Discord says. "However, you need to bring Sunset Shimmer to Equestria before I can make the wish. Until then, I'm going home. I haven't used my chaos magic in so long. I need to reenergize. Once I feel better, I'll grant the wish," Discord teleports back to his chaos realm. 

"What's gonna happen now with School of Friendship?" Yona asks. 

Starlight makes an announcement. "The School of Friendship will now be suspended indefinitely until further notice. Every creature is to go home." 

The students leave the school. The Unity Seven goes to the dorm to discuss what has happened. Twilight storms off to her castle. Starlight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity follow Twilight. 

Twilight enters her castle, tears stream down her face. She's angry, she's sad, she's a lot of things right now, Starlight and the other catch up with her. 

"Twilight," Starlight approaches Twilight. 

"I can't believe that maniacal maniac Discord was Spike this whole time. He told every creature what happened. We nearly went to war cause of his big mouth. He denied my destiny of becoming Headmare to teach students about the Elements of Harmony and how pivotal friendship is. He lied to us, kept Spike hidden from us and, what he did was good for us?"

"Twilight, we nearly pushed Spike to commit suicide. If Discord didn't step in, we wouldn't have the opportunity to apologize to him now," Applejack said. 

"I agree with AJ, Twilight. We were careless with Spike as a friend. It's a hard pill to swallow. We can hope when the time comes to make the wish; Spike would be in a forgiving mood," Rainbow states. 

"Even though we received unfair punishments due to Discord, we kinda deserved it for how we treated Spike for years," Pinkie said. 

"I know I deserved it after using his love for me. If he were here right now, I would tell him that I love him. He may not be a pony but, he's kind, sweet, and caring. And I've been looking at the wrong ends in trying to find the right stallion," Rarity admits. 

"You know what's worse?" Twilight asks her friends. They are silent. "I have to tell Sunset Shimmer she can't live in the other world no more. I have to take her happiness away for us to be happy. I want Spike to come home. I want to redeem myself. I need Spike. I want to correct my wrongful doings and raise him again, care for him, and be the mother I'm supposed to be."

"Or, we could let him go and be happy," Fluttershy said. 

"No way. Spike is coming home one way or another. He doesn't belong there. Plus, Discord is deceptive. Spike's wish for all we know could be a death wish!" 

Starlight and the others are quiet after Twilight's statement. During this time. Discord is at home eating chocolate-coated potatoes when he hears a knock on his door. 

"Who can that be?" Discord opens the door to see Princess Celestia and Luna by the door. "How did you two find me here?" 

"I asked the mailpony to locate your house after I sent him the invitations to deliver to you for the Grand Galloping Gala."

"Ooooooh," Discord scratches the back of his head. 

"May we come in?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Uh.., sure..," Discord allows the Princess to enter his home. "So, why come all this way to see me?" 

"I know you know where Spike is. So please, tell my sister and me where Spike is," Princess Celestia asks. 

Discord groans. "I don't know where Spike is. How many times do I have to say it?" 

"So if we wish to know where Spike is, will your magic accurate guess Spike's location?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Yes," Discord reluctantly nods. "If you were to wish, my magic shall grant it. However, I'm in no condition to make any wishes. I haven't used my chaos magic in a long time."

"How long will it take?" Princess Celestia asks. 

Discord sighs. "In a few months. Look. I promise to go to you two and Twilight on the day that I'm 100%. Chaos magic recovery is a longer process than regular magic and alicorn magic." 

"Very well. When the day comes, no excuses, no delays, and no prolong. Also, my sister and I will be going with you to retrieve Spike." 

"Say what now," Discord and Princess Luna say in unison. 

"If Twilight is unable to reason with Spike, then I'll have to. I'll be the one that'll reason with Spike and his importance to all of Equestria. The Bar of Alliance, the School of Friendship, every creature that you impacted, Discord." 

"Ooooh..," Discord gulps a bit. 

"Then Luna will show Spike how bad Twilight needs him for her sanity." 

"Celestia, I didn't agree to this," Princess Luna said. She's a bit disgusted with Celestia's decree. 

"It's not about Spike anymore. It's for all of our subjects. Imagine Ember, Thorax, Rutherford, and Grampa Gruffs reaction when they find out that Spike was Discord all along. How do you think they'll react?"

"I.., I don't know," Princess Luna said. 

"And, I don't want to find out. It sucks, but now, it's for the greater good. I will allow Twilight to have a second chance with Spike, and if Spike doesn't want Twilight, he'll be free to choose his path in our world."

"And what if he refuses to come back, Princess Celestia. What then?" Discord asks. 

"We'll try something else or let him go," Princess Celestia answers. 

"So, you're willing to strip his happiness away for the sake of Twilight?"

"It's bigger than Twilight, Discord. As I mentioned, it's for all of Equestria, thanks to you," Princess Celestia leaves Discord's home and teleports to Canterlot Castle. 

"I'm sorry it came down to this, Discord. Once my sister set her eyes on something, there's no going back. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Me too," Discord looks down. 

"Do you think Spike'll resist?" 

"Absolutely. Spike will fight for his happiness. I hope that Princess Celestia nor Twilight try to use other methods to bring Spike back to Equestria." 

Princess Luna sighs. "Only time will tell. Take care, Discord. I'll be visiting you more often." 

Discord watches Princess Luna teleporting to Canterlot Castle. He slumps on the couch, thinking of the many possibilities that are underway. Especially, Twilight. Taking away Sunset's happiness to bring Spike home. Discord wonders if he made the mistake of disguising himself as Spike or not. 

"What have I done?" Discord said as he starts to think about everything he did throughout his span as Spike.
> Spike, Wendy, & Romeo's First Job
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:30 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike wakes up after having a strange dream. 

"What was that?"

"Possibly a warning of what's yet to come."

"Are you sure the dream is a warning?"

"No doubt. However, when it comes to pass, they will fall by the hands of Fairy Tail."

"You got that right, Fairy Rage."

"Morning, Spike," Lucy waves while making breakfast. "How are you feeling?" 

"I'm good. I had a strange dream," Spike gets out of bed. 

"Is it the one that Fairy Rage mentioned a while back?" 

"Yea. He believes it's a possible warning. I'm not too worried but gotta be cautious, you know?" 

"I agree. Hungry for bacon and eggs?" Lucy asks. 

"Hey! Can we come in!?" Natsu knocks on the door. 

"We're hungry," Happy said while his belly growls. 

Lucy sighs. "At least they asked this time," Lucy walks up to the door and opens it. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Natsu said in tears of joy. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Happy flies in the room. 

"Did you make enough?" Spike asks. 

"I made for two servings each. Now it'll be enough for the two of them," Lucy points at Natsu and Happy as they sit at the table. 

"Morning, Spike. How are you feeling?" Happy asks. 

"I'm good. Thanks for asking. I'm going to freshen up first, then I'll eat with you guys," Spike goes to the bathroom. 

"So, what's on today's agenda?" Lucy asks Happy. 

"Just chilling with friends at the guildhall. Maybe go on a job." 

"I hope there's a good job we can go on," Lucy said. 

After a few minutes, Spike comes out of the bathroom. He sees Natsu and Happy chowing down. 

"Hey, better eat quick. We're going to work once we find a job," Natsu said while eating bacon. 

"Careful that you don't choke as you eat, Natsu," Spike sits at the table and eats his breakfast. 

"Thanks for the food, Lucy. That hit the spot," Natsu said. 

"Aye," Happy concurs. 

"You're welcome. Next meal is on you two, alright?" Lucy said. 

"Uuuuh, yes. Of course," Natsu and Happy said. They aren't sure how, though. 

Spike smiles as he's eating. Even after all he's been through with Fairy Tail, he can't help but thank Discord for granting his wish that faithful night. Spike enjoys his breakfast and decides to clean the dishes. Lucy wanted to help but, Spike told her he got it. After a few minutes, Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy leave the apartment. 

"Race you, Happy," Spike smirks. 

"You're on," Happy smirks. 

Spike and Happy flies to the guildhall in a race. Natsu and Lucy run to catch up with the two. Happy's flight speed is a bit faster than Spike's. However, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Happy behind him as Spike finishes the race first. 

"No fair! You cheated!" Happy exclaims. 

"There was no rule about using magic," Spike chuckles. 

"Well played, Sir," Happy admits defeat. 

Spike and Happy enter the guildhall and see everyone lounging around. Spike sees Wendy and Carla sitting at a table nearby and goes up to them. Happy see Natsu and Lucy finally reaching the guildhall. 

"Wow, what took you lovebirds so long?" Happy jokes a bit. 

"We're not lovebirds!" Natsu and Lucy angrily say. 

"Aww, arguing as a young couple would," Mirajane said while bringing drinks to her friends. 

"We're not in a relationship!" Natsu and Lucy shout. 

"Hey, Spike," Wendy hugs Spike. "How are you?" 

"I'm good, Wendy," Spike hugs Wendy. 

"Hey, you guys," Romeo walks up to the two. "When are we going on that camping trip?"

"Soon. Gotta make a little more money before we can go camping," Spike said. 

"Camping?" Panther Lily comes to the table. "What's the occasion?" 

"It's not only for fun but to train as well. Romeo, Wendy, and I are the next generation of Fairy Tail. So, we're deciding to go out one of these days to train hard and get stronger." 

"Count me in," Panther Lily says. "It was fun training with you before the S-Class Trials, Spike."

"Hey!" Gajeel walks behind Panther Lily. "If Lily's going, I'm coming too. Plus, it'll be a pleasure to train with my brother," Gajeel places his hand on Spike. 

"They'll need some guidance along the way," Erza comes to the table. "Training the next generation sounds like fun. Going camping will be pleasant as well. Swimming by the lake, roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories, training hard. It sounds like a fun trip already, and I'm in." 

"Camping is manly! I'm going with you," Elfman proudly proclaims. 

"Camping? I'm down for that," Gray approaches everyone by the table. 

"I'm going as well," Juvia said. 

"So, how long until we venture on our camping trip?" Erza asks. 

"How about in two days? Giving everyone plenty of time to pack their things."

"Sounds good," Erza, Elfman, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Gray, and Juvia said in unison. 

"Well, how are you going to make money in two days?" Romeo asks Spike. 

"I'll have to look at the job board first," Spike flies to the job board and sees what job to go on. "Something simple and not complicated." 

"Hey," Wendy walks up to the job board. "What about this one," Wendy points to the flier that features a haunted house.

Spike reads the inscriptions of the flier. "My house has become haunted since unleashing a drastic spirit. It has the ability to copy magic, faze through walls, and tend to play mind games. Please help, and I'll never play with Ouija boards again."

"Sounds like a horror movie," Wendy becomes startled by the job descriptions. 

"A haunted house job? Sign me up," Romeo said. "I've been reading nothing but horror comics during the past week. I'm ready for it." 

"As for mind games, Fairy Rage can handle that. Right, buddy?" 

"I do have the power to extend my mind protection spell but, I want to say it's for three wizards in total. I haven't practice any of my other abilities so, I guess this'll be my test drive if given the opportunity." Fairy Rage explains. 

"Perfect. We'll put that to the test," Spike walks up to Mirajane. "Romeo, Wendy, and I will take this job, Mirajane."

"Alright then, I'll wish you three luck," Mirajane smiles. 

"Hey, hold up," Macao walks up to Spike, Wendy, and Romeo. "I didn't approve my son going on this job request. Also, how much are they paying?" 

"According to the flier, 600,000 Jewels, Macao," Wendy says. 

A cha-ching sound plays in Macao's mind. "Alright, Romeo. I'll let you go on this job request. Just know that a hundred grand is coming to me so I can pay taxes for our house." "And buy other things along with it."

"Of course, dad," Romeo said. "Ready, you two?" 

"You know it," Wendy and Spike said. 

"Not without me, child," Carla flies up to them. 

"Alright, alright. Let's go before more decide to tag along," Romeo said. 

Spike, Romeo, Wendy, and Carla leave the guildhall to embark on their job request. They're at the train station. 

"So, where are we going?" Carla asks. 

"The job said to Onibus Town," Spike said, rereading the flier. 

"I hope it's not that Rabian guy that works at the theatre," Wendy said. 

"How come?" Spike asks. 

"That'll be my second job with the guy. My first one was to remove our friends from the premises of the theatre, which wasn't pleasant for me." 

"Oooooh," Spike said. 

"Natsu told me that the guy is a slave driver, making him, Lucy, Gray, Happy, and Erza perform over fifty plays to repay the damages to the theatre they wind up destroying, and it became a hit," Romeo says. 

"Oh wow," Spike said in response. 

Spike, Carla, Wendy, and Romeo get on the train and goes to Onibus Town. On the way there, Romeo is showing Spike his horror comic editions. Spike starts reading one of them and couldn't help but keep reading. 

"It's good, right?" Romeo asks. 

"Dude, this comic is better than the comics I used to read in that other world. You have a compelling story of five friends, band together to solve mysteries. Kinda like the job request we're going on." 

"My favorite story is the Phantom Menace. I'll show you that comic when we go camping." 

"Sounds good, Romeo." 

An hour later, the train arrives in Onibus Town. Spike looks at the flier, and it reveals the address they need to go. They walk for forty minutes past the Onibus Theatre. The house they approach is a three-storied black house with broken windows and a distorted rooftop. A man is outside pacing, waiting for the wizards that took the job. He's short, has purple hair, and a purple mustache. 

"Thank you very much for coming. Ah, it's nice to see you again, Wendy. Who are your friends." 

"Oh, hey Rabian. This is Spike the Fairy, this is Romeo, and you remember Carla, right?" 

"Fairy Dragon! I heard rumors and seen photos. To meet the real dragon is a dream come true. Thank you very much!" Rabian said excitedly. 

"So, you're the one messing with ouija boards?" Spike asks. 

"Yes. I heard my cousins having fun speaking to a spirit so, I wanted to try. Instead of meeting with a friendly spirit, I wind up unleashing a drastic one. Since then, my house has been plagued with bad mojo. Please, relinquish the spirit, and I'll pay you 600,000 Jewels and treat you to some rare dessert." 

"Don't worry. We'll take care of the spirit," Romeo said. 

"Thank you very much!" Rabian bows in front of them. 

"Geez, must be that bad of a haunting for the guy to bow down like that," Romeo said.

"Could be a good challenge for me against the spirit." Fairy Rage said. 

"Who said that?!" Rabian gets scared. 

"Oh, that's Fairy Rage Dragon. I'll explain who he is another time. We have to track down the spirit and defeat it. Somehow."

"I wish you luck, you three," Rabian said. 

Wendy, Carla, Romeo, and Spike enter Rabian's house. The door shuts behind as soon as they enter. 

"Okay, that was creepy," Spike said. 

"I feel cold," Wendy shivers a bit. "Why is it cold in the house?" 

"According to my comics, the colder the area is, the closer the spirit is," Romeo answers. 

"Good to know," Spike said. 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo look around the main floor a bit. They see some broken wine cups on the floor, shattered plates on the table, a dresser flipped upside down. For Romeo, it feels like a horror comic come true. Wendy is a bit uneased and holds Spike's claw as they walk. Carla isn't showing much fear. The entity follows them into another room and throws a frozen plate at them. 

"Get down!" Romeo pushes Wendy and Spike to the ground as he sees a plate crashing into the wall. 

"Whoa, dude's really got a poltergeist," Spike said. 

"Thanks for the save," Wendy said.

Carla inspects the plate and notices a handprint on it. "Does poltergeist leave handprints?" 

"According to my comics, they are not supposed to. Why did you ask?" Romeo turns to Carla. 

"I see," Carla flies over to Romeo. "There's a fresh handprint right on the plate." 

"Whoa, there is. What kind of spirit did Rabian summon?" Romeo inspects the plate. 

"Must be a powerful one," Wendy said. 

"I'm not sure," Spike said. 

"Let's go check the next floor," Romeo suggests. 

"Yea," Wendy, Carla, and Spike nods. 

The entity sees them heading up, and it goes upstairs. Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo walk up the stairs and notices that it's creaking. Romeo wonders if there are multiple spirits in the household. As the four make it to the next floor, it is pitch black and hard to see. 

"Gaaaaaah!" Wendy yelps as something grabs her. Spike and Romeo use their flame magic to light the area.

"Wendy!" Romeo, Spike, and Carla shout. 

"Where did she go?!" Carla panics a bit. "Wendy!" Carla shouts for Wendy's name. 

"We need to search for her now," Spike said. 

"Alright, Carla and I will check around this floor," Romeo said. 

"I'll check the basement. We're not leaving until we find her," Spike said. 

"Of course, we don't leave a friend behind," Romeo said. He and Carla go on their search for Wendy while Spike goes down to the basement. 

The entity that grabbed Wendy drags her to the attic of the house. Wendy is knocked out and tied to a chair. 

"Sorry, kid. I can't have you interfering with my plans," The entity leaves the attic to stalk anyone else in the household. 

Romeo and Carla enter the bedroom to search for Wendy or the entity. The entity sees the two and decides to play a mind game with them. The entity decides to slam the door behind them and crawls onto the ceiling, scaring both Romeo and Carla. 

"What was that?" Romeo shouts a little. 

"The door slammed on its own," Carla said. 

Romeo walks up to the door and tries to open it. "It's locked!"

"Can't you knock it down?" Carla asks. 

Romeo kicks the door with all his might, but the door is resistant. He tries to burn the door down, but for some reason, the door is fire-resistant. Romeo tries to barge the door down and winds up hurting his shoulder. 

"Ooow!" Romeo shakes his shoulder a bit. "Something is wrong with the door!" Romeo is getting upset. 

The entity watches Romeo getting frustrated and sees a music box. The entity turns on the ballerina music box, which plays the Mexican hat dance.

"What's that?" Carla hears the music, which is changing her demeanor a bit. 

"It's the Phantom of the Earwax," Romeo answers. 

"Phantom?" Carla becomes a bit scared. 

The entity laughs and comes down. Romeo and Carla get scared hearing the demonic laughter. 

"You...are..mine," The entity said grotesquely. 

Romeo and Carla go to the door, pulling as hard as they could. "That's it! Let us out! Let us-" The door breaks, which sends them flying out the window. Carla catches Romeo and notices that the entity is wearing a black cloak that goes into the shadows. 

"That spirit is disturbing," Romeo pants a bit. 

"I'm gonna kill Rabian for summoning it! Where did you come up with the name Phantom of the Earwax?" 

"Remember the comic I mentioned to Spike on the train ride? The issue is called Phantom Menance. The Phantom's name is Phantom of the Earwax." 

"You need to lay off reading those comics," Carla suggests. 

"I will after we finish the job." 

Romeo and Carla go back inside the house to continue their search for Wendy. Romeo and Carla are now extra cautious when they enter another room.

"Wendy, where are you?" Spike shouts. He's walking in the basement using his claw to generate fire to use as light. 

The entity is observing Spike from the ceiling of the basement. "My eyes weren't playing tricks on me. That was a dragon I saw."

"Behind you." 

Spike turns and shoots flaming arrows at whatever is behind him. The entity screams in pain and rolls on the floor as the flaming armors are burning him. Romeo and Carla come down to the basement after hearing the agony. 

"What a shame. I was looking forward to testing my abilities against a spirit. Oh well, later Fairy Dragon."  Fairy Rage goes to sleep. 

"What happened?!" Romeo and Carla jump a little seeing the entity on the floor. 

"Fairy Rage warned me, and I struck the ghost?" Spike is confused and sees that the entity is wearing a cloak. He removes it and reveals a man instead. 

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Romeo and Carla said in shock. 

"I surrender..," He waves the white flag. 

Spike increases his size and lifts the guy. "Where's Wendy?"

The man gulps, seeing the dragon increase his size. He sweats in fear a little. "Tied up in the attic. Please, I mean no harm." 

"Romeo, Carla. Get to Wendy. I'll bring our 'ghost' outside." 

Carla had already left the basement. She flies to the attic and opens the door to see Wendy knocked out. Carla unties her and picks her up. Romeo, Spike, and the guy impersonating a spirit are outside of the house. Carla safely puts Wendy outside. Rabian is in awe when he sees Spike and Romeo bringing out the entity that was plaguing his home. 

"Thank you very much for capturing the spirit," Rabian said. 

"He's not a spirit. This is someone imposing as one," Romeo steps aside to show Rabian the culprit. 

Rabian gasps. "I know that guy. Lamar has been trying to pitch an idea at the theatre. He wants to use the horror genre of a play he wrote, but I denied him because I didn't think horror would be good to use in a play at the theatre." 

"As I mentioned to you, I'm an illusionist mage. I can alter my surroundings to make the scenery work."

"And you trashed my house!" Rabian retorts. 

"Not completely. Just small parts of the interior. If you allow me to walk ten feet away from the house, you'll see the condition it's supposed to be," Lamar states. 

"I have my eyes on you. Move ten feet as you said," Rabian said. 

Lamar walks ten feet away from the house. The broken windows of the house now look repaired, and the rooftop look renewed. "If you check inside the house, the only wine cups and several china plates are broken. Either than that, everything else is fine." 

Rabian is impressed with Lamar's magic. "I have to say, Lamar. I am impressed. How did you guys fair with him lurking around?" 

"Scared. Lamar had Carla and me trapped in a bedroom. I tried to bring down the door to the bedroom, and it wouldn't budge. No matter what I threw it at, the door remains resistant." 

"He played that horrid music box that scared us in the bedroom. He knocked and took Wendy to the attic," Carla said. "For some reason, Wendy won't wake up."

"I put chloroform on her. She'll wake up in a little while longer," Lamar said. 

"You're lucky I didn't kill you for taking my Wendy," Spike said. 

"Hey, my initial plan was to show Rabian that horror can be effective as a genre to the theatre. I didn't anticipate running into three kids and a cat during the act." 

"Well, I am interested in using your horror play in my theatre someday," Rabian said. 

"Really?" Lamar is ecstatic. 

"Sure, after you're taken to jail for stalking me and trespassing!" Rabian said as two Fiore Royal Soldiers arrive. 

"Shit," Lamar said. 

They take Lamar away. Rabian gives Spike, Romeo, and Carla 600,000 Jewels as promised. He apologizes for the dessert because the Onibus Dessert Shop was closed today. Wendy wakes up. 

"Oh.., what happened?" Wendy turns to Spike. 

"There was no drastic spirit. It was an actor named Lamar that wanted to show Rabian the horror genre for the theatre."

"The whole haunting was an act, and we fell for it," Romeo said. 

"Wow," Wendy gets up. "Let's not take a job that deals with haunted houses." 

"Deal," Spike, Carla, and Romeo said. 

"Let's go home," Wendy said. 

"Get on my back. Spike wants," Spike increases his size large enough for Romeo, Carla, and Wendy to ride out. The citizens of Onibus are in awe to see Spike the Fairy. "Let's fly!" Spike flaps his wings and takes his friends back home to Magnolia.
> Spike vs Laxus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been two days since Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo went on their first job together. Today is Wednesday in Magnolia. Spike is making sure he's packed for today's camping trip. 

"You have everything you need, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"I do," Spike puts on his backpack. "I have everything I need. You going to be alright by yourself?"

"I'll be fine. I was used to living by myself before you came around," Lucy encouragingly smiles. 

"Alright, then. I'll see you in a week, Lucy," Spike leaves the apartment. 

"Have fun," Lucy waves. Then, she decides to work on her novel. 

Spike flies to the guildhall to meet his friends. Citizens of Magnolia are taking photos of Spike while he's flying. Spike lands and sees Gajeel, Panther Lily, Elfman, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Gray, Juvia, and Romeo. All packed up and ready to go. Spike is more surprised to see Erza's wagon filled with luggage and suitcases. 

"Sis, is all that necessary?" Spike is confused. 

"Going camping to enjoy ourselves and train so, yes. It is all necessary as it'll be a light workout for me to pull this," Erza explains. "Though, I never seem to have enough wherever I travel." 

"Wow," Spike is a bit speechless.

"Glad you can make it, Fairy Dragon. We've been waiting for you for a while now," Gajeel said. He's packed and ready to go. 

"Should be fun, going back to the riverside of the East Forest," Panther Lily said. He remembers the first time the two trained together. 

"Definitely," Spike said. 

"Let's get moving," Erza said. 

Spike, Wendy, Romeo, Elfman, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Panther Lily, and Gajeel leave the guildhall. They travel deep in the East Forest. Wendy, Spike, and Romeo were discussing their first job with everyone to kill some time. Erza had a good laugh with the Phantom of the Earwax mentioned. Juvia can't stop eyeballing Gray as he's stripped into his underwear. Elfman continues to brag about how manly camping will be. Gajeel can't wait to train with Spike the Fairy. Proper training to go one-on-one with since it's been seven years. Two hours later, the gang arrives by the riverside of the East Forest. 

"Finally, we made it," Romeo said. He sits down to take a breather. 

"So, we would have camped here seven years ago, Spike?" Wendy turns to Spike. 

"Yea. Next to the river to fish for fresh fish. Near some bushes that sprout all sorts of berries and kiwis. This part of the forest was perfect when Panther Lily and I trained."

"I wished I never listened to Doranbolt and accepted his proposal when I should have waited for you a while longer."

"It's okay, Wendy. No worries. I know how you can make it up to me," Spike smiles. 

"How?" Wendy looks at Spike's eyes. 

"By bunking with me in my tent."

Wendy gasps. "Thought you never ask," Wendy hugs Spike. 

"Wait, if you two are bunking, then who'll I be with?" Romeo asks. 

"With me, kid. I'll teach you manly things," Elfman places his hand on Romeo's shoulder. 

"Or with me, I don't have a bunkmate for the week," Gray said. 

"I wanted to bunk with you, Gray, my love," Juvia pouts. 

"It's alright, Juvia. You'll be bunking with me," Erza puts her arm around Juvia. Juvia whimpers a bit in defeat. 

"So, I guess we should be setting up camp?" Romeo asks. 

"Yep," Everyone nods. 

"I'll grab the firewood," Elfman volunteers. "It's what a real man would do." 

"Everyone else, pitch up your tents," Erza said. 

Within an hour, everyone sets up their campsite. Elfman brings logs of firewood to the camp. Romeo and Spike are pitching up Elfman's tent since he was gathering the firewood. Wendy is with Juvia bringing in fresh water from the river, including fish. Gajeel and Panther Lily are making sure no vulcan creatures would be daring to come near them. 

"There we go," Romeo said after pitching Elfman's tent. 

"He nearly has a bigger tent than mine," Spike said. 

"Big guy needs his space," Romeo said. 

"Thanks for pitching it up for me, guys. You two are real men," Elfman places the logs on the ground. "A real man needs his space to stretch. So, who you want to bunk with, Romeo?"

"I think I'll bunk in with you, Elfman. You can give me some pointers of how to become stronger," Romeo said. 

"Sweet. Get ready to learn manly life lessons," Elfman pats Romeo's head. 

"Good job on the firewood, Elfman. Allow me to slice and dice," Erza requips her swords and slices the logs Elfman brought. "This'll do nicely for two nights." 

"So, the stupid apes won't be bothering us until we leave. Lily and I made sure of that," Gajeel claims. Somewhere in the East Forest, the Vulcans are riving in agony after having too many iron clubs on the head. 

"So, what's day one? Relaxing with some training?" Panther Lily asks. 

"I'm ready to throw down," Gajeel said. 

"So am I," Elfman flexes his muscles. "A real man is ready for any challenges." 

"Let's pick a partner to train for an hour," Gray suggests. 

"I know who I'm choosing to be my partner," Gajeel chuckles and places his hand on Spike's head. "I've been waiting to train with him for a long time." 

"Hey wait, I wanted to train with Fairy Dragon," Elfman said. 

"Guys, everyone will have a turn. I'm going next after Gajeel," Erza said. 

Spike couldn't help but laugh that his friends want to train with him. He smiles, knowing who his friends are. "We have plenty of time. Let's do it, Gajeel," Spike smirks.

"Awesome," Gajeel and Spike walk off a little to distance themselves from the campsite. 

"In that case, let's start training, Gray, my love," Juvia grabs onto Gray's hand. 

Gray sighs. "Fine. Remember, it's an hour, and we switch partners," Gray and Juvia walk over to the river. 

"You and me, Wendy," Romeo said. 

"Sure. Let's try hand-to-hand before using our magic," Wendy suggests. 

"Sounds good. It should be fun," Romeo said. 

"I guess I'll be training with you two," Erza said. 

Panther Lily transforms into his battle form while holding his song sword, Elfman transforms into his beast form, and Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. 

"Let's take this brawl elsewhere, so we don't damage the campsite," Panther Lily said. 

"Agreed," Erza and Elfman said in unison. 

"Ready, Fairy Dragon. I won't be holding back," Gajeel said. 

"I never thought you be the type to hold back," Spike said. 

The two chuckle and engage in their sparring. Spike and Gajeel start with hand-to-claw close combat. Spike feels Gajeel's strikes are denser than he realizes. 

"That's good, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel punches Spike's claw. 

"Thanks," Spike punches at Gajeel, he catches his punch. 

"Damn, you've grown stronger since we last brawled." 

"That was seven years ago, Gajeel. Though we never got to finish that fight," Spike knees Gajeel into his gut. 

Gajeel catches Spike's knee strike. "True. However, I was looking forward to fighting you during the S-Class Trials." 

"Let's pick it up a notch," Spike's claw glows sparkling green. "Inferno Raging Fist!" Spike's claw is blazing in Sparkling Green Flames. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel's right arm turns into an iron club to punch Spike's Inferno Raging Fist. 

"Good job interceding my attack, Gajeel." 

"Likewise, Fairy Dragon. Iron Dragon Rooooooooar!" Gajeel uses a quick iron dragon breath attack at Spike. 

Spike decides to consume the iron dragon breath attack. "Iron Fairy Dragon," Spike is conjuring his breath attack. 

"Iron is not an energy!" Gajeel is confused. 

"ROOOOOOAR!" Spike unleashes a Sparkling Green Iron Flame roar on Gajeel.

"Incredible..," Gajeel can't believe Spike converted his iron breath into his own. He takes the hit to feel how strong it is. "Such power..," Gajeel is holding his ground a bit from the attack. "Fairy Dragon, how were you able to consume my iron like that?" 

"The iron breath is technically your flow of energy so, I figured I consume the energy flow. Now, I have some of your magic flowing in me," Spike places his claw on his chest. 

"How long can you maintain the power you now have?" Gajeel asks. 

"Until it dissolves," Spike answers. "Fairy Dragon Iron Claw," Spike's claw is now a sparkling green iron claw. "That's so cool," Spike said. 

"No joke. You'll be a serious threat to anyone that opposes you. Which means more fun for us." 

Gajeel and Spike clash once more. The two are going at it with hand-to-claw close combat as well as using their magic. Spike and Gajeel are having fun while giving each other some bruises on their bodies. 

After an hour, everyone returns to camp. Wendy and Romeo are not that bruised up. Elfman couldn't handle Erza as he got the most bruises from the spar. Erza and Panther Lily are doing fine from their training session. Juvia and Gray come back after their workout. Spike and Gajeel come laughing from their hour of training. 

"Fairy Dragon continues to amaze me. He ate some of my iron and converted it into his attack," Gajeel sits down. 

"Well, he did consume Hades' magic to defeat him back on Tenrou Island. It would make sense for him to consume your iron, Gajeel," Erza said. 

"If the S-Class Trials were to continue, Spike would have easily dominated the competition," Elfman said. 

"I guess so," Spike said. "It doesn't matter if I'm S-Class or not, as long as I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard and with my friends. That's all that matters to me."

Everyone in the camp hears the sound of agony as lightning is striking upward. Gajeel gets up and decides to investigate. 

"Where are you going?" Panther Lily asks. 

"To settle the score with Laxus," Gajeel runs and meets up with Natsu. 

"Laxus is here?" Elfman runs off to see the fight between Gajeel and Laxus. 

"Now this I have to see," Romeo gets up and leaves. 

"If Gajeel sees Laxus, I'm sure that fire breather will see him as well," Referring to Natsu, and leaves the campsite to see if his theory is correct. 

"Wait for me! Gray, my darling!" Juvia follows Gray. 

"I better check on Gajeel for his sake," Panther Lily leaves the campsite. 

Spike sighs. "Well, I guess it'll be us three," Spike sees that Erza is no longer around. 

"I guess we can pull camping off for a while?" Wendy chuckles a bit. 

"Yea. I'll teleport their things to the guildhall since they are more likely to forget to come back for it," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport everything to the guildhall except for his tent. He dismantles his tent and puts it away. 

"I'm sorry it came to like this. Perhaps, another time," Wendy pats Spike's shoulders. 

"Thanks. Next time, it'll be different," Spike smiles. 

"So, guess we should head back to the guildhall?" Wendy asks. 

"Yea," Spike nods. 

Spike and Wendy pack up the rest of their things and leave the area. Hopefully, they'll be able to camp with friends another day where there are no distractions. As the two travel in the East Forest, they run into Laxus, Natsu, and Gajeel. They are getting ready to throw down.

"Wait, hold on," Wendy shouts to get everyone's attention. 

"What for?" Natsu asks. 

"If you guys are really going to go through with this, you gotta be sure it's a special occasion," Wendy pleas. 

"Hey, Laxus," Spike waves at him. 

"Sup, Fairy Dragon," Laxus replies. 

"What I propose is the match takes place tomorrow," Wendy declares. 

"Fine, so be it. A day's worth of preparation wouldn't hurt one bit," Natsu chuckles. 

"When you're through with Natsu, I'm taking a shot at him," Gajeel proclaims. 

"Fine, suit yourselves," Laxus walks away. 

Everyone walks to the guildhall. Erza, Gray, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Elfman, Juvia, and Romeo are perplexed that their camping gear is at the guildhall. Spike explains that he teleported their belongings to the guildhall, knowing that they'll forget about it. Spike decides to go back to the apartment and tell Lucy about what transpired in less than a day. 

It's now 3:00 in the afternoon. Spike enters the apartment and goes up the stairs. He hears Lucy talking to someone and becomes suspicious. It's a voice Spike has never heard before. He enters to see Lucy genuinely talking to a woman that has similar traits to Lucy. 

"Hey, Spike. Why are you home so early?" Lucy asks. 

"Uh, Laxus came into the fray in the East Forest and got everyone distracted. Tomorrow, there's going to be a brawl between Laxus and Natsu, then Laxus and Gajeel." 

"Oh, how cute!" The woman next to Lucy hugs Spike wholeheartedly. "So cute, so cute, so cute!" 

"Uh, who are you?" Spike asks while being hugged by her a lot. 

"Allow me to introduce to you my younger sister, Spike. This is Michelle." 

Michelle is a blonde girl wearing a long pink dress. She can't stop hugging Spike. "I can't believe I got to hug a real dragon," Michelle said in awe. She continues to hug Spike but, it's tighter this time. 

"Glad...to...know...you...have...relatives," Spike is nearly out of oxygen. Michelle lets go of him, allowing him to breathe. "Much better." 

"So, when's the fight?" Lucy asks Spike. 

"Tomorrow," Spike gets on his bed. 

"So, where would I sleep?" Michelle asks. 

"Well, you can take my bed, and I'll sleep with Spike," Lucy said. 

"Say what now?" Spike is startled by that statement. 

"Spike, it's for a little while. She is my sister after all," Lucy said. 

"Very well. Who am I to complain when you allowed me to live with you. I just need to explain to Wendy so; she doesn't get any wrong ideas," Spike said. 

"Of course. I would hate to see you two split up over something meaningless," Lucy replies. 

"Thanks," Spike said. 

"Since your a boy, where are you uh," Michelle tries not to sound awkward. 

Spike sighs. "It appears when it needs to be. It's a quality feature of being a dragon and why we don't need to wear clothes. However, I will wear something on special occasions. Any other questions you have in your dirty little mind?" 

"Nope," Michelle waves her hands in motion and blushes a bit. 

"Lucy told me so much about you. Any way I can help you if those fiendish ponies were to come by?" Michelle asks. 

"Actually, when they show up, I'll fry em for every act they inflicted pain and suffering on me. The fear route I embarked on with Panther Lily made me see that I can overcome anything in my way. If they try to bring me back to Equestria or try to do something drastic, they'll live to regret that decision as you don't mess with Fairy Tail."

"Wow, you sound like a cute little dragon knight," Michelle said in a childish tone. 

Spike shudders a bit by hearing the word knight while it reminds him of Spike Knightwalker. He takes a deep breath. 

"Uh.., thanks," Spike looks at Michelle. 

"So, when will the fighting start?" Lucy asks. 

"I want to say tomorrow morning or afternoon. I don't know," Spike answers. 

"We'll go and find out," Lucy said. "Let's go, Michelle." 

"See you later, handsome baby dragon," Michelle said. 

"Oh boy," Spike said, hoping that Wendy doesn't get the wrong intentions. 

Today is 8:30 on a Thursday morning. Laxus enters the South Gate Park. He wonders what is going on until the Thunder Legion explains that the town is in celebration of the return of Laxus. Spike walks with Lucy and Michelle to the South Gate Park. Spike sees Wendy and Carla and goes up to them. 

"Hey, how are you two doing?" Spike smiles. 

"I'm well, thanks for asking. I heard that the camping trip was a fail," Carla said. 

"It was when everyone got distracted and left except for Wendy of course," Spike said, rubbing the back of his head. 

"I'm good. I can't believe Lucy has a sister and didn't even know about it," Wendy said. 

"Which brings me into telling you this," Spike explains the conditions he'll be facing with Michelle living in the apartment. Wendy understands and hopes that she and Spike can get an apartment together so no one would intrude on their privacy. "Thanks for understanding, Wendy." 

"Thanks for explaining to me ahead of time," Wendy said. 

"Though one of these days, you should look to get your own place, Spike. It'll do you some wonders," Carla said. 

"I will when I have consistency in making money," Spike replies. 

Jason is going around the South Gate Park, hyping everyone up about the exciting, excruciating potential battle between Laxus, Natsu, and Gajeel. He's happy to see Spike the Fairy after seven long years and asked him about the interview. Spike agrees and just needs a due date.

"This should be manly!" Elfman declares. 

"Let's do this thing," Laxus said. 

"Bring it," Natsu responds. 

"I gotta warn you that I'm not going to hold back."

"I don't blame you, Laxus."

"You understand. If you don't survive this, it won't be my fault," Laxus warns Natsu. 

"I can say the same for you, big guy," Natsu starts powering up. 

Laxus powers up as well. Gajeel watches the two powering up and is anxious to get in the next fight. Every Fairy Tail Wizard and the people of Magnolia are getting excited to see the fight of the century. Some people couldn't keep their eyes open as fire and lighting blinds them. Natsu and Laxus continue to power up where they stand. Natsu throws the first punch and gets knocked out by Laxus. A TKO in a matter of seconds. Gajeel realizes that he's no match for Laxus and bails. Within mere moments, almost everyone leaves the South Gate Park to go on a manhunt for Gajeel. 

"Hey, Laxus," Spike approaches him. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. What's on your mind?" Laxus looks down at Spike. 

"Allow me to be your next opponent," Spike powers up. 

Jason gasps and realizes he's going to document a better fight while every Fairy Tail Wizard is on the hunt for Gajeel except a few. Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Michelle, Happy, and the Thunder Legion are going to witness a real fight of the century. 

"Sure. I want to see what you're made of, brother."

Spike and Laxus power up while things are intensifying. Jason is ecstatic to see this fight. He leaps in joy as it'll be better than the quick instant TKO. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size to match Laxus' size. Laxus sees that the size is in honor of him. 

"I see you are my size, Fairy Dragon," Laxus said. 

"Yes. The first time I saw you, and how powerful you were, I was inspired to become the same size you've shown fear but, I would use it to fight tougher opponents and defend my friends," Spike responds. "Now, getting ready to see something new," Spike conjures a fireball. 

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you got," Laxus is getting excited. 

"This is so cooooool! I feel sorry for anybody missing this extravaganza!" Jason shouts. 

"Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike lowers the fireball and presses both his claws forward. Creating a heat cannon to launch at Laxus. 

"Impressive, Spike. Not good enough," Laxus uses his Lightning Iron Fist to disperse the inferno heat wave attack. 

"Fairy Dragon Iron Claw!" Spike's claw is now a sparkling green iron claw that conducts the lightning from Laxus. "Fairy Dragon Rooooooooar!" Spike unleashes a small fire breath attack on Laxus to stun him. 

Laxus stands still from the attack and is impressed with Spike. He and Spike go hand-to-claw close quarters, kicking and punching each other. Jason is having a field day with the intense fighting generating from the two. 

"Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction!" Laxus raises his clenched fist in the air. "Raging Bolt!" A large bolt of lightning descends on Spike. 

Spike consumes Laxus' Raging Bolt attack. "Much better," Spike smirks. "Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike powers up. "Destructive Fist!" Spike's claw is ablaze with Sparkling Green Flames and Sparkling Green Lightning. 

"Lighting Dragon Iron Fist!" Laxus counters with his fist. The two lightning fists connect, creating an explosion in between them. 

Laxus and Spike have some burnt markings on their chest. Laxus uses his lightning to take flight while Spike uses his wings to fly. The two battle in the skies, trying to take advantage, punching each other in the face, knee striking at certain angles, even using their roar in the skies. Spike and Laxus land on the ground, smirking a bit from their fight. 

"Let me take it up a notch, Spike," Laxus said. 

"Bring it," Spike gets in position. 

Laxus powers up and enters his Lightning Dragon Slayer transformation. Spike remembers the form from the Fairy Tail Battle Royale. Everyone remembers that day when Laxus lost control of himself. 

"Laxus! Be careful!" Freed shouts. 

"He's going to slay Spike," Bickslow said. 

"I hope he doesn't," Evergreen said. 

"Get ready, Spike. I'm not holding back!" Laxus powers up even more. 

"I have something special for this, Laxus. Get ready," Spike powers up even more. 

Sparkling Green Flames and Lightning skyrockets the area in pure magic power; everyone is in awe with the power coming from Laxus and Spike. Jason is scared to see where this part of the battle will lead off too. 

"Spike Rage!" Spike's eye color changes from green to orange. The Sparkling Green Flames now turn into Sparkling Orange Flames. Spike's Fairy Tail Emblem turns from black to red. 

"What the hell?!" Laxus is confused as he feels a different kind of magic energy coming from Spike the Fairy.

"Hello, Laxus. I am Fairy Rage Dragon. I was once Fairy Demon Dragon."

"No way," Laxus is in disbelief. 

"Do not worry. I'm not here to kill you or anything like I've done to Master Hades. Spike is in control of his life. In this case, I'm giving you a dosage in this fight. Are you ready?"

"Fairy Dragon is full of surprises," Laxus repositions himself. "I'm ready." 

Fairy Rage and Laxus clash. This time, the trees around the South Gate Park are annihilated in orange flames and lightning. Everyone takes cover as the two continue to brawl.

"Lightning Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes a lightning breath attack on Fairy Rage Dragon. 

Fairy Rage Dragon creates a sparkling metallic flame shield to defend himself. The Lightning Roar penetrates the shield a bit. Fairy Rage throws it at Laxus. Laxus dodges and hits Fairy Rage with a Lightning Dragon Iron Fist uppercut. 

"Lightning Flame Sparkling Blitz!" Fairy Rage generates Sparkling Orange Lightning Flame Orbs all around Laxus. 

"What's this?" Laxus looks around a bit. 

"Detonate!" On cue, the Sparkling Orange Lightning Flame Orbs around Laxus explodes. 

"This is amazing! I can't utter any more as this is a brilliant display of two dragons going at each other!" Jason hops around. 

Laxus consumes the lightning particles from Fairy Rage's attack. His left hand is ablaze with his yellow lightning. His right hand is ablaze with orange lightning. "I'm coming for you, Fairy Rage!" Laxus powers up. He raises both of his hands in the air at his sides, creating a massive spear. 

Fairy rage is excited to see this spell once more. "Bring it on!" Fairy Rage Dragon roars. 

"NO! Not that spell, Laxus!" Freed realizes what Laxus is planning on doing. 

"Wait, isn't it the same spell that he nearly killed Natsu with?" Lucy turns to Freed. 

"Yes..," Freed replies. 

Wendy is scared now. She doesn't want to see Spike die over a spar. Everyone watches closely to see what will Spike do. 

"Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus shoots a massive, powerful lightning spear at Fairy Rage Dragon. 

Fairy Rage extends his claw and catches the lightning spear. It fries his claws as the spell proves to be too powerful. Fairy Rage roars and redirects the attack at Laxus. Laxus jumps out of the way as it did little damage to him.

"Damn, never seen anyone do that before," Laxus looks at Fairy Rage and notices something different. 

"I-I can't believe it. I've seen Gajeel take the hit for Natsu but, seeing someone grab onto the lightning spear and dish it back, I'm in complete shock," Freed said. 

"He terrifies me. It makes me wonder what if Spike can slay Acnologia. Can he do it?" Bickslow said. 

"The way Spike's fighting, reading his opponent's moves, and continues to grow, he can slay Acnologia in a few years," Evergreen said. 

"Spike is downright terrifying if you ask me," Michelle said. 

"Don't mess with the guy," Lucy said. "He's one to push himself in training physically and mentally."

Wendy looks up and wants the fight to end. Carla is appalled with Fairy Rage and Laxus' magic power. 

"I have a special gift for you." Fairy Rage claps his claws together. He creates a metallic lightning flame sword. It's Sparkling Orange. 

"No way," Laxus sees the full extent of Spike's capabilities and wonders what else Spike can achieve. He smiles. 

"Lightning Flame Sword Slicer!" Fairy Rage flies in the air and slashes Sparkling Orange Lightning Flames at Laxus.

Laxus uses his lightning to maneuver the lightning flame sword slice attack and punches Fairy Rage on the head. Fairy Rage uses his sword to block the punch, but it shatters. Fairy Rage is on the ground from the punch and gets up. Fairy Rage reverts to Spike as his time expires. Spike's eye color and emblem return to normal. 

"So, that's how long Fairy Rage can stay in control, huh?" Spike pants a bit. 

"Seems I can take control for twenty minutes. The rest is up to you, Fairy Dragon." Fairy Rage goes to sleep. 

"Hey, Spike?" Laxus shouts to get his attention and lands on the ground. 

"Hey, want to call it a truce?" Spike offers his claw. 

"Yea," Laxus shakes Spike's claw. "That was one exhilarating match. I look forward to a rematch. You developed so much in so little time, Spike." 

"Thanks," Spike chuckles a bit. 

"Fairy Rage proved to be an important ally to you, Spike. He is one tough opponent as well."

"So, where are you residing?" Spike asks. 

"For now, just camping by the East Forest. In a while, though. I'll be moving."

"Mind if I come by and train with you a bit?"

"Sure. Come by next week, and we'll train. Take care of the Thunder Legion for me," Laxus leaves the South Gate Park.

"Can do," Spike salutes. 

Wendy runs and hugs Spike from behind. "My hero, safe at last," Wendy smiles. 

"Wendy, it was just a sparring. Nothing more or less," Spike said. 

"Shuuuu, don't ruin the moment," Wendy said. 

Jason couldn't believe what he seen and documented. He didn't dare to talk much throughout the fight. He'll do some editing before releasing the full fight to the public. 

It's now 6:30 in Magnolia. Spike is with Wendy, Carla, Happy, Romeo, and several of his friends at the guildhall. They failed to locate Gajeel after he bailed a while ago. Panther Lily can't believe that Gajeel became a coward and fled. He hears the footsteps of Gajeel and heads outside the guildhall. Unfortunately, he sees three familiar faces walking to the guildhall.
> Familiar Faces
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Coco!" Panther Lily shouts while seeing Coco outside the guildhall and can't believe she's in Earth Land. 

"Huh, did you guys hear that?" Wendy asks. 

"Coco. The name sounds familiar," Spike said. 

"Let's check it out," Romeo suggests. 

Natsu and the others overhear the name Coco and decide to come outside to investigate. They all see Coco outside next to two other people. Lucy and Wendy recognize them. The same is said for Happy and Carla when they came outside. 

"That's the girl from Edolas," Wendy points to Coco. 

"Coco? Long time no see," Lucy arrives at the guildhall with Michelle and Levy. She has a briefcase with her. "How did you get to Earth Land from Edolas?"

"Must be the clock piece she told me last night." Spike said to himself. 

"Sugarboy, these tools totally think we're old chums of theirs."

"Sounds like it's their problem, Mary Hughes," Sugarboy is wearing a white 70's disco-style suit, with the front of the shirt left. 

"Let's finish this up before they invite us to stay for dinner," Coco said. 

"Mary Hughes?" Natsu is confused. 

"Sugarboy?" Lucy remembers the name. 

"The weirdos we fought at the Royal City's Amusement Park?" Natsu asks and remembers the two from their Edolas trip. 

"Now that you mentioned it, there is a resemblance," Lucy states, putting the pieces together.

"What's with the lady clothes, pervert!" Natsu points at Mary Hughes. "You try to fool me or something?"

"I just met him, and now I want to kill him," Mary Hughes feels conflicted.

"Something is very wrong here," Wendy said. 

"If you folks aren't here to hire us," Max Alors said. 

"Then you can march back where you came from,"  Laki Olietta finishes the statement. 

"We ain't taken no orders from slobs with no style, darling," Sugarboy claims. 

"I'm only saying this once, so listen. I demand you hand me Lucy Heartfillia right now," Mary Hughes demands. 

Everyone is stunned to hear that Mary and her friends want Lucy Heartfillia. 

"There's no point in hiding from us," Coco said. 

"We know she's living with the little dragon brat," Sugarboy points to Spike. "So, might as well come on over, Lucy Heartfillia."

"Also, we are aware she's part of the guild," Mary Hughes said. 

"Little dragon brat?" Spike grits his teeth. 

"You got some gut showing out of the blue and disrespecting us like this," Wakaba said. 

"I'm the Master of Fairy Tail. Your request is denied. So I suggest you get out of here. We're not known for our patience with cocky punks," Macao proclaims. 

"Especially when punks are shouting orders," Max Alors said. 

"Like we run from kids, old men, a baby dragon, and cats," Mary Hughes smirks. 

"I bet you guys are the arsonists, setting churches on fire for your amusement," Kinana points at the trio. 

"Makes sense. Why else would they happen to show up?" Carla said. 

"Even without proof, the timing too convenient," Panther Lily said. 

"They have to be the culprits. Reading them in the newspaper is horrifyingly enough," Spike said. 

"Keep on playing the blame game if it helps you sleep better at night. Now, hand over Heartfillia before we get nasty with you," Mary Hughes threatens Fairy Tail. 

"We gonna rock you world," Sugarboy powers up and unleashes a swarm of mucous slime from his body. 

"Gross, is that boogers?" Happy asks. 

The mucous slime captures Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane. They are having a hard time moving in it. Everyone dodges the mucous slime. Coco runs behind Macao and beats him in close quarters combat instantly. Wakaba uses his smoke magic to knock Coco off of Macao. Romeo tries to take down Coco, but she moves too quickly. The mucous slime captures Romeo, Wakaba, and Macao in the process. 

"Leave them alone!" Spike tackles Sugarboy, only to be taken down by Coco. 

"Don't even try it, baby dragon," Coco teases him. She kicks Spike in the gut and throws him into the mucous. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport and the mucous slime away from him. 

"What?" Coco is surprised with that move. 

"You're going to regret attacking my friends, punks," Spike sees the mucous slime that captured the rest of his friends go back into Sugarboy. They are feeling drained of their magic energy. 

"It's only you against us. You pals are depleted of their magic energy, baby dragon," Sugarboy chuckles. 

"Natsu, here!" Romeo shoots a yellow flame at Natsu. 

"Thanks, Romeo," Natsu eats it. Unfortunately, the yellow flame is dragon fart. "Ew, nasty!"

"Whoops, wrong flame," Romeo chuckles a bit. 

"It's fine. Ready Spike?" Natsu turns to Spike. 

"Ready," Spike nods. 

"Feel the burn! Fire Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at Mary Hughes, Sugarboy, and Coco. 

"Spicy," Sugarboy says, seeing how huge the wave of Natsu's fire breath is. 

''He's using fire magic? Lame. Conducting Art," Mary Hughes uses a wooden hand relic and redirects the flames at Laki Olietta and Max Alors. 

"Hey, watch it!" Max and Laki shriek. 

"Take this!" Natsu unleashes a wave of his fire at Mary Hughes. She redirects the attack at Lucy, Levy, and Michelle. 

"My turn! Fairy Dragon Rooooooooaaaar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green Fire breath at Mary Hughes, Coco, and Sugarboy. 

"You should know better, stupid," Mary Hughes redirects the attack to hit Romeo, Wakaba, and Macao. 

"Oh, really?" Spike uses his claw to redirect his attack at Mary Hughes. 

"What!?" Mary Hughes is in shock. 

"Now, my doggies, take the hit," Sugarboy commands his mucous slime to absorb the blow. "I thought you can redirect the brat's magic, Mary. What's wrong with your magic?" 

"Nothing is wrong. Just drain the baby dragon!" Mary wants to see Spike suffer. 

"Can do. Sic 'em, my puppies," The mucous slime goes after Spike. 

"Spike! Don't let it touch you!" Elfman said. 

"Get out of the way, Spike!" Lisanna warns him. 

"Fly away from it!" Mirajane shouts. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size. His spikes from his body enlarge, his claws become sharper, and his muscles expand more as he's becoming ripped. Sugarboy, Coco, and Mary Hughes' jaw drops. Spike is now a quarter size of a dragon, and he steps on the mucous slime. "Who's little now?!" Spike snorts. 

"Uuuuuuuuuuuh, truce?" Sugarboy sweats a little, making the offer. Spike's tail swats him far away from the guildhall. Sugarboy screams as he soars in the skies. 

"Sugarboy!" Mary Hughes and Coco shout. 

Spike looks down. "I'm going to say this once. Leave. And don't come back for Lucy Heartfillia." 

Mary Hughes and Coco nod as they are petrified. They hightailed out of the presence of Fairy Tail. Mary Hughes and Coco decide to spy on the Fairy Tail guild a bit more. They need to know who Lucy Heartfillia to complete their mission. 

Spike sighs and reverts to normal. "Is everyone alright?" 

"Either than feeling drained of my magic energy, I'm good for the most part," Elfman said. 

"You think they'll return?" Panther Lily asks. 

"No doubt about it but, I hope they don't come for Lucy," Spike answers. 

"Thanks for doing that, Spike," Lucy said. 

"Anytime," Spike smiles. 

"Let's get everyone back in the guildhall," Carla said. 

Twenty minutes later. Everyone is inside the guildhall, recovering from the mucous slime attack. 

"Hey, Fairy Rage. That weird magic Mary was using. Would it affect you and your attacks?" Natsu asks. 

"My mind and Spike's mind. No. The magic can redirect our attacks but, we can also change the course of them. Mary Hughes is no match for us." Fairy Rage explains. "If you are asking about our body movement, it kinda depends on our size; if we were small, sure. Big, doubt it."

"Alright, I gotta remember that," Spike said. 

"I have it in your storage. A perk of my mental magic."

"That's cool. It's like requipping or using my Celestial Spirits." 

"Yes. However, you were wise not to use your Celestial Spirits. If you did, they would have known who you are clearer." Fairy Rage says. 

"No kidding. Right now, they have no idea what Lucy Heartfillia looks like."

"But, they know Lucy Heartfillia lives with a baby dragon," Romeo said. 

"So, to protect Lucy from the arsonists. Spike cannot return to the apartment until further notice," Carla said. 

"What!" Spike shouts a little. 

"It does make sense," Happy said. 

"Where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" Spike groans. 

Wendy gets an idea. "How about you bunk with me, Spike?" Wendy smiles. 

"Absolutely not, child. Those punks will try come after you into thinking you are Lucy Heartfillia," Carla declares. 

Wendy sighs. "I guess you're right." 

Elfman places his hand on Spike. "We have a spare room in our house, Spike. You can use it until things clear up." 

"We don't mind," Mirajane smiles. 

"It'll be fun," Lisanna said. 

"Alright then. I'll teleport to the apartment. Grab my stuff and come back here. I don't know where you three reside in Magnolia," Spike lightly chuckles. 

"Sleepover!" Lisanna and Mirajane cheers. 

"A manly sleepover! That sounds manly!" 

"I'll be back in ten minutes," Spike uses his flames to teleport to Lucy's apartment. 

"Thanks for doing this, guys," Lucy graciously says. 

"It's no problem," Mirajane said. 

"He did take out that Sugar-guy and his boogers with him," Elfman said. 

"Plus, it'll be more fun spending time with our friend," Lisanna said. 

"Also, gotta make up the time we would have had camping when Laxus came out of the blue yesterday," Elfman says. 

Michelle looks slump over and sighs sadly. 

"What's wrong, Michelle?" Lucy asks. 

"It's the cute baby dragon," Michelle said in tears. "I won't wake up seeing his cute face still asleep!" 

Wendy feels conflicted with that statement but keeps her emotions to herself. Michelle still cries over the fact that she'll be separate from Spike in the mornings and nights. Jet and Droy come into the guildhall. 

"Yo, we miss anything?" Jet asks everyone. 

"Yea? Why does everyone look like they got beaten up?" Droy asks everyone while eating a drumstick. 

Spike is in the apartment, packing his stuff. He ponders a bit for the motives of Sugarboy, Mary Hughes, and Coco. 

"Something troubling you, Spike?" Fairy Rage asks. 

"Yea. Why did those three happen to show up while churches are getting scorched left and right?" 

"Must be something big. Maybe it links up to that clock piece Lucy has. Something about its ancient runes triggered something. Perhaps, they may know what it is about?"

"Well, they should have sought for our help instead of attacking us." 

"Well, they wanted to make their case. Apparently, they pissed off the wrong dragon."

"That's for sure. I'm glad you're opening yourself a bit more to our friends."

"If they ask me something, I'll answer it. However, you're still in control of what you do. I'll be observing or sleeping until I'm needed or me stepping in on my accord to protect your mind. I'll be glad to talk to them if they talk to me. As I'm talking with you now cause you want to."

"Thanks," Spike finishes packing his belongings. 

"I will say, something bigger is coming. I don't know exactly what it is but, it's coming, and we all need to be ready for it."

"And we will, Fairy Rage. Have a good sleep, Fairy Rage." 

"Talk to you and our friends later." Fairy Rage goes to sleep. 

Spike teleports back to the guildhall. He sees Jet and Droy talking to Levy about what has transpired earlier today. Michelle is still crying over the fact that she won't be seeing Spike during the nights and mornings every day. 

"Hey, ready to go?" Elfman asks. 

"Yea," Spike nods. "Lead the way." 

"Alright, we're taking him, Lucy," Elfman said to Lucy. 

"We'll see you tomorrow," Mirajane said. 

"Have a good night's sleep, everyone," Lisanna said, waving to everyone.

Lucy's smile fades a bit. She doesn't know why she's feeling like this. It's only temporary. Wendy notices Lucy's smile fading a bit. She guesses it's hard seeing someone you care to go to someone's care. 

After an hour of walking, Elfman opens the door to their house. Spike walks in and looks around. 

"Nice place," Spike said. 

"Thanks," Elfman said. "You hungry? Cause, I'm cooking." 

"Yea, I can eat," Spike rubs his belly. 

"I'll help you, Big Brother Elf," Mirajane said. 

"No, it's on me. A manly meal for a manly dragon," Elfman said. 

Elfman and Mirajane argue a little in the kitchen. They want to cook for Spike. 

"Oh, don't mind them. They'll accept each other's proposal and cook together. Let me show you to your temporary room," Lisanna said. 

"Sure," Spike follows Lisanna to the spare room. Within the spare room, there is a bedroom, a drawer, and a closet. "Thanks, Lisanna." 

"Don't mention it. Call it a thank you for saving my life. When you brought the fight to Spike Knightwalker," Lisanna remembers Spike Knightwalker approaching her back in Edolas during the fight against the Royal Army. It was Spike the Fairy that knocked him away from her. 

"You're welcome. I wasn't going to allow the jackass to harm anyone else. Even after what he told me." 

"What did he tell you, Spike?" Lisanna asks. 

"You.., you want to know?" 

"Yea. I don't think you told any of us what went down with Spike Knightwalker's mind." 

"I've told Erza about it. You know the story of how I was abused and abandoned, right?" 

Lisanna nods. "Yes. I want to teach those ponies a lesson they won't forget." 

"Knightwalker had it way worse than me," Spike explains the origins of Spike Knightwalker to Lisanna. Her jaw drops after hearing the terrifying tale. "So, that's why he hates dark guilds and wanted to torture them. It was his sadistic way of coping." 

"It makes sense now. He's the what if you went mad," Lisanna said in simpler terms. 

"Yea. If or when Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy happen to come to Earth Land. I will give them their just desserts and then some. However, I will refrain from killing them. I want them to remember their regrets for the rest of their days as they are not my friends. They were never my friends. What am I saying?" 

Lisanna hugs Spike. "I hope for their sake, they never show up. If they do, they have Fairy Tail to deal with. We don't let anyone mess with any member of Fairy Tail."

"Thanks, Lisanna." 

"Anytime," Lisanna smiles and continues to hug Spike. 

It's now 9:30 at night. Sugarboy, Coco, and Mary Hughes are regrouping after an embarrassing defeat. 

"I can't believe he increased his size," Mary Hughes said. 

"He prevented us from taking, Lucy," Coco said. 

"He swatted me and my babies!" Sugarboy refers to the mucous slime. 

"Samuel's calculations with Spike were way off. He doesn't know all of the brat's capabilities." 

"Perhaps a different approach is in order," Samuel said. 

"Speaking of the devil," Coco said. 

"I didn't anticipate the dragon's capabilities of increasing his size the way he did. I'm now calculating that he won't be with Ms.Lucy Heartfillia. Therefore, a study is in order," Samuel said. 

"What do you have in mind?" Mary asks Samuel. 

"A lucrative job that requires a Celestial Wizard's capabilities such as Lucy Heartfillia. Once her identity is discovered, we can take the initiative steps in acquiring Ms.Lucy Heartfillia," Samuel said. He continues explaining his plan furthermore with his comrades.
> Lucy Ambushed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour after Spike, Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane left, Lucy and Michelle leave the guildhall. Michelle continues to cry, knowing that Spike won't be in the apartment tonight. Lucy does her best to comfort Michelle the best she can. Unbeknown to them, Samuel is observing the two with Coco, Sugarboy, and Mary Hughes.

"So, what are your calculations about these two, Samuel? Especially, the one carrying the briefcase?" Sugarboy asks.

"Yea? I think that girl is Lucy Heartfillia," Coco points at Lucy. 

"According to my calculations, the one in the dress is Lucy Heartfillia. The other is her supposed sister." 

"Makes sense due to the Heartfillia Family's standard," Mary Hughes said. 

"Keep our movements quiet until it's time," Samuel said. 

Sugarboy, Coco, and Mary Hughes nod and keep a watchful eye on Lucy and Michelle as they walk deeper into the forest. 

"Thanks for comforting me, Lucy," Michelle said after she cried her eyes out. 

"No sweat," Lucy sighs in relief, knowing that Michelle has no more tears to shed. 

"I just miss the baby dragon; Spike is all." 

Lucy rolls her eyes. "We'll see him tomorrow at the guildhall. It's not like he moved out of our lives, Michelle."

"What if those mean ponies come in the middle of the night and take him!" 

"They haven't done that. Even if they come tonight, they'll have to answer a Satan Soul, A Beast Takeover, Lisanna, and a Fairy Dragon. They don't stand a chance against anyone in Fairy Tail," Lucy said. 

"I guess you're right. It's just..," Michelle gets teary again. 

"No, no, Michelle. No need for waterworks," Lucy waves her hands in motion. 

"I love the little dragon!" Michelle shouts. 

"I do too. He's like my younger brother," Lucy sighs. "Believe me. Things'll get better." 

Out on the outskirts of Magnolia, a man is riding on a gigantic octopus. He grows weary, tired of the delay from his team in capturing their target Lucy Heartfillia. Coco, Mary Hughes, Sugarboy, and Samuel notices that Lucy's friends are escorting her and her sister to the apartment. 

"What now?" Coco asks Samuel. 

Samuel smiles. "It's time to engage and make sure that Lucy Heartfillia departs from her friends. Byro is incoming in a few moments." 

"Lucy!" Natsu, Happy,  Romeo, Wendy, Carla, Jet, Droy, and Levy arrives. 

"Hey, you guys," Lucy waves at her friends. 

"We thought about escorting you back home. Gotta be sure that those punks or anyone else don't bother you," Natsu said. 

"Hope you don't mind. It can get crazy during the nightly travels at times," Wendy said. 

"Team Shadow Gear got your back," Levy said. 

"Yea, and tell Spike when you see him that we didn't make fun of you. I don't won't Fairy Rage pummeling us the way he did," Droy said. 

"Shush, Droy," Jet said. 

"Fairy Rage?" Michelle is confused. 

"Remember the different tone Spike was speaking during the fight against Laxus?" 

"Yea, Lucy," Michelle remembers. 

"That's Fairy Rage. A protector of Spike's mind and a great asset for our guild." 

Samuel is dumbfounded hearing a second mind inside a baby dragon. He wishes to have two minds in one vessel. Coco, Sugarboy, and Mary Hughes now know that Byro should be the one who takes out Spike. Their magic combined would not subdue Spike. 

"Anyways, let get moving," Romeo said. 

"Now, my little doggies!" Sugarboy commands his mucous slime to attack Lucy and her friends. 

"I knew it!" Natsu and the others jump out of the way. 

"Good call!" Wendy said.  

"Originally, we had a plan of sugarcoating a job offer you couldn't refuse. Finding you wimps out here in the open was easier than expected," Sugarboy said.

"Yea!" Coco rushes in, punching Levy, Droy, and Romeo in the process. 

"Back off from my friends!" Jet kicks it into high gear and attacks Coco. 

"Another speedster?" Coco is surprised to see another speeding wizard. Coco and Jet fight hand-to-hand in close-quarter combat at immense speeds. 

"Solid Script Magic, Iron!" Levy uses her solid script and spawns an iron above Sugarboy. 

"Sorry babe; ain't gonna work," Sugarboy's mucous slime intercedes the iron and tosses back at Levy. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy conjures her sky breath attack. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu conjures his fire breath attack. 

"ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAR!" Wendy and Natsu combine their breath attack to annihilate Sugarboy from behind. 

"Seems you didn't learn your lesson," Mary Hughes comes out of hiding. "Conducting Arts!" She maneuvers the unison raid breath attack into hitting Lucy, Michelle, and Romeo. 

Droy uses his plant seeds to create a vine wall, shielding the attack from Lucy, Michelle, and Romeo. 

"Lucy! Run!" Natsu pleas. 

"Let's go, Sis," Michelle said. 

"Right," Lucy nods. Michelle and Lucy flee from the battle.

"Take this!" Romeo unleashes his purple flames at Sugarboy. 

Coco and Jet continue their fight with the two on par in their speed. Jet and Coco are getting on each other's nerves during their confrontation. 

"I'll get Heartfilla," Mary Hughes said. She runs after Lucy Heartfilla. 

"Sure thing, I'll keep these Fairies in place," Sugarboy said. "Let's go, my little doggies," The mucous slime goes after Natsu. 

"I don't think so!" Natsu jumps back. "Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu flames dissolve. "What the hell?"

Romeo and Wendy come into the fray to attack when their magic is dispersed all of a sudden. 

"Hey, why has my magic stopped working?" Romeo is confused and then swallowed by the mucous slime. 

"Romeo!" The mucous slime engulfs Wendy. 

"Wendy!" Carla shouts. 

"Cease this foolishness and complete the task at hand," The gigantic octopus jumps into the battlefield. Byro is riding on top. Byro uses nullifying magic, and he nullifies every Fairy Tail Wizard he sees. 

"What the?" Coco uppercuts Jet. Jet lost his speed force magic. 

"Time to end this," Coco punches and kicks Jet in circles and tosses him aside like paperweight. 

"Natsu! That guy up there looks like-" Natsu cuts Happy's speech. 

"Byro," Natsu grits his teeth. 

"Sure thing, boss man," Sugarboy salutes to Byro. 

Byro is a tall and muscular man with white hair. He's wearing armor, a purple shirt, gray pants, and black boots. He wields a crescent-shape bo staff. "I'll take care of these insects myself." 

"Take this!" 

Byro sees an energy wave coming at him and nullifies it. "Who goes there?"

"That'll be me," Gildarts enters the battlefield. "There's something you punks should never ever do. Trying to take what isn't yours and messing with Fairy Tail." 

"It's Gildarts!" Happy and Natsu cheers. 

"Perfect timing. Now you bastards are in trouble," Romeo said. 

"Sic em' my puppies," Sugarboy commands his mucous slime to attack Gildarts. 

"Watch out! Don't let it touch you!" Wendy shouts. 

"It couldn't do it even if it tried," Gildarts extends his hand and shatters the mucous slime into pieces. Sugarboy's jaw drops. 

"My doggies!" Sugarboy shouts. 

"Complete the mission now, Sugarboy! I'll deal with this one," Byro commands. 

"Sorry, sir!" Sugarboy calls up his mucous slime and goes after Lucy Heartfillia. 

"You gotta go through us if you want to get her!" Natsu shouts. 

"That can be rearranged," Coco punches left and right with her immense Speed at Natsu and the others. 

Sugarboy calls for his shattered mucous slime and attacks Jet, Droy, Levy, Romeo, Wendy, Carla, and Happy. They are absorbed and thrown aside. The mucous slime grabs Natsu and throws him into several trees. Sugarboy and Coco go after Lucy Heartfilla. 

"Damn.., I can't use magic," Romeo feels weak like before. 

Gildarts leaps at Byro. He uses his magic, and Byro nullifies it. Gildart's shatter magic is redirected into hitting the trees behind Byro. Gildarts punches Byro but, Byro uses his staff to absorb Gildart's strength and nullifies it. Gildarts now see the difficulty of this opponent. 

"I don't have time for you," Byro uses his nullifying magic to strip Gildarts of his magic temporarily. 

"Oh crap," Gildarts doesn't feel any of his magic power. 

"Kanaloa, toss him."

Kanaloa is the name of the gigantic octopus Byro is riding on. Kanaloa uses his tentacle and throws Gildarts far away from the area. 

"Gildarts!" Natsu screams in horror. He has never seen Gildarts defeated that way before. Everyone around Natsu that is defeated watches in horror. One of their strongest wizards defeated at ease. 

"Kanaloa, we're done here," Byro said. "Let's get moving." 

It's been twenty minutes of running for Lucy and Michelle. They stop by a tall oak tree to catch their breath. 

"I...hope...the...others...are...having...a...better...chance...than...earlier..," Michelle pants. 

"With Jet around, he can maybe even the playing field in the speed force. As for Sugarboy and Mary Hughes.., I'm not sure," Lucy said. 

"Wow, finding you was way easier than I thought," Mary Hughes is behind him. "Now that I know who you are, there's no point in running, Lucy Heartfillia."

"That does it! Open Gate of the Golden Bull, Tauras!" Lucy summons Tauras. 

Taurus wields his ax. "Wow, Lucy. Have I ever told you, you have a nice body?"

"Big sis, the cowman is a perv," Michelle said. 

"Don't remind me. Taurus, take out Mary Hughes right now!" 

"Yes, Ma'am," Taurus goes after Mary Hughes. 

"Do you have short-term memory loss or something?" Mary Hughes uses her conducting magic to manipulate Taurus, but it does nothing for her. 

"Sorry, darling. No one mooves me around," Taurus swings his ax at Mary Hughes. 

"It didn't work," Michelle said in glee. 

"Oh yeah, it didn't. Her magic can control humans, not Celestial Spirits." 

"Maybe it works on baby dragons?" Michelle said. 

"No way. Her magic didn't work on him, remember?" 

"He was too big to be controlled." 

Taurus continues to swing his ax at Mary Hughes. She continues dodging each attack. Taurus sees Mary Hughes' chest, and his mind explodes with all sorts of perverted imagery. All Taurus thinks about is smooching Mary Hughes so, Lucy closes his gate key and summons Scorpio. 

"Wicked! You leave this one to me, Lucy. Sandblaster!" Scorpio unleashes his sandblaster at Mary Hughes. 

Mary Hughes dodges out of the way and decides to use her conducting arts magic to grab hold of Lucy. She uses Lucy like a shield. Scorpio moves his sand away but causes Michelle to get hit instead. Michelle is knocked out due to the impact of the sandblaster. 

"Think fast!" Mary Hughes uses her magic to hurl Lucy at Scorpio. Scorpio takes the hit and returns to the Celestial Spirit World. "Now, come here," Mary Hughes forces Lucy to walk towards her. She relishes Lucy's cries as her body is forced to walk to Mary. 

"Stop! Please! What do you want from me?" Lucy is at the mercy of Mary Hughes. 

"There is something in your possession that I'm after," Mary Hughes uses her magic to force Lucy into handing her the clock piece that's in the briefcase. 

"This is what you're after?" Lucy is trying to resist Mary Hughes' magic. 

"Yep. Now, hand it over," Mary Hughes chuckles a bit. 

"NO! This is my father's memento, and he gave it to me! There's no way I'll let you have it!" 

"That makes it more fun for me," Mary Hughes takes delight in Lucy's suffering of stripping an artifact from her. She takes the briefcase away from Lucy while Lucy drops to the ground. "Thank you for your donation. The Archbishop is going to freak." 

"Give it back!" Lucy said in tears. 

"I'll give you something," Mary Hughes kicks Lucy away from her and throws a lacrima flare in the skies. The lacrima flare alerts Byro, Samuel, Sugarboy, and Coco that their job is a success. They leave the forest to regroup and go back to headquarters. 

Twenty minutes later, Erza and Gray see Lucy and Michelle on the ground in defeat. The two come up to them. 

"What happened here?" Erza helps Lucy up. 

"They took it..," Lucy sniffs. 

"Who?" Gray helps Michelle up. 

"The ones behind the church burnings. These wizards came at absolutely nowhere and beat us up badly earlier today, but Spike even the odds and dominated them. Then they ambushed us a while ago. They took the clock piece." 

"That's horrible," Gray said. 

"Where was Spike?" Erza said, sounding serious. 

"He's with Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna. Somehow, they had info about me living with Spike. They were looking for me but they never seen me before. We decided it would be best that Spike doesn't sleep in my apartment to protect my identity." 

"I see. Well, this is a dangerous situation," Erza said. 

"With much discussion and rumors swirling around, we may be in the midst of a Holy War," Gray said. 

"Holy War?" Lucy is confused. 

"It's what we heard around town. Rumors spread rather quickly to our dismay. Where are the others?" Erza asks. 

"Probably still fighting Sugarboy and Coco." 

"What?" Gray and Erza are in shock. 

"It's not Edolas Sugarboy and Coco. It's Earth Land's version of them." 

"Let's get everyone to the guildhall and recover from this mess. Then we'll conduct an investigation on the matter," Erza said. 

Erza and Gray follow Lucy and Michelle back to the area they were fighting Sugarboy and Coco. When they arrive, everyone is down, drained of their magic energy, and defeated. Erza and Gray are shocked by everyone in the state their in. 

"What happened here?" Gray asks Natsu. 

"Total annihilation. Even Gildarts was defeated."

"No way!" Gray is flabbergast. 

"We saw it with our own eyes. This guy came in with a gigantic octopus and defeated Gildarts by nullifying his magic," Droy said. 

"I wish Spike was here to help. He would have evened the playing field for sure," Levy said. 

"Or Elfman," Jet said. 

"Or Mirajane," Romeo said. 

"Who were those punks anyway?" Droy asks. 

"Mary Hughes mentioned the Archbishop," Lucy said. 

"What?!" Everyone said in unison. 

"Damn that guy," Gildarts walks back and regroups with everyone. "Can any of you get up?" 

Jet, Droy, Levy, Natsu, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Wendy gets up. They are still drained of magic energy. Everyone returns to the guildhall. Wakaba, Cana, and Macao are surprised to see the anguish and sadness coming from their friends. 

"We have a serious situation," Erza said. 

Lucy explains all that she knows from her encounter with Mary Hughes and the mentioning of the Archbishop. Silence reign for a few moments. They now know the circumstance they're in. 

"The Archbishop must have sent the Legion Platoon. That's who we encountered earlier," Wakaba said. 

"Can't believe it's Zentopia's doing," Cana said. 

"Why would the largest organized church of Fiore would do something like that?" Macao asks. 

"Don't know why. All we know is they took Lucy's clock piece away," Gildarts said. 

"Holy War is among us," Makarov said. 

"All that matter is they stole from Lucy. I swear, we'll get back what rightfully belongs to you," Natsu turns to Lucy. 

"Hey Lucy, should we get Spike to come back home?" Michelle asks. 

Lucy sighs. "We'll grab him tomorrow. He's probably sleeping by now." 

"We should start planning what to do next. The question is, why go after Lucy's clock piece?" Erza asks. 

"I remember the incantation of the clock piece earlier today before they attacked us the first time. Time ticks forward untoward inevitable chaos." 

"Chaos huh, that means no rules and I like the idea of laws being outlawed," Gray said shirtless. 

"Now that, I can get behind with," Natsu said in excitement. 

"We need rules, Natsu. That's how we function in life." 

"Happy's right, Natsu. Rules were created to protect people's freedom and safety. Without them, there'll be strife and flawless," Makarov said. 

"So, if Zentopia succeeds, they can rewrite the rules?" Macao asks. 

"I don't like the sound of that," Wakaba said, smoking a cigar.

"Hold on, if they took Lucy's clock piece. What are the chances they search for all the other pieces?" Romeo asks. 

"That would be a possibility. If we can determine what their goal is, then perhaps we can figure out the significance of Lucy's keepsake," Erza said. 

"I say we find out where they went and make them talk," Gray suggests. 

"Sounds like fun to me," Natsu concurs. 

"I don't know where we should start looking," Lucy said. 

"I'll see what my fortune-telling brings up. It's bound to give us a few ideas on where to start," Cana said. 

"Until then, everyone get some shuteye. We'll be needing the energy for tomorrow's mission," Erza decrees. 

"Please, can we bring Spike back home," Michelle begs Lucy. 

Lucy sighs. "No. We need to let him be for the night. He's going to be highly upset that we were ambushed, and he wasn't around to help us. Now, let's go home. We had a long night." 

"Okay..," Michelle said in defeat. 

With the clock piece now in the hands of the Legion Platoon, Lucy and Michelle walk back home peacefully. It is 11:30 at night when they arrive at the apartment. Lucy and Michelle lay down on the beds and go to sleep after having a rough night.
> Finding the Key
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's the dawn of a new day in Magnolia. Spike wakes up on the floor next to Lisanna, Elfman, and Mirajane after having an awesome party last night. He goes to the kitchen to see what's in the fridge. 

"Hmm, I can make pancakes and sausages for breakfast," Spike takes the sausages out of the fridge and looks for the pancake mix in the closet. He starts making breakfast for Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane. 

It's now 8:15 in the morning. The aroma of pancakes and sausages wakes up Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna. 

"Man, that smells good," Elfman said. 

"Smells delicious," Lisanna said. 

"Wait, if you two are not cooking, that means Spike's in the kitchen." 

Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna go into the kitchen to see Spike finishing making pancakes and sausages. They watch him prepare the table in the kitchen as well. 

"Morning, you three. Had a good night's sleep?" Spike smiles. 

"I had a manly sleep and dream! It was manly!" Elfman shouts. 

"Sleeping on the floor is something I haven't done in a long time but, it was fun last night. I'll say yes, I did have a good sleep," Mirajane said. 

"I had fun cuddling my favorite dragon in my sleep," Lisanna said. 

"Please don't say that around Wendy. She may kill me," Spike said while he closes his eyes. 

"My lips are sealed," Lisanna said. "Since you are making breakfast for us." 

"Which you didn't have to do, Spike. You're in our house. You're our guest," Mirajane said. 

"I would have whipped us pancakes and sausages," Elfman said. "A real man cooking for his honored guest." 

"I'm doing this out of my appreciation and gratitude for allowing me to bunk with you, lot. With what transpired yesterday, I believe it may not be over. Also, being away from home to protect Lucy's identity is a sacrifice I'm willing to pay. Hopefully, those chumps never come back and take Lucy." 

"Agreed, they'll be dead if they harm Lucy," Mirajane, Lisanna, and Elfman said in unison. 

"No one messes with Fairy Tail. They'll get their just desserts," Elfman said. 

Spike brings the plate of pancakes to the table with a bowl of sausages. He goes to the fridge to take out apple juice and grape juice. 

"Thank you, Spike," Lisanna sits at the table. 

"You're welcome, Lisanna," Spike smiles. 

"Since you enjoyed our cooking last night, Spike. Let's see how yours fare," Mirajane said while taking a seat at the table. 

"I'm eager to know how it tastes since Lucy brags about your cooking," Elfman said, taking his seat at the table. 

"I think you'll enjoy it as much as Lucy have," Spike said. He sits and puts three sausages and two slices of pancakes on his plate. "Want syrup?" 

"Yes, please," Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna said in unison. 

Spike puts syrup on his plate then passes it to Mirajane. She puts the amount she wants and passes it to Lisanna. Lisanna adds lots of syrup to her plate and gives it to Elfman. Elfman puts just enough on his plate. Spike watches Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane take the first bite of their pancake and fall in love with the flavor. 

"Ooooooooooh my, Spike," Lisanna is enjoying the pancake. "This is so goooood," Lisanna savors the flavor. 

"Now, this is a meal for a real man!" Elfman starts gorging on his plate. 

"Spike, if you want to make extra money, you can cook for the guildhall. Your cooking is off the charts," Mirajane takes another bite of her pancake. 

Spike chuckles. "I'm glad you enjoy my cooking. Soon, I'll be baking a special treat for the entire guild." 

"Oooooh, what would that be?" Lisanna becomes excited. 

"My freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies," Spike answers. Spike hears loud gasps in the kitchen. 

"That sounds manly!" Elfman shouts. 

"My heart skipped a beat," Lisanna puts her hand on her chest. 

"Lucy said that seven years ago. Before the whole anima thing came in fruition." 

"I want to try one. It sounds heavenly," Mirajane said. She imagines the flavor and sweetness of the cookie. 

"There'll be a day for it," Spike said. "Right now, let's eat and see how our friends are doing at the guildhall." 

"Sounds good to me," Mirajane said. 

Spike, Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna eat their breakfast while enjoying each other's company. They laugh and share stories in the kitchen. After breakfast, Mirajane and Lisanna offer to clean the dishes. Spike goes to the bathroom and freshens up for the day. Half an hour later, everyone leaves and goes to the guildhall. 

It's 10:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike, Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane arrive at the guildhall to see everyone in disarray. Cana is still trying to use her fortune-telling to conduct the next phase of operations. Lucy looks depressed, Natsu is ready for a fight. 

"Oh my, what happened?" Mirajane asks. 

"We got our asses handed last night by the Legion Platoon," Romeo answers. 

"The what?" Spike is confused. 

"You gotta be kidding me. Zentopia attacked us?" Elfman said in disbelief. 

"The same three guys that Spike shooed off yesterday, they came last night, attacked us, and took Lucy's clock piece," Levy said. 

"Byro came with his octopus and took out Gildarts last night," Natsu said. 

"You freaking kidding me?" Elfman said in shock. 

"That's horrible," Lisanna said in shock. 

"They just made an enemy of Fairy Tail. Now we gotta put them in place," Spike said. 

"We will do just that," Gray said. 

"So, what's the next step of our operations?" Mirajane said. 

"I'm thinking about paying a visit to my old home. Perhaps there are some clues about the clock piece there," Lucy said. 

"I'm coming with you," Spike said. "In case those punks decide to make a trip to see you again." 

"We're going as well," Erza said. 

"Alright, let's get going," Lucy and Michelle lead her friends to her old mansion. 

The trip to Lucy's mansion took three hours of travel time. During the travel, Lucy and Natsu tell Spike everything that happened and what they discussed last night. Spike believes he can take down Byro if he increases his size. 

"Wow, you came from here?" Spike said in awe. He sees how huge the mansion is. 

"It's super clean, too," Happy said. 

"Gotta keep the residence in topnotch for potential buyers," Carla said. 

"Apparently, that hasn't been easy for buyers. People checked it out, but no one has been able to buy it," Lucy said. 

"Yet," Spike answers. 

Wendy gets the suspicion that Spike may want to buy the property in the future. 

"Yeah, right, Spike. No one can afford to live in a place like this, Spike," Gray said. 

"Such good memories. The house always reminded me of a beautiful palace out of a storybook. I had so much fun here," Michelle said in happiness. 

"Wait, you've been here before?" Lucy asks. 

Michelle breaks down in tears after hearing Lucy's question. "We used to play together all the time!" 

"Good job being the older sibling, Lucy," Gray, Natsu, and Happy said in unison. 

"That's right, sorry. I remember," Lucy replies to calm down Michelle. 

"You remember the pretty clothes you made for me?" Michelle asks. 

"Sure, I remember," Lucy is clueless. 

"You made clothes?" Wendy asks Lucy. 

"I never imagine you were the handy-type," Carla said. 

"I bet you two must have been adorable," Erza said. 

"She used to make the cutest outfits from counter paper and flowers," Michelle said, making Lucy freak out a bit. 

"Oh, wow," Gray chuckles. 

"How would you make clothes out of paper and flowers?" Natsu asks Gray. 

"Well, uh?" Natsu and Gray think pervertedly with the idea of paper clothes and flowers. 

"Don't be creepy!" Lucy kicks the two. 

Spike and Wendy laugh. Lucy, Michelle, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Spike, Happy, Carla, and Wendy enter the mansion. Now that everyone is in the lobby, Erza starts speaking. 

"Now, do you think you can finally be serious? Is that too much to ask?" Erza said, scaring the likes out of Natsu and Gray. 

"No, Ma'am," Natsu, Gray, and Happy said in unison. 

"Okay, where do you think we should get started?" Wendy asks. 

"Yes. What type of clues should we be looking for?" Carla asks. 

"The first order of business is splitting into teams of two and scour every room top to bottom. We're looking for old clocks, anything related to clocks. If anything reminds you of the inscription, take note of it. Any literature written in any formality, anything out of the ordinary. Clues may present themselves in any form, so keep an open eye," Erza said. 

"Will do," Everyone said in unison. 

"I'll search the upper floors of this place. Fairy Rage, do you have awareness behind me?" 

"I do but, it's either a physical presence or magical presence. Anything else is a no so, in this case, for finding any clues, you don't have eyes on the back of your head. Now, if the clock piece presents magic within then, I'll say yes. Right now, I don't sense anything magical so, it could be in stasis."

"Alright, thanks for the info," Spike said. 

"Ah, don't mention it. Glad to help any way I can." 

"Let's start searching," Erza said. 

"I'm coming with you to the upper floors, Spike," Wendy said. 

"Alright then," Spike smiles. "When we get up there, we'll split to look at two different rooms at a time."

Spike, Wendy, and Carla go search the upper floors of the mansion. Lucy and Michelle go to the attic to search. Natsu and Happy check the main floor. Gray and Erza search the hallways and different rooms on the second floor. 

After an hour of searching, Lucy calls everyone to meet in her father's office. Lucy tells everyone about a clue she found thanks to her Celestial Spirit. The book Lucy found is called To My Daughter. The title is misleading and can prove to be a hidden message of some sort. Natsu and Happy arrive in the room bored and hungry fifteen minutes later.   

"Hmm, this is challenging," Erza said while rearranging some lettering into words. Her word is dead. 

"What can the anagram display for us?" Gray arrange some letters into the spelling duo. 

"Hey, you guys playing a game?" Natsu asks. 

"No, we're not," Wendy replies. 

"Please, be quiet," Erza asks. 

"We're trying to concentrate here," Gray said. 

"Is it some kind of puzzle?" Happy asks. 

"Yes," Spike answers. Spike spells out dream using the letters on the floor. 

"Sounds better than what Happy and I was doing. Can I try?" Natsu sneezes, messing up everyone's progress. 

Carla flies up and slaps Natsu in the face. "You just ruined our train of thought!" Carla irately expresses. 

"We were working so hard on it," Wendy said. 

"Whoops, my bad," Natsu said. 

Erza spawns her sword and cuts a few strands of Natsu's hair, scaring the life out of him. "I was on the verge of a huge breakthrough," Erza lividly states. 

"Sis is pissed," Spike said. 

"Remind me not to break her concentration," Gray said. 

"I supposed we should start collecting the letters and try to solve the anagram," Carla sees a new word formed from Natsu's sneeze. "Wait, do you guys see what I see?" Everyone looks at the word Carla sees. Myth. 

"Wow, that was close to my word. I don't think I would have thought that,"  Spike said. 

Lucy's Celestial Spirit Crux appears and sees the word Myth. He tells Lucy and her friends to use the remaining letters to spell out the rest of the anagram. After a few minutes, the anagram reads Duo Great Myth. Lucy immediately knows what the anagram stands for. Two books written by Will Neville; Life of the Clockwork, which is in Lucy's apartment. The other book is Key of the Starry Heaven. 

"Wait, hold up," Natsu pause for a second. "Isn't that a picture book?" 

"It could reveal hidden clues and mysteries for the clock pieces," Spike said. 

"Not only that Spike, but it's also an amazing work of art," Lucy said, holding the book. 

"Well, whatever it is, I bet the word key is pretty important," Gray said. 

"You guys think it could be another anagram?" Lucy asks. 

"Possibly. I don't see why not," Spike said. 

Carla stares at the image of the book thoroughly. The image of the little girl says one word directly at Carla. Don't. Carla gasps, leaving her in a petrified state. 

"What's the matter?" Wendy asks Carla. 

"Oh, I felt something."

"What is it, Fairy Rage?" 

"A voice. A presence. I...I can't explain it. Something is wrong."

"Fairy Rage," Erza walks up to Spike. "What can you sense?"

"Magic, but it's faint. There's a presence here, and we should be on high alert."

"Alright, everyone, keep your guards up," Erza said. 

"Would you be so kind as to hand over the book?" Samuel said. 

"Who the hell are you?" Spike asks. 

"It's one of the spirits of Lucy's house!" Happy freaks out a little. 

"I don't find your jokes very amusing," Samuel said. The handle to the door enlarges and destroys the door into Jude Heartfillia's office. 

"What's going on?" Natsu sees the debris and smoke coming from the entrance. 

"The door handle just blew up," Gray said. 

"What a rudimentary understanding. What happened was the handle expanded to twice its size which in turn broke down the door." 

"Whoa, that's crazy," Happy sees Samuel for the first time. 

"I don't believe it. Another exceed?" Carla said. 

"I don't remember seeing this guy in Extalia," Happy said. 

"He wasn't there. He must have been one of the eggs that was hatched when sent here many years ago," Carla said. 

Samuel is a light blue exceed wearing a mitre with the Zentopia insignia on it, Gale-Force Reading Glasses, a red scarf adorned by a blue-colored ornament, white pants, and a dark-blue shirt.

"Tell us who you are!" Natsu demands. 

"The brains of the Legion Platoon. The name's Samuel."

"So you clowns came snooping for us after all," Gray said, eager to fight. 

"Give back what you stole from us!" Natsu demands Samuel of doing so. 

"I'll pass," Samuel responds. 

"Say what?!" Natsu replies angrily. 

"I consider this an amazing feat-" Samuel hovers and gets shot down by Spike's flaming arrow. 

"No tricks!" Spike's claw is in a C Formation. 

"There's more to you than meets the eyes, Fairy Dragon," Samuel gets back up from the cheap shot. "As I was saying. I predicted you'll find a clue. I amaze myself with my calculations-" Samuel took his eye away from them to look at his book when he got shot with another flaming arrow. "Will you cut that out!" Samuel is fuming. 

"Return what was taken from Lucy, right now Sammy!" Spike commands, his voice booms and echoes a bit. 

"Don't call me by that name!" Samuel is losing his temper. 

"I say let me turn him into a cat icicle," Gray said. 

"Until I roast the cat," Natsu said. 

"Ready, Erza?" Wendy asks. 

"I am," Erza requips into her Lightning Empress Armor. 

"Let's go! Ice-Make Lance!" Gray extends his arm forward, creating long ice lances at Samuel. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at Samuel. 

"You'll get nothing more from us!" Erza unleashes her lightning at Samuel. 

Dan Straight, a slim, young man with crimson-colored hair wearing thick armor, intervenes and shields the attack, protecting Samuel in the process. His shield redirects the attack. 

Lucy panics as parts of her old home are demolished and scorched. Gray says that some guy blocked their combined attack and caused this. 

"Some guy? I'm the spearhead of the Legion Platoon. My name is Dan Straight." 

"Probably a ripoff of damn right," Happy said. Spike laughs a bit. 

"My name is not humorous!" Dan Straight said. "Since you guys saw what my shield is capable of, if not, allow me to explain. It's called Ricochet. Get it? This baby takes any attack and sends it back at you." 

"No, that's a powerful shield," Erza said. 

"We gotta be careful what we hit him with," Wendy said. 

"I have a way of fixing that," Spike said. 

"So, you weren't lying. There is a Fairy Dragon. I'm willing to slay it like a true knight in shining armor," Dan Straight smirks. 

"I'll floss my teeth with your spine for that remark!" Erza angrily states. 

"Fire Dragon Brilliant Flames!" Natsu jumps at Dan Straight, unleashing a barrage of his flames at Dan Straight. 

"Man, you're clueless," Dan Straight redirects the attack by using his shield. Everyone takes cover except for Spike. He eats some of Natsu's flames. 

"Lucy Heartfillia," Samuel points at her. "She has the book we need." 

"You're gonna have to get through me first, punk!" Spike said. "Lucy, run!" 

"You're not going anywhere!" Dan Straight tosses his lance at Lucy, cutting her path. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the lance. It lands outside. 

"Samuel! You didn't tell me he can teleport things!"

"Minor miscalculation. Coco, Sugarboy, and Mary Hughes didn't inform me of his teleportation magic." 

"Great, I'm starting to fall in love with that Lucy Heartfillia chick, and my rage is skyrocketing thanks to that twerp," Dan Straight points at Spike the Fairy. 

"Our objective is to get the book. That's what we intend on doing," Samuel said. 

"Right! I'm still pretty lethal with my-" Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the shield outside the mansion during Dan Straight's monolog. "Ricochet..." Dan Straight's eyes widen in horror now that he's defenseless. 

"So, what was that about slaying Spike?" Erza said. She requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor and is pissed off. 

"Okay, major miscalculations of this scenario!" Samuel walks back a little, fearing that the situation is out of hand. 

Happy is wearing a referee's attire and has a bell. "Round three, fight!" Happy rings the bell. 

Dan Straight waves his hand in motion.  "You wouldn't harm a defenseless man! Would you?!" 

"Let's take them down!" Natsu said. 

Natsu, Gray, and Erza attack and give Samuel and Dan Straight a beating of a lifetime. For Erza, it was more personal when Dan Straight proclaims to slay Spike like a true knight in shining armor. After ten minutes of nonstop beating, Natsu, Erza, and Gray return to the others. 

"Never disrespect my brother," Erza said. 

"Man, that felt good," Natsu said in relief. 

"Tell me about it, that was exactly what I needed to teach those chumps a lesson," Gray said in satisfaction. 

"Anyone messing with Fairy Tail lives to regret it. I'm sure those two will remember that beating for the rest of their lives," Erza said. 

"Let's go home, Sis," Spike said. 

"Mind taking out the trash first?" Erza said. 

Spike walks up to Samuel and Dan Straight. They are bruised, scorched, and freezing. 

"You little monster," Dan Straight spits blood on the floor. 

"I'm not a monster. I'm a dragon, a Fairy Dragon. Remember the name," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Dan Straight and Samuel outside of the mansion. The two land near Dan Straight's weaponry. 

"What now, genius?" Dan Straight asks. 

"The book Lucy Heartfillia mentioned. The Key of Starry Heaven. Let's pick it up at our local library." 

"Good idea. I don't want to be anywhere near that dragon unless Byro is with us," Dan Straight said. 

"For once, I concur," Samuel said. 

Spike, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Michelle, and Gray leave the mansion. They are on their way back to the guildhall after a successful mission on finding another clue to the clock mystery.
> Gathering the Clock Piece
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours after retrieving the Key of Starry Heaven's book, Spike, Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Carla, Wendy, Michelle, and Gray return to the guildhall. It's 3:30 in the afternoon. Lucy is rereading the book while everyone else is lounging and relaxing. 

"How are you holding up, Sis?" Spike asks. 

"Fine. I take it personally whenever someone wishes to slay you. You are my brother after all," Erza said. 

"I'm so glad I pummeled those jerks," Natsu laughs victoriously. 

"Teleporting his weaponry was pretty smooth, Spike. Save us the hassle with his ricochet shield," Gray said. 

"You should have seen the poor kitty's face when he realized his best man got screwed by this adorable handsome baby dragon!" Michelle picks up Spike and hugs him. 

"Uh, could you put me down? I'm about to eat," Spike asks. 

"Oh, sure," Michelle lets go of Spike.

Spike sits down as Mirajane comes by to give Spike his plate of food. Wendy sits next to Spike. 

"I know one thing for sure, with Spike with us, we have an ace in our sleeve!" Natsu shouts. 

"I'm not entirely sure of that, Natsu," Gildarts said, drinking his beer. 

"Why you say that, old man?" Natsu asks. 

"That guy with the octopus bested me in battle and nullified my power. If he can do that to me, I'm sure he can do it to Spike," Gildarts sips his beer. 

"Byro played a part in taking most of us down last night, Natsu," Wendy said. 

"Fairy Rage, can Spike's and your power bypass Byro's nullification powers?" Erza asks. 

"I'm not entirely sure cause we never encountered Byro. If we increased our size, maybe it's a key factor or maybe still in size, his magic can nullify us back into normal size. I protect Spike's consciousness and memory from anything. His body and power, no. Now, if Spike were to study protection magic, then perhaps I can tap into it when it's necessary. Until then, all I can come up with is theories."

"Bummer, good thing you sense Samuel and Dan Straight," Happy said. 

"Uh, that wasn't the presence I sensed."

"Wait, what?!" Erza, Gray, Natsu, Wendy, Michelle, Happy, and Carla shouts, disturbing Lucy's reading. 

"Would you mind? I'm trying to read here!" Lucy barks. She goes back into reading the Key of Starry Heavens. 

"If that wasn't it? What was it then?" Gray asks. 

"It was faint but magical. It had a voice as well. It said one word. Don't. I don't know why the voice said it."

"Perhaps a message or what's yet to come?" Erza said. 

"Or you don't have a shot at winning but, that presences never witnessed what Fairy Tail is capable of when achieving our goals," Natsu said. 

"For now, we can toss up theories or finding the answers ourselves. I vote we search for them. Perhaps there's a bigger picture we're not seeing."

"Agreed. So, what's it like being in Spike's head communicating like this? Do you wish to have a body of your own?" Carla asks. 

"It's interesting. I'm comfortable within Spike's body. I have no problems, and I want to help him and you guys any way I can. Spike loves you all like family, so the feeling is mutual."

"Good to know," Wendy said. 

"That was a given," Spike said with his mouth full of food. 

"Don't talk with your mouth full; you may choke."

Spike swallows. "Sorry," Spike chuckles a little. 

Wendy puts an arm around Spike, which is driving Michelle mad. Michelle tries to hide her feelings about it. 

"Weird question, when Spike and I get married, will you-" Fairy Rage intercedes the question. 

"Asleep. It's Spike's big day, so I'll be sleeping. I'll only be awake if some fool dares to ruin the wedding."

Michelle is internally screaming. She looks at Spike the Fairy as he continues to eat. Lucy finds a crucial detail about the Key of Starry Heaven. The story is linked up to the events that happened recently. 

"How so, Lucy?" Spike asks. 

"There's more fact than fiction within the pages. The Key of the Starry Heaven is about a little girl who goes in search of six keys because they said it's to bring happiness when they're all collected." 

"Oooh, I know who's key will unlock my happiness," Juvia said, looking directly at Gray. 

"Thing is, in finding her happiness, the young girl unknowingly brings sorrow and misfortune to everyone around her," Lucy continues her explanation. 

"That's no good," Happy said. "What a crappy ending." 

"Criticism won't help solve this any faster, tomcat!" Carla said. 

"Sorry. Geez, lighten up," Happy replies. 

"How does this story begin?" Erza asks Lucy. 

"Well, according to what it says here, the first key takes a journey." 

"Yea, right. Keys don't take journeys," Natsu said. 

"One did, Natsu," Spike said. 

"What?!" Happy and Natsu said in unison. "A key moved?!" They panicked. 

"Spike, it's a metaphor. Stop confusing dumb and dumber," Gray refers to Natsu and Happy. 

"What was that!?" Natsu gets in Gray's face. "You calling me a dummy?!"

"Yeah, do you really think keys have a mind of their own?!" Gray gets in Natsu's face. 

"Enough!" Erza punches Gray and Natsu in the gut. "Lucy isn't finish explaining to us." 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Gray and Natsu said while winded. 

"How did the clock piece got to Lucy?" Spike asks everyone. 

"Duh, Michelle brought it to Lucy," Happy answers. 

"Exactly. Michelle brought the clock piece to Lucy. The clock piece represents the first key," Spike explains. 

"Ooooh," Happy said. 

"How do you know about these kinds of things, Spike?" Natsu asks. 

"When you're with the Princess of Friendship, a pony that studies a whole lot, solving equations, and taking lots of notes, some of its charm rubs off. Also, before coming to Earth Land, I took my time studying different things when I can," Spike sighs a little. 

"Since Spike explained the first part, allow me to continue on explaining the story. As the story progresses, the little girl decides to search for the five remaining keys. One by one, she finds them in a variety of places. Finally, she travels to Cathedral, and that's where she finds the sixth key."

"A Cathedral? You don't think," Erza is thinking of the Kardia Cathedral here in Magnolia. 

"No, it's not the Kardia Cathedral here in town. In fact, it's nowhere near Magnolia," Lucy replies. 

"How do you know that?" Erza asks. 

"This is my favorite story when I was a little girl. I used to read it over and over again. One day I realized the places that the girl traveled in the Starry of Heavens were real. Makes me wonder. If my dad came to the same realization I bet he hid the other five clock pieces at those spots. Did he ever mention this to you, Michelle?"

"No.., sorry. Mr.Jude was very quiet before he passed away," Michelle starts tearing up. 

"In any case, I have a feeling we go to the locations that are mentioned in the book. We should have no trouble finding the rest of the pieces. So, who's with me?"  Lucy asks. "I'm not sure what the Legion Platoon wants with the clock pieces but, I know we have to stop them."

"I'm in, Lucy," Spike said. 

"Hey, you can't go by yourself," Natsu said. "I'm tagging along." 

"Same with me," Romeo said. 

"Aye," Happy raises his paw. 

"Probably get to fight some more. I'm down," Gray said. 

"You're going to need a real man!" Elfman shouts. 

"I'm going with big brother El," Lisanna said.

"Count me in," Mirajane said. 

"I'm down," Cana said. 

"Where Spike goes, I'll go," Wendy said. 

"I concur," Carla said. 

"Team Shadow gear is in," Levy said, speaking for the team. 

"Count me in," Panther Lily said. 

"I'm coming, big sis," Michelle said. 

"You can count on me, Lucy," Erza said. 

"I'm tagging along as well. Wherever my beloved goes, I shall be with him," Juvia said. 

"This mission relies on too much guesswork for my taste because we don't actually know what gathering the pieces will do," Master Makarov said. "That said, we must do what we can to keep this chaos at bay." 

"I'll arrange the teams, and we'll go from there," Erza said. "Panther Lily and Team Shadow Gear will team up." 

"Hmmph," Panther Lily nods. 

"Gray and Juvia, you two are a team." 

"Say what?!" Gray is in shock. Juvia leaps in joy. 

"Natsu, Michelle, Lucy, Romeo, and Happy are a team." 

"Awesome! I get to tag along with Natsu! Huzzah!" Romeo and Natsu high five each other. 

"Lisanna, Elfman, and Mirajane. You three are a team." 

"Sounds manly! Teaming up with family!" Elfman shouts. 

"Darn, so much for teaming up with Spike," Mirajane said. 

"Hey! You wanted to team with Spike all along, didn't you, Erza!" Lisanna points at Erza. 

"Got a problem with it?" Erza stares at Lisanna. 

"No, Ma'am," Lisanna quivers a bit. 

"Lastly, it'll be Spike, Cana, Wendy, Carla, and I. We're the final team." 

"Sounds good with me. I get to travel with my Sis and my girlfriend," Spike smiles. 

Lisanna and Michelle are internally screaming. They both wanted to team up with Spike. 

"Alright, let's get moving," Erza commands. 

Lucy gives each team a set of coordinates on where the pieces are located. Spike follows Erza, Cana, Wendy, and Carla to their destination. A few hours later, they're out in the open plains. Erza is pulling her wagon filled with luggage, Cana has her purse, Wendy is carrying her bag, Carla and Spike are flying beside them. 

"Now, this is a mission," Cana said, feeling the cool breeze in the open plains, relaxing under the sun. 

"Yea, I feel like we're experiencing the same thing like the girl in the story," Wendy said. 

"What makes you say that?" Carla asks. 

"She ended up traveling all over the world in order to find the different keys. I imagine her journey was carefree as this," Wendy answers. 

"What's missing is a picnic out in these open fields. If only we can have one and just enjoy the sunny day without any worry," Spike said. 

"Now, that sounds heavenly and fun," Wendy said. 

"Of course it does. You two would do all sorts of things together," Carla said. 

"Still, I can't believe Wendy has a boyfriend before I do. That's going to put some pressure on the rest of the girls in the guild," Cana said. 

"I remember like it was yesterday on Tenrou Island. Before Acnologia showed up, and we go to sleep for seven years," Wendy said. 

"I still can't believe that Gildarts is your dad," Spike said. 

"And, you kept that hidden for years," Carla said. 

"What was more shocking was you giving Acnologia a run for his money," Cana said. 

"I wasn't. I was stalling for time to protect you all. I was still recovering from puking the abyss magic energy and turning into Fairy Demon Dragon. To be honest, even with Fairy Rage, I think I may come out short against Acnologia unless I consume his energy. Then maybe I stand a chance against him. I don't know." 

"My friends," Erza turns to her friends and has already set up a picnic. "Won't you join me for a moment?"

"Uuuuuuuuh," Spike, Wendy, Cana, and Carla react. 

"My is certainly lovely here. Great for a picnic," Erza smiles. 

"You're joking, right?" Cana asks. 

"You had to say picnic earlier, did you, Spike?" Carla turns to Spike. 

"I didn't know my thought would entice Sis to start one. How was I supposed to know?" 

"I've always dreamed of having one. A picnic with my friends and brother." 

"Uuuuh, how is this supposed to help us find the key?" Cana asks Erza. 

"What would fill our bellies and boost our morale? A picnic," Erza replies. 

"Sis," Spike flies up to Erza and slaps a sandwich away from her. "I have a better suggestion." 

"What is it?" Erza glares at Spike, causing Wendy, Carla, and Cana to tremble a bit. 

"After we find the clock piece, we'll have a picnic. Can't have the Legion Platoon beat us to the clock piece, now can we?" 

"But, I thought everything through," Erza explains. 

"Sometimes, the unexpected happens. May I remind you that an enemy came at absolutely nowhere and, we weren't prepared for it?" Spike said. 

Erza was about to counter when she remembers the Tenrou Island incident and sadly sighs. Erza is in tears. "You're right. I'll pack this all up, and we'll have one later," Erza starts packing the food away. 

Carla, Wendy, and Cana flop after seeing how quickly Erza responds to Spike's question. They couldn't believe that Spike stood up to Erza's stare with their very own eyes. After a few minutes. Erza finishes packing and storing the food away. 

"I can't believe you weren't fazed with Erza's glare," Wendy said. 

"It actually makes me laugh. I'm not scared by Sis' glare," Spike said. 

"You gotta teach me how not to be afraid," Cana said. 

Spike, Erza, Carla, Wendy, and Cana start walking again. Erza pouts the whole walk there as she really wanted to have her first picnic. After an hour of walking in the open plains, they're in the forest and a bit lost. Erza looks at the map. 

"It appears we took a wrong turn somewhere," Erza continues to look at the map. 

"Hmm, perhaps we go back the other way?" Spike suggests. 

"I guess so. The map seems to be vague," Erza said. 

"I guess we should rely on the road signs to show us the way," Wendy suggests. 

"Alright, but, care to tell me which way the sign is directing?" Carla points at it. 

"Some sick joke to me," Cana said. "It's illegal to switch the signs." 

"I'll fix it," Spike flies up to the sign and fixes it. It points to the left. "There we go." 

"Let's proceed with caution," Erza leads the way. 

An hour later, Erza, Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Cana arrive at a tall library structure that ascends for miles. It's bigger than the library Spike visited with his friends seven years ago. 

"Okay, that's bigger than the library we went to together, Sis," Spike looks up. 

"Yea, amazing how structures like these were made," Erza said. 

"There's the door," Wendy points at it. 

"So, how do we get inside?" Carla asks. 

Erza uses her magic to open the door. Inside, the library has millions of books about all sorts of magic. Everyone is astounded by the mere sight of it. 

"What a wonderful sight to behold, don't you think?" Carla asks. 

"Yea, we should come back sometime and bring Levy," Wendy said. 

"I could spend days here learning all sorts of magic. Maybe find a way to defeat Acnologia," Spike said. "I may need to take some books for the road."

"I don't blame you. You may be our best chance at stopping him, Spike," Cana said. 

Erza walks up to a shelf. "So many books filled with ancient wisdom," Erza grabs a book that entices her. Several books fall off. Erza sees something jiggling behind the shelf and feels paranoid. 

"What is that?" Spike points to it. 

"Uuuuuuh," Wendy, Carla, and Cana are lost for words. 

"Stand back," Erza pulls out her sword and pokes the jiggling with it. 

A man screeches as books fall off the shelves. Erza commands everyone to flee as fast as they can. Books explode from the shelves and piles up. Erza, Spike, Cana, Carla, and Wendy catch their breath. 

"Whoa," Wendy said. 

"Who's going to clean this up?" Carla asks. 

"Not me. Been there, done that," Spike replies. 

"Oh, right," Wendy, Carla, Cana, and Erza said in unison. 

"This looks important," Spike picks up a book about teleportation. "Could come in handy in the future," Spike picks up more books he likes.

"What books are you getting?" Wendy asks. 

"Some elemental magic books, another book about teleportation, marking projections. Could be vital in the future." 

"Put the books in my wagon, and I'll carry it for you, Spike." 

"Thanks, Sis," Spike throws the thumbs up. 

There is movement within the pile of books. Erza, Cana, and Spike get in their battle formations. Three men in black unitards rise from the books. Wendy immediately points at the trio, remembering who they are entirely. 

"Oh no, it's the Butt Jiggle Gang," Wendy said. 

Carla is a bit scarred because of those fools. The Butt Jiggle Gang runs up to Wendy in tears of happiness. Erza draws her sword at them, defending Wendy. 

"Wait, these are the creeps that Lucy told me about?" Spike is confused by the sheer size of their behinds. 

"Look fellows, a baby dragon. The rumors and pictures were true all these years!" Gocche, the leader of the gang, says. 

"I can't believe these are the bums that commit such despicable and horrific things to Wendy," Erza said, pointing her sword at the Butt Jiggle Gang. 

"Horrific? Us?" Gocche is confused.

"Do you deny it? I was told you dressed her in a dreadful manner," Erza replies. 

"Are you referring to her unitard?" Gocche said while his boys hold Wendy's unitard. 

Spike's jaw drops. "That's disturbing." 

"What?! You kept it?" Wendy embarrassingly blushes. 

Carla shreds the unitard. The Butt Jiggle Gang is in shock. "Good riddance,"  Carla flies back to Wendy. "Only monsters would make her dress in that fashion." 

"Oh, thank you, Carla," Spike said. "I don't want to imagine it." 

"Do you bums have any idea what you've done? Ever since your last meeting, Carla has been plagued with terrible night terrors that drive her crazy." Cana said. 

"You never mention that every time I asked how you were doing, Carla," Spike said. 

"I.., I didn't want to worry you whenever you were with Wendy," Carla said. "Every night, I get chased by Wendy wearing the black jiggle butt unitards. Sometimes it's a swarm of Wendies!" Carla shrieks a little. 

"That's messed up," Spike said. 

Carla faints, and Cana catches her. The Butt Jiggle Gang huddle up and devise some strategy. Then they started jiggling their behinds. 

"Please, turn the other way. It's blinding me," Spike said. 

"No kidding, and clean the colossal mess you made," Carla points at them. 

"Well, you heard the lady, clean up you two," Gocche commands. 

"What? You're the one who made the mess," Marco Belunjay said. 

"As for that remark, give me 36 push-ups!" Gocche said. 

"Can it be 30?" Marco Belunjay asks. 

"I'm waiting," Gocche said. His lackeys start doing push-ups in front of Spike, Erza, Wendy, Carla, and Cana. They are stupefied. 

"Enough!" Erza draws her sword at them. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Oh, we heard that Fairy Tail is on the hunt for some special treasure, and we thought about grabbing it for ourselves," Gocche answers. The Butt Jiggle gang explains that they'll use the treasure so no one can look down on them ever again. 

"Can we beat them up and continue our search? These guys are making me lose brain cells," Spike asks. 

"I concur. We're wasting pivotal time with these buffoons," Carla said. 

"Stop it!" Wendy puts on a black unitard. The Butt Jiggle Gang are happy to see their Goddess wearing it. Carla screams and passes out in Cana's arms. Spike's jaw drops a second time. 

"Why are you wearing that?" Erza asks. 

"I knew I might run into them someday, so I prepared accordingly," Wendy approaches the Butt Jiggle Gang. 

"I think I rather get my ass handed by Acnologia than be around with those three bums," Spike said. 

"We're not bums!" The Butt Jiggle Gang retort. "Goddess, please vanquish the evil baby dragon!" They plead while crying their eyes out. 

"Absolutely not," Wendy said. "Did you forget everything I told you the last time we've met?" Wendy presents a picture of the good that Fairy Tail does to the Butt Juggle Gang. "You should stop your pursuit of being true scoundrels and invest in your future. I know that deep down there are good men inside of you, and they're just waiting for the chance to break out and be free. Don't deny yourselves a true chance to breath fresh air." 

"Don't deny our true selves?" Gocche repeats Wendy's statement. 

Wendy monologs and asks about the trio when they were younger, having fun, sharing laughter, going fishing, and not worry about tomorrow. The simpler lifestyle than making it challenging, embracing their true selves to enjoy greater happiness. 

Spike, Erza, Carla, and Cana couldn't believe what Wendy has spoken about and how serious she sounded. The Butt Jiggle Gang starts crying and admittingly their flaws. Then they realize that they are true scoundrels and want everyone around to embrace wearing the unitard they wear. Somehow someway, they have a dragon size for Spike. 

"No way in hell I'm wearing that garbage!" Spike angrily shouts. 

"If you want us to play by your rules, you should accommodate and try on our uniform," The Butt Jiggle Gang has a unitard for Erza. 

"Is that so?" Erza said. 

"Erza, don't do it," Cana and Spike said in unison. 

"Fine," Erza willing accepts the proposal on wearing the unitard. 

"We're going to be blind for the rest of our lives, are we?" Spike, Carla, and Cana said. 

Erza puts on the unitard. She's impressed with the physique of the unitard, stating it's comfortable as well. 

"Okay, I'm gonna search elsewhere for the clock piece," Spike said. 

"Here," Cana gives Wendy her calling card. "The moment Spike and I find the clock piece, this'll let you know." 

"Right," Wendy nods. 

"You're staying?" Carla asks. She's still in Cana's arms. 

"Yea. I am their Goddess," Wendy said. 

Spike, Cana, and Carla leave Wendy and Erza with the Butt Jiggle Gang. As they run, they began talking. 

"I'm so glad we're away from those bums," Spike said while flying beside Carla and Cana. 

"I'm going to have nightmares for years because of what Wendy pulled," Carla said. 

"No joke. Those unitards are horrendous," Cana said. 

"Their rear ends are bigger than anything I've seen. They're like the sizes of beach balls," Spike said. "I wonder how they were able to find out about us finding the clock pieces." 

"Could be the Legion Platoon's doing. Making it harder for us to obtain the pieces and easier for them to sneak in from behind," Cana said. 

"I hope we don't run into that Byro guy that nullifies magic," Carla said. 

"I rather fight him than be with the Butt Jiggle Gang. Actually, I rather go to sleep for seven years than spend another second with those bums," Spike sees Carla helping Cana go to the lower levels of the library. 

"We concur," Carla and Cana said in unison. 

Cana notices something and recites a text from the Key of Starry Heaven. "Upon the knowledge of ancient sorcery time does rest. Looks like we found the spot Lucy told us about." 

"Alright, let's start searching the area," Spike says. "I'll search the upper shelves." 

"I'll search below," Carla said. 

"That leaves me with the middle." 

Spike, Cana, and Carla start searching for the clock piece. A few minutes later, the entire library smells like dead fish and feces. 

"Oh God, that smells so wretched," Spike covers his nose. 

"My nose burns!" Cana covers her nose. 

"Not this smell again! I feared smelling this stench again," Carla covers her nose. She and Cana knock down a hidden doorway that has fresh air. Spike flies down and breathes the fresh air. 

"Taste of freedom from that stench," Spike sighs in relief. 

"I guess if it weren't for those bums, we wouldn't have found this place," Carla said. 

"Let's get moving. Hopefully, the air clears by the time we get back," Cana, Carla, and Spike go down the secret passageway. A few minutes later, they burst through a door and found a clock piece in chains. 

"Whoa, that's huge!" Carla sees the clock piece in chains. 

"I got it. Spike wants." Spike increases his size to the height of Laxus and lifts the clock piece. 

"I now see why Erza chose you, Spike. She probably have a hard time lifting that up," Cana said. 

"Maybe. You think by now that Erza and Wendy are through with the bums?" Spike asks, putting the clock piece on his shoulders. 

"Perhaps, let's contact them," Cana calls the calling card that Wendy has. 

"Great, let's start moving," Spike carries the clock piece and walks with Carla and Cana when they run into the Butt Jiggle Gang. 

"Gas em'," Gocche said. He and his lackeys have their rear ends. 

"Fairy Dragon Roooooooooaaar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green Fire breath at the Butt Jiggle Gang. 

The Butt Jiggle Gang rive in agony as they weren't able to fart a powerful dosage of wretched stench at Carla, Cana, and Spike. 

"This is for scarring Carla," Cana unleashes her thunder and lightning magic cards at the Butt Jiggle Gang. They blast out of the library to far away distance. 

"Thank you for doing that. Perhaps, it'll calm my night terror," Carla said thankfully.

"I hope those bums didn't unleash their gas attack at Wendy and Erza," Cana said. 

"I would hate to experience that. Good thing I stopped them from happening to us," Spike said. 

Spike, Cana, and Carla see Erza and Wendy no longer wearing the unitard. Erza is requip into her Black Wing Armor.

"Where are those bums?" Erza irately asks. 

"Gone, Sis," Spike places the clock piece down. 

"Cana and Spike took care of those punks," Carla said. 

"Good," Wendy said. "We should have listened to you earlier, Spike. We should have beat them up and stopped wasting time." 

Spike shoots a sparkling green bullet on the ground. 

"Why you did that, Spike?" Carla asks. 

"I can teleport to this location at ease and save the hassle of traveling here. There are so many books about magic that I can add to my arsenal. Also, imagine the future jobs we may encounter for years to come." 

"Good point," Erza said. 

"Wow, that clock piece is big," Wendy looks at it thoroughly. 

"I see why Erza wanted me to tag along." 

"That wasn't it. I thought we would have run into that Byro guy when searching for the clock piece. Now, there are two things we must do." 

"Two more things?" Cana asks. 

"What are we supposed to do now, Erza?" Wendy asks. 

"Follow me," Erza said. 

Spike, Cana, Carla, and Wendy follow Erza out of the Magic Library. They go on the same path that leads to the open plains again. Two hours later, Erza sees a table and decides to go forth with her picnic plan. 

"Alright, I'll set up the picnic. As Spike proposed, we got the clock piece so we can now have my very first picnic," Erza said. 

"Alright, I'm in for it but, why are we wearing the Butt Jiggle Gang's uniform!?" Cana said, she's jiggling her rear end with Wendy and Erza. 

"Why must I wear one?!" Carla said. 

"Preparation is salvation," Erza states. 

"What are we even preparing for?!" Carla feels conflicted. 

"Also, it's to help you overcome the trauma you've experienced, Carla," Erza said. 

"I'm so glad I teleported mine away," Spike said. He puts the clock piece next to the table. "I would be caught dead wearing it." 

"I wished you teleported mine away!" Carla and Cana said in unison. 

"It's not that bad as it feels, Spike," Wendy said. 

"I have no ass to shake or jiggle, so it does little for me. Dragon asses are different in perspective," Spike sits down at the table. 

"How so?" Erza asks. 

"I-I rather not got into full detail about it," Spike blushes a bit. "Wendy, please take it off," Spike begs. 

"Not until Carla gets the fear out of her," Erza said, speaking for Wendy. She sets up the picnic table in less than five minutes. 

"You don't speak for Wendy," Spike retorts. 

"You have a problem with my authority?" Erza glares at Spike. 

"I do," Spike glares at Erza. 

"Oh wow, sibling rivalry at its best, huh," Wendy is in shock. 

"I guess Erza has found someone that doesn't get scared as we do," Carla said. 

"Better Spike than me. I don't hold a candle against Erza," Cana said. 

"Okay, Wendy. What do you want to do? Keep the unitard on or take it off?" Erza asks Wendy. 

To Erza's surprise, Wendy takes off the unitard and stores it away. She puts on her white thigh socks, red boots, white dress with red ribbons. 

"Spike, when we get back to the guildhall, we're going to have a long discussion. For now, I want to enjoy my first picnic with my friends and brother." 

Cana and Carla remove their unitards and tosses them away. They put on their original attire. Erza is the only one still wearing it. 

"Sorry, I couldn't take it any longer," Carla said. 

"Me neither. It made me feel less of a Fairy Tail Wizard and more of a fart machine," Cana said. 

Erza realizes that what she was doing was absolutely stupid. She removes and burns the unitard on the ground. Cana and Carla toss theirs into the fire. Wendy held onto hers in case the Butt Jiggle Gang emerges again. 

"Never speak of this to anyone," Erza declares. 

"My lips are sealed, Sis," Spike said. 

"Good. Now, let's dig in," Erza said. 

"Don't even think about it," An obese man with huge breasts says. 

"Yea, this is our picnic table so, get lost!" Another obese man with huge breasts says. 

"Hey, want some mayo?" The last obese man with huge breasts asks. 

Spike, Carla, Wendy, Cana, and Erza are in shock and disturbed. They thought it was over with the Butt Jiggle Gang. Now they are scarred by this trio. 

"Let's teach these twerps a lesson and smother them in our jiggly jugglies."

"We're ready to rumble, boss," Two of his lackeys said in unison. 

"They don't stand a chance against our breasts." 

"There's are small and feeble compared to ours." 

"We're the Jugs Jiggle Gang!" They said in unison. 

Wendy holds her chest and feels petrified. "No way, they got bigger boobs than me, and their men?"

"Enough!" Spike increases his size scaring the shit out of the Jugs Jiggle Gang. Spike is as large as the time he fought Acnologia. The Jugs Jiggle Gang holds each other. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The Jug Jiggle Gang are sweating crazy in fear. "We're sorry!"

"Begone!" Spike uses his tail and swats the Jugs Jiggle Gang far. The trio scream as they land near a riverine that Spike sees for miles. 

"Erza," Cana turns to Erza. 

"Yes, Cana?" 

"Remind me to never piss off Spike the Fairy even when I'm drunk..," Cana is in shock to see Spike the same size as Acnologia. 

"Duly noted." 

Spike reverts to normal. "Sorry, you had to see me like that. They got on my nerves. I've seen the jiggling butts and now busts? That's too much for one day." 

"Agreed," Erza, Carla, Wendy, and Cana said in unison. They sit with Spike at the table. 

"Wendy, I don't care about the size of your boobs. I care about you and who you are on the inside. Please remember that." 

Wendy blushes heavily hearing that. Not only Spike is accepting of her body in case her chest doesn't get larger but he cares about her wholeheartedly from the inside. Wendy hugs and kisses Spike's cheek. 

"That was lovely to hear. I wish a man could say that to me when I date him," Cana said. 

Erza thinks about Jellal a bit. Carla is in no hurry to rush for a romantic lifestyle yet. She watches how Spike and Wendy are interacting with each other. Erza finds a flower to stick in her hair, to remember her first picnic with her friends and brother. They spend an hour enjoying each other's company, eating and drinking. 

"Alright, let's get going," Spike increases his size into a quarter-size dragon. "Don't want to keep the others waiting." 

"I just had a thought. Why not fly to where everyone would be at?" Wendy suggests. 

"I could increase my size to Acnologia and would have no problem flying there. I can hold the clock piece and Erza's wagon no problem."

"That's a good idea. It'll save us time and energy," Carla said. 

"Cana, you think that'll be wise? What does your fortune-telling say?" Erza asks. 

Cana places her fortune-telling cards on the ground. "If we fly on Spike's back. We'll meet up with the others and their clock pieces on time." 

"Alright. I trust you not to drop my belongings." Erza said. 

"Have I ever scared you wrong?" Spike asks. 

"Even though you asked for forgiveness, you scared me when you ate Hades' Abyss Energy," Erza sighs. "You have not scared me wrong." 

Spike gets on all fours. "Hop on my back. I'll increase my size on all fours." Wendy, Cana, Carla, and Erza get on Spike's back. "Spike wants more." Spike increases his size once more. The spikes on his back and tail become sharper. He gains muscle mass and gets ripped. Spike roars after his transformation, scaring the wildlife that lives for miles. "Sorry, it felt necessary to do," Spike picks up the clock piece and Erza's wagon with one claw. "Make sure you have something to hold onto," Spike takes flight.

"Woooooow," Erza, Carla, Cana, and Wendy see the beauty of the skies and how things are down below. 

"The breeze up here feels amazing," Wendy said. 

"I thought riding on Spike's shoulders was something. To fly on a dragon like this a sight to behold," Carla said. 

"I will say, this makes traveling better but, there should be no excuse for walking when it's necessary," Erza said. 

"I can ground you and make you walk if you want to, Sis," Spike said while he's flying. 

"No, no, that won't be necessary," Erza replies. 

"I want to say around 5:30 ish. We'll meet up with everyone," Spike said. "Huh?" Spike looks at his right claw that holds the clock piece. 

"What's wrong?" Wendy asks. 

"The clock piece is glowing. I have no clue why it's glowing," Spike said. 

"Fairy Rage. What can you sense from the clock piece?" Erza asks.

"Powerful energy and magic properties. I don't understand its physique. Perhaps when combined with the others pieces, I'll have a better understanding of its knowledge. Right now is vague." Fairy Rage answers. 

"Alright, then," Erza says. 

Spike continues to feel the glow on his claw. "I feel that the clock piece is pointing me towards a different direction than the guildhall."

"Alright, steer us in that direction, Spike," Erza commands. 

"You got it," Spike flies left and goes straight towards a desert. 

Half an hour later, the clock piece shines in magnificence. The clock piece indicates that the other clock pieces are down below the sand. Spike digs the desert sands until he sees an opening. 

"There, I see an opening. Could lead to underground ruins," Spike says. 

"Alright, let's go," Erza, Wendy, Cana, and Carla hops off of Spike and go into the entrance. 

Spike reverts to the size of Laxus and carries the clock piece down below. Erza sees Byro about to kill Coco and shields her with the Adamantium Armor. 

"You," Byro is livid. 

"We never cross paths before but judging your stance and power physique, you must be Byro. Prepare for battle!" 

"Titania," Byro snorts. 

"Do not speak my name. It disgusts me to hear it said by someone who would turn on their allies. You're despicable!" 

"Erza!" Natsu is bruised up badly from his encounter with Byro. Lucy is happy to see Erza. 

"She's not alone!" Spike shouts, placing the clock piece he carries down. Spike is next to Wendy, Carla, and Cana. 

"Spike!" Natsu shouts. 

"Wendy!" Romeo shouts. 

"Carla!" Happy shouts. 

"Bullies like you never prosper, old man," Gray shouts. He's with Juvia and Lyon. They managed to retrieve their clock piece. 

"Whoa! Even Lyon is here," Happy said. 

"Now it feels like fighting the Oración Seis, again," Spike chuckles a bit. 

"We're here and manly!" Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna are here with their clock piece. 

"Yo! Fairy Dragon!" Gajeel salutes to Spike. He's with Panther Lily and Team Shadow Gear while carrying the clock piece. 

"As you can see, we obtain all five clock pieces except for one. Hand over what you stole from Lucy, and we'll leave in peace," Erza advises. "I'll only ask once." 

"Then, you'll have to take it from me, Titania," Byro proclaims. 

"You're outnumbered Byro. We'll take them alright," Erza requips her sword. "Surrender it!"

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. The Infinity Clock is originally Zentopian property. Destiny demands that we watch over it."

"Prepare yourself! Heaven Wheel!" Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, unleashing her sword attack. 

Gray, Juvia, Lyon, Mirajane, Gajeel, Cana, Natsu, and Spike unleashes their attack on Byro. Byro nullifies everyone's attack by tapping his bo staff on the ground.  

"He nullified all our attacks. Even behind him..," Spike said in shock. 

"So, that's the guy that nullifies magic," Gray said. 

"The one that gave Gildarts trouble," Mirajane said. 

"One spell over a thousand makes no difference. In my presence, Wizards ceased to be Wizards entirely," Byro claims. 

"I guess it's time for good ole hand-to-hand combat," Gray said. 

"Such arrogance, I've been trained to battle fifty opponents at once," Byro said. 

"I would refrain increasing your size, Spike." Fairy Rage says in Spike's mind. 

"How come?"

"Byro can nullify you back to normal. Our best bet is to shatter the weapon he has in possession. Remove that from the equation, and there goes his nullification magic. We don't possess the strength to do that yet. We know someones that does."

"Gildarts."

"Bingo. If Gildarts position himself, he can take the staff and shatter it no problem. We can fly and teleport but, the man is trained to combat any possibility. I bet he strikes faster than we do."

"Point taken. We cannot defeat Byro."

The clock piece in Byro's hand starts glowing. Then all the clock pieces glow and assemble themselves. A loud bell chimes, emitting great magic power. The Infinity Clock presents itself to everyone. Natsu sniffs the air and smells familiar faces. He warns everyone to be on their guard. Out of the shadows comes the Oración Seis, Cobra, Midnight, Angel, Racer, Erigor, and some creature with casino slots for a body with a red bear head. 

"You!" Carla points at Spike. "You just had to mention the Oración Seis, didn't you?"

"How am I supposed to know I can guess the future? Isn't that your power?" Spike retorts. 

"No comment," Carla replies. 

"Allow me to introduce you fools to the new and improved Neo Oración Seis," Jackpot said. 

"Neo Oración Seis?" Everyone said at the same time. 

"Hey, bitch!" Spike shouts at Midnight. 

"Psst, same little child from before," Midnight said towards Spike the Fairy. 

"Oh yea, Spike beat Midnight badly from the last encounter," Lucy said. 

"A great deal has changed since the last time we've met," Midnight said. 

"You're Midnight. The loser that lost to a baby dragon in battle!" Natsu reminds Midnight of that devastating defeat. 

"I no longer go by that name. From now on, I ask if you refer to me as Brain the Second." 

"I'll call you whatever I want. Wanna tell us what you're doing here? I know you're up to something!" Natsu demands. 

"I have but one single wish. To make my father's dream a reality, and that is to destroy all that has magic in this world." 

"Still the same morality. Spouting the same nonsense that failed you the last time," Erza said. 

"You've been very helpful, thank you," Midnight says. He and his comrades lift their arms to the Infinity Clock. "We no longer require your assistance." There are six markings on the Infinity Clock. 

"What do we do, Lord Byro?" Dan Straight asks. 

"Fight," Byro answers. "We have to stop them." 

Midnight uses his magic and defeats Byro and Dan Straight before they can do anything. Natsu and Lucy are stunned to see it happen in a flash. Natsu had trouble landing a single punch against Byro. 

"You may not be aware of this but, once the Infinity Clock bears the seal of a wizard, it becomes their property," Midnight teleports to the Infinity Clock. "You know what that means don't you? Now that it bears our seal, the clock belongs to us." 

"Hey, no fair! You can't just show up and steal it for yourself!" Lucy shouts at the Neo Oración Seis. 

"I can hear it. Your growing anger and confusion. It's building up within you," Cobra said. 

Racer chuckles. "Ain't that a laugh?"

"Unfortunately, we dark ones are forbidden of touching the Infinity Clock. Therefore, we had to have you assemble it for us," Angel explains. 

"There you have it, folks. That's how you play the game," Jackpot cheers. 

"Curse you!" Byro shouts. 

"Wait a minute," Spike starts putting the pieces together. 

Cobra turns to Spike. "He's smarter than he looks." 

"The baby dragon? What's he thinking, Cobra?" Racer asks. 

"He's trying to figure out how our plan came to fruition. He may be on to our schemes." 

Spike looks at Michelle, then at the Oración Seis. He's trying to put two and two together. 

"Brain, we have an important goal to achieve. We should proceed as plan," Angel said. 

"Don't worry. I'm aware of it. However, we have a score to settle. They humiliated us seven years ago. Now, it's our turn. Cobra, Racer." 

"On it," Racer and Cobra spring into action. 

"Let's take them down!" Erza said. She, Natsu, and Gray go after Cobra and Racer. 

"Yea!" Gray and Natsu shout their battle cry. 

Racer's speed force is quicker than before. He takes out Erza, Gray, Natsu, Lyon, Juvia, Lucy, left and right. Gray doesn't sense it, meaning that Racer is at a new level of speed force magic. 

"Well, well, if it ain't Maiden of the Sky, her cat, and Fairy Dragon," Cobra is behind the trio. "It's been a while." Cobra hears the fear coming from Wendy and Carla's minds.

"Take this!" Spike flies at Cobra.

"Too predictable," Cobra is already ready to counter Spike's feeble attack. 

"Is that so?"

"What was that?" Cobra's eyes widen. He is caught off guard with a different voice. 

"Inferno Blazing Fist!" Spike uppercuts Cobra. Cobra slams onto the ceiling. 

"I must be hearing Fairy Dragon's voice when he grows in size." Cobra thought to himself. "Lucky hit. Poison Dragon!" Cobra conjures his breath attack. 

"Spike! Be careful!" Natsu warns Spike while getting bombarded with strikes from Racer. 

"Rooooooooaaaaaar!" Cobra unleashes his poison breath attack at Spike. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack then gets taken down by Racer from behind. 

"Gotta keep your eyes open," Racer chuckles. 

Spike gets hit with the poison roar and hurls back. He lands hard on the ground next to Erza. Erza sees Spike feeling ill from the poison attack. 

Natsu goes after Cobra. He roars loudly in hopes of defeating Cobra the same way again. This time, Cobra turns Natsu's roar into a Sound Wall, capable of using the sound waves into a weapon of destruction. Wendy, Carla, Natsu, and several other Fairy Tail Wizards get blown by the attack. 

The Neo Oración Seis have fun taking down every single Fairy Tail Wizard they see. Erza is protecting Spike with her body. Erigor uses his wind magic to blow Erza, Spike, and Gray away. Racer, Erigor, and Cobra reunite with Angel, Jackpot, and Midnight (Brain) after having their fun. 

"How did the dragon manage to punch you?" Racer asks. 

"I heard a different voice. Probably came from the clock that threw me off," Cobra lies a little, but his comrades buy it. 

"Either way, Fairy Tail is weak. Very weak," Racer said. 

"We far exceed your power. You're nothing compared to us," Angel said. 

"We should be going now. Angel, take care of them," Midnight (Brain) commands. 

"As you wish, Brain. The cost is thirty," Angel has these angelic gold coins in her hands. She summons an angel guardian into the fray, blinding everyone in mere sight. 

Everything goes dark after the explosion. Spike passes out due to the poison coursing through his body. Ten hours later, Spike wakes up in the infirmary. He sees the Blue Pegasus Emblem on the wall. 

"Ooooooh, what happened?" Spike feels weak at the moment. He sees Erza, Lucy, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Wendy, and Carla. 

"Spike! You're okay!" Wendy hugs Spike. 

"What happened? How did we end up here? What's going on?" Spike questions his friends. 

"Luck hit us big time. Ichiya and the Christina saw us not that far off in the desert. He came and rescued us," Lucy said. 

"How are you feeling?" Erza asks. 

"I'll be fine. Anything else happened?" Spike asks. 

"The Neo Oración Seis took the Infinity Clock. Now, we're back at square one. Trying to devise our next motives," Panther Lily said. 

Spike takes a deep breath. 

"Something wrong, Spike? You seem troubled," Lucy asks. 

Spike turns away from Lucy, which is new to her. Erza notices something peculiar within Spike. Something that he knows. 

"Mind giving Spike and me some privacy? I think there is something he needs to say in private," Erza said. 

"Sure, I don't see why not," Wendy said. 

Carla suspects that Spike figured something else from the Neo Oración Seis. Lucy, Panther Lily, and Gajeel leave the room with Carla and Wendy. 

"Gee, what's up with Spike?" Lucy is confused. 

"Must be something huge he discovered last night," Carla said. 

"Whatever he discovered may be bad news," Wendy said. 

Lucy decides to eavesdrop on the conversation between Erza and Spike. Gajeel and Wendy do the same as curiosity gets the better of them. 

"What's on your mind, Spike? I know your good at putting pieces together. Just like how you were able to solve the Jellal crisis between mine and Wendy's." 

Spike sighs sadly and looks at Erza. "I could be wrong about this. I could be but, after hearing their scheme, fooling us into gathering the Infinity Clock pieces. Something was amiss," Spike looks down. 

Erza sits next to Spike on the bed, putting an arm around him. "It's okay. It's best to talk about it and releasing the emotion of it. Remember how I was silent, not wanting to talk to anyone about Mystogan being Jellal?"

"Of course I do. It was that conversation you and I opened up and started our brother-sister-type relationship."

"What your theory is, Spike. Say it. No need to hold it in." 

"It pains me to say it. That's how climatic it is, Sis."

"Why did you turn away from Lucy? You have not done that to her until today." 

Spike sighs heavily. "It's because..," Spike pauses a bit. "I believe Michelle may be an undercover agent of the Neo Oración Seis." 

Erza gasps. Outside the room, Lucy holds her gasps and tears up a little. She tries to eavesdrop on the conversation a bit more. Wendy couldn't believe that Spike would come up with that conclusion. Gajeel didn't know how to react. 

"Are you sure about that?" Erza asks. 

"One hundred percent sure that Michelle is a deceiver," Spike said, looking down. 

Lucy runs to a different room and held in her tears. She refuses to cry. She refuses to accept that Michelle is a traitor. Wendy follows Lucy to the room and comforts her. 

"Wow, Fairy Dragon is smarter than he looks," Gajeel said. "I would have never thought that Michelle would be the traitor among the group. I bet she was the one spreading rumors about our treasure hunting." 

"The Neo Oración Seis cannot touch the Infinity Clock pieces but was able to maintain one of them. They sent their deceptive spy with the key to unlock the hidden doors for us to gather. The spy was able to persuade Lucy and us into following the objectives of finding the other clock pieces. The Neo Oración Seis knew of its power, which is why targeting an unknowledgeable guild will guide them for success. They target us for retribution. Throughout Lucy's life, she never mentioned to me she had a sibling. One coming into the fray out of nowhere makes no sense now that I think about it. Lucy doesn't have any pictures of her and Michelle in her albums at the apartment. I've seen what her mother and father looked like. Jude Heartfillia never mentioned having another child. He only talked about one. I remember the story of how Lucy got her name. That is why I am a hundred percent sure my theory is correct, Sis."

Erza walks back a little with the info and theory Spike projects. She looks up at the ceiling in disbelief. During Spike's explanation, Carla, Panther Lily, and Gajeel were eavesdropping on the conversation. Gajeel remembers from Jude Heartfillia that he wanted his only daughter to be brought back home years ago during his Phantom Lord days. 

"Now you know why I withheld that information from Lucy, Sis," Spike still looks down. 

Erza walks up to Spike. "Since you are a hundred percent sure with your theory, I'll take precautions around Michelle. If she indeed proves to be an intent operative for the Neo Oración Seis, we will take immediate action. I will say, don't tell Lucy about what you know and feel about Michelle. It may break her heart even more, especially with the knowledge of her father's passing. She doesn't need any more losses and grief in her life."

"I know," Spike nods. 

"Stay here, and I'll talk with those that can keep secrets within the guild."

"Okay, Sis," Spike still looks down. 

Erza leaves the room and sighs. She notices Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Carla standing by the door. "How much do you know?"

"Everything," Panther Lily admits. 

"I can't believe I didn't see it. I heard the conversation with Jude Heartfillia. He never mentioned any other child he raised," Gajeel said. 

"Wendy and Lucy heard bits and pieces but not the whole theory and conversation," Carla said. 

"Good grief," Erza closes her eyes. "I better explain to the two of them thoroughly," Erza looks for Wendy and Lucy. 

Spike lies back down in bed. 

"It makes sense. Lucy told you her life story and never once mentioned Michelle. The truth hurts."

"You think Cobra heard you?" 

"Hmm." Fairy Rage chuckles a bit. "Cobra is confused. He doesn't know about me. I played a mind trick with him, thus allowing you to uppercut him. I believe the next time we fight Cobra, we will defeat him. He'll have two minds, and we can confuse his."

"Now that, I'm looking forward to. I just hope that my theory is incorrect."

"So far, your guesses have been accurate. I hate to say this to you. I believe your guess about Michelle is accurate as well. "

Spike sighs. "Will Lucy forgive me if I come clean about this?" 

"It depends on how she feels. She may call you a nut case and disbelieve what you say to her, especially about family. Or, she'll accept the truth and interrogate Michelle until she spills the beans. Rest Fairy Dragon. Later today, we're going back to the guildhall."

"Right," Spike falls asleep on the bed, hoping for the best when he wakes up.
> Michelle Exposed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erza walks up to Lucy and Wendy in a different room. Lucy is resisting the urge to cry while Wendy comforts her. 

"You weren't supposed to hear that, Lucy," Erza said, kneeling to Lucy. 

"Is it true..? Does Spike think Michelle is a traitor?" Lucy withholds her tears. 

"He believes Michelle is working for the Neo Oración Seis. Ask yourself, do you remember anything of your childhood?"

"I remember my mom, my dad, and everyone else in the mansion growing up..," Tears stream down on Lucy's face. 

"Do you have any pictures of Michelle in your apartment?" 

Lucy thinks long and hard about it. She remembers a lot of fun she had with her mother and playing with Aquarius even though she gets mad at her for summoning her. Not a single memory comes to mind about Michelle ever since she showed up with the clock piece. Lucy is silent. 

"Lucy?" Wendy taps on Lucy's shoulder. 

Lucy is in a trance. She treasured Michelle as her only strand of family left, and now, Lucy starts breathing heavily. 

"Lucy," Erza and Wendy start getting worried about her. 

"Hey, Lucy," Natsu looks for Lucy. "Where are you?" 

"How, Spike?" Happy asks. 

Natsu and Happy find Lucy building some anger. Lucy gets up and grabs her Celestial Spirit Key. 

"Out of my way, I have to find Michelle!" Lucy angrily states, walking past Natsu and Happy. 

"Scary," Natsu and Happy said in unison. 

"Geez, what's up with her?" Natsu asks. 

"We have a traitor within Fairy Tail," Erza said. 

"WHO!?" Natsu angrily shouts. 

"Spike theorizes that Michelle is a traitor. Spike wholeheartedly believes that Michelle is working for the Neo Oración Seis," Erza replies. 

"Michelle?" Happy and Natsu are in shock to hear the revelation. 

"We better make sure that Lucy doesn't get herself hurt," Wendy said. 

"Let's go," Natsu said. 

Natsu, Happy, Wendy, and Erza go after Lucy. Gajeel sees Lucy pissed off and looking for a fight. Gajeel and Panther Lily know what Spike theorized, and Lucy wants answers as to why Michelle would do such a thing. Lucy walks past everyone in the Blue Pegasus bar. 

"Where is Michelle?" Lucy lividly asks Gray. 

"Whoa, take it easy, Lucy," Gray is not used to seeing this side of Lucy. 

"Tell me where she is," Lucy grits her teeth. 

"She said she wanted to go out and get some fresh air," Gray flinches a little. Lucy leaves the Blue Pegasus bar room. "Geez, what's her problem?" Gray drinks his beer. 

"I don't know but, she seems angry for some reason," Mirajane said. 

Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Erza, Gajeel, and Panther Lily are catching up to Lucy. Gray intervenes in their approach. 

"Care to explain what's going on? Why is Lucy behaving the way she is?" 

Erza sighs. "Everyone, Spike figured out a deceptive operative within our guild. Her name is Michelle Lobster." 

"No way! Michelle!?" Everyone else around says in shock and horror. 

"How can you be certain?" Gray asks. 

"Spike is never wrong when putting pieces together like a puzzle," Erza said, which was more than enough to persuade Gray. 

"Alright, let's get that traitor," Gray takes off his shirt. 

Michelle is in a rundown building in the cemetery, looking at a statue. She can't help but blame herself for the misfortunes that happened yesterday. Michelle turns back to see Lucy coming inside. 

"It's my fault for bringing the clock piece, isn't it?" Michelle said in tears. "After all, I did brought you the clock hand." 

"Michelle, how were you able to maintain my father's memento?" Lucy asks. 

Michelle feels cold after hearing that question. A slow crept terror pulsing through her veins. Lucy is reading Michelle's body language. 

"I," Michelle stutters a bit. "I used to work for him, and I was given the clock piece to hand to you," Michelle answers. "I've told you that story before Spike came back home unexpectantly." 

"And how did you find my father?" 

Michelle is feeling pressured with the questions. She turns away from Lucy. She starts crying a bit, but Lucy is not buying it. 

"Sorry, it's just.., I miss Mr.Jude. Thinking about him makes me cry," Michelle said in tears. 

"Please, answer the question," Lucy asks. 

Michelle continues to weep and falls to her knees. She covers her face in sadness. 

"Let's see if I regret this." Lucy said to herself. "Capricorn!" Lucy unleashes her Celestial Spirit, Capricorn. 

"How may I help you, milady," Capricorn said. 

"Attack Michelle," Lucy commands and points at her. 

"Big Sis, what are you doing?" Michelle panics. "Please don't do this! I love you!" Michelle begs. 

"Now!" Lucy commands. 

"As you wish," Capricorn obliges in obedience to Lucy and attacks Michelle. 

Michelle stops crying as her demeanor change. To Lucy's surprise, Michelle spawns a Flower Shield to block Capricorn's attack. Natsu and the others arrive to see Michelle bearing a flower shield. They gasp while witnessing Michelle's potential magic power. 

"Spike was right!" Natsu shouts while pointing at Michelle's shield. 

"Holy crap! What the hell is this?!" Gray said in shock. 

"How could you?!" Wendy shouts. 

"Michelle, are you working for the Neo Oración Seis?" Lucy asks. 

"I hate that freaking dragon!" Michelle jumps back and reveals her true form. Michelle has a rose eyepatch on her right eye, she is wearing a short, strapless shirt made entirely of dark green petals, and she wears long, dark green glove sleeves. She's wearing a short wide skirt made of dark green petals that point sideways and darg green petal boots. Her legs are decorated with a light green thorny vine. "It's true. I am a member of the Neo Oración Seis. There is something I want dearly and that is my Big Sister."

"You deceiver!" Erza draws her sword. 

"I say let's take her down!" Natsu said. 

"Not today," Michelle turns to Lucy. "I will come for you, Lucy," Michelle uses her magic to blind everyone and flee the scene. "We will be together as family should."

Lucy closes Capricorn's gate key and falls to her knees. She's devastated to know the truth that Michelle is working for the Neo Oración Seis. Her solace of remnants of her family being an illusion. 

"Lucy, are you-" Happy sees Lucy in tears. 

"She.., she's not my family..," Lucy gets up. "She lied to me. Lied to all of you.., and it's my fault," Lucy gasps. "I need to reread the Key of Starry Heavens!"

Ten minutes later. Everyone is back in the Blue Pegasus guildhall. Lucy is rereading the Key of Starry Heavens and throws the book in anger. 

"I got it wrong. I got it all wrong," Lucy falls to her knees. "We..., we weren't supposed to gather the clock pieces. The book.., it was a warning. We weren't supposed to assemble the Infinity Clock. Sorry.., Dad. Please forgive me..," Lucy said in tears. 

"Well, then we know what to do next," Natsu said. 

"Oh yea, what is it?" Gray is skeptical of Natsu's planning. 

"We go beat up the Neo Oración Seis and take back the clock," Natsu suggests. "Simple as that." 

"We got destroyed by the Neo Oración Seis," Lucy said. 

"They won the battle, not the war. Fairy Tail never gives up and never surrenders. We keep fight till the bitter end," Natsu proclaims. 

"Yea. We've beaten them once. We can do it again," Happy said. 

"It'll be difficult but, anything is possible for Fairy Tail," Gray said. 

"As long as we work together, we can achieve everything," Erza said. She helps Lucy up. 

As everyone comforts Lucy, Spike wakes up. He's unable to sleep, knowing that he will have to tell Lucy that harsh reality about Michelle. Spike gets out of bed and leaves the room. 

"Huh, I wonder where everyone went to?" Spike looks around and sees Hibiki coming by. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. I heard that the Neo Oración Seis has resurfaced. How are you feeling?" 

"Fine. A bit better than I was when Cobra's poison affected my body. Do you know where everyone could be?" 

"Probably at the bar, getting a drink. I'll take you there." 

Hibiki takes Spike to the Blue Pegasus bar. The two of them see everyone cheering up Lucy. Spike and Hibiki are confused. 

"Hey, what did we miss?" Hibiki asks. 

"Spike," Erza turns to Spike. "You were right. Michelle is an undercover agent for the Neo Oración Seis."

"I was?" Spike was hoping to be wrong with his theory. 

"I..," Lucy walks up to Spike. "I eavesdropped your conversation a bit with Erza. I heard you wholeheartedly believe that Michelle is a traitor. I didn't want to believe it, but it was evident. I recall no memories of my childhood with Michelle," Lucy sighs deeply. "It's hard knowing that my bloodline of the family is gone but, I just remembered something." 

"What is it?" Spike asks. 

"You are my brother. You have always been my brother. We're not related but, we made our bond like a family," Lucy hugs Spike. "Thank you for being honest and the real you," Lucy smiles. 

Spike hugs Lucy. "I was afraid of telling you about Michelle. The Neo Oración Seis used a scapegoat for us to do their dirty work." 

"And now, it's time that we put the Neo Oración Seis in their place," Erza said. "Let's go back to the guildhall and inform the Master of our discoveries."
> Infinity Clock War Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 2:30 in Magnolia. Everyone that went searching for the Infinity Clock Pieces come back home to the guildhall. Macao and Wakaba tell Erza and Mirajane that Master Makarov was summoned by the Wizard Saints to discuss the Oración Seis. Macao asks what happen to Michelle. Spike explains that Michelle is an undercover agent of the Oración Seis. 

"You gotta be kidding me. Michelle is working for the Neo Oración Seis?" Wakaba asks. 

"Yea. I figured it out once I heard the Neo Oración Seis monologing a bit. Mentioning that they couldn't touch the Infinity Clock pieces," Spike answers. 

"How are you feeling, Lucy?" Macao asks. 

"Devastated that Michelle fooled me into thinking he's my sister, but relieved in a way. After all, I have a brother that I consider to be my family," Lucy refers to Spike. 

"Hey, don't forget the rest of us. We're your family too," Happy said. 

"Wouldn't dream of it," Lucy said. 

"So, how should we approach the Neo Oración Seis?" Wendy asks. 

"We can't take them out one-on-one. We need to divide into teams to take them out one by one," Carla suggests. 

"Question is, who should go with who? And who's better at taking down each of the members of the Neo Oración Seis?" Gray states. 

"No matter what happens, I want Michelle," Lucy said. "I will bring her down."

"I suggest that we search high and low until we find them Neo Oración Seis and beat them up!" Natsu suggests. 

"Don't be stupid. We still need to come up with a solid plan of action before we can do anything," Gray responds to Natsu's idiotic suggestion. 

"Who you calling stupid?" Natsu gets in Gray's face. "All I'm saying is if we want to find them, we gotta get out there and look!" 

"I called you stupid flame-for-brain because only a complete idiot would go around with no strategy!" 

Natsu and Gray start fighting each other for a few moments. Erza then grabs their heads and smashes them into each other. 

"Now, behave!" Erza demands. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Gray and Natsu said in pain. 

"If only we have a few more key players to help us against the Neo Oración Seis. We got demolished by Racer, Cobra, and Reaper (Erigor)," Happy said. 

"Gildarts and Laki are still on their mission that Master Makarov sent them on. Warren will be contacting them to come back. We're going have to wait a bit longer for their return," Max Alors said. 

"In times like these. We need strength from every single person in this guild," Erza said. 

"Yo, what's going on?" Bickslow walks inside the guildhall with Evergreen and Freed. "The Thunder Legion has returned victorious." 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Evergreen waves at Spike. 

"Mind telling us what we've been missing?" Freed asks. 

Erza explains the whole situation to the Thunder Legion. Everything in full detail about the Infinity Clock, Michelle Lobster being a deceptive spy, and the return of the Neo Oración Seis. The Thunder Legion are appalled to hear the return of the Neo Oración Seis. 

"You gotta be kidding me? An Infinity Clock is counting down to the end of the world?" Bickslow couldn't believe what he's hearing. 

"Yes. The Neo Oración Seis wants to eradicate all life as we know it," Carla said. 

"Wow, how unfortunate timing. We could have despatched the Oración Seis without much of a fuss," Evergreen declares. 

"I wouldn't be cocky. The Neo Oración Seis took me down as well," Spike said. 

"Even you, Spike?" Freed remembers what Spike is capable of doing and is shocked to hear that he was defeated. 

"Together now, they're fearsome. They even took out Zentopia's Byro and Dan Straight," Spike explains. 

"Sounds like a ripoff of damn right," Bickslow said. 

"That's exactly what I said the other day," Happy said. 

"Here's something you guys should know. While gathering ingredients for our next meal during the job we were on, I noticed and overheard soldiers talking about the destruction of churches. Two suspects were fleeing the scene. A hooded man carrying a large scythe and his accomplice who possess incredible speed," Freed said. 

"Reaper and Racer. Reaper uses wind magic while Racer uses speed force magic," Spike said. 

"From what I've heard. The attack on churches has intensified tremendously in the past several days."

"Hey, why haven't you told Evergreen and me about it?" Bickslow asks. 

"I told you over dinner that same night. I can only assume you were too enraptured by my cooking to pay any close attention." 

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh," Bickslow feels like an idiot now. 

"Why target churches? I don't see any clear motive for it?" Erza asks. 

"Perhaps it's an offering to the Infinity Clock?" Spike indicates. 

Jaws drop for everyone in the guildhall. They can't believe a sadistic offering is to enable the Infinity Clock's power into inevitable chaos. 

"Out of all the crazy ideas and theories discussed, that is by far the most disturbing and logical one for the reasoning behind the destruction of churches I ever heard," Carla said. 

"Okay, now I'm scared, you guys," Wendy said. 

"An offering," Erza shakes her head. "I would not have thought of that." 

"Fairy Dragon is smarter than he looks," Bickslow said. 

"Indeed. He's thinking outside the box as well as the inside," Freed said. 

Kinana comes downstairs and grabs a fork. Everyone is confused while Macao and Wakaba tell Kinana to rest. Kinana starts reciting a weird enchantment while carving different ancient anagrams. Her right eye features a snake's eye. After ten minutes, Kinana becomes weak. She recites pieces to the puzzle to open the gates of hell. 

"Does anyone know what the text reads?" Wendy asks. 

Levy walks up to the wall to read the text that Kinana wrote. "Hey, this is ancient Potamelian." 

"How strange. It appears to be a description of the name Will Neville," Freed said. 

"Are you serious?" Lucy asks. 

"He's the author of the Key of Starry Heaven," Erza said. 

"Alright, this is a rough translation, but it says: Will Neville was a great wizard who made contracts with many Celestial Spirits and was remarkably skilled in using them."

"No way, he's a Celestial Spirit?" Spike said in shock. 

"Interesting. An author and a Celestial Wizard." 

"Sounds familiar," Happy give it some thought. "Hey, Natsu? Know anyone who is an author and a Celestial Wizard?" 

"Beats me," Natsu said. 

"Oh, c'mon! You guys know I'm writing a story!" Lucy retorts. 

"Shut it, I'm trying to decipher the text," Freed said. He continues where Levy left off. "In life, Will Neville had numerous followers. However, after he fell into his eternal slumber, his pupils scatter in all directions to places unknown."

Lucy grabs a Biographical Dictionary to locate Will Neville's name. On page 815, it reveals that not only, Will Neville is a Celestial Wizard, he is also a Cardinal of Zentopia. 

"So, he's a bird?" Natsu asks. 

"Cardinal is a high ranking church official, Natsu," Erza corrects Natsu. 

"According to this, Will Neville was a dedicated and prominent member of the church. He was also the most extensive researcher on Zentopia's history until he suddenly left the church and went missing for a very long time." 

"Does it explain why he left?" Evergreen asks. 

"No, it doesn't. Apparently, several years after he disappeared, he reemerged in the public eye as Will Neville, the author of children's literature. However, there is no mention of him being a Celestial Wizard here. Or that he had any kind of following." 

"Okay, this is freaking me out. How did Kinana know about Will Neville, which isn't documented in the encyclopedia?" Max Alors said. 

"How did she even learn about writing in that ancient language?" Happy asks. 

All eyes turn to Spike. "Uh, why are you looking at me?" 

"You're pretty good at putting pieces together. What do you think?" Natsu asks. 

"Right now, I'm confused. I don't know much about Kinana or her history. Maybe she's the daughter of Neville?" 

"Doubt it," Lucy said. 

"Look, I don't know," Spike said. 

"Fairy Rage, what's your intake?" Erza asks. 

"The magic within Kinana is tethered but, I have no idea who or what it's tethered to. Like Spike, I'm just as confused as the rest of you."

"Thanks for answering," Erza said. 

"If we can somehow figure out where the Neo Oración Seis is going to strike next, we can be waiting there to ambush them." 

"Leave that to me," Cana yawns and grabs her deck of cards with images of her friends on them. She walks up to a map of Fiore. "Man, I'm sleepy," Cana chugs a cup of beer to wake her up. "Let's do this!" Cana concentrates on her magic power throws the card on the map, depicting and predicting the locations and teams assembled. 

"So, that's all it takes, huh?" Bickslow said. 

"You bet. Then we send those teams to those locations. We can stop the attack and save some lives." 

"Cool! Now tell us who's working with who and where we're going?" Natsu cheers. 

"Without further ado, here is a two-man team composed of Gray and Freed," Macao announces. 

"How interesting. I often wonder how our magic style might complement each other," Freed said. 

"I gotta admit, I wonder that myself," Gray said. He's excited to team with Freed. 

"Next up, we got Erza, Evergreen, and Max Alors," Macao announces. 

"Darn, I was looking forward to teaming up with Spike again." Erza thought to herself. 

"Good luck keeping the peace between Erza and Evergreen," Wakaba said. 

"Spike, wanna switch places?" Max Alors asks. 

"No way! You ain't taking Spike from my team!" Natsu said. 

"He could end up on my team, Natsu. We are destined to be together forever," Wendy said. 

"Wait, Erza and Evergreen are rivals in this manner?" Spike asks. 

"This is fabulous. Now we can settle the matter once and for all. We'll see who is worthy of the Queen of the Fairies title." 

"The goal of our mission is to track down the Neo Oración Seis, but I'll gladly take you on any time after that," Erza said. 

Erza and Evergreen glare at each other, wanting to settle the score now. The two want to throw down while shoving each other a little. 

"Good luck, maestro," Wakaba pat on Max Alors back, wishing him good luck. Max Alors sighs heavily. 

Spike walks up to Erza and Evergreen. He elbows both in the gut and slams their heads together. Everyone's jaw drops when they witness Spike delivering a blow like that. Natsu screams when he saw Spike doing that to Erza. 

"Behave, you two. You're supposed to work together. Not get in each other's mood. Unless you want the Neo Oración Seis to walk on over you," Spike ends their little bickering and beef. 

"No, Sir. We'll behave," Erza and Evergreen said in unison. 

Everyone in the room is dead silent, shocked beyond belief by what Spike pulled. 

"I can't believe he did that to Erza..," Natsu is speechless. 

"I never thought I see the day," Gray said. 

"That's new," Happy said. 

"What? Sis does that to Natsu and Gray a lot to stop them from bickering and disputing." 

Evergreen and Erza get up. They made a truce to withhold their grudges to focus on the task at hand. Erza is impressed that Spike pulled what others could not. She hopes it's a one-time affair. 

"Okay, going back to reveal the teams," Macao looks at the cards. "The next team is Gajeel, Juvia, and Spike the Fairy." 

Gajeel chuckles. "Fairy Dragon and I are going to kill it!" 

"Should be fun teaming up with my brother," Spike said. 

"No! Why must life be so cruel?! I wanted to team up with my beloved, Gray!" 

"Aww, I wanted to team with Spike," Natsu, Lucy, and Wendy said. 

"Next team. Bickslow and Wendy," Macao announces. 

"Alright, little lady. This is going to be a real blast. I'm excited!" 

"Yea, I'm looking forward to working with you," Wendy said. "I wish Spike was coming with me." 

"I wish it was Wendy instead of Juvia." Spike thought to himself. 

"We'll be a great team, Bickslow," Wendy encouragingly says. 

"Sweet! And don't forget that my babies are going to be on the team with us!" Bickslow said. "Go team." Bickslow's Tikis chant. 

"Alright, this team got Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily," Macao announces. 

"Aye. The Exceed Squad is back together," Happy said. 

"Well, aside from Lily, I don't think we'll fare well against a powerful enemy," Carla said. 

"For the last team, it'll be Natsu, Lucy, Elfman, and Romeo. Wait! Romeo is teaming with them to fight against a member of the Neo Oración Seis?!" Macao turns to Cana. 

"My predictions are never mistaken. My fortune-telling is always spot-on. It is, what it is, Macao." 

Romeo gulps a little. Natsu put his hand on Romeo's head. 

"Don't worry, Romeo. We got this in the bag. Right, Lucy?" Natsu turns to Lucy. 

"You bet," Lucy throws the thumbs up. 

"Also, you have a real man beside you, Romeo. We'll take down whoever comes in our way!"

Juvia pleads with Gray to switch partners. Cana tells Juvia that her magic proceeds to pinpoint the best pairing for the mission. Gray sighs in relief. Juvia sighs in defeat. 

"C'mon, Juvia. It's not that bad. You get to team up with Fairy Dragon for the first time," Gajeel said. 

"I guess your right, Gajeel," Juvia said. 

"I bet if he drinks your water magic, it gets added into Fairy Dragon's arsenal," Gajeel said. 

"We will complement each other in battle. Plus, if you need water and there isn't around, I can produce oceanic water for you." 

"How?" Juvia is a bit perplexed by that statement. 

"Remember the trip to Tenrou Island on how I cooled everyone on the ship?"

"Yea, cause that day was a scorcher," Juvia answers. 

Spike blows his fire to sprinkle oceanic water on top of Juvia. Everyone around is wondering how Spike is doing that. 

"Uh, how?" Gajeel asks. 

"Turns out that my Sparkling Green Flare Marking is in place and doesn't dissolve. So locations that are far, I can travel to at ease even if I marked it seven years ago." 

"That's impressive. Well, can we get going now?" Gajeel asks. 

"Yea, let's go," Spike said. 

Everyone that is with their respecting teams leaves the guildhall. Spike follows Gajeel and Juvia to their location to ambush any member of the Neo Oración Seis that awaits. 

Three hours later, Gajeel, Juvia, and Spike are walking up a gorge. Juvia pouts the entirety of the walk, wishing that she and Gray would team up. 

"Juvia, you'll be with Gray soon. For now, let's enjoy the opportunity we do have," Spike said, hoping to cheer Juvia up. 

"It's not fair. I wanted to team with my beloved," Juvia said. 

"And I was hoping to pair with Wendy when Cana threw the cards. Apparently, her magic predicts that we're the best pairing for the task at hand."

"Fairy Dragon can literally keep you hydrated and feed me iron. He's the perfect teammate on this mission," Gajeel said. "If he's here with us, that means we have a tougher opponent ahead of us." 

"I guess you're right," Juvia said in defeat. 

Gajeel, Juvia, and Spike enter the forest region next to the gorge and walk on a trail leading to one of the churches. It's now 6:00 in the afternoon when the trio sees a church in flames. 

"It looks like we were too late on this one," Gajeel said. 

"We failed our mission..?" Juvia sadly said. 

"This sucks. What are we supposed to do now?" Spike asks. 

Mary Hughes comes out of the flames. She's confused as to why she and her team are tasked to burn churches. She's distraught and pale. Spike, Gajeel, and Juvia decide to investigate when a tall green cube-like creature walks through the flames. 

"What the hell is that thing?!" Spike has never seen a creature like that before. 

"That is one freaky dude," Gajeel said. 

"Looks disturbing," Juvia said. 

"We were given this mission by his eminent. We're not supposed to question him. Don't you know that?" The creature feels ashamed but has to do what the Archbishop commands. He knocks Mary Hughes to the ground and stomps on her for her disobedience. 

"He's telepathic?" Gajeel asks. 

"Those two are not Oracíon Seis," Juvia said. "They're with the Legion Platoon." 

"Why is he stomping on Mary Hughes then?" Spike asks. 

"I spy some filthy guild wizards," The creature looks turns to Spike, Gajeel, and Juvia. 

"You work for Zentopia, don't you?" Gajeel asks the creature. 

"Is this infighting?" Juvia asks. 

"It's awful. Those priests.., how could you?" Mary Hughes turns to Guttman Kubrick. 

Guttman Kubrick has green skin and small aqua-colored boxes covering most of his body. He has a big cube-like head with two antennas above it; he has a long pillar-like neck and a pair of dark orange squared hands and feet. He's a little chubby with his short round body while wearing a coat and red shorts. 

"His eminence speaks the word of the Archbishop. His words are sacred. Their Holy Law! He says we go bust up a church; we go bust it up!" Guttman Kubrick says. "Don't forget that we are rewarded whenever we follow his word, and we're punished whenever we don't," Guttman Kubrick kicks Mary Hughes toward Gajeel, Juvia, and Spike. 

"This guy is demented," Spike said. 

"And insane," Gajeel added. 

"You dirty sinner, I'll make you go boom!" Guttman Kubrick says. He uses his magic, causing Mary Hughes to explode and feel all sorts of pain. 

"Whoa! What was that?!" Gajeel and Juvia jump back from the attack. 

"I got you," Spike flies and catches Mary Hughes. 

"You're.., you're helping me?" Mary Hughes is confused with Spike's effort in catching her. 

"I thought you were the bad guys, but that wasn't the case. My guild and I got it all wrong, and we were suckered into doing the Neo Oracíon Seis bidding. Now, we want to fix this," Spike places Mary Hughes near a tree and away from the cubic creature. 

"Attacking your own will be your downfall!" Gajeel uses his Iron Dragon Club to attack Guttman Kubrick. 

"I can tell you three have a lot of magic power inside. You're going to be so much fun to play with," Guttman uses his magic, causing Spike, Gajeel, and Juvia to explode. They scream in agony as they have never felt any pain such as that before. 

"Careful! He's using rupture magic," Mary Hughes warns. 

"That could have been useful information five minutes ago!" Gajeel retorts. 

"Pretty lights," Guttman claps. 

"Hello, bitch." 

Guttman gasps. "Who said that?" Guttman Kubrick looks around. 

"There's another wizard here?" Mary Hughes looks around. 

"I am Fairy Rage. I have to say. Your telepathy is impressive but not good enough."

"What!? Where are you?!" Guttman is ready to fight. 

"You've entered Fairy Dragon's mind with your telepathy. Now, I'm in your head."

"WHAT?!" Guttman Kubrick panics. 

"Thanks for opening the doors for me!" Fairy Rage forces Guttman Kubrick to use rupture magic on himself. He explodes and screams in agony. 

Gajeel and Juvia turn to Spike. He's remaining still while Fairy Rage continues to force Guttman to self rupture himself. 

"I see what Fairy Dragon is doing," Gajeel chuckles. 

"Leave us to finish what he started," Juvia said.

Mary Hughes is astonished to see Fairy Dragon use that ability of his to an extreme effect. Fairy Rage is forcing Guttman Kubrick to weaken himself. Gajeel and Juvia laid waste to Guttman Kubrick as he's rendered helpless to stop any attack from Gajeel and Juvia. 

"Stop this! Let me go!" Guttman Kubrick pleads in agony. 

"No can do, bitch. You're going down!" Fairy Rage forces Guttman to rupture himself again.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Please stop."

"Gajeel, Juvia. Finish this demon. He has no more magic power left." Fairy Rage leaves the mind of Guttman Kubrick and returns into Spike's vessel. He opens his eyes, revealing orange pupils. 

"Thanks, Fairy Rage! Iron Dragon Rooooooooooooaaaaaar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath attack. 

"Water Nebula!" Juvia creates two columns of water, which rotate around each other and forms a helix that pushes Guttman Kubrick with great force. 

"Noooooooooooooooo!" Guttman Kubrick takes a big blow from the combined attack and falls face-first to the ground. "Defeated? Me..? His eminence will claim my soul for failure..." 

"Glad he was taken care of." Fairy Rage walks up to Gajeel and Juvia. 

"Say, what happened to Spike?" Juvia asks. 

"The rupture spell hit him good and actually knocked him out. I took over, and due to the demon's telepathy, I took control of his body and forced him to inflict pain on himself."

"That's scary," Gajeel said. 

"I protect Spike's mind. Anything that comes in, I can enter the attacker's mind at ease. If they weren't using telepathy magic, it would be different."

"How so?" Juvia asks. 

"There wouldn't be a door for me to enter. Telepathy is an open door for me to enter into the telepathic mind who's trespassing."

"Interesting. There's more to you than meets the eye," Gajeel said. 

"Spike is waking up. My time is up." Fairy Rage allows Spike to regain control. His eyes turn from orange back to green. 

Spike blinks a few times. "Did we win?"

"Yes. Fairy Rage took over and helped us defeat a demon of Zentopia," Juvia answers. 

"Guttman Kubrick used a rupture spell on you and knocked you out. Since we have a ton of magic energy, it hurt you even more than Gajeel and Juvia. I took over and render him useless. And, I took possession of Guttman Kubrick. Turns out it's a perk of my abilities. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Definitely. Thanks for stepping in."

"My pleasure. What do you have in mind with Mary Hughes over there?"

"I have an idea." Spike walks up to Mary Hughes. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," She sits up. "I can't believe that second voice in you took out Guttman Kubrick. He's wicked powerful." 

"That's Fairy Rage. He protects me from anything that affects my mind and memory," Spike extends his claw. "We're not enemies here. I want to say there is a scapegoat in Zentopia that is working for the Neo Oracíon Seis."

"How.., how can you be certain?" Mary Hughes takes Spike's claw. He helps her up. 

"When Fairy Dragon puts the pieces together, he can solve anything. He figured out that Michelle Lobster is a deceptive operative working for the Neo Oracíon Seis," Gajeel explains. 

Mary Hughes sighs deeply. "That explains why the Archbishop is demanding of us to kill the priests and burn the churches. It's not him. It couldn't be him. Someone from within is using his authority." 

"Come with us. United, we stand a chance against the Neo Oracíon Seis," Spike said, looking at Mary Hughes. 

"I'm.., I'm not sure," Mary Hughes is thinking about the offer. Loud bell chimes far and wide throughout Fiore. Mary Hughes looks up and fears the worse is yet to come. 

"What the hell is that?!" Spike looks up. 

"It's ginormous," Gajeel said. 

"That's the Infinity Clock," Mary Hughes says. 

"How is that possible?" Juvia asks. "Why does it look like a fish?"

"You won't find this in Zentopia's Doctrine in your history books. This is where good and evil come together. When the beginning meets the end. We did exactly what Cardinal told us to do. And the Archbishop told him! I don't know what they want to do with this. But honestly, it's not like I need to know." 

"The Cardinal," The answer comes to Spike. "The Cardinal is working with the Neo Oracíon Seis! How else would he deliberately tell you to kill the priests and burn the churches? The Cardinal is using the Archbishop's name as the authority."

Mary Hughes gasps. It makes sense to her now. As for Guttman Kubrick, he still believes that this is what Zentopia wants to achieve with the Infinity Clock. Then Zentopian shape anchors start attaching themselves all around the area. 

"We should regroup at the guildhall," Spike said. 

"Agreed. Yo, lady. Are you coming or what?" Gajeel asks. 

"I uh..," Mary is still unsure. 

"Fine, mope around if you want. We're going back to regroup and bring the fight to the Neo Oracíon Seis. "Let's go, Juvia and Fairy Dragon." 

"Okay! I'll go. Temporary truce until the Legion Platoon knows exactly what's going on." 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Gajeel, Juvia, Mary Hughes, and himself back to the guildhall.
> Infinity Clock War Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moments after Spike teleport his friends and Mary Hughes to the guildhall, Elfman, Romeo return with disheartening news. Erza, Evergreen, Max Alors, Gray, Freed, Bickslow, Wendy, Happy, Carla, Panther Lily return to the guildhall. They failed in stopping the Neo Oracíon Seis from targeting the churches. Wendy and Bickslow tell everyone that Erigor is defeated and won't be joining the Neo Oracíon Seis. 

"Uh, guys. We have a serious situation," Elfman said. He, like Romeo, is badly bruised from their battle. 

"Hey, wait, what is she doing here?" Panther Lily points at Mary Hughes. 

"I asked for her help, Panther Lily. She could be vital to stop the Infinity Clock and the Neo Oracíon Seis," Spike said. 

"The Cardinal is using the Archbishop's authority to have the Legion Platoon wipe out the remaining churches and the priests," Mary Hughes says. 

"That's horrible. Then that means," Happy said. 

"The Cardinal is another agent for the Neo Oracíon Seis," Erza finishes Happy's statement. 

"I'm afraid so," Mary Hughes said. 

"We'll be honored to have you with us, Ms.Hughes," Master Makarov returns from his meeting. 

"Master!" Everyone said except for Mary Hughes. 

"We need all the help we can get to take down the Neo Oracíon Seis. Say, where's Natsu and Lucy?" 

"About that Master, we ran into a problem," Elfman said. 

"Michelle ambushed us when we defeated Jackpot. She calls herself Imitatia. However, she had this weird golden bell. A.., whatdoyoucallit?" Romeo thinks of the proper word. 

"Artifact," Carla helps Romeo with the wording. 

"Yea. A Zentopian Artifact that has the same authority as the Archbishop. Michelle and Byro took out Natsu and Lucy and captured them. There somewhere up there in the flying fish," Romeo points up. 

"I wish I can eat that fish, and it'll be all over," Happy said. 

"Excuse me. Pardon the interruption." 

Everyone turns to see four men in archaeological attires. Happy and Romeo recognize them. 

"Is there something you like to discuss?" Makarov asks. 

"Actually, we've come looking for Ms.Lucy Heartfillia. We are here on behalf of the Fiore Archaeological Society." 

"What's your business with Lucy?" Macao asks. 

"Who are you?" 

"I am Macao, Fairy Tail's Guild Master. You'll have to talk to me instead." 

"Well, you see, it's a matter of extreme importance. So, it's imperative that we speak with Lucy directly." 

"Indeed, it concerns with the strange object in the sky," Another member of the Archaeological Society says. 

"Unfortunately, Lucy is being held captive by the Neo Oracíon Seis," Elfman said. 

"Same goes for Natsu," Happy said. 

"Can't you talk to us?" Erza asks. "We desperately need all the information we can get right now." 

"Very well. I suppose by now, you guys are aware of who Will Neville is. You see, I am his great-grandson. My name is Jean-Luc Neville. Another thing, I knew Lucy's father as well."

"No way," Gray said in shock. 

"Unreal..," Spike is in awe. 

"You know Lucy's father?" Happy asks. 

"Indeed. Jude Heartfillia was a dear friend to me." 

"Please explain how Jude Heartfillia is a factor in all this, Jean-Luc," Erza asks. 

"It's a long story. Let me begin by stating that it's my duty to keep watch over the Infinity Clock for as long as I live."

"If that's true, are you a Celestial Wizard?" Master Makarov asks. 

"No, sir, I'm not. As a Neville, I am intellectually familiar with the history of the clock. Actually, my lifelong goal was to stave off the chaos it can bring. And sound the alarm if that threat become a reality."

Jean-Luc explains more in detail that he received word that the hand of the Infinity Clock had been uncovered during excavation. However, upon arrival to pick up the clock piece, it was already in Jude Heartfillia's custody. Jean-Luc goes to Acalypha to visit Jude Heartfillia to discuss the Infinity Clock hand. Jean-Luc wraps the clock piece in a magic cloth and entrusted Jude Heartfillia to keep the clock piece safe. 

"That's when Michelle Lobster came into the fray, worked with Jude Heartfillia, and gave it to Lucy," Spike said, finishing the puzzle. 

"Indeed. We are sadden by the betrayal of Michelle Lobster and her insurgence with the Neo Oracíon Seis," Jean-Luc said. 

"Please explain as to why the Infinity Clock is dangerous," Makarov asks. 

"The clock has the power to bring something quite horrendous. A Grand Spell known as Real Nightmare." 

"What happens when the spell is cast?" Erza asks. 

"It can dramatically alter human's perception of time, you see. That being the case, I suppose you can say it has actual control over time itself," Jean-Luc explains. 

"It's a hard concept to explain cause it doesn't actually manipulate time." 

"So, it's not a time machine to travel but can alter, let just say someone's age? After that, the memory within the age relives the exact moment of their lives," Spike asks. 

"Wow. That dragon is smarter than he looks," Jean-Luc said in astonishment. 

"He understood what we were saying," The men of the Archaeological Society say in unison. 

"Spike is gifted physically, mentally, intellectually, and magically," Master Makarov says. He's impressed with Spike and his troubleshooting techniques. 

"He is. Thanks to him, he solved many mysteries and theories," Erza said. 

"The Infinity Clock is hovering over Zentopia's Grand Cathedral. From what I understand, their doctrine is heavily intertwine with it." 

"Anything else you want to say, Jean-Luc?" Macao asks. 

"According to legend, Zentopia itself is founded by a group of survivors of the clock's past chaos. They sealed away all of its pieces and forbid any discussion of its existence. To this very day, it remains a well-hidden secret known. It accumulates magic every one hundred years. Throughout history, evildoers sought to harness its power. Therefore, I have a formal request. A job I hope the Fairy Tail Guild will take on. Please, stop this from happening. Stop the Infinity Clock." 

"We'll gladly take the job," Macao said. 

"Yea, we were going to stop the Neo Oracíon Seis anyway," Gray said. 

"We will prevent chaos from spreading," Spike said. 

"Thank you," Jean-Luc said. "Titania, I have something special for you." 

"What is it?" Erza looks down at a Zentopian suitcase. 

"Let me show you. It was discovered along with the clock hand at the excavation site. It has the ability to wore off evil, you see." 

Erza picks up a time hammer that's twice the size of her. It has the ability to nullify evil. 

"I'm certain that you are the only one who's capable of using this weapon the way it was originally intended." 

"Thank you," Erza thanks. "I'll do my best." 

"You got this, Erza," Gray said. 

"Of course, we'll do whatever we can to offer our services, mainly by continuing our research on how to stop Real Nightmare," Jean-Luc says. 

"Thank you, we appreciate the help," Makarov says. 

"Any ideas on how to attack these jerks?" Elfman asks. 

"Don't you worry. Help is on the way," Cana said, holding a calling card. 

Five minutes later, Ichiya arrives at the guildhall with the Christina. Ichiya jumps off and lands face-first on the ground. 

"Ow, my beautiful face," Ichiya said in anguish. 

"We're counting on this guy?" Gray points at Ichiya. 

"We need a ship to get to the Infinity Clock unless you know how to fly. It's the only way," Cana said. 

"Why can't we ride on Spike's back?" Gray suggests. 

Spike shakes his head. "Our best bet is on the Christina. I don't have any safety features on my back. Plus, I'm not sure how many I can fit on my back when flying to the Infinity Clock." 

"Please," Gray begs. 

Master Makarov sucker punches Gray high in the sky. "Will you quit begging and get on board already!" Gray lands on the Christina. 

"I'm staying behind again, huh?" Macao asks. 

"We need a strong team going as well as a strong team down below," Cana said. 

"Alright, whoever is going, I'll teleport us on the Christina," Spike said. 

"I'm going," Erza said. 

"Me as well," Wendy said. 

"They're going down," Gajeel said. 

"I'm already going," Mary Hughes said. 

"This mission requires a real man!" Elfman says. 

"I'm tagging along as well," Mirajane said. 

"I'm going," Happy said. 

"Wherever Wendy goes, I go," Carla says. 

"I'm in," Panther Lily says. 

"Count me in. I can feed Natsu some of my fire," Romeo says. 

"You're going to need my telepathy on this mission," Warren says. 

"Alright, let's go," Ichiya says. 

"Allow me," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport onto the Christina. He flies up to meet up with everyone on board. 

"So, that's what it's like to be teleported by a dragon," Ichiya says. 

"Pretty cool, huh?" Gajeel smirks. 

"I'll say," Romeo says. 

"Let's get moving," Erza said. 

Ichiya takes control of the Christina and flies to the Infinity Clock. Along the way, the Christina gets attacked, and changes course a bit. Ichiya claims that there's a hole in the Christina. Elfman and Mirajane go out to investigate when Racer makes an appearance. Racer attacks Mirajane and Elfman. He annihilates Elfman with his fast speeds. Mirajane turns into her Satan Soul to combat Racer. The two fall off the Christina while Wendy, Gray, Spike, and Gajeel see the two falling. 

"You guys see that?" Wendy asks. 

"Yea. Mirajane is fighting Racer," Spike said. 

"C'mon, man. Go get her!" Gray demands Ichiya. 

"I'm sorry, we can't right now," Ichiya says. 

"Let my sister take care of that guy," Elfman says. 

"Are you sure?" Erza asks. 

"Yea, we gotta keep going," It pains Elfman to say that.

"Alright, but we need to make some repairs first. Everyone! Lend a hand!" Ichiya asks. 

"On it," Gray said. 

"Be careful, Mirajane," Erza said, looking down at the window. 

While everyone is lending a hand to help Ichiya repair the Christina, Mirajane continues her battle with Racer. Mirajane turns into Satan Soul Halphas to counter Racer's speed force. The Infinity Clock chimes as the world around turn differently. Some people look older, some people look younger, some landscape areas become desolate, the current of water flow in different directions, some animals are brought back to life. Chaos is spreading like wildfire. 

Minutes later, the Christina is airborne. Ichiya proclaims to rescue Natsu and Lucy along with an elite team of Fairy Tail Wizards. 

"We're coming, Natsu and Lucy!" Spike shouts. 

"This is for my Big Sis who's taking on Racer all by herself, so we can keep moving forward!" Elfman shouts. 

"Please be strong. We'll be there very soon," Erza said. 

"I hope they're going to be okay," Wendy said, hoping that Natsu and Lucy are hanging in there. 

"They'll be fine. I know it," Happy proclaims. 

"How can you be so sure about that?" Panther Lily asks. 

"I have faith, Panther Lily. I believe Natsu's going to be alright," Happy answers. 

"Wait, what about Lucy?" Carla asks. 

"As long as Natsu's doing okay, there is no doubt in my mind that she is too!" Happy says. 

"Yea, I don't think we have any reason to worry," Gray said confidently. 

"Let's get in there and start kicking some butt," Warren said. 

"You're extra manly for saying that, Warren!" 

"Gee, talk about a bunch of idiots," Gajeel said. 

The Infinity Clock chimes. More people, including the military, are feeling the weary effects of the Infinity Clock. 

"Stupid clock," Gajeel raises his fist. However, he's turned into an old man, using his left iron club as a cane. "That stupid clock, I'm gonna pound its face in it," Gajeel sounds old as well.   

"Yea, good luck with that, old man," Warren said. He's brolic and older. 

"Whoa, when did Warren become a muscle head?" Gray asks. He's a child now. 

"That's a real man for you," Elfman is as thin as a cardboard standee. 

"Goodness, everyone looks so different," Wendy said. She's older. 

Spike couldn't say a word. He's turned into a younger baby dragon. 

"Oh wow, Spike's turned into a cute baby dragon with no wings," Happy points. "And Carla, you turned into a cute raccoon. Panther Lily, you're turned into a bunny," Happy said. 

Wendy picks up Spike. "Aww, look at him. So happy and filled with spirit." 

"Oh great, I'm Droy but even heavier," Romeo said. He's older and bald. 

Mary Hughes is a teenager. "No! I hated going through puberty!" She's also fat. 

Spike blinks a few times. His eyes turn orange. 

"Alright, saved his mind before the Real Nightmare would affect him." 

"This is bad. Everyone has been affected by Real Nightmare. Wait a minute. I don't understand how I haven't changed. Hold on, that's it," Erza gets an idea and pulls out the weapon Jean-Luc gave her. "I should be able to counter the Real Nightmare with the weapon he gave me. It wears out evil. Here goes," Erza strikes everyone with the weapon except for Spike. She couldn't muster enough to hit him as a baby. 

"Don't hold back. Hit me." 

"I.., I can't hurt you. You're so.., precious."

"Hit me, or you'll lose Spike because of Real Nightmare! That'll be a worse nightmare to wake up to every day knowing that you hold back!"

"Forgive me," Erza hits Fairy Rage with the hammer Jean-Luc gave her. 

Everyone has bumps on their heads and says they're back to normal. Erza sniffs a little while Spike is back to normal. 

"You okay, Sis?" Spike asks. 

"I'm fine. I did something I thought I wouldn't have to do," Erza sniffs a little. She now knows what Spike looks like as a cute little dragon baby. 

"Aww, it was fun, holding you like a baby," Wendy said. 

Spike blushes hearing that. Fairy Rage explains that Real Nightmare altered his body. Meanwhile, Mirajane and Racer continue their fight. All of a sudden, the daunting memories of Racer's childhood at the Tower of Heaven are returning, causing him to lose focus on the task at hand. Mirajane takes advantage and pummels Racer to the ground. Racer powers up and moves faster than before, striking Mirajane left and right. Mirajane notices that Racer's quick movements are illusions and counters his attack. Racer is down, defeated by Mirajane's power, and questions it. Mirajane explains that she's moving forward and explains the difference between running away and moving forward. Racer accepts defeat after Mirajane consoles him a bit. Racer will no longer run away from himself and accepts change. 

Midnight (Brain) senses Racer's defeat and commands Cobra and Angel to stop Fairy Tail and anyone daring to stand in their way. 

The Christina is nearing closer at the Infinity Clock. Zentopian Soldiers start shooting at the Christina. However, the Christina fires back and destroys the Zentopian Soldiers where they stand. Byro is tasked to stop Fairy Tail by all means and unleashes Kanaloa at the Magic Bomber Christina. The Magic Bomber Christina fires at the gigantic octopus but, it repels. Kanaloa wraps itself around the Christina. Everyone starts attacking until Kanaloa unleashes its ink, causing it to burn the Christina like acid. 

"I'm not going to allow the enemy to bring down the Christina again. Deploy spiral anchors!" Ichiya commands. The Christina unleashes anchors and traps Kanaloa. "I shall defeat the squid by sacrificing the Christina! Everyone off-board now!" 

"Right!" Spike, Mary Hughes, Gray, Wendy, Erza, Warren, Elfman, Gajeel, Happy, Carla, Romeo, and Panther Lily hops out. 

"Good luck, my friends. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!" Ichiya yells while taking the Christina down with Kanaloa. 

"Chin up everyone, let's go find Natsu and Lucy!" Erza says. 

"Yea!" Everyone shouts. 

Everyone starts running on the streets of Zentopia when Warren hears Gildarts' voice. Warren confirms to everyone that Zentopia's Archbishop is being controlled by Cardinal Lapointe. Unbeknown to them, Byro overhears the message and feels conflicted. The Archbishop being controlled and Lapointe using the Archbishop's authority made Byro pissed off. 

"Say what?!" Mary Hughes is livid. 

"Who else do you hear, Warren?" Erza asks. 

"I hear Natsu as well. He's with Gildarts and Laki." 

"Mary, you know where the Archbishop would be at?" Spike asks. 

"Yes, follow me," Mary Hughes leads the way to the Archbishop's room. 

Ten minutes later, Mary Hughes enters the Archbishop's room with everyone that followed her. They see Gildarts taking out Cardinal Lapointe. 

"Hughes," Byro said. He's in the room as well. 

"Byro," Mary Hughes walks up to him. 

"I'm glad you are unscathed," Byro said. 

"We have a situation, and they can help us," Mary Hughes refers to the Fairy Tail Guild. 

"I'm well aware of it now," Byro says. 

"Natsu, thank goodness, I'm glad you're still alive," Romeo said. 

"Yea. Of course, I am. Ack," Natsu holds his sides a bit. 

"What happened," Wendy walks up to Natsu and heals him. 

"Guttman Kubrick attacked us but, a weird trio gang farted on him and caused him to pass out."

"The Butt Jiggle Gang," Erza, Spike, Carla, Happy, and Wendy say in unison. 

"Yea, that's them. They stunk so bad. Thanks for healing me, Wendy." 

"No problem, Natsu," Wendy said. 

"Wendy, tend to the Archbishop," Erza commands. 

"Of course," Wendy nods. She walks up to the Archbishop and heals him. 

"Struggle all you want, insects. The Real Nightmare has you wrapped up in its web. As of today, the world you knew is over. The Infinity Clock fuels the great power that Zentopia was founded upon and now, that power has diminished since it's been imprisoned. Back then, it was known as the Infinity Castle," Lapointe says. 

"Wow, how original?" Gray sarcastically says. 

"Every one hundred years during Zentopia's founding festival, the Infinity Castle releases magic power to accumulate it. A century's worth of power.  Unstoppable and right for the taking."

"You caused all this suffering to steal magic?" Happy asks. 

"No, you fool! My only goal is to revert the world to chaos. There is no higher purpose to me. With Real Nightmare in my control, I can return the world to the days of anarchy that reigns before Zentopia's time. The true heart of men with its greed and hatred will be allowed to flourish once again!"

"Neville must have realized this could happen and created a seal that spreads across generations," Carla said. 

"What does any of that has to do with Lucy?" Wendy asks. 

"Please don't let me sway you-" Spike punches Lapointe to shut him up. 

"He was talking too much nonsense," Spike said. 

"Hey! What's happening?!" Lapointe's body starts glowing. "You stupid dragon!" His body starts twitching and fading. 

"I knew it. Lapointe is a puppet. He's not even real. A figment from personification," Gildarts says. 

"During our mission, Gildarts and I encounter a lot of puppets. His eyes are the same as those we vanquished."

Lapointe vanishes right before everyone's eyes. He curses at Spike for causing his death. All that was left was Master Zero's hair. 

"Lapointe wasn't the only tool. As head of the Legion Platoon, I take full responsibility for the suffering caused by our actions. But now, at least I know what has to be done. As a warrior sworn to Zentopia, it is my duty to save the world. If I'm to stop the Infinity Clock, Lucy must die," Byro says. 

"No way!" Spike says. "You're not killing Lucy." 

"With my knowledge of the Infinity Clock, there is no other way," Byro says. 

"I won't let you touch her!" Natsu runs at Byro. 

Byro nullifies Natsu's magic and kicks him away. "Your effort is futile. I'll ask of you to refrain from delaying my duties as a sworn warrior of Zentopia." 

"I owe this guy a beating. It's payback time," Gildarts says. "You guys go find Lucy." 

"Coco, Hughes. Kill Lucy and prevent the Oracíon Seis from seizing control," Byro orders. 

"But.., but..," Coco and Mary Hughes answer. 

"NOW!" Byro demands. 

Samuel drops in, ready to battle. 

"It's the other cat," Gajeel says. 

"Sammy!" Panther Lily transforms into his battle form. 

"As I told you before, brother. I serve Lord Byro!" Samuel said. 

"He's mine," Panther Lily tackles Samuel. 

"Take that furball down, Lily!" 

"I'll keep this punk away from Lucy!" Panther Lily shouts. 

"Let's go," Erza says. 

"I know how to get to the Infinity Castle," Coco says. 

"Don't betray Zentopia, Coco!" Byro says. 

"Keep your eyes on me!" Gildarts punches Byro but, Byro nullifies his punch. 

"Follow me. Let's save your friend," Coco said. 

"Right," Natsu nods. 

"I'm with you," Mary Hughes says. 

"Warren, you stay behind with Romeo, Wendy, and Carla. Elfman, Spike, Gray, Gajeel, let's save Lucy," Erza said. 

"Got it!" They say in unison and follow Coco. 

"You shall not pass!" Byro tries going after them, but Gildarts keeps attacking Byro. Gildarts and Byro got at it and take the fight outside of the Archbishop's presence. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Guttman Kubrick laughs. 

"Ah crud, not him again," Natsu says. 

"I know where you're going," Mary Hughes uses her Conducting Arts Magic to lift Guttman Kubrick. 

"Hey! Put me down!" Guttman Kubrick demands. 

"I'll put you down. Straight to hell!" Mary Hughes throws Guttman Kubrick through a wall. "Go. I'll take care of this demon. It's payback time."

"Good luck," Spike said. 

"Gotta keep pushing forward," Erza says. 

Everyone follows Coco while Mary Hughes fights Guttman Kubrick. They are now outside, heading to the Infinity Castle. Coco explains by going through the center of the pyramid above it'll take them straight to the Infinity Castle. Twenty minutes later, Warren telepathy calls everyone to inform them about Happy's theory. 

"Sounds like telepathy from Warren but, I can't hear it," Natsu says. 

"He says we can stop the clock by defeating the Neo Oracíon Seis," Erza says. 

"Sounds good. Then we'll rescue Lucy for sure," Spike says. 

"And, they won't be able to control it anymore," Coco says. 

"I can get behind that plan," Gajeel says. "I start to rust if I don't bash heads before dinner." 

"I'm sick and tired of running around. I'm ready to brawl! Let's show how manly we are!"

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouts. 

"End of the line, kids," Cobra says. 

"Snake-dude," Natsu says. 

"Cobra!" Erza said. 

"All the anxiety. That sweet desperation. Despair. I hear it all," Cobra says. 

"Not if I rip your ears off," Natsu says. 

"I'm saving you for last, Salamander. Titania and I have unfinished business," Cobra says. 

"Sis, I got Cobra," Spike steps up. 

"I want Titania, not you," Cobra says. 

"Spike, go. I can handle this." 

"No, he's mine!" Spike flies directly at Cobra. 

"SPIKE!" Erza is nervous about Spike fighting Cobra. 

"I'll poison you now," Cobra prepares his attack. 

"You don't have Racer to back you up. You're all alone."

"Who said-" Spike hits Cobra in the gut. Spike roars at Cobra, hurling him back a bit. 

Erza, Natsu, Gajeel, Gray, and Elfman gasps. 

"No way! He landed a punch on him!" Natsu said in shock. 

"How? Cobra can hear everything!" Gray said in shock. 

"Spike..," Erza is in shock. 

"Rescue Lucy! Now!" Spike shouts. 

"Erza, we gotta move, now!" Natsu says. 

"I.., I..," Erza feels she shouldn't. She needs to stay. 

"Lucky hit, Fairy Dragon. Now, I'm going to slay you!" Cobra taps into his Poison Dragon Force while he powers up. 

"Try to read our mind." 

Cobra tries to read Spike's mind, but he couldn't. "No! Something is preventing me from listening to your movements, your thoughts!" 

"Bingo. The name's Fairy Rage. You can hear me, but you can't hear and predict what Spike will do. I closed that door."

"Impossible!" Cobra couldn't believe what he's hearing. "I can't hear anything from Fairy Dragon. It's silent. Dead silent." 

"But, I can hear you."

"Get out of my head!" Cobra shouts. 

Spike powers up and increase his size; he's now the size of Laxus. Cobra is ready to kill Spike the Fairy. Erza feels the need to stay and help Spike, but with Fairy Rage helping him, it's a tough decision to make. 

"Best of luck, Spike," Erza said. She follows Coco and the others to the Infinity Castle. 

"Wow, Erza. Here I thought you were going to stay," Natsu said. 

"It pains me but, Spike can handle Cobra better than me. He has Fairy Rage protecting his mind. It's now an even playing field for the two."

"You know, the Guttman Kubrick guy is telepathic. Fairy Rage subdued him and forced Guttman to inflict pain on himself," Gajeel says. 

"He did what now?" Coco, Gray, Elfman, Natsu, and Erza say in unison. 

"If someone talks to Fairy Dragon telepathically, it's a door for Fairy Rage to enter. From there, Fairy Rage can possess that poor sucker at ease." 

"That's insane!" Gray said in horror. 

"Guttman Kubrick uses rupture magic. For Fairy Rage to force that on Guttman is insane. He's stronger than most of us in the Legion Platoon," Coco said. 

"I would hate to be Cobra right now. He has no idea what else Fairy Rage can do," Gajeel said. 

"Let alone the other surprises Spike has in store," Erza said. 

Spike and Cobra clash immensely. Cobra heard what the others have said and becomes quite interested to see what Spike can do. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Green Explosions hits Cobra below his feet. 

Cobra jumps in the air. "That nearly hit me."

"But this will." 

Cobra looks up to see Spike with a Fireball. "Ah, crap." 

"Inferno Exploding Wave!" Spike the Fairy presses the fireball with his claws creating a heat cannon.

"Poison Scales!" Cobra swings his arm, generating a very large number of scale-shaped masses of poison, which intercepts the Inferno Exploding Wave. Spike coughs a bit as he breathes a poison a little. Cobra jumps up and knees Spike in the gut. He grabs his tail and throws him hard to the ground. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport. "Where did he go?" 

"Inferno Freezing Fist!" Spike crashes through the ceiling and hits Cobra on his head with the punch. Cobra crashes through the floor. He feels different. His head is scorching and freezing at the same time. 

"What kind of attack was that?" Cobra gets back up. 

Out of nowhere, mucous slime comes between Spike and Cobra. Sugarboy enters the battle. He explains that Lord Byro gave him direct orders to make sure that Fairy Tail is away from the Infinity Clock. 

"Got no time for your insolence," Cobra and Spike said. They both use their dragon's roar to blow Sugarboy away from the battle. Sugarboy is defeated. He's scorched and poisoned from the attack. "Now, where were we," Spike and Cobra said in sync. 

As the two continue to collide, Gray is fighting Angel, Gajeel is fighting Midnight (Brain), Gildarts and Byro are fighting hand-to-hand close-quarters combat. Gildarts managed to shatter Byro's crescent bo staff, rendering his nullification magic. 

"Poison Dragon Fang Thrust!" Cobra generates a wave of poison, shaped like a large-fanged snakehead, and sends it towards Spike. 

Spike crosses his arms, creates a Sparkling Metallic shield to block the attack. The shield cracks but withheld the attack. Spike throws the shield at Cobra. 

Cobra shatters the shield with his Sound Wall attack. The Sound Wall features Erza's roar. However, Cobra wasn't anticipating for Spike to spear him. Spike lets go and flies back. He claps his claws, creating a Sparkling Green Flame Sword. 

"Tell me where Cubellios is! I know she's with Fairy Tail!" Cobra demands. 

"Cubellious? Look, I have no idea where your snake friend is. Fairy Rage, have any clues?" 

"I have some notion on who it could be now that I think about it."

"Tell me!" Cobra angrily demands while lunging at Spike. "Poison Dragon Twin Fang!" Cobra moves his arms forward in a cross, forming a very large amount of poison in two massive waves shaped like fangs. He hurls it at Spike the Fairy. 

"Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike swings his Sparkling Green Flame Sword. It cuts through the Poison Twin Fang attack. 

Cobra maneuvers the attack. "Poison Dragon Rooooooooooooaaar!" Cobra unleashes his poison breath. It's stronger and denser this time.

Spike gets hit with the Poison Dragon Roar. Spike consumes a little of the poison but winds coughing a lot. 

"If you don't tell me, I'll end your life!" Cobra powers up. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" Cobra gasps when he hears the sound of Spike consuming more of his poison. 

"Poison Fairy Rage Dragon!" Spike shouts. Half of his body ignites Sparkling Green Flames, the other half, Sparking Orange Flames. Spike's left eye turns orange. He breathes an orange-green poison flare that engulfs his body. The Fairy Tail Emblem on Spike's chest turns into a fusion of orange and green.

"NO! MY POISON SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU!" Cobra can't believe what he's witnessing. 

"Poison Fairy Rage Dragon!" Spike and Fairy Rage say at the same time. They are generating a lot of magic power; they lift their claws up. "Meteor Rain!" They unleash Sparkling Orange-Green Poison Orbs from the sky. 

"You fools. I can eat poison!" Cobra tries to consume the orbs, but they act on their own. They hit Cobra on all sides. Hundreds of them spawn left and right. Poison Rage Fairy Dragon's Meteor Rain is causing Cobra to feel immense pain. The poison is affecting him, which it shouldn't. "Why can't I eat? Why is it poisoning me? I am a Poison Dragon Slayer!" 

Fairy Rage takes control. "You want to see your friend? She's down below! That's where you're going! Poison Fairy Rage Dragon!" Fairy Rage conjures his final attack. "Inferno Poison Rooooooooooooaaar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his poison inferno dragon breath at Cobra. 

Cobra takes the hit of Poison Fairy Rage Dragon dead-on. The fire breath is so strong it knocks him off of the presence of the Infinity Castle. Cobra lost his fight while hurling to the ground. 

"He lied to me. I took the sucker bait!" Cobra said in defeat. He lands hard on the ground. 

Fairy Rage gives Spike control as he reverts to normal and throws up the poison energy he consumed from Cobra. "Hey, Fairy Rage? Who did you suspect to be Cubellious?" 

"You don't pay much attention to what goes around in the guildhall at times but, I hear a lot of things. This Kinana could be Cubellious that Cobra was seeking all this time."

"Huh, I wouldn't have guessed." 

"Let's go, Fairy Dragon. Our friends may need us to rescue Lucy."

"Right," Spike flies to search for his friends. 

As Spike defeated Cobra, Midnight (Brain) has defeated Gajeel and send him flying. Gildarts defeated Byro; Byro is much weaker without his nullification magic. His strength doesn't compare to Gildarts. Gray is still battling Angel. Coco, Natsu, Elfman, and Erza arrive at the center of the Infinity Clock where Lucy is. She's being infused with the Infinity Clock slow. 

"This is as far as you go," Imitatia (Michelle) said, wielding her flower shield and rose sword. "Lucy belongs to me. Beat it before I kill you all!" 

"Erza! Natsu! Elfman! Coco!" Lucy is happy to see her friends. 

"We're here to rescue you, Lucy!" Natsu said. 

"Get ready for a manly beating of your life, Michelle!" Elfman says. 

"You'll regret harming our friend with your very own life," Erza said. "Requip!" Erza requips into her Flame Empress Armor. "I'll handle Michelle. You guys find a way to get Lucy out." 

"Right," Natsu, Elfman, and Coco said. 

"Sorry," Midnight appears next to Imitatia. "Can't have you losers getting in our way anymore. Fighting you three should be easy now that Iron Dragon Gajeel is defeated."

"I knew I should have taken you on. Now's my chance," Natsu powers up. 

"Let's take that bastard down, Natsu! Full-Body Take over," Elfman transforms into a Beast Soul. "Beast Soul!"

"Coco, stop Lucy from being infused. We'll take on Midnight." 

"Understood," Coco nods. 

"Try as you might. It's futile. As for you two, prepare to die," Midnight says. 

Erza and Imitatia fight fiercely. Dodging and slashing left and right with their weaponry. Erza notices something peculiar with Imitatia. Her wounds start regenerating every time she's been sliced and cut open. Imitatia reveals she has no weakness. She has immunity to all sorts of pain as she cannot die. Erza knows where there is strength; there is weakness. She will find Imitatia's and exploit it. Imitatia uses her plant magic that produces thorned vines which wrap around Erza, incapacitating them with intense pain. Erza wails due to the spell. 

"No, Erza!" Lucy is watching how Imitatia is torturing Erza. 

"Don't worry, Big Sis. I'm protecting you," Imitatia said. 

"Screw you!" Lucy retorts. 

Natsu and Elfman are having a hard time landing a punch on Midnight (Brain). Midnight uses his decoy illusions to catch Natsu and Elfman off guard when they think they got him. Midnight uses Spiral Pain on Elfman and defeats him. Natsu uses his Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame but, Midnight repels it. Natsu's attack winds up hitting Coco instead. She screams as she's scorched. Erza and Natsu get back up and attack Imitatia and Midnight. 

"Oh no, Brain the Second. I just sensed the defeat of Cobra," Klodoa says. 

"What?!" Midnight gets angry. 

Natsu smirks. "Hah. Remember the baby dragon that defeated you? He defeated Cobra!" 

Midnight stammers a little with the info. "N-No. How is that possible when Cobra can hear everything!" 

"Fire Dragon Brilliant Flames!" Natsu scorches Midnight, but he still repels the attack. It winds up hitting Imitatia instead. 

"Watch it, will you!" Imitatia is getting annoyed. 

"Silence! You work for me. Kill Erza Scarlet. Stop toying around," Midnight commands. 

Erza disarms Imtatia's Rose Sword and strikes her repeatedly to see if it slows her down. Imitatia uses her thorn vines to wrap around Erza. Erza jumps back. The vines strike Midnight when he wasn't looking and feels immense pain. 

"Goddamn it! What's with you?!" Midnight is getting pissed. 

"Learn to move out of the way, jackass," Imitatia replies. 

"Know your place and kill Erza already!" Midnight is losing his patience. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu lands a hit on Midnight, causing him to hurl into a wall. 

Erza requips into her Lightning Empress Armor and unleashes a wave of lightning at Imitatia. She crashes into a wall. 

"Hey, Coco! Any luck up there?" Natsu asks. 

"No luck! Lucy is stuck! I can't pull her free from the infusion!" Coco continues to pry Lucy out of the Infinity Clock, but it's no good. 

"Spiral Pain," Midnight unleashes his Spiral Pain at Natsu. Natsu screams and gets hurled into a wall. 

"Natsu!" Erza blocks a near-death attack from Imitatia with her Rose Shield. 

"So close!" Imitatia said. 

"Not good enough," Erza jumps back and requips into her Flight Armor. She attacks Imitatia and continues the fight. 

While Natsu and Erza continue their fight, Gray not only defeats Angel but saves her life. Angel's magic is linked to life coins to summon angelic creatures to fight. Angel was trying to end her life to become an Angel when Gray talked some sense into her. Gray tells Angel about what life is worth living; through laughter, happiness, togetherness, sadness, even fighting in-between. Angel's magic becomes parasitic due to her weak-mindedness and nearly consumed her. Dan Straight comes into the fray and restores Angel's life by shrinking Angel's magic, allowing Gray to freeze and destroy the parasite that nearly consumed her. Spike flies into the battlefield to see the aftermath. 

"Whoa, what happened here?" Spike asks. 

"Angel lost the fight but kept her life," Gray answers. "How did you fare with Cobra?" 

"I defeated him," Spike answers. 

Angel asks. "How? Cobra can hear everything." 

"Well, almost." Fairy Rage answers. 

Angel gasps. "Who's saying that?" She looks around, thinking there's an angelic presence. 

"I'm Fairy Rage. I reside in Spike's mind. I can communicate like this." 

"Like telepathy?" Angel asks. 

"More or less."

Everyone within the Infinity Castle hears the bell chimes. Lucy announces that one of the seals has disappeared. She also announces that two more seals remain.

"Two?" Gray rethinks who it could be. 

"Has to be Michelle and Midnight," Spike said. 

"Yea," Gray nods. 

"Which still doesn't sound good."

"Why you say that, Fairy Rage?" Gray asks. 

"That was Lucy's voice that announced the news. We don't have much time before Lucy fully submerges with the Infinity Clock."

"Spike, you gotta get up there and try to get Lucy out!" Gray says. "I'll be right behind you. 

"Understood," Spike flies and leaves the area. 

"Does he stand a chance against Midnight?" Dan Straight asks. 

"Of course he does. He's beaten him before," Gray smiles. 

While Spike and Gray go to where Lucy is behind submerged, Panther Lily and Samuel continue their fight. 

"Brother, please listen to me! We can't waste our time fighting when Lucy is nearly submerged into the Infinity Clock! We need to strike her now before it's too late!" Samuel pleads. He's badly bruised. 

"Sorry, Sammy. I can't allow that to happen," Panther Lily punches Samuel in the face in mid-flight. Panther Lily is also bruised. 

"One life is more important than everyone else's? Is that what you are referring to me?" Samuel knee strikes Panther Lily in the face. 

"I'm telling you there is always an alternative solution in any case," Panther Lily tackles Samuel and punches him in the face left and right. 

Samuel grabs Panther Lily's fist and punches Panther Lily in the face. He rolls back to knee strike Panther Lily in the gut. "C'mon, brother. No sacrifice, no victory. I'm asking you to make the right decision." 

"I'm telling you to make the smart decision," Panther Lily punches Samuel in the face, knee strikes him in the gut and throws Samuel into a wall. Samuel reverts to his exceed form. "We will rescue Lucy without taking her life. Patience at times is a virtue than making rash-quick decisions." 

Warren addresses the situation with everyone about the Archbishop's health condition. The Archbishop says by destroying the anchors of the Infinity Clock will slow down the process of Lucy's submergence. 

"You hear that?" Panther Lily asks. 

"Yea. The Archbishop is feeling better, and I was wrong for thinking logically instead of expanding the picture for other alternative motives." 

"Forget it. Everyone make mistakes sometimes. I know I certainly have. The real test." 

"Is how you make things right," Samuel finishes Panther Lily's statement. 

Panther Lily flies. "Let's cut some chains, Sammy!" 

"Yes! And whoever severs the most is the victor. Sounds good, brother?" Samuel flies beside Panther Lily. 

"You're on," Panther Lily agrees to Samuel's bet. 

Spike stops mid-flight to think of his objectives. "Fairy Rage, what should we do?" 

"Since it's taking our friends a bit longer to defeat Michelle and Midnight, we should lend them a hand. Gray, freeze and shatter the chains."

"You got it. Spike, teleport me outside so I can freeze them." 

"Can do, Gray," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Gray outside. "Let's bring them down, Fairy Rage!" Spike soars to the upper levels of the Infinity Castle. 

"I'm with you." 

Gray is outside and sees the Infinity Clock chains being shattered left and right. He's right in front of a bunch. "Perfect. Thanks for teleporting me in the perfect position, Spike," Gray starts freezing the chains and shattering them. 

Gajeel, Wendy, Romeo, Carla, Happy, Panther Lily, Samuel, Gildarts, Byro, Dan Straight, Sugarboy, Mary Hughes, Guttman Kubrick are helping out in shattering the Infinity Clock chains. 

"During my fight with my supposed friend, we heard the Archbishop talking. We put aside our differences, and now we're going to save the world. Time to put frowns upside down and fix everything!" Guttman Kubrick says. 

"Lucy!" Spike's voice echoes the area. 

"No! Not him!" Midnight starts to have flashbacks during his first encounter against him. 

"The freaking dragon!" Imitatia says. 

Spike arrives and sees Elfman knocked out, Coco trying her hardest to pull Lucy before she submerges into the Infinity Clock. Natsu and Erza,  catching their breath while Midnight and Imitatia look at him. 

"Spike! Think you can get Lucy out!?" Natsu asks. 

"I'll see what I can do," Spike answers. 

"No, you don't!" Imitatia goes after Spike. 

"No!" Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor and unleashes her wave of swords at Imitatia. Imitatia blocks the attack with her shield. Erza go after Imitatia once more. 

Natsu sees Midnight in a trance and uses his Fire Dragon Roar to knock him down. The attack wakes up Midnight as he realizes his goal is in jeopardy. Spike lands next to Coco and sees Lucy nearly submerged. 

"Hold on, Lucy. I'm going to teleport you out with my fire breath." 

Midnight and Imitatia hears what Spike's going to do. "NO!" They say in unison. 

Lucy is unable to speak but sees Spike. If she can smile, she would. She knows her brother will get her out. "Spike, I trust you wholeheartedly. Do what you must."

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Lucy, but nothing happens. "What?!" Spike tries over and over, but it has no effect whatsoever. 

"Most of her body and parts of her mind are fused with the Infinity Clock. Our simple teleportation spell is unable to fathom the time magic the clock produces. It's far out of our reach to match time magic's power. Soon her whole existence will be erased if she stays submerged with the Infinity Clock."

"Noooooohohohooooo! That was our best chance of getting me out, and it didn't work!" Lucy thought to herself. She sheds a tear knowing it may be the end of her. 

"She's crying," Spike gets teary and angry. 

"What?" Natsu overhears Spike's comment. He sees Lucy producing tears. 

"No! Big Sis! You told me that Big Sis and I will be together forever!" Imitatia says. 

"Oh, that can still happen. She's going to change her form and be one with the clock. Then you'll have your whole life ahead to be with Lucy for eternity." 

"Big Sis!" Imitatia cries out and goes up to Lucy. 

Spike is conjuring a ton of power. Spike roars so loud, everyone on and around the Infinity Castle covers their ears. Spike increases his size into the size of Laxus, but it's different. Spike taps into Fairy Rage and takes full control of the anger. Natsu, Erza, Coco, are scared of what Spike is going to do. Elfman wakes up and hears the loud roar coming from Spike. He sees Spike conjuring tons of magic power. 

"I'm going to kill you, Michelle and Midnight!" Spike snorts. Spike's eyes are a blend of orange and green. His Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest doesn't change. The Spikes on his body become sharper. He's ripped and brolic. 

"Wait! All I want is my Big Sis!" Michelle pleads. 

"Die!" Spike's claw is ablaze in Sparkling Light Orange-Green flames and lightning. "Lightning Inferno Flame! Demolition Fist!" Spike punches Michelle so hard she crashes into the wall. Every bone in her body shatters. 

To Spike's surprise, he sees Michelle's bones snapping right back. She falls after taking a brutal hit and gets back up. Midnight sees the dexterity of Spike's magic in an enraged state. 

Lucy is seeing Spike losing himself. She becomes worried and wants to hug him. Lucy's tears stream on her face, wishing for Spike to calm down. 

"Sir, I think you may want to recall your magic back if you're going to tame the beast," Klodoa says. 

"Yes, that would be. Uh, oh," Natsu and Erza decide to team up to take down Midnight. 

"This is for Lucy!" Natsu, Spike, and Erza shout in unison. 

Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor. She flies and attacks Midnight. Natsu uses his Fire Dragon Sword Horn to attack Midnight from behind. Spike ragdolls Imitatia to extreme lengths after learning she can recover faster. Midnight is unable to dodge as he takes the blows from Erza and Natsu. Midnight crashes into a wall. Spike grabs and slams her body on the ground several times and throws her body away like paperweight. 

"NOOOO! Midnight uh, I mean, Brain is defeated! Then that means," Klodoa looks at Lucy. 

"Another seal has been lifted. Only one seal remains," Lucy announces. 

Spike walks up to Michelle when her body starts glowing. Natsu, Coco, Elfman, and Erza see what's happening to Michelle. Lucy sees Michelle transforming into a plush doll. 

"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no! The seals are uplifted! We don't have control of the Infinity Clock anymore." 

"Beat it!" Spike kicks the skeleton staff (Klodoa) out of the Infinity Castle. In his mind, he wants to tear the plush up so it'll never strike again. He turns to Lucy. Spike calms down and reverts to normal. His eyes turn back to green. He then falls to his knees. 

"I remember now. Michelle was my little sister growing up. She has always been my little sister, and I've forgotten about her as the years went on."

"Spike," Erza walks up to Spike. 

"I'm sorry..," Spike sniffs. "I've lost control of myself. I was so angry because I thought we failed Lucy," Spike says in tears. "Lucy! I'm sorry! I couldn't get you out!" Spike cries while Erza hugs him. 

"Thanks for the assist, buddy. You gave Erza and me a chance to defeat Midnight," Natsu said in hopes of cheering Spike up. 

"Man, my head hurts," Elfman says. He walks up to Natsu and Erza. "I can't believe what I witnessed." 

"I couldn't believe it either. I have never seen Spike enraged before. You can say he has more heart and love for those he cherishes," Erza said. 

"So, what do we do now?" Natsu asks. 

"Hey, you guys," Coco calls them out. "Lucy is already submerged into the Infinity Clock before Michelle turned to normal."

"What?!" Natsu, Erza, Spike, and Elfman say in unison. They run up to where Lucy was and no longer see her. 

"We're too late..," Spike says. 

"Lucy! Lucy!" Natsu shouts, hoping for Lucy to hear him. 

Lucy is now submerged with the Infinity Clock. She sees her past and how she met Michelle. As a young girl, she received her plush doll on her birthday. Originally, Lucy named her Gonzalas but, her mother asks of her to try a more feminine name. That is when Lucy named her plush Michelle.  The spirit of Michelle communicates with Lucy, reminding her of the good times they had together. Remembering that the mansion was so big, it was treated like a castle. Michelle also mentions the beautiful dresses Lucy made out of paper and flowers. Wherever they went, it was all smiles until the death of Lucy's mother. Every day, Lucy would go to her mother's grave to cry. She lashed out at everyone around her during that time. Every time Lucy sees Michelle, it reminded her of her mother. That was the sole reason Lucy stopped talking to Michelle. Lucy apologizes to the spirit of Michelle for leaving and forgetting about her. Lucy now watches a memory of Michelle's past when Jude Heartfillia apologizes to Michelle for Lucy's disappearance. Jude Heartfilla hoped that someday, Michelle and Lucy will reunite, and that wish came true. Lucy is in tears watching the memory. All Michelle ever wanted was to be with her Big Sister. Michelle mentions the involvement with Midnight and how she came to life, helping Jude Heartfillia and deliver the clock piece to Lucy. Michelle sees how many people and dragon care and love about her well-being. Michelle tells Lucy to listen. 

"I can hear them. All my friends." Lucy hears all of her friends, including Spike's cry. 

"Warren, it's me, Erza. Can you hear me?" 

"Yea, I hear you. What's the status?" Warren asks. 

"The Neo Oracíon Seis is defeated. However, Lucy is fully submerged in the Infinity Clock." 

"What?!" Everyone hears the sudden news through Warren's telepathy. 

"Oh, man," Wendy said. 

"No, we were too late," Gray said in anger. 

"Damn it!" Gildarts said. 

"No! There has to be another way to get Lucy out!" Elfman says. 

"Lucy.., I'm sorry that I failed you..," Spike looks down. 

"You haven't failed me! None of you!" Lucy shouts. 

Spike looks up after hearing Lucy's voice. Everyone hears Lucy's voice and becomes relieved. They don't know what to do next with this predicament.

"Lucy, we have a situation. We can hear you but can't see you," Erza said. 

"Then that means, I'm.., I'm..," Lucy pants a little. 

"Part of the Infinity Clock," Coco finishes Lucy's statement. 

"Noooooooooooooo!" Lucy shrieks. "I can't believe this is happening to me. One minute I'm normal. Now, I'm Happy's food?"

"Don't worry. I won't eat you," Happy responds. 

"Lucy, I received great news from Jean-Luc back at the guildhall," Warren says. "They figured out another way to rescue you."

"Don't delay, Warren. What do we have to do," Erza said. 

"If the seals aren't removed from the Infinity Clock before the merging process is complete, the person that is merged can only be free if they focus their mind and actually control the Real Nightmare spell," Jean-Luc explains, using Warren's calling card. 

"According to what it says here. The clock is remaining in this world because of the magic power its absorbing from the Celestial Wizards that are being used as body links," Levy says. 

"They're stuck in chrysalis form, so we need to lift the curse that's been placed on," Freed says. 

"Lucy gotta alternate her set of time into one hundred years into the future," Levy says. 

"Yep, if Lucy does that, the clock will break apart, and all the pieces will scatter themselves," Warren said. 

"Wait, what happens to Lucy then?" Spike asks. 

"How is it going to affect her?" Erza asks. 

"I wish I can tell you. All we know is this will undo the merging," Jean-Luc says. 

"But, it can cause Lucy to scatter around the world with the clock pieces," Elfman said. 

"What do we do?" Romeo asks, unsure of the idea of Lucy being drifted apart if it backfires. 

"Is there any other way?" Natsu asks. 

"I'll give it a shot!" Lucy says confidently. "The other Celestial Wizards need me. If I don't pull it off, they'll sleep for a hundred years. So what if I get sent flying elsewhere? I think it's worth the risk. I'm not scared. I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard. Jude and Lalya Heartfillia's daughter. Lucy, Michelle's Big Sister!" 

"Say what?" Spike is confused, but he'll ask later. 

"I can do this!" Lucy channels a lot of magic power to use Real Nightmare and alter the time perspective to accelerate one hundred years. 

The Infinity Clock shatters along with everyone on board. Spike and Natsu pass out after the Infinity Clock shatters. Ichiya comes and rescues every Fairy Tail member and Coco. 

Ten minutes later, Natsu and Spike wake up. They look around to see Erza, Gray, Coco, Elfman, and Ichiya. 

"What happened?" Spike can't remember what happened moments ago. 

"Are we on top of a giant octopus?" Natsu gets a little motion sickness. 

"There's no need to panic. Kanaloa and I are now bound by the parfume (Ichiya's way of saying perfume) of an eternal friendship."

"The Infinity Clock pieces are now scattered. The Oracíon Seis are arrested. Warren's team is on the lookout for Lucy. How are you feeling, Spike?" 

"Alright, for the most part. I can't believe I took control of Fairy Rage when I transformed out of anger earlier." 

"Wait, you took control of Fairy Rage?" Gray asks. 

"Indeed. What Spike did to Imitatia was all his doing. He took my power and infused it with his during his enraged state. It was exhilarating but terrifying. Feeling Spike's emotions running wild made him more dangerous, especially when love was involved."

"Spike's love?" Erza asks. 

"Spike's love for his sister, Lucy. For a long while, he's looked up to Lucy like an older sister. One he craved for before leaving Equestria."

"Wow," Everyone around says in unison. 

"Before leaving Equestria, he never really had a family. Twilight Sparkle's family was around but, it was short-lived. Eventually, they moved on without him. If you were put in a bad situation, Erza, rest to sure Spike will come for you and do whatever it takes to keep you safe and sound."

"It's that true, Spike?" 

"Yes, Sis. The same goes for all my friends I consider to be my brothers and sisters. You're all my family. I love you," Spike smiles. 

Erza hugs Spike. Elfman, Natsu, and Gray smile while trying to hide their tears of happiness from what Spike said. 

"A touching moment. Whoever those punks and that Twilight Sparkle that caused you harm, rest to sure that Blue Pegasus will bring the pain if they ever show their faces," Ichiya said. 

"Thanks," Spike said. 

"So, you're from another world?" Coco asks. 

"Yea," Spike nods. 

"That's so cool and sad that you left it. I can only imagine what you been through," Coco said. 

"The world I left is beautiful and majestic but, let's just say that the ponies I lived are scumbags." 

"I'll keep that in mind if they happen to show their faces," Coco said. 

"Wait," Natsu sniffs the air. "Guys! I picked up her scent!" Natsu points to the right. "Take us that way, octopus!"

"Very well, then. If you would Kanaloa," Ichiya commands. Kanaloa leaps toward the direction Natsu points. 

Natsu leaps off the octopus and runs down to catch Lucy. Spike and the rest watch Natsu catching Lucy in mid-air. Natsu crash lands while Lucy sits on top of him. 

"We wooooooooooooon!" Spike cheers loudly. 

"Yea! We're manly, and we saved the whole freaking planet!" Elfman high-fives Spike's claw in excitement.

"This calls for a celebration! Man!" Ichiya declares. 

"Nice catch, Natsu," Lucy smiles. 

"Way to go, Lucy. You destroyed the Infinity Castle, and the Infinity Clock pieces are long gone," Natsu laughs victoriously. 

"Way to go on defeating Midnight, Natsu." 

"Well, I can't take all the credit. Erza and Spike were vital as well," Natsu said. 

"Speaking of Spike, where is he?" Lucy asks. 

"On the octopus," Natsu points. 

"Let's go home," Lucy said. 

Natsu and Lucy climb back on Kanaloa. Lucy runs up to Spike and hugs him tight. Spike returns the hug. 

"I love you, Spike. You've been such a great brother." 

"I love you too, Lucy. You've been a great sister." 

"Kanaloa, onward to Magnolia!" Ichiya commands. Kanaloa is now heading to Magnolia.
> Time to Celebrate
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a day since Fairy Tail defeated the Neo Oracíon Seis. Everyone is at the guildhall getting ready to celebrate when Byro and the Legion Platoon arrive. 

"As leader of the Legion Platoon," Byro and his comrades kneel before Fairy Tail. "I offer my deepest and sincere apologies to the members of Fairy Tail."

"There's no room for remorse. Just progress," Master Makarov said. "Let's move beyond this crisis. We may have fought before, but that doesn't mean we have to be enemies now. What do you say we start anew?" 

"You are as gracious as you are wise," Byro said. He and Makarov shake hands.

"Now that's settled, let's party!" Makarov declares. Everyone cheers loudly. 

Spike sits next to Lucy, Wendy, and Carla. They watch Natsu and Dan Straight having an eating contest. 

"Look at them, enemies at first now, friends to the end," Spike said. 

"I'll say," Wendy said. 

"The Infinity Clock mess seems like a distant memory now," Carla said. 

"I'm glad you and Wendy didn't see me go berserk when I was enraged," Spike said. 

"Really? How come?" Wendy asks. 

"Right before I was submerged, Spike saw me crying. He tried to teleport me out of the Infinity Clock fusion but, it didn't work. Midnight and Imitatia witnessed the carnage. I was so scared that I wanted to hug and calm my brother." 

"Wow," Wendy said in shock. 

"I'm glad we won't be hearing anything from the Oracíon Seis again," Carla said. 

"It was pretty scary that Spike took control of me when he entered an enraged state."

"Let me tell you what's scary. That voice that speaks fluently," Dan Straight said, eating his food and winning the food-eating contest. 

"Fairy Rage. I do have a name." 

"Yea, you're weird." 

"Says the doofus that keeps hitting on women and freaking them out." 

Dan Straight gasps. "Hey, I can get a woman at any time I like. Can you?" 

"She's right here."

Spike puts an arm around Wendy and kisses her. "We confessed our love a while ago." 

Dan Straight flops after seeing Spike kissing Wendy's cheek. 

Mary Hughes walks up to the table. "Hey, Fairy Dragon. Thanks for catching me when Guttman Kubrick attacked me. I could have landed hard when he used the rupture spell on me." 

"It was the right thing to do," Spike said. "If you excuse me," Spike smirks a lot. "There's something I need to do."

"Like what?" Wendy asks Spike. She watches him walk up to Natsu. 

"Hey, Natsu!" Spike calls him out. 

"What is it?" Natsu turns to Spike, and Spike delivers a punch. "OW!" 

"Hah! The baby dragon punches harder than Natsu!" Dan shouts. 

Natsu punches Dan. "Quit talking!"

"Oh, yea! Now it's a party!" Gray takes off his shirt. 

Gray, Dan, Natsu, Spike start fighting each other. Gajeel, Elfman, Warren, and Max Alors join in on the fun, having a pointless brawl. 

"Uuuuh uuuuuuuh," Wendy is in shock. 

"I guess Spike wanted to keep his fighting spirit going and wanted to share with everyone," Carla said. 

"I think he wanted to experience how to create one," Lucy said. She smiles, watching her friends having fun fighting each other. 

"Nooo! Oh c'mon!" Master Makarov said. He's grabbing the back of his hair. "There's no reason to fight!"

"Okay, who started this?" Erza asks. 

"It was Spike," Romeo said. He points at Spike, who is punching Gajeel on his head. 

"He's growing up," Erza said. She's proud of Spike and decides to partake in the fight. 

Spike is having fun brawling with his friends. He sees Erza coming into the fray. "H-Hey, Sis," Spike waves his claw at her. 

"Don't let me stop you from having fun," Erza smirks. 

"In that case," Spike and Erza start brawling each other for a bit. 

After ten minutes of a pointless brawl, everyone laughs it up. Erza and Spike land a few good hits on each other but not much else. 

"Hey, Spike. I may need to train you better during hand-to-claw close-quarters combat."

"Sounds good, Sis. I could use the training. I'm strong in magic power, but my physical strength in this form is not up to par." 

"Next week, we'll start training together," Erza said. 

"Mind if we camp? It would be better by the East Forest near the river I showed you." 

"Sure. It'll be the perfect spot as well," Erza smiles at Spike. 

"Hold up!" Lucy walks up to Erza and Spike. "You're not camping without me. I need to get stronger as well." 

"Camping?! I'm down with that!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye!" Happy concurs. 

"Now that sounds like fun," Gray said. "I'm in." 

"Same with me," Wendy said. 

"I'm coming too, child," Carla said. 

"Yes! A redemption for camping. I want to train hard as well," Romeo said. 

"Camping is manly!" 

"You ain't going to train without me, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel chuckles. "I'm sure Panther Lily will want to join us."

"Wherever my beloved is going, I'm going," Juvia said. 

"Déjà vu," Spike chuckles. 

"Let's start preparing. One week from today, we are officially camping!" Erza decrees. 

"Hopefully, there are no distractions this time," Wendy said. 

"I totally agree with you, Wendy," Romeo said. 

After discussing the camping trip, the celebration continues with laughter, music, eating, and drinking throughout the rest of the day. Spike plays the Fairies Flow in You on the piano. The Legion Platoon has never heard a melody that reflects their lives wholeheartedly. Coco and Dan shed some tears a bit hearing it. Mary Hughes feels warm inside. Byro respects it. Samuel will remember the song as it'll remind him of Panther Lily. Sugarboy wants to remember the tune when he sings with his doggies. The Legion Platoon steps outside the guildhall after Spike finish playing the melody. Every Fairy Tail Wizard follows them outside. 

"The true purpose of our visit is not a happy one," Byro said. 

"I figured as much," Makarov said. "This the last we'll be seeing of you?" Natsu and Lucy didn't like the sound of that. 

"You came to say goodbye?" Natsu asks. 

"Yes. I am afraid that is the case. Our duty pulls us elsewhere. We have been charged in gathering the scattering clock pieces. Once we return them, they'll be sealed away for all of eternity. Unfortunately, it'll take some time for the clock pieces to regain any real measure of magic power. So, it'll be impossible to detect them magically. The truth is, we'll more likely spend the rest of our lives completing this task. Farewell, my friends," Byro said. 

"I'm going to stop you right there," Gray said. 

"Don't worry, you guys. You'll see us again," Natsu said. 

"Coco, thanks again for all your help," Lucy smiles. "Mary, I hope we hang out more next time." 

"My pleasure. Take care of yourselves, and hopefully, we'll see you soon," Coco replies, saluting to Lucy. 

"And I'll hang out with you," Mary Hughes responds. "I promise." 

"My calculations say I'll win, next bro," Samuel bump fist Panther Lily. 

"Challenge me anytime, Sam," Panther Lily says. "Good luck." 

"If we're lucky to run into each other, let us know if we can help somehow," Gray advises. 

"Now, Dan. This journey will test your integrities, now focus on honing it while you can," Erza suggests. 

"Well, you can always help me out, spicy-icy boy," Sugarboy said. 

"I'll see you next time, Erzi," Dan smiles. 

"Octo-Geezer, hold up!" Natsu gets Byro's attention. "I got something to ask you.

"He's still calling you that?" Mary Hughes asks. 

"What is it, Natsu?"

"Don't you get tired of looking grumpy all the time? Try cracking a smile now and then." 

"Zip it," Makarov said. 

"Well, it's true," Mary Hughes smiles.

"Yea, the ladies love it when a man smile," Dan smiles. 

"It certainly wouldn't hurt if you give it a try," Samuel smiles. 

"You once suggested that I open my heart to them, didn't you, Coco? It took me a while to realize this. But now, I finally realize what you were trying to tell me then," Byro smiles for the first time, grinning all the way. 

Every member of Fairy Tail cracks a smile in support even though Byro's smile is creepy-looking. 

"I'm sorry, but that's like uber-creepsville," Mary Hughes said. 

"That is scary, Lord Byro," Coco said. "Please don't do that again!" 

"You're the ones who asked for it!" Byro retorts. Everyone laughs at Byro's statement. 

"Wait!" Spike calls out the Legion Platoon. 

"What is it, Fairy Dragon?" Byro asks. 

"I have a going-away present for you guys," Spike walks up to them. 

"What is it, Fairy Dragon?" Samuel asks. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the first piece of the Infinity Clock to them. It's the one he carried on his back at the magic library. 

"Wait! How did you-" The Legion Platoon and everyone in Fairy Tail say in unison, confused beyond understanding. 

"I placed a flare marking on this Infinity Clock piece in case someone were to steal it from my friends and me at the time. Since your journey may take a lifetime, how about I start you off," Spike smiles. 

"Thank you, Fairy Dragon. You gave us a few years to spare on our quest," Byro said. 

"Now, that's spicy," Sugarboy said. 

"I bid you adieu," Spike bows. 

Fairy Tail watches the Legion Platoon walk off into the sunset with their first piece of the Infinity Clock. Everyone wishing them luck on their journey. Spike and Lucy decide to call it a day and go home together. They walk back to the apartment. 

It is now 8:30 at night in Magnolia. Spike and Lucy enter the apartment and lay on their beds.

"What a day, huh, Lucy?" Spike chuckles a bit. 

"Yea, no kidding," Lucy places her doll of Michelle next to her photos of her parents. 

"We have a week to prepare for camping. This time, I'm excited." 

"How so, Spike?" 

"Well, the last time I went camping, everyone got distracted cause of Laxus. Gajeel wanted to fight him, then Natsu. I'm hoping for no distractions this time around." 

"I can't believe most of everyone booked to hunt Gajeel. They missed out on a great fight you and Laxus had." 

"They sure did," Spike smiles. "I know that someday, Laxus will return to Fairy Tail." 

"How can you be so certain?" Lucy asks. 

"Anything is possible. Michelle was granted life, and she became your sister in real life. One thing is clear. I have an amazing sister that I'm living with." 

Lucy smiles. "I have an amazing brother that cares about me. I promise that I'll protect you from those fiends you left behind," Lucy refers to Twilight Sparkle and her friends. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Spike smiles. 

"My pleasure. Also, it'll be a greater pleasure to take them down if they ever show their faces." 

"The same is said for me and all of Fairy Tail," Spike yawns. "Night, Sis. I'll see you tomorrow." 

"Night, bro. I'll see you tomorrow as well," Lucy walks up to Spike and kisses him on the cheek.   

Spike smiles and drifts to sleep. Knowing he has a great loving family and peace in his life.
> Progress in Equestria 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few months since Twilight Sparkle discovered the truth about Spike. Discord disguised himself as Spike for many months and deceived the masses in Equestria and every kingdom. The Bar of Alliance does not know about the situation with Spike. They are unaware of Discord's antics. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are in disbelief after learning what Discord pulled. Shining Armor wants Spike to come home. However, Princess Cadance believes that Spike is entitled to live his life the way he wants to, and no one has the right to strip his happiness and freedom away. 

The School of Friendship hasn't opened since Discord got exposed to all. The Unity Seven stood together through all the midst of the situation. The students are at home, waiting anxiously for the notification to allow them to return to class. They miss the teachings the School of Friendship produced. Starlight Glimmer is at the castle with Trixie, trying to have a good day but, nothing has worked for her. Ever since she learned the truth, Starlight has become worried about Spike's happiness and Twilight's sanity.

At the Castle of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle has been reading more magic books. There is one book, in particular, that Twilight hasn't touched. The journal to communicate to Sunset Shimmer from the other realm. She prolonged the extraction of Sunset Shimmer. She's been going over her notes into believing that Discord is to blame for Sunset's involvement in a situation that she's not part of.  

"That Draqonecuus. How dare he involve Sunset in this crisis? She had nothing to do with Spike," Twilight groans and turns to the journal. "I can't ruin my friend's life. But, if I don't bring her back to Equestria, I won't get to apologize or even see Spike. And for all I know, Spike could be in great danger." 

"Twilight?" Pinkie Pie enters Twilight's room to check on her. 

Twilight sighs. "Hey, Pinkie." 

"I haven't seen you in a couple of days. How are you holding up?" 

"Not the greatest. I'm worried about Spike. What if Discord put Spike's life in the clutches of an unknown enemy that kills dragons for the sake of vengeance? What if Spike is getting torn apart by those who hunt dragons? What if Spike is all alone? Hungry, tired, losing his sanity? What if-" Pinkie interrupts Twilight's speech. 

"Twilight. Do you honestly think Discord would do that to someone he calls a friend?" Pinkie asks. 

"Yes!" Twilight shouts, causing Pinkie to hurl back a little. "Discord lied to us and impersonated as Spike! Discord is capable of making us suffer!" Twilight groans and flops on her bed. 

"I think you are overexaggerating, Twilight. Sure, Discord has done much wrong, but he's done a lot of rights as well. He stopped Spike from committing suicide." 

"Spike could be already dead in that other world that Discord sent him to; he could have killed him already!" Twilight snaps at Pinkie. 

"Like Discord, we don't know, and we can't assume anything negative, Twilight. I'm pretty sure Spike is having the time of his life!" Pinkie smiles. 

"Do you really think sending Spike to an unknown world is wise, Pinkie?" Twilight glares at Pinkie. 

"Eeeeee, uuuuuh..," Pinkie tries to come up with an answer. "No. Not wise at all..," Pinkie's mane deflates. 

"Exactly my point. Discord has no freaking idea what planet Spike is calling home. Discord is a liar and deceitful creature filled with the love of Chaos! He has no idea what love is supposed to be!" 

"That's going a bit too far, Twilight," Pinkie doesn't like Twilight's demeanor. 

"Let me tell you what's far. Spike. Spike is far from our reach!"

"So, uh," Pinkie tries to think of a way to get Spike out of Twilight's mind. "Have you made contact with Sunset Shimmer?" 

Twilight sighs heavily. "No..," Twilight looks down and sees the journal to contact her. "I prolonged the inevitable, Pinkie. I'm about to take her happiness for the sake of Equestria."

"You mean you, Twilight," Pinkie rephrases Twilight's statement. 

"Excuse me?" Twilight feels conflicted. 

"I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, Twilight. I, like the others, have accepted the reality of the situation. We screwed up with Spike. I do want to see him and apologize to Spike for all the wrongs I've done. I do believe there's a line we shouldn't cross. Are you willing to cross that line?" 

"If it means saving Spike's life from a wretched world, yes. You are blind due to your carefree nature, Pinkie. Choosing a world out of randomness and going into uncharted territory will draw a lot of attention to the surrounding area. There are creatures out there not fond of every species or anything," Twilight explains. "Without research or having any knowledge, it's like finding hay in a needle stack." 

"You mean a needle in a haystack?" Pinkie rephrases Twilight's statement again. 

"Not this time. The hay represents goodness, while the needles represent all uncharted territory. Leading into all sorts of dangers without any counter-measure." 

Pinkie sighs. "Twilight, you've really become a stick in the mud. Always assuming the worst, never the better." 

"Due to Discord's antics, Pinkie. Equestria was nearly on the brink of war with the other kingdoms such as the Yaks, Griffins, Dragons, and even Changelings! Discord blab his mouth instead of keeping it shut and only to Princess Cadance and my Big Brother! We could have been in a worse circumstance because of his big mouth! How can I not think of anything worse than us getting killed because of Discord?! His lies and deception caused us to suffer so much trauma. I, the Princess of Friendship, can no longer be viewed the same after everyone knows what I've done to Spike! You, the party pony of Ponyville, how many parties have you thrown recently?" Twilight angrily asks. 

That question hit Pinkie hard. The news about Pinkie Pie's involvement in making life difficult for the baby dragon caused some ponies in Ponyville to reject Pinkie Pie's party-throwing expertise. Then the revelation of Spike was no longer in Equestria spread like wildfire in Ponyville. More than half of the ponies in Ponyville have declined offers from Pinkie Pie. 

"Seven parties," Pinkie tries not to cry. 

"IF Discord would have kept his mouth shut, how many parties would you have thrown?"

"All of them..," Pinkie Pie sighs sadly. 

"Exactly. Do you know how Rarity is doing in terms of selling her dresses?" Twilight angrily asks. 

"She's struggling..," Pinkie sadly answers. 

"Do you know why?" 

Pinkie slumps to the floor. "Because everyone knows what Rarity did because Discord opened his mouth..." 

"You remembered what happened to Rainbow Dash?" 

Pinkie is on the verge of tears. "Twilight, no more.., you made your point..." 

Do you think Spike is in good hooves, then?" Twilight looks at Pinkie Pie. "Well?"

Pinkie Pie sniffs. She tries to think positively but, her mind is clouded because Twilight reminds her of what Discord has said. Pinkie tries to come up with an answer but, nothing is appealing in her head. Just negative thoughts. 

"I.., don't know.., Twilight," Pinkie looks at Twilight, nearly on the verge of crying her eyes out. 

"Yes or no, Pinkie?!" Twilight asks. 

"No.., there, is that what you wanted to hear?" Tears stream down Pinkie's face. "That you're right, and I'm wrong."

Twilight sighs and gives Pinkie Pie some tissues for her to use. "Sorry, Pinkie. It's just, I'm not only Spike's friend. I'm his mother. I failed him in both categories. If Discord didn't pull what he did and Spike never made that wish, we could have done the right thing. I need this. Equestria needs this, and you know it." 

"I know. For the Bar of Alliance's sake as well." 

"Exactly. Now you're getting to see the bigger picture. Spike is vital for every creature, and we, as Equestria's protectors, cannot allow Equestria to fall into despair." 

"So, how are you going to address the situation with Sunset? Bring her here, tell her what happened, bring Spike back, erase everyone's mind, thus allowing Sunset to return to the other world and pretend to never happen in the first place?" Pinkie monologues the wrong info due to her mind going astray thanks to Twilight's questioning. 

"Pinkie," Twilight smiles widely. "You're a genius!" 

Pinkie Pie realizes she said something wrong. "No, don't listen to me! I take that back! I'm bad at giving advice!" Pinkie is waving her hooves as she just gave Twilight a twisted idea.

"Sorry, Pinkie," Twilight said, full of hope now. "This is too good to pass up," Twilight ignites her horn and shoots a memory-erase spell to wipe Pinkie Pie's memory. That way, no one can stop her from achieving her goals and setting things right; if Spike doesn't listen to reason whatsoever. 

"Huh, what am I doing here?" Pinkie looks around. "Hey, Twilight! Need some help with what you're doing?" Pinkie glees. 

"Yes, I do," Twilight smiles. "Can you make a gem cake so delicious that'll make any dragon drool for days?" 

"Ooooooooooo," Pinkie nods. "Time to put my baking techniques to far exceed a dragon's taste buds. I'll need a tiny bit of time to craft a masterpiece. Just like the Cakes when they made M.M.M.M."

"Take all the time you need. Right now, I'm ready to," Twilight pauses. Now reality comes in for informing Sunset of the news. She sighs a little. "Inform Sunset of the new ruling in Equestria concerning all creatures staying in the world; they originated from." 

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Twilight. Sunset is your friend. I'm sure she'll understand," Pinkie trots up to her friend and hugs her. 

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie. I don't know what I do without a friend like you," Twilight happily said. 

"Ah, what are friends for?" Pinkie smiles and hops out of Twilight's room. 

Twilight picks up the journal to send Sunset Shimmer a single message of importance. "We need to talk, Sunset Shimmer."
> Sunset's Conclusion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:30 in the morning in Canterlot City. Sunset Shimmer is enjoying her summer vacation. She's in her apartment texting her friends to see who's available to go to the beach. Sunset notices a glow in the room. 

"Twilight?" Sunset walks to the shelf to grab the journal. She opens it to read the message. "We need to talk?" Sunset hears her phone going off. She answers the call. "Hello?" 

"Hey, Sunset. It's me, Twilight (Sci-Twi). My family is having a BBQ at the beach. Want to come with us?" 

"Yea, uh, when are you going?" 

"In five hours. Shining Armor reserved a spot for us at the beach." 

"Alright, let me get back at you after I answer this other call."

"Alright, I'll wait for your call," Twilight (Sci-Twi) hangs up the call. 

Sunset grabs a pen to reply to Twilight's message. "Alright, Princess. What  do you need to talk about?" Sunset sees the message unfolding, which causes her heart to stop beating for a second. 

Sunset Shimmer looks at the ceiling in disbelief for what seems like an hour now. She finds it hard to believe that Princess Celestia and Twilight want her to come back to Equestria. Sunset hears a knock on her door.   

"That must be the Princess," Sunset walks to the front door and sees Princess Twilight Sparkle. 

"It's time to go," Princess Twilight says. 

"Not until you tell me what the hay is going on! Why am I'm needed in Equestria so drastically?" Sunset asks, sounding highly upset. 

Princess Twilight enters Sunset's apartment. "I'll tell you why," Princess Twilight Sparkle grabs a chair and sits on it. 

Sunset Shimmer sits on her couch facing Twilight. "Why is it important for me to come back to Equestria?" 

"You remember Spike, right?" 

"Yea, your number one assistant. The baby dragon. What about him?" 

"He no longer resides in Equestria," Twilight said, going straight to the point. 

"What do you mean he no longer resides in Equestria?" Sunset is confused. 

"Discord teleported Spike into another world after granting a wish. A world Discord doesn't even know what it features." 

"Why would Discord do that? That makes no sense whatsoever." 

"Here's the kicker. My friends and I botched our friendship with Spike that he felt unhappy." 

"Unhappy? How? What was the cause for Spike to become unhappy?" 

Twilight sadly sighs. "It's a long story." 

"Apparently, I have all day since you're here," Sunset crosses her arms. "Might as well tell me the whole story." 

Twilight spent two hours explaining in full detail how she and her friends messed up their friendship with Spike. All the times' Spike was used, abused, abandoned, and neglected for many years. Twilight goes in full explanatory mode on what each of her friends has done to Spike. Then, Twilight explains the situation Equestria is in right now. Discord deceiving the masses in Equestria with his disguise as Spike and creating a whole new chain of events that made Equestria's life harder to endure. After that, Twilight explains a ruling for all creatures that originated in Equestria to remain, never to seek solace in a new world. 

"So, let me get this straight. You want me to give up my happiness for your happiness?" Sunset is livid. 

"It's not my fault that you were thrown into the fray like that, Sunset. It was Discord that brought it up. He's good at making ponies suffer from consequences." 

"It doesn't matter whose fault it was. What you did is vile, unforgivable. How dare you, the Princess of Friendship, put a baby dragon through all that trauma while preaching what friendship is supposed to be. How dare you!?" Sunset yells at Twilight. "How dare you watch idly while your baby dragon was nearly drowning in a freezing lake!? How dare you make him clean an entire castle all by himself without any help!? HOW DARE YOU REDUCE SPIKE'S LIFE INTO SLAVERY!?  WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP?!"

"I know. What my friends and I did is morbid. That's why we have a chance to fix everything. You are vital for Equestria." 

"No! Screw you!" Sunset said. She covers her face in disgust. 

"You don't belong here, Sunset. There's a Sunset Shimmer living in this world, and you are robbing her of her life. There's probably a lot of confusion, especially with her age. Have you considered thinking about that?" 

"No! Don't do that! Don't guilt-trip me about someone else's life. I made my decision to live here."

"You decided to live someone else's life by coming here. Ruining that Sunset Shimmer on achieving her goals and dreams because someone here is exactly like her. The truth hurts, Sunset. It's time to come home." 

Sunset grips her phone. The thought of impersonating someone's life never came across. Thanks to Twilight, a lot of guilty consciousness opened up, a lot of what-ifs pours into her mind. Her hand couldn't stop shaking while she listens to her guilty conscience. Sunset feels a tear come out of her right eye. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Sunset angrily throws her phone against the wall. It shatters upon impact. She falls to her knees and cries a little. 

Twilight gives Sunset space for her to cry everything out. Sunset's mind is flooded with a lot of guilt for robbing someone's life now that she thinks about it. She doesn't even know where the other Sunset Shimmer is doing or could be facing under a lot of surveillance. Like in the movies, a government interrogating or experimenting with the original while the copy gets to live freely. After an hour of crying, Sunset made her decision. 

"Twilight," Sunset gets up. 

"Yes, Sunset?" Twilight approaches Sunset. 

Sunset has her eyes closed. "I'll return to Equestria. However, you are not my friend. Neither are those who used and abused Spike so severely." 

"I understand. Thank you for making the right decision," Twilight formally says. 

"However," Sunset noted. 

"What do you mean, however?" Twilight doesn't understand. 

"I'm not the only one that originated from Equestria. Three sirens originally came from Equestria that reside here. You need to gather Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk as well." 

"Of course. That's the plan." "Then, when the time is right, I'll wipe everyone's memory and allow Sunset to live her life the way she intended. Right now, I gotta stick to the plan on bringing Spike back home by any means necessary."

"If you're wondering where the Sirens are at, they live in a van, traveling around town to sing and find a purpose." 

"Where will they be right now?" Twilight asks. 

"At a bar where people get drunk to forget their depression. Follow me," Sunset gathers her belongings and puts them in a duffle bag. She gets ready and takes Twilight to the bar.
> Discord's Visitors
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few months since Discord got exposed to all. Discord is slowly recovering from the lack of chaos magic usage. Discord documented all he committed during his span as Spike. He saw a lot of good he created as well as the bad that follows. The only solace Discord had during his recovery was Princess Luna coming by to visit him and discuss the inevitable future of Sunset Shimmer and Spike. 

Discord is sitting on a cactus couch reading the newspaper when he hears a knock. "Oh goodie, Princess Luna has arrived," Discord flies to the door and opens it. 

"Greetings, Draqonecuus," Princess Luna smiles. 

"Nice to see you again, Princess Luna. Please come in," Discord stands aside. 

"I didn't come alone," Princess Luna said. 

"What? Oof-" Discord gets tackled by Yona, who is trying to hug him.  

"Yona is happy to see teacher again!" 

"So, this is what it's like to be in a Draqonecuus household," Gallus said while he enters Discord's home with his friends. 

"Hello, Discord. Long time no see," Neighsay said. 

Discord gets up after Yona lets go of him. "Indeed it has. How are each of you doing?" 

"Yak is doing great with friends. Yak misses going to school." 

"The same is for all of us, Yona," Sandbar said. "We're doing well, Discord. We miss school and you as our teacher." 

"I refuse to go back to the EEA unless I have my friends with me. They still don't allow any other creature to be associated with the EEA staff until Princess Celestia orders it." 

"Why hasn't she made any changes to the regulation of the EEA?" Discord asks. 

"Princess Celestia is preparing for battle in case the worst-case scenario comes into being, Discord. All of her undivided attention is for the military," Neighsay answers. 

"Good grief," Discord puts a claw on his face. 

"That's why it's difficult to speak about my sister, Discord. She's preparing for the future of Equestria if Spike doesn't return. I'm also here to ask you once again." 

"You don't need to ask. I'm fully healed and can use my chaos magic properly." 

Princess Luna sighs. "So, then it's decided?" 

"When Twilight brings Sunset Shimmer to Equestria, I'll grant her wish and create a portal into the world Spike wished for," Discord sadly says. 

"You believe that Spike is happy, Discord?" Ocellus asks. 

"I know with all my heart that Spike is wholeheartedly happy in the world he resides. Before going to bed, at times, I see a star twinkle. That's how I know that Spike is out there, thanking me for the wish he made." 

"Wow," The Unity Seven say in unison.  

"Now, I will say while disguised as Spike, I made a few critical errors and mistakes that led to this moment. That it may screw Spike's happiness for the sake of Equestria." 

"Do you wholeheartedly believe that Spike and his new friends may fight against Princess Twilight, Celestia, and possibly the Elements of Harmony?" Smolder asks. 

"I don't know if Spike and his new friends are stronger or weaker. It's unclear to me." 

"Can we wish to see Spike's new home and friends?" Silverstream asks. 

"I wish I grant that but," Discord sighs heavily. 

"My sister made it clear to Discord a few weeks ago. Discord is forbidden to grant any wishes unless it comes from Princess Twilight Sparkle." 

"I want to rebel against it but, she guilt-tripped me into thinking about the fate of Equestria. After reflecting on my actions, I may have screwed Equestria a bit." 

"Why not talk with the Bar of Alliance?" Smolder asks. 

"It's complicated," Princess Luna answers. 

"How so?" Gallus asks. 

"I deceived them into thinking I was Spike for many months. How do you think they'll react to knowing that Spike is living in a different world?"

"Not kindly," Neighsay answers. 

"My point exactly," Discord said. "We're still deciding when to come clean about the issue."

"We're planning to do so if Spike is unable to come back to Equestria or after succeeding in our goal to bring him back," Princess Luna states. 

"I will ask each of you to refrain from telling them about Spike and my transgressions," Discord says. 

"I'll keep my mouth shut until further notice," Gallus said. 

"Yona promise to not speak to Prince Rutherford."

"I'll be silent with Thorax." 

"I ain't telling Ember about it." 

"My lips are sealed. I won't be telling my auntie about it." 

"Thank you," Discord gets up. 

"Everything okay, Discord?" Princess Luna looks at Discord. 

"I sense Twilight returning with four other creatures. I sensed her leaving a while back ago."

"If Sunset is coming back, who are the other three?" Ocellus asks. 

"I know, the Dazzlings," Princess Luna answers. 

"Whoa. Just like Rockhoof told his history tale before mentioning Le Phantom of the Earwax." 

"Yona, that was a made-up story to lure Cozy Glow away. There is no Phantom of the Earwax," Gallus said. 

"It was a pretty good distraction," Silverstream laughs a little. 

"It's great seeing you all again. I'm hoping to see you in class when Starlight opens the school again," Discord smiles at the Unity Seven. 

"Neighsay. Use the medallion to take every creature home. Discord and I will be heading off to Twilight's castle."

"Very well, Princess Luna. See you around, Discord," Neighsay activates his medallion, creating a portal back to the dorms in Ponyville. He and his friends enter the portal. 

"You ready, Discord?" Princess Luna asks. 

"No," Discord sighs heavily. "However, the time has come for Twilight to make her wish." 

"When Twilight makes her wish, Discord. I won't be going into the other world where Spike is." 

"Why is that, Luna?" 

"I refuse to go. Spike is entitled to live his life. Plus, there needs to be a Princess watching over Equestria. Cadance can't cover for us because the Crystal Empire is an independent kingdom. Cadance has to watch over the Crystal Ponies." 

"You make a valid point. I wonder who else won't be joining for the ride." 

"We will find out once Princess Celestia announces Twilight's friends to appear. You ready to get this over with?" 

"Yea," Discord nods. Discord snaps his claw and teleports Luna and himself to Twilight's Castle in Ponyville.
> Gathering the Dazzlings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset leaves her apartment unhappy. Her life will start over because of the Princess of Friendship's doing and her guilty conscience getting the better of her. Impersonating and robbing a duplicate's life is unfair now that Sunset thinks about it. Twilight feels a little guilty for guilt-tripping Sunset, but it was the only way she came up. Her alicorn magic is of no use in the realm of humans. Twilight is unable to wipe Sunset's memory and lie to her about the situation with Spike. 

"How far is it?" Twilight asks. 

"Two miles on foot. They perform at that bar every week on Wednesday." 

"How well do they sing?"

"Good. The Sirens are getting better with their singing. However, they don't feed on hatred with their magic disperse. When we get back to Equestria, they may need a new set of amulets to feed." 

"I cannot produce the amulets for them to feed on hatred!" Twilight exclaims. 

"You're going have to be creative with the amulets you design for them to feed. Unless Discord turn them into ponies or whatever creatures they see fit." 

"How are you feeling, Sunset?"

"Crap. I feel like crap because I have to give up my happiness for you and Equestria and, I was robbing the life of another Sunset Shimmer. I hope you live with this guilt for the rest of your life cause I will not forgive you. Not one bit." 

"What does crap mean?" Twilight asks. 

Sunset groans. "Never mind what it means. I'm angry and sad, okay!"

"I understand. So, are you going to tell your friends about going back to Equestria?"

"No. My friends would fight for me to stay. Plus, I'm vital to them here as friends and the magic we possess with our necklaces. Sometimes, things are better left off unsaid." 

Twilight sighs a little bit but, she needs to go forth with her scheme to succeed. After forty minutes of walking, Sunset and Princess Twilight Sparkle arrive at the bar. It already has the stench of alcohol. 

"Not even 2:30, and they are already drunk," Sunset hates the smell of alcohol. 

"I wonder how many people are depressed." 

Sunset and Twilight enter the bar to see fifty people getting drunk. Sunset and Twilight see the Dazzlings getting paid $200 for their performance. 

"$200, this won't cover up for our expenses," Adagio said. 

"Well, you want more money, loosen up a little," The Bar Owner chuckles pervertedly.

Aria slaps the Bar Owner in the face. "Screw you, pervert! Let's bail," Aria turns to see Sunset and Princess Twilight. 

"Oh, great," Sonata said. She's not happy seeing the two. 

Adagio groans and walks up to them. "What do you want with us?" 

"We have something to tell you. Can we discuss this elsewhere first?" Princess Twilight asks. 

Adagio sighs. "Sure, follow us." 

Adagio, Aria, and Sonata lead Sunset and Princess Twilight to their van. The girls enter the van while Aria gets in the driver's seat. She drives the van to a parking lot where they won't be bothered for two hours. 

"Alright, we'll be fine for two hours," Aria sits with Adagio and Sonata. 

"What do you have to say to us, Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Adagio crosses her arms. 

"Well, a lot has happened in Equestria and-" Adagio interrupts Twilight. 

"Skip to the point. Don't blab anything that isn't necessary. We don't have forever." 

"Right," Twilight takes a deep breath. "There's a new law in Equestria. All creatures that originated in Equestria are forbidden to live in an alternate reality." 

"Wait, what?" Adagio, Aria, and Sonata say in unison. 

"You know me as the Princess of Friendship, right?" 

"Yes. You defeated us with your friendship, and our amulets broke. We no longer have magic, nor we can feed on the hatred," Adagio replies. 

"We've been scrounging for scraps ever since," Aria said. 

"It's hard to survive in this world without magic. It's hard for us to try and find a purpose in this world," Sonata said. 

"No school would take us due to our duplicates living in this time period. We'll end up in prison for identity theft or worse, become a scientific experiment for the United Equestrian government," Aria noted. 

"I messed up with a friendship towards a different species. Spike the Dragon. My number one assistant. He disowned me as a friend and left our world." 

"Why would he do that if you are the Princess of Friendship?" Sonata asks. 

"What you and I nearly pulled here at Canterlot High is child's play compared to what Twilight and her friends have done to Spike," Sunset said. 

Adagio smirks. "Really?" 

"What vile actions have you committed on Spike?" Aria asks. 

"Worse than us four, this I have to hear," Sonata says. 

"You want to tell, or shall I?" Sunset asks Twilight. 

Twilight Sparkle reveals the truth to the Dazzlings. All the atrocities, pranks, mockery, abandonment, and usage of slavery Twilight and her friends have done to Spike. The explanation took Twilight an hour to explain in full detail. The Dazzling's jaws drop in shock and horror. 

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Adagio pauses. "You and your friends did all of that to a baby dragon and not once got incarcerated for those crimes?" 

"Well, we received our punishments, and things did happen," Twilight said. 

"If you and your friends would have done that here, that's an easy thirty years in jail for doing that to a child," Sonata said. 

"Some Princess you are. That's vile and wicked," Aria said. 

"What we did was no excuse but, what you and your friends did is beyond wrong," Adagio said. 

Twilight sighs. "I know. Because of my and my friends' actions, Spike wished himself away. For us to have a second chance with Spike, it's vital for me to bring not only Sunset Shimmer back; but you three as well." 

"A chance to go back to Equestria?" Sonata turns to Adagio. 

"Be freed from the perverts of this disgusting world?" Aria turns to Adagio. 

"I hate this disgusting world and the fact that we lost our magic while you get to keep yours for the crimes you've committed, Twilight. However, going back home sounds better than what we are struggling with within this pathetic world. If we go back, are we free to go, or you'll lock us up like monsters?" 

Twilight sighs heavily. "If you three come back, you'll return with a clean slate. You'll start your lives anew. However, I would refrain from taking over Equestria or any parts outside of it. A lot has changed due to my actions. There's a school where you three can learn friendship. You'll meet new creatures and can have a happy life." 

"We'll think about the school once we get our bodies back. We need to see where we stand in Equestria and try to figure out a better source of food with our amulets destroyed," Adagio said. 

"Very well. Drive us to Canterlot High. The portal is still open, and we'll go back to Equestria." 

"Aria, step on it," Adagio commands. 

"On it," Aria sits on the driver's seat and drives the van to Canterlot High.

"So the new law that's being enforced?" Sonata asks. 

"No creature is allowed to leave Equestria under any circumstances. No creature cannot be banished from the planet. Relocations to other kingdoms are acceptable. If punishments are beyond the level of banishment, the only place to be relocated will be in the depths of Tartarus until due time or eternity," Twilight explains. 

"I have to say thank you for screwing up so badly for us to have a clean slate, Twilight. We can finally leave this wretched planet," Adagio said. 

"Thank you for making it easier for us," Aria said. 

"Oh, I hope to see the baby dragon so I can hug him," Sonata said. 

"Me too." Twilight thought to herself. 

After a half-hour of driving, Aria parks the van in front of the statue at Canterlot High. The Dazzlings, Twilight, and Sunset get out of the van. 

"Follow me," Twilight said. She steps inside the portal.

Sunset sighs heavily. She steps into the portal with her duffle bag. 

"Who's first?" Sonata asks. 

"You!" Aria shoves Sonata into the portal. Aria steps in second. 

"Goodbye, scum," Adagio flips the bird at Canterlot High and steps into the portal. 

The Dazzling screams while being transferred to Equestria. Their bodies change form in the process. After a few moments, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata see Princess Twilight and Sunset Shimmer. The two are looking at them with shocked faces. 

"What?" Adagio said. 

"Why are you looking at us like that?" Sonata asks. 

"Never seen a Siren in her true form?" Aria asks. 

"You're not Sirens. You're Hippogriffs," Twilight said. 

The Dazzlings are appalled. They search for a mirror to see their bodies. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata couldn't believe what they are seeing. 

"I.., I can't believe it," Adagio is looking in the mirror. 

"We're Hippogriffs. I would have never thought I'll become one," Sonata said, looking in the mirror. 

"Why are we Hippogriffs? We're supposed to be Sirens," Aria said. 

"Since you are no longer attached to the amulets, the portal gave you three new bodies that adapt better in Equestria," Twilight theorizes. "Considering you three can fly and swim as sirens, it gave you the bodies capable of doing both." 

"A clean slate to start anew," The Dazzlings say in unison. 

Discord makes an appearance with Princess Luna. The two see Sunset Shimmer, the Dazzlings, and Twilight Sparkle. 

"The Sirens are Hippogriffs?" Princess Luna is confused. 

"They no longer have amulets, so the portal could have given them better bodies to be in the land and sea," Discord assumes. 

"That is the case, Discord. So, I'm ready for my wish," Twilight happily says. 

"I'll be back to get my sister. Twilight, gather your friends," Princess Luna flies to Canterlot. 

"I will. And Sunset. You can live here in the castle until you find a place of your own." 

"Screw you, Princess of Fiendship. I hope you fail on your attempt," Sunset Shimmer leaves. 

"May I help you relocating?" Discord asks. 

Sunset takes a deep breath. "Sure. As long as I'm far away from Twilight and her friends." 

"Ouch," The Dazzlings say in unison. 

"Well, there are lots of places away from Ponyville. I can also use a roommate." 

"Sure, why not," Sunset calmly accepts Discord's offer. 

"What!? He's the one that put your name in this situation!" Twilight exclaims. 

"You're the lame-brain Princess that nearly made Spike commit suicide! Also, it's because of you that my life has to change!" Sunset takes a deep breath to calm herself down. "I rather hang out with a chaotic deity than a self-proclaim Pony Princess that knows the very definition of friendship."

"After retrieving Spike, you'll get your life back. I just need a little more time." Twilight thought to herself. 

"Also, I do believe there are other good things, Discord has done that you didn't admit to me," Sunset said. 

"Adagio? Where will we go now?" Aria asks. 

"I'm still thinking," Adagio said. 

"You're welcome to come to my place," Discord said. 

"Hmm, living with the Chaos man himself. Rent-free, I presume?" Adagio looks at Discord. 

"Yes. Until you are accustomed to Equestria's lifestyle again," Discord said. 

"I don't have a problem being around with the Dazzlings. I'm sure we can turn over a new leaf in our new lives," Sunset calmly says. 

Adagio sighs and walks up to Sunset. "Sure. Let's start anew in this new life of ours." 

"Until we get accustomed and find our new place to call home," Aria said. 

"I'm making tacos at Discord's house!" Sonata cheers. 

Discord gives Sunset and the Dazzling keys to his house. "I'm going to teleport you there. My house is chaotic but, I will make sure that you don't succumb to motion sickness. There is unlimited food and drinks, so help yourself. Anything that comes to your mind that you want. Clap three times, and it'll appear to you. I have to take care of this situation which won't be good for whoever, and I'll return."

"Thanks, Discord. Uh, where would our rooms be?" Adagio asks. 

"My house can expand itself. Find an empty closet. Claim that it's yours, and it'll turn into the room of your desire," Discord said. "I have plenty of unused closets." 

"Well, that answers our questions. Thanks for doing this," Sunset graciously says. 

"You're welcome. That's what a generous friend would do," Discord smiles. 

"Hope you fail, Princess," Sunset said. She's still pissed at Twilight for stripping her life away and giving her a guilty conscience that wouldn't leave her alone.

Twilight sighs and looks down. Discord teleports the Dazzlings and Sunset to his house. 

"Well, can you bring my friends here, Discord?" Twilight asks. 

"No. The term is our friends, Twilight. They're my friends as well," Discord crosses his arms, sounding a bit upset. 

"Please?" Twilight pleas. 

"Get them yourself. I'll be waiting for you by the map room." 

Twilight sighs and leaves the area. Discord floats to the map room and wonders how Spike is doing in the other world.
> Twilight's Wish
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour after Discord teleported Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings, Princess Celestia and Shining Armor arrive in the map room of the castle. Twilight and her friends enter the room to gather around Discord. 

"Shining! What are you doing here?" Twilight asks. She's happy to see Shining Armor. 

"I'm coming with you to help bring Spike back home to Equestria. There could be dangers in the world we're going," Shining Armor replies. 

"Is Princess Cadance okay with that?" Applejack asks Shining Armor with a level of concern. 

"Cadance opposed about me leaving Equestria to an unforsaken world to strip Spike's happiness but, she understands the fate of Equestria and, she told me it's wise to protect Twilight and her friends along the way." 

"Where is Princess Luna?" Rainbow asks. 

"After much discussion, Princess Luna won't be accompanying us to Spike's world. There needs to be a Princess to watch over Equestria. The Crystal Empire is an independent nation so, Princess Cadance cannot cover for us." 

"So, what now?" Rarity asks. 

Discord sighs heavily. "Twilight, you remember how to make the wish?"

"Yes, I do. Is everypony ready to see Spike and rescue him?"

"You mean strip Spike's happiness away," Starlight said. 

Twilight groans. "I understand your point of view but, it's for all of Equestria. If we fail, we'll end up going to war with a different nation. Is that what you want? Us to fail?" 

Starlight rolls her eyes. "I want what is best for Spike. He's my friend, and no one should ever interfere with someone's happiness. They may commit suicide down the line." 

Twilight took that statement to heart and yet, find it offensive. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy remain silent. They nearly pushed Spike to the brink of it. The thought of doing it again terrifies them. Princess Celestia and Shining Armor sigh a bit but know what they need to accomplish.

"So, does that mean?" Applejack asks Starlight to see if she's going or not. 

"I'm not going. I know for a fact that Spike is happy where he is, and I don't want to see his face full of sadness. As his friend, I respect and honor his wishes for wanting a better life." 

"Guess it's us six, Discord, Shining Armor, and Princess Celestia," Rainbow said. 

"I have the cake to make a dragon drool for days," Pinkie has the perfect rainbow color gem cake with vanilla icing on it. 

"Good, that's a start to make him feel a little better. I also have my vows on how to improve on our friendship and how to include Spike in everything we do as friends, girls." 

"Good, Twilight. Let's hope Spike listens to reason as to why he needs to come home," Shining Armor says. 

"If not, we have backup plans in motion," Princess Celestia formally says. 

"Indeed," Twilight said, leaning on her memory erase spell. 

"Before we go, does anyone want to stay behind?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"We got Twilight's back through the good, the bad, and the ugly," Rainbow said, speaking for everypony. 

"I agree with Rainbow, can't leave a friend hanging," Applejack said. 

"I'm bringing the cake. I have to go," Pinkie said. 

"I'm going. Maybe there are different breeds of animals I can be friends with, and they'll know where Spike is living," Fluttershy said. 

"I want to confess my feelings for Spike as I've been looking for the wrong kind of stallions in my life," Rarity says. 

"I'm going with my younger sis, that you know, Celestia." 

"Discord, we are ready to go, Princess Celestia says. 

Discord takes a deep breath. Discord dreaded this day for many months. He hopes that Spike prevails when his former friends encounter him. Discord closes his eyes and utters one word. 

"Yes." 

Fluttershy sees how hard it is for Discord to go through with granting Twilight's wish. She hopes by the end of all this. Discord can smile and learn to forgive himself. 

"Twilight, if you please," Princess Celestia turns Twilight. 

Twilight waited a long time for this day to come. She can't wait to see Spike, apologize to him, and bring him home where he belongs. She walks up to Discord, smiling as a happy pony eating ice cream for the first time. 

Discord looks at Twilight with disgust. He hopes that everything backfires on Twilight for ruining Spike's life. It feels like an eternity of sadness while Twilight relishes the possibilities of saving or manipulating Spike's mind with guilt for him to come back to Equestria. 

"Discord, I wish my friends and I can go to the world that Spike wished at the right time," Twilight smiles elegantly, knowing that the victory is hers. 

Discord sighs heavily. "As you wish," Discord snaps his claw, and the same portal that Spike entered appears. 

"This is the portal? You're not playing any mind tricks or pranks, are you?" Shining Armor asks. 

"No," Discord sadly shakes his head. "This is the exact portal my magic created for Spike months ago."

"Let's do it, c'mon everypony," Twilight steps in the portal first. 

Pinkie hops into the portal. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, and Princess Celestia steps into the portal. Discord is the last to enter. He sees everypony changing form while screaming. Twilight thought she'll be used to traveling into portals but, this feeling is something new. Heart pumping, hooves turning into hands and feet, clothes appearing to match their distinct personalities, and their magic multiplies a bit to embrace the new world. Discord feels the change and felt more powerful than he ever had. Is it because he's the Lord of Chaos?

Everyone arrives in Earth Land. They are near the royal city of Fiore. Discord focuses on his magic and creates cloaks for everyone. 

"Why the cloaks, Discord?" Twilight asks. 

"We don't want to draw unnecessary attention, now do we?" Discord asks with another question. 

"Okay, so, where would Spike be?" Twilight asks. 

Everyone turns around as a large crowd is heading towards what appears to be a coliseum.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me?" Twilight said in shock.
> Aiming to the Top
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been two weeks since the Legion Platoon went off on their quest to locate the rest of the Infinity Clock pieces. Spike and his friends are returning to the guildhall after a week of training and camping. Everyone has gotten stronger during the week while enjoying each other's company. Spike has perfected a couple of spells due to Fairy Rage's assistance that could be useful for the long run of his tenure in Fairy Tail. 

"Hey, I'll be back later. I'm going to the apartment to take a nice long bath," Spike said. 

"Not after me," Lucy said. 

Spike chuckles. "Sure, lady's first." 

"Man, that was fun training hard with Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"I concur. It was nice and pleasant to train with Spike again," Panther Lily said. "I can extend my battle form for much more than I previously did." 

"It was fun training with you, Gajeel," Spike said. "It was fun practicing different unison raids with all my friends." 

"Especially, Wendy," Happy chuckles. "I heard you two did more in the tent than anyone else."

"At least I have my fun with the one I love then get rejected by someone every six seconds," Spike takes a shot at Happy. 

"That's not true! Carla loves me, right?" Happy turns to Carla. Six seconds later, Carla turns away from Happy. 

"Ouch, got you there, buddy," Natsu said. 

"Spike! What is your secret? How do you get someone to fall in love with you!" Juvia grabs Spike's claws and pleas for answers. 

"Be yourself and be honest," Spike answers. 

Juvia accepts the advice and tries being herself and honest with Gray. Gray is nowhere in sight as he flees from Juvia. Juvia starts searching for him. 

"Spike," Erza walks up to him. 

"Yes, Sis?" Spike looks up at Erza. 

"You did well in close quarters combat training. Continue that flow, and you'll be a force to reckon with." 

"I will, Erza. Thanks for the in-depth training in close quarters training." 

Erza smiles. "You're welcome. I'll see you around," Erza goes to the bathhouse. 

"You coming, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"Yea, I'm coming. See you guys later," Spike waves and walks with Lucy back to the apartment. 

"See you around, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"See you later, Spike!" Wendy blows a kiss to him. 

"See you around. Hopefully, we can go on a job when you two come back!" Natsu shouts. 

"Get home safely!" Happy waves. 

Spike and Lucy walk together to the apartment. After half an hour of walking, they enter their apartment together. Spike gets on his bed while Lucy goes to the bathroom. 

"I'll go first, Spike," Lucy closes the door to take her bath. 

"Hey, Fairy Rage." 

"What's up, Spike?"

"Can you still feel that disturbance you felt a few weeks ago?" 

"What I sensed when I came to life hasn't happened yet but, it's drawing near. I still don't know what it is but, we're getting closer to that due date."

"Damn," Spike lays back on his bed. "With the spells, I learned during our camping trip, which is your favorite?" 

"Protection Ring is my favorite. Also, thank you for reading spells that can counter the minds. It'll help when I enter the mind that dares use telepathy." 

"Good. Thanks for having my back all this time."

"Ah, you're welcome. I have to say, being a Fairy Tail Wizard is awesome! I love everyone in Fairy Tail. Nice, friendly, chill, and knows how to fight and have fun even in the darkest of situations."

"Yea," Spike smiles. "The funny thing about it is, I wouldn't have any of this if it weren't for Twilight and her friends to treat me like shit. I'll have to thank them when I'm kicking their butts."

"If they decide to make an appearance, that is." 

"True. However, I don't think they will be coming. My friends and I were asleep on Tenrou Island for seven years. Maybe they have given up by now." 

"I'm not entirely sure but, we will find out eventually." 

"Yea. They'll live to regret it. That I'll say." 

Spike grabs a book and starts reading a bit more about magic to add to his arsenal. Half an hour later, Lucy comes out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. 

"Ah, just what the doctor ordered," Lucy said in happiness. "Your turn, Spike." 

"Thanks," Spike put his book down. He goes to the bathroom to take a nice long hot bath. 

Lucy sits at her desk and starts writing to her mother. Telling her all she's been through while having an amazing brother. She tells her mother how Spike has grown since coming to Earth Land and Fairy Tail. From not knowing the basis into becoming a powerhouse. Lucy also says in the letter how much she loves Spike as a friend and brother. Maybe someday, people and dragons can co-exist in the future. Lucy gets an explicit thought of Spike and Wendy's children, which bothers her a little. Half Dragon, Half Human? The possibilities for their children are endless. 

While Lucy continues to write to her mother, Spike is taking his long bath. He thinks about what's next for Fairy Tail and what jobs will be available for him and his friends. After Spike finishes taking his bath, he sees Lucy all ready to go back to the guildhall. 

"Alright, let's get to work," Spike smiles. 

Spike and Lucy leave the apartment and go back to the guildhall. On the way there, people are taking pictures of Spike the Fairy to boast to their friends and family about meeting and seeing an actual dragon. Some people wished that Spike were in a more promising guild than the weaker lesser guild of Fairy Tail. 

Half an hour later, Lucy and Spike see Natsu fighting and sparring with Max Alors. Lucy asks Wendy what's happening. Wendy tells Lucy and Spike that Max Alors claims to be seven years stronger and Natsu wanted to see how strong he really is. Natsu taps into his Lightning Flame Dragon mode and unleashes a Lightning Flame Dragon Roar at Max Alors. The blast cuts a few strands of Max Alors' hair, and he bails. Natsu turns to the others and sees if they want to throw down. Natsu collapses after using a lot of magic power all in one attack. 

"I guess the camping trip didn't help Natsu use his magic power properly," Spike said. 

"That's because he's an idiot," Gray said. "Also, we have a serious situation on our hands." 

"What do you mean by that?" Lucy asks. 

"Gildarts, Laxus, and Spike are our only powerhouses, but no one else has caught up strength-wise," Gray explains. 

"I'm on par with magic power. Physical strength, I'm still working on that. I can increase my size but, I still got manhandled by Acnologia. I still need to train harder than before." 

"Also, while we were asleep, everyone else has been training for seven years," Gray said. 

"We just trained for an entire week!" Happy said. 

"A week doesn't measure to seven years worth, Tomcat," Carla said. 

"Ah, you're right," Happy didn't think his statement through. "I wonder if there is a faster way to boost our magic powers." 

"There are no shortcuts, Happy. There are multipliers, but it'll last for a while. It's through sheer will and determination to get stronger," Spike said. 

"Well put, Spike. Saves me the effort of explaining it to Tomcat," Carla said. 

"I know who to see! We should go ask Porlyusica!" Happy suggests. 

"Oh, yea! I'm sure she has a potion to help us!" Lucy cheers. 

"I guess no one is taking my advice about taking shortcuts," Spike said. 

Carla sighs. "It can't be helped at times."

Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla go visit Porlyusica in the East Forest. Spike heads inside the guildhall to see what's happening with his friends. Spike sees everyone focusing their attention on Master Makarov. Spike stands next to Erza. 

"Hey, Sis. What's happening?" 

"Master Makarov has an announcement to make for all of Fairy Tail," Erza said. 

Laxus walks inside the guildhall. The Thunder Legion are happy to see him. Makarov is confused, but he figures that Laxus wanted to see him and spend quality family time. 

"The time has come, kids. I've done all I can in service to this guild. Allow me to introduce you to Fairy Tail's next Master." 

"You're really stepping down?" Cana sadly asks. 

"I'm honored, and I'll do my absolute best," Macao said, thinking Makarov is going to choose him. 

"It ain't you, you dimwitt," Wakaba said. 

"Without further ado, the Fifth Master of Fairy Tail, Gildarts Clive," Makarov points to Gildarts, but Mirajane is standing where Gildarts should have been. 

Everyone is confused as to why Mirajane is standing where Makarov is pointing. Mirajane gives Makarov a letter to read. Makarov is stunned and angry while he reads the letter out loud to everyone. Everyone laughs at Makarov's reaction. Three things Gildarts has said in command of Fairy Tail while he goes on his way. One, as Master of the Guild, Gildarts reinstate Laxus to the Fairy Tail Guild. Two, Makarov Dreyar will become Fairy Tail's Sixth Master. Three, he won't help Fairy Tail become the number one rank. That's for everyone to do on their accord. That'll also be  Makarov's last job as Master.

"But I just retired!" Makarov said in tears. 

"I.., I can't believe it," Laxus said in shock. 

"Yea! The Thunder Legion is back together again!" Evergreen shouts. 

"This is awesome!" Bickslow said. 

"Thank you, Gildarts," Freed said in tears. 

"Hey, Laxus!" Spike walks up to him.

"Hey, Spike," Laxus looks down at Spike. 

"I told you'll be back in Fairy Tail someday," Spike smiles. 

"Yes. You had faith and believed I'll be back in the guild. Now, I have to uphold my promise to you."

"What promise?" Bickslow asks. 

"What is he talking about, Spike?" Evergreen turns to Spike. 

"Laxus will bring me on some jobs of his, and we'll train more together." 

"Oh, yeah! With Spike on the Thunder Legion, we're an unstoppable force!" Bickslow shouts. "Fairy Dragon, Fairy Dragon." Bickslow's Tikis chants. 

"Two Dragons on the Thunder Legion, that sounds exquisite," Freed said. 

"I'll say, if we were to beat Erza's team, we'll win in a few seconds flat," Evergreen proclaims. 

"What was that?" Erza turns to Evergreen, striking fear into her. 

"Nothing, Ma'am," Evergreen said. 

Makarov gets angry at Gildart's decision with his final task as Master. "What does that blundering fool mean my final task!? After the stunt he pulled, I'll never let anyone else be Master!" Everyone in the guildhall laughs. "I'll be this Guild's Guild Master until the day I die!" Makarov declares. "Somebody pour me a drink! That's an order!" 

"Of course, Sir," Mirajane goes and grabs Makarov a mug of beer. 

Spike sits at the table. He wonders what's next and how to make Fairy Tail the number one Guild in all of Fiore again. 

"Something on your mind, Spike?" Erza sits next to Spike. 

"I'm just wondering. How are we going to bring Fairy Tail to the top of the food chain." 

"It is quite the predicament," Erza said. 

"Hey, I know how!" Romeo looks at everyone and they know what Romeo is thinking. 

"Romeo! Don't say what you're thinking!" Macao orders his son to shut up. 

"Hell no, Romeo!" Wakaba said. 

"I'm not keeping my mouth shut. With everyone back together, now's the perfect time to make it to the top."

"Please say what you need to say, Romeo," Erza said. 

"As your father, I forbid you speaking about it!" Macao shouts at Romeo. 

"As Guild Master of Fairy Tail, I'll allow Romeo to speak his mind," Makarov said, drinking his beer. 

Macao is in shock and wanted to strike at Makarov but, he knows better not to provoke Master Makarov when he's drinking. He sighs as well as most of the guild sighs. 

"We're home!" Natsu walks into the guildhall with his friends. 

"Anything we miss?" Happy asks. 

"Shush, Romeo is about to explain something important to us," Erza said. 

"Now that everyone's here, let me tell you how we can become Fiore's Number One rank guild. There's a tournament where all guilds of Fiore come and face against each other in magical events. They call it the Grand Magic Games!"

"Oh yeah! Now I'm fired up!" Natsu's body is engulf with his fire in excitement. 

"That sounds amazing," Lucy is happy to hear. 

"Yea, I love to play some games," Wendy said. 

"So it's like a magic festival?" Gray asks Romeo. 

"I understand. Sabertooth is known as the top guild cause they competed in last year's Grand Magic Games and won." 

"Yea," Romeo nods. "Lamia Scale came in second, and Blue Pegasus came in third." 

"So, all we have to do is compete and win. For once, I'm excited to fight in front of an audience," Spike said. 

"Also, if we win this year's Grand Magic Games, we'll be Number One, and there'll be a 30,000,000 Jewel prize. 

"30 million?" Makarov is happy to hear the amount of prize money. "We're in!" 

"Noooo! Master, it's humiliating!" Macao whines. 

"This is our ticket to rising in the rankings in Fiore at short notice. With Laxus reinstated, our chances of succeeding are higher. Plus, we have Fairy Dragon with us. No other guild has an all-powerful dragon in their arsenal," Makarov says.  

"Yea. Plus, we have four dragon slayers. We're basically powerful in the dragon's department," Romeo said.  

"So, when is the Grand Magic Games?" Erza asks. 

"It starts in three months!" Romeo proudly says. 

"I can't wait for the Grand Magic Games!" Natsu yells. "Let's start training once more, guys!"

"Yea, we'll put Fairy Tail back in the rankings where it always belongs. Number one in all of Fiore," Gray said while wearing his underwear. 

Spike chuckles. "Gray, your clothes."

"Damn it! Not again!" Gray panics. 

"I have a lot of studying to do," Wendy holds her book of spells. Apparently, during the Porlyusica visit, Wendy found out that Porlyusica is Edolas version of Grandeeney. Grandeeny gave Porlyusica the book of spells, knowingly that Wendy will run into her someday. 

"With all of us working together as a guild," Lucy states. 

"There is no one stopping us from achieving our goal," Erza finishes Lucy's statement. 

"Hey, Spike. I'm ready to fulfill that promise I made to you," Laxus said. 

"Hold up, I want Fairy Dragon," Gajeel gets in the mix. 

"Hey! Spike is with me!" Natsu said. 

"No way, you had your fun training him. Now it's our turn!" Lisanna said. 

"Yea!" Mirajane concurs. 

Everyone bickers about training with Spike when Makarov yells to get everyone's attention. 

"Now that the final decision has been made, there is no need for all this bickering, moaning, and groaning. So, let's get to work. Let's win that 30 million Jewel and the title of Fiore's Number One Guild! Fairy Tail is entering the Grand Magic Games and aiming for the top!" 

"Yeah!" Everyone, including Fairy Rage, cheers. 

"How about this. First month, I go with the Thunder Legion. Second Month, I train with Gajeel. Third month, I train with you guys," Spike refers to Natsu, Wendy, Erza, Gray, and Lucy.

"Sounds fair," Erza said. "What about you guys?" 

"I'm cool with that," Gajeel said. 

"Perfect. Time to train Fairy Dragon. Also, don't hold back cause I won't," Laxus said. 

"Sounds good to me. See you guys later," Spike waves. Then he shoots a sparkling green bullet and hits Erza. It doesn't affect or harm her. 

"Why you shoot me, Spike?" 

"After my training with Gajeel, that's how I'll find you. I placed a flare marking on you to teleport. Pretty cool, huh?" Spike smiles. 

"Oh yea, you did that with the Infinity Clock piece and helped the Legion Platoon," Lucy said. 

"Why you didn't shoot me?" Gajeel asks. 

"You already got the flare marking. So does Panther Lily." 

"It's true, Gajeel. Right before the S-Class Trials. When Spike and I were training, he placed a flare marking on me. In case the S-Class Trials had us separated," Panther Lily states. 

"Perfect. See you then, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel and Panther Lily departs. 

"Let's go. We're wasting time standing idly," Laxus said. "I'll take good care of my brother, Erza," Laxus chuckles. 

"Thanks, Laxus. Help him gain strength. That's what he needs right now." 

"Will do," Laxus, Spike, and the Thunder Legion depart. 

"So, where to, Erza?" Natsu asks. 

"The perfect location for us to be. At the beach!" Erza declares.
> Unfortunate News
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been three months since Makarov announced that Fairy Tail will compete in the Grand Magic Games. Everyone returns to the guildhall. Some are too exhausted from the training, some are overconfident with their magic power, and some aren't around. They enter inside to see Master Makarov looking heartbroken. 

"What's wrong, Master?" Erza asks. She's worried about the expression written on Makarov's face. 

"Hey, where is Mirajane?" Lisanna asks. 

"Yea, she left us a month ago during our training," Elfman says.

"That was the same with Gajeel," Panther Lily says. 

"And Laxus," Freed said in tears. 

"As a matter of fact, where the hell is Spike?!" Natsu shouts. 

"Yea, he was supposed to come during the final month of training," Gray said. 

"Well, last five days due to a trip to the Celestial Spirit World." Lucy thought to herself. 

Master Makarov sighs heavily. "It pains me to say this but, I must. There was an Acnologia sighting."

Everyone in the guildhall gasps in horror; Wendy is tearing up. Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Gray, and everyone is stunned beyond belief. 

"No.., noo..," Wendy is on the verge of crying. 

"Spike was attacked by Acnologia. I've sent Laxus, Gajeel, and Mirajane on a search party to locate Spike." 

"When did this happen?!" Natsu shouts at Makarov. 

Makarov sighs. "A month ago. Spike was attacked by Acnologia and disappeared."

Wendy cries uncontrollably. Lucy falls to her knees and sobs. Erza is in a trance after hearing the word about Spike. Natsu and Gray are livid. Everyone else in the guild is sadden by the news. 

"However, while our comrades continue their search for Spike, we must carry on with our motives to become Fiore's Number One Guild." 

Erza snaps out of her trance. "With all due respect, Master. Don't you think we should go searching for Spike?" 

"I've sent our powerhouses to go look for him already. Who knows. By now, they found him and are on their way to Crocus as we speak. I have chosen the five who'll represent Fairy Tail."

"Choose me, Gramps! I need something to take my anger out!" Natsu is boiling in rage. 

"You are my first selection, Natsu. Second is Gray Fullbuster. Third is Erza Scarlet. Fourth is Lucy Heartfillia. Fifth is Wendy Marvell. There the participants to represent Fairy Tail."

"ACNOLOGIA! SOMEDAY! I'LL SLAY YOOOOOU!" Natsu shouts angrily. 

"If Spike were here, he will tell us to keep fighting for Fairy Tail," Elfman said. 

"There's a lot he would say if one of us were in this situation," Lisanna said. 

"More importantly, to not lose hope," Wendy said. She stops crying and stands tall. "The Grand Magic Games is ours, and Spike will come back to Fairy Tail!" Wendy proclaims. 

"Yeah!" Everyone cheers. 

It's 4:30 in the afternoon. Fairy Tail has arrived in the city of Crocus. Natsu, Wendy, Gray, Lucy, and Erza are more determined to win the Grand Magic Games than ever. They are hoping that Spike returns with Gajeel, Mirajane, and Laxus in one piece. 

Makarov explains the reasons why Fairy Tail is competing in the Grand Magic Games and why it's vital to make the first Master of Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermillion, proud. Droy, Jet, Levy, Alzack, and Bisca explain to team Fairy Tail that the games are random and there's a curfew midnight tonight. Also, the first day of the Grand Magic Games is tomorrow. 

Natsu, Happy, and Lucy decide to check Crocus a bit. Wendy and Carla want to check the flower maze they saw earlier. Erza decides to go to the Honeybone Inn and relax a bit. She still has Spike on her mind and worries about him even more. Erza sits on a bed and cries a bit. She wants Spike to be beside her. Either cheering her on or sparring with her or having fun. Any of those options will do it for Erza. She wishes for Spike's safety and return sooner than expected. 

Seven hours later, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Lucy arrive at the Honeybone Inn. Erza has been waiting for their return since it's nearly curfew hour. Wendy and Carla have not returned, which is making everyone worried. Elfman and Lisanna come with their room with supplements and food. Erza asks Lisanna to locate Wendy and Carla. With the curfew drawing near, Erza doesn't want another friend to disappear like Spike. 

All of a sudden, the Inn rises while a hologram of a Pumpkin Head explains the scenery. The Pumpkin Head tells that there is 113 guilds competing in this year's Grand Magic Games. So to narrow it down for the Grand magic Games this year, there will be an elimination round right now. A race in the Labyrinth to the door of the coliseum. 8 teams will move on, and all five members must cross the finish line together otherwise it won't count. 

"Guys look, a path for us to run into the Labyrinth," Lucy said, looking down at the pathway appearing before their very own eyes. 

"Wendy isn't here," Natsu panics. 

Elfman picks up Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy and sprints into the Labyrinth. Lisanna and Happy decide to gather their friends and search for Wendy. Natsu, Erza, Gray, Elfman, and Lucy decide to map where they are going in the Labyrinth. There are so many twists and turns that can make anyone feel sick to their stomach and have dizziness. Team Fairy Tail runs into Twilight Orge, beats the crap out of them, and taken their map to add into theirs. The Labyrinth rotates which causes a lot of guilds to fall out of the Labyrinth. Team Fairy Tail holds on tightly and pulls themselves. They decide to beat any guild to add more pieces of their map into theirs. 

While Team Fairy Tail continues the race, everyone else continues their search for Wendy and Carla. Happy and Lisanna are heading into the Royal Palace since it's the last area in Crocus to search for Wendy and Carla. The Royal Guard allows them to enter the maze in search of them. After a few minutes of searching, Lisanna and Happy found Wendy and Carla drained of magic energy and passed out. They carried them out of the flower maze when they hear the Sky Labyrinth Elimination Round is over. 

Ten minutes later, a medical team arrives as well as Warren, Panther Lily, Max Alors, Alzack, and Bisca. Wendy and Carla don't look good, and they feel weak. The medical team decides to place Wendy and Carla in the infirmary within the coliseum. 

The 8 teams that succeeded in winning the Sky labyrinth Elimination Round are being transferred to the coliseum to prepare for the first day of the Grand Magic Games. Warren uses his telepathy to let Team Fairy Tail know that they located Wendy and Carla. Erza informs Warren that her team secured a spot for the Grand Magic Games. They came in 8th place. They are being told by the Pumpkin Head they'll be transferring to the coliseum to put on their uniforms to represent their guild. 

It is now 9:30 in the morning. Everyone is entering the coliseum to witness day one of the Grand Magic Games. Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Elfman are suited up and ready to compete. They wish Spike was here to support them all the way. They are also worried about Wendy and Carla. They wonder who attacked them and why. 

"Alright, chin up! We made it past the Sky Labyrinth Elimination Round, and we won't stop there," Erza said. 

"A real man keeps pushing forward until we are in first place!" Elfman shouts. 

"For Wendy," Natsu said. 

"For Spike," Lucy said. 

"For Fairy Tail. We bring the battle to them!" Gray shouts. 

"Let's go! I'm all fired up!' Natsu shouts. 

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Grand Magic Games. I'm Lead Commentator Chapati Lola. I'll be handling the play-by-play while former council member Mr.Yajima provides commentary. Mr.Yajima, glad to have you with us, sir." 

"Glad to be here." 

"And, let's not forget our special guest, a member of Blue Pegasus and current holder of the title of Miss Fiore, the Ravishing Jenny Realight," Chapati announces. 

"Blue Pegasus is bringing home the gold this year," Jenny proclaims. 

"Ready?" Natsu asks. 

"You know it," Gray answers. 

Natsu, Erza, Gray, Lucy, and Elfman walk out of the tunnels first. Chapati announces that it's time to meet the competitors. 

"Now's the time to meet our competitors. First up in 8th place, an old-school bunch of wild wizards from Magnolia. They have worked in freelance, and now they're wary to take back first place by force. It's Fairy Tail!" Chapati announces. The crowd in the coliseum boos Fairy Tail heavily. Team Fairy Tail is caught off guard with the boos from the fans. "Who would have thought they would have made it this far when they lose every year?" 

"I'm proud of them, way to go, kiddos," Yajima throws his thumbs up in approval. "Now get out there and show them what you can do!" 

Makarov and all of Fairy Tail sitting in the stands cheer loudly for their team. Nab Lasaro is waving a Fairy Tail flag to show support. Then all of a sudden, every single Fairy Tail member sees Mavis Vermillion and is in shock. Mavis Vermillion tells Makarov that she wanted to cheer on the Fairy Tail guild that's competing in the Grand Magic Games. 

"Next up, the team that came in 7th place is Quatro Cerberus," Quatro Cerberus comes out bearing their guild's flag.  "Now, coming in 6th place, the only guild that's powerful and beautiful, Mermaid Heel!" Mermaid Heel comes out bearing their flag. "In 5th place, give it up for Blue pegasus," Blue pegasus comes out. "Next in 4th place, it's Lamia Scale!" Lamia Scale comes out. "Now, to introduce our 3rd place contestant. Whoa! What a shocker! Give it up for Raven Tail!"

"What the hell are they doing here?!" Natsu is highly upset that a Dark Guild is participating in this year's Grand Magic Games. 

"This is bad," Erza said. "Their Guild's Master is Makarov's son, Ivan." 

"That means they're a dark guild..," Lucy is scared of them. 

"I bet they are the ones who attacked Wendy and Carla last night," Gray said. 

"No doubt about it," Elfman concurs. 

Master Makarov is pissed off right now. Seeing Ivan's guild competing is unheard of. Unfortunately, Raven Tail is eligible enough to compete in the Grand Magic Games. 

"Hold on. We still got two teams that made it through the qualifying round.  Our first-place runner-up is.., Oh wow! What a surprise! This year's competition just got a whole lot interesting, folks!" Sparkling Green Lightning of the Fairy Tail Emblem appears. "It's Fairy Tail Team B!" 

"Big, Sis!" Elfman is in shock. 

"Gajeel?" Natsu is surprised. 

"Laxus!" Gray said in shock. 

"Spike!" Lucy and Erza cry out and hugs him tightly. 

"Hugs too tight! Can't breathe!" Spike is getting squeezed by the hugs. 

"Master," Lisanna turns to Makarov. Everyone else turns to him as Makarov couldn't help but smile. 

"Sorry, I had to make up the story about an Acnologia sighting. Otherwise, we wouldn't have two teams competing," Makarov laughs victoriously. 

Erza and Lucy let go of Spike, allowing him to breathe. They are so happy to see him well. 

"I'm so glad you're okay after the Acnologia ambush," Lucy said. 

"Huh? What are you talking about? Acnologia didn't ambush me," Spike said. 

Erza picked up right away and suspects deception from Makarov. She sighs for now and will have a talk with the Master later today. 

"Hey, look, even Mystogan's here," Natsu points at him. 

Erza sees Mystogan and knows right away it's Jellal. Everyone else is puzzled that Fairy Tail has two teams competing. Yajima explains that the Grand Magic Games committee allowed each guild to have two teams to compete to improve their odds for the Grand Magic Games competition. Fairy Tail accomplish such a feat out of a hundred guilds and are reward with an advantage for the Grand Magic Games. 

Seeing Spike in Fairy Tail Team B, Natsu is now more determined to beat everyone and secure first place for Fairy Tail as Fairy Tail Team A. Erza walks up to Jellal to learn about his motives Makarov told Jellal to impersonate Mystogan so he'll be able to scope around Crocus to find dark magic that relates to Zeref. 

Chapati announces the 1st place team to qualify for the Grand Magic Games. Sabertooth comes out and hears the loudest cheer from the crowd. They are ready to rumble.

"Alright folks, it's time to start the Grand Magic games with our opening event!"
> Grand Magic Games: Day 1, Hidden
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to unveil the official schedule for year's tournament." A schedule of the next five days rises from the ground. "Each one of the rounds will begin with a contest. Participants will be rank from 1st-8th place. Teams will score points depending on the rank of the contest." 

"First few days are vital for the contest," Spike said. 

"No joke. We better step up our A-Game if we want to win," Gajeel said. 

"Lots of battles within the next few days," Gray said. 

"I can't wait to beat them all," Natsu said excitedly. 

"Teams are allowed to select one member to participate in the contests of each day. After that, we have battles. These battles are quite a treat to all the loyal fans since it's you that created these matchups," Chapati explains. 

"Whoa, Fairy Dragon may be the crowd favorite," Laxus said. 

"No kidding, imagine seeing a dragon versus a human during the fight after the contest," Mirajane said. 

"I can handle it. I worked on my magic during the months of training I had."

"Battle rules are simple, each team will show off here. The winning team will score 10 points while the losing team gets 0 points. If the battle time expires and both teams are still standing, both teams are rewarded with 5 points each." 

"Uh, what the hell is wrong with those two, staring down at me like they're ready to kill me?" Spike points to Sting and Rogue. 

"Giving you a heads up, Spike," Natsu walks up to him. "They're Dragon Slayers. They claimed to kill their dragons 14 years ago." 

"Hey, shrimp," Sting calls him out. "You're lucky to be in a guild. Otherwise, I would have slain you by now." 

"I would have done it, Sting," Rogue intervenes with what Sting said. 

"Get ready to get your asses kicked cause Fairy Tail is winning the Grand Magic games!" Spike retorts. 

"Ooooh, I'm soo scared of a baby dragon," Sting laughs while mocking Spike. 

"This Dragon is going to show you how big of a threat I can really be." 

"I'm petrified, shaking in my boots," Sting continues to laugh. Some of Sabertooth's guildmates laugh as well. 

"I have to admit. When my cousin told me about seeing a baby dragon years ago, I thought it was a kid in a dragon's costume," Risley Law said. 

"I think he's cute," Sherria said. 

"I have to admit. It's WILD to see a dragon this close," Rocker said. 

Most of the fans are in shock to see a real dragon, while others are not. They've seen pictures and heard stories about Spike the Fairy. 

"Ready for action? Let's begin with the first contest of the Grand Magic Games we call Hidden! At this time, we want each team to select one member to compete. After selecting the member, the rules will be explained entirely." 

"Let me start this one off, right," Yeager volunteers. 

"It's all yours. May the Wild be with you!" Rocker said. Then Quatro Cerberus chants Wild. 

"The first one should be easy. I'll size up our opponents," Beth Vanderwood says, representing Mermaid Heel. 

"We're counting on you," Kagura said. 

"Nalpudding, you go," The Leader of Raven Tail commands. 

"I won't let you down, Master," Nalpudding says. 

"I'm going in," Eve of Blue Pegasus steps into the fray. 

"I shall handle this. I'm feeling inspired by the birds' lovely songs," Rufus Lore of Sabertooth steps up to the plate. 

Lyon of Lamia Scale decides to participate in the opening contest. This triggers Gray, and he tells Erza that he'll be starting things off for Fairy Tail Team A. 

"Guys, I'm going in," Spike is determined to show everyone what he's capable of and remind Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale what he can do on the battlefield. 

"It's all yours, Fairy Dragon," Laxus said. 

"Spike does have the advantage in this game," Gajeel said. 

"How so?" Jellal asks. 

"You'll see," Mirajane says. "Go get them, Fairy Dragon!" 

"The competitors are now set, and now, let the game Hidden begin!"

The Pumpkin Head comes in front of the competitors. Nalpudding goes up to him and complains about Fairy Tail having two teams and an unfair advantage. The Pumpkin Head says that it can't be helped. He and his staff wouldn't think to see a guild having two teams in the Grand Magic Games. The Games will continue as scheduled from here and out. The Pumpkin Head creates a small town within the coliseum for the game of hidden. All the competitors are scattered around the town. 

"Whoa, this is impressive," Spike looks around. 

"Pay attention. The rules are about to be explained."

"Teams that are in the stands and the fans can catch all the action from crystal clear lacrima vision. Here are the rules of the game. All the players are hiding and seeking at the same time. The main objective in Hidden is to locate the other players. Once you've done that, you have to land an attack on them. The player that successfully lands their attack, whether or not, does any damage, will be rewarded 1 point." All of a sudden, duplicates of every competitor appear all around the town. "I know they're pretty, but those copies aren't just for show, folks. Attack one of the fake competitors, and it'll cost you 1 point, then you'll have a 10 second time out and be put back into the game. It's time to disappear like a black cat in a dark alleyway. Fade in your surroundings and hide in plain sight. The game will last for 30 minutes. Best of luck to everyone." The gong rings, signaling the start of Hidden. "Let's play hidden!" 

Gajeel chuckles. "This game is already ours." 

"How?" Jellal asks. 

"Spike. This game is a gold mine for him. If I know better, he and his little buddy already have a plan in motion." 

"Hmm, I can guarantee Fairy Tail will win this game," Erza said. 

"How can you tell?" Elfman asks. 

"Spike. He can use his teleportation magic and make sure that his opponent hits the dummy." 

Natsu, Elfman, and Lucy's jaws drop hearing that. 

Spike walks around and looks at his duplicate. "Hey, Fairy Rage?"

"What the hell is Fairy Rage?" Sting is confused.

"An imaginary friend of this Fairy Dragon?" Rogue answers with another question.

"Fairy Rage? Is that baby dragon talking to himself?" Araña Webb watches Spike from the lacrima vision. 

"Possibly," Kagura says. "Whatever he's doing, take note of any preparations in future battles."

"That baby dragon ain't wild. He's crazy," Rocker said. 

"Oh no, this could be bad," Ichiya claims.

"Why is that, Maestro?" Hibiki asks. 

"Spike has a second voice, a second soul in him. He could be the key to winning Hidden," Ichiya becomes afraid. 

"No way!" Ren and Hibiki panic. 

"Fairy Rage? Have you heard about it, Jura?" Sherria asks. 

"No. I do know that Fairy Dragon is uniquely powerful. He may go toe-to-toe with me," Jura states. Everyone else in Lamia Scale becomes worried after hearing what Jura said.

"Yea?"

"Think you can possess it?"

"Oh, you sneaky dragon. Yea, the doors are open. I can possess the fakes. Should be fun, not knowing which is which now." Fairy Rage leaves Spike's mind and possesses a duplicate. 

"Mr.Yajima, are you seeing what I'm seeing?!" Chapati is in shock while the crowd cheers on.

"It appears Fairy Dragon is possessing the duplicates and can control it at ease. It could be this Fairy Rage he spoke of." 

"This is terrifying, ladies and gentlemen. Fairy Tail Team B now has an unfair advantage," Jenny said. 

Spike and Fairy Rage nod and teleports to a different section of the town. 

"So, that's what you meant by his little buddy," Jellal said. 

"Fairy Rage took possession of a demon for using telepathy and forced him to use his rupture spell on him. I've seen it with my own eyes months ago." 

"I fought Fairy Rage. He gave me one hell of a battle for a sparring," Laxus said. 

"And Laxus is considered one of our strongest in Fairy Tail," Mirajane smiles. 

Spike and Fairy Rage fly around to see who's moving. Fairy Rage hears someone below him. 

"Huh?" 

"You're mine now!" Lyon uses his Ice Magic to attack Fairy Rage. The attack hit him but, the point goes to Spike. "Say what?!" Lyon is tied with Gray with -1 point. 

"The name is Fairy Rage. I am Spike the Fairy's spell that he used. Bye-bye." Fairy Rage waves.

"Curse you!" Lyon teleports away. 

"Now, to continue messing with everyone." Fairy Rage teleports and flies to a different section of the town, looking for more. 

"Oh, Spike the Fairy has scored the first point in Hidden!" Chapati commentates on the scenery. 

"I honestly feel bad for everyone else competing. There are two dragons flying, but one is a fake. It's going to be extremely hard cause both dragons carry magic. No one would be able to sense which is the original," Yajima says. 

"I wish we had a dragon for Blue Pegasus," Jenny said, crossing her arms in anger. 

"Man! I wish Spike was on our team!" Natsu shouts. 

"He's representing Fairy Tail. That's all that matters," Erza calmly states. 

"Should we tell him about what happened to Wendy. And how it was Raven Tail that ambushed her," Lucy suggests. 

"When the contest is over, we'll tell him. For now, let's enjoy the show," Erza said. 

"Get down from here!" Yeager uses his plant magic to attack Spike the Fairy.

Spike teleports his magic attack; it hits a building. Spike conjures a fireball. "Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike presses the fireball, creating a heat cannon. It scorches Yeager. 

"Not Wild," Yeager falls back, burnt to a crisp, and teleports away. Spike the Fairy gains another point. He's tied with Nalpudding with 2 points. 

"Better luck next time," Spike teleports and flies into a different section of the two. 

"Spike?" Gray sees Spike flying by. 

"Pay attention!" Nalpudding strikes Gray from behind. 

"Damn you!" Gray now has -3 points and teleports to a different section of the town. 

"Now, for the dragon!' Nalpudding leaps to attack Spike. 

"Got you." Fairy Rage turns to see Nalpudding. 

"No, wait!" Nalpudding holds his attack.

"Fairy Rage Rooooooooooar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his fire breath on Nalpudding. 

"Damn you, you son-of-a-bitch!" Nalpudding is scorched while falling to the ground. He lost the point he got from attacking Gray and teleports away. Nalpudding is in second place while Spike is in first with 3 points. 

"You gotta be kidding me!" Chapati is speechless. 

"Spike continues to stay hot, scoring points on each competitor he sees," Yajima says. "Things are heating up now." 

"How is this even legal?" Jenny angrily asks. 

"Dragon magic is different than our magic. I wonder what kind of magic Spike the Fairy uses," Chapati said. 

"Spike the Fairy uses Energy Maker Magic. Rumor has it; he's been studying different spells to add into his arsenal," Yajima said. 

"Wow, talk about a real powerhouse that Fairy Tail Team B has!" Chapati exclaims. 

"Okay, I guess I shouldn't mock Fairy Dragon," Sting said, observing Spike's magic capabilities. 

"He's smarter than he looks. He could be a problem for Sabertooth," Rogue said. 

"You kidding me? Sting can wipe the floor with that baby dragon," Lector said. Lector is a red exceed. 

"Yea, I can," Sting said. "Give me a match with Spike the Fairy, and I'll put him in the ICU."

"Boy, Beth doesn't have a shot against Fairy Dragon," Risley Law said. 

"Fairy Dragon may be a difficult opponent in battle. We will have to see what his weaknesses are," Kagura says. 

"Man, I'm not sure we can stand a chance against Fairy Dragon," Rocker said. 

"I hope to battle Fairy Dragon if given the opportunity," Jura said. 

"I hope this is the only time Fairy Dragon participates in anything," Ren said. 

"He is challenging. His parfume scares me," Ichiya says while posing in front of his guildmates.  

Spike sees Beth Vanderwood shooting carrots at Yeager. "Phew phew," Spike mimics his claw like a gun and shoots a flame bullet hitting Beth Vanderwood in the back. Spike gain his 4th point and still leads the competition. 

25 minutes have gone by; Spike is slowly racking up points with his strategy. Spike and Fairy Rage are catching each competitor off their guard and attacking them. Fairy Rage allows any sort of magic to hit him to reduce everyone's point. Spike continues to observe his opponents and attacks them from behind. Fairy Rage and Spike the Fairy attacked everyone except for Rufus Lore. Nalpudding continues his assault on Gray while avoiding Spike and Fairy Rage. Everyone else continues to battle each other except for Rufus Lore.

These are the scores so far in Hidden:



Spike the Fairy 10 points - Fairy Tail Team B 

Nalpudding 8 points - Raven Tail

Lyon 7 points - Lamia Scale

Beth Vanderwood 6 points - Mermaid Heel

Yeager 4 points - Quatro Cerberus

Eve 3 points - Blue Pegasus

Rufus Lore 0 points - Sabertooth

Gray Fullbuster -11 points - Fairy Tail Team A


"I find this game dreadfully boring," Rufus is standing on a tall building observing the entire battlefield. "I've committed this song to memory. The rhythm of their heartbeats, their footsteps, the dragon's flight pattern, and the tone of their magic. It's all there. Inside my mind. Memory Make," Rufus channels a lot of his magic power to change the scenery of the town. From day to night. Gray, Nalpudding, Spike, Eve, Yeager, Lyon, and Beth's bodies start illuminating light. 

"Amazing, I gotta remember that spell to locate magic." Fairy Rage said. His body isn't illuminating light but, he's near Gray. 

"Night of Shooting Star!" Rufus unleashes a barrage of light energy shooting stars at all the competitors. He hits Eve, Nalpudding, Yeager, Beth, and Lyon. 

"Sorry," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the shooting star attack, and it hits a Spike duplicate. 

"Got you, Gray." Fairy Rage intercedes and shields Gray from the attack. 

Rufus Lore sees that he didn't strike everyone. "I hate you, Fairy Dragon. I hope Sting and Rogue kill you," Rufus teleports to a different location of the town. He scores 4 points. 

"Thanks, Fairy Rage," Gray is thankful for not losing another point to add to his negative amount.

"You've been humiliated long enough. Especially by Raven Tail."

"And with that, the game is over!" Chapati said while the town and duplicates vanish. 

"Hey, you back home, Fairy Rage?"

"Yea. When the body vanished, I came back to you. I have to say, that went well."

The crowd is stunned to see Fairy Tail winning the opening contest even though it was Team B.

The final scores of Hidden:


Spike the Fairy 11 points - Fairy Tail Team B 

Nalpudding 7 points - Raven Tail

Lyon 6 points - Lamia Scale

Beth Vanderwood 5 points - Mermaid Heel

Rufus Lore 4 points - Sabertooth

Yeager 3 points - Quatro Cerberus

Eve 2 points - Blue Pegasus

Gray Fullbuster -11 points - Fairy Tail Team A


"Now, ladies and Gentlemen, let's take a look at the scoreboard," Chapati says. 



Fairy Tail Team B - 10 points

Raven Tail - 8 points

Lamia Scale - 6 points

Mermaid Heel - 4 points

Sabertooth - 3 points

Quatro Cerberus - 2 points

Blue Pegasus - 1 point

Fairy Tail Team A - 0 point


"In what a twist of turns. Ladies and gentlemen. Fairy Tail Team B has taken the lead. They are off to a good start. Mr.Yajima, any comments?" 

"I feel sorry for anyone who has to fight Fairy Dragon in battle, Chapati. He's smarter than he looks, and he doesn't let what anyone views him get the better of him. Baby dragon or not, he is a Fairy Tail Wizard. I'll say this, be careful of this year's Fairy Tail team. They'll have more surprises to shock you all." 

"Well put, Mr.Yajima. Jenny, any comments?"

"Blue Pegasus, I hope we don't fight Fairy Dragon. He scares me." 

"At least he's not rampaging folks," Chapati said to lighten the mood. 

Rufus Lore walks to his team angrily. He had everything sorted out, and yet, Spike the Fairy outmaneuver him. He won't hear the end of it from his master. 

Spike flies up to his team and is with them. 

Gajeel chuckles. "Well done, Fairy Dragon."

"You didn't even get touched throughout this whole battle," Mirajane said. 

"Spike didn't. I did, on purpose." Fairy Rage laughs a bit. 

"Either way, good start on getting us points and taking the lead," Laxus said. 

"It was hard locating but, I made myself an open target for those daring to attack or not. And the rest was history."

"Though, I feel bad for Gray," Mirajane said. 

"I wonder why Nalpudding was targeting Gray this whole time," Spike ponders. 

"My dad is Raven Tail's Guild Master. Ivan wants to destroy Fairy Tail," Laxus explains. 

"Yikes," Spike replies. 

Gray angrily walks away and wants to be alone. Eve returns to his team defeated but, Ichiya told him it's alright. Better to score a point and nothing at all. Yeager walks to his team, and Rocker said that Quatro Cerberus will still bring their Wild game and show everyone how Wild they are. Beth Vanderwood returns to her team. Kagura praises her for coming in 4th place, giving her teammate confidence to build on. Lyon sits with his team. Jura walks up to him, patting him and saying he did well out there. Nalpudding returns to Raven Tail. The leader of Raven Tail gives Nalpudding a pass since they were unaware of Spike the Fairy's capabilities. Now that Raven Tail knows, there are no excuses for the rest of the Grand Magic Games. 

"Coming up next is the battle part of the contest. One member of each team will participate in a match. However, this isn't a tournament setup," Chapati says. 

"It's the Games' Organizers who decides who'll be duking it out in battle," Jenny noted. 

"I'm sure they'll set up some spectacular displays of magical skills," Yajima said. 

"I just received the lineup so, we'll see how spectacular they'll be," Chapati said, holding the list. "But first, a twenty-minute intermission. So folks, grab your snacks and drinks while you can. You don't want to miss out on any of the action!"

Erza takes the time to go visit Fairy Tail Team B's suite. She knocks on the door. Mirajane opens it. 

"Hi, Erza. Something wrong?"

"There's something I need to tell Spike."

Spike overhears Erza and walks up to the door. "What is it, Sis?'

"Something bad happened to Wendy and Carla late last night. She's here in the infirmary. Raven Tail attacked Wendy and Carla and drained them of their magic energy." 

Spike is in tears, hearing the news. "Can I see them?"

"Yes. I'll take you to them," Erza escorts Spike to the infirmary. After ten minutes of walking, Erza knocks on the door. Porlyusica opens the door. 

"Erza, Spike," Porlyusica sees them. 

"How are Wendy and Carla doing?" Spike asks. 

"They are recovering. I heard everything that happened up there. Nice work on winning the opening contest." 

"Thanks. I'm going to stay down here with them. I want to be close to Wendy."

"Very well," Porlyusica allows Spike to enter. "I suggest you should study your potential opponents, Erza."

"I intend on doing so," Erza leaves. 

Spike grabs a chair and sits on Wendy's side of the bed. Wendy opens her eyes to see Spike.

"Sp-Spike?" Wendy says, thinking she's seeing a hallucination.

"It's me, Wendy," Spike grabs and holds Wendy's hand. "I'm here." 

Wendy tears up and cries. She thought she'll never see Spike again after the Acnologia story Makarov told her. Spike comforts her and rubs her head. 

"It's okay, Wendy. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
> Grand Magic Games: Day 1, Battles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, Spike. I'm so happy to see you again. How did you survive the Acnologia attack?" 

"I was never attacked by Acnologia, to begin with; Master Makarov made that up."

"What?!" Wendy is livid that Makarov scared her with a compelling story. "Then what happened?"

Spike rubs her head. "Makarov wanted Gajeel, me, Laxus, and Mirajane by the guildhall with utmost importance. You remember Erza's Jellal, right?" 

"Yea. He helped me get stronger." 

"He's imposing as Mystogan to get closer with dark magic that influences the presence of Zeref. Also, Master Makarov made things spicy for the two teams to compete." 

"What do you mean by that, Spike?"

"While you'll be returning to Fairy Tail Team A, I reside with Fairy Tail Team B. Master Makarov said that the team with the most points and secures Fairy Tail as the number one rank guild gets to boss the losing team for an entire day. Laxus is going after Natsu, Gajeel is going after Lucy, Mirajane is going after Erza. Even though Jellal is a member of Fairy Tail Team B, we have two substitutes. Juvia and Cana. Cana doesn't care but, Juvia wants Gray. That leaves me with you." 

"Oh my," Wendy blushes. "So, if Fairy Tail Team A wins, that means I'm in control of you for one day?"

"Rightfully so," Spike answers. 

"What do you have in mind with me for one day?" Wendy asks out of curiosity. 

"I have a whole lot in mind. However, What I want is to make you laugh, then take you out on a date." 

"What do you mean by making me laugh?" Wendy has some notion of what Spike meant. 

"You'll find out if Fairy Tail Team B is successful," Spike chuckles. 

"Well, if Fairy Tail Team A wins, all I want is you in my arms and to make you laugh as well," Wendy smiles. "Then make you sleep over in my room."

"Sounds good to me," Spike smiles. "Hey, Fairy Rage. Can you hear anything that's happening above?"

"Lucy is fighting a member of Raven Tail. Flare Corona. Sounds pretty epic too. I can hear a lot of bashing, thrashing, and explosions."

"Spike, you can go up and watch. I won't mind," Wendy said. 

"No way. I'm not leaving my girlfriend behind," Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. "I'm staying here with you. So nothing bad happens to you." 

"Never thought I see a Dragon dating a Dragon Slayer," Porlyusica said. 

"We confessed our love for each other at Tenrou Island," Spike said. 

"You do know that you may outlive Wendy, right?" Porlyusica asks. 

"Funny thing you mentioned that. You see, during the last month of training, we went to the Magic Library and found a linking spell."

"What?" Porlyusica and Wendy say in shock. 

"Dude, that was the surprise for the wedding years later," Spike said to Fairy Rage. 

"My apologies."

"Please, explain. I would like to know," Wendy says. 

Spike sighs. "Explain to them, Fairy Rage." 

"Of course. The linking spell we found is tethering to the age of someone you love. Spike knows he'll outlive everyone. However, if you, Wendy, want to leave this world the same day as Spike, it can happen with the spell. However, some risks come with it. He goes too soon, and so do you. As you know, Spike is very durable. It'll be hard for him to die."

"So, if I say yes?" Wendy asks. 

"You'll be tethered to Spike until his book closes. During the later years, you can choose what form you want to be in; for example, Spike could be  100 years in dragon age but still looks young. You can choose your body age and remain in it until you say. To break the tethering, the love for each other has to disperse or Spike willing uplifts the spell."

Wendy is in shock. She couldn't help but smile. To be with Spike for many years is a dream come true. She wants to wait until the wedding for the tethering link spell. 

"Spike," Wendy grabs his claw.

"Yes?" Spike looks at Wendy. 

"I know we're years away from our soon-to-be wedding date but, I would love to be tethered to you with the spell. To spend every waking moment with you will make me the happiest girl in the world. I want to follow you until the end of time," Wendy smiles. 

Spike sighs happily, knowing that Wendy truly wants to be with him. Spike and Wendy kiss each other to remember this day going forward as a happy, loving couple. Porlyusica smiles at the devotion the two have for each other. 

"Spike," Wendy yawns. "I'm going to sleep. I still need rest."

"Okay. I'm going back to see if I get called for the next match," Spike shoots a flare marking on Wendy. Wendy knows what it is and smiles. Spike kisses her cheek. "I'll come back for you soon."

"See you then," Wendy smiles and falls asleep. 

"A tethering spell for love, what else have you learned?" Porlyusica asks. 

"A lot more to count. I took the last month with my friends studying different spells that are useful. Thank you for caring for Wendy and Carla." 

"You're welcome. Best of luck to you," Porlyusica opens the door for Spike. 

"Thanks," Spike teleports to Gajeel. "Hey, guys. What did I miss?"

Gajeel, Jellal, Laxus, and Mirajane glare at Raven Tail. They are pissed off that Raven Tail interfered in the matchup. Chapati asks Yajima for any comments and becomes scared by his menacing glare. Jenny is afraid to speak after seeing his stare. 

Lucy used Urano Metria, a powerful spell known as the Ultimate Magic of the Stars. Flare Corona had no counter-measure against an attack, but with the help of Obra from Raven Tail, he used a spell that'll backfire on Lucy, causing her to be drained and fall in defeat. Raven Tail scores 10 points and immediately takes first place on Day 1's ranking. 

"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, Flare Corona wins the first battle and scores 10 points for Raven Tail. That puts Raven Tail in the lead with 18 points in Day 1," Chapati announces. 

"How?" Spike is confused. 

"Raven Tail," Mirajane said. 

"Someone within Raven Tail nullified Lucy's Urano Metria spell to backfire on her," Jellal said. "I'm not exactly sure who did it." 

"Whoever is responsible, I'll make them pay myself," Spike said. "I'll show those punks never to mess with my Wendy." Spike angrily says. "And, cheating never propers."

Lucy breaks down in tears in defeat. Natsu walks up to her to cheer her up. Natsu says that Fairy Tail will rise to the top. Raven Tail has made a mistake by becoming an enemy of Fairy Tail. It's time to make an epic comeback now that Natsu sees Lucy fighting her heart out. They have a chance to reclaim themselves as the Number 1 rank guild from here and out.  Natsu helps Lucy up and brings her to her team. Lucy says she needs time alone and needs a shower. 

The next battle of the Grand Magic Games is Ren of Blue Pegasus versus Araña Webb of Mermaid Heel. The battle goes swiftly as Ren dominates the battle. Blue Pegasus scores 10 points. Blue Pegasus is in 2nd place on Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games with a total of 11 points for now. Mermaid Heel stays in 4th place for now. 

The following battle is Orga Nanagear of Sabertooth taking on Warcry of Quatro Cerberus. Orga Nanagear one-shots Warcry with a single blow taking him out. The crowd and most members of their teams are in shock to see such power. 

"Hey, Laxus. You may have found your next match," Spike said. 

"A Lightning Wizard, huh?" Laxus looks at him. Orga turns to look at Laxus. "Yea, I can beat him. If I can go toe-to-toe with you, even with our training, this guy should be no problem," Laxus said confidently. 

With Sabertooth's victory, they end the day with 13 points and take 2nd place. Blue Pegasus moves to 3rd place. Fairy Tail Team B moves to 4th place. Quatro Cerberus remains in 7th place. 

The final battle will be Lamia Scale's Jura Neekis versus Fairy Tail Team B's Mystogan. Jura walks into the battlefield. 

"They picked Jellal?" Erza is nervous about the situation and Jellal's identity possibly being exposed.

"Darn, I was looking forward to battling with Fairy Dragon," Jura said. 

The crowd starts booing the hell out of Mystogan. Fairy Tail Team B is beside him by the tunnels. 

"You got this, Mystogan," Mirajane said. 

"Tough luck," Laxus said. 

"This guy ain't that tough, is he?" Gajeel asks. 

"I don't think not even Erza and I could beat him in a two-on-one battle," Mirajane said. 

"Lucky. I wanted to fight Jura," Spike said. 

"Don't worry, you can count on me," Jellal said, leaving the tunnels and entering the battlefield. He is now facing to face with Jura. 

The crowd starts chanting: "Fairy Dragon!" and claps in the process. The chants get louder as the people want to see Spike the Fairy. 

"Wow, Mr.Yajima. Did you expect Spike the Fairy to get this much attention from the crowd?"

"It's not every day you get to see a young dragon in an arena. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to behold, Chapati. The people don't want Mystogan in this fight. They want to see Fairy Dragon. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing what else Spike the Fairy is capable of," Yajima said. 

"Who about you, Jenny? How do you feel about the chanting?" Chapati asks. 

"I think it's wonderful that the people have chosen their fan favorite. They did boo Fairy Tail but wanting to see a real dragon fight one time would be amazing to witness; however, the game organizers didn't choose him today. So, we see what we get. Either way, this should be an exhilarating matchup."

The Pumpkin Head grabs a microphone. "You people want to see Jura versus Mystogan?" The Pumpkin Head hears the loudest no roar from the crowd he has ever heard. "You people want to see Jura versus Fairy Dragon?" The Pumpkin Head puts more emphasis on the question. He hears the loudest cheer of his life. "Then it's settled. Mystogan, you won't be competing in this match. Fairy Tail Team B, bring out Spike the Fairy!" The crowd cheers loudly. 

Erza sighs in relief, knowing that Jellal is safe from possible exposure. Spike's jaw drops as he heard his wish coming true. 

"Looks like you got your wish, Fairy Dragon. Now win another battle for Fairy Tail!" Laxus said. 

"Hey, best of luck, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"I'm not sure if Spike can defeat Jura in this battle. We could be experiencing a tie," Mirajane said. 

Spike and Jellal meet each other. "Best of luck to you, Spike. Do not underestimate Jura's power," Jellal said, warning Spike of how powerful Jura is as a Wizard Saint. 

"I won't. If anything, it can end in a draw," Spike enters the battlefield. The crowd cheers loudly for him. Jura cracks a smile. He gets his wish after all. 

"Nice to see you again, Fairy Dragon. I have to say. You improved so much since we first met," Jura smiles. 

"Likewise, my friend. Funny thing, I kinda wished that I was fighting you when Mystogan was called." 

Jura chuckles. "How interesting. When I was called, I was hoping to battle against you. Our wishes have come true, and now, it's time to fight."

"Don't hold back cause I will not forgive you in this battle," Spike starts powering up. 

"I won't forgive you either if you hold back. Especially that Fairy Rage of yours. I want you to give me everything you got!" Jura commands. He starts powering up. 

"Whoa, folks! Things are intensifying already, and the two continue to build up magic power!" Chapati says. The winds blow while the two continue to power up. "Mr.Yajima, any comments?"

"This is what the people wanted; let's see if the people regret the decision or not." 

"The magic power coming from the two is insane!" Jenny said. "This could be one for the ages to come!" 

"This is going to be a manly matchup!" Elfman shouts. 

"How strong is Spike?! This is crazy powerful!" Natsu shouts. 

"Spike must have devoted his time with his training during his three-month span. While we only trained for a few days, Spike could be Fairy Tail's newest strongest wizard we ever have. And, he still has many years left before he's fully grown," Erza said. 

"If he defeats Jura. Remember, Jura could be or is as strong as Master Makarov," Elfman said. 

"Also, you guys have forgotten the time he gave Gildarts a run for his money before Gildarts entered his PTSD," Natsu reminds his friends. 

"Mavis, you think Spike will win the fight?" Makarov asks the First Master of Fairy Tail. 

"It's kinda hard to say. I haven't seen everything that Spike the Fairy can dish out. I do sense a ton of magic energy in him. It is possible that he's on par with you, Master Makarov. Then again, I could be wrong about him. I need to see thoroughly before making any assumptions." 

"Sting!" Lector calls him. "You think the dragon can take down Jura?"

Sting is stunned by the magic power emitting from Spike the Fairy; he watches Spike continue to power up. Rogue watches thoroughly. He couldn't believe how much power Spike is generating. 

"Hmm, it appears that Spike the Fairy may have been holding back during the game of Hidden," Rufus said. 

"I could beat him," Orga claims. 

"My word, this is electrifying and terrifying at the same time," Ichiya said. 

"I'm glad he's partaking in the fight today. That should mean he won't be allowed to participate in the next upcoming contests of day 2 and 3," Hibiki said. 

"I guess we're lucky that Blue Pegasus may have better odds of winning the next two days," Eve said. 

"Despite the power that dragon is conjuring, I'm sure Kagura can find a way to defeat him," Beth Vanderwood said. 

"In all honesty, I don't think I have any counter against Fairy Dragon. He could be the biggest threat Mermaid Heel has ever come across," Kagura said, which is shocking to her teammates. 

"Spike wants!"  Spike increases his size into the size of Laxus; the spikes on his body become sharper. He's ripped and brolic. Jura gets excited.

"What the!?" Sting didn't think Spike could increase his size. 

"Hmm, it'll be fun taking him down. Right, Sting?" Rogue turns to Sting. 

"Yea," Sting nods. "What else can this dragon do?"

"Jura definitely has one tough opponent," Lyon said. 

"Lyon? You think Jura can win?" Sherria asks. 

"No doubt about it. Spike is formidable. However, Jura is a Wizard Saint. Jura has the upper advantage if you ask me," Lyon smiles. 

"So, that's what he looks like when he increases his size," Ichiya said. 

"Freaking scary if you ask me," Hibiki said. 

"Now I'm glad he didn't do that in Hidden," Eve sighs in relief. 

"That dragon is full of surprises," Risley Law says. "Where did Fairy Tail find that dragon?"

"I hope he fights in this battle one time and none afterward," Araña said. 

Kagura doesn't say a word. She's observing Spike's magic powers. 

"Not WILD! Not WILD!" All of Quatro Cerbeus say in unison. They are afraid of Spike entirely. 

"The dragon, we need to find a way to lure him to Raven Tail. He's the perfect Demon Dragon for Raven Tail," The leader of Raven Tail says. 

"That's a tall order. Perhaps Obra has a spell that can help," Nalpudding says. 

"So, is that the largest you can grow, Fairy Dragon?" Jura continues to power up. 

"Nope. I've grown into a full-size dragon a few times. However, that size won't be necessary. I don't want to scare the people any further." 

"Understandable," Jura said. 

"May the best warrior win," Spike offers his claw. 

"Agreed," Jura shakes Spike's claw. 

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, time to start the match!" Chapati announces while someone bangs the gong. 

Jura smirks and moves his arm. Rock walls rise from the ground and around Spike. Spike jumps up and dodges each rock wall coming at him. 

"Ready, Fairy Rage?" Spike gets an idea. 

"Time to show what you learned during the past three months!"

"Take this!" Jura unleashes two iron rock fists at Spike. 

Spike takes the hit and gets hurl back hard. He uses his fire breath to teleport. Instead of crashing into the wall, Spike is in the air hurling down at immense speed. 

"Hey, where did he go?" Chapati wonders why Spike teleported. 

"Oh my," Yajima said, looking up. 

"Inferno Freezing Fist!" Spike lands a punch on Jura. However, Jura uses his iron rock wall to intercede the attack. Half of the arena feels hot; the other half feels cold. 

"Whoa! It's freezing over here!" Chapati commentates. 

"You kidding me? It's too hot," Jenny fans herself a bit. 

"It appears Spike the Fairy can combine elements into a singularity attack," Yajima says. "That is impressive." 

"Damn it," Spike flies back. 

Jura unleashes another set of iron rock fists at Spike. Spike grabs both fists with his claws. Spike smirks. 

"What's so funny?" Jura asks. 

Spike roars and pulls out two flaming iron rock swords from Jura's attack. The two iron rock fists collapse after Spike pulls out the twin swords. 

"Holy shit!" Lyon said in shock. 

"Language," Lamia Scale's Guild Master Ooba Babasaama uses her magic to spin Lyon around, making him feel dizzy.

"Cut it out, you old hag," Lyon said. 

Sting's jaw drops in shock. "What am I seeing?"

"Okay, I guess we shouldn't made fun of him earlier today with our remarks of slaying him," Rogue said. 

Kagura is surprised to see Spike wielding two swords. Erza is amazed to see Spike creating two swords. She remembers Spike having the power to generate one. Natsu couldn't believe it. Elfman is in shock. Everyone in Fairy Tail is amazed to see what Spike is capable of doing now. 

"So, that's why," Jura sees Spike wielding iron rock flame swords. 

Spike swoops down and slashes at Jura. Jura creates an iron rock wall to block the attack. The iron rock wall melts on contact. Jura jumps back and uses an iron rock fist to attack Spike from behind. 

"Jump."

Spike jumps, and the iron rock fist missed him. Spike rides on the iron rock fist. "Fairy Possession," Spike possesses the iron rock fist. It is now Sparkling Orange. 

"What are you doing?" Jura asks. He dodges the possessive iron rock fist. 

"Gathering pieces," Spike answers. "Fairy Possession, Rage Golem!" Fairy Rage gets into the iron rock fist and uses the iron rock walls around him to create a body. An iron rock golem that looks like Spike the Fairy emerges. 

"Unbelievable, ladies and gentlemen! Spike the Fairy has possessed Jura's Iron Rock Fists, used the iron rock walls around him to create an iron rock dragon golem!" Chapati gets excited. 

"That's what he learned?!" Erza is in shock. Everyone else competing in the Grand Magic Games is stunned beyond belief. Fairy Tail Team B couldn't help but laugh a little, seeing and hearing the reactions from the other competitors. The crowd is stunned and continues to cheer on. 

"Fairy Rage Rock Golem is ready for battle." Fairy Rage increases his power.

"Enough playing around!" Jura gets serious. "Rumbling Fuji!" Jura unleashes an extremely damaging strike by an immense release of magic power surging from the ground, which wreaks havoc on Fairy Rage Rock Golem; Annihilating it before it can do some damage. 

"Damn, he destroyed my body before I can have fun with it."

"We'll have to try that on a different opponent in the future," Spike said to Fairy Rage. "Phew phew," Spike flies up and mimics his claws like guns, shooting Sparkling Green bullets at Jura while holding his twin swords. 

Jura creates an iron rock wall and shatters it, using the iron wall bricks to shoot at Spike the Fairy. Spike stops shooting and slashes the iron rock bricks left and right. 

"Rock Avalanche," Jura extends one hand at Spike and unleashes a barrage of boulders at Spike. The boulders hit Spike and engulf him into an iron rock pile. "Supreme King Rock Crush!" Two palms rise from the ground and slam the iron rock pile, crushing Spike in the process. 

Spike gets up, taking damage. He has some bruises on his body. "That hurt," Spike conjures more magic. "Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Green Explosions hits Jura beneath his feet. 

Jura is sent flying from the attack. He crashes into the wall of the arena. The crowd is cheering loudly while the remaining teams are silent to see this extravaganza. Jura gets some bruises on his body while he stands back up. 

"Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike the Fairy lifts his claws and conjures ice missiles from the air. They're Sparkling Green with flames inside. He spawns a hundred of them. "Launch!" Spike presses forward while the ice missiles go after Jura. 

"Rock Mountain!" Jura's palms join together, creating a defensive armor golem, shielding him from Spike's attack. 

The impact of the missiles gave everyone in the area chills, Chapati's wig goes flying, everyone feels the intense display of magic power. 

"Spike, you are proving to be a worthy opponent," Jura said. 

"So are you," Spike compliments. 

"Now, it's time I end this," Jura rushes to use his strength to beat down Spike. 

Spike balls his claws. Sparkling Green Lightning Flames engulfs his claws. Spike rushes at Jura. The two shout their battle cry. Jura uses all of his strength to punch Spike but, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Jura behind him and close to a wall. 

"What the?" Jura turns, and it was too late. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame! Demolition Energy Blast!" Spike presses his claws, unleashes a Sparkling Green Lightning Flame Energy Blast vaporizing any usage of Jura's iron rock. Jura takes the hit and crashes into the wall. This time, Jura is down for the count.

"That does it, ladies and gentlemen! Your winner is Spike the Fairy!" Chapati yells into his mic after witnessing a great, intense battle. 

"That could go down as one of the best battles in Grand Magic Games history. You can thank the crowd for chanting Spike the Fairy's name. They were right for allowing the change immediately," Yajima said. 

"I'm lost for words. There is a lot more I believe Fairy Dragon is hiding but, that was an amazing battle," Jenny said. 

"With this fight concluded, Fairy Tail Team B scores another 10 points. They reclaim first place to finish Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games," Chapati announces. "Here's the scoreboard that concludes Day 1 ladies and gentlemen."



Fairy Tail Team B - 20 points

Raven Tail - 18 points

Sabertooth -13 points

Blue Pegasus - 11 points

Lamia Scale - 6 points

Mermaid Heel - 4 points

Quatro Cerberus - 2 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 0 point


Spike walks up to Jura and helps him up. "You okay?"

"I am," Jura smiles. "I have to say, that was an intense matchup. Too bad we didn't go hand-to-claw. I would have bested you in close quarters combat." 

"Who knows, maybe we'll have another crack at in during the Grand Magic Games. If not, I'll be glad to accept your challenge anytime, anywhere," Spike smiles. 

"Good luck, Fairy Dragon. Just because I lost, that doesn't mean that Lamia Scale is out of contention."

"Hmph, you watch. Fairy Tail is winning it all the way," Spike and Jura go their separate ways while the crowd cheers loudly. 

"And just like that, ladies and gentlemen. Two competitors, showing respect for each other. What true sportsmanship." 

"I concur, Chapati. Those two put on quite the show for everyone to remember," Yajima claims. 

"I'll remember this day for a long time," Jenny said. "Also, Blue Pegasus may be on a slow start but, we'll continue to work our way to the very top. By the end of the Grand Magic Games, you'll be hearing Blue Pegasus's name."

"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games is over. Come back tomorrow for Day 2 of the Grand Magic Games." 

Spike meets up with his friends. They are in awe of his performance. 

"Hey Laxus, I think Spike is deserving of Fairy Tail's Strongest Wizard," Mirajane said. 

"You're up there, Fairy Dragon. You want the title? You're going have to beat me for it." 

"The only title I want is Fairy Tail to become the number one rank guild in all of Fiore. That's what I'm focused on right now," Spike said. 

"Since you've competed twice today, allow us to pick up the slack and continue where you left off, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"Sure, I can use a rest day," Spike said. 

"Tonight, we celebrated. Fairy Tail is number one on Day 1!" Laxus shouts. 

"Let's meet up with the rest of the gang," Spike suggests. 

Sting and Rogue are in shock. Rufus and Orga couldn't believe what they witnessed. All of Sabertooth questions the capabilities of Spike the Fairy. Lamia Scale is crying because of Jura's defeat. Ooba is spinning Sherria and Toby in anger. Mermaid Heel hopes to never see Spike participate in any event for the next while as they have no chance against his power. Raven Tail is intrigued to take possession of Fairy Rage and turn him into their Demon Dragon instead of Spike the Fairy. Blue Pegasus prays that Spike doesn't participate in tomorrow's Grand Magic Games. 

Jellal decides to investigate around the coliseum and Crocus to locate the dark magic that has Zeref's presence. Lucy comes out to meet up with her friends. She looks at the scoreboard. 

"Wow, Fairy Tail Team B is in the lead." 

"Unfortunately for you, Lucy. You missed an epic showdown between Spike and Jura," Natsu said. 

"What?! I missed Spike's performance!?" Lucy shouts. 

"Indeed. It was spectacular. Spike has improved so much in his training. I wish I could have seen his training techniques," Erza said. 

"I'm sure the Master wants to celebrate this joyous victory," Elfman said. 

"Let's regroup with our friends and celebrate. Day one belongs to Fairy Tail," Erza said. She and her friends regroup with Fairy Tail.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 1, Celebration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, you guys go on without me. I'm going to visit Wendy," Spike said. He changes his mind about meeting up with the others. 

"Alright, Fairy Dragon. Be sure to meet up at the pub. That's where we're going to celebrate," Gajeel said. 

Spike teleports to the infirmary where Wendy and Carla are resting. Porlyusica is caught off guard with Spike spawning into the room. Carla is up after hearing a deranged message of the future. 

"Spike, thank goodness you're alright," Carla said with a sigh of relief.

"Before you say anything else, Makarov lied about the Acnologia sighting. He used it as a ruse in case his first team doesn't qualify for the Grand Magic Games," Spike explains. 

"That little troll," Carla replies. She's upset that Makarov lied a few days back. 

"How are you feeling?" Spike asks. 

"A bit better. How did things go with Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games?"

"I competed in a game called Hidden, and I won a battle against Jura. I helped Fairy Tail Team B gain 20 points, and we're in the lead in today's standings." 

"What? You defeated Jura?" Carla is in shock. 

"Yea, I defeated him in battle. However, he was one of my toughest opponents. He had great counters against some of my best attacks."

"Wow," Carla responds, imagining the fight.

"I'm sure you can rewatch it on a lacrima vision or at least see the highlights," Porlyuisca says. 

"How's Wendy?" Spike asks. 

"Still asleep but, she's getting better. Give her another day, and she'll be back on her feet."

"After I celebrate with our friends, I'll come back here and watch over her," Spike said. 

"Mind bringing some food?" Carla asks. 

"Sure. I'll bring back food for you," Spike smiles and teleports to Gajeel. He arrives at the pub and gets a standing ovation on a job well done. "Thanks, everyone," Spike smiles. 

"Alright, now that our champion has arrived, let's party!" Makarov shouts with joy. 

"Man, Spike. You were killing it out there today," Cana drinks her chug of beer. "As for Fairy Tail Team A, you guys suck! Do better!" 

"Don't worry. We will! I'm stepping up for tomorrow's opening contest!" Natsu declares. 

"Good news, Salamander, I'm going into tomorrow's contest as well," Gajeel said. 

"I have to say, Spike," Mavis Vermillion walks up to him. "You impressed me today. The way you moved, using your opponent's offense against them, turning defense into offense. Not only you improved intellectually, physically as well." 

"What about me, Mavis Vermillion?"

"Oh my, Fairy Rage. It's an honor to meet you even though you reside in the baby dragon's mind," Mavis smiles. 

"It's an honor to meet the First Master of Fairy Tail."

"So, you have the power to possess inanimate objects?" Mavis asks. 

"Not only that, I can possess people and demons too. If they use telepathy, it's a doorway for me to enter and screw with them. Also, I have the ability to close Spike's door to block any telepathic from reading his mind, manipulating it, and erasing his memory."

"That's cool," Mavis smiles. 

"Unfortunately for me, I won't be participating for the next few games since I've competed in Hidden and in Battle." 

"Don't worry, we got your back, Fairy Dragon," Laxus said. 

"We'll take care of things as we promised earlier," Mirajane said. 

"Have any of you see Lucy around?" Spike asks. 

"She and Gray are still bothered by today's loss. However, she says congrats on winning Day 1 for Fairy Tail," Wakaba said. 

"Raven Tail gave them a bad wound in today's battle. They need a little time alone to cope with it," Macao said. 

"Alright then," Spike sighs a little. 

"Spike," Erza walks up to him. 

"Hey, Sis. What's up?" Spike turns to Erza. 

"You did well in hidden as well as beating Jura. I'm proud of you," Erza smiles. 

"Thanks, Sis," Spike smiles. 

"Enjoy the victory cause tomorrow is a mystery. Fairy Tail Team A will be rising to the top. I do plan on defeating your team and securing Fairy Tail as the number one rank Guild in all of Fiore."

"Oh, you want a little competition? You got it!" Spike smirks. 

"Hey, cool it," Gray said, walking into the pub. 

"Yea, we're still representing Fairy Tail," Lucy concurs, walking in the pub as well. "No need to get into a heated argument."

"Hey, Lucy! I heard what happened. We'll get Raven Tail for sure tomorrow and the next day," Spike said. 

"Hey, Spike. That we will, I'm all fired up now!" Lucy shouts. 

"Now that everyone's here," Makarov gets on a table. "A toast," Makarov lifts his chug of wine. "Today, Fairy Tail is number one thanks to Spike the Fairy. Now, we'll continue to pick up where he left off! Fairy Tail will continue to soar to the top and reclaim our rank as the greatest guild in all of Fiore! Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games belongs to us, but the war has only begun. There are more challenges ahead of us, and we will conquer them! Are you with me!?" Makarov shouts joyously. 

"YEAH!" Everyone said in unison. 

For the next hour, everyone parties like no tomorrow. They ate, drank, and prepared for any possible matchups for tomorrow's battles. Spike packs up some food and teleports back to the infirmary. He overhears Carla mentioning about two visions. 

"Spike! Can't you use the door like everyone else?!" Carla throws a little temper tantrum. 

"Sorry for the intrusion. I brought you three some food as promised. Now, what are the visions, if you don't mind me asking?"

Carla sighs and takes a deep breath. "The first vision is confusing because it's only bits and pieces. It wasn't very clear. I saw a white knight, an enormous circle. Then I saw something that defied all reason. I saw Mercurius come crashing down and Lucy singing."

"Carla, mind if I enter your mind and see the vision myself?"

"I'm not sure. What can you do in my mind, Fairy Rage?"

"You said that your vision comes in fragments. Perhaps I can help fix your future vision power."

Carla takes a deep breath. "Very well. I trust you wholeheartedly since my friend is dating Spike."

Fairy Rage leaves Spike's mind and enters Carla. Fairy Rage sees a collaboration of memories; past, present, and some bits of the future. He sees the vision Carla just mentioned; however, an image about Lucy's singing is incorrect. Fairy Rage looks around Carla's memory and tries to use his magic to fix Carla's visionary power. Unfortunately, his power cannot work like that in someone else's mind. It can only work on Spike. With that said and done, Fairy Rage returns to Spike's mind. 

Spike takes a deep breath after feeling Fairy Rage's return. "Any luck, buddy?" 

"Sadly to say, my power cannot fix another creature's power within their mind, only yours, Spike. However, I did see the image of Lucy singing. She wasn't singing. Lucy was crying."

Carla, Porlyusica, and Spike are in shock to hear that. They become worried about the meaning of the first vision.

"If that was the first vision, what was the second?" Spike nervously asks. 

"A guild, all wearing cloak comes after you, Spike. They don't seem to care. I heard screams, cries, and a sword drop." 

Spike feels he's ready to have a panic attack. Two things come to his mind, his former friends or a dark guild looking to sacrifice him to either Acnologia or Zeref."

"I.., I don't know who screamed, cried, and drops the sword. It's all a blur to me. That was more terrifying than the first vision cause it happens during the Grand Magic Games," Carla said. 

Spike doesn't know what or how to react after hearing that. Parts of him regret while the other parts want to scream and cry. 

"However, those are visions. The future can change depending on the choices we make. Don't let the visions discourage you. Also, how can a guild get you when you are more powerful than they?" Porlyusica asks, giving Spike much-needed confidence and closure. 

"You're right, Porlyusica. Thank you for your kind words," Spike gets on a bed facing Wendy. 

"You're welcome. Sleep, you'll need your energy for tomorrow, Fairy Dragon," Porlyusica said. 

Spike nods. "I will. Are you going to be okay by yourself tonight?"

"I'll be fine. I'm used to staying up for a few days. I will say to you, don't talk about the visions you and Fairy Rage heard to no one. It'll be best to stay silent until we know more about them."

"Understood," Spike walks up to Wendy and kisses her cheek. Wendy smiles in her sleep. Spike teleports out of the infirmary into his room where Fairy Tail Team B is sleeping. At the Honeycomb Inn. Spike gets in bed and looks out the window. He sees the moon in the sky. "If you dare come, Twilight, I will end you myself." Fairy Rage and Spike said in sync.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 2, Chariots & Battles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is Day 2 of the Grand Magic Games. It's 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up and sees his friends waking up as well. His room has six other beds, meaning all his friends share the same room. 

"Morning, Fairy Tail Team B," Spike said. 

"Morning, Spike," Mirajane smiles. You had a good sleep?"

"I did. I can't wait to see what today's contest and battles are. I know I won't be chosen to do anything but, I'm excited to see how Gajeel will fare in today's opening contest." 

"You kidding me, Fairy Dragon. I'm going to dominate today's game. Whoever fights, I will destroy that weakling in battle. Now, if you excuse me, I need to chow on some iron for breakfast." 

"Speaking of breakfast, I wonder what they are having at the buffet," Laxus gets up. 

"I hope to see my love feeling better today," Juvia said. 

"You subbing for Mystogan, Juvia?"

"Yes, Spike. Today I'm subbing so he can look around undetected, of course," Juvia gets up. "Mind if I take the first shower?"

"Go ahead, I can wait," Spike said. 

"Thanks, Spike," Juvia grab her belongings and goes to the bathroom. 

Spike gets out of bed and looks out the window; he sees the beauty of Crocus. He looks up at the bright blue skies. "Wendy." Every time when Spike sees the color blue, Wendy pops up every time. Spike sighs a little. 

"Something troubling you, Spike?"

"It's just. Those visions Carla saw last night. Lucy crying, and Mercurius collapsing. Then, the one about a cloaked guild coming after me. Is this what you sensed months ago?" Spike speaks to Fairy Rage mentally. 

"I don't know. The feeling when I sensed it months ago isn't drawing near. Perhaps when the guild comes, I'll know it better. If not, something else is amiss. How are you feeling?"

"Sad because of what happened to Wendy and Carla, sad in the senses of the visions. I'm happy at the same time. I'm surrounded with my brothers and sisters every day, loving each other and having fun. Going on adventures, partying, and fighting side-by-side. So, you can say I'm a little sad but, I'm extremely happy."

"That's good. After breakfast, you want to go visit Wendy?"

"You know it."

After ten minutes, Juvia comes out of the shower, all ready for today's Grand Magic Games. Spike enters the bathroom to take a shower. After freshening up for the day, Spike goes to the cafe and sees his friends sitting by a table. Spike grabs a big plate of food and sits with them. 

"About time you showed up," Gajeel eats his iron. 

"I have a lot on my mind; the upcoming events and possibilities of learning my opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Ensuring Fairy Tail Team B's as the number one team to win it all for Fairy Tail. Also, with the final day, that has to be a huge day for all teams according to the schedule." 

"Which makes me wonder, what will happen. Will we merge with a higher point or continue as is?" Mirajane questions the logic when it comes down to Day 5 of the Grand Magic Games. 

"We will find out when the time comes. Certainly, I would prefer to team up with my beloved than fight Gray," Juvia said. 

"Having the opportunity to fight Salamander will do it for me. The rest of those chumps wouldn't be remotely close when I'm through with them," Gajeel said. 

"Having to fight Erza would be a more respectable rematch than the time I went astray," Laxus said, remembering the Fairy Tail Battle Royal. 

"Raven Tail is mine. All their members when we face them on the final day. They cheated in their match against Lucy, targeted Gray, and hurt my Wendy." 

"Sure thing, Fairy Dragon. I want Salamander." 

"There will be more for me to fight," Laxus said. 

"Now that I think about it," Mirajane pauses for a second. "We're definitely an overpowered team. Three dragons, a Satan Soul, and a Water Wizard." 

"It'll be hard for teams to beat us alone. Together, we're an unstoppable juggernaut," Laxus said. 

"Since when Fairy Tail loses a war?" Juvia asks. 

"Yea," Spike nods. "I've been in many battles and lost some. Wars, in the end, Fairy Tail claims victory every time." 

"Then, we shouldn't be worried about this war against the other guilds. We got this in the bag," Gajeel finishes eating iron. 

"Making an enemy of Fairy Tail is a one-way ticket to loserville," Spike said. 

"Well, that's one way on looking at it," Mirajane said. 

"What time are we supposed to at the coliseum?" Juvia asks. 

"Two hours. Game Organizers needs to clear a pathway to the coliseum," Spike answers. 

"Hmm, I wonder why?" Laxus questions about it. 

"Could be for the opening contest of Day 2," Spike said. 

"Whatever they are doing, I'm in it to win it," Gajeel said. 

Everyone continues to enjoy their breakfast together. After a half-hour, Fairy Tail Team B leaves and goes to the coliseum. They go to their suite section to see what today's event will be.

"Hey, I'm going to check on Wendy and Carla. I'll be back in a bit," Spike said. 

"Understood, let us know how they are doing, Spike," Mirajane said. 

Spike teleports to the infirmary; he sees Wendy and Carla resting. Porlyusica is sitting next to them. 

"Hello, Fairy Dragon. Wendy and Carla are feeling better today. A few more hours, and they'll be good as new," Porlyusica said, eating her bowl of rice. 

"Good to know," Spike sits on the bed facing Wendy.

Wendy opens her eyes and blinks a few times. She sees Spike and smiles widely. "Hi, Spike. I'm so glad to see you again." 

"How are you feeling?" Spike asks. 

"I'm feeling better. I'm not a hundred percent but, I'm getting there."

"Good," Spike rubs her head a bit. "I can't wait to see you out there. Maybe if we're lucky, we'll fight side-by-side." 

"I would love that more than anything during the Grand Magic Games. Whoever we face, they'll be in trouble against two dragons," Wendy smiles, imagining her and Spike working together and combining their magic. 

"Definitely," Spike smiles. "I love you, Wendy." 

"I love you too, Spike. I'm going back to sleep. See you later, Spike," Wendy closes her eyes. 

Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. He teleports back to his friends at the suite. An hour later, every guild participating arrives. 

"Alright, everyone has arrived," Spike stares at Raven Tail then at Sabertooth. 

"Ugh, that baby dragon keeps staring at us," Lector complains. 

"Don't worry; he won't be getting in our way. I'll be stepping up in today's contest."

"Ah, yea! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Lector is showing praise to Sting. 

"Judging his power physique, if we consume his magic power, we'll turn it against him. He won't have a counter for that," Rogue said. 

"Kagura, allow me to take control on today's contest," Risley Law said with confidence. 

"Very well, Mermaid Heel needs those points to take the lead for today's standing," Kagura said. She looks at Spike from her suite. "Where did Fairy Tail find him?"

"More like how did they find him?" Araña Webb said. 

"For the sake of Blue Pegasus and to take today's standings, I'll step up to the plate for today's contest," Ichiya states. 

"Wish you luck, handsome one," The Trimen say in unison. 

"Yuka, I put you in charge of getting us serious points. If you fail, I'll spin you until you drop!" Ooba says, spinning Sherria in circles as a prime example. 

"Cut it out, you old hag!" Sherria gets dizzy and feels like vomiting. 

"I shall succeed. Ensuring Lamia Scale's victory from yesterday's fiasco," Yuka said. 

"Black Snake, you're next in this opening contest," The leader of Raven Tail commands. 

"Yes, Sir," Black Snake takes delight while imagining everyone succumbing to his magic. 

"Bacchus, may the Wild be with you!" Rocker said. Then Quatro Cerberus chant WILD!

The Pumpkin Head comes to the center of the coliseum. He reveals today's event known as Chariots. 

"This sounds bad for you, Gajeel," Spike said. 

"Don't care, I'm going in," Gajeel springs into action. 

"Alright," Natsu gets excited. "Here I go," Natsu goes up to the Pumpkin Head. 

Everyone else that decided to compete goes up to the Pumpkin Head. He whisps away every one to the beginning of the race. Chapati and Yajima announce Jason as their special guest commentator for Day 2 of the Grand Magic Games. 

"With all the contestants in place at the starting line, let's explain today's event," Chapati says. "Today's game is known as Chariots. Each participating wizard will race while trying not to fall off. The Chariots are in constant motion and can be tricky if someone or everyone uses their magic for an advantage. If you fall off, you go back to the starting line to try again. Seven competitors must finish the race for the contest to end." 

"Oh boy, I see three competitors who'll be struggling in this race," Yajima said. 

"Really!? Who is it?!" Jason asks. 

"Gajeel, Natsu, and Sting. Those three are Dragon Slayers, and they all have one common weakness. Moving vehicles," Yajima explains. 

"Sorry, folks. It appears that Fairy Tail Team B will not be winning this contest. However, we shall see in the battle section of Day 2 of the Grand Magic Games," Chapati said. "Jason, before the race begins, what was your favorite matchup from yesterday's battles?" Chapati asks. 

"Are you kidding me!? Are you kidding me!? My favorite from yesterday's battle has to be one of the greatest fights in Grand Magic Games history! Spike the Fairy versus Jura Neekis! That has to go down as number one in the top ten lists!" Jason shouts into his microphone. 

"I will say, that answer was on everyone's mind," Yajima said. 

"I concur," Chapati excitedly says. "Now, ladies and gentlemen. Without further ado, let Chariots commence!" The gong rings, signaling the start of the race. 

"Well, that sucks," Spike said, looking at the lacrima vision.

"I suspect one or two points by the end of this race," Mirajane said. 

"How unfortunate. I hope I'm chosen to fight in the next matchup. Gotta get us some points to have a commanding lead in Day 2," Laxus said. 

Midway through the race, Black Snake of Raven Tail takes the lead. Neck and neck are between Yuka, Ichiya, and Risley. Bacchus is behind them while Natsu, Gajeel, and Sting are moving ever-so-slowly due to their motion sickness. Yuka uses his shock wave magic to nullify anyone from using magic behind him. Risley uses her gravitational magic to run on the sides of the chariots. Ichiya uses his parfume to maximize his speed and outruns Yuka in the process. Bacchus decides to uses his strength to cripple the entire chariots. Bacchus uses his super-speed to outrun everyone and finishes the race in first place. Moments later, Black Snake arrives in second place. Ten minutes later, Risley takes third place, Yuka takes fourth place, and Ichiya takes fifth place. 

Despite the motion sickness that Gajeel and Natsu are suffering from, they continue to go onward while Sting just laid back. Natsu and Gajeel are determined to finish the race while Sting is not. He knows that Sabertooth will win the Grand Magic Games. It's only a matter of time. 

"Explain this to me; why bother entering the tournament? Seriously. You're nothing like the Fairy Tail I knew growing up. You're obsessed by how tough you are and what the rest of the world thinks of you. What happened to the Fairy Tail of my childhood? The guild that did what the hell they wanted, whenever they wanted. They never cared about what anybody else said or thought about them," Sting said, watching the two squirm in their motion sickness. 

"The reason.., we're here.., is for our friends!" Natsu fires back. "The ones.., who waited for us. For all the years we were gone.., who fought through the pain.., and the heartache! They were humiliated, but even so, they stayed strong. And, they kept our guild together! We're doing this for all of them! We're going to make sure that everyone here knows, The Fairy Tail Guild Never Gave Up! Not for an instant! So, there's no way I'm going to give up now!!!" Natsu shouts with pride and honor for Fairy Tail. 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard that suffered through seven years of heartache burst into tears. Hearing what Natsu said touched them deeply. Spike nods in agreement. That it is for them, for the many years they suffered and gone through heartache. The crowd has a new understanding of Fairy Tail and decides to cheer them on. They won't be bashing any Fairy Tail member from here and out as Fairy Tail as a whole become their Fairy Tale. With magic in the air, they chanted for Natsu and Gajeel. An hour later, Natsu crosses the finish line in sixth place while Gajeel finishes in seventh. 

"Now, with the race is now concluded. Here are the rankings for Day 2 standings."



Raven Tail - 26 points

Fairy Tail Team B - 21 points

Blue Pegasus - 14 points

Sabertooth - 13 points

Quatro Cerberus - 12 points

Mermaid Heel - 10 points

Lamia Scale - 9 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 2 points


"And now, Raven Tail has jumped to first place but be careful, Fairy Tail Team B is right behind them," Chapati says. 

"So coooooool!" Jason replies. 

Fairy Tail wizards come down to take Gajeel and Natsu to the infirmary to recover. Everyone else that didn't participate stood by while waiting for the battles to begin. Every guild waits half an hour during the intermission. 

"I wonder who's going to be called on for battles. Will it be Laxus, Juvia, or Mirajane?"

"We will find out when the games are back in session," Laxus said. 

"Mmhmm," Mirajane nods. 

"Hopefully, my beloved watches me fight," Juvia said. 

"He's over there," Spike points to him. "I can't imagine him ignoring your fight." 

The first battle features Black Snake of Raven Tail versus Toby Horhorta of Lamia Scale. During the fight, Toby decides to make a wager. If he wins, Black Snake reveals his true identity. If Black Snake wins, Toby will spill the beans about his super-secret. Black Snake accepts the wager, knowing he's going to win anyway. With the idea of gambling during the battles, it entices the rest of the guilds. After a few moments, Black Snake easily defeats Toby. Toby reveals that his favorite sock disappeared for many years. His comrades in Lamia Scale look at Toby, like, what a moron? Black Snake taps his chest, revealing where Toby's sock has been all this time. Toby holds his sock and watches it get ripped to shreds by Black Snake. Erza wants to slaughter Black Snake for shredding the sock into pieces, but Gray holds her back. Toby burst into tears in sadness. 

The next battle is Bacchus of Quatro Cerberus versus Elfman of Fairy Tail Team A. Mirajane is worried about Elfman stepping into battle against Bacchus. 

"Something wrong, Mirajane?" Spike turns to Mirajane. 

"I'm not sure Elfman can defeat Bacchus. I don't think he's strong enough," Mirajane sadly admits. 

"Well, now's the time to put faith in your brother," Spike replies. "He is a Fairy Tail Wizard, after all."

"You're right," Mirajane nods. "You can do this, Elfman!" Mirajane confidently cheers for her brother. 

"Hey, do you say we make our own bet? Like those last guys did," Bacchus suggests. 

"What?" Elfman replies. 

"Your sisters are a couple of smoking hot little numbers."

"What's your point, Bacchus?" Elfman doesn't understand what Bacchus is saying. 

"C'mon, man; I know you can't be that dense. I win the match, they keep me company tonight," Bacchus deviously smirks. "Both at the same time."

"That's barbaric," Spike retorts at the wager. 

"Scumbag," Cana retorts. 

"What's up with you?" Spike turns to Cana. 

"Oh, that. Bacchus outdrank her last night and took her bra. Right before you left," Mirajane explains. 

"Ouch," Spike cringes a bit. 

Lisanna is freaking out due to the possibilities of Bacchus' demented mindset. 

"Now, it's your turn. If you win?" Bacchus turns to Elfman. 

"Listen, pal. A real man doesn't tolerate that kind of disrespect So, get ready to get schooled," Elfman irately declares while powering up. 

Bacchus figures that Elfman accepts the wager and gets ready to throw down. Bacchus barely tries while Elfman tries to land a punch. Bacchus' magic is hard to predict with his drunken state movement. Elfman tries using Leopard Takeover to land a blow on Bacchus, but it proves to be futile. 

Throughout the fight, Elfman has taken serious blows from Bacchus but refuses to give up. He's bruised up badly from Bacchus palm strikes. Elfman gets an idea. A brilliant idea to use his opponent's strength as his weakness; taking a page from Spike during the Fairy Tail Endurance Race. It's not just brute force. It's using ingenuity as well. 

"So, back on your feet. All that being a man talk ain't for show?"

"Listen up, you dog. I never told you what I wanted. Our bet, what I want you to do if I win." 

"This is the only time it comes up so, go ahead. Tell me what happens when you win," Bacchus says to please the guy before defeating him. 

"I want you and the rest of your guild bros to go by the name Quatro Puppy."

Bacchus feels conflicted with the name while his guildmates are in shock. Bacchus agrees with Elfman's stipulation and has a drink. Now, in a heavily drunken state, his magic and strength are more severe than ever. 

"This is for you, Spike. I'll never forget how presented yourself during the Endurance Race. You used your brain to succeed while I used my manpower. I said that you don't need brains to win a race. I understand now. Not all races are what they seem to be. I'm in a race to save my sisters from this jackass." "Takeover Beast Soul!" Elfman transforms into his next beast. Bacchus strikes Elfman with multiple palm strikes. Then, parts of Bacchus armor dissolves. 

"What in the hell?" Bacchus is stunned and sees bruises on his palm and arms. "What are you?" 

"Lizard Man. I can't hit you, but you can hit me all you want," Elfman is now an anthropomorphic reptilian. His muscular figure is almost completely covered in scales, some of which, lined up, are shown to be particularly large, protruding, and sharp. His torso and the palm of his hands are bare with no scales covering them. His fingers grow sharp, dark claws, similar to the ones sprouting from his toes, which become much more massive and stocky, also changing in placement, thus making Elfman's feet similar to a reptile's rear legs. His hair is replaced by a long, messy, and spiky light mane topping the top part of his head and extending to his middle back.

Spike smiles. "He won." 

"How can you be certain of that, Spike?" Cana asks. 

"He's using his head. He's turning Bacchus' strength into his weakness. That'll be Bacchus' downfall." 

"Go nuts, hit everything you got. Unless you're scared," Elfman entices Bacchus to strike his Lizard body more. 

Bacchus doesn't hesitate and strikes Elfman with a fury of palm strikes. Elfman blocks his face while Bacchus continues to unleash his fury at Elfman. More of his arm dissolves which causes more bruises on his arms. After minutes of endless blows, Elfman powers down after taking too many heavy hits and falls to his knees.

Bacchus laughs. "I wooooooon!" Bacchus celebrates for a second and falls on his back in defeat. "I gotta tell you, pal. You are a real man." 

Elfman claims victory, scoring 10 points for Fairy Tail. Due to the defeat of Bacchus, Quatro Cerberus will now be called Quatro Puppy for the rest of the Grand Magic Games. Elfman roars loudly in victory. Mirajane and Lisanna go to the battlefield and hug Elfman. Elfman flinches due to the amount of pain he suffered during the match. Lisanna and Mirajane take Elfman to the infirmary. 

"Alright, I'll be back. I'm going to check on Wendy before the next match takes place." 

"Sure thing," Cana said. 

Spike teleports to the infirmary to see Wendy. When he arrives, Spike is confused. "What the hell?" Spike looks around sees Natsu and Gray carrying Elfman inside the room. 

"Hey, Spike!" Natsu said. 

"Mind helping us?" Gray asks. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Elfman under the sheet of the bed. Porlyusica comes in and bandages Elfman while giving him healing medicine. Wendy comes in fully dressed and uses her healing magic on Elfman. Spike is so happy to see Wendy well. 

"Thanks, Spike," Elfman said. "Hey, Fairy Rage. Did you hear my thoughts before I turn the tides on Bacchus?"

"No. I didn't hear your thoughts. What you said?"

"Hey, Spike. Remember the Fairy Tail Endurance Race. How I mentioned that a real man didn't need to use his brain to win?"

"I remember that day. I was highly praised by Master Makarov when I used my strengths and ingenuity." 

"I took a page of that and used Bacchus strength against himself. I used my brain and won the race." 

"You sure did. I saw what you were doing and knew you were going to win. You did well for Fairy Tail Team A. Remember. I'm on Team B," Spike chuckles. 

"Get well, Elfman. We'll continue where you left off," Erza said. 

"So, I guess we'll be separated when watching the next match?" Wendy looks at Spike. 

"Yea. You're on the A team. I'm on the B team. B that stands for best." 

"Ha ha ha, very funny, Spike," Natsu said. 

"After the match with Fairy Tail Team B, wanna grab a bite to eat, Wendy?" 

"Sure, Spike. I would love to go on a date with you," Wendy smiles. 

"Great, see you then," Spike teleports to Fairy Tail Team B. 

"I'm going with you, child," Carla said. 

"What?" Wendy looks at Carla. 

"We're all going," Erza said. 

"Shoot, I was hoping to spend quality time with Spike alone." Wendy thought to herself. 

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Our next match features Jenny of Blue Pegasus versus Mirajane of Fairy Tail Team B." 

"So cooooooooool!" Jason said, his emotions are wild up!

"Hey, guys. What did I miss?" Spike and Laxus see Mirajane and Jenny in their bikinis. "What the hell?" Spike is confused. 

"Shut it and enjoy," Gajeel said, enjoying the scenery. 

"I have a girlfriend, Gajeel. I can't be looking at other women like this." 

"What kind of battle is this?!" Gray and Natsu said in shock. 

The men in the crowds and other guilds are enjoying this battle. The battle of beauty is what Chapati is calling it. All of a sudden, three women from Mermaid Heel get into the mix. Araña Webb, Risley Law, and Beth Vanderwood are in their swimsuits. Then Sherria and Sherry of Lamia Scale join the party wearing their bikinis. Master Mavis encourages the ladies of Fairy Tail to partake in the event. 

"Fairy Dragon," Gajeel calls Spike. "Wendy is partaking in the event."

"What?!" Spike turns to see Wendy in a swimsuit. His eyes are only on Wendy. "Oh, Wendy," Spike is actually worried about seeing Wendy in this predicament. 

Chapati announces wardrobe change after wardrobe change. Spike sees the outfits Wendy keeps changing into. The people are getting aroused by seeing lots of beautiful women changing clothes. The next wardrobe change is a wedding. Spike gets in the mix to get closer to Wendy. Spike is wearing a black tuxedo with a red gem bowtie. He's next to Wendy in her white wedding dress. 

"Wow, you look absolutely gorgeous wearing a wedding dress," Spike blushes a bit. 

"And you're stunning for wearing a tuxedo. This is the first time I've seen you wear clothes," Wendy said. 

"I guess this is a practice of our soon-to-be wedding experience," Spike chuckles. "Shall I kiss my bride?" Spike asks. 

"You may," Wendy answers. 

Spike and Wendy kiss each other and didn't care what others view of the two. A loud awe comes from the crowd. Then the Master of Lamia Scale, Ooba Babasaama, jumps into the fray and spoils the entertainment. The crowd loses interest, and some are scarred for life seeing an elderly lady in a swimsuit. The commentators wish to gouge out their eyeballs. Everyone leaves except for Mirajane and Jenny. Spike and Wendy leave together while holding hands. 

"I wish I didn't see that," Spike said. 

"Same with me," Wendy concurs. 

"Hey, wanna go on a date?" Spike asks. 

"Yea," Wendy nods. "I'm ready to go." 

Spike and Wendy leave the coliseum and look for a restaurant. The moment they left the coliseum together, Mirajane and Jenny made a bet. The loser poses for Sorcerer Weekly, wearing nothing but her birthday suit. Mirajane accepts and made another wager; to fight like the others that fought in combat. Mirajane transforms into Sitri, her ultimate Satan Soul. In an instant, Mirajane swiftly defeats Jenny with one hit and is declared the victor. 

Ten minutes later, Spike and Wendy arrive at a Crocus restaurant. They enter inside and ask for a table for two. They sit at a table that has lacrima vision to watch the final match of the Grand Magic Games. 

"Hmm, Kagura of Mermaid Heel versus Yukino of Sabertooth. Should be a good one," Wendy said. 

"Possibly or a one-sided match," Spike turns to face Wendy. "Wendy, I'm so glad you are feeling so much better." 

"Thanks, I have Grandeeney who helped me," Wendy giggles a bit. 

"You mean Porlyusica," Spike corrects. 

"Yea," Wendy smiles. 

"I promise you that I'll personally take down Raven Tail with my two claws for what they have done to you and Carla," Spike swears it. 

"They'll get their just desserts," Wendy proclaims. 

Spike and Wendy turn to the lacrima vision. They watch Yukino summoning the 13th Zodiac known as the Snake Charmer. Spike and Wendy look out the window to see how dark it is outside. Purple and black mist fills all over Crocus. 

"Okay, this is darker than that bravery dog comics that Romeo gave me the other day," Spike said. 

"Bravery dog?" Wendy is confused. 

"It's a horror-comedy comic of a dog living in the middle of nowhere with two elderly owners. Creepy stuff happens in the middle of nowhere." 

"Ooooh," Wendy now understands. "I get it."

Spike and Wendy turn to the lacrima vision and sees Kagura destroy the Snake Charmer without drawing out her sword. She takes down Yukino with one hit and is declared the winner. Spike and Wendy's jaws drop in shock. 

"Uh, she may be harder for me to defeat in close-quarters combat," Spike admits. 

"I wouldn't want to fight her," Wendy said. "Maybe Erza or Mirajane have a better shot against her." 

"For sure," Spike nods. 

"Look, they're about to view the scoreboard for today's standings," Wendy said. 

Grand Magic Games Standings: 



Raven Tail - 36 points

Fairy Tail Team B - 31 points

Mermaid Heel - 20 points

Blue Pegasus - 14 points

Sabertooth - 13 points

Quatro Puppy - 12 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 12 points

Lamia Scale - 9 points


Wendy and Spike are laughing at the Quatro Puppy's name. Everyone in the restaurant is laughing too. The chef couldn't help but laugh due to the guild's name. The waiter comes up to Spike and Wendy, chuckling uncontrollably. 

"I'll have a steak with rice, beans, and onion rings," Spike orders. 

"I'll have one as well," Wendy orders. 

"Sounds good. Any drinks for the two of you?" The waiter writes the orders. 

"I'll have ginger ale," Spike orders. 

"Same with me," Wendy orders. 

"Coming up," He walks to the kitchen to give the chef the orders. 

"Raven Tail will not succeed in winning the Grand Magic Games anymore. Today is their only day of victory," Spike declares. 

"Agreed. I can't wait to get my hands on them if I'm called to fight one of them in battle tomorrow." 

"We'll see how tomorrow's battles will fare," Spike said. 

"Yea," Wendy smiles. 

"There you are!" Natsu shouts, interrupting the date. 

"Dick. You ruined their date." Fairy Rage said in Spike's head. Not wanting to make a scene. 

"We've been looking for you two," Gray pulls up a chair and sits with Spike and Wendy. 

"So much for our date." Wendy thought to herself. 

"So, what did you two ordered?" Natsu asks. 

"We both got the same plate, Natsu," Wendy said. 

Carla walks up and gets in Wendy's arms. "Child, you weren't supposed to go off alone." 

"I didn't. Spike was with me this whole time," Wendy replies. 

"Doesn't matter. We don't know what else Raven Tail may do to any of you. They have eyes and ears," Carla states. 

"I would have sensed them if they were near."

"Oh, right," Carla said, remembering one of the abilities of Fairy Rage. "Sorry, I'm still getting over the attacked they unleashed on us." 

"Apologies accepted."

Erza and Lucy grab a table and chair and joins Wendy and Spike. Wendy and Spike chuckle a bit. They'll have another day to be together alone. It's a good day to be with friends and family. The waiter returns. 

"Hey, we're with them," Gray said shirtless. 

"Sir put on your shirt. We have a policy here," The waiter points to the policy of customers. 

"Fine," Gray rolls his eyes and puts his shirt on. 

"I can't believe that Yukino girl wagered her life in battle," Lucy said. 

"She did what?" Spike and Wendy ask. They couldn't believe what they heard. 

"Yukino of Sabertooth wagered her life and lost. Now her life is in the hands of Kagura," Erza explains. 

"Judging from her movements, I don't think I have a shot against her in close-quarters combat," Spike admits to his friends. 

"Whaaaaat?!" Happy shouts. 

"You defeated Jura! You telling us that you can't handle a girl like Kagura?" Gray asks. 

"I defeated Jura, but we didn't have a close-quarters brawl. It was the usage of our magic power. To be honest, Jura could be stronger than me physically. I'm not up there in terms of physical power yet. Magically, yes. Physically, depending on my opponent. I think you have more of a chance than me, Sis." 

"Kagura is an impressive opponent without drawing her sword. She poses a threat to Fairy Tail. If I go toe-to-toe with Kagura, it could end in a draw. If the contest demands a winner, it can go either way," Erza said, being honest with Kagura as a competitor. 

"It's safe to say that no one wants to fight with you during a one-on-one, Spike," Lucy said. 

"Definitely. Also, thanks for keeping Fairy Tail in the fight, Spike. Second place and behind the scum of Raven Tail," Natsu said. 

"You do realize that I had nothing to do with today's outcome, right?"

"You started it yesterday, and now, they picked up today. 31 points. That's a great way to start." 

"Speaking of starts, Fairy Tail Team A will gladly take control for the rest of the games, Spike. So sit back and relax," Gray said. 

"Did Master told you the penalty on what happens when the team with fewer points loses?" Spike teases Erza, Gray, Natsu, and Lucy. 

"WHAT DID MASTER SAY?" Erza, Gray, Natsu, and Lucy ask in unison. They are petrified with Makarov's sadistic mindset for coming up with penal ploys. 

"The winning team that secures Fairy Tail at the top gets to command the losing team for an entire day." 

"No way!" Lucy shrieks. 

"No way that's going to happen!" Gray knows what would happen if Juvia has her way. He wants to win more, so Juvia stays away from him for an entire day. 

"Bossed around..," Natsu gets a disturbing imagination if Gajeel or Laxus bosses him around. 

Erza pictures what Mirajane would do to her in any humiliating way possible. She needs to win to prevent any punishments coming from Mirajane. 

"We have to win! By any means necessary! We need to win!" Gray shouts. 

"Relax, it's not the end of the world. It's only one day that'll go by quick," Spike said. 

"Or so slow that feels like a fate worst than death!" Fairy Rage sinisterly laughs. Natsu and Gray cringe with the endless possibilities of torture they can endure in a single day. 

The waiter returns with Spike and Wendy's food and drink. Natsu and Gray order the exact same thing after seeing how good it looks. Lucy orders a caesar salad, Erza orders a steak with fries, Happy orders salmon fish, and Carla orders a salad. The waiter writes it down and goes back to the kitchen to give it to the chef. 

Spike starts eating his steak. "Wow, this is good," Spike takes another bite. 

"I'll say," Wendy licks her lips. 

"Hey! Can't you wait for us!?" Natsu shouts. 

"Not to be rude or anything but, we ordered before you. I wasn't going to wait until my food gets cold to eat. Also, I wasn't going to use my fire breath to warm it up." 

"I could have done that for you then!" Natsu retorts. 

"More like burn it into a crisp," Spike replies. Natsu gasps. 

"Well, he got you there, Natsu," Gray said. 

For the rest of the day, everyone spends time eating and drinking at the restaurant. Spike pays for everyone's dinner. They head off to the Bar Sun, where every Fairy Tail Wizard is celebrating and drinking. 

"There you are, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. "Told you we'll pick up where you left off." 

"Second place and still in it. Tomorrow is another day. We'll come out on top," Spike said. 

"Yep. I'll get the chance to step in tomorrow," Laxus said. 

"I'll say you'll have a chance to battle one-on-one. As for tomorrow's contest, let's see what it is first," Spike suggests. 

"Yea," Mirajane agrees. "We need to be sure of tomorrow's contest and who'll be participating as well." 

"If anything, I'll compete in tomorrow's game," Spike volunteers for tomorrow's game. 

"Let's see about that," Cana said. 

"Hey, Cana. I guess you're subbing for tomorrow's game?" Spike asks. 

"Subbing for Juvia. Mavis believes I'm best suited for tomorrow's game." 

"Sounds good. I'll wait another day to participate," Spike yawns a bit. "I'm going to bed early. See you guys in the morning." 

"Have a goodnight's sleep, Spike," Erza said. 

"I will, Sis."

"Love you, Spike," Wendy said. 

"Love you too," Spike flies to the Honeycomb Inn. 

"If you want, we can prank Natsu for ruining the date you and Wendy were having." 

"Nah, I'll let Laxus humiliate Natsu when Fairy Tail Team B wins."

"Very well. Sure is a beautiful night in the city of Crocus."

"Definitely. I'm thinking about getting married to Wendy here, actually." 

"Sounds good. The flower city, that's a good choice." 

"Yea," Spike lands inside the room and takes off the tuxedo. He teleports it to the closet of the apartment in Magnolia. Spike gets in bed. "Tomorrow is going to be a great day. I see Fairy Tail Team B reclaiming the top position in the ranks."

"Yes, we will, Spike. Yes, we will." 
> Grand Magic Games: Day 3, Pandemonium
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up after having a nightmare. He pants a little and sees that his friends are still asleep. It's 7:30 in the morning. 

"Something troubling you?"

"I had a nightmare. Don't you see my dreams when I sleep?"

"Apparently not. When you dream, I cannot look into it. So what happened in this dream of yours?"

"It was horrible. My magic wasn't working, and I was being forced away by a presence. My friends couldn't do anything about it. I was so depressed. I wind up committing suicide to be free of whatever custody that took me away."

"Damn, sounds brutal. Well, that was a dream. The reality is that our friends will come fighting for us and ensure our happiness. You have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you." Spike gets out of bed and flies out the window. Spike flies to the Honeybone Inn and taps on the window. 

Wendy wakes up and sees Spike. Wendy was about to say something when Spike shushes her through the window. Wendy nods and gets dressed while not waking any of her friends up. Wendy goes downstairs and opens the door. She hugs Spike. 

"Morning, Spike." 

"Morning, Wendy. Wanna spend some time alone?"

"Yes," Wendy smiles. 

Spike and Wendy go to the Crocus garden to be together for the next hour. They sit at a bench talking. 

"Such a beautiful morning, isn't it, Spike?" Wendy said. 

"You're more beautiful than anything else, Wendy," Spike smiles. 

Wendy smiles and sighs happily. She puts an arm around Spike's neck. "Yesterday, when I wore that wedding dress, I didn't see the other men and women dressing up. I only saw you. It felt natural."

"I saw the future the moment I saw you wearing that wedding dress. It was like our wedding day has arrived. All of our friends are there to witness such a beautiful moment," Spike's smile fades. 

"What's wrong?" Wendy sees Spike's smile fading. 

Spike sighs heavily. "I had a nightmare last night." 

"What happened?" Wendy is getting concerned. 

"My magic wasn't working, and I was being forced away by a presence. You and the others couldn't do anything about it. It took me away, to a point, that I became so depressed, I committed suicide to be free." 

Wendy is in tears after hearing the nightmare. She hugs Spike and vows that no one is taking him away from her. Spike hugs Wendy and feels the tears riding down on his back. 

"Whoever attempts to take you away from me, they'll feel the wrath of the Sky Dragon." Wendy sounds more threatening than herself. She refuses to see Spike taken by anyone. "I promise you, nothing like that will ever happen to you. If those punks want to get to you, they'll have to go through me," Wendy sounds like herself now. 

"Thank you, Wendy," Spike smiles. 

"Even if those that did you wrong, they'll feel my wrath and then some," Wendy declares. 

"Agreed," Spike concurs. Spike leans on Wendy's shoulders and enjoys the scenery together. 

After an hour of spending time together, Wendy and Spike go to the coliseum. They wish each other luck and go to their teams at the suites. The other guilds have arrived and are anxious to know what today's contest will be. 

"Welcome to Day 3 of the Grand Magic Games. That put us on the halfway point," Chapati announces. 

"How are we going to top a dramatic fights and eye candy from the past two days?" Yajima asks. 

"I personally will be on my best behavior around on today's guest from the Magic Council Marshall Lahar," Chapati said. 

"It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Lahar?" Yajima turns to Lahar. 

"Thank you for having me here," Lahar says with gratitude. 

"Tell me, Lahar. Have you been paying close attention to the Grand Magic Games this year?" Yajima asks. 

"I have. So far, I have to give it to Jura and Fairy Dragon for providing the best action-packed match in Grand Magic Games history. I was astounded to see how the two fare during Day 1. It's great to see Spike the Fairy and the rest of the guild after a seven-year gap."

"So, as Chief Marshall of the Custody Enforcement Unit, your job is catching the bad guys, isn't that right?" Chapati questions Lahar. 

"Yes," Lahar nods. "Let me remind any-would-be-cheaters that I'm watching you," Lahar states while the audience laughs. 

"That's right, he got eyes in the back of his head, and he never sleeps. So, no funny stuff," Chapati states. 

"Good luck, Cana. I kinda wish I was out there, though," Spike said. 

"You'll get your chance tomorrow. Maybe later today, you'll get to fight," Cana said. 

"We'll see who'll be fighting," Laxus said. "I've been itching to do something either than sit around and watch all day." 

"Fair enough. I have a feeling you'll be fighting today, anyway," Spike admits. 

"From last night's disturbance, I'll step into the fray," Orga said. 

"I'm going in," Millianna of Mermaid Heel volunteers. 

"It's my turn. Wild!" Nobarly of Quatro Puppy is going into today's contest. 

"I'm going in. It's up to me to rally us some points," Jura of Lamia Scale said. 

"It appears that Fairy Dragon will not be participating, so today's contest is sure as ours," Lyon said. 

Hibiki of Blue Pegasus decides to represent Blue Pegasus for today's contest. The leader of Raven Tail tells Obra to participate. Erza decides to compete since Natsu caused ruckus late last night at the resort Sabertooth was residing. The Pumpkin Head comes into the middle of the arena and spawns a purple demonic castle for all the contestants to compete. 

"Now, with everyone on the field, let Pandemonium commence!" Chapati announces. 

The Pumpkin Head explains that inside the castle, there are vicious monsters. Five classes determine the number of monsters within the castle:



S-Class Monster - 1

A-Class Monsters - 4

B-Class Monsters - 15

C-Class Monsters - 30

D-Class Monsters - 50


The Pumpkin Head explains that monsters of a higher class are twice more powerful than the ones beneath them. Each contestant will enter one at a time and defeat a certain number they choose. After defeating the said number of monsters, they'll gain the number of points of monsters defeated. If the contestant loses a battle inside the castle, the number of points they score stands but will be eliminated from the game. To determine the order, everyone draws straws. 

Erza looks at the straw she chose. "I'm going first." 

"Man, you're lucky. I bet you'll be getting the most amount of turns. Meanwhile, I'll be stuck at number 8," Cana said. 

Spike groans a bit. "I could easily say a hundred of them and be done with it if I were competing." 

"I agree with that, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel says while eating iron. 

"My lightning will have scorched them and demolished those creatures," Laxus said. 

"I agree with Spike. Considering he can increase his size and get it done, regardless of what number he would have drawn," Mirajane said. 

"Let's see how many Erza will fight," Spike looks at the demonic castle. 

Erza smiles, knowing that the game is already hers. "I had assumed victory in this event that relied heavily on a luck of a draw. Now though, this is no longer a game," Erza walks to the stairs of the castle. The Pumpkin Head is confused with Erza's statement. "Inside this castle, wait one hundred monsters. I choose to challenge all of them!" Erza scares everyone with her challenge except a few of her friends in Fairy Tail.

"SAY WHAT!!!!!!?" The Pumpkin Head reacts in utter shock. 

"Well, I guess we'll be scoring 8 points," Spike declares. 

"Apparently so," Mirajane said. 

"We'll still take first place today if Raven Tail doesn't score any points," Laxus said. 

"Fairy Tail is about to regain the lead after today. I can feel it," Gajeel said. 

"You can't be serious. We designed this game to be completed by multiple wizards," The Pumpkin Head said. 

"I don't care," Erza responds. She enters the Pandemonium Castle. After a few minutes, Erza is in the middle of the Pandemonium Castle. "I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail Team A. I will face one hundred." 

All the monsters come after Erza. Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel armor first and takes down most of the D-Class Monsters first. Then she uses her Black Wing Armor to attack the D-Class and C-Class Monsters. One by one, each monster is being slain by Erza. Erza continues to requip every time she sees a different monster. She's trying to figure out which one is the S-Class Monster. After a few minutes of nonstop action, Erza has defeated fifty monsters and showing signs of fatigue. Erza continues to show her display of rapid dominance towards each monster she encounters. Only one remains after defeating the A-Class, B-Class, and C-Class Monsters. The S-Class Monster reveals itself as an enormous demonic creature. The S-Class Monster shows its dominance and pinned Erza. However, Erza conjures two swords to fight the S-Class Monster, striking at various weak points to shatter and defeat the S-Class Monster. Erza emerges victorious after slaying one hundred monsters in Pandemonium. 

"Wow, Sis defeated all one hundred monsters at ease," Spike said. 

"Why are you surprised? She's taken on much more difficult opponents than those things," Gajeel said. 

"Good point," Spike agrees. "She took on an invincible Imitatia before I went on a rampage." 

Natsu, Wendy, Gray, and Lucy congratulate Erza on a job well done. Erza apologies for taking longer than she thought. Fairy Tail Team A return to their suite to see what happens with the remaining guilds. 

Fairy Tail Team A scores 10 points in today's contest. With seven remaining competitors, The Pumpkin Head reveals a backup challenge. He spawns an MPF (Magic Power Finder) orb. With the order in place for Pandemonium earlier, the order is set for this game. Each Wizard will use its magic power on the MPF. The number of the MPF will determine the score. Whoever gets the higher score will win today's secondary game. 

During the wait, Cana has been drinking many barrels of beer and liquor. Fairy Tail Team B now sees that Mavis made a huge mistake in selecting Cana. Spike feels that he should be competing in this competition.   

Millianna is next and uses her kitten blast to attack the MPF Orb. The MPF reads 365, but people in the audience are confused about whether to cheer or not. Chapati and Yajima have no idea how to react to it. 

"Millianna scores 365. That being said, I don't know if that's a good number or not," Chapati admits. 

"Maybe I can help. We Rune Knights use MPF in training often. She actually did very well. That score will qualify her for Squad Captain," Lahar said. 

"Wow, what an impressive start," Chapati says, now understanding how the MPF works. 

"I am one pumped-up kitty!" Millianna cheers. 

"Rocking in at 124 is Nobarly of Quatro Puppy. A little bit on the low side, wouldn't you agree?" Chapati announces. Nobarly is ashamed of himself and his power. 

"Guess it's my turn to shine," Hibiki uses his power on the MPF and scores 95 points. He breaks down in tears. 

"Hibiki of Blue Pegasus scores a measly 95 points," Chapati announces. 

Cana comforts Hibiki. Hibiki couldn't stop crying and hugs Cana in the process. 

"Is that the jackass that attacked Wendy and Carla?" Spike looks at Obra of Raven Tail. 

"This has to be the guy that attacked Wendy and Carla," Gray said, watching the guy walking up to the MPF. 

"Obra clocks in at 4 points?!" Chapati is confused. 

Obra couldn't reveal his magic in front of Lahar and any of the Magic Council members that are in attendance. Raven Tail has decided to play it low until they are out of their way. 

"Okay, Millianna is in the lead with 365 points!" The Pumpkin Head announces. 

Millianna cheers. "This is better than chasing my own tail!" 

"I'm about to change that," Orga of Sabertooth steps up and powers up. The crowd gets excited, and so do the commentators. "120 Millimeter, Black Lightning Cannon!" Orga unleashes his lightning on the MPF, and it reads 3825 points. 

"Whoa! It's almost 4000!" Chapati shouts into the mic. 

"No way! He's ten times stronger than me!?" Millianna is in shock. 

"WHAAAAAT!?" Natsu couldn't believe it. 

"THAT NUMBER CAN'T BE RIGHT!" Gray is in shock. 

"Never in my life, I've seen a score that high." Lahar thought to himself. He can't believe how strong Orga is of Sabertooth. 

"Wait, is Orga a Lightning God Slayer?" Spike is putting the pieces together. 

"It appears that he is. I don't think he'll be much trouble for us. We will have to wait and see."

Jura steps up. "Do you mind if I give it my all?" 

"That's the game, isn't it?" The Pumpkin head responds. 

Jura focuses his magic. "Rumbling Fuji!" Jura unleashes an extremely damaging strike by an immense release of magic power surging from the ground on the MPF orb. 

"8544! That is absolutely mind-blowing!" Chapati announces. 

"No way!" Natsu is in shock. 

"He sure packs a wallop for someone his age!" Gray shouts. 

"What the?" Orga couldn't believe that Jura is three times stronger than he. 

Spike is laughing. "I'm stronger than that attack!"

The crowd realizes that Spike the Fairy is stronger. Everyone around Spike doesn't want to mess with him, knowing that he defeated Jura earlier in the Grand Magic Games. 

"Wow, that's kinda scary. We have someone to dethrone that number for sure," Mirajane said. 

"Make that two. I know I can defeat Jura," Laxus said. 

Cana walks up to the MPF after having her last drink. She removes her jacket revealing the Fairy Glitter emblem on her arm. "Now, the Grand Finale." 

"Wait, what!?" Spike recognizes the emblem on Cana's arm. 

"What's wrong, Spike?" Mirajane asks. 

"I've seen that mark before. That's Fairy Glitter. She used it on Bluenote Stinger at Tenrou Island, but the dude got away in a nick of time. I remember how powerful it was at the time too." 

"First Master?" Makarov turns to Mavis, now understanding the reason for Cana to participate in today's contest for Fairy Tail Team B. 

"I lend it to her on this special occasion. Now, she's sure to win," Mavis smiles. Makarov is appalled. 

"It's time to assemble!" Cana raises her arm. "O River of Light that's Guided by Fairies!"

"Using that spell is not easy. It takes incredible concentration and power. Cana has both, and I know she won't fail us," Mavis explains. 

Cana uses her arm to aim at the MPF. "Shine your light! So I May Vanquish the Fangs of Wickedness! Fairy Glitter!" Cana unleashes a ring of absolute power and light on the MPF, shattering it to pieces. 

"Oh my goodness! I can't believe it, ladies and gentlemen! The MPF is history. Her power is off the charts! This guild is beyond incredible! Fairy Tail once again has taken today's game by storm! Can anyone stop them now!?" Chapati says after witnessing a great turnaround of magic power. 

"There's no stopping us! Fairy Tail will be number one in Fiore once more!" Cana declares. 

"I think we can pull Fairy Glitter, Spike. We have the power for it. Concentration, that's something we need to work with."

"Understood." Spike said to Fairy Rage mentally. 

"Now, with the contest dismissed, here are the current standings of Day 3," Chapati announces. 



Fairy Tail Team B - 39 points

Raven Tail - 36 points

Mermaid Heel - 23 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 22 points

Sabertooth - 17 points

Blue Pegasus - 15 points

Lamia Scale - 15 points

Quatro Puppy - 14 points


"Just like that, ladies and gentlemen. Fairy Tail has reclaimed the top seeding in the Grand Magic Games. Fairy Tail Team B looks forward to staying in that position while Fairy Tail Team A is soaring with the momentum they have. Despite scoring no points, Raven Tail is behind by three points!" Chapati announces. 

"I'm hoping that Fairy Tail doesn't blow the lead," Yajima says. 

"I'm looking forward to the upcoming battles. I hope one of them can surpass Day 1's battle that Jura and Spike had," Lahar says. 

"We will find out within half an hour, time for an intermission. Grab your snacks and drinks, folks. You don't want to miss the exciting matchups." 

Spike grabs his head and falls to his knee. His eyes widen in terror as his body starts to tremble. 

"Spike, are you okay?" Mirajane gets worried. 

"What is wrong with me?" Spike clutches onto his head a bit more and begins to pant heavily. 

"Hey, Fairy Rage, what's going on with him?" Gajeel asks. 

"I sensed it... Well, one of them.., of the guild member that's going after Spike. One of them is near..." Spike roars and passes out. 

Mirajane picks him up. "I'll take him to the infirmary," Mirajane runs as fast as she can to the infirmary. 

"What the hell just happened?" Erza sees Mirajane carrying Spike for some reason. 

"Erza, what?" Lucy asks. 

"Mirajane picked up Spike and took off," Erza said. She hears Wendy running after Mirajane. 

"We should follow her," Gray said. 

"Agreed, let's move," Erza commands. 

Mirajane runs to the infirmary. She sees the Thunder Legion, Elfman, and Porlyusica. They turn to Mirajane and are in shock to see Spike in his condition. 

"What happened?" Porlyusica walks up to Mirajane. 

"It's Spike. He sensed a disturbing presence that caused him to pass out." 

"What kind of disturbing presence are we talking about?" Bickslow asks. 

"Is it Raven Tail?" Freed asks.

"No," Mirajane shakes her head. "It's the warning that Fairy Rage said months ago." 

"Hold on. You mean the guild that'll take Spike away?" Evergreen asks. 

"Yes," Mirajane nods. "Fairy Rage sensed one of the members a few moments ago." 

"Put him in bed," Porlyusica said. 

Mirajane puts Spike in bed. Porlyusica examines Spike, checking his vitals and magic power. Wendy burst through the door to check on Spike. She is worrisome to see Spike in this condition. 

"Did Raven Tail went after Spike?" Wendy worriedly asks. 

"No. A member of a guild did. The one Fairy Rage sensed months ago," Mirajane said. Wendy gasps. 

Erza, Gray, Natsu, and Lucy catch up and sees Spike on the bed. Erza and Lucy feel sick to their stomachs and wondered what happened.  Mirajane explains what happened. Natsu wants to bring down the punk that's going after Spike. Gray wants to freeze the punk in his ice and shatter him. Erza wants to give the punk a beating of his life. Lucy wants to use all her Celestial Spirits to annihilate the punk coming after Spike. 

"As much as I hate saying this," Porlyusica gets up. "You need to get back and prepare for the next battle. After one of you is called, you may return and see Spike."

Wendy pouts angrily as she leaves. She doesn't want to compete. She wants to be by Spike's side. 

"What about Spike? How is he-" Porlyusica interrupts Erza's question. 

"Spike is doing alright. He's in a comatose sleep and should be waking up in a little while. The stress from what Fairy Rage sensed triggered Spike to go into a deep sleep. All we can do is wait until he wakes up later today." 

"Understood. Thanks, Porlyusicia." 

Fairy Tail Team A return to their suite. Wendy has a hunch about who is coming for Spike, and she won't let her live if she dares take him away from her.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 3, Observation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Discord, are we able to enter the coliseum?" Twilight asks. 

"Not unless you have a ticket," Discord replies. 

"Do your magic and spawn us some tickets," Princess Celestia commands. 

Discord sighs and snaps his fingers. Only one ticket appear before him. 

"Just one? Is your magic off?" Celestia asks. 

"My magic and most of yours have altered since arriving here moments ago. Quite frankly, I'm more powerful than I was," Discord said. 

"Why is it that one ticket appeared and not nine?" Twilight puts a little pressure on Discord. 

"It appears that this is the only ticket available. You want me to give you information; I have to go and see for myself. Also, spawning more tickets will be theft as many people here bought theirs, and it appears to cost more money than what they could be making."

Twilight groans. Celestia nods. "Very well. No trickery, Discord. The fate of Equestria depends on our mission to succeed,"  Celestia formally states. 

"What about us?" Pinkie asks. 

Discord uses his magic to spawn Earth Land's money. He gives it to the gang. "Find a hotel and stay there. Think about how to approach Spike," Discord takes his ticket and goes. He watches Fluttershy and her friends looking for a hotel. "What am I getting myself into?"

Discord enters the coliseum after they scan his ticket. He looks at a mirror to see himself. He's wearing red jeans, blue and purple collar vest (which are supposed to be his wings), a brown t-shirt on top of a yellow long sleeve shirt, and green and yellow sneakers. On his right hand, he's wearing a motorcycle glove. On his left hand, he's wearing a skeleton glove. Discord's skin tone is gray, the front of his hair is white, while the back of it is black. Discord is wearing a chaos symbol medallion. 

"So, this is my human form of this world. How intriguing," Discord examines himself a bit more. "Forgive me, Spike," Discord asks someone for directions to get to his seat. Discord gets escorted to the lower rims of the coliseum. His seat is number one in the first row. "Wow, it's huge," Discord looks around and sees the teams for the event. "Hey, you guys. Mind telling me which team Spike is in?"

"Are you kidding me? You never heard of Fairy Dragon?" A fan says in shock. 

"Who's Fairy Dragon?" Discord asks. 

"Spike the Fairy. Bro, you missed an amazing battle two days ago," Another fan replies. 

"Spike the Fairy is with the Fairy Tail guild. They're awesome," Another fan explains. 

"Fairy Tail, huh?" Discord believes that Spike is having an amazing life with a guild called Fairy Tail. "So, what did I miss?"

"Pandemonium!" A fan shouts. "It's Day 3 of the Grand Magic Games!" 

"Hmm," Discord looks at two people coming into the battle. One girl looking like a cat. The other guy looks like a tall fatty dog. "So, the Grand Magic Games is like a night of champions kind of battle?"

"Yea. 8 teams are competing in this year's event. Two come from Fairy Tail the rest are Sabertooth, Raven Tail, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Quatro Puppy, and Mermaid Heel. Right now, Mermaid Heel and Quatro Puppy are fighting."

"Hmm, should be good," Discord uses his magic to make a glass of chocolate milk appear in front of him. 

"Whoa, how did you do that?" A fan behind Discord asks out of curiosity. 

"Magic. However, my guild is rather new in Fiore," Discord said, lying to the people around him. 

"What's it called?" The people around him ask. 

"Uh, we are known as the-" Discord pauses, then thinks of an ingenious name. "Celestials."

"That name sounds badass," The people say around him. 

"Indeed," Discord sighs in relief a bit. "Guilds, huh? Then we are the Celestials. Magic-powered entities coming from another universe. I hate myself at times when things turn against me."

Discord watches the cat girl; Millianna ties up Semmes of Quatro Puppy and gets the victory, scoring 10 points for Mermaid Heel. 

"That was boring. What's next?" Discord continues to watch. He sees two more competitors entering the battlefield. Rufus Sabertooth and Eve of Blue Pegasus. "A gentleman and a playboy? Geez, it's making me want to go in there and stir things up." 

Discord is amazed by Rufus of Sabertooth using memory illusions to distract his opponent, to deliver a blow on Eve. Discord sees that Eve uses snow magic and made a deceptive clone of snow. Rufus then uses his memory maker magic to create magma rocks and attack Eve with them, winning the matchup. Sabertooth scores 10 points. 

"That was better, a battle of illusions and elements," Discord likes that match better than the first one. 

"Ooooooooooooooh!" A fan behind Discord shouts and gets excited. 

"Uh, why are you shouting?" Discord asks. 

"Laxus Dreyar is competing! The Lightning Dragon Slayer is fighting!" 

"Lightning Dragon Slayer?" Discord is in shock to hear that. Someone that has the magic power to slay a dragon. Discord starts feeling uncomfortable with Spike hanging around with a Dragon Slayer. However, Discord believes that Spike and this Laxus character are great friends. Maybe brothers. He can't assume the worse until he has more information.

Alexei, the leader of Raven Tail, is face to face in the middle of the battlefield. He attacks Laxus and dominates him in close-quarters combat. Discord yawns while watching what was supposed to be an enticing battle. Discord watches the supposed Dragon Slayer getting rag-dolled like no tomorrow. Then, all of a sudden, Discord Sees Laxus using his lightning magic and throws Alexei around, making it an even match.

"Now this is entertainment," Discord is enjoying the fight. 

Laxus and Alexei continue to fight until something happens in the middle of the arena. The outcome of the match comes to an end as everyone in the arena sees five wizards knocked out while Laxus stands tall. 

"I was fooled with an illusion!? Me!? The Lord of Chaos deceived!?" Discord starts questioning every potential wizard and its magic power. 

Not only does Fairy Tail Team B scores 10 points, but Chapati also announces that Raven Tail is disqualified from the Grand Magic Games. The final match of the day is Wendy Marvell of Fairy Tail Team A versus Sherria Blendy of Lamia Scale. Discord doesn't know how to feel about two young girls fighting in the arena. 

Sherria comes into the arena and trips on a rock. Wendy walks into the arena, determined to end it quickly as possible. 

"The Fairy Tail girl, she's angry." 

"How can you tell, Mister?"

"Look at her face. It reveals a thousand words," Discord points at Wendy's facial expressions. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Sherria asks Wendy. 

"Forgive me. I'm not in the mood for a friendly battle. Someone needs me right now," Wendy powers up. "Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" 

Discord is amazed to see another Dragon Slayer in Fairy Tail. He wonders who it is that Wendy wants to be with. Discord hears Sherria's attack and becomes quite afraid. 

"God Slayer!? This girl can kill me!?" Discord does feel more powerful but, hearing someone that has the ability to slay Gods is terrifying enough. "Go, Wendy!" Discord shouts, supporting the Dragon Slayer to vanquish the God Slayer. 

Wendy wastes no time chit-chatting during the fight while Sherria is trying to have a friendly conversation. Wendy tells Sherria that someone she loves needs her and wants to end this match to be with him. Sherria understands and asks Wendy to take a dive, however, Wendy needs to win the match as well. The two are evenly matched during this battle of the Sky Maidens. 

Discord is enjoying this matchup even though he's afraid of Sherria's God Slaying Magic. Wendy and Sherria are fighting in close-quarters combat at immense speeds. Unfortunately, there is a thirty-minute timer, and it expires. Wendy and Sherria gain 5 points for ending the match in a draw. 

"I like you, Sherria. You're an awesome wizard. I have to go," Wendy turns and runs to the infirmary. 

"Hey! I'm coming with you!" Sherria follows Wendy to the infirmary. 

Discord looks at the scoreboard for today's standings. 



Fairy Tail Team B - 49 points

Mermaid Heel - 33 points

Sabertooth - 27 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 27 points

Lamia Scale - 20 points

Blue Pegasus - 15 points

Quatro Puppy - 14 points

Raven Tail (Disqualified)


"Well, Twilight has the perfect way to speak with Spike in tomorrow's game," Discord gets up and leaves the arena. "I'm hoping that Spike stays."

It's 8:30 at night in Crocus. Discord appears in front of Celestia and the others in the hotel they picked, the only one that had no lacrima vision. 

"So, Discord. Any information you wish to speak about?" Princess Celestia calmly and formally asks. 

"Also, where were you?" Twilight irately asks. 

Discord takes a deep breath. "Spike is here. He's with a guild competing in the Grand Magic Games called Fairy Tail." 

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie laugh at the name, calling it a sissy guild for having a sissy name. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie mock and did Fairy Tale skits to make fun of the guild. Discord will keep his mouth shut about the guild and let their faces tell the story after finding out that Fairy Tail is a guild that no one should mess with. 

"So, is there a way for us to get in?" Shining Armor asks. 

"Yes, I found the King of this Nation and 'persuade' him on allowing our guild to take the place of Raven Tail's position. He accepted the proposal of an outer-world guild competing in the Grand Magic Games as once in a lifetime event of the history of the Grand Magic Games. Our codename will be known as the Celestials."

"Hmm," Princess Celestia is pleased with the name. "We'll take it. The name of our guild is perfect." 

"Discord, did you manipulate the King's mind into accepting the proposal?" Fluttershy asks. 

"Yes. I don't see any other way of convincing such an extravaganza," Discord sadly admits. 

"Good. We are guaranteed to come face to face with Spike during these games," Twilight declares. 

"Also, only five wizards can compete. The rest are substitutes in case any gets injured. There are challenges and fighting. So, who's going to be the five to compete?" Discord turns to everyone. 

"I'm in. Gonna need some speed," Rainbow said. 

"And muscle," Applejack said. 

"I'm going in," Shining Armor said. 

"I have to be in it, to talk to Spike and save him from this world's dangers," Twilight said. 

"Discord, you'll be the substitute for this team," Princess Celestia said. 

"Also, there needs to be a Guild Master present. And, the Guild Master is not allowed to compete," Discord informs. 

"Fluttershy and Rarity will be the Guild Masters of the Celestials. There, done," Twilight announces. 

"So, what time to be at the Coliseum tomorrow?" Shining Armor asks. 

"10:00 in the morning. Get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, get ready for many surprises," Discord said. 

Everyone gets ready for bed. Discord looks at the night sky. "I hope you prevail, Spike. You deserve a happy life. Not the one Twilight intends on giving you back in Equestria."

"Spike, I'm coming to bring you back home. I'm going to take you away from this wretched world." Twilight wholeheartedly says before going to sleep.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 3, Spike's Fear
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moments after the fight, Wendy is running as fast as she can to the infirmary. Sherria is behind Wendy. Wendy opens the door and sees Spike waking up. 

"Spike!" Wendy goes up to him and hugs him. 

"Wendy," Spike sees how teary Wendy is and hugs her. He holds her lovingly. 

"Wow, it's Fairy Dragon," Sherria said. 

"Uh, hello," Spike waves at Sherria. 

"So, is it true, Wendy? Is Spike your boyfriend?" Sherria asks. 

"Yea," Wendy nods. "Spike and I are a young couple." 

"Lucky you," Sherria said. 

"What happened? Spike rubs his eyes. 

"I sensed one of the members that'll come for you. You went into a total shock that put you in a comatose."

"What was that!?" Sherria gets startled. 

"The name is Fairy Rage. I reside in Spike the Fairy."

"Fairy Rage is an emotion of Spike brought to life," Wendy clarifies. 

"How did that happened?" Sherria asks. 

"I consumed the Abyss energy that Master Hades produced to defeat him seven years ago," Spike answers. 

"The particles of Master Hades were inside me, trying to possess Spike's body. With the medication from Porlyusica, Hades was gone, and I got to stay with a clean slate."

"Wow," Sherria said in awe. 

"Fairy Rage protects my mind from manipulations, memory erase, and mind trickery spells."

"I wish I had that ability!" Sherria is envious of Spike's second mind. 

"Maybe there's one in the Magic Library. You never know." 

"So, what happened while I was sleeping?" Spike asks Wendy. 

Wendy and Sherria explain the battles that happened. Spike is mad that he missed Wendy's battle. Wendy and Sherria chuckle by watching Spike's reaction. 

Fairy Tail Team A & B come into the infirmary to check on Spike. Master Makarov comes with vital information. 

"Hello, my children. I come bearing with interesting news."

"What is it, Master?" Erza looks down at him. 

"At first, with Raven Tail's disqualification, I was asked to combine the two teams into one. Moments ago, the Game Organizers told me that combining teams won't be necessary. A new guild will be taking Raven Tail's position in the Grand Magic Games. They will be competing tomorrow."

"Is it a guild we are familiar with, Master?" Mirajane asks. 

"No," Makarov shakes his head. "We will know in tomorrow's event. What happened with Spike?"

"I sensed a member that will come after Spike earlier today. It caused him to go into a comatose sleep, Master." Fairy Rage explains. 

"Hmm," Makarov remembers the story Spike told when he first came to Fairy Tail. Perhaps those fiends made an appearance and are looking for him. "We will take precautions and ensure that Spike is safe. Spike," Makarov turns to him. 

"Yes, Master?" Spike turns to Makarov. 

"You are forbidden to wander off alone. If you wish to go someplace, have someone accompany you at all times."

"Understood, Master," Spike bows to Makarov's decree. 

"I fear that something else is amiss around here," Makarov leaves the infirmary. 

Spike sighs a bit. "I'm going back to the inn and going to order room service." 

"No, you're not. You're coming with us. It's time to celebrate," Natsu said. 

"Aye!" Happy cheers. 

"Also, if they try coming after you, they have an entire guild prepare to bring them down to their knees," Natsu reassures Spike. 

Spike slightly chuckles. "Alright, I'm coming." 

Everyone goes to the Sun Bar to celebrate Fairy Tail's first place reclamation. Spike feels slightly better, but the feeling from earlier throws him off. Wendy sits with Spike, Gajeel falls asleep, Reedsu is drawing Panther Lily holding a sword. 

"How are you feeling, Spike?" Wendy asks. 

"Okay, for the most part. Sorry, what Fairy Rage sensed threw me off. I'm mad that I missed your fight. I wanted to cheer you on." 

"It's okay. I have a feeling tomorrow that I'll be cheering for you," Wendy smiles, kissing Spike's cheek to make him feel better. 

"Thank you, Wendy," Spike hugs Wendy. 

"We're foos-barrel surfing champions!" Natsu is using the bar sign as a board to ride on the barrels. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy shouts. 

"Hey! That's dangerous!" Jet rolls out of the way. 

"Hit the deck!" Droy jumps out of the way. 

Natsu and Happy crash into the table Spike, Wendy, and Gajeel were sitting. Gajeel is pissed that Natsu woke him up. 

"You looking for a knuckle sandwich!?" Gajeel grabs Natsu's scarf. 

"No," Natsu's stunt caused him to get motion sickness. "Fine, you can ride it."

"You're missing the point!" Gajeel barks. 

"In case, I'll have a go at it," Gray takes off his shirt and rides the barrels as Natsu did. He crashes into a wall, and all his clothes came off except for his underwear. 

"Enough!" Erza grabs the bar sign then barrel surfs. "Watch. This is how you barrel surf!" Erza immediately crashes into a wall. 

"Wendy, are you alright?" Spike turns to Wendy. 

"I'm fine. You should try barrel surfing," Wendy suggests to Spike. 

Spike smile fades. "I rather not. Sorry, Wendy," Spike walks up to Gajeel. "Gajeel, mind taking me to the Inn since Master forbade me of wandering alone?"

"Yea, I can use a good shut-eye," Gajeel gets up. 

Gajeel and Spike leave the Sun Bar. Wendy looks down while Erza becomes a little sad. Lucy and the others worry about Spike. An hour later, Spike and Gajeel are in the Honeycomb Inn. Spike couldn't help but stare out the window, feeling unnerved. Gajeel is keeping watch until the others come back. It's an awkward silence. 

"You still confident that you can defeat Twilight and the others if they were to come?"

"I am, and I'm not. What if my dream is a vision of what's yet to come? My downward spiral into committing suicide."

"You are stronger than most people in the games. You defeated Jura, who is a Wizard Saint."

"I come from a different world. What if Twilight and the others become stronger in this world?"

"You remember Tenrou Island and the fear route you've embarked?"

"Yes, I remember." 

"If memory serves me right, you conquered that fear by standing up to them and refusing to have them strip away your freedom and happiness."

"You're right. The fear still gets to me. I cannot allow it to ruin me and the good I'm enjoying! Tomorrow, if they show up, I will hold nothing back. I will stand up to my demons, even though they can do some damage." Spike sighs heavily. "There's a seven-year gap, and they could be stronger than I think they are. Maybe that's why the nightmare got to me. I don't know. I want to embrace the challenge of confronting them, at the same time though, Twilight could know more spells that can somewhat weaken me or stop time. She has time-traveled before."

"I understand. Twilight's capabilities cannot be underestimated when it comes to her priorities. I looked into your memory and saw what you've been through; only you can accept what's true or what's false. Don't be discouraged. Be courageous and strong. Show them what being a Fairy Tail Wizard is all about. Rest well, Spike. You'll need it for Day 4 of the Grand Magic Games."

"Fairy Dragon. You okay?" Gajeel turns to Spike. 

"I'll be better tomorrow," Spike gets in bed. "Night, Gajeel."

"Night, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel continues to keep watch as Spike goes to sleep.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 4, Naval Battle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up after having a good night's sleep. He sees his friends already gearing up for today's Grand Magic Games. 

"Hurry up, Fairy Dragon. We're going to be late!" Gajeel shouts. 

"What time is it?" 

"9:30 in the morning. We only have a half-hour to get there," Mirajane said. 

Spike brushes his teeth and puts on deodorant. He comes back out and uses his fire breath to teleport his friends to their suite at the coliseum. 

"I keep forgetting you can do that, Spike," Juvia said. 

"It's fine. Now, we're on time and have nothing to worry about," Spike said. He's more of himself today than yesterday. 

"It's great seeing you in high spirit, Spike," Mirajane said. 

"I'm ready to embrace the challenges ahead. I hope I don't succumb to my fears." 

"Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Day 4 of the Grand Magic Games! I have interesting news for all of you!" Chapati gets too excited to continue to announce. 

"As you know, Raven Tail has been disqualified in yesterday's events. Today, we have a new guild that'll be taking their spot and points. This is once in a lifetime opportunity in this year's Grand Magic Games. No other Grand Magic Games will allow this ruling," Yajima announces. 

"They say this guild is out of this world! So put your hands together for the replacement guild, The Celestials!" Chapati announces. 

Spike grabs his chest a bit. He starts having sudden flashbacks from the story Spike Knightwalker told him back in Edolas. Erza's eyes widen in shock. She knows who they are. Lisanna backs away in pure shock and horror. Mavis and Makarov turn to her. 

"Something troubling you, Lisanna?" Mavis asks. 

"Spike told me the story of Spike Knightwalker and his tormentors. A Dark Guild known as the Celestials."

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Wakaba said in shock. 

"That's them right now? Are you sure of it?" Macao said. 

"Listen to the names if you remember Spike's tale when he came to Fairy Tail," Lisanna said. 

"Warren, alert the others with your telepathy and spread out. We need to take precautionary actions just in case," Master Makarov commands. 

"I'm on it," Warren said. 

"Erza, what's wrong?" Natsu checks on Erza. 

Erza snaps out of it and gets serious. "The Celestials are Spike's tormentors. They're here. Spike told me the story of Spike Knightwalker's past when I 'captured' him. The Celestials was a Dark Guild that made Spike Knightwalker's life a living Hell." 

"Well, now they'll have to go through us. All of us," Wendy declares. 

"So, that's them," Gajeel tries looking for the guild. He sees the Celestials wearing their cloaks at the suite where Raven Tail would be. 

"Wow, so many people. This arena is huge," Rainbow Dash sees the entirety of the coliseum. 

"We're not here for sightseeing. We're here to bring Spike back home by any means," Twilight reminds Rainbow Dash. 

"Unless Spike refuses to come back and fights for his freedom to stay," Discord reminds Twilight. 

"I know he's coming back. It's only a matter of when," Twilight tries to locate Spike from the suite. 

"Spike will have to listen to reason and the situation that all of Equestria could be doomed," Princess Celestia states.

"So, how do these games go again, Discord?" Pinkie asks. 

"The first contest, eight teams select one member to compete. There's a point ranking system based on first to last place. After the contest, there are battles. What I've seen, their one-on-one battles that last for 30 minutes."

"Perfect, I'll go in and 'battle' with Spike. I'll talk to him, and hopefully, he'll listen to reason." 

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for Naval Battle!" The Pumpkin Head uses his magic to spawn a watery sphere in the middle of the coliseum. "In this contest, it's a battle royal. Competitors will battle and knock each other. When two competitors are left, there will be a time limit of five minutes. Now everyone, pick and choose the wizard to participate. We're near the final day of the Grand Magic Games! Every point counts!" 

"I don't think Spike will be entering. He's not fond of cold water. Rainbow Dash, use your speed and knock everyone out." 

"Can do, Twilight. Also, I'm going to need a bathing suit." 

"Discord," Twilight turns to Discord. 

"On it," Discord snaps his fingers and provides Rainbow Dash with a rainbow theme one-piece swimsuit. 

"Thanks," Rainbow Dash puts on her one-piece rainbow swimsuit. She concentrates and sprouts angel wings on her back. She's ready for anything. Rainbow Dash hair color is a rainbow theme. Her skin tone is a light tan. She still has her rose color eyes. "Time to shine," Rainbow Dash flies and enters the Naval ring. 

"From the Celestials, we're seeing Rainbow Dash!"

"Think you can keep up?" Rainbow starts getting cocky. 

"So, that's the bitch that continuously harass Spike with ice water pranks?" Lucy grits her teeth. "I'm going in. She's going to rue the day of messing with my brother." 

"Give that bitch a beating, one from every member of Fairy Tail," Natsu said.

"I wish I can show her how cold things will be if or when they dare to try and take Spike," Gray said.

"I would strip their air so they can choke on it," Wendy viciously claims. 

"That's her. Rainbow Dash that continued to insult me with names, mock me by comparing me to other dragons, prank me viciously, and straight-up bullied me," Spike said. 

"I'm going in, Spike. I'm going to drown her with my Water Nebula," Juvia puts on her swim gear. 

"Give that bitch a thrashing for us," Gajeel said. 

"Coming in from Lamia Scale, Sherria," Chapati announces. 

"I won't be settling for a draw today," Sherria said. "I'm winning this!"

"Jenny from Blue Pegasus hits the wave," Chapati announces. 

"You'll try, but I'll succeed," Jenny declares. 

"Risley Law of Mermaid Heel has arrived," Yajima says.

"Underestimate me, and you'll lose it all," Risley said. 

"Here comes Juvia of Fairy Tail Team B!" Yajima says, getting excited to see another Fairy Tail victory.

"Also from Fairy Tail Team A, it's Lucy Heartfillia," Chapati says, getting excited seeing the beautiful women competing. 

Juvia and Lucy remain silent. They know who they want to go after first. Minerva enters the fray, representing Sabertooth. Lastly, Rocker of Quatro Puppy comes in. 

"Open! Gate of the Waterbearer, Aquarius!" Lucy summons Aquarius. 

"This is my domain, bimbos!" Aquarius uses her water urn, preparing to unleash her wrath.

"Start with the Rainbow Bitch!" Lucy points at Rainbow Dash. 

"Who are you calling bitch?" Rainbow is appalled by Lucy's magic power for summoning creatures. 

"This is for Spike, you bastard!!" Aquarius unleashes her water torrent at Rainbow Dash. 

"Uh oh," Rainbow Dash uses her immense speeds to dodge the attack. She watches the water torrent knocking out Rocker of Quatro Puppy. He lands face-first into the dirt below. 

"My turn, Water Cyclone!" Juvia unleashes her version of Aquarius' water torrent at Rainbow Dash. 

"Crud!" Rainbow Dash uses her immense speeds. "Okay, I think they are mad at me for the way I treated Spike." 

"Open, Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!" Lucy summons Virgo, who is wearing a black bikini.

"You're going to punish me now, Princess?" Virgo asks. 

"No! See that rainbow-headed girl? That's Rainbow Dash. Take her down!" Lucy commands. 

"As you wish," Virgo swims after Rainbow Dash. 

"Oh, c'mon!" Rainbow outmaneuvers Virgo's attack with her speed. 

"Water Slicer!" Juvia creates a single wave of multiple blades that resemble scythes. Rainbow Dash gets knocked out of the Naval Battle with the water attacks hitting her. Rainbow Dash is now eliminated. 

"Okay, this Fairy Tail Guild has a vendetta on us. I'm going to have to wipe their memories so they can forget about Spike once I confront him." Twilight thought to herself. 

"The Fairy Tail Guild are definitely aggressors. I'm going to have to use my magic around them if Twilight's plan backfires." Celestia thought to herself. 

"Yea!" Natsu cheers. "That's what you get for messing with our buddy!"

"No one messes with Spike!" Wendy cheers. 

"I wish there were more punishment involve, but we still need to win," Gajeel said. 

"I hope I get a chance to teach them a lesson they'll never forget," Laxus said. 

After Rainbow Dash's elimination, everyone remaining starts to fight each other. Rainbow Dash is angry at herself for being the second person to get eliminated and targeted. She returns to her friends at the suite. 

"So, how's their magic power, Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie asks. 

"Powerful. Here I thought I'll have the advantage, but I got triple-teamed. I think we may be at a disadvantage, guys." 

"Spike didn't compete, so it doesn't matter," Twilight said. "Our goal is to bring him back, not winning these silly foolish games." 

Juvia and Lucy decide to team up to knock out the other competitors. To make a statement to the Celestials about messing with the wrong guild and trying to go after their friend. Juvia unleashes her new powerful attack, which she named it after Gray. Juvia's attack knocks out Jenny of Blue pegasus first, Sherria of Lamia Scale second, and Risley law of Mermaid Heel third. Juvia hopes that Gray is watching but, Gray is stunned. Juvia realized that she's out of the water ring and gets eliminated by Minerva. Minerva and Lucy now have five minutes to duke it out. Minerva uses her territory explosions all around Lucy, causing intensifying heat that explodes all around Lucy. Due to the blinding explosion, Minerva swoops and takes Lucy's Celestial Spirit Keys.

"This is bad," Spike is watching the horrors.

"Lucy is unable to defend herself against this type of magic," Mirajane is watching the horrors unfolding by Minerva's dominance. 

Minerva continues to use her territory explosions to torture Lucy left and right. She also uses her magic to prevent Lucy from falling out of bounds. Minerva uses her magic to bring Lucy closer to her and strike her with hard, heavy kicks at her back. Everyone witnessing this brutal attack cannot bear to look any further except for the Sabertooth guild and the Celestials. Twilight and the others except Discord believe it's karma for ganging up on Rainbow Dash. The five-minute mark expires. However, due to the added stipulation, the competitors must continue until a winner is declared. Lucy is defenseless due to being underwater as there are no knockouts. 

"Stop it!!!" Natsu angrily shouts. 

The Sabertooth guild smirks at Fairy Tail Team A. Spike looks at the Sabertooth guild and does the decapitation signal at them, telling them that they're dead meat. 

"You guys are going to pay for this," Erza, Gray, and Natsu irately say in unison. 

The Pumpkin Head sees enough and calls the match, declaring Minerva as the winner of the Naval Battle. Twilight is amused and sees an ally in the making if all else fails. Minerva has a firm grip on Lucy's head and tosses her out. Natsu, Erza, and Gray hurry to catch Lucy. Gray and Natsu catch Lucy before she landed on the ground. Wendy and Sherria come to heal Lucy after a brutal attack. 

"Hey, it's best to divert that anger at the Celestials if we're called to fight any of their members."

"Not only I'm going to teach them a life lesson that their friendship won't fix, but I'm also going to destroy Minerva for torturing my sister. This means war," Spike angrily states. His face says it all. 

These are the current standings after Naval Battle:



Fairy Tail Team B - 55 points

Sabertooth - 37 points

Mermaid Heel - 37 points

Celestials - 37 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 35 points

Lamia Scale - 23 points

Blue Pegasus - 17 points

Quatro Puppy - 14 points


Gray and Natsu pick up Lucy after Wendy and Sherria used their combined healing magic to help Lucy. Spike teleports his friends to the infirmary. As they arrive, Gray and Natsu enter to put Lucy in bed. Porlyusica begins her healing work on Lucy. 

"Those assholes made a grave mistake," Spike angrily said. 

"Sabertooth made an enemy on Fairy Tail. They'll live to regret it," Erza declares. 

"Not only Sabertooth, but the Celestials are also here. We need to bury them six feet under," Natsu states. 

"They won't take me back to Equestria. I'm sending them to HELL."

Master Makarov walks in the room, bearing news for his children. "I received word from the Game Organizers. Gajeel, you will be representing Team A in the duos battle of Day 4."

"Why is that, Master?" Gajeel is confused by the sudden trade. 

"The Game Organizers want to feature the main event, The Battle of the Dragon Slayers. You and Natsu versus Sting and Rogue." 

"Very well, I'll work with Team A. After this, I'm going back to Team B." 

"Of course, Gajeel. It's only for today." 

"What's going to happen with Team B since Gajeel will be working with Team A, Master?" Mirajane asks. 

"The Game Organizers are being generous with the next stipulation. One member of Fairy Tail Team B gets to choose their partner during the duos battle."

"Interesting. That means we can create a stronger team during that battle," Erza said. 

"Indeed," Makarov nods. "I wish you all luck, my children," Makarov leaves the infirmary. 

"Lucy is going to need much-needed rest. I suggest you all come back later to check on her," Porlyusica said. 

"Here, Lucy may want this," Happy gives Porlyusica Lucy's Gate Keys. 

"Let's Go!" Spike's eyes are a blend of orange and green. Spike is in control of his anger this time. 

Spike leaves the infirmary with Fairy Tail Team B. They'll be returning to their suite. Fairy Tail Team A goes to theirs to watch the upcoming battles. Spike blinks, and his eyes are back to normal. He's going to save it for the Celestials, then Sabertooth.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 4, Spike vs Twilight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle and her friends have been watching the first two battles of the Grand Magic Games. They are mesmerized to see each individual with their craft of magic power. They watched two members of Quatro Puppy square off against two members of Blue Pegasus. Blue Pegasus successfully defeated Quatro Puppy after one blow from Ichiya. The following fight was incredible, a sight to behold with an Ice Wizard from Lamia Scale versus a Swordswoman of Mermaid Heel. Unfortunately, it ends in a draw. Twilight and Princess Celestia sensed the magic power emitting from each wizard and now know they are stronger than most villains and unicorns in Equestria. 

"Having trouble fathoming this world's beauty and magic?" Discord asks Twilight and Celestia while reading Sorcerer Weekly. 

"It's more powerful here.., the magic that each individual has is incredible," Princess Celestia admits. "This world, from what I see, is gorgeous. I'm starting to believe that the people Spike calls his friends are his family. I don't think I can pull through with this." 

"Celestia!" Twilight slaps Princess Celestia in the face. In the process, Twilight used her magic to erase the feeling Celestia had. While waiting for Discord's return yesterday, Twilight has been honing her magic to a degree. "The fate of Equestria is on the line!"

The girls and Shining Armor gasps, Discord doesn't pay much attention to it, knowing Twilight will get scorn for it. Discord turns another page to read in peace. 

"You're right," Princess Celestia sounds serious. "I cannot allow my personal feeling getting the better of me. My subjects come first."

Discord takes notice of Celestia's demeanor. At first, she sounded genuine about the possible people Spike has called family. Now she turned a 180. Discord cannot tell if it's Twilight's doing or not due to this world's magic energy field. He assumes that Twilight had already changed the perception of Celestia's view. 

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, time to introduce the third matchup before our main event! From the Celestials, it's Twilight Sparkle and Celestia! From Fairy Tail, it'll be Spike the Fairy and a partner of his choosing folks."

"Spike the Fairy?" Twilight, Celestia, Shining Armor, and the girls say in unison then laugh at the name, thinking it's a horrible name. 

"What a sissy name for Spike!" Rainbow Dash couldn't stop laughing. 

"Fairies are not scary," Pinkie points at the Fairy Tail Guild, dying of laughter. 

"Celestia, you need to distract whoever Spike picks while I talk to him."

"Understood. I can't control the sun of this world, but I can still gain magic power from being in the daylight," Celestia draws her sun-flaming sword and shield. She has her unicorn horn and angelic wings. Celestia's attire is a white greek goddess dress, golden heel, and a golden tiara. Celestia's skin tone is white. 

"Let's do this," Twilight unveils her cloak. Twilight is wearing a purple and black warlock's attire, purple thigh-high boots. She has her angelic wings and unicorn horn. Her skin tone is dark tan. 

Twilight and Celestia fly to the center of the coliseum. They are waiting for Spike and his supposed partner to come out. The crowd cheers for the two. 

Spike is on his way to Fairy Tail Team A suite. He was having a hard time choosing who he wants as a partner in this battle. Erza and Wendy turn to Spike as he's drawing near. 

"I'm here to choose my partner now that I know who's participating." 

"Who have you decided, Spike?" Wendy looks at Spike. 

"Now that I know that Princess Celestia is Twilight's partner, I'm going to need your help, Sis." 

"It'll be an honor to fight alongside you, Spike," Erza gets ready to unleash her fury at the guild that mock their name in vain. 

"Wendy, I promise you, I will return to you after battle," Spike vows. 

"I know you will. Teach those scumbags a life lesson they'll regret for the rest of their days." 

Wendy, Natsu, Gajeel, and Gray watch Erza and Spike leave the suite. They look at the bastards that caused severe trauma and suffering on Spike. Every Fairy Tail Wizard watching glares at the two in the arena. Minerva is enjoying the heated moment and wonders if the Celestials are intrigued with a proposal for the final day of the Grand Magic Games. Twilight and Celestia have their eyes shut and wait until Spike and his partner arrive.

"Here we go, folks. It appears that the two guilds are heating up with intense energy. I wonder why?" Chapati announces. 

"We will find out during this exciting matchup," Yajima said. 

"What are you doing here?" Spike talks to Twilight for the first time since leaving Equestria.

"Spike, I'm so glad to see yooooou!" Twilight freaks out to see Spike having a tattoo on his chest. "Why did you got a tattoo on your chest?!"

"Nooooo, my Spike-Wikey got a tattoo on his chest. It's ugly and morbid," Rarity faints. 

"First off, this is my emblem to represent my guild. It's not a tattoo. Second, when did you start caring for me? Before I left Equestria or after you got in trouble?" 

"Spike, I do care about you. I always have," Twilight sounds sincere. 

"Spare me the bullshit, Twilight. You want your slave to return home, knowing that you can't do things in the castle by yourself. Knowing that it hinges on your free time to spend with friends." 

"Spike, a lot has changed in Equestria ever since you left. A lot has changed. You are vital for Equestria's survival now. I'll explain more in-depth, but you cannot stay here. It's time to come home," Twilight said. 

"I am home," Spike glares at Twilight. 

"Spike," Celestia walks up to him but stops when Erza draws her sword at Celestia. 

"Take another step and, I'll end you right here," Erza threatens. 

"Listen, Discord impersonated Spike and stirred up a lot of chaos. Equestria is nearly on the brink of war. Spike is vital in our land. All other nations of our world now hate pony kind, and we're trying to rebuild their trust. When they find out about Spike's disappearance, it'll be the catalyst for warfare. Something that we don't need. As much as I hate saying this, we need Spike more than you," Celestia explains. 

"I am not a resident of Equestria. Therefore, I can't live under your authority," Spike shouts. 

"You need the proper paperwork to renounce citizenship, Spike. Therefore, you are still under Princess Celestia's ruling. So, pack up your things we're leaving," Twilight commands. 

"Are you deaf, you crazy bitch!? I'm not going anywhere!" Spike retorts at Twilight. 

"You stubborn dragon. Don't you care about your friends in Equestria? Do you want the fact of them being hurt or suffered on your mind?" Twilight is losing her patience. 

"You are asking me to give up my happiness for the sake of Equestria? I'm supposed to suffer while everyone gets to live happily? Screw that and screw you, Twilight."

"You'll get to choose how you live your life in Equestria, Spike. I made the law that all creatures born in Equestria are to stay in the world they are meant to be. Meaning where they originated." 

"You bastard," Spike refers to Celestia. 

"Enough with the profanity, Spike. I can see how disgusting this world is, knowing that they use such language," Twilight said. 

"Enough!" Erza shouts, calming the quarrels. "I propose a wager. If you defeat us in battle, Spike will go back to Equestria. If we win, he stays." 

Twilight doesn't want to fight, but this could be the best opportunity to use her memory erase spell on Spike and try to win him back, taking him away from the monsters to start anew. 

"We accept," Twilight and Celestia say in unison. 

"I'll take care of this Erza person, Twilight. Try to persuade Spike." 

"I will, Celestia." 

"Folks, I think this is one bad reunion for Spike the Fairy. Mr.Yajima, any comments?"

"Makarov told me the story about this young dragon. I am now remembering bits and pieces of it. Folks, if you ask me, this should be your main event," Yajima honestly claims. 

"Wow, it's that climactic?" Chapati asks Mr.Yajima. He's in awe from the revelation. 

"Indeed. This could be Grand Magic Games' finest battle for years to come with such emotion and flare."

The gong rings, signaling the start of the match. 

"Requip!" Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor, wielding two swords. 

"Whoa," Celestia is startled then gets tackled by Erza.

"Spike, do you want to see more of your friends getting hurt? We can end this, surrender yourself to me, I'll take care of you like the real mom I was supposed to be." 

"Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike the Fairy lifts his claws and conjures ice missiles from the air. They're Sparkling Green with flames inside. He spawns a hundred of them.

"Say what!?" Twilight is awestruck and horrified to see Spike utilizing magic. 

"Since when Spike can use magic?" Shining Armor looks at Spike. 

"Holy cow, that's a sight to behold," Rainbow said. 

"I think we should apologize to the Fairy Tail Guild for our remarks," Pinkie said. 

"Why do you say that?" Rainbow turns to Pinkie. 

"Look," Pinkie points at Erza. 

"Oh boy..," Rainbow is seeing what Erza Scarlet can do. 

Erza Scarlet shatters Celestia's sword and shield. To the crowd's surprise, Erza is overwhelming Princess Celestia in close-quarters combat. Her strikes and blows cause Celestia to bruise and bleed badly in battle. She tries to use her magic but, Erza continues her onslaught attack on Celestia. Erza knows that Spike will commit suicide if he was taken back to Equestria. The nightmare Spike had circulates in Erza's mind, and she wants to prevent Spike from suffering in the world he ran away from. Erza punches and kicks Celestia brutally to unleash her wrath on those who made Spike's life a living hell.

"Spike, there is no need for this!" Twilight underestimates Spike and Erza's magic power. 

"Launch!" Spike presses forward while the ice missiles go after Twilight. 

Twilight uses her magic to create a defense bubble and flies around the arena. The ice missiles explode on the defense bubble but, Twilight is unharmed by the attack. Twilight sees Celestia flying to create some space. Celestia powers up, but it does little. Erza flies after Celestia and lands a finishing blow on Celestia. Erza uses her twin sword to cut Celestia's left angelic wing and horn off. Celestia wails while falling to the ground in agony and defeat. Twilight is scared of Erza's immense strength and magic power. In less than a few minutes, Erza took out one of Equestria's strongest Alicorns. 

"What kind of monster is she?" Twilight thought to herself. "I can't ignore it. I have to use my memory erase spell on him."

Shining Armor is speechless while watching Celestia fall in defeat. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack are stunned beyond belief to see one of the strongest Alicorns defeated in a matter of moments by a powerful foe. Discord is astounded to see Spike's friends and how much love they have for him. He knows that everyone here, including himself, has no chance against this world's magic users. 

"Discord, you think we can-?" Shining Armor sees Discord waving his finger.

"We're outclassed and outmatched. This world's magic users are far superior to anything we can encounter. This is a losing battle," Discord answers. 

Spike gets closer and personal, trying to break the defense bubble. Twilight sees the rage in Spike's eyes, the sadness and hatred he has for her. Twilight ignites her horn and shoots a magic beam hitting Spike. Spike falls back. Erza watches. This is a fight Spike must finish to conquer his demons. 

"Now's my chance!" Twilight swoops down and hits Spike with another magic beam. Spike takes the hit and crashes into a wall. Twilight flies up to him and places her hand on his head. "Spike, I love you. It's time to end this," Twilight ignites her horn, her eyes turn white while using the memory-erase spell on Spike. The entire coliseum receives blinding light and covers their eyes. 

"You crossed the line, Twilight. You just erased Spike's best moments in life. The happiness he had in this world. It is not for the sake of Equestria, it's for your selfish purposes. Some Princess you are. You can't even honor your word." Discord is sickened by Twilight's memory erase spell. 

The blinding light goes away. People are wondering what happened a moment ago. Erza remains silent. Everyone in Fairy Tail remains silent. Mavis Vermillion knows that Twilight conjured a memory erase spell, she smirks as she knows what's going to happen next. 

"Twilight.., what's happening?" Spike sounds scared while being blinded for a few moments. 

"Spike, I've come to bring you home. These creatures kidnapped you and forced you to fight in a coliseum for entertainment," Twilight smiles, knowing that her mission is a success. 

"Twilight, I remember something. Something that I needed to do, for you." 

"What is it, Spike?" Twilight meets his eyes level. Smiling that Equestria will be safe and sound. She'll have Spike home and create a new normal." 

"I need to..," Spike's eyes are a blend of orange and green. "Send you to HELL! Fairy Inferno Rage Rooooooooooooooooar!" Spike the Fairy unleashes his Sparkling Orange Green Flames at Twilight. Twilight hurls and crashes into the wall on the other side. 

Twilight is trembling; her spell should have worked. "Impossible! My spell should have worked! It worked well when I erased Celestia's memory when I slapped her."

"You asshole! You tried to erase my memory! I'm going to make you pay for that!"

"How did you know!?" Twilight instinctively shouts, wanting to know how Spike knew about the spell. 

"Twily tried to erase his mind!?" Shining Armor couldn't believe the lengths Twilight is willing to go to bring Spike back home. 

"That's wrong..," Pinkie said. Her hair deflates. 

"How did Spike recover so quick?" Applejack asks. 

Spike's eyes turn orange. "The name is Fairy Rage. I am an emotion of Spike the Fairy. I protect Spike's mind from manipulations, mind trickery spells, and memory erase."

"What did Spike encounter in this world..?" Shining Armor, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash say in unison. 

Spike takes control of Fairy Rage. His eyes are no longer orange but pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. He grows in size while his claws and his teeth are sharper. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns blood red. 

Erza, Wendy, Natsu, Gray, and Laxus, are now afraid. Everyone in Fairy Tail senses Spike's enrage state magic power. It's overwhelmingly powerful. Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, Quatro Puppy, the commentators, and the crowd become fearful at the sight of Spike the Fairy. 

Discord, Shining Armor, Celestia, and the girls are in shock and horror to see Spike like this. Discord feels how powerful Spike is, and Twilight doesn't come remotely close to matching his basic attacks. 

"Twilight." Fairy Demon Dragon looks down at Twilight. 

"What are you..?" Twilight quivers in fear. 

"I am Spike. The Fairy DEMON Dragon." Spike's claws glow Sparkling Black. "Dark Energy Blast!" Spike unleashes a Sparkling Black Energy Blast at Twilight. 

Twilight tries to defend herself, but the magic power from the Dark Energy Blast sends her flying with multiple bruises all over her body. She screams while feeling the most agonizing pain of her life; not even Tirek's power can make her feel this much pain. 

"Stop this!" Shining Armor pleas for a surrender. 

Spike uses his breath to teleport behind Twilight and grab her head. He flies up and throws Twilight at the ground. He punches her left and right while tears stream on his face. Spike gets emotional. The years of torment, abandonment, neglectfulness, being used as a slave day and night, all the frustrations, all the sadness, it's coming out of Spike with every blow he gives to Twilight. Spike flies high in the sky. 

"Discord! Do something!" Shining pleas. 

"Twilight Sparkle crossed the line. She needs to live with the consequences."

"After today, I want you gone! You are not welcome here! All the years I suffered because of you and the others! This is my home! I am A Fairy Tail Wizard! I am Fairy Dragon! Here's my going away present for you!"

"Spike..," Twilight coughs out blood. "I'm sorry. I was driven mad when I was blind. Please.., forgive me..," 

Celestia looks up and sees the monstrosity of Spike. She is unable to do anything with her magic unable to function properly. She saw the tears coming from Spike's eyes. 

A wave of powerful magic amplifies the area in the coliseum. Natsu, Gajeel, Laxus, and Makarov know what's coming. Spike's claws are in motion.  "I invoke, Fairy Law!" Spike claps his claws. A bright light of power flashes throughout the entire coliseum. Twilight Sparkle feels the full effects of the spell. It's the worst pain Twilight ever felt in her entire life. 

Spike lands after using the spell. He reverts to normal with tears in his eyes. Erza runs up to him and hugs him. 

"It's okay, it's over," Erza calms Spike down and continues to hug him. 

The light of Fairy Law is gone. Twilight is on the ground, covered with bruises and pale. In the back of her mind, she created a monster. Twilight now knows there is one option left but, it's impossible to do. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Shining Armor come down to help Celestia and Twilight get off the field. 

"I have never seen a dominating beating such as that in the history of the Grand Magic Games..," Chapati said in shock. 

"Fairy Demon Dragon. When Spike is beyond angry. I know I want to be on his good side," Yajima said. 

The crowd cheers and chants Fairy Dragon. Celestia will talk with Twilight later. For now, she and her needs to recover from a brutal assault. 

Erza picks Spike up. With their victory, it means two things. 10 points for Fairy Tail Team B, and Spike gets to stay in Earth Land, forever.

"Let's celebrate, Spike. Put the past behind you; we're moving forward together," Erza smiles and carries Spike to the Sun Bar, where everyone will be celebrating another victory. 

"What about Natsu and Gajeel?" Spike finally speaks after using Fairy Law.

"Those two?" Erza smirks. "They got it in the bag. They'll want to show everyone that Fairy Tail is no laughing matter. They'll prove to everyone that Fairy Tail is indeed the number one guild in all of Fiore."
> Grand Magic Games: Day 4, Proposal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been an hour since Day 4 of the Grand Magic Games came to an end. Natsu proved that he could defeat both Sting and Rogue in a two-on-one battle. With Fairy Tail Team A scoring 10 points, these are the current standings of the Grand Magic Games:



Fairy Tail Team B - 65 points

Fairy Tail Team A - 45 points

Mermaid Heel - 42 points

Sabertooth - 37 points

Celestials - 37 points

Lamia Scale - 28 points

Blue Pegasus - 27 points

Quatro Puppy - 14 points


Shining Armor locates the infirmary to have Celestia and Twilight rest. Celestia is fine despite losing her wing and horn. Twilight is pale and covered in bruises. Celestia decides to have a word with Shining Armor and Discord outside the room. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash remain in the room, hoping that Twilight wakes up from the gruesome attack. 

"We still need to bring Spike back to Equestria but, I have to honor my word in battle. Any suggestions?"

"Let Spike go," Discord advises. 

"If we do that, Equestria is doomed," Shining Armor said. 

"You know what, if it weren't for me, Spike would be dead, and Equestria would have still be doomed if the dragons were to find out that ponies were the ones that killed a dragon," Discord irately proclaims. "Equestria was doomed from the moment Twilight and her so-called friends destroyed their friendship with Spike." 

Princess Celestia and Shining Armor sigh heavily. They know Discord is right and can't deny it. It's official. They have to return to Equestria empty-handed. 

"So, how should we address this?" Shining Armor asks Discord. 

"I have an idea. It's a long shot but, it's more suited than erasing one's mind to have their way," Discord refers to Twilight's brilliant idea. 

"What do you have in mind?" Celestia asks. 

"Get the girls except for Twilight and follow me," Discord calmly said. 

Shining Armor goes into the room and tells the girls to follow him, Celestia, and Discord. They leave the infirmary and follow Discord to where he's leading them. 

It's 7:30 at night. Everyone, including Lucy, is at the Sun Bar celebrating. Spike is sitting with Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Lucy, and Erza. 

"I feel so happy now. It's like, a burden is off my chest." 

"I'm so happy for you, Spike," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. 

"Dude, I thought Fairy Demon Dragon was a one-time thing?" Gray said shirtless. 

"The transformation exists now. Spike can tap into it and control it better. It has to be pure hatred and rage to activate Fairy Demon Dragon."

"Woooow," Everyone around the table says in shock. 

"I hate Twilight, and I hated the fact she tried to erase my memory. It was the push that triggered Fairy Demon Dragon." 

"Since now you have control of it, please use it only when it's necessary," Wendy pleas. 

"Of course. I won't abuse that power."

"Despite Twilight using that memory-erase spell, it was weak. Spike and I acted like it was a big deal. I guess ponies from Equestria when they come to Earth Land, their magic power increases but not to our standards."

"Agreed. I fought Celestia, and she was nothing. She may be a goddess in her land but here is different."

"I wished I could have scorched them!" Natsu shouts. 

"I wanted to freeze them!" Gray shouts. 

"Everyone here wanted a shot at them. I'm glad I had mine against Rainbow Dash," Lucy said. 

"I concur. I wish I would have done more to Rainbow Dash," Juvia said. 

Makarov drinks his chug of beer when he hears the door open. Spike looks up and sees Celestia, Shining Armor, Discord, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy walking in. 

"Them again!" Natsu angrily shouts. 

"I got these fools!" Gray shouts. He and Natsu are about to attack them. 

Discord snaps his fingers, and a brick wall appears in front of the two. Gray and Natsu collide with the brick wall.

"Man, that hurt," Gray said with a bump on his head. 

"Aye," Natsu concurs. 

"We didn't come looking for trouble. We're here to talk," Discord said, speaking for everyone. 

"Master, say the word, and we'll beat these punks!" Lucy said, getting ready to summon Loke.

Master Makarov sighs. "Let them speak." 

"What!?" Everyone said in unison. 

"Thank you," Discord sits across from Master Makarov.

"Who are you?" Makarov asks. 

"My name is Discord. I'm Spike's friend that sent him here by granting his wish." 

"Are you still going to try and bring me back to Equestria?"

"No. You won your right to stay here. You fought for it. Also, we don't have the magic power to force you. Well, they don't. I'm just the bridge for them to get here." 

"Why are you here?" Makarov asks Discord another question. 

"What Twilight and Princess Celestia said is a bit of the truth. Equestria could be on the brink of war because of their and my actions. I did impersonate Spike to answer a what-if question. What if he tells Celestia and Luna about everything he endured. Turns out that if Spike would have pulled through, he'll be in good hooves. I am the catalyst that ignited the Bar of Alliance. The reason for their existence is to create a better friendship than what pony kind was proposing. After learning about Spike's treatment in Equestria, all other Kingdoms that were affiliated with Equestria disbanded the peace and trust. For many months while I disguised myself as Spike, I said and done some things that hindered Twilight and her friends' lives. Now, with my impersonation exposed, things can become worse in Equestria. Without Spike in Equestria, things can go astray or not. The people behind me believe it'll go astray."

"I see. That's why you made the journey of coming all this way to retrieve our Fairy Dragon," Makarov drinks his beer. 

"Yes," Discord nods. 

"Spike made it clear that he wants to stay."

"Indeed. We saw how badly Spike wants to stay. We're not going to take him back. As I said, he earned the right to stay. We'll deal with the consequences back home." 

"So why are you here now?" Spike asks. 

"We've come to say goodbye. Also, they want to say their peace," Discord points to Pinkie, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. "I have informed the Game Organizers that the Celestials are stepping down from the Grand Magic Games. They told me to tell you that on Day 5 of the Grand Magic Games, Fairy Tail will become one team and start with the 45 points Fairy Tail Team A has. For fairness since Fairy Tail Team B has the most points and will be hard to catch up to."

"Makes sense why they would go in that route. Also, to hype up the final battle of the Grand Magic Games. Thank you for informing me, Discord." 

"My pleasure. You are a wise, humbled man. I wish you luck on becoming number one in Fiore." 

"Spike," Rainbow Dash walks up to him. "I am terribly sorry for how I treated you compared to my friends in Equestria. It was blatant and disrespectful. I vow to never do that to any other creature as long as I live," Rainbow sounds sincere. 

"Spike," Pinkie Pie places a sparkling gem cake on the table for him to eat. "I'm sorry for being neglectful to you for many years, pulling heinous pranks on you mercilessly, and forgetting your birthday. I made a Pinkie Promise to never forget who my friends are and be mindful of their feelings." 

"Spike," Applejack walks up to Spike. "I'm sorry for using you as a tool in sporting, hogtying you for practice, taking you for granted, and laughing at your misery. It's wrong of me, and I should have never done that to a friend of mine." 

Fluttershy walks up to Spike. "I'm sorry for being neglectful of you and deter our friendship. I care about all animals, even Discord, but I didn't care about you enough. I'm sorry for making you feel abandoned and not inviting you to any of my tea parties."

"Spikey-Wikey," Rarity walks up to him. "I'm sorry for taking advantage of your love for me as a gain. Sorry that I made you do my chores to please me. The truth is, I love you, and I was blind to see it. I know it may be a little late but, think you and I can be a happy, loving couple?"

"No! Spike is my boyfriend!" Wendy hugs Spike from behind. 

"WHAT!?" Rarity panics. "No, no, no, no, no, you don't have even the-"

"Rarity!" Discord, Celestia, and Shining Armor shout to get her to stop talking. 

Rarity pouts. "Sorry. It took me a while to see that I had the perfect boyfriend in front of me this whole time and, I chose upper-class stallions." 

"Good luck finding your next lover. This dragon is mine," Wendy holds Spike even more. 

"Sorry," Rarity said to Spike. 

Spike takes it in. He takes all the apologies in and sighs heavily. "I forgive you."

"Really!?" Pinkie gets excited. 

"But," Spike pauses Pinkie's excitement. "I'm not your friend no more. The Spike you knew is long gone. I am anew. I am Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon," Spike places his claw on his emblem. "I am a Fairy Tail Wizard." 

"We wish you luck in your new life, Spike the Fairy," Princess Celestia said, laying her hand on Spike's cheek. Celestia chokes up a bit. "I'll.., I'll miss you," Celestia sheds a tear. She couldn't resist and hugs Spike. "I'm sorry that I wasn't more involved in your life. Perhaps another lifetime, I can be," Celestia slightly smiles. 

Shining Armor walks up to Spike. "I'm sorry for not being more involved in your life and ask the important questions to you. The Crystal Empire and Crystal Ponies will miss their champion. Mom, Dad, Cadance, Luna, and Flurry heart will miss you. Thorax and Ember as well. I'm going to miss you, Spike. However, I'll be rooting for you in what you do, even if I have no idea what it is." 

Spike nods. "Thank you for being honest and sincere with me. I hope you value your friendships. Like how Fairy Tail values everyone like family. Never take anyone for granted; you never know how important that person or creature is until it's too late." 

"Trust me when we say this, we will," Discord speaks for everyone. 

"So, what's going to happen to you all?" Happy asks. 

"Holy Cow! A talking blue cat!" Discord, Celestia, Shining Armor, and the girls say in unison. 

Princess Celestia takes a breath. "Due to Twilight's condition, we're taking her back home in a bit. As for what's going to happen, only fate will decide," Celestia turns to Makarov. "Thank you for keeping Spike in your care. Treat him better than we can."

"You have my word as a Guild's Master. I wish you luck in your world."

Discord uses his magic to teleport his friends to Twilight's room. Spike smiles. He's finally at peace knowing that he gets to stay. He goes back to celebrating with his friends. 

Twilight is up and turns to see her friends in the room. "So, are we able to bring Spike back home for good?"

"No. Spike earned his right to stay. We're going home," Shining Armor said. 

"No! We can't fail! We need to keep trying and-" Twilight's speech is interrupted by Princess Celestia. She slaps her hard in the face. 

"Twilight! That is enough! If I would have known you'll be willing to erase Spike's mind, I would have said no to traveling all this way. You are going astray. There is a lot we need to discuss. As of now, I'm revoking your title as Princess of Friendship. You nearly destroyed another friendship on the same dragon in one lifetime. Discord, open the portal."

"As you wish, Princess," Discord snaps his fingers, and the same portal appears. 

Shining Armor picks up Twilight. "Let's go home, Twily," Shining Armor forces Twilight to enter the portal. 

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie follow pursuit. Celestia turns to Discord.

"Coming Discord?"

"There's one thing I forgot to give to Spike. I'll be right behind you."

Princess Celestia nods and enters the portal. Discord closes the portal and teleports back to the Sun Bar. Unbeknown to them, A hooded man stops using his cloaking magic. He and the real Twilight Sparkle are together to continue the proposal. 

"So, after analyzing the portal's magic, I have the magic power to recreate it. It's a one-way direction to the world you called Equestria. It'll be used on an artifact only once."

"By working for you, getting a boost in my magic power in this world, you'll honor your word on giving me Spike the Fairy?" Twilight asks. 

"Indeed. I sensed untapped potential in you and one more. By helping us achieve our goal, you'll get your reward."

"When do we begin?" Twilight starts chuckling sinisterly. 

"Soon. Right now, let's get you all healed up," The man whisks Twilight away from Crocus. 

Discord arrives at the Sun Bar. He sees Spike talking to his friends. Spike sees him by the door and excuses himself for a moment. Spike goes outside of the Sun Bar. 

"Discord, you need something?"

"Here," Discord gives Spike a magic card. 

"What's this?" Spike examines it. 

"My last gift to you. Breathe on it, it'll create a portal to Equestria, and only you have the power to come to Equestria and back to Earth Land anytime you want. As of now, I'm wiping my memory on finding this world. That way, no one can wish to come here. I do want to put my hand on your head, so I can see your history in this world and show it to the others that asked what you have been doing."

Spike uses his magic to teleport the magic card back to the apartment for safekeeping. He allows Discord to touch his head to gain his memories. Everything he's been through since coming to Earth land. After a few moments, Discord snaps his fingers, creating a portal back home. 

"I do hope to see you soon. If not, I understand."

"Gonna need a little time to trust the idea. It's clever and deceitful, but clever."

"Fairy Rage got me. Using an idea to have you come back on your accord. However, the magic card can be used over and over. If Spike shreds it, that's the end of it. Period." 

"Point taken."

"Bye, Discord!" Spike waves. 

"Farewell, Spike the Fairy," Discord enters the portal, and it closes. On his way back to Equestria, Discord wipes all memory on finding the portal to Earth Land. His friends can know about Spike's life but, they won't be able to wish their way to Earth Land. His Chaos Magic made sure that this pathway is denied, forever.
> Meeting Zirconis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 11:30 at night in Crocus. It's been an hour since Discord and the others head back home. Natsu and Gray are fighting each other. Spike is sitting with Erza having strawberry cake. 

"Wow, this cake looks delicious," Spike is drooling a little.

"I know, I can hardly keep my tastebuds," Erza goes for the first piece when a burnt fish lands on it. Erza gets angry with her dessert destroyed. "That's enough!" Erza grabs Natsu and Gray's heads and slams them hard together. 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Natsu and Gray said in unison. They groan in agony.

"Listen, you two. We're here to prove that Fairy Tail is the best in Fiore. Due to the Celestials stepping down, the final match is around the corner, we need to step up our A-game to solidify ourselves as the number one ranked guild. Save the energy for the final battle. So, what exactly is the point of ruining my cake!" Erza draws her sword, ready to attack Natsu and Gray. "On your feet! Die with dignity!"

"Sis, wait," Spike walks up to Erza. "You can have my piece." 

"Spike, I couldn't," Erza turns to Spike. 

"I haven't touched it. You deserve it after helping me in battle today," Spike smiles, still offering the cake to Erza. 

"Very well," Erza takes the cake. "You two, consider yourself lucky," Erza takes the cake piece and sits down. 

"So, Spike. What are you going to do with the gem cake Pinkie gave you?" Wendy asks. 

"Yea. These gemstones do look precious and valuable," Carla said. 

"Back in Equestria, dragons would eat gemstones. I had a huge craving for it, but not anymore. The craving switched over the moment I ate meat," Spike pulls the gemstones out of the cake. He cuts to see that Pinkie didn't insert any gemstones inside the cake. It's all vanilla creme layer inside. "I'll sell these to see how much they are worth."

Gajeel steps inside the Sun Bar. "If I see another mine car, it'll be too soon." 

"Where have you been? Why you took off in the middle of our match?" Natsu asks. 

Gajeel walks up to Natsu and iron clubs Natsu in the gut. "You freaking idiot! You put me in the mining car, and I spent half of the day trying to find my way out of the hole in the ground!"

"Sorry," Natsu wheezes after the iron club gut punch. 

"I found something. You two should come with me. Fairy Dragon, you need to see this as well." 

"Coming, Gajeel," Spike follows Gajeel. 

An hour later, Gajeel leads Natsu, Wendy, Spike, Panther Lily, Carla, Happy, Gray, and Lucy to what appear to be the catacombs of dragon remains. Everyone is stunned to see the skeletons of dragons under the city of Crocus. 

"Are any of these dragons yours?" Spike asks Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu. 

"No. Igneel's scent isn't down here," Natsu said. 

"Grandeeney's scent is not down here either," Wendy confirms. 

"Neither is Metalicana," Gajeel said. 

"So, what was the point of showing us this, Gajeel?" Spike asks. 

Wendy gets an idea. She tells her friends that she'll use her Milky Way spell. Hear the voices of the dragon's spirit that lead to the river of heaven. Wendy explains that the secret arts were an attack but now theorizes its other usage. Perhaps the spell can contact a spirit of a dragon that's been deceased. 

"You can do that?" Spike is in shock to hear such a spell. 

"Is that possible?" Happy asks. 

"If we can somehow communicate with the spirit of these dragons, one of them might tell us what happened here. In addition, we might finally be able to find out why our dragons vanished." 

"Go for it, Wendy," Natsu cheers. 

"I need something to draw the enchantment," Wendy said. 

"Here," Spike conjures a metallic sword for Wendy.

"Thanks, Spike," Wendy takes it. 

"Fairy Dragon, mind tossing me some iron?" 

"Here you go, Gajeel," Spike conjures a metallic shield and tosses it to Gajeel. 

"Thanks," Gajeel takes a bite out of the shield. 

Wendy takes thirty minutes to create the enchantment circle to use Milky Way. She asks everyone to step away from the circle. Wendy gets on her knees and chants the enchantment, activating Milky Way. The Milky Way spell is sparkling green with stars flowing around in the dragon catacombs. 

"She really loves you huh, Spike," Happy said. 

"She does. At least I can say I have someone who loves me, lone cat." 

"I do have someone!" Happy takes a knee to Carla. "Carla, will you be mine?" 

"Not in your dreams, Tomcat. Get serious for once!" Carla replies. 

"Denied," Lucy said in satisfaction. 

"I found one!" Wendy concentrates hard to bring the spirit of the dragon to her friends.

A Jade Dragon emerges from the spirit portal and roars, scaring the life out of Gajeel, Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Carla, Panther Lily, and Spike. The dragon laughs at their misery. 

"Even in death, scaring the pants off humans is hilarious. My name is Zirconis. They called me the Jade Dragon back in my day-" Zirconis sees Spike. "Impossible," Zirconis observes Spike a bit. He places his finger on Spike, but it fades through. 

"You know me?" Spike looks up at the Jade Dragon.

"Did you hatch here some time ago?" Zirconis asks Spike. 

"Long story short, I was hatched in a different world, and I made a wish to come here." 

"Wait, how do you know him? Why did you ask him that?!" Natsu shouts at Zirconis. 

"I can't believe it. With my own eyes, I still can't believe it. You've come home. Kid, I'm you're uncle." 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Everyone shouts in unison. 

"It's true. My grandfather looked exactly like you, kid. What is your name?" 

"I'm Spike. These are my friends."

"Just like your mother, my sister. The Amethyst Dragon. She had a kind heart to humans."

"My mom..?" Spike falls to his knees. "What happened?" Spike sniffs at the shocking revelation.

"What happened to all these dragons?" Happy asks. 

"For my nephew, I'll tell you everything. Over 400 hundred years ago, Dragon Kind once ruled every corner of the globe. We soared through the skies, raced over the land, and swam the great oceans. Everything in the world belonged to Dragon Kind, including humans. The race was plentiful and a great source for protein. But, there was one dragon that felt our reign was unjust," Zirconis sighs. "That was my sister, Amy. The Amethyst Dragon. She believes that dragons and humans can co-exist. Many dragons agreed with the idea, while others disagree. I was against the idea, but back then, I was a different dragon. It wasn't long before war broke out. I fought in the war but, I've kept my sister safe during the war. I could never muster enough to attack my sister, who at the time just conceived her egg. During the war, both sides were evenly matched, the fighting was so brutal an entire continent was scarred. Until the dragons supporting my sister's idea came up with a solution that doomed us all. The dragons granted humans magic that would be known as Dragon Slaying Magic. With that new power at hand, Mankind joined the war. The Dragon Slaying Magic turns the tide of the war. We were so overwhelmed that dragons supporting my sister's idea were certain of winning the war. However, tragedy came along. The humans that were granted Dragon Slaying Magic turned and killed the very dragons that granted them power."

"What happened to the young ones? You said that Spike came home!" Happy asks. 

"After finding out that the humans turned on Dragon Kind, the remaining dragons took their eggs and located a human contraption known as the Eclipse Gate. According to humans, it's a time-traveling device. We intended on sending our young ones back in time to help turn the tides of the war when it came to be. However, another contraption that the stupid humans created came into the fray. I don't know what it is. I remember seeing this big fish in the skies, bearing a clock. It rang at the time of using the Eclipse Gate. Instead of seeing our young ones the next day when they're grown, they were nowhere to be found. The dragons believe that the eggs were sent into another dimension."

Spike is silent, slowly breathing from hearing the news. Everyone around couldn't utter a word. Silence reign; Zirconis knows that his nephew is taking the info hard. 

"Spike," Spike looks at his uncle. "Are there more dragons living in the world you ran away from?"

"Yes!" Spike stands up. "There's more of them! Living in the Dragon lands but, they live closer to the volcanic. They are not the dominant species of the world. Not even close." 

"If or when you can, bring them home. The Dragons deserve to live in the land where their ancestors lived. Also, don't become like me hating humans. It took me a long time to see how precious life is."

"My girlfriend, Wendy. She's the one that brought you here."

Zirconis smiles. "Just like your mother. She'll be proud of you. You have a long journey ahead of you if you are to repopulate the dragons." 

"What happened to my mom? How did she.., you know..?" Spike is having a hard time finishing his question. 

"It's a sad tale. I'll tell you. In case. You happen to run into him. There was one man whose power was so terrible; he bathed the countryside in the blood of my kin. The very mention of his name still scares me. This man slayed countless dragons and soaked in their blood. He used his power so often, that his skin turned to scales, his teeth sharp into fangs and, he stopped being human altogether." 

"This man.., turned into a dragon..?" Lucy is now terrified.

"That is the fate of all those who practice Dragon Slaying Magic. All the bones here are victims of that monster. Despite his human origins, he became the King of all Dragon Kinds. And the war he rised to became the Dragon King Festival. His name was Acnologia. Once a human being, now a dragon. Cloaked in wings of darkness."

"Acnologia.., he slayed my mom?!" Spike starts getting angry. 

"Yes," Zirconis admits. "That bastard killed my sister. He ended up killing me too."

Spike roars in anger. The angry roar is a blend of Fairy Rage and Fairy Demon Dragon. Zirconis gets chills hearing the roar, everyone around Spike couldn't believe that Acnologia was once human and he has slain Spike's family. 

"Acnologia, your soul belongs to me!" Spike's eyes are a blend of orange, green, and black. 

"What was that?" Zirconis hears the different voices of Spike's roar. Demonic and rage fusion. 

"It's a long story. Spike has transformations to turn into when he's pissed."

"That makes sense since magic runs in the family," Zirconis said. "Kid," Zirconis starts to fade. 

Spike looks up at his uncle, tears streaming down uncontrollably on his face. He doesn't want to see his uncle go. 

"You have your whole life ahead of you, no need for waterworks. If you want to avenge our family, end Acnologia's reign."

"I will!" Spike starts crying. 

"I guess my death wasn't so bad. I got to see my nephew, and I got to scare the humans again. Farewell, Spike. Also, that's the name Amy would have given you," Zirconis returns to his heaven as his soul rests once more. 

Spike cries his eyes out. Wendy heard everything and hugs him dearly. A man dressed in a Knight's Armor walks up to the gang after hearing everything. Including the tragedy of Spike's family life. Yukino is with the Knight, standing by.

"That's not very likely," The Knight said. 

"Who's there?" Carla asks. 

"I took the liberty of eavesdropping. It would appear that our research is aligned with historical facts after all. Tell me, have you heard the demons of the book of Zeref?" 

"Deliora." Gray thought to himself.

"Acnologia is similar to them, for it was Zeref himself who turned the Dragon Slayer into that creature of death. That means. If you wish to conquer the black dragon, you must find a way to subdue the wizard Zeref."

"Who are you?" Gajeel demands.

"How do we beat Zeref?" Natsu asks. 

Carla remembers the vision of the Knight. It's the same guy, but he's not in his white armor. 

"I'll explain more. Follow me," The Knight said, leading the way.
> Fairy Tail's Plan of Action
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I am  Colonel Arcadios, leader of the Sacred Cherry Blossom Knights. The Crocus Garrison Force of the Royal Army."

"I am Yukino Agria. Acting Sergeant of the Cherry Blossom Knights."

"Fairy Dragon. I'm terribly sorry for the loss of your uncle and mother. Rest to sure I have a proper method of taking out Acnologia," Arcadios said, leading the group. 

"I will end Acnologia's reign someday. I'll put an end to him when I find him," Spike is determined, despite not yet being ready to fight him. 

"For many years now, I've been working on a highly classified project. The success of this project can only be completed with the power of a Celestial Wizard. Luckily for us, Seargent Yukino is able to lend her assistance in this undertaking." 

"Why does the project need a Celestial Wizard?" Spike asks. 

"The answer to that question will reveal itself momentarily," Arcadios mentions that the Grand Magic Games is a ruse for absorbing Magic Power into the grand scheme of his project. Along the way, Arcadios apologizes to Lucy for a kidnapping attempt. Natsu realizes that the men that took Wendy and Carla were Arcadios doing, not Raven Tail. 

"It was you!" Spike is livid. 

"Yes. I ask for forgiveness for my aggressive demeanor of command. During the time, I didn't speculate having two Celestial Wizards in this year's Grand Magic Games. If I would have known, I would have taken a different course of action."

Arcadios and Yukino stop walking as they are in front of the Eclipse Gate. The same Gate that Zirconis talked about earlier. The Eclipse gate is massive, the center of the gate is decorated with the sun above and the moon below. The gate is green with twelve gate keyholes circling the sun. 

"When the Sun and Moon intercept, we will use the Zodiac Celestial Keys to open this door. When we do, we will travel 400 years in the past and destroy Zeref before he gains immortality," Arcadios finishes explaining the classified project he's been working on for years. 

"It's not going to work," Spike walks up to Arcadios. 

"What do you mean it's not going to work?" Arcadios looks down at Spike.

"I know how time works. You change one moment in history; it can alter the future dramatically."

"I'm aware of the simple constructs of time."

"No, you don't. I've seen it first hand. One change can make today worse. I've been through many timelines when the world continues to change for the worse. There is one timeline that went into ruins. No life whatsoever. Not even signs of survivors. Do you want to defeat Zeref? We have to do it in the present. Otherwise, you're dooming us all." 

"Time works mysteriously. What you say can be true but, what I say can also be true. There is no wrong answer with our theories of time," Arcadios said. 

"Theories? I'm speaking the truth! I know what I saw!" Spike yells. 

"We're going to proceed as plan. Three days from now, the Eclipse will be set on July 7th."

"The same day that our dragons vanished," Wendy said. 

"Pretty major coincidence," Gajeel said. 

"The Eclipse," Royal Soldiers surround Arcadios, Yukino, and everyone else. 

"Stay right where you are!" A Royal Soldier demands. 

"We're doing nothing wrong," Carla said. 

"Is there a problem?" Natsu asks. 

"What's going on?" Lucy is confused.

"You come here looking for a fight?!" Gray shouts. 

"It would be wise for you to surrender quietly before things get messy, Colonel Arcardios."

"Defense Minister Darton, what is the meaning of this?"

"I'll show you messy," Spike threatens the Royal Soldiers. 

"Don't even try, Fairy Dragon. Around here, it's not worth using magic," Darton says. "Also, I should be asking you that very same question, Arcadios. You are aware that revealing state secrets to outsiders is treason."

"You're making a mistake! These people and dragon are not outsiders. They are an essential component to the Eclipse Project!" Arcadios pleas his case to Darton. 

"You do not have the authority to make such reckless decisions on your own, Colonel."

"I won't allow your opposition to jeopardize the safety of the kingdom. Call off your men and end this ridiculous foss immediately!" 

"You are way out of line here! This plan of yours will alter history!" Darton yells at Arcadios. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a half-dragon. His fangs and spikes are sharper; he's ripped and brolic. "I'm going to destroy this door and preserve time!" Spike's claws are Sparkling Green. 

"Wait! Don't use magic here!" Arcadios warns Spike. 

The Eclipse Gate starts draining Spike's magic energy. Spike is unable to move while the Eclipse Gate continues to drain Spike. 

"What's happening to him?!" Wendy horrifyingly asks, watching her boyfriend becoming weaker by the second. 

"I'm sure by now Arcadios told you about the Eclipse Gate draining magic from wizards at the coliseum. However, if a wizard or in this case a dragon uses magic power, the Eclipse Gate will absorb all the magic until the dragon is dry," Darton explains. "That's why we don't use magic this close to the gate."

"Ah, crud," Gajeel said. 

"Arrest the Celestial Wizards and Arcadios. As for the others, remove them at once!" 

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Natsu tries using his Fire Dragon Iron Fist, but the Eclipse Gate drains him of his magic power. Natsu thought that the Eclipse Gate wouldn't be able to drain two dragons at the same time. 

"You idiot! Weren't you paying attention!" Carla asks. 

"Natsu is not a strong listener when it comes down to brute force," Happy answers for Natsu. 

The Royal Soldiers arrest Yukino, Arcadios, and Lucy. Natsu drops to the floor, drained of magic energy. A few moments later, Spike drops to the floor, drained of magic energy as well. Darton is amazed to see how much magic power the Eclipse gate absorbed from the dragon. The Royal Soldiers escort Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Gajeel, Happy, Carla, Panther Lily, and Spike outside Mercurius. 

"Natsu, Spike. Oh man..," Happy is worried about the two. 

"They lost all of their power. It'll take them a while to reclaim it," Carla is worried about the two. 

"You bastards. You'll rue the day messing with Fairy Tail," Gajeel said. 

"You must understand that my intention was not to harm anyone. But, there's simply too much at stake. I'll have you know that his majesty is extremely fond of the Fairy Tail Guild. If you manage to claim victory in the Grand Magic Games, I shall grant you a private audience with him. The King is a rather kind-hearted man. Who knows, he may be persuaded into pardoning your comrade. I wish you the best of luck," Darton says, he leaves Fairy Tail alone and goes back to headquarters.

"I got Salamander," Gajeel picks up Natsu. 

"I got Spike," Wendy sighs and picks him up. "He's going to be pissed off when he hears about Lucy in custody." 

An hour later, the gang arrives back at the bar. Erza becomes worried about Spike and Natsu. Gajeel and Gray explain the whole situation about Lucy, the Eclipse Gate, and Spike's origin. Everyone in the guild reacted differently to all three categories. 

"Master, what should we do?" Erza asks. 

"We can't afford reckless action against the kingdom. However, we should consider Lucy as a hostage until this Eclipse Project is called off." 

"Ooooh," Spike wakes up. "What happened?" Spike falls off the table and lands on his back. "Ow." 

"You okay?" Laxus checks on him. 

"I'm fine. A little drained and dizzy is all," Spike rubs the back of his head.

"One thing that bothers me is, why they let us go free since we know about the Eclipse Gate?" Gajeel said. 

"If the guilds happen to find out why all of a sudden Gray, Gajeel, Natsu, Wendy, and I are missing. Key players that helped elevate Fairy Tail to the top, the Kingdom would be facing every guild in Fiore, a headache they don't need," Spike answers Gajeel's question. 

"There could be riots with the crowd and displeasure, putting the games at risk," Panther Lily said. 

"What was the justification of Lucy's capture? The Royal Army isn't known for taking citizens without reason." Erza asks. 

"Lucy's capture is to gather the Zodiac Gate Keys. They got two from Yukino. They now have ten from Lucy by now. If you guys were listening, they needed the twelve Gate Keys to activate the Eclipse Gate. If only we knew about its defense mechanism, Spike and I could have destroyed it. We can't get close enough and, I believe it can absorb long-range magic attacks."

"Spike, is it true about time travel? Gajeel was explicit about the information you spoke of," Makarov asks. 

"Yes. I've been on an adventure with time and space. Changing the littlest detail has a massive effect on the future. I've seen countless futures, and all of them are not pretty. Their goal is to kill Zeref. I respect the idea but, time travel is not the answer. It could be the end of us all. We need to destroy the Eclipse Gate before we are wiped out by time itself." 

"Time could do that!" Natsu shrieks. 

"Yes. Changing the past will create a new branch of time. As for the old one, it gets erased. Along with all the memories."

"So, what shall we do about this, Master?" Erza asks. 

"We can't charge headlong into conflict like we usually do. It's too risky. However, we are not cowards, and we won't let them get away with this!" Master Makarov declares.  "We are Fairy Tail!"

"Now, before anything else, we should start planning for the final day of the Grand Magic Games," Mavis Vermillion shows up. "After hearing from that handsome man earlier," Mavis refers to Discord. "Fairy Tail won't be competing with two teams. Also, we can't trust what the King says about Lucy Heartfillia's predicament."

"I wholeheartedly agree, First Master," Makarov turns to Mavis. "We need to conduct our team to participate in the Grand Magic Games and a second team to rescue Lucy."

"I want to go rescue Lucy!" Natsu volunteers to be part of the second team.

"I should go as well," Mirajane said. 

"Same with me," Wendy concurs. 

"The Exceed squad are joining the team," Happy speaks for Carla and Panther Lily. 

"Our Grand Magic Games team will be Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Laxus," Makarov commands. 

"What about the fifth member, Gramps?" Gray asks. 

"I'm trying to decide if Spike should go with the search team or become the fifth member. He is one of our most strongest assets in Fairy Tail, and he has a lot of unique abilities to get Lucy out."

"This is tough. The people may want to see me more than any other member, knowing that Fairy Tail will be only one team instead of two. On the flip side, I can be more useful in getting Lucy out. Mavis, you make the call." 

"From what I've seen, you'll definitely even the playing field and can help Laxus and Gajeel by replenishing their magic power. You've proven to everyone that you can pull off impressive feats of magic power. Your teleportation magic can be useful in battle. Pinpointing wizards around to strike them down. On the other hand, you go in with the rescue team, locate Lucy and teleport everyone back here. Fairy Rage, what do you think about this?"

"It's a quick operation if Spike were to go with the rescue team, Master Mavis. However, winning the games is the more priority, in case they have an ambush waiting. We're not fully recovered from the Eclipse Gate Magic absorption. It is possible that the Royal Army may have similar weaponry to nullify magic based on the Eclipse Gate's design. In other words, I believe we should be the fifth member of Team Fairy Tail. It'll keep suspicions with the Royal Army at minimum. If word got out that Fairy Dragon is storming through the Royal Soldiers and trying to get Lucy out, it may put our team at risk during the Grand Magic Games."

"I agree. As much as I hate to admit it, this is the best course of action for me." 

"Then, we have our teams set," Mavis said. 

"Indeed. Spike, after we rescue Lucy, we will destroy the Eclipse Gate and prevent time from erasing us."

"Understood, Master Makarov." 

"Gray and Erza, head on over to the Honeycomb Inn. We have much to discuss for the final day of the Grand Magic Games."

"Understood, First Master," Erza said. 

"Fine by me," Gray said. 

"Let's go," Mavis Vermillion says. She, Erza, and Gray follow Laxus, Gajeel, and Spike to the Honeycomb Inn.
> Returning to Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord feels a sudden change with his chaos magic after entering through the portal, the chaos magic that made him stronger reverts to normal. He should be catching up with the others at Twilight's castle. Discord does hope that Spike can visit Equestria in the future. If not, it's good to know that Spike is happy with the friends he has.

"Fairy Law. I wonder if I can recreate it in Equestria? It didn't look too hard to pull off." Discord talks to himself while his body changes back into his Draqonecuus self. 

Discord arrives at Twilight's castle. He looks around to see his friends stupefied. He comes closer to them as to why and what is going on.

"Can somepony tell me what is going on?"

Princess Celestia walks up to Discord. Her horn and left wing are still torn and broken. "We have a situation, Discord. First, can you fix my horn and wing?"

"Of course," Discord snaps his paw, restoring Celestia's horn and wing.

"I don't want to feel the wrath of that Scarlet girl ever again. I never felt immense strength and precision from a swordswoman like that. I'll have nightmares for sure." 

"What's the situation?"

"It's TWILIGHT!" Pinkie explodes, her body is in pieces. 

"What about Twilight?" Discord watches Pinkie Pie reassemble herself. 

"She fooled us!" Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity step aside, revealing a mannequin version of Twilight Sparkle still in her human form." 

Discord's jaw drops, hitting the floor; He couldn't believe that Twilight deceived them.

"My sister has gone too far on this ridiculous quest; to forcibly bring Spike back to Equestria!" Shining Armor is livid with the stunt Twilight pulled. He kicks his helmet in frustration. 

"Discord, we need to go back!" Rainbow Dash looks at Discord with a worried expression on her face. 

"Oooh, um.., you all are going to be pretty mad with me. In hindsight, it was a good idea. Now, it already backfired." 

"What do you mean, Discord? What did you do?" Celestia asks. 

Discord sighs. "I erased my memory on finding Earth Land where Spike resides. Also, I made sure that my chaos magic is forbidden from traveling there by any means. Not even time magic would be able to penetrate it."

"Oh no..," Shining Armor is fearing for the worst. 

"So, we have no means of getting there?" Applejack asks Discord. 

"That is correct. I've done it in case Twilight crosses the line even further. She'd already attempted to wipe Spike's mind, and we all saw the consequences of that. However, we shouldn't be worried. If memory is correct, we didn't pose a threat to the Fairy Tail guild. Let alone to the other magic users of that world." 

"That is correct," Princess Celestia nods. "I sensed a few wizards while they fought. They outclassed and outmatched us."

"There's one wizard of that world with the power of slayings Gods. The one they called Sherria is a Sky God Slayer. I witnessed her battle against Spike's girlfriend. They're wicked powerful. "

"Sherria can kill you?" Pinkie asks. 

"Yes. I did felt my chaos magic stronger but, it's not strong enough. I'm not too worried about the situation with Twilight being left behind."

"Why is that, Discord?" Shining Armor asks. 

"Twilight is weak in Earth land. Who is she going to partner with? She doesn't know anyone. Also, there is a possibility of seeing Spike in the future."

"How?" Everyone says in unison. They feel happy at the moment. 

"I gave Spike my last gift to him. A magic card. All Spike gotta do is breathe on the card, and the portal will open, allowing him to travel to Equestria and Earth Land anytime he wants. And, if he runs into Twilight or Twilight tries to do something stupid, Spike can easily use the portal and bring Twilight back to Equestria. Spike has proven to be a powerhouse." 

"That's wonderful that Spike has some way to come back to Equestria for a visit,"  Pinkie happily says. 

"I'll say. I wonder, is Twilight going to die? And if so, who's going to take her place as Princess?" Applejack asks. 

Shining hated the idea of his sister getting killed but, considering the boundaries Twilight is willing to cross on her relentless path, it's a possibility he has to accept. His brotherly instincts are getting the better of him, and wanting to protect his younger sister but, that would mean betraying Equestria if Twilight succeeds in her conquest in retrieving Spike, regardless of the consequences. 

"When Twilight returns Discord, you have the authority to strip Twilight of her wings. She is not deserving to be a Princess of Equestria," Princess Celestia formally decrees. 

"How is that fair when Luna tried to enslaved everypony and ensuring all of Equestria into an endless night?" Shining Armor questions Celestia's authority. 

Princess Celestia turns to Shining Armor, looking at him eye-to-eye. "The lengths that my sister had gone through were rough; she allowed the darkness to consume her, thus turning into Nightmare Moon. She was upset that ponies in Equestria would praise me for the light of day while they were asleep during her night. Luna felt it was unfair during the time, and I failed her as a sister. I failed Luna. For 1000 years, she was imprisoned on the moon due to my failure. May I add that she was in solitary confinement? Twilight, she's not driven into darkness like how my sister was. Twilight is driving into insanity. We lost Twilight the moment Spike was out of her life for the mistreatment she gave him. IF Spike accepted the fate of how he was treated, Twilight would be the same while we're oblivious to see Spike's pain, abandonment, and enslavement. We would still be oblivious to this day. Our main attention and focus would be on Twilight and her friends. Not Spike. I'm learning this as I'm seeing the direction we're walking through right now. Twilight is not fit to run Equestria as a future Princess. It was obvious that I made the wrong choice. She had so much potential in ruling Equestria someday. With her stunt and still having the motive to strip Spike's life away, she's proving to be another villain in the books of Equestria's history. I'll admit, I'm in the wrong on going to Earth Land to bring Spike back. I'm in the wrong on hiding the information from the Bar of Alliance that regards Spike. I admit I made mistakes that led to this moment. I'm not perfect. All I can do now is pray that Twilight doesn't do anything foolish that could bring disaster on us. There's nothing I can do to stop Twilight, and once she set her mind on something, she's going to see it through to the end. Tell me, is Twilight deserving of being a Princess of Equestria knowing she's willing to cross the lines and boundaries, disregarding everything around her except for her objective?"

Everyone is silent after Celestia made her statement. Shining Armor is suppressing his anger. Yes, Twilight has the tendencies to overlook at times when completing her goals. Shining witnessed Twilight trying to erase Spike's mind. Twilight even disregarded Spike as a creature. Twilight did a lot of good for Equestria's sake. 

Shining brotherly's instinct to protect Twilight kicks in. "So, are we supposed to forget the good Twilight has done for Equestria? Is all that forgotten due to the wrongs she's done and doing?"

"If Twilight wasn't your sister, how would you feel?"

"I would feel-" Shining Armor stops himself from answering the question. 

"Go on," Princess Celestia said. She has him now. 

Shining now put himself in a heap of trouble for nearly admitting his true thought of the certain. He turns away from Celestia, feeling a bit of shame.

"If it were somepony else..," Shining Armor sighs deeply. "If it were somepony else, that pony isn't deserving since they took extreme measures on getting what they want..."

"Darkness and insanity are two different roads to walk on. You may recover better by coming out of the darkness. Insanity, there is no point of return. Twilight made sure she wasn't coming back with us. I have an unfortunate feeling. When Twilight returns, the outcome will not be pretty." 

"You think so, Celestia?" Discord asks. 

"Every villain comes back to bring suffering. You should know that Discord," Celestia states. Discord took that to heart as he did bring suffering to Ponyville and the ponies around. 

"Ouch, I felt like I've been shot," Discord checks his chest and sees a bullet wound. "Yep, I've been shot."

"I'll ask again, do you think Twilight is deserving to be a Princess of Equestria?" 

Shining turns to face Celestia in the eyes. "No," Shining answers seriously.  It pains Shining Armor to answer that but, it was the truth. A painful truth. 

"Discord, take some time off. One week from today, we're having a meeting with the Bar of Alliance. It's time to stop hiding the truths and start speaking them." 

"Understood, Princess. Where to?" Discord asks. 

"The Crystal Empire. As for everypony here, return to your daily lives until further notice. Alarm Starlight to resume her duties as Headmare at the School of Friendship in two weeks." 

"Yes, Princess," Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity nod. They go looking for Starlight Glimmer. 

Discord returns home while Celestia flies to Canterlot to inform Luna of everything that transpired. When Discord enters his home, he sees Sunset Shimmer bonding with the Dazzlings, watching a horror movie. Discord doesn't say a word and joins in on watching a horror movie with them.
> Sisterly Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia arrives at her castle's balcony. She sees her sister, Luna getting ready for the night shift. Princess Luna looks at Celestia with disgust. 

"Luna, I..," Luna walks past her. 

"Save it. I have to get ready to enter Spike's mind and calm him down." 

"Spike isn't here." 

Luna's eyes beam wide open after hearing that. She turns to Celestia. "What do you mean Spike isn't here? You let him stay, or did he killed himself along the way?"

Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. "We found him. Spike is surrounded by a magical, powerful, loving family."

"What happened?" Princess Luna takes a seat in Celestia's room. She's intrigued with the news. 

"First, before anything, I want to say that I'm sorry. You were right about everyone being entitled to live life happily. I didn't see the bigger picture of the outcome until my horn and wing were cleaved off."

"How was that possible? You are the strongest Alicorn in existence," Princess Luna is perplexed.

"The world Spike resides is known as Earth Land. Magic power there is beyond anything we can ever comprehend. I've witnessed two battles of this event known as the Grand Magic Games, each wizard has a particularly skill, and it's a sight to behold. Twilight and I were called into battle against Spike and his comrade, Erza Scarlet."

"Who's Erza Scarlet?" Luna is curious to know who she is. 

"An Alicorn Slayer." 

Princess Luna cringes at the title. "How is that possible?"

"Our magic made us stronger but, we were nowhere at the elite levels of the magic guilds competing. Erza Scarlet dominated me with her magic power and strength. If Tirek was running wild with all the magic in Equestria, Erza would beat him in less than ten minutes. It took her a few moments to defeat me."

"Oh.., wow..," Princess Luna's jaw drops. She has never heard a creature that can do that. "What about Spike?"

"He utterly destroyed Twilight with his magic. In Earth land, he's Spike the Fairy of the Fairy Tail Guild. Spike's power scares me more than losing my life. He's insanely wicked powerful, Luna." 

"Where's Twilight?" Luna asks. 

"Still in Earth Land," Celestia sighs heavily. 

"What happened with Twilight?"

"Twilight has succumbed to insanity. She tried to erase Spike's memories, and Spike had a counter for it. Luna, I have never seen anyone having an answer to a memory erase spell. Twilight made a fake copy when we came for her to bring her back to Equestria. Erza proposed a wager. We beat them; Spike comes back. They beat us; Spike stays."

"Wow. So, Twilight has no chance of coming back to Equestria?"

"Discord gave Spike a magic card that'll allow him to travel here and back to Earth land. I'm sure down the line they'll encounter each other. Hopefully, Spike doesn't kill Twilight, and if he does," Celestia sighs heavily. "I don't think I want to finish that statement." 

"I understand. There's no reason to go any further. With Twilight succumbing to insanity, does that mean her title of Princess is revoked?"

"Yes. If Twilight somehow returns to Equestria unscathed, she will no longer be the Princess of Friendship and will no longer be worthy as an Alicorn. Discord will remove her wings."

"So, are you going to decide who'll be next in line as your student to become a Princess?"

"No. So far, my decisions had turn things astray. Luna, you'll decide who is worthy. To be next in line, to follow the path into becoming a Princess of Equestria. When you stood up to me on not going, to protect Equestria while I was going on a worthless pursuit, you chose Equestria first. I chose to listen to Twilight in the heap of the revelation. I chose to disregard Spike's happiness for Equestria. You did what was right for Spike and Equestria at the same time. You are becoming a wiser leader, Luna."   

"I'm.., I'm not sure who to pick? I don't know what it's like to take a pony under my wing. How do I do that, Celestia?" Luna is unsure about picking who is worthy of becoming her protege.

"Don't select out of the best of the best but let your heart guide you. You'll know who'll be right to become a Princess someday. I'm going to trust you to do this on you're own. I wish you the best of luck for a better outcome."

Princess Celestia hugs her sister and goes to bed. Princess Luna decides to not go on her dream shift and to think about choosing a protege for the future of Equestria. Princess Luna trots to her room to figure where to visit to see potential mares that'll follow her. 

"What am I supposed to do?" Princess Luna stares at the moon to come up with suggestions. "Who do I know could be worthy of taking Twilight's place as future Princess of Equestria?" Princess Luna sighs. "Maybe choosing a random location is not my best option. Follow my heart," Princess Luna views Ponyville from her window. "Maybe, I need a group that'll be the future of Equestria?" Princess Luna gets an idea. She starts jotting down possibilities of Equestria's future. 

Princess Luna spends two hours jotting all sorts of possibilities for Equestria. She's starting to have fun with the project instead of worrying about who to choose. 

It's now 7:30 in the morning. The moon is still up, which worries Celestia a bit. She lowers the moon and raises the sun. She wonders what her sister, Luna, is doing. Princess Celestia decides to check on her sister. When she enters her room, she sees Luna's notes on the walls with diagrams and about the possibilities of Equestria's state. 

"Luna, how are you feeling?" Celestia asks her sister. 

"Great!" Luna is enthusiastic. 

"In a span of a night, my sister has a plan in motion. I guess she listened to her heart after all." Princess Celestia smiles. 

"I'll be back, Celestia," Luna said. 

"Where are you off to?"

"To see Discord, I need a second opinion," Princess Luna flies off to Discord's house. 

Princess Celestia couldn't help herself and snoops through Luna's notes and diagram. She's amazed to see what's she thinking of until something strikes her. Princess Celestia doesn't see Luna's notes about one protege but having seven proteges.
> Luna & Discord Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Luna uses her magic to teleport to Discord's front door. She knocks on the door. 

"Coming!" Discord opens the door while drinking his barrel of chocolate milk to get the day going. "Morning, Luna. You need anything?" 

"Yes, Discord. May I come in?"

"Of course, please come in," Discord allows Luna to enter his home. "So, what's on your mind?"

"I need a second opinion. With Twilight going astray, Princess Celestia has asked me to choose who'll be next in line. To have a protege into leading the future of Equestria."

"Wow, that was unexpected," Discord puts his barrel of chocolate milk under the rug for safekeeping. 

"Princess Celestia is tired of choosing who'll be fit as her decision-making has gone astray. That's one of the reasons she entrusted me with the task." 

"So, what was the other reason behind it?" Discord is now wearing a reporter's attire while writing the info from Luna. 

"My sister admitted to me last night that I'm becoming wiser in my role as Princess than she." 

"Did she really say that, or are you pulling my strings?" Sonata pulls a string from Discord's back. "There's a snake in my boot!"

Princess Luna laughs. Discord becomes a bit flustered with Sonata's antics. 

"You're pressing my buttons again, Sonata." 

Sonata giggles. "Like this one?" Sonata presses a button next to Discord's neck. 

"To Infinity and Beyond!" Discord shouts while his wings flap. 

Luna bursts into laughter after hearing Discord say that. Sonata flies into her room and locks it before Discord could do anything. 

"So, how is it having roommates?" Princess Luna stops laughing.

"Well, it's nice to have company and have a lot in common. We watched a horror movie last night, and I'm bonding with Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings. So far, it's been good. Are you deciding to have Sunset Shimmer as the next Princess of Friendship or as the next Princess of Equestria?" 

"Actually, I've decided to go in a different route. Something that'll benefit the future of Equestria." 

"Oooh, you decided to have me be in charged?" Discord smiles and blinks three times at Luna. 

"Not even in your dreams, Discord," Luna pats Discord's head. 

"So, if it's not me, who it is?"

"You remember a while back. I brought seven students to your doorsteps?"

"The Unity Seven. Neighsay, Sandbar, Ocellus, Yona, Gallus, Smolder, Silverstream. All of them representing what unity is all about."

"I'm thinking about having the Unity Seven as my proteges. Equestria is going to be different. I believe my sister may be on the verge of retiring. If so, I need to step up as Princess of Equestria. As for the uprising, I believe more creatures will be residing in Equestria in the future. Instead of having an Alicorn rule all, it should be the Unity Seven with the same power as an Alicorn. Power in the sense of authority figure if you know what I mean." 

"Loud and clear. I'm surprised and impressed you've decided to take my students under your wing. I'm sure Starlight Glimmer will be happy to hear."

"Do you think I should go in this route?"

"Absolutely, Luna. You're thinking about the future of Equestria and what it can be if done with all your heart. My advice is to have faith and believe in what you can achieve. So, did Celestia mentioned to you about the next Bar of Alliance meeting?"

"Neigh, Discord," Luna shakes her head. 

"In less than a week, there will be no more secrets. We're revealing the whole truth to the Bar of Alliance. I have the memories of Spike in Earth Land to present to them if they were to ask how he is doing."

"Anything in his memory that amazes you, Discord?"

"Are you kidding me? Everything that Spike endured since arriving in Earth Land is a picture-perfect movie. He's been on crazy adventures that'll shame Daring Do and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash would wish to participate or replace Spike to embark on the adventures. I know I would," Discord admits, doing a swear pose. 

"Have you shown it to anyone?" 

"Not yet. I will soon enough."

"I'm curious to know what was Spike's most shocking encounter." 

"Well.., there is a whole lot I can say right off the back."

"Why not show it to me now? Like a movie night," Princess Luna suggests. 

"It's still morning, Luna," Discord corrects Luna's statement. 

Luna rolls her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I do. I'll get the popcorn ready. Sit back on the couch." 

Sunset Shimmer, Sonata, Aria, and Adagio sit on the couch with Princess Luna. They heard the term movie and are ready to see another film. Discord returns with a barrel of all kinds of popcorn. 

"So, were you girls eavesdropping?" Discord asks. 

"Yea. I couldn't resist," Sunset says. 

"I was curious to know why Princess Luna would show up to your place, Draqonecuus," Adagio said. 

"I wanted to hear anything referring to Spike after the dreadful tale Twilight told us," Sonata said. 

"I didn't want to miss out on anything that Sonata would brag in my face to do her any favors," Aria admits. 

"So, how is it being Hippogriffs?" Princess Luna asks. 

"I can't complain," Sonata said, eating caramel popcorn. 

"Feels natural, like I'm in my Siren body, and at the same time, I can walk," Aria admits. 

"It's nice, not having to be bound to the Amulet's power and feeding on hatred. Here I thought I would be able to eat it but, I wasn't able to take a nibble out of it. My body rejected it. I guess it's been so long that our appetite changed for the better," Adagio says. 

"How are you three and Sunset getting along?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Fine. I'm getting to know Aria, Adagio, and Sonata a bit better. We decided to start anew as friends instead of enemies."

"Which is true," Sonata said, agreeing to Sunset's statement. 

"We have some things in common and trying to find our place in Equestria now that the ruling for all creatures to reside where they originated from," Sunset explains. 

Princess Luna sighs heavily.

"What's up?" Adagio turns to Princess Luna. 

"I'm guessing Celestia and Twilight didn't tell you, Discord."

"Tell me about what?" Discord turns to Princess Luna. 

"What's the news, Luna? Tell us, please," Sunset persuades Luna in revealing the truth. 

"There is no law about creatures having to stay in their original homeland." 

"WHAAAAAAAAAT!?" Discord, Sunset, and the Dazzling shout in unison. They couldn't believe what Princess Luna is claiming. 

"There is no documentation to verify the law. I checked to see the official ruling of Equestria while you and the others went to Earth Land. There is no law that creatures must stay in their homeland. Then I found out it was a ruse to lure Spike back. Apparently, it failed."

"That conniving, backstabbing, liar of a Princess!" Sunset is irate. She looks for a vase and shatters it, picturing it was Twilight Sparkle's face. "She ruined my life!"

Sonata hugs Sunset Shimmer. "Let it all out; holding in anger won't do you any good," Sonata rubs Sunset Shimmer's back as she cries a little in anger. 

"So, when Twilight returns, will she be sent to Tartarus?" Adagio asks Princess Luna. 

"Yes. Twilight tried to erase Spike's mind during the Grand Magic Games. Celestia has given me the authority to strip her wings away. I should dispose of her horn as well. She can't be trusted," Discord answers Adagio's question. 

"Anyone else in the heap of trouble like Twilight?" Aria asks. 

"No. Princess Celestia is on her path to better herself and set a better example for the future. However, on my birthday, you can grant my wish, Discord." 

"What is your wish? I won't mind granting one more wish before closing that chapter for good."

"Have Celestia stuffed inside a piñata filled with candy; every one of us takes a whack at the piñata," Princess Luna sinisterly chuckles. 

"Oh, definitely," Discord laughs as well. 

"Wow, Luna. That's so devious of you," Adagio compliments. 

"Wait, here's a better idea. The piñata Celestia gets stuffed into is a Twilight Sparkle piñata," Aria said. 

"Now that'll be one awesome birthday party," Sunset Shimmer said, feeling a bit better. 

Discord takes off his head from his body; it turns into a film projector. Discord regrows his head and sits on the floor while his friends sit on the couch. More of his clones hover in the air to watch Spike's Adventures. The first thing they see is Spike free-falling from the portal while his body changes in the process, entering Earth Land for the first time.
> Grand Magic Games: Day 5, Final Battle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The day has arrived. It's Day 5 of the Grand Magic Games!" Chapati announces. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have some unfortunate news. The guild known as the Celestials will not be joining us in Day 5's extravaganza. Therefore, the two Fairy Tail teams will merge into one team with 45 points and remain number one for now. 

"It is unfortunate. For reasons the Celestial's departure will not be announced," Yajima announces. 

"Hello everyone," The Pumpkin Head, Mato greets everyone in attendance on the mic. "I'll be your special guest in today's Day 5 Finale. It is quite a shame that Fairy Tail won't be competing with two teams. The reason for Fairy Tail to start with 45 points is to make the final battle much more entertaining and closer for the other guilds. Especially when Fairy Tail Team B has 65 points!"

"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, let's bring out all the competitors!" Chapati announces. 

Quatro Puppy is the first to come out. They are in 6th place with 14 points. 

"Let's make an awesome comeback! Wild!" Quatro Puppy shouts in unison. 

Blue Pegasus is the second to come out. They are in 5th place with 27 points. 

"Alright, everyone. Let's show everyone that you should never underestimate Blue Pegasus!" Ichiya proclaims. 

"Right! We look forward to winning the games with you, Maestro," The Trimen says in unison. 

"I'm ready to show everyone that Blue Pegasus is not a fluke in this year's Grand Magic Games," Jenny said. 

Lamia Scale is the third to come out. They are in 4th place with 28 points. 

"I'm looking forward to that rematch with Spike the Fairy," Jura said. 

"Are you freaking kidding me? Did you not see what he did to those Celestials?" Toby said. He's confused as to why Jura is excited. 

"He did turn into a demon to conquer his demons. I wouldn't want to piss him off," Sherria said. 

"It doesn't matter. Lamia Scale is winning today's game. We will defeat Fairy Dragon and secure our place as the number-one ranked guild. Then Juvia will be a member of Lamia Scale," Lyon gets sidetracked when his imagination of Juvia gets the better of him. 

Sabertooth is the fourth to come out. They are in 3rd place with 37 points. 

No one in Sabertooth says a word. Sting is focused on winning the games so he can see Lector again after last night's disaster. Rogue can't wait to fight Gajeel in the contest. Minerva is upset that the Celestials are not competing, but it's one less guild to worry about. 

Mermaid Heel is the fifth to come out. They are in 2nd place with 42 points. 

Everyone except for Kagura is celebrating their position and hopes to obtain a first place for the rest of the games. Every Mermaid Heel member hopes and prays that Kagura can subdue Fairy Dragon or tire him long enough for either of them to deliver the finishing blow. 

Fairy Tail is the last to come out. They are in 1st place with 45 points. 

Laxus, Gajeel, Gray, Erza, and Spike come out. They see who's competing in the final event. They don't say anything as they are focused on the task at hand. 

"Ready to win?"

"You know it. Losing is not an option."

"Now that all teams have entered the arena, the final match will be a Full-Team-Survivor-Game!" Chapati announces. 

"The teams won't be competing in this small arena. They have a special arena to duke it out. The entire city of Crocus will serve as their battlefield!" The Pumpkin Head announces. 

"Teams will be spread throughout the battlefield and will be waiting on standby," Yajima explains. The teams in the arena are teleported to other regions of Crocus. 

"The combatants will rush through the city, battling any opposing guild members they encounter. Knocking out or incapacitating an opposing wizard will score 1 point. Taking out the leader of the team is worth 5 points. Each guild will elect a leader of the team, and no other guild will know of it." 

"Listen, we have to win this just in case the rescue plan fails. Lucy is counting on all of us," Erza reminds the team. 

"Don't worry. Losing isn't an option for Fairy Tail," Spike declares. 

"She's not the only reason we're fighting," Gajeel said. 

"Gajeel's right. We're winning this for all of our friends in Fairy Tail," Gray said. 

"It's the very least we can do to thank them; After seven years of heartache. They deserve nothing short but victory," Laxus said. 

"Ready?" Erza asks. 

"Yeah!" Everyone around her shouted in unison, determined to win. 

Erza, Gray, Spike, Gajeel, and Laxus stand in formation, have their eyes shut, and not moving while the other competitors are. Toby and Yuka of Lamia Scale take down one of Quatro Puppy's members and score 1 point. The Trimen of Blue Pegasus takes down Araña Webb and Beth Vanderwood of Mermaid Heel, scoring 2 points. Lyon takes down a member of Quatro Puppy, scoring 1 point. Jura takes down another member of Quatro Puppy, scoring another point. Toby and Yuka are met with Bacchus when Sting arrives and takes him down with one blow scoring 5 points for Sabertooth. Kagura comes from behind and takes out Yuka and Toby with one blow, scoring 2 points. Sting goes away while Kagura has her back turned. Millianna takes care of Rocker and eliminates Quatro Puppy from the competition, scoring another point for Mermaid Heel.   

Makarov is getting angry while everyone in Fairy Tail viewing starts getting nervous. As for Master Mavis, she doesn't seem all that worried.

"Are they mad? Have they forgotten then Lucy's freedom is at stake?" Makarov is tired of watching his children standing idly for no apparent reason. 

"They didn't forget. In fact, it's the very reason why we must remain calm and focused," Mavis replies. 

"Huh?" Makarov turns to Mavis. 

"Over the course of the tournament, I watched their opponents closely. I saw their strengths, spells, and behavioral patterns. And I committed them to memory. With these factors in mind, I ran through millions of calculations to find our strategy." 

"Wait, how many?" Macao is in awe. 

"Millions. Crazy," Wakaba said. 

"And so far, all of my predictions concerning the enemies' strategies and casualties, they are exactly as I thought," Mavis smirks. Makarov is in awe, witnessing Mavis Vermillion as the Fairy Tactician. "I then gave my battle plan to our team. Guaranteeing our comrades to victory. Operation Fairy Stars! Begin!" 

Gajeel, Erza, Gray, Laxus, and Spike open their eyes. They hear Master Mavis signaling them to move. They shout Roger in unison and depart. The commentators and the crowd are happy to see Fairy Tail mobilized. Rufus sees them from afar and decides to take out the Fairy Tail team with one spell. He uses Night of the Shooting Stars, Gajeel, Erza, and Gray dodges the attack. Laxus takes the hit as it powers him up. Spike's claws are glowing Sparkling Green and grab onto the attack and fly up. 

"Fairy Rage, you know where this came from?"

"Two meters north. I sensed the spell from that direction."

"What?" Rufus sees Spike in the air. 

Spike turns and sees Rufus dazed. "Gotcha, Energy Blast!" Spike uses his flames and combined the blast with Rufus Night of the Shooting Star. 

"What am I doing?" Rufus jumps out of the way by a few seconds. The house he stood on blows up. "I have to remember not to give him any magic power."

"Don't worry, folks," The Pumpkin Head announces. "Any property damage taken will be handled with care by the King of Fiore. He'll help you recover from all damages!" The crowd cheers. 

Spike flies to his designation. Erza takes out Jenny of Blue Pegasus, scoring the first point. Gajeel takes out Eve of Blue Pegasus, scoring another point. Gajeel and Gray take out the remaining of the Trimen of Blue Pegasus, scoring two points in total. Ichiya sees his comrades defeated and promises to take over, however, Ichiya gets ambushed by Jura. Blue Pegasus is eliminated from the competition while Lamia Scale scores 5 points.  Sherria defeats Risley Law, scoring another point for Lamia Scale. 

"Hey, Jura!" Spike shouts from the skies. 

"Oh my God, ladies and gentlemen! We're going to have a rematch!" Chapati gets excited. 

"A stellar performance from Day 1. Let's see if we'll have that stellar performance a second time," Yajima said. 

"Ready for Round 2, Fairy Dragon?" Jura gets excited. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size to the size of Laxus; the spikes on his body become sharper. He's ripped and brolic.

"Bring it on, bitch!" Jura said. 

Spike roars and soars down, throwing a punch at Jura. Jura throws one as well. Spike and Jura punch each other in the face and crashes into houses opposite each other. 

Jura gets up and spits some blood. "So, we're doing it?"

"Yes, we are," Spike spits out some blood. 

Spike and Jura charge at each other and go hand-to-claw close-quarters combat. Spike and Jura throw punches and kicks while blocking each other's moves. Spike punches Jura in the gut, Jura grabs Spike's head and knee-strikes him. Spike does a flip but, Jura grabs his tail and slams him hard to the ground. 

"Gotcha now," Jura jumps back and concentrates. "Rumbling Fu-" Jura gets taken down by Laxus' Heavenward Halberg attack. 

"Not this time," Laxus said, getting in the mix. 

"Crap, this must have been an ambush," Jura is now in a heap of trouble. 

"Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike lifts his claws and conjures ice missiles from the air. They're Sparkling Green with flames inside; He spawns a hundred of them. 

"Rock Mountain!" Jura is about to activate the spell and uses iron rock walls to block any attack from Spike. Laxus uses his lightning to navigate around the iron rock walls and nails a right hook on Jura. 

"He's all yours, Spike!" Laxus moves out of the way. 

"Launch!" Spike presses forward while the ice missiles go after Jura. This time, the Ice Paladin Strike hits Jura and takes him down, scoring 5 points for Fairy Tail. 

Lyon and Sherria are crying due to losing their biggest asset in the Grand Magic Games. Jura's body is half freezing, half hot. 

"Damn it.., I let my guard down..," Jura said. His excitement of fighting Spike made him lower his guard for opposing wizards. 

"Next time, a real rematch. A Real Round 2. I couldn't help but take advantage of the situation," Spike flies off. 

Laxus returns on his path to meet up with the next set of unfortunate souls. Gray finds Rufus in a library, getting ready to settle the score with him.

"My next target is Kagura of Mermaid Heel," Spike gets attacked by Sherria from the skies. Spike lands on the rooftop of someone's house.

"Sorry, you took out Jura, so now you have to deal with me," Sherria is pissed. 

"Oh, yeah! Sherria is going to bring down Spike the Fairy!" Chapati gets excited. 

"Spike took down Jura twice; what makes you think Sherria stands a chance?" Yajima asks. 

"Do you really think a dragon can defeat a God?" Chapati responds. 

"In all honesty, to defeat Spike the Fairy, you have to double or even triple-team him. He's too powerful," Yajima informs. 

"Mato, what do you think?" Chapati asks the Pumpkin Head. 

"It's a tough call. Spike has shown impressive feats during the Grand Magic Games. I want to say, Sherria may come out on top but, it'll be by ambush. No way someone in their right mind would take out Spike the Fairy on their own."

"Thank you, Mato, for clarifying to the people," Yajima said. 

"Go, Sherria!" Chapati cheers. 

"The Sky God. Let's see who's the more powerful one. A Dragon or a God?"

"She's all yours, Fairy Rage," Spike blinks a few times, and his pupils are orange. Fairy Rage takes control.

"Perfect." Fairy Rage's claws are Sparkling Orange. 

"Wh-What?" Sherria was not expecting to take on Fairy Rage. She doesn't know how to feel. 

"You think Spike gets to have all the fun?" Fairy Rage chuckles. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"Sky God, Boreas!" Sherria generates two spiraling black whirlwinds at Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage grabs the whirlwinds with his claws. "Thank you."

"Huh?" Sherria becomes worried. 

Fairy Rage claps his claws and generates a Sparkling Orange Sky God Saber. Sparkling Orange Flames engulf the sword. 

"Noooooooo! Someone! Call the Royal Soldiers! I see child abuse!" Chapati announces while pointing at the lacrima vision. 

"Calm down, you creepy pedo," Yajima said. 

"This right here, I'm calling it, Tempest Shadow." Fairy Rage names the saber he created. "Your black winds and my flames. Together, no God would be able to counter it."

"Sky God, Bellow!" Sherria unleashes her breath attack. Black winds, moving at a rapid speed at Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage slices through the breath attack. "Cyclone Tempest!" Fairy Rage twirls the saber forward. Sparkling Orange-Black Flare Winds are unleashed at Sherria. 

"Hah! Don't you know I can eat winds like your girlfriend, Wendy?"

"Then go for it." Fairy Rage smirks. 

"I will!" Sherria tries to consume the Cyclone Tempest attack, but it scorches her instead. She screams while her mouth feels like it's on fire. 

"I figure you couldn't eat your own magic since it's infused with mine. My magic, when merged with another creates an interesting poison to those that try to consume it."

"That's enough! Ice Make, Snow Dragon!" Lyon creates an Ice Dragon and attacks Fairy Rage with it. 

Fairy Rage flies up. "Two on one. This should be interesting."

"Sherria, are you alright?" Lyon checks on Sherria. 

Sherria nods and uses her healing magic to restore her health. "Careful, he can use our magic against us," Sherria warns. 

"Point taken," Lyon turns to Fairy Rage. "I know we fought together during the Nirvana crisis. Now, you taken out Jura, this means war," Lyon is angry.

"In the words of Jura; Bring it on, bitch!" Lyon and Sherria attack Fairy Rage. "Ice Spike!" An Orange ice spike rises from the ground; Sherria and Lyon jump out of the way. 

"How are you able to use Ice Magic?" Lyon asks. 

"Gray gave some ice magic to Spike for him to consume. Edolas trip, Spike defeated his counterpart over there."

"Counterpart!?" Lyon and Sherria are confused and shocked about fighting a counterpart.

"Ice Make, Eagle!" Lyon creates a swarm of Ice Eagles to attack Fairy Rage 

"Inferno Rage Roooooooooar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his fire breath, incinerating the ice eagles. 

"Sky God, Boreas!" Sherria tries using the attack again. 

"Not this time." Fairy Rage uses his breath to teleport the attack. It hits Lyon instead. 

"No, Lyon!" Sherria feels awful for striking at the man she loves. 

"Tempest Slicer!" Fairy Rage uses his saber to create Sparkling Orange-Black Flare air slicers hitting Sherria. 

Sherria uses her Sky God magic to create a tempest wall. Fairy Rage flies directly at the wall and punches Sherria in the face. 

"Disqualify that dragon! Disqualify that dragon for hurting my Sherria!" Chapati angrily shouts into the mic. 

"Yep, the dude is definitely a pedo," Mato said, unamused with Chapati's reaction. 

"I understand choosing your favorites but stay within your age limit, sheesh," Yajima said. 

"I will say, Fairy Rage is holding his own nicely against two powerful wizards of Lamia Scale," Chapati said. "But please, someone disqualify the dragon!"

Fairy Rage grabs Sherria's leg and throws her down at Lyon. Lyon catches her and falls on his back. 

"He's too strong," Sherria admits. 

"Don't give up. We can do win this; together," Lyon gives Sherria an encouraging smile. 

"Yea," Sherria nods and heals Lyon. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Fairy Rage lifts his claw at the sky, generating large Sparkling Orange Lightning Flame Orbs. 

"Ice Make! Blizzard!" Lyon uses his magic to create a blizzard. 

"Sky God, Bellow!" Sherria unleashes her wind breath again. This time, it intercedes with Lyon's blizzard in a unison raid. 

"Now! Ice Make Dragon! Ape! Tiger!" Lyon creates an ice Dragon, Ape, and Tiger to attack Fairy Rage. All three ice creations succeeded in attacking Fairy Rage. He gets knocked down to the ground. 

"Yes! He's down!" Sherria cheers. 

"Perfect timing." Fairy Rage smiles. 

"What?!" Sherria and Lyon are perplexed by Fairy Rage's statement. 

"Ice Make! Seven Slice Dance!" Gray creates ice blades on his elbows and strikes Sherria and Lyon from behind. The two didn't expect Gray to come from behind. 

"Darn you!" Lyon is livid. He's on the ground. 

"Wait, that means you defeated Rufus?" Sherria asks. 

"Meteor Rain!" Fairy Rage unleashes Sparkling Orange Lightning Flame Orbs upon Lyon and Sherria. 

"Shit," Lyon said in defeat. 

Lyon and Sherria are bombarded with Fairy Rage's Meteor Rain. Lightning Flame orbs explode like small grenades around them. The two scream in pain and crashes into someone's house. The house collapsed on impact. Fairy Tail scores 2 points, eliminating Lamia Scale.

"Man! Just like that, Fairy Tail defeats Lamia Scale and continues to rack up points. My Sherria, defeated in an ambushed assault!" Chapati sniffs. 

"Folks, here are the scores so far in today's final event," Yajima reveals the scoreboard. 



Fairy Tail - 56 points - 1 Leader & 4 Members

Mermaid Heel - 45 points - 1 Leader & 1 Member

Sabertooth - 42 points- 1 leader & 3 Members

Lamia Scale - 37 points - Eliminated

Blue Pegasus - 29 points - Eliminated

Quatro Puppy - 14 points - Eliminated


"Fairy Tail has a commanding lead for first place. However, taking down Fairy Dragon will be the most difficult challenge yet!" The Pumpkin Head said. 

"Spike, how are you feeling?" Gray walks up to him. 

Fairy Rage gives Spike back control. He had his fun. "I"m good. I still have much left in the tank."

"Good. Fairy Rage, what about you?"

"I'm good. We're still a bit off since what happened with the Eclipse Gate incident."

"Alright, let's find more to take down," Gray separates and runs in a different direction. 

"Let's fly," Spike takes off, looking for his next opponent. Spike flies downtown and sees his next opponent. "Kagura."

Kagura is walking and keeping her guard up. She hears Spike swooping down and jumps behind him.

"Nice try, I won't allow you to get one on me," Kagura is ready for combat. 

"Darn, so much for that," Spike conjures his Sparkling Green Metallic Flame Sword. 

Kagura and Spike engage in a sword battle. Kagura uses her sheath and proves to be difficult for Spike in a sword battle. Spike uses ingenuity to switch sword hands to punch Kagura in the face. Kagura uses her gravitational magic as a boost to charge at Spike. 

"Not this time," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Kagura. 

Kagura gets teleported behind Spike and strikes him in the back before Spike can deliver a blow. 

"She's definitely quick."

"Fairy Rage. I'm impressed with your physique."

"You are a difficult opponent. We're not swordsdragon, but we try to get better."

"Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike slashes his flame sword at Kagura. She jumps back and repels one of the flame sword slice attacks. 

Kagura presses onward to attack Spike. Spike uses his sword to block some attacks but, his sword shatters. Kagura strikes Spike with her sheath.  Spike feels the full force of the attack and still stands. 

"A few more of those, and it should keep him down." Kagura thought to herself. 

"Phew phew," Spike mimics his claws like guns, shooting Sparkling Green Magic bullets at Kagura. Kagura repels each one, making her way to strike Spike again. "Ice Spi-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!" Spike wails and holds his head. 

Kagura stops her pursuit to see why Spike is wailing. Everyone in Crocus wonders why Spike is screaming the way he is. Erza, Gray, Laxus, and Gajeel are now worried about Spike. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!" Spike wails louder. 

"Hey.., are you okay..?" Kagura walks up to him. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!" Spike falls to his knees, panting heavily. "What...was...that? What...did...I...sense..?" Spike is shaking.

Kagura checks on Spike. "What did you sensed?"

"Something big, corrupted, and powerful. We sensed it. We never sensed anything of it before. I can't describe what I felt."

"I'm scared of what I sensed. Did you sense it?" Spike asks Kagura. 

"No. I didn't sense anything. I know that you are not faking it."

"We'll have our fight later," Spike teleports himself away from Kagura. 

"What did he sensed?" Kagura thought to herself. She continues onward in finding her next opponent after Spike departed from the battle. 

Spike lands elsewhere in Crocus to recover. He sits down near a bench. "What was that, Fairy Rage?"

"I told you, I never sensed it before. Whatever we sensed, it's massive."

"That'll be me," Minerva blindside Spike with her Territory Explosion magic. 

Spike lands hard on the ground with a bloody nose. "You're the one that brutally beat up my sister." 

"The Heartfillia. I obliged the game rules," Minerva chuckles. 

"I'm going to make you eat dirt when I'm through with you!" Spike glares at Minerva. 

"Kinda cute that a dragon, like you, believe you're a threat. In actuality, you have a tantrum problem." 

"I don't make threats. I keep my promises."

"Touchy," Minerva taunts Spike. 

Millianna jumps into the fray, trying to use her magic to bind Minerva. Minerva uses her Territory Explosion to subdue Milliana's feeble attempt. Minerva picks up Millianna. 

"I'm not through with you," Minerva encases Millianna with her Territory Drain Sphere. It'll keep her active for the fruition of Minerva's plan. 

"Explosion Catacly-" Spike sees Minerva teleporting away with Millianna encased in the sphere. "Crap, right before I used my magic." 

"You feeling better?"

"Not 100% but, I'll keep going. I think Minerva helped me feel a bit at ease with what we sensed. Let's fly," Spike takes off and searches for Minerva. 

Erza arrives at her destination, where Mavis predicts Minerva will arrive. She's worried about Spike's condition after seeing him wail the way he did. Kagura catches up on Erza and attacks. Erza believes that Kagura may have something to do with Spike.

"What did you do to Spike?" Erza sternly asks. 

"I've done nothing to him. One minute we were fighting, the next thing I know, he wailed. All I know is that he sensed something terrifying. Something only him and Rage sensed," Kagura responds. 

Kagura and Erza fight each other with their swords. Erza uses her twin swords while Kagura continues to use her sheath. Erza wonders if Twilight Sparkle has anything to do with Spike's wailing. Kagura keeps the pressure, knowing that Erza is hiding Jellal. The two continue their battle until Minerva intervenes, throwing them aside. Minerva made it clear that Fairy Tail and Mermaid Heel humiliated Sabertooth in the games. She intends on saving the guild's grace by defeating Erza and Kagura. Minerva fights Erza and Kagura. 

Spike flies when he sees a large beam of magic energy skyrocketing. "There. That's where Minerva has to be." 

"Or someone else. Maybe Orga of Sabertooth."

"Nope, that's Laxus' opponent," Spike flies where the beam of light was. 

Minerva used an incantation with immense magic power, shattering the area she fought Erza and Kagura. Erza and Kagura have some minor bruises and clothes a bit tattered from the impact. They are still standing, ready to fight. 

"How fascinating; I'm afraid that I have underestimated your strengths," Minerva refers to Erza and Kagura. "Engaging you two personally has taught me many things. You two have so much power raging beneath the surface. Continuing on like this will take us nowhere. So, let's change up the game a bit," Minerva brings forth Millianna in the Terrirtoy Drain Sphere. Kagura and Erza are in shock and worry about the condition of Millianna trapped in the sphere. "I found a stray kitten." 

"Millianna!" Erza and Kagura shout. They give scornful looks at Minerva. Minerva takes delight at the scornful faces. 

"The sphere she's in constantly drains magic power. It's excruciatingly painful," Minerva sadistically explains. "Surrendering won't save her."

"But this will!" Spike soars down and lands a punch at Minerva's face. 

"Spike! Are you-" Spike cuts Erza's speech. 

"I'm fine. I'm going to make this girl eat dirt!" Spike powers up. 

Minerva gets up. "How dare you interrupt my plans." 

"Lady, I'm going to give you the thrashing you deserve for inflicting pain on my sister!" Spike takes control of Fairy Rage. His eyes are a blend of orange and green. "This is for Lucy Heartfillia!" 

"I'm going to show Sting and Rogue how to kill a dragon!" Minerva powers up. She uses her Territory Explosion inside the draining sphere, knocking out Millianna in the process. What Minerva plans on doing is using what she has to her advantage. 

Erza and Kagura turn to Minerva. They are livid. The two nod and attack Minerva with Spike. Minerva realizes that having three opponents is fun when using their anger and not using their technicality. She blocks certain attacks from Kagura and Erza. 

Spike conjures a fireball. "Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike creates a heat cannon and shoots it at Minerva. 

"Is that all you got?" Minerva uses her magic to ride on Inferno Heat Wave to use her explosion magic on Spike. Spike falls back hard. Kagura comes from behind when Minerva uses her magic to switch positions with Erza. Erza was quick enough to block the attack. "Careful, you may hurt someone," Minerva sneers. 

Erza and Kagura leap and attack Minerva. She uses her explosion magic on them, sending the two hurling back a bit. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame! Demolition Fist!" Spike's claw is emitting Sparkling Orange-Green Lightning Flames. 

Minerva uses a tactic of Spike's and switches places with him. Spike miss the strike on Minerva. Erza requips in her Black Wing Armor to strike Minerva. 

"Perfect," Minerva smiles sadistically. She uses her magic to switch positions with Erza and takes her sword. 

Kagura moves at a fast speed to attack Minerva with her sheath sword. Minerva holds her own by using Erza's sword. Erza spawns another sword to attack Minerva. However, Minerva leaps in the air, causing Erza to strike Kagura. Kagura deflected the attack from Erza. Spike lunges at Minerva, getting ready to use an Inferno Freezing Fist when Minerva uses her magic to switch positions with Spike and stabs him from behind. Everyone watching is in shock and horror to see Spike the Fairy stabbed in the back. The commentators, the crowds, the guilds eliminated, and all of Fairy Tail watching are silent. Mavis Vermillion didn't see this outcome in any of her calculations.

"SPIKE!" Erza horrifyingly shouts. She drops her sword. 

"What was that about making me eat dirt?" Minerva chuckles. She yanks the sword out hard as blood splatters a bit. 

Spike falls to his knees. Minerva stabbed Spike on the left side of his back. The fighting stops, and Erza rushes to Spike. She holds him dearly while Spike reverts to his size. 

"Spike.., Spiiiiiiiike!" Erza is in tears, seeing how deep the sword stabbed into him. She has blood all over her hands. 

Spike is having a hard time breathing. Kagura is silent about the situation; She's in a trance. 

"Sis..," Spike pants heavily. "I'm sorry.., I tried..," Spike pants from the attack. 

"Brother..," Erza cries. 

"You call that tantrum baby brother? Oh, you must be feeling like a failure for protecting or yet saving him from this battle. You are a poor excuse of a sister!" Minerva taunts. She scores a point for defeating Spike the Fairy in battle. 

That statement from Minerva reawakens a similar type of field for Kagura. Since Kagura was unable to save her brother or protect him during a horrible night many years ago, it enrages her to a decree seeing a what-if scenario if the roles were switched. Kagura knows what it's like losing a brother in an instant.

Spike couldn't utter a word as he passes out from the pain. It was too much for him to bear. Erza screams after feeling Spike's body going limp. She gets up and looks at Minerva furiously, a glare that means death upon you. 

"Oh, my. That's a new look, Erza. I find it relishing and pleasurable."

"Don't savor it! The next thing I'm going to do is tear your heart out, piece by piece! You'll rue the day of shedding my brother's blood like that!" Erza angrily powers up.

"It's called Team Survivor. He didn't survive the battle. Therefore, I declare victor over the most powerful member of the entire Grand Magic Games," Minerva smiles. "Now, I have two more, and the rest of the games will belong to Sabertooth."

Kagura's anger is triggered when she imagines her brother in the same circumstance. Beth Vanderwood, Araña Webb, and Risley Law arrive to take Millianna to the infirmary. 

"Take the dragon too! He needs medical help!" Kagura commands her guild to take Spike out of harm's way. 

"Understood," Risley carries Spike away from the battle. 

"I can't believe someone this small has so much magic power," Araña Webb said while carrying Millianna.

"What worries me is what did the dragon sensed earlier," Beth Vanderwood says. 

"Since when you cared about the dragon? He knows Jellal as well," Minerva sinisterly smiles, hoping to use Kagura's anger as an advantage. 

"Congratulations..," Kagura is gripping her sword to unsheath it for the first time. "Your name is on my list for my Archenemy!" Kagura unsheaths her sword and attacks Minerva in an instant. Minerva couldn't counter and feels the full force of the attack. She's amazed to see how quick Kagura moves, and figures a way to use Kagura's offense to take out Erza. "That's for defiling a brother-sister relationship!"

"Second Origin!" Erza powers up more, using her anger for Minerva intensifies. She requips into a new armor. "Nakagami Armor!" 

Minerva now sees the full force of the two. She decides to use their wrath against each other. "Bring it, you two. I don't have all day." 

"It's over," Kagura and Erza say in unison. 

With the Nakagami Armor Erza uses, she wields and sword that is unrivaled and unmatched. The Armor dispels any attacks Minerva throws. Kagura comes from behind and attacks Minerva. The Archenemy sword cuts and scars Minerva's back.  Minerva tries to use her magic but, Erza continues to dispel Minerva in every way possible. 

"No.., stop," Minerva walks back a little, realizing that she already lost the moment she stabbed Spike in the back, viciously captured and destroyed Millianna, and taunting Erza as a failure to protect her brother. 

"I will have revenge!" Erza declares. 

"Stay back.., you've won this..," A last-minute thought comes to mind that can ensure Sabertooths victory. "I surrender to you, Kagura of Mermaid Heel."

Erza roars and strikes Minerva viciously. Minerva suffers many bruises from the impact. Mermaid Heel scores 5 points even though Erza delivered the assault. 

"Now, time to fulfill my brother's promise," Erza walks up to Minerva. 

"No more! I am defeated!" Minerva pleas for her life. 

Erza grabs Minerva's hair and pulls her over. She grabs a handful of dirt and made Minerva eat it. Erza requips into her normal attire. 

"Kagura, you want to fight me?" Erza turns to Kagura. 

"Is it true? Does Spike know who Jellal is?" Kagura asks. 

"He does. He knows the good side of Jellal. Are you Simon's sister?"

Kagura's eyes widen. "Yes. How did you know?"

"If Spike was here, he would have figured it out. He's good with putting pieces together. Minerva said something about Jellal and Spike, maybe trying to throw you off. I'm sorry for your loss, but Jellal didn't kill Simon.  At the time, Jellal was possessed by a Zeref following-cult. Simon saved my life when I was trying to save my friend's life. I was weak at the time, and if I were stronger, Simon will be alive today." 

Kagura glares at Erza, ready to fight her. She still grips her Archenemy sword. After a few moments, she relaxes while tears stream on her face. 

"I'm in no condition to fight. I know what it's like to lose your brother in an instant. At Rosemary Village, it was the last time I saw Simon before a child hunt began late at night." 

Erza gasps. She looks at Kagura thoroughly. "It's you. I've seen you before." 

"Huh?" Kagura is confused. 

"I lived in Rosemary Village as well. The night when everything changed."

Kagura relives her memories in Rosemary Village. The raid, the slaughter, and the child hunt. The screams, the anguish, and death at every corner. Kagura, when she was small, was looking for her brother. Erza took and hid her away from the raiders that night, saving Kagura from a fate worse than death. 

"At the tower of heaven, Simon kept thinking about you. Hoping you were safe and healthy. During the time leading today, I've kept you in my mind," Erza said. 

Kagura is in tears. The shocking revelation about Simon and the one who rescued her all those years ago. Erza hugs Kagura while she let her emotions out. A lot of years of holding in the hatred and pain is finally loose. 

"I hand over this fight to you, Erza Scarlet," Kagura said in tears. Fairy Tail scores 5 points. "I hope your brother makes a speedy recovery."

"I hope so too," Erza worries about Spike's condition. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Yes."

"Check on Spike for me," Erza still has to compete in the Grand Magic Games. 

"I will," Kagura lets go of Erza and runs to the infirmary as fast as she can.

These are the scores so far in today's final event:



Fairy Tail - 65 points - 1 Leader - 3 Members

Mermaid Heel - 50 points - Eliminated 

Sabertooth - 44 points - 3 Members

Lamia Scale - 37 points - Eliminated

Blue Pegasus - 29 points - Eliminated

Quatro Puppy - 14 points - Eliminated


Laxus and Orga meet at Crocus Square. A Lightning Dragon Slayer versus a Lightning God Slayer. The two are testing the waters. 

"Well, the games just got interesting. Fairy Dragon is down and out. That makes it easier for me and the twin dragons to take the rest of you bums out," Orga said. 

"You should learn how to do the math. Fairy Tail has 65 points. This battle is over," Laxus said. 

"Any team that succeeds the first-place team in a comeback will be granted 15 bonus points. That's how we will win the final event," Orga said. 

"Is that true, Mato?" Chapati asks. 

"Yes. It's implemented in case the Games go one-sided," The Pumpkin Head confirms. 

"Wow, what a surprise," Yajima said. "That means Sabertooth can still win the Grand Magic Games by upsetting Fairy Tail and scoring the much-needed 15 bonus points to win. It'll give them a total of 68 points. More than enough to defeat and retain their number one ranking."

"We've seen plenty of surprises. I still can't believe Fairy Dragon is no longer competing after getting stabbed in the back," Chapati admits. 

"You can't win every battle at times," Yajima states. 

"Is that so?" Laxus and Orga see the lacrima vision above. Gajeel defeats Rogue in battle as the Iron Shadow Dragon Slayer. Fairy Tail scores another point. "One dragon down. One more to go." 

"I'm going to enjoy this," Orga shoots his Black Lightning at Laxus. 

Laxus absorbs Orga's Black Lightning. "Dragon Slayer Secret Arts!" Laxus charges forward. "Lightning Dragon God Roaring Thunder!" Laxus punches Orga with a fusion of Black Lightning and his Lighting, which releases a large amount of lightning that heavily damages and electrocutes Orga. Orga is defeated after one hit. "Never mess with Fairy Tail. Never mess with my brother," Laxus refers to Spike. 

Gajeel, Gray, Laxus, and Erza meet up and search every corner for the last member of Sabertooth. Sting, the only competitor left. It takes them two hours to search for Sting after the sunset. This whole time, Sting was sitting, reserving his time and energy to face all four members of Fairy Tail. 

"We'll fight you one-on-one. So pick someone," Gray said. 

"Where's Fairy Dragon? I was expecting to fight him first," Sting is getting cocky. 

"Do not shame his name!" Erza threatens. 

"Then I'll do one better. I'll face all four of you at once," Sting powers up. 

Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Laxus stand united, waiting for Sting to deliver the first punch. After losing Lector thanks to his former Guild Master last night gave Sting more power to thrive. Sting is hesitant to fight all four members of Fairy Tail. All he has to do is win, and he'll see Lector again. Sting falls to his knees and surrenders. He can't go forth fighting Fairy Tail. With Sting surrendering, Fairy Tail scores the final point. 

These are the final scores: 



Fairy Tail - 68 points - Winner

Mermaid Heel - 50 points - Eliminated 

Sabertooth - 44 points - Eliminated

Lamia Scale - 37 points - Eliminated

Blue Pegasus - 29 points - Eliminated

Quatro Puppy - 14 points - Eliminated


"It's over! The winner of the Grand Magic Games is Fairy Tail!" Chapati announces. 

Everyone in Fairy Tail cheers and cries happily. After years of suffering and being mocked, Fairy Tail is back to being the number one rank guild. During the celebration, Spike wakes up in the infirmary. 

"What happened?" Spike looks around. He flinches, remembering the backstab Minerva gave him. "Did I die..?"

"No," Kagura answers. "You had a deep wound with the sword but, it wasn't fatal. It was severe for you to pass out."

"So, what happened?" Spike asks. 

"Erza and I teamed up to bring down Minerva. Erza made Minerva eat dirt for you."

Spike chuckles. "Thanks for doing that."

"She deserved it. Minerva committed vile atrocities to Lucy Heartfillia and you. I do have news for you. Fairy Tail won the Grand Magic Games. The final score is 68 points." 

"Awesome," Spike gets up. "Fairy Rage, how are you holding up?"

"Fine for the most part. Did Sherria came by to heal us?"

"She did. She did for the love of her friend, Wendy," Kagura said. An hour ago, Sherria arrived to use her Sky God Healing Magic to cure Spike's wounds. 

"I'll thank her when I see her. For now, I'm going to celebrate with my friends," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport himself to Erza. Erza is with Gajeel, Laxus, and Gray, watching a tender moment of Sting reuniting with Lector. "Hey, guys," Spike is behind his friends. 

"Spike!" Erza hugs Spike lovingly. She thought she was going to lose him earlier. 

"Fairy Dragon, you're looking better," Gajeel said. 

"You did well out there. How are you feeling?" Laxus asks. 

"Better. Sherria healed me while I was recovering. That's what Kagura told me." 

"Good. Don't make us worried like that again!" Gray angrily shouts. 

Spike chuckles. "Gray, your clothes," Spike points at Gray. 

"Dammit! Not again!" Gray is in his underwear. 

"I wonder how Salamander and the others are doing," Gajeel said. 

"I could check on them," Spike said. 

"Need some magic energy?" Gajeel asks. 

"Yea. I'm low on magic," Spike answers. 

"Here you go, bro!" Laxus unleashes his lighting on Spike. He watches Spike consuming his lightning magic. 

"Ah, much better. Thanks, Laxus."

"You're welcome. Now, go find our friends," Laxus said. 

"Sure thing," Spike nods. He teleports to where Lucy is.
> Dragon King Festival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike arrives next to Lucy and Lucy? "What the hell is going on?"

"Aaaaaaah! A dragon!" Future Lucy shrieks. 

"Lucy, you know me, right?" Spike looks at Future Lucy. She's wearing a black and white hoodie cloak. 

"Who are you?" Future Lucy asks. 

Spike turns to the other Lucy. "I am so confused." 

"This Lucy is from the future," Lucy confirms. 

"The future? Then that means.., oh no..," Spike turns to see the madness. Royal Soldiers are incoming, five wizards battling Wendy, Loke, Natsu, and Panther Lily. "Who are they?" 

"The Hungry Wolf Knights. They've been giving us trouble all day, and we need to get to the Princess!" Lucy explains. 

"Lucy, why does this dragon bear the Fairy Tail Emblem?" Future Lucy asks. 

"Seriously, I can't believe you don't know anything about Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. He's been living with me ever since he came to Earth Land!"

"Lucy, the Future Lucy is from an alternate timeline where I'm not a Fairy Tail Wizard," Spike explains. 

Future Lucy gasps. She's amazed that Spike understands more on time concepts than the others. She's also confused as to how the dragon knows about the laws of time. 

"That's enough!" Spike roars, grabbing everyone's attention. 

"Spike!" Wendy happily shouts. 

"Hey, Spike!" Natsu is happy to see Spike. 

"Hey! Did we win?!" Happy asks. 

"Fairy Tail is number one again. Now, Hungry Wolf Knights. End this senseless conflict and let them through."

"Hey, I heard word that you got stabbed in the back. How did you recover so quickly?" A Royal Soldier asks. 

"What?" Natsu and Wendy furiously say in unison. 

"Another lawbreaker? No matter, he opposes as a threat to the Kingdom," Kama, the leader of the Hungry Wolf Knights, says. "I'll take it upon myself to execute this lawbreaker." 

"Do I look like a lawbreaker to you? Or do you abuse your authority and pretend to be God?" Spike questions their authority.

"I uphold my decrees as an Executioner. I am not God," Kama said. 

"Anyone who's helping these criminals is an accomplice and must face the same justice as the criminals," Cosmos said. 

"Let's see if he likes acid!" Neppa said, drinking his acid bottle. 

"You don't want me maaaad," Uosuke said. 

"Let's bury him in ashes," Kamika said. 

All of a sudden. Shadows emerge from the floor and start engulfing the Hungry Wolf Knights and Royal Soldiers. The shadows pull them in like quicksand. They are unable to stop the shadows from consuming them through the floors. 

"What the hell?" Spike asks after the Royal Soldiers and Hungry Wolf Knights sunk. 

"Spike!" Wendy hugs Spike. "What did you mean by getting stabbed in the back?"

"While fighting Minerva with Kagura and Erza, Minerva grabbed one of Erza's swords, switched positions with me, and stabbed me in the back. On my left side, that is," Spike explains. 

"She's going to pay!" Natsu gets sidetracked. 

"Erza already made sure of it. Now, I have some questions for you," Spike points at Future Lucy. "Why are you here? It's obvious you come from a different timeline." 

"You see.., huh?" Future Lucy stares down the hallway to see shadow mass. A man emerges from the shadows smiling. 

"Shadows can reach beyond the present to both the past and future. And, into the hearts of men," The man said. "It seems we meet again, Natsu Dragneel. I traveled quite a ways from the distant future. I'm Rogue." Rogue's right hair is black while his left is white. Rogue appears to have only one eye. 

"No way. How can you be Rogue?" Natsu asks. 

"He's from the future. He just said it," Spike explains to Natsu. 

"He's the same Rogue from Sabertooth?" Wendy asks. 

"You came from the future too?" Lucy asks. 

"So.., I'm not the only one," Future Lucy said. 

"Why are you here?" Happy asks Future Rogue. 

"Why did you come back? What do you want?" Carla asks. 

"All I want is to use the Eclipse," Future Rogue calmly answers. 

"What's that going to do?" Lucy asks. 

"It can save us all if we tap into its hidden power," Future Rogue said. "As you know, it can be used for time travel but, it can serve as a defense weapon known as the Eclipse Weapon. That is the only way in defeating the 10,000 dragons." 

"I'm not buying it," Spike said. 

"Spike, you don't know the severity of the situation. We're nearing an apocalypse!" Natsu said. 

"Yea. Future Lucy informed us of 10,000 Dragons coming our way," Wendy informs. 

"From where? Wouldn't you two be able to smell other dragons if they were nearby?" Spike questions the 10,000 dragons theory. 

"Spike, I was there. I've seen it obliterated everyone and...and..," Future Lucy gets emotional, reliving the final moments of Natsu when he fought the dragons. 

"We can win the battle before it begins!" Lucy said. 

"I'm not buying it, and here's why. Earlier today in my battle, I wailed so loud cause I sensed something corrupted and massive. Only I and Fairy Rage sensed it. No one else. Not even Gajeel and Laxus, who are Dragon Slayers." 

"Then it could be the Eclipse Gate. It did absorb all your magic energy the other day," Natsu said. 

"With the Eclipse Cannon, are we going to be okay?" Wendy asks. 

"Afraid not. You see, I've come from seven years in the future, a time where the world you know it will cease to exist. The dragons will destroy everything and rule the ashes." 

"They're going to take over?" Natsu asks. 

"But, what happened to the people who'll survive the attack?" Wendy asks. 

"In my time, not even 10% of the human race remains. Furthermore, our Eclipse has only but a fraction compared to yours to wield. Which means this is humanity's last chance. We stop them now or die," Future Rogue explains. 

"I don't buy it. I still don't. Do you expect me to believe that dragons are underground or something? I've seen the catacombs. Where else would they come from?" Spike asks. 

Future Rogue sighs. "From your world." Everyone gasps and looks at Spike. "Your dragons came to our world and annihilated everyone within hours. We have to make our stand. You and along with the 9,999 dragons must die." 

"Now, I know you are lying," Spike is getting intimidating. 

"The one known as Twilight Sparkle created the portal to unleash the dragons. I prefer to say a painful truth than a beautiful lie. You are a disgrace to your friends and guild," Future Rogue sternly says. "You brought a monster and doomed us all." 

"Hey! Don't blame Spike for all this!" Natsu defends Spike. 

"My boyfriend would never do such a thing!" Wendy defends Spike. 

"It's because of him; my future is in disarray. I'm here to deliver justice. Even if it means killing him in this timeline." 

"I won't let you!" Wendy angrily shouts at Future Rogue, spreading her arms out as a sign of shielding Spike. 

"There is one other that doomed us; she was selfish and helped solidify humanity's fate. She's the reason why the Eclipse Two didn't activate in my future. Because of her actions, in my timeline, the gate remains shut. 90% of humanity is gone." 

"Who did it?" Natsu is losing his patience.

"It's you! Lucy Heartfillia!" Future Rogue unleashes his Shadow Blast. 

Natsu tries to intercede the attack but causes it to shift a little. Spike conjures his metallic flame shield, but the shadow blast penetrates through the shield, hitting Spike on the left side of his chest, piercing the stab wound Minerva gave him earlier. Future Lucy sacrifices herself, saving the current Lucy. 

"Spike!" Wendy rushes over to Spike. She becomes angry and sad to see Spike coughing out blood. 

"Lucy!" Natsu turns to Future Rogue. 

"Dammit, it hit the wound Sherria recovered for me," Spike coughs more blood. 

"Try not to move," Wendy uses her healing magic on Spike. 

"I didn't do it. I didn't close the gate," Future Lucy sees her past self and Happy coming to her. "I would never do that."

"I know you didn't," Lucy said to her future self. "I promise I won't either, and no matter what. Why didn't you protect yourself!?"

"If you die, things would have played out differently for the future of this timeline," Future Lucy explains. "I thought I never get the chance to see my friends again, and I did one last time. I learned that I had another one in this timeline. That's enough to make up for the hell I've been through." 

"Wendy! Heal Future Lucy!" Happy shouts. 

"I'm afraid that wound is severe. It's too damaged," Carla said. 

"Lucy, please hang in there," Happy is in tears. "We need you." 

"I'm not the Lucy, you know. I'm from a different timeline, a whole other world. There's no reason for you to cry," Future Lucy puts a hand on Happy's cheek. "The me of this time gets to keep living with her friends, so you don't need to be sad," Future Lucy is in tears as well.   

"We are sad! We don't care what world you come from! No matter what anyone says, you're still our Lucy! You're our friend and we love you! I don't ever want to lose you! So, of course, we're sad! How can we not be!"  Happy continues to cry. 

Wendy finishes healing Spike and becomes teary. Spike couldn't believe that he witness a death of Lucy. Future Lucy. It'll scar him for the rest of his life. Natsu becomes teary; seeing Future Lucy die in front of him made him snap. Natsu turns to Future Rogue, wanting to end his life for taking Future Lucy's. 

"Hey, can you let me see your guild mark?" Future Lucy asks Lucy. Lucy shows her future self the emblem. She sees her future self no longer bearing the Fairy Tail Emblem on her right hand and becomes emotional. Lucy figures that Future Lucy removed it since the guild no longer exists in the future. "I wish I could have-" Future Lucy dies in Lucy's arms. 

"How can you forget that she closed the gate?" Future Rogue angrily asks. 

"How about I close yours," Spike is eager to fight Rogue. 

"Is that a threat? You're still the reason behind the oncoming dragons," Future Rogue reminds everyone of Spike's actions. 

"No. I don't make threats. I keep my promises," Spike said. He powers up. 

"Spike, go. This asshole is mine!" Natsu's body is ablaze. "I'm not going to let anyone steal Lucy's future. Not even you!" 

"Understood," Spike nods. "Let's go, everyone!" Spike grabs Lucy's and Wendy's hands to start moving. Loke, Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily follow pursuit. 

"You're not going anywhere!" Future Rogue tries to go after Lucy and Spike but, Natsu gets in his way and delivers a Fire Dragon Iron Fist at Future Rogue, keeping him occupied while the others escape. 

"Spike, you need to warn the others of the upcoming dragon brawl," Loke said. 

"What about you guys? I can't leave you alone," Spike replies. 

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine," Loke speaks for everyone. 

"Alright," Spike relents. 

"Here, before you go," Wendy kisses Spike. Spike returns the kiss. "I promise you when this is all over. We will spend quality time together." 

"I'll hold you to it, literally," Spike teleports back to Erza and the others to inform the insane news. 

"Good luck," Wendy said. 

Spike appears next to Erza, Fairy Tail, and all the 113 guilds that participated in the preliminary round. Spike looks around at the center of Crocus. 

"Spike, what happened?" Master Makarov asks. 

"Hey, you reinjured yourself?" Sherria comes up to Spike. 

"We have a situation. It's worse than Acnologia coming out of nowhere. Also, I was attacked by an asshole from the future. He pierced me in the same area where I got stabbed. Wendy healed me." 

"Someone from the future attacked you?" Makarov is in shock. 

"Yes," Spike nods. "Apparently, there supposed to be 10,000 dragons coming here. I have a hard time fathoming that possibility. Plus, Future Rogue said that I'm the cause of the dragons coming. He said that Twilight Sparkle unleashes the dragons to invade Earth Land. I have a hard time believing in it because of one technicality. Twilight doesn't have any magic strong enough to create a portal back. It was Discord that made the portal. Also, Twilight isn't here. She's back in Equestria cause I crippled her during Day 4 of the Grand Magic Games." 

"You did. The Future Rogue is using you as a scapegoat for other purposes," Master Makarov said. 

"Where are the others?" Erza asks. 

"Lucy is with Loke, Wendy, Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily. Natsu is fighting Future Rogue as we speak. Why are all the guilds here?" Spike asks Erza. 

"The King of Fiore is about to explain the details of our summoning," Makarov says. 

Toma E. Fiora takes a deep breath. "Thank you all for coming. I hate to spoil the mood after this splendid display of wizardry we've seen today, but I'm afraid that Fiore's heart is in the claws of a dragon hoard." 

"It has to do with that Fairy Dragon, isn't it!? A random wizard blurs out. 

"It has to be him! Why else would these dragons come all this way!?" Another wizard shouts. 

"The supposed Fairy Dragon is a scapegoat to lure all of us in one place to wipe us out!" Another wizard says. 

More people start accusing Spike of all the dragon hoard news when Erza snaps. "Enough!" Erza silences the crowd; they stop backtalking about Spike. "Spike has nothing to do with the dragon hoard coming up! You should be ashamed of yourselves for accusing my brother! Who I fought, cried, shed blood, laugh, and smiled with! If any of you dares to lay a finger or spell on him, I'll cut your hands before piercing your heart!" Erza said. She scares everyone and decides to pay more attention to the King of Fiore. 

"Even so, last time we fought a dragon, we lost seven years of our lives," Cana said. 

"That was a special case, but still," Lisanna said. 

"We can't take on an entire hoard," Cana sadly admits. 

"I got my ass handed by Acnologia. I still have a hard time fathoming the hoard."

"What about what you sensed? Kagura mentioned you sensed something corrupted," Erza said. 

"It was massive but, I can't really explain. What we sensed was corrupted. The only dragon that fits the bill is Acnologia, and we didn't sense him. Something is amiss."

"As we speak, the large-scale counter defense is underway at the castle, The Eclipse Cannon," The King of Fiore addresses. 

"The Eclipse Cannon?" Lisanna asks. 

"According to Future Rogue, Eclipse Cannon is powerful enough to wipe out all 10,000 dragons. I still have a hard time believing that," Spike does the arms cross. 

"We will use it to wipe out the attacking dragons. All 10,000 of them all at once." 

"By the way, do you know how they are supposed to pull that off?" Cana asks Spike. 

"As you know, the Eclipse Gate has been absorbing magic for seven years in the Grand Magic Games. The seven-year gap of magic power is in the Eclipse Gate so, they plan on using all the energy for a direct attack on the hoard."

"I can sense your concerns, regrettably the sheer numbers of the dragons' forces. We expect that at most, a few hundred will survive the attack," The King of Fiore is worried that the wizards will abandon Crocus to save themselves. 

"Yes, I would assume so," Master Makarov says. 

"Spike, if the dragons do come, what's your motive then?" Erza asks. 

"To bring down as much as I can. Dragons will have plenty of energy for me to feast, and I'll keep fighting till my dying breath. I'm not afraid of fighting them if it means saving my friends and family." 

The wizards that were accusing Spike moments ago feel guilty after hearing he'll fight with them. Some apologies to him for their accusations. 

"So, I implore you, you guild wizards! Please, lend Fiore your assistance in dealing with this crisis! You are the best hope we have for slaying any dragons the Eclipse cannot!" King Fiore lowers his head. "I beg of you.., don't let this Kingdom fall to ruin." 

Everyone around starts cheering! Quatro Cerberus chants wild! Fairy Tail wholeheartedly accepts the job. Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Sabertooth, and all the other guilds are pumped up and ready to defeat any dragon that remains. 

Toma E. Fiore starts crying after hearing everyone willing to fight for Fiore. "Thank you, all."

Erza turns to the Royal Soldier. "Our comrades are somewhere in the castle. We're going to need their help." 

"They're safe. I was informed they recently joined Princess Hisui at the Eclipse Gate." 

"Alright! Time for some more rampaging!" Gajeel excitedly says. 

"Hey, mind lending me some energy? I'm going to need a little boost to take down any dragons that come our way," Spike asks his friends. 

"Sure thing, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"I'll lend you some as well," Levy said. 

"Have some Sky God energy," Sherria offers. 

"Hey, Spike," Sting comes up to him. "Think you can handle white energy?"

"How about shadow energy?" Rogue comes up to him. 

"Sky God, how about Lightning God?" Orga conjures his magic a bit. 

"Everyone, lend Spike a fraction of your magic," Erza announces. 

The King of Fiore and the Royal Army watch the fan-favorite of the Grand Magic Games; Spike stands in the middle. 

"Here you go, Fairy Dragon! Let the parfume increase your strength!" Members of Blue Pegasus offer a portion of their combined magic and hits Spike. 

"Here's our apology gift from the Grand Magic Games!" Members of  Sabertooth offer a portion of their combined magic and hits Spike. 

"Hey, you owe Jura a real rematch when this is over, or else, I'll spin you!" Members of Lamia Scale offer a portion of their combined magic and hits Spike. 

"Show those dragons what WILD really means!" Members of Quatro Cerberus offer a portion of their combined magic and hits Spike. 

"Here's some real girl-power! Show them that we don't back down from anything!" Members of Mermaid Heel offer a portion of their combined magic and hits Spike. 

"Show them how Fairy Tail brings the fight, Spike!" Everyone from Fairy Tail offers a portion of their combined magic and hits Spike. 

With all the magic that everyone offered, Spike consumes it all and becomes stronger by the second. The King of Fiore and the Royal Army are in awe, seeing everyone working together willingly and lending Fairy Dragon much-needed power to help defeat any dragon that remains from the Eclipse Cannon. The King cries in happiness to know that Fiore has a stronger chance of defeating the dragons now that Spike is getting powerful by the second. 

"Thank you... Thank you..." Toma continues to thank everyone for their will to fight and defend Fiore. "I mean it..," Toma's voice starts changing. "Thank you... Pumpkins." 

Everyone is stunned to hear the King's voice changing. They now know who the Pumpkin Head, Mato is. The bells start ringing throughout Crocus. It's the signal that a new day has arrived, July 7th of 791. Levy mentions that the dragons disappeared on the 7th, and Gajeel says that 10,000 are on their way on the same day. 

Spike finishes consuming the magic energy everyone gave him. Spike's eyes are a blend of orange and green. He took control of Fairy Rage to sustain the immense magic energy. 

"Wow, I don't think I ever felt this powerful. I feel like I can take down a hundred dragons with the combined magic everyone gave me." 

"I see you've taken control of Fairy Rage," Gray said. 

"I had to so I can sustain the combined magic energy properly. Believe when I say this, I can take down Acnologia with this kind of power." 

"Don't get cocky, Spike. Don't let the power control your tactics in battle. Be ready for anything," Erza said. 

"Point taken," Spike nods. 

"Alright, kids. Fairy Tail will be guarding the center plaza," Makarov announces. 

"What about the other guilds?" Warren asks. 

"They'll be on standby throughout all of Crocus," Max Alors said. 

Freed looks up at the night sky; he sees the moon turned red. "I don't think that moon is a good omen."

"I didn't even notice the moon," Evergreen said. 

"Could the moon be what you sensed, Spike?" Bickslow asks. 

"No. That's not it. As I mentioned, including Fairy Rage, we can't explain it properly." 

All of a sudden, there are rumblings throughout all of Crocus. Everyone questions what the rumblings are. Everyone also senses magic coming from the castle. A loud dragon's roar echoes the city of Crocus. Everyone turns to see a dragon emerging from the castle's entrance. With the dragon's stomp, parts of Crocus are annihilated in an instant. Several buildings and homes are destroyed as well. 

"What was that?!" Droy and Jet shout. 

"A Dragon. That means they're here," Sting said. 

Dragons march through the city of Crocus, everyone including Spike, is in awe and shock to see such behemoth dragons. The dragons roar so loud, houses and tall structures crumble. 

"Everyone spread out! If we stick together, we'll be annihilated in an instant!" Makarov commands. 

Several guilds spread throughout Crocus. A total of seven dragons emerge from the Castle's entrance. Future Rogue comes up to Lucy and the others after seeing the Eclipse Gate closing. The dragons emerged from the opening of the Eclipse Gate that's in front of the Castle. 

"My ignorant subjects, listen and take heave!" Future Rogue raises his hands. "I hereby proclaim this the end of the Era of Human reign. I'm ushering a new age, the Era of Dragons! I order you to slaughter all the wizards in this city. I want every one of them dead," Future Rogue uses his Dragon Tamer Magic to take control of the seven dragons unleashed into Crocus. The dragons drift apart and start searching for any wizards in the city. One dragon takes Future Rogue to the skies. "I think I'll leave these pathetic souls to you, Zirconis."

"No way!" Lucy shouts. 

"Zirconis!" Happy, Carla, Wendy, and Panther Lily are in shock. Spike's Uncle is one of the seven dragons that came through the Eclipse Gate. 

Zirconis is hungry and would love to play with his prey. He lands in front of the Royal Army, Princess Hisui, Colonel Arcadios, Darton, and several others by the gate. Yukino and Mirajane are in shock to see Spike's Uncle. 

A dragon lands in front of the Fairy Tail guild; its body consists of eternal flames and a skeleton facial feature. Everyone in Fairy Tail couldn't believe that a dragon like this exists. 

"We are so dead!" Droy is afraid. 

"That's a dragon?" Warren is in shock. 

"Its entire body is covered in Fire!" Max Alors shout. 

"Let's take it down!" Makarov shouts a war cry. "Follow my lead and go for its feet!" 

"Spike wants!"  Spike increases his size. The Flame Dragon in front watches the Spike grows. 

"What? A dragon is here working for these humans!?" The Flame Dragon is irate. "Prepare to die!"

Spike is now a full-size dragon. The spikes on his back and tail become sharper. He gains muscle mass and gets ripped. Spike roars at the flame dragon. 

"You dare roar at me! I am the dragon Atlas Flame. Prepare to taste my hellfire!" 

"Bring it on! I'm Spike the Fairy, and I'm taking you down!" Spike stands on his feet and punches the Atlas Flame. Atlas Flame stumbles back a bit from the impact. 

Atlas Flame stands and tackles Spike. He bites Spike's neck. Spike roars in pain a little and uses his fire breath to teleport the Atlas Flame behind him. 

"What?" Atlas Flame turns around. 

"Inferno Freezing Fist!" Spike punches Atlas Flame with his fire-ice magic. Atlas Flame doesn't feel the chills from the punch. 

"You think combining two elements will help you? These flames are the fires of Hell! Nothing can put out my flames!" Atlas Flame decrees. 

"I have only begun," Spike grabs Atlas Flame's tail and flies. He slams Atlas Flame on the ground. 

"Have a sample of my hellfire!" Atlas Flames breathes his hellfire on Spike.  To Atlas' surprise, he sees Spike eating the hellfire. "What the hell?"

"Hell is right. Hellfire Iron Rock Spike!" Spike places his claw on the ground and conjures a Hellfire Iron Rock Spike to rise from the ground, hitting Atlas Flames. 

"Lucky hit. That won't happen again!" 

"Juvia, now!" Gray powers up for a unison raid. 

"Right, my Darling," Juvia powers up for a unison raid. 

"Ice Make Geyser!" Gray unleashes his tower of ice spikes. 

"Water Nebula!" Juvia unleashes waves of water rotate around each other hitting Gray's Geyser. 

The combined attack hits Atlas Flame but does nothing to him. "Foolish humans. I am the mighty Atlas Flame. My fire consumes all that stands before me!" Spike jumps and grabs Atlas Flames from behind. "Get off of me!" Atlas Flames flies in the skies. 

"I won't allow you to destroy my home!" Spike lets go of Atlas Flame. "Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Stri-" Spike's spell is cut off by Atlas Flame's Hellfire Fist in the gut. Spike roars in pain a little from the gut punch. 

"Feel the burn, Fairy Dragon! What kind of stupid name is Fairy Dragon anyways?" Atlas Flame taunts Spike. 

"It's a name given to me by my sister. Who is a Fairy Tail Wizard!" Spike's claws spark lightning. "Take this!" Spike punches Atlas Flame in the gut using his lightning. The Lightning Fist does little to Atlas Flame.

"What was that? I couldn't feel a thing!" Atlas tackles Spike to the ground and unloads punches on his face. 

Master Makarov increases to his maximum size. "Hands off my child, demonic hellfire dragon!" Master Makarov tries to grab Atlas Flame to pry him off. 

"There is nothing you can do!" Atlas Flame attacks Master Makarov, sending him hurtling back into a tall building. Every Fairy Tail member below flew during the impact. They couldn't believe that Makarov's power didn't faze the Flame Dragon. 

"Round two!" Spike tackles Atlas Flame to the ground. "Let's see how you like it!" Spike punches Atlas Flame in the face left and right. 

"I felt harder hits!" Atlas Flame shoves Spike into a building. 

"Damn! Even with all that magic power, we gave to Spike. This dragon is more powerful than he!" Elfman said. 

"He hasn't fully grown into a full-power dragon. He still has many years to reach that peak," Erza said. 

"What can we do? Spike is our ace in the sleeve, and he can't do much!" Wakaba said. 

"Find a weak point and exploit it," Erza answers. 

"Fairy Dragon, I got your back! Iron Dragon Roooooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath at Atlas Flame. 

"My turn, Lightning Dragon Rooooooooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath at Atlas Flames. 

The two breath attack combine into a powerhouse of lightning and iron. It stuns Atlas Flame a bit. 

"My hellfire consumes lightning and iron! It is feeble. My hellfire can melt iron and lightning before it can tickle me." 

During the fight between Atlas Flame and Fairy Tail, Natsu and Future Rogue have been battling on an Adamantium Dragon known as Motherglare. 

"As I mentioned before, in seven years, dragons will reign supreme over this world, obliterating everything. However, it won't be ruled by these you see before you today," Future Rogue explains. 

"So, the ones that are tearing stuff up ain't going to be in charge?" Natsu asks. 

"That's right. Seven years from now, there will be only one creature that sits on top of the food chain. You've encountered him before; The Black Dragon Acnologia." 

"There's no way in hell," Natsu retorts. 

"Many wizards tried to take him down, but all were slain, and there were no more guilds to speak of. They've been eradicated. I created a spell for controlling dragons, but it had no effect on Acnologia. And now, he can only be defeated by dragons only by me!" 

"That's the reason why you summon these dragons?" Natsu tries to attack Future Rogue. Future Rogue dodges each attack Natsu dish out. 

"You're right again. I traveled seven years across time. My plan was to convince Princess Hisui to open the Eclipse and summon countless dragons through that portal. I only managed to get a few dragons before that meddlesome Lucy Heartfillia got in my way. Luckily, my Dragon Tamer Magic allowed me to take possession of the dragons that made it through."

"What about Spike and Twilight Sparkle?!" Natsu demands to know how they affected Future Rogue. 

"I lied. I heard the story about Spike the Fairy mentioning the other world in my future and recently. I needed a compelling story in case Option A was a bust. I was hoping for everyone to turn on him and try to kill him. Acnologia doesn't stand a chance now. Once I slay him, I'll become the new Dragon King!" 

"Are you mad? Spike is family within the Fairy Tail Guild! We would never do such a thing to him!" Natsu is fired up. "Now I'm ready to give you the thrashing you deserve." 

"Oh, I've been dreaming for such power. It's within my grasp." 

"I only smell seven dragons. Spike doesn't count cause you're not controlling him!" 

"It doesn't matter. He's too weak to stop a dragon. After all, he's younger than most of you," Future Rogue retorts. 

"Well, I have some rotten luck for you," Natsu powers up and strikes Motherglare's back with his Fire Dragon Iron Fist, hurting the dragon badly. Motherglare tries to recompose himself from falling. 

"What are you doing?!" Future Rogue demands. 

"Can you hear me?" Natsu roars. "Let's quit playing around and use our Dragon Slayer Magic!" 

"Is that Natsu?" Lucy asks after hearing his shout. 

"Oh, yea!" Happy cheers. 

"I hear you," Sting said. 

"There are seven dragons, and we got seven Dragon Slayers! We can do this! It's what we're born for; Our whole lives led to this day! Let's use our power and slay some freaking dragons! Who's with me!" Natsu leaps in the air. "I'm going Dragon Hunting!" Natsu hits Motherglare with his Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame, hurting the dragon even more. 

"Seven Dragon Slayers? You're one Dragon Slayer short!" Future Rogue replies. "There are eight dragons," Future Rogue sneers. 

"Eight?!" Natsu shouts. Everyone down below can hear Natsu's shock. 

"I've sent one a few hours ago after my arrival!" 

"Say what!?" Natsu wonders what dragon Future Rogue sent. 

"He was willing to do my bidding, unlike the seven I've taken control of; However, I am in control with my Dragon Tamer Magic." 

"Who did you sent!?" Natsu demands. 

"A Dragon that will slay Acnologia in this time period. Or just weaken him long enough for the rest to finish the job for me. Who's going to handle the eighth dragon, huh?" Future Rogue laughs. 

Natsu smiles. "I can hear the last one coming. We have enough to take down the surprising dragon."

Doranbolt brought Cobra the Poison Dragon Slayer into the fray. Lahar asks Cobra to help defeat the dragons in Crocus. 

"I hear you up there, Natsu. Loud and clear," Cobra said. 

"Arise, Leekips! Take your place among the dragons and show them how to kill these fools!" 

The eighth dragon blinds everyone's vision in the skies. Natsu, Laxus, Gajeel, Cobra, Wendy, Sting, and Rogue sniffs the eighth dragon's scent; They find this dragon eerie similar for some reason. The eighth dragon has Amythesyt metallic scales, the center of his chest has scars, his tail is metallic. The eighth dragon has emerald eyes and spikes. He's massive and brolic. 

Everyone down below looks up at the dragon now that they can see clearer. They are in shock to see the Leekips for the first time. Wendy is horrified to see who Leekips is. Gajeel and Laxus are stunned beyond belief. Sting and Rogue sense the immense power the dragon has. Cobra hears the thoughts of the dragon and still can't believe it. Natsu looks at Leekips and wonders why the hell he's working for Future Rogue. 

"That's what I sensed..," Spike sees the dragon that he sensed a while ago during the final event of the Grand Magic Games. 

"Wendy, what's wrong?" Lucy turns to Wendy. Wendy is in tears. 

"It's Spike..," Wendy is trembling. 

"What about him?" Mirajane asks. 

Wendy turns, and that's all it takes to explain the severity of Leekips. Lucy, Mirajane, Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily are in shock after looking at Leekips. 

"What are my orders, Rogue," Leekips bow to the Future Dragon King. 

"Slay the Dragon Slayers!" Future Rogue demands. 

"As you wish," Leekips sees Spike. "I'll start with him!" Leekips fly after Spike. 

"What the?" Atlas Flame turns to see Leekips flying by. "Why are there two of the same dragons?" 

"How?" Natsu is enraged. 

"Let's just say he snapped and lost the will to live during my future!" Future Rogue engages in battle against Natsu. 

"Wait! Leekips is-" Everyone in Fairy Tail is about to say when Leekips swoops and tackles Spike. 

Spike snaps out of his trance and teleports Leekips behind. "Who are you?" 

"Leekips is my name. Now, prepare to die!" Leekips arm turns into a Sparkling Iron Dragon Sword. Leekips roars and attacks Spike. 

Spike conjures his metallic flame sword and fights Leekips. Motherglare lays eggs and shoots them down on the ground. Adamantium Dragons are hatched and ready for battle. Laxus said he'll take care of Atlas Flame. The Thunder Legion decides to help Laxus take care of Atlas Flame. Gajeel goes off to search for a dragon to slay. Mavis orders everyone else to take on the smaller dragons. Sting and Rogue separate to find a dragon to slay. Wendy decides to take on the challenge of fighting Zirconis despite him being Spike's Uncle. Cobra searches for a dragon to defeat. The remaining wizards take on the smaller dragons all around Crocus. 

"What happened to you?!" Spike asks Leekips while battling him in the skies. 

"It doesn't matter what happened to me. In the end, you'll lose it all."

"It'll never happen!" Spike roars and uses his Sparkling Orange-Green Fire breath on Leekips. Leekips consumes the fire breath and gags a bit. "So, you are me from the future!" Spike punches Leekips; his claw stings a bit. 

"Yes. I am," Leekips grabs Spike's tail and yanks hard. It forces Spike to come closer to him. "Iron Sparkle Mace!" Leekips' claw turns into a spikey mace, punching Spike in the gut.

"OOOOOOOOOW!" Spike yells in pain. 

"Oh, that didn't look good," Leekips grabs Spike's head and throws him down to the ground hard. "There, feeling better?" Leekips smirks. 

"Why destroy me when you'll be destroyed as well?" Spike wheezes a bit. 

"It doesn't matter what happens to me. Quit stalling and die!" Leekips claw turns into a Sparkle Iron Drill. Spike rolls out of the way, the drill nearly missing his skull. 

While Spike and Leekips clash, Wendy is having a hard time facing Zirconis, knowing that he's Spike's Uncle. Zirconis laughs. 

"Now, which little morsel to nibble on first?" Zirconis sees the Royal Army, Princess Hisui, Darton, Colonel Arcadios, Wendy, Lucy, Happy, Carla, Panther Lily, Mirajane, and Yukino. "Well, hello ladies," Zirconis is looking at Yukino and Lucy. "You two look tender and scrumptious. Still, cats do make good appetizers. Hah, the soldiers brought toothpicks for after my meal. How thoughtful." 

"Zirconis, don't you recognize us? We spoke very recently," Wendy said. 

"Uh, you're a real cutie-pie," Zirconis looks down at Wendy. "Perhaps I'll eat you first." 

"It's no use, child. It's not him. The Zirconis we spoke to had been dead for centuries. He was just a ghost. This is not the dragon you've met," Carla informs Wendy. 

"So, what now?" Wendy asks. 

"I've never said this but, Natsu is right. Only Dragon Slayers can defeat these dragons. The only Dragon Slayer we have here is you. Now pull yourself together and save these people!" 

"You know what, I've decided to eat all of you at the same time," Zirconis laughs. He hears the terrifying shrieks of everyone around him and screams of agony in the skies. Zirconis looks up. "Wow, two dragons have gone rogue and started killing each other. How unfortunate." 

Spike is getting demolished by Leekips in battle. Leekips continues the onslaught using his Sparkle Iron Mace and his physical strength. No matter what Spike can unleash, the metallic scales repel anything that isn't original from the dragon. All the magic energy Spike consumed to become stronger is worthless against his future self. Leekips throws Spike to the ground. 

"I'm all out of options. I must tap into Fairy Demon Dragon." Spike thought to himself. Leekips lands and shatters Spike's tail. Spike roars in pain. 

"Don't worry; it'll be all over soon," Leekips flies in the sky and raises his claw. 

Spike's body ignites in Sparkling Black Aura. "It will not!" Spike flies at Leekips. 

"Too easy," Leekips side-rolls and grabs Spike. His claw digs into Spike's scales, piercing some organs of his. Spike roars in agony while he falls to the ground hard. "Now, where was I?" Leekips raises his claw. 

"Before I gobble all of you, mind telling me who that dragon is? The one that's getting destroyed in battle," Zirconis said. 

"That dragon is-" Wendy gets an idea. She turns to Zirconis. "That's your nephew, Spike!" 

"What?" Zirconis grabs Wendy and pulls her closer to him, tightening the grip while Wendy is unable to move her arms. 

"Wendy!" Carla, Lucy, Mirajane and Happy, shrieks. 

"My nephew hasn't been hatched yet. He's still in his egg!" Zirconis is getting livid. 

"I'm telling the truth. I used my Sky Dragon Magic to conjure your spirit. Your sister, Amy. The Amethyst Dragon is the one that conceived the egg," Zirconis loosens the grip a bit. "Spike has Jade spikes and Amethyst scales like your grandfather does."

"My nephew looks like Tyke the Energy Maker Dragon?" Zirconis asks. 

"Yes," Wendy nods. "He's my boyfriend. He has your sister's heart for loving the humans." 

Zirconis closes his eyes and sees her sister Amy from a few days ago. 





400 years and 5 days ago. 

Zirconis lands near the Eden Forest after eating a fatty family. "Okay, I need to lay off the fatty humans. Too much junk food can give me bad gas," Zirconis enters the cave in Eden Forest. "Amy, I'm home." 

Amy, the Amethyst Dragon, is smiling lovingly at her egg. Amy has lapis lazuli spikes and citrine eyes. The egg is purple with purple dots on them. 

"Welcome home, Zirconis," Amy's eyes are still on her egg. 

"What happened to the father?" Zirconis asks. 

"He died in battle last week," Amy sadly sighs. "I wish there wasn't a war because I see a world where we can get along with the humans." 

"I'm sorry. So much bloodshed has shattered during this war." 

"Why are you here? I thought you hated my idea." 

"As much as I hate the idea of co-existing with my food, I still love you, sister. I can't bring myself into doing the one thing to end the nightmare." 

"I know," Amy lowers her head, knowing what Zirconis means; Having her dead to end the war. 

"The little guy needs his mother. I will not strip my nephew's happiness away from his loving family. It's a cruel fate worse than death. So, have you decided to come up with the name for the little guy?"

Amy smiles. "I have. My son will have a name that rhymes with Tyke. My son will be called Spike. The Energy Maker Dragon."

"Spike. I can't wait to teach Spike the great things like an uncle would." 

"I need you to be more than an uncle, Zirconis. I need you to be a father, His father, to love and protect from all dangers. In case.., my life comes to an end," Amy sheds a tear. 

"Hey, hey, don't cry. I promise you. I will protect Spike as a father would protect the young." 

"Thank you," Amy hugs her brother. 

Zirconis returns the hug. "I will sacrifice my life to protect my nephew." 





The Present 

A few moments have passed since Zirconis closed his eyes. He looks at Wendy. "You're Spike's girlfriend?" 

"Yes," Wendy nods. "You're nephew is about to die at the claws of a corrupted dragon of the future. His name is Leekips. He's the future self of your nephew. He's trying to end his life."

"One last question. Does Spike have a loving family?" Zirconis asks. 

"Yes, Spike has the greatest family in this time period. He's happy and loved." 

"That's all I need to hear," Zirconis puts Wendy down. The Dragon Tamer Spell that Future Rogue placed on him is now broken. Zirconis takes flight.

"Is he going after Leekips?" Carla is lost for words for the stunt Wendy pulled. 

"Yep. Zirconis is going to save Spike's life."

"In the meantime, you should help another Dragon Slayer slay a dragon," Carla advises. 

"Right," Wendy runs off to help any of her comrades defeat a dragon. 

"Hey, Lucy!" Happy get Lucy's attention. 

"What's up?" Lucy turns to happy. 

"I have an idea that can help turn the tides!" 

"What are you thinking now, Tomcat?" Carla knows it's an idiotic plan anyway. 

"Remember that Spike wanted to destroy the Eclipse Gate?" 

"Yea. What would destroying the Eclipse Gate do now?" Lucy ponders a bit. 

"If we destroy the Eclipse Gate, the dragons return 400 years to the past! Also, the Future Rogue would have never come here in the first place!" 

"Happy, that's brilliant!" Carla is amazed by Happy's plan. 

"If the Eclipse Gate is destroyed today, the dragons will have no access on coming to the future," Panther Lily noted. 

"Exactly!" Happy said. 

"Yukino, we need to summon our Celestial Spirits. They could be vital for destroying the Eclipse Gate." 

"On it, Lucy," Yukino grabs her Celestial Keys. 

Lucy and Yukino lock hands to summon all 12 Zodiac Spirits. Yukino and Lucy tell their spirits to destroy the Eclipse Gate. Princess Hisui watches the events unfolding in her city. So much carnage and chaos. She hopes that destroying the Eclipse Gate will end the madness. 

Leekips conjures a Sparkling Inferno Iron Energy Blast. Capable enough to end Spike's life. Spike is bruised up with more scars on his body, he has an iron mace scar on his chest, a bloodied nose, and a black eye. Spike reverts to his size as the pain is too much to bear, especially when Leekips clawed him severely earlier. 

"Say your prayers, Spike. It's over," Leekips said. 

"So, this is it? I am unable to defeat a hellfire dragon. I can't even defeat my future self in this conflict. How would I slay Acnologia and avenge my family's bloodline? Wendy, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, Carla, Gajeel, Laxus, and Fairy Tail. I love you all. I bid you adieu." Spike closes his eyes, getting ready to embrace death and possibly see his family in the afterlife. 

"Iron Inferno Obliteration Blast!" Leekips is about to unleash the final blow when Zircornis makes the save and bites Leekips neck. "AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Back away from my nephew!" Zirconis grabs Leekips' tail and throws him down to the ground. 

"Nephew? I am your nephew!" Leekips shouts. 

"You are not! You are a lost cost and not from this time period. I will not have you end my nephew's life and strip his happiness away!" 

"I'll kill you, traitor!" Leekips soar in the skies. "Rogue will not be pleased." 

"Rogue is not my master. I bow to no one! Dragons are dominant! Not no wannabe Dragon King!" Zirconis declares. 

"Die!" Leekips punches Zirconis with his Iron Mace Claw. Leekips realize just how strong Zirconis is. 

"Was that supposed to hurt me?" Zirconis headbutts Leekips then unleashes his Jade fire breath at Leekips. Leekips hurls back hard. Zirconis wastes no time going after Leekips. 

"I can't believe I lost possession of Zirconis!" Future Rogue lost control of Zirconis. "How is this possible?!" 

"Hah," Natsu chuckles. "Zirconis is Spike's Uncle. He won't let anything bad happen to his nephew."

"You gotta be kidding me! Leekips never told me that!" Future Rogue takes his frustrations at Natsu. Future Rogue knocks Natsu off of Motherglare as he flies in the skies. 

"Crap!" Natsu sees a dragon made of fire down below. "OH YEAH, BABY!" 

While Natsu soars from the skies, Laxus and the Thunder Legion have been attacking Atlas Flame. He just used his Roaring Thunder punch on Atlas Flame, which does little to him. 

"Damn, even a million volts at the Flame Dragon didn't do anything," Laxus said. 

"Lightning is useless against fire. I'm afraid you aren't a match," Freed said. 

"I wonder if there is a Water Dragon Slayer," Evergreen said. 

"Spike could be the better matchup. But that future self of his got to him," Bickslow said. 

"YOU'RE MINE NOW!" Natsu lands on the back of Atlas Flame. 

"Natsu!" Laxus is in shock to see Natsu taking on a Flame Dragon. 

"A real fire dragon! So cool!" Natsu is excited. 

"Who are you, pest?" Atlas Flame demands. 

"I'm Natsu Dragneel, and I'm the guy that's going to eat you!" Natsu starts consuming the Hellfire of Atlas Flame. 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT!" Laxus shouts in utter shock. 

"That's crazy," The Thunder Legion says in unison. 

"You? Eat me?" Atlas Flame is perplexed by Natsu's bold statement. "You can't be serious!" 

"Oh, I'm dead serious! Your fire tastes delicious!" Natsu continues to eat the hellfire. 

"Get off of me!" Atlas Flames tries to shake Natsu off of his body. He tries to flies into the ground in hopes of scraping Natsu off. 

"No way!" Natsu replies by consuming more of Atlas Flame Hellfire. 

"Natsu! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Laxus asks Natsu from afar. 

"What does it look like; Getting this tasty dragon into my belly!" 

"Okay?" Laxus doesn't think Natsu can pull it off. 

"You and your guys should help another Dragon Slayer defeat a dragon. Wendy is doing the same! Her dragon happens to be Spike's Uncle, and he's bringing the fight to Leekips!" 

"His Uncle is here?" Bickslow couldn't believe it. 

"He's fighting Spike's future self? Then that means," Evergreen knows the outcome of Spike. 

"Laxus, aide Gajeel against his dragon. We'll go look for Spike," Freed said. 

"Alright, I'll go. If Spike's injured, make sure you protect him!" 

"We will!" The Thunder Legion says in unison. They go searching for Spike while Laxus finds Gajeel's dragon. 

"This'll be your final meal, you brat!" Atlas Flame declares. He powers up, intensifying the hellfire on his body. "You'll taste my fury!" Atlas Flame bashes his head into several buildings to get Natsu off of him. "How dare you lay your hands on me!" No matter how hard Atlas Flame tries to pry Natsu off of him, Natsu continues to consume his hellfire. Then, Atlas Flame starts to have a flashback. The position Natsu is on Atlas Flame is so familiar to him. "Is it even possible?" Atlas Flame shakes his head. "No.., that's ridiculous. But why does this human reminds me of.., him?" Atlas Flame pictures Natsu as the Fire Dragon King Igneel. "Boy." 

"Huh?" Natsu stops his eating.

"You have some connection to Igneel, do you not?" Atlas Flame asks. 

"Hold on just a second. Are you seriously trying to tell me you know Igneel?" 

"He's King of the Fire Dragons and my friend."

"No way. I know him pretty well too. He's actually my dad!" 

Atlas Flame couldn't believe he's meeting the Son of Igneel. "I'm honored to meet the Son of Igneel." 

"Mind helping me out?" 

"Of course. I'll help you out any way I can." 

"I need you to take me to Motherglare. I have unfinished business with Future Rogue." 

"Consider it done, Natsu Dragneel," Atlas Flame breaks the spell of Dragon Tamer. He's no longer under the will of Future Rogue. "Let's go!" Atlas Flame takes off. 

Spike is on the ground, watching Atlas Flame attacking Motherglare in the skies. He watches his Uncle Zirconis battling Leekips. 

"Iron Sparkle Flare Rooooooooooooar!" Leekips unleashes his iron-infused flames on Zirconis, pushing him back a bit. 

"No dice, punk!" Zirconis punches Leekips in the face. Then he pulls Leekips to the ground. "I got something for you," Zirconis grabs a building and shoves it down Leekips mouth. Then he starts choking on him. 

"Uncle.., please..," Leekips starts begging while choking. 

"You are dead to me!" Zirconis shouts. 

Leekips uses his fire breath to teleport Zirconis behind him. Leekips' arm turns into a Sparkle Iron Sword. He tries to stab Zirconis in the back. Zirconis grabs Leekips arm. 

"Tsk tsk tsk. You think I'll fall for the ole stab in the back?" 

"Let go!" Leekips demands. 

"Okay," Zirconis simply complies. Leekips hesitates to take his arm back.  Then Zirconis uses the momentum to force Leekips into chopping his arm off in one fell swoop. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! YOU BASTARD!" Leekips now only has one arm. 

"You shouldn't let your guard down for anything, stupid. How dumb can you be?" Zirconis mocks Leekips. 

"Energy Make," Zirconis is caught off guard. "Energy Arm Bar!" Leekips continues a new arm; it's metallic in structure. He flexes a bit with it. "What was that about letting my guard down?" 

"Impressive. I'll have to remember that move when I'm kicking your butt." 

Leekips charges at Zirconis, aiming to bite his neck. Zirconis grabs Leekips' wings and unleashes a Jade Energy Blast from his claw. The Energy Blast incinerates Leekips' wings, causing him to fall. 

"Oh no, you don't!" Leekips uses his teleportation magic to appear above Zirconis. "You're mine now!" 

"Got you where I want you," Zirconis smirks. 

"What!" Leekips has fallen into a trap. 

"I saw humans going to a dentist one day," Zirconis grabs Leekips and puts his claws in his mouth. "There's a technique called a root canal."

"No, no! You can't!" Leekips couldn't use his teleportation magic cause he needs to breathe the fire. Zirconis fingers prevent Leekips from closing his jaw.

"I will. Consider this your checkup!" Zirconis' sheer strength allows him to rip Leekips jaw apart. "It's been overdue," Zirconis laughs. 

"Nooooooo! I can't unleash my fire!" Leekips can still talk but doesn't need to open or, in this case, use his mouth movements. 

"There is one thing you should never ever do to my family. Strip their happiness away!" Zirconis powers up. 

"I am your family! You wouldn't kill me, would you..?" Leekips is terrified of Zirconis. 

"My nephew loves humans. He has a girlfriend and a loving family. As for you, you don't have much to live. You sided with the one who is trying to end my nephew's happiness and family. I'm keeping the promise I made to my sister, and you're making it harder for me to uphold it. Say your prayers." 

"Wait! What are you doing!?" Leekips looks at Zirconis. 

"Protecting my son!" Zicornis shouts. "Amethyst Spear!" Zirconis' aura is Amethyst like his sister's. "Lancer Archer!" Zirconis conjures many Amethyst Spears and launches all of them. The Amethyst Spears pierces Leekips body everywhere. 

Leekips wails in agony. The spears punctured his vital organs that his metallic body parts couldn't protect. Leekips is slowly dying, and he couldn't get up even if he wanted to. He resorts to go with Option B now that his physical body is beyond repair. 

Zirconis lands and picks up Spike. "Hey, little buddy. You don't look so good." 

Spike smiles. "Hi, Zirconis,"  Spike steadies his breathing. "I got my ass kicked by my future self." 

"You're girlfriend Wendy told me that."

"Can you take me to her? She has the magic power to heal me." 

"Of course, I will," Zirconis takes flight. 

Wendy and Laxus meet up with Gajeel, who is struggling to fight his dragon. 

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Gajeel asks. 

"Spike's Uncle Zirconis is fighting Future Spike!" Wendy said. 

"No way. Spike's Uncle is here?" Gajeel is surprised. 

"Natsu took my dragon. He's better off fighting against Atlas Flame than me."

"Three humans for the price of one fight? It's my lucky day," The Dark Dragon says. 

"It's your day to be slain by us," Gajeel said. 

"For Fairy Tail!" Laxus powers up. 

"For Spike!" Wendy shouts. 

"Let's bring this dragon down!" Gajeel, Wendy, and Laxus say in unison. 

"Lightning Dragon Roooooooooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath at the dragon. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath at the dragon. 

"Iron Dragon Roooooooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath at the dragon. 

The roars combined into a unison raid dragon roar. It stuns the dragon causing it to fall back. Spike hears Wendy's attack and points down at the dragon. 

"Finally, a challenge," The Dark Dragon claims. "I was getting bored with this iron wimp."

"I'll show you who the wimp is!" Gajeel raises his first at the dragon. 

Zirconis lands in front of the Dark Dragon. "Hey, these humans are mine!" The Dark Dragon states. 

"Buzz off, Clyde," Zirconis punches the Dark Dragon in the face. Zirconis strength causes Clyde to stumble back a bit. "Kid, I need you to heal your Spike," Zirconis puts Spike down.

"So, that's Spike's uncle," Laxus looks at Zirconis. 

"That's him. I never knew how strong he is. Glad he's on our side," Gajeel said. 

Wendy tends to Spike and heals his body. Gajeel and Laxus couldn't believe the injuries Spike suffered by the claws of his future self. 

"So," Clyde comes from behind and tackles Zirconis. "You're working with the humans!? I will kill your sister Amy when I find her!" 

Spike hears the dark dragon threatening to kill his mother. Sparkling Black Aura ignites his body while Wendy is recovering him. 

"Spike, hold still, please," Wendy continues to heal him. 

"No one is killing my mom and gets away with it!" Spike gets up while his eyes are pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. He grows in size while his claws and his teeth are sharper. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns blood red.

"What is this?" Zirconis is in shock. 

"Spike calls it Fairy Demon Dragon! When he's angry, he turns into that!" Wendy shouts. 

"Demonic Dragons are common. What makes this one different than the others?" Clyde mocks Spike. 

"The difference is, I obliterate anyone in this form. They either live with the regret or become BROKEN on the inside."

"I'm petrified," Clyde continues to mock Spike in his Fairy Demon Dragon mode. 

Spike gets closer when he senses another dragon coming from behind. Leekips tackles Spike, spiraling in the air. Leekips is now a pure energy dragon with his physical body damaged beyond repair. Leekips essence is pure physical energy. No scales, no metal. His body consists of fire, water, lightning, air, and earth. 

"How?" Spike grits his teeth. He punches Leekips and surprisingly does damage. 

"This is Option B. Giving up my physical body for an energy maker body. My right arm is made of fire. My left arm is made of water. My tail is made of lightning. My wings are made of wind. The rest of me is made of earth. I have full control of the elements. As for the energy, I have an infinite flow that's around me!"

"Take this traitor!" Clyde uses his thorn thumb wings and jabs Zirconis' throat. "I'm going to kill you for working with the stupid humans!" 

Zirconis coughs from the impact. "Humans aren't that bad," Zirconis attacks Clyde the Dark Dragon. "There are some good ones." 

"Weak like your sister Amy. I'll kill the both of you!" Clyde continues his attack on Zirconis. 

"Humans, leave this dragon to me. Go help your friends take care of the smaller ones or bigger ones." 

"Right," Gajeel, Laxus, and Wendy say in unison. They get ambushed by smaller adamantium dragons. Wendy, Gajeel, and Laxus waste no time taking them out. 

Leekips lets go of Spike. Spike lands and stares at Leekips. Leekips puts his left arm on the ground; his tail electrocutes the water but, Leekips grabs the water, creating a sphere in the process. 

"Electrocution Shock Wave!" Leekips unleashes a water lightning shock cannon at Spike. 

"Dark Energy Blast!" Spike unleashes a Sparkling Black Energy Blast vaporizing Leekips attack. 

"Impossible!" Leekips rolls out of the way. Spike's attack blows up a mountain sky high. "How?" 

"What? You don't have Fairy Rage in you? Or Fairy Demon Dragon?"

"What the hell is Fairy Rage!? Or Fairy Demon Dragon?!" Leekips has never seen this kind of power before. 

"Fairy Rage is an emotion of me. Fairy Demon Dragon was born the moment after I ate Master Hades Abyss' Energy."

"How interesting. The good news is, they'll join you in the afterlife!" Leekips right arm turns into a flame sword while his left arm turns into a water sword. 

"What is your purpose in killing me! Tell me!" Spike conjures a Dark Energy Saber and clashes with Leekips' swords. The two slash and dodge each maneuver. 

"If I am unable to attain happiness, you shouldn't either!" Leekips angrily responds. 

Spike claws Leekips chest. "Dark Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Black Dark Explosions hits Leekips beneath his feet. Leekips loses his feet from the explosion. 

"Dammit!" Leekips lands hard on the ground. 

Spike conjures a Sparkling Black Fireball and hovers above Leekips. "Dark Inferno Wave!" The Sparkling Black Fireball grows in size. 

"Elemental Wave Roooooooooooooooooar!" Leekips unleashes a fusion of fire, water, lightning, earth, and wind into a breath attack. It hits Spike, but his fireball consumes the energy from the roaring attack. "What!?" Leekips didn't anticipate that outcome. 

"Hellrising Cannon!" Spike presses his claws and unleashes Sparkling Black Flames at Leekips. The blast evaporated his water arm, his windy wings, and decimated his lightning tail. His chests and legs melted from the blast. The only thing that wasn't snuffed out is his fire arm. 

Leekips doesn't feel pain, but he can't regrow any of his limbs and body parts. Spike lands and relinquishes his Fairy Demon Dragon mode. He reverts to his size walks up to Leekips. 

"What purpose do you serve by killing me? How does it help you?" 

Leekips sighs. "I lost everything. The stupid humans kept my friends and me in captivity. The very next day, all hell broke loose. I couldn't save them; My family, my friends, my girlfriend, gone in an instant. By taking your happiness, you die, and a different you is born. You turn into me."

"How? How did they perish?" Spike asks. 

"Thing is, I don't remember. All I remember is I met someone after the aftermath, and I lost the will to live."

"Fairy Rage, can you hear me?" 

"Yea, I'm here. Need some assistance?"

"Can you enter Leekips' mind and see his memories?" 

Leekips watches Spike talking to himself like a mad dragon. He thinks Spike is crazy for having a genuine conversation. 

"Yea. That shouldn't be a problem. He's you from the future." Fairy Rage leaves Spike's mind and enters Leekips' mind. "Someone placed a memory blockage barrier in him and a possession spell. There's two of them."

"Wh-Whaat?" Leekips is in shock. 

"Can you remove it?" Spike asks. 

"Should be easy." Fairy Rage uses his magic to shatter the barrier and possession spells in Leekips' mind. It causes Leekips to have a migraine. 

Leekips groans a bit. "Damn, I forgot what having a migraine feels like." 

Fairy Rage returns to Spike's mind. "I did all I can do. He should remember what went down during his time."

"Can you remember how it happened?" Spike asks. 

Leekips starts remembering what happened the day when all hell broke loose. He gasps. "I remember. I was possessed." 

"By who?" Spike wants to know. 

"Twilight Sparkle," Leekips answers. 

Spike gasps. He covers his mouth. Spike would never think Twilight would do such a thing. 

"In my time, Twilight Sparkle took possession of me and forced me into killing my friends.., my family.., and my girlfriend. She altered my memory into thinking someone else killed them. I joined the 10,000 dragons in killing most of humanity. She died in the process of my onslaught. When Rogue 'freed' me from Sparkle's possession, I lost the will to live. Everything I once have, gone forever. All I remember is seeing my friends in Fairy Tail burned or eaten alive. The screams are all I hear daily." 

"That's horrible..," Spike is sad to hear the trauma Leekips endured. 

"Where did the name Leekips came from?" Fairy Rage asks. 

"I've eaten Gajeel during Sparkle's possession, and I gained his Iron Dragon Slaying Magic. After Rogue uplifted the possession curse, the first memory that came to me was eating Gajeel. So, I combined the name with mine but, I have it reversed. It gave me a new identity." 

"Fairy Rage, you think Twilight is still in Earth Land?" 

"I don't know. Twilight's magic and presence are off the grid. Tell me, why don't you have me?" 

"Why I don't have Fairy Rage? Honestly, I don't know. At Tenrou Island, I was protecting the base camp while everyone else fought Master Hades." 

"He never consumed Hades' Abyss Magic."

"No wonder why he panicked when he heard Fairy Demon Dragon and me. He didn't defeat Master Hades during the war of Fairy Tail and Grimoire Hearts."

"Thank you for freeing me," Leekips says. "For the first time in a long time, I have something to look forward to. All these years, I remained unhappy, and now, I can die in peace. All I can hope for is that my friends are not mad at me. If so, then I go to hell for killing and eating most of my friends while I was possessed. Either way, I'm at peace with it. You," Leekips uses his fire arm to point at Spike. "Let nothing stop you from anything. I allowed something to possess me and used me."

"I won't. I'll get stronger! You watch!" Spike says. 

"I know you will," Leekips smiles and closes his eyes, taking his last breath. 

"Ambush!" Fairy Rage warns Spike. Spike turns around to see many Adamantium Dragons. 

"Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen waves her arms, releasing a torrent of energy needles at the Adamantium Dragons. 

"Dark Écriture Absolute Shadow!" Freed's upper body becomes covered in dark armor. He moves at immense speeds taking down Adamantium Dragons with his sword. 

"Let's rock, babies! Baryon Formation!" Bickslow's Tikis position themselves in a pentagonal pattern. A massive and powerful magical beam is generated from the center striking the rest of the Adamantium Dragons. 

"Laxus is going to be happy to know that we found you," Evergreen said. 

"Whoa! Did you defeat that dragon, Spike?" Bickslow asks. "Fairy Dragon Wins! Fairy Dragons Wins!" Bickslow's Tikis chants. 

"Yea. Fairy Demon Dragon took down my future self," Spike confirms. 

"I wonder why he's here in the first place," Freed said. 

"Future Rogue possessed him. In his time, he lost everything due to a possession spell by Twilight Sparkle." 

"Say what..?" Evergreen is confused. 

"Hold on? You mean that Sparkle girl you crippled?" Bickslow asks. 

"The same girl that tormented your life daily?" Freed said. 

"Yes. If she hung around during Leekips' timeline. There are speculations that Twilight is somewhere here in Earth Land. Plotting, scheming on a higher scale to ruin my life. She succeeded in ruining my future self's life by mentally scarring him and possessing him to kill everyone in Fairy Tail,"  The Thunder Legion are appalled after hearing the last statement.

"Well, that won't happen on our watch, Fairy Dragon," Evergreen said. 

"The Thunder Legion got your back," Freed said. 

"Let's go. I'm sure the others can use our help in defeating these smaller dragons."

"Agreed," Spike nods. He and the Thunder Legion go search for their friends or anyone that needs help. 

Wendy and Laxus are fighting the Adamantium Dragons while Gajeel continues his feast on eating them, claiming it's the best iron he's tasted all night. Spike and the Thunder Legion catch up down the street. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike shoots Sparkling Green Flaming Arrows from his claw in a C Formation, striking down the Adamantium Dragons all around. 

"Spike!" Wendy runs up to him and hugs him. "I'm so glad you came!" 

"You defeated Leekips?" Laxus asks. 

"He's dead. Where's Zirconis?" 

"He's fighting my dragon," Gajeel said. 

Zirconis is still fighting Clyde the Dark Dragon in the skies. The two are evenly matched.

"We've been battling the smaller ones, trying to look for another dragon," Wendy explains. 

"Alright, let's take down another dragon together," Spike leads the charge while mimicking his claws like guns to shoot any Adamantium Dragon that comes near them. 

Rogue is having a hard time defeating the blue dragon. He tells him that he's sparing his life for the sake of the mission. The Shadow that is in Rogue's heart plagues him and telling him that he'll turn into an evil self. Sting comes to help Rogue; however, his dragon followed him. The two dragons talked about killing the humans right then and there. The two are standing back to back, getting ready to fight the two dragons. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his fire breath at the blue dragon from behind. 

"Lightning Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath at the blue dragon. 

"Iron Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath at the red dragon. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath at the red dragon. 

The two dragons felt the impact from the four. Sting and Rogue are happy to see Fairy Tail coming to their aide. Rogue and Sting nod now that they have a better chance at slaying their dragons. As for the Thunder Legion, the Adamantium Dragons make an appearance. The Thunder Legion attacks the Adamantium Dragons leaving Laxus alone to slay a dragon. 

"Alright! Time to slay these dragons once and for all!" Sting shouts. "White Drive!" Sting taps into his Dragon Force. 

"Shadow Drive!" Rogue taps into his Dragon Force. 

Laxus taps into his Dragon Force, increasing his size like the time he did during the Fairy Tail Battle Royal. Spike increase into the Laxus' size. He has used a lot of magic energy in one night, battling his future self and taking a lot of punishment. 

"How profound. An actual dragon working with the humans. I hate Amy's influence," Levia the Blue Dragon says. 

"That's my mom, asshole!" Spike retorts. 

"I'll savor the moment of stripping your life away!" Levia says. 

"No, you won't! Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder plunge from the heavens and reap destruction! Raging Bolt!" After Laxus said his incantation. A large bolt of lightning descends on Levia. Levia stumbles from the impact. 

"Shadow Dragon Roooooooaaar!" Rogue unleashes his shadow breath attack at Levia, Levia falls to the ground. It's pissing him off that Future Rogue told him not to kill present-day Rogue. 

Wendy uses her enchantment to boost Gajeel and Sting's speed and strength, including herself. The trio moves around the Red Scissor Dragon. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel uses his iron club to strike the Red Scissors Dragon under the chin. It stung him a bit. 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Furious winds hit the Red Scissors Dragon, lifting him a bit. 

"White Dragon Roooooooooooaaar!" Sting unleashes his holy breath at the Red Scissors Dragon. 

"Filthy humans! How dare you hurt me!" Scissor Runner shouts in pain a little. 

"Special Delivery!" Zirconis has his claw on Clyde's throat, getting ready to slam him on Scissor Runner. 

"Move!" Gajeel yells. 

Gajeel, Wendy, Sting, Rogue, Laxus, and Spike moves out of the way. Zirconis slams Clyde on top of Scissor Runner's back, defeating Clyde in the process. As for Scissor Runner, he's defeated due to the heaviness of the impact from the slam. 

"Zirconis! Are you mad!?" Levia glares at Zirconis. 

"Nope. I'm happy that I took out this chump for disrespecting my sister. Those who dare disrespect her beliefs deal with me," Zirconis has multiple bruises and bleedings on his body. 

Amid all the commotion, the Adamantium Dragons come from behind and attack Wendy, Sting, and Laxus in the process. The Adamantium Dragons can shoot a powerful magic beam from their mouths. Gajeel, Spike, and Rogue turn and unleash their roars at the Adamantium Dragons, vaporizing them in the process. Spike turns to see Wendy's injury and holds her. The Adamantium Dragon's attack pierces through Wendy's chest. 

"Sting!" Rogue checks on Sting. Sting dies while Rogue picks him up. He was pierced through the stomach and lungs. 

"Laxus, are you," Gajeel gasps and sees the hole in Laxus' chest. His heart is no longer there. 

"Wendy!" Spike is in tears. 

"Spike...," Wendy goes limp as she takes her final breath. 

Spike grits his teeth as his anger take control. Spike immediately turns into Fairy Demon Dragon and attacks all the Adamantium Dragons that continue to come by ferociously. Rogue and Gajeel watch Spike destroying each one that appears. 

The Adamantium Dragons start cornering a lot of wizards in Crocus, killing them one by one. Ultear is walking aimlessly during the amid of the situation in Crocus. She decides to use Arc of Time Magic to reset time depending on her lifespan. She screams in pain while enduring the Arc of Time spell to its fullest. She repents in the process cause, by using the spell, sacrifices years of her existence. After a few moments, the world gets a one-minute restart. Ultear is ashamed that her life only costs a minute for the spell. 

"Special Delivery!" Zirconis has his claw on Clyde's throat, getting ready to slam him on Scissor Runner. 

"Move!" Gajeel yells. 

Gajeel, Wendy, Sting, Rogue, Laxus, and Spike moves out of the way. Zirconis slams Clyde on top of Scissor Runner's back, defeating Clyde in the process. As for Scissor Runner, he's defeated due to the heaviness of the impact from the slam. 

"Zirconis! Are you mad!?" Levia glares at Zirconis. 

"Nope. I'm happy that I took out this chump for disrespecting my sister. Those who dare disrespect her beliefs deal with me," Zirconis has multiple bruises and bleedings on his body. 

"Hey, wait a minute, why do I feel a déjà vu moment?" Spike asks. 

"Yea, I feel like we were ambushed by," Sting turns around. "Incoming!" 

Laxus annihilates the incoming hoard of Adamantium Dragons with his lightning bolts attack. Sting wipes out another wave of Adamantium Dragons by shooting a beam of holy magic at them. 

Wendy grasps her chest, thinking she was just attacked. "I feel weird." 

"Where do you think you're going?" Levia angrily asks. 

"I won't allow you to harm those humans," Zirconis said. 

"Why not?" Levia questions Zirconis' statement. 

"Those humans are my nephew's family. You mess with them; you mess with me too!" 

"You're badly wounded. Taking care of you should be easy," Levia said. 

"Bold statement from a wimp like you. I've taken down three dragons in one night."

"You're a disgrace to your kind. You are weak like your sister, Amy," Levia mentions. 

"Prepare to die," Zirconis spits out blood and attacks Levia. 

The wizards that got killed all around Crocus now know what to expect during the minute. They counter the attacks from the Adamantium Dragons and destroy them one by one. Each wizard couldn't believe how to know when the attack was coming. 

Throughout the time everyone was fighting the Adamantium Dragons, the 12 Zodiac Spirits were trying all they can to destroy the Eclipse Gate. All the spirits had no luck on moving it or leaving a scratch on it. Lucy and Yukino are getting exhausted, exerting their magic energy in summoning all the Zodiac Spirits. 

"I.., don't.., think.., I.., can.., keep.., this.., going..," Lucy is exhausted from using nearly all of her magic summoning her spirits. 

Yukino is losing concentration while her Celestial Spirits continue to attack the Eclipse Gate. "We.., have.., to.., stay.., strong..," Yukino pants. 

"All of us attacking this Gate, and we can't moove it an inch!" Taurus said. 

"We have to keep trying!" Happy said.

"No matter what, we must destroy the Eclipse Gate to have a future," Carla said. 

Natsu and Future Rogue continue their fight while Motherglare and Atlas Flame give everything they got against each other. Future Rogue is getting angrier that his dragons are getting defeated by Zirconis. 

"I can't believe this! These so-called dragons are getting defeated by one measly Jade Dragon!" 

"Don't you know that when you have family, it's harder losing a fight? Zirconis is Spike's Uncle; Atlas Flame is my Uncle. That is why we won't lose! Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!" Natsu ignites his hands in flames and then brings them together, creating a fiery explosion at Future Rogue. 

Future Rogue dodges the attack. "White Shadow Dragon, Haste!" Future Rogue generates white shadows from his hand and unleashes them at Natsu. "It doesn't matter. Eventually, they'll tire out, and that's when I'll slay them myself!"

"You couldn't beat me seven years ago! What are the chances of beating me now when I made a promise to defeat you and save the future!" 

"You have no future in my future. This is where it ends for you!" Future Rogue uses his White Shadow Dragon Vestment, sending multiple white shadow beams from the palm of his hands at Natsu.

"Even Frocsh?" Natsu dodges the attack left and right. 

"Frocsh is dead. The day he died is unavoidable. That was when I become the dragon, you see." 

"Frosch is here and alive. If he were to see you, Frosch would be terrified. From everything you have done and doing," Natsu said. 

"One year from now, Frosch will die; it's set in stone." 

"You couldn't do anything about it?" Natsu asks. 

"It's set in stone. There was nothing I could have done," Future Rogue replies. 

"So what! Frosch is alive now! That means he can still be saved!" 

"That doesn't matter to me! The Rogue that used to waste time playing around with his cat is dead as well. The shadows will engulf him as they did to me. There's no point in changing the inevitable."

"Yes, you can! You can change that!" Natsu charges after Future Rogue. 

"You don't understand. I'm still going to change everything. After all the pain and suffering I've seen, I know our only hope is through total destruction!" Future Rogue uses his White Dragon Vestment again on Natsu. 

"That doesn't sound like hope to me! All you're going to do is cause more pain!" 

"And that's the price that'll secure my future! No matter what it takes with what I have left! You want happiness for everyone, and it'll never happen!" Future Rogue relentlessly keeps adding buildup to his attack to ensure Natsu gets injured.

"I will never stop trying! I will never stop fighting for my future and everyone else's! The world we all live in is what we make of it! It's not just up to you to decide!"

"Natsu," Atlas Flame gives Natsu his hellfire to feed. 

"No matter what's going to happen tomorrow, I'm going to keep fighting today. Dragon Slayer's Secret Art! Hellfire Sword Horn!" Natsu lights his entire body ablaze in hellfire and spears Future Rogue. The impact infused with hellfire is so fierce, Future Rogue and Motherglare are engulfed in flames, spiraling out of control.

Lucy and Yukino grew tired and had to close their Celestial Spirit's gates. The two pant heavily as they exerted all their magic energy. The Zodiac Spirits didn't leave a mark or dent on the Eclipse Gate. Yukino and Lucy now know how resilient the Eclipse Gate is. 

"So now what?" Happy is all out of brilliant ideas. 

"I have no clue. I don't think the Eclipse Gate has a weakness," Panther Lily said. 

"The world as we know it; is lost for good," Princess Hisui says, giving up on hope a little. 

"Do not give up, Princess. We'll find another way to solve this dilemma," Arcadios encouraging says. 

"How?" Princess Hisui turns to Arcadios. She looks up after seeing an orange flare in the skies descending. 

"Everyone! Move!" Arcadios commands after looking at what Princess Hisui saw. 

Princess Hisui, Darton, Happy, Carla, Panther Lily, Lucy, Yukino, Mirajane, Arcadios, and everyone else takes cover. 

"Hey guys, look up!" Wendy points at the orange flare from the skies. 

"What is that?" Spike asks. 

"Natsu. No doubt about it," Sting said. 

"That's Natsu?" Rogue looks up. 

"Yep. Always having the habit of making a scene," Laxus said. 

"Eyes open, morons! Iron Dragon Lance!" Gajeel turns his arm into a large spearhead. "Demon Logs!" Gajeel shoots multiple steel spears at a hoard of Adamantium Dragons."

"Lightning Sky God! Sparkling Cyclone Tempest!" Spike conjures Sparkling Black Lightning and Wind from his claw and presses forwards, creating a hurricane that blew and shocked the Adamantium Dragons away. 

"We gotta keep moving. The others could be running low on magic against these things," Rogue suggests. 

"Right," Everyone around nods in agreement and keeps moving to help any of their comrades. 

Due to Natsu's Fire Dragon Sword Horn attack, Future Rogue and Motherglare collide with the Eclipse Gate, destroying it beyond repair. Everyone around the Eclipse Gate gets up and cheers loudly. Natsu gets up and made sure that Future Rogue is down and out. 

"Natsu destroyed the Eclipse Gate!" Happy cheers, happily. 

"It's a good thing that the Eclipse Gate isn't dragon proof," Carla said. 

"Natsu!" Lucy runs and hugs him. She cries in Natsu's arms. 

"It's great to see you as well, Lucy." 

After Natsu destroyed the Eclipse Gate, everyone in Crocus sees the Adamantium Dragons glowing. Spike looks up and sees Levia falling from the skies. 

"Cheap shot," Levia said after getting poked in the eyes and blasted by Zirconis Jade Flames. 

"I'll take any shot if it means protecting my family," Zirconis spits out blood after getting bruised during his battle. 

Atlas Flame flies next to Zirconis. "Well, this is a shocker. I never thought you would stand by your sister's beliefs."

"I still don't. However, the exception is that my nephew lives in this time period."

"Nephew?" Atlas Flame is confused. 

"His name is Spike. Spike the Fairy," Zirconis smiles proudly. 

Atlas Flame gasps a bit. He swallows a little after hearing who Zirconis' nephew is. "I have a nephew as well. His name is Natsu Dragneel. His father is my best friend Igneel, the Fire Dragon King." 

"You know, I still don't like Igneel but, I'm willing to make an exception since his kid is friends with mine."

"Energy Maker and Fire Dragons. Allow me to be your friend," Atlas Flame offers his hellfire claw. 

"It'll be an honor. I'm sure Amy would love to see you again, Atlas," Zirconis said, shaking Atlas' hellfire claw. 

Atlas Flame hides his blush and coughs. He and Zirconis start glowing. "I'll say my farewells to my nephew. You should too while you're at it," Atlas Flame flies to where Natsu is. 

Zirconis looks down and sees Spike with his friends. He lands to look at his nephew. "Spike, my time has come."

Spike turns to look at Zirconis. "Thank you for everything." 

"My pleasure. I promised your mother that I'll protect you like a father would, Spike. Just know that your mother would be very proud of you for co-existing with the humans. You have a great girlfriend and let nothing stop you from being happy," Zirconis picks Spike up and hugs him. "I'm not sure if I get the chance to do this, so I'm doing it now for your mom and me. Continue to live, get stronger, stay with your family." 

"I will," Spike sheds some tears hugging his Uncle. "I'll miss you. It was nice having to know who you are and feeling you for the first time. I hope to see you soon someday." 

"Maybe you will. Anything can happen when you put your mind to it. One thing I ask of you."

"Anything!" Spike shouts at Zirconis. 

"Roar for me. I want to hear your roar," Zirconis puts Spike down. 

Spike conjures a lot of his energy and roars loudly. Nothing demonic or anger came out. Spike's roar is the roar of victory that everyone in Crocus joined in. That roar and cheer in celebration to live another day. 

"Perfect," Zirconis throws the thumbs up for Spike as he returns to the past. 

"Natsu," Atlas Flames found Natsu. 

"Hey, Uncle!" Natsu waves at Atlas Flames. 

"I will never forget you, Natsu Dragneel. Keep that fire of yours burning," Atlas Flames returns to the past. 

"Zirconis, wait until I tell my papa that you beat me up again!" Clyde said, remembering all the times Zirconis would pick on him when he was young while returning to the past.   

The remaining Dragons and Adamantium Dragons return to the past. Natsu turns to see Future Rogue. Future Rogue tells Natsu about what happens one year from today about Frosch's fate and for him to be ready. Leekips' body returns to the future with Future Rogue. Future Lucy returns to the future where Spike was never a Fairy Tail Wizard. 

Mavis saw everything unfold from above Crocus. "Seven Dragons Slayer and One Young Dragon versus eight Dragons. None of the Dragon Slayers slain a Dragon. The Young One defeated his future self. Two Dragons turned and broke free of Future Rogue's Dragon Tamer Spell. Atlas Flame and Zirconis."

"Man, if we couldn't defeat the dragons we fought, what are our chances against Acnologia?" Sting asks Rogue. 

"No chance. You guys fought Acnologia. What was it like?" Rogue asks Gajeel, Laxus, Wendy, and Spike. 

"Hell," Gajeel answers. 

"Difficult. The dragon is a real monster," Laxus answers. 

"One roar of his caused a portion of Tenrou Island's forest to die in an instant," Wendy answers, remembering that moment. 

"Difficult. I had my ass handed by Acnologia. It was the sole purpose for me to train harder. Until two nights ago when I met my Uncle. He told me that Acnologia killed my mom and him. My mission is to someday slay Acnologia for killing my family." 

"We'll be with you," Wendy places her arm around Spike. 

"You ain't going at him alone," Gajeel said. 

"You can count us two with you. Considering that Zirconis beat up our dragons," Sting said, speaking for Rogue. 

"Agreed. When the time comes, Acnologia will fall," Rogue said. 

"A truce," Sting offers his hand. "Sabertooth and Fairy Tail as allies and friends."

"Truce," Spike shakes Sting's hand. 

Wendy, Gajeel, and Laxus shake hands with Sting and Rogue. Then they go searching for their friends and allies after winning the battle to live another day.
> Celebrations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leekips Future Heaven

Spike wakes up and sees the beautiful blue skies and white fluffy clouds. He stands up to see gorgeous green fields as far as the eye can see. Spike walks up to a pond and looks in the reflection. He looks seven years younger.

"My Emblem," Spike places his claw on his Fairy Tail Emblem then sighs sadly. "I remember," Spike replays the last memory that gave him scarring on his chest. Twilight Sparkle using her sword to remove the emblem after possessing him. "Am I in Heaven or Hell?"

"Spike!" Wendy shouts from afar. 

"Wendy?" Spike turns around, expecting the worse. 

"Spike!" Wendy runs up to Spike and leaps into his arms. 

"Wendy..," Spike sniffs and cries a little. He holds Wendy in his arms and sobs. 

"It's okay, Spike," Wendy holds him dearly. 

"I'm sorry," Spike falls to his knees, holding Wendy. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry.., I'm so sorry..." 

"It's not your fault. You were ambushed and possessed," Wendy rubs his back. 

"I thought I was going to Hell," Spike sniffs. "Where are the others?" 

"Home," Wendy smiles. "The guildhall is not far from here," Wendy grabs Spike's claw and runs. She navigates Spike to the Fairy Tail Guild. After a few minutes, Wendy shows Spike the Fairy Tail Guildhall, standing tall and majestic in a peaceful town that resembles Magnolia. 

Spike smiles then frowns. "Are the others holding a grudge on me for eating and killing them?"

"No. We know the truth. Everyone does. Stop delaying, and let's go!" Wendy cheers Spike up. 

Spike walks down a small hill with Wendy. He opens the door to see all of his friends inside. Gajeel is eating iron, Natsu and Gray are fighting each other, Lucy is talking with Levy, Erza is talking with Master Makarov, everyone else is enjoying each other's time and company. 

"Hey, look who's finally home!" Wendy gets everyone's attention. 

Everyone in Fairy Tail turns to see Spike for the first time in a long time. There's a moment of silence while Spike looks at everyone in the guild. 

"He's home!" Natsu shouts happily. 

"Welcome back, bro," Gajeel chuckles. 

"Spike..," Erza is lost for words. She's so happy to see Spike in the guildhall once more. 

"Hey, you finally made it," Gray said. 

"Now, Fairy Tail is back together," Laxus said. 

"Hey, Spike! So glad to see you again!" Romeo said.   

"Hey, Spike!" Lisanna happily waves at him. 

"Manly Dragon has come home!" Elfman shouts. 

"Our Fairy Dragon has come back to Fairy Tail!" Master Makarov happily proclaims. 

Everyone in Fairy Tail is happy that Spike came home. They hold no grudges for led to their demise. 

"We're a family again!" Lucy cries a bit and runs to Spike. She hugs him lovingly as a sister would. Spike cries in Lucy's arms. 

Erza walks up to them and hugs both of them. She couldn't help but cry as well. Several members of Fairy Tail are crying in joy and happiness. After the hug, Spike starts apologizing to everyone that he had no control of himself. 

"No need for apologies, Spike. We know what went down. Twilight Sparkle possessed you and tried to force you back home with your life ruined beyond redemption," Master Makarov explains. 

"Yea," Levy nods. "We know you didn't intend on slaughtering us." 

"I wonder if Twilight got shipped to Hell for what she pulled," Spike ponders a bit. 

"My Uncle, Atlas Flame, is in charge of Hell, Spike. He's making sure Twilight gets her due for everything she pulled." 

"I've seen the torture that bitch is enduring. It's only the beginning," Mirajane smiles. "I should know. I have a part-time job working in Hell. Today's torture in cacti poking the sensitive parts jamming in place I rather not speak." 

"Spike, never forget. We are your family; we all love you as we love each other," Makarov said. "We may fight, we may argue, we may disagree with certain things, but one thing is affirm. We are Fairy Tail. So are you." 

"I have a loving, kind family," Spike cries in happiness. 

"Enough with the waterworks, let's party! Eat! Drink! And Make Merry!" Master Makarov decrees. 

"You know what's the best part, Spike?" Wendy smiles. 

"What?" Spike smiles at Wendy. 

"We're together, forever," Wendy sheds some tears of happiness. 

"I love you, Wendy!" 

"I love you too, Spike!" 

Wendy and Spike kiss each other. After a minute, the two party in the guildhall and celebrated seven years of catching up to do. Spike ate, drank, and fought with his friends and family the Fairy Tail way. For the first time in a long time, Spike felt great happiness, and he will cherish each moment with everyone, forever. 





Crocus. Current timeline. Five days later, after the Grand Magic Games.

It's 8:30 at night in Crocus. All the guilds that protected Crocus are having a Grand Banquet in Mercurius. Everyone is suited and dressed well except for Spike. 

"C'mon Spike, put something on. We're in the King's Castle," Elfman said. "Be a real man and dress like a man." 

"I'm not a man. I'm a dragon. Also, the outfits and suits here don't help with my tail, spikes, and wings." 

"What about the white suit you wore during the Grand Magic Games?" Gajeel asks. 

"When I teleported it, it turned to ashes. I have nothing to wear. Besides, my junk isn't visible. Can you see it?" 

Elfman and Gajeel whistle and walk away. The answer to Spike's question is obviously no, but it's an uncomfortable topic to speak of. 

"Spike," Erza looks down at him. She's glaring at Spike, which the others are afraid of seeing. "Please put something decent on. We're in the King's Castle."

"No. There is no clothing here that's compatible with me. Especially with my spikes, tail, and wings." 

"At least put on a tie and a hat," Erza suggests. 

"No. I'm fine just the way I am," Spike replies. 

"I think Spike looks handsome just the way he is," Wendy said. She's wearing a white dress, black tights, white shoes, and yellow bows on her pigtails. 

Spike is lost for words seeing how beautiful she is. Wendy holds Spike's claw. "You look beautiful, Wendy." 

"Thanks," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. 

Erza sighs. "I'll give you a pass. Please, wear something for the next party we have," Erza walks away a bit. 

"Let's try some of the food out," Spike suggests. 

"Yea," Wendy nods. 

Spike and Wendy go to different tables to check out the food they have. Sherria goes up to them. 

"Hey, you two. How are you?" Sherria asks. 

"Hey, Sherria," Wendy is happy to see Sherria. "I'm great, thanks. 

"I'm good, Sherria. Thanks for asking. How are you?" Spike asks. 

"Great! Hey, mind if I join the two of you for searching yummy food?" 

"Sure, I don't see why not," Wendy said. 

"Yea, definitely," Spike nods. 

"I'm surprised that the Kingdom doesn't have any clothing for you, Spike," Sherria said. 

"Yea, well, I'm fine without clothing. Also, I already got scolded by some of my guildmates. They hope that I don't 'embarrass' them in the King's presence."

"Bummer," Sherria said. 

"It's fine, no worries," Spike chuckles. 

"Hey, Spike," Lucy walks up to him. 

"Hey, Lucy," Spike smiles. 

"Are you at peace with your Uncle?" Lucy asks. 

"Yea. It was amazing to see and hug him for the first time. I'll always treasure that moment."

"That's great. Have you seen Natsu?" 

"No. I guess Natsu wants to make a grand entrance to the party." 

"Alright, then," Lucy smiles. 

"Hello, Lucy," Princess Hisui walks up to Lucy. "Wow, it's the Fairy Dragon himself." 

"Yea, that's me," Spike slightly chuckles. 

"Why are you not wearing any clothes?" Princess Hisui asks. 

Spike sighs. "There are no clothing that's compatible for me to wear. You want to join the bandwagon of telling me that I need to wear something?" 

"No, no, you are allowed to dress however you like. I understand, as we never had any ideas for dragon clothing. You'll get a pass. Also, where is your um..," Princess Hisui tries not to make the question more awkward than it already is. 

"I have a unique ability to make it visible whenever it's necessary. Right now, it isn't. Plus, you couldn't even feel it. You didn't see the other dragons that came through the Eclipse Gate flashing their junks, did you?"

"No," Princess Hisui shakes her head. 

"There you go," Spike answers. 

"So, how are you, Spike?" 

"I'm great, Princess Hisui." 

"That's great. Enjoy the food and help yourself," Princess Hisui smiles. 

"I will!" Spike said. He, Wendy, and Sherria go food searching while Princess Hisui and Lucy talk. 

"Wow," Spike, Sherria, and Wendy said. They are gazing at a golden gelatin with exotic fruits inside. 

"It's so sparkly it looks like a jewel," Wendy said. 

"Yea, it's beautiful. I wonder what it tastes like," Sherria said, mouthwatering with expectations of deliciousness. 

"Let's try it," Spike gives Wendy and Sherria a plate and spoon. 

"Thanks, Spike," Sherria and Wendy say in unison. 

Spike, Wendy, and Sherria take a bite out of the dessert. "So good," Their tastebuds feel like it's in heaven. 

"Oooh, I bet it's yummy," Mavis Vermillion is next to Spike and Wendy. 

"You're here?" Wendy is confused.

"Who are you talking to?" Sherria asks Wendy. 

"Mavis Vermillion. First Master of the Fairy Tail Guild." Fairy Rage explains. "Only those bearing our guild's emblem can see Mavis Vermillion. To you, we're talking to a spirit."

"Ooookay?" Sherria is still confused. 

"Mavis, can you eat?" Spike asks. 

"I wish," Mavis sighs. "Sorry, I can't help myself. All these foods here look so delicious. I wish I have a body to possess to eat. Can I borrow-" 

"No." Fairy Rage answers Mavis Vermillion's question before she can finish it. 

"Darn, he's smart," Mavis Vermillion admits. She goes to haunt other people of their food. 

Spike takes another bite of the gelatin and have his tastebuds feel like heaven again. He, Wendy, and Sherria finish their dessert and start looking for new foods to eat. Spike, Wendy, and Sherria try the molten chocolate lava cake. 

"Wow, this is delicious," Spike finishes his molten chocolate lava cake. 

"I know," Wendy is lost for words with the sensation of eating this dessert. 

"Can't talk, must eat," Sherria said after tasting the dessert. 

Kagura walks up to Spike. "How are you able to wear your birthday suit?" 

Spike groans; he's getting tired of the clothing topic questions and suggestions. "None of the clothes are compatible with me. Princess Hisui says I'm fine since the Kingdom has no clothing for me." 

"Good to know. Also, I have something on my mind that I want to address to you," Kagura said. 

"What is it?" Spike asks. 

"Two things. One, I want a rematch against you since you sensed that Leekips during our fight. Second, how did you and Erza start the brother-sister type relationship?" 

"I'll be glad to take you on anytime, anywhere. I owe you a real fight. Second, I spoke to Erza, and she reflected a lot that was bothering her. After our conversation and sharing some secrets, we decided to have a brother-sister type relationship."

"Wow. So did you know about what happened to my brother Simon?" 

"I didn't know Simon was your brother. Erza told me the explicit details on what she remembered. It wasn't pretty." 

"Hey, Kagura," Erza greets Kagura. 

"Hey, Erza," Kagura replies. 

"I have a proposition. Can we let go of our pasts and be friends?" Erza smiles. 

"No," Kagura answers which made Erza frown. "Because I rather be your sister," Kagura slightly turns away from Erza. 

"Do you mean it?" Erza smiles. "You're such a little sweetheart," Erza pulls Kagura into a hug. 

"Hey, can you please let go of me? It's embarrassing!" 

"Now that you have a sister like Erza, I guess I'm your brother?" Spike slightly chuckles. 

"Come here, you," Erza and Kagura pull Spike in their hug and smile. 

"I would love to have a brother like you," Kagura admits. 

"Awesome," Spike smiles. 

"Dragon!" A Royal Soldier throws his spear at Spike. Erza and Kagura catches it. It nearly hits Spike's head. 

"Dude, relax. It's the fan-favorite Fairy Dragon," Another Royal Guard says. 

Kagura and Erza walk up to the Royal Soldier. 

"You dare defile a loving embrace between three siblings?" Erza deathly glares at the Royal Soldier. 

"How dare you interrupt my first family moment," Kagura coldly stares at the Royal Guard that threw the spear at Spike. 

The Royal Soldier sweats like crazy in front of the two. Erza and Kagura beat up the Royal Soldier and stuffs him in a garbage can. 

"That'll be the rest of you if you dare throw another spear at my brother!" Erza coldly states while glaring at the rest of the Royal Guards. 

"Try a different stunt regardless, and I'll use my Archenemy Sword on your asses!" Kagura threatens the Royal Guards standing by. 

"Sorry, Ma'ams!" The Royal Guards say in fear. 

Kagura and Erza return to Spike. "Now, where were we," Erza and Kagura go back to hugging Spike a bit. After a moment, they let him go. 

Spike meets up with Laxus and the Thunder Legion. They are eating at a table. 

"Seriously? Put some clothes on," Freed said. 

"No kidding, we all have to do our part and dress appropriately in the King's Castle, Spike," Bickslow said. 

"The next person that asks me about clothes, I'll do what the dragons were supposed to do," Spike is getting agitated with the clothes topic. 

"Relax, Spike. No harm here. Just enjoy the food," Laxus said. 

"Yea, lighten up," Gajeel said. 

"I'm just tired of saying the same thing about the clothes. The Kingdom doesn't have anything for me to wear!" 

"Okay, okay. Here, have some wings," Gajeel gives Spike a plate of wings. 

"Thanks," Spike starts eating. 

"Alright, I owe Natsu a drink," Sting has a bottle of orange champagne. 

"It's good stuff. Top shelf!" Lector said. 

"Salamander ain't here, pal," Gajeel answers. 

"Aw, man. Where's Natsu?" Sting asks. 

"No clue. Natsu could be anywhere," Spike answers. 

"Oh well, you're close enough, Gajeel," Sting pours a glass for Gajeel. "A toast. To the Fairies and Tigers," Sting and Gajeel drink. 

Sting, Rogue, Rufus, Orga, Lector, and Frosch see Yukino for the first time since her banishment from the guild. They apologize to Yukino and promise that Sabertooth is a whole new guild that values friendship like a family. Yukino smiles and accepts. 

"Are you kidding me? Don't be such an idiot!" Kagura shouts. She had a little too much after drinking alcohol. "Did everyone just forget that her life is in my hands? Since I'm the one making the rules here, I say she's gotta join Mermaid Heel." 

"What!?" The Sabertooth Guild said in shock. 

"Huh?" Yukino doesn't like the sound of that. 

Sting approaches Kagura. "You're completely wasted." 

"It doesn't matter. Yukino belongs with us, and you can't stop it," Kagura replies. 

"Sis," Spike pulls on Kagura's dress. 

"Yes?" Kagura turns to Spike. It's the first time in a long time that someone called her Sis. Mainly Simon, but still, the feeling of hearing the term Sis makes her feel alive. 

"Can you please allow Yukino to return to her guild? It's where she belongs." 

"Sorry, we have an agreement to uphold. Yukino's life is in my hands." 

"Stop right there," Erza said, butting into Spike's and Kagura's conversation. "We won't standby while you'll decide Yuknio's fate." 

"We're manly," Elfman said. 

"That's right. If Yukino chooses to be in any guild, it'll be ours," Lucy said. 

"Yea," Gray concurs. 

"Personally, I think there are too many girls to compete for Gray's attention," Juvia said. 

"She looks a lot like me," Lisanna said. 

"I never thought about joining Fairy Tail," Yukino said. 

"No way; A woman that is as beautiful as you are," Eve started the statement for the Trimen of Blue pegasus. 

"Deserves nothing less from the most beautiful guild," Hibiki added. 

"So, join us," Ren finishes the statement. 

Ichiya takes a sniff. "Such intoxicating parfume."

"We love to have you in Blue Pegasus," Jenny said. 

"If she wants to be part of the best guild, there's no question to be part of Lamia Scale," Lyon said, getting into the midst of the recruitment party. 

"We've been totally macho, but I think our guild can use a womanly touch! I know we lost the Grand Magic Games, but ain't no way we're going to lose this battle!" Bacchus shouts. 

"Wild!" Quatro Cerberus chants. 

"Hey, hold on! Don't do this," Yukino doesn't want this kind of attention. 

"Time for another Fairy Tail win," Master Makarov said, getting into the midst of another victory for Fairy Tail in the recruitment process. 

"I like to show everybody here what a wild spirit can do," Goldmine, the Master of Quatro Cerberus, said. 

"I'll spin you!" Ooba Babasaama said. 

"The masters are getting involved? This is crazy," Wendy said. 

"That's love for ya," Sherria said. 

The guilds pick up the bickering and turn it into a rampage brawl to see who gets Yukino in their guild. Tables are smashed, expensive-looking vases are broken, food and drinks splattering all over the place. Wendy, Sherria, and Spike are under a table, keeping their distance from the senseless violence. Yukino cries in happiness that everyone is caring about her. 

Colonel Arcardios makes an entrance and orders everyone to conclude the senseless violence. He uses his sword as a gavel to alarm everyone. The fight comes to an end. 

"Finally," Spike comes out of hiding with Wendy and Sherria. 

"Two things I want to announce. In honor of your performance during the games and bravery for facing the greatest danger this Kingdom has ever known, his majesty would personally like to deliver this message to you. Second, put some clothes on Fairy Dragon! Show some respect in the King's Castle! It's embarrassing."

Spike turns to Arcadios. His eyes are burning orange. 

"Oh shit! Spike's pissed!" Gray shouts. 

"Not good!" Erza said in fear. 

"Spike, calm down!" Lucy waves her hands, hoping he doesn't do anything. 

"Don't do anything now!" Master Makarov tries to calm him down. 

"I told you you're okay!" Princess Hisui tries to calm Spike down. 

"Fairy Rage! Roooooooooooooar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his Sparkling Orange Flames directly at Colonel Arcadios. The top of Mercurius falls apart from the roaring attack. Colonel Arcadios is scorched while his clothing turns to ashes. He also becomes bald from the attack.

"Uh, Yukino, you can go to Sabertooth. I don't think I want to piss off my brother for the rest of the night," Kagura said in fear of angering Spike even more after witnessing Arcadios scorched.  

"Hungry Wolf Knights, get Fairy Dragon," Colonel Arcardios commands while covering his lower part. 

"No way. You're on your own," Kama said. The Hungry Wolf Knights don't want to poke the dragon's anger. 

Spike takes a deep breath. His eyes are back to green again. "Much better."

"Arcadios, apologize to the fan-favorite Fairy Dragon now!" Princess Hisui commands. 

"He burned my clothes to ashes, and he made me bald!" Arcarios responds. 

"He's been heckled all night cause our clothing doesn't suit him well. We don't have any dragon clothing for him to wear. You apologize right now!" Princess Hisui commands, sounding a bit more angry than usual. Everyone around her gives Princess Hisui space. 

Colonel Arcardios is taken back from Princess Hisui's demeanor. He now knows that he was in the wrong for calling Spike out in front of everyone. "My sincere apologies, Spike the Fairy. It was rude of me to call you out like that." 

"It's fine," Spike flaps his wings. 

"Spike, where are you going?" Erza asks. 

"Elsewhere so I don't embarrass everyone or the King when he arrives," Spike flies out of the area. 

Natsu makes his grand entrance wearing Toma E. Fiore's crown. "All hail King Nats-" Natsu sees Spike leaving. "Hey! Where is Spike going?"

Everyone turns to see Natsu and feels embarrassed while the King is wearing his Pumpkin Head suit. He's jumping to get the crown back. Now, everyone in the room feels guilty for giving Spike a little hard time about his nudeness when Natsu took it a bit further by dressing up as the King. Wendy leaves the banquet to go look for Spike. 

Spike is sitting on a bench near the flower maze garden, looking at the night skies. 

"You okay, Spike?"

"I'm okay. I held in my anger a bit from the annoying questions. Look, I needed to get away from the unnecessary attention because the clothing is not suitable for me. Tensions are already rising because of it. I'll head back once things simmer down."

"Well, there'll be more parties than this to enjoy. After all, we're heading home to celebrate Fairy Tail as the number one rank guild in all of Fiore. That means another party at the guildhall."

"Definitely. Also, Fairy Tail Team B did technically won, so we'll get to be in charge of the losing team."

"I wonder what Gajeel, Mirajane, Laxus, and Juvia may be doing with Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Lucy." Fairy Rage laughs a bit, thinking of the possibilities. 

"Only time will tell. I know what I'm doing with Wendy."

"I'll be sleeping when the day comes."

Spike starts reflecting on a lot of things that transpired during the Grand Magic Games and the war between dragons. He thinks about the possibility that Twilight Sparkle is somewhere in Earth Land. 

An hour later. Spike continues to reflect on all the good that has happened and all the adventures he embarked. Wendy uses her nose to find Spike sitting on the bench. She was worried about him and felt that his feelings were hurt during the backlash. 

"Hey, Spike," Wendy walks up to him. 

"Hey, Wendy. I guess the party is coming to an end?"

"No. Honestly, I don't know. Right after you left, Natsu made a grand entrance imposing as the new King of Fiore while the King was jumping to get his crown back. Everyone felt embarrassed by the situation that they felt bad for giving you a hard time." 

Spike lightly chuckles. "That's funny. All the time pent-up on me; was swayed to Natsu." 

"So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I needed to get out of the unnecessary attention. It's a time of celebration, not ridicule on my nakedness." 

Wendy sits next to Spike. "You're handsome, Spike. Let no one tell you otherwise on what you need to do, silly," Wendy smiles at Spike. 

"Hehe. Thanks, Wendy."

"So, you want to head back?"

"Nah, I want to be with you out here," Spike holds Wendy's hand. 

"How about we go to the center of the maze garden, dance there, and go to the Honeycomb Inn. Spend more time together?"

"I would love that." 

Spike and Wendy walk together through the maze garden. They are now at the center, surrounded by all sorts of beautiful roses and flowers. It's a similar type-field when they danced near the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. This time, the music coming from Mercurius is faint. 

"Ready, my Marvelous Wendy?" Spike smiles. 

"Ready, my Radiant Spike," Wendy smiles. 

Spike and Wendy start ballroom dancing in the middle of the maze garden. The two are locking eyes as they move. They move in circles in perfection, twirling in style and enjoying each other's company during the beauty of the night. While they dance, Wendy reminisces the first time seeing Spike and getting to know him. As for Spike, he recollects his favorite memories of being with Wendy. To two shed a tear of happiness and kiss each other after they danced. They hold each other during the kiss. 

"That was wonderful, Spike," Wendy sighs happily. 

"So are you, Wendy," Spike kisses Wendy's forehead. 

After a moment, Spike and Wendy leave the maze garden and walk to the Honeycomb Inn. They order room service and sit on the balcony with a beautiful view of Crocus and the night sky. The two enjoy each other's company even more.

It's midnight, and all the guilds leave Mercurius. They had a good time celebrating and partying, but the Fairy Tail guild is uneased. It was hard for them to continue the celebration happily when Spike wasn't around. 

"Man, I can't believe you guys scolded Spike for not wearing anything. Don't you know he's naked all the time?" Natsu said. He's eating his drumstick. 

"For something important as this, it should have been necessary on his part," Gray said. 

"You're a freaking hypocrite, you know. You strip in public places all the time," Happy said. 

"You came in your underwear first before putting anything on," Macao said.

"The point is, we were in the wrong," Erza said. "I hope he isn't mad."

"I hope he didn't shed tears," Lucy said. "I should have gone after him."

"Man, that party was awkward the moment Spike unleashed Fairy Rage," Mirajane said. 

"He held in his anger and couldn't hold it in any longer. I'm glad he didn't kill Colonel Arcadios," Carla said. 

"Man, I wonder where he is and doing," Gajeel said. 

"I hope Spike is doing alright," Lisanna said. 

"Hopefully, the next party will be more memorable than what transpired," Elfman said. 

"It will be. We're celebrating Fairy Tail as the best guild in Fiore. That means another party for Spike," Master Makarov said. 

"Kinda a bummer since Spike didn't really get to enjoy the food the palace had," Natsu said. 

"Don't remind us," Lucy said. 

"Well, here's our place," Mirajane said. Laxus, Gajeel, and Juvia enter the Honeycomb Inn. When they enter their room, they saw Spike and Wendy sleeping together in their bed. Spike and Wendy look peaceful and happy in their sleep. Laxus, Gajeel, Juvia, and Mirajane grab their stuff and leaving the two love-dragons in peace. 

"Well, I guess those two finished the celebration," Mirajane said. 

"Might as well bunk in with Salamander and let them know about Spike and Wendy," Gajeel said. 

Juvia runs to the Honeybone Inn in hopes of sleeping with Gray like Spike and Wendy are. Spike and Wendy hold each other close in their sleep as they can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.
> Finishing the Movie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a week since Discord played the memories of Spike the Fairy's life leading up to the final conclusion of Day 4 when Discord gave Spike the magic card to travel to Equestria whenever he likes. Princess Luna, Discord, Sunset Shimmer, the Dazzlings, Discord's clones, even the Unity Seven are in shock after the revelation. During the week, Neighsay teleported his friends to visit Discord, and they watched the movie with him. 

"Spike teleported the Spiral Vortex when fighting Midnight... The same vortex that spun the Storm King to his demise..," Discord couldn't believe it after watching it three times. 

"That's wild," Yona said. 

"Spike inadvertently saved all of us without knowing. Now, that's badass," Gallus said, doing the arms cross. 

"Language," Princess Luna said. "We do not tolerate that language usage here. There's a reason why it's outlawed for so many years." 

"My apologies," Gallus responds. 

"Hey, their vocabulary in that Earth Land world is unique and different," Sandbar said. 

"Now, that's home," Sunset affirms. 

"We concur," Adagio said, speaking on behalf of the Dazzlings. 

"Imagine Spike coming back with that kind of power?" Aria said. 

Everyone shudders. The possibility of Spike the Fairy coming back with his insane magic power would make him a God. Not even Discord could defeat him. 

"The way Spike utilizes his magic power, all of us combined will be nothing compared to the magic power on his finger," Neighsay said. "I don't think the Elements of Harmony has a chance against him."

"Ditto," A clone of Discord said. 

"I bet Rainbow Dash would be immensely jealous of the adventures Spike endured," Sunset said. 

"Let's see. A Fairy Tail Battle Royal, stopping six wizards and a gigantic magic power moving draining city, going into an opposite world, the S-Class Trials, Grimoire Hearts vs Fairy Tail, A Dragon King of the Apocalypse appearing and fighting it, an adventure with a church against the same guild, and the Grand Magic Games; yeah, Rainbow Dash and the others would be absolutely jealous," Discord confirms. "So, are we late for the Bar of Alliance meeting, Luna?" 

"We have two days before going. I've been monitoring the calendar while watching and rewatching the movie."

"I can't believe that this Wendy has fallen in love with Spike. The two are perfect for each other. I bet Ember will be upset," Smolder said. 

"Who knows. The question is, will the dragons want to be with Spike in the other world or choose to stay here and work things out?" Ocellus asks. 

"I ain't leaving you guys. No way I'm doing that," Smolder said. 

"Hey Discord, is there anything else Spike is doing that we can see?" Silverstream asks. 

"No. I only took the memories right before I head back home. I didn't take it upon myself to see what Spike sees. Also, his Fairy Rage would have dispersed it." 

"Fairy Rage is unbelievable. I would love to have an emotion having my back mentally," Sonata said, eating a taco. 

"Please, don't talk with your mouth full. It's disgusting," Adagio implores. 

"Here's someone disturbing. Spike Knightwalker," Sonata responds. 

The others cringe just hearing the name. When Princess Luna heard that Spike Knightwalker explaining his origin, she couldn't believe that there was another her that was ruining an orphan's life. 

"I wonder, was there a me there in Edolas?" Discord ponders on the thought. 

"The thought that Spike Knightwalker killed off the bearers of the Elements of Harmony doppelgangers still scares me," Sunset said. 

"I mean, they tortured him, and in return, they begged for mercy when they realized he overpowered them. That is a badass," Adagio said. 

"Language," Princess Luna repeats. 

"This is Discord's house. Discord, you want us to stop using the language?" Adagio turns to Discord. 

"Only in my house. That's why it's chaos." 

"Freaking sweet," Gallus relaxes and tries to come up with good phrases using bad language. 

"Spike can use more than one element in his arsenal; that's cool," Sunset said. 

"Fairy Tail could be the embodiment of friendship based on their family lifestyle," Silverstream said. 

"Agreed," There was no hesitation for everyone to say. 

"We can learn something from them cause of the way they treat each other. Even their pointless brawls help them get stronger and be more united," Neighsay said. 

"So, who wants to rumble?" Gallus asks. 

"Not now. Perhaps another time when the feeling is mutual," Adagio said. She likes Gallus' personality. 

"Fair enough," Gallus answers. 

"Let me know when. I would like to try it," Smolder said. 

"Yona would lay the smackdown on all of you. Yak tough!" 

"Dragons are tougher than Yaks," Smolder smirks at Yona. 

"Hippogriffs can fight. I have three Hippogriff sisters right here," Silverstream points to the Dazzlings. 

"Actually, we were once Sirens. Our bodies coming back to Equestria manifested into a more suitable choice since we love flying and swimming," Adagio corrects Silverstream. 

"Even so, we'll mop the floor with you," Aria said. 

"Oh, is that so?" Gallus wants to throw down. 

"Well, might as well call this the Equestrian Grand Magic Games since all creatures want a piece of the action," Neighsay said. 

"Oh, c'mon," Sandbar jabs Neighsay. "I know you want to try it." 

"Believe me, I do but, not at the moment." 

"Changelings have the higher advantage," Ocellus smirks on the possibility of winning already. 

"Griffins don't back down from no one," Gallus really wants to lay in on the smackdown. 

"Alright, we need to set a date for this pointless brawl," Discord looks at the calendar. "Alright, how about one week from today before school starts?" 

"Yea, the main event before going back to school," Neighsay said. 

"So, I'll need you all to write your name, and we'll have the brawl in my basement. It'll be a Unity Fightclub," Discord conjures a clipboard and passes it so Aria.

"Yep, I'll be participating," Aria cracks her knuckles. She writes her name on the clipboard. 

"I'll do it," Sonata draws an image of herself terrorizing a town with explosions in the midst. 

Adagio rolls her eyes after seeing the drawing and writes her name down. She passes to Gallus. The two pause with a slight blush. Then Gallus writes his name down and passes the clipboard to Smolder. 

"Ah, yeah. Time to show you, wimps, the strength of a dragon," Smolder writes her name and passes it to Yona. 

"Yak will show how wimpy dragons are in this fight," Yona writes her name in big lettering than everyone else. 

"Neighsay uses his magic to grab the clipboard and sighs. "Let's see how much fun this pointless brawl can be. If Spike and his Fairy Tail friends do it so often, it has to be fun," Neighsay signs the clipboard and passes it to Silverstream. 

"Best promising brawl ever!" Silverstream signs her name and passes to Ocellus. 

"I'll show you all why Changelings can be superior in this playful fight," Ocellus writes her name. She passes the clipboard to Sandbar. 

"I'm so excited to feel a taste of one of Spike's activities in the guildhall of his," Sandbar writes his name. 

"I'll take that," Sunset writes her name on the clipboard. 

"I'll take that," Princess Luna uses her magic to sign her name. Discord is in shock to see Luna going forth with the idea. "Here you go, Discord," Princess Luna uses her magic to levitate the clipboard back to Discord's claw. 

"Wow, everyone wants to participate. Are you guys sure? I was messing around and wasn't that serious with the idea." 

"What's wrong?" Princess Luna trots up to Discord. "Afraid you'll lose to a girl?" Princess Luna gives Discord a smug look. 

"No. That's not it," Discord looks into Luna's eyes and couldn't keep them off for a second. His heart beats a bit rapidly, being this close to Princess Luna. Sonata walks behind Discord and pulls his string. "I love you; will you love me?" 

Everyone that heard what Discord said bursts into laughter. Sonata falls back from laughter; she didn't anticipate Discord saying that after the string was pulled. Princess Luna chuckles a little. 

"I'll show you how much if you sign the paper and beat me," Princess Luna winks at Discord. She sees Discord blushing. 

"I-I-I-okay," Discord signs the clipboard. He's the last combatant to sign up for the Unity Fightclub. 

"So, one week from today, we're doing it?" Gallus asks Discord. 

Discord coughs to get rid of his blush. "Yes. One week from today."

"By the way, are you four going to the School of Friendship?" Gallus asks Sunset and the Dazzlings. 

"Yea. I can make new friends over there. Also, don't expect me to hang out with the current bearers of the Elements. After hearing what they did to Spike is beyond disgusting." 

"The same is for us," Adagio said, speaking on behalf of the Dazzlings. 

"I wonder who'll be my new friends and what I can learn at the school," Sonata said. 

"If I find the right crowd that's more like me, I'll be happy. You lot, I'm cool with," Aria said. 

"It should be interesting since we are given a second opportunity, despite the law being a lie this whole time. I will admit it's great being home again," Adagio admits. 

"It's great being with you," Gallus' words slip out when he meant to say it in thought. Adagio blushes a bit hearing that. "Uh, what I meant to say is, it's great being around you as a friend," Gallus sighs in relief with coming up with an excuse. 

"Yea," Adagio nods. "It's cool having a griffin as a friend." "What makes Gallus so appealing? Is it his personality, his coolness? Why am I blushing, and why do I blush every time I see his handsome; No scratch that. His.., his..," Adagio loses her train of thought being close to and thinking about Gallus. 

"Discord, are you going to use Spike's memory for any future classes of yours?" Neighsay asks. 

"Oh, yea. There are quality lessons I can teach based on Spike's time in Earth Land. As for the subjects or class field trips, that will remain a mystery to you all." 

"I hope you do another team project like the time when we went canoeing on a course. That was the best class so far," Silverstream said. 

"The day when you six and I became friends. That's a memory I'll cherish for the rest of my days." 

"Yona like Elfman. Yona want to be like Elfman. He's a Real Man while I'm a Real Yak! Yona hopes to find a real man to fall in love with."

"I did like that Gray guy but, I'm afraid Juvia will drown me," Sonata admits. 

"Personally, that Kagura girl Spike saw would be my kind of woman," Neighsay admits. "What about you, Sandbar? Who do you like based on the memories we saw from Spike?" 

"Well, I'll have to give it to Lisanna. She's super nice and fun," Sandbar answers. 

"I like Natsu. He reminds me of my great great great great granddad for some reason. I'm not sure why," Smolder said. 

"Who is that grandfather you speak of, Smolder?" Ocellus asks. 

"I remember a carving of him from the caves back home but, I can't remember the name. Something to do with fire," Smolder tries to remember the carving. 

"I like that Happy fellow," Silverstream says. 

"The Exceed?" Everyone turns to Silverstream. 

"He's funny and can fly. Plus, he's a cat! All the snuggies I can give to the Happy Blue Cat," Silverstream pictures snuggling Happy right now. 

"What about you, Gallus?" Sandbar asks. 

"Kinda hard to say." "Which Fairy Tail girl reminds me of Adagio?" Gallus thinks for a moment. "Erza. She's cool and gets serious when she needs to be." 

"Wow, sounds like Adagio," Sonata chuckles. 

Adagio coughs to conceal her blush. "As for me, Gajeel. He's cool; let no one tell him otherwise. What about you, Aria?"

"Hmm, Laxus would be my pick," Aria answers. "How about you, Ocellus?" 

"Hmm. I would go with Loke even though he's a Celestial Spirit," Ocellus answers. 

"Hey, Princess. Who would you go out with?" Neighsay asks. 

"Rogue. Something about him speaks about Shadows, and I have a feeling he may like my night sky. What about you, Discord?" 

"Mirajane. A She-Devil. Someone that can cook and knows how to smile. She'll be my kind of girl." 

"Interesting," Princess Luna sounded like she was jealous. 

"Anyway, I think we overdid our stay. Considering we've been here for three days straight," Neighsay said. He stretches out a bit. 

"If Luna and I need you during the Bar of Alliance Meeting, we'll summon you seven." 

"Sounds good, take care," Neighsay uses his medallion to teleport his friends back to the dorm. 

"I better get going. Celestia must be losing herself doing my duties for a week straight," Luna leaves Discord's home and teleports back to Canterlot. 

"Alright, I'm going to have to ask you Adagio, Aria, and Sunset to leave the living room. I need to have a long chat with Sonata about pulling my strings." 

"Busted," Adagio laughs. 

"You're in trouble," Aria teases Sonata. 

"May your death be swift," Sunset said, going upstairs to her room with Aria and Adagio. 

"Uh, I think I have terrible gas," Sonata tries to fake her displeasure and discomfort.

"Let's see how you like it when I pull your strings," Discord holds a string that is connected to Sonata's back somehow. 

"No, wait!" Sonata pleas, but it was too late. Discord already pull the string.
> Bar of Alliance Meeting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today's the day, The Bar of Alliance Meeting at the Crystal Empire. Discord wakes up after having a good nap. 

"Good morning, Sonata," Discord walk past Sonata. She's strung up like a piñata for pulling Discord's strings and pressing his buttons. 

"I hate you..," Sonata groans. "Is my punishment over?" Sonata has some bruises after Discord broke her like a piñata several times. 

"Hmm," Discord snaps his claw, and Sonata is released. Her body is back to normal after the snap. 

"Finally!" Sonata goes to her room to get some sleep. 

Discord grabs a barrel of chocolate milk and sits on his couch. "I can't believe this is how I'm drinking chocolate milk," Discord drinks the barrel of chocolate milk. "That Cana girl is creative when it comes down to drinking." 

Discord thinks about how to approach the Bar of Alliance after deceiving them for many months. Would they accept the reality of the situation or explode in rage? Discord ponders a bit while drinking his barrel of chocolate milk. 

It's 9:30 in the morning. Sunset Shimmer comes downstairs and sees Discord meditating. Discord is speaking in tongues, trying to come up with a fail-safe procedure for the meeting. 

"Hey, Discord. Is everything alright?" Sunset interrupts Discord's speaking in tongues. 

Discord sighs. "I'm mentally preparing myself for the worse. I deceived many nations while imposing as Spike. Not everyone is on board with my actions ever since I was exposed. I had timing and place once the waters become still. Unfortunately, Twilight went astray the moment I told the painful truth after exposure." 

"Well, judging from what Spike can do during the Grand Magic Games, I'm sure he and his friends can subdue Twilight no problem." 

"You would think so but, Twilight has a habit of wanting to know all sorts of magic. We've seen Spike's memory of the Magic Library. If Twilight finds that place, she can become an unstoppable juggernaut." 

"I'm not sure. That takes years of studying and perfecting. I'm sure that Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel, and Laxus can find Twilight before she does anything. Those Dragon Slayers have a keen nose to scent and, there is no one on Earth Land that Twilight can ally herself. She's on her own, and she's only going downhill from there." 

"True. So, after learning last week about the law being a fake, are you considering going back to the other world?" Discord asks out of curiosity. 

"No," Sunset shakes her head. "Twilight made a painfully true statement. I am taking the life of another Sunset Shimmer. I didn't realize it at first but, it makes sense. I ran away to gain power but, I wind up having a great life in a new beginning. The other Sunset Shimmer could be in captivity by an underground agency or the government. She could have gotten her name change or worse." 

"What can be worse?" 

Sunset Shimmer sighs. "I did make some enemies in my time there, and I think they may have gotten the wrong Sunset Shimmer. She could be killed or arrested. I don't know. There are so many possibilities that can happen." 

"So, you're committed to staying here in Equestria?" 

"More or less. I've made peace with the Dazzlings. They welcomed me into their group while you were away. After finding out that Twilight and her friends caused Spike to run away, I don't think I can look at them in the eyes and be friends with them; it will be best if I weren't." 

"I understand. That's a lot to take in," Discord hovers next to Sunset Shimmer. "What about the counterparts in the other world?"

Sunset takes a deep breath. "After Twilight told me what she and her friends have done, I don't think I can look at my friends the same way. Them being identical and imagine their faces causing that kind of harm to someone. It's mind-boggling. I know they are not at fault. It's painful that Twilight told me that I was in the wrong. Those thoughts and guilty consciousness broke me, Discord. Hearing what she and her friends did to Spike is beyond devastating. I came back home for the sake of my home, not for Twilight Sparkle. Now knowing it's all a lie, I'm not sure what to think." 

"I'm sorry that I used your name. It was in the heap of the argument I had with Twilight and Celestia. The two decided species living in the homes they are born to; Spike originated here in Equestria, and so did you. It's my fault that you are here and not there. If I hadn't spoken your name, you would be living happily. Instead, you're not. I'm sorry," Discord is ashamed of himself for robbing a pony's happiness away. 

Sunset Shimmer takes a deep breath. "I forgive you. During the time, you were in the right. They wanted Spike back home and say that all creatures cannot leave their world. It made them look like hypocrites because I originated from Equestria and living my life. If you hadn't spoken, they would have gotten away with their many secrets to ensure that ponies are above."

"I'm happy to know that you are a wise pony to forgive me of my actions." 

"Discord, if it weren't for you, Spike would be dead. Spike wouldn't be happy the way he is in Earth Land. You saved his life; you are a hero in disguise." 

"Thank you, Sunset. That means a lot," Discord smiles. 

"There is something you should know, during my history classes, when a government in power or higher authority tries to play God while having favoritisms wind up falling to their demise. Equestria nearly fell because Twilight was highly on ponies in Equestria while disregarding the other species. She and most of Equestria are high in that regard and nearly went to war because of it." 

"Indeed," Discord replies. 

"What you have done is good intentions but, you didn't think it through to see the bigger picture, did you?" 

"Well," Discord pause for a second. "I didn't see how it would affect the other kingdoms. I should have taken accountability in that department. What I witnessed is the Bar of Alliance forming to create unity among all species. They took the next step forward into building a better friendship than what Pony Kind was offering. Dragons, Griffins, Yaks, and Changelings are at peace with each other and continuing to create better bonds among each other and themselves." 

"So, how are you going to address the severity of the situation at the Bar of Alliance Meeting?" Sunset asks. 

"I have to be honest and speak the truth; No more deception and no more delays. I need to reveal everything Spike has gone through and to hear their reactions to take the steps forward. Hopefully, things don't escalate."

"You want me to come with you?" Sunset asks. 

Discord takes a deep breath. "I won't mind having you with me. I do need friends in the meeting for support. I have a feeling that I may lose some friends today for the stunt I pulled." 

"I'll be with you. You won't be losing any friends today." 

Discord and Sunset hears knocking on the door. Sunset opens the door to see the Unity Seven with Princess Luna. 

"Hi, Sunset. Is Discord home?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Yes. You come to bring Discord to the meeting?" 

"Indeed," Princess Luna nods. 

"I'm coming with Discord for moral support." 

"Awesome, Yak loves more company!" Yona gets excited. 

"Are the Dazzlings coming by any chance?" Gallus asks. 

"They're asleep. Sonata is sleeping now that her punishment is over," Sunset confirms. 

"Alright, then," Neighsay said. 

"Darn, I was hoping to see Adagio again." Gallus thought to himself. 

"So, where's the meeting, Luna?" Discord asks. 

"Changeling Hive. It's Thorax's turn in the rotation," Princess Luna answers. 

"Alright," Discord nods. 

"Who's Thorax again?" Sunset asks. 

"King of the Changelings, Sunset. Don't worry. He's a nice guy with great intentions for the hive," Ocellus answers. 

"Alright, let's get moving," Sunset said. 

Discord snaps his claw and teleports everyone to the Changeling Hive meeting area. It's an open area with various plant life and gorgeous colorful hues. There's a rug for members of the Bar of Alliance to sit on to make themselves comfortable. 

"Discord, Princess Luna. Welcome to the meeting," Thorax greets. "Welcome, Unity Seven. Who is your new friend?" 

"Hi," Sunset trots up to Thorax. "My name is Sunset Shimmer. I'm close friends with Discord and Princess Luna. As well as getting to know the Unity Seven." 

"Nice to meet you, Sunset Shimmer. I am Thorax, King of the Changeling Hive." 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor arrive with Flurry Heart. It's been a long time since Discord has seen Flurry Heart. Flurry Heart flies and lands in Discord's arms. 

"You knew, didn't you?" Discord holds Flurry Heart. 

Flurry Heart giggles and nods in response, turns out that Flurry Heart already knew Discord was imposing Spike all along. Discord smiles and tickles her belly, Flurry Heart giggles. She really missed Discord for the longest. 

"Wow, Flurry Heart knew that Spike was Discord all along. She's smarter than she looks." Shining Armor is impressed with his daughter, Flurry Heart.

"Aw, such a tender moment," Thorax said, oblivious as to what Discord is talking about with Flurry Heart. 

Ember arrives with Gilda and Grampa Gruffs. They take their seats on the rugs. Prince Rutherford enters the meeting room after Pharynx drops him off. 

"Thank you for coming, everyone," Discord gets up. 

"So, what is today's meeting about, Discord?" Ember asks. 

"Yea," Thorax concurs. "It's cool that it's my turn in the rotation and all, but what's on your mind that is important?" 

"Hey, wait, where is Spike?" Gilda asks. 

"Yea, what happened to him?" Ember asks. 

"Where's dragon friend?" Prince Rutherford asks. 

"Well, today's meeting is about the truth about Spike," Discord sounds serious, which worries Ember, Thorax, Prince Rutherford, Grampa Gruffs, and Gilda. 

"What happened to Spike? What did Twilight do?" Ember is getting irate at the moment. 

"Twilight drove Spike away. Spike is not with us," Discord sighs heavily. "He was never with us, to begin with." 

"What do you mean Spike wasn't with us?" Thorax is confused. 

Discord snaps his claw and transforms into Spike. Thorax, Ember, Prince Rutherford, Gilda, and Grampa Gruffs gasp in horror. More questions are flooding in each of their minds, wanting to know what happened to Spike. 

"For many months, I deceived you all because I granted Spike a wish. A wish for him to live in a world where he feels he belongs," Discord displays the memory from the night he spoke to Spike. 

"When was this?" Ember asks. 

"Over a year ago. Spike was on the brink of committing suicide that night." 

"Wait, wait, something doesn't make sense. Why would Spike wished to be in a world where he could be free? Why didn't he come to the Dragon Lands?"

"Or here at the Changeling Hive? I have my brother's back."

"Spike feared that you or Ember tell Twilight where he's been and try to make amends. Spike wholeheartedly believed that wherever he went, there was no escaping from Twilight. He believed that his life only means slavery for the rest of it." 

Silence reigned for everyone. Prince Rutherford believed that if Spike came to Yak Yakistan, he would be safe and away from the bad-ponies. Grampa Gruffs didn't know what to think. Things may have been different on his end, and he knows it. 

"So, where is Spike now?" Thorax asks. He wants to know if Spike is living a life worth living. 

"Spike is in Earth Land. He's happy and loved," Discord answers. 

Thorax and Ember sigh in relief after hearing the news about Spike's whereabouts. Gilda nods with approval about Spike's condition. As long as he's happy, that's all that matters. 

"However, we have an unfortunate situation regarding Twilight Sparkle," Princess Luna formally addresses. 

"What is it, Night Pony?" Prince Rutherford asks. 

"Twilight is in Earth Land. We have no way of getting there," Princess Luna replies. 

"How is that possible?!" Ember irately asks. 

"Pay attention cause I'm about to show you all the turn events of that faithful day," Discord pulls out a projection screen and replays the events of him getting exposed and going to Earth Land. 

After three hours of footage and seeing how powerful Spike is with the Fairy Tail Guild, The Bar of Alliance sees the apologies, the goodbye presents, and finding out Twilight has deceived her friends on the return trip. The Bar of Alliance is in shock. They couldn't believe Twilight is willing to cross barriers to bring Spike back home. 

"So, Spike is Spike the Fairy..?" Ember can't believe that Fairy is Spike's new last name. 

"Spike has a tattoo on his chest. That's hardcore," Gilda said. 

"It's not a tattoo. It's an emblem. Wizards have emblems to represent the guilds they're in," Shining Armor explains. 

"Oh," Gilda responds. "Whatever." 

"Is there more footage of Earth Land and what Spike endured?" Thorax asks. 

"Yea. There's so much content that'll last for days. Spike is in good hands with the Fairy Tail Guild. I'm worried that Twilight may develop a new scheme to wipe out the Fairy Tail Guild with the Magic Library filled with years of ancient wisdom and magic." 

"That's scary, Discord," Ember said. 

"As I mentioned to Discord, that'll take years, and Twilight is on her own. She has no allies whatsoever," Sunset said. 

"As you know, Spike has a magic card. If or when Spike uses it to send Twilight Sparkle back to Equestria, she knows the consequences that await her."

"Don't worry, Discord. If Twilight decides to 'visit' the Changeling Hive, we'll send her back to Equestria." 

"Same goes for the Dragon Lands. She won't be deceiving us for fools." 

"So, you guys aren't mad at me for deceiving you as Spike all this time?" 

"Well, I'm upset that you hid the truth from me. Spike is considered my best friend since he's the first to show kindness to me while every pony else resented me and gave me scornful looks. Why did you impose as Spike in the first place; It wasn't thoroughly explained," Thorax asks. 

"I wanted to answer a what-if scenario. I saw what it led me to, and Spike would have been fine and prospering if he went through with telling Princess Celestia and Luna what has been going on behind their backs." 

"When Discord told my sister and me that night while imposing as Spike, I couldn't believe that Twilight and her friends would do such a thing. Considering they represent what Friendship is meant to be. Obviously, it was for a one-sided species." 

"Discord portrayed Spike well during the time and showed genuine emotions during his time. He experienced what Spike would have gone through, and it was depressing. Right, Discord?" Princess Cadance turns to Discord. 

"It was horrible. My objective was to see if Twilight and her friends are worthy of being Spike's friends again. Unfortunately, I didn't plan things right, and well, things took many turns. You can say I did a horrible job but, I tried to see where things lead up too." 

"Well, thanks to you, we created the Bar of Alliance. Unity is spreading far and wide within our kingdoms and other nations. We're at peace and building stronger bonds. It may have not worked out for Twilight but, you created something better for the rest of us," Thorax said. 

"Plus, sending some dragons to the School of Friendship made things better between Dragon and Pony Kind. Smolder there loves hanging out with Neighsay and Sandbar," Ember points to Smolder. 

"They are my friends. We've been through a lot together. Plus, Discord created a famous line that everyone says in school," Smolder said. 

"No creature should ever feel disgrace due to the history of their kind out of spite. Every creature is different and unique," The Unity Seven says in unison. 

"Discord is an awesome teacher. Yona likes Professor Discord." 

"Professor Discord taught two classes and were entertaining. Also, we learned a lot of revelations of interacting with other creatures in our world and be mindful of their feelings," Gallus said. 

"The School of Friendship wouldn't exist if it weren't for Discord," Ocellus said. 

"It's because of him, Hippogriffs are more interactive at the school and with other creatures we were afraid of," Silverstream said. 

"I will never disrespect my friends and their families," Sandbar proclaims. 

"These creatures are great friends. Because of them, I'm smiling more and having more fun in the past few months than an entire decade of working with the EEA," Neighsay wholeheartedly confirms. 

"That's good, Smolder. The same goes for each of you; Going back on topic about Spike. Discord, you should have told us in the beginning," Ember turns to Discord. 

"I wasn't sure how you would react at the time, especially when I told you what Spike endured during his life with Twilight and her friends back in Ponyville. Each of you was angry, and well, I needed to wait until the waters have calmed down." 

"Yak gives Discord a pass. Yak was thinking about going to war with ponies for undermining a species into controlling them." 

"I give Discord a pass too. Believe me when I say this. Every Griffin wanted to tear apart the Pony Princess and her friends for committing vile atrocities on Spike. It's truly uncalled for to treat a baby dragon as a slave," Gilda proclaims. 

"I would have initiated war on Equestria," Grampa Gruffs admits. 

"Well, I guess you were right to wait. I wanted to go to war on Equestria's soil and scorch their land for hurting my kin. Dragons are not inferiors to Pony Kind and what Princess Twilight did is unforgivable. I refuse to accept any apology from her and her friends. Those words don't matter to me when they disrespected the Dragon Kingdom." 

"War wasn't on my mind. I didn't want to bring my Changelings into sadness. We just got over the reformation process and the changing. I warned Twilight and let her know that if she messes up, Changelings and Ponies will no longer have peace," Thorax takes a deep breath. "Right now, things are going in the right direction so, I'm not complaining." 

"Neither are we," Gilda and Grampa Gruffs say in unison. 

"Yak is okay with how things are. No complaints," Prince Rutherford said. 

"The same goes for me," Ember admits. "Things are prospering better in the Dragon Lands." 

"The Crystal Empire will survive. They'll miss their Champion for a long, long time," Princess Cadance said. 

"So will Flurry Heart," Shining said. 

"Uh, Shining. Flurry Heart already knew before anyone that I was Spike," Discord said. 

"I know." "Oh," Shining said. 

"So, is the meeting over?" Smolder asks. 

"Not until Discord shows the rest of Spike's memory in Earth Land. I need to see from start to finish," Ember said. 

"Movie Night!" Yona shouts. 

"It's still morning, Yona," Gallus said. 

"Whatever, it took three days to finish the memory," Yona replies. 

"Three days?" The Bar of Alliance couldn't believe that's how long all of Spike's memories are. 

"Well, Spike endured months but, I skipped some things that are not necessary. I skipped the bathroom and shower moments of the memory," Discord said. 

"Oh," The Bar of Alliance said. They do not want to see anything of it from Spike. 

"So, any plans for any of you?" Discord asks. 

"I want to see everything from Spike's time in Earth Land," Thorax said. 

"Same with me. The Dragons will be fine for a few days." 

"Yak wants to see action from Fairy Dragon!" 

"Gilda, you stay. I'll go back to Griffinstone," Grampa Gruffs takes flight and flies back to Griffinstone. 

"Well, that'll do it. Please clap when you want food, drinks, snacks, and tissues." 

"Tissues?" Ember asks. She's confused with the tissue part. 

"Things can get a little emotional," Discord grabs a box of donuts from thin air and places a donut on the DVD player. The first thing the Bar of Alliance sees is Spike waking up in the Fairy Tail Guildhall in Magnolia, surrounded by his new friends.
> Fairy Tail Comes Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's the dawn of a new day in the city of Crocus. Spike and Wendy open their eyes to see each other. The two smile lovingly. 

"Morning, Spike," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. 

"Morning, Wendy," Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. 

Spike and Wendy get out of bed and fix it up together. Spike allows Wendy to freshen up for the day first. It gives him time to pack up as today is the day to leave Crocus. Spike is thinking about having Wendy on his back and fly back to Magnolia. Spike hears a door knock and answers the door. 

"Hey, Spike," Erza looks down at him. 

"Hey," Spike replies. 

"I'm sorry for giving you a hard time last night. Sorry for ruining the celebration in Mercurius."

"It's whatever now. Can't be helped." 

"It's not whatever, Spike. You've been through so much and what we did was wrong. Hope you can forgive us," Erza sounds sincere. 

"Water under the bridge, Erza," Spike sounds calm. 

That is twice that Spike hasn't called Erza, Sis. Erza believes that Spike is still upset but is trying not to show it. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Erza is ready to read Spike's body language. 

"It's just a party. Everyone made it clear that I'll embarrass the King by being nude, so I erase myself from the equation. That way, no one will be embarrassed. Did it hurt? Yea, I was upset, but it didn't matter. I'm sure everyone else enjoyed the party and celebration. I got to spend the night with Wendy. It was a win-win." 

"I'm sorry," Erza apologizes. 

"It's okay. I forgive you. I forgive everyone else that targeted me for being nude."

"After you left, Natsu came dressed as the King. We were embarrassed by his actions, and the King kept jumping to get his crown back, pleading with Natsu continuously. After things calmed down, the rest of the night wasn't pleasant after everyone, and I do mean everyone had a hard time continuing with the festivities."

"Oh," Spike understands how the rest of their night went. 

"Princess Hisui gave everyone a scolding after the turn events that followed. She was upset that her favorite dragon left after feeling ashamed." 

"Wow. I didn't anticipate that happening," Spike looks at Erza. He sees shame and sorrow in her eyes from last night's events. "You okay, Sis?"

Erza perks up a bit after hearing Spike calling her Sis. She relaxed a bit to calm her nerves. "I'll be fine, Spike. Also, we're heading back to Magnolia in style. You want to join us?" 

"Sure, why not. Just give me a few to freshen up after Wendy." 

"Of course," Erza nods. She smiles in peace. 

Wendy comes out of the bathroom, ready to head back home. Spike enters the bathroom to freshen up for the day. Erza explains to Wendy the fallout from last night's fiasco at Mercurius. Wendy agrees with Princess Hisui's backlash on everyone, especially the horrors Spike went through; Fighting his future self, watching her die at a moment of time, failing to save Future Lucy, and getting nearly killed. 

After ten minutes, Spike is ready for travel. He follows Erza and Wendy to a fancy carriage. Natsu is scared half to death for the motion sickness that awaits. Lucy, Gray, Happy, and Carla are quiet around Spike. 

"Hey, buddy," Natsu walks up to Spike. "How are you feeling?" 

"Good, Natsu." 

"Please," Natsu kneels to Spike. "Grow super big so you can fly us back to Magnolia. I don't want to ride the carriage."

"You think Spike is going to do that? He didn't do it for me when we headed to Zentopia," Gray said. "So might as well suck it up."

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a full dragon. The people in Crocus start taking pictures of Spike the Fairy's full-size dragon. The Royal Soldiers go in panic, thinking that one of the dragons from the Eclipse Gate didn't return to the past. "Get on my back," Spike is on all fours. 

"Hahahahaha! Sweet!" Natsu said with glee. 

"Oh, c'mon!" Gray complains. 

"Wow, this would be my first time riding on a dragon," Lucy gets on board. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy concurs. 

"Well, so much for riding in style," Erza said. She gets on Spike's back. 

Natsu, Wendy, Carla, and Gray hop aboard on Spike's back. The Hungry Wolf Knights and Royal Army arrive to subdue the dragon when the Hungry Wolf Knights notice the dragon is Spike. 

"You fool, that's Spike the Fairy. The only dragon in existence while the others are in ruins," Kama said. He whacks the Royal Soldier, who informed him of a rogue dragon. 

"So, this is what he looks like in full-size, huh?" Neppa said, drinking his acid bottle. 

"I am so glad we didn't fight him during the dungeon maze," Uosuke said. 

"Shucks, so much for our gift," Kamika said. 

"Sorry," Wendy apologies on behalf of her friends. 

"It was a nice gesture," Lucy added. 

Spike takes flight leaving Crocus. Princess Hisui watches from her balcony, knowing that it's Spike the Fairy. She hopes to have a Spike the Fairy dragon plush after meeting him one time while witnessing his power during the Grand Magic Games. 

Erza, Lucy, Gray, and Happy hold on to Spike's spikes as he flies. Natsu and Wendy sit near Spike's shoulders. They get a gorgeous view of Fiore as far as the eye can see. 

"This is amazing!" Lucy is thrilled to see Fiore high in the sky like this. 

"I can get used to this. Air Spike," Gray said. Unfortunately, he stripped,  and his clothes are carried away by the winds. Gray is in his underwear. 

"Smooth move, Gray. Here's a little advice for you, start working at the strip club," Natsu said. 

"Got something to say in my face, pyro!" Gray gets in Natsu's face. 

"Yeah. You're a hypocrite from last night's party, and now you're stripping on Spike's back! What's wrong with you!?" Natsu retorts, getting in Gray's face. 

Spike sighs and shakes his head. He wants to forget about last night's events at the party. Natsu and Gray start fighting each other on Spike's back. Erza punches the two in the gut and slams their heads. 

"Behave, you two. We're high in the sky, and one wrong move will have you, two idiots, falling to your demise!" 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Gray and Natsu said in agony. 

"Typical," Erza sits down and rubs Spike's back a little. "I have to say this is a beautiful setting, Spike." 

"It is, Sis. The blue skies and scenery in the air and down below." 

"Hey, Natsu. What do you want to do when we get back?" Happy walks up to him. 

"Take some jobs," Natsu replies. "Sign up for something exciting that pays a lot." 

"Cool, all I want is to go fishing and relax," Happy replies. 

"Going on more jobs is what I need. To grow more as a wizard and get some nice things," Wendy said. "What about you, Lucy?" 

"After everything that has happened, I'm feeling inspired to write a novel." 

"I'm thinking about getting a new armor to add into my arsenal. I don't know what to get or what to call it. What about you, Spike?" 

Spike chuckles. "I can't wait to see what Fairy Tail Team B will do to Fairy Tail Team A since technically, you guys still lost the stipulation Makarov devised." 

Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Erza, and Wendy gasps. They've forgotten about the added stipulation for the Grand Magic Games. 

"Oh no..," Erza said, thinking on the possible humiliations Mirajane may require of her doing. 

"Not good," Lucy freaks. She doesn't want to know what's in store for her. 

"Kill me now! I don't think I'll last an entire day with Juvia!" Gray shouts in fear. 

"No! I don't want to endure any punishment Laxus may inflict on me!" Natsu pleas and prays that they all forget about the arrangement. 

"Uh, what are you going to do with me, Spike?" Wendy asks nervously. 

"I'm going to make you laugh first before we go on our date," Spike chuckles. 

"What do you mean by making me laugh?" Wendy asks. 

Spike chuckles. "You'll see," Spike's thoughts are getting the best of him. Wendy gulps a little about the idea. 

"Please be gentle," Wendy pleas. 

"Hey Fairy Rage, mind telling us what Spike has in store for Wendy?" Erza asks. 

"That's classified. I already spilled too much info for spoilers."

"What did you say that ruined a surprise?" Lucy asks. 

"A future wedding gift."

"Yea, it's a great present. I can't wait until the day arrives," Wendy imagines the day of her wedding. 

"Can we hear of it?" Happy asks. 

"No. It may be heartbreaking to hear at the moment," Spike explains. 

"Heartbreaking? How?" Lucy asks in curiosity. 

"You'll see someday. For now, we're an hour away from Magnolia."

"What! Already?" Natsu shouts. 

"I've been flying at a steady fast pace."

Within the hour, as Spike continues his steady fast pace, Magnolia is on the horizon. The town is decorated for the arrival of Fairy Tail since they won the Grand Magic Games. Natsu wanted to see the decorations in Magnolia and to see if his friends are already in town. Happy grabs Natsu and takes flight. 

"Home," Spike smiles. 

"Yea," Gray said. "It's great to be back in Magnolia," Gray forgot that he's stripped to his underwear. He strips again, and his underwear goes flying. "Ah crap! I completely forgot!" Gray covers his private area. 

"Are you for real, Gray? How can you be that stupid!" Lucy said, shielding Wendy's eyes. 

"I'm out of here!" Gray jumps off of Spike's back. 

"Did he really stripped himself in the nude?" Spike asks. 

"Yea, he did. He forgot that his underwear was all that was left," Erza answers. 

"I'm so glad I didn't see it," Carla said. 

Ten minutes later. Spike lands in the middle of Magnolia. The people in Magnolia recognize Spike the Fairy by his emblem on his chest. They take many pictures of him to boast to their friends and family elsewhere in Fiore. Erza, Lucy, Carla, and Wendy hop off of Spike. Natsu and Happy come up to them. 

"Hey, where's Gray?" Happy asks. 

"He went skinny dipping," Erza responds. 

Happy laughs. "Gray stripped himself to nudity cause he forgot!"

Gray appears with a new set of clothing. "I need to remember about taking off my clothes in high altitudes." 

Everyone from Fairy Tail arrives and sees a large crowd going down the street from the Kardia Cathedral. Everyone congratulating them for winning the Grand Magic Games. Spike reverts to his size and walks down the street with his friends. Wendy grabs Spike's claw as they walk together. 

"Fairy Tail is back on top once again!" Natsu happily shouts. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy concurs. 

"Wow, so many people!" Panther Lily is awestruck. 

"That's because we put them back on top!" Gajeel rejoices. 

"For those that still believed in us, thank you!" Spike shouts. 

"Hey, can we see Fairy Demon Dragon!" A random citizen asks. 

"No, he's not for showboating," Spike answers the question. 

"Alright, let's party!" Cana starts drinking. 

"Try not to puke until after the parade," Laxus said. 

"Lucy, you did great out there!" The Landlady shouts. "So did you, Fairy Dragon!" 

"Thank you," Spike and Lucy turn to the Landlady in the stands. 

"Hope they pay you good cause your rent is due!" The people near the Landlady laughs. 

"Don't worry. The rent is underway. Just give us a little more time," Spike said. 

"Alright! I'll give you till the end of next month! I don't want Fairy Demon Dragon eating me for lunch!" The Landlady replies. 

"Speaking of lunch, I am hungry," Spike rubs his belly. 

"Don't worry, we'll get something to eat," Wendy said. 

Erza is receiving too many praises from the crowd. She finds it a bit too much while walking with her friends. 

"Check out this little souvenir I brought back," Natsu puts his back down to grab the trophy. "You guys are going to love this. Tada!" Natsu pulls out the King's crown. 

"Is that the King's freaking crown!?" Wakaba said in shock. He's worried that the Royal Army may arrest the Fairy Tail Guild. 

"You didn't steal it from him, did you?" Wendy is in shock. 

"Oops, you weren't supposed to see that," Natsu puts the crown away. He starts looking for the trophy. 

"They are going to throw you in the dungeons again, Natsu," Wendy is still horrified that Natsu stole from the King of Fiore. 

Natsu pulls out the trophy. "The Symbol of our victory! A super-shiny cup!"  Some of Natsu's friends cheer and celebrate beside him. 

"I can hardly believe it!" Droy said in tears of joy. 

"It wasn't easy, but we finally pulled through!" Jet said in tears. 

"And coming in dead last year after year!" Warren said in tears. 

"Fairy Tail is number one again!" Max Alors and Vijeeter Ecor shouts. 

"Hip hip, hooray!" Kinana and Laki Olietta cheers. 

Master Makarov sees the Mayor of Magnolia. He has a gift for the Fairy Tail Guild. The Mayor point to his left, which is a newly reinstated guildhall for the Fairy Tail Guild. Everyone is in awe and glad to see their guildhall rightfully restored. Master Makarov cries in happiness to the Mayor's generosity. 

The Fairy Tail Guild enters their guildhall for the first time in years and starts partying. Makarov sits on a stool to have his drink; Spike sits at a table with his friends; Romeo joins Spike, Wendy, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Erza,  Happy, and Carla; at the table. 

"Man! It feels good to be back home!" Natsu relaxes. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy sits and relaxes. 

"Crocus is fun and all but, nothing is better than being home in our guildhall," Gray said. 

"I agree," Lucy said. "Although, I'll miss Crocus." 

"Same," Erza nods. "It was home for a while. Perhaps the next Grand Magic Games will welcome the same feeling." 

"It'll be different cause we'll be the defending champs," Spike said. 

"I want in on next year's Grand Magic Games," Romeo said. 

"If you train harder, you will be champ," Natsu rubs Romeo's head. 

"Now, I have an important announcement. Will Fairy Tail Team A and B come up?" Makarov shouts. 

Spike gets up and stands with Gajeel, Juvia, Laxus, Cana, and Mirajane. They represented Fairy Tail Team B during the Grand Magic Games. Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, Elfman, and Wendy stands together. They represented Fairy Tail Team A. 

"I made a stipulation for Fairy Tail Team B. I'm not sure if any of them told you," Erza cuts Makarov's speech. 

"Spike informed us the stipulation, Master." 

"Well, without further ado. Fairy Tail Team B technically won the stipulation. Fairy Tail Team B scored 65 points while Team A scored 45 points. Therefore, here are the winnings of Fairy Tail Team B. Each member of Fairy Tail Team B gets to be in charge of one loser of Fairy Tail Team A for a whole 24 hours at any time they want." 

"What! I wasn't informed of that!" Elfman shouts. 

"So," Makarov turns to Team B. "Who are you selecting to boss around?" Master Makarov is anxious to know who'll be suffering for the next 24 hours. 

"I'm picking my girlfriend Wendy. As for when I'm going to do it, it'll be a surprise," Spike smirks.

Wendy gulps a little. She nods in understanding and agreement to the terms. 

"Very well, Spike. Who's next?" 

"Me," Mirajane smiles. "I'll be bossing Erza on my birthday."

"What!?" Everyone shouts in unison. Most of the men wanted to see it sometime later today or this week. 

"I want my beloved, Gray," Juvia said. She looks for Gray to see him already hightailing out of Fairy Tail. 

"Don't worry. He'll have to show up to get some work, Juvia," Makarov encouragingly said. 

"I'm picking Elfman. All he'll be doing is covering up my drinking bills," Cana smiles. 

"Oh great, I'll be working like a real man to pay off all of her debts," Elfman is not pleased with the position Cana will make him go through. 

"I'm taking Lucy. I need her to perform while I play my guitar," Gajeel chuckles. 

"Aaaaaaaah!" Lucy shrieks, thinking of all sorts of possibilities Gajeel has in store.

"Nooo! That means I'm with!" Natsu shrinks down as Laxus looks directly at him. "Please be gentle..," Natsu begs for mercy. 

Laxus doesn't say a word. He glares at Natsu, sending chills down his spine. Master Makarov is enjoying the delight Fairy Tail Team A is showing after hearing their punishments. 

"If you guys excuse me, I better help Kinana make some food for all of you," Mirajane goes to the kitchen. 

"I am not looking forward to when the day comes," Lucy is pale after finding out Gajeel picked her. 

"I'm not looking forward to Mirajane's birthday," Erza said. 

"I know Gray is not looking forward to being close to Juvia," Natsu said. 

"I have to pay all the expenses of Cana. That's gonna cost me a fortune to pay for her nonstop drinking. I can't imagine what expensive bars she'll drag me to pay," Elfman said. 

"The worst part is that they can choose any day. It doesn't have to be now," Wendy said. "I'm not looking forward to Spike tickling me. I'm very sensitive." 

"Good to know," Spike sinisterly chuckles. 

"Why did I say that so loud!" Wendy is not looking forward to the possible tickle torture. 

"But, you will be looking forward to the date as well," Spike said to calm Wendy's nerves. 

"Oh, right. I forgot about the date," Wendy lightly chuckles. 

"It's alright, Wendy," Spike smiles at Wendy. "Let's forget that now and enjoy the celebration as the number one rank guild in all of Fiore!" Spike roars in celebration. 

The rest of the day goes as planned. Another party to continue the celebration of becoming number one in all of Fiore. Spike is having fun with his friends; Eating, drinking, laughing, and throwing a few punches in a pointless brawl, started by Natsu and Gajeel. After four hours of celebration, Lucy and Spike head home together. 

"What a day, huh, Lucy?" Spike finishing drinking his apple juice. 

"Yea," Lucy said with ease. "Getting the guildhall back is a nice touch. Natsu stealing the crown has me worried."

Spike laughs a bit. "Well, hopefully, he doesn't sell it. He'll be in more trouble for selling the crown." 

Lucy and Spike enter the apartment and lay down on their beds, respectively. The two let out a relaxing sigh after their long journey away from home. 

"Feels good to be home," Lucy and Spike say in unison. 

"So, ready to start working?" Lucy asks. 

"Yea. I gotta make some money to help pay rent and buy some things." 

"Oh, like what?" Lucy asks out of curiosity. 

"A suit for my wedding in a few years. A couple of presents to give to my friends. Some gifts for Wendy. The works. Perhaps some things for me while I get to enjoy the rest of my life being in Fairy Tail and my real home," Spike smiles. 

"After finding out that Zirconis is your uncle, I couldn't believe that you were home all along. I'm so glad that you're here with Fairy Tail, Spike." 

"Same with me, Sis. I'm so glad that you allowed me to live here with you after all this time." 

"We're family, Spike. Family stick together," Lucy hugs Spike. 

Spike yawns and gets in bed. Lucy gets into her pajamas and climbs in bed. 

"Night, Lucy." 

"Night, Spike. See you tomorrow," Lucy smiles. 

Spike smiles while going to sleep.
> Bar of Alliance: Finishing the Movie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days later. The Bar of Alliance finishes watching Spike's memory in full detail. Ember and Shining Armor cried the most, seeing the love and compassion Spike has for Wendy and the love for his guild. Princess Cadance nods with approval for Spike having a girlfriend in Earth Land. As for the magic battles and war Spike embarked on, everyone couldn't believe what Spike saw and endured. Spike fighting his alternate self had to be the most bizarre moment the Bar of Alliance witnessed while hearing Spike Knightwalker explaining his story. Seeing Spike develop into a powerful dragon is a sight to behold. 

One thing that amazed Ember so much is the ability to increase in size without the obsession of possession come into the fray. She wishes to learn that ability and teach it to the other dragons. 

Thorax is amazed to see his friend doing so well in Earth Land. He wishes to join him in the other world since Spike is his true friend that been with him through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Especially at the Crystal Empire, where every pony gave him scornful looks. 

Gilda digs Fairy Rage and Fairy Demon Dragon. She couldn't help but cheer when he unleashed Fairy Law on Twilight Sparkle during the Grand Magic Games. Princess Cadance wasn't sure how to react when Twilight tried to wipe Spike's memory, then all of a sudden, begs for mercy when Spike delivered Fairy Law. She sighs, knowing that Twilight is going astray and slowly descending into madness. 

"So, enjoyed the movie?" Discord asks the Bar of Alliance. 

"It's clear to us that Spike is in a better place," Thorax said, speaking for the Bar of Alliance. 

"I am upset that I won't ask Spike on a date but, I'm happy to know he's dating a dragon," Ember admits. "I wonder if Spike is aware having harems is necessary for dragon life or not." 

"Wait, what?" Discord and the others are confused. Even Smolder is confused. 

"Certain male dragons feel the need to have more than one lover. It's been in our founding for many years, which is why dragons have many relatives in the family." 

"Judging from Spike's memories and the fact he was raised by ponies. One is enough for him. Plus, this Wendy girl will be tied to his lifeline," Princess Cadance said. 

"I can't believe that Spike called Rarity a gold-digging high-class chasing-" Flurry Heart covers her father's mouth with her magic. She understands the term Shining was about to say. 

"That's my girl. We don't use such language in our world," Princess Cadance uses her magic to hover Flurry Heart to her. 

"Point taken," Shining Armor said. 

"There is a lot we couldn't believe," Silverstream said. "No matter how many times we rewatch it, it's still amazing to see Spike fighting for and with his friends and family," Silverstream gets an idea. "We should come up with our own emblems to represent our group."

"Like the Fairy Tail guild?" Gallus asks Silverstream. 

"Yea," Silverstream starts imagining what the emblem can be for the group. 

"That does sound like a great idea," Sandbar said. "What do you think, Neighsay?" 

"I'm cool with it. Having something to hold, showing great pride, and having compassion for friends. I would want every creature to see who we are as a family." 

"Alright, we need to come up with fresh ideas for the design," Ocellus said. 

"Discord, is there any possibility Spike may return to Equestria?" Thorax asks. 

"I do see him coming only to bring Twilight back to Equestria. Either than that, I don't think he'll come back on his accord to visit any of us," Discord answers. He's now drinking a barrel of hot chocolate with marshmallows already melted inside the barrel. 

"Spike is not the dragon we once knew; he's completely different. Chances are," Shining Armor sighs heavily. "Twilight may get herself killed in Earth land. I don't know." 

"Shining, have you told your parents about what transpired?" Discord asks. 

"They knew about Spike being abused and used by Twilight and her friends. They were deeply dismayed about the situation. I didn't explain to them that Twilight was slowly succumbing to insanity and her attempt to retrieve Spike at the cost of his happiness. I haven't explained to them that Twilight is no longer in Equestria and continuing her mission on bringing Spike back home by any means necessary." 

"You need to say something, Shining Armor," Discord said. 

"My mom has a short-temper fuse. It's not going to be pretty. She would want to punish Twilight Sparkle and her wrath to this day still scares me." 

"Well, at some point, you'll have to tell her," Princess Cadance said. 

"I'll wait till my birthday to tell her so she can grant my birthday wish," Shining said. 

Princess Cadance groans. "Fair enough."  

"Yak will return home to Yak Yakkistan. Yak now knows dragon buddy is happy and loved," Prince Rutherford leaves the meeting area. 

"Time for me to head back," Gilda takes flight.

"I better get going. I can't leave the Kingdom unattended any longer," Ember takes flight. She shed some tears, knowing she won't be in Spike's love life. 

"I have to return to my duties and explain to Celestia that all is well," Princess Luna uses her magic to teleport to Canterlot Castle. 

"We should head back to the dorm," Neighsay said.  

"Yona wants to prepare for Fightclub before school," Yona is still excited for the fight in Discord's house. 

"Fight? What fight is she talking about, Ocellus?" Thorax turns to her. He's nervous about the idea of fighting.  

"Well, it's something my friends and I want to try. We see how much fun Spike has with the Fairy Tail Guild in a pointless brawl. We want to see and feel what it's like being in Spike's footsteps." 

"And everyone here is okay with it? Fighting each other for fun?" 

"Yea. It's new, but for some reason, it strengthens the Fairy Tail Guild. We want to see if it strengthen us too in a way, Gallus replies. 

"Yona concurs," Yona nods. 

"It seems pretty fun to me," Smolder smirks. 

"It should be as fun as pillow fighting!" Silverstream joyfully shouts. 

"Afterward, Discord can use his magic to heal us in a second. It's not like we'll be riving in agony," Ocellus explains to Thorax. 

"Anyone else participating?" Thorax needs to know who else. 

"Me and my friends. Discord and Princess Luna," Sunset answers. 

"The Princess too?" Thorax is surprised. 

"Now that's a shocker," Princess Cadance said. 

"Can I get in on the action?" Shining Armor asks. 

"Shining!" Princess Cadance doesn't approve of Shining's motives. 

Discord conjures the list already signed. "It's four days from today." 

"I want to experience a pointless brawl as Spike did. It's still funny that he caused one after the Zentopian incident," Shining Armor signs his name on the list.  

"I want in on that action," Pharynx comes into the fray and signs up. 

"You too, brother?" Thorax is in shock. 

"I could use the training since the others are more peace-loving," Pharynx signs up. "Seeing the way Spike continues to get stronger is motivating me to get stronger. I need a kickoff so, this is my kickoff. A pointless brawl before doing some serious training." 

"Good grief," Thorax cover's his eyes with his arm. 

"I'll see you, chumps, in a few days," Pharynx laughs. 

"Let's head home, Shining. Flurry Heart needs her bed, and so does mommy," Princess Cadance yawns. 

"Alright, then. See you folks, later," Princess Cadance and Shining Armor leave with their baby. 

Neighsay taps on his medallion to open a portal to the dorm; he and the Unity Seven go back home to discuss more ideas for the emblem design and preparations for the Fightclub. Discord looks at Thorax. 

"Are you okay, Thorax?"

Thorax sighs. "I wish I can see Spike one more time, is all, Discord. He didn't say goodbye to me. I understand, with the whole heap of the situation a year ago, but still, does he think of me as his friend?" 

"He does in a way. I'm sure one of these days, he'll swing by and see you. For now, enjoy your life in the Changeling Hive." 

"I will. See you in the next meeting," Thorax walks to his throne while remembering the time Spike and he first met at the Crystal Empire. 

Discord snaps his claw and teleports Sunset and him back home. Discord opens the door to see Sonata in a cage, tied up and gagged with a muzzle. Adagio and Aria had enough with Sonata's shenanigans and pranks in their sleep. 

"What happened while we were away?" Sunset asks. 

"Sonata kept pushing our buttons," Adagio answers. 

"She pranked us while we were trying to sleep. So as punishment, we're locking her in the cage as payback," Aria puts a lock on the cage. 

"You know, that doesn't surprise me. Carry on," Discord goes to his room. 

Sonata tries to speak, but the muzzle won't let her. Sunset sits on the couch and reads today's newspaper. Adagio and Aria sit on the couch and turns on the tv to watch a horror movie. Tonight's horror movie is called Saw for some reason. 

"Who comes up with these names?" Adagio asks. 

"I remember this movie playing back in Canterlot City. Something to do with victims being in a cage," Sunset answers. 

"Interesting," Aria and Adagio smirk. Sonata shrieks and looks petrified while staring at three sinister looks from Sunset Shimmer, Adagio, and Aria. Sonata prays that they'll be merciful.
> Getting Back to Work
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:30 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike wakes up after having a nice sleep; Lucy wakes up as well. 

"Man, that was a good sleep," Lucy turns to Spike. "Morning, Spike."

"Morning, Lucy," Spike gets out of bed and makes his bed. 

Spike and Lucy hear the door knocking. Spike answers the door. 

"Morning, you two!" Natsu shouts. 

"Who's ready to go on a job!" Happy shouts. 

"Geez, we just got up. Can you give us a few minutes to get ready?" Lucy asks. 

"Fine, just be quick," Natsu rolls his eyes. 

"I'll make sandwiches for the road," Spike goes to the kitchen. 

"Can you make my sandwich with extra mayo?" Natsu asks. 

"Can you make my sandwich with extra fish?" Happy asks. 

"Sure, I don't eat fish anyway," Spike answers. 

"By the way, Natsu, Happy," Lucy is getting dressed. "We'll take half of your cut to buy more groceries." 

"Say what!?" Natsu and Happy panics. 

"You heard me. You want food from me; it's going to cost you from time to time," Lucy finish getting dressed. "Also, to remind you, Spike is the one making sandwiches. May I remind you of his exquisite cooking?" 

Natsu and Happy drool, remembering the sensation of Spike's cooking. Without any thought, Natsu and Happy accepted the deal for today's job, knowing that Spike's sandwiches should be a special in Yajima's 8-Island Restaurant. 

After fifteen minutes of preparing and getting ready, Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy walk to the guildhall. 

"I still can't believe we have our guildhall reinstated," Spike said, walking down the block. 

"I have a question for you," Natsu turns to Spike while walking down the street. 

"What is it?" Spike turns to Natsu. 

"When will you bake those cookies we had over seven years ago?" 

"Yea! It was so yummy and mouthwatering," Happy remembers the taste of the cookie. 

"Hmm," Spike ponders a bit. "I'll say in a little while longer. The timing to bake has to be right."

Natsu and Happy victoriously laugh. Today is already a great day to start. Ten minutes later. Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy walk inside the guildhall. Everyone in the guildhall is eating, drinking, and signing up for jobs left and right. Ever since winning the games, Fairy Tail has received a ton of jobs from everyone around Fiore.

"Where did Erza and Gray ran off to?" Natsu asks after observing the guildhall. 

Kinana walks up to Natsu, Lucy, Spike, and Happy. "I saw them leave a while ago with Wendy and Carla. They wanted to go on a job with her." 

"Aw, what? Why would they leave without telling us? Aren't we a team?" Happy complains a little. 

"Well, too big of a team if you were to ask me," Kinana said. 

"Well, let's not mope around and start looking for work! We got some catching up to do!" Lucy runs up to the job board to pick one for the team. Spike goes with Lucy. 

"Hey, Nab. Are you going to choose one?" Spike asks. 

"Still looking," Nab responds. 

"Try looking for a staring contest. You'll do great in that," Spike chuckles. 

"Good idea," Nab starts looking for one. 

"Woooow, he bought it," Wakaba said. 

"That's actually funny, staring contest job. What sucker will go for it?" Macao jokes while drinking his beer. 

"Oh, you think it's funny?" Nab gets angry. "Try this funny man!" Nab punches Macao in the face. 

"Oh, you want some action?" Macao gets up. "Get ready to feel the burn," Macao starts fighting with Nab. Some of the other Fairy Tail Wizards get into the brawl since it's been a while. 

Lucy picks a job out of the blue while the fighting comes near her and Spike. Lucy hands the job flier to Mirajane. 

"How much is the job offer?"

"200,000 Jewels, Spike. Just what we need," Lucy answers. 

"Alright, the job is yours. You guys need to go to Doromud Village to complete the requirement." 

"Alright! Let's go!" Natsu gets excited. 

"So, how do we get there?" Happy asks Mirajane. 

"Check out the library downstairs. If you need to use a map, that's where we keep them," Mirajane smiles.  

Lucy, Spike, Natsu, and Happy go downstairs to the library to find the map to Doromud Village. Apparently, there's a mole that's been terrorizing the town, which is why they placed a job flier to take it out. It's a three-hour trip on a wagon to the village. Natsu freaks out and wishes to fly on Spike's back. Spike tells Natsu he can't do it because he's never been to the village and could be aimlessly flying around. Even with the map, anyone could possibly read it upside down while looking at the landscapes. 

Lucy, Spike, Natsu, and Happy leave the library and ask a wagoner to take them to Doromud Village. Natsu gets instant motion sickness the moment he stepped inside the wagon. Lucy, Spike, and Happy get in. Throughout the three-hour trip, Natus moans in agony of his motion sickness. Spike is reading a book he took from the Magic Library months ago. 

"What are you reading, Spike?" Happy asks. 

"Well, after Leekips gave up his body to create an energy maker body, I was thinking about creating a body for Fairy Rage to use for short periods of time. I'm trying to see what elements to use to create for Fairy Rage for a double team assault in case I happen to be alone fighting in battle against tougher opponents."

"Why not tap into Fairy Demon Dragon during those situations?" Lucy asks.  

"To tap into Fairy Demon Dragon, it has to be pure hatred and rage. Something I don't carry a lot when surrounded by a loving family and friends." 

"Fair enough," Lucy and Happy said in unison. 

"Are we there yet?" Natsu mutters a sentence despite feeling the worst pain of motion sickness. 

"Yep," The Wagoner stops. "This is as close I can get."

"What the hell happened?" Natsu sees the town flooded in mud. 

"Well, as you can see. The town has had some draining issues as of late. I have to take a pretty long detour around to get to the next destination."  

"Crazy, you think people still live here?" Lucy questions people's spirits for staying in a flooded mudded town. 

"Of course they do; the place looks awesome," Natsu said. 

"Your optimism sometimes scares me, Natsu," Happy and Spike said in unison. 

"Hello there!" The Village Elder on a canoe arrives. Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Spike sees him down below. "You must be the Wizards of Fairy Tail. Oh my, it's the Fairy Dragon himself as well. I am so glad you are here to slay the beast. Please get in. There is much to discuss." 

Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy get on the canoe. The Village Elder stroke to the bell tower. The villagers explain that the Mole caused the flooding, and no one has farmed in weeks. The villagers plea to Natsu, Lucy, Spike, and Happy to get rid of the Mole any way they can. They don't care about the Mole's life. They want their life back. One thing the Village Elder warns is that the Mole is big. 

"We'll take care of it no problem," Lucy proclaims. She and Happy get on a canoe and steer. Natsu is on a tree branch in the middle of the village. Spike is flying around, trying to locate the Mole. 

"Okay, this could be tricky," Spike said while he's flying. 

"How so?" Natsu shouts to Spike from the tree branch. 

"The muddy waters are calm, so it's hard to locate it." 

Strong currents shake the canoe Lucy and Happy are on. Natsu and Spike get ready to attack it. The Mole rises from the muddy waters. It's huge, green with polka dots on its body. It swats Lucy and Happy from the canoe. 

"I'm coming, guys!" Natsu jumps down and lands on the canoe. He gets motion sickness from the littlest shift on the canoe. 

"Lightning Flare Saucer!" Spike conjures Sparkling Green Lightning Flame Saucer to hit the Mole, but it missed. The Mole dives under and resurfaces, hitting Spike from behind. Spike spits the mud water after landing in it. 

The Mole hits Natsu, sending him into the muddy waters. It roars, scaring the days out of Natsu, Happy, and Lucy. They scream and swim away from the Mole. Spike shoots the Mole by mimicking his claws like guns, but the Mole dives under and swats Spike under the muddy water. Spike crashes into a tree. 

"That thing is starting to piss me off," Spike claims. 

Natsu suggests splitting up while they are swimming. Happy remembers he can fly and flies on cue. Natsu and Lucy split up, and the Mole chases Lucy. 

"Why me!?" Lucy complains while swimming as fast as she can. 

Spike flies above the Mole. "Fairy Dragon!" The Mole swats Spike a second time before he can use his magic. Spike crashes into a rooftop. "I hate that freaking Mole!"

"I got you, Lucy!" Happy grabs Lucy and flies up. The Mole was nearly close to capturing Lucy. The muddy waters are now calm. 

"Thanks for the save, Happy," Lucy graciously said. 

"You four aren't causing trouble, are you?" Erza shouts from the hilltop near the village. 

"Are you okay, Lucy?" Wendy shouts. "What are you doing over here?"

"Looks like they've been playing in the mud to me," Gray said. 

Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla get onto a rooftop where Spike and Nastu are at. They see them covered in mud. Lucy and Happy explain the job description and the Mole they're trying to stop. 

"I think I understand. Since this foe is difficult to beat, we'll assist you," Erza said. 

"As long as I get my share in the reward, you can count me in," Gray said. 

"Aw, yea. With you two in the midst, there's no way the giant Mole can eat me," Happy said in relief. 

"Speaking of, do you think that creature is a Mole?" Lucy asks. 

Beats, me," Natsu said. 

"So, were you on your way to the job or back from it?" Spike asks. 

"We took an overnight job to defeat mountain bandits," Wendy said. 

"Meanwhile, you losers can't even take on a single mole? How pathetic can you be? You guys will ruin the Guild's reputation if you don't step it up!" Gray shouts. 

"Shut up! If you're going to be a jerk, then you can leave!" Natsu retorts. 

"Now that any way to talk to the guy who's bailing you out," Gray yells back. 

"I never asked for your stupid help!" Natsu yells back. 

"Stop this bickering, both of you," Erza commands which scare Natsu and Gray. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Natsu and Gray said in defeat. 

"The Mole is quick, even I have my difficulties," Spike admits. 

"Spike, that's pathetic, and you defeated a dragon," Gray said. 

"Hey!" Erza punches Gray in the gut. "Be nice to my brother." 

Lucy slaps Gray in the face. "That's for insulting my brother."

Wendy punches Gray's nose. "That's for disrespecting my boyfriend," Wendy is angry at Gray for shaming Spike a little.  

"Sorry..," Gray wheezes from the blows. 

"Going back on topic, how are we going to find the Mole? It's hard to locate it with all this mud," Carla said. 

"Hey, I have an idea," Lucy reaches for her gate key. "Open, Gate of the Clock! Horologium!" 

Horologium appears in front of everyone. "It's certainly a pleasure to see you again, Ms.Lucy." 

"Natsu, get in," Lucy commands. 

"Sure thing," Natsu steps inside Horologium. 

"Woo! This is exciting! The Young Man thrillingly expresses," Horologium said after speaking for Natsu.  

"Now, we need some rope," Lucy said. 

"I can do that," Spike claws glows Sparkling Green. "Flame Lasso!" The Flame Lasso ties around Horologium, but it doesn't burn him.  "Happy, Carla, if you two grab the ends of the lasso and lower Natsu down, it won't burn you." 

Carla and Happy flinches a little. To their surprise, the lasso is not burning their paws. 

"Whoa, how are you doing this, Spike?" Happy asks. 

"The flames are not burning my paws," Carla is stunned while gripping the lasso tighter.

"I'm learning to control my flames for other purposes. I'm still studying other works that can be more useful than to burn things or my opponent." 

"Alright, I'm ready to see the underworld. The Young Man jokes excitedly," Horologium said after Natsu finish speaking. "I, on the other hand, am not looking forward in the depths of mud." 

Carla and Happy lower Horologium into the muddy waters. It doesn't take too long for Natsu and Horologium to locate the Mole. Natsu and Horologium panic while Carla and Happy start losing grip due to their frantic squirming. 

Erza, Wendy, Gray, and Lucy are on a canoe nearby, waiting to strike the Mole when it surfaces. Spike is hovering so he can attack the Mole. 

"Prepare yourselves," Erza said. 

"You think it'll pop up soon?" Gray asks, thinking it's trying to eat Natsu. 

Happy and Carla lifts Horologium and Natsu away from danger. Gray, Lucy, Wendy, and Erza scream a bit after seeing the Mole resurfacing. Natsu and Horologium land on a tree. 

"Target at sight! Now hit it with everything you have!" Erza commands. 

"Sky Dragon Roooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath attack on the Mole. 

"Ice Make! Lance!" Gray shoots ice lances at the Mole. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at the Mole. 

The Mole dives in the muddy waters, dodging all three attacks. It swims under the canoe knocking Gray, Wendy, Lucy, and Erza. Natsu tries to attack head-on with a Fire Dragon Sword Horn. The Mole dodges it, and Natsu collides with Gray's head. 

"What, you think the Mole was on my head?" Gray grabs Natsu's shirt. 

"Well, I was heading straight for the thing, so yea, maybe I was!" Natsu barks back. 

"I wonder if they'll ever realize they are on the same team," Wendy loses a little humanity for Natsu and Gray with their ongoing bickering. 

"Do you see the Mole around?" Erza asks. 

The Mole is behind them. Erza, Gray, Wendy, Natsu, and Lucy scream and swim as fast as they can. Spike watches from above and soars down. 

"Inferno Raging Fist!" Spike punches the Mole. His claw is ablaze with Sparkling Green Flames. The Mole swats Spike. "Not this time. Phew," Spike hits the Mole with a Sparkling Green Bullet by mimicking one of his claws like a gun. 

Gray creates an ice platform for him and his friends to climb up. The Mole nearly snatches Wendy and Lucy. 

"Sorry for the disrespect, Spike. Now I know how difficult this thing is." 

"Man, that was close," Natsu said in relief. 

"Get ready to hit him. I have a lock on him," Spike smirks. 

"Right," Natsu, Gray, and Wendy power up. 

Spike conjures his metallic flame sword and powers up. He's ready to shred the Mole into pieces. "Here it comes!" Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the Mole. He falls as he is confused.

"Sky Dragon Rooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her windy breath attack at the Mole. 

"Ice Make! Lance!" Gray unleashes a fury of ice lances at the Mole. 

"Fire Dragon Rooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at the Mole. 

The Mole is scorched, frozen, and blown away from the impact. Spike conjures the power of his blade to finish the job. 

"Heat-Incinerating Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike slashes his sword at the Mole. The Mole is barely alive. It's heavily scorched with third-degree burns as it lands on the ground. Now knowing it can't do any harm, the Mole flees away. "That's right! You better run!" Spike flies to his friends at the ice platform. "You guys are alright?" 

"Never better, Spike," Erza said. 

"I'm good. That was awesome," Natsu said. 

"Thanks for the assist. That was clever thinking," Gray said with respect.

"I can use a bath," Lucy said. 

"Same with me," Wendy concurs. 

"I'm glad the Mole didn't eat our friends," Happy said. 

"Agreed," Carla nods. 

The Village Elder and some villagers use their canoes to ride to the platform after seeing the Mole's defeat. 

"Thank you for driving that monster away from our town," The Village Elder graciously said. 

"It's no problem. We're glad to help," Lucy speaks for her friends. 

"Here's your reward money," The Village Elder holds a briefcase. "I know on the flier it said 200,000 Jewels but making sure the Mole doesn't come back, I upped the ante to 450,000 Jewels."

"450,000 Jewels!" Happy and Natsu shout in joy. 

Spike flies up to the Village Elder and takes the briefcase. "Wish you luck on getting this place cleaned up." 

"Oh, don't worry. We've called an agency to take care of this. The flood will be taken care of in two days," The Village Elder explains to Spike. 

"Have a nice day," Spike flies to his friends. "Ready to go home?" Spike asks. 

"Yea, and how are we heading back?" Happy asks. 

Spike rolls his eyes a little and uses his fire breath to teleport his friends and himself outside of the guildhall in Magnolia. "Does that answer your question?"

"Totally," Happy answers.

"Well, let's start cutting the dough," Gray said. 

"Alright, let me do the math real quick," Spike tries to divide the number in thought. 

"How about we use the Fairy Tail theme calculator from the gift shop," Erza suggests. 

"I got it," Happy flies over to grab it, he punches in the numbers. "Okay, each of us gets 56,250 Jewels each."

"Up up up, correction. We get 56,250 Jewels. You and Natsu have to cough up 28,125 Jewels as promised for food," Lucy reminds Natsu and Happy. 

"Whaaaaaaaaaat?!" Natsu and Happy completely forgot the rearrangement they made earlier today. 

"Oh, yea, you two agreed to it earlier," Spike chuckles. 

"What did you made, Spike?" Gray asks. 

"Sandwiches," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport a basket filled with sandwiches. "It's nice and ready." 

Natsu and Happy's belly growl on cue. They took their sandwiches from the basket and eats them. Despite having to cough up half their pay to Lucy, it's a success knowing that Spike's making is delicious. 

"Did you made extras?" Erza asks. 

"I did. In case one wasn't enough. You can have some," Spike smiles. 

Erza, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla grab a sandwich and chow on it. The flavor is out of this world for them especially coming from a sandwich. Erza, Gray, Carla, and Wendy are curious to taste Spike's cooking in other dishes.

Spike gives  Natsu and Happy 28,125 of their cut since the other half is going to Lucy. Spike gives everyone else 56,250 of their cut in stopping the Mole. Spike sees how happy everyone is eating their fill. Spike is thinking about getting a job to work in the Fairy Tail Guildhall kitchen or helping out at Yajima's 8-Island Restaurant. 

After everyone has their fill, Lucy, Spike, Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Carla, and Wendy head on over to the Fairy Tail bathhouse to wash the mud away. Spike was hoping to be with Wendy in the bathhouse but has to respect the regulations. 

"Aw man..," Wendy feels drifted apart when she realizes that Spike couldn't go with her or stay with Spike to take a bath. Erza understands the frustrations, but it can't be helped. Master's rule is in effect. 

"I'll see you after the bath," Spike said.  

"Okay," Wendy said, going upstairs with Carla, Lucy, and Erza. 

After an hour spent in the bathhouse, everyone is clean and refreshed. Everyone goes back to the guildhall to spend time with their friends a bit longer.
> Spike, Wendy, & Romeo's Next Job
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike wakes up after having a nice sleep. 

"Morning, Spike," Lucy said, making breakfast. 

"Morning, Lucy," Spike gets out of bed and yawns. 

"You ready to start working again?" Lucy asks. She finished making bacon and eggs. 

"I am. I'm sure there'll be plenty of jobs on the job board today." 

"Definitely," Lucy smiles. "With rent already paid for the next two months, we need to continue our workflow." 

"Of course. I may take on some S-Class Quests." 

"Unfortunately, you are not an S-Class Wizard, and I think Makarov would forbid you on going by yourself," Lucy explains. 

"Really? Huh, now I wished I challenged the Master into that fight to become an S-Class Wizard." 

"Perhaps next year you'll earn it for sure," Lucy said. 

"Definitely," Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. 

Lucy sets the table up when she hears her door knocking. She sighs, knowing who's at the door. Lucy opens the door, and to her surprise, it wasn't Natsu and Happy, it's Wendy, Carla, and Romeo. 

"Hey, you three. What's up?" Lucy likes the sudden change of scenery more than Natsu and Happy begging for food. 

"We got a job request and were wondering if Spike wants to team up again," Romeo said, holding the job flier. 

"Let me see that," Lucy takes a look at the flier. "A coalition in returning a ship stolen by pirates!" 

"Yea. It's an adventure worth fighting for," Romeo said excitedly. 

"Also, seeing the ocean in return will be cool," Wendy said. 

"I'll say, the price for taking the job is well worth it. 5,000,000 Jewels," Carla said. 

"And, it's not an S-Class Quest," Wendy smiles. 

"SAAAAAAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Natsu and Happy come through the window after hearing the job descriptions. 

"You're going after a ship pirates stole?! Count us in!" Natsu cheerfully shouts. 

"AYE!" Happy concurs. 

"Absolutely not. The job flier also says return the ship in one piece. You two hooligans will more likely destroy or burn the ship without a care in the world," Carla said. 

"Aaaaaaaawwwwwww," Happy and Natsu groans. They want to go on the adventure.

"No offense, but if the ship gets wrecked, we won't get paid," Romeo tells Natsu of the penalty of the job description. 

"Fine, it's not like our feelings are hurt," Natsu turns his back on Romeo, Wendy, and Carla. "We can go do another job, right, Happy?" 

"Aye," Happy said. Hoping the guilt conscious will sink in their hearts into changing their mind. 

"Good luck on your job then," Romeo said, not buying into their trick. 

"D'oh!" Happy and Natsu said. Romeo figured the two of them out. 

Spike comes out of the bathroom, ready to eat and get some work done. He sees his friends by the door. 

"Hey, you guys. What's up?" Spike walks up to the door. 

"We got a job request. Pirates stole a ship, and it's up to us to retrieve it!" Romeo said. 

"A small coalition that's worth 5,000,000 Jewels. The best part is, it's not an S-Class Quest," Wendy said. 

"Would you like to come with us?" Carla asks. 

"You know it. So, how many guilds are coming?" Spike asks. 

"Four in total. We're supposed to meet up in Hargeon at noon. I'm so excited to embark on this quest with the Youth Squad!" Romeo excitedly expresses. 

"Youth Squad?" Spike puzzles the name. 

"Well, it consists of you, Wendy, and I. We're the future of Fairy Tail and do need a name." 

"Fair enough. I can get used to the Fairy Youth Squad." 

"Even better, Spike," Wendy said. 

"Please!" Natsu and Happy kneel to Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo. "Let us come! We'll behave!" Natsu and Happy said in tears. 

"Let's get moving. The next train to Hargeon leaves in a half-hour," Romeo said. 

"Right," Wendy, Carla, and Spike nod. 

"Have fun, Fairy Youth Squad," Lucy waves, watching Spike, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla go. 

"Doesn't it bother you, Lucy? That they didn't ask you to go on this adventure?" Natsu asks, hoping to entice Lucy into following them. 

"Why would it bother me? We're going on a job later with Erza and Gray. I'm sure their little coalition will go smooth." 

"Can we have Spike's portion for breakfast?" Happy asks. 

Lucy sighs. "Sure. Why not." 

Twenty minutes later. Spike, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla get on the train to Hargeon. They sit together, waiting for the train to leave. 

"I wonder who'll be joining us in this coalition," Spike ponders a bit. 

"Who knows. Hopefully, we see familiar faces," Carla said. 

"How did you get your dad's approval on going?" Spike turns to Romeo. 

"Easy, I didn't tell my old man when he wasn't looking. Mirajane knows I'll be safe tagging along with you, Spike," Romeo chuckles. 

"Oh boy," Spike imagines a beating from Macao later. 

"My dad will keep quiet when I give him some money," Romeo claims. 

The train starts moving. Spike, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla sees a trail of smoke getting closer. 

"I wonder who that may be," Carla said. 

"Hey! We're coming too!" Natsu yells. 

"You're not going on this quest without us!" Gray shouts. 

It turns out that Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy were chasing after the train. After Natsu told Erza and Gray about the job Spike, Wendy, and Romeo were embarking on, they wanted to go on the job request. The train leaves the station as they were too late. 

"Wow, talk about desperation," Romeo said. 

"I think they may attempt to try other means of going. Unless Lucy talks them out of it," Spike said. 

"I highly doubt that," Carla timidly said. 

"Let's hope they don't cause a scene," Wendy said. 

Two hours later. Spike, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla get off the train in Hargeon. They walk towards the pier where the other guilds will be arriving. 

"Wow, it feels like going to Tenrou Island again," Spike said. 

"Agreed. Waiting to see who else will be showing up," Wendy concurs. 

"I wonder if the other guilds are from the Grand Magic Games," Romeo ponders a bit. 

"Well, hopefully, it's not from the Quatro Puppy guild," Carla said. "I don't want to hear the Wild chant over and over." 

"Agreed," Spike, Wendy, and Romeo say in unison. 

It's now 11:30 in Hargeon. Spike, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla are sitting on a bench, waiting to see if they're going by themselves or if Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy caught up. 

"Wendy!" Sherria shouts as she's running. 

"Sherria!" Wendy is elated to see Sherria. 

Wendy and Sherria hug each other. "It's so good to see you again, Wendy. Hey, Spike," Sherria waves at Spike. 

"Hi, Sherria," Spike waves back. 

"Hi, I'm Romeo. You remember me, right?" Romeo turns to Sherria. 

"Yea, from the party. Spike, how were you since you left early?" 

"I'm fine. The rest of that night went smoothly with my marvelous girlfriend, Wendy." 

Wendy blushes a little. "Don't make me blush in front of Sherria." 

"Awe, he's showing love," Sherria smiles. 

"So, Gray isn't here?" Lyon also arrives. 

"No. It's the Fairy Youth coming out to play," Romeo answers. 

"Well, I guess he's too chicken after all," Lyon smiles. 

"Hey, anyone else from Lamia Scale is showing up?" Carla asks Lyon. 

"No. It's only Sherria and me. I wonder who else is coming." 

"Talk about old times, huh, Lyon?" Spike turns to Lyon.

"Just like going after the Oracíon Seis and Nirvanna. This time, we'll be fighting together instead of separately. I'm looking forward to that." 

"Hey, Bro," Kagura comes alone. 

"Hey, Sis," Spike turns to Kagura. 

"Is anyone else from Mermaid Heel is coming?" Wendy asks. 

"No, they are busy at the moment. So I came alone. I am glad to know that my brother is here." 

"How is Spike your brother?" Lyon asks. 

"I asked Erza to be her sister. Spike was beside Erza and I accepted him to be my brother since as you know by now, my brother passed away. For a small coalition, I'm excited to work with Spike." 

"So, this is everyone?" Rogue arrives with Frosch. 

"Yukino," Kagura turns to Yukino. 

"Oh.., hey.., Kagura..," Yukino gulps a little seeing her again. 

"Relax. No hard feelings here; we're going to work together on getting the ship back from pirates in this small coalition."

"Yea," Yukino nods. 

"Working with Fairy Tail once more. I bet Sting would have loved the opportunity." 

"I think so too," Frosch agrees with Rogue. Frosch is a green exceed in a pink frog costume. 

"I am surprised that Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza aren't around," Yukino said. 

"Are they coming?" Rogue asks. 

"No, they won't be joining us," Romeo answers Rogue's question. 

"So, who are we waiting for?" Frosch asks. 

"The client, Frosch," Rogue answers. 

"Ah, right on time," The Client makes himself know. "Thank you for coming all this way. My name is Mark Anthony," Mark Anthony is a middle-aged old man with a pegleg and an eyepatch. 

"So, how can we help you?" Sherria asks. 

"As you know, the job description says retrieving my ship that was taken by pirates. However, there are some crucial details I left off because I was afraid that no one will take on the request." 

"Please, explain," Lyon reassuringly says. 

"Follow me to my quarters. We have much to discuss," Mark Anthony leads everyone to his home in Hargeon. His home is a townhouse next to an empty lot where his ship is supposed to be. 

Inside Mark Anthony's house is a lot of treasures and trophies from the sea. Some fish mounted on the walls, a treasure chest in the living room, an anchor as a ceiling lamp. Mark Anthony made his home feel like an undersea kingdom. 

"Wow, this guy really loves the sea," Romeo said, looking at the tank of fishes Mark Anthony has. He sees a sea sponge and a starfish next to each other. 

"Indeed," Mark Anthony nods. "My brothers Peggy the Pirate and Blindbeard the Pirate loved the seas. I was Captain of their crew." 

"Wait, you were once a pirate?" Lyon asks. 

Mark Anthony sighs. "Indeed. However, I didn't do anything wrong. Neither did my brothers. We were peaceful when it came to our work. We took from those that stolen treasures and brought them back to the people. Sure the people gave us some rewards but, our thrill was to bombard ships that wanted to bring travesty to our homelands." 

"What happened to your ship?" Frosch asks. 

Mark Anthony sadly sighs. "It was taken from me archenemies. The Seven Deadly Sins. We've sunk their ships time after time whenever they committed the crime." 

"How long ago was it stolen?" Kagura asks. 

"Seven months ago. I tried searching on me own, but it cost my leg and my eye. I'm lucky to live after the assault. As for my brothers, they weren't so lucky." 

Silence fills the room, knowing what Mark Anthony meant. Frosch doesn't understand but judging from the other's reaction he remains silent. 

"Any leads to finding your ship?" Carla breaks the silence. 

"You'll need a ship that can navigate the rough waters to Krack's Riverine. That was the last place in the sea I saw my ship heading toward." 

"Any description of the ship?" Spike asks. 

"It's blue to decorate the water's color and yellow for the sun's color. There's a mermaid statue in front of the ship. Laser-guided cannons mounted on each side of the ship. As for the flag, it's black with shark teeth on it. Meaning we're coming for you."

"What is the ship's name?" Wendy asks. 

"What was your Pirate name?" Romeo asks. 

"My ship's name is called the Black Wing. As for my Pirate name before retiring, Captain Sparrow." 

Mark Anthony grabs a map of Krack's Riverine. Everyone looks at the map and sees a crossbones marker on Krack's Riverine. 

"How dangerous is Krack's Riverine?" Spike asks Mark Anthony. 

"Very dangerous. The waters are rough. There are dangerous sea creatures that reside in those water but, there is one terrifying creature that all sea creatures fear. I've never laid eyes on the said creature but, the stories give me chills every time I venture in with my brothers."

"Oh boy..," Rogue gulps a bit. 

"I heard from me radio Dragon Slayers get motion sickness," Mark Anthony goes to his cabinet and finds some medicine for Rogue. "Take this Shadow Dragon." 

"What are these?" Rogue takes the medicine from Mark Anthony. 

"Motion Relieve. My brother, Peggy the Pirate, had motion sickness on the Black Wing. He took these, and the sickness goes away for 48 hours." 

"48 hours?" Rogue is in shock. 

"Yep, he took them, knowing that motion sickness was a problem for the sea. Any other mode of transportation, Peggy had no problem. Boats, yes."

"Thank you," Rogue graciously said. 

"You're welcome, Shadow Dragon. I recommend taking them as soon as you feel the ship rocking." 

"What ship will we be taking?" Lyon asks. 

"There's a fellow that owes me some favors. I'm sure Popeye will lend you one of his finest ships," Mark Anthony said. "I'll take you to him." 

"Before we go, what condition do you want your ship?" Romeo asks. 

"No scorching and destroying my ship entirely. As long as I can sail and make adjustments, I'll take it. If necessary, to fire back against the Seven Deadly Sins, cripple the cannons, so they don't fire back. The cannons are laser-guided magic seekers. That's the only warning I can give unless they altered the cannons." 

"Thank you for the warning," Kagura shows respect to Mark Anthony. 

"My pleasure. I'm not going to leave this crew in the dark. Now, follow me to Popeye's port. I'm sure he has a ship built for you wizards." 

Mark Anthony leads everyone to Popeye's port. On the way there, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, and Lucy arrive in Hargeon. They are using Natsu to find Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo. 

"I'm serious. I think we should let them go!" Lucy tries to persuade her friends of leaving Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Romeo alone. 

"The job requirement is too huge for Romeo and Wendy to handle. I know Spike is a powerhouse but, who else would be joining on this coalition?" Gray said. 

"Yea, and going into the seas if they were to go alone is not an option," Erza said. "That is why we need to join them. I don't want any of you telling Macao that Romeo has perished," Erza said. 

"I have a lock on them! Follow me!" Natsu runs in the direction. 

"Typical, no one listens to me," Lucy is frustrated with her friends. She follows, Erza, Gray, Happy, and Natsu. 

Mark Anthony arrives in Popeye's Port with everyone. There are quality ships ready to set sail. Popeye comes down with his crew after cleaning one of his prized ships. Serpent's Fang. 

"Hey, Captain Sparrow. What can I help you with?" Popeye has anchor tattoos on his biceps, a pipe, and wearing a navy sailor's uniform. 

"It's Mark Anthony, Popeye. I'm retired, remember." 

"Oh, right. My bad, mate," Popeye apologizes. "Say, that's a nice crew you reckon with." 

"These mates are going after me Black Wing. I'm calling in on a favor." 

"What do you need?" Popeye asks. 

"Gonna need your finest ship to sail into Krack's Riverine." Mark Anthony hears the gasps from Popeye's crew. 

"Take the Serpent's Fang. She's the strongest to fight the waves and currents in Krack's Riverine. She has one of the finest cannons to intercept magic lacrima cannons, a solar navigation system, and the finest living quarters for long travels. Serpent's Fang is my baby but, on this occasion, release the serpent and watch it snare its victim." 

"Thanks, Popeye. You're a life savior." 

"Anytime, my friend," Popeye observes the Wizards. "I've seen you lot in the Grand Magic Games during my vacation. I know what each of you is capable of doing. I know you'll get the job done. The Serpent's Fang is the ship to the far right. There's plenty of food and drinks, but I will buy rations just to be safe." 

"Point taken. We'll be back here in twenty minutes. Let's go, Sherria," Lyon said. 

"Right behind you," Sherria goes with Lyon. 

"Might as well grab a few things if I'll be cooking for everyone," Spike follows Lyon and Sherria. 

"Wait, Spike can cook?" Kagura turns to Wendy, Romeo, and Carla. 

"Well, I never tasted his cooking but baking; he's an excellent baker," Wendy said. 

"Have you forgotten the sandwiches he made yesterday?" Carla asks. 

"Well, that wasn't cooked but, it was so yummy," Wendy said. 

"Now I'm intrigued with Spike's cooking," Kagura imagines the deliciousness of Spike's delectable cooking. 

Rogue sighs a little. "I miss Milady's cooking." 

"I miss it too," Frosch concurs. 

"Who'll be sailing the boat?" Wendy asks. 

"Good question. The answer will come to us sooner or later," Carla said. 

"Let's scout the Serpent's Fang," Romeo runs to the Serpent's Fang ship. 

"That should be fun," Wendy follows Romeo. 

"I might as well inspect the ship's interior," Kagura follows Wendy and Romeo. 

"Wait for me," Yukino wants to inspect the ship as well. 

Rogue picks up Frosch. "Let's hop aboard, Frosch." 

"Yea," Frosch nods.

Lyon, Sherria, and Spike arrive in a food market store. They look at the fresh fruits, meats, and veggies in the store. Sherria wants candy and chips. 

"Sherria, control your habits," Lyon commands. 

"I can't help it! I'm craving chocolate and gummy candies. Chips and cookies as well. I know what I'm spending with my money!" 

"Good grief," Lyon sighs. He's looking at the veggies. 

"I'll go look in other aisles and see what can be more useful for the ride as well as rations." 

"I'm so glad someone is thinking logically," Lyon watches Spike go into a different aisle. "Sherria, how much you have on you?" 

"I bought what I wanted. I have 10,000 Jewels left," Sherria has bags filled with junk food and candy. 

"Well, at least we'll have snacks for the road as well," Lyon tries to look at the bright side. 

Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, and Lucy arrive. Natsu's sense of smell led his friends to the food market. 

"Huh? What are they doing here?" Natsu is confused. 

"Let's find out," Gray said. He's in his underwear. 

"You'll be arrested for going in there," Lucy points at Gray. 

"Crap! Not again!" Gray puts his clothes back on. 

"I swear, you need a job at the strip club," Natsu said to Gray. 

Erza sees Spike gathering some things while talking to Lyon and Sherria. In Erza's heart, she wants to go with Spike but, her protective instincts as a sister are getting the better of her. She turns to her friends. 

"We're not going through with this." 

"What!?" Gray and Natsu shout. 

"But why, Erza?" Happy asks. 

"Spike is our friend, and there are times we have to face the fact that not every job we'll be going on. It pains me a lot to say this but, we need to let the future of Fairy Tail experience their big job together as a group." 

"I didn't come all this way to sit back! They're going after pirates! P-I-R-A-T-E-S! On the sea! 5,000,000 Jewels! We have to go and help!" Natsu makes a bold statement. 

"We cannot allow our protective instincts to get the better of us. Lucy, I'm sorry for ignoring you earlier. You were right." 

"No way, I'm going with them, and there's nothing you can do-" Erza punches Gray in mid-sentence in the gut. 

"The decision is final. Let's head back to the guildhall," Erza drags Natsu and Gray away before Spike sees them. 

"We'll get a different job. How about an S-Class Quest?" Lucy suggests. 

"Sure. I'm sure it'll be better pay," Erza said. 

Happy tries to sneak away, but Lucy grabs his tail. Lucy drags Happy back to Magnolia with Erza. 

"Life is cruel! I want to be with my Carla!" Happy complains while shedding a few tears. 

Spike is with Lyon and Sherria at the register after picking up enough food and drinks to make for rations. Spike also got a few spices and ingredients to cook the meals on the ship. Lyon and Spike paid for the food and drinks. 

"Well, time to set sail," Sherria said. 

"Do any of you know how to sail?" Spike asks. 

"I do. Years ago, when I was a different man, I steered a ship to Galuna Island. So, I'll be steering Serpent's Fang." 

"Sounds good, Lyon," Sherria said while eating some chips. 

"Please don't talk with your mouth full," Lyon asks. 

Spike, Sherria, and Lyon walk back to Popeye's port. They go to the far right and see the beauty of Serpent's Fang. The ship is green with scales while the front has a serpent's head and fangs. The cannons are blue and green, decorated with seashells all over on the muzzle. 

"So, that's Serpent's Fang," Lyon likes the ship; it reminds him of Lamia Scale's insignia. 

"Pretty cool," Sherria said in awe. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Lyon and Sherria onto the Serpent's Fang. Spike flies to board the ship. Spike, Lyon, and Sherria see Kagura and Rogue sitting on chairs, Wendy, Romeo, Frosch, and Carla coming from the lower deck of Serpent's Fang. 

"Hey, we're back," Spike said. 

"Welcome back, bro. Need some help?" Kagura asks. 

"Yes. I could increase my size, but I rather not," Spike answers. 

Kagura takes Spike's bags. "Follow me to the kitchen of Serpent's Fang." 

"Dude, this ship is awesome. It has everything we need for long distant travel," Romeo said. 

"Do any of you have the map?" Spike asks. 

"Yukino has it. According to the map, it's three-day travel to Krack's Riverine," Romeo answers. 

"Alright then, let's us unpack, and we'll set sail," Lyon said. 

Kagura leads Spike, Lyon, and Sherria to the kitchen of Serpent's Fang. There's a lacrima powered fridge, oven, and stove, there are cabinets to store and coolers for drinks. Spike, Lyon, and Kagura store things away while Sherria puts the junk food in the snack cabinet that she's calling. 

"Alright, make sure that Rogue takes his medicine. We are deporting Hargeon," Lyon leaves the kitchen. 

"This should be fun. Sailing in the seas, fighting other possible pirates, and I wonder what creature that all the sea creatures fear the most is?" Spike ponders a bit. 

"I have some notion but, I hope it isn't what I'm thinking," Kagura said. 

"So, how are the sleeping quarters?" Spike asks. 

"Nice, actually. Not a lot of rooms, but the beds are comfortable bunk beds," Yukino said. 

"Alright, then. Good to know we have beds. I thought it'll be hammocks or something remotely close to it," Spike said. 

Spike, Yukino, and Sherria go to the upper deck. Rogue takes his Motion Relieve medicine as he sees Lyon going to the steering wheel of the Serpent's Fang. 

"Rogue, we're going to see fishies," Frosch smiles. 

"That we are, buddy, that we are," Rogue picks up Frosch and holds him. 

"Alright, time to set sail. Sherria! Raise the anchor!" Lyon commands. 

"Aye, aye, Captain Lyon," Sherria giggles a bit while raising the anchor from the waters to put it aside. 

Spike, Wendy, Romeo, Sherria, Kagura, Yukino, and Carla wave at Popeye and Mark Anthony while departing Popeye's port. 

"Don't forget to eat your spinach! Spinach helps you get stronger," Popeye chuckles while eating his favorite spinach from a can. 

"Make sure you destroy the Seven Deadly Sins!" Mark Anthony shouts. 

"We will!" Wendy shouts. 

"Yuck! I hate spinach," Sherria shouts. 

The others on Serpent's Fang laugh while Lyon steers the ship into the vase blue oceans. 

"Come back safely." Mark Anthony thought to himself as he sees the wizards go. 

"Cheer up, bucko. Those wizards did great during the Grand Magic Games. If anyone can defeat the Seven Deadly Sins, is those group of friends," Popeye said. 

"You're right," Mark Anthony smiles. "I have to put my heart in faith and believe those kids can succeed."
> Small Coalition Day 1: Traveling in the Sea
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been an hour since leaving Hargeon. Yukino is beside Lyon to help him navigate while reading the map. Rogue is enjoying every minute on Serpent's Fang with no motion sickness with Frosch. Kagura and Romeo are lounging a bit. Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Sherria are watching the dolphins swimming near the ship. 

"So pretty," Wendy enjoys watching the dolphins swim. 

"It's not every day you see dolphins," Sherria said with love. 

"Enjoy the scenery while you can," Carla said. 

Yukino is reading the map accordingly, instructing Lyon when to make a turn. "In about 150 miles North, sail to the right." 

"Understood, Yukino," Lyon continues to steer the Serpent's Fang. 

Spike decides to observe the cannons mounted on Serpent's Fang. "Wow, these cannons are cool." 

"I think so too," Frosch is near Spike. 

"These cannons create self-regenerative lacrima cannonballs. It is impressive," Rogue said. 

"I wonder how Popeye managed to get these cannons," Spike ponders the endless possibilities. 

"Buying may be out of his element. Perhaps some spinach-eating contests or helping Mark Anthony with several jobs in the sea." 

"I'm going with that answer, Rogue."

"Also, I want to apologize to you for my remarks at you during the Grand Magic Games. I was a different man back then." 

"I forgive you, no hard feelings whatsoever. I'm looking forward to fighting against the pirates with you."

"The feeling is mutual, Fairy Dragon." 

"I think so too," Frosch concurs. "Look at the fishies," Frosch sees a dolphin hopping out of the waters for a second. It's all it takes to make Frosch run after it. 

"Frosch, no!" Rogue goes after Frosch and grabs him before he falls overboard. 

"Sorry.., I wanted is to play with the fishie," Frosch sniffs. 

"Frosch, we're on a sailor ship, not the aquarium. You have to be more careful and mindful, okay?" Rogue nurturing says. 

"Okay," Frosch sniffs. 

"Want some candy?" Rogue asks. 

"There's candy!" Frosch smiles, instantly forgetting why he's crying. 

"There is," Rogue carries Frosch to the lower deck where the kitchen is. 

"Incoming wave!" Lyon warns while seeing a wave that can potentially do some damage. "Yukino, take the map inside the ship!" 

"Right," Yukino goes to the lower deck. 

"I got this," Wendy steadies herself. "Sky Dragon! Rooooooooooar!"  Wendy unleashes her windy breath at the upcoming wave. 

"Not alone, you're not! Sky God! Belloooooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her divine windy breath at the upcoming wave. 

The two breath attacks become one, hitting the upcoming wave and disrupting the path. By doing so, the Serpent's Fang shifts a bit, causing Wendy and Sherria to lose balance and fall off the Serpent's Fang. 

"Wendy!" Carla shouts in fear. 

"Sherria!" Lyon shouts in fear. 

"I got them!" Spike and Kagura dive into the waters. 

Wendy and Sherria have a little difficulty adjusting underwater due to their combined breath attack. Their wind breath caused many ripples and movements in the sea. Kagura grabs Wendy while Spike grabs Sherria. The two swim to the surface, gasping for air. 

"Kagura, you go first," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Kagura and Wendy on Serpent's Fang. Spike takes a second to catch his breath and uses his fire breath to teleport himself and Sherria on Serpent's Fang. 

Kagura is doing CPR on Wendy. Wendy wasn't breathing after Spike teleported Kagura and her first. Spike does the same thing for Sherria after taking a second to look and see her not breathing. 

"Wendy..," Carla is worried sick about Wendy. After Kagura does mouth-to-mouth, Wendy coughs water and coughs hard. "Wendy!" Carla said in tears of joy and hugs Wendy. 

"Thank you for doing that," Wendy said with gratitude. 

"What are friends for?" Kagura replies. 

Wendy turns to see Sherria unresponsive and becomes worried. Spike continues to do CPR on Sherria. Spike does mouth-to-mouth when Sherria grabs Spike's head and kisses him during the mouth-to-mouth, thinking it's Lyon. Spike wasn't anticipating that while Sherria continues to kiss him. 

"My hero," Sherria smiles. Then she gasps when she sees that Spike wasn't Lyon. 

Spike pants a bit and becomes worried that Wendy may see him as a cheater. Spike turns to Wendy, expecting the worse. 

"Sherria, not cool," Wendy is upset with Sherria. 

Sherria nervously giggles. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. It was the perfect setting. I kinda wish it was Lyon, but he's still in control of steering Serpent's Fang." 

Spike sigh in relief when Wendy understood Sherria's game. He dodges a major misunderstanding bullet that, at other times, can ruin a relationship. 

"Well, I'm glad everyone is alright," Lyon said, checking on Sherria and Wendy. "Perhaps combining Sky Wind attacks is considered unnecessary." 

"Agreed," Sherria and Wendy said in unison. 

Lyon helps Sherria up. "Be more careful next time. I better get us back on course," Lyon walks back to the steering wheel of Serpent's Fang. 

"Wendy, are you-" Wendy interrupts Spike's speech by kissing him. She wants Sherria to know that Spike is her dragon and hers only. 

"I'm better, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

Spike smiles widely after the kiss. It was heavenly for him. "That was awesome, Wendy." 

"There, now you can forget what happened a moment ago." 

"Thanks, Wendy." 

"Anytime," Wendy smiles. 

"Sorry about the kissing. I honestly thought it was Lyon," Sherria said apologetically. 

"I forgive you, Sherria. I have to admit that's a clever tactic but, be sure you feel who's giving you mouth-to-mouth." 

"I will for next time," Sherria replies.

Yukino comes back up with the map. She stands beside Lyon after hearing everyone is doing okay. Wendy, Carla, and Sherria decide to sit down and relax a bit. Romeo walks up to Spike. 

"Hey, Spike. Want to do some training?" 

"Sure," Spike nods. 

"Hand-to-claw training. I don't think it'll be wise to use magic on our only mode of transportation," Romeo stations himself. 

"Agreed," Spike stations himself. 

Spike and Romeo start throwing punches and kicks at each other. Rogue and Frosch come back to the upper decks with some candy; Frosch is licking on a carnival lollipop. 

"Hey, what did we miss?" Rogue asks. 

"Two Sky Sisters fell overboard, and Spike and I saved them from nearly drowning. Right now, Wendy and Sherria are relaxing with Carla, Spike and Romeo are doing hand-to-claw training. I'm thinking about doing some meditation to concentrate on my magic power," Kagura answers. 

"Yukino helping Lyon?" Rogue asks. 

"Yes, they're steering us in the right direction after getting sidetracked," Kagura goes to the lower decks on the ship to find a quiet place and meditate. 

"Rogue, are you okay?" Frosch asks. 

"I'm fine, Frosch. There's no need to worry about me." 

While Lyon steers Serpent's Fang, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Erza, and Gray return to the guildhall in Magnolia. Natsu and Gray are highly upset about not going with Spike, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla on the pirate mission. Lucy is glad Erza did the right thing of letting them go and grow together as friends. 

"Hey, have any of you seen my son, Romeo?" Macao frantically asks. During the past few hours, no one in the guildhall knows where Romeo is. Mirajane is with Lisanna and Elfman on a job.  

"Yeah, I've seen where Romeo went," Natsu said. 

"Zip it, Natsu," Erza commands. 

"Don't zip it, tell me! Tell me right now!" Macao demands. 

"We can't keep secrets, Erza; might as well tell him before things get ugly," Gray suggests. 

Erza and Lucy sigh heavily and relents. They don't want to say where Romeo is but, hiding the truth is not the Fairy Tail way. 

"Romeo is on a small coalition job," Erza said. 

"WHAT!?" Macao shouts angrily. "Who's with Romeo?!"

"As far as I know, Lyon, Sherria, Spike, Wendy, and Carla. We didn't snoop around to see who are the other two guilds that joined the mission," Erza calmly replies. 

Macao sighs heavily. "I'm going to give that boy a beating when he returns." 

"So, what was the job offer for the small coalition about?" Wakaba asks. 

"Retrieving a ship that pirates stole," Natsu answers. 

"Wait, hold on. I remember reading the news a while back ago. This was weeks before you guys came back to the guild," Warren said.  

"Yea, the pirates are actually a magic pirate guild not affiliated with the Magic Council," Max Alors said. 

"A pirate guild?" Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy said in unison. 

"Yea," Kinana said. "They are known as the Seven Deadly Sins." 

"Whoa, that gave me bad vibes..," Lucy cringes a bit. 

"That sounds similar to the Seven Kin of Purgatory," Happy states. 

"They're supposed to be stronger than the Seven Kin of Purgatory," Reedus said while drawing a portrait of Freed Justine with his sword. 

"I heard about the Seven Deadly Sins, and no guild in Fiore will go after them. They reside in the seas, and they are efficient with their magic skills. I remember reading a news article about picking up three new members into their guild after three perished by the hands of Captain Sparrow," Warren said. 

"Something feels weird," Gray said. 

"Like what?" Natsu asks. 

"For once, I don't feel like I'm getting stalked by you-know-who," Gray refers to Juvia. 

"Juvia and Gajeel went on a job by the waters of the sea. A sinister creature is creating havoc and fear upon people. Claiming that he's King of the Waters." 

"No skin off my bones," Gray sits at a table and relaxes. "I'm going to enjoy the peace and quiet while she's gone." 

Macao is highly upset that Romeo is going after the Seven Deadly Sins. He turns to Erza. "Please, go after my boy and bring him home. Please," Macao is on his knees, pleading that Erza saves Romeo. 

"I understand the heartache. However, this is a test for you as a father. Let your kid grow up into a young man to take on many challenges in life. I assure you that Romeo will return to the guildhall. You watch." 

Macao gets up after hearing Erza's response. He is not happy with the decision that Erza is indicating. Macao knows that Erza will not go to bring Romeo back home. Now, what Erza did say is true about letting Romeo grow and experience the life of a Fairy Tail Wizard. He sighs heavily and accepts the challenge. 

"If my boy doesn't return in a week, I'm going to search for him," Macao said. 

"That's fair," Erza said. "Have faith in Romeo. Have faith for him to succeed on a big mission like this."

"I will," For Macao, this is a hard pill to swallow. 

It's now 3:30 in the afternoon. Lyon continues to steer Serpent's Fang in the right direction. The solar navigation system is showing that the Serpent's Fang is still heading North. Only 90 miles left to travel before changing direction. Romeo and Spike stop training. They trained in close quarters combat for two hours now.  

"That was a good workout, Spike," Romeo said. 

"It was. Man, you know how to throw your punches," Spike compliments Romeo's fighting techniques. 

"Thanks. You hit hard though," Romeo compliments Spike's strength. 

"Well, we did train before the Grand Magic Games. It's still an improvement but, I still need to get stronger to one day slay Acnologia. So far, only Fairy Demon Dragon can perhaps pose a threat but, it's hard for me to tap into." 

"Why you say that, Spike?" Romeo asks. 

"For the longest, I carried the hatred of my former friends in Equestria. With the burden uplifted, I no longer feel that hatred I once have. With that said, Fairy Demon Dragon is now harder for me to tap into." 

"I understand. Plus, you have a ton of love from friends and family in Fairy Tail." 

"Exactly. Plus, I have another sister in my family. Kagura. However, I still owe her a real fight so, I'm planning on doing so after the coalition job." 

"Now that's a fight I want to see. Also, you have a rematch to give to a Wizard Saint." 

"Jura. Don't worry about that. I'm planning for the right day to grant Jura a rematch," Spike's stomach growls. 

"Hungry?" Romeo asks. 

"Yea, considering that I skipped breakfast," Spike starts heading towards the lower deck. "Anyone hungry?" Spike shouts to everyone on Serpent's Fang. 

"I am," Lyon said. 

"Same with me," Yukino replies. 

"I can eat," Romeo said. 

"Same with me," Wendy said. 

"I concur," Carla said. 

"Me too," Sherria replies. 

"Yea, I haven't eaten since breakfast," Rogue said. 

"Me too," Frosch said. 

"Alright, I'll be cooking. I'll let you know when it's ready," Spike goes to the lower deck. 

Kagura overhears Spike and stops meditating. She goes to the kitchen and sees Spike putting on an apron. "Need help, Spike?" 

"I got this, Sis. Thanks," Spike smiles. 

Hearing Spike calling her Sis puts a smile on Kagura's face. "Are you sure? I don't mind helping." 

"Don't worry. I have a passion for cooking, and this is what I want to do for my friends and family." 

"Alright. Well, I'm going to help anyway. You won't be doing this alone," Kagura said. 

Spike chuckles. "Very well. Let's begin," Spike puts a chef's hat on. 

Spike and Kagura start cooking in the kitchen. The two are having fun making spaghetti with meatballs, chicken, and broccoli, and two banana pies. The two are having fun, bonding together in the kitchen. For Kagura, it feels like being in Rosemary Village with Simon all over again. The two would do all sorts of things together in their home. 

After spending two hours in the kitchen, Spike and Kagura finished making the entrees. Kagura looks at Spike and hugs him.  

"That was fun, Simon." 

"Uh, you mean Spike, right?" 

During the two hours of cooking, Kagura imagines Spike as being Simon. She blinks a few times to wake herself up from the dimension she put herself through. 

"Yes," Kagura recomposes herself. "I meant to say, Spike. My apologies. Spending this much time with you reminded me of my time with Simon. We would do all sorts of things together like family. It may take some time to readjust my mindset whenever I'm with you. It's been too long since I been close to someone I call brother." 

"I understand. Take all the time you need as well," Spike gives Kagura a reassuring smile. 

"Thank you," Kagura smiles. 

"Get everyone to the table while I set up the table." 

"I will," Kagura goes to the upper deck while Spike starts putting plates and cups around the table in the dining room of Serpent's Fang. "Hey, everyone. Supper's ready. Come on down," Kagura announces. 

"Finally," Sherria gets up after sunbathing. 

"I wonder what Spike made," Wendy gets up while carrying Carla in her arms. 

"Let's go, Frosch," Rogue picks up Frosch. 

"Romeo, drop the anchor!" Lyon commands. 

"Right away, Captain Lyon," Romeo drops the anchor, parking Serpent's Fang. The waters are calm and won't be rocking the ship. 

"Man, I can use a break," Lyon stretches a bit. 

"I wonder what Spike made," Yukino takes the map and goes to the lower deck. 

Lyon and Romeo follow Yukino to the dining room of Serpent's Fang. The dining room is decorated with many trophies, doubloons on the walls, and mermaid pattern cloth on the table. Everyone takes a seat and waits patiently for the food. Kagura comes to the dining room with two pitchers of apple and grape juice and places them on the table. Kagura returns to the kitchen and helps Spike bringing a tray of food. Kagura brings a large tray filled with chicken and broccoli, while Spike brings a large tray of spaghetti and meatballs. 

"Thanks for the assist, Sis," Spike graciously said. 

"Anytime, Bro," Kagura replies. 

Everyone at the table sniffs the aroma of Spike's delectable cooking. "Woooow," they say in unison. 

"I have more in case, so help yourself," Spike smiles.  

"For dessert, we baked banana pie," Kagura said. 

"I want the pie first!" Sherria said. 

"Uh uh," Spike shakes his head. "No dessert until you have your meal." 

"Awwwwwwwww...," Sherria pouts. 

Everyone laughs a bit at Sherria's reaction. It feels like a family in the room. Everyone takes turns putting food on their plate. Kagura sits next to Spike and Lyon, while Spike sits next to Kagura and Wendy. Spike doesn't take the first bite; he watches his friends taking the first bite and fall in love with his cooking instantly. 

"Woooow, Spike. This spaghetti is delicious. The sauce is marinated nicely," Lyon said. 

"I have to say the meatball is delicious. The spaghetti is awesome," Rogue said. 

"I think so too," Frosch is in love with the food on his plate. 

"Dude, this is awesome. I'm not a veggie eater but, the broccoli is delicious," Sherria said. 

"The chicken is amazing," Romeo said. 

"Well, I had help in the kitchen. Thank Kagura as well," Spike said. 

"Oh, you," Kagura slightly blushes now that everyone around is giving her credit and praise. "I will say, Spike, the spaghetti is delicious. How did you learn how to cook like this?" 

"Well, remember that Twilight Sparkle I obliterated during Day 4 of the Grand Magic Games?" 

Wendy cringes a bit hearing the name. Carla covers her ears a little, hoping to forget that girl for traumatizing Spike for many years of his life. Yukino can only imagine the horrors Spike went through. Lyon remembers the story of Twilight from Fairy Tail during the seven years they spent searching for Tenrou Island after asking how did Fairy Tail find Spike. Sherria shudders a bit after hearing the name. Romeo gets angry and imagines beating the stuffing out of Twilight Sparkle. Frosch doesn't understand who Twilight Sparkle is, and Kagura sighs a little. 

"Judging from your reactions, you know who I'm referring to, anyway. I used to live with Twilight Sparkle at the Golden Oak Library then the Castle of Friendship."

Romeo coughs. "Fiendship!"  

"Well, I used to cook for Twilight daily, and at the time before things got worse for me, I enjoyed cooking many dishes for her and sometimes her friends when they came over. I made sure my cooking came out perfectly to melt their tastebuds. Cooking was my solace to find happiness in what I can do as time went by."

"Wow," Is all everyone at the table can mutter. 

Spike sighs a bit. "I've gone through so much in Equestria, and now, I'm living my best life here in Earth Land. The best part is that I now know that I originated here and not in Equestria." 

"Say what?!" Lyon, Kagura, and Rogue shout. They are in shock. 

"Oh, that's right. We didn't tell you about what Zirconis told us after the games," Carla said. 

"I completely forgot that Zirconis is Spike's Uncle after eavesdropping on the conversation," Yukino said. 

"Long story short, Zirconis is Spike's Uncle, and some dragons tried to preserve the young. Unfortunately, when the dragons used the Eclipse Gate, The Infinity Clock rang, and the dragon eggs went Equestria," Wendy explains. 

"You mean that Jade dragon you mentioned to me during the party was Spike's Uncle?" Sherria asks. 

"Yep. You overheard Lucy mentioning if Spike was at peace," Wendy said. 

"Oh yea, after I questioned him about his clothes," Sherria slightly chuckles. 

"To be honest, I wasn't bothered by it. You were hiding your private, and I've seen you in the nude before," Lyon said. 

"Ditto," Rogue said. "My dragon never wore clothes, so seeing one is kinda creepy." 

"Thanks for being honest," Spike said. 

"Anytime," Lyon and Rogue say in unison. 

Everyone starts eating and enjoys each other's company. Spike and Kagura continue to receive credit and praise for their delicious cooking. Spike goes to the kitchen to bring two banana pies to the table. Everyone except for Spike and Kagura is in awe after taking their bite. Once again, Kagura and Spike receive praise for the dessert. 

It's now 7:00 at night. Spike and Kagura are cleaning dishes together in the kitchen. Lyon decides to start sailing a bit more before calling it a night. Yukino brings the map and walks with Lyon. Wendy, Sherria, Romeo, and Carla decide to play a board game in the lounge room. Rogue and Frosch go to the sleeping quarters and rest on the bunk bed. 

"Alright, let's get moving," Lyon raises the anchor. He then goes to the steering wheel and sails the ship. 

"How long you want to sail Serpent's Fang?" Yukino asks. 

"Two, three more hours before I call it a night. Krack's Riverine is a long travel," Lyon answers. 

"Alright then," Yukino looks at the stars in the sky. "Such a beautiful night, huh?" 

"Yea, I bet Juvia would have loved this," Lyon is imagining Juvia standing beside him and looking at the stars in the sky. Lyon starts sailing Serpent's Fang. 

"Thanks for the help, Sis," Spike said after finishing drying the last plate and puts it away. 

"You're welcome, Spike. I'm happy to help anytime," Kagura finishes drying the cup and puts it away.

Spike goes to the lounge room when he notices Popeye's office. He goes in and sees his files and journal. "This looks promising," Spike reads Popeye's journal. It dates all sorts of events and battles between him and Captain Sparrow versus the Seven Deadly Sins.

Kagura decides to go to the sleeping quarters and gets comfortable on a bunk bed. She closes her eyes, remembering the days with Simon at Rosemary Village. She also imagines what she and Spike can do on the ship as siblings. 

An hour later. Lyon continues to sail the ship when he and everyone on board feel a thump on the right side of Serpent's Fang. Yukino looks down on the right side of Serpent's Fang to see what hit the ship. 

"Hey! Anyone up there?!" 

"That sounds like," Lyon runs over to look down at the right side of Serpent's Fang. "Juvia?" Lyon is in shock. 

Juvia is on a canoe with Gajeel. Gajeel is suffering from motion sickness. The two are tattered and bruised from what looks like to be a gruesome attack. 

"Lyon! Yukino! We need help!" Juvia pleas. 

Spike, Wendy, Sherria, Kagura, Rogue, Carla, Frosch, and Romeo come to the upper deck to see what's going on. They look down to see Juvia heavily bruised while Gajeel suffers from motion sickness. 

"I'm coming," Spike flaps his wings and hovers down to Juvia and Gajeel." 

"Spike, thank heavens you're here. What are you doing here in the seas?" Juvia asks. 

"I can ask you the same thing, but first," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Juvia and Gajeel to the upper deck of Serpent's Fang. He flies up while Wendy and Sherria are using their healing magic on Juvia and Gajeel. 

"Man.., this blows," Gajeel's motion sickness is getting the better of him. 

"Here, take this," Rogue pops a pill in Gajeel's mouth. He swallows it feeling much better. 

"Wow! My stomach is no longer queasy!" Gajeel said in delight. "What was the pill, Rogue?" 

"Motion Relieve. The medicine uplifts motion sickness for 48 hours." 

"48 hours!" Gajeel said in shock. 

"Yes. So, mind telling us why you and your friend were drifting in the sea?" 

"Yea. Why were you two tattered and bruised?" Carla asks. 

"We will tell you in a while. First," Juvia's belly growls. "Got anything to eat?" 

"Yea. We have leftovers from Spike's cooking. We'll take you two to the dining room, and you can fill us in on the details," Lyon said, escorting Juvia to the dining room. "Sherria, drop the anchor." 

"Aye aye, Captain Lyon," Sherria drops the anchor. 

"Follow us to the dining room. I'll reheat the food," Spike said. 

"Thanks, bro," Gajeel said. He follows everyone to the dining room of Serpent's Fang.
> Small Coalition Day 1: Explanation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:30 at night. Spike is in the kitchen reheating the food he made earlier. Juvia and Gajeel are sitting at the table in the dining room, feeling defeated at the moment. Everyone else is wondering what went down. 

"What happened to you two?" Lyon asks. 

"What were you doing on a canoe in the first place?" Carla asks. 

Juvia groans a little. "Gajeel and I took a job at Seaport Seashore. All Gajeel and I had to do were stop a mad man from rampaging and terrorizing the town." 

"Sounds easy at first but, this wasn't no mad man. He was something different."

"How so, Gajeel?" Rogue asks.

"When Juvia and I arrived, the streets had pools of blood and limbs torn apart." 

Everyone gasps hearing the story. They wonder what sick person would do such a thing. Spike remembers reading the journal that depicts a member of the Seven Deadly Sins, capable of tearing limbs apart. 

"While we investigated Seasport Seashore for any survivors, we came across the mad man responsible for the carnage," Juvia said. 

"However, this is no ordinary man. He's a shark with a humanoid body. Juvia and I brought the fight to him and were winning but, he had two friends that intervene and beat the lights out of us," Gajeel said. 

"One of them took a strand of my hair and controlled my body like a puppet," Juvia remembers being in all sorts of pain. 

"The other one was so angry his hits were tougher than my steel. He grabbed my Iron Dragon Club and threw me onto a canoe, knowing that I won't come back to fight," Gajeel looks down. 

"The Shark and angry man beat me mercilessly while I was unable to defend myself. I was thrown onto the canoe Gajeel was on and drifted away. I was knocked out at the time until five hours later to see that Gajeel and I were lost in sea."  

"So that's why you and Gajeel were on the canoe," Wendy said in shock. 

"We were ambushed badly," Juvia said. 

"I want a rematch against those scumbags," Gajeel slams his fist on the table a little.

Spike brings two big plates of food for Gajeel and Juvia. "You said a man shark was terrorizing the town, right?" 

"Yes, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel starts eating. 

"I have never been in a fight dominated by those three wizards while feeling incredibly helpless," Juvia said. "I too want a rematch," Juvia starts eating. 

"Why did you ask about the man shark guy anyway?" Gajeel said, talking with his mouth full. 

"I'll be right back," Spike goes to Popeye's office to bring his journal. He grabs the journal from the desk and brings it to the dining room. Spike sees Gajeel and Juvia falling in love with his cooking and continues to eat. "I found Popeye's office, and he left his journal in his office. I've been reading a bit about his encounters, and it depicts some members of the Seven Deadly Sins." 

"It does?" Carla said. 

"What does the journal read, Spike?" Kagura asks. 

"The Seven Deadly Sins go by their actual number of sins; Pride, Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, and Envy. The man shark you spoke of is a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. He goes by the name King Shark." 

"King Shark!" Everyone said in unison. They are in shock. 

"Pride belongs to King Shark. He's proud of who he is and where he comes from." 

"That would explain his repeated statements. The guy kept saying King Shark is a Shark in almost every sentence," Gajeel said. 

"In the journal, there are four confirmed members of the Seven Deadly Sins. Three are new recruits, and there is no documentation of the sort."  

"Who are the remaining members of the Seven Deadly Sins, Spike?" Yukino asks. 

"Wrath belongs to Raphael. The angrier he becomes, the stronger he is. Raphael is a swordsman and a weapon specialist of all kinds. He likes wearing red." 

"That's the punk that threw me into the canoe, rendering me useless to continue the fight," Gajeel said while eating the chicken and broccoli. 

"Gluttony is a new member, according to Popeye's journal. His name is.., oh my. Kain Hikaru!" 

"No way! One of the Seven Kin of Purgatory is in the Seven Deadly Sins!?" Wendy and Carla said in shock. 

"Wait, that chubby guy that possessed me was part of the Kin?" Juvia asks. 

"No wonder why he has a vendetta on us. We trashed his former guild," Gajeel said. 

"Grimoire Hearts," Spike said, now remembering Bluenote Stinger and Azuma. 

"He even cursed himself and made it harder for us to attack him," Gajeel admits. 

"Who's the last one that Popeye has documented, Spike?" Romeo asks. 

"Envy belongs to Bluto, The Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins. When he sees something he values, his power spikes up immensely. With possessions leading to obsessions. Popeye and Captain Sparrow's Archenemy." 

"Lust, Greed, and Sloth are unknown until we encounter them," Kagura said. 

"Juvia and I want in on your crusade." 

"Of course, we're not going to say no," Lyon said. 

"There is something you need to know first," Carla said. 

Everyone on the ship explains to Gajeel and Juvia their mission for going after the Seven Deadly Sins. Their mission is to retrieve the Black Wing from the Seven Deadly Sins without causing much destruction. 

"You know, I'm glad Salamander isn't on this job; he'll scorch that ship for sure," Gajeel said. 

"That what we said," Romeo and Carla say in unison.  

"So, is there a room for me to crash in?" Gajeel asks.

"The sleeping quarters have bunk beds, so expect a partner either above or below," Rogue answers. 

"Fine by me," Gajeel gets up. 

"Thanks for the food, Spike. It was delicious," Juvia said. 

"You're welcome," Spike takes the dishes and starts cleaning them. 

"I better get some rest," Juvia gets up. 

"I'll show you where you'll be sleeping in, Lyon offers. 

"Uh.., sure," Juvia follows Lyon to the bunk beds. 

"Even though it's earlier, I think I'll go to bed," Romeo said. "I would rather be well-rested than tired if the Seven Deadly Sins make an appearance."

"Good call," Carla said. 

"Okay, I'll go to bed as well," Wendy said. 

"Spike, I'm going to be bunking with Wendy since Lyon has taken Juvia to bunk with." 

"Whaaat?" Spike was hoping to sleep with Wendy. 

"Don't worry, it's only for a short while," Sherria smiles. "C'mon Wendy, let's go," Sherria takes Wendy to one of the bunk beds in the sleeping quarters. 

Spike sighs a little and puts the dishes away. Romeo goes with Yukino to a bunk bed area since Gajeel is with Rogue and Frosch. Kagura is behind Spike. 

"That means you're bunking with me, Spike," Kagura gets Spike's name right. She came close of saying, Simon; again. 

"Yea," Spike nods. 

"We have a long day ahead tomorrow," Kagura said. 

"Before we go to bed. There is one thing I must do," Spike places his claw on the floor and concentrates. 

"What are you doing?" Kagura asks. 

"Casting a protection ring," Spike's claw glows Sparkling Green. "Ring of Defense!" Spike conjures a Sparkling Green defense ring all around Serpent's Fang. The spell will last for ten hours.

"So, we're protected by all things outside of the Serpent's Fang?" Kagura asks. 

"Yes, but only ten hours. I'm still studying this spell and other usages," Spike answers. 

"That's cool, Spike," Kagura smiles. "Let's go." 

Spike and Kagura go to their bunk beds. Spike goes to the top of the bunk bed while Kagura lays down on the lower bed. 

"Wow, this brings back memories," Kagura said while taking off her boots. 

"How so?" Spike asks Kagura. 

"My brother and I shared bunk beds. He would go on the top while I lay on the bottom," Kagura sadly sighs. "I miss my brother." 

"Still, sorry for your loss," Spike sincerely said. 

"Thanks," Kagura sighs again. "Spending time with you helps me overcome the sadness that's left in my heart so, I want to say thank you for helping me in a way."

"You're welcome. Plus, tomorrow is another day, and we'll definitely hang out as much as possible before the fight comes." 

"Yea," Kagura smiles a bit. "Night, Spike." 

"Night, Sis. See you tomorrow." 

Kagura sheds some tears but keeps herself calm. She goes to sleep.
> Small Coalition Day 2: Ambush
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 7:30 in the morning. Spike wakes and remembers he's sleeping on a bunk bed. Spike's routine is to say morning to Lucy and get ready. 

"Morning, Spike," Kagura gets up. "Hope you don't mind me using the bathroom first." 

"Go ahead, I can wait," Spike said. 

"Thanks," Kagura leaves the room. 

"I wonder if today's the day we go into Krack's Riverine," Spike looks out the window. 

Lyon grabs an apple from the cabinet and goes to the upper deck. He raises the anchor and starts sailing. 

"Now, that was pleasant. I had Juvia sleeping in the same room as I. I have to play it smart and try to convince her I'm the better man than Gray."

Yukino comes up with the map and stands beside Lyon. "Last we check before Juvia and Gajeel came aboard, we're halfway through. After 75 miles in the sea heading North, we need to turn right. After making the turn, 200 miles until we reach Krack's Riverine." 

Lyon takes a deep breath. "Such a long trip. Hopefully, things go smoothly, or the Seven Deadly Sins come to us." 

"I hope so, save us the trouble of going into Krack's Riverine," Yukino said. 

Juvia gets up and remembers the beating she had yesterday from three members of the Seven Deadly Sins. She feels the brutal attacks replaying in her mind and reacting to them. Juvia sighs heavily. "That won't happen a second time," Juvia goes to the bathroom and tries to open it. She groans, knowing it's occupied.

Wendy, Sherria, and Carla wake up. They feel great after having a goodnight's rest. 

"Morning, Wendy," Sherria hops down from the top bunk bed.

"Morning, Sherria," Wendy yawns a bit and gets up. 

"I wonder what today may bring," Sherria said with love. 

"Anything can happen. I hope the Seven Deadly Sins come to us so we can beat them up and reclaim Captain Sparrow's ship," Wendy said. 

"I hope so too," Sherria said. Her stomach growls. "Oh, I hope Spike is making breakfast!" Sherria hurries to the dining room, hoping to see breakfast already made. 

"And there she goes," Carla said. 

"Well, Spike's cooking was delicious yesterday," Wendy grabs Carla and goes to the dining room to catch up to Sherria.

"Kagura also helped, child," Carla said, reminding that Kagura helped with yesterday's meal. 

"You're right," Wendy said. 

"Awwwww..," Sherria is disappointed with no breakfast in the dining room. 

"I guess Spike isn't up or doesn't feel like cooking breakfast today," Wendy assumes. 

"Well, let's eat some cereal and fruit. There's plenty of that." 

"Okay," Sherria and Wendy said. 

Gajeel wakes up after having a good sleep. He flexes his hand, remembering the fight he had with Raphael. Raphael uses Sais to penetrate most of his Iron Sword and Club attacks and maneuvering his movements to swing Gajeel like a ragdoll. 

"Damn, that guy was tough," Gajeel turns his arm into an iron club. "Well, I'm glad the cracks and scratches are gone. I need Fairy Dragon's iron to keep me going," Gajeel gets up, looking for Spike. 

Rogue and Frosch wake up. Frosch falls off the top bunk, but Rogue catches him. 

"Gotcha, buddy," Rogue sits up. 

"Thanks, Rogue," Frosch smiles. 

"Remember, we have the top bunk. That means you need to be a bit more careful." 

"Okay," Frosch looks at Rogue. "I'm hungry." 

"Alright, let's see what we can eat," Rogue hops down from the top bunk and brings Frosch to the kitchen. He sees Sherria, Wendy, and Carla having cornflakes. "Are there extra cornflakes to eat?" 

"Yea," Wendy answers. "We opened a new box, so help yourself." 

"Want some cornflakes, Frosch?" 

"Yes, please," Frosch rubs his belly. 

"Coming up," Rogue places Frosch on a chair. "I'm going to grab you a bowl and milk. I'll be right back, buddy." 

Romeo wakes up feeling hungry. He hops down from the top bunk and goes to the dining room. "So, what's for breakfast? Did Spike cook?" 

"Uh uh," Sherria and Wendy shake their heads. 

"Spike isn't up yet. Want cereal?" Carla asks. 

"Sure, let me grab a bowl," Romeo goes to the kitchen. "Hey, Rogue." 

"Hey, Romeo," Rogue grabs a bowl for him and Frosch. 

"Are there extra bowls?" Romeo asks. 

"Take mine," Rogue gives Romeo his. "I'll grab another one." 

"Thanks," Romeo goes back to the dining room. 

"You're welcome," Rogue grabs another bowl and walks back to the dining room. 

"Man, I wish Spike cooked breakfast," Sherria complains a little while eating her bowl. 

"Perhaps Spike will cook again later today, Sherria," Wendy said, calming Sherria down. 

"I hope so," Sherria sees Gajeel heading towards Spike's room and knocks on the door. 

"Fairy Dragon, are you awake?" Gajeel asks. 

"Yea," Spike hops down from the top bunk and opens the door. "I was up a while ago. I was looking out the window." 

"Oh, c'mon!" Sherria overhears Spike's conversation. 

"Mind conjuring some iron? I need to replenish my magic power from yesterday's beating to get stronger." 

"Sure," Spike conjures a metallic shield for Gajeel to eat. 

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel takes a bite out of the shield. "Man, this iron is still good," Gajeel continues to eat. 

"You're welcome," Spike goes to the kitchen and opens the fridge. He grabs an apple and banana. "This'll do," Spike sits with his friends in the dining room. "Morning, everyone." 

"Morning, Spike," Sherria, Wendy, Carla, Romeo, Frosch, and Rogue say. 

Kagura comes out of the bathroom after freshening up for the day. Juvia finally goes in after waiting a while. Kagura goes to the table and sits next to Spike and Romeo. 

"I gotta give credit to Popeye. He knows how to install a great bathroom that meets all demands." 

"Good to know, Sis," Spike said, taking a bite out of an apple. 

"Spike, would you like to train a bit?" Kagura asks. 

"Sure. I don't see why not." 

"We should all train while trying not to wreck Serpent's Fang," Carla suggests. 

"Agreed," Rogue said. "Using magic should be for a different exercise." 

"Like fishing?" Frosch raises his paw, suggesting to use magic to kill some fish to eat. 

"Interesting intake, Frosch," Carla said. 

"However, I think the use of Sky Magic should be forbidden," Romeo said. 

"What?" Sherria and Wendy don't like the sound of it. 

"Well, considering it was your sky magic to cause you two to fall overboard yesterday," Kagura said. 

"Ah, point taken," Wendy and Sherria said in defeat. 

"The two of you should do hand-to-hand close quarters training. Strength in magic power is one thing, but physical strength is another," Carla said. "You two are perfect for each other." 

"Sounds like fun," Sherria said. She sounds ecstatic. 

"Yea, it should be fun. Just like the games all over again," Wendy said encouragingly. 

Kagura gets up and goes to the kitchen. She grabs a granola bar and eats it. She goes to her room to grab her sword and goes to the upper deck. 

It's 9:00 in the morning. Lyon has sailed 25 miles due to the strong winds pushing forward.

"Another 50 more, and I'll make that turn," Lyon said. 

"Yes. I have to say we're making good progress," Yukino said. 

"So, ready to train, Sis?" Spike claps his claws together, creating a metallic flame sword. 

"I'm ready when you are," Kagura positions herself with her Archenemy sword. 

Rogue and Gajeel are training intensely in close-quarter combat. Juvia is watching over Frosch for Rogue. She'll do her training later. Sherria and Wendy are doing their hand-to-hand training. Carla and Romeo are lounging a bit, watching their friends train. 

Spike and Kagura roar a bit while charging at each other. The two slash and dodge each of their attacks. Spike and Kagura land a few good hits on each other while continuing to dodge their sword swings. Spike and Kagura jump back and lunge at each other with a sword strike. Kagura shatters Spike's sword. 

"I guess that concludes our training, Spike," Kagura said after shattering Spike's sword.

"On the contrary, Kagura. I have another surprise," Spike remembers the sword blades from the Dorma Anim fight. He recreates the sword blades on his arm from memory. 

"Whoa," Kagura is surprised. "How did you do that?" 

"Over seven years ago, my friends and I went to Edolas. I fight with Gajeel, Wendy, and Natsu against the King of Edolas and his dragon, Dorma Anim. I grabbed hold of the sword blades and recreated them. There are things I stop doing cause I forget. These two sword blades are one of them that I've forgotten until today." 

Kagura smirks. "Round two, Spike." 

"Let's do it!" Spike shouts. 

While Kagura and Spike continue their training, Sherria and Wendy are having fun with their sparring. The two are throwing punches and kicks while refraining from using their sky magic that'll hinder Serpent's Fang's direction or destruction. Gajeel and Rogue are sparring intensely; the two are going at it like having a rematch from the Grand Magic Games. Gajeel and Rogue made it clear that using their magic should refrain while riding the Serpent's Fang. They don't want to destroy the ship they're sailing in over a spar. 

"Hey, Romeo. Want to train when Gajeel and Rogue finish?" Juvia asks. 

"I would love that. I do need a partner since everyone else is taken," Romeo smiles a bit. Now, he won't be feeling left out. 

After an hour of training, Sherria, Wendy, Kagura, Spike, Rogue, and Gajeel decide to take a break. Juvia and Romeo get up to start their close-quarter training.

"Thanks for watching Frosch for me," Rogue said; he has some bruises on his body. 

"Anytime," Juvia replies. 

"Hey, Rogue. That was good," Gajeel chuckles. 

"So, what was it like fighting King Shark?" Rogue asks. 

"Tough, his strength and durability allowed him to take my iron strikes at ease. I know I can beat him. Just need to exploit his weak points. As for Raphael, now that Fairy Dragon pretty much explained to us, he's stronger when he's pissed. I believe that Kagura girl may be the one to take him out." 

"Why do you say that?" Kagura walks up to Gajeel.

"You're a swordswoman that went toe-to-toe with Titania. I believe you can go toe-to-toe and defeat Raphael. Also, I want that King Shark guy, so he's all yours." 

"Very well," Kagura calmly replies. 

"I'm still curious to know who the other three of the Seven Deadly Sins are," Sherria said. 

"I hope it's not a familiar face," Wendy said. "There are many wizards that want vengeance." 

"So far, Kain Hikaru is the only wizard that'll be seeking vengeance when he finds out we're after his pirate guild," Spike said. 

"Fairy Dragon, you should be the one that takes out Kain Hikaru. He needs a strand of your hair to manipulate your body," Gajeel said. 

"Well, he'll have no luck. I have no hair so, he won't be cursing me. I'll beat him to a pulp for beating you and Juvia up." 

"I wonder who I'll be best at defeating," Sherria ponders a bit. 

"That's easy, Sherria. You are about love, so you'll get to defeat lust of the Seven Deadly Sins," Wendy said. 

"Yea, good point. I hope you'll be by my side, Sky Sister," Sherria winks at Wendy. 

"We'll see. I'm hoping to fight alongside my boyfriend." 

"I don't think that'll work. Considering Spike'll fight the fatty of the Seven Deadly Sins and if he got a strand of your hair, it would be harder for him to attack when Kain can use you as a human shield."

"I guess you're right, Sherria," Wendy sighs a little. 

"No need to be upset, Wendy. There are a lot more things we can do together," Spike tries to cheer up Wendy. 

"That's true. There is so much we can do together," Wendy smiles. 

"Alright, Lyon. Time to make the turn," Yukino said. 

"Right," Lyon steers to the right and sees the birds flying in the opposite direction. 

"Hey, what's with the birds?" Frosch asks. 

"That is puzzling," Carla said. 

"Crap, a storm is coming," Lyon said. 

"How can you tell? The skies are bright blue with no clouds," Yukino said. 

"When birds travel in the opposite direction, it means something is coming," Lyon explains. 

"What if it's the Seven Deadly Sins? Should we be stationed idle until they come or pursue them?" 

Lyon thinks about it a bit. He walks up to his friends to hear their opinions. "Everyone, I need your opinions before making a decision." 

"What is it, Lyon?" Sherria asks Lyon. She's curious to know what's on Lyon's mind. 

"The birds are flying in the opposite direction of where we're going. I believe a storm is among us. However, Yukino believes it could be the Seven Deadly Sins making their way. Should we drop anchor now and wait for the storm to pass or continue onward to see what it is?" 

"Continue onward; I want my rematch against those scumbags," Gajeel said. 

"We won't know what's ahead until we see it for ourselves. I vote we should continue our travel," Carla said. 

"I'm not sure. Spike, can your protection ring protect the ship from a storm?" Wendy asks. 

"It should. A storm can't penetrate my ring of defense unless someone's magic is powerful enough in rendering my spell useless," Spike said. 

"How about we let Fairy Dragon use his spell and continue sailing. If it's a storm, we drop anchor and head inside. If not, get ready rain on their parade," Gajeel said. 

"No harm in seeing what the birds were fleeing from," Rogue said. 

"I think so too," Frosch concurs. 

"Alright then, I'll continue sailing in the direction. Fairy Dragon, produce the ring of defense," Lyon walks back to the steering wheel. 

"Ring of Defense!" Spike places his claw on Serpent's Fang, creating a defense ring around it. "That should do it." 

Lyon sails forward while everyone sees more birds flying away. There is no dark or storm cloud in sight. The waters are getting rougher by the second. Everyone positions themselves, thinking the Seven Deadly Sins are making an entrance. 

It's now 11:30 in the morning. The waters of the sea continue to get rougher by the second. More birds are fleeing in the opposite direction. There are no dark clouds in the sky, so everyone believes it's the Seven Deadly Sins. 

"So, what was the ship that we're not supposed to cripple?" Gajeel asks. 

"Black Wing. It's Captain Sparrow's ship," Spike answers. 

"Incoming wave!" Romeo shouts. 

A tidal wave is on its way to hit Serpent's Fang. It's larger than the one Wendy and Sherria took out yesterday. 

"Girls, let the wave pass. It won't affect the ship," Spike said. 

Wendy and Sherria refrain from using their sky magic against the tidal wave. Gajeel sniffs. 

"Oh crap!" Gajeel shouts. 

"Hahahaha! King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark jumps out of the tidal wave and lands on top of Serpent's Fang. He's wearing a leather jacket and ripped jeans. He's huge and brolic as well. 

"It's him," Juvia scornfully said. 

"Time to settle the score," Gajeel's arm turns into an iron club. 

"King Shark brings friends," King Shark uses his magic to disperse the tidal wave, revealing Black Wing along with the rest of the Seven Deadly Sins." 

Bluto turns to Serpent's Fang from his throne. "Ah, Popeye's Serpent Fang," Bluto is bigger than King Shark but not as ripped. He's physically stronger than he appears to be. Bluto is wearing a black shirt, yellow pants, brown shoes, and a white sailor's cap. On his forearm, he bears an emblem that reads S7N on crossbones; it stands for the Seven Deadly Sins. 

"Hey, it's those Fairy Tail guys I told you about, Sir!" Kain Hikaru points while holding his Mr.Cursy Doll. Kain Hikaru is wearing a red robe-like cape, black shorts, black boots, and a skull bandana on his head. His S7N emblem is on his chest. 

"See those cannons," Bluto points at it. "I want those cannon!" His body is ablaze in a red aura. 

"Yes, Sir. First, let's cripple the ship and kill those fools," Raphael suggests. 

"So be it. Don't destroy the cannons," Bluto commands. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark charges. 

"This guy is mine. Defeat the others!" Gajeel charges at King Shark. "Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel strikes at King Shark.

"King Shark doesn't feel anything!" He takes the hit and doesn't feel Gajeel's iron. He roars and starts fighting Gajeel. 

"Kain, keep them occupied," Bluto commands. 

"Yes, Captain," Kain Hikaru leaps from Black Wing to Serpent's Fang. He already damages the ship by landing on it. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size, matching Kain Hikaru's. He's ripped and brolic, ready to fight.

"All I need is a single hair from you," Kain Hikaru wants Spike's strand. 

"A Dragon?" Bluto sees Spike the Fairy for the first time. He's thinking about having Spike for a pet. It's not often to have a dragon for a pet nowadays. 

Spike lunges at Kain Hikaru. To Kain's surprise, Spike's strength is on par with his. Kain Hikaru ax-chops Spike's back to test the waters. Spike looks up and uppercuts Kain. 

"Firing Cannons!" Raphael fires the laser-guided cannons at Serpent's Fang. 

"Sherria! Use the cannons to intercept with Black Wing's Cannons!" Lyon commands. 

"On it!" Sherria activates Black Wing's cannons. They fire cannonballs that intercept any cannonball fired by Black Wing's cannons. 

"Shadow Dragon Rooooooooar!" Rogue attacks King Shark from behind, stunning him. 

"Why you, little!" King Shark turns to Rogue and tries to punch him. Rogue uses his shadow to move quicker and dodges the punch. 

"Iron Dragon Sword!" Gajeel's arm turns into an iron sword and slashes King Shark's back. 

King Shark groans from the pain. He turns to Gajeel. "King Shark will make a meal out of you!" 

"Setting the cannons on autofire," Raphael activates the autofire sequence on Black Wing. "Come here, you," Raphael takes Cassidy and jumps onto Serpent's Fang; he tries slashing at Spike when Kagura intervenes. 

"You will not harm my brother!" Kagura shouts. 

"Wait, what!" Juvia sees Raphael using a person as a sword.

"Eyes open," A humanized crab jumps into the fray. He looks like Cancer, Lucy's Celestial Spirit, but this crab has crab claws for hands. He tries to chop Juvia, but his attack goes right through. "Huh?" 

"My body is made of water. Your attack is futile," Juvia said. 

"Ice Make! Eagle!" Lyon creates ice eagles to attack the Crab. 

"Money Make! Eagles!" The Crab creates eagles made of silver dollar coins to attack Lyon. 

"What!" Lyon said in shock. The eagles collide and explode, causing two cannons to fall overboard and send some flying. 

"The name is Krabster, punk. I use Money Maker Magic." 

"Money Maker Magic?" Juvia and Lyon said. 

"Why are you using that man for a weapon?" Kagura asks, defending a strike from Raphael. 

"This man is Cassidy. He's Sloth of the Seven Deadly Sins. When he moves slow or doesn't move, he's the strongest among us all. He's invincible and has unbreakable skin." 

Cassidy is a slim man who wears sunglasses and jeans. He's shirtless and doesn't speak much. His S7N emblem is on his left arm. 

Kagura unsheaths her Archenemy sword. She's going to kill two birds with one stone. Kagura and Raphael continue their sword battle left and right. 

"Wendy, let's help our friends," Sherria said. 

"Right, they shouldn't be battling alone," Wendy said. 

Wendy and Sherria decide to help Kagura fight against Raphael and Cassidy. Wendy and Sherria do a unison raid Sky Magic attack. Raphael expected it and use Cassidy to disperse their combined attack. Kagura goes for a blow when Raphael uses one of his Sais to block Kagura's attack in the blink of an eye. Kagura is in shock by Raphael's quick reflexes. 

The cannons from Black Wing continue to shoot at Serpent's Fang. Romeo decides to divert the cannons on Serpent's Fang to hit the cannonballs from Black Wing. Without someone aiming the cannons, it would have target Black Wing and crippling it instead. Yukino is protecting Romeo in the process. Carla and Frosch are taking cover from the carnage. 

"Ugh, this is taking too long!" Bluto is losing his patience. 

"They are biting more than chewing, Captain. I do love a good show," She smiles. 

"What are you waiting for; get in there and take them out! I want those cannons for my ship!" Bluto demands. 

"As you wish, Captain," She sees where to attack. She sees Raphael getting triple-teamed. "I shall separate some opponents from them. I'll love hearing their cries of despair and anguish," She licks her lips and leaps onto Serpent's Fang. 

"Water Slicer!" Juvia unleashes her water slicers at Krabster. 

"Dollar Bill Shield!" Krabster spawns a dollar bill that withstands Juvia's attack. "Coin Grenades!" Krabster throws coins over the dollar bill shield. It explodes on contact, crippling Serpent's Fang a bit. Juvia and Lyon take cover from the explosions. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy conjures her Sky Dragon breath attack. 

"Sky God!" Sherria conjures her Sky God breath attack. 

"Sky Demon!" Sherria and Wendy gasp hearing that. "Deadly Wraaaaaaaaaaaath!" The last member of the Seven Deadly Sins, Lust, unleashes her Sky Demon's breath attack; the breath attack is reddish-black winds. It hurls Wendy off of Serpent's Fang while Sherria stands her ground, nearly falling overboard. "Oh, I love seeing the fear from people's faces," She smiles. 

"Wendy!" Spike turns to see Wendy falling overboard.

Kain Hikaru uses Mr.Cursry to curse himself. He turns himself into steel. "Got you, dummy!" Kain Hikaru low blows Spike, Spike holds his lower parts, and Kain Hikaru punches him off of Serpent's Fang. 

"Spike!" Kagura sees what happens and becomes agitated. She swings her sword at Raphael when Cassidy slowly moves his hand, catching the sword swing.  "What!" Cassidy slowly extends his arm, which causes immense power to push Kagura off of Serpent's Fang. 

Wendy rises to the surface after falling overboard. She sees Spike in a great amount of pain. "Spike!" 

"I may have hidden it, but somehow, he found them," Spike is covering his lower area, feeling immense pain. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" 

"Shut the hell up!" Gajeel uses his Iron Dragon Lance attack, but King Shark grabs Gajeel's spear hand.

"Unhand him!" Rogue attacks King Shark from behind. 

"Okay," King Shark uses Gajeel like a bat and swats Rogue off of Serpent's Fang. The two land in the water. "King Shark is going for a swim," King Shark jumps in the water. 

Kagura rises from the waters, catching her breath. "Spike, can you teleport us back up-" Kagura sees Spike in a great amount of pain. Wendy is trying to heal him. "What happened?" 

"I received a low blow," Spike painfully said. 

Sherria is petrified seeing the person in front of her. 

"Cherry Blendy. Nice to see you turn the tides in this battle," Kain Hikaru said. 

Sherria is in tears. From what her uncle and aunt told her, her mother died after giving birth to her. "Mom...?"

"Aw, look at you; All grown up. I love you, Sherria; I love you to death," Cherry Blendy has red and black hair. She's wearing pink pirate attire while wearing a heart chain medallion. "Sky Demon!" 

"Leave her alone, you monster!" Romeo uses his purple flames to attack Cherry Blendy. The flames do little to her. 

"What are you, her boyfriend? How cute," Cherry Blendy smiles. "Let love be your guide to everlasting pain! Tempest Whirlwind!" Reddish-black winds knock Romeo at ease. Yukino is about to open her gate keys to help her friends get back onto the ship when she gets knocked overboard by Romeo due to Cherry Blendy's attack. 

Carla and Frosch decide to fly and bring their friends back into the fight, but the laser-guided cannons shoot them, knocking them into the waters. 

Bluto chuckles. He's the one that fired the cannon hitting the Exceeds. "Take out the last one and bring me those cannons!" 

"Mom..," Sherria sniffs. 

"No need to cry. I'm sending you to a better place because I love you. Tempest Whirlwind!" Reddish-black winds knock Sherria off of Serpent's Fang. Sherria couldn't react in time to defend herself. 

Lyon sees everyone except for Juvia knocked overboard while fighting Krbaster. "Ice Make! Plat-" Lyon falls overboard when Raphael throws Cassidy at him like a javelin.

"Oh, I still have your hair, missy," Kain Hikaru puts Juvia's hair on his Mr.Cursy and forces Juvia off of Serpent's Fang. 

"Let this be a warning to those that come after the new and improve Seven Deadly Sins!" Bluto gloats after everyone has fallen off of Serpent's Fang. "King Shark, dispose of them." 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark uses his magic to create a tidal wave. 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, Romeo, Gajeel, Juvia, Rogue, Yukino, Frosch, Lyon, Sherria, and Kagura looks up at the tidal wave. They are swept away from Serpent's Fang. Raphael throws Cassidy back onto Black Wing. Raphael, Kain Hikaru, Krabster, King Shark, and Cherry Blendy grab the cannons on Serpent's Fang. Bluto commands his comrades to return to Black Wing so he can sink Serpent's Fang. After a few moments, his comrades return, and Bluto destroys Popeye's prized ship. 

Ten hours later. The tidal wave that King Shark created arrives in Hargeon and floods the town a bit. Popeye, Mark Anthony, and some sailors come out of the Salty Spitoon to see what happened after hearing the flood warning alarms sounding off.   

"The town's flooded but not by much," Mark Anthony said. 

"Popeye," A Sailor calls him. 

"What is it, Sailor?" Popeye asks, coming up to the Sailor. 

Popeye sees Spike, Wendy, Carla, Romeo, Gajeel, Juvia, Rogue, Yukino, Frosch, Lyon, Sherria, and Kagura on the ground. They are coughing a lot. 

"Wait, if they rode on King Shark's tidal wave, how are they alive?" The Sailor asks. 

"I don't know. Even on the wave, I only lasted 10 minutes while holding my breath. Sailors, pick them up and bring them to my home. I have plenty of space for them to rest."

"Yes, Sir!" The Sailors shout and carries everyone to Popeye's home. 

Mark Anthony approaches Popeye. "Sorry that you lost your prized ship, mate." 

"I don't care about the ship. I care more about their lives," Popeye said. "I can always build a better, stronger ship than the last. Let's get those kids patched up first; then, we'll hear their tale." 

Mark Anthony follows Popeye to his home. When they enter, they see the sailors putting them in beds. The Sailors say that they put them to sleep. They'll feel better the next day. Popeye and Mark Anthony stay and watch over while the Sailors go back to the Salty Spitoon to drink.
> Small Coalition Day 3: Recovery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:30 in the morning in the town of Hargeon. Spike wakes up after having a nightmare about drowning in the open sea. He looks around, panting, and sees his friends sleeping in their beds. 

"What happened?" Spike gets up, thinking he's still on Serpent's Fang. 

"Hold it there, Sailor," Popeye comes in with a tray of spinach rolls and water. 

"Popeye? Then that means..," Spike groans a little. "Hey, wait a minute! How did we end up back in Hargeon?!" Spike exclaims. 

"Calm down, Sailor. Here," Popeye gives Spike a glass of water. "Drink this and relax." 

Spike drinks the cup of water and relaxes a bit. Spike remembers the ambush and how each member of the Seven Deadly Sins beat each of his friends. Spike remembers the low-blow attack that rendered him defenseless. 

"How are my friends doing?" Spike asks. 

"Well, they're doing well, Sailor. Mind telling me what went down? I know Serpent's Fang has sunk." 

Spike takes a deep breath. Wendy and Sherria wake up feeling a bit woozy from yesterday's tidal wave ride. 

"My head hurts," Sherria has a headache. 

"My head feels like it's spinning continuously," Wendy said, holding onto her head. 

Carla wakes up feeling some back pain. "Ow..," Carla flinches when she stretches. She feels sore. "Those cannonballs hurt." 

"Ouchie..," Frosch feels the same pain as Carla when he woke up. 

Rogue wakes up. "Damn, that Shark guy is strong," Rogue remembers King Shark using Gajeel like a bat, playing baseball. 

"That's twice he's beaten me," Gajeel is pissed off after waking up. 

Kagura wakes up. She's angry that she lost to Raphael while using Cassidy as his weapon of choice. "I will get retribution from those two," Kagura balls her fist. 

Romeo wakes up. He feels sore from the attack Cherry Blendy used and colliding with Yukino. "My body hurts," Romeo stretches a bit. 

"I feel dizzy," Yukino said as she's waking up. 

Juvia wakes up feeling humiliated. Kain Hikaru controlled her body like a puppet a second time after having difficulties battling Krabster. Juvia covers her face with her hands in shame. 

Lyon wakes up feeling dizzy and sore. "Man, what happened?" Lyon gets up and stumbles a bit. "Okay, I need to sit," Lyon sits back down on the bed. 

Mark Anthony comes in to check on everyone. "Seems the lads and lassies are awake." 

"They're lucky to be alive, Captain Sparrow," Popeye said. 

"Question is, how did we end up back in Hargeon?" Kagura asks. 

"I can explain that."

"Fairy Rage? What did you do?" Romeo asks. 

"Please, explain," Wendy politely asks. 

"After everyone was overboard and King Shark unleashed his tidal wave, I took control of Spike and cast the Ring of Defense spell at the last moment. Instead of us drowning, we coughed and gagged on the ride back to Hargeon."

"You saved us..," Kagura is speechless. 

"Whoa," Lyon is in shock. 

"That explains why all of us didn't die," Rogue said. 

"Why did we ended up in Hargeon instead of elsewhere?" Carla asks. 

"Bluto. He wanted to make a statement that he and his crew are not to be trifled with. I can assume that the new members of the Seven Deadly Sins are the most feared and vicious ones of the group," Popeye said. 

Sherria starts shedding tears. She remembers that her mother is a member of the Seven Deadly Sins, and she's a Sky Demon.

"Sherria, are you okay?" Wendy asks. 

"No.., my mother is a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. I was told she died conceiving me. Something doesn't make sense. Also, I'm not sure if I can defeat my own mother..," 

"Sorry about Serpent's Fang. We lost the ship," Lyon apologizes to Popeye. 

"I'm more concerned about you Sailors than my ship; no need to apologize. I'm happy to know you guys and gals are alright. Now, who are the newer sins of the Seven Deadly Sins?" 

"Lust..," Sherria wipes her tears. "My mother.., Cherry Blendy..," Sherria cries and goes to a different room. 

"I'll go check on Sherria," Romeo and Wendy go after Sherria. 

"Cassidy is Sloth of the Seven Deadly Sins. His slow movements seem weak at first glance but are incredibly strong. He's invincible and unbreakable skin. My sword couldn't scathe him."

"I've seen what your sword can do. I've seen it on the lacrima vision when you and Erza took down Minerva together," Popeye said. 

"Kain Hikaru is Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins. He is fat but, he uses a cursed doll to alter anyone's body and force it to stay still, inflict pain or gain strength in a twisted way. He was a member of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. Natsu and Lucy defeated him in battle," Juvia said. 

"So, have you lads and lassies read Popeye's journal?" Mark Anthony asks. 

"I have. We know what King Shark, Rapahel, Bluto, and Krabster can do," Spike answers. 

"They took your cannons, Popeye," Carla said. 

"One more question. Have you kids ate spinach?" Popeye asks everyone in the room. They all shake their heads. "Of course. There's a reason why I encouraged you to eat your spinach," Popeye gets up. "As I said, it'll make you stronger. Within my cans of spinach, it enhances your magic power and strength tenfold. That's why Bluto has never defeated me in battle," Popeye chuckles, remembering all the times he dominated Bluto in close-quarters combat and everything else. 

"How are we going after the Seven Deadly Sins?" Spike asks Popeye. 

"Serpent's Fang is one of me prized ships and my baby but, it's not my favorite ship of the Seven Seas. I have one other that puts all the other ships to shame. The only reason why I didn't lend it to you kids is that I retired her." 

"What's it called?" Lyon asks. 

Popeye smirks. "Finich Spinach. It brings fear cause I'm strong to the finich cause I eat my spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!" Popeye blows his pipe twice. 

"Where is Finich Spinach?" Spike asks. 

Popeye smirks. "We're already inside Finich Spinach."

"What!?" Spike, Carla, Kagura, Gajeel, Juvia, Lyon, Frosch, Rogue, and Yukino say in unison. 

"Finich Spinach is my home, but when she goes into the seas, so does my home," Popeye opens a closet to see the engine of his ship. He turns it on, and the alarms in Hargeon sound off. Everyone in Hargeon goes into their homes knowing that Popeye is about to set sail. 

"This is insane! Your home is a ship?!" Gajeel said in shock. 

"That's unheard of," Spike said in shock. 

"You learn something new every day," Popeye said. He pulls a string on the hatch, which reveals the steering wheel of Finich Spinach. "Captain Sparrow, up for one last grand adventure?"

Mark Anthony goes into a spare closet and puts on his pirate attire. It consists of a black Captain's Hat, brown boots, a black jacket, a white shirt, and navy blue pants. He wields one of his prized swords, attached a magic pistol to his boots, a utility belt filled with different gadgets, and a new eyepatch. 

"I am, my old friend. It's time to end this once and for all," Captain Sparrow stands by Popeye. 

"Wait, don't you need your Sailors?" Lyon asks. 

"I have you, kids, on this adventure. My Sailors are not Wizards, and I refuse to drag them into a situation they may not return. As loyal as they are, this is my decision." 

Popeye steers his home from Hargeon. From the people's perspective, it looks like a house floating on water. Popeye knows where the Seven Deadly Sins will go next after taking their desire; to their homeland in the outskirts of Krack's Riverine. 

While Popeye is sailing Finich Spinach, Sherria continues to weep. Romeo and Wendy are doing everything they can to calm Sherria. Romeo takes a second to look out the window and notices something is amiss. 

"Guys! We're moving!" Romeo runs to the window to see the blue seas. 

"What?!" Wendy and Sherria look out the window. They see Hargeon farther away. 

"How is this possible?" Sherria sniffs. 

"I'll be back. I'll ask the guys," Romeo leaves Sherria and Wendy. 

"My mom.., a Sky Demon.., a.., Seven Deadly Sin..," Sherria is still in disbelief. "I can't believe this is happening to me..," Sherria starts crying again. 

Wendy rubs Sherria's back. "I promise you everything will be better." 

"How..? How..?" Sherria turns to Wendy; her eyes are red from the tears she shed. 

"Maybe she's under a bad influence, and you could be the one to set her free," Wendy suggests. "Demons has no shot against a God." 

"I'm a God Slayer, Wendy. Not a God," Sherria corrects Wendy's terminology. 

"Exactly. You have the power of taking a God down, which a God can vanquish Demons. You should have the power to defeat Demons as well, Sherria," Wendy tries to encourage Sherria. 

"I'm.., I'm not sure," Sherria has doubts about her capabilities. "How can I look at my mother in the face and muster enough to take her down..?" 

"Remember when Twilight Sparkle came to the Grand Magic Games?"

"Yes, I remember, but what does Twilight Sparkle has to do with this scenario?" Sherria asks Wendy. 

"She raised Spike but failed as a mother. Spike ended up defeating her after the years of pain and anguish." 

"Wendy, my mom never raised me." 

"Did she abandoned you?" 

Sherria bites her lip a little. "Well, I was told she died conceiving me." 

"You were lied to, Sherria. You were abandoned and neglected by your mother in which she tried to kill you."

Sherria looks down. "What's your point then?"

"She's not your real mother. Who do you call mother throughout your life?" 

"My aunt, Blossom Blendy. However, she passed away years ago. I've been living with my cousin in the Lamia Scale Girl's Dorm." 

"My condolences to your family, Sherria," Wendy said. She understands Sherria's pain a bit more. 

"Wendy, I need some time alone to recover," Sherria stands up. 

"Before you go and cope, remember who you consider family." 

Sherria doesn't say a word and walks to a different room to be alone. Romeo returns to see Popeye and Captain Sparrow looking at the sonar. Everyone else is eating spinach rolls and drinking water. 

"This spinach needs iron for my tasting," Gajeel said. 

"I feel stronger eating this spinach," Kagura said. 

"It's crazy. I need to eat more spinach for the rest of my life," Lyon said. 

"Uh, what the hell is going on? What happened when I went with Wendy and Sherria?" Romeo is as confused as ever. 

"Here, Sailor," Popeye tosses Romeo a spinach roll. "Eat up if you want to be strong as Popeye," Popeye chuckles. 

"Uh, maybe later," Romeo holds onto the spinach roll. 

"Seriously, Romeo. Eat it," Carla said, eating hers. 

"Please explain what is happening," Romeo asks again. 

"So, turns out that Popeye's house is a retired ship of his called Finich Spinach. It's massive, according to him," Spike said, taking a bite out of his spinach roll. 

"You mean to tell me his house is a ship?" Romeo asks. "Please tell me you had your first drink, and you're drunk." 

"Nope, I'm serious," Spike finishes eating his spinach roll. 

"Beneath the house is a platform.  Larger space to attack the Seven Deadly Sins when they attack."

"Whoa," Romeo's eyes beam open in shock. 

"Remember Serpent's Fang, Sailor?" Captain Sparrow asks. 

"Yes, I remember," Romeo answers. 

"My ship is stronger and more durable than Serpent's Fang. In two days, we'll be sailing in Krack's Riverine. You'll get another chance to bring down the Seven Deadly Sins. However, all of you must refrain from attacking Bluto. He's mine. No more chances and no more allowing him to roam free."

"Ours, Popeye. I have a score to settle with him for taking out my brothers." 

"Rogue," Gajeel turns to Rogue. "You and I will take on King Shark." 

"Agreed. Time for retribution," Rogue gets serious. 

"Juvia," Lyon turns to Juvia. "We have unfinished business with Krabster." 

"Agreed," Juvia nods. "By the way, we're partners, not lovers." 

"I-I-I wouldn't think of us being lovers," Lyon stutters in his speech. "Crap! Alright, I'll still need to impress her a bit more. Maybe, just maybe, she'll change her mind and start falling in love with me instead of Gray."

"Yukino, I'll need your help against Raphael," Kagura said. 

"Count me in as well," Romeo said. 

"Very well, Kagura. I shall aid you against Raphael," Yukino said. 

"Kain Hikaru was tough, and he continued to curse himself for an advantage when I threw my punches at him. I may need help in bringing him down."

"I'll fight by your side, Spike," Wendy enters the room after overhearing the conversations. 

"Here you go, Sailor," Popeye tosses Wendy a spinach roll. "Eat up. Spinach will help you get stronger," Popeye flexes his muscles. 

"Thanks," Wendy takes a bite out of the spinach roll. She feels her strength increasing as well as her magic power. "What's in the roll?" 

"Spinach!" Popeye chuckles. 

"Don't question it, Wendy. Eat it," Carla said, still eating hers. 

"Don't let Kain steal a strand of your hair. That's how he'll curse you," Juvia warns Wendy. 

"Spike, can you protection spell repel Mr.Cursy's curse?" 

Spike looks dumbfounded as he should have conjured the spell to do that yesterday during the Seven Deadly Sins confrontation. Spike groans and facepalms himself. "Why haven't I thought of that yesterday?"

"I think it should work. When we're near Black Wing, we should input the spell on everyone." 

"No hair," Popeye removes his sailor hat. 

"That leaves with one other Deadly Sin. Lust. Who'll take on Cherry Blendy?" Yukino asks. 

"I will," Sherria enters the room. 

"Are you sure, Sherria?" Wendy asks. 

"Cherry Blendy is my mother but, she never raised me. My aunt and my uncle did. So did my cousin Sherry. Sherry is my only bloodline, while I have my friends in my family. I'm ready to fight the Sky Demon. Time to show why Demons are afraid of Gods." 

"Here you go, Sailor," Popeye tosses Sherria a spinach roll. 

"Yuck! I hate spinach!" Sherria pulls the spinach roll away from her. 

"Spinach helps you get stronger. Eat it. It's good for you," Popeye advises Sherria to eat her spinach. 

Sherria gags on the idea of eating spinach; she hates the taste of spinach.   "I can't. It's not sweet and tastes bitter." 

"You can do it, Sherria. The same motivation you have for confronting your mom should be the same motivation to eat your spinach," Wendy said. 

"But..," Sherria looks at the spinach roll. 

"Every Sailor eats spinach. Your friends have eaten my spinach. Spinach is good for you, Sailor. It enhances your strength and magic power." 

"It does?" Sherria questions Popeye's claim. 

"Try it and prove me wrong. I dare you," Popeye stares at Sherria. 

"After I take a bite, I want cookies," Sherria said, looking at Popeye. 

"If you eat the spinach, Sherria. I will make my freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies," Spike said. 

Sherria, Kagura, Yukino, Frosch, Romeo, and Lyon's hearts stop beating for a second after hearing the name of that cookie. 

"It's the cookie to die for," Wendy said, remembering the taste of the cookie. 

"Seriously?" Sherria turns to Wendy. 

"It's seven years overdue, and those cookies are delicious! If there is only one dessert, it'll be those cookies," Gajeel said. 

"You're moved over on those cookies?" Rogue asks Gajeel. 

"I would die to have another taste of those cookies," Gajeel proclaims. 

"Sherria, those cookies will shame every other cookie you've eaten in your life," Wendy declares. 

"I want one!" Sherria runs up to Spike. "Bake them! Now!" Sherria demands. 

"Up up up, you gotta eat your spinach first before I allow the dragon to bake in me kitchen," Popeye said. 

Sherria licks her lips and knows her body will reject the spinach. Her hand shakes, holding the spinach roll. Sherria takes a bit and covers her mouth, knowing that she wants to spit it out. She struggles chewing on the spinach roll while covering her mouth. After a few seconds, Sherria swallows the spinach roll bite and feels her magic power increasing. 

"Alright, Sailor. You have my permission to bake those cookies in me kitchen." 

"I'm on it. Where is your kitchen?" 

"Two rooms downstairs," Popeye answers. 

"Thanks," Spike looks for the stairs and head down. 

"I hate spinach," Sherria said. 

"You feel your magic power increased, right?" Popeye asks. 

Sherria sighs in defeat. "Yes." 

"Keep eating the spinach, and it'll help you get stronger physically and magically. It's how I grow me spinach," Popeye chuckles. 

"So, what can we do? Is there a training room on this vessel?" Lyon asks. 

"Sparrow. Take them to the lower sections of my ship. There's plenty of space for them to use their magic power and train." 

"Right away. Please follow me," Captain Sparrow slides a door to reveal a hidden staircase. Captain Sparrow takes everyone to the lower decks of Finich Spinach. They see how massive the training room is in the lower deck of Finich Spinach. There's a weight training area, a medium-size sparring arena, an MPF (Magic Power Finder) orb, a mini-bar for drinks and snacks. Everyone is amazed at the sight. "So, this is where the Sailors normally train and spar. I would say try not to go overboard with using your magic power. Popeye installed a magic absorption to use as power for the engines."

"Similar to the Eclipse Gate when it absorbs magic power," Gajeel said. 

"Agreed," Carla, Wendy, and Yukino said in unison. 

"The only reason not to go overboard is that it can cause the engine to blow up, and there goes Popeye's home. There is an alarm that'll tell you to cease magic power usage. It'll flash lights as well. There's plenty of snacks and drinks at the mini-bar to your right. As for your sleeping quarters, I'll be rearranging them. Until then, have fun with your sparring, and I'll check on you every hour until we reach Krack's Riverine." 

"Thanks, Mark Anthony," Yukino said. 

"It's Captain Sparrow to you. All of you," Captain Sparrow smiles. He walks up the stairs. 

"Let's start training. It's time to get stronger to bring down the Seven Deadly Sins!" Romeo shouts. 

"Yeah!" Everyone cheers except for Sherria. She's focused on defeating her mother. 

"Sherria, let's continue our training from yesterday," Wendy smiles at Sherria. 

"Hey, I'm training with you two," Romeo said. 

Sherria slightly smiles. "Think you can keep up, Romeo?" 

"I know I can!" Romeo said. 

"Let's start," Wendy and Sherria create some space. Romeo, Sherria, and Wendy roar while engaging in close-quarter combat. 

Rogue and Gajeel continue their training while using their magic. Yukino and Kagura start sparring with each other. Lyon and Juvia start sparring and creating different move sets for their unison raid attacks. Carla decides to lift some very light weights while Frosch watches everyone engage in their sparring battles.
> Starlight's Day in the Castle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starlight is trotting alone in the Castle of Friendship. It's been an awkward two weeks since learning that Twilight has gone astray and continuing in her pursuit to bring Spike back. 

"Who's going to replace Twilight Sparkle as a Princess?" Starlight speaks loudly since no one is in the castle. She then hears the castle doors knocking. "Who can that be at this hour?" Starlight trots to the castle doors. It's 3:30 in the afternoon. As of late, no pony has come by to the castle for any visitations except for the Mane 5. Starlight opens the door. "Yes?"

"Hey, Starlight!" Discord greets his friend for the first time since leaving Equestria to retrieve Spike. 

"Greetings, Discord. Come on in," Starlight opens the door wider. 

"Thanks," Discord hovers inside. "So, how is it having the castle to yourself?"

"Lonesome, Discord. I've been lonely in this castle since Spike left and, Twilight going astray. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well. Say, have the Unity Seven told you about Spike's memory and what they've seen?" Discord asks. 

"No. I haven't seen the Unity Seven in a week. How is Spike doing, Discord? The girls haven't told me much except Spike is a powerhouse that dominated Twilight." 

"I have all of Spike's memory from the day I returned to Equestria. Want to see his memories?"

"Sure, Discord. I would like to see how my friend is doing after all this time." 

"I'll set everything up for the movie. It will take a few days to see it all."

"What in Equestria did Spike experienced?" Starlight asks. 

"Earth Land and their adventures. It'll shame what the Mane 5 has been through," Discord said. 

"What!?" Pinkie shouts from behind, hoping to surprise Starlight with a party. "What do you mean it'll shame our adventures?"

"Well, Pinkie. What Spike experienced in Earth Land is more amazing than anything I've witnessed here in Equestria." 

"That's not possible, Discord! My friends and I have experienced so much that hinders Equestria's lifespan."

"Well, if you take a look at Spike's memories, you'll see all he went through. Also, some memories may be striking for you and your friends to hear, excluding Twilight, of course." 

"While you prepare the movie, I'll grab our friends to watch Spike's memories," Pinkie zooms out of the castle. 

"Well, I'm glad Pinkie said our and not her friends," Discord said. 

"What surprised you the most about Spike's memories, Discord?"

"Too hard to say. That's how epic Spike's memories in Earth Land are, Starlight." 

"Wow," Starlight can't fathom Spike's endurance in Earth Land based on Discord's statement. She tries to imagine likely scenarios Spike could encounter. 

Starlight trots to a vacant room that served no purpose in the castle even when Twilight and Spike were around. Starlight deems this room to be the movie theatre room.  She places the seats to watch the movie comfortably. Discord arrives in the room, and he decided to bring Princess Celestia. 

"Hello, Starlight," Princess Celestia smiles at her. 

"Hi, Princess. How are you doing since you've come back to Equestria?" 

"I'm well, Starlight. Things are progressing nicely since the Bar of Alliance had their meeting." 

"Theirwhatnow?" Starlight is confused. She knows Princess Celestia made her temporary Ambassador of Friendship and appeared in the first-ever Bar of Alliance meeting, but she hasn't appeared in any other since. 

"Discord and my sister attended a Bar of Alliance meeting recently. What we feared is no longer a dire situation. The Bar of Alliance understands where Spike stands in his life and agreed if Twilight were to return and go in hiding, they would apprehend her." 

"Good to know, Princess. So, here's my next question. Who is replacing Twilight as Princess of Friendship or a Princess of Equestria?"

"I've chosen to step aside and let Luna choose who'll be the representation as Princess of Equestria or representatives of Friendship in Equestria. According to her notes, she has chosen seven delegates to be under her wing." 

"The Unity Seven," Starlight figures out who Luna wants under her wing. 

"Precisely," Discord said. "Princess Luna sees the bigger picture and the future of Equestria with more creatures coming to Equestria. With the peace between ponies and the Bar of Alliance increasing, thanks to you at the School of Friendship; We may have newer students coming into the fray and learn to create new bonds that'll last an eternity."

"Well, I have you and the rest of the teachers to thank. I can't take all the credit," Starlight humbly expressed. 

"Shall I bring the teachers to watch Spike's memories? It may help create new ideas and topics to teach in class," Discord suggests. 

"Yes," Starlight nods. "They need to see how Spike is doing after all this time. Bring the counselors as well."  

"I'll be back in a few moments," Discord opens an umbrella and flies out the window. 

"So, what will happen to Twilight if she returns to Equestria unscathed or scathed?" Starlight turns to Princess Celestia. 

"Twilight will be in the deepest depths of Tartarus, where she won't be a nuisance to anyone ever again. Discord will strip Twilight of her wings and horn. She will be an earth pony that won't have any luck in escaping Tartarus. Maybe someday, we'll reform her.., maybe..," Princess Celestia sighs heavily. "Starlight, did I failed you?"

That question took Starlight by surprise. She wasn't expecting to hear Celestia say those words to her in life, ever. After some thinking, Starlight looks at Celestia's eyes. 

"Certain things were beyond your control, and you were in the midst of what you believed was right after getting manipulated not once but twice during the Spike Saga. Discord imposed as Spike for the right reasons while Twilight was slowly turning into someone she's not. Like you, most of us were oblivious to what Spike was enduring during his tenure with Twilight and her friends. You didn't fail me, Princess Celestia. The pony that failed me is Twilight Sparkle. She lost everything, including her sanity. You failed to see the bigger picture and the reality of the situation. You failed to see someone you hold dear suffering under your nose. You failed Spike as a friend, and so did I after living in the castle for a few years now. I should have spoken after seeing what Spike was going through. I should have contacted you but, I didn't. We all have our moments when we fail, and it's up to us to better ourselves or not."  

Princess Celestia takes Starlight's comments to heart. She did fail to see the bigger picture and fail Spike as a friend. Princess Celestia never questions Spike's presence and had little involvement in Spike's life now. Especially all the times she invited Twilight and her friends to come to Canterlot on special occasions.  

"I'm so ashamed of myself for the Princess I was. I disregarded Spike until Discord came and told me everything while imposing as him. I failed a different species while focusing my time and attention on Twilight Sparkle and wanting her to succeed as a future Princess of Equestria. I will better myself to become a better Princess of Equestria."

"That's good, Celestia. Humble yourself before making any decisions that'll better Equestria as a whole in the future." 

Discord arrives with Sunburst, Trixie, Maud, and the CMC Counselors. Pinkie returns with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack. Everyone takes their seats after hearing Discord displaying a movie about Spike's memories. Discord reminds everyone that Spike's memories contain strong language and violence. With that said, Discord starts playing the movie. The first thing everyone sees is Spike opening his eyes in the Fairy Tail Guildhall.
> Spike's Memory Review Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Pause it right there, Discord!" Rarity shouts while watching the movie with her friends. Discord pauses the memory.

"What now, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash groans a little. 

"This is the blue-haired girl that took my Spikey-Wikey away! Look at her outfit; it's atrocious! How can Spike fall in love with her?"

"Last time we checked, Spike was your love slave, not your boyfriend," Applejack reminds Rarity of how she used to treat Spike.

"Who would have thought Spike would be an energy maker dragon?" Pinkie asks. 

"What's amazing is less than five days, Spike made an impact with the Fairy Tail Guild," Scootaloo said. 

"What's striking is that Spike slept in a basket due to Twilight and now sleeping in a sleeping bag. When will he get his bed?" Sweetie Belle asks Discord. 

"Down the line. We're only at the beginning of Spike's memory."

"Who would have thought that changing Spike's greed with possessions with successions would do the trick to increase his size," Sunburst said. 

Rarity sighs. "I remember that day when Spike was rampaging Ponyville."

"We all do, Rarity. We kinda made Spike vow never to increase his size," Applejack said. 

"No, Spike vowed. We had no part in it," Rainbow Dash said.  

"If Spike were a pony that increased his size, we would have encouraged him to try and control it," Fluttershy admits.

Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rarity were about to counter the statement when they realize that Fluttershy is right. They look down as they still need to fix their views on other creatures and their abilities. 

"What's interesting was that Spike confessed to Erza about falling in love with her when he struggled to do so with Rarity," Apple Bloom changes the topic in the discussion. 

"That answer the question of how Spike and Erza have the brother-sister type relationship," Sunburst said. "After what Cadance and Shining told me the other day, I was in disbelief. To see it first-hoof, wow, Spike is living the best life."

"I could have taken out that Laxus guy with my speed if I can switch roles with Spike!" Rainbow Dash proclaims. 

"You were bested by Lucy and Juvia, who aren't Dragon Slayers. What makes you think you have a shot against Laxus?" Applejack said. 

"Uuuuuuuh," Rainbow Dash is dumbfounded and loses her train of thought. 

"Also, I feel conflicted with a guild called Blue Pegasus. They don't have wings!" Scootaloo said. 

"Trixie likes Elfman. Speaking proudly of himself." 

"Oh great, another admirer," Discord said. 

"So, we have Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and Kait Shelter. The cats with wings look funny," Pinkie said. 

"Please resume," Starlight said. 

Discord resumes the memory. Ichiya is explaining to the guilds about the plan to annihilate the Oracíone Seis. Then Natsu sprints to fight the Oracíon Seis. Spike encouraging Wendy to follow pursuit and to hold his claw. Rarity is highly upset that Spike is holding Wendy's hand. She claims that it should have been her and not Wendy. Everyone, including Princess Celestia, tells Rarity to shush. 

A few hours in watching the Nirvana events, Rainbow Dash is jealous of the adventure Spike gets to embark on; a gigantic mobile city that has a powerful torrent that can level cities, fighting Midnight and the leader of the Oracíon Seis. Everyone knows that Rainbow Dash doesn't have a shot against the two when speed is only her best weapon. The Mane Five, the CMC, Princess Celestia Trixie, Sunburst, and Starlight are all amazed that with Spike's capabilities during the Nirvana crisis. Rarity becomes livid when she sees Wendy kissing Spike's cheek. The same cheek she kissed him after receiving the fire ruby Spike aged. 

"So, that's when Spike fell in love with her," Rarity scolds the image of Wendy kissing Spike's cheek. 

"Well, technically speaking," Pinkie turns to Rarity. "Wendy is a Sky Dragon. So, it would make sense that Spike falls in love with a dragon." 

"Also, you had many opportunities to hook up with Spike. Instead, you took advantage of him," Sweetie Belle said. "I've seen it many times; you used Spike for your benefits." 

"Be quiet, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. 

"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Applejack said. 

"Be quiet, Applejack," Rarity retorts. 

"You know what's crazy now that I think about it; I think Spike was the one that ended Storm King's reign," Sunburst said. 

"What do you mean? It was us and Twilight that stopped the Storm King," Rainbow said. 

"The Spiral Pain Midnight used is eerie similar to what was described by Discord when he imposed as Spike."

Silence reigns for Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack. They recall the spiraling vortex that caused severe pain and knocked down the Storm King, shattering his petrified state ending his life.

"Oh.., my..," Fluttershy is in shock. 

"That swirling vortex, that was Spike this whole time! That means he.., he..," Pinkie couldn't finish her statement. 

"He saved Equestria without knowing. He saved us from the Storm King's wrath," Applejack said in shock. 

"He saved two worlds in one day; he's a legend," Princess Celestia said. 

"Agreed," Everyone in the room says in unison. 

The next adventure Spike endures is fighting Vulcans over strawberries and a gigantic Dragonoid. Fighting a dragon is one thing but, a mechanical one is another. The CMC is relieved that Spike finally has his bed after waiting for so long in Earth Land. What is hard to watch is Spike getting stomped and pummeled by the Dragonoid even with his size increased. The bigger question the Mane Five asks is about Fairy Rage and Fairy Demon Dragon. When do they come? Discord answers later in Spike's memory; everything will be explained if they stop asking questions and watch the movie. 

Starlight Glimmer is enjoying watching Spike's life in Earth Land. Despite the bumps and bruises, he gets along the way. She sees Spike genuinely happy for the first time in years. Starlight smiles while watching Spike do his thing with his family in Earth Land. 

Princess Celestia is astounded to watch Spike progressing in Earth Land; Helping his friends, having fun, waking up smiling to a new day, and continuing to get stronger. She's impressed with Spike's intellect during the Fairy Tail Endurance Race, showing everyone in the guild that you need all aspects to win the race and not rely on strength alone. 

"Hey, wait, why is the room all of a sudden glowing white?" Rainbow points at the change of scenery when Spike puts on the backpack filled with cookies. 

"Aww.., I miss eating those cookies," Pinkie sheds a tear and wipes her face with a sponge cake. 

"Oh, this next adventure will give you something to think about," Discord remembers the scene when Spike thought Twilight pulled Magnolia to Equestria. 

"Why do you say that, Discord?" Princess Celestia turns to Discord. 

"Um.., let's just say the next adventure will leave you speechless."
> Small Coalition Day 3: Getting There
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been two hours since Popeye departed Finich Spinach from Hargeon. Spike is in the kitchen baking his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. Captain Sparrow is going to the training room to check on everyone. He hears the alarms going off. 

"Hmm, the ship has absorbed enough magic power," Captain Sparrow enters the training room. 

"What a workout," Yukino said, catching her breath. 

"You've become stronger since the Games," Kagura admits. 

"We have good chemistry, huh, Juvia?" Lyon said, sitting down shirtless drinking his bottle of water. 

"For the battle against Krabster, yes," Juvia sits down, drinking her bottle of water. "I wish Gray was on this trip instead of Lyon."

"You did good, Rogue," Gajeel lays on the floor with bruises. 

"Likewise, Gajeel. I'm ready to dethrone King Shark. So, are the cookies that delicious, or were you encouraging Sherria to eat the spinach?" Rogue is lying on the floor with bruises. 

"Spike's cookies are to die for; I remember my trip to Edolas with Fairy Dragon. Those cookies were vital for the journey. He made twelve dozens in less than a day. Two guards took two boxes in exchange for tickets in which Spike and I didn't have enough money to buy tickets." 

"Wow. Have you met my Edolas self?"

"No, Rogue. He could be dead for all I know." 

"How come?" Rogue sits up. 

"Fairy Dragon's Edolas self, Spike Knightwalker. He's the reason why Fairy Tail is the only Dark Guild left. He exterminated the other guilds." 

"WHAT?" Rogue is in shock. 

"Remember that Twilight fella Spike wrecked at the Grand Magic Games?" 

"I remember her. Spike turned into Fairy Demon Dragon and unleashed Fairy Law on her ass." 

"Well, there's an Edolas version of Twilight Sparkle, and her friends scarred Spike as a young child before Erza Knightwalker took him in, raised him, and trained him. Spike Knightwalker went back at Edolas Twilight Sparkle and slaughtered her guild. The first Dark Guild he slew. All the other guilds were no match while Fairy Tail was on the run." 

"Damn," Rogue said in shock. 

"Spike Knightwalker stood up to Fairy Dragon while he was a quarter size of a dragon. He wasn't scared." 

"Wow," Rogue imagines what Spike Knightwalker looks like and how terrifying his power must have been. 

Romeo and Wendy are sitting on the floor after their training. Sherria continues her training; she's laser-focused on defeating her mother, Cherry Blendy. 

"I have never seen this side of Sherria," Wendy said. 

"She hits hard," Romeo has more bruises on his body than Wendy and Sherria during their training. 

"She's a God Slayer, Romeo," Wendy said while healing Romeo. 

Sherria is punching hard against the wall. Tears stream on her face as her emotions run wild. She breaks her hand; Punching too hard on the concrete-infused steel. 

"Careful, kiddo," Captain Sparrow sees the frustrations coming from Sherria. He and the other come to help Sherria. 

"Hold still," Wendy uses her Sky Magic to heal Sherria's broken hand. 

Sherria is still in tears. The idea of fighting her mother still gets the better of her. 

"You need to chill and relax for a while," Romeo said. 

"I can't!" Sherria retorts. "I have to get stronger. I need to get better. I refused to allow my mom to try and kill me!" 

"Sherria," Lyon helps Sherria up. "You need to calm down. Going into battle reckless should not be on your mind. You're clouded with emotions in the wrong way." 

Sherria falls to her knees and sobs. Wendy comes up to Sherria and comforts her. Sherria hugs Wendy and cries in her arms. 

"This may take Sherria a while, guys," Wendy speaks for Sherria. 

"I've arranged the rooms for you lads and lassies. The rooms are divided by who's facing each member of the Seven Deadly Sins. I'll show where each of you will be bunking in," Captain Sparrow says. 

"Let's go, Frosch," Rogue picks up Frosch. 

"I'll stay with Wendy to help comfort Sherria," Carla said. 

"Alright. The rest of you, follow me," Captain Sparrow says as he's leading the way. 

"Wendy..," Sherria sniffs. "I don't think I can defeat my mom on my own. I need help..," Sherria holds onto Wendy. 

"I'm here for you, Sherria," Wendy said. 

"So am I," Carla said. "We're in this together." 

"Hey, I bet Spike is done making those cookies of his," Wendy said.

"Cookies!" Sherria's tone changes real quick after hearing the magic word. 

"Well, that did the trick," Carla said. 

"I want those cookies!" Sherria shouts. 

"First, we need to find Spike," Wendy said. 

"Let's start searching!" Sherria grabs Wendy's hands and runs up the stairs in search of the kitchen. 

Spike is in the kitchen baking his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. So far, he has baked six dozen cookies. 

"Hmm, maybe another batch?" Spike is deciding to bake another dozen cookies. 

"Ahoy, Sailor," Popeye comes into the kitchen.

"Hey, Popeye. How are you?"

"Feeling great, Sailor," Popeye grabs a cookie and bites it. "Wooooah!" Popeye can taste the heavens of goodness and sweetness. "These cookies are amazing!" Popeye takes a few more. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. 

"You need to sell those cookies if you ever need money," Popeye suggests. 

"Well, I am a Fairy Tail Wizard. I am getting paid to do this job," Spike replies. 

"Fair enough, Sailor. I have to mix this sweet with my spinach. I can't let high school get to me all over again," Popeye walks back to the steering wheel. 

"Yep, I'm going to bake another dozen," Spike continues baking more of his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. 

Captain Sparrow leads everyone else to their quarters on Finich Spinach. They see the designations that mark who's fighting what Sin. 

"Huh, so much for bunking with my brother," Kagura said. 

"It ain't so bad. We can discuss the strategy against Raphael and Cassidy," Yukino said. 

"Fair enough. I'll miss bunking with Simon," Kagura thought about her brother. 

"You mean Spike, right?" Yukino hopefully corrects Kagura's term. 

"Yes. Just a slip of the tongue," Kagura sees Spike as Simon due to his good nature. She's still adjusting to her life by having a younger brother. 

"Rogue, you have more of that medicine, right?" Gajeel asks. 

"I've kept it in my pocket," Rogue takes it out and passes a pill to Gajeel. "When you feel the motion sickness returning, take it. I know that I'll be taking mine in a few hours." 

"I'm sleepy, Rogue," Frosch yawns. 

"I'll put you in bed. I get top bunk, Gajeel," Rogue goes on top. 

"Fine by me," Gajeel takes the lower bunk. 

"I'll take the lower bunk, Juvia," Lyon said. 

"Suit yourself," Juvia goes on the top bunk and relaxes. 

Lyon goes elsewhere on Finich Spinach to know his layouts when the time comes to confront Krabster. Romeo sees his bunk bed and goes to the top. He hopes to know who his roommate will be since all there's left are Sherria, Wendy, and Spike. 

Sherria, Wendy, and Carla are searching for Spike when they bump into Popeye while he's eating some cookies. 

"Hey, hey, watch where you're going, Sailors," Popeye said, munching on a cookie. 

"Where's Spike, Popeye?" Wendy asks. 

"In the kitchen. Originally, I went to make a spinach smoothy when I saw Spike making the cookies. They're delicious," Popeye finishes eating his cookie. "Gotta save these for later. I have to get back to sailing." 

Sherria drags Wendy to the kitchen to try a sample of Spike's cookies. Carla flies next to Sherria to the kitchen. Spike puts the last batch in the oven and waits another half hour for the seventh dozen to finish. He hears Sherria's voice booming with one sentence. 

"I want to try those cookies!" Sherria's tastebuds get the better of her. She sees Spike wearing an apron and a chef's hat. 

"Hey, Sherria. Are you feeling better?" Spike asks. 

"Wow, Spike. I never thought I see you wearing an apron," Wendy said. 

"Or a hat. It's not often I see you wear clothes," Carla said. 

"Besides the Grand Magic Games, when I wore the suit, I used to wear some formal clothing but, it was due to royal parties and whatnot back in Equestria. I've grown to continue in the nude even though I don't flash my junk." 

"Which begs to differ, how did the fatty nailed you with a low blow?" Sherria asks. 

"I can hide it from plain sight. That does not mean it's off my body. I can make it appear when I have to or for later down the line with Wendy when we're much older." 

"Spike!" Wendy blushes and gets flustered at the idea. 

"Ooooooooooooh," Sherria understands Spike's package better. 

"So when Kain Hikaru kicked you down there-" Spike cuts Carla's speech. 

"I felt it, and the dude turned himself into steel. It was one of the worst pains I've ever felt. That's one way of taking me down if someone like him fights dirty. I have to teleport Mr.Cursy away to give him the beating he deserves." 

"So, going into a different topic, are the cookies ready?" Sherria asks. She looks to see boxes filled with cookies. 

"Yes. Six dozens are made and ready. I'm making the last batch that's in the oven. Help yourself but don't eat all of them. I do plan on giving some to everyone else." 

Sherria opens a box and grabs a cookie. She looks at it and takes a bite. Instead of seeing Spike, Wendy, Carla, and the kitchen, Sherria sees cookies floating everywhere. The taste of the freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookie takes Sherria into a dimension. She's in a trance. 

"Sherria?" Wendy waves her hand in front of Sherria's face to watch her eye movements. 

"Ooooooh, wooooow," Sherria can't believe how good the cookie taste. Never in her life has she tasted any other treat that matches Spike's baking capabilities. The golden gelatin is now in second place as a delicious dessert in her books. The first belongs to Spike's freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookie. 

Wendy takes a bite out of the cookie. "Ooooh, yes. These are the cookies to die for," Wendy takes a few more. 

"Who taught you how to bake like this, Spike?" Sherria asks. 

"I taught myself how to cook. I had to in order to help and take care of Twilight at the time," Spike sighs a little. 

"Oh, sorry for asking," Sherria looks down a bit. 

"It's alright, Sherria. I don't mind talking about my past life in Equestria. I'm happy to answer any questions you have," Spike reassuringly says to Sherria, knowing she's going through a tough situation with Cherry Blendy being a Sky Demon. 

"Hey, Spike. Is it alright that Wendy teams up with me against my mom? I don't think I can take her on, on my own." 

Spike nods. "I won't mind. I know she'll be a great asset to you cause I know what it's like to go up against someone you called mother. Though my real mother is Amy the Amethyst Dragon, Twilight was the one who hatched and took care of me." 

"But, you overpowered Twilight," Sherria responds. 

"Physically and magically, yes. Emotionally and mentally has a different aspect. You see, at the time, I wanted to unleash all my anger and sadness into every attack on Twilight for the years of pain she inflicted on me. It still hurts that to fight for my happiness and my right to stay in Earth Land, I had to defeat the one that hatched me and basically brought me to life. I hope for my sake she is in Equestria. My future self, Leekips, was possessed by his Twilight Sparkle and annihilated the populous of his timeline. I hate to say this but, I don't think Twilight went back to Equestria. I believe she is somewhere here, plotting and scheming her next attack." 

"Do you intend on hunting her?" Carla asks. 

"No. I don't sense Twilight's magic and Fairy Rage doesn't, right buddy?" 

"I don't sense Twilight's magic or presence at the moment and during our travels after the Grand Magic Games. I want to say she's in Equestria and more likely spending her days in Tartarus."

"Which is Equestria's version of hell." 

"Damn," Sherria said. "I can only imagine the horrors," Sherria takes a handful of cookies. 

"So, what are you planning to do with the cookies?" Carla asks. 

"Dessert after dinner though, I did want to give a few as samples to my friends, Popeye, and Captain Sparrow." 

"How nice of you," Carla said. She grabs a few cookies. 

"Mind taking these two boxes, Wendy. To give to our friends on Finich Spinach," Spike gives two boxes of cookies to Wendy. 

"Sure. I know the others would fall in love with your baking since they fell in love with your cooking." 

"Yea," Spike smiles. 

"Please take off the apron and chef hat when I return. I prefer seeing you the way you're meant to be." 

"I will, Wendy." 

Wendy, Sherria, and Carla leave the kitchen. Sherria tries to take a few more from the box when Wendy pulls the box away from Sherria. Knowing Sherria's sweet teeth, she wants to devour them all. Captain Sparrow meets up with the trio down the hall. 

"There are you, lassies. Now, follow me to your sleeping quarters." 

"Excuse me, Captain. I've decided to team up with Sherria against her mother, Cherry. So, I'll be bunking with her," Wendy explains. 

"To talk strategy and to come up with maneuvers against a Sky Demon," Sherria said. 

"Alright, then. I'll let Fairy Dragon know his bunkmate is Romeo," Captain Sparrow leads the girls to the sleeping quarters of Finich Spinach. 

Lyon continues his walk on Finich Spinach. The memories of Krabster get the better of him. He inadvertently walks into the kitchen and sees Spike waiting. 

"Hey, Spike," Lyon greets. 

"Hey, Lyon. How are you holding up?" 

"I've seen better days. How about you?" 

"I'm better. I can't wait to get even with that Kain Hikaru guy for giving me a low blow," Spike imagines beating Kain Hikaru mercilessly. 

"So, these cookies are to die for?" Lyon grabs and observes it. 

"Try it. Taste for yourself," Spike said, daring Lyon to see for himself. 

"I will," Lyon bites the cookie and falls in love with the flavor. "Oh my God. How in the world can a cookie like this taste so good?" 

"Is it a cookie to die for?" Spike smirks. 

Lyon admittingly sighs. "Yes. However, you should be selling these." 

"You know, Popeye told me that a while ago." 

"Look for a job at a restaurant. You'll sell a fortune in a days' top." 

"I'll think about it. So, how do you intend on stopping Krabster?" 

"Juvia and I have been working or different unison raids. Different tactics against a greedy crab." 

"Good. As for me, I need to Teleport Mr.Cursy away, and the fatty will get his just desserts. Can you believe that Sherria's mother is with the Seven Deadly Sins?" 

"No. I still can't believe it. Sherria and Sherry told me that Cherry Blendy died after conceiving birth. However, can I be honest with you?" 

"Go ahead. I'm all ears." 

"I don't think Sherria should be taking on her mother. I think you and Sherria should trade enemies." 

"Now, why do you say that?" Spike asks out of curiosity. 

"You have Fairy Demon Dragon, and taking on a Sky Demon would do the trick. I'm not sure Sherria is mentally prepared to fight her mother." 

"No one is," Spike responds. 

Spike takes the last batch of cookies out of the oven and puts them into a box. He puts five boxes of cookies in the cabinet. Some will be used after dinner and as a snack for the rest of the trip. 

"Will you consider fighting Cherry Blendy instead of Kain Hikaru?" Lyon asks. 

"It depends on the situation. I know you witnessed the onslaught I gave to Twilight but, this is different. Sherria is fighting her biological mother. I fought Twilight, who hatched me but, she was never my true mother. My real mother is Amy the Amethyst Dragon. Cherry Blendy abandoned Sherria after conceiving to her while Twilight neglected and abandoned me on days end constantly. Two different scenarios, filled with emotions. If I see Sherria and Wendy having their difficulties against Cherry, I'll come in. As for tapping into Fairy Demon Dragon, it's kinda hard." 

"Why do you say that?" Lyon questions the difficulty Spike has for tapping into Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"I need complete rage and hatred, in which I don't carry much anymore. After defeating and eliminating Twilight out of my life, the hatred is gone. I need a new surge to motivate me into hating. Right now, I have nothing to hate." 

"What about Acnologia? Any hatred on him that you can use?" 

"I will slay Acnologia with my two claws when the time comes. I will bring justice to that behemoth. Until then, Acnologia is not on my mind." 

Lyon sighs. He understands how Spike feels. "Fair enough," Lyon gets an idea. "Fairy Rage, think it's possible to eat Cherry Blendy's Sky Demon magic to tap into Fairy Demon Dragon?" 

"Clever thinking, Lyon. I think eating demonic energy may trigger Fairy Demon Dragon to come out. We need to test that theory when we can. Hopefully, after defeating Kain Hikaru, we can aide Sherria and Wendy against Cherry Blendy."

"Good. With Popeye and Captain Sparrow bringing the fight to Bluto, we can hope that Gajeel and Rogue can defeat King Shark." 

"I think Juvia should aide Gajeel and Rogue in that fight. King Shark has control of the waters, and Juvia can help negate his magic." 

"Or perhaps, trade partners. Juvia helping Gajeel and Rogue helping me." 

"We should discuss this with our friends and get their input on the matter." 

"Let's go." 

Lyon leads Spike to the sleeping quarters of Finich Spinach. As the two walks to the sleeping quarters, Popeye is drinking his spinach smoothie while Captain Sparrow turns the steering wheel of Finich Spinach. 

"Hey, wait, are we near that turn to go straight into Krack's Riverine?" Lyon asks. 

"Yea. Finich Spinach is the largest fastest ship of the seven seas. The more magic power the ship absorbs, the faster we sail," Popeye explains. 

"And we were training for a few hours. That's impressive," Lyon said in shock. 

"Indeed. We've been to Krack's Riverine before, but it's always a danger when crossing that part of the sea. They say a creature so devastating lurks in the sea that rules over all other sea creatures," Popeye said. 

"For many years, King Shark tried to tame the beast but, he cannot. No creature can tame a titan," Captain Sparrow said. 

"So, what if the creature makes an appearance?" Spike asks. 

"We let the Seven Deadly Sins take care of it, and it'll be their demise. I lost one ship, and I'm not losing my home to the said creature," Popeye exclaims. 

"We will be in Krack's Riverine later tonight. As for finding the Seven Deadly Sins, let's hope they come to us," Captain Sparrow says. He's eager to reclaim his ship. 

"We're going to our sleeping quarters. See you two later," Spike said. 

"Alright, Sailor. Enjoy your rest. Thanks for those cookies. They were delicious," Popeye says. 

"You're welcome," Spike follows Lyon to the sleeping quarters, leaving Popeye and Captain Sparrow alone. The two see everyone enjoying Spike's cookies with much delight. 

"Wow, these cookies are to die for," Rogue said. 

"I think so too," Frosch is enjoying his cookie. 

"Fairy Dragon knows how to bake. He should be selling these cookies," Gajeel said. 

"That's what Popeye told me," Spike said. 

"Hey, Spike!" Wendy waves at Spike. 

"Spike, these cookies are phenomenal," Kagura turns to Spike. 

"Who knew these cookies were this good!" Yukino said. She can taste the sweetness in heaven. 

"I bet everyone else in Fairy Tail would be jealous for no trying this delectable treat," Juvia said. 

"This is my second time eating this. The first was back in Edolas. Fairy Dragon knows how to cook and bake," Gajeel said. 

"Well, you also had Kagura's cooking. She did help me the other night," Spike vouches for Kagura. 

"You don't say," Gajeel turns to Kagura. 

"It was something I wanted to do with Spike since I now consider him as my brother." 

"He's my brother as well," Gajeel chuckles. 

"We need to discuss something since everyone's here," Lyon formally expresses.

"What's up?" Kagura turns to Lyon. 

"It's about fighting the Seven Deadly Sins. We may need to make some adjustments." 

"Like what?" Rogue asks. 

"I'm aware of how you feel fighting against King Shark, Rogue. After discussing with Spike and reflecting on our battles. We believe that you have a better chance against Krabster. While King Shark has water magic, so does Juvia. She can cancel his water-based attacks."

"Rogue can maneuver around Krabster to get a better hit on the guy," Spike explains. 

"Alright, I can accept that," Juvia said. "Away from this crazy lover, yes!"

Rogue nods. "King Shark's body is hard to penetrate with my shadows. Gajeel could take him down, but finding his weakness is hard." 

"Raphael is mine," Kagura says. 

"Hey, wait a minute, wouldn't Yukino be a better opponent for Shark King than Gajeel?" Romeo asks. 

"No way! King Shark is mine!" Gajeel irately declares. 

"Think about it. Yukino has two Zodiac Spirits that can level the playing field against King Shark." 

"Pisces would give King Shark a run for his money. Libra can easily alter King Shark's gravity, thus making him vulnerable," Yukino puts more thought into the scenario. 

"Hmm," Gajeel thinks about Raphael and how he can eat his weapons. "King Shark is hard to hit with my iron. However, I still want to bring that shark down. I may need to think things over for who I want to unleash my iron against." 

"What about Cherry Blendy?" Rogue asks. 

"She's mine," Sherria irately states. 

"We know but, I believe you are not mentally stabled against your mother. You may hesitate when you confront her," Lyon said. 

"Who else do you think can go up against a Sky Demon?!" Sherria retorts at Lyon. 

Lyon calmly sighs and answers. "Fairy Demon Dragon." 

Sherria gasps and turns to Spike. "No..," Sherria shakes her head. "I'm a God Slayer! Gods can defeat Demons, Lyon! You know that!" 

"I do. However, I believe Fairy Demon Dragon can subdue your mother. Demons know how to play mind-games and knowing you're her daughter, she can convince you to do other things that'll hinder the mission," Lyon replies to Sherria's statement. He sounds sincere as well as serious. 

"Then what? I get rag-dolled by the fatty of the Seven Deadly Sins?" Sherria barks at Lyon. 

"No. What I suggested for Spike is to defeat Kain Hikaru first, then aide you against your mother."

"Is that true, Spike?" Wendy turns to Spike. 

"Yes. There's a theory to trigger Fairy Demon Dragon without using any rage and hatred. By eating Sky Demon energy, it should trigger an immediate activation of Fairy Demon Dragon." 

"I do see where it's going, and I honestly believe that may be the better outcome when we confront the Seven Deadly Sins," Carla wholeheartedly said. 

Sherria walks up to Spike. "I'm going to defeat my mother. I don't need your help," Sherria shoulder bumps Spike and leaves the area. 

"Hey," Wendy grabs Sherria's arm. "No need to be disrespectful to my boyfriend." 

Sherria gives Wendy an aggravated look. She doesn't want to hear what Wendy has to say. She pulls her arm and leaves the sleeping quarters to train by herself. Wendy sadly sighs. 

"She's clouded with a lot of emotions and cannot think straight. Give Sherria time to work it through. I'll keep an eye on her," Lyon leaves the area as well. 

"Okay..," Wendy looks down a bit. 

"It's going to be okay, Wendy. Sherria will be ready when the time comes," Carla reassuringly says. 

"I hope so," Wendy replies.
> Spike's Memory Review Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So far within the memory, Starlight, Princess Celestia, The Mane Five, The CMC, Sunburst, Trixie, and Maud Pie are in awe and shock with the Edolas memory. Everyone is silent when they hear Spike Knightwalker explaining his origins. 

"Spike Knightwalker is scary," Pinkie made a pillow fort; so she doesn't see Spike Knightwalker.

"He killed me with the pistol he's showing to my Spikey-Wikey," Rarity said. 

"To think the atrocities compared to what happened with our Spike here is worse than we can imagine," Princess Celestia said in shock. 

"Spike Knightwalker is living proof of what-if Spike was pushed too far," Starlight Glimmer acclaims.

"Trixie is glad Spike Knightwalker stays in Edolas and has no chance to come to Equestria."

"I can take on Spike Knightwalker! Give me five minutes against him!" Rainbow Dash proudly proclaims. 

"Rainbow Dash, you can't hold a candle against anyone Spike faced. Spike Knightwalker can channel magic into his guns. Imagine him having your speed to channel into his weapons. How long would you fare?" Applejack asks Rainbow Dash. "Seriously, who do you think you can level with?"

Rainbow Dash says nothing. She can imagine herself as an overpowered speed demon, but reality always kicks in. Being in the Naval Battle event proved she was no matched when Lucy and Juvia attacked her.

"Applejack is right, Rainbow Dash. I didn't last long against Erza Scarlet. So far from what we've seen in Spike's memory, Erza Scarlet outclasses most of her guildmates. If she was here in Equestria, we'll be surrendering to her and follow her lead. That's how strong she is, Rainbow Dash. Every night, I relive the same dream. Erza Scarlet, shattering my sword, my shield, slicing my horn and wing off. If I am unable to defeat Erza as an Alicorn deity that I am, how would you fare?" 

"I'll be silent," Rainbow Dash immediately replies to Princess Celestia's question. 

Everyone watches Spike the Fairy fighting Spike Knightwalker valiantly. They cheer loudly when he defeated Spike Knightwalker the first time. As the hour goes by, the second encounter of Spike Knightwalker scared them a bit after Spike and his friends saved Extalia from impending doom. Fluttershy couldn't help but coo at the Exceeds. Discord is enjoying the reactions of every pony watching while Maud's face is expressionless. In his mind, he knows that Maud is indeed shocked but doesn't want to show it. 

Seeing Team Fairy Tail winning is one thing but seeing Rarity react differently is another. She grinds her teeth whenever she sees Spike and Wendy being together. After the Edolas trip and seeing how Spike fares against Gildarts, the strongest member of Fairy Tail, the S-Class Trials is next on the horizon. 

"Gee, I wonder who Spike is choosing to be his partner?" Rainbow Dash cunning says to provoke Rarity. 

Rarity sighs. "It's Wendy. Who else would Spike pick?"

"I'm kinda hoping it's that black cat," Pinkie responds. 

"Panther Lily? Why him, Pinkie?" Sunburst asks. 

"I want to see Gajeel and Panther Lily fighting to be honest. According to the memory we saw and heard, they never got to finish their fight. Who do you want Spike to fight, Maud?"

"Jura," Maud answers.

"Figures. She's a rock lover, and Jura uses iron rock magic," Trixie said. 

Princess Luna arrives in the room and sees every pony watching Spike's memory. She smiles, knowing they'll get a kick out of it but, it'll be a time for a different day. 

"Discord," Princess Luna calls him or him. 

"Uh, excuse me, everyone, I'm needed," Discord gets up and hovers to Princess Luna. "What's up, Princess Luna?"

"I hate to bud-in on this movie review, but you're late."

"Late? What am I'm late for?" Discord is confused. He tries to remember what today's schedule is supposed to be. 

Princess Luna whispers in Discord's ear. "Unity Fightclub."

Discord's eyes widen as he completely forgot about the Unity Fightclub. He lost track of time due to the many pauses of this movie and discussions. It's been a day since viewing  Spike's memory.

"At the pace I'm going, it'll take a week tops to get through. Oh, I don't want to miss it. Where are the students?" 

"Waiting in the living room of your home. They don't want to start without you, and I. Neighsay picked up Shining Armor and Pharynx."

"Alright, I'll speed things up. Also, I don't want us to be late for school tomorrow morning," Discord hovers to everyone else in the room. "Everyone, I have unfortunate news." 

"What's up, Discord?" Princess Celestia asks. She sounds worried due to Discord's demeanor.

"I'm late for an appointment, and I lost track of time. Plus, the School of Friendship is reopening tomorrow for the new semester. Isn't that right, Headmare Glimmer?" 

Starlight groans and facehoof herself. "That's right. The new school year begins tomorrow," Starlight gets up. "I need to make preparations for tomorrow. Discord, is there a faster way for me to see Spike's memory? What he experienced can be helpful for future classes for me to teach."

"Yes," Discord nods. 

"Wait! I want to continue watching the movie. I want to see what else Spike goes through!" Pinkie exclaims. 

"Yea! I'm not waiting until I see everything in full detail," Rainbow said, hovering around Discord. 

"I can snap my claw, and you'll have the memories of seeing what Spike saw in your heads, or I can conjure a film with a projector for you lot to watch whenever you want." 

"We can make it an annual movie night to see and relieve Spike's best moments as a member of Fairy Tail," Pinkie said, holding a bowl of popcorn. 

"Discord, you can install the memories into my mind. I have to get back to my royal duties in Canterlot." 

"Very well, Celestia," Discord places his paw on Celestia's head and grants her Spike's memories that lead to the night of apologizing to him. 

"Oh wow..," Princess Celestia sees a few flashbacks of Spike's memory, especially the confrontation of Acnologia. 

"What did you see, Celestia?" Sunburst asks. 

"Everything that Spike encountered. I'm glad that they're in Earth Land and not here. Everything else that you haven't seen is mesmerizing. Maud, Spike does fight Jura, and it's epic," Princess Celestia sees how Fairy Demon Dragon is formed and how Fairy Rage is born.  "I may need a few minutes to recuperate," Celestia sits down on the floor. 

"Wow," Every pony except Princess Luna said in shock. 

Discord opens his chest and takes out the movie film and projector. "Here you go. Watch it any time you like. I have to get going with Princess Luna. Duty calls."

"Discord, give me the memory like you gave to Celestia," Starlight asks. 

"The same goes for me. I want to see if my teachings can link up to the memories," Sunburst said. 

"The same goes for me," Maud calmly says. 

"Trixie wants the instant memory. Trixie is tired from hearing Rarity grinding her teeth and Rainbow making bold statements about defeating any who Spike fights." 

"Very well. What about you three, CMC Counselors?"

"We're good. We would like to see the movie with Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack," Scootaloo replies, speaking for the CMC, in which they agree to the term. 

Discord snaps his claw. Starlight, Sunburst, Trixie, and Maud experience the same feeling Princess Celestia felt a few moments ago. All the memories that Spike endured since his arrival at Fairy Tail are displayed in their minds instantly. It's a bit too much to bear seeing everything in one go. They are mesmerized to see what Spike encountered; and the extreme forces of magic power displayed during the events of the S-Class Trials, Tenrou Island war, the Acnologia ambushed, the Infinity Clock that led into Holy Wars and the Grand Magic Games.

"Wow," Sunburst holds his head. "So much to take in!" 

"Trixie has a terrible headache," Trixie holds her head. She witnessed what could be her favorite memory. Spike stopping Erza and Evergreen's bickering, causing everyone in the guildhall to gasp while Natsu shrieks at the sight. 

"Totally worth it," Maud smiles. She'll treasure the memory of Spike fighting Jura. 

"Ooooh, okay. Bad headache," Starlight holds her head. "Wow. Spike is prospering nicely. I'm happy for him," Starlight sees the memories of Spike being happy for the first time in years and seeing the family he has. Her favorite memory of Spike is watching Spike dancing with Wendy near the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. It's a peaceful moment with love in the air. "I wish I can be Spike's sister. I wish I can have a second chance to say that to him and maybe join him in Earth land."

"Well, we gotta get going. Let's go, Luna," Discord snaps his paw, teleporting to his home with Princess Luna. 

"Have a nice day, every pony," Celestia teleports outside the castle and flies to Canterlot Castle. 

"Apple Bloom, let's go. We have to plan for tomorrow's lunch." 

"Okay, Applejack," Apple Bloom follows Applejack. 

Every pony else starts leaving except for Trixie, Maud, and Sunburst. They still have their rooms in the castle. Trixie vows to live with Starlight in the castle, so she doesn't feel alone again. Trixie knows that Starlight has a problem being left alone and won't be doing her side-projects for a long time. 

An hour later.

"Rockhoof is back home!" Rockhoof carries his shovel on his back. "Rockhoof is ready to teach the lads and lassies tomorrow."

Starlight trots up to Rockhoof. "How was your vacation?"

"It was great, lassie. Seeing my friends again was a delight. However, we do need to see the Princesses. Starswirled the Bearded needs to speak with them."
> Unity Fightclub
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord arrives in his living room with Princess Luna. 

"Finally! Yona has been waiting for hours!" Yona shouts in relief. 

"Yona, it's only been twenty minutes," Gallus corrects Yona's claim. He has athletic tape on his claws. 

"I can't wait to start training! It's the first time since the Hive has gotten a little soft. There needs to be some assertiveness," Pharynx says. 

"I'm curious to see what you're made of," Shining Armor said. 

"I'm so getting back at Sunset, Adagio, and Aria for the stunt they did to me!" Sonata wants retribution for being locked up in a cage a few nights ago. 

"That's if you can get a hit on either of us," Adagio smirks.

"Yea," Aria cracks her knuckles. 

"Vengeance will be mine!" Sonata shouts. 

Discord opens a door leading to the basement. While everyone walks downstairs, they see an exact replica of the Fairy Tail Guildhall mess hall. The Unity Seven, Dazzlings, Sunset Shimmer, Shining Armor, Pharynx, and Princess Luna gasps. 

"Since we're having a fightclub, I figure why not make the scenery more at home," Discord says while wearing street clothes. 

"Yona feels like she's a Fairy Tail Wizard!" Yona jumps in joy. 

"The perfect setting for our fun pointless brawl," Gallus said. 

Neighsay takes a deep breath. He's only doing this because his friends want to participate. Shining Armor can't wait to test Pharynx's limits in this fight. Smolder can't wait to show everyone that dragons are stronger than any creature else in the room. Silverstream is too excited to see how it plays out. 

"Alright, who's ready to rumble?" Pharynx excitedly expresses while spoiling for a fought. 

Everyone around nods and gets ready. Neighsay takes a deep breath and hopes he doesn't get too injured. Discord is mentally preparing his mind for this outcome while everyone is pumping themselves up to partake in this fun pointless brawl. 

"Let's do this!" Everyone shouts in unison. 

One Hour Later. 

Everyone present hasn't moved. The Unity Seven are trying to find that spark to throw the first punch. The Dazzlings are waiting to see who'll throw the first punch. Discord didn't want to throw the first punch. Sunset is waiting for Sonata to kick things off. Shining Armor and Pharynx look around and hopes that someone would kick things off. It's been an awkward hour of waiting after exciting themselves up. Princess Luna looks at who to throw the first strike. 

Two Hours Later.

Everyone is standing idly. The idea of punching a friend and ally in the face or hurting one another is harder than it looks when it's intentional for fun. Discord drinks a barrel of chocolate milk. 

"How does Spike do it?! He and others make it look so easy!" Silverstream shouts. She's the first to break the ice in three hours that was wasted. 

"They don't hold back," Princess Luna answers. 

"Why are we holding back!?" Sonata shouts. 

"We're more united than ever. I guess it's harder to pull something off that others have no problem with," Discord says. 

"What Spike did after the Infinity Clock quest is go up to Natsu and punches him! It's so simple!" Smolder grabs her head in frustration. 

"We have never done anything like this, Smolder. I guess it's not in our nature to do so while others have no problem with it," Ocellus said. 

"Screw this! I'm starting it!" Pharynx goes up to Smolder, getting ready to throw the first punch. His hoof starts shaking. 

"Go on, do it!" Smolder dares Pharynx to punch her. 

Pharynx's hoof continues to shake, and he lowers his hoof. "I.., I can't." 

"Wuss," Smolder said in hopes of angering Pharynx. 

"I guess that term is starting to rub off with my siblings back in the hive," Pharynx steps away from Smolder. 

"Man, this is boring," Gallus said. 

"Agreed," Adagio concurs. 

"I'm getting hungry," Sonata uses the house's magic to conjure a taco for her to eat. She takes a bite. "So good," Sonata said with her mouth full. 

Discord decides to turn himself invisible to start conflicts as Lucy did. He yanks Smolder's tail hard in the direction of Gallus. Smolder turns to Gallus smacks him in the face. 

"OW!" Gallus reacts while rubbing his face. 

"That's for yanking my tail!" Smolder irately says. 

Gallus punches Smolder in the face. "That's for punching me in the face!" 

Smolder cracks her knuckles. "I'm going to enjoy this," 

"Bring it, you wimp!" Gallus retorts. 

"Hey, not bad," Pharynx says, watching Gallus and Smolder get at each other's faces. 

Discord gets behind Sonata and knocks her taco off her claw. The direction where he knocked it off is at Aria's position. 

"I'll kill you! You taco waster!" Sonata lunges at Aria. The two are starting to clobber each other. 

Adagio laughs at the situation, calling it a classic. Discord looks to see which pair to mess with while everyone else watches Aria, Sonata, Gallus, and Smolder fighting each other. 

Pharynx turns to Shining Armor and whacks him in the face. Shining Armor smirks and attacks Pharynx. The two are having fun with their brawl. 

"Well, that didn't take long," Neighsay said after watching two of his friends brawling. 

Discord turns himself visible. "There, no more delays. Thank you, Lucy, for that clever tactic."

"I don't think I have what it takes to throw a punch at my friends. I'm backing out," Neighsay said. 

"What? Why?" Sandbar asks Neighsay. 

"I love you creatures, and I don't have it in me to throw punches at my first real friends. I know I signed up but, I don't think I can pull through what Spike and the others do in Fairy Tail. I'll prefer watching Spike's brawls than go through one with my family." 

"I respect that," Discord said. 

"I was onboard on the hype train. To physically hurt my friend despite it being a pointless brawl is kinda pointless. I guess there are some things that we should back away from no matter how fun the idea can be," Ocellus said. 

"I was so excited to participate, but after all this time of waiting around, I never knew how hard it is to start a fight among friends," Silverstream admits. 

"Yona has an idea. Why not use pillows? Every creature loves a good pillow fight." 

"Huh, why haven't I thought of that?" Discord questions himself. Discord blows a whistle that referees use to cease the fighting. 

"Hey, what's with the whistle?" Sonata asks while holding back what would have been an uppercut.

"First, it was me that was messing with you. I pulled a Ms.Heartfillia invisible trick on you. Second, what do you say about having a pillow fight instead?"

Aria, Sonata, Gallus, Smolder, Pharynx, and Shining Armor look at each other then back at Discord. "Sure." 

Discord snaps his claw, a cotton candy cloud rains pillows of all sizes to use. They are now ready to throw down. 

"So, are we holding back?" Discord asks everyone. 

"Yona will show who the Pillow Fighting Champ is!" 

"Is that so? Watch me take your title away, Yona," Neighsay smirks while using his magic to levitate three pillows. 

"The title belongs to me," Sunset said; she's using her magic to levitate five pillows. 

"Behold, my twin pillows," Gallus holds two pillows like swords. 

Silverstream holds her pillow. "I'm going to bop each of you!"

"Changelings will win this fight together," Ocellus is next to Pharynx. The two are levitating many pillows.

"The Crystal Empire will claim victory in this war," Shining Armor uses his magic to levitate several pillows. 

Princess Luna levitates many moon-shape pillows. "Fools, this battle belongs to the Princess of the Night." 

"The Dazzlings shall win this pillow fight," Adagio said. She, Aria, and Sonata armed themselves with twin pillows like Gallus. 

"This is a war," Discord arms himself with a pillow sword and shield. "It's time to show what the Lord of Chaos can do in a pillow war!" 

Every creature gets excited with a renewed energy of adrenaline.  Discord rings the bell to initiate the pillow fight.
> Small Coalition Day 4: Entering Krack's Riverine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been seven hours since Sherria talked to any of her friends. She's training hard alone while her friends on Finich Spinach are getting ready for dinner. Lyon has been monitoring Sherria while keeping his distance. 

"Whoooa," Popeye sees a lightning storm approaching from Krack's Riverine. "I better drop anchor," Popeye presses a button to drop anchor. 

"Those clouds look angry," Captain Sparrow said, looking in his binoculars. "I suspect that storm to pass in a few hours."

"I could use a break," Popeye said. "I wonder what the Sailor is cooking." 

"Spike said it'll be delicious. His baking was spot on so, it's time to try his cooking," Captain Sparrow said. 

"Agreed," Popeye and Captain Sparrow go to the dining room of Finich Spinach. 

Spike is in the kitchen, adding the final touches to all the entrees he made. "I hope everyone enjoys the food," Spike removes the chef hat and apron, so Wendy doesn't see him. 

Lyon walks up to Sherria. "Sherria, you've been training long enough. You need to take a break." 

Sherria turns and punches Lyon in the face on cue. She imagined Lyon as her mother in hopes of not holding back. Lyon feels the full force of the punch and hurls away from Sherria. 

"Lyon!" Sherria snaps out of her trance when she realized she clobbered Lyon. Sherria rushes to Lyon on the other side of the training room. "I'm so sorry!" 

"It's fine," Lyon gets up. He received a black eye from the punch. "Romeo is right. You hit harder when you're livid." 

Sherria uses her Sky God magic to heal Lyon. "I can't stop training. I need to beat her! I need to defeat my mom!" 

"You'll tire yourself before she does anything to you," Lyon said. "You've been training for seven hours nonstop. You need to relax before you pass out." 

Sherria sighs heavily. On cue, her stomach growls loudly. It bothers her a bit. "Okay, I'll eat something and relax," Sherria holds her belly. 

"Good," Lyon puts an arm on Sherria. Sherria perks up a bit. "I believe Spike has made something scrumptious."

"I hope it's not spinach," Sherria said. 

Lyon takes Sherria to the dining room. Sherria's stomach continues to growl loudly. She tries speaking to her stomach by shushing it. A few minutes later, Lyon and Sherria enter the dining at the same time as  Captain Sparrow and Popeye walk in. 

"Ahoy, Sailors. Had a good sparring downstairs?" Popeye asks. 

"I did my training for a while. Sherria did hers for seven hours straight," Lyon answers. 

"I'm so hungry; I'm willing to eat anything!" Sherria holds her stomach. 

"Even spinach?" Popeye teases Sherria with that question. 

"Almost anything!" Sherria replies. Popeye gets a good laugh from that statement. 

"I saved you a seat, Sherria," Wendy pats to the left. 

"What about Spike?" Sherria asks. 

"He'll sit next to Kagura and me," Wendy replies. 

"I hope you are feeling better," Carla said. 

"After I eat, I'll feel better," Sherria still holds her belly. "I hear you! Shut up!" Sherria said to her belly, her friends laugh a bit. 

"Hey, can I get some help to bring the food to the table?" Spike comes to the dining room. 

"I'll help you," Gajeel and Kagura said. The two get up and follow Spike to the kitchen. 

"Man, I wonder what he made," Romeo said. 

"Only time with tell," Rogue said. 

"I think so too," Frosch concurs. 

Kagura brings a tray of ham with pineapple slices, Gajeel brings a tray of spinach pasta, and Spike brings a tray of rice coated in curry sauce to the table. Sherria is gagging from the spinach pasta. 

"Oh boy, my favorite!" Popeye serves himself a plate of spinach pasta. 

"Why spinach!" Sherria is about to cry. 

"Sherria, you can eat the rice and ham," Wendy reassuringly says. 

Sherria sighs. "You're right. Spinach is a weakness of mine." 

"Bologna," Popeye replies. "Spinach helps get you stronger. You need to eat tons of it to defeat any member of the Seven Deadly Sins." 

"No joke. For some stupid reason, eating Popeye's spinach amplified our magic power," Gajeel said. 

"All of ours since we ate his spinach rolls. Spike, is the spinach from Popeye's stash?" Lyon asks. 

"Yes," Spike nods. "In case the Seven Deadly Sins were to come to us as before." 

"Good thinking, boyo," Popeye praises Spike for thinking ahead. 

Spike goes and grabs the drinks from the kitchen. Everyone is serving themselves for what they want to eat. Sherria is hesitant about the spinach pasta. 

"Alright, I have pineapple juice, apple juice, and ginger ale," Spike brings them to the table. He sits next to Wendy and Kagura after serving himself. 

"Whoooa," Popeye takes a bite out of the spinach pasta. "How did you made the spinach this good! I can never come close to it!" 

"I don't mean to brag but, I take my time when it comes to cooking. I make sure that the ingredients have the right amount of flavor and made sure that it's delicious before serving."

The ship starts shaking a bit. Popeye and Captain Sparrow explain that a storm is going to pass over. It's not safe to travel when the clouds look angry. Everyone starts enjoying their meal and each other company, sharing stories about the Grand Magic Games and the dragon battles. 

An hour later, everyone has their fill. Popeye leaves the table, entrusting his Sailors to clean up after themselves. Sherria's belly, like everyone else's, is satisfied. Everyone compliments Spike on his cooking. 

"Your cooking is on another level, Spike. You should be cooking for the King of Edolas," Captain Sparrow said. 

"Nah. Then I'll miss being a Fairy Tail Wizard and going on adventures with my friends. I won't be giving up that lifestyle." 

"Point taken," Captain Sparrow says. 

"We got the dishes, Spike," Wendy said. She, Sherria, Romeo, and Carla grabs the plates and cups and head to the kitchen. 

"Thank you!" Spike graciously thanks. 

Gajeel places his hand on Spike's shoulders. "Hey, Fairy Dragon. Wanna train a bit?"

"Yea. I can train a bit. All I did today was bake and cook." 

"Let's go," Gajeel chuckles while taking Spike to the training room. 

"I'm coming with the two of you. Considering you and I will be partners going up against Raphael and Cassidy," Kagura said. 

"Sure. I wanna feel your blade's power for myself. Also, who is this Cassidy guy again?" Gajeel asks. 

"He's the Sloth. Raphael used him as a sword effectively. Cassidy moves so slow, but he's immensely strong," Kagura reminds Gajeel. 

"Perhaps by having him move more, he loses his ability," Spike said while thinking of a weakness. "What do you think, Fairy Rage?"

"Perhaps exposing the Seven Deadly Sins in their opposites would deplete their abilities within the sin they represent. We will have to wait and see if it's true or not."

"Point taken," Spike, Gajeel, and Kagura said. 

Spike, Gajeel, and Kagura go down to the training room. The trio clash like they were fighting in the Grand Magic Games. Gajeel isn't holding back against Spike during this training session. He's going to show Spike how Dragon Slayers fight against dragons. Spike felt insulted if Gajeel held back.

Popeye lifts the anchor and proceeds sailing into Krack's Riverine. By entering Krack's Riverine, Gajeel starts getting motion sickness. 

"Ah crap," Gajeel falls over. "The pill, it's upstairs in my room," Gajeel is queasy. 

"You didn't take it before or after you ate?" Spike turns to Gajeel.

"No. I thought I did!" Gajeel holds his stomach on the ground. 

"I'll go grab it," Kagura leaves the training room. 

"You think Bluto may want your ship, Popeye?" Captain Sparrow asks. 

"More than likely since it's better than Black Wing," Popeye replies. 

Captain Sparrow sighs. "I hope they don't destroy me ship. I'm hoping to give it to my children when they want to take on the mantle." 

"The feeling is mutual, Captain. I'm hoping to give one of my finest ships to my four nephews." 

"How is your wife, Olive Oil?" 

"She's good. She's waiting for my return when I'm retired. In three years' time, I'll be with her while allowing my nephews to take charge." 

"Good to know," Captain Sparrow feels the waves hitting Finich Spinach roughly. "These waters are rougher every time we part in." 

"I know," Popeye said. "Judging from these rough waters, we may encounter our enemy in a while longer." 

After ten minutes, Kagura returns with the pill and gives it to Gajeel. Gajeel eats it and feels better. He sits up. 

"You guys felt that?" Gajeel asks Spike and Kagura. 

"Yea," Spike nods. 

"We must be entering Krack's Riverine. We should train a bit more before the encounter," Kagura suggests. 

"Right," Gajeel and Spike nod. 

While Kagura, Spike, and Gajeel start training once more, Sherria, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla finish cleaning the dishes for Spike. They felt the waters getting rougher. Wendy, Romeo, and Carla notice Sherria's demeanor change rapidly. 

"We're getting closer," Sherria powers up. Her body is ablaze with her Sky God magic. 

"Sherria," Lyon comes to check on her. "Not yet. You need to rest." 

"But," Sherria wants to talk back to Lyon but seeing his stare is more than enough that convincing Lyon otherwise is not an option. She nods in understanding that resting is vital for her. 

"We'll take her to the sleeping quarters," Wendy said. 

"I'll take Sherria to the living room. She can rest there in case they come to us," Lyon said. 

"Alright," Wendy replies. 

Lyon takes Sherria to the living room. Lyon sits on a lounge chair, watching Sherria getting comfortable on the couch. Sherria closes her eyes and dreams about standing up to her mother, who abandoned her after birth. Romeo leaves Wendy and Carla. 

Yukino is with Juvia in the Sailor's lounge, talking and coming up with ideas for King Shark. 

"King Shark is very durable and a juggernaut. My water will be able to negate his attacks. Can Pisces harm him?" 

"I'm sure the two can. I don't think King Shark ever faced Celestial Spirits. Also, Pisces has another transformation that can get the job done. Libra will alter King Shark's gravity and make it harder for him to move or light enough to deliver blow after blow. As for Romeo, I'm not sure about his power and where he fits." 

"Romeo has a uniqueness with his flames. I believe there may be a flame where it could render King Shark helpless to counter. Watching him grow and training with him recently has taught me a few things. To spice things up with the element to use." 

"This is what frightens me, Juvia. King Shark has command of several sea creatures, including predators. Can your water magic fling them away?" 

"Never tried it before. Water being my natural element, I want to say yes. However, there are different perks King Shark has that I may not know about." 

"Only time will tell what happens," Romeo joins Yukino and Juvia in the Sailor's Lounge. He sits on a lounge chair. 

"How do you feel about fighting King Shark?" Yukino asks Romeo. 

"Scared. I never fought a Shark that could tear my body apart like paper. However, I'll muster enough courage to confront the King. I have two flames I think will be useful and get under his skin. My yellow flame, which smells like dragon farts. My red flame, which causes paralysis." 

"Paralysis?" Yukino and Juvia are in shock after hearing that ability coming from a kid. 

"Yea. I do have my rainbow flame, which is my deadliest flame in my arsenal but, I should hold onto that flame as a last resort. I have a habit of relying on one flame and not using my other flames. It was evident when Imitatia ambushed me, Elfman, Natsu, and Lucy months ago."

"Alright, we have our plan sorted out," Juvia turns to Romeo. "Use your paralysis flame on King Shark, and we will do the rest." 

"I will," Romeo said confidently. 

Popeye continues to sail Finich Spinach when he and Captain Sparrow see the unthinkable. Captain Sparrow activates the alarms and announces that everyone is to report to the main floor. Minutes later, everyone arrives and stands in front of Captain Sparrow. 

"What's the matter?" Rogue asks. 

"Are we approaching the Seven Deadly Sins' ship?" Carla asks. 

"Oh.., it's not just that..," Captain Sparrow steps aside. 

Everyone gazes at the creature that's attacking Black Wing. It has a firm hold of Black Wing. Three tentacles wrapping around the ship while the Seven Deadly Sins are doing what they can to bring down the creature. Its head rises from the oceans and screeches loudly. 

"Holy shit.., it's a freaking Kraken..," Spike said in awe and shock.
> Small Coalition Day 5: Retribution
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"King Shark!; This is your chance to seize control of the Kraken, now!" Bluto demands. He, Raphael, and Kain Hikaru are doing everything they can to ensure the safety of Black Wing from submerging underwater. They are prying the tentacles off of Black Wing. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark lunges at the Kraken's face, trying to use his tamer magic to control the behemoth. The Kraken uses his tentacle to swat King Shark. "Goddamn you, Squidward!" King Shark shouts after learning the name of the Kraken and lands in the water. 

"That sucker took out King Shark," Gajeel said in awe. 

"Pisces," Yukino realizes that Pisces can harm King Shark after witnessing the Kraken do some damage on King Shark. 

"I have to take it down," Spike powers up. 

"Not alone," Yukino takes out her Pisces Gate Key. 

"Alright, Sailors! Who's ready for war!" 

"We are!" Everyone shouts in unison. 

Finich Spinach raises the alarm. Bluto and the Seven Deadly Sins turn to see Finich Spinich rising. Popeye's house rises, revealing a platform like on a navy-airforce ship. Kain Hikaru, Cherry Blendy, and Cassidy watch in awe. They have never seen Finich Spinach rising from the waters. 

"So, Popeye came out to play after all," Bluto powers up. "Finally, I'll kill that Sailor and claim what is rightfully mine all those years ago." 

"We can't fight them! A freaking Kraken is trying to bring us down!" Kain Hikaru exclaims. 

"Silence!" Bluto responds lividly. "Black Wing is one thing. Finich Spinach is one of the three ultimate prizes. Let this ship sink for all I care. We're hijacking Finich Spinach right now!" 

"You got it, boss," Raphael grabs Cassidy. 

"All their treasures and money are mine!" Krabster uses his Money Make Magic to create stairs out of dollar bills to board Finich Spinach. 

"My sweet angel is up there. I'll put her to sleep out of love. When she closes her eyes, she'll be in a better place," Cherry Blendy climbs the stairs. 

"Sailors! Pirates boarding. Get ready for the real fight!" Popeye grabs a can of spinach from his shirt and eats it. He gains muscle mass immediately. 

Everyone goes outside to the platform of Finich Spinach. The Kraken screeches more while trying to submerge the ship. Captain Sparrow puts the thoughts of losing his ship aside and focuses on the task at hand. 

"Spike want!" Spike increases his size into a half-dragon to match the size of the Kraken. 

"Alright! The Seven Deadly Sins are..," Kain Hikaru stops in mid-sentence when he sees Spike the Fairy's size. He, Cherry Blendy, Krabster, and Raphael are in shock. 

Spike roars at the Kraken and tackles it, causing the Kraken to screech in agony a bit. The Kraken loses grip of Black Wing. Bluto watches the Kraken's movements and uses the cannons to kill the behemoth. The Kraken's color is green-cyan with red eyes. The Kraken has four tentacles with immense strength and suction. 

"So, with the dragon taking on the Kraken, who will I play with?" Kain Hikaru observes his opponents and recognizes the Emblem on Wendy's arm. "Perfect," Kain Hikaru takes out his Mr.Cursy. "I'll play with the kid," Kain Hikaru runs up to Wendy.

"Not on my watch, Chubby," Popeye runs up to Kain Hikaru and punches him in the face. The punch was so hard that Kain Hikaru soars far away from Finich Spinach. All that's left is Mr.Cursy. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark jumps out of the waters and lands on Finich Spinach. 

"Ready, Juvia?" Yukino has her Zodiac Keys armed. 

"Yea," Juvia nods. 

Romeo powers up, standing next to Juvia and Yukino. "I'm ready to throw down against a wannabe king." 

"I'm going to eat you alive!" King Shark proclaims. 

"Open, Gate of the Paired Fish! Pisces!" Yukino unleashes Pisces. Pisces are two gigantic fish. One is white with a blue Pisces Insignia on its head. The other is black with a blue Pisces Insignia on its head. 

"Big Fish! I, King Shark! Command you to follow my authority of the seas!" King Shark uses his tamer magic on Pisces. However, to his surprise, Pisces attacks King Shark. "What the hell!!? That's twice my magic has failed one me!"

"You have no authority over a Celestial Spirit. Prepare to meet your demise!" Yukino shouts at King Shark. 

King Shark looks at the flying fish. "Tsunami Strike! Water Striker!" King Shark uses his water magic to raise a tsunami. Inside the tsunami are water mines ready to implode on Pisces.

"Oh no, you don't! Water Nebula!" Juvia uses her watch magic to negate King Shark's Tsunami Strike. 

"Now open, Gate of the Heavenly Scales! Libra!" Yukino summons Libra. Libra is capable of using gravitational magic. Her attire resembles a belly dancer's, consisting of a frilled and striped bikini top along with a patterned loincloth. She also wears sandals and a cloth that bears her sign, tied around her head. "Libra, hold King Shark in place." 

"As you wish," Libra uses her gravitational magic to hold King Shark in place." 

"Hey! I can't move!" King Shark is stuck. He feels the full force of gravity weighing him down. 

"See if you like this!" Romeo conjures his Rainbow Flames and throws it at King Shark; they explode on contact. 

King Shark groans but not in agony. "Weak flames, kid. Very weak," King Shark taunts Romeo. 

"Try this!" Romeo conjures yellow flames and throws them at King Shark. 

King Shark gags at the smell. It screws with his sense of smell. "Goddamn! That's nasty!" 

"Pisces, take out King Shark!" Yukino commands. 

"I can't hold it!" Despite King Shark being unable to move, Juvia can't hold back King Shark's intense water magic with her water nebula. 

Pisces goes for the attack to strike King Shark. That's when Spike lands hard on King Shark. Spike got swatted by the Kraken. 

"Get off of me!" King Shark is unable to move due to the gravitational move. 

Spike gets ups and roars a second time. He attacks the Kraken again while Bluto is shooting the cannons at the Kraken's head. Juvia, Yukino, and Romeo go on the offensive to bring down King Shark. Spike grabs a tentacle and uses his fire breath to burn it off. The Kraken screeches in agony and dives underwater. Spike flaps his wings and tries to read the Kraken's movements when Bluto starts shooting at Spike. 

"Crafty punk," Spike flies and dodges the cannonballs Bluto is shooting. 

"I'll kill the two of you myself!" Bluto proclaims. 

"You're down one sin, Bluto," Popeye said while walking down the dollar stairs. 

"Aye. It's time to reclaim my ship and avenge me brothers," Captain Sparrow said. 

Bluto laughs. "Kain won't be missed. If he's unable to defeat you, he's not worth my time having around."

"Your perception of recruiting sailors confuses me, Bluto," Captain Sparrow said. He draws his sword. 

"Killing your brothers was my pride and joy months ago. Killing the two of you will be my crowning achievement!" Bluto powers up. "I waited a long time to settle the score, old chum!" 

"The feeling is mutual, Bluto," Popeye and Captain Sparrow fight Bluto on Black Wing. 

Raphael is fighting Kagura and Gajeel, using Cassidy as his sword. Gajeel sees how effective Cassidy is when he's idle. Cassidy's body cracks Gajeel's Iron Club and Iron Dragon Sword. Kagura is using her Archenemy sword against Raphael. Raphael uses one of his Sais to block Kagura's attack. 

"Same tactic?!" Raphael is fuming. "Show me something new!"  Raphael powers up. His body is ablaze with a red aura. 

"Iron Dragon Rooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his Iron Dragon breath on Raphael. Raphael uses Cassidy to slice through the breath attack like paper. "Iron Dragon Club!" Raphael wasn't anticipating the attack. 

"Money Make Shield!" Krabster saves Raphael from getting injured. Krabster's shield is a dollar bill that took the iron club attack. 

"Shadow Dragon," Rogue gets behind Krabster, Raphael, and Cassidy in his shadow form. "Rooooooooooooar!" Rogue unleashes his shadow breath attack. Krabster is sent flying while Raphael holds his ground. He's getting pissed. 

"Ice Make! Eagles!" Lyon conjures ice eagles to attack Krabster in mid-air. Not allowing Krabster to recover and counter the attack. 

"Alright!" Krabster does a flip in mid-air after the attack. He's showing signs of damage. "Time to unleash my- Waaaa!" Krabster gets cut off by a tentacle grabbing Krabster and dragging him in the depths of the seas. 

"Oh shit!" Lyon and Rogue shout in unison. They are in shock to see the Kraken taking Krabster to probably feast. 

Spike saw the tentacle rising and taking a member of the Seven Deadly Sins underwater to feast. "Fairy Rage. Think you can go into its mind?"

"Never tried it before. The door to the creature is open due to King Shark's attempt. I'll see what I can do." Fairy Rage leaves Spike's mind and goes searching for the Kraken in the depths of the sea. 

Spike decides to look for Kain Hikaru since the Kraken is underwater. At this time, Cherry Blendy walks up to Sherria and Wendy while the others are fighting against each other. 

"I'm here to send you to a better place because I love you," Cherry Blendy smiles devilishly at her daughter. 

"I'm sending you straight to hell!" Sherria powers up. 

"She's not alone either!" Wendy powers up. 

"The two of you will look lovely together. Allow me to put you two to rest," Cherry Blendy powers up. 

"Sky God Bellooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her Sky God breath attack. 

"Sky Dragon Roooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her Sky Dragon breath attack. 

Sherria and Wendy created a unison attack. A Sky Dragon-God breath attack to hurt Cherry Blendy. Cherry Blendy takes the hit and consumes their attack. Cherry devours Wendy's wind but gags on Sherria's wind. 

"What's the matter? My love for you is causing you to choke?" Sherria taunts her mother a bit. 

"You would hurt your mother?" Cherry sheds a tear. She falls to her knees. "Help me! Please! The demon is trying to take control of me!" Cherry Blendy sounds genuine. Her tone catches the attention of Wendy and Sherria. 

"Mom..," Sherria rushes to her mother. 

"She's possessed this whole time?" Wendy thought to herself. 

Frosch is nowhere in sight. He's inside Finich Spinach, where it's safe. As for Carla, she overhears the conversation. She's behind Wendy in case she needs to fly. Carla doesn't fall for Cherry Blendy's accusation of being possessed. 

"My angel," Cherry looks at her daughter. "I'm sorry that I left you..," Cherry Blendy frowns. "I'm sorry that I gave birth to a God and not a Demon!" Cherry Blendy grabs Sherria's throat, choking her immensely. She lifts Sherria with her right hand. 

"You brute!" Carla barks at Cherry Blendy. 

"Let her go!" Wendy shouts. Carla flies Wendy towards Cherry Blendy. 

"Hellrising Tempest!" Cherry Blendy swipes her left arm. Red and black demonic winds blow Wendy and Carla away from Cherry Blendy ferociously. Wendy and Carla collide on Popeye's house wall of Finich Spinach. Carla is knocked out due to the impact while Wendy watches in horror. 

"St-St-Stop..," Sherria struggles to breathe and talk. 

"Close your eyes, Sherria. I love you to death. Remember that, my little angel," Cherry Blendy smiles while hearing her daughter choking. 

"Let her go!" Spike swoops down and punches Cherry Blendy. 

The impact of Spike's punch causes Cherry Blendy to drop Sherria. Cherry Blendy moves slightly back from the blow. Spike is not half a dragon; He's now the size of Laxus. 

"You shouldn't have done that, you lizard. Now, I have to share the love I'm giving to my daughter and her girlfriend to you." 

"Wendy is my girlfriend. I'm her boyfriend," Spike said. He looks at the Sky Demon. 

"Lovely. Much love to go around. You'll spend an eternity with your lover after the pain and suffering I'm giving you out of my love for you."

Wendy gets up and heals Sherria. Sherria eats the air to start replenishing herself. 

Spike conjures his Sparkling Green Fireball. "Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike presses the fireball at Cherry Blendy, creating a heat cannon. 

Cherry Blendy extends her arm and uses her Sky Demon magic to create a Sky Demon Wall to disperse Spike's attack. Spike's fire dissolves right before his eyes. 

"How..?" Spike is in shock to see Cherry Blendy using her Sky Demon magic to evaporate Spike's fire. 

"Demons have special properties. You have to be a demon to have such qualities. Something in which you don't possess, love. Sky Demon! Kiss of Death!" Cherry Blendy unleashes another breath attack. This breath attack takes the shape of luscious lips. 

Spike crosses his arms, creating a Sparkling Green Metallic Shield to defend himself. The Kiss of Death attack implodes on the shield. Cherry Blendy rushes Spike. She low blows him with a kick. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Spike holds his lower parts and falls to his knees. 

"My Chubby-Wubby did the attack on you," Cherry Blendy holds Spike's chin. "It's only fair I do the same since he isn't around." She caresses his cheek. "Here, a warm kiss to make you feel better." 

Spike tries to spit at Cherry Blendy, but it does nothing. Cherry Blendy kisses Spike's lips and poisons his body with Sky Demon Poison Breath. It's the real kiss of death that causes anyone to die from the demonic saliva and magic. 

Wendy and Sherria saw what happened. Wendy sees Spike falling back while reddish-black Sky Demon air flows out of Spike's mouth. Sherria balls her fist and gets back up. Cherry Blendy crossed the point of no return. 

"What a lovely dragon. In death, he's lovely in his sleep. I told you, I'll send you to a place where you'll be loved by your lover, forever. Now, I gotta make sure she goes with you. Give me a few minutes to make that happen, love," Cherry Blendy smiles lovingly at Spike while he closes his eyes. 

"Sky Dragon Crushing Fang!" Wendy is livid. She punches Cherry Blendy on the back of her head hard. 

"Ow! Cheap shot!" Cherry Blendy turns to see Wendy. "Your lover awaits you on the other side." 

"Sky God Boreas!" Sherria generates two spiraling black currents creating a massive whirlwind. Cherry Blendy didn't anticipate the attack and is severely hurt; by Sherria's Sky God Magic. 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy hits Cherry Blendy with a whirlwind of air attack from her arms.

Sherria and Wendy team up to fight Cherry Blendy out of anger, Cherry Blendy tries to defend herself, but the anger coming from the two; made it harder to retaliate. Sherria and Wendy punch and kick Cherry Blendy simultaneously. 

"ENOUGH!" Cherry Blendy extends her arms after taking the punches and kicks from her daughter and Wendy. The extension of her arms creates a small tornado to separate her from Sherria and Wendy. "Time for Hell to arise!" Cherry Blendy starts transforming into her demonic demon. Cherry Blendy's body is red. She grows wings on her back, horns on her head, and fangs. Her feet are black demonic hooves. Cherry Blendy wears a black bikini with a pentagram drawn on her stomach. Her hair turns into a reddish-black pinkish fire. "I'm going to love hearing your cries for mercy in the next minute."

Wendy and Sherria are in shock and horror at the sight of Cherry Blendy. They thought seeing Fairy Demon Dragon was horrifying. Cherry Blendy takes the demonic transformation to a whole new level. 

"Sky Demon Hellfire Wind Combustion!" Cherry Blendy conjures a fireball with demonic winds. She presses forward, creating hellish orbs to attack Wendy and Sherria. 

Wendy and Sherria scream in pain from the attack. It was so powerful that their clothing is tatter. They have burnt markings on their arms and face from the impact. 

Spike gets up after his body fought off the poison. He sees his girlfriend and Sherria getting blown by Cherry Blendy. Spike looks up to see the demon. 

"Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike lifts his claws and produces ice missiles from the air. They're Sparkling Green with flames inside. "Launch!" Spike's ice missiles hit Cherry Blendy from behind. She takes the hit, not flinching during her demonic state. 

"So, you lived," Cherry Blendy sounds unamused. She still has love to inflict more pain on the dragon. 

"Spike!" Wendy shouts to get his attention. She's happy to see him standing and becomes worried about his wellbeing. 

"He survived!" Sherria is happy to see Spike standing once more. 

"You're fighting me now, prick," Spike said to Cherry Blendy. 

Cherry Blendy's loving mood is halted by that statement. Throughout the fight, Cherry Blendy was smiling. Now, she's angry. "Prick, am I?" 

"Exactly. Glad you agree with me," Spike smirks. 

"Why you, little," Cherry Blendy's Sky Demon Magic causes the clouds in the sky to thunder and produce lightning. The lightning in the skies is red and black. "I'm going to slay you, dick!" Cherry Blendy powers up devilishly. "SKY DEMON!" 

"Spike!" Wendy is petrified with the power coming from Cherry Blendy. She isn't sure she can defend Spike, let alone defeat Cherry in her demonic state. 

"Stop this right now!" Sherria demands her mother to cease the attack. She feels that Cherry's magic is far exceeding hers exponentially. 

"DEVIL'S WIND FORAY!" Cherry Blendy's Devil Wind Foray are demonic red spears with burning piercing effects. Spike takes the hit and feels like he's been stabbed multiple times. He roars in agony, then the spears explode, engulfing Spike in hellfire flames. 

Wendy and Sherria hear nothing from Spike after the spears explode and engulfing Spike in hellfire. Wendy and Sherria are in a trance while Cherry Blendy laughs victoriously. 

"There's no dragon that can withstand the Demons of Hell!" Cherry Blendy turns to her daughter and Wendy. "Don't worry. I'll cherish this moment. Then I'll send the two of you to the place of eternal love and happiness." 

Wendy and Sherria start shedding tears. They hear nothing from Spike. Then Cherry hears the sounds of consuming. She turns to see the hellfire that engulfs Spike being devoured. 

"How is this possible!?" Cherry Blendy angrily shouts. 

Spike's wounds heal as his body turns black. His eyes turn pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns crimson-blood red.

"I am Fairy DEMON Dragon!" Spike roars loudly. His voice sounds sadistic. 

"Fairy Demon Dragon..!?" Cherry Blendy trembles a bit. She has never heard about Fairy Demon Dragon. She didn't know that dragons can become demonic. "NO! I can defeat you!" Cherry Blendy powers up. "SKY DEMON! DEADLY WRAAAAAAAAAAAATH!" Cherry Blendy uses her Sky Demon breath attack on Spike. 

Spike's claws glow Sparkling Black. He grabs the breath attack. "Fairy Demon Dragon! Hellfire Cyclone!" Spike creates a Sparkling Black flaming cyclone. Initially, Cherry tries consuming the attack but gags on it. The attack did more damage to her. 

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Cherry Blendy doesn't understand. Why couldn't she consume demonic energy from Spike? 

"Simple. When I use the magic from my opponent, I infuse it with mine. Deceiving the attack so my enemies can gag and ponder why they can't replenish themselves."

"YOU BASTARD!" Cherry Blendy retorts. 

"Sherria! Wendy!"

"Huh?" Sherria and Wendy look at Spike. 

"Have some!" Spike blows Sparkling Black winds for the two to consume. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Cherry demands to know what Spike is planning. 

"Giving them the magic they need to defeat you."

"WHAT?!" Cherry turns to see Wendy and Sherria powering up. 

After consuming the winds, Wendy is ready to bring down Cherry Blendy. She's fired up now. As for Sherria, she's powering up for her ultimate spell in her books. 

"Heads up!" Spike uses his Fairy Demon Dragon Hellfire Fist on Cherry Blendy. Cherry Blendy soars in the direction of Wendy. 

"Sky Dragon! Rooooooooooaaar!" Wendy uses her breath attack Cherry Blendy. This time, it's denser and powerful than before. 

"Fairy Demon Dragon! Rooooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Black flames on Cherry Blendy. Spike and Wendy's breath attack causes tremendous pain on Cherry Blendy. She's unable to counter the attack. 

Sherria jumps into the sky. "God Slayer's Secret Art!" 

"WHAT!?" Cherry Blendy never anticipates hearing such an attack and fear it may be over for her. 

"Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!" Sherria extends her arms outwards with her palms open. Black air spirals appear in the form of stylized feathers that grows larger and larger flows like a serpent at high-speed hits and neutralizes Cherry Blendy on impact. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Cherry Blendy screams in agony. The spell causes her to revert to normal. She falls and lands hard on the ground. Her body is heavily bruised from the spell. "I.. lost... NO!"

Spike reverts to himself and throws up Cherry's demonic energy. It wasn't sustainable in his body anymore. Wendy cheers happily for Sherria while tending to Spike. 

Kagura and Gajeel continue the onslaught on Raphael and Cassidy. Raphael continues to use Cassidy as a sword to strike and defend himself from taking critical damage from Kagura's Archenemy and Gajeel's Iron Dragon Sword. Cassidy takes all the hits and doesn't show any fatigue or stress on his body. 

"Damn! This guy is as strong as King Shark!" Gajeel said. He catches his breath a bit. 

"You'll never take me down!" Raphael angrily shouts. "Stay still and die!" 

"Never!" Gajeel and Kagura said in unison. The two rushes Raphael and stop when they notice a tentacle above Raphael. 

"Turn around," Cassidy speaks for the first time. It's the fastest he spoke in three months. 

Raphael turns around to see the tentacle of the Kraken emerging from the waters. The Kraken rises from the waters. 

Yukino continues to have Libra hold King Shark in place with her gravitational magic. Juvia, Romeo, and Pisces unleash their wrath on King Shark. King Shark, despite being unable to move, takes minor damage from all four. His body proves to be more durable like a dragon. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark shouts. The only torture he's suffering from is Romeo's dragon fart flames. 

"Our attacks have no effects on this guy," Juvia said. 

"I now see how hard Gajeel and Rogue had it the other day," Romeo said. 

"Oh shit! Squidward is coming!" King Shark sees the Kraken rising from the waters. Yukino, Romeo, and Juvia become awestruck by the sheer size of the Kraken rising from the waters. 

Popeye, Captain Sparrow, and Bluto are in an impasse. The three have multiple scars and bruises on their bodies. They feel the waters getting rough on Black Wing. 

"Oh no.., it has risen!" Bluto shouts at the Kraken rising from the waters. 

"I'm going to need more spinach," Popeye said in awe. 

"Aye," Captain Sparrow concurs. 

"Spike. I've successfully taken full control of the Kraken."

King Shark, Raphael, Cassidy, Cherry Blendy, and Bluto's jaw drops. As for everyone else on board, they couldn't believe that Fairy Rage is in control of the Kraken. 

"No! That's not possible!" Raphael throws Cassidy like a javelin. Cassidy bounces off of the Kraken, taking no damage whatsoever. Cassidy lands in the waters. "What! That did nothing!" Raphael said in shock. 

"Of course, it did nothing. The Kraken is the most powerful sea creature on the planet."

"Bluto," Popeye grabs him. "Surrender Black Wing!" 

Bluto knows he won't be winning this fight. Especially when Popeye now has a Kraken as an ally. As much as he wants to keep fighting, he balls his fist in anger. 

"You should surrender if you want to live," Kagura suggests for Raphael due to the tides turning during the conflict. 

Raphael hates losing a fight. Surrendering due to the odds against him should motivate him but, the idea of living entices him more. 

"Think you can handle Pisces and the Kraken, Queen Shark?" Romeo taunts King Shark. 

King Shark grits his teeth and understands that the Kraken is more powerful than him. 

Sherria walks up to her mother in hopes that she's conscious. Sherria takes a deep breath and says one question. "Why?" 

"Why I abandoned you at birth?" Cherry Blendy finishes her daughter's question. Sherria nods. She's silent while looking down on her mother. "I prayed and worshiped for many years and followed his instructions. All I wanted was a daughter, and he couldn't deliver. I turned to the Devil, and he delivered me a beautiful baby girl. However, God decided to punish me. When I gave birth to you, you have God's Magic inside of you, and I can't associate with Godly properties. I rejected you and gave you up in hopes of you dying and going to a better place. I now see where you ended up. With a guild surrounded by family. I should have killed you with my demonic powers instead of abandoning you in the woods."

"I always hoped to find you so we can become a family. Now, I wish I never met you. You brought me strife and pain. You tried to kill me; and my friends." 

"So, what are you waiting for; finish me," Cherry Blendy demands. 

"Your fate is with the Kraken," Sherria turns her back on her mother, who lays motionless on the ground. Sherria checks on Wendy and Spike. 

Raphael, King Shark, and Bluto surrender to Popeye, Captain Sparrow, and the small coalition. They don't have a chance at defeating the Kraken. 

"There's a lifeboat for you and your crew to go on. Get in it," Popeye demands. 

Bluto grumbles and lowers a lifeboat to get on. "You've won the battle, Popeye. The war isn't over until I say so." 

"King Shark will have revenge," King Shark gets up after Libra uplifts her gravitational spell on him. King Shark jumps in the water and swims to the lifeboat. 

"I will kill you two someday. Mark my words," Raphael declares. 

"We'll be waiting for you," Kagura said. 

"Next time, you're eating my iron," Gajeel proclaims. 

Raphael jumps in the water and swims to the lifeboat. He grabs Cassidy, who is floating on the water. "Gonna need to use a paddle to stroke our way out of this dump." 

Cherry Blendy gets up on her own. She is tattered and in pain. "Sherria." 

Sherria turns to her mother while helping Wendy heal Spike. "What?" 

"Don't forget. Your mother will always love you. I'll love you until death claims you." 

"Here's a going-away present. Sky God Belloooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her Sky God breath attack on Cherry Blendy. Cherry Blendy gets blown off of Finich Spinach. She lands on Bluto. "That's for low-blowing Spike, bitch." 

"King Shark. Squidward wants a word with you." Fairy Rage releases his possession on the Kraken. The Kraken screeches angrily.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The remaining members of the Seven Deadly Sins scream in terror. The Kraken chases the lifeboat while Raphael paddles the lifeboat as fast as he can. 

"Home sweet home." Fairy Rage returns to Spike's body. "How are you feeling, buddy?"

"Sick," Spike throws up more of Cherry Blendy's hellish magic. 

"We're working on it," Wendy said, using her magic to help Spike. 

Carla wakes up after the Kraken chases the Seven Deadly Sins. She sees Captain Sparrow and Popeye hugging it out. The others are celebrating like no tomorrow. Wendy finishes using her magic and checks on Carla. 

"Hey, Carla. How are you feeling?" 

"Better, Wendy. My head hurts. Please, tell me. What happened after I was knocked unconscious."

Wendy explains the fight between her, Sherria, and Spike. Wendy also explains that Spike had Fairy Rage possess the Kraken, thus having the remaining members of the Seven Deadly sins surrender. The Kraken is chasing them as she explains. 

"Wow. I missed a lot." 

"Krabster got eaten by the Kraken," Lyon said. 

"Lyon and I didn't move after what we saw. It was indeed terrifying. I prefer fighting the dragons than being dragged into the depths of the sea," Rogue said. 

"Man, who would have thought that Yukino was the answer in grounding King Shark," Gajeel said. 

"She is quite impressive, Gajeel," Kagura said. 

"I can't believe that Popeye one-punched Kain Hikaru away from the fight," Juvia said. "I'm so glad he did that." 

"Hey, look," Romeo picks up Mr.Cursy. "What should we do with this?" 

"Give it to me," Spike said, now feeling better. 

Romeo tosses the Mr.Cursy doll to Spike. Spike plucks the hair out and incinerates Mr.Cursy. Never again will the doll take possession of anyone ever again. 

"Sailors!" Captain Sparrow shouts from his ship. The small coalition looks down from Finich Spinach. "Thank you for the help! I'm going to take Black Wing and look for me ole treasure. Popeye will take you back to Hargeon. He has the treasure chest for your payment on Finich Spinach."

"Farewell, my friend," Popeye walks up the dollar stairs. 

"Farewell, my brother. I'll see you soon," Captain Sparrow goes to the steering wheel and starts sailing his ship to the open blue waters happily. 

"Alright, Sailors," Popeye is back on Finich Spinach. "Time to take you back home. I'll sort the treasure chest with you back in Hargeon after a drink at the Salty Spitoon. Popeye enters his home and steers Finich Spinach out of Krack's Riverine. 

"Hey, you know what this calls for?" Spike asks everyone. 

"What?" Everyone says in unison. 

"A Party!" Spike shouts. "WE DEFEATED THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS!" 

"Yeah!" Everyone cheers in unison.
> Unity Fightclub: Pillow Warfare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a massacre of feathers and pillow sheets everywhere in Discord's basement. The Fairy Tail Guildhall Mess Hall replica has some tables on fire from the explosions of pillows. 

"Hey, kid. Ready to get back out there?" Pharynx asks Ocellus while wielding some pillows. 

"Yea!" Ocellus shouts her war cry. She and Pharynx leave their pillow fort and attack Gallus and Smolder out in the open. 

Gallus hits Ocellus with his pillow while Smolder and Pharynx attack each other in the air. Swinging their pillows left and right, trying to get a good hit on each other. 

"Yona attack!" Yona has pillows tied all around her body. She rushes into the fight like a battering ram. Gallus and Pharynx are knocked away by the pillow battering ram. 

"Fire in the hole!" Discord pulls a feather and throws a pillow into the battlefield. It explodes, hitting Adagio and Silverstream. "I love pillow-warfare." 

"So do I," Princess Luna swoops down and strikes Discord with her pillow sword. Discord's head falls off his body. 

"Well played, Princess of the Night. However, my body can still fight! Onward to victory, body!" Discord's body flies after Princess Luna and shoots her with a pillow machine gun. 

"Neighsay, should we go in?" Sandbar asks. He covered his sides with pillows. 

"Not yet, cadet," Neighsay examines the next potential enemy to strike down. He sees Shining Armor stealthy moving to his next target. "Now!" 

Neighsay and Sandbar attack Shining Armor with a fury of pillow bombs. Shining Armor dodges and throws a pillow behind Neighsay and Sandbar's pillow fort. 

"Every pony for themselves!" Sandbar dives away from the pillow explosion. Neighsay takes the hit and falls over. His body is covered in feathers. 

"Nice try-oof!" Shining Armor gets hit and buried with pillows. He waves the white flag, surrendering the fight. 

"You left yourself wide open," Sunset Shimmer said. She dodges pillow strike from Sonata. 

"I'll defeat you, Sunset Shimmer!" Sonata proclaims. 

Discord's body hits Sonata with his pillow machine gun. He shoots multiple tiny pillows at Sonata, burying her next to Shining Armor. 

"Okay, you win. I surrender," Sonata waves a half-eaten taco as a flag.  

Sunset uses her magic to teleport behind Adagio and Aria. She unleashes her pillow strikes on the two. Aria takes the hit from Sunset's pillows while Adagio leaps in the air.

"Take this," Adagio throws her pillow shield. It hits Discord's body instead of Sunset's. 

"Oof! Hey, I may not be attached to my body but, I can still feel that!" Discord shouts. 

Neighsay shakes the feathers off of his body. He arms himself with pillows leaving the fort. He sees Yona charging at him. 

"Yona has Neighsay, now!" Yona increases her speed to ram into Neighsay. 

Neighsay slides to his right and slams a pillow on Yona. Yona gets knocked on her back. "Cadet, the rope!" 

"On it," Sandbar brings the rope to Neighsay. 

"Hey! That's cheating!" Yona angrily shouts. She watches Neighsay using his magic to pin Yona to the floor with the rope. 

"All is fair in warfare, Yona. Discord never instructed any regulations or, say what's banned, did he?" Neighsay smiles. 

"Uuuuuuuuuuh," Yona tries to remember. Discord rang the bell an hour ago and never explained any rulings for the pillow war. 

"That takes care of the biggest target, Commander," Sandbar salutes to his commander. 

"You'll make a fine captain in this war, cadet. Onward to victory!" Neighsay and Sandbar go looking for the next enemy to bring down. 

"Yona will remember this!" Yona tries to wiggle her way out of the ropes. 

Pharynx sees Silverstream swooping down with pillow swords. Pharynx rolls out of the way. Unfortunately for him, Ocellus gets hit with the pillow sword and hurls back into the pillow fort. It collapses on her. She waves the white flag, surrendering the pillow war. 

"Nooo, you can't quit! We still have the battle to win!" Pharynx says while looking at the white flag. He turns to see a beheaded Draqonecuus swinging a pillow at Pharynx. Pharynx uses his magic to halt the swing. "My turn!" Pharynx hits the beheaded Draqonecuus with his pillow. 

"Ow! That hurt!" Discord feels the pillow wound on his rib cage. "Body, pick up my head. I need to see what's going on!" His body returns to him. "Now, pick me up," Discord's body picks his head and attaches it onto himself. "Much better-oof!" Discord gets hit by Neighsay and Sandbar's pillow. They used a small catapult for pillow launching. 

Neighsay turns the catapult to aim at Princess Luna. She's fighting Gallus with his pillow sword. 

"Feel my pillow sword, Luna!" Gallus swings at Princess Luna. 

"Taste the iron pillow, Griffin!" Princess Luna swings at Gallus. 

Gallus and Princess Luna are flying while swinging their pillow swords at each other. Aria and Smolder are swinging their pillows at each other in the air as well. 

"Time to show what true dragons are capable of, Siren!" Smolder advances to swing her pillow at Aria. 

"I'll sing you a song in the pillow graveyard!" Aria hits Smolder's back with the pillow. She plummets to the floor. Aria dives to hit Smolder a second time. 

"Gotcha," Smolder hits Aria in the head with her pillow. She spears Aria into Discord's pillow fort. Many pillows collapse onto both of them. 

"Talk about self-sacrifice, Commander," Sandbar says. 

"Smolder is indeed a brave soldier. In this war, cadet, she was foolish," Neighsay responds. 

"Luna!" Discord ambushes Princess Luna. He tackles Princess Luna into her pillow fort. The pillow fort explodes with feathers going everywhere. 

"Who's left?" Sandbar asks. 

"Me, you fools!" Silverstream is behind the two with a pillow cannon. 

"Hey, hey, Silverstream," Sandbar backs up a bit. 

"We weren't going after you," Neighsay said. 

"But I was, fire!" Silverstream fires the pillow cannon at Neighsay and Sandbar. Sandbar gets hit with the pillow cannon. 

"Cadet," Neighsay looks down at Sandbar. 

"I'm out of this war, Commander. It's been an honor fighting by your side," Sandbar closes his eyes. 

"Nooooooooooooooo!" Neighsay turns to Silverstream. 

"No hard feelings. It is a pillow war, Neighsay," Silverstream smirks. She can taste victory in the next moment. "Fire!" Silverstream tries to fire her cannon at Neighsay. 

"Not this time," Neighsay uses his magic to stuff many pillows into the pillow cannon. The pillow cannon blows up in Silverstream's face. Feathers cover her entire body from head to toe. Neighsay grabs a pillow with his teeth and lunges at Silverstream. He bops her with the pillow left and right. 

"I surrender! I surrender!" Silverstream said. She waves the white flag to show proof. 

"Alright, time to finish this-oof!" Neighsay gets hit with a pillow strike from Sunset and Adagio. He crashes near a pile of pillows. 

"Pillow avalanche!" Gallus shouts and pulls a pillow from the floor. The pillows fall on top of Sunset Shimmer, burying her completely. 

"So, it's only you and I, huh, Gallus?" Adagio smirks. She picks up a pillow sword. 

"Everyone else is down and out," Gallus picks up his pillow sword. "We could end this in a truce. Just you and I if you know what I'm saying," Gallus enticingly expresses. 

"Tempting but not a good wager," Adagio said. 

"Then, this is the last dance, Adagio," Gallus picks up a pillow to use for a shield. 

"Make it nice," Adagio said. She picks up her pillow shield. 

Gallus and Adagio shout their warcry while clashing each other. The two fly, trying to get the upper advantage. For two minutes, the two slash and defending each of their swings. Gallus tries to use his tail as an advantage when Adagio does the same. Their tails inadvertently wrap around each other, causing the two to look at each other and blush a bit. 

"Oh um..," Gallus is enjoying it but trying to show he's not. 

"Can I have my tail back?" Adagio asks. She's trying not to show that she likes the feeling. 

"Uh, yeah, of course," Gallus separates his tail from Adagios. 

Neighsay sees the two having their talk and places pillows on the catapult. He launches a barrage of pillows at the two. 

"Hey!" Gallus and Adagio shouts. The pillows made them slam into the Dazzlings' pillow fort. The pillows collapse on the two of them. 

"Team Neighsay and Sandbar. You are victorious!" A clone of Discord announces. 

"Aw yeah!" Sandbar gets up. 

"Yona didn't give up!" Yona is trying to wiggle out of the ropes. 

"Sorry but, since you couldn't get back into the fight, you were declared a fallen soldier for this pillow war," The clone of Discord says. 

Yona groans while the ropes loosen up. She lost her Pillow Fighting title to Neighsay and Sandbar. Discord snaps his claw, and all the pillows and pillow theme weapons go into the Unity Fightclub Closet he made. All the pillows that exploded are renewed and stored away. Every creature gets up and has a good laugh. 

"Wow, that was intense," Smolder said. 

"You kidding me? You took me with you when you tackled me, Smolder," Aria said. "You got guts in that battle." 

"I concur," Princess Luna said. "The Draqonecuus did the same to me during the pillow warfare."

"That's for beheading me, Princess of the Night." 

"Oh, you," Princess Luna nudges Discord's arm a bit with her hoof. 

"Still, I need to remember to bring the pillow tank and jets for the next pillow warfare. This has proven to be one of the best pillow fights I've ever hosted." 

"Agreed," Every creature says in unison. 

"I tried the stealth game. It doesn't help when going at it alone," Shining said. 

"The other Changelings back at the Hive would have loved this. You should host an annual event like this, Discord. Thorax would support the idea knowing that I and Ocellus enjoyed it." 

"Yea, it was awesome," Ocellus said. 

"Yona hates the fight of being tied to the floor. No pony or creature can stop the fury of a Yak without rope." 

"There are no rules during war, so why not no rules for pillow warfare?" Silverstream asks. 

Yona sighs. "Fair enough. However, I would like to know what future pillow weapons will be in store for the next pillow warfare." 

"I hope for a pillow tank!" Sonata maniacally laughs. 

"Next time, I'll lay out the ground rules. We did try a pointless brawl, and it didn't work," Discord looks at the clock. "Wow, time flies. It's already 6:30 in the afternoon." 

"We have to get ready for school!" Silverstream shouts. 

"I'll teleport us to our rooms at the dorms," Neighsay said. 

"I have to get ready for the night shift. Thanks for the workout, Discord," Princess Luna smiles at Discord. 

"You're welcome," Discord smiles. 

"I'm going to bed," Aria said. She, Sunset Shimmer, and Sonata go to their rooms. 

"I'll see you tomorrow, Adagio," Gallus said. 

"You will. Hopefully, we'll be in the same class together." 

"If anything, Adagio, I'll see you during lunch." 

"Sounds good," Adagio watches Gallus walking up to Neighsay. 

"Gallus and Adagio sitting in a tree," Smolder and Silverstream starts singing. 

"Hey!" Gallus doesn't want to hear it. "Don't finish that line." 

Neighsay uses his artifact to open a portal to the dorms. He and his friends step inside. Gallus shoves Silverstream and Smolder into the portal so Adagio doesn't hear the rest of the song coming from them. Princess Luna teleports to Canterlot Castle. 

"It appears you may have a special somepony," Discord said. 

"Silence, loser," Adagio goes to her room. 

"Hey! I'm your teacher! Disrespect me and I'll send you straight to detention!" Discord barks at Adagio. He sees Adagio using her wing to flip the bird. "Wow. She pulled that off. I hope she doesn't do that in class tomorrow."

"Hey, mind sending the two of us to our kingdoms?" Pharynx asks. 

"See you two next time around," Discord snaps his claw, teleporting Shining Armor and Pharynx to their homes.  "I really hope the Dazzlings and Sunset don't start cursing and swearing since they came from that opposite world of humans. I wonder how Spike the Fairy is doing with his friends and family right now."
> Going Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been three hours since the Seven Deadly Sins faced defeat at the hands of Popeye, Captain Sparrow, and the Small Coalition. Captain Sparrow is sailing his ship to recover his treasure. Spike is making the treats and entrees in the kitchen with Wendy, Carla, and Kagura. 

"Rogue, you beat the Seven Deadly Sins!" Frosch is happy to see Rogue well and alive. 

"We did, Frosch," Rogue pets Frosch. 

"But, I didn't do anything to support," Frosch looks down in sadness. 

"Did you cheered us on?" Yukino asks. 

"Uh-huh," Frosch nods. 

"Thanks for the support. You cheering us on gave us the motivation to win," Yukino said. 

"Really? Yay!" Frosch smiles. 

"Good job, Frosch," Rogue smiles. 

"Think we'll hear from them, Popeye?" Lyon asks while standing near the wheel. 

"Normally, yes. However, Squidward is the difference-maker. Judging from the Kraken's reaction, King Shark more likely pissed him off. I heard that Krabster got eaten by the Kraken?" 

"Yes. Rogue and I witnessed it. It came close to devouring us," Lyon said, remembering the moment when the tentacle grabs Krabster and drags him to the depths of the seas. 

"That was the first time I've seen the Kraken in Krack's Riverine. Now I know they exist; I should be more careful around its parks." 

"Indeed," Lyon nods. 

Gajeel is eating iron. He's with Romeo and Sherria. "Good job on defeating your sins." 

"King Shark is a tough opponent. If it weren't for Yukino's Celestial Spirits, Juvia and I wouldn't stand a chance," Romeo said. 

"I hope I never see my mom ever again. I hope the Kraken finish her off since I couldn't do it," Sherria said. She's drinking apple juice. 

"So, how was it fighting alongside Fairy Demon Dragon?" Gajeel asks Sherria. 

"Lovely," Sherria answers. "He came for me in the heap of trouble. Lyon was right. Spike was the catalyst for defeating my mother. He gave me the extra power to unleash my God Slayer Secret Art on her. I've never seen two demons on the same battlefield in my life. One being my biological mother, the other, my best friend's boyfriend."

"I know this was work and all but, you should come by to the guild and hang out. Wendy, Spike, Carla, and I will make you an honorary Fairy Youth member." 

"Thanks, Romeo. I would appreciate that. One of these days, when I'm not working, I'll swing by and hang out for sure," Sherria smiles. 

"So, how was it fighting Raphael?" Romeo asks Gajeel. 

"That guy is tougher than my iron. He used Cassidy as a sword effectively. Cassidy's body is invincible. I don't think Fairy Dragon could snap him like a twig in his full-size dragon mode." 

"What was shocking was Popeye one punching Kain Hikaru off of Finich Spinach," Sherria said. 

"That's because he ate his spinach," Romeo said in which causes Sherria to gag. 

"Besides the spinach, I wouldn't get into a bar fight with him. He's that strong in his old age," Gajeel said. 

"Think he can beat Jura in a fight?" Romeo asks. 

"I believe Jura would beat Popeye in a match. He is a Wizard Saint after all." 

"That Wizard Saint lost to Fairy Dragon in a clean fight during the first day of the Grand Magic Games," Gajeel reminds Sherria. 

"Spike is a dragon. That doesn't count." 

"It won't count cause he lost. You wouldn't be saying that if Jura won the match," Romeo said. 

"No comment," Sherria replies. She knows that would be the case if Jura would have defeated Spike the Fairy. 

"Hey, feeling better, Sherria?" Juvia walks by to check on her. 

"I am, Juvia. It feels like a burden is off my chest after many years of unanswered questions. I know who my family is. My cousin Sherry, my friends in Lamia Scale, and my friends in Fairy Tail. Mainly Wendy but, I'm starting to grow on Spike and Romeo." 

"That's good, Sherria," Juvia sits down on a lounge chair. 

"I wonder what Fairy Dragon is cooking," Gajeel said. 

"We'll have to wait. I expect Spike's cookies for the party," Romeo claims. 

"Oooooh, I would want to eat a mountain pile of Spike's cookies," Sherria images sitting on a cookie mountain, eating her heart's desire. 

Spike is adding the final touches to his last entree. Wendy and Carla are finishing baking a cake. Kagura gathers the drinks and brings them to the living room. Like days ago, when Kagura and Spike were in the kitchen, she relishes the time cooking with Spike and making sure she doesn't imagine Simon. 

"Okay, the wings are done. Homemade pizza is done. Spinach pasta is done. The steaks are done," Spike is checking off his list. 

"The desserts are done, Spike," Wendy boops Spike's nose, leaving vanilla icing on it. 

Spike chuckles. "Good to know. Plus, I still have a few dozen of my cookies for snacks."

"All the drinks are on the table, Spike," Kagura said. 

"Thanks for your help with marinating the wings and making the tomato sauce for the pizza, Kagura." 

"You're welcome, Spike," Kagura smiles. She couldn't help herself to image Spike as Simon when she was younger. 

"I'll bring the cookies to the living room," Carla said while picking up the boxes. 

"Thanks," Spike said. He watches Carla flying to the living room. Spike, Kagura, and Wendy take the entrees to the other table in the living room. Spike sees everyone lounging and talking to each other. "Hmm, I wonder if Popeye got some music for us to listen and dance to."

"Let's find out," Wendy said. 

"Man! That smells good," Gajeel said. He gets up from the couch. 

"Help yourself, Gajeel. I'm going to talk with Popeye for a second," Spike goes to the steering wheel of Finich Spinach. 

"How long till we arrive in Hargeon?" Lyon asks. 

"A day's tops. I've sailed more than twenty-four hours straight many times in my lifetime. Doing so won't hurt. Plus, I'm expecting my nephews to arrive when we get there. I promised them to show them the curves around the seven seas. You, Sailors, need your rest after battling the Seven Deadly Sins." 

"Excuse me, Popeye," Spike interrupts their conversation. "Do you have speakers for music?" 

"Aye, there in the closet. I have music for you folks, as well as a few board games and Twister. Have fun. Did you make any spinach-based foods, lad?" Popeye asks. 

"Spinach pasta, Popeye." 

"Excellent! You need to make more of it for yourself. I'm telling you, spinach will make you grow stronger," Popeye flexes his muscles. 

"I will. I'll remember to say that to my friends in the Fairy Tail Guildhall," Spike said. 

"Good, Sailor. Enjoy yourself," Popeye continues to sail Finich Spinach.

"We will," Spike goes to the closet and takes out the board games, Twister floormat, spinner, and the speakers for music. 

"Wait, this guy has Twister?" Romeo looks at the game mat. 

"Yea. I guess Popeye's Sailors and Nephews must have a game night for these occasions." 

"Sounds like fun," Sherria said. 

"Sounds boring," Gajeel said. 

"I want to play. Will you play with me, Rogue?" Frosch looks up at Rogue. 

"Sure, little buddy," Rogue nods to make Frosch happy. 

Spike places the Twister mat on the floor and the spinner as well. Wendy, Sherria, Romeo, Carla, Rogue, Juvia, Frosch, and Yukino decides to play the game and see how it works out. It turns out the game is more fun than they realize while getting into weird and awkward positions. Lyon sits and watches Juvia standing in different positions. 

For two hours, everyone playing has lots of fun and laughter. Gajeel, Lyon, and Popeye are eating their food while enjoying the music displayed on the radio. After playing Twister, they start eating and drinking while enjoying each other's company. They dance to many different songs while Gajeel eats his iron, not wanting to dance or partake in most of the fun. Sherria is at peace, knowing who her family is. The thoughts of her mother are gone with the wind. 

It's 9:30 at night. Everyone is going to their sleeping quarters to rest after the party. Popeye is eating the rest of the spinach pasta since the other food that was made is devoured. He sails the rest of the way to Hargeon. 

It's 8:30 in the morning. Everyone wakes up after hearing the alarms sounding off. They see Finich Spinach parking in Hargeon. 

"We're home," Spike said. 

"Good, I'm sick of boats!" Gajeel said, now getting motion sickness. 

"I concur..," Rogue falls over, holding his stomach.

"Hope you Sailors had a good rest," Popeye said while lifting the treasure chest to the Wizards. 

"We did. We partied hard after a hard-fought battle," Romeo said, speaking for everyone. 

"For defeating the Seven Deadly Sins and helping my brother retrieving his ship, he wanted me to give this to you," Popeye opens the treasure chest revealing 5,000,000 Jewels as promised. "1.25 Million Jewels for each of the guilds." 

"Thank you," Everyone except Gajeel and Rogue says in unison. Gajeel and Rogue are still going through motion sickness. 

After the guilds split the reward, they leave Finich Spinach and walk to the train station to say their farewells. 

"Aww, I hate saying bye," Sherria said to her friend Wendy. 

"It's okay. We'll see you soon, Sherria," Wendy said. 

"Definitely," Spike concurs. 

"Man, I hate trains," Rogue complains. He doesn't want to receive another motion sickness for the ride. 

"Here, Rogue," Wendy uses her Troia spell on Rogue. It'll help him relieve his motion sickness for the next while. 

"Thanks, Wendy," Rogue graciously says. 

"You're welcome," Wendy smiles. 

"It was an honor cooking and training side-by-side, Spike," Kagura said. "Tell Erza I said hi for me." 

"I will, Sis," Spike replies. 

Kagura smiles and hugs Spike. "I'll see you another day. Until then, take care of yourself and your guild." 

"I will!" 

"Tell Gray that he's a coward for not showing up," Lyon asks Spike to deliver the message. 

"I will. Though Gray would come after you for those remarks." 

"I'll be too powerful for him by the time he shows his face," Lyon smirks. 

"Take care, Gajeel. It was fun fighting and training with you," Rogue said. 

"You too. Continue to get better and stronger, Rogue." 

"I will. Hopefully, our paths may come across again. The same goes for you guys here," Rogue says. 

"Take care, Romeo. Continue to work on your flames. They were vital against King Shark," Yukino says. 

"I will. Those Zodiacs were cool in action," Romeo says. 

"Have a safe travel," Carla says to everyone when the conductor says all aboard." 

"You too," Frosch says. 

Everyone except Fairy Tail gets on the train. Moments later, the train starts moving. Everyone onboard waves bye while Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends to the guildhall in Magnolia. 

Spike's teleportation spell puts him and his friends in front of the doors of the guildhall. Romeo starts sweating like crazy because he's expecting an ass-kicking from his father for taking a job without his consent. He takes a deep breath and enters the guildhall doors. 

"Hey! Look who's come back!" Mirajane shouts. 

"Heavens, what took you and Juvia so long, Gajeel?" Makarov asks. 

"Turns out the guy that was running amuck is a member of the Seven Deadly Sins," Gajeel answers. 

"What?!" Makarov said in shock. 

"If it weren't for the coalition job Fairy Tail went on, we would have been lost at sea," Juvia said. 

"I knew I should have gone with you," Panther Lily said. 

"I'm glad you didn't. King Shark would have eaten you," Gajeel said. 

"Who's King Shark?" Panther Lily asks. 

"He's Pride of the Seven Deadly Sins. His body withstood my iron, and I was no match for him," Gajeel said. 

"Wow. That's unfortunate," Panther Lily imagines the battle and how horrible it went. 

"The town was filled with pools of blood because King Shark not only killed but ate the civilians. There was no one in sight to rescue," Juvia explains. Some of her guildmates went silent after that statement. 

"That's horrible," Master Makarov shakes his head. "Please tell me King Shark is no more." 

"Funny thing about that, Master," Romeo walks up to Makarov. 

"Romeoooo!" Macao, his father, calls him out after coming out of the bathroom. "You have some explaining to do," Macao grabs his mug of beer. 

Romeo gulps and walks up to his father. "Hey, dad..," Romeo sweats a bit. "I'm back home from work..." 

"I see," Macao looks sternly at Romeo. 

"I'm grounded, aren't I?" Romeo looks up at his dad's eyes. 

Macao takes a deep breath. "You're not grounded, son." 

"I'm sorry.., wait. What?" Romeo is surprised by his father's statement. 

"You took on a job without me knowing. I am upset but, I came to the conclusion that you are growing into a young man and a capable wizard. I'm proud that you stood up to your enemies and came back victorious," Macao places his hand on Romeo's shoulder. "I want you to tell me everything. After that, you and I are going to do some father-son jobs and training." 

"Sounds good, dad!" Romeo said excitedly. 

"But first," Macao does the hand gesture that he wants the cut of Romeo's pay. 

"Oh, right," Romeo gives his dad 125,000 Jewels. 

"Now, we can get going," Macao leaves the guildhall with his son. He decides to train Romeo first. 

"Hey, Mirajane," Spike flies over to Mirajane behind the bar. 

"Yes, Spike?" Mirajane is cleaning a plate while smiling at Spike. 

"Have you seen Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy?" Spike asks. 

"Lucy's home. As for the rest, they're on a job." 

"Thanks, Mirajane," Spike flaps his wings. 

"See you around, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel says. 

"Definitely. Love you, Wendy." 

"Love you too, Spike," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. She watches Spike fly out of the guildhall. 

Spike flies to the apartment and sees the Landlady coming out. "Hey, you got this month's rent?" 

"Yes, I do," Spike gives the Landlady rent for the next two months. 

"Perfect. I won't be bugging you and Lucy for the next two months. Such a smart dragon planning ahead of time," She said. 

"Thanks. Have a good walk," Spike said. 

"Have a good day, Fairy Dragon," The Landlady goes on her walk. 

Spike enters the apartment and walks up the stairs. He opens the door to see Lucy writing her novel. "I'm home, Lucy!" 

"Hi, Spike! Welcome home," Lucy stops writing and walks up to Spike. She hugs him and lets him go. "So, how was the adventure?" 

"Well," Spike spends three hours telling his tale. Lucy is in shock to hear Kain Hikaru's name mentioned. What blew her mind wasn't Finich Spinach in action but Fairy Rage taking possession of the Kraken. 

"Fairy Rage, is that true or Spike stretching the story?" Lucy asks. She made tea for her and Spike. 

"King Shark's tamer magic opened the door for Squidward. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be able to possess the Kraken. Lucy, we didn't know that Krakens existed, so seeing one was bizarre."

"For a job request that wasn't an S-Class, it felt like one," Spike said. 

"So, what do you, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza do while we were away?"

"We went on an S-Class Quest. Natsu and Gray were highly upset about not going on an adventure on the seas. Erza came to her senses. She wanted to go with you, Spike." 

"Wow. What changed her mind?" 

"Erza wanted you to gain experience with Wendy and Romeo. She saw you three as the future of Fairy Tail that needs to develop. It did pain her to see you go." 

"I bet. Erza loves me as her brother." 

"For the past few days, while you were gone, Erza did get worried. Not knowing what dangers you could be struggling with. Erza told me the taunt Minerva said about failing as a sister. That taunt did get to her during the time." 

Spike imagines the feeling Erza went through. "When was the last time you saw Erza?" 

"Yesterday, she should be around later today. Also, the guild now has a pool. We're going swimming later today," Lucy smiles. 

"I'm in!" Spike shouts. His stomach growls. "After I eat." 

"Sure thing. I'll make lunch," Lucy gets up and goes to the kitchen.
> Preparing for the New Semester
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 7:30 in the morning in Ponyville. Starlight Glimmer wakes up after hearing her alarms go off. She uses her magic to turn it off. "A new day for the School of Friendship!" Starlight gets up and trots to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. 

Trixie and Maud are in the kitchen having breakfast. Sunburst is making coffee in the kitchen while Rockhoof is telling stories about his golden age back home. 

"So, with Twilight out of the picture, will Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy be coming to school for the new semester?" Trixie asks. She's curious to know if they intend on showing up. 

"I don't know. Maybe Starlight does," Sunburst says, answering Trixie's questions. 

"Pinkie Pie is flooded with birthday parties today. She won't be attending school," Maud answers. 

"Alright, four outta five may come to the school," Rockhoof said. "I can't wait to teach the lads and lassies about being determined and courageous later today." 

"I'll start today's class with a listening session," Maud said. 

"Hmm, I may take a page from Earth Land Spike about building character with your friends," Sunburst says. 

"Trixie will do the same but with teamwork exercises." 

"I wonder what Discord will be doing," Rockhoof thinks about the possibilities that Discord may do for his class. 

"Only time will tell, Rockhoof," Sunburst says. 

"Speaking of time," Starlight enters the kitchen. "When will Starswirled the Bearded come to the castle, Rockhoof?" 

"Sometime later this week. Starswirled is gathering his friends after I mentioned to him what happened when Discord got exposed." 

"Good grief," Starlight imagines what Starswirld is thinking. "Do any of you mind spoilers from what Princess Luna showed me?"

"What did she showed you, lassie?" Rockhoof asks. 

"Spike's memories in Earth Land and all of his adventures." 

"What did the wee lad come up against?" Rockhoof gets a little excited. 

"From what we saw yesterday, there is a ton of action and drama that'll make anyone wanting to switch places with Spike," Sunburst answers. 

"Please, tell me," Rockhoof is over the moon with excitement. 

Starlight spends an hour telling Rockhoof what Spike endured during his first few weeks on Earth Land. Rockhoof already has some ideas to compare for his teachings down the road. 

"Well, enough about Spike's memories. If you wish to see more, go by to Pinkie's movie night. She's hosting one every other night to see more about Spike's life in Earth Land," Starlight says. 

"I will remember that, lassie. Well, I'm on my way to the school. With an hour remaining, I'm going to set up the class," Rockhoof leaves the kitchen. 

"We should all go and prepare. With the possibility of new students coming into the fray, a quick review session would help them catch up with my curriculum," Sunburst says. 

"I agree," Maud gets up and leaves. 

"Trixie concurs. The show must go on," Trixie leaves the kitchen. 

"Alright, I'll catch up with you all in a bit," Starlight said. She goes back to her room and prepares for today's new school day. 

It's now 9:00 in the morning. Discord wakes up feeling sore. Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings are having breakfast. Sunset feels nervous about going to the School of Friendship. The Dazzlings can relate to her in more ways than another. 

"It's going to be a challenge. I'm sure today will go smooth," Sonata said, eating her breakfast burrito. 

"Please don't talk with your mouth full, Sonata. It's disgusting," Aria said, eating her scrambled eggs. 

"Looks who's talking," Adagio said, eating her grilled cheese sandwich. 

"It's just..," Sunset sighs heavily. "I was spending my summer vacation when I promised to call my friend back about going to this BBQ at the beach. I never got back to her because of Princess Twilight Sparkle guilt-tripping me to come back to Equestria. It was all for nothing since the Bar of Alliance is at peace with Spike's happiness. Am I wrong for feeling like this? Considering that I was technically robbing the life of a different Sunset Shimmer?" 

"It's a hard concept to think about, Sunset. Identity theft is a serious crime in that other world," Adagio said. 

"We didn't see our duplicates in that world so, they could have died off centuries ago," Sonata said. 

"Sonata, not helping!" Aria said. 

"Did the other Sunset Shimmer died because of me..?" Sunset Shimmer feels guiltier. 

"Nice going, genius," Adagio is unhappy with Sonata's remarks. 

"Do you want to go back?" Aria asks Sunset Shimmer. 

"Yes! No! I don't know!" Sunset Shimmer can't make up her mind. She's going stir-crazy just thinking about it.  

Discord comes downstairs when he hears the commotion about Sunset Shimmer and the other world. He decides to create a curriculum to teach based on her feelings. Perhaps, by learning the lesson, Sunset Shimmer could have the answers she seeks. Discord walks into the kitchen.  

"Morning, ladies. Had a good rest?" Discord turns to each of his roommates. 

"It was splendid, Discord," Aria said. 

"I had a great sleep! I dreamt about riding on a flying taco!" Sonata shouts a bit. 

"I had a good sleep and good dream," In Adagio's dream, she dreamt about being with Gallus. 

"It was okay, I guess," Sunset answers. She sounds sad. 

"How are you feeling, Sunset? Nervous about the first day of the new school year?" Discord asks. 

"You can say that," Sunset drinks her cup of coffee. 

"Well, as a teacher at the School of Friendship, I need to get going. That means you're coming with me as well. Starting now!" Discord snaps his claw. He teleports his friends to the cafeteria where the Unity Seven are having their breakfast. "Look, you have friends by the table over there," Discord points at them. "Hook up and have fun. I'll be going to Headmare Glimmer's office."

"So, are you going to do this every day, Discord?" Adagio asks. So she knows his game plan. 

"Yes. Every school day, I'll be doing this. Better get used to it," Discord hovers to Headmare Glimmer's office for the meeting taking place at 9:35. 

"Typical," Adagio said. "Well, let's go say hi to our friends." 

Sonata has already beat Adagio to it. She's sitting with Silverstream and Yona, talking about the possibilities of being in the same class together. 

"You go without me. I need to be alone for a while," Sunset trots to find her way around the school. She wants to rethink her decisions and possibly, asking permission to go back to the other world to say a proper goodbye. 

It's 9:25 in the morning. Starlight Glimmer enters the School of Friendship. She looks around to see if Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy will be coming. Starlight does see the CMC Counselors approaching the school. 

"Morning, Headmare Glimmer," The CMC Counselors say in unison. 

"Morning, girls. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle. Are your sisters coming to the first day of the new semester?" Starlight asks. 

"My sister is tied up at the barn with Big McIntosh," Apple Bloom replies. 

"My sister is overworking with dresses galore for Saphire Shores. Don't expect Rarity coming for the next few days," Sweetie Belle answers. 

"Last I heard from Rainbow Dash, she's busy with Wonderbolt training," Scootaloo said. 

Starlight Glimmer takes a deep breath. "I can safely assume Fluttershy is busy with her animals?" 

"We don't know. If Fluttershy doesn't show up, then that's likely the case," Sweetie Belle said. 

"Are we late for the meeting?" Scootaloo asks. 

"You're ten minutes early. Do please come to my office," Starlight said. 

"We will," The CMC Counselors say in unison. They follow Starlight Glimmer to her office. 

Starlight Glimmer enters her office with the CMC Counselors. They see Discord, Rockhoof, Maud, Sunburst, and Trixie in the office; sitting at the seats. The CMC Counselors take their seats while Starlight trots to her chair by the desk. 

"Alright, thank you for coming early to my office. On today's topic, we have new students coming into the school. Also, we have a vacant spot for teaching class since Discord was impersonating as Spike this whole time." 

"I have some regrets," Discord coughs a bit. 

"Anyway, until a suitable teacher is found that'll bring in qualities of friendship, the classroom will be reserved for tutoring sessions for the newer students. Any objections?" 

Everyone in the room shakes their heads. They like the idea of a tutoring session in the vacant classroom. 

"The next topic is about Spike. We have knowledge of his well-being in Earth Land and there is much we can break down for teaching friendship. The students deserve to know the truth with Spike since Discord lied to every student that witnessed Yona's testimony weeks ago. Any objections?" 

"No. I'll tell the students on behalf of the School of Friendship. Keeping secrets of any kind is a no-no for friends."

"Very well, Discord," Starlight said. 

"Trixie wants classes to watch films of Spike and his run in Earth Land. To have a better understanding of how friends can be like families." 

"I concur with that suggestion," Sunburst says. 

"Ditto," Maud replies. 

"Considering with the many adventures Spike's been through and how his friends treat him like family despite being a different race, it would benefit with other creatures that have trust issues," Sunburst said. 

"Alright. We reach a verdict on that suggestion. We will go forth with it but not during the first two weeks. We need to have the students grow their trust with one another first," Starlight declares. 

"Agreed," Everyone concurs. 

"Headmare Glimmer," Discord turns to Starlight. "Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings should be with the Unity Seven's classes. They seem to grow a bond with them during the intermission." 

"Very well, Discord. I'll approve it based on your judgment," Starlight says. She looks at the clock. It's 9:40. "Alright everyone, that'll conclude today's meeting. Get to your classrooms and prepare to teach friendship. As for the CMC Counselors."   

"Yes, Headmare Glimmer?" The CMC Counselors turn to Starlight Glimmer. 

"Each of you will separate and go to different classes wherever you see a new student struggling to understand."

"We will, Headmare Glimmer." 

"Good. After today's classes, I want each of you to come back to my office for another meeting. To review today's classes and how the new students cooperate." 

"Alright, Headmare Glimmer. I'll see you after today," Discord hovers to his classroom. 

Maud, Trixie, Sunburst, and Rockhoof leave the office. The CMC Counselors decide to go to the cafe for a quick breakfast before starting their day. Starlight Glimmer looks out the window to see familiar faces and new students entering the school. She smiles, knowing that today is going to be a great day.
> Keys in Disarray
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:00 in the morning. Spike and Lucy are waking up after having a good sleep. 

"Morning, Lucy," Spike yawns a little. 

"Morning, Spike," Lucy yawns a little. 

Spike and Lucy get up and starts making their beds. They hear the front door knocking. 

"I'll get it," Spike says, allowing Lucy to use the bathroom first. He opens the door to see Natsu and Happy. 

"Hey, Spike. Ready to get some work done?" Natsu smiles, looking down at Spike. 

"Hey, where's Lucy?" Happy flies into the apartment. 

"Hey, Natsu. Lucy is getting ready. We just woke up a few moments ago," Spike answers. 

"Great! Get ready and come on! We have work to do!" Natsu excitedly expresses. 

"Hold your horses. I need to freshen up too," Spike said. 

After an hour of getting ready for the day, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Spike head to the guildhall. On the way there, talks about strange phenomenons and anomalies all around Earth Land has been the main topic. Lucy complains about not having the chance to eat breakfast since Natsu and Happy are in a rush. When they enter inside the guildhall, Mirajane and Kinana are present while the entire guildhall is empty. 

"Whoa," Spike said in awe. 

"The whole place is cleared out," Lucy said in shock. 

"Weird, where did everyone go?" Happy asks. 

"It's like a graveyard in here," Natsu said. 

"Is there an S-Class trial coming up, and we weren't informed?" Spike asks. 

Natsu, Happy, Spike, and Lucy go up to the bar to speak with Mirajane and Kinana. Mirajane and Kinana are cleaning the dishes and bar table. 

"Is everyone else out working or what?" Natsu asks Mirajane. 

"Yea. Between the weather and natural disasters, folks have been hurting out there."

"So, naturally, the guild is just about buried in job requests," Kinana noted. 

"Hey, I'm great at disasters, so let me at 'em," Natsu claims. 

"Giddyup then, I want to check out that request board," Happy says. He's on top of Natsu's head. 

"This is perfect. My Celestial Spirits are pretty much born with putting nature in its place. They'll rock this," Lucy smugs at the idea of using any of her spirits to make things better for society. "Just point me to a town that's overheated, and I'll have Aquarius flood the place with cool water." 

"Along with you, Lucy. You should know how she feels about you," Happy reminds Lucy about Aquarius' tone with her. 

"There was a place like that, but Juvia and Gray beat you there," Mirajane said. 

"What about a location that needs repairing. I'm sure Taurus could rebuild the entire town singlehandedly," Lucy asks. 

"Sorry, Erza took that job a while ago," Kinana says. 

Kinana and Mirajane tell Lucy the jobs that would have been perfect for her Celestial Spirits. Spike questions about Nab Lasaro taking a job when Mirajane explains that he read too many horror comics and has decided to skip work for this week. Spike wonders if Wendy and Carla ran into Captain Sparrow, blowing wind for his ship to move. 

"Man! These jobs are real lame!" Natsu complains. He wants something intense, not boring. 

"Isn't there anything that'll be worth our wild?" Happy asks then turns to Lucy and Spike. "This is your fault! If you two would have hurried up instead of taking your precious time, we would have gotten real work!" 

"You caught us when we were waking up! We have our routines in the morning!" Spike barks at Happy. 

"No kidding. You made us skip breakfast because the two of you were such in a hurry," Lucy responds to Happy's claim. 

"No need to fret. I have a job that has Lucy written all over it," Mirajane says. 

"Thank you, Mirajane," Lucy graciously says. 

"You're a lifesaver," Happy says. 

"Oh ho, stop it," Mirajane slightly blushes. 

"Take a look," Kinana gives the flier to Natsu. "There's a little coastal village called Seabellus that needs help with research. There's a pretty hefty reward too."

"150,000 Jewels. Sounds legit. Let's get a move on," Natsu says. "If we make it back before Gray does, we can call him a slacker," Natsu chuckles at the idea. 

Spike takes a look at the flier. "I never heard of this village, so flying is out of the question." 

"No..," Natsu realizes that motion sickness is on its way. 

Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Spike leave the guildhall and goes to the train station. Natsu sweats like crazy because of his unavoidable motion sickness. They board the train and sit in their seat. The instant the train moves, Natsu feels queasy and slumps over. 

"That didn't take long," Happy said, watching Natsu suffering his motion sickness. 

"I should have asked Captain Sparrow for more of those Motion Relieve pills," Spike said. 

"Not.., fair.., Just throw me out the window, I'm dying," Natsu says in pain. 

"No way. It'll take us days to get there. Just endure the trip for two more hours," Lucy says. 

"Two... hours! Kill me now..," Natsu pleas. 

Lucy reads the flier. As it states, a Celestial Wizard is wanted to investigate a disturbance with the Celestial Spheres. It's a possible cause of recent changes in the climate throughout Earth Land. Lucy proclaims that Celestial Wizards are hard to come by these days. Unfortunately, the flier doesn't say who the client is so, to pass up the time on the train, Spike, Lucy, and Happy come up with theories left and right. 

Two hours later. Spike carries Natsu off the train while Lucy and Happy hop off. A wagoner is stationed with a sign asking for Lucy, Natsu, Spike, and Happy. Natsu wants to walk, but the wagoner mentions that their assistance is urgent. Without further ado, Natsu musters enough courage to ride the wagon to their destination. The wagoner instructs Lucy to take his wagon and follow the map. He's banned from the village ever since he broke several laws in his drunken state. 

It's 12:30 in the afternoon. Lucy halts the wagon in front of a beach where the village is supposed to be. Spike carries Natsu off the wagon while Lucy and Happy investigate the area. 

"Beautiful beach. However, I don't see a village," Spike said. 

"We notice," Lucy and Happy said in unison. They are dumbfounded at the moment. 

"Did we get ripped off?" Natsu asks. He sniffs for anyone around the area. His scent picked something else up. "That smell, what is it?" 

"What are you smelling, Natsu?" Spike turns to Natsu. 

The waters near Lucy and Happy start rippling as a gigantic sea slug make its presence known. Happy and Lucy flee away from it. 

"Whoa, that's huge!" Natsu said. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size to half a dragon. The gigantic sea slug is the same height as the Kraken Spike fought a few days ago. "Here, Natsu, get your fill!" Spike throws a fireball at Natsu. 

"Thanks, buddy," Natsu consumes Spike's flames and powers up. "Fire Dragon! Iron Fist!" Natsu lunges at the gigantic sea slug. It eats him. 

"Hey!" Spike punches the sea slug in the face. "Spit him out now!" Spike punches left and right at the sea slug, trying to get it to sput Natsu out. 

"Open Gate of the Waterbearer! Aquarius!" Lucy places her Aquarius Celestial Key in the waters. She recites the chant over and over. Aquarius doesn't appear. "Fine! Open Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Taurus doesn't appear. 

"What's the deal!" Happy panics at Lucy's situation. 

"Why won't any of my spirits come out and help me!" Lucy complains a bit. She doesn't understand why her Celestial Spirits are neglecting her. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath inside the sea slug. The sea slug spits Natsu out. 

"Ice Spike!" Spike conjures an ice spike from the ground, causing the sea slug to hurl back a bit. Spike grabs the sea slug from behind and performs a german suplex on it. 

"Time of payback for eating me!" Natsu is fired up. "Fire Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath a second time. This time, it went into the sea slug's mouth. The sea slug winds up consuming too much that its blown away. "Yep, I don't think its coming back," Natsu watches the sea slug flying in the skies and landing far out into the ocean waters. 

"I wonder if it's a relative to King Shark?" Spike ponders a bit. He reverts to normal size. 

"Thanks for the assist, Spike. Your flames are still delicious." 

"You're welcome, Natsu. I couldn't risk doing critical damage while you were in there. So, Lucy. What happened with your Celestial Spirits? Are they on strike?" Spike turns to Lucy. 

"I don't understand. My Celestial Spirits didn't come to my aid," Lucy takes a look at her Zodiac Keys. 

"Have you tried summoning all of them?" Natsu asks. 

"Only Aquarius and Taurus. I might as well try the rest of them. Hopefully, one will show up." 

"Well, try. Bring Loki; I want a piece of him," Natsu says. 

"Okay," Lucy tries to open Loki's Celestial Gate. He doesn't appear. Lucy tries the rest of her Zodiac Spirits. Not one of them appears in front of Lucy. Lucy starts getting depressed. 

"Something must have happened. I know you well enough, Lucy. You love and care for all your spirits," Spike says. 

"Maybe they all partied too hard and got wasted?" Happy theorizes a bit. 

"Maybe a Celestial Spirit decided to become evil, and all hands were on deck?" Natsu theorizes a bit as well. 

"Maybe they got sick and couldn't make it?" Spike gets in the mix of coming up with theories. 

"I don't know," Lucy sadly sighs. 

"Well, with the Zodiac Keys out of the way, why not use your Silver Gate Keys?" Spike asks. 

"Good idea," Lucy takes out her Crux Key. "Please, let it work," Lucy prays a bit in hopes of seeing her Celestial Spirit. "Open Gate of the Southern Cross! Crux!" Crux appears in front of Lucy, hovering in mid-air. "It worked!" Lucy excitedly shouts. 

"Wow, you did it! Long time no see Grandpa Crux!" Happy greets Crux. Crux falls; he's weak at the moment. 

"Grandpa Crux!" Lucy becomes worried. 

"Whoa, man. You okay?" Natsu checks on him. 

"What the hell happened to him?" Spike walks up to him. 

"I'm afraid not..," Crux weakly replies. 

"You're badly hurt," Lucy says, now examining Crux's condition. "Talk to us. What happened to you?"

"Just tell us what their name is. Spike and I will take care of the rest," Natsu said. 

"Agreed," Spike concurs with Natsu's statement. 

"Something awful has happened.., in the Celestial World..," Crux says. 

"Wait, what do you mean?" Lucy is confused. 

"Okay, one of our theories may be the truth behind the disappearance of Lucy's Zodiacs," Happy says. 

"Either sick, drunkenly wasted, or going after a rogue spirit," Natsu said. 

"Will you guys quit it and let Crux tell his tale?" Lucy irately says. 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Natsu and Happy say. 

"Ms.Lucy. Heed my words. The Celestial World and Human World will be destroyed if they aren't put to a-" Crux is interrupted by a sudden attack. 

Natsu grabs his friends and lures them away from the attack in mere seconds. Multiple explosions appear while Natsu dodges each one of them. 

"What attacked us?" Lucy looks around. 

"Maybe those moles have kids?" Happy answers. 

"Not likely. I don't think moles use magic," Spike says. 

Natsu sniffs. "I know that scent."

"Natsu, where's Grandpa Crux?" Lucy asks. 

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Grandpa Crux wails in agony. He's held high in the air by a whip. "Ms.Lucy! Run while you can!" Grandpa Crux pleas. 

"Shut your mouth," The woman said, who's using the whip to hold Crux in place. "The punishment for trying to help humans is severe." 

"Hey! Who are you?" Lucy demands to know who the woman is. 

"The scent doesn't lie. We know her," Natsu said. 

"No..," Lucy looks at the woman thoroughly. "She'll never hurt a friend of mine."

"I like to hurt things. It's the best part of being the Maiden," Virgo said. "Oh, yeah," Virgo sinisterly smirks. 

"Please.., help me!" Crux begs for help. 

"Your cries are giving me the shivers," Virgo takes delight in Grandpa Crux's suffering. 

"Hey, let him go!" Natsu demands. 

"It can't be her? Can it?" Lucy is having doubts despite seeing Virgo in front of her. 

"Maybe she's from Edolas?" Spike suggests. 

"Why do you say that?" Happy feels like he's losing brain cells. 

"I fought a sadistic version of myself. Perhaps she's the sadistic version of Virgo that was brought here years ago by the Anima?" 

"Whoa!" Happy's mind blew with that theory. 

"I wouldn't come up with that answer," Natsu is in shock with that theory. 

"Foolish creatures," Virgo shakes her head at the accusation. "Go back where you belong, traitor!" Virgo closes Grandpa Crux's gate key. 

"Or maybe not," Spike takes back his claim. 

"She forced the gate to be closed!" Lucy is in shock. 

"Tell me, are you actually Virgo?" Natsu wants answers. No more delays. 

"Who else would I be?" Virgo responds. 

"I don't know why or how but, Virgo's personality got switched. Judging from her physique and demeanor, I want to say that the rest of the Zodiacs suffered from the same fate."

Natsu, Happy, Spike, and Lucy gasps. Virgo tries looking for the fifth person who made that claim. 

"Apparently, she has forgotten about me residing in you, Spike."

"Even so, she's not Virgo. The Virgo I know is not sadistic," Lucy said. 

"And yet, I think to myself. How can I be contracted with scum like you?" Virgo goes on the offensive, using her whip. She then snaps her fingers. Natsu runs and dodges the explosions left and right while Spike, Happy, and Lucy move out of the way. 

"You want to fight me!?" Natsu is fired up once more. 

"Natsu, stop!" Lucy shouts. 

"What for?" Natsu stops. 

"I have to deal with this myself," Lucy takes out her whip. "I'm the one she made her contract to, so it should be me who enforces that pact." 

"I was told I used to be a slave of yours," Virgo gets ready to brutalize Lucy. 

"Slave? We were friends! What do you mean told? Don't you remember?"

"Sure don't. The days I spent serving you has gone dark," Virgo imagines the pain she'll inflict on Lucy. 

"That's crazy; you forgot that much?" 

"I'm done talking! Let's get straight into the pain!" Virgo starts lashing at Lucy. 

"I'll make you remember!" Lucy intercedes the lash attack with her whip. 

Natsu, Happy, and Spike watch Lucy and Virgo at it in their fight. Spike wants to help but knows this is Lucy's fight. The ground Virgo is standing starts to crumble. Lucy is about to finish the blow when she sees Virgo. The image of Virgo in her maiden attire flashes through her mind while remembering Virgo calling her Princess. Lucy withdraws her attack to finish Virgo. 

"You just showed mercy to a sadist. Bad move!" Virgo retaliates and knocks Lucy down. 

"Lucy!" Spike, Natsu, and Happy shout. 

"Stay back.., it's my fight..," Lucy commands. 

"But why?" Happy asks. 

"Something is taking the memories. That doesn't mean she's my friend. I have to find a way to help her." 

"Weakling! You coward!" Virgo continues her onslaught on Lucy with various strikes from her whip. 

"Screw this!" Natsu wants to intervene badly. 

"Natsu, stop! If you want to help, stay out of this, okay!" All of a sudden, Lucy gets chained to a tree, causing her to wail a bit. 

Virgo joyfully chuckles at Lucy's pain. "The look on your face is quite exquisite, Lucy. You can scream far louder than that, and we both know it," Virgo whips Lucy on the tree mercilessly. Lucy cries in pain during the lashing. 

"Enough!" Spike flies after Virgo. 

"You want pain too?" Virgo turns to Spike and snaps her fingers. She places an explosive on Spike's chest. It explodes in front of her. 

"Spike!" Natsu, Happy, and Lucy shout. Virgo laughs sinisterly. 

"Stupid dragon," Her smirk goes away when she sees Spike's eyes turn orange. 

"Now, you're dead meat!" Fairy Rage back claws Virgo in the face. She crashes into several trees. Virgo's magic that bound Lucy to a tree dissolves. 

"Lucy," Natsu catches Lucy when she collapses. "Snap out of it. Come on." 

Virgo gets up and licks the blood off her face. "You made me taste my own blood. Time to return the favor," Virgo cracks her whip. 

"That'll be enough, Virgo." A golden blinding light appears, causing Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Fairy Rage to shield their eyesight a bit. Then all of a sudden, more of Lucy's Zodiacs Spirits appear, standing next to Virgo. 

"No way.., Aries. Taurus. Gemini. Cancer. Sagittarius. Scorpio. Capricon. Aquarius," Lucy is in shock and disbelief. 

"Why do they look so different?" Natsu asks. Each of the Zodiacs standing next to Virgo looks like their opposites features. 

"The same theory I mentioned for Virgo has happened with them. They're different for reasons unknown."

"Greetings, old master," Sagittarius says. He's half-human above, half-horse below. 

"We thank you for the introductions. We also ask you to excuse us for our ill-manner entrance," Taurus said. He sounds polite and mannered. Taurus is wearing a suit and a silver cow helmet.

"We were planning to beat you up until later," Aquarius said. She's a young girl, similar age to Wendy and height. 

"Alright, spill it! Why do you all look so weird?" Natsu demands. 

"Perhaps we took on forms to please you humans but no more," Loke is last to appear. He's wearing black-golden armor with a blue cape. 

"Loke," Lucy calls him out. "Is that you?"

"Loke? Is that what you used to call me back when I was one of your pet spirits? Here me well, I am as through with that name as I am with you."

"Did you really snap Lucy's love?" Happy asks. "That's crazy! You've been hitting on her for years!" 

"Silence, cat! I am Leo the Lion!" 

"So, what are you planning? What's all this about?" Rage asks. 

"We're here to personally tell Lucy that all of our contracts with her are now void."

"What!?" Lucy panics. 

"We serve ourselves now!" Leo proclaims. 

"We decided to lure you out here and see your utter inability to control us for yourself," Taurus explains. 

"Thus, we came up with the idea of luring the gigantic sea slug," Aquarius said. "We wanted to make a statement that Lucy can't call us to do her dirty work. Tee-hee," Aquarius smirks. 

"She's freaking me out," Happy is not used to seeing this side of Aquarius. 

Natsu puts Lucy down. "Can we talk about this?" Lucy asks. "Listen, please. I understand that you don't remember making contracts with me, but you did, and it's because you wanted to. I was never your master. I'm your partner, your friend. I'm still am." 

Leo scoffs at the claim. "Crying. My, what a pitiful sight to behold." 

"Aquarius! You and I have been together since I was a little girl," Lucy said. Hoping there is enough spark for Aquarius to remember. 

"Honestly, you don't look too familiar," Aquarius responds. "I moved on, lady. You should do the same." 

"Times are changing," Sagittarius said. 

"Any more questions before we take our leave?" Taurus politely asks. 

"This can't be... Please, try to remember. You've been with me for so long, through good times and bad. I was never alone because of you. I just.., I want my friends back..," Lucy becomes teary. 

"Think she means it?" Aquarius asks her friends. 

"It means not," Taurus replies. "We delivered our message. It's not our fault if she refuses to understand." 

"Yea, humans are dense like that," Aquarius says. 

"Well, if the girl won't be convinced by our words, then let's give her a demonstration," Leo's hand is ablaze in blue flames. "Let's prove our bond is broken," Leo attacks Lucy with his magic, causing an explosion much wider than Virgo's. 

Fairy Rage and Happy grab Natsu and Lucy, flying them away from the explosion wave. 

"Thanks for the assist, guys," Natsu and Lucy say to Fairy Rage and Happy. 

"No, sweat," Happy replies. 

"There's one thing I don't understand. For the most part, I figured out their situation."

"What is it?" Happy asks. 

"For starters, they have no recollection of Lucy in their memories. Only that she was their former master. Therefore, there's a blockage within their minds."

"Think you can access their minds?" Natsu asks. 

"Ain't no way you're manipulating us, Dragon!" Leo barks, overhearing their conversation. 

"I never tried going inside a Celestial Spirit's mind before. However, something is amiss which I can't quite figure out."

"What is it?" Lucy asks. 

"The doors to their minds. I don't see a door or sense one."

"Aquarius!" Leo commands. He wants to take down Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Fairy Rage. 

"Okay. You four look awful thirsty!" Aquarius shoots water bullets using her gigantic vase at Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Fairy Rage. 

"Rage Wall!" Fairy Rage conjures an orange fire wall that incinerates Aquarius' water bullets. 

"Grrr.., Sagittarius," Leo commands. 

"My aim is true," Sagittarius aims and fires many arrows at them. 

"Rage Arrows!" Fairy Rage shoots orange flaming arrows from his claw to intercede with Sagittarius' arrows. 

"That dragon is getting on my nerves! Taurus!" Leo commands. 

"Yes. If you please be so kind and leave!" Taurus kicks the ground, causing the rocks to hurl at them. 

"Rage Shield!" Fairy Rage crosses his arms. He conjures an orange metallic shield. Fairy Rage protects his friends from the incoming rocks. 

"Nice going, Fairy Rage!" Happy shouts. 

"Virgo!" Leo is getting livid. 

"On it!" Virgo leaps in the air, wanting to punish Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage turns to Virgo. "You're mine." Fairy Rage raises his claw. Sparkling Orange flames engulfs his claw. 

"No more! Stop!" Lucy cries out. She wants Fairy Rage to stop retaliating. 

Fairy Rage hesitates to listen to Lucy's advice. Virgo sees this as an opportunity to strike. 

"You're mine!" Virgo latches onto Fairy Rage's claw with her whip. Fairy Rage pulls hard on Virgo's whip. 

"Spike! Noooo!" Lucy knows what he's thinking. Fairy Rage uses his fire breath to teleport Virgo back to the other Zodiacs. Lucy is glad to know that Fairy Rage is listening to her. 

"That dragon is full of surprises," Scorpio said. 

"Indeed. He'll be harder to defeat to obtain true freedom," Taurus said. 

"True Freedom? Something to research for later down the road." Fairy Rage thought to himself. 

"What is that supposed to mean, Loke?" Natsu angrily asks. 

"Stop calling me that! I am Leo the Lion! I'm ending this! Once and for all!" Leo powers up. He had enough with Fairy Rage's magic display. 

Fairy Rage senses Leo's power intensifying. Due to Lucy's condition, she's unable to think twice about retaliating or defending herself. Fairy Rage swoops down to his friends. 

"Time to go!" Fairy Rage uses his fire breath to teleport his friends and him away from the scenery. Leo is appalled by Fairy Rage's teleportation and becomes agitated, knowing that he could have defeated them.   

Fairy Rage teleported his friend to the front doors of the guildhall. It's pouring in Magnolia. 

"Nice save, Fairy Rage," Happy said in relief. 

"Dude! I could have taken down Loke!" Natsu claims. 

"The way Lucy is feeling, we would have made things worse. She's in disarray with her Celestial Spirits going astray for reasons unknown besides true freedom. Something else is amiss, and we need to find out." Fairy Rages takes a deep breath. "Spike is waking up. He will know what's going on the instant he starts remembering."

"Wait, then that means," Happy realizes what it means. 

"Virgo knocked Spike out with her magic. Now having a taste of Celestial Magic, we know how to counter it. Celestial Spirit magic has a different hold on dragons. It's all I know." 

Fairy Rage blinks several times. Spike's eyes are now green again. Spike starts to remember what has happened. "Man.., that hurt," Spike turns to Lucy. "Are you okay?" 

Lucy is sobbing on the ground. She couldn't believe that her friends had forgotten all about her. Spike and Natsu help Lucy up and enter the guildhall. They see Yukino, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Gray, Mirajane, and Kinana standing by a table after Yukino explains her story with her Zodiac Keys. 

"Guys, we have a problem," Spike said.
> Searching for Answers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy explain what they experienced. The ambush by the Zodiac Spirits and how they want true freedom. None of Lucy's Zodiacs had any memory besides being contracted to her. Yukino is worried about her Zodiacs. 

"Fairy Rage. What's your intake?" Erza asks. 

"Something wicked powerful must have altered the Zodiacs' physique and demeanor. I want to say something happened within the Celestial Spirit World. A few days ago, Yukino's Zodiacs were fine when bringing the fight to King Shark."

"Crazy theory. You think it's Twilight Sparkle?" Happy asks Spike. 

"No way in hell this is Twilight's doing. She's not powerful enough to pull a stunt like this. For Twilight to become a threat, she needs years of studying and practicing."

"Is it a possibility?" Lucy turns to Spike. 

"Not likely. If we were in Equestria, it would have been Twilight since magic flows differently over there than here." 

"If not her, who else would have done such a thing to the Zodiacs?" Yukino said, hoping that any of her friends in Fairy Tail could come up with an answer. 

"Only time will tell, Yukino."

"Hmm..," Makarov closes his eyes. "I fear that the Zodiacs' doing is more than defiance. It's a revolt."

"Maybe I can call Grandpa Crux. Perhaps he may have answers as to why the Zodiacs are the way they are," Lucy grabs her Silver Gate Key. 

"But when you summoned him earlier, Virgo beat him up and forced his gate to close," Happy said. 

"I know he'll find a way. Open Gate of the Southern Cross! Crux!" Lucy Silver Gate Key activates, but instead of Grandpa Crux coming out, Horologium comes out instead. "Wait.., what? I summoned Crux, not you." 

"Coming here is extremely dangerous, so I had this gentleman bring me. He said in continuous snoring," Horologium speaks for Crux. 

Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Spike, Lucy, Yukino, Makarov, Mirajane, Juvia, Elfman, Wendy, Carla, Gajeel, and Panther Lily gather around Grandpa Crux since he has vital information. 

"We're back!" Levy shouts while Team Shadow Gear enters the guildhall. 

"Please tell me the kitchen is open," Droy said. He's sweaty and hungry. 

"I can use a bite to eat after that gig," Jet said. 

"Hello!" Droy shouts to his guildmates. 

"Is something wrong, you guys?" Levy asks her friends. 

Erza turns to Team Shadow Gear. She shushes them while Lucy asks Grandpa Crux about the status in the Celestial Spirit World. 

"At first, everything was so peaceful, and then all of a sudden, a rebellion began to spread like wildfire. Contracts between Zodiac Spirits and their keyholders became null void. There was no warning for this, much less any matter of reason given. They've been running amuck ever since. Destroying the Celestial World and sending us Silver Keys into hiding, fearing for our lives." 

"What about old Mustache Face?" Natsu asks Crux. 

"Who?" Spike is confused. 

"He's the Celestial Spirit King, Spike. He has a big mustache," Wendy explains. 

"Thanks for letting me know, Wendy," Spike said. 

"Can the Celestial Spirit King restore order, somehow?" Gray asks Grandpa Crux. 

"Perhaps he could if anyone knew where he was. He disappeared without any kind of trace," Crux answers. 

"You mean you haven't even seen him since? That's bad," Lucy becomes worried about the Celestial Spirit King.

"Whatever happened to the Celestial Spirit King may have a rippling effect on the Zodiac Spirits."

"And, Loke spoke about true freedom," Natsu said. 

"Liberum?" Crux understood what true freedom meant while the others are puzzled by it. 

Yukino brought a book with her she believes could be vital. Levy takes the book and examines it. It has a few entries about Liberum. Jet asks Yukino about the book. Yukino explains that she's done some investigating on her own and came across the title of the book. 

Grandpa Crux tells everyone that Liberum is a ritual that Celestial Spirits can perform. When the ritual is activated, a Celestial Spirit can obtain freedom. Levy found out that by using the Celestial Globe, a Celestial Spirit would be able to break the chains that tether to the Gate Keys. 

"I say that we should storm in and kick their butts until they remember who they were," Natsu said. 

"Fighting is not the solution, moron," Gray said. 

"Hey! At least I'm coming up with a plan! What are you thinking about, Ice Breath!" Natsu retorts at Gray. 

"The Celestial Globe that the ritual requires, do you know where it could be found?" Makarov asks Levy and Crux. 

"I'm afraid I do not. Hopefully, it's not in the hands of those rebellious spirits," Crux answers. "That could be tragic." 

"It seems we would know if it's in their possession," Erza said. 

"If they had it, I don't think they'll reveal themselves to Lucy," Droy said. 

"Yea, they would have started or ended the ritual by now," Jet noted. 

"That is a valid point. There's no reason for them to show up if they're really independent," Gray said shirtless. 

"Have you been able to find any more information about the Liberum, Levy?" Erza asks. 

"There's pages and pages about the Liberum. Unfortunately, the ink in these pages are too old and faded to tell what most of it says," Levy answers while reading the book. 

"I wonder if we can find another book that can tell us more about Liberum," Erza said. 

"Sis, I know where we can find a book about Liberum," Spike walks up to Erza. 

"Where, Spike?" Erza turns to Spike. 

"The Magic Library," Spike answers. 

"Yea! The Library of Sorcery should have the answers we need." 

Master Makarov ponders a bit and how the recent activity of the Zodiacs is linking up with the weather phenomenons on Earth Land. Makarov entrusts Erza to create the teams to find evidence on the sort. 

"Alright, we'll split into teams of two. Cana and I. Wendy and Carla. Gray and Juvia. Gajeel and Lily. Mira and Elfman. If we spread out, we can cast a wide network of relevant information. Spike, hit everyone with your flare marking."

"On it, Sis," Spike shoots flare markings on each of his friends. 

"Now that Spike placed flare markings on you, he can check in on you guys from time to time until Warren returns from his job. Then we can use Warren's telepathy to relay what we found among the teams. Spike, Natsu, Yukino, Levy, Happy, and Lucy will head to the Library of Sorcery." 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy is pumped up. 

"I love being a bookworm!" Levy excitedly expresses. 

"Are you fired up, Natsu?" Yukino turns to Natsu. Apparently, Natsu, Grandpa Crux, and Horologium are long gone.

"Hey!" Happy turns to see Natsu vanished. 

"He's gone!" Levy said in shock. 

"Of course. Natsu is going with his plan to beat them up," Spike said. 

"That nitwit will be the death of me!" Master Makarov angrily shouts. 

"Alright, I'll teleport us to the library, and we'll begin our search," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Levy, Lucy, Happy, and Yukino to the Library of Sorcery. He blows a kiss to Wendy before teleporting himself to the library. 

"I am so glad you have that ability, Spike. Saves us the trouble of traveling all this way to be here," Happy said. 

"You're welcome. We need to find out all we can about Liberum before it's too late." 

"Spike. You and Happy bring Levy, Yukino, and me books so we can scan through them with our Gale-Force Reading Glasses," Lucy said. 

"You got it," Spike flies to search for books. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies to search for books. 

Within the hour, Spike and Happy gave the girls books for them to scan through and read. Piles of books are stacked around them. Not one of them contains any information about Liberum. Spike and Happy continue to go through the list Levy made and retrieve any other book that can be helpful. 

"Happy, do you hear that rumbling?" Spike asks. 

"Yea. What is it?" Happy looks around. 

Spike and Happy hear the girls screaming and crashing. The two soar down to check on Levy, Lucy, and Yukino. 

"Hey! Are you three okay down there?" Happy asks. 

"Look out!" Lucy warns her friends. Virgo uses her whip to attack them. 

"Oh, it's you," Spike sees Virgo. 

"What do you want, Virgo!" Lucy demands. 

"Who? Me? To give you punishment, of course," Virgo uses her explosion magic, causing Lucy, Levy, and Yukino to run away from it. 

"I got her," Spike powers up. 

"Be careful not to hurt her!" Lucy doesn't want her friends to fight each other like this. 

"I'll do what I can. Find that book!" Spike commands his friends to search the book that has crucial information on Liberum. 

"So, I get to punish a dragon. This is retribution, lizard!" Virgo says. 

"This is payback for knocking me out!" Spike dodges Virgo's explosions. "Meteor Rain!" Spike conjures Sparkling Green Flame Orbs and shoots them at Virgo. 

"My my, what an interesting technique," Virgo jumps out of the way. "But futile," Virgo smirks until the orb hits and explodes on her. She's a bit burnt. "You deserve a good spanking for that! I'll use my whip for extra flare!"  Virgo uses her whip to lash Spike left and right. 

Spike flies around the lashings. While Spike distracts Virgo, Lucy, Levy, and Yukino continue to scan through many books as they can. Lucy wants to try and reason with Virgo into stopping the conflict. She can't concentrate with the fear that Spike may hurt Virgo unintentionally. 

"I.., I have to go back," Lucy turns and starts running in the direction where Spike and Virgo are fighting at. 

"Lucy," Yukino grabs Lucy's arm. "You have to sit this one out. Spike is entrusting us to find the Liberum book. You're emotions are getting the better of you." 

Lucy sighs. It hurts her because it's the truth. However, she still needs to go and stop the conflict. "Sorry, I have to go back," Lucy presses onward to search for Spike and Virgo. 

Spike continues to dodge the lashings from Virgo. Virgo grows tired of Spike's dodges and uses her explosion magic. Spike flies at her and grabs her hand before she snaps her fingers. 

"Let go of me!" Virgo slaps Spike in the face repeatedly. 

Spike headbutts Virgo and takes her whip. "I got something better, you sadist." 

"Oh, yea? Like what?" Virgo wonders what Spike has in mind before punishing him. 

"This!" Spike breathes his fire on Virgo as a distraction. Then he uses Virgo's whip to bind her and leave her hanging upside down. 

"Hey! Let me go!" Virgo struggles angrily. The whip around her arms and legs is tied tightly. 

"That's for slapping me and knocking me out. Plus, you chained my sister to a tree. I call this retribution," Spike flies in the direction where Lucy, Yukino, Happy, and Levy are. 

Spike inadvertently bumps into Lucy as she's running. Their heads crash into each other. 

"Ow.., my head..," Spike and Lucy say in unison while rubbing their heads. 

"Spike! What happened to Virgo? What did you do?" Lucy frantically asks. 

"Left her hanging," Spike chuckles a bit. 

"Uh, what do you mean by that?" Lucy doesn't like the sound of it. 

"Look, she's fine and unharmed. We need to find that book on Liberum."

Lucy sighs. "Okay," Lucy leads Spike to where the others are. Lucy hears Virgo's threats when she gets untied. Now, she knows what Spike meant by leaving her hanging. 

Half an hour later, Lucy and Spike meet up with Levy, Happy, and Yukino. They are looking for the South Warehouse. Lucy summons Pyxis, a red bird with a compass on its head. Pyxis points down where the South Warehouse would be. Virgo emerges from the floor. She's pissed off at Spike for using her whip to bind her. 

"I'm so going to lynch you, dragon," Virgo looks forward to hanging Spike. 

"Spike, Levy! Go on. Yukino and I will handle Virgo." 

"Alright, let's go, Spike," Levy starts running to the South Warehouse. 

"Be careful, Sis," Spike refers to Lucy. 

"Don't worry; I will be," Lucy arms herself with her whip. 

While Lucy and Yukino fight Virgo, Spike and Levy are at the South Warehouse. Levy says to check every crate until either one finds the Celestial Globe. After ten minutes of searching, Levy finds the Celestial Globe. 

"I found it, Spike!" Levy shouts. 

"Nice!" Spike flies over to Levy. "It's like finding the Infinity Clock piece all over again."

Happy, Lucy, and Yukino arrive in the South Warehouse after Virgo ran away from their fight. 

"Hey, did you two found it?" Lucy asks. 

"Levy found the globe. Now, the Zodiacs won't be able to perform Liberum," Spike answers. Lucy, Happy, and Yukino are happy and relieved.  "I'm going to teleport us back to the guildhall." 

"Sorry, can't have you do that," Virgo uses her explosion magic on Spike and Levy. Levy and Spike hurl away due to the explosion. Lucy catches Spike while Happy catches Yukino. The explosion causes Spike to pass out a second time. 

Natsu screams and lands on the floor hard. The distraction allowed Virgo to return to the Celestial Spirit World. Natsu was at the Celestial Spirit World. He was fighting Taurus and struggled to lay a hit on the guy. Natsu is puzzled about seeing Spike, Lucy, Levy, Yukino, and Happy in the same location. 

Levy reveals there was much more to the Liberum ritual than the Zodiacs realize. She explains that the freedom they seek only last for twelve days. After twelve days, they'll cease to exist. Natsu, Lucy, Yukino, and Happy are stunned. Natsu asks about Spike when Levy explains that Virgo knocked him out with an explosion spell. 

"We need to go back to the guildhall and explain the situation with Gramps," Natsu said. 

"Erza will claim your soul for ditching us the way you did, Natsu," Lucy says while holding Spike. 

Natsu sweats like crazy after hearing that statement. With no other choice, he gulps and goes back to the guildhall with Lucy, Spike, Levy, Yukino, and Happy.
> Sunset's Dilemma
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset Shimmer is trotting down the hallway, feeling gloomy. It's 9:45 in the morning at the School of Friendship. Sunset Shimmer sees different creatures of all kinds entering the school, talking about how excited they are to learn more about friendship. 

"I can't wait for Professor Discord's exercises and field trips," A Changeling named Kevin says. 

"Trixie's class has to be the best one. Headmare Glimmer makes her appearances to watch us grow together as friends while helping Trixie with demonstrations for team exercises," An earth pony named Caramel says. 

Sunset Shimmer decides to avoid the old and new students that come into the main hallway. She decides to go on a different route to avoid the attention of some creature checking on her. 

"Why am I feeling like this? It is a new school year for me. I should be excited about the new friends I made already." Sunset Shimmer thought to herself. 

Sunset continues to trot down the hallway when she inadvertently enters Discord's classroom. Sunset looks up to see floating desks made of cotton candy. 

"Hello, Sunset," Discord waves at his desk. He's drinking a barrel of chocolate milk. 

"Hey, Discord..," Sunset sounds a bit sad. 

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Discord notices Sunset's behavioral pattern. Something is amiss with Sunset. 

Sunset sighs sadly and sits on a desk made of marshmallows. "No..," Sunset admits her feelings. "I feel out of place being here, and I don't know why. It's a new school year, and yet, I feel that something is missing." 

Discord hovers to Sunset Shimmer. "Do you miss your old friends in that other world?" 

Sunset nods. "I miss my friends, Discord. I don't want to associate myself with the counterparts that ruined Spike's life here. I know that they're at peace with him but, Twilight Sparkle lied to me. She gave me a guilty conscience that made me think about the other Sunset Shimmer from the other world. Thanks to Twilight, she made me believe I was stealing the life away from that Sunset Shimmer. What should I do?"

Discord takes it to heart and thinks about a way to help Sunset Shimmer. He needs a second opinion on what to do; he takes a look at the clock. It's 9:50 in the morning. 

"Follow me, Sunset," Discord hovers out of the classroom. 

"Okay," Sunset Shimmer follows Discord. 

Starlight Glimmer sees that it's 9:53 in the morning. Starlight decides to wait for another 10-15 minutes before instructing the students to their classes as she did months ago. She hears her door knocking. 

"Come in," Starlight says. 

Discord opens the door, he and Sunset Shimmer enters Starlight's office and closes the door. "Headmare Glimmer, have a few minutes?" Discord asks. He sounds serious. 

"Of course. What's the situation?" Starlight looks up at Discord. 

"It's me, Headmare Glimmer," Sunset said. She sees Starlight turning to her. 

"What seems to be the problem, Sunset? You can tell me anything, and I'll help you any way I can." Sunset slightly smiles then frowns. Starlight sees how severity the situation is. 

"I feel lost, Starlight. I miss my friends from the world I left behind. I don't want to associate myself with the counterparts that ruined Spike's life. I know that they're at peace with Spike. Twilight Sparkle lied to me and gave me a guilty conscience. Twilight's words scarred me into thinking I was robbing the life out of the Sunset Shimmer from the human world. I didn't get to say goodbye to my friends. I packed up and left," Sunset looks down. "What should I do?" 

Starlight thinks about it for a few moments. Starlight is putting herself in Sunset's hooves and how to tackle the situation. After thinking about it, she starts nodding, agreeing with her solution. 

"Alright, I'll tell you what; you should go back to the human world one last time. Be with those friends of yours, then come back in a week. That way, you have a proper farewell, and the other Sunset Shimmer can have her life back, knowing that everything will be okay in the end." 

Sunset Shimmer smiles at the idea. To see her friends again after being away for so long. She walks up to Starlight. "Thank you," Sunset hugs Starlight Glimmer. 

"I'm sure Princess Celestia and Luna would approve it so you can close that chapter properly. When you do come back, Discord will catch you up to speed with what you missed."

"I'll take Sunset Shimmer to see Princess Celestia and Luna, to see if they approve of this," Discord said. 

"Go ahead. As for your first class, I'll be covering for you with a trust exercise." 

"Thanks, Headmare Glimmer." 

"Don't mention it, my friend," Starlight Glimmer trots past her friends and goes to the main hallway. 

"Let's get going," Discord snaps his claw and teleports him and Sunset to Canterlot Castle. They arrive in the dining room for a late breakfast. 

"Discord, Sunset. Want to join us for breakfast?" Princess Luna proposes. 

"No. There's something I want to ask of you two," Discord said. 

"What is it, Discord?" Princess Celestia turns to him after eating a slice of banana waffle. 

"Celestia, Luna..," Sunset approaches the two. "Before I came here for Twilight's purpose to bring Spike back, Twilight lied to me about the law about creatures staying where they originated from and gave me a guilty conscience about robbing the life of Sunset Shimmer from the human world. I never got to say farewell to my friends back in that world, and it's been eating me alive." 

"You wish to return to the human world, pay your friends a visit one more time?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Yes," Sunset nods. "Please.., allow me to return for one week. To have a proper send-off so I can close that chapter in peace." 

Princess Celestia turns to her sister. She and Luna nod in agreement and understanding. "Very well, Sunset. Luna and I will allow you to return to the human world for one week. After that, your new life can begin properly here." 

Sunset Shimmer smiles widely. "Thank you, Princesses!" Sunset Shimmer graciously thanks. 

"You're welcome. We'll see you next week so you can tell me all about it," Princess Celestia says. 

"Me as well," Princess Luna says. "I would like to hear all about it. However." 

"What do you mean, however?" Sunset is confused with Luna's statement. 

"When you do return, please allow your friends' counterparts another chance. I believe you should hold no grudges. Considering Spike the Fairy accepting the apologies from his tormentors." 

Sunset was about to respond when she thinks about Luna's statement thoroughly. She nods as every creature deserves to have a second chance unless they are not worth it. Her case being, Twilight does not get her forgiveness; she doesn't deserve any redemption.

"Alright," Sunset Shimmer takes a deep breath. "When I return next week, I'll give the counterparts a chance. It'll be comforting to have familiar faces as my friends." 

"Thank you," Princess Luna and Celestia say in unison. They hope it's a clear path for forgiveness. 

"Thank you for your time, Princesses," Discord bows in respect and honor; Something he doesn't do. 

"You're welcome," Princess Celestia and Luna say in unison. 

"Let's go," Discord snaps his claw, teleporting him and Sunset to the Castle of Friendship where the portal is. Discord claps his claw and paw three times to activate the portal. "There you go. It should lead you back to..," Discord doesn't remember where the portal will take Sunset too. 

"Canterlot High School. I'll spend my last week there with my friends, and I'll be back next week as promised."

"Good," Discord takes a deep breath. "Have a good time, roommate. The portal will be active until you come back. Don't make me come after you when your week is up." 

"Don't worry. I'll be back. See you next week, Professor Discord," Sunset Shimmer steps in the portal. 

"Have fun," Discord takes an umbrella and opens a window. The winds carry him to the School of Friendship.
> Getting Started
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starlight Glimmer trots to the main hallway while the CMC Counselors, Maud, Sunburst, Discord, Rockhoof, and Trixie make their way. Old and new students line up excitedly to start the new day of the new semester. One pony, in particular, seems nervous about the scenery. She doesn't know what she's doing in school or where to begin, just following a crowd and waiting to see what happens next. 

Starlight Glimmer stands on a podium Discord conjures to grab everyone's attention. "Good morning, Students of Friendship. Thank you for returning for a new semester at the School of Friendship. As for the newcomers, welcome to the School of Friendship where all creatures can learn the core values of what being a friend is about and exploring new adventures with friends." 

Starlight Glimmer stands aside to allow Discord to speak to the students. "Hello, Students of Friendship. It's great seeing you all once more. As some of you know, we once had a dragon as an instructor. You all know him as Spike. However," Discord sadly sighs. "I was impersonating Spike. As most of you know about Spike's experiences with his former friends, I found him one night while he was reflecting on his life. I granted him a wish where he can be free and happy. If any of you wonder what Spike is doing, I have memory footage I believe all of you would love. It'll be a catalyst that each of us will be instructed with his experiences and adventures when it comes to friends and being treated like family." 

Every creature in the main hallway is eager to know what Spike experienced and how it'll utilize to create long-lasting friendships. One pony, out of the group, wonders what went down as she's out of the loop. 

"With that said, I apologize for fooling every creature. At the time of impersonating Spike, it was vital for all nations in our world. Now, I can go back to being completely me and not someone else. As for Spike's teachings, I'll continue that whenever I am unable to think for an exercise within my subject. Sounds fair?"

Every creature nods. They don't mind as long as the instructors continue to be honest and not hide any dark secrets ever again. They see Starlight Glimmer go back on the podium. 

"Alright, every creature. We have a long journey ahead of us, and I promise you that this semester will be unlike any other you've experienced in your life. Now, we're going to do something different. Each creature here will choose to follow an instructor, and who you pick, the students that follow up will be your classmates for this semester. Without further ado, start choosing cause in the next ten minutes, classes will begin," Starlight smiles. 

"Follow me," Discord plays a piper. The melody of his piper draws the attention of the Unity Seven and the Dazzlings. 

"Trixie has plenty of performances for each of you," Trixie lures Changelings and Dragons to her classroom. 

"Time to listen to what your friend has to say. You may miss something crucial and evident," Maud says. She trots to her classroom. Several Yaks, Hippogriffs, and Griffins follow her. 

"Rockhoof is ready to teach you how to be strong and courageous. I have plenty of stories to tell you, lads and lassies," Rockhoof trots outside to his theatre. Several Ponies, Yaks, and Changelings follow Rockhoof. 

"Time to teach the core values of Friendship, students. Life lessons and how to improve will blow your mind," Sunburst trots to his classroom. Several Dragons, Changelings, and Griffins follow him. 

"CMC Counselors. I want each of you to split up and help any new student feel welcome within the school," Starlight instructs the girls. 

"Can do, Headmare Glimmer," Apple Bloom salutes. 

"The Cutie Mark Crusaders Counselors is on it, Headmare Glimmer," Scootaloo salutes. 

"You can count on us," Sweetie Belle solutes. 

"Thank you, girls," Starlight watches Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo separate and join the other classes. Starlight sees one unicorn still in the hallway. She has jade eyes, a light-blue mane, and a black fur coat. On her flank, she has a butterfly cutie mark. She's a unicorn looking nervous. "Hey," Starlight trots up to her. "Are you okay?" 

The young mare looks up at Starlight Glimmer. "Sorry.., it's my first day here. I don't know where to begin. I'm alone.., my family deserted me.., I have no one to be my friend..," She sheds a tear. 

"I'm sorry to hear," Starlight knows the feeling of being deserted. "What is your name?" 

"Krystina Larva," Krystina says. She shows Starlight Glimmer her I.D. card. 

"Nice name. I see you're interested in butterflies and insect-type creatures." 

"Yes," Krystina nods. "I love it when caterpillars enter a chrysalis. Watching them blossom is a sight to behold. A few years ago, I missed out on the butterfly migration. I'm hoping to catch this year's migration." 

"I know you'll see the migration. Now, with classes starting in a few minutes, I'll take you to one class I know you'll have fun with."

"Really? Which class?" Krystina Larva gets a little excited. 

"Follow me," Starlight Glimmer trots down the hallway. 

"Okay," Krystina Larva follows Starlight Glimmer. On the way, she sees many Changeling associating with different creatures. It bothers her a bit as to why Changelings will associate themselves with other creatures. For now, she takes a deep breath to get things settled in her new life. 

"Here we are," Starlight opens the door. 

Krystina Larva steps inside to see cotton candy desks floating above and marshmallow desks on the ground. Krystina looks at Discord.

"Hello, newcomer!" Discord waves his claw at Krystina. 

"Hello," Krystina waves back. She observes her surroundings and sees a Changeling sitting next to a Griffin and Hippogriff in the air. 

"I'm entrusting you lot to welcome one of our new students to the School of Friendship. Discord, take care of this one. She reminds me of Fluttershy."

"Will do, Headmare Glimmer," Discord salutes. He sees Starlight leaving the classroom. 

"Newcomer, what's your name?" Discord asks. 

"Krystina Larva. I have a thing for watching caterpillars enter a chrysalis to emerge into a new creature," Krystina Larva smiles, knowing today is going to be a good day.
> Another Zodiac Ambush
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a long walk for Natsu, Levy, Yukino, and Lucy while Happy flies next to them. Spike is waking up in Lucy's arms. 

"Ooooooh, what happened?" Spike yawns a bit. 

"We had the Celestial Globe, and Virgo took you out," Lucy replies. She puts Spike on the ground for him to walk. 

"Man, this sucks! What are we supposed to do now?" Natsu angrily asks. 

"I know what we can do," Happy's belly starts rumbling. 

"We'll eat later! We have a serious situation in our hands," Lucy scares Happy a bit when she glares at him. 

"Sorry!" Happy apologizes to Lucy for thinking about food. 

The gang enters town and sees many food concession stands. It triggers Natsu's and Happy's bellies to growl louder. Popcorn stands, hotdog vendors, ice cream shops, Natsu, and Happy mouths start to water. A few minutes later, Natsu picks up a familiar scent. He, Lucy, Levy, Spike, and Yukino see two people wearing Mato Pumpkin Heads. 

"Hey, Princess Hisui," Spike recognize the green hair from the Pumpkin Head. 

Princess Hisui turns around and smiles. "Hey, Fairy Dragon. Hey, you guys." 

"Fairy Dragon, it's nice to see you again," Arcadios grew his hair back. The last time Arcadios saw Spike, he scolded him for not wearing clothes and made him agitated. 

"Likewise," Spike reads Arcadios' body language. He can tell that Arcadios do have some fear of provoking him by mentioning the party or clothes. 

"So, why are you here?" Yukino asks. 

"We were on our way to the Fairy Tail Guild," Arcadios answers. 

"So, what brings you out this far? Some kind of guild business?" Princess Hisui asks. 

"Honestly, it's a longer story than we have time to tell," Natsu said. 

"Actually, I like your take on this," Lucy explains to Princess Hisui and Arcadios all that has happened when her Zodiac Gate Keys stopped working and her Zodiac Spirits voiding their contracts. They changed and had no memories of all we've been through together. Lucy then explains the Liberum ritual that the Zodiac Spirits want to perform in the Astral Spirytus. The ritual will grant freedom for twelves days then they'll cease to exist. 

"So, that's why we're out here," Levy said. 

"We failed to stop them from getting the Celestial Globe. Now they're one step away from activating the ritual," Spike says. 

"According to our research, the Astral Spirytus should be in the south of Magnolia. We just don't know where exactly it's located," Yukino explains. 

"How tragic. We were aware of the changes in the Celestial Spirit World from our research. To think that the spirits took action so soon..," Arcadios looks down a bit. 

"The truth is..," Princess Hisui feels sad. "These major changes and your spirits' personalities, they are a result of my mistakes..." 

"No way, this isn't your fault," Lucy says. She, like her friends, is confused by Princess Hisui's accusation. 

"The Eclipse Project. That's what warped your spirits' minds," Arcadios speaks for Hisui. 

"How can that be?" Yukino doesn't understand. 

"The Eclipse Gate needed twelve Zodiac Keys to unlock. Perhaps by unlocking the Eclipse Gate, the energy is tethered to the Zodiacs and had a delayed reaction when the Eclipse Gate got destroyed. Perhaps the Eclipse Gate is the reason behind the weather phenomenon as well."

Princess Hisui and Arcardios are stunned and silenced when they heard Fairy Rage spoke. He's on point about the Eclipse Gate. Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Yukino now know what Fairy Rage said about the Eclipse Gate is true. 

"Wow," Princess Hisui says in shock. 

"Fairy Dragon is correct about the Eclipse Gate. When the Eclipse Gate got activated, it caused the scenery of weather phenomenons throughout Earth Land." 

"The Eclipse Project pushed the world to the brink of destruction, and I was the one who opened the gate. That alone is completely unforgivable," Princess Hisui sadly says. "Now, I harmed the Celestial World too. Because of me, your spirits can die..," Princess Hisui sheds some tears. 

"You were tricked by Future Rogue, who tried to take over the world. You were manipulated into doing what was right. You can't blame yourself for believing what was right at heart," Spike said. 

"Yea, there's no crime in making an honest mistake. Stop feeling guilty and lighten up," Natsu encouragingly says. 

"Yea, nobody's mad at you. It was an accident," Happy says. 

"Thanks," Princess Hisui feels better. "After the games, I was sad. Depressed rather with the weight of the responsibilities for all the pain I caused was too much to take. There is something that Natsu said that kept me going." 

"You sure it was me?" Natsu is confused. He doesn't remember what he said that inspired Princess Hisui. 

"I'm going to keep fighting to live today. Those were your words during the war with dragons, Natsu," Princess Hisui remembers like it was yesterday. 

"Oh, that's right. I defeated Future Rogue and threw a dragon to destroy the Eclipse Gate," Natsu remembers Future Rogue that night. 

"What you said kept me strong, Natsu. Thank you. What's more, they refreshen my mind when I learned about the Celestial World has been harmed as well. With that in mind, I made special keys to fight for today." 

"What keys?" Natsu asks Princess Hisui. 

"I can assume the keys are for the Zodiacs," Spike said. 

"Indeed," Princess Hisui nods. 

Arcadios opens a box that reveals twelve special keys that forcibly closes a Zodiac's Gate. Lucy is happy to know that she and her friends can use these keys without causing harm to any of her friends, thus canceling out any means of them performing Liberum. 

"Something is bothering me. How can you make these specially designed Celestial Spirits Keys? This is highly advanced magic. How can a non-wizard make those keys?" Yukino asks. 

"Yea, fair question. Forcing a gate to close is pretty difficult in itself. Making keys do it for you is another level," Lucy said. 

"Uh, not to be rude, but it's obvious. Princess Hisui is a Celestial Wizard," Spike said. 

"What!? No way!" Natsu said in shock. 

"How can you be certain?" Happy asks Spike. 

"How else would she be able to use the Zodiac Keys to open the Eclipse Gate?" Spike asks his friends. 

"Uuuuuuuuuuh," Natsu and Happy say in unison. Lucy and Yukino turn to Princess Hisui. She nods, confirming Spike's claim. 

"I'm good with putting pieces together like a puzzle, Princess Hisui."

"He is," Lucy said. "Spike has solved a lot of questions, riddles, and puzzles with the info he receives." 

"Wow," Arcadios now knows how Spike utilizes the information given to him to solve the equation. He's impressed with Spike's intellect. 

"I'm amazed, Spike. Perhaps you can be a general for the Royal Army someday," Princess Hisui says in shock. 

"Nah, I'll stick with being a Fairy Tail Wizard, if you don't mind," Spike chuckles a bit. 

"Not at all," Princess Hisui doesn't mind. "However, there is one thing that prevents us from using the keys just yet. First, we'll have too-" Princess Hisui is interrupted by black winds. The box of the specialized keys goes into the hands of a humanize fish. 

"You're too kind. We only just met, and you're giving me presents," He says. He appears as a humanoid fish with blue skin, webbed fingers, and fins protruding from the sides of his head and his arms. 

"Hey, give that back you little weirdo," Natsu demands, looking up at the guy. 

"Very well done, my boy," She says, engulfing Princess Hisui, Arcardios, Spike, Happy, Natsu, Lucy, Levy, and Yukino in a water tower explosion. She appears as a giant shark. 

Happy sees the floating sharking hovering in the air. "It's a fishy!" Happy does a doubletake and turns to his friends. "Is it something I can eat?" 

"Look at its teeth, and you tell me," Lucy said, hoping that Happy wakes up from his stupidity. 

"Who the heck are they?" Natsu gets up. 

"You're as nimble as ever, my sweet baby boy," The Shark said. 

"Stop talking to me; you gross out hag!" 

"Gross old hag?" The Shark feels sadden by the words coming out of her son's mouth. "How can you be so cruel?" 

The two start bickering while Yukino explains that those Zodiacs are Pisces. Yukino knows it in her heart that the mother-son duo is Pisces. Despite their appearance, she knows it deep down. Everyone sees how their relationship looks, awkward and embarrassing. 

"Pisces, please. Give us back those keys," Yukino asks, wanting to save her Zodiac spirits. 

"Say what?" The son of Pisces looks down at Yukino. 

"Who are you?" The mother of Pisces looks at Yukino. 

"Pisces, listen. I know you forgot me, but I'm your Celestial Wizard, and I need those keys to help you." 

"We might have to do what you told us once but don't anymore," The Son of Pisces responds, turning his back on Yukino. "You ain't got a contract."

"You might as well get this through your head, we're done with you!" The mother of Pisces decrees. 

"Do you really mean that?" Yukino said in shock.

"Don't listen to them. They are not themselves. They are an alternate personality, Yukino." 

"We have what we came for, sweetpea. There's no reason for us to hang here anymore." 

"But, I haven't gotten to play with them yet. I feel like fighting," The son of Pisces turns around and challenges Natsu to a fight. 

"I'm going to take back our keys and pound your face so hard it'll look exactly the way it used to. Let's go, Happy!" Natsu starts sprinting. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy grabs Natsu and flies after the son of Pisces. 

"Hah! Catch me if you can," The son of Pisces starts running away from his mother. 

"We need to help him out," Lucy said. 

"You should let Spike and I handle that. Why don't you and Levy help back and protect the Princess," Yukino takes out her Silver Gate key. 

"Are you sure?" Lucy turns to Yukino and Spike. 

"We got this, Sis. No worries," Spike starts flying after the son of Pisces. 

Yukino follows Spike when the Shark hovers down, blocking the pathway. "Sorry, but I can't have you interrupt my sweetpea's playtime. If you want to help your friend, then first beat me and not that you can," The mother of Pisces says confidently. 

"Open Gate of the Little Bear! Polaris!" Yukino summons a gigantic pink mechanized bear standing on its two hind legs. His eyes are blue, and he wears a yellow handkerchief around his neck. 

"Roooar," Polaris shouts after being summoned into the battlefield. Polaris matches the size of the Shark. 

"Cool!" Spike has never seen Yukino's Silver Gate Keys before. He wonders if Lucy should try finding a mechanized bear for herself. 

"You don't look very appetizing but, you never know. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised after all," The mother of Pisces tries to devour Polaris. 

Polaris grabs her jaw then gets whacked by the tailfin of the Shark. Yukino commands Polaris to power up. Polaris' stomach opens up, revealing a honey mixture oil for him to drink. After he drinks his juice, Polaris powers up. That's when the mother of Pisces convinces him to take a nap after mealtime and compliments him that he's a good teddy bear. After the compliment, Polaris falls asleep. 

"Watching him eat is making me hungry!" The mother of Pisces goes after Yukino and Spike. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size.

"Yes! More protein for my.., belly..," The mother of Pisces stops her pursuit when she sees Spike, the quarter size of a dragon. Spike punches the Shark to the ground. "Hey! You aren't supposed to hit a lady!" 

"Gender equality exists, stupid," Spike grabs the tailfin of the Shark and slams her around repeatedly. 

"Ever in doubt, Spike is the dragon to call for defeating behemoths," Lucy said. 

"Please, don't kill Pisces," Yukino asks Spike from damaging her Zodiac. 

"Don't worry, I'll keep it up until she's knocked out," Spike continues to slam the Shark on the ground a bit more. 

"It's still mind-boggling of Fairy Dragon's capabilities," Arcadios said in awe. 

"The Grand Magic Games were a sight to behold for Spike the Fairy," Princess Hisui said. "Hey, quick question. Does the Fairy Tail Guild have a Spike the Fairy dragon plush?" 

"Yea, the gift shop has plenty of them. It's Fairy Tail's best seller," Levy answers. 

Spike finishes slamming the mother of Pisces and tosses her away. She passed out due to the pain and beating she received. "Stay down if you know what's good for you," Spike reverts to normal size. 

"Well done, Spike," Yukino said. 

"Thanks. I will say, she's weaker thank King Shark." 

"Man, I can only imagine the strength of King Shark," Lucy imagines the strength of his abilities. 

"Hey, guys! We're back," Natsu and Happy return with the keys. They were successful with their fight against the Son of Pisces. 

"Now that we have the keys back, you can show us how to use them on Pisces, right?" Lucy turns to Princess Hisui. 

"Yes, but to activate a Celestial Spirit Closure Key, we must ensure the spirit absorbs the magic from its Celestial Wizard. Also, the spirit also has to lose the will to continue fighting." 

"D'oh!" Spike facepalms himself. "I wished I knew that sooner. I basically tossed the mother away." 

"Sorry, Spike the Fairy," Princess Hisui apologizes for her mistake. 

"We have fishies inbound!" Happy sees Pisces coming back for retribution. 

"Gee, you think they learned their lesson," Natsu powers up. 

"This time, I'll slam the both of them," Spike powers up. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu conjures his fire breath attack. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack. 

"Roooooooooar!" Spike and Natsu unleash their fire breath attack in a unison raid. The mother of Pisces unleashes her breath attack with black winds. The mother of Pisces disperses the unison raid attack. 

"What!?" Spike said in shock. 

"Oh, come on!" Natsu didn't know that the mother can use the same magic as the son. 

The mother of Pisces increases her size. Spike didn't anticipate that power up as he's unable to counter in time. She slams on the ground, causing everyone to take cover. The impact of the slam causes Princess Hisui to loosen her grip on the keys, allowing the son of Pisces to nab them and go away with his mother. 

"Can I roast them and eat them the next time we see them, Yukino?" Spike asks Yukino. He's angry at the fact that the Zodiac Spirits got him again. 

"No," Yukino answers. She sadly sighs and sits on the ground, thinking about her Zodiac Spirits. 

"I'm sorry, Princess," Lucy said. 

"It's fine. I won't let this stop us," Princess Hisui replies. "I made those keys once before; the second time should be easy." 

"I admire your spirit, Princess. However, that won't be necessary," Arcadios said. 

"Why is that?" Princess Hisui wants to know what Arcadios said that. 

"I owe you a sincere apology," Arcadios reveals a box filled with the Celestial Spirit Closure Keys. "I switched out your keys and implanted decoys in the other box. Just in case we were to run into trouble." 

"Huh?" Princess Hisui is in shock. 

Levy, Lucy, and Yukino gasps. 

"No way!" Natsu, Happy, and Spike shout in unison. They are in shock. 

"That is brilliant!"

"Wow, they didn't swipe the real keys after all," Happy said happily. 

"So, we performed a ruse into thinking they defeated us," Spike couldn't help but chuckle at Arcadrios brilliancy. 

Arcadios nods. "Indeed, Fairy Dragon." 

"Now that we got the gate keys, all we got to do is go to the Astral Spirytus," Lucy said. 

"We can stop the Liberum ritual before it begins!" Yukino said in gladness. 

"Speaking of Astral Spirytus, Arcadios and I know where is," Princess Hisui said. 

"For real? That makes things easy for us, huh?" Lucy smiles, knowing that she's one step closer to saving the Zodiac Spirits. 

"Yes," Princess Hisui nods. 

"Let's move! The Spirits ain't going to beat themselves up! Natsu declares. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy cheers. 

"Hop on my back! Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a full dragon. He's on all fours. 

"Are we seriously riding on you, Fairy Dragon?" Princess Hisui gets excited. 

"Yea! You'll have to navigate me to the Astral Spirytus. From there, we'll walk." 

"Ah, yeah!" Natsu jumps on Spike's back. Lucy, Yukino, Levy does the same. Happy flies up and rests on Natsu's head. "Comfy, buddy?" 

"Aye," Happy smiles. 

Arcadios jumps onto Spike's back. "Princess, grab my hand." 

Princess Hisui grabs Arcadios' hand. He pulls her up. "Thanks, Arcadios."

Spike flaps his wings and takes off. He soars in the skies. Princess Hisui, Levy, and Arcadios take the beauty of the skies and the towns below while riding on Spike's back. For Princess Hisui, it feels like a dream come true for riding on a dragon's back.
> Astral Spirytus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike lands on a foggy mountain. Princess Hisui, Arcadios, Yukino, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Levy hop off Spike's back, allowing him to revert size. 

"Follow us," Arcadios commands. 

"Thanks for the ride, Fairy Dragon," Princess Hisui graciously says. 

"You're welcome," Spike replies. He follows Arcardios to the Astral Spirytus. 

The location of the Astral Spirytus is closer than Arcadios thinks, thanks to Spike's flying. There's an area where is so foggy you cannot see what lies ahead. 

"It said fog is the doorway to the Astral Spirytus," Princess Hisui says. 

"You mean the fog itself?" Natsu asks. 

"That's right. Throughout the course of human history, numerous legends were born from this place, the sacred sight of Astral Spirytus. Countless souls have journeyed here to see the origin of Celestial Magic. Those who enter this fog were never heard from again. This spot is where all quests for Astral Spirytus have ended," Princess Hisui finishes explaining. 

"So.., this is the point of no return..," Lucy is worried about the circumstances. 

"No one has made it through alive?" Happy asks. 

"So the legend says," Princess Hisui turns away. "However, forward is our only option." 

"Now, take your keys," Arcadios opens the box. 

Everyone grabs a key. Princess Hisui says that holding the keys will carry through the rest of the journey. She uses one of the keys to enter the Astral Spirytus. Natsu and Happy take the lead in finding the Zodiacs. They interrupt Leo the Lion's enchantment for the Liberum ritual. Spike, Lucy, Levy, Yukino, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios arrive on the scene. 

"Damn you to hell!" Leo unleashes his dark flames at the group. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu unleashes his fire punch to disperse Leo's dark flames. 

"Where is the globe?" Levy demands the Zodiacs. 

Leo the Lion continues to shoot his dark flames at the group. Natsu intercepts each attack thrown by Leo. 

"It seems we'll have to locate it ourselves," Arcadios said. 

"Please, you have to stop this," Lucy begs the Zodiacs to cease their ritual. "I know you don't want to believe me, but even if the Liberum spell does what you want it to, you'll only be free for twelve days. And then.., it'll all be over..," 

"We know," Leo responds. 

Everyone except for the Zodiacs gasps; they didn't think the Zodiacs fully understand the consequence of performing the ritual.

"Why go through with it?" Yukino is puzzled by the revelation of the Zodiacs knowing. 

"Twelve days isn't really much time, you know?" Happy said. 

"That's more than enough time for us," Leo the Lion said confidently. "Whatever the cost for freedom is, we'll gladly pay it." 

"Seriously?" Natsu couldn't believe the Zodiacs are okay with twelve days of freedom. 

"The only birthright we spirits can claim is our enslavement to humans. We exceed them in every possible way, and still, that is our fate in life! Or should I say that was our fate! What we do here will change that! Even if it cost us our lives!" Leo proclaims. 

"I would never consider any of you to be my slaves. You've always been my most treasured friends. Your like family! I can't bear the thought of losing you!" Lucy said to her Zodiac Spirits. 

"I don't care what you think!" Leo angrily responds. 

"These losers are nothing but talk anyways. I have their closure keys right here with me," The son of Pisces holds the fake closure keys. It vanishes right before his very eyes. "What the?"

"Where they go?" Sagittarius demands an answer. 

"Hate to break it to you, fish face; those ain't the real things," Natsu smirks. 

"What you stole were fake keys," Spike said. 

"We have the real one," Princess Hisui says while Arcadios reveals the keys to the Zodiacs. 

"That's so smart. Good job, kids," The mother of Pisces compliments her enemies. 

"Don't compliment for it, you crazy hag!" The son of Pisces disrespects his mother. 

"How can you be so cruel?" The mother of Pisces cries. 

"Not this crap again," Natsu is sick and tired of the lame comedic routine. 

"Forgive me, Leo. I totally screwed that up," The son of Pisces apologizes. 

"Time for punishment," Virgo takes out her whip. 

"Leo, we all been punished enough. What do you suggest we do?" Taurus asks his leader. "I think the use of force is necessary." 

"I'm totally down with that," Aries is wild up. "There's way more of us than them," Aries becomes cocky. "Let's rip them to shreds." 

"That sounds like a lot of fun to me," Aquarius said. 

"You know I wanna," Virgo is itching to fight. 

"The time to strike is now," Sagittarius prepares his bow and arrow. "They're powerless against us." 

"Tell me, humans. Do you wish to rob us of what little freedom we have and force our gates to close?" Leo said while trying to ignore Spike's sheer size. 

"It's not like that at all! The only thing I want is to save your lives!" Lucy responds. 

"I heard enough!" Leo ignites his hand with his dark flames. "No more lies from you!"

"Spike wants!" Spike increases into a full-size dragon. The Zodiacs watch in awe and horror. The mother of Pisces now knows she can't match the sheer size of Spike. "What was that about being powerless against you?" Spike looks down at the Zodiacs. Sagittarius turns pale and sweats a bit when his statement backfires on him. 

Gray, Gajeel, Erza, Cana, Juvia, Wendy, Elfman, Mirajane, Carla, and Panther Lily arrive. 

"Fall back! Let them come after us if they dare to stop us from accessing true freedom!" Leo commands. He and the Zodiacs enter doors that depict their worlds. 

"Hey, how did you found us?" Lucy asks her friends. 

"You guys can thank Warren for this," Cana said. 

"For real?" Natsu is happy about it. 

"Warren used his telepathy to track Spike. He had a stronger hold on Spike than you guys for some reason," Mirajane said. 

Spike reverts to his size. "I increased my size a while ago to fly here. I guess me being big made it easier for him to track." 

"We'll have to thank him for sure," Levy said. 

"So, mind tell us what the buzz is about?" Gray asks. 

Princess Hisui and Lucy explain the situation to everyone. How they were able to stop the Liberum ritual from activating. Princess Hisui tells everyone about the closure keys, and each of them needs to ensure that the Zodiac is unable to fight.

Gajeel chuckles. "I always wanted to go a couple of rounds with Celestial Spirits." 

"Someone is going to have to sit this one out. Not enough keys to go around," Arcadios said. 

"I'll sit this one out," Spike volunteers. 

"You sure, Spike?" Natsu turns to Spike. 

"Yes. I have a feeling that I'll be more helpful for something else. Perhaps there's something here in the Astral Spirytus I can piece together. Something that could be hidden in here that can be vital." 

"Alright, let's go, Happy!" Natsu takes Leo's closure key and enters Leo's door. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy follows Natsu. 

Princess Hisui gives everyone else a closure key. Lucy has Virgo's closure key. Yukino has Libra's closure key. Elfman has a Taurus closure key. Erza has a Sagittarius closure key. Gray has a Cancer closure key. Wendy has an Aquarius closure key. Mirajane has a Pisces closure key. Gajeel has a Gemini closure key. Juvia has an Aries closure key. Cana has a Scorpio closure key. Levy has a Capricorn closure key. 

Spike, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios watch everyone entering the door to the Zodiac worlds. Lacrima visions of the twelve worlds appear above to show the progress each wizard is going through. So far, Elfman is the first to defeat a Zodiac Spirit and closes his gate. 

"It seems that the bull is first to fall," Arcadios said. 

"Wonderful," Princess Hisui smiles. "I was confident that Fairy Tail won't let us down." 

"Since when have Fairy Tail let anyone down?" Spike rhetorically asks. 

"Fair enough. Now, eleven remain. Good luck to you all," Princess Hisui prays for the best. 

"Princess Hisui."

"Yes, Fairy Rage?" 

"Something just came to me. The Eclipse Gate, how many keys you used to get it opened again?"

"Twelve. I used all twelve Zodiac Keys," Princess Hisui answers. 

"Why are you asking her that, Fairy Rage?" Arcadios turns to Spike. 

Spike's jaws drop. "We forgot one." 

"What?" Princess Hisui and Arcadios are confused. 

"The Thirteenth Zodiac. The Snake Charmer."

Princess Hisui and Arcadios gasp horribly. The two completely forgot about the thirteenth Zodiac. Princess Hisui didn't take account of making a closure key for the thirteenth Zodiac. She tears up a bit. 

"Somewhere in here, there's another doorway. We're going after the Snake Charmer. Let's go, Spike." 

"Right," Spike takes flight looking for the thirteenth doorway. 

"How..," Princess Hisui falls to her knees. "How can I forget about the thirteenth Zodiac..?"
> Spike vs Ophiuchus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike flies around the Astral Spirytus, looking for the Snake Charmer's Zodiac doorway. He sees on the lacrima vision Wendy defeating Aquarius with the help from Natsu. 

"Nice work, Wendy. Two down, eleven to go," Spike finds the doorway and enters. 

"Does that mean Natsu defeated Leo the Lion already?"

"I don't think so. It would have shown on the lacrima vision. Maybe something got in the way and disrupted their battle. I don't know. This place is weird."

The doorway leads into a light pink circular cave. Spike walks down in hopes of locating the Snake Charmer. Twenty minutes later, the Snake Charmer makes an appearance. Apparently, the Snake Charmer's altered appearance is a blonde woman with blue eyes wearing a nurse's uniform, holding a gigantic syringe. 

"So, someone remembered there was a Thirteenth Zodiac?" Ophiuchus said. 

"It came to me. The main twelve Zodiacs were preoccupied with the ritual while you were nowhere. It didn't take long for me to figure out that there are Thirteen Zodiacs in all behind Liberum."

"Very naughty dragon. I'm going to enjoy choking the lights out of you," Ophiuchus powers up. 

"I always wonder what snakes taste like," Spike powers up. 

"Right after I give you a thorough examination," Ophiuchus spawns a pen and clipboard and shoots paper slicers. 

Spike crosses his arms, generating a Sparkling Green Metallic Flame Shield. The paper slicers cause many cracks on the shield. "Phew phew," Spike mimics his claws like guns and shoots Sparkling Green Bullets at Ophiuchus. 

Ophiuchus spawns a gigantic metal tongue depressor to deflect the bullets. "Now say ah!" Ophiuchus tries to jam the tongue depressor into Spike's mouth. 

"Roooooooooooaaar!" Spike breathes his Sparkling Green Flames at Ophiuchus when he opens his mouth. 

Ophiuchus ducks and writes on her clipboard. She conjures many bandages which cover Spike's mouth. "Be still! Hahahahahaha!" Ophiuchus writes stethoscopes to appear and binds Spike. Spike struggles a bit; his eyes turn orange. "Oh my, you need laser eye surgery,"  Ophiuchus writes a surgery table to strap Spike it. 

Fairy Rage takes control while his body blazes in orange flames. He removes the bandages from his mouth. "Lady, you made me mad."

"Great, I have a straightjacket to take you to a ward," Ophiuchus writes one to appear. It tries to hug Spike. 

"Inferno Rage Blast!" Fairy Rage creates a Sparkling Orange energy beam from his claw. The beam evaporates the straightjacket. 

"Take this! You need your medicine!" Ophiuchus shoots liquid explosives from her syringe. 

Fairy Rage flies and dodges each attack and punches Ophiuchus in the face. Ophiuchus hurls a little and calls for her storage robots. Three of them appear next to them, each containing different medical tools for pain and torment. 

"What the hell?" Fairy Rage looks at the robots with medical tools. 

"You haven't seen hell yet. You can go there after your lobotomy!" Ophiuchus starts losing herself. She has a sadistic mindset, and Fairy Rage has been neglecting the punishments Ophiuchus wants to unleash to satisfy her needs. 

"That can be rearranged." Fairy Rage claps his claws and conjures a Sparkling Orange Metallic Sword. "Better yet, I'll put your brain in a jar so other doctors can study a Celestial Spirit's brain."

"I'll kill you!" Ophiuchus commands her robots to rip Spike's body apart, piece by piece. 

"Rage Flame Sword Slicer!" Fairy Rage slashes his sword. Sparkling Orange Flame slicers destroy the robots. That's when Ophiuchus jams the tongue depressors into Spike's mouth. He gags. 

"Gotcha," Ophiuchus slams Spike's body on the ground hard and pins him. "Time for your surgery," Ophiuchus pulls out her surgical saw. "Let's try lobotomy," Ophiuchus sinisterly laughs. 

Fairy Rage uses his tail to grab Ophiuchus and throws her off of him. Fairy Rage gets up and takes the surgical saw. "Mind if I borrowed this?" 

Ophiuchus grabs her ocarina. "By all means," She smirks sinisterly. 

"Something is going to happen. I don't know what."

Ophiuchus starts playing her ocarina. The surgical saw comes out of Spike's claw and tries to slice his arm off. He dodges the attacks. 

"I get it now. Ophiuchus has control over everything when she plays her ocarina."

"Dance for me, my monkey," Ophiuchus laughs and continues to play her ocarina. Many surgical knives appear and try to stab Spike. 

Fairy Rage flies and gets some cuts from the knives. "Damn it!"

"Teleport her ocarina away." Spike said to Fairy Rage mentally. 

"Easier said than done, Spike." Fairy Rage continues to dodge the flurry of surgical knives aimed directly at him. 

"Look at you, all scraped up. I wonder what dragon blood tastes like," Ophiuchus licks her lips. 

"Here! Have a taste!" Fairy Rage flies at Ophiuchus. "Lightning Inferno Flame!" Fairy Rage's claw is ablaze in Sparkling Orange Lightning Flames. Ophiuchus plays her ocarina. "Demolition Fist!" Instead of Fairy Rage punching Ophiuchus, the ocarina she plays causes Fairy Rage to punch himself. "Goddamn it!" The force of the punch causes Fairy Rage to land on the ground hard. 

"This is my domain, baby dragon. With this ocarina, I control everything. Including your magic," Ophiuchus victoriously laughs. 

"Is that so?" Spike turns around; his eyes are a blend of orange and green. His Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest doesn't change.

"Your eyes changed again?" Ophiuchus is now confused. 

"Fairy Rage and Spike. Working together in this fight."

Ophiuchus smiles. "You poor pathetic fool. As I said, this is my domain. I am in control of everything!" 

"Oh, yea!?" Natsu arrives with Happy, Carla, and Wendy. "We're about to take control of you!"

"Spike! Are you alright?" Wendy asks Spike. 

"What are you doing down here?" Carla asks Spike. 

"Fighting Ophiuchus the Snake Charmer. The Thirteenth Zodiac."

"Whoa!? There's a Thirteenth Zodiac?" Happy is appalled. He didn't know about the Thirteenth Zodiac Spirit. 

"I've been battling her for a while now. I know she's up to something. I'm going to finish her before anything else happens."

"It's not over yet," Ophiuchus responds to Spike's statement. 

"It is, for now, Ophiuchus," Leo the Lion makes his appearance. 

"It's him," Happy said. 

"About time you showed up," Natsu is itching to continue his fight with Leo the Lion. 

"The ceremony is almost ready to begin. It won't be necessary to keep them occupied for any longer." 

"Occupied?" Spike and Fairy Rage are confused with that statement. They wonder what Leo's planning. 

"You may go now, Ophiuchus," Leo commands. 

"I understand, Sir. I take my leave," Ophiuchus teleports. 

"They're really about to start it?" Wendy can't believe the Liberum is still underway despite the other Zodiacs facing defeat in their battles. 

"I got some bad news for you. All your cronies are getting kicked back into the Celestial World one-by-one as we speak," Carla proclaims. 

"And, you can't hold your ceremony without them!" Happy declares. 

Leo the Lion starts laughing victorious. "The power of darkness knows no bounds, and it's giving us another chance to perform the Liberum! We will not give up our dream, and we will not rest until we obtain true and absolute freedom!" The caves start cracking and breaking up during Leo's speech. "Although we face setbacks along the way, our hearts are unwavering. We will cast off the shackles humanity has placed upon us!" 

The cave shatters. Spike, Natsu, Wendy, Carla, and Happy are now outside. They're on a spiky mountain rock floating island. Wendy's sense of smell is going off the charts. Natsu is tired of Leo running away from a fight. 

"Ophiuchus! The time has come to reveal your true form!" Leo commands while holding the Celestial Globe. 

The island starts shaking. Ophiuchus' true form is a giant black snake with red underside spikes extending out from the side. She has red horns on the top of the snakehead, which connects with a gold ring that houses a floating orb at the center; her lower jaw is golden in color. The upper body of her humanoid form, is merged with the face area of the snake. 

"This Snake Charmer is absolutely the vital part of the Zodiac. So my true form is every bit majestic as that would entail. In fact, the very place known as the Astral Spirytus is fully contained in my body. Everything that's transpired so far has been inside of my body. You coming here was by design. A trap to lure you in. As I told that baby dragon, this is my domain!" 

"And now, we can perform the Liberum which will free us from the human world once and for all. There is nothing you can do to stop us!" Leo declares. 

"Oh, Celestial Spirit King. I will not fail you," Ophiuchus states. 

"You will fail him. You will fail the Liberum Ritual. Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a full dragon.

"Hey! You didn't tell me the dragon can do that!" Ophiuchus yells angrily at Leo the Lion. 

"Without Ophiuchus, you have no way of performing the Liberum Ritual!" Spike tackles Ophiuchus. 

"No!" Leo underestimates Spike. 

"Natsu! Leo is all yours!" 

"You got it, Spike. Time to seal your gate, Loke!" Natsu powers up. "Wendy, Happy, Carla! Grab the Globe while I'll deal with this poser!"

"On it, Natsu!" Wendy replies. Carla grabs her and takes off with Happy. 

"You insolent fool!" Leo goes after Wendy, Carla, and Happy. 

"You're fighting me! Fire Dragon Brilliant Flames!" Natsu unleashes a fiery explosion on Leo the Lion. 

"Come, meet your demise, human!" Leo takes his fury at Natsu. 

Spike pins Ophiuchus to the ground and punches the head of it. She tries playing her ocarina when she notices Spike not using any magic. 

"We're not going to use our magic against you since you have that ocarina!" 

Ophiuchus wraps her body around Spike and squeezes tightly. "I will squeeze the life out of you," Ophiuchus tightens her hold on Spike. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport himself out of the tight squeeze. "WHAT?!" Ophiuchus looks around to see where Spike went. "You copycat! Show yourself!" Ophiuchus demands while getting back up. 

Spike is above Ophiuchus, picking up speed as he dives. "Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike conjures his lightning flames. "Meteor Rain!"  Sparkling Orange-Green Lightning Flame Orbs descend upon Ophiuchus. 

"Aaaaaaah!" Ophiuchus couldn't counter the attack as many orbs explode around her. She's taken a lot of blows from the attack. 

"No! Ophiuchus!" Leo sees the carnage upon Ophiuchus. "I'm going to slay that freaking dragon!" 

"You're going have to go through me first! Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu blindsides Leo when his focus is on Spike. Leo gets back up. "Fire Dragon Wing Attack!"

"Not this time!" Leo conjures his dark flames to disperse Natsu's flames. 

"What!?" Natsu is puzzled when his attack did no damage. 

"Your flames are no match for my flames of darkness. The darkness will snuff out the light!" Leo shoots darkness flares from his hands at Natsu. 

Natsu dodges the attack and goes straight at Leo. "Fire Dragon Roooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at Leo. 

"Darkness Flames Roooooooar!" Leo the Lion copies Natsu's attack and unleashes his dark flames breath to disperse Natsu's flames. Natsu feels the full force of Leo's flames and collides into a mountain. 

Wendy, Happy, and Carla are having a rough time trying to nab the Celestial Globe hovering in the sky, it has a defense mechanism and shoots magic torrents at anything drawing near to its presence. Happy, Wendy, and Carla do get hit a few times, but they continue their best effort on getting close to the globe. 

"Ophiuchus! Get up!" Leo commands Ophiuchus, but she doesn't respond.  Leo sees Spike stomping on Ophiuchus hard after his attack. "Nooooooo!" 

"You're finished!" Spike grabs and throws Ophiuchus away from the mountains. 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Leo watches Ophiuchus fall. He needs Ophiuchus to complete the Liberum Ritual. 

"This fight is over!" Natsu launches himself into the air. 

"It is not! Nothing will stop us from achieving true freedom! Purge of Darkness!" Leo releases a stream of dark flames from his palm and directs it at Natsu. 

"Get in my belly!" Natsu consumes Leo's flames. "OH YEAH! NOW I GOT A FIRE IN MY BELLY!"

"Impossible!" Leo didn't take any countermeasures of Natsu eating his flames. 

"Black Fire Dragon Mode!" Natsu powers up, combining his magic with Leo's. 

"Say what?!" Leo steps back now that he's at a disadvantage. 

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Black Exploding Flame Blade!" Natsu swipes his arms in a circular fashion consisting of his flames and dark flames from Leo, creating a powerful and highly destructive torrent of flames that bombarded Leo. Leo gets hurled into a mountain. The impact from the flames and colliding into the mountain knocked Leo the Lion out. "Time to go back," Natsu uses the closure key to send Leo back to the Celestial Spirit World. 

"You did it, Natsu!" Wendy is happy that Natsu finally defeated Leo. 

"He was pretty distracted when Spike fought Ophiuchus," Natsu said. 

"Speaking of Spike, where is he?" Happy asks. 

"Over here," Spike reverts to his size and lands next to his friends. His eyes turn back to jade. "Fighting Ophiuchus was hard, but I took her out."

"Unfortunately, there's no closure key for her. We can only hope she's out of the way long enough for us to obtain the Celestial Globe."

"We have problems with that, Spike. The globe is above and has a powerful defense sequence. We can't get closer," Carla explains. 

"Hey, look," Happy sees Leo the Lion's Zodiac light up in the skies. 

"What is that?" Natsu asks. 

"The Zodiacs that are defeated and sent back. The only ones missing are the Maiden and the Balance," Spike said after counting the Zodiacs in the sky. 

"Hey, wait! Why is the Liberum still active?" Happy asks, still looking at the Celestial Globe. 

"We took out Ophiuchus. She shouldn't be recovering that quickly unless..?" Spike starts remembering what Ophiuchus said before tackling her. 

"Ophiuchus may have recovered quicker and is performing using the ocarina."

"Indeed I am," Ophiuchus returns to the battlefield and starts singing an incantation for the Liberum ritual. 

"Oh c'mon!" Spike is not one to complain, but he didn't anticipate the durability of an altered Zodiac Spirit. 

"This is payback, you son-of-a-bitch!" Ophiuchus stops singing and shoots an energy blast from its serpent's mouth at Spike, Happy, Carla, Wendy, and Natsu. 

Spike crosses his arms, creating a Sparkling Green Metallic Shield, shielding the attack. "Damn, she's stronger than before." 

"She's serious. She's not messing around anymore."

"The time is now. I can feel it. You won't be waiting long, my king!" Ophiuchus announces. She continues the incantation for Liberum. 

"Natsu, are you okay?" Happy turns to Natsu, who is feeling and looking blue." 

"No.., I feel weak..," Natsu is having a hard time moving. 

"You ate Loke's flames, right?" Fairy Rage asks Natsu. 

"Yea. They weren't that bad..," Natsu is feeling woozy a bit. 

"It could be poisoning. Like the time Spike ate Hades' Abyss Magic and felt like crap."

"Oh boy," Natsu is sweating like crazy. 

"Hold on, does that mean Natsu will have a second soul in him?" Happy asks Spike. 

"Not likely. Darkness from a Celestial Spirit is different than Hades' magic. I was born from the ashes of Hades' magic that remained inside of Spike before he flushed it out. I believe darkness and Dragon Slayer Magic don't mix well, and Natsu's immune systems are taking a long time to dispose of it."

"What Fairy Rage says," Spike said. He couldn't come up with a better answer. 

"Damn.., that means I can't fight at full strength until I get rid of it," Natsu hates the feeling surging through his body. 

"What do we do now?" Happy asks. 

"Spike and I defeated Ophiuchus once. We can do it again. Ready, Spike!"

"Ready!" Spike takes flight and goes straight at Ophiuchus. 

"Take this!" Ophiuchus shoots an energy blast from its serpent's mouth at Spike. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the attack away; it hits a mountain far away from his friends. Spike increases his size into a full dragon once more. 

"Carla, we should help Spike," Wendy turns to Carla. 

"Right," Carla nods and picks up Wendy. She takes off. 

"Natsu, take cover," Wendy powers up while Carla is flying. 

"Happy, let's go," Natsu wants to fight as well. 

"I'm not sure, Natsu," Happy is worried about Natsu. 

"Wendy! Try to destroy the Globe again. I can handle Ophiuchus," Spike said. 

Wendy wholeheartedly wants to fight with Spike against the Snake Charmer but she knows her priorities. To try and stop the Celestial Globe from completing the ritual. "Alright, Spike. After all of this, I want a day where it's only the two of us!" 

"Granted!" Spike shouts. 

Carla flies Wendy to the Globe. Hopefully this attempt will work. 

Ophiuchus uses her serpent's tail to swat Spike. She slivers after Spike. 

"She's stronger than before. Ophiuchus must have held back a bit during our first encounter."

"Like she was testing the waters and how much force she needs to knock us down." 

"You're mine Fairy Dragon!" Ophiuchus charges her energy blast. 

"Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike lifts his claws and produces ice missiles from the air. They're Sparkling Green with flames inside.

Ophiuchus sinisterly laughs and directs her target at Natsu. She shoots an energy beam blast directly at him. 

"Natsu!" Spike couldn't intercede in the attack on time. 

"No!" Wendy and Carla cry out. The two get hit by the Celestial Globe's defense mechanism. 

Ophiuchus' attack is deflected. "But how?" Ophiuchus is stunned to see the person who deflected her attack. 

"Perfect timing, man," Natsu said to Arcadios. 

"How did you end up in a dire situation?" Arcadios turns to Natsu. 

"It's something you'll disagree with me," Natsu chuckles a bit. "Heads up!" Natsu warns Arcadios. 

Arcadios sees Wendy and Carla falling, he jumps and catches the two. "Gotcha."

"Thanks," Wendy graciously said. 

"Getting to that Globe is harder than it looks," Carla said. 

"Natsu," Princess Hisui arrives. She turns to see Ophiuchus in her true form. "Whoa..," Princess Hisui is lost for words. 

"Princess, this must be Ophiuchus, the Snake Charmer Spirit," Arcadios said. 

"I didn't think she'd be that large..," Princess Hisui gazes at Ophiuchus and the rest of her serpent body. 

"Greetings, Princess," Ophiuchus smirks. "I'm afraid you're too late. No one can stop me now," She goes back to singing her incantation. 

Spike is conjuring hundreds of missiles while Ophiuchus' attention is focused on Princess Hisui. Princess Hisui figures out what the incantation Ophiuchus is singing translates. 

"That incantation.., she's saying.., All for the King of Stars."

"Well played, Princess. Now, tell everyone what it means," Ophiuchus says. 

"The King you're referring to must be the Celestial Spirit King. If all has been for the King's sake, the Spirits haven't been acting for themselves. There's something more at play here. They're being manipulated. Is the Celestial Spirit King behind this or not?" 

"Of course he is," Ophiuchus answers. 

"You know, I always wanted to go toe-to-toe with Ole Nosehairs," Natsu's hand is engulfed in fire. "But I didn't have a decent excuse until right now." 

Ophiuchus laughs. "How can you defeat my King when you're about to lose to me. I am Ophiuchus the Snake Charmer. Chosen guardian of the Celestial Spirit King. I am the Thirteen Zodiac. The Deadly Shadow of my liege!" Ophiuchus uses the Celestial Globe to reveal to everyone her divine power. Twelve Crystal Dimension appears, showing that there are two Zodiacs still in the fight while she remains. Virgo has Lucy contained in her whip while Yukino is fleeing from Libra. 

"Lucy's in trouble!" Natsu exclaims. 

"Yukino is too," Wendy said. 

"Surely there is something we can do to help," Carla says. 

"But, they're essentially trapped in alternate dimensions," Princess Hisui says. 

"Screw this!" Natsu springs into action, wanting to help Lucy and Yukino as well as taking down the Celestial Spirit King. 

"I warned you not to interfere. Now you'll pay the price!" Ophiuchus proclaims.

"Launch!" Spike and Fairy Rage command in unison. 

"Huh?" Ophiuchus turns to see hundreds of ice missiles coming right at her. Many missiles explode on contact around her body. Ophiuchus screams in agony from the assault. 

Natsu stops his attack to see where the missile strikes are coming from. 

"Where did those missiles come from?" Arcadios looks around the area. 

"Up there!" Happy points to Spike, where he is unleashing a swarm of missile strikes at Ophiuchus. 

Ophiuchus grabs her ocarina and plays it. She causes some missiles to redirect at Spike's friends. 

"Take cover!" Arcadios shoves the others for their protection. The missile explodes all around the area. 

"Graaaaah!" Ophiuchus goes after Spike. 

Spike claps his claws and conjures a Sparkling Orange-Green Metallic Sword. "Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike and Fairy Rage slash their sword, Sparkling Orange-Green Flame slicers are heading towards Ophiuchus. 

"That won't work on me!" Ophiuchus plays her ocarina to redirect the attack at him. 

Spike flies at Ophiuchus and reverts to his size once more. He takes the ocarina away from Ophiuchus. 

"No! Give that back!" Ophiuchus demands. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the ocarina away. "You won't be playing that instrument anymore. It's beyond the reaches of the Astral Spirytus."

"You bastard!" Ophiuchus tries to summon it, and she can't. "Where is it?!" Ophiuchus is livid. 

"Why would I tell you. You won't be using my magic to harm my friends."

"Thanks, Spike!" Natsu goes on the attack to strike Ophiuchus. He sees a brighter spot on the chest of the serpent and decides to strike there. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu lands a punch on Ophiuchus serpent's chest. She is a bit stunned by the attack and wails in agony. 

The Crystal Dimensions are now merging, sending Ophiuchus into complete chaos. Virgo and Libra are suffering a bit from the disorder of Celestial Spirit power and Liberum. 

"You worm.., how dare you throw off my creations into chaos," Ophiuchus said. 

"Hey!" Spike and Fairy Rage grab Ophiuchus' attention. She turns to him. "Eyes on us!" Spike and Fairy Rage conjures a fireball from their claws, generating a ton of magic power. 

"What are you doing!?" Ophiuchus is getting nervous. 

"Ending this fight!" Spike and Fairy Rage said in unison while their fireball continues to grow bigger and bigger. 

While Ophiuchus is focused on Spike's fireball, Natsu powers up, knowing what he needs to do. Natsu powers up, and his flames skyrockets. 

"Lucy! Yukino! Ground support is on its way!" Natsu uses the flames and creates flame hands to compress the Crystal Dimensions into a singularity dimension. 

Ophiuchus turns to Natsu after hearing the commotion. "A mere human has this much power!" 

"Oh, I'm more than just human! I'm a Dragon Slayer!" Natsu roars and combines the crystals into one. 

"Look! Yukino and Lucy are together against Virgo and Libra!" Happy points at the single crystal, viewing what's going on." 

"Inferno Exploding Heat Wave!" Spike and Fairy Rage press the fireball with their claws creating a heat cannon at Ophiuchus

Ophiuchus tries shooting her energy blast at the heat cannon, but the combined power of Spike and Fairy Rage proved to be too much for Ophiuchus to handle. Her body is engulfed in flames as the flames explode on her. 

Spike increases his size once more and grabs Ophiuchus. "This time, stay down!" Spike and Fairy Rage throw Ophiuchus into the vast space of the Astral Spirytus. Ophiuchus screams while she free falls from the floating mountains. 

"Yea! That's how it's done!" Happy celebrates. 

"Wow, that was awesome," Princess Hisui is glad to see Spike the Fairy in action like that. A dragon with good intentions. 

Spike reverts to his size and takes a breather. "Man, I need a break." 

"Well done, Fairy Dragon. You subdued the Snake Charmer," Arcadios said. 

In the skies, two more Zodiac Spirits appear. The Maiden and the Balance. Moments later, Lucy and Yukino appear in front of everyone. Wendy and Princess Hisui help them up. 

"We made it?" Yukino asks Princess Hisui. 

"You can thank Natsu for combining the Celestial realms into one," Happy answers. 

"Which allowed you to join forces with Yukino and defeat the Zodiacs," Wendy said. 

"It was incredible. And, Fairy Dragon took out the Thirteenth Zodiac," Princess Hisui said. 

"Whoa, you took at Ophiuchus, Spike?" Yukino turns to him. 

"Twice, I won both fights with the help from Fairy Rage." 

"Man, after combining the realms like that, I feel much better!" Natsu feels great. 

"Turns out you flushed out the remains of Leo's dark flames."

"So, what now since the Zodiacs are back in the Celestial Spirit World, Princess Hisui?" Lucy turns to the Princess. 

"I'll tell you," Ophiuchus returns while she laughs victoriously. 

"How many times do we have to beat you down!?" Fairy Rage is losing his temper.

"Thanks to you, all of you.., everything is going according to plan," Ophiuchus smiles. "Shutting all those gates would have been quite a challenge. Thank goodness I had you. You returned all twelve Zodiac Spirits to the Celestial Spirit King's grasp!" 

"Say what!?" Spike, Natsu, and Happy are appalled. 

"What do you mean by that?" Lucy asks Ophiuchus. 

"Are you saying that the Celestial Spirit King planned the Zodiac to be defeated?" Princess Hisui asks Ophiuchus. 

"He's the one that stands to gain, but the plan itself was mine," Ophiuchus smirks. "The most difficult part was finding a way to keep the Zodiac Spirits from leaving the Celestial Plain. So, I fabricated a ritual, Liberum, knowing they would try to perform it, and you would stop them by sealing their gates."

"So the Spirits never had a chance at freedom, and the whole reason that they were fighting was just one big lie?" Wendy asks. 

"They were tricked into the whole thing as were we," Carla said. 

"The Celestial Globe serves as a conduit. It channels power from the constellations of the Zodiacs for my King, the ritual was set up to perform the sole purpose to grant him the Zodiac's strength. It's called the Liberum Verus. The problem with Liberum Verus is it can only sacrifice spirits in the Celestial Plain," Ophiuchus explains. 

"Sacrifice? But why?" Princess Hisui demands an answer from Ophiuchus. 

"Becoming an Eclipse Spirit did endow Celestial Spirit King who was already the strongest being in his world with power greater he had ever known, but it also gave him an appetite to match. Fearful of his mighty hunger, the Zodiacs Spirits attempted to flee the Celestial World. They strove to be free of him. But, their Celestial bodies pulled them back to the stars. To resist is to suffer, and to give in was to die. The setup was perfect with the false hope of Liberum,  I sent them and you too to work on granting my King power he craves." 

"The Celestial King was that effected?" Yukino, like everyone else, is stunned to hear the news and reasoning behind the whole Liberum ritual. 

"We thought we were fighting to protect the spirits. Instead, we wind up putting them in harm's way..," Lucy said in distraught. 

"To think we've been banishing them to the very place that they were so desperately struggling to escape..," Princess Hisui is saddened with the revelation. "A world ruled by a power-crazed monster!"

"How awful," Wendy imagines the scenario. 

"This feels like the situation with Future Rogue. Getting tricked into doing the right thing."

"Definitely," Spike agrees with Fairy Rage's statement. 

"I can't believe this crap!" Natsu said. 

"That isn't the worst of it. If the demented Celestial King goes unchecked, if his rampage can't be stopped, the Celestial Spirit World will collapse in on itself."

"You mean the whole damn place!" Natsu can't believe what Princess Hisui said. Everyone else around gasps in horror. 

"Indeed. Princess Hisui's prediction may come to pass," Ophiuchus victoriously laughs. 

"Hey! If the Celestial World goes, so does you!" Happy reminds Ophiuchus of her place as a Zodiac Spirit. 

"If it's what my liege wants, then I'll cease to exist with pleasure!" 

"You're willing to die just to give him more power?" Lucy is perplexed by Ophiuchus' claim. 

"That's freaking crazy!" Happy exclaims.

Ophiuchus continues with the ritual as a loud growl is heard throughout the realm. Everyone becomes worried about the menacing growl. Ophiuchus continues to laugh and produce as much power as she can to offer to the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Enough of your noise! Spike, let's bring Ophiuchus down for good this time! Everyone else, take out that Globe!" Natsu shouts. 

"Right!" Spike powers up.

Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Yukino, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios go after the Celestial Globe. Happy grabs Natsu and takes off. Spike flaps his wings and takes off as well. 

"Without that ocarina, you have no chance of manipulating our combined magic power!" Fairy Rage proclaims. 

"I can still kill you and prevent the two of you from interfering with the Celestial King's work!" Ophiuchus shoots energy beams left and right at Natsu and Spike in the air. 

"Fire Dragon Talon!" Natsu ignites his foot on fire to kick Ophiuchus. 

Ophiuchus extends her arm to grab Natsu and throws him at Spike with immense strength. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Natsu and Happy. 

"Where did he go!?" Ophiuchus looks around. 

"Where he needs to be!" Spike shouts. 

"Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" Natsu lights his entire body ablaze and headbutts Ophiuchus' serpent's body at high speed. 

"You bastard!" Ophiuchus feels the full force from the attack. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Green Explosions hits Ophiuchus below her serpent's body. Ophiuchus screams in pain; she doesn't have an answer to stopping that attack. 

"Spike! Use that spell again!" Natsu sees how difficult Ophiuchus is reacting to the spell. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Spike uses the spell again. Once again, the explosions are wearing Ophiuchus down. 

"Happy, fly as high and as fast as you can!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy complies and soars in the air as fast as he can. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C formation and shoots Sparkling Green Arrows from his fingertips at Ophiuchus. He flies around her like an annoying mosquito. 

Ophiuchus extends her arm in hopes of trying to grab Spike. She waited a few moments and grabs his throat. "Gotcha!" Spike chokes a bit from the grapple. Ophiuchus pulls him close to her. "I'm going to snap your neck, killing you in the process. 

"Now, Happy!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye!" Happy releases Natsu from being high above Ophiuchus. 

"Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!" Natsu's body is ablaze in lightning and fire. "Lightning Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!" Natsu engulfs his left hand in lightning and his right hand in flames and, after bringing the two together, generates a large, destructive, sparking blast at Ophiuchus. 

Ophiuchus feels burnt and electrocuted at the same time. She releases her grip on Spike's throat. Then she hears Spike consuming the lightning flame energy around him. 

"My turn! Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike soars high in the sky. "Demolition Blast!" Spike unleashes a Sparkling Green Lightning Flame blast at Ophiuchus. 

"Spike! Let's finish this!" Natsu said. "Happy, I need a lift!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy grabs Natsu to fly with Spike. 

"Lightning Flame Dragon!" Natsu conjures his breath attack.

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike conjures his breath attack.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike and Natsu combine their breath attack in a unison raid like they did seven years ago against Master Hades. Ophiuchus tries to defend herself, but the unison raid is overwhelming. Ophiuchus falls over. 

Spike and Natsu pant heavily after the combined breath attack. Spike, Natsu, and Happy see Lucy, Yukino, and Princess Hisui performing a spell that destroyed the Celestial Spirit Globe from completing the Liberum Verus ritual. 

"Look!" Happy points at Ophiuchus; she's disappearing. Then the Zodiacs in the sky disappear. 

"The destruction of the globe may have sent her back to the Celestial Spirit World..," Spike said, still panting from the fight. 

"Agreed. I'm glad that part is over. Ophiuchus kept on coming back." 

"Thanks for the help, Natsu." 

"Anytime," Natsu high five Spike. 

"Let's go check on our friends," Spike descends. 

"Aye," Happy follows Spike and lets go of Natsu once they reach the ground. 

"Princess, are you alright?" Arcadios checks on Princess Hisui. 

"Yea," Princess Hisui nods. She, like Lucy and Yukino, is bruised from the spell they performed and their clothes are tattered. 

"We did it! We save them!" Yukino cheers. 

"Now Loke and the Spirits will go back to normal," Natsu said. 

"Since when does anything turned out to be that simple?" Carla asks, spoiling Natsu's mood. 

"Wendy, Lucy, are you two alright?" Spike asks the two. 

"I'm fine, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

"Same with me. I'm glad that Ophiuchus is dealt with and the Globe destroyed," Lucy replies. 

"Man, I need a nap. Fighting Ophiuchus four times really did a number on me," Spike sits on the ground. 

"Here," Wendy starts healing Spike. 

Spike is feeling better than before. "Thanks, Wendy." 

"You're welcome, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

The mountains start crumbling all around them. Gray, Erza, Juvia, Elfman, Mirajane, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Cana, and Levy arrive at the scenery. 

"Yo, what's the deal? Did we stop the ritual?" Gray asks his friends. 

"Geez, it's about time you showed up," Natsu said. 

"I've been here from the start! You know it, magma breath!" Gray retorts. 

"You're all okay," Lucy sees her friends well. 

"Oh, yea!" Levy replies. 

"So, did the oversize python turned tail or what?" Gray asks. 

"Happy and I stepped in after Spike took on Ophiuchus and defeated her twice. Spike and I delivered the final blow on the lizard." 

"Wait, Spike took on the Snake Charmer?" Erza is in shock. 

"Fairy Rage and I fought her three times on our own before Natsu came into the fray and helped me finish her off. Ophiuchus was indeed a tough opponent, Sis." 

"Spike, mind lending me some iron?" Gajeel asks. 

Spike crosses his arms and conjures a sparkling metallic shield. He tosses it to Gajeel. "Enjoy." 

"Thanks, bro," Gajeel takes a bite out of the shield. 

"There are no Zodiacs around to try and kill us," Panther Lily said. 

"Good, take it as a good sign," Gajeel said while enjoying his meal. 

"Yes, we shut all their gates, so there's no need to worry," Yukino said. 

"Maybe. There's no sign that we turned them back to normal, though," Lucy is having doubts. 

"Hey, keep your chin up; we'll figure out a way to help them," Natsu encouragingly says, hoping it'll put a smile on Lucy's face. 

"That's right, it'll be okay, somehow," Happy said. 

"Why don't you take this opportunity to compare notes and make a plan," Carla suggests. 

"And I can heal everybody, so we'll be ready," Wendy states. 

"Woah, I'm sensing something intensifying."

"I feel it too," The mountains everyone is standing on start illuminating blue lights. The loud menacing growls return as the mountains are breaking apart. Spike sees his friends panicking a bit from the growl. 

"Spike! Increase your size so we can ride on you," Erza commands. 

"On it, Sis. Spike wa-" Spike is interrupted by Horologium's appearance. 

"Wait, don't go. The ritual was completed a few moments ago. Ms.Lucy, I urge you, if you don't do something, the Celestial Spirit World will vanish forever. Take these," Horologium's door opens, revealing all sorts of Celestial Garments. "There's something else, I know Spike doesn't wear clothes, but he won't be needing a garment. An actual dragon's lifespan will not be affected by our laws in the Celestial Spirit World." 

"No way! Spike gets to stay in the nude!" Natsu is in shock. 

"Crux did his research. He told me that Spike will be fine in our world," Horologium said. 

Spike watches his friends getting dressed and pumped up to go into the Celestial Spirit World to save every Celestial Spirit. Erza is getting ready to make her statement. 

"Just remember, even if we return to this world a hundred years from now. As long as we're with our friends, there's nothing to fear."

"Friends and family to go around," Spike said. 

"I'll be happy in a hundred years either direction as long as my love-sickle is beside me," Juvia said. 

"We already lost seven years together, so what's another century or two?" Levy is not bothered by the time regulations in the Celestial Spirit World. 

"I don't care what year it is. Just give me some iron to chew and a world to rampage in," Gajeel said. 

"Truth," Panther Lily concurs. 

"Lisanna will understand why we're doing this," Mirajane said. 

"Of course she will. She's our sister!" Elfman proclaims. "Not to mention she's pretty manly herself."

"I can never tell if you're joking or not," Cana said. 

"The Celestial Spirit King will soon absorb the Astral Spirytus. This will be a bumpy ride," Horologium warns his friends. "It'll allow me to enter the Celestial Spirit World. Make sure each of you except for Spike are wearing the proper garments." 

"Let's go! I'm all fired up now!" Natsu shouts. 

Horologium sends his friends into the Celestial Spirit World. He hopes that they can defeat the Celestial Spirit King and save the Celestial Spirit World.
> Saving the Celestial World
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Wendy, Carla, Cana, Elfman, Mirajane, Levy, Yukino, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios are entering the Celestial Spirit World. Within the Celestial Spirit World, everything, including the floating planets, looks distorted and desolate. 

"Is this it? It looks barren," Princess Hisui said. 

"These winds could be a problem," Erza said. 

Throughout the entirety of the Celestial Spirit World, strong winds forcing anything Celestial to move towards the Celestial Spirit King's body. The Celestial Spirit King looks like a gigantic anthropomorphic blob consisting of stars. Everyone watches planets getting devoured differently by the Celestial Spirit King. Lucy watches Horologium getting pulled towards the Celestial Spirit King. 

"No way..," Lucy said in shock. 

"That's the Celestial Spirit King?" Levy asks in awe and horror. 

"How disturbing..," Arcadios said. 

"Judging from your reactions, I'm guessing that is not what the Celestial Spirit King is supposed to look," Spike said. 

"He's more of a Nightmare King than Celestial, which poses a problem. What are we supposed to do next?"

"Check it out, around its' head thing," Cana points at the thirteen color spheres floating around the Celestial Spirit King. 

"There's no mustache!" Happy exclaims. 

"That's not what she's pointing at, Tomcat!" Carla is getting annoyed by Happy's stupidity. 

"I see it! The Celestial Spirits are in those orbs," Gray said. 

"All thirteen of them. I did the count."

"Does this mean they're being held captive?" Wendy asks. 

"Horologium mentioned that we failed in stopping the ritual, so that means the Celestial Spirit King has them in his grasps." 

"Hold on! We'll get you out of there, I swear!" Lucy proclaims. 

The Celestial Spirit King absorbs the Celestial Spirit Spheres. Lucy and Yukino become worried and starting to lose hope.

"Don't worry, we'll get them back after we take him down," Natsu said. 

"Natsu's right. This is no time to be disheartened," Erza said. She requips her sword. "Let's go!" Erza leads the charge. 

"Ice Impact!" Gray conjures an ice drill to penetrate the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Water Slicer!" Juvia shoots multiple water blades at the Celestial Spirit King.

The attacks were futile on the impact of the Celestial Spirit King. He turns to smash a small planet Juvia and Gray were standing on. Erza sees that attacking in small groups won't do and requests her friends to attack simultaneously. 

"Beast Soul!" Elfman transforms into his stronger beast. 

"I'm ready!" Mirajane transforms into Satan's Soul. 

"Try some card magic," Cana is armed with her lightning card magic. She shoots at the Celestial Spirit King. 

"And Solid Script," Levy writes Fire and shoots at the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Ice Cannon!" Gray creates an Ice Cannon and shoots an ice beam at the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Water Whip!" Juvia's arm turns into a water whip and lashes at the Celestial Spirit King. 

Spike flies while Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily. They are holding their Dragon Slayers. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy powers up her sky breath attack. 

"Iron Dragon!" Gajeel powers up his iron breath attack. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu powers up his fire breath attack. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike powers up his sparkling fire breath attack. 

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike, Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy do a unison dragon breath raid assault on the Celestial Spirit King like the time they did against Acnologia back on Tenrou Island. 

With every Fairy Tail Wizard and Yukino unleashing their attack simultaneously at the Celestial Spirit King, it appears that he's taken critical blows around his body. However, the Celestial Spirit King is still standing and unharmed by the attacks. 

"You gotta be kidding? That didn't hurt him at all?" Happy is in shock to see the Celestial Spirit King's durability. 

"I guess I should have increased my size..," Spike pants a bit from the attack. 

The Celestial Spirit King is moving erratically. Everyone is wondering what he's doing. 

"Stay on guard! I believe its about to counterattack!" Erza warns her friends. 

The Celestial Spirit King increases his mass and roars loudly, causing everyone to hurl back by the sheer force of winds. Some debris from the destroyed planets is hurling at everyone. Gajeel saves Levy from being crushed by a boulder; Arcadios uses his sword to slice a mountain structure to save Princess Hisui, Elfman and Mirajane clobber boulders that would have crushed Cana and Yukino. Unfortunately for Natsu and Happy, they crashed into the ground, thinking they died on impact. 

"Don't falter now. Keep up the pressure!" Erza commands. 

While everyone goes back on the offensive, the Celestial Spirit King extends his index finger and shoots a red beam at Juvia. Gray watches in horror that the Celestial Spirit King turned Juvia into a constellation. 

"Juvia!" Gray terrifyingly shouts. 

"I don't believe it. Juvia's turned into a constellation!" Carla fearfully said. 

"That light changed her..," Wendy becomes afraid of the situation. 

"That's messed up," Spike said in awe. 

The Celestial Spirit King turns his attention at Cana, Elfman, and Mirajane. He used the same magic to turn all three into a constellation. 

"Oh no.., is this what happened with Loke and the other when we closed their gates?" Lucy wonders in horror after witnessing her friends turned into constellations. 

"He won't get away with this!" Natsu proclaims. 

"How can we turn them back to normal?" Wendy asks. 

"No clue," Spike tries to come up with an answer. 

"By making that Celestial freak feel the wrath of Fairy Tail!" Gray said irately. 

Panther Lily flies Gajeel out of the range of fire; the Celestial Spirit King hits Panther Lily, turning him into a constellation. 

"Lily!" Gajeel watches in horror. 

"Sorry, I let my guard down," Those are Panther Lily's final worlds. 

"Dammit!" Gajeel shouts. Then Levy shoves Gajeel out of the way. Levy takes the hit instead of Gajeel from the assault. Levy turns into a constellation. Gajeel feels guilty that he let his guard down for a second. 

Carla flies Wendy behind the Celestial Spirit King. "Sky Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her breath attack at the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Wendy!" Spike shouts in horror. He watches the Celestial Spirit King turn Wendy and Carla into a constellation. 

"Carla, noooooooo!" Happy said in tears. 

"Happy, let's go!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye!" Happy flies at the Celestial Spirit King. He dodges many attacks from the Celestial Spirit King's Constellation Beam attacks. 

The Celestial Spirit King continues the onslaught of attacks. Yukino, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios are last to turn into constellations. 

"No! This can't be happening..," Lucy drops to her knees at the horror she's witnessing. 

Spike's body is shaking in mid-flight. It's not trembling of fear but anger. Spike breathes heavily and roars loudly. His roar doesn't sound genuine, it sounds demonic. 

"Uh oh," Gajeel realizes what Spike is about to do. 

"Spike! Get out of there!" Erza sees the Celestial Spirit King aiming his index finger at Spike. 

"Move!" Natsu yells at Spike. 

"Spike! I can't lose you too!" Lucy is worried. 

The Celestial Spirit King shoots his constellation beam at Spike. Spike's claw is engulfed in Sparkling Black flames, and he catches the attack. 

"No way!" Gray is in shock to see Spike grappling with the attack. 

"How is he doing that!?" Happy asks in awe. 

The Celestial Spirit King magnifies his magic power into overpowering Spike's Fairy Demon power. Spike is engulfed in the constellation beam blast, but his body remains in place. However, a constellation is formed in the skies. 

"What the hell?" Natsu and Gajeel are confused. 

"I don't get it? Why is there a constellation for Spike when he's hovering..," Lucy takes a good look at Spike.

"No! Don't tell me, please!" Erza puts two and two together after taking a glance at Spike. 

"I'm sorry. Spike is no longer in this vessel. He's up there with the others as constellations." Spike's eyes are orange. 

"NO WAY! THE CONSTELLATION SPELL SEPARATED SPIKE FROM HIS BODY!?" Happy couldn't believe what he heard and saw. 

"That's unbelievable..," Natsu couldn't fathom what he witnessed. 

"Unreal," Gray said in shock. 

"I'm taking the Celestial Spirit King for what he's done to our friends!" Fairy Rage's body is engulfed in Sparkling Orange Aura. "Inferno Rage Rooooooooooooar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his fire breath at the Celestial Spirit King. The impact of his fire breath doesn't make the Celestial Spirit King flinch. 

Natsu grabs a planet and chucks it at the Celestial Spirit King. The Celestial Spirit King kicks and destroys the planet at ease. Erza and Gajeel go on the offensive, striking the Celestial Spirit King's body structure, hoping to find a weakness of some sort. Black holes swarm around the Celestial Spirit King's body while everyone goes for the offensive. Gajeel nearly gets sucked into one when Fairy Rage uses his fire breath to teleport him away from it. 

"Thanks, Rage." 

"No sweat, Gajeel. It appears we can cut the Celestial Spirit King's body."

"Can you increase your size and kick the crap out of the Celestial Spirit King?" Gajeel asks. 

"Need some magic energy. Spike's body is a bit drained from fighting Ophuichus four times before coming here. Spike's body didn't take a breather to calm itself."

"Look out!" Lucy warns Fairy Rage and Gajeel. The two get hit with Green Celestial winds from the Celestial Spirit King's mouth. 

"Heads up!" Gray saves Lucy from being hit by them. 

"Thanks, Gray," Lucy said. Gray's attempt does nothing as he and Lucy wind up getting hit with the Green Celestial Winds. 

Erza, Natsu, and Happy get hit as well. The Celestial Spirit King is unleashing his winds out of his mouth and the holes where the black holes appear. 

"Natsu, this attack feels familiar," Happy said. 

"Yea, it's the same one that hit Loke and me earlier, right before meeting up with Wendy and helping her defeat Aquarius," Natsu said. 

"I wonder." Fairy Rage decides to consume some of the Celestial Winds. Not only it replenishes his magic power but gives Fairy Rage a new power. "Oh, yea!" Fairy Rage powers up. 

"Rage! Do you have Celestial Energy burning inside you?" Gajeel asks after watching Fairy Rage eat his fill. 

"I am!"  Fairy Rage's aura is Sparkling Orange consisting of stars all over his body. "Cosmic Rage Dragon!"

The Celestial Spirit King turns his gaze at Fairy Rage and shoots a constellation beam at him. Fairy Rage grabs and redirects the attack at a desolate planet, shattering it at ease. 

"It seems I won't be affected by his constellation spell anymore. I just leveled the playing field in terms of Celestial Spirit Magic." 

"Happy, I caught Loke's scent when the winds hit us. Loke and the others are still alive inside the Celestial Spirit King." 

"That means," Happy understands what Natsu is planning. Natsu wants to go inside the body of the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Let's go, Happy!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy takes off while the Celestial Spirit Kings roars more Celestial Green Winds at everyone else. 

"Natsu!" Gray shouts, not knowing what Natsu's thinking. 

"Natsu!" Lucy is worried about Natsu's motives. 

"Is that moron blind!" Gajeel said.

"He must have a plan," Erza watches Natsu and Happy fly into the mouth of the Celestial Spirit King. 

"I don't know what Natsu is thinking, but I want to say he's planning on defeating the King from the inside out."

"We'll handle things out here! Give that thing major heartburn, Salamander!" Gajeel shouts. 

"Indeed we will. I'm all fired up now!" Fairy Rage increases his size into a full dragon. Then he notices something peculiar happening with the Celestial Spirit King. 

Erza, Gray, Lucy, and Gajeel watch the Celestial Spirit King transforming. The Celestial Spirit King grows spikes on his body and limbs, causing him to be on all fours. The spikes on his body glow and generate a lot of magic power, allowing the Celestial Spirit King to shoot an energy beam capable of destroying small planets around in one attack. 

"No! If he keeps it up, there won't be a Celestial World left!" Lucy panics a bit; her body is trembling in fear. 

"Cosmic Flare Rage Blast!" Fairy Rage conjures a Sparkling Orange Cosmetic energy ball and presses his claw forward at the Celestial Spirit King. 

The Celestial Spirit King takes the impact of the attack. It's showing signs that it's stunned. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel lunges at the Celestial Spirit King, His arm turns into an iron club attacking the Celestial Spirit King from behind. 

"Ice Make Lance!" Gray shoots ice lances at the Celestial Spirit King. 

Lucy and Erza strike the Celestial Spirit King with their weapons. The Celestial Spirit King's spikes is generating a lot of energy and create a shockwave to blow everyone away from his presence. Lucy, Erza, Gajeel, Gray, and Fairy Rage collide into several planets while the other planets get blown up. 

"Damn it! He keeps knocking us back!" Gray looks at the Celestial Spirit King. "How can we get close enough to hit it?" 

"I'm surprised he moved me." Fairy Rage dusts himself off any debris from the planet he collided. 

"Well, his power is coming from the green spikes. Target them first," Erza advises her friends. 

Everyone notices the erratic behavior of the Celestial Spirit King. It appears that the Celestial Spirit King is in pain. Lucy, Erza, Gajeel, Gray, and Fairy Rage believe it's Natsu's doing. 

"Rage! Teleport us behind the spikes and keep the King occupied!" Gajeel shouts. 

"Good idea." Fairy Rage flies and uses his fire breath to teleport his friends behind the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel hits one of the spikes on the Celestial Spirit King's back. It starts to crack. "Hey, take a look at that. I put a crack in it." 

"Keep attacking the same spot. Screw weak points! We can make our own!" Gray powers up. 

Fairy Rage punches the Celestial Spirit King left and right while Erza impales her sword into the spike. Gajeel and Gray hit Erza's sword, weakening it for Lucy to use her whip to pull it down. The Celestial Spirit King growls in pain, wanting to attack from behind, but Fairy Rage is giving him reason to focus on him. 

"Cosmic Flare Claw!" Fairy Rage's claw is ablaze in Cosmetic Sparkling Orange Flames. Fairy Rage grabs the head and scorches the Celestial Spirit King. 

Celestial Spirit King tries to use his shockwave to blow everyone away again. When the Celestial Spirit King unleashes it, the shockwave is weaker than before. 

"Keeping shattering. Those spikes were helping the Celestial Spirit King increase his power," Erza commands. 

"Right!" Gray, Lucy, and Gajeel respond. 

As Fairy Rage draws the attention of the Celestial Spirit King, allowing his friends to destroy the spikes on the Celestial Spirit King's back, Natsu and Happy are flying in the vast void of the Celestial Spirit King's innards. Within the Celestial Spirit King's innards, there are red, black, and green orbs and blended skies all around. 

"Hey, Natsu. What do you think that light can be?" Happy is flying towards a bright purple light. 

"That's the spot. Where the Zodiacs are at." 

"It's so bright!" Happy is blinded a bit by the light. "And, my wings are melting." Happy complains a bit. 

"Just get me as close as you can, Happy," Natsu said. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies towards the light. 

Upon arrival, Happy and Natsu are stunned to see the Celestial Spirit King's true form in chains. The chains are pulling the Celestial Spirit King into a purple-powered sphere. Happy figures while being inside the innards, the purple sphere is the stomach, slowly digesting the Celestial Spirit King. 

"C'mon, Happy! We gotta stop the Celestial Spirit King from getting dragged into the stomach!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies Natsu underneath the Celestial Spirit King and tries to destroy the chains. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath. It doesn't leave a mark on the chains. Natsu tries to use force to break the chains with his bare hands. He gets zapped by the chains. 

"Oh, come on! First, they're fire-resistant, and now they're electric too!" Happy complains a bit more than earlier. 

Natsu sniffs the chains. "Loke, is that you?" 

"This doesn't concern you, human. Begone!" Leo's spirit manifests in front of Natsu, demanding him to leave him be. 

"If Loke is in that chain, then that means," Happy turns and does a number count of chains. "Natsu, there are thirteen chains binding Stache Face!"

"Let me guess, one for each of the Zodiacs?" Natsu asks unamusedly. 

"Yea, why would they do this?" Happy wonders why. 

"All for the sake of the King," Taurus' spirit manifests to answer why. 

"All for the sake of the King," Libra's spirit manifests to answer. 

"All for the sake of the King," The rest of the Zodiac Spirits manifest to answer. 

"Happy, I need you to drop me. I have an idea!" 

"What? Are you crazy?" Happy is questioning Natsu's logic of thinking. 

"I am crazy. My idea is going to work!" 

"Bombs away!" Happy lets go of Natsu. 

Natsu free-falls into the stomach of the Celestial Spirit King, he stands after landing in it and starts consuming the stomach acids of the Celestial Spirit King. As Natsu consumes the stomach acids, Fairy Rage is panting a bit from keeping the Celestial Spirit King occupied. Erza, Lucy, Gray, and Gajeel finish destroying the spikes. They move away, allowing Fairy Rage to take a breather. 

"That should do it," Erza said. 

"Man, that was a workout," Gajeel pants a bit. 

"No, joke. What the hell is taking Natsu so long?" Gray wonders what Natsu is doing inside of the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Guys, look!" Lucy points at the Celestial Spirit King. With his spikes destroyed, it appears that he's transforming once more. 

"You gotta be kidding me?" Gajeel watches the Celestial Spirit King transform into a different shape. 

"It's like Ophiuchus. No matter how many times you attack, it keeps coming back."

"What do we do now?" Lucy asks. 

"Keep fighting. Prevent it from gaining more power!" Erza decrees. 

"You got it!" Fairy Rage tackles the Celestial Spirit King and crashes into a bigger planet. He moves out of the way for a split second. 

"Iron Dragon Roooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath attack at the Celestial Spirit King's face. 

"Ice Make Saucer!" Gray creates a large spinning ice disk capable of cutting like a buzzsaw at the Celestial Spirit King's chest. 

Erza and Lucy strike the Celestial Spirit King from behind, continuing their onslaught to wear the Celestial Spirit King down. While the Celestial Spirit King fights Fairy Rage, Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Lucy, Natsu finishes eating enough Celestial stomach acid to merge with his Dragon Slayer Magic, he collapses. 

"I got you," Happy swoops down and picks Natsu up. "Dude, you should watch what you eat!" 

Natsu chuckles. "Now that I've eaten, I'm all fired up."

Happy is astounded to hear what Natsu said. "No way!"

"Get back in there! I'm going to tear those chains apart!"

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies under the Celestial Spirit King so Natsu can incinerate the chains. 

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Celestial Fire Exploding Flame Blade!" Natsu's fire has Celestial properties within, creating a powerful and highly destructive torrent of flames destroying the stomach of the Celestial Spirit King.

Due to Natsu's attack from the innards of the Celestial Spirit King, Fairy Rage, Gajeel, Erza, Lucy, and Gray watches the Celestial Spirit King cease his attack and implodes. Natsu and Happy are buried in the rubble of the Celestial Spirit King's body. Erza hops over and pulls Natsu and Happy out of the debris. 

"Erza," Natsu smiles while holding onto Happy. 

"That was quite an entrance," Erza smiles at Natsu. She pulls Natsu out more and winds up pulling the Celestial Spirit King's true form. 

"It's the Spirit King," Lucy said in shock. 

Within mere moments, the entire Celestial World is back in order. The planets that were destroyed are restored. Bright beautiful colors, stars, sparkles shine, and glitter radiantly as far as the eye can see. The landscape on each planet is restored beautifully and majestically.

"Amazing, I almost forgot how pretty the Celestial World could be," Happy said. 

"Me too," Natsu concurs. 

"Thank you so much, Natsu. You too, Happy,"  Lucy graciously said. 

"Wow." Fairy Rage sees the Celestial World for the first time. "I kinda imagined this place for being heaven." Fairy Rage reverts to size and blinks a few times while holding his head. 

"Rage, are you okay?" Erza turns to Fairy Rage. 

"Oooooooooooh," Spike holds his head. His eyes are green once more. "What happened?"

"Spike!" Erza is happy to see Spike back to normal. She hugs him.

"Hey, Sis. What did I miss?" Spike asks Erza. 

"The Celestial Spirit King hit us with a constellation spell. He separated you from your body. I remain intact."

"Oh wow," Spike is horrified into thinking that he was separated from his body. He remembers that moment. "I was about to transform into Fairy Demon Dragon in hopes of defeating the Nightmare King." 

"Now, we have a new power. The power of Cosmic."

"That's cool!" Spike is elated to hear that. 

"Man, I feel like I rode a train," Natsu said. 

"You lept into an Eclipse Spirit's acid; what the hell did you expect?" Gajeel said. 

"Some of us got trapped in the stars, what are we going to-" Natsu's speech is cut off by Juvia. 

"And now, we're back," Juvia is running with her friends to meet up with the others. 

"Thanks to you," Wendy said in gladness. She runs up to Spike and hugs him. 

"Nice to see you too, Wendy," Spike holds onto his girlfriend. 

"Hey, you owe me a day together," Wendy reminds Spike. 

"Don't worry. I'm planning ahead," Spike chuckles a bit. 

Princess Hisui and Arcadios are hoping that the Zodiacs and Celestial Spirit King are back to normal since they're freed from their constellation imprisonment. Yukino is gazing that the beauty of the Celestial Spirit World. Every star, every planet all around, twinkling, sparkling, shining radiant. It's a sight to behold. 

An idea comes to Spike. "I wonder if we can hold our wedding here," Spike turns to Wendy. 

Wendy blushes at the idea and knows it in her heart that the Celestial Spirit World would be the perfect setting to be married. Some Celestial Spirits see team Fairy Tail, Yukino, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios. 

"Hey! What's up!" Loke shouts from afar. 

"Look! There they are!" Panther Lily points at the Zodiac Spirits. All restored to their natural forms. 

Lucy gasps and happily cries. Yukino does so as well. Everyone is happy to see the Zodiac Spirits alive and well once more. Lucy runs up to Virgo and hugs her. Virgo, now back in her maiden uniform, is perplexed as to why Lucy's crying. Taurus is back to being a muscular perv and is happy to see Lucy in a Celestial garment. Capricorn is confused and doesn't know about a celebration in the making. 

"What's up Loke," Natsu walks up to Loke. Loke is wearing his suit with glasses on. 

"Not a whole lot. Long time no see, man," Loke answers. 

"Did you forget? I saw you earlier today," Natsu said. 

"You sure about that?" Loke is confused. 

Spike walks up to Natsu and Loke. "With the Zodiacs back to normal, they don't remember anything of their alternate personalities. It could be a weird dream for them."

"Hey, Spike. Hey, Fairy Rage. Back to normal? What do you mean by that?" Loke asks Spike. 

"Yea, please explain," Capricorn asks. 

"You remember the Eclipse Gate?"

"Yea. We closed its door to prevent any more dragons from coming into the world. However, we didn't do much in terms of destroying the gate," Loke said. 

"By activation and destruction of the Eclipse Gate, it altered your genetics and personality into becoming an opposite of what you are. Then your alternate personalities tried to free themselves after voiding the contracts," Spike explains. 

"Woah!" The Zodiac Spirits react horridly. 

"Not wicked," Scorpio said, imagining what his alternate self would have looked like.

"For some reason, I feel that I caused great pain but can't remember," Aquarius said. She looks at Lucy. "I know I unleashed it on you. I wish I can remember."

"Lucy Heartfillia, my old friend," The Celestial Spirit King said. He's a gigantic humanoid spirit with an imposing, broad-shouldered figure. His body is radiant in light, have a long oversized mustache that reaches his torso. He has stubby horns on his head. He has red pupil-less eyes and has a slight hint of wrinkles on his face. He's wearing armor and a black cape.

Princess Hisui, Yukino, and some of the others are amazed to see the Celestial Spirit King's true self. 

"Your Majesty," Lucy replies. "I guess you forgot everything that happened too?" 

"Good to see you, Mustache Face," Natsu said. "By the way, you nearly ate yourself."

"Shards of memory. A few bits of captured thoughts that remained slipped my mind a few minutes ago," The Celestial Spirit King answers. "I supposed that's getting older. However, I need no memory to sense your arrival and the destruction of my dark dream are intertwined." 

Spike flies towards the Celestial Spirit King. "That would be the aftermath of the activation and destruction of the Eclipse Gate, Celestial Spirit King. The weary effects of the Eclipse Gate altered you and the Zodiacs into nearly destroying your world." Fairy Rage explains. 

Princess Hisui looks down in shame and sadness, knowing all that has happened was her fault, to begin with. 

"My friends and I did everything in our power to restore you, the Zodiacs, and your world," Spike said. 

"Two minds in one vessel. You're the dragon that lives with my dearest friend Lucy Heartfillia. It's an honor to finally meet you after hearing so much about you. It's rare to see a natural-born dragon living among us," The Celestial Spirit King turns to Lucy. "I am deeply in your debt, Lucy Heartfillia, and all your friends as well. I intend to repay every last one of you," The Celestial Spirit King declares. 

"Celestial Spirit King," Princess Hisui grabs his attention. "My name is Hisui E. Fiore from the kingdom of that name. As the Princess of that country, no.., as a Celestial Wizard who failed her charge, I offer my deepest apology. I was reckless and nearly got you killed."

"Guilt is for the selfless and craving. You only act to save your friends' world and catastrophe. Then, you faced your failures to the last. There was no shame in that," The Celestial Spirit King humbly says. "And do not hunt for culprits of shadows. The fault this belongs to all. For each of us held prisoner by the frailty of our hearts."

"But still," Princess Hisui tries to make a point about herself being the one who caused the pain and suffering upon the Celestial Spirit World. 

"Remember, even this took place beneath the guidance of the stars. Smile," The Celestial Spirit King smiles. 

Princess Hisui smiles. "Right," She's feeling better by hearing the words of wisdom from the Celestial Spirit King. 

"If you have no other business that needs to be settled here, then I shall return you to your homeworld in no time at all," The Celestial Spirit King announces. 

"Princess," Virgo approaches Lucy with her Celestial Gate Key. "I got it somehow, but it belongs to you. Please accept my service once again." Lucy takes the key and holds it close to her. "Thanks, hope you call upon me soon. If I'm ever late to work, whip me."

"Hey, you should take our key too," Gemini said, holding their key. 

"Every one of us is ready to rush to your side," Loke said, holding his key. 

Lucy cries in happiness. Yukino receives her Gate Keys from Libra and Pisces; they want to work with her once more. 

"Hey, Celestial Spirit King," Spike calls him. 

"What is it?" The Celestial Spirit King looks down at Spike. 

"I know one way of paying me back," Spike increases his size to match the Celestial Spirit King's size. The Celestial Spirit King is in shock to see Spike matching his height. "You and I spar a bit." 

"No way!" Natsu gets excited. 

"Well, this is a first," Erza said. 

"Is he for real?" Lucy turns to see Spike wanting to spar with the Celestial Spirit King. 

"You know, I always wonder who would win in a fight. Fairy Dragon or the Celestial Spirit King," Loke said. 

"Hey! Don't encourage him!" Lucy barks a direct order at Loke. 

"What do you say, Celestial Spirit King?" Spike smirks. 

"I always wanted to fight a dragon," The Celestial Spirit King spawns his sword. "I guess you can call this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I shall spar with you, Fairy Dragon."

Spike claps his claws and creates a Sparkling Green Metallic Sword. "I'm ready when you are." 

"This can't be happening? We just fought to save him..," Lucy sees the two getting ready for combat. 

"I guess Spike doesn't know when he'll get another opportunity to meet the Celestial Spirit King again. This is his first time seeing him," Wendy said. 

"Man, I need fish to watch this," Happy said. 

"My money is on the dragon," Sagittarius said. For some reason, he believes to not doubt Spike for any reason. 

"Oh, wanna bet?" Scorpio turns to Sagittarius. "My money is on the Celestial Spirit King."

"Now, this is interesting. My brother versus the Celestial Spirit King. This should be good," Erza said. 

"Ready, Celestial Spirit King?" Spike said, gripping his sword. 

"Yes. Afterward, I'll send you and your friends back home." 

Spike and the Celestial Spirit King roar and spar with each other; everyone watches the two show their strength and ingenuity. Spike and the Celestial Spirit King land good strikes on each other, especially in close quarters combat. During the spar, the Celestial Spirit King is giving helpful advice for Spike to hear, showing him the ropes on what to do against tougher and taller opponents. After ten minutes of sparring, Spike and the Celestial Spirit King calls it off. Spike thanks the Celestial Spirit King for sparring with him and teaching him different movements to use. 

The Celestial Spirit King uses his magic to send everyone back to Magnolia. The moment Spike, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Wendy, Carla, Cana, Elfman, Mirajane, Levy, Yukino, Princess Hisui, and Arcadios are back in Earth Land; the strange weather phenomenon has come to an end. Time took a turn. The Celestial Spirit King drops them at the moment before everyone ventured on their adventure. Unfortunately for Spike, he loses his cosmetic powers. 

Spike and Lucy are at the apartment waking up. The two remember everything that happened. 

"Wow, what an adventure, huh, Lucy?" Spike turns to Lucy in her pajamas. 

"No kidding," Lucy sits up. "I feel that the whole journey made my love for my spirits stronger than before." 

"That's fantastic, Lucy," Spike smiles. "So, what do you want to do today?" 

"I want to sit back, relax, write what transpired, and write a letter to my mom." 

"Sounds good. I'll be right back, Lucy," Spike gets out of bed. "There's something I need to do before I come back and relax." 

"Oh, what is it?" Lucy asks. 

"Paying a visit to the Princess," Spike leaves the apartment and flies to the Fairy Tail giftshop. He purchases a Spike the Fairy dragon plush and flies to Crocus. 

Two hours later, Spike arrives at the gates of Mercurius. Two Royal Soldiers see Spike the Fairy. 

"What's your business, Fairy Dragon?" The Royal Soldier asks. 

"I have something for Princess Hisui. Is she available for a few moments?"  Spike asks. 

"The Princess is fond of you, Fairy Dragon. It'll take a few moments to bring her here." 

"Take your time," Spike said. 

The Royal Soldiers enter Mercurius to fetch Princess Hisui. A few moments later, Princess Hisui, Arcadios, and Darton come outside to see Spike the Fairy. 

"Hi, Spike. Something troubling you?" Princess Hisui asks, looking down at Spike. 

"I have a present for you," Spike gives Princess Hisui the Spike the Fairy Dragon Plush. 

"Oh," Princess Hisui holds the plush lovingly. "Thank you! I'll treasure this for a long time." 

"Thanks for making Princess Hisui's day, Fairy Dragon," Darton said. 

"You're welcome. I'll see you guys later," Spike flaps his wings and fly back to Magnolia. 

Princess Hisui remembers the words of the Celestial Spirit King. Smile. Princess Hisui smiles and waves at Spike while he's flying back home.
> Discord's Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, Krystina Larva, please have a seat," Discord encourages Krystina to sit to where she feels comfortable with. 

Krystina Larva sits on a marshmallow desk. She's next to Sandbar and above her is Ocellus. She observes every creature in the room. 

"Today's class will be a trust exercise," Discord claps his claw and paw, assembling the desks into a mountain pile. "Now, the last semester, we already did this when one student will fall back while the others catch you. This exercise is a little different. Instead of every creature catching one student, it'll be one creature catching one student. This trust exercise is more in-depth and personal." 

Krystina Larva gulps a bit. She's unnerved by the idea of trusting another creature. Discord sees Krystina's body language and chooses her to go first. 

"Do I have to?" Krystina looks at her teacher. 

"Yes. You gave me the impression judging by your body language. I need to see where you stand with each creature around you. Ocellus, you'll be the one to fall back." 

"Okay," Ocellus said in excitement. She flies to the top of the pile.

Krystina Larva looks up at the pile. She starts sweating a bit; she's nervous about the exercise. Krystina hears how her friends are encouraging her and see how supportive they are. 

"Ready? I'm falling back," Ocellus leans back and falls. Krystina Larva bites her lip and steps aside. Ocellus lands on her back hard. "Ow..," Ocellus rubs her back from the impact. 

"Sorry.., I got nervous. I.., haven't surrounded myself with other creatures.., I'm sorry..," Krystina Larva turns the other way. 

"Oh, it's okay," Ocellus flies back to her desk. 

"Okay," Discord spawns a clipboard and marks an x on the list. "Krystina, you're going to stay in position. Sandbar, you're up." 

"Right away, Professor Discord," Sandbar salutes then climbs the pile. 

Krystina Larva takes a deep breath to calm herself. She hopes to pass the exercise. Sandbar is at the top, waving to his friends down below. 

"Are you ready, Krystina?" Discord asks. 

"Yes," Krystina nods. 

"Sandbar, it's on your timing," Discord said. 

"Roger," Sandbar salutes to Discord. "Krystina, catch me. I'm falling back," Sandbar leans back and falls. Krystina watches Sandbar falling and stands aside once more. Sandbar lands hard on his back. "OW!" Sandbar cringes a little from the impact. 

"Sorry!" Krystina turns away. 

Discord marks another x on the clipboard. "Krystina is showing a lot of trust warnings. Her body language is off on Changelings and Earth Ponies." "Krystina, you're staying in place one more time. Neighsay, you're up."

Neighsay uses his magic to wrap a marshmallow behind his back. He climbs to the top of the pile. "Hey, Krystina. Catch me. I was like you, a unicorn at first, nervous while being new to the school. Trust me when I say this; this group of creatures will make you see and embrace the new you."

"If you say so..," Krystina looks up at Neighsay. 

"Please catch me."

"Krystina, you got this," Silverstream cheers her on, showing support to a potential new friend. 

"Here I come!" Neighsay leans back and falls. Krystina watches and steps aside again. She holds herself while Neighsay bounces on the floor, landing on all fours. "I knew the marshmallow would come in handy." 

"Sorry.., it's.., I..," Krystina Larva groans a bit. 

Discord marks another x on the clipboard; he believes Krystina Larva has a severe problem trusting the exercise. "Alright, Krystina, take your seat." 

"Sorry," Krystina puts her head down on the desk, feeling ashamed for failing her first exercise after three tries. 

"Adagio, you will be catching..," Discord looks around and sees the perfect student. "Gallus." 

Adagio and Gallus hide their blush as best as they can. The two don't want to be exposed by their feelings like this. Silverstream and Smolder are humming a tone that describes Adagio and Gallus sitting in a tree. 

"Alright," Gallus flies to the top of the pile. 

Adagio brushes the tone and trots to the position to catch Gallus. "Let's get this over with," Adagio said unamused. 

Gallus looks down. "There she is, waiting for me down there. I wonder what she's thinking."

Adagio looks up. "There he is, waiting for me to catch him. Catching that blue griffin."

Gallus turns around. "Catch me!" Gallus leans back and falls. 

Adagio repositions herself and catches Gallus in her arms. "Got you." 

"Nice catch," Gallus replies. 

Smolder does kissy faces next to Silverstream and laughs. It angers Adagio a bit and drop Gallus. 

"Ow," Gallus rubs his behind and gets up on all fours. 

Discord marks a checkmark on the clipboard for Adagio. "Alright, since we have a successful catch, you two switch positions." 

"What!?" Gallus and Adagio sound flustered a bit. 

"As I mentioned, this trust exercise will go more in-depth and personal. Since Krystina didn't complete her tasks, I wasn't able to allow her to switch positions." 

"That means one of us will have to catch..," Everyone else turns to Yona fearfully. 

"Oh, yea. One of you will have to catch Yona," Discord smirks. 

"Yaks weigh a ton!" Sonata complains a little. 

"Oh goodie, Sonata volunteers to catch Yona," Discord said. 

"What!" Sonata panics. "Why!?"

"We don't disrespect another creature based on size. So, this is your extra credit for the exercise." 

Sonata groans, knowing she can't do a thing about Discord's ruling. Yona hopes it's hers and Sonata's turn after Gallus catching Adagio. 

"Ready, Adagio?" Gallus asks Adagio. 

"Let's get this over with," Adagio flies to the top of the pile. She looks down at Gallus. "How interesting. I'm going to be in Gallus' claws." Parts of Adagio can't wait to experience being in the arms of Gallus. 

"I can't believe this! I'm going to have Adagio in my arms!" Gallus is a little excited to catch Adagio in his arms. 

"Here I come," Adagio leans back and falls. 

Gallus watches Adagio fall and catches her. His instincts are telling him to hold her closer to him, but he doesn't want to admit his feelings just yet. He savors the moment. "Got you," Gallus smiles. 

"Good catch," Adagio smiles. 

"Now, let's put them in a tree!" Silverstream shouts. She, Smolder, and Ocellus laughs. They know Gallus has feelings for Adagio. 

Discord snaps his claw and zippers Silverstream, Smolder, and Ocellus' mouths. "We do not display lovey-dovey feelings when other creatures have fallen in love with each other. Must show respect." 

"Sorry," Silverstream, Smolder, and Ocellus muffle in their zipper mouths. 

"Apologies accepted," Discord snaps his paw, removing the zippers. "Yona and Sonata, you're up," Discord made sure to mark a checkmark for a successful trust exercise between Adagio and Gallus. He thought for sure either one would drop each other for the sake of their love for each other. 

Sonata flies to the top of the mountain pile. She wants to delay as much time as possible. Yona gets in a position to catch Sonata. 

"Yona ready to catch taco-eating hippogriff." 

"Sonata is not!" Sonata shouts.

"Why, what's wrong?" Yona asks. 

"I"m not ready. It's.., it's..," Sonata looks at the clock. Fifteen minutes left before the next class. "It's too high!" Sonata lies through her teeth. 

"Well, you have five minutes to decide," Discord said. "If you don't comply within five minutes, you will fail this exercise." 

"Fail? You can't fail me because I'm afraid!" Sonata barks at Discord. 

"You're in my class and stalling for time. I know what you're planning. Waste as much time so when you do jump, not giving Yona enough time to climb to the top before my class ends." 

Sonata's jaw drops. She can't believe that Discord figured her out already. She gulps, knowing that Yona will flatten her when it's her turn. 

"Yona, no like delays," Yona's frustrated at the moment.

"If you intend on delaying the inevitable, then tomorrow's class, you'll be first for the trust exercise. I do plan on giving every creature here a fair chance at succeeding in this exercise," Discord said. 

"Krystina failed; she didn't succeed," Sonata retorts. 

Krystina Larva looks away in shame. Sonata feels sad for putting her in a bad spotlight. She keeps her mouth shut. Discord sighs. 

"We're going to have a serious discussion later, Sonata. As for you, Krystina Larva, I apologize that your first class started like this."

Krystina Larva sadly sighs. "It's.., it's okay." 

"I'm sorry that I said what I said," Sonata sounds sincere with her apology. Krystina Larva doesn't say a word. She looks away in silence. 

"Yona is ready, so jump now," Yona said impatiently. She wants to help Krystina Larva feel at home in school. 

Sonata looks at the clock. Only five minutes remain. She could delay waiting until tomorrow or get it done. She sighs heavily, making her decision. 

"Jump already!" Yona is getting tired of Sonata's delay. She stomps on the floor hard enough for Sonata to lose her balance. She falls off. "Yona catches stalling hippogriff," Yona catches Sonata with her back. 

"Oof!" Sonata lands on her stomach instead of her back. 

"Good catch, Yona," Discord marks a checkmark on the clipboard. The bell rings, signaling the end of class. "Well, every creature, here is something you all need to know." 

"What is it, Professor Discord?" The Unity Seven said in unison. Everyone else is quiet. 

"I'm sure every teacher is telling this to their classes. You're choosing your next instructor to go. Then, you'll choose another and another. Once you pick the instructors by order, that will be your scheduling for the rest of the semester." 

"Wow, that's creative," Neighsay said. 

"Indeed. That's why Headmare Starlight Glimmer didn't give students a specific class schedule for every creature when she mailed out the notifications to return. She wants fate to decide for every creature to endure their friendship quests in the school. Cool, huh?" 

"Yea," Sandbar replies. 

"That is cool. Choosing the best classes first," Gallus said. 

"Yona is going to Trixie's class next! Yona wants to see more performances!" Yona hops around excitedly. 

"What? I thought we're going to Rockhoof's class after this," Silverstream said. 

"This should be good," Smolder said, imagining the daily routines of awesomeness already. 

"I'll say," Ocellus said. 

"Well, I need to see how awesome the other classes are judging from your reactions," Sonata said. 

"Rockhoof, oh boy, talk about memory lane," Adagio remembers the encounter with Rockhoof and his friends. It was Starswirled the Bearded that sent her, Aria, and Sonata to the other world years ago. 

"Hopefully, Starlight or Discord did talk to him about us," Aria said. 

"I"m sure it'll work out," Gallus reassuringly said, placing his claw on Adagio's shoulder. 

"Thanks. Can we go to Rockhoof's class?" Adagio asks. 

"We need to clarify some things with Rockhoof in case he remembers us," Aria said. 

"Sure," Gallus said, speaking for the Unity Seven. 

"I'm down," Sandbar said. 

"Same," Smolder says. 

"I concur," Neighsay says. 

"Alright, let's go. Yona do want to hear more stories anyway."

The Unity Seven, Dazzlings, and Krystina Larva leave Discord's classroom. Krystina is having a hard time adjusting to the group so far. Discord hopes that Krystina can feel more welcome. He sees Sweetie Belle finish talking to a new student and walks up to her. 

"Sweetie Belle," Discord pokes her back. 

"Yes, Discord?" Sweetie Belle looks up at Discord. 

"I have a new student that is having difficulties adjusting to the school. She's on her way to Rockhoof's class. Her name is Krystina Larva. Mind helping her settle in?" 

"Sure thing, Discord," Sweetie Belle trots to Rockhoof's theatre outside of the school.
> Train Ride
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:15 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike wakes up and smells the aroma of scrambled eggs and bacon. 

"Morning, Spike," Lucy said, still cooking breakfast. 

"Morning, Lucy," Spike gets up. He makes his bed. 

"Did you had a good sleep and dream?" Lucy asks, putting a good portion of scrambled eggs and bacon on the two plates. 

"I did. Did you?" Spike smiles. 

"I did," Lucy smiles. 

Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up first. He takes his time while imagining a perfect day to be with Wendy. After a few moments, Spike comes out and sits at the table. 

"So, what are we doing today?" Spike asks. 

Lucy walks up to him and puts his plate down. "I'm thinking just chilling in the guildhall for today. A relaxing day with friends." 

"If that's the case, then I'll go on a solo mission," Spike said. 

"Have fun with that," Lucy sits in her chair, across from Spike. 

"I will," Spike chuckles, thinking today will be a good day. 

Spike and Lucy eat their breakfast and reflect on their adventures together. Spike goes more in-depth about his coalition trip with the Fairy Youth Squad. After half an hour, Spike and Lucy wash the dishes together then leave the apartment. 

Spike and Lucy walk down the street together while people visiting Magnolia take pictures of Spike to brag and boast to their friends. Spike is used to people taking pictures of him; he even poses in some with people.  Many people leave happily while looking at their snapshots. After Fairy Tail won the Grand Magic Games, people in Fiore are happy to know that a dragon is among them. Spike has become more popular, especially in Magnolia. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon, have a nice day," A bystander on a boat shout. 

"I will, thanks," Spike waves at the bystanders. 

"Watch it, Lucy. One day you'll be sleeping with the fishies," Another bystander on the said. He sees Lucy walking on the edge. 

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Lucy said. 

Spike and Lucy arrive at the guildhall. They notice Erza walking out the door with Panther Lily in her arm.

"Spike! I don't know what Erza has in mind! Help me!" Panther Lily begs a bit. 

"Silence, it's not his concern. We will get those Maximum Sweet Strawberries," Erza proudly states. 

"I have no clue what's going, and I'm not going to question why," Lucy said. 

Spike shrugs. "Oh, well." 

Spike and Lucy enter the guildhall to see Natsu hanging out with Asuka, daughter of Bisca and Alzack Connell. They also see Wendy and Carla wearing an apron. 

"Well, this is new," Lucy said. She walks up to the bar. 

"You see something new every day," Spike flies to the job board. 

"Hey, Wendy, Carla. What's baking?" Lucy chuckles at her pun. 

"Oh, just baking a cake for Asuka since there's none left in the bar," Wendy answers. 

"Erza thought the cake needed an added ingredient, so she took Panther Lily to grab it. Something about a fruit that grows every 10,000 years," Carla said, making the icing. 

"Knowing Erza, it must be true," Lucy said. 

Spike finds a job flier he likes and takes it. He flies to the bar when he sees Mirajane coming out. "Hey, Mirajane." 

"Hey, Spike," Mirajane smiles. 

"Hi, Spike!" Wendy becomes excited when she sees him. 

"Child! Don't spill the-" Carla sees Wendy gasping when she knocks over the bowl of cake batter. "Bowl." 

"Oops," Wendy sighs and throws away the cake batter. 

"Hey, Wendy," Spike slightly chuckles. "Mirajane, I'm going on this job myself." 

"Protecting shipments for the Fiore Fruit Harvest Festival. Sounds like fun," Mirajane said. 

"Wow, sounds simple enough," Lucy takes a look at the flier. "200,000 Jewels. Have fun, Spike." 

"I will, Lucy," Spike takes the flier to see where the shipment is. 

"Hey, Spike," Lisanna walks up to him. "Where are you heading off to?" 

"Hey, Lisanna. Going to the train station at Hargeon. There's a shipment there that needs protection going into Crocus. It's for a Fruit Harvest Festival." 

"Sounds like fun. Can I come and aide you?" Lisanna asks. 

"Sure. I was planning on going solo. Let's get moving," Spike flies out the door. 

"Take care, Sis," Lisanna waves at Mirajane, following Spike out the door. 

"Please be careful!" Mirajane is a little worried for Lisanna's sake. 

"Don't worry. Lisanna's with Spike, the best protection there is," Lucy reassuringly said. 

"Oh, you're right. I can't help but worry for my younger sis," Mirajane watches Spike using his fire breath to teleport to Hargeon. 

Spike and Lisanna arrive at the Hargeon Train Station. They meet with the client. 

"Ahoy, Spike," Popeye eats his can of spinach. 

"Ahoy, Popeye," Spike shakes Popeye's hand. 

"So, this is the sailor that took out Kain Hikaru of the Seven Kin of Purgatory?" 

"And, Seven Deadly Sins. What is your name, Lassie?" 

"Lisanna Strauss, Popeye." 

"Pleasure to meet you," Popeye shakes her hand. "Since you two are here, that means you two are going to protect the fruits going into this years'  Fruit Harvest Festival?"

"Yes, Popeye. We're here to protect the shipment," Spike answers. 

"Good. It's a first that I require assistance from a guild cause I have other matters to attend to today. Otherwise, I'll be doing my usual work on this train. The train ride is a few hours cause it's an express train. Just be aware of a particular gang that likes greens. They don't like fruits and try to spoil the festival every year." 

"Thanks for the heads up, Popeye. Don't worry. Fairy Tail is on it." 

"Thanks, Lassie. Have a safe trip. As for your pay, there's someone with a briefcase that has my name on it. I'll phone the person to let her know that you two are taking it." 

"Thanks, Popeye," Spike gets on the train with Lisanna. The conductor tells Lisanna and Spike that the cargo hold for the Fruit Harvest Festival is in the back of the train. The two go there and secure it. 

"I wonder what the gang is called," Lisanna tries to come up with a possible name. 

"The Gang Green Gang?" Spike chuckles. 

"Nah, too easy," Lisanna comes up with one. "Green Bay?" Lisanna chuckles. 

"Greeny?" Spike laughs at the idea of the name. 

The train departs Hargeon Train Station. The Gang Popeye mentioned watches closely, believing their success rate of stopping the Fruit Harvest Festival has skyrocketed to new heights. They get on their magic mobiles and follow the train closely. 

"So, how are things going for you as of late, Lisanna?" 

"Pretty good. I'm spending more time with my siblings in the guildhall and going on jobs with them. I can't believe it took seven years to go on a job with you," Lisanna laughs a little. 

"I know. I was thinking on going solo when I should have thought about going on jobs with my other friends in the guild." 

"So, is it true? Did you fought the Celestial Spirit King?" 

"Yes. Though, it was a sparring. I don't know when another opportunity would present itself. It turns out the Celestial Spirit King always wanted to fight a dragon."

"Wow. So, even though it was a sparring, who won?" 

"The Celestial Spirit King. He has years of experience and wisdom. He even taught me a few things. Interestingly enough, the Celestial Spirit King gave me a few books about different sorts of magic since I told him that I'm an Energy Maker Dragon. Just like my great-grandpa, Tyke." 

"That's cool, Spike." 

"I've been reading a bit, and Fairy Rage has learned other usages within the book." 

"Wow. What did you learn, Fairy Rage?" 

"Some telepathic spells, and now I have the ability to enter someone's mind and reawaken their magic from anything. There is one spell I learn while reading it but, I won't go into much detail about it."

"Fair enough. I've been honing my animal transformation magic into better usage. My cat transformation allows me to run and strike faster." 

"Impressive. I can picture it now."

Five hours later, the green gang Popeye mentioned is drawing near the cargo car. One of the members hops on while the train is entering the mountain regions of Fiore. 

"Hah, this is too easy," A slim man with a green mohawk bearing a green goblin emblem on his face declares. He's wearing a jean jacket, ripped jeans, black boots, and back sunglasses. He enters the back door of the cargo car and observes Lisanna. "Whoa, gorgeous girl. Ew, a kid in a dragon costume."

"Someone has boarded the car." Fairy Rage warns his friends. 

"Who's there?" Lisanna gets up. 

"Crap." He hides in the shadows of a crate. 

Lisanna searches a bit. "Are you sure someone is here?" Lisanna looks and Spike; he nods his head. 

"Wow, such a beauty, right in front of me." The guy couldn't help but gaze at Lisanna's beauty. 

"Hey, boss! What's the freaking hold up!" One of his guildmates calls on the radio. 

"I knew it!" Spike gets up. 

The back of the cargo car gets blown up with minor explosives. Three magic mobiles are in hot pursuit of the train. 

"Darn it, Billy. I said to wait!" 

"Sorry, Ace!" Another member of the green gang apologizes on behalf of Billy. 

"Ace?" Lisanna finds Ace coming out of the shadows. 

"Hello, beautiful," Ace smirks. "I'm taking you with me." 

"I like to see you try!" Lisanna transforms into her cat form. While maintaining her humanoid form, her cat form consists of concentrated striped patterns around her forearms, as well as feline-like pads on the surface of her palms and sharp claws at her fingertips. She also sports feline ears, whiskers, a small nose, and a long tail; also wearing a tiger-skin, two-piece bikini.

"OOOOOOOOOOH!" Ace gets a nosebleed seeing Lisanna as a catgirl. 

"Meow!" Lisanna takes the opportunity to strike Ace multiple times in a few seconds. 

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!" Ace couldn't defend himself. 

"Get out of here, you!" Lisanna picks him up and chucks him out of the cargo car. 

"You will regret that!" Eels is a muscular man consisting of mafia attire. He requips his magic Tommy gun and fires at Lisanna from the window of the magic mobile. 

Lisanna takes cover while Eels continues to shoot. Spike gets in front and shoots flaming bullets from his claw by mimicking gun movements. 

"That kid can do that?" Billy said. He's chubby while wearing all green. He has the mind of a child. 

"Guys, take Billy to the bridge in case we don't get the cargo out in time," Ace commands. 

"You got it, bro," Ranger said. Ranger is wearing a green bandana, a green shirt with a black globin, and green ripped jeans. He floors the magic mobile ahead of the train. 

"Keep firing, boys," Ace commands. "Smokes, Raider, you're with me."

"Right, bossman," Raider and Smokes come out of their magic mobiles. They leap with Ace back onto the cargo car. 

"Try taking us on, honey," Ace's claws become sharp like a lizard's claw. Raider and Smokes take out their swords, ready for combat. 

"Spike, I'm going to need some assistance." 

"Spike?" The three men look at Spike, who finished shooting at Eels. Eels' magic mobile crashes into a tree, and Eels lands on top of a thorn bush. 

"That'll be me, chumps. Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into Laxus' size. 

"Oh shit, that kid wasn't in a dragon costume. He's the real deal!" Raider frantically shouts. 

"Hey, I know this dragon. He's the one that crippled some witch girl," Smokes said. 

"Doesn't matter. You're at a disadvantage. You can't destroy the fruits in this cargo hold." 

"I can sure as hell blow you away," Spike said. 

"You would think so but, I'm holding the detonator. You see, right before Popeye was loading the fruit, my boys and I snuck mines and placed them around the train. Once I press the button, everything and everyone dies," Ace smirks, holding the detonator in his hand. 

"You can't do that!" Lisanna said. 

"Oh, I can and I will," Ace said. However, he's lying about the rest of the mines planted. It was only the back of the cargo car. 

"Give us the catgirl, and we'll leave you and the passengers alone," Smokes said, smoking a cigar. 

Spike looks and Lisanna and nods. "Very well, I must warn you." 

"Oh, what is that?" Ace said. 

"Cats are territorial," Spike smirks. 

Lisanna roars and scratches Ace's hand, and the detonator flies out of the cargo car. Smokes and Raider attack Spike with their sword. Lisanna strikes Ace left and right with her tiger claws. Once again, Ace is unable to defend himself due to Lisanna's quick speed. Spike gut punches Raider and Smokes. Then he kicks them off the cargo car. 

"By the way," Lisanna finishes scratching Ace's face. "I never like punks like you," Lisanna kicks Ace off of the cargo car. 

"Man, those guys were underwhelming," Spike said. "I thought they'll pose more of a threat." 

"Well, you see something new every day. Some guilds are top-notch, and some aren't," Lisanna said. 

Ace grabs his radio. "Is Billy in place?" 

"Yea," Ranger answers. "I guess the bluff didn't work." 

"We got our butts handed by a catgirl and a dragon," Ace said. 

"Alright, bro. When the train is near, Billy will jump on the track, creating a crater for the train to fall." 

Twenty minutes later. The conductor of the train comes by to the cargo car to check the progress. He's stunned to see the back of the cargo car missing the door and wall. Spike mentions a green gang trying to take the fruits and Lisanna away. Lisanna mentions mines planted around the train but figures it was a bluff. 

"The green gang are known as the Green Goblins. They are a nuisance every year," The Conductor said. 

"I'll make sure nothing gets flown away," Spike said. 

"Good. When the train stops in Crocus, I intend on going to that Fruit Harvest Festival." 

"Good to know," Lisanna said. 

The Conductor walks away, leaving the two be. Spike notices the mountain region. 

"We're getting closer to Crocus. I want to say another forty minutes tops." 

"Good. Today has been interesting, to say the least," Lisanna said. She sits down. 

"No kid-" Spike notices one of the magic mobiles that was following the train earlier. 

"Something wrong, Spike?" Lisanna notices Spike's change of demeanor. 

"We're not done," Spike wonders what else is in store. 

Ranger sees the train approaching. It's five minutes away from the bridge. "Billy, belly flop now!" 

"Alright," Billy is on top of a mountain and does a belly flop. Due to his mass, Billy penetrates the train tracks supporting the bridge. 

One of the conductors sees that the bridge is destroyed. He grabs a mic for the speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen, brace for impact! We lost some track!" It's too late to slow the train from impending doom. 

"Those fruits are good as ours. Hopefully, we can snag some stragglers," Ranger gets explicit thoughts on some women that can survive the crash. 

After hearing the announcement, Spike flaps his wing and flies out of the cargo car. He sees the train tracks that were destroyed. "This train is going to fly. Hold on tight!" Spike warns Lisanna.

"You got this! I'll warn everyone to fasten their seatbelts," Lisanna, still in her cat form, goes car to car to alert people about a sudden change. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a full-size dragon. 

Ranger sees Spike transforming into a full-size dragon. His jaw drops, knowing that he and his guild failed at another attempt to stop the Fruit Harvest Festival. Ranger grabs his radio. "Bossman, we failed. We didn't take account for the little dragon dude that can increase his size." 

"Shiiiit!" Ace throws his radio on the ground and angrily stomps on it. "Every year, something gets in the way!" 

Spike grabs the train with his claw and lifts the train. The people onboard feel differently when the train takes off instead of falling. A kid on the train recognizes Spike from the Grand Magic Games. Everyone on the train cheers loudly, knowing they are safe. Spike decides to fly to the station in Crocus and places the train on the tracks. Everyone gets out to see Spike reverts to size. Lisanna comes out, no longer in her cat form. 

"Thank you, Fairy Tail Wizards. Not only you saved our lives, but you also saved the fruits for the Fruit Harvest Festival." 

"Hi, Spike," Princess Hisui approaches Spike and Lisanna, carrying a briefcase.

"Hey, Princess Hisui," Spike said. 

"Your highness, it's an honor to see you again," Lisanna said. 

"Likewise," Princess Hisui smiles. "I received a message from my good friend, Popeye about you two taking care of business." 

"Indeed, that's us," Lisanna said. "We stopped the Green Goblins from taking these exotic fruits." 

"Thank you," Arcadios said. "Those group of bandits has been a nuisance to Crocus for many years. Always trying to stop our Harvest Festival." 

Royal Soldiers are gathering the fruit cargo from the train. 

"Oh, before you return, we want to give you some of our exotic fruit that blossomed earlier today," Princess Hisui gives a box to Lisanna. "Have some Maximum Sweet Strawberries." 

"Wow, they're golden," Spike said in awe, looking in the box. 

"And small. You can bake all sorts of treats with these," Lisanna said in awe. 

"Indeed. These strawberries grow every 10,000 years. We have plenty in the castle," Arcadios said. 

"Thank you for your generous gift, Princess," Lisanna and Spike bow in honor and respect. 

"Oh, no need for bowing. I'm your friend. Remember that," Princess Hisui said. 

"We will," Spike and Lisanna said in unison. 

"Don't forget your pay," Arcadios gives Spike the briefcase.

"Thanks. See you guys another day," Spike said. 

"Have a good day, you two," Princess Hisui waves by to Spike and Lisanna. "I wish I can marry that dragon."

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Lisanna and himself back to the guildhall. He doesn't feel like flying back to Magnolia. 

It's now 4:30 in the afternoon. Spike and Lisanna walk inside the guildhall. They see Erza feeling gloomy by the bar while some of the others act awkwardly. 

"We're home!" Lisanna shouts. 

"Welcome home, Lisanna. Did you had fun?" Mirajane walks up to her sister. 

"Yea. We stopped a guild called the Green Goblins from taking the exotic fruits." 

"Those guys suck with the execution of their plans except for one when they took extreme measures. Overall, we got paid and received a generous gift from Princess Hisui," Spike said. 

"Oh, what is it?" Mirajane is curious about the generous gift. 

Spike opens the box. "A box filled with Maximum Sweet Strawberries. Pretty cool, huh?" 

Erza overhears Spike saying Maximum Sweet Strawberries; she rushes and winds up knocking Mirajane to see the strawberries. "H-H-How..?" Erza's mouth waters. 

"Turns out Crocus grew a whole bunch. I guess the rumors you heard weren't correct." 

Panther Lily walks up to Spike. "Erza took me to grab the Maximum Sweet Strawberries. There was only one, and Asuka ate it with the cake Wendy and Carla baked. Now, Erza can get her fill with the flavors." 

"Oooooh. That's why Erza looked gloomy when Lisanna and I walked in." 

"Yea. You made her day," Panther Lily points to Erza's face. Her eyes are matching the Maximum Sweet Strawberries. 

"Let's put these is a cake right now!" Erza excitedly shouts. 

"Sure, I can go for some cake," Lisanna said. 

"Same with me," Spike concurs. 

"Well, it's a good thing we made extra cakes today," Carla said. 

"Now everyone gets to have a taste," Wendy said. 

Lisanna gives Spike 100,000 Jewels since the payment was 200,000. "It was fun working alongside you, Spike." 

"Likewise, Lisanna," Spike walks up to Lucy. "Mind holding onto this, Lucy." 

"Sure, Spike," Lucy puts the 100,000 Jewels in her pocket. "I want to hear everything about your trip." 

"Same with me, Spike. How was it?" Wendy said, sitting next to him. 

"It was good. Before I tell my tale, I need to ask you something, Wendy." 

"Sure, what is it?" Wendy smiles. 

"Are you free tomorrow?" Spike smirks. 

Wendy's eyes widen. "Yes," Wendy nods. 

"Good, we're going on a date tomorrow."
> Date
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today's the big day for Spike. It's 9:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike is in the bathroom freshening up for the day. 

"Since this is your date, I'll be asleep, Spike. You won't be hearing from me."

"Thanks, Rage. It would be awkward for the date when I'm solely focused on my beloved."

"It's not a problem. So, you going in the nude, or will today be a rare day for you to wear something stunning?"

"I don't know. Personally, I think Wendy would prefer the way I am." 

"It's your call. I'm off to sleep. Later."

"Have a good one," Spike leaves the bathroom. He grabs 150,000 Jewels for the day in case. "Alright, today is going to be a good day." 

"Wish you luck, Maestro," Lucy said. 

"Thanks," Spike leaves the apartment. 

"I better prepare my day before going on another job with Natsu," Lucy said. She imagines how hectic it's going to be already. 

Spike flies to the guildhall. He thinks of all sorts of possibilities for today. A walk in the park, going to see a movie, grabbing a bite to eat, dancing, having fun, maybe snuggling in a warm bed. One explicit thought comes to Spike, causing him to blush immensely and causes him to crash into a tree. 

"Dude, you alright?" Gajeel pulls Spike out of the tree. 

"I'm fine, thanks. I got sidetracked, is all," Spike replies. 

"It happens," Gajeel said. 

"What made you lose focus, Spike?" Panther Lily asks. 

"I'm going on a date with Wendy. My first one since confessing our love to each other seven years ago," Spike lightly chuckles. 

"Damn, dude, took you seven years for a date?" Gajeel chuckles a bit. 

"Yes, yes, I know. The whole seven-year pun cause we were in a deep sleep. Well, no more waiting. Today's the day that I spend quality time with Wendy Marvell." 

Spike enters the guildhall with Gajeel and Panther Lily. They overhear Evergreen mentioning a new boutique that opened in the town in front of Wendy and Carla. 

"Wow, I've been wanting to get an outfit or two. Maybe I should tag along. They could have a special dress for my date with Spike." 

"Not a bad idea. It's important for girls to stay in tune with the latest fashion," Carla said. 

"Fashion isn't just for girls! Men can be stylish too!" Panther Lily shouts, drawing the attention of Wendy, Carla, and Evergreen. 

"Hell yeah! I was thinking about adding pyrotechnics to suit my stage outfit!" Gajeel declares. 

"I made my decision!" Erza shouts, which brings an awkward silence. No one knows what she's thinking or talking about. 

"Well, this is awkward," Spike said. 

"Hey, Spike. I guess we're going to the boutique in town first," Wendy chuckles. 

"Yea, I don't mind going." 

Evergreen takes everyone wanting to go to the boutique store. Half an hour later, everyone is trying on different clothing. Spike is wandering around the boutique, looking for something he sees Wendy possibly wearing or something he would wear. 

"Now this is cool," Gajeel said, putting on a dark superhero attire. 

"Perhaps too cool," Panther Lily is wearing a dark superhero sidekick attire. 

Wendy, Carla, Erza, and Evergreen are stunned to see the two boasting about how dynamic they are and proclaiming that they are the heroes the city deserves. Within mere moments, the two shout justice leaving the store. 

"Like a couple of children at play," Evergreen said, wearing a warm spring dress. 

"No matter at what age, men are always children," Carla said, wearing a yellow dress, a yellow ribbon tied to her tail, and a summer hat. 

Erza asks the clerk about the outfits Gajeel and Panther Lily wore. He tells a short story about Magnolia had several people dawning those outfits, living to the name of superheroes. That entices Erza so much she demands a costume that speaks her name in truth, honor, love, and justice. One is then given to her that meets her demands. Erza dubs herself as Fairy Woman and looks for any signs of trouble. 

"I stand corrected. There are some that take it too literal," Carla said. 

"Agreed," Evergreen nods her head. 

"Have any of you seen Spike since we got in?" Wendy is wearing a black and white dress, white knee socks, and black shoes. She also has black bows on her pigtails. 

"He was walking around the store. I guess he's sightseeing just a bit," Evergreen said. 

"I hope his eyes melt when he sees me," Wendy giggles at the possible reaction of Spike seeing her. 

"That's something we'll have to wait and see, child," Carla said. 

A door to the dressing room opens. Evergreen, Wendy, and Carla look to see who's coming out. Wendy's jaws drop when she sees Spike dawning black dress pants, a white tuxedo vest with a blue bowtie, and a black suit jacket. The black dress pants have a comfort hole for his tail to stick out. The same goes for the vest and jacket for Spike's wings and spikes. 

"Hey, Wendy," Spike walks up to his girlfriend. His heart skipped a beat for seeing Wendy in a beautiful dress. 

Wendy is speechless. She would have never thought of seeing Spike in clothing again. The store clerk can't believe his dragon clothing worked out for Spike. He thought there'll be some screw-ups in design. 

"Wow," Evergreen and Carla said, breaking the ice. They couldn't believe Spike would dress stunningly for a first date with Wendy. They remember the party at Crocus when Spike was in the nude, refusing to wear any clothing. 

"Wendy," Spike grabs her hand. "Shall we get going?" 

Wendy blushes while holding onto Spike's claw. She nods. "I'm ready, handsome dragon." 

"So, how much are the outfits?" Spike asks the store clerk. 

"They are free as long as your reviews of my store are glorious," He said. 

"That can be rearranged. Now, let's go, my sweetheart," Spike nuzzles Wendy's nose. Spike and Wendy leave the boutique. 

"Aww, young love at its finest," The store clerk said. 

"I better keep a close eye on them. Just in case," Carla said. She's about to take off when Evergreen grabs her tail. 

"No, no, this is their first date. No need to intrude." 

"But.., but..," Carla sees the written expression on Evergreen's face and sighs. She can't help but be close to Wendy at times. "Can we just.., watch them at a far distance..?"

Evergreen put some thought into it. 

Spike and Wendy are walking down the street together. The two decide to go for brunch. Spike and Wendy enter the Magnolia Restaurant and sits at a table for two. 

"Wow, Spike. I never thought I see the day," Wendy smiles at Spike. 

"If we didn't come to the boutique store, I wouldn't be wearing this. Clark said he had something in my design, so I wanted to try it out. Can't hurt to try, you know?" 

"Oh, I agree. It makes you look stunning." 

"Thank you. I'm planning on wearing this for our wedding someday," Spike said. 

"That would be wonderful," Wendy imagines the wedding in the Celestial Spirit World. How beautiful the scenery is while imagining herself as an older woman. 

"Here you go," The waiter gives Spike and Wendy the menus. 

"Thanks," Spike and Wendy said in unison. They look at what's available.

Unbeknown to them, Carla and Evergreen are spying on them from a bush nearby the restaurant. Unfortunately, this catches the attention of Natsu, Happy, and Lucy. 

"What are you two doing?" Lucy asks, scaring Evergreen and Carla a bit. 

Evergreen comes up with a poor excuse. "We're doing some.., bird watching.., yea."

"Yea.., and um.., sightseeing?" Carla nervously said. 

"Hey, who's that in the restaurant?" Natsu starts sniffing. 

"Nobody!" Carla waves her paws. 

Natsu laughs. "No way, you two are spying on Spike and Wendy," Natsu falls over laughing. 

"Oh yea, they're on their first-ever date," Lucy now remembers what Spike's plan of the day is. 

"I never knew you were the stalker type, Carla," Happy wishes it was him that Carla is spying on. 

"Look, I worry about Wendy. I'm just keeping a close eye on her," Carla turns away from her friends. 

"Nope, you're upset that she may leave you for Spike," Natsu said. 

"That's preposterous!" Carla feels conflicted. 

"Why else are you spying on her?" Natsu asks. 

Carla doesn't wish to answer. She turns away. The truth is, Carla is worried that Wendy will eventually leave her for Spike. She doesn't know what happens when that day comes. 

"Hey, look. They're about to order food," Happy's belly is growling. "Let's go in and eat," Happy is about to fly when Lucy grabs his tail. 

"Uh uh, no way we're meddling in on their date. We have to let them be." 

"I'm not meddling. I'm hungry," Happy rubs his belly. "I say let's grab a bite to eat."

"Count me in, Happy," Natsu said. 

"NO!" Lucy angrily shouts. "We're not going in there, and we're not spying on our friends!"

A few moments later. 

"I can't believe we're doing this," Lucy is with her friends while spying on Spike and Wendy behind the bush. 

Spike looks at the waiter. "I would like to have chocolate chip cookie pancakes with vanilla ice cream on it." 

"Ah, the House Special. What can I get you, young lady?" 

"I'll have what my boyfriend is having," Wendy changed her mind about the entree and wants what Spike is having. 

"Alright, anything to drink?" The waiter writes the orders. 

"Vanilla milkshake," Spike answers. 

"Chocolate milkshake for me, please," Wendy answers. 

"Coming right up," The waiter writes the order of milkshakes and goes to the kitchen. 

"So, after brunch. Would you like to walk in the park, go to a theatre, or-" Wendy puts her finger on Spike's mouth. 

"It doesn't matter what we do next. I'm going to enjoy spending as much time with you as possible. So, after brunch, let's sit by the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree." 

"Sounds good to me," Spike loves the sound of it. 

"Spike, do you know how many years a dragon can live up to?" Wendy asks out of curiosity. 

"Well, certain dragons can live for a thousand years at best. I didn't ask my uncle, and now I kinda wished I did, to be for certain. Why do you ask?" 

"Well, I remember the spell you told me about our lives tethered together through the power of love. I put a lot of thought into it." 

"You have?" Spike gets a little worried that Wendy may want to back out of it. 

"Yes," Wendy smiles wholeheartedly. "I know I said yes during the Grand Magic Games, but I wasn't thinking at the time. After giving it some thought," Wendy grabs Spike's claws. "I understand that we'll outlive our friends in Fairy Tail and our friends in Fiore; however, I would love to be tether to you." 

"Thank you, Wendy," Spike smiles lovingly at Wendy. 

"I told you that I want to follow you until the end of time, didn't I?" 

Spike chuckles. "You did. I thought for a sec you were going to back away from the spell. It made me feel a little nervous."

"No, no. However, you should know how and what I'm feeling from time to time. What's on your mind, Spike?" 

"Well, I have a lot on my mind." 

"Like what?" 

"Finding a place of my own someday so you and I can be together more often, working more with you in Fairy Tail, trying to figure out if Twilight is still here in Earth Land..," Spike sighs heavily. "In all honesty, I can't get Twilight out of my mind. I feel that she's still coming after me, planning, plotting..," Spike groans a bit. "I still feel she's a catalyst of the warning Rage told me months ago." 

"Well, you're stronger than Twilight could and would ever be, and I won't let that bitch come near you." 

Natsu overhears Wendy cursing for the first time and covers his mouth. The others around him are curious to know what he heard. 

"Thank you, Wendy. That means a lot," Spike smiles. 

"Here you go," The waiter comes back with two plates of chocolate chip pancakes with vanilla ice cream on it and their milkshakes. 

"Thank you!" Spike and Wendy said excitedly. They can't wait to dig in. 

Natsu and Happy's mouth waters; they can imagine the flavor of Spike and Wendy's plate. Lucy, Carla, and Evergreen watch Spike and Wendy enjoying each other's company while consuming their food. 

"There you are," Mirajane walks up to Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Carla, and Evergreen. "You three are late. Also, what are you doing?" 

Lucy gets up. "We're spying on the lovebirds." 

"Well, enough of that. Let Spike and Wendy be. I thought you wanted to learn transformation magic." 

"I do!" Lucy proclaims. 

"Then follow me to the South Gate Park then," Mirajane walks down the street. 

"Coming," Lucy said. 

"Hey, wait a minute. We're coming too!" Natsu follows Lucy and Mirajane. 

"Aye!" Happy flies after them. 

"C'mon, let's go, Carla. They're just eating. Let Wendy tell you all about it later." 

"You go back. I'm staying put," Carla said. 

"Suit yourself," Evergreen leaves. 

After twenty minutes, Spike and Wendy finish their meals. The two pay for it together and leave the restaurant. Spike and Wendy hold hands while walking to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. Carla is hovering high and far from them, hoping that Wendy is safe and sound. Luck is on Spike and Wendy's side. They have the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree to themselves. Spike and Wendy sit by the tree together, watching the blue skies and the birds that fly by. Carla is hiding in a different bush, keeping an eye on the two. 

"Remember the night we danced here, Wendy?" Spike asks. 

"Yeah. It was so beautiful as well," Wendy leans her head on Spike's shoulders. "The way the Rainbow Cherry petals swirl around us. It was like an actual Fairy Tale come to life between two lovers." 

"Yea," Spike puts his arm around Wendy. "Remember that huge mansion when searching for the Key of Starry Heaven's book?" 

"Yea, what about it?" 

"I'm thinking of buying that property someday for you and me. That way, our family can grow together." 

"I would like that but, I think Lucy would want it more. Don't you think so?" 

"I do. I can't help but plan ahead of times, hehe." 

"Let's focus on today; tomorrow can wait," Wendy gets closer to Spike. 

Spike leans in and kisses Wendy. The two wrap their arms around each other as they kiss. Carla gasps but not loudly, or else she'll blow her cover. Spike and Wendy roll on the grass, kissing each other passionately and lovingly. After the kiss, Wendy winds up pinning Spike. 

"My handsome dragon," Wendy caress Spike's cheek. 

"My marvelous Wendy," Spike smiles at her. 

"We still have the rest of the day. Wanna head to your place and have fun?" 

"Yes, please," Spike gets up and holds Wendy's hand. 

"Absolutely not, child! You're too young for thinking such things!" Carla wants to intrude to make sure Spike and Wendy aren't doing what she's thinking. She kept quiet while watching the two leave the area. 

Spike and Wendy go to the apartment. The landlady congratulates Spike for having a relationship. Spike thanks her and walk up the stairs. Carla is hovering by the window, making sure that Spike and Wendy don't get frisky. 

Wendy takes off her shoes and sits on Spike's bed. Spike goes to the closet to bring out a couple of board games. Carla sighs in relief. She's glad that Spike and Wendy aren't making love in bed. She should have known better than to judge too quickly. 

"Hey, Spike."

"Yea?" Spike puts the board games on the table. 

"Can we cuddle a bit?" Wendy blushes a bit when she asks. 

"Sure. I don't see why not. Lucy isn't here, so we're in the clear." 

"Up up, take off the clothes. I want to cuddle the dragon I fell in love with," Wendy's tone changes, causing Spike to blush heavily the way she seductively expresses. 

"Oooooh my, Wendy. That's way out of character for you!" Carla starts pressing the window with her paws while hovering. 

"Ooooh," Spike rubs his claws together. "Let me give you a show," Spike giggles and slowly takes his pants off. 

"What is wrong with this dragon!? Did Virgo teach him some inappropriate manners?" Carla continues to watch from the window. Her state of mind is panic mode. 

Wendy whistles a bit and encourages Spike to remove more of his clothing. Carla is sweating with the fear of young love going the extra mile; she's putting pressure on the window while watching Spike strip. 

"The shirt must go," Wendy smirks. She adds flair by removing her socks slowly to impress Spike and tosses her socks to the floor. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Spike licks his lips while taking off his shirt and jacket slowly. 

"WENDY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU! CEASE THIS FOOLISHNESS, NOW!!" Carla is adding more pressure on the window; she's worried that the two will go the extra mile on their first-ever date. 

"Come to me, my handsome dragon," Wendy open her arms, ready to embrace Spike. 

"Here I come!" Spike excitedly said. 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Carla shatters the window, entering the apartment and preventing Spike from coming closer to Wendy. "BACK AWAY FROM WENDY! DON'T TRY TO IMPREGNATE HER!" Carla yells and pants heavily. She's in the middle between Spike and Wendy. 

"WHAT!?" Spike is confused. 

"Carla! Were you spying on us?!" Wendy frustratedly asks. 

Carla turns to look at Wendy. She sees how angry and upset Wendy is. "I had my reasons, child. I was making sure you're protected." 

"Protected?" Wendy feels conflicted. "I'm not a baby, Carla! I can protect myself, and I have Spike with me at all times during the day! Who in their bright mind would try to harm us!?" 

"That's not the protection I meant. You're too young in terms of sexual relations!" Carla sternly replies. 

"Sexual relations?!" Wendy is livid with Carla's statement. 

"Yes, child. The way you talked and acted gave me more than enough conviction that you and Spike were about to have intercourse." 

"We weren't even planning that!" Wendy yells angrily at Carla. "The whole charade Spike and I were doing was for fun! I wanted to give it a try, and he picked up on it!" 

"You and Spike looked like you were going all the way with it. I had to stop it." 

"You're wrong; you're wrong for spying on us, judging Spike and me, and invading our privacy!" Wendy covers her face. She can't believe what Carla had pulled. 

"Carla, I know I'm too young for the big stuff. That wasn't on my mind. It's too soon for it," Spike said. He feels awkward with the situation. 

Carla realized that she made a grave mistake with her intrusion. She sighs heavily as her overprotection mindset got the better of her. She turns to Wendy. "Wendy, I'm-"

"Stop talking. You did more than enough," Wendy doesn't have it in her to continue the date with Spike. She grabs her socks and put on her shoes. "I'll see you later, Spike."

"Okay. Uh, want me to walk you home?" Spike offers. 

"No. I need some time alone," Wendy leaves the apartment. 

"Spike, I'm..," Carla sees how sad Spike is. 

"Go..," It's all Spike can say to Carla. Carla looks down and leaves. She follows Wendy outside to the girl's dorm. 

Fair Rage wakes up. "Dude, what happened?"

"Look into my memories, and you'll know. I don't feel like talking," Spike gets in bed. "I'm going to take a nap." 

"Alright, buddy. Have a good sleep."

"I'll try," Spike closes his eyes. The last thought that comes to him is Wendy Marvell.
> Rockhoof's Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krystina Larva slowly trots to the next class while everyone is excited to go. She looks around to see many changelings having fun and sharing love. She also looks at ponies associating with the changelings like it's no big deal. Sweetie Belle catches up to Krystina Larva.

"Krystina!" Sweetie Belle shouts while she's galloping. 

"Huh?" Krystina turns around to see the young filly galloping. 

Sweetie Belle catches her breath. "Hi, Krystina. I'm Sweetie Belle. How's your day?" 

"Complicated," Krystina sighs. "It's hard adjusting to something new in life." 

"Well, I'm here to help you feel right at home," Sweetie Belle reassuringly says. 

"Home.., HOME!" Krystina Larva yells at Sweetie Belle, startling her a bit. "MY FAMILY CHANGED FOR THE WORSE BECAUSE SOME CREATURES CAME IN AND TURNED THEM! SOME CREATURE ROBBED ME OF MY FAMILY! IT'S LIKE THEY DON'T WANT NOR NEED ME ANYMORE!" 

Sweetie Belle steps back a bit. It's a first that she met somepony with a harsh situation in life. 

"THEY CHANGED! THEY ALL CHANGED AND DECLARED IT'S BETTER! IT WASN'T BETTER, TO BEGIN WITH!"

Sweetie Belle backs away, knowing helping Krystina Larva will be difficult. Sweetie Belle decides to grab her friends. After the outburst, Krystina Larva falls behind and tries to find her way to Rockhoof's theatre. 

Sweetie Belle finds Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in the hallway, heading to a different class to welcome any new students having problems fitting in. 

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom greets her friend. 

"Need something?" Scootaloo asks. 

"Yea. There's a new student with serious problems. I need the two of you to help me on this one." 

"We're on it," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said in unison. They high-hoof Sweetie Belle and trots to Rockhoof's theatre. 

Krystina Larva sees how huge Rockhoof's theatre is. She sees her classmates sitting together. Rockhoof is on stage, getting ready to tell a tale. The Dazzlings are nervous being close to Rockhoof from the seats. Adagio bites her lip, Aria tries looking away, and Sonata nervously whistles. They are uncomfortable being close to one of the ponies that tried to slay them centuries ago. 

"Welcome to me class. Lads and lassies..," Rockhoof sees the Dazzlings. He knows it's them due to their facial features. "Wow, what an," Rockhoof tries not to sound awkward in front of the class. "Um..," Rockhoof sweats a bit. 

The Dazzlings sigh heavily. They get up and walk on the stage to confront Rockhoof. Rockhoof wonders what the trio is planning. 

"Hey," Adagio breaks the ice. 

"Hey, lassie," Rockhoof replies. 

"I know. Years ago, we were on a rampage as Sirens," Adagio said. 

"After being tossed into the human world by Starswirled the Bearded, we went through different phases throughout the time," Aria said. 

"Until our amulets broke," Sonata said. 

"How did you lassies came here is my question?" Rockhoof asks. 

"Remember the incident with Discord imposing as Spike?" Adagio asks. 

"Aye," Rockhoof nods. "I helped the Unity Seven distract that evil foal Cozy Glow. Discord got exposed to all after Yona revealed his secret. I heard everything else that transpired about the law for all creatures to remain in ye homeland." 

"It's because of that 'law' we were allowed to come back home," Aria said. 

"Make sense. Then why are you in hippogriff bodies and not ye siren bodies?" 

"Since we no longer have our amulets, we can no longer be sirens. Entering the portal to come back to Equestria gave us the bodies we have now," Adagio answers. 

"New bodies come with a clean slate," Aria said. 

"So, instead of going back to our old ways, we are starting anew. That is why we are friends with the Unity Seven, Sunset Shimmer, and living with Discord," Sonata said. 

"We knew that seeing you will be a hurdle, so," Adagio, Aria, and Sonata extend their claws. "We want to start anew by being your friend, not enemies." 

Rockhoof smiles at the gesture; he sees how devoted they are to wanting this opportunity to start anew. "I accept ye friendships. No need to hold grudges from the past," Rockhoof shakes their claws. "Now, let's see how devoted you are as students, passing me class."  

"Thank you, Rockhoof," Sonata said. 

"You're welcome, lassie. Now, sit down and allow me to tell you a story, a life lesson to endure, and achieving the impossible when times look bleak." 

The Dazzlings get off the stage and sit in their seats. They sigh in relief and happiness to get that off their chest; One down, five more to go on their list. 

Krystina Larva sits far away from any creature present. The CMC Counselors arrive and see Krystina Larva sitting away from the students. They come closer to her, hoping she doesn't have another outburst, especially in class. 

"Hey, Krystina Larva," The CMC Counselors say in unison. They greet calmly towards her. 

"Go away..," Krystina Larva can't bat an eye on them. 

"We're here to help you, Krystina. There's no reason to be left alone. It's a fate worse than death," Scootaloo said. 

"Explain how is that possible to me," Krystina turns to the CMC Counselors. 

"We once had a friend name, Spike. He was alone for many years, and his family changed for the worse until he met the right kind of friends that treat him as family," Apple Bloom said. 

"It takes wholehearted creatures to open their heart and be welcomed in open arms. Your family may have changed for the worse, but that doesn't mean your friends can be your family," Scootaloo said. 

"Look at those seven creatures sitting together." Sweetie Belle points at the Unity Seven. "All are different, and they are like family. Some have different pasts, and some suffer from troubling families. Look at those three over there," Sweetie Belle points at the Dazzlings. "They been through Tartarus and emerged better than ever."  

"That's because they allowed themselves to be surrounded by new friends and embraced them as family. It does take time to build but, you need to take one step at a time to get there," Scootaloo said. 

"How?! How?! How is it so easy? My family turned on me, my friends, partners..," Krystina Larva groans loudly in front of the CMC Counselors. "They all turned except for me. I had to flee. Do you know what it's like to run away from your family after they changed for the worst?" 

The CMC Counselors shake their heads. They never experienced any of that sort with their families. Only their friend Spike comes remotely close to anything Krystina Larva has experienced. 

"That's what I thought," Krystina Larva turns away from the trio. 

"I know where you can start with your friendship lifestyle," Sweetie Belle said. 

"Yea? To who?" Krystina Larva rhetorically asks. 

"Us," The CMC Counselors say in unison in hopes of cheering Krystina Larva. 

"Why, you three?" Krystina Larva asks. 

"You need friends that can be there for you; you need a shoulder to lean on. Someone that listens to you to understand you better. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and I will help you every step ahead starting now. We'll be attending this class with you," Apple Bloom said. 

"What about the other students that are like me?" Krystina turns to the CMC Counselors. "You going to abandon them?" 

"No. We'll be there for them like good friends we are. Right now, you need us to help you feel comfortable being with new creatures," Scootaloo said. 

"So, attending Rockhoof's class should help you find confidence in boosting your morale. He teaches you to find greatness in doing the impossible," Sweetie Belle said. 

Krystina Larva sighs. "Alright, I'll listen to Rocky's lesson of the day." 

Rockhoof grabs his shovel and puts it on his back. "Alright, every creature. Welcome to me class. Today, I'll be telling you a personal story of achieving greatness when times are bleak. Achieving the impossible when you believe in yourself. I'll be telling you how I obtain me great strength from me homeland." 

Apple Bloom claps her hooves. She loves hearing the tale but hearing it from Rockhoof himself is more special than anything. She can't wait to hear it from him. 	

"When I was a colt, I would work on the fields. My homeland is on a volcanic island that never erupted. All I wanted was to join the Mighty Helms. However, I wasn't muscled or tall. I was below average. When I tried to prove myself, the Mighty Helms laughed and tossed me this shovel I have. I took it upon myself to dig with all my strength to get stronger by the days, to someday prove my worth to the Mighty Helms. It was a dream I wouldn't let go. I refused to give up when others didn't believe in me. Many weeks went by, and I gained little strength until the volcano erupted for the first time. The Mighty Helms tried to persuade the natives into leaving, but they refused. They couldn't leave their homeland. The Mighty Helms had no answer to stopping the lava from flowing into the village. I took my shovel and started digging in the dirt. I planned to dig a trench for the flowing lava to go into the waters. The Mighty Helms and natives watched my efforts and believed it was futile. That the lava would consume me and everything in its path, they lost hope and waited for the inevitable. At the time, I didn't give up. I believed in myself with the strength I had but, I needed more to meet my drive to save me homeland. Then, there was a flash while I was still digging the trench, and something divine awakened within me. After the flash, I grew tall and became strong. With my strength, I carved out the trench that was able to save the village, the natives, and the Mighty Helms. The Mighty Helms watched in awe and welcomed me in with open arms."  

The explanation of Rockhoof's origins took thirty minutes. The Unity Seven are in awe while hearing the origins of Rockhoof. Their jaws drop during the whole explanation and, imagine how it played out. The Dazzlings now know how Rockhoof gained his strength. They are impressed hearing how Rockhoof tackled a volcano all on his own. Krystina Larva is silent while hearing the story. She never heard anyone fighting a volcano and beating it. The CMCs have heard the story before, but Apple Bloom smiles wide while hearing the story from the stallion himself. 

"The lesson I learned, which I want to teach you all, is to endure when things seem bleak and hopeless. With great strength you have deep inside, you can confront any foe no matter the fight as long as you believe in yourself. If you don't believe, you'll never achieve."

"Woo-hoo! Yeah!" Apple Bloom claps her hooves after hearing the lesson in excitement. She's the loudest among every creature else. 

"With that said, this concludes me story for this class. Now, I watch each of you write a time when things were bleak with you and how you found the inner strength to overcome it. If you have not experienced such a thing, I ask you to create a story where you'll meet the challenges. You'll be graded on creativity with those stories. Personal stories shall be graded differently. You have two days to bring me your essays. You may start writing now or after the bell rings. Use the time to remember or think of an exclusive situation where you find inner strength."

"Aw, man!" Sonata complains. She didn't expect to get homework on the first day of school. 

"Well, so much for having the first day of no homework," Gallus said. 

"Ditto," Ocellus concurs. 

"CMC Counselors, that includes you as well since you participated in me class," Rockhoof said. 

"D'oh!" The CMC Counselors say in unison and facepalm themselves. They didn't anticipate doing homework as counselors. 

Krystina Larva laughs a bit. Seeing their reactions enlightens her mood a bit. After a few minutes, the school bell rings, signaling the end of class. 

"Well, I'll see you, lads and lassies, tomorrow or during lunch. Enjoy the rest of your day in school," Rockhoof watches the students leaving his class. He drinks a bottle of water to get ready to retell his tail for the next class. 

Krystina Larva feels a bit better but still has trouble associating with other ponies and creatures. She's behind while the CMC Counselors are trotting beside her. 

"So, how are you feeling?" Sweetie Belle asks Krystina, hoping she feels better than she was earlier. 

"I'm okay. Better than earlier for sure," Krystina stops trotting and sighs. "I'm grateful for the love you've given me in the class. Truly, I am. The love in friendship is nice, considering I didn't get enough of it within my family."  

"Remember," Scootaloo looks at Krystina. "One step at a time to heal the broken-heartedness in you. Follow them to the next class. Afterward, we'll see you during lunch, okay?"

"Okay," Krystina nods. 

"Sit with someone you know you'll like. It'll help cope during the next class," Apple Bloom suggests. 

"Okay," Krystina Larva trots, catching up with the Unity Seven and the Dazzlings. They enter the next class. Professor Maud Pie will be the next instructor.
> Maud's Class
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's noon. The Unity Seven, Dazzlings, and Krystina Larva take their seats. Maud's classroom is a regular standard classroom, unlike Discord's and Rockhoof's.

"So, why are we in this class?" Sonata asks.

"Well, Maud's class is not the funnest. It's a little bit on the boring side, but rather have this class now than having it last," Gallus said. "I say you can sleep and get away," Gallus yawns a bit. 

Maud Pie is behind Gallus with a slip and puts it on his desk. "Detention Gallus for disrespecting the importance of my class," Maud trots to the board. 

"Detention!" Gallus reads the slip and slams his head on the table. "Me and my big mouth..." 

Silverstream, Smolder, and Yona laugh a bit. Krystina Larva sits alone in the class. Maud Pie sees her and the Dazzlings. She decides to have them be the first to tell their tales in her listening exercise and why it's important to listen to detail. 

"Welcome to my class, students. My name is Maud Pie, and I'll be your instructor. I see we have new students in this class. Please introduce yourselves from your seats." 

"Is this really necessary? These creatures already know who we are," Aria asks Maud. 

"Yes. They know you. I don't. I would like to know who my new students are before the lesson can begin." 

Aria rolls her eyes and stands. "My name is Aria Blaze. One member of a group called the Dazzlings. Once bad, now reformed," Aria sits down and crosses her arms. 

"Okay," Maud turns her attention to the next student. 

Sonata feels a bit pressured by the blank stare of Maud Pie. She feels a coldness creeping on her shoulders from the emotionless stare from Maud Pie. She stands. "My name is Sonata Dusk! I am a member of the Dazzlings! Once evil, now good!" Sonata shouts in fear. 

"There is no reason to be afraid. I'm somepony that doesn't show many expressions, unlike my sister, Pinkie Pie. Rest to show that I'm a calm pony, wanting to help my students understand that listening to crucial detail is important. You never know what you'll miss in a conversation." 

Sonata pants a bit and sits down. Silverstream pats Sonata's back. 

"It's okay. There's no reason to be afraid. Trust me; if you need somepony to understand you, Professor Maud Pie is that pony." 

"Okay," Sonata calms down a bit. 

Adagio stands. "My name is Adagio Dazzle, leader of the group known as the Dazzlings. I was wicked and now anew with a second chance in Equestria that I, nor my sisters would throw away." 

"That's good to know," Maud turns to Krystina Larva. Krystina Larva looks away since Maud's blank stare is causing her to sweat. Muad Pie reads her body language and can tell that Krystina is very shy and hurt. Maud trots up to her. "You don't have to stand up. You can tell me the details later. All I want is your name." 

"I'm.., Krystina Larva..," Krystina Larva sweats while being this close to Maud Pie. 

"Krystina, I have an assignment for you that the others won't have." 

"What is it?" Krystina is confused as to what Maud Pie has in mind. 

"I want you to write a bit about yourself and bring it to me tomorrow. You remind me of another shy friend, and I understand the burdens of opening up." 

"Thank you," Krystina Larva smiles a bit. Her smile fades while thinking about the family she left behind. 

Maud trots to the front of the classroom. She instructs one of the three Dazzlings to come up and say what they hope for with the second chance given to them. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata feel nervous about speaking their mind with the second chance given to them. They look at each other, trying to figure who'll go first. 

Adagio goes up and starts speaking. "What I hope for with the second chance given to me is to become a better creature, out of love and kindness, not vile and malicious. Making new friends and finding my place here in Equestria since it's been too long since my banishment. As most of you probably know the tales about the Sirens from Rockhoof's classes." 

"Pinkie told me after her bizarre adventure. I am fully aware of your history. However, the past does not define who you are today," Adagio looks down a bit as Maud speaks. She trots up to Adagio. "Discord, Starlight, and Trixie have done their share during their darker days and now are thriving with the second opportunity they have. I know you'll thrive as well." 

"I have my fair share as well, Professor Maud Pie," Neighsay stands up and trots to Adagio and Maud. "Before becoming a student, I was a high official member of the EEA and a racist. I despised creatures that are not Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi. Before Headmare Glimmer found a loophole, I thought I had her ruined when she wanted to open a school in Equestria, and I wanted to prevent other creatures from coming into my homeland. The hatred carried on throughout my family timeline, and there is no room for hatred, to begin with. When the Bar of Alliance was formed, it put Equestria near the brink of war due to Princess Twilight Sparkle and her unfortunate actions towards a baby dragon we all know. In order to keep my status in the EEA, I needed to be reevaluated with the possibilities of having these fine creatures living in Equestria. I am the only member of the EEA willing to reevaluate myself, however, there were hurdles along the way. One of those hurdles was to associate with different creatures. I was scared. I was expecting a backlash for the pony I once was. I'm blessed that Sandbar, Yona, Silverstream, Ocellus, Smolder, and Gallus allowed me in their group with open arms after being honest with myself." 

"Which is true," Yona starts speaking. "Yona remembers the canoe trip Professor Discord made us go through." 

"A canoe trip?" The Dazzlings ask in unison. 

"Yea," Silverstream remembers the trip. "It was amazing."

"While we were panicking cause we didn't know what we were doing, Neighsay was the one that took control," Sanbar said. 

"The exercise of the canoe trip was about trust, patience, and motivation. What we lacked was a leader," Ocellus said. 

"Neighsay took the leadership role and kept us on course," Gallus said. 

"He motivated us, had patience, and trusted in us. We trusted in him as well," Smolder said. 

"Ever since that day, our bond as friends grew stronger by the day," Sandbar says. 

"Creatures can prosper when given a second chance. That is why I wanted to share my experience with you, Adagio. In case you were having a little trouble finding your place. When you're surrounded with friends, you'll become a new you," Neighsay smiles. 

"Thank you, Neighsay for telling your tale," Maud is impressed with Neighsay stepping up to the plate after Adagio said what was in her heart.  Maud can tell when somepony is lying or not. 

"Thank you for sharing your experience. I had no idea you were once a racist," Adagio said. 

"I'll never be the EEA Neighsay again. Honestly, I'm going after something different. I'm dropping the EEA completely," Neighsay said. He turns to his friends, smiling. "I want to be more involved with my friends," Neighsay trots back to his seat.  

"Wow, you learn something new about a creature," Krystina Larva said. 

"That proves the point of my class when you listen to detail. You learn something pivotal from a close friend and how they feel. Adagio, is there more you would like to say?" 

"Well," Adagio looks at Gallus for a second. "I would like to be with those I can cherish with the second chance given to me. To never take it for granted." 

Gallus smiles and hopes to find it in his heart to admit his feelings for Adagio just as Spike did with Wendy in Earth Land. Adagio trots to her seat. She's sitting next to Aria and Gallus. 

"Hey, I like the idea of you cherishing those around you," Gallus whispers to Adagio's ear. 

"Thanks," Adagio replies. 

Sonata gets up, and the school bell rings, signaling the end of class. 

"Well, that's the end of class. Enjoy today's meal. If there's something you want to talk about, I'll be in the cafeteria," Maud takes her pet rock, Boulder. 

"Oh goodie, I wonder what they have for lunch!" Sonata gets excited. "I hope it's tacos," She licks her lips. 

"We'll have to see about that," Aria said. "Mind showing us where to go?" 

"Follow us," The Unity Seven said in unison. 

Krystina Larva follows the group to the cafe. She remains silent around them. She's afraid to speak to them after the fiasco in Discord's trust exercise. Even after hearing what the Unity Seven said, it wasn't convincing enough for her to open up to them. She remembers the moment her family change by the one creature that ought to see the change in her.
> Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up after his nap. He looks around to check the time. It's 7:17 at night, and Lucy walks into the apartment with Natsu and Happy. 

"Whoa, what happened?" Lucy asks after seeing the shards of her window on the floor. 

"I don't want to talk about it," Spike flaps his wings and flies out the window. 

"Does that mean I get his bed tonight?" Natsu asks Lucy. Lucy slaps him on the back of the head. "Ow! What was that for?" 

"Something is wrong here. Spike doesn't want to answer my question. He sounded sad and flew out the window. Aren't you a bit curious to know why?" 

"I'll ask him later. I've been through a lot of transformation magic practice while having to find out that Erza was Fairy Woman." 

"Aye," Happy concurs. 

Lucy sighs heavily. While Spike is flying in Magnolia, Carla is having a hard time talking to Wendy about her actions. She's locked out of the room in the Fairy Tail Girl's Dorm. 

"Wendy, please. Open up. It's been hours since we came home," Carla continues to knock on the door. Wendy is silent in her room; she's sitting on her bed, ignoring Carla. Erza, no longer dressed as Fairy Woman, comes up to Carla. 

"Something troubling you, Carla?" Erza looks down at Carla. 

Carla nods. "I've done something horrible, and Wendy doesn't want to listen to me." 

"Come to my room and explain what you did wrong," Erza said. She picks up Carla and goes to her room. After a few moments, Erza enters her room and puts Carla on her couch. She sits on a chair. "So, what happened?" 

Carla looks down and remembers the moment she made Wendy angry. She takes a deep breath. "You know that today was Spike and Wendy's date, right?" 

"Yes. I was next to Spike when he mentioned going on a date with Wendy. I was enjoying the Maximum Sweet Strawberry cake with Spike and Lisanna after they told their tale from yesterday's job." 

"Well," Carla sadly sighs. Erza picks up that it must have been serious for what Carla is about to say. "I took it upon myself to spy on Wendy and Spike during their date." 

"You did what?" Erza sounds a little angry by Carla's action for spying on her brother. 

"I spied on Wendy and Spike throughout their date. I followed them to a restaurant, to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree, and Spike's apartment." 

"Why?" 

"I wanted to make sure that Wendy is protected," Carla closes her eyes. 

"Carla. Wendy can handle herself against and foe. She also has Spike with her at all times." 

"That's not the protection I'm talking about, Erza. I was afraid that Spike would impregnate Wendy. The way Wendy and Spike were talking and displaying gave me enough conviction to stop them from cuddling..," Carla sadly sighs.

"What else?" 

"I ruined Spike and Wendy's date by assuming the worst and intruding on their fun. Now Wendy won't speak to me. I can assume that is the same for Spike." 

"First of, you should never spy on anyone unless you were hired to do so. Second, Spike is smarter than he looks. He has shown that to us throughout the time we have known him. Third, you gave them something to remember on their first date, an awkward moment for the rest of their lives together. I can't say that your actions were justified. Now, why was it you assumed Spike and Wendy would have intercourse? There has to be more than a quick judgment." 

Carla covers her eyes with her paw. The reasoning behind it is more bothersome to tell. She looks at Erza and sees the vicious glare that Spike is immune to. She trembles a bit, seeing how serious Erza is. 

"I'm afraid that I'm going to lose Wendy to Spike..," Carla looks the other way. 

"What do you mean by that?" Erza asks, toning her mood a bit. 

"It's clear to everyone that Wendy and Spike are madly in love with each other like Bisca and Alzack are. Soon, they'll have a family, but where would I fit in..? I've been with Wendy since she hatched me and.., and..," Carla sniffs a bit. "I'm afraid of her leaving me behind to be with Spike. I don't know what will happen if I'm all alone..," Carla sheds some tears. 

Erza gets up and rubs Carla's back. "You overthink too much. Wendy will never abandon you. You and she are intertwined as friends, just as Happy and Natsu are. I'm sure when Spike and Wendy get older, you'll be living with them and be a family." 

"How.., how can you be certain of that?" Carla looks up at Erza. 

"Friends are like family. They never abandon one another for selfish gain. We are Fairy Tail. Friends to the end and one in the same family. You need to let go of those apprehensions to see the bigger picture. You have to let Wendy go whenever she's with Spike."

"You're right," Carla gets up. "I wish I know what to do next." 

"Make up for it," Erza answers. 

"How? Spike and Wendy don't want to talk to me. How can I make it up for them?" 

"I'll show you. First, you and Wendy need to have a chat," Erza gets up and leaves her room. Carla follows. Erza walks down the hallway to Wendy's door and knocks. "Wendy, it's me, Erza. Can I come in?" 

Wendy is hesitant to answer the door. She is still upset at the fact that Carla ruined her first date with Spike and made him think he's going to impregnate her. Wendy gets out of bed and opens the door. 

"What do you want, Erza?" Wendy looks up at Erza. 

"To talk. Do you have time to talk?" Erza asks. 

"No," Wendy was about to shut the door when Erza opens it wide. Carla flies into the room. "Don't talk to me, Carla." 

"Wendy, please. I want to make it up to you?" Carla pleas. 

"How? By installing lacrima vision cameras to keep an eye on me and Spike in everything we do?" 

"No child. First, can I explain before you jump to conclusions?" Carl asks. 

"Just like you did when you saw Spike and me having a little fun before cuddling?" Wendy is still pissed at Carla. 

Carla sighs heavily. "Please, let me explain. I know my actions aren't justifiable. What I've done was ruining a special moment between you and Spike and much more. For that, I'm sorry for spying on you throughout your date; As for my reasoning behind the intrusion. It wasn't for 'protecting' you from being impregnated. It's because of something else." 

"Like what, Carla?" Carla's statement peak Wendy's interest as to why Carla intervened earlier. 

"It was due to my fear of losing you, Wendy?" 

"Huh?" Wendy is confused. 

"Wendy, I'm afraid of losing you to Spike." 

"Are you in love with me?" Wendy still doesn't get it. 

"Not like in a romantic relationship, Wendy. I'm afraid once you and Spike continue to be together, you'll abandon me to be with him." 

"Carla..," Wendy becomes a bit sad hearing that. 

"Where would I fit in once you and Spike get married? I don't know what would happen to me when the time comes..," 

"So, you thought breaking Spike and me apart would solve the dilemma?" 

"I never intended for you to break up with Spike. I allowed my insecurities to get the better of me. I want you to be happy, Wendy. I'm.., sorry for what I've done. It was wrong of me, and I wish I can take it back..," Carla said in tears. 

Wendy pulls Carla and hugs her. She shed tears now, knowing the hardship that ran amuck in Carla's head. "I forgive you," Wendy holds Carla tighter. "Carla, when Spike and I do get married, I do want you to live with us in our home. I'm sure he won't mind." 

"I.., can't get my hopes up just yet. I need to talk to Spike as well. Also, to make up for my mistake." 

"Well, I know where he'll be if he wanted to be alone or reflect," Wendy goes to her closet to dress up. 

"Where?" Erza and Carla ask. 

"The Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree." 

Ten Minutes Later.

Spike is sitting by the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. He's looking at the stars at night and replays the memory of him and Wendy dancing during the night. 

"I saw your memories. I can't believe that Carla assumed you, giving Wendy a teenage pregnancy. It's wrong for her to be spying on those she trusts wholeheartedly."

"It's not just that. She ruined a special moment between Wendy and me. As you saw, I was stripping slowly while Wendy was using her charm. We were just having fun, and she took it literally. Carla had no right to spy on us." 

"I know. So, what are you planning?"

"To stay home for a few days, I guess. I don't know what to do or how to approach seeing Wendy and Carla without feeling awkward." 

"Very understandable. If you want, I can take over and do some jobs while you cope with your feelings."

"That's not a bad idea. You can help our friends during the jobs while I take a breather. However, I still want a day or two for myself before allowing you to go on jobs until I feel better." 

"Fair enough. Someone is approaching."

Spike gets up; he powers up in case it's Twilight trying to ambush him like the alternate Twilight when she ambushed Leekips. Spike sees Wendy in the same dress she wore during the banquet at Mercurius. Erza and Carla came as well. Spike sighs and flaps his wings. 

"Wait, don't go," Wendy said. 

"Why?" Spike asks. He sounds upset. 

"Carla has something to say to you," Erza said. 

"Spike, I know what I've done is wretched, and I ruined your first date with Wendy. I didn't intrude because I wanted to protect Wendy. I intrude because I was afraid of losing her and being abandoned by her." 

"How would Wendy abandon you? What made you think that?" Spike asks. 

"I was afraid that Wendy would leave me behind when she starts a family with you. I don't know what will happen to me in the future. I don't know where I fit in once you and Wendy settle in a house of your own..," Carla sadly sighs. "I allowed my insecurities to get the better of me, and I wish I can take it back. I'm sorry for what I've done. Is there any way I can make it up to you?" 

"I forgive you, Carla. I know what it's like to feel abandoned, and I don't wish that upon anyone."

"Spike," Wendy turns to Spike. 

"Yes, Wendy?" 

"When we do have our family and house, can Carla live with us?" Wendy asks. 

"Of course she can. I know how much you and she are as best friends. It may be deeper than I think but knowing you, Wendy. I know you would want Carla to be closer to our family." 

Carla is in shock when she hears Spike say that. "What kind of dragon are you?" 

"One of a kind with a kind and caring heart. I did get that from my mother." 

Carla sighs in relief and happiness. "Thank you, Spike. I'm sorry for what I pulled earlier." 

"Don't worry about it. Also, I know how you can make it up to Wendy and me." 

"Anything and it's done," Carla smiles. 

"Sis? Are males allowed inside the girl's dorm?"

"Technically no but, you are an exception with your teleportation magic. Why do you ask?" 

"I want to spend the rest of the night with Wendy in her room." 

"Okay," Carla takes a deep breath. "Mind if I bunk with you, Erza?" 

"Consider it done, Carla," Erza replies. 

"Second, no one eavesdropping what Wendy and I are doing. No one spying on us." 

"I'll be placing a silencing circle in case before I go to my slumber. It's a new spell I've been reading with Spike during our study time."

"I'll stand guard if I have to," Erza said. 

"Third, you have to pay for the broken window at the apartment, Carla."

"Alright, Spike. I'll give you the money for it on the next job we have." 

"Good. I know Lucy must be angry that she has to sleep with a broken window in the apartment." 

"Oh.., right," Carla imagines how Lucy must have reacted to the broken window. 

"Well, without further ado, let's go, handsome dragon," Wendy grabs Spike's arm. 

"Coming, my marvelous Wendy," Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. 

Spike, Wendy, Erza, and Carla go to the girl's dorm. Wendy opens the door to her room and allows Spike to enter. Carla goes in to grab her pajamas and leave. Fairy Rage conjures a silencing circle in Wendy's room.  Erza takes Carla to her room. Spike looks around a bit and sees Wendy on the bed, taking off her shoes. 

"Spike," Wendy uses her index finger as a sign to come closer to her. "We have unfinished business to take care of," Once again, like earlier today, Wendy sounds seductive. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Spike gets on the bed. 

Wendy cuddles Spike and talks about the future as a loving couple. Carla gets comfy on the couch and hopes that Wendy and Spike are having a great night. Erza suits up and stands guard in front of Wendy's door. She hears nothing coming from Wendy's room. Fairy Rage's silencing spell worked out.
> Lunch Break
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Unity Seven, Dazzlings, and Krystina Larva enter the cafeteria. Krystina Larva sees many changelings sitting with different creatures, laughing and having fun. She gets on the line to see what's today's lunch special. Discord's clones are running the kitchen to ensure that every creature gets what they desire. 

Krystina Larva goes for the salad bar instead of having a clone of Discord spawn the desired meal. She grabs her tray and sits at a table alone. Krystina doesn't want to be bothered with anyone from the Unity Seven, Dazzlings, or anyone else. 

Discord, Rockhoof, Maud, Trixie, Sunburst, Starlight Glimmer, and the CMC Counselors enter the cafeteria. They sit at their table, away from the students, to have their discussion. 

"So, how are classes running from each of you?" Starlight asks. 

"Students love my trust exercise. Krystina Larva has some problems with the other students. I need to do better in handling her during my class," Discord answers. 

"The shy lass was fine during my class. She paid attention to my origin story and the lesson I wanted to give to me students," Rockhoof said. 

"Do we have to write an essay like the others?" The CMC Counselors ask. 

"Nay, lassies. I was pulling your chains when I said that," Rockhoof laughs. "Got you good, didn't I?" 

"Yes, you did," Apple Bloom said. 

"You had me fool," Sweetie Belle admits. 

"I thought you were serious," Scootaloo said. 

"You aren't students. Only students get homework from me," Rockhoof eats his fruit salad. 

"Gallus got detention for disrespecting my class. Calling it boring and an easy way to get some sleep," Maud said. 

"How long is the detention?" Starlight asks. 

"Twenty minutes for a listening session. Twenty minutes to write what he heard. Five minutes for an apology written letter." 

"Gotcha, forty-five minutes for Gallus. Anyone else serving time?" Starlight asks Maud. 

"No. Hope not, Headmare Glimmer," Maud answers. She drinks her cup of tea. 

"What about you, Sunburst. How are things going with you?" 

"Pretty good, Headmare Glimmer. The students are enjoying my curriculum nicely. Going into the deeper understanding on how friendships are like family." 

"That's good, Sunburst. What about you, Trixie?" 

"Trixie's class is going smoothly, Headmare Glimmer. My classes are working on constructive team exercises after a demonstration from yours truly." 

"Good to hear, Trixie. I want you and Sunburst to take things a little slow for Krystina Larva. She's going through a hard time with every creature," Starlight said. 

"Will do, Headmare Glimmer. I should be able to prioritize a simple method for Krystina Larva to accomplish," Sunburst said. He takes out his notepad and starts jotting notes. 

"I'll be sure to help Krystina Larva. Trixie will aide her in team exercises until she becomes comfortable with other creatures." 

"Tomorrow, I'll work with Krystina after what I've done. I need to show her how to rebuild trust with those she can consider a friend," Discord said. "I'll have something planned after the students finish with their exercise." 

"That's good, Discord. Try not to make her feel more ashamed. Judging from Krystina Larva's body language, she suffered a lot. I wonder what kind of cruel creature would force her family to change for the worse..?" Starlight ponders a bit. 

"We will never know unless she opens up," Scootaloo said. 

"I could see her memories and discover what creature done such a thing," Discord suggests. 

"Unless she approves Discord, I would refrain from invading her personal space and thoughts," Starlight said. 

"Very well, Headmare Glimmer," Discord drinks a barrel of chocolate milk. 

"Following Cana's footsteps for drinking habits, Discord?" 

"Yes, Headmare Glimmer. She inspired me to take upon this new habit of mine," Discord continues to drink his barrel of chocolate milk. 

Silverstream and Sonata decide to pardon themselves and sit with Krystina Larva. Krystina barely touched her food. She looks sad and depressed. 

"Hey, is everything okay?" Silverstream pats Krystina Larva's back. 

"I'm trying to live my life knowing that I have no family to call my own..," Krystina looks down. 

"Well, we can be your friends, and we can also be your family," Sonata and Silverstream cheerfully said. Hoping it'll make Krystina smile a bit. 

"I don't know.., I want to believe in it but, I'm afraid by having another family, it'll backfire on me again..," Krystina Larva sighs. "Why bother with a lost cause that hasn't been loved in a long time." 

"Well, our love for friendship may satisfy those needs," Silverstream said. 

"I doubt that," Krystina Larva turns away. "I couldn't catch a single creature during Discord's exercise. Why bother trusting me when I couldn't muster enough to catch a potential falling friend? Who would want me as a friend?" 

"We do," Silverstream and Sonata said in unison. 

"Look, some creatures have bumpy roads, but in the end, they prosper. Remember what Neighsay said during Maud's class?" Silverstream asks. 

Krystina Larva nods, not saying a word. 

"It'll take time, but in the end, you'll be smiling and forgetting about the sadness. You'll have a new family to call your own," Silverstream smiles. 

"So please, come sit with us," Sonata encourages Krystina Larva to come to sit with them. 

"Perhaps another day. I need time for myself to take all of this in; I do not accept quickly. I need time to process this and to really give it a shot." 

"Fair enough," Silverstream and Sonata nod in understanding. They go back to sit with their friends, leaving Krystina Larva alone. 

Krystina Larva gets up and leaves the cafeteria. Starlight Glimmer watches her and decides to pardon herself from the table. She trots up with Krystina Larva. 

"Hey, Krystina. How's your first day of school going?" 

"Well, I guess, Headmare Glimmer," Krystina sighs heavily. "There's a lot for me to take in, and I do need time to find my place among friends and to accept them as my new family."

"Take your time. You have plenty of it," Starlight reassures Krystina. 

"Thank you," Krystina trots away from Starlight Glimmer. She decides to enter a classroom to isolate herself from anyone. She coughs a little due to starvation. "I need to eat something, but I don't want to draw more attention. I'll wait until school is over."

Krystina looks at the clock. Only fifteen more minutes until the lunch period is over.
> An Interesting Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up earlier in the morning. He writes a note and leaves it on the desk in Wendy's room. He uses his magic to teleport back to the apartment. 

It's 7:15 in the morning. Spike arrives in the apartment and sees Lucy sleeping on her bed, Natsu and Happy sleeping on his bed with a weird-looking egg. The window that's broken is taped up with cardboard. 

"Where did that egg come from?"

"No clue. I bet it fell from the sky as you did when you first came to Earth Land. Crashing into Natsu's face like a magnet."

"That's more than likely with Natsu's timing. Oh well." Spike shrugs. "I'm going to make breakfast for them."

Spike is in the kitchen making bacon, eggs, and grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato sauce. The aroma coming from the kitchen causes Lucy, Natsu, and Happy to wake up. 

"Man, something smells awesome," Natsu yawns, his mouth starting to water. 

"Aye," Happy licks his lips. 

"Oh wow, that smells good," Lucy frantically wakes up, realizing she's not the one cooking breakfast. 

"Morning, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy," Spike waves from the kitchen. 

"Spike! You came home!" Lucy runs up to Spike and hugs him. 

"Sorry for the scare, Lucy. I spent the night with Wendy." 

"So, do you know what happened to our window?" 

"Yea, it was an awkward situation. Get yourself freshen up, and I'll tell you while serving breakfast." 

"Hey, Spike! Man, have I ever told you that you're cooking is delicious?" Natsu laughs while sitting by the table. 

"Not enough," Spike chuckles. 

"So, why did you fly out the window yesterday?" Happy asks. 

"I'll tell you about the story in a jiffy. I still need to make sure the grilled cheese sandwiches come out steaming hot," Natsu and Happy lick their lips, waiting to taste pure perfection. "So, what's with the egg?" 

"It fell out of the sky and hit Natsu in the face. Spike, I swear, Natsu's face is a magnet." 

"Hahaha, very funny, Happy," Natsu sarcastically said. 

"So, I want to say that the egg could be another Exceed or some creature abandoned by its mother. So after breakfast, Happy and I will take care of the baby." 

"Uh-huh," Happy nods. "I can't wait to be an older brother." 

"Well, hope all goes well for the two of you," Spike pours tomato sauce into four small bowls. He puts a serving of bacon and eggs with two grilled cheese sandwiches on each plate. 

Lucy comes out of her bathroom to see Spike putting plates on the table. Natsu and Happy are devouring their plates. Lucy goes to the fridge to grab orange juice for her friends. She pours a good serving into each cup to give. 

"Thank you, Lucy," Spike, Natsu, and Happy said in unison. 

"You're welcome. Thank you for cooking breakfast, Spike." 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles. 

Spike tells his friends about the date he and Wendy had yesterday. The trio is in shock about Carla's ongoing spying routine. Natsu, Happy, and Lucy admit to Spike about their spying but only at the diner. Spike sighs a bit but lets it pass cause they didn't cause awkward scenery. Spike tells Lucy that Carla will be paying for the broken window. 

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy tell Spike about their job after taking some transformation magic lessons from Mirajane and a corny fight scene displayed in town by Fairy Woman and two other bozos from the guild. Their job was to collect scales from a lizardman when a shadow cast hovers in the skies and drops an egg on Natsu's face. 

"So, that's how you got the egg." 

"Yea," Natsu grabs the egg. "Thanks for breakfast," Natsu jumps through the cardboard box window.

"Are you freaking kidding me?! That window is broken, you idiot!" Lucy is irate at the fact Natsu forgot about the broken window. Happy flies out through the broken window, catching up with Natsu. "Why do I even bother?" Lucy sighs. 

Spike finishes his plate and starts putting the dishes in the sink. Lucy helps Spike wash and put the dishes away. The two hear a knock on the door. Spike answers the door to see Carla and Wendy. 

"Hey, Wendy, Carla," Spike said. 

"Hey, Spike," Wendy hugs Spike and kisses his cheek. 

Carla walks inside. "Here, Lucy. I explained to the Landlady that I broke the window yesterday. She told me the cost is 20,000 Jewels, so here you go," Carla gives Lucy 20,000 Jewels. 

"Thank you, Carla. I can buy a replacement window now. Hey, Spike, want to go window shopping with me?" 

"I'm good, Lucy. I'm going to stay and catch up on my reading. There are spells I want, and I know there is some that Fairy Rage wants to master." 

"Alright, then," Lucy grabs her purse and leaves the apartment. 

"So, after you're done studying, what are you planning, Spike?" Wendy asks. 

"Don't know. I don't feel like working today. I feel the need to hone my magic a bit more." 

"You should do the same, Wendy. Instead of lollygagging, you should hone your skills," Carla said. 

"Hmm, how about you and I train together, Spike." 

"Sure, Wendy. Let me grab some magic books, and we'll train together." 

"Sweet," Wendy smiles. 

Spike grabs his backpack and stores a few magic books. He, Wendy, and Carla leave the apartment. The trio runs into Erza and Mirajane while they are bringing supplies to the guildhall. 

"Hey, you three," Mirajane smiles. 

"Where are you three running off to?" Erza asks. 

"Spike and Wendy are off to do some training today," Carla answers Erza's question. 

"You know, I haven't got the opportunity to spar with Spike. How is he during your sparring sessions, Erza?" 

"He's tough. You want to improve any strengths that you may lack, spar with Spike. He will push your limits." 

"A Satan Soul versus Fairy Demon Dragon?" Wendy imagines the horrific clash the two can have in an apocalyptic setting. 

"I don't think eating Mirajane's Satan Soul magic would trigger my Fairy Demon transformation." 

"Well, that's an interesting thought," Erza imagines what the battle would be. Satan Soul and Fairy Demon Dragon, fighting over braggings rights as demonic ruler of the underworld. 

"Do you want to spar with me, Mirajane?" Spike wonders if she does want to. 

"Well," Mirajane remembers the brawl Spike had with Jura during the first day of the Grand Magic Games. Spike's tenacity and technicality in battle are more than enough to persuade her to say yes. "I do. Just not at the moment. I have a ton to do at the guildhall, and Master Makarov needs my assistance." 

"Fair enough. Perhaps another day we'll get the chance to spar." 

"I'll look forward to it," Mirajane smiles. She walks to the guildhall. 

"Have fun with your training, you two," Erza follows Mirajane to the guildhall. 

"To the East Forest where we camped months ago," Spike suggests. 

"Sounds good. Hey, mind waiting a bit. I need to grab the book Grandeeny gave me," Wendy asks. 

"Sure. I can teleport you two to your room, and I'll meet you outside the dorm." 

"Thanks, Spike," Wendy graciously said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Carla and Wendy to their room at the girls' dorm. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport outside of the dorm and waits. After a few minutes, Wendy and Carla come outside. 

"Thanks for waiting, Spike. I have to say your teleportation spell is a gift," Carla said. 

"It's a perk I'm glad I can use more often than to send mail."

"Let's get moving," Wendy holds Spike's claw. 

The two walk together into town with Carla. They are taking a different route that'll lead to the East Forest. Half an hour later, the trio arrives and sees Sherria fishing by their camping spot next to the river. 

"Hey, Sherria!" Wendy runs up to her. 

"Wendy!" Sherria runs to Wendy and hugs her. "What are you doing here?" 

"I came to train with Spike. What are you doing here?" 

"I'm doing my own training. The Old Hag is having a senior moment at the guildhall, and I didn't want to be bothered. When she throws a fit, everyone gets spun. I'm one of the few that didn't get spun, so I'll be here for a few days." 

"Does it take that long for your Guild's Master to calm down?"

"Depending on the Old Hag, it can take a week or two. I'm going to be out here for a little while. I've done this with Sherry when we were younger, so I'm used to being out here in the wilderness." 

"Well, you won't be out here alone. I have an idea, how about you train with us, and Spike, Carla, and I will camp with you. So you won't be alone." 

"That sounds great, but I don't have enough room in my tent," Sherria points to her small tent. 

"I'm on it," Spike uses his fire breath to teleports to the apartment. 

"Spike's tent could fit all four of us," Wendy said. 

"It can?" Sherria questions the size of the tent. 

"Mmhmm," Wendy nods. 

"Also, you didn't pitch your tent properly," Carla observes the tent's condition. "And, it's falling apart." 

"Well, it's not the greatest tent in the world, but I manage," On cue, a Forest Vulcan shows up and tears the tent apart for having the scent of strawberries. "Hey! You destroyed my tent! I sleep in there!" 

"Where are those strawberries?" The Vulcan said. He sees Sherria and Wendy. "Oh! Luck struck big time! I get to have strawberries and the ladies?" The Forest Vulcan gets excited. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her Sky Dragon breath attack. 

"Sky God Belloooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her Sky God breath attack. 

The breath attacks form in a unison raid to blow the Forest Vulcan away; however, the breath attack also sends a swarm of Forest Vulcans far away. Sherria walks up to her destroyed tent and finds that her backpack containing junk food and clothes is all that's left. 

"I guess I'll have to bunk with you and Spike," Sherria turns to Wendy. 

"It's not so bad," Wendy reassuringly says to comfort Sherria. 

"Yea. I could be spinning for hours by the Old Hag." 

Spike returns with Traveler's Prime tent and a few essentials for him, Carla, and Wendy. "Uh, what happened while I was away?" 

"Perverted apes came and wrecked my tent. I had strawberry jam and soda in the tent, and they wanted it. Mind if I bunk in your tent, Spike?" 

"Sure, Sherria. My tent can fit up to five people. There's plenty of space for you. I need to set it up first." 

"Thank you, Spike," Sherria hugs Spike in thankfulness. 

"You're welcome," Spike starts pitching the tent while Sherria and Wendy decide to set up the bond fire to cook later. 

Jura comes looking for Sherria. He remembers the stories about a good camping spot in the East Forest. He sees Spike pitching the tent while Sherria and Wendy are making the bond fire. 

"There you are, Sherria," Jura approaches them. 

"Hey, Jura. I guess the Old Hag has calmed down?" Sherria asks. 

"Indeed. I've come to inform you that it's safe to return. Greetings Wendy, Carla, and Spike. Nice to see you once more." 

"Hey, Jura," Spike waves while pitching the tent. 

"Hi, Jura," Wendy looks at him. 

"I'm going to stay here for a few more days, Jura."

"I can see why, Sherria. Nice open fields, a river to fish, and camping with good friends. I presume you're going to be training as well?" 

"Yes, Jura," Sherria humbly nods. 

"Well, the Old Hag's instruction was to return with you, so that means I'll be camping as well," Jura uses his iron rock magic to create an iron rock shelter. 

"This is cool," Spike gets excited. 

"Fairy Dragon. I do want to spar with you. Perhaps, we can have our rematch," Jura smirks. 

"I did promise you a rematch during the Grand Magic Games. I still have to honor my commitment." 

"I bet the others would be pissed to miss out on this rematch," Sherria whispers to Wendy's ear. 

"Definitely. I didn't see the two battling each other, but I figure it must be climatic since the fight is proven to be the best in all of Grand Magic Games history. Sorcerer Weekly did an issue on the best Grand Magic Games matches, and theirs are number one on the list," Wendy whispers in Sherria's ear. 

Spike finishes pitching Traveler's Prime. Sherria put her belongings inside. 

"Wow, Spike. The interior looks roomy," Sherria puts her sleeping back on the far left. 

"Thanks," Spike turns to Jura. "My tent can fit up to five people. Are you going to be fine under a rock house?" 

"Don't worry about me, Fairy Dragon. I'll be fine."

"Alright, Jura," Spike turns to see Wendy and Carla. 

"Mind teleporting us back to the dorm so we can pack some clothing and snacks?" Wendy nervously chuckles a bit. 

"Sure. However, the two of you are flying back here." 

"Sounds fair," Wendy said. 

"Agreed. There could be something else Wendy and I may bring," Carla said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Wendy and Carla back to the girls' dorm. "Alright, I'll say in two hours they'll be back." 

"In the meantime, let's do a sparring session," Jura suggests. 

"Sure," Spike and Sherria said in unison. 

"Go all out!" Jura commands. 

Jura, Spike, and Sherria battle each other during the sparring. Sherria took it more personally with Spike considering he's the one that defeated Lamia Scale during the Grand Magic Games. Jura and Spike engage in close-quarter combat. Spike still has ways to go in terms of physical strength. 

After an hour of training, Wendy and Carla return with supplies and clothing for the next few days. They see Spike, Sherria, and Jura lying on the ground with some bruises, laughing for having a good workout session. 

"Hey, what did we miss?" Wendy asks Sherria. 

"An intense training session. Spike, Jura, and I went all out in a close-quarters situation." 

"You still need to work on your physical strength, Fairy Dragon. I do give you props for using your opponent's strength as leverage." 

"Thanks, Jura. Magic-wise, I can hold my own against the two of you; strength-wise, I need to lift mountains to reach new heights." 

"Wendy, we should train later today," Sherria said. 

"Sure. But first, there are other spells I want to study first," Wendy grabs her book of spells. 

"You and me both." Fairy Rage takes control and spawns a magic book from the tent. 

"So, when you take over Fairy Rage. What does Spike do?" Jura asks; he always wanted to know what happens when Spike isn't in control. 

"Spike goes into a deep sleep or watches what I'm reading. There are spells I want to add to my power mentally. One which I can restore a Wizard's power it's too low or if a Wizard loses magic power for good. Perhaps restoring a trait of a wizard that was lost."

"Interesting, Fairy Rage. One more question. Do you wish to have a body of your own?" Jura asks. 

"Not really. I'm still an aspect of Spike with my own soul. I'm comfortable with how things are and will be."

"I respect that. It's an honor to have you as an ally." 

"Likewise, Jura."

Spike, Wendy, Carla, Sherria, and Jura camped in the East Forest for a few days. They went through intense training physically and magically. Sherria and Jura go their separate ways after thanking Spike and Wendy for their assistance during training. Spike and Fairy Rage have learned different spells. Wendy mastered a few during the time. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla go to the guildhall to see Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, and a strange but cute little critter in Natsu's arms. The critter has black fur, large round black eyes encased in a green-colored shape like a heart. 

"Hey, Spike. Had fun camping?" Lucy asks. 

"You guys went camping!? Since when?" Gray asks. 

"A few days ago. Interestingly enough, Wendy and Spike not only camped, but we also trained with Sherria and Jura." 

"Whoa, that must have been intense," Lucy said in awe. 

"Anyway," Natsu but in. "Let me introduce you to Kemokemo!" Natsu shows Kemokemo to Spike, Wendy, and Carla. 

"Wow, so that's what in the egg days ago," Spike gently pokes Kemokemo. He makes a cute murmuring sound. "He's cute." 

"He sure is, Spike!" Natsu hugs Kemokemo.

"I guess this means we're going to have one more mouth to feed," Happy said; he's eating his plate of fish. 

"We should be careful with it; this mystery pet smells nothing but trouble," Gray said. 

"Oh, come on, it looks too fluffy to cause much damage," Wendy said, watching Natsu playing with Kemokemo. 

"That puff can grow into a vicious beast for all we know," Carla said, analyzing the creature from the table. 

"You think so?" Wendy turns to Carla. 

"It can do anything. We're playing with fire here. The responsible choice is to take it to the woods and leave it there," Gray said. 

"If it grows, I'm sure I can manage," Spike said. 

"Says the doofus that couldn't take a mole," Gray painfully reminds Spike of the gigantic mole he had problems with. 

"Why you," Erza irately grabs Gray's head and slams it on the table. "Don't mock my brother like that!"

"Sorry, Ma'am," Gray remembers not to disrespect Spike in front of Erza. 

"So, Erza. What should we do with Kemokemo?" Lucy asks. 

Erza's demeanor changes within an instant when Kemokemo's name comes up. "Get a stick and play fetch," Erza wants to play with Kemokemo. 

"That's not what I meant, but thanks anyway," Lucy groans a bit. 

"Is this a Wizard's guild or a pet shop? I forget," Master Makarov gazes at Natsu and his pet. 

"Like I bring a pet in here. This guy's kin," Natsu proclaims. 

"When it has an accident, it should not be on the floor of this hall. Besides, that dog grows too quickly," Master Makarov sees Kemokemo increasing in size. Moments ago, it was smaller.

"Yea, he's right!" Lucy sees Kemokemo. "He grew like two inches." 

Gray, Erza, Wendy, and Spike get closer to Natsu to see Kemokemo. They are in shock to see how fast Kemokemo is growing already. 

"Kemokemo is not a pet. If he makes a mess, I'll clean it!" 

"If I ever see you clean up after yourself, I'll believe you," Master Makarov doubts that Natsu will clean up after Kemokemo. "Keep it if you must but not in here."

Kemokemo gets upset and shoots fire from his mouth, scorching Master Makarov. "Kemokemo, you can breathe fire!" Natsu is delighted to see Kemokemo do such a thing. 

"That's no dog, it's a hellhound. We should shoot it!" Master Makarov is fumming. 

"I don't care about what mean stuff you say about Kemokemo; I'm going to keep him. You don't ditch family." 

A frogman that represents the Magic Council enters the guildhall. He explains the Wizard Exchange Program. Each member that made it to the Grand Magic Games will send wizards to work with each other's guild. The goal is to prosper cooperation and sharing knowledge among each other. The representative tells Makarov that he can choose up to five wizards. Natsu volunteers to go as an exchange wizard. Happy decides to go, then Lucy, Erza, and Gray. The representative asks Makarov to allow Spike the Fairy to participate in the program. The Magic Council needs to take account for the next generation of dragons among the guilds with him being around. Master Makarov allows Spike to partake in the program. 

Three hours later. Spike, Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Kemokemo arrives at the Blue Pegasus Guild. Throughout the trip, Kemokemo increases his size. He now looks like pillow plush. 

"Welcome friends, it's been too long. Maaan," Ichiya poses with Jenny and the Trimen, greeting Spike, Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Kemokemo. 

"Uh, thank you for having us," Erza feels uncomfortable being this close to Ichiya. 

"I smelled you coming for miles, Erza. Having once intertwined your parfume with my own, I'm tuned into your scent. Best sniff I ever had." 

Lucy and Erza are creeped out by Ichiya's antics. The Trimen starts flirting with them until Spike punches the trio in the face. 

"Dude, this isn't a hookup date. We're here for the Wizard Exchange Program!" Spike reminds the Trimen of the reasoning for coming to the guild in the first place. 

"My beautiful face hurts!" Hibiki rubs his face while remembering the punch Spike delivered seven years ago. 

"Dude, you hit my handsome face!" Eve now has a black eye. 

"I'm going to lay on the smackdown with you!" Ren wants a piece of Spike. Hibiki and Eve hold him back. 

"Hibiki told me I can do that when you guys step out of line," Spike said in his defense. 

"You did?" Ren and Eve turn to Hibiki angrily. 

"I did say that. I thought Spike would forget by now," Hibiki admits with a nervous chuckle, remembering the time he said it to Spike during the Nirvana crisis. 

"Thank you for remembering, Spike!" Lucy said in relief.

"Forgive my Trimen and me when we step out of line. However, I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from striking us. You're here to work with us. Strike us, and I'll have to ask you to leave," Ichiya respectfully said to Spike. 

"Don't step out of line, and I'll hold my punches," Spike calmly replies. 

"Very well," Ichiya sees Kemokemo. 

"This is Kemokemo," Natsu introduces Kemokemo to Ichiya. "Have you seen someone like him?" 

"No. Sniff sniff," Ichiya smells Kemokemo. "His parfume is unlike any beast I smelled."

"Thanks, man. I washed him earlier today." 

"I know. As long as he doesn't bite our patrons, he can stay. Alright, show them to the dressing room." 

"Do I have to wear clothes?" Spike asks Ichiya. 

"While in our guild as exchange wizards, you must comply with our regulations. So, do please dress appropriately." 

Spike sighs. He follows Natsu and Gray to the men's dressing room. Jenny of Blue Pegasus takes Erza and Lucy to the women's dressing room. Ten minutes later, everyone comes out dressing stunningly except for Spike. 

"Hey! Why aren't you dressed!?" Ichiya angrily points at Spike. Spike's eyes are orange when he grabs Ichiya's hand, breaking his fingers.  "OOOOW! OW OW OW OW OW OW!" 

"Hey, that isn't cool!" Eve said, watching Spike let go of Ichiya's hand. 

"You're clothing is uncomfortable, no holes for my spikes, wings, and tail. I'll wait outside for a while," Spike leaves the guildhall, knowing he is unable to comply with the rules for the Blue Pegasus Guild. 

"Poor guy," Lucy feels bad for Spike. 

"You guys should take account for dragon clothing since there'll be a generation of his kind," Happy said. 

"Point taken," Ichiya breathes his pain-killing parfume. "Now that everyone else is dressed; let's see what you can do. Your job is to go mingle with our guests. Entertain them a bit and make them feel right at home." 

"As long as they don't touch me," Lucy said. 

Spike is sitting outside waiting, hoping that there may be another task the Blue Pegasus Guild can offer him during the exchange program. Less than half an hour, Spike hears screams, then a loud crash.

"What was that?" 

"I guessing Natsu used his fire breath and scorched whoever pissed him off."

"Yea, I'm going to go with that." 

Spike sees Natsu, Kemokemo, Happy, Lucy, Erza, and Gray leaving the guildhall. They tell Spike that they got kicked out due to Kemokemo using a fire breath on the Blue Pegasus Guild. 

"Huh, I was close with my prediction. It was Kemokemo that breathe fire. That's interesting. So, where to?"

"Lamia Scale isn't far from here. We're heading there now," Erza said. 

"How are you feeling, Spike?" Lucy asks. 

"I'm okay. I am glad that we're leaving the Blue Pegasus Guildhall. Hopefully, things will go smoother in Lamia Scale." 

An hour later, Natsu, Spike, Kemokemo, Happy, Lucy, Erza, and Gray arrive at the Lamia Scale Guildhall. Ooba Babasaama sees Kemokemo and explains she has never seen a creature such as Kemokemo before. Throughout the hour of traveling, Kemokemo grew twice as big. Ooba believes that Kemokemo is a new species. 

"Why would Fairy Tail send a lazy slacker like you instead of Juvia?" Lyon asks Gray. He's disappointed that Juvia didn't partake in the program. 

"I'm not here because I wanna be, alright? If the bar is so high, why aren't you doing the program?" Gray asks Lyon. 

"Such things are beneath me," Lyon smirks, hearing Gray's pathetic excuse. "What can I possibly learn from something utterly juvenile?"

Jura walks by everyone with stone tablets. Earlier today, when he and Sherria returned to the guildhall, Ooba gave Jura stone tablets that washed up from the sea and asked him to decipher them. 

"Fairy Dragon, nice to see you again," Jura looks down at Spike. 

"What you got there?" Happy asks Jura. 

"Stone tablets that were washed up by the sea. My task is to decipher them. They're written in a tongue both foreign and ancient. Your help will be much appreciated." 

"You can count on us," Lucy said. 

Jura goes to a table nearby to place the stone tablets. He grabs a book that has the same scripture as the stone tablets. Lucy tries her best to decode what the scripture on the tablets reads. 

"Spike, can you teleport to the guildhall and bring Levy?" Erza asks. 

"I think she's busy with a job with Droy and Jet. We're going have to make do with what we have," Spike replies. 

"Alright, let's do what we can to help," Erza said. 

"Lucy, what can I do to help?" Natsu asks while holding Kemokemo. 

"Go away," Lucy and Happy politely answer, knowing that Natsu will cause an accident. 

"That's just mean!" Natsu is upset. He notices something under the stone tablets. Erza, Ooba, and Spike take a look. 

"Seashells. Judging from the color, they look fresh," Erza said. 

"What beach produces those seashells?" Spike ponders a bit. 

"It could be any beach, but judging from the stone tablets, it could be from an island that's been off the grid."

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Fairy Rage. I traveled throughout the land and sea and never encountered those stone tablets on any island," Jura said. 

In the background of the scenery, Lyon and Gray are fighting and arguing loudly. Ooba tells them to shut up or else she'll spin the two to oblivion. 

"Alright, so far, I am to decipher three texts, tree, a sun, and a blessing. To me, that's photosynthesis. The picture in the book shows people running away from the smoke. How does that tie in?" 

"We only have pieces to the puzzle. We need to find more crucial evidence to make our case."

Spike takes a look at the book. "The smoke looks like one ugly creature. Perhaps the smoke is some sort of poison or cleansing." 

"We'll take that to account. Spike's guesses are accurate, Jura. Give him something, and he can solve it," Erza said. 

"Very well, Titania. If what Fairy Dragon says is true, there is more than meets the eye," Jura takes a look at the book and the scriptures. 

The tensions are rising rapidly between Gray and Lyon; they start battling with each other. An ice boulder crashes into the tablets due to the bickering. Lyon and Gray realized they made a fatal mistake when they turn to see the wreckage. 

"You idiots!" Erza is livid. 

"Why?" Lucy angrily asks why the two were at each other's throats. 

"You could have hurt someone!" Natsu refers to Kemokemo. 

"My the vigor of youth is astounding. But since no one is hurt and the tablets are fine. We should be able to proceed with our progress," Jura sounds pleasant and humble. When he turns around, the stone tablets are reduced to rubble. He panics and screams horridly. 

Ooba angrily tells Fairy Tail to leave after causing a scene. Erza whacks Gray's head as she and her friends leave the Lamia Scale Guildhall. The next guild that isn't far from Lamia Scale is Mermaid Heel. After a two-hour walk, they arrive at the beach near the guildhall. Kagura sees Erza and runs, leaping into her arms. Erza hugs her and is happy to see Kagura again. 

"Okay, first, there are some ground rules with the Wizard Exchange Program," Risley Law said. "We don't allow boys to join Mermaid Heel." 

"W-Wait. Then what are we supposed to do?" Gray and Natsu nervously ask. 

"Improvise, of course," Beth Vanderwood said. 

Natsu and Gray don't like the sound of it. They don't want to lose their dignity like this. Erza lets go of Kagura and decides to help improvise.

"How are you doing as of late, Sis?" Spike turns to Kagura, ignoring the squeals of Natsu and Gray getting dragged to Mermaid Heel's Guildhall. 

"I'm doing good, Spike," Kagura hugs Spike. "I missed you." 

"Likewise. So, do I have to-" Kagura puts her finger on Spike's mouth. 

"No. I won't allow my younger brother to degrade himself. Plus, everyone knows who you are. I'll say you are a paying customer to try our new trademark dish." 

"Thanks, and to be honest, I am famished," Spike rubs his belly. 

"Here, I'll take you to the outdoor venue of our guild," Kagura leads Spike, Lucy, and Happy to the venue. 

Millianna sees Happy and takes him, hugging him tightly while cooking a slab of meat. Erza comes back to hug Kagura after helping Natsu and Gray to improvise as disguised members for Mermaid Heel. Natsu and Gray are humiliated at the fact that they are crossdressing in public. 

"Alright, I need you, girls, to go around tables and take orders. Then you are to deliver their food and drink, got it?" Millianna commands the Exchange Wizards. 

Gray and Natsu wonder why Spike isn't partaking with the crossdressing and taking orders. Kemokemo is beside Natsu. Wherever he walks, Kemokemo will follow him. Lucy complies and starts going table to table, writing the orders the customer wants. 

"Say, Millianna, where did you come by that massive slab of meat?" Erza asks. 

"It's from a deep-sea fish. They're huge," Millianna answers. 

"How you catch it?" Erza asks. 

"We didn't. For reasons unknown, they've been washing up onshore. We threw them on the menu as a special, and now they are a trademark," Kagura replies to Erza's question. 

"It smells good," Spike is sitting on the stool. 

"Think you can spare a bite for me, please?" Erza asks.

"Sure, no problem. Spike, is it true? Is your cooking heavenly? Kagura mentioned it a while ago when she returned from the pirate quest," Millianna turns to Spike while cooking the slab. 

"When you taste my cooking, you'll know," Spike answers. 

"Millianna, a sandwich made by Spike is heavenly," Erza said. 

"Wooow," Millianna can only imagine the flavor. 

"Spike's cookies are to die for..," Happy said. 

"Indeed. Perhaps after you eat, you can bake those cookies as a special. We'll pay you half of what we make from them," Kagura said. 

"Half?" Millianna doesn't like the sound of it. 

"When you taste his cookies, you'll understand why," Kagura said. 

"Okay, and Erza. Are you sure your friends got this?" Millianna watches how Natsu and Gray are doing while disguised as girls. Gray is disturbed that his feelings get the better of him when serving food and drinks to customers. Slamming the drinks on the tables hard, whiplashing the customers with force. Kemokemo knocks people off their seats and flips some tables while Natsu tries to bring their food. Lucy does her best, but she has her struggles with the chaos spewing from Gray, Natsu, and Kemokemo. Things aren't going smoothly, as hoped. 

"The service may be terrible, but that drag is on point. Once I got their wigs on, I was nearly fooled myself," Erza said with pride. She's delighted in her work on improvising the guys. 

"Yea, but if someone did notice..," Millianna starts losing faith. She fears that Natsu and Gray's disguises will be exposed. 

"Right," Kagura nods. "If word got out that our girls' only guild have been infiltrated by the coarser sex, it'll be P.R. Disaster," Kagura seriously states. 

"Ouch..," Spike imagines how bad the reputation of Mermaid Heel would be if word got out. "Millianna, how long does the slab need to be cooked for?"

"Mind waiting a half an hour longer. I need to add some spices to it." 

"Sure, I can wait," Spike smells the aroma of the slab, which causes his belly to growl louder. 

"Hey! I didn't order this drink!" An angry customer barks at Gray. 

Gray whacks the guy with the tray and rips his dress. "Screw this! I quit!" 

People panic and run away after Gray stripped. They can't believe that a man is part of a girls' only guild. Lucy covers her face in shame while Natsu burns his dress apart, knowing that he's free from his job. 

"The guild's reputation will never recover from this. Ever!" Kagura is displeased and pissed with Gray for ruining the reputation and trust that Mermaid Heel has with the people. 

Erza sighs. She understands that her plan backfired and ruined Mermaid Heel's reputation. "Don't worry. I know the drill. We'll be leaving now." 

"Please do," Kagura said. She turns to Spike. "You can stay, Spike."

"What?" Lucy is confused. 

"His slab isn't finished cooking, and I have another use for him to redeem your mistake for our guild's reputation!" Kagura angrily replies. 

"How would Spike help regain your guild's reputation?" Erza asks. 

"His cookies. If the people see that Mermaid Heel and Fairy Dragon are working together on a dish and make it special, it may help those people forget about the males infiltrating our guild."

Erza sighs heavily. "Very well. Spike, we're off to the Quatro Cerberus Guildhall. If we're not there, we're off to another guild. Let's go, guys," Erza leaves with Gray, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, and Kemokemo. 

"Okay, Sis. See you later," Spike watches them leave. He then uses his fire breath to teleport the list of ingredients for his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. "Have these ingredients in your storage or fridge?"

Millianna takes the list and reads it. "Yes, we do, but not much. We normally bake cakes, but not many people have requested cakes." 

"Why is that?" Spike asks out of curiosity. 

"We're not good bakers. Kagura is our best but," Millianna tries not to sound disrespectful. 

"I have my good days and bad days when it comes to baking, Spike," Kagura admits her fault. 

"Alright. The good thing about my cookies, you can keep them refrigerated for a few months at best. I can bake dozens of cookies within the hour." 

"That's good. Though won't be all gone if you say the cookies are to die for?" Millianna asks. 

"Yea. I only say that cause I will have to go back home to Fairy Tail after baking as many as I can." 

"Fair enough, Spike," Millianna starts adding spices to the slab. 

"Hey, Kagura. What happened to Fairy Tail?" Risley Law comes out after the screams go silent. 

"Gray of Fairy Tail quit and tore his clothes. The people now know that men infiltrated our guild," Kagura answers. 

"Good grief," Risley facepalms herself. "How are we going to regain our reputation?" 

"My brother's cookies for a special. Also, he's going to help people forget about our incident." 

"The same cookies you mentioned, Kagura. The ones to die for?" 

"Yes, Risley," Kagura nods. "While Erza and the others continue their part in the Wizard Exchange Program, Spike will be here helping us. 

"Risley, mind showing Spike where the kitchen is after he eats?" Millianna continues to add spice to the slap. 

"Uh, sure. Do we have what Spike needs to bake?" 

"Here," Kagura takes the list and hands it to Risley. 

"Wow, that's a whole lot of ingredients for a cookie," Risley reads the list. "I may have to run in town to get more." 

"Please do. We'll need them," Kagura said. 

"I'm happy to help my sister out," Spike said. "Buy as much as you think I'll need, and I'll bake as many as I can." 

"Alright then," Risley goes inside the guildhall to grab her purse and leaves for the supermarket. 

"Hey, we heard the commotion," Beth Vanderwood said. 

"Are those cookies that powerful of a tastebud?" Araña Webb asks. 

"My freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies are powerful depending on the sweet tooth." 

"That's the name of the cookie?" Beth Vanderwood is in shock. 

"I think my heart skipped a beat," Araña Webb holds her chest a bit. 

"I've tasted it. It's the only dessert I want in my fridge in my room every day," Kagura said. She licks her lips as she relives the memory. To Araña, Beth, and Millianna, this is a new side of Kagura they don't see. 

"So, how are we going to convince the people to come back? By now, they could be spreading the word about our guild," Beth Vanderwood asks Kagura.

"Making some fliers. If people of our town see that Fairy Dragon is here and hear that he can bake, that'll draw interest. Perhaps the people that fled come back. and hopefully, by tasting Spike's cookies, they'll forget what transpired earlier." 

"Alright, we're on it," Beth and Araña enter their guildhall to make fliers. 

"I really appreciate you doing this, bro," Kagura turns to Spike. 

"Well, considering my friend blew a fuse and shamed your reputation, it's the least I can do. Plus, it gives me more time to be with you as a brother. It's not often I visit other guilds to say hey. Interestingly enough, I wasn't supposed to be here. The Magic Council wanted me to tag along with the Wizard Exchange Program cause someday, I will bring a new age of dragons, and they may join other guilds in the future. So, with that said, the Magic Council wanted to see how an active dragon fair in the program." 

"Well, I'm glad you're here. It means a lot to see you, Simon," Kagura smiles at Spike. 

"Spike," Spike corrects Kagura. 

"Sorry. It's still a work in progress. With you calling me sis and all," Kagura blushes in embarrassment a bit. 

"I will say this, Spike. You're filling a hole that tore years ago. Kagura looks and sounds better after the Grand Magic Games," Millianna said, now giving the plate of their trademark dish to Spike. 

"I'm glad to help out. Thanks for the food," Spike cuts a piece and tries it. 

"So, what do you think?" Millianna asks the master chef. 

"It's delicious," Spike takes another bite. "I want to say add half a cup of vinegar." 

"Why vinegar?" Millianna questions Spike's theory for adding vinegar to the dish. 

"It'll add a little zing to make the flavor pop out a bit since the meat is chunky. Overall, the dish itself is pretty good," Spike continues to eat. 

"Hmm," Millianna thinks about adding vinegar. She'll do a taste test in a while. 

As Spike continues to eat his meal, Risley Law returns to the venue with the ingredients on Spike's list. She bought so much for the overwhelming potential customers they'll have. Beth and Araña come out with fliers about the new dessert special baked by Fairy Dragon. The two leave to give out the fliers all around town. 

"Phew, hopefully, this'll be enough," Risley turns to Spike. "How's the slab, little buddy?" 

"It's good," Spike finishes eating. "That was good, Millianna, thank you." 

"No sweat," Millianna starts cooking another slab and decides to take Spike's word for adding vinegar to it. 

"Now, I'll show you the kitchen, and we'll do some baking." 

"Sounds good, Risley. Lead the way." 

"A thousand Jewels say that our friends got kicked out of the Quatro Puppy Guild for reckless behavior."

"That's more than likely since we've got kicked out from two guilds, Rage." 

"I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing two voices from one dragon," Risley said. 

"In due time, you will." 

Risley leads Spike to their kitchen. It's a chef's paradise in there with the ovens, cabinets, grills, tables, bowls, potteries, sinks, fridges, and storage. Everything is clean and ready to go. 

"Wow," Spike is in awe. 

"So, mind showing us how to get it going?" Risley asks. 

"Yea, however, these cookies won't be replicated by your hands as you need a special flame to make it work." 

"What kind of flame?" 

"My flame," Spike breathes his Sparkling Green Fire as a demonstration. 

"Your flames are the deciding factor?" Risley is a bit confused. 

"It's a bit of my love and magic into the cookies as well, Risley. However, this is a treat I don't bake often. I once made twelve dozens in two hours." 

"Wow, alright then. Let's get started," Risley brings the ingredients to the kitchen. 

Spike cracks his knuckles and gets to work. Within the hour, Spike has made fifteen dozens of cookies since Risley and Kagura are helping him. Millianna couldn't believe that adding vinegar to the special made it more delectable than before. Beth and Araña are making good progress with attracting people to their venue. They are more than interested in tasting Spike's dessert. They are eager to see Spike the Fairy themselves after watching highlights of the Grand Magic Games. 

Three hours later. Spike has made a total of forty-two dozen cookies with the help of Risley and Kagura. Spike made a sample tray for his friends to try. Beth Vanderwood and Araña Webb return after giving fliers to many people in the town. Millianna comes in to check the progress after smelling the cookies from the outdoor venue. 

"So, how are things going?" Millianna asks. She sees the kitchen covered in some cookie dough and flour. 

"Good. We have a total of forty-two dozen freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies," Spike answers, wiping the sweat from his forehead. 

"Whoa! That's a ton of cookies," Millianna said in awe. 

"However, I did make a sample tray for you to try," Spike brings the tray to Millianna. 

"Let's see how powerful these cookies are," Millianna takes one and bites it. "Oh my God," Millianna is in sweetness heaven. "Oh.., this cookie is so overpowering..," Millianna savors the flavor. "It's so good..," She loves the cookie. 

"Whoa," Risley takes one and bites it. "Ooooh wow..," Risley now understands why Kagura only wants Spike's cookies as her only dessert. "This is amazing. I have never tasted anything this delicious! Not even the banquet we had in Crocus!" 

"Hey, we have drawn the attention with the fliers. A lot of people are interested in tasting Fairy Dragon's dessert," Beth Vanderwood says in delight. 

"Hey, what's with the faces?" Araña Webb sees her friends Risley and Millianna in a trance of sweetness. 

"Here, try a sample," Spike brings the tray to Araña and Beth. 

"The cookies to die for?" Araña takes one and eats it. Her eyes widen in shock. "Oh.., my. How can a cookie be this tasty and sweet!" 

"More!" Beth Vanderwood ate hers. She craves for more. "I need more of them! I never tasted anything that delicious in my whole life!" Her sugar rush and excitement get the better of her. 

"Calm down. I know the feeling each of you has. That is why I asked Spike to make them," Kagura commands which tone down her guildmate's tone. "Hopefully, his cookies can make everyone forget what transpired earlier today."

"How long until the people arrive?" Spike asks. 

"In a half an hour for the dinner special. On the flier, we mentioned not only do you bake, but you can cook as well. I hope that is alright," Araña said. 

"That's fine. I have no problem with it," Spike looks at the clock. "6:30. Okay, let me wash up a bit. Mind putting these dozens in the fridge?" 

"Sure. After you clean up, you'll be with Millianna cooking and grilling outside," Kagura said. 

"There will be a lot of hungry customers so, are you ready for that, Spike?" Risley asks. 

"I'll be ready. It's not the first I cooked for many and won't be the last. Mind showing me to the nearest bathroom?" 

"Follow me, Spike," Kagura leads the way. Spike follows her. 

It's now 7:00 at night. Spike is cleaned up and ready to cook any dish the customer may want. He's outside with Millianna. The two see a long line of customers waiting to take their seats. They're even chanting Fairy Dragon's name. 

"Wow, this may be the longest line I've seen in months or before I came to Mermaid Heel," Millianna said in shock. 

"I guess I am that popular," Spike said. 

"You are the fan-favorite. I'll never forget the battle you had with Jura during Day One of the Grand Magic Games," Risley said. 

Kagura and Beth Vanderwood allow the people to come and take their seats. Tables are getting filled by the second. Spike and Millianna take a deep breath and prepare themselves to cook for the many hungry customers. Millianna and Kagura recognize the same people that fled earlier today have returned. Hopefully, tonight will be the success they need for their guild's reputation. 

Spike and Millianna have been cooking the trademark dish and similar entrees of the seafood kind. People are chanting Spike's name and can't believe they are seeing him this close. Some kids wanted Spike to notice them. When Spike took his eye off the entree, he would wave at the kids. Throughout the night, people ate and drank while enjoying each other's company. They compliment Millianna and Spike's delectable cooking. When the dessert came, the people ordered the freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. They were awestruck with the flavor and order more than five cookies. They didn't care how much it cost. The people that fled earlier were given an extra ingredient within the cookie courtesy from Spike. Kagura, Risley, and Beth are overjoyed to see their customers happy with the entrees and desserts. They see more people waiting anxiously to try the food and see Spike the Fairy in person. 

It is now 11:00 at night. Spike takes a breather after a long night cooking entrees and taking many pictures with the people. Spike's freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies were a hit. Mermaid Heel sold a total of four hundred ninety cookies. The people left after tipping Mermaid Heel for their outstanding service. Two people from the Magic Council come to pay a visit. 

"So, this is where you've been, Fairy Dragon?" Lahar said. 

"Erza and the others failed in informing your whereabouts," Doranbolt said. 

"Did something happen while I was here?" Spike asks Doranbolt and Lahar. 

"Indeed. However, your friends succeeded with the task at hand. Everything is settled," Lahar answers. 

"I'm sure your friends will tell you all about it. So, why are you here with Mermaid Heel? Shouldn't you be with your friends when they got booted?" Doranbolt asks. 

"I allowed Spike to stay after today's fiasco with Mermaid Heel. Gray of Fairy Tail ruined Mermaid Heel Guild's reputation with the people. I ask of them to leave while I had an idea to redeem our guild's reputation," Kagura speaks on behalf of her guild. 

"How were you able to reobtain your guild's reputation?" Lahar asks. 

"Fairy Dragon is an excellent cook and baker. I've tasted his cookies and decided to make them a special for the dinner service. Tonight was a successful dinner service, and Mermaid Heel has regained our reputation." 

"So, is there any of those cookies left?" Doranbolt asks. "My friend and I are a bit peckish from the long day of travel we had." 

"Here you go, Sirs. It's on the house," Risley said, giving Doranbolt and Lahar a box of the freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. 

"Thank you for your kind service," Doranbolt takes a cookie and bites it. His eyes widen in amazement at the dessert. "Lahar, you have to try this before I eat it all," Doranbolt eats a few more. 

"Very well," Lahar takes one and bites. He turns to Spike. "Will you be interested in becoming the official baker for the Magic Council?" 

Spike chuckles a bit. "No. That would mean I have to give up being a member of Fairy Tail. I am Fairy Dragon. If there's a job request for my freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies, that's when I take the job." 

"That's the name of that cookie! WOW!" Doranbolt couldn't believe the name of Spike's powerful delectable. 

"Very well, Spike the Fairy. Do please, find a restaurant to collate. I would love to buy more of these delectables," Lahar says with satisfaction. He takes the box away from Doranbolt. "That'll be enough. I do want to take some more before you eat it all." 

Doranbolt coughs a bit to recompose himself. "Thank you for the dessert, Mermaid Heel. Spike, you are free to go as the Wizard Exchange Program is suspended until further notice." 

"Thanks for letting me know," Spike watches Doranbolt and Lahar leave. 

"Thank you, Spike, for helping us today," Kagura said. 

"Yea, I think those that fled will forget about what Gray did," Millianna said. 

"Oh, they will. I added an extra ingredient to those that saw and fled from the scenery. A little amnesia spell to wear out any images of Gray stripping. As far as your guild is concerned, no one remembers about a man infiltrating your guild," Spike smirks. 

Kagura, Millianna, Risley, Araña and Beth gasps. They can't believe what Spike said. 

"Is it true?" Risley asks Spike. 

"I added the spell on the cookies. Only the people who saw Gray stripped and revealed himself have amnesia. Tomorrow, those people will remember the taste of the cookies and tonight's meal."

Mermaid Heel couldn't believe that Spike and Fairy Rage saved Mermaid Heel's reputation even more. Every member feels happy and relieved from the possible trauma from everyone the following days yet to come. 

"Thank you," Kagura hugs Spike wholeheartedly. 

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon. We owe you big time," Risley said in gladness. 

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call," Araña said in happiness. 

"Hey, how are you getting home?" Millianna asks Spike. 

"I can use my fire breath to teleport myself back home. I would be there in a few moments tops." 

"Here," Beth Vanderwood gives Spike 100,000 Jewels. "With the money we've collected, we earned over 500,000 Jewels. So, a hundred grand is for you. For helping us and all." 

"I'm glad to help. I'm glad to expand my list of friends to anyone I come in contact with. I'll see you next time. See you later, Sis," Spike smiles. 

"Take care. Come back anytime you wish. I'll check on you from time to time when I can," Kagura said. 

Spike waves and uses his fire breath to teleport where Lucy is at. Spike arrives inside the Fairy Tail Guildhall. He sees Natsu, Gray, Happy, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Erza. 

"Hey, I'm back," Spike announces. 

"Where were you?" Gray asks. 

"Why did you abandon us?" Natsu asks. "We needed your help when we fought that gigantic sea serpent!"

"I'm guessing you forgot about what you did at Mermaid Heel's venue today," Lucy is unamused with Gray and Natsu's forgetfulness. 

Spike rolls his eyes. "I didn't abandon you. I stood behind because Kagura asked me to. Today, I had to fix your mistake, Gray, for ruining Mermaid Heel's reputation. I baked many freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies today and cooked many entrees tonight. Lahar and Doranbolt told me a while ago that the Wizard Exchange Program got suspended. After redeeming Mermaid Heel's reputation, I got paid 100,000 Jewels for my hard work. Today's been an interesting day. So tell me, what did I miss?"

Erza, Lucy, and Natsu told Spike that Kemokemo is a cleansing creature that combats a poisonous creature and island, which explains a lot of phenomenons that happened. Stone tablets washing onshore, the deep-sea fishes arriving on the beaches, an island rising above the seas, and Kemokemo falling onto Natsu's face. Wendy mentions that Sting, Rogue, Lector, and Frosch tagged along the journey. A small coalition to investigate the island. 

"Wow. That's a lot to endure in one day," Spike yawns. 

"Uh-huh," Wendy nods. 

"Well, I'm glad that everything worked out alright," Erza gets up. "Time to get some shut-eye."

"Let's go, Spike," Lucy gets up. 

"Coming," Spike follows Lucy. 

"I'll see you guys tomorrow, have a good night's rest," Spike waves to his friends. He blows a kiss to Wendy. 

"Night, Spike. See you tomorrow," Wendy blows a kiss to Spike. 

"So, did you and the rest got kicked out of Quatro Puppy's Guildhall?" Spike asks. 

Lucy yawns. "Yeah. Kemokemo scorched Natsu and Bacchus. I think we would have been kicked out of Sabertooth's Guildhall by Natsu or maybe Erza. We were on a roll of getting kicked out for causing damages." 

After a twenty-minute walk, Spike and Lucy enter their apartment. The two lay on their beds, releasing a satisfying sigh. Lucy takes off her clothes and puts on her pajamas. Spike gets under the blankets. 

"Night, Lucy," Spike yawns. 

"Night, Spike," Lucy gets under the blankets of her bed. "See you tomorrow."
> Krystina Larva
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Krystina Larva is holding herself together due to starvation. The Unity Seven and Dazzlings arrive. They see Krystina Larva sitting at the corner, holding herself. 

"Hey, are you alright?" Sonata asks Krystina. 

"No. I didn't get to eat again. My emotions got the better of me," Krystina holds her stomach. Her hunger pains are making her feel weaker. "I'm starving." 

"Oh, this is not good," Ocellus becomes worried about Krystina Larva. 

"I have an apple I saved during lunch," Silverstream gives Krystina Larva the apple. 

"I don't get much nutrition eating an apple. It can calm my nerves. I have to eat it and show that I am one of them." Krystina eats the apple to show appreciation. She slowly chews on the apple. It tastes foul for her but, she needs to calm herself. "Thank you..." 

Trixie and Starlight Glimmer walk into the room; they notice Krystina Larva looking ill. They see everyone else trying their best to help Krystina Larva. 

"Krystina?" Trixie trots up to Krystina. "Are you feeling alright?" 

Krystina Larva shakes her head. "I'm not feeling well, Professor Trixie." 

Starlight Glimmer feels bad for Krystina. It appears her first day isn't going well. She trots up to Krystina. 

"Krystina, do you wish to continue your first day?" Starlight asks. 

Krystina looks at Starlight. "I'm sorry.., the way I'm feeling right now.., I don't think I can continue.., I'm sorry.., I'm a failure..," She sniffs. 

"No. You're not a failure. Today happens to be one of those days in life where it gets the better of you. Why don't you take the rest of the day to recompose yourself." 

"Really?" "Yes! Just the thing I need to replenish myself."

"Yes," Starlight turns to Ocellus. "Ocellus, mind taking Krystina Larva to her room at the dorm?" 

"Yes, Headmare Glimmer," Ocellus nods respectively. "Let's go, Krystina." 

"One more thing, Ocellus," Starlight addresses. 

"Yes, Headmare Glimmer?" Ocellus turns to her. 

"Help comfort Krystina. As a shy creature like yourself before, expanding to others, perhaps you can give her some advice. Trixie and Sunburst will give you two some extra work later in the week to catch up." 

"Alright, Headmare Glimmer. I'll try and do my best." 

Krystina gets up and follows Ocellus. As she trots, she observes other changelings having fun and sharing the love of friendship. Seeing ponies associating with changelings made her gag mentally. A few minutes later, Krystina Larva sees how close the dorm is to the school. 

"Quick question, do you know what room number you have?" Ocellus asks Krystina Larva. 

"Oh.., uh..," Krystina Larva takes out her room number and gives it to Ocellus. 

"Room 310. Okay, follow me," Ocellus leads the way. 

Krystina Larva follows her and sees no one in the dorm. Just her and Ocellus. Krystina's stomach pains continue to bother her as she trots. Ocellus and Krystina climb three floors to the room. The door is open. It appears that no one else has claimed the room, meaning that Krystina has a room to herself. Krystina steps inside. 

"Thank you for bringing me here," Krystina shyly thanks. 

Ocellus closes the door and turns to Krystina. Her demeanor changes which bother Krystina. She's unsure as to why Ocellus looks more serious than her kindful nature. 

"I know who you are," Ocellus seriously and calmly states. 

"Wh-What do you mean by that..?" Krystina steps back a bit and sweats. 

"I am a Changeling, and I remember the tactics I once used for my hunts. Feeding the love out of ponies and other creatures to get my fill."

Krystina bites her lips. She didn't think about being caught red-handed like this. Her stomach growls achingly, and her breathing is becoming a bit unstable. She longs for her fill. 

Ocellus takes a deep breath. "I won't tell anyone. I ask of you to reveal yourself. I promise I'll get your fill." 

Krystina Larva closes her eyes and uses her magic; she dissolves her disguise and sits on the floor. Ocellus knew it but wished it was someone else. 

"Oh.., how it pains me to see myself at the mercy of another Changeling," Queen Chrysalis said. Her hunger pains continue to get the better of her. She hadn't had her fill in months due to every species united as one; Protecting and engaging with each other.

"What were your intentions of infiltrating the school?" Ocellus asks. 

"Why would I tell you that?" Queen Chrysalis spits on the floor in spite. 

"You're weak, hungry, and will be surrounded by more species within two hours. May I remind you that Discord will sense your magic energy the moment you decide to go hostile on me?" 

Queen Chrysalis groans. She put herself in a bad situation. "Fine.., I'll tell you... After hearing rumors that friendship nearly turned into a weapon, I thought about completing that task and used it against Starlight Glimmer and everyone that betrayed me." 

Ocellus sadly sighs. "Queen Chrysalis. You won't be winning that battle. There is no point in fighting where every creature is united. I understand your frustrations. How the hive changed except for you." 

"Stop pitying me!" Queen Chrysalis angrily shouts.

"You're alone. It's a fate worse than death." 

"Stop!" Queen Chrysalis looks away from Ocellus. 

"You don't have to be alone anymore." 

"The hive is gone. I'm all that's left..," Queen Chrysalis takes a deep breath. "My family changed.., they don't need me anymore..," Queen Chrysalis doesn't sound like herself. She's genuinely sad. 

Ocellus trots up to Queen Chrysalis and sits beside her. "You're wrong. You're still a Changeling. You're still part of the hive. Our family," Ocellus is calm and nurturing. 

"What then? Solitary confinement in Tartarus until my release day? House arrest in the hive under a cage?" Queen Chrysalis is coming up with punishment theories. 

"No," Ocellus shakes her head. "Sometimes in life, there are those hurting for so long, they need a second chance in life. A clean slate to start over." 

"You're suggesting that I start over? Turn a new leaf?" Queen Chrysalis turns her subject, Ocellus. She has a lot running in her mind. The life choices and consequences that follow. 

"Yes," Ocellus nods. "You remember Spike, right?" 

Queen Chrysalis rolls her eyes. "The little slave that worked for Princess Twilight Sparkle." 

"You're right about that. Spike was a slave to Twilight Sparkle. He ran and found something new in his life. He turned a new leaf and started prospering. Have you heard of the Dazzlings?" 

"Yes, I've seen them in our class. What about the Dazzlings?" 

"Well, they were Sirens that laid waste upon Equestria, and this other world Sunset Shimmer ran. They came back as new creatures, turned a new leaf, and now prospering."

Queen Chrysalis sadly sighs. "Where would I fit in if I were to come back to the hive? They have their King." 

"A young King still inexperienced while you have plenty of it. Things do change for the better. The question is, are you willing to change for the better or continue in a restless attempt that'll lead to your demise?" 

Queen Chrysalis takes it to heart and thinks about it. A few minutes go by in silence. Ocellus sees a tear stream on Queen Chrysalis' face. She's suffering from loneliness since the hive changed over a year ago. Her quest for vengeance has taken a toll on her body. Queen Chrysalis lets out a sigh of defeat. 

"I don't wish to be alone. All I wanted was my subjects to be happy and fed. My anger drove me to great lengths. My hunger pushed aside other alternatives. My plans for sustainable food crumbled due to friendship. For many years, I allowed myself to go astray. While I was getting weaker by the days, the hive continued to grow strong," Queen Chrysalis looks down. "They would want me gone. Those I sworn vengeance and the hive would prefer to exile me. What's the point?"

"I don't want you gone nor exiled. I believe there's a new you ready to blossom when given the opportunity. I can vouch for you. I'm sure Starlight Glimmer would welcome you with open hooves. Discord, Starlight, Trixie, the Dazzlings, even Neighsay have done something horrid and were allowed to become anew. The same right shall be upon you." 

"Y-You think so..?" Queen Chrysalis feels worried that it'll backfire.

"There are some that are willing to change or some that'll continue to go downhill regardless of consequences. Princess Twilight Sparkle is going downhill on her relentless hunt for Spike. She changed for the worse ever since Spike left her over a year ago. Instead of letting him go and allowing herself to heal, she is chasing after him for her needs. Her actions are her demise. You want your actions to lead to your demise?" 

"No. I'm tired, hungry.., and lonely. I can't keep living like this anymore..," Queen Chrysalis falls to the floor. Her stomach pains are aching badly. "Not again..," Queen Chrysalis holds herself while her body twitches. 

"Here," Ocellus releases the love she has for Queen Chrysalis to feed. She watches Queen Chrysalis enjoying her fill for the first time in months. She catches her breath after eating Ocellus' love. 

"Thank you," Queen Chrysalis sounds gracious. 

"You're welcome. I'm happy to help my family when I can," Ocellus smiles. 

Queen Chrysalis wants to smile. However, the fear of being rejected is getting the better of her, preventing her from smiling. She sighs and stands on all fours. She uses her magic to disguise herself as Krystina Larva. 

"I'm not ready to reveal myself to everyone yet. I need a proper way of doing so. Any suggestions?" Queen Chrysalis asks. 

Ocellus puts some thought into it; she trots around in circles a bit. After a few minutes, an idea comes to her. "I got it." 

"What are you planning?" 

"A meeting later tonight with the Bar of Alliance, at the Castle of Friendship. Stay here in the room until I come back. I'll let everyone know that you want to take a nap. Saying that it'll help you feel better." 

"Will it work?" Queen Chrysalis still has doubts about the meeting. 

"I know it'll work. Believe me. Family sticks together," Ocellus smiles. 

"Okay, I'll believe in you to make it work." 

Ocellus nods and leaves the room. Queen Chrysalis gets on a bunk bed and lays down. She's worried about things failing due to her vendettas in the past. "I hope I didn't sign my death warrant."
> Electric Avenue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:30 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike wakes up after oversleeping a bit due to last night's dinner service at Mermaid Heel's venue. He yawns and looks around the room. He doesn't see Lucy but sees a note on the table. 

"You think Lucy went food shopping, Rage?" 

"Possibly. Go read what the note says."

Spike gets up and goes to the table. The note reads: 

Spike, last night while we were asleep, Natsu and Happy broke into our home and took some food. When I woke up around 6:30 after smelling something foul, the fridge door was open, and our food got spoiled. We're going to have to do some food shopping later today. Ugh. I'm off to the guildhall to get breakfast, and hopefully, by the time you wake up, I'll have a job for us to go on. See you at the guildhall. 

Lucy

"Well, how unfortunate," Spike puts the note on the table. 

"You gonna smack Natsu and Happy around for what they pulled?"

"I'm sure Lucy already did that. Well, might as well freshen up before leaving," Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. He thinks about what kind of job he'll be going on today. After ten minutes, Spike leaves the bathroom and the apartment. 

"Hey, Spike," The Landlady approaches him. 

"Hey. Is there something wrong?" Spike asks. 

"I heard about the cookies courtesy of my cousin. He saw you cooking with Mermaid Heel last night. Think you can spare some cookies for me?" 

"Well, the food upstairs is spoiled, so I can't bake at the moment. When I can, I'll be sure to give you a dozen." 

"Thanks," The Landlady pats Spike's head. "See you around, Fairy Dragon." 

Spike flaps his wings and flies to the guildhall. He waves at the people below him to see if any would wave back. Some do wave by, especially the bystanders on the boat delivering goods. Spike arrives at the guildhall to see it packed. He sees Natsu and Happy slouched on the stool. They appear to be starving. 

"Feed me..," Natsu is starving. "This is life or death." 

"I eat you if I had the strength," Happy said. 

Mirajane notices the two. "Did the last job not pay too well?"

"Seems a lot of money until we spent it," Natsu replies. 

"Hey, I have a plan. Let's nab that book Lucy is writing and sell it!" Happy insists. 

"That's brilliant! It's gotta worth at least one meal!" Natsu said excitedly. 

"Oh no, you don't!" Lucy overhears the two. "What did you just say?! Talk! Do not make me ask you again!"

"We're hungry," Happy and Natsu said. 

"Take a deep breath," Mirajane tries to calm Lucy down. 

"Long time no see. Why don't you buy us some lunch, and we'll catch up!" Natsu suggests. 

Lucy whacks Natsu and Happy hard. "Are you two insane! Not only did you break into my apartment, but you also stole food and left the fridge open! If anyone is going to be buying lunch, it's you two pinheads!" Lucy angrily shouts. 

"Natsu, Happy. Did you break into Lucy and Spike's apartment and raid their fridge?" Mirajane asks. She notices Natsu and Happy cringing a bit. 

"Well, uh, I don't remember raiding a fridge. Did you Happy?" Natsu turns to Happy. 

"Uh, no. I uh, did not take that ham and cheesesteak sandwich with fried pickles and onions," Happy sticks his tongue out while reliving the delicious moment. Lucy whacks him on the head, causing Happy to bite his tongue. "OOOOW!" 

"You liars! You're gonna pay for what you took from my fridge!" Lucy is livid. "Get up, you lazy bums, and pay me now!" 

"They can't," Mirajane said, speaking for Natsu and Happy. 

"Why not? There are plenty of jobs on the-" Lucy sees one job flier on the board. 

"The job specifically asks for Laxus," Mirajane explains. 

"Oh, great," Lucy sighs. 

Spike flies up to Lucy, Mirajane, Natsu, and Happy. "Hey, how's it going?" 

"Slow. Sorry, Spike. There are no jobs for us to take," Lucy said. 

"Here," Spike gives Lucy the 100,000 Jewels. "Buy as much food as you can and get a little something for yourself." 

"Thanks, Spike," Lucy smiles. 

"Can you buy us lunch, Lucy!" Natsu and Happy make puppy dog noises. 

"No!" Lucy is still angry at Natsu and Happy. "You two raided our fridge and lied to me. That's not what friends do." 

"Friends don't let other friends go hungry, do they?" Happy and Natsu try to use the guilt-trip tactic on Lucy. 

"Don't try to play the victim in all this!" Lucy is getting annoyed with Happy and Natsu about their food situation. 

Spike flies away and sees Laxus and the Thunder Legion walk in. Spike flies up to them and greets them since it's been a while he last spoke to them. 

"Hey, Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow." 

"Hey, Spike. It's been a while."

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Bickslow said. "Fairy Dragon, Fairy Dragon. Hello." Bickslow's Tikis said. 

"Nice to see you again, Spike," Freed said. 

"Hey, Spike. How's it going?" Evergreen asks. 

"It's going good," Spike replies. 

Freed walks up to the job board and takes a look at the flier. "This job does expressly asks for Laxus," Freed hands the flier to Laxus. 

"I told you," Makarov already knows what the job is about. "Why would I say so if it weren't true?" Laxus turns to his grandpa. 

"So, what's the deal, Laxus?" Natsu shouts. "What kind of job did you get?" 

"None of your business," Laxus replies. 

"Aw, c'mon!" Natsu complains a bit. 

"Spike, want to tag along?" Laxus asks. 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Natsu is enraged that Laxus asks Spike to go instead of him. 

"Sure. It'll be the first time going on a job with you," Spike answers. 

"Man, it's been long overdue," Bickslow said. 

"Agreed. Our first task as the Thunder Legion with Spike as our honorary member," Freed said. 

"Should be fun. Two dragons with lightning magic," Evergreen said, smirking at the idea of the Thunder legion defeating Team Erza in a fight. 

"Don't let the lightning control you, boy," Makarov warns Laxus; he's drinking his chug of beer. 

"What? Like how liquor controls you, old man?" Laxus leaves with Spike and the Thunder Legion. 

"So, how far is the town, Laxus? I'm sure I can fly us there," Spike said. 

"Riding on Fairy Dragon sounds freaking cool," Bickslow gets excited. 

"We're going to Borwatt, Spike. Have you been there?" Freed asks. 

"Nope. Never heard of that town before," Spike replies. 

"Best to follow us on foot," Freed said. 

"Alright then." 

Six hours later. The Thunder Legion arrives in Borwatt. The town is shrouded in dark clouds, and every house has lightning rods. The area is so static that Freed and Evergreen's hair sticks out. Bickslow made a joke about going super. 

"Hah, that's a good one," Spike chuckles at their hair standing up. 

"Heads up," Laxus warns his friends. They look up to see lightning hitting every lightning rod in the area. A burst of lightning strikes burns a tree, causing it to fall. 

"Okay, yeah, that didn't look natural at all," Bickslow exclaims. 

"All those lightning rods seem a bit overkill. Now I understand," Freed said. He sees Laxus moving. "Laxus, wait! Where are you going?" 

"I got a client to meet up with," Laxus sees lightning about to strike him. He raises his arm and absorbs the contact. It doesn't phase him a bit. Lightning continues to strike Laxus for over a minute. 

"Lightning should never last this long!" Freed is astonished to see lightning strikes lasting for over a minute. 

"For real, though, this gotta stop sometime, doesn't it?" Bickslow panics a bit; he doesn't understand why the lightning is relentless. 

"If the lightning doesn't run out of juice, Laxus will. We gotta help him!" Evergreen said. 

"Laxus, use your Lightning Dragon Roar at the clouds."

"Will that work, Fairy Rage?" Freed asks. 

"It's worth a shot since Laxus is a Lightning Dragon Slayer." 

"Lightning Dragon Roooooar!" Laxus' lightning roar is so strong, that it pierces through the dark-thick clouds, allowing the sun to shine on the city. 

"Hey, that worked!" Bickslow shouts excitedly. 

"Those clouds will be back soon for sure. Nice idea to create a temporary fix, Rage." 

"Thanks, Laxus."

"We need to find a more permanent fix," Laxus said. 

"There's just as much static as the floor," Evergreen feels the static all over her body. 

"Which suggests that the storm is not the source of the problem but the symptom," Freed said. 

"We need to investigate thoroughly as to why," Spike suggests. 

The Thunder Legion watches the townsfolk come out and graciously thank them for blowing the storm away. They swarm and get close to them, complimenting Laxus and Spike on their achievements during the Grand Magic Games. Laxus is not used to people praising this close and personal. Laxus walks past his admirers, the rest of the Thunder Legion catches up with him. 

"Why, hello there. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," The Mayor of Borwatt approaches the Thunder Legion with the town's Secretary. 

"So, you must be our client, then," Freed asks the Mayor. 

"It's good to finally meet you. Let me introduce you to Mr. De Cybele, the fine Mayor of Borwatt. My name is Ge Maille. I serve the town as Secretary," Ge Maille gives each member of the Thunder Legion his card. "To answer your question, yes. We are the men who hired you. One of the better calls we make." 

"We saw how you, Laxus, wiped the clouds that struck lightning on our city for weeks on end. We would like to see more," The Mayor said. 

The Mayor and Secretary of Borwatt monolog about Laxus vanquishing the storm clouds and praising themselves for coming up with another executive order to save their beloved town. The townsfolk rejoice about returning to their livelihood while the Thunder Legion remains in silence. The Mayor and Secretary invite the Thunder Legion to the Mayor's house to have a private discussion while addressing the citizens that the Thunder Legion will stay and protect them. 

Twenty minutes later, the Thunder Legion is sitting in the living room of the Mayor's house. The Mayor is sitting across from them, smiling heavenly, while the Thunder Legion remains calm. 

"This lightning plague. Exactly when did it first strike?" Freed asks the Mayor and Secretary. 

The Mayor and Secretary look at each other then get serious. "The lightning came when you did. You screwed this town, Laxus!" The Mayor angrily exclaims. 

"Huh?" Laxus is confused. So are his friends sitting beside him. 

"You do recall your visit, don't you? It was around a week before the Grand Magic Games was scheduled to begin in Crocus," The Secretary of Borwatt said. 

"That's impossible. I can vouch for Laxus. I was with him during the final month of our training before the Grand Magic Games," Spike said in defense of Laxus. 

"You accusing us as liars?" The Mayor asks. 

"I've spent two months training with Laxus. The first of the three months and the last of the three months. We were nowhere near this town," Spike replies. 

"Uh, Spike..," Laxus recalls the faithful night. "I do have a confession." 

"No way," Spike said in shock. 

"During the final days of our training, while you were asleep, I decided to go out for a drink. I had a little too much that night and wanted a bit more. A couple of thugs approached me and pissed me off. I unleashed my lightning on those punks as a reminder not to mess with Fairy Tail and why they shouldn't be robbing in the first place." 

"Since then, my city has been thunderbolt city, you reckless moron!" The Mayor retorts.

"Is it just me, or does the Mayor seem different?" Bickslow whispers to Freed's ear.

"He's showing his true colors," Freed whispers to Bickslow's ear. 

"No one prospered ever since you left the wrath of a Lightning God in your wake. Everything that made our beloved city busy came to a halt. People's lives changed for the worse with the fear of being struck by lightning. Thanks to your abuse of power, we lost more profit in weeks than we normally do in a decade!" The Secretary says in anger. 

"Do you have any proof of that claim?" Evergreen said. 

"Enough," Laxus speaks. "Tell me what you want me to do about it."

The Mayor smirks. "I want you to clean up your mess."

"And nothing else?" Freed asks. "Really?"

"I only ask you to finish the job you were hired for. Figure the knowledge that you caused this chaos in the first place might put some spring in your step," The Mayor responds. 

"The people see you as a hero, but they don't realize that you savaged our entire economy to win a back-alley brawl. Have you heard the phrase Higher the Climb, harder to fall? Think how opinions will change when they learn the true root of their troubles. Think of your guild's reputation. Can it take the hit?" 

Laxus gets up and leaves. The Thunder Legion follows him. The Mayor and Secretary watch the people's beloved heroes going to work. 

"Something is off with the Mayor and Secretary's tone."

"I agree with you, Rage. That Mayor really chaffs my hide," Evergreen said. 

"If what we saw was their true self, they must have something planned," Freed said. 

"Spike, what do you think?" Bickslow asks. 

"Right now, the Mayor and Secretary just blackmailed Laxus to do their bidding even though he signed up for it. The only thing I can come up with is a device to control Laxus' lightning and release it on the town. Then use Laxus as a guineapig for their benefits until they say his debt is paid off." 

"That sounds wickedly ingenious. I hope that is unlikely," Freed said. 

"Damn Fairy Dragon. Your theories are like listening to a horror movie," Bickslow said. 

"I concur," Evergreen said. 

Laxus looks at the town and now understands what Makarov was telling him. "Guess you were right, old man. I let the lightning and liquor control me. Now I'm paying for it." 

The storm clouds return with thunderous roars. Borwatt got dark real quick. 

"The storm clouds are back. Better move fast," Bickslow said. 

"Could you dispel them the way you did before?" Freed asks. 

"No. Quick fixes aren't going to solve this dilemma. I started this, and I'm going to end it. That's the least I can do for this town." 

"Right behind you," Evergreen said with confidence. 

"Whatever it takes, we'll do it," Bickslow gets excited. 

"We're with you all the way. As always, is at your beck and call, Laxus," Freed said. 

"Let's do it, bro," Spike said. 

"Thanks. Sorry for dragging you into this," Laxus said. 

"You dragged us into worse," Bickslow said. 

"I recall experiencing the worse on my second day in Magnolia," Spike said. 

"I was a different man back then, Spike. Have some faith in me." 

"I have more faith in you than you think. I always believed you'll rejoin Fairy Tail when you got expelled." 

"That you did. I'm grateful for that, bro," Laxus feels static. "The town. It doesn't have an electric charge. It's building one." 

"Are you sure, Laxus?" Freed asks. 

"Spike, please be wrong about your theory," Bickslow said. 

"From the times we've seen Spike answering questions no one has answers to, his guesses are accurate," Evergreen said. 

"Please be wrong," Bickslow says again. 

"The town feels like it's draining the lightning out of my body," Laxus said while watching the storm clouds swirling. 

"That leads you with one option, Laxus," Evergreen said. 

"Please be wrong, Spike," Bickslow wants Spike to be wrong with his guess about a device controlling Laxus' lightning. 

"We're going have to snoop around." 

"What's our objective, Laxus?" Freed asks. "The Mayor or the lightning?"

"I'm thinking both," Laxus answers. "Let's go!" 

"Right," The Thunder Legion nod and follows Laxus into town. They see how severe the lightning is. It's all over the town and intensifies at rapid speeds. Then Elemental Lightning Creatures swarm. 

"What are those things!" Evergreen shouts. She has never seen lizard-like lightning before. 

"Those are Lightning Elementals," Laxus starts punching and absorbing them. 

"They're what!?" Bickslow, Evergreen, and Freed said in shock. Laxus' body starts illuminating a lightning aura. 

"Be careful buddy, you're charging up too fast, and it'll be tough to handle," Bickslow warns Laxus. 

"I don't have a choice here! If I can't handle it, I'll blast the whole town and you along with it!" More Lightning Elementals appear. 

"It looks like we're surrounded," Bickslow said. 

"Gotta thin their numbers," Evergreen said. "Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen unleashes a torrent of energy needles at the Lightning Elementals. It does some damage but multiplies their numbers instead. "Ah, crap." 

"Shredding them won't do the trick. We gotta destroy them completely. Baryon Formation!" Bickslow's Tikis align themselves in a pentagon pattern releasing a powerful magic beam on the Lightning Elementals incinerating them. 

"Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike conjures a Sparkling Green Fireball and presses forward, creating a heat cannon annihilating a swarm of Lightning Elementals. 

"Nice work, Fairy Dragon," Evergreen said. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. 

Freed notices that lightning is coming from the ground. He also notices a statue of the Mayor generating a lot of static electricity. Laxus drops to one knee. 

"Laxus," Freed turns to him in worry. 

"Don't worry. I'm fine." 

"Look by that statue," Freed instructs Laxus. 

"Why?" Laxus looks at the statue. "Metal grills beneath it. That's the spot where I zapped the punks for pissing me off."

"A good start to investigate the town's lightning problem."

"You three go on ahead," Evergreen said. 

"We'll make sure nothing follows you," Bickslow said. 

"Right," Laxus nods and gets up. "Let's go." 

"Right," Spike and Freed follow Laxus. They enter the sewers leading to the statue. 

"What the hell?" Laxus sees a gigantic orb of lightning. "That sphere is filled with my electricity." 

"How can you be certain?" Freed asks. 

"Every wielder of electric magic has a unique wave link, sorta like a fingerprint. This must be the electricity I blasted into the ground that night." 

"So, it's been drawing in static and lightning ever since, and that's making it grow? I didn't think it's possible." 

"I sense a lacrima implanted in there."

"What?" Laxus angrily responds. 

"Are you certain, Rage?" Freed asks. 

"I'm no expert with lightning magic, but I do sense the manipulations of magic in the works. I have a unique ability to sense what's real and manipulative. Reading Spike's books from the Magic Library opened new bounds for me to sense."

"What do you suggest, Rage?" 

"I would suggest for Spike to eat it, but it may be too much. Laxus should use his lightning magic to snuff out the sphere."

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" Laxus powers up while Freed casts a quick enchantment to hold the blast radius within the area. "Roaring Thunder!" Laxus punches the sphere with his heavily damaging lightning strike, dispersing the sphere. The lacrima falls after the lightning sphere is snuffed. 

"Well, you were right, Spike," Freed picks up the lacrima. "There was a device controlling Laxus' lightning." 

"Bickslow may panic a bit when we tell him my theory was spot on," Spike turns to Laxus. "How are you holding up?" 

Laxus takes a breather after unleashing one of his powerful spells. "I'll live. I've been through worse." 

"We've figured it out," Evergreen and Bickslow come down to warn their friends. 

"What Evergreen and Spike felt about the Mayor and Secretary is confirmed. The Mayor set this whole mess to frame you for money. While back at the mansion, I had one of my babies possess a statue to eavesdrop on any conversation the Mayor and Secretary said." Bickslow said. 

"Spike's theory on Laxus' lightning is confirmed, Bickslow. There was a device controlling Laxus' lightning," Freed said. 

"Damn, dude. You're freaky with your theories." 

"So, what now?" Spike asks. 

"I'm going to teach those bums a lesson about messing with Fairy Tail!" Laxus is irate.

"Mind if I step in your mind, Laxus? I want to see if there's something else in play."

Laxus rolls his eyes and allows Fairy Rage to enter his mind. Fairy Rage departs from Spike's mind and enters Laxus'. Laxus leaves the sewers. 

"Has Rage ever left your mind like this, Spike?" Freed asks. 

"Yea. To possess a Kraken." 

"SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen shout in shock. 

A few moments later, Laxus makes a grand entrance by storming into the Mayor's mansion, using his lightning to input fear for what the Mayor has caused to his town. Laxus sees the Mayor and Secretary. He tosses the lacrima hitting the Mayor's stomach, causing him to wheeze in agony. The Mayor and Secretary become fearfully afraid of Laxus' power when the Mayor's granddaughter comes into fear. Laxus was about to unleash a surge of lightning bolts when she came and shoots a lightning strike intercepting the attack. 

"Huh, you are good for something. When I found out what you unleashed on your town, I figured you were a selfish human waste. Make things right with your people, Mr. Mayor, or I'll be back," Laxus leaves the mansion. "You sensed anything, Rage?"

"I sense they are pulling the same schemes on different wizards. If I receive word from any of the guilds we're in an alliance with, I'll be sure the people will learn the truth and impeach the Mayor. I can only hope they learn their lesson after being caught red-handed."

"Typical. They are lucky the Mayor's granddaughter made an appearance."

"They should count their blessings before forgetting about it."

Laxus rejoins with the Thunder Legion. Fairy Rage returns to Spike. 

"Alright, I'll teleport us back to the guildhall," Spike said. 

"I keep forgetting that Fairy Rage can teleport us back home," Bickslow said. 

"Well, it's not often we spend time like this with the dragon," Evergreen said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends back to the guildhall. Laxus sits with Makarov having a drink while Spike, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen sit at the table and order food. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy sit with them to hear the story. They explain their story at the table of all that transpired. 

"You gotta be kidding me. That's when you're supposed to beat the tar out of him. How else would he learn?" Natsu said. 

"I know it's tough to grasp, but it's called mercy," Lucy explains. "Plus, the guy's granddaughter was watching. Wouldn't that be awkward?"

"So, you did end up getting paid, right?" Happy asks.

"No way, that's taking dirty money and Fairy Tail doesn't accept dirty money," Spike answers. 

"What he said," Bickslow points at Spike, drinking his mug of beer.

"Would you accept dirty money, Natsu?" Freed asks. 

"Well, yeah! Money is money at the end of the da-ow!" Erza whacks Natsu's head before he can finish his statement. 

"We don't take dirty money from corrupted people. Think again before you speak!" 

"Sorry, ma'am," Natsu is dazed from the hit Erza gave him. 

"Were you able to buy food, Lucy?" Spike asks. 

"Yep," Lucy nods. "Thank you for allowing me to keep the change, Spike. I was able to get a little something for me." 

"You're welcome. I'm still grateful that you allowed me to live in the apartment with you." 

"Fairy Dragon, you need to come on more jobs with us," Evergreen said. 

"Especially you, Fairy Rage. You were most helpful today," Freed said. 

"Your theories and guesses still scare me," Bickslow said. 

"You possess souls, and those souls can possess inanimate objects. How are my theories and guesses all the scary?" 

Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Evergreen, and Freed laugh at Spike's statement while Bickslow groans. 

"Hey, Spike," Makarov calls Spike. "Come over here." 

Spike walks over to Makarov and sits on the barstool. "What's up, Master?"

"Mirajane, give Fairy Dragon a drink," Makarov commands. 

"You have apple cider?" Spike asks. 

"Sure, coming up," Mirajane pours a mug filled with apple cider for Spike. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. 

"A little toast for your official one-year anniversary with the guild. I know we've gone through the seven-year gap, but in technical terms, you've been with the guild for an entire year." 

"Oh wow, I lost track of time," Spike chuckles at his pun. 

"Cheers, boys," Makarov said. His, Laxus, and Spike's mugs cheer. "To another year of Fairy Dragon with the guild." Makarov, Laxus, and Spike drink their drinks.
> Bar of Alliance Meeting: Unexpected Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ocellus hears the bell ringing. "One more class then today is over. I need to head over to Headmare Glimmer's office," Ocellus trots to Starlight Glimmer's office. 

Starlight Glimmer leaves Trxie's class and lets Trixie know she won't be attending her final class. She'll send one of the CMC Counselors to fill in her place. Starlight finds Sweetie Belle embracing one of the newer students in the hallway. 

"Sweetie Belle."

"Yes, Headmare Glimmer?" Sweetie Belle turns to Starlight after talking with the Yak. 

"I need you to participate in Trixie's class for me. I have other business to attend to." 

"Sure thing, Headmare Glimmer," Sweetie Belle gallops to Trixie's class. 

"Okay, I have some paperwork to file and take into account for the newer students of the school. Perhaps having a gathering during the weekend," Starlight speaks to herself while trotting in the hallway. She sees Ocellus knocking on her office door. "Ocellus," 

Ocellus turns and sees Starlight Glimmer. "Headmare Glimmer. I need to speak with you." 

"Of course," Starlight uses her magic to open the door. "Step into my office, and we'll talk." 

Ocellus steps inside Starlight's office and takes a seat in front of the desk. Starlight trots to her chair and sits. She wonders what Ocellus has in mind. 

"Headmare Glimmer, when was the last Bar of Alliance meeting?" 

"Three weeks ago, Ocellus. Why?" Starlight is curious as to why Ocellus brought up the Bar of Alliance. 

"Something has been bothering me. We talked about discussions with Princess Twilight Sparkle and any motives of the sort. What about Queen Chrysalis?" Ocellus sees Starlight's eyes beam wide. "What are the plans with her?" 

Starlight Glimmer puts her hooves on her head. "I can't believe I forgot about Queen Chrysalis. I can't believe we never mentioned her throughout any of the meetings." 

"I think we should have a Bar of Alliance at the Castle of Friendship later tonight. A thought came to my mind. What if Princess Twilight Sparkle returns as a failure on her quest for Spike and decides to team up with Queen Chrysalis."

Starlight Glimmer takes a deep breath. The possibility of Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis teaming up could be a nightmare. A worst-case scenario is entering Tartarous and freeing anyone to form a deadly force. She starts nodding. "Alright. After class is over, I'm going to discuss with Discord, and he'll gather every creature for the Bar of Alliance briefing." 

"Headmare Glimmer, I do have an eyewitnessed that saw Queen Chrysalis. May I bring her to the Bar of Alliance tonight?" 

"Of course, she is key to find her," Starlight said. 

"I'll bring her to the meeting at the Castle of Friendship," Ocellus said. She gets up. "See you later tonight, Headmare Glimmer." 

"Will do, Ocellus," Starlight watches Ocellus leaving the room. She presses a button on the mic to make an announcement. "Professor Discord, after class, I want to see you in my office." 

"Huh?" Discord hears the announcement. 

"Ooooooh, Discord's in trouble," Discord's students tease him. 

"Not funny," Discord replies. His students laughs. "I didn't do anything wrong." 

An hour after school, Maud is taking Gallus to detention for the next forty minutes. The Dazzlings and the rest of the Unity Seven go to the cafeteria. Discord walks through the hallway while students are teasing him, thinking Discord is in trouble. 

"I wonder why Starlight wants to see me after class. Something must be wrong." Discord thought to himself. He enters Starlight's office and shuts the door. "You wanted to see me, Headmare Glimmer?"

"Yes. Discord, we need to have another Bar of Alliance meeting." 

"What for?" Discord is puzzled. 

"We talked about Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike throughout most of our briefings."

"Yes, we did. Are you sensing something amiss with Twilight Sparkle and any other possibilities we should embrace?"

"We haven't spoken about another threat that is loose in Equestria. We haven't spoken about any possibilities concerning Queen Chrysalis." 

"Ooooooh," Discord cringes. "I totally forgot about Queen Chrysalis. Actually, I haven't heard anything of her since the hive reformed." 

"Exactly. Queen Chrysalis could be scheming something else behind our backs. And another thought came to me. What if she teamed up with Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"That could be scary if the duo were to team up. Absolute disaster knowing that Twilight will be a public enemy for what she pulled back in Earth Land." 

"My thoughts exactly," Starlight takes a deep breath. "Mind bringing the Bar of Alliance to the Castle of Friendship. Also, mind teleporting me to Canterlot Castle so I can inform the Princesses?"

"Sure. What time do you want to have the meeting?" Discord asks. 

"8:00 tonight. It'll give me time to prepare the meeting room in the castle." 

"Alright," Discord snaps his claw, teleporting Starlight in front of Canterlot Castle. Discord takes an umbrella and opens a window. He allows the winds to carry him to the Dragon Lands first. 

Starlight Glimmer enters Canterlot Castle. She sees Princess Celestia trotting in the corridors to the throne. Princess Celestia sees Starlight Glimmer and trots up to her. 

"Starlight Glimmer. What brings you here?" Princess Celestia read Starlight's body language. She knows something is amiss. 

"I'm scheduling a Bar of the Alliance meeting at the Castle of Friendship at 8:00. Will you be available?" 

"Of course. I'll inform my sister to attend the meeting. What's the topic for the meeting, Starlight?" 

"It's about Princess Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis," Starlight sees Princess Celestia's demeanor change. Starlight sees how serious Celestia is from her glare. 

Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. "Say no more. I already see where this is going. A possible team-up knowing Twilight Sparkle will return as a different pony without Spike."

Starlight nods. "I'll see you at 8:00," Starlight leaves Princess Celestia. 

Princess Celestia looks at the ceiling while her thoughts overflow her mind. Endless possibilities with Queen Chrysalis and Twilight Sparkle, working together to get what they desire, no matter the cost. 

It's now 5:30 in the afternoon. Starlight took an express train from Canterlot to Ponyville. She sees Rockhoof leaving Sugarcube Corner with a vanilla milkshake. 

"Hey, lassie. I didn't see you after school. Where were you?" Rockhoof asks Starlight Glimmer.

"Canterlot to inform Princess Celestia about a Bar of Alliance meeting in the Castle of Friendship tonight at 8:00." 

"Perfect. My friends are visiting me today. Remember what I asked of you the other day?" 

"Yes. Starswirled the Bearded wanted to speak with Princess Celestia and Luna about something." 

"Aye," Rockhoof takes a sip of his vanilla milkshake. "Now would be the time to discuss." 

"After the meeting, he can discuss with Princess Celestia and Luna. Right now, I need to prepare a room for the meeting." 

"Want some help, lass?" 

"Yes, Rookhoof," Starlight said. 

"Let's get to it," Rockhoof and Starlight head to the Castle of Friendship to set up the meeting room. 

Ocellus enters room 310 to check on Krystina Larva; she sees Krystina Larva feeling paranoid. The rest of the Unity Seven want to check on Krystina Larva. 

"Is Krystina doing okay?" Sandbar asks; he's worried about Krystina's health. 

"Yea, how is she," Silverstream asks. 

"Krystina is not feeling at home yet. She still needs a little more time to recuperate," Ocellus said. 

Krystina Larva has a pillow over her head. She's sweating while hearing other voices besides Ocellus. She takes deep breathes to calm herself. 

"What can we do to help her?" Smolder asks Ocellus. 

"Be patient with Krystina. She's different from any other creature we come across," Ocellus calmly answers. 

"Very well," Neighsay replies. "Krystina, if you hear us, we're in room 220. In the meantime, I have an essay to write for Rockhoof." 

"I still can't believe he gave us homework on the first day," Gallus said. 

"Yona likes Rockhoof's challenge. Yona will write something amazing!" 

"I'll keep a close eye on Krystina. I'll be with you guys later," Ocellus said. 

"Alright, Ocellus," Silverstream follows her friends to their room. Smolder and Sandbar follow closely. 

It's now 7:30 at night. Starlight and Rockhoof finish setting up the room for the meeting. Starswirl, Somnambula, Mage Meadowbrook, Flash Magnus, and Mist Mane arrive at the castle. 

"Rockhoof," Starswirl calls out his comrade. 

"Starswirl, glad you and everyone else can make it," Rockhoof hugs his friend. 

"Likewise," Starswirl replies. 

"Starswirl, it's nice to see you again," Starlight said. "So, what do you need to ask Princess Celestia about?" 

"You'll hear that discussion later. My comrades and I want to participate in the Bar of Alliance meeting," Starswirl said. 

"Very well, Starlswirl. Please, follow me to the meeting room," Starlight escorts Starswirl and the others to the meeting room. 

Discord arrives at the Castle of Friendship with Thorax, Ember, Prince Rutherford, and Gilda. Grampa Gruffs won't be participating in tonight's Bar of Alliance meeting. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor arrive with Flurry Heart. They receive word from Princess Celestia about tonight's meeting. Princess Celestia and Luna arrive at the Castle of Friendship. Princess Luna is postponing her duties for today. 

Ocellus sees that the time is 7:40 and nudges Krystina Larva. "Okay, it's time to go." 

Krystina Larva takes a deep breath. "Does your friends know about..?"

"They will, and they will support me. I'm not worried about the outcome my friends would react. They'll know what is right, fair, and just." 

"Okay," Krystina Larva gets up. She takes a deep breath. 

"Let's go," Ocellus leaves the room while Krystina follows. They bump into the rest of the Unity Seven standing by the door.  "Hey, what the?" 

Neighsay, Sandbar, Smolder, Silverstream, Yona, Gallus, and Silverstream nervously smile. Ocellus gets the impression that they were eavesdropping during the hours. 

"How long were you there?" Ocellus asks her friends. 

"For a while. Curiosity got the better of us," Silverstream speaks for her friends. 

"How much do you know?" Ocellus asks again. 

"We know who Krystina is. If you believe she's worthy of a second chance to redeem herself, we're with you all the way," Sandbar said. 

"I received a second opportunity, and now, I'm a completely different pony for the better. The Dazzlings got a second chance. The same was with Discord, even with his Spike disguised ploy. From what I've seen so far, a second chance can help any creature." 

"What about Princess Twilight, Neighsay?" Smolder asks Neighsay. 

"If Twilight Sparkle truly repents and reflects on her actions, perhaps. If she doesn't, she's not worthy of any chances."

"Fair enough," Smolder replies after hearing Neighsay's statement. 

"The way I see it, it's nearly similar to what Spike and Thorax went through to give a Changeling a chance. I'm sure things won't be intense during the meeting," Ocellus said. 

"Well, let's go," Gallus said. "We wouldn't want to keep them waiting, now do we?" 

The Unity Seven and Krystina Larva leave the dorm. They head to the Castle of Friendship. Starlight is in the room, watching every creature grab their seats. It's 8:00 at night. 

"Thank you for coming every creature," Starlight starts the meeting. "Tonight's discussion is about-" Starlight sees the door opening. Every creature turns to see the Unity Seven and Krystina Larva. "Right on time, Unity Seven." 

"Say, why is Krystina Larva here?" Discord asks. 

"There's a reason for that, Discord. Starlight, I hate to interrupt you but, I need to say what the meeting is about," Ocellus said. 

Starlight turns to every creature present for their approval. Every creature nod and allow Ocellus to speak her mind. Starlight steps aside, giving Ocellus the floor to speak her mind. 

Ocellus takes a deep breath. "Everyone, I'm the one that gave Starlight the idea of speaking about Queen Chrysalis."

"That's what this is about?" Thorax said in shock. 

"I can see why the topic of Queen Chrysalis would be vital. She hasn't appeared in over a year since the hive changed," Ember said. 

"Prince Rutherford hasn't heard much news about the Queen Bug in ages." 

"What about Queen Chrysalis? What do you have to say, Ocellus?" Gilda crosses her arms, waiting for an answer. 

"I gave the impression of Queen Chrysalis being dangerous to society and a possible team-up with Twilight Sparkle if she returns to Equestria." 

"That would be disastrous," Ember imagines the wicked power if the two were to team up. 

"That's if Twilight Sparkle doesn't lose her horn and wings," Gilda said. 

"That would be scary, especially with her knowledge about magic," Princess Cadance said. 

"They would form a formidable duo that speaks chaos in the making," Thorax said. "No offense, Discord." 

"None-taken," Discord replies. 

"However," Ocellus said, which confused every creature. 

"What do you mean, however, Ocellus?" Thorax is curious as to why Ocellus said that. 

"There is something you should know about Queen Chrysalis. There's someone here that I brought that will discuss Queen Chrysalis. Come up, Krystina." 

Krystina slowly trots to Ocellus. She looks at everyone in the room, expecting the worse when she unveils herself. 

"Krystina, don't worry, what you'll say, we'll be mindful and respectful," Starlight reassuringly says. 

"Get ready to witness the unthinkable," Krystina takes a deep breath and uplifts her disguise. Every creature in the room except for the Unity Seven gasps in shock and horror. 

"QUEEN CHRYSALIS!" Everyone except the Unity Seven shouts in unison. 

Queen Chrysalis sadly sighs. She expected this and now awaits for the onslaught. 

"How.., wait.., what!?" Starlight is confused. 

"I'm taking you down!" Shining Armor lights his horn, shooting a magic beam at Queen Chrysalis. 

Queen Chrysalis takes the hit. She gets knocked to the ground. Shining Armor charges and gets ready to take Queen Chrysalis down once and for all when Ocellus gets in the way. 

"Get out of the way, Ocellus!" Shining Armor demands. 

"No! I didn't bring her here to be assaulted like this!" Ocellus shouts. 

"She's a monster! She impersonated my wife! She plotted devilish monstrosities against Equestria! She must pay for her crimes!" Shining Armor grits his teeth. 

"You want to harm Queen Chrysalis? You're going have to go through me," Ocellus said. 

"I have to agree with Shining Armor. She has done vile atrocities in the land of Equestria," Princess Cadance said. "She impersonated me after imprisoning me. She weakened my husband and nearly ruined our wedding." 

Thorax walks up to Ocellus. He takes her side. 

"Thorax, what are you doing?" Shining Armor angrily asks. 

"Witnessing history being repeated when it comes to defending a Changeling," Thorax calmly answers. 

"Thorax..," Queen Chrysalis sees Thorax for the first time in a long time. 

"It's good to see you again, Queen Chrysalis." 

"Starlight, what you said moments ago, is it still in effect?" Queen Chrysalis stands up. 

"Yes," Starlight nods. 

"Starlight!" Princess Cadance and Shining Armor exclaim. "You can't be serious?" The couple said in unison. 

"Queen Chrysalis is a tyrant! She can't be allowed in society," Shining Armor pleas. 

"Have you forgotten what she did to us, to your friends?" Princess Cadance angrily states. 

"Here's something I'm not proud of, and yet, I was given a chance to change. I altered the timelines so much it left nothing but pain and suffering for each of you standing and sitting. I took cutie marks away from ponies to live in an equalist town! Let Queen Chrysalis speak her mind." 

"As you know," Discord stands up. "I brought chaos to the lands many times and tortured everypony before having the chance to reform. I'm willing to hear what Chrysalis has to say." 

Queen Chrysalis is in shock hearing what Discord and Starlight said. 

"Before having a second chance to change for the better, I was a hypocritical racist," Neighsay said. 

"My reign as Nightmare Moon and forcing eternal night," Princess Luna speaks up. "After my reign, I was given a second chance. I want to hear what Queen Chrysalis has to say." 

"Cadance, Shining Armor. Sit down," Princess Celestia commands the two to sit back down. They do so while keeping their focus on Queen Chrysalis." 

"May I remind you what the Dazzlings have done," Rockhoof said. "They came back, started a new chapter in their lives, and now students at the School of Friendship." 

"I didn't come here to strike terror or input fear in any of you. I'm here because I'm tired of being alone. All I ever wanted was my subjects to be happy and fed. I now see how they are progressing. I miss my family but, I don't know where to begin. I did want vengeance, but it'll lead me nowhere. After talking with Ocellus, she sees there's a new me ready to blossom. I'm here to say I'm sorry for what I brought to Equestria during my demented reign. I allowed my anger to drive me to great lengths. My hunger pushed aside other alternatives. I want to start anew, but I don't know where to begin. What should I do?"

"Rot in Tartarus!" Shining Armor answers. Discord whacks him with a newspaper. "OW!" 

"Go home. Be with your kin," Discord answers. 

"Queen Chrysalis," Thorax walks up to her. "The hive has changed dramatically. You'll see Changelings behave not from the old days. We are more family-like. We will welcome you in open hooves and arms. There is always a place for you in the hive." 

"I guess not as a Queen no more..," Queen Chrysalis sadly sighs. 

"You have years of experience, and I could use some pointers. I'm still new with the royalty part. The hive will remember you as our Queen, but I think for the new you, you may have to relinquish your title as Queen." 

Queen Chrysalis removes her crown for the first time and holds onto it for a few moments. She gives it to Thorax as a sign of renouncing her title. 

"My name is Chrysalis, your highness." 

"You can't be serious!?" Shining Armor furiously said. 

"I approve of this," Discord said. 

"Does anyone reject?" Shining Armor asks. 

"If you repent and admit your faults, you get to claim a second chance. If she tosses it out the window, then anything goes," Gilda said. 

Princess Celestia trots up to Chrysalis. Princess Celestia gives a cold shoulder stare at Chrysalis then smiles. "I forgave my sister after she apologized to me the night she came back. Ever since then, she has become better. Discord reformed, Trixie reformed, Starlight reformed. I've seen many creatures reforming when given a second chance. I'm willing to forgive you and pardon all crimes you enacted."

"You can't be serious?!" Shining Armor is angry at Celestia. 

"I am. I will allow you to earn my trust, Chrysalis. If you slip up, decide to go against my trust and the Changelings for any vengeance you have deep inside, you will feel my wrath. Am I'm clear?" 

"Crystal," Chrysalis calmly replies. "Discord, Luna, Neighsay, and Starlight. Thank you for opening up." 

"It was the right thing to do," Discord replies. 

"Second chances should be given to every creature when they truly repent and reflect," Princess Luna replies. 

"I needed to say that. It was the right thing to do," Neighsay says. 

"Not everyone here knows about my attempt to alter the timeline for the sake of vengeance, and I was so easily forgiven too," Starlight takes a deep breath. "Another creature that's forgiven is Tempest Shadow. She teamed up with the Storm King and turned Princes Cadance, Celestia, and Luna into crystalized statues." 

Princess Cadance bit her lip after that statement. She remembers forgiving Tempest for what she did. 

"I'm all for giving Chrysalis a second chance in life," Prince Rutherford decrees. 

"Same," Gilda concurs. 

"Same with me," Discord said. 

"The Unity Seven believes so," Neighsay said, speaking for his friends. They nod in agreement. 

"I concur," Princess Luna said. 

"Aye," Rockhoof said. 

"Until we see it, we'll believe it," Shining Armor and Princess Cadance say in unison. 

"If you like, Chrysalis, you can still come to the School of Friendship. The doors are open for you," Starlight said. 

"I'll take that into consideration. Right now, I want to go home," Chrysalis said. 

"I think this'll conclude the Bar of Alliance meeting," Starlight decrees. 

"Ocellus, thank you. I'll remember this day for the rest of my life," Chrysalis wasn't expecting Ocellus to hug her. She feels a bit different with the hugging. Chrysalis now knows there's a lot of adjusting in her life with the second chance she now has. 

"You know what a hug is, Chrysalis?" Thorax asks. 

"I do. I never gave one before," Chrysalis looks down at Ocellus. 

"Well, we at the hive do give hugs. Give it a try," Thorax smiles. 

Chrysalis leans down to give a hug to Ocellus. Ocellus smiles which causes Chrysalis to slightly smile. It looks awkward to every creature else in the room. 

"I have a lot to teach her." Thorax thought to himself. 

A loud crash startles everyone in the room. 

"What was that?!" Silverstream shouts. 

"That came from the portal room!" Discord exclaims. 

Every creature leaves the meeting room and heads over to the portal room. Discord and Starlight know that was Sunset Shimmer, but it's too soon for her to return. They expected a week's top for her return. When they arrive, every creature's jaws drop when they see not only Sunset Shimmer but also Twilight Sparkle and Spike. 

"Quick! Destroy the portal before those bastards come!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) shouts. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is a unicorn with glasses. 

Sunset uses her magic to deactivate and destroy the portal, damaging it beyond repair unless Discord uses his magic to restore it. 

"Twily?" Shining Armor sees Twilight. His heart is pumping. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) turns and tears in happiness. "Shining!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) runs up to her brother and hugs her. She cries in his arms. 

"Wow," Spike is gazing at the interior of the room. 

Sunset pants heavily after destroying the portal. She turns to see the Bar of Alliance in the room; jaws still dropped while watching this shocking revelation. Sunset is in shock to see Queen Chrysalis in the room.

"I can explain," Sunset said. 

"Explain," Princess Celestia. She eyeballs Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) in the room. 

"Twily, what happened?" Shining looks at his sister. He knows she's not his Twilight because she's missing her wings. 

"The horrors.., the nightmares.., the Changelings..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said in tears. 

"Please explain!" Every creature in the room says in unison. They are freaked out with the revelations. 

"Discord," Sunset catches her breath. 

"Yes," Discord turns to Sunset. 

"Destroy the portal. Let nothing find its way to that other realm." 

"Done," Discord snaps his claw, the portal is turned to dust. 

"Can we go to a different room?" Sunset asks. 

"Back to the meeting room," Starlight announces. 

Five minutes later. Every creature returns to the room with many questions in mind. Sunset, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike are sitting together. Twilight (Sci-Twi) has Spike in her arms while sitting down. 

"What happened?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"I went back to the human world where my friends are. I wanted to have one more week with them before moving on with my life here in Equestria. The madness started at Pinkie's house. Rarity texts messages Pinkie to let her know she'll be coming with Sweetie Belle late. We were having a slumber party when a roaring blackout occurred. Maud tried to fix the power while we were waiting for the pizza guy. Rarity and Sweetie Belle show up wearing light greenish-blue jumpsuits while wielding black scissors. Then Applejack and Rainbow Dash were ambushed by two people wearing the same jumpsuits with their hoodies up. Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy sat at the couch. Three people came into the room with their hoodies up aligned themselves with Rarity and Sweetie Belle. Then one person came dragging the lifeless body of Maud Pie. That person instructs the two people to unveil themselves. It was revealed to us the hooded people are Twilight (Sci-Twi), Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and my human self. It turns out that I stole the life of my counterpart. My counterpart was taken and experimented. Tortured by Madam President Chrysalis. She called it the Changelings Project. Her purpose was to replace society with people she can control. She used my counterpart's genetic makeup to create copies of a person. She was able to create the body but not the soul. With her experiments gone wrong, she abandoned the project and left my counterpart to rot. She devised a plan to step out of the darkness and into the light. My counterpart unleashed the Changelings to kill their counterpart to be untethered. She devised a wicked game. The untethering to be free of the burden. We found out that the Changelings killed Rarity. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy died right before our very own eyes. We were able to escape but were followed because my counterpart has a unique ability to go into the minds of her Changelings to find out where we were. We head to Twilight's house in hopes of devising a plan. We were ambushed. Spike got kidnapped, and Applejack died. Pinkie, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and I suited up and went after my counterpart to end her and rescue Spike. We played one more twisted game. After Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Pinkie defeated their Changelings, they helped me defeat my counterpart. That's when I used my magic to see her memories. The idea was for me to take her place in controlling the Changelings. However, there was a major flaw. My counterpart has a direct link to the Changelings, and one of her commands, if she were to pass, is to purge. Any survivors possibly out there would be dead. Pinkie Pie made the ultimate sacrifice. She stood behind to watch my counterpart, allowing me, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike to come here."

Sunset's explanation took an hour. Everyone is in shock and horror. Even Chrysalis is in disbelief that her counterpart created Changelings for a cruel ingenious scheme. She has a lot to reflect on herself to better herself.

"Shining Armor," Princess Cadance said. 

"Shut up. I don't want to hear it. I know what I need to do now." 

"Do it tomorrow," Princess Cadance commands. 

"My mom is going to kill me for hiding crucial information," Shining Armor imagines the reaction her mother will have. 

"Celestia. Are you going to take Twilight under your wing..?" Princess Luna sees the perfect clean slate for Celestia to use. 

"I need time to think it over, Luna," Princess Celestia approaches Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. "Twilight." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) looks up at Celestia. "Yes, Principal?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) instinctively says. 

"It's Princess. Spike..," Princess Celestia sees Spike's youth and knows he's not hers but sees she has a second chance with building a stronger friendship with him. 

"Yes?" Spike looks up at Princess Celestia. He couldn't help but watch her mane flowing and glowing the way it is. 

"Welcome home," Princess Celestia smiles. 

"Sunset said, Spike and I can stay in this castle cause it used to belong to my demented self." 

"That is correct," Princess Celestia nods. "Every creature, we will discuss certain matters in the next meeting next week. 

"Princess, there's something I've been waiting to speak with you about," Starswirl said. 

"Very well. As for every creature else, this meeting is concluded. There is a lot we need to take in and need time to process. Discord, send everyone home." 

"Understood," Discord snaps his claw. Thorax, Chrysalis, Ember, Prince Rutherford, Gilda, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart teleports home. Discord uses his magic to teleport back home with Sunset Shimmer. 

"Students, you should go back to the dorm," Starlight said. 

"We will," The Unity Seven said in unison. They leave the room. 

"Twilight, Spike," Starlight approaches them. "Follow me, and I'll take you to your room." 

"Okay," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike said. They follow Starlight. 

"What do you want to talk about, Starswirl?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"It's about Twilight Sparkle and her hunt for Spike. I know a spell that'll bring my friends and me to that world to retrieve Twilight." 

"That won't be necessary, Starswirl." 

"Huh? Why not?" Starlswirl is confused. Tonight has been a confusing night for him by shocking revelations left and right.

"Earth Land magic wielders outclass us in every way possible. When I fought one of them, she dominated me, cut my horn, and sliced my wing. Never in my life, I was overwhelmed by someone such as Erza Scarlet. If she was here, we'll all be submitting to her as Queen of Equestria." 

Starswirl is silent after hearing that statement. He takes a deep breath. "So much for my idea. Also, I did a ton of research about the origins of dragons." 

"What discoveries have you found about the dragons, Starswirl?"

"With the engravings, I deciphered while visiting the Dragon lands, one mentions about the Exodus project that details a drawn gate with dragon eggs and a black and blue dragon calling itself the Dragon King of the Apocalypse. The rest of the engravings are scrapped and illegible to read." 

"Acnologia.., impossible..," Princess Celestia said in shock. 

"Who and what is Acnologia?" Starswirl becomes afraid that Celestia knows the name. 

"The Dragon King of the Apocalypse Spike the Fairy fought. Continue with your progress on deciphering the rest of the engravings." 

"I will," Starswirl leaves. He informs his allies about the trip to retrieve Twilight Sparkle coming to a disclosure. He says his goodbye to Rockhoof and leaves. 

Starlight opens the door to Twilight and Spike's bedroom. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike enter the room. Spike sees a basket while Twilight (Sci-Twi) sees a bed. 

"Thanks, Starlight," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She has a lot of mixed feelings about being in Equestria. 

"You're welcome. If you need me, my room is around the corner," Starlight leaves. 

"I'm supposed to sleep in this basket?" Spike observes the basket that has a blanket and pillow. 

"Absolutely not. You're sleeping with me," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. Spike walks up to her. "Spike, you're not my pet anymore.  You are my friend. I'm your mother from this point going forward. That's how much I love you ever since I was younger. Until you're older and bigger than me, that's when I get you a bed and a room of your own, somehow," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs heavily. "I don't know where to begin." 

"How about we start things tomorrow," Spike yawns. "I want to go to bed," Spike gets on the bed and under the covers. 

"Sounds good, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles and kisses Spike's cheek. She gets on the bed and holds Spike closely, snuggling him in her arms. "Good night, Spike." 

"Good night, Twilight. I love you," Spike smiles and falls asleep. 

"I love you too, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles and falls asleep.
> Maaaaaaan Walking
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 10:00 in the morning. Spike is with Lucy heading to the guildhall. It's been quiet for the past three days in Magnolia. Newer jobs posted on the job board ever since the Thunder Legion returned from their job. 

"So, what job should we take, Lucy?" Spike asks while flying next to her instead of walking. 

"A simple job. I don't feel like going on a hectic job today. Also, it may rain later, so I would rather stay remote." 

"Fair enough," Spike enters the guildhall with Lucy. He flies to the job board to see if any jobs are subtle for Lucy.

"Morning, Spike," Wendy approaches from behind and hugs Spike. 

"Morning, Wendy," Spike smiles. "Hey, Carla." 

"Hey, Spike. See anything on the job board?" Carla asks. 

"8 Island Restaurant has moved into Magnolia. Yajima is requesting volunteers to help out on an opening day." 

"Mr.Yajima, huh? Sounds delightful," Erza said. She takes the flier. "I'm in." 

"The same goes for me," Juvia said. 

"Same with me," Levy said. 

"Sign me up. That's the job I'll be taking," Lucy enjoys the idea of working with her friends at Mr.Yahima' 8 Island Restaurant. 

"I know where I'll be heading," Wendy said. 

"The same goes for me," Carla said. 

Spike gets an image of Wendy in a cute waitress uniform. "I'm in. I'm sure my cooking will help bring in customers. Also, the idea of Fairy Dragon cooking in a restaurant would encourage more people to come to see me." 

"Wonderful. From what I heard, Mermaid Heel's venue has doubled in profit since you baked, grilled, and cooked for them," Carla said. 

"Excellent, let's not keep Mr.Yajima waiting any longer. Let's go," Erza commands. 

Spike, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Juvia, and Levy leave the guildhall. They walk into town searching for Mr.Yajima's 8 Island Restaurant. Mr.Yajima is outside, scrubbing the outdoor tables before the lunch hour comes. 

"Mr.Yajima," Lucy approaches him. 

"Lucy, nice to see you again," Mr.Yajima becomes delighted to see his potential workers of the day. He becomes ecstatic to see Spike the Fairy as well. "So, you lot are here to help on opening day?" 

"Yes, Mr.Yajima. We are ready to work with you," Erza said, speaking for her friends. 

"Great. I have uniforms for each of you. Spike, you don't have to wear a uniform. I know how you are with clothes," Mr.Yajima said. 

"Thank you, Sir. I won't mind wearing a chef hat and apron." 

"Think you can outcook me?" Mr.Yajima smirks. He wants to test Spike's cooking in the kitchen. 

"I know I can. I can melt customers' hearts with my cooking techniques," Spike smirks. 

"Show me what you got then. Everyone else, head on over to the dressing room to wear your uniforms." 

"Yes, Mr.Yajima," Erza lead her friends to the dressing room. 

"The lunch hour is approaching; think you can handle that?" 

"Yes, I can," Spike enters the restaurant. He puts on a chef's hat and apron. 

After a few moments, Erza, Juvia, Levy, Carla, and Wendy come out wearing an orange waitress uniform consisting of white thigh-high socks and light brown shoes. Lucy comes out wearing an 8 Island Bunnysuit Mascot. Spike gazes at Wendy, and his wings flap. 

"Easy, tiger. Focus on the food. Not your pretty lady," Mr.Yajima said. On cue, customers enter the restaurant and start taking seats indoors and outdoor. 

The lunch hour has started. Erza, Levy, Juvia, Wendy, and Carla take orders while Lucy is outside with a sign, telling people to eat at 8 Island's Grand Opening. Spike and Mr.Yajima start cooking meals together as well as separate dishes. 

Two hours have gone by; many customers tip the waitresses nicely. Spike and Mr.Yajima are receiving a ton of praise for their excellent cooking. Lucy feels discouraged with her position in the revealing Bunnysuit 8 Island Mascot attire. Erza is delivering drinks while Levy, Carla, Juvia, and Wendy are taking their half-hour break. 

"I'll deliver this outside, Mr.Yajima," Spike has a plate of BBQ Ribs with a medium-size hamburger. 

"Thanks, buddy. I have to say, your excellency in the kitchen is top-notch, Spike," Mr.Yajima delightfully said. He has tasted some of Spike's dishes and is amazed by his cooking techniques. 

"Thank you, Sir," Spike leaves the kitchen and delivers the plate to the hungry customer outside. 

"Who cooked this, Fairy Dragon?" The hungry customer asks out of curiosity.

"I made the burger. Mr.Yajima made the BBQ ribs," Spike replies. 

The customer takes a bite out of the hamburger first. Like all the other hungry customers that tried Spike's cooking, their eyes roll up in satisfaction, savoring the flavoring as long as he can.

"Hey, Spike," Wendy waves from the table. 

"Hi, Wendy. You look lovely today," Spike smiles. 

"Thank you," Wendy smiles. 

"Hey, have any of you seen Jet and Droy?" Levy asks. "They said they'll be here." 

"I just came outside to deliver a customer his food. I haven't seen the two," Spike replies. 

Wendy turns to see Jet and Droy aimlessly walking for some reason. "Hey, you guys sit wherever you want. Spike and Mr.Yajima will whip up something fresh for the two of you." 

"Levy..," Jet said in an eerie tone. 

"Levy..," Droy said in an eerie tone as well. 

"Hey! What took you so long?" Levy waves at her friends; she becomes horrified to see Jet and Droy looking like Ichiya. Lucy, Erza, Wendy, Juvia, Carla, and Spike gasp in horror. 

"Maaan," Jet and Droy said in unison. "Sniff sniff. Sniff sniff," The two said while sniffing as well. 

The girls shriek while Spike warns people to flee from the area. Something is horrifyingly wrong. 

"What happened? Why do they have Ichiya's face!" Erza said in distraught. 

"I think my mind just blew up," Lucy said in tears. 

Wendy cries a bit, seeing two of her friends disfigured horridly. Spike and Carla try their best to calm Wendy down. Droy and Jet continue to say sniff sniff while cornering Levy. 

"Levy!" Lucy wants to help Levy. 

"Lucy, don't!" Wendy snaps out and grabs her arm. Juvia is helping Wendy ensure Lucy's safety. 

"I get the feeling we should keep our distance!" Juvia said. 

"No! Levy!" Lucy gets free only to be held back by Spike's grip. 

"Don't do it!" Spike pleas. 

"I sense something manipulating from the duo."

"What's wrong, Lucy," Ichiya-Levy said. Droy and Jet step back, allowing Levy some breathing room. "Maaan," Levy looks like an Ichiya with lipstick. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" Lucy screams in horror. 

"If they sniff you, it's game over," Juvia said in horror. 

Wendy is panicking after seeing Levy transformed into an Ichiya. Lucy steps back; she wants this nightmare to end already. 

"We need to get out of here, now!" Carla advises her friends. 

Erza holds a magazine and twists it to use as a baton. "Curse you, Ichiyas! Mark my words; you will be punished! Hurry back to the guildhall! I'll make sure these three are dealt with!" 

"Sis, are you insane!" Spike said with a little terror in his mouth. 

"I'll be fine. Ichiyas are slow and clumsy in comparison. Now get moving!" Erza demands. Her friends flee from the scenery. She swats team Shadow Ichiyas away. They cry maaaaan in the process. "I should find Mr.Yajima," Erza looks down to see him grabbing her ankle. Mr.Yajima has turned into an Ichiya and sniffs her. 

Panic fills the street while Spike, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Juvia run to the guildhall. They want to bring survivors to the guildhall if they can find some. Many people are being swarmed by many Ichiyas like a zombie apocalypse, turning into an Ichiya. The men, women, and children of all ages are getting turned by the second. 

"What do we do?" Juvia asks. Wendy is whimpering a bit. "The town is filled with Mr.Ichiyas." 

"Is this the end of the world?" Wendy is in tears while continuing to hear the screams of people turning. 

"It's not the end. We'll get through somehow," Spike said, showing a bit more optimism at the moment. 

"Hey, where's Lucy?" Carla asks. 

Juvia, Spike, and Wendy look around. They figure she must have gone lost and turned by now. They hear Gray running down the alley they are resting. 

"Hey, you guys alright?!" Gray shouts.

"Gray!" Wendy said in happiness. 

"Oh, the true-pretty man has come to rescue us!" Juvia is awestruck and imagines gray having the answer to solve the crisis as a true hero. 

"The entire town is filled with Ichiyas. Thought I was having a nightmare at first." 

"How are things at the guild, my beloved?" Juvia asks Gray. 

Gray grits his teeth. "Bad. Real bad. Everyone at the guildhall has turned into an Ichiya. Laxus as an Ichiya is unstoppable. Are you the only ones that got away?" 

"Erza and Lucy are still out there, but we don't know for how much longer," Carla said. 

"We got separated from them," Wendy said. 

Juvia walks up to Gray and hugs him. She's afraid of becoming an Ichiya as all the others have. Gray holds her, which helps comfort Juvia, only to realize that Gray has a delayed reaction and turned into an Ichiya, sniffing her relentlessly. Spike, Wendy, and Carla flee as there is no saving Juvia. A few minutes while running in the open, Spike, Wendy, and Carla see Romeo catching his breath. 

"Romeo!" Spike calls him out. 

Romeo turns and is normal. "Wendy, Carla, Spike. You're safe," Romeo smiles in relief.

"Are you alright?" Wendy asks. 

"I'm fine except for my old man and Wakaba," Romeo replies. 

"What if they're stuck like that forever..," Wendy sniffs a bit. 

"Control your imagination, child. Now it's not the time to lose hope," Carla said. 

"Actually, it's a hunch, and I think I figured out their weakness," Romeo said. 

"Really?" Carla asks. 

"Care to explain?" Spike asks. 

"Yea, but I want to test something first," Romeo replies. "Let's get moving." 

"Alright," Wendy said. 

Romeo leads the way while Wendy, Carla, and Spike follow close by. They wind up running into an Ichiya hoard. The hoard starts getting closer. 

"Carla, time to fly," Spike grabs Romeo. 

"Right!" Carla grabs Wendy. 

Spike and Carla take flight and away from the hoard. They hover high in the sky. 

"Spike. Have I ever told you how happy I am that you have wings?" Romeo asks. 

"No. You never told me until today, that is." 

"Romeo, what's your theory? How can we fix this?" Carla asks Romeo. 

"I have two ideas. Fairy Rage, can you do something to fix it?" 

"Clever idea but, I cannot. It's widespread like a virus. I can give you of you a ring of defense spell. It'll last for ten hours. Restoring someone will take a lot of time and magic. Also, I'm not sure what side effects the Ichiyas carry. Spike if you will."

"Right," Spike nods. He lifts his claw. "Ring of Defense!" Spike's ring of defense goes into the minds of the Fairy Youth Squad. Each of them hears a click in their heads. 

"What's your second idea," Wendy asks. 

"Erza gave Natsu a lacrima deodarant spray. If we can find it, the spray should wipe out the parfumes of the Ichiya and could free the people of their virus. I remember seeing the spray in the guildhall." 

"Alright, Fairy Youth Squad, we're going in!" Spike declares. He swings Romeo so he can land on his back and increases his size. Romeo now has a firm grip on Spike's back. 

Spike and Carla fly Wendy and Romeo to the guildhall. On the way to the guildhall, Fairy Youth Squad sees Happy, Lucy, and Natsu hovering in the air. 

"Natsu!" Wendy shouts in happiness. 

"Lucy!" Spike is happy to see Lucy unscathed. 

"Losing grip! Too heavy!" Happy can't hold on to the two for much longer. 

"Spike wants more!" Spike increases his size into a half-size dragon, Happy places Lucy and Natsu on Spike's back. Carla places Wendy on Spike's back. 

"Thanks, Spike!" Happy said in relief. 

"Anytime. Ring of Defense!" Spike conjures a ring of defense for Natsu, Lucy, and Happy. The same one he conjures for Fairy Youth Squad. 

"Listen, we have an idea of stopping and possibly curing the spread. The deodorant Erza gave you could be key in curing the Ichiya virus. First, we need to get to the guildhall to grab it," Wendy said. 

"I'll lure the Ichiyas in the guildhall away," Spike said. 

"I remember where you last put it. We need to get to it before it's lost," Romeo said. 

"Let's go, Spike!" Natsu shouts. "I'm all fired up!" 

Spike flies to the guildhall and hovers on the second-floor balcony. Lucy, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo hop off of Spike's back. Carla lands next to Wendy, Spike reverts and lands next to his friends, and enter the guildhall. 

"Alright, the first floor is flooded with Ichiyas. I see where the deodorant lacrima spray is. It's on the counter of the bar," Natsu said. 

"Gray mentioned Laxus being an Ichiya. Possibly stronger and more durable than before. I'll take him on," Spike said. 

"What are we supposed to do?" Lucy asks. 

"If Romeo's theory about the deodorant is true, Carla, Happy, and I will take you three to the store where they have that deodorant spray and fly all over Magnolia, spreading the cure and freeing the people from the nightmare." 

"Sounds simple enough," Wendy said. 

"Natsu, let's go," Spike hops down and lands on top of an Ichiya Laxus. 

"Fairy Dragon, sniff sniff. Sniff sniff. Your parfume is exotic!" Ichiya-Laxus said. He sees Natsu and tries to zap him. 

"You're dealing with me! Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike's claw ignites in Sparkling Green Lightning Flames. "Demolition Fist!" Spike punches Ichiya-Laxus. He hurls and crashes into a wall. "Wow, that was easy." 

Natsu moves around while other Ichiya-Fairy Tail Wizards try using their magic and sniff Natsu. "Look out!" Natsu sees a swarm of Ichiya-Fairy Tail Wizards crowding Spike. 

"Spike! Noooooooooooooooooo!" Wendy screams horridly, which draws the attention of the Ichiya-Fairy Tail Wizards. 

Spike increases his size and breaks free of the crowd. He doesn't turn into an Ichiya-Spike. 

"How? Sniff sniff?" Ichiya-Laxus is confused. 

"My Ring of Defense Spell. Plus, I have Fairy Rage. Mind Manipulations and trickery doesn't affect me." 

"Maaaaaaaaaaaaaan," All the Ichiya-Fairy Tail Wizards say in anguish. 

"Gotcha!" Natsu grabs the deodorant lacrima spray. 

"Natsu!" Ichiya-Laxus lunges at Natsu with a Lightning Dragon Iron Fist. "Man!"

"Time for your wake-up call!" Natsu sprays the deodorant at Laxus' face. Laxus reverts to normal, no longer being an Ichiya. 

"Hey? What's going on?" Laxus asks. 

"Ring of Defense!" Spike places a Ring of Defense Spell on Laxus. 

"Spike? What the hell is that clicking sound?" Laxus sees his guildmates. "What the hell?! Why is everyone so ugly!" Laxus is confused. 

"Long story," Spike said. 

"Heads up, Ichiya!" Natsu sprays his deodorant in the guildhall, freeing many of his friends from the Ichiya plague curse. Natsu runs outside, spreading the deodorant to everyone infected by the Ichiya Plague Curse. It turns out that one bottle of the lacrima deodorant spray is all it takes to free everyone. There is no need to grab other bottles. 

A few hours later, after a whole lot of explanations. 

"Virus? More like the apocalypse. Next time I see Ichiya, he's dead meat," Gray said. 

"I have a feeling you'll have to get in line for that, dear," Juvia said. 

"The question is, how did it start in the first place?" Lucy wants to know if any of her friends found out the truth. 

"Apparently, it's a pretty-man potion Ichiya developed," Erza explains. 

"I can't believe that little troll caused such a calamity," Carla said lividly. 

"The Magic Council slapped that sucker with the forbidden label, and Ichiya is serving hard time," Mr.Yajima said. 

"He got off easy," Gray states. 

"I shudder to think what the world would have looked like if Natsu hadn't found that lacrima," Juvia said. 

"You should thank Romeo for his theory," Spike said. 

"Mmhmm," Wendy nods. "He's the one that figured it out." 

"Let's not forget the many scars that have to heal as well. Especially those unfortunate souls that turned into mindless-Ichiyas," Erza said. 

"Doesn't that include you, Erza?" Lucy teasingly asks. 

Erza sighs. "Please.., don't remind me..." 

"I need therapy," Panther Lily is one of the unfortunate souls that turned into an Ichiya. 

"I need a hot bath and a shower," Levy wants to forget what transpired. 

"I didn't think it was that bad," Gajeel is another that turned, but he's recuperating faster than others are. 

"Spike," Wendy grabs Spike's arm. 

"Yes?" Spike replies. 

"Can I come over and sleep over with you. It may take a while for me to forget the Ichiya apocalypse." 

"Yes, you can," Spike nods. 

"Let's go, lovebirds," Lucy grabs her stuff. "I need a bath. A long one." 

"We're coming," Spike and Wendy said. 

"I'm going as well," Carla said. "I need a cup of tea, and being alone in the room will not help me ease up."
> Phoenix Rises
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:00 in the morning. Spike wakes up to a new day; he sees Lucy waking up as well. 

"Morning, Lucy." 

"Morning, Spike. Ready to go on another job?" Lucy excitedly asks. 

"Yea!" Spike is pumped-up while getting out of bed. 

As of late, Spike, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Happy, and Carla have been on a hot streak of getting work done. Throughout the past two weeks since the Ichiya Apocalypse nightmare, things have gone smoothly. Spike and Lucy pay the Landlady months in advance, so they don't need to worry about getting evicted. 

Spike and Lucy hear knocking on the door. Spike goes to the door and answers it. 

"Morning, Spike," Wendy hugs Spike. 

"Morning, Wendy," Spike returns the hug. 

"Hey, Lucy," Wendy waves from the door. 

"Hey, Wendy. Good morning to you," Lucy smiles. 

"Hey, Lucy!" Natsu enters the room. "We have another job to go on!" 

"Yea! We're storming a town to defeat the bad guys!" Happy said. 

"Hope you don't mind," Erza walks into the apartment. 

"We brought breakfast along the way," Gray steps inside the apartment only in his underwear. Spike laughs. "What's funny, Spike?" 

"Did you eat your clothes for breakfast?" Spike chuckles. 

Gray looks down. "Damn it! Not again!" Gray puts the bags of food on the table and leaves to grab his clothes that are somewhere on the streets. 

"Thanks, guys. It saves Spike and me the trouble of cooking breakfast. I'll get ready," Lucy goes to the bathroom first to freshen up for the day.

Spike sits at the table and grabs a breakfast burrito. Wendy grabs her BLT sandwich and sits with Spike. Erza grabs her stack of waffles, Natsu grabs his stack of pancakes, Happy grabs his breakfast fish, Carla grabs her bowl of oatmeal. 

Lucy comes out of the bathroom to see her friends eating. Gray returns fully clothed. The two sit at the tables and eat their breakfast with their friends. After everyone eats, Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. After a few moments, Spike comes out and leaves the apartment with his friends. 

"So, where are we going?" Spike asks. 

"Negura," Happy answers. 

"I never been there so, I can't fly to that town," Spike said. 

"Well, for us to get there, we're traveling by boat," Gray said, which causes Natsu to feel seasick and motion sickness. 

"Don't worry, it won't be that long," Wendy said to comfort Natsu. "I'll use my Troia spell to wear off the motion sickness." 

"You're a lifesaver, Wendy," Natsu said in relief. 

"Alright, to Hargeon for our boat, here we go," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends and him to Hargeon. They arrive at the pier. 

"Make sure you have a flare marking at Negura when we get there. In case we have more jobs that require our assistance," Erza said. 

"Will do, Sis," Spike salutes. 

Spike, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Gray, and Erza gets on a boat to travel the seas. Three hours later, the gang arrives at Negura. Negura is a port with an uphill setting. Natsu is relieved of his motion sickness. Before the second hour, Wendy's Troia spell dissolved, causing Natsu to suffer during the ride. Spike shoots a flare marking on the pier. Now he can teleport to Negura whenever he can. 

"There! I think Geese is at that fortress!" Happy points to the fortress. 

"All the way up there. You think Geese would be hiding up there?" Natsu said, seeing it from afar. 

"With our momentum continuing to soar, this should be easy!" Lucy confidently proclaims. 

"Yea! You ready to take on some bad guys, Happy?" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy is excited. 

"Let's move!" Erza commands. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Everyone else says in unison. 

Spike, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Gray, and Erza starts going uphill. 

"So, these clowns called themselves what again?" Gray had forgotten the name of the guild their hunting. 

"The gang's called the Bacchus Bandits. Though, according to the flier Natsu picked, we're after their leader, Geese," Lucy said. "The reward is going to be huge cause the Mayor is the one who posted the job," Lucy imagines the wad of cash when the Mayor gives it to her and her friends. 

"Wow, Lucy is making a funny face," Happy sees Lucy smiling differently. 

"Focus on the task at hand, you two," Carla said while flying next to Wendy. 

"Hey, Erza," Wendy said.

"Yes, what is it?" Erza asks. 

"I don't know, but-" Wendy's speech is interrupted. 

"Ambush!" Fairy Rage warns his friends. 

Bandits from the Bacchus clan start swarming the streets and cornering Team Fairy Tail. The bandits bear different weaponry such as knives, swords, maces, axes, guns, cannons, and spears. 

"Sorry, punks. You've came to the wrong part of town," One of the bandits said. 

"And you got here just when we were looking for someone to beat up," Another bandit says. 

"These guys know how to get me fired up," Natsu gets excited. 

"Don't forget. We're here for Geese," Erza reminds Natsu and the others. "He's the target. We need to capture him if we want to get the reward." 

Lucy is doing a happy dance, thinking about the money the Mayor is going to pay. Happy feels confused with Lucy's dancing. He says Lucy lost her mind. 

"Let's get 'em!" The bandit shouts, riling up his crew to take down Team Fairy Tail. 

"Spread out!" Erza commands. She and her friends split up. 

Spike is running with Wendy, Carla, and Happy. A swarm of bandits is chasing them. Carla looks back to see Happy carrying a fish. 

"Natsu is your partner, you know. Should you be following him instead?" Carla asks. 

"I just gotta make sure somebody is looking for you beautiful ladies. Wanna share a fish with me?" Happy politely asks. 

"Definitely not!" Carla angrily responds to Happy while the swarm of bandits continues to chase them. "We ladies can take care of ourselves. Besides, we have Spike watching our backs." 

Spike and Wendy turn around. "Ready?" They say in unison and nod. "Let's go." 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy conjures her magic power. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his magic power. 

Spike and Wendy hold hands while the bandits watch in confusion. Wendy's hand is engulfed with her wind aura. Spike's claw is engulfed with his Sparkling Green aura. 

"Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Green Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a storm that blows away the bandits and apparently Happy. 

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Wendy and Spike!" Happy cries while being blown far away. 

"Whoops," Spike said. 

"Whoopsie," Wendy said. 

"Nice work on that unison raid attack," Carla is impressed. 

"Thanks," Spike and Wendy replies. The two give each other a quick kiss on the lips. 

Happy lands near another swarm of bandits chasing Natsu; Natsu uses his fire breath to scorch the bandits, and unfortunately, Happy gets amid the crossfire.

"Look out," Carla warns the love birds of an incoming wave. 

"Now, would you be so kind to tell us where Geese is?" Spike asks. 

"Why would we talk to a dinosaur like you?" The bandit mocks Spike. 

"What did you called him?!" Wendy gets infuriated. 

"Like we care about a child getting a tantrum temper," Another bandit says. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her breath attack the second wave. Those bandits land hard on the ground and roofs of different buildings. "No one disrespects my boyfriend." 

"That crazy girl got problems," Another bandit says in agony. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike shouts while powering up.

"Fairy what!?" The third wave of bandits realizes who Fairy Dragon is after hearing rumors for years on end. They thought it was a kid in a dragon costume. 

"Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike conjures ice missiles with Sparkling Green Flames inside. "Launch!" Spike unleashes the missiles on the bandits. They scream in agony and are blown away. "My girlfriend isn't crazy, jackasses." 

"Nice going. Now we need to get one of them to interrogate," Carla said. 

"Oh, right," Spike and Wendy slightly blush with their antics for supporting each other and giving the bandits their just desserts. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla proceed to find any more bandits in the town of Negura. The trio runs into Erza. 

"Any luck?" Erza asks. 

"We took care of three waves, but they were blown away," Spike replies. 

"My wave slid down the street. By now, they should be by the pier. Let's see if Natsu and the others have better luck than us," Erza said. 

"Right," Spike, Wendy, and Carla follow Erza. 

Erza hears the screams of a bandit being scorched and frozen at the same time. She, Spike, Wendy, and Carla arrives to see Natsu and Gray tossing the bandit back and forth with their magic like a hot potato. 

"That's enough!" Erza demands. Her voice scares the lights out of Natsu and Gray.

The bandit lands on Gray while Natsu falls off. Natsu slides down the icy floors to the pier. During Gray's confrontation with his wave of bandits, he created an ice floor and knocks them down with his ice lance.

"That's what he gets for turning me into barbeque earlier. Score one for karma," Happy delightfully says. 

"Now, talk. Where is Geese!" Erza puts her sword near the bandit's throat. 

"Near a small apartment building. He's not at the fortress!" The bandit says in fear. 

"Bring him with us, Gray," Erza says. 

"You got it," Gray picks him up. 

Erza, Gray, Spike, Carla, and Wendy go to the small apartment where Geese is hiding. A few minutes later, they arrive at the apartment and see Geese fleeing for his life. 

"Is that him?" Erza, Gray, Spike, Carla, and Wendy say in unison. They see Geese's back tattoo reads his name and shows his Bacchus Bandit Emblem as well. "That's him." 

"I got this one!" Lucy says, following Geese.

"Got your back, Lucy!" Spike flies after Geese. 

"Let's go," Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla follow Spike. 

Geese runs down an alley. Lucy is catching up to Geese. The alley is a narrow pathway that ends with a dead end and a hollow space. 

"You are not getting away!" Lucy declares. She sees Geese about to be cornered by her. "Sweet a dead end. Reward money here I come!" 

Geese uses his magic to flatten his entire body, allowing him to go through a very narrow gap between two buildings. Spike flies in the alley and watches Lucy crashing into a wall. 

"No way!" Lucy is in shock seeing Geese's power. 

"Nice try, blonde," Geese runs. 

Spike flies above the building and sees Geese running towards the pier. Spike lands in front of Geese. 

"This is as far as you go, Geese."

"Out of my way!" Geese throws a punch at Spike. 

Spike smirks and uses his fire breath to teleport Geese in front of Erza, Gray, Wendy, Carla, and Lucy. Erza catches the punch. 

"Thanks for the wonderful gift, Spike!" Erza shouts. 

"Oh, shit..," Geese sweats a bit. Now he's in trouble. 

Erza punches Geese in the stomach, knocking him out. Happy flies Natsu to their friends. Natsu and Happy are elated to see Geese in custody. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to his friends. 

"Nice going, Spike," Gray said. 

"Yea. I'm so glad you are with our team," Natsu laughs in victory. 

"Now, let's collect our reward money!" Lucy cheers and claps her hands. 

Team Fairy Tail heads over to the Mayor's building in Negura. They handed Geese to the Mayor as promised. 

"Thank you for stopping this loose lunatic and his bandits. I wish you didn't destroy my beautiful town in the process," The Mayor said in disgust. 

"With all due respect," Spike speaks for his friends. "We've kept the damage at minimum. The bandits were the ones that were careless and reckless with their magic." 

"Fairy Dragon," The Mayor does a doubletake when he sees Spike the Fairy. "I..," The Mayor coughs. "I'll allow this exception if you promise me that any future jobs will not escalate my city to ruins." 

"You have my word unless it's a necessary action," Spike said, finding a loophole to the Mayor's offer. 

"Very well. As for your reward money, here," The Mayor of Negura gives Spike a briefcase of 4,500,000 Jewels. 

"I'll take that!" Lucy grabs the briefcase. She hugs it tight. 

"Before you go, Fairy Dragon. Can I have your autograph?" The Mayor of Negura gives Spike a pen and his journal. 

"Sure," Spike writes his signature on the Mayor's journal. 

"Thank you!" The Mayor hugs his journal. He walks to his office happily. 

"Let's go home and split the reward money," Lucy said. 

"Sure thing. We'll get there in a few," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friend and him back to the guildhall. They arrive at the front doors of the guildhall. 

"Man, teleportation is way more better than riding on a boat!" Natsu proclaims. He's glad that motion sickness wouldn't be bothering him for the trip back. 

"Aye," Happy concurs. 

"Let's grab a table and do the cut," Spike said. 

"Hey, mind if we spend the rest of the day together?" Wendy asks Spike. 

"Sure, I would love that," Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. 

"Young love continues to grow," Erza said. She's happy for Spike and Wendy. 

"At this pace, they may get married soon," Happy laughs. 

"And you'll still be rejected by Carla," Lucy teases Happy. 

"Not true! Right, Carla?" Happy turns to Carla. 

Carla is completely ignoring Happy by talking to Spike and Wendy. "What will you two be doing?" 

"Just hanging around, maybe get a bite to eat. You know, typical boyfriend-girlfriend stuff as couples," Wendy answers. 

"Nothing that'll get us into trouble," Spike answers. 

"Huh, she's ignoring you, even better," Lucy said. 

"Shut up!" Happy retorts. 

Natsu opens the front doors and enters the guildhall with his friends. "We're home!" Natsu shouts. 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Erza sees their friends celebrating and having a good time in the guildhall. Some are looking for work, and others are eating and drinking. 

"Yo, Natsu," Macao calls him from the table that he's sitting with Wakaba. 

"Did you get the bad guys or what?" Wakaba asks. 

"Yea, Spike got him and our reward money," Natsu said. 

"My beloved Gray, I'm so glad you returned," Juvia approaches Gray. 

"Yea, good to see you," Gray replies. 

"Oh, Gray. Every time you're away, the guild seems as empty as an ocean without water,"  Juvia closes her eyes for a second. It was that one second when she opened them that Gray is no longer visible. "Gray?" Juvia frantically looks around the area in search of him. 

"Alright, let's do the count. Lucy, pass me the briefcase," Spike asks. Lucy gives Spike the briefcase. Spike sits down at an empty table with his friends. 

"Here, I thought you may need this, Spike," Mirajane gives Spike a calculator. 

"Thanks," Spike plugs in the numbers. "4,500,000 Jewels, divide by 8. Okay, Every one of us will get 562,500 Jewels each."

"Not bad for kicking bad guys," Happy said. 

"Definitely worth the travel and time," Gray said shirtless. 

Spike gives each of his friends 562,500 Jewels. He's keeping his cut in the briefcase and uses his fire breath to teleport the briefcase to the apartment. 

Erza gets up and sits with Cana. "Is Master here?" 

"He got called in some kind of last-minute council meeting. So, it's probably going to be a while until he returns," Cana replies. She drinks her barrel of beer. 

"Hey, Spike. I'm heading back to the apartment," Lucy gets up and leaves the guildhall with her money. 

"Alright, see you around," Spike said. Spike flies to the bar. "Mirajane, are there any cakes for today?" 

"Yes. I made a chocolate fudge cake," Mirajane replies while heating some food up. 

"I want a slice, please," Spike asks. 

"Make that two," Wendy overhears the word chocolate fudge cake. 

"Oh my, I see you two love-dragons growing stronger by the day. I'll make these slices of cakes extra special for the occasion."

"Uh, make that three slices," Carla sits on the barstool. "I am in the mood for cake, along with some tea." 

"Coming right up," Mirajane said, making tea for Carla. 

"Wow, Spike. You're not bothered that Carla is getting involved with what you do with Wendy?" Happy asks out of curiosity. 

"No. Wendy and Carla have a deeper bond together. Who am I to say that they should separate because I'm dating Wendy. When Wendy and I get married, Carla will be living with us when we get our house. She's part of the family." 

"Does that include making love?" Happy teasingly laughs. Spike and Wendy blush in embarrassment. 

Carla slaps Happy. "How dare you make a bold joke like that?!" Carla is irate with Happy's antics. "Beat it, Tomcat!" 

"Sorry," Happy sadly hovers away. 

"Perv," Carla said. She takes a deep breath to calm herself. "Just to let you know," Carla crosses her arms. "I wouldn't interfere nor be in close range when you two do." 

"Now, it's not the best time to be talking of that sort. We're still too young," Spike said. 

"Yea," Wendy concurs. "I'm not thinking of that until I'm older." 

"Here you go," Mirajane gives Spike, Wendy, and Carla their slices of chocolate fudge cake. She also gives Carla her cup of green tea. "So, what will your kids be like? A full dragon? Half-dragon, half-human? A human with dragon magic properties?"

"Oh great, Happy gave her ideas of what those kids will be," Carla said. 

"Sorry, I think it's great Spike and Wendy are a couple. I can't help but fantasize about the future of the duo." 

"We will let you know in twenty years or so. It depends on how and when we feel like doing it," Spike replies. 

"Yea," Wendy takes the first bite of her cake. She falls in love with it and continues to eat. 

Spike and Carla eat their cake. Then, all of a sudden, the guildhall doors burst open. Everyone turns to see Lucy with a woman and a small yellow chick bird wearing a greenish-blue shirt. 

"Guys, she needs our help!" Lucy frantically shouts. 

A few hours later. The woman and yellow chick bird are having a meal while the guildhall is closing down. Wendy already used her sky magic to heal the woman's injuries. Spike is sitting with his friends at one table. Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, and Team Shadow Gear are by the bar. Max Alors and Nab Lasaro are cleaning up the guildhall. It's their turn in the rotation of cleaning up the guildhall. 

Mirajane brings a chug of juice to the woman. "Here you go." 

"Thank you," The woman replies. 

"Maybe she fainted earlier because she was hungry?" Lucy theorizes. 

"Who knows. Sometimes, weary travels have that effect on people," Spike said. 

"Who is that girl?" Natsu asks Lucy. 

"I don't know," Lucy sighs a little. 

"What's with that big baby bird-thing?" Elfman asks Lisanna. 

"I'm not sure. It seems like it's her friend," Lisanna replies. 

"It looks more like dinner to me," Droy speaks with his belly. 

"Don't you dare," Jet said. 

"You are very kind," The woman said with grace. 

"You should be all fixed up," Lucy said assuringly. 

"Thank you, but I would be fine with or without the meal," The woman said. 

"Now now, you should know better to say things like that. Please forgive her," The chick bird said while bowing a bit. 

"Uh, it's fine. Don't worry," Lucy responds to the apology. 

"I'm Momon, and this is Éclair," Momon points to Éclair. She's a young woman with amber-colored eyes. Her brown hair extends down her back and is tied up at the back while her forehead is framed by several bangs. Her outfit is reminiscent of the traditional Indian Sari. "I took her under my wing a couple of years ago." 

"You took her in!?" Jet and Droy shout in shock. 

"My name is Lucy," Lucy shakes Momon's hand. "It's nice to meet you," Lucy tries to give Éclair a handshake. Éclair gives Lucy the silent treatment. 

"My name is Natsu!" Natsu introduces himself to Éclair. "I'm what you called a Dragon Slayer. Welcome to our guild, Éclair." 

Happy flies over with a half-eaten fish. "And I'm Happy. Want a bite of fish?" 

"You're all very kind," Éclair grabs her bag and decides to leave. "Come, Momon." 

"Right," Momon complies. 

Carla's future vision kicks in. She's seeing a wicked beast, a desolate house, a globe, and Éclair in tears. "Wait." 

"What's wrong, Carla?" Wendy asks. 

"You're heading into a forest. Watch out. Great sadness awaits you there," Carla warns Éclair. 

"A forest?" Éclair remembers the moment when someone close to her mentioned a forest. "That's right. Deep within the Boundary Forest. That's where it is." 

"I don't think you want to go there," Happy said. 

"Come, Momon," Éclair starts moving. 

"I'm coming," Momon obeys Éclair's command. 

Lucy watches the two leave. She decides to go after them, knowing that they'll be in grave danger heading alone. Natsu, Spike, and Happy pick up the pace to follow Lucy. 

Lucy catches up with Éclair and Momon by the South Gate Park. "Wait a second. Where are you going?" 

"The Boundary Forest," Éclair replies. 

"But that place is super dangerous," Happy exclaims. "Everyone says it's crawling with monsters!"

"It is?" Spike asks Happy. He wasn't aware of the forest's inhabitants. 

"Still, I must go there," Éclair states. Nothing is going to make her say otherwise. 

"Why?" Lucy asks. 

"I don't know. It's calling to me, and I can't ignore it." 

"Fine, we'll go along with you to keep you safe," Lucy said. "We are wizards, you know." 

"But I'm not very fond with magic," Éclair replies, shunning Lucy. 

"Now, be nice," Momon says. 

"Because magic brings tremendous sorrow with it..," Éclair sighs and turns away.  

"You think it brings sorrow?" Lucy is confused. "Well, I know it can bring joy. So let me come with you."

"Yea, me too! You're going to love magic after seeing the three of us could do with it," Natsu proclaims. 

"Those monsters will run away once they see me in action," Spike said. 

"Aye!" Happy says with cheer. 

"We should accompany you as well," Erza arrives with Gray, Wendy, and Carla. 

"Why not. We got nothing else to do," Gray said. 

"You're not going anywhere without me, Spike," Wendy grabs Spike's claw. 

"Wouldn't dream of it," Spike smiles. 

Éclair sighs while Momon reassures her that things will go smoother. Plus, they'll have much need company for the trip. Éclair says to get to the Boundary Forest, they need to take the train to Rose Garden City. Natsu asks Spike about flying to Rose Garden City when Spike states that he has never been there, leaving no choice for Natsu to take the train. 

The train ride from Magnolia to Rose Garden City took ten hours. Natsu suffered greatly due to his motion sickness. Éclair is a bit rude on the train when she mentioned having no memories except having no care for wizards. Éclair, Momon, Spike, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Erza, and Gray arrive in town. It's a sight to behold while feeling a ton of magic energy all around them. Spike shoots a flare marking in Rose Garden City. 

"Uh, why?" Momon questions Spike's reasoning for shooting at the ground. 

"It's a flare marking. I can use it to teleport or fly here without any problem."

"Cool, trick," Momon said. He wonders what else Spike can do. 

"Now this place is awesome," Gray is enjoying the scenery in town. People ride on magic carpets and brooms to travel. "There's magic practically everywhere you look." 

"Yo, Happy. Let's grab some grub," Natsu said. "It's chow time!"

"Aye!" Happy follows Natsu to the nearest restaurant. 

"What a bonehead," Gray scratches his head. 

"Now, we don't need to check-in until later on this evening. So, let's go have fun for a little while," Erza said. 

"Let's go, Wendy," Spike grabs Wendy's hand and runs to go sightseeing. Carla flies beside the two. 

The trio finds an amusement park during their sightseeing. "Oh, yeah. Now, it's a date!" Spike and Wendy shout. The two run, looking for a love tunnel ride.

"Young love at its finest," Carla sighs a bit. She'll be waiting at the end of the lines during their rides all night. 

For two hours, Carla kept her distance while Spike and Wendy enjoy each other's company. They went on several rides, played arcade games, and entered a hall of mirrors. They made all sorts of silly faces with the mirrors viewing different body types. 

"Hey, wanna go for ice cream?" Spike asks Wendy. 

"Sure, and let's bring Carla. I think we had our fun." 

"Sounds fair," Spike holds Wendy's hand and looks for Carla. 

"Having fun?" Carla smiles at Wendy and Spike. 

"We are. Now we're calling it off. Join us for ice cream, Carla." 

"Sure, I'll be happy to join," Carla said. 

"Thank you for giving Wendy and I space during our date," Spike said. 

"You're welcome. It was the right thing for me to do. Also, we gotta be sure to get to the hotel before curfew," Carla reminds Wendy and Spike. 

"I'm sure Erza and Lucy are at the hotel by now. I'll teleport us to them. Boom, instant check-in." 

"I don't know what we would do without your teleportation, Spike." 

"Walk," Spike chuckles, answering Carla's statement. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla see an ice cream vendor. They buy their cones and lick their ice cream out of the amusement park. A few moments later. Spike, Wendy, and Carla see Erza coming out of the store with a wedding dress. They followed her to the Hills Hotel. 

Upon arrival at the Hills Hotel, Lucy, Éclair, Momon, Natsu, Happy, and Gray are sitting at the lounge couches waiting for their room key. Spike, Wendy, and Carla sit together next to Lucy. Erza is at the counter, waiting to get the room keys. 

"Well, Erza seems to be in a way better mood than usual," Natsu said. 

"I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the wedding dress she bought earlier," Wendy said. 

"WHAT?!" Gray, Happy, Lucy, and Natsu shout in shock. 

"Problem?" Erza turns to her friends. Her tone strikes fear at them except for Spike. 

"Nothing!" Wendy, Gray, Happy Natsu, and Lucy say in unison while waving their hands. 

"What's with the wedding dress, Sis?" Spike asks. 

"What? I'm not allowed to buy or wear one?" Erza's glare is one for making anyone fearful. Spike is immune to it. 

"Just curious. You're not the type since you're not engaged." 

"Spike, what are you doing? Don't provoke Erza," Natsu is fearful of what Erza may do to Spike. 

"Come here, and I'll tell you," Erza said. 

"I wish I can be brave like Spike when standing up to Erza," Lucy said. 

Spike gets up and walks to Erza.

"The wedding dress is for an armor of my design. I was shopping in town, and none of the armors suited me well." 

"Oooooh, so the wedding dress is customary. Got you. Here I thought you bought so you can fantasize about getting married to Jellal." 

Erza blushes and hides it from the others. She glares out her blush. "That's not it. This isn't the right one I would be wearing." 

"Then why buy something you weren't going to wear," Spike chuckles a bit. 

Erza remains silent. She knows Spike got her good with that statement. There is no lie or excuse she can come up with. Out of everyone, she's unable to scare Spike with her stare. The desk clerk gives Erza three room keys. 

"Okay. Natsu, Gray, Happy, you get a room. Lucy, Momon, and Éclair. You get a room. The rest of us will get the last room." 

"Yes," Spike does a fist pump. "I get to share a bed with-" 

"Me," Erza said. She smirks, hoping that Spike would show a bit of fear to tease him.

"Sure, why not," Spike said, showing no fear. 

"D'oh! I thought that would work." Erza imagines facepalming herself with Spike's reaction and statement. 

"Uh, I'm not okay with that..," Wendy feels a little jealous of Spike sleeping with Erza for the night. 

"I was joking. I didn't mean it literal," Erza said. 

Wendy sighs in relief. "I am glad." 

"Can I sleep with my brother?" Erza asks Wendy. 

"Uh..," Wendy is unsure. "I guess so," Wendy does sound disappointed. 

Spike goes with Erza, Wendy, and Carla to their hotel room. When they get in, Wendy goes to a bed and lays down on it. Erza sits down and takes her boots off. Carla sits on a chair next to the balcony. Spike takes a look around the room. 

Natsu, Happy, and Gray go to their hotel room. Natsu and Happy decide to raid the fridge in the room despite the high prices while Gray strips. 

Lucy goes to their hotel room with Éclair and Momon. She decides to take a shower first. She wonders what's going in the mind of Éclair. After taking a shower, Lucy talks with Éclair a bit while covering her body in a towel. That's when an enemy appears from the shadows he's casting, shooting daggers from his hand. This enemy is wearing a dark-cloaked hoodie with a dark-plague-doctor mask concealing his face. 

"Come with me quietly or feel the terrifying thrill of prey being hunted. Choose." 

"What? No!" Lucy answers. 

"I'm not here for you," The intruder says. 

Lucy realizes this guy has come for Éclair. "Run, now!" Lucy stalls for time by throwing a chair at the intruder. Éclair and Momon flee from their room. The intruder takes the hit and goes after Éclair. "Natsu!" Lucy calls out and jumps out the window. 

Natsu, Happy, and Gray overhear Lucy's cry. Natsu uses his sense of smell to track Lucy. Happy and Gray follow Natsu. 

Lucy, Éclair, and Momon flee while the intruder moves at rapid speeds, shooting daggers from his hands at his target. Lucy and Éclair take a turn in a dark alley and fall. The intruder looks below at his target. 

"Go forth to seek her blood, oh blade of mine," The intruder unveils his sword from his arm and dives down, ready to put Éclair out of commission. He sees a fireball shot at him and dodges. He dodges mid-air from the ice lance attacks. 

"You guys! Thank God!" Lucy is happy to see Natsu, Gray, and Happy. 

"Who the hell are you?" Natsu demands the intruder to give him his name. 

The intruder sees Natsu's Fairy Tail Emblem. "No, it will not help you," He flees from the scenery. Natsu and Gray chase after him. 

"Get back here!" Gray demands. He and Natsu go through a different alleyway. The intruder attacks Gray with a dropkick. 

"You bastard!" Natsu's hand ignites. He's ready to deliver a Fire Dragon Iron Fist attack. 

"Come forth, my starving claws. And feed!" The intruder pops his claws like Wolverine and attacks Natsu in close-quarters combat. Natsu is having a hard time delivering a blow on the intruder. Using his speed and technicality, the intruder breaks away and flees. He hops wall-to-wall to reach the rooftop of a tall building. 

"Ah crap," Natsu said, watching the guy escape. 

"Up we go," Gray uses his Ice Magic to elevate himself from the ground. Natsu climbs the wall to get to the top. The two meet up with the intruder. 

"You're going to wish you kept on running," Natsu declares. 

"Fairy Tail, is it?" The intruder uses his shadows to create a portal for him to sink into. He escapes the scenery. 

"He disappeared..," Gray looks at the ground. 

During the time Natsu and Gray chased the intruder, Lucy was questioning Éclair. Lucy asks Éclair to see if the intruder causes her to remember any bits of her past. Natsu and Gray return to Lucy. 

"Hey, is everyone okay?" Natsu asks. 

"What was that about?" Gray asks. 

"I don't know," Lucy gets up. Her towel falls off her body. "Someone's after her," Lucy sees Natsu and Gray blushing while making an awe kind-of face. "What?"

"You feel a breeze out here? Ooo, la la," Happy holds his laughter and points at Lucy. 

Lucy squeals loudly and covers herself. Natsu and Gray couldn't help but stare at Lucy. Natsu asks Gray if his stripping habits are contagious. Gray responds that it has never been the case. If it were, it wouldn't be the worse case he saw. 

A half an hour later, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Happy, Éclair, and Momon return to the Hills Hotel. Erza, Wendy, Spike, and Carla, come out and check on Lucy and Éclair in their room. Éclair removes her neckless and thinks about why the chase. She explains little of her mission. 

"I think I'm starting to remember bits and pieces of my past. I believe this half stone is what my pursuer is after," Éclair says. 

"He wanted that stone?" Lucy looks at it. 

"I do sense a peculiar power emitting from the stone," Carla said. 

"This Kalard. The name is unfamiliar to me. Rage, what's your intake of the stone?" Erza asks. 

"Who is Rage?" Éclair and Momon asks. They are confused. 

"Look at Spike's eyes for a few seconds," Lucy said. 

Spike blinks a few times. His eyes turn from green to orange. "I am Fairy Rage. An aspect of Spike with a soul. I can also speak while Spike is in control. I'm in control to show who I am." Fairy Rage blinks a few times. His eyes turn from orange to green. 

"That's creepy," Momon is scared at the moment. 

"I do sense immense power from the stone. However, the power is incomplete."

"Incomplete?" Everyone in the room said in unison. 

"When the other half is combined, the full power of the stone could cause a devastating effect. I don't know what it is. Based on my judgments, the pursuer is tasked with taking the stone and attaching it to the other half."

"Wow, that's terrifying, and Éclair has told me she has no memory of the stone's significance," Momon said. "How can Spike be accurate?" 

"Give Spike a few components, and he can solve anything," Erza said. 

"Well, almost. I do have my fair share of being unable to guess things through," Spike honestly says. 

"My memory is blank like an untouched canvas. Just white nothing is spreading out. Nothing to remind me who I am. Or the reasons why I keep going. But lately, the image has been filling in. Slowly. This stone must be a clue to my past." 

"I bet this Kalard guy knows something. We gotta go find him and ask," Natsu said. 

"You know by any chance happen to know where we can find Kalard, do you?" Happy asks. 

"I do, but I'm not quite sure who he is. Or if I can still see him. Even if it's too late, I must go there," Éclair said. 

"Now, on an unrelated note," Natsu turns to Spike. "Spike. While Gray and I were chasing the guy, why didn't you come out to help?" 

"Oh.., uh.., funny thing about that..," Spike sightly chuckles. 

"He was singing in the shower," Erza answers for Spike. 

"Spike was singing?" Gray, Happy, Natsu, and Lucy say in unison. 





A while ago, while Spike is singing in the shower.

"When I wake up in the morning, love. And the sunlight hurts my eyes. And something without warning, love. Bears heavy on my mind, then I look at you, and the world's alright with me. Just one look at you, and I know it's gonna be, a lovely daaaaaaaaaaay!" Spike uses the bar of soap and pretends to use it as a mic. 





Now. 

Spike sighs. "I was singing a song I want to dedicate to Wendy. I got caught up with my singing that I didn't hear Lucy's cry for Natsu." 

"I was asleep while Spike was singing. I didn't want to mess up his mojo."

"Wow, I didn't know you had a song dedicated to me," Wendy said in awe. 

"Actually, I came up with the lyrics and went from there." 

"Anyway, let's get some shut-eye. Tomorrow, we have a forest filled with monsters to combat," Erza said. 

The next day. Everyone leaves the Hills Hotel. Spike had to bail Natsu and Happy with his money since the two raided the hotel fridge. Spike paid 35,000 Jewels in total for the two with the high prices on snacks and drinks. 

Two hours later. Everyone enters the Boundary Forest. A swarm of monsters comes after them, wanting to have their meal. The relentless attacks from the monsters that keep showing up made Spike agitated to a point that he increases his size. The behemoths look at Spike increasing his size into a full dragon and now know they don't have a chance against him. The monsters flee after Spike roars in fear of being eaten or stomped on. Éclair and Momon couldn't help but gaze at Spike and his capabilities to increase his size. 

"Spike, you can decrease your size now," Natsu shouts. 

"I'm going to stay like this. I think those behemoths think I'm their King of the Monsters, now. An alpha to obey." 

"Please don't step on us!" Lucy shouts. 

"Wouldn't dream of it," Spike replies. He looks around to be sure that no other creature dares to attack his friends. 

A few hours while walking aimlessly in the Boundary Forest. Éclair, Momon, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Wendy, and Carla find a home desolate. The ruins of the house have an open staircase. 

"Spike, we found something! You can come now!" Wendy shouts. 

"Coming!" Spike reverts and teleports next to Wendy. Spike was hovering in the air while keeping watch for any other monster sighting. 

"Much better," Wendy smiles. She and Spike follow everyone else downstairs of the house. 

The basement of the house looks deteriorated. There are books on the counters and shelves, paper rotted on the walls, tree roots sticking around the area, and a photo of two people and a younger Éclair. Éclair takes a look at it when a lacrima globe illuminates. It catches everyone's attention. 

"Éclair," A voice calls out from the lacrima globe. Éclair gasps a bit. "So you come," An image of Kalard appears. "This message is in fact reaching your ears, child, then what I was told is indeed true. Many people came here searching for you. Survivors of Fire Village told me the events that transpired. It brought me great joy that you survived. However, when I think about your fate," Kalard coughs during the messaging. 

"Hold on, what does he mean by that?" Gray asks. 

"Shush." 

"Oh, my darling, sweet Éclair. The time we shared together blessed me with the most precious memories of my entire life. Atlas, the fate of the Fire Village needed you to serve maiden, and I was given the task of dispelling the Phoenix Stones."

"Dispel Magic..," Éclair repeats what Kalard said in the messaging. "Nullification?" 

"I have no doubt that you are the most spectacular maiden. My dispel magic has finally completed, but I fear I should never have the chance to use it," The lacrima globe starts cracking. "I've fallen ill. I will clutch dearly to the life I have remaining until you return bearing the stone. But, if you are seeing this, oh Éclair."

"He's already gone, so sad..," Wendy feels saddened with the news displayed on the messaging display. 

"Shush." 

"I have a simple prayer. That happiness finds you, and you find people that deeply care for you. Darling Éclair, my dear beloved daughter."

Éclair gasps. "Father.., I'm here..," Éclair extends her hand to the messaging display of her father's hand. The lacrima globe shatters, disrupting the messaging. 

"Well, Rage. You were right about the stones since Kalard mentioned having the magic for dispelling the stones," Natsu said. 

"Alright, start reading every book here. There have to be some notes about Kalard's nullification magic," Erza said. 

"On it, Sis," Spike grabs a book. 

It's 8:00 at night. Spike, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Wendy, and Carla read every book in the basement. There are no notes about Kalard's nullifying magic to disperse the magic of the Phoenix Stones. Erza and Lucy make a campfire. Éclair is doing a ritual dance while holding half of the Phoenix Stone. 

"No luck," Gray alerts Erza. "We looked through every book and stack of paper down there and couldn't find anything about his dispel magic." 

"I see," Erza watches Éclair's movements. "Perhaps the Master may have indications about Kalard." 

Lucy comforts Éclair by mentioning the feeling of losing a father and being unable to be there by his side. The two embrace while talking about their feelings. Everyone else watches the wholesome event, knowing that Lucy did the right thing in comforting Éclair. Everyone gathers by the campfire. 

"I like to make a formal request at the Fairy Tail Guild. My father spent his final days trying to rid the Phoenix Stones of the curse they carry. Would you help me to achieve it?" Éclair asks wholeheartedly. 

"We most gladly accept," Erza speaks for everyone. 

"It's our pleasure," Natsu smiles. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy concurs. 

"You have my thanks," Éclair says gracefully. 

"Let's head back to the guildhall. Spike if you would," Erza said. 

"Sure thing," Spike eats the fire from the campfire. He then breathes fire on his friends, teleporting them and himself to the guildhall. 

"Wow, that was instant," Momon said in shock. 

"His fire didn't burn us," Éclair said in shock. 

"My flames have different uses when it comes to my thought process. I am an Energy Maker Dragon." 

"Our fastest mode of transportation when its time to come home," Natsu joyously laughs. 

"Hey, guys. Found what you were looking for?" Macao asks while drinking his beer. 

"Hey, Macao. Seen a stone like this?" Happy asks and gives him the Phoenix Stone. He explains what he knows about it. 

Macao takes it and observes it. "Can't say it looks dangerous to me." 

"Hey, I have an idea. How about we try to break the stone to break the curse," Happy said. 

"Yea, and maybe, just maybe, fish comes out of the broken stone."

Happy gasps. "Natsu! You hear what Fairy Rage said! Break the stone, and fish will come out!" 

"I'm on it! Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu tries to destroy the stone with his barrage of flames. It does nothing for him and Happy's sake. 

"Natsu, you idiot! Do you seriously call that using your brain?" Macao angrily says to Natsu. 

"Moron, I was being sarcastic."

"Dumb and Dumber," Lucy said. 

"Hey! We're not dumb!" Happy and Natsu said in their defense. 

"If it were truly that simple to break, don't you think Kalard would have done that?" Erza angrily claims. 

"Thanks a lot, Happy. You got me into trouble," Natsu said, sitting on the floor like a child. 

"So, Éclair. Whatever happened to the other stone?" Erza asks. 

"I'm not certain," Éclair replies. "But, I think that.., it was stolen in a raid by.., Veronica..?"

"Hey, I heard of that before. Veronica is the name of a country that's north of Fiore, and it's super tiny." 

"It is, Happy?" Spike asks. 

"Yea. We should head over there to find answers on what to do next." 

"You see that, Natsu. That's how you use your brain," Macao said. 

"Shut up!" Natsu retorts. 

Everyone in the guildhall gets a good laugh. Then out of nowhere, the backside of the guildhall gets bombarded by cannons. The front of the guildhall gets bombarded by cannon.  Everyone is covered by the rubble, Elfman used his Beast Soul and protected his friends at the bar by catching the Fairy Tail sign that was above it. Three wizards are at what used to be the front of the guildhall doors. 

"Who in the hell are you?" Natsu demands. He's powering up. 

"We are known as Carbuncle. The beast that bears a garnet that's lurking in the shadows. And you may call me Dyst!" Dyst has long, messy turquoise hair and narrow eyes with irises and pupils. He wears a black coat and with silver highlights, white boots, and white gloves. The coat has large triangular edges. Dyst uses his telekineses to shoot the rubble at Natsu. Natsu gets pinned to the ground and continues to suffer the onslaught by Dyst's telekinesis. 

"You bastard!" Gray gets up. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases into the size of Laxus. 

"The Legendary Fairy Dragon," Cannon said. He is a tall, muscular man with slightly brown skin, has brown hair, straightened up and flattened on top, sideburns, and a beard. Cannon wears a dark green sleeveless shirt and brown pants with a black belt. He also wears dark red armor on his left arm, from his wrist up to his shoulder, and a dark red fingerless glove on his left hand. His weaponry consists of several floating cannons and a cannon rifle. "Yo, pretty boy," He refers to Gray. "The two of you are in time for a hot date with the cannon."

"Why you," Juvia feels conflicted, thinking Cannon is trying to date her beloved Gray. "Water Cyclone!" Juvia unleashes her whirling water torrent at Cannon. 

Cannon shoots magic bullets from his cannon rifle. The magic bullets harm Juvia. Gray casts an ice shield and gets blasted with magic bullets as well. 

"Phew, phew!" Spike flies while mimicking his claws like guns shooting Sparkling Green Bullets at Cannon. Cannon's cannons intercept Spike's Flaming Bullets. 

Bisca and Alzack provide cover fire for Spike but get blasted by Dyst's telekineses. 

"Here comes a real man!" Elfman charges with his Beast Soul takeover. 

Mirajane joins in the fray by turning into her Satan Soul. 

"Too easy," Coordinator is a blond woman wearing a light blue band with an emblem on it around her upper chest as well as gray armbands and blue bracelets on each arm. She wears a set of large gray faulds around her waist, open at the front and extending down just past knee level, a black belt fastening the faulds around her waist and thigh-high leg armor. She uses her magic to dispel Elfman and Mirajane's takeover spells, allowing Cannon's cannons to fire at the two. 

"Keep Éclair safe," Erza tells Lucy. She requips into her Black Wing Armor. "This ends now!" Erza goes after Coordinator.

Coordinator uses her dispel magic on Erza. Erza is disarmed of her weapon and armor and lands on one knee. "It appears even Titania knows her place is to kneel before the Great Coordinator!" She unsheathes her sword and requips into her Melee Armor. Her armor is primarily purple with white clothing underneath. It consists of a breastplate that's open in the middle, a pair of gauntlets, an open white skirt with purple trimming, a gray belt with a brown buckle, and leg armor.

"She requips!" Erza said in shock. 

"Bow down!" Coordinator attacks Erza at ease and defeats her. 

"Take this!" Spike flies at Coordinator. 

"Got something for you, Fairy Dragon!" Cannon shoots Wyvern Tranquilizer darts at Spike. Spike wails in agony, not anticipating the attack. 

"Thanks, Cannon!" Coordinator says. She kicks Spike upward. 

"Take this," Dyst uses his telekineses to slam Spike hard to the ground. Spike is barely breathing.

"Spike!" Wendy horridly shouts. 

"No way..," Droy and Jet say in shock. They couldn't believe that Spike got overwhelmed. 

"There she is," Dyst sees Éclair. He uses his telekineses to lift everyone else and tosses them aside. They crash into the walls, pillars, and floors hard. 

The intruder rises from the shadows. He goes by the name Chase and grabs Éclair. "Let's go." 

"Enough!" Fairy Rage takes control and stands up. 

"What the!? How is that possible?" Cannon is confused. He shot multiple Wyvern Tranquilizers that should have put Spike to sleep for hours. 

"Coordinator. Rid of the dragon's power," Dyst commands. 

"Yes, Sir," She tries dispelling Fairy Rage's magic. She finds it hard to do so. "Something is not right," She turns fearfully to her leader, Dyst. 

"Prepare to DIE!" Fairy Rage conjures a ton of magic power that scares the Carbuncle Guild. 

"What is he doing?" Cannon asks. 

"I'm not sure. It's a ton of magic for that dragon to conjure," Coordinator says. "For some stupid reason, I can't dispel his magic!" She tries over and over to dispel Fairy Rage's magic. 

Fairy Rage claws are in motion. Every Fairy Tail Wizard present now knows what Fairy Rage is doing. Cannon hands Chase some Wyvern Tranquilizers. Chase goes into the shadows. 

"I invoke. FAIRY LA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Fairy Rage gets stabbed in the back by multiple Wyvern Tranquilizers darts. Chase uses the shadows to pierce him multiple times around his body. Fairy Rage falls to his knees. "I'll feast on your soul, you f-" Fairy Rage passes out from the drugs. He reverts to size. 

"Spike!" Most of Spike's friends shout in horror. 

"No.., please.., don't take her..," Lucy said in defeat. 

Natsu rises from the rubble. His body ignites and charges after the Carbuncle guild. Dyst uses his telekineses to raise the rubble; creating a dense shield to knock Natsu to the ground. The Carbuncle Guild leaves with Éclair and the Phoenix Stone. 

"Spike!" Wendy gets up and runs to Spike's body. "Spike, get up! Spike!" Wendy is in tears, holding Spike's body. 

"Those are Wyvern Tranquilizers. They normally knock out a Wyvern for a few hours at most. Spike's been injected with a lot. It may take him a few days or so to wake up," Macao said. 

"A few days! Nooooo!" Wendy uses her magic to heal Spike. "Spike, please recover quickly! Spike!" 

Natsu is irate with what transpired. "Those bastards destroyed our guildhall, drugged Spike, and kidnapped one of our friends! They are messing with the wrong guild! They're gonna pay for this!" 

"How unfortunate. They gave us a beating we won't soon forget," Makarov said. He arrives with Gajeel and Panther Lily a few moments after Carbuncle vanished. 

"You're damn right!" Natsu responds. "So now what?" Natsu asks. He's ready for a rematch against the punks that ambushed the guildhall. 

"First, we need to take Fairy Dragon to Porlyusica. Perhaps she has something to heal him and wake him up from those Wyvern Tranquilizers. In the meantime, Gajeel and Panther Lily will tell you the details of their discoveries." 

"I'll take Spike to Porlyusica. I'm the fastest to carry him there," Jet said. 

"See to it," Makarov said. 

Jet picks up Spike's body. "Gotcha, buddy," Jet hightails out of the guildhall. 

Makarov goes down to the library with Erza, Natsu, Gray, Juvia, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Momon, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Mirajane, and Macao to discuss the discoveries Gajeel and Panther Lily made. 

"There's been unusual power reported recently. So we investigated it," Panther Lily said. 

"We ended up in this puny little country. It was called Veronica," Gajeel said. 

"Éclair was talking about that place," Happy said. 

"She told us they were the ones that stole the other Phoenix Stone," Gray noted. 

"The guild was attacked by Carbuncle. They're mercenaries. They were hired by Veronica's Duke, Cream. We overheard them talking about getting a large amount of money for abducting a girl named Éclair," Panther Lily added. 

"We also heard Veronica is throwing a 400th birthday party tomorrow. And this Duke Cream is going to make some fireworks by putting the two Phoenix Stones together," Gajeel added. 

"Wow, Rage was on point about combining the two stones," Happy said. 

"What did Rage say?" Makarov asks. 

"Rage sensed a lot of magic coming from the Phoenix Stone Éclair had and figured that combining the two would have a devastating effect," Lucy said. 

"What would that do, Master?" Erza asks. 

"There happens to be an ancient legend about those stones. It says when the two become one, the Fiery Phoenix will spring forth from its eternal prison," Panther Lily answers for Makarov. 

"And apparently give you eternal life as a thank you gift," Gajeel says.

"It'll make you live forever..," Natsu said in shock. 

"When the people of Fire Village sealed the Phoenix away many years ago, countless lives were lost. I can't imagine the havoc that demon would create if release today," Makarov said. 

"All we have to do is dispel the magic one of the stones to keep that thing from coming back. That's why Kalard was so worried about being there and was waiting for her to bring him the stone," Gray said, adding the pieces together like a puzzle. 

"If Cream does this, he'll have the Phoenix's power and could do whatever he wants without the fear of death stopping him," Gajeel said. 

"If the Phoenix were to go on a rampage, just like what happened the last time, the Duke will survive the attack. But, he'll be the only one," Panther Lily says. 

"I'm sure Spike can take down that Phoenix in one, two, three," Natsu proclaims. Makarov sighs a bit after Natsu's statement. 

"Something troubling you, Master," Erza asks. 

"I want to say Natsu's theory is correct if Spike can eat some of the Phoenix's power. However, with the Wyvern Tranquilizer Darts injected in Spike's systems, we may already lost a key player heading into this fight." 

"I'm going," Lucy said. "I need to try and rescue Éclair. She was crying, so I held her. She still couldn't stop trembling. It was so much that I was shaking too. This isn't about the stone or about the Phoenix. Éclair's life is at stake. She's just a girl like me. When she found out that her father died she cried just like I did. She needs our help. We can't abandon her..," Lucy sheds some tears. 

Makarov takes it all in and makes a decision based on Lucy's feelings. "I  see... You can go. Erza, you choose who goes with her." 

"Right," Erza nods. 

"Keep it small and efficient. Veronica may not be a large country, but we can't afford to go to war with them." 

"Of course, Master," Erza takes a deep breath. 

"Wendy, I'm going to need your Troia spell this time." 

"Yes, that means I have to go with you, Natsu." 

"Then I'm going too," Gray volunteers. 

"Wherever Gray goes, I will follow," Juvia said. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy volunteers to go as well. 

"Count me in," Gajeel said. "I want retribution for the punks that put my brother to sleep." 

"I'm going as well," Panther Lily says. 

"We should hope for the best while still preparing for the worst. I will return to the Council at once to give my report," Makarov decrees. "God speed everybody." 

During their conversation about the motives to rescue Éclair and stop the Phoenix Stones from merging, Jet arrives at Porlyusica's treehouse. He knocks frantically. 

"Keep your shirt on!" Porlyusica sounds angrier than usual. "I'm coming!" Porlyusica sees Jet. "What do you want?" 

Jet flinches at Porlyusica. "Sorry that I'm interrupting, but the guildhall got ambushed by a guild called Carbuncle, and they shot Wyvern Tranquilizers at Spike," Jet shows Porlyusica Spike's condition. She gasps and takes him. 

"Wyvern Tranquilizers, not good," Porlyusica brings Spike inside. Jet instinctively walks inside the treehouse. 

"Is there any way I can help you in terms of treating Spike?" Jet asks Porlyusica while she lays Spike on a bed. 

"Yes," Porlyusica gives jet a list. "I need you to go deeper in Mt.Hakobe to retrieve saliva of a Wyvern." 

"Sa-Sa-Saliva..?" Jet stutters a bit. 

"Yes. It's crucial to make an antibody to speed the process. Knowing Makarov and the others, they'll need Spike's help." 

"Okay," Jet takes the list and hightails out of the treehouse. He runs and slams into Laxus of the Thunder Legion. Jet falls back while Laxus remains still. 

"Hey, what's the matter? You look paranoid," Freed asks Jet. 

"Sorry, I need to get Wyvern saliva for Porlyusica. Spike's got hit with many Wyvern Tranquilizers from this group called Carbuncle." 

"What?!" Evergreen, Freed, and Bickslow said in shock. They couldn't believe that Spike would be taken out like that. 

"Wyvern Saliva? You don't say," Laxus helps Jet up. "Well, I guess we won't be getting paid by that scientist."

"10,000,000 Jewels. Gone," Evergreen says goodbye to her check. 

"All going for a better cause. Let's help Porlyusica with Spike," Freed said. 

The Thunder Legion and Jet head over to Porlyusica's treehouse. At first glance, Porlyusica believed that Jet chickened out. When she saw Jet with the Thunder Legion, she believe they're here to help speed the healing process.

"Hello, Porlyusica. Jet informed us that you need Wyvern Saliva. Here you go," Freed gives Porlyusica a container of Wyvern Saliva. 

"Thank you," Porlyusica heads over to her potion chamber and starts producing an antidote. 

"So, what can you tell us about Carbuncle?" Laxus asks. 

"Well," Jet tells the Thunder Legion about each member that ambushed the guildhall. Dyst using telekineses, Coordinator has similar magic to Erza requips and can dispel any wizard's magic power, Cannon who uses gun magic, and a shadowy guy that's similar to Rogue's shadow power. He goes into full detail about how intense the group is and what he knows so far, "So, that's all I can say." 

"Bummer, if we were there, they'll be dead," Bickslow said. 

"I would have turned them into stone," Evergreen said. 

"We should not underestimate our opponents. Look what they did to Spike, according to what Jet said," Laxus states. He watches Spike's breathing. "Hold on, bro. We got you."

"I'll create an enchantment to speed Spike's sleep process. By the time the antibodies kick in, Spike should be able to wake up feeling better than ever," Freed gets to work. 

"Good thinking. When Spike wakes up, I want you guys to head back to the guildhall. Bring everyone to stop what this Phoenix madness Jet mentioned." 

An hour later. Porlyusica finishes making the antidote. She walks up to Spike and injects the antidote into his body.   

"Freed, how long until Spike wakes up?" Jet asks. 

"A few minutes. I sped up Spike's sleep with my enchantment. When he wakes up, Spike's energy will be restored. He'll be ready to combat anything that gets between him." 

"That's awesome," Jet said. 

"Indeed," Freed nods. 

Spike starts waking up. He feels lightheaded. "Hey.., what happened..?" Spike looks around and groans. "Now, I remember. Those punks shot those tranquilizer darts at me during the ambush." 

"How are you feeling, Spike?" Porlyusica asks. 

"Hungry and lightheaded. I felt like I've been asleep for days." 

"You would have been. However, my enchantment sped up your sleep hours. You were unconscious for a few hours at most," Freed said. 

"Quick question. Do any of you know how to get to Veronica?" Spike asks. 

"The Thunder Legion knows how to get there," Evergreen said. 

"That's where Éclair is. She mentioned that place a while back before Carbuncle attacked us and took her." 

"Let's go to the guildhall to bring everyone," Laxus commands. 

"Right," Everyone nods. 

"Allow me," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends to the guildhall. 

"Good luck," Porlyusica said, watching them go. 

"Those stupid Council," Makarov mutters while walking back to the guildhall. He gets startled when the Thunder Legion, Jet, and Spike arrive in front of him. 

"Easy, calm down, Grampa," Laxus said. 

"It's nice to see you too, boy. Spike, you're looking better." 

"I am. I'm ready for payback. I'm flying everyone to Veronica," Spike said. "But first. Ring of Defense!" Spike puts a Ring of Defense on himself. In case anyone shoots him with Wyvern Tranquilizer Darts again. The spell will last ten hours. 

"Very well. Increase your size, and I'll gather everyone," Makarov goes inside the guildhall. 

"Now, I'm excited. The first time flying on a dragon's back!" Bickslow happily said. 

"Well, it's not every day someone gets to ride on a dragon's back. Thank you for doing this, Spike," Evergreen says in delight. 

"No problem," Spike stretches a bit. 

A few moments later, Makarov comes outside. "We're ready to go." 

"Yeah! Time to show how manly Fairy Tail is!" Elfman shouts. 

"Time for payback!" Mirajane smirks. 

"They will regret messing with Fairy Tail!" Cana said. 

"We got your back," Alzack and Bisca said with their guns drawn. 

"Time to teach those punks a lesson," Macao said. 

"Let's get going," Wakaba said. 

"Spike. There is one pitstop we have to make. Jet, I need your assistance." 

"On it, Master." 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases into a full-size dragon and stands on all fours. Everyone coming hops on Spike's back. "Get closer to the back and shoulder. Makarov, I need you to tell me where to go."

"Understood, Spike. Now take off!" 

"On it!" Spike takes off and flies to the first pitstop Makarov wants to go. 

After ten minutes at the pitstop, Spike takes off, heading to Veronica. An hour later in the flight, Spike arrives in Veronica. Everyone on Spike's back sees a purplish flash. 

"Spike, get me close to Erza. I have a special job for her." 

"On it, Master. As for everyone else, hop off my back. Find the others and help them any way you can. The punks of Carbuncle could be difficult for our friends to handle." 

Elfman, Mirajane, Cana, Alzack, Bisca, Macao, and Wakaba hop off Spike's back first. The Thunder Legion hops off and lands on a rooftop. Jet and Makarov stay on Spike's back while he flies to Erza. In a few moments, Spike points to Erza. Spike's Flare Marking illuminates when he's near, and only he and Fairy Rage can see it. 

"Thanks, Spike," Makarov and Jet hop off of Spike. 

"That's such a strange glow," Erza said, seeing the purplish flash from afar the castle. 

"The light of the Phoenix's Revival," Makarov says while holding the Council's box. 

"Master, Jet? How did you get here so quickly?" Erza asks. She notices the box. "What did you brought with you?" 

"Spike is here. He's ready to help," Jet said. 

"He is?" Erza looks up to see Spike flying towards the purplish flash.

"Our upper hand," Makarov said. 

"The Magic Council has given permission to use it?" Erza asks. 

"Let the Council be damned," Makarov said. "I have a job for you, Erza," Makarov unveils the box. "Kalard designed this arrow. It can destroy the Phoenix. On my mark, I want you to shoot it." 

"Understood, Master," Erza takes the arrow. 

"Do you feel that, Rage?" 

"Yea. There's a ton of wicked power from the castle. It could be the Phoenix itself. We could be in for a fight for our lives."

Spike hears Dyst from afar and pays close attention to what he has to say. 

"Oh, Mighty Phoenix! Bless me with the blood that grants me life eternal!" Dyst sees the Phoenix. The Phoenix happens to be a giant, metal monster with immense power. Dyst gets on the Phoenix in pursuit of his Eternal gift. By drinking the acclaimed Phoenix Blood, eternal life is granted. 

The Phoenix generates a ton of power and shoots it at a mountain. It explodes, and the people that witnessed the Phoenix's power flee for their lives. Every Fairy Tail Wizard in Veronica is in awe and horror from seeing its potential. 

"That's insane!" Gray shout in horror. 

"Let's do this!" Spike's eyes are a blend of orange and green. He soars after the Phoenix. 

"Gray, my darling, look!" Juvia points at Spike. 

"Spike?" Gray sees him going straight at the Phoenix.

"We need to help him defeat the Phoenix," Juvia said. 

"For once, I agree. Let's go," Gray holds Juvia's hand and runs towards the Phoenix's location. Juvia blushes while holding Gray's hand. 

Wendy and Panther Lily are fighting soldiers of Carbuncle when they see Spike flying towards the Phoenix. Wendy is extremely happy to see Spike well but becomes afraid that Spike may lose the fight against the Phoenix. 

"Yo, let's help Fairy Dragon! He's gonna need all the help he'll get to defeat that beast," Gajeel said. 

"Let's go, Wendy," Panther Lily said. 

"What about," Wendy sees the men they were fighting run for their lives. She sighs. 

"Hey," Cana shouts. "Help has arrived," She's there with Macao, Wakaba, Elfman, Mirajane, Alzack, and Bisca.

Wendy smiles. "That's fantastic." 

Gajeel chuckles. "Perfect timing." 

"Gotta say thanks to Spike for flying us here," Macao said. 

The Thunder Legion sees the Phoenix. They go after it to aid Spike in this battle. 

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy arrive at the castle to see Éclair barely survive. She's scorched, and her clothes are tattered. 

"She's still alive!" Happy says. 

"Éclair!" Lucy and Natsu grabs Éclair before she fell. 

"Is Momon here?" Éclair asks. 

"He.., flew into the fire to save you," Happy said in tears. "He tried so hard." 

"What the hell is that behemoth!" Dyst shouts while riding the Phoenix, which causes Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Éclair to look up. 

"Spike?" Natsu, Happy, and Lucy say in unison. 

"Take this!" Spike tackles the Phoenix to the ground. He punches the Phoenix left and right. 

"You cursed dragon! I won't allow you to deny me of my destiny!" Dyst angrily shouts. "Phoenix! Kill that dragon!" 

The Phoenix rises from the ground and shoots energy balls of destruction. It hits Spike and other buildings around. Spike crashes into a tall building that was being evacuated. 

"Lucy, get her to someplace safe," Natsu said. "Happy, Spike needs our help!" 

"Aye!" Happy grabs Natsu. 

"There is no safe place anymore!" Éclair says. "The Phoenix will lay waste upon everything unless it is defeated. There's nothing strong enough to defeat the Phoenix!" 

"Spike can," Lucy said. She believes in him. 

Spike gets up and flies in the air. "Lightning Inferno Flame! Demolition Energy Blast!" Spike presses his claws, unleashes a Sparkling Green Lightning Flame Energy Blast at the Phoenix. 

Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Éclair watch in awe. They see the Phoenix getting knocked down a second time. It shoots many energy balls of destruction at Spike. 

"Mind if we take this!" Spike grabs two energy balls of destruction and claps. He creates a Sparkling Orange-Green Metallic Destruction Sword. 

"HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!?!?!" Dyst is witnessing more of Spike's magic power. "THE PHOENIX HAS MORE POWER! DIE! DIE! DIE ALREADY!" 

"Let's go, Happy!" Natsu shouts. 

"AYE, SIR!" Happy takes off. 

Lucy takes Éclair to a safer spot in Veronica. Hopefully, the area isn't too heavily damaged. 

Spike sees Happy flying Natsu. "Natsu! Think fast!" Spike shoots a Sparkling Orange-Green Fireball at Natsu. 

"Thanks, buddy!" Natsu gets hit and consumes the flames. "Now I got a fire in my belly!" Natsu sees Dyst. Happy flies directly at him, allowing Natsu to strike Dyst. 

"Don't interfere!" Dyst demands. 

"Are you doing this so more people can die!?" Natsu angrily barks at Dyst. 

Phoenix tries to strike Spike, but Spike deflects his attack with his sword. The Phoenix uses his claw to slam Spike to the ground. 

"Wendy, use your dragon breath! Iron Dragon Roooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron dragon breath attack. 

"Sky Dragon Roooooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her sky dragon breath attack. 

"Ice Cannon!" Gray shoots an ice beam at the Phoenix. 

"Water Cyclone!" Juvia unleashes her torrent of water at the Phoenix. 

Mirajane turns into her Satan Soul to unleash her barrage of dark energy blasts at the Phoenix. 

Elfman turns into his Beast Soul and goes after the Phoenix's head to land a punch. 

Wakaba uses his smoke magic to punch the Phoenix on all corners. 

Macao shoots his purple flares at the Phoenix on all corners. 

Cana shoots her lightning and detonation cards at the Phoenix. 

Alzack and Bisca use their gun magic to shoot the Phoenix at the same time. 

"Alright, babies! Baryon Formation!" Bickslow commands his Tikis to form a pentagon formation to shoot an energy beam at the Phoenix. 

"Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen unleashes her torrents of energy needles at the Phoenix. 

"Dark Écriture Slice!" Freed moves at fast speeds, using his sword to slash the Phoenix. 

"Lightning Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning dragon breath attack at the Phoenix. 

The Phoenix takes all the attacks but doesn't acknowledge the pain; it barely tickles his metal skin. Spike gets up and pierces the Phoenix with his sword. 

"You will die! Fairy Dragon-" The Phoenix unleashes a destructive energy blast, causing Spike to hurl away from its presence. 

"Happy, let go of me!" Natsu shouts. Happy complies and drops Natsu. "Fire Dragon Brilliant Flames!" Natsu tries to hit Dyst. Dyst dodges the attack and hurls Natsu away with his telekineses. 

"Why won't you die like that dragon friend of yours?" Dyst shoots waves of his telekineses forces at Natsu. "Let your Phoenix Blood spring forth! So I may be crown as new ruler for all time!" 

The Phoenix, now free from Spike's attack, unleashes his destructive powers all over the country of Veronica. Multiple explosions occur and destroyed many buildings and people. 

"Get down!" Elfman shoves Mirajane and Cana to the ground. Every other Fairy Tail Wizard and Éclair take cover from the carnage. 

"Lucy, I remember. Veronica," Éclair explains her memories to Lucy. How she lived for 400 years. Veronica was built on the Fire Village that was burned to the ground, where she used to live long ago. She remembers the night when she drank the Phoenix's blood, given eternal life. As a result of drinking the Phoenix's blood, her memory was wiped clean. She walked aimlessly for centuries, not knowing why. Throughout the timespan, she drifted from what seemed like an eternity. Time is only marked by the graves she holds dearly. That is why she feels that magic brings sorrow wherever she goes during the time. 

"That's why you said magic brings sorrow. I understand." 

"The curse I carry was brought upon magic, and it caused me nothing but pain," Éclair cries. "The Phoenix's power is too powerful for anyone to stop. Lucy, leave me and save yourself," Éclair sadly says. 

"I can't do that. No one in our guild will leave a friend behind. Now, let's get moving!" Lucy picks up Éclair. "I know my friends will stop that beast from bringing an apocalypse.

Spike gets up. "This ends now!" Spike flies after the Phoenix. The Phoenix uses his tail to strike Spike. Spike catches it and yanks it hard, causing the Phoenix to fall back. 

"Cursed dragon! I still don't have the Phoenix Blood! I need the Phoenix Blood!" Dyst yells. 

"The only thing you're getting is a one-way ticket to Hell!" Natsu's body ignites. "Fire Dragon!" 

"Not this time!" Dyst is about to use his telekineses when Happy strikes him from behind, causing him to lose his concentration. "Die!" Dyst turns around and uses his telekineses to shoo Happy away with full force. 

"Flame Loaded Sparkling Flame Blade!" Natsu circularly swipes his arms, creating a powerful and a highly destructive torrent of Sparkling Orange-Green Flames courtesy of Spike. Dyst gets blasted with Natsu's attack and falls off the Phoenix in defeat. 

"Yes!" Laxus sees Natsu defeat Dyst from afar. 

"It's not over," Panther Lily sees Dyst's defeat next to Wendy and Gajeel. 

"The Phoenix. Spike is still battling the Phoenix. Our magic isn't strong enough to handle it," Wendy said. 

Spike rips the tail off of the Phoenix with his strength and whacks the Phoenix with it multiple times. Everyone watches Spike continuing the fight while the Phoenix continues to use his destructive magic to kill Spike. 

"Happy! We need to take down the Phoenix!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy comes back for Natsu and grabs him. 

"It doesn't matter. We'll give it everything we have!" Gajeel shouts. "Lily, get me closer to it!" 

"Right!" Panther Lily grabs Gajeel and takes off. 

"C'mon, Wendy. Spike needs your help too," Carla grabs Wendy and takes off.

"Let's send this Phoenix straight to Hell! Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus shoots a massive, powerful lightning spear at the Phoenix. After unleashing his attack, Laxus feels strange. 

"Gajeel, we have a problem," Panther Lily loses his flight magic and falls. Panther Lily and Gajeel crash land. 

"Wendy, I don't feel right," Carla loses her flight magic and falls. Carla and Wendy crash land. 

"Natsu, you need to lose some weight!" Happy says. He loses his flight magic and falls. Happy and Natsu crash land. 

"Oh no..," Éclair feels the Phoenix drawing energy. 

"What's wrong, Éclair?" Lucy turns to her. 

"It's the Phoenix. I feel it drawing energy from everyone around it," Éclair fearfully says. 

"Hey, my magic. I can't feel it," Wendy said. 

"I can't feel any of my magic as well," Gajeel said. 

"Crap, I'm losing my magic," Gray feels like his body is getting drained of his magic energy. 

"Damn." Spike pants and lets go of the tail. He reverts to size. "What's happening?" Spike looks up to see an energy ball of mass destruction.

Every Fairy Tail Wizard sees the energy ball growing wider and wider. Like an energy bomb. 

"What's wrong with me? I feel weak," Lucy falls to her knees. 

"It's not you. The Phoenix steals magic power. It'll take all the magic power it can to destroy the world," Éclair explains. 

"Why?" 

"It's the nature of the Phoenix to be reborn. It must first be destroyed. The whole world must burn. Then it alone will rise from the ashes." 

"Seriously?" Lucy looks at the Phoenix. 

"That's why it must be stopped," Makarov says. "No matter what sacrifice it must be made." 

"Master," Lucy sees Makarov. 

"Wouldn't you agree, Ms.Éclair?"

"Yes," Éclair nods. "But, the people from Fire Village are gone, and their technique to seal it is lost. So how can we do it?"

"We will not seal it but destroy it. 400 years ago, the Great Wizard Kalard completed work on a magic weapon that was to be used against the Phoenix. It was called the Arrow of Evil's Destruction. It was entrusted to the Council."

"He did?" Éclair smiles a bit. "Could this be the dispel magic he spoke of?" 

"Yes. It is extremely powerful. It will completely annihilate the Phoenix. However, you should know that anyone who consumed its' blood will disappear along with it." 

Lucy gasps. She turns from Makarov to Éclair and Makarov again. "They will?" 

"Erza will fire this arrow when I give her the signal." 

"What?! NO! She'll never hurt Éclair like that!" Lucy frantically says. 

"I never disclose that fact to her. This will be my sin to bear alone." 

"Go ahead. You have my blessing," Éclair says. 

Spike looks up and gets an idea. One that Erza would kill him for breaking a promise. "Forgive me, Sis," Spike gets up and flies onto the head of the Phoenix. 

Erza requips into her archery attire and bends her bow. She aims at the Phoenix when she sees Spike flying. "What is Spike doing?"

"Hey! What's Fairy Dragon doing?" Gajeel looks up. 

"Oh no..," Wendy picks up what Spike's doing. 

"What's the guy thinking?" Laxus watches Spike's motives. 

"Something stupid if you ask me," Bickslow replies. 

"Natsu, look!" Happy points at Spike. 

"Spike! What are you doing!?" Natsu shouts. 

"Breaking a promise!" Spike shouts and jumps into the energy ball of destruction. 

"Master! Did you tell Spike!?" Lucy frantically shouts. She saw from the corner of her left eye what Spike is doing. 

"No. I didn't tell anyone, Lucy." 

"Spike just enter the energy ball the Phoenix is conjuring!" 

"What!?" Makarov turns to see Spike. 

"Your reign ends nooooooooooooooow!" Spike starts consuming the destruction ball's magic the Phoenix is conjuring. Spike increases his size once more to sustain the magic energy flowing through him. Spike's body shines magnificently like a Phoenix. The Phoenix steps back. "I am FAIRY PHOENIX DRAGON!" Spike roars, causing the Phoenix's metallic body to crack and shatter. 

"That boy is insane..," Makarov sees the unthinkable. 

"Can it be possible for Spike to destroy the Phoenix without causing death upon Éclair?" Lucy asks. 

"I'm not sure. However, I'm deciding to allow Erza to finish the job," Makarov signals Erza to shoot the arrow. 

"He broke a promise," Erza remembers the day after Spike defeated Master Hades. Just promise us you won't do anything that reckless ever again. Erza hears Spike saying promise during the time. She lowers her bow and arrow at first. Then she saw Makarov's signal and steadies her aim. 

"NO! PLEASE! LET SPIKE DESTROY IT!" Lucy begs Makarov to change his mind. 

"Lucy, it's for the best," Éclair accepts her fate. 

"It's not! How can you say that!" Lucy turns to Éclair with tears in her eyes. 

"I had a long, long life. I don't want it to last forever. I will always be with you. The memories we made together, those will never die. I promise. It's such a special gift. So, thank you," Éclair closes her eyes. "Lucy, I know Momon is waiting for me." 

"Seek out and destroy the evil!" Erza shoots the arrow at the Phoenix. 

"Please, NOOOOOOOOOO!" Lucy cries her eyes out. She watches the arrow pierce the Phoenix's body. 

Spike sees the arrow piercing the Phoenix. It falls to the ground in defeat. Due to Spike shattering the body of the Phoenix with his roar, the Phoenix starts disintegrating and turning into dust. As the Phoenix disintegrates, Éclair disintegrates in Lucy's arms. 

"Don't go!" Lucy cries her eyes out. 

"Lucy," Éclair's spirit appears and starts ascending into the stars. "Promise me, you'll cherish our memories," Éclair smiles at her. 

"Éclair!" Lucy tries to grab Éclair's spirit hand, but it slips through. "Don't leave me." 

Éclair comes next to Natsu and Happy. "I thank you, Natsu. Lucy needs you now. Help mend her heart," Éclair is reunited with the spirit of Momon. She hugs him. This causes Happy to tear up for a tearful reunion. 

"Goodbye, but before we go, I want everyone in Fairy Tail to know how much you helped us," Momon said. He and Éclair's spirit fuse to create a fiery phoenix to create the Fairy Tail Emblem in the skies. 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard, including Spike, watches in awe at the amazement of their emblem displayed in a blaze of glory. A token of their gratitude to always be remembered. Ten minutes later, everyone regroups to where Lucy and Makarov are at. They are giving Éclair a moment of silence. Wendy couldn't help but cry, and Erza had no idea that the arrow would have killed Éclair. Spike reverts to size after releasing the magic in his roar. Every Fairy Tail Wizard regains its magic power. 

"Master, could Spike defeat the Phoenix?" Erza asks. 

Makarov sighs. "After witnessing Spike's battle against it, yes. However, I wasn't sure if he could do it during the time. I'm surprised that Spike gave it a run for its money." 

"I think I could have destroyed the Phoenix. It backed away a bit when I consumed the magic. However, I still think that destroying the Phoenix will still lead to Éclair's demise. Like an unavoidable effect." 

Lucy is having a mental breakdown. Natsu and Happy comfort Lucy and hug her. Natsu tells Lucy that magic brings all sorts of emotions especially, happiness. 

"We should get going. Spike if you would?" Makarov turns to Spike. 

Spike nods. "Everyone gather around. I'll teleport us back home," Spike sees his friends gathering around. He uses his fire breath to teleport everyone back to the guildhall in Magnolia. 

It's 7:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Everyone Spike teleports to is in front of the guildhall. They look at the remains of the guildhall. 

"Everyone, get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll rebuild the guildhall," Makarov declares.

"Hey, we're coming with you to the apartment, Lucy," Natsu said to comfort Lucy. 

"Yea. You need us," Happy said to comfort Lucy as well." 

"Okay," Lucy sadly says. 

Spike watches Lucy, Natsu, and Happy head off to the apartment. Spike now gets a cold crept breath above his shoulder. He looks up to see Erza. 

"Spike," Erza looks down at him. "You broke your promise." 

"I know. It was necessary at the time. Sorry, Sis." 

"Master, will it be okay for Spike to bunk with me in my room?" 

"I'll make an exception for Spike being in the girl's dorm. With his teleportation magic, he may need to grab any of you if it were urgent. Only him and no other male shall enter." 

Wendy smiles after hearing that ruling. Now she knows that Spike can sleepover in her room whenever he wants. Carla imagines the possibilities Spike and Wendy now have together. 

"So, why am I bunking in your room, Sis?" Spike asks. 

"After all that's happened, I need you to comfort me..," Erza still feels sad about taking the life of Éclair.   

"Hey, can we come in?" Wendy and Carla approach Erza. 

"Yes," Erza picks up Spike and carries him to her room at the girl's dorm. Wendy and Carla follow her.
> A New Day Part 1: New Beginnings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a new day in Ponyville. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike wake up; they both scream and fall off the bed. 

"Spike! You're a..." Twilight (Sci-Twi) pants a bit. 

"Twilight! You're a..." Spike pants a bit. 

"Oh, that's right," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike say in unison. They sigh heavily, believing what they experienced yesterday was a complete hellish nightmare. 

"I can't believe we left Pinkie Pie behind..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) groans a bit. 

"I know. However, there's a Pinkie Pie in this reality. Ours couldn't steal her life away..," Spike sadly says. 

"I know," Twilight (Sci-Twi) takes a deep breath. "Well, I guess we should explore the castle." 

"Yea. There has to be a kitchen as well," Spike said. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) gets an idea. "Want to ride on my back?" 

"Really?" Spike smiles a bit. Now that Twilight (Sci-Twi) is a unicorn riding on her back does seem fun. 

"Of course. Things will be different, so let's embrace them together," Twilight uses her magic to levitate Spike onto her back. 

"Hey! You're magic works similar to when you were human!" 

"I'm thankful about that. Perhaps there are books here that can help me utilize my magic. Perhaps you can learn as well, like your counterpart." 

"Fairy Dragon," Spike claps his claws excitedly. 

"Let's eat and have a fun day in the castle!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike leave the room. Twilight (Sci-Twi) goes down the hallway, sightseeing what's around her. Spike sees how beautiful the interiors of the castle are. Twilight (Sci-Twi) bumps in Starlight Glimmer. "Whoops. Sorry, Starlight." 

"It's alright, Twilight," Starlight smiles. "Hey, are you two hungry?" 

"Yes," Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) nod. 

"Follow me to the kitchen," Starlight trots down the hallway, leading Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

Trixie is in the kitchen with Sunburst and Maud Pie. Trixie is making coffee while Sunburst is making hay fries and pancakes. Maud turns around and blinks a few times to make sure her eyes aren't deceiving her. Sunburst turns around and drops a tray of hay fries. 

"Something happened?" Trixie turns around, and her jaw drops. "Impossible..." 

"Now, before you jump to any conclusions, this is not our Twilight nor Spike. They're from the human world that Sunset Shimmer ran into yesterday," Starlight said before things go sour. 

"It's true, lad and lassies," Rockhoof joins in the fray. "I saw the whole thing last night. I even learned a new word for this one," Rockhoof rubs Twilight's (Sci-Twi) head with his hoof. "Bastard. I have no idea what it means but sounds good." 

"Uh..," Trixie and Sunburst are lost for words now that they understand where Twilight and Spike originated.

"So, does that mean my sister and her friends will have a second chance with this Twilight and Spike?" Maud asks. 

"Yes," Starlight nods. "However, I think you two should explore the castle. Take things one step at a time." 

"That's what I wanted to do with Spike today," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"So, anything good to eat?" Spike asks. 

"I can go for some bacon and eggs," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"Same with me! Give me some bacon, please!" Spike rubs his belly with his claws. 

"Uh.., we don't eat meat," Trixie confirms. 

"Not every pony eats meat besides fish," Sunburst said. 

"What!? No meat!?" Spike cringes a bit. "I need to look for some loose chickens and eat them."

"Raw?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) jokes a bit. 

"If I have to!" Spike shouts. 

"Uh.., have you tried eating a pancake?" Trixie asks. 

"No. I used to be a dog so, there were some things I couldn't eat."  

"Try pancakes then. You'll love it," Sunburst says. 

"Okay," Spike gets off of Twilight's (Sci-Twi) back. He sits on an empty chair. 

"This'll be an interesting day," Rockhoof said. 

"Also, try not to use the new word you learn. There's a reason why we don't use the language in Equestria," Sunburst said. 

"What? I can't say, bastard? It's not offending anyone, is it?" Rockhoof asks. 

"It can be for certain creatures or friends you have," Trixie said. 

"Now that's bullshit," Spike said. 

"Lalalalalalalalalalalala!" Trixie covers her ears. "Trixie can't hear you! Lalalalalalalalalalalalala!" Trixie leaves the kitchen. 

"I have some papers to grade," Sunburst leaves the kitchen. 

"We don't use dirty language. Try to get in the habit of using less of it," Maud Pie leaves. 

"I'll make breakfast for the three of you. Also, refrain from using any other curse words. Things are peaceful here, and there is no need for such language in our world." 

"Alright, Starlight. Spike and I will not use such language unless it's accidental."

"Accidental?" Starlight turns to Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Well, I was human, and being human, we tend to make mistakes. Sometimes, we say or do things. Especially during a rage burst." 

"Oh boy," Starlight imagines what could happen if Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike slip those words out of their mouths. 

"I'm going to me theatre. I'm sure the younglings and students have written their stories. I want to read them and see if they met my criteria from yesterday's class," Rockhoof leaves the kitchen after taking a bowl filled with fruits. 

"See you at school," Starlight sighs. She hears the castle doors knocking. "Mind getting that, Rockhoof!" Starlight shouts. 

"Sure thing, Lassie!" Rockhoof said while munching on an apple. He opens the door to see Pinkie Pie hopping. 

"Hi, Rockhoof! Can I come in!" Pinkie excitedly asks. 

"Uh..," Rockhoof isn't sure. 

"Thanks!" Pinkie rushes in. 

"The Lass is going to kill me. Better after school then now," Rockhoof trots to his theatre. 

Pinkie rushes and scours in the castle, looking for Starlight. A few moments later, she smells the sweet aroma of chocolate chip and cinnamon pancakes. She runs into the kitchen and stands behind Starlight. 

"Hi, Starlight!" Pinkie shouts, startling Starlight. 

"Gaah! Pinkie. What are you doing here?" Starlight asks while catching her breath. 

"I wanted to visit you and say that I'll be coming back to school in the next semester," Pinkie smiles.  "So, uh, can I have a pancake?" 

"Wait your turn, Pinkie," Spike said. 

"Okie-Dokie-Lokie," Pinkie obliviously replies, then her eyes widen and slowly turn to the sound of Spike's voice. She gasps horridly. "Spike!" Pinkie turns to see Twilight (Sci-Twi). "Twilight!?" Pinkie growls at Twilight. "You-" Starlight covers Pinkie's mouth.  

"They're not our Twilight and Spike. Remember the world Sunset Shimmer ran? The one filled with humans?" 

"Mmhmm," Pinkie nods. 

"That's the human Twilight and doggie Spike," Starlight informs Pinkie. 

"You mean.., and they..," Pinkie notices that Spike doesn't have dragon wings and Twilight (Sci-Twi) doesn't have pegasus wings. "What happened?!" Pinkie is confused with the scenery. 

"Well, uh..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) chokes a bit. Seeing Equestria's version of Pinkie Pie reminds her of her friend back home in Canterlot City. 

"It's a long story. How do you feel about real-life horror?" Spike asks. 

"I love horror! However, real-life horror. That's something I don't want to imagine," Pinkie pulls a bucket of popcorn from her hair and sits at the table. "Please, tell me your story." 

"How did she?" Spike is confused with Equestria's Pinkie Pie's capabilities. 

"It's Pinkie Pie. She can do whatever she wants," Twilight (Sci-Twi) says, watching Pinkie eating her popcorn. 

"Please tell me the story," Pinkie Pie smiles widely. 

"It's not a good one. So don't scream so loud that the castle trembles or glass shatters," Starlight said to Pinkie Pie. She brings the plate of pancakes for Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. 

"I'll Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye," Pinkie Pie does her usual ritual routine during the Pinkie Promise. "Alright, tell me what happened." 

"Good, I need to go to the School of Friendship," Starlight leaves the kitchen.  

"Well," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike reveal to Pinkie everything they endured yesterday. They took two hours explaining the horrors and murders they witnessed, especially by Canterlot City's Sunset Shimmer. During the story, Pinkie Pie spills popcorn; Cried that her counterpart sister Maud Pie died as well as her friends. 

"Wow..," Pinkie sniffs. "That's.., that's.., wow..," Pinkie can't describe what she's feeling. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike understand the hurt Pinkie has. "And my counterpart has to watch that Sunset.., and somehow.., survive..?" Her mane deflates. 

"If it were up to our Pinkie, she would have come. However, with what transpired when Sunset stole the life away from the other,  Pinkie didn't want history to repeat itself," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sadly says.

"But, it would have been okay! I would live with it! Talking to myself, loving myself, two minds thinking alike!" Pinkie exclaims. 

"Well, our Pinkie wasn't sure how you would feel, and she chose to stay behind. For all we know, there could be survivors out there that'll need her help," Twilight (Sci-Twi) replies. "Also, I promise Spike I would keep him safe. Knowing what happened to Equestria's Spike and Twilight, I guess you can call it a clean slate. A second chance to strive for friendship." 

"Your Spike is a Fairy Dragon, and your Twilight is a deranged lunatic with an ongoing drive to get herself killed knowing that she'll fail," Spike said. 

Pinkie Pie sighs heavily. "You're right about the clean slate, and believe me, I screwed up my friendship with Spike. I forgot and pranked him mercilessly while laughing at his misery. I thought for sure I wouldn't have a second chance of being friends with Spike. Now, I do have a second chance right in front of me. That if you want to be friends with me."  

"You are one of my best friends back home, and I will love to be your friend as long as you don't make the same mistakes you had with Fairy Dragon." 

"Deal!" Pinkie Pie shakes Spike's claw. 

"Pinkie. Will you be my friend?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"Of course! Silly. A new Twilight to become friends. I wonder if the Elements of Harmony will accept you as the bearer of magic." 

"Elements of what?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is confused about being a bearer. 

"Harmony. My friends and I will have to start over with a lot of things for the new normal to kick in," Pinkie Pie starts devising ideas that'll work already. 

"Well, Pinkie. Spike and I are going to explore our new home. Care to join us?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

Pinkie gasps. "No, no, no, Twilight. I should be your tour guide. I've been here so many times I know what each room is."  

"Okay, even better. Spike, get on my back." 

"Okay, Twilight," Spike gets on Twilight's (Sci-Twi) back. 

"Follow me!" Confetti explodes behind Pinkie's back. She trots out of the kitchen to show Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike all the rooms in the castle.
> A New Day Part 1: Explaining to Mom & Dad
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:00 in the morning at the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor groans while waking up. Princess Cadance is already up and tending to their child Flurry Heart. 

"I'm so dead. My mom is going to claim my soul when I tell her the whole truth today," Shining Armor gets out of bed and sees a note. He reads: Do not delay or no loving night tonight, Shining. If I find out you are delaying the inevitable, I will teleport your parents here.

A Crystal Guard enters the bedroom. "Sir, Princess Cadance asked me to remind you of your appointment today at Canterlot." 

"I'm on it!" Shining Armor shouts angrily. He takes a deep breath. "I'm on it," Shining Armor goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. He imagines the rage burst his mother, Twilight Velvet, will have when she hears about losing her daughter to insanity. 

A Crystal Guard knocks on the bathroom door. "Sir, any problems in there?" 

"Are you freaking kidding me right now?!" Shining Armor gets angry at the Crystal Guard. 

"Sir, we have explicit orders from the Princess to ensure you're not stalling time to delay your appointment." 

"Son-of-a-" Shining Armor hears the door knocking. 

"Princess Cadance also gave us explicit order to ensure you are not using any of the curse words Earth Landers use from your experiences watching the Brave and Glorious Spike and his friends speak." 

"GET OUT!" Shining Armor commands; the Crystal Guard stands firm. Shining Armor leaves the bathroom. "Are you serious?" 

"Princess Cadance direct orders, Sir. Do not delay the truth." 

"Screw you!" Shining Armor angrily leaves his room. He trots down the corridors to see many Crystal Guards stationed and guarding any rooms that Shining may step into stall time. "Cadance isn't pulling any punches. I guess she's mad about me telling her to shut up yesterday."

Two Crystal Guards walk beside Shining Armor. They are making sure Shining Armor doesn't try anything funny. Shining Armor leaves the Crystal Castle to see a wagon waiting to transport him to the train station. 

"You gotta be kidding me? I can walk to the train station!" 

"Sir, it's either ride the wagon like a big boy or the stroller like a baby," A Crystal Guard shows the stroller for an adult size baby. 

"Whyyyyyyyyyyy?" Shining groans while covering his face with his hoof. 

"Princess Cadance's explicit orders in case you happen to throw a temper tantrum, Sir." 

Shining Armor gets on the wagon. The Crystal Guards drive the wagon to the Crystal Empire Train Station. Twenty minutes later, Shining Armor gets off the wagon. He sees a train at the station. 

"Thanks for the escort. I'm off to get my ticket," Shining Armor said. 

"Here you go, Sir," The Crystal Guard gives Shining his ticket. 

"Thanks," Shining Armor rolls his eyes and takes it. "My mom is going to kill me. I'm so freaking dead. I'm so freaking dead." The Crystal Guards watch Shining Armor get on the train. Shining Armor sighs in relief and gets on the train car. "I'm glad I have some peace for the ride," Shining Armor sees his train car filled with Royal Soldiers. "D'oh!" 

The train leaves the Crystal Empire Train Station. Shining sits down and looks out the window. Princess Cadance sees the train leaving the station from the balcony of her castle. 

"That's for being rude to me, Shining," Princess Cadance smiles a bit wickedly. She turns her attention to Flurry Heart, playing with her for the day. 

Four hours later. The train arrives in Canterlot. Shining Armor leaves the train to see Royal Guards stationed. 

"Are you here on explicit orders?" 

"Yes, Shining Armor. Courtesy request from Miss Mi Amore Cadenza to Princess Celestia and Luna. Her instructions were simple. Escort you to your parent's house," The Royal Guard informs. 

Shining Armor angrily snorts and trots to his parent's house. He takes a long way, so he has time to think about what to say. He expects a rage-burst from her mother. A while later, Shining Armor notices that the Royal Guards aren't with him. He doesn't see any of them in the neighborhood. 

"I guess it would be more awkward for them to be surrounding the house," Shining speaks loudly to himself since no one is around. He trots to his parents' house and sighs heavily. "My mom gonna claim my soul after this." Shining Armor gulps and knocks on the door one time. "Well, I guess no one is home," Shining turns around to see his mom and dad with groceries. 

"Shining! It's good to see you," Twilight Velvet smiles. 

"I didn't know you were coming, son. What a nice surprise," Night Light opens the door allowing his wife and son to come in. 

"Crap. I was hoping to avoid this. My wife is getting what she wants. I can't avoid the inevitable."

"So, Shining. How are things with you?" Twilight Velvet asks. 

"Anything regarding your sister, Twilight?" Night Light asks while putting the groceries away.  

"Yes," Shining Armor sits down and sighs heavily. Night Light and Twilight Velvet know what Shining has to say; they won't like it. "Mom, dad."

"Yes?" Night Light and Twilight Velvet said in unison. They sound calm and comforting. 

"Mom, you're going to claim my soul after what I have to say..," Shining Armor said in distraught. 

Twilight Velvet laughs a bit. "Claim your soul? That's a new one." 

"Well, what is it that's disheartening. What's happening with our daughter, Shining?" Night Light asks. 

"You remember what I told you about her, right?" Shining asks to hear what they remember. 

"Our daughter has done atrocious things to Spike and has no value of Spike. Also, her friends are in the heap of trouble as well," Night Light replies. 

"Twilight has lost herself a bit before going to the School of Friendship to better herself. Also, Spike is a teacher at the school," Twilight Velvet said. 

"Well, I didn't tell you what transpired when all of Equestria was losing the magic. Something unspeakable happened. I'm here to tell you what happened then and what's happening now." 

Twilight Velvet takes a deep breath while Night Light is watching his wife's behavior. Knowing her, she may blow a fuse. 

"Go on, tell your father and me what you have to say." 

Shining Armor gulps. Sometimes when he sees her mother calm and collective, it can be terrifying for him. "Well, you remember Discord, the Lord of Chaos, right?" 

"Yes. We've seen Discord and came by to the Crystal Empire to celebrate Spike's birthday, remember?" Night Light answers. 

"Well, he was impersonating as Spike." 

"...what..?" Twilight Velvet replies. She still sounds calm, but it scares Shining Armor a bit. 

"Care to explain, Shining?" Night Light is confused. 

"The truth is.., Spike wasn't with us, to begin with, you see," Shining Armor explains to his parents about the night Spike wanted to be in a world where friendships are like family. To go on adventures, party, create new memories, laugh, and have fun. Spike vented with Discord, and Discord granted Spike the wish. Shining Armor went into full detail on what Discord has done as disguised as Spike. 

"I was kissing the head of a Draqonecuus on his birthday?" Twilight Velvet asks. She wants to be sure that this isn't some elaborate prank Shining Armor is devising. 

"Yes," Shining sadly nods. "For months, Cadance and I were taking care of Discord disguised as Spike." 

"So, what happened with Twilight? How did she take the news about Discord impersonating as Spike?"

"Not kindly, dad. Twilight was going through a good recovery sequence when her mind snapped the moment Discord got exposed." 

"What is Twilight doing now?" Twilight Velvet calmly asks, which causes Shining Armor to sweat. 

"I haven't finished explaining the story, mom. So," Shining Armor explains what happened to Twilight the best he could. Twilight found out about Spike being in a different world, and all she wanted was to have a second chance with him. Shining explains the specific law to enforce Spike to come back home, regardless of his happiness. Shining Armor also explains the extreme lengths Twilight was willing to push. Then he mentions going to Earth Land to retrieve Spike. How amazing the world is, how the people are, and Spike's friends. Shining goes into full detail of how Spike earned his right to stay in Earth Land. 

"So, my boy is a Fairy Tale Wizard?" Twilight Velvet asks with tears in her eyes. 

"Yes," Shining Armor nods. "Spike is a Fairy Tail Wizard. He's known as Fairy Dragon. Twilight tried doing the unthinkable for her selfish desires." 

"What did our daughter do, Shining?" Night Light asks. So far, he's invested with the story about Spike the Fairy. 

"Twilight tried to erase his mind and everything he remembered before the night Spike left her during the two-on-two battle. However, Spike has a second soul within him. Protecting him from mind trickery, manipulations, and memory erase magic. Spike annihilated Twilight and spared her life." 

"Wait.., what?!" Night Light and Twilight Velvet said in shock. 

"I'll have to ask Discord to send you a movie project of Spike's memories in Earth Land. It's awesome, and his friends do treat him like family. He has a girlfriend now." 

"My boy has a girlfriend? What is she like?" Twilight Velvet asks in happiness. 

"Young, around his age, with blue hair. She cares so much about Spike." 

"That's wonderful, Shining. So, where's Twilight now?" Night Light asks. 

"Unfortunately, she's still in Earth Land. Twilight is still trying her hardest to bring Spike back to Equestria, no matter the cost now." 

"Noooo.., nooooooo...," Twilight Velvet shakes her head. "She's not losing her sanity like this. Can't she see that Spike's happy and the best thing to do is be happy for Spike?" 

"Sorry, mom. Twilight has lost all her sanity for the sake of her selfishness. I hate to say this but, our Twilight isn't coming back home. We have no idea how she'll come back. Discord erased his memory and blocked himself from ever going back." 

"That sucks," Night Light said. 

"I'll never see my baby girl again..," Twilight Velvet sheds a tear. 

"Now, I have other news to inform you." 

"You're having a second child?" Night Light asks. 

"No, heavens no. One Alicorn baby is enough. I'm not looking forward to a second Alicorn baby." 

"So, if not a baby, what is it?" Twilight Velvet asks. 

"Last night, the unimaginable happened. You remember the story Twilight told you about visiting the human world?" 

"Yes, Twilight had Spike write a letter for us to read. I still have it in my file of treasured story letters," Twilight Velvet replies. 

"Well," Shining Armor takes a deep breath. "Sunset Shimmer went to that world one last time since Twilight guilt-trips her to come back to Equestria. Apparently, something vile happened, and that world escalated within a night. As a result, Sunset Shimmer came back home with two inhabitants of that world." 

"Who, Shining Armor?" Night Light asks. 

"The human version of Twilight Sparkle and her pet Spike." Night Light and Twilight Velvet gasps in shock. Shining Armor nods. "Twilight Sparkle is a unicorn wearing glasses while Spike doesn't have his dragon wings." 

"Where are they?!" Twilight Velvet gets in front of Shining's face. 

"At the Castle of Friendship. They came last night during the Bar of Alliance Meeting I was attending." 

"Night Light! We're seeing our baby now!" Twilight Velvet uses her magic to put on her scarf. 

"On it," Night Light gets ready. 

"You're going now?" Shining turns to her mother. 

"Yes! This Twilight Sparkle may not be the one I conceived but, she is still my daughter at heart. She also has Spike, and I miss them both dearly. I don't care that they are not the ones I helped raise, but I need to be there for them. Whatever happened that night, they need familiar faces to cope with the pain. Let's go, Night Light!"

"Coming, dear!" Night Light packs up some things and leaves the house with Twilight Velvet. 

"Shining, you coming or what?" Twilight Velvet asks. 

"Yea, I'm coming," Shining Armor follows his parents. They call for a taxi to pick them up. "I am so glad my mother didn't blow a fuse on me. I got all worked up for nothing."
> An Exclusive Job
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been three weeks since the guildhall got destroyed by Carbuncle. With the guildhall fully restored, more wizards are applying for jobs left and right. Spike is in the apartment reading a magic book. Lucy is at the built-in bathhouse at the guildhall with her friends. 

"Which book is this again, Spike?"

"It's one of your abilities to restore magic within a wizard. I'm learning that there is more restoration for other purposes than magic. For instance, if someone was to lose the ability to taste or see, our energy magic should be strong enough to reawaken the lost trait."

"Right. I remember now. For us to pull it off, we gotta be in sync." 

"I know. That's why I'm taking the time today to learn more about magic and decide what spells to add to our arsenal. A little bit of support magic like Wendy's. We can't be all offense all the time." 

"I hear you. Loud and clear."

"You think we can restore a life?" Spike asks out of curiosity. 

"I'm not sure our magic power can do that. We're not there with Acnologia's magic power. We got lucky when we absorbed the Phoenix's magic power and maintained it within our body."

"We ate the other guilds' magic right before battling the dragons." 

"Yes, we did. However, it wasn't all of it. The Phoenix took everyone's magic power and conjured that destructive bomb. We still need many more years to use our magic power to restore life."

"How do you think the others will respond about my wedding gift to Wendy?" 

"Both pissed off and happy. Happy in the sense that you and Wendy get to live longer than they and pissed off that the two of you will outlive them."

"I can see that happening, then getting drunk and fighting each other." 

Fairy Rage laughs. "That's the Fairy Tail Way. A fight for love." Fairy Rage mimics Sherria with the love speech. 

Spike goes back to his reading. Spike read a hundred pages from the magic book. He decides to meditate on what he learned. His claws are open. One ignites with Sparkling Green Flames, the other in Sparkling Orange Flames. Then the building starts shaking, scaring the crap out of the Landlady. 

"What in heavens is going on?!" The Landlady runs out and sees her building shaking while orange-green lights are sparking. "Help! Someone! HELP!" The Landlady shouts for anyone's attention. Erza, Wendy, and Carla arrive after coming back from their trip to Onibus. 

"What's wrong?" Carla asks the Landlady. 

"Erza.., do you feel that?" Wendy is in shock by how much magic power she can feel. 

"Let's go!" Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor, ready to fight what she's sensing. 

Erza and Wendy go up the stairs and enter the apartment to see Spike levitating in the air. Spike's the one that's causing the building to quake. 

"Spike!" Wendy shouts to get Spike's attention. "Do you hear me?! SPIKE!" 

Spike opens his eyes after losing his concentration. He turns to see Erza and Wendy by the door. "Hi, Wendy. Hi, Sis." 

The Landlady comes up the stairs to see it was Spike that was causing the building to quake. "Spike, if you're going to train like that, please do it outside." 

"My apologies, Ma'am. Sorry for scaring you like that." 

"Please, don't do that again," The Landlady walks down to her room to catch her breath. 

"Wow, Spike. You're getting stronger by the days," Wendy said. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. 

Carla comes up the stairs after seeing the building stop trembling. "Oh, that was you," Carla should have known it was Spike all along. 

"Yea, it was me. I was doing some research and decided to meditate on what I was learning," Spike slightly chuckles. 

"My word, what did you learn?" Carla asks. 

"Something that can be crucial down the road. My form of support magic." 

"Wow, you got some competition, huh, Wendy?" Erza said. 

"There's no competition when it comes to love," Wendy holds Spike's claw. "He was the first to support me when I mentioned I used support magic during the coalition." 

"Oh, yea. I remember that day. When you two first met," Erza said. "You were incredibly nervous until Spike opened up to you." 

"It's a day I'll never forget. I'll always cherish each moment I have with Spike."

Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. "Even that one?" 

Wendy nods. "Even that one."

"So, I'll be right back," Erza requips into her attire and goes downstairs. 

"Huh, where is she going?" Spike asks. 

"We've come back from a job in Onibus. The theatre needed replaceable actors to fill in, and so, Erza, Carla, and I volunteered to help." 

"Please remind us; to never include Erza in any theatre work. She gets stage fright," Carla said. 

"Perhaps she can have a role as the blind bandit. All Erza has to do is put a blindfold, and she'll nail the theatrical act." 

"Huh, that's clever thinking. We should try that as a test run if the theatre wants Erza back," Carla replies. 

Erza comes back into the apartment with a big package filled with desserts. "So, as a generous reward for our spectacular performance, we were rewarded with delectable treats. I figure to share some with my friends and brother." 

"Sounds good, Sis. Thank you. I'll get the drinks," Spike goes to the kitchen. "Carla, you want some tea?" 

"Sure, that'll be lovely, Spike." 

"Get comfy around the table. Make yourselves at home," Spike grabs a pitcher of apple and grape juice. He brings it to the table first. 

"We will, Spike," Carla, Erza, and Wendy said. They watch Spike going to the kitchen to brew Carla some tea. Wendy couldn't take her eyes off of him. 

A few moments later, Lucy returns to the apartment. She's in shock seeing Erza, Carla, and Wendy sitting by the table. 

"Welcome home, Lucy," Wendy said. 

"Spike let us in, in case you were wondering," Erza said. 

"Okay," Lucy sighs in relief. "Here, I thought it'll be Natsu and Happy for sneaking inside my apartment; again."

"Here's your tea, Carla," Spikes gives Carla green tea. 

"Thanks, Spike," Carla takes a sip. "This is the best cup of tea I've ever drunk in my life, Spike." 

"Anything I make is the best," Spike chuckles. "Hey, Lucy. Want a cup of green tea?" 

"Sure, Spike," Lucy sits at the table. "So, I heard you three went on a job today?" 

"Indeed. The theatre was nice, but what's sweeter are these rare delectable treats we worked for; I can hardly keep my tastebuds any further," Erza licks her lips. 

"Sis brought them over to share with us, Lucy. Though have you seen Natsu, Gray, and Happy?" 

"Mirajane told me that they went on a job together," Lucy replies. She sits at the table. 

"But, that was three days ago," Erza said. 

"Three days?" Spike recalls what he did for the past three days. "Yep, I didn't bother leaving the apartment during those three days. I was relaxing and studying to improve my magic." 

"Same goes for me when he slept. We take turns in learning what we can. Eating the magic power of the Phoenix opened deep down inside of us. Like a second origin when we grew in size."

"Can dragons have second origins?" Lucy asks. 

"According to you guys, you unlocked your second origin when you saw Ultear. I'm sure what we felt was our second origin to help sustain the magic when we increased our size. If that wasn't a second origin, then wow is all I have to say."

"30,000 Jewels that Natsu and Gray got mad at each other and starting fight each other as well," Spike said. 

"30,000 Jewels, huh? I'll take that bet," Erza said. 

"We should go check on them," Lucy said. 

"I'm going to stay here a bit more. I'm too relaxed to leave," Spike said. 

"I'm staying too," Wendy said. 

"Alright, Lucy, let's go find the boys," Erza commands. 

"Alright, let's go. Coming Carla?" 

"Might as well," Carla gets up. "I'm curious to see if Spike's theory is wrong." "Also, it's to give Wendy and Spike space for them to do what they want."

Wendy and Spike see them go. "Hey, wait. Why didn't you teleport them to Natsu and Gray?" 

"They didn't ask, Wendy." 

"Fair point," Wendy turns to Spike. 

Spike is opening the bag to see the desserts Erza brought. "Uuuuh." 

"What is it, Spike?" Wendy walks up to him and sees what happened to the desserts. "Uuuuuuh..," Wendy couldn't believe what happened. 

"Is Erza that dumb?" Spike asks. The desserts that Erza carried are ruined and smushed together. 

"Erza will kill you if you say that to her!" Wendy exclaims. 

"She can try, but I'm not scared of her," Spike replies. He grabs a spoon and scoops the remains of the dessert to try. 

"How is it?" Wendy asks. 

Spike goes to the trashcan to spit it out. "It smells and tastes the freaking leather bag! You don't put desserts in this bag and expect for it to turn out alright."

"All that embarrassment and it was for nothing..," Wendy said in tears. She was hoping to taste the deliciousness. 

"I could bake you a cake," Spike offers. 

"No," Wendy wipes her tears. "We're going to bake a cake," Wendy smirks. 

Spike's eyes lit up in excitement. "Let's do it!" 

Spike and Wendy start baking a chocolate vanilla swirl cake together. The two spent two hours having fun baking the cake. Spike and Wendy put a bit of cake frosting on each other's noses and licks the frosting off. They laugh while adding another layer to the cake. 

"Wow, this is going to taste so yummy," Wendy drools a bit. 

"Our love for each other made the cake. So, it's going to taste better. Erza is going to freak when she sees her dessert ruined because of the leather bag." 

"Don't you think we should toss them away?" Wendy asks. 

"Nah, I want to see her reaction so I can remind her of what not to do with desserts ever again," Spike imagines Erza's reaction, bursting into tears for her and cursing at herself for being idiotic. 

"Okay then," Wendy imagines the reaction Erza will have. She would want to have a long conversation with Spike after crying her eyes out, knowing she ruined her desserts. 

Lucy walks back home with Erza, Carla, Happy, Natsu, and Gray. Natsu and Gray suffered from severe bruises and bleedings. 

"What happened to them?" Wendy goes over to use her magic to heal Natsu and Gray. 

"Here, Spike," Erza walks up to Spike and gives him 30,000 Jewels. "You were right. Those two were fighting each other." 

"Hey, Spike. What are you making?" Lucy sniffs the aroma. 

"Wendy and I baked a cake together. Two-layer chocolate vanilla swirl." Lucy and Happy drool after hearing the dessert. 

"Well, more sweets for me," Erza opens her leather bag to see her desserts smushed together. She trembles a bit, seeing what happened to the rare desserts she worked. "What happened..?" Erza is confused. 

"Ever wonder why desserts are always in cardboard boxes or plastic containers? To make sure something like that happened," Spike points to the ruined dessert. Erza is tearing a bit. 

"Only an idiot will put desserts in leather packaging and expect the desserts to be fine."

Erza balls her fist and turns to Spike with a rage of fury. "What did you call me?" Erza grits her teeth. 

"An i-di-ot."

Lucy, Happy, Wendy, and Carla step back a bit while Erza walks up to Spike. She eyeballs him with a vicious glare. Natsu and Gray gulps and know what Spike will endure. 

Erza sighs heavily and drops to her knees. "You're right..," Erza screams, causing Natsu and Gray to flinch for a few seconds. "All that work and it was for nothing........" 

"Don't even bother tasting it. According to Spike, it tastes like leather," Wendy informs Erza. 

"So, is that why you two made the cake?" Erza asks. 

"Yes, Sis. I knew you'll be heartbroken to find out about the desserts, and I do have to say, you weren't thinking properly. Only fools put desserts in leather bags." 

"Wait, Spike calls Erza an idiot and fool, but he doesn't get clobbered?" Gray asks in confusion and anger. 

"Man, that's bullcrap! We punched Erza by accident during a raging fight, and she beat the crap out of us! Spike deliberately called her names, and she's cool with it!" Natsu complains. 

"Talk about favoritism when it comes to friendship!" Natsu and Gray said in unison. 

"You got a problem?" Erza turns to Natsu and Gray, giving the same vicious glare she gave to Spike. 

"No! No problem! No problem whatsoever!" Natsu and Gray wave and say in unison. The two are not looking forward to another beating Erza can give them. 

"So, anywho, how long until the cake is finished heating?" Carla asks, changing the subject. 

"In an hour. We hope you'll enjoy the cake we baked," Wendy smiles. 

"It has to taste yummy," Happy licks his lips. "I'm so hungry; I can eat the whole thing in one bite." 

An hour later, Spike and Wendy take the cake out of the oven. They smear vanilla and chocolate frosting on the cake. They bring it to the table. 

"Wow, that smells heavenly," Happy said. 

"Okay, dessert for dinner, my kind of treat!" Natsu said. 

"For once, I agree. I haven't done something like this in a long time," Gray said. 

Spike puts plates around the table. Wendy starts cutting the cake and gives an equal portion to each of her friends. Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Carla, Erza, and Happy sit by the table. After slicing the cake, Wendy sits next to Spike and Carla. Spike sits next to Wendy and Lucy. 

"Enjoy," Spike and Wendy said. The two smile while watching their friends take their first bite. 

"Oh, wow..," Lucy feels like she's in another realm where sweets rule the planet. 

"I don't think any rare dessert can match this sweetness..," Erza savors the flavor. "Thanks, Spike and Wendy." 

"So good..," Happy imagines riding a fish while eating the dessert. 

"My word, this is amazing," Carla said with satisfaction. 

"Dude! This is delicious!" Natsu ate the whole plate of cake.

"This'll help drown out the pain I had during the three days of fighting pyro here," Gray enjoys eating his cake. 

"We're so glad you like it, guys," Wendy smiles. She starts eating her slice. 

"Definitely," Spike starts eating his slice. 

After everyone enjoys their fill, Erza asks Spike and Lucy to have a sleepover. Spike and Lucy allowed it, so tomorrow they all go on a job together. The rest of the night was joyous with much laughter while playing some games. 

The next day. Spike, Lucy, Erza, Carla, Wendy, Natsu, Gray, and Happy leave the apartment and go to the guildhall. They decide to grab breakfast over there before embarking on any job. Upon arrival, a messager gives Mirajane a letter for an emergency job. She reads the letter and becomes worried. With no other choice, she walks up to Master Makarov. 

"Master, we just received an emergency job request," Mirajane gives the letter to Makarov. 

"Another one?" Laxus turns to Mirajane. 

"Ever since the Grand Magic Games, we've been getting quite a few specific job requests for wizards." 

"Yea, I noticed," Laxus recalls his last job request. 

"It's kinda like we're all celebrities now," Mirajane said. 

"In that case, things were better before," Laxus said. He enjoys the peace and quiet. 

"Let's see what kind of an emergency this job request is," Makarov takes a sip of his beer. "Natsu, Gray, you two got another job request for the two of you." 

"Not happening!" Natsu and Gray angrily respond. 

"Can it, you two. We're going with you," Erza angrily states. 

"So, it says," Makarov reads the letter. "My word!" Makarov is in shock that he could have a heart attack. 

"What's wrong, Gramps?" Natsu asks. He's curious as to why Makarov freaked out from reading the letter. 

"While you go out there, be on your best behavior," Makarov demands. 

"What's up?" Now Laxus wants to know what got his Grandpa intense. 

"The client who has requested you is Warrod Sequen. He's the fourth highest-ranked of the Ten Wizard Saints! That makes him one of the Four Emperors of Ishgar!" Everyone is silent after Makarov mentions Warrod Sequen. 

"If he's a Wizard Saint, why would he need our help?" Lucy is confused. 

"It doesn't make sense," Carla can't believe an Emperor of Ishgar is asking Fairy Tail for help. 

"Well, this should be an interesting job to tackle," Spike said. "So, does anyone know how to get to Warrod's place?" 

"We'll have to take the train there, Spike," Erza said. 

"Ah, crap," Natsu is not looking forward to riding the train. 

Four hours later. Spike, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Happy are walking together in the fields. Many mountains in the area blossom with green trees. Natsu and Gray are bickering as they walk. 

"It's been a nice walk so far," Wendy said, holding the map while holding Spike's claw. 

"I'll say, it feels like a good spring breeze," Spike enjoys the breeze hitting him. 

"The weather is awesome," Lucy said. 

"It feels like we're going on a family picnic, doesn't it?" Happy asks. 

"Perhaps it would if Dumb and Dumber didn't argue with each other the whole ride and walk here," Carla said. 

"Will you two shut up!" Erza had enough of Natsu and Gray bickering. 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Natsu and Gray said. 

Two hours later. The gang arrives at a house much similar to Happy and Natsu's house. The house has trees sticking out of it. Everyone enters the house to see if Warrod Sequen is present. Within the home, there is a man with green hair watering the plants. 

"Excuse me, Sir," Lucy calls out to him. 

"Shhh," Warrod Sequen shushes Lucy. 

"Sorry," Lucy panics a bit. 

"Hush. Be silent, will you?" Warrod demands. "Plants prefer peace and quiet. So, do me a favor and kindly shut your wretched mouths!" Everyone present is still and quiet while Warrod continues to water his plants. Warrod cracks a smile. "Just kidding," the light shines on his house, his plants blossoming many roses and violets and other different varieties of flowers. "C'mon, kids. It was just a joke," Warrod said in a lighter tone. "Lighten up. It's my belief that plants and flowers adore the sound of the human voice," Warrod laughs.   Warrod looks like a humanoid tree. 

"A tree?" Lucy is confused. 

"He's definitely not as funny as he looks," Natsu states, not amused with Warrod's comedic. 

"You telling me this guy is a Wizard's Saint?" Gray said unamused. He thought Warrod would be more terrorizing in magic power. 

"I bid you, welcome wizards of Fairy Tail," Warrod said. "Thank you for traveling such a long way. Now tell me who amongst you are called Natsu and Gray?" Natsu and Gray approach Warrod.  "My goodness," Warrod picks up Happy and Carla. "You're a bit more feline than I imagined," Natsu, Gray, Carla, and Happy sweat a bit in confusion. "Got you again. You are so gullible," Warrod laughs. 

"Well, at least he cracks himself up," Lucy said. 

"Uh, yea," Erza sounds a bit awkward in the presence of Warrod Sequen. 

"Hey, Warrod. What kind of tree fits in your hand?" Spike asks. 

"Hmm, that's a good question," Warrod put some thought into it. "What?" Warrod wants to know the answer. 

"A palm tree," Spike answers. Warrod burst into laughter. 

"Can we make fun of him or what?" Natsu asks. 

"Of course not; he's like Royalty," Wendy answers. 

"All this laughing got me thirsty," Warrod drinks the water from the bucket he used to water his plants. 

"Are you sure that guy is Warrod, Spike?" Erza is confused with the physique and appearance of the Tree Man. 

"Indeed, I am," Warrod replies. "In the bark," Everyone except for Spike falls for it. "Nah, just screwing with you," They panic except for Spike. "Just kidding again, it's really me," They're a little sick and tired of Warrod's tomfoolery. 

"This guy is a real piece of work," Gray said. 

"You can say that again," Natsu replies. 

"Follow me outside," Warrod steps out of his home. He sits near a table and asks the Fairy Tail Wizards to join him. Warrod explains that he's a retired wizard. During his retirement, he spent his days restoring deserts with plant life. 

"Retired, you say. Can I take that you mean you belonged in a guild once?" Erza asks. 

Warrod laughs. "Yes, and a great guild it was, but that was a long time ago. These days my allegiance is to nature. Every retired man needs a hobby. Mine is turning deserts into forests. As you can imagine, I've seen many peculiar things traveling in the deserts of this land. Most recently, I came across a village hidden in the mountains. As it turned out, I had read about this place before. It's known as the Village of the Sun. People worshipped an everlasting flame, their Guardian Deity." 

"They got a fire that never goes out?" Natsu is amazed at the revelation. 

"They do, and when I got there, the whole place had frozen over. Via by nature, but the folly of man, every person, plant, and creature, all their buildings too, the river is solid ice. Even the sacred flame of the village is frozen, but it burns out even now." 

"It's possible to freeze a flame?" Lucy asks. 

"Must be a divine magic to cause it," Spike said. 

"Are you sure it's divine, Fairy Dragon?" Warrod asks. 

"I had my encounters with humans, dragons, and creatures that have divine abilities, Mr.Brocoli," Warrod laughs at the name. He would have never thought of that while looking at a mirror. 

"Spike, there's no reason to disrespect Warrod like that," Erza said. 

"It's fine. I do appreciate a good joke every so often, Ms.Erza." 

"But still, a flame being frozen, along with the inhabitants, I feel bad," Wendy said. 

"Divine or not, I don't know what happened to the people there. However, one thing is certain. They are still alive." 

"Hey, wait, I thought you said they are frozen," Happy said.

"Spike answered it more clearly. There has to be something divine that occurred," Carla said. 

"The people of that village are in dire need of help. They must be restored. That is why I called on you. Break the curse of ice," Warrod said. "That is your task." 

"No problem! I'll just melt the stuff!" Natsu proclaims. "Those folks will be nice and toasty real soon." 

"If that's all you needed, then why did you ask for both of us?" Gray asks. 

"Because this ice is far from ordinary. It'll take more than fire alone to melt it," Warrod replies. 

"Needless to say, we'll do as you ask. But.., you're one of the strongest wizards alive. Surely if we can handle it, then so can you," Erza states. 

"The concept is misconstrued about my rank," Everyone around the table gasps. "Despite the heavy title, we Wizard Saints are far from omnipotent. We're just ten people the council chose to put on top of a list. There are many wizards on this continent who surpass me, and there are wizards beyond this continent who surpass even them. Fairy Dragon far exceeds my magic power."

"Really?" Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Erza, Carla, and Happy turn to Spike and back to Warrod. 

"Although he is rather young for a dragon's age compared to my experience, his usage for using all sorts of energy allows him to do as he pleases. I've known that the moment I sensed his magic power coming a mile away. Literally." 

"I always believe there is someone out there with more magic power that isn't a dragon. I do what I can to learn, study, and improve. I know there is someone out there that can defeat me," Spike said. 

"Always improve and strive for greatness the way you can. As a wizard myself, I have no aggressive spells. In the battle of might against any of you youngsters, I wouldn't stand a chance." 

"Even so," Erza approaches Warrod. 

"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. This is what inspires wizards to form alliances and then form guilds," Warrod smiles. "Wouldn't you agree, my dear?" 

Erza chuckles. "You are as wise as I imagined." 

"We accept your job request," Natsu fist bumps Gray. 

"What he said!" Gray shouts. 

"You can leave it to us," Lucy said. "We got this."

"We'll be glad to help," Wendy said. 

"Aye!" Happy concurs. 

Warrod smirks. "Good." 

"So, this village of the sun place, where is it?" Wendy asks. 

"About 1200 miles south," Warrod answers. 

"Spike, it's time to fly,"  Natsu said. 

"Nonsense, the least I can do is help you reach the village," Warrod said. 

"Hmmph," Spike smirks. "I figure you out, Warrod." 

"Oh? What did you figure out?" Warrod turns to Spike. 

"You're a Fairy Tail Wizard at heart. That's why you called for Natsu and Gray." 

"Psst, Spike, no way he's a-" Natsu and the others see Warrod's face. His jaw drops while he's watering the leaves on his head. 

"How did you?" Warrod wants to know how Spike figured him out. 

"I'm good with putting pieces together. Also, judging from Makarov's expression earlier says enough." 

"This dragon is brilliant, wow!" Warrod said in disbelief.

"His brilliance amazes us every time," Erza said. 

"Now, gather there, all of you," Warrod points to the right. "Be sure you aren't leaving anything behind," Spike shoots a flare marking. "Uh, what does that do?" 

"Whenever I shoot a flare marking, I can use my magic to teleport to the spot of the flare marking I'm thinking of." 

"Wow, that's impressive and helpful," Warrod said. "Now, everyone ready to go? Pivot right!" Everyone excepts Spike does as he says. Warrod laughs. "Just as gullible as always," The other complains a bit. "Good luck on this task, youngsters of Fairy Tail. Should you face yourselves in this journey, I ask you to look closely. Do this and you should overcome whatever obstacles that fall before your path," Warrod powers up. A blossom tree sprouts from the ground and carries everyone, already traveling miles on end at rapid speeds. 

"This is amazing!" Gray is enjoying the ride. 

"That it is," Erza said, seeing how fast and far her friends are traveling by Warrod's magic. "He's making the tree fly like a dragon." 

"Not as fast as Spike when he wants to," Wendy said, holding onto him. 

"Sun Village, here we come!" Natsu shouts.
> A New Day Part 1: United as a Family
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Throughout the day in the Castle of Friendship, Pinkie Pie has been a tour guide for Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike learn that many rooms have many books, a map of Equestria and the outer lands, several bedrooms, a balcony, a nice rooftop to chill, an activities room, and a gatherings room. The tour lasted for five hours of the day with the explicit detail Pinkie gave. 

"Wow, Pinkie. The castle is amazing," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said in astonishment. 

"I can't believe we get to live here. I wonder who cleans?" Spike asks. 

"Well, that used to be the other you's job but, I wouldn't recommend you doing it. Discord normally cleans it with a snap," Pinkie said. 

"Ugh," Spike cringes. "Fairy Dragon used to clean this all by himself?" 

Pinkie turns away a bit. "Yes..," Pinkie sighs. "Things didn't go so well with him, and I've done my dues against him. Pulling pranks, teased him a couple of times, laughed at him..," Pinkie sadly sighs. "I was a different pony back then. I had no regard for Spike, and I'm all about spreading friendship wherever it's needed. My friends and I messed up badly with our Spike. So, with you here, this could be our redemption to make things right." 

"I hope so for yours, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack's sake. If I find out you're messing with my son, I'll beat the stuffing out of you. And, I do mean it," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She's trying not to use any of the foul languages from her world to spark a trend. 

"Understood..," Pinkie backs away a bit. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs. "Forgive me. I'm imagining what your Spike went through and picturing with my Spike. I could never leave him in pain of any sort. When I'm hanging out with my friends, I bring Spike wherever I go. It's only fair, so he doesn't feel neglected or abandoned." 

That's a shot at Pinkie Pie. She takes it to heart. So, she doesn't repeat history. "I understand. You're doing better than your counterpart. The other Twilight is running amuck somewhere in Earth Land." 

There's knocking at the castle's doors. 

"Who can that be?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"Let's go find out. It could be the others of this world," Spike said. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) trots to the castle doors and opens them. She sees her mother and father as unicorns and tears up.  

"My baby girl," Twilight Velvet hugs her daughter. 

"My little man," Night Light hugs Spike. 

Shining Armor walks inside the closes the door. Pinkie Pie thought for sure that Shining's mother would have claimed his soul for hiding the truth. 

"Mom..," Twilight cries in her mother's arms. 

"I'm here for you," Twilight Velvet feels the tears of Twilight's (Sci-Twi). She feels the heartache Twilight has suffered. 

"So, I heard you were a dog. Well, Spike. I helped raise the other you like a son. So, in this manner, you are my son as well." 

"Thank you," Spike smiles. "I've seen so much murder and chaos back home!" Spike cries. 

"Hey, Shining. How was your morning?" Pinkie asks. 

"Tartarous. I'm trying not to adapt to Earth Lander's usage of language. Already, I've said it in my mind. So, my wife instructed the Crystal Guards to escort me straight to the train station. I wasn't allowed to delay for anything. Go straight to my parents' house. Although I was expecting for the worse, it turns out it wasn't so bad." 

"Yikes, that's horrible," Pinkie responds to the part about Cadance instructing the Crystal Guards. 

"So, how's your day so far?" 

"It's going well. I just finished giving the grand tour to Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi). It's great seeing the two again but, it's not our Spike and Twilight. That's the thing I have to remember. The two don't have any memories of their counterparts here in Equestria." 

"Well, I'm glad things are getting better. So, are you planning to throw a small party or some sort?" 

"Well, I thought about inviting the girls over to reintroduce our lives to Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi). A true redemption to start things over since watching Spike the Fairy and Erza Scarlett dominating Celestia and Twilight during the Grand Magic Games." 

"Invite the Princesses too. They should connect with Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi)." 

"That's for a different party. After things settle down, I'll throw another party with the Princesses included."

"Good thinking," Shining said. 

"Mom..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) looks at her mother's eyes. She knows it is not hers, but it's welcoming. 

"Twilight. Our family is reunited. You are not the Twilight I conceived but, you are still my daughter at heart. The one I conceived, I don't think she'll ever come home, according to Shining."  

"However, we are still your parents, and you and Spike are still part of the family. Nothing will ever change that," Night Light said.  

Applejack and Rainbow Dash are on their way to the Castle of Friendship. The Cakes told them that Pinkie Pie was heading over there and required her assistance with the kids. 

"How are things going for you, Dash?" Applejack asks. 

"Brutal, Applejack. I received more heavy-duty training as well as counseling. Unfortunately, I pulled a prank on Spitfire when I was aiming for the newer cadets. The ole bucket of ice water prank."

"Dash, I thought you weren't going to do that," Applejack is displeased with Rainbow Dash. 

"It's a Wonderbolt tradition with the newer cadets, so I partook it. Spitfire gave me a painful reminder about the prank I pulled with Spike in case any dragons want to be a Wonderbolt."  

"Dragons being a Wonderbolt?" Applejack is in shock at the revelation. 

"Spitfire and the others are welcoming to the possibilities of newer creatures joining the prestigious Wonderbolts Team. With that in mind, things must change for the better. Pranking newer cadets of all species is now forbidden." 

"Wow, that's unexpected," Applejack said. 

"Princess Celestia and Luna are allowing any creature to join the Equestrian Military if it pleases them. The peace between Equestria and the Bar of Alliance has skyrocketed to newer heights. So, in a way, things are progressing better than before in a twisted way." 

"Uh-huh. Pain and suffering, in the beginning, to see the errors and correct them," Applejack states. 

"Do you miss Spike, Applejack?" Rainbow Dash asks. Her tone sounds serious. 

Applejack sighs. "I do miss seeing Spike around. I wish I were more involved in his life instead of taking him for granted. Treating him like family would instead of a slave. When Granny found out, she was so heartbroken. Big Mac couldn't look at me the same for weeks. For months, I was more of a servant to them than family, and it opened my mind to how Spike felt." 

"Wow, Applejack. You never told me about this..," Rainbow Dash is appalled at what Applejack went through. 

"Big Mac and Granny told me to do a lot of chores on my own without help to understand Spike's point of view. At first, it wasn't bad but, being alone for hours on end daily. It's brutal, Dash. No one to help you or listen to you. It was the harsher punishments I've been through and don't ever want to go through again." 

"Wow," Rainbow said. She imagines what it was like for Applejack during those times. 

"I wish I could have a second chance with Spike but, the Spike we know is gone. I wish there were some way to fix our mistakes with Spike." 

"Perhaps another lifetime, we can," Rainbow sadly states. 

Applejack and Rainbow Dash arrive at the Castle of Friendship. They notice Pinkie Pie talking to Shining Armor while Twilight Velvet and Night Light are talking. 

"Girls! Look who's here!" Pinkie Pie slowly moves Night Light and Twilight Velvet out of the way. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike are in their sight. 

"Wait! What! How!?" Rainbow Dash and Applejack are stunned. Their instinct is to attack Twilight when they see she doesn't have wings and is wearing glasses. "What's going on?!" The two shout. 

"It's a long grueling detail about that. Mind if I tell the story?" Pinkie asks Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Sure. Let's go to a different room," Twilight (Sci-Twi) trots to a different room that Pinkie showed her and Spike. Spike's backside made Applejack and Rainbow Dash steady their breathing. 

Shining Armor, Night Light, Twilight Velvet, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike are in the lounge room.  Pinkie Pie tells everyone the horror Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike went through. Within three hours, Pinkie Pie told Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike's tale while crying a few times. Applejack and Rainbow couldn't believe their human counterparts got murdered by the Changelings of that world. 

"Wow," Rainbow covers her face.  

"I can't believe Changelings do exist from that other realm," Applejack said in shock. 

"By a secret government project to control the masses. Whatever is happening in that world, I'm glad it's not happening here," Shining said. 

"So.., what are Changelings like here?" Spike nervously asks. 

"Friendly. Our Changelings are different than yours. You could wind up being friends with all except for one that's loose," Applejack said. 

"The Queen of them," Rainbow Dash noted. 

"Well, actually," Shining stops the two from speaking further about Queen Chrysalis. "Queen Chrysalis is no longer an issue. She renounced her title as Queen last night during the Bar of the Alliance meeting." 

"WHAT!?" Rainbow and Applejack shout in shock and horror. "This has to be-" The two see Shining Armor shake his head. 

"It's no mistake or ploy to deceive us. Chrysalis sounded sincere yesterday after being alone for so long. I did lose control of myself and attacked Chrysalis for everything she's done to my family and friends. Not once did she retaliate. She spoke and now is at the Changeling Hive. She no longer wears her crown. She gave it to Thorax as a sign of her willingness to change. At some point down the road, Cadance and I will have to apologize for our outburst." 

"I think we should keep a close eye on her. I don't trust her," Applejack said. 

"Yea. What if she's planning to do something similar to that Cozy Glow filly?" Rainbow asks. 

"Princess Celestia made it clear with Chrysalis last night. Judging from Chrysalis' body language, I don't think Chrysalis will stoop down to a new low." 

"So, she's turned a new leaf?" Applejack asks to be sure. 

"Yes," Shining Armor nods. "We gave many villains a chance to reform. Why not her?" 

Applejack and Rainbow Dash are silent. Pinkie Pie agrees with Shining Armor which is why she hasn't spoken against anything regarding Chrysalis. Anyone can have a second chance in life if they truly repent and want to change. 

"We're proud of you, Shining," Night Light approaches his son. 

"You're taking an initial step of forgiving someone that hurt you in the past," Twilight Velvet said. She hugs Shining Armor. 

"Thanks, mom and dad. I still have much to do, and Chrysalis has to earn everyone else's trust."

"I know. It'll take Chrysalis time to earn it. All I ask is for you to be patient as change can be a struggle for some," Twilight Velvet said. 

Shining Armor closes his eyes and nods. "I will remember that, mom. I'll take that to heart as a life learning lesson." 

"Good, Shining," Twilight Velvet smiles. 

Starlight Glimmer walks into the castle with Trixie, Maud, Sunburst, and Rockhoof. They had a good day at the School of Friendship. 

"Another day completed at the School of Friendship," Trixie said. "My display of team exercises nailed it," Trixie says proudly. 

"I still need to read the 20-page story that Yona wrote. So far, the students are good with their fantasies from yesterday's lecture," Rockhoof said. 

"I'm glad you didn't use that new word you learned yesterday," Sunburst said. 

"Ye lassies and lad are right. There is no room for profanity in our world."

"Hey, Pinkie," Maud sees Pinkie and the others in a different room. 

"Hi, Maud!" Pinkie waves at her. 

"Who is Pinkie with?" Starlight looks in Pinkie's direction. 

"I want to say that's Twilight's family," Maud said. 

"Hey, do you know what time it is!" Pinkie shouts. 

"5:30," Maud said. 

Pinkie reads Maud's lips. "Okay, it's 5:30, and I have to.., THE BABIES!" Pinkie rushes out of the castle. 

"Oh, that's right. We were supposed to tell Pinkie about the Cakes' babies," Rainbow said. 

"Uh, hopefully, they're not mad at us," Applejack said. 

"Well, Twilight. If you ever need us," Twilight Velvet gives Twilight the address to their home in Canterlot. "Come and visit us anytime you like." 

"Thanks, mom," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. 

"As for you, young dragon. The same goes for you," Night Light said. 

"Thank you," Spike smiles. 

"See you around," Night Light and Twilight Velvet leaves the castle. 

"I'll see you around, Twily," Shining Armor hugs Twilight (Sci-Twi). "See you around, Spike," Shining Armor leaves. 

"Twilight," Applejack approaches her. "Rainbow and I will talk to our friends, and we'll see you and Spike tomorrow." 

"Okay, thank you, Applejack," Twilight (Sci-Twi) watches Applejack and Rainbow Dash leaving.  

"Twilight, how do you feel?" Spike asks. 

"Happy. Happy in the sense that we're with family again. Our friends are here though it's an adjustment," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She hugs Spike. "How are you feeling?" 

"I'm great. I'm happy to see familiar faces. Things will get better for both of us. The one thing I need to know is how to be a dragon." 

"Well, focus on being yourself, Spike. The rest will come to you," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"I will!" Spike gets on Twilight's (Sci-Twi) back. "Pick a library for us to read some magic books. If my counterpart can be powerful, I want to reach that height as well." 

"Sounds good, Spike. Also, this gives me time to learn more about magic," Twilight (Sci-Twi) trots to a library Pinkie showed her during the tour.
> A New Day Part 2: The Hive
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chrysalis wakes up after a good night's sleep. It's 8:00 in the morning.

"Wow, that may have been the best sleep I had in ages," Chrysalis said. She observes her room. The last time, it was dark and hollow. Now, it's green, filled with life. 

Thorax and Pharynx come into Chrysalis' room to check on her.

"Morning, my Queen," Pharnyx bows. 

Chrysalis sighs. "I'm not your Queen anymore, Pharynx. I am Chrysalis." 

"Whoa, she has changed. I thought you were pranking me, brother," Pharynx turns to Thorax. 

"Since when have I ever kid around?" Thorax asks. 

"Huh, good point. Forgive me, Chrysalis. It's.., an adjustment seeing you without your crown and knowing you're not using your prestigious title anymore." 

"It's a new season for me, Pharynx," Chrysalis gets up. "How has the Hive been since I departed?" 

"The Hive is getting better. Every Changeling is engaging with each other, especially during the newer activities Thorax devised," Pharynx answers. 

"And Pharynx has been training the Hive to get them back in shape. We will be a peaceful colony, but we do need to be efficient when it comes to certain creatures that do want to invade our territory," Thorax answers.  

Chrysalis sighs heavily. 

"What's wrong, Chrysalis?" Pharynx asks. 

"I'm different than all of you. I've accepted turning a new leaf, but it doesn't feel right with me. I don't know why..," Chrysalis turns the other way. 

"You know," Pharynx walks up to her. "It took me a long while to accept how things will be before getting my new transformation. You need to find the inner passion that'll help you turn for the better. That's what I did."

Chrysalis groans a little and turns away. 

"I'm guessing poor choice of words," Thorax said. 

"Was I that difficult to change?" Pharynx asks Thorax. 

"Not like this. You were more stubborn with how things used to be. Chrysalis just accepted it but hasn't fully embraced it. We should show her around, allow her to see the new normal." 

"Very well, Thorax." 

"Chrysalis, it's time that my brother and I showed you what you've missed out on," Thorax calmly says. 

Chrysalis gets up. "Lead the way..." 

Thorax and Pharynx show Chrysalis what happened ever since she left. The Changelings see Chrysalis for the first time in a long time and feel differently. Some are happy to see her in the Hive again, and some aren't sure of her presence. Chrysalis looks around at each colorful Changeling and sees them enjoying life for the first time in ages. The one goal she couldn't accomplish during her reign. 

"You've done well, King Thorax..," Chrysalis looks down in shame. 

"Thorax will do. You don't have to address me as King Thorax." 

Chrysalis sighs and notices a small theatre that Changelings partake in, an area for swing-dancing, craft time, a buffet session, and much more activities for the Changelings to try. She remembers her day when the Changelings would either patrol, train, and hunt for food. 

"Wow, things have taken a turn, huh?" Chrysalis looks around. 

"Yes," Thorax trots beside her. "Every Changeling is um..," Thorax coughs. "Well.., uh..," Thorax coughs again, trying not to sound awkward in front of Chrysalis. 

"Will you spill it out already!" Chrysalis demands Thorax and pants angrily. The other Changelings around flinch due to Chrysalis' outburst.  

Thorax takes a deep breath. "Sorry. I was trying not to make it awkward for you." 

"Just say it," Chrysalis holds her anger back. 

"While the Changelings were under the oppression, no one expressed what they wanted to do or try. It was up to me to fill the gaps of what's missing in everyday life." 

"However, during the time of Thorax's reign, I was like you, Chrysalis. Unwilling to change and keep my assertiveness. I wasn't going to let the silly, frilly, softie new life as Changelings affect me."

"I'm trying to change you nitwit!" Chrysalis angrily yells at Pharynx. 

"Poor choice of words, bro," Thorax whispers in Pharynx's ear. 

"Duly noted," Pharynx whispers in Thorax's ear. 

Chrysalis walks away from the two. She decides to see if there's a quiet spot in the Hive for her to be alone. Chrysalis finds the training area of the Hive and sees it quite active. It's similar to how they trained when hunting for food. The training is more for team tactical and defense. Chrysalis goes back to her room to reconcile. 

"What's my purpose?" Chrysalis lies on her bed. "What is there for me now that I returned? What am I supposed to do? How can I transform like the rest of them!?" Chrysalis groans in anger. "What is it that I need to do?" 

Two hours later. Thorax and Pharynx decide to check on Chrysalis after giving her space. Chrysalis continues to ask questions that she doesn't have answers. 

"Chrysalis?" Thorax approaches. 

Chrysalis sighs. "Leave me alone..," Chrysalis looks away. 

"I have the answer to one of your questions," Pharynx says. 

"So, answer this. How can I transform like every Changeling else?" 

"Finding your inner peace and where you stand with the Hive. It will take you some time to figure out. Believe me, when I say this, every Changeling wants you in the Hive," Pharynx said. He smiles to show that he's serious about his claim. 

"Inner peace..?" Chrysalis sadly sighs. "That will take me a while."

"Take all the time you need. I would suggest coming to our Feelings Forum. Open up and express yourself. It'll do you wonders and get closer to the Hive," Thorax advises. 

"I'll think about it. Mind giving me some love to consume since targeting the plant life is not an option?" 

"Oh, sure," Thorax and Pharynx give some love for Chrysalis to digest. 

"Thanks," Chrysalis gets up. "I'm going to observe more on the Hive and try to reconnect with some Changelings on my own. I'll come for you when I'm ready for the Feelings Forum," Chrysalis leaves her room. 

"Do you know what her purpose is for the Hive, Pharynx?" 

"I have some notions for her purpose with the Hive."  

"Liiiiiike?" Thorax wants a real answer. 

"Replacing you as ruler of the Hive." 

"Ha ha ha, very funny, Pharynx," Thorax sarcastically said. 

"Since when do I joke around?" 

"When you make me hit myself when we were younger."
> A New Day Part 2: Feelings Forum
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chrysalis walks around the Hive while some Changelings look at her differently. A youngling approaches Chrysalis. She looks down at the youngling. 

"Hi," A small light purple changeling with blue eyes waves. He waves at Chrysalis. 

"Hello, young one," Chrysalis calmly replies. 

"My name is Terax," He smiles at Chrysalis. 

"I'm Qu-" Chrysalis coughs. "I'm Chrysalis. Nice to uh.., meet you..." 

"You sound sad. Why is that?" Terax asks. 

Chrysalis sighs and walks away; she doesn't want to be bothered with questions. Terax decides to follow Chrysalis after meeting her. 

"I need familiar faces.., not new ones."

"Where are you going?" Terax asks. Chrysalis looks back to see Terax following her. 

"I'm walking to find someplace for peace and quiet, Terax. Why don't you go play with the other younglings of the Hive?" 

"They are doing other things with their families," Terax sheds a tear. 

"Hey, don't cry," Chrysalis doesn't want to see Terax shed any more tears. Parts of her remember the ole days of the Changelings when they were fearsome. Oh, how the mighty race changed even though it's for the better. "What happened to your family?" 

"I'm a late bloomer who had only one mom. No one knows who she is. Not even Thorax knows," Terax said. 

Chrysalis looks at Terax thoroughly. She sees herself in him and sighs. Chrysalis knows she conceived Terax, and perhaps Thorax didn't want to make his life worse knowing a rogue changeling is his mother. 

"Who's taking care of you?" Chrysalis asks. 

"Thorax and other Changelings that are not busy. I want a mommy," Terax sadly says. He sighs a bit while looking at the ground. 

It was enough to move Chrysalis' heart. She extends her hoof to Terax. "I'll be your momma," Chrysalis' smile looks disturbing and hard to look at, which makes Terax giggle. 

"Yay!" Terax hugs Chrysalis' hoof. 

"Nurturing is now a new aspect I need to pick up on. This'll be interesting to say the least. Maybe my inner peace is being more of a mother-type than a Queen." "What do you want to do, son?" 

"Hmm?" Terax thinks. "Help you find peace and quiet since you were looking for it," Terax flies and sits on Chrysalis' back. 

"That's new. A youngling on my back." "First, there's someone I need to speak to," Chrysalis said. 

"Okay, mommy," Terax gets comfy on Chrysalis' back. 

"That's another thing to get used to, being addressed as mom, mommy, momma, or whatever the child decides to call me." Chrysalis walks back in search of Thorax. 

Thorax is sitting at the buffet table having lunch. He sees Chrysalis coming by with Terax riding on her back. It amazes Thorax at first but, the written expression on Chrysalis's face made it seem otherwise. The Changelings in the room felt an awkward silence when Chrysalis entered the buffet room. 

"Chrysalis, how nice of you to join us for lunch," Thorax greets Chrysalis with a plate filled with food. 

"I need to talk to you privately," Chrysalis said. "Terax, are you hungry?" Terax nods and hops off of Chrysalis' back. He grabs a plate of his favorite food. 

Thorax and Chrysalis leave the buffet room to discuss outside. Thorax knows what Chrysalis is going to say. 

"So, you figured it out?" Thorax asks. He sounds serious while gazing at Chrysalis' eyes. 

"Yes. Why haven't you told Terax about me?" Chrysalis is eager to know why. 

"Well, how was I going to explain to a youngling that your his mother? That a Queen demented as you that wanted vengeance is the mother. He would have left the Hive in search of you, regardless of what you do to him."

Chrysalis sighs. "Well, I give you credit for hiding the truth. I guess we can figure a way to work around it until he's older and understanding." 

"When he's older, I'll explain everything to him. Right now, all he wants is a mother to be like a family. Like you for over a year, he was feeling the same. Lonely." 

"Lonely..," Chrysalis imagines what Terax would have felt in the Hive. She walks back into the buffet room to see Terax chewing on a gelatin slug. She imagines the sadness Terax must have gone through during his time in the Hive while getting accustomed to the new changes. "My son, feeling sad and alone... What is wrong with me? Why do I feel bad when I should be feeling something else." 

Terax finishes eating and turns to his mother. He smiles at Chrysalis. The Changelings in the room turn to Chrysalis' presence. A yellow and green Changeling approaches her. 

"Uh, hey, Queen Chrysalis," The Yellow Changeling bows in worry. 

"It's.., nice to see you again..," The Green Changeling bows in worry. She sweats, thinking the Hive may return to the old days with her present. 

"I'm not your Queen anymore," Chrysalis announces to every Changeling present. The Changelings gasp. "I am Chrysalis, living in the Hive while trying to find my place," Chrysalis puts Terax on her back and leaves. 

"Uh, wait," A light-bluish Changeling approaches her. 

"What is it?" Chrysalis turns to her. 

"Join us at the Feelings Forum. The answers you seek may be there." 

Chrysalis sighs and nods. She'll give it a try. She hopes that the Feelings Forum only has very few Changelings present. A half-hour later, she was wrong. The Feelings Forum is overcrowded for this session. Almost every Changeling wanted to partake in the Feelings Forum. Chrysalis didn't anticipate this turnaround when the Changelings overheard about the Feelings Forum. Terax is on Chrysalis' head, waiting to see what happens next in the Feelings Forum. 

"So, Chrysalis," The Changeling in charge of the Feelings Forum. "Welcome back to the Hive. As you see, things drastically changed since your departure over a year ago. Now that you have returned, what is on your mind?" 

Chrysalis sighs. She observes every Changeling in the room; they are eagerly waiting to see and hear what's on Chrysalis' mind. Terax leans to look at his mother's face from her head. 

"Finding my place in the Hive now that I'm no longer your Queen..," Chrysalis sincerely answers. "I don't know what else to do when I'm not the one instructing orders like the old days. Every Changeling is enjoying life and each other's company now than during my reign as Queen. I'm searching for inner peace to transform like the rest of you have. The thing is, I don't know where to begin..."

Every Changeling in the room besides Thorax, Pharynx, and Terax feels sympathetic and concern for Chrysalis. They now know that Chrysalis wants to be like them. It was easier for them to change wholeheartedly, but the nature of Chrysalis may be challenging to answer. They remember their Queen as wrathful, prideful, and vengeful. 

"Well, try doing something nice. Try something you thought you never do with the Hive. Perhaps for your transformation has a deeper meaning than most of us here." 

"Do you believe that'll work?" Chrysalis asks the Changeling in charge of the Feelings Forum. 

"It won't hurt to try, Chrysalis. Try something new and different. Every week, I want you here to give me your report." 

"Can it be in private? I don't want to attract unwelcome and unnerving attention." 

"Of course, Chrysalis. Can every Changeling respect Chrysalis' wish for having a private discussion when she comes for her weekly schedule?" The Changelings nod in respect. They picture all sorts of transformations in their head. Some decide to draw out possible transformations well suited for Chrysalis. 

"Let's go, Terax," Chrysalis gets up and leaves." 

"Right behind you, mommy," Terax said, now riding on Chrysalis' back.

"Mommy?" Most of the Changelings present said in unison. They are shocked to hear how Terax addresses Chrysalis and her accepting the term.
> Sun Village
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Wendy, Erza, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, Happy, and Carla arrive in front of a pink-purplish trench covered in ice. The travel, thanks to Warrod, took half an hour. 

"Hey, guys," Spike walks up to the ice. "Something is peculiar about the ice," Spike senses the magic of them. 

"What do you mean by that?" Gray asks. 

"The magic that's emitting, I can't help but say that I felt the presence of it before," Spike feels the texture of the ice.

"How is this possible?" Erza asks. "Fairy Rage, what's your intake?" 

"We've felt the presence before. However, I am unable to draw any conclusions. Something else is amiss with the ice, and I can feel it."

"Alright, eyes peeled, we're going in the trench. The Sun Village has to be on the other side," Erza said. 

Everyone walks into the icy trench. An hour later, everyone arrives at Sun Village. The buildings, streets, plant life, people, mountains. Everything in Sun Village, frozen in ice, just like what Warrod Sequen said earlier. 

"It's hard to believe something can freeze an entire city and everything around it so perfectly," Lucy said in disbelief. 

"Strange. Warrod said the people are frozen. I don't see anyone around," Erza said, looking around with her friends. "I wonder where they are." 

"Look up." 

"Wow, frozen giants," Spike said. 

"Giants!" Natsu and Happy repeat the same word while gazing at the people frozen in ice. They are in shock to see people of that size. 

"Judging from the giants' positioning, they were preparing for battle." 

"Yes, I agree," Erza sees the giants' weaponry and formations. It does appear they were preparing for something. 

Gray is in a trance, looking at the giants frozen in ice. It gives him bad memories during his youth. It reminds him of a painful event watching Master Ur using Ice Shell to seal a demon of Zeref imprisoned in ice. Deliora. 

Lucy notices Gray in a trance and goes up to him. Gray brushes it off until Lucy realizes that Gray remembers one of his darkest hours in life. 

"Alright then, time to unfreeze these guys!" Natsu goes to the heel of a giant and tries using his fire to melt the ice off. After ten minutes of increasing his flames, he gives up. Not a single drop of water fell. "This is crazy. I'm poot." 

Gray and Spike walk up to the giant and place their hand on it. 

"Now, the magic feels similar to something I sensed before. I can't remember what it feels like." 

"It's odd that I can't remember the type of magic power to create this long-lasting effect. What are you feeling, Gray?"

"It's weird, Rage. I never felt ice like this before. The magic power it has is bizarre," Gray gets a feel to it. 

"Spike, think you can melt the ice?" Lucy asks. 

"I'm not sure my flames can melt the ice. I don't think melting the ice is the solution. I want to say the ice needs a cleansing." 

"No way," Gray is getting a better feeling of the ice magic. "I think I do recognize the source of this magic power." 

"Well, well, well, some uninvited guests," A man with a sniper rifle says. He's with two other guys. "Every job has its shockers." 

"I didn't expect it to be kids and their pets," Another man wielding a sword says.

"Get lost! You dig?" Another man says with a giant fist mallet. 

"Who are you?" Erza asks. 

"The Treasure Hunting Trio, baby." 

"The Sylph Labyrinth Guild." 

"You dig?"

"Very well," Erza calmly replies.

"Why are you so calm? Aren't you surprised that another guild is here?" Happy asks out of curiosity. 

"Nah, this stuff happens all the time," Natsu answers. 

"Yep," Gray nods. 

"I never heard of a treasure hunting guild before," Wendy said. 

"Me neither," Spike replies. 

"The title probably tells us everything we need to know," Lucy said. 

"Sorry, kids, but we had dibs on the treasure here a while, now. Why don't you go find your own?" 

"Not interested," Natsu said. 

"I think we're fine staying here," Gray answers. 

"Oh, you think so? I think you should leave unless you want to be target practice," He falls a bit from a warning shot from Spike. 

"Sorry, you were saying something?" Spike laughs a bit while blowing out the smoke from his fingertip when he mimicked a gun movement. 

"Crafty bastard," He gets up. 

"Not looking for treasure and yet looking for trouble. That warning shot will be your last, you little half-pint." 

"What are you punks doing out here anyway?" 

"Spill it! You dig?" 

"We came to free all the villagers," Happy gladly answers. "So, we're going to melt this crazy ice." 

The three members of Sylph Labyrinth huddle together. They conclude that the Fairy Tail Guild is in their way of possession of the hidden treasure of the village. 

"I'm sure you heard about the Eternal Flame that's burned in this village for centuries." 

"Even the most novice treasure hunters know that the flames are considered an S-Class Treasure. It's totally legendary." 

"You dig?" 

"If you say you dig one more time, I'm going to dig your graves and carve your tombstones saying: we dig."

"You little half-pint! I'm going to kill you and hang you on my Wall of Creatures!" The man with the Fist Mallet angrily shouts. 

"Easy, big guy. We'll kill him, eventually." 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Erza and Wendy said, now getting serious. 

"Well, we're here for the Eternal Flame. Due to the giants guarding the Village of the Sun, no one has been able to get near it."

"With the big guys frozen solid, we hunters know a good opportunity when it knocks, you dig?" 

"So now, we're taking the Eternal Flame and getting out when the getting's good." 

"You can't! It's their guardian. It's the most sacred part of their village," Wendy protests. "If you take it away, it could destroy them." 

"Doesn't sound like treasure hunters, just common thieves!" Lucy states. 

Sylph Labrynith huddles together and defends their titles as treasure hunters regardless of what anyone says about them. They say the Fairy Tail Guild can say excuses and cases all they want, but it doesn't matter. They're getting their treasure no matter what it takes. Then the trio decides to go for the Eternal Flame before Fairy Tail buds in. 

"Hate to break it to you. The flame is frozen solid just like everything else in the village," Gray said, hoping it'll displease the treasure hunting guild. 

"Underestimating a treasure hunter on a mission is never a good idea. The ice won't be any trouble. We can melt it on our own with our secret treasure." 

"You gonna make us guess? What is it?" Natsu asks, hoping it'll bait them into revealing their treasure. 

"Liquid Moon Drip," The man with the sword smirks while holding a bottle with a little bit of moon drip water.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Gray and Natsu are in shock to hear someone has collected Moon Drip Water from Galuna Island. 

"That's a blast from the past," Happy said in shock. 

"And, it's just what we need," Lucy said. "Lyon used it to free Deliora." 

"Uh, guys," Spike is trying to get his friends' attention.

The Sylph Labyrinth Guild makes a run for it. They are eager to get their hands on the Eternal Flames. 

"I never knew it could be a liquid," Erza is amazed by the stunning revelation. 

"Guys," Spike is trying to get his friends' attention again. 

"Catch them! If we had that bottle, we can unfreeze the whole village and be done with this job!" Natsu shouts. Everyone except for Spike gasps. 

"Move!" Erza commands. "They're going to use all of the Moon Drip!"

"GUYS!" Spike shouts. It did nothing for him as his friends sprinted after Sylph Labyrinth. Spike groans. 

"If only those idiots would learn to pay close attention to you."

"They're not idiots, Rage. Their focus was on a quick fix when it's evident that little fluid will do nothing for the entire Sun Village. It's too small to do anything." 

"You want to go after them?"

"No, they need to learn when to see the bigger picture."

"Even Wendy?"

"Even Wendy. Let's look around for clues. There could be something else that we're not seeing." 

"Understood."

"I'm still here, you two. I heard every word that came out," Erza said. She sounds upset at the moment. 

"Were you paying attention when Spike was trying to grab everyone's attention?"

"No," Erza said to Fairy Rage. "So, you think the Moon Drip is worthless, Spike?"

"Yes. It won't free everyone. It will unfreeze the size of my palm. Maybe less than that." 

"Sorry that I gave the order for our friends to go after the treasure hunter guild. My mistake." 

Spike sighs. "It's okay. We make mistakes at times." 

"Let's have a look around, Spike." 

"Okay, Sis." 

Spike and Erza walk around the village to find any explicit detail that could be helpful. They notice how the giants are facing.

"Spike, look how the giants are facing together. Like Rage mentioned earlier, they were preparing for battle. That means their back turn is the location where the Eternal Flame is at." 

"Perfect," Spike flies beside Erza while she runs. The two go into the forest. 

"Spike, I see two giants with spears guarding a tall mountain." 

"Sis, that's not a mountain. Those are the Eternal Flames," Erza and Spike stop to gaze at the frozen flames. Spike feels an eerie presence within the ice. "Sis, for some reason, the flames are eerie similar. The presence, I felt it before." 

"Explain, Spike," Erza asks. 

Spike puts his claw on the frozen fire. He reminisces a bit while concentrating on the presence. "Either than the familiar feeling of the ice, I know what the Eternal Flames are." 

Erza's eyes lit up when Spike figured out what are the Eternal Flames. "What is it, Spike?" 

"The Eternal Flames are..," Spike turns to Erza, and she's no longer an adult. Spike's jaws drop. 

"Spike, what's wrong?" Erza asks, and she gasps. Her voice sounds like a child's voice. Her armor, her skirt, and boots are too big for her. It falls. 

"Sis, something is horribly wrong," Spike flies next to her. 

Erza looks in the reflection of the ice to see herself young again. "It can't be. It has to be some illusion. Like the ice has a bad omen for those who-" Erza sees Spike shaking his head. 

"It's not a bad omen, Erza. Someone else is manipulating time matter." 

"Why are you and Spike not affected by it?" Erza asks. 

"It's way weaker compared to the effects of the Infinity Clock when it turned Spike into a baby. We're stronger now than at the time of the Infinity Clock crisis."

"Is there any way you can fix this!?" Erza grabs hold of Spike. "I don't want to stay like this!" Erza frantically imagines the worse case scenarios that pop into her mind. Being shorter than Wendy and thinking she's the older sister.  Gray and Natsu get loads of payback from the times she clobbered them for misbehaving. The worse one comes to mind, not being close with her lover Jellal. Being young will cause Jellal to go away and find someone else. "PLEASE SPIKE! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LEARNING THAT CAN HELP ME!?! THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING YOU CAN DO!" Erza slides on the ice while holding onto Spike. The two roll down a steep hill. 

After a few minutes of rolling down a steep hill, Spike and Erza crash into an icy bush. Spike is on his back while Erza lands on top of him. Unfortunately, the way they crashed, the two wind up kissing each other for a brief moment. The two pant and get off the bush. 

"Uuuuuuuuuh," Spike and Erza cough. "That never happened. It's just a weird dream we had, and dreams are weird," Spike and Erza said in unison. Now they're talking in sync. "Stop that! Hey! Ugh," The two facepalm themselves. 

"Nice routine. I bet the theatre can use a set of comedians." 

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" Spike and Erza angrily yell at Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage laughs. "Seriously. I'm not sure we can help you return to your normal age. The traits and magic that make you, you, are not missing. You're younger, and we didn't learn anything that can dispel an aging spell or omens."

"Damn," Erza sighs in defeat. "Now what?" 

"Find the source that's causing the disruption with the aging and correct it." 

"So, where to? Do you sense anything around you?" Erza asks. 

"The ice we're on is making it harder for me to sense anything in particular."

"I might as well see where I am on magic power," Erza powers up and finds herself having a hard time conjuring her weapon. The sword of her choice is heavy, and she realizes her requip speed is reduced by half. 

"That's not good," Spike said. 

"Erza Titania and the baby dragon," Minerva smirks, knowing victory is in her grasp already. Erza and Spike turn to Minerva. 

"You had me worried when you disappeared after the Grand Magic Games. Where have you been? Why are you here?" Erza asks. 

Minerva is perplexed when she hears Erza saying she was worried. "That's rich, even for you. However," Minerva balls her fists. "I haven't forgotten the time you made me eat dirt!" Minerva powers up. "Now that the two of you are weaker, killing you should be easy!" Minerva rushes in with her Territory Explosion Magic. 

Spike catches her strike in front of Erza. "Payback is a bitch!" Spike punches Minerva in the gut. She hurls back a bit. 

"How is this possible?" Minerva recomposes herself. "Doriate, what the hell?" Minerva thought his magic would affect Spike's power. 

"So, Doriate is the one behind the aging manipulation."

"Indeed he is. I'm surprised you are not affected by his magic power," Minerva powers up. 

"I'm stronger now with time manipulations than before. You want my sister? You'll have to go through me," Spike powers up. 

"Spike, we can do this together," Erza wants to fight Minerva. 

"No, you'll only get in the way. You aren't as strong as you're used to be. I got this." 

"Oh, it'll pain Erza even more, watching you die. Like a failed sister she was during the Grand Magic Games," Minerva laughs. 

Erza wants to teach Minerva a lesson. She grits her teeth and balls her fists. Minerva reminded Erza the day she stabbed Spike in the back while relishing his suffering. 

"Sis, I got this," Spike flies after Minerva. 

"Come and meet your demise!" Minerva smiles wickedly. 

"SPIKE NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Erza is afraid of losing Spike to Minerva. She's reliving the memory when Minerva stabs Spike in the back. 

"Die!" Minerva uses her territory magic, but Spike kicks it out of her hand. "What?" Minerva underestimates Spike's quickness while relishing Erza's cries. 

"Ice Spike!" Spike conjure and ice spike from the ground. The color of ice is not Sparkling Green. It's the same color as the village. "What the?"

Minerva doesn't take any damage and uses the ice spike as an advantage to leap in the skies to shoot territorial bombs at Spike. Spike crosses his arms, conjuring a metallic flame shield to take the hits. Minerva lunges down on Spike and shatters Spike's defense with her sheer strength. 

"Typical," Minerva turns around to see Spike's conjuring a fireball. 

"Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike presses his claws at Minerva, creating a heat cannon. Minerva uses her magic to switch places with Erza. Spike's eyes widen in horror. 

Erza jumps out of the way, and her legs are scorched with Spike's heat cannon. Erza wails in agony. Her younger body is unable to withstand Spike's heat cannon blaster. She's suffering from third-degree burns. 

Minerva laughs. "It's true. Love hurts, doesn't it?" Minerva menacing mocks Spike. 

Spike rushes to Erza and sees she's in pain. "Sis," Spike's voice is trembling. "I'm sorry.., I'm so sorry..," Spike clutches Erza while Minerva laughs. He's shaking in regret for his attack as the image of striking his sister will haunt him for a long time. 

"I.., forgive you.., accidents do happen..," Erza puts her hand on Spike's cheek. She pants from the attack. 

"What a twist of turns. I was mocking Erza for failing to be a sister when you failed in being a brother that looks out for her," Minerva sinisterly laughs with satisfaction. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Erza to create some distance. His eyes are no longer green, it's a blend of orange and green; his breaths become angry snorts. Spike takes control of Fairy Rage. 

"You just made a grave mistake." Spike turns to Minerva. Spike creates an ice scythe using the ice on the ground. "A Grave Mistake!" The ice scythe is Sparkling Orange-Green while maintaining its' original color from the village. 

"Is that so?" Minerva scoffs. "Last time we fought, I stabbed you in the back. This time, I'm ripping your head off. By the way, that's a promise, not a threat."

"Ever heard of the Grim Reaper?" Spike powers up, using the ice around him to create a Sparkling Orange-Green Ice Cloak that conceals his body and face. "Feast your eyes on the Ice Reaper Dragon."

Minerva looks at the physique of Spike's Ice Reaper transformation. She steadies herself for any counterattack Spike has in mind. Ice Reaper Dragon feels the ice below and becomes one with it. His body merges with the ice. Minerva gulps a bit; it reminds her of Rogue's Shadow Magic. 

"Ice Spears!" Spears from the ice below Minerva emerges, shooting at all corners. Minerva jumps and dodges each attack. 

"How is this possible?" Minerva questions Spike's magic prowess within the ice. Minerva uses her Territory Magic to intercept the ice spears. 

Spike rises from the ice and flies behind Minerva. He slashes at her with his Ice Scythe. Minerva turns around to counter with her Territory Explosion Orbs. Spike grabs the Territory Explosion Orbs and turns them into ice. 

"What?!" Minerva is in shock. 

"Have a taste of your own medicine, bitch! Ice Territory Explosion!" Spike uses Minerva's Territory Explosions against her. The ice shatters, causing severe damage to her clothes and skin. 

Minerva falls to the ground hard. She looks at Spike in fear. Her magic is unable to damage him at the slightest. "What have I unleashed?" Minerva squeaks a bit while watching Spike conjuring his magic power. 

Spike uses his Ice Scythe to draw a circle in the skies. Spike powers his fire breath. "Ice Reaper Dragon!" Spike takes a deep breath. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike unleashes his fire breath into the circle he drew in the skies. His flames turn into ice shards heading directly at Minerva. 

"HE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!" Minerva screams in fear, gets up, and limps away. She uses her magic to create a Territory Shield to defend herself. The impact of the ice shards explodes on contact. 

Spike swoops down using his ice scythe to slash at Minerva. Minerva has her back turn and feels the sharp end of the ice scythe impaling her back. The exact spot where she stabbed Spike during the Grand Magic Games. 

Minerva drops to her knees, squealing in agonizing pain while holding herself. It's one of the most pains she endured in her life. "You.., monster..," Minerva pants. Tears stream on her face from the immense pain she's suffering. 

Spike yanks his scythe out of Minerva's back hard, causing Minerva to shrill loudy while scattering some of her blood in the process. He looks at Minerva's eyes and places his Ice Scythe near her throat. "Your soul is-"

"WAIT!" Erza crawls her way from one of the giant's houses. She saw the whole event unfold. 

"WHY?" Spike is still angry at Minerva for the stunt she pulled. "Why shouldn't I end this bitch's life? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't?" 

Erza sees the malice in Spike's eyes like the time she saw Spike Knightwalker in Edolas. Minerva turns to Erza and back at Spike. Her fate is sealed, and she knows it. 

"If you take her life, you're walking a similar path as Spike Knightwalker would." 

Spike takes it to heart while looking at Minerva with the intent of ending her life. Minerva wonders who Spike Knightwalker is and how serious he is compared to Spike the Fairy. 

Spike relents and drops his Ice Scythe. "I will not become that demented being that killed other wizards based on what he feels." Spike glares at Minerva, striking fear in her heart. "Go. If you dare strike Fairy Tail, I will turn you into a vegetable so you can live your life full of regret." 

Minerva gets up and leaves. She knows she can't do anything to Spike the Fairy. She should have killed him during the Grand Magic Games. She needs more power. She needs to put Spike and Erza six feet under. Someday, she will have her revenge. 

Spike removes the Ice Cloak he made and reverts to normal. His eyes are green once more, Spike sobs from nearly committing murder due to his anger. Erza crawls to Spike and hugs him. Letting him know she forgives him and is proud of doing the right thing. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into Laxus' and puts Erza on her back. 

"Spike, what are you doing?" Erza asks. She's confused with Spike's motives. 

"Minerva mentioned a guy named Doriate. He has to be somewhere in the Sun Village. We're going to find him so I can kick his sorry ass for messing with Fairy Tail. I promise I won't kill him. I'll cripple him under submission." 

"Okay, Spike. Please, go gentle," Erza calmly asks. 

"Here," Spike places a Ring of Defense in Erza. She hears a click in her mind. "If Doriate targets you with his magic, you won't be affected by it." 

"Thank you," Erza holds onto Spike as best as she can. 

Spike takes flight in search of Doriate. What he and Erza see in the skies is Happy and Carla, flying for their lives while this fiend chases them. 

"What is that!?" Erza points to it. 

"It's dead meat," Spike flies after it. He places a Ring of Defense on himself in case the creature can use magic power. Spike conjures another Ice Scythe. This time, it's Sparking Green without the ice of the Sun Village. "HEEEEY!" Spike yells to grab its' attention. 

The fiend turns. It's a purplish Cyclops Monster and shoots an Eye Beam at Spike. Spike does a barrel roll and slices the Cyclops' side. It falls to the ground.   

"Thanks, Spike," Happy flies next to him. 

"What happened to Erza?" Carla observes Erza's health and child-like appearance. 

"She turned into a child by this Doriate guy. We're in search of him, so I can kick his ass and end the time manipulation spell he's using." 

"Minerva was with him," Erza said. 

"Whoa! Minerva was here!?" Happy said in terror. 

"Yes, however, she was no match for Spike. Minerva is on the run knowing that she can't defeat Spike," Erza stretches the truth a bit. She doesn't want her friends to know that Spike nearly ended her life. 

"Excuse me for a moment," Spike conjures ice missiles with his Sparkling Green Flames inside. He's aiming at the Cyclops. "Ice Paladin Strike! Launch!" Spike unleashes the missiles on the Cyclops. It explodes on contact, causing the Cyclops to flee from the scenery. Half of the Cyclops' body is scorched while the other half feels the cold. "Happy, Carla."

"Yes, Spike?" The two say in unison. 

"I need you to take Erza and find Wendy." 

"Wait, are you sure?" Carla asks. 

"Why not teleport to Wendy?" Happy suggests. 

"The ice magic here is throwing off my senses. Something peculiar about it that's making me blind to my flare markings. Something about the ice is familiar, though, and I'm getting closer to figuring it out." 

"Alright," Happy grabs Erza. 

"Be safe, Spike," Despite the Ring of Defense spell, Erza is still worried about Spike. 

"I will, Sis. You get better," Spike takes off in one direction while Happy, Carla, and Erza take off in another. 

A menacing wail echoes throughout Sun Village; it bothers Spike's eardrums. It sounds demonic in nature. 

"That's a demon, Spike."

"Demon, demon..," Spike starts remembering the similarity of the ice magic to what he felt. "Rage! I think I know why the ice feels so familiar!" 

"No freaking way." Fairy Rage understands Spike's logic. 

"The ice! It's similar to Cherry Blendy's Demon Magic. Someone is an Ice Demon Slayer!"

"Perhaps the punk is going to outer regions of Fiore to spread chaos like a burnt offering ritual." 

"I don't think I can reverse the damaged even if we were to tap into Fairy Demon Dragon." 

"We already know someone who can take care of the ice. The one that inspired you for Maker Magic."

"Gray. Gray is the catalyst for uplifting the demonic ice. We gotta find him. This Doriate guy will have to wait a little longer," Spike flies to where the demonic wail came from. 

Ten minutes later. Spike lands in front of Gray, Erza, Carla, and Happy. Spike turns to see a demon on the ground reverting to man. Spike sighs in relief now that Erza is back to normal. She still needs Wendy's healing magic. 

"Where have you been?" Happy asks. 

"Looking for Doriate at first, then I found out how the ice in the village can be uplifted." 

"I already figured it out. I have the power to melt the ice," Gray said. He's shirtless. 

"There's something else about the ice that you should know, Gray. It took me a while to discover why it's familiar to me." 

The Cyclops returns and devours Doriate after he says the Netherworld Gate busted wide open due to Gray. Happy and Carla panics at first, then watches the Cyclops take off. It knows Spike will kill him if he makes a move. Erza is petrified when Doriate mentioned the Netherworld. 

"Gray. Sis and I know where the Eternal Flames are at. I bet the others found it by now." 

"Let's go," Gray, Happy, and Carla runs deeper in the forest while Spike carries Erza on his back. 

Twenty minutes later. Gray, Spike, Carla, Happy, and Erza meet with Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and Flare Corona of Raven Tail. 

"Whoa, what happened with you guys?" Natsu asks. 

"Erza! What happened?" Lucy is terrified to see Erza's legs scorched. 

Spike puts Erza down on the ground for Wendy to heal her. "Minerva made an appearance today." 

"Minerva!" Natsu, Wendy, and Lucy shriek a bit.

"Yes," Erza nods. "Was anyone here affected by time manipulations?"

"I was," Lucy raises her hand. 

"Same with blonde," Flare said. 

"Me as well," Wendy said while healing Erza. 

"It sucked being a kid," Natsu said. 

"Despite being a kid, I still defeated that demon, Doriate," Gray said. 

"I turned into a kitten," Happy and Carla said. 

"Spike wasn't affected by the magic and defeated Minerva at ease. He got his revenge during the fight. Minerva switched places with me, and I suffered from Spike's heat cannon attack. It was unavoidable." 

"Whoa," Wendy imagines Fairy Rage kicking in. 

"I turned into an Ice Reaper Dragon to defeat Minerva," Spike doesn't want to admit that he nearly killed Minerva. "Gray," Spike points to the Eternal Flames that looks like a mountain of spikes. "That's the Eternal Flames." 

"On it," Gray walks up to it and places his hands on the Eternal Flames. 

"What can you do, Gray?" Lucy asks. 

"The ice is immune to my Maker Magic. However, I can channel the ice into my body. My theory is, once I can channel the ice within me, I can defuse the curse," Gray channels his magic energy to allow the ice flow into him. 

Wendy finishes healing Erza. She's good as new and requips into new boots to wear. She also requips into her original attire. 

"Thank you, Wendy," Erza smiles at Wendy. 

"I'm happy to help," Wendy smiles at Erza. 

"Spike, what did you discover? What were you able to figure out?" Erza asks. 

"Oh, right. I didn't explain to any of you. Wendy, does the feeling of the ice seem familiar to you?" 

"Uh-uh," Wendy shakes her head. 

"Well, the reason why the ice is different is that it's demonic in nature. We dealt with a Sky Demon during our Small Coalition. Now, we're in the midst of dealing with an Ice Demon." 

"ICE DEMON!" Everyone, including Gray, while he's channeling the ice, shouts in shock. 

"There's no doubt about it. The resemblance is familiar even when I merged my body with it to move under Minerva."

"Wow..," Flare is in disbelief hearing that an Ice Demon froze her hometown. 

"That's one discovery I made. The second discovery is the Eternal Flames itself. I know exactly what it is." 

"You do?" Flare wonders what Spike knows about the Eternal Flames. 

"When we spilled the Moon Drip on the ground, I heard a familiar voice. I have a feeling who it may be, Spike. Care to tell me who you think the Eternal Flame is?" Natsu asks Spike. 

"There's no doubt about it," Spike turns to the Eternal Flames while it's radiant in purple flashes due to Gray's magic. Then the ice evaporates along with the Eternal Flames. "Uuuuuuuuuuuuh, was that supposed to happen?" 

Everyone is astounded and disappointed. They watch the Eternal Flames vanish right before their eyes. 

"I DON'T KNOW!!!" Gray panics. "I.., I.., I didn't mean to..," Gray pants as his plan backfired immediately. 

Wendy shudders a bit. She's sensing a lot of magic power and residual thought energy. 

"So, mind confirming what you sensed from the flames?" Natsu asks. 

"Atlas Flames," Spike answers. He remembers the beating Atlas Flames gave him during the war of fighting dragons. 

"A DRAGON!" Everyone except for Natsu and Wendy shouts in horror. 

"Spike's, right," Wendy said, breaking the shock-fest. "I'm sensing residual thought energy. Stronger than Spike's uncle, Zirconis."

"Look!" Happy points at the altar of the Eternal Flames. It's igniting its flames. The flames look weak. 

"Natsu, I bet if the flames had your fire, it can come back stronger than ever. That's probably the reason Warrod wanted you to tag along with Gray," Wendy said. 

"Got it," Natsu conjures his breath attack. Happy picks Natsu to hover above the altar. "Fire Dragon Rooooooooooooar!"  Natsu unleashes a heavy dosage of his fire on the altar. It ignites the Eternal Flames. 

The Eternal Flames is larger in scale now. Flare cries at the beauty of the Guardian of the Sun Village. Wendy now knows for sure Spike is right. The voice and thought energy are the same. She uses her Milky Way spell to contact the dragon's spirit. 

"Yea, there's no doubt about it," Spike senses the Eternal Flames thoroughly. "That's Atlas Flame." 

"Hey, Uncle. How you've been?" Natsu smiles at Atlas Flame. 

Atlas Flame dragon features appear on the altar. He looks at Natsu. "Son of Igneel. Aside from being imprisoned in ice, I've been good." 

"It is Atlas Flame!" Gray jaw drops. 

"I never forget a beating someone gives me," Spike said. 

"I don't get it. The Eclipse Gate was destroyed and sent the dragons back 400 years ago," Carla said. She's confused like some of the others. 

"Atlas Flame and my Uncle were sent back in time. However, anything could have happened 400 years ago that led to this," Spike explains. "This is current day Atlas Flame." 

"That is correct, Son of Amy the Amethyst Dragon." 

"I didn't know you were still alive. You must be ancient," Natsu said. 

"Ancient, yes. Alive, no. Far from it, Natsu," Atlas Flame said. 

"Atlas Flame been dead for centuries," Wendy confirms while using the Milky Way spell. "I used my Milky Way to give form of what remains of him." 

"What?" Carla turns to Wendy. 

"I thought as much. I don't recall dying, but I do remember the life, and this isn't what it felt like," Atlas Flame said. 

"So, are you not all there or what?" Gray asks Atlas Flames. 

"I don't have the perspective to say, but my memories are clouding me. However," Atlas Flames turn to Spike. "Fairy Dragon. I have a message for you from your mother."

"My.., mother..," Spike smiles a bit while shedding a tear. 

"She's proud of what you are becoming. She believes you'll start anew with humanity and dragons in the new world. Do not fear or fret as long as you have friends and family by your side." 

Spike takes the message to heart. He now has clarity from his mother. "Thank you, Atlas Flame." 

"So, anything else you remember, Uncle?" Natsu asks. 

"Not much. I don't remember this place and why I'm here, boy." 

"Something doesn't add up. Zirconis had his memory in check, so why doesn't Atlas Flame has his?" Carla asks. 

"It might have to do with the ice. As Spike mentioned, it's demonic ice, and something of that magnitude must have incredibly-strong willpower to leave residual thought power in its wake. However, the magic power is weak. Considering the length of time Atlas Flame was frozen, it would be evident that his memories would be damaged," Wendy explains. 

"I've.., yes.., all around me. I didn't know what cold was until then," Atlas Flames said. 

"About that, mind telling us how everything got like this?" Natsu asks. 

"Please, Sir, I need to know," Flare said. "You see, I used to live here." 

"His intentions were not evil, but he mistook me for something I am not," Atlas Flame answers. 

"Did you say he?" Lucy wants more clarification. 

"Yes. A single human being transformed this entire town into a tantrum." 

"That man has to be the Ice Demon Slayer. I felt the presence of someone using Demonic Magic," Spike said. 

"So, what did this guy think you were?" Flare asks Atlas Flame. 

"He mistook me as a demon. Not the first that mistake has been made," Atlas Flame said. 

"Of course, that makes complete sense." Fairy Rage sarcastically says. 

"What is with you?" Spike asks Fairy Rage. 

"Adding character that fits with me. It's not very often I'm like this." 

"Fair enough," Spike replies. 

"Fairy Dragon, get the second voice in check," Atlas Flame said. 

"Very funny."

"Everything is fading.., who am I?" Atlas Flame is starting to have amnesia. 

"Our diety! You're the Guardian of this village! Atlas Flame of the Titans!" Flare shouts. Atlas Flames look at Flare in confusion. She bows in front of Atlas Flame. "Hear my plea! I beg you! Warm this village with your light! Banish the ice! Be the Guardian you always were!" Flare cries a little. "I have no right to ask, but please, save my family." 

Atlas Flames start regaining memory after hearing the prayer of Flare Corona. "Yes, I was a dragon once and died. Then, I became the Flame of the Titians. I created this village." 

"You did? Nice! I'm glad it's coming back to you," Natsu said. 

"It pains me to see it suffer so; if I have a single drop of moisture in me, it would gleet me from my eyes," Atlas Flame said. "With what strength and spirit I have left and the fire I received from the Son of Igneel, I will burn this ice away! For I am more than Atlas Flame the Fire Dragon!" Atlas Flame ablaze his body on the altar, getting ready to melt the ice in the village. "I am Atlas Flame of the Titans!" Atlas Flames starts melting the demonic ice, and in the process, he remembers everything. "Boy, I need you to pay close attention; 400 years ago, your father fought the strongest, most vile demon in the book of Zeref. That monster's name is E.N.D; and, not even Igneel had the strength to slay it." 

Natsu takes offense and wants to slay E.N.D; himself. Then Atlas Flame melts the entire ice of the Sun Village in a matter of moments. The town, the people, the plant life, and the colors are restored. Natsu no longer sees Atlas Flame. He sees large flames in movement while two Giants look down at everyone. Wendy confirms there is no trace of Atlas Flame. He gave everything to save the village. Flare Corona cries and thanks Atlas Flame for saving her friends and family in the Sun Village after seeing the effects unfold. 

"Spike, I need you to tell me," Gray grabs a hold on him. "What was it like fighting a Demon Slayer?"

Spike takes a deep breath. "Terrifying and horrifying. Fighting a Demon Slayer leaves no room for cockiness or any room for laughter. I nearly died fighting the Sky Demon Slayer, Cherry Blendy. I'm was extremely happy that Sherria was the one who took her down and out. Wendy and I made it harder for her, but without a God Slayer, defeating a Demon Slayer will be harder. Even with my Fairy Demon Dragon mode, it wasn't enough to singlehandedly take her out." 

"Flare?" One of the giants guarding the Eternal Flames looks down on her. 

"I'm home," Flare smiles widely. 

The giant escorts everyone to their village to have a celebrational feast. The giants that are freed from their icy prisons are happy to see Flare once more. They question why other humans, two cats, and a dragon are present. Flare explains everything to the giants. Her explanation, including what she's seen, took an hour. During the hour, it gave the giants time to prepare food to share. The Giants welcome Flare back with open arms and let her know that she'll always have a place within the village. Natsu and Happy are sitting on one of the giant's heads, laughing with the others after telling a pun. 

"We owe you little people, big time," A giant graciously says. 

"We're happy that we can help out," Gray said. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size to meet the level of the giants. He's a quarter size of a dragon. 

"Hey, hey, not so little now," A giant puts an arm around Spike. "You gotta be one tough dragon in the lands, now." 

"Yea, however, I'm not the strongest. I'm not there yet," Spike rubs the back of his head, being modest with himself. 

"Here," A giant gives Spike a drumstick. 

"I don't think I've ever eaten anything this big before. Even in this size," Spike holds the drumstick. He starts eating it while his friends start eating. Spike notices something peculiar about Erza. He shrinks down after eating to see what's up. "Sis?" 

Erza is in a trance. She has the memory of Doriate repeating about the Netherworld Gate being opened. She inadvertently ignores Spike's call. 

"Sis?" Spike pulls on Erza's skirt to grab her attention. Again, Erza inadvertently ignores Spike's call. "ERZA!" Spike and Fairy Rage yell.  Everyone turns to Spike while Erza turns to Spike. 

"Oh, sorry, Spike. Is something wrong?" Erza asks. 

"You're edgy, and there is no way you can tell me you're not. What's on your mind?" 

Erza sighs heavily. Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla come up to Erza. They are wondering what the fuss is about. 

"It's what I heard from Doriate when Gray defeated him. The Netherworld Gate busted wide open..," Erza sighs. 

"Yea, so, what about it?" Gray has no clue what the Succubus member spoke. 

"The Netherworld Gate is Tartaros," Erza said. Everyone is dead silent after hearing the Dark Guild's name. 

"I remember seeing the chart through Spike's memory. They're the only major Dark Guild left that oppose an extreme threat. Gray, was Doriate an actual demon?"

"Yes," Gray nods. 

"The Ice Demon Slayer must have been searching for him and winded up freezing Atlas Flame instead."

"Who cares? We finish the job, so let's party hardy!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye!" Happy says. 

"Yea, I don't see why not," Erza smiles a bit. 

"You guys party without me," Spike said. He flaps his wings. 

"Why is that?" Erza asks. 

"Someone needs to inform the Master about Tartaros' awakening. Wouldn't you agree, Erza?" Spike said, sounding more mature than usual. 

"Alright, if that is what you wish," Erza said. 

"I'll see you around, Sis," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport back to the guildhall. 

"Hey, where did Spike go?" Wendy asks Erza. 

"He went to the guildhall to inform Makarov on what transpired," Erza said. "Though, I feel he's hiding something else in mind." 

"Like what?" Lucy wonders what Erza means.
> A New Day Part 3: Sunset's Movie Review
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 7:00 in the morning. Sunset Shimmer wakes up to a new day in Discord's home. She suffered a nightmare from last night's disaster in Canterlot City. She relived the moments of her friends dying by the clutches of her human self.  

"Will I be forever scarred from those images?" Sunset speaks to herself. The memories of her friends in the other world dying in front of her flashes. She screams while gripping her head. 

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Adagio, Sonata, and Aria come bursting into Sunset's room after hearing the wails. 

A clone of Discord walks into the room after hearing the commotion; he slithers up to the bed to check on Sunset Shimmer. Discord comes into the room and sees Sunset wailing. 

"Oh, that's right. I didn't explain to any of you what Sunset told me last night," Discord said. 

Sunset stops wailing and comes to her senses. She heavily pants while reliving the moment Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy die due to their Changeling Counterparts. She blinks a few times to see her friends in the room with much concern on their faces. 

"Hey, are you alright, Sunset?" Sonata asks. She's worried about Sunset Shimmer. 

"No..," Sunset looks down with sadness on her face. 

"What happened?" Adagio asks. She wants to know what messed up force caused severe mental damage to her friend. 

"Discord, display the imagery into a movie as you did with Spike. I don't want to tell it," Sunset hears the sadness of Pinkie Pie displaying in her mind; how each of her friends reacted when they saw their loved ones killed in the massacre. 

"Very well," Discord places his claw and taps into Sunset's memory bank. He takes all he needs. "I'll show you what went down. Sunset, I would recommend not going to the School of Friendship until you are 110%." 

"Understood, Discord," Sunset lays back on her bed.

Adagio, Sonata Aria, Discord, and a clone of Discord leave Sunset's room. They head downstairs to the living room. 

"Discord, how bad is it?" Aria asks. 

"It's the F-word of their world that describes badly," Discord coughs the DVD player and hooks it up to a tv. 

"Oh boy," Sonata imagines the horrors of what Sunset went through. 

"Wow," Adagio doesn't want to picture the idea of the possibility but, she'll watch it unfold from the tv screen. 

"Okay, that's bad," Aria replies. 

"Clone, fill in for me at the School today," Discord commands. 

"On it," A clone of Discord rides a bike and flies in the skies, leaving the house. 

Discord turns on the movie. The Dazzlings and Discord watch how the beginning turns out fine. While watching the movie, Sunset contemplates everything that transpired, including dooming the other world for stealing the life away from the other Sunset Shimmer. 

An hour into contemplation, Sunset blames herself for damning the other world and giving the inspiration to create a wicked scheme. 

"How can I forgive myself?" Sunset feels defeated. She's unsure how to cope with the feeling. "What can I do..?"

Discord fast-forward some scenes that weren't necessary. So far within Sunset's memory, she's having a fun time with her friends in school. The Dazzlings and Discord see how Twilight (Sci-Twi) cares for Spike and wants him with her wherever she goes. 

"Wow, she's different from the other Twilight," Aria said. 

"More caring and loving. I respect that," Adagio said in approval. 

"Puppy Spike is cute," Sonata is in awe while seeing Spike as a puppy. 

"Well, more like a young dog like how Spike is a baby dragon," Discord informs. 

"Is it true that the other Twilight and Spike are here? I overheard you talking a bit last night while grabbing a midnight snack," Adagio said. 

Discord sighs. "Yea," Discord nods. "The two are here. The movie explains how, though." 

Two hours into the movie, the Dazzlings and Discord are at the point where the roaring blackouts occur. Pinkie's sister, Maud Pie, enters the room and scares the crap out of everyone in the room. Discord and the Dazzlings do get a good laugh from the scenery. Then, it becomes a no-laughing matter when Sweetie Belle and Rarity walk inside Pinkie's house wearing matching jumpsuits while holding black scissors. 

"Okay, those smiles are disturbing," Sonata said. 

"Agreed," Discord, Adagio, and Aria said. They are disturbed by watching the way Sweetie Belle and Rarity smile. 

The Dazzlings and Discord flinch when they see two hooded people ambush Applejack and Rainbow Dash from behind with baseball bats, then hold black scissors near their throats. Discord and the Dazzlings see how terrible the situation is escalating. 

"Now, it's getting worse," Aria said. 

"No kidding," Sonata is using a pillow to cover most of her view from the tv. 

"Damn, what the hell is this madness?" Adagio said in shock. 

"I fear it's only the beginning," Discord understands how excruciating the situation is. 

Discord's statement is spot on when the hoodied people reveal themselves to the girls and Spike on the couch. One person, in particular, made Discord and the Dazzling gasp in horror, Sunset Shimmer's human counterpart, when she revealed herself after bringing the lifeless body of Maud Pie. 

"Oh my God," Sonata said, covering her mouth in shock.  

"That's bizarre," Aria said. She can't believe that Sunset's counterpart is running the show. 

"I can see why this has to traumatize Sunset Shimmer in the worst of ways possible," Adagio said. 

"I heard the explanation, but seeing the memory with my own eyes takes the cake," Discord is in disbelief even though he heard the story last night. 

"They're like Changelings," Sonata theorizes based on what she's seeing. 

Sunset Shimmer wearing the jumpsuit asks particular questions as to why no one has ever mentioned her existence. She explains her story about being taken away for an experimental project orchestrated by Madam President Chrysalis. The Project is known as the Changeling Project. It was a way to control the populous of the country. The problem was that every Changeling succeeded except for having one crucial factor. Every Changeling created doesn't have a soul. With many testings and trials, Madam President Chrysalis deemed the project worthless and left Sunset Shimmer to rot with their creations.  Sunset Shimmer wants to bring the Changelings out of the darkness and into the light. To take the land and start anew. Rainbow Dash wasn't going to have it, but her Changeling Counterpart prevents Rainbow Dash from striking her savior. 

Sonata covers her eyes. She now knows the heartache and guilt Sunset Shimmer is feeling at the moment. Aria and Adagio feel lucky that Twilight's pursuit of retrieving Spike saved their lives. Discord is perturbed with the scenery. 

While watching more of Sunset's memories made the Dazzlings and Discord flinch and cringe horridly. They witnessed Sunset getting nearly poked in the eye by the scissors and stabbed in the leg. They witnessed Fluttershy getting stabbed in the back by her counterpart, Spike getting kidnapped, Applejack's death, and playing the final game.  

Four hours later, the movie comes to an end. The Dazzlings admit they'll lay off watching horror movies for the next few months after witnessing the horrors of their friend's memories. Silence reign for a while until Sunset Shimmer walks downstairs to get something to eat. 

"Hey.., are you.., okay?" Sonata asks. 

Sunset Shimmer sighs. "No. I think it'll take me a while for me to recover," Sunset grabs a box of pizza from the fridge. 

"Discord, can you go to the other world and fix it?" Aria asks. 

"My Chaotic nature doesn't allow me to resurrect the dead. My Chaotic nature allows me to spring new life and whatnot." 

"Are you going to reconnect with the Elements of Harmony?" Aria asks out of curiosity. 

"Not right now. I did promise I will when I last saw Pinkie making the ultimate sacrifice to stay behind while Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, and I came to Equestria." 

The clone of Discord returns home from the School of Friendship. It's 5:30 in the afternoon. 

"Hey, me. How did it go?" Discord asks his clone. 

"Pretty well, I do miss being a teacher for the School of Friendship," The clone admits. 

"Mind if you keep it up for the next while? My friend needs me more than ever," Discord says. 

"Sure thing," The clone prepares for tomorrow's class. 

Sunset takes her slices and goes to her room. She wants to be alone for a little while longer.
> Informing Makarov
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike returns to the guildhall after helping his friends accomplish the job Warrod Sequen requested. He sees the guildhall a bit empty. 

"Hmm, must be working on their jobs," Spike sees Master Makarov and Laxus sitting by the bar stool having a drink. 

"So, you thinking about taking the next shift with Mr.Yajima's 8 Island Restaurant?" Makarov asks while drinking his mug of beer. 

"Yea. After reviews of Spike being one of the best chefs in Fairy Tail, Freed took that offensively and wants to display his cooking expertise. Freed wants to show that he's the better cook and wants to prove it." 

"Have you tasted Spike's cooking, Laxus?" Makarov asks. 

"Yes. Between you and me, Grandpa, Spike is the better chef. I am eager to know how Freed will gain an advantage in the kitchen," Laxus drinks his mug of beer. 

"Wow, I need him to whip up some dinner for the guildhall one of these days. Say, what about a Fairy Tail cooking competition to see who'll claim as Fairy Tail's Elite Chef?" 

"Sure, why not? Have a day where everyone is hungry and try out the best food each chef and devise. A five-course meal to amaze and woo everyone." 

"Excellent idea. I'll invite Jason from Sorcerer Weekly to display the trophy as well as be a judge." 

"Sounds like fun. Who knows, maybe I'll win," Mirajane said while cleaning the cups. 

"Sounds good, Grandpa. Mira, can I have a steak?" 

"Sure thing, Laxus," Mirajane starts cooking. 

"Make that two, Mirajane," Makarov says. 

"Three," Spike sits at the stool. 

"Spike?" Laxus is confused as to why Spike came alone. 

"Spike, what happened to the others?" Master Makarov asks. 

"They got ambushed by Acnologia."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Master Makarov, Laxus, and Mirajane panics. 

"Just kidding." 

"Why you conniving, little..," Makarov refrains his anger from finishing his statement. 

"Seriously, what happened to Natsu, Erza, and the others?" Laxus asks. 

"They're doing well. Partying with the giants at Sun Village after completing the job."

"So, why are you here? Why aren't you celebrating with the others?" Mirajane asks while cooking the steaks. 

"Well," Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm here to inform you, Makarov, on the latest development Erza discovered." 

"What is it, Spike?" Makarov is eager to know about Erza's discovery. 

"There is this guy named Doriate, and he explained about the Netherworld Gate opening. Erza says that the Dark Guild Tartaros is in the works of doing something horrific." 

Master Makarov spills his beer in shock. "WHAT?!"

"That doesn't sound good," Laxus said in shock. 

"Oh my..," Mirajane imagines the horror Tartaros can do. 

"Grandpa, what should we do?" Laxus asks. 

Makarov sighs heavily. "We should wait while keeping our guard up. Pay close attention to any activity of Tartaros' involvement. I fear war may be of the essence." 

"Understood, Makarov," Mirajane said. "I'll have Warren reach out to everyone about Tartaros' activities." 

"Thanks, Mirajane. In the meantime, I should get ready when the Magic Council calls for all Guild Masters to attend to an assembly." 

"Be careful when you go, Old Man," Laxus said. 

"I will, Boy," Makarov replies. 

"So, how will the others come back home when you're here, Spike?" Mirajane turns to him. 

"I'm sure they can follow the way back to Warrod Sequen," Spike doesn't sound like himself. He looks down a bit. 

"Something troubling you, Spike?" Mirajane asks. She's concerned by Spike's expression written on his face. 

"I.., I don't want to talk about it. Not right now." 

"Rage, can you explain?" Makarov asks. 

"It's something deep and personal. Spike mentioned to you all except for Laxus months ago. It's all I can say without mentioning the details that swirl in his mind."

"Oh, boy. There's a lot Spike told us about," Mirajane tries to remember what Spike said that was so important. 

"Agreed. It may take a while," Makarov starts remembering. 

Spike closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "I'll tell you when I'm ready. Right now, I want to eat before going home." 

"Geez, that bad, huh?" Laxus wants to know what is troubling Spike. 

"Yea." Fairy Rage answers. "It's something that he thinks about every now and then."

"Hmm," Makarov ponders a bit. 

"Yo, Fairy Dragon!" Gajeel walks into the guildhall with Panther Lily. They bring a tired Jet and Droy with them. 

"Wow, Jet and Droy did a job with you two?" Spike sees Jet and Droy covered in bruises. 

"No, these two idiots followed us, and we had to rescue them," Panther Lily said. 

"We said we were sorry," Jet and Droy say in tears of anguish. 

"So, where's Salamander and the rest of them?" Gajeel asks. 

"They're partying with the giants of Sun Village," Spike replies. Gajeel notices Spike's demeanor. He doesn't sound like himself. 

"Hey, something bothering you?" Gajeel sits by the stool. 

"What's up, Spike?" Panther Lily joins Gajeel by the stool. 

"Some deep personal stuff, you two. Spike mentioned it to you months ago."

"Crap," Gajeel tries to remember what it was that Spike said months ago. 

"It'll take a while for either of us to remember what explicit details you mentioned to us, Spike," Panther Lily says. 

"Hey, we're back!" Cana said in satisfaction. She's drinking a new liquor that came out recently. 

"I need to get some work done," Elfman said. "A man needs to earn back what was lost." 

"What happened with you?" Panther Lily turns to Elfman. 

"I used my winnings of the Grand Magic Games. I had Elfman buy me all sorts of drinks from different pubs everywhere," Cana drinks her bottle. 

"Are there any high-paying jobs on the board, Mira?" Elfman asks his sister. 

"Yes," Mirajane gives Elfman a job he can do. Eliminate the ravenous beasts that terrorize a farming land near Crocus. The pay is 2,000,000 Jewels. 

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver," Elfman takes the job. 

"Up, up, up, I get half of it," Cana smirks. 

"Oh, c'mon," Elfman complains a bit. "I barely have money in my bank account." 

"I still own you for ten more minutes. As my final command, you'll give me half of your paycheck." 

Elfman groans and leaves the guildhall. Mirajane sighs a bit but knows that it's part of the stipulation Makarov devised. 

"Mira, we're home!" Lisanna said while walking into the guildhall with Juvia. They return from their job. 

"Spike! Where's my beloved Gray?" Juvia looks around, trying to find Gray. 

"At the Sun Village partying with the giants," Spike answers. Juvia picked up on Spike's demeanor. He sounds upset. 

"Something wrong, Spike?" Juvia asks Spike. 

"Yea, you sound sad," Lisanna walks up to him. 

"I have some things on my mind. A feeling that returned out of the blue." 

"It's not the warning Fairy Rage spoke of, is it?" Lisanna asks. 

Makarov, Mirajane, Cana, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Jet, Droy, and Juvia are silent after what Lisanna said. Laxus doesn't know anything about the warning but, judging from the reactions from his friends and his grandpa, it must be crucial. 

"I'll take my steak to go," Spike said. 

Mirajane gives Spike the well-cooked steak. She respects Spike's wishes if he chooses to be alone for a while. Spike leaves the guildhall and flies to the apartment. 

"Uh, mind telling me what's the warning Fairy Rage told him?" Laxus wants to know what's Spike has in his mind. 

"Fairy Rage warned him that a guild will take something from Spike soon," Lisanna said. 

"Yea," Panther Lily remembers the explanation. "Fairy Rage didn't say what guild it is. However, from time to time, it would bother Spike a bit. He needs some clarity from Fairy Rage. However, he doesn't have all the details. According to Fairy Rage, he can sense who's part of the guild." 

Laxus remembers during day three of the Grand Magic Games, Fairy Rage sensing one of the members before passing out. "Whatever guild is after Spike, they'll live to regret messing with Fairy Tail." 

"Agreed," Makarov said. "I refuse to allow any of my children to suffer by the clutches of the enemy. No matter what they are and who they are, the enemy will feel the wrath of Fairy Tail."
> Spike & Fairy Rage Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike flies to the apartment while carrying his plate of food. He feels sad about the warning Fairy Rage spoke of months ago. Spike is on the rooftops of the apartment, looking at the sky while it gets dark. 

"Rage, how long until that guild you mentioned makes an appearance?" 

"Soon, Spike. I can't say per se, Spike. One of the members is Twilight Sparkle. As for the guild she's with, it's unknown to me."

"Who is it that I'll be losing?" 

"That's still unknown to me. All I know is someone close to you."  

"That could be anyone! Wendy, Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Happy," Spike angrily groans. "It could be anyone within the guildhall that I can possibly lose!" 

"I know. I know you've been on edge and have been hiding it from our friends. I know you told them about the warning. Perhaps you should open more of those feelings. Suppressing it is never the answer." 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm one of the strongest in the guild, and I should live up to that expectation. That should include feelings as well." 

"Being strong doesn't mean you have to act like it. You are indeed powerful, and yet, there are others out there that surpass our power. And, I'm not speaking about Acnologia."

"You're right.., but..." 

"No buts. You're better than this. Fairy Tail is our home. The guild has been our family ever since you arrived. Don't hide anything from them except for events like Lisanna cuddling or you and Erza kissing earlier today."

"I don't want to lose any of my friends to Twilight and the guild she's associated with." 

"I know. However, speaking more of it can help prepare and perhaps change the events around." 

"Ugh," Spike facepalms himself. "I feel stupid for walking out on my friends earlier due to my feelings." 

"It happens. Sometimes people need to get away to reflect until the time is right to open up. That's why I'm here for you." 

"Thanks," Spikes takes a bite out of his steak. "Man, this is good." 

"You think the others are still partying?" 

"I don't know. For all I know, they could be on their way back to Warrod Sequen."

"You want to go back?"

"I.., I don't know," Spike looks down. "What if the feeling I have, is somehow connected with Tartaros. What if Twilight has teamed up with Zeref in exchange for.., for..," Spike groans and lays on his back. 

"It is an unpleasant predicament, the idea she could be working for Zeref. We won't know until it comes to fruition with her plans. Until then, you have two choices. Mope around and be unprepared or take action, talk with your friends and devise a plan of action."

"Alright, I'll go with the second option," Spike said. He sits up and watches the night sky. "Sure is a peaceful night." 

"Indeed. Which begs to differ, what the hell is E.N.D.?"

"I have no clue. I guess it's another demon I should have spoken to Makarov at the time." 

"We will speak of this tomorrow, Spike. For now, you should get some rest."

"Yea," Spike eats the rest of his steak. He flies down and enters the apartment through the window. Spike gets in bed and decides to sleep early for the night. 

The next day. Spike wakes up and sees it's 7:30 in the morning. He hears the doorknob rattling. Lucy walks in with her belongings. 

"Morning, Spike. How are you feeling?" Lucy hopes that Spike opens up on his feelings. 

"Better today than I was yesterday, Sis," Spike replies. 

"So, what happened with you yesterday, Spike? Natsu and the others got worried when you left. Erza knows you wanted to inform the Master, but something else has your attention." 

"Yea, what is it?" Natsu and Happy come through the open window. 

"What has you on edge, Spike?" Happy asks. 

"I'll tell you. Gather around the table," Spike gets up to make his bed and freshen up for the day. Natsu, Happy, and Lucy sit by the table, eager to know what was troubling Spike after completing the job yesterday.

"You need me to explain to our friends, Spike?"

"No, I got this," Spike washes his face and leaves the bathroom. 

"Spike, what happened with you yesterday, you missed the party, and a beating Erza gave Natsu," Happy chuckles in delight. 

"Not funny!" Natsu angrily replies to Happy's statement. 

"You remember the warning Fairy Rage told me?" Spike asks. 

"What about the warning?" Natsu gets serious. 

"Yea, I remember. Fairy Rage mentioned about a..," Lucy now understand what made Spike gloomy yesterday. "Oooooooooooooh..." 

"Hold up. You think the warning is somehow relatable to Tartaros?" Happy asks. 

"I have a feeling that Twilight Sparkle is associated with them or with something much darker." 

"Well, you crippled Twilight during the Grand Magic Games. You used Fairy Law. I don't think Twilight will have the energy of gaining magic power from that experience," Natsu said. 

"However, if this bothers you so badly, we'll draw some ideas for a counterstrike. I'm sure Makarov has some notions for when the time comes," Lucy said to reassure Spike. 

"Yea," Spike takes a deep breath. "Sorry about yesterday. I tend to hide my feelings about it from time to time." 

"Dude, it's alright. People cope with things differently. What matters is that you're okay now and going forward," Happy said. 

"If Twilight shows up, she'll have to answer to Fairy Tail. We won't let her come near you!" Natsu proudly proclaims. 

"Thanks, you guys," Spike smiles. 

"Besides, I want to show her what a Fire Dragon can do," Natsu smirks while standing on the table. "I bet she can't handle any of my fire attacks!" Natsu is eager to fight Twilight. 

"Hey, let's get a job at the guildhall," Happy suggests. 

"I can go for a nice paying job," Lucy said. 

"Alright! Let's go!" Natsu and Happy jump out the window. 

"CAN'T YOU USE THE DOOR?!" Lucy is tired of the two hopping out the window. 

"Some habits never die," Spike said. 

"Let's go," Lucy grabs her stuff and leaves the apartment with Spike.
> A New Day Part 3: Sunset's Embrace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset Shimmer returns to her room with two slices of pizza. She sadly sighs while looking at her food. She was supposed to have a pizza party with her friends and now can't even look at the food without the thought of her friends getting killed except for Pinkie Pie, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike. 

"Why did I grab the pizza?" Sunset loses her appetite and throws it away. Not even some comfort food can calm her. "I hate myself..," Sunset lays on her bed, blankly looking at the ceiling. 

Discord and the Dazzlings are in the living room, trying to scheme some ideas to help cheer Sunset Shimmer after learning more in-depth about her memories and experiences during her tenure in Canterlot City. 

"She needs familiar faces to help her now," Sonata said. 

"You think they'll be available around this hour, Discord?" Aria asks. 

"Clone," Discord calls for his clone. 

"What?" A clone of Discord appears wearing a professor's attire for science. His wings are on fire while experimenting with a creative subject for tomorrow's lesson. 

"Mind grabbing the girls and Spike? I think Sunset Shimmer needs to see them to overcome any demons that could be plaguing her mind." 

"Sure, why not," Discord dumps a bucket full of ice on him and leaves the house. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike are reading different magic books in the library of the Castle of Friendship. Twilight is reading basic and novice magic spells while Spike is reading fire spells.  

"Wow, this book has all sorts of knowledge and wisdom. If we practice and set a routine, Spike, we can become a dynamic duo of some sort." 

"I have a bad suspicion that dragons aren't able to use magic like unicorns or the supposed Alicorn. I don't think I'll be able to use magic," Spike sighs. 

"Oh, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) walks up to Spike. She puts her arm around him. "You'll find something you'll be great at, I believe it, and I see it." 

"Thank you, Twilight," Spike smiles at Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) hugs Spike. "There's much more you can do when you put your mind to it. Don't be discouraged or upset." 

"Thank you for your encouraging words," Spike said. 

The clone of Discord appears in the library. He sees Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike having a tender moment. "Aw, how cute." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike get startled by Discord's sudden appearance. They wonder why he is here.  

"Uh, why are you here.., uh..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) doesn't know who Discord is. 

"Oh, right. You and that other Twilight are not exactly the same when it comes to memory," The clone coughs a bit. "I am a representation of Discord, the Lord of Chaos. I come here to ask of you of something important." 

"Like what?" Spike asks. 

"It's Sunset Shimmer. She's broken," The clone says, trying to come up with a better term to explain Sunset's feelings. 

"Broken?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) gives it some thought. "Ooooooooooooooh," Twilight (Sci-Twi) cringes a bit thinking about it. 

"Oh, right," Spike looks down. He knows what's going on in Sunset's mind. 

"I ask if the two of you were to come with me. Sunset Shimmer needs familiar faces to cope with the horrors she'd experienced." 

"We're coming," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike said in unison. They're determined to help their friend any way they can. 

The clone of Discord snaps his claw, teleporting the two to Sugarcube Corner. They see Pinkie giving the cake babies to Carrot Cake. Pinkie turns around to see Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, and Discord. The Cakes are in shock seeing Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. 

"Pinkie.., what is going on..?" Carrot Cake trembles a bit seeing Spike for the first time in ages. 

"What in Celestia's name is going on..?" Mrs.Cake is perplexed seeing Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi).

"Right, I'll explain that to you later," Pinkie hops to her friends. "Hey, you three. Need something?" 

"Yes," The clone nods. "We need your help to turn a frown upside down." 

Pinkie gasps. "Who?" 

"Sunset Shimmer," Spike replies. 

"I need my party cannon!" Pinkie rushes to her room and grabs the party cannon in a mere few seconds. "I'm ready! Let's go!" 

"Next up, The Boutique Store," Discord snaps his claw and teleports to the Rarity's Boutique. 

"Huh, the building is similar to back home," Spike said. 

"Definitely, let's see if Rarity is working on a new designer dress," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She opens the door and enters the boutique. 

"Coming," Rarity said in her cheerful tone. She walks downstairs and drops her basket filled with gemstones. She sees Twilight and Spike. "You.., you monster..," Rarity is lost for words. 

"Rarity! She is not the Twilight and Spike we know! They're from the human world our Twilight has told us!" Pinkie explains, hoping that Rarity won't attack Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"What?!" Rarity thoroughly examines Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. She notices Twilight (Sci-Twi) doesn't have her wings and wears glasses while Spike has no wings. She smiles, knowing she has an opportunity to become Spike's lover. "Spikey-Wikey!" Rarity runs up to Spike, shoving Pinkie in the process. 

"Hey!" Pinkie crashes into a basket filled with dirty clothing. 

"It is you," Rarity wraps her hooves around Spike. "We can be a couple, now," Rarity wastes no time leaning to kiss Spike's lips when Twilight (Sci-Twi) back-hoofs Rarity in the face. 

"What is wrong with you?!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is irate with Rarity. 

"Ow.., that really hurts, Twilight," Rarity complains while rubbing her cheek. 

"Are you crazy for kissing someone younger than you!?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) puts Spike on her back. 

"But.., I.., well, you see..," Rarity angrily groans. "The Spike I know was madly in love with me, and now this is my second chance! You are denying me of that second chance!" Rarity gets in Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s face. 

"Spike is my son, and I don't approve of someone older than him dating you, Rarity," Twilight (Sci-Twi) snorts a bit. 

"I'm not that into you," Spike scratches the back of his head. 

"What kind of cruel, sick joke is this?" Rarity turns her back on them. 

"Well, I'm here to ask if you're willing to come see Sunset Shimmer," The clone of Discord says. 

"Not interested. Good day!" Rarity goes to her room. She stomps up the stairs angrily. 

"Ouch," The clone of Discord says. "Onward to Sweet Apple Acres." 

"That won't be necessary," Applejack said. She's behind them with a wagon filled with buckets. "Whatever you have in mind, Discord. I can't come. Zap Apple Season is upon us, and I have to get ready." 

"Oh, alright then, Applejack," The clone replies. He teleports Pinkie, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike to Rainbow Dash's Cloudominium. The clone uses his magic to ensure Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike to walk on clouds. 

"Whoa, cool cloud castle," Spike said in awe. 

"Rainbow Dash lives in there," The clone knocks on Rainbow's door. 

"Coming!" In a flash, Rainbow opens the door. "Hey, you guys, what's up?" 

"Are you busy? Do you have some free time to spare?" The clone asks. 

"Sure. I've been reading my Daring Do comics. What's up?" 

"It's Sunset Shimmer. She's not well and needs familiar faces to-" Rainbow Dash puts her hoof on Pinkie's mouth. 

"Say no more. I figure Sunset will possibly have some PTSD. I'm in for cheering her up. Hopefully, we can start a build-up in Friendship. So, who's next to pick up?" 

"Fluttershy," Spike answers. 

"Applejack is busy with Zap Apple Season and Rarity.., well.., I made her upset for being defensive with my son." 

"Defensive? What do you mean by that?" Rainbow is curious to know. 

"Well, I slapped Rarity for trying to kiss my son," Twilight (Sci-Twi) replies. 

"Whoa," Rainbow is in shock. "Uh, Twilight. Rarity is in love with Spike the Fairy and may see your son as a second redemption." 

"She needs to find someone her age. Spike will find someone his age," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said in defense of Spike. 

"I'm not looking for love. I'm looking to find my place among this world Twilight and me are in," Spike said. 

"Well, this'll be interesting. So, off to Fluttershy's Cottage, Discord?" 

"Oh, right, right, Rainbow Dash," The clone of Discord teleports his friends to Fluttershy's Cottage. "Does Fluttershy know about-" 

"Yes," Rainbow nods. "I've come to Fluttershy's place a while after leaving the castle. I'm guessing Applejack decided to talk to Rarity about it later."

"Alright then," The clone of Discord knocks on the door. 

"Coming," Fluttershy opens the door. "Hello," Fluttershy sees Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike and smiles. She now knows that Rainbow Dash wasn't pulling her leg earlier. "It's nice to see you," Fluttershy hugs Spike. "I know you're not Spike the Fairy, but seeing you is oh-so comforting." 

Spike returns the hug. "It's nice to see familiar faces from the world Twilight and me ran away from." 

"So, are we having a party of some sort or what?" Fluttershy asks, turning her gaze to her friends' eyes. 

"Well, more like cheering up party. Sunset Shimmer needs us," Pinkie said. 

"Alright, I'm coming," Fluttershy packs her bag filled with tea bags and tea cakes. 

The clone of Discord teleports everyone to his home. They're inside the living room while the Dazzlings and Discord are coming up with backup plans to cheer Sunset Shimmer. 

"Huh, she's not an Alicorn," Sonata said, looking at Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Spike doesn't have his wings either," Aria said. 

"It would make sense cause the two are not from here. Like us, Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike were given new bodies for a clean slate," Adagio states. 

"Where is Sunset Shimmer?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks the Dazzlings and Discord. 

"In her room. I'll take you there. Clone, you can go back to your work," Discord watches the clone slither into the hole on the floor. The clone is heading to the attic. Discord takes the others to Sunset's room and knocks. 

"I want to be alone," Sunset said. 

"No, you don't. Right now, you need familiar faces to help you," Discord opens the door. Sunset is on her bed, tears streaming down on her face while her eyes are red. 

"Oh, you poor thing," Fluttershy trots in the room. 

"Hey, Sunset," Rainbow hovers next to Sunset. 

"We're here for you, Sunset," Spike gets on the bed. 

"We'll be with you," Twilight (Sci-Twi) says. 

Pinkie Pie shoots her party cannon and arranges a party within the room. Everyone is wearing a party hat. "Let's start cheering our friend up!" 

Sunset Shimmer wants to smile, but it fades. "What happened to Rarity and Applejack?" In the back of her mind, she fears the two had perished. 

"Applejack is busy due to Zap Apple Season arriving, and Rarity is not going because of Twilight (Sci-Twi)," Rainbow answers. 

"What did you do, Twilight (Sci-Twi)?" Sunset asks. She's curious to know what her friend did to Rarity. 

"Rarity tried to kiss my son, and I back-hand her," Twilight (Sci-Twi) calmly replies. 

"Back-hoof. You don't have hands, Twilight," Pinkie corrects Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s phrase. 

"The terminology in this world is something I need time to adjust. Either way, I don't approve of Rarity dating Spike by any means. She's clearly older than him," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"Wow," Sunset imagines the reaction from the back-hoof and having no regard to show up after being assaulted like that. "Well, dragons age differently than ponies which have a longer lifespan." 

"It doesn't matter," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sounds a bit protective of Spike. 

"Fair enough," Sunset said. 

"Plus, I'm not looking for love. I'm looking to see where I fit within this world," Spike noted. 

Sunset hugs Spike. "Well, I'm glad all of you are here," Sunset smiles a bit. 

"There's the smile. C'mon! I want a wider smile!" Pinkie excitedly shouts. She places the piñata in the room. "Have a whack on it," Pinkie gives Sunset the baseball bat. 

"Well, okay," Sunset gets out of bed. 

"Hey, mind if we join?" Sonata asks. She's speaking on behalf of the Dazzlings. 

"Sure, the more, the merrier, right?" Sunset smiles a bit more. 

"Hey, Discord. You should show them the pillow warfare we had," Sonata advises Discord. 

"Pillow Warfare!" Pinkie gets excited. 

"Well, it's in the basement of our home, that is a replica of the Fairy Tail Guildhall. Pillow weaponry all around to use as well as pillow forts." 

"That sounds like fun," Spike is interested. 

"It's intriguing," Twilight (Sci-Twi) says. 

"Sounds dangerous," Fluttershy is shy about warfare, including pillows. 

"Sounds awesome!" Rainbow imagines dominating the pillow warfare. 

Sunset drops the bat. "Let's do the pillow warfare. I'm in the mood to have fun with all my friends present." 

"Onward to the basement!" Discord plays a piper, leading everyone to the basement.
> Sisterly Talk 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:00 at night time in Canterlot. Princess Luna is preparing to go to the dream realms when she notices Celestia going back and forth, reflecting and contemplating her thoughts. Luna walks up to her sister to check on her. 

"Celestia, talk to me. You've postponed your duties all morning and afternoon. You've been circulating in thought for hours now. What's on your mind?" 

"It's what we saw last night, Luna. We now have another Spike, another Twilight. I.., I don't know what to do? To have this Twilight become my protégé and start over with a clean slate? I know I issued you to select but, with Twilight and Spike here, them coming from another world, a different normal to kick in with the two present..? My mind is running amuck, Luna. I don't know what to do..," Princess Celestia looks away from her sister. 

"It is an unsettling predicament, Celestia. However, you should ask this Twilight to follow in her counterpart's success or find her own path." 

"Should we also let Spike know about the Crystal Empire?" Princess Celestia turns to Luna. 

"Yes. Shining Armor and Cadance do reside there. Eventually, this Twilight and Spike will have to travel there. There will be much confusion at the Crystal Empire that needs confirmation." 

"Should the next Bar of Alliance meeting partake at the Crystal Empire or here in Canterlot?" 

"It should be at the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Ponies view Spike as their Savior. The Spike Statue will draw a lot of attention to the other world Spike." 

"I'll inform Cadance tomorrow," Princes Celestia states. 

"There's going to be new changes, and I'm sure the Bar of Alliance is in disarray with what transpired last night." 

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Luna. First, it was Chrysalis opening up to change herself for the better and now the arrival of a Spike and Twilight. I can only imagine what's going on with Ember and Thorax's minds more than Gilda and Prince Rutherford's minds." 

"So, are we going to be more involved with this Twilight and Spike's lives?" Princess Luna asks her sister. 

"I take the blame for not involving myself with Spike. This is a second chance for redemption, Luna. I will not make the same mistakes." 

"Likewise, Celestia. We'll make the time to spend with Twilight and Spike. They need assistance with adjusting to the new world they walk among." 

"Agreed," Celestia nods. She trots to the balcony and looks at the stars in the sky. She sadly sighs heavily. 

"Something else troubling you, Celestia?" 

"It's about Twilight Sparkle. The one that's somewhere in Earth Land." 

"Oh..," Luna trots up to Celestia. "You think she's scheming something wicked?" 

"Vile is the word, Luna. Twilight deceived us on the return trip, and for all I know, she could be aligning herself with many evils in Earth Land. She's the pony I watched growing up, teaching her what I can. I'm afraid she's going to lose more than what she already had lost." 

"You believe she's going to turn evil and become a villain?" 

"Yes," Princess Celestia sadly nods. "I believe Twilight is willing to go to extreme lengths for her desires. She went stir-crazy and created a Friendship to solve to mail me a letter." 

"I remember that story. It was bizarre. I understand why the concerns now, Celestia. However, as you mentioned and from what I've seen in Spike's memories, Twilight doesn't come remotely close to matching anyone's magic power in Earth Land. Even if she discovers the Magic Library, there's not enough time for her to become stronger." 

"Unless she allied herself with a dark guild or something darker, Luna. If Twilight is with a dark guild, imagine the powers they can give her to amplify her magic power. It can far exceed anything when it comes to mind." 

"Well, Twilight will become an enemy of Fairy Tail. As you know, Fairy Tail doesn't lose a war; they conquer it," Princess Luna firmly states. 

"I know. There are so many possibilities that can go wrong. Also, Spike has the only way of coming to Equestria, and I don't think we'll see Spike the Fairy anytime soon." 

"Let's hope that Twilight finds light at the end of the tunnel before she meets her demise. Hopefully, she'll come to her senses and give up on her pursuit for Spike," Princess Luna takes a deep breath with the question she has in mind. "So, she's still going to Tartarous?"

Princess Celestia slightly nods. "Yes. It's until I can find a way to help her. Society may have a hard time fathoming two Twilights. One for another world and one for our world." 

"There are two things that are bothering me, Celestia." 

"What is it, Luna?" 

"If our Twilight returns, what would she think of seeing another Spike?"

"She may be happy at first until she sees the other Twilight and would try to eliminate her," Princess Celestia sadly claims. "And, we wouldn't be aware of it with our duties or other priorities." 

"Well, hopefully, Discord will take care of the situation before it escalates any further." 

"Agreed." 

"The second thing that bothers me is a hunt for Twilight." 

"A hunt?" Princess Celestia is confused. 

"What if Twilight does something so vile that Spike hunts Twilight out of vengeance. An ideal to lure him here to Equestria?" 

"That does seem brilliant in hindsight, but Spike has his travel card Discord gave him. It wouldn't make sense," Princess Celestia said. 

"Unless," Princess Luna puts more emphasis on her phrasing. 

"No... No, no, no, no!" Princess Celestia shakes the thought away. "She wouldn't kill Spike's friends and family for the sake of her purposes." 

"She's devoted to bringing Spike to Equestria no matter the costs. If that's on Twilight's mind, she'll see to it. You mentioned how beserk she went over mailing a Friendship letter. This is a high-tier level for Twilight when it comes down to her motives. She failed during the Grand Magic Games and was overwhelmed. She wouldn't forget such a beating like that. Also, let's not forget the warning Fairy Rage explained to Spike." 

Princess Celestia is silent. She remembers seeing Spike's memory about the warning and how it links up with Twilight Sparkle's motives. Fairy Rage warned Spike that he'll lose something close to him. Princess Celestia covers her face with her hooves and takes a deep breath. She looks at the stars in silence. 

"If the warning is accurate and Twilight is the culprit..," Princess Celestia feels shameful and feels like a disgrace. "I've created a monster." 

"You can't take the blame, Celestia. You didn't know that the outcome would lead to this," Princess Luna reassuringly says. 

"It is my fault, Luna. I paid more attention to Twilight than Spike. If I would've known that Spike was more pivotal for Twilight's sanity, I would have involved more of myself in Spike's life so he wouldn't feel abandoned. I was blind every time I saw Twilight and her friends, not asking about Spike and how he was doing. I had direct access to Spike, and you would think I would talk to him. Nope, I chose Twilight over him every time. I have my fault in this, Luna. In more ways than another," Princess Celestia lowers her head. 

"Well, certain things happen for a reason. From what you and I saw within Spike's memories, he's living the best life. Twilight can't accept Spike's happiness so, that isn't your fault to take the blame for. You can't blame yourself for how things turn out. For all we know and what you told me from Starswirl the Bearded's findings, Spike is already home." 

"Huh," Princess Celestia chuckles at the idea. "Already home. As in, Spike's homeland is in Earth Land, and this whole time the dragons migrated here?" 

"It could be a possibility, Celestia. From what you told me, there's a carving of Acnologia within the hieroglyphics of the dragon caves. I'm eager to know what else Starswirl will uncover within his studies." 

"Luna, could you stay with me for the night?" 

Princess Luna looks at her night sky. She turns to her sister and still sees she's distressed about everything. She nods, knowing she needs comfort. 

"Of course, Celestia. What are sisters for?" Luna stays with Celestia for the rest of the night to talk more and reflect on their feelings.
> Grave News
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Spike are on their way to the guildhall. On the way there, people couldn't help but pose in front of Spike to boast to their friends and family for meeting Fairy Dragon. They took many pictures. 

"Geez, Spike. You are becoming an icon," Happy said. He's jealous that Spike is getting more attention by the day. 

"Well, they witnessed a spectacular during the Grand Magic Games. I guess the fight Jura and me had is the most talked-about matchup in Grand Magic Games history." 

"It was a sight to behold, Happy. I couldn't believe that Jura and Spike had that intense matchup. It makes me wonder what would have happened if Jellal competed." 

"Probably dull with the reaction from the crowd," Happy replies to Natsu's statement. 

"I'm still upset that I didn't see you compete in that matchup, Spike," Lucy said. 

"It's alright, Lucy. I do owe Jura a legitimate rematch so, you can feast your eyes on that fight." 

"True," Lucy admits. 

Natsu, Happy, Spike, and Lucy arrive at the guildhall. Everyone is cheerful, having fun, looking for work, eating, and drinking. Erza is speaking with Makarov about the job with Warrod Sequen and Minerva appearing. 

"Hey, I bet Levy knows who E.N.D; is," Happy said. 

"Yea, let's go ask her," Lucy concurs. 

Natsu, Happy, and Lucy go up to Levy to see if she can help uncover E.N.D. is throughout any of the history books. Wendy hugs Spike from behind. 

"I missed you," Wendy said. "Are you feeling better?" 

"I am," Spike turns around to hug Wendy. 

"Mind telling us what was on your mind?" Carla asks. 

"You remember the warning Fairy Rage spoke of?" 

Carla and Wendy nod. They remember the warning about a powerful guild taking something from Spike soon. 

"You're still thinking about Twilight Sparkle? Even after you defeated her during the Grand Magic Games?" Wendy asks. She thought Spike moved on after earning his right to stay in Earth Land. 

"It's the warning that Fairy Rage told me. It still scares me cause Twilight is one of the members of that guild. Tartaros being a powerhouse guild that's left in the Bar of Alliance would make sense."

"Is there anyone else you sensed, Rage?" Carla wants to know what Rage knows. 

"At the moment, no. Things can change with certain members. However, Twilight Sparkle is one of them that I've sensed."

"Of what guild?" 

"I don't know, Carla. Honestly, I wish I knew what guild and who exactly Spike may lose." 

"Fairy Dragon," Gajeel calls him out. "Come over here." 

"Coming," Spike walks up to him. 

"We understand your concerns with Twilight Sparkle," Gajeel said. 

"That's right. Makarov already has some plan of action in case she happens to make an appearance," Panther Lily noted. 

"We know you defeated her but, after what you told us about Leekips," Gray said. 

"We're not going to stand idle until it's too late," Mirajane said. 

"Rest to sure. We got you back, bro," Gajeel said. 

"That's right, Spike. Fairy Youth Squad is staying put," Romeo said. 

"Let's not forget, anyone messing with a member of Fairy Tail messes with the rest of us," Cana said. She's drinking her barrel of alcohol. 

"So please, don't worry or fret," Lisanna said. She hugs Spike tenderly. 

Spike hugs Lisanna. "I won't. Thanks, everyone," Spike smiles. 

"Now, man up, Spike. Be strong and courageous like a real man!" Elfman proclaims. 

"Well, I'll be strong and courageous. I can't man-up or be a real man cause I'm a dragon." 

"Close enough," Elfman replies. 

While some of Spike's friends cheer him up, Levy finds some info about E.N.D.

"Alright, E.N.D; is a super demon. Compared to Deliora and Lullaby, E.N.D; is on a different level altogether." 

"He must be the most powerful demon in the book of Zeref," Lucy states. 

"According to Warrod, Tartaros has a demon on their side," Happy noted. 

"It has to be E.N.D. The thought of my dad trying to defeat E.N.D. and couldn't defeat him. There's one thing we should do. We need to bring the fight to Tartaros." 

"Natsu, you're brain dead. Second, there's way too much we don't know about their guild yet. We don't even know where they are, let alone how strong are their forces. How do you plan we take it to them?" Lucy asks Natsu. 

"Simple. We hop on Spike's back and fly around until we find Tartaros," Natsu laughs in victory. 

"Not happening!" Spike overhears Natsu's claim. 

"Aww, killjoy," Natsu complains a bit. "Well, I guess we should wait until they come to us." 

Jet and Droy come bursting through the door with dire news. "Listen up, everybody! We got horrible news!" Jet and Droy sound frantic; everyone in the guildhall turns to their attention. 

Jet and Droy explained the downfall of the Magic Council. All the members are dead from multiple explosions. Lahar and many Magic Warfare Units were killed as well. 

"This is terrifying. I suspect that Tartartos is behind the attack," Makarov said. 

"What should we do, Master?" Erza asks. 

"We need to prepare for any attacks from Tartaros. We don't know their sole purposes behind the attacks." 

"Understood, Master," Erza nods.

"Spike, gather Laxus and the Thunder Legion. We're about to address the situation with Tartaros." 

"Right away, Master," Spike teleports to the 8 Island Restaurant. Upon arrival, he gasps at the horror. He sees Mr.Yajima, Laxus, Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed on the ground. The Restaurant is obliterated. "Oh, my God..." 

"Spike..," Freed coughs a bit. 

Spike flies over to Freed. He's tattered and bruised. "What happened?" 

Freed coughs. His body sweats. "We were ambushed by a demon of Tartaros... They are after former Council Members. He.., he..," Freed passes out. 

Spike increases his size. He grabs Laxus, Freed, Mr.Yajima, Evergreen, and Bickslow. 

"Spike," Porlyusica grabs Spike's attention. She notices the worry written on Spike's face. 

"Let's go," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Porlyusica to the infirmary in the guildhall. Spike places his friends and Mr.Yajima in separate beds. Porlyusica goes to the cabinets to see what medicines are stored. Spike goes to the mess hall. "Guys, we have a situation."

Makarov and everyone within Fairy Tail head up to the infirmary. They are mesmerized to see the Thunder Legion and Mr.Yajima in sickness. The Thunder Legion are sweating, in agonizing pain, and having problems breathing. 

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!?" Makarov is worried about them all. He doesn't want to lose his grandson, Laxus, nor any of his children. "WHATEVER IT IS, TELL ME YOU CAN FIX IT!!! THEY'LL BE OKAY, WON'T THEY!!!?"

"They've been heavily exposed to bane particles. I'll do what I can. Smaller exposures have proven lethal in the past. Recovery is possible but not guaranteed or even likely. Laxus' case is many times worse than the rest. It's a miracle he's lasted this long." 

Everyone is holding their emotions. Spike looks down and believes this is what the warning Rage foretold. His friends are in sickness due to Tartaros' attack. 

"There's something else you should know, Master," Spike is suppressing his anger for Tartaros. 

"What is it, Spike?" Makarov turns to him. 

"Freed mentioned that Tartaros is targeting former Council Members." 

"Good. Now, we can form teams to protect the former Council Members and perhaps bring some of Tartaros down in the process," Makarov wants vengeance for what a demon did to his family. 

"Well, Gramps," Natsu's anger gets the better of him. "You realize this means war." 

Everyone leaves the infirmary, and Natsu throws a temper tantrum. Some of his guildmates had to pin him to the floor to make him stop. Loke comes out of the Celestial Spirit World to aide the Fairy Tail Guild with valuable information. He's done some research and located four former Magic Council members. Loke pinpoints the location on a map. Porlyusica comes out to address certain matters. 

"Thanks to Loke, we have the addresses of four retired Council Members. As Makarov suggested, we need to send a team to each location. Our main objective is to protect these people from Tartaros. Our second goal is to find out what these wizards know. About the nature of Tartaros. The whereabouts of the other former Council Members. And why they were targeted. Should you happen to find the thing that poisoned Laxus, I need a sample of its blood to make an antidote. This is no time to be rash so avoid exposure at all costs." 

Everyone is gearing up and forming teams to save the former Council Members. Spike is ready to conquer his demons. Rage is ready to help any way he can. Erza is forming teams to protect each of the former Council Members. Makarov grabs everyone's attention. 

"Today, we go to war! Our foe is a pillar of the Bar of Alliance! As strong as Grimore Hearts and the Oracíon Seis but, they should have learned from their allies' mistakes! By the time our work is done, the bloody remnants of their guild will look back on this day and rue it! For this is the day; they made an enemy of Fairy Tail! They attacked our brethren! The pain they caused is mine and yours. The blood they spilled is our blood! Now it's time for the blood not shed to boil! Our pain to feed on burning rage! Let us not fight for justice but for the Thunder in our souls! Fairy Tail will destroy this foe!" 

Everyone shouts their warcry. 

"Tartaros, here we come!" Natsu and Spike said. They got a fire in their bellies.
> Pillow Warfare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feathers and pillow sheets are scattered everywhere in Discord's basement; there are battle scars from the pillow warfare everywhere. 

"Twilight?" Spike is wearing pillow armor and a pillow helmet. 

"Not yet, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She's holding onto a pillow grenade launcher. 

"Twiiiiiiiliiiiiiiight.., come out to plaaaaaay," Pinkie said in an eerie tone while riding her party cannon that shoots pillows. "Spiiiiiike, come out to plaaaaaaaaay. Suuuuuuunseeeet, come out to plaaaaaaaaaay." 

"Party cannon, Pinkie? How cute," Discord is driving a pillow tank. One of his clones shoots a pillow missile at Pinkie. 

"Aaaaaah!" Pinkie rides her party cannon away from the missile's reaches. Discord continues to fire pillow missiles at Pinkie's party cannon. 

"Now, Spike!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) shoots a pillow grenade launcher at the pillow tank. 

Spike places hard pillows on the catapult and launches at the tank. The combined effort cripples the pillow tank. Discord grabs a pillow machine gun and shoots at Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. Pinkie Pie takes advantage and shoots pillow balls at Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike. 

"Take cover!" Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike take cover behind the crippled pillow tank. 

"This is my domain!" Pinkie Pie shoots more pillow balls. 

"Take this!" Sunset hits Pinkie in the back with a pillow sword. 

"Hey!" Pinkie feels the pillow sword and turns. "Get ready to taste pillow, Sunset!" 

"Mind moving to the right?" Sunset asks. 

"No! I'll move to the left," Pinkie moves to the left. By doing so, Pinkie gets hit by a barrage of pillows from a pillow cannon. She crashes into a pillow fort, and it collapses on her. "Hey!" The pillows are heavier than they look. 

"Good job, Adagio," Sunset salutes. 

"I knew she would fall for that," Adagio said. She's the one who fired the pillow cannon. 

"No fair! I didn't know there were teams!" Pinkie complains a bit. She struggles to get out of the piled pillows. 

"Temporary truce?" Discord propose. 

"Agreed," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike say in unison. 

"I WILL GET OUT!!! DO YOU HEAR ME!" Pinkie tries harder to get out of the pile. 

"Alright, there's Aria and Sonata. Rainbow and Fluttershy. Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike," Sunset said. 

"At least it's not for the Pillow Fight Title," Adagio said. 

"WHAT!? WHO'S THE PILLOW FIGHTING CHAMPION?!" Pinkie demands to know. 

"They aren't here. It's Sandbar and Neighsay," Sunset replies. 

Rainbow Dash is on a pillow cloud with a pillow crossbow. She's aiming at Sunset Shimmer. "I got you." 

"Oh, I can't watch," Fluttershy shields her eyes with her wings. 

"Flutters, it's just pillows. There are no explosions," On cue, the pillow tank explodes. Feathers burst everywhere. "Except for that," A pillow fort explodes. "Okay, I'm going to keep my mouth shut." 

Sonata and Aria fly under Rainbow's pillow cloud and slice it with their claws. Rainbow falls while Fluttershy remains stationary. 

"That was easier than I thought," Sonata brags a bit. She and Aria notice a pillow arrow nearly hitting them. 

"GET BACK HERE!" Rainbow Dash flies and shoots pillow arrows from her crossbow while chasing Aria and Sonata. 

Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike are tunneling under the pillow grounds. Discord and Twilight (Sci-Twi) are placing pillow mines around the area. Spike is keeping watch. 

"That'll do, Discord." 

"Excellent, Twilight. Now, let's resurface." 

Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike come out of the tunnel and see potential targets coming their way. Then Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) push Discord right into the pillow mines. 

"You monsters!" Discord is upset, and the pillow mines explode all around him. Discord is covered in tar and feathers as he was sneaky with his pillow mines. 

"Sorry, Discord. We made a temporary truce. We weren't sure how long it'll take for you to betray us," Spike laughs a bit. 

"I will now plot my revenge!" Discord declares. He gets shot by a barrage of pillows from a pillow cannon. Discord crashes into pillow fort, and it collapses. "Who did that?" Discord's head pops through the pile to see. 

Adagio smiles while looking directly at Discord. "You left yourself wide open." 

Fluttershy watches and flies to a mountain pile of pillows. "Okay, Fluttershy, you can do this," Fluttershy quietly says to herself and pushes a pillow ball down the mountain pile. The pillow ball grows bigger and bigger with more pillows sticking onto it. 

"Okay, that's two major powerhouses down," Spike said. He thinks who else to go after in the pillow warfare. 

"Pillow Ball!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) puts Spike on her back and gallops away from the pillow ball. 

Sonata and Aria see the pillow ball and hopes they can lure Rainbow Dash in its path. Rainbow Dash continues to shoot pillow arrows at Aria and Sonata. She missed every shot so far. Sonata and Aria fly and depart, leaving Rainbow Dash in front of the pillow ball. 

"Ah!" Rainbow Dash does a barrel roll, avoiding contact with the huge pillow ball. 

Sunset and Adagio see the pillow ball coming their way. Twilight dives out of the ball's direction. 

"Good luck," Adagio pushes Sunset out of the way. She gets hit by the pillow ball that crashes into a pillow fort. 

Sunset watches the pillows pile on Adagio. "Thank you," Sunset salutes to a fallen comrade. 

Sonata and Aria come from behind. They whack Sunset Shimmer from behind with their pillows until Rainbow Dash spears the two into a pillow fort. The pillows pile on top of the trio. Rainbow Dash couldn't hit them with the pillow arrows, so her best effort was to take them down with her in the pillow warfare. 

"RAINBOW!" Fluttershy watches her friend valiantly take down two enemies in one go. Sacrificing herself in the process. "Oh, no. Oh, no..," Fluttershy gets worried. She flies to a safe spot. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) grabs some pillows to make armor for herself. Spike grabs a pillow spear and shield for jousting. 

"Ready, Spike?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"I am. We're doing a medieval times attack, and it feels so cool," Spike admits. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) gallops after Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer turns to see Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike coming after her. She gallops while searching for a pillow weapon. 

Fluttershy sees a vacant pillow fort and takes control of it. Behind her is a pillow catapult already armed with many pillows. She activates the catapult unleashing a barrage of pillows at Sunset, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike. The pillows land on top of the trio without warning. 

"Fluttershy is the sole survivor of the Pillow War! Team Rainbow and Fluttershy wins!" A clone of Discord announces. 

"NO FAIR! I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT!" Pinkie continues to pry her way out of the pile of pillows. 

The pillows no longer become heavy as everyone gets up. Spike was a little disappointed he and Twilight (Sci-Twi) didn't win but, he had loads of fun during the pillow warfare. Pinkie Pie feels the weight of the pillows uplifted as she gets up easily. 

"WHAT!?" Pinkie is confused with the pillows' weight. 

"Pinkie," Discord approaches her. "In pillow warfare, some pillows are heavier than others. Pillow forts are structured with the heaviest pillows known to my species. However, it was a fun exhibition." 

"I want to face the champions!" Pinkie exclaims. 

"Perhaps another time. They're busy going to the School of Friendship while becoming a family just like the Fairy Tail Guild." 

"Aaaaah," Pinkie eats a cupcake. "Okie-Dokie-Lokie," Pinkie said in her cheerful tone. "I will defeat the defending champions. You'll see!" Pinkie rides on her party cannon. 

"Good game, Sunset," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She extends her hoof, like giving a handshake. 

"It was fun," Sunset shakes Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s hoof. "I came close to going into the pillow tank. I'm sure the missile torrent still had to be operational." 

"Hey, what time is it?" Sonata asks. 

Discord takes a look at his watch. "5:58 am." 

"Oh, boy. We're going to be late for school. We already missed a day's worth watching Sunset's memories!" Sonata shouts a bit. 

"Relax, the school doesn't start until 10:30. You have plenty of time to get ready," Discord reassures Sonata. 

"Well," Aria yawns a bit. "I'm ready to get some shut-eye before we leave," Aria leaves the basement. 

"Good game, Rainbow Dash. You aren't the first to sacrifice yourself in pillow warfare," Sonata said. 

"Well, if I couldn't hit you while flying, I might as well crash the two of you into a pillow fort. Discord, this was fun. Let us know when you host another one," Rainbow said. 

"Oh, don't worry, I will. I have to make pillow warfare an annual in my household." 

"I need to go home and tend to the animals. Can you teleport me back home, Discord?" Fluttershy asks. 

"Sure thing, Fluttershy. I might as well teleport all of you back home," Discord snaps his claw. Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy are home. 

"Alright," Discord claps, and the pillow sheets eats the pillows and feathers to clean up the basement. "I'm ready to get some sleep for a while."

Sunset, Adagio, and Sonata leave the basement while Discord hovers through the ceiling. Sunset Shimmer feels better after the pillow warfare. However, she can't help but wonder how Pinkie Pie is doing with the Sunset counterpart.
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After hours of traveling, Spike, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla are at Former Magic Council Member Michello's household. Michello is a small humanized cat with orange hair and a thick mustache. Michello gazes at his supposed guests. He's unfazed that Spike the Fairy is with them. 

"So, if we may, we would like to stay awhile and protect you," Lucy said. 

"We'll keep you safe so, you should feed us as well," Natsu gets elbowed in the gut by Fairy Rage. 

"We're here to protect Michello from Tartaros. Our duty is to ensure that Tartaros doesn't achieve their mission."

"I appreciate the settlement, but frankly, you'd be a nuisance. How did you find where I live anyway?" Michello rudely asks. 

"If you got a problem, I'm sure we can work it out. Cat to cat," Happy advises. 

"Who you calling a cat!?" Michello feels offended by Happy's statement. "I know all about your troublesome guild, and I want nothing to do with it! Good luck. I hope your plan succeeds but, you have to find someone else to use as bait!" 

"Tartaros will come for you regardless of whether we showed up to help or not. I wouldn't call you bait," Carla states. "Oh, by the way, you're welcome." 

"Think I'm stupid?" Michello angrily claims rhetorically. 

"Stupid, no. Ignorant, yes." 

"What you call me!?" Michello is getting fed up with Fairy Rage's statement. 

"Hey, they came a long way to see you, Grandpa," Michelia says while bringing a tray of drinks. "Don't be rude." 

"You're not my boss," Michello said to Michelia. 

"We should do what we can to help. The entire council is wiped out thanks to Tartaros," Michelia says. 

"Hmmph," Michello turns away in disgust. 

"You used to be part of that council. You can't just ignore what happened!" Michelia reminds her grandfather. 

"Also, any guesses as to why this guild is targeting council members?" Lucy asks Michello. 

"Could be a number of reasons. Council ticked off a lot of wizards. More of this mind can keep track of," Michello answers. 

"There's has to be a specific reason. Tartaros is a demon-based guild, and I don't think the Magic Council was much of a threat to Tartaros. Is there anything that Tartaros is after; Anything that the Magic Council were hiding?"

"Sorry, I have no idea what that might be," Michello says at first. Then a daunting memory comes to him. "No.., wait. There is something. Some awful thing called Face!" Michello sweats a bit while fear gets the better of him. 

Natsu senses something wrong. "Everyone down!" Natsu tackles Wendy and Lucy to the ground. 

"Ring of Defense!" Spike places a ring of defense on Michello and Michelia. They hear clicking in their minds. 

"What's with the clicking?!" Michello demands. 

"That means my spell is activated. It'll protect you both." 

"I said get down!" Natsu tackles Michello and Michelia. 

The top of Michello's house explodes while everyone is taking cover. Once the smoke and debris vanish, all there's left of Michello's house; is the first floor. 

Carla gets up. "Is everyone okay?" 

"Aye..," Happy's head is shaking a bit. 

"That explosion was massive. How are we alive?" Michelia asks, she looks around. 

Natsu pats his belly. He consumed the fiery explosions. "I haven't eaten that fast since Tuesday." 

"What?" Michelia is confused by Natsu's statement. 

"My Ring of Defense spell as well," Spike informs everyone. 

"Nice one," Happy said. 

"Here, I thought you be too blown up to tell apart," A demon of Tartaros smirks. 

"Who are you?" Lucy demands the demon. 

"That's how it was with the Magic Council," The demon laughs. 

"You're with Tartaros, aren't you?" Natsu asks. 

"Yea? Who's asking?" The demon replies. 

"Natsu of Fairy Tail."

"Spike the Fairy," Spike turns to see the demon. 

"I'm Jackal," Jackal is a young muscular demon. He has blonde hair featuring canine facials and black dots on his face. His hands are black and reach to his forearms. Jackal has a blonde furry tail. 

"Lucy, Wendy. Protect Michello," Spike commands. 

Jackal laughs a bit. He sways his arms and unleashes terrifying winds around the village Michello lives in; Many houses and buildings explode on contact. People are screaming in confusion, and many died due to the explosions. 

"Why are you attacking innocent people!?" Lucy and the others can't believe that Jackal unleashed his magic power on defenseless people. 

"Let's do this!" Natsu and Spike spring into action. 

"Explosion!" Jackal unleashes his explosion magic on Natsu and Spike. 

"They're a goner," Michello said in horror. 

"Relax, Natsu can eat flames, and Spike told me he swam in Lava," Happy said. 

"What the hell?" Jackal didn't anticipate Natsu and Spike surviving his exploding flames. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu's fist is ablaze in fire. 

"Iron Flame Fist!" Spike's claw is ablaze in Sparkling Green Flames while his claw turns into iron. 

Spike and Natsu simultaneously punch Jackal in the face. He falls to the floor hard. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Natsu. 

"What? Where did he go?" Jackal frantically looks around. 

"Where he needs to be!" Spike conjures a fireball. "Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike presses his claws directly at Jackal, creating a heat cannon in the process. 

Jackal leaps in the air, dodging the attack. "Hah! You missed me!" 

"Did I?" Spike uses his claw to redirect his attack, hitting Jackal in the back. 

"You bastard!" Jackal cringes while feeling the full force of the attack. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu soars down from the skies. 

"YOU TELEPORTED HIM HIGH IN THE SKIES!?" Jackal is appalled by Spike's strategy. 

"Sword Horn!" Natsu's body ignites as he headbutts Jackal's chest. Once again, Jackal lands on the ground hard. Natsu lands next to Spike. "Keep the pressure up, Spike!" 

"I'm on it!" Spike and Natsu go after Jackal. 

"Damn, you two are quite the challenge. However, there is something you should know about my power," Jackal smirks at first but goes away in an instant. 

"Fire Dragon!" Natsu conjures his breath attack. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack. 

"ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike and Natsu do a unison raid fire breath attack. Jackal hurls into a pillar of what used to be Michello's home. 

"So much power from the two of them. I never knew Fairy Tail was this powerful." Michello said in awe. He heard stories about Fairy Tail but never imagined witnessing their ferocious power. 

Spike grabs Natsu and flies after Jackal. Spike drops Natsu. 

"Hey! We're not finished with you!" Natsu lands on Jackal and punches him left and right. 

"Hey! You two, cut it out!" Lucy draws the attention of Spike and Natsu. 

"We need Jackal alive to tell us what is their business and where their hideout is," Wendy reminds Spike. 

"Whoops," Spike said, getting sidetracked. 

"Oh, yea. I completely forget in the heat of battle," Natsu said. 

"Our bad," Spike and Natsu said in unison. Jackal is defeated due to Natsu punching him relentlessly. 

Michello is contemplating. He knows that most former members of the Magic Council don't know much about Face. He needs to find shelter to wait out all suspicions of Tartaros. 

"It appears you got this sorted out, so I'll be leaving!" Michello said after witnessing the defeat of a demon from Tartaros. "I'm going to see if any of the former Council members are safe. Bye," Michello is eager to leave. 

"Grandpa, wait," Michelia said. 

"You too, Michelia. Let's get moving," Michello commands. 

"I don't think you should be leaving us," Wendy said. 

"You mentioned something about Face. Now's the time to explain what it is, so we have a better understanding of it."

"Leave me alone! I don't know what it is!" Michello exclaims. 

"I'm not buying it. You better tell us if you know what's good you, old man," Natsu said. 

Michello is silent and wishes to go onward without explaining anything he knows. "I know nothing, and that's final!" Michello stubbornly says. 

Spike goes up to Michello. Michello gulps while seeing Spike's eyes turn orange. "Your life is on the line. All of Fiore could be in jeopardy if you don't spill it."

"You're scaring me!" Michello sweats while backing away from Spike. 

"What a shame," Jackal gets up. Michello is stunned after hearing Jackal's voice. "If you had some juicy info to share, I might have let you leave with your body intact." 

"He doesn't seem injured?" Lucy sees Jackal's wounds all healed up. 

"What is this guy made of?" Carla is horrified to see how quickly Jackal heals. 

"Do you have rocks for brains? I told you I don't know anything!" Michello exclaims. "Go ask someone else! I can't help you!" 

"That's too bad. Guess I'll stick to my first plan," Jackal said while he gets up. 

"Getting your ass kicked by two dragons?" Fairy Rage said. 

"Are you a demon inside a dragon?" Jackal asks Rage. 

"I was, but now, I'm something else." 

"You got skills; I give you two that. However, you should learn when someone's talking," Jackal points at Spike and Natsu's hands. 

"Natsu!" Lucy sees Natsu's hands glowing and his head glowing. 

"Spike!" Wendy is worried about the side effects of touching Jackal. She sees Spike's claws glowing as well. 

"My curses can change anyone stupid enough to touch me into a living bomb. I wonder. How many times you touched me," Jackal smirks. 

"Scatter! I'm not sure my Ring of Defense can contain this much explosion magic!" Spike shouts. 

Wendy, Lucy, Happy, Carla, Michello, and Michelia run for cover. Natsu and Spike explode. Jackal laughs at the misery of everyone that watched Spike and Natsu explode. Natsu falls while remaining intact. He's knocked out while Spike remains in place. 

"What the?" Jackal sees Spike still standing after the explosions. "How is that possible?" 

"Actually. You knocked out Spike. I'm still here." Fairy Rage powers up. "If your curses are that bad, no prayer will save you from my wrath!" 

"Is that so? Explain to me how you will defeat me? My explosion curses are-" Jackal feels and sees his arm forcibly strike himself in the stomach. "WHAT THE-" His explosion curse is used on himself. "OOOOOOW!" He holds his stomach. "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?" 

"You're not the first demon I took control of that uses explosion magic."

"WHAT?!" Jackal is confused. He hears the voice in his head while seeing Spike's body motionless. 

"And while I remain in your vessel. Your curses will affect you even more." Fairy Rage forces Jackal to hit himself in the chest. His body glows. 

"You bastard!" Jackal explodes again. He wails in agony. "Let.., me.., go..!" Fairy Rage continues to force Jackal into hitting himself, setting explosions on himself. 

"That's right! I forget Fairy Rage can do that," Wendy remembers what Fairy Rage had done during the Small Coalition mission. 

"What are you talking about?" Michelia is curious to know what Wendy knows.

"During the Small Coalition trip Spike, Carla, Romeo, and I embarked, Fairy Rage took possession of the Kraken." 

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Jackal is in shock to hear what Fairy Rage did. 

"Yea. I wonder how Squidward is doing?"

"THAT'S THE KRAKEN'S NAME?!" Jackal explodes again. His curses are betraying him since Fairy Rage's soul is in his body. Jackal spits blood out. "You monster.., let me go!" Jackal is suffering due to the curses used on him. He's on his knees due to the pain. 

"I told you, no prayer will save you from my wrath. Eat explosions, punk." Fairy Rage forces Jackal to punch his mouth. Jackal tries to grab his arm, but his body rejects his movements. The explosions affected him severely. 

Jackal falls back and pants. "I.., hate.., you..," Jackal coughs blood out due to the explosions. 

Spike starts waking up a bit. "My time is up." Fairy Rage returns to Spike's body. 

Jackal can't believe he ignored the warnings of his allies when it comes to Fairy Dragon. He decides to play dead for a bit. 

Spike stands up. His eyes return to green. "My body hurts like hell," Spike falls over.

"Spike!" Wendy rushes over to him. 

"Huh, I didn't think the effects of what I did to Jackal would carry over as well." As a result of Fairy Rage's possession, when he inflicted the curses on Jackal, some of the pain went to Spike the Fairy's body. 

"The Dragon is insane. I can't believe he forced this demon to suffer his own attacks. He must be a demon to do such a thing!" Michello thought to himself. He makes a break for it. 

Wendy is using her healing magic on Spike. "What you did was reckless, Spike!" 

"Fairy Rage."

"Doesn't matter!" Wendy finishes healing Spike. 

"You did well for possessing him, Spike. This guy is on a whole other level," Lucy said. 

"Thanks, Lucy." 

"Note to self," Jackal gets up. "Take down the Fairy Dragon to win my battles," Jackal laughs. "I'm going to take him down with all of your friends in the process. Explosion Spiral!" Jackal unleashes a fire spiral explosion at Spike, Wendy, and Lucy. However, he hears the sound of consumption coming from Spike the Fairy. "What the?!" Spike is eating his explosion spirals. "How is that possible?!" 

"You made a bold move for attacking my girlfriend and my sister." Spike's eyes are a blend of orange and green. 

"Girlfriend? Sister?" Jackal doesn't understand what Spike means until he turns to see Wendy and Lucy tattered by the explosion. "Uh oh," Jackal senses Spike's power increasing. 

"Not only I'm Spike the Fairy, Fairy Dragon; I'm also an Energy Maker Dragon."

"SAY WHAT!?" Jackal steps back a bit. 

"Any form of energy I consume, it's added into my arsenal."

"That means..," Jackal realized he unleashed a strong dosage of his curse with the Exploding Spiral attack. Spike the Fairy consumed it and now has some of his cursed magic running in him. "Oh shit." 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Orange-Green Explosions hit Jackal underneath. Jackal screams while feeling the full effect of the explosions. 

"This dragon is using my explosions! I can't hang around here any longer. I need to complete my job!" Jackal lands hard. He glares at Spike the Fairy. 

"Say hello to oblivion!" Spike conjures many ice missiles with orange-green flames inside.  

"See you later," Jackal smirks and leaves the battlefield at rapid speeds. 

"Get back here, you son-of-a-bitch!" Spike flies after Jackal. 

Wendy and Lucy get up after seeing Spike fly after Jackal. Wendy hurries to Natsu and starts healing him. 

"Hey, are you two alright?" Happy asks Lucy and Wendy. 

"I'm fine. I'm going after that creep," Lucy takes out her Gate Key. 

"Be careful. Remember not to touch Jackal or else you become a living bomb," Carla reminds Lucy about Jackal's curses. 

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Lucy starts searching for Jackal. 

Natsu wakes up after Wendy heals him. He has figured out a way to defeat Jackal's curses. 

"Wendy, where is Jackal?" Natsu turns to Wendy. 

"Jackal is hunting for Michello. Spike and Lucy are after him as we speak." 

"Let's go!" Natsu wants to lay the smackdown on Jackal for blowing him up with his curses. He uses his sense of smell to track Jackal's whereabouts. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike shoots Orange-Green Flaming Arrows from his claw in a C Formation. 

"Explosion Wave!" Jackal sways his arms, creating a powerful wall of explosions. The Flaming Arrows intercepts the exploding walls, thus creating smoke. Spike flies into the smoke only to get and knee strike from Jackal. Spike's body explodes, causing him to hurl into a house. "Time to die, freak!" Jackal encases Spike in a bomb sphere. He snaps his fingers, and the bomb sphere explodes, causing Spike to lay on the ground motionless. 

After Jackal sees Spike defeated, he turns to Michello running on the streets from the rooftops. He relishes the fear Michello has; Face and death. Lucy finds Spike motionless on the floor. 

"Spike!" Lucy checks on him; he's still breathing but unconscious. She turns to see Jackal on the rooftop.  "Open Gate of the-" 

"I wouldn't do that unless you want to get blown up," Jackal says. He looks down at Lucy, who is standing in a landmine curse. 

Lucy looks down to a yellow symbolized circle. She gasps. "What is this thing?" 

"That's my landmine curse. Make one bad move, then boom," Jackal states. Spike gets up, which puzzles Jackal. "How are you so durable? My explosions should have killed you!" Jackal is getting agitated with Spike's durability. 

"Spike! You're okay!" Lucy said in relief. 

"Not exactly." Fairy Rage holds his side. "The explosion did knock Spike out a second time when he took control of me. However, the curse of that explosion took a toll on his body."

"So a few more will do the trick," Jackal smirks, encasing Fairy Rage in a bomb sphere. "Let's make this more interesting and personal," Jackal chuckles and puts Michello in a bomb sphere as well. 

"Hey! Let me go!" Michello begs for his life. 

"What are you doing!?" Lucy said in fear. 

"I heard that you're the dragon's sister. However, you, as a wizard, need to protect this sorry excuse of a Council Member. So, this is what I'm proposing. Only one of these bombs will explode. You get to decide which will go boom. Your brother in which I'll increase the power of my curse to kill him or this low-life of a former Council Member. You have ten seconds to choose." 

"What?!" Lucy is horrified by the twisted game. 

"Oh, if your dragon friend decides to teleport his way out of the sphere, I'll activate the landmine. No skin of my bones," Jackal sinisterly laughs. 

"You bastard!" Fairy Rage doesn't want to put Lucy in harm's way. 

"I'm no bastard. I'm a Demon. Remember the difference, Fairy Dragon." 

"Lucy! Choose me!"

"Noo! I can't!" Lucy doesn't want Spike to die like this. 

"What!" Michello panics and frantically bangs on the bomb sphere. "You're supposed to do your job and protect me! What are you waiting for!?"

"Time's ticking," Jackal relishes Lucy's suffering from his twisted game. "Patience isn't a virtue I have." 

"My life is more important than the dragon's life! Save me already!" Michello pleas for his life. He's pleading for Lucy to release him. 

Lucy tears up a bit. Her hand twitches while trying to find a way of setting the two free. 

"Who's life is more useful!? It should be obvious who the world needs more! Stop thinking about it and save me from this psycho!" Michello angrily yells at Lucy. "FORGET ABOUT THE STUPID USELESS DRAGON AND SAVE THE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER!!!" 

"Times up," Jackal gave Lucy more than enough time to make her decision. "Who's life are you going to save, Fairy Tail? Who leaves in a body bag?" 

"We choose you, punk!" Natsu soars down from the skies after Happy drops him. Natsu lands a Fire Dragon Iron Fist on Jackal, causing him to disperse his hold on Lucy, Fairy Rage, and Michello. The punch causes Jackal to collide with a building. 

"Thank goodness," Michello is thankful for his release. "What kept you?!" Michello is angry that Natsu took too long to protect him. "I thought I was done for!" 

Natsu punches Michello hard on the head, knocking him out in the process. "That's for disrespecting my brother's life. Calling him a stupid useless dragon," Natsu took offense when he heard Michello's pleas and demands of his release when he was tracking Jackal. 

"Thank you, Natsu," Lucy said in gladness. 

"Lucy! Spike!" Wendy, Happy, and Carla caught up. They see Spike holding onto his side. 

"Nice to see you." 

"Fairy Rage? Oh no.., don't tell me..," Carla knows what happened to Spike. 

"The dude's curses are powerful. His strength is on another level. He put us in a bomb sphere and injured us. Spike is out cold and took me a bit to regain consciousness."

Wendy heals Fairy Rage. "Please, be more careful." 

"Easier said than done, Wendy. However, that's something for you to explain with Spike thoroughly."

Natsu walks up to Jackal. He's done playing games with the demon. 

"You either have a death wish or the worst memory of all time. Anyone who touches me turns into a bomb. Remember?" Jackal smirks, knowing Natsu is dead meat. 

"There's something you should know about," Natsu's hand is glowing. 

"Yea? What's that?" Jackal replies. 

"Spike is a dragon, and I'm a Dragon Slayer. We can adapt to anything!"

"Say what?!" Jackal is in shock.  Natsu explodes. Jackal sees that Natsu is unfazed by the explosions. "You're not a dragon, human! I see you as a human! That's all you are!" 

"I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer. Those explosions are pretty nasty, but now I know what to expect. You gave me a fire in my belly!" 

"I need to kill this guy right now!" Jackal starts turning. He turns into his Feral Demonic transformation. Bigger. More animal state, razor-sharp teeth, his hands turn to claws and have sharp nails. Jackal roars and punches Natsu. 

Natsu defends himself from the blow. However, Natsu is unable to feed on the explosion. The damage of the explosion is wider and denser, causing the surrounding area to implode. Several houses are destroyed while Fairy Rage conjures a metallic shield to protect his friends. Natsu crashes into a building from the blow. 

"Damn, he's stronger than before," Natsu coughs a bit. 

"Prepare to die, human!" Jackal irately proclaims. He goes after Natsu. 

"Not on my watch." Fairy Rage increases his size. 

"What?!" Jackal couldn't counter in time when Fairy Rage tackles him to the ground. "You touched me! Now you go boom!" 

"Good. I forgot to mention one unique ability Spike hasn't used in a long time. By grabbing onto someone, I can revert the magic, or in this case, the curse right back." 

"WHAT?! NOOOOOOOO!" Jackal's curse magic explodes on his and Spike's body. 

"Totally worth it." Fairy Rage reverts to size after the explosion. Spike's body takes a toll; He has many bruises and burnt scales all over his body. 

"Thanks for stalling long enough, Rage!" Natsu enters his Lightning Flame Dragon Mode. 

"OH, NO!" Jackal is unable to defend himself due to the explosion he suffered from his own curse. 

"This is for Laxus and the Thunder Legion! Lightning Flame Dragon Hammer!" Natsu engulfs his fist and forearm in fire and lightning and devastatingly strikes Jackal. 

Jackal takes the full force of the attack and reverts. He's no longer in his demonic feral state. 

"Spike is going to kill me for wrecking his body like this. Maybe that's why he stopped using that technique of reverting an opponent's magic in physical contact." Fairy Rage is on the ground. 

"Hey, are you alright, Spike?" Natsu picks him up. 

"Spike is still unconscious. I'll live. I can feel the pain but, Spike's is going to feel the worst of it when he takes control."

"I forgot Spike could do that when he fought Gildarts seven years ago," Natsu slightly chuckles. 

"Damn..," Jackal's body starts glowing. "I haven't received that kind of beating since I was a pup. I guess it gotta happen at some point," Jackal chuckles, knowing he'll have the last laugh. "Kyôka, forgive me. You're going to have a tough time bringing me back. But this is the only way to take these humans and monsters with me!" 

Jackal's curse is illuminating around the town. Lucy and Wendy look around and know something horrid is about to happen. Carla believes that Jackal is trying to commit suicide and to bring everyone in town with him. 

"So, you're planning on self-destructing to take us down?" Natsu carries Spike to Jackal's body. 

"That's right. I'm taking you all with me to Hell," Jackal victoriously laughs sinisterly. 

"Hey Rage, mind taking out this piece of garbage?" Natsu asks. 

"Sure, I know where to send him." 

"Damn it!" Jackal has forgotten about Spike's teleportation magic. He's unable to self-destruct fast enough. 

"I bid you adieu, demon." Fairy Rage blows his orange flames at Jackal. 

"I WILL KILL YOU SOMEDAY FAIRY-" Jackal is teleported to the oceans. He lands in the waters. His body blows up and takes a few sea life with him. 

"So, where did you teleport him to, Rage?" Natsu asks. 

"The ocean where Spike shot his flare markings to help cool off everyone while traveling to Tenrou Island. The only thing Jackal will take out is some fishes and maybe a whale with him."

"Natsu!" Lucy and Happy run up to him. Lucy carries Michello with her. 

"Spike!" Wendy and Carla run up to him.

Fairy Rage rolls his eyes. "It's Fairy Rage. Spike is still unconscious." 

"For how long?" Carla asks. 

"Could be any minute or a little while until he wakes up. The explosion from the bomb sphere did a number on him."

"He's that powerful?" Wendy asks while healing Spike's body. 

"Yes. Demons from the Book of Zeref are more complex than any wizard that roams the planet."

"Hey, what about the demon you took control of that worked with Zentopia?" Happy asks, remembering the cubic demon. 

"He wasn't created within the Book of Zeref. I guess the power level of demons created by Zeref far exceeds any demons that roam the planet. And if you ask how I was able to possess Jackal when he doesn't use telepathy, Spike picked up some books from the Magic Library that's similar to Warren's Magic."

"Wow," Natsu, Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Lucy say in unison. 

"And, you beat me to my next question," Happy said. "Man, I could use a good fish about now." 

"Alright, time to inform the Master on our successful operation," Lucy takes out a communication lacrima. She activates the lacrima. "Hey, Gramps. Can you hear me?"

"Lucy, what happened?" Makarov sees Lucy in the lacrima communicator at the guildhall. Cana, Romeo, Laki, and Macao see Lucy as well. "Have you located Michello?" 

"Yes, he's safe and sound. We ran into a situation with one of the demons of Tartaros," Lucy confirms. 

"Fairy Rage and Natsu defeated Jackal," Wendy informs Makarov while healing Spike's body. 

"What happened to Spike?" Makarov asks. 

"Jackal's explosions were strong enough to knock him out. His power is on another level."

"That doesn't sound good," Makarov now imagines the strength of Tartaros and how it may impact his children. "Did Michello mention anything that Tartaros could be after?"

Michello wakes up and sees the wizards that protected him. He's in a trance about his knowledge of Face. 

"Master, Michello has mentioned something about Face. As for what it's used for, he hasn't described what it is. Judging from his reaction before we were ambushed, it sounded severe."

"Michello, are you there? Please, explain to us about Face," Makarov formally asks. 

Michello snaps out of his trance. The fear of Face still hinges on him. "It's a weapon. The most powerful one the Council has. Probably the strongest ever made!"

"What was it for?" Natsu asks Michello. 

"What purpose does Face oppose?" Makarov asks. Now he wants to know why the Magic Council constructed a powerful weapon. 

"I can't..," Michello is afraid to explain the grueling details. 

"I understand this is a secret, but no one is left to make use of your knowledge but us!" Makarov is losing his patience. 

"Face is an anti-magic pulse bomb. This device can clear our continent of any trace of magic," Michello answers. 

"WHAT?!" Happy and Natsu angrily shouts. 

Carla, Happy, Lucy, Wendy, and Fairy Rage are in shock by the revelation. It makes sense as to why Tartaros is after such a device. Magic being wiped clean would leave everyone defenseless and at the mercy of Tartaros. 

"It gets worse, Master. The demon that fought Natsu and Spike told us that Tartaros uses curses instead of magic," Lucy said. 

"What a deplorable weapon your council has made," Makarov is livid and disgusted that the Magic Council would devise such a weapon. "Come back to the guildhall. We'll need your help," Makarov hangs up the lacrima communicator. 

Natsu angrily grabs Michello. "You tell me where the weapon is so I can destroy it!" 

"I really don't know. Please.., forgive me. From what I heard, it was sealed away from three former council members. The process was done by body-link magic. I have no idea whose members are. Only the former Chairman can tell you that..," Michello pants while answering. He doesn't wish to be pummeled by Natsu right now. 

"So that's why Tartaros is after former Council Members. It's to break the spell." 

"That's bad," Happy imagines a world without magic and Tartaros running amuck. 

"Where's the old Chairman?" Natsu asks Michello. "Spill it!" Michello gulps and says where he lives. Happy grabs Natsu and takes off in a hurry. "Full speed, Happy!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies as fast as he can while carrying Natsu. 

"My time is up." Fairy Rage senses Spike waking up. Spike's eyes turn from Orange to Green. 

"What happened?" Spike wakes up and feels slight pain. 

"Jackal knocked you out a second time. Natsu and I defeated Jackal. We now know what Face can do. It's a superweapon that'll drain all magic in a continent."

"Sounds like Tirek all over again," Spike said. 

"Who's Tirek?" Lucy, Wendy, and Carla ask. 

"Woooow. That's a call back to your days in Equestria." 

"Tirek is a villain that can drain magic from any living creature. He would take magic from unicorns, strength from earth ponies, and flight from pegasi."

"How was Tirek defeated?" Lucy asks. 

"The Magic of Friendship and yadda yadda yadda from Twilight and her friends. Honestly, this is completely different than Tirek." 

"We need to head back to the guildhall. Think you can teleport us there, Spike?" Carla asks. 

"Yea, I still have some magic in me. What I do need is a nap," Spike yawns. 

"Wendy, get Michelia over here. We're going back to the guildhall, and I suspect Makarov knows a place where the two can stay low for a while." 

"Okay," Wendy runs off to bring Michelia. 

"Damn, my body hurts like hell," Spike still feels the pain from the explosions. 

"Sorry. You can say I was a bit careless with some decision-making."

"You reverted Jackal's explosion through contact like Spike did with Gildart's strength," Carla said. 

Spike facepalms himself. "Wow, I forgot I could do that."

"There are other techniques you forgot that you can do. It's a good thing I remember some from looking into your memories." 

A few moments later, Wendy returns to Michelia. Michelia hugs her grandfather and is glad he is unscathed from the carnage. Spike teleports everyone to the guildhall using his fire breath.
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Wendy, Lucy, Carla, Michello, and Michelia arrive inside the guildhall. Spike falls over, still feeling the weary effects from Jackal's explosion curses. Lucy explains that Natsu took off the moment Michello told Natsu where the last former Chairman lives. 

"That's not good. Considering Natsu taking off like that, I suspect he knows something we're not aware of," Makarov said. He's worried that Erza and Mirajane may be running into a trap. Cana sent the two to the last former Chairman of the Magic Council just an hour ago. 

"I'll take care of Spike," Porlyusica gives Spike medicine to help him recover quicker. 

"Thank you, Porlyusica," Spike takes his medicine. 

"You're welcome. I advise you to be more careful when you encounter a demon of Tartaros. The same goes for you, Fairy Rage. The two of you can't afford to become reckless with the Thunder Legion out of commission for the time being." 

"Understood, Porlyusica," Spike and Fairy Rage say in unison. 

"Any word on the possible three council members that are body-linked with Face?" Lucy asks. 

"As of now, the members are not known. We need to devise quickly to find these three and protect them at all costs," Makarov says. 

"Right," Lucy, Wendy, and Spike nod. 

Happy flies Natsu as fast as he can. "What's the deal, Natsu?" 

"I figured it out, Happy. No one, not even the current council members, should know where the former councilmen were. Or where this Face thing is! So how the hell did Tartaros find out?!" 

Happy horridly gasps while putting some thought into it. "Wow, dude, you figured something out without Spike's help." 

"By now, Spike has figured it out. Someone must be aligned with Tartaros to tell them about the whereabouts of the former council members." 

"Who would do that, Natsu?" Happy asks. 

"I'm not sure. It must be someone powerful. Someone high up in the council or someone doing enough research to find the exact coordinates where ever former council lives." 

"Could it be that Twilight punk Spike had mentioned?"

"If it is her, I hope Spike doesn't mind I scorched her to a crisp. Keep flying, Happy; We need to get there before Erza does!" 

"AYE, SIR!" Happy increases his speed and flies faster than before. 

Half an hour later, Happy and Natsu arrive at the former Chairman's home in the forest. The house is demolished with many battle scars all over. Several weapons from opposed Tartaros Soldiers are scattered in front of the house. 

"We might be too late..," Natsu sees what's left of the carnage. 

"This is not good," Happy said. He's worried about Erza and whoever led the charge. 

Natsu and Happy run inside the home. "Erza!" Natsu calls for his friend. 

"Mira!" Happy call for his friend. He looks around a bit. "No one's here." 

"Yea, they haven't been long, though. I can smell them," Natsu starts sniffing. "What could have happened to them?" 

"I don't smell Erza but, I smell burning herbs," Happy is picking up a different scent in the room. 

Natsu sniffs for the herbs and locates a table with a cup of tea left. He gets closer to the cup to whiff the scent of the tea. 

"You picking up anything, Natsu?" 

"Yea, it's been laced with a drug." 

"Like a knockout drug? You don't think Erza and Mirajane got kidnapped, do you?" 

Natsu becomes livid and slams the floor in anger. Fire bursts through his hand and incinerates the room; Happy flies to dodge the flames of the outburst. 

"The Former Chairman is working for Tartaros, Happy!" Natsu angrily roars, wanting a piece of Tartaros for kidnapping his friends. 

"Crap! That means Mirajane and Erza fall had fallen into a trap devised by the Chairman. The Chairman caught our friends by surprise." 

"Yea, but we're going to find them," Natsu takes a good whiff of Erza's scent. "I have a lock on Erza, Happy! Let's fly!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy grabs Natsu and takes off. 

Erza wakes up and notices she's in a containment cell. She's shackled to the wall, only wearing her long black shirt. 

"You've awoken, good," Kyôka said. Kyôka is a half-human/half-aviary demon. She wears a skin-tight suit that emphasizes her chest, reveals her thighs, and partially exposes her buttocks. Her shoulders and arms are concealed by a long, striped jacket with flaring sleeves, a four-way split tail back, and a tall and gaping collar that completely conceals Kyôka's neck. Sleeves cover most of Kyôka's hands and take the form of sharp and scaly talons while a thick pair of bands wrap around the woman's thighs, stopping where a similar set of bird-like feet. Kyôka wears an intricate helmet covering most of her face except for her eyes and mouth. From the sides of the helmet, two long wing-like pieces of hair protrude, curving out around her face.

Erza struggles a bit. Her strength and magic are nullified due to the shackles she's wearing. "What is this?" 

"You're a captive of Tartaros, now," Kyôka informs Erza. 

"What did you do with Mira?" Erza demands. "And the Ex-Chairman? You took them too?" 

"Crawford is alright, but no one took him," Kyôka smirks. "He's our comrade, you see, and surprisingly useful, one at that. It's thanks to him that we secured a fine specimen as you." 

"You're lying!" Erza proudly states. "The Chairman will never betray us!"

"Oh, but he would, and he did," Kyôka relishes Erza's struggling. "Struggling away, your shackles are infused with bane particles. So, good luck using magic." 

"Why isn't Mira here? What have you done to her?!" 

"I've kept her alive. Actually, I'm about to improve her. She'll make a fine slave with a little work." 

"NOOOOOOO!" Erza screams, not wanting Mirajane to suffer a fate with Tartaros. Kyôka grabs her cheek fiercely. 

"Listen closely. I need you to answer a simple question. Where is Jellal?" Erza gasps. "The Chairman has told me you and Jellal are close." 

"And..," Erza pants a bit. "What do you care?" Kyôka releases her grip on Erza's cheek. 

"Because I need to find him," Kyôka spawns a whip from her finger and lashes Erza. Erza screams in agony. "I have this special curse I use for interrogations. It makes a home in your pain receptors and sets them to overdrives. You'll feel all sorts of agonizing pain unless you tell me," Kyôka lashes Erza a second time. "Now, speak."

"I.., ... I wouldn't..," Erza pants from the agonizing pain. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't speak." 

"Our initial plan is to hunt every former council member one by one. Now, there's no need. We found three that's been keeping Face sealed away. Naturally, we disperse of the first two, but the last eludes us." 

"No..," Erza fears that Jellal is the last seal. 

"Once Jellal dies, we will unleash Face." 

"That.., can't be..," Erza fears of losing Jellal to Tartaros' schemes. 

"Oh dear, did I say too much?" Kyôka relishes Erza's fear of losing someone she cares about. "Chances are, you'll never tell me where he is now. Even if you do know." 

"I don't! Jellal and I haven't spoken in a really long time," Erza claims. 

"Perhaps that's true, but if you do know and tell me, I'll let your comrade go free," Kyôka entices Erza with her offer. "But, if you don't," Kyôka lashes Erza again. Erza screams louder than before. The impact is more severe. "Then the both of you will have to die." 

"I'm telling the truth! I really don't know!" Erza shouts. The pain within her body is overwhelming her. 

"You're asking for the wrong name," The door opens within Erza's containment unit. 

"I don't recall summoning you," Kyôka gets serious. Her demeanor changes. 

"You'll be wasting your time trying to find Jellal with this one's information. I advise you should be asking where a certain someone is to take us to him." 

"Oh, then who should I be asking for?" Kyôka asks. She's eager to know what she has to say. 

Erza looks up to see the demon in the room. She becomes paralyzed in fear at the sight of the demon. She has an aqua blue fire around her eyes. She wears a dress, showing off the colors of black, dark purple, light purple, and dark pink. The demon's hair color is the same purple with a pinkish streak, and it floats upwards. She also wears dark purplish-pink knee boots. She has a long, purple tail, and her skin is dark purple, just like her eyes. She has a glowing turquoise horn with a black magical aura. She has black feathery wings that slightly glow in an aqua blue aura.

"Ask for Spike the Fairy. I know that Erza knows where he is. You see, from my encounter with these two a few months ago, Spike the Fairy has a unique ability for teleportation. I'm sure by containing and probing Spike's mind. Spike will be a great asset of teleporting to Jellal in our means of activating Face." 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Erza struggles frantically, which struck a nerve in her. Kyôka is enjoying the reaction from Erza. Fear, anger, and worry all mixed up. 

"Well, now I know what I need to do to extract Fairy Dragon's whereabouts. Well done, Midnight Sparkle." 

Midnight Sparkle leaves the containment unit while Erza screams and curses at Midnight Sparkle. Kyôka lashes Erza.
> Bar of Alliance Meeting: Reintroducing Familiar Faces
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a week since the last Bar of Alliance meeting at the Castle of Friendship. It's now 7:30 at night. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are in the meeting room at the Crystal Castle. 

"Shining, how are your parents doing?" Princess Cadance asks while tending to Flurry Heart. 

"Better than ever, Cadance. However, mom and dad are worried about our Twilight and the trouble she's putting herself through."

"Understandable. How are you doing, Shining?" 

"I'm fine, Cadance. The truth is, I'm happy Equestria will have Twilight and Spike. However, they are not the same Twilight and Spike we know. They're different. Completely different. The Crystal Ponies will have a hard time accepting that this Spike is not the Brave and Glorious." 

"I know," Princess Cadance sighs. "It kinda makes me sad. I miss our Spike and Twilight when they were inseparable. I wish our Twilight would value Spike's happiness instead of going on this relentless pursuit." 

"I know. However, I will say this Twilight and Spike are inseparable. Twilight is treating Spike as her son. Like a protective mother."

"She is?" Princess Cadance is surprised to know how this Twilight is treating Spike. 

"Yes. In the other world, Spike used to be Twilight's pet. He used to be a dog, with now the transition of traveling into Equestria. Twilight no longer treats Spike as a pet." 

"I'm so glad," Princess Cadance sighs in happiness. 

"However, things are different with Twilight and Rarity," Shining said. 

"How different are we talking about?" 

"This Twilight is on bad terms with Rarity. According to her, Rarity tried to kiss Spike, and Twilight was offended by Rarity's motives. When I visited Twilight two nights ago, she told me that Rarity attempted to lure Spike into a relationship. Also, Rarity tried other methods of persuading Spike into loving her like Spike the Fairy used to. Twilight has warned Rarity of getting a restraining order if she were to try again." 

"That is beyond wrong. How is everypony else around Twilight and Spike?"

"As far as I know, Cadance. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie opened up their friendship with Spike and Twilight. The two made vows of what not to do to Spike and in the presence of him and Twilight. Fluttershy would be more involved in Spike's life and not take his friendship for granted. As for Applejack, she would talk and invite Spike over to Sweet Apple Acres for a playdate with Apple Bloom." 

"That's good to know, Shining. So, has Twilight and Spike decided on anything major to live their lives in Equestria?" Cadance asks. 

"Inconclusive, Cadance. Twilight and Spike are trying to find their place in Equestria." 

Discord arrives with Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, and Starlight Glimmer. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike look around the interior of the meeting room. They see the Crystal Walls shining and sparkling in every corner of the room. 

"Twilight! Spike!" Princess Cadance trots up to the two of them and hugs them. 

"Cadance!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike return the hug. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike shed some tears while holding on to them. 

Two Crystal Guards escorts Thorax, Chrysalis while Terax is on her back, Ember, Prince Rutherford, and Gilda, to the meeting room. The two Crystal Guards gasps. 

"The Brave and Glorious have returned!" The two Crystal Guards shout. 

"Who are you talking about?" Spike is confused. He sees the two Crystal Guards bowing to him. 

"Spike," Princess Cadance grabs his attention. "The other you was known as Spike the Brave and Glorious here in the Crystal Empire." 

"He was..?" Spike is in shock. 

"Yes," Princess Cadance nods. "You can claim the title if you wish. Fairy Dragon won't be returning to anytime soon." 

"Can I think about it? It's my first time here, and I would like to know more about this world and how I can fit in." 

"Of course," Princess Cadance respects his wishes. 

Ember walks up to Spike. Spike looks up at Ember. He tilts his head a bit, a common reaction when he used to be a dog. 

"Hello, Spike. I am Empress Ember. Ruler of the Dragon Lands."

"Hi, Ember. I'm guessing you were really close with Spike the Fairy?" 

Ember sighs. "Yes." "I can't admit that I love him right now. He's different and younger..." Ember internally screams. She wanted to propose to Spike the Fairy when he grew older. 

"Well, I hope we can be friends. There is a lot I need to know about dragons." 

"We will be friends, Spike," Ember pats his head a bit. 

"Hello, Spike," Thorax trots up to him. 

"Uh, hello," Spike sees Thorax for the first time. He tilts his head a bit. "So, I'm guessing my counterpart was real close with you?" 

Thorax nods. "Indeed. Spike the Fairy is the first friend I've ever made in Equestria. He showed me the ropes of building trust and love within a friendship. I'm hoping to be your friend." 

"Sure, I don't see why not," Spike shakes Thorax's hoof. 

Gilda, Prince Rutherford take their seats. They try not to bat an eye at Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. They accepted the terms of moving on without them after Discord got exposed and told the truth. Now, it'll be difficult to readjust to their lives going forward. 

"Mommy, who are they?" Terax points at Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. 

"New faces to call friends," Chrysalis answers. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor do a doubletake when they hear Chrysalis' answer. They didn't think it'll take long for Chrysalis to accept friendship or change dramatically. 

"Whoa," Twilight (Sci-Twi) walks up to Chrysalis. "I remember you, from that night I came with my son, Spike." 

Chrysalis sighs. "I remember the other you when I was a different Changeling."

"Mommy is the best Changeling in the whole hive," Terax glees. 

"Good to know, uh," Spike doesn't know who the youngling is. 

"My name is Terax."

"I'm Spike. Nice to meet you." 

"Likewise, Mr.Dragon." 

"So, what do you mean when you were a different Changeling?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks out of curiosity. 

"My motives were hatred, hunger, and greed. I've committed many heinous acts and atrocities. However, despite it all, I'm becoming a new Changeling, and during my days, like Thorax, he wasn't that bright-colored as you see now. He and many were like me. Now, like you and Spike, I'm finding where I belong within the Hive." 

"Wow, we have something in common. Uh," Twilight (Sci-Twi) is trying not to sound awkward. "You want to be friends with me?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) extends her hoof. 

Chrysalis is hesitant at first. She remembers what the other Twilight Sparkle has done to her, foiling her plans and ruining her. The back of her mind is telling her to have her revenge. She could do it now. 

"Mommy," Terax taps on Chrysalis' back, snapping her from her vengeful thoughts. 

"Yes, Terax?" Chrysalis turns to him. 

"I want to be friends with the dragon. I want to hang out with him, considering I don't have many friends back at the Hive." 

Chrysalis slightly smiles. Perhaps finding her inner peace is also being friends with an unfortunately familiar face. "Sure, Twilight. I'll be friends with you," In the back of Chrysalis' mind, she's imagining herself throwing up. 

"Wonderful, we can also set some playdates for our sons," Twilight (Sci-Twi) suggests. 

"Sure," Chrysalis said. She imagines herself rolling her eyes. 

"Yay!" Terax cheers while standing on his two back hooves. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are dead silent. They witnessed their former enemy becoming friends with Twilight (Sci-Twi). Sure, it's not the Twilight they're used to seeing but, the image of Chrysalis and Twilight becoming friends is unheard of. 

"So, what's the meeting about?" Gilda asks. She's eager to know what else to discuss during the meeting. 

"The main topic is discussing Twilight and Spike; How society will see these two instead of former Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike the Fairy," Princess Cadance answers. 

"We're waiting for Princess Celestia and Luna to arrive to go in more detail. As for Chrysalis, she'll be the next topic after debriefing the first issue," Shining Armor says. 

"Makes sense to Yak. Unicorn and dragon are different than what Yak is used to," Prince Rutherford exclaims. 

Two Crystal Guards escort Princess Celestia, Luna, and Starswirl the Bearded into the meeting room. Then the two Crystal Guards leave the room to stand in attention outside. 

"Thank you for waiting, every creature," Princess Celestia formally expresses. 

"You're welcome," Everyone said. 

"Please, take your seats. It's time to discuss," Shining Armor announces. 

Every creature takes their seats. Princess Celestia and Luna are shocked to see Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike sitting next to Chrysalis. They wonder who the youngling next to Chrysalis is. Starswirl set his gaze at Ember, hoping to discuss more on their ancient history. 

"Alright. Thank you, every creature, for coming this week. Our first topic of discussion is to reintroduce Twilight and Spike in society. As you all know, former Princess Twilight Sparkle is running amuck somewhere in Earth Land where Spike the Fairy resides. Most of our lands are aware of the downfall of Twilight Sparkle and Spike's departure," Princess Celestia addresses.

"Now, it's up to us all that we introduce Spike and Twilight within our homelands," Princess Luna states. 

"Yak Yakistan is open to new pony and dragon. Yak warns that our country is indeed cold. Have baby dragon wear something toasty for his arrival," Prince Rutherford said. "I've mentioned to all Yaks that new pony and dragon are friends and should not be attacked."

"After explaining to Grampa Gruffs from last week's meeting, the Griffins will welcome this version of Twilight and Spike in open arms. As long as this Twilight doesn't become a deranged lunatic," Gilda glares at Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"I won't become what my counterpart is. I won't stoop down to that path. It wouldn't lead me to a brighter future," Twilight (Sci-Twi) says. 

"Good. I'll hold you to it. History should not repeat itself," Gilda claims. 

"During the week, Princesses. I have addressed the Hive that new changes are occurring. I mentioned the familiar faces of seeing Spike and Twilight." 

"There was an uproar until I helped Thorax calm the quarrels within the Hive," Chrysalis noted. "The Changelings need to see Twilight and Spike for themselves. Twilight needs to earn the trust of the Changelings, all of them. Right now, she's beginning to earn my trust." 

"That's fair, considering what my counterpart has possibly done to them," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She's thinking about the possibilities that her counterpart has done; that made them lose trust. 

"The Dragons are in better relations with ponies. After addressing a new Twilight and Spike in the Dragon Lands, the Dragons are willing to welcome the new Twilight with open arms. As for Spike, some Dragons are willing to show him the ropes of what being a dragon is about. I am willing to teach Spike how to be a dragon. Smolder as well." 

"Who's Smolder?" Spike asks. 

"An orange dragon version of Scootaloo, Spike," Discord explains. 

"Oh wow," Spike imagines Smolder's appearance. 

"As for Equestria, I understand that you two haven't left Ponyville as much since you arrived," Princess Celestia states. 

"That's correct, Celestia. Some ponies are glaring at me. Some have the intention of hurting me," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sadly says. She sighs heavily. 

"It's hard explaining to some ponies about what transpired with us back home," Spike informs everyone. 

"Discord, mind doing a showcase for the citizens of Ponyville?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Of course. After Ponyville sees what Twilight and Spike endured, they'll be more open to them. I also advise the Crystal Ponies to partake in a movie event to understand that this Spike is not Spike the Brave and Glorious they come to call on." 

"However, judging from the guards, they are more likely to accept this Spike as a notable replacement since Spike the Fairy won't be coming back any time soon," Shining Armor said. 

"Which now brings us to our next topic, reintroducing Chrysalis to society," Princess Cadance addresses. 

"As far as the Hive goes, Chrysalis needs more time to readjust her lifestyle," Thorax speaks up. 

"I had many moments where I flipped out and caused a scene," Chrysalis sighs. "The Changelings are giving me space until I find inner peace to transform like the rest of them..." 

"I love you, mommy," Terax hugs his mother. 

"Same," Chrysalis slightly pats her son. 

Flurry Heart flies and lands next to Terax. She giggles at him. 

"Funny alicorn baby," Terax waves at Flurry Heart. He pokes her belly, which causes Flurry Heart to laugh. 

Princess Cadance uses her magic to levitate Flurry Heart away from Terax. "Behave, Flurry," Princess Cadance said in a nurturing tone. 

"The Griffins don't have any beef with Chrysalis so, she's in the clear when she wants to visit Griffin Stone," Gilda says. 

"Changelings are welcome in Yak Yakistan. Yaks are at peace with all Changelings. Yaks are willing to give former Queen Bug; a benefit of a doubt." 

"What about Pinkie Pie and her friends? Are they still exiled from your land?" Princess Celestia asks Prince Rutherford. 

"Yak will think about it. Yak wants to see how the new baby dragon gets treated first. If Yak sees improvement, Yak will improvise and uplift the banishment." 

"That's fair," Princess Luna said. 

"Equestria will need some time accepting Chrysalis' friendship and trust. Chrysalis, you need to be friends with some ponies. It'll help boost your moral image," Princess Celestia states. 

"I'm friends with Twilight Sparkle and Spike the Dragon. I guess I should accept Starlight Glimmer's proposal as well," Chrysalis imagines herself gulping at the thought of being friends with Starlight Glimmer.

"That's a good start," Princess Cadance said. "If you ever need somepony to talk to," Princess Cadance takes a deep breath. "Don't hesitate to reach out to my husband and me," Shining Armor is silent after hearing his wife's statement. 

"I'll keep that in mind," Chrysalis said. 

"The Dragons are here for you, Chrysalis," Ember said. 

"Thanks," Chrysalis rubs Terax's back a bit. 

"Now, there's something else that needs to be addressed. Starswirl, if you would." 

"Right away, Celestia," Starswirl the Bearded coughs. "Empress Ember, I've done some deciphering within the Dragon Land's engravings. I discovered something incredible but, I need more information." 

"What have you discovered?" Ember is intrigued to learn what Starswirled dug up. 

"An Exodus project that details a drawn gate with dragon eggs and a black and blue dragon calling itself the Dragon King of the Apocalypse." 

Everyone is silent except for Princess Luna and Celestia. They know what the Dragon King of the Apocalypse is. Acnologia. 

"There's more to the hieroglyphics within my chambers ever since I became the Empress of Dragons. I'll be happy to show you since I have no idea what it reads." 

"Perfect. I look forward to this expedition. I'm hoping to uncover the history of your kind, Ember." 

"I'm sure your books could help encourage the younger generation of ponies and how to interact with dragons," Ember said. 

"Indeed. So, when can I come?" Starswirled asks. 

"In two weeks. I need to make preparations for your arrival. Hopefully, you can decipher the story of our race since what we know is vagued." 

"Alright, that concludes the meeting, everyone. Thank you for coming." 

Terax yawns. "Mommy, I'm sleepy." 

"I'll put you to bed," Chrysalis said. She turns to Discord. "Mind teleporting us home?" 

"Yes, Chrysalis. Also, when you feel that you're ready, come by to the School of Friendship to make more friends." 

"I'll keep that in mind. I have a lot in mind right now," Chrysalis said. She made sure Terax is on her back when she gets up. 

"Twilight, may I have a word with you in private?" 

"Sure thing, Principal Celestia.., whoops. I meant to say, Princess Celestia," Twilight (Sci-Twi) corrects herself. 

Princess Celestia chuckles. "No need to worry. Follow me," Princess Celestia leaves the meeting room. Twilight (Sci-Twi) follows her outside. 

"So, what do you want to talk about, Princess Celestia?" 

"I have a proposition for you. Would you like to become my student and learn the ways of Friendship?" 

"Like my counterpart once did?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks in confusion. 

"Yes. You take the mantle where she left off before going astray." 

"How would I do that? I'm no expert in magic compared to her. I'm a beginner in an adult-size mare." 

"I'm aware of your circumstances, Twilight. That is why I'm offering to teach you all I know. Help you reach new heights in the field of magic." 

"Can I think about this? This sounds exciting and nerve-racking as well." 

"Of course, Twilight. If you decide not to take the mantle, what would you like to do?" 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs. "Honestly, I don't know what I can do. I'm not sure what to do in the land of Equestria. If I decide to take your offer, will you teach Spike how to use magic? He wants to be as useful as Spike the Fairy." 

"I'll see what I can do in terms of lending Spike some magic power," Princess Celestia formally expresses. "Anything else you have in mind, Twilight?" 

"How would I reach you?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"Like this," Princess Celestia puts her hoof on Twilight's forehead. She casts a spell to allow Twilight to send her mail. 

"Uh, what did you just do?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) feels a bit different. 

"I gave you the ability to send me letters. If you decide to become my personal student or not, you'll have the means of contacting me. I'll be happy to answer any of your questions." 

"Thank you, Princi-Princess Celestia. This means a lot." 

"Of course, Twilight," Princess Celestia smiles at Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Twilight," Princess Cadance trots up to her. "Would you and Spike like to spend the night here in the Crystal Empire?" 

"I would love that," Twilight (Sci-Twi) happily accepts Cadance's offer. 

"Awesome. We're about to have dinner."

"Have any meats?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) nervously asks. 

"No. Why?" 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs while her belly growls. "I want a burger."
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Sparkle walks down the hallway after alluring Kyôka to make Erza reveal Spike the Fairy's location. "Things are going accordingly. Soon, I will eradicate Fairy Rage within Spike's mind, and I'll erase his memories." Midnight Sparkle hears a crash and a loud boom. She decides to investigate the matter. 

"Where the hell are my friends?!" Natsu crashes and clobbers Crawford in the process. Natsu starts attacking another demon in the process, trying to find out where Erza and Mirajane are. 

"Now, cold down, Fanmalth. Take a break," Another demon of Tartaros comes into the fray. 

"Hey, I remember seeing this guy," Midnight Sparkle comes behind Natsu and Happy. 

"NO WAY! TWILIGHT SPARKLE IS WITH TARTAROS?!" Happy panics. He now knows for sure that Fairy Rage's warning is absolute. 

"The name is Midnight Sparkle, cat. Second, I could use another set of wings for my Exceed Juice." 

"Ex-Ex-Exceed Ju-Ju-Juice..?" Happy doesn't like the sound of it. 

"What? The Exceeds we gathered for your flight isn't good enough?" Fanmalth asks. Fanmalth is a round, humanoid creature, with his most noticeable feature being a single eye under the helmet he dons, which hides the rest of his upper face. His arms' colors change between yellow and red in a striped form. Also wears matching striped pants.

"You monster! You devour Exceeds?" Natsu is irate with Twilight's drinking habits. 

"The internal magic power those cats carry make a delicious meal to boost my demonic powers," Midnight Sparkle laughs. "I'm in the mood for a fresh supply of Exceed Magic," Her hands glow aqua blue flares. 

"I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO HARM HAPPY!" Natsu powers up. His body is ablaze in fire. 

"Hey, Midnight. I see you're improving with the other demons," Silver said. 

Natsu turns to look at Silver. He's stunned to see a resemblance of Silver's features. All of a sudden, the area is getting colder by the second.

"Indeed I am. One of the prisoners here will now be revealing a different name for us to capture," Midnight smirks. 

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING SPIKE!" Natsu proclaims. 

"Spike? The supposed Fairy Demon Dragon. Don't worry. I'll subdue his demonic dragon form long enough for you to carry out your objectives, Midnight." 

"Natsu, this guy looks familiar," Happy said while observing the physique of Silver. 

"I know. This guy reminds me of Gray Fullbuster," Natsu gets frozen after saying the name. Happy is in shock to see Natsu frozen in ice. 

"Natsu!" Happy tears up a bit. 

"You should never say that name in my presence, kid," Silver coldly claims. 

"Well, that was too easy," Midnight Sparkle says in satisfaction. 

Happy looks around and sees something in the sky. He starts smiling. Silver and Midnight notices Happy's reaction. 

"You two are dead meat now! Here comes Spike the Fairy!" Happy points at the far left window. 

"Finally," Midnight turns to the direction that Happy is pointing. 

"So, he followed the cat after all," Silver turns as well. 

There was nothing in sight. Midnight Sparkle and Silver turn around to see Happy fleeing from the Tartaros guildhall. 

"I should have known better," Silver said. 

Midnight Sparkle balls her fists in anger. A patrol soldier walks by and gets incinerated by Midnight Sparkle's flares. 

"I will tear that cat's wings off and drink his blood right out of his wounds while he watches." 

"Don't worry, Midnight. With the cat fleeing, he'll bring Spike the Fairy to us to obtain Jellal," Silver said. 

Two more patrol soldiers come, and they are terrified. They see the remains of their comrade in ashes while the armor remains intact. Silver instructs to take Natsu and put him in a holding cell. They do so while avoiding Midnight Sparkle's contact. 

A while later, the ice melts off of Natsu's body. The soldiers put him in bane particle shackles and put him in the holding cell. Natsu is shirtless and scarfless. Natsu wakes up and barks orders to release him. The guards mock Natsu and leaves. Lisanna wakes up after hearing Natsu's threats. 

"Natsu..?" Lisanna sits up. 

"Lisanna?" Natsu is surprised to see Lisanna in shackles. "So did they get Elfman as well?" 

"I don't remember. It's a blur," Lisanna replies.  "How did you get captured?"

"I followed Erza's scent. Unfortunately, Erza and Mirajane got captured by former Chairman Crawford. He's working with Tartaros." 

"That's horrible," Lisanna can't believe that Erza and Mirajane are prisoners like her and Natsu. 

"It gets worse," Natsu seriously states. 

"How worse?" Lisanna is nervous to know. 

"You remember the warning Fairy Rage mentioned?" 

Lisanna gulps. "Y-Yea..?" 

"Twilight Sparkle is working with Tartaros. Fairy Rage's warning came true."

"WHAT?!" Lisanna panics a bit. "No.., no, no, no, no, noo!" Lisanna imagines the horrors Spike may face when confronting Twilight Sparkle. She doesn't want Spike to be taken away by force. 

"Twilight is calling herself Midnight. She's demonic now." 

"This is horrible. Where's Happy?" Lisanna asks. 

"Hopefully, returning to the guildhall to inform what transpired. Hopefully, we'll get rescued, and we'll take down Midnight Sparkle before she gets her greedy hands on our brother!" 

At the Fairy Tail Guildhall, everyone returns from their trips. Spike is feeling much better after taking his medicine. 

"Now, I'm ready for round two," Spike said confidently. 

"First, we need to locate Tartaros."

"Spike, can you teleport to Erza and Mirajane? I suspect they may be in grave danger since we haven't heard from them in over two hours," Makarov asks. 

"I can do that. Who wants to come with me?" Spike asks. 

"Count us in, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel and Panther Lily walk up to him. 

"I'm coming as well," Gray said. 

"Wherever my beloved goes, I'm going as well," Juvia said. 

"It's obvious we're coming, Spike," Wendy said, speaking for Carla and Lucy. 

"Alright, let's go," Spike concentrates Erza's exact location using the flare marking he shot her three months before the Grand Magic Games. He uses his fire breath to teleport his friends and him to Erza's location, but nothing happens. "What the?" Spike breathes his fire again. Like the first time, nothing happens again. 

"Hey! Medic lady, are there any side effects to the medicine you gave to Fairy Dragon?" 

"No, Gajeel. There are no side effects for the medicine I gave to Spike a while ago. The medicine's purpose is to speed up his healing process," Porlyusica confirms. 

"Let me try Natsu, then," Spike tries using his fire breath to teleport to Natsu. Just as before, nothing happens. "Something is wrong. My teleportation isn't working. Is it a side effect from the curses?" 

"Try teleporting the ocean's water. See if all flare markings you shot are dissolving."

"Alright," Spike breathes fire above Juvia, and ocean water sprinkles on Juvia. Everyone is confused for the moment. 

"Something is weird. The flare markings for the ocean's water are seven years old," Lucy noted. 

"I think I have a theory that explains why Spike's flare markings to teleport isn't working."

"Natsu and I found it!" Happy stumbles while flying inside the guildhall. "The base! I know where it is! We have to go back!" Happy crash lands on the table in the guildhall. 

"Happy!" Everyone shouts and runs up to the table where Happy crash-landed. Happy starts spatting out a ton of information at a rapid pace until Carla grabs his cheeks to calm him down. 

"Please explain everything, Happy," Makarov said. 

"Natsu and I found out that former Chairman Crawford is a traitor. He captured Erza and Mirajane." 

"What?!" Everyone shouts in horror. 

"The former Chairman? How could he work for Tartaros!" Makarov is livid with the Chairman's betrayal. 

"It gets worse," Happy takes a deep breath. "Natsu got captured by the Ice Demon Slayer. He froze Natsu in place like he was nothing." 

"That's horrible," Lucy said. She imagines how wicked powerful the Ice Demon Slayer is. 

"Spike?" Happy turns to Spike. He sees Spike suppressing his anger. 

"Spike is preparing to unleash his anger at Tartaros for capturing his family."

"Fairy Rage."

"Yes, Happy?"

Happy looks down and sighs. "I saw Twilight Sparkle at the Tartaros Guildhall." 

"WHAT?!" Everyone except for Spike shouts in horror. 

"She's now Midnight Sparkle." 

Silence reign. All eyes turn to Spike. Spike is trembling, not in fear but anger. After a few moments, Spike is calm, which scares everyone in the guildhall. 

"Spike?" Wendy walks up to her boyfriend. She's worried about Spike's well-being.

"Spike Knightwalker killed Twilight Sparkle in Edolas. He killed her by torturing her. Using barbed wire as a whip, then slit her throat with a knife; Leekips devoured Twilight in his timeline. The signs are pointing to me that to end her madness. I must kill Twilight Sparkle. However, I won't fall into insanity as Spike Knightwalker did. If she's torturing my brothers and sisters, I will have retribution. She's an enemy of Fairy Tail. Therefore, I should be the one who ends her!" 

"Not alone, you're not!" Wendy confronts Spike. "The difference between those two is one; Spike Knightwalker was broken, two; Leekips was manipulated. You are not going into insanity! You're not facing this demon alone!" 

"She's right, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel puts his hand on Spike's head. "I want to fight this demon with you. Ain't no one stripping my brother's happiness." 

"I'm not losing my brother to that bitch!" Lucy puts her hand on Spike's shoulder. "She'll rue the day for messing with Fairy Tail." 

"We're all with you. Your pain is our pain. Your enemy is our enemy. We fight as one. We fight as a family. For this day, Fairy Tail will defeat Tartaros!" Makarov declares, rallying his children in the process. 

"YEAH!" Everyone shouts their warcry. 

Wendy kisses Spike's lips to show that she won't allow Twilight to win. Spike returns the kiss and smiles. He's ready for battle now. 

Happy explains the location of Tartaros' Guildhall. It's on a cubic island that hovers high in the skies. Elfman returns to the guildhall, but Lisanna isn't with him. Elfman confirms that Lisanna has been captured by Tartaros and there was nothing he could have done about it. Cana goes off on Elfman for failing to protect Lisanna from Tartaros. Elfman walks away in shame. 

"Ever heard of this thing called sympathy?" Gray asks. 

Cana watches Elfman go downstairs. Happy is explaining to Levy the whereabouts of Tartaros' location. The landmarks he saw on the way to Magnolia to pinpoint where Tartaros could be heading. 

"Whoa, I'm sensing something peculiar for some reason."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Cana turns to Spike. 

"I'm sensing something vigorously powerful and yet, demonic."

"Where?" Makarov asks. 

"Downstairs."

"I'm on it!" Cana goes downstairs where Elfman is. She sees him with a purple orb. "What are you doing? Is that some sort of lacrima?"

"You can't stop me!" Elfman lunges at Cana.

"What do you think you're doing?" Cana yells at Elfman. 

"Why did you have to come down here?" Elfman pins Cana to the floor. 

"Fairy Rage can sense manipulating matter, you dolt! He sensed something demonic." 

"Damn it!" Elfman forgot that Fairy Rage senses something peculiar. 

"Is that a bomb?!" Cana sees the orb brighter than before. 

"This is the end of Fairy Tail!" Elfman shouts. 

Cana sees in Elfman's eyes and believes he's possessed. She turns him into a card. Cana hurries upstairs and turns every Fairy Tail Wizard into a card except for Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily. They take off, flying towards Tartaros' Guildhall. The Fairy Tail Guildhall explodes seconds later. Then all of a sudden, the cube of Tartaros pulls Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily to the bottom of the cube, away from the top of Tartaros. Soldiers of Tartaros come out, getting ready to kill any intruders. 

Cana comes out of her card. "Hello, Tartaros. I like you to meet Fairy Tail!" Cana releases her friends from her cards. The soldiers stop to see every Fairy Tail Wizard standing. 

A gigantic dragon claw smashes in front of the Tartaros Soldiers. Another dragon claw smashes to the side. The Soldiers of Tartaros are mesmerized to see Spike the Fairy. 

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE! YOUR SOUL IS MINE!" Spike proclaims. He's now the size of half a dragon.
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Sparkle is walking down the corridors of Tartaros when she becomes elated after hearing Spike's voice. She'll wait a while before making an appearance. Right now, Spike needs a distraction to exert his magic energy before killing Fairy Rage. 

"Retreeeeeaaaaaaaat!" A Soldier of Tartaros commands. He knows his platoon doesn't stand a chance against Spike the Fairy. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Sparkling Orange-Green Flames scorches an army of Tartaros, allowing many Fairy Tail Wizards to advance. Spike casts a protection spell on Porlyusica, the Thunder Legion, and Mr.Yajima from any artillery of Tartaros. 

"We have to keep going! Continue to push them back, Fairy Dragon! Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel uses his iron club to clobber Tartaros Soldiers.

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy casts a whirlwind from her arms to attack Tartaros Soldiers. They get blown away on impact. 

"Moove it!" Taurus uses his ax to attack Tartaros Soldiers. 

"Lucy Kick!" Lucy kicks a Tartaros Soldier hard. 

"Look out, Ms.Luucy!" Taurus warns Lucy of an incoming attack. 

"I got this. Regulus Impact!" Loke's hand lights up and punches several soldiers with great force. The Soldiers fall back in agony. 

"Guns Magic," Alzack and Bisca shoot magic bullets at the Tartaros Soldiers coming from the east side of the cubic. 

"Knuckle Plant Go!" Droy throws Knuckle Seeds into the dirt. Many knuckle vines rise and punch a swarm of soldiers. 

Tartaros Soldiers try their best to attack every Fairy Tail Wizard at every corner. Some are struggling due to Spike's height advantage. Spike uses his tail to fling Tartaros Soldiers away from the injured. 

"Damn, this sucks! We're at the bottom of the cube of Tartaros, and these guys continue to appear," Wakaba uses his smoke magic to punch a swarm of Tartaros Soldiers. 

"Rainbow Fire!" Romeo shoots his rainbow flames at a swarm of Tartaros Soldiers. 

"That's my boy," Macao shoots his purple flames at an incoming wave of Tartaros Soldiers. 

Makarov is increasing his size to take down more of Tartaros Soldiers. "Spike! We need you to fly us to the Fortress!"

"I'm on it!" Spike replies. 

The ground erupts, a crater forms when Kyôka and Erza emerge. Erza is attacking Kyôka in the process in one of her javelin armors. 

"There's our way in! Everyone, hop down, and let's bring Tartaros to their demise!" Makarov commands. 

Kyôka lands elsewhere on Tartaros while Erza lands next to her comrades.  "There's gravity?" Erza turns to see everyone. "You're here." 

"Well done, you opened a path for us," Makarov said. 

"My pleasure. Question. Why are we upside down?" Erza sees Magnolia upside from her viewpoint. 

"We're on the bottom of the cubic. Tartaros is floating, and we're on the bottom, Sis." Spike informs Erza. 

"Spike, there's something you need to know." 

"Happy told me about Midnight Sparkle. Her madness will come to an end."

"Yea," Wendy nods. "We're going to see this through. That way, Spike doesn't succumb to insanity just as Spike Knightwalker did in Edolas." 

"Natsu and Lisanna are okay. That leaves Mira and Elfman," Erza informs everyone. 

"You can take me off the list," Elfman walks up to Erza. "I'll save you, Mira. I swear it!" 

"Let's go!" Gray and everyone starts jumping into the crater to storm Tartaros' Guildhall. 

"Erza, come here so I can treat you," Porlyusica advises. 

"I'll be fine," Erza said. Kyôka extends her fingers to grab Erza. 

"Hey!" Spike grabs them. "Hands off of my sister!" Spike yanks Kyôka's fingers. 

"Ah, crud," Kyôka wasn't aware of Spike's increasing capabilities. 

Spike slams Kyôka to the ground with his palm, pinning her in the process. Kyôka releases her hold on Erza. 

"Thanks, Spike," Erza looks up at Spike and notices his demeanor. He's serious in this battle, a different serious that speaks volumes. 

Spike picks up Kyôka and throws her far away from his presence. "I'm going after Midnight Sparkle. Will you like to join me?" 

"It'll be my honor," Erza hops onto Spike's back. Spike takes off in a different direction.

Midnight Sparkle is conserving her magic energy away from any conflicts. Midnight Sparkle hears the commotion going on. 

"Sounds like a party," Silver said while having a drink. 

"Meaningless battles when the Face eradicates magic. I'll succeed in retrieving Spike while others fall. I'll erase Spike's memories. Then, I'll use my power to reset Equestria to the night before Spike made his wish. Everything will go back to normal."

"By doing so, eliminating Spike the Fairy will make Tartaros' objectives smoother. That dragon is running amuck and could be the turning table that'll edge the war." 

"Trust me. You'll have a smoother victory road while everyone else falls and surrenders to Tartaros. I will kill Fairy Rage and anyone daring to stand in my way. I won't be that weakling that succumbed to Fairy Law." 

"Oh, I trust you, Midnight. So far, your plans are working into fruition," Silver leaves Midnight's presence. 

"Spike, you'll be home soon. Where you belong no matter the costs, I make in this world."

"Get back here!" Kyôka returns and knocks Erza off of Spike's back. 

"Erza!" Spike turns around. 

"There's is nothing you can do about it. Magic will vanish, and you'll all be doomed!" Kyôka declares. 

"Requip!" Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. "You're a fool for attacking us!" Erza draws her sword. 

"I'm not alone," Kyôka smirks. 

Multiple explosions occur on Spike's back, causing him to revert to size. Spike is now the size of Laxus while maintaining form. 

"Spike!" Erza turns to see Spike suffering a bit from the explosions. "WHO DID THIS?!" 

"That'll be me, Titania," Minerva said. She now has two curl horns on her head, a black patch covering her right eye that continues to her left leg. Minerva wears a long black cloak and bandages that cover most of her torso and a pair of underwear underneath. On her arms, she wears light-colored armbands and black gloves covering her hands, and her guild mark is on her left waist. Minerva also wears knee guards and black high-top boots.






"Minerva?" Erza is stunned to see Minerva allowing her humanity to drift demonically. 

"You know what I'm going to do next, right?" Spike snorts. 

"I have more power than you, Fairy Dragon. Also, call me Neo Minerva. Reborn by the darkness with more magic power, washed clean of my humanity." 

"Neo Vegetable is your new name when I finish you!" Spike powers up. 

"Fairy Demon Dragon won't help you," Minerva smirks. "I'm sure Twilight will eradicate him." 

Spike glares at Minerva for mentioning Twilight's name. He flies after her. "I should have killed you when I had the chance!" Spike's anger is getting the better of him. 

"No, Spike!" Erza is worried about Spike's humanity. 

"Die Erza!" Kyôka attacks Erza with her finger whips. 

Erza uses her sword to deflect Kyôka's attack. She focuses on stopping her before Spike gets too carried away. 

Neo Minerva relishes Spike's anger and wrath. She decides to mess with him even more. Minerva unleashes a wave of Neo Territorial Explosions in front of Spike's flight patterns. The explosions implode on contact; Massive black flames and smoke filters the air where Spike flew. 

"My turn!" Spike flies through the smoke. His scales are blackened while having some bruises. 

"What?" Neo Minerva is in shock. 

"You showed your demonic power. Allow me to show you mine!" Spike consumes the smoke from Neo Minerva's power. His body starts turning while using his hatred for Twilight for motivation. His eyes are no longer orange-green but pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. His claws and his teeth are sharper. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns blood red.

"So, this is what Fairy Demon Dragon looks like," Kyôka said during mid-fight with Erza. Erza is overwhelming her a bit. 

"I still have more power than you!" Neo Minerva proclaims. 

"What you lack is heart in this fight. That is why I will win."

"YOU'RE A DEMON! YOU'RE A FAIRY DEMON DRAGON! DEMONS DON'T HAVE HEARTS?!" Neo Minerva grits her teeth and feels conflicted with Spike's statement. 

"I love my friends in Fairy Tail. I love my friends in the other guilds they're in; I have a loving family and girlfriend. I refuse to allow someone to deprive me of my friends and family, no matter the costs. I can say this, Sabertooth is still searching for you and wants you back home. You don't belong with Tartaros. There's one wizard in Tartaros I want to slay. Not you."

"Why be so merciful to me in this fight?" Neo Minerva cloaks her hands in a space-wave matter, creating additional damage to Fairy Demon Dragon. She lunges at Fairy Demon Dragon, punching left and right repeatedly. Spike feels the pain but doesn't acknowledge the pain. "My power is absolute! I will kill you! I will kill Erza and the rest of FAIRY TAIL!"

Spike catches her fist. He feels some agonizing pain after refusing to acknowledge it. "Is that what you want, or is there something else?" Spike gut punches Neo Minerva, using Minerva's strength against her. 

"SHUT UP!" Neo Minerva punches Spike with all her might. Spike falls to the ground below. 

Spike gets up and looks at Minerva. "Dark Meteor Rain!" Spike conjures Sparkling Black Lightning Flame Orbs on Minerva. They explode all around Minerva; she screams in agonizing pain. 

"That's the power of Fairy Demon Dragon?" Kyôka watches in horror while defending herself against Erza's relentless attacks. 

"You have no idea what my brother is capable of," Erza said while slashing at Kyôka in close-quarters combat. 

"In a few moments, Face will activate! You and your brother's magic will die, along with any hopes of winning this war!" 

"That's all the time I need to defeat you!" Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor and continues her assault on Kyôka. 

"All I have to do is stall for time. Then I'll kill you," Kyôka said while dodging more of Erza's attacks. 

Around this moment, Wendy and Carla have located Face and a demon of Tartaros known as Ezel. There are only a few minutes to deactivate the self-destruction of Face. Wendy breathes the air that surrounds the magic power of Face and activates her Dragon Force. She fights Ezel to a breaking point. Ezel becomes overwhelmed with Wendy's Dragon Force and loses his fight. Wendy and Carla destroy Face before activation. 

"Hah! Victory at last!" Kyôka knows that Face's time is up. "All magic is vanquished!" 

"I don't think so!" Erza lands a strike on Kyôka's side with her sword. 

Kyôka screams in agony. "How? Face's activation should have detonated by now!" 

"It appears my friends have destroyed the weapon, rendering your objective a failure. With magic still flowing, I'm going to finish this fight!" Erza requips into her Purgatory Armor. 

"No..." Kyôka is now worried and doesn't know what to do now. She decides to flee from the fight while commanding her soldiers to keep Titania occupied. 

"After her men!" A swarm of Tartaros Soldiers appears and goes after Erza. 

"Coward! Get back here!" Erza demands while fighting her way through the soldiers. 

"We will finish this fight another time," Kyôka soars in the skies, returning to the guildhall.

Midnight Sparkle is in a room with lacrima vision that has eyes everywhere on Tartaros. She reminisces her last confrontation with Fairy Demon Dragon and has a way of eliminating the transformation. 

"So Face has failed us," Silver said, watching the lacrima vision with Midnight. 

"I'm sure the Underworld King has another plan in fruition. Minerva's fight with Fairy Dragon is underwhelming." 

"How so?" Silver looks at the lacrima vision and notices Spike talking to Minerva. 

"While it took me months to gain the demonic curses I have, Minerva's transformation took a week tops. She's not up to par with Fairy Dragon's magic at the slightest. I told Kyôka to use Minerva to double team Erza. She failed in that regard." 

"Well, Erza has Fairy Dragon with her. It's hard to double team someone with an opponent such as Fairy Dragon. Why not intervene now?" 

"Spike is barely breaking a sweat with his magic. His physical endurance is one thing. However, Fairy Rage resides within him and can take over. That's why I propose to the Underworld King of subduing Spike's magic." 

"So, is he going to do it?" 

"Mard Geer said no. He's given me the power to do so, Silver. However, I won't partake just yet. I'm sure the others will give Fairy Dragon a run before he becomes too tired." 

"Well, if I'm not too busy, I'll render Fairy Dragon to submission for you," Silver walks away. "If I am, I wish you luck on your part." 

Midnight Sparkle continues to watch the progress between Fairy Tail and Tartaros. She hopes that Minerva can weaken Spike more before losing her battle.
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Minerva! You don't have to fight this battle!" Erza pleas while battling Tartaros Soldiers. 

"Stay out of this!" Neo Minerva shoots her Territory Explosions at Erza and Fairy Demon Dragon. 

Erza and Spike dodge the Territory Explosions. Unfortunately, Tartaros Soldiers suffer the backlash of Neo Minerva's attack. Erza requips into her Flight Armor to fight Neo Minerva. 

"Spike! I got Minerva! Go get Twilight!" Erza strikes Minerva with her sword. 

"Yes, go on and meet your demise!" Neo Minerva sinisterly laughs. She uses her magic to switch places with Spike. Spike catches Erza's sword. "Oh, so close to ending his life!" 

"You'll rue that!" Erza is pissed off. 

"Sis, I-" Spike stutters a bit. His fear of going alone gets the better of him. Midnight Sparkle views Spike's reaction and knows she has him beaten mentally. 

"Guys, can you hear me?" Warren telepathically says while standing by with Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Jet, and Droy. "We found Mira. She's safe and sound." 

"Sorry to worry you, I'm fine now," Mirajane confirms. A while ago, she battled Seilah, a Demon of Tartaros. Elfman came and took down Seilah while Seliah was in disarray. 

"Elfman and Lisanna are with us too," Warren confirms. 

"Hey, Warren. Can you put me through to everyone? There's something I need to say," Lucy asks. She's with Natsu. 

"Yeah, hold on," Warren focus his telepathy magic expanding into everyone's minds. "Okay, you're good to go." 

"Wendy and Carla pulled it off. I don't know how they did it, but they stopped Face!" Lucy happily informs everyone. Every Fairy Tail Wizard cheers for winning a battle. 

"My girlfriend is amazing. God, I love Wendy Marvell."

"There's something else I need to address," Lucy said. 

"Can Master hear me? I have a message," Happy said while flying to Master Makarov. 

"Sure, Happy, I'll put you right through," Warren allows Happy to speak his telepathic message. 

"We talked to the soul of Master Hades," Happy said. 

"What?" Makarov is baffled by Happy's revelation. "What did he tell you?" 

"Even though we stopped Face, it's not over. He gave us a message for Master. I don't understand what it all means but, he told us that Master has to unleash the light." 

"To do what..?" Makarov thinks it over for a second. Then, he realized what Master Hades refer. "He's talking about the Lumen Histoire. He can't be serious?!" Makarov panics about the Lumen Histoire and Hades' warning. 

Spike releases Rage to have a quick conversation. "Do you know what Lumen Histoire is?"

"No. I don't know what it is and what kind of power it has. If Master Hades requests the Lumen Histoire, Tartaros has another plan in motion."

"Is it Midnight Sparkle?"

"Possibly. We will have to wait and see. Right now, let's help Erza finish this fight with Neo Minerva. We can't fight Midnight Sparkle on our own without anyone keeping us in check."

Warren's telepathy gets hijacked by Mard Geer. "Please pardon the interruption. I wish to speak with the Wizard Guild, Fairy Tail." 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard is stunned to hear a demon possessing Warren's telepathy. The fighting stops with every wizard around. Tartaros Soldiers make a hasting retreat to get the wounded out of their battle zones. Every Fairy Tail Wizard becomes worried and loses focus on Warren's telepathic signal. 

"Who the hell are you?" Elfman demands to know the hijacker's name. 

"The Underworld King, Mard Geer. But knowing who I am won't save you. For none of you will live to see tomorrow." 

"We'll see tomorrow. You won't!" Spike proclaims. 

"Fairy Demon Dragon, Spike the Fairy. You'll see a different day when Midnight Sparkle claims your soul." 

"She's not taking my soul! She's not taking me anywhere!" Spike is getting agitated. 

"She will take something from you. I guarantee that. Alegria," Mard Geer swipes his hand and turns the cube of Tartaros into a gigantic monster called Plutogrim. Plutogrim is a beast that Mard Geer describes as being a prison. 

The landscapes of Tartaros alter drastically. Spikes form all around the cubic of Tartaros, the gravity shifting, red-flesh-like ooze appears all around, capturing Fairy Tail Wizards left and right. Some separate due to the transformation. 

"What is this stuff?!" Erza is trapped in the red-flesh-like ooze. 

"You're mine!" Neo Minerva lunges at Erza while Spike and she was distracted by Warren's telepathic message and Mard Geer's interruption. 

"Begone!" Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Neo Minerva away from Erza. She's elsewhere on Tartaros.

Neo Minerva slams her fists on the ground. "I hate that dragon!" 

Erza, like most other Fairy Tail Wizards, is getting dragged into the red ooze. 

"What the hell?" Spike grabs Erza's arm and tries to pull her out. 

"Pull harder, Spike!" Erza feels the ooze pulling her down and encasing her body. Spike watches in horror while the ooze is overlapping Erza. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Erza out of it. "No..." Spike's fire breath did nothing. Erza is submerging into the ooze. "Sis! Do you hear me?!" Spike tears up. He tries to feel Erza's pulse. "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Spike reverts with his drive for Fairy Demon Dragon evaporated. "She's.., she's..," Spike couldn't stop tearing up. 

"I'm afraid the others have suffered the same fate, Spike. I don't sense anyone's magic around us. We're all alone. Perhaps, Midnight Sparkle had this planned all along?" Fairy Rage theorizes the possibilities behind the motives of encasing everyone. 

"I can't feel her pulse..," Spike falls to his knees. 

Midnight Sparkle watches from the lacrima vision. "You had the chance to come with me during the Grand Magic Games, Spike. Now, due to your selfish reasons, your friends and family have perished. It's not hard. Coming back to the world you're meant to live. Equestria's ruling for all creatures to originate where they belong. Thank you, Mard Geer, for making things easier. Now, cripple Spike into submission, and I'll do the rest," Midnight Sparkle leaves the lacrima vision room when she sensed a spec of magic not coming from Spike. 

"Spike. I sense someone with magic power!" Fairy Rage claims. He senses a survivor not far from their position. 

"I sense her as well," Spike gets up. "Hope is not lost." 

"We need to get moving. Perhaps we can fight this battle and find a way to reverse the effects of Mard Geer's spell."

"Right!" Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the survivor of the hellish imprisonment. 

"Spike!" Lucy hugs Spike. She's happy to see him. 

Spike returns the hug. "I'm happy to see you as well."

"What happened? What is all this goo?" Lucy looks around to see the red-flesh-like ooze all over the walls and floors of the area. 

"Alegria. Mard Geer's spell. Unfortunately, we cannot figure out if everyone is dead or in stasis."

Spike looks down. "I couldn't save Erza from the ooze. My fire breath couldn't teleport her out of it. I wasn't strong enough..," 

"Don't worry. We'll save everyone from this mess," Lucy gets up. "It's not over until it's over. We'll save our friends and ensure Tartaros' defeat," Lucy encouragingly says, trying her best to cheer Spike up. 

"You're right. Tartaros hasn't taken us out. We're still in this fight!"

Spike powers up and increases his size into Laxus'. "Now, I have a fire in my belly!"
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Lucy cover their ears while Plutogrim roars. Plutogrim's roaring is causing the buildings of Magnolia to disintegrate. People on the streets are panicking and fleeing for their lives. 

"Demons of Tartaros," Mard Geer uses his telepathy. Spike and Lucy hear Mard Geer. "I used the Alegria. The intruders' lives have been snuffed out. Our plans remain unchanged. The Faces' activation is imminent." 

"It's confirmed..." Fairy Rage believes that his warning about Spike losing something close has come to pass. 

"Wait, I thought Wendy and Carla stopped face." Lucy thought to herself. 

"Faces..," Spike puts it together. "Of course. Now I understand. The Magic Council made more than one Face. In case something were to happen to the first one. There could be hundreds of them, planted elsewhere in Fiore." 

"Incoming wave!" Fairy Rage senses something peculiar. 

"What is it?" Lucy gets in position. 

Green water pours from the ceiling and floods the area. Spike and Lucy get caught in the current. 

"One more thing, Demons of Tartaros. A human has avoided Algeria's imprisonment reaches. The same goes for Fairy Dragon, the one Midnight Sparkle desires. A timely vacancy has risen among the Nine Demon Gates. Whoever slays this human may fit. If a Demon Gate kills the human, they should receive a greater reward. Good hunting," Mard Geer smiles. 

"Thank you," Midnight Sparkle telepathically says to Mard Geer. 

"Anything for you. Your services are much obliged to our cause. We will weaken Fairy Dragon for you to overwhelm him. I will ask of you to partake in hunting the last human." 

"I'll hunt on my accord. Fairy Dragon is still intact. I need Fairy Dragon in a broken state, which won't be for much longer." 

"Very well," Mard Geer allows Midnight Sparkle to be and walks to his throne. 

Lucy and Spike grab onto a log that's surfing on the waters. Lucy and Spike pull themselves up. Lucy rides while Spike flies beside her. 

"Alright, let's not split up," Lucy said. 

"You don't have to tell me twice," Spike looks around and sees three Tartaros Soldiers surfing on logs. "How did they find us so quickly?" 

"No idea."

"We don't have time for you!" Lucy grabs her whip and lashes at the Soldiers. They fall into the greenish waters. 

Spike turns around to see another wave of Tartaros Soldiers riding on logs. They are shooting magic beams from their weaponry. 

"I got them. Phew, phew," Spike mimics his claws like guns, shooting Sparkling Green Bullets at the Tartaros Soldiers. 

"Crap! This dragon can shoot bullets!" Some Tartaros Soldiers didn't anticipate this kind of firepower from Spike the Fairy. Each of them is knocked into the waters while trying to dodge his flaming bullets. 

More Tartaros Soldiers appear next to Lucy while Spike shoots Tartaros Soldiers behind Lucy. "Gotcha you now, Blonde!"

"Open, Gate of the Archer! Sagittarius!" Lucy opens Sagittarius' Gate Key. 

"Howdy-do," Sagittarius is on a structure above and shoots Tartaros Soldiers left and right with his arrows. Someone appears, spinning in circles on water. "What in blazes is this? She's deflecting my arrows." 

Lamy, a bunny-girl demon of Tartaros, is spinning in circles on water. She ascends and attacks Sagittarius, rendering him from battle. 

"Take a break, Sagittarius," Lucy closes his gate. 

Spike finishes shooting Tartaros Soldiers. "Things are about to become hectic around here," Spike sees Lamy. 

"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" Lucy opens Virgo's Gate Key. 

Virgo appears in her black bikini while surfing on a log. "You want this bunny girl punished, yes?" 

Lamy becomes offended by Virgo's appearance. To her, Virgo is more beautiful than Lamy. 

"Heads up, Lucy!" Fairy Rage warns Lucy of an incoming attack. 

"Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!" Lucy opens Loke's Gate Key. 

"Regulus Impact!" Loke appears in front of a different demon, blocking Torafuzar's attack. 

"You stopped my blade barehanded," Torafuzar is impressed with Loke's physique and power. Torafuzar is a massive, extremely-muscular lizardman-shark demon. His body is dark pinkish with scales all over; his long arms sport an arched-backward, fin-like bladed protrusion on the outer side.

"Impressive, not even Regulus' power could block it all," Loke has a scratch on his arm from the impact. 

"Wow, that guy reminds me of King Shark," Spike said, looking at the demon. 

"Thanks, Loke," Lucy said. "You okay?" 

"I'll be fine," Loke is preparing to battle Torafuzar. 

Virgo and Loke battle Lamy and Torafuzar on their logs while riding the current. Lucy appears too tired from summoning her Zodiac Spirits. Spike flies next to Lucy to protect her from any other Demon that comes along. 

"Oh look, familiar faces," Jackal smirks. 

"This time, stay down!" Spike conjures sword blades on both arms like the Dorma Anim he copied. 

"Huh?" Jackal is puzzled by Spike's abilities. "So, copying a demon's sword arms?" Spike flies at Jackal. "Not this time, Fairy Dragon," Jackal shoots his explosions at Lucy.

"Shit!" Spike couldn't react and turned to see Lucy hit with the explosions. 

"Lucy!" Virgo and Loke watch in horror. Lucy lands in the greenish waters and submerges within. 

"I'm after the human. I'll save you for the last," Jackal laughs. 

"METEOR RAIN!" Spike conjures Sparkling Green Orbs with lightning inside. He unleashes them at Jackal. 

Jackal laughs and dodges each one. He shoots more of his explosions directly at Lucy. Some of Spike's orbs intercept the explosions but, Lucy still gets hit with the full force of some. Lucy screams in agony while Spike is losing some edge. With the thought of Midnight lurking around, it could be at any moment she'll strike. 

"It's pointless protecting her when you can't protect yourself!" Jackal maniacally laughs while unleashing wave after wave of explosions upon Spike and Lucy. 

Spike does his best to shield himself and Lucy from the onslaught of explosions. It becomes too much when Tartaros Soldiers return and start shooting magic beams at Spike and Lucy. Lucy reminisces about the times her friends had come to save her time and time again. She draws Aquarius' Gate Key, ready to unleash her wrath. 

"Open, Gate of the Waterbearer! Aquarius!" Lucy opens Aquarius' Gate Key. 

"Lucy! You're going to push yourself too far!" Virgo warns, knowing that Lucy is exhausting herself. 

"You can't open three gates at once!" Loke said. 

Lucy falls over due to extreme exhaustion. However, Aquarius catches her. She turns to see the demons of Tartaros and Soldiers of Tartaros. 

"You're even stupider than I thought." 

"Glad.., you.., made.., it..," Lucy tiredly says. 

"I'm going to say this one more time. You're a damn idiot," Aquarius conjures her water currents with her urn. 

"Who the hell is that?" Jackal looks at Aquarius. 

"She's my friend," Lucy answers. 

"You're demise," Spike flies out of the way. 

Aquarius unleashes her strongest water torrent at Jackal, Tartaros Soldiers, and Lamy. Loke and Virgo warn Lucy to close one of their gates to reserve strength. Torafuzar swims in the currents of Aquarius' torrent.   

"That thing is swimming against my torrent," Aquarius is appalled by the demon's physique. 

"Water is a specialty of mine," Torafuzar rises from the waters to strike Aquarius. 

"Ice Spike!" Spike conjures an ice spike from Aquarius' waters. Torafuzar gets struck in the back during the process. "Little bastard," Torafuzar is now pissed off. 

"Good save, Spike!" Loke sees Aquarius safe from harm. 

"Not good enough!" Jackal laughs and uses his explosion magic on Loke and Virgo. 

"Loke! Virgo!" Lucy watches in horror while Loke and Virgo return to the Celestial Spirit World in defeat. 

"Oh, Midnight," Jackal smirks. 

Spike turns to see where Midnight is coming from; this leads to his undoing, allowing Jackal and Torafuzar to strike Spike with their full force assault. 

"Spike! Noo!" Lucy watches Spike receiving a scar from Torafuzar's blade strike on his back while Jackal punches Spike in the face and the gut. Spike explodes due to Jackal's curse. 

"Hahahahahaha! Ahahahahahahaha!" Jackal relishes Spike's misery from the blows. "Man, that felt sweet! Fairy Dragon fell for it!" 

"The dragon is a pest. I'm glad he's down for a while," Torafuzar said. 

"The baby dragon thought mommy was coming," Lamy laughs. 

"You bastards!" Aquarius is livid. 

Lucy is losing magic power. She's all out of options while Aquarius is positioning herself to defend Lucy. 

"This end now!" Fairy Rage rises and conjures a Sparkling Orange Fireball. 

"So, that's Fairy Rage," Torafuzar sees Spike's eyes are bright orange. He charges after him. 

"Rage Energy Bl-" Fairy Rage is about to press his claw forward when Torafuzar strikes him with his fin-like blade. "Aaaaaaaah!" Fairy Rage holds his sides. 

"Pathetic dragon," Torafuzar knees Fairy Rage in the gut and slams him down to the ground. "I expected more of a challenge," Torafuzar is unimpressed with Fairy Rage. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Orange Explosions hits Torafuzar under his feet. He gets hurled away from Lucy's presence. "I have to draw this demon away from Lucy."

"So, you have some surprises after all. I hope Midnight Sparkle doesn't mind if I cripple you," Torafuzar goes after Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage uses his fire breath to teleport him and Torafuzar away from Lucy. They're in a different room. Fairy Rage smirks. "We'll meet again soon."

"What are you talking about?" Torafuzar leaps in the air and lashes at Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage uses his fire breath to teleport Torafuzar elsewhere on Tartaros. "That little jackass is clever. However, I will end him," Torafuzar goes on a different path to hunt Lucy all over again. 

"I gotta get back to Lucy." Fairy Rage flies. Using his sense of direction by sensing Lucy's magic. He hopes to ambush Jackal. 

Aquarius unleashes her torrents of water at Lamy and Jackal. Lucy is losing more magic energy for extending Aquarius' timeslot. Lamy is pushed away while Jackal tries his hardest; to get closer to kill Lucy. 

"Thank you, Aquarius," Lucy watches Jackal getting pushed back by the currents. 

"Listen up. I can't beat them; I can slow them down. Same goes for the Zodiacs. Spike the Fairy is getting overwhelmed by these demons of Tartaros. These demons are too strong." 

"Yea..," Lucy sniffs at the face of defeat. 

"However, there is a way you can still win this," Aquarius said. 

"There is?" Lucy asks. 

"There's not a lot of time for me to say this once, so pay attention. You're strong, Lucy. Strong enough to keep three gates open. And strong enough to summon HIM. The Celestial Spirit King." 

"Is that possible..?" Lucy is astounded after learning she has the strength to summon the Celestial Spirit King. 

"Why else will I say it? This won't be easy, but it's our only chance. His strike from the stars can obliterate any foe. Even this one." 

"He did overwhelm Spike during their spar. But to call the Celestial Spirit King, I don't know how. I don't have his Gate Key."

"The Celestial Spirit King has no Gate Key, Lucy. There's another way to open his Gate; with a Zodiac Key. The price is a hefty one, though. You can open the Gate of the King once and by breaking a Golden Key. Forever." 

Lucy gasps. "That would mean... Closing one of my Spirits." 

Jackal proclaims to make Lucy's life a living nightmare when he gets to her. He's fighting Aquarius' currents. 

"You can't break any Golden Key either. The King's Gate will only open if the level of trust between Wizard and Spirit is especially strong." 

"There has to be another way. I won't do that!" Lucy declares. "I mean it! It's like your telling me to pick a best friend to betray!" 

"It's not a betrayal if I let you," Aquarius said. "Only thing I trusted you is to act like a fool. However, we do go way back. So, I think it'll work," Aquarius calmly says. 

"Are you saying that I should..?"

"Do what it takes to save your friends, yes." 

"But you're one of them!" Lucy protests. "I'm not going to sacrifice one friend to save another. It's wrong! There has to be another way! All we need to do is figure it out!" 

"Do you think I would suggest this if there is still another option? This is the only chance you have." 

"Nooo!" Lucy refuses and becomes teary. "That's not true!"

"There is another option, Lucy," Aquarius said. 

"What is it?" Lucy becomes optimistic. 

"Let Spike be taken away by refusing to summon the Celestial Spirit King!" Aquarius angrily says. 

Lucy tears up even more. With the idea of her refusal to sacrifice a Gate Key for Spike's safety in Earth Land. However, it's harder for her to make a sacrifice. Jackal is getting agitated with the ongoing currents pushing him away. He's using his explosion curses to create a path to Lucy. 

"You hear that? He'll breakthrough soon. You have to be strong, please! " 

"I can't!" Lucy cries. 

"It's not like you breaking my key will kill me, okay? I'll be fine. It'll be like I moved. Somewhere very far away." 

"I'll still be too sad..," Lucy continues to cry. 

"Maybe for you, but I'll be relieved. Your mother was an extraordinary person. The best Master I ever had. When she lost her life and my key was passed onto you, I could barely take it. You were an ignorant brat who cried all the time and took everything for granted. You didn't inherit an ounce of your mother's natural grace. But, I had to tolerate you because you were Layla's daughter. I loathed you, despised you, for such a very long time." 

"I don't care if you hate me! You're still my first friend, and I love you! There's nothing you can say to change my mind. Stop trying!" 

"Quit acting like a child! You can lose everything you have, allowed this Twilight to ruin Spike's life, or lose me!" Aquarius shouts to get through to Lucy's stubbornness. Lucy continues to cry. "What matters most in life? Keys? Memories? Your guilty conscience? Or is it this? The strength to make sacrifices, to protect the ones you love even when it hurts you! If that's it, then break my key right now! Natsu isn't coming! Spike could be in the heap of trouble! It's all on you!" 

"I love you, Aquarius. I love you so much..," Lucy grips her Aquarius Gate Key. 

"Yea, I know!" Aquarius sees Jackal coming closer. 

"Get ready to die, ladies," Jackal laughs, knowing victory is at his grasp. 

"Now do it!" Aquarius demands. Lucy conjures all her might and magic power to summon the Celestial Spirit King. Aquarius can feel her heart on fire while feeling all sorts of different emotions for Lucy. The years of knowing Lucy and the memories flood her mind. Despite how Aquarius feels about Lucy, she shed some tears and becomes grateful for the times she's spent with her. Aquarius returns to the Celestial Spirit World, and her water evaporates. 

"Open! Gate of the King!" Lucy opens the Celestial Spirit King's Gate. The Aquarius Gate Key shatters. 

"Hey! Where did the water go?" Jackal looks around. He sees Lucy crying while holding onto her Gate Key. 

"Whoa! I'm sensing something huge and powerful! Just like.., No way! The Celestial Spirit King is coming to this fight?!"

The Celestial Spirit King descends from the skies at rapid speeds, drawing his sword to strike Plutogrim in one swift stroke. He creates a hole in Plutogrim, causing it to crash onto the ground. The structure of the cube is obliterated on contact. 

Jackal is horrified by Lucy's magic power. He doesn't want to compliment Lucy by calling her a monster when he is a demon. 

Midnight Sparkle sees the Celestial Spirit King for the first time. She senses the power with the Celestial Spirit King. "How is this possible? Where did he come from? I need to find Spike before this guy set his eyes on me!" Midnight Sparkle starts moving. 

Fairy Rage looks around to see Tartaros' Guildhall in shambles. He senses Lucy's magic power not far from him. He flies while looking at the bodies that are still encased in the red-flesh-like ooze. He couldn't help but observe what appears to be Mard Geer fighting the Celestial Spirit King. 

Lucy continues to cry while holding her destroyed Aquarius Gate Key. Jackal had enough of Lucy's crying and decides to end her miserable life. Jackal unleashes his explosion curse on Lucy; however, it does nothing. A water-bearer shield forms around Lucy, protecting her from Jackal's curse. 

"What?!" Jackal angrily shouts. 

"A water shield?" Lucy perks up. "Aquarius! Are you here? Answer me!" Lucy starts glowing blue. Lucy feels magic power similar to Aquarius'. She stands up. Aquarius' zodiac sign is located between Lucy's collarbone, having acquired a bikini top that sports a zigzag design and a miniskirt. She enhances newfound magic power from within. 

"You stupid girl!" Jackal shouts. "You forget my curse!" 

"It appears you forget a bigger curse!"

"What?!" Jackal turns around to see Fairy Rage slashing him with a Sparkling Orange Metallic Sword. "Gaaaaaah!" 

"Messing with Fairy Tail is the ultimate bad omen!" Fairy Rage is beside Lucy. 

"Forget Midnight's wishes. I'm killing you right now! DIE! DIE! DIE!" Jackal unleashes a barrage of explosions upon Lucy and Fairy Rage. He continues his relentless onslaught knowing the two wouldn't survive this many explosions all in one go. Once again, Lucy's water shield protects her and now Fairy Rage. "No way! That's impossible! I'll make you burn for real!" Jackal lunges at Fairy Rage and Lucy. "Exploding Spiral!" Jackal unleashes a fire spiral explosion at Lucy and Fairy Rage. As before, Lucy's water shield repels the attack. 

"Ice Paladin Strike!" Fairy Rage conjures many ice missiles with Orange Flames inside. "Launch!"

"Not again!" This time, Jackal couldn't get out of the way. He's bombarded by the ice missiles. Most of his body is charcoaled from the impact. He lands hard on the ground, coughing blood out. 

"Allow me to finish him off, Fairy Rage," Lucy deactivates her water shield. 

"No..," Jackal crawls away. "Stay away.., you won!" 

"All the stars, far and wide. Show me thy appearance. With such shine. Oh, Tetrabiblos. I am the ruler of the stars. Aspect become complete. Open thy malevolent gate. Oh, 88 Stars of the heaven. Shine! Urano Metria!" All 88 constellations of the sky come down as spheres and bestow their power on Lucy. Then Lucy converts the energy to redirect it at Jackal. Jackal feels the full force of Lucy's spell, which is worse than Fairy Rage's Ice Paladin Strike. Jackal is down and out. 

"That was beautiful." Fairy Rage said in awe. "My time has come to an end."

Fairy Rage blinks a few times. Spike takes control of himself. His eyes are now green. "Thanks for taking over. Sorry that I got distracted."

"No worries."

Spike turns to Lucy. She collapses after using her spell. Spike catches her. 

"Thanks, Spike," Lucy slightly chuckles. 

"You defeated Jackal."

"We did," Lucy places her hand on Spike's cheek. "I finished what Rage started." 

All of a sudden, the remains of Tartaros start flashing radiantly. Then Spike and Lucy sense a ton of magic power flowing along with the presence of the Celestial Spirit King leaving. The two smile. They sense that their friends are free from their ooze-like prison. 

"Unbelievable," Torafuzar returns. "The two of you ended Jackal's life."

"Pick on me, not her," Spike stands in front of Lucy. 

"I intend on crippling you and tearing your limbs apart. Midnight will get her wish. Tartaros will be victorious in the end." 

"Think again!" Gajeel comes in the fray and uses his Iron Club on Torafuzar. The impact causes Torafuzar to hurl into a pillar. 

"This can't be," Torafuzar gets up. "I thought the baby dragon and the girl are the only survivors." 

"It would appear Mard Geer's Alegria Curse has been uplifted," Keyes said. Keyes is a skeletal demon wielding a staff and dresses in form-fitting robes with a high collar. The robe has a checkered pattern collared shirt and tie that Keyes wears beneath. Around his face and on his head, Keyes wears an ornate headpiece, revealing Tartaros' guild mark, covering his jaw and fanning out over his head almost like a crown.

"Water Nebula!" Juvia uses her Water Nebula to intercept Keyes' ambush. 

"Hello, Fairy Demon Dragon," Silver reveals himself to the others. He's freezing Juvia's Water Nebula. "It's time to say hello to your new life with Midnight Sparkle." 

"Not happening!" Gray intervenes with his ice magic, shattering Silver's. 

"Nice one," Silver smirks, looking at Gray. 

"Whoosh," Tempester appears and unleashes his wave of fire. 

Natsu consumes the fire before it affected his friends. He now has a fire in his belly. "Wow, Lucy, Spike. I don't know how you did it. The two of you saved the day." 

"You are one tough little lady and good job Fairy Dragon,"  Gajeel smirks. 

"We'll work together and finish what you started. Preventing these demons from weakening Spike when he confronts Midnight Sparkle," Juvia said. 

"You deserve to take a break, Lucy. Spike, give Midnight a thrashing for each of us," Gray said. 

"Give her hell, Spike!" Natsu shouts. 

Spike picks up Lucy. "I'm taking you to a safe place to rest. I have to find Erza. Neo Minerva could be on her way back and looking to end Erza before she defends herself." 

"Understood, Spike. What about fighting Midnight Sparkle?" 

"I need someone to keep me in check; so I don't succumb as Spike Knightwalker has," Spike flies away from the battlefield. 

"I.., I understand," Lucy remembers the story of Spike Knightwalker following a sadistic path. "Spike, you can put me down." 

"Why?" 

"If Midnight Sparkle is watching and waiting to ambush you, now will be the time. I'm a burden for the time being."

Spike sighs and complies with Lucy's wish. He sets her down away from the carnage. "I'm going to get Erza. Please, don't get yourself into trouble." 

"Trust me. I won't. Go get Midnight." 

Spike nods and teleports to Erza. When he arrives, Spike sees Erza talking to Minerva, giving hope to Minerva. 

"Hey, Sis," Spike flies up to Erza. 

"Hey, Spike. No need to attack Minerva." 

"Understood," Spike nods. 

"It appears that Minerva was battling an inner demon that blocked her humanity."

Minerva sadly sighs. "How did you know?" 

"Spike and I are good with putting pieces together." 

"Fairy Dragon," Mard Geer arrives. Spike, Erza, and Minerva turn to Mard Geer. "I'm pleased to see you out in the open. Perhaps now I'll fulfill Midnight's wish of breaking you down. She'll reverse time in this Equestria world and prevent you from coming here in the first place." 

"THAT'S WHAT SHE'S PLANNING!?" Erza and Spike shout in horror. 

"Indeed. It's futile that you'll succeed victoriously from this war. Fairy Dragon. Feel the wrath of a real demon and say goodbye to your friends," Mard Geer swipes his arm, and a strong force causes Erza, Spike, and Minerva to fly into the skies. Then he shoots a demonic energy beam from the palm of his hand while holding the book of E.N.D.

Sting and Rogue intercept Mard Geer's attack, saving Minerva and Erza in the process. 

"We're just in time," Rogue said, holding Erza in his arms. 

"Or fashionably late," Sting said, holding Minerva in his arms. 

"We heard what you're planning," Lector said. 

"We're going to stop you," Frosch said. 

"We came to bring you home, Milady," Sting said, looking at Minerva's eyes. 

Rogue puts Erza down. "You belong with us back in Sabertooth, Minerva. As for this punk, working with Twilight, that'll be your downfall. No one is messing with our dragon friend." 

"What made you guys come here?" Erza asks. 

"It was that letter you sent us," Sting answers, putting Minerva down. 

Erza remembers the letter she wrote not long ago. "Oh, yes. I've forgotten." 

"Speaking of that letter. I'm not trying to be rude here, but it was weird," Lector said. 

"Psycho," Frosch noted.

"Yea, sorry. It looked like a crazy person wrote it. Man, bad handwriting made me sick," Lector becomes sick just thinking about how atrocious Erza's handwriting is. 

"Poor Yukino. She tried to read it but passed out," Frosch said. 

"Only Rufus could decipher it. Even he was nearly driven insane," Rogue said. "We would have arrived much sooner."

Erza is a bit flustered and embarrassed that her handwriting is downright terrible. "Say no more..." 

"Milady, please come back to the guild with us," Sting said, which warms Minerva's heart. 

Minerva is in tears. A piece of her is now unchained and won't be driven by hatred anymore. 

"Go wherever you like, but no matter where you flee, you'll still be in a world without magic," Mard Geer said. 

"We know Face has been destroyed," Erza said. 

"It's true that one has been demolished," Mard Geer smiles. Erza is in shock. She now realize that the Magic Council made more than once Face. 

"Hold on. We did see a bunch of creepy face statues on our way over here," Sting said. 

"If those are indeed what you're talking about, there are far too many to count," Rogue noted. 

"What?" Erza and Spike said in shock. 

"Just one hour. That's approximately how long we have until every last one of them detonates. Thousands of pulse bombs will unleash their power all at once and thus cleanse the scourge of magic from this world. Forever. It's exactly as I envisioned. You can take comfort in the fact that it isn't your failure. There was simply nothing you could have done to stop it."   

"Utter nonsense. You couldn't control even one Face from activating. So what the hell makes you think you can set off thousands of them at once?" Minerva asks. "You're bluffing."

"Oh contraire, the former Chairman has the ability to operate them. I must say, although I rather amid humans altogether, he's proven himself rather useful." 

"Then your underling shouldn't have killed him," Minerva said. 

"He's dead?" Erza asks Minerva. 

"You seem to have forgotten, Tartaros has a necromancer among our ranks. Through this power, the late Chairman is high at work and controlling the Faces, readying them for detonation." 

"You're using his corpse," Erza is irate at Mard Geer for using corpses to do his dirty work. 

"Despite all of this destruction, the control room still stands," Minerva said. 

"Thanks to you, we know how to stop the madness," Spike proclaims. 

Mard Geer smiles. "Don't worry; you won't remember any of this. Since Midnight is still in hiding and waiting for the perfect moment, I shall create that moment with you." 

"You're not crippling Fairy Dragon's life because of some crazed-up selfish bitch," Rogue said. 

"Alright, Erza. You heard him. Go and shut it down. Fairy Dragon, end Twilight's reign," Sting said. 

"Are you sure?" Erza asks. 

"Take Milady and the cats with you," Sting said. "Keep them safe."

"We'll meet up after we defeat Mard Geer," Rogue said. 

"I'm going with you, Erza. I have a strong feeling that Midnight is there. Waiting for me." 

"Very well, Spike," Erza picks up Minerva. 

"I despise humans, but they can be entertaining. I suppose after I defeat them, rest to sure that you won't be seeing the morning sun, Fairy Dragon." 

"Let's bring him down!" Rogue and Sting shout. 

As Sting and Rogue battle Mard Geer Spike Erza, Minerva, Frosch, and Lector are heading to the control room. Midnight Sparkle smiles, knowing her time to be with Spike is inching closer.
> Chrysalis & Starlight Glimmer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days after the Bar of Alliance Meeting, Chrysalis thought long and hard to approach Starlight Glimmer. Terax rests on Chrysalis' back while she paces herself in her room. Thorax comes to check on Chrysalis. 

"Hey, is everything alright?" 

Chrysalis sighs. "I'm trying to figure out how to approach Starlight Glimmer. I crossed out the demented ideas of doing so."

"I see. Well, Ocellus told me that school ends at 3:30. Why not visit Starlight and Castle of Friendship at 4:00?" 

"Simple, huh?" Chrysalis groans. "Why is it difficult to think logically?" 

"You're slowly becoming anew, Chrysalis. Like my brother, it takes time. I'm sure you'll be..," Thorax looks into the eyes of Chrysalis. She doesn't have the patience of a long speech. Thorax gulps and steps back, giving Chrysalis some space. "Right. In due time, things become a norm." 

Chrysalis rolls her eyes. "In due time." 

Terax slowly wakes up. "Mommy, are you-"

"I'm fine, son. Mommy needs some silence." 

Terax goes back to sleep so Chrysalis can have her silence. Pharynx walks by to see his brother sweating a bit. 

"Not again." Pharynx notices as of late, Chrysalis' stare causes Thorax to become afraid. "Chrysalis, what's wrong?" 

"Trying to find solutions the hard way instead of an easy way. I haven't spoken to Starlight Glimmer in a long time. I vengefully plotted to take down Equestria, and in return, I failed. She's the catalyst of my demise as Queen of the Hive." 

"You still planned to become friends with Starlight Glimmer?" Pharynx asks. 

"Yes," Chrysalis sighs heavily. "Making friends sure is difficult for me. Even during the meeting, I couldn't bat an eye at Starlight Glimmer while she watched and listened." 

"It's a hard pill to swallow. I believe you can overcome the impossible, Chrysalis," Pharynx said. 

"I know Terax believes in you as well," Thorax chimes. 

Chrysalis turns to her sleeping son and slightly nods, agreeing with Thorax's claim. "I'll be back at the Hive later," Chrysalis thought about leaving Terax in the room. "No. I need to take him. I promised he won't be left alone." Chrysalis leaves and ensures that Terax is safe on her back as she flies. 

Starlight Glimmer is in her office with Discord talking about future field trips with the students depending on the class subject. It's 3:35 in the afternoon with students leaving the school. 

"So, what else do you have in mind, Headmare Glimmer? My class field trips on taking the students into the wilderness to test their friendship is a go ever since I tried it out last semester with the Unity Seven and my previous classes." 

"I'm thinking about having students go to different kingdoms to befriend other creatures that refuse friendships due to some irregularity. As an assignment to ensure that friendship is for everybody." 

"Interesting intake, Headmare Glimmer," Discord drinks a barrel of hot chocolate milk with marshmallows inside. 

"Cana's creativity in drinking has you hooked, huh?" Starlight chuckles a bit. 

"Made me question my drinking abilities. After barrels, I'm going to ante-up with tanks of chocolate milk. So, anything else that comes to mind?" 

"Well, I've thought about becoming friends with Chrysalis since she turned a new leaf. The problem is, she may have a hard time looking at me. During the meeting, she wouldn't look at me. I know I helped change the Changelings, leaving Chrysalis as the last remaining Changeling unchanged." 

"I would imagine Chrysalis wanting to strangle you with her magic. However, she's a mother with that kid, Terax. Yea, I think that's his name," Discord eats a lightbulb to help him remember. "So, have you thought about enrolling Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) into the school?" 

"I have. However, Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) are still having difficulties adjusting their lives. Another thing that worries me is the return of our Twilight. What kind of madness she's putting herself into, and how would she react to seeing another Spike and Twilight?" 

"Well, Former Princess Twilight Sparkle will have her wings relinquished by my magic. That includes her horn. That way, she won't use magic of any sort. How are Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike doing after Ponyville watched their memories?" 

"As I mentioned, still struggling to adjust their lives. However, they can walk freely without being constantly watched. Ponies in Ponyville welcome Twilight (Sci-Twi) more and apologize for their grotesque behavior towards her. As for Spike, more ponies are opening up to him and wanting to befriend him. How's Sunset Shimmer?" 

"She's getting better. I expect another month or so before she returns to the School of Friendship. Princess Luna is helping battle her nightmares from her counterpart. The Dazzlings are helping Sunset and engaging in activities back home. I have given the Dazzlings homework and some private tutoring to catch up on what they're missing." 

"Thanks for doing that, Discord. Also, after hearing what Starswirl the Bearded has uncovered, I want to take a class with me to see what he deciphers." 

"Count me in. I'm not missing out on what the bearded one has to say. Also, you should take my class when the time comes. I'll head on over to Ember's chambers to have a brief discussion of the matter." 

"Thanks, Discord," Starlight looks at the time. "I better head home and check on Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. Also, to prepare another day of sessions with Trixie." 

"See you tomorrow, Headmare Glimmer," Discord snaps his claw to teleport back home. 

Starlight Glimmer gathers her things and leaves her office. She trots out of the school. 

As Chrysalis flies at a steady pace, she reflects her time of rejecting Starlight's friendship when the Changelings reformed right before her very eyes. How she vowed vengeance, not even Starlight can escape. 

Chrysalis sighs. "Wow, looking back, I was stubborn like a Royal Brat." 

Terax slowly wakes up. He sees the blue skies and clouds. "Am I dreaming again? Like a dream inside of a dream?" 

"No, Terax. I'm flying us to Ponyville," Chrysalis responds. 

"Why are we heading there, mommy?" 

"I thought now would be a good time for you to play with the baby dragon," Chrysalis lied to Terax. Her instinct was to lie. "Crap. I was supposed to tell the truth. Ugh."

"Yay!" Terax becomes happy to know that he'll be playing with Spike. 

"Okay, I got lucky. An uninvited playdate arrival. Just need to find Starlight and ask if it is okay that Spike plays with him." 

Starlight Glimmer enters the Castle of Friendship with Trixie, Sunburst, Maud, and Rockhoof. 

"So, what shall we do for my class tomorrow, Starlight? Another team exercise or something more constructive?" Trixie asks. 

"Something more constructive for sure. How did your classes go, Sunburst, Maud, and Rockhoof?" 

"Fine, lassie. The students are eager to know more of me tales and apply the knowledge in today's world. Yona enjoys me tales more than any other student I have," Rockhoof replies. 

"Gallus is having a hard time concentrating in my class since the Dazzlings haven't shown up to school," Maud replies. "Some students wind up sleeping in my classes which causes some to fail my tests." 

"Why haven't you reported to me about students falling asleep in your class, Maud?" Starlight asks. 

"It provides me with ingenious ideas on tackling those who lack concentration," Maud calmly replies. 

"Alright, I'll trust you with exercises you have devised, Maud." 

"Thanks, Starlight," Maud goes to her room. 

"Students are having a blast in my classes, Starlight. Going deeper in the understanding and why keeping in touch with friends far and wide are valuable. I'm planning on having a family day at the School of Friendship if you don't mind."

"Not at all. A family day sounds wonderful," Starlight said. "That's the thing the school needs," Starlight hears the door knocking. "I'll get that," Starlight trots to the door. 

Chrysalis takes a deep breath while some ponies stare at her awkwardly. They're eager to know what the Former Queen wants. Starlight opens the door to see Chrysalis with a wicked smile that speaks malice; Starlight gulps a bit seeing her smile. 

"Chrysalis.., what a," Starlight takes a deep breath to compose herself. "What a nice surprise." 

"Yea..," Chrysalis tries not to sound demented towards Starlight, trying her best to speak calmly. 

"So.., uh.., what brings you here to the castle?" 

"I..," Chrysalis takes a deep breath. "I thought about the offer you proposed to me a long time ago." 

"You have?" Starlight is in shock. She remembers offering Friendship to Chrysalis instead of watching her plot vengeance and fleeing from the Hive. 

"Yes," Chrysalis slightly nods. 

Terax wakes up and yawns. He hops down from her back and walks up to the front leg of Chrysalis. "Hi, is the dragon around?" 

"I'm sure Spike is around. Would you like to come inside, Chrysalis?" 

"Yes, Starlight," Chrysalis trots inside with Terax. Terax flies a bit, checking the interiors of the castle. "Don't fly off, Terax." 

"I won't, mommy," Terax looks at the pretty crystal chandelier. 

"So, uh, how have you been, Starlight?" Chrysalis nervously asks while trying not to sound awkward. 

"Uh, fine, I suppose. Just another typical day at the School of Friendship," Starlight inadvertently bumps into Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. The collision causes Spike to drop notes on today's session with magic practice. "Oh, sorry about that," Starlight uses her magic to levitate the notes in an orderly fashion.

"It's alright, Starlight," Twilight (Sci-Twi) calmly says. 

Starlight gives the notes for Spike to carry. "There you go." 

"Thanks, Starlight. Hey, Terax, what's up?" 

"Nothing much, wanna play?" Terax asks. 

"Sure," Spike puts the notes down and goes with Terax to a different room of the castle. 

"Be careful, Terax," Chrysalis watches Terax going with Spike. 

"Have fun, you two," Twilight (Sci-Twi) watches the two runoff. "Nice to see you again, Chrysalis." 

"Likewise, Twilight," Chrysalis responds quicker to Twilight (Sci-Twi) than she has with Starlight. 

"So, mind joining us for some tea?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks Chrysalis and Starlight. 

"Sure," Chrysalis and Starlight say in unison. They follow Twilight (Sci-Twi) to the kitchen. Twilight (Sci-Twi) prepares the tea while Chrysalis and Starlight sit at the table, across from each other. The two try not to stare at each other for the time being, letting their thoughts do the talking and preparing for an unfortunate conversation. 

"I see you're in good hooves in Ponyville, Twilight," Chrysalis says to break the ice. 

"Well, I am and am not. The reason behind that I'm good is due to every pony in Ponyville now understanding where Spike and I come from and understand the terrors we witnessed. The reason I'm not is due to the eventual return of the other me at some point. I'm nowhere near as powerful as she. I know this Discord guy will take care of it but, other what-ifs could happen. I'm worried about that Twilight killing me and taking my Spike away from me for her sick agendas."

"Well," Chrysalis chokes on her words a bit after taking a look at Starlight Glimmer. "I could hold off that Twilight if she dares to defile another friendship that I'm having with you." 

"Wow, Chrysalis. That's nice of you," Starlight smiles at the gesture Chrysalis has made. 

Chrysalis looks down a bit. "Friends with this Twilight and getting possibly payback with the other? What is wrong with me?"

"Something troubling you, Chrysalis?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) brings a tray of tea to her friends. 

Chrysalis sighs and uses her magic to levitate the cup of tea. "I don't get any nutrients from this cup of tea, nor it relaxes me as it does with other creatures. I'm struggling back home with the Hive. It's hard for me to find my place among the Changelings." 

"Well, your son Terax is happy to be with you. You being a mother for that Changeling is something to be proud of," Twilight (Sci-Twi) reassuringly says. 

"I was once a Queen of the Changelings. Now, reduced to being a mother of a youngling. A lot has changed for me throughout the year, Twilight."   

"Perhaps, something bigger is on the horizon, Chrysalis. Something bigger than what you used to be. I don't know what it is but, I believe in it," Twilight (Sci-Twi) claims. 

"You think so?" Chrysalis doubts a bit. 

"I know so, Chrysalis. You have to believe in yourself as Terax believes you're a great mother," Twilight (Sci-Twi) responds with passion. "A while ago, I saw how you care for Terax. The good side of you is slowly developing into the new you; you meant to be." 

After hearing Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s statement, Chrysalis turns to Starlight; No longer showing her any awkwardness of how she feels about her. Starlight takes a deep breath, preparing herself for any conversation she's about to have with Chrysalis. 

"Starlight, I do want to be friends with you. I don't want to be the Chrysalis that was vengeful and filled with malice. I want to be a better Chrysalis than I used to be. It will take me time to develop but, I want you with me during my good days and bad, if you don't mind." 

"I accept your proposal, Chrysalis. Truth be told, I always dreamed that someday, you wanted to change for the better and not be lonely. Truth be told, if there was any creature I failed, it was you at the time. Instead of searching for you, I stood back and kept going with my friends. I am the only creature that walked in your hoofsteps as for losing a city to friendship. You and I are alike; we hated the other Twilight and wanted vengeance. In actuality, vengeance doesn't go anywhere. I learned that the hard way." 

"How so, Starlight?" Chrysalis asks. 

"I changed the fabric of space and time to prevent the other Twilight and her friends coming close together," Starlight said. She laughs a little at the stunned faces of Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Chrysalis. 

"YOU DID WHAT!?!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Chrysalis say in shock and horror. 

"Due to my interference, I created different timelines that led to many disasters. One timeline that the other Twilight dragged me into was desolate. No life among anything."

Chrysalis and Twilight (Sci-Twi) are silent after hearing that. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is glad that things are fine, while Chrysalis is horrified and impressed at the same time. 

"Wow, that's bizarre, Starlight," Chrysalis looks up at the ceiling for a moment in disbelief of what she did. 

"It's true. In Celestia's name, what I've done is true. It took me a while to become anew afterward." 

"Wow, that's worse than Madam President Chrysalis did to the other Sunset Shimmer and her Changeling Project," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"To think my counterpart devise a scheme to counter to my standards is an understatement. However, Sunset's counterpart taking full control and unleashing genocide, that's intense," Chrysalis said. "Yes, when I took over the other Twilight and her friends, the Princesses, and had them cocooned, I planned on depriving their love as a food resource for my Changelings. However, I didn't intend on killing the populous. That would have been wasted in a few weeks at best."

"Dear Lord Almighty," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said in horror. She imagines the horrors of being cocooned while having the love sucked out of her. 

"That's an interesting name to claim," Chrysalis said. 

"Oh right, well, where I'm from, we have biblical things we addressed. Starlight mentioned in Celestial's name; my friends and I have a different name to acclaim. However, I won't transition that name here cause I don't think he existed in this world as far as I'm concerned," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs. "Having to change my vocabulary is troublesome when at times, I need to swear to make myself feel better, and I can't do that!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) takes a sip of her tea to calm her nerves. "I have to try other methods to replace cursing." 

"Well, according to Discord, he allows those words to be spoken in his household and only there," Starlight informs Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) takes a deep breath. "I wish I had easy access to his home for the times I need to swear." 

Starlight drinks her cup of tea. "In due time, you'll be invited to Discord's home more often. There will be times that Sunset needs to get a hold of you and Spike." 

"Makes me wonder how my Pinkie is doing. I wished I had some sort of communication to get to her. However, destroying the portal cut ties with the other world, so the journal would not prove to be the best option." 

"My condolences to the friends and family you lost, Twilight. I'm not sure if I said that to you when I revealed my presence in front of every creature during the Bar of Alliance Meeting," Chrysalis said. 

"Thanks," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sheds a tear. "I can only hope that Pinkie Pie found survivors and are fighting the Changelings." 

"Twilight!" Spike shouts while recovering a journal that's glowing. 

"What is it, Spike?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) turns to him. 

"We found this weird book, and scribbles appear on the pages. Spike and I were looking for a book to draw pictures on, mommy," Terax informs his mother. 

Starlight uses her magic to levitate the book to the table. She opens the book to read the inscribing. "Twilight, Spike. The message is for you." 

"What does it say, Starlight?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike ask. They are eager to know what it says. 

"Dear Sunset, Twilight, and Spike,

I have found survivors. We're residing in your home with the backup generators; we have a small army. I figure out how to tame Sunset Shimmer without knocking her out from time to time. It's a bit crude but, what other choice do we have back home. Some friends of ours did survive the genocide. We're making progress while trying to find more survivors as we speak. There are not many pages left in this magic journal  Sunset left behind. I'll keep the news at a minimum. Only good news, not the bad. I'll let you know how things transition in a few days or weeks. Depending on how smoothly things turn out to be. 

Your friend,

Pinkie Pie."

Starlight finished reading the letter. Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) are relieved to know how Pinkie is doing. Twilight (Sci-Twi) will continue to hope for Pinkie's sake; she gets the job done on restoring what the Changelings have destroyed. 

"Well, turns out the journal is still active," Chrysalis said. 

"Not many pages, so I don't know how many entries we'll receive," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said.

"Have fun with Spike, Terax?" Chrysalis asks her son. 

"Yes, mommy," Terax smiles. "Spike is fun and a great friend."

"That's good," Chrysalis drinks her cup of tea. Most of the time. It would taste bland, having no nutrients whatsoever. However, this cup has a taste on her tongue. A flavor she's not familiar with. "Twilight, what flavor is the tea?" 

"Green Tea." 

"So, that's what Green Tea tastes like," Chrysalis drinks more of the cup. 

"Wait, you were able to taste the flavor?" Starlight asks out of curiosity. 

Chrysalis nods. "Yes. The flavor is soothing," Chrysalis drinks more of her cup.

"Good," Starlight smiles. "It's a sign that you're coming closer to the transformation." 

"Perhaps I need more days like this among my friends," Chrysalis said, finishing her cup of tea. 

"How about twice a week, we have tea time. Us three talking while Spike and Terax go play and have fun?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) suggests to her friends. 

"I don't mind, you Chrysalis?" Starlight turns to her. 

"Please, mommy," Terax likes the sound of playing with Spike. 

"I wasn't going to say no, son. So once every three days good?" Chrysalis asks. 

"It's perfect; 4:00 in the afternoon here at the castle. The School day is over at 3:00. However, I do some extra work and leave around 3:30 to 3:45 most days. Do you still wish to come to the School of Friendship?"

"At the moment, no. I don't want to leave my son behind. When he's older, I'll attend school with him," Chrysalis rubs Terax's head. 

"Sounds reasonable enough, Chrysalis," Starlight said. 

"Ready to go home, Terax?" Chrysalis asks. 

"Yes, mommy," Terax smiles at her mother. He flies onto her back.

"I bid you adieu, Starlight and Twilight," Chrysalis leaves the kitchen. 

"Have a safe travel," Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, and Starlight say as they wave their friends' bye. 

Chrysalis leaves the castle and flies to the Hive. Terax tells his mother everything he did with Spike. Starlight turns to Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike. 

"Would the two of you like to enroll in the school?"

"No," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike shake their heads. "We're still in the process of what we should do. Also, I'm keen on accepting Celestia's proposal or not. To take the mantle of my counterpart. However, there's a flaw if I were to take over." 

"What's the flaw, Twilight?" 

"Rarity; She still has eyes on my son, Spike, and as you know, I'm keen on getting a restraining order for her relentless pursuit of wanting to be Spike's girlfriend." 

"She tried to kiss me mouth-to-mouth on separate occasions. I'm not ready for love like she is. When I do find someone, I want around my age or close to my age limit." 

"Oh, right. Well, the Elements of Harmony still need their hosts to get it together, somehow," Starlight said. She hopes that Rarity gets herself together before she becomes the next pony to fall into insanity over Spike. 

"Only time will tell. Twilight, I'm going to Sugarcube Corner. I want a milkshake." 

"I'm going with you. Just in case she tries another stunt," Twilight (Sci-Twi) refers to Rarity. 

"Okay," Spike gets on Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s back. "You coming, Starlight?" 

"A milkshake does sound good," Starlight walks with Twilight (Sci-Twi) out of the castle. 

"Say, I wonder if Pinkie knows about my birthday," Spike wonders. 

"Knowing Pinkie Pie and her promises, expect a big one tomorrow," Starlight said.
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Erza, Minerva, Lector, and Frosch are on the move, heading to the control center. 

"Do you know where we can find the control room from here?" Erza asks Minerva. "Are we close?" 

"Everything is damaged beyond recognition. I can't tell," Minerva replies. 

"Mard Geer claimed it was still intact. Where could it be? Spike, think you can sense a corpse with magic?" 

"Spike can't. I can. Right now, we're cold. With everyone back into the fray after being encased in Mard Geer's Alegria, it's hard to pick up a particular case of magic, even manipulating matter."

"Alright, we'll keep searching," Minerva said. "Spike, I'm sorry for what I pulled during the Grand Magic Games. It was uncalled for what I've done." 

"Apologies accepted. Sorry I gave Erza inspiration of making you eat dirt." 

"Apologies accepted," Minerva replies. 

"Hey! Somebody is heading towards us," Lector alerts Minerva, Erza, and Spike. 

"Yea, I can see them too," Frosch informs the trio. 

Panther Lily and Happy walk up to them. Happy appears to have a mushroom on his head. 

"Happy, Lily," Erza said. 

"Erza! Spike!" Happy is glad to see his friends intact. 

"Minerva, Lector, Frosch? What are you doing here?" Panther Lily asks. 

"We're here to help," Lector replies. "Sting and Rogue are fighting a demon as we speak. We're looking for-" Lector's speech gets interrupted by;

"Well, we have a visitor who knows where the control room is."

"Huh?" Happy is confused. 

"What are you talking about, Rage?" Erza turns to Spike. 

"The bitch is on Happy's head. The mushroom is a demon." 

"Is that so?" Minerva walks up to the mushroom on Happy's head. 

The mushroom that resides on Happy's head is sweating like crazy. The mushroom's features are red and yellow striped. Minerva smirks and yanks the mushroom off of Happy.

"You little bastard! How did you know!?" Franmalth angrily asks. 

"Well, I've tasted demonic curses, so I have enact of sensing curses as well as magic. That includes manipulation matter."

Franmalth is paralyzed in fear after hearing that claim from Fairy Rage. He wonders what else Fairy Dragon is capable of. 

"Tell us where the control room is at, and we'll spare your life," Minerva demands. 

"Any funny business or stalling, I'll consume your body and harness the information myself."

Franmalth quivers in fear after hearing that threat. The fear of being eaten by a dragon is bad enough due to his unfortunate situation. 

"Why wait when you can do it now?" Panther Lily entices Fairy Rage. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaah! No! I'll talk! I'll talk!" Franmalth pleas for his life. 

"Direct us, now," Minerva commands. 

"Okay, okay, go forward, and I'll tell you," Franmalth says, hoping to please Minerva and Fairy Rage. "I can't afford to take them there. I'll have to stall for time."

"You won't be stalling."

"AH! You can read minds?!" Franmalth speaks to Fairy Rage telepathically. 

"Well, I'm in your head. I have a unique ability to move into other minds while Spike remains in control. Right now, I'm in your head. I can make you do things that are so vile you'll never sleep again."

Franmalth gulps; he underestimated the prowess of Fairy Rage's capabilities even more. "You win. I won't stall time."

"Now the bitch will tell us where the control room is. He had an idea to stall but, he won't be. Right?"

"RIGHT!" Franmalth cowardly says. He directs everyone to the control room with Fairy Rage lurking in his mind. 

After a twenty-minute walk, Franmalth's sense of direction led everyone to the control room. The corpse of the Chairman is still operating the Faces' sequence. 

"Rage, think you can shut down the corpse?" Erza asks. 

"Shut down, no. Take control, yes. Spike, bring me closer."

Spike walks up to the former Chairman. "Dude, I don't sense any magic within the Chairman." 

"Necromancy is top stuff, Spike. There is no mind within. Just manipulating matter." 

"This is it. Someone! Quick! Stop the dragon before he dooms us all!" Franmalth prays for anyone to stop Spike from deactivating Face. 

Kyôka swoops in and strikes Spike with her finger whip. The curse within the whip causes Spike to wail in agony. 

"You!" Erza goes after Kyôka when her body froze in place. Her hands start to choke her. The same goes for Minerva, Happy, Panther Lily, Lector, and Frosch. 

"Why.., am I.., doing this..?" Happy is choking. 

"What's.., happening.., to us!?" Panther Lily is confused. 

"It's really hard.., to.., breathe!" Lector tries gasping for air. 

"Stop this..," Minerva sees the other demon manipulating their bodies like puppetry. Seilah.

"Behold, the true power of the Necro-Curse," Seilah said in satisfaction. 

Spike gets up after feeling immense pain. "Get ready for a beat down." 

"Can't you use your curse on him?" Kyôka asks while pointing at Spike. 

"No. For some reason, my curse is unaffected. I do not indicate as to why," Seilah answers.

"No matter. Kill his friends while I tame him for Midnight Sparkle," Kyôka commands. 

"As you wish," Seilah keeps the pressure on forcing Spike's friends to die by suffocation. Then she gets ambushed by Mirajane in her Satan Soul form. Due to the collision, Seilah's curse is uplifted, allowing everyone to have control of themselves. 

"No!" Kyôka watches her comrade fall as well as the Chairman. 

"So, Seilah is the Necromancer this whole time. It looks like the Chairman is down for the count."

"That collision took out the old guy from activating face!" Lector cheers. 

Mirajane pants heavily. She used all of her strength for that one blow. Seilah no longer has an ounce of Curse power left. She's drained of it. Erza rushes to Mirajane. 

"Are you alright? You had me worried." 

"I'll be okay. I used the last of my strength for that entrance," Mirajane replies. 

"Seilah, you should be proud of what you gave for our great cause," Kyôka smiles down at Seilah. 

"I don't have any... LOOK OUT!" Seilah shoves Kyôka away. 

Spike conjures a fireball and shoots a heat cannon blast. His intended target was Kyôka, but now, Seilah takes the hit. She screams in agony from the burning sensation. 

"No!" Kyôka turns to Spike angrily. "You will regret that, lizard!" Kyôka smirks, looking at the control screen. "The Chairman has activated Faces' activation. Now, magic will be eradicated from this world." 

"We did it! Yay!" Franmalth cheers. 

"That gives us plenty of time to deactivate," Spike smirks. 

"How so?" Kyôka looks at him. 

"Whoa, I didn't know I had the power to control a corpse." Fairy Rage is inside of the Chairman's body. 

Kyôka, Franmalth, and Sheliah scream in horror. "That dragon is a monster!" 

"I have memories to deactivate the contraption as well."

"Good," Erza requips into her Armadura Fairy Armor. The armor is pink with a simple breastplate joined to the collar. The armor has many wing shaped decorations. The weapons are identical swords sporting large and decorated hand-guards with wings and blades protruding near the hilts to house additional decorative motifs. "Spike, Minerva, and I will cover you." 

"Take my life force! Don't let them succeed!" Seilah transfers her life force and her remaining energy into Kyôka. 

"I heard everything!" Lamy spins her way into the room and slams herself into the control panel. 

"Shit!" Fairy Rage uses the Chairman's body to kick Lamy, but by having the Chairman's body, Fairy Rage realizes that the body is weaker than Happy. 

"Hahahahaha, did I do good, Kyôka?" Lamy asks. 

"You did well," Kyôka smirks. 

Fairy Rage tries using the control panel. "Great, it's going to be a little difficult to manage." 

"Hurry!" Spike yells. 

"Leave the dragon to me, Kyôka," Lamy said. "I want some payback since his friend trashed my hunk," Lamy refers to Jackal. 

"Be my guest. Leave Erza and the traitor to me," Kyôka refers to Minerva. 

Minerva and Erza roar and go after Kyôka. The two use their close-quarter combat while Lamy goes after Spike. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Lamy away for the time being. 

"Any luck, Rage?" Spike asks. 

"No. That stupid bunny trashed half of the panel. I can't deactivate the sequence." 

"Can you try to slow it down?" Lector asks. 

"No. The key I need to slow it down is ruin. I'm sorry." Fairy Rage returns to Spike's body. The Chairman's corpse collapses. 

Minerva and Erza continue to attack Kyôka. She uses her finger whip to get a few good hits on the two. Minerva and Erza yelps in pain while delivering their blows on Kyôka. Then, the area starts trembling. The fighting comes to a halt; a loud familiar roar echoes for miles on end. Everyone that heard the roar looked up at the Dragon King of the Apocalypse. Acnologia. 

"Acnologia..," Spike looks at Acnologia. Spike has a flashback to the night he met his Uncle, Zirconis. Zirconis explained what happened to the dragons, including his and Amy's fate at the hands of Acnologia. 

"Spike?" Erza turns to Spike. She can tell that Spike is riled-up with emotions. 

"What's wrong with that dragon?" Kyôka demands to know why he's in a trance. 

"Acnologia killed Spike's uncle and mother," Happy said the trigger word. 

"Ac..no..lo..gia..," Spike angrily pants while he's powering up. 

Acnologia shoots a devastating energy blast from his mouth, destroying several Face Statues around the remains of the Tartaros cubic. Every Fairy Tail Wizard witnessing Acnologia's power starts losing hope while others start remembering the last Acnologia battle.

"Acnologia," Spike calls his name calmly. "YOU'RE DOOMED!" Spike takes off. 

"NOOOO! SPIIIIIKE!" Erza becomes worried that Spike is going to die in the claws of Acnologia. 

Spike increases his size to match Acnologia's. He tackles the dragon mid-flight. Everyone watches are in awe and shock that Spike is bringing the fight to Acnologia. 

"What is he doing?!" Lucy watches in horror. She's with Natsu, Gajeel, Juvia, Levy, and Laxus. 

"He's insane for going at him alone!" Levy said in horror. 

"This is bad! The last time Spike fought him, he was dominated by that monster," Juvia said. 

"I WON'T LET YOU KILL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!" Spike angrily shouts. 

"Damn! I wish I can help Spike!" Natsu watches Spike taking the battle to Acnologia.

Acnologia punches Spike in the face and ax chop his neck in mid-flight. Acnologia roars and shoots an energy beam from his mouth on Spike's back. Spike falls to the ground hard but uses his fire breath to teleport himself before slamming into the ground. Acnologia expects Spike to appear above him. He generates another energy blast. This one is larger in magic power than before. Spike's teleportation allows him to soar behind Acnologia. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike's claws ignite in Sparkling Orange-Green Lightning Flames. "Demolition Fist!" Acnologia turns to get punched in the face and gut. The lightning flames of Spike's power explode on contact. 

Acnologia acknowledges the pain and grabs Spike's throat. He remembers Spike being weaker than before. Acnologia unleashes his energy beam blast on Spike, but Spike uses his fire breath to counter the energy blast from destroying his face. Spike uses his tail to grab Acnologia's throat and headbutts the dragon. Acnologia releases his hold on Spike. 

While Spike and Acnologia fight in the skies, Natsu hears a familiar voice reaching out to him. 

"Natsu. It's been too long, my boy." 

"Igneel?" Natsu hears his father's voice.

"It must be you who defeats E.N.D; I have absolute faith that you're up to the task," Igneel said. 

"Igneel? How can I hear your voice?" Natsu tries to locate the source of his father's voice. 

"Igneel?" Levy is confused as to how Natsu is hearing Igneel's voice when she doesn't hear him. 

"No one else is here. Who are you talking to, Natsu?" Juvia asks. 

"Fear not. I will deal with Acnologia," Igneel said. Natsu's belly starts glowing bright orange. Natsu feels different while his belly glows brighter and brighter. 

Lucy, Juvia, Levy, and Gajeel watch in amazement. Natsu roars which cause a powerful magical outburst that causes his friends to hurl away a bit. Gajeel witness the rising of Igneel from Natsu's body. 

"I'm sorry, son. I didn't leave you. In fact, I've been closer to you than you could have ever guessed," Igneel is a gigantic dark red dragon with some scars on his face and stomach. He has yellow eyes. Igneel's lower body, specifically his stomach, the inner portions of his long tail, and legs, are beige. "Please trust that all will be explained in due time. Right now, I need to take Son of Amy the Amethyst Dragon's place and rid of Acnologia from this world!" Igneel takes off. 

Acnologia once again is dominating Spike with his sheer strength and magic power. Spike put up a better fight, but it was all for nothing. Acnologia conjures another energy blast when Igneel swoops in and headbutts Acnologia. The energy blast is blasted towards the sky and away from the populous. 

"Take off, Energy Maker Dragon! Acnologia is mine!" Igneel roars at Acnologia. 

"Who are you?" Spike has many scales burnt and new scars from Acnologia's claws on his chest near his Fairy Tail Emblem. 

"Igneel. Natsu's father. I won't say this again, now take off!" Igneel commands. 

As much as Spike wants to stay, he couldn't. He's not powerful enough to fight Acnologia, no matter how much he wants to slay him for killing his family. Spike reverts and flies away from the battle. He decides to fly back to Erza and the others. 

Natsu tears up. He's happy that Igneel is back and relieved that Spike won't die at the claws of Acnologia. Now in a fit of rage, Natsu uses his fire magic to take off and speak with Igneel. 

During Spike's battle with Acnologia, Kyôka received word from Mard Geer to use body link magic. Kyôka will be the trigger to detonate all the Face Statues. Minerva destroyed Lamy with her magic while Spike was battling Acnologia. Spike returns to see Kyôka shattering Erza's Fairy Armor and weapons. 

"Whoa..," Spike said in shock. He sees the timer accelerating to Faces' activation. 

"Distracted?" Kyôka flies behind Spike instantly and claws his back with her curse. Spike wails in agony while feeling immense pain again. "The screams of the young is so delightful." 

"How dare you!" Erza requips into her Flight Armor and goes after Kyôka. 

"Feel the power of Etherious!" Kyôka swipes her arms, creating a full-powered pulse force at Erza. She shatters her Flight Armor. Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. "It doesn't matter what armor you protect yourself with!" Kyôka extends her arms and shoots a wide array of sensitivity-focused electric sparks. She hits Spike, Erza, Minerva, Lector, Panther Lily, Mirajane, and Happy in the process. 

Spike feels a jolt in his nerves from the pain as it becomes too unbearable. Erza remembers the feeling when she was held captive by her earlier today. The Exceeds couldn't handle the pain due to their smaller bodies. Mirajane and Minerva struggle to get up from the immense pain surging in their bodies. 

Kyôka walks up to Erza. She, like Spike, is suffering the worst effects of her curse. Kyôka is aware that Midnight wants Spike intact but wasn't specific with her at the least. Kyôka stomps on Erza's stomach while relishing Erza's painful cries. 

"This sure takes me back to the torturing dungeon we met," Kyôka smiles at Erza, stomping her stomach again. 

"You.., tortured.., my.., sister..?" Spike turns to Kyôka. He's struggling to stand. His body took a toll from Acnologia's attack and now Kyôka's. 

"I did. Don't worry. I'll make it slow and painful for Erza," Kyôka strips Erza's armor as she doesn't see it fit for her death. 

"Leave Erza alone!" Spike demands. "Or else!" 

"I'll leave her be, after I take her sight," By the command of Kyôka's curse, Erza's sight vanishes into darkness. "Next, your sense of touch, smell, taste, and hearing," Erza loses all of her senses by the command of Kyôka's curse. She turns to Spike. "Now, it's your turn," Kyôka walks up to Spike. 

"No! Stay away from him!" Panther Lily demands. 

Spike is low on magic energy to teleport Kyôka away. He watches Kyôka come closer to him. 

"Fear is what I smell from you," Kyôka's finger extends into a whip. Spike put up his best bravery face at Kyôka. She whips Spike, and he screams. "Yes! The sounds of the dragon's cries are so refreshing! Do it again!" Kyôka lashes Spike harder, causing him to suffer even more. His screams echo the area while Kyôka's curse affects more of his body. "I'll give you to Midnight in a broken state; you will wish to forget all this pain!" Kyôka laughs and is about to lash Spike again. Erza kicks Kyôka in the back and away from Spike. 

"I will not let you harm my brother!" Erza stands firm despite having no senses. 

"How are you able to stand? How were you able to hear what I was doing to Spike?!" Kyôka is enraged with Erza's ability to knock her down. 

"I have the light within me. Another sense you cannot take away is a sisterly sense. You are messing with my brother and won't get away with it!" Erza uppercuts Kyôka fiercely. Kyôka is taken back by how strong Erza is despite relinquishing her senses. To her, it's like Erza is enacting on instinct alone. 

"This can't be real. Sisterly instincts? The light within her? I stripped her of every sense, and yet, she continues to fight?" Kyôka is doubting her abilities to defeat Erza. Erza is laying the smackdown on Kyôka in close-quarter combat. 

"Go, Sis!" Spike cheers for Erza to defeat Kyôka. He holds himself from the pain. 

"That's Erza for you. Never in doubt, anyone should quit on her," Happy states. 

"She is a sight to behold," Minerva admits. She remembers when Erza overwhelmed her after striking Spike. Then it hits her. Messing with her brother does mean death upon you. 

Erza draws her swords and slashes Kyôka's stomach and chest in one fierce attack. Kyôka realizes she doomed herself when she used Spike as her plaything after removing Erza's senses. Erza falls over due to exhaustion. Minerva grabs one of the swords and impales Kyôka's chest, killing her in the process. After Kyôka's death, Erza regains her senses. 

"Sis," Spike slowly walks up to Erza and helps her up.

"Spike," Erza looks down at Spike. 

"Yes! We did it!" Happy cheers. 

"Not likely!" Franmalth says. "Face is on! You're too late, suckers!" 

Erza, Minerva, Spike, Lector, Happy, Panther Lily, Frosch, and Mirajane's jaws drop. They thought victory is theirs. 

"This can't be happening," Erza doesn't know what else to do. She screams when she sees a purple hand engulfed in aqua blue flames impaling her chest. 

"It is happening," Midnight Sparkle laughs. 

"ERZA!" Spike horridly shouts.

All eyes turn to Spike when he shouted Erza. Franmalth becomes elated after forgetting that Midnight Sparkle is another ace in Tartaros' sleeve. 

"Erza's time is up," Midnight Sparkle pulls her hand out of Erza's chest. Erza falls limp to the floor, barely breathing. 

"No..., no, no, no, no, no, no, no, noooooo!" Spike clutches to Erza and cries. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"You bastard!" Minerva clutches onto Erza's sword. 

"You're a traitor. I advised Kyôka on recruiting you when I saw how you punished that Lucy girl and, this is the thanks we get for lending you demonic powers? Such a shame. I will extinguish all of your lives now," Midnight Sparkle proclaims. 

"Erza..," Spike wants Erza to wake up. 

"Don't worry, Spike. You'll forget the trauma and live your life happily with me," Midnight Sparkle smiles.
> Fairy Tail vs Tartaros: Part 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Sparkle kicks Erza's lifeless body away. She stares down at Spike. "Are you ready to go home?" Midnight Sparkle calmly asks. 

"I am home, you psycho!" Spike retorts. 

"Don't you care about Equestria? The destruction they're facing due to your absence? Your friends in Equestria could be dying." 

"That's not my problem! I am home! You dishonored your word!" Spike refers to the agreement during the Grand Magic Games. 

"Action speaks louder than words, Spike. I had a feeling you wouldn't come willingly. Perhaps another friend of yours must die due to your selfishness," Midnight Sparkle powers up. 

"We won't let you take him!" Panther Lily transforms into his battle form. He's armed with his red music sword. 

"I didn't know Exceeds had that capability. Drinking your blood and devouring your magic power will be delicious," Midnight Sparkle balls her fists, creating an aqua blue flare sword. 

"I'm aware of the stories that you told me. About the land of Equestria and how pivotal Spike is to you; Now I know it's a selfish gain," Minerva powers up. 

"You wanted to kill Spike and Erza. I performed the act of killing Erza, you traitor. Also, why side with Spike? Why side with Fairy Tail in this futile war?" 

"I'm tired of allowing my hatred to be my guide. Starting right now, I'm allowing love and compassion to be my everlasting guide!" 

"Wasting the two of you is child's play," Midnight Sparkle claims. 

"Sky Dragon Crushing Fang!" Wendy punches Midnight Sparkle from behind. A terror of winds hurls Midnight Sparkle away from Spike. "Stay away from my boyfriend!" Wendy's clothing is tattered from her brawl against Ezel. Her hair is short while having some bruises on her body.

"Boyfriend?" Midnight Sparkle gets up. Wendy and Carla hear the voice of Midnight. They now know this is Twilight Sparkle. "So, Spike has a girlfriend. How cute." 

Carla checks on Erza and feels her pulse. "You monster..," Carla doesn't feel anything. Erza is lifeless. 

"Don't worry. You'll see your friends while I bring Spike back home with me," Midnight laughs.

"That won't happen!" Wendy remembers the times Spike would be by her side during the heap of trouble. She remembers meeting Spike for the first time and how her time with him made her stronger. Today, she's going to fight for Spike with all her heart. Wendy roars while powering up. 

"Yes! Be an open target!" Midnight shoots aqua blue flames from the palms of her hands at Wendy. On impact, the aqua blue flames explode at a catastrophic level. Smoke covers the area where Wendy stood. 

"Wendy!" Spike bursts into tears while Midnight expects to see Spike's girlfriend in ashes. 

Smoke clears. Wendy gains pink eyes together with longer hair, now pink instead of blue, that curves and points upwards. Wendy also has white scales, similar to Grandeeney's, that spring out of her back and smaller ones on her hands and feet. Midnight glares at Wendy's transformation. 

"You're supposed to be dead!" Midnight doesn't understand the powerful physique of a small child. 

"Let me show you the power of what love brings!" Wendy flies after Midnight Sparkle and uppercuts her with immense force. She soars in the skies. 

Midnight Sparkle gathers herself and sees Wendy flying at fast speeds. "Come, meet your demise!" Midnight Sparkle ignites her horn and shoots aqua blue energy stars at Wendy. 

Wendy dodges each attack until Midnight slashes Wendy's side with her flame sword. The burning sensation from the slash leaves third-degree burns on Wendy. She screams horridly. Midnight grabs her throat and tosses her to the ground.

Midnight Sparkle raises her arms, generating an aqua blue energy bomb. She launches it at Wendy. 

Wendy gets up. Her body aches from the impact. "Sky Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her Sky Dragon breath attack on Midnight's energy bomb. 

"You think you can push it back to me? Newsflash for you. My magic is ineffective against me," She flies through her bomb. However, Minerva shoots a Territory Bomb at Midnight. It explodes on impact. 

"Did that work?" Lector asks Minerva. 

"Not quite," Minerva replies. 

Midnight Sparkle is unfazed by the attack. Her horn ignites again but, instead of aqua blue, it's now crimson red. "Scatter Explosions!" Midnight shoots crimson red fireballs at Minerva and Wendy. The two dodge but notice it follows them. 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy unleashes swirling winds from her arms, destroying the crimson red fireballs in the process. 

Minerva uses Erza's sword to deflect each fireball before it detonates. Midnight Sparkle grabs and shatters Erza's sword from Minerva and kicks her in the stomach. Minerva crashes into what remains of a wall. Midnight uses her horn to levitate the shattered metals of Erza's sword and ignite them. 

"Sky Dragon Talon!" Wendy kicks Midnight Sparkle, and gushes of winds strike Midnight. She hurls away a bit which does Midnight Sparkle some good. 

"Perfect," Midnight Sparkle smirks. 

"Huh?" Wendy notices her mistake. 

"Cyclone Tempest!" Midnight Sparkle sways her arms in a circular motion. Crimson red flare winds push Wendy back. "Go, scatter metal!" Midnight commands the shattered pieces of Erza's sword to pin Wendy to the wall. 

"Wendy!" Spike doesn't have much magic power. He's weak and badly bruised. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy is about to use her breath attack when Midnight uses her magic to create a sticky substance from her flares. She shoots it at Wendy's mouth, gagging her in the process. 

"I can't have you, speaking," Midnight's hand glows a fusion of crimson red and aqua blue. Her magic power creates an energy sword. 

"Stay away from her!" Spike demands. He hobbles over and conjures what remaining magic he has left. 

Panther Lily charges at Midnight when she uses her energy sword to slash Panther Lily once. The force from the strike causes Panther Lily to drop his sword and revert to his Exceed form. He received a scar on his chest while barely breathing. 

"Panther Lily!" Spike pants in fear. 

"Don't worry. He won't be around for much longer," Midnight Sparkle turns to Wendy. 

"I'll claw your eyes out!" Carla tries to scratch Midnight's eyes but, Midnight flicks her away with her fingers. Carla crashes into the ground hard. "She's.., too.., strong..."

Wendy struggles frantically, but the shards of Erza's sword hold her in place. She glares at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle walks up to her. 

"Stay away from her! I'm what you want! Spare Wendy! Let her go!" Midnight Sparkle turns to Spike. 

"Her death will be quick and painless. I can't have any members of Fairy Tail interfering with my plans. I promise you, the best thing you can do for Wendy is have her forget all about you, Spike." 

"Rage. I don't know what to do. I'm all out of options."

"Then, it's time."

"Wait! What are you doing?!" 

"What needs to be done."  

"Rage. Rage..? RAGE?!" Spike no longer feels Fairy Rage within his mind. He becomes worried. 




Within Erza's mind.

"Hello, Erza."

"Fairy Rage?" Erza looks around and sees a long hallway sort of-speak with a shining light at the far end of the pathway. Behind her is another light, but it flashes different colors. Around Erza are orbs filled with memories. "What is this place?" 

Fairy Rage appears in front of Erza. He looks exactly like Spike, but his spikes are orange while his scales are amethyst. His eyes are orange, while the Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest is black. 

"From our previous adventure, we've entered the Astral Spirytus. This Erza, this is the Astral Plains." 

"What are we doing here?" Erza asks, confused with the situation she and Rage are in. 

"Well, there's no other simpler way of expressing the situation. You died."

"What?!" Erza's voice echos the Astral Plains. "How?! Who?!" 

"Midnight Sparkle. She was hiding in plain sight, watching everything unfold. I didn't sense her presence. She must have used a spell that allows her to bypass my perception. She impaled your chest with her hand. It was ablaze in aqua blue flames."

"You're warning..," Erza realizes what Rage's warning was meant to be. Spike losing her to Midnight Sparkle. She falls to her knees. "If I'm dead.., why are you here? Why are you telling me this?" 

"I'm here to inform you that you have another mission at hand."

"What mission?" 

"To defeat Midnight Sparkle." 

"How?" Erza grabs her hair in frustration. "I'm dead! There's nothing I can do! What about the others? Are they helping Spike defeat Midnight Sparkle?" 

"Panther Lily is defeated. Minerva is taken out. Spike is unable to defend himself, and Wendy is about to die."

Erza gasps. She covers her mouth with the fear of Spike losing his girlfriend. "So, I'm supposed to go back to my body?" 

"The light with multiple colors represents the physical world. The light at the end of this tunnel represents the afterlife. Normally, for anyone who dies, it's a straightforward path."

"Then why are there two entrances?" Erza asks. 

"There are two souls in one vessel. The Grim Reaper only needs one soul. That is why I'm letting the Grim Reaper take me instead." 

"No..," Erza grabs Fairy Rage's shoulders like looking at her brother's eyes. She tears up a bit. 

"I've learned the power of resurrection through sacrifice. Something that Spike doesn't know." 

"I won't let you sacrifice your life for mine!" Erza angrily shouts, knowing that Spike is losing a piece of himself. 

"Spike will never forgive himself if I were to tell him that I have the power of resurrection and did nothing about it. He loves you so much like a sister. Midnight Sparkle is about to win and ruin Spike's life all over unless you step in and defeat her."

Erza sniffs, knowing this is a painful goodbye. She pulls Fairy Rage into a hug. "Thank.., you..." 

Fairy Rage returns the hug. "When you return to your body, your health will be restored as well as your magic power."

"What will happen to Spike?" Erza asks. 

"He'll be saddened that I'm gone but, he'll understand what I've done is the best thing a brother can do. Also, I left a gift for him."

"What kind of gift?" 

"I cast a protection ring from mind manipulating matter. His memories will not be erased or affected by other magic users as long as there's love in his heart. Speaking of gifts, I have one for you." Fairy Rage open his claw. A Sparkling Orange Energy Ball floats. 

"What is it?" Erza grabs it. 

Fairy Rage smiles. "The power to defeat Midnight Sparkle. After the mess, when things are settled; Let Spike know what I did unless he figured it out." 

"I will," Erza crushes the Sparkling Orange Energy Ball. The magic within engulfs Erza. She feels her magic power and strength multiplying. 

Fairy Rage starts walking towards the light. "I bid you adieu, Erza."




A few seconds later. 

Midnight Sparkle notices something peculiar about Spike judging by his sudden reaction. Spike grabs his head and pants. He no longer feels Fairy Rage within him. Not an ounce of his presence. Erza's body starts illuminating, then stands up. Midnight Sparkle smiles devilishly. 

"Yes! He's taken the bait!" Midnight Sparkle proclaims. 

"What are you talking about?" Carla asks. 

"To kill Fairy Rage. I need him to take control of another body. I saw what he did with the Chairman, taking possession of his body to try and stop Face! Now I get to kill two for the price of one body!" Midnight Sparkle flies directly at Erza's body, hoping to kill Fairy Rage by decapitating the head. 

"NO!" Wendy muffles and Spike shouts. Now knowing Midnight's true objective is to eradicate Spike's protection. 

Erza catches Midnight's energy sword with her bare hand. Her body glows Sparkling Orange. "I will not have you harm any of my friends nor my brother again!" Erza declares. She kicks Midnight Sparkle away. Midnight Sparkle crashes into the wall; she has a bruise on her left cheek. 

"Wait. That didn't sound like Fairy Rage. That sounded like-"

"Erza!" Carla, Happy, Lector, Frosch, and Spike shout in joy. Minerva gets up and sees Erza's body Sparkling Orange. 

"What happened?" Minerva wants to know how Erza is still alive after confirming her death. 

"That's Erza for you..," Mirajane smiles. "She never quits." 

Erza powers up. "Requip!" Fairy Rage's gift is a new armor for Erza. An orange plated armor covers her chest, with a large metal Fairy Tail Emblem over it. She has two orange metal wings that shimmer fire. She wears a large orange billowing skirt that has a black metal plating in the upper area. Erza wears orange-black metallic knight boots. Her helmet is adorned with a dragon's facial features. Erza's weaponry consists of two flame swords. One for creating energy; the other, dispersing energy. "Fairy Rage Armor!"

"Fairy Rage Armor!" Midnight Sparkle is appalled. "What did you do, Fairy Rage?!" 

"Fairy Rage Armor..?" "Rage, are you in there?" Spike doesn't hear anything from Fairy Rage. 

"Spike. Get Wendy and our friends out of here!" Erza commands.  

"So, it appears I'll have to kill you again," Midnight Sparkle gets up and powers up as well. 

"The first time was by cowardness. This time, I will kill you!" Erza roars and flies after Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle flies after Erza. The two collide with tremendous power. Midnight Sparkle and Erza have their sword fight in the skies. Spike hobbles to Wendy and uses his fire breath to teleport the shards away. Wendy fall and lands on her feet. She hugs Spike. As for the sticky substance, it wears off after Spike uses his fire breath to melt it. 

"Thanks," Wendy hugs Spike. 

"We'll kiss later, right now," Spike grabs Wendy's hand. "We have to get moving," Spike walks and picks up Panther Lily. 

"Right," Wendy nods. 

As Spike, Wendy, and Carla help get everyone away from the battle, Midnight Sparkle and Erza continue to clash. 

"Tell me, did Fairy Rage die?" Midnight Sparkle smirks. She swings her energy sword at Erza. 

Erza deflects Midnight's attack. "He sacrificed himself to bring me back! Now, I will slay you!"

"Erasing Spike's mind just got easier for me. The fool sacrificing himself has ruined Spike's mental protection!" Midnight Sparkle tries to flee, but Erza grabs her wings. 

"You're not going anywhere near my brother!" Erza throws Midnight Sparkle to the ground. She swoops down and slashes Midnight Sparkle at rapid speeds. 

Midnight Sparkle creates a bubble shield but notices one of Erza's swords dispersing her shield. "What?!" Midnight Sparkle flies back and shoots crimson red fireballs at Erza. Once again, one of Erza's swords disperses each fireball created by Midnight Sparkle. "How is this happening?!" 

Erza teleports behind Midnight. "My brother's magic is Energy Maker Magic. The same applies for Fairy Rage!" Erza's dragon helmet grants her the ability to breathe raging fires at Midnight from behind. Midnight Sparkle screams in agony and crashes to the ground. 

"She's stronger than before. Her sword is dispelling my curses before it can inflict damage. Fairy Rage Armor is too strong. I should have decapitated her instead of impaling her. Now, to resort into plan B."

"It's over."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle holds her head. "I told you I'm in control! AAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle appears to lose control of herself.   

Erza's eyes glow Sparkling Orange. "You deceiver!" Erza is irate and charges at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Shit!" Midnight Sparkle was hoping to deceive Erza into believing she's possessed. 

"This ends now!" Erza declares. 

Midnight Sparkle claps her hands to create an energy dagger. Midnight Sparkle tries using Erza's momentum against her but, Erza grabs Midnight's face, slams her to the ground, and drags her roughly. Erza lets go of Midnight Sparkle. 

"You.., haven't.., won..," Midnight gets up and shows signs of fatigue. 

"It's over." Erza's glare scares Midnight Sparkle. She begins to sweat. 

"I have one last trick up my sleeve, bitch." "Blind and despair!" Midnight Sparkle conjures dark, thick clouds from her hands and a blinding light from her horn. The dark, thick clouds are lased with tear gas lacrima. Midnight Sparkle flees while Erza coughs a bit from the sudden outburst while her eyes hurt her from the blinding light. 

"She's after Spike!" Erza flies out of the dark thick clouds. Using her sense of hearing and sense Midnight's curses. She follows in hot pursuit. 

Spike, Wendy, Mirajane, Minerva, Panther Lily, Happy, Carla, Lector, and Frosch are hiding in a different room from the battlefield. Wendy is using her magic to heal everyone with her remaining magic. Everyone recovers while Spike catches Wendy from collapsing. 

"Thanks for catching me, Spike," Wendy said. 

"Thanks for saving my behind back there," Spike smiles. 

"Any ideas of bringing Twilight back to her dimension?" Panther Lily asks. 

"There's one way," Spike uses his fire breath to spawn a magic card Discord gave him. "With this card." 

"What does it do, Spike?" Carla asks. 

"Discord gave this card to me an hour before going into the dragon catacombs. I breathe into this card, and I can open a portal to Equestria." 

"So, you use that card to lure Twilight into a trap, and she goes back home?" Happy asks. 

"That's the plan unless Erza already killed Midnight Sparkle." 

"SPIKE!" Midnight Sparkle is tracking Spike's magic power. She takes out her artifact Mard Geer created for a one-way ticket to Equestria. 

"SPARKLE!" Erza is catching up to Midnight. Her rage for Midnight increases her flight speed. 

Spike takes a deep breath and runs away from his friends. He's out in the open. Midnight Sparkle is getting closer. She believes Spike is offering himself to Midnight to spare his friends. 

"It's time to go home!" Midnight smirks. 

"Yes, it is," Spike breathes into the card. He creates a magic portal. Midnight Sparkle gasps, eyes widen in horror. "For you, that is." 

Midnight Sparkle tries to alter her flight speed so she'll avoid the magic portal. Spike tucks and rolls out of the way. Midnight Sparkle grabs onto the edges of the magic portal. 

"NO! YOU HAD A PORTAL TO EQUESTRIA THIS WHOLE TIME!?" Midnight Sparkle feels the portal pulling her in. She's livid that Spike could have easily visited Equestria whenever he felt like it. 

"I did. Now, you can go without me," Spike flips the bird. 

Erza roars and kicks Midnight's head. Midnight loses grip as the portal shuts. 

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Midnight Sparkle shouts while being pulled back to Equestria. 

Erza takes several deep breathes. It's over for Spike. The fear of Twilight is gone for good. Erza's Fairy Rage Armor dissolves. 

"Spike," Erza turns to Spike. Spike hugs Erza and cries a bit. Erza hugs and soothes him. "I'm not going anywhere, Spike. Big sister is always here for you."

"Fairy Rage's warning.., came to pass. He said.., I'll lose something close to me. I lost you..," Spike holds onto Erza. 

"Erza," Happy and the others approach her and Spike. "How are you alive?" 

"We saw Midnight Sparkle kill you from behind," Lector said. 

"I don't get it. That attack should have left you for dead," Mirajane is puzzled by Erza's durability. 

"Spike," Erza rubs his head. 

"Yes, Sis?" Spike sniffs. 

Erza frowns. "Fairy Rage sacrificed himself to resurrect me." 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Everyone shout in shock. 

"He figured out a way to bring me back to life. His soul entered my body. I met him in the Astral Plains. Two souls in one vessel don't work with the Grim Reaper. He chose to take my place, allowing me to have a second chance in life." 

Spike's jaw drops. He's glad that Erza is alive but saddened that it cost a piece of him. "I rather lose a piece of myself than fall into the pathway of Spike Knightwalker." 

"What do we do now, guys?" Happy asks. 

All of a sudden, everyone starts losing their magic power. The world starts losing magic power due to the Ethernano of Face. Cities going dark, chaos running amuck, people are panicking while many wizards around feel weak and collapse. 

"Guys, I sense Grandeeney," Wendy said. 

"You can?" Carla asks Wendy in shock. 

"If she can sense her dragon. Then Sting, Rogue, and Gajeel's dragons are out there," Spike theorizes. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Franmalth still in his mushroom form flees. "The Faces are being destroyed! Tartaros Failed! TARTAROS FAILED!" 

"Then that means. We get to keep our magic!" Frosch shouts in excitement. 

"Yea!" Lector celebrates with Frosch. "We get to live with our magic intact!" 

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Natsu's cries are heard throughout the area.
> Midnight Sparkle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ooooooooooooooooooooo!" Midnight Sparkle fails to bring Spike back to Equestria by force. "I can't believe that little bastard. He had a portal to Equestria this whole time!" 

Usually, the portal to Equestria alters the body. However, due to Midnight Sparkle's demonic curses, her physical form is delayed. Midnight Sparkle feels different for some reason. Perhaps, bringing Earth Land power to Equestria amplifies her Equestrian Magic.

Discord is asleep when he falls off of his cotton candy cloud. He feels a cold crept terror of magic power he's not familiar with. "What is that I'm sensing?" Discord gets cold feet. He claps to call his clones. "As you know, I'm tired from today's class and meeting with Empress Ember. Please investigate the matter for me." 

"Detective Discord is on the case," Discord (clone) is wearing a detector's suit and hat. He's smoking a pipe that has a chocolate scent. Detective Discord gets in the elevator. "Going up!" He leaves the house. 

Midnight Sparkle lands in the middle of the Everfree Forest. "The Everfree Forest." She hears the Timberwolves howling nearby. Two tall Timberwolves are in the range of Midnight Sparkle. "I was once afraid of you creatures. Now," Midnight's hands glow. "You're nothing more but ashes," Midnight Sparkle shoots an aqua blue heat cannon from her palm. The power she unleashes not only incinerate the timberwolves, the trees within the Everfree Forest turn to ashes. "It appears I'm more powerful than the time I had all the Alicorn Magic when battling Tirek." 

Midnight Sparkle smirks and decides to pay the Tree of Harmony a visit. Detective Discord arrives at the scene after sensing large quantities of magic used. 

"Wow," Detective Discord sees what's left of the Everfree Forest. Behind him, the trees are intact. In front of him, it's a wasteland. "This is disturbing," Detective Discord takes a snapshot of the wasteland part of the Everfree Forest. "Whoever did this is wicked powerful," Detective Discord notices footprints on the ground. "Those aren't hoofprints," He takes another snapshot. "What kind of animal or creature destroyed half of the Everfree Forest?" A thought comes to Detective Discord. "If I were a villain and I want to make an impression, I would take out," Detective Discord gasps. "Whoever did this is after the Elements of Harmony!"  Detective Discord writes his thoughts on possible villains that want to ruin Equestria. He flies in the direction of the Tree of Harmony. 

After a few minutes of traveling, Midnight Sparkle soars down to the entrance of the Tree of Harmony. "Perhaps I can use the Elements of Harmony's power to bypass the artifact Mard Geer made so I can teleport to Earth Land. Then, I'll use Spike's magic card to teleport us back to Equestria. Once I return, I will destroy the Fairy Tail, then take Spike back."

Midnight Sparkle walks up to the Tree of Harmony. She reaches for her element when a shockwave of magic power denies her access. 

"WHAT?!" Midnight Sparkle angrily shouts. She tries grabbing her element again, but the Tree of Harmony sends shockwaves of power time and time again. "WHY ARE YOU REJECTING ME!?" Midnight Sparkle grits her teeth. She grabs the Tree of Harmony. "WHY ARE YOU REJECTING ME!? YOU KNOW ME AS THE ELEMENT OF MAGIC!" 

"You are no longer worthy of wielding the Element of Magic," A sparkling alicorn appears in front of Midnight Sparkle. It resembles Twilight Sparkle. 

"I'm the Element of Magic!" Midnight Sparkle protests. "Also, what are you?!"

"I am a representation of the Tree of Harmony, Midnight Sparkle. You're not worthy of the Element of Magic anymore." 

"WHY?!" Midnight Sparkle snorts at the representative. 

"You're a demon. A narcissist demon, driven to ruin friendships." 

"Excuse me?" Midnight Sparkle is offended. "I am the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle. That's what I am in Equestria!"

"Was. You're a demon, not caring for anyone but yourself." 

"SPIKE IS THE ONE THAT DOESN'T CARES! HE'S TOO AMBITIOUS OF LISTENING TO REASON ABOUT THE STATE OF EQUESTRIA! WE'RE AT WAR BY NOW DUE TO DISCORD'S ANTICS AND IMPERSONATION AS SPIKE! IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, OTHER KINGDOMS AND NATIONS HATE US!" 

"While you were in Earth Land, Midnight Sparkle. News travels fast throughout the lands. Discord confessed his sin during the Bar of Alliance meeting. Instead of going to war, the Nations, including Equestria, are closer than ever."   

"What?" Midnight Sparkle is perplexed. "More united than ever?" 

"That's right. Discord's testimony opened the doors of forgiveness. Also, Discord displayed flashbacks of Spike the Fairy. They all know how happy Spike is and accept the reality of living without him. Your efforts were all for nothing, Midnight Sparkle." 

"THANKS TO DISCORD! MY LIFE IS RUINED!"

"Discord didn't make you lose your friendship with Spike. You did. Your friends are equally as guilty for using Spike for their benefit. You didn't see Spike as your friend. Not even a little brother. You saw him as a servant. A slave with no freedom." 

"DON'T REMIND ME OF MY MISTAKES! I OWNED UP TO IT! HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO SEEK REDEMPTION WHEN SPIKE WEREN'T AROUND, TO BEGIN WITH!?" 

"Perhaps a simpler solution would be in order at the time. However, you chose to disregard Spike's happiness." 

"I DID NOT!" 

"You did, Midnight Sparkle. I can see in your eyes that you wanted things to go back to normal. Normal in the sense that Spike's happiness is taken away from him. You, Midnight Sparkle, are not a creature worthy to represent friendship. Besides, you were aiming to use the power of the Elements for your benefits."

"How did you?" Midnight Sparkle couldn't believe the Tree of Harmony figured her out that quickly. 

"I can see it in your eyes. You want to make another attempt to lure Spike the Fairy back to Equestria."

"SHUT UP!" Midnight Sparkle shoots aqua blue flames at the representative. Her attack fazes through the representative. 

"Your desire for Spike has led you astray, Midnight Sparkle. Your defeat is imminent." 

"I will bring Spike back. I don't need you to tell me what I can't do!" Midnight Sparkle set her eyes at the Tree of Harmony.

"I told you, you're not worthy of using the Elements of Harmony for your selfish gain. There's nothing for you here," The representative formally claims. 

"I'm not worthy," Midnight Sparkle's hand glows crimson red. "No one is!" She grabs the Tree of Harmony. 

"Don't!" 

"Scatter Explosion!" Midnight Sparkle releases a crimson red fireball. The Tree of Harmony alongside the Elements of Harmony are destroyed. The representative is in shock by Midnight Sparkle's decision-making. 

The representative of the Tree of Harmony starts to disintegrate. "You sealed your fate." 

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow green. She ignites her horn green as well. She absorbs the remaining magic from the Tree of Harmony and converts to curse power as she would do to an Exceed before drinking its' blood. "I can't allow you to dethrone me. No one should ever use the Element of Harmony against me since you forbade me the power I need." 

The final words of the representative are spoken before vanishing. "Friendship is Magic." 

"I will preach the qualities of Friendship once I gain enough power to restart time itself." 

Detective Discord arrives and feels the Tree of Harmony destroyed. "No!" Detective Discord snaps his claw, teleporting in front of the Tree of Harmony. He sees a figure standing tall with overwhelming magic power. "What are you?" 

Midnight Sparkle turns around. Her hand glows bright purple. "Hello, Discord." 

"Twilight..?" Detective Discord can't believe that Twilight has a new body. He takes a snapshot of her. 

"Goodbye," Midnight Sparkle shoots purple curse flares at Detective Discord. On impact, Detective Discord starts turning into stone. 

"No! Not aga-" Detective Discord is now petrified in stone. 

"This is for ruining my life," Midnight Sparkle shoves Detective Discord's statue, shattering him beyond recognition. She flies in the skies and lowers her magic power so no one can detect her. 

At home, Discord holds his sides and falls to the floor hard. He yelps loudly in pain. Sunset and the Dazzlings come and check on him. 

"What happened, Discord?" Sunset is concerned about Discord. 

"What's wrong, big guy?" Sonata asks. 

"A clone of mine has perished," Discord pants. 

"What?!" Sunset and the Dazzlings shout in horror. 

"I sensed something wickedly powerful. I don't know what I sensed, so I sent my clone to investigate. Now, I can't see the memories of my clone nor feel his essence. However, something horrid just happened." 

"What..?" Adagio asks. She and Aria help Discord up. 

"The Tree of Harmony along with the Elements of Harmony are destroyed."
> Tartaros Aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After hearing Natsu's cries, Spike decides to check on him. Erza suggests that everyone else find their friends and regroup. 

Spike flies and concentrates on the flare marking he'd shot Natsu and finds him crying near a crater where his dad, Igneel, is resting. A chunk of his body and arm are missing, signaling that his death is near. 

"Natsu," Spike places his claw on Natsu's shoulder. 

Natsu doesn't acknowledge Spike while his emotions run wild. He cries in the presence of his dad after watching him fall in defeat by the claws of Acnologia. Spike backs away a bit, giving Natsu much-needed space to grieve. 

Spike looks up to see four dragons flying in the skies. "Hey, Rage. Which one you think it's Grandeeney?" Silence reign. Spike sadly sighs. "I forgot. Rage sacrificed himself to resurrect Erza." 

It's the dawn of a new day on Magnolia. Four dragons land while every Fairy Tail Wizard and some from Sabertooth gathers. Spike is next to Wendy, holding her hand. 

"Grandeeney, you're back," Wendy said in tears of joy. 

Grandeeney is a white dragon covered in tissue similar to bird feathers. Her feet resemble bird talons as well. Her head is covered in what appears to be fur, and her skull is somewhat broad and flat. Her fur extends down the neck and to the upper chest. "Yes, child. We returned at last, and Acnologia has been repelled," Grandeeny replies. She's happy to see Wendy once more. "I see you met someone you like." 

"This is Spike. He's my boyfriend." 

"Spike the Fairy. Son of Amy the Amethyst Dragon." 

"Amy. She's a dear friend of mine, Spike," Grandeeney said. 

"What?!" Spike and Wendy say in unison. 

"A kind-hearted dragon with a loving heart for humans. Do you intend on marrying Wendy someday, Spike?" Grandeeney asks. 

Spike clutches Wendy's hand. "Yes, I do. Wendy and I confessed our love for each other long ago." 

"You have my blessings, Spike," Grandeeney smiles. 

"Thank you," Spike smiles. 

"Man! It feels good to have a pack of dragons on our side!" Jet happily says. 

"Yea, I'll say," Droy agrees with Jet. 

"Weren't their thousands of those Face things out there?" Romeo asks. 

"They were, but these dragons knocked them out," Macao said. 

"Freaking amazing," Wakaba said in awe. 

"I'm proud of you for destroying that Face, Wendy," Grandeeney said. 

"Thanks but, Carla did the hard part." 

Gajeel stares at Metalicana. Metalicana stares back at Gajeel. 

"So, that's him. That's Metalicana," Panther Lily feasts his eyes on him. 

Metalicana's body is silver, iron scales. It gives the impression that Metalicana is wearing armor. Metalicana's head is nearly square, and his lower jaw has the appearance of being hinged. His eyes are beady and circular with no pupils, black sclera; around his eyes are black markings that continue around the back of Metalicana's neck. Metalicana's wings are metallic that don't fold like other dragons. 

"He's your dad?" Levy asks Gajeel. 

"You still look like you swallowed rust," Metalicana rudely remarks. 

"So do you!" Gajeel barks back. 

"I don't get it. I remember killing you," Sting said. He's confused as to why  Weisslogia is alive. 

Weisslogia is a light-colored, bearded Dragon with feathery, Angel-Esque wings and has two comparably small antlers protruding from the top of his head. Weisslogia's underbelly is smooth, while the majority of his body, save for part of his feathery, windswept face. His spine is adorned with a trail of hair that starts from his head is covered with thick scales.

"How are you still alive?" Rogue asks Skiadrum.

Skiadrum is covered in pitch-black scales; atop his head, Skiadrum has two sharp horns and sports a small, pointed beard of shadows on his chin. Skiadrum has no visible pupils, and his eyes are red. Between his horns and running down his spine, Skiadrum has a mane of shadows as well as his wings. Because of the shadows, his body is composed of, Skiadrum has a constant stream of shadows emitting from his head, wings, spine, and tail.

"We altered your memories in order to help you grow strong," Weisslogia answers. 

"It was an experiment of ours. One Igneel was against. We raised you both as Dragon Slayers, and to complete your upbringing, we gave you the experience of slaying dragons," Skiadrum explains. 

"However, it's incorrect to say we're still alive," Weisslogia said. 

"In the truest sense, we've been quite dead for some time," Grandeeny said. 

"That can't be good," Happy said. 

"Many years ago, Acnologia used his Dragon Slayer Magic to tear our spirit from our bodies. So, we have three reasons for residing with you," Grandeeny said. Wendy becomes worried. She, Sting, and Rogue gasps. Gajeel remains silent. "Please understand, we did it to beat Acnologia and prevent you from transforming. But, it was the only way we had to survive." 

"You mean..," Wendy starts trembling in fear and sadness, knowing what's going to happen next. 

"Now that we left your bodies, there's no way for us to return. The demonstration of power we just gave will also be our last," Skiadrum said. "We hope you understand why we had to remain hiding until the time was right." 

"Even the mighty Igneel wasn't able to defeat Acnologia. However, it must be said that Igneel fought from the very brink of death," Metalicana said. 

"Igneel saved me. I brought the fight to Acnologia for what he's done to my uncle and mother. He killed them, and I will slay Acnologia someday." 

"Not alone, you're not," Gajeel said. He places his hand on Spike's shoulder. 

"We're doing it together, Spike," Wendy said. 

"I said you won't be losing me, Spike. I'm going to help you bring down Acnologia," Erza said. 

"We wish you luck, Energy Maker Dragon," Skiadrum said. 

"Our time has run out. This is goodbye, Wendy," Grandeeney said. 

"No! Don't go!" Wendy tears up a bit. 

"Sweet girl, the road you face is filled with peril, but I've seen you gained the strength to walk it. And, you're not alone." 

"Please! A little more time with you," Wendy pleas. 

"Let's see them off, kid. With our heads held high," Gajeel said, comforting Wendy. 

"Farewell, humans. Once very long ago, there was terrible strife with between our kind and yours. It warms my heart cause in the end, we part in friendship," Grandeeny along with Metalicana, Weisslogia, and Skiadrum, flaps their wings; Getting ready to take off. 

"The era of dragons has ended. We leave this world for you to protect," Weisslogia said. 

"The power of man shall pave the future. For that, we are thankful," Skiadrum said. 

"Spike, create a new era of dragons co-existing with humans. Let love be your guide to a greater future," Grandeeney said. 

"I will!" Spike shouts, watching the dragons ascend in the skies. 

"I love you, Wendy. Always and forever," Grandeeney ascends to the afterlife. 

"You should get your face check out," Metalicana rudely says to Gajeel. 

"Way to ruin the moment, you rust bucket!" Gajeel retorts. He watches Metalicana ascend to the afterlife. "I'll miss you too," Gajeel admits. 

"Weisslogia, thanks for everything," Sting said, watching his dragon ascend to the afterlife. 

"Rest well," Rogue said, watching his dragon ascend to the afterlife. 

Remains of Igneel's body start ascending. Natsu continues to cry, wanting to speak with his father and having many of his questions answered. 

"Cut it out with the damn waterworks, will you?" Igneel's spirit said. "C'mon, Natsu. I taught you what to do when you feel like this. Have you forgotten?" 

"I remember," Natsu replies, tears still streaming on his face. 

"Then prove it," Igneel commands. "Get on your feet!" 

Natsu complies and stands up. "Okay." 

"I've been with you every step of the way, and nothing has made me more proud than seeing what you've done! Keep growing. Know that I'll always live in your heart! Show me the fire that burns within you." 

"I will," Natsu stands in formation. "I'm going to work even harder! I'm going to get even stronger! And when I do, I'M GOING TO TAKE DOWN ACNOLOGIAAAAAAA!" Natsu declares. 

"That's the way, speak of the future! That's where the power of life truly lies." 

Spike flies over to Natsu after hearing him proclaiming his promise to take down Acnologia. "Natsu."

Natsu turns around to see Spike. "Will you join me in taking down Acnologia?" 

"You know it," Spike offers his claw. "Brother." 

Natsu grabs Spike's claw. "We have a lot of work to do. Now, let's head back to the guildhall." 

"Uh.., about the guildhall," Spike whispers the news to Natsu's ear. 

"WHAT?!" Natsu shouts so loud birds fly away from the echo. 

A few hours later. Every Fairy Tail Wizard returns to what's left of their guildhall. Lucy informs Spike that she needs time alone to contemplate. Spike understands and watches her go to the apartment. Every citizen in Magnolia starts rebuilding their town. 

"Well, so what now? Time to start rebuilding again?" Mirajane asks. 

"I suppose," Master Makarov answers. He doesn't sound like himself. 

"It's going to be tough. To do it all over again," Jet said. 

"I shouldn't be here. I really don't have the right," Elfman sadly claims. 

"This wasn't your fault, Elfman," Lisanna reassuringly said to comfort her brother. 

"None of this is anyone's fault. Perhaps it's a signal. One to mark an end of an era," Makarov said. He's thinking about disbanding the guild. 

"Makarov, can I speak with you, alone?" Spike asks Master Makarov. 

Makarov sighs. "Sure. Don't follow us. That's an order," He said to his children. 

Master Makarov and Spike walk away from the remnants of the guildhall. They walk to the South Gate Park, knowing they'll be left alone. Spike and Makarov sit at the park's bench. 

"What's on your mind, Spike?" 

"I know you have the intentions of disbanding the guild due to Tartaros' attack. I don't need Rage to figure that out based on your emotions." 

"Condolences to you for losing Rage during the war," Makarov sincerely said. 

"Thanks. However, you can't disband the guild. You can't disband the family, Makarov." 

Master Makarov sighs. "I need to, Spike. Also, there's something I need to do that'll help. I don't want anyone to follow me." 

"You gave your word to Princess Celestia that you and Fairy Tail will take care of me better than they." 

"You're right..," Makarov remembers that night while celebrating a triumphant victory. 

"I have an idea for keeping the guild together while you take care of business." 

"What's your idea, Spike?" Makarov is intrigued. 

"There's a clear fact due to me being a dragon. I'm going to outlive my friends. I ask of you to allow me to be the next Guild Master." 

"You?" Makarov's jaws drop a bit. "You want the responsibility of being a Guild Master?" 

"Yes. I can't be Fairy Dragon if the Fairy Tail Guild is disbanded. I won't speak about the Lumen Histoire to anyone. I'm going to need the experience to lead the next generation of Fairy Tail." 

"You make a compelling case, Spike," Master Makarov looks at the blue skies. "Perhaps it is time that I step down as Master. I will tell you what the Lumen Histoire is. However, you mustn't tell anyone." 

"Understood, Makarov," Spike nods.

Master Makarov reveals everything he knows about the Lumen Histoire to Spike and answered many questions. After an hour of explaining the full details, Spike will keep his mouth shut until he knows when to activate it. Makarov mentions that he has an insider who'll be wiping the memories of everyone else that knows about the Lumen Histoire. 

"Come, it's time to announce to everyone who'll be their seventh master." 

Master Makarov and Spike return to the remnants of the guildhall. Everyone is standing by, anxious to know what the two spoke. Makarov gets in front of everyone. 

"The time has come, kids. After contemplating for a while, I have decided to step down as your Guild Master." 

"What!?" Everyone except for Spike shouts. 

"Makarov, who have you chosen?" Erza asks. 

Makarov smiles. "Allow me to introduce you to your seventh master. Spike the Fairy." 

"Spike!" Everyone shouts in unison. They are surprised to hear that Spike is going to be their new Guild Master. 

"Spike made a compelling case during our conversation. While I was thinking about disbanding the guild, he refused to allow family to drift apart. I thought long and hard as to who'll be the next Guild Master."

"Why did you choose Spike, Master?" Mirajane asks. 

"Spike is a dragon, and he'll outlive most of you. If not, all of you. It'll give him the experience to take the mantle. I bid you farewell, my children," Makarov leaves. 

Some of the Fairy Tail Wizards become emotional watching Makarov leave. All eyes are on Spike. Eager to know what his first order of business. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "My first order as Guild Master. I want each of you to relax. Take a few days off to unwind from what has transpired. There are things I need to contemplate." 

"Okay, Master," Levy said. 

"I am your Guild Master but don't address me as Master. Address me as to how ever seems fit with you. All of you." 

"Can do, bro," Gajeel throws the thumbs up. 

"You got it, Spike," Mirajane said. 

"Come, Elfman. Let's go home," Lisanna said. 

"Coming, Lisanna. Spike, about the guildhall, I'm-" Elfman sees Spike's claw up. 

"It's okay, no need to fret. Take the time off to release your emotions and work on how you're going to improve yourself. Just like a real man." 

"Will do, Spike," Elfman walks with Mirajane and Lisanna back home. 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard goes home. To think and release their emotions. Spike flaps his wings and takes off to the Magnolia Hospital. He wants to check on the Thunder Legion's progress. Twenty minutes later, Spike arrives at the hospital. A nurse tells him what room the Thunder Legion is in. Spike walks to the second floor and opens the door. He sees Laxus hugging his friends. 

"Fairy Dragon. Fairy Dragon is here!" Bickslow's Tikis announces. 

"Hey, Spike. Glad to see you're doing well," Laxus said. He lets go of his friends. 

"Thanks. How are you all doing?" Spike asks. 

"Feeling a lot better, little buddy," Bickslow said. 

"Terrific. Never better," Freed replies. 

"Doing great, Spike," Evergreen said. 

"I'm getting better. Thanks for dropping by," Laxus said. 

"I'm also here to inform you the direction Fairy Tail is heading."

"Lay it on us, Spike. What's the deal?" Bickslow said, leaning against the wall in the room. 

"Master Makarov renounce himself as Guild Master of the Fairy Tail Guild." 

"What?" Evergreen and Bickslow said in shock. Freed is silent. 

Laxus is in disbelief. Never in his life, he would hear his grandfather giving up his title as Guild Master a second time. "Who did Grandpa announce to be the next Guild Master?"

"Me," Spike answers. 

The Thunder Legion jaws drop to the floor. Spike explains why Makarov chose him after contemplating. That he persuaded Makarov into choosing the next Guild Master going forward and not allowing family to drift apart.

"Who else doesn't know?" Laxus asks. 

"Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Juvia, and Gray. I'll get to them soon."

"What's your first order of command, Spike?" Freed asks. 

"Relax for a few days and unwind. Second, address me as to how ever seems fit with you. Don't call me Master. Not until I'm older." 

"Fair enough, Spike," Evergreen said. 

"I'll see you guys later," Spike flies out the window. He sees the devastation Tartaros had laid waste. Many buildings were destroyed as well as housing. He sees people rebuilding their homes. 

An hour later. Spike notices Wendy and Lucy together by the South Gate Park. Lucy's Celestial Spirit Cancer gives Wendy her hairstyle back. She now has her long blue hair. He swoops down to see how the two are doing. 

"Hey, Master," Lucy smiles. 

"I'm guessing Wendy told you what transpired a while ago?" Spike asks Lucy. 

"Yea. Wendy told me that Makarov relinquished his title as Master and passed the torch to you. I know you don't want to be called Master right now but, it's a thing when having a guild." 

Spike chuckles a bit. "That's true." 

"So, Spike. Want to come over since we're relaxing?" Wendy asks, hoping he'll say yes. 

"I was going to ask of you to come over to the apartment," Spike said. 

"Sure! I would love that!" Wendy smiles happily. "Mind if I bring Carla over?" 

"Of course," Spike smiles. 

"Okay, hopefully, the food is still good in our fridge," Lucy said, more ecstatic than earlier when she was grieving in the apartment. 

"I'll grab Carla," Wendy runs off. 

"I'll meet you at the apartment! There is one other I need to bring," Spike flaps his wings and takes off. 

Erza is sitting by a hill near a riverine. She's remembering the time she was tortured by Kyôka as a prisoner, the time she was tortured during the Tower of Heaven as a child, and the moment Midnight Sparkle killed her. "Those memories will haunt me to my grave. They will always make me tremble. Betrayed. Bound. Beaten and shamed. Killed by the hands of that wretched demon. I had to watch Fairy Rage sacrifice himself to resurrect me. A piece of Spike, forever gone." 

"Erza," Spike is hovering in front of her. 

"Spike..," Erza looks up at him. 

"What are you doing here alone?" Spike sits next to his sister. 

"Reflecting on the horrors I've endured. The memories will leave a mental scar on me going forward, Spike." 

"I can only imagine the horrors you've endured. One thing that'll forever scar me is losing you while I was hopeless to do anything about it," Spike looks down. "I couldn't fight Twilight in that battle. All I did was watch in horror while she dominated my friends and girlfriend. It made me feel weaker. I'm sorry for letting you down. I'm sorry for going after Acnologia when I should have stayed with you. I could have had more power to-uh.., to..," Spike sadly sighs. "I'm sorry that I didn't save you from Twilight's wrath." 

"It's not your fault. You're not to blame for any of this. Twilight snuck up behind and took advantage after I defeated Kyôka and Minerva finishing her." 

"Do you hate me for bringing a monster like her here?" Spike asks a question that sounds regretful. 

"No. I've never hated you, Spike. I loved you as a sister would. I still love you, bro," Erza pulls Spike into a hug. "Don't blame yourself due to the unknown." 

"You're as strong as ever, Erza," Jellal said, walking past her from behind. "Continue to follow the path of light. Like you always have. We will follow the path of darkness. It is possible that our paths may cross again. When that day does come, I hope your light will wash out our shadows. Until then, move forward." 

Erza and Spike get up and see Jellal heading towards the former members of the Oracíon Seis. Erza smiles, knowing he and they have found their paths to redemption. Spike wonders if the former members are seeking redemption. Without Fairy Rage, he's unable to tell. The two watch them leave. 

"Sis, want to come over to the apartment with me? Wendy and Carla are coming. I thought we can be together as a family." 

"Sure, Spike. Let's go," Erza smiles more. The memories that scarred her a while ago have passed for now. 

Spike and Erza walk together to his and Lucy's apartment. It's getting dark as the moon rises. The two runs into Lucy, Wendy, and Carla, carrying fresh food for the week in front of the apartment. 

"Hey, you two," Lucy smiles. 

"Hey, Lucy," Erza and Spike reply. 

"So, ready to have a sleepover?" Lucy asks. 

"Looking forward to it. Where's Natsu and Happy? I'm sure those two would like to come," Erza said. 

"I'm sure those two are already upstairs sleeping on my bed," Lucy sighs a little but gets over it. 

Lucy, Spike, Erza, Carla, and Wendy go up the stairs. They enter the room to see it empty. Lucy notices a letter on her desk and opens it. Spike, Wendy, and Carla bring the bags to the kitchen and stores food away. Lucy reads the letter. 

"Wow, it's worse than Erza's handwriting," Lucy said while reading the print. 

"What was that?" Erza said, glaring at Lucy. 

"Uh, nothing!" Lucy reads the letter. "Lucy, Spike. Me and Happy are going on a training mission. Be back in a year or so. Tell everybody bye for us, will you? Thanks, Lucy. See you later," Lucy finishes reading the letter. 

"Training for a year?" Spike puts that thought in mind. 

"You're not suggesting the guild should do it, are you?" Carla asks Spike since he's the Master of the Guild now. 

"I'm thinking about it. Everyone train harder and get stronger. Then regroup to build our new guildhall. Take some different jobs throughout the year as well. We got hit hard, so we should train hard as well. As for how long, I'm thinking about it." 

"Well, no matter what, I'm training with you, Spike," Wendy said. 

"Same here," Erza said. "I'm sure the others would want their fair share training with you as well." 

"Definitely. For now, though, let's celebrate a new beginning moving forward."
> Discovery
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia wakes up to a new day feeling distressed. She felt a horrible disturbance during her sleep. "What was that?" 

Princess Luna knocks on Celestia's door. "Sister. It's time to raise the sun." 

Princess Celestia gets up and raises the sun. She uses her magic to open the door. "Luna, come in." 

Princess Luna walks inside Celestia's room. Something is amiss, judging her tone and facial features. "What's wrong, Celestia? Why do you look distraught on a gorgeous day?" 

"I fear something wretched is on the loose. Something indescribable." 

"Like what?" 

"Did you feel any disturbances during your late-night duties?" 

"Nay, Celestia. I was tackling some fillies' nightmares last night. I didn't sense anything peculiar, Celestia. Shall I investigate the manner?" 

"Your Highnesses," A Royal Guard appears in front of the room. He bows in respect of the two Princesses. "Please forgive the intrusion. I deliver informative news from the Draqonecuus." 

"Discord?" Princess Celestia and Luna are now worried about the info Discord possesses. 

"What information Discord has acquired?" Princess Luna asks the Royal Guard. 

"Here," The Royal Guard gives the letter to the Princesses. 

Princess Celestia unveils the letter to read. She and her sister's hearts drop while reading the letter. 

"This.., this has to be some sort of prank.., right..?" Princess Luna is appalled at what's written in the letter. 

"Judging from the letter, I don't think Discord would be pulling our hinds like this. Discord knows the difference between tomfoolery and sense," Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. "Sir." 

"Yes, your Highness," The Royal Guard responds. 

"Gather your platoon. I'm going to the Everfree Forest."

"Yes, Princess," The Royal Guard gallops to his squadron. 

"I'm going too. Perhaps this creature is hiding in plain sight, waiting to ambush a powerful foe." 

"Very well, Luna," Princess Celestia freshens up for the day and leaves the castle with her sister. The two are outside with a squadron of Royal Guards. "To the Everfree Forest," Princess Celestia and Luna take flight. The Royal Guards take flight, following the Princesses.  

Discord is sitting on the couch, mourning for a fellow clone that died. It's like losing a piece of yourself. Sunset Shimmer, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata are with him in silence.

"To Detective Discord," Discord raises his glass of chocolate milk. His fellow clones do the same in his home. 

"He found who stole my football," A clone said, clutching onto the football like a baby.  

"Detective Discord solved the mystery of the missing cupcakes I baked for Nightmare Night. It was me," The clone shed some tears. 

"Detective Discord loves to take many snapshots. He's great for being a photographer artist," Another clone says. 

"We will miss him," Discord's clones, and he drinks the glass. 

"Discord, do you think we should be investigating on the manner?" Sunset asks. 

"I already sent a letter to Princess Celestia and Luna. If you feel like investigating, I'll send you off. A few of my clones will go. I can't." 

"Why is that, big guy?" Sonata asks. 

"If that behemoth was able to neutralize a clone at ease, there's no telling what it can do to me. If I fall, all my clones go with me." 

"I understand," Sunset said. Not wanting to put Discord in jeopardy in case whatever destroyed the Tree of Harmony can still be lurking. 

"Hey, we're coming along," Adagio said. 

"Yea," Aria said. "You can use some backup," Aria cracks her knuckles. 

"I'm going to stay with Discord; he needs the comfort," Sonata said, rubbing Discord's back. 

"Alright, let's go," Discord (clone) snaps his claw, teleporting Sunset, Aria, and Adagio to the Tree of Harmony. 

It's 9:00 in the morning. Neighsay wakes up to a new day in the dorm. He freshens up for the day and leaves his room. 

Neighsay shakes his head after seeing an apparition appear to him during his dream. "That can't be right.., right?" Neighsay sees Sandbar, Yona, and Silverstream talking with each other. "Hey guys, had a goodnight's sleep?" 

"It was different, Neighsay," Sandbar replies. 

"Yona saw Twilight ghost again." 

"Something about the Tree of Harmony," Silverstream said. 

"You too, huh?" Neighsay sighs. "I had a hard time sleeping after feeling a dark presence last night. The apparition was vagued with me due to my tossing and turning on the bed." 

"So, you being a unicorn gives you other senses?" Silverstream asks. 

"Yes. Some unicorns with higher levels of magic power can sense other variations. When I used to be a member of the EEA, I was given artifacts that most unicorns weren't capable of using. My studies with magic soar than most unicorns in Canterlot. With that in mind, I missed out on vital information the apparition had spoken due to the disturbance I felt." 

"You think the others received a message from the Tree of Harmony?" Sandbar asks his friends. 

"Only one way to find out," Neighsay trots to the School of Friendship's cafeteria where Smolder, Ocellus, and Gallus are at. Sandbar, Yona, and Silverstream follow Neighsay. 

As the four leave the dorm, they see Princess Celestia, Luna, and a squadron of Royal Guard flying in the direction of the Tree of Harmony. They figured the apparition had spoken to them as well. Ten minutes later, the four enter the cafeteria. They see their friends at the table looking sluggish. 

"Wow, those guys don't look good," Silverstream said. 

Ocellus, Gallus, and Smolder yawn a bit. It appears they had a rough night sleeping. They see their friends coming up to them. 

"Hey," Gallus yawns. 

"What's up with every creature?" Yona asks. 

"We're tired," Smolder replies. 

"Last night, I dreamt of seeing Twilight during the middle of a nightmare. She mentioned the Tree of Harmony before she vanished," Ocellus said. 

"I saw Twilight in my dream. I was having a tea par-" Smolder coughs. "I was having tea while fighting a.., a..," Smolder pouts after seeing her friends noticing her lie. "I was having a tea party in my dreams. Twilight said something about the Tree of Harmony before she vanished." 

"I was having a nightmare about failing Maud Pie's class for not paying close attention to detail when Twilight appear to say about the Tree of Harmony. Then, poof, she was gone,"  Gallus said. 

"I think it's fair to say that we all had a visit by Twilight," Sandbar said. 

"Well, more like the messager from the Tree of Harmony," Yona said. She remembers the encounter when Cozy Glow tried to take over the school and Equestria by draining the magic. 

"Oh yea," Everyone else said; they remember seeing the messager during the crisis months ago. 

"The apparition was vague with me last night. Also, I felt a disturbance during my sleep."

"What kind of disturbance, Neighsay?" Gallus asks him. 

"Magic power that's on a different level. It made me toss and turn in my sleep," Neighsay said. "I believe the answers we need is where the Tree of Harmony is." 

"Let's go," Silverstream said.  

The Unity Seven leave the cafeteria and bumps into Headmare Glimmer, spilling a cup of coffee. 

"Ye-ouch!" The cup of coffee is splattered all over her coat. "Hot hot hot hot hot hot!" 

"Sorry, Headmare Glimmer," The Unity Seven apologetically say in unison. 

"Why are you seven in a hurry?" Starlight Glimmer asks. 

"Quick question, did you feel a disturbance last night?" Neighsay asks. 

"No. Why do you ask, Neighsay?" 

"I felt a disturbance in my sleep. Also, an apparition of Twilight appeared in my dream. She was vague due to my tossing and turning in my sleep. My friends heard what the apparition said. Tree of Harmony before vanishing. We're going to the Everfree Forest now and see why the messager mentioned the Tree of Harmony." 

"The Tree of Harmony speaks mysteriously. If you believe that the Tree of Harmony has called out to you, go. I will excuse you for the day under one condition." 

"Anything," The Unity Seven says. 

"Make me a cup of coffee. A good cup."

After a few minutes of making Starlight Glimmer a good cup of coffee, the Unity Seven leaves the School of Friendship. On the way to the Everfree Forest, Zecora comes out with her belongings, looking sad. 

"Zecora, what happened?" Silverstream asks. 

"My home's grace is now a disgrace. The Everfree, once green, is now clean. Desolate and desecrate is all you'll find," Zecora trots into Ponyville, looking for a hotel to stay at.   

"That doesn't sound good," Sandbar said. 

"She just became homeless from what transpired last night. Something that we don't know about," Smolder exclaims. 

"Perhaps the disturbance caused it," Neighsay said. 

"Let's get moving," Yona said. 

The Unity Seven ventures into the Everfree Forest. After passing a few trees in the Everfree Forest, the Unity Seven understands what Zecora had mentioned about the Everfree's condition. They are silent, seeing ashes on the ground from many trees, including remainings of what appears to be Timberwolves. Many animals that reside in the Everfree Forest are in hiding. Whatever did this had them spooked. Half of Zecora's hut is missing its bark. 

Princess Celestia, Luna, and the Royal Guards land in front of the entrance to the Tree of Harmony. They are disturbed by the features of half of the Everfree Forest. 

"What or who did that?" A Royal Guard speaks loudly, unable to hold his thoughts in. 

"I don't know. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to finding out," Princess Celestia said.  

"The variations of magic are off, Celestia. I'm sensing power beyond our understanding. It's beyond my magic when I was Nightmare Moon." 

Princess Celestia sighs. She proceeds to enter the cave with Luna and the Royal Guards. Princess Luna and Celestia feel a stronger presence within the caves than outside; when they were above the wastelands of the Everfree Forest.  They see the Tree of Harmony and Elements of Harmony shattered all over the floor along with petrified rocks. 

"Celestia, do you feel that?" 

"It's eerie similar for some reason," Princess Celestia responds. 

"How so?"

"I.., I don't know. It's familiar, and I don't remember why." 

Sunset Shimmer, Adagio, Aria, and Discord (clone) arrive in the presence of the Tree of Harmony remains. They see the Princesses and Royal Guards investigating a bit. 

"Discord, it's good to see you," Princess Celestia said. 

"Well, technically speaking, I'm a clone. Discord is grieving for the loss of Detective Discord." 

"Like a clone, do you share and feel memories with the original?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Indeed. Why do you ask?" 

"Does the presence remaining feels eerie similar to you?" Princess Celestia asks the clone. 

"Well, I feel Detective Discord's magic power within the cave. That's one thing," The clone concentrates on the disturbing magic power that remains in the cave. "I do feel a disturbing level of power within the caves. Not the Tree of Harmony nor the Elements." 

"What is it that you're feeling, Discord?" Sunset asks the clone. 

The clone turns to the Princesses gaze. "Celestia. You're not going to like for what I have to say." 

"Please, tell us, Discord," Princess Celestia calmly asks. She takes a deep breath, mentally preparing her mind. 

"The magic I'm sensing is Underworld Magic." 

"Underworld Magic?" Everyone around says in unison. 

"We're talking about Black and Dark Magic, right?" Sunset asks the clone. 

"It's the closest theory I can come up with at the moment. Whoever did this was observing and planning how to weaken us. Whoever did this took out Equestria's strongest weapon and form of defense." 

"That sucks," Adagio said. 

"Who would do such a thing?" A Royal Guard asks. 

"Could be any creature that resents Equestria. It could be any creature that resents Friendship entirely. Luna and I will recall our history to any villain that may want vengeance." 

The Unity Seven arrives. They see Princess Celestia, Luna, the Royal Guards, Discord, Sunset Shimmer, Aria, and Adagio talking. The Unity Seven wonders if the Tree of Harmony has reached out to them as well. 

"Hey, every creature, did the Tree of Harmony reach out to you as well!" Yona shouts at everyone in the cave. They turn to the Unity Seven. 

"Hey, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?" The clone of Discord says. 

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching?" Smolder asks. 

"I'm a clone representing Discord today, Smolder." 

"What did you mean by the Tree of Harmony reaching out?" Sunset asks the Unity Seven. 

"Last night in our slumbers, an apparition of Twilight Sparkle came to us and mentioned the Tree of Harmony before vanishing. I didn't hear much of her because I sensed something disturbing in my sleep." 

"Why did the Tree of Harmony reach out to you seven?" Princess Luna asks. 

"Just as before, when the apparition of the Tree of Harmony came to us, we were destined to save Equestrian Magic and stop Cozy Glow. Perhaps, we're meant to help the Tree of Harmony in some form of way," Silverstream said. 

"Hey, what's this?" Ocellus picks up a camera that's in stone. 

"You've found Detective Discord's camera!" The clone snatches it from Ocellus' grasps. "Perhaps the images he took have the answers we need."

"Why is it in stone?" Yona asks. 

"We're about to find out," The clone of Discord uses his magic to uplift the stone's spell on the camera. It doesn't work. "Huh?" He uses his Chaos Magic to uplift the spell. "Wow, whoever did this has more magic power than Discord." 

"Perhaps we should help you uplift the petrification of the camera," Sunset suggests. 

"Yes," The clone nods. 

Princess Celestia, Luna, Sunset Shimmer, and Neighsay amplify their magic power to help the clone remove the petrification spell. It works as the camera winds up taking another snapshot in the process. 

"Perfect, now we can see the images that were taken," The clone prints the snapshots the camera took. After a few moments, Sunset looks at one of the pictures and gasps. 

"Oh no..," Sunset steps back a bit. 

"What's wrong, Sunset?" Aria asks her. Judging the look on Sunset's face, it must be crucial. 

"What on earth is this creature?" The clone looks at a tall creature in front of the destroyed Tree of Harmony within the picture. 

"We have a serious situation, everyone," Sunset said. She has flashbacks of fighting Midnight Sparkle during the Friendship Games. 

"How serious are we talking about, Sunset?" Princess Celestia trots up to her. 

Sunset Shimmer takes a deep breath while everyone looks at the picture the clone is holding, trying to figure out what it is. Sunset sighs heavily.  

"Twilight is back," Every creature gasps after Sunset's claim. "I know because I once fought Midnight Sparkle. An alternate version, the opposite of Twilight. That, in the picture, is her." 

"Then, that means..," The clone realizes what it means. "Spike the Fairy defeated Midnight and brought her to Equestria." 

"And if that's the case..," Princess Celestia connects the dots. "Twilight is scheming an idea of returning to Earth Land or something much more sinister." 

"We all need to have a watchful eye on any of her antics," A Royal Guard says. 

"Twilight is a smart pony. Her knowledge of certain spells and artifacts now terrifies me," Princess Luna said. 

"Discord," Princess Celestia turns to him. 

"Clone," The clone of Discord corrects Celestia. 

"Go to the Crystal Empire and inform Cadance and Shining Armor. They must protect the Crystal Heart from Twilight's clutches." 

"Can do, Celestia," The clone turns to smoke and leaves the caves. 

Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. "Luna. I want you to guard Tartarus." 

"Yes, Sister," Luna nods. 

"Why Tartarus?" Sunset asks Princess Celestia. 

"I have a theory that Twilight could be heading on over to Tartarus for unexpected allies or any other relics I have hidden within Cerberus' watch. I need to go back to Canterlot and protect the library Starswirled the Bearded had written." 

Princess Celestia and Luna leave the cave, knowing that Twilight Sparkle has returned. The Royal Guards split up. Some go with Celestia, and some go with Luna. 

"Hey, want to stay with us while we uncover what the Tree of Harmony wants us to do?" Gallus asks Adagio. 

"Sure. The clone is our ticket back home. We don't have anything else better to do."
> Tartarus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Luna and her squadron of Royal Guards are flying to the Gates of Tartarus. She hopes that her magic power is on par with Midnight Sparkle's. With the knowledge of knowing Earth Land's Magic Power, she wonders how powerful Midnight Sparkle became while staying in Earth Land for the past few months. 

An hour later. Princess Luna and the Royal Guards arrive. To their shock, they see Cerberus scorched and barely breathing. The Gates of Tartarus are down. 

Princess Luna is speechless. She commands two Royal Guards to stay outside the gate while every pony follows her. They enter Tartarus and see many creatures in captivity barely breathing. It scares Princess Luna and the Royal Guards to a degree. The magic that filters the air is the same in the presence of the Tree of Harmony. Midnight Sparkle had made her appearance. 

"What did Midnight Sparkle do? What did she.., oh no..."

"Princess, are you..," The Royal Guard sees what Princess Luna sees; Two cages that were close to each other. One big and one small. Empty.




Ten hours ago.

Midnight Sparkle flies in the skies heading north. After destroying the Tree of Harmony and absorbing the magic within, she feels more powerful than before. 

"I should have absorbed Erza's magic after killing her. No, instead, I made the bold decision of annihilating everyone else before getting to Spike. What good did that do to me? Spike's girlfriend intervened, the traitor tried to take me out, a cat grew in size. I decided to allow the demonic Tartaros side of me to have too much fun." 

Midnight Sparkle flies over the mountains and thinks about forging a guild of her own; Something similar to Tartaros for her benefit. She devilishly smirks while hatching schemes to overrule Equestria. 

"Now, who would join me on my conquest?" Midnight Sparkle thinks about the villains she once fought as Twilight Sparkle. "Discord and Nightmare Moon is out of contention. Fluttershy reformed him while my friends and I restored Luna to herself. Queen Chrysalis and Lord Tirek will do. Perhaps I can find remnants of King Sombra and resurrect him. Give each of them enticing false promises. In the end, I'll have what I want and will restore order."

Midnight Sparkle laughs and flies to Tartarus. An hour later. Midnight Sparkle arrives at the Gates of Tartarus. She remembers the Gates heavily guarded by all forms of magic known in Equestria. 

"Try Demon Curse, door." Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites red. She blasts the doors of Tartarus down. Midnight Sparkle hears Cerberus growling and charges at her. "Lay down," Midnight Sparkle commands. Her right hand glows aqua blue and shoots flames at Cerberus, scorching him at ease. Cerberus yelps in pain and falls over.  Midnight Sparkle's left hand glows green, absorbing his magic energy. "I can't have you interfering with my plan of action. Now, play dead!" Midnight Sparkle's right hand glows from aqua blue to crimson red. She conjures a fireball and hits Cerberus with it. 

The creatures within their cages cower in fear at the presence of Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle decides to absorb their magic energy into hers. It's a waste for them to have while being in containment. Midnight Sparkle has better use for it. 

Midnight Sparkle watches each creature fall limp after losing its magic power. She set her eyes on two cages next to each other. 

"Tirek, we have a guest," Cozy Glow said in her cheerful tone. She sees a creature making her way up.

"It's Lord Tirek! Lord Tirek," Lord Tirek corrects Cozy Glow. "Also, we haven't had a visitor since-"

"Hello, Lord Tirek," Midnight Sparkle approaches the cages. 

"See! She gets it!" Lord Tirek barks at Cozy Glow. "So, who are you?"

"Hey, why do you sound familiar?" Cozy Glow somewhat recognizes the voice of Midnight Sparkle. 

"I was once Twilight Sparkle. Now, I'm Midnight Sparkle." 

"Twilight!?" Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow can't believe the sudden change within the past few months. 

"I'm not the weakling anymore." 

"What happened to you?" Lord Tirek asks. 

"I'll explain the detail thoroughly later. Right now, I have a proposition to offer you both." 

"And what would that be?" Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow ask. 

"Join my guild. Together, we will overthrow the Kingdoms of the world." 

"What's in it for us?" Lord Tirek wants to know the details of joining Midnight Sparkle's guild. "Surely, there's a reward for our services? Yes?" 

"There are layouts I will address. I will grant you power beyond your wildest dreams and a nation for you to control.  As for you, Cozy Glow. I'll give you a nation for you to dominate. The inhabitants will bow down before you." 

"That is rather tempting," Lord Tirek gives it some thought. 

"I'm in," Cozy Glow has no hesitation on her decision. 

"What kind of power can you give me? Judging from your grotesque form, I say you uncover a new form of magic. Yes?" 

"Before answering your question, I need to know. What do you know as of late?" 

"Well, I heard lots of rumors and stories from the guards about Spike the Fairy; How he's prospering in a world filled with magic that is stronger than our world's. I want to feast on their magic but, I cannot. I need magic power to amplify my abilities to consume magic." 

"Sometimes, the guards let us watch Spike's memories every other Friday as our movie night," Cozy Glow informs. 

"Well, the power I possess comes from Earth Land, and I'm willing to share if you join my guild." 

"Oooo! Oooo! I want that power! Give it to me now!" Cozy Glow wants to feel what it's like having Earth Land power. 

"Anything else I need to know about, Lord Tirek?" Midnight Sparkle asks. 

"Well, I heard some rumors of familiar faces running around but, they're rumors. As for the familiar faces, it's indescribable as far as I know." 

"Fine. As for answering your question, I have something that far exceeds Equestrian Magic. Demon Curses." 

"What?" Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow jaws drop. 

"I'll tell you in full detail about how I possess Demon Curses. Right now, I need an answer from you. Are you joining my guild?" 

"It'll be my pleasure to join you, Midnight Sparkle," Lord Tirek bows in respect. "I'll consume your magic the moment I get strong enough."

Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites green. She shares her demon curses with Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow. The two wail a bit from the overwhelming power. "Oops, I forgot to mention, sharing my power can be a little painful." 

Cozy Glow's physique starts altering. She sprouts a horn; her color turns into crimson red. Her eyes become pitch black with white pupils. She grows fangs and starts laughing. She feels the Demon Curses coursing through her veins. 

Lord Tirek grows in size as he would do. His horns grow, his muscles expand, his tail extends. The features remain the same except for his eyes and arms. His eyes are red with black pupils. His arms are blacker than darkness. The Demon Curses gives him a new perception of magic power. 

"So, this is the power of Earth Land magic? I always wondered," Lord Tirek burst free from his containment. "Where did you find this source of power?" 

"From a Dark Guild known as Tartaros," Midnight Sparkle replies. 

"Golly. You worked with Tartaros and now busting us out of Tartarus. What a twist?" Cozy Glow ignites her horn red and causes the cage doors to explode. 

"What's your guild's name?" Lord Tirek asks Midnight Sparkle. 

"Demon Tail," Midnight Sparkle replies. "We have two more members to pick up. Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra." 

"Let's go," Cozy Glow is eager to leave Tartarus. 

"Follow me," Midnight Sparkle flies out of Tartarus. Cozy Glow and Lord Tirek follow closely. 




A few minutes later.

Princess Luna looks around Tartarus to see if any relics are taken. She enters the forbidden library and finds out that the relics remaining are in place. She uses her magic to teleport the relics to her room at Canterlot Castle for safekeeping. 

"Princess," A Royal Guard approaches her. "What are your commands?" 

"Issue an emergency Bar of Alliance Meeting, pronto. I will not have any delays on the manner." 

"Yes, Princess Luna," The Royal Guard leaves Tartarus. 

Princess Luna sighs. "I wish you were here, Spike the Fairy. We can use your help right about now," Princess Luna leaves Tartarus and teleports to the Crystal Empire.
> Tree of Harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, any ideas on what the Tree of Harmony wanted us to do?" Sandbar asks his friends. 

"I have no clue after finding out who was responsible for such a catastrophe," Neighsay said. 

"There has to be something else that's vital for the Tree. Any suggestions?" Ocellus asks her friends. 

"We're clueless cause the Tree of Harmony didn't summon us," Adagio said. 

"We came with the clone to uncover anything that led to the Tree's demise. Midnight Sparkle judging from the photo. As to why she did such a thing, that's a mystery," Aria said. 

"The Elements of Harmony were key to nullify any villain it comes across. Midnight Sparkle knew defeat was imminent if the Elements came into the fray. I want to say the Tree of Harmony figured out Midnight's plans and forbade usage of her Element," Sunset theorizes if she were the villain of this scenario. 

"We have another problem," Gallus said, now thinking about the situation on a larger scale. 

"What is it, Gallus?" Adagio turns to Gallus. 

"Twilight Sparkle and Spike. The ones that came from the other world," Gallus responds. Everyone else gasps. 

"If Midnight finds out there's another Spike. She will kill Twilight!" Yona horridly shouts. 

"I'll go to the School to warn Starlight Glimmer what transpired," Aria said, taking off. 

"I'll go to the Castle of Friendship and warn Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike of the possible dangers that lie await," Sunset gallops out of the cave. 

"I'm staying with you," Adagio said to the Unity Seven. 

"Great," Gallus smiles at Adagio. 

"Okay, I'm stumped," Smolder crosses her arms in frustration. "What are we supposed to do?" She sits on a rock within the caves. 

"Throughout history, the Tree of Harmony is symbolic as well as the Elements of Harmony. For many generations, many stories forged about its great power and what it means for pony kind," Neighsay said. 

"Perhaps the Tree wants us to find a way to honor the legacy it proposes," Gallus said. 

"So, how should we honor the Tree of Harmony? What to do with its' pieces?" Smolder asks. 

"Use the remains to turn it into something magnificent," Neighsay answers. 

"Like what?" Yona asks. 

"I have no idea. The thought will come to any one of us, eventually," Neighsay responds. 

"Then how about we design artwork that represents the symbolism and deep emotions of the Tree?" Silverstream suggests. 

"No way! It should be a museum," Gallus advises. "With all the Tree and artifacts." 

"A monument so every creature knows how powerful the Tree was," Smolder suggests. 

"I think we should turn this cave into a place where creatures can reflect the Tree's true gift, the Elements of Harmony," Ocellus said. 

"I say we plant a new tree in honor of the Tree of Harmony. We make the new tree special by carving our names into it," Sandbar nervously smiles with his suggestion. 

"Pass," Gallus, Silverstream, Smolder, and Ocellus said. Yona and Neighsay are silent with the ideas tossed around. 

"Why not combine the ideas?" Adagio says. So it's pleasing to everyone's ears. 

"Nah," Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, Gallus, and Smolder go their separate way and start working on their ideas. 

"This'll be a long day," Yona said. 

"I'll get some snacks from the School," Neighsay uses his medallion to teleport to the cafeteria. 

"Hey, Adagio. Want to help me out with my museum?" 

"Uh, sure," Adagio walks with Gallus to work on his museum idea. 

Neighsay arrives in the cafeteria when he hears Headmare Glimmer announcing all students to go home immediately. Neighsay grabs a basket and fills it with water bottles, soda cans, fruits, chips, and cookies.

"That'll do," Neighsay decides to visit Headmare Glimmer before going back to the caves. 

Starlight Glimmer covers her face with her hooves. She's angry for closing the school until further notice a second time. She's also angry that Twilight has gone astray. Her enemy at first, teacher and friend, now her enemy once more. A full circle of knowing Twilight. 

"Are you okay, Headmare Glimmer?" Aria asks. 

"No..," Starlight Glimmer sighs. "Twilight at first was my enemy until I embraced friendship. She became my teacher, my friend. With her return, she's becoming my enemy again. Even worse, a lot can go wrong with the other Twilight and Spike living in the castle. If this Midnight destroyed the Tree of Harmony as well as the Elements of Harmony, I don't know what we can do against her magic power." 

"What about the remaining members of the Elements of Harmony? Can they-" 

"No," Starlight cuts Aria's speech. "Rarity has succumbed to madness and obsession over Spike. Her generous nature is gone due to her attempting a relationship with Spike. She's becoming selfish with her feelings and relentless until she gets Spike. Rarity is having a hard time letting go ever since she saw Spike the Fairy's memories and all he felt about her and how he loves Wendy." 

"Well, what if more friends band together to stop Midnight?" Aria asks. 

"It could work but, Midnight is intelligent. As we speak, Midnight could be preparing all different kinds of scenarios for her success."

"What do you think she can be after, Starlight?" 

"Since Midnight failed to bring Spike back by any means, I guess her second option would be..," Starlight's eyes widen. "Oh no..." 

"What?" Aria sees the terror written on Starlight's face. 

"There are two options Midnight will go after failing. Try to recreate a portal going back to Earth Land or.., try to restart time to fix her errors." 

"Time magic?" Aria said in shock. 

"Yes. I've done it and screwed the timeline many times. If I can go back and alter history, she can too. However, I created a spell to go back to the moment when Rainbow Dash performed her first Sonic Rainboom." 

"That means she needs to create a spell to go to either the night Spike made his wish or before the turn events." 

"Yes," Starlight nods. "I can only hope she's trying to recreate a portal to Earth Land. We may have a better shot of defeating her." 

Neighsay enters Headmare Glimmer's office. He sees Aria and Starlight talking. "Headmare Glimmer, have you've suspended the School of Friendship for this semester?"

Starlight sighs. "Yes. I'm sure the Princesses will need my assistance on stopping Midnight Sparkle. I'm sure the Pillars will need Rockhoof's assistance as well," Starlight takes a deep breath. "And to think this semester will start smoothly, it winds up coming to an end due to a catastrophic threat." 

"I'm sorry for bearing the news to you, Headmare Glimmer," Aria said. 

"You did the right thing for informing me. If you haven't, I'm sure Discord or the Princesses would have told me. So, what are you doing here, Neighsay?" 

"Grabbing snacks from the cafeteria. My friends and I are starting to figure out what the Tree of Harmony wants us to do. Not only uncover the attacker but find a way to have the legacy of the Tree remembered. So far, we have ideas, but not everyone is accepting each other's ideas. Our progress may take a while longer." 

"I wish you luck, Neighsay," Starlight Glimmer said. 

Neighsay uses his medallion to teleport back to the caves. When he arrives, he sees his friends arguing. Adagio sits on a rock while the cave looks like a disaster zone. Paper and paint are everywhere. Rock sculptures that were to replicate the Tree's sketcher are in half. 

"Geez, I go for twenty-five minutes, and this place looks like a hurricane totaled it." 

"Gallus was spewing stories about the Tree of Harmony that didn't make sense," Yona said. 

"My backstories for the Tree are way better," Gallus crosses his arms. 

"I was in support of Gallus' idea a bit until I saw that it wasn't quite helpful to support the true meaning of the Tree of Harmony," Adagio said. 

"I think every creature is missing the mark of what we're supposed to do," Neighsay said, putting the basket down. 

"Oh, so what's your idea? Hmm?" Smolder gazes at Neighsay. 

"Enlighten us, Neighsay," Sandbar said. 

"The Tree of Harmony called each of us here for a reason. The Tree of Harmony didn't choose only one of us to appear."

"I know what Neighsay is thinking. The Tree chose us due to our friendship to save Equestria and defeat Cozy Glow from ridding Equestria of its magic. The Tree brought us closer together, even though the school helped us get to know each other. Yona thinks that the Tree of Harmony wants us to build something that creatures can remember for generations when it comes to friendships." 

"So, what should we build?" Silverstream asks Yona. 

Yona grabs two branches of the Tree of Harmony and creates an image of a house. "What do ponies call this? Club home?" 

"A treehouse!" Gallus excitedly shouts. 

"Huh, I wouldn't have thought of a treehouse," Neighsay said. 

"Why is that, Neighsay?" Adagio asks Neighsay. 

"My dad forbade me of having a treehouse. My mother resented me for losing precious time lollygagging instead of studying. To be the best at the time of my youth, I was forced to set aside fun activities." 

"Yikes, rough childhood." 

"No kidding, Adagio." 

"Maybe that's what the Tree wanted us to do this whole time," Smolder said. 

"Let's get building," Silverstream said. 

"I'll be back with the supplies," Neighsay uses his medallion to grab structure supplies at the hardware store.

After half an hour, Neighsay returns with the structure and hardware supplies. He and his friends start constructing a treehouse using the branches from the Tree of Harmony. They start singing while having fun building the treehouse to a design Silverstream drew. Within four hours of constructing and having fun, the treehouse is finished. On paper, it looks like a castle. The actual presentation is a little lopsided treehouse with stairs. A little smaller than they originally planned. 

"So, do we like it?" Sandbar asks his friends. 

"It's a little messy," Ocellus admits. 

"It's different and unique," Neighsay proudly says. 

"Just like every creature here," Silverstream says, hugging Neighsay and Smolder. 

"Let's give it a try," Gallus is eager to give the treehouse a shot. 

"Lead the way," Adagio smiles at Gallus, causing him to blush a little. 

"Wow, I'm about to set hoof in a treehouse for the first time in my life. I don't know how to feel," Neighsay said. 

"Let your inner childhood spirit free and have fun since you sang with us," Yona said. 

"Yea, might as well," Neighsay joins his friends going inside the treehouse they made, laughing a bit when the treehouse starts trembling. 

"What's happening?" Sandbar panics. 

"It's magic. I can sense it all around us!" Neighsay said. 

"Every creature out!" Smolder shouts. 

Every creature gets out of the treehouse they made and watches it grow and expand. It rises from the caves and above. The treehouse morphs into a larger treehouse with beautiful decorations, crystallized branches, leaves, and windows. Every creature goes on top to see the new creation. 

"It looks more beautiful than I can ever imagine," Neighsay said in awe and shock. 

"Yak is happy!" Yona leaps for joy. 

"I can't believe this!" Silverstream shouts in excitement. 

"How did that happen?" Gallus is questioning the Tree of Harmony's power. 

The messager of the Tree of Harmony appears in front of every creature. It still resembles an Alicorn Twilight Sparkle. "It's because of you," She smiles. "The Spirit of the Tree would have been lost forever if it weren't for all of you." 

"We have questions for you if you don't mind answering," Neighsay speaks on behalf of his friends. 

"You wish to know about Midnight Sparkle?" 

"Yes. Why did Midnight Sparkle destroy the Tree of Harmony?" Adagio asks. 

"I forbade her from using her Element. I saw within Midnight Sparkle's eyes what her true objective is. She wants to create a guild of villains to overrule all Kingdoms. Using the magic power to reverse the effects of her artifact given to her by a Demon of Tartaros." 

"What would that do? What artifact does Midnight possess?" Neighsay asks. 

"The artifact the demon gave to Midnight allows her to open a portal to Equestria. However, it's a one-way trip. Through her eyes, I've seen Spike the Fairy using his magic card to send Midnight here. Since the artifact wasn't activated, it gives her hope of reversing the spell. Midnight Sparkle intends of bringing Spike back and to wipe every creature's memories." 

"That's horrible. Yak no like that." 

"Our memories, wiped clean?" Gallus said in shock. 

The messager nods. "If Midnight succeeds, your friendships will be altered, and your love for Adagio will be lost forever." 

"HEY!" Adagio and Gallus shout at the messager. The two of them blush in embarrassment. 

"Then that means I return to the EEA as a racist... No! I won't become that pony ever again!"

"That also means bye-bye to the Bar of Alliance and the peace we have," Sandbar said. 

"Possible war if Spike were to commit suicide," Silverstream sadly says. 

"This treehouse will keep your friendship safe no matter what happens. The same goes for future generations of friendships. As for Midnight Sparkle and her guild, you seven are chosen to save every creature once more but not alone. To defeat this enemy, you need more friends. After all, Friendship is Magic." 

"What kind of magic does Midnight Sparkle uses?" Neighsay asks. 

"Demon Curses from Earth Land's power." 

"DEMON CURSES!" Every creature shouts in horror. Neighsay has never heard of Demon Curses power in his life. 

"How do we go up against a creature that uses Demon Curses?" Gallus asks the messager. 

"Demon Curses are formidable. However, I've seen that magic can defeat Demon Curses in Earth Land through Midnight Sparkle's eyes. It takes a guild to defeat a strong enemy in this sense. Twilight, before turning into Midnight, had her friends stop opposing threats throughout the land of Equestria. It's due to their friendship that remains superb. Now that I have chosen the next set to wage war, it's up to you to keep building on your friendship and allowing it to expand. Do not worry. Take a stand together and show that Friendship is Magic." 

Neighsay, Sandbar, Gallus, Silverstream, Ocellus, Smolder, Yona, and Adagio nod in agreement for the task at hand. Adagio has a feeling the Tree of Harmony did not call her but, she can be helpful for the cause. She's sure that Gallus will approve like any other of his friends. 

"On behalf of my friends, we will show that Friendship is Magic by defeating Midnight Sparkle and her supposed guild," Neighsay said. 

"Midnight won't know what'll hit them," Smolder cracks her knuckles. 

"Yak ready to take down Midnight Sparkle!" Yona proudly shouts. 

"We won't be going in alone," Gallus said. He turns to Adagio. "You and your friends should tag along as well." 

"Don't worry, we intend on doing so," Adagio said. 

"Also, we'll show them how strong love is!" Adagio and Gallus thought to themselves. They believe love is another factor of magic that can repel and defeat all evils. 

"Midnight Sparkle will rue the day of trying to end all of our friendships!" Silverstream shouts. 

"Time to show Midnight that the power of friendship can overcome any obstacle," Sandbar shouts. 

"I'm ready to save every creature and keep our world intact," Ocellus said. "I will not be afraid!" 

The messager smiles. "Continue to grow strong and let nothing break your bonds," The messager vanishes. 

"We have a lot of work to do. Let's get started with an emergency Bar of Alliance meeting," Neighsay said. 

"To the Castle of Friendship!" Ocellus shouts. 

Neighsay uses his medallion to teleport his friends to the Castle of Friendship.
> Emergency Bar of Alliance Meeting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Unity Seven and Adagio arrive at the Castle of Friendship. Discord's clone, Starlight Glimmer, Rockhoof, Aria, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike come out of the castle. 

"Nice timing," Starlight said. 

"It's time to go to the Crystal Empire," Discord (clone) snaps his fingers, teleporting every creature to the Crystal Empire Castle. 

"Hey, does Twilight and Spike know-" Starlight interrupts Silverstream's speech. 

"Sunset and I have already informed the two."

"Spike and I will be staying in Discord's home since Midnight Sparkle has no clue of finding where he resides," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"It's the safest place as far as anyone is concerned," Spike said. 

"Good," The Unity Seven sighs in relief. 

"If you excuse me, I need to gather every creature else for this emergency meeting," Discord (clone) snaps his paw, teleporting to Yak Yakistan first. 

Princess Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor approach every creature. They escort them to the meeting room. Many Crystal Ponies are shouting and waving at Spike. 

"Wow, I forget how popular the other Spike is," Spike said while hearing praises from the Crystal Ponies. 

"Will Celestia be joining us for the meeting?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks Shining Armor. 

"No. Princess Celestia has her hooves tied protecting a library within her castle, Twily." 

"What about the Crystal Heart? How will you protect that from Midnight's clutches?" Starlight asks Princess Cadance. 

"The Crystal Heart will be heavily guarded daily, Starlight. Discord's clones have offered to standby and keep watch. With the passing of Detective Discord, the clones are more determined to keep every creature away from harm's way." 

"I'll lead daily patrol on the outer perimeter of the Crystal Empire," Shining Armor said. "I'll inform my wife of any disturbances close by." 

"We won't allow Midnight Sparkle to destroy the Crystal Heart," Princess Cadance said. "We won't allow it to get destroyed a second time," Princess Cadance remembers Flurry Heart destroying the Crystal Heart that caused severe snowstorms approaching to freeze everything.

"Princess Luna, anything happened with Tartarus?" Sunset asks. 

"Yes..," Princess Luna lowers her head. "Midnight Sparkle has gained two allies and drained every creature's magic within Tartarus. Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow are working with Midnight." 

"Oh no!" Silverstream groans. "That means we have to stop her a second time!" 

"We defeat her once. We can do it again, Silverstream," Yona confidently says. 

"Lord Tirek can absorb. I believed he gained a lot of strength from draining Cerberus' power," Princess Luna sadly states.  "If only we knew what kind of power Midnight Sparkle uses." 

"She uses Demon Curses," The Unity Seven and Adagio answer. 

Silence reigns. It's dead silent. The idea of Midnight Sparkle using demonic properties is downright terrifying. Every creature except Unity Seven and Adagio looks up in disbelief. They aren't sure of how to counter demonic magic. They've dealt with black and dark, but this is a whole another league. 

"How are we supposed to counter demonic properties, Princess Luna?" Princess Cadance turns to her. 

"I don't know. It is new to me." 

"Before you have a nervous breakdown, the spirit of the Tree of Harmony spoke to us," Sandbar said. 

"It did?" Princess Luna is in shock to hear such a thing.

"What did the Tree say?" Princess Cadance asks the unity Seven and Adagio. She wants to hear hopeful news after finding out Midnight Sparkle destroyed the Tree of Harmony. 

"Demon Curses are formidable, but magic can defeat Demon Curses. The Tree of Harmony saw within Midnight Sparkle's eyes the defeat of  Tartaros. Since Fairy Tail defeated the guild that uses Demon Curses, we believe we can too," Yona speaks on behalf of her friends. 

"The Magic of Friendship triumphs over any villain. Midnight Sparke should know better. After all, she's a former Princess of Friendship," Neighsay said. 

"Indeed," Princess Luna nods. "However, we need to make drastic changes to ensure every creature is secure from Midnight's wrath. She is an intelligent pony." 

"The Pillars will protect the nations that don't have magic power," Rockhoof states. 

"Yona wants Rockhoof in Yak Yakistan!" 

Discord (clone) returns with Ember, Gilda, Prince Rutherford, Queen Novo, Thorax, Chrysalis, and Terax. Terax is on Chrysalis' back. 

"Queen Novo," Princess Luna bows at her friend. "It's great seeing you once more, my friend."

"Likewise. I wish it's under better circumstances," Queen Novo turns to Silverstream. "How are you doing, Silverstream?" 

"I'm good, Queen Novo. I have a huge responsibility in my claws with my friends," Silverstream smiles. 

"So, lets' begin," Shining Armor said. "Every creature, take your seats." 

Every creature present takes its seat in the meeting room. Princess Luna stands up to initiate the meeting. 

"Thank you all for coming on short notice. Today's topic is about the return of Twilight Sparkle. According to Sunset Shimmer, she has a new form with a new name. That name is Midnight Sparkle. According to Unity Seven and Adagio, Midnight uses Demon Curse power instead." 

"Wait, wait, hold up! You mean to tell us that the mad pony out there is a demon that uses demonic properties?" Gilda is confused. "How did she gain Demon Curses?" 

Neighsay stands up. "On behalf of my friends, I'll gladly speak. Midnight Sparkle joined a dark guild known as Tartaros. They implanted her with Demon Curses. According to the spirit of the Tree of Harmony, she told us Mdinight's plans." 

"What are her plans?" Prince Rutherford asks. 

"To conquer all the kingdoms," Neighsay replies. Gilda, Prince Rutherford, Thorax, Chrysalis, and Queen Novo gasp. 

"Midnight Sparkle destroyed the Tree of Harmony," Sunset informs every creature. 

"Midnight Sparkle destroyed the Tree of Harmony, knowing the Elements of Harmony can defeat her," Ocellus speaks up. 

"Chances are, she could be going after any other powerful relic and destroy it," Adagio said. 

"I have to go!" Queen Novo panics. 

"As you wish," Discord (clone) understands that Queen Novo wants to protect the magic pearl. He snaps his claw, teleporting Queen Novo back to her throne on Mount Aris. "I'll send two clones to guard her magic pearl." 

"Thank you, Discord," Princess Luna said, knowing Queen Novo will now have better security. 

"What else is Midnight planning?" Thorax asks. 

"Midnight has gained allies for her cause. I suspect she's after other known villains of Equestria," Princess Luna said. 

"Midnight is going to be short of two villains. King Sombra and Chrysalis," Gilda said. 

"I have a son now, and I'm changing for the better. I won't team up with Midnight Sparkle." 

"There's something inclusive that the Tree of Harmony has told us," Smolder said. 

"What did the Tree say, Smolder?" Ember asks. 

"Midnight Sparkle has an artifact of her own," Smolder replies. 

"This artifact was supposed to bring Midnight Sparkle to Equestria but, Spike the Fairy had this magic card that brought her here. Since the artifact didn't activate, Midnight is planning on reversing the spell's effect into going to Earth Land after discovering Spike's magic card," Ocellus said.  

"With that said, if Midnight succeeds in bringing Spike back to Equestria, she will erase everyone's minds into forgetting all that has happened," Gallus said. 

"That's horrible," Thorax said in shock. 

"It's evident we must band together to stop this indigenous foe," Prince Rutherford claims. 

"I agree. We can't allow this demon to win. We can't allow Midnight to put the rest of us in disarray for her benefit," Gilda says. She doesn't want the Griffins to go back into hating each other. 

"The Changelings will make a stand. With our magic, we can help the Yaks and Griffins. Ember, would you like our assistance?" Thorax asks. 

"Yes. We dragons are strong but united with others; we are stronger," Ember said. 

"I'm sure Queen Novo will have her Navy on patrol," Silverstream said. "All I need to do is talk to her about making the initiatives." 

"I'll send a letter to Tempest Shadow and Grubber to have the Storm Fleet on standby," Shining Armor said. 

"Good. With everyone working together, Midnight Sparkle will not prevail," Princess Luna said. "I'll inform my sister of today's meeting." 

"Before we conclude, what about that Twilight and Spike?" Gilda points at the two.

"I'll take them home with me. No creature knows how to get there except for Neighsay and Princess Luna," Discord (clone) states. 

"Perfect. All we have to do is keep a keen eye on anything suspicious," Thorax said. 

"With that in mind, this concludes the meeting," Shining Armor announces. 

"Princess Luna," Ember walks up to her. "Starswirl the Bearded has arrived earlier than expected. He's deciphering the hieroglyphics in my chambers as we speak." 

"I shall see what he interprets," Princess Luna said. 

"We want to go as well," Smolder said, speaking on behalf of the Unity Seven. 

"Very well," Ember turns to Discord. "Discord, if you could?" 

"Right away," Discord (clone) uses his magic to teleport everyone back home. The Unity Seven, Princess Luna, Ember, Sunset, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, Aria, and Adagio are heading to the Dragon Lands. 

Out in the outskirts of the Crystal Empire, Midnight Sparkle picks up the horn that belongs to King Sombra. "Mighty King Sombra, you will have the Crystal Empire if you join my guild," Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites green and uses her demon curse to resurrect King Sombra from the darkness. 

King Sombra stands before Midnight Sparkle. His eyes gaze at Midnight Sparkle's aqua blue flares on her eyes. "I will join your guild. The Crystal Empire will bow before their king." 

"Good. We have one other to include," Midnight Sparkle leads Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow, and King Sombra in search of Queen Chrysalis.
> Dragon Cave Discoveries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord (clone), Princess Luna, the Unity Seven, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, Sunset Shimmer, Aria, Adagio, and Ember arrive in the Dragon Lands. Ember escorts every creature to her chambers. Starswirl the Bearded has many notes to create a short story based on hieroglyphics. He deciphered the first half to Princess Celestia and Luna not long ago. He's close to solving the dragon's origins. 

"Starswirl!" Ember walks into her chambers with her friends following closely. 

"Empress Ember, I'm nearly finished deciphering the engravings marked by your ancestors." 

"What have you uncovered?" Neighsay asks Starswirl. 

Starswirls inhales. "I'll tell you what I know. From beginning to where I am now." 

"I don't have chairs, so sit on some rocks or the ground," Ember said. 

Discord (clone) snaps his paw, spawning comfortable chairs and couches in the area. Every creature grabs their seats while Starswirl grabs his notebook. He sits on a lounge chair Discord (clone) conjured. 

"Thank you for spawning these, Draqonecuus," Starswirl opens the book. 

"You're welcome," Discord (clone) drinks a barrel of chocolate milk while laying on a floating hammock. 

"The Exodus Project. The Exodus Project was designed by a clan of dragons after winning the Great War. A war between two sides of Dragons. One that was against a creature known as humans. The other was for humans. To co-exist with them evenly." 

"What? Humans?" Ember gets the suspicion that something else is in play. Something she's familiar with. Every creature else has the same feeling as well. 

"Yes. According to the hieroglyphics, humans were given the ability to possess the powers of a dragon. The texture of the ability is scrapped and illegible for me to read, so I don't know what to call it." 

"DRAGON SLAYING MAGIC!" Everyone shouts in shock. Discord (clone) spits his chocolate milk in shock. 

"No..., no way..," Smolder has goosebumps. She's starting to believe that the dragons are somehow relatable to Earth Land. 

"Dragon Slaying Magic?" Starswirl is confused. He's one of the few that hasn't seen Spike the Fairy's memories. 

"Yes. We've seen memories of Spike the Fairy. It's tying into Earth Land," Ember says. 

"Then.., that means..," Starswirl looks at his notes. "Oh, my..," His eyes widen in the revelation he uncovered. 

"Are dragons migrants of Earth Land?" Ocellus asks Starswirl. 

Starswirl takes a deep breath and continues his story. "After the humans were given Dragon Slaying Magic, they turned and killed the dragons that gave them power." 

"Dragon Slayers killed dragons that granted them power..?" Ember is dumbfounded. 

"Yes. According to the scriptures, I was able to translate the inscribing. Dragons once used humans as a reasonable source of food," Starswirl explains. 

"Now I see why they hunted the good dragons. They don't want to have newer dragons to start hunting them down or other dragons that lost the war go after smaller villages or towns," Gallus said. 

"However, some dragons sought to save the youth while a mad dragon was on the loose. He's once a man who practiced Dragon Slayer Magic. Now cloaked in black scales. The name goes by Acnologia."

Silence reign. The Unity Seven, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, Discord (clone), Aria, Adagio, Ember, and Princess Luna are dead silent. From Spike the Fairy's memories, they know Acnologia is a dragon but didn't know he was also a man. 

"Okay, after all of this, I need to see Spike the Fairy's memories. Anyway, back to the story. While Acnologia hunted other dragons, Amy the Amethyst Dragon, and several more gather as many dragon eggs as possible to a gate known as the Eclipse Gate; The Eclipse Gate opens a portal of time and space. Amy the Amethyst Dragon carefully placed the eggs, including hers, into the portal. Torch, a protector of the eggs. Is to watch over the young and train them into becoming dragons of the past." 

"The past?" Princess Luna is confused. 

"Originally, the Eclipse Gate was supposed to send the dragons a few centuries back in time to prevent the Great War. However, according to the inscribing that I managed to read, there was a loud gong and a fish hovering in the skies." 

"THE INFINITY CLOCK!" Everyone said in unison. 

"Yea, I need to watch Spike the Fairy's memories." 

"The Infinity Clock messes with time and space throughout the land of Earth Land. That's what we saw in Spike the Fairy's memories," Adagio said. 

"Yea. Everyone changed except for Erza due to the hammer timeclock weapon she wielded," Silverstream said. 

"This is crazy. I can't even fathom it!" Smolder is holding onto her head. 

"There are things I need to speak about my father. Things about his childhood." 

"Due to the gong of the Infinity Clock, it's been documented that dragons have lost the ability to use their magic. Only one dragon can unlock the magic within dragon kind. The dragon has to come from the Energy Maker Dragon family. Only one egg comes from the family in which I have a picture. This egg belongs to Amy the Amethyst Dragon." 

"Care to review the picture with us, Starswirl?" Princess Luna asks. 

Starswirl nods and uses his magic to levitate the picture. Princess Luna's eyes widen as every creature else sees her expression. Princess Luna is stunned. A purple egg with polka dots on it. 

"You've seen this egg before, Luna?" Discord (clone) asks. 

"There is a picture Princess Celestia has of that egg. It's the one Twilight Sparkle hatched during her entrance exam." 

"Wait, wait, hold up!" Smolder turns to Princess Luna. "How is that possible? There have been many generations of dragons that lived here in the Dragon Lands. How did Spike not hatched long ago?" 

"That is a good question now that I think about it," Ember puts the question into thought. 

"I found out that the hieroglyphics say it disappeared before the arrival came five minutes later," Starswirl said.  

"Then, that means Spike's dragon egg arrived ahead of time while those dragons with Torch went further in time into Equestria," Discord (clone) claims. 

"That is correct, Draqonecuus." 

"That means Spike the Fairy has the power to awaken dragon magic power within!" Silverstream shouts. 

"That is correct," Starswirl nods. 

"Our home is Earth Land..," Smolder looks at the skies while taking in all she heard. She can't believe that this whole time, dragons are immigrants. She remembers Twilight demanding a rule change and telling Spike that the law was effective. "If the law were to take effect, then all dragons would be living illegally."

Ember has a lot of questions for her father. She takes note of what to ask. 

"Now, I'm up to the last bit of deciphering the hieroglyphics," Starswirl gets out of the lounge chair and uses his magic. He reads the last remaining texts. 

"What does it say?" Spike asks. 

"Starswirl sighs. "It says, never go back." 

"That's what it says?" Ember flies up to the texture.

"Yes, Empress. Without Spike the Fairy unlocking your magic, I assume Acnologia will slaughter the entire Dragon Land occupants." 

"Spike got his butt handed to him by Acnologia once. I don't think he's capable of defeating him alone in Earth Land," Sandbar says. 

"I will honor the warning for the safety of my dragons. We will remain here. I don't want any of my kin to suffer the way our ancestors have," Ember decrees. She turns to Smolder. "If we get the opportunity to return to Earth Land, we are to remain here where it's safe." 

"Understood, Empress." 

"Say, can Spike here unlock the magic within dragons?" Silverstream asks. 

"Spike doesn't know the basics of magic. Also, he's a dog converted into a dragon. I don't think he qualifies for being in an Energy Maker Dragon family," Twilight (Sci-Twi) says. 

"I don't know how. I'm years behind my counterpart in terms of studying and practicing magic. I think I'm in the same boat as the other dragons. Unable to use magic." 

"Empress Ember. Thank you for allowing me to uncover the history of your species." 

"Thank you for answering some questions. Now I know where my kind originated from." 

"I'll be leaving and taking a route to the nearest movie theatre. I want to see Spike the Fairy's memories," Starswirl said as he's packing up his belongings. 

"There's a lot I need to inform my sister," Princess Luna takes flight leaving Ember's chambers. 

"I'll take us back home to the dorm," Neighsay uses his medallion to teleport the Unity Seven back home. 

"Well, time to go," Discord (clone) snaps his claw and teleports Aria, Adagio, Sunset, Spike, and Twilight (Sci-Twi) to his home. 

Discord and Sonata are rewatching Spike the Fairy's memories with the clones. Discord (clone) Aria, Adagio, Sunset, Spike, and Twilight (Sci-Twi) are in the living room. Discord turns to his clone and pauses the movie. 

"So, how did it go?" 

"Well..," Discord (clone) explains everything that transpired. From what caused the Tree of Harmony's destruction, to what happened in Tartarus, the discussion of the Emergency Bar of Alliance, and the discovery of the Dragons. The whole explanation took three hours to explain. Discord and Sonata jaws drop to the floor. 

"If Midnight Sparkle is that powerful to turn one of my clones to stone and destroy not only the Tree of Harmony, the Elements of Harmony but the Gates of Tartarus. We need help." 

"I wish there is some way we can contact my counterpart," Spike said. "Perhaps he can finish where he started." 

"There may be a way but, it's crude," Discord turns to Twilight (Sci-Twi). "I erased my memories of how to get to Earth Land using my power. I think I can use this Spike and my chaos magic to send a beacon to Spike the Fairy. However, I need Princess Luna's help." 

"What would it do?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks Discord. 

Discord sighs. "When your son goes to sleep, Princess Luna and I will use our magic to create focused nightmares. My chaos magic and Princess Luna's night realm magic can perhaps find the other Spike's dream door of a different reality and show the possibilities of what Midnight Sparkle can do to Equestria. I gave Spike the magic card to come here and back whenever he likes." 

"I.., I'm not sure about that." 

"Spike the Fairy could be the only one strong enough to defeat and destroy Midnight Sparkle," Discord states. "However, I need your permission to do such a thing to your son." 

"Can I think about it?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) knows her answer. It's simple but to put her son into a sleep of terror is not right. She wants to consult with him.

"Yea. I also have to get Princess Luna's approval, and she might not be on board with my idea." 

"Thanks. What room will you put Spike and me in?"  

"Upstairs to your left. Second door. That closet will transform into a room of your likings," Discord said. 

"Thanks," Twilight (Sci-Twi) puts Spike on her back and walks up the stairs. They enter the second door to the left and see a gorgeous purple and blue room. A big bed, shelves of books and comic books. A mini-fridge and a picture of their family. It made Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) while looking at the family portrait from last year's Christmas party.

"Clone," 

"Yes, Discord." 

"Go to Canterlot and ask Luna about my proposal." 

"Right away," The clone leaves the house. 

"If she approves, how long you think it'll take Spike to get here?" Sonata asks Discord. 

"A few months unless the wish I granted Spike is tethered differently." 

"Differently, how?" Aria asks. She sits next to Discord on the couch. 

"Well, Spike and his friends were asleep for seven years. He woke up and felt like a day or two has passed. Perhaps that's how the wish is tethered. It's by his age and how long he's been with the guild. I want to say he's been with them for a year and a couple of months. That is the same from the time I granted his wish. A year and a couple of months. Then again, I could be wrong. We will have to say how it transitions if I get the approvals necessary."
> Spike's Decree
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up to a new day in Magnolia. It's 8:30 in the morning. On his left, Wendy and Carla are still sleeping. To his right, Erza and Lucy are sharing a bed. 

It's been five days since Tartaros came and caused damage in Magnolia. Spike gets out of bed and goes to the bathroom. He freshens up for the day and sheds a tear. Fairy Rage would be talking to him about the possibilities of the day, going on jobs, or hanging with friends. 

Spike sighs heavily. "Man, I miss you, Rage. I hope to see you again someday." Spike leaves the bathroom. He sees the girls waking up. 

"Morning, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

"Morning, Master," Carla said. 

Spike slightly chuckles. "You know, I don't think I'll get used to hearing that."

"Morning, Spike," Erza gets up. "Is today the day you'll address to the guild about our next motives going forward?" 

"I think so. I think by now, everyone is well-rested and relaxed from the war that nearly ended all magic power." 

"I'll make us some breakfast, Spike," Lucy offers. 

"I'll help," Erza volunteers. 

"We'll be freshening up for the day," Wendy and Carla go to the bathroom. 

Spike goes to the fridge and grabs the juices. He sets up the table while everyone else does their business. 

Spike has thought long and hard about his motives as Guild Master. He saved the guild from being disbanded and now has to attend to everybody. Everyone hears a loud bang at the door. 

"I'll get it," Spike answers the door. He sees Gray without his shirt. "Hey, Gray." 

"I need to know cause I think I got hit on the head way too many times. Are you the new Master of the Guild?" 

"Yes. Makarov wanted to disband the guild, and I talked to him about the promise he made to Celestia the night she and the others head back to Equestria." 

"Wow. Here I thought Makarov would have given the role to Erza or Laxus or someone else capable," Gray unamusingly says. 

"You have a problem with that?" Erza turns and points a kitchen knife at Gray. It made Gray quiver a bit. 

"No, Ma'am," Gray shakes his hands. 

"Gray, is everything alright?" Juvia steps inside the apartment. 

"Nice to see you two," Wendy comes out of the bathroom with Carla after freshening up for the day. 

"How have you two been?" Carla asks. 

"Things are great with me and my beloved," Juvia smiles. She turns to Gray. 

"Everything is settled after I took some time to grieve," Gray's belly growls. 

"Want to join us for breakfast?" Lucy asks, bringing a stack of pancakes to the table. 

"Sure, I haven't eaten since yesterday," Gray sits by the table. 

"Pancakes do sound good right now," Juvia sits next to Gray. 

"So, is this the new guildhall, Spike?" Gray jokes a bit. 

"No. I thought about what Fairy Tail needs to do next." 

"Mind telling us what you have planned then?" Juvia asks. 

"I would prefer if I announced it to everyone. At noon, everyone except for Natsu and Happy will arrive at the front of the guildhall remains." 

"Speaking of those two, where are they?" Gray asks everyone. 

"Natsu and Happy went off training for a whole year. To become stronger when Acnologia or Zeref or someone more power comes to bring ruin," Lucy said. 

"What?!" Gray gets up. "I'm not letting that fireball get a head start without me!" Gray is about to leave. 

"You will sit down and eat breakfast with us," Spike commands. 

"What?! You can't be serious?" Gray turns the doorknob, and Erza is behind him. He feels a cold stare breathing on his neck. 

"Don't be rude to the Master. Show some respect and decency, Gray." 

Gray sweats and walks back to his seat. "Teacher's pet." Lucy gives Gray his plate of pancakes and sausages. "Thanks." 

"Eat up before you storm off," Lucy said. 

"Thanks for doing that, Sis," Spike receives his plate. 

"No problem, Spike. I do show respect for the Master of the Guild," Erza sits next to Spike at the table. The memory of Midnight Sparkle impaling her chest comes to mind again. Her left hand shakes as like she's reliving that moment. 

"Erza, are you okay?" Juvia asks. She notices Erza's arm trembling a bit. 

"It's happening again, isn't it?" Spike asks Erza. 

"What happened to Erza that is making her feel like that, Spike?" Gray asks with a level of concern. 

"Midnight Sparkle. She killed Erza in battle." 

"What?" Gray and Juvia are stunned beyond belief. 

"How was that possible?" Gray asks Spike. 

"Midnight Sparkle was hiding throughout the war. She waited for her time to strike. When she did, Erza had already exhausted her magic power fighting Kyôka after losing her senses. Midnight Sparkle wanted to kill every Fairy Tail Wizard before forcing me to go with her to Equestria. She bested Panther Lily, Minerva, Wendy, Carla.., I.., I..," Spike chokes up a bit. "All I did was watch. I got my ass handed by Acnologia a second time. I got whipped and lashed by Kyôka's curses. My body was damaged and tired. She was close to killing Wendy as well." 

"That's horrible," Juvia images the battleground of that scenario. 

"So, how is it that Erza is still alive?" Gray sees Spike lowering his head. 

"We lost a comrade during that confrontation. Fairy Rage sacrificed his life to resurrect me. He gave me the power to defeat Midnight Sparkle. I wish we destroyed her, but," Erza sighs. "I wasn't sure how long Fairy Rage Armor would last." 

"So, where is Midnight Sparkle?" Juvia asks Spike and Erza. 

"In Equestria," Spike goes to the drawers and takes out his trump card. "This is a gift Discord gave me while he said his goodbye. It's a portal for me to hop to Equestria and back. I used it on Midnight Sparkle, and Erza pushed her in. We got rid of her." 

"Do you think she'll ever come back?" Gray asks Spike. 

Spike sighs heavily. "I don't know. She could come back, or she could do something that I'm not aware of." 

"Spike has been receiving unfortunate nightmares as of late. Most of them are about Midnight Sparkle plotting vengeance," Wendy said. 

"I can't tell if these are warnings of what's happening, what's yet to come, or as it is. These dreams of mine are getting worse." 

Everyone starts eating their breakfast and telling tales about the war with Tartaros. Gray tells his friends that his father gave him Ice Demon Slaying Magic. He plans on using it on E.N.D; Juvia tells her tale about defeating Keyes and freeing many spirits he possessed. Lucy tells Gray and Juvia about opening the Celestial King's Gate by sacrificing her Aquarius Key. She also received a powerup from Aquarius. Wendy and Carla speak about fighting Ezel and destroying Face. They were about to die when Doranbolt came and rescued them in the nick of time. Erza spoke about getting through to Minerva and helping her see the light. 

After an hour, everyone leaves the apartment. Spike informs the Landlady that paying rent will take much time due to the destruction that Tartaros left behind. She understood with the insurances she has. Lucy and Spike won't be paying rent for a whole year, she says. 

Spike, Lucy, Gray, Erza, Juvia, Wendy, and Carla are heading to the guildhall. They meet up with everyone else, hoping to see the direction where they're going. Spike has a lot on his mind and addresses the next course of action. Spike flies in front of everyone, sweating a bit as this'll be his third command to all of Fairy Tail. 

"So, I wonder what Spike has to say," Macao said, looking at the new Master of Fairy Tail. 

"Probably something crucial. A stepping stone, heading forward," Wakaba said. 

"I wonder if today's the day we'll rebuild our Guildhall," Romeo said, standing next to his father. 

"Shush. Fairy Dragon is about to speak," Gajeel said, looking at his brother. 

"Fairy Dragon! What are we going to do?" Asuka asks. She's holding onto Bisca's hand. 

"Let him speak, Sweetie," Alzack said to Asuka. 

Spike takes a deep breath. He sees his friends and family talking to each other about the possibilities of the guild. He smiles. 

"Thank you for coming-"

"Hey, Master? What are we going to do next?" Max Alors calls out Spike. 

"Yea? Are we building our guildhall?" Nab Lasaro asks. 

"Are we doing something manly?" Elfman flexes. 

"Keep it down, will you?" Cana drinks her bottle of liquor. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "We're not going to rebuild the guildhall yet. What we're going to do is train. We're going to get faster, stronger, wiser, and powerful throughout the training." 

"Training?" Everyone says in unison. 

"Figures from the letter Natsu wrote," Lucy said to Erza. 

"Training to get stronger. Sounds intriguing to me," Erza said. 

"How long are we going to be training, Fairy Dragon?" Gajeel asks. 

"A year," Spike replies. "We were hit hard by a powerful dark guild; Demons created by Zeref. There could be possible threats stronger than Tartaros out there, and we should be prepared for their encounters. I will be talking with a few Guild Masters; to allow us to work with them on certain jobs for any of you to make some Jewels to survive. Choose where you want to go in terms of training. Improve and hone your magic to higher levels. One year from today, return to the guildhall so we can rebuild it." 

Everyone starts smiling and gets excited. To become stronger than ever. To take on any foe in the future. 

"I'm going to show how manly I'll be in a year!" Elfman proclaims. He does a fist pump. 

"Hey, that means we'll be training with Fairy Dragon. Us dragons gotta stick together," Gajeel smirks. 

"The Thunder Legion will prove to be the strongest team in Fairy Tail when the year comes," Freed said. 

"My babies and I will kill it!" Bickslow says. "Go Team! Go Team!" Bickslow's Tikis chant. 

"A chance to show Erza that I'm the strongest Fairy among the ranks," Evergreen smirks. She'll improve more of her magic techniques. 

"Fairy Youth Squad will be training together," Romeo said. He runs to Wendy and Carla. 

"Hey, after six months with them, I want you to train with your ole man for the final six." 

"Sure thing, Dad," Romeo throws the thumbs up. 

"I know who I'm training with," Juvia turns to Gray. 

Gray sighs. "Fine. Just don't be too clingy when we're training. Also, don't try any funny business when we sleep. Those are my only conditions, Juvia." 

"Perfect," Juvia smiles. 

"Team Shadow Gear will get stronger, right boys?" Levy turns to Droy and Jet. 

"You know it, Levy!" Droy and Jet say in unison. They're excited about training with Levy. 

"Hey, Warren. You coming with us?" Max Alors asks. He, Nab, Reedus, and Vjeeter are standing by. 

"You know it," Warren nods. 

"Warren, I need to speak with you in private," Spike flies away from the crowd. 

"Coming, Spike," Warren follows Spike. 

"Fairy Youth Squad," Gajeel approaches Wendy, Carla, and Romeo. "Panther Lily and I are coming with you. Fairy Dragon is our brother, and Dragon Slayers sparring with a dragon will help us even better." 

"I'm coming as well," Lucy said. 

"The same goes for me," Erza said. She doesn't want to leave Spike alone after what transpired during the fight with Midnight Sparkle. 

"Sure. I don't mind," Romeo is chill about it. 

"I have a feeling where we're going, so it won't be too bad," Wendy remembers the camping spot near the river in the East Forest. 

Spike and Warren are alone while everyone talks to each other about training together. 

"I need a calling card from you." 

"Oh, here you go, Spike," Warren gives Spike his calling card. 

"Thanks. There's something that has been bothering me as of late but, I'm not ready to address my problem with the rest of the guild just yet. Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Gray, and Juvia know about it. If I call you about that thing, I want you to tell the other to keep training or find work on my behalf. As I mentioned, I will be speaking with some Guild Masters later today. If I can't return due to an inconvenience, rebuild the guildhall without me. There's a note in my room about Makarov's whereabouts. Find it and search for him. He'll have 50% as being the Guild Master once more." 

"Wait, what? That's a lot to take in, Spike," Warren said. He's eager to know what can cause Spike to miss the deadline. 

"I understand. That is why I'm telling you this now. In case something were to happen on my end. I will be training hard and studying as well. However, I have a feeling that something will come to me, and I'll have to answer it." 

"I understand," Warren takes a deep breath. He somewhat figures out it's related to Midnight Sparkle. He hopes it's something else entirely. 

"Thank you for understanding, Warren." 

"Anything for you, Master," Warren chuckles. He knows Spike prefers to be addressed by his name or Fairy Dragon. 

Spike chuckles. "Now get to work. Your magic power won't increase if you are lollygagging." 

"Yes, Sir!" Warren goes to his friends. They begin plotting their next phase before training. 

Spike flies to his friends. He sees Gajeel, Panther Lily, Erza, and Lucy talking with the Fairy Youth Squad. He approaches them. 

"I'll meet you guys at the East Forest near the river. The same place we trained before." 

"Sounds good, Fairy Dragon." 

"We'll be there for a while. My tent and equipment are at the apartment." 

"I'll grab it, Spike!" Wendy volunteers to help Spike with his belongings. 

"I'll head home to pack up my things," Romeo said. He runs off to his home. 

"We'll meet you in an hour, Spike. See you there," Erza said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the Blue Pegasus bar. That's where the Masters are meeting. During the week, Spike sent letters to Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, Sabertooth, Quatro Cerberus, and Mermaid Heel. 

Spike arrives at the moment the other Guild Masters take their seats. He asks them to allow some Fairy Tail Wizards to do some jobs for them since the Fairy Tail Guildhall is still destroyed by Tartaros' attack. 

"Hmm, I will allow your friends to come and work for the guild. I'm sure there's plenty of work when they need it. The men here normally binge and mingle with our patrons within the guildhall," Ichiya says, speaking on behalf of Bob. 

"Well, as long as they don't do damage and give me reasons to spin them, I'll allow them to come and work when they need it," Ooba Babasaama says while spinning Hibiki. 

"Cut it, you old Hag. Why are you spinning me?" Hibiki is getting woozy from the spinning. 

"My drink came out cold. I said I wanted tea, not ice tea."

"Sorry! Please stop spinning me!" Hibiki pleas for mercy. He's about to vomit. 

"The men are forbidden of coming to work for Mermaid Heel, Spike," Kagura said, speaking on behalf of Mermaid Heel. "I'll allow the women of Fairy Tail and you to work. That is it." 

"The men are welcome to work whenever they need. Those guys help put Tartaros out of commission," Goldmine said. 

"Sure thing, Spike. We made a pact when we fought dragons right after the Grand Magic Games. That Sabertooth and Fairy Tail are allies. We'll love to have you guys around and team up on different jobs." 

"Thanks, Sting. Thank you for allowing my friends to come work for you when they need some Jewels." 

"Anytime, Fairy Dragon. We dragons gotta stick together," Sting bumps fist with Spike. 

"I'll see you around," Spike flaps his wings. 

"Mind sending us back to our guilds?" Ooba Babasaama asks. 

"Sure," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Sting, Ooba, and Kagura to their guildhalls. Goldmine is confused. 

"Why haven't you teleported me to my guildhall?" Goldmine asks Spike. 

"During the Wizard Exchange Program, I stood at Mermaid Heel and cooked for them since my friends destroyed Mermaid Heel's relations with the public. So, I didn't get to travel with them to the Cerberus guildhall. Since I've never been there, that means I didn't place a flare marking." 

"Not wild," Goldmine says. He has to walk back to his guildhall. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the East Forest where his friends will be.
> Training
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike arrives at the campsite. He sees his friends setting up camp near the river. 

"Yo, Fairy Dragon. Are we in the clear?" Gajeel asks. 

"Yes," Spike nods. "I've talked with the Guild Masters, and every Fairy Tail Wizard is in the clear of working with other guilds. The men of Fairy Tail aren't allowed to work with Mermaid Heel, and the women of Fairy Tail aren't allowed to work with Quatro Cerberus." 

"Make sense. Considering what Gray and Natsu pulled during the Wizard Exchange Program," Lucy remembers what Gray did that tarnished Mermaid Heel's reputation. 

"And done," Wendy and Carla finish pitching Spike's tent. 

"Thank you," Spike smiles at them. 

"You're welcome," Wendy and Carla reply. 

"Let's go, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel grabs Spike. "It's time for some serious training." 

"Oh no, you don't," Wendy grabs Spike's claw. "I'm training with my boyfriend." 

"I'll spar with the both of you. Two dragon slayers versus a dragon." 

"You sure?" Gajeel asks. 

"Yes, I'm sure," Spike increases his size into Laxus. "However, I want you both in your Dragon Force modes." 

Wendy gulps a bit. Gajeel is unsure about tapping into his Iron Shadow mode. 

"Uh, Spike. I'm not sure about this," Wendy has concerns about tapping into her Dragon Force.

"We're just sparring, Spike." 

"You two don't have a choice," Spike smirks. "I am your Fairy Tail Master, and I order you to tap into your Dragon Force to spar with me because I'm not holding back." 

Gajeel's eyes widen then he smiles. "Understood, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel taps into his Iron Shadow Dragon Mode. 

Wendy looks at Spike's eyes; she sees him happy and excited. She smiles and taps into her Dragon Force. 

"Just to let you know, we're not holding back," Gajeel and Wendy said as they power up. 

"I'd be insulted if you did!" Spike powers up. 

Spike, Wendy, and Gajeel charge at each other and clash. The trio is fighting in close quarters of hand-to-claw combat. Spike grabs both punches from Gajeel and Wendy. They're stronger than he anticipated. He spins the two and releases, creating some space. 

"Iron Shadow Dragon Lance!" Gajeel turns his arm into a large spearhead. "Demon Logs!" Gajeel shoots many steel spears at Spike. 

"Sky Dragon Wave Wind!" Wendy swings her hand and generates a large and powerful tornado at Spike. 

Spike flies in the skies. Gajeel and Wendy divert their attacks into the skies. Spike claps his claws and conjures a metallic flame sword. 

"Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike slashes at the attacks. Gajeel's Demon Logs spell melts while Wendy's tornado disperses. 

Wendy uses her fast move to get behind Spike. "Sky Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her breath attack at Spike. 

"Nice going, kid!" Gajeel is in position. "Iron Shadow Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes a large amount of iron and shadows,  generating a large, powerful, destructive blast at Spike's face. 

The two breath attacks explode on Spike. Gajeel and Wendy hear Spike consuming their magic energy. 

"Oh crap," Gajeel wonders what Spike is about to dish out. 

"Not good," Wendy positions herself for anything Spike may do. 

Spike conjures another sword. An Iron Wind Sword. "Say hello to my Iron Wind Sword." 

"WHAT?!" Gajeel and Wendy are surprised. They forgot Spike can do that. 

"Sky Dragon Crushing Fang!" Wendy flies at Spike, attempting to punch him with powerful winds. 

"Nice try," Spike uses his tail to grab Wendy. He releases his metallic flame sword. "Feel the burn," Spike conjures a fireball. 

"Iron Shadow Club!" Gajeel leaps in the air and attacks Spike in the gut with a shadow-cloaked Iron Dragon's Club. The damage dealt is increased by the addition of the swirling shadows. 

Spike coughs from the impact, releasing Wendy in the process. 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy expels a whirlwind of air from her arms to attack Spike. 

Spike gets knocked to the ground hard. 

"Geez, his fighting is off," Gajeel notices that Spike isn't mindful of his surroundings.

"Yea, I'm starting to notice it," Wendy sees that Spike is fighting differently. 

"Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike conjures many ice missiles with Sparkling Green Flames inside. Spike sees an image he fears. 

"Hello, Spike," Spike sees Midnight Sparkle in front of him. She walks closer to him. "Is it fear or courage you have before me?" 

"Launch!" Spike unleashes his missiles. Gajeel and Wendy prepare to defend against the attack when the ice missiles are striking the surrounding area around Spike. 

"Something is horribly wrong with Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"Spike!" Wendy shouts, getting the attention of Erza, Lucy, Panther Lily, Carla, and Romeo. 

Spike is punching left and right at the image of Midnight Sparkle. She laughs at his defiance. 

"Is that all you have, Fairy Dragon? What a pathetic name," Midnight Sparkle's hand ignites red. "Say goodbye to your family," She turns to incinerate Wendy.

"NOOOOOO! DON'T!" Spike lunges to strike Midnight Sparkle. Instead, he gets tackled by Wendy. 

Wendy hugs Spike dearly. Spike blinks a few times and no longer sees the image of Midnight Sparkle. 

Gajeel, Panther Lily, Carla, Lucy, Erza, and Romeo are next to Spike. Spike reverts to his size and hears Midnight Sparkle's laughter. "So close." Spike hears the voice of Midnight Sparkle in his head. 

"Hey, any idea on what's going on with Fairy Dragon?" 

"Yea, why is Spike like this?" Romeo asks. 

"It's Midnight Sparkle," Panther Lily answers. 

"Her?" Gajeel wants a piece of her for messing with his brother. 

"Minerva, Happy, Lector, Frosch, Wendy, and I saw what Midnight Sparkle did to Erza and the psychological effects she's done to Spike. During the time, Midnight was going to make Spike watch his friends die, while at the time, he couldn't do much to stop the madness," Panther Lily explains. "She took me out with one blow. That's something I still haven't recovered." 

"Spike is having a hard time recovering since," Lucy said. 

"I'm trying to snap out of it. I was hoping to train hard with you two so I can focus on other things. With Fairy Rage no longer in me, in my head, it's hard for me to focus or remove certain images from my head." 

"That explains why your fighting technique is off. You don't have the awareness Rage had," Gajeel now understands how vital Rage was for Spike this whole time. 

"Rage left me a protection ring in my head. I'm immune to memory erase, mind manipulations, and mind trickery from other wizards. As for the images displayed and what I see, that can't be helped." 

"You want to resume your training, Spike?" Erza asks. 

No," Spike shakes his head. "I need to clear my head before I accidentally hurt one of you," Spike walks to his tent. 

"How long was Fairy Dragon like this?" Gajeel asks. 

"The night we had our slumber party. Five days ago, after coming home from the war, Spike has trouble sleeping but doesn't want to admit it," Lucy confirms.  

"He sometimes talks in his sleep. I recall mentioning two names that I've never heard before," Carla said. 

"What are those two names?" Romeo asks. 

"Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow," Erza replies. 

"We didn't want to say anything until he opens up," Lucy said. 

"Well, hopefully, by being with friends and training some more should clear his head. Perhaps one of you should see Porlyusica about removing these dreams of his," Gajeel said. 

"We'll resort to that if Spike's nightmares get worse," Wendy said. 

"Alright," Gajeel turns to Wendy. "Let's keep training a bit more. I think Fairy Dragon needs some time alone." 

"Okay," Wendy goes with Gajeel to train some more.
> Demon Tail's Motives
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 12:30 at night time in Equestria. 

Midnight Sparkle, Cozy Glow, Lord Tirek, and King Sombra are at Galloping Gorge. They're in a cave resting due to Cozy Glow's tired, filly body. Tirek uses his power to create a fire. King Sombra sits in the isolated shadows. 

"So, what do you have planned, Midnight Sparkle?" King Sombra questions Midnight's motives. All he wants is the Crystal Empire. 

Midnight Sparkle looks at the moon. "Demon Tail is going to bring absolute domination upon Equestria and any nation from the Bar of Alliance daring to stand in our way. There's a relic I'm after." 

"Is it the Alicorn Amulet?" Cozy asks; her childlike behavior kicks in like being in class again. 

"Yes," Midnight Sparkle answers. "I need to consume other relics to reverse the power of this artifact," She holds the medallion in her hand. 

"What would that do?" King Sombra asks. 

"It'll take me to the world where I got Demon Curses. If any of you were to inhale the magic of Earth Land, no creature in Equestria would be a threat upon any of you. I've seen firsthand what that kind of magic power is capable of doing. I experienced powerful spells unleashed that'll make Princess Celestia feel like a toddler in comparison to magic power." 

"I've seen it during movie night. This woman, Erza Scarlet, dominated Princess Celestia in a fight." 

Midnight Sparkle shoots a warning shot at Cozy Glow with her aqua blue flames. "Mention Erza's name again, and I'll incinerate you before you can blink." 

Cozy Glow gulps. She now knows not to mess with Midnight Sparkle. 

"King Sombra. Right before I brought you back to life, did you hear anything that goes on in the Crystal Empire?" 

"Why would I tell you any information regarding what goes on there?" King Sombra does know many Bar of Alliance meetings as it's talked about throughout the Crystal Empire.

Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites green, and she drains the life force away from King Sombra. "If you don't tell me, I'll consume your power and your soul!" Midnight Sparkle is not in the mood for these games. 

"Alright! I'll tell you! I'll tell you! Stop!" King Sombra feels his life force draining away, nearly closing his eyes in the process. 

Midnight Sparkle releases the hold on King Sombra and returns his life force. "I'm entrusting you to give me the information I need. You can trust me to honor my word. In the end, you'll have the Crystal Empire all to yourself." 

"Sorry, Midnight Sparkle, for my disobedience," King Sombra coughs. 

"Tell me what you know," Midnight crosses her arms and glares at King Sombra. Lord Tirek sees hostility within Midnight's eyes. Cozy Glow, despite her newfound power and appearance, she's afraid of Midnight Sparkle. 

King Sombra has a newfound respect for Midnight Sparkle. However, he intends to ridding her once he gets an opening. "You won't have Queen Chrysalis into your guild." 

"Did she perish?" Midnight assumes that Queen Chrysalis met her demise. 

"No," King Sombra shakes her head. "Queen Chrysalis goes by Chrysalis now. She renounced her entitlement as Queen of the Changelings. She's on her path for redemption, the last Changeling to do so. However, she is struggling with her progress. One more bit of detail, she has a son named Terax."  

"Terax," Midnight Sparkle smirks devilishly. "Oh, this is too good," Midnight is scheming some ideas of ruining Terax's life so Chrysalis can join her guild and seek vengeance on 'those' who killed her son. She'll make it convincing that a pony, still having issues with Changelings, done it. 

"If somehow Terax can't be killed, what are your other objectives, Midnight?" Lord Tirek asks. 

"Divide and conquer. I've destroyed the Tree of Harmony and Elements of Harmony. I used to be a bearer, so the Spirit of the Tree will not be searching for the next bearers to harness its magic to defeat us." 

"Impressive," King Sombra compliments. 

"Remove the Crystal Heart and have the Crystal Ponies fall into fear. Then, we head over to their neighbors and cripple Yak Yakistan. We take out two nations within the day." 

"I like where this is going," Lord Tirek imagines the carnage and the magic he'll be consuming. 

"That's when the Princesses will arrive with their army. That's when we'll ambush them. I'll drain the life force of Celestia and Luna but, I'll keep them alive so they can witness the carnage we'll bring while they'll be helpless to do anything about it." 

"I can see it now, the fall of the Sun and Moon," Cozy images the helpless faces the two will have. 

"Once they are defeated, there's no one powerful enough to make a stand and take each of us down." 

"So, when should we go after Terax?" Cozy Glow wants to be the one that puts an end to the Changeling's life. 

"In less than a few days. Why wait when they could be planning for any counters when we can strike immediately." 

"I like the new you, Midnight," Lord Tirek likes Midnight's ruthless, malicious personality. 

"Thanks, Lord Tirek," Midnight looks at the stars. "If you can hear me, Spike. Mark my words, I will come for you and bring everything you have to an end. Until then, I will destroy what friends you left behind on this world since you didn't care enough about doing the right thing." 

"Hey, I have an idea," Cozy calls for Midnight's attention. 

"What is it?" Midnight turns to Cozy Glow. 

"Think you can find the shattered pieces of the Storm King, fix him up and manipulate him into becoming your ally?" 

Midnight gives it some thought. The pieces of the Storm King are somewhere in Canterlot Gardens as a statue to replace the Discord statue. The idea of having the Storm King is too good to pass up. Especially with his science and technology. 

"That's an ingenious idea, Cozy. The Storm King will be an asset for Demon Tail. With his technology and my magic, we can create techno-magic soldiers to combat any army while we fight those that do oppose a threat," Midnight turns to King Sombra. "King Sombra. How fast can you move with your shadows without using crystalization?"  

"From here to Canterlot, a few hours at best during the day. During the night, two hours maybe less." 

"See to it, Sombra. Later in the morning, we go after Terax," Midnight commands. 

"Yes, Midnight," King Sombra leaves the caves and goes into his shadow form to travel quicker. 

"Time is ticking, Spike. Enjoy your last days in Earth Land. I will obliterate your friends with my Demon Curse."
> Storm Rises
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

King Sombra uses his shadows to travel at fast speeds. From Galloping Gorge to being under Cloudsdale. 

"Storm King is no match for I King Sombra. Techno-magic soldiers. Taking a page out of my helmets to manipulate the minds of my subjects."

A newspaper from Cloudsdale descends. It catches King Sombra's attention. 

"What's this?" King Sombra rises from the shadows to reads the newspaper. 

The newspaper reads that the Bar of Alliance is embolized. Clones of Discord is going to every city in Equestria, every nation around; Protecting from a threat. 

"So," King Sombra tosses the newspaper away and goes into the shadows to travel to Canterlot. "The Draqonecuus has thought ahead. Interesting. However, I will exploit that fool's weakness. His love for those he cherishes," King Sombra laughs in triumph while he moves at fast speeds. 

Within the hour, King Sombra arrives at the mountains of Canterlot. He ascends with the shadows heading into Canterlot City. He sees two Draqonecuus clones patroling. 

"He didn't waste time with the clones." Sombra takes the long way while the clones sense for any traces of magic. 

Half an hour later, King Sombra arrives in Canterlot Gardens. He sees the remains of the Storm King's statue. A clone in a patrol uniform comes by. 

"There's something here. I can smell magic." 

"Smell this," King Sombra conjures a shadow shard from the ground, impaling Discord's chest. 

The clone reacts differently, and King Sombra notices it. The clone is slower while falling to his knees. King Sombra grabs the headpiece of the Storm King. 

"I.., have to..," The clone is about to use his magic. 

"Crystalize," King Sombra's horn ignites and shoots a magic beam at the clone, turning the clone into a crystal. "I can't you intervening with Demon Tail," King Sombra stomps on the crystalize clone, shattering the clone in the process. "Goodbye," King Sombra takes the headpiece of the Storm King and leaves. 

Two clones come to Canterlot Gardens to investigate the disappearance of a clone's magic. Upon further inspection, they see the shards on the ground. 

"Oh no..," One of the clones picks up the headpiece of the clone. 

"This is King Sombra's magic. He specializes in shadow and crystalization magic. We have to inform the Princesses." 

"Another thing to inform them. The headpiece of the Storm King is missing." 

King Sombra laughs in triumph once more. He succeeded in weakening Discord after taking notice of his clone's reaction to pain. It appears by obliterating a clone. Discord can become weaker. 

Two hours later. King Sombra returns to the Galloping Gorge caves. He rises from the shadows. 

"So, were you followed?" Midnight Sparkle asks King Sombra. 

"No. However, I have intriguing news to inform." 

"Enlighten me, King Sombra," Midnight Sparkle turns to him. 

"Discord has enabled his clones to go to every city in Equestria and every nation all around." 

"Hmm, that could be a problem," Midnight is thinking about shattering each one after turning them into stone. 

"However, clones are reacting differently than anticipating. I impaled one that was on patrol, and the clone was slow. The clone acknowledges the pain."

"Excellent. Judging from your report, we have found a way to weaken Discord. Slowly but surely removing him out of the equation." 

"I have the headpiece of the Storm King," King Sombra places the headpiece on the ground. 

"Whatever happened to the rest of his body?" Lord Tirek asks. 

"Don't talk so loud," Cozy Glow is trying to sleep. 

"There's not much but the head. The head is the important piece." 

"Indeed," Midnight Sparkle's horn glows green. "Arise, Storm King!" Midnight Sparkle's hands glow green. She shoots an energy beam at the headpiece of the Storm King. Not only releasing his imprisonment but also granting him a new body. 

The Storm King stands tall with newfound power coursing through his veins. A metallic staff manifest. 

"I LIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!" The Storm King breathes the fresh air for the first time in a long time. "You!" The Storm King points his new staff at Midnight. "I didn't forget what you tried to do when I was in control, petty pony!" 

"I was different back then. Now, I'm reborn as a Demon." 

"A demon?" The Storm King steps back. 

"Sometimes, for absolute power, a deal must be made with a demon. Wouldn't you agree?" 

Storm King smirks. "Indeed. Absolute power comes from fear and determination! Not pretty, pretty love and affections, blah!" Storm King sticks his tongue out, replicating a motion to vomit. "So, what do I get for my services?" 

"You're kingdom back. More power than you can ever dream of, and another nation of your choosing that isn't Equestria and the Crystal Empire."

"Perfect," Storm King wants Mount Aris and the Hippogriffs. "So, what do you need from me?" 

"You're proficient in technology. I want you to create Techno-Soldiers for our army." 

"Are you insane, demon? I don't have the technology to produce an army!" 

"My name is Midnight Sparkle. Second, I only need you to create one soldier." 

"One?" Storm King is perplexed. 

"Yes. King Sombra." 

"Yes?" King Sombra turns to Midnight Sparkle. 

"Vanhoover is not far. Go there and gather metallic pieces and any equipment Storm King may need." 

"Right away," King Sombra goes into his shadow form to leave the caves. 

"Explain to me how you plan on turning one soldier into legions to unleash?" Storm King wants to know what Midnight is thinking. 

"There are legends within Equestria I've seen and heard," Midnight Sparkle turns to Storm King. "Once you've created the Techno-Solider. I'll infuse some of my curses, creating the first-ever Techno-Magic Soldier. Then, I'll take you to the Mirror Pool." 

"You monster," Lord Tirek is mesmerized by Midnight's logic. 

"The mirror pool?" Cozy Glow yawns. "That means, we'll have an.., an..."

"An unstoppable and infinite wave of soldiers at our command. Every creature will tire and surrender. There'll be no end in stopping us." 

"You're a mad genius," Storm King compliments Midnight's strategy. 

"I've seen what happens when a guild has an army. Everyone tire, and when we come, they'll be helpless to do anything," Midnight claims. "We will extinguish any chance they have at hope."
> Nightmares
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why am I in Equestria?" Spike looks around and sees fires everywhere. "Where are my friends? Wendy! Carla! Lucy! Erza! ANYBODY!"

"Hello, Spike," Midnight Sparkle arrives while dragging the lifeless body of Empress Ember. 

"NOOOOOOO!" Spike falls to his knees. 

"You wish to stop seeing the carnage?" Midnight Sparkle asks. 

Spike looks around and sees the fall of Canterlot. It falls from the mountainside while many ponies scream in agony. Many dragons fall from the skies as well as changelings. Lord Tirek absorbs the magic of the changelings into his power before stomping on its heads. Griffins are torn apart by what appears to be metallic magic soldiers. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack. 

"Futile," Midnight Sparkle flies and grabs Spike's throat, choking him a bit until Spike powers down. "I don't wish to bring your physical harm. For all of this to stop, I want you to come back to me." 

Spike is teary from the choking. He's losing oxygen. Midnight drops and kicks Spike; he crashes into several trees from the impact. 

Spike hears the laughter of King Sombra; his crystals rise from the ground, impaling his wings. Spike wails from the pain. 

"Allow me," King Sombra tears off Spike's wings with his magic. 

Spike falls to the ground. He looks up and sees his friends going after Lord Tirek. "Don't!" Spike warns. 

"Time to watch them die, and we'll consume their magic power. There's nothing you can do to stop the inevitable, Spike!" Midnight says. 

Lord Tirek unleashes his magic power on every creature, incinerating them in the process. Spike hears their deathly wails before they get silent.

"Now, you know why being selfish will lead to your doom, Spike. Come back to me, and you'll never have to worry about them ever again." 

"I have stowaways," Lord Tirek tosses the body of Wendy Marvell, Erza, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Carla, and many members of the Fairy Tail Guild. All of them are lifeless and drained of magic energy. 

"Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Spike cries and tries to wake them up. 

Midnight Sparkle, Lord Tirek, and King Sombra corner Spike; they unleash their power on Spike, rendering him weak while erasing his mind in the process. 

"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" Spike feels the wrath of the trio. In the background, a young demonic pegasus and tall white creature with a staff laughing at his misery. 

"Spike! Wake up!" Wendy is next to Spike in the tent. Lucy and Erza try to wake him up. 

"What the hell is wrong with Fairy Dragon?" Gajeel comes into the tent to check on Spike. 

It's 2:30 in the morning. It's been two days since Spike saw the image of Midnight Sparkle during their training. Spike breathes heavily from the nightmare. It's getting worse. 

"Dude, are you okay?" Romeo asks Spike. 

Spike looks distraught, which worries everyone around him. His eyes and horrid expression say it all. 

"It's his nightmares, Romeo," Lucy said. "It's getting worse." 

"Okay, enough with the silent treatment, Fairy Dragon. You need to speak up," Gajeel said. 

Spike deeply sighs. "Okay," Spike takes a deep breath. "My nightmares started right after the day Erza and I sent Midnight Sparkle back to Equestria. It starts as a nightmare, Midnight taking the lives of those I cherish at first. Then, it escalates too quickly. Midnight building her guild and army after taking notes of Tartaros." 

"That doesn't sound good," Gajeel imagines the terrors his brother sees. 

"I see two familiar faces alongside Midnight Sparkle. King Sombra and Lord Tirek." 

"Mind explaining who those two are?" Erza asks to take note. 

"King Sombra is a Shadow King of Darkness. He specializes in fear, control, and crystals. He once ruled the Crystal Empire before going away for a thousand years, and I helped retrieve the Crystal Heart to ignite the Crystal Empire's defense of love and unity. If I have to describe who Lord Tirek is, he's a living embodiment of the Magic Council's Face with a grotesque red demonic appearance."

"Whoa," Everyone in the tent said in shock. 

"Each nightmare got worse, like a build-up for revenge. I want to say my dreams are warnings. If I ignore them long enough, it may be too late to counter. However, I'm not sure. Like anything else, it's dreams. They have a nasty turn once in a while." 

"Yea, but not consistent as yours," Lucy said. 

"I'll be back," Spike leaves the tent. 

"Where are you going?" Wendy asks. 

"There's someone I need to talk to," Spike uses his fire breath and teleports away. 

"I wonder where he's going," Romeo said. He, like everyone else, wonders who Spike wishes to speak.  

Spike arrives at Tenrou Island. He hears the waves coming onto the sandy beaches; he looks at the towering tree of the island. Spike flaps his wings and takes off. 

Natsu is asleep with Happy on the island when he wakes up after feeling Spike's magic power. Happy wakes up after feeling Natsu getting up. 

"Hey, something wrong, Natsu?" Happy asks while yawning in the process. 

"Spike is here on Tenrou Island. As to why, I'm going to find out," Natsu gets up and uses his nose to find Spike. Happy gets up and follows Natsu. 

Spike spends half an hour flying and notices something sticking out at the corner of his eye. He flies to what appears to be a tombstone. 

"So, this is Mavis' grave; it took me a bit over seven years to find it," Spike remembers the S-Class Trials like it was yesterday. He and Panther Lily were flying right before Carla came to the island and questioned Mest's involvement with Fairy Tail. 

"Any reason why Spike will be here on the island, Natsu?" Happy asks Natsu. 

"I'm clueless, so I'm going to find out," Natsu continues to follow his nose. 

"Master Mavis, I'm not sure if you can hear me. I haven't seen you in a while. I was wondering; if you have a few minutes to talk with me about something that's been bothering me." 

"What seems to be the problem, Seventh Master?" Mavis Vermillion is behind Spike. Spike turns to her. "You're here to ask about advice on being a Master of the Guild?" 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "It's something else. Entirely." 

"I'm all ears. What seems to be the problem?" 

Natsu and Happy are behind a tree that is above Mavis' grave. They see Spike and Mavis talking. 

"It's my nightmares. It's getting worse by the day, ever since Erza and I sent Midnight Sparkle back to Equestria. You see," Spike explains each nightmare he has to Mavis Vermillion and how Midnight Sparkle has increased her power and built a guild of her own. The members are former villains that laid waste in Equestria in some way. Two new characters entered his dream, and he had never seen them before. The explanation takes an hour, including the grueling details of decay and destruction across the land. "As you know or figured out by now, I don't have Fairy Rage. He sacrificed himself to resurrect Erza."   

After processing the information Spike shared, Mavis Vermillion knows what Spike's dreams represent.  

"Spike. Your dreams are a warning of the possible future if you ignore it."  

"I was afraid that may be the case," Spike sighs and holds his face.

"What do you think you should do?" Mavis asks Spike. 

"It's clear to me what I need to do. I can't ignore the signs. I need to take action. I need to return to Equestria and finish what I couldn't. Ending Midnight's reign of terror." 

"I would advise you to bring friends, Spike. You can't go on this journey alone." 

"Sign us up!" Natsu and Happy wave and hop down after hearing the two talk for a while. 

"Natsu, Happy?" What are you two doing here?" Spike is happy to see the two again. 

"Out here doing some intense training. We heard that you suffered from nightmares," Natsu said. 

"Yea, and you needed some counseling," Happy noted. 

Spike takes a deep breath. He turns to Mavis Vermillion. 

"I wish you luck, Seventh Master," Mavis Vermillion said. 

"WHAAAAAAAAAT!?" Natsu and Happy are confused and shocked. 

"Oh, that's right. You two didn't hear the announcement. Long story short, Makarov wanted to disband the guild, but I reminded him he couldn't due to the promise he made to Celestia. So, Makarov renounced his entitlement as Master of the Guild and anointed me as Seventh Master of the Fairy Tail Guild. Don't worry. You don't have to call me Master. Call me Spike, Fairy Dragon, the works of how you used to call me." 

"Wow.., you saved the guild, Spike!" Happy hugs Spike, thanking him in the process. 

"So, when do we go to this Equestria World?" Natsu asks, wanting to fight Midnight Sparkle. It can help him improve his magic power. 

"In a few hours. I need to construct a team to come with me to Equestria."  

"Perfect! Let's go back to our campsite and pack up Happy!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy follows Natsu to the campsite. 

Spike turns to Mavis. "Mavis, there's one more thing I need to ask of you."

"Sure, what is it?" 

"It's a promise I made to my Uncle Zirconis. With your permission, I ask to use the island when the time comes." 

Mavis Vermillion smiles. "Sure, Spike. As long as things don't become complicated." 

"Thank you," Spike nods in honor of the First Master. His goal is to bring the dragons of Equestria back to Earth Land.
> No More
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No more!" Spike is suffering from the nightmares produced by Discord and Princess Luna. For a week now, Discord and Princess Luna have tried every night to locate Spike the Fairy's dream door to send their distress call. 

"Just one more day," Princess Luna pleas. She feels that her magic is getting closer to Spike the Fairy. 

"It's too much!" Spike sees the nightmares unfolding, each one worse than the last. 

"Okay," Discord releases his hold on Spike and slumps on the floor. He looks depleted which, isn't usual for the Draqonecuus. 

"Another clone taking out of the fray?" Sonata massages Discord. 

"Some clones of mine are getting destroyed. It weakens me a bit but, I am overusing my magic to find the dimension Earth Land is in." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) puts Spike on her back. "Enough. I think by now, Spike the Fairy has gotten the message. I refuse to allow my son to take any more abuse," Twilight (Sci-Twi) is mad at herself for allowing this to go on longer than expected. 

Princess Luna trots up to Spike. "Thank you for being a trooper. With word mentioned to my sister days ago about King Sombra's appearance, we'll assume that the Storm King has joined forces as well. We need all the help we can get." 

"You're welcome, I guess.., man.., my head hurts like hell," Spike holds his head. 

"Will my son have beautiful and wonderful dreams now?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) looks at Luna. 

"Yes," Princess Luna nods. "When Spike goes to sleep, he won't be having any more nightmare-related dreams that were meant for Spike the Fairy." 

"Thank you," Spike replies. "Hey, Discord. Can I have my friends come over?" 

"Oh, uh, sure," Discord snaps his claw. 

Chrysalis and Terax are having fun in the Hive together. For the first time in a long time, Chrysalis is genuinely smiling. The Changelings in the Hive take notice of Chrysalis' demeanor. Terax is flying a bit ahead while Chrysalis chases him. Terax is showing his mother how good of a flier he's becoming. 

Thorax and Pharynx take notices of Chrysalis's demeanor. They have never seen Chrysalis smiling like this throughout their lifetime. Then out of the blue, Chrysalis and Terax vanish. 

"It must be Discord's doing. The question is, why, though?" Thorax said after seeing the two vanish. 

"Could be important, Thorax," Phayrnx said. 

Chrysalis and Terax are in the living room. They are confused as to why they are in a living room complex.  

"Spike!" Terax flies to Spike. 

"Hey, buddy," Spike gently pats Terax. 

"Let's play!" Terax shouts. 

Spike hops off Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s back and runs to the basement, where there are many pillows. 

"So, this is your household, huh, Discord? Also, why do you look like you're dying?" Chrysalis asks. 

"I'm not dying. I'm tired," Discord replies while Sonata massages his back. 

"So, any info about Midnight Sparkle?" Chrysalis asks Princess Luna. 

"Midnight gained two more allies. King Sombra and the Storm King. As for anything else concerning the two, no other news was reported." 

"Hmm, does Midnight know about this Twilight and Spike?" 

"No, Chrysalis. As far as things go, the two are off the grid. We need to protect them in case Midnight discovers them."

"We were trying to contact Spike the Fairy through the dream realms but, it's very complex. Since Discord erased his memory of locating the dimension, we tried exploring thirty million realms."

"Thirty million?" Chrysalis is appalled by the number. 

"It's been continuous with me on locating the dimension where Earth Land resides. I want to keep going, but Spike has reached his limits. All we can do is hope that our efforts were not for nothing," Discord said. 

"We can assume that Midnight Sparkle is aware that you're on your path to redemption," Princess Luna said. "As for anything else, we're not sure." 

"They better not come for my son. I'll rip their heads where they stand!" Chrysalis angrily declares. 

"They'll think twice once Spike the Fairy comes with his friends, right?" Sonata looks at Princess Luna. 

"I'm not sure if our progress got through to Spike the Fairy. All we can do now is hope and maybe try again later." 

"No more," Twilight (Sci-Twi) is protective of Spike. "He's been through enough trauma. That's the last thing he needs now."

"Midnight Sparkle is probably two, three steps ahead of us. With her knowledge and power, Twilight, we don't know how to counter her plans."  

"My clones are getting petrified before shattered, so I can't see their memory links. Midnight Sparkle and her cronies are brilliant for extinguishing my clones to ensure that I don't know what's happening and how to counter it." 

"Would Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack, and possibly Rarity can step in to stop Midnight's reign?" Chrysalis asks. She remembers them, and Twilight unified can defeat any foe. 

"No," Twilight (Sci-Twi) shakes her head. "Rarity has an obsession with Spike. I refuse to go near her." 

"There has to be some way for you six to unify together once more. Your friendship defeats any that opposes." 

"I'm not sure about this one, Chrysalis. I'm good with all except for Rarity. She may be the hurdle that ruins the flow of friendship." 

"Discord, think you can bring the five here?" Princess Luna asks Discord while he's lost in Sonata's massage. 

"Oh, yea.., the lower back, Sonata," Discord looks at Luna. "You want me to bring the former bearers here?" 

"Yes," Princess Luna nods. "We need every advantage we can muster if Spike the Fairy doesn't return." 

Discord sighs. "Very well. However, any disputes that happen, you are to sort to that. I need time to recover." 

"Understood, Discord," Princess Luna sees Discord snaps his paw. He summons Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity. 

Rainbow Dash is wearing her Wonderbolts uniform. Fluttershy has Angel Bunny on her back. Pinkie Pie has a cake on her back. Applejack has buckets of apples on a wagon with her. Rarity looks like a mess. Her mane is tangled, and her eye makeup is an absolute mess. 

"Princess Luna, what are we doing here?" Rainbow asks. 

"Huh," Applejack gets motion sickness from being in Discord's home. Stairs on the ceilings and several types of furniture on the ceiling, stairs going down to the basement, gravity shifting oddly. "My head is spinning," Applejack feels that the gravity doesn't work.

"You'll get used to it in a few," Twilight (Sci-Twi) says. 

"Twilight!" The girls except Rarity say in excitement. 

"Is Spikey-Wikey here?" Rarity has a red gem bow for him. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) groans a bit. "Yes, he's here. However, he's playing with Terax." 

"Gah! Queen Chrysalis is here!" Pinkie shrieks. 

Chrysalis rolls her eyes. "It's Chrysalis. I'm guessing you partied too hard to notice anything within the newspaper." 

"Wow, you've changed, Chrysalis," Applejack notices her demeanor. She sounds nicer than before. 

"I've gone through a lot to see the error of my ways," Chrysalis said. 

"If only we knew someone that can see change," Rainbow refers to Rarity. 

"Mommy! Mommy!" Terax shouts. 

"Hey, who's that?" Pinkie wonders who the strange voice is. 

"My son, Terax," Chrysalis answers. 

"Mommy!" Terax flies from the basement. 

"Aww," Fluttershy is awestruck by Terax's small light purple changeling with blue eyes appearance. "He's so cute!" 

"Mommy," Terax is in front of Chrysalis. 

"Yes, son?" Chrysalis pats Terax a bit. 

"Wow, this is weird," Rainbow didn't think Chrysalis could show a loving-mother embrace. 

"I'll say," Pinkie said. 

"Spike and I made a pillow fort! Come check it out!" Terax flies back to the basement. 

"Here I come, Spikey-Wikey!" Rarity sprints past Chrysalis with her red gem bow. 

"Rarity!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) chases her. 

"Oh, no. Here's we go again," Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack follow pursuit.

Chrysalis and Princess Luna follow as well. Discord stays on the couch while Sonata massages him. Chrysalis, Applejack, and Fluttershy see Discord's basement as an absolute replica of the Fairy Tail Guildhall mess hall. There are many pillows everywhere. Rarity selfishly swats Terax after figuring out which pillow fort Spike is in.

"Hey!" Chrysalis gets mad. 

"Mommy, it hurts," The swat Rarity gave Terax injured his left wing. Terax is crying. 

Chrysalis is boiling in rage. She storms after Rarity. 

"Uh oh," Everypony else says, they follow Chrysalis inside. 

"Spike! I have a present for you!" Rarity looks for Spike in the pillow fort. Surprisingly it's bigger on the inside than the outside. 

Spike is hiding; he doesn't want to deal with Rarity's shenanigans today. He's been through too much already. Spike feels that Rarity is closer. He takes a peep from his hiding spot and sees Rarity. Then he runs.  

"There you are!" Rarity gallops after Spike. She's happy to see him again. "Don't run from me! It's rude to ignore a lady, Spike!" 

"Stay away from me, you psychopath!" Spike runs down the pillow stairs, and Rarity tackles him. 

"I want you in my life, Spikey-Wikey!" Rarity tries to kiss Spike while the two roll down the pillow stairs. 

"Well, I don't!" Spike shouts. 

Rarity pins Spike on the floor and looks at him. She's smiling as Spike closes his eyes. "I'm going to rock your world," Rarity licks her lips. 

"Mom, help!" Spike yells for Twilight. He sounds terrified due to Rarity. 

Chrysalis shoots her magic at Rarity. Rarity crashes into the pillow fort walls. "Chrysalis snarls. "Get ready to die!" She conjures her magic. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) comforts Spike. Spike hugs her and cries. The way Rarity was acting was too much for the child to bear. 

Princess Luna puts her hoof on Chrysalis' back. "That won't be necessary." 

"I'm never going to allow Rarity to come near you ever again. Anything that involves with Rarity, we're staying away," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said in a nurturing tone. She rubs Spike's back with her hoof and feels like a failure as a mother to protect her child from an insane child predator. 

"She hurt my child and nearly attempted to have her way with Spike," Chrysalis turns to Princess Luna. "It's clear she's fallen like the other Twilight. Who knows what that mare could have done to the young dragon if we didn't catch up to her." 

Princess Luna doesn't want to think about the possibility as it's too much to bear. She trots up to Rarity. 

"I want Spikey-Wikey. I need him.., I long for him..., he's the one. My gentlecolt.., my soulmate...," Rarity looks at Princess Luna. "Don't you see.., we're meant for each other..," Rarity is in tears while she smiles, thinking about Spike in the process. 

"No more, Rarity," Princess Luna sternly stares at Rarity. "You've gone too far." 

"Going after the one you love is not going too far! You don't even know what love is after spending a thousand years in solitude!" 

Princess Luna remains calm after that remark. Her breathing is still while holding back her emotions to retaliate. "You had your chance with Spike the Fairy and brushed him off, toyed with his emotions. You don't know what love is. Your obsession has blinded you from the truth. I saw Spike's memories. He doesn't love you anymore. He has Wendy Marvell. The Spike you knew has moved on, and so should you."  

"There's a new Spike, and I can have that perfect relationship! Let me show you that I can love!" Rarity protests. 

"Fairy Dragon Spike is matured in age as a baby dragon. This dragon that you nearly kissed was once a dog at a younger age. You had your chance, and you struck out." 

"I don't care what breed he used to be!" Rarity complains. She gets in the Princess' face. "He's mine!" 

Princess Luna sees that Rarity has succumbed to insanity over an obsession. Her mind is lost to lust. Her eyes tell the story. Rarity wants Spike. 

"Sleep," Princess Luna uses her magic to make Rarity fall asleep. Rarity talks in her sleep and says much about Spike. 

"You should have let me kill her," Chrysalis said. 

"Killing is not the answer," Princess Luna uses her magic to levitate Rarity. "You're on your path to redemption, so there is no room for bloodlust. I'm taking her to Canterlot Ward. She needs help." 

Chrysalis trots to her son Terax. Twilight (Sci-Twi) puts Spike on her back. She trots to her room. Princess Luna uses her magic and teleports from the pillow fort of Discord's basement to Canterlot. 

"Hey, what should we do?" Pinkie stops and asks Twilight. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs. "After I put Spike in bed, we're going to talk." 

"Mind if I put Terax in your room to heal up?" Chrysalis asks. 

"Yea," Twilight (Sci-Twi) nods. "There's plenty of room on the bed."
> Storm is Brewing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

King Sombra returns to Galloping Gorge Caves after gathering many materials from the flea market. He gives a lot of metallic parts to Storm King. Different engines and batteries as well. 

"So, let me work my magic," Storm King cracks his knuckles. Using the material he has, Storm King forges a Techno-Soldier within an hour. It mirrors the body of Midnight Sparkle and himself. The helmet and face is skeletal feature. "So, how would the magic work, Midnight Sparkle?" 

Midnight Sparkle walks up to the six-foot-tall Techno-Soldier. "Like this," Midnight Sparkle's horn glows green and gives life to the Techno-Soldier. 

The Techno-Soldier eyes are green with red pupils. The armor is blue and purple from head to toe. The Techno-Soldier wields a magic sword on one hand. The other hand can scan a creature's power and create a counter shield to repel any attacks. Another feature the Techno-Soldier has is the ability to fly without wings. 

"Now, kneel before your Empress," Midnight Sparkle commands the Techno-Soldier. The Techno-Soldier kneels to Midnight Sparkle. "When we're near the mirror pool, I'll grant the Techno-Soldier magic power I absorbed from the Tree of Harmony and Elements of Harmony. Then infuse it with my Demon Curse. Each of us will command a legion when battling any creature or nation that oppose us." 

"Day is rising," Storm King said. 

"We'll wait for the night. When most creatures are asleep." 

Fifteen hours later. It's 10:30 at night. Midnight Sparkle takes flight while levitating the Techno-Soldier. Cozy Glow and Tirek take flight as well. 

"Hey, I can't fly!" Storm King shouts. 

"You're coming with me," King Sombra drags Storm King into his shadow and travel at fast speed. 

An hour after flying, Demon Tail arrives at the location of the mirror pool. Cozy Glow said this is a pile of rocks. Midnight's hand glows red and shatters the rock pile. Demon Tail enters the hole and sees the mirror pool. 

"Here we are. This pool will produce our numbers, and in a day's time, we'll have an army that exceeds the population of every nation. Soldier, recite the enchantment." 

"And into his own reflection, he stared. Yearning for one whose reflection he shared. And solemnly sweared not to be scared. At the prospect of being doubly mare," The Techno-Soldier recites and enters the mirror pool. Now there are two Techno-Soldiers. 

"Soldiers, recite the chant," Midnight commands. 

"Oh great, this is going to be an earache," Lord Tirek is not thrilled with the reciting enchantment the soldiers will speak for days on end. 

"King Sombra, survey Ponyville for any news. We're going to be here for a while." 

"Understood, Midnight," Sombra goes into his shadow and leaves the mirror pool. 

"Lucky," Storm King sits down. 

"While the Techno-Soldiers produce themselves, hone your abilities than sit around and wait." 

"Fine," Lord Tirek gets up. "It's better than listening to the same garbage over and over." 

"I'm coming with you, best friend," Cozy follows Lord Tirek. 

"So, what does this staff do?" Storm King asks Midnight Sparkle. 

"You can create storms; Lightning, hail, snow, rain, thunder, tornadoes, hurricanes. Anything related to the weather, that staff has control of it. You are the Storm King, so it's right for you." 

"Hah! Better than that other staff I was planning on using!" Storm King goes outside to test his new staff, and any wanderers that come will be target practice. 

It's been two days since King Sombra stepped out of the mirror pool caves. He's been hiding in every shadow, away from the clones of Discord. He sees familiar faces from the Crystal Empire and pays close attention. 

"I can't believe Rarity went after Spike like that," Rainbow speaks with Applejack. 

"I know. Rarity went bonkers on the baby dragon and injured Terax. I wonder if Twilight will get that restraining order despite Rarity being in the ward." 

"Only time will tell, Applejack. Need some help at the farm?" 

"Yes, Applejack. Apple Bloom is with her friends doing private friendship tutoring while the School of Friendship remains suspended." 

"Another Twilight and Spike in the world. Replacements. Midnight Sparkle will be enlightened about the discovery of this."

King Sombra waits until the two trots to Sweet Apple Acres. He travels back to the mirror pool caves. Within the hour, the mirror pool caves become a bit overcrowded. Thousands of Techno-Magic-Soldiers are in line, waiting for any commands. 

"I feel like a King again!" Storm King laughs in triumph with his army in place. 

"Midnight Sparkle," Sombra rises from the shadows in front of her. 

"What is it, King Sombra?" 

King Sombra smirks. "There's another Twilight Sparkle and Spike within the world." 

Midnight Sparkle balls her fists. "So, they want to replace me? Start anew?" Midnight feels conflicted about being replaced by her friends and family. "No matter, I'll corrupt their minds and make them kill the replaceable. As for this Spike, if I fail to bring Spike the Fairy, I'll start anew with this Spike. All will be right accordingly." 

"How would you fail, Midnight? It seems your doubting yourself?" King Sombra sneers. 

"I've underestimated Spike the Fairy's friends and their magic power," Midnight Sparkle reminds herself about her defeat by the hands of Erza and her Fairy Rage Armor. "I will kill Erza Scarlet a second time. I will mount her head in my castle." 

"So, where are we Storming into?" Storm King asks. 

"The Crystal Empire. We need to take out the Crystal Heart and relinquish the hope the Crystal Ponies have." 

"Time to install fear on my kingdom once more," King Sombra relishes the possible faces of his subjects in chains. 

"How are we going to transport these soldiers?" Cozy Glow asks Midnight Sparkle. 

"We're going to hijack a train. Any creature inside belongs to Lord Tirek to devour." 

"Perfect," Lord Tirek hopes the train is crowded with ponies of all kinds.

"So, the Crystal Heart. What happens if we destroy it?" Storm King asks. 

"It will release a storm so powerful; the Crystal Empire will be engraved in snow," King Sombra explains. 

"Storm! Let my staff absorb its uncontrollable weather phenomenon! I've been practicing the magics with my new staff. I can absorb the weather and control it to my every whim." 

"Perfect, then the Crystal Ponies will have no hope left," Midnight Sparkle said.

"After I harness the magic of the Crystal Heart, it'll destroy it. The Crystal Ponies need to know how strong their King is!" 

"I can't wait to play with those strong Yaks!" Cozy Glow imagines doing all sorts of fun stuff with them. 

"In a few hours, they won't know what's coming."
> Preparing for War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two days before, Demon Tail hijacks a train. 

"Thanks, Fluttershy," Twilight (Sci-Twi) closes the door to her room. Fluttershy will care for Spike and nurse Terax. 

"I can't believe I saw that..," Applejack said. She's sitting with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie in the living room. 

"I should have killed her for harming my son," Chrysalis drinks her tea. 

"Princess Luna did the right thing for stepping in. You don't want blood on your hooves for redemption, do you?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) looks at her friend. 

"Perhaps I'm supposed to get dirty before getting cleaned," Chrysalis hisses a bit. 

"Believe me. I want to beat the shit out of Rarity for what she pulled." 

"Whoa whoa, Twilight. No need to swear," Rainbow said. She knows what would happen in ponies of Equestria and any other creature starts cursing. 

"Yea, trying using other words to express your feelings," Pinkie said to lighten the area. 

"Well, forgive me that the world I come from uses a lot of swear words," Twilight (Sci-Twi) crosses her arms to make her statement. 

"I will allow some profanity in my home, so feel free if it's worth it," Discord inclines. 

"So, with Princess Luna taking Rarity to a ward, what should we do?" Applejack turns to Discord. 

"Well, Princess Luna and I thought of establishing the original bearers with our new Twilight would spark a new power. But, with Rarity falling to insanity due to her obsession with Spike, it's clear that our idea fell flat. However, we can still use your help against Midnight Sparkle's forces." 

"You can count me in, Discord," Applejack stands firm. 

"Me too! I'll lead the Wonderbolts when Midnight strikes!" 

"I'll bring my party cannon and shoot other things at Midnight Sparkle!" 

"The Changelings are in groups covering every nation the Bar of Alliance has aligned. Also, there is this other nation that's coming into the fray." 

"Which one?" Applejack asks. 

"The one that Storm King used to lead. Tempest and Grubber have been ruling it together with peace and harmony. They've been going to the other kingdoms and apologizing for all the trauma and destruction Storm King inflicted," Discord informs his friends. 

"Wow. I remember we were at war with those guys," Pinkie remembers the fight in Canterlot. 

"We fled while Canterlot was taken. Also, I'm not sure if I told you or remember. I'm sorry for impersonating Spike the whole time."

"I forgive you, Discord. You gave Spike a happy life. Something that my friends and I didn't cause we took advantage of him," Applejack said. 

"I forgive you, big guy. It's a wake-up call we needed," Rainbow said. "I went through a tough road of humility and tough training by Spitfire to fix myself for the better." 

"It made me more mindful of other creatures' feelings and how I should be treating them. I was unfair to Spike, and I forgive you. Now we have a new Spike to make amends," Pinkie offers a cupcake to Discord. 

"Don't mind if I do," Discord takes the cupcake and eats it. "Chocolate vanilla swirl, my favorite." 

"There is something we need to discuss, Discord." 

"What is it, Chrysalis?" Discord burps after finishing the cupcake. 

"The Tree of Harmony and Elements of Harmony are a great source of magic power. However, since Midnight decimated the two, where do you think Midnight Sparkle will strike next?"

"The Crystal Empire..," Discord knows the Crystal Heart is extremely powerful. While disguises as Spike, he understood the power within better. 

"That's where we must go. The sooner, the better." 

"Twilight, stay here with your son, Terax, and Fluttershy. The rest of us will go and prepare the Crystal Empire from the possible invasion of Midnight Sparkle." 

"Will do, Discord," Twilight (Sci-Twi) goes back to her room. 

"Let's go, every creature." 

"Wait for us," Sunset, Adagio, and Aria arrive. "We're going as well." 

"Good. What about you, Sonata?" 

"I'm coming, Discord." 

"Good," Discord snaps his claw and teleports every creature to the Crystal Empire. 

Upon arriving at the Crystal Empire, Storm Carriers land around the Crystal Empire Castle. Tempest Shadow and Grubber come out with their legion, ready to lend a hand to the Crystal Empire. Two clones of Discord stand guard in front of the Crystal Heart. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor come down to welcome Tempest and Grubber when Discord, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Sunset, Chrysalis, and the Dazzlings appear right next to them. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are startled a bit. 

"Wow, talk about perfect timing," Princess Cadance said. "I was going to write a letter to you." 

"We're here cause we believe Midnight Sparkle will strike here first," Chrysalis informs Princess Cadance. 

"Very well, we can use your help," Princess Cadance smiles at Chrysalis; Trusting her a bit more. 

"Follow us. There's much to discuss," Shining Armor leads everyone to a meeting room within the castle. 

Two Crystal Guards stand in attention. Every creature walks into the room and grabs their seats. 

"So, how are we going to align the armies?" Applejack wonders how it's going to look. 

"The Crystal Guards, I, and several Yaks will be in the front lines," Shining explains. 

"Our air force will dominate the skies and fight off anyone that commands the skies," Grubber said. "We've improved on our technology. It could be vital for any air assault. 

"We've created more of the orbs that petrify any creature. When the opportunity presents itself, we'll shoot the orbs; Stopping the enemy before it creates chaos. No pun intended," Tempest said while being in the presence of Discord. 

"King Sombra and Storm King are aligned with Midnight Sparkle. Were you aware of that?" Discord asks Tempest and Grubber. 

"Yes," Tempest and Grubber nod. 

"We're not afraid of the Storm King," Grubber says with confidence. 

"We won't believe in his lies no more. We will slay him by the end of this war," Tempest said. 

"I want to bring the Apple Family into this war. I doubt there's anything worth protecting in Ponyville that Midnight may want." 

"Are you sure, Applejack?" Princess Cadance wants to be sure that the Apple Family is up for the challenge. If not, there's no shame in it. 

"I'm sure. Plus, the Apple Family in Appleloosa is close with the buffalo tribe. We can use their help going into this war." 

"Very well, Applejack. See to it, pronto." 

Applejack turns to Discord. "Discord, teleport me back to Ponyville." 

"Me as well," Rainbow said. "From Ponyville, I can fly to Cloudsdale and gather the Wonderbolts. We'll need them here at the Crystal Empire as well." 

"Very well. You have two days. I fear time is not on our side the way Midnight Sparkle could be operating," Princess Cadance said. 

Discord snaps his claw, teleporting Rainbow Dash and Applejack to Ponyville. Discord informs a clone of his to be in Ponyville for transport. 

"How do you feel about confronting your sister, Shining Armor?" Chrysalis asks. 

"Terrified, to be honest. I never thought of fighting my sister like this..," Shining Armor lowers his head. "I wish there was a better way to resolve the issue." 

"It's to think about fighting the one you love and watched grow up..," Princess Cadance sheds a tear. 

A clone of Discord holds Flurry Heart. "I'm taking this one to my home. She'll be safer there in case Midnight Sparkle has a sick, demented mind of absorbing her magic." 

"Go," Shining Armor approves the clone's decision-making.

"Please be careful with our daughter," Princess Cadance hugs Flurry Heart. 

"Don't worry, I will," The clone heads home with Flurry Heart.
> Onward to Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You ready to go, Spike?" Natsu said. He has his backpack ready for the trip. 

"I am. When we defeat Midnight Sparkle, you can resume with your training," Spike said. 

"The real training is about to begin!" Natsu is all fired up. 

"Wish you luck," Mavis Vermillion watches Spike uses his fire breath to teleport him, Natsu, and Happy. 

Spike, Natsu, and Happy appear at the campsite in the East Forest. Gajeel and Panther Lily are by the campfire while everyone else is asleep. 

"Salamander? Where the hell you've been this whole time?" Gajeel confronts Natsu. 

"Training day and night. Spike talked to Mavis Vermillion."

"You did, Fairy Dragon?" 

"Yes, Gajeel. I made up my mind for what I need to do next." 

Erza, Lucy, Romeo, Wendy, and Carla wake up. They come out of their tents to see Spike, Natsu, and Happy. 

"What's the commotion?" Lucy asks as she's yawning. 

"I'm going back to Equestria." 

"Whaaaaaaat?!" Gajeel, Panther Lily, Erza, Wendy, Lucy, Carla, and Romeo said in horror. 

"I'm not going alone. I'm taking a small army with me." 

"You can count us in, Spike," Romeo throws the thumbs up. 

"Definitely," Lucy concurs. 

"I'm going with my boyfriend to show Midnight that love conquers all evil." 

"I'm going too, child," Carla said. 

"I have unfinished business with Midnight Sparkle," Erza wants retribution. 

"I'm in, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"Likewise," Panther Lily chime in. 

"There's a few more to add, and we'll get going. For now, you guys stay here. I'll be back," Spike teleports to Laxus and the Thunder Legion's location.   

The Thunder Legion is in the Akane Resort in room 414. Spike appears outside the room; he knocks on the door despite a no disturb sign hanging on the doorknob. 

"Dude, the sign is up. Do not disturb," Bickslow said. He's wearing a black shirt and pajama pants; he opens the door and sees Spike. "Spike? Oh boy." 

"I hope this isn't a bad time." 

"Well, we're sleeping, but if you're here, that means something is up. Come on in, Fairy Dragon," Spike follows Bickslow into the room. "Yo, guys. Wake up. Fairy Dragon is here." 

Laxus, Freed, and Evergreen wake up. They yawn and see Spike in the room. 

"What's going on, Master?" Freed said. 

"Why are you here, Spike?" Evergreen puts on her glasses. 

"You want to train with us, Spike?" Laxus asks. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I need your help, Thunder Legion."

"With what, Fairy Dragon?" Bickslow asks. 

"I've been suffering from nightmares for a week now, and it relates to Midnight Sparkle." 

"That's rough," Bickslow imagines the horrors from the nightmare. 

"Since you don't have Fairy Rage, I'm guessing you need an enchantment to eradicate the nightmares?" 

"I don't need an enchantment. However, I do need your services. You see, my dreams are a warning of a possible future if I continue to ignore them. That is why I'm taking action now. I'm going to Equestria and finish Midnight Sparkle and her supposed guild she's creating." 

"She's creating a guild?" Bickslow said in shock.  

"That's bad," Evergreen said. 

"The Thunder Legion is with you, Spike," Freed speaks on behalf of the team. 

"Let us get ready. We're not allowing that bitch to wipe us out. Not now, not ever!" Laxus' lightning ignites his body in rage. 

"Thank you," Spike is gracious for their involvement. "I'll be outside the room. Then, I'll teleport you to the campsite where everyone else is. There's a few more I need to grab." 

"Sure thing," Freed said. 

Spike leaves the room. He waits idly for twenty minutes. Laxus, Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed are ready to go. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport them to the campsite. 

"Okay, one more place to visit," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to Sabertooth's Guildhall. Upon arrival, he's in front of Mermaid Heel's Guildhall. "Damn it! I never stepped foot at Sabertooth's Guildhall. That means..," Spike now realized his mistake a few days ago. "Oh crap, I teleported Sting elsewhere by accident." 

It's now 5:30 in the morning. Spike sees Kagura coming to Mermaid Heel's guildhall. Kagura gets excited and walks up to Spike. 

"Morning, Spike. What a nice surprise," Kagura hugs Spike. 

"Morning, Kagura," Spike smiles a bit. "Say, do you know where the Sabertooth Guildhall is at?" 

"Yes, I do. Why are you heading to the Sabertooth Guildhall?" 

"I'm recruiting. I'm on my way to Equestria to stop Midnight Sparkle's reign before it begins. I've been having nightmares ever since Erza and I sent her back to Equestria. I believe my nightmares are the warnings if I ignore it much longer." 

"I'm coming with you. There's nothing you can say to change my mind." 

"Very well, Sis. I'm glad now that you're coming." 

Kagura smiles. "Let's go." 

Kagura takes Spike to the Sabertooth Guildhall. The walk took three hours long, but it was a good three hours. Spike explains to Kagura his nightmares and the enemies he saw within. Kagura wants to protect her brother more than ever. Spike and Kagura arrive at the Sabertooth Guildhall. They enter and see every Sabertooth member having fun and talking to each other. 

"Hey, look! Fairy Dragon has arrived in Sabertooth!" A random member of Sabertooth announces. It catches the attention of Master Sting. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Sting looks a bit frustrated at Spike. 

"Sorry that I teleported you to who knows where. I forgot that I didn't step foot into your guildhall until today." 

Sting sighs. "Apologies accepted. Also, you teleported me to the Magic Library. Thanks to you, I learned something else about Holy Magic. So, thanks." 

"What brings you here, Fairy Dragon?" Rogue approaches Spike and Kagura. 

Spike shoots a flare marking on the floor of the guildhall. Sting and Rogue now know that Spike can teleport here at any time. 

"I require your help with something crucial, Sting and Rogue," Spike said. 

"What is it?" Sting and Rogue ask. 

"Hello, Spike," Minerva walks up to him. "Something troubling you?" 

"Yes," Spike nods. 

"Spike is recruiting to stop a threat from coming back to Earth Land," Kagura says. 

"Wait, you don't mean that demon girl, do you?" Minerva sees Spike nodding. "Holy crap. It's that dire." 

"Wait, are you talking about Midnight Sparkle?" Sting asks Minerva. 

"Yes," Minerva nods. "I worked and fought her. Her power is on another level."  

"We're in; You can explain to us the details on the way." 

"Not without us," Rufus and Orga step up. 

"We're going with you guys," Orga said. 

"I'm coming as well," Yukino said. "I've heard the stories Minerva spoke and want to help."  

"Everyone else, while we're away, start training and don't stop until we come back." 

"Thank you. There is one more pitstop before we get going. I'm going to teleport you guys to the campsite. After my pitstop, I'll be there."  

"Sure thing," Sting said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Kagura, Sting, Rogue, Rufus, Minerva, Yukino, Orga, Lector, and Frosch to the campsite at the East Forest. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the Lamia Scale Guildhall. He's outside of the guildhall and enters. 

"Fairy Dragon, welcome to Lamia Scale," Ooba Babasaama greets him. 

"Thanks," Spike replies. 

"Fairy Dragon," Jura walks by him. "Want to settle the score?" Jura hopes that is the case. 

"Hey, Spike!" Sherria approaches him. "What are you doing here?" 

"It's obvious he's here for work, Sherria," Lyon walks up to Spike. "Isn't that right?" 

"Uh uh," Spike shakes his head. "I'm in need of your services." 

"What's up?" Jura is intrigued to know what Spike desires. 

"You remember that girl I unleashed Fairy Law when I was Fairy Demon Dragon?" 

"Yes, I remember that day. She's the one that tortured and enslaved you before coming to Earth Land," Jura said. 

"Wait, is she coming back?" Sherria asks. 

"Turns out, Twilight stood behind while Discord and the others went back to Equestria. Twilight allied herself with Tartaros and became Midnight Sparkle. Now, she's in Equestria, building up a guild and an army to come back to Earth Land and wipe everyone out." 

"That's horrible!" Sherria imagines what kind of force Midnight Sparkle possesses. 

"Midnight Sparkle uses Demon Curses. Also, I've seen the horrors from my dreams. At first, I thought there were nightmares. It turns out they are warnings of the possible future if I continue to ignore them." 

"You plan on going back to Equestria to finish the job?" Jura asks. 

"Yes," Spike nods. 

"I'm going," Sherria said. "I know Wendy is going." 

"I'm coming," Lyon said. 

"You can count me in, Fairy Dragon," Jura said. 

"Best of luck to you three. If you fail or die, I'll spin you!" 

"Don't worry about it, you old hag," Lyon said. 

"Let's get going," Sherria said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Sherria, Jura, Lyon, and himself to the campsite at the East Forest. Upon arrival, Elfman, Lisanna, Mirajane, Juvia, and Gray show up after receiving a call from Erza. 

"Spike, we're coming with you to Equestria. Erza told us about the nightmares through Warren's telepathic cards," Gray said. He's shirtless. 

"That's right. You stood with us with our battles, so it's only right to join your battle," Juvia said with determination. She, like the others, refuses to allow Spike to go alone into the war that awaits.

"We're manly and we don't back away from any enemy!" 

"You saved my butt from Spike Knightwalker. Now, it's time I save yours from Midnight Sparkle," Lisanna said. 

"I'll turn into Satan Soul and install fear on that wretched demon that won't leave you alone, Spike," Mirajane said. 

"Thank you," Spike flies to get everyone's attention. "Before we go, there are some things I need to address. One, Equestrian magic is far different than Earth Land magic. We could be the same going, or stronger, or weaker. Two, I highly doubt your physical appearance will alter but, there may be a possibility when going to Equestria. Three, I don't know where in Equestria the card will take us to but, don't worry. I know my way around throughout the lands. Four, timing in Equestria could be very different for Earth Land. I could be wrong. However, it's a possibility. If you want to back out, now's the time." 

"We're not backing out, Spike! Each of us is here to support you all the way! Midnight Sparkle will rue the day she messed with our comrade!" Erza proclaims. 

"We're not letting this demon harm our comrade. We'll gladly bring the fight to Midnight Sparkle," Lyon speaks on behalf of Lamia Scale. 

"I'm not losing another brother to a demon. I refuse to let that happen!" Kagura is eager to protect Spike. 

"Sabertooth got your back. We're with you, Fairy Dragon," Sting said. 

"From battling the dragons. To the coalition journey. To the war against Tartaros and now going against Midnight Sparkle. You have our support, Spike," Rogue said. 

"For Fairy Rage! He saved us from drowning on that coalition journey!" Sherria remembers the ambush from the Seven Deadly Sins. 

"Time to settle the score, Fairy Dragon. I'm tired of delaying her defeat!" Gajeel shouts. 

"I'm all fired up now!" Flames engulf Natsu's body.   

"Here we go," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the magic card. He breathes on the magic card to activate the portal. The portal is a sparkling green vortex.  

Erza draws her sword. "Let's goooooooo!" She charges into the vortex. 

"Yeeaaaaaaa!" Everyone shouts their warcry and charges into the vortex. 

"Midnight Sparkle! Here we come!" Spike's body ignites in Sparkling Green Aura. "We're ending this battle before it begins." 

All of Spike's friends are mentally preparing themselves for the biggest battle during the travel.
> Demon Tail's Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 10:30 at night. Midnight Sparkle is leading her legion with Lord Tirek. 

"There's a train that comes to Ponyville around this hour. Our legion will embark on this train heading to the Crystal Empire."

"I'm on my way there," King Sombra commands his legion to follow him. He goes into his shadows, and they do the same. 

"They won't see us coming from the skies," Cozy said. She's flying in the skies while Storm King rides on her back. Using his staff to generate storm clouds so thick, it won't reveal the entire legions flying in the sky.  

Lord Tirek and Midnight Sparkle see the train arriving in Ponyville. Not many ponies leave and get onboard the train. They wait a few moments for the train to leave the station. 

After a few moments, the train departs. Midnight flies beside the train and uses magic to stop the train. The Conductor comes out to investigate, only to have his strength absorbed by Lord Tirek. He gains more power in the process. Lord Tirek enters the train, and many ponies onboard scream in horror. Lord Tirek devours their strength and magic, rendering them weak. Lord Tirek tosses the ponies off, allowing the legion to enter the train. 

"Not much we can fit into it," Lord Tirek sees each train car filled with a hundred soldiers. 

"The train is the first wave. King Sombra is bringing the majority of our army to the Crystal Empire," Midnight Sparkle replies. Her hands glow pink, enabling the train to move. 

At the Crystal Empire. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are with Princess Luna and Chrysalis, discussing battle formations with the changelings, yaks, griffons, and dragons. Thorax, Pharynx, Gilda, Prince Rutherford, and Ember are also in the room. They received word from Discord about the possible invasion and have decided to end the war before it begins. 

"All areas in place. The Changelings will provide backup magic power from the rear end. We will also provide backup magic power with the Storm Nation's Air Force," Thorax said. 

"Thanks to Applejack's family, they brought in the Buffalos. We'll have them on the front lines with the Yaks and Crystal Guards. I'll be in the front line as well," Pharynx said. "With the Storm guy, I doubt he can handle the strongest creatures in close-quarter combat."  

"The Griffons will be armed with spears and swords. We'll be in the center. We need to break off and combat if they come from a different angle," Gilda explains. "We have Archery Griffons guarding the Crystal Heart with the two clones standing by."

"The Dragons are the second air assault and will be positioned at the rear of the battle lines. We will separate and try to weaken any foe that comes near. Hopefully, the Crystal Ponies unification can trigger the Crystal Heart into thwarting Midnight and her allies away from the Crystal Empire," Ember said. 

"Don't you think this may be overkill?" A Crystal Guard asks Princess Cadance. 

"No," Princess Cadance shakes her head. 

"Midnight Sparkle is highly intelligent. She may have a small army for all we know. The army can be based on crooks that want to get even with some creatures. It could be the Diamond Dogs, creatures of the badlands; Any creature that hates a nation within the Bar of Alliance. Better in numbers to end a war before it begins, soldier," Shining Armor replies. 

"Very well, Shining Armor. Should we be in formation now?" The Crystal Guard asks. 

"That won't be-" Princess Luna cuts Princess Cadance's speech. 

"Yes." 

Every creature in the room turns to Princess Luna. 

"Why is that, Princess Luna?" Prince Rutherford asks. "War normally starts at daybreak." 

"In history, many wars do start during the day. However, we need to think as Midnight Sparkle would. In her mind, most creatures will be asleep, and it'll be the perfect setting to launch an attack." 

"That maniacal genius," Thorax said in shock. 

"Alright, that's good enough for me. Prepare the armies," Shining Armor commands. 

"Yes, Sir!" The Crystal Guard leaves. 

"I'll prepare the front lines. Every creature else, get in position!" Shining Armor leaves. 

"Yes, Sir!" Every creature says. They leave to inform their groups about preparing for a nightly battle. 

Two hours later, Midnight Sparke stops the train with her magic. 

"This'll do. Lord Tirek, assemble the army." 

"Yes, Midnight," Lord Tirek turns to the legion. "Soldiers, rise and follow your commanders." 

The Techno-Magic-Soldiers rises and leaves the train. They follow Lord Tirek and Midnight Sparkle up the hill. The Crystal Empire is miles away from their position; however, the streets are filled with various creatures.

"It appears they were prepared for us," Lord Tirek sees many creatures in battle formations. 

"Well, they made their demise much simpler. We can wipe them out quicker. I'm sure they're in for a rude surprise," Midnight Sparkle sneers as thick clouds hover the horizon. 

"Alright, Wonderbolts!" Spitfire is outside with her platoon. "Out there is our ultimate enemy, and we will not be shaken! We will fight and aid our comrades in the sky!" 

Rainbow Dash has her Wonderbolts uniform on and her goggles. She will use her Sonic Rainboom to bring down Midnight Sparkle. 

Applejack is with Big Mac, Braeburn, and the Buffalo Tribe on the front line. She has her lasso and is ready to bring down her former friend. 

Shining Armor is on the front line with the Crystal Guards and Yaks. He's standing next to Applejack. 

Pinkie Pie is with the Archery Griffons with her party cannon. She feels she must guard the Crystal Heart. 

Princess Luna is with the clones to protect the Crystal Heart. 

Tempest and Grubber are in their warships. They are in the skies within the Crystal Empire. 

Princess Cadance is looking through her telescope to spot Midnight Sparkle's presence. She continues to observe every corner around. 

"First wave, go!" Midnight Sparkle commands. "Storm King, invade on their parade." 

"Yes, Madam," Storm King laughs and uses his storm to bring his swarm to the Crystal Empire. 

The Techno-Magic-Soldiers shout their warcry run down the hill. They draw their swords. 

Princess Cadance hears a faint warcry and turns to the right. She sees an army running down the hill. "Shining! To your right!" 

Every creature turns to see a wave of soldiers running down the hill. They are as tall as Midnight Sparkle and Storm King. There are hundreds of them rushing. 

"Here we go!" Shining Armor uses his magic to levitate his sword. 

"Ground force, huh?" Tempest looks down from her airship. 

"I guess we should drop some bombs on them," Grubber advises. 

Gilda looks up at the skies. "Those clouds look angry." 

"Charge!" Shining Armor commands. Every creature shouts their warcry and runs towards Midnight's army. 

Storm King laughs while flying in the air. "Take out their airships!" The storm clouds fade away, revealing a swarm of soldiers flying in numbers. 

"Crud!" Grubber shouts in fear. 

"Erase of action!" Tempest commands. "Storm Soldiers, fire orbs now!" 

The Airships sway while some Techno-Magic-Soldiers destroy some in the process. Storm Creatures are shooting magic orbs at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Some turn into crystalized statues. Some repel with their magic shield after scanning the magic properties within the orbs.  

Dragons and Griffons separate and attack the Techno-Magic-Soldiers in the air. The Yaks ram some Techno-Magic-Soldiers but, the Techno-Magic-Soldiers start scanning their physique and apply to themselves, pushing the Yaks back. 

King Sombra laughs and rises from the center of the army. The Griffons in the center break away while many Techno-Magic-Soldiers rise from the shadows. 

"I am home," King Sombra laughs and unleashes his black crystals from the ground, thwarting several Crystal Guards and Changelings away. "Attack my army! Leave none of these creatures alive! Only the Crystal Ponies." 

King Sombra's Techno-Magic-Soldiers start attacking the Changelings and Griffons around them. The Griffons uses their sword to combat the Techno-Magic-Soldiers in close quarters while the Changelings morph into bigger animals to combat the Techno-Magic-Soldiers.  

Storm King hops off Cozy Glow lands on Tempest and Grubber's airship. "Traitors! I will have my revenge!" 

"You lied to me about my horn!" Tempest charges after the Storm King. 

Storm King uses his new staff jab Tempest and throws her overboard. Tempest bites the rope of her airship and swings her way back to the Storm King. She strikes him from behind but, Storm King elbows her in the chest. 

"Nice try, puny pony!" 

"Leave her alone!" Grubber grabs a shield and sword and charges after the Storm King. 

"Stubby little termite!" Storm King points his metallic staff at Grubber and shoots lightning at him. Grubber is burnt to a crisp from the shock. 

"Ow," Grubber's shield turns to ash. 

"Golly, look at the carnage already!" Cozy flies and uses her wings to unleash a barrage of powerful winds at the dragons coming close to her. The Dragons are whiplash from the force. Some crash into the ground while some try to recuperate. 

"Lord Tirek, go. Have your fill," Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue. "I'll leave my mark in a few minutes." 

"Excellent," Lord Tirek smirks. He charges into the fray, wanting to absorb magic, strength, and flight from any creature he sees. 

"All Techno-Magic-Soldiers, see the flare and come to this fight!" Midnight Sparkle shoots a flare in the sky, initiating the rest of her army to join the fight.
> Earth Land's Arrival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

While everyone free-falls within the vortex, they hear sounds of war; swords clashing, magic beams shooting, warcries, laughter, and sounds of anguish and despair. They also see different colors swirling as they travel. 

Spike hears familiar voices during the travel. He hears Shining Armor, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, King Sombra, Lord Tirek, and Midnight Sparkle; He hears many voices battling intensely. 

"Guys, that doesn't sound good," Romeo said. He hears the agony of some creatures during the clashing. 

"Midnight and her supposed guild have started a war. Now, we're going to end it!" Erza said with determination. 

"Whoa," Natsu's body, like everyone else's, is glowing. "Hey guys, feel any different?" 

"Stronger," Lucy said. "This is amazing!" 

"I feel like I can take out a whole army!" Gajeel smirks. 

"You may get that wish, Gajeel," Panther Lily said. His body during the travel changes into his battle form. "Huh, it appears I can stay in my battle form as I did in Edolas." 

"Good! We're going need the extra firepower going into this fight!" Gajeel said. 

"Guys! I see a bright light ahead!" Happy shouts. 

"That didn't take long," Lyon thought the travel be longer. 

"Wendy, are you-" Wendy interrupts Sherria's speech. 

"I'm good, Sherria. I want a piece of Midnight for trying to ruin my boyfriend's life again. Also, I want a rematch with her." 

"I'm with you. You and Spike helped me defeat my mother. Now, I'm going to help defeat Spike's adoptive mother."

"Hey, just to let you know, you're not fighting Midnight Sparkle alone," Erza is next to Spike during the travel. 

"I got your back," Kagura said. 

"Thank you," Spike focuses on his anger in hopes of tapping into Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"Rest to sure, Fairy Dragon. Lamia Scale has your back," Jura said. 

"We're going to show how manly we are when we arrive!" Elfman proclaims. 

"We Tigers are going to feast on Midnight's minions!" Sting said. 

"That's right, there's no one stopping us," Rogue said. 

"I think so too," Frosch smiles. 

The light at the end of the portal becomes brighter. Everyone is high in the sky and on a magic platform. Discord's magic ensures that no one falls to their death during all travels.  

"What is this place?" Rufus asks Spike. 

"The Crystal Empire," Spike answers. 

Every wizard of Earth Land looks down and sees a tall castle, and the streets are in a star pattern. Many airships are grounded, while some are in the skies; Dragons, Griffons, and Changelings battle the Techno-Magic-Soldiers in the air. Yaks, Buffalos, Ponies, Unicorns, and Crystal Ponies battle the Techno-Magic-Soldiers on the ground. The Techno-Magic-Soldiers are pushing every creature back. 

Everyone sees four figures creating havoc. Lord Tirek, King Sombra, Cozy Glow, and Storm King. They are fighting and dominating creatures. 

"Let's gooooooooooo!" Natsu shouts. He leaps off the platform. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy follows Natsu. 

Spike takes a deep breath and jumps. Everyone else jumps off the platform and dives down. 

"Shining Armor! There's too many!" A Crystal Guard gets knocked down by a Techno-Magic-Soldier. 

Shining Armor tries his hardest to take down a Techno-Magic-Soldier but, it reads his magic abilities and uses them against him. The Techno-Magic-Soldier punches Shining Armor and throws him aside. 

"Yak hate these things!" A few Yaks try to stomp on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers but, they use their leg power to shove them off. Yaks go flying and crash into several Yaks and Buffalos in the process. 

"Take this!" Rainbow Dash flies fast enough to trigger the Sonic Rainboom. She flies fast, taking out many Techno-Magic-Soldiers in the process until one of them scans her and slices her wing off with its magic sword. "Ooooow!" Rainbow Dash crashes into the ground below. 

"Rainbow!" Applejack gallops towards her fallen friend. Rainbow is slow to get up from the impact. 

"My wing!" Rainbow panics that her left wing is cleaved off. A Techno-Magic-Soldier approaches her. 

"Get away from her, you varmint!" Applejack tries bucking at the Techno-Magic-Soldier. The Techno-Magic-Soldier loses its arm from the impact. It scans Applejack's strength and kicks her into Rainbow Dash. 

"Ooof!" Rainbow and Applejack feel the force of the kick. 

"AJ, are you okay?" Rainbow asks her friend. 

"No," Applejack shakes her head. Techno-Magic-Soldiers come closer to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, getting ready to end their lives. "I believe our final hour has arrived." 

The Techno-Magic-Soldiers raise their magic sword to strike Rainbow Dash and Applejack when-

"Fire Dragon Brillant Flames!" Natsu ignites both his hands in flames, creating a fiery explosion on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. The Techno-Magic-Soldiers explode. 

"Natsu!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash are elated to see him. 

"Fire Dragon Rooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath attack at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers in front, melting them in the process.

Midnight Sparkle sees from afar and becomes agitated. "What?!"

"Ice-Make Lance!" Gray extends his arms forward, shooting long, curved ice lances at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Ice-Make Eagle!" Lyon shoots ice eagles at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers, and they explode on contact. 

"Baryon Formation!" Bickslow's Tikis shoots a magic energy beam at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen shoots a torrent of energy needles at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Dark Écriture Absolute Shadow!" Freed's upper body becomes covered in dark armor with large shoulder pads and a helmet with a menacing appearance; Freed's hair becomes slicked back and protrudes from the opening in the helmet. He uses his swift speed and immense strength to take down many Techno-Magic-Soldiers in the process. 

"Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus generates a ton of electricity and unleashes a large lightning spear at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. They explode on contact. 

"Iron Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath attack on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. They're blown away from the attack and are crippled. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath attack on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. They're blown away from the attack and crash onto the ground hard. They are shattered. 

"Sky God Bellooooooooow!"  Sherria unleashes her divine windy breath at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Have a taste of my rainbow explosion!" Romeo shoots a rainbow flame at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. They explode on contact. 

"Memory-Make! Night of the Shooting Stars!" Rufus unleashes a barrage of energy beams shaped as shooting stars at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. He destroys dozens of them around the Changelings. 

Midnight Sparkle watches every wizard falling from the skies and destroying the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. A new wave arrives. "Take them down!" Midnight Sparkle commands all of her Techno-Magic-Soldiers to attack Earth Land Wizards. 

"Insolent pests," King Sombra rises from the shadows with his black crystal pillar. "I'll make you pay!" King Sombra shoots shadow beams at Sting and Rogue. 

"Together!" Sting and Rogue shout. "Holy Shadow Dragon!" Sting and Rogue combined their Dragon Slayer Magic for a powerful and destructive attack. "Flash Fang!" They release a combined burst of light and shadows at King Sombra. 

"Don't mind if I do," Lord Tirek catches the combined attack with his hands. Then he devours their combined attack, which causes him to increase in size. 

Sting and Rogue land and face the two of them. 

King Sombra laughs. "Your end has come." 

Orga lands in front of Sting and Rogue. "120-Millimeter Black Lightning Cannon!" Orga shoots a wave of black lightning at Lord Tirek.

"Fool, have you not seen what I can do to mag-aaaaaaaaaaaah!" Lord Tirek gets struck by the black lightning. He doesn't understand why it hurts him badly when he caught magic in his hands before. 

"Fool, you're dealing with a Lightning God Slayer," Orga smirks. 

Spike lands in the middle of the battle with Erza and Kagura. The two have their sword drawn. 

"The Brave and Glorious have returned!" A Crystal Soldier cheers, causing every Crystal Pony in conflict to cheer for their champion. 

"So, that's the dragon," Storm King tosses Tempest and Grubber off their airship. 

"We got you!" Lector catches Grubber, and Frosch catches Tempest. 

"Thanks," Grubber looks up and sees Lector. 

"Flying cats, now I've seen everything," Tempest said. 

"Golly, what a turn of events," Cozy Glow swoops down and uses her wings to blow another wave of Dragons and Griffons. 

"Water Slicer!" Juvia creates waves of multiple blades that resemble scythes at Cozy Glow. Cozy Glow flies away from the attack.

Storm King destroys the airship and hops down. He lands next to Wendy, Romeo, and Sherria. "Think you can handle the weather?" Storm King unleashes a gush of hurricane wind power on the trio. 

Sherria and Wendy consume the winds of Storm King's hurricane. This puzzles Storm King a bit. 

Midnight Sparkle sees Spike. Her Spike and smiles. She decides to fly to the battleground. 

"Bring me Midnight!" Spike flaps his wings. Techno-Magic-Soldiers go after him. 

"Beast Soul!" Elfman transforms into his ultimate beast form and tackles the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

Lisanna transforms into her cat form and scratches the Techno-Magic-Soldiers left and right. 

"Get her, Fairy Dragon," Jura powers up. "Rumbling Fuji!" Jura unleashes an extremely damaging strike by an immense release of magic power surging from the ground, wreaking havoc on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers in the surrounding area. 

"Let's go!" Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor and flies with Spike. Kagura runs with Spike and Erza. 

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue and crimson red. "Spike! It's time for you to start anew with me!" 

"Time to end your reign, Midnight!" Spike shouts. Feeling Midnight said something as she flies towards him. 

Behind Midnight Sparkle and in the skies, new waves of Techno-Magic-Soldiers have arrived.
> Good vs Evil: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Open Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy opens Taurus' Gate. 

"Moooooo!" Taurus appears with his ax and swings at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. "Don't you dare hurt Ms.Luucy!" 

"Capricorn!" Lucy opens Capricorn's Gate. 

"How may I help you, Milady?" Capricorn appears. The Techno-Magic-Soldiers scan him and Taurus and have difficulties matching their magic power. 

"Take those soldiers down!" Lucy points at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers approaching. 

"Simple enough," Capricorn punches and kicks each Techno-Magic-Soldier he sees. 

Minerva shoots her Territory Explosions at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers that cornered injured Dragons and Griffons. She runs up to them. "Hey, are you alright?" 

"No," A Griffon responds. "My wings are broken." 

"My arm and leg are dislocated from Cozy Glow's immense winds," The Dragon responds. 

Mirajane swoops down. She's in her Satan Soul mode and checks on Shining Armor. "Hey, are you okay?" 

Shining Armor has bruises and tries to stand. "I'm fine. These soldiers are too strong for us to handle." 

"Let us take care of them. What were your goals before fighting Midnight Sparkle?" 

"To protect the Crystal Heart from Midnight's clutches. If she harnesses or destroys the Crystal Heart, a storm will freeze the Crystal Empire." 

Mirajane sees an upcoming wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers and shoots her dark energy beam at them. The Techno-Magic-Soldiers blows on contact. 

Princess Cadance sees the Earth Land Wizards. "I can't believe they came. In the nick of time too!" 

"It's a sight to behold. These wizards brought the fight and destroyed those soldiers. Spike is here and looks like he'll put Midnight in the grave," Chrysalis said. She's watching the fight from the balcony with Princess Cadance. 

Mirajane turns to Carla. "Carla." 

"Yes," She flies to Mirajane and Shining Armor. 

"Go to the center of the Crystal Castle. Talk to one of the identical clones guarding the Crystal Heart. We need a medical team to remove the injured away from this battle. There's another wave coming."

"On it," Carla flies to the Crystal Castle. 

"Flame Loaded Explosion Flame Blade!" Natsu circularly swipes his arms, creating a powerful and highly destructive torrent of flames at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Whoa!" Rainbow and Applejack see a swarm of Techno-Magic-Soldiers getting incinerated from the blast. 

"Hey, are you two okay?" Happy asks Rainbow and Applejack. 

"My wing is cleaved off," Rainbow flexes it and feels the pain. 

"I'm good," Applejack responds. 

"You should get out of here. Bring the others away from this battle," Natsu punches his palm, igniting his hands in the process. "Things are about to get heated up around here." 

"Point taken," Rainbow said. 

"Let's find some injured and take them away from the front lines," Applejack suggests. 

Rainbow and Applejack gallops at several creatures and help them up. They explain that the wizards will handle the soldiers. 

Carla flies at the Crystal Castle and sees the identical clones guarding the Crystal Heart. She can't help but find the Crystal Heart beautiful. Princess Luna approaches her. 

"How can we help you, Carla?"

"Okay, I don't know what your name is," Carla double-takes from Princess Luna, knowing her name. 

"Princess Luna. All will explain what we know about you later." 

"Right. A white unicorn told me about a medical team to take the injured away from the battlefield." 

Princess Luna understood that the message came from Shining Armor. She turns to the clone of Discord. "Discord, I need a medical team to bring the injured to the Crystal Castle." 

"I'm on it. Take my post," Discord (clone) teleports back home to assemble a medical team. 

Carla takes a look at the Crystal Heart and sees a terrifying turnabout. Within the Crystal Heart, Carla sees Spike's wings torn apart. Also, a small creature gets wounded.

Wendy and Sherria finish consuming Storm King's hurricane and power up. Storm King stands his ground. 

"Take this!" Storm King extends his staff to shoot lightning at Wendy, Sherria, and Romeo. 

"Don't mind if I do!" Laxus punches the lightning being shot from Storm King's staff and absorbs it.

"How is that possible!?" Storm King is getting irate. 

"You're dealing with a Lightning Dragon Slayer," Laxus powers up. "Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen! Take out the soldiers and help any creature that is injured!" 

"Yes, Laxus!" Freed obeys Laxus' command. He, Evergreen, and Bickslow leave Laxus with Wendy, Sherria, and Romeo to combat Storm King. 

"I am Storm King! I rule the weather right now!" Storm King refuses to accept defeat from a Lightning Slayer. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy conjures her breath attack. 

"Sky God!" Sherria conjures her breath attack. 

"Have a taste of my flames! King Dork!" Romeo shoots his Rainbow Flames at Storm King. Storm King uses his staff to repel the rainbow flames away from him. 

"Too weak, stupid child!" Storm King leaps in the air. 

Laxus moves with his lightning and punches Storm King. Storm King uses his staff to absorb Laxus' lightning from the punch. Storm King kicks Laxus, and he crashes onto the ground. 

"He's tough," Laxus gets up. "I give him that." 

"Feel the fury of my storms!" Storm King raises his staff and commands hail to rain on Laxus. Laxus moves with his lightning, dodging the hail. 

"Rooooooooooaar!" Sherria and Wendy combine their breath attack in a unison raid. The divine and dragon winds forge into a tornado to strike the Storm King. 

Storm King shields himself and absorbs the winds from the two into his power. Unfortunately, Sherria's winds hurt him more. Storm King squeals a bit while black divine winds enter his body. 

"Sherria, you can hurt him!" Romeo realizes that being King in Equestria means he's a God. 

"King. King can sometimes translate to Gods," Sherria smirks. "We can beat him!" 

"We got your back, Sherria," Wendy speaks on behalf of Laxus and Romeo. She taps into her Dragon Force. 

"Soldiers!" Storm King commands his Techno-Magic-Soldiers the descends from the skies. "Eradicate the God Slayer!" He points at Sherria. The Techno-Magic-Soldiers flies after Sherria. 

"Leave these punks to me! Lightning Dragon Roooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath attack on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. More are inbound while some get blown up. 

Romeo follows Laxus to attack the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Sherria and Wendy go after the Storm King in the skies. 

The clone returns home while Discord watches the battle with Twilight (Sci-Twi), Fluttershy, and Spike on tv. The clone informs Discord on needing a medical team. Discord claps his paw and claw, alerting the medical clones to assist the injured creatures. The clone leads the medical clones back to the Crystal Empire. Unbeknown to Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, and Fluttershy, Terax sneaks with the medical clones, longing to be with his mother. 

"Lightning God Demolition Fist!" Orga punches Lord Tirek with a surge of his divine lightning. Lord Tirek shoots a massive energy beam at the divine lightning. The blasts of the two are at a standstill. 

"Woosh!" Cozy Glow flies and uses her wings to blow Orga away. 

"Thanks, brat," Lord Tirek uses his magic to levitate Orga and throw him away. 

"Gotcha!" Ember grabs Orga. "Gosh, you're heavy." Ember didn't anticipate Orga to be heavy. 

"Sorry, I had a big breakfast before coming here," Orga responds. 

"No fair!" Cozy flies after Ember. 

"Water Nebula!" Juvia creates two columns of water, which circulate each other and form a helix that pushes with force, causing massive damage on Cozy Glow from behind. 

"No fair!" Cozy is getting angry after getting wet. Her wings ignite into dark red flames. 

Ember flies towards Lord Tirek. 

"Drop me," Orga advises Ember. 

"You got it," Ember lets go of Orga. 

"Lightning God Destruction Blitz!" Orga shoots divine lightning spears at Lord Tirek. 

Lord Tirek creates a barrier using the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Unfortunately, some divine lightning spears pierce the shield. Lord Tirek stumbles back. 

"I can't defeat a God Slayer! It's humiliating!"

"Lord Tirek, say hello to oblivion!" Orga charges his divine lightning for a final blow. 

"I have to go full demon to destroy this God Slayer!" Lord Tirek slams his fist onto the ground and stands. His body alters. Lord Tirek increases in size, growing more muscle mass, his colors are absolute black, and his eyes are red. His horns extend and become spikier than before. "I am Demonlord Tirek!" 

"Demon, huh?" Gray steps into the fray after icing many Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Gray, my love!" Juvia is happy to see him. 

"Juvia, Orga. We're going to defeat Tirek."

"Oh, do tell," Demonlord Tirek is relishing his newfound demonic power. 

Gray's right half body turns pitch black and leaving scarring on his right eye. "Ice Demon Slaying Magic." 

"WHAT!?" Demonlord Tirek can't believe Gray is a Demon Slayer. When he has an advantage, someone has an answer. In a fit of rage, Demonlord Tirek screams. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Demonlord Tirek shoots black magic beams at Orga, Gray, and Juvia, fearing he lost the battle before it began. 

Orga, Juvia, and Gray dodge the adrenaline attack. They see that Tirek is in disarray. Using his anger as an advantage, the trio attack Demonlord Tirek. 

The medical clones arrive and fly around the battlefield. Techno-Magic-Soldiers go after the medical clones when Minerva shoots her Territory Explosions at them. Lyon and Jura take down the Techno-Magic-Soldiers that are flying. Terax flies around looking for his mother throughout the carnage. 

"Geez, how did that Midnight girl produce so much?" Lyon questions Midnight's ability. 

"I don't know. Keep fighting!" Jura launches iron rock bricks to destroy the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

Spike, Erza, and Kagura get ready to take on Midnight Sparkle and her Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Midnight flies closer, and her horn glows white, teleporting Spike and her to another location. 

"Spike!" Erza and Kagura see the two teleported away. They start slashing at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers.
> Spike vs Midnight: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Midnight Sparkle appear next to the Spike statue. They're alone while everyone else is fighting. 

"Spike, you can end this silly nonsense and come back to me. I'll start anew where everyone lives, and I'll be the mother you always deserved. Not the one that abandons and treats you horridly." 

"You're a crazy bitch, Midnight! You're blind, crazy, deluded, and more importantly, dead to me!" Spike powers up. 

"Dead to you?" Midnight Sparkle powers up. "Fine, I'll kill Spike the Fairy and bring the Spike I remembered!" 

"Witness the power of Spike the Energy Maker Dragon!"  Spike increases his size to the size of Laxus; the spikes on his body become sharper. He's ripped and brolic. Spike roars and flies after Midnight. 

Midnight flies at Spike. The two collide on impact while several crystal buildings get shattered; Spike and Midnight fight hand-to-claw in close-quarter combat. Midnight punches Spike with her crimson-red hand. Spike converts the power from Midnight and punches her in the gut, redirecting the energy right back at her. 

Midnight hurls a little but grabs on the ground from going farther away. "You dare attack the one that brought you into this world?" 

"You hatched me but didn't conceive me. You're not my mother. I know who my mother is. Amy the Amethyst Dragon!" 

"I'll make you remember who your mother truly is!" Midnight goes after Spike. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike's claws ignite in Sparkling Green Lightning Flames. "Demolition Blast!" Spike presses his claws forward, shooting lightning flames energy blast at Midnight. 

Midnight's hands glow green and absorb the attack. She punches Spike, redirecting his attack tenfold. Spike crashes into the Crystal Castle's main floors. He gets up and tries to come up with a different attack pattern. Midnight Sparkle flies into the main floors and sees several Crystal Guards charging at her. Her hands are still glowing green and absorb their strength into hers. 

"So, that's what it is," Spike sees that Midnight's Demon Curses are to mimic his Energy Maker Magic.

"You figured me out yet?" Midnight predicts that Spike figured out what her curses do. "Spike, please. Come back to me, and I'll stop this," Midnight hopes he'll listen to reason. 

"Why should I believe you? You can't honor your word. You're supposed to let me stay in Earth Land, and yet, you succumb to your selfishness. Like the demon you are, you lie."

"You don't understand because you are a baby dragon. You don't know what is best for us, for Equestria!" Midnight still believes in her righteousness. 

"Seems to me they're doing fine! I see those creatures united as one to stop you from your relentless pursuit to get to me! All of this, what you're doing, is for you! You don't give a shit about anything else as long as you have it your way! Your friends, your family, what would they think about you right now?!" 

"They'll understand that I'm in the right. Don't you understand? All of this is Discord's chaos! Discord's doing! From the moment he sent you away, he threw Equestria to the near brink of destruction and war. He opened his big mouth to every creature and had them disband Equestria's friendship! Do you know how hard is it to regain it?!" 

"Excuses Midnight! What about the trauma and abandonment I suffered when Discord was still in stone! Where do you take accountability?!" 

"You should have spoken up when you had the chance," Midnight's hands glow crimson red. 

"I told myself that I wasn't going to kill you. Now, I'm making an exemption. I swear, I won't become anything like Spike Knightwalker!" Spike shoots flaming arrows from his claw. His claw is in a C formation. 

Midnight shoots crimson-red fireballs at the flaming arrows. The flaming arrows and crimson-red fireballs generate a blast radius. Midnight and Spike charge at each other. Spike and Midnight barrel roll fly while punching each other in the face. They wind up flying upward and crash into Princess Cadance's throne room. Princess Cadance and Chrysalis hear the commotion and fly away to see Spike and Midnight battling intensely. They turn to see Techno-Magic-Soldiers coming their way. The two scatter while being chased by the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Archery Griffons and Pinkie leave the castle after hearing Spike and Midnight clashing. 

"Fairy Dragon Rooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green Flames at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Demon Wraaaaaaaaaaaath!" Midnight mimics Spike's roar attack with her own. Aqua Blue Flames come out of her mouth to intercede Spike's Sparkling Green Flames. 

"Ice Spike!" Spike conjures an ice spike underneath Midnight Sparkle. It rises, but Midnight uses it to elevate her jump. 

"Demon Spiral Death!" Midnight Sparkle's hands are aqua blue and crimson red. She combined the two to create a spiral flare with immense force and destructive power at Spike. 

Spike gets hit, which makes Midnight sneer. Then, she hears the sounds of consumption. Spike devours Midnight's attack. 

"Let me show you what a true demon is capable of!" Spike roars, and it sounds demonic. His eyes turn pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. His claws and his teeth are sharper. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns blood red.

Midnight Sparkle's eyes widen in horror. She remembers the behemoth that obliterated her. 

"I am Fairy DEMON Dragon!" Spike's claws glow Sparkling Black. "Dark Energy Blast!" Spike unleashes a Sparkling Black Energy Blast at Midnight.

Midnight Sparkle feels the full effect of the blast and gets hurled away from Crystal Castle's presence. Spike flies at immense speeds. Techno-Magic-Soldiers gets obliterated by Spike's flight speed. 

Demonlord Tirek and King Sombra see Fairy Demon Dragon and smirk. King Sombra conjures a thick shadow cloud in front of Sting and Rogue. King Sombra uses his shadows to move and drags Demonlord Tirek into his shadow. 

"What the?" Gray notices the shadow's sense of direction and looks up. It's heading for Spike. "Oh no!" 

"He's not getting away from me!" Rogue goes into his shadow and follows King Sombra's shadow. 

Fairy Demon Dragon catches up with Midnight and notices her smirking. 

"NOW!" Midnight Sparkle shouts. 

King Sombra releases Demonlord Tirek out of his shadow. Demonlord Tirek lunges at Fairy Demon Dragon and opens his mouth. He grabs Fairy Demon Dragon and consumes Fairy Demon Dragon's energy away, causing Spike to revert to normal. 

Midnight Sparkle's hand glows crimson red and aqua blue again. "Demon Spiral Death!" Midnight Sparkle uses the attack again, and Spike takes the full effect of the attack. 

Demonlord Tirek catches Spike with his magic and throws him hard at King Sombra. King Sombra rises from the shadows and raises two Techno-Magic-Soldiers. The two Techno-Magic-Soldiers use their magic swords to cleave Spike's wings, removing his flight. Spike wails in agony.

"NO!" Rogue comes out of his shadows and catches Spike. They crash and land hard on the ground. Sting, Orga, Gray, and Juvia come near the two. 

Juvia gasps in horror. "Oh my, God!"

Spike pants heavily while feeling the pain of his cleaved wings. Midnight Sparkle smiles devilishly. Her plan of taking out Spike's attributes came to fruition, removing Fairy Demon Dragon and Spike's ability to fly. 

"You bastaaaaaard!" Gray shouts, which catches the attention of every creature and every wizard while fighting their battle. 

Midnight Sparkle, King Sombra, and Demonlord Tirek land near them. "Now, I'm ready to play."
> Good vs Evil: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue. "Time to die, Fairy Dragon. The old you awaits." 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu comes into the fray and punches Midnight Sparkle from behind. Midnight Sparkle holds her ground. "You're going to regret that!" 

"Is that so?" Midnight turns to Natsu. 

"Golly, this is more fun than I thought!" Cozy Glow swoops and uses her wings to blow Rogue and Sting away. 

"Time to finish where I left off," King Sombra goes after the two. 

"I'm going to enjoy slaying Demonlord Tirek!" Orga powers up. 

"I'm with you all the way!" Gray powers up as well. 

"I absorbed Fairy Demon Dragon's magic power. His energy flows through my veins," Demonlord Tirek conjures a demonic fireball. It's black and red. "You slayers are dead-meat!" Demonlord Tirek unleashes the deadly fireball at the two. Orga and Gray jump out of the way. 

Juvia runs while carrying Spike. Midnight notices and commands her Techno-Magic-Soldiers to chase and kill Juvia. 

"You're fighting me, bitch!" Flames engulf Natsu's body. "Do you hear me!" Natsu rushes Midnight Sparkle. 

"What chances you have in defeating me?" Midnight Sparkle smirks. "I can drain your magic and kill you," Midnight's hands glow green. 

Erza roars and cleaves Midnight's horn off. Erza is in her Black Wing Armor, and she's pissed off. Midnight Sparkle falls to her knee after her horn sliced off. 

"I'll kill you for bringing harm to my brother!" Erza points her sword at Midnight. 

"You'll regret that!" Midnight stands up. Despite her horn cleaved off, Midnight's hands glow orange. She picks up her horn and reattaches to her head. "Besides, I want a rematch for what you did to-aaaaaaaaah!" 

Kagura uses her Archenemy sword to slice Midnight's reattached horn. She steps on the horn, shattering it beyond repair. Kagura, like Erza, is pissed off that a demon has brought harm to her family. 

"Prepare to die," Kagura irately exclaims. 

Midnight's hands glow black, and she regenerates a new horn. This horn is now immune to being cleaved off by swords. Her hands now glow crimson red. 

"Let's bring her down!" Natsu, Erza, and Kagura go after Midnight Sparkle. 

"Ice-Make Snow Dragon!" Lyon creates an ice dragon to take out the Techno-Magic-Soldiers that chased Juvia. 

"Thanks, Lyon," Juvia didn't notice how many were chasing her. 

"Geez," Lyon sees Spike no longer have wings. 

The medical team arrives. Clones of Discord sees the fate of Spike the Fairy. 

"We got him," The clone tries to use his magic to spawn a new pair of wings for Spike but winds up getting stabbed by a Techno-Magic-Soldier. 

"What the-" Another Techno-Magic-Soldier stabs a clone in the chest with its magic sword.

Due to the magic swords' ability, it can nullify any creature that possesses magic power. The clones of the medical team try to use their magic, and it fails on them; a swarm of Techno-Magic-Soldiers advance. 

"Open Gate of the Archer! Sagittarius!" Lucy opens Sagittarius' gate. 

"Howdy-do! Got you in my sights!" Sagittarius shoots many arrows at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers near the two medical clones, Juvia, Lyon, and Spike. 

"This sucks..," Spike tries concentrating on his magic energy, but due to his wings being cleaved off, he's finding it difficult. 

Lucy comes up to them. "Spike..," Lucy becomes worried. 

"I'm fine. I can't use magic and fly at the moment." 

"Go to the Crystal Castle," The medical clone points at the castle. "There'll be more clones to tend to Spike and have him get back into this fight." 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Lucy, Juvia, Lyon, and himself to the center of the Crystal Castle. Medical clones tend to Spike right away. 

"Whoa, do you guys feel that immense magic power?" Lucy feels a powerful presence being at the center of the Crystal Castle. 

"Yea, what is it?" Lyon can sense it too. 

"It's the Crystal Heart," Carla flies up to them. "I saw a horrid image by looking at it. I saw Spike's wings cut off." 

"This demonic curse is a whole other league. It may take a while for our chaos magic to uplift the curse," The medical clone said. 

"In the meantime, get back into the fight. Don't allow anyone of Midnight's forces to come to grab the Crystal Heart. We must protect it no matter the cost!" Another medical clone said. 

Juvia, Lyon, and Lucy leave and go back into the battlefield. Erza, Kagura, and Natsu try their best to land a hit on Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle flies and shoots exploding fireballs at the trio. Natsu consumes some and ignites his feet as boosters to fly after Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle hands glow aqua blue and crimson red. She claps and creates purplish energy-matter. "Shooting Star Press!" She presses her hands forward at Natsu, creating a devasting energy ball shaped like a shooting star. 

Natsu tries using his Fire Dragon Iron Fist to shatter the attack, but it explodes on contact. Natsu falls to the ground hard. 

Kagura uses her gravity magic to bring Midnight Sparkle to the ground. Midnight Sparkle's horn glows silver, repelling Kagura's gravity magic and using it against her. Kagura feels the full force of her gravity magic and can't control it. 

Erza flies at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle uses another Shooting Star Press spell on Erza. Erza dodges it and sees that the mass is heading towards the Crystal Castle. Erza departs and flies ahead and quickly requips into her Adamantium Armor suit to defend the castle. It explodes, and so does her Adamantium Armor. 

"Oh, so close," Midnight Sparkle was aiming to destroy the Crystal Heart. She's glad that Erza took the hit. 

Erza requips into her flight armor and goes after Midnight Sparkle. She refuses to allow Midnight Sparkle to win this war. Natsu gets up and calls for Happy. Happy swoops down and picks Natsu up. 

Chrysalis and Princess Cadance fly and use their magic to shoot down the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. They are helping many medical clones take and bring the wounded back to the center of the Crystal Castle. Chrysalis sees Midnight Sparkle, and Midnight sees Chrysalis. 

"Join me, Chrysalis! Have your Changeling Hive to rule once more!" Midnight Sparkle entices the offer. 

"Never!" Chrysalis refuses to allow her vile self to return. However, she wants a piece of Midnight Sparkle. She flies straight at her. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Chrysalis' throat. "I said," Midnight's horn glows green. "Join me, or else I kill your son!" 

"My son isn't here," Chrysalis shoots a magic blast at Midnight. It stuns Midnight a bit. 

"He will be in my clutches soon enough!" Midnight Sparkle sees Natsu and throws Chrysalis at him. Chrysalis crashes into Natsu and, the two land on top of a rooftop and on Happy. 

"OW!" Natsu and Chrysalis said in pain. 

"You're killing me..," Happy is crushed by their weight. 

Natsu and Chrysalis gets up. "What are you?" Natsu asks. 

"A Changeling," Chrysalis looks up to see Midnight Sparkle dodging Erza's fast movements in the skies. Erza's Flight Armor is proving to be futile for Midnight Sparkle. 

"It appears you no longer have Rage to defeat me," Midnight mocks Erza. Erza roars and knee strikes Midnight Sparkle. She catches it. "That's how you defeated me. Fairy Rage Armor in which I know you no longer possess." 

Erza strikes Midnight's side with her sword. Midnight tries not to acknowledge the pain and punches Erza. Erza lands on a rooftop after feeling the full effect of Midnight's punch. 

"She's grown stronger since the last encounter." Erza requips into her Fairy Armor. One of the strongest armors she has in her arsenal. 

Chrysalis lets Natsu ride on her back and takes off. Natsu taps into his Lightning Flame Dragon mode and hops off her back once she flies close enough. 

"Lightning Flame Dragon!" Natsu engulfs his fist and forearm in fire and lightning. "Firing Hammer!" He would have hit Midnight Sparkle but, Cozy Glow intervenes and uses her wings to blow Natsu away. Her winds cause Natsu to crash into a building not far. 

Techno-Magic-Soldiers are near Natsu and go after him. Natsu stands up and unleashes a surge of his Lightning Flame roar attack on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. He also incinerates Techno-Magic-Soldiers that are flying in the skies in the process. 

Kagura shuts her gravity magic and stands up. A wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers comes at her, leaving no room for her to counter when Jura steps in and calls for his Iron Rock Walls to protect Kagura. The Iron Rock Walls not only stop the Techno-Magic-Soldiers from coming near, but Jura also controls the Iron Rock Wall Bricks to attack the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Thanks, Jura." 

"Anytime, Kagura. These soldiers are relentless, which beg to differ. Where are they coming from?" 

"I have no clue. We must continue the fight until the answer comes to us," Kagura attacks another swarm of Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

Pinkie Pie is shooting the Techno-Magic-Soldiers down with her party cannon. Archery Griffons shoot many Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Pinkie starts pondering how the soldiers keep coming when it hits her. 

"I know where they are coming from!" Pinkie rides her party cannon down to inform Princess Luna, knowing she's close to the Crystal Heart. 

Princess Luna stands guard and has taken down several Techno-Magic-Soldiers that tried to take the Crystal Heart. Two clones of Discord are in front and back of the Crystal Heart. 

"Princess Luna!" Pinkie approaches her. 

"What is it, Pinkie?" Princess Luna looks around her to ensure no Techno-Magic-Soldier is advancing. 

"I know where the soldiers are coming from!" 

"Where?" Princess Luna is eager to know the whereabouts of the soldiers that Midnight Sparkle is producing. 

"The mirror pool! I've been there myself and created many clones of myself. That's how Midnight Sparkle is producing these soldiers left and right. She's cloning them!" 

"Pinkie, write a letter to my sister, and I'll send it to her. She'll go to the location of the mirror pool and put an end to Midnight's army." 

Pinkie hurries to find a pen and paper to write. Princess Luna sees another wave inbounding and attacks them. 

Due to Wendy's immense speed in her Dragon Force, Storm King is unable to counterattack. Sherria is powering her God Slayer Secret Art to finish the Storm King. 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy expels a whirlwind of air from her arms to attack Storm King. Storm King gets dizzy from the circulating winds of Wendy's attack. 

"Curses!" Storm King loses grasp of his staff. 

"God Slayer Secret Art!" Sherria leaps and shouts, which terrorizes Storm King. 

"Uh oh," Without his staff, Storm King has no means of defending himself. Throughout the fight, it's been one-sided by the Sky Sisters. 

"Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!" Sherria extends her arms outwards with her palms open. Stylized black air spiral feathers that grow larger and larger flows like a serpent at high-speed hits and neutralize Storm King on impact. 

Storm King wails at the immense pain from Sherria's attack. He falls, and Storm King inadvertently lands and gets impaled by his staff on the ground through the chest. 

Sherria and Wendy see Storm King reverts to his crystal state while a flow of power returns to Midnight Sparkle during her fight with Erza. 

"What's this?" Erza questions Midnight's sudden power boost. 

"Storm King is defeated, and the power I bestowed on him has returned to me. Now, I obtain his power of weather into my arsenal!" Midnight Sparkle does a palm strike to show her powerful wind gush. Erza gets blown away a bit from the impact. 

"You saw that?" Sherria asks Wendy. 

"Yea," Wendy sees that any allies of Midnight Sparkle, their magic energy returns to her. "She can become stronger when we defeat her allies." 

"Lightning Dragon Raging Bolt!" Laxus descends a large bolt of lightning on Techno-Magic Soldiers behind Sherria and Wendy. 

"You need to watch out. These soldiers are relentless," Laxus said. 

"We need to get to Spike and heal him," Sherria said. 

Wendy has already taken off and using her sense of smell to locate Spike. 

"Follow, Wendy. Romeo, the Thunder Legion, and I will continue to battle these soldiers," Laxus sees another wave coming. "Lightning Dragon Iron Hammer!" Laxus gathers a large quantity of lightning in his fist and then punches the ground, engulfing the Techno-Magic- Soldiers in a torrent of lightning and destroying many of them in the process. 

Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor and takes off at Midnight. She summons many swords. "Go! Scatter Petal!" Erza launches many swords at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle conjures a hurricane to redirect her swords elsewhere. Erza gets close and slashes Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle catches her sword and knee strike Erza in the gut. 

"I look forward to killing you again," Midnight Sparkle takes Erza's sword. 

Chrysalis flies at Midnight Sparkle and tackles her from behind. Erza moves out of the way and sees the two crash on the ground. 

"Pathetic," Midnight uses shoots a power beam from her horn at Chrysalis. Chrysalis gets hit hard and falls to the ground. Midnight Sparkle stands up. "No matter what you do, history will repeat. I will defeat you, Chrysalis, since you refused to join my guild." 

"I will never betray my friends and family to join your demented cause!" Chrysalis shoots a magic beam at Midnight. It doesn't hurt her. 

Midnight Sparkle's hand glows crimson red. She's conjuring an exploding fireball. "Prepare to die." 

"Noooooo!" Erza flies at Midnight Sparkle when Techno-Magic-Soldiers intervene. Erza slashes her way through. 

"Leave my mommy alone!" Terax flies and hits Midnight Sparkle's face with an uppercut. He hits Midnight left and right. To Midnight Sparkle, it barely tickles her. 

"Terax!" Chrysalis is extremely worried about her son. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs him. "Such an annoying pest." 

"Leave my son alone!" Chrysalis gets up. 

"Join my guild. Join Demon Tail," Midnight demands. 

"Just let my son go," Chrysalis pleas. 

Midnight Sparkle smiles. "As you wish," Midnight Sparkle lets go of Terax and shoots an exploding fireball at Terax. 

"NOOOOOOO!" Chrysalis tries using her magic to create a shield to protect her son. The exploding fireball explodes on contact. "Terax!" Chrysalis tears up and holds her son close. 

Terax pants heavily from the impact. His wings turn to ash while he has a gruesome scar on his left eye. He cries from the agonizing pain. 

"Terax..," Chrysalis pants in sadness. 

"There. I let Terax go to Heaven," Midnight Sparkle smiles. 

"Terax!" Chrysalis is on the verge of tears. 

"Mommy..," Terax coughs. "I'm sorry... I missed you and.., I.., I.., I love you..." 

"I love you too! Please.., stay with me!" Chrysalis holds her son dearly. Terax closes his eyes and passes out due to the extreme pain. 

"Don't worry. You'll see your son again real soon," Midnight Sparkle conjures another exploding fireball. 

Magic power from the Crystal Heart is generating. Chrysalis' love for Terax and her anger for Midnight Sparkle is growing. Chrysalis wants to end Midnight Sparkle for the terror she created and the harm she'd unleashed. Chrysalis roars as the Crystal Heart shoots magic energy streams directly at Chrysalis. Midnight's eyes widen and turn to where the Crystal Heart is. 

"What's happening?!" Midnight tries touching the magic power, which causes her to burn her hand. 

Chrysalis roars louder while the magic energy from the Crystal Heart is transforming Chrysalis. Chrysalis is no longer black but light lime green now. Her mane, tail, beetle-like chest, and wings are azure blues. Chrysalis eyes remain the same color. 

After her transformation, Chrysalis approaches Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle palm strikes Chrysalis with a gush of winds that are the strength of a tornado. 

"Goodbye, demon!" Chrysalis, with her newfound magic power, shoots a magic beam at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle crashes several buildings. 

"Such power..," Midnight Sparkle spits blood after the impact. 

"You're going to rue the day of attacking my son!" Chrysalis flies after Midnight Sparkle, not allowing her to recuperate.
> Good vs Evil: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

While Chrysalis and her newfound power fight Midnight Sparkle. Sting and Rogue are fighting King Sombra. 

"Shadow Dragon Haste!" Rogue generates shadows from his hand and uses them to attack King Sombra. 

"Shadows cannot hurt me as I'm King of the Shadows!" King Sombra welcomes the shadows into his body. He generates a shadow crystal from the ground, striking Rogue and Sting. 

Rogue turns into his shadow to avoid the attack. Sting uses the crystal to his advantage and leaps. 

"White Dragon Holy Ray!" Sting unleashes a barrage of Holy Beams, which inflicts heavy damage at rapid speeds. 

King Sombra dodges the attack and goes into his shadow form when several Holy Beams penetrate his shadows. King Sombra wails in agony as Holy properties do more damage. He comes out of the shadows and notices several white spots on his body. 

"NO!" King Sombra can't heal the areas of his body. 

Sting smirks. 

"I'll keep him distracted," Rogue goes after King Sombra. "Shadow Dragon Rooooooooar!" Rogue unleashes his shadow breath attack at King Sombra. 

Cozy Glow swoops down and blows the shadow breath attack away. "Sorry, I saw what happened and can't allow you-" Cozy Glow gets attacked by Wendy. Cozy collides into several buildings from the impact. 

Wendy is still in her Dragon Force mode. She decides to bring the fight to Cozy Glow while being close to the Crystal Heart. Cozy Glow gets up and flaps her wings. 

"I'm going to enjoy this!" Cozy Glow flies after Wendy. 

The two collide and fight in the skies, away from the Crystal Heart. Sherria sees the two in the skies and leaps. 

"Sky God Boreas!" Sherria generates two spiraling black currents creating a massive whirlwind. Wendy sees and uses her rapid speeds to move out of the way. Cozy Glow gets hit with the whirlwind and gets blown away. 

Yukino sees Cozy Glow coming her way. "Open Gate of the Paired Fish! Pisces!" Yukino opens Pisces' Gate. Pisces are two gigantic fish; One is white with a blue Pisces Insignia on its head. The other is black with a blue Pisces Insignia on its head. "Pisces, take down that demonic pegasus."

"Huh? Aaaaaaaaaah!" Cozy Glow sees Pisces flying straight at her. She tries using her wings to blow them away but their too massive to move them. 

Pisces attack Cozy Glow while Techno-Magic-Soldiers try to defeat Pisces. Yukino summons Libra to alter the gravity of the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Thanks, Sherria," Wendy thanks Sherria for the assistance. 

"No problem. Let's get moving. We need to heal Spike and help him get back into the fight." 

Sherria and Wendy head towards the center of the Crystal Castle. Gray and Orga are fighting Demonlord Tirek. 

"Look what I can do. Demon Flames!" Demonlord Tirek breathes black flames at Gray and Orga. The two dodge the attack. 

"Ice Demon Raaaaaaage!" Gray unleashes a demonic ice breath at Demonlord Tirek's black flames and freezes it. 

"What!?" Demonlord Tirek is astounded to see his flames turned to ice. 

"Lightning God Electric Rooooooooar!" Orga unleashes his divine black lightning breath attack at Demonlord Tirek. 

Demonlord Tirek shoots a demon blast from his mouth to intercept Orga's attack. The attack causes an explosion and smoke to engulf the surrounding area. Gray creates shards of ice in the air and releases it on Demonlord Tirek through the smoke. 

Demonlord Tirek screams in agony. He clears the smoke to see Orga and Gray fully powered up. 

"Lightning God Static Shock!" Orga uppercuts Demonlord Tirek with his divine black lightning. The impact causes Demonlord Tirek to rise from the ground. His body feels the divine lightning surging through his body, hurting every vein and muscle. 

"Ice Demon Zeroth Long Sword!" Gray creates an ethereal long sword from his palms that he uses to slash at Demonlord Tirek. The impact of the slash causes Demonlord Tirek to feel severe pain while having a deep cut on his chest. As a result, ice sprouts and covers Demonlord Tirek. 

"Care to do the honors of shattering this behemoth?" Gray asks Orga. 

"Gladly," Orga smirks and charges his divine lightning. "Lightning God Charged Particle Cannon!" Divine black electricity completely engulfs Orga's forearms and shoots a powerful surge of black lightning at Demonlord Tirek's frozen body. The cannon is more powerful than the 120 Millimeter Black Lightning Cannon. It shatters Demonlord Tirek completely, rendering him out of commission. His power leaves his essence. 

"That's what I'm talking about!" Gray is satisfied to see an ally of Midnight Sparkle defeated and destroyed. He high fives Orga on a job well done. 

Chrysalis is winning the battle against Midnight Sparkle. Chrysalis' newfound magic power is overwhelming Midnight Sparkle's Demon Curses. 

"She's too strong! I need more power!" Midnight admits while trying to hold her off. She has battle scars and bruises from the intense matchup. 

"For Terax!" Chrysalis shoots an Energizer Crystal Beam Magic at Midnight Sparkle from her horn. Midnight defends herself from the attack and gets hurled farther away. She crashes into a building, and Chrysalis tackles her through the building. "For my friends!" Chrysalis bites Midnight Sparkle's neck and tosses her aside with great force. Midnight Sparkle lands hard on the ground, creating a massive crater. "For my family, this ends now!" Chrysalis conjures a powerful energy bomb using the properties of the Crystal Heart. 

Midnight Sparkle struggles to get up. She breathes heavily and feels the defeat of another ally. Her power and Lord Tirek's magic merge with Midnight Sparkle. She grows more powerful than before. Chrysalis launches her energy bomb on Midnight Sparkle. 

"You're mine now," Midnight Sparkle smirks. Chrysalis notices something different within Midnight Sparkle now. She sees Midnight's hands glow greenish-black. Midnight Sparkle grabs the energy bomb and absorbs it. With Lord Tirek's magic running through her veins, she's able to neutralize the energy bomb without sustaining any pain. 

"How did you do that!?" Chrysalis questions Midnight Sparkle's sudden power boost. 

"Lord Tirek is defeated. The power I gave him has come back to me along with his magic power. You had your chance to defeat me and failed. I now surpass you and will always surpass you, Chrysalis." 

"Mark my words, you won't win this war! Do you hear me!" Chrysalis flies after Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow orange-red and punch Chrysalis. Chrysalis crashes into several buildings on contact. "Also, I have Lord Tirek's strength when I absorb magic power into my Demon Curses. I thank whoever that defeated Lord Tirek." 

Lisanna, Elfman, and Mirajane rush to the crash site created by Midnight Sparkle. Elfman lifts some debris and finds Chrysalis heavily bruised from the impact. 

"You okay?" Elfman asks. 

Chrysalis shakes her head. "My son.., he's.., he's..," Chrysalis sheds a tear. 

"Is this your son?" Lisanna holds Terax in her arms. 

"Please.., help him. Get to Discord. He's at the center of the Crystal Castle." 

"Will do," Lisanna said. "Big El, I'm going to need backup on the way. Those soldiers are still out there, giving everyone hell." 

"You got it, Lisanna," Elfman and Lisanna take Terax to the center of the Crystal Castle. 

Midnight Sparkle walks up to the Chrysalis and sees Mirajane. "I remember you. You're the weakling that was on the ground when I arrived." 

"The name is Mirajane," Mirajane stands her ground. She's in front of Chrysalis. 

Midnight Sparkle sneers. "So, you're my next challenger? Please. What can you do to me?" 

"Ever fought a demon that doesn't hold back?" Mirajane powers up. 

"You're weak. Probably weaker than Chrysalis, which was a demon before her little transformation." 

"Trust me; this is one fight you won't win," Mirajane roars and turns into Satan Soul Sitri. Her strongest demonic form. Mirajane's clothes are a geometric printed bodysuit with a blue and white dress coat adorned by an oversized black collar supported by two belts that corset her waist and a black cape. She grows horns on the side of her head and a lot more hair. She grows a pair of claws, and royal blue markings appear on her legs. Flames are merged with her feet. 

"What are you?" Midnight Sparkle didn't know about this Satan Soul form. Just the one she used during the Tartaros war. 

"Satan Soul Sitri," Mirajane moves so swiftly, she lands a punch on Midnight's gut. 

Midnight Sparkle wheezes a bit. Mirajane moved so fast she couldn't react fast enough. Mirajane uppercuts Midnight, and she's sent flying. Mirajane flies after Midnight Sparkle. 

Sherria and Wendy arrive at the center of the Crystal Castle. They see many wounded creatures getting medical attention. Spike is on the table while two medical clones use every fiber of their chaos magic to heal Spike. 

"Get down!" Princess Luna shoots her magic at some Techno-Magic-Soldiers that would have decapitated Sherria and Wendy. 

"Thanks," Wendy runs up to Spike and gasps. 

"Hey, Wendy," Spike smiles at Wendy. 

Sherria walks up to the table and gasps as well. "Spike.., your wings..," Sherria covers her mouth. 

"Gone," The medical clone said. "The Techno-Magic-Soldiers used a magic saber that nullifies magic. However, due to the magic within Spike, his is not nullified. It's erratic." 

"Our chaos magic can't uplift the Techno-Magic-Soldier's nullification on him. We need a stronger dose of healing magic to make it work," Another medical clone says. 

"Sherria, let's combine our healing magic on Spike." 

"Yea," Sherria nods. 

Wendy, Sherria, and the medical clones combine their healing magic on Spike. They concentrate while uplifting the nullification within Spike. 

Pinkie Pie returns with the letter for Princess Luna to send to Princess Celestia. Princess Luna uses her magic to teleport the letter to Princess Celestia. 

"Princess Luna. I know where the mirror pool is. I need to go there." 

"Not alone, Pinkie," Princess Luna walks up to a clone guarding the Crystal Heart. "You." 

"Yes, Princess Luna?" The guard clone replies. 

"I need you to go with Pinkie Pie to the mirror pool and deactivate its usage." 

"Alright, I'm on it," The guard clone goes with Pinkie Pie. 

"There's a member of Fairy Tail we can use for such an occasion, Freed Justine. If he places an enchantment and merges his magic with Princess Celestia, it may be strong enough to repel any usage of the mirror pool down the road." 

"Let's grab him," The guard clones put Pinkie Pie and her party cannon on his back and flies. He's searching for the Thunder Legion. 

Mirajane, with her speed and strength, dominates Midnight Sparkle. Despite having control of the weather and the strength of Lord Tirek, it's not enough to outmaneuver Mirajane's blows in her Sitri form. She tries converting her magic against her, but Mirajane knee strikes Midnight every time. 

Rufus sees Rogue having a hard time battling King Sombra and decides to step into the fray after destroying many Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Sting is battling Techno-Magic-Soldiers. He's unable to concentrate on delivering the final blow. 

"Iron Shadow Dragon Lance!" Gajeel turns his arm into a large spearhead. "Demon Logs!" Gajeel shoots many steel spears at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Thanks, Gajeel," Sting said. "Can you cover me while I muster enough power to finish King Sombra?" 

"Sure thing. Lily! Get down here!"

"Right!" Panther Lily swoops down and destroys many Techno-Magic-Soldiers with his song sword. 

"Memory-Make Sword of Frozen Black Lightning!" Rufus combines Gray's and Orga's magic power into a devastating attack, creating several bolts of black lightning that drop onto King Sombra. Once the lightning makes contact, it freezes into spikes of ice.

King Sombra has never felt this kind of pain and the spikes of ice hold him in place. "How is this possible!?" 

Rogue lands on top of the ice spike. "When our friends work together, we become unstoppable!" Rogue starts consuming some essence of King Sombra's shadows, so his physical form remains in place. 

"Stop this! I, King of the Shadows, command you to cease and desist!" 

"I bow to no king!" Rogue said after consuming King Sombra's shadow magic. 

"Thanks, guys!" Sting is fully powered. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Holy Nova!" Sting lunges at King Sombra and punches him. On contact, a very massive, horizontal column of light explodes. The attack is solely concentrated on bringing harm to King Sombra. 

King Sombra screams while his body disintegrates. The Holy properties within Sting's magic are too much to bear; Especially when Rogue consumes his shadows, weakening him in the process. 

"Another one bites the dust," Gajeel chuckles while seeing King Sombra vanquished. 

Mirajane, in her Sitri form, shoots many dark magic orbs at Midnight Sparkle while flying. Midnight Sparkle tries her hardest to defend herself, but Mirajane's magic power overwhelms her. 

"Goodbye!" Mirajane forms a sphere in her hand that spreads dark bullets at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle falls to the ground hard. She coughs out blood. "It can't end like this! Not by another demon that's friends with Spike! I need more power. I need another fallen-" Midnight Sparkle feels her power coming back to her as well as King Sombra's magic. 

Mirajane swoops down while flames engulf her hand. She's ready to end Midnight Sparkle once and for all. Mirajane lands a strike on Midnight Sparkle, only to see that Midnight has become an absolute shadow. 

"So, close," Midnight Sparkle covers Mirajane's Sitri form. 

"What are you doing!?" Mirajane tries to rip the shadows off of her. The shadows are onto her like glue. 

"I need more demonic power, and you're my best option!" Midnight Sparkle taps into Tirek's magic and drains Satan Soul Sitri's magic power. Mirajane reverts to normal after her magic fades. Mirajane falls to her knees while Midnight Sparkle exits her shadow form. "End of the line." 

"Crap." Mirajane closes her eyes, expecting her demise. Spike comes and punches Midnight Sparkle into a building. "Spike!" Mirajane's eyes widen in shock. 

Spike has Sparkling Green Energy Wings on his back. "Are you okay?" Spike helps Mirajane up. 

"I am. Midnight drained my magic and added it to hers." 

Midnight Sparkle gets up. "I ripped off your wings! How is this possible!?" Midnight Sparkle is irate. 

"I learned the technique from my future self, Leekips. He used his Energy Maker Magic to create new limbs. So, I made myself a new pair of wings." 

Cozy Glow lands hard on the ground. Pisces did a number on her. "Midnight, it's only us. We need to retreat!" Cozy Glow advises. She's heavily scarred and bruised from the assault. 

"That won't be necessary. You have the power I need to win," Midnight Sparkle's hand glow aqua blue and uses her flames to incinerate Cozy Glow. Her magic and power return to Midnight Sparkle. 

"You monster!" Mirajane said, watching the young one turn to ashes. 

"No. I'm the Princess of Friendship! I will change everything for the better!" Midnight Sparkle flies after Spike. Spike flies after Midnight. Midnight's horn glows white and teleports Spike elsewhere. 

Mirajane sighs; she hopes the others are around wherever Midnight Sparkle teleported to.
> Good vs Evil: Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The guard clone and Pinkie locates Freed Justine and the Thunder Legion. Romeo is getting tired from fighting the endless wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"These things just keep coming," Romeo falls to one knee while catching his breath. 

"Hey!" Pinkie shouts to catch their attention. 

"It's that pink pony," Bickslow said. 

"I know how we can end the swarm of soldiers. We need you, Freed!" Pinkie exclaims. 

"We're coming as well," The rest of the Thunder Legion and Romeo said.  

The guard clone snaps his claw, and they're on his back. Pinkie Pie tells the guard clone where the Mirror Pool is. The guard clone flies as Pinkie directs him. Many Techno-Magic-Soldiers fly after the guard clone. 

"We got company!" Romeo warns his friends. 

"Stand aside!" Pinkie moves her party cannon and shoots cannonballs at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. To the surprise of the Thunder Legion and Romeo, Pinkie has an infinite supply of cannonballs. 

Princess Celestia tells her guard clones to protect the library at all costs. She's going to the forest where the Mirror Pool is. Princess Celestia teleports and locates where the Techno-Magic-Soldiers are coming out. 

Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack are helping the medical clones to bring in every creature the Techno-Magic-Soldiers wounded. They're at the center of the Crystal Castle. Dragons, Griffons, and some Changelings lost a wing during the confrontation. The medical clones are restoring any lost limb during the battle.  

"These things are too much," Applejack said. She watches Kagura and Lyon battling the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"I know," Rainbow flexes her new wing now that the medical clone finishes tending to her. "That feels so much better. These things keep coming. How did Twilight produce so much in so little time?" 

"Pinkie Pie solved that equation. They're coming from the Mirror Pool," A medical clone said. 

"That's bad," Rainbow recalls Pinkie using it and having to deal with a swarm of Pinkies. 

"It's worse that we are no-matched for those soldiers of hers," Ember said. 

"Yak hates demon!" Prince Rutherford refers to Midnight Sparkle. 

"I know how you feel. We have to remain strong and do our part in protecting the Crystal Heart. No matter the cost," Thorax said. A medical clone repairs his broken horn. 

Lisanna and Elfman arrive at the center. They see many medical clones and ask for assistance; one comes and sees Terax. He uses his chaos magic to restore his wings and remove the scar. However, Terax remains asleep. Lisanna and Elfman decide to stand guard of the Crystal Heart. 

Chrysalis gets up and sees a wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers, and Erza destroys them in her Purgatory Armor. "Are you alright?" Erza helps Chrysalis up. 

"I'll be fine. Midnight Sparkle will die for what she did to my son," Chrysalis takes off. 

Erza hopes Spike is okay now that he's back in the fight. Another wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers are inbound but, Pisces destroys them. Yukino, Lucy, and Juvia runs up to Erza. 

"How are you holding?" Lucy asks Erza. 

"I'm fine. I'm concerned about Spike now that's he's back in action," Erza replies. 

"That's great to hear. Did the medical clones restore Spike's wings?" Juvia asks. 

"No," Erza shakes her head. "Spike made his wings like the time Leekips did during his battle." 

"Let's go find, Spike. He shouldn't be facing Midnight alone!" Yukino said. 

Erza nods. "You're right." 

Another wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers comes from all corners. Gray, Orga, Rufus, Sting, and Rogue destroy them. 

"You need to watch out. These soldiers are everywhere and keep coming," Gray said. 

"If only there's a way to shut them down," Orga wants the infinite wave to stop coming. 

"An opportunity will present itself. Until then, we keep fighting," Sting said. 

"Shadow Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Rogue unleashes his shadow breath attack on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Spread out! When you have an opportunity, find Spike and help him defeat Midnight Sparkle!" Erza commands. 

"Yes, Ma'am!" Everyone else around Erza shouts and attacks the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

The guard clone lands in the forest. Pinkie, Romeo, and the Thunder Legion hop off; they see Princess Celestia walking near them. 

"Glad you can make it," Princess Celestia is happy to see the Thunder Legion and Romeo. 

"Follow me," Pinkie gallops. Everyone follows her closely. 

A few minutes later. Pinkie stops and sees many Techno-Magic-Soldiers rising from the hole. 

"That's a whole lot," Freed said. 

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Pinkie Pie twists the top of her mane and converts it into a drill. She tunnels on the ground, leading to the cave of the mirror pool." 

"That is quite impressive," Freed said. 

"This pink pony is weird," Bickslow said. 

"I guess she has many perks within the world," Evergreen said. 

"Let's stop wasting time and get down there," Laxus jumps into the hole Pinkie dug. Everyone else jumps in the hole. 

Pinkie Pie sees the original Techno-Magic-Soldier reciting the enchantment and entering the mirror pool. Princess Celestia, Romeo, and the Thunder Legion arrive and see how the Techno-Magic-Soldiers cloned. 

"Stepping in that creates clones?" Romeo whispers to Pinkie. 

"Yea. Twilight used her magic to zap the clones into the mirror pool. However, I don't think going at it one at a time will help in this scenario," Pinkie whispers back. 

"There is another way to get rid of the clones," Princess Celestia whispers. 

"What's the plan?" Laxus whispers to Princess Celestia. 

"We need to destroy the original. Then, we grab the original, have it facing the pool and say: Into the pool, we stare. No longer yearning for the reflection to be shared. Removing this swear to relinquish the prospect's pair. After reciting the chant, throw the original into the mirror pool. It'll erase all other clones the mirror pool created." 

"Perfect," Bickslow is ready to end the infinite wave. 

"Freed, once we're done, I'll need your magic power to create a barrier enchantment so no one will ever use the mirror pool again." 

"I understand the task at hand," Freed concentrates on his magic power. 

"Everyone else, attack!" Princess Celestia leads the charge and destroys many Techno-Magic-Soldiers that come her way. She melts the Techno-Magic-Soldiers with her magic. 

Pinkie Pie uses her party cannon to take out many Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Lightning Dragon Rooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath attack on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Baryon Formation!" Bickslow's Tikis shoots a magic energy beam at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers.

"Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen shoots a torrent of energy needles at the Techno-Magic-Soldiers.

Romeo goes for the original while the others battle the new wave of Techno-Magic-Soldiers. The original comes out and scans Romeo. It creates a shield to repel his flame magic and kicks him hard. 

"Dark Écriture Absolute Shadow!" Freed uses his swift speeds and immense strength to take down the original Techno-Magic-Soldier. 

With the original out of commission, no more Techno-Magic-Soldiers rise from the mirror pool. The number of Techno-Magic-Soldiers starts decreasing within the mirror pool cave. 

"Good work, Freed!" Romeo throws the thumbs up while holding his side. The kick from the Techno-Magic-Soldier did a number on him. 

Pinkie Pie grabs the original Techno-Magic-Soldier and has it face the reflection of the mirror pool. "Into the pool, we stare. No longer yearning for the reflection to be shared. Removing this swear to relinquish the prospect's pair!" Pinkie shoves the original Techno-Magic-Soldier into the mirror pool. The mirror pool illuminates and shoots a magic energy beam into the skies. 

At the Crystal Empire, every Earth Land Wizard starts to tire from battling the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Then, every creature by the Crystal Castle sees the skies light up. Stars raining down on the Techno-Magic-Soldiers vaporize right before their very own eyes. 

"What's happening?" Kagura questions the Techno-Magic-Soldiers and sees them vaporized. 

"It appears luck is on our side, Ms.Kagura," Jura said. Many Techno-Magic-Soldiers on the ground fall and disintegrate. 

"They did it!" Princess Luna sees a Techno-Magic-Soldier disintegrate before getting close to the Crystal Heart. The two guard clones were battling the Techno-Magic-Soldiers when it came from the rear. 

"You hear that, Wendy?" Sherria asks. 

"Yes," Wendy nods. "Now, with them out of the way," Wendy starts sniffing. "I'm needed elsewhere!" Wendy takes off. 

"Hey! I'm coming with you!" Sherria catches up to Wendy. 

"Freed, let's combine our power to prevent any usage of the mirror pool!" Princess Celestia ignites her horn. 

"Right away, Celestia," Freed uses his sword to create a barrier and recite an enchantment of his. The runes of Freed's enchantment cover the mirror pool. 

Princess Celestia uses a protection barrier spell on top of the runes. A bright yellowish-purple glow arises. The two successfully created a barrier that the magic of their worlds would not penetrate, even combined. 

"We need to get back," Laxus said. "There is one demon remaining to end the conflict." 

The guard clone slithers down into the cave after defeating a handful of Techno-Magic-Soldiers. He has some scrapes and bruises from his encounter. 

"I need to go back to Canterlot. In case Midnight escapes and uses the library for her benefit." 

"I'll take them back," The guard clone says. He snaps his claw, teleporting the Thunder Legion, Pinkie, and Romeo back to the Crystal Empire. 

"Good luck," Princess Celestia leaves the mirror pool caves.
> Spike vs Midnight: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Midnight Sparkle are closer to the Crystal Heart. Their back in Princess Cadance's throne room. 

"Spike, I'm going to ask you one last time. Come to me so I can change the world for the better. We're supposed to rule Equestria side-by-side. Me, being the Princess of Friendship and you being my Ambassador of Friendship." 

"How can you proclaim yourself as Princess of Friendship when you murdered a young filly!?" Spike is livid. 

"She's bound to do more evil with Lord Tirek as her friend. Mard Geer showed me the world we're supposed to live in, not this dystopian world every creature has. After I kill Fairy Dragon and erase your memories, I'll bring you back with good memories of me! We'll create a new world together as it should once I reset time itself!" Midnight Sparkle flies directly at Spike. 

"Meteor Rain!" Spike flies and conjures Sparkling Green Lightning Flame Orbs on Midnight Sparkle. They explode all around her on contact. 

Midnight Sparkle flies through after consuming the magic within the spell. She lands a punch on Spike's chest and slams him on the floor. Spike falls and lands hard. 

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow purplish-black. "Chaos Crystals!" Combining her power with King Sombra's magic, Midnight Sparkle creates crystal missiles to mimic Spike's Ice Paladin Strike. Within the crystal contains aqua blue incinerating flames. She spawns dozens of them. "Launch!" The Chaos Crystals go after Spike. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport away from the Chaos Crystals. He's behind Midnight Sparkle. "Fairy Dragon Roooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green flames at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle smirks. "Earlier, that would have hurt me. Now, thanks to my fallen allies, I'm more durable, resistant, and powerful. You can't harm me." 

"Watch me!" Spike mimics her claws like guns and shoots flaming bullets at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparke walks while taking Spike's attack head-on. "Lightning Inferno Flame!"

Midnight Sparkle grabs his mouth. "You talk too much!" Her hand glows red and releases an exploding fireball. 

Spike crashes into the wall. He concentrates on his magic power; He looks at Midnight's eyes. "There is one spell I know that'll end you!" A wave of powerful magic amplifies the area while Spike's claws are in motion. 

"It's that spell again!" Midnight remembers Fairy Law and how it obliterated her during the Grand Magic Games. 

"This is where it ends, Demon!" Spike claps his claws. "I invoke, Fairy Law!" A bright light of power flashes throughout the throne room. However, Midnight combines Lord Tirek and Sombra's magic into encasing Fairy Law's magic power within an absorbing crystal. 

"Sorry, that won't help you this time," Midnight Sparkle tosses the crystal and tackles Spike. She burst through the wall and tosses Spike hard on the ground. She and Spike are in the corridors of the Crystal Castle. 

Spike pants while losing more magic energy from the spell alone. He crawls away a bit while Midnight Sparkle runs up to him and kicks his head. Midnight catches Spike from going further and slams him hard on the floor. 

"Time to erase your mind," Midnight's hand glows greenish-black. She places her hand on Spike's head, and it repels. "Aaaaaah!" Midnight groans a bit. 

"Rage?" Spike figures it out and smiles. "Right before Rage left, he casts a protection barrier in my mind. No matter how powerful you are, you'll never erase my mind!" 

Midnight Sparkle growls due to the revelation. "Fine! I take all the magic on this planet and restart time itself! I'll kill you and all the others, so no one stands in my way!" Midnight Sparkle's body is ablaze in aqua blue flames. "Starting with you!" Midnight Sparkle unleashes a wave of her aqua blue flames. 

Spike smirks. "Special delivery," Spike breathes his fire, teleporting Natsu in front. 

"What!?" Midnight Sparkle didn't speculate that Spike could teleport his friends into the battle. 

"Get in my belly!" Natsu consumes the aqua blue flames. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" Natsu's right hand is ablaze with his flames; his left is ablaze in Midnight's flames. "Flame Loaded Demonic Flame Blade!" Natsu circularly swipes his arms, creating a powerful and highly destructive torrent of aqua blue flames and his flames at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle gets hit with the attack and hurls away from the two. She crashes into a different room of the Crystal Castle. 

"Thanks for coming," Spike gets up. 

"Thanks for letting me get one on her. I've been aching to give that woman a beating she deserves," Natsu said. "We're taking her down. Just like we took down Zero, Hades, Ophiuchus, and Jackal. Dragons stick together,"  Natsu gives Spike flames to eat to replenish his magic power. 

Midnight Sparkle returns to the corridors after dusting herself. "I must say, that was quite impressive. However, this is the part that I won't be holding back anymore." 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy comes from behind, striking Midnight with a whirlwind of air from her arms. Midnight Sparkle gets launched in the air by Wendy's attack. Midnight crashes into the ceiling. 

"You," Midnight remembers Spike's girlfriend. She falls off the ceiling and lands on the floor. 

"Sky God Boreas!" Sherria generates two spiraling black currents creating a massive whirlwind. Midnight Sparkle gets hit a second time from behind. 

Midnight Sparkle wails from the impact hurl towards Wendy and Natsu. 

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" 

"Sky Dragon Crushing Fang!' 

Wendy and Natsu combine their dragon punch attack, sending a flurry of wind and fire on impact. Midnight Sparkle lands on her feet and claws on the floor to stop her movement. 

"How are you here when my army is out there? I have an unending wave coming here to the Crystal Empire!" 

"There are no more soldiers that you control, Midnight," Wendy confesses. 

"What?!" Natsu and Spike shout in shock. They are astounded to hear the best news ever. 

"WHAT?!" Midnight Sparkle looks at the window of the corridor. The skies and streets are empty; no Techno-Magic-Soldier in sight. Then she sees Chrysalis coming straight at her. 

Chrysalis shoots a powerful magic beam from her horn; it burns Midnight Sparkle due to the cleansing the Crystal Heart gave to Chrysalis. Midnight Sparkle crashes into the wall. 

Spike, Natsu, Wendy, Sherria, and Chrysalis follow Midnight Sparkle. She is on her knees from the impact. 

"It's over. You've lost," Spike said. 

Midnight Sparkle becomes erratic with her flow of power and emotions. "It's over when I SAY IT'S OVER!" A violent burst of power pushes everyone back a bit. Midnight Sparkle roars in rage while increasing her size when she tapped into Lord Tirek's power. 

Midnight Sparkle is the size of a quarter dragon. Her Demon Curses and magic power increase with the sheer size. Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue and swipe her arms. The aqua blue flames push everyone away with great force. Spike, Natsu, Sherria, Wendy, and Chrysalis crash into the windows and land outside the Crystal Castle. 

"I WILL NOT BE DENIED OF MY DESTINY TO RULE EQUESTRIA AS PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP!!! I'M COMING FOR YOU, SPIKE!!! WE'RE GOING TO BE TOGETHER IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER!!!" Midnight Sparkle punches the wall, creating a large hole for her to leave the Crystal Castle. 

Many creatures at the center flee from the scenery after seeing Midnight Sparkle's height advantage. Princess Luna sees the monstrosity Midnight has become. Every Earth Land Wizard sees Midnight Sparkle. Lector, Happy, Frosch, and Carla are in hiding for the time being. 

"Last one," Gray walks up to Spike, Natsu, Wendy, Sherria, and Chrysalis. 

"Sure is a tall order, no pun intended," Orga said. 

"I recall no recollection of you making puns, Orga," Rufus said. 

"No matter how big or small our enemy is, we will win," Erza arrives. 

"Oh yea, I've been looking forward to this for a long time," Gajeel said. He cracks his knuckles while chuckling a bit. 

"Sabertooth got your back, Spike," Sting speaks on behalf of his guild. 

"Likewise with Lamia Scale," Lyon said. 

"I'm here for you, Spike," Kagura said. 

"The Thunder Legion has arrived," Bickslow said. Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Romeo look up at Midnight Sparkle. 

"It's time to end this party," Pinkie wants to fight Midnight Sparkle. 

Applejack and Rainbow Dash see Pinkie Pie standing up to Midnight. Instead of fleeing with every creature else, the two nod and gallop up to Pinkie. They want to make a stand.

Midnight Sparkle sees every Earth Land Wizard walking up. She becomes angry. "I'm going to end you all right now!" She sees Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash and feels betrayed by them. 

More creatures decide to make a stand and fight for their homelands. They won't run from a tyrant. They won't allow fear to get the better of them. Midnight Sparkle sees the armies of every creature banding together. She steps back a bit while trying to calculate her best motive.
> Good vs Evil: Part 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I need to shatter the Crystal Heart and absorb the magic within as well as the storms that follow. Then, I'll freeze everyone."

"Attaaaaaaaaaaaack!" Spike shouts. He doesn't want to give Midnight Sparkle any time to strategize. 

Dragons, Griffons, Changelings, Pegasus, Unicorns, Earth Ponies, Yaks, Buffalos, and Earth Land Wizards charge and unleash their power. 

Dragons breathe their flames at Midnight while Changelings shoot combine magic with their horns. Griffons fly at the face of Midnight Sparkle leave their mark with their claws or swords.

Midnight Sparkle tries to swat them away, but the numbers are too great. Rainbow Dash flies at top speed and performs her Sonic Rainboom. She flies at full Rainbow Speed to land an uppercut on her face. 

"Take that, demon!" Rainbow Dash flies faster to reel more uppercuts and kick strikes on Midnight. The Wonderbolts follow her lead while the others land their hits. 

"Take this!" Pinkie Pie shoots with her party cannon. She's with the Archery Griffons shooting at Midnight Sparkle from the ground. 

Chrysalis is flying and shoots another magic beam at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle groans in pain due to the cleansing effect. 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are with Princess Luna and the guard clone protecting the Crystal Heart. It's painful to watch their Twilight getting bombarded by every creature. 

"Let's see if she can handle a million watts. Raging Bolt!" Laxus unleashes a bolt of lightning descends on Midnight Sparkle that has a devastating effect. Midnight Sparkle screams a bit due to the lightning surging through her body. 

Sting and Rogue shout. "Holy Shadow Dragon!" Sting and Rogue combined their Dragon Slayer Magic for a powerful and destructive attack. "Flash Fang!" They release a combined burst of light and shadows at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Rumbling Fuji!" Jura unleashes an extremely damaging strike by an immense release of magic power surging from the ground, wreaking havoc on Midnight Sparkle. 

"Iron Dragon Roooooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath at Midnight Sparkle. 

"ENOOOOOOUGH!" Black crystals rise from the ground. Everyone jumps back to avoid getting hit. Midnight Sparkle screams. "CHAOS CRYSTALS!" Combining her power with King Sombra's magic, Midnight Sparkle creates crystal missiles. Within these crystal missiles are crimson red exploding flames. "LAUNCH!" Midnight Sparkle swipes her arms. Hundreds of crystal missiles scatter, causing everyone to dodge and create separation. On impact, the crystal missile explodes, sending everyone hurling away. 

"Happy! Let's go!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy grabs Natsu and flies straight at Midnight in full speed. 

"Release me!" Flames engulf Natsu's body. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy releases Natsu; he soars like a missile. 

"Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" Natsu headbutts Midnight Sparkle on her chest. Midnight Sparkle stumbles back and collides into the Crystal Castle. 

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Midnight coughs some blood and grabs Natsu. She chucks him far away. 

"I got you!" Happy flies after Natsu. 

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue. She combines Storm King's weather with her aqua blue flames. "SPARKLE WHIRL!" Midnight swipes her arms, creating an aqua blue fiery tornado. 

Many creatures get caught in the tornado and wail in agony. The tornado made it worse for some except for the dragons. The Dragons fly through to breathe their flames at Midnight once more. Midnight Sparkle swats them away like insects. 

"Ice-Make Snow Dragon!" Lyon's ice dragon attacks Midnight Sparkle head-on. 

Midnight Sparkle kicks it and tries stomping on Lyon. Jura's iron rock wall pillar forces Midnight to cease her stomping. She missed her mark when Lyon got out of the way. 

Spike, Kagura, Erza, and Wendy go at Midnight Sparkle's face. Kagura unsheathes her Archenemy for Midnight Sparkle, and Erza is requiped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. The two strike Midnight Sparkle's cheeks, leaving their mark. 

"AAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle feels how deep the swords went into her skin. 

Spike and Wendy hold hands. Wendy's hand is engulfed with her wind aura. Spike's claw is engulfed with his Sparkling Green aura. 

"Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Green Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a storm that sends Midnight Sparkle into the skies. 

"Shadow Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Rogue unleashes his shadow breath attack at Midnight Sparkle.

"White Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Sting unleashes his holy breath attack at Midnight Sparkle.

Lightning Dragon Roooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath attack at Midnight Sparkle.

"Iron Dragon Roooooooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath attack at Midnight Sparkle.

"Sky God Belloooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her divine wind breath attack at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Lightning God Charged Particle Cannon!" Divine black electricity completely engulfs Orga's forearms and shoots a powerful surge of black lightning at Midnight Sparkle. 

Chrysalis shoots her magic beam at Midnight Sparkle; it has the cleansing effect from the Crystal Heart. Many Changelings shoot their magic power at Midnight Sparkle. Unicorns shoot their magic power at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Baryon Formation!" Bickslow's Tikis align in a pentagon and shoot a powerful energy beam at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Water Cyclone!" Juvia unleashes her whirling water torrent at Midnight Sparkle. 

Mirajane turns into her Satan Soul to unleash her barrage of dark energy blasts at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen unleashes her torrents of energy needles at Midnight Sparkle. 

"All the stars, far and wide. Show me thy appearance. With such shine. Oh, Tetrabiblos. I am the ruler of the stars. Aspect become complete. Open thy malevolent gate. Oh, 88 Stars of the heaven. Shine! Urano Metria!" All 88 constellations of the sky come down as spheres and bestow their power on Lucy. Then Lucy converts the energy to redirect it at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Memory-Make! Night of the Shooting Stars!" Rufus unleashes a barrage of energy beams shaped as shooting stars at Midnight Sparkle. 

Minerva shoots her Territory Explosions at Midnight Sparkle, Romeo shoots his Rainbow Flame explosion at Midnight Sparkle, Jura sends Iron Wall Bricks at Midnight Sparkle. Erza requips into her Lightning Empress Armor and shoots a stream of lightning bolts from her spear. Lyon and Gray unleash their ice magic at Midnight Sparkle. 

Happy flies Natsu back to the battlefield in time for the ultimate unison attack. "Fire Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at Midnight Sparkle. 

The combined attack from everyone involved created a massive explosion on contact. Midnight Sparkle feels the full force of the attack and reverts to size. She lands hard on the ground, and Applejack bucks Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle land in front of Spike and Wendy. 

"It's over," Spike said. "There's nothing else you can do." 

Midnight Sparkle sees Spike is a few feet in front of the Crystal Heart's position. She heavily pants while everyone surrounds her. Midnight sees that every Earth Land Wizard is tired from using much magic in today's battle. 

"There's one thing I can do," Midnight Sparkle uses a palm strike on Spike. Her Demonic Curses and the combined magic power from her fallen allies give her enough strength to push Spike straight at the Crystal Heart. 

"No!" Princess Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor try using their magic to catch Spike, but the force from Midnight's palm strike is so strong, Spike crashes into the Crystal Heart, shattering it to pieces. The guard clone was a second too late when he tried to catch Spike. 

"What did you do!?" Wendy grabs Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle laughs, and palm strikes Wendy to the ground. "I destroyed the Crystal Empire's best defensive weapon. I'm allowing the storms to grow powerful for me to absorb. Then, I'll replenish my power and freeze all of you!" 

Large, thick, black storm clouds emerge within the moment and continue to get stronger by the second. Midnight Sparkle flies into the storm clouds.

"This is bad," Princess Luna remembers the last time the Crystal Heart was destroyed. 

"What's worse, Midnight Sparkle has flown into the storm. I suspect she wants to absorb the unstable power within," Shining said after watching his Twily fly into the storm clouds. 

The storm clouds start disappearing, and Midnight Sparkle becomes stronger by the second. 

"Guys, I think she's getting stronger by absorbing those clouds," Happy says. He's getting paranoid. 

"We've seen those clouds before. Not even the Princesses can vanquish them. However, we need some time to restore the Crystal Heart. Think you can buy us some time?" Applejack asks Natsu. 

"We'll do everything we can," Natsu said. 

Midnight Sparkle laughs and increases her size once more. The clouds are gone as Midnight drains all of the unstabled power. 

Spike gets up. Some shards of the Crystal Heart are through his scales. He picks them off and senses the energy around the Crystal Heart. 

Princess Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor turn to Spike. They are worried about his condition after crashing into the Crystal Heart. 

"Hey, Spike," The guard clone comes up to him. "What are you doing?" 

"My job as a Fairy Tail Wizard," Spike consumes the magic energy of the Crystal Heart like the time he consumed the Abyss energy Master Hades unleashed on Tenrou Island. 

The energy within the Crystal Heart trusts Spike with its power. The Crystal Heart knows that the Crystal Ponies dubbed him as their savior. A Guardian that's meant to protect the Crystal Empire from a demon of darkness. Spike shines brightly that Princess Luna, Cadance, Shining, and the guard clone shield their eyes. They see Spike floating out of the center. 

Midnight Sparkle lands in front of the Crystal Empire. Every Earth Land Wizard prepares themselves for another battle despite feeling fatigued. 

"I told you, it's over when I say it's over!" Midnight Sparkle powers up. Then she sees a bright light coming out of the Crystal Castle. "WHAT IS THAT?!" 

Everyone turns to the bright glow coming out of the Crystal Castle. It grows bigger. The light shines, and all the buildings, housings, and landmarks are restored. The airships that were destroyed by the Techno-Magic-Soldiers are flying again. Everyone that fought to defeat Demon Tail is replenished with magic power and energy. 

Spike emerges from the glowing-bright light as a gigantic Crystal Dragon. His wings are fully restored. Spike now has renewable magic power and energy thanks to the Crystal Heart. 

"How..?" Midnight Sparkle is mesmerized to see Spike infused with the Crystal Heart's power. 

Spike's eyes are closed throughout the time. His wings flap, keeping him airborne. "I am Spike. The Brave and Glorious. The Guardian of the Crystal Empire. More importantly. I am Spike. Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. Now, you may call me Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon!" Spike opens his eyes. He set his gaze at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle grits her teeth. She positions herself to bring down Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon. Her horn ignites aqua blue while her hands glow crimson red. 

"This end now!" Spike flies after Midnight Sparkle.
> Spike vs Midnight: Endgame
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike punches Midnight; Midnight catches Spike's punch which causes severe burning. 

"Aaaaaaah!" Midnight screams from the pain; Spike uses his tail to knock Midnight Sparkle to the ground. 

"Demon Spiral Death!" Midnight Sparkle's hands are aqua blue and crimson red, combining the two to create a spiral flare with immense force and destructive power at Spike.

Spike uses his forearm to deflect Midnight Sparkle's Demon Spiral Death; it collides at a mountain top instead. Everyone at the Crystal Empire watches in awe at Spike's incredible power. The Crystal Ponies are cheering the loudest for their savior. 

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," Applejack watches Spike battling Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle can't land a hit on Spike due to the nature of the Crystal Heart. 

"It's crazy to think over a year ago Spike was Twilight's assistant. Now, he's a super-powered dragon!" Pinkie shouts in excitement. 

"I can't believe Spike is fighting Midnight Sparkle as a crystal dragon. It's insane as to how far he's grown in Earth Land," Rainbow said. 

Princess Luna and Princess Cadance watch the extravaganza and cheer Spike on while having mixed feelings for Midnight Sparkle. Shining Armor watches Spike and worries that the Crystal Heart within Spike will obliterate Midnight. 

Every Earth Land Wizard cheers for their comrade; Lector, Frosch, and Carla comes out of hiding and regroup with their friends to watch the final showdown. 

Midnight Sparkle uses her aqua blue flames to create a flaming shield. Spike punches through her shield, snuffing it out in the process. 

"Crystal Flare Roooooooar!" Spike unleashes his Crystal Green Flame at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Demon Wraaaaaaaaaaaath!" Midnight unleashes her Aqua Blue Flames at Spike's Crystal Flare. Unfortunately, Spike's Crystal Flare overwhelms Midnight's attack. Midnight Sparkle feels the full force of the Crystal Flares and gets sent flying back. 

Spike flies after Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle summons storm clouds and shoots blistering snow, knowing the cold is Spike's weakness. She remembers the ice bucket prank and how it made Spike rive in agony. 

"The cold does not affect me!" Spike flies through the blistering winds. Then he sees Midnight's hands glow green, getting ready to absorb his magic. 

"You're mine!" Midnight grabs Spike's head. "I'll take your power and kill you, Fairy Dragon! Then I'll kill everyone you love dearly!" Midnight tries to absorb his magic power. However, she feels a sharp blade stabbing her on her side. "Aaaaaaaaah!" 

Spike's left arm becomes a sword arm; The same one when he fought the Dorma Anim Black Sky with Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy. He yanks his left arm out of Midnight's side. Blood splatters on the ground. 

"I will never allow you to harm my friends and family!" Spike punches Midnight Sparkle in the face and knocks a tooth out. Spike knees Midnight Sparkle in her gut, causing her to cough blood. "Explosion Cataclysm!" Spike jumps back, and Sparkling Green explosions hit Midnight Sparkle underneath, the devastation also has cleansing properties, causing Midnight to rive in agony. 

Midnight Sparkle falls to the ground hard and pants heavily. She looks at Spike. "His magic power is overwhelmingly powerful! Despite what I have, the Crystal Heart is too strong!" 

Spike walks up to Midnight Sparkle. He conjures a crystal fireball to end the madness. "For everything you pulled, what you schemed, wickedness will never succeed. You once killed my sister, nearly killed my friends, my family, and you killed a piece of me that I loved dearly," Spike sheds a tear in remembrance of Fairy Rage. "This is for those you harmed and killed in your relentless pursuit of selfishness!" Spike's Crystal Fireball grows bigger. 

"Spike, wait!" Midnight Sparkle pleas. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I allowed myself to go insane! Please, let me go, and I'll go on a redemption path!" Midnight Sparkle is in tears. "I love you! I still do! Please, give me the chance to show I can change!"

"Why would I believe in a deceiver!" Spike aims his Crystal Fireball at Midnight Sparkle.   

"Nooooo! You can't take me away from my friends and family!" Midnight Sparkle crawls away. "I'm the Princess of Friendship! Equestria needs me!" 

"You betrayed them the moment you attacked your homeland! You're not the Princess of Friendship! You are the Princess of Deceit and Evil! And, EQUESTRIA WON'T BE NEEDING YOU ANYMORE!" Spike proclaims. 

Midnight Sparkle shoots gushing winds of flames at Spike and flies. She takes out her artifact and hopes she has enough power to return to Earth Land. It doesn't faze Spike. 

"Crystal Cleanse Blast!!" Spike claps his claws and press forward a powerful wave of magic energy the Crystal Heart gave him. The powerful wave is so dense it engulfs Midnight Sparkle. It's so bright that everyone for miles has to cover their eyes. 

"No! No!" Midnight Sparkle's body starts disintegrating. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Midnight Sparkle's horn releases a small matter of dark energy that takes form. It vanishes before the cleansing effect of Spike's attack gets to it. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle tears up while her body disintegrates even more. "I LOVE YOU, SPIIIIIKE!!" The last words Midnight Sparkle spoke. 

The bright light vanishes and all that remains of Midnight Sparkle are glittering dust. Spike pants due to the spell's usage. He released more magic power to ensure Midnight Sparkle's demise. 

"The Brave and Glorious triumphs!" The Crystal Ponies cheer loudly after seeing glittering dust falling from the skies. 

"Yeah! Spike defeated Midnight Sparkle!" Happy shouts.

"I can't believe it! Spike defeated Midnight Sparkle!" Rainbow Dash can't believe Spike pulled it off. 

"Twily..," Shining Armor lowers his head. "I'm sorry."

Every Earth Land Wizard and every creature celebrates. Wendy runs up to Spike while he reverts to his size. Spike is still a crystal dragon and takes a deep breath. He looks up to see the moon lowering down and the sun rising. 

"Twilight. I stopped loving you the moment I realized how you were treating me. I was the slave you loved, not the son you raised. That is why you are irrelevant to me. Your final words have no meaning for my life going forward," Spike takes a deep breath. "Enjoy your days in hell."   

"Spike!" Wendy runs up to Spike and hugs him. "You won!" Wendy is happy to see Spike. 

"I have you and our friends to thank," Spike smiles. "They were vital for ending Midnight's reign of terror." 

"Hey, Spike!" Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Gray, Erza, and every Earth Land Wizard run up to him. 

"You did it, buddy!" Natsu puts Spike on his shoulder. 

"Way to go!" Happy throws the thumbs up. 

"You were impressive," Kagura said. 

"Impressive, he was a God taking on a demon!" Gajeel said. 

"Well done, Fairy Dragon. Makarov would be proud of you," Jura said. 

"Each of you did great defeating those soldiers out there as well as Midnight's allies," Spike replies. 

"I will say, fighting King Sombra was like fighting Skiadrum except for the crystals." 

"I have bragging rights for slaying a God that turned into a demon," Orga said. 

"I slew a Storm God with Wendy helping me," Sherria said. 

"The Thunder Legion, Celestia, Pinkie Pie, and I took out Midnight's army at the mirror pool," Romeo said. 

"I am so glad I got to give Midnight Sparkle a beating," Natsu said. "Thanks for teleporting me at the right time, Spike." 

"Hey, are you okay, Shining Armor?" Princess Cadance walks up to her husband. Shining Armor is in tears. 

"I watched my Twily getting destroyed. I failed my Twily as an older brother." 

"Shining," Princess Luna walks up to him. "You've lost a sister but still have another," She refers to the Twilight that came from the human world. "You can still be a brother." 

"I know... It's just.., how am I going to explain to mom and dad about this?"

Chrysalis is glad that Midnight Sparkle is defeated but, she feels dead inside due to losing Terax at the hand of that demon. A medical clone comes up to Chrysalis, with Terax waking up. 

"Mommy?" Terax yawns. 

"Terax!" Chrysalis turns to the medical clone. She sees Terax fully restored and has no scar on his eye. "Terax!" 

"Mommy!" Terax flies into her mother's arms. He cries in happiness while feeling Chrysalis' heartbeat. 

Chrysalis cries in happiness while holding her son. She smiles and looks at the medical clone. "Thank you." 

"I love you, Mommy!"

"I love you too, Terax," Chrysalis kisses her son's head. 

While Spike celebrates their victory, every creature approaches Spike. They invite his friends to have a celebrational meal at the Crystal Castle.
> Celebration at the Crystal Empire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike is with his friends, sitting in the dining room at the Crystal Castle; Ember, Gilda, Thorax, Prince Rutherford, Chrysalis, Terax, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, many Crystal Ponies are sitting in the dining room as well. 

Ember is happy to see Spike but knows to refrain from revealing her love for him; Thorax is happy seeing his friend back; Princess Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor walk into the dining room. 

"Earth Land Wizards, we thank you for the great help you provided," Princess Cadance says with gratitude. 

"Also, thanks for answering our distress call," Princess Luna said. 

"Distress call?" Everyone is puzzled by Luna's statement. "What distress call?"  

"Since Discord has relinquished his memory of finding Earth Land through his Chaos Magic, it took us days to send a distress signal to alert you of what transpired," Princess Luna explains. 

"Spike, there is something you need to know about," Shining Armor said. 

"What is it?" Spike turns to look at him. 

"Well, you see-" Shining Armor is interrupted by Discord teleporting into the dining room with Fluttershy, Flurry Heart, Spike (dog), and Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"I can explain that," Discord said. 

"HEY! TWILIGHT HAS RESURRECTED HERSELF! AFTER HER!" Natsu and Gray spring into action when Discord snaps his claw. The two crash into a brick wall. "OW!" Natsu and Gray rub their heads. 

"Explain to us about this Twilight!" Erza draws her sword, readying herself to strike her. 

Spike (dog) hugs Twilight. He's a bit scared which Erza withdraws her sword. 

"These two come from the human world of Equestria that is well.., doomed," Discord says. 

"How so?" Erza asks Discord. 

"Kinda like a zombie apocalypse kind-of doom. They are the survivors of that world." 

"Look, I'm nothing like the other Twilight. I care about my Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) wraps her hoof around her Spike. "I will never be like her." 

Erza reads her eyes. "She's telling the truth," Erza sits down. 

"Crazy," Lucy said. She imagines the horrors of the doomed world.  

"So, how were you able to send those distress calls?" Spike the Fairy asks. 

"Through your dreams," Discord answers. "Princess Luna and I combined our magic to search for your world and to alter your dreams." 

"Through me," Spike (dog) said. "I suffered the nightmares, and it was too much. It was worth it watching you fight out there on tv." 

"Thank you for ending Midnight Sparkle's reign, Spike," Discord said. "She killed a few clones of mine and, I was weak because of it." 

Natsu and Gray get up and go back to their seats. Ember gets up and taps on Spike the Fairy's shoulder. 

"I need to speak with you in private." 

"Okay, Ember," Spike the Fairy goes with Ember to a different room in the Crystal Castle. 

As the two go into a different room, Discord uses his chaos magic to summon food on the dining table. Wendy wonders what Ember has to say.  Wendy and Carla follow closely to eavesdrop on their conversation. 

"I'm happy to see you, Spike. I missed you after all this time," Ember turns to Spike. "Did you miss me?" 

"Sure, as a friend. I did miss some friends of mine while I was living my life in Earth Land." 

"Speaking of Earth Land, there's something I need to speak to you about." 

"What is it, Ember?" 

"Starswirl the Bearded deciphered ancient scriptings and hieroglyphics within the Dragon Lands. We learned that all of us dragons are descendants from Earth Land."  

"I figured you would tell me that since, well, I discovered the truth after meeting my Uncle." 

"Your Uncle? Who's your Uncle?" Ember is perplexed. 

"Zirconis the Jade Dragon, he's my Uncle. Speaking of which," Spike takes a deep breath. "There is something I want to ask of you." 

"What is it?" 

"I would like the dragons to come back home to Earth Land. It's where they originated from." 

Ember shakes her head. "I cannot allow my dragons to go back to Earth Land, Spike. As Empress, I decided to protect the dragons from Acnologia. I refuse to go to Earth Land. This world is our home, and it'll be hard for every dragon to leave; especially, with the friends we have and made."

Spike nods in understanding. "I respect that and your decision. Just know that after today, you'll never see me again." 

"Huh?" Ember is confused. "You have a magic card that allows you to travel to Equestria and Earth Land anytime you like." 

"I do. However, Earth Land is my home. My friends and family are there. There's a new Spike and Twilight that'll be the perfect replacements. Midnight Sparkle is obliterated, and I am Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. I belong in Earth Land." 

"I understand," Ember hugs Spike. "I'll never forget the good you've done for me. Now there's something I need to ask of you." 

"What is it, Ember?" 

"I'm sure with Zirconis telling you what has happened to the dragon eggs, we lost our ability to use magic. Only a clan member of the Energy Maker Family can restore our magic power." 

"Okay, I'll restore the magic within every dragon." 

"Thank you, and," Ember blushes a bit. "I want to create a dragon guild in honor of Fairy Tail. We'll be calling ourselves Dragon Tail." 

"Sounds good," Spike chuckles a bit. "Hand me your scepter." 

Ember hands Spike the Dragon Scepter. Spike takes hold of the Dragon Scepter and focuses his magic power. The jewel of the Dragon Scepter turns from red to jade. 

"What did you do?" Ember asks. 

"When you touch a dragon with the scepter, magic power will flow within the dragon." 

"Thank you, Spike," Ember smiles. 

"Let's go back to the dining room," Spike suggests. 

Wendy and Carla go back to the dining room after eavesdropping on the conversation. They see Princess Celestia arriving with the Pillars, Unity Seven, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and the Dazzlings.  

"Man, I can't believe we missed out," Gallus said. 

"I know, right? Instead, we chose to stick with the Pillars and our friends to guard the library while Starswirl erases all his hypotheses on time magic, and his scrolls of that would have been beneficial to Midnight Sparkle," Smolder said. 

"It was vital as I've documented many artifacts that Midnight would have been invested with, especially Grogar's Bell. The one artifact that could render the Crystal Heart powerless," Starswirl said. "Also, what if Midnight would have sent her army at Canterlot? Our forces wouldn't put a dent in it, according to the Princess." 

"Oh my gosh! Fairy Tail! Sabertooth! Mermaid Heel! Lamia Scale!" Yona shouts excitedly. 

"Wow, you guys are awesome!" Ocellus couldn't contain her excitement. 

"I love, love how you guys were winning the Grand Magic Games!" Silverstream smiles widely. 

"Hey, how did you guys know about that?" Romeo asks. 

"Well, I put my claw on Spike's head and took all the memories he had when he first arrived in Earth Land. Then, I showed it to every creature. Everyone here knows what Spike endured leading up to the night we say our farewells."

"The adventures you went through are so awesome!" Rainbow Dash admits. 

"Hey," Natsu starts sniffing. 

"What's wrong, buddy?" Happy asks Natsu. 

"I smell Atlas Flame in here, Happy," Natsu goes up to Smolder. 

"What are you doing?" Smolder is confused. 

"No way! You're a descendant of my Uncle, Atlas Flame!" Natsu shouts. 

"She is?" Everyone says at the table. 

"I can't believe it! She's my cousin!" Natsu laughs. 

"Cousin?!" Smolder is in shock. Natsu hugs his cousin. "So glad to meet another member of the family!" 

Spike returns with Ember. Everyone eats, drinks, and talks to each other; Sharing stories about what happened after the Grand Magic Games. Spike the Fairy learns that every creature is united and learns more about what happened to the counterparts of the human world. 

After having a meal, Earth Land Wizards were given a tour around the Crystal Empire. Many Crystal Ponies and creatures that fought wave at the Earth Landers. Lucy sees the Spike Statue and now knows it's legitimate. 

Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance smile, but it fades away. There is a glaring problem that the Crystal Empire has. It no longer has the Crystal Heart. 

After an hour of the tour and every creature giving praise, the Princesses confronts Spike the Fairy. 

"Hello, Spike," Princess Cadance speaks formally. Shining Armor stands next to her. 

"Cadance," Spike looks up at her; He's still a Crystal Dragon. "I have something for you." 

"What is it, Spike?" Shining Armor is eager to know. 

Spike concentrates on his magic power. He extends his arm while his body stops shining like a crystal. The Crystal Heart materializes in Spike's claw. A Sparkling Green Flame ignites the core of the Crystal Heart.

"The Crystal Heart!" Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are amazed to see the Crystal Heart restored without the usage of Sunburst's knowledge. 

"I no longer need the Crystal Heart's power. The Crystal Empire can't survive without the Crystal Heart as its sole protector. Love and unity that binds it together."

"Thank you," Shining Armor takes the Crystal Heart. He places the Crystal Heart back in the center, and it glows. Everyone turns into a Crystal self. 

"Whoa," Laxus is surprised. 

"Wow! This is awesome!" Lisanna said. 

"Watch this, Happy! Fire Dragon Roooooooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at the sky. His flames are fire-infused crystals. Happy claps at the sight of Natsu's flames. 

"Hmm, I won't forget this moment," Jura said. His bald head is shining. 

"I'm sparkling in love," Sherria said. 

"So, this is what happens when love and unity come together?" Carla asks. 

"Within the Crystal Empire, yes," A Crystal Pony answers Carla's question. 

"The empire is pretty and beautiful," Wendy said. 

"I will remember this place," Rufus said. 

Everyone is having a fun time complimenting each other on their crystal forms for a bit. The fun continues with dancing and singing with every creature. Some didn't dance and sing but watched. Pinkie Pie used her party cannon and throws the largest party ever to continue the celebration, knowing this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

It's 7:30 at night. It's time to say farewell. 

"Remember to practice your power and flames," Natsu said, patting Smolder. 

"I will, cuz. I'll see you another day, right?" 

"Someday," Natsu laughs. 

"Yona like Elfman! Yona has pride like Elfman!" 

"Prideful like a real man!" Elfman shouts. Yona gasps and faints. She got to hear Elfman's catchphrase. 

"You take care now," Lucy said to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. 

"We will. We won't allow anyone crazy going to your world seeking power," Rainbow said. 

"Behave, little one," Erza refers to Terax. "Listen to your mother." 

"I will," Terax is on Chrysalis' head. 

"You did well against Midnight Sparkle, Chrysalis." 

"Thanks," Chrysalis smiles at Erza. "I hope you're good with your family." 

"My friends are my family. I'm always good with them, so no need to worry." 

"Thanks for saving our butts," Grubber said to Frosch and Lector. 

"Anytime. It's what we do in Sabertooth. Beating bad guys and saving lives," Lector said. 

"Even though after saving us, you went into hiding?" Tempest stares down at Lector. 

Lector nervously chuckles. Sting picks him up. "It's not wise to provoke a dragon from messing with a friend." 

"It was an honor working with you, Celestia," Freed said. 

"Likewise," Princess Celestia bows in respect for Freed and the Thunder Legion.  

"Hey, Spike. Can I talk to you?" Spike the Fairy asks. 

"Sure," Spike (dog) walks away from his Twilight to have a private discussion with his counterpart. "What's on your mind?" 

"I want to pass the torch to you," Spike the Fairy places his claw on Spike and awakens the magic within him. "The Crystal Empire is going to need a new Brave and Glorious." 

"Wait, what kind of power will I have?" 

"Energy Maker Magic. Allow your creativity to be your guide when using your magic. I would also advise you to learn magic with your Twilight." 

"I will," Spike (dog) nods. "Thank you for unlocking the magic within me." 

"You're welcome," Spike the Fairy flaps his wings and flies towards his friends. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) approaches her Spike. She smiles at him knowing greatness awaits. 

Thorax flies up to Spike to have a quick chat with him. "Hey, buddy. I'm going to miss you. I want to say thank you for everything." 

"I'll miss you as well, my friend. Please, watch out for those two," Spike the Fairy points at Twilight, hugging her Spike. 

"I will. I'll be the closest friends with the two of them." 

"Thank you, Thorax," Spike the Fairy does a hoof-bump with Thorax. 

"Anytime, my friend," Thorax watches his friend fly back to his friends. 

Spike lands next to Wendy, Carla, and Natsu. He turns to his friends and holds the magic card. "Everyone ready?"  

"Yea, this trip was fun, and fighting Midnight was great and all. Now, it's time to resume our training! Right, Happy?" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy replies. 

"Yea, who knows how much time Earth Land has gone by with us being here for nearly a whole day," Panther Lily said. 

"Training with Fairy Dragon now that his nightmares are away will be better than before. I'm looking forward to a real rematch, bro," Gajeel smirks. 

"You got it, and I won't be holding back," Spike the Fairy replies. 

"Bye, everyone! You take care," Wendy said. 

"Be safe and continue to grow strong!" Lisanna said. 

"We will!" Silverstream waves at them. 

"We'll handle anything in our world for now on," Gallus said. 

"We will do it together," Adagio said, holding Gallus' claw. 

Spike the Fairy takes out his magic card and blows on it, creating the portal back to Earth Land. Every Wizard says their byes and steps into the portal. Spike the Fairy is the last to enter the portal and smiles. 

Twilight has her Spike on her back. Spike has an announcement to make. 

"Fairy Dragon has passed the torch to me. Princess Cadance, I'm taking the role as the Brave and Glorious of the Crystal Empire!" 

Every Crystal Pony cheers loudly. They'll remember tales of the first and now, see what will go one with the second. Pinkie Pie calls for another celebration and prepares an honorary party for the new Brave and Glorious Spike. Twilight is still thinking about Princess Celestia's proposal.
> Back in Earth Land
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The portal ride to Earth Land is much quicker than going to Equestria. The ride lasts for ten minutes. Everyone arrives back at the campsite where Spike, Wendy Erza, Lucy, Carla, Romeo, Gajeel, and Panther Lily slept. The weather in the East Forest is cloudy.  

"So, any ideas as to how long we were gone?" Natsu asks. 

"I'll be back," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to Magnolia and back with a newspaper. "We've been gone for half a day." 

"Half a day?!" Everyone said in shock. They thought the time spent in Equestria would be longer than that. 

"That's good. We have more time to train! Let's get back at it, Happy!" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy grabs Natsu and takes off. 

"Back to training," Laxus said. He and the Thunder Legion leaves. "See you guys at the guildhall soon." 

"We should get back to work with our training, Gray," Juvia turns to him. 

Gray rolls his eyes. "Fine. See you around, guys," Gray walks with Juvia back to their campsite where they were training. 

"Mind teleporting us to our guildhalls?" Sting asks. 

"Yea," Spike nods. "Thank you for coming with me to Equestria and stopping Midnight from destroying us all." 

"Anytime, Spike," Jura said. 

"Sabertooth got your back," Sting said. 

"Guess we're even," Sherria said. She's still grateful to Spike for helping her defeat her mother, Cherry Blendy, during the small coalition. 

"Even," Spike nods. 

"Hey, I hope to see you sometime during the year, Spike," Kagura said. "I would like to spend more time with my brother than fighting the enemy." 

"Don't worry, you will," Spike hugs Kagura. 

"Swing by the guild if you need some work," Lyon said. 

"Same goes for Sabertooth if you need some Jewels," Minerva said. 

"You're more than welcome to cook for Mermaid Heel, and we can do another meet and greet event," Kagura said. 

"I'll keep those in mind. Thank you all," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Lyon, Sherria, and Jura back to the Lamia Scale Guildhall. Kagura back to Mermaid Heel's Guildhall. Sting, Rogue, Rufus, Orga, Minerva, Yukino, Lector, and Frosch back to the Sabertooth Guildhall. 

"So, what now, Spike?" Panther Lily asks. 

"We continue with our training. To get stronger together as friends and family. We stopped another threat from rising. We need to be ready for anyone else that poses a threat." 

"Loud and clear, Fairy Dragon! Lily! Let's go!" Gajeel gets excited. 

"Right!" Panther Lily goes with Gajeel to train. 

"I'll have Capricorn help me with my training," Lucy said. 

"Let's go, Ms.Lucy," Capricorn appears, startling Lucy in the process. 

"Hey Wendy, want to train with me?" Romeo asks. 

"Sure. Carla, you coming?" Wendy asks. 

"Yes, child. I want to improve and be more useful," During the time Carla was at the Crystal Empire, she hid and helped some creatures get to the medical clones. She wanted to be strong and brave like Wendy and fight alongside her. She promises to improve on her magic and perhaps have a battle form of her own like Panther Lily. 

"Hey, hope you don't mind that we stay to train with you guys," Mirajane said. 

"Not at all. Elfman, I'll teleport you to your home, and you bring the camping gear here." 

"Thanks, Spike. You're a real man for that." 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Elfman back home so he can grab his family's camping gear. 

"Erza, up for a little sparring session?" Mirajane turns into her Satan Soul. 

"I thought you'll never ask," Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. 

"Hey, Spike," Lisanna walks up to him. "You want to train with me?" 

"Sure. Just don't go easy on me. I want to test your limit."  

"You got it," Lisanna transforms into her cat form. 

For three hours, everyone trained hard with each other; Improving on their strengths and magic power, formulating battle strategies for any possible enemy, complimenting each other, and putting the blood, sweat, and tears into it. 

Elfman makes it back to the campsite and pitches his tent for him and his sisters. He also brought fresh supplies of food and drinks. He sees everyone going and decides to get into the fray with Spike and Lisanna. The two didn't mind and continued their training as friends would. 

After another hour of training, everyone returns to the campsite. Mirajane and Lisanna wanted to cook something delicious for everyone. Spike decides to go fishing. Wendy and Panther Lily follow Spike to fish. 

Spike is by the river with Wendy and Panther Lily. Spike claps his claws to create a metallic fishing rod. Panther Lily gets in the water with his sword and tries stabbing any fish he sees. Wendy sits next to Spike. She wants to be closer to him than ever now that he conquered his demon. 

Spike reels in some fishes while Panther Lily stabs a few with his sword. Wendy uses her Sky Magic to try and capture some fish. However, she winded up blowing some Vulcans away. They had the intention of stealing their fish. Panther Lily, Spike, and Wendy have a good laugh and return to camp. 

"We got some fish to add to the menu!" Wendy shouts. 

"I'll be cooking it for everyone, my treat," Spike said. 

"Now that I have to try!" Elfman said. It's been a while since he had Spike's cooking. 

"Sounds good," Erza said. 

"Wendy!" Sherria shouts. She has her camping gear with her. 

"Sherria! What are you doing here?" Wendy is happy to see Sherria again. 

"Well, I talked it over with the Old Hag that I need to train harder, and she approved. So, hope you don't mind if I crash with you guys." 

"I'll allow it. You are an honorary member of our youth squad," Spike said. 

"Thank you, Master Spike!" Sherria said with love. 

Spike chuckles. "Spike will do, Sherria."

"Want some help pitching your tent?" Romeo asks Sherria. 

"Sure," Sherria smiles. She and Romeo start pitching up the new tent Sherria bought. 

Spike walks up to the campfire and grabs a frying pan. Spike starts cooking the fish he and Panther Lily brought. Gajeel and Erza bring in firewood and see Sherria. Lucy explains that she'll be joining them in training for the next while. Lucy also mentions she's an honorary member of the Fairy Tail Youth Squad. 

It's now 7:30 at night. Mirajane and Lisanna made rice and curry; Spike finished making fish. The aroma of fresh food is heavenly. Sherria and Wendy set up the table Elfman brought. Erza and Lucy place chairs around the table. Romeo and Lisanna bring the drinks to the table. 

"Dinner's ready!" Mirajane announces. 

"Finally," Sherria goes to the table and sits next to Wendy.  

"Fairy Dragon, tomorrow, we're training. I want that rematch!" Gajeel said. 

"Sure. I'll be glad to grant you that. Wendy, you want to partake in it?" 

"Yea. We were interrupted by those nightmares. It's only fair we pick up where we left off," Wendy said. She's saving a seat for Spike. 

"Sherria," Romeo sits at the table. "Want to train with me?" 

"Yea. Gotta train with a member of the Fairy Youth Squad." 

"Awesome!" Romeo gets excited. He sits across from Sherria. 

Spike, Mirajane, and Lisanna give the plates of food to Elfman and Erza to put on the table while everyone else grabs their seats. Spike sits with Wendy and Lucy, Lisanna sits with Elfman and Mirajane, Mirajane sits with Elfman and Erza.  

"Thanks for the food," Lucy said. 

"We hope you enjoy it," Spike, Mirajane, and Lisanna said. 

"Knowing Fairy Dragon, the food is a win," Gajeel starts eating. 

"I'll say. Spike's cooking with Kagura on Serpent's Fang was on point," Romeo said. 

"Still, I can't believe that demon was Twilight Sparkle," Sherria remembers seeing her at the Grand Magic Games, how she tried to erase Spike's mind during the games. 

Spike sighs heavily. "It makes me sad. I had many good memories of her when I was growing up. How she would play with me after doing her homework and bring me along to tea parties with Princess Celestia. She would not leave me..," Spike sheds a tear. "Oh.., how times changed..." 

"What was the pivotal moment she changed?" Sherria asks. 

"When Twilight focused on her studies and impressing Princess Celestia. I wanted to help her, and I did. I enjoyed my time and when we moved to Ponyville. That all changed. Twilight made friends with Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. Twilight's task with Princess Celestia was to learn what friendship is about." 

"So, if Twilight and you never moved to Ponyville..," Mirajane puts it together. 

"We wouldn't have Fairy Dragon..," Gajeel said in shock. 

"Wow. A change in scenery opened up the flood gates," Panther Lily said. 

"Twilight became so focused on her friends and studied more on magic; she had little time for me. I tried to enjoy my time with her, and I did until it got worse. I would try to talk about it to Twilight, but she ignored me. I tried to accept it, and it carried on for a few more years until my breaking point." 

"Which we know from what you told us on day one," Lucy remembers the story of the abuse and abandonment like it was yesterday. 

"Yea," Spike nods. "In a way, I'm grateful for all of that to happen, and I'm grateful for the good memories I have with Twilight in the beginning part of my life." 

"That's good, Spike," Sherria said. 

"However, what Twilight did and slowly descended to insanity, that's on her. She got what she deserved, and I didn't buy into her pleas. I had to do what was right even though another piece of me died. I'm hoping to fill that void with the friends and family I have here." 

"Don't worry. We'll fill that void," Lucy reassuringly says.  

"You got that right!" Elfman proudly proclaims. 

"I'll fill that void with my love for you, Spike," Wendy said. She kisses Spike's cheek. Spike smiles at the kiss. 

"Yea, we'll help you forget your demon," Panther Lily said.  

"Agreed," Romeo said. 

"I promise you all. I won't be like Spike Knightwalker now that I destroyed Midnight Sparkle." 

"Who's Spike Knightwalker again?" Sherria asks. 

"I can tell you the horrors of who he is, Sherria," Lisanna said. 

Lisanna does so. She explains her time in Edolas while escaping close calls from Spike Knightwalker. Everyone eats their food while hearing the tales Lisanna spoke. Sherria is in shock after learning about the mass murder of wizards Spike Knightwalker claimed and how sadistic he was. Spike explains his side about Spike Knightwalker and the fights. Lisanna said that Spike saved her from Spike Knightwalker. 

"Wow," Sherria is appalled about hearing the guild Spike Knightwalker wiped out. The Celestials. 

"Spike Knightwalker killed Edolas version of Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Princess Celestia and Luna." 

"I can only imagine the horror when you heard Chapati announced the replacement guild for Raven Tail." 

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack. What was worse was that Fairy Rage sensed a member of the guild that would come for me." 

"Twilight Sparkle," Sherria said. 

"Yea," Spike nods. 

"Each of us knew who the Celestials were, and well, we felt wrathful for what they were trying to do," Erza admits. 

"That explains why Lucy and Juvia went after Rainbow Dash." 

"Yea," Lucy nods. "We wanted to teach her a lesson for crudely pranking Spike and mocking him out of disgrace." 

"So, I have a question to ask of you, Spike. Do you plan on going back to Equestria someday?" Sherria asks. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "No. Equestria is no longer my home. Earth Land is. I plan on staying here for all the days of my life. Also, I'm planning on repopulating Earth Land with dragons. I made that promise, and I will have my children be part of magic guilds. Co-exist with humans and not become vile dragons, hellbent on bringing destruction." 

Spike takes out his magic card and shreds it. Wendy holds Spike's claw; She can wait many years until they start having that family. 

It's now 10:30 at night. Spike lays on the grass, looking at the stars. His friends are asleep except for one that comes out of the tent. Erza lays on the grass next to Spike.  

"Hey," Erza said. 

"Hey, Sis," Spike replies. 

"You okay, Spike?" Erza asks. 

"I'm better, Sis. I don't have any regrets about ripping the magic card. I'm home," Spike smiles. 

"Good," Erza smiles. "I'm glad to have you with Fairy Tail," Erza remembers stepping in the guildhall with Gray and Master Makarov. Lucy tells her that Natsu found a baby dragon and brought it to the guildhall. 

"I'm glad that my wish brought me here," Spike smiles. He remembers the night he had with Discord. Discord listened to what he said before granting his wish. 

"So, what are you thinking about?" Erza asks. 

"A lot, to be honest." 

"Like what?" 

"What's next for Fairy Tail after rebuilding the guildhall. What to do within the year of training with my friends and doing some work for the other guilds. Taking Wendy on another date and much more. Building my bonds with my friends, I consider as family." 

"Hmm," Erza smiles. "That is a lot. I have to say thank you for saving the guild, Spike. Your love for Fairy Tail kept us together." 

"You're welcome, Sis. The truth is, I can't be Fairy Dragon if there is no Fairy Tail." 

Erza chuckles. "True. Also, thanks for your help throughout the timespan you have with Fairy Tail. You helped us in more ways we can count," Erza remembers the conversation that led them to have a brother-sister-type relationship. The time when the two fought the enemies and hugged. 

"I was doing my part, Sis. As a brother of the Fairy Tail Guild," Spike remembers the picnic he had with Wendy, Carla, and Cana after retrieving the clock piece, the training the two had before learning about the Grand Magic Games, the time they shared cake, laugh, and have fun partying in the guild.  

"Thank you for being my sister, Erza," Spike smiles. 

"Thank you for being my brother, Spike," Erza smiles. 

Spike and Erza hug. The two remember the good times they shared thus far and look forward to the many good times they'll experience together as siblings would. Spike yawns. Erza suggests now it'll be a good time to sleep. Spike looks at the night sky one more time. 

"Sis, look!" Spike points at the constellation. 

Erza looks up. "No way," Erza and Spike see the Fairy Tail Emblem as a constellation. 

"Did you do that, Discord and Princess Luna?" Spike asks. 

"I'm sure they did as a thank you," Erza smiles. Another moment she gets to share with Spike as siblings. A moment she and Spike won't forget.

Spike and Erza go into the tent and get in their sleeping bags. They say goodnight and drift to sleep.
> Making a Decision
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been three days since the downfall of Demon's Tail. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is reading a magic book while her son Spike flies around the room with energy wings he made for a test trial. 

"Twilight! My magic is awesome!" Spike is excited about energy wings to fly like a real dragon. He disperses his energy wings. 

"I'm glad, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. She uses her magic to turn an apple into a pear. "Hey, Spike. I think I made my decision." 

"You're going to accept Princess Celestia's proposal?" Spike asks. He lands next to Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Yes," Twilight (Sci-Twi) nods. She starts writing a letter to Princess Celestia after thinking long and hard about it. She wants to improve her magic power and do something special with Spike as mother and son. 

Starlight walks into the library to check on her friends. She sent the notifications to every student to return now that an evil tyrant is gone for good.

"Hey, you two," Starlight smiles. 

"Hey, Starlight," Twilight (Sci-Twi) uses her magic to teleport the letter to Princess Celestia. 

"How are you, Twilight? What about you, Spike?" 

"I'm good. I'm practicing to be an Energy Maker Dragon as Spike the Fairy is, using my creativity as my weapon. I am taking the mantle as Brave and Glorious so, I need to be ready for anything when they call for me." 

"I've decided to take on Celestia's proposal to become her student. However, there are foundations I want to discuss, so history doesn't repeat itself." 

"Good. We don't need another Midnight terrorizing us." 

"Yea," Twilight (Sci-Twi) nods. "I'll have Spike involved with what I do with my friends and teach him what Celestia will be teaching me." 

"Good," Starlight smiles. "The School of Friendship will be reopening next week. I can't wait to have classes resume and every creature building their bonds." 

"Trixie can't wait as well. We have much to perform for our students to engage," Trixie puts an arm on Starlight's shoulder.

"Starlight!" Sweetie Belle enters the Castle of Friendship. Starlight leaves the library to approach Sweetie Belle. 

"So, what did your parents say?" Starlight asks. 

"I have permission to live in the Castle of Friendship since.., well..," Sweetie Belle sadly sighs. 

Starlight puts an arm on Sweetie Belle's back. "I know. That Rarity got shipped." 

"I still can't believe she became a loony," Sweetie Belle thought Rarity would be more strong-willed and determined to leave Spike be. "I miss Rarity." 

"I understand. Give it time, and your sister will come out of it," Starlight reassuringly says. 

"Thanks," Sweetie Belle smiles a bit. Starlight takes her to a spare room in the castle. 

A letter from Princess Celestia appears in front of Twilight (Sci-Twi). Twilight uses her magic and reads the letter. 

"So, what did Princess Celestia say, Twilight?" Spike asks. 

"She's coming to the castle to negotiate the proposal thoroughly. Princess Celestia will arrive in an hour, Spike."  

"That's fantastic, Twilight!" 

"It is, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) pulls Spike to hug him. "We will grow stronger together." 

"That we will!" Spike is excited. 

Chrysalis and Terax arrive at the Castle of Friendship. Chrysalis knocks on the door. 

"I got it!" Spike ignites his energy wings and flies to the door. He opens it." 

"Hi, Spike!" Terax waves his hoof from Chrysalis' head. 

"Hey, Buddy, come on in," Spike allows Chrysalis and Terax to enter the castle. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) trots to the castle doors to see Chrysalis and Terax. "Hey, you two." 

"Hi," Terax waves at Twilight (Sci-Twi). "Ready to play, Spike?" 

"Yea, let's go," Spike and Terax fly to the playroom of the castle. 

"So, how's it going for you at the Hive, Chrysalis?" 

"Going well, Twilight. Every Changeling that didn't fight loved my new appearance. I'm grateful that the Crystal Heart helped me change. I wished I was the one that defeated Midnight Sparkle for what she did to my son." 

"I know the feeling. The other Sunset Shimmer held my son captive and wanted to play a cruel game. Do you have nightmares about it?" 

"Sometimes," Chrysalis admits. "What makes me cope is seeing my son every time I wake up. He's given me purpose again." 

"I hear you," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. "Spike is the reason why I have my sanity. I love him dearly, and after hearing and seeing what my counterpart has done, I refused to be anything like her." 

"Good. I refuse to be the old me," Chrysalis said. "I'm grateful to have a friend like you." 

"Wanna have some tea and cakes?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) offers. 

"Sure," Chrysalis follows Twilight (Sci-Twi) to the kitchen. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) brews some tea and puts teacakes on the table. Chrysalis sits at the table. She sees Terax and Spike playing tag as they fly around. She smiles while watching the two get along. Starlight enters the kitchen with Sweetie Belle. The two see Chrysalis sitting at the table.

"Hey, Chrysalis," Sweetie Belle sits at the table. 

"Hello, Sweetie Belle. Greetings, Starlight Glimmer." 

"Nice to see you, Chrysalis. I reckon things are getting better at the Hive?"

"Yes, Starlight. I'm engaging more with the Changelings than during my time as Queen. I'm enjoying more within the Hive and watching my son grow." 

"That's fantastic, Chrysalis," Starlight smiles. "My proposal for you still stands if you want to enroll at the School of Friendship." 

"I'll talk to Terax to see if he wants to go. I don't want to attend and leave him behind. Not after I swore to him that I'll always be there for him." 

"Fair enough." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) brings teacakes and tea to the table. She sees Starlight and Sweetie Belle. "Hey, you two. Want some tea and teacakes?" 

"I'll have a teacake," Sweetie Belle said. 

"I could go for some tea," Starlight said. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) gives a teacake to Chrysalis and Sweetie Belle. She then gives a cup of tea to Chrysalis and Starlight. Twilight (Sci-Twi) sits at the table and talks about the future of everyone while comforting Sweetie Belle, knowing about Rarity's situation. 

Princess Celestia arrives at the castle and knocks on the door. Spike calls a timeout to answer the door from playing tag. 

"Hello, Princess Celestia." 

"Greetings, Spike," Princess Celestia smiles. "Where is Twilight?" 

"She's in the kitchen. Last I saw her. She's with Chrysalis, Starlight, and Sweetie Belle." 

The mention of Sweetie Belle's name triggers Celestia's emotions. Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. "Okay." 

"Any word on Rarity?" Spike asks. He's curious to know due to the change of demeanor in Celestia's face. 

"She's losing more of herself by the day. Talking to herself like she's having a conversation. In her mind and heart, according to my best doctors, Rarity wants you." 

"Oh," Spike was hoping for good news. "Well, uh, come on in." 

Princess Celestia enters the castle; Spike resumes the game with Terax and flies after him. Princess Celestia hears Twilight, Chrysalis, Starlight, and Sweetie Belle laughing in the kitchen. She drops her emotions and puts a big smile on her face.

"Twilight Sparkle," Princess Celestia calls her name. Twilight (Sci-Twi) turns and greets her friend. 

"Hey, Celestia. Ready to talk?" 

"Yes, my student," Princess Celestia smiles. Then it fades away when Sweetie Belle approaches her. 

"Any word on my sister?" Sweetie Belle hopes for any slight news. 

Princess Celestia slowly shakes her head. She frowns a bit. "Rarity has not gotten better since her arrival. She has become worse. Our best doctors are working on specialized procedures to get into her level of sanity to have a thorough conversation. She's still obsessed with Spike and wants a relationship with him." 

"Is there a chance I can visit my sister?" Sweetie Belle asks. 

"Not at the moment. I will inform you when you can visit Rarity. The same goes for her friends. I promise you that I'll do what I can to restore your sister's sanity. I refuse to allow another pony to go astray. I already made that mistake," Princess Celestia refers to Twilight before becoming Midnight Sparkle. 

"Thank you," Sweetie Belle hugs the Princess. Hoping it'll make her feel better about her progress.

"Tag! You're it!" Spike shouts. 

"Aw, man! You got me!" Terax shouts. 

Sweetie Belle follows the voices and asks if she can play. Spike and Terax allow Sweetie Belle to play tag with them. 

"Would you like some tea and teacakes, Celestia?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) offers some. 

"Sure," Princess Celestia goes to the table. She sits next to Starlight. "Chrysalis, how are you?" 

"I'm good, Princess. I'm enjoying my time with friends and family." 

"Good," Princess Celestia is happy to see more of Chrysalis nowadays. From once being a tyrant into a humbled mother. 

"How are things with you and your sister?" Chrysalis asks. 

"Things are well. We're embracing the new normal. Especially with Dragons now having magic power. Luna and I have been watching new footage of Spike's memories leading up to the final confrontation days ago." 

"It's cool that Spike allowed Discord to see into his memories more. We have movie night every other day at the Hive. The Changelings are creating a guild in honor of Fairy Tail." 

"The Dragons are doing that as well," Starlight said. 

"Griffons as well," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

"Every nation within the Bar of Alliance is doing it to strengthen relationships and help every creature." Princess Celestia confirms. She sips her cup of tea. "I admire the love and unity they are displaying." 

"Likewise," Chrysalis said. "Yesterday, the Changelings invited the Griffons for a get-together. It was fun." 

"Celestia," Twilight (Sci-Twi) turns to her. 

"Yes, Twilight?" 

"As your student, I will learn much from you. However, I want Spike to partake as well. I want him to be your student with me as well." 

"Granted," Princess Celestia decrees. "I refuse to allow history to repeat itself. There is something I want you to do. You can bring Spike with you if you wish." 

"What is it?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is eager to know what Princess Celestia wants her to do. 

"The Unity Seven spoke about the Treehouse of Harmony and the messager. I want you to visit and see if you have an encounter with the spirit. All you have to do is talk to the messager. Have a conversation." 

"Anything in specific?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks, wanting to be sure what to ask. 

"It'll come to you. I cannot tell you, my student." 

"Very well. Also, thank you for accepting Spike as your student." 

"It's a blunder on my end for not involving myself with Spike the Fairy when I had my chance. I refuse to make the same mistake. So, with that said and done, I'll have a schedule for you two to come to Canterlot Castle, and I'll do my best to teach the two of you about magic."  

"Will Princess Luna be involved?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"Princess Luna has her work cut out. Especially with who she'll be teaching for the next generation within Equestria." 

"Alright then. So that means Spike and I will be living in Canterlot?" 

"From time to time," Princess Celestia said. "I'll have a room set up for your and Spike's arrival."

"Thank you, Princess," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. 

"You're welcome. I better get going," Princess Celestia leaves the kitchen. 

"Have a safe trip," Chrysalis said. 

"See you next time, Princess," Starlight said. 

"Well, I have pre-planning to do when I talk with the Spirit of the Tree of Harmony," Twilight (Sci-Twi) leaves the kitchen. 

"I better get going," Chrysalis gets up. "Terax!" Chrysalis calls his name while leaving the kitchen. "It's time to go!" 

Terax, Spike, and Sweetie Belle play a board game in the corridors. They are playing Eels and Escalators. 

"Wait, Mom! I'm about to win! I have to roll the escalator dice cause if I get eels, I lose." 

"Alright, one turn," Chrysalis watches Terax rolling the dice. 

"Yes! Escalators!" Terax cheers, knowing he won. Then the dice roll on eels. 

"Eels," Spike and Sweetie Belle said. 

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Terax squeals. Sweetie Belle and Spike chuckle a bit. 

"Alright, Terax. Time to go," Chrysalis uses her magic to lift Terax. She places him on her head. 

"So, close! I was so close to winning the game!" Terax said. 

"You'll win the next one. Take care, you two," Chrysalis leaves the Castle of Friendship and flies back to the Hive. 

"Wanna play checkers, Spike?" Sweetie Belle asks. 

"Sure," Spike replies.
> Canterlot Ward
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 1

Audio Log #1: 

Princess Luna has arrived with a new patient for my care. Unicorn Number 3428, otherwise known as Ms.Rarity. According to Princess Luna, Unicorn Number 3428 has succumbed to madness and lust. We have provided a straightjacket and an anti-magic ring for Unicorn Number 3428. She will have a room to herself, and we will monitor her behavioral patterns to see where she stands in a new environment. I am Doctor Psyche, and I will help Ms.Rarity break free from her condition. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #2: 

Four hours since her arrival, Unicorn Number 3428 has awakened from her slumber. She looked around her surrounding area and tried to break free from her straightjacket. She tried to use her magic. It's common for most unicorns under my care to panic at first. However, Unicorn Number 3428 cried out Spike's name, remembering movie night with my fellow doctors and nurses. Fairy Dragon, known as Spike the Fairy, once had feelings for Ms.Rarity. However, due to Fairy Dragon's memories and testimonies from several ponies closest to Unicorn Number 3428, Ms.Rarity took advantage of Fairy Dragon's love for her gain. I, Doctor Psyche; Will have a thorough interview with Unicorn Number 3428 to see where she stands. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #2.5: 

The interview with Unicorn Number 3428 ended shortly due to the hostility Ms.Rarity has shown. Unicorn Number 3428 has attempted to bite my neck. I called reinforcements to subdue Unicorn Number 3428 with sedatives. She cried out Spike's name before passing out.

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #3: 

I'm monitoring Unicorn Number 3428 sleep pattern. She's tossing and turning, usual generic reactions with all my patients. However, camera feeds within Room 113-A have become static. I'll call a technician to change the camera during the next sleep cycle for Unicorn Number 3428. The sedatives are starting to wear out. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #4: 

Unicorn Number 3428 woke up, demanding to see Spike. All she talks about is Spike, and she wants a relationship with him. Unicorn Number 3428 fantasizes about talking to Spike and asking him to help her with chores. I requested a nurse to dress up as Spike to roleplay her fantasy. Unicorn Number 3428 viciously attacked my nurse and required some medical services. I have issued Unicorn Number 3428 to wear a muzzle at all times except for her meal sessions. May Celestia guide me with this patient. It's going to be a long, long process. 

<End of Recording>




Day 2

Audio Log #5: 

It's a start of a new day. I finished my routine with other patients and wrote executive orders to release some ponies from my care. I'm glad that I helped some ponies conquer their insanities and purify them of their obsessions. Now, I'm monitoring Unicorn Number 3428. She's fantasizing about Spike and having a thorough conversation during her breakfast meal time. My fellow Nurse, Blue Shield, has taken notes that Unicorn Number 3428 is reliving moments of her past. A common theme for my patients during isolation. Her behavior seems calm during her fantasizing. I will attempt another interview with Unicorn Number 3428 right after her breakfast. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #5.5-1 Interview: 

Doctor Psyche: "Hello, Ms.Rarity. How are you doing today?" 

Rarity: "Spike? Why do you sound so different?" 

Doctor Psyche: "I'm maturing a little. Please, tell me, how are you doing today?" 

Rarity: "Well, I'm a little tied up. My magic doesn't work. I think I have a fever or a cold of some sort. Either than that, I'm good. I'm happy to see you visiting me." 

Doctor Psyche: "Do you know where you're at?"

Rarity: "I'm home. I'm sitting on my nice soft bed. My sewing machine broke, and I have no materials to design beautiful dresses. Sweetie Belle isn't around. She's probably with her friends. Trying to find her cutie mark."

{Sounds of Doctor Psyche writing in his notebook} 

Rarity: "Spike! Are you writing what materials I need? Are you secretly writing a love letter?" Rarity sounds seductive. 

Doctor Psyche:  "I'm jotting down what's necessary. Do you have eyes on anyone else?" 

Rarity: "Well, there are a few stallions I have my eyes on; however, I'm looking at the gentlecolt I want in my life. "

{Sound of Doctor Psyche writing more notes in his notebook}

Doctor Psyche: "I may have eyes on another, Rarity." 

{Sounds of Rarity barking at Doctor Psyche. Sounds of Doctor Pysche writing more in his notebook while distancing himself}

Rarity: "I want you, Spike! We're supposed to be together forever! Never make a lady cry! Don't you know that!?" 

{Rarity is crying}

Doctor Psyche: "I just remembered, Twilight needed me to help her with some studies. I'll see you later."

{Sounds of barkings become muzzled by two nurses. Doctor Psyche is last to leave and shuts the door}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #5.5-2 Conclusion: 

My name is Blue Shield. I watched on the monitor the second interview held by Doctor Psyche. The second interview appears to be successful. Unicorn Number 3428 has viewed Doctor Pysche as Spike. The psychological view of Ms.Rarity has entered a memory stasis. She's seeing what describes, to be her room at her home. Subject recall Spike the Fairy or the new Spike that came to Equestria recently. I need a thorough examination for the state of Unicorn Number 3428. I'm hoping her mind is not meshing up with the current timeline and her past to create the fantasy she's interacting. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #6: 

It's me. Doctor Psyche. Seven hours since my interview with Ms.Rarity. I am reporting on the transition of mental brainwaves within Unicorn Number 3428. She is starting to become less hostile towards the nurses. She still cries out for Spike's name, wanting to hold onto him in her arms. For five hours now, the medicine given to her has helped her soothe her fantasies, making her see more of our reality. I'm hoping the medicine dosage will be enough for Ms.Rarity to understand the gravity of her situation and need counseling. Sometimes, the power of fantasizing has more overwhelming power when it comes to obsessions and insanity.

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #7: 

There was a setback with the medication given to Unicorn Number 3428. Ms.Rarity's brainwaves are showing an increase, thus allowing Ms.Rarity to interact more with her fantasy. Footage from the camera has shown her kissing a pillow passionately. I take full responsibility for the setback. 

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #1:

Rarity: "Oh, Spike. I love the tuxedo you are wearing."

{On the footage, the pillow Rarity has two holes punctured by her horn and a carved mouth by her horn}

Rarity: "I can't wait to go to the Gala with you tonight! Screw that Prince Blueblood fellow. I have you, Spikey-Wikey! Now, Kiss me!"

{Rarity is tongue kissing the pillow; she moans into the tongue kiss}

Rarity: "Oh, yes! Carry me, you loveable dragon!" 

{Rarity rocks back and forth on the bed. Like being carried by a small dragon. A few moments later, Rarity puts her head on the bottom of the pillow, away from the mouth carving to sleep}

<End of Video>




Day 3

Audio Log #8: 

Canterlot is in lockdown. Princess Celestia authorized the usage of her Royal Guards to secure Canterlot Ward. Princess Celestia believes Midnight Sparkle may want to recruit a fallen friend for her cause. Princess Celestia informed me that Midnight Sparkle recruited King Sombra, Storm King, Lord Tirek, and Cozy Glow; That either one would come to Canterlot Ward. I issued a statement of having Cozy Glow come to Canterlot Ward if retrieved safely. Perhaps I can understand why Cozy Glow, a young pegasus filly wants to be demented and help her change for the better. Princess Celestia told me there are no promises of the outcome. I can only hope and wait. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #8.5: 

It's me, Blue Shield. After having the Royal Guards enter Canterlot Ward, I asked two of them to follow me. They complied and followed. I took them to the door where Unicorn Number 3428 is residing. With their spears, they stand firm to guard the door with their lives. Doctor Psyche is busy with another patient so, I'm monitoring Ms.Rarity until he takes over. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #8.5-2: 

Me, again. It's been six hours since I last made an audio recording. The nurses came and fed Unicorn Number 3428. She's been giving some food to the pillow she calls Spikey-Wikey; Feeding it like a baby. I had a nurse give a different dosage for Ms.Rarity to have with her food due to the setback from last night's meal. Doctor Pysche has taken full responsibility for the mishap. However, it is I that messed up. I didn't tell him I did it on purpose to see if the brainwaves would react differently and pull Ms.Rarity back to our reality. When I pull a stunt like this, it usually works out. However, I expect my paycheck to be cut in half this week. Doctor Pysche will claim my soul for the setback. That means an earache of what not to do; I'm not looking forward to that. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #8.5-3: 

Something is screwy with the camera feed; Doctor Pysche had this problem while monitoring Unicorn Number 3428 a few days ago. The monitor is static. I may need another technician to remove the camera and replace it in Room 113-A. I received word that the lockdown is over. We won. I'm hoping Doctor Pysche gets his wish for wanting Cozy Glow. Wait.., what is that..?

{Black mist makes a whistling sound on the monitor}

I need to report this to Doctor Pysche right now. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #9: 

Sometimes, I want to kill Blue Shield for his stunts. I can't believe he authorized a different dosage for Unicorn Number 3428. Yea, I claimed his soul and cut his paycheck in half for this week. However, when he told me about the black mist he saw on the monitor, I rewind the footage to catch a glimpse of it. There are three theories I can come up with on the fly. One, the black mist is an apparition. Two, one of my unicorn patients managed to remove the anti-magic ring to use magic, a common theme within Canterlot Ward. Three, the anti-magic ring has released magic of its own and created some mist. I've seen it happen when unicorns try to overwhelm the anti-magic ring. I will be cautious if it appears again. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #10:

Princess Celestia came back to Canterlot Ward to inform me about Cozy Glow. Cozy Glow was incinerated by Midnight to gain more power for her cause. That sucks. A young filly dead by the hands of a tyrant. {Doctor Pysche sighs} Oh well, I can't cry over spilled milk. Princess Celestia asked me about the status of Ms.Rarity. I told her the truth; Princess Celestia gave me a sorrowful look. I've told the Princess that progress takes time. It's only been three days. I had many patients that took years to recover. I'm lucky to have some patients recover in less than a few months. It appears that Princess Celestia wants the Bearer of Generosity to have a speedy recovery. I'm doing all I can, and that takes time. Like the Princess with her subjects, she takes her sweet time to get to know them or at least come by to visit towns. I have many patients to attend to that need my help. 

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #2: 

{Rarity is shown to caress the pillow carving of Spike and nuzzle the side. She is kissing the left side of the face of the pillow to show affections}

Rarity: "I love you so much.., I don't care that my family and friends aren't with me..."

{Rarity sheds some tears and rubs her face with the pillow. Then with all her might, she squeals and struggles. Wanting to get out of the straightjacket. Then she stopped}

Rarity: "Hi, Twilight."

{Rarity has a genuine conversation with Twilight. Some audio is illegible}

Rarity: "What? You will give me-"

{Audio illegible}

Rarity: "Well. I don't know..."

{Small black mist appears for a moment before vanishing}

Rarity: "Why am I here?"

{Rarity looks around and struggles in her straightjacket. She squeals while calling Celestia's name}

<End of Video>




Day 4

Audio Log #11: 

I watched footage of what transpired with Unicorn Number 3428. The mist returned during my slumber. It appears that Ms.Rarity had a genuine conversation with her fantasy friend, Twilight Sparkle. Some of the dialog spoken within the footage is illegible lip-read. I believe there's a malfunction within the new camera due to the mist. During the conversation, Rarity's demeanor changed drastically. It could be the side effect of the medication given to Unicorn Number 3428. I'll have another interview with Ms.Rarity. I need to have Blue Shield to watch the footage. Hopefully, the mist can make another appearance. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #11.5-1 Interview:

Doctor Psyche: "Hello, Rarity. How are you today?"

Rarity: "Who are you?" Rarity looks confused. 

{Doctor Pysche is writing in his notebook}

Rarity: "Why am I'm here? Why am I wearing this hideous jacket!"

{Doctor Pysche writes more notes into his notebook while Rarity grunts and groans as she struggles}

Rarity: "Let me out!" She angrily shouts. 

Doctor Psyche: "What do you remember?"

Rarity: "You monster! Let me out right now!" She angrily commands. 

Doctor Psyche: "I'm no monster. I am Doctor Psyche, and I'm here to help you."

Rarity: "Release me from my bindings!" She angrily demands. 

Doctor Psyche: "I'm afraid I cannot permit that. Please, tell me. What do you remember?" 

Rarity: "If I talk, will you let me go?"

Doctor Psyche: "I will release you in due time. I promise. Now please, tell me what you remember?"

Rarity: "Well, I remember going to the Gala with Spike. We kissed, had a little fun, snuggled; Then Twilight talked to me. She wanted me to help her. I said that I couldn't cause I'm tied up, as you see, Doctor Psyche." 

Doctor Psyche: "What did Twilight want from you?" 

Rarity: "My body. Twilight wanted to use my body."

{Doctor Pysche writes what Rarity said about the offer of her body}

Doctor Psyche: "What did you say to Twilight?"

Rarity: "I told her no. All I want is Spike, and Twilight said that I'm blind. Twilight said, to join her to be with Spike. I find it repulsive since I see Spike every day. So, mind telling me why I'm here?" 

Doctor Psyche: "You're here for your sanity. You are losing yourself to obsession. Your friends and family are worried about you and want you to snap out of yourself and come to your senses."

Rarity: "My senses?! What in Celestia's name do you mean?"

{Doctor Pysche is writing more notes on his notebook}

Doctor Psyche: "You have an obsession with someone you were once close to."

Rarity: "I-I do..?" She looks confused. 

Doctor Pysche: "Yes. This young creature doesn't want anything to do with relationships."

Rarity: "Wait, you're not talking about my Spikey-Wikey, are you?" 

Doctor Psyche: "Indeed I am." 

Rarity: "That's not possible! He loves me! I love him! Who wouldn't want me?!" Rarity turns to a mirror in the room. She takes a good look at herself in the reflection. She looks like a mess. "What happened to me..?" Rarity slumps on the bed. 

{Doctor Pysche is taking more notes.}

Doctor Psyche: "What do you remember?" 

Rarity: "I remember..." Rarity sighs deeply. "My.., my..," Rarity groans at her stupidity. 

Doctor Psyche: "Take your time." 

{Ten minutes of silence during the interview}

Rarity: "It's all coming back to me, Doctor Psyche. Everything."

Doctor Psyche: "Where do you want to start?"

Rarity: "After watching Spike the Fairy's memories, I was deeply depressed about everything Spike said. How he felt about me especially calling me a bitch. I was so jealous of his love for Wendy. It should have been mine! However, I know that I screwed up. I used his emotions for me for my benefit. I did apologize to him during the week of the Grand Magic Games and hoped to be a couple. However, Wendy Marvell grabbed him and declared him hers. Wendy Marvell is lucky that I botched my chances to be with Spike after taking advantage of him for so long."

{Doctor Pysche is silent while taking notes.}

Rarity: "Then, I found out there's a new Spike and Twilight in town. I thank Celestia for a second chance to have a relationship with Spike. So, I reluctantly tried to persuade Spike into having a relationship with me. I tried kissing him, doing stuff for him, being close to him. In hindsight, what I was doing is beyond wrong because Spike is a dog, and he's much younger than Spike the Fairy."

Doctor Psyche: "Dragons do age differently than dogs." 

Rarity: "I know. However, I wasn't thinking at the time. Then I get summoned to Discord's house. When I arrived, I looked like a trainwreck. I heard this small changeling calling out for her mother, and when the changeling mentioned Spike's name, I rushed to find Spike. I inadvertently swatted the youngling away for my relentless pursuit," Rarity looks down in shame. "I came close to violating Spike when Chrysalis shot me with her magic. All I want is Spike in my life, and I allowed my obsession to take control of my sanity. I guess you can call me the Element of Greed." 

Doctor Psyche: "I won't be calling you that. You needed help to overcome your obsession with someone." 

Rarity: "I do." 

Doctor Psyche: "I'm going to keep you here a bit longer. You're sane now but, I need to see if there are no setbacks with your behavior."

Rarity: "How did I end up in a place like this?"

Doctor Psyche: "Princess Luna brought you here four days ago. She and your friends are concerned about you. I will do everything I can to help you become anew."

Rarity: "Thanks. Where is Sweetie Belle?"

Doctor Psyche: "I don't have the answer to that. I will make some calls to get an answer to you right away."

{Doctor Pysche leaves the room and shuts the door. Rarity sighs in relief. Knowing she's getting the help she needs}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #11.5-2 Conclusion: 

It's rare for any patient to snap back into reality in a few days. I figure being a Bearer of the Element allows a quicker recovery than most other ponies. I witnessed Doctor Pysche having a thorough interview while the camera didn't show any malfunction. I examined Room 113-A for any signs of the black mist. There were no sightings of the black mist present. I will take caution of its sighting until Doctor Pysche deems Rarity of being sane once more. 

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #3: 

Rarity: "Okay, so, they can't release me of my straightjacket or remove this hideous ring on my horn. I'm so bored." 

{The camera in Room 113-A is disabled from viewing what's going on. There is audio}

Rarity: "What is that-?!" 

{The camera picks up a distinct audio voice}

Rarity: "I said no! I told you I want nothing to do with-"

{Audio is low in quality}

Rarity: "No! I said no! I don't need your help! I'm getting the help already! I won't let you-"

{Sounds of gagging and gurgling}

<End of Video>




Day 5

Audio Log #12: 

Back to square one. Unicorn Number 3428 is back to being hostile towards the nurses after yesterday's interview. Video footage from yesterday is indescribable. I'm guessing the medicine had a delayed altercation since Ms.Rarity is a Bearer of the Elements of Harmony. Her eyes went from blue to red. Right now, she's struggling frantically in her straightjacket and somehow got loose. I instructed reinforcements to give Unicorn Number 3428 sedatives to tighten the straightjacket. I'll call for a technician to replace the camera in Room 113-A and to have a backup hidden camera within the room. We need to figure out what's causing the interference. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #13: 

Princess Celestia came to check on my progress. I told her that Ms.Rarity has been talking to herself and she wants Spike. A nurse needed me with another patient, so I asked Blue Shield to fill in the gaps for me. When I came back, Blue Shield was sweating nervously. Judging from the look on his face, he left something crucial about Ms.Rarity. I ask him to spill it. He forgot to mention Rarity snapping out of her fantasy during my interview. Now I have to inform Princess Celestia what Blue Shield left out. Ugh. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #14: 

I couldn't contact Princess Celestia, so I informed Princess Luna about Unicorn 3428 progress. She was eager to know how Ms.Rarity was doing. I told her everything, including the camera feeds and interruptions Blue Shield and I experienced. I told her about the black mist so starting tonight, Princess Luna will be joining Blue Shield and me to uncover what and why it is targeting Ms.Rarity's room. Until then, I'll keep my eyes on Unicorn 3428 until another patient needs me or when Princess Luna arrives. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #15: 

Unicorn 3428 has entered a state of shock and passed out. What I see is-

<End of Recording>
> Canterlot Ward 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 5

Audio Log #15.5: 

It's Blue Shield. I can't believe what I saw. It's.., 

{Auido silenced for a minute} 

It's..,

{Audio silenced for another minute}

I have to go. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #16: 

It's me. Doctor Psyche. I had to call medical services and reinforcements to subdue Unicorn Number 3428. Her mouth was dripping black ooze. I have never seen any patient of mine drooling in black ooze in my life. I've taken a sample to give to my top scientist in the Ward. Doctor Beaker. She will study and find out what the black ooze is. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #17-1 Research: 

My name is Doctor Beaker. Doctor Psyche has given me black ooze that dripped from Ms.Rarity, aka Unicorn Number 3428. I will be examining to find the truth behind the ooze. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #17-2 Research: 

So, after careful examination of the black ooze, I've discovered that the ooze is a mixture of dark and demonic particles. The magic substance is unlike anything in this world. As for the origins of its physique, it's unknown for the time being. I will need to watch the documented tapes within Room 113-A for further study. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #17-3 Research: 

After hours of watching footage within Room 113-A, the mist caught on camera is similar to King Sombra's and Rogue's shadow movement. I believe that the ooze may have come from.., Aaah!

{Beakers and test tubes shatter on the floor. Screams of Doctor Beaker are silence}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #17.5 Discovery: 

Oh, my Celestia! It's me, Blue Shield, requesting medical services pronto! Doctor Beaker is down! I repeat! Doctor Beaker is down!

{Blue Shield calls for a medical team through the radio. A medical team arrives to pick up Doctor Beaker}

When Princess Luna arrives, she needs to see this. Good thing we have a hidden camera installed in this room to see what transpired.

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #4: 

{Audio dialog illegible. Beakers and test tubes shatter while dark particles enter Doctor Beaker's nostrils. Doctor Beaker's eyes roll up before collapsing}

<End of Video>

Audio Log #17.5-2 Discovery: 

I saw the tape right after a medical team took Doctor Beaker. We're dealing with a dark entity for sure. Princess Luna will be arriving shortly. Perhaps she can figure out this dark entity. I'll have to report to Doctor Pysche right away. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #18: 

My name is Nurse Red Cross. I'm examining Doctor Beaker's body; Her eyes are similar to Unicorn Number 3428. Her eyes are red but not as red as Unicorn Number 3428. My fellow doctors have extracted the black ooze from her body and placed it in an anti-magic beaker. I have never seen black ooze move in the cylinder before. It's alive and has a nasty effect. Whatever it originated from, I predict it wants a host; Like a ghost longing for a body. Who or what we are dealing with is my question. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #19: 

Doctor Psyche: "Princess Luna will be here in an hour. Nurse Blue Shield and Nurse Red Cross informed me of what transpired after handling a different patient. I am perplexed that we could be dealing with a fallen demon. As to who it is, I only have one suggestion." 

{Doctor Psyche takes a deep breath. Nurse Blue Shield enters the room}

Nurse Blue Shield: "Doctor Psyche, Princess Luna has arrived."

Doctor Psyche: "Send her in."

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #20: 

Princess Luna: "Are you serious? Do I have to make an audio recording when there is something crucial at the moment?"

Nurse Blue Shield: "Making audio tapes helps us later down the road when anything similar or exact happens with a patient, and we'll know what to do from there. Do you have an exact memory of what to do when something happens, or do you ask for help?"

{Princess Luna groans angerly}

Doctor Psyche: "You're in my Ward, and those are my regulations. Now, you were saying?"

Princess Luna: "Right. Judging from the interview you had with Ms.Rarity and seeing glimpses of the black mist roaming in Room 113-A, I do want to say that's remnants of Midnight Sparkle or King Sombra. Only the two use that kind of magic to move in Equestria. Shadow Dragon Rogue is out of the question cause he's in Earth Land. Any chance of coming closer to Ms.Rarity?" 

Doctor Psyche: "Unicorn Number 3428 is asleep. For your results, Unicorn 3428 needs to be awake, and the sedatives injected in her were strong."

Princess Luna: "How long will that take?" 

Nurse Blue Shield: "Approximately three hours give or take." 

Princess Luna: "May I examine Doctor Beaker?"

Doctor Psyche: "Follow me."

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #21:

Princess Luna: "Oh my.., this pony.., she's.., she's.., turning..."

{Doctor Beaker is quaking on the bed, moving irregularly like a demon-possessed. Her eyes go from red to black and back to normal}

Doctor Psyche: "Are you alright?"

{The sounds of bones cracking are loud. Doctor Beaker sits up}

Doctor Beaker: "You're going to die before we do." 

{Doctor Beaker laughs and sounds like there is more than one voice coming from her. Sounds of Princess Luna igniting her horn to shoot a spell at Doctor Beaker. Whistling from the black mist leaves Doctor Beaker's body}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #21.5 Followup: 

It's me. Doctor Psyche. I have never seen multiple demons possessing one body before. I have never heard many voices speaking simultaneously in one vessel. That message: You're going to die before we do. What does that mean? Princess Luna took the cylinder of the black ooze and transported it to Princess Celestia in hopes of finding out any other hidden secrets. Unicorn Number 3428 is waking up; I'll be watching the monitor. 

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #5: 

{Princess Luna walks into Room 113-A. She's across from Ms.Rarity on the bed. The hidden camera is now active, ready to capture what the other camera cannot}

Rarity: {Growling and struggles} 

Princess Luna: "The jig is up. Come on out of there, Midnight Sparkle!" 

{Rarity rises from the bed, tilting her head at Princess Luna. She stops her squirming and smiles}

Rarity: "I am not Midnight Sparkle. We are Demon Tail." 

{Princess Luna prepares herself after hearing many voices speaking simultaneously. They seem to be stronger within Rarity}

Princess Luna: "Get out of her body, now!" 

{Rarity shoots a demonic magic beam from her horn at Princess Luna. Room 113-A explodes. Many alarms sound off in the room. The hidden camera captures Ms.Rarity turning into a dark purple with aqua blue eyes-flames. She sprouts wings. The anti-magic ring turns to ashes as well as the straightjacket. Reinforcements come to subdue Unicorn 3428, but she knocks them down. The hidden camera catches her vanishing in the smoke while Princess Luna is barely breathing} 

<End of Video>

Audio Log #22: 

It's not over. It's only the beginning.

<End of Recording>
> Second Date
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a week of intense training since returning from Equestria. Spike is outside, lying on the grass. It's 10:30 at night. Wendy comes out of the tent to check on Spike. 

"Hey, Spike," Wendy sits on the grass with Spike. 

"Hi, Wendy," Spike smiles. 

During the week, Spike and Wendy have been training with each other more and improving on their unison raid attacks. They've been getting closer together. 

"What's on your mind, Spike?" Wendy asks. 

Spike sits up. "I'm thinking about the future of the guild and us. It's been a while since we went on a date." 

"A date?" Wendy gets an idea and keeps it to herself. 

"Yea. I love being with my friends and family. However, I do want to make time for you. We've been on one date and many jobs together. As well as fighting many battles and wars." 

"You're forgetting the times we spent together alone, silly," Wendy replies. 

Spike chuckles. "Those were hangouts. The best ones I have with you." 

"Many more are coming, Spike. More memories to make," Wendy holds Spike's claw. 

"I know," Spike leans in and kisses Wendy's lips. 

Wendy and Spike hold each other while kissing each other. Their kiss is interrupted by the sounds of chips munching loudly. Wendy and Spike turn to see Sherria eating. 

"Sorry," Sherria goes back in her tent. 

Spike and Wendy sigh. They look at the night sky together. After a while, the two decide to call it a night and go to sleep. 

The next day. It's 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up and sees his friends packing up. 

"Where are you off too?" Spike asks. 

"Off to work, Fairy Dragon. Panther Lily and I need to make some Jewels. Don't worry. We'll continue our training along the way," Gajeel grabs his bag. He and Panther Lily leave. 

"Good luck, Gajeel, and Panther Lily!" Spike waves bye to them. 

"Same goes for me," Erza said. "I need to earn Jewels to sustain myself. I'm off to Mermaid Heel for a while." 

"Take care, Sis," Spike can tell it's a bit hard for Erza to leave Spike. She tries not to think about it. 

"I need to go back to Lamia Scale," Sherria leaves with her belongings. "See you next time, guys." 

"Be safe!" Wendy said. 

"I'm going to meet up with my dad. I miss him," Romeo said. "Thanks to Warren, my dad is at Hargeon." 

"If you run into Popeye, tell him I say hi," Spike said. 

"Will do," Romeo gather his belongings and leave. 

Elfman finishes taking down his tent and starts packing. Lisanna helps Elfman with packing up the other things. 

"We're going to either Lamia Scale or Sabertooth to apply for jobs since we're in the clear thanks to you," Mirajane informs Spike. 

"Have fun with the job you choose," Spike throws the thumbs up. 

"We will. Also, as you instructed, we will make room to train. If you ever want to hang with us, don't hesitate. We would love you with us." 

"Don't worry. I'll make the time. See you three around," Spike starts taking down his tent. He wants to relax a bit in Magnolia. Maybe work with Mr.Yajima at the 8-Island Restaurant again. 

Lucy is thinking about pursuing her dream to be a writer and train hard during the year. She'll go with Spike to the apartment. 

"Hey, mind if we come to the apartment with you?" Wendy and Carla ask. 

"Sure," Spike and Lucy reply. 

After packing up, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport everyone in front of the apartment. The Landlady comes by and reminds Lucy and Spike they don't have to pay rent for the rest of the year. Lucy sighs in relief. She's forgotten about not paying rent for the rest of the year. 

Spike, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla head up to the apartment; Spike throws himself on his bed. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaah, much better." 

Wendy does the same. She and Spike have a good laugh. 

"Those two are inseparable. I'm so happy for Wendy and Spike." Carla thought to herself. She's seeing how the two are growing by the day. "I miss Fairy Rage."

Lucy is taking a bath and contemplates what to do next. She wants to pursue her dream as a writer but, she doesn't want Spike to feel abandoned. A lot of mixed feelings are rushing in her head. After her bath, Wendy and Carla go in to take theirs. Lucy walks up to Spike. 

"Mind if we have a private chat?" 

"Sure," Spike wants to know what Lucy has in mind. Spike and Lucy walk into another room to have their private discussion. "What's on your mind?" 

"I'm thinking about leaving Magnolia for a while; to pursue my dream as a writer since the guildhall is no more until its due date. Also, I don't want to leave you and make you think I'm abandoning you." 

"You should go and follow your dream. I'll keep the apartment safe and sound until you come back. All I ask is during the year, we train a bit and spend some time together." 

"That's a done deal, Spike," Lucy smiles. "Thank you, Spike," Lucy hugs Spike. She starts packing up. 

"You're welcome. You've given me a place to stay when I first arrived in Magnolia." 

"It was the right thing to do since you didn't know where you'll be sleeping, Spike," Lucy replies. 

"For that, I'll always be grateful for your kindness and generosity. I wish you luck with your career as a writer. Any idea where you're heading?" 

"Crocus. I'm hoping that Jason of Sorcerer Weekly can take me in as a journalist." 

"You know, still to this day, I haven't interviewed with the guy. If he asks for a scoop, use my name." 

Lucy chuckles. "I will." 

Spike sits on the bed as Lucy continues to pack her belongings. Lucy made sure she packed everything, including extra Jewels for the ride. After a few minutes, Lucy walks up to Spike. 

"See you later, Spike," Lucy hugs him. 

"See you soon, Sis," Spike hugs back. 

Lucy leaves the apartment and informs the Landlady she'll return in a year. She's going to pursue her dream as a writer. The Landlady expects quality checks from her next year with a writer's salary. 

Wendy and Carla come out of the bathroom after taking a long-needed bath. They don't see Lucy around. 

"Spike, where's Lucy?" Carla asks. 

"She's going to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Lucy is on her way to Crocus. Lucy did promise to make time for her training and me when I visit her." 

"So, that means you have the apartment to yourself!" Wendy is excited. 

"Yea," Spike nods. "I have the apartment to myself until we rebuild the guildhall." 

"Huh, you have a year of rent-free. So, what do you have in mind?" Carla asks. 

"Well, I guess to relax and do some reading. I still have plenty of magic books to read from the Magic Library. First, it's my turn to take a bath," Spike goes to the bathroom. 

Wendy couldn't help but smile more. She starts getting dressed, which catches Carla's attention. 

"Have something in mind, Wendy?" 

"Yea," Wendy puts on a white dress and black tights. "I figure it's been a while that Spike and I been on a date. Now that he has a place of his own for a while, I might as well enjoy every opportunity I have." 

"What about training and working, Wendy? Are you going to get some jobs during the year or slack off?" 

"Oh, don't worry, Carla. I'll go on some jobs with Lamia Scale. So I can be closer to my Sky Sister, Sherria. The only thing I have to worry about is training and buying food with Spike." 

"I see you have everything planned out. So, don't worry about this date. I won't interfere. You and Spike go have fun." 

"I will," Wendy puts on her white flats. "Are you going to be fine by yourself?" 

"Well, I'll be reading some books Spike brought from the Magic Library. There could be certain magic for my liking to try and study. I want to combat and fight alongside you and Spike. The war we had against Midnight Sparkle, I was in hiding with Lector and Frosch when those infinite waves of soldiers kept coming to the Crystal Empire." 

"I get it. You don't want to feel like a burden that needs protection." 

Carla sighs. "Yes..," She lowers her head. 

"Well," Wendy puts her hand on Carla's head. "No need to fret. You'll become strong and wiser with your training. Plus, I'll be there by your side." 

"Thanks, Wendy," Carla smiles. 

"You're welcome," Wendy hugs Carla. 

Spike sighs while taking his bath. He still can't believe that Fairy Rage is gone. He hears his conscience and tries to hear Fairy Rage. 

"I can't help but say that I miss you. You were a part of me for many months and a brother to me. I wonder if there is someone you had feelings for; I could never get into your mind the way you can access my memories."

After ten minutes, Spike finish taking his bath. He steps out of the bathroom to see Wendy in a gorgeous dress. His eyes lit up like a fireworks display. 

"Hello, my Handsome Dragon," Wendy smiles. "Want to go on a date with me?" 

"Yes!" There was no hesitation with Spike's answer. 

Wendy chuckles and grabs Spike's claw. "Let's go." 

Spike and Wendy leave the apartment. Carla flies to a shelf and grabs a magic book to read. Spike and Wendy walk down the street together while people take many pictures of Spike. Spike doesn't mind, but Wendy politely asks to leave them be. The people of Magnolia respect Wendy's wish and leave the two be. 

Spike and Wendy decide to go to the Cherry Blossom Tree and sit in front. Wendy leans her head on Spike's shoulder. 

"Thanks for staying with me in the apartment. I thought you and Carla would be on your way to the Lamia Scale Guildhall." 

"I'm not leaving you, Spike. You don't wish your way out of one world of being alone to another."

"True." 

"I want to be with you. With Midnight Sparkle gone for good, you have no demons to hold you back." 

Spike smiles. "That is true. I'm grateful for the friends I have to call my family. I'm glad that after I said about a possible warning of our time in Equestria could be the difference-maker in Earth Land, everyone still came along." 

"Any regrets on ripping the magic card Discord gave you?" 

"Nope," Spike shakes his head. "There's a new Spike to take my place. He'll grow and become the protector the Crystal Empire needs. As well as battling any foe Equestria has to offer. My focus, my time, will be used here, in Earth Land. Building a foundation with you by my side." 

Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. "Carla will be with our family." 

Spike chuckles. "She'll be like an auntie or nanny for our kids." 

"Yea. Do you miss Fairy Rage, Spike?" 

"Yes. I think about Fairy Rage a lot. He was my brother that was always mindful of me and our surroundings. He would protect me and us like a brother. I wish I knew more about his feelings. I can't help but ask if there was someone he had eyes on during the time he's been around." 

"If he did, I wonder who?" 

"In another lifetime, we'll know the answer." 

"Spike," Wendy looks at his eyes. 

"Yes," Spike turns to Wendy. 

Wendy leans in to kiss Spike. Spike and Wendy hold each other as they kiss lovingly. The two embrace while rolling on the grass. Wendy pins Spike again after they finish kissing. 

"My Handsome Dragon," Wendy smiles. 

"My Marvelous Wendy," Spike smiles. 

Spike and Wendy get up and decide to go to a restaurant for brunch. They decide to go to Mr.Yajima's 8-Island Restaurant. Many people inside cheer for Spike due to their experience of tasting his cooking. 

"Hello, Spike. Hello, Wendy. Nice to see the two of you in my restaurant," Mr.Yajima is in the process of making a BLT Sandwich for a hungry customer. 

"Thanks," Spike and Wendy reply. 

"So, you two have come to work in my restaurant?" 

"Not today. Today, we're your paying customers for the brunch special," Spike said. 

Many people groan in the restaurant. Spike and Wendy sit at a table together. 

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Levy said. She's the waitress working with Mr.Yajima for the day. 

"Levy, how are you?" Wendy asks. 

"Great, working today and tomorrow before going back on my training. I assume you and Spike are on a date?" 

"Yep," Spike nods. "We'll have the brunch special." 

"Two orders of chocolate chip waffles and sweet potato fries. Coming up," Levy writes the order. "Anything to drink?" 

"Chocolate milk for me," Spike said. 

"Strawberry milk for me," Wendy said. 

"Coming up," Levy brings the order to Mr.Yajima. 

"If she's here, I wonder what Jet and Droy are doing," Spike said. 

"Probably helping Mr.Yajima cook, cleaning dishes, or taking out the trash," Wendy suggests. 

"Yea," Spike can't help but stare at Wendy. So beautiful and elegant in her eyes. 

"So, after brunch, what do you want to do, Spike?" 

"Cuddle a bit," Spike chuckles a bit. 

Wendy smirks. "Sure thing." 

Levy and Jet bring the food to Spike and Wendy's table. Spike and Wendy thank for their service and start eating. As they eat, some customers complain about the holdup of their orders. Mr.Yajima is getting overwhelmed. 

"Huh, I wonder what the fuss is about?" Wendy said. 

"Let's go find out," Spike finishes his waffle and goes to the counter. 

"Please, everyone, calm down. We're working as fast as we can," Mr.Yajima tries to calm the situation. 

Spike flies into the kitchen. "What's wrong, Mr.Yajima?" 

"Chubby here keeps eating the food!" Jet points to Droy. 

"I can't help it. I haven't eaten in three days," Droy said in tears. He's on the floor, and his uniform is dirtied and stained. 

"That's horrible," Wendy comes into the kitchen. 

"We've been in a tight situation which is why we're working," Jet explains. 

"We're trying to work our way out of the jam," Levy said. 

"Wendy, I think we may have to postpone this date of ours. Our friends need our help," Spike grabs an apron. 

"Right," Wendy goes to the locker room, knowing her uniform is there.

"I want Droy out of the kitchen. He can sweep and take out the trash," Mr.Yajima said. With the lunch hour soon arriving, he's going to need the help. 

Customers that are complaining now see Spike putting on a chef's hat. They relax and return to their seats. Mr.Yajima sighs in relief while Wendy comes out in her uniform. She takes the orders around the table while Spike cooks with Mr.Yajima. Levy and Jet bring the food to the tables and see the change in the atmosphere. With the customers now relaxed and enjoying their food, their work is going smoothly. Droy takes out the trash and sighs that he's no longer causing any disputes. 

A few hours later. Mr.Yajima decides to close his restaurant early since there is no more food to cook. Many customers came today after learning that Spike the Fairy is cooking. 

"That may have been the second busiest day working in my restaurant," Mr.Yajima starts counting the Jewels the restaurant made today. 

"I need a bath," Spike said. He cooked a lot today. 

"I need one too," Wendy went to a lot of tables and wrote so many orders, her hand is sore. 

"Thanks for stepping in. You're a lifesaver," Jet says to Spike and Wendy. 

"You're welcome," Wendy and Spike say in unison. 

"You save my ass from being roasted," Droy said. He's eating a drumstick. 

"Where did you get that?" Jet asks. 

"From a plate that someone didn't finish," Droy answers. 

"Dude," Spike and Jet cringe a bit. "Not cool." 

"Sorry, I'm hungry." 

Levy and Wendy go to the locker room to change their uniforms; Spike puts the chef hat and apron away. Mr.Yajima pays Spike, Wendy, Levy, Jet, and Droy for their servitude. Droy's eyes widen in shock. 

"Uh, this is less than what I worked, Mr.Yajima," Droy received a total of 5500 Jewels. Everyone else got 10,000 Jewels. 

"Well, considering you ate a good portion of the customers' food before it got delivered, I needed to take a cut from you to buy food for tomorrow's service. I would have had more food for the dinner special but ran out." 

"You can have my check, Droy," Spike gives his earnings to Droy. 

"Thank you, Master," Droy said in tears. 

"Master?" Mr.Yajima is confused. "You kids are telling me that Spike is the new master of Fairy Tail?" 

"Yep," Levy, Droy, Jet, and Wendy nods. 

"He saved the guild from being disbanded over a week ago," Levy explains. 

"Hmm, you'll need to confirm this with the new Magic Council arriving soon," Mr.Yajima said. 

"Who'll be the new Magic Council, Mr.Yajima?" Spike asks. 

"According to rumors I heard, the Ten Wizard Saints will become the new Magic Council." 

"Wow," Spike, Wendy, Levy, Droy, and Jet said in awe and shock. 

"It may take time for them all to come together. I want to say in a month, the new Magic Council will be established," Mr.Yajima said. 

"Alright, if that's the case then, I'll fly by and inform them about me being the Guild Master of Fairy Tail." 

"Good. So, when will you kids rebuild your guildhall?" 

"In a year. Master Spike wants us to train for the year," Jet answers Mr.Yajima's question. 

"I issued that decree cause we were hit hard without warning," Spike said. 

"Good thinking. If you want advice, you may talk to me. I can provide some wisdom and encouragement.' 

"Thank you, Mr.Yajmia. See you sometime during the week." 

"As a customer or to work?" 

"To work, Mr.Yajima. See you guys later," Spike grabs Wendy's hand and leaves together. 

"Take care," Wendy waves bye to her friends. 

Spike and Wendy walk back to the apartment. They didn't mind working together at the 8-Island Restaurant. They have many days ahead of themselves to spend time together. Ten minutes later, the two arrive at the apartment. Carla is reading a magic book about transformation magic. 

"Hey, you two. How was your date?" Carla puts the book down. 

"It was interesting," Spike answers. 

"Interesting? What happened?" Carla asks. 

"We'll tell you after our bath," Wendy replies. "Will you like to join me, Spike?" 

"It'll be my honor," Spike smirks. 

Carla gulps a bit. She hopes the two don't think of anything frisky. Wendy and Spike go to the bathroom together. 

"Don't intrude. Don't intrude." Carla repeats herself. "Fairy Rage would shutdown while Spike does his business. Why can't I?" Carla sighs. She goes back to reading her magic book. Hopefully, the magic book can help her take her mind off of Spike and Wendy's bath. 

Spike and Wendy take a long relaxing bath together and enjoy every minute of it. The two come out feeling relaxed. Carla was wearing earmuffs to help her concentrate on the magic book when Spike and Wendy took their bath. Spike and Wendy sit on the bed. Carla removes her earmuffs. Spike and Wendy tell Carla everything about their date, which results in a day working at the 8-Island Restaurant. 

"Huh, Droy was eating the food like that? How unprofessional." 

"Well, it turns out he and Team Shadow Gear are a bit tight with spending,"  Wendy said. 

"Yea. I gave Droy my earnings since Mr.Yajima deduct his for eating the food and having to close shop early." 

"That was nice of you, Spike," Carla said. 

"It's the right thing to do. I'm sure if Makarov was around, he would have done the same." 

"Or scolded Droy for eating his earnings," Carla said. 

"I see Makarov doing that. Erza as well," Wendy imagines Erza using her sword into scaring Droy to do better. 

"She would do that," Spike imagines Erza yelling and disciplining Droy for eating the customers' food. 

"So, what's the agenda for tomorrow, Spike?" Carla asks. 

"Some reading with the magic books and meditation. Something Fairy Rage and I would do on our accord." 

"Sounds good. Wendy, what are you planning to do?" 

"Go to Lamia Scale and see if I can find some work. Perhaps I get lucky and work with Sherria on a job." 

"I'm coming along with you, Wendy." 

"Sounds good. You wish to come, Spike?' 

"I'll think about it." 

"Sounds fair," Wendy said. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla hear the door knocking. Spike answers the door and sees Kagura and Erza holding each other. Wendy and Carla gasps. Erza and Kagura are tattered and bruised. 

"What happened?!" Spike helps the two inside. Erza limps towards the bed and groans in pain. 

"Hold still," Wendy uses her healing magic to help Erza's leg. 

"We were ambushed," Kagura lays on the bed that belongs to Lucy. 

"By who?" Carla asks. 

"The remaining members of the Seven Deadly Sins. They want vengeance," Kagura answers.
> Canterlot Ward 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia and the Royal Guards arrive at Canterlot Ward after hearing the building exploding and panic on the streets. Many ponies are on the ground, barely breathing. Doctor Psyche and Nurse Blue Shield come out coughing after making audio recording minutes ago. 

"Doctor Psyche!" Princess Celestia lands in front of him and Nurse Blue Shield. "What happened?"

"Unicorn Number 3428 is possessed," Doctor Psyche removes his glasses to wipe the dust off. 

"Midnight Sparkle and her guild known as Demon Tail possessed Ms.Rarity," Nurse Blue Shield says. 

"WHAT?!" Princess Celestia shouts. "I thought Spike the Fairy obliterated her as Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon!" The Royal Guards go in the ward to help any pony injured. 

"Apparently, not," Doctor Psyche said. 

"Princess Luna needs medical service. Demon Tail attacked Princess Luna in Room 113-A," Nurse Blue Shield said. 

Princess Celestia gallops to Room 113-A to see her sister. When she arrives, Princess Luna struggles to get up. 

"Luna," Princess Celestia helps Luna up. 

"Sister, we have a situation at hoof," Princess Luna coughs. 

"I know. Doctor Psyche told me what happened. So did Nurse Blue Shield." 

Royal Soldiers arrive with a medical team to take Princess Luna to the infirmary. Princess Celestia commands to see all the footage that led to Demon Tail possessing Rarity's body. 

Audio Log #23:

Doctor Psyche: "Alright, I'm allowing Princess Celestia to view the footage about the black mist-" 

Princess Celestia: "Will you cut that out!"

{Princess Celestia swats the audio tape}

<End of Recording>

"Seriously. Do you have to make an audio recording as I'm watching the footage?" Princess Celestia is watching the tapes of Day 3 in Canterlot Ward. 

"This is my domain, Princess. I make audio logs for a reason. Also, I've been doing this for twenty years. Can't quit an old habit of mine." 

Princess Celestia rolls her eyes and watches the tapes. She tries hearing the audio. "Why can't I hear the discussion Rarity has with the mist?" 

"Camera glitched out and had to be replaced. You're more than welcome to find someone to decipher what the audio said." 

"Don't worry. I know who to call about this," Princess Celestia writes a letter and teleports it to Discord for help. 

Within the moment, a clone of Discord appears with the letter. "Discord can't help you right now. Discord is preparing methods of teaching when the School of Friendship opens next week." 

"Can you help to decipher the audio clips or not?" 

"Take it easy, Celestia. Why the long face?" 

Princess Celestia gets in front of the clone's face. "I am in no mood for jokes! My sister is badly hurt because Demon Tail possessed Rarity and struck my sister," Princess Celestia seriously states, causing the clone to sweat. 

"Okay, okay, cool it," The clone blows a fan in front of Celestia to cool off. "Look, I just need a few minutes to retract lost footage and audio the cameras couldn't pick up." 

The clone of Discord sits on a chair and rewinds the tape to Video Footage 2 of Unicorn Number 3428. He blows the tip of his index finger and taps on the monitor. 

Video Footage #2: 

{Rarity is shown to caress the pillow carving of Spike and nuzzle the side. She is kissing the left side of the face of the pillow to show affections}

Rarity: "I love you so much.., I don't care that my family and friends aren't with me..."

{Rarity sheds some tears and rubs her face with the pillow. Then with all her might, she squeals and struggles. Wanting to get out of the straightjacket. Then she stopped}

Rarity: "Hi, Twilight."

Twilight Sparkle: "Hello, Rarity. I have a proposition for you."

Rarity: "What is it?"

Twilight Sparkle: "Freedom to be with your beloved, Spike, of course."

Rarity: "I see Spike daily, Twilight. He's here with me. I have what I want."

Twilight Sparkle: "What about your freedom? To do what you please and away from this hell hole?" 

Rarity: "I told you, I have Spike. I have everything I need. Thanks for visiting me in my boutique, Twilight." 

Twilight Sparkle: "Here."

Rarity: "What? You will give me-"

Twilight Sparkle: "Bits and pieces of yourself. You seemed lost and overworked with your latest dresses and fashion designs." 

Rarity: "Well. I don't know..."

{Small black mist appears for a moment before vanishing}

Rarity: "Why am I here?"

{Rarity looks around and struggles in her straightjacket. She squeals while calling Celestia's name}

<End of Video>

"So she did make an appearance," Doctor Psyche is impressed by how easy the clone of Discord fixed the audio. 

"Yep. The mist is Midnight Sparkle. No denying that," The clone responds. 

"Go on to the next footage, Discord. My interview was undisturbed, and no sighting of the mist throughout the time. My Nurse, Blue Shield, watched the interview unfold." 

"Alright then," The clone of Discord goes to the next tape that features Rarity alone, looking to better herself. The clone taps on the screen to fix the missing audio dialog. 

Video Footage #3: 

Rarity: "Okay, so, they can't release me of my straightjacket or remove this hideous ring on my horn. I'm so bored."

{Due to the clone of Discord's tap, the visual of Video Footage #3 is restored}

Rarity: "What is that-?!"

{The black mist appears. It has aqua-blue flame eyes and an aqua blue horn}

Midnight Sparkle: "I've come to bring you to Spike and give your freedom. I'm going to help you. There is much I'm going to do for you."

Rarity: "I said no! I told you I want nothing to do with-"

{The black mist enters Rarity's mouth; she's gagging and gurgling while her eyes change color. Rarity slumps back and grows fangs. She smirks} 

<End of Video>

"Whoa, that's disturbing. Even for me," The clone of Discord said after watching the footage. 

"That would explain why the camera has been acting up. All because of Midnight Sparkle and her Demon Tail Guild," Nurse Blue Shield said. 

"She's out there with Rarity held captive. Think you can find her, Discord?" Princess Celestia turns to the clone. 

"I'm not sure. Midnight Sparkle is masquerading her magic power. I can't sense her." 

"Say, did you happen to find out what the black ooze was when Princess Luna shipped it to you?" Nurse Blue Shield asks. 

"No. However, it's evident that the black ooze is Midnight Sparkle. We need to be on high alert. I'll inform Starswirl, Spitfire, and several armies of the Bar of Alliance to be on high alert." 

"Alright then. Can you help us move our patients to another building to continue our work on helping them?" Doctor Psyche asks Princess Celestia. 

"Yes. These ponies need your help. I'll have transport to send them to a new mansion that the construction crew finished as a temporary base." 

"Thank you, your highness," Doctor Psyche bows and grabs his tape recorder. 

Audio Log #24: 

Doctor Psyche: "We're moving to a new base of operations. Hopefully, Midnight Sparkle is defeated and destroyed for good without terminating Rarity's body." 

Princess Celestia: "Seriously?" {Princess Celestia sighs}

<End of Recording>
> Midnight Rarity's Struggle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Rarity flies towards a cave at Foal Moutain. She stops and goes further into the cave. Her body is twitching while it becomes hard to blink. Midnight Rarity sits down and forces her eyes shut. 




Rarity's mind

"No! I refuse to allow a demon like you to use my body! Get out now!" Rarity shouts at the physical conscience of Midnight Sparkle. 

"You have the same ambitions for wanting Spike in your life. Why can't you see that I'm delivering your wish to you?" Midnight Sparkle turns to Rarity. 

"Because I looked in a mirror to see what I'm becoming! I looked like a mess! A crazed-up pony, going astray! When was the last time you saw yourself in a mirror?" 

"I look at my reflection. Does that count?" 

"NO! When was the last time you took a good look at yourself and what you've become!?" Rarity is irate with Midnight Sparkle. 

"I was weak when I fought Spike during the supposed Grand Magic Games. I've gotten stronger since. There are setbacks but, I have another opportunity to correct those setbacks." 

"What in Celestia's name is wrong with you?!" Rarity is confused. Midnight Sparkle is not making any sense to her. 

"What is wrong with me? What is wrong with you?" Midnight Sparkle points at Rarity. "Why are you against me? Why can't you see and understand what I'm trying to do for the better of Equestria?!"

"Equestria is doing great, Twilight! Every pony and creature is getting along! There are no disputes and grudges with every creature. The one that's causing the scene and possible war is you!" Rarity stomps her hooves to make her point. 

"You're wrong!" Midnight Sparkle gets in Rarity's face. "What I'm doing is to ensure the safety of Equestria from a major catastrophe." 

"You're a liar! You are the catastrophe!" Rarity retorts. "All of this is for selfish gain, and I should know. I was relentless with the new Spike and tried to force a relationship with him!"

"I'm not lying!" 

"YES, YOU ARE! YOU STUPID BITCH!" Rarity shouts. 

Midnight Sparkle gasps in horror. "We don't use foul language from Earth Land here in Equestria. Also, I'm not lying. I'm telling you the truth." 

"WE'RE IN MY HEAD! MY MIND! ANYTHING I SAY IN MY HEAD IS GOES! ALSO, SINCE YOU'RE IN ME, I CAN TELL WHEN YOU ARE LYING TO ME!"

"Prove that I'm lying then," In a way, Midnight Sparkle is daring Rarity to prove her wrong. 

"You want your entitlement as Princess of Friendship and intend to restart time, preventing Spike from making his wish and getting into serious trouble. Also, you saw a vision when you takeover Princess Celestia and Luna's castle in Canterlot with Spike as Ambassador, spreading friendship and peace throughout the land."

Midnight Sparkle's jaw drops. Rarity figured her out. She doesn't know why or how Rarity would know her inner secret and devise plans. 

Midnight Sparkle grits her teeth. "How did you know?"

"You're in my head. Your thoughts are intertwined with mine. It's not that complicated. As for your so-called Demon Tail, you inherit their powers and minds into a singularity body until you reach the mirror pool and create four more copies of yourself for them to manifest and change their appearance." 

Midnight Sparkle remains silent. "No matter. I'll weaken you, so I have full access to your body and mind!" 

"You will not have control of my body! I refuse to bring calamity upon my homeland and friends!" 

"What, friends? The other me and other Spike want nothing to do with you. You made some enemies yourself. I bet your own sister won't look at you." 

"Is it worth it? Trading your soul for power?" 

"I didn't trade my soul. I was given an offer I couldn't refuse. You see-" Midnight Sparkle uses her power to cast a memory image inside of Rarity's mind. 




Night after the Grand Magic Games Day 4 

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle," Mard Geer said, wearing a hooded cloak. 

"Who said that?" Twilight Sparkle slowly sits up on the infirmary bed. 

"Me," Mard Geer approaches Twilight Sparkle while holding the Book of E.N.D. "My name is Mard Geer. I have some news to inform you."

"What kind of news?" 

"Your supposed friends want to strip your entitlement away and punish you so severely; you'll be taken to a place much sinister." 

"Tartarus!" Twilight fearfully thought to herself. 

"However, I have a good use for you, and in return, I'll grant you the power to redeem yourself, fulfill your wish, and strike down those that prevented you from succeeding." 

"You'll do that for me?" Twilight smiles. 

"Of course. You'll be transformed and be reborn into a new you. One capable of annihilating any foe that dares stand in your way. A power that magic will not defeat." 

"Wait, how would I stay with you when my friends will come and bring me back to Equestria? I'm pale, as you can see. Also, how would I go home since Discord is the portal?" 

"Watch," Mard Geer uses his demon power to create a duplicate of Twilight. He then uses his cloaking spell to make him and Twilight invisible. 

The duplicate is up and turns to see her friends in the room. "So, are we able to bring Spike back home for good?"

"No. Spike earned his right to stay. We're going home," Shining Armor said.

"No! We can't fail! We need to keep trying and-" The duplicate's speech is interrupted by Princess Celestia. She slaps her hard in the face.

"Twilight! That is enough! If I would have known you'll be willing to erase Spike's mind, I would have said no to traveling all this way. You are going astray. There is a lot we need to discuss. As of now, I'm revoking your title as Princess of Friendship. You nearly destroyed another friendship on the same dragon in one lifetime. Discord, open the portal."

"As you wish, Princess," Discord snaps his fingers, and the same portal appears.

Shining Armor picks up Twilight. "Let's go home, Twily," Shining Armor forces Twilight to enter the portal.

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie follow pursuit. Celestia turns to Discord.

"Coming Discord?"

"There's one thing I forgot to give to Spike. I'll be right behind you."
Princess Celestia nods and enters the portal.

"So, after analyzing the portal's magic, I have the magic power to recreate it. It's a one-way direction to the world you called Equestria. It'll be used on an artifact only once."

"When do we begin?" Twilight starts chuckling sinisterly.

"Soon. Right now, let's get you all healed up," Mard Geer whisks Twilight away from Crocus to the Tartaros Guildhall. 

Tartaros Guildhall

Twilight is in a chamber receiving demon particles, blood, and curses. "I can feel it. The power, surging in my veins," Twilight roars and shatters the chamber. Twilight steps out as a new demonic deity. "The power. So much power. With the demonic curses flowing through me, I fear nothing! Not even Fairy Demon Dragon!" 

"I like her," Kyôka said. 

"Call me, Midnight Sparkle," A Tartaros Soldier walks by and gets incinerated by Midnight Sparkle's power. 

"I will have to ask you to refrain from using your power on our forces," Kyôka commands. 

"I will advise you of another that'll be perfect for the cause. Minerva Orland is her name." 

"Why her?" Kyôka is intrigued by Midnight's suggestion. 

"She's ruthless and powerful. She has a strong desire to make the Fairy Tail Guild suffer." 

"Now, before you run off, I've collected juice from eternal magical cats to sustain your demonic curses. It'll give you the creativity to combine any spells, like say, Maker Magic applies," Franmalth chuckles. He gives a cup of Exceed blood. 

"Perfect," Midnight Sparkle drinks the cup and feels a newer course of magic power amplifying her demonic curses. 





"Twilight, you sold out for power. You're driven into insanity all because you can't be happy for Spike the Fairy. You signed your death warrant." 

"You don't understand that some sacrifices are required to fix everything, Rarity." 

"How would your family feel if they saw you like this? Your brother, mother, father, niece, Sister-in-Law? How would they feel about this?" 

"Once I grab Grogar's Bell, all my plans will come to fruition." 

Rarity's eyes widen in shock. "You're a monster. You can't strip every creature's magic power like that!" 

"I will," Midnight Sparkle declares. 

"She isn't alone," Cozy Glow stands next to her. 

"She saved a piece of us," Storm King is behind Midnight Sparkle. 

"We'll be the new Gods of the land," Lord Tirek stands next to Cozy Glow. 

"The Crystal Empire will be mine!" King Sombra stands next to Midnight Sparkle. 

"All of you will fail," Rarity states her case. 

"Care to explain?" Midnight Sparkle asks. 

"Twilight, you've become the villain that Friendship triumphs every time. You've preached it, fought it, now, you're on the receiving end. You will fail like any other villain that approaches." 

"I'm changing the story. I will succeed, and there is nothing you can do about it!" Midnight sneers. 

"As the demon you are, you're lying to your comrades." 

"Huh?" Storm King, Lord Tirek, King Sombra, and Cozy Glow take Rarity's statement offensive. 

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Rarity chuckles. "Oh, this is too much!" Rarity laughs. 

"Silence her!" Midnight Sparkle commands; She's perplexed as to why none of her comrades as taking orders from her. "I said silence her!" 

"Rarity, what is Midnight hiding from us?" Cozy Glow asks. 

"Well, the truth is, Midnight Sparkle-aaaaaah!" Midnight Sparkle shoots an aqua blue fireball at Rarity. It causes her body to tremble, Rarity coughs. 

"If you know what's good for you, stay silent, or I'll go after your sister, Sweetie Belle." 

"You.., wouldn't..," Rarity fearfully expresses. 

"I will. I will possess the body of Sweetie Belle and cause her to commit suicide." 

Rarity gulps a bit; She doesn't want any creature to end Sweetie Belle's life. "I'll.., I'll be quiet..," Rarity surrenders to Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. 

"If either one of you steps out of line, you'll give me further reason to let you die than live. Is that clear?" 

"Yes, Midnight," Lord Tirek, Storm King, King Sombra, and Cozy Glow say in unison. Cozy Glow wants to know what Midnight Sparkle is hiding from her. From her best friend, Lord Tirek. 

Midnight Sparkle puts Rarity in a sphere and takes control of her body and mind. 




Waking up in Foal Mountain Caves

"It's time to claim my prize," Midnight Rarity said. She laughs and flies out of the cave.
> Another Coalition Mission
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Seven Deadly Sins!" Carla panics. 

"Please, tell us. What happened?" Spike asks. 

Kagura takes a deep breath. "A few hours ago, Erza arrived at our guildhall. We welcomed her as an honorary member of Mermaid Heel. While outside tending to our customers, a cannonball struck a building. People screamed and fled the scenery as Raphael, Cassidy, King Shark, and Cherry Blendy came after us. We didn't stand a chance against them. Bluto shot multiple cannons at civilians. My guildmates are in a coma." 

"That's horrible!" Carla imagines how impactful the fight must have been. 

"Is it vengeance their after?" Wendy asks while finishing healing Erza. 

"Yes. The Seven Deadly Sins robbed our guild's treasuries. They are stronger than we last encountered them," Kagura said. 

"They stole lacrima laced cannons from a weapons shop," Erza informs Carla, Spike, and Wendy. 

"We defeated them but not destroyed them. Fairy Rage possessed the Kraken to scare them away," Spike sighs. "I thought the Kraken would do its job for us." 

"It's a blunder on us," Carla said. 

"Now, we need to finish where we left off," Spike commands. 

Wendy starts healing Kagura. "Can we wait?" 

"Oooooh, that feels better," Kagura feels her aching pains go away. 

"We need to go after them as a team, Spike." 

"You're right. The question is, who's willing to come with us this time?" 

"I'm going," Erza said. "I want retribution for the beating Raphael gave me." 

"Likewise," Kagura remembers her struggles against King Shark.

"We're not enough. I know someone who can help us," Spike said. He grabs some Jewels for the ride. 

"Who?" Erza asks. 

"A Sailor Man. We need to get to Hargeon pronto." 

"Thanks for healing me, Wendy," Kagura gets up, feeling better than ever. 

"Now we're even since you saved me from nearly drowning," Wendy remembers when Kagura performed CPR from falling off Serpent's Fang.

"Let's go," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport him and his friends to Hargeon. 

It's 8:00 at night in Hargeon. Spike, Wendy, Carla, Kagura, and Erza arrive at the food market. They bump into Popeye, carrying bags of spinach. 

"Ahoy, Sailors. Nice to see you once more." 

"Ahoy, Popeye," Wendy said. 

"Popeye, we have a situation on our hands. The Seven Deadly Sins are back and targeting civilians." 

"Oh no!" Popeye imagines the raids Bluto can be doing on his quest for vengeance. 

"We need your help. Will you join us?" 

"Absolutely, Fairy Dragon. Come to me house, Sailors. I'll need to make a flier for a coalition mission." 

Popeye leads everyone to his home. He makes a job flier for a small coalition to eradicate the remaining members of the Seven Deadly Sins. Payment is 5,000,000 Jewels. Kagura and Erza explain to Popeye about the ambush that happened hours ago. 

"There is one ship I haven't sunk from Bluto's arsenal. Olive Grove. He tried to name sailship after Olive Oil but, she fell in love with me. Bluto vows to kill me and take my wife away. So far, he failed every time." 

"So, when Captain Sparrow sent the job request, how long did it take for us to respond?" Carla asks. 

"A few hours at best. Captain Sparrow was smart enough not to file the job offer as an S-Class Quest; otherwise, he would have never got his ship back." 

"How is he?" Wendy asks. 

"I haven't seen the Captain in a long time. He must be exploring new seas in honor of his fallen brothers," Popeye goes to the kitchen. "I'm making me famous spinach rolls. Would any of you like some?"

"Yes, please," Spike answers. 

"You should have it, Erza. It helps amplify your strength and magic power," Kagura advises her sister. 

"If you say so," Erza goes in the kitchen to talk with Popeye. "What ship will we use?" 

"Finich Spinach!" Popeye chuckles. 

"Very well," Erza explores around Popeye's house. 

Spike is sitting by the window, looking at the stars in the sky. Kagura comes up to him. 

"Something on your mind?" Kagura sits with Spike. 

"I'm thinking about how to approach the remaining members of the Seven Deadly Sins. We don't have Fairy Rage to call upon the Kraken or when he takes over for me when I'm down. Fairy Rage has a lot of awareness. There are other magic abilities I don't inherit from Rage. On another side note, tapping into Fairy Demon Dragon is difficult. I don't have enough rage fuel to trigger it. Lord Tirek consumed a large quantity portion of Fairy Demon Dragon's power. I'm trying to figure out other ways during the fight." 

"That is troublesome. Unable to turn into Fairy Rage Dragon for extra power and push," Kagura rubs Spike's back a bit. 

"I miss Fairy Rage every day ever since he sacrificed his life to resurrect Erza. He was my brother..," Spike shed a tear. 

"I understand your pain. Losing a brother is tough," Kagura remembers her time with Simon before the child hunt at Rosemary Village. "It'll get better in due time." 

"Thanks," Spike smiles a bit. 

"Amid my loss of a brother, I gained a sister and a brother," Kagura refers to Erza and Spike. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm glad you accepted my proposal to be your brother." 

"The way I remembered, I proposed to Erza that I want to be her sister at the banquet. You input yourself by saying: I guess I'm your brother?" 

"Oh yea, now I remember," Spike remembers that night and people heckling of him being in the nude instead of wearing some formal clothing. 

"Everything will work out. As long as you keep those you cherish in your heart, the spirits will live onward." 

"Thank you for your words, Sis," Spike is grateful for Kagura cheering him up. 

"Anytime." 

Popeye finishes making the spinach rolls; everyone grabs some and eats it. Erza compliments Popeye's spinach and wonders what other herbs are in it. Popeye says that spinach is a good source of magical properties and physicality. It's a family recipe mixed with spinach. 

Popeye takes the girls and Spike to the quarters for rest. The next day. Popeye comes down to the quarters to wake everyone. It's 8:30 in the morning. 

"Rise and shine, Sailors!" Popeye shouts. "We'll be expecting arrivals shortly. Then we'll be departing," Popeye leaves and heads outside. 

"Thanks," Spike yawns. 

"I could use a shower," Erza said. 

"Follow us. We'll take you there," Wendy and Carla show Erza where the bathroom is. 

Spike and Kagura go upstairs to the living room. They are eager to see who's coming to bring down the Seven Deadly Sins. 

"Is Wendy here?" Sherria walks into the living room. 

"Wow, that was fast," Kagura said. 

"She's here," Spike replies. 

"Good. I'm going to need yours and Wendy's to defeat and destroy the Sky Demon," Sherria will not stand for her mother's wrath on innocent people. 

"It's a first I've seen Sherria pent up like this," Jura said. He enters the living room. "With Lyon busy with a job and Sherria stormed out hours ago, the Old Hag insisted I should go." 

"The remaining members are no joke, Jura. Erza and I couldn't defeat either one of them when they ganged up." 

"That is petrifying, Ms.Kagura. I can only image the carnage those fiends laid waste." 

"My guildmates is in a coma due to the attacks. I'm seeking retribution," Kagura grips her Archenemy Sword. 

"Lyon couldn't make it, bummer," Gray said. He's shirtless coming into the living room. 

"Gray?" Spike is surprised to see Gray coming along. 

"And Juvia," Juvia walks in. 

"We were by the Blue Pegasus Guildhall when a messager gave us the flier. We took it, and here we are," Gray said. 

"Where my beloved goes, I go," Juvia said. "Also, I explained what I can about the Seven Deadly Sins. What to expect and their magic power level as a fresh reminder." 

"Good," Spike said. "Erza, Wendy, and Carla are downstairs." 

"Good to know," Gray said. 

"Hey, Natsu here, by any chance?" Sting comes into the living room with Lector. 

"What about Happy?" Lector asks. 

"Natsu and Happy aren't here," Spike replies. 

"Bummer, I was looking forward to teaming up with him again," Sting said. 

"What about Lucy?" Minerva walks in. 

"She's not here either," Spike answers. 

"Darn, I was looking forward to seeing her on this trip," Yukino said. 

"Is Gajeel here?" Rogue walks in with Frosch. 

"You called?" Gajeel steps inside with Panther Lily. 

"So, five members of the Seven Deadly Sins are all that powerful?" Panther Lily asks. 

"Erza and I couldn't stop them. Mermaid Heel is in a coma due to the attack." 

"That's terrifying that five members have that kind of power," Panther Lily imagines their physique. 

"I hope Popeye has more of those motion relief pills. Otherwise, we'd be screwed." 

"Don't worry, I made more for the occasion," Popeye tosses Sting, Rogue, and Gajeel some. "Now, hold on. We're departing now," Popeye opens a closet to see the engine of his ship. He turns it on, and the alarms in Hargeon sound off. Everyone in Hargeon goes into their homes knowing that Popeye is about to sail.

"What the?" Sting, Lector, Jura, Minerva, Gray, and Panther Lily feel the house shaking. They believe the Seven Deadly Sins are attacking with the alarms sounding off.  

"This is Finich Spinach, not only Popeye's house but also his ship," Gajeel chuckles. 

"For real!" Minerva didn't know about this. The rest do, and still, they can't believe what they're witnessing. 

Popeye chuckles. "The looks on ye faces are hilarious," Minerva, Sting, Lector, Jura, Gray, and Panther Lily looks dumbfounded with their jaws dropped. 

Finich Spinach departs from Hargeon. Popeye has an idea where Bluto may strike next.
> Treehouse of Harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight (Sci-Twi) wakes up to a new day. She takes Princess Celestia's advice to head to the Castle of the Two Sisters to visit the Tree of Harmony's Spirit. Spike wakes up. 

"Morning, Twilight." 

"Morning, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) kisses Spike's forehead and gets out of bed. 

"So, when you want to visit that Tree of Harmony Spirit?" 

"After breakfast. We're not going on an empty stomach." 

"Sounds good to me," Spike generates energy wings and flies to the kitchen. Twilight gallops to the kitchen, following his trail. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike arrive in the kitchen to see Starlight Glimmer going over some notes with the rest of the teachers. Starlight tells Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike their breakfast is at a different table. She and the others will be busy for the next while. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike grab their plate of pancakes and go to the dining room to leave the teachers be. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike have their breakfast in the dining room and talk about the possibilities that the Spirit of the Tree may say. After twenty minutes, the two return the plates to the kitchen and leave. 

"Shall we walk or fly to the try?" Spike asks. 

"I'm not having you carry me to the Tree, Spike. I'll walk it. Also, going to the Everfree Forest won't be dangerous since the other me obliterated half of it." 

"Right," Spike remembers the tale from Zecroa about her home.

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike leave the castle and bump into Yona. 

"Oops, our apologies," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike say. 

"Yona accepts the apology," She smiles. "Where are you two off to?" 

"To visit the Spirit of the Tree," Spike replies. 

"Yona will take you there. Meeting up with friends inside the treehouse." 

"Thanks, Yona," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. 

Yona leads Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) to the Treehouse of Harmony. On the way to the Treehouse of Harmony, Smolder and Silverstream fly by while carrying snacks. 

"Hey, Twilight. Hey, Spike. Where are you off to?" Smolder asks. 

"To talk with the Spirit of the Tree. Princess Celestia suggested that Twilight goes there to speak to the Spirit." 

"Interesting. You think the Spirit may have some sort-of friendship quest to embark?" Silverstream asks. 

"Only one way to find out is to encounter the Spirit," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. "I hope it presents itself to me." 

"Well, the Spirit manifests itself to my friends and me before. I don't see why it wouldn't for you," Silverstream said. 

"Yona thinks Tree may have an interesting conversation with a doppelganger." 

"I can only hope,"  Twilight (Sci-Twi) is unsure what to expect. She takes a deep breath. 

"I'll be with you for moral support, Twilight," Spike reassuringly says. 

"Same with Yak." 

"You can count the rest of us in, Twilight. Our friends will be by your side," Smolder said. "And, I can teach you some pointers about being a dragon, Spike." 

"Thanks!" Spike gets really excited to learn more about dragons. 

"Anytime, us dragons gotta stick together," Smolder said. 

Yona, Silverstream, Smolder, Spike, and  Twilight (Sci-Twi) arrive at the Treehouse of Harmony, next to the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters. 

"Whoa," Spike and  Twilight (Sci-Twi) gaze at the beauty of the Treehouse of Harmony. 

"There you guys are," Ocellus said. 

"Yea, we've been waiting forever for food," Sandbar said. He's watering a small tree he planted on the side. 

"We weren't gone for that long," Smolder said. 

"Twilight, it's nice to see you," Neighsay said. "How are you doing, Spike?" 

"I'm good, Neighsay," Spike replies. 

"Nice to see you as well, Neighsay," Twilight (Sci-Twi) responds with a smile. 

"So, you'll be joining us for our friendship party?" Gallus asks. 

"Well, I'm here to have an encounter with the Spirit of the Tree. Princess Celestia advised me to come today, so here I am." 

"I'm here for moral support. Are we invited afterward?" Spike asks. 

"Sure, I don't mind," Gallus said. 

"I'm cool with that," Neighsay said. 

"Thanks," Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) say in unison. 

Discord arrives at the Treehouse of Harmony with Sunset, Adagio, Sonata, and Aria. They brought snacks for the party. 

"Hello, Twilight and Spike. How have you've been?" Discord asks. He gives his barrels of chocolate milk wings to fly inside the Treehouse of Harmony. 

"I'm good, Discord. I've been practicing with my Energy Maker Magic. Check this out," Spike conjures energy wings. 

"Wow, those are impressive, Spike," Discord said in shock. 

"Well, should we really be surprised?" Sonata asks. She doesn't see it as a big deal. 

"Well, this Spike is younger in years compared to Spike the Fairy. So, there could be other creative works with this Spike can produce. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you come up with," Discord encouragingly says.  

"Thanks. I'm taking note of Fairy Dragon's magic power and adding it to my arsenal. However, there is much to learn along the way." 

"So, what brings you here, Twilight?" Sunset approaches her friend. 

"Princess Celestia's advice. To come to meet with the Spirit of the Tree. I've accepted her proposal to become her student. However, I won't be the only one she'll be teaching. She has Spike to teach as well." 

"That's good. I guess you want to take the mantle of becoming a Princess?" Sunset asks. 

"Maybe? Right now, I want to learn magic. Spike's improved so much ever since Fairy Dragon unlocked his potential. I want to do something dynamic with my son. Being a mother-son magic duo to protect the lands." 

"Sounds good. I'm thinking about going back to the School of Friendship. I need to find my place in Equestria." 

"Any word on Pinkie Pie back home?" Spike asks Sunset. 

"So far, the pages are blank. It may be hard for Pinkie to give us an update on my human self controlling those changelings. Those things by now could be running amuck."  

"Oh," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike lower their heads in sadness. The two sigh heavily. 

"It's alright. I'm sure Pinkie is killing it and finding more survivors," Sunset said. "I'm not losing hope on her, and neither should you." 

"Thanks," Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) cheer up from Sunset's optimism. They hug Sunset Shimmer. 

"Hey, Adagio. How have you been?" Gallus asks. 

"I'm good. I'm looking forward to going back to class with you guys," Adagio replies. She smiles at Gallus. 

"Likewise," Gallus smiles at Adagio. 

"Here comes the kiss!" Silverstream and Smolder shout. Gallus and Adagio turns to them. 

"Knock it off!" Gallus and Adagio shout at them. 

"No need to hide it. We all know," Sonata said. She smiles at the defiance Gallus and Adagio have. 

"I'm just..," Gallus sighs. "I'm not good at..." 

"I understand. Funny thing. Fairy Dragon and Wendy went through the same biz. We saw it from the memories." 

Gallus sighs heavily. "You're right."

"The Spirit of the Tree called it out," Sandbar said. 

"Thanks for the reminder, Sandbar," Gallus and Adagio say in unison. 

"They're in sync," Yona, Silverstream, Sonata, Smolder, and Ocellus said. 

Adagio and Gallus groan but smile. It's evident they do care about each other. 

"Let's go, every creature. I'm ready to party," Discord puts on sunglasses to party like no tomorrow. 

"Follow us; there's much to see inside the Treehouse of Friendship," Gallus said. 

"Lead the way," Adagio holds Gallus' claw. 

"Yes, ma'am," Gallus leads the way inside. There's a table, crystalized chandeliers, stained-glass windows of the Unity Seven's Friendship, a kitchen, a party room, a study room, a sleeping quarters room, and a hang-out room. 

"I do say," Discord observes the Treehouse of Harmony more. "This place is perfect for many friendship parties and get-togethers. I can see why you issued the party here." 

"I wish we could have fought Midnight Sparkle as the Tree instructed," Smolder said. "Seeing the newer memories of Spike the Fairy is awesome but, I kinda feel left out for not assisting my species at the Crystal Empire." 

"I know how you feel, Smolder," Silverstream said. 

"Likewise," Neighsay and Sandbar said. 

"We chose to protect Starswirl so he can erase all of his notes and books that would have been beneficial to Midnight Sparkle. However, she chose to attack the Crystal Empire with all of her forces," Ocellus said. "The best thing was Chrysalis getting her transformation. She's reborn and different than her Queen Chrysalis persona." 

"Agreed," Discord nods. "Chrysalis changed for the better. I watched the whole event on my tv with Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike. It was epic seeing Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon obliterating Midnight Sparkle." 

"I wish there's more than we could have done to help," Gallus said. 

"There is," The Spirit of the Tree manifest itself. She appears as Alicorn Twilight Sparkle. 

"She looks like me!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is astounded. 

The Spirit turns to Twilight (Sci-Twi). "I took on the representation of the Princess of Friendship to manifest my appearance. It's a shame that Princess Twilight has gone astray, turning into Midnight Sparkle. For the Friendship she expressed, I apologize on behalf of Pony Kind. We are not the kind for mistreating all creatures." 

"I.., I have so many questions to ask of you." 

"I am aware of your position, Twilight. However, there is imperative news I need to address," The Spirit said. 

"Like what?" Neighsay asks the Spirit. 

"Since you, eight have restored the Tree of Harmony; I have eyes all over the landscape of all nations. I hate to be the bearer of bad news; however, Midnight Sparkle is out there." 

"WHAT?!" Every creature shouts in shock. 

"That's, that's impossible! We saw Fairy Dragon's infused magic with the Crystal Heart obliterating Midnight Sparkle!" Discord said. "I can't sense her magic! Her immense power!" 

"I witnessed the final relapse of Midnight Sparkle. She saved an essence of herself and departed from her body. Midnight Sparkle is somewhere in Equestria, lurking."  

"This is bad," Spike said. "What are the chances of her coming to my Twilight!" Spike panics. 

"Not likely. However, I'm afraid Midnight Sparkle has already found a host." 

"A host? Who?" Every creature asks. 

"Rarity." 

Silence reigns. Spike's eyes widen in horror. He wonders if Rarity accepted anything Midnight offered in hopes of getting to him. Twilight (Sci-Twi) gets serious.  

"I won't allow her to come in contact with my son!" 

"We won't allow Midnight come near him or anyone else," Discord said. 

"Unfortunately, due to the power level of Midnight Sparkle and her other usage of spells she has, I am unable to locate her exact whereabouts," The Spirit informs every creature. 

"So, we're getting the chance to defeat and stop Midnight Sparkle from succeeding?" Ocellus asks the Spirit. 

"Yes," The Spirit nods. "Your Friendship is strong enough to defeat Midnight Sparkle and free Rarity from Midnight's grasp." 

"We will do everything we can, right guys?" Neighsay turns to his friends. 

"Yea!" They put their claws and hooves in the center. 

The Spirit smiles. "This is what I love to see, friends coming closer together to work together and solve anything. Friendships last forever." 

"I have some questions for you, Spirit," Twilight (Sci-Twi) turns to the Spirit. 

"Your teacher wants to know if I'll allow you to take your duplicate's position as Princess of Friendship." 

"I have experience using magic from my homeworld. When I ponied up, I can use magic and flight," Twilight (Sci-Twi) informs the Spirit. 

"You can become the replacement. However, is that what you want?" 

"Well," Twilight (Sci-Twi) hesitates a bit. "I want to learn magic and find my place within Equestria. I have no clue of how to become a Princess. From what I understand, the other me had her friends by her side. However, I don't have that luxury." 

"You do have friends. Yes, they are different, but friends will help you no matter what. Tell me, who are your friends you speak often." 

"Sunset, the Dazzlings, Discord, Starlight, Chrysalis, Trixie, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy. I'm still in the midst of reconnecting with other ponies I considered friends back in my homeworld." 

"That's a good start, Twilight. I will say follow your heart, and destiny will guide you. Don't worry about fitting in. You're doing well. If you seek to become a Princess, pursue it. But, not alone. No one should ever walk alone," The Spirit smiles. "Also, you have the Unity Seven that'll be great friends of yours." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. "They've welcomed Spike and me into a Friendship party of theirs. Would you like to join us?" 

"I'll be glad to join you all. To experience a friendship party and many more to come. Let the love of Friendship be the burning desire in your hearts." 

"Finally! Let's party!" Silverstream shouts. 

"Twilight," Spike turns to her. "If you become Princess, what will I be?" 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) chuckles a bit. "Ambassador of Friendship if I choose to be a Princess. I want you by my side," Twilight (Sci-Twi) hugs Spike. "I want you to be happy in what you and we do. I would love to have you with me in everything I do from here and out." 

"Does that include going to the bathroom?" Spike chuckles. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) nudges Spike's head. "Oh, you, with your jokes. C'mon.  Let's party with the rest," Twilight (Sci-Twi) gets hit with a pillow. 

"Pillow fight!" Yona shouts. She wants her title back. 

Discord uses his magic to spawn many pillows for the pillow fight. Every creature grabs theirs begin the pillow fight. Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) laugh and partake in the action. The Spirit watches and smiles. She's happy to see friends enjoying each other's company in her presence.
> Midnight Rarity's Frustration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Rarity grits her teeth, seeing the mirror pool and the ancient runes. She sits on the ground and closes her eyes. 




Rarity's mind

Rarity laughs while watching the scenes. Midnight Sparkle is storming back and forth. 

"Golly, this is problematic," Cozy Glow knows what the ancient runes are from the movie nights she and Lord Tirek gets to watch during their time in Tartarus. 

"It appears Freed's magic is preventing any usage of demon power you have from penetration," Lord Tirek said. 

"So, no magic can't penetrate some ancient runes? How unfortunate," Storm King said. "If I had my power, I could have uplifted the enchantment." 

"We, we don't have much to give since Demon Empress over there allowed our magic to be extinguished during the confrontation of Fairy Dragon," King Sombra painfully reminds everyone of the fallout during the war. 

"There is one location that has the means of uplifting all magic in Equestria and the rest of the world. To achieve the relic, we're going to Mount Everhoof," Midnight dictates the next phase of operations. 

"Oh sure, go back to the scenery of our downfall, why don't ya?" Storm King sarcastically expresses. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs his throat and lifts him. It scares Rarity and Cozy Glow a bit. "Do I sound humorous to you?" 

Storm King sweats, gags, and chokes a bit. "No, Ma'am!" 

Midnight Sparkle releases her hold on Storm King's throat, allowing him to breathe. "I can have you killed within the vessel. Remember who you owe your life to." 

"Yes.., Ma'am..," It's a new side to Storm King, seeing how ruthless Midnight Sparkle is. 

"So, how do you intend on going to Mount Everhoof?" Lord Tirek asks. 

"Fly there undetected. Grab a cloak to conceal Rarity's identity. Creatures won't know it's Rarity or us in possession if we act mute." 

"Oh sure, that would work," Lord Tirek scoffs at the idea. 

Midnight Sparkle turns to grab his throat, choking him brutally than she did with Storm King. "Do not intimate me. I'm in no mood for any laughing matter or mockery. I had my setback. I admit to some crucial flaws I didn't foresee. You want absolute power? I have another motive for achieving it. If you have better ideas while all creatures are in unity against us, I would love to hear!" 

Lord Tirek can't respond due to Midnight Sparkle's firm grip on his throat. All Lord Tirek can do is choke and gag. His face turns blue. Midnight Sparkle shoves him after waiting too long for Lord Tirek to respond. 

"Golly, she's changed even worse," Cozy said after watching Midnight choke her best friend. 

"She's gotten stronger despite losing an incredible amount of magic power and demonic curses." 

"Are you okay, Tirek?" 

"Fine," Lord Tirek rolls his eyes. He sits down when he hears a distinct voice in his head. "Huh?" He turns to Rarity in the sphere. She nods. 

"What did she say?" Cozy asks Tirek. 

Midnight Sparkle sits and takes possession of Rarity's body to move. Whenever she controls Rarity's body, Midnight Sparkle separates herself from the others to have absolute concentration. 

"D.L. The answer is straightforward when you figured it out." 





Midnight Rarity opens her eyes and flies out of the mirror pool cave. It's 1:30 at night while Midnight Rarity flies to Mount Everhoof. She's been flying for five hours due to concealing her Demonic Curses from allowing any unicorn or creature to detect her power. 

"The Crystal Empire," Midnight Sparkle is at the hill where she stood days ago. Behind the Crystal Empire is Mount Everhoof. Midnight Sparkle looks up to see the tip of the mountain no longer there. "What? Where did Mount Everhoof go?" 




Rarity's mind. 

"Hmm, it appears the mountain is no more," Storm King said while observing the eyes of Midnight Rarity. 

"Perhaps that's the mountain Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon repelled Midnight's attack?" King Sombra theorizes. 

Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow close their eyes. They try searching deep within Midnight Sparkle's memory and see that Spike deflected Midnight Sparkle's Demon Spiral Death attack at a mountain top. 

"Golly, Spike inadvertently destroyed the top of Mount Everhoof from Midnight's attack. What are the odds of Spike the Fairy still helping Midnight Sparkle?"

"Well, I wonder if he destroyed the bell as well from that redirect," Lord Tirek said. 

Rarity contemplates her motives and compares them to Midnight Sparkle's. With access to Midnight Sparkle's memory, Rarity sees the dark path and vows to never become like Twilight Sparkle; A demon hellbent on achieving selfish desires. She'll do what she can to delay Midnight's success. 

Cozy Glow sees Rarity in the sphere. Despite agreeing with a demon, she has second thoughts about her decision. Yes, Midnight Sparkle killed her for more power, but she gave into the idea of having a nation to dominate. Cozy Glow walks up to Lord Tirek. 

"Lord Tirek?" 

Lord Tirek groans and rolls his eyes. "What is it?" 

"Did we make a mistake?" Cozy Glow sounds innocent. There is no manipulating in her tone. 

"Things are different. There's no going back. All we have to do is wait and see what happens." 

Cozy Glow sighs. Another question answered vaguely. She walks up to King Sombra. 

"What do you want?" King Sombra is in no mood to talk. 

"Do you think you deserve better than this?" 

"I'll get my Crystal Empire back and rule it. Patience is a virtue. If you're asking if I'm regretting anything, the answer is yes. I regret waiting for the last moment to cease the Crystal Heart when that foolish Alicorn swooped in and claimed that baby dragon," King Sombra snarls. "I deserve my kingdom and nothing more but victory in my grasp." 

"Don't even bother asking me. I'm taking my Storm Nation back and making Grubber and Tempest my footstool." 

Cozy Glow sighs. She trots to the sphere Rarity is in and sits with her. Not much for her to do is sit and talk. 





Midnight Rarity flies around the border of the Crystal Empire to get to Mount Everhoof. Half of Mount Everhoof is destroyed. 

"So, my fight with Spike has destroyed this mountain. He did well in terms of helping me once more," Midnight Sparkle laughs in triumph. "My Number One Assistant!" She hears and senses two magic-powered creatures coming her way and hides. 

"This is awesome! My magic is all about intense fires!" Garble said while flying with his dragon friend, Charcoal. 

"Check this out!" Charcoal powers up. "Lightning Blitz!" Charcoal shoots lightning orbs at the snow of Mount Everhoof. "Detonate!" The lightning orbs explode. A house that was buried in tons of snow stands out, a pony with a shovel waves for help. 

"Dude, that was awesome!" Garble said. He sees the pony waving for help. "We should help that guy." 

"Agreed," Charcoal nods; he and Garble go to the pony that needs assistance. 

"WHAT!? SINCE WHEN OTHER DRAGONS CAN USE MAGIC?!" Midnight Rarity is livid. With Dragons now using magic, she fears that Dragons can overrule Equestria and put her plans at a standstill. "I must eliminate them all."
> Midnight Rarity vs Dragons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Garble and Charcoal land in front of the pony and melt the snow around him. 

"Thank goodness you came," The pony responds. "I've been trapped underneath this snow for nearly a week." 

"Bummer, need some help clearing snow around your house?" Charcoal asks. 

"Yes," The pony yawns. "I'll be in your debt." 

"It's good to help around," Garble said; he's inspired to help around like any guilds in Earth Land after watching movie night with his dragon buddies. 

Garble and Charcoal clear the snow around the pony's house. Midnight Rarity observes thoroughly. She's thinking about absorbing the dragon's magic power to sustain her Demonic Curses since there is no Exceed Blood in all of Equestria. The pony walks inside his home to brew some hot cocoa for the dragons. After a few minutes, the pony walks outside with three mugs of hot cocoa. 

"Here you go, boys. Nice and hot." 

"Thanks," Garble and Charcoal grab the mugs and drink. 

"I wonder if our guild, Dragon Tail, should explore outer regions to help any creature else," Charcoal said. 

"I was thinking of the same thing. Try helping creatures in the Badlands and help them prosper or defeating wretched beasts that try to devour the innocent." 

"I wish you, kids, luck in that department," The pony said, drinking his mug. 

"What's your name, old-timer?" Charcoal asks. 

"Rust Bucket. I've been guarding this mountain all my life. Making sure no creature dares to venture to the top. Well, what's left of the mountain since a power collision." 

"Why are you guarding this mountain?" Garble asks. 

"I cannot say as curiosity kills the cat. It's best that no creature venture this mountain." 

"Oh, I know why," Midnight Rarity trots up to the dragons, smirking devilishly. 

"Hey, I remember you, you're that pony that's been toying with Fairy Dragon's love before he ran," Garble points at her. 

"Dude, she looks different," Charcoal points at the Aqua-Blue Flares coming from Rarity's eyes. 

"You're right," Garble realizes who the unicorn is. "Jig is up. We know who you are, Midnight Sparkle." 

"Oh.., no..," Rust Bucket backs away. He knows what Midnight Sparkle is here all of a sudden. 

"I'm going to make this simple. Stay out of my way, and you'll live longer." 

"You're outmatched and outclassed," Garble ignites his body in flames. "I am Atlas Garble. These flames belonged to my Hellfire Four Great-Grandpa, Atlas Flame." 

"Your magic looks exquisite," Midnight Rarity licks her lips. 

"Have a load of this! Lightning Blitz!" Charcoal unleashes a swarm of lightning orbs around Midnight Rarity. "Detonate!" The lightning orbs explode around her. Midnight Rarity falls back hard. 

"Okay, I have underestimated the dragon's magic power. I thought it'll be weaker."

"Atlas Flame Twin Cannon!" Garble conjures and releases two torrents of hellfire at Midnight Rarity. Midnight Rarity gets scorched on impact; she gets hurled into a pile of snow. 

"Hah, this is too easy!" Charcoal starts getting cocky. 

"I guess our magic does outclass her so-called Demonic Curses," Garble is relishing how quickly he and his friend are dominating Midnight Sparkle. 

"I'll admit," Midnight Rarity stands up and dusts the hellfire flames off her body. "That does hurt. However, I found my equalizer," She uses her magic to levitate Grogar's Bell. 

"Oh no! She got the Bell!" Rust Bucket panics and fears the end of Equestria, and all life is upon them. 

"The Bell?" Garble and Charcoal turn to Rust Bucket. 

"That Bell is capable of stealing and harnessing all forms of magic. Even magic that seems impenetrable!" 

"I can't have any witnesses foiling my plans. I won't allow another dragon to deny my destiny!" Midnight Rarity uses her Demonic Curse to infuse with Grogar's Bell. The chain reaction allows Midnight Rarity to grow in magic power. 

"We got this," Garble said. "You need to run, now!" 

Rust Bucket gallops from the battlefield. Midnight Rarity uses Grogar's Bell to remove Charcoal and Garble's magic. However, there is a problem with the Bell's usage. 

"Huh? What the hell?" Midnight Rarity is perplexed. She infused her Demonic Curse to magnify the Bell's power. 

Garble chuckles. "It appears there's a fatal flaw with your plan, Midnight Sparkle." 

"What flaw?! This Bell is supposed to relinquish your magic power!" Midnight Rarity is irate. She doesn't understand why the Grogar's Bell has failed her. 

"Allow us to explain," Charcoal and Garble power up. 

"Us dragons are not from Equestria," Charcoal said. He casts a lightning ring around his body. 

"Turns out, we're from Earth Land that migrated to Equestria many years ago. Since the Bell's usage is for this world's magic, Earth Land's Magic is the exception that cannot be released." 




Rarity's mind

Rarity is laughing. Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow, King Sombra, and Storm King are dumbfounded. Not only do they hear the dragons' origin, but Grogar's Bell on them is also useless. If the two have their magic power, that means all Dragons have so much magic power they can overwhelm Midnight Sparkle. 





Midnight's Rarity horn ignites green. "I have another way of absorbing your magic, fools!" 

"Think again!" Garble and Charcoal are combining their magic power for a unison raid. "Hellfire Lightning Fusion!" Garble and Charcoal's claw generates a small but powerful energy ball now infused. "Fury Storm!" The two create a torrent of Lightning Hellfire Flames, shooting it at Midnight Rarity. 

Midnight Rarity teleports herself behind the two. "Demon Spiral Death!" Midnight Rarity's hooves are aqua blue and crimson red, combining the two to create a spiral flare with immense force and destructive power at Garble and Charocal. 

"AAAAAAAH!" Garble and Charcoal didn't anticipate an ambush from behind. The two collide into the remains of Mount Everhoof. 

Midnight Rarity raises her hoof. She's generating a crimson red exploding bomb sphere. "Die!" She tosses it at the remains of Mount Everhoof. Rust Bucket makes a run for it. "Where do you think you're going?" Midnight Rarity chimes Grogar's Bell; Relinquishing the strength Rust Bucket has into her body. 

"My strength..," Rust Bucket can barely move. He slowly drags in the snow away from Midnight Sparkle. 

"Belongs to me. Goodbye," Midnight Rarity shoots purple curse flares at Rust Bucket, turning him into stone. She decides to shatter the stone statue and leaves with her prize. "I will gather the strength and power from wandering ponies, then pay a visit to Mount Aris for a relic I need in possession." 

Garble and Charcoal stand up from the impact and fly after Midnight Sparkle. They refuse to allow her to get away. 

"Hellfire Bullet!" Garble spears Midnight Rarity. It causes Midnight to drop her Bell. 

"No!" Midnight sees Charcoal creating a lightning saucer. 

"Lightning Flash Discs!" Charcoal shoots lightning saucers at Midnight Rarity. Garble lets go of Midnight, allowing the lightning saucers to strike Midnight Rarity. 

Garble and Charcoal land in front of Midnight; They place their claws in front of her. 

"It's over. You're nine lives have run out," Garble and Charcoal are ready to incinerate Midnight Rarity. Midnight Sparkle horn ignites green and absorbs Garble's Hellfire and Charcoal's lightning. If the Bell couldn't do it, she might as well do it herself. 

"Ooooooh, so much magic power from dragons!" Midnight Rarity feels the overwhelming power from the two dragons flowing in her veins. 

Garble tries shooting a flare bullet at Midnight Rarity. The bullet passes the left side of her, missing contact. Charcoal and Garble fall to their knees, heavily breathing from the magic draining out of their bodies. 

"Smolder.., I'm sorry.., I won't..." Garble passes out. Charcoal passes out after his magic is absorbed. 

Midnight Rarity ignites her horn purple and turns the dragons into stone. She shatters the stone statues and takes Grogar's Bell. "Magic power within Dragons are far superior to Alicorn Magic. Now, I will ensure my future and finish what I started."
> Flare in the Sky
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Rarity leaves Mount Everhoof and decides to find any pony wandering around late at night. There could be any campers around these parks. 

Princess Cadance wakes up after having a horrible nightmare. She looks at the clock in her room. 

"3:30," Princess Cadance groans. Shining Armor is still sound asleep. "I hope Luna makes a speedy recovery from the assault by the hooves of Midnight Sparkle." 

It's been two days since Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail possessed Rarity. Princess Luna is still recovering from the injuries. A Crystal Night Guard knocks on Princess Cadance and Shining's door. 

"Coming," Princess Cadance gets up and walks to the door. She opens to see the Night Guard. 

"Your highness, my guards and I noticed a flare in the northern skies near the remains of Mount Everhoof." 

"A flare?" Princess Cadance trots to her window to see the flare in the sky. "Somepony needs help. Shining, Shining," Princess Cadance calls her husband. 

Shining Armor wakes up and yawns. "We're having breakfast in bed again?" 

"No," Princess Cadance shakes her head. "I need you to come with me to Mount Everhoof. Somepony has launched a flare in the skies." 

"Alright," Shining Armor yawns. "I'll get my armor, and we'll go." 

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor gear up and take a platoon of Crystal Guards to Mount Everhoof. On the way to Mount Everhoof, Princess Cadance feels disturbed by a familiar presence not long ago. Shining Armor sees the remains of Mount Everhoof. He figures this is where Spike deflected Midnight Sparkle's attack days ago during the war. 

"Wow, and to think how powerful Midnight Sparkle and Fairy Dragon were at the time," Shining Armor is still in awe even after witnessing the battle. 

"It's crazy to think what lengths Midnight Sparkle is willing to pursuit for the sake of her beliefs," Princess Cadance wishes to see her Twilight in better condition than what she is. 

An hour later. A Crystal Guard steps on a shard which catches everyone's attention. He and the other Crystal Guard notice shatter shards around the area. 

"What is it?" Shining Armor examines the shard. 

Princess Cadance is startled by a different shard she stepped on and stumbled back. Shining Armor and the Crystal Guards check on Princess Cadance when they see a dragon's head. 

"What in the world?" A Crystal Guard is mesmerized to see a dragon head statue. 

"Sir, I found," A Crystal Guard throws up after picking up a head of a pony. 

"Oh dear, Celestia," Shining Armor gags and swallows his vomit. 

Princess Cadance illuminates the area with her magic to see the shards of two dragons and the pony. Then it struck her, which made her worry even more. "We need to gather these shards and head back to the Crystal Empire, pronto." 

Shining Armor sees the worry in his wife's eyes. "Right away, Cadance," Shining Armor and the Crystal Guards pick up every shard they can find. 

Princess Cadance uses her magic to teleport everypony back to the Crystal Empire. She gallops to her throne to write a letter to Princess Celestia and Luna about her discoveries. Shining Armor and the Crystal Guards decide to assemble the shards in hopes that Discord can bring them whole. 

Flurry Heart starts crying. Shining Armor gallops to Flurry Heart to check on her. He sighs in relief that she's fine and probably needs a diaper change. Shining Armor couldn't help but feel that Flurry Heart should sleep with him and Cadance for safety. 

Princess Cadance teleports the letter to Princess Celestia and Luna in Canterlot. She sighs heavily and sits on her throne, yawning. Princess Cadance decides to write a letter to Empress Ember since her dragons are petrified and shattered. 

"Another..," Princess Cadance yawns. "Bar of Alliance meeting is in order..," Princess Cadance falls asleep on her throne. 

Shining Armor comes looking for Cadance while holding Flurry Heart. He sees Cadance asleep and decides to be with her. A Crystal Guard brings Flurry's playpen into the throne room, and Shining Armor sleeps with Flurry Heart in the playpen. 

Princess Celestia wakes up as a letter falls on her bed. She yawns and stretches. "4:40 in the morning? I wonder what the letter reads," Princess Celestia turns on the light, unveils, and reads the letter. Her heart sank at the mere mention of Mount Everhoof. "No..," Princess Celestia sheds a tear after reading the section about a pony and two dragons shattered. 

Princess Celestia gets up and writes a responding letter to Princess Cadance. She'll be at the Crystal Empire at 7:30 in the morning; she still needs to check on her sister at the infirmary. 

Empress Ember wakes after feeling the letter hit her head. She blows her flames to ignite her bedroom. "Okay, let's see what this is about," Ember starts reading the letter and becomes furious. Two dragons of hers shattered for reasons not yet explained. "I'll find that punk her cause great turmoil on my kin!" Ember grabs her scepter and flies to the Crystal Empire. 

It's now 7:00 in the morning. Princess Celestia lowers the moon and raises the sun. She sighs, knowing who the culprit is after watching the tapes at Canterlot Ward. Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail waste no time gathering the pieces for their next phase. 

Princess Celestia flies out of her room to the infirmary. She goes to check on Princess Luna in Room 283. Princess Luna is in bed recovering better. 

"Morning, Celestia," Princess Luna turns to her sister entering the room. 

"Morning, Luna. How are you feeling?" 

"Better. The doctor said I could be leaving later today. I'll resume my duties while initiating an investigation searching for Midnight Sparkle." 

Princess Celestia sighs. "We're having a Bar of Alliance Meeting at the Crystal Empire. Midnight Sparkle struck, and I believe she's in possession of a powerful artifact." 

"No.., don't tell me.., she got..," There's an artifact Luna is aware that could be crucial. 

"She got the Bell. According to Cadance's letter, Fairy Dragon inadvertently destroyed the top of Mount Everhoof during his confrontation with Midnight Sparkle. Grogar's Bell fell with the snow. It appears that Midnight Sparkle located the Bell and took the magic of the dragons and pony while imprisoning them in stone and shattering them." 

"Will there be an end to this mad-pony?" Princess Luna questions Midnight Sparkle's persistence. 

"So far, no matter what Midnight Sparkle tries, she winds up failing. However, we must show the consistency that good always triumphs over evil. When you leave, go to Discord's house and inform him what transpired. I have to get going." 

"Alright. Before I go see Discord, I'll decree that no pony in all of Equestria should wander off alone, especially at night." 

"Very well, see you later," Princess Celestia hugs Luna and flies out of Room 283.
> Crystal Castle Meeting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Empress Ember and Princess Celestia arrive in the Crystal Castle. The two can tell they did not have a good night's rest. 

"Any idea who's behind the attack on my kin?" Ember irately asks. 

"Midnight Sparkle," Princess Celestia formally expresses. 

"HOW?!" Ember snorts. 

"It appears Fairy Dragon didn't finish her. From what I've seen on the tapes at Canterlot Ward, Midnight Sparkle saved an essence of herself and her guild, Demon Tail." 

"Those punks we fought, those were her members of the guild?" Ember didn't know that Midnight Sparkle originally formed a dark guild. It makes sense with the demonic natures Storm King, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow, and King Sombra possessed. 

"Yes," Princess Celestia sadly sighs. "She struck my sister after possessing Rarity in Canterlot Ward." 

"So, she's persistence on getting Spike the Fairy and restarting time?" 

"Yes. Midnight Sparkle can target anyone due to a relic she owns. The relic is known as Grogar's Bell." 

"What would that do?" Ember asks Celestia. 

"Chiming Grogar's Bell will remove all magic and strength within any creature and transfer the magic into the Bell or the wielder's body. I have a theory Midnight Sparkle may try to uplift the magic of the Mirror Pool and restore her army. However, I'm wary about the Bell's magic on Earth Land magic." 

Two Crystal Guards escort Princess Celestia and Empress Ember to the meeting room. It's only them, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. 

"Where's the rest of the Bar of Alliance members?" Ember thought Thorax, Prince Rutherford, and Gilda would make an appearance. 

"I wrote the letters late and fell out. I'll write letters to inform everyone after our discussion," Princess Cadance said. She looks a bit better than a few hours ago. 

"I issued a decree that no pony within the Crystal Empire to venture elsewhere. The Crystal Heart will protect us from Midnight Sparkle," Shining Armor said. 

"You invoke Martial Law, Shining?" Princess Celestia asks. 

"If things in Equestria gets worse, I will declare Martial Law. We can't allow Midnight Sparkle to gain magic power from any creature. I would advise the dragons to come to the Crystal Empire as well as the Changelings. Safety in numbers." 

"Shining, last we recall, Midnight Sparkle and her forces dominated us. What chance do we have?" A Crystal Guard in the room asks. He's concerned about history repeating twice. 

"Spike the Fairy has unlocked our potential. Every Dragon can use magic power, and we've been practicing since. We are prepared to fight and defend any creature that needs it. I will issue a decree that Dragons reside in the Crystal Empire until further notice. Any Dragon in the dorm of the School of Friendship is to remain in numbers wherever they go." 

"I'll prepare the rooms in the castle for your Dragons. We have plenty of room to house them. I'm sure many Crystal Ponies won't mind housing some," Princess Cadance decrees. 

"Thank you," Ember smiles at Princess Cadance's gesture. "You think Discord can bring the dragons shattered whole again?" 

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask Discord if there's a difference of uplifting petrification magic on other creatures than his clones," Princess Celestia said. 

"Very well, I hope he can restore my Dragons. May I see the Dragons that are shattered?" 

"Follow us," Princess Cadance and Shining Armor said in unison. They escort Ember and Princess Celestia to a different room where the Crystal Guards are still assembling the shards. 

"Oh no..," Ember recognizes the heads of Garble and Charcoal. "Smolder is going to flip when I inform her of Garble's condition," Ember is concerned about what Smolder may do next in retribution. 

"Or you can say he's on a mission," A Crystal Guard suggests. 

"No. I refuse to hide any secrets from my kin. Especially when a threat is upon us once more; By now, Smolder will be hanging out with her friends since school starts in a few days." 

"I can write a letter to Twilight and have her deliver it to Smolder if you want?" 

"No, Celestia. I should bring the bearer of bad news to my subject," Ember flaps her wings. "Any other relic that Midnight could go after, bring it here to the Crystal Empire. When she realizes that all other forms of magic are in our possession, she'll have no choice but to come here. Then, we can end her madness once and for all." 

"However, Midnight Sparkle is in possession of Rarity. We need to separate the demons out of Rarity's body," Princess Celestia said. 

"Know anyone that can exorcise demons or perform the magic of that aspect?" Shining Armor asks Princess Celestia. 

"There are spells I know, and I'm sure Starswirl the Bearded knows. I'll bring him and the Pillars here." 

"I'll send word to every kingdom within the Bar of Alliance. Also, Queen Novo should come here to the Crystal Empire with her Magic Pearl. I suspect Midnight Sparkle may travel to Mount Aris. I remember the story Discord told me while disguised as Spike about the adventure he embarked." 

Princess Celestia groans. She remembers the lie Discord mentioned about Spike coughing blood. "That story he told and the show of display he performed as Spike still gets to me. The day when he said Spike coughed blood, and I believed it." 

"Have you forgiven Discord for what he did while disguised as Spike?" Ember asks out of curiosity. 

"I have. However, there are some actions I'm not fond of what Discord did. I will admit, I'm glad that Discord opened our eyes to see the neglect I and everypony did when Spike was suffering. Discord's actions led to a better utopia for all creatures to come closer together. It opened my eyes to becoming a better Princess. I get to start over with another Twilight and Spike. I vowed I won't be making foolish decisions." 

"That's good. I will say I won't be forgiving Midnight Sparkle for her actions. She crossed the point of no return. Willing to kill any creature for power and her desires. It's wrong that she shows no pity or respect for what she's doing." 

Princess Celestia sadly sighs. "I understand, Ember. I'm sure no one would forgive Midnight for the horror and treachery she committed." 

"I can't look at my sister the same. After seeing what she's done to Spike the Fairy and his friends during the Tartaros war; Especially, taking Fairy Rage away from Spike. She planned to remove Fairy Rage no matter the cost and killed Erza Scarlett. She was willing to strip Spike's happiness entirely for her sake." 

"After watching more of Spike the Fairy's memories, I'm not sure if I can forgive Midnight Sparkle. The Twilight I knew is long gone. The Twilight we have now, I'm happy to have her in my life." 

"Sir," A Crystal Guard intervenes in their conversation. "Twilight Velvet and Night Light will be arriving at the Castle later today." 

"Uh oh," Princess Cadance turns to her husband. 

Shining Armor pupils shrink after hearing that. He forgot he invited his parents for a family day with Flurry Heart. Twilight and Spike will be arriving later in the day as well. Shining Armor faints a second later. 

"Who's Twilight Velvet and Night Light?" Ember asks. 

"Shining Armor's parents. There will be a lot to explain to them. I better get going," Princess Celestia leaves the meeting room. 

"Is he going to be alright?" Ember wonders a bit. She's concerned when the topic of explaining to parents becomes an issue. 

"Well, I'm not so sure. Shining was fine when telling the truth to his folks the first time; I think the second time will not be the same scenario." 

"Well," Ember steps back a bit. "I better get going. I need to inform Smolder about her brother," Ember flies out the window of the meeting room. 

Flurry Heart starts crying. "Shining, I'll be right back. Flurry needs me," Princess Cadance leaves Shining be and tends to her daughter.
> Another Coalition Mission: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where are we heading to, Popeye?" Jura is curious to know where Popeye is sailing. 

"Akane Resort. Every year, there's an annual get-together with sailors around the world. We tell our tales, eat, and drink. Do some arm-wrestling, fishing, the works." 

"Why there of all places?" Jura asks. 

"Lots of folks in the Navy do have weaponry that can sink Olive Grove and give Bluto a run for his money when working together. If I were Bluto, I would head there and plunder all they have and annihilate them." 

"How long until we get there?" 

"Less than three hours, Wizard Saint. In the meantime, eat some spinach. It'll help you grow strong," Popeye flexes his muscles. 

"Very well," Jura goes to the kitchen as Popeye continues to sail Finich Spinach. 

"So, your mother is a Sky Demon Slayer?" Minerva asks Sherria. She's in the living room with the others, waiting to meet up with the Seven Deadly Sins.

Sherria nods. She's holding her anger for Cherry Blendy. "It took a combined effort of Spike, Wendy, and I to defeat her. Though I delivered the final blow." 

"Make no mistake, the Seven Deadly Sins are formidable and should not be underestimated. Raphael uses Cassidy as a weapon. The Sloth is the strongest of them all. Cassidy's movements are vital. If we can make him move more, he will lose some of his strength," Spike informs Minerva. 

"Rogue told me about the Shark Guy. He's tougher and stronger than Gajeel's iron," Sting said. 

"Rogue and I couldn't beat him. We're not a match. Our advantage of turning the tides was Fairy Rage. He possessed a Kraken to have them surrender. With Fairy Rage in the afterlife sort-of-speak, things could be tricky," Gajeel said. 

"Laxus and the Thunder Legion should still be by the Akane Resort. They'll receive the welcome wagon before us," Wendy said. 

"I'm afraid they are no match for the remaining members. Kagura and I couldn't defeat one of them," Erza said. She's drinking spinach juice. "I have to say, Popeye's spinach does increase my strength and magic power. I feel the power boost running in my veins!" 

"They've grown stronger since the last encounter," Kagura said. She's drinking spinach juice. "I wasn't lying when I mentioned Popeye's spinach." 

"No, you weren't. Years ago, I went on a job to Mt.Hakobe to retrieve special herbs. The spinach is on another level for boosting magic power and strength. Where was this in my life?" 

"With me!" Popeye chuckles, overhearing the conversation about his spinach.

"Hey, is Kain Hikaru with them?" Juvia ask Kagura and Erza. 

"We didn't see him. I want to say Popeye punched him into another continent," Kagura said. She remembers when Popeye punched Kain Hikaru for going after the girls. 

"Let's keep it that way," Spike cringes a bit when a memory pops up. The time Kain Hikaru turns himself in steel and low blows Spike before tossing him off of Serpent's Fang. 

"Anything peculiar about the Seven Deadly Sins we should know about?" Panther Lily asks Erza and Kagura. 

"Their magic power increased and added lightning into their arsenal. However, the lightning is unnatural," Kagura informs. 

"My Lightning Empress Armor couldn't contend with their lightning prowess." 

"Hmm, Laxus and Fairy Dragon shouldn't have any difficulties consuming the lightning the Seven Deadly Sins possess. Fairy Dragon consumed all sorts of energy and used it to his advantage. Laxus ate Orga's Lightning and was fine. I'm sure he and Laxus can handle the newfound power of theirs," Gajeel boldly claims. 

"I hope so. I don't have Fairy Rage backing me up. Plus, I gave the Crystal Heart the energy back with some of mine so, I don't have the cleansing effect of the Crystal Heart." 

"Wait, this whole time, you didn't keep any of it?" Gajeel is perplexed. 

"To reshape it the way I imagined it, I needed to give the power of the Crystal Heart back. I gave it a protection spell with my flame. I can only hope the flame and the power of the Crystal Heart holds together for many millenniums to come." 

"Well, good for those Crystal Ponies and bad that we lost another advantage," Panther Lily was hoping to see Crystal Guardian Fairy Dragon in action as the replacement for Fairy Rage Dragon since Fairy Rage is gone.  

"We'll defeat the Seven Deadly Sins, mark my words," Spike acclaims. 

At the Akane Resort. Laxus and the Thunder Legion notices many sailor ships arriving onshore. 

"Well, so much for training at the beach," Bickslow said. 

"So many ships. What's happening?" Evergreen ponders a bit. 

"Hey, I know ye guild!" Captain Sparrow walks up to the Thunder Legion. He drops a barrel and a treasure chest next to them. 

"Who are you?" Laxus asks. 

"I am Captain Sparrow. I worked with ye guild months ago to retrieve me ship!" Captain Sparrow points to Black Wing. 

"Fairy Youth Squad told us about their adventures and the Seven Deadly Sins," Freed said, which causes an uproar of boos for the mention of the Seven Deadly Sins. 

"Say, want to join us on all the fun?" Captain Sparrow offers the invitation. 

"Sure, the Thunder Legion will accept your proposal," Laxus speaks on behalf of the Thunder Legion. 

Captain Sparrow grab his belongings. "Great, follow me. I'll lead you too-" Captain Sparrow's excitement is cut by the sudden explosions on several sail ships onshore. Many sailors take cover while some get blown to smithereens. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark brings a tidal wave to the Akane Resort Beach. Many sailors and the Thunder Legion get pushed back from the impact. The tidal wave is a presentation for the Seven Deadly Sins' arrival. The waters don't flood the beach. 

"Laxus, try to channel your lightning so; you don't electrocute everyone," Freed advises his friend. 

Laxus is fuming but withholds his lightning from sparking around his body. 

"Are they stupid?" Captain Sparrow can't believe the Seven Deadly Sins would come after all the sailors at the Akane Resort Beach. He sees many ships on fire. 

"I knew it!" Kain Hikaru makes an appearance. He's horribly disfigured, has mud and sand all over his face, and his belly growls loudly. "I knew my friends come for me if I arrived at the annual meet-up!" 

"Oh, great. Tubby is here," Bickslow said. He remembers his battle with Grimoire Hearts. 

"Tubby, huh? Wait until I get a hair from you, and I'll make you rive in agony, wishing you were dead!" 

"King Shark found Gluttony of the Seven Deadly Sins," King Shark alerts Bluto and his crew from their ship Olive Grove. 

"Good," Bluto's body sparks lightning. "It's time to plunder and kill these fools. I will not have anyone stopping us anymore!" Bluto sees many sailors running away since they are not armed to defend themselves. He notices the Thunder Legion and Captain Sparrow on his ship. "Sparrow. I will have my revenge! After Sparrow and any who fights with him!" Bluto commands. 

"Right away. Come here, you," Raphael grabs Cassidy and lunges to the beach from the ship. 

"How lovely to watch these people go to a better place in unity," Cherry Blendy follows Raphael and Cassidy. 

"Freed, I need your swordsmanship to battle Raphael," Captain Sparrow unsheaths his sword, ready to fight. 

"My enchantments shall enhance our-" Raphael strikes Freed with Cassidy. Freed is hurled towards the resort and crashes. 

"You talk too much!" Raphael's body ignites in a red aura and unnatural lightning. 

"That's new," Captain Sparrow attacks Raphael with his sword. 

"Freed!" Laxus sees Freed crashing at the resort. "I'll go evacuate everyone from the battlefield!" Laxus moves with his lightning to the resort. 

"Leave these wimps to us," Bickslow and Evergreen said. 

"Wimps?" Cherry Blendy lands in front of Bickslow and Evergreen. "I'm going to love you two to death. Sky Demon Hellfire Wind Combustion!" Cherry Blendy conjures a fireball with demonic winds. She presses forward, creating hellish orbs to attack Bickslow and Evergreen. 

Evergreen and Bickslow jump out of the way; The impact of Cherry Blendy's attack causes the front of the Akane Resort to explode. 

"Oh, no!" Bickslow is worried. 

"Those people!" Evergreen fears that civilians got killed from the attack, and Laxus didn't evacuate fast enough. 

"Don't worry. Those people will find love on the other side," Cherry Blendy smiles. Her faces reveal a demonic sinister smile that proves she has no remorse for anyone standing in her way.  

"You will regret that with your life!" Evergreen shouts. She goes on the offensive to take down Cherry Blendy. 

"I'm going to eat you, fool," Kain Hikaru points at Bickslow. "Here's my Mr.Cursy the Third!" 

"My babies are going to make you cry, tubby," Bickslow said. His floating Tikis are in formation. 

Kain Hikaru curses himself, turning into steel, and goes after Bickslow. 

"King Shark, get the bait and throw it onshore," Bluto cracks his knuckles. "I'm going to plunder on the loot these sailors have. Perhaps, there's something we can use to dethrone Popeye's Finich Spinach." 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark jumps from the waters into Olive Grove. He walks to the cargo hold to grab the bait. "King Shark is a Shark," King Shark laughs while lifting large eggs. He goes up on deck and throws the eggs hard on the beach. 

"Eggs? Where are these eggs?" Captain Sparrow notices the eggs King Shark is throwing while fighting Raphael and Cassidy. 

"Eggs come from a creature more devastating than the Kraken. It will come here when we're long gone to destroy whoever survives," Raphael laughs and kicks Captain Sparrow. 

Captain Sparrow catches Raphael's kick and knocks him down with a leg sweep. He tries to stab Raphael in the chest when Cassidy slowly moves his arm; Catching the sword strike. Cassidy slowly extends his arm, pushing Captain Sparrow away. 

"Hey!" Many sailors arrive with magic guns and shoot at Raphael. 

"Too easy," Raphael jumps up and rushes at the sailors; he knocks each one of them down with Cassidy. 

"King Shark is a-" King Shark feels the waters shifting. He turns to see Finich Spinach. "Shark!" 

Bluto hears the tone of King Shark. He turns to see Finich Spinach coming closer. "So, Popeye got my invitation after all. I knew those fools would come for revenge," Bluto laughs. He remembers the devastation from Erza and Kagura when they were so helpless against their newfound power. 

"The Akane Beach's is a bit flooded," Spike said. He sees explosions coming from some sail ships. 

"They're here," Gajeel, Rogue, and Wendy said. "What's left of them." 

"Including the fatty," Gajeel said. 

"Oh, great!" Juvia was hoping the last confrontation during the small coalition would be the last. 

"I guess I didn't punch hard enough," Popeye drops anchor. "I can't get closer knowing we'll be in the range of Bluto's cannons. I've seen you teleport, Fairy Dragon. You're going to teleport us all at the beach." 

"Understood," Spike understands, and it would be wise to have Finich Spinach intact. 

"I'm ready for retribution," Erza said. She requips into her Black Wing Armor. 

"So am I," Kagura unsheathes her Archenemy sword. 

"I'm going to slay my mom," Sherria said. She won't be holding back and allowing her mother to escape a second time. 

"Let's go!" Spike uses his fire breath to teleport everyone to the beach of the Akane Resort. 

Captain Sparrow regroups with Evergreen, Bickslow, Freed, and Laxus. Freed and Laxus succeeded in evacuating everyone within the Akane Resort. 

"This is too easy. There's no one to challenge us," Raphael gets cocky. 

"You didn't fight Laxus and me. The Thunder Legion doesn't back down to pirates!" Freed proclaims. 

"Time to show you what we can do to anyone that makes an enemy of Fairy Tail!" Laxus powers up. 

"Hah! You think lightning can harm us?" Raphael, Cherry Blendy, and Cassidy's bodies ignite in unnatural lightning. They shoot their lightning at Laxus. 

Laxus screams in agony. The lightning coming from the Seven Deadly Sins becomes too much, and he explodes. Laxus is on the ground. Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen, and Captain Sparrow watch in horror. Freed and Evergreen are beside Laxus. 

"That's not lightning!" Laxus barely moves from the impact. "What was that!" Laxus looks up. 

"Let's just say we found something beneath the waters that gave us newfound power. I love the creatures that produce the new wave of electricity," Cherry Blendy laughs. 

"Sky God Belloooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her divine wind breath at her mother from behind. She's ascended from the impact. 

"Sky Dragon Roooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath attack at Cherry Blendy from the skies. Cherry Blendy crashes on the sand. 

"Hey, hope you don't mind that we crash the party!" Popeye shouts. He and everyone Spike teleports are behind Raphael, Cassidy, and Kain Hikaru. 

"You've come!" Bickslow is happy to see his friends coming into the fray. 

"We're glad you guys can make it," Evergreen said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to Laxus. "Here," Spike conjures Sparkling Green Lightning and feeds it to Laxus. 

Laxus gets up. The lightning Spike gave him purifies his body. "Now, you're dead meat!" Laxus powers up. He won't be holding back his lightning anymore.
> Another Coalition Mission: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many sailors flee now that Popeye has brought a small army to defeat the Seven Deadly Sins. The eggs that King Shark threw are shattered and release a scent that Spike and the Dragons Slayers aren't familiar with at first. 

Bluto's desire becomes his drive. His desire is wanting to kill Popeye. Bluto increases his size as the unnatural lighting becomes static on his body. 

King Shark, Raphael, Kain Hikaru, and Cherry Blendy split up to create breathing room to fight the ones they seek vengeance. Kain Hikaru curses himself and turns into steel. 

"Time to show you punks what happens when you make the Seven Deadly Sins mad!" Kain Hikaru is looking to grab any hairs for his advantage. 

"I got Kain Hikaru," Jura sways his arms, creating iron rock fists. The connect on Kain Hikaru's charge. He gets punched in the belly, thus pushing him back. 

"Damn! I have never felt anything that hard!" Kain Hikaru's belly growls. "So hungry..." 

"Have an Iron Rock Knuckle Sandwich!" Jura creates iron rock fists from the sand below Kain Hikaru's feet, launching him in the sky. Jura jumps to bring the fight to Kain Hikaru. 

"Hello, my beloved daughter," Cherry Blendy smiles devilishly at her daughter. "You've come to die today. How lovely. I've been waiting to see you for some time now!" Cherry Blendy powers up. 

"I've come to put you down for good! You'll regret killing the innocent!" Sherria uses the rage she held in as an adrenaline to boost her magic power. 

"I love sending them to a better place. A love I'll give you and your friends!" Cherry Blendy creates wind torrents from the palm of her hands to move faster. She's behind Sherria and Wendy. "SKY DEMON!" 

"Too easy," Minerva uses her magic to switch positions with Sherria and Wendy. 

"HUH!?" Cherry Blendy didn't expect to switch places like that. She turns to see Minerva, Sherria, and Wendy throwing their fists. The combined strength and magic cause Cherry Blendy to hurl into a sailor ship. It explodes on contact. 

"She's going have a difficult time landing a blow with me in the fray," Minerva powers up. She shoots territory explosions on the destroyed sailor ship. 

"Thanks," Sherria said with delight. 

Sherria, Wendy, and Minerva hear the sounds of consumption. Cherry Blendy is consuming the winds, the fires, and the smoke surrounding her. 

"Thanks for the added supplements. Sky Demon Scorching Tempest!" Cherry Blendy sways her arms in a circular motion and presses forward, creating a whirlwind of flames and smoke at Sherria, Wendy, and Minerva. 

"Don't mind if I do!" Spike swoops in and consumes the whirlwind Cherry Blendy produced. 

"You...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Cherry Blendy angrily releases a tornado of reddish-black winds with unnatural lightning. She remembers Fairy Demon Dragon and wants to kill Spike. 

"Sky God Belloooooooow!" Sherria unleashes her divine wind breath attack. 

"Sky Dragon Roooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her dragon breath attack. 

Wendy and Sherria's breath attack form in a unison raid to disperse Cherry Blendy's tornado. However, the unison raid attack proves futile when the tornado snuffs it out on impact. The lightning within the tornado becomes the factor of the outcome. Spike gets hit and tries to consume it; however, the lightning causes severe bruising on Spike's body, causing him to scream. 

"Spike!" Wendy hears the screams of agony, and Spike gets hurled into the remains of the Akane Resort. 

Spike lands hard while the unnatural lightning surges through his body. It's causing him to stay paralyzed. 

"What was that?" Minerva questions the lightning. She saw Spike consume different energies and merge with his magic power. She wonders why the attack caused him harm. 

Cherry Blendy takes flight and lands in front of Wendy and Sherria. "Your turn! Sky Demon Lightning Cyclone!" Cherry Blendy produces reddish-black cyclone winds from her arms. The unnatural lightning blends within the attack, causing a devastating effect. 

Wendy, Sherria, and Minerva dodge the attack. Wendy smells the unnatural lightning. To her, it has a similar feed of something catastrophic. 

"Time to die!" Cherry Blendy goes after the girls. 

"Iron Dragon Sword!" Gajeel turns his arm into an iron sword. He slashes at Raphael. 

Raphael uses Cassidy as his sword to block Gajeel's attack. He does so with Kagura, Erza, and Panther Lily's sword swings. Even on a four-on-one assault, Raphael can move swiftly to deflect and attack. Panther Lily now understands that Cassidy's skin is unbreakable. He continues to devise a strategy while searching for any weakness of Raphael. Erza and Kagura pick up the pace to strike Raphael. 

"Give up?" Raphael taunts his opponents. They fail to land a single strike on him. 

"Ice-Make! Seven Slice Dance!" Gray creates ice blades on his elbows and strikes Raphael from behind. 

Raphael groans and becomes furious. "Why you, little," Raphael swings Cassidy at Gray but misses. 

"Ice-Make Cannon!" Gray conjures an ice cannon and shoots a cannonball made of ice to deal massive damage to Raphael. Raphael uses Cassidy to shield himself from the blast. 

"Dude, that's cold," Cassidy speaks a bit fast while his body shivers. 

"Hey! You're not supposed to talk!" Raphael angrily shouts. 

"That's his weakness! The cold! Well, that would have been obvious for a normal human or exceed but, we weren't sure. Now, we have an advantage!" "Gray! We need you to keep attacking Cassidy. If we can get him to move more, he'll be useless for Raphael!" Panther Lily shouts. 

"Consider it done," Gray Smirks. "Juvia!" 

Juvia instantly comes at the side of Gray. "Yes, my darling." 

"We found a way to neutralize Cassidy's ability. I need your hand." 

"Right!" Juvia holds onto Gray's hand. 

"Hold it right there," Bluto comes into the fray after hearing Panther Lily discovering a weakness. 

Popeye takes out his can of spinach and eats it. He lunges at Bluto. "It's time to end our rivalry once and for all!" Popeye punches Bluto away from Raphael and Cassidy. 

"Sailor Scum," Unnatural lightning ignites his hands. His desire to kill Popeye increases his magic power. 

"This is for my brothers!" Captain Sparrow slashes Bluto from behind. His sword leaves a scar on his back. 

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT BY JOINING WITH YOUR BROTHERS!" Bluto slams his fist on the ground. The unnatural lightning creates a sandstorm that engulfs Popeye and Captain Sparrow. Popeye punches the sandstorm and disperses the unnatural lightning. "Oh shit." 

"You never learn. My spinach can defeat what you throw at me!" Popeye charges at Bluto with Captain Sparrow. 

"Ice-Make Geyser!" Gray unleashes his tower of ice spikes.

"Water Nebula!" Juvia unleashes waves of water rotating around each other hitting Gray's Geyser.

The combined attack hits Raphael and Cassidy, the area becomes freezing cold, and the sand turns into ice. Cassidy shivers and gets down to cover himself. 

"Dude! Not now!" Raphael loses his best weapon. 

"It's cold," Cassidy is shirtless, wearing jeans and sunglasses. 

"Stop moving!" Raphael tries to reason Cassidy due to the cold.

"I need a shirt," Cassidy stutters due to the cold. He starts walking away, which isn't a good sign for Raphael. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel's arm turns into an iron club and punches Cassidy's back. He falls to the ground. 

"Cassidy?" Raphael notices that Cassidy is out cold. Sure, his skin is indestructible, but only if he remains stationary. Since he moved, he's vulnerable. "Crap!" Raphael takes out his Sais and sees Erza, Kagura, and Panther Lily going for the attack while he's distracted. He manages to block Erza and Kagura's strike, but Panther Lily lands a blow on Raphael. He drops his Sais and falls to his knees. "Damn you to hell!" Raphael's unnatural lightning spews from his body, directing the attack on all of his enemies. 

Kagura, Erza, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Juvia, and Gray move out of the way from Raphael's outburst of unnatural lightning. Gajeel smells the scent and finds the unnatural lightning familiar for some reason. 

"King Shark is a Shark!" King Shark shouts. 

"Will you ever shut up!" Laxus is getting annoyed by King Shark's repeated statement. "Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus shoots a massive, powerful lightning spear at King Shark. 

"King Shark is not afraid of puny lightning!" King Shark's unnatural lightning intercepts Laxus' lightning spear. The two lightning attacks explode on contact. 

Sting and Rogue jump from behind. "Holy Shadow Dragon!" Sting and Rogue combined their Dragon Slayer Magic for a powerful and destructive attack. "Flash Fang!" They release a combined burst of light and shadows at King Shark. 

King Shark wails a bit from the attack. It wasn't Rogue's shadows that hurt him; Sting's holy properties got the better of him. 

"Fairy Bomb, Gremlin!" Evergreen spreads her wings and takes flight. She surrounds King Shark with dust particles and then ignites them to create a powerful explosion. 

King Shark grabs Evergreen's leg and uses his strength to throw her far away from the battle. Lector and Frosch fly after Evergreen. Evergreen winds up in front of the remains of the Akane Resort. She lands hard next to Spike and worries at what the unnatural lightning can do. The unnatural lightning visibly scours Spike's body as Spike twitches. 

"Spike?" Evergreen is about to touch Spike. 

"Don't! Don't touch me." 

"What happened?" Evergreen wants to help. That's when Lector and Frosch arrive. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Lector asks Evergreen. 

"What's wrong with Fairy Dragon?" Frosch asks. He wants to touch the unnatural lightning. 

"I'm paralyzed. This lightning is preventing me from moving," Spike replies. 

"Get Wendy, now!" Evergreen commands. 

"Right, let's go, buddy," Lector and Frosch take off. 

"Hang in there, Spike," Evergreen sees how her friends continue their battles. 

Jura defeats Kain Hikaru with his Rumbling Fuji. Since Kain Hikaru can't get Jura's hair, there's not much he can do. Also, he's the only member that doesn't enhance the unnatural lightning as his friends do. Jura takes Mr.Cursy the Third and rips it apart. 

Popeye and Captain Sparrow are giving Bluto everything they got. The unnatural lightning Bluto has is his equalizer. Bluto punches Popeye and Captain Sparrow. The two catch his punches and throws one right back; The unnatural lightning creates a forcefield. Normally it would have paralyzed the two as Spike did; however, due to the spinach Popeye ate, it neutralizes the paralyzing effect. Popeye and Captain Sparrow continue the onslaught to tire Bluto anyway they can until an opening presents itself. 

Sting is the only one affecting King Shark. The other attacks from the Thunder Legion are futile at the moment. Yukino summons Libra and Pisces to level the playing field but, the unnatural lightning makes it harder for the Zodiac Spirits to land an attack. Libra does hold King Shark down as before, but not for long periods of time. 

Raphael continues to spew unnatural lightning and controls the movement with his hand. Cassidy is still down for the count. Gajeel's iron club made sure of that. The unnatural lightning makes it harder for Erza, Gray, Juvia, Panther Lily, Erza, and Kagura to land another hit. 

Cherry Blendy is proven to be a difficult opponent without Spike in the fray. Her unnatural lightning is making it harder to land blows on her. Sherria, Wendy, and Minerva's combined efforts aren't working; Switching positions with Cherry Blendy around the area is not helping. Cherry Blendy's unnatural lightning with demonic properties enhances her magic tenfold. 

"Wendy, Sherria! Spike needs your healing magic!" Lector shouts. 

"Can't!" Sherria and Wendy move out of the way. Cherry Blendy unleashes her Devil Wind Foray. Devil Wind Foray are demonic red spears with burning piercing effects. 

"Leave the psycho bitch to us," Bickslow and Freed step up to the plate. 

"Dark Écriture!" Freed inscribes runes onto Cherry Blendy using his sword. 

"Huh?" Cherry Blendy is confused with the runes on her body. "What is this?" 

"Suffering!" Freed causes Cherry Blendy to undergo severe pain due to the runes inscribed on her body. 

Cherry Blendy screams while the unnatural lightning makes it worse. Sherria sees an opening. 

"Sky God Boreas!" Sherria generates two spiraling black currents creating a massive whirlwind. Cherry Blendy feels the divine winds hitting her. "Wendy, go!" 

Carla swoops and grabs Wendy. "Let's go!" Carla flies Wendy to the Akane resort. Lector and Frosch follow her there. 

Evergreen gets up and waves. She sees her friends coming. "Over here! Spike doesn't look good." 

Spike pants while he can't move his limbs. Wendy and Carla gasp in horror and see how devastating trying to consume the lightning is. Carla drops Wendy, allowing her to do her magic. 

"I got you, Spike," Wendy uses her healing magic to cleanse the unnatural lightning. 

"Oooooh, that feels better," Spike feels the unnatural lightning removed from his body. "Something is off with the lightning. I can smell it. I would say feel but, I don't want to feel that again. How's the fight going along?" 

"Freed and Bickslow stepped in for me. Freed's enchantments are pivotal in turning the tides against Cherry Blendy. Freed and Sherria are the perfect combatants to bring Cherry Blendy down due to the unnatural lightning," Wendy confirms. 

"I saw Jura defeating Kain Hikaru. I see him going to aid the others in defeating King Shark. Popeye and Captain Sparrow continue their fight against Bluto. Gray and Juvia removed Cassidy from the conflict. Raphael is sending shockwaves of the unnatural lightning at the others." 

"Thanks for the info, Wendy and Evergreen. Now, I'm back in the fight." 

Spike, Wendy, Evergreen, Carla, Lector, and Frosch notice the ocean waters rising; King Shark senses the creature coming for the eggs an hour too soon. 

"Uh oh," King Shark turns to the ocean waters. 

Everyone stops fighting after hearing a loud screeching roar. The waters rise like a tsunami and many sail ships fling out of the water. Everyone dodges while the ground and ice start quaking. 

"What is that?" Gray ponders a bit. 

Raphael's eyes go wide. Fear gets the better of him. "It came early. We were supposed to be gone before it came," The unnatural lightning fades, allowing Erza and Kagura to deliver the finishing blow with their sword swings. Raphael screams in agony while his arms are cleaved off. 

"No!" Cherry Blendy becomes worried. She knew the creature came too soon. With her back turn to see the waters rising, Sherria takes full advantage. 

"Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!" Sherria extends her arms outwards with her palms open. Black air spirals appear in the form of stylized feathers that grows larger and larger. It flows like a serpent at high speed, hitting Cherry Blendy. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The divine properties of Sherria's attack weaken Cherry Blendy. She falls and twitches. The pain from the last encounter returns. 

Bluto smiles. "It has come a bit soon. However, since my crewmates have fallen into fear, I guess bringing the creature here will do just enough to slay you all." 

Popeye grabs Bluto. "WHAT DID YOU BRING HERE?!" Popeye demands an answer. 

"A creature that cannot be tamed." 

"King Shark is afraid!" 

Laxus grabs King Shark from behind and drains the unnatural lightning. To his surprise, the lightning doesn't affect him as much; A perk of being a Lightning Dragon Slayer. 

"HEY!" King Shark gets sucker-punched by Laxus by using Roaring Thunder. He's down for the count. 

"Nice going, Laxus," Sting said. 

"Thanks," Laxus picks up King Shark. "What are you afraid of?" 

King Shark points as a tall creature emerge from the waters. A massive sea creature with a long snake-like body and a head of a dragon surface. The scales are dragon-like serpents. The scale's color of the sea creature is a blend of dark navy blue and black. The head of the sea creature has two horns on each side. Its jaw opens, releasing the same unnatural lighting to the fullest of its ability. The unnatural lightning destroys the rest of the sail ships onshore. It roars angrily, seeing the eggs shattered. 

The remaining members of the Seven Deadly Sins, except for Bluto, are still due to their fear, everyone else that was fighting watches in awe. They are unsure of how to tackle the sea creature. 

Spike, Wendy, Evergreen, Carla, Lector, and Frosch's jaws drop. They experienced many things in life, many terrifying creatures that laid waste. Acnologia is still ranked number one, but the sea creature that emerged takes second place. 

"Holy shit.., that's a Leviathan..," Spike said in shock and horror.
> Another Coalition Mission: Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Leviathan roars while many wizards watch in awe. The Leviathan shoots the unnatural lightning at the wizards, thinking they killed her offspring. Bluto triumphantly laughs while Popeye gut-punches him. 

"What did you do, Bluto?!" Popeye grabs him and yanks him up. Rage fills Popeye's eyes. 

"Well, Popeye, I lured a dragon hybrid of the Seven Seas. Leviathan, an offspring of a Water Dragon and a Snake. We were supposed to be gone while it kills off the remaining sailors and any who stand in our way. Leviathan came early than expected. I go down. I'm taking all of you with me!" Bluto laughs. Then, Captain Sparrow decapitates Bluto's head with his sword. 

"Shiver me timbers, Captain Sparrow!" Popeye gets startled and drops Bluto's body. 

"That bastard killed Peggy and Blindbeard. You think putting him in prison is going to work as justice for me, mate?" Captain Sparrow said in a calm and yet serious tone. 

"Ay got it, mate. Still, he might have info about the Leviathan," Popeye turns to the fearsome creature creating havoc. 

"Last time we ventured with these crew, we saw the Kraken. Rage can tame the Leviathan." 

Popeye sadly sighs. "He cannot, Sparrow." 

"Why not?" Captain Sparrow turns to Popeye in worry now. 

"Rage sacrificed himself to save a friend. Fairy Dragon mentioned it during the boat ride." 

"That sucks," Captain Sparrow realizes his mistake despite it feeling good to kill the man that murdered his brothers. 

"Out of King Shark's way!" King Shark shoves Juvia and Gray aside to make his escape. The Leviathan smells the scent of King Shark and the unnatural lightning he possesses. The Leviathan uses its mouth to suck the air around King Shark to pull him closer. "NO! KING SHARK IS A KING! NOT FOOOOOOOOOOD!" 

"I think that creature is after the Seven Deadly Sins," Gray said. He watches King Shark levitated by the Leviathan's pull. 

"NO! STOP! LET ME GO!" King Shark pleas. The Leviathan tries to bite King Shark and uses his strength to hold the jaws in place. "I'M NOT A DELECTABLE! RELEASE ME!" King Shark begs. 

Cherry Blendy watches in horror. "That's not love! That's wrong!" 

Sherria grabs her mother by the collar and lifts her close to her. Cherry sees fury in her daughter's eyes and gulps. 

"What is that thing?" Sherria demands an answer from her mother. 

"The Leviathan," Cherry Blendy responds. 

"What?!" Minerva is in shock. She read about the mythical creatures in old tale books. 

"That's bad. I'm afraid our magic may be outclassed against that behemoth," Bickslow said. 

"I always thought Leviathans were an extinct species. Seeing one is truly magnificent," Freed said in awe. 

"Dude, seriously?" Bickslow is questioning his friend's behavior towards the Leviathan. 

"How do we get rid of it!?" Sherria angrily asks her mother. 

"I don't have the answer for that. The creature is a hybrid of a Water Dragon and a Snake. I'm afraid common magic-users do not affect the creature," Cherry Blendy replies. 

"Well, good thing we have Dragon Slayers on our side," Minerva smirks. "We have five plus Fairy Dragon." 

"This is bad..," Raphael backs away while watching his comrade in the mouth of the Leviathan. 

"Dude, we're screwed," Cassidy said while getting back up. 

"Don't remind me!" Raphael gets angry. 

"Hey!" Erza grabs Raphael. Her glare now gets the better of Raphael due to the Leviathan's presence. "What is that creature?!" 

"It's.., it's..," Raphael stutters. 

"It's the Leviathan," Cassidy answers. 

"What?" Kagura looks up at the behemoth. It is still trying to eat King Shark. 

"How do we beat it?" Erza asks. 

"I don't know!" Raphael scaredly replies. 

Cassidy puts his hands in his pockets for warmth. "The Leviathan is a hybrid. Water Dragon and Snake. It's obvious that a hybrid has a known weakness for certain types of magic-users." 

Gajeel chuckles. "So, Dragon Slayers can stop the beast of the sea?" 

"That is correct," Cassidy said. "You may use me as a weapon." 

"What are you doing?!" Raphael yells at Cassidy. 

"Changing my path. I refuse to be used as a weapon of evil. I need a new purpose, and now, I found it," Cassidy's Seven Deadly Sin Emblem erases. 

"So, you'll help us?" Kagura asks. 

"Yes. My magic ability will return when I stop talking. If I'm going to die, I want to die doing something good for once." 

Gajeel grabs Cassidy and lifts him like a sword. By doing so, Cassidy turns iron; and Gajeel is in shock. "How?" 

"My magic reflects on the user holding me like a sword. I amplify the magic user with my magic. After all, I'm more supportive than anyone from my former guild." 

"Alright!" Gajeel gets excited. "Lily! Let's go!" 

"Right!" Panther Lily grabs Gajeel and fly towards the Leviathan. 

"You freaking traitor," Raphael is perturbed by Cassidy's betrayal. 

Erza punches Raphael in the gut, knocking him out. She picks him up. "We gotta get to Laxus, Sting, and Rogue. They can help Gajeel take down the Leviathan." 

"Understood," Kagura nods. 

"So, are we going to allow the Dragon Slayers and Spike take that behemoth alone, Gray, my love?" Juvia helps Gray. 

"No, we're stepping into this fight! Ice-Make Saucer!" Gray creates a large, spinning ice disk, capable of cutting through like a buzz-saw, which he launches at the Leviathan. The saucer shatters on contact. The scales show to be impenetrable. 

"We should combine our effort, Gray," Juvia suggests. 

Gray nods. "Right. Let's do it together, Juvia!" 

"Yukino. You think Pisces can bring that down creature?" Sting refers to the Leviathan, still trying to eat King Shark. 

"I'm not sure," Yukino is having second thoughts. 

"Sting! Rogue!" Kagura and Minerva arrives. 

"Milady?" Sting turns to Minerva. 

"Kagura? What's up?" Rogue turns to Kagura. 

"The Leviathan is a hybrid of a Water Dragon and a Snake," Minerva informs the Twin Dragons. 

"Perfect," Sting and Rogue now know what to do. 

"So," Laxus cracks his knuckles. "We get to train to slay this hybrid dragon. I say bring it on!" Laxus taps into his Lightning Dragon Mode. He watches Sting and Rogue tapping into their drives. Laxus, Sting, and Rogue go after the Leviathan.

"Spike, what should we do?" Carla turns to Spike. 

"I have to fight the Leviathan," Spike flaps his wings. 

"Not alone!" Wendy refuses to allow her boyfriend to fight a monstrosity on his own. She taps into her Dragon Force. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases into a full-size dragon. The spikes on his back and tail become sharper. He gains muscle mass and gets ripped. Spike roars after his transformation. Everyone else hears Spike's roar. 

"Let's go, Spike!" Wendy flies towards the Leviathan. 

Spike runs towards the seashore of the Akane Resort Beach. 

"Hey, should you and the others help him fight?" Lector asks Evergreen. 

"Of course, we're not going to standby and do nothing," Evergreen spreads her wings and flies after her friends. Frosch and Lector decide to help Sting and Rogue fly closer to the Leviathan. 

Jura imprisons Kain Hikaru in an iron rock cage. With Mr.Cursy the Third out of contention, Kain Hikaru's strength is not strong enough to destroy the cage. All Kain Hikaru can do is watch while Jura goes to aid his friends against the Levithan. 

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art, Karma Demon Iron Spiral!" Gajeel transforms his legs into a giant drill, which rotates at high speed, heavily damaging and piercing through the scales of the Leviathan. The Leviathan screeches loudly in pain. The jaws open wider for King Shark to escape. 

"King Shark is free!" King Shark lands in the waters of Akane Beach. Then he sees Spike and Wendy coming towards the Leviathan. "They want to die." 

"Sky Dragon Leading Sky Arrow!" Wendy cloaks one of her legs in a whirlwind of a Sky Dragon's air, thrusting it at the Leviathan. The Leviathan gets pushed back from the impact. It releases the unnatural lightning at Wendy, hoping to incinerate her. 

"I'll take that!" Laxus intervenes and intercepts the unnatural lightning. It increases his magic power. "Lightning Dragon Breakdown Fist!" Laxus gathers a large amount of lightning around one of his fists, bends the arm, and then extends the fist forward in a punching motion. An oversized version of his fist; Completely composed of lightning, is generated and rapidly fired towards the Leviathan, electrocuting the creature in the process. 

The Leviathan screeches louder and uses its unnatural lightning as a battery to feed Laxus' lightning into its body. The unnatural lightning starts glowing into a new color. The unnatural lightning is now red, meaning that the creature is livid. 

"White Dragon!" Sting conjures his holy breath attack. 

"Shadow Dragon!" Rogue conjures his shadow breath attack. 

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Sting and Rogue combine their breath attack into a unison raid. The Leviathan unleashes a red unnatural lightning energy beam at the unison raid breath attack; The combined magic attack causes an explosion on impact when it collides. 

Smoke is everywhere from the attack, and Spike takes full advantage to tackle the Leviathan. The Leviathan falls back and dives into the water. Spike flaps his wings and flies in the skies, thinking that the Leviathan may want to drag him and drown him. 

King Shark swims back onshore. Only to be surrounded by many wizards, including Popeye and Captain Sparrow. Cherry Blendy is in a confined area due to Freed's enchantment. Many sailors return to shackle Raphael is nullifying magic cuffs. 

"You're not getting away, King Shark," Captain Sparrow draws his sword in front of King Shark's chest. 

King Shark knows he won't win the battle with everyone else in the fray. Popeye, Kagura, Erza, Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen, Minerva, Jura, Sherria, Gray, Juvia, Carla, and Yukino surround King Shark. "King Shark is dethroned." 

Lector grabs Sting while Frosch grabs Rogue to help them fight in the battle. 

"Thanks," Sting is grateful for Lector's assistance. 

"No problem, Sting. We need to make sure that Leviathan is down," Lector replies. 

"Hey, Frosch." 

"I'm going to help," Frosch happily expresses. 

"That you are, Frosch," Rogue powers up. 

Spike is trying to read the Leviathan's movement by the shifting waters around the beach. 

"See anything, Fairy Dragon!" Gajeel asks. 

"It's hard to tell. The waters are moving differently," Spike responds. He sees the head of the Leviathan rising from the waters. It spews unnatural red lightning from its mouth at Spike. Spike, however, grabs the unnatural red lightning and forms it into an energy ball. "Lightning Inferno Flame!" Sparkling Green Flames engulfs the energy ball. "Demolition Blast!" Spike presses forward, creating an energy cannon to shoot at the Leviathan. The Leviathan screeches louder and dives when Spike grabs the horn and flies. "Everyone! Concentrate on your magic power to finish the creature!" 

"Rogue, let's combine our magic once more," Sting said. 

"Right," Rogue nods. He and Sting power up. 

Popeye chuckles and gives every wizard some spinach. "Eat and combine your magic into one ultimate combo move!" 

They do so without any hesitation except for Sherria. She closes her nose to eat the spinach. With every wizard gaining an increase with their magic power, they concentrate on their powerful ones. Spike flies high enough to release the Leviathan. 

"Sky God Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!" Sherria extends her arms outwards with her palms open. Black air spirals appear in the form of stylized feathers that grows larger and larger. It flows like a serpent at high speeds at the Leviathan. 

"Baryon Formation!" Bickslow's Tikis gets in a pentagon formation, shooting an energy beam at the Leviathan. 

"Fairy Machine Gun Leprechaun!" Evergreen unleashes her torrents of energy needles at the Leviathan. 

"Water Slicer!" Juvia creates a single wave of multiple blades that resemble scythes at the Leviathan. 

"Carla, I'm going to need your assistance," Freed said. Carla grabs Freed and takes off. "Dark Écriture Absolute Shadow!" By inscribing runes onto himself, Freed's upper body becomes covered in dark armor, complete with large shoulder pads and a helmet with a menacing appearance; Freed's hair becomes slicked back and protrudes from the opening in the helmet. Freed produces a large, electric orb from his right hand. Carla gets closer to the Leviathan, allowing Freed to use the electric orb as a melee weapon to slash the Leviathan at full force. 

"Ice-Make Unlimited One-Sided Chaotic Dance!" Gray creates a large number of big Ice Swords and directs them at the Leviathan. 

"Requip!" Erza requips into her Flame Empress Armor. She slashes her flame sword at the Leviathan; Flame slices produce from her slashing. 

"Yagdo Rigora!" Minerva casts an enchantment that allows her to create a stone, god-like effigy with intricate designs on its body. She uses her territory magic to teleport the stone towards the Leviathan. It explodes and creates a powerful and wide-scale blast. 

"Rock Avalanche!" Jura conjures an iron rock wall first and separates the bricks of the iron rock wall. He lifts the bricks in the air and is sent flying at the Leviathan with great force and speed; Which creates a huge terrestrial blast in the process. 

"Now, Pisces," Yukino points at the Leviathan. "Show who's dominion over the seas!" Pisces flies in the skies and attack the Leviathan head-on. 

"Kagura," Popeye calls her. 

"Yes?" Kagura turns to him. 

"I'll throw ye to the behemoth," Popeye said. Kagura nods. Popeye grabs Kagura's back and tosses her at the Leviathan like a spear. 

Kagura focuses on her magic power and strength. She uses her Archenemy sword to slash and manages to cut some scales of the Leviathan. She then uses her gravity magic to pull herself back to the others. 

"Lightning Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath attack at the Leviathan. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath attack at the Leviathan. 

"Holy Shadow Dragon!" Sting and Rogue combined their Dragon Slayer Magic for a powerful and destructive attack. "Flash Fang!" They release a combined burst of light and shadows at the Leviathan. 

"Karma Demon Iron God Sword!" Gajeel claps his hands together above his head, creating a gigantic iron sword. He uses Cassidy and his Iron God Sword to slash the Leviathan; The combined effort leave scares on the Leviathan's body. 

Spike watches his friends combining their power to attack the Leviathan from the skies. He hears the Leviathan wailing in agony. The Leviathan lands in the waters badly injured from the relentless attacks. It's barely moving from afar. 

"My turn. Fairy Dragon! Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike the Fairy lifts his claws and conjures ice missiles from the air. They're Sparkling Green with flames inside. He spawns a hundred of them. They are larger in scale due to Spike's size. "Launch!" Spike unleashes the ice missiles on the Leviathan. 

Every wizard watches the ice missiles explode on the Leviathan. The Leviathan wails in agony even more from the relentless missile strikes. After a few moments, the Leviathan floats on the water, and everyone cheers. 

"We did it!" Sherria jumps in excitement. 

"Great teamwork, everybody," Jura throws the thumbs up.

"We did it, Gray!" Juvia hugs Gray. Gray rolls his eyes, allowing Juvia to enjoy the moment. 

"I can't believe it. King Shark witnessed the fall of the Leviathan." 

"We won!" Wendy shouts in triumph. 

"That's how it's done!" Bickslow said. "Fairy Tail Rules!" Bickslow Tikis chant. 

"Wow, we took down a dragon hybrid," Sting is in shock. He turns to Rogue. 

"I guess it counts for slaying dragons," Rogue said. 

"You guys were awesome!" Lector shouts. 

"I think so too," Frosch concurs. 

"Nice going, Gajeel," Panther Lily said. 

"Thanks, Lily." Gajeel replies. "Thanks, Cassidy, for the assist." 

"No problem. Glad I can do something before I'm turned in," Cassidy knows he's going to prison. 

"Ever heard of Crime Sorcière?" Gajeel asks. 

"No. Who are they?" Cassidy asks. 

"A guild of former villains doing good. Perhaps you should go look for them while you have the chance to flee," Gajeel said. 

"Sounds good. Throw me as hard as you can, and I'll go look for them," Cassidy said. 

"Lily, turn me around," Panther Lily does so and throws Cassidy as hard as he can. Cassidy's body changes the moment Gajeel lets go of him. Cassidy is now light, and he soars in the skies heading towards the forest region near the Akane Resort. 

Spike reverts to normal and lands on the beach. Wendy lands next to him and hugs him. 

"We did it, Spike!" 

"Yes, we did." 

An hour later. The Royal Soldiers arrive at the beach of the Akane Resort. They bring King Shark, Cherry Blendy, Kain Hikaura, and Raphael into custody. One of the Royal Soldiers informs Jura that the new Magic Council will now consist of the Ten Wizard Saints. Sherria becomes sad, knowing that Jura will have to leave Lamia Scale. The Royal Soldiers ask if anyone is willing to work for the Magic Council Warfare Units since it's being reestablished. Gajeel and Panther Lily volunteer to help out, knowing it'll be good pay until the year is up. Jura, Gajeel, and Panther Lily say their byes and leave with the Royal Soldiers. 

Popeye and Captain Sparrow say they and the sailors will help rebuild the Akane Resort as well as get their festivities underway. Popeye tells everyone he'll mail the checks in a few days. Wendy invites Sherria to the apartment; Spike and Carla have no problem. Erza and Kagura ask Spike to teleport them to the Mermaid Heel guildhall; Kagura wants to check on her friends. Spike uses his fire breath on Kagura and Erza after a quick hug. Sabertooth asks Spike to teleport them back home, which Spike complies. He uses his fire breath to teleport Sting, Rogue, Yukino, Minerva, Lector, and Frosch back home. The Thunder Legion will stay and help the sailors rebuild the Akane Resort. They still have another two months left with their reservation. Gray and Juvia tell Spike they'll be on their way. They'll walk back to their training grounds. Spike uses his fire breath one more time. He teleports Wendy, Sherria, Carla, and himself to the apartment in Magnolia. 

"Home sweet home," Spike said. He walks up to his bed and lays on his belly. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, much better." 

Wendy does the same and relaxes with Spike. "I'm so glad we took care of business." 

"I'm glad my mom will be rotting in jail for all eternity. She killed a lot of innocents," Sherria said. She sits and lays back on Lucy's bed. "Wow, this bed is comfortable." 

"I agree," Carla lays on the bed next to Wendy and Spike. "I'm so glad the Seven Deadly Sins are gone for good." 

"First venture to fight them, we saw a Kraken. In the second encounter, we defeated a Leviathan. A team effort nonetheless." 

"So, how long can I stay here for?" Sherria asks Spike. 

"A few days, and then I'll send you back to the Lamia Scale guildhall." 

"Thanks. I need to relax, and what a better way to celebrate is with my Sky Sister and Sky Brother." 

"Sky Brother?" Spike is confused. 

"Well, you can technically use wind magic as an Energy Maker Dragon, right?" 

"Yea," Spike nods. There's no denying that fact. 

"Therefore, I dub thee as my Sky Brother. Plus, you two are technically dating each other." 

"Alright, I'll be your brother, Sherria," Spike smiles. 

"Wonderful!" Sherria smiles. 

Spike, Sherria, Wendy, and Carla hear the door knocking. Spike groans a little and answers the door. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," The Landlady smiles. "I have pizza for you and your guests," The Landlady gives Spike two boxes of pizza." 

"Pizza! Awesome!" Sherria gets excited. Her belly growls on cue. 

"Thanks, Landlady. Uh, why are you giving me pizzas?" 

"Well, the pizza delivery guy botched the order and winded up giving me more than one pie. So I figured to share with those living in the building." 

"Thank you," Spike smiles. 

"You're welcome. When will you be making those cookies?" 

"Soon. I need to relax. I went on a job with my friends, and we just came back." 

"Alright then, have a good day, Fairy Dragon," The Landlady said and left. "Gosh, I enjoy saying Fairy Dragon." 

Spike closes the door. Sherria takes the pizza boxes out of Spike's claw and puts them on the table. Wendy and Carla decide to grab the plate and cups. Spike then grabs the juice and sodas in the fridge to have a pizza party to celebrate their victory over the Seven Deadly Sins.
> Bearer of Bad News
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ember is flying straight to Ponyville. She shed some tears on the way after holding in her emotions. Seeing her kin shattered in stone is horrifying by the same monster she forbade entrance from the warning issued before the Friendship Festival. 

"How am I going to calm Smolder when I unveil the bad news?" Ember sighs midflight. She watches many creatures associating with each other in the lands of Equestria. 

Shining Armor wakes up and notices he's on the floor. "What happened?" He looks around to see a Crystal Guard present. 

"Sir, you passed out after I informed you of your parents' arrival." 

Shining Armor gulps as his pupils shrink. He's unsure how his mother and father would fathom the news about Midnight Sparkle's defeat and resurrection. He would faint again. 

"I better grab him," The Crystal Guard grabs Shining Armor and carries him to the family room of the castle. 

The Unity Seven are heading to Sugarcube Corner to buy snacks for the next trip to the Treehouse of Harmony. Pinkie Pie is making cupcakes with the help of Rainbow Dash. It's a Rainbow Wonderbolt Edition, Pinkie calls it, to celebrate Rainbow Dash's promotion within the Wonderbolts. For some reason, Smolder has been feeling anxiety since waking up screaming last night. 

"Hey, Smolder. Why the long face?" Pinkie asks with no pun intended. Smolder looks away from Pinkie. "Okay, silent treatment. Psst," Pinkie grabs Sandbar and pulls him close. "What's wrong with your friend?" Pinkie whispers. 

"She woke up screaming last night and feels extremely sad. My friends and I have no clue why she's feeling like this. We're hoping to cheer her up by going to our treehouse." 

"Which we will be buying a few dozen of your cupcakes," Neighsay said. 

"Coming up!" Pinkie wastes no time stacking up how many dozens she believes they'll need. 

"So, besides Smolder, how are the rest of you doing?" Rainbow has frosting on her nose from helping Pinkie in the kitchen. 

"We're doing okay, Rainbow," Silverstream said. 

"Yea, we want to help Smolder recover from this sudden sadness she's going through," Gallus said. 

"Yona hates when a friend is sad. Yona wonders what happened in Smolder's dream." 

"Why not ask Princess Luna? I'm sure she'll tell you what happened within Smolder's dream," Rainbow Dash advises. 

"She's not available. My medallion would allow me to travel to Princess Luna but, she hasn't responded to my call. I assume she's preoccupied with her royal affairs," Neighsay replies. 

"Bummer," Pinkie said. 

"That's why we're hosting a party at the Treehouse of Harmony to cheer Smolder up," Ocellus said. 

"Sounds like fun," Pinkie smiles. "Need my help?" Pinkie smiles widely and has her party cannon ready. 

"No, thank you, Pinkie. I invited Discord to help out," Neighsay said. 

"Fair enough. I hope to hang out with you seven," Pinkie said. 

"Soon," Sandbar responds.

"I got the boxes," Silverstream grabs the dozens of cupcakes. 

"I'll help you," Gallus grabs some. 

Neighsay pays fifty bits for the ten dozens of cupcakes. The Unity Seven leave Sugarcube corner. Smolder looks down and sighs heavily. Everyone else remains silent, trying to jot some ideas to uplift Smolder's sadness. 

Shining Armor wakes up in the family room. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike arrive with Twilight Velvet and Night Light. They were talking about their progress and decisions moving forward in life. 

"Shining!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) trots up to her big brother. 

"Twily," Shining Armor smiles, then it fades seeing his parents entering the family room. 

"Shining, something troubling you?" Night Light asks. He's concerned, judging from Shining's reaction. 

"If it is about Midnight Sparkle, we know," Twilight Velvet said. "There was a movie display about Spike the Fairy's newer memories in Canterlot. We saw the climatic battles he endured ever since winning the Grand Magic Games." 

Shining Armor's jaw drops. He's glad that his parents are aware of Midnight Sparkle even more. Seeing the memories of Spike the Fairy and knowing what Midnight has done; it's like a huge burden off his chest. 

"Twilight and I are aware as well. We had a movie night with the Unity Seven, Sunset, the Dazzlings, and Discord himself two days ago," Spike explains. 

"Well, that's one burden lifted. Now, I have grave news." 

"Grave?" Twilight (Sci-Twi), Twilight Velvet, Night Light, and Spike say in unison. They are perplexed by Shining's statement. 

Princess Cadance enters the family room with Flurry Heart. Her heart sinks a bit, knowing they're about to hear the shocking revelation. 

"Midnight Sparkle is still out there running amuck. She took possession of an ancient relic, turned three creatures into stone, and shattered them." 

Twilight Velvet and Night Light gasps horridly. Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) remain calm. Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are puzzled by the calmness of Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"My evil counterpart won't stay down. I guess that's something my son and I will have to tackle."

"My counterpart defeated Midnight Sparkle, so I believe I can defeat her as well." 

"Your optimism scares me," Shining said. 

"It's been proven time and time again that Midnight Sparkle fails. It is heartbreaking to hear creatures shattered but, I believe there are spells to bring them back to life. I will find a way to reverse the effects of my counterpart's doing," Twilight (Sci-Twi) confidently states. 

"That's not the worst part, Twily. Midnight Sparkle possessed Rarity's body." 

Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) are silent. Their sudden confidence fades a bit. Spike has some nightmares of Rarity violating him, while Twilight (Sci-Twi) wants no part of Rarity anymore. The two sigh heavily. 

"Now, I don't know what or how to feel. Midnight Sparkle possessing Rarity.., did Rarity say yes?" Spike asks. He wants clarification that Rarity agreed to Midnight Sparkle's proposal. 

"No. According to Princess Celestia, Midnight Sparkle took Rarity's body by force and now holds her prisoner to her demented scheme." 

Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) sigh heavily. "I don't think I can stand up to Midnight Sparkle while she's in Rarity's body." 

"I don't blame you, Spike. I guess; we need to take a different approach," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sadly says. "Are there any books that can help us?" 

"Discord should be arriving here at any moment. Discord will fix what Midnight has done to the dragons and pony," Princess Cadance said. Flurry Heart flies into Spike's arm. 

"Hey, Flurry Heart," Spike rubs Flurry Heart's belly with his finger. Flurry Heart giggles. 

"Twilight, follow me to our library. Perhaps there are spells we can try together until Discord arrives," Princess Cadance said. 

"Coming," Twilight (Sci-Twi) trots up to Princess Cadance. The two gallop to the library within the Crystal Castle.

The Unity Seven arrive at the Treehouse of Harmony. They see Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings. Gallus smiles widely, seeing Adagio again. Sonata, Aria, and Sunset notice the demeanor written on Smolder's face. They approach her. 

"Hey, Smolder. What's wrong?" Sunset asks. Smolder sighs and walks past her, entering the Treehouse of Harmony. "What happened with her?" 

"Smolder has anxiety and sadness. She woke up screaming last night. Smolder refuses to explain what happened within her dreams," Silverstream explains to her friends. 

"So, we thought about having the party to help uplift the sadness," Gallus said. 

"More like for you to kiss Adagio," Sonata teases the two while making kissy faces. 

"Hey! At least I have someone who loves me," Gallus makes the first move by placing his arm around Adagio's neck. 

"Which is true," Adagio smiles at Gallus. "Enjoy being single, Sonata," Adagio smirks which cause Sonata's jaw to drop in shock. 

"Ooooooh, she got you there," Neighsay and Sandbar laugh. 

"Yona didn't think it'll take you two this long to accept each other." 

"Well, I learn that there is no right time to admit love to each other. We have to make it," Gallus said with pride. 

"I agree. We saw how Wendy and Spike took the time to know each other and to say the three words to unify their love for each other." 

"We haven't heard nor seen you kiss each other," Ocellus said. 

"Yea," Silverstream and Sonata agree with Ocellus' statement. 

Gallus and Adagio stare at each other. The two muster enough to say: "I love you."

Everyone else is in shock as Gallus and Adagio kiss each other. They enjoy and savor the kiss. Discord arrives with party favors. 

"Wow, they finally hooked up. Congrats, you two." 

"Thanks, Discord. Now, our friend needs support and encouragement. Smolder has been devastated since waking up from a horrid nightmare last night." 

"Thanks for the info, Gallus. Let's not waste any more time out here and enter. Our friend needs us," Discord leads everyone inside the Treehouse of Harmony. 

Ember arrives in Ponyville and looks for Smolder and her friends. She sees Starlight Glimmer with Trixie trotting to Sugarcube Corner and approaches them. 

"Greetings, Starlight and Trixie. Have you seen Smolder around recently?" 

"Hi, Empress Ember," Trixie smiles at her friend. 

"I have not seen Smolder. She could be inside the dorm or Treehouse of Harmony with her friends," Starlight replies. 

"Thanks, I'll go there," Ember takes flight to the Treehouse of Harmony. She has a feeling that the Treehouse of Harmony would be the ideal place for locating her subject.

"I wonder why Ember wants to see Smolder," Starlight said. 

"Maybe a Dragonic event is underway, and Smolder has forgotten about it." 

"That's a good possibility, Trixie. I hope all is well," Starlight and Trixie enter Sugarcube Corner. 

Ember flies into the Everfree Forest and sees the devastation Midnight Sparkle unleashed. She's in awe of the wasteland heading towards the Castle of the Two Sisters. 

Smolder is drinking fruit punch while her friends set up pillow forts for a pillow war within the Treehouse of Harmony. She idly sits while contemplating her nightmare. 

"Smolder, c'mon, cheer up, please," Yona tries her best to help Smolder. 

"What happened that caused this," Discord asks. "As your teacher, you shouldn't hide anything from me. How else would I help you in the long run?" 

Smolder sighs; She looks up, and Discord can tell from Smolder's eyes it's not pretty. Smolder is about to speak when Ember walks into the Treehouse of Harmony, calling for Smolder's name. 

"Ember, what are you doing here?" Sunset turns to Empress Ember. 

"Where's Smolder?" Ember walks up to Sunset. 

"Over here," Discord shows a sign of all arrows pointing at Smolder. 

Smolder looks up. Judging from Ember's face, she knows it's bad news. Ember's expression is dull and sad. Ember walks up to Smolder. 

"Did you sense something within your dreams last night?" Ember asks. 

Smolder frowns but nods. "I sensed something separating within my family. I don't know why I have this feeling." 

"I won't sugarcoat the news I need to inform you. Midnight Sparkle has returned." 

"We're aware of that," Ocellus said to Ember. She's in shock. 

"What..?" Ember turns to every creature and sees them nodding. 

"The Friendship Spirit presented itself days ago to inform us about Midnight Sparkle. She has Rarity in possession," Yona said. 

"Yea. The Spirit believes our Friendship will bring down Midnight Sparkle. Possibly for good," Sandbar said. 

"Well, here's the critical part then. Midnight Sparkle attacked two dragons and a pony. She turned them to stone and shattered them. Smolder, your brother Garble is one of those dragons that shattered Garble." 

Smolder's eyes lit up. She's so angry; fire engulfs her body entirely. Like her brother, Smolder has Hellfire Flames burning. Everyone else gasps in horror about the dragons and pony's demise. 

"Discord, think you can-" Discord interrupts Ember's speech by placing his finger on her mouth. 

"Say no more. My magic should have no problem fixing the petrified statues of the dragons and pony. It's my clones I have problems with." 

"Come to the Crystal Empire to resolve the issue. Then you can resume with your festivity." 

"Take me there," Smolder calmly and yet demands that Discord does so. 

"Anyone else wants to come?" Discord asks. Every creature raises their hoof and claw, signaling they want to come. "Alright, let's go," Discord snaps his claw, teleporting everyone to the Crystal Castle. 

Shining Armor is in the family room explaining more to his parents about the possibility Midnight Sparkle has in mind. Twilight Velvet and Night Light shake their heads. They feel like failures in raising their daughter throughout the years. Spike is playing with Flurry Heart and showing her his newfound magic power. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Princess Cadance are reading different books to reverse the effects of petrification magic. So far, no books they read have the type they need. It becomes frustrating. 

Ember, Discord, Sunset, the Dazzlings, and Unity Seven arrive in the library. Princess Cadance and Twilight (Sci-Twi) turn to their sudden arrival. Princess Cadance becomes worried about Smolder's emotions, especially when Hellfire Flames still engulf her body. 

"Where is my brother?" Smolder asks Princess Cadance. 

"Follow me," Princess Cadance leads everyone to the room where the statues are aligned. Smolder walks up to the Garble statue and sheds a tear. 

"If it weren't for your brother, we wouldn't be aware of Midnight Sparkle's plan of action. With our knowledge of Grogar's Bell, we believe Midnight may want to withdraw our magic to take over and restart time itself," Princess Cadance explains. "As of now, every Kingdom will bring their most prized and powerful artifacts to the Crystal Empire. When Midnight Sparkle realizes what's happened, she'll have no choice but to come to us. This time, we'll be ready for her." 

"She has no army to control, and we're not sure if Grogar's Bell can nullify Earth Land magic," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. "I found a book about the history of Grogar's Bell. I've read a few chapters, and there's no indication about other sources of magic Grogar's Bell hasn't faced." 

Discord conjures a ton of his chaos magic and taps the petrified stone statues. Garble, Charcoal, and Rust Bucket gasp and breathe. They fall to the ground after feeling the pain from Midnight's attack. 

"Garble!" Smolder powers down and hugs her brother. 

"Smolder?" Garble hugs Smolder. "Oh, my body hurts." 

"How is this possible?" Charcoal rives in agony on the floor. "My magic, it's drained..." 

Rust Bucket can barely stand and falls flat. He's extremely weak due to Midnight Sparkle draining his strength into her body. Yona and Ocellus help him up. 

"Pony doesn't look so good," Yona said. 

"She drained my strength. I can barely walk..," Rust Bucket looks gloom. 

"We will help you recover," Princess Cadance reassures Rust Bucket. 

"Bless you, Princess," Rust Bucket gratefully expresses. 

"What happened?" Smolder asks her brother. 

"My friend and I were flying late at night and noticed Rust Bucket trapped in the snow. As newly reborn dragons with magic power and well, I felt bad for giving Spike the Fairy a hard time during the Dragon Migration, and well, getting the Scepter, I wanted to do good in honor of him. After helping the pony, Midnight Sparkle arrived in search of a powerful artifact he was guarding. My buddy and I fought and were beating Midnight Sparkle badly. However, she drained our magic from behind with her Demonic Curse. Her horn illuminated green light in the process." 

"One thing is clear. The Bell can't nullify Dragon Magic," Charcoal informs everyone. 

"What?!" Princess Cadance, Discord, Ember, Smolder, basically everyone is in shock. They are elated to hear that Grogar's Bell has a restriction. Princess Cadance and Ember feel that the Dragons united should be more than enough to defeat Midnight Sparkle. 

The Unity Seven still believe they must defeat Midnight Sparkle but know they won't go into the battle alone. They'll be the ones to finish Midnight Sparkle for good and be proud that Earth Land Wizards didn't come to help a second time. 

"Smolder, you can't face Midnight Sparkle alone. You'll need an army of friends by your side." 

"Don't worry, Garble. I have my army. We'll defeat Midnight Sparkle and stop her from ruining all of our lives. First," Smolder extends her claw, offering Hellfire Flames for consumption. "Hungry?" 

Garble eats the Hellfire Flames. Like a dragon of Earth Land, his magic power is restored. "Thanks, now I have a fire in my belly." 

Discord chuckles a bit, then collapses while holding his chest. His friends turn to him in extreme worry when Queen Novo arrives with the Pearl and with Princess Skystar. 

"Queen Novo?" Princess Cadance turns to her. 

"We have a serious situation that needs to be addressed," Queen Novo said, catching her breath.
> Dragon Cave Discoveries 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up after having a good night's sleep. Wendy is still holding onto Spike in her sleep while Sherria is still asleep on Lucy's bed. Spike decides to go back to sleep; so he doesn't disturb his beloved. 

It's now 9:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up at the same time as everyone else. They yawn and start stretching. 

"Morning, Spike," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. 

"Morning, Wendy," Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. 

"So, what's on today's agenda?" Sherria asks Spike and Wendy. 

"I'm going to kick back and relax. After a successful mission of defeating not only the Seven Deadly Sins but also a Leviathan; It's time to have a day away from the action," Spike replies. 

"I agree," Carla concurs. "Also, I want to keep reading that magic book about transformations," Carla hops off the bed and goes to the table where she left the book. 

"Relaxing does seem nice. A day off wouldn't hurt," Wendy turns to Sherria. "What do you feel like doing?" 

"Well," Sherria thinks for a sec. "I have to return to Lamia Scale and inform them about Jura's departure. I'm sure the Old Hag will spin me in anger before understanding," Sherria sighs, imagining the dizziness of what's yet to come. "Then, probably go on jobs with the other members of Lamia Scale and my cousin." 

"Sounds good. Also, down the road, I'll be stopping by at Lamia Scale for work," Wendy said. 

"That I'm looking forward to; what about you, Spike?" Sherria asks out of curiosity. 

"Well, I'm not sure. I'll be doing my own thing, training, and going on different jobs with the other guilds." 

"Fair enough," Sherria goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. 

"Spike," Wendy holds his claw. "Wanna take a bath with me?" 

Carla has her book and puts the earmuffs on. She wants to focus on her reading, to be more mindful of giving Wendy and Spike their space as Fairy Rage would whenever Spike does things with Wendy. 

Spike and Wendy make the beds in the room. Sherria comes out feeling refreshed. She says her byes to Spike, Wendy, and Carla. Wendy hugs Sherria and watches her leave the room. Spike and Wendy go to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. They spend an hour together while enjoying each other's company. 

Spike and Wendy come out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. That's when they hear knocking on the door. 

"Huh, I wonder who that can be," Spike goes to the door and answers it. Four men in archaeological attires are at the door. 

"Spike the Fairy. It's great seeing you again," Jean-Luc Neville greets and shakes Spike's hand. 

"Likewise. I haven't seen you in months. So, what brings you into town?" 

"I heard that you reside within this apartment complex from your fellow neighbors. Actually, I have important discoveries to discuss with you. May we come in?" 

"Sure, come on in," Spike allows Jean-Luc Neville and his colleagues inside. 

Carla looks up to see Jean-Luc Neville and his friends. She removes her earmuffs. Wendy is perplexed as to why Jean-Luc Neville and his friends are in the apartment. She wonders if there's a job they want Spike to embark on. 

"Wendy, Carla, it's nice to see you once more since the Infinity Clock crisis." 

"Nice to see you four thriving. So, what brings you here to Magnolia?" Carla asks. 

"We've come to see Spike the Fairy. We believe we found a dragon cave." 

"A what..?" Spike's jaw drops a bit. 

"Well, a cave that housed dragons. You see, my fellow members and I are on our next quest to discover new truths that lie within Fiore. Since the Infinity Clock is no more until a century, maybe more has passed, I'm free to do what I'm pleased with my life. A few weeks ago, my colleagues and I uncovered a catacomb of different skeletons that resemble a dragon. After much digging and exploration, we uncover a dragon cave." 

"What's in the dragon cave?" Wendy asks. 

"Hieroglyphics. The history of dragons. Some say the first clan formed a special bond with us, humans. Then some dragons and humans co-existed before war broke out." 

"Where is the dragon cave?" Spike asks Jean-Luc. He's eager to know if the cave belongs to his mother or family since he only met Zirconis twice. 

"A three day's travel on foot. Three hours if we had some mode of transportation." 

"I'll increase my size, and you navigate me. Wendy, Carla. Would you like to come with us?"

"I'm going with you. That's a no-brainer," Wendy hopes there are answers that Spike can find when they enter the dragon cave. Wendy holds Carla in her arms. 

"Obviously, I'm going," Carla said. 

"Let's go." 

Spike heads outside and stands on all fours. Many people come by to take pictures. They know Spike will increase his size and want to remember the transformation for many years to come. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases into a full-size dragon. Many people in Magnolia are in awe and take pictures. Jean-Luc, his colleagues, Wendy, and Carla hop on Spike's back. Spike takes off, and a gush of wind hurls many people away. The people didn't mind and should have known better. For some, it was worth it. 

"Alright, Fairy Dragon. From here, go straight until I say otherwise," Jean-Luc said. He's holding onto Spike near his shoulder. 

"Got it," Spike flies straight and out of Magnolia. "Can it be my mother's cave? Are her remains within the cave? Can Wendy use her Milky Way Spell for me to see her? Oh please, let this cave be where she conceived me!" 

Jean-Luc continues to navigate Spike throughout the land of Fiore. His colleagues are in awe of the beauty of Fiore. Being high up, especially riding on Spike, is breathtaking. Wendy and Carla enjoy the scenery; however, they are worried that the dragon cave may not be for Spike to find any answers for his family. 

Throughout the flight, Spike couldn't help but talk to himself. He imagined talking with Fairy Rage about the travel and the possibility of seeing his mother in the dragon cave. Jean-Luc tells Spike to land. There are beautiful green fields, a riverine, and several caves. Everyone hops off of Spike, allowing him to revert to his size. A man that looks like a tree approaches them. 

"Spike, Wendy, Carla. It's nice seeing you once more," Warrod Sequen said. He's wearing his formal attire and backpack. 

"Hi, Warrod!" Wendy is happy to see Warrod again. 

"What brings you out here?" Carla asks. 

"I'm on my way to the newly established Magic Council. Why are you kids doing out here?" Warrod asks out of curiosity. 

"We're here looking for a dragon cave Jean-Luc and his buddies have found," Spike answers. 

"Jean-Luc Neville. I heard a lot about you. It's an honor to meet you," Warrod offers his hand. 

"Kindly, Sir," Jean-Luc shakes Warrod's hand. "Will you like to join us in uncovering some mysteries before you go to the newly established Magic Council?" 

"It'll be an honor," Warrod smiles. "I'm hoping it'll have answers to perhaps defeat Acnologia." 

"So, which cave is it, Jean-Luc?" Spike turns to him. 

"Well," Jean-Luc takes out a map. "It's a thirty-minute hike from here." 

"Where are we?" Wendy asks. 

"This is Eden's Forest. Everywhere you go, lavished in green. Many trees bear fruits of all kinds. The water within the river is clean, and the fish that swim is a great source of nutrition. It is one forest my magic hasn't touched." 

"Wow," Spike, Wendy, and Carla say in unison. They now understand why the forest is called Eden's Forest. 

Jean-Luc leads everyone to the cave he and his colleagues remember. On the way there, Wendy holds onto Spike's claw. Warrod and Jean-Luc talk about their previous venture with the Fairy Tail Guild. 

After the thirty-minute walk, there's a dragon-size entry into the cave. Spike feels a ton of energy from the entrance and goes in on instinct. Everyone follows him inside. 

Spike looks around and sees the hieroglyphics. "Wow." 

"Impressive, right?" Jean-Luc said. He lights a lantern to see the rest of the hieroglyphics within the cave. 

"Hey, Spike. Is this your dragon egg?" Wendy points to the dragon egg on the wall. It's purple with polka dots on it. 

Spike walks up to Wendy and sees the dragon egg. His eyes widen in shock. "Y-Yes..." 

"Are you sure?" Carla asks. 

Spike nods. "I remember my dragon egg when I hatched." 

"My word, the hieroglyphics depict a great struggle," Warrod said. He's looking at what appears to be the Eclipse Gate, the Infinity Clock as the gigantic fish, and Acnologia. 

"From what my friends and I have uncovered, the hieroglyphics tell us that the dragons sent their younglings through time. However, the gong of the Infinity Clock sent the younglings to another dimension." 

"Equestria," Spike informs Jean-Luc. "Dragon eggs were sent to Equestria since I'm from there. Born here, hatched there." 

"Wow. Now, I'm in shock, Fairy Dragon. You answered what we could not." 

"Spike, what do you sense?" Warrod asks. He remembers Spike's statement about feeling tons of energy. 

"A lot of energy. I can devour the energy and never run out of it. Like an infinite supply." 

"I sense a spirit within the cave," Wendy kneels and uses her Milky Way spell. 

"A spirit?" Warrod is interested in seeing the spirit Wendy is sensing. Jean-Luc and his colleagues wait and see who Wendy senses. 

A towering dragoness roars. She has amethyst scales, orange belly scales, lapis lazuli spikes, and citrine eyes. She looks around and sees Wendy using Grandeeney's magic. Then her eyes are on Spike. 

"Spike..," Amy sheds a tear. 

"Mom!" Spike shed some tears of happiness wants to hug his mother. When he tries, he goes through her. Spike sighs, remembering that he can't hug spirits.

"Come here!" Amy. Despite being a spirit manages to lift Spike and hugs him dearly. "I waited a lifetime to hold my baby boy." 

"Mom..," Spike pants and embraces his mother's love. 

"I'm so happy, Spike. Zirconis told me so much about you," Amy holds Spike in her claw, meeting his eye level, smiling lovingly. 

"He did?" 

"Of course he did. I have to say he fulfilled his promise in terms of protecting you. I sense you have grown strong. As expected, since you're like Tyke the Energy Maker Dragon." 

"I have so many questions. How many years can dragons live up to?" 

Amy chuckles a bit. "Over a thousand years, Spike. I see you made friends with the humans and a daughter of Grandeeney." 

"Wendy is my girlfriend, Mom," Spike smiles. 

"So, that's Wendy," Amy watches Wendy still performing her spell. 

"These are my friends I made during my time in Earth Land." 

"Warrod Sequen," Warrod bows in respect of Spike's mother. He's astounded to see the mother of Spike the Fairy. 

"Jean-Luc Neville," He does the same. "Your son was vital in stopping a dark guild from achieving complete nightmare around the world." 

"Carla. I'm close friends with Wendy and Spike the Fairy." 

"Nice to meet you all. Thank you for being in Spike's life," Amy smiles at them. 

"I speak for Wendy since she's using the spell to bring you here; Wendy would say she's happy to meet the mother of Fairy Dragon." 

"Fairy Dragon. That's amazing, Spike. I'm proud of you, Spike," Amy kisses Spike's cheek. Spike feels the kiss. "I do sense irregular magic flowing within you." 

"Irregular magic?" Spike is confused. 

"Magic not from this world. Tell me, have you tried consuming energy that your body couldn't maintain?" 

"Well, I consumed poison energy I couldn't keep as well as demonic energies. I wind up puking it out." 

"Do you possess magic power from the other world you went to?" 

Spike thinks about what other magic power he would have when it struck him. "Aw crap," Spike facepalms himself. 

"Please, don't hurt yourself, baby," Amy gets worried about Spike inflicting pain on himself. 

Spike sighs heavily. "I have remnants of Twilight's magic power when she hatched me. The sole reason that I can use my fire breath for teleportation." 

"Who is Twilight, and was she good to you?" Amy asks. 

"Twilight, during her younger years, was like a mother to me until she matured and used me as a slave," Amy growls. She hates that her son was used as a slave. "You see," Spike explains in a summary of what he went through in Equestria that landed him in Earth Land. He explained that the dragons have decided to stay within the other world in fear of Acnologia. 

"Acnologia," Amy has flashbacks of when Acnologia confronted her and slaughtered her. "That name still scares me." 

"I fought him twice and lost both times. I will slay him but not by myself." 

"Your friends. The remaining Dragon Slayers, I assume." 

"Yes, Mom," Spike turns to Wendy. "I'm friends with five of them and dating one. Also, I know my friends will back me up in slaying the behemoth." 

"Good. United together, you can take down any foe. Remember that even when you get angry." 

"I will, Mom." 

"Now, as for the irregular magic, it's time to get rid of it." 

"How can I do that, Mom?" Spike wonders how to remove the magic given to him when he hatched. 

"You can't. I can," Amy uses her magic to relinquish the irregular magic out of Spike. Warrod, Jean-Luc, Carla, and the others watch a twinkling purple magic sphere come out of Spike's mouth. She eats it to ensure no one can use it. "Ah, that was delicious." 

Spike feels different knowing Twilight's magic no longer resides in him. He closes his eyes and uses his fire breath to teleport a magic book. His teleportation works. He uses his fire breath to teleport the magic book back to the apartment. 

"My teleportation magic works." 

"As it should. I removed Twilight's magic that was negating your ability to withhold any form of magic energy. Now, you can store all kinds without any side effects. No puking on any watch." 

"Thank you!" Spike feels happy knowing there won't be any setbacks when he consumes dark or poisonous energy. 

"Remember Spike. You can consume energy that won't hurt you but, that doesn't make you invincible. You can still take damage from other wizards or creatures." 

Spike nods in understanding. "Point taken, Mom." 

"Before I go," Amy puts Spike on the ground. "There are a few things I want you to do." 

"Anything!" Spike shouts. He's willing to do what his mother asks of him. 

"One, live life happily. Two, don't take life for granted. Three, continue to grow strong physically, mentally, and spiritually. Four, create a new age of dragons co-existing with humans. I understand that hybrid dragons and dragonesses will apply in the future; however, build a future where our species doesn't die. Five, never lose hope even if there's a one percent chance." 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard, Mom. There is no such thing as giving up or losing hope. We always find a way," Spike places his claw on his emblem. 

"Great. Lastly, consume my energy essence." 

"What?!" Spike is appalled by that last request. 

"Spike, by consuming my energy essence, it'll unlock more of your potential. Also, it'll come to show that I'm always with you. My magic will be infused with yours. My final gift to you." 

Spike tears up. He wishes to spend more time with his mother. To have a mother-son bond as any other child would. Amy smiles lovingly at her son. She understands the pain and sees how strong Spike is. 

"Okay," Spike looks up at Amy. "What happens afterward?" 

"I will return to the afterlife. You'll feel a power surge coursing through your body. Hone the skills as an Energy Maker Dragon and never lose sight of who you are." 

"Alright," Spike cries in happiness. He looks up as his mother hugs him one last time. 

"I love you, Spike." 

"I love you too, Mom," Spike takes a deep breath and starts consuming Amy's energy essence. Spike feels his magic power multiplying tenfold. 

"I'll always be with you, my son. Never forget who your family is," Amy kisses Spike's cheek right before she vanishes. 

Spike cries in happiness after finishing consuming her energy essence. Wendy stops using her Milky Way spell and hugs Spike from behind. She heard everything that transpired. Spike is happy that he finally got to see his mother. Carla joins Wendy and hugs Spike. She is part of his family. 

Warrod, Jean-Luc, and the others leave the cave, giving the three much-needed privacy for their special bond. 

After a while, Spike gets up and turns to Wendy and Carla.

"How are you feeling?" Wendy asks. 

"Happy. I've met my mom. I have a lot to uphold. One of them is living my life happily, and that'll be with you," Spike kisses Wendy. Wendy returns the kiss. 

Carla gives the two space and smiles. She watches the two grow into a loving couple. Carla can't help but sigh quietly; she misses Fairy Rage's company. 

"Thank you, Wendy," Spike smiles at Wendy. 

"You're welcome, Spike," Wendy hugs Spike. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla leave the cave. They see Warrod, Jean-Luc, and his colleagues talking. 

"Thank you for helping us uncover some truths we couldn't answer," Jean-Luc said. 

"Thank you for showing me the cave. Thanks to you, I've met my mother. I will never forget this." 

"Anytime, Fairy Dragon. Well, I bid you farewell. There are more mysteries to solve before we can settle." 

"Thank you for inviting me, Jean-Luc. Hearing the requests of Spike's mother made me realize there is more to life. I wish to express the wisdom with the others at the new Magic Council building as well as newly established Magic Warfare Units," Warrod said. 

"You're welcome. Hope to see you another day," Jean-Luc shakes Warrod's hand. 

"Take care, Warrod. Hope to see you soon," Spike said. 

"Likewise, Fairy Dragon. You kids take care," Warrod said. 

"See you next time," Wendy said. 

"Safe travels for each of you," Carla said. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Wendy, Carla, and himself back to the apartment. Spike, Wendy, and Carla go up the stairs and enter the apartment. They throw themselves on the bed. 

"What a day," Spike chuckles. 

"It's one I won't forget," Wendy lays on the bed. She grabs hold of Spike. "I'm a little tired and want to cuddle with my dragon." 

"You do that, Wendy. I'm going back to my reading," Carla hops off the bed. 

Spike gets comfy in Wendy's arms while Carla grabs her magic book and puts on her earmuffs. The book about transformations mentions a human form to turn into. She decides to read further in hopes of utilizing the form to use other spells in the long run.
> Mount Aris
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Rarity soars in the skies with Grogar's Bell. She feels strengthened with Dragonic Magic flowing through her body. Soon, she'll gather more to reestablish her power physique. Midnight Rarity sees a wandering pony camping and ambushes the pony. Using Grogar's Bell, she relinquishes the strength, turns the pony into stone, and shatters the stone statue. 

"Perfect," Midnight Rarity goes to the tent and finds a hoodie to wear. She puts it on and soars in the skies to blend with any pegasi flying in the early morning. She wants to go to Mount Aris for her next prize possession. 




In Rarity's Mind

Cozy Glow struggles to figure out what D.L. stands for and how easy Lord Tirek figured out the cryptic message. Lord Tirek minds his business and waits. King Sombra is pacing back and forth, bored out of his mind. Storm King is jotting ideas,  plotting speeches to his nation, and imagining Tempest and Grubber as his footstool. 

"How much longer?! Graaaaaah!" King Sombra is losing his patience. 

"Until Midnight Sparkle gains enough power to uplift the spell in the Mirror Pool. Believe me. I want my body to create havoc," Storm King said. 

"Will you two shut up?!" Lord Tirek is trying to find some peace and quiet. 

Cozy Glow turns to Rarity. "How are you doing?" Cozy Glow sounds innocent and not manipulative. 

"Worried about my sister and those Midnight wants to harm. Imagine being unable to control yourself from doing all sorts of harm, obsessed for all the wrong reasons without seeing the consequence of your actions. Is that the type of pony you want to become? A monster not caring regardless of consequences or someone you can be proud of and never alone?" 

Cozy Glow takes it to heart. Her cutie mark means to control like a queen. Perhaps she has the idea the wrong way. Why seek dominance when Friendship is above anything else. Domination leads to isolation. Friendship leads to family. Cozy Glow longs for a family since the separation of her parents. 

Rarity sees that Cozy Glow is contemplating. She can only hope that Cozy turns her life around for the better before it's too late. Rarity watches the movements of Midnight Sparkle flying into the Badlands. 




Badlands

Midnight Rarity lands in the Badlands and remembers her last venture in this place; How she was betrayed by a cat and nearly sold for some freakish circus. Many creatures are talking, trading business left and right. Midnight Rarity trots looking for a food vendor. She kept denying Rarity's body any nutrition. With Midnight's previous body, she didn't need to eat to sustain her body. Drinking the blood of Exceeds was all she needed. 

"Now, what's there to eat." Midnight trots around and sees a fish market. Not caring for the slightest, it'll do. Midnight trots inside the fish market and asks for salmon. 

It doesn't take long for creatures within the Badlands to turn to Midnight's appearance and Grogar's Bell. Curiosity gets the better of them as one of them approaches her. 

"Hey there," A towering silver dog in a jean jacket said. "You have something I want." 

Midnight Rarity turns to the dog and punches him in the face. A bag of bits belonging to the dog comes flying and lands on the counter. Midnight receives the salmon and pays with whatever bits landed on the counter. She walks by the dog on the ground. 

"Thanks for buying lunch," Midnight leaves the shop and eats the fish. She flaps her wings and takes off. 

Many creatures are dumbfounded by what they witnessed and claim they didn't see anything to continue their day. Midnight Rarity finishes eating the salmon and flies straight to Mount Aris. She has sudden flashbacks when Discord disguised as Spike; Making her receive so much unfair punishment and backlash from the Princesses. 

"That stupid Draqonecuus! I'll make him suffer for the times I suffered thanks to him!" Midnight's anger gets the better of her while she flies. 




Rarity's mind

"Oh, I remember that," Rarity said; she knows the exact memory that caused Twilight trauma. 

"What are you remembering?" Cozy Glow asks Rarity. 

"The adventure of traveling to Mount Aris. Remember the time Discord disguises himself as Spike?" 

"Yea, I was stunned when I found out about his deception. What about it?" Cozy Glow is eager to know what caused Twilight trauma at the clutches of Discord's deception. 

"Well, Twilight squeezed 'Spike' so hard, he breathed fire. Discord, at the time, understood Spike's point of view and coughed blood to tell the Princesses. During the adventure, Discord was livid." 

"I can imagine. Having all the chaos and can't blow your cover. Can't arise suspicions." 

"However, Discord opened our eyes except Twilight's. I'm in the wrong on so many levels, and I want to change. Look, Cozy. Here's my best advice for you. Continue to go astray and meet your demise or change for the better to strive for a better life." 

Cozy looks down a bit; she recalls her motives and conquests. "You think anyone would forgive me and my stupidity?"

"Yes. At first, it will take time to heal and recover. Then, you'll have to earn everyone's trust, but the reward is worth it." 

"Name someone other than Discord who taken that path," Cozy Glow doesn't believe that claim entirely. 

"Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Chrysalis, Princess Luna, Trixie, Adagio, Sonata, Aria. There's probably more, but I can't think of any other at the moment. They have done heinous atrocities but atoned for what they committed and sought redemption. I'm on that path, but it's halted due to Midnight Sparkle possessing my body. You're younger than I and have many years of growing to do. Why waste it on power and seeking dominance when you can find a family to call your own and have amazing adventures. That's what Spike did." 

Cozy Glow takes Rarity's advice to heart. She's contemplating her motives moving forward; A path of redemption instead of domination. Lord Tirek has noticed Cozy Glow's demeanor and hopes she's doing her best to manipulate Rarity by gaining a friend. 




Mount Aris

Mount Aris. Home of the Hippogriffs has rebuilt their homeland with the help of Discord's clones. Every Hippogriff and clone is setting up a theatre to watch more memories of Spike the Fairy since it's a new hobby of theirs. Princess Skystar is with her mother, Queen Novo. They are decorating the town with many seashells and starfish. 

Clones of Discord are guarding the perimeter with the report about Midnight Sparkle running amuck within Rarity's body. General Seaspray and his navy circle around the island with several clones onboard. 

"Any sight of the demon, Seacord?" General Seaspray has named several clones of Discord. 

Seacord is wearing a Sailor's uniform. He looks in his binoculars for any sighting of Midnight Sparkle's arrival. "Negative, General Seaspray. As I view the skies, I see and sense no demon arriving." 

"Good." General Seaspray uses his radio to talk with another clone. "Anchorcord, anything below the seas of the wretched demon?" 

Anchorcord is wearing a diver's suit while underwater. He has a radio to respond. "Negative, General Seaspray. With my Demon-Curse-Seeking-Goggles, I see no demonic creature lurking. Just your usual sea creatures, living in harmony." 

"Thanks for the info," General Seaspray puts the radio away. 

Queen Novo and Princess Skystar are about to have lunch with the other Hippogriffs. The two smile when they hear the alarms sounding. A horrid chime sounds as a clone scream. 

Midnight Rarity lands and uses Grogar's Bell to relinquish the clone's magic into her body. 

"RUN!" The clone shouts while being turned to stone. 

"Silence!" Midnight Rarity stomps on the clone's head, shattering it with complete satisfaction. She devilishly smirks while hearing the panicked screams of Hippogriffs. "The pearl. I've come for its magic!" Midnight Rarity flies towards the citadel. Many clones use their Chaos Magic to slow Midnight Rarity. "Yes! More magic!" Midnight Rarity chimes Grogar's Bell and steals their magic away. 

Queen Novo and Princess Skystar flee with the Hippogriffs. General Seaspray and Seacord see Midnight Rarity rampaging with Grogar's Bell and shooting their cannons. Seacord and Anchorcord know what they need to do. They fly up to fight Midnight Rarity. 

Midnight Rarity uses Grogar's Bell to steal and harness the magic within every Hippogriff on sight. She uses her Demon Curse to turn each Hippogriff to stone. 

"That's far enough!" Seacord shouts. Midnight Rarity turns and chimes Grogar's Bell to steal Seacord's Chaos Magic. He falls, breathing heavily. 

"I will not have any of you stopping me. I won't have any interruptions!" Midnight Rarity angrily proclaims. She set her eyes on Anchorcord. 

Anchorcord snaps his claw and teleports next to Queen Novo and Princess Skystar. They're at the underwater throne. General Seaspray leads his platoon to fight Midnight Rarity instead of retreating. He refuses to allow a demon to march through his homeland. Midnight Rarity sees General Seaspray and his platoon coming and smiles. They are running into their demise. 

"We need to get the pearl out of here. Any place you think it's safe to go, Anchorcord?" Queen Novo asks. 

"Yes. The Crystal Empire. The Crystal Heart thwarted Midnight's plan into ruin. It'll do so again." 

"Think you can rescue the others?" Princess Skystar turns to Anchorcord. 

Anchorcord bite his lips. "I'm not sure. The relic Midnight has in possession steals the magic within all creatures. She has taken my brothers' magic and is doing it with the Hippogriffs. I'll try my best but can't make any promises. The best thing I can do is send you to the Crystal Empire and hope everything goes well from there." 

Midnight Rarity dives into the water after relinquishing their magic and turning every Hippogriff, including General Seaspray, into stone. She moves quicker in search of the pearl. Anchorcord senses Midnight Sparkle's presence. 

"She's moving quicker than I anticipated," Anchorcord turns to Queen Novo and Princess Skystar. "This is bye for now. I can't allow that demon to harness the properties of the pearl within as Storm King tried in the past." 

With Midnight Rarity's newfound power coursing through her veins due to Grogar's Bell, she's rapidly moving while chiming Grogar's Bell to harness the magic of any other Hippogriff underwater. Due to the sudden change, many Hippogriffs lose their sea bodies and drown. Anchorcord sees Midnight Rarity nearing closer and uses his magic to teleport Queen Novo and Princess Skystar to the Crystal Empire with the magic pearl. 

"You!" Midnight Rarity chimes Grogar's Bell and steals Anchorcord's Chaos Magic. "You'll regret that with your life!" She chokes Anchorcord. 

"I rather die as a hero than live long enough to become a villain," Anchorcord smiles while choking. 

"Graaaaaah!" Midnight Rarity chokes the life out of Anchorcord and snaps his neck. She feels conflicted by that statement. "There's more magic for me to harness. Then I'll make my way to the Crystal Empire and shatter the Crystal Heart and anyone that dares to stand in my way!" 

Queen Novo and Princess Skystar arrive at Crystal Castle. They are in the same room with Princess Cadance, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Spike, the Dazzlings, the Unity Seven, Ember, Garble, Charcoal, and Rust Bucket. 

"Queen Novo?" Princess Cadance turns to her.

"We have a serious situation that needs to be addressed," Queen Novo said, catching her breath.

"We saw Midnight Sparkle with the Bell. She stole most of the Hippogriffs' magic and killed some," Princess Skystar informs everyone in the room. Loud gasps of horror fill the room. 

Discord is holding himself. He feels disconnected from several clones. "I need to go." 

"Anchorcord saved us," Princess Skystar said. She gives him a moment of silence. 

"How many clones were at Mount Aris, Discord?" Princess Cadance asks him with much concern. 

"Twenty," Discord replies. "All of them have fallen to Midnight Sparkle. I can't stay here," Discord uses his magic to teleport back home, knowing it'll be impossible for Midnight Sparkle to find. 

"This is bad," Silverstream fearfully expresses. She has some feeling that her family met their demise at the hands of Midnight Sparkle.




Rarity's mind

Cozy Glow is in shock after watching the display of Midnight Sparkle's wrath. Understanding Rarity's advice allowed her to see things differently and question her life decisions. She witnessed many Hippogriffs losing their magic and some dying in the process; She saw many clones of Discord turned to stone and shattered. She's contemplating moving forward with her life. 

Lord Tirek, King Sombra, and Storm King admire Midnight Sparkle's display of rapid dominance. They witnessed a species demolished by Grogar's Bell and Midnight Sparkle's wrath for seeking power. 

Rarity is suffering the most. Midnight Sparkle uses her body to create such carnage and devastation. Who'll look at her the same? She hopes that Midnight Sparkle fails and to have her body back. 




Mount Aris

Midnight Rarity feels a sharp pain in her chest for some reason. It's like a piece of her died, and she has no clue as to why she's feeling it. It's like she lost connections with her Spike, and there is no way of reaching Earth Land. She shrugs the idea of going back there and focuses on gathering enough magic for her time spell. Until then, she decides to go to the Changeling Hive to gather more magic power before tackling the Dragons. Once that's done, she'll go back to the mirror pool and uplift the boundaries that deny her from creating clones of herself.
> Departure
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Terax wakes up after hearing Pharynx waking every Changeling for an emergency departure of the Hive. Chrysalis gather things for Terax and gallop into the room. 

"Mommy," Terax yawns. "What's happening?" 

"We're leaving the Hive," Chrysalis grabs Terax and puts him on her back. 

"What?! Why?!" Terax is confused. He doesn't like the sound of leaving home unless it's to see his friend Spike. 

"Remember Midnight Sparkle?" 

Terax growls at the name. He remembers her nearly killing him and harming his mother; That was enough indication for Chrysalis. 

"I remember that demented monster, Mommy. Is she launching another attack?"

"Yes. A clone of Discord felt a disturbance in the Chaos Force and saw the last moments of Anchorcord before turning into stone. She has a relic that can steal magic, and we need to strengthen our numbers. We're going to the Crystal Empire." 

Many Changelings within the Hive meet up in front of Thorax and Pharynx. They announce that all Changelings will go to the Crystal Empire immediately. Many Changelings grab their families and depart the Changeling Hive. 

Midnight Rarity is soaring in the skies with Grogar's Bell. With the magic power she took from clones of Discord and Hippogriffs, Midnight's Demon Curses gets a power boost. Many Pegasi in the skies get knocked down due to Midnight Rarity's flight speed. As an added insult to injury, Midnight Rarity chimes Grogar's Bell, stealing their ability to fly and harness the energy through her body. 




Rarity's Mind

"So, how much longer until the power to uplift the Mirror Pool's enchantment?" Storm King asks Midnight Sparkle. He's losing some patience. 

Midnight Sparkle breaks concentration to answer Storm King's question. The body continues to fly towards the Changling Hive. "After I harness the strongest Changelings within the Hive," Midnight Sparkle refers to Chrysalis, Thorax, and Pharynx as she sees the other Changelings minor even in numbers. "And consume more Dragonic Magic, then I'll uplift the enchantment that bars us from using the Mirror Pool." 

"Then what? You create images of yourself?" Rarity asks. 

"Yes. However, when I transfer the mind into those bodies, it'll change form into their physique. As for you, I'll have you as my prisoner in your body. They won't kill you knowing you're innocent. As for the others, they'll be too strong to overcome, and there is no help from Earth Land Wizards. As before, they'll be helpless." 

"It was the power of the Crystal Heart and a Dragon that defeated you. What are the chances of it happening again?" Rarity taunts Midnight Sparkle a bit. 

"It will not happen again! Last I remember, I shattered the Crystal Heart. The replacement they probably have is weaker compared to what obliterated me." 

"Keep telling yourself that. You know that the Magic of Friendship triumphs over Tyranny. You preached it yourself," Rarity smirks. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Rarity's cheek. "Will you shut up about Friendship nonsense?! I learn that friends are only good with you during the good times, never the bad. Some friend you are." 

"At least my friends care about me well enough for me to seek help. You, on the other hoof, you're good as dead to them." 

"Time will change, and things will be right with me. So will you," Midnight Sparkle let go of Rarity's cheek roughly. She walks away from her presence. 

Cozy Glow looks at Midnight Sparkle differently. She decides to focus on what to do next when she has a body to control. Will she be given the same demonic properties as before or whatever magic within Grogar's Bell? Lord Tirek and King Sombra remain in silence until it's time to operate. 

Midnight Sparkle sits and concentrates on taking control of Rarity's body once more. Rarity hopes Midnight Sparkle gets her due when the madness comes to an end. 




Changeling Hive

Many Changelings are already on the move. Terax is on Chrysalis' back while she flies with Pharynx and Thorax. They are leading the army to the Crystal Empire. 

"How long until we may see Midnight Sparkle?" A Changeling asks Thorax. 

"I don't know. I'm hoping we're out of Midnight's reach when she arrives at the Changeling Hive. It's a good thing we have no relics or mystic objects for her to absorb into that Bell of hers."

"I hope she doesn't bring that army of hers to life. We don't stand a chance against them," Pharynx said. 

"The Dragons are our best line of defense. I'm hoping the newly restored Crystal Heart can give each of us the power needed to defeat Midnight Sparkle and put her six feet under; There is no way she gets redemption. Midnight has gone too far." 

"I hear you, Chrysalis. You weren't willing to cross those lines when you were your former self." 

Chrysalis sighs. "Don't remind me of what and who I used to be as Queen. I am Chrysalis. Mother of Terax and friend to all kinds of creatures, Thorax." 

"Point taken." 

"Mommy, can we win without Spike the Fairy?" Terax asks. He's worried about the outcome of Midnight winning. 

"Yes, we can, Terax. Have faith, my son," Chrysalis reassures her son. 

"Okay, Mommy." 

Midnight Rarity is nearing close to the Changeling Hive. She smiles in anticipation of harnessing their magic power into her body. When she arrives, to her surprise, there are no Changelings. 

"WHAT?!" Midnight Rarity angrily shouts. She swoops in and finds the Hive deserted. "WHERE DID THEY GOOOOOOOOOOOO!?" 

Midnight's angry yell echoes in the skies; Every Changeling hears Midnight and flies faster. 

"They're gone, Midnight Sparkle," A clone of Discord reveals himself. 

"You've come to die with the others?" Midnight Rarity gets ready to chime Grogar's Bell. 

"I came to inform you of your utterly humiliating defeat. Whatever you're planning is already going into ruin." 

"The only way things go awry is if Spike the Fairy were to return to Equestria. I know for certain he won't come back. Victory is in my grasp." 

"Friendship is Magic. Remember that when you lose it all," The clone laughs, then teleports away before Midnight Rarity can chime Grogar's Bell. 

Midnight Rarity's eye twitches a little. She's frustrated that another explained to her about Friendship being magical. Yes, it is true, but to some standards in her book when she's the one preaching it. 




Rarity's Mind

Rarity is laughing at Midnight Sparkle's frustration. A clone of Discord reminding her that Friendship is Magic. Lord Tirek, Storm King, and King Sombra wonder why Midnight Sparkle didn't use the Bell right then and there. Is she holding back is the question on their minds. Cozy Glow looks at her cutie mark and questions her stability as to what it truly means. 




Changeling Hive

Midnight Rarity sense no other forms of magic or power. She decides to go back to the Mirror Pool to weaken the spell. Then, she'll pay Princess Celestia and Luna later tonight in Canterlot.
> Crocus' Cook Off
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up to a new day in Magnolia. It's 8:15 in the morning. Wendy and Carla are still asleep. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla have been training and spending quality time together for the past two months. Ever since absorbing Amy's energy essence, Spike's magic power continues to reach higher with the confidence of defeating Acnologia someday. Wendy continues to grow stronger with her Dragon Force. She and Spike practiced many techniques with their wind magic for unison raid attacks. Carla continues to improve with her transformation magic, including learning different spells for her humanoid transformation. 

During the two months span, Spike has written letters to mail to his friends about his progress. Also, to know where everyone stands in terms of magic power and life-wise. He hasn't heard from Gray, Juvia, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gajeel, and Panther Lily. According to Lucy, she's working with Sorcerer Weekly and getting the scoop on the magic world. She's still trying to improve her literature for Jason. Everyone else is doing good and better.

Spike is making breakfast for Carla and Wendy. He's making eggs and sausages for breakfast. The fresh aroma of eggs and sausages causes Wendy and Carla to wake up from their slumber. 

"Wow, that smells delicious," Wendy yawns. 

"Spike's cooking is always delicious," Carla yawns as well. 

"You're right," Wendy gets out of bed and fixes it. Carla helps her a bit. 

Wendy and Carla go to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. Wendy hopes to go to the Lamia Scale Guildhall to work with Sherria today. Carla hopes to continue with her training after breakfast. 

Spike finishes making breakfast and puts the food on three separate plates. He carries it to the table then hears the door knocking. Spike walks to the door and opens it. 

"Flier for you, Fairy Dragon," The Landlady gives Spike the flier and goes on her way.

Spike reads the flier as Wendy and Carla come out of the bathroom. They sit at the table. 

"Morning, Spike. What you got there?" Wendy asks. 

"Something intriguing," Spike smirks a bit. 

"How intriguing?" Carla asks. Judging from Spike's reaction, it must be good. 

"There's a Cook-Off in Crocus. Calling for the best wizard chefs in Fiore. The winner gets an interview with Sorcerer Weekly but also 15,000,000 Jewels." 

"Wow, Spike. You should definitely enter the competition," Wendy encouragingly said. 

"You'll win for sure," Carla said. 

"Also, this gives me a good reason to see Lucy in Crocus," Spike said. He couldn't help but smile. 

"When does the competition start?" Carla asks. 

"Tomorrow. I'm going to eat up and get moving," Spike replies. 

"We're coming with you," Wendy and Carla said. 

"Perfect," Spike smiles. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla eat their breakfast and start packing up. Spike made it clear to travel by train instead of flying or teleporting. Nothing wrong with sightseeing and relaxing on the train. After a while, Spike grabs his belongings and leaves the apartment with Wendy and Carla. 

"So, anything else in the flier that mentions the Cook-Off, Spike?" Wendy holds Spike's claw. 

"There are four judges for fairness in the Cook-Off. Princess Hisui, Jason from Sorcerer Weekly, and two mystery judges. I want to say one of them is a Wizard Saint." 

"I wonder who'll be competing for tomorrow's competition," Carla said. 

"I have a few people in mind. Maybe Mr.Yajima steps up to the plate after the incident with Droy eating a good portion of his food." 

"You speak of my name, Fairy Dragon?" Mr.Yajima is next to the trio. He has his belongings. 

"I did," Spike truthfully states. 

"You're going to Crocus?" 

"Yes, sir," Spike nods. "I assume you're tagging along as well?" 

"Of course. I did send that Landlady of yours the flier. Otherwise, the competition would be boring." 

Spike chuckles a bit. "Thanks, Mr.Yajima. Don't think for a moment that I'll take a dive for you to win." 

"I would be insulted if you did, Fairy Dragon. So how are you kids doing these days?" 

"I'm doing well, Mr.Yajima. Spike and I are getting closer by the days, training together and spending quality time together as a young couple since we defeated Midnight Sparkle for good." 

"That's fantastic, Wendy. What about you, Carla?" 

"With the help of my friends, I'm doing better in terms of training transformation magic as well as learning new spells. I'm watching my friends grow into a loving couple."

"Interesting, Carla. Do you have eyes on anyone you like?" 

"No," Carla sadly shakes her head. 

"I'm sure you'll meet the right fella," Mr.Yajima encouragingly says. 

"I met someone I liked but, he's no longer around. I wish he is still here with us." "I'm sure I will," Carla lies a bit with that statement. Mr.Yajima believes that Carla is telling the truth.

Mr.Yajima, Spike, Wendy, and Carla arrive at the train station. They hop on after buying the tickets. Many people are in awe of seeing Spike the Fairy and try their best to take pictures of him. Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Mr.Yajima sit together on the train. 

"Does it bother you that they're taking pictures of you?" Mr.Yajima asks out of curiosity. 

"No. I don't mind people taking pictures of me. It's not every day people around Fiore gets to see a dragon in their lives." 

"People have been respective of Spike's wishes when he doesn't want to get a picture taken. Also, they don't become stalkerish," Wendy said. 

"Judging from the Grand Magic Games, I say they don't want to provoke Fairy Demon Dragon's wrath. I know I want to be on your good side, Spike. I remember you pulling off Fairy Law." 

"That's a day I won't forget. The day I earned my right to live in Earth Land. Which is funny cause I'm originally from here and migrated to Equestria."

"I remember the story you kids told me the other day when you worked in my restaurant. I'm happy you finally met your mom, Spike." 

"Thanks."

The train ride goes smoothly, with the four talking about their previous adventures. Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna board the train and see the four sitting together. They inform Spike about competing in the Crocus' Cook-Off competition. Spike tells them he'll be participating in the event. 

Five hours later, the train arrives in Crocus. Royal Soldiers are outside to greet any wizard competing in the Crocus' Cook-Off.

"Hey, Fairy Dragon," Sting approaches Spike with Minerva and Lector. 

"Hey, Sting. I guess you're cooking in the competition?" 

"Heck no, Milady is," Sting refers to Minerva. 

"Her entrees are to die for," Lector said. He rubs his belly in satisfaction cause he ate a plate of Minerva's cooking earlier today. 

"My cooking will make your tastebuds taste like heaven," Minerva proclaims. 

"I'll have to wait and see about that," Spike replies. 

"I've tasted Spike's cooking, and it's top-notched," Wendy acclaims. 

"Wait until you try Milady's cooking, Wendy. It'll blow and change your mind." 

"Wait until you have a try. Rogue and Yukino fell in love with Spike's cooking." 

"I had Kagura's help, so that doesn't count," Spike reminds Wendy. 

"Which there won't be any help in this competition. Sabertooth may have lost the Grand Magic Games, but we're winning the Cook-Off." 

"Get ready to lose another war by the claws of Fairy Tail." 

"Indeed, which is why the Thunder Legion will be taking the prize," Freed said. The Thunder Legion is behind him. 

"Nice to see you again, Fairy Dragon," Bickslow said. 

"Likewise, Bickslow." 

"Ah crud, Evergreen is here as well." Elfman thought to himself. He's with Lisanna and Mirajane. 

"Well, it's good to have friendly competition this year," Mirajane smiles. 

"I'll say. We have the best odds of winning, Sis," Lisanna said. 

"I hope so. Spike is a serious contender in terms of cooking," Elfman reminds his sisters. 

"Wendy!" Sherria waves at Wendy and runs up to her. 

"Sherria, what are you doing here?" Wendy hugs Sherria. 

"To support my cousin. She's cooking for the competition," Sherria explains. 

"I'm cooking out of love," Sherry said. She turns to Spike. "My lovely cooking will thwart yours." 

Spike smirks. "We will have to wait and see. It's up to the judges." 

"Fair enough," Sherry replies with love. 

More wizards to participate show up. The Royal Soldiers are now escorting the wizards to their designated hotels. Spike couldn't help but laugh; His hotel is the Honeycomb Inn. The Royal Soldiers explain that the chefs participating get to share the hotel with the wizards that are encouraging or showing moral support, but there is no sabotaging; otherwise, it results in immediate disqualification. 

Spike walks into his room and sees the six beds again. The memories of the Grand Magic Games return. Wendy and Carla enter the room. 

"This room is similar to the Honeybone Inn Hotel," Carla said. She looks around a bit. 

"This is the room I was in with Fairy Tail Team B during the Grand Magic Games, Carla. Comes to show how at times, things come in a full circle."  Spike put his belongings on the bed he slept in during the Grand Magic Games. 

"So, what time is the competition tomorrow?" Wendy asks. 

"Lunch hour. Princess Hisui wants to ensure that many people enjoy the Cook-Off tomorrow," Spike goes up to a desk and writes a letter. 

"Who are you writing to, Spike?" Carla asks. 

"Lucy. I'm sure she'll be glad to see us again," Spike smiles as he writes. He uses his fire breath to teleport the letter to Lucy. "I told her we're at the Honeycomb Inn, so we'll see her in a little while." 

"You think she could be a possible judge?" 

"I don't think so, Wendy. I think she'll partake in eating the food with the others while the judges taste a sample to decide who wins each round or some sort. I don't know how the Cook-Off would go out explicitly." 

"Considering five Fairy Tail members are competing, it would seem biased of a Fairy Tail Judge to choose only a member of the guild to win," Carla noted. 

"I guess that's why Jason of Sorcerer Weekly is a judge instead of her," Spike said. "Also, I'm sure Jason will come looking for me since he's a huge fan of mine." 

"The Princess likes you," Wendy said. 

"She's a huge fan as well. I remember seeing her face lit up like fireworks when I gave her a Spike the Fairy plush months ago." 

"So, when Lucy arrives, what do you feel like doing?" Carla asks. 

"I'm thinking about catching up while walking in the flower maze," Spike replies. 

Half an hour later. Lucy knocks on the room door. Wendy opens the door to allow Lucy to enter. She's happy to see Wendy, Carla, and Spike. Spike and Lucy hug each other a bit. 

"I'm so happy to see you again, Spike," Lucy lets go of the hug. 

"Likewise, Sis," Spike smiles. "How you've been?" 

"I'm good. I'm going to document tomorrow's affair while Jason will be participating as a judge." 

"Any scoop on the mystery judges?" Wendy asks Lucy. 

"One Wizard Saint and Chapati. As to who the Wizard Saint is, anonymous until tomorrow's event."

"Wow. That could be favorable for Fairy Tail or Lamia Scale," Spike thinks it's Warrod Sequen or Jura Neekis as the mystery judge.

"Well, even if it's Jura or Warrod, they are obligated to follow the regulations as being a judge," Carla states. "They won't be showing favoritism in terms of fairness."

"Maybe Makarov is among the mystery judge?" Lucy has high hopes of seeing the former Master. 

"He won't be in it. Makarov is still on his quest and wishes to be left alone," Spike informs Lucy. She sadly sighs but nods in understanding. 

"We all miss Makarov, Lucy," Carla said. 

"Yea, but Spike tries his best to keep in contact with him on any progress report. Say, are you improving on your magic during your time out here, Lucy?" Wendy asks. 

"Oh, yea!" Lucy gets pumped up saying it. "I've been improving on my magic as well as my writing. I have a schedule to maintain my progress. I take it to heart from what Spike told everyone as Guild Master weeks ago." 

"Good, I'm glad you are taking the time to train. Want to walk in the flower garden maze, Lucy?" 

"No thanks, Spike. I don't feel like heading there today. I prefer to spend time with my friends here. So, anyone else from Fairy Tail competing?" 

"Well, there's Lisanna, Mirajane, and Elfman," Carla informs Lucy. 

"Also Freed of the Thunder Legion," Wendy noted. 

"Then there's Mr.Yajima. Sherry Blendy of Lamia Scale. Lastly, Minerva of Sabertooth. I didn't see who else has shown up for the Cook-Off tomorrow." 

"Tough competition if you're trying to win, Spike," Lucy said. 

"I will win. I have an ace in my sleeve," Spike breathes his fire. "My flames are the secret weapon to every dish." 

"That's the unfair advantage you have that no one else has, Spike. Plus, if you make your signature cookie, it's over," Lucy said. 

"My cookies have been vital throughout my time in Earth Land, so they are as powerful as Fairy Law." 

"I can't wait to taste those cookies again," Wendy imagines eating Spike's freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. 

"I agree. It goes great with tea." 

"Speaking of tea, I'm going to make some," Lucy gets up and goes to the small kitchen in the room. She starts brewing some green tea. "Is green tea good with you, Carla?" 

"Yes, Lucy."

"I'll have a cup as well," Spike said. 

"I didn't know you were a tea drinker, Spike." 

"It's not often I have it. I have to be in the mood or when I need to calm my nerves. I remember my first night in Magnolia, and Lucy brewed some tea for me." 

"How did you end up being Lucy's roommate?" Carla asks. 

"Yea. Even after all this time, I still don't know how you winded up in Lucy's apartment," Wendy said. 

"Natsu wanted to show me a place where he and Happy sleep and hang out from time to time. I had no idea we were crashing at Lucy's apartment. Lucy came out of the bathroom, and she and I shrieked. Lucy threw a pan at Natsu's face. Telling him and Happy to leave except for me."

"Of course. Those hooligans would do something like that," Carla said. Unfazed by their habits. 

"I was nervous during the night cause I didn't know where I would be sleeping. I asked Lucy if I could stay, and in my mind, I was anticipating a simple no." 

"However, I said yes," Lucy interjects in Spike's story. "I told Spike he can stay until he finds a place of his own," Lucy pours green tea into cups and puts it on a tray. She brings the tray to Spike and Carla. 

"Thanks," Spike and Carla grab their green tea. 

"You're welcome," Lucy smiles. 

"So, it was at that moment you and Lucy started to bond as siblings?" Wendy asks. 

"Like a week or two later, we started building that bond. Started out as friends and roommates first." 

"I remember the whole event like it was yesterday. Natsu and Happy brought Spike to the Guildhall after finding him," Lucy sits on the bed, drinking her tea. 

"I'll never forget the first time we met, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

"Our first coalition mission. It was also my first job with Erza, Lucy, Natsu, Gray, and Happy. The adventure was amazing as well as my first fight against a tough opponent." 

"I'm glad you gave that Hibiki fellow a whack for flirting with Wendy," Carla drinks her tea. 

"He made me uncomfortable," Wendy shudders while remembering that moment and wishes to forget about it. 

"He did ask of me to punch him, the Trimen, and Ichiya if they step out of line to this day." 

Lucy chuckles a bit. "I remember that from the Wizard Exchange Program. He whacked the Blue Pegasus playboys for flirting with Erza and me." 

"Still, I can't believe I missed out on fighting a serpent-type creature in Kemekemo's homeland." 

"Well, you were busy restoring Mermaid Heel's reputation after the blunder from Gray when he stripped in public." 

"Which makes me wonder if Kagura or any of the Mermaid Heel girls have recovered from the Seven Deadly Sins' ambush. The last I heard from them was during the small coalition to go after the Seven Deadly Sins at the Akane Resort Beach."   

"I still can't believe you guys fought a Leviathan. I wished I could see it," Lucy said. She finishes drinking her tea. 

"I can't believe a Leviathan existed. I still can't even after witnessing its arrival," Carla said. 

"In a way, the Leviathan is a dragon-hybrid, so we did technically slay a dragon," Wendy said. 

"One down, one more to go," Spike refers to Acnologia. 

"I'm with you, Spike," Wendy understands who Spike is referring.

"I'm sure the others will help you defeat Acnologia someday, Spike. You can count on me for support," Lucy said. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles at the gesture. 

The rest of the day goes with everyone talking about their previous adventures and favorable memories. Lucy decides to sleepover in the Honeycomb Inn. 

The next day. Spike hears the door knocking and answers it. He sees the Royal Soldier at the door. 

"Morning, Spike the Fairy. Princess Hisui has summoned you to partake in today's breakfast in Mercurius. Please, have your friends come along." 

"Mind waiting a bit?" Spike yawns. "They're still asleep." 

"Take your time," The Royal Soldier replies. 

Spike closes the door and sees it's 7:30 in the morning. He wakes his friends from their slumber to inform them about being invited for breakfast with the Princess. After an hour of getting ready, the Royal Soldier escorts Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Lucy to Mercurius. 

"Wow, breakfast with the Princess. I wonder why Princess Hisui asked of you and us and not everyone else?" Lucy ponders a bit. She is elated to have breakfast with Hisui. 

"Maybe she already invited everyone else, or perhaps it's to see me again? I don't know. Rage, what do you think?" Spike groans for his blunder. Even though it's been a bit over two months, it's still hard for him to adjust without Rage. 

"Did something happen to Fairy Rage, Fairy Dragon?" A Royal Soldier asks Spike 

"He died as a hero to bring Erza back from the dead during the fight against Midnight Sparkle. Readjusting my life without Fairy Rage has become a bit difficult." 

"Condolences, Fairy Dragon," The Royal Soldiers say with respect. Even the one that once threw a spear at him during the Banquet after the Dragon King Festival. 

"Thanks," Spikes sighs sadly. Wendy grabs Spike's claw. It was enough to comfort Spike. 

After a twenty-minute walk, the Royal Soldiers escort Spike, Wendy, Lucy, and Carla to the dining hall where Princess Hisui is having breakfast. Princess Hisui, Colonel Arcadios, and Defense Minister Darton are at the table, waiting patiently.

"Good morning," Princess Hisui said, smiling at Spike, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla. 

"Greetings Fairy Dragon, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla," Arcadios formally said. 

"It's nice to see you four in Crocus once more," Darton said. 

"Thanks for having us here," Spike speaks on behalf of his friends. 

"Please, have a seat," Princess Hisui politely commands. 

Spike sits next to Wendy and Lucy. Carla sits next to Wendy. The table is long and could hold up to thirty people, maybe more. 

"Are the other chefs participating coming from breakfast?" Wendy asks Princess Hisui. 

"No," Darton shakes his head. 

"The Princess wanted to have Spike here to make up the disaster at the Banquet," Arcadios explains. 

"I remember that night," Princess Hisui relives the moment everyone around Spike was heckling him about being in the nude, especially Arcadios. "It made me sad that you couldn't partake during the party after you released your anger." 

"Oh, right," Spike remembers unleashing Fairy Rage to scorch Arcadios after calling him out. 

"Forgive me, for I was out of line when all dragons don't wear clothing. Also, I had no idea you were pent-up by others that night." 

"I forgive you, Arcadios. I meant it the last time you apologized." 

"The Princess gave me a command, and I complied. I'm apologizing to you on my accord." 

"Thank you," Spike offers his claw. 

Arcardios reaches and shakes Spike's claw. "You're welcome, Fairy Dragon. I do wish you luck during the competition." 

"So, what's for breakfast?" Lucy asks Princess Hisui. 

"A breakfast buffet should be arriving at the table any minute now, Lucy. You'll take what you want to eat. So, are you participating in the Cook-Off, Lucy?" Princess Hisui asks. 

"Nope. Spike is. I'm here to commentate with Mato for the event," Lucy responds. 

"We're supporting and cheering for Spike," Wendy and Carla said in unison. 

"As well as our other friends that are in the Cook-Off," Carla noted. 

"That's good. I do wish you luck, Spike," Princess Hisui puts her Spike the Fairy plush on the table. She doesn't want to get it dirtied. 

"Thanks. Do you carry that plush wherever you go?" Spike is curious to know. 

"Yes," It's a guilty pleasure of Princess Hisui. 

"The Princess is very fond of you, Fairy Dragon. She's probably your number one fan," Arcadios said. 

"I have many fans. Number one would belong to Wendy since I'm dating her." 

"Fair enough." 

Butlers and maidens bring in the breakfast buffet to the table. There's scrambled eggs, omelets, bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, fruit salads, oatmeal, banana bread, muffins, cereal, french toast, breakfast wraps, homemade bagels, and hashbrowns. The aroma from the fresh food made Spike, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla's bellies growl loudly. 

"Dig in," Princess Hisui smiles. 

Everyone waste no time in getting what they want for breakfast. Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Lucy talk about their previous adventures with Princess Hisui, Arcadios, and Darton. They are amazed to hear about going into the world of Equestria to stop a demon from causing time manipulation. They were also amazed to hear about the defeat of the Seven Deadly Sins. 

An hour later. Everyone is satisfied with the breakfast. Spike enjoyed every minute of it the most since he didn't eat much at the Banquet months ago. 

"Thanks for the food," Spike, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla said in bliss. 

"You're welcome," Princess Hisui burps a bit. "Excuse me," Everyone at the table laughs a bit. 

"So, where is the Cook-Off being held in?" Spike asks. 

"In the arena. The game organizers are setting kitchen booths as we speak. There will be four judges. Jason from Sorcerer Weekly, Chapati, who announced the Grand Magic Games, a Wizard Saint, and myself. If you ask who the Wizard Saint is, he wished to be anonymous until arrival." 

"Thanks for informing me," Spike already knew, but he needed to show respect. 

"You're welcome," Princess Hisui smiles at Spike. 

"Your Highness," Darton gets up. "We have an appointment to attend to," Darton reminds Princess Hisui. 

Princess Hisui checks the time and sighs. "10:00 already," Princess Hisui gets up. She wanted to spend more time with her favorite dragon. "I have to get going. Be sure to be in the arena at lunch hour." 

"I will, Princess. See you later," Spike watches Princess Hisui, Darton, and Arcadios walk off. 

"My place is not far from here. Want to come and check it out?" 

"That sounds like fun, Lucy," Wendy said. 

"I don't see why not," Carla said. 

"Sure, why not," Spike replies. 

"Follow me," Lucy leads her friends to her home. After twenty minutes, they arrive at Lucy's home. "Welcome to my new home," It's similar to the apartment in Magnolia. A bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room. Lucy does have some posters of the Fairy Tail Emblem and team on the walls. 

"Nice place you have, Lucy," Wendy said. She explores the apartment with Carla. 

"Thanks. Also, I've been improving on my literature. Would you like to read it?" Lucy offers her friends to read her progress. 

"I'll read it," Carla takes a novel Lucy is currently writing and reads it. 

"Have you kept in contact with the others besides me, Lucy?" Spike turns to Lucy. 

"I have. Levy, Jet, and Droy came by for a visit while working with Sabertooth." 

"Nice. Any word on Natsu, Gray, or Erza?" 

"I haven't heard from them in a long time. The last I've seen Natsu and Gray was during our return trip from Equestria; As for Erza, since we departed from camping in the East Forest." 

"Alright then," Spike was hoping to have some news. Sure, he can always teleport to them to check on them but prefers not to intrude on their business. He'll try again in a few weeks or so with another letter. 

"Wow, Lucy. This novel of yours is great. Better than the ones you left at your home." 

"WHAT?! YOU READ MY-MY..." Lucy realized the unfinished novels she wrote. They are still in her apartment in Magnolia. Tons of errors, faulty tense sequences, mismanagement with her toning. "Aw, man..," Lucy is in tears of embarrassment. 

"Don't be discouraged, Lucy. I think what you wrote back home is good," Wendy said, hoping to cheer up her friend. 

"Thanks," Lucy replies. She sighs in defeat, knowing her old work is dread awful. 

Spike is thinking about spending time with Lucy after the Cook-Off. A few days in Crocus before heading back to Magnolia. He hopes that Lucy won't mind unless she has other plans. 

Wendy, Spike, and Lucy play a couple of board games and enjoy each other's company for the next hour. Carla notices that time flew by while reading three chapters of Lucy's novel. She's invested in the romance novel Lucy wrote. Carla alarms Spike about the Cook-Off starting in ten minutes. 

"Perfect," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends and himself to the arena. 

"I keep forgetting you can do that, Spike," Lucy said. Since it's been two months, she's gotten used to walking a lot and not relying on teleportation to get to places. 

"It's fine. You're used to teleporting with me to other places I remembered or have a flare marking. I have a flare marking in the suite Fairy Tail Team B was sitting, so teleporting into the arena was no problem." 

Many wizards chefs enter the arena. Spike sees Kagura and Mermaid Heel arriving. He sighs in relief, knowing they recovered nicely from the Seven Deadly Sins' ambush. Lucy sees Freed, Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna walking and greets them. They are happy to see Lucy once more after all this time. Minerva walks in with a lot of confidence written on her face. She knows she'll succeed in winning the Cook-Off. Sherry Blendy walks in with a loving smile on her face. 

The Royal Soldiers escort the chefs to their booths. There's a total of fifty chefs participating in today's event; There are four tables in the arena for the judges. People in the stands watching will be ordering what they want each round. The margin of people's food choices will determine the meal every chef must make. 

Spike enters his booth and sees an oven, cabinets, a grill, a table, bowls, potteries, a sink, and a fridge. Spike opens the refrigerator to see what's inside; There's no food. Spike finds a note. It reads: Food will automatically fill in the lacrima refrigerator depending on the round.

"Okay. That answers my question," Spike sees Wendy and Carla sitting in the stands as participants in deciding what food they would like to see in each round. "Well, that answered another question of mine." 

Lucy walks into the commentating suite since she'll be documenting the event. The Pumpkin Head Mato walks in. 

"Hello, Lucy. Ready to commentate on today's Cook-Off?" 

"Yes, Sir, I am. I hope to taste some of the food from the winning chefs." 

"Likewise. Any guess on who'll be winning today's event?" 

"The Fairy Dragon himself. Spike the Fairy," Lucy replies. 

"What?! I didn't know he cooks!" 

Lucy laughs at Mato's reaction. "I've tasted his cooking for many months. If he weren't a Fairy Dragon, he would have been a personal chef on the highest authority." 

"Aw, man. Now I wish Spike was my personal chef." 

"So, are the lacrima mics working?" Lucy asks Mato. 

"They will be active in a few moments. We have lacrima cameras on every booth to see the progress of every chef. I'm eager to see the wow faces of the judges, including the mystery Wizard Saint Judge."

"I have a feeling who it might be, but I could be wrong." 

"Who do you think it is, Lucy?" 

"I want to say either Warrod Sequen or Jura Neekis."

"Oh, boy. If Jura is the mystery Wizard Saint Judge, he may give Fairy Dragon a bad or decent score as payback from the Grand Magic Games." 

"Well, Jura has to oblige by the regulations as being a judge. It's all about fairness with each chef based on how delicious the entree is." 

"Good point. Though, I have a feeling Jura might stretch the truth." 

The lunch hour has arrived, and people are roaring and hungry. Mato and Lucy's mics activate, allowing them to speak to the audience. 

"Good afternoon, citizens of Fiore!" Mato shouts in the mic. "I am Mato. Today is Crocus' Cook-Off, and I am pleased to tell you that familiar faces are participating in today's contest." 

"My name is Lucy Heartfilla of the Fairy Tail Guild. I'll be Mato's co-commentator for today's extravaganza." 

"Please, take a look at the lacrima visions to see every wizard competing," Mato says. 

Lacrima visions reveal every wizard, including Freed, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Minerva, Millianna, Kagura, Rocker, Ichiya, Sherry, and Spike the Fairy. Many people cheer loudly for seeing Spike the Fairy once more. 

"Can you hear that crowd?" 

"I hear the crowd loud and clear, Mato. I see they are enjoying the return of Spike the Fairy the most." 

"He is the fan favorite, Lucy. It's not every day people of Fiore gets to see a dragon among them." 

"Unless you're in a guild." 

"Touché, Lucy. Of course, you'll see him every day." 

"To be fair, he's my roommate in Magnolia." 

"WHAT?!" Mato and most of the crowd said in unison. It's the loudest what-roar the arena heard in a long time. 

"It's true. Ever since Spike first arrived in Fairy Tail, I allowed him to be my roommate." 

"You are one lucky wizard. I bet everyone here wishes to have a dragon as a roommate." 

"Well, give it some time. A new age of dragons will co-exist with humanity." 

"How long per se?" Mato asks with a bit of emphasis. 

"Fifty years, give or take." 

"Fifty years!" Mato was hoping for the dragons to come sooner than later. 

"Remember, those dragons need to grow up. They need time to develop on who they want to be or associate with." 

"Aaaah.., fair enough," Mato said in defeat. "Now, without further ado, let's introduce the judges of the contest!" 

The crowd cheers and wait patiently to see who'll be judging the food. 

"Alright, time to man-up!" Elfman prepares himself to face any cooking challenge. 

"Okay, I got this. Time to show everyone what I can do," Lisanna said. 

"Time to show who's the best cooker in Fairy Tail," Freed prepares himself mentally. 

Mirajane makes sure she has everything she needs to win all the rounds necessary for her family. They are a bit tight with money, and the prize money will help sustain them for the rest of the year and more.

"You got this, Minerva!" Lector shouts from the stands. He's with Sting. 

"Minerva! Show them how's it's done!" 

"You can do it, Sherry! Let love be your ingredient to win!" Sherria shouts from the stands. 

"This may be Freed's toughest battle in terms of cooking," Evergreen said. She looks at the other contenders in the arena. 

"Spike is Freed's rival in terms of cooking. I've tasted his meals during the last month before the Grand Magic Games," Laxus said. 

"Spike's that proficient in terms of cooking?" Bickslow asks Laxus. 

"If I have to say who's number one, it'll be a draw at best. Remember, the first month of training with the guy, Spike didn't feel like cooking. He was devoted. Solemnly focused on improving his magic power and strength." 

"Wow, talk about tough competition. What about Mirajane's cooking?" Evergreen asks Laxus. 

"She's second in my books," Laxus admits. 

"So, besides Spike. Anyone else you're rooting for, Wendy?" Carla asks Wendy. 

"Well, anyone from Fairy Tail, I guess. I'm keen on rooting for Spike only. What about you, Carla?" 

"Anyone in Fairy Tail will do, child. I'm sure Fairy Tail will win."

"That's guaranteed, Carla. No doubt about it. It's not often Fairy Tail loses a war."

"So, this may be tricky for our girls since Spike is competing," Risley said. She's looking at the lacrima vision of Spike preparing in the kitchen booth. 

"I'm sure Kagura and Millianna will come out on top at least," Beth Vanderwood said. She hopes that Mermaid Heel will emerge victorious after coming in second during the Grand Magic Games. 

"If Spike makes his cookies, we're dead," Araña reminds her friends, which they concur. They remember the taste of Spike's cookies months ago, which saved their guild's reputation. 

"Here's our first judge of the competition. It's Princess Hisui!" Lucy shouts in the mic to amp up the crowd. 

Princess Hisui enters the arena and waves to her people. Every wizard in their booth claps for Princess Hisui. 

"Our second judge is Jason from Sorcerer Weekly!" Mato shouts into the mic. 

"Cooooooooooool!" Jason shouts and receives a lot of attention as he walks into the arena. He writes his experience in his notepad. "I'm so happy to be a judge in this event! I'll be looking forward to interviewing the winner tomorrow on the podcast, live!" Every wizard in their booth claps for Jason. Jason is looking forward to trying Spike's entrees more than anything else. 

"Our third judge is a commentator of this year's Grand Magic Games. Give it up for Chapati!" Mato shouts in the mic. 

Chapati enters the arena. "It's an honor to be a judge for this event. Here I thought, I'll be commenting on the event," Every wizard in their booth claps for Chapati. 

"As for our fourth judge. We have an anonymous Wizard Saint who'll make himself known to us right now!" Lucy shouts in the mic. 

An older gentleman with clean-cut, dark purple hair, red eyes, a well-groomed mustache, pointy ears, and an emblem on his forehead that's resembles a cross; walks into the arena. He wears a button-up dress shirt, a lightly decorated vest, dark-colored slacks, and a black bow tie. He covers his ensemble with a black cape that sports light-colored crosses towards the mid-line. He also wears a large ring on his middle finger. Every wizard's jaws drop except for Spike. The crowd is stunned to see the mystery Wizard Saint Judge. 

"NO WAY! THAT'S.., THAT'S!!!" Lucy is mesmerized to see the Wizard Saint himself. Her jaw drops to the floor. 

"Second strongest of the Four Emperors of Ishgar.., Draculos Hyberion!" Mato couldn't believe it. Everyone in the audience couldn't believe what they're seeing. 

Draculos Hyberion is serious about his role as a judge. He looks at the lacrima vision displayed in the arena and notices every wizard sweating like crazy except for Spike. "The Fairy Dragon that defeated Iron Rock Jura. How interesting."

Silence reigns in the crowd and the arena. Princess Hisui, Jason, and Chapati have no words to express their feeling about working with Draculos Hyberion. The pressure is on with every wizard except for Spike. Judging from the silence, Spike believes Draculos Hyberion is as powerful as the title acclaims to be, despite what Warrod had mentioned about the Wizard Saints. 

"Wow, folks. Things got serious real quick," Mato said. His voice trembled a bit. 

"I'm glad I'm not the one cooking. That's a whole lot of pressure I'll be having," Lucy fearfully said. "I wish anyone luck while feeling immense pressure from Draculos Hyberion." 

"I agree. Not even me would be confident, now," Mato admits. He's sweating madly from seeing Draculos Hyberion from the commentator suite. 

"I may need a change my underwear. It's so cool and yet, so terrifying. Draculos Hyberion. A walking, breathing, living vampire walking among us. I must be dreaming. No way this is real." Jason thought to himself. 

"I was not expecting him. Holy crap." Chapati thought to himself.

"Wow. I thought it would be Jura that'll come out. Things could change depending on the wizard's cooking to impress Hyberion's tastebuds." Princess Hisui thought to herself. 

Silence reign for a few more minutes before Mato asks the crowd what food they want the chefs to make for the first round. Almost everyone competing except for Spike is trembling in fear. They hope to please Draculos Hyberion with their exquisite cooking. 

"Okay, let's tally up the votes for round one," Mato said, breaking the ice of the awkward silence. "Round one is to make a cheeseburger." 

"That sounds simple," Lucy thought the first round would feature a different kind of food. 

"The people want to see it, and so we shall."

"How would all these people have a taste of the winning chef's dish? There's over twenty thousand in the stands." 

"We have a lacrima cloning device and deliver it to all the people in attendance. Only the best dishes the Judges deem worthy. We will not give our people something wretched to eat. Good luck, everybody," Mato wishes all the wizards luck. 

Food starts filling up in the lacrima fridges in the booths. Every wizard opens their refrigerator and grabs the food. Judges can observe every booth to check on the progress rather than sit around and wait. 

Rocker instantly panics while preparing the ground beef. He tries his best to remain calm, but the thought of Draculos Hyberion possibly drinking his blood gets the better of him. His sweat goes into the patties while he shapes them circularly. 

Minerva takes a deep breath to recompose herself. The idea of having Draculos Hyberion gave her a sense of uncertainty but, she'll focus on her cooking. She will let her cooking be her motive and do the talking.

Out of the three siblings, Lisanna is calm; Mirajane tries to shrug it off; Elfman panics. Elfman proclaims that a real man would not be terrified of vampires. They proceed on pounding the burger meat before cooking it.

Freed is calm and uses his expertise to woo and awe the audience while making the cheeseburgers. He's smiling, knowing that at least half of the chefs would succumb to anxiety due to the presence of Draculos Hyberion. 

Millianna is panicking. She's worried about displeasing Draculos Hyberion more than Princess Hisui. She doesn't care about the reactions of Jason and Chapati. Her grill explodes due to the panic and pressure she's enduring. There's a rule when the kitchen explodes. Any kitchen set on fire and cannot be put out or destroyed gets an immediate disqualification. There are no second chances or do-overs in this contest. 

"Ouch, just like that, Millianna is first to leave the kitchen," Mato reports while speaking on the mic. 

"There goes another one," Lucy sees Rocker's booth exploding. He comes out with his hair on fire, running around like an idiot instead of stopping, dropping, and rolling on the ground. Good thing that the Royal Guards snuff the fire out with an extinguisher, freeing Rocker from the heat.  

"The pressure is on for the first round already. I hope the judges get to try something. It'll be a real disappointment if everybody taps out." 

"I hear you, Mato. Let's hope for the best." 

Sherry is enjoying her time preparing the best cheeseburgers for the judges to woo. She refuses to allow stress to overtake her during the competition. She's letting love be her guiding light to win. Sherry has already finished making the cheeseburger, adding smiley faces with the pickles, ketchup, and mustard. 

Princess Hisui is visiting Spike's kitchen booth. She's perplexed why Spike is not adding cheese to the burger. Princess Hisui and the others watching on the lacrima vision see Spike using his green flames to heat the burger meat. 

Jason comes by Kagura's kitchen booth. Kagura ignores Jason and focuses on the task; Jason watches in awe as Kagura adds some spices to the cheeseburger. 

Draculos Hyberion visits Elfman's kitchen booth. He calmly stares at Elfman's progress with the cheeseburgers and notices he's adding a bit too much. Elfman looks away and sees Draculos Hyberion's cold stare. The fear of him draining his blood in anger gets the better of him. Elfman inadvertently causes a grease fire, and his kitchen explodes. 

"Ooooooooh, another one bites the dust," Mato saw Elfman's kitchen in ruins. 

"Aw, man. I was hoping Elfman would deliver as a real man would," Lucy said. She sounds a little disappointed. 

"Can you blame the guy? Draculos Hyberion would scare any wizard unless they show no fear." 

"Hmm," Draculos Hyberion checks a different booth to observe. Elfman looks down and takes the walk of shame out of the arena. 

"Poor Elfman," Lisanna watches Elfman walk out in shame. She continues to grill the cheeseburgers a bit longer. 

"Don't worry, Elfman. Lisanna and I are still in this to win it!" Mirajane is finalizing the cheeseburgers. 

Princess Hisui has never left Spike's booth. Draculos Hyberion visits his booth; Princess Hisui steps back a bit, giving him space. 

"Fairy Dragon," Draculos calls him. 

Spike turns while using his flames to melt the cheese. "Hey, what's up?" Spike shows no fear of Draculos Hyberion. The same emotion when Erza scares anyone with her vicious glare. 

"It's an honor to meet you. I heard a lot about you at the newly established Magic Council Hall. Warrod and Jura asked me to say hi to you." 

"Thanks. Tell them I say hi when you return to them," Spike goes up to the counter with four plates of burgers with a small bowl of cheese for each. He taps on the bell, signaling his cheeseburgers are ready for the taste test. 

After ten minutes, more bells ring, signaling other wizards have completed making their first dish.

Princess Hisui, Draculos Hyberion, Jason, and Chapati go to their tables and sit. Many waiters are in line with numbers on them. They grab the plates to bring to the table. 

"Well, I hope our judges like the first dish of the first round," Mato said on the mic. 

"Yea," Lucy concurs. "So far, we had ten explosions in the field. Many wizards are feeling pressured by Draculos' presence." 

"I can't wait to sink my teeth onto these burgers," Jason said in excitement. 

"I agree with you, Jason. It's a delight to see so many chefs wanting to impress their skills like this. It was a sight to behold during the Grand Magic Games. I hope the blood, sweat, and tears go into the food they made," Chapati said. 

"I've tasted many head chef's cooking, so it'll be interesting to try a wizard's masterpiece in terms of cooking," Princess Hisui said. 

Draculos Hyberion remains silent. He waits patiently to try the meals all these wizards have made. 

"Whoa, this is interesting!" Chapati sees the waiter delivering four plates of burgers with a bowl of cheese. 

"Huh?" Jason is confused. "Are these not cheeseburgers?" 

"I know who made these. Spike, please come on down and explain to us," Princess Hisui calls for Spike. 

Spike flaps his wings. He flies to the tables where the judges are sitting. "Yes, Princess." 

"Explain your presentation to us," Princess Hisui replies. 

"I can't believe you made this! However, I'm confused with the bowl of cheese. Why didn't you put it on the burger?" Chapati asks Spike. 

Spike chuckles a bit. "I thought about doing something different no one else would try. You see, I'm not sure how much cheese any of you wanted in a burger so, I decided to perfect the hamburger to the rich and tenderness, then I decided to use my flames to melt the cheese and pour it into the bowls you see in front of you. Now, for the cheeseburger effect, dip your burger in the cheese." 

"Wow!" Jason shouts in excitement. "Allow me to be the first to try it!" Jason grabs the burger and dips it in the cheese; it covers the front of the bun and burger softly; Jason then takes a bite. "Oh, my God," Jason rolls his eyes and takes his time slowly, enjoying the cheeseburger. "If I died right now, this is how I want to eat cheeseburgers in Heaven." 

Princess Hisui and Chapati do the same. They take the burgers and dip them in the cheese bowl. Princess Hisui and Chapati cover the front of the burger in cheese to try it. 

"Wow! Out of all the cheeseburgers I had in my life, I have never seen one so creatively presented and taste so good!" Chapati takes another bite. 

"How are you able to grill the burger into perfection? None of my chefs are compatible with making a burger so juicy and yet tender," Princess Hisui puts her burger down to wipe her face. She has some melted cheese on her face. 

"Unlike the other wizards, I use my flames," Spike breathes his Sparkling Green Flames in front of the judges. 

"Show off," Freed said. He was hoping for his burgers to be taste-tested first.

"So, he is using his flames as an unfair advantage," Lisanna said. She was hoping Spike wouldn't use his flames. 

"All is fairness in the kitchen. The rules state to use what you can to your advantage," Mirajane reminds Lisanna. 

Lisanna sighs in defeat. "I know." 

"Way to go, Spike," Kagura said, watching the lacrima vision from her booth. 

Draculos Hyberion takes a deep breath. He follows the instructions Spike laid out when a loud explosion occurs at the arena's entrance. Many people in the stands panic and leave as quickly as possible. 

"What was that?!" Lucy tries to see the perpetrators that invaded the Cook-Off. 

"Yes, yes. I see what you mean," Daphne is in a mechanized robotic suit. It's twenty feet tall and shaped like a Vulcan. The left arm wields a magic machine gun powered by a different energy source; The right arm wields a magic shield powered by the same energy source. The back of the Vulcan mechanized robotic suit has a jetpack for flight mode. There are missile torrents on the shoulders. "These people are perfect; to test my latest invention!" Daphne laughs in triumph. 

"You think we forget to come to the party?" Ace of the Green Goblins said. He has a newly designed magic machine gun armed. 

"Boss, I think we overestimated the people participating," Billy is fatter than before. He has mounted cannons on his shoulders. 

"Why do you say-" Ace sees Lisanna and Spike once more and remembers their last encounter not long ago. 

"So, are we going to retreat?" Eels wield a new magic Tommy Machine Gun designed by Daphne. 

"Guys, we're outnumbered," Ranger said. He points to the other wizards. 

"Hey, lady. You sure these weapons will deprive them of their magic?"  Ranger asks Daphne. He's unsure about the situation. 

"Yea, they could kill us," Smoke said. He gulps as many wizards are ready to lay the smackdown on their behinds. 

"Don't let the numbers fool you. We have the upper advantage in this fight!" Daphne reminds the Green Goblins Guild. 

"You are unwise of crashing the party," Kagura said. Risley uses her speed to give Kagura her sword. 

"Oh great, it's that annoying lady," Carla said. She remembers Daphne when she used the Dragonoid. 

"Well, she's foolish for crashing the event," Wendy joins the wizards to battle the Green Goblins and Daphne. 

Sting, Laxus, Bickslow, Evergreen, Sherria, Lucy, Elfman, Millianna, Beth Vanderwood, Araña, and every wizard present stand together. Draculos Hyberion walks in front of the wizard to confront the invaders. 

"Who are you, Vamps?" Ace rudely asks, aiming his weapon at Draculos. 

"My name is Draculos Hyberion. I order you to stand down before you get hurt." 

"Stand down? No, no, grandpa. You see, the boys and I now have weapons we are eager to test," Daphne smirks. "Our weapons will render any wizard useless. You see," The Green Goblins aim their weaponry at any wizard daring to make a move. "There were a lot of magic pulse particles lying around from the destruction. After I took the time to analyze the magic pulse particles, I realized it's the same substance to activate Face!" 

Every wizard, including Spike, gasps except for Draculos Hyberion; He continues to listen to Daphne's monologue.  

"No way! You made weapons from the remains of Face!" Lucy said in shock. 

"I did. Every one of my brothers in arms has Face related weaponry. A single shot will render any wizard helpless without magic. As for how long, we're going to find out! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Daphne becomes excited. 

"This is bad news," Carla said. 

"You have an army to deal with! Let's take them down!" Laxus shouts. 

"YEAH!" Everyone shouts. 

"That won't be necessary," Draculos Hyberion formally expresses. "I'll handle this myself."

"You're going to take us down, old man?" Daphne mocks Draculos Hyberion. She shoots warning missiles and destroys the kitchen booths all around the arena. Every wizard and Spike feels a bit light-headed from the warning missiles as Face particles filter the air a bit. The effect of Face drains them of their magic power, causing a different reaction. 

"Wow, my head hurts," Freed said. He's amazed and terrified of the weapon's physique. 

"I guess she's not playing around when Daphne said about having the advantage," Bickslow said. 

"My head hurts, Sting," Lector holds his head. 

"Hang in there, buddy," Sting said. "Damn, breathing this stuff is making me feel nauseous." Sting holds his belly. 

Spike feels different and decides not to consume the energy around him. He rather not risk the chance of his magic depleting and having long-lasting effects. 

"Damn it," Laxus feels a bit weak at the moment. "It feels like those bane particles again." 

"This isn't lovely," Sherry said. Her magic fades a bit. 

"Not wild!" Rocker shouts while feeling humiliated. First, his hair was on fire, now feeling weaker. 

"Damn, this girl is crazy," Millianna said. She feels weak at the moment. 

"Tell me about it," Beth Vanderwood falls to her knees, feeling weak. 

"Elfman, I don't feel good," Lisanna has breathed a bit too much of Face's particles from the missile strike. She becomes weak. Elfman catches her. 

"You're going to regret that!" Elfman proclaims. He feels weary from the side effects. 

Many wizards feel weaker from breathing the Face Particles from Daphne's weapon. They'll need to act fast before their magic power is depeled. 

"The only thing I regret is not coming sooner," Daphne sadistically laughs. "Time to show whose boss, boys! Yes! Yes! Yes! Time to fight! Fight! Fight!" 

"Not today," Draculos Hyberion uses his magic to paralyze Daphne and the Green Goblins by simply pointing in their direction. The Vulcan mechanized robotic suit gets demolished from the heaviness of Draculos' power. The weapons they wield are destroyed. Daphne and the members of the Green Goblins clutch their necks in pain. 

Everyone is mesmerized to see Draculos Hyberion bringing down Daphne and the Green Goblins without taking a step. They beg for mercy since Draculos Hyberion's magic is overwhelmingly immense and powerful. A few moments later. Royal Soldiers come to arrest Daphne and the Green Goblins. 

"Darn you!" Daphne tries to spit at Draculos Hyberion. Her spit doesn't go far. 

"You were fools to try and invade an event filled with wizards and a dragon. I advise something simple instead of extreme methods." 

The Face Particles evaporate. Magic flows within everyone once more, but some are sick due to the effects. Wendy and Sherria decide to use their healing magic to help everyone. Many people were hospitalized due to Daphne and the Green Goblins' entrance. Mato and Princess Hisui decide to call off the Cook-Off. Princess Hisui tells everyone to return to their quarters until further notice. 

Later that evening. 

"I can't believe that bitch ruined the competition. I was looking forward to making more dishes," Spike said. He's lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling in the Honeycomb Inn. 

"I know. I guess Daphne picked up the stupidity from the Green Goblins," Lisanna said. She, Elfman, Mirajane, and the Thunder Legion are in the room. 

"The story you informed us months ago would prove otherwise," Freed said.  

"I give them credit for trying to make a name for themselves. Obviously, they walked into their demise," Evergreen said. 

"Those bums had to deal with Draculos. His magic power scares me," Laxus admits. "I'm not sure if I can beat him in a fight." 

"I can safely say most of us don't have a shot. Without Fairy Rage, I don't have a shot unless I'm a full-sized dragon." 

"Do you think there'll be a redo tomorrow?" Carla asks everyone. 

"I hope so. That Dracula guy scared me so bad, I botched my cooking," Elfman said. 

"I'm glad Daphne is locked up again. I can't believe she busted herself out of prison," Lucy said. "She's so annoying." 

"Agreed," Spike, Wendy, Carla, Laxus, Bickslow, Evergreen, Freed, Mirajane, Elfman, and Mirajane said in unison. 

"Spike, could you absorb the energy emitting from the Face Particles?" Wendy asks. 

"I think I could, but at the time, I didn't want to risk it. I know my mom got rid of my irregular magic and all but, I wanted to be safe." 

"Your mom?" The Thunder Legion, Mirajane, Lisanna, and Elfman say in confusion. 

"You guys read the letters I wrote about my venture, right?" Spike sees the looks on their faces. He chuckles a bit, knowing they didn't read it. Spike tells his friends about seeing his mother for the first time. Midway through, the sounds of knocking interrupt Spike's story. Lisanna opens the door to see Princess Hisui and Arcadios standing by with Royal Soldiers.   

"Good, you're all here," Arcadios said. He holds many envelopes. 

"Any news about the Cook-Off?" Mirajane asks Princess Hisui and Arcadios. 

"The King and Princess have decided to cancel the event until a further date is announced," Arcadios confirms. 

"So, with that said, I'm going to every wizard that participated and giving them 500,000 Jewels," Princess Hisui gives Lisanna the envelopes. "It was nice seeing all of you," Princess Hisui and Arcadios leave with the Royal Soldiers. 

"500,000 Jewels. Not bad for participation," Spike said. 

"Indeed," Lisanna gives the envelopes to Mirajane, Elfman, Freed, and Spike. 

Spike opens his envelope and notices a letter within. He reads it a bit. 

Lucy notices Spike reading his letter. "What does it say, Spike?"

"I'm invited for an interview with Jason for Sorcerer Weekly, live on the podcast." 

"Wow, Spike. What time do you have to be there?" Wendy asks. 

"Tomorrow at noon. I can use a good shuteye," Spike yawns a bit. 

"We should get going," Laxus advises his friends. 

"Agreed. Since I've been paid, there's no reason to stick around. We'll see you another time, guys." 

"Remember to come train with us, Fairy Dragon. We're eager to have you with us," Evergreen said. 

"Don't worry, I will," Spike replies. 

"Take care," Laxus leaves with the Thunder Legion. 

"Mind if we sleep over for the night?" Lisanna asks Spike. 

"Sure, why not," Spike responds. 

"I'm ordering room service," Mirajane looks at the menu. 

"I'm staying as well," Lucy said. 

"Sure thing. I have no problem," Spike smiles. 

The rest of the night goes well with Spike, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna enjoying each other's company. They have some laughter while planning for future dates to train together as friends.
> Mirror Pool
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Rarity soars in the skies, heading to the Mirror Pool. She growls on the way there due to the Changelings leaving the hive unscathed. 




Rarity's mind

Cozy Glow continues to decode the message Rarity had mentioned. D.L. Rarity watches the young pegasus think while the others remain silent. 

"Ugh! What does D.L. stand for?! Why can't Lord Tirek tell me the message!? I hate that Midnight Sparkle is on a genocide for a lost cause! Spike the Fairy is gone! What is time magic going to do for us!?" Then it struck Cozy Glow. It's now evident that Midnight Sparkle doesn't care for her comrades. Sure, a villain is about being deceptive, manipulative, and conniving. However, Midnight's objective is reaching newer lows that Cozy wouldn't cross. "D.L. Demons Lie... Midnight Sparkle is lying to Tirek, Sombra, Storm King, and me."

Rarity nods to see if Cozy Glow figured out her cryptic message. Cozy turns and nods in return. She understands Midnight Sparkle's plan of turning back time is to reverse and correct her mistakes. Then, when she and the others within Rarity's mind go rogue, she'll use the Magic of Friendship to eradicate the tyrannies. 

Lord Tirek can tell that Cozy Glow has solved the cryptic message. He now waits to see if things backfire on Midnight Sparkle. Sure, he'll do his part until the time is right. 

King Sombra paces himself in silence. He's eager to reobtain control of the Crystal Empire. He visions Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in chains and bows down to him. The ideas of humiliating the two ponies are endless in his demented mind. As for Flurry Heart, he'll raise her into a Shadowed Alicorn filled with scorn and hatred. 

Storm King envisions making Grubber a maid while Tempest becomes his footstool, breaking the two mentally as slow as possible. Storm King can't wait to leave the body and create better-advanced Techno-Magic-Soldiers to take on the army of Dragons. He walks around, practicing his techniques with his staff. 

Rarity smirks. Midnight Sparkle loses focus as she sense Rarity jotting an idea. Midnight Sparkle sees the Mirror Pool caves and lands. She wants to have a conversation with Rarity. Midnight Sparkle gets up and walks up to the sphere containing Rarity. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Rarity's cheek. "Why are you smirking?" 

"I'm envisioning how you'll meet your demise. You'll face the replacement of Spike and the other Twilight or by a group of friends that'll be the future representatives of Harmony." 

Midnight Sparkle chokes Rarity, which causes a rift in her body. "Think that's humorous?!" Midnight releases the hold a bit. 

"You can hurt me all you want. You can torment me. However, like any other mad villain, defeat is inevitable. We wrote a journal about it!" Rarity laughs. 

Midnight Sparkle slams Rarity hard, causing a bruise on the body. "Remember, I can have your sister killed when I go looking for her!" 

"By now, Discord could be hiding the youth away from your wrath. Who knows, maybe Discord already sent my sister and her friends to Earth Land as refugees."

Midnight Sparkle growls, and the possibility of Discord doing the sort antagonizes her. "That chaotic genius!" Midnight Sparkle groans in anger and ponders the possibilities Discord could be doing. "That's it! I'm removing the enchantment now!" 




Mirror Pool

Midnight Rarity feels the bruise on her side and chooses to ignore it. She trots to the Mirror Pool and sees the enchantment still in place as before. 

"Time to weaken it," Midnight Rarity chimes Grogar's Bell. The Bell absorbs Celestia's magic. All that remains is Freed's magic as the barrier. Midnight Rarity laughs in triumphant. "Finally! I can-" Grogar's Bell vanishes right before Midnight Rarity's eyes. "WHAT THE-"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," A clone of Discord walks out of the shadows. "Do you believe that the Mirror Pool would be left unguarded?" 

Midnight Rarity growls in anger. "HOW DARE YOU?! YOU FREAKING JACKASS!" 

"You're on a rampage, killing innocents, and you calling me a jackass. Really? You're a genocidal, egotistical, blinding, arrogant demon, Midnight Sparkle," The clone calmly replies. "I refuse to allow others to suffer because you didn't get what you want. You are a spoiled, demented pony. All of this carnage because you couldn't be happy for Spike." 

"SPIKE BELONGS HERE IN EQUESTRIA WITH ME!" Midnight Rarity barks at the clone. 

"No, he doesn't belong with you. He's not your property. You may have hatched him but, you did not conceive him. Spike met his Uncle in Earth Land. I'm sure by now he discovered his mother as well." 

Midnight Rarity uses her power to grab the clone's throat. "You're going to rue the day of stepping into my business." 

"Friendship is-" Midnight Rarity snaps the clone's neck with her power. 

"Friendship is dead along with you," Midnight Rarity claims. She roars in anger since the clone teleported the Bell to who knows where. Her horn ignites green to absorb the clone's magic. Then she uses her power to turn the clone into stone and shatter it by stomping on its head. 




Rarity's mind

"So, what are you going to do without the Bell?" Rarity smirks. Despite watching the clone of Discord dying by Midnight's wrath, she feels that Midnight Sparkle is one step closer to meeting her demise. 

"I channeled enough power from the Bell into the body. I will penetrate the enchantment," Midnight Sparkle declares. 




Mirror Pool

Midnight Rarity powers up while her horn illuminates green; she shoots a Demon Curse at the enchantment Freed left behind. The Demon Curse causes a gap to spread in the mirror pool big enough for her.




Rarity's mind

"Hey! That gap isn't big enough for the Techno-Magic-Soldiers to fit into!" Storm King yells at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Be glad you'll have a body of your own!" The outburst from Midnight Sparkle causes the Storm King to hurl away from Midnight's presence. He lands hard on his back. 




Mirror Pool

"Into her own reflection, she stared. Yearning for one whose reflection she shared. And solemnly sweared not to be scared. At the prospect of being doubly mare," Midnight Rarity recites and goes into the gap of the Mirror Pool. She recites the enchantment four more times. 

The four clones of Midnight Rarity remain stationary. She shoots each clone with the members of Demon Tail. The bodies of the clones change form with magic power from Grogar's Bell flowing within. 

Storm King, King Sombra, Lord Tirek, and Cozy Glow are back to their demonic physical forms. Cozy Glow sinisterly smiles to show loyalty to Midnight Sparkle despite having the idea of betraying her when the time comes. 

"Back to my old self! Finally!" Storm King relishes his new body. 

"Time to conquer the Crystal Empire," King Sombra wants to seize control now. 

"Not yet. We have one pitstop to make," Midnight Sparkle said. She changes Rarity's body to mold like her demonic self. "We're going to Canterlot to absorb the Princesses' Alicorn Magic." 

"Now, we're talking!" Lord Tirek can taste the power of Alicorn Magic once more. 

"Let's go," Midnight Sparkle's horn glows multi-color. She uses her Demon Curse to turn everyone around her invisible to fly to Canterlot undetected.
> Canterlot Falls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 3:30 in the afternoon. Princess Luna stretches after getting out of bed. 

"Okay, now to pay Discord a visit," Igniting her horn, Princess Luna teleports to Discord's location. She arrives in the living room of Discord's home to see him riving in agony on the couch. "Discord, what's wrong," Luna walks up to him. 

"Midnight Sparkle. She's on a genocidal mission to eliminate any who stand in her way," Discord breathes heavily. He feels like his body is getting torn into anew. 

"Care to explain everything you know so far?" Princess Luna hovers above Discord to soothe his back. 

"Ooooh, yes," Discord feels the firm massage of Luna's hooves. "I'll tell you what I know. You see-" Discord explains to Princess Luna through the memories of the clones' eyes before turning into stone. Midnight Sparkle is doing all she can to gain magic power to uplift the boundaries that prevent Midnight Sparkle from using the Mirror Pool. She killed many clones of his and many Hippogriffs. From what he can tell, Midnight Sparkle is channeling the power from the Bell into her body. 

Princess Luna shed some tears for the fallen by the wrath of Midnight Sparkle. "That's beyond wrong. Throughout time, we never had mass-murder such as this." 

"All for selfish reasons. So in a twisted way, instead of atoning for her sins, she's trying to correct them by continuing to do the wrong thing." 

"I'm not one for ruling corporal punishment. However, if we can confine Midnight Sparkle after her defeat, I will initiate a death sentence."

"I hope Celestia approves your decision for advising a death sentence on Midnight. There's no saving grace for the wrath she unleashed. She has become that Acnologia fellow is in Earth Land." 

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Discord," Princess Luna continues to massage Discord's back. 

Grogar's Bell appears and lands on Discord's head. "OW!" A bump grows on Discord's head. 

Princess Luna gasps. "No way..," She uses her magic to levitate Grogar's Bell. "How is this possible?" 

Discord goes into his memory files in his mind. He looks and finds a new file cabinet of another clone's demise; The clone teleported Grogar's Bell away from Midnight's clutches before attempting to remove the barrier. 

"My clone teleported the Bell to us before he died near the Mirror Pool." 

"I need to go," Discord grabs her. "No. My clones will go for your sister and all occupants of Canterlot. I have a feeling Midnight may want to come for you and Celestia since I have Grogar's Bell." 

"Okay. I don't have much knowledge of using Grogar's Bell. Do you?" 

"Yes," Discord nods. "I have my library of ancient artifacts. It will take me some time to uncover Grogar's Bell's full power." 

"Okay. I'm off to the Crystal Empire. I'm sure there'll be a Bar of Alliance Meeting to discuss preparations of Midnight Sparkle and her guild." 

"I'll send a messager to the Crystal Empire once I gather all the information to reverse the damages caused by Grogar's Bell." 

Princess Luna uses her magic to teleport to the Crystal Empire. Discord gets up and goes to his second basement. He starts reading the history of Grogar's Bell. 

Midnight Sparkle, Lord Tirek, King Sombra, Storm King, and Cozy Glow are soaring in the skies, invisible. They notice many pegasi flying and heading north. Since Midnight Sparkle no longer possesses Grogar's Bell, she declines the option of absorbing the pegasi flight. They continue their travel to Canterlot. 

Princess Celestia receives urgent news from a clone of Discord. It's time to evacuate. Many clones of Discord scatter to all corners of Canterlot, telling ponies to flee, but they scoff. Some ponies of higher stature are arrogant fools due to their lust for bits and power. They believe that Princess Celestia and the Royal Soldiers will fend off any enemy. When the clones mention Midnight Sparkle's name, they change their tone real quick, demanding the clones to send them to a safe haven away from Midnight Sparkle's wrath. 

One of the clones of Discord gets turned to stone in front of many ponies. Many flee away while Midnight Sparkle and her comrades land in Canterlot. 

"Tirek, go have your fill," Midnight Sparkle commands. She shatters the stone statue of Discord's clone. 

"It'll be my pleasure!" Lord Tirek laughs and consumes the magic from fleeing unicorns and the strength from earth ponies. He gallops further in Canterlot. 

The Royal Guards come into the fray to fight Lord Tirek. Storm King uses his staff to create a tornado in front of the Royal Guards. They get swallowed by the tornado's force. The alarms sound off in Canterlot. 

"No!" Princess Celestia is now aware of the treachery in Canterlot. She looks out her balcony to hear many of her subjects cry. She swoops down to help as many as she can. 

Many clones of Discord teleport many ponies to the Crystal Empire; King Sombra encounters a new wave of Royal Guards. He uses his magic to raise crystal shards from the ground. Some Royal Guards that flew got impaled by the shards on their wings. 

Cozy Glow watch many ponies suffering from the wrath of Storm King, Lord Tirek, and King Sombra. She has a new perspective and feels ashamed for being part of the carnage. She trots around and sees many ponies weaker due to Lord Tirek consuming their magic and power. 

"I can't go through with this. It's wrong. Beyond wrong." Cozy Glow reflects on her battle with the other creatures before Earth Land Wizards came into the fray. "I don't want to be driven mad with power anymore. I want to do something good for once." Cozy looks at the skies to see Sombra's crystals impaling the Royal Guards, clipping their wings, rendering them useless for flight, and allowing Lord Tirek to consume their power. 

Midnight Sparkle decides to visit the Princess at the castle. For the punishments, she endured due to Discord disguising himself as Spike. Midnight Sparkle takes flight. Midnight gets hit by a magic beam from Princess Celestia's horn. 

"Princess Celestia," Midnight Sparkle relishes the opportunity to steal Princess Celestia's Alicorn Magic. 

"Midnight Sparkle," Princess Celestia doesn't address her as Twilight Sparkle. 

"I was on my way to see you, and you've come to me." 

"I came to protect my subjects and to stop you," Princess Celestia powers up. 

"All you do is sit idly and let others do your battles. You used my friends and me to battle all sorts of deities when you were more powerful at the time. Now, you decide to fight?" 

"I admit my flaws and correct them for the better. I admit. I failed you as a teacher and as a friend. I gave you too much responsibility when I should have monitored your progress time-to-time instead of waiting for you to tell me what you learned. I failed Spike as a friend. However, instead of fixing things abruptly, I adjust and cope with them. You failed in that regard, Midnight Sparkle. You attempted to erase Spike's memories, nearly destroyed Earth Land by aiding a Dark Guild, and tried to eliminate all of us to restart time." 

"I will succeed and fix everything. Spike is vital for Equestria's safety!" Midnight Sparkle proclaims. "Spike belongs to me, and I'm entitled to have the dragon I hatched back in my life!" 

"Spike is not your property, Midnight Sparkle. You only want him back for your benefit. You never cared about Spike until you got in trouble from your transgressions." 

Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites crimson red. "I care about him! I love Spike, and if I can't have him, I'm going to change everything for the better!" Midnight Sparkle shoots an exploding fireball at Princess Celestia. 

Princess Celestia casts a bubble shield. On impact, the exploding fireball explodes. However, Princess Celestia is unscathed. 

"WHAT?!" Midnight Sparkle thought her attack would work. 

"You've lost your edge. The longer you remain as a demon, the less intellect you'll sustain. You are becoming your worse nightmare, and I can see you losing yourself more by the second. You are pathetic, Midnight Sparkle."

Midnight Sparkle growls and unleashes a barrage of crimson red fireballs around Canterlot. Many buildings explode, but no ponies are harmed. 

"I'll show you who's pathetic!" Midnight Sparkle hands glow aqua blue. "Have a taste of my flames!" Midnight Sparkle shoots a torrent of aqua blue flames to incinerate Princess Celestia. 

Princess Celestia does a barrel roll to dodge the blue flames and shoots another magic beam from her horn, hitting Midnight Sparkle. She crash lands on the street below. By reading Midnight Sparkle's body language, she's become predictable. Midnight Sparkle is empowered by rage, and it's failing miserably. 

Midnight Sparkle roars and flies straight at Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia sidesteps mid-flight and grabs Midnight Sparkle with her arm. She flies down and slams Midnight Sparkle to the ground. 

"You've become calculable, Midnight. It's a shame," Princess Celestia stands on Midnight's back. She gets hit by King Sombra's crystal shards and gets hurled into a building. 

"Fool," King Sombra rises from the ground. "Do you believe it'll be that easy to defeat a demon?" 

Princess Celestia spits out blood. She stands on all fours, glaring at King Sombra. Lord Tirek is larger than before. He consumed many ponies' magic, flight, and strength. He uses his magic to pull Princess Celestia towards him. 

"I'm going to enjoy absorbing your Alicorn Magic," Lord Tirek licks his lips. 

Princess Celestia uses her magic to teleport away from Lord Tirek's grasp. 

"End of the line, Princess," Storm King confronts her and uses his staff to create another tornado. It shrinks into a miniaturized tornado, the size of a needle. "What the?" 

"That'll be me," A clone of Discord spins Storm King from behind and uppercuts Storm King with a boxing glove. He goes flying in the skies, landing at a building. 

Cozy Glow trots and inadvertently finds Princess Celestia and a clone of Discord preparing themselves to fight Midnight Sparkle, Lord Tirek, and King Sombra. She looks around to see many ponies suffering and figures Lord Tirek has consumed their power.

"This is where you two die," Midnight Sparkle is done holding back. She wants to kill the clone and Princess Celestia to harness their magic power. Her hands glow aqua blue and crimson red. She's readying herself to combine her power into an ultimate attack. 

Cozy Glow devises an ingenious idea. She powers up and flies at Princess Celestia and the clone of Discord from behind. Midnight Sparkle sees that Cozy Glow is going to weaken them. Midnight Sparkle, King Sombra, and Lord Tirek charge Princess Celestia and the clone. Cozy Glow uses her magic to teleport the two away from Midnight's presence. Midnight Sparkle collides with Cozy Glow. 

"Damn it!" Midnight Sparkle slams her fists in anger. "They suckered us!"

"Golly, I wasn't expecting that to happen," Cozy Glow said. Hoping Midnight would buy into her claim. 

"Graaaaaah!" Midnight Sparkle releases a firebomb from her hand. A building nearby explodes. 

"I consumed many clones of Discord's chaos magic. I don't mind sharing as long as I get my cut on Alicorn Magic," Lord Tirek bargains with Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle glares at Lord Tirek. "I want to set an example. Destroy the barriers that keep Canterlot on the mountainside. Any that didn't escape due to Discord is to remain in ruins." 

Cozy Glow is stunned to hear that. She heard that Midnight wants Canterlot to fall. Lord Tirek, King Sombra, and the Storm King comply with Midnight Sparkle's command. 

"You too, Cozy Glow," Midnight Sparkle takes flight to partake in destroying the suspensors that support Canterlot. 

Cozy Glow watches Midnight Sparkle fly below the city. She gallops around to see many ponies in agony on the streets. 

"I can't do this. I can't standby to watch others perish." Cozy Glow notices several ponies trying to crawl their way to find safety. Cozy approaches them. 

"It's you," Doctor Psyche sees Cozy Glow. 

"Please, help us, and in return, we'll help you," Blue Shield said. 

Cozy Glow nods. She uses her magic to transport Doctor Psyche, Blue Shield, and many doctors and nurses away from the borders of Canterlot. By doing something good, Cozy Glow feels something different inside of her. She feels the ground trembling and quickly searches for other ponies in need. 

King Sombra, Storm King, Lord Tirek, and Midnight Sparkle are destroying the support suspensors on all sides of Canterlot. The city trembles and falls off the mountainside. 

Cozy Glow flaps her wings and watches many ponies scream to their deaths. She's horrified to hear the screams of many innocents, young and old, fall to their demise. Her heart pounds while feeling dread awful seeing the city in smoke and ashes. Cozy Glow reminisces about her conversation with Rarity. "No. I refuse to be the demonic filly. I want to stop the tyranny! I want to do good!"

"Whoever discovers this shall know that we took down Equestria's strongest city," Midnight Sparkle states. She relishes the deaths of many ponies that couldn't escape Demon Tail's wrath. 

"Where to, Midnight Sparkle?" King Sombra asks. 

"The Crystal Empire. It's time to reclaim our dominant stature among the low-life," Midnight Sparkle responds. 

"Ponyville. Why stop here when we can go to other towns, drain ponies of their magic, flight, and strength for ourselves. Once we conquer towns and cities, then we'll go to the Crystal Empire," Lord Tirek advises.  

"Excellent!" Storm King imagines seeing the horrid expressions many ponies will give when they arrive. 

"Let's go," Midnight Sparkle heeds Lord Tirek's advice. She,  King Sombra, Storm King, and Lord Tirek takes off. 

Cozy Glow is carving a R.I.P. on the mountainside where Canterlot fell. She watches Demon Tail following Midnight Sparkle and flies in the direction their heading. She hopes to help as much as she can while remaining undercover. 

Princess Celestia and the clone are outside the borders, far away from Canterlot. They saw the whole event of Canterlot falling from the mountainside. Princess Celestia is in tears while the clone comforts her. 

"You should go to the Crystal Empire and inform what transpired. I'll call for clones to lookout for Demon Tail and evacuate ponies to the Crystal Empire. I believe they could be going after all citizens of Equestria before showing up at the footstep of the Crystal Empire." 

"Okay," Princess Celestia dries her tears. 

The clone snaps his claw, teleporting Princess Celestia to the Crystal Empire. The clone sighs and writes a letter to all clones residing in different towns and cities in the land of Equestria to start evacuating before the arrival of Demon Tail is among them.
> Midnight Sparkle & Rarity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rarity's mind

"You see that, Rarity?" Midnight Sparkle walks up to the sphere still containing Rarity. "I displayed my dominance in Canterlot." 

"All I saw was you preying on the defenseless and taking down many innocents. You're evil, Midnight," Rarity said in disgust. 

"I stood up to Princess Celestia! I've beaten her in my own game." 

"Oh, please," Rarity sounds unimpressed. "Princess Celestia defeated you. She's right about you. The more you stay as a demon, the less intellect you uphold. You become predictable with your fight patterns as well as behavioral. Deep down, you're just a frail tantrum baby. Bitching and moaning because you didn't have it your way." 

"SHUT UP!" Midnight Sparkle angrily shouts at Rarity. "For that remark, I'm going to slay Sweetie Belle, slow. So she can die while looking at an image of you!" 

"Your threats are empty promises. By now, the clones of Discord could be helping everypony find a haven to stay." 

"That's what you think, and you're wrong! Dead wrong!" 

"You've become the Acnologia of this story," Rarity said. 

"I'm nothing like Acnologia!" Midnight Sparkle feels offended by that statement. 

"Acnologia will kill anything and anyone without a care in the world. He'll do what he wants to achieve his goals. Just like you." 

Midnight Sparkle grits her teeth. "I can have you killed right now and go into a different body!" 

"Do you think death scares me? It's obvious that I'm going to die with you when you face humiliation and defeat," Rarity boldly claims. "My fate is sealed from the moment you possessed me." 

"Why am I talking to you anyway? Soon, we'll be best friends once more, and you'll get to date Spike. I get to be his mother. Everything will go back to normal." 

"Spike will more likely commit suicide or wish himself away. Do you intend on keeping your word cause you've broken it in front of Spike's face during the Grand Magic Games?" Rarity painfully reminded Midnight Sparkle's worst defeat. 

"Spike won't commit suicide or make that stupid wish!" Midnight Sparkle grabs Rarity's face. "I will take care of him as a mother would! I will be more responsible, and I will-"

"Neglect and forget all over again. Last I checked, the others were mean to Spike and controlling the other species through our side of friendship. With you around, history will repeat itself." 

Midnight Sparkle slaps Rarity's cheek hard. "How dare you!" 

"What, does the truth hurt?" Rarity rubs her cheek. "Spike defeated you twice to make a statement, and you still don't listen. You don't learn from your mistakes, and you push yourself to newer lows. You're going to lose everything in the end unless you start atoning right now." 

"Me, atoning? For what!?"

"Genocide and spreading Disharmony throughout the land," Rarity calmly expresses. 

"I am the embodiment of Harmony, Rarity!" 

"You were until the Spirit of Harmony manifested itself and stripped you of that title. You're everything that Disharmony represents and don't care. I bet you killed your parents in Canterlot and have not acknowledged the consequences of your actions." 

"In the new timeline I'm creating, they'll be alive and well. So will you and everyone else," Midnight Sparkle proclaims. "I see the future when I'm the Princess of Friendship and Spike as Ambassador of Friendship!" 

Rarity smugs a bit. "How do you know that's your timeline and not the future of the other Spike and Twilight?" 

Midnight Sparkle is silent from that statement, the idea of Mard Geer lying to her for his benefit. "No. I may look a little different with glasses on but, I believe that my eyesight for reading too many books got the better of me." 

"Sounds like your future is misconstrued and misleading. It appears that Mard Geer lied to you, and you fell for it. Just like any weak-minded fool." 

"I'm not weak-minded! I chose to work with him! He gave me Demonic Curses that override magic power!" 

"Demonic Curses were not powerful enough to withstand the cleansing of the Crystal Heart's magic power. Last I check from your memories, Fairy Tail destroyed and defeated Tartaros with their magic power. Demonic Curses are overrated, and you refuse to accept the reality of the situation." 

"Fairy Tail is not coming to the rescue! No one in Earth Land is coming back! My Spike believed he defeated me, and that will be his downfall!" 

"You sound uncertain," Rarity taunts Midnight Sparkle's claim. "Deep down, you're scared of failing. You failed to bring Spike back, and you know that changing the past doesn't solve anything. May I remind you what happened when Starlight sought to change the past? Equestria was in despair with each timeline altercation. What makes you think things go with right with your altercation?" 

"I'll know what to do and what not to do!" Midnight Sparkle retorts. 

"No, you won't," Rarity calmly responds, showing no fear to Midnight Sparkle. 

"Yes, I do! When I restart time, I'll probe Spike's mind and make him forget all the times he was neglected, abandoned, used, and abused. I'll do a lobotomy if I have to!" Midnight Sparkle snorts. 

"You're willing to cause Spike brain damage shows that you don't care about him. No mother would ever cause her child to suffer brain damage."

"What do you know about being a mother? As far as I remember, you're neglectful of your sister. You put work and your friends first before your own flesh and blood." 

"You're right. I was neglectful towards my own sister. That's why I'm hoping to have a second chance to redeem my life and engage more with Sweetie Belle. Hopefully, by some miracle, the others separate you from my body, and I can have my life back without you trying to ruin it any further." 

"I can restart time for you to have that opportunity," Midnight entices the offer. 

"If you think I'll sell out, you're wrong. I refuse to allow you to create more carnage using my body!" 




Mid-flight to Ponyville

Midnight Sparkle's body starts to quake and loses control. She falls while the others soar ahead of her. Cozy Glow watches and notices that Midnight Sparkle has an internal struggle. Midnight Sparkle lands near the railway heading to Ponyville. She hears the alarms sounding off in Ponyville. 




Rarity's mind

"You hear that? It sounds like there'll be no creature in for you and your cronies to take magic and power from," Rarity mocks Midnight Sparkle's operation. 

"There is something I have in possession that no one knows about, the Alicorn Amulet. It's magic flowing through me. I'll have enough to-"

"What? Conquer the Crystal Empire? Take possession of what? Do you listen to yourself? No matter what you're planning, it'll fail. Just like you failed yourself as a true friend." 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Rarity's mouth. "SHUT IT, WILL YOU!" Midnight Sparkle leaves a sticky substance on Rarity's mouth, preventing her from speaking further. "I had enough of your mouth!" 

Midnight Sparkle takes a deep breath and concentrates on taking possession of Rarity's body. 





Midnight Sparkle takes flight and goes to Ponyville.
> Ponyville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pinkie's tail starts twitching like crazy outside of Sugarcube Corner. Everypony knows when Pinkie's tail twitches, something is about to fall. Everyone looks up and sees nothing in the skies. 

"Pinkie, is that your sense or an itch?" Rainbow asks her friend.

"No! Something horrible is about to happen!" Pinkie screams. Most ponies laugh a bit, but they know not to mock Pinkie's predictions. 

"Trixie wants to know what's gonna fall." 

"That's something I don't want to know, Trixie. If Pinkie's twitching is going off the scales, it should be considerate to investigate the problem."

Trixie sighs. "I guess you're right, Starlight. But still, I can't help but think what's going to fall." 

"OH, MY CELESTIA!" A random pony shouts and points in the direction of Canterlot. 

Many ponies and creatures in Ponyville watch Canterlot fall off the mountainside. A clone of Discord appears. 

"Don't panic. I'm here to bring everyone to the Crystal Empire." 

"Please, gather the students as well," Starlight pleads with the clone. 

"I'm heading there after I send you all to the Crystal Empire," The clone snaps his claw, teleporting every creature he sees to the Crystal Empire. He flies to the School of Friendship.  

The Pillars, CMC Counselors, and many students see the clone arriving after hearing the alarms sounding off in the town square. 

"Discord, what's the problem?" Sweetie Belle looks up at Discord. 

"Midnight Sparkle is coming. I'm sending everyone to the Crystal Empire. She's on a murderous rampage." 

Every creature gasps in horror. They don't want to be victims of Midnight Sparkle's wrath. Many dragons are eager to fight Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail but know it's wise to strengthen their numbers than feed them their magic power. 

"Discord, take us to the meeting room at the Crystal Empire to formulate a plan of action. We must defeat Midnight Sparkle for good," Starswirl said. 

"I wholeheartedly agree with you," The clone snaps his paw, teleporting everyone around to the Crystal Empire. He then flies to Sweet Apple Acres, knowing the Apple Family is left behind. 

Applejack and Big Mac are bucking Apples in the southern orchard. Granny Smith comes down with a cooling drink of apple juice for her grandkids. She is startled by the clone's appearance, spilling the apple juice all over the ground.  

"Why do you do that for?" Granny Smith sounds upset that she came all this way to drop the refreshments. 

"Do any of you hear the alarms sounding off in Ponyville?" The clone asks Granny Smith. 

"It's kinda faint from where we're standing, Discord," Applejack approaches the clone.

"What seems to be the problem?" Big Mac trots up to the clone. 

"Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail are coming to Ponyville. They just destroyed Canterlot, and the city fell off the mountainside. Many ponies were not evacuated in time and died." 

Applejack vomits hearing that her former friend has decided to commit genocide. Big Mac lowers his head for a moment of silence for those who died. Granny Smith sighs heavily. The Twilight she knew is dead, and there is no chance at redemption. 

"Where's Apple Bloom?" Granny Smith asks the clone. She's serious and calm at the same time. 

"The Crystal Empire. My brothers are there, helping any pony and creature find a space to camp in until Demon Tail is destroyed and defeated." 

"That's where we're going. Please, make sure that our family is there at the Crystal Empire." 

"Don't worry. I have many brothers going around Equestria to lure every creature to the Crystal Empire. We'll be sure to stop this threat." 

"Thank you," Granny Smith turns to her grandkids. "We're sticking together, so no wandering off unless the Princesses gives a command. Understand?" 

"Yes, Granny," Big Mac and Applejack obey their Granny's wish. 

The clone of Discord teleports the Apple Family to the Crystal Empire. He decides to transport all the apples to the Crystal Empire as well. The clone takes off, flying around, making no one is left behind. 

King Sombra uses his magic to raise a crystal shard from the ground, puncturing the clone's right eye. 

"Ow!" The clone covers his eye. The Storm King tackles the clone to the ground. 

"Sorry, did that hurt?" Storm King laughs at the clone's misery. 

"Discord," Lord Tirek lands next to him. He grabs him by the throat, lifting him up. 

"Nice to see you too, Tirek," The clone coughs a bit. 

"What have you done?" Lord Tirek looks at the clone's eyes. 

"I teleported your source of power away," The clone laughs when he feels his chaos magic leaving his body. Midnight Sparkle arrives behind him. 

"I say, you left the best source of magic out in the open," Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites purple, turning the clone into stone and shattering him. 

Cozy Glow arrives and decides to fly around Ponyville. She's looking for any survivors before Midnight gets a hold of them. She sighs in relief, knowing that the clone got everyone out of harm's way. Then she sees Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon. They are outside of a house, thinking about running away while Demon Tail interrogates the clone of Discord. Cozy swoops down to approach them. 

"We need to move quietly," Filthy Rich advises his daughter and her friend. 

"I think luck has run out," Silver Spoon points at Cozy Glow. She lands in front of the trio. 

"Please, take me. Spare the girls," Filthy Rich pleads with Cozy Glow. 

"Shhh," Cozy Glow covers Filthy Rich's mouth. "I'm going to help you. I'm going to teleport you as far from here as I can. You three need to get to the Crystal Empire. It's the safest place to be."

"Thank you," Filthy Rich holds tight to his daughter and Silver Spoon. 

Cozy Glow ignites her horn and uses her magic to teleport Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon. They land near an abandoned train at Appleloosa. Filthy Rich wastes no time and hops on the train with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. He hopes to ride the train in the right direction. 

Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail search around Ponyville to find no other creature. Midnight Sparkle angrily roars and walks to the Castle of Friendship. 

"Why are you heading there, Midnight?" Storm King asks out of curiosity. 

"There's another relic I have in possession. Follow me," Midnight Sparkle commands. Storm King, Lord Tirek, and King Sombra follow her. It allows Cozy Glow much-needed time to explore Ponyville to find other survivors. 

Midnight Sparkle, Storm King, Lord Tirek, and King Sombra enter the Castle of Friendship; they head to Midnight's bedroom. Midnight Sparkle opens a draw and takes a box wrapped around in chains. She easily breaks the chains to open the box. 

"What is that?" Storm King analyzes the relic. 

"The Alicorn Amulet," Midnight Sparkle answers. Her horn ignites green and shatters the crystal within the Alicorn Amulet. The raw power goes into each demon around her, granting them immense power. 

"Now, this is interesting!" Storm King feels as powerful from the time he fought the creatures before Earth Land invaded and destroyed their chances of taking over the land. 

"This power is amazing!" Lord Tirek grows in size by the immense raw power of the Alicorn Amulet. 

"Now, the Crystal Empire will be mine!" King Sombra declares. 

"Such a shame. I guess Cozy Glow doesn't want the power," Midnight Sparkle takes her portion for herself. 

"Perhaps she's locating any survivors of Ponyville to feed on?" Lord Tirek theorizes Cozy's actions. 

"Not my problem," Midnight Sparkle leaves her room. 

Cozy Glow approaches Midnight Sparkle. "No sight of any survivors in Ponyville, Midnight. I guess Discord did send them to the Crystal Empire." 

"I guess the time to strike is upon us," Midnight said. "With all the magic and power residing there, and those clones of Discord spreading around like cockroaches. The Crystal Empire is our next destination. We won't allow them to prepare themselves for battle! Let's go!" 

Midnight and Demon Tail take off. They won't allow any creature to prepare their forces for a counterstrike. Cozy Glow will try to slow down Midnight Sparkle's power as much as she can. She doesn't want to see any more deaths in one day.
> Crystal Empire Preparations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many clones of Discord are escorting those that can't fight into the houses of the Crystal Ponies. Those that can fight are arranged in different sectors to fight or defend the landscape of the Crystal Empire. 

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia arrive at the Crystal Castle. Princess Luna turns to her sister and sees much grief written on her face. 

"What happened, Celestia?" 

"Canterlot fell by the wrath of Midnight Sparkle and her guild," Princess Luna gasps in horror. Princess Celestia is in tears. "I failed many ponies today due to my mistake." 

"It's not your fault, Celestia. No one is to blame but Midnight Sparkle as she chose a dark path." 

"I'm not the best teacher, Luna. Those I've chosen have led astray. I'm worried about making the same mistakes with the new Twilight and Spike. Perhaps I should step down from teaching them magic..," Princess Celestia sighs in depression. She starts sobbing for the countless lives lost on her watch. 

Princess Luna comforts Celestia, hugging her with her wings. "Don't be discouraged by your past actions, Celestia. Become anew and embrace the new possibilities with the new Twilight and Spike. Use what you learned and better yourself. You have so much wisdom and knowledge to share, and I believe you can overcome the impossible. Look what we do have," Princess Luna steps aside, allowing Princess Celestia to see many creatures working together in unison, going over detail and creating defensive lineups to counter Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. Everyone comfort each other and grieve together, setting up a memorial for those that fell by the wrath of Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. "Despite the few we lost, and no matter how painful the feeling is, we gain so much." 

Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. She smiles a bit to see every creature working together in the name of Friendship. However, the thought of her previous failures as a teacher returns, making her sad again. 

"You didn't fail Twilight, Celestia," Princess Cadance trots up to Princess Celestia. "Twilight failed her Friendship with Spike and went astray. How were you supposed to know the daily life of Spike when you're busy in Canterlot." 

"There are so many ways I can think of right now," Princess Celestia sadly claims. 

"You won't fail us," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said. She has Spike on her back. 

"Sometimes, holding onto the past prevents us from moving forward," Spike said. 

Princess Celestia takes Spike's statement to hear. She takes another deep breath. "You're right, Spike. I can't allow the past and my sins to haunt me now. I swear in my name that I won't lead you two astray as my pupils." 

"I'll do my part as well," Princess Luna said, smiling at her sister. "For the times when my sister attends to royal affairs." 

"Thanks," Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike said. 

"We hope you feel better. Mom and dad are here. Many ponies from Canterlot are here," Shining Armor comes into the fray with Flurry Heart. "The clones of Discord transported a lot of ponies here a while ago." 

Flurry Heart flies up to Princess Celestia and hugs her face for comfort. Princess Celestia smiles at Flurry Heart's embrace. 

"Thank you. All of you," Princess Celestia feels confident and better now. 

The Changelings arrive at the Crystal Empire; They see many Dragons, Griffons, Yaks, Buffalos, and Ponies. Not many Hippogriffs are present. Thorax, Pharynx, Chrysalis, and Terax head to the Crystal Castle while clones of Discord help navigate the rest of the Hive. 

"Spike!" Terax flies up to Spike. "Wanna play?" 

"I can play for a little while," Spike flies to the family room. Terax follows. Flurry Heart watches Terax and Spike flying towards the family room and go with them. Shining Armor gallops after his daughter. 

"Princesses," Thorax arrives at the front of the Castle with Chrysalis and Pharynx. 

"Is everyone alright?" Pharynx asks. 

"Where did my son go?" Chrysalis asks Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"We could be doing better. Canterlot fell by the wrath of Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail," Princess Celestia informs the Changelings. They gasp in horror and give a moment of silence for those that lost their lives. 

"Queen Novo and Princess Skystar are here in the Castle. Mount Aris has fallen due to Midnight Sparkle's attack. Many of Discord's clones died in vein protecting the Hippogriffs," Princess Cadance informs the Changelings. They give another moment of silence for the fallen Hippogriffs and clones of Discord. 

"A clone of Discord has obtained and teleported Grogar's Bell to Discord's home," Princess Luna smirks. 

"WHAT?!" Princess Celestia, Cadance, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Chrysalis, Pharynx, and Thorax said in shock and amazement. 

"Discord is going to uncover the mysteries of Grogar's Bell. Hopefully, he finds a way to relinquish the magic Midnight Sparkle stole from every creature she encountered, thus rendering her weaker to defeat." 

"This is the best news we heard today," Princess Cadance says in delight. She's over the moon to know every creature is one step closer to victory. 

The Unity Seven is in the cafe of the Crystal Castle. Garble, Sunset, the Dazzlings, and Charcoal are with them; Plotting and scheming to take down Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. 

"If you ask us," Charcoal said. "We dragons should flank Midnight Sparkle and her cronies in the skies. With our potential unlocked thanks to Fairy Dragon, we have mass magic power within our fingertips." 

"If we weren't so cocky, Charcoal and I would have defeated Midnight Sparkle right then and there. It's our fault that she's still running amuck," Garble admits his fault. 

"It's okay, Garble. Now, you can atone for that mistake by fighting with us. The Spirit of Harmony told us we're the key to defeating Midnight Sparkle. Our Friendship is strong enough is what she says," Smolder said.   

"I think we can safely say she has no army. It's only five of them and over thousands of us," Sandbar said. 

"Even so, Midnight can use her Demon Curse to drain our magic," Garble painfully reminds his sister and friends. 

"Not all at once. Otherwise, Midnight would have done that during the first invasion," Sunset said. 

"Changelings and Dragons should provide the air support with the Storm Nation's Airforce units," Silverstream said. "I would say Hippogriffs, but..," Silverstream sadly sighs. "There's not much-left thanks to that monster!" 

"We will defeat her and help your species grow," Gallus said, reassuring her friend. 

"Absolutely. One way or another," Adagio concurs with Gallus' statement. 

"Midnight Sparkle may want to drain the magic of the Crystal Heart. That is where we'll make our stand," Neighsay said. "All of us, united as one to bring down the demon." 

"Fairy Dragon's flames empower the Crystal Heart. I doubt the magic within would allow the Crystal Heart to break so easily," Sonata said. 

"Which makes the perfect bait to lure her in," Neighsay said. "I believe Midnight Sparkle thinks that the Crystal Heart is weaker than before and won't doubt the possibility of absorbing one of the more powerful artifacts in existence." 

"I think we should place the pearl next to the Crystal Heart. Making Midnight Sparkle believe that the pearl is granting the Crystal Heart power like a battery unit," Silverstream said. 

"Would Queen Novo approve it?" Neighsay turns to Silverstream. 

"If you believe that the Spirit of Harmony say your Friendship is crucial for Midnight's demise," Queen Novo overhears the conversation. "You have my blessing to use the pearl. However, I'm trusting you lot to take care of its power," Queen Novo places the pearl on the table. "If the demon drains the magic within the pearl, it may be our doom." 

"Don't worry, Queen Novo. We got this," Silverstream proclaims. "Right, guys?" She turns to her friends. 

"You know it," Neighsay nods. 

"Yea!" Gallus does a fist pump. 

"We got a fire in our bellies," Garble and Smolder said. 

"Yona gonna stomp on demons' faces!" 

"You can count on us, Silverstream," Ocellus said. 

"We're putting that demon in her place," Sandbar said. 

"The Dazzlings are going to annihilate that wretched demon," Adagio speaks on behalf of her friends. 

"A serious role reversal and I love it," Sunset said. She remembers how the Magic of Friendship stopped a demon's tyranny. 

"I'll give them a shock," Charcoal's claws ignite with his lightning. 

Queen Novo takes a deep breath. "I wish you, kids, good luck. We're all going to need it." I hope I didn't make a grave mistake by entrusting those kids." Queen Novo leaves the cafe. 

"Dude, I can't believe we have to fight Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail all over again," Grubber said. He's with Tempest Shadow on their airship. 

"This time, no assistance from Earth Land and no soldiers of theirs," Tempest replies. "I'm looking forward to that rematch against the Storm King." 

"Same with me. I'm hoping to be more useful than the last time." 

"Don't worry. The Griffons got your back," Gilda said. She's with her elite Griffin fighters. "The Griffons will help y'all with air support." 

"Us Dragons as well," Ember said. "We're not letting these demons march on through and terrorize us any longer." 

"Same is said for us Changelings," A Changeling Soldier arrives on the airship. "With all of us working together, we can stand up to anything. And, I heard a rumor. We have in possession a relic that Midnight once used." 

"Grogar's Bell. If that's the case, we're one step closer to tasting victory," Grubber replies. 

"Hopefully, Midnight can stay down and never come back. We can't keep doing this over and over," Tempest said. 

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Tempest. I had to cancel my birthday cause of this conflict," Gilda said. "So, I want Midnight's head mounted on my wall as a birthday present." 

"We'll see what we can do, spongecake?" Grubber offers a spongecake to Gilda. 

"Thanks," Gilda takes it from Grubber and eats it. 

"Are ground forces ready?" Prince Rutherford asks his commanding officers. 

"Yak has Buffalo, Crystal Guards, Crystal Soldiers, and Ponies stationed in their respecting positions," A Yak named Yakkon replies. He's wearing a military uniform and has many badges on his hat. 

"Captain Amythest of the Crystal Soldiers reporting, Prince Rutherford. My comrades are ready for any Demon Tail ground-force enemy. We will swarm, not allowing anyone to relax and think of any solution." 

"Good, Captain Amythest. We need to ensure all possibilities. In case they do have an army for us," Prince Rutherford continues to survey each ground force and brief them on all possibilities when encountering Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. 

Starlight, Trixie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy are heading to the Crystal Castle. They hope to help as much as they can when Demon Tail arrives. The girls see the Princesses, Thorax, Pharynx, Chrysalis, and Twilight (Sci-Twi).

"Hey, girls," Twilight (Sci-Twi) notices her friends coming to the Castle. 

"Hey, is there any way we can be helpful?" Rainbow asks Princess Celestia and Luna. 

"The Wonderbolts could use you, Dash. Suit up," Princess Luna commands. Without hesitation, Rainbow soars in the skies, looking for Spitfire. 

"Starlight, I want you to standby with the Unity Seven and defend the Crystal Heart," Princess Cadance commands. 

"That, I can do," Starlight salutes to the Princess. She trots to the Crystal Heart. 

"Pinkie and Trixie, I want you to stand by with a medical team. I expect some creatures injured in battle when the time comes," Princess Celestia commands. 

"You can count on us," Pinkie grabs Trixie and rides her party cannon, looking for any medical teams.

"Applejack, you can be on the frontlines with the Crystal Guards and Soldiers. I'll be there in a few minutes," Pharynx said. 

"You can count on me," Applejack gallops to where the frontlines are. 

"Fluttershy, you don't have to fight. I would advise you to keep the young secure and calm. They'll be inside the Castle, away from the dangers." 

"Okay," Fluttershy quietly says. She sees many Crystal Soldiers gathering the younglings out of their homes. Any creatures too young to fight get moved to the safety of the Crystal Castle. 

"Sister, we need to be in position. Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail can arrive at any moment," Princess Luna advises Celestia. 

"Understood. Twilight, get Shining Armor and watch over Flurry Heart," Princess Cadance asks. 

"Yes, Cadance," Twilight (Sci-Twi) complies and gallops to the family room of the Castle. 

Discord is in his home, reading many books about Grogar's Bell with his fellow clones. He's weak due to many clones of his perishing by the wrath of Midnight Sparkle. Discord discovered a take on the Bell's capabilities. He writes notes on the instructions for activating Grogar's Bell. Soon, he'll send the Bell to any of the Princesses to use on Midnight Sparkle.
> Sorcerer Weekly Interview 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up and yawns. Today he's going to have an interview with Jason live on podcast. Spike notices Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane are not in the room. He figures they left an hour ago to continue with their training. Lucy isn't in the room either. He figures she went to work. 

"I hope they have a good day." Spike goes to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. 

Wendy and Carla come back into the room with breakfast. They woke up an hour ago and left Spike undisturbed in his slumber. 

"Spike, are you here?" Wendy shouts Spike's name. 

"Yes! I'm taking a shower," Spike replies. 

Wendy sighs in relief. She thought Spike would have left her for the interview. Carla looks up at Wendy. 

"Something troubling you, Wendy?" 

"Well, I want to spend time with Spike before he goes for his interview. Who knows how long he'll be there." 

"Well, according to the letter, the interview is long overdue. Jason wanted to do a story on Spike ever since meeting him during the Fairy Tail Endurance Race." 

"You think we may have another this year, Carla?" 

"I highly doubt that, Wendy. Maybe next year. We didn't have one when we returned to the guild after our seven-year slumber." 

Wendy sighs a bit. "You're right. I can't help but miss some festivities we had before going away for seven years." 

"I understand. Perhaps during Spike's interview, we could continue with our training and honing our skills." 

"Okay, Carla." 

Spike finishes taking his shower. He comes out of the bathroom to see Wendy and Carla having breakfast. 

"Hey, did any of you know what happened with the others?" Spike asks Wendy and Carla. 

"Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna decided to go back to their training. Lucy went to work," Carla replies. 

"Carla and I brought you breakfast, Spike," Wendy pats on the seat at the table for Spike to sit. 

Spike complies and sits with Wendy at the table. "So, I don't know how long I may be gone for the interview. If you two want, you can head back to Magnolia or to Lamia Scale to work with Sherria." 

"I'm not sure..," Wendy doesn't want to leave Spike's side. She's worried about Spike being all alone while she does her thing. 

"Wendy, I can teleport to you in an instant. I don't want you and Carla feeling bored while I go have my interview." 

"That's true. Sorry, it's just. I love spending much time with you, and I would hate to have you think you're all alone when you want to be with friends and family." 

"I admire your love for me, Wendy. Trust me when I say this. I won't be bothered being alone. I'm never alone," Spike places his claw on his Fairy Tail Emblem. "Fairy Tail is always with me as long as I bear the emblem on my chest."

"Alright then," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. "We'll see you later. Carla and I will be heading to the Lamia Scale Guildhall to find some work." 

"Have fun with your interview, Spike." 

"I will, Carla." 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla enjoy their breakfast together in the room. Spike packs his belongings and uses his fire breath to teleport them back to the apartment in Magnolia. Wendy and Carla gather their things and hug Spike. Wendy and Carla walk off to the train station while Spike flies around Crocus, looking for the Sorcerer Weekly HQ. 

After ten minutes of flying around, Spike sees Lucy talking with Jason outside a building. Spike lands in front of the two. 

"Morning, am I late?" Spike asks Jason. 

"No, you're early!" Jason shouts in excitement. "The podcast doesn't start in an hour. Please, come with us," Jason leads Lucy and Spike into the podcast room. "Lucy, I need you to ensure that we stay on the air during the interview session." 

"Yes, sir. Should I retrieve your notes about the questions you have in store for Spike?" 

"Yes. Also, I hope you don't mind. I'm planning to have you on the air until I run out of questions." 

"I don't mind. I was waiting patiently until the time was right," Spike calmly replies. 

"Thanks, buddy. It's an honor to have a live podcast interview with a real dragon." 

"You must be feeling real special about it. Considering right after the Endurance Race, I was told you ran after Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, and Jet."

"They didn't seem tired and kept on running. Still to this day, I didn't get the glamour shootout with those guys," Jason said, remembering the guys outrunning him after a three-mile chase. 

Spike chuckles. "Bummer." 

Lucy returns with a notebook of questions Jason will be asking. "Here you go, Jason." 

"Thanks, Lucy," Jason starts rereading his questions. 

"You want anything, Spike? Like a snack or drink?" Lucy asks. 

"I'm good, Sis. Thank you, Lucy," Spike smiles. 

"You're welcome. If you need something, holla," Lucy steps away from Jason and Spike.

Spike mentally prepares himself for any question Jason has in mind and store. Spike closes his eyes and talks to himself, imagining that Fairy Rage is talking with him. It helps him cope a bit. 

It's now noon, and Sorcerer Weekly is going live on the air. Jason and Spike have their mics activated for the session. 

"Good afternoon! People of Fiore! I am Jason of Sorcerer Weekly, and I have a special guest for today's podcast! You all know him! He's the fan-favorite from the Grand Magic Games, Spike the Fairy!" 

"It's good to be on the air; for those who somehow don't know me. I am Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. It's an honor to be here with Jason of Sorcerer Weekly, live on the podcast." 

"It's coooool to have you here, Spike!" Jason's excitement gets the better of him already. 

"So, what's on your mind, Jason?" Spike asks to remind Jason of what he needs to do on the air. 

"I'm hoping to give you an interview. It's long overdue since, well, you know. The seven-year gap between you and Fairy Tail went missing after I met you right before the start of the Fairy Tail Endurance Race. I hope you don't mind answering some questions on the air." 

"I'll be happy to answer as many as I can." 





Interview Session #1: 

Jason: "So, what was your crowning achievement?" 

Spike: "Wow. There are a lot of crowing achievements I made during my span in Fairy Tail."

Jason: "Name your top three."

Spike: "One of my crowning achievements happens to be during the time I was learning how to use magic. During my time in Equestria, dragons grow when their greed becomes erratic. However, my friends encouraged me to increase my size for the right reasons. My friends, Freed Justine and Levy McGarden, thought to change the concept of a dragon to increase its size. At the time, I mentioned that obsessions lead to possession. So, Levy told me to think about obsession with succession. So, I thought about what size to increase into, and I did it."

Jason: "Wow! So, what was the size you've chosen when you first tried it?"

Spike: "Laxus. I was inspired by Laxus' size to transform into."

Jason: "Coooool! So, what are the other two crowning achievements!"

Spike: "My second one is finding love. As you and many already know, I'm dating Wendy Marvell. The Sky Dragon Slayer."

Jason: "Ah, yes. I remember the day when we watched the girls switching into many dresses. Wendy was wearing a bridal dress while you wore a white suit."

Spike: "Yea," Spike nods. "You see, back in Equestria, someone had used my love for personal gain, and I was targeting the wrong age group to fall in love with. Luck struck big when I met Wendy for the first time during a coalition mission to defeat the Oracíon Seis." 

Jason: "So, it was right after Wendy joined Fairy Tail that you two started hooking up?" 

Spike: "No. Wendy and I took the time to get to know each other. The feeling we had for each other was there, but we were nervous about it. We didn't know when was the right time to say the three words; I love you. It was obvious I was in love with her, and she was in love with me. When we finally confessed on Tenrou Island, our love for each other blossomed immensely."

Jason: "Amazing. So, what is your third crowning achievement? Was it defeating Jura at the Grand Magic Games, solidifying that matchup as one of the greatest brawls in history?"

Spike: "No. Well, it's a day I will never forget. The funny thing about that day was I made a wish to fight Jura and Jura made a wish to fight me. The crowd booed the hell out of Mystogen and chanted my name. I'm glad the people chanted my name. It's thanks to them I got to fight Jura." 

Jason: "I've seen the highlights. I wished I commentated on that matchup. That was a sight to behold, and I feel sorry for anyone that missed that extravaganza." 

Spike: "As I mentioned. It's a day I will never forget. As for my third crowning achievement, it'll have to be defeating and destroying my demon once and for all." 

Jason: "Demon? Are you talking about Tartaros?"

Spike: "Well, she's a former member of Tartaros. Her name in Equestria was Twilight Sparkle. When she joined Tartaros, she became Midnight Sparkle."

Jason: "Who was she?" Jason is curious to know who Twilight was for Spike. 

Spike: "My foster mom. You see, it turns out that dragons have originated here in Earth Land, and many centuries ago, they migrated to Equus."

Jason: "Wait! That means you're.., you're..!"

Spike: "Yea," Spike nods. "I'm technically a resident of Earth Land all this time." 

Jason: "COOOOOOOOOOL!!!!" Jason does a flip in the podcast in excitement. He can't believe he's speaking to a dragon that originated in Earth Land and not an alien. 

Spike: "I've met my mom in Eden's Forest two months ago, and there are hieroglyphics that tell a story."

Jason: "Hey, that's awesome. I'm glad you met your biological mother, bro. So, what were you saying before mentioning the origins of dragons." 

Spike: "Right. You see, Midnight Sparkle is a demon gone astray. All she wants is me back in her life. Before making my wish to come here, I used to be her slave." 

Jason: "WHAT?!" Jason angrily responds. 

Spike: "It turns out she received due punishment and couldn't handle it. Other events happened, but I will not go into full detail. To make a long story short. Midnight wanted me and her reputation in Equestria back. She refuses to accept change and demands to rewrite history to her liking." 

Jason: "Damn, dude. That's brutal."

Spike: "I know. Midnight Sparkle succeeded in taking someone precious to me."

Jason: "Who?"

Spike: "Midnight Sparkle killed Erza in front of my friends and me after defeating Kyôka. Midnight pierced Erza's chest with her hand, killing her." 

Jason: "That's impossible. Erza is still alive and around. I've seen her a month ago while doing a scoop with the newly Rune Knights."

Spike: "Well, that's because a piece of me sacrificed his life to resurrect Erza. You remember Fairy Rage, right?" 

Jason: "Absolutely. He was vital during the Grand Magic Games. Always keeping a keen eye on your surroundings and making things hell for the other competitors." 

Spike: "He sacrificed his life to bring Erza back to life. He learned the technique of resurrection. Since it took him months to grow a soul of his own, it was acceptable by death to take his instead of Erza's, and Fairy Rage gave Erza the power to fight Midnight Sparkle." 

Jason sighs heavily and feels the sadness that came from Spike's mouth. He looks up in disbelief, hoping to interview Fairy Rage as well. 

Jason: "Wow. Condolences to your loss, Spike. Wow.., that.., that.., that sucks."

Spike: "I know. However, I've moved on so far though I miss Fairy Rage every day. He was like a brother of mine to talk to whenever I wanted to. Even thinking to myself and he would respond."

Jason: "Wow, sounds like you had a deep bond with him." 

Spike: "I did. However, I'm grateful for all Fairy Rage has done for Fairy Tail and me." 

Jason: "How did you meet Fairy Rage? How did he come to life?" 

Spike: "Well, I ate Master Hades' Abyss Magic and turned into Fairy Demon Dragon. I didn't puke all of the dark essences out of me. Because of that, the leftover particles took an emotion of mine and tried to possess me. However, being in stasis for seven years delayed and altered the reaction. Fairy Rage sprung into life late at night to warn me about Tartaros and Midnight Sparkle taking someone precious to me. Well, at the time, Fairy Rage said someone and a powerful guild is coming after me."

Jason: "Wow," Jason imagines the scenery Spike encountered. 

Spike: "I went to Porlyusica, and she gave me medicine. After three days of taking the medicine, Fairy Rage stood around and became part of me. Letting me know he's there to help and not take over my life." 

Jason: "That's a cool story about Fairy Rage's origins. Wow. I'm learning a lot from you already, and people all around are understanding more of your life. Tell me, how did you wind up in Fairy Tail?" 

Spike: Spike chuckles a bit. "Well, after stepping into the vortex that Discord made for me, I wind up free-falling and crashing into Natsu's face. The next thing I know. I woke up in the Fairy Tail Guildhall; everyone had their eyes on me as they have never seen a baby dragon before. I told them my backstory, and they were pissed off of how Twilight and her friends were treating me. Interestingly enough, Erza stated that she can relate to me in more ways than another." 

Jason: "How?" Jason is intrigued to know how Erza can relate to Spike. 

Spike: "She told me her story about being enslaved for the Tower of Heaven project and having no last name." 

Jason: "Wait. Hold up," Jason pauses for a second, putting two and two together. "You mean to tell me when you arrived at the Fairy Tail Guildhall for the first time, all you were known was Spike?" 

Spike: "Yea," Spike nods. "All I was, was Spike. I had no last name." 

Jason: "How did you wind up being Spike the Fairy?" 

Spike: "Since I didn't have a last name at the time, Erza thought of one for me, and since then, it stuck. I loved it and embraced it with all my heart." 

Jason: "What's your last name?" 

Spike: "Fairy." 

Jason: "COOOOOOOOL!" Jason shouts louder into the mic. "No wonder why people have called you Fairy Dragon!" 

Spike: "Yea. It's a nickname that stood by with me. I don't mind people or wizards calling me Fairy Dragon instead of Spike the Fairy. Also, I'm a dragon with the Fairy Tail Emblem on my chest. It's pretty obvious to call me Fairy Dragon."

Jason: "How were you with people in Magnolia at the time?" 

Spike: "People were amazed to see a dragon living among them. They took pictures of me to boast to their friends and family. The neighbors were stunned when I moved in with Lucy and couldn't contain their excitement. I have signed a few autographs and given the people something to remember for a long time. The Landlady was in shock to learn that a dragon is in her apartment building but didn't mind. I helped Lucy with rent, and we flourished together as roommates before having that brother-sister type bond." 

Jason: Jason pouts a bit. "I wish to have a dragon as a roommate." 

Spike: "Give me some time to build a family, and you'll have a dragon as a roommate soon." 

Jason: "HOW SOON?!" Jason is exhilarated by the revelation. 

Spike: "Thirty years. Giving my sons and daughters time to grow into the dragon they want to be. Be considerate of hybrids in the future."

Jason: "Oh, I will. And I know many people can't wait to co-exist with a new age of dragons!" 

Spike: "I can't wait until that day comes. Until then, I still have a lot of growing to do as well as accomplishing my goals." 

Jason: "What's one of those goals you wish to accomplish the most?" 

Spike: Spike is serious when Jason asked him that. Jason can see in Spike's eyes that his tone changed real quick. Throughout the interview, Spike was more upbeat. "To slay Acnologia. He's the reason why Fairy Tail disappeared for seven long years, and he's the dragon that killed my uncle and mother."

Jason: "That's a tall order. You plan on slaying him yourself?" 

Spike: Spike sighs. "No. I fought Acnologia twice, and he demolished me twice. I'm not a match for Acnologia, but my friends will help me slay the beast, once and for all." 

Jason: "Hey, I wish you luck with that, and I hope to interview you for defeating Acnologia." 

Spike: "Thanks," Spike looks down a bit. His tone sounds sad. 

Jason: "So, I hear good things from you from my lovely assistant, Lucy. What do you have in store for Fairy Tail?"

Spike: "I urged my guild to train for the year. To come back stronger than before since we were hit hard by a powerful enemy. Tartaros nearly succeeded with their objective of rendering the world of its magic power. It's been two months and a few days since I made that decree. After this interview, I plan on going back on my training as well as hanging out with my friends."

Jason: "Last question before I let you go." 

Spike: "What is it?" 

Jason: "Will Fairy Tail defend their title at the Grand Magic Games next year?"

Spike: "No. Don't expect Fairy Tail to compete in the Grand Magic Games. Our training is our priority before rebuilding our Guildhall. Once that's established, we'll take the next steps from there." 

Jason: "Aw, man," Jason sighs a bit. "Well, that'll conclude this session. Stick around to hear more excitement on Sorcerer Weekly."

<End of Session>




Lucy walks in with two bottles of water. She gives one to Spike and the other to Jason. 

"Thanks, Lucy," Spike takes a sip of water. 

"You're welcome," Lucy said. 

"Wow. That's a lot to take in," Jason said. He's stunned and astounded about the info Spike gave him during the session. "Hey, I didn't go through the entire notebook but want to know if a later date for a follow-up session would be cool." 

"Sure. I'll pop right in for the next session," Spike shoots a flare marking in the podcast. 

"Thanks. Now, many people will know a bit of you even more and understand that you originated from here and migrated to that Equestria world you mentioned." 

"Well, Fairy Tail knows about that and several guilds as well, so it's nothing new to them. Maybe Quatro Cerberus, but that's about it." 

"Hey, Spike," Lucy turns to him. "I'm going to stay here in Crocus until after the Grand Magic Games."

"Sure thing, Lucy. I'll see you another day," Spike hugs Lucy. 

"So, where are you heading, Spike?" Jason asks. 

"Back to Magnolia or head on over to one of the other guilds for work," Spike flaps his wings. "Thanks for having me," Spike leaves the podcast and flies out of the building. 

"Lucy, you can have the rest of the day off and work on your literature. I'll be here to work on the next photoshoot of Jenny from Blue Pegasus." 

"Thanks, Jason. See you around," Lucy leaves the podcast. 

Spike is flying out of Crocus and decides to visit his friends he hasn't kept in contact with in a long while.
> Crystal Empire War: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, listen up, every creature!" Spitfire shouts in an echoing boom. Many factions are listening on the ground. "Today, Demon Tail is on its way to the Crystal Empire! We will scatter and take on the various demons without giving them any breathing room! They have no army, and we need to utilize the advantage!" 

"Spitfire," A clone of Discord flies up to her. "From experiencing the prowess of Midnight Sparkle, we cannot allow her to absorb our magic, strength, and flight into her body. The same applies to Lord Tirek." 

"I'm well aware of that. I led an attack, only for every pegasus to fall victim to Lord Tirek." 

The Crystal Guards, Crystal Soldiers, Yaks, Buffalos, Dragons, Storm Creatures, Changelings, and Ponies watch their leaders joining Spitfire and the clone of Discord. 

Princess Celestia takes a deep breath. "Thank you all for being here today. The last encounter with Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail did not go well until help arrived. Fairy Dragon and Earth Land Wizards will not come to our rescue. For today, we'll make a stand! We'll show how united we are to take on any enemy!" 

Many creatures shout their warcry with confidence. They will not allow history to repeat itself twice. 

"We will not allow Demons to run amuck and rule over all our lands!" Thorax shouts with a voice of triumph. 

"We will not wait for the enemy to come to us! For today, in the name of unity, we'll bring the fight to the enemy!" Pharynx shouts. 

"For the many that fallen due to the wretched hands of evil!" Prince Rutherford shouts with pride. "We will have our retribution!" 

"For our friends and family, we will honor them by ending the evil within!" Gilda shouts. She lifts her spear, eager to fight in the great battle with her comrades. 

Ember raises her scepter. "We will not fear! We will show those demons why they need to be afraid of us! Us Dragons will show Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail the wrath of Dragon Tail!" Many Dragons roar as their warcry. Ember knows that many Dragons have formed Dragon Tail as their guild to honor Fairy Tail. 

"For the future generations! We will be known as the United Species of Equus!" Princess Cadance shouts with prestige. 

"Let's go!" Chrysalis leads the charge. She and many creatures start marching. 




An hour ago

Chrysalis is walking to the family room. She sees Terax, Spike, and Flurry Heart playing. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is next to her friend. 

"Something troubling you, Chrysalis?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"No. I'm here to look at my son. Watching him grow more and be happy warms my heart," Chrysalis smiles. "I know you are years behind on magic, but I need to ask you something, my friend." 

"What is it?" 

"I need you to watch over my son. The last time he snuck out, Midnight Sparkle nearly had him killed. I don't want to lose my son due to that wretched demon. The first encounter gave me nightmares, and I don't wish to relive that moment during a second encounter." 

"Say no more. I'll keep a close eye on Terax."

"Thanks, Twilight," Chrysalis hugs her friend. 

"You're welcome, Chrysalis. What are friends for?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) returns the hug. 

Chrysalis leave to rejoin Thorax and Pharynx. They are preparing to lead the ground Changelings. Pharynx has informed Chrysalis that Tempest would have some Changeling Units for the defense team in the skies. In case Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail get past the armies. 

Shining Armor has informed his wife he'll stay on the defense team to guard the relics with his life. Princess Cadance tells Shining she'll be with Celestia and Luna leading the charge. 

Fluttershy helps bring the younglings to the family room with the help of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Many younglings are scared due to the uncertainty that Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail with their newfound power. For the CMC, it's like counseling at the School of Friendship. 

The Unity Seven, Dazzlings, Sunset Shimmer, Garble, and Charcoal are by the Crystal Heart. They see Fairy Dragon's flames within the Crystal Heart, flickering like a heartbeat. Silverstream puts the pearl next to the Crystal Heart, giving the Crystal Heart power to draw the attention of Midnight Sparkle when she comes in close range. 

"Alright, every creature, line up in formation as we spoke," Neighsay said. He stands in front of the Crystal Heart. 

"Right!" Everyone shouts. They form a circle around the Crystal Heart and close their eyes. In due time, they'll open them when it's time. 




Present time

Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail are a few miles away from the Crystal Empire's borders. Midnight Sparkle devilishly smiles, knowing that today marks the beginning of a new era. One created for her liking to restore time and undo the damages that led to Spike making that wish. 

Lord Tirek knows what Midnight Sparkle is doing will betray her comrades. Knowing the cryptic message that Rarity mentioned, it's evident to take out Midnight Sparkle when she lowers her guard. As for Storm King and King Sombra, he doesn't care enough for their fates. When it comes to Cozy Glow, she'll have a decision to make on her own accord. 

Storm King becomes excited to reclaim his nation and strike down many weaklings he sees in his way. Storm King cannot wait to see the faces of defeat and brokenness when he uses his power to toy with several creatures, including any Hippogriffs that survived Midnight's onslaught. As for his Storm Creatures, he can't wait to see them bowing after facing a humiliating defeat. 

King Sombra can't wait to reclaim the Crystal Empire and enslave the Crystal Ponies. He can taste victory when the Crystal Ponies and Crystal Soldiers realize they are no match for his newfound power. The power essence of the Alicorn Amulet has granted him more divine dark power than he once had. 

Cozy Glow hopes to find ways of slowing down Midnight Sparkle even if she loses her life. Cozy Glow believes other creatures will remember her for showing heroism during the betrayal of Midnight Sparkle. She hopes, by some miracle, she can walk the path of redemption and seek help. 

Midnight Sparkle is eager to get her hands on more creatures to absorb their power and magic, all for her plans to restart time itself. Rarity knows that Midnight Sparkle will betray her comrades to achieve the great power she desires. Midnight Sparkle knows everything will succeed accordingly despite the few setbacks from the clones of Discord's interference. 

"We're nearing the Crystal-" King Sombra's speech is cut short. 

"ATTACK!" Chrysalis flies directly at King Sombra, shooting a magic beam at him. 

Midnight Sparkle, Storm King, Lord Tirek, and Cozy Glow were not expecting the fight brought to them. Creatures of all kinds working together.
> Crystal Empire War: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Sparkle, Storm King, Lord Tirek, and Cozy Glow push back while many creatures of all kinds charge at them. King Sombra uses his shadows to maneuver any other daring to attack him. 

Buffalos and Yaks work together to knock down Lord Tirek with their great strength. They work together to stomp Lord Tirek, not allowing him breathing room to think. 

Gilda leads the Griffons to attack Storm King with the Wonderbolts. Storm King uses his staff to manipulate the weather, creating a hurricane to blow them away. Spitfire and the Wonderbolts fly in a circular motion to create a tornado to counterattack Storm King's hurricane. 

Dragons come into the fray. Using their fire breath, they ignite the tornado for a devastating effect, Dragons led by Ember attack Storm King, King Sombra, and Lord Tirek. 

"I had enough of this!" Lord Tirek uses his strength to shove the Yaks and Buffalos away. He stands up and conjures a dark energy ball. He shoots it at the Buffalos and Yaks like a heat cannon. 

"Take this!" Clump, a brown dragon who is a bit overweight, has a mace for a tail, slams hard on the ground. The force of the slam causes an earthquake. 

"What in the world?" Lord Tirek sees the dragon after stumbling back a bit. 

"Rock Spike!" Clump slams his fist on the ground hard. The force of the slam causes a rock spike to rise from the ground. Lord Tirek jumps back as the rock spike nearly stabs his chest. 

"That dragon could be a problem." Lord Tirek thought to himself. He sees Pharynx leading an infantry.

"Attack my brothers!" Pharynx transforms into a spider-like flying monster to attack Lord Tirek. 

Lord Tirek tries to punch Pharynx but misses. Pharynx maneuvers his flight pattern to strike Lord Tirek. More Changelings follow Pharynx's attack pattern to strike Lord Tirek all around him. Clump stomps on the ground to lift a boulder and chuck it at Lord Tirek. 

Gilda fights Storm King with her spear. The two collide in close-quarter combat. Storm King uses his staff to blow the other Griffons away while Spitfire and Rainbow Dash use their speed to strike Storm King from behind. 

"You wretched ponies! Wait until I enslave you!" Storm King proclaims. He tries using his staff to create a cyclone at Rainbow Dash and Spitfire. It creates an opening for Gilda to strike Storm King with her spear. She slashes Storm King's ribs. "AAAAAAAAAAAH!" 

"Hey, Storm King!" Rainbow soars in the skies fast enough. "Have a little taste of the Rainbow!" Rainbow Dash flies down at immense speeds. She creates the Sonic Rainboom and punches Storm King in the face so hard his teeth lodge out of his mouth. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Storm King drops his staff while holding onto his mouth. With all of his teeth lodged out, it creates a different kind of pain, allowing the Wonderbolts and Griffons to subdue Storm King. 

King Sombra rises from the ground and creates a pillar of crystals. Chrysalis flies at King Sombra. "Fool, you come to your demise!" King Sombra shoots a dark magic beam at Chrysalis. 

"You come alone!" Chrysalis shoots her magic beam at King Sombra. Many Changelings and Crystal Guards combine their magic to fire at King Sombra's dark beam. 

"No!" King Sombra's magic; despite being powerful, the number's gain is overwhelming him. 

Cozy Glow watches from afar while Dragons and Griffons chase her. Words won't change how she acted when she nearly got rid of magic in Equestria and how she portrayed herself during the first war at the Crystal Empire. She needs to devise a plan while flying away from the Dragons and Griffons. 

King Sombra growls and releases the hold of his magic. He uses his shadows to move around to create crystal shard walls to separate the Crystal Guards from the Changelings. Chrysalis tackles King Sombra from behind. 

"Your reign ends here!" Chrysalis tries to punch King Sombra. Once again, he uses his shadows to flee from Chrysalis' strike. 

"Foolish, Changeling. Do you think I'll let you hit me?" King Sombra laughs and creates a devastating dark energy bomb. 

Chrysalis smirks. King Sombra turns around to see Thorax and Ember creating a Sparkling Blue-Green Energy Sphere in honor of Spike the Fairy. The Energy Sphere is the combined Magic and Friendship they have for each other. 

"You're going down!" Thorax and Ember release their Sparkling Energy Sphere at King Sombra. 

King Sombra throws his devastating dark energy bomb at the Sparkling Energy Sphere. The Sparkling Energy Sphere overpowers King Sombra's bomb. 

"NO!" King Sombra tries to use his shadows to flee, but Chrysalis shoots King Sombra from behind. Many Changelings shoot their magic power at King Sombra to tire him. "NOOOO!" King Sombra sees the Sparkling Energy Sphere nearing closer. Dragons use their fire breath to distract King Sombra as the Sphere draws near. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The Sparkling Energy Sphere engulfs King Sombra and explodes. The combined force causes King Sombra to disintegrate. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" King Sombra's horn is all that's left of him. 

Magic and Demon Curse within King Sombra and Storm King return to Midnight Sparkle. She's been battling Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. The Princesses see Midnight Sparkle receiving a power boost.

"It seems the Shadow and Storm King has fallen," Midnight Sparkle laughs. "More power for me to unleash!" Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue. 

"We will not allow you to succeed, Midnight Sparkle!" Princess Celestia shoots her magic at Midnight Sparkle. The power within causes extreme heat from the sun. 

Midnight grabs hold of Princess Celestia's attack. "You failed in Canterlot. What makes you think you'll succeed in stopping me here?" 

"In Canterlot, you and your goons ambushed Canterlot. I had to fight against the odds! How does it feel, Midnight Sparkle?" Princess Celestia uses the sun in the skies to replenish her magic power. 

Midnight Sparkle's horn ignites green. "You tell me when I absorb your Alicorn Magic!" 

Cozy Glow sees her opportunity to strike and flies at Princess Celestia. Midnight Sparkle notices that Cozy Glow is incoming. Princess Luna and Cadance shoot their magic power at Midnight Sparkle, keeping her from Princess Celestia. 

"Your Alicorn Magic will be mine!" Midnight Sparkle goes into her shadows to move around Princess Cadance and Luna. She rises and grabs them. "Your reign is at an-" Cozy Glow shoots her magic at Midnight's horn; Shattering it in the process. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle wails. 

"Cozy Glow?" Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance witnessed Cozy Glow betraying Midnight Sparkle. 

"YOU LITTLE!" Midnight Sparkle is unable to regrow her horn. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY HORN!?" 

"I cast my own Demon Curse on your horn. I repelled all chances of regeneration. I'm tired of watching the innocents suffer by your wretched hands." 

"So, you foolishly betrayed me during the war? So be it," Midnight's hands glow green, and she pulls Cozy Glow to her, gripping her throat. Cozy Glow chokes a bit. 

"Let her go!" Princess Celestia demands in a fit of rage. 

"I'll let her go," Midnight Sparkle drains the Demon Curses and Magic from Cozy Glow into her body. Cozy Glow reforms to her pegasus self. "I'll send her to-" Cozy Glow disappears from Midnight's grasp. "WHO?" 

Princess Cadance holds onto Cozy Glow. "I refuse to allow you to take the life of this filly a second time." 

"You're willing to forgive that little monster for nearly getting rid of all magic in Equestria?" Midnight Sparkle feels insulted by Princess Cadance's actions. 

"While she did try to eradicate Equestria of magic power, you've done the same in Earth Land are trying to do so now," Princess Cadance replies. 

"You are a hypocrite, Midnight Sparkle. The only difference between you and Cozy is she's atoning her sins by giving us a fighting chance. Without your horn, you're becoming weaker," Princess Luna said. 

"As far as things go, Midnight. You are in a losing battle," Princess Celestia is fully-powered by the sun. Her magic power is through the roofs. 

"I may have lost my horn. I did not lose my ability to absorb with my hands. As far as things are concerned, I have more power in my finger than the three of you!" 

"Princess Cadance. Take Cozy Glow to the Castle," Princess Celestia commands. 

"My sister and I shall defeat this demon," Princess Luna prepares herself. 

"Delay your inevitable defeat all you want. I will claim what's rightfully mine!" Midnight Sparkle powers up. 

"Let's do this, Luna!" Princess Celestia goes after Midnight Sparkle. 

"Right behind you!" Princess Luna goes after Midnight Sparkle.
> Spike & Erza Talk 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike is flying back to Magnolia. He looks at the landscape below while flying. Spike feels the cool breeze in the sky and remembers the Fairy Tail festivities before going to Tenrou Island. 

"Perhaps I should instate the Rainbow Blossom Cherry Party? Have the guild come back as a family for a day and resume training the following week?" Spike sighs. "I wish you were here, Rage. I could use a second opinion right now."

Spike continues to fly and notices a town nearby. He decides to stop by there to explore a bit. Spike lands in Hosenka Balsam Village. Hosenka is a spa village built in an oriental architecture style.

"Wow, a spa village. I need to remember this place for sure," Spike shoots a flare marking on the ground. He walks around and decides to take a dip in a hot tub or some sort to relax. 

Many people in Hosenka Village take pictures of Spike to boast to their friends and family all around Earth Land. Spike checks in at a resort to use a hot pool for relaxation. The people working inform Spike that he'll meet some people there. Spike doesn't mind as long as they don't ask him too many questions. 

Spike goes to the back and sees oriental statues and a red-water pool. He steps into the waters and feels relaxed. 

"Aaaaaaah, this is what the doctor ordered," Spike floats on his back and looks at the sky. "Still, I wish I had the others here to enjoy the relaxation with." 

"Do I count?" Erza said. She's wearing her black bikini bathing suit. She steps into the red-waters. 

"Hi, Sis!" Spike is happy to see Erza once more. He swims up to her.

"Hey, Spike. Sorry for not answering your letters recently. I was busy with many jobs I applied for."

"So that's what happened," Spike sighs in relief. "Here, I thought you were in serious trouble or something." 

"No," Erza shakes her head. "I've been rounding out many escapees with the Rune Knights. Before coming here, I did a count of the inmates that escaped and noticed someone in particular." 

"Let me guess. You saw Daphne." 

"Yes. How did you-" Spike interrupts Erza's question. 

"Yesterday, I was with our friends and other guilds for the Crocus' Cook-Off competition. Daphne and her goons, the Green Goblins, crashed the event. They posed a serious threat due to Daphne's newest weapon. She created guns and missiles based on the remaining magic pulse particles of Face." 

"WHAT?!" Erza shrieks in terror. She remembers the devastating effects that Face can do on magic. 

"However, her plans went to ruin thanks to Draculos Hyberion." 

"...what..?" Erza is in shock; her eyes widen as well. She's aware of the Four Gods of Ishgar. Erza is pale at the mention of Draculos Hyberion. It's a rare instance of Erza being afraid of a name. 

"Draculos Hyberion happened to be a mystery judge for yesterday's event. Not even the King and Princess knew who it was. Everyone except for me was stunned." 

"Wow," It's all Erza can say. 

"Four judges yesterday to taste the food. Princess Hisui, Jason from Sorcerer Weekly, Chapati from the Grand Magic Games, and Draculos Hyberion." 

"So, before Daphne and the Green Goblins crashed the event, how many rounds did the event last?" 

"One round, Sis. Three out of the four judges got to taste my dish. They only tasted mine before those idiots came to make a name for themselves." 

"Wooooow," Erza replies. Shock to hear that it lasted only one round. 

"The first round was to make a cheeseburger." 

"Really?" Erza sounded disappointed. She thought the first round would be a dish filled with exquisite food and not simple. 

"Well, the round was based on the votes by the people, and cheeseburger was one of many people's minds. To the judges, mine was the only one completely different in presentation." 

"Of course, it was," Erza imagines what Spike could have done with it. 

"I made the burgers in perfection and put melted warm cheese into the bowls. The idea for having a cheeseburger is to dip the burger into the cheese bowl. Also, the idea is to have how much cheese you want cause I didn't ask how much cheese each judge would want." 

"Clever," Erza is impressed with Spike's sense of direction. 

"So, what have you been doing since I last saw you, Sis?"  

"Before working with the Rune Knights, I helped Kagura with Mermaid Heel. It took the girls three weeks to wake up from their comatose state. I helped Kagura with many jobs and, of course, with their outdoor venue. Though, the service given was not the brightest. My cooking expertise is not on par with yours, and many people were disappointed when they saw me. When word got out of a Fairy Tail Wizard helping Mermaid Heel with the outdoor venue, the people thought it'll be Fairy Dragon." 

"Oh, boy. I can only imagine the reactions from those people." 

"Yea," Erza sighs a bit. "It wasn't too bad at first. Then, when Mermaid Heel fully recovered, that's when I left them to work with the Rune Knights. Gajeel and Panther Lily offered me a job, and it pays well." 

"That's good. How are those two doing?" 

"Gajeel and Panther Lily are well. They've been busy with other work and training."

Spike sighs in relief. "Good. Have you seen Natsu, Happy, Gray, or Juvia recently?" 

"I have not, Spike. How are Wendy, Carla, and the others doing?" 

"They're well, Erza. Wendy and Carla are heading to Lamia Scale for work. Lucy is enjoying her day off. The Thunder Legion is going back to their training. Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna are on their way to a new location to train." 

"That's good. So, what are you planning to do next, Spike?" Erza wants to know where Spike stands as Master of the guild. 

"Well, I'm thinking about having some of the festivities back during or right after rebuilding the guildhall. I can't help but think about the Fairy Tail Endurance Race or the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party. It's been a while since the guild had fun together before the whole Tartaros War came into the fray." 

"Sounds interesting. I'm sure everyone will oblige and come together for a day or two." 

"That's for sure. Erza, I need a second opinion," Spike sighs a little. "Do you think the festivities should happen during the year of training or after rebuilding the guildhall?"  

"Well, what does your heart say?" 

Spike sighs. "Wait until the year is up. When everyone is together again." 

"Then that's is when we'll have the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party." 

"Thanks for your opinion, Sis. It's hard to get a second one." 

"It's not that hard... Oooooooooooh," Erza realizes what Spike meant. Spike is referring to Fairy Rage. He would have given Spike an immediate second opinion.

"It's alright, Sis," Spike sighs a little. 

"No, it's not. You lost a piece of yourself during that war. A fragment you bonded during the time. I understand you, losing Fairy Rage, Spike. I lost my close friends as well. Simon, Rob, a couple of close friends in Rosemary Village. I know the pain all too well, Spike."

"I know..," Spike quietly says. "Sorry, it's just.., sorry." 

"You have no reason to be sorry, Spike. We all feel sad at times. However, the best way to overcome the sadness of those we lost is to honor them by living each day to the fullest. They don't want to see us sad. They would want us to be happy." 

"You're right, Erza. I know Fairy Rage would prefer to see me happy and get better." 

"I know he would, Spike," Erza places an arm around Spike. "There's so much more you can achieve, and as your sister, I'm with you each step ahead." 

"Thank you, Erza," Spike smiles. 

"So, after this, want to come on a job with me?" 

"Sure, Sis. I'll let Wendy and Carla know that I'm going to see the others, work, and train with them a bit." 

"Sounds good. I'm sure it gives Wendy and Carla time to train and work on their accord."

"Yea. It'll give Wendy and me an excuse to do our thing before coming back together again. Though, I will write to her." 

Erza chuckles a bit. "Of course, you will, Spike. Now, let's relax and enjoy the hot pool." 

Spike and Erza spend a few hours relaxing at the resort. They talked, laughed, ate, and drank. During that time, Spike wrote to Wendy and Carla about seeing the others, training with them, and working with them. He'll be back for them in a while and promises Wendy that he will come. 

Spike and Erza leave the Hosenka Village to meet with Gajeel and Panther Lily on their next mission.
> Crystal Empire War: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lord Tirek had enough of every creature going after him. He uses his power to devour the magic, flight, and strength of everyone. Many Dragons, Buffalos, Yaks, and Changelings lose their abilities due to Lord Tirek and fall to the ground. The Dragons feel like being an empty shells while Lord Tirek increases tenfold. 

"The power! So much power!" Lord Tirek uses his magic power to incinerate any creature he sees. Dragons that Lord Tirek didn't consume use their fire breath to repel Lord Tirek's attack. Lord Tirek amplifies his power tenfold to overwhelm the Dragon's fire breaths. Those Dragons get blown away by Lord Tirek's attack. 

"Retreat!" Clump shouts. He runs while several other creatures follow. 

Lord Tirek sees Princess Cadance flying. She has Cozy Glow. "Hmmph, I guess she made her decision." 

Dragons, Changelings, Yaks, Griffons, Buffalos, and Ponies charge Lord Tirek. Ember, Thorax, Chrysalis, and Pharynx combine their magic. They see many creatures fighting Lord Tirek left and right, not allowing him any space to think. Buffalos and Yaks ram Lord Tirek with all their might. Dragons and Changelings use their magic to strike Lord Tirek all around. Crystal Guards, Crystal Ponies, and Ponies shoot their magic at Lord Tirek around the eyes and face. The combined effort causes Lord Tirek to stumble back despite having more power.   

Lord Tirek jumps back and shoots dark energy blasts at all the creatures in a fit of rage. The dark energy blasts explode all around, creating breathing space while many suffer many injuries. 

"Tirek!" Rainbow shouts. She performs another Sonic Rainboom and flies directly at Lord Tirek. 

"Not this time," Lord Tirek grabs and crushes Rainbow Dash's wings. Rainbow screams in agony while Lord Tirek throws her at Spitfire and the incoming Wonderbolts. "Feel my fury!" Lord Tirek shoots a strong wave of dark magic. Many creatures dodge, while some are unfortunate to get hit and incinerated. 

"NOW!" Chrysalis, Thorax, Ember, and Pharynx create a magic pulse bomb to take down Lord Tirek. Dragonic and Changeling magic-infused for a devastating attack. 

"Come to me!" Lord Tirek embraces the magic pulse bomb and absorbs the magic. He grows in scale and is about half the size of the Crystal Castle. 

"Not good!" Thorax sees how powerful Lord Tirek is. 

"He and Midnight are tougher than King Sombra and Storm King," Chrysalis said. 

"We can still win this! Don't give up, and keep the pressure!" Pharynx shouts. He flies directly at Lord Tirek. 

"Come and meet your demise!" Lord Tirek goes after Pharynx. 

Princess Celestia and Luna are using their combined magic to battle Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle left hand ignites aqua blue flames while her right hand ignites crimson red flames. She claps and creates a purple aura sword. It's Demon Curse energy and nothing solid. 

Princess Celestia and Luna shoot a powerful wave of magic at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight's sword absorbs the magic. The magic absorbed is transferred into Midnight's body, making her grow.

"Thank you!" Midnight flies in the skies and slashes her Demonic Curse Energy Sword. Princess Celestia and Luna create bubble shields to deflect the attack. It does little when the slashes destroy the bubble shields on contact, causing extreme heat from the explosion. Midnight Sparkle laughs at their misery. 

"Luna, are you alright?" Princess Celestia has bruises and some scars on her body from the explosion. 

"I'm fine, Celestia," Princess Luna's body has bruises and some burnt markings on her body from the explosion. 

Midnight Sparkle lands. "I'll make a deal with you. Give me your magic, and I'll spare your lives," Midnight Sparkle laughs.  

"We will not make any deals with a demon. Besides, from what we've seen, demons lie," Princess Luna spits blood on the floor. 

"Ever since we lost to Spike during the Grand Magic Games, you are dishonest, a backstabber, deceptive, and conniving. You've become the thing we swore to bring down, Midnight," Princess Celestia states. She stands to look at Midnight's eyes. "We will bring you down, one way or another." 

"I guess that includes Rarity as well, huh?" Midnight Sparkle painfully reminds the Princesses about having Rarity in captivity. 

"The magic of Friendship finds a way to thwart the schemes of evil. It will not fail us on any attempt we make. Right, LUNA!" 

"RIGHT, CELESTIA!" Princess Luna stands up. 

The two Alicorns ignite their horns to battle Midnight Sparkle. However, they made a fatal mistake by flying at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle anticipated the two Alicorns to use their emotions as motivation to act without thinking. She grabs the horns of Princess Celestia and Luna and yanks them off their heads. The two Princesses wails in agony while suffering a fractured skull due to the force and strength Midnight Sparkle used to yank them off. 

Midnight Sparkle crushes the horns with her hands, turning them into dust. She turns around to see Princess Celestia and Luna on the ground panting heavily. Without their horns, the Alicorn magic becomes haywire. 

"You believe the magic of Friendship will thwart my plans?" Midnight Sparkle grabs their throats and raises them. "The magic of Friendship belongs to me and how I use it for my benefit once I stop one event that caused all this destruction and chaos. Preventing Spike from making that wish." 

"You.., won't.., succeed..," Princess Luna pants. The pain is overwhelming her. 

"Even.., if.., you.., kill.., us... You.., will.., still.., be.., stopped..," Princess Celestia pants. She tries to steady her breathing. 

"I can't kill you two. Otherwise, the sun and moon will fall into darkness, and there'll be no lighting in Equestria. What I will do is this," Midnight Sparkle drains their Alicorn magic and tosses them aside. "I'll let you watch everything crumble for all those punishments you gave to me while Discord got off scot-free. I'll see you soon in the new timeline, Princess Celestia," Midnight Sparkle takes flight. 

Lord Tirek pushes every creature away with his magic while clones of Discord come to bring the injured to the Crystal Castle. Dragons, Griffons, Yaks, Buffalos, Changelings, Crystal Guards, Crystal Ponies, and the Wonderbolts are being pushed back by Lord Tirek's wrath. Many creatures have lost their ability to fight due to Lord Tirek consuming their strength, power, and flight. 

Midnight Sparkle lands next to Lord Tirek as many creatures fall back due to their overwhelming power. 

"So, what now with Cozy Glow, King Sombra, and Storm King defeated in battle?" 

"Keep fighting, Lord Tirek. Take what is yours." 

Lord Tirek smirks. "With pleasure," Lord Tirek punches Midnight Sparkle in the face, then grabs her leg and slams her on the ground repeatedly. 

"What are you doing?!" Midnight Sparkle is now livid with Lord Tirek's betrayal.

"Taking what I want," Lord Tirek grabs her throat. "You think I'm going to idly sit while you restart time and leave me to rot in Tartarus? No chance in Hell!" 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Lord Tirek's throat. "You've made a grave mistake for betraying me!" Midnight Sparkle punches Lord Tirek in the face, causing him to hurl back a bit. "A GRAVE MISTAKE!" She powers up. Her hands glow black. 

"Rarity told me demons lie. Why would I believe in anything you tell me!" Lord Tirek powers up. 

Chrysalis, Thorax, Pharynx, Ember, and Gilda watch the two infight. They decide to use the time to bring the wounded back to the Crystal Castle and reforge a new unit to take down either Midnight Sparkle or Lord Tirek. They aren't sure who'll succeed in this battle.
> Crystal Empire War: Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia and Luna watch as Midnight Sparkle and Lord Tirek battle in the skies. The two titans clash with the magic they stole from many creatures throughout their travel. 

Lord Tirek uses his magic power to pull Midnight Sparkle closer to him. Midnight Sparkle shoots a crimson fireball at Lord Tirek. It explodes on contact, but Lord Tirek smirks; He doesn't sustain any injury from the impact. He tosses Midnight Sparkle to the ground hard. 

"Demon Spiral Death!" Midnight Sparkle's hands are aqua blue and crimson red. She combined the two to create a spiral flare with immense force and destructive power at Lord Tirek. 

Lord Tirek unleashes a surge of destructive magic on Midnight Sparkle like a cannon. The two attacks intercede with one another, trying to penetrate each other. Midnight Sparkle and Lord Tirek generate enough force to shatter the sounding area. 

Midnight Sparkle stands tall, wiping some blood off her cheek. It appears the impact caused some damage to her facial structure. Lord Tirek marks his face with his blood. Now he's serious. 

Midnight Sparkle and Lord Tirek collide in close-quarter combat. The two use their strengths to gain an upper advantage; Punches, headbutts, and close-quarter use of magic used in this battle. 

A clone of Discord appears next to Princess Celestia and Luna. "Geez," The clone is horrified to see the two Princesses tattered, bruised, and hornless. "I'll fix you two up. First, we need to separate ourselves from the carnage," The clone uses his magic to teleport to the Crystal Castle. 

A second after the clone teleports the Princesses away, Midnight Sparkle lands at the spot where the Princesses were lying. She looks at Lord Tirek hovering above her.  

"It seems while I absorbed power from those Yaks, Buffalos, Dragons, Ponies, and Changelings, you were delaying the defeat of the Princesses. The Alicorn Magic you absorbed doesn't match the power I have!" Lord Tirek laughs in triumph. "Now, prepare to die like all the other sheep on this planet!" 

"I granted you the power and Demon Curse, and I can strip it!" Midnight Sparkle's hands glow black, and with one hand, she pulls out the Demon Curse she lent to Lord Tirek. 

Lord Tirek tries to keep his mouth shut, but it does nothing for him. The essence of the Demon Curse purges from his body and returns to Midnight Sparkle. However, the magic and power Lord Tirek has remained. Lord Tirek loses his demonic form and reverts to his usual centaur appearance. 

"You can keep the Demon Curse. It's overrated like you. I still have more power than you!" Lord Tirek levitates mountains around him. "Try dodging this!" Lord Tirek chucks the mountains at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle's hands glow aqua blue. Now that she has a hundred percent of her Demon Curse, she creates a fire wave melting the mountains before it touches her. 

"WHAT!?" Lord Tirek is dumbfounded by how quickly Midnight Sparkle melted the mountains. 

"You stupid centaur. Throughout the time. I fought while not sustaining a hundred percent of my Demon Curses. You see, I lend my pawns a fraction of its power, but no one displayed the true horrors of my Demon Curse. I'm going show you why you be afraid when a demon strikes down a devil-wannabe."  

Lord Tirek powers up and fully blast Midnight Sparkle with all of his destructive power. Lord Tirek puts so much effort into this blast it causes him to have a migraine. "Try walking out of that!" Lord Tirek laughs. He stops laughing when he sees Midnight Sparkle walking unscathed. "WHAAAAAAT!" 

"I told you. I'm going to show you why you should be afraid when a demon strikes down a devil-wanna be," Midnight calmly states while her right hand glows orange-black. 

Lord Tirek is losing magic power by the second. He pants a bit while Midnight Sparkle slowly walks up to him. "Stay back..," Lord Tirek feels his magic power draining while exerting it into the attack still. 

"You seem tired, Old-Man!" Midnight Sparkle grabs Lord Tirek's throat, choking him into submission. Midnight's left hand glows green, and she absorbs all of Lord Tirek's magic power. Lord Tirek reverts to his weakened state. She tosses Lord Tirek to the ground with brute force. 

Lord Tirek lands on his back, and due to Midnight Sparkle's immense strength, his back breaks on impact. Lord Tirek groans in agony due to the pain. 

Midnight Sparkle walks up to Lord Tirek, putting her boot near his throat, looking down at him. "I could kill you, but I rather watch you squirm a bit more," Midnight Sparkle swipes her right hand. Orange-Black orbs appear all around Lord Tirek. "Detonate," Midnight Sparkle commands the orbs to detonate. Lord Tirek wails in agony while the explosions go off; the burning sensation causes Lord Tirek to suffer fourth-degree burns. The Demon Curse goes through the skin and underlying tissue, the muscles, and the bone structure of Lord Tirek. He loses mobility due to the curse. 

"You.., monster..," Lord Tirek mutters. Never in his life had he felt this kind of pain until today. 

"I'm the Princess of Friendship. I'm no monster when I restart the timeline and fix the one event that caused all of this. You want to blame someone for the pain, blame Spike. It's his fault that things can't go my way," Midnight Sparkle takes off. 

Lord Tirek looks at the skies. "If I'm unable to stop that wretched demon, who will?" 

At the Crystal Castle, many clones of Discord are tending to the wounded. Many creatures have suffered many injuries during the clash. Prince Rutherford is one of those creatures who got hit by Lord Tirek's attack and survived. Gilda, Thorax, and Ember are regrouping the creatures to prepare for another assault. 

Chrysalis notices the clone of Discord arriving with Princess Celestia and Luna. She gallops to check on them and gasps. "Are you two..?"

"We're fine, Chrysalis," Princess Luna answers. 

"Banged up against Midnight Sparkle. She's fighting Lord Tirek," Princess Celestia replies. 

The clone of Discord snaps his claw, healing the two Alicorns and restoring their magic and horns. 

"Thanks, Discord," Princess Celestia stretches her body. 

"You're welcome. What are we going to do now?" The clone asks. 

"Prepare for another assault," Princess Celestia replies. She sees that Midnight Sparkle is on the horizon. Princess Cadance gallops to the Princesses, the clone, and Chrysalis. "Cadance?" 

"We have a problem," Princess Cadance points at the skies. They turn to see Midnight Sparkle coming to the Crystal Empire. 

"She's persistent and relentless," The clone said, watching Midnight Sparkle fly. 

Another clone comes into the fray. "We're not sure if you heard, but Lord Tirek is defeated. We can only stall for time until the original gives us a way to use Grogar's Bell against Midnight Sparkle." 

"That's what we'll do. Until Discord gives us keys to victory, we're going to delay Midnight's plan. Luna, you ready for round two?" 

"I am, Celestia," Princess Luna flaps her wings. 

"You're not going alone," Princess Cadance flaps hers. 

"She's right. We should keep Midnight Sparkle occupied while our forces regroup. Tempest and her defense team will be vital," Chrysalis said. 

"Let's go," Princess Celestia takes flight. Princess Luna, Cadance, and Chrysalis follow her. 

Tempest sees from her binoculars Midnight Sparkle advancing. She sounds the alarms for the Storm Nation Airforce to partake in battle. The Griffons, Dragons, and Changelings that stood behind now go forth into battle. 

"So much for fighting the Storm King, huh?" Grubber said to Tempest. 

"He was a fool for trusting a demon. I find it ironic. Promises failing due to being lied to," Tempest couldn't help but chuckle a bit. 

"I know. Now, let's stop this demon once and for all!" Grubber shouts. 

Midnight Sparkle arrives at the Crystal Empire. She scans the area and sees many creatures aligning themselves. What takes her by surprise is how quickly the Princesses are healed and flying with Princess Cadance and Chrysalis. 

"So, they want to die rather than live to watch their new life happening? So be it," Midnight Sparkle notices the Crystal Heart and the pearl next to each other from afar. She disregards the protectors of the relics. "I'll harness the magic of the two and create a better tomorrow!" Midnight Sparkle maniacally laughs.
> Crystal Empire War: Part 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midnight Sparkle is shielding herself from a wave of creatures going at her. Tempest commands the Storm Nation's Airforce to fire all cannons at Midnight Sparkle. Ember, Chrysalis, Thorax, Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance fly and shoot power streams of magic at Midnight Sparkle to destroy her shield. Changelings, Dragons, Griffons, Yaks, Buffalos, Ponies, Crystal Ponies, Crystal Guards; every creature except for Hippogriffs attack. 

Twilight Sparkle (Sci-Twi) and Spike are on the balcony, watching the role-reversal on Midnight Sparkle. 

"In a way, Twilight; this is hilarious," Spike said. He watches how Midnight Sparkle is getting annoying by the swarm of creatures attacking her on all ends. 

"But frightening at the same time, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) watches Midnight Sparkle grabs a Dragon and chucks the Dragon at a Storm Nation Carrier.

"I'm not sure if I can step in to help..," Spike sighs a bit. He watches Midnight Sparkle trying to stomp on the Yaks and Buffalos with her height. 

"It's not in your place now that I think about it," Twilight (Sci-Twi) estimates how tall Midnight Sparkle is; Judging from the height she and Spike can see from the balcony. Midnight Sparkle is half the size of the Crystal Castle. "I fear if you were to partake in the conflict, Spike. You may cause a mental relapse within Midnight Sparkle. Throwing her conscious in disarray and possibly changing her plans."

"Into what, Twilight?" Spike turns to Twilight. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) takes a deep breath. "She may try to kill me to keep you for herself. Then, kill any that opposes her and start anew with any survivors left." 

Spike's eyes widen in horror. "How can you think like that?" 

"She's me; My counterpart. We are intelligent. However, Midnight Sparkle lost her humanity. If I were in her position, going on with the rampage and time magic is not an option, I would lean on doing what I just told you." 

"I'm scared," Spike is trembling with the possibility. 

"Let's check on the others, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said, hoping to ease Spike by doing something else. 

"Okay," Spike follows Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike overhear the CMC and Fluttershy comforting the younglings in another room. A clone of Discord is keeping Flurry Heart safe and quiet, knowing she can cause some problems with the Crystal Guards and Shining Armor. Speaking of Shining Armor, he's with a clone of Discord tending to Cozy Glow in a different room. 

"Shining?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) walks into the room with Spike. 

"Twily, Spike," Shining Armor turns to them. 

"I healed you, Cozy Glow," The clone said. 

Cozy Glow has her head down, the guilt and sadness building on her from her transgressions when working with Lord Tirek and Midnight Sparkle. 

"Hey, you're that pegasus that died in the hands of Midnight Sparkle," Spike said. 

"You're Fairy Dragon's counterpart," Cozy Glow responds. She sighs heavily. "I know I'm more likely to spend my days in Tartarus for what I've done. I know that everyone will not forgive me for my sins. However, I want to atone for my sins by apologizing to each of you in the room right now. I'm sorry for nearly getting rid of magic and working with demons. I'm not right-minded at the time, and I was demented as well."

"I forgive you, Cozy," Spike is first to accept the apology. 

"I've done nothing wrong to you but your..," Cozy sighs.

"I forgive you," Shining Armor said. "It took me time to trust Chrysalis for what she pulled as Queen, but she took time atoning for her sins. I believe the same applies to you if or when the chance comes."

"Thanks. However, not everyone would forgive me..," Cozy Glow doubts that any creature would accept her apology.

"Is there any way you can tell us about slowing Midnight Sparkle or yet defeat her?" Spike asks. 

"While remaining in Rarity's body, speaking hard truths and facts affected her. Though, she won't listen to what any creature has to say when Midnight is determined to achieve her goals. If we had Grogar's Bell and reclaimed the magic and power she stole, every creature would defeat Midnight Sparkle. As for separating Midnight from Rarity's body, I'm not sure if Grogar's Bell is capable of separating the two." 

"My chaos magic is not compatible with Demon Curses. With that said, I cannot separate the two from the body." 

"We'll find another way," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said, confident with her statement. 

"Good always triumphs over evil," Spike noted. 

"That's something I should have learned but didn't accept," Cozy said. She hates herself for being stupid and arrogant. 

Pinkie Pie and Trixie are helping the medical clones of Discord. They're tending to the other creatures that couldn't go back and fight Midnight Sparkle. Then they feel the ground quaking like an earthquake. 

"That doesn't sound good," Pinkie said while helping Prince Rutherford. 

"Pink pony is welcomed back to Yak Yakistan once we win the war," Prince Rutherford said. 

Pinkie hugs Prince Rutherford. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" 

The medical clone heals Prince Rutherford; Prince Rutherford hops off the bed and stands on his hooves. The quaking gets heavier. 

"That wasn't yak," Prince Rutherford refers to himself. 

"No. It's Midnight Sparkle. It appears she's getting closer," A medical clone points at Midnight Sparkle, stepping into the Crystal Empire's land. 

Starlight Glimmer wonders why every creature around the Crystal Heart remains silent and keeps their eyes shut. She tries to get them to speak about their plans, but it's futile. She did cast a protection spell on the Crystal Heart and pearl just in case. Starlight Glimmer sees Midnight Sparkle pushing creatures back with her immense power and strength. 

Midnight Sparkle hands glow orange-black. She swipes her hands, creating orange-black orbs around herself like a barrier. 

"Don't let the orbs touch you!" Chrysalis shouts. She believes this is the attack that defeated Lord Tirek. 

"Yes, please. Touch the orbs!" Midnight Sparkle unleashes thousands of orange-black orbs. She controls each other to hit every creature in sight. 

Dragons and Changelings use their magic to repel the orbs but underestimate the power within. The orange-black orbs cause a fourth-degree burn on the Changelings. Dragons are immune to the extreme heat due to swimming in lava. However, the orbs have a second effect. If it can't cause severe burning, it can cause severe paralysis within the tissue matter and bone structure. 

Ember is horrified to see the second effect on her kin. Many Dragons fall like raindrops. Thorax watches in the horror of his kin suffering the extreme heat, especially his brother Pharynx. The Princesses are appalled to see the Griffons, members of the Wonderbolts, and Dragons plummeting fast. 

The ground forces suffer harshly due to Midnight Sparkle's attack. Yaks, Buffalos, Crystal Guards, Crystal Ponies, Ponies are riving in agony from the orbs exploding. Some get crushed by Dragons, Griffons, and Changelings landing on them. Some died on impact. 

The Storm Nation Airforce gets dealt with crucial damages due to Midnight's attack. The carriers fall while being in smoke and flames. Tempest grabs Grubber and leaps out of the carrier before it crashes. Many Dragons land next to them while riving in agony. Storm Creatures leap out of their carriers and decide to pick up any wounded to the Crystal Castle. 

"That's more like it," Midnight Sparkle licks her lips while watching the display befall. 

"I'LL KILL YOU!!!!" Thorax flies at Midnight Sparkle. His emotions got the better of him. 

"Buzz off," Midnight Sparkle swats Thorax by backhanding him. Thorax crash lands near his brother. 

"Thorax..," Pharynx turns to his brother while his body twitches from the fourth-degree burns. 

"Pharynx..," Thorax's antlers are broken due to the impact. 

"Kill me.., make the pain go away," Pharynx pleads for mercy. He watches more of his kin falling from the skies with exact or near pain.

Midnight Sparkle decides to create another wave of orange-black orbs. "Let's do it again!" Midnight Sparkle maniacally laughs. 

Ember, Chrysalis, Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance froze in fear. They don't know if any creature can survive another wave of Midnight's destructive power. Ember, Chrysalis, Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance decide to combine their magic to cast a barrier to allow those that didn't get hit by the orbs to flee. 




Rarity's mind

Rarity had enough of Midnight Sparkle's tyranny. She focuses on her magic power to remove the sticky substance from her mouth. She succeeds and breaks free of the sphere. While confined within, Rarity has been harnessing her magic power. Midnight Sparkle is relishing the suffering of all the creatures she's laying waste. She doesn't notice the slightest change within Rarity and her motives. 

Rarity gallops and barges into Midnight Sparkle, causing Midnight to lose control. 




Crystal Empire Battle

"What's happening?" Chrysalis is trying to understand what's causing Midnight Sparkle to hold onto her head while her body sways in different directions. 

"We need to utilize the opportunity to take the wounded out of the area before she regains control," Ember said. 

The Princesses nod and go down to lend a hoof. Princess Celestia and Luna believe that Rarity is finally fighting to seize her body. 




Rarity's mind

"You are taking the lives out of every creature!" Rarity punches Midnight Sparkle's face with her hooves repeatedly. "I'm going to make you pay!" 

Midnight uses her feet to shove Rarity off of her. "Just for that, I'm going to kill your sister with your face!" Midnight Sparkle is irate with Rarity's attempt to ruin her plan. She flies at Rarity. 

Rarity sidesteps and uses her magic to hit Midnight Sparkle. "I'm taking what's rightfully mine! You will not threaten me or anyone anymore!" Rarity gallops and has her head down, planning to ram her horn to impale Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Rarity's horn and tries to yank it off. However, there's a miscalculation with her attempt. Due to being in the mind of Rarity, she cannot snap the horn. For her horn to break, Midnight Sparkle needs to release possession of Rarity and then repossess her. Rarity didn't waste time punching Midnight Sparkle's chin. She punches and bucks Midnight into releasing her. 

Midnight Sparkle slams Rarity hard on the ground. "I will not have you interfere any longer!" Her hand glows crimson red-black. "I'm going to paralyze you now." 

Rarity headbutts Midnight Sparkle's head. Her horn impales Midnight Sparkle's left eye. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle holds her left eye while it bleeds. 




Crystal Empire Battle

Many creatures that survived are watching Midnight Sparkle's body language. It appears she's mentally fighting a battle. The Princesses and Chrysalis teleports many of the wounded to the Crystal Castle. Ember and Chrysalis help Thorax and Pharynx. Pharynx pleads to die in peace when Chrysalis whacks him on the back of his head, knocking him out. 




Rarity's mind

"I'm taking control!" Rarity shouts. She gallops and uses her horn to penetrate Midnight's right side. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle wails and falls to the ground. She holds her right side while staring into the eyes of Rarity. 

"Now stay there and die!" Rarity turns her back on Midnight Sparkle. She goes to the center and takes a deep breath. 

Midnight Sparkle slowly crawls while her hand is still glowing crimson red-black. She refuses to allow Rarity to interfere. Despite losing blood within Rarity's mind, she's not dying from the assault. Rarity feels the sense of her body returning. 




Crystal Empire Battle

Midnight Sparkle's appearance starts to revert. The eyes of Midnight Sparkle turn to blue while her skin colors turn to white. 

"Everyone, it's me, Rarity. I've defeated Midnight Sparkle. She won't be causing anymore...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"




Rarity's mind

Midnight Sparkle has her hand on Rarity's neck. She angrily breathes while paralyzing Rarity with her Demon Curse. 

"Like how I can't rip your horn off your head; you can't kill me!" Midnight Sparkle throws Rarity across and takes full control of the body. 

Rarity can't move her limbs. She can only watch the horror Midnight Sparkle will resume unleashing on the masses.




Crystal Empire Battle

Midnight Sparkle's appearance changes again. She's back to herself except for a noticeable outlook on her face. Midnight Sparkle's left eye is black. No color whatsoever. Her right side bears a scar where Rarity's horn penetrated. 

"I'm through playing around," Midnight Sparkle turns to where the Crystal Heart and pearl are at. She's serious. "The power will be mine!" Midnight Sparkle flies directly at the Crystal Castle.
> Crystal Empire War: Endgame
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Holy crap!" The medical clones of Discord, Trixie, and Pinkie shout while seeing many creatures suffering from fourth-degree burns. 

Bones were sticking out of places due to the many plummeting creatures had due to Midnight's assault. Horns snapped, tails broke, bruises, bleedings, internal bleedings, and punctured organs for many that befell. 

"I did a count," A medical clone come bearing with bad news. 

"What is it?" Pinkie asks the clone. 

"Over a thousand creatures have died today. Could be more on its way."

Pinkie's mane deflates after hearing the bad news. Many medical clones go back to tending the wounded. There'll be a time and place to give a moment of silence for the dead. 

Prince Rutherford checks on the Yaks and Buffalos. Most of them are riving in pain and suffering many injuries from creatures that landed on them.

Gilda is in disarray, with many of her friends suffering. She hates Midnight Sparkle with all her heart for what she's done to her kind. Many Griffons are crying due to the pain from the orange-black orbs. 

Ember checks on the remaining Dragons that still want to fight while making sure medical clones tend to the wounded. 

Chrysalis puts Thorax and Pharynx under the medical clones' care. She wishes to do more but struggles with the ferocity of Midnight's wrath. Despite once fighting her before, Midnight's newfound power proves to be overwhelming hers no matter how much she doesn't want to admit. 

Princess Celestia and Luna look are those who are feeling hopeless. Many of their subjects are dead and injured. Princess Celestia turns to Luna and cries. Luna comforts her sister. Luna believes that Celestia is losing hope as well. 

Princess Cadance doesn't know what to do. Even with the combined forces, Midnight Sparkle is too strong. They need more, and they don't have it. She prays for an answer to come soon. 

Shining Armor comes out with a new defense team and sees Midnight Sparkle inbounding. "Oh no," Shining's heart rapidly beats in fear. He's not ready to confront Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle sees the wounded outside the castle and stomps on the ground, causing an earthquake. Many creatures fall off the beds while the Crystal Castle shakes. Midnight Sparkle turns her attention to the Crystal Heart and pearl. She smiles, knowing the ultimate power is within her grasp. 

"Soldiers! Time to make our last stand!" Shining Armor shouts. 

Midnight Sparkle ignores Shining Armor and the last defense team. Starlight is mesmerized to see Midnight Sparkle this close and tall. She breathes heavily, not knowing what to do. She knows her magic won't make Midnight Sparkle tickle in the slightest. 

Midnight Sparkle lifts the Crystal Castle from the ground. Many clones of Discord inside the castle use their chaos magic to teleport every creature within to Discord's house. It's the one place each clone thought to keep everyone safe. 

Every creature not wounded are paralyzed in fear from Midnight's doing. They witnessed her lifting the castle and tossing it aside. Starlight Glimmer faints after seeing Midnight Sparkle tossing the Crystal Castle aside. 

Neighsay, Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Sunset, Charcoal, and Garble open their eyes. They see Midnight Sparkle in front despite seeing her as tall as the castle. They stand with confidence, knowing their Friendship is more than the equalizer to defeat Midnight Sparkle and end her reign of tyranny.

"Let's bring her down!" Neighsay commands. 

"Yeah!" Everyone around Neighsay shouts. 

"Pathetic," Midnight Sparkle stomps on them, but the strength of Yona holds her foot in place. "WHAT!?" 

"Yona won't let monster step on her friends!" Yona tries to push Midnight's foot away. 

Midnight Sparkle grits her teeth and musters enough strength to push back Yona with her foot. 

"Good thing we're here to help, Lassie," Rockhoof gallops and barges into Midnight's foot. The combined strength of Yona and Rockhoof causes Midnight Sparkle to stumble back a bit. 

"Everyone! Clear!" Princess Celestia shouts. All the clones available teleport every creature to the hilltops of the Crystal Empire. They see Midnight Sparkle falling on her back. 

"It took me a while to figure out your plan, Neighsay," Starswirl the Bearded says. "Unity in Friendship to thwart the evil of Midnight Sparkle." 

"Took you, old-timers, long enough," Neighsay respectively says. 

"Indeed. Which is why the Pillars will provide much power in Friendship!" Starswirl shouts. 

Flash Magnus flies with Charcoal, Garble, and Smolder. "Let's light it up!" 

Charcoal's body ignites in lightning while Garble and Smolder's body ignites in Hellfire Flames. 

Midnight Sparkle gets up after getting knocked down. She looks around to see where the other creatures had run off too. Flash Magnus swoops down and strikes Midnight Sparkle's face with his shield. Flash Magnus leaves a deep cut on Midnight's face. 

"You, dirty rotten little punk!" Midnight Sparkle is infuriated. 

"Eyes open, demon!" Smolder shouts. 

"Huh?" Midnight Sparkle sees the Dragons approaching. 

"Hellfire Blazing Roooooooooooooar!" Smolder unleashes her Hellfire breath attack at Midnight Sparkle's face. She screams in agony due to the open wound on her face. "Hellfire Iron Claw!" Smolder scratches Midnight Sparkle's cheek, creating a new open wound. 

Midnight Sparkle tries to swat Smolder, but Flash Magnus outmaneuvers and grabs Smolder. 

"Hellfire Lightning Fusion!" Garble and Charcoal's claw generates a small but powerful energy ball now infused. "Fury Storm!" The two create a torrent of Lightning Hellfire Flames, shooting it at Midnight Sparkle.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle feels her body getting burnt into a crisp and electrocuted at the same time. The open wound made it worse on impact. 

"I don't understand..," Princess Celestia is confused as to why those attacks from the students are harming Midnight Sparkle. 

"We used an army to attack Midnight Sparkle. All creatures that fought and yet, the Unity Seven and friends can hurt her," Chrysalis said. 

The Spirit of Harmony manifests itself on the hilltops. "Every creature that fought today was not chosen to defeat Midnight Sparkle. It's the power of Friendship that defeats the hearts of evil incarnate. Friends working together to complete a common goal. Having an overwhelming usage of magic is one thing. Friendship is another. The Magic in Friendship is everlasting. There is no end, no boundaries. The friends that are fighting Midnight Sparkle have all they need to defeat and release Midnight Sparkle from Rarity's body."

"Is that why we couldn't beat her?" Gilda walks up to the Spirit of Harmony that still takes the image of Princess Twilight Sparkle. "Because they have what we don't?"

"While each of you is friends with one another and has many distinctive advantages, no one came up with a narrative plan on taking down Midnight Sparkle. Just go in and try to end her madness using every firepower at disposal. Killing Midnight Sparkle was in most of your intentions due to the much grief in your hearts. Retribution doesn't count for killing in this battle when an innocent is held captive."

The Princesses, Chrysalis, Thorax, Prince Rutherford, Ember, Gilda, and many creatures are silent. The Spirit of Harmony spoke the truth. They thought all of their firepower and magic could bring down Midnight Sparkle. They didn't have a plan of execution. They did want to kill Midnight Sparkle for bringing calamity into their lands to gain her hearts and desires in wicked ways. 

Princess Celestia had in her heart to turn to Black Magic to revive Rarity or ask Discord if it would be alright to wish for someone back to life, regardless of any consequence.

"Judging from the attack formation, the Unity Seven, Dazzlings, Sunset, Garble, Charcoal, and now the Pillars are banding together in the name of their Friendship to defeat Midnight Sparkle. They have a plan of action. Let this battle be a testament for many generations to come that the power of Friendship is magical," The Spirit proclaims. She smiles while watching the chosen bring the fight to Midnight Sparkle. 

Everyone watches. Princess Celestia prays that the Spirit of Harmony is correct.

"This is for my family!" Silverstream grabs a sword a Griffon would have used and slashes Midnight's arm. 

"This is for those you've killed!" Gallus, Adagio, Sonata, and Aria use their claws to create marks on Midnight Sparkle's arms and body. 

"Hold still so I can hit you!" Midnight is irate. She's unable to hit the creatures attacking her. 

"Sunset, Mistmane, Starswirl. Concentrate on your magic power to create energy arrows for a unison raid. I'll do the rest," Neighsay commands. He hopes to recreate the spell similar to Rufus in the Grand Magic Games. 	

"Garble!" Smolder shouts. She grabs her brother's claw. 

"Hellfire Exploding Flame Blade!" Garble and Smolder circularly swipe their arms, creating a powerful and highly destructive torrent of Hellfire flames at Midnight Sparkle. 

"ENOUGH!" Midnight Sparkle swipes the Hellfire away. It allows the Gallus, Flash Magnus, and the Dazzlings to strike the open areas of Midnight Sparkle's body. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle conjures many Orange-Black orbs out of anger. "DIE ALREADY!" Her Demon Curse becomes erratic and disperses everywhere. Many houses and buildings get destroyed but not the friends fighting this battle. 

Ocellus and Sandbar see that Midnight Sparkle is losing more of herself. Ocellus transforms into Manticore, allowing Sandbar to ride on her back. Sandbar picks up a spear that was left behind. 

"We won't get hit," Ocellus said. She's flying straight at Midnight Sparkle, barely dodging the Orange-Black orbs. 

"Her anger will be her downfall!" Sandbar shouts. While Ocellus flies closer to Midnight Sparkle, he throws the spear at Midnight's chest with all his strength. 

"Do you think a lonely spear can kill me!" Midnight Sparkle grabs Ocellus and Sandbar. 

"Kill you, no," Ocellus smirks. "Bring you down, yes!" Ocellus transforms into a Bearbee to sting Midnight's hand. The sting causes Midnight Sparkle to let go and shake off the sting. Ocellus grabs Sandbar and flies away from Neighsay's spell. 

Sunset, Starswirl, and Mistmane finish conjuring many energy arrows. Sunset tells Starswirl and Mistmane to place their hoof on the Crystal Heart and pearl. To concentrate their magic power to lend Neighsay for the final act of the spell. Sunset, Starswirl, and Mistmane place their hoof on the Crystal Heart and pearl in a triangular formation. The Crystal Heart and pearl generate a lot of magic and power Neighsay with the cleansing effect. 

"Let the light shine on the darkness within and free the spirit from the demon's grasp! Light of the Shooting Star!" Neighsay ignites his horn to shoot a cleansing effect on the energy arrows. Then, he controls the energy arrows to hit Midnight Sparkle's open cuts and wounds. 

Midnight Sparkle sees small energy blasts coming her way. "Weak attack!" Her hands glow green to absorb the magic, but it's futile. She screams while the energy arrows pierce the open cuts and wounds with the cleansing effect. Midnight Sparkle falls to her knees while she wails. "MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" 



 
Rarity's mind

"What's the matter? Can't handle a little cleaning session?" Rarity laughs while mocking Midnight Sparkle. The cleansing of the Crystal Heart is too much for Midnight Sparkle to handle. 




Crystal Empire

"I wish I thought of using the Crystal Heart as a weapon to defeat Midnight Sparkle," Princess Cadance said. 

"The Crystal Heart knows its purpose, Princess Cadance. I have ties to the magic within. It wouldn't comply with your ideas in terms of murdering and killing," The Spirit of Harmony states. 

"Yak is proud of Yona," Prince Rutherford watches Yona and Rockhoof working together. They ram into Midnight Sparkle head-first to send her flying. 

"It's amazing," Shining Armor said in awe, watching Flash Magnus and Charcoal flying to create a lightning tornado to unleash on Midnight Sparkle. 

"They remind me of the good ole days when my friends and I would band together to defeat any enemy," Rainbow said. A medical clone of Discord restored Rainbow's wings. 

"I hear you, partner," Applejack said. While on the frontlines with the Crystal Guards, she sustained injuries thanks to Lord Tirek. Now, she's feeling better, thanks to a medical clone of Discord. 

"I can't help but miss those times when we were friends. When our Spike was with us more before we deteriorated our Friendship with him." 

"Don't remind us, Pinkie," Applejack and Rainbow said. 

"Trixie approves her students' input on working together as a cohesive unit," Trixie watches Ocellus, Gallus, and Sandbar flying with the Dazzlings. 

"Be well, Ocellus," Chrysalis said.

"Thorax," Phayrnx feels upset for asking him to kill him earlier. "Thanks for not killing me." 

"I can't kill my own brother, now can I?" 

"I'm glad you didn't, Thorax. Though, it was bold of you to confront Midnight Sparkle on your own." 

Thorax sighs a little. "Well, it was the heat at the moment." 

"So, how are you feeling, Celestia?" Princess Luna asks while watching Midnight rive in agony due to the cleansing of the Crystal Heart. 

"Hopeful. I lost hope when I'd forgotten about Friendship is Magic. I may need to enroll for a week at the School of Friendship," Princess Celestia chuckles a bit. 

A note appears with Grogar's Bell. It lands on the ground next to Princess Celestia and Luna. 

"Wait, is that what I think it is?" Princess Cadance and Shining Armor turn to Princess Celestia and Luna. 

Princess Celestia and Luna smile widely. "It is!" 

"What does the note say?" Shining Armor is eagerly excited to know. The same applies to every creature around him. 

Princess Celestia speed-reads the note and made sure to understand every detail. "To relinquish the magic and power Midnight Sparkle stole, focus on the target and chime the Bell. Concentrate on where you want to direct the magic and power, whether it's in the Bell for storage or where the magic and power originated. Grogar's Bell knows the exact coordinates where. Be mindful of who would use Grogar's Bell. Inexperience with no knowledge of magic or beginning phases or not to par can confuse with the Bell's activation." 

"It's obvious who should use the Bell," Chrysalis said, staring at the Princesses.

"Agreed. Griffons can't use magic," Gilda said, speaking on behalf of her nation. 

"Yaks are no good," Prince Rutherford said. 

"Dragons are powerful with magic, but we're not all that powerful as we thought. We need more time to elevate our usage of magic power as Fairy Dragon has," Ember said. 

"I'll do it," Princess Celestia said, gripping Grogar's Bell with her magic. "That demon is a former student of mine. It's time to properly expel her from all the wrong she'd committed while proclaiming to be the Princess of Friendship." 

"I would refrain if I were you," The Spirit of Harmony commands. 

"Why would Celestia refrain herself from relinquishing the magic and power Midnight Sparkle stole?" Princess Luna questions the authority of the Spirit of Harmony. 

"The battle is theirs for the taking. Watch how everything unfolds," The Spirit of Harmony smiles. 

Midnight Sparkle stands up while suffering many cleansing arrows penetrating her body. She pants heavily while watching Smolder, Garble, and Charcoal combining their magic. 

"Hellfire Lightning Cannonburst!" Garble, Smolder, and Charcoal press their claws directly at Midnight Sparkle. Unleashing a torrent of Hellfire Lightning-infused in a triple blast. 

"Demon Spiral Death!" Midnight Sparkle's hands are aqua blue and crimson red. She combined the two to create a spiral flare with immense force and destructive power at Garble, Smolder, and Charcoal. 

The two immense-powered attacks intercept one another. The Dragon's magic power seems to be on par with Midnight Sparkle. She doesn't understand why it's on par with hers. 

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Midnight Sparkle is unable to press forward with her power. "I HAVE ABSORBED SO MUCH POWER EVEN FROM YOU TWO BONEHEADS, AND YET, YOU RESIST ME?! HOW!!!!!!!?"

"WE HAVE A MAGIC THAT YOU WILL NEVER TAKE AWAY FROM US!" Smolder, Garble, and Charcoal shout. 

Gallus, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Ocellus, and Sandbar attack Midnight Sparkle from the rear, while Yona and Rockhoof attack from the front. Rockhoof uses his shovel to toss Yona like a catapult. Yona rolls in the air, creating a self-cannonball. She hits Midnight Sparkle in the stomach, causing Midnight to wheeze. She loses control of her Demon Spiral Death attack. 

"NOW!" Smolder, Garble, and Charcoal increase their magic power tenfold and overwhelms Midnight Sparkle's Demon Spiral Death. Their attack engulfs Midnight Sparkle in Hellfire and Lightning. 

Mage Meadowbrook and Somnambula come to Starswirl. They see what's happening and know what they need to do next. 

"Starswirl, I need some magic to amplify the brew I have in store for Midnight Sparkle." 

"Granted, Meadowbrook," Starswirl enchants the brew with his magic. 

"What would that do?" Sunset asks Starswirl. 

"Mage Meadowbrook read a magic book about battling internal demons. She and Somnambula worked together in creating the brew that'll wear Midnight Sparkle. We're aware of Rarity being Midnight's captive. Now's the time she regains control." 

"Somnambula, for the brew to work, Midnight needs to either smell the aroma or swallow the brew." 

"Understood," Somnambula takes the brew and takes flight. 

Starlight Glimmer wakes up after fainting. Starlight is next to Sunset Shimmer. "Oh, what happened?" 

"You fainted after seeing Midnight Sparkle tear off the Crystal Castle." 

"What..?" Starlight looks around and sees nothing but carnage and despair around the Crystal Heart and pearl. "Are we winning?" Starlight fearfully asks. 

"Indeed, have a look for yourself," Neighsay said, pointing at Midnight Sparkle, who is struggling to defend herself against the assaults from her students. 

Ocellus flies low, allowing Sandbar to pick up a bow and arrow that the Griffons dropped. Sandbar steadies his aim and shoots at Midnight Sparkle's left eye. She wails about having her left eye punctured again. 

Charcoal creates lightning orbs and shoots them at Midnight Sparkle. They detonate on his command. 

Garble and Smolder combine their breath attack to scorch Midnight Sparkle. 

Yona wants to return the favor, so she uses Rockhoof's shovel to chuck him at Midnight Sparkle. Rockhoof rolls in the air to create a self-cannonball and strikes Midnight's knee, causing her to stumble a bit. 

Somnambula sees Flash Magnus. "Flash, make sure the demon gets a load of this!" Somnambula tosses the brew at Flash. He catches it. 

"Right!" Flash Magnus flies faster than he did. He throws the brew straight into Midnight's mouth when she cries in pain. Midnight Sparkle coughs a bit while purplish smoke comes out of her mouth. "Bullseye!" 

"What did you do!" Midnight coughs and gags on the smoke. 

"Giving you a taste of your own medicine," Flash Magnus replies. He flies away to meet up with the Hippogriffs. 

"What do you mean?" Midnight Sparkle chokes on the purplish smoke. 




Rarity's mind

"I don't understand! Why is their magic power defeating my Demon Curses!? Why is their magic power overriding my power?! It doesn't make sense!" Midnight Sparkle is losing the reality of the situation. 

"Because darling," Rarity stands on her hooves. 

Midnight Sparkle turns to see Rarity standing once more. Her eyes widen in shock and confusion. 

"You've underestimated the Magic of Friendship!" Rarity shoots a powerful stream of magic at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle tries to deflect it, but she falls back hard. "As I recall. Lord Tirek had all the magic and Alicorn Magic. However, the Magic of Friendship is his downfall. So that applies to you as well." 

"No..," Midnight Sparkle becomes afraid for the first time. "I have the Magic of Friendship. I'm still the Princess of Friendship. I.., I..," Midnight Sparkle is losing control of Rarity's body. Rarity is standing tall, showing more bravery than cowardly. 

"You're nothing!" Rarity gallops and lunges at Midnight Sparkle. "You!" Rarity punches Midnight Sparkle. "Taken so much! You killed thousands of creatures! Parents!" Punch. "Kids!" Punch. "Families!" Punch. "Friends!" Rarity continues to punch Midnight Sparkle. She then tosses her aside with her newfound strength. 

"That brew. That brew Flash Magnus threw, it healed Rarity!" 

"That's right!" Rarity shoots another wave of her magic at Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle is taking a toll from Rarity's onslaught. 

"Rarity! Stop!" Midnight Sparkle pants as she's begging for mercy. 

"As long as you're in my body!" Rarity trots up to Midnight Sparkle. "My mind," Rarity stares into the eyes of Midnight Sparkle. Midnight Sparkle is sweating. "I will not stop until you are down for good!" She shoots another wave of magic at Midnight Sparkle. 




Crystal Empire

The Crystal Heart speaks to every creature, while Midnight Sparkle is lackadaisical. The brew is working as planned; Rarity is fighting her inner demon. The Crystal Heart wants everyone to return and hold hooves, claws, and paws. 

"Gather around the Crystal Heart and pearl," Neighsay commands.

Neighsay, Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Sunset, Charcoal, Garble, Starswirl, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, Somnambula, Mistmane, Mage Meadowbrook, and Starlight Glimmer hold hooves, claws, and paws. The concentrated power of their Friendship with the magic of the Crystal Heart and pearl ignites every creature into bright, radiant light. 

Midnight Sparkle tries to take control of Rarity's body and sees the radiance emitting from the Crystal Heart. "No!" 




Rarity's mind

"You can have the body!" Midnight Sparkle tries to flee, but Rarity tackles her to the ground. 

"Stay with me!" Rarity laughs sinisterly as retribution. 

"You monster!" Midnight Sparkle shouts in fear. She struggles frantically. "Let me goooooooooooo!" 

"No chance in Hell, Midnight. Face your ultimate punishment!" Rarity smirks, knowing Midnight's days are over. 

Midnight Sparkle tries to wiggle her way out of Rarity's grasp. 




Crystal Empire

Neighsay, Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Sunset, Charcoal, Garble, Starswirl, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, Somnambula, Mistmane, Mage Meadowbrook, and Starlight Glimmer shoots a magical stream of Friendship at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle gets hit with the blast. "Noooooooooooooooooooooo!" The Magic of Friendship separates Midnight Sparkle from Rarity's body. 

A brilliance of bright light shines throughout the Crystal Empire; Every creature on the hilltops has their jaws dropped to the ground in amazement. The Spirit of Harmony smirks. She turns to Princess Celestia. 

"You may use Grogar's Bell," The Spirit of Harmony disappears, leaving every creature dumbfounded. 

Rarity is on the ground unscathed from the blast. "I'm free!" Rarity shouts and gets up. She sees Midnight Sparkle lying with scars and bruises. "Sucks to be you, huh?" Rarity smiles. 

"How..?" Midnight Sparkle is still in her demon form but no longer a human. She's now a demonized Alicorn without a horn. 

"Friendship is Magic," Rarity answers. 

Neighsay, Sandbar, Ocellus, Silverstream, Yona, Smolder, Gallus, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Sunset, Charcoal, Garble, Starswirl, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, Somnambula, Mistmane, Mage Meadowbrook, and Starlight Glimmer lands on the ground. They see Rarity and Midnight Sparkle. 

"We did it..," Silverstream said in tears. "WE WON!" Every creature around her cheers in celebration. 

"You.., haven't won..," Midnight Sparkle gets up. "You may have separated me from Rarity's body. However, you've given me a new one. I will-" Midnight Sparkle's monolog gets interrupted by the chime of Grogar's Bell. All the magic, power, and strength she took purged from her body. Midnight Sparkle becomes incredibly weak. She falls over. 

"You won't take anymore, Midnight," Princess Celestia formally announces. The Wonderbolts, Dragons, Griffons, Changelings are hovering in the air; Storm Creatures, Buffalos, Yaks, Crystal Guards, Crystal Ponies, and Ponies are standing.

Princess Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, Chrysalis, Thorax, Pharynx, Gilda, Tempest, Grubber, Prince Rutherford stand next to Princess Celestia. 

"I'm sorry..," Midnight shed some tears. "I was manipulated by a powerful demon named Zeref. He took control of me and was hoping to purge the magic in Equestria to awaken E.N.D."

"LIAR!" Rarity shouts in anger. "Don't believe anything that comes out from that wretched demon's mouth!" 

"Don't worry. I have no intentions of believing anything a demon would say," Princess Celestia stares coldly at Midnight Sparkle. 

"I'm sorry.., please.., forgive me..," Midnight Sparkle said in tears of sadness. 

"Do you believe we'll buy into your sob story, Midnight Sparkle?" Princess Luna coldly asks. 

"After what you've done, you don't deserve forgiveness," Ember states. She's furious with Midnight Sparkle for causing genocide on her kin and every creature else's. 

"You've given Chrysalis a chance to redeem herself," Midnight cries. "Please.., let me have a chance to prove myself." 

Every creature around Midnight Sparkle shakes their head. Midnight Sparkle gets up and tries using Sombra's shadow magic to flee. She jumps on instinct and falls flat. 

"My.., my.., magic..." 

"Gone," Princess Celestia shakes Grogar's Bell. 

Midnight Sparkle tries to ignite her hooves, but that doesn't work, knowing that an Alicorn's horn is best suited to use magic and her Demon Curses is futile. She has no horn to harness her Demon Curse. 

"End of the line, Midnight Sparkle," Rarity said. 

"No, please... I don't want to die!" Midnight pleads for her life. 

"What should we do with her, Celestia?" Princess Luna turns to her. 

"I have the perfect punishment for our demonic troublemaker," Garble said. He approaches Princess Celestia and Luna. "Hey, Discord clone, guy. You should hear it too!" 

"I'll listen," A medical clone of Discord walks up to Garble. Garble whispers the punishment Midnight Sparkle should suffer. 

"Hmm, sounds reasonable," Princess Celestia loves the irony of Garble's idea. 

"It'll teach her a lesson," Princess Luna states.

"One she'll regret for the rest of her life," The medical clone of Discord telepathically sends the message to Gilda, Chrysalis, Thorax, Pharynx, Prince Rutherford, Ember, Tempest, Grubber, Princess Cadance, and Shining Armor. They nod in agreement to the punishment. 

"Will I live..?" Midnight Sparkle asks. "Please send me to Tartarus. So I can slowly rebuild my Demon Curses and start from scratch." 

"Oh, you'll live," Princess Celestia, Luna, and the medical clone of Discord say in unison. "Enjoy your eternal imprisonment!" The trio blasts Midnight Sparkle with a stone petrification spell.

Midnight Sparkle feels her limbs becoming solid like a statue. "No! Please! Anything from thiiiiiiiiiis!" Her speech is off due to the petrification spell. Midnight Sparkle stands in a stone statue until Charcoal walks up and shatters it. Many pieces scatter everywhere. 

"Whoops," Charcoal laughs at the sweet, sweet irony. 

"To ensure that this behemoth never rises again, we're going to scatter the pieces all around the world," Princess Celestia picks up a piece of Midnight Sparkle. "Each of the nations should hold onto a piece so no demented creature would try and scavenge the pieces." 

"I'll take this," The medical clone takes the head of Midnight Sparkle. "To mount on the wall in my home. Without the head, you can't bring her back." 

"Yak will take the leg from the demon," Prince Rutherford holds one of the hind legs. 

"I'll take the tail," Ember said, picking up Midnight's stoned tail. 

"I'll take the other hind leg and store it in a safe which will never be open," Thorax said. He takes the other hind leg. 

"I'll take the front leg," Gilda said, picking up the front leg. "It'll stay in the vault where it will never be open. 

"We won't be keeping any stone pieces of Midnight Sparkle," Princess Cadance said. "We want the Crystal Empire to know the real Twilight Sparkle with her Spike. Not this wretched demon." 

"Very well, Princess Cadance." 

"We'll take the torso of Midnight Sparkle," Tempest said. 

"I'm sure that Queen of the Hippogriffs would like to take possession of the wings," Grubber said. 

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Thorax asks. 

"No need to worry. Before Midnight Sparkle tossed the Crystal Castle, my brothers teleported every creature to our home. Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, Fluttershy, Twilight, Spike, Terax, and the rest are safe and sound." 

"That's a relief," Chrysalis said. She's happy that her son is unharmed. 

Shining Armor looks at the devastation laid waste by Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. "Aw, man. It will take forever to fix." 

"No," Clones of Discord shake their heads. "It'll take a while. We got this." 

The clones of Discord spent an hour rebuilding the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Castle is restored and stands tall; The buildings and houses look brand new. The streets are polished and squeaky clean. So clean you can eat anything off of it. The clones even restored the Storm Nation's Airforce Carriers. The one thing the clones couldn't do was bring back the lives lost. No wish can restore life. 

Discord opens the portal from his home to the Crystal Empire, bringing every creature back. Terax flies into his mother's hoves, hugging her. Chrysalis smiles and holds her child lovingly. Queen Novo and Princess Skystar see every creature smiling. Now, they need to repopulate their race. 

A clone of Discord confirms that any Hippogriff that turned to stone and shattered will walk again. However, those that drowned are gone. Queen Novo and Princess Skystar sighs in sadness but are relieved that some of their kin will live again. Queen Novo approaches the Dazzlings. She never welcomed them into the Hippogriff family until today. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike see the remains of Midnight Sparkle. They're glad the nightmare is finally over. Rarity trots up to them and apologizes for her rude behavior and going astray. She apologizes to Spike for nearly violating him weeks ago. Spike forgives Rarity, and Twilight does as well. 

Cozy Glow walks up to Rarity. She thanks her for opening her mind and, in a way, reforming her. Rarity smiles at Cozy Glow, telling her she should be proud of herself for doing the right thing. Many creatures look down at Cozy Glow. Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance declare a pardon given to Cozy Glow for destroying Midnight Sparkle's horn. 

Rarity walks up to Princess Celestia, telling her that she needs to go back to the ward. Her session for recovery is not over. Cozy Glow wants to go with Rarity. To receive the help, she needs to become anew. Princess Celestia nods to the terms but sighs. With Canterlot gone, where would she, Luna, and her subjects that survived the fall live? 

Starlight Glimmer offers salvation to use the Castle of Friendship as a temporary base. Princess Celestia and Luna nod at the offer to live in the Castle of Friendship until a newly established city gets made. The wealthy ponies decide to help pay for anything to create their new home. Every creature wants to do their part in creating a new city that represents all creatures. 

Fluttershy trots up to her friends and hugs them; she's glad they're all safe. Pinkie Pie trots up to Discord and whispers in his ear to create a massive party to celebrate a new tomorrow. Discord chuckles and spawns hundreds of party cannons for Pinkie's disposal. It doesn't take Pinkie too long to set up a party at every corner of the Crystal Empire. Food, drinks, candy, piñatas, tables, and much more for excitement and cheer. 

Princess Celestia tells Discord to use Grogar's Bell to restore the magic and power within the lands. Then for him to hide Grogar's Bell by any means necessary, Discord knows where to put Grogar's Bell once he's finished with it. 

Cozy Glow informs Princess Celestia that she saved a few ponies and teleported them near a railway. She tells Princess Celestia to have Discord locate the ponies; Discord overhears the conversation and uses his Chaos Magic to spawn the ponies. Doctor Psyche, Nurse Blue Shield, and many doctors and nurses appear next to Princess Celestia. Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon appear next to Discord. 

Rarity is stunned to see Doctor Psyche. Doctor Psyche turns to Cozy Glow, thanking her for saving his life. Rarity explains that Doctor Psyche was helping her recover to Cozy Glow. Cozy Glow turns to him and wants him to help her. Cozy is stunned to hear that Doctor Psyche wanted to help her when he received word of the lockdown situation weeks ago. He and Blue Shield will be glad to help Cozy Glow. 

Sweetie Belle meets her sister Rarity for the first time and hugs her. It's a tearful reunion. Rarity promises to come back for Sweetie Belle once she's fully recovered. She's not finished with her session with Doctor Psyche. 

Adagio and Gallus look at the beautiful blue skies together, sharing a moment. They can't help but laugh that their Friendship defeated Midnight Sparkle, ending a demonic's tyranny. The rest of the Dazzlings, Sunset, Garble, Charcoal, and Unity Seven, insert themselves and surprise the two love birds. They laugh and cheer for winning the war. The Pillars are with them, celebrating like no tomorrow. 

The Spirit of Harmony manifests in front of them. She congratulates them on a job well done. The Spirit of Harmony says more challenges await. As long as they keep their Friendship strong, nothing will ever stop them from achieving any goals. 

Starlight Glimmer trots up to her students, saying she's proud of them for achieving what others say would be the impossible. She reminds them that school will resume next week. Gallus hopes that Adagio will come back to school. She nods, confirming his hope. 

Nightfall arrives. The streets of the Crystal Empire light up with fireworks. Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, Ember, Prince Rutherford, Chrysalis, Pharynx, Thorax, Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, Gilda, Tempest, and Grubber are on the balcony of the Crystal Empire. Every creature is on the streets, looking up at the balcony; Smiling, laughing and enjoying the scenery. 

Princess Celestia lifts her glass of grape juice with her magic. "Today, we mark a new era in our land!" Every creature stomps, cheers, and roars with pride. 

"For today, we vanquished an evil that will never come back!" Gilda shouts. 

"Starting now, we will celebrate a new age!" Prince Rutherford stomps around in pride. 

"A new age of peace!" Princess Luna shouts. 

"Love!" Princess Cadance added. 

"Unity!" Thorax shouts. 

"We have a long road ahead of us, and it will take some time," Grubber said. 

"Time that each of us will share to create a better tomorrow," Tempest said. 

"Time to build something greater for generations to come!" Pharynx shouts. 

"We will create a new city that represents each of our kinds. One that holds Magic in Friendship!" Chrysalis declares. 

"Each of us standing has talked about naming the new city," Shining Armor said. "We took a vote, and it's unanimous." 

"Princess Skystar, will you do the honor of pronouncing our new city's name?" Queen Novo turns to her daughter. 

"Yes, mother," Princess Skystar nods. "In a few months' time, our new city will be called United Equestria!" 

Every creature shouts in a voice of triumph. Then, a large stone tablet appears next to the Crystal Castle. It's as tall as the Crystal Castle itself. Every creature is confused until Discord hovers down with an umbrella, black hat, red scarf, and rainjacket. He removes the attire and has a mic with a hammer and chisel. 

"Greetings, every creature. You're probably wondering what the stone tablet is for," Discord takes a deep breath. "For those that lost a loved one today, for those that lost a brother, sister, father, mother, son, daughter, uncle, aunt, friend, husband, and wife due to Midnight Sparkle's wrath. Please, carve their names as this'll be a monument to honor their memories. I already did my part," On the stone tablets, many names of Discord's clones are on it. 

Every creature takes turns carving a name on the stone tablet. Discord informs everyone that the stone tablet will be placed in the United Equestria's garden when it's ready. 

Hours go by while everyone takes turns carving a name onto the stone tablet. Princess Cadance asks every creature for a moment of silence for those that lost their lives to the wretched hands of Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. 

After the moment of silence, many creatures either clap or stomp. Pinkie Pie decides that now is the best time to start celebrating. And so, every creature starts partying like no tomorrow. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike are in Flurry Heart's bedroom. The two look out the window after hearing and seeing everything unfold. Flurry Heart and Terax are sleeping in the crib together. 

"Hey, Twilight?" 

"Yes, Spike?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) turns to him. 

"Do you still want to take the mantle of being the Princess of Friendship?" 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. "I do. With everything that transpired and a brighter future ahead of us, I want to see where this path takes us." 

"I'm with you all the way. I'm sure Princess Celestia will have newfound confidence moving forward." 

"That she will, Spike. And, we'll make sure history doesn't repeat itself. I won't go astray, and you won't run away from me." 

"Why would I run from you? You raised me, loved me, protected me, and we do all sorts of things together. We're going to learn more magic together and learn from the Princesses. Plus, I can't wait to help build United Equestria will all of our friends working together." 

"I can't wait until the day comes. When we're with all of our friends, creating something new. For now, let's enjoy our time together as a family." 

"Can I ride on your back?" 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. "Of course, you can," Twilight uses her magic to levitate Spike onto her back. "Let's party with our friends." 

"Alright!" Spike accidentally shouts. He wakes up Terax and Flurry Heart. Flurry Heart and Terax look at Twilight and Spike. 

"You're going without us?" Terax asks. 

"Come on, buddy. I'm sure your mother wants to see you," Spike encourages Terax. 

"I'm coming! What about you, Flurry Heart?" Terax turns to Flurry Heart. 

Flurry Heart nods and flaps her wings; she flies next to Terax. They follow Twilight and Spike to the party in the streets of the Crystal Empire. 

"Let's party!" Twilight, Spike, and Terax shout while Flurry Heart giggles.
> Cargo Train
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where are we heading, Sis?" Spike walks with Erza into the woods. 

"We're meeting up with Gajeel and Panther Lily. They informed me earlier today that bandits are thinking about hijacking another train." 

Erza and Spike have been walking for three hours now. It's 8:30 at night. Erza and Spike arrive at a mountaintop where Gajeel and Panther Lily are; Observing the train station not far from their position. 

"Look who has arrived, Gajeel," Panther Lily informs Gajeel of Erza and Spike's presence. 

Gajeel chuckles and turns to see his friends. "Good to see you, Fairy Dragon." 

"Likewise," Spike fist bumps Gajeel and Panther Lily. 

"So, what's the story?" Erza asks the two. 

"So far, a cargo train gets hijacked by a mysterious guild. We don't know the name of the guild. However, what we do know is they've been active in stealing gold, treasuries, supplies, and kidnapping people. More likely for ransom with the higher-ups." 

"Every time we go after the train, another one appears and slams Gajeel and me before getting on board." 

"Whenever Lily and I catch up to the hijacked train, there is no trace of the guild. Not even their scent." 

"Which posses a problem since Gajeel can't locate their whereabouts. This guild mastered the art of silence and stealth." 

"Yikes," Spike imagines the prowess of the guild's capabilities. 

"With you here, Fairy Dragon, things may go smoother for us," Gajeel said. 

"The pay is 10,000,000 Jewels. We'll be happy to give you a cut for helping us," Panther Lily said. 

"Do you think I'm going to turn down to help my brothers?" 

"We never doubt. However, you are the Guild Master, and there are times Guild Masters have different intakes with the scenario," Gajeel said. 

Spike mimics his claw to shoot a singular flare marking at the train. It's loading new supplies for the cargo train. 

"When does the train leave the station?" Erza asks Gajeel. 

"The train sits there for forty minutes before moving," Gajeel replies. 

"So far, it's been there for fifteen minutes. Royal Soldiers and Rune Knights are providing security. However, the many attempts to stop this guild. It has backfired on them numerous times," Panther Lily explains. 

"How many are numerous?" Spike asks. 

"We lost count after ten times. We're trying to figure a way without alarming the invading guild." 

Spike turns to Erza. "Erza, think you can impose as a worker for the cargo train?" 

"Requip!" Erza changes her attire to look like a train conductor. "Will this do?" Erza adjusts her blue train conductor hat. 

"Yea, that'll do. Since I placed a flare marking on the cargo train, I can teleport you there." 

"Perfect. Hopefully, I'll survey all the train cars and prepare to battle our mysterious guild." 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Erza to the cargo train. She lands at the tail and enters from the back door. Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Spike continue to observe the cargo train from the mountaintops. 

Twenty minutes later. A horn of the train sounds off. Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Spike saw no activity from their position. 

"We should hover and keep a distance from the train," Spike flaps his wings. 

"Alright. Just be warned, whenever coming too close, a train appears to slam us." 

"I'm aware of what you guys told me and have a theory based on it. Let's go," Spike flies and keeps a forty feet distance from the cargo train. Panther Lily grabs Gajeel and follows Spike's lead. 

Erza walks around like a train conductor. She sees one of the cargo cars holding tons of gold bricks. The train starts moving and departs from the station. Royal Soldiers are at bay, keeping guard of most cargo cars. 

"Judging from the Royal Guards, they are not mentally prepared for any outcome that awaits. Some are nervous about the unknown." Erza looks at the map where the train is supposed to go. "Hargeon?" 

Two hours while following the train, Gajeel and Spike start sniffing to find scents not recognizable. They see the cargo train is about to enter a tunnel through the mountain. Spike and Panther Lily, while holding onto Gajeel, fly into the tunnel. 

Erza notices how dark the cargo train is after entering the tunnel in the mountain. Erza closes her eyes and steadies her hearing. She hears many spears and weaponry drop simultaneously; Erza turns around and requips her sword. She slashes what she believes the intruder, but nothing is there. 

"Keep it together, Erza. Once the train leaves the tunnels and light shines, I'll investigate the Royal Soldiers." 

Yellowish-green pupils hover above Erza's line of sight, moving in the darkness of the cargo train while it's traveling in the tunnels. Once the cargo train leaves the tunnel, all the Royal Soldiers have disappeared. Erza walks around and feels a slow-crept terror of being watched. She looks around and sees no one in sight. There's no sound except for the wheels of the cargo train riding on the rails. 

"Alright, now I admit, this is disturbing." It's not often for Erza to feel paranoia. A simple recon on the cargo train has become unnerving. 

Spike and Panther Lily continue to follow the train. Gajeel is picking up an odd scent. 

"Fairy Dragon, do you smell something peculiar?" 

Spike sniffs. "Yea. It smells different. We better get on the train." 

"Lily, bring me closer," Gajeel is eager to get on the train now. 

"Right!" Panther Lily flies closer to the cargo train. It leaves the tunnels as an oncoming train is approaching. LOOK OUT!" 

Panther Lily dodges the oncoming train in the nick of time. Spike closes his eyes and flies through the train. Gajeel and Panther Lily look dumbfounded from seeing Spike fly through the train like a ghost. Spike opens his eyes and feels the metal rear of the oncoming train on his tail. It proves Spike's theory. 

"What the hell?" Gajeel and Panther Lily are confused. 

"You said that a train appears when you're about to enter it. I closed my eyes and flew through like it was an illusion. However, the train is real when your eyes are open." 

"Illusionist magic," Gajeel puts the pieces together. 

"There's someone I know who conducts and perfected the artistry of illusions. I want to say that particular person is behind the hijacking of trains," Spike said. 

"Let's go!" Gajeel is more than eager to give the beating to the chump for using illusionist magic. 

Spike and Panther Lily fly closer to the train. They hear another oncoming train by the sound of the horn. Spike, Gajeel, and Panther Lily close their eyes and phase through the train. Obviously, it's another illusion in the making. 

Erza checks a different cargo car and sees no Royal Soldiers; It's like they all vanished into thin air. A figure is in the shadows with yellowish-green eyes. It observes Erza's movements thoroughly and slowly crawls on the ceiling. 

"Where is everybody?" Erza said out loud. She couldn't handle the absolute silence on the train any longer. 

"Right where they need to be," A figure emerges. It used a camouflage spell to blend within the walls of the train and grab Erza. More of his colleagues emerges and pounces on Erza. 

A man wearing a black cloak walks up to Erza. Erza is on the floor with many people on top of her. She looks up, glaring at the man. 

"Who are you?!" Erza demands to know. 

"My name is Lamar. Leader of a new guild called the Sneaky Chameleons," Lamar shows the Chameleon Emblem on his forehead. "I have to say, catching the Great Titania herself is a nice addition to add on the ransom." 

"Wait a minute. Is it the same Lamar that went to jail because he wanted to do a horror theme in the theatre?" Erza looks at Lamar, hoping it's the same fellow.

"Indeed I am. I'm free as a bird along with these fine men that were with me in prison." 

"Where are the Royal Soldiers?! What have you done with them?!" The men viciously pull Erza up to meet Lamar's eyesight. They put anti-magic restraints on Erza. 

"There are no Royal Soldiers. What you saw was an illusion. It's how I lure unexpected and uninvited guests to board the train willingly," Lamar grabs Erza's cheek. "I have to say. I snagged the most beautiful captive I laid eyes on in a long time," Erza smirks. "What's so funny?" 

"I'm imagining your reaction when my friends get on board the train." 

"Those friends of yours will be foolish! My guild is known for stealth and illusions. They won't know what'll hit them. Chameleons, scatter!" Lamar commands. 

The men camouflage themselves onto the walls of the train and scatter. They search throughout the cargo cars of the train. Lamar tries to show he isn't scared of Erza's friends. Erza smiles at Lamar, causing him to lose faith and confidence. 

Spike opens the cargo train's rear door, allowing Gajeel and Panther Lily to enter. Gajeel tells Panther Lily to hold onto him since the train is a death trap. Panther Lily questions it until he remembers that Gajeel gets motion sickness. He complies and hovers around in search of Erza. 

Gajeel sniffs. "We've got company." 

The men lunge at Spike, Gajeel, and Panther Lily from the walls and ceiling on the cargo car they're on. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel's arm turns into an iron club. He sways it to crush the men to the wall of the train. 

"Phew, phew," Spike mimics his claws like guns, shooting Sparkling Green Bullets at the men. They screech in pain and rolls on the floor. Spike picks up one of the men and shoves him into the wall, face first. "Where is Erza?" 

Lamar and Erza hear the commotion. Lamar becomes terrified while Erza remains calm. The sounds of Lamar's men getting beat up gets louder and closer. 

One of the men goes flying into the cargo car where Lamar and Erza remain stationed. The man has many bumps, bruises, and bleedings around his body. Lamar gasps while Spike, Gajeel, and Panther Lily arrive. 

"Oh, shit..," Lamar gets flashbacks from seeing Spike the Fairy. A single flaming bullet took him out. 

"So, this is the punk that uses illusions," Gajeel sounds impressed but not anymore. He imagined the enemy being more brolic and opposing. Not a weakling. 

Spike walks up to Erza and uses his fire breath to teleport the anti-magic restraints away; Lamar doesn't have many options but to surrender.

Erza grabs Lamar by the collar of his cloak. "Do you believe your men could confine me? For the guild master of a new guild, you suck!" Erza pins Lamar on the wall. "Now, tell us. Where did you store all the stolen cargo and kidnapped people?" 

Erza's glare made Lamar crap himself. He's afraid of what Erza may do to him if he doesn't tell. Lamar told Erza that the guild's treasuries are in a vault near Onibus Town. He had planned on buying the theatre from Rabian to conduct his horror-themed performance. As for the captives. They are in an underground bunker of the Sneaky Chameleons' Guildhall. The Sneaky Chameleons' Guildhall is near Onibus Town. An abandoned church with Chameleon imagery above the door.

Spike goes to the engine of the cargo train and asks the conductor to stop the train. Spike explains the situation with the conductor. He calls HQ to bring the Royal Soldiers to arrest Lamar and the Sneaky Chameleon guild. 

An hour later, a train with Royal Soldiers arrives to take Lamar and his guildmates to prison. Gajeel and Panther receive their pay. They informed the soldiers about the treasuries and the captives held by the Sneaky Chameleon. 

Lamar and members of the Sneaky Chameleons are bruised heavily by Erza for scaring her on the train. She doesn't like to feel unnerved in a horror setting. 

Spike, Erza, Gajeel, and Panther Lily enter a small village and check in a hotel. Gajeel and Panther Lily lay in bed after a long night. They fell asleep. Spike sits on a different bed, writing to Wendy about his day and night. He'll come for her in a while. Spike yawns and gets in bed. Too tired to do anything else for the time being. Erza lays in bed next to Spike and turns the light off; She'll embark on another mission or train with Spike in the morning. 

Dead silent at night. A figure with yellowish-green eyes watches them sleep from the darkest corner of the ceiling.
> Progress in Equestria 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been five days since the fallout of Midnight Sparkle's demise. King Sombra's horn has vanished, and Lord Tirek is back in Tartaros. The Storm King died during the battle outside of the Crystal Empire. 

The Crystal Empire opened a new building for Doctor Psyche and Nurse Blue Shield. Unfortunately, due to Canterlot falling from the mountainside by the wrath of Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail, many patients have lost their lives. Doctor Psyche, Nurse Blue Shield, and many other doctors and nurses will have to start from scratch. They only have two patients; Rarity and Cozy Glow. 

Every nation held a memorial for its fallen heroes and loved ones. No one missed out. Every creature attended to pays respect to the many friends and family they lost. 

Starlight Glimmer announced that the School of Friendship is closed for an upcoming Friendship Event. Every student will be working with every creature to create a new utopia, United Equestria. Every student is excited to work on the project, bringing a little something from home to make United Equestria unique. 

Discord releases more of his clones to help every creature around Equus. He's home with Princess Luna. She took the time to grieve with Discord after losing over a hundred clones. For Discord, it's losing many pieces of himself. 

At the Treehouse of Harmony, the Unity Seven has decided to expand their group after succeeding and defeating Midnight Sparkle. Sunset, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Garble, and Charcoal are now with the group. They decided to form a guild of their own. From now on, the guild will be called United Species. The Spirit of Harmony manifests in front of them, giving them the blessing of representing unity in Friendship. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike are at the Castle of Friendship. They wake up to a new day. It's 8:30 in the morning. In an hour, the two will be attending a morning session with Princess Celestia to learn magic. Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike made it clear to Princess Celestia that history will not repeat itself twice. Twilight (Sci-Twi) solemnly swears she will never go astray nor treat Spike the way Midnight Sparkle has. Spike proclaims he'll open up if he feels something doesn't feel right with him. 

Rockhoof enters Starlight's office at the School of Friendship. He says the Pillars have decided to become teachers at the School of Friendship since a new wave of students will be coming. More Dragons, Yaks, Hippogriffs, Changelings, Griffons, Storm Creatures, Buffalos, Ponies, and Crystal Ponies will attend. Starlight accepts their proposal. She informs the Pillars about the school closing due to a Friendship Event; They are aware of the creation of the United Equestria. 

Pinkie Pie is back in Ponyville, working at Sugarcube Corner and bringing smiles all around. Rainbow Dash continues her work with the weather team while the Wonderbolts take a break. Spitfire has informed every pegasus they'll come back together to work on flight patterns and assessments after the finalization of United Equestria. Applejack resumes her duty at Sweet Apple Acres with Apple Bloom and Big Mac. Fluttershy is in her cottage, attending to her animals as per usual. Sweetie Belle still lives in the Castle of Friendship until Rarity completes her recovery session. Rarity promises to come for her and spend quality time as sisters when she comes out; No more delays and putting her aside. A new Rarity to be there for Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo's parents come to Ponyville and have announced they'll be sticking around. Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood tell Scootaloo they'll move to United Equestria. Scootaloo tells her parents that she still has to do her duty as a counselor but promises to come home after her shift.

Chrysalis is enjoying her time with Terax at the Hive. Terax is showing her mother his magic. It's faint, but it's a good start. Terax promises Chrysalis he'll grow strong and prove to be the best Changeling out of them all. Chrysalis chuckles and believes Terax wholeheartedly to be as strong when he's grown. 

Thorax and Pharynx are spending time together as brothers; Going over the details with the Hive and preparing for the day to build United Equestria. 

Queen Novo and Princess Skystar are rebuilding their home with the help of Discord's clones. The Hippogriffs that were petrified are free, including General Seaspray. General Seaspray pays tribute to the clones that fell on Mount Aris. The navy is now reestablished with new clones to take over. The pearl is safe in the underwater throne room. 

After the learning session with Princess Celestia, Twilight (Sci-Twi) informs her teacher she'll be visiting the Tree of Harmony to speak with the Spirit. Spike rides on Twilight's back. Princess Celestia watches the two leave and sighs. For Princess Celestia, it's like the earlier stages when Twilight (Midnight) and Spike were close together before drifting apart. Sure, Twilight (Sci-Twi) and her Spike show signs of working together and encouraging one another, but; Princess Celestia can't help the feeling of witnessing the whole event all over again. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike see every pony rebuilding their homes. They also see many creatures helping them. Twilight (Sci-Twi) meets up with Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner. 

"Hey, Twilight! Where are you going?" Pinkie offers cupcakes to her friends. 

"Oh, don't mind if I do," Spike takes the vanilla sprinkled cupcake. 

"We're heading to the Treehouse of Harmony. I need to speak with the Spirit of Harmony," Twilight (Sci-Twi) replies. 

"About what?" Pinkie Pie is eager to know what's on her friend's mind. 

"About my future, Pinkie Pie. I've decided to take the path of becoming the replacement Princess of Friendship." 

Pinkie Pie gasps. "Then that means you'll need friends to help you get there!" Pinkie bounces on her tail in excitement. She imagines the possibility of going on adventures with her friends once more. 

"I will need friends along the way. However, I may take a different path, Pinkie." 

"What do you mean by that?" Pinkie Pie is confused. She was hoping for Twilight to ask her, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, and the possible new Rarity to be her friends to help her achieve her wings. 

"Well, my counterpart had you girls to become Princess. However, I made different friends and would prefer them on my ascent. No offense to you and the girls, but to ensure that history doesn't repeat itself, I require taking a different route."

"I understand," Pinkie's mane doesn't deflate. "Can't have another Spike running away or another Midnight. Just remember that when you need us, we'll be there for you." 

"Thanks, Pinkie," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. 

"You're coming to my party later, right?" Pinkie asks. 

"I'm coming," Twilight (Sci-Twi) replies. She trots to Fluttershy's cottage to take the shortcut to the Treehouse of Harmony.  

"I'm coming as well," Spike replies. 

"You better be there. I want all my friends to come!" Pinkie Pie wants to ensure that all her friends attend. 

"Thanks for the cupcake!" Spike finishes eating it. 

"You're welcome!" Pinkie shouts. 

"Wow, United Species," Garble enjoys the new name of the guild. 

"Yea, United Equestria is going to need a guild. So, with all of us working together, United Species is perfect," Smolder said. 

"Yona loves the new name. Yona can't wait to build the new city." 

"I'll say," Sandbar said. "I wonder if we can build a guildhall of our own." 

"I don't see why not," Silverstream said. She's excited about the idea of having a guildhall. 

"Going on Friendship jobs, adventures, and much more," Ocellus said. She sits on the couch. 

"A guild needs a Guild Master, so who wants to be the first?" Sunset asks. 

"That's a tough one to decide," Neighsay said. 

"It'll come to us sooner or later," Sonata said. 

"Hey, how is Professor Discord doing?" Gallus asks the Dazzlings and Sunset. 

"He's with Princess Luna back home. After going to each memorial, Discord broke down and wept over the clones he lost," Adagio answers. 

"Yea, Discord lost pieces of himself. A clone represents one aspect of Discord," Sunset explains, which worries Neighsay, Sandbar, Ocellus, Smolder, Silverstream, Yona, and Gallus.

"Give Discord some time, and he'll come back better than ever," Sonata said. 

Every creature hears the front doors knocking. Aria flies to the front door of the Treehouse of Harmony and opens it. 

"Hi, Aria," Twilight (Sci-Twi) greets her friend. 

"Hey, Twilight. Hey, Spike. What brings you two here?" 

"I'm hoping to speak with the Spirit of Harmony." 

"Come in," Aria lets the two inside. Every creature waves at Twilight and Spike, giving them a warm welcome. 

"Hey, Twilight," Sunset greets her friend. 

"Hey, Sunset," Twilight (Sci-Twi) hugs her friend. 

"Spike," Smolder hovers above him. "Great seeing you again." 

"Likewise," Spike conjures energy wings to fly with Smolder. 

"Dude, that is so cool that you can do that," Charcoal said. He's hovering next to Smolder. 

"No kidding. You have similar traits to Fairy Dragon's Energy Maker Magic," Garble said. "Also," Garble pulls Spike closer to him. "I was super mean to your counterpart, so I want to be the big brother dragon for you." 

"Thanks," Spike scratches the back of his head. He hopes Garble does treat him as an older brother. 

"There's a lot to teach you about being a dragon," Charcoal said. 

"Yea, and we'll show you the ropes," Smolder fist bumps Spike. 

"Thanks," Spike is appreciative of Garble, Charcoal, and Smolder's doing. 

The Spirit of Harmony manifests itself in front of Twilight (Sci-Twi). She still looks like Princess Twilight Sparkle. 

"Will you have a new form?" Gallus asks the Spirit of Harmony. 

"In due time, I'll have a new form to manifest into; For now, this is appealing to me." 

"Hey, I have some questions to ask of you," Twilight (Sci-Twi) is a little nervous while speaking to the Spirit. 

"No need to feel nervous, Twilight. I see you have chosen the path to become a Princess." 

"Wait, how did you know what I was going to say?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is dumbfounded. 

"I can see in your eyes, and you have the motivation to become the new Princess of Friendship." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) nods. "Yes. Also, I'm going in a different direction to become the Princess of Friendship."

"To become the Princess of Friendship, you're going to need friends to guide you there." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) takes a deep breath. "I know. I won't be trotting alone on this journey." 

"Friends, huh? Why not us?" Sunset said, speaking for the United Species. 

"Really?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is stunned to hear that. 

"We've welcomed you to our group and some parties. We're a guild in the making, so why not?" Silverstream said. 

"Friendship is going in a new direction. So, why not have the new Princess of Friendship have a group with all sorts of different creatures?" Ocellus said. 

"I'm cool with it," Sandbar calmly expresses. 

"Likewise," Neighsay concurs. 

"Dragons stick together. Knowing you'll have Spike by your side, we'll have him as well," Garble said. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles and accepts their proposal. It seems every creature is on board with helping her. 

"Friendship is entering a new era. Embrace it together," The Spirit of Harmony vanishes. 

"Are there any other questions you were going to ask the Spirit of Harmony?" Yona asks Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Well, the Spirit knows I'm going on my path to becoming the new Princess of Friendship. There are two things I want to ask of you since every creature has come together to create a guild." 

"What is it, Twilight?" Neighsay asks. 

"Would it be alright if Chrysalis and her son Terax join the guild?" 

"Of course they can," Ocellus immediately answers. 

"To sustain a guild for many generations, we will have to welcome new members. I don't see why not. Any objections?" Neighsay asks his friends. 

"Nay," They said in unison. 

"Thank you, every creature," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles. She and every creature join in on a group hug. Then they start to have a party to celebrate as a new guild moving forward.
> Meeting with Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 8:30 in the morning. Spike wakes up after having a good night's sleep. He sees Gajeel and Panther Lily getting ready. 

"Where are you two heading off?"

"We have two more jobs to accomplish before resuming our training, Fairy Dragon. We'll see you another day," Gajeel and Panther Lily leaves the hotel room. 

Erza is taking a shower. She's deciding whether or not to go on another job or stick with Spike. She wonders how the day may go. 

Spike writes a letter to Wendy. Within the letter, Spike wants to catch up with his other friends within the guild, checking to see if they're doing good or not, train or work with them here and there for the next while. He uses his fire breath to teleport the letter to Wendy. 

"Alright. Time to go searching for my friends," Spike doesn't know who to search for, so he'll fly around until he notices any of them. 

Erza comes out of the bathroom. She decides to go on another job. Spike freshens up for the day and leaves the hotel with Erza. They leave the small village and walk in the forest. They've been walking for two hours. 

"So, I'm guessing you'll meet up with Gajeel and Panther Lily on their next job?" 

"More likely. What about you?" 

"I've decided to search for our friends and check in on them. It's been so long since I've seen the others besides the Thunder Legion, Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane." 

"Fair enough, Spike. After a few more jobs, I'll resume my training at Mt. Ivor. I hope to see you there." 

"You will. Or at the least, you'll see me when I teleport you," Spike sees a pathway leading into another town. "I guess this is where we depart?" 

"Yea," Erza nods. She takes a deep breath. It was hard for her to leave Spike the first time months ago. Doing it again is not easy. "I'll see you later, Spike." 

"You okay, Sis?" Spike knows Erza feels troubled. 

"Yea," Erza sighs. "It's hard for me to walk without you. You're my brother. We bled, cried, laughed, and so much more as brother and sister would," Erza can't help but relive the moment when she died at the hands of Midnight Sparkle and nearly left the world of the living. Given a second life to walk among the living. She hasn't spent much time with Spike as a family due to their training with their friends. 

"Is something troubling you, Erza?" Spike notices the tears falling from Erza's left eye. 

Erza sees a bench nearby and sits. Spike follows her and sits next to her. 

"Spike, I suffer from reliving the moments when I died from time to time. I can still feel Midnight Sparkle's hand impaling my chest. At times, I kept thinking that I won't see my friends or you because of her." 

"She's not coming back. I made sure of that. The Crystal Heart gave me the power to finish her. However, I understand the traumatic experience. Before coming to Earth Land, I was a slave, and I suffered many injuries. I nearly drowned when I fell asleep on an ice block. My former friends laughed at my misery, and I had to write a letter to Princess Celestia for Twilight, well Midnight, instead of resting due to a cold. I can't say that I died, but at times, I would suffer from many traumatic experiences."

"How did you stop reliving any of those experiences? Even from the story, you told us when Natsu brought you to the guildhall?" 

"The answer is simple but harder to enact. Focus on the good instead of the bad." 

"That is simple but challenging. Tortured, enslaved, killed," Erza tells Spike more in-depth about her experiences, especially with the torture she endured at the hands of Kyôka. 

"Wow," Spike could only imagine the fear that comes behind the flogging and punishments. "So, does being alone bring those traumatic experiences more?" 

Erza admittedly nods. "Yes."

"How often are you alone?" Spike wants to know where Erza stands. 

"When I'm not working with Gajeel and Panther Lily or with members of Mermaid Heel and Sabertooth, I'm alone a few days out of the week. I reread your letters for comfort while trying to find the others from time to time." 

"Do you have to go on this job?" 

Erza thought about it for a few moments. "No. The job would have been with Gajeel and Panther Lily. I'm sure the two can handle it with ease. It's a scouting mission." 

"Would you like to spend some time as a family?" Spike asks, hoping it'll cheer Erza up. 

"Yes," Erza said with no hesitation. 

Spike and Erza get off the bench and head into town together. They see an arcade where they can play pool. Spike is not a good player, but Erza teaches him the fundamentals. After a few practice games, they play a competitive one. The people within the arcade crowd the table where Erza and Spike are playing. Erza scares the people due to the unwanted attention. Spike couldn't help but laugh at the horrid faces of people after seeing Erza's vicious glare. 

Spike did not defeat Erza in their game of pool though he was close to winning. Erza did not hold back and was surprised to see how quickly Spike adapted to the game. Spike and Erza played a few arcade games before heading to a restaurant. Erza wanted to try the new strawberry cake special the restaurant had. Spike orders two slices of the cake. He and Erza devour their piece after claiming how good it was. 

Spike and Erza leave the restaurant. They bump into Cana, Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka. Cana spills her liquor bottle. 

"Whoops, sorry," Spike apologizes to Cana. 

"Yay! The Fairy Dragon is here," Asuka says in delight. 

"Hey, Master. Long time no see," Bisca said, holding Asuka. 

"Nice to see you, Erza," Alzack said. 

"Man, I wasn't done with that," Cana burps. She's a bit drunk at the moment. 

"So, what brings you here?" Erza asks Alzack and Bisca. 

"Oh, gathering supplies with the Jewels we have left," Alzack answers. 

"How much do you have left?" Spike asks. He wants to know where they stand. 

"Just enough to last a few more days. We're on our way to Lamia Scale to apply for work," Bisca replies. 

"A few days?" Spike is nervous about their situation. 

"70,000 Jewels is all we have left," Cana burps. "I can use another drink." 

"No, Cana. We're not spending our remaining Jewels on more booze," Alzack strictly says. He wants to be sure there's enough for Asuka to eat. 

"Here," Spike lends Alzack and Bisca 400,000 Jewels. 

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon," Asuka gratefully says. 

"Thanks, Master. It'll do nicely," Alzack appreciates Spike's kindness. 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles. "I don't mind helping out my friends in Fairy Tail." 

"What were you doing before?" Erza asks Alzack and Bisca. 

"Training hard. Bisca and I practiced our sharpshooting while Cana grew stronger with her card magic." 

"Also, teaching our Asuka magic with sharpshooting," Bisca replies. 

"Yea, I beat mommy and daddy shooting birds and fishies from the skies," Asuka smiles. 

"Wing Fish." Erza shutters at the mention of Wing Fish. The horrible flavor the creature brings. 

"You know how to get to Lamia Scale from here?" Spike asks Alzack, Bisca, and Cana. 

"Well, it's a long travel, but we'll manage," Alzack replies. 

"Think you can buy me a drink, Master?" Cana asks. She's becoming sober a bit. 

"Sure," Spike gives Cana 200,000 Jewels. "Please, be mindful of how much you spend." 

"I will," Cana goes to a bar next to the restaurant Spike and Erza were. 

"And there she goes," Erza sighs. She hopes Cana doesn't blow the money Spike gave her in one go. 

"Have you seen the others recently?" Spike asks Bisca and Alzack. 

"Not really, Master," Alzack said. He now takes Asuka from Bisca to hold. 

"Anyway, we need to get moving," Bisca said. 

"What about the drunken lady, mommy?" Asuka asks. 

"She'll catch up," Bisca said, hoping that her daughter doesn't start practicing Cana's drinking habits. 

"Erza, can you ensure Cana gets to Lamia Scale intact?" 

"Yes, Spike. I'll make sure Cana gets to Lamia Scale. I'm guessing you'll be on your way?" 

"Right after I do this," Spike hugs Erza. "I'll see you soon, Sis." 

"Thank you, Spike," Erza smiles. She'll focus more on the good than her horrid memories. 

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon, for helping us!" Asuka waves while Bisca and Alzack leave the town. 

"See you around, Erza," Spike flaps his wings. 

"Yes, you will," Erza enters the bar to keep a close eye on Cana. 

Spike takes off and heads north. After three hours of flying, he enters a snowy region of Fiore and gets the shivers. "Well, this place is colder. Similar to Mt.Hakobe blizzards." 

"Ice-Make Geyser!" Gray shouts and creates a tower of ice spikes at Juvia. He's shirtless and pantless. 

"Water Cyclone!" Juvia unleashes water torrents at Gray. 

The impact of the two attacks collides and causes a rift. A fusion of Gray and Juvia's spell hits Spike, and he crashes lands into the snow. Spike winds up rolling down, creating a snowball that gets larger. 

"Gray, my love. Heads up!" Juvia points to the snowball rolling their way.

"Huh?" Gray turns back and gets swallowed by the snowball. 

Juvia sidesteps the snowball. "Give me my beloved back!" Juvia chases the snowball down the hill. 

Spike and Gray get dizzy while the snowball continues to grow in size. The snowball crashes into a tree, freeing Spike and Gray from the dizziness. 

"Man, that hurt," Gray rubs his head. 

"Tell me about it," Spike rubs his head. "I'm dizzy from that rolling around." 

Juvia catches up and sees Gray and Spike. "Hello, Spike. What brings you here?" 

"Checking in on my friends after the Crocus Cook-Off got called off," Spike sneezes a bit. "I didn't hear much from you two since coming back home from Equestria. Have you been getting my letters?" 

"Uh, about that, Spike," Gray explains that he and Juvia used Spike's letters for keeping their fire going inside the cabin they reside. 

Spike groans a bit. "Well, at least they were useful in some way for the two of you." 

"Sorry, Spike," Juvia said. 

"Also, how did you end up in that snowball?" Gray asks. He stands and stretches. 

"I got hit by one of your attacks," Spike shamefully replies. 

"Oh, c'mon. That's something you could have dodged," Gray said. He remembers many times Spike can sense and dodge incoming attacks. 

"I don't have Fairy Rage's awareness. It's been different for me." 

Gray and Juvia have forgotten entirely that Fairy Rage was the one who would usually sense something heading Spike's way. The two lower their heads. 

"Sorry, Spike," Gray and Juvia said. They didn't mean to bring up Fairy Rage's name as a painful reminder. 

"It's okay. Hope it's alright if I train with you two for a while." 

"Not at all. Come with us to the cabin, Spike," Juvia said. 

"Yea, we're done with our training for the day," Gray said. 

Spike follows Gray and Juvia to a cabin they've been residing. It's nice and cozy. There's good heat. Spike sits down on a chair and explains all that has happened to him since Gray and Juvia departed months ago. Gray and Juvia are astonished to hear that Spike met his mother and partook in Crocus' Cook-Off. After two hours of explaining the story, Spike decides to make soup for his friends. For Juvia and Gray, it'll be a nice meal they had since stopping by at a restaurant for food last week. They are thin with funding for the time being. Spike tells Gray and Juvia he'll be staying for two weeks and will give them enough Jewels to last a month or so unless they decide to get jobs. 

After having a good meal and catching up on recent events, Spike, Gray, and Juvia decide to call it a day and rest. Spike writes a letter to Wendy, telling her he'll be training with Gray and Juvia for a while. He'll come to see her soon.
> Spike vs Gildarts 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been an amazing few months for Spike the Fairy. He's been traveling around Fiore, meeting up with his friends and training them here and there. 

When Spike trained hard with Juvia and Gray in the snowy regions, he would sleep in the snow for his body to adapt to the coldness of any blizzard. He, Gray, and Juvia have learned a few new unison raid attacks that work well when they come against opponents in the future. After two weeks, Spike gave Gray and Juvia 300,000 Jewels before teleporting to Mt.Ivor. 

When Spike arrived at Mt.Ivor, he found Erza and Cana training together. Spike promised Erza to train with her, and so he did. Spike and Erza train hard with their swords, getting into intense physicalities during one-on-one sessions and close-quarter combats. Erza gives Spike advice, suggestions, and helpful tips when using his sword. Spike and Cana were perfect for each other. Spike uses his Energy Maker Magic to help strengthen Cana's magic power with her card magic. To some degree, Cana's card magic manages to sting and hurt Spike during their sparring sessions. Spike allowed himself to take the punishment. He's pushing his body to take more damage so he can be more durable. Spike figures with Acnologia's physique, he must have had brutal fights and challenges against some dragons, including his Uncle, Zirconis. Spike spent three weeks with Erza and Cana before departing. 

Spike reunited with Gajeel and Panther Lily. He caught them during their break away from the Rune Knights. Spike, Gajeel, and Panther Lily waste no time going into their training. Gajeel tapped into his Iron Shadow Dragon Mode while Spike increased his size to spar better. Gajeel's and Spike's strength and magic power multiplied when they took their sparring to the next level. Spike and Panther Lily sparred in close-quarter combat and using their swords. Like Erza, Panther Lily gave Spike tactics when sword-fighting to his advantage. Gajeel listens to what Panther Lily told Spike during their time together. Spike spent three weeks with the two before departing. 

Spike found Nab, Warren, Max Alors, and Vjeeter training together near a gorge. They were thrilled to see Spike and were hoping to train and catch up with him. Max Alors' sand magic went up by the storm, and during his training session with Spike, Max Alors' sand magic blindsided Spike though he wasn't strong enough to defeat Spike during their sparring. Spike used his hearing and felt the vibrations around. He defeated Max Alors. Warren told Spike about his telepathy. He can use his telepathy to stretch for miles on end. Vjeeter can fight better using his dancing. He perfected martial art through the way of dance. Nab's Animal Possession Magic didn't soar high as expected when Warren, Max, and Vjeeter told Spike that Nab had been lazying around most of the time. Spike gave encouraging words for Nab to hear and inspired him to train hard with his friends. As Master of the Fairy Tail Guild, Spike took it upon himself to help Nab go over the hump and focus on improving himself for the month. After spending a month and a half with the four, Spike gave them 700,000 Jewels and departed.  

Spike met with Team Shadow Gear at Oak Town. Team Shadow Gear at the time; completed a job. Team Shadow Gear is sustainable money-wise. Magic-wise, Jet and Droy are a bit lacking with their training. Levy has improved more with her Solid Script Magic. Like Spike did with Nab, Spike took it upon himself to help train Jet and Droy. He encouraged them while setting goals for the two to succeed. Jet can now run faster than before while Droy's Plant Magic elevated to newer peaks. Spike spent two weeks with Team Shadow Gear before departing. 

Spike met with Laxus and the Thunder Legion at the Akane Beach Resort. It turns out they returned there for a second training session by the beach after going on many jobs with the Blue Pegasus Guild. Spike wastes no time in giving Laxus a rematch during their sparring. Unfortunately, the two drew an unwelcomed crowd to watch them fight. Spike and Laxus' lightning accidentally electrocuted the people when they came a bit too close to the attention. The people didn't die but sent to the hospital. Spike and the Thunder Legion decide to isolate themselves from the beach, so no one intrudes and interrupts their training. Spike's training with the Thunder Legion was more intense and brutal than any other training session he's been with his friends. Laxus, Bickslow, Freed, and Evergreen push themselves beyond their limits to improve their skills. Spike didn't relent and gave everything to help the Thunder Legion. Spike winded up having bruises, and he loved it. Spike knows his friends were enjoying the intense workout. After spending two months with the Thunder Legion, Spike departed with bruises on his body. 

Spike finally meets up with Wendy and Carla at the Lamia Scale Guildhall. He was there for work and to catch up with his beloved. Wendy kissed and hugged Spike after missing him for so long. Carla has improved so much with her training. She achieved the transformation she desired and learned many new spells to go along with it. Wendy heals Spike after noticing many bruises on his body. He explains everything to Wendy despite sending her letters every night during his train sessions with friends. Carla was so happy to see Wendy's face light up like fireworks. Wendy tells Spike she and Sherria will be singing soon at a concert. Wendy hopes Spike can make it. Spike, without a doubt, says he'll be there in a heartbeat. All he needs is the date to be there. Wendy gives Spike the concert's date and hopes to go on a date after her singing. Spike made a promise to date Wendy with no interruptions in the way after hearing her sing. After going on several jobs with Wendy, Carla, and Sherria, Spike told Wendy he wanted to finish his training with a few more friends. The concert's date is four months away, giving Spike a bit more time to reconnect with his friends and train. Spike stood by the Lamia Scale for a month and a half before leaving. 

Spike met up with Wakaba, Macao, and Romeo by Hargeon. They are working with Popeye, delivering cargo. Wakaba, Macao, and Romeo have informed Spike they were training hard for many months. They're going to work for a while before the final two months arrive. Spike understood and left them be. He expects the trio to come to Magnolia when the year of training is over.

Spike met with Lucy in Crocus. Lucy's literature and magic power rose since Spike saw Lucy after his interview. The two caught up with everything they went through. It turns out that Lucy has a few days off from work. Spike and Lucy spent those days reconnecting and training. Spike notices that Lucy's magic power increases and multiplies tremendously when she works with her Zodiac Spirits. Lucy's Zodiac Spirits give Spike a run for his money when Spike sparred with Lucy to see where she stands on magic power. Unbeknown to them, Jason of Sorcerery Weekly took snapshots and self-documented the sparring. To his shock and amazement, he believes the Fairy Tail Guild as a whole has become more powerful and could take on any foe. Jason also noticed Spike and Lucy's brother-sister relationship in-depth. He decided to give Lucy a month off the very next day. Lucy was perplexed but didn't question it. Jason's excuse for the reasoning was due to her impressive literature and position in her job. Spike and Lucy spent a month training and spending more time like a family. Spike tells Lucy he'll see her real soon. Lucy smiled while watching Spike fly out of Crocus. She'll see him sooner than later. 

Spike enters Eden's Forest for the first time in ten months. He's excited to visit the cave where his mother Amy conceived him as an egg. Spike senses someone with prodigious magic power entering Eden's Forest. 

"Who could that be?" Spike decides to investigate the magic power within Eden's Forest. 

"Fairy Dragon. It's been a while," Gildarts said. He's a few feet in front of Spike. 

"Hey, Gildarts. Long time no see, how are you doing?" 

"Fine. I ran into Natsu and Happy the other day. They were telling me you're the new Guild Master. Is that true, or were they pulling my leg?"

"It's true, Gildarts. I spoke with Makarov nearly a year ago to not disband the guild. I gave him more than enough reasoning to keep the guild together. I mentioned that I will outlive most and will provide knowledge and wisdom. Makarov saw how determined I was, and I think he figured me out that I would unite the guild the very next second after he disbanded it."

"Make sense. So tell me, what's Makarov doing?" 

"He's on his quest and wishes to be left undisturbed. I contacted him a few times, and he grew annoyed." 

Gildarts chuckles. "Sounds like the old man wants his rest. So, tell me, Fairy Dragon. What are you doing out here?" 

"Going into the cave, my mother conceived me as an egg." 

"What?!" Gildarts said in shock. 

"What did Natsu tell you?" Spike wants to know what Gildarts knows. 

"He told me about his training, his last adventure of going into that world you came from, and mentioned that you were born in Earth Land." 

"Yea, you missed out on many fights and wars the guild went into," Spike said. 

"I would have crushed that Midnight Sparkle fellow if I were there. Hate to say that I'm mad about missing out on the fun. Sorry for your loss, though," Gildarts sounds sincere while referring to Fairy Rage.  

"Thanks," Normally, Spike would be upset by the mention of Fairy Rage. Not anymore. 

"So, what were you planning to do in that cave of yours?" 

"There's a ton of energy within the cave, and I intend on honing my magic through meditation. I plan on staying there for a few weeks before going back to the Lamia Scale Guildhall." 

"Why heading back to the Lamia Scale Guildhall, Spike?" 

"Wendy is singing in the concert with Sherria. No way I'm missing on that. What are you planning to do?" 

Gildarts smirks. "Fairy Dragon. I have a proposition for you," Gildarts tosses his bag aside and steps forward. 

Spike increases into the size of Laxus. He knows what Gildarts may want. His arms, his legs, his tail are expanding. His arms grow muscular, his chest and stomach are becoming ripped. Spike's scales on his head expand into a pointer spike. His teeth grow into fangs, and his wings extend.

"So, I reckon you accept my challenge?" Gildarts stares at Fairy Dragon, preparing himself for the real rematch. 

"You know it. I won't hold back either!" Spike powers up. His Sparkling Green Energy engulfs his body. 

"I would be insulted if you do!" Gildarts roars and powers up; his magic energy engulfs his body, leaving a shade and red eyes in vision. 

The magic power from the two intensifies while the trees and branches sway and blows. Natsu and Happy are not far and can feel the intensity rising. 

"Whoa, Natsu! You feel that?!" Happy said; he's astounded to sense the magic power continuing to rise. 

"That's Gildart's magic! As for who the other is, I'm not sure. Let's go find out, Happy!" Natsu runs off. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy flies and follows Natsu to the source. 

Gildarts and Spike charge at each other; The two are fighting immensely in close-quarter combat. The impact from the two caused several trees around the area to get obliterated. Gildarts land a few good hits on Spike as Spike does the same. The two hurl back a bit and pant a bit. Spike and Gildarts didn't anticipate being on an impasse so quickly. They press on with the assault to try and gain the upper hand. 

Gildarts uses his crash magic to punch Spike in the face. Spike grabs Gildarts' punch with his tail and pulls him close to gut-punch Gildarts. Spike ax chops Gildarts' head and breathes fire to hurl him into a tree. The tree falls on Gildarts. 

"Impressive, Fairy Dragon," Gildarts gets up, wiping the leaves off his face. "Not good enough!" Gildarts chucks the tree at Spike and runs at him. As anticipation, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the tree away, thus allowing Gildarts to uppercut Spike. "Gotcha now!" Gildarts grab Spike's tail and slam him on the ground repeatedly. Then, he kicks him in the stomach. It was Spike's turn to crash into several trees. 

Spike gets up and lifts the trees. He chuckles. "Impressive, Gildarts." 

"Don't flatter me, Fairy Dragon. This battle is not over." 

"You're right," Spike flies at Gildarts. 

"Typical, Fairy Dragon," Gildarts extends his arm, shooting an energy wave of crash magic in Spike's direction. 

Spike smirks. "Perfect timing." 

"What?!" Gildarts sees Spike grabbing onto the energy wave Gildarts used for his crash magic. 

"Explosion Crashing Cataclysm!" Spike presses on the ground using Gildarts' magic, creating an eruption under Gildart's feet. The earth that rose has Sparkling Green Exploding particles. It explodes all around Gildarts. 

Gildarts land on the ground. He receives some bleedings from the impact. "You made me bleed, Fairy Dragon," Now Gildarts is serious. "This means war!"  

Spike claps his claws, creating a metallic flame sword. "I thought you weren't going to hold back?" 

Gildarts and Spike charge at each other a second time, fighting once more in close-quarter combat. This time, Gildarts shatters Spike's sword before Spike can use any magic effect. Gildarts punches Spike repeatedly, each blow getting stronger by the second. Spike then grabs Gildarts punch. Spike flies and drags Gildarts on the ground roughly. 

"I had enough!" Gildarts punches the ground, shattering Spike's flight movements into releasing him. "Now you're going down!" 

"Phew phew," Spike mimics his claws like guns to shoot flaming bullets at Gildarts. 

Gildarts leaps in the air and extends his hand, shooting another wave of crash magic at Spike. Spike flies and outmaneuver's Gildart's crash magic. 

Natsu and Happy arrive and see Spike and Gildarts brawling. Natsu and Happy feel like a Déjà vu scenario watching them fight. Natsu sees Spike burrowing under Gildarts' skin, avoiding the full effect of his Crash Magic.  

"Ice Spike!" Spike creates an ice spike from the ground. Gildarts uses the tip of the ice spike to elevate his jump. Spike flies at Gildarts while his claw is ablaze in lightning and fire. "Lightning Inferno Flame!" 

"Simmer down!" Gildarts uses his crash magic on Spike. Spike crashes onto the ground, hard. Gildarts land on Spike. He punches left and right on Spike's face. 

"Demolition Fist!" Spike's claw is still ablaze in lightning and fire. He punches Gildarts off his body; Gildarts crashes into a thorn bush. Spike gets up and raises his claw. "Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike conjures many ice missiles with his Sparkling Green Flames inside. 

Gildarts gets up and sees the ice missiles. "Oh, crap!" Gildarts punches the ground. Gildarts' crash magic causes Spike to stumble a bit. "Now's my chance!" Gildarts runs up to Spike, preparing to land the finishing blow with his crash magic. 

Spike flaps his wings and flies. He finishes conjuring a hundred ice missiles. "Launch!" Spike unleashes the ice missiles on Gildarts. 

Gildarts releases more waves of his crash magic in energy form to shatter the ice missiles. It explodes, causing the area to freeze, burn, and come up in smoke. Natsu and Happy's jaws drop by watching the extravaganza. They are stunned to see how Spike and Gildarts are faring for a spar. Gildarts prepares himself for another attack when he sees Spike wearing a cloak made of ice while wielding an ice scythe. He steps out of the smoke. 

"What are you?" Gildarts is in awe, seeing another transformation from Spike for the first time. 

"I am the Ice Reaper Dragon. Now, your end has arrived," Spike said in a calm and chilling tone. 

"How so?" Gildarts questions Spike's statement. 

Spike uses his Ice Scythe to draw a circle in front of him. Spike conjures his fire breath. "Ice Reaper Dragon! Rooooooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his fire breath into the circle he drew. His flames turn into ice shards heading directly at Gildarts. 

Gildarts rolls out of the way. He sees the ice shards shredding the trees behind him like a hot knife going through butter. "Holy Shit!" Gildarts sees the full effect of Spike's attack and wonders what else Spike has in store. 

Natsu and Happy were a few feet away from the ice shards. They can't believe what they saw from Spike and wonder if he trained with Gray. Happy nearly lost an ear due to one of the ice shards. 

Spike flies at Gildarts. Gildarts tries to shatter Spike's ice scythe but has difficulties shattering the scythe than the sword. The sword was easier to grab, while the ice scythe maneuvered different movements. Spike slashes Gildarts' side, causing Gildarts to yelp in pain. Spike uses the ice scythe to trip Gildarts. Gildarts lay on his back while Spike places the ice scythe near his head like he's ready to reap his soul. 

"Good fight, Gildarts," Spike tosses the ice scythe aside and reaches for his hand. 

"Good fight, Spike," Gildarts grabs Spike's claw, allowing Spike to pull him up. "Damn, Fairy Dragon. You've grown from the last time we fought." 

"Likewise, my friend. So, will you be coming to Magnolia in time to rebuild the guildhall?" 

"Not on time. There's much work that needs to be done," Gildarts lies, but knowing Spike doesn't have Fairy Rage, Spike believes his honesty. 

"Fair enough," Spike takes a breather. "I do hope to see you by the new guildhall soon." 

"Trust me, you will," Now Gildarts is being honest. 

"Spike!" Natsu comes out of hiding. "That was awesome!" 

"Aye!" Happy concurs. He comes out of hiding as well. 

"Enjoyed the show, boys?" Gildarts turns to Natsu and Happy. 

"Aye!" Natsu and Happy said in unison. 

"Well, I better get going. Take care, Fairy Dragon," Gildarts goes to grab his belongings. "See you guys around," Gildarts goes on his way. Spike, Natsu, and Happy wave bye at Gildarts.

"So, before Gildarts and I fought, what were you two doing?" Spike asks. He reverts to size. 

"Training hard, Spike. Happy and I haven't seen you since coming back from Canterlot." 

"Crystal Empire, Natsu," Happy corrects Natsu. 

"Whatever," Natsu shrugs it off. "Since we're here, how about you and I train for the next while? What do you say, Spike?" 

"Sure. There's a cave we can bunk in for the next while. There's a river for us to fish." 

"Fish!" Happy becomes overjoyed by hearing the word fish. He's craving fish and wants to go fishing. "Let's go fishing now!" 

"Now, you're talking! I'm hungry after watching an awesome fight!" Natsu is fired up. 

"And I'm hungry for putting in all that effort against Gildarts. So, I don't see why not for fishing," Spike leads Natsu and Happy to the river and fish for dinner.
> Reuniting the Guild: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up bright and early in the cave of Eden's Forest. He, Natsu, and Happy have spent a lot of time together training for the past month and a half. Natsu and Happy have already packed their belongings. 

"Ready, Spike?" Natsu asks. He's super excited about going to Crocus today. Natsu is wearing a tattered cloak, tattered pants, and his signature scarf since his clothing got scorched due to several unfortunate training sessions with Spike. 

"Yea," Spike stretches. "It should be fun." 

"Aye," Happy Concurs. 

"So, are we walking there, teleporting, flying on your back, or what?" Natsu asks. He wants to know where Spike stands in terms of traveling. 

Spike leaves the cave and shoots a flare marking. He has decided to call it his second home. There are tons of magic energy flowing freely even after consuming it to grow stronger throughout his time in Eden's Forest. 

"Let's fly," Spike increases into a full-size dragon. 

"NOW WE'RE TALKING!" Natsu shouts in excitement and hops on Spike's back. 

"Aye!" Happy flies and lands on Spike's back. 

"Hold on tight!" Spike jumps and flaps his wings. He soars in the skies at rapid speeds. 

Spike flies high in the skies. Natsu is upset that Fairy Tail will not defend their title for the Grand Magic Game this year. However, Spike has decided to allow Natsu to make a grand entrance and fight against the winner of this year's Grand Magic Games.  

Within five hours of flight, Spike lands in Crocus. The entire town is empty due to the Grand Magic Games. Spike reverts to size while Natsu and Happy hop off. 

"Any idea of sneaking us in?" Happy asks. 

Spike notices a newspaper on the ground with today's stat-sheet for the Grand Magic Games. "Only two guilds are left. Dullahan and Scarmiglione." 

"Who?" Natsu scratches the back of his head. 

"According to the newspaper, Scarmiglione is a guild that's known for making comebacks. If I didn't know better, I say they're the stronger guild for this year's Grand Magic Games." 

"Perfect," Natsu punches his palm in adrenaline. He's spoiling for a fight.

"Any way of getting inside the coliseum?" Happy asks. 

"Considering these are the only two guilds competing, I should have no problem teleporting us to Fairy Tail Team B's suite. From there, Natsu can do his thing." 

"I'm fired up now!" Natsu chuckles. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Natsu, Happy, and himself to the suite he mentioned. Luckily for them, no one is present, allowing Natsu to roam freely. Spike and Happy see the two guilds battling. It ends in seconds as Scarmiglione dominates Dullahan. 

"Huh, you were right, Spike," Happy finds the Dullahan guild pathetic.  

"It was an assumption. Though, it was a theory as well," Spike scours the crowd in search for Lucy, knowing she's an editor for Sorcerer Weekly. 

"There she is," Spike points to Lucy. She's next to Jason of Sorcerer Weekly on the other side. 

"Let's go and surprise her," Spike leaves the suite. 

"Aye, Sir," Happy follows Spike. 

With Scarmiglione winning the Grand Magic Games, Natsu enters the battlefield with steam emitting his surrounding; Still wearing his cloak but having his hood down. Lucy watches and becomes horrified with the figure's magic power while not knowing it's Natsu in disguised. Natsu one-shots the Scarmiglione guild by shooting large amounts of intense fire at them. The intensity of Natsu's flames causes the arena to melt like butter and the clothing of everyone in the crowd to deteriorate. Natsu then unveils himself, exposing himself to the fans and anyone daring to fight him. 

Lucy's clothing deteriorates, and she has to cover herself. She and Jason are astonished to see Natsu. Jason thrilling shouts. 

"Hey, it's been a while," Happy approaches Lucy. "How you're doing?" 

Lucy turns around. "Happy, you're back." 

"I'm not alone either," Happy said. 

Spike walks up to Lucy. "Hey, Sis. It's been a while," Spike smiles. 

"Likewise. I'm glad to see you two and Natsu doing well. Speaking of, why is Natsu attacking the Scarmiglione guild?" Lucy asks Spike, knowing he has the answers. 

"Since I've decided that Fairy Tail will not be competing this year, I allowed Natsu to take on the winner of the Grand Magic Games. Can't help but say that the Scarmiglione didn't last ten seconds with Natsu." 

"Whoever wants a piece, come get some!" Natsu shouts. He sees more wizards coming to fight him. 

Spike casts a protection ring on Lucy, so Natsu's flames don't apply any damage to her clothing or her skin. Lucy hears a clicking sound in her head. She has forgotten that sound whenever Spike casts a protection ring. Natsu obliterates every wizard, causing them to flee from the arena. After the carnage, Natsu and Lucy lock eyes for the first time in a year. 

"Hey, good to see you, Lucy. How's it going?" Natsu asks. 

"Pretty good, Natsu," Lucy smiles. 

Royal Soldiers come into the arena and arrest him for melting the coliseum and crashing the Grand Magic Games. Spike swoops down and tells the Royal Soldiers it's his idea for Natsu to step into the arena after the final showdown. The Royal Soldiers take Natsu, Happy, and Spike to Mercurius while Lucy leaves to change her clothes. 

Ten minutes later. Spike, Natsu, and Happy are in the throne room of Mercurius. Toma E. Fiore and Princess Hisui sit on their thrones while Darton, Arcadios, and several Royal Soldiers stand in attention. Princess Hisui has her Spike the Fairy plush next to her. 

"Fairy Dragon, Natsu, Happy. I, Toma E. Fiore, have decided to give you a pardon." 

"Dude," Natsu whispers in Happy's ear. "She has a Spike the Fairy plush." 

"She must love him," Happy giggles in a whispering tone. 

"Did I hear that right?" A Royal Soldier is perplexed. "We're going to set them free?" 

"Yes," Toma E. Fiore formally replies. 

"It was my idea for allowing Natsu to challenge the winner of the Grand Magic Games since I withdrew the guild from competing this year," Spike explains to the King and Princess.  

"No need to explain, Fairy Dragon. I admire your enthusiasm since this year's Grand Magic Games were on the boring side," Toma E. Fiore admits.

"You can't be serious, your highness? This barbarian caused major damage to the coliseum," Another Royal Soldier exclaims. 

"Sorry about that. I guess; I should have held back a little," Natsu laughs a bit. 

"Shut your mouth," Darton coldly commands. 

"Chill out," Natsu replies to Darton in annoyance. 

"It's great seeing you three again. You've done so much for us and all of Fiore, so we'll give you this pardon," Princess Hisui formally expresses. The Royal Soldiers are conflicted with the Princess' decree. They were hoping to give Natsu some sort-of punishment. "So, what are you planning to do now?" 

"Since it's been a year, it's time to round up our friends and rebuild our guildhall," Natsu answers. 

"Yea, it's going to be good. Fairy Tail is rising after a year of hiatus," Spike said. 

"We wish you luck, Fairy Tail," Toma E. Fiore said. 

"Hope to see you soon," Princess Hisui waves at them. 

"You'll see us soon, your highness. Bye," Spike waves back while he, Natsu, and Happy leave. 

Lucy is outside waiting for Spike, Natsu, and Happy. Lucy is amazed that Natsu is not in jail for the stunt he pulled, even though it's Spike's idea. 

"So, you came to commentate the games or document them?" Natsu asks. He's aware that Lucy works with Sorcerer Weekly. 

"Document with Jason. Say, wanna grab a bite to eat? My treat," Lucy offers. Natsu and Happy bow down and worship Lucy like a goddess. Spike couldn't help but laugh. 

Lucy leads the guys to a restaurant nearby Mercurius. Natsu and Happy gorge themselves while sitting across from Lucy and Spike at the table. 

"Tell me, did you guys have anything to eat in Eden's Forest?" Lucy asks Spike. 

"We ate a lot of fish and some wild animals. During our time in Eden's Forest, I didn't want to leave the cave unless it was to go hunting or fishing. I was zoned-in on harnessing my magic power through mediation or sparring with Natsu."

"So, this is the first time in a while since you had a meal like this?" 

"Yea, Lucy," Spike eats his chicken wings. "I had the Jewels to pop into towns nearby to buy food. As I said, I was zoned-in for the final stretch of my training."

"Spike is one powerful dragon. He and I fought many times," Natsu said while eating with his mouth full. 

"Disgusting, Natsu. Don't talk with your mouth full," Lucy has forgotten about Natsu's manners while eating. 

"Sorry," Natsu swallows his food. "Anyway, Spike and I have done some wicked, hardcore training during the month and a half. We pushed each other to the limits." 

"I saw how it unfolds; the two brawled in hand-to-claw combat and with their magic power. It was like the Dragon King Festival all over again," Happy said. 

"Wow, it must have been fierce and exhilarating," Lucy replies. 

"No kidding. However, the forest we were in, no matter the damages Spike and Natsu have created, it heals itself." 

"Wow," Lucy is in shock. "I guess that's why it's called Eden's Forest. No matter what, it'll be as beautiful as ever." 

"Aye," Happy agrees with Lucy's statement. 

"Hey, mind if we sleepover at your place, Lucy?" Spike asks. 

"Sure, Spike. You, Natsu, and Happy can sleepover." 

Happy and Natsu bow down and worship Lucy like a goddess again. They are excited to sleep on something better than rocks in a cave. Spike couldn't help but laugh again. 

Lucy takes Spike, Natsu, and Happy to her apartment in Crocus. Natsu and Happy take a good hot bath for the first time in ages. Lucy laid some ground rules for Natsu and Happy, which they broke immediately. The rest of the day goes by smoothly. Natsu, Happy, Spike, and Lucy share stories about their ventures during the year while playing a few board games in which Lucy won. 

It's the middle of the night. Lucy is sleeping in her bed; Spike is sleeping in a sleeping bag. Happy is asleep on a couch pillow while Natsu is wide awake. Natsu taps on Spike's head to wake him up. 

"Something wrong, Natsu?" Spike yawns a little. 

"When do we bring the guild back together again?" Natsu asks. 

"Less than two weeks. In case some have forgotten about the due date or held back by work, or experiencing other delays. Why do you ask?" 

Natsu is scheming an idea. "Just curious is all. I tend to forget at times."

"No fooling," Spike goes back to sleep. 

Hours later. Spike and Lucy are awake and hear the commotion outside. It's 9:30 in the morning, and they are hundreds of Royal Soldiers. 

"What did you do?" Spike turns to Natsu, fully clothed, looking better than ever. 

"So, they found us out already," Natsu said. 

"Aye, Sir," Happy concurs. 

"The army came looking for you!" Lucy said in shock and anger. 

"I'll ask again, what did you do?" Spike asks Natsu. 

Natsu grabs Lucy's hand. "Let's get moving!" Natsu drags Lucy outside. Spike and Happy follow the two while the Royal Army chases them. 

"Natsu! What did you do! Answer the question!" Lucy demands. She wants to know what Natsu did to draw the Royal Army's attention. 

Natsu laughs. "I left a message about Fairy Tail on Mercurius in fire!" 

"What?!" Spike and Lucy shriek at the idea of it. 

"Relax, Spike and Lucy. The fire will go away, and nothing will get burned down," Happy said.  

"It's time to bring the guild back home. No more delays!" Natsu said. 

"Let's do it!" Spike shouts with pride. 

"Alright, Master! Wooo!" Natsu shouts and laughs with glee. 

"Yea!" Lucy shouts. She's happy and excited for the next chapter as a Fairy Tail Wizard. "It's time to bring the family back together."

Spike, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy flee out of Crocus. Though in hindsight, Spike could have flown them out but chose not to.

The sun shines on a beautiful day. Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy walk in the open plains and see a mountain on the horizon. 

"Hey, Spike. Can we fly on your back, heading to our destinations?" Natsu asks. 

"Nah, we can use the walk and sightsee where we're going," Spike replies. 

"Sounds good. It'll be like the good ole days of traveling. Who knows, maybe we'll take a train," Lucy said. 

"Ah! No! Thinking of trains make me sick," Natsu thinks about it and gets motion sickness already. 

"Don't worry. Any location that needs travel by train, I'll fly us there," Spike said. 

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver," Natsu said in relief. 

Spike, Lucy, Happy, and Natsu have a good laugh while they travel to reunite the guild.
> Reuniting the Guild: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours while walking in the open fields, heading towards a mountain, Natsu starts complaining that his stomach feels sad and empty. 

"I guess I can give you my fish and eat it," Happy suggests while flying steadily next to Spike. 

"Eh, not unless it's been cooked," Natsu replies. 

"Are you crazy!? Fish is yummiest at its best when raw and slimy," Happy starts drooling at the idea of eating fish raw. 

"I gotta wonder how many times I heard this exact same argument before," Lucy said, a little annoyed of the two bickerings. 

"I heard the two complain about a month and a half straight before coming to Crocus, Lucy," Spike said. "It's like having an alarm clock. It rings annually and routinely."

"Lucy, Spike, are we there yet?" Natsu asks while his belly growls louder.

"Just a little bit farther, Natsu," Lucy said. 

A gigantic wild boar stands on its two hooves, looking adorable looks down at Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy. Lucy shrieks. 

"Whoa, that thing is huge and so adorable," Lucy admits. 

"Wait, I think I know what kind of monster it is. First, it lures people in with its fluffy fur; then it gobbles them up in a single bite," Happy said. On cue, the gigantic boar roars, revealing a hundred razor-sharp teeth. 

Spike roars so loud he scares the gigantic boar. Then, he increases his size into a full-size dragon. The boar looks up in shock and horror. It realized it made a mistake on trying to eat Spike's friends. 

"Hey, Natsu. A pig that big is delicious," Happy said to entice Natsu into cooking it. 

"Oh yea, now we're talking!" Natsu punches the boar so hard the landscape around explodes. Natsu stands on top while the boar twitches. Now it knows it made a fatal mistake. "He's going in my belly, pronto!" Natsu shouts in triumph. 

"You better share," Spike said. 

Nightfall approaches. Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy have already set up camp. Natsu is eating a slab of the boar with Spike and Lucy. Happy is eating his fish. 

"Nothing like a meal you make yourself," Natsu said while enjoying his fill. He ate most of the boar. 

"Thank you for heating up the meat," Spike takes a bite from his slab. "Who knew this monster had better taste compared to the other animals we hunted." 

"I agree. From the stories you told, this monster tastes great," Lucy said. She remembers the worst animal she ate, Wing Fish. The food made her cringe. 

"Wing Fish, right?" Spike asks Lucy. 

Lucy sighs. "Yea, it tasted horrible." 

"Maybe I should cook it with my flames," Spike suggests. 

"No offense, I highly doubt your flames can make Wing Fish edible," Happy states while eating his fish. 

"My flames made a cookie to die for," Spike reminds his friends. 

"Man, you need to make more of those," Natsu said while eating with his mouth full. 

"In due time, I will, Natsu. Right now, we're rounding our friends." 

"No, right now, we're eating," Natsu corrects Spike, taking another bite of his slab. 

Spike rolls his eyes with a chuckle. The rest of the night goes with retelling tales of their previous adventures and getting excited to create new ones when the guild comes back together. It's the dawn of a new day. Natsu and Lucy start packing. 

"Guys, we're teleporting to the Lamia Scale Guildhall in Margaret Town," Spike informs his friends. 

"Why there?" Natsu wonders why there of all places. 

"I don't want to be late for a concert," Spike said. He remembers what Wendy told him before going to Eden's Forest. 

"Okay, then," Lucy said now that she's finished packing her belongings. 

After ten minutes, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends and himself to the Lamia Scale Guildhall. There's a ton of festivities going on, especially with Lamia Scale. Today is Thanksgiving Day. Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy arrive in the back of a large crowd. Sherria and Wendy are standing on stage, getting introduced as the Sky Sisters. Wendy and Sherria wave at their fans before they sing. 

"Wow," Spike mutters. He sees Wendy in a gorgeous white dress, red ribbons, white wings, white thigh highs, and brown shoes. 

"Hold on, if Wendy's here. Where's Carla?" Happy looks around, hoping to find Carla somewhere in the crowd. 

"I thought I see familiar faces in the crowd," Carla walks up to Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Spike. "If it isn't Natsu, Lucy, and the Tomcat. Hey, Spike." 

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy turn to see Carla; they're dumbfounded with Carla's new physique. Carla is a humanoid cat wearing brown shoes, black tights, a red skirt, a green buttondown shirt with a blue tie with a white paw at the bottom, and a blue and white jacket. Her tail has a red ribbon. Her head features white hair and ears. She also has a kitten clip on the left side of her hair. 

Spike laughs at his friends' faces. "That's right. I didn't tell you about her transformation." 

"Thanks for keeping it a secret, Spike. Say, what brings you lot here?" Carla asks. 

"Well, I'm not missing out on my Wendy singing, Carla. Also-" Natsu interrupts Spike's speech. 

"We're bringing the guild back together to rebuild our guildhall!" Natsu shouts. 

While Wendy sings, she overhears Natsu's shouting. Wendy has her eyes on Spike and tries to focus on her singing with Sherria. Spike's attention is on Carla's while laughing at the faces of Natsu, Happy, and Lucy. Wendy stutters with her lyrics before Sherria takes it up a notch with her singing. 

"It's a bit early, isn't it, Master?" Carla looks at Spike. 

"Well, try telling that to Natsu, who is eager to be back with his friends and family again. Plus, I don't mind. It is time to reunite the guild and start rebuilding our home." 

"Alright, Spike. Tomorrow, Wendy and I will be ready to leave with you four. I'm sure by now. Wendy is longing to hold you in her arms." 

On cue, after her singing, Wendy rushes into the crowd and lunges at Spike. She holds him dearly while some of the fans curse at Spike. 

"I missed you so much!" Wendy said, holding her Spike. 

"I missed you too," Spike hugs Wendy. 

"Please, don't separate from me for this long," Wendy wants to be with Spike. She had many nights longing to hold her lovely dragon. 

"Promise," Spike kisses Wendy. Some people in the crowd go aww while others are booing. Some of the guys would want to kiss Wendy. 

"I wish I can share a moment with Carla the way Wendy and Spike are doing." Happy thought to himself. 

Wendy and Spike smile after the kiss. Wendy grabs Spike's claw. "Come, guys. Follow us inside the Lamia Scale Guildhall," Wendy walks with Spike to the guildhall. Carla, Happy, Lucy, and Natsu follow them. 

Lyon, Yuka, Toby, and Sherria are inside the guildhall. They welcome Spike, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy inside. Toby hates the idea of letting Wendy go back when she's been with Lamia Scale for a few months now. 

"Aww, you have to go..?" Sherria is in tears a little. She enjoyed having Wendy around. 

"We can sleepover for the night. Then we'll set our course to the next wave of friends," Spike decrees. 

"Yay!" Sherria is happy to hear the news. Another day to spend time with her Sky Sister. 

"Thanks for housing her, Lyon," Spike said. 

"Anytime, my friend. We fought in many battles, and you saved us from that Midnight Sparkle demon who nearly erased time. We may not be here if it weren't for you." 

"Now, on a different subject," Natsu, Happy, and Lucy turn to Carla. "How the heck are you human?!" 

"I mastered my transformation ability. I read a few books Spike brought from the Magic Library to help me practice. This form increases my magic power. What about you, Happy?" 

"I trained super hard. Now, I'm able to wait a little while before I eat my fishies," Happy drools a bit. 

"How is that... never mind," Carla shakes her head. Why bother to understand Happy's logic. 

"I loved your singing voice, Wendy," Spike said. 

"Thank you, Spike. It means a lot that you came to my performance," Wendy smiles. 

"You like my singing voice, Spike?" Sherria asks. 

"Yea, it was good," Spike honestly says. 

"So, any word on Makarov?" Lyon asks Spike. 

"I tried to get in contact with Makarov. He still wishes to be left alone. I don't know why it's taking so long to do what he needs to do." 

"What is Makarov doing, Spike?" Lucy asks him. 

"Sorry. That's classified." 

"It sucks that we don't have Jura here," Toby said. He remembers like it was yesterday when Lyon and Sherria return to the guildhall without Jura. 

"Man, I'm hungry," Natsu said. 

"Uh, there is plenty of food and drinks in the mess hall. So help yourself," Lyon said. Natsu and Happy rush to the mess hall to eat their fill. 

"Careful, they might pig out," Lucy warns Lyon. 

"Nothing new with us," Lyon calmly replies. 

"We have Toby for that," Yuka said. 

"HEY!" Toby finds it offensive. 

Wendy brings Spike to her room, where she's been sharing with Sherria and Carla. Lyon allows it for this one time. He's aware that the two share a loving embrace. 

Carla and Lucy catch up with all they have been through while Natsu and Happy gorge themselves in the mess hall. Ooba decided to spin Natsu and Happy for eating all of Lamia Scale's crabcakes. 

Sherria enters her room to see Spike and Wendy sitting on the bed. They are talking about possibilities of the future as a couple. Sherria inserts herself into the conversation. Calling herself a Sky Sister Auntie, which made Spike and Wendy laugh. The trio spent hours talking to each other in the room, not noticing time flew by as the sunset. A loud bang disrupts their conversation. Spike, Sherria, and Wendy look out the window to see homes ablaze and explosions happening all over Margaret Town. 

"What's happening?" Spike asks. 

"I know who may be the cause of this. Come on," Sherria runs out the door. Spike and Wendy follow her. They meet with Natsu, Carla, Lucy, Happy, Lyon, Toby, Yuka, and Ooba. "The Orochi Fin Guild has to be the cause of these attacks." 

"What's happening?" Spike asks his friends. 

"Hoard of Monsters are attacking. The Orochi Fin Guild must have planned this when we had our guards down," Lyon is irate. "They're going to pay for this." 

"Lyon, this is the first wave of them," Yuka warns him. "There's a massive swarm coming from the east!" 

"Yea, like a hundred thousand!" Toby shouts. 

"That many..?" Lucy is mesmerized by the number of monsters on its way.

"They must have a monster tamer on their side," Lyon said. 

"I'm on it," Spike flaps his wings. 

"You can't be serious, Spike!" Wendy said in shock. 

"Watch me. Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into Laxus' and roars. He takes flight. 

"Let's go, Carla!" Wendy wants to join Spike in this battle. 

"Right!" Carla grabs Wendy and flies after Spike. 

"Let's go, Happy!" Natsu is fired up and wants to join Spike in this battle. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy is about to grab Natsu when Sherria kicks Natsu's face. 

"Sorry about that, Natsu," Sherria apologizes while Happy goes with it. He's confused while flying Sherria next to Carla. 

Natsu, in a fit of rage, storms after Sherria. A monster hoard enters Margaret Town and doesn't stand a chance against a fuming Fire Dragon Slayer. Natsu takes down each monster to get back at Sherria and take Happy back. 

Spike sees the trail of monsters coming from one direction. The monster tamer and his guildmates are there to watch the carnage. They're in for a rude surprise when they see a dragon coming to fight them. Sherria and Wendy are not far behind Spike. They see the monsters going directly into Margaret Town. Happy and Carla know that Natsu, Lucy, and the rest can hold them off long enough. They are wondering why Spike is not fighting the monsters. 

"Hey boss, look!" One of the members of Orochi Fin's Guild pointed up. 

"Huh?" Orochi Head looks up. His eyes and tongue are yellow in serpentine in appearance. His pale skin is also somewhat peculiar, bearing what appears to be snake skin's markings in the area around and on his nose. He sports a green bowl cut haircut, and a cloak, with the upper part having a rectangular pattern. Under his cloak, he dons a coat. He wears round-shaped earrings. "WHAT THE HELL?!" 

Spike roars and lands in front of the guild. Several members get hurled back from the impact. 

"That's a freaking dragon!" A member of the Orochi Fin's Guild shouts in horror. 

"No. That's the legendary Fairy Dragon..," Another member craps himself, realizing Spike is tougher in person. 

"He's not alone!" Wendy and Sherria drop into the fray and stands by with Spike. They combined their breath attack for a unison raid to blow them away. 

"Nice of you to drop by," Spike said. 

"And miss the opportunity to fight with my boyfriend? No chance," Wendy said. 

"I'm fighting with my Sky Sister. No way I'm letting this one go," Sherria said. 

Carla shows off her skills and attacks a member of Orochi Fin. She uses her White Moon attack. It's a cartwheel maneuver with a dropkick. Her strength for performing the attack knocks out her opponent. Happy watches and does nothing. 

"Meteor Rain!" Spike conjures Sparkling Green Orbs and unleashes it on the guild. He doesn't know which member is the monster tamer, so he's attacking any he sees. The Sparkling Green Orbs explode on contact. 

"That dragon is running amuck with those kids," Orochi Head said. He notices his comrade twitching a bit. "What's wrong?" 

"The girl. That dragon. I've seen them somewhere before," He steps in after remembering his last encounter with them. 

"Wait, are you sure?" Orochi Head asks. He didn't think his comrade had any history with them. 

"I want to see how you fly now," Bluenote Stinger uses his gravity magic to destroy the landscape in front of him. Rocks and debris explode, causing Wendy, Sherria, Spike, Carla, Happy to fall. Several members of the Orochi Fin's Guild also fell. 

Wendy looks up and sees Blutenote Stinger. "No.., it's him again." 

"Oh, dear. That's Bluenote Stinger!" Carla said. "He's from Grimoire Heart!"

Spike stands up. "This is one rematch I'm looking forward to." 

"Hmm," Blutenote Stinger uses his gravity magic on everyone except for Spike. He's wondering why Spike is not affected by his magic power. 

"Spike!" Wendy tries her hardest to look up, but Bluenote Stinger's gravity magic proves to be too much for her to move an inch. 

"Ice Spike," Spike conjures an ice spike under Bluenote Stinger. He dodges and loses focus on his gravity magic. 

"There you are," Natsu grabs Sherria and lifts her up. "What's the big idea with stealing Happy?" 

"I'm sorry about that," Sherria said. 

"Natsu, this isn't the time for such nonsense," Carla said. She's annoyed with Natsu's timely moments of petty. 

Bluenote Stinger powers up in anger. Seeing the faces of the Fairy Tail Guild reminds him more of his defeat at Tenrou Island. "I'll crush you all!" Bluenote's anger gets the better of him. 

"You're not crushing anyone!" Flames engulf Natsu's body. He creates a pillar of molten rock and fire. "You should never mess with Fairy Tail!" 

"Black Hole!" Bluenote extends his arms forwards before himself and before closing his palms together. A dark orb appears in front of him, which creates a gravitational field around itself. It continues to grow larger and immense. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath on Bluenote Stinger. Natsu's fire breath takes out a mountain behind the invading guild. As for Bluenote Stinger, he's scorched and charcoaled from the attack. He falls flat in defeat. 

Everyone except Spike and Happy is stunned beyond belief to see Natsu taking out Bluenote Stinger in one attack. Orochi Fin's Guild raises a white flag, surrendering their assault on Margaret Town after witnessing Natsu's fierce magic power. 

"Bummer. I was looking forward to fighting Bluenote Stinger. Oh well," Spike helps Carla and Wendy up. 

"Aren't you amazed by what Natsu did?" Carla asks Spike. 

"No. I trained with Natsu. He and I went hard on each other, and he held back," Spike informs Carla and Wendy. Sherria, Wendy, and Carla's jaws drop to the ground after hearing what Spike said. 

A while later. The authorities came and apprehended the Orochi Fin's Guild. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport everyone back to the Lamia Scale Guildhall. The wizards of Lamia Scale and Lucy succeeded on their mission, fending off the monsters from wreaking havoc. Carla informs the others of their mission, and Natsu defeats Bluenote Stinger with one attack. After witnessing Natsu's power, they surrender. 

The next day. Spike, Natsu, Wendy, Carla, Happy, and Lucy are up, and ready to go. 

"Thanks for everything you've done for us, Fairy Tail. We appreciate your help," Lyon said. 

"Thanks for housing us for the night, and thanks for taking care of Wendy and Carla while we were training during the year," Spike said. 

"Anytime, Fairy Dragon. If you ever need us, don't hesitate to call. We'll be there for you. Give Gray my regard." 

"Bye, Wendy," Sherria waves at her Sky Sister. 

"Bye, Sherria. It's been a blast to work and hang out with you," Wendy replies. 

"We wish you luck on reuniting the guild. Wherever your friends are at," Yuka said. 

"Thanks. We know where to find them," Spike said. 

"So, are we flying on your back?" Natsu asks Spike. 

Spike shakes his head. "Nope. I want to spend the day walking and holding Wendy's hand." 

"Awe, he's showing love," Sherria said. 

Wendy holds Spike's claw. "Let's get going, Spike," Wendy smiles. 

Spike, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Carla leave Margaret Town together. Spike knows where Gray and Juvia are after receiving a letter from them months ago. A place called Rain Bringer Village. An ideal location to use water for training sessions all day, every day.
> Reuniting the Guild: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This feels nice, Spike," Wendy said, enjoying the cool breeze while holding onto Spike's claw. 

"It sure is, Wendy," Spike said while kissing Wendy's cheek. 

Spike, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, and Carla are walking in the open plains. Fresh greens as far as the eye can see. There's a mountain, hundreds of miles from their location. The sun is shining brightly on the horizon, not many clouds in the sky. Feels like a cool summer day. Happy offers to hold Carla's paw, but she refuses. Lucy laughs at another feeble attempt of Happy trying to get Carla. 

"Are we there yet?" Natsu complains a bit. 

Lucy reads the map. "Well, according to the map, we should be approaching the Rain Bringer Village in a few miles." 

"Oh, come on, a few more miles, ugh," Natsu groans a bit. 

"Dude, you took out Bluenote Stinger when I wanted to fight him. You don't see me complaining," Spike said. 

"Can't we fly on your back or teleport us to our friends?" Natsu asks Spike. Hoping he says yes. 

"And miss the beautiful scenery of the landscape while traveling with my Wendy, no thanks," Spike said, which made Natsu groan evermore. 

"We'll get there soon. Be glad you're not taking a train," Carla said. Natsu silenced himself. He imagines the horrors of riding a train. 

"You know, this brings back many memories, Spike," Wendy turns to Spike. 

"How so?" Spike tries to remember. 

"Remember when Lucy gave us the coordinates to search for an Infinity Clock Piece?" 

"Oh, yea," Spike remembers that day. 

Carla shutters from that memory. "Please, don't bring up those wretched hooligans into this conversation," Carla is referring to the Butt Jiggle Gang. 

"I wasn't planning on bringing that gang into the conversation, Carla. I was trying to draw the memory of the time we were having our first picnic with Cana and Erza." 

"Oh," Carla sighs in relief. "Thank heavens." 

"Hold on, that group of bandits still scar you for life?" Happy asks Carla. 

"No comment, Tomcat," Carla rudely replies. 

"Sorry," Happy apologetically expresses; he should have known better than to poke haunting memories. 

"I was thinking. After gathering all of our friends, we have a party before rebuilding the guildhall. Catch up with all of our friends," Wendy said. 

"We're only missing Gramps for that party," Natsu said. He sighs heavily. "Man, where is Gramps?" 

"I know where he is, but he wishes to be left alone, Natsu." 

"You know what, after we rebuild the guildhall, I'll go find him and search for him!" Natsu proclaims. 

"As your Master of the Guild, I forebay you of doing so unless I give the authority." 

"SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!? YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Natsu angrily barks at Spike. 

"I can. Makarov made me the Guild Master, and you'll have to do what I say or else." 

"Or else what?" Natsu looks down on Spike, daring him to throw any challenge he can face. 

"I'll teleport you to Captain Sparrow's ship. By now, he's nowhere near land and sailing on the seven seas. No one would come or find you except for me."

Natsu quivers in fear and sweats like crazy. The fear of motion sickness gets the better of him while turning pale. Natsu waves the white flag. "You win, Grand Dragon." 

"Huh, that's a new one," Spike said. He believes that's his new name for being the Guild Master. 

"Remind me not to get on Spike's bad side, Lucy," Happy said. 

"Sure thing, if you can remember," Lucy said, knowing Happy can easily forget things. 

Spike, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, Carla, and Lucy continue their travel to the Rain Bringer Village. After walking a few miles, they see the village raining while the surrounding areas are not. It's a bright and shiny day, so it makes no sense why the town is raining. Natsu and Happy laugh and stand in the middle of the area where it's sunny and raining. Twenty minutes later. Spike, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, Carla, and Lucy enters the village. Rain powers heavily on them each step ahead. 

"Does anyone even live in this place?" Lucy asks. She doesn't hear anything but the rain. 

"Seems deserted to me," Wendy said. 

"Nah, I smelled Juvia the moment we showed up," Natsu said. "She's over there," Natsu points at Juvia sitting alone, looking gloomy. "Hey, Juvia!" Natsu approaches her. 

Juvia hyperventilates and sees an optical illusion of Gray Fullbuster. She proceeds to hug him. Instead of seeing Gray, it's Natsu. 

"Simmer down," Natsu stops Juvia from hugging him. 

Juvia does a doubletake. Her mirage of seeing Gray vanishes. She now sees Natsu, Spike, Wendy, Lucy, Carla, and Happy standing in front.

"Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Spike..," Juvia sounds upset at the moment. 

"Don't forget Happy and Carla," Happy shouts. 

Juvia faints. Natsu catches her before she hits the ground. "What's the matter with you?" 

"She fainted!" Lucy said in shock. 

"Bring her inside," Spike commands. 

Natsu carries Juvia inside and puts her in bed. With the rain picking up outside, it's best to stay around while Juvia recovers. Wendy uses her healing magic on Juvia to uplift her illness. 

"Hey, is there running water?" Happy goes into the kitchen. "Yep, that answers my question. I'm going to take a bath." 

While Happy takes a bath, Carla, Wendy, and Lucy take off their clothes since it's wet. Natsu remains in his attire and dries it off with his flames. 

"Hmm, I wonder if this is Juvia's house," Lucy said while looking around a bit. 

Natsu sniffs a bit. "I'm picking up a faint whiff of Gray too." 

"Is he hiding from us?" Happy said after coming out of the bathroom. 

"No," Juvia answers. "You've asked if I was living here alone. In truth, Gray and I shared it after our training with Spike," Lucy and Wendy freaked out a bit. Juvia has a smug look on her face. "Just us two." 

"Please explain thoroughly, Juvia," Spike asks. 

Juvia nods. "Okay. After Gray and I trained with Spike by a snowy mountain, Gray and I came across this deserted village. We decided to stay in one of the houses. We took our meals together, trained together, worked together, and at night, we slept together." 

"Stop!" Lucy gets the idea and doesn't want Juvia to explain in any more detail. Wendy blushes a bit with the possibilities. "We get it! Okay!" 

"In separate beds, which was his idea," Juvia explains. Lucy and Wendy sigh in relief. "I don't see why you are blushing, Wendy. Don't you sleep with Spike all the time?" 

"Ah, ah," Wendy stutters a bit and blushes. "We didn't do the uh.., uh..."

"We snuggle and cuddle. We didn't go the next step if that's what you're thinking, Juvia," Spike said. Wendy sighs in relief after Spike explains to Juvia what they do in bed. 

"What Gray and I had, it was pure bliss. Until one day," Juvia tells her friends about picking up Gray's clothes and noticing the demon aspect of Gray's magic. It covered a good portion of his right hand to his shoulder. Then, he left the village and never came back. Gray's been gone for six months. 

"What kind of jerk picks up and leaves like that?" Natsu ponders a bit. 

"I can think of one," Lucy refers to Natsu. 

"At least I left a will," Natsu retorts. 

"That was a note, Natsu," Happy corrects Natsu. 

"You took off without warning. That's still not cool," Lucy said. 

"In a way, I'm glad you did, Natsu. It gave me the idea of everyone going their separate ways to train hard and hone their skills. However, I do see some faults to my planning." 

"See, Spike's grateful! You're a piece of work, Lucy," Natsu bitterly expresses. 

"Behave, no need to fight," Spike orders Natsu to simmer down. 

"So, you have no clue where he ran off too?" Happy asks Juvia. 

"Yes. That's precisely what she's telling us," Carla said. 

"I searched far and wide for days on end. But, I never found him," Juvia tears up a bit. "I decided to come back home. This house may seem empty, but it's not. It's filled with every memory made together. So, I waited here, foolishly thinking he'll return to the life we built." 

"So, you decided to go looking for him instead of sending Spike a letter to have him help you search for Gray or teleport Gray to you?" Happy asks Juvia. 

Juvia's jaw drops as she facepalms herself. An idea she never came up with for many weeks. She's calling herself stupid for not contacting Spike. 

"Wow, Happy. That's an ingenious idea," Carla is impressed with Happy's brilliance at the moment. 

Natsu walks up to Spike. "Spike, there's something I need to do."

"What is it? Does it include Gray?" Spike looks into Natsu's eyes. He sees how determined Natsu is. 

Natsu whispers in Spike's ear about what he needs to do. He received a warning about a tragic event that led to Rogue going down a dark path. Spike takes a deep breath. 

"Alright, you have my permission to see to it. However, I won't go with you," Spike looks back at Juvia. "I need to ensure Juvia's health."

"Thanks, Spike. I owe you one," Natsu said. 

"Gather all of Juvia's belongings. We're going to the Sabertooth Guildhall."

"Huh?" Happy turns to Spike. 

"What for, Spike?" Lucy asks Spike. 

"Natsu will explain. However, staying here won't do any good for Juvia."

Everyone else nods and accepts Spike's decree. Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Happy help pack many of Juvia's belongings. Natsu picks up Juvia. After ten minutes, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport everyone to the Sabertooth Guildhall. 

Upon arriving inside the Sabertooth Guildhall, everyone around stops doing what they're doing. Yukino is happy to see her friends until she gasps in horror. Rufus and Orga take Juvia to the infirmary, Wendy and Carla follow them there. 

"Hey, what happened with Juvia?" Sting asks. Apparently, he looks chubby from the last time anyone saw him. 

"She got sick from being in solitary for six months," Spike answers Sting. 

"Bummer. Hey, Natsu." 

"What's up, Sting?" 

"Wow, man. You haven't changed one bit," Sting said. 

"Yea, you either," Natsu replies. 

"Are you blind?!" Lucy is confused and angry that Natsu is oblivious to Sting being obese. 

"So, how are things with you, Happy?" Lector asks. 

"Pretty good, bringing the gang back together after a whole year of training. Hey, is Frosch around?" 

"Nah, he's with Rogue and Milady. I don't know when he'll be back," Lector replies. 

Natsu grabs Lector's face cheeks, squeezing them a bit. "Where they go!?" 

"Hey, man, get your hands off Lector, okay?" Sting irately expresses. 

"Natsu," Spike flaps his wings. "Be nice," Spike pulls on Natsu's ear. 

"OW! Cut it out!" Natsu releases his hold on Lector. 

"I don't know where they are going. By now, they could be reaching the city gates!" Lector said, hoping Natsu doesn't try to hurt him again. 

"Awesome," Natsu sprints off. "Thanks, little guy!" 

"Hang on, Natsu," Lucy said, watching Natsu go. 

"Wait for us!" Happy flies after Natsu. 

"How rude," Lucy sighs. 

"What the heck is that all about?" Sting said, now looking skinny. 

Lucy looks at Sting and freaks. "You're back to normal?!" 

"It was a little out of balance, so I had Libra even the scales out for him," Yukino said, holding onto her Zodiac key. 

"Lucy, go with Natsu and Happy. If you need me, here," Spike gives Lucy a calling card. 

"Whoa, you have a calling card?" Lucy examines it thoroughly. 

"Yea. Though I only have one and never tried it before." 

"Thanks, Spike. See you later," Lucy takes off to catch up to Natsu and Happy. 

"Any idea what's going on, Spike?" Sting asks Spike. Guild Master to another Guild Master. 

"I do, but, in this case, it's better left off unsaid until later." 

"Why?" Yukino asks. She's next to Sting. 

"As I said, it's better left off unsaid until something happens," Spike added. 

"Until what?" Sting is getting annoyed with vague answers. Sting picks up Spike. "Tell me, or I'll slay you!" 

"Easy, buddy. No need to fret," Lector said, trying to calm Sting down. 

"Sting, calm down," Yukino tries her best to calm Sting's anger. At times, his anger gets the better of him. 

Spike looks at Sting. "Do you honestly think you can slay me?" 

"YES, I CAN!" Sting taps into his White Drive Dragon Mode. He's generating a ton of magic power. "YOU MAY BE SMALL, BUT I CAN STILL LAY IN THE SMACKDOWN ON YOU!" 

Spike flicks his finger at Sting's forehead. Sting crashes into the bar of the Sabertooth Guildhall; He's no longer in his White Drive Dragon Mode. Several members of Sabertooth back away after seeing their Guild Master defeated at ease. 

"Wanna try again?" Spike asks Sting. He lands on the floor. 

"No.., sorry, Sir," Sting said. His body twitches and aches from the impact. 

Rouge, Minerva, and Frosch return to the guildhall. They see the carnage laid waste by Spike. 

"Hey, what happened here?" Rogue asks his friends. 

"Sting tried picking up a fight with Spike after receiving vague answers from him. Sting turned into his White Drive Dragon Mode and lost to Spike with a flick of his fingers," Lector explains. 

"Whoa," Rogue takes a step back from Spike. 

"Any idea what's going on with Natsu?" Minerva asks Spike. 

"Yea, I can now explain since you three are here," Spike said. 

Sting gets up and walks up to Spike. "Damn, you hit hard." 

"I was training for a whole year. Do you think I would slack off?" 

"No way," Sting shakes his head. "I've seen you pull impossible feats. I shouldn't have doubted the Legendary Fairy Dragon." 

"So, you were saying," Minerva said, getting Spike on track for answering her question. 

"Right. The reason Natsu came and took your job, Rogue, Frosch, and Minerva, is to save Frosch's life." 

"Huh?" Lector, Frosch, Sting, Rogue, Minerva, and Yukino say in unison. There are horrified to hear that revelation from Spike. 

"What happens to Frosch?!" Rogue picks up Spike. He taps into his Shadow Drive Dragon Mode. 

"In a supposed future, Frosch dies by the hands of Gray Fullbuster. Probably by accident when he's doing a job or something. Natsu didn't give me the layouts but gave me enough. However, by taking your place, he'll confront Gray and stop you from entering a dark path like Seven-Years-You from the future." 

Rogue breathes heavily and puts Spike down. He turns to Frosch and holds him dearly. "I'll be in my room for a week," Rogue goes to his room while trying not to shed any tears. 

"So, that's why you've kept it hidden," Sting said, now understanding why Spike was answering vaguely to him. 

"Yea. I was hoping by explaining it a bit later so Rogue wouldn't spring into action and go after Gray Fullbuster in vengeance. So, what have you been doing all year long?" 

"Work, and doing my gig as Guild Master. I guess I should have taken account of having the guild train as hard as Fairy Tail for the following year's Grand Magic Games," Sting said. After getting flicked by Spike, he now has the motivation to get even stronger. 

Spike smirks. "Knowing you, you'll get the job done. Might if I get a bite to eat?" 

"Sure. We have leftovers from our Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, Eating Competition," Minerva said. Sting and Yukino hurl a bit, thinking about their humiliating defeat. 

"Who won that matchup?" Spike asks. 

"Yours, truly. No one can out eat me," Minerva said. 

"I could unless someone forbade me of increasing my size and expanding my stomach." 

"It's forbidden," Minerva said. She knows if Spike did that, he would win in a landslide. "You go in at your normal size." 

"Fair enough. Otherwise, I will have an unfair advantage," Spike chuckles a bit. 

Spike heads over to the mess hall. Wendy and Carla come out. Wendy feels sad and sits next to Spike. She tells him that her healing magic isn't working, so Sabertooth has given Juvia medicine to fight off her illness. Carla wants to know what was the explosion she heard a while ago. Spike explains to Wendy and Carla what he told Sting, Rogue, Minerva, Frosch, Lector, and Yukino. As for the explosion, Spike explains about flickering his finger on Sting's forehead when he picked him up in anger and tapped into his White Drive Dragon Mode. 

After having a bite to eat, Spike, Wendy, and Carla go back and check on Juvia. She's muttering Gray's name. She longs to see Gray and needs him with her. Two hours later, Spike picks up his calling card. 

"What's happening?" Wendy turns to Spike. 

"Lucy is contacting me. I better get going," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to Lucy. Spike sees Gray, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy guarding Malba City. It's a small town with concrete brick walls around the city. "What's all this? What's happening?" 

"We found Gray. He was a spy and infiltrated a dark cult known as Avatar. Today is the cult's purification ritual to bring Zeref," Happy informs Spike. 

"Also, Erza is in on this as well. Crime Sorcière asked her a favor to invest the situation with the cult. I had perfect timing and decided to help Erza right then and there." 

"Alright, I'll help stop Avatar from taking lives away," Spike powers up. 

Cult members of Avatar rush to the city gates and get blown away by Natsu's flames. Wizards of Avatar are in shock to see their allies fall in defeat so quickly. 

"There ain't no way you meatheads are going to get past us!" Natsu proclaims. "Step on up, and I'll roast you!" 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into Laxus'. He roars his warcry, causing many cult members to cease their charge at the city gates. 

"So, did you get stronger this year too, or what?" Natsu asks Gray. 

"Just watch me, old buddy. It'll be pretty obvious," Gray responds. 

"Check this out, guys. Open Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!" Lucy opens Taurus' Gate. 

"I'm so ready to moove," Taurus said. He's flexing his muscles. "Did somebody order beefcake?" 

"Plus, Star Dress!" Lucy's attire changes. Her outfit consists of a bra and sleeves with a cow pattern and pants that leave her right leg entirely revealed. She has a pair of gloves and boots. There's a belt where the Taurus Zodiac sign is on and a bag around her waist. Lucy's hair is in two buns on each side of her head. Also, leaving some hair hanging. Lucy enhances the power of Taurus into her body. She pulls out her whip. 

"Woo, let's round them up!" Taurus said. He's eager to fight with Lucy after seeing her in the new attire. 

"Fullbuster! I knew it!" Jerome, a wizard of Avatar, is livid. He had suspicions for months about Gray's loyalty. 

"These infidels will not hinder our plan for purification!" Briar, another wizard of Avatar, proclaims. "Let us dispose of them!" 

Wizards of Avatar are at a mountain top not far from Malba City. Their leader, Alok commands his fellow cult members to charge at the city gates. Kill off the inhabitants for their purification ritual. 

"Yea, been a while since we had this kind of party!" Natsu said. He powers up. 

"We're going have to do it upright," Gray said. He powers up.

"This really brings back some memories, huh?" Lucy said. She's preparing herself for battle. 

"Aye," Happy nods; he holds a club in his paw. 

"Should be fun working together for the first time in nearly a year!" Spike gets excited. 

More cult members advance to take them down. Natsu and Gray waste no time frying and freezing them left and right. Lucy shows her agility with her Star Dress Taurus Form; Lucy uses the whip and sends many cult members hurling in pain and agony. Spike conjures many ice missiles and launches them at the cult members; They get blown away from the impact. Taurus takes down several cult members with his ax. One member tries to ambush Lucy from behind, but Spike grabs him. He roars, sending fear down the cult member's spine, and chucks him far away. 

"Thanks for the save, Spike," Lucy said. 

"Be mindful of your surroundings. That's something I've been training all year long," Spike said. It's one of his biggest hurdles since losing Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage is always mindful of Spike's surroundings before he passed away. 

"I will remember that," Lucy said; she gets back into fighting more cult members. 

Cult members of Avatar are getting ambushed from the rear. Erza is riding on a horse, attacking each cult member. Jerome decides to battle Erza while Briar and Mary will fight the others. Avatar still plans on their purification ritual and won't let anyone stand in their way. 

Briar goes after Gray after feeling betrayed. It appears she has feelings for him. She unleashes shockwave magic at Gray while he dodges it. 

More cult members advance. Spike, Lucy, and Taurus continue to fight them. Wave after wave until Taurus suffers severe bowel movement, causing him to clutch his stomach. Lucy and Happy start feeling the exact same pain in their stomachs and holds themselves. Spike starts feeling in his stomach and notices a girl walking up to them. Mary, a wizard that utilizes virus magic, laughs at their misery. 

"You remember my virus spell, don't you? It's black magic that can destroy your frail little body. This particular one I'm using goes straight to the gut. Yep. You better go find a potty, or else it'll be an awful mess." 

"You're magic is freaking nasty!" Lucy shouts in pain, trying not to crap herself. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size. Mary's magic no longer causes him stomach pains. Mary and many cult members step back in horror while watching Spike grow into a full dragon. 

"He's a monster!" A cult member points at Spike. 

Spike roars at Mary and the cult members of Avatar. Many cult members soil their undergarments. Mary stands there, trying not to show fear. However, the roar got to her. 

"I may need to change my panties now..," Mary said. She can't believe how quickly the roles reversed on her. 

"Normally, I would eat humans, but when they soil themselves, it's straight-up nasty," Spike snorts. Many cult members cry and plea that Spike doesn't eat them. He's lying about eating people but uses it as a scare tactic. 

"Hey! Cut it out, or else I'll kill your friends right there and-" Mary's bluff is cut short by watching Taurus, Happy, and Lucy feeling better all of a sudden. 

"Hold on, my stomach just stopped hurting all of a sudden," Lucy said, feeling better than ever. 

"I feel way better!" Happy leaps for joy. 

"The pain utterly disappeared," Taurus said in relief. 

"How is that possible!?" Mary points at Spike. "What did you do, you freaking dinosaur?!" 

"I got here just in time. Status ailments are nullified, and immunity enchantment is activated. Whatever spells you have for making people sick are not going to work against my Sky Magic! I'm going to make you pay for insulting my boyfriend!" Wendy is eager to bring down Mary for disrespecting Spike. 

"Wendy, it's you!" Lucy is happy to see Wendy. 

"And Carla!" Happy points at her. "Hey, how did you know we'll be here?" 

"I followed Spike's scent. There's no way he's leaving me behind for long periods of time," Wendy said. "Also, there's a convenience."

"Why you, little!" Mary goes after Wendy. 

Lucy goes after Mary. Lucy gut-punches Mary, so hard she soils herself a second time and falls to the ground queasy. 

Spike reverts to size. "Sorry for leaving you like that." 

"Apologies accepted," Wendy turns to Spike. "I know you had the right intentions and trusted Carla and me to watch over Juvia." 

"Speaking of, where is she?" Happy looks around the area. 

Gray and Briar continue their fight when Briar unleashes her cloning magic. She creates four clones consisting of emotions. Happy, sad, lust, and anger. Juvia overhears Briar talking about having feelings for Gray. Gray feels disturbed overhearing Juvia talking behind him. Juvia attacks the lust clone with her Water Cyclone attack. Gray had enough of holding back his magic power and freezes the other three clones as well as the cult members of Avatar. 

Juvia comes and hugs Gray. She claims that her intuition said Gray was in serious trouble, so she had to come all this way. Gray then apologizes to Juvia and promises to explain everything to her. For now, they still need to fight the Avatar Cult. Gray and Juvia take off their jackets and are now ready to fight once more. 

"Incoming wave!" Taurus warns Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Lucy. 

"Spike, you're ready?" Wendy taps into her Dragon Force. 

"Yea!" Spike's body ignites in Sparkling Green winds. 

Spike and Wendy hold hands and combine their wind magic. "Fairy Sky Dragon, Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Green Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a tornado that blasts away the cult members, spinning them into dizziness. Spike and Wendy soar in the skies. 

"Fairy Dragon Roooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green fire breath. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath attack. 

The two breath attack forges into one, creating a flare tempest to scorch and blow the cult members away. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike's claw ignites in lighting green fires. 

"Sky Dragon!" Winds engulf Wendy's hand. 

Spike and Wendy hold hands once more. They swoop down as their magic power increases. "Cyclone Drill!" Lightning Flames and Winds combine to create a weather drill. They fly in unison, dragging the weather drill to hit any cult member on sight. 

"Whoa!" Lucy is astonished to see how Spike and Wendy are flourishing together. 

"We have our fair chances to train with Spike during the year," Carla fights in hand-to-hand combat, knocking down cult members all around. "We've improved our magic power and strength wisely and incredibly." 

Natsu made his way to fight the leader of Avatar while his friends battle the cult members. Natsu's overwhelming magic power defeats Alok. The cult members around Alok are stunned to see Natsu easily defeat their leader. However, Alok laughs. He reveals that Natsu and his friends will die by the arrival of their demon. Alok starts praying and summons Ikusa-Tsunagi. A stream of purple light rises in the skies. 

The skies turn purplish-black and cover the entire battlefield. Clouds circulate in the skies, creating a portal. Many cult members start praising as their prayers are answered. Everyone stops fighting and witnesses something massive coming down. A gigantic demon's foot stomps on many cult members, crushing them to death. 

Ikusa-Tsunagi. A colossal, heavily muscular demon with black, armor-like skin. His face resembles that of a lion's. It adorns bone-like horns that surround the jawline and travel up the side of the head. The demon has a goatee, a wild mane of hair juts upwards. Ikusa-Tsunagi has pupil-less eyes and black sclera, and demonic, clawed hands and bestial-looking feet. It wields a sword much larger than his height. 

"Holy crap!" Gray shouts in fear. 

"How are we going to stop that thing?!" Lucy shouts. She doesn't have answers. 

"My time to shine," Spike powers up. "Spike wants!" Spike increases into a full-size dragon. Spike matches the height of the demon. 

"It's one of the eighteen Gods of Yakuma," Erza said in shock. She just defeated Jerome in battle. "Oh, no," Erza sees Spike matching its height. She doesn't want to lose Spike in a battle against the God of War Demon. 

"Who is that?" Alok said, looking at Spike. 

"Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. If he wants, he can be the Fairy Demon Dragon," Natsu chuckles. 

"FAIRY DEMON DRAGON!!!!!?" Alok imagines the horror of defeat by Fairy Demon Dragon. He prays that Ikusa-Tsunagi can subdue the dragon. 

Ikusa-Tsunagi attacks Spike with his sword; Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the sword away. The demon gasps a bit. The sword winds up in Spike's claw. 

"Have a taste of your own medicine!" Spike swings the sword at the demon. The force of the sword plus Spike's strength causes the demon to shatter after one blow. 

"HOW!? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!!!!?" Alok is perplexed as to how Spike destroyed a demon in one attack. 

"Don't you know you should never mess with Fairy Tail?" Natsu picks up Alok. "Chumps like you never learn that friends fighting as one can achieve any goal. That's what makes a guild like family. Our friendship makes us stronger, and I'll beat any guild that doesn't understand!" Natsu punches Alok in the gut as an instant reminder of how guilds should operate.

The purplish-black clouds vanish, and cult members of Avatar panic. Jerome, Briar, and Mary couldn't believe that a dragon and a few wizards defeated their army and a God. Gajeel and Panther Lily swoop in, defeating Abel and D-6 with ease. Rune Knights go after the rest of the cult members of Avatar. 

"It's Gajeel," Wendy sees Gajeel and Panther Lily working with the Magic Council. 

"And Lily, too," Carla said. 

Spike reverts to size. The sword he took from the demon disintegrates. Happy didn't know Gajeel took a job with the Magic Council and calls it an opposite world. Lucy sees Levy and draws her attention. The two catch up after not seeing each other for a year. 

"Hey, good to see you guys," Natsu walks up to his friends. 

"Natsu," Levy is happy to see Natsu for the first time in a year. 

"Long time no see, Natsu," Panther Lily said. 

"Hey, there," Gajeel smirks at Natsu. 

"You look just like Gajeel," Natsu said, which infuriated Gajeel. 

"Are you trying to get under my skin already!" Gajeel is ready to throw down and give Natsu a beating of a lifetime. 

"Nah, man. I thought you were too much of a rebel to work with the Magic Council," Natsu said. 

"Well, Salamander. Fun fact. Lily and I were offered the position after defeating the Seven Deadly Sins and slaying a Leviathan with Fairy Dragon and some of our friends." 

"WHAT!?" Natsu is in shock. "Spike!" Natsu calls out Spike. 

"Yea?" Spike flies up to Natsu. 

"Did you slay a Leviathan?" Natsu asks. His face is red from missing out on some action months ago. 

"Yea. It's a dragon-hybrid too," Spike calmly replies. 

"NO FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIR!" Natsu roars in anger. 

"So, are we getting the guild back together?" Panther Lily asks Spike. 

"Yes. It's time to rebuild our home." 

"Finally," Gajeel takes off his Rune Knight jacket. "I'm sick and tired of wearing that." 

"I agree. However, the pay was nice," Panther Lily said. He takes off his Rune Knight jacket. 

"So, there you are, Gajeel," Erza approaches him and her friends. "If it weren't for that jacket, I couldn't tell if you were someone else." 

"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Gajeel is frustrated by Erza's statement. 

"Hey, Spike. Is today the day?" Erza looks down at Spike. 

"Well, it's a little early, but why not." 

"It was my idea!" Natsu shouts. "I convinced Spike to search for all of our friends and to rebuild our home!" 

"Anyway, I'm glad we're together again," Erza said. She's happy to see her friends once more. 

"We kicked some butt, Fairy Tail style!" Natsu shouts in a voice of triumph. 

"It feels so good to work as a team with all of you again," Juvia smiles. She misses the adrenaline rush when working together. 

Gray approaches Wendy. "You've looked like you grown a little taller. Am I right?" Gray pats Wendy's head. 

"Sorry, I'm exactly the same as before," Wendy admits. 

"It feels like we're in the ole guildhall," Happy proudly claims. 

"I have to admit. I feel the same," Carla concurs. 

Lucy smiles. "I've been missing times like these." 

"Alright, victory is ours! Let's shout in a voice of triumph and celebrate our reunion!" 

"YEAH!" Spike, Wendy, Gray, Juvia, Natsu, Erza, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, Lucy, Carla, and Happy shout. 

"So, now what, Master?" Levy asks Spike. 

"We go home," Spike increases his size into a full dragon. "In style, of course." 

"Finally!" Natsu jumps on Spike's back. 

Everyone hops on Spike's back. He takes flight. Levy did ask Spike to drop her off to confirm with the Magic Council about her, Panther Lily, and Gajeel stepping down. Erza needs to be dropped off at a remote location to inform Jellal about succeeded her task. Spike complies. Once he and his friends are in Magnolia, he'll send letters for everyone to come back to Magnolia earlier than expected.
> Reuniting the Guild: Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seven hours after defeating Avatar, dropping Erza, Levy, Gray, Juvia, Gajeel, and Panther Lily off, Spike lands in Magnolia. Many people take pictures of Spike being a full-size dragon. Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla hop-off Spike, allowing him to revert to size. The people groan a bit while welcoming back their heroes. 

"Man, it feels good to be back home!" Natsu shouts with glee. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy is chewing on a fish. 

"Lucy, Spike," The Landlady calls them out. 

"Hey, Ma'am, how are you?" Spike turns to the Landlady. 

"Oh, hey," Lucy remembers that she and Spike will have to pay rent again in Magnolia. 

"I'm here to confirm you both that the two of you need to start paying rent in five months. I figure that funding will skyrocket since you wizards will be using all that money to rebuild the guildhall." 

"That is correct. Thank you for understanding," Spike said. 

"You're welcome. All I want each month is your delectable cookies," The Landlady licks her mouth. She couldn't get enough out of Spike's cookies before he went off to Crocus for the cook-off. 

"Deal!" Lucy said. She sighs in relief for dodging a major bullet. 

"I'll need time and ingredients to make you a batch," Spike replies. 

"Thank you. Have a nice day," The Landlady goes on her way to the supermarket. 

"Hey, Spike. Can Carla and I bunk with you in the apartment again?" Wendy asks. 

"Of course, you can. Lucy, you have any problems with it?"

"Not at all. Though, we can't house everyone and will need to set up a new Fairy Hills Dorm for all the women in Fairy Tail." 

"That'll be next on the list," Spike said. 

"Yes, and I can have you come over!" Wendy imagines the possibilities with Spike in her room.

"Definitely," Spike smiles. "A new beginning for Fairy Tail is here at last." 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Natsu, and Lucy head towards the crater that used to be the Fairy Tail Guildhall. They shared a moment of silence. To honor the memories they had in the previous guildhall. 

"Hey, you guys!" Cana shouts from behind. She arrives at the crater. 

"Cana!" Lucy is happy to see her friend once more. 

"Hey, welcome back," Wendy waves at her friend. 

"Good to see you again," Natsu said. 

"Am I late?" Cana drinks her liquor bottle. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "You're right on time." 

"Awesome!" Cana does a fist pump. 

"Hey, guys!" Jet and Droy arrive. They look better than ever. 

"Aw, yeah! It's great to be back home!" Warren said. He arrives with Max Alors, Nab, and Vjeeter. 

"You know it. All that year of training will soon be paying off!" Max Alors laugh. 

"I feel stronger than ever! I feel like I can go on several jobs!" Nab praises himself and feels confident moving forward. 

Reedus arrives with Macao, Wakaba, and Romeo. They are happy to be back in Magnolia and with their friends. 

"Aw, yeah! The Fairy Tail Youth Squad is back together again!" Romeo shouts. He walks up to Wendy, Spike, and Carla and does a team high-five. 

"It's great being a man!" Elfman shouts. He arrives with Lisanna and Mirajane. 

"Hey, Spike. Long time no see," Lisanna hugs Spike. 

"So, glad to see everyone," Mirajane smiles; she's happy to be among her friends again. 

Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka arrive. Asuka runs up to Natsu. Natsu picks her up.

"Hooray! We're back home!" Asuka is so happy to be back in Magnolia. 

"That we are," Natsu laughs. He puts Asuka down. 

Laki and Kinana arrive. They run up to meet with Lucy and Wendy. Juvia and Gray arrive with Erza after gathering more of their belongings from the deserted village. Gajeel, Panther Lily, and Levy come to the crater. They informed the Magic Council about stepping down to come back to Fairy Tail. 

"Yo, are we late?" Bickslow asks. "Back home, back home." Bickslow's Tikis chants. 

"Doesn't seem like it," Evergreen smiles. She's happy to be back in Magnolia.  

"Greetings, everyone," Freed said. He sighs a bit. He misses the ole guildhall that stood tall. 

"Hey, Fairy Dragon. It's been a while," Laxus said. He walks up to Spike. 

"It's great to see you. All of you at the same time," Spike sheds a tear in happiness. 

"Hey, look what I found!" Natsu pulls out a flag with the Fairy Tail Emblem on it. It's a little torn. Everyone smiles and cheers loudly. "Our guild is reunited!" 

"WHO'S READY TO BUILD OUR GUILDHALL!" Spike excites his friends. 

"WE ARE!" Everyone around shouts in triumph. 

"LET'S DO IT!" Spike shouts. 

"YEAH!" Everyone shouts louder than Spike. 

Day one starts with all the members of Fairy Tail start drawing blueprints of the new Fairy Tail Guildhall and gathering supplies. Spike allowed Erza to create construction teams to build the necessary areas of the guildhall. Spike announces that any Fairy Tail member that needs temporary residence is allowed to go with those that have homes in Magnolia or check into a hotel. He'll pay the bills with the money he earned during his year of training.   

Day two starts with everyone building the foundation of the Fairy Tail Guildhall, setting a perimeter and safety hazard zones for anyone foolish enough to wander in. Spike brought trees from Eden's Forest, knowing the forest will replenish itself the next day. Erza requips her swords and slice the exact measurements for construction. Erza tells Spike more lumber is needed. Spike teleports to Eden's Forest. Everyone is having fun, catching up with each other as they work. 

Day three has a setback due to Natsu's antics. He and Gray fought wrecked the first floor of the guildhall. Erza beats the crap out of Natsu and Gray for causing the guild to redo the layouts of the first floor. After Erza beats them up, Spike makes sure Natsu and Gray do all the work as punishment for setting everyone back. 

Day four starts with adding columns and stairs. The newly designed guildhall will be similar to the first one; Before Gajeel destroyed it during his Phantom Lord days. Spike made it clear that there is one area of the guildhall he wishes to build alone. He forbade anyone from helping him. It's the area that leads to the staircase to the Lumen Histoire. Erza makes sure that no one interfered with Spike's work while monitoring the teams on their projects. 

Day five starts with the discussion of bringing Makarov back to Fairy Tail. Spike knows where Makarov is but confirms to everyone he wishes to be left alone. Laxus challenges Spike about his grandfather's doing since he hasn't heard from him since passing the torch of Guild Master. Laxus urges Spike to reveal what Makarov is doing. Now that Spike thinks about it, Makarov doing is taking longer than expected. According to Makarov, during one of their calls, Makarov was supposed to accomplish his objective in six months max. Now that it's been a year, it does seem suspicious. 

"Spike, we need to go find Makarov!" Happy tries to persuade Spike into getting Makarov back in Fairy Tail. 

"I agree. Besides, what is Gramps supposed to be doing?" Gray asks Spike. 

"That's still classified until further notice," Spike answers. Gray groans in defeat. 

Natsu and Elfman are brawling. The two complement each other until Natsu punches Elfman hard in the face, Elfman crashes into Gray. Gray gets irritated and kicks Elfman in the back of the head. It draws the attention of Jet, Droy, Max, Warren, Laki, Cana, and many others to join in the brawl. 

Everyone brawls except Spike, Laxus, Lisanna, Lucy, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Panther Lily, Mirajane, and Erza; It draws back many memories. Spike chuckles a bit while watching his friends have fun. The fighting becomes hectic when Mirajane gets hit with Cana's liquor bottle. 

Erza stomps her foot onto the ground, causing the brawl to halt. "Get back to work," Erza gives everyone a cold stare, scaring the daylights out of them. 

"Yes, Ma'am," Everyone said in unison. Wendy and Lucy are in shock and silence every time Erza puts her foot down. 

"Thanks for stepping in like that, Sis. Though, it could have lasted a few more minutes." 

"Anytime, Spike," Erza said. 

"Hey, sorry that I'm late to the party." 

Everyone looks at a Fairy Tail Wizard approaching. He has a red Fairy Tail Emblem on his right shoulder. 

"Doranbolt," Spike sees him for the first time since giving him and Lahar cookies at the Mermaid Heel outdoor venue. 

"Whoa, that guy is from the Magic Council!" Happy remembers Doranbolt. 

"The same guy that rescued Carla and me," Wendy remembers Doranbolt. 

"Hello, Fairy Dragon. It's been a while," Doranbolt said. 

"Hey, wait a minute. Why are you bearing our guild's emblem?!" Natsu irately asks. 

"Because I am a member of the Fairy Tail Guild. My real name is Mest Gryder. Fairy Dragon. I urge you to come with me. Master Makarov is in trouble." 

"WHAT?!" Everyone shrieks in horror. 

"Spike!" Laxus slams his fist onto a table. "Let me go for my Grandpa!" 

Spike takes a deep breath. "Calm yourself. Mest, I'll select a team to go with me. You can inform them what is necessary." 

"Thank you," Mest said. 

"Laxus," Spike turns to Laxus. 

"You got it," Laxus is ready to go. 

"No. I need you and Mirajane to continue rebuilding our home. I'm leaving the two of you in charge until we come back." 

"Me.., in charge..?" Laxus gets sudden flashbacks when he tried to force his way to become the next Fairy Tail Guild Master. 

Mirajane puts her hand on Laxus' shoulder. She knows Laxus is having flashbacks during his darker days as a different man. "We got this, Spike." 

"Yea, you can count on us. Be sure to bring Grandpa back home," Laxus said. 

Spike nods. "I will. Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Carla, Lucy, and Wendy. You're coming with Mest and me," Spike commands. He's serious with his approach, which is new to his friends.  

"We need to get to Hargeon. To travel where we need to go," Mest said. 

"Laxus. There's a note in my apartment about Makarov's doing; read it and explain to the others why Makarov is doing what he did. The note is under my mattress."  

"What!?" Lucy is in shock. She could have found out what Makarov was doing all this time if she snooped around Spike's possessions. 

"Alright. I wished you told us before any of this," Laxus is fuming a bit. 

"I had my reasons as Guild Master. Mest, let's go." 

"Right," Mest nods. 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends, Mest, and himself to Hargeon.
> Retrieving Makarov
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why can't you teleport us to Makarov, Spike?" Natsu asks. He's scared half to death about riding a boat. 

"I didn't tag him with a flare marking. We're heading into another continent, and I have never been anywhere outside of Fiore except for Veronica."

"Please! Can we fly there!" Natsu is on his knees, tears streaming down, begging Spike to fly. 

"No. Me flying will expose us all. We're going into the Alvarez Empire stealthfully. Do I make myself clear?" Spike said in a commanding tone. 

"Please! I'll do-" Erza clobbers Natsu's head, causing Natsu to bite his tongue. 

"Oooow! Ow, ow, ow," Natsu rubs his tongue a bit. 

"Spike made it clear. Have respect for the Master's wishes." 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Natsu has a bump on his head. 

Mest Gryder used his memory magic to give Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Wendy, Erza, Happy, and Carla insight into his doing and what Makarov was planning to do. Mest Gryder was doing Makarov's bidding on getting all sorts of intel as a sleeper agent. He also orchestrated the rebirth of the Magic Council by gathering the Ten Wizard Saints. One of the reasons why Makarov initially wanted to disband the guild was to protect everyone. The second reason, Makarov needed to prevent the Alvarez Empire from taking the Lumen Histoire by force. The last reason Makarov wanted to do, is to try to make peace with the Alvarez Empire. With the Magic Council destroyed at the time, Face and Etherion Blast out of commission, Ishgar's supreme weapon defenses have shrunk to wizardry magic, not powerful enough to withhold Alvarez Empire's forces.

"Geez, I can't believe we're going to save Makarov from the Alvarez Empire," Lucy said in disbelief after seeing the memories. 

"What makes the Lumen Histoire so precious to the Alvarez Empire?" Erza asks Mest and Spike. 

"Classified," Mest and Spike calmly said. 

"I promised Makarov I wouldn't speak of the sort until I pass the torch to who becomes the next Guild Master," Spike said. 

"Makarov gave me all the info and made me promised not to tell. I've kept my promises and won't be breaking them," Mest said. 

"I'll be right back," Spike said, flapping his wings. "There's a fellow that has something vital for the trip," Spike flies to Popeye's Port. 

"I wonder where he's going?" Mest wonders who Spike wants to speak with for purchase. 

"I have a good feeling who it may be," Wendy said. Knowing Natsu's motion sickness, Spike wants to buy motion relief pills. 

Spike arrives at Popeye's Port. He sees no boats around. Spike walks up to Popeye's home and notices a note; Spike reads and sighs. Popeye is on vacation and will return in a week. Spike flies back to his friends. 

"Alright, I got us a boat," Mest said. While Spike flew, he made the arrangements to set sail. 

"Where did you go?" Lucy asks Spike. 

"To get motion relief pills for the ride. Unfortunately, the man who has them is on vacation. So, we're going on the trip without them." 

"Aw, maaaaaan," Natsu is terrified of getting on the boat. 

Spike, Mest, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Happy, Carla, and Wendy hop on the boat and leave Hargeon. Natsu immediately suffers from motion sickness. Hours into the boat ride, Natsu walks up to Wendy, hoping she can use her Troia Spell to relieve Natsu of his motion sickness. To his surprise and everyone else on board, Wendy suffers from motion sickness. 

"Oh, no," Spike rubs Wendy's back while she's hurling. 

"I'm so sorry. I'm now getting motion sickness just like you, Natsu," Wendy said after she threw up. 

"You're going have to suck it up, Natsu. Wendy can't use her magic in this state," Carla said. 

"Kill me now," Natsu begs for death instead of going through his motion sickness torture. 

Gray picks up Natsu and carries him to his bunk. It'll be better for Natsu to lay down; Spike picks up Wendy and takes her to her bunk. Spike will stay with Wendy to keep her company. 

Erza stares off with a lot on her mind. Mest comes up to her. 

"Something troubling you, Erza?" 

"Makarov tried disbanding the guild, but Spike saved it. He trusted Spike with the knowledge of the Lumen Histoire while having fear. Does Makarov believe Spike can save everyone from the wrath of Alvarez?" 

"He did pull off Fairy Law. Perhaps being a full-size dragon can further the usage of the spell?" Mest theorizes a bit. 

Erza sighs. "Spike is formidable but not unstoppable. He had his fair share of suffering defeat by stronger wizards. If Alvarez is as powerful as you and Makarov said from the memory vision you revealed to us, I have my doubts," Erza remembers many times Spike has been vulnerable. She worries as a sister for Spike's sake. 

"Didn't he take on Acnologia?" Mest reminded Erza in some way. 

"Twice," Erza confirms. "Though Acnologia bested him in both occasions." 

"Hey, is it true? Can the Lumen Histoire stop all those Face activations?" Lucy asks Mest since Spike is with Wendy. 

"Yea, I remembered Gramps wanted to use it but chose not to," Gray said. 

"From what I know, the Lumen Histoire is a powerful weapon. Makarov didn't say much to me. However, I have a feeling Spike knows more in-depth. Makarov could reveal more secrets about the Lumen Histoire to Spike." 

"Is there anything else you can reveal to us?" Happy asks Mest. 

"I'm sorry. I cannot speak until further notice," Mest said. 

"I wonder if there are crucial details within the note Spike left for Laxus at the apartment," Carla ponders a bit. 

"I'll be back," Gray storms off, but Erza grabs his arm. 

"Where are you going?" Erza asks Gray, her grip on him tightens. 

"We need answers about the Lumen Histoire. Friends don't keep secrets when it's important!" Gray retorts. 

"I understand your frustrations. However, Spike took the mantle of being the Guild Master. At times, he needs to make difficult decisions that are best for all of us." 

"Still, Erza. He has vital information that can help us down the road! He can't keep us in the dark after everything we've been through!" Gray makes his case. He forces himself out of Erza's grasp. 

Spike comes out after hearing the commotion. Erza, Gray, Lucy, Carla, Happy, and Mest stare at him. 

"I can't tell you what Makarov told me about the Lumen Histoire. By sharing the information, you've become a target of the Alvarez Empire. I'm sure by now, with my name spread across the lands, they could fear me. However, if they were to know that Gray, Lucy, or any of our friends inquire the info, they'll come after you specifically."

Silence reigns as nobody thought of that perspective, being a target for an entire empire to come and using all sorts of tactics to gather the info. They now see why Makarov entrusted Spike with the knowledge of the Lumen Histoire. Due to him being an Energy Maker Dragon, Spike can use any magic they throw at him and combines it into a singularity attack to wipe them out. Erza has her doubts but, at the same time, knows that Spike is capable of anything when he puts his mind to it. She witnessed him turning into a Crystal Guardian Dragon to defeat a terrifying, overpowered demon. 

"All I can say is, the Lumen Histoire is precious to the Fairy Tail Guild and holds unfathomable power. As for any further questioning, I refuse to answer." 

"Alright, we won't bother you any further. Right?" Erza asks her friends to see if they are on the same page. 

"Yea," They say in defeat except for Mest. 

"Thanks for understanding," Spike said, taking a deep breath. 

"Now, how long will it take for us to get to Alvarez, Mest?" Erza turns to him. 

"Sailing for ten days and several more on land," Mest confirms. 

"That's going to be torturous for Natsu and Wendy," Spike said, imagining the horrors of traveling that long. He wishes to have motion relief pills for them. 

"Quite the journey," Erza sighs a bit. She, like the others, are worried about Makarov's circumstance. 

"I'm worried about him as well. However, we can't be hasty. We'll need to make a stop at Caracole Island. Stock up on provisions. Food and other supplies," Mest said. 

"A town not named after a plant of flower..," Lucy said. 

"It's one way of knowing you're outside of Fiore," Gray said. He's stripped into his underwear. 

"Mest, is it wise to make a pitstop?" Erza asks. She doesn't want any delays to rescue Makarov. 

"I said we can't be hasty. However, this kind of infiltration mission requires thorough preparation." 

"What do you mean by that?" Erza is now curious how Mest has preparations on hand on short notice. 

"Good intelligence," Mest smiles. "We'll be meeting up with an agent while we're there. They'll tell us how we can sneak into the empire." 

"Also, once we grab Makarov, Spike would use his fire breath to teleport us back home," Gray reminds Mest. 

"Yea. Whenever we go on jobs and missions with Spike, he's our instant transportation on getting back home," Happy noted. 

"Perfect. We have our exit strategy underway." 

A few days later. The boat is near the shores of Caracole Island. Spike carries Natsu and Wendy out of their bunks since they're near land. 

"Wait, something's wrong," Erza said. She sees something near the island. Gray gasps. 

"That's the crest of the Alvarez Military," Mest said in horror. There are two military ships by the harbor. 

"What are they doing way out here?" Happy asks. 

"That's a very good question. Caracole isn't their territory," Carla states. 

"Mest, here," Spike tosses Mest a scope. 

"Thanks," Mest grabs it and takes a look to scope the island a bit. He sees a long line of people and two soldiers standing guard. "It appears they're performing an inspection at the harbor." 

Gray growls in anger. "How are we going to get on the island now?" 

"Sounds like they're trying to catch a spy," Natsu said, still riving in agony of his motion sickness. "That's not good." 

"From what I can tell, they haven't been able to catch them yet, though," Wendy said. She's still suffering from motion sickness. 

After hearing the news from Natsu and Wendy, Lucy looks at how far they are from the island. The boat is twenty miles away from the harbor. 

"Hold on. You can hear them this far away?" Lucy is astonished. 

"Oh, yea, but, just barely," Natsu and Wendy say in unison. Then they throw up. Spike pats both their backs and wishes he could help them. 

"Now what, Spike?" Mest asks Spike since he's the Guild Master. 

"We have to find the agent as quickly as possible without drawing too much attention," Spike said. 

"That's going to be a problem since everyone in Earth Land knows your name by now," Gray reminds Spike. 

Spike uses his fire breath to spawn a cloak he wore seven years ago. He puts it on and curls his tail. "When I went to Edolas, Gajeel and I wore these cloaks to disguise ourselves. This cloak will do, and I'll be a kid among the people." 

"Brilliant idea, Spike," Carla said. She's impressed with Spike's adaptability. 

"I'll say. That disguise won't draw any attention," Mest said. 

"Thanks. Also, I learned new spells during my training. Something that can come in handy due to those ships over there," Spike points to the Alvarez Military Ships.

"I have an idea," Wendy said after she pukes. "Everyone gather around, and we'll put the Cait Shelter Emblems as disguises. As for Spike.., well..," Wendy throws up again. 

"I keep the cloak on. As far as any is concerned, I'm mute," Spike said. 

"Alright, that'll do," Erza said. "I'll speak on your behalf, letting those guards know you're my younger brother." 

"Everyone, suit up in swimwear," Mest commands. 

Half an hour later. The ship arrives at the harbor. Carla transforms into her humanoid cat form while wearing her black one-piece swimsuit. Lucy, Wendy, and Erza wear their bikinis. Mest, Gray, and Natsu wear their swimming trunks. Natsu also has his scarf wrapped around his head. Spike remains in his cloak; the hoodie conceals his dragon facials. His wings are closed. Everyone follows the crowd to where the Alvarez Soldiers are inspecting people. The soldiers notice the Cait Shelter Guild Emblems on everyone's body except for Spike. They are having difficulties deciding how to approach the situation. One of the soldiers walks up to Spike, but Erza intervenes. She tells the soldier her younger brother is mute and hates the sun. She tells him their parents are gone, and it's up to her to watch over her baby brother, which the soldiers believe. The soldiers ask for IDs and to inspect their personal belongings. After a thorough examination, they allow them to pass. Luckily for Spike, the soldiers didn't ask for his ID. Ages eighteen and higher are permitted to show identification. 

"That worked out," Natsu said in awe. He couldn't believe the inspection went smoothly. 

"Nice work. Especially you, Erza. For being Tyke's advocate," Gray remembers Spike's disguised name from their adventure in Edolas. 

"Tyke?" Erza then remembers hearing Edolas Gajeel mentioning the name. "Right." 

Wendy hates the fact that Spike can't talk to her at the moment. She takes a deep breath and follows Mest. 

Throughout the island of Caracole, Alvarez Soldiers are in every sector of every booth, pub, restaurant, and beach. Erza, Lucy, Mest, and Gray tell Natsu not to start conflict since they're incognito. Natsu feels offended by the scolding. 

"Why is everyone picking on me?" Natsu said, his blood is boiling from the unwanted attention. 

"Cause, it's you. You'll more likely do something stupid," Lucy said. 

"You're the only one who doesn't grasp what infiltration means," Erza said. 

Spike remains silent. He's neutral in this situation. 

"I know what it means. Like being sneaky," Natsu poses and adjusts his scarf into looking like a ninja. "I think you're forgetting something, Erza. I am ninja!" 

The cries of a young boy are heard, catching everyone's attention. A child confronts four Alvarez Soldiers with spears, demanding to give his father back. Natsu is eager to brawl with the soldiers; however, Erza tells Natsu to refrain from attacking. Mest agrees with Erza despite how bad things look. One of the soldiers of Alvarez unsheaths his sword, demanding the kid to stop crying or else he kills him. The people around are petrified to hear a soldier threatening a child's life because of his cries. Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Natsu spring into action, knocking down the Alvarez Soldiers. The people around are awestruck. 

"Man, we are so screwed..," Mest is now in fear due to Gray, Erza, Natsu, and Lucy's interruption. 

More Alvarez Soldiers arrive at the scene. Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy are ready to throw down. Wendy promises the kid to find his father. Carla and Happy decide to go with Wendy. Mest wanted to go with Wendy; however, Lucy reminded him about the agent. Mest takes off. Spike decides to stay low-key for a bit. Something is telling him something else is amiss. 

After watching Erza Gray, Natsu, and Lucy easily defeat Alvarez Soldiers, he follows them to Mango Gelato stand for the delicious fruit. He surveys the area while Erza and Natsu eat their fill. Then all of a sudden, the stand blows up; the man who owns it cries. 

"What the?" Lucy is caught off guard. 

"The stand blew up!" Gray is in shock. 

Natsu is dazed while holding his bowl of mangoes. Erza breaks her fork, feeling pissed off that her delectable is ruined. 

"You are an A-plus," A man claps his way. He wears a purple-violet jacket with a white long-sleeved shirt; He has light purple pants on, plus he's wearing a purple headband with his shades up. His hair is black and spiky. 

"Who are you?" Erza demands to know who the man is while he's clapping. "What do you want?" 

"Oh, the fire in your eyes is delicious," He said, walking up to Erza, Gray, Natsu, Lucy, and Spike. "A-plus-plus, maybe. My name is Marin Hollow. I'm a member of the Alvarez Imperial Army Brandish Division." 

The man who owned Mango Gelato continues to cry. His hopes and dreams are ruined. Spike lends the man a bag filled with Jewels; the estimate is about fifty grand. Lucy tells him to run while Gray apologizes. 

"Who's the kid?" Marin claps. "Such a good boy. Perhaps, he'll be an angel where I'll send him." Marin laughs a little. 

"Enough talking!" Erza gets serious. "Requip!" Erza tries to requip into her Black Wing Armor but to no avail. She's confused as to why her magic isn't working. Marin laughs a bit. 

"Smash him, now!" Natsu orders Erza. 

Erza looks at her hand, dumbstruck as to why her magic doesn't work. "I can't.., requip." 

"No, you can't; because I'm the master of space," Marin announces. 

"What's that mean?" Gray asks Marin. 

"By requipping, it essentially means you're grabbing things in a pocket of space. Too bad, cause all space magic is completely ineffective against me." 

"In that case," Lucy grabs her Sagittarius Gate Key. "Take this! Open Gate of the Archer!" 

Marin closes his eyes in delight. "Celestial Spirit Magic. Sorry, that's space magic too," Marin laughs. 

Lucy feels helpless at the moment. "No way..." 

"Oh, there's one tiny detail I forgot to mention," Marin gets hit with a flare marking. It dissolves rather quickly. "Huh, what was that?" Marin sees Spike still in his cloak with his claw in a gun motion. "Cute trick, baby boy," Marin mocks Spike. "Anyway, anyone happens to break the law of space in my presence," Marin chuckles. Lucy and Erza start bubbling. It's like they're being teleported away. 

"Wait, what's going on?" It terrorizes Erza a bit. 

"This is scary," Lucy can't believe what's happening to her. 

"There's no reason to get all fussy, ladies. I'm sending you to my chill-out space!" 

"Lucy! Erza!" Natsu gets worried while watching them evaporate. He and Gray try to grab the two, but they vanish. Natsu and Gray's jaw drops. "Where they go?!" Natsu demands an answer. "You better tell me what you did with them right now!" 

"Like I said, I sent those lovelies over to relax at my chill-out space. Those girls are A-plus honeys, but the three of you are F-Minus losers! Dumbasses that need to die!" Marin's tone changes. He was chill at first but now dead serious. 

"What the hell did we ever do to you, man?!" Gray is furious. 

Marin snaps his fingers. Mest appears with bruises on his body. "He's with you, scumbags, right?" 

"Mest!" Natsu is surprised to see him defeated. 

"This piece of crap tried to use space crap around me!" Marin angrily says. "Know what I think of that? F-Minus! This loser makes me want to puke my guts out!" 

Spike breathes his fire and teleports Erza and Lucy back. Marin's jaw drops. 

"What the hell?" Marin is confused. "How is that possible!? No one can use space magic to draw them out here!" 

Natsu and Gray smirk. "Allow us to introduce to our equalizer," Gray said. He and Natsu step aside. 

Spike removes his cloak. He smirks while starring daggers at Marin. 

"You!" Marin's eyes pop out. Now he knows who Spike is. "You used space magic! Why isn't my magic not affecting you!" 

"Well," Spike chuckles a bit. "I'm an Energy Maker Dragon. My Energy Maker Magic allows me to consume and adapt to any form of energy."

"Thanks for bringing us back, Spike," Lucy said.

"I may need to borrow a weapon from you if you don't mind," Erza said. Her face means death upon you. She's that angry. 

"I know you're the legendary Fairy Dragon. My questions are; how can you consume when I didn't give you the magic!? How you can use space magic!? You teleported, and that qualifies for it!" Marin is livid and confused. 

Spike smiles. "I hit you with a flare marking. Then when Erza and Lucy were turning into bubbles and transported to your chill-out space, I was breathing the particles while you were monologuing to Natsu and Gray. You didn't bat an eye to what I was doing. Since I breathe the particles, your wave of magic is still consumable. Therefore, your magic is with mine." 

Marin turns pale after hearing that. He steps back a bit. "That's an F-minus, dude. That's cheating!" Marin points at Spike. "You cheater! You're cheating! You're cheating!" His hand and arm shake. 

"Also," Spike chuckles while watching Marin freak out. "Any attempt to flee, I can pull you back since you were hit with a flare marking."

"You're a monster! A cheating monster!" Marin trembles in his speech. 

Spike claps his claws, creating an inferno lightning sword for Erza. "Here you go," Spike gives it to her. 

"Thanks, Spike," Erza grips the sword. She now enhances the ability to use lightning and fire. 

"Now, I'm fired up!" Natsu's hand is ablaze in fire. 

"I say we ice this dude!" Gray positions himself for his Ice-Maker Magic. 

Marin waves his hands. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Let's not be hasty. Let's not be hasty!" He steps back a bit. 

"What have you done, Marin?" A woman with green hair with two purple cross-shaped objects attached to the sides of her head like horns. She's wearing silver cross-shaped earrings. Her attire consists of a gold-colored bikini showing her huge bust and a golden fancy coat with purple-indented flower patterns across its design, along with purple fur around the collar; A dark-brown collar around her neck with golden chains attached to it; running across her back in a T-shaped pattern. Lastly, she wears dark brown high heels. Her Alvarez Emblem is on her right thigh. 

The power level of this woman has everyone on edge a bit. Spike looks at her and remains silent. Marin warps next to his commanding officer. 

"Brandish, my lady. You are an A-plus-" Marin's speech is interrupted. 

"Be quiet," Brandish commands. "It seems you aroused Fairy Dragon's anger," Brandish reads Spike's body language. "Also, I have a craving for Star Mango Gelato," Brandish turns to see the stand. "The shop is like totally in pieces!" Brandish is sad as tears flow down. Her desired treat is ruined. "Who could have done this?!" 

"Marin did," Spike points at him before Marin can play the blame game. 

"Let's go," Brandish commands in a sad tone. 

"Hey, wait! These people are here to contact the spy! We need to apprehend them!" Marin advises. 

"I don't care. You and I are going to have a long discussion," Brandish tone changes real quick, from being sad to strictly angry. Marin sweats like crazy and complies. He leaves with Brandish. 

"Not so fast!" Natsu calls out Brandish. 

"Don't be stupid!" Lucy barks at Natsu. 

"You took out one of our friends! You really think you can walk away after that?" Natsu sternly says. 

"No, stand down!" Erza commands. 

"Calm down, Natsu. Things don't have to escalate so quickly," Spike orders. 

Brandish turns around to Natsu. Natsu's glare speaks vengeance. Brandish uses her magic to shrink Marin out of existence. Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray, and Spike gasp in horror. 

"I'm down one too. Now, we're even. Does that make things better?" Brandish calmly says. "I hate dealing with this. There's so much else I rather be doing." 

"He was your guy," Natsu is offended that a comrade in Alvarez is willing to take out one of their own. "How could you?" 

"Why would I waste any more of my time? It's way easier for all of us if I tell everyone back home I got rid of the spy and her little friends. So stay away from Alakitasia, okay?" 

"She knows of our plans?" Spike thought to himself. 

"Wait, how could she know why we're here?" Erza thought to herself. 

"Makarov is alive, by the way. But, if you guys don't behave yourselves, that could easily change. So this is your warning. You better run along home, or else," Brandish uses her magic. The island starts shaking tremendously. 

"What is she doing?" Lucy is perplexed about the island's quaking. 

"What the?" Natsu lands in the water. Everyone is in the water. People are confused while some are struggling to swim. 

"How is this possible?" Spike is confused like everyone else is. 

Brandish is standing on the island like a stepping stone. Her magic allows her to shrink or increase anything she sees. "Alvarez has eleven other wizards just as powerful as I am. So don't be stupid to start a fight you can't win. Got that, Fairy Tail?" 

"There are that many like her?" Lucy is scared out of her mind. Rescuing Makarov will be life endangerment now. 

"So, they got our whole mission figured out." Gray thought to himself. 

"We can't beat or fool them. This is bad." Erza thought to herself. 

"Fairy Dragon," Brandish calls out Spike. 

Spike flaps his wings and rises out of the waters. "What is it?" 

"God Serena will slay you," Brandish declares. She knows God Serena has the magic power to defeat Spike in battle. "He's our equalizer to your magic power." 

"Point taken," Spike shows no emotion. 

Brandish goes to her Alvarez Military Ship and sails away. Fisherman ships arrive to pick the many out of the waters. Spike increases his size and helps people get on the fisherman ships. 

"Make sure everyone is accounted for," Erza said. 

Spike continues to put people on the ships. "That's the last of them, Sis." 

Many people on the ships take pictures of Spike. Most of them have never seen a full-size dragon this close and personal. 

"I'm staying on Spike!" Natsu said, refusing to get on the fisherman ship. 

"Same with me!" Wendy said. She doesn't want to experience any more motion sickness. 

"Think you can heal Mest?" Carla asks Wendy. 

Spike grabs Wendy and lowers her down. His claw is above Mest. "I'll try," Wendy uses her healing magic on Mest. 

"Happy, were you able to track down that kid's dad?" Gray asks. 

"Aye," Happy points to the father of the kid's dad. "They seem okay." 

"Spike, what's our next move?" Lucy asks Spike. 

"I'm not sure," Spike said. Then he sees Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Gray, Erza, and Carla vanishing. "What's going on?" He vanishes as well. Spike had to revert to size. Otherwise, he would have destroyed what's containing him and his friends. 

"We're, fine. It's my magic," Mest said. 

"Warning would have been a considerate thing to do!" Carla lividly barks at Mest for pulling a disappearing stunt. 

"Haha! Safe on solid ground!" Natsu and Wendy cheer in joy. 

"So, where have you taken us?" Erza asks Mest. 

"Not far. It's near Caracole Island but underwater," Mest said. 

"Underwater?" Spike and Lucy are amazed to hear that a base is underwater. 

"Wow, look at all the fishies!" Happy said, looking out the window. 

"Why here?" Carla asks Mest. 

"I was able to get in contact with our spy. She gave me a set of coordinates of the rendezvous."

"What a strange place," Erza said. 

The location Mest transport everyone into is like a temple. It has its set of marble pillars and magic-stained glass for windows. The details of the floor, walls, and ceilings are marbled-concrete. Then the temple sort-of-speak starts moving and sheds its foundation. It has a cannon on its head. Angelic wings spread wide as arms, mechanical legs and feet, and a set of white eyes. 

"Mest!" Erza turns to Mest. 

"I don't know what's happening!" Mest like everyone else is dumbfounded. Unfortunately for Wendy and Natsu, they suffer immediate motion sickness. 

"The building is moving," Carla said. 

"Nooooo! Please!" Natsu and Wendy pleas while their motion sickness gets the better of them. The building runs on oceanic floors. "Stay still!" Natsu and Wendy collapse. Spike sits on the floor, rubbing Wendy's back. 

"I'm glad you've come." 

"Huh, did you hear someone?" Lucy asks her friends. 

"Sounds familiar," Spike said. 

A woman that has white hair and is wearing an angelic bikini is sitting on her seat that controls the Mobile Temple Olympia. "Welcome to the Mobile Temple Olympia. I am your Captain, Sorano." 

"It's Angel," Lucy is surprised to see Angel since the Infinity Clock crisis. "I don't understand..." 

"Why are you in a swimsuit?" Gray asks Angel. He's stripped into the nude. 

"Because we're in the water," Angel replies. 

"Hey, put your clothes back on!" Carla irately orders. 

"Spike is naked. No one complains," Gray replies. 

"I can hide my junk. You can't," Spike responds to Gray's statement. 

"Fine, I'm putting them on," Gray puts his clothes back on. 

"Hold on, is she the spy?" Happy asks. 

"Uh-huh, that would be me," Angel said. 

"As you know, the former Oracíon Seis are working with Jellal as Crime Sorcière. So we asked for their help with it," Mest said. 

"Is there a reason you didn't call on Cobra?" Erza asks Mest. 

"We couldn't risk him hearing certain things that need to remain confidential," Mest said.   

"I don't believe our paths have crossed since that Infinity Clock ordeal. It's so nice to see you all," Angel said. 

"You do realize your cover was blown," Lucy said. 

"So you fled to Caracole Island," Gray noted. 

"Which was promptly wiped out," Carla added. 

"It's not my fault! I barely escaped alive, you know!" Angel whines a bit, waving her arms like a child. 

"It's quite surprising coming from you," Erza said. 

"Well, as it turns out, I owed Mest a little favor now. So, I'll help you this time," Angel said. "However, don't be fooled to think we're partners." 

"Is there anything you can inform us at the moment? Also, where are we heading?" Spike asks Angel. 

"Well, Fairy Dragon. I'm taking you and your friends straight to Makarov," Angel informs everyone. 

"No way. You know where they're keeping him?" Erza asks Angel. 

"Aren't I the best?" Angel smiles. 

"How long will this thing takes us to the Alvarez Empire?" Spike asks. 

"If I kick it into full gear, two days at best," Angel replies. 

"Speed it up." 

"You got it," Angel kicks the Mobile Temple Olympia at full gear. However, it worsens the motion sickness for Wendy and Natsu. 

Two days later. Angel raises the Mobile Temple Olympia out of the waters and on the main-lands of Alakitasia. The Mobile Temple Olympia sprints to a forest region outside the Alvarez Empire. They are two hundred miles away. 

"This is as far as I can take you," Angel said. 

"Thanks for the ride," Spike said. He lifts Wendy and Natsu. "Don't worry about getting us home. I'll take care of that." 

"Finally, out of this hellhole," Natsu said, still feeling queasy. 

"Aye," Wendy concurs. She hopes to never ride a vehicle ever again. 

"Farewell," Angel directs the Mobile Temple Olympia away. 

Spike, Natsu, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Erza, Mest, Gray, and Happy can see the Alvarez Empire from afar. Spike shoots Mest with a Flare Marking. 

"So, I'm guessing if I take too long, you either teleport me back, or you teleport to me?" 

"That is correct, Mest. You're the fastest among us. Find Makarov and bring him back here." 

"You got it," Mest uses his Direct Line magic to teleport at fast speeds. 

"So, what now?" Natsu asks Spike now that he's feeling better. 

"We wait," Spike replies. "And prepare ourselves for any outcome in case Mest fails." 

Mest Gryder enters the Alvarez Empire. He senses an overwhelming source of power and investigates. Upon arrival, he sees Makarov imprisoned in a purplish-sphere that's causing severe pain. Mest grabs Makarov before the sphere kills him. Mest takes a look at the wizard who nearly killed Makarov. Mest saw the Black Wizard, Zeref. 

Mest Gryder left ten minutes ago and returns with Makarov. Everyone is elated to see Makarov safe and sound. 

"My children are here," Makarov is amazed to see Spike, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Natsu, and Gray. 

"Guys, I saw Zeref," Mest said. "He was with Zeref." 

Natsu does a doubletake and looks at the Alvarez Empire, staring in the direction where Zeref is staring. 

"We need to get out of here before Alvarez sends their whole army after us," Mest said. 

"Leave that to me," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport everyone back to the guildhall.
> Foundations of United Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four months have passed since the defeat of Midnight Sparkle. Every creature is in an open area near the mountains that once held Canterlot. The land stretches as far as the eye can see. There's a riverine that ties into the waters of Neighagra Falls. 

Earth Ponies, Unicorns, Pegasi, Crystal Ponies, Dragons, Hippogriffs, Changelings, Yaks, Buffalos, Storm Creatures, and Griffons are ready to start building a city of unity. A United Equestria as the capital city of Equus. Clones of Discord have the blueprints to create the tallest castle for all important figures to address to their citizens. 

The United Species stand firm with the potential Princess of Friendship, Spike is next to Twilight (Sci-Twi). Neighsay steps up with blueprints to build the United Species Guildhall. They agree to create a guildhall similar to Fairy Tail's in honor of Spike the Fairy. 

The leaders of each Nation come together to make an important announcement. 

"Thank you all for coming today," Princess Celestia raises her voice to ensure everyone hears her. 

"Today marks a new beginning for every creature standing by," Princess Luna said. 

"Today marks the first day of creating a utopia," Gilda said. 

"Together as one family," Princess Cadance said with love. 

"We're all brothers and sisters and will continue to enable that factor for many generations to come," Prince Rutherford proclaims. 

"For great happiness is upon us," Thorax said. 

"And to combat any foe, we will help one another in times of need," Pharynx said. 

Princess Skystar's excitement gets the better of her. "WHO'S READY TO BUILD A BETTER TOMORROW!" 

"WE ARE!" Every creature shouts in unison. The roar of their shout echos the landscape causing every bird for miles on end to fly away. 

"LET'S GOOOOOOOO!" Princess Skystar leads the charge. Every creature follows her. Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, Gilda, Thorax, Pharynx, Chrysalis, Prince Rutherford, Queen Novo, Tempest, Grubber watch Skystar leading the charge and laugh. Each leader goes with their construction teams and starts building their foundation. 

"Alright, let's take a look at our guildhall," Neighsay unveils the blueprints for his friends to see. 

"Spike, come with us to gather lumber," Garble said. 

"Yea. We dragons can do the heavy load while our friends gather the other materials," Smolder said. 

"Coming," Spike conjures energy wings. 

"Hey, Garble. Can I join your group?" Clump said. 

"Yea, you can. We're the United Species. Any creature that wants to be part of our family is more than welcome to join," Garble informs his friend. 

"Can you lend a claw by helping us gather trees?" Charcoal said to his good buddy. 

"Yea," Clump does a fist pump. "Dragons, away!" He leads the charge. Garble, Smolder, Charcoal, and Spike follow Clump to a forest. 

Neighsay goes over the blueprints. "Hammer, nails, rope, marble stones, sandpaper, cement, gemstones, bricks, are also needed."

"We have a measuring tape, scissors, buzzsaws, hammers, saws, screwdrivers, shovels, balance rulers, and water. A clone of Discord said he'll have other materials for us to use," Twilight (Sci-Twi) informs her friends. 

"Excellent," Neighsay said. "Grab a partner, and let's get to work. Twilight, will you be interested in being my partner?" 

"Of course, since you asked," Twilight (Sci-Twi) grabs her toolkit and trots up to Neighsay to begin drawing the measurement of their guildhall using their magic and shovels. 

"Gallus," Adagio smiles at him. "Let's work on creating the mess hall for the guild." 

"Sure thing, Adagio," Gallus smiles at Adagio. Aria and Ocellus want to help create the mess hall with them. 

Yona goes with Silverstream and Sunset to gather the marble stone needed to create the pillars. Spike, Smolder, Garble, Charcoal, and Clump uprooted many trees they'll need for lumber. Spike uses his magic to create an energy wagon to fit the trees. He uses his fire-like rope and attaches the wagon to himself; Spike flies the wagon back to his friends. Smolder carries five uprooted trees; Garble lifts seven uprooted trees. Clump and Charcoal combine their strength to bring twenty uprooted trees. 

The clone of Discord arrives with other materials the United Species need to create their guildhall. He decides to help them out with anything they need.

Every creature of every Nation creates a section that reminds them of home. The clones of Discord and leaders of every Nation took it upon themselves to build the tallest castle while their Nations layout their foundations, bringing a piece of their home to their utopian city. 

Eight months later. After hard work, determination, and dedication, United Equestria is complete. It's as wide as the Crystal Empire, and there's a castle stand tall over three hundred-fifty stories high is in the middle of ten districts. Every Nation that built United Equestria becomes a district. 

District One belongs to the Equestrian Ponies. Princess Celestia and Luna will be governing all of Equestria there. District One has housing similar to Ponyville and Canterlot. However, in District One, there is no money-based system and no social class. Any pony that wants to live in District One can choose any housing. 

District Two belongs to the Changelings. Within District Two, it's similar to the Changeling Hive but greener. There are homes structured with rock and boulders. Within the houses, plantlife is all around; the grass is the floors. With help from Discord's clones, the housing has all sorts of furniture that meets every Changeling's liking. Thorax is leaving Pharynx in charge of District Two. 

District Three belongs to the Griffons. The Griffons made nest-like homes but better than what they have in Griffonstone. With the help from Discord's clones, the nest-like houses are more resilient to withstand harsher weather. There's fresh hay all around as their grass. A clone of Discord even planted a soccer field for District Three since the Griffons enjoy competitive activities. Gilda says she'll travel back and forth every week. She's still needed in Griffonstone and can't leave it unoccupied. 

District Four belongs to the Yaks. There is snow within District Four; the homes are similar to Yak Yakistan. Every Yak desires to bring Yak Yakistan to United Equestria. There's a gigantic bonfire in the middle of District Four. Prince Rutherford made it clear that the bonfire is for all Yaks to come together and invite their neighbors for any celebrations or feasts. Prince Rutherford has told his kin he'll make annual trips from here and Yak Yakistan. 

District Five belongs to the Dragons. A clone of Discord dug deep in the earth to create a lava pool for the Dragons. The lava pool is in the center of District Five. There are medium-size mountains around District Five for the Dragons. Within the medium-size mountains are caves for storing gemstones and other precious belongings. The ground is made of rock since most Dragons prefer some rough edges. Ember declares she'll still reside by the Dragon Lands, planning visitations, especially with all Bar of Alliance meetings. 

District Six belongs to the Buffalos. A clone of Discord helped create a running track for the Buffalos to have their spiritual run. The Buffalos have huts to sleep in outside of the running track. There are many fruit trees and bushes for them to eat. 

District Seven belongs to the Storm Creatures. It's more modernized with technology than any other District; District Seven's housing is more metallic and steampunk. Storm Nation blimps are hovering around all the Districts, keeping watch. Tempest and Grubber will rotate every month to stay in District Seven and Storm Nation Island. 

District Eight belongs to the Crystal Ponies. The Crystal Ponies makes sure District Eight shines brightly. The streets are pure crystal to create the sparkling pop. The buildings and housings are the same as the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor has decided to take it upon himself to stay in District Eight and will frequently visit the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor still has the motive to be with his daughter daily and won't mind the traveling. The Crystal Ponies created another Spike Statue, but this Spike Statue is different. This Spike Statue has the Fairy Tail Emblem placed in the middle; To remember Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon to the fullest. 

District Nine belongs to the Hippogriffs. District Nine is next to the riverine that ties with the waters of Neighagra Falls. The homes within District Nine are similar to Hippogriffia. The trees are the buildings and housings for their likeness. Using the riverine, clones of Discord made underwater homes for Hippogriffs to be in the water as sea forms. The Hippogriffs used seashells, starfishes, pearls, streamers, and balloons to decorate District Nine. The trees are colorful and beautiful. Queen Novo is entrusting Princess Skystar to learn how to be a Queen someday by allowing her to lead District Nine. 

District Ten belongs to the United Species. They accomplished their goal of creating a Guildhall; They call it Guildhall of Harmony. It's to honor the Spirit of Harmony and hopes she can come to their newly established home. To the United Species' surprise, the Treehouse of Harmony appears next to their guildhall as a present. The Spirit is so happy that the United Species grows more in their friendship. They shouldn't be far from their hangout. Outside the guildhall are portions of each District put together for all creatures. 

It's nightfall. Each leader of the Districts came together for a Bar of Alliance meeting within the castle. The meeting room is presented as a dining room as well. 

"Thank you all for coming tonight," Princess Celestia said. 

"We are united as one within United Equestria. However, not all nations have joined our alliance," Princess Luna reminds the leaders in the room. 

"Diamond Dogs is not with us," Prince Rutherford said. 

"Chameleons as well," Gilda said. "Griffons have tried searching for other kingdoms to be friends with before reuniting the peace and trust with Pony Kind." 

"Lizards too," Pharynx informs everyone.

"There are multiple creatures in the Badlands that wish to be left alone," Queen Novo said. 

"I've tried getting in contact with any of their species but flipped off," Princess Skystar informs everyone. 

"Storm King made a lot of enemies with other nations. Even with Grubber and I going to every city that the Storm King took over by fear, they're not so forgiving," Tempest said. She remembers doing her affairs as a cruel commander. 

"We're hoping that any of you can reach out and be friends with them since they neglected and rejected us," Grubber sighs. He remembers the fear of those creatures' faces. 

"No need to fret. In due time, all nations in Equus will be in peace and harmony," Princess Cadance reassuringly says. 

"The Storm Nation as a whole made many enemies," Tempest sighs. "We're glad we can call you our friends." 

"Yea, you have no idea how bad other nations hate us for spreading tyranny every awakening moment," Grubber said. 

"That was my doing as Queen before I reformed," Chrysalis stated. "Give it time and watch change become a thing of beauty," Chrysalis confidently says. 

"It took Cadance and me time to trust Chrysalis after what she pulled before our wedding," Shining said. 

Chrysalis groans bitterly. "I'll never hear the end of it, aren't I? I was foolish and arrogant back then." 

"I think we can say it'll take us years to ensure every nation is at peace with each other," Princess Celestia claims. 

"Agreed," Every creature nods in unison. 

"So, what's next?" Thorax asks everyone. 

"We continue with our lives and create new bonds wherever we go," Princess Celestia formally answers. 

"Starlight Glimmer has informed me that the School of Friendship will remain in Ponyville. Any creature within United Equestria that wishes to go is allowed," Princess Luna said.  

"Also," Discord appears in the meeting room. "My clones will be doing the majority of the work within United Equestria in restaurants, pubs, stands, entertainment, cleaning, the works. Another thing to mention, there is now a District Eleven. It's where my clones will spread their chaos freely and only in that District. So anything every creature may see that is confusing, that'll be my clones' doing." 

"Thank you for letting us know, Discord," Princess Celestia said. 

"Ah, you're welcome. Anyone wanting to go to the School of Friendship, my clones will teleport them there." 

"The future looks bright," Pharynx said. 

"Brighter than ever since we won't be dealing with demonic forces anymore," Gilda said. Everyone gets a good laugh, knowing there are no more demonic forces to fight. 

A figure wearing a dark cloak witnessed everything since Midnight Sparkle sprung into being. It's been planning, scheming, and now, it knows what to do from here. The figure walks away from the borders of the United Equestria.
> Back Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Makarov, Mest, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Erza, Happy, Carla, and Wendy arrive at the Fairy Tail Guildhall. They look up to see the newly established guildhall for the first time. It's similar to the first established guildhall but has fiesta colors which consist of green, white, and red. 

"Wow," Everyone said in awe and astonishment. 

Spike turns to Makarov. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Makarov." 

Makarov sighs. "Indeed. Let's head inside." 

Spike, Makarov, Mest, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Erza, Happy, Carla, and Wendy go inside the guildhall and receive a luke-warm welcome. Laxus turns to Makarov for the first time in a year. 

"Hey, Old Man, you've gotten older," Laxus smiles. 

"It's good to see you, boy. It's good to see all my children alive and well," Makarov sheds some tears. 

"Thanks for keeping the guild in check until we came back, Laxus. You as well, Mirajane." 

"No problem, bro. It was fun being Master for a little while," Laxus said. 

"We're glad you made it home in one piece," Mirajane smiles in delight. 

"Hooray! The Master is home!" Every other Fairy Tail Wizard shouts in unison. They are happy to see Makarov back in Fairy Tail. 

"As flattering as it sounds, I'm not your Master. Spike is." 

"Fairy Tail. I have two announcements. First,  I like to anoint the Eighth Master of the Guild, Makarov Dreyar! Second, when Makarov stands down as Fairy Tail's Guild Master, I'll be the Ninth." Spike announces loudly. 

Makarov's jaw drops, tears streaming down his face. He's genuinely happy for the first time in over a year. "Thank you," Makarov pulls Spike in a hug and cries. "Thank you for allowing me to be the Master of the Guild again! It's great to be with my Fairy Tail Family again!" Master Makarov burst into tears of happiness. 

"You're welcome, Master" Spike smiles. Master Makarov lets go of Spike. 

"Pretty clever of you to ensure you'll become the Ninth Master of the Guild, Spike," Erza said. 

"It was fun. I will like to do it again someday," Spike admits. 

"A toast for the return of Master Makarov!" Cana shouts. She raises her liquor bottle high. 

Everyone in the guild drinking beer raises their jugs. Then everyone drinks. Spike sits at the table with his friends. He couldn't help but ponder what Brandish said about God Serena. He lets the thought go to celebrate a joyous moment by -

"Hey, Natsu," Spike taps on his shoulder. 

"Yea, what is it?" Natsu turns only to get punched in the face by Spike. 

"Ah, yeah! Now, it's a party!" Gray removes his shirt. 

"Oh, c'mon!" Master Makarov complains a bit. He sees his children now fighting each other in the guildhall. 

Spike, Natsu, Gajeel, Gray, Elfman, Bickslow, Cana, Mirajane, Nab, Wakaba, Macao, Laki, Kinana, Bisca, and Evergreen get amid the pointless brawl. 

"Of course, he did," Wendy couldn't help but chuckle at Spike's antics. 

Erza groans a little. "Why did he have to start one now?" She was hoping to avoid this scenario when Makarov finally came home. 

"Well, he did sit out the last brawl when we were building the guildhall. It's only fair to partake in this one," Lucy slightly chuckles.  

After a pointless brawl, Erza steps in to break it up. Everyone continues to celebrate with each other. 

Natsu goes up to Spike. "I need you to get some of those motion relief pills! I don't want to endure another means of travel by vehicle!"  

"The sailor that has what I need is on vacation. I'm not going to disturb him. Second, only he has the pills strong enough. I'll have to wait another week or so." 

Natsu clutches his chest. He feels like a knife stabbed him in the chest. Wendy frowns a bit since she can't enjoy any mode of transportation anymore. She's joined the Dragon Slayer Motion Sickness Club. 

"Spike, will you be flying us from now on?" Wendy asks Spike. Hoping he'll say yes with pleading eyes. 

"Well, if it's a location I didn't tag with a flare marking, we'll have to use other sorts of transportation. If it's a spot where I did place a flare marking, instant teleportation." 

"Aw, man," Wendy said in tears. She knows it can't be helped until Spike explores every region in Earth Land. 

"Look, I'll make sure to get motion relief pills from Popeye when it's time. I'll get crates of it, okay?" Spike said, hoping it'll please Wendy. 

"Okay, that's fair," Wendy said. She hugs Spike. 

"So, how long does the motion relief pill lasts?" Natsu asks Spike out of curiosity. 

"48 hours."

"48 HOURS!" Natsu flops then grabs Spike. "WHY DIDN'T YOU GET MORE!?!" 

"It didn't come to me at the time. Plus, I didn't know Wendy would suffer from motion sickness at a younger age," Spike states. "I'll remember to buy more down the road." 

"Natsu. Put Spike down," Erza commands. 

"Yes, ma'am," Natsu complies and puts Spike down. 

"Master," Spike walks up to Makarov. "Anything you can share with us about Zeref and the Alvarez Empire?" 

Master Makarov takes a deep breath. He knew that question was coming. "Gather around my children. There's much to discuss." 

Master Makarov explains to everyone about the Spriggan 12 within the Alvarez Empire. The wizards are more powerful than any foe in Ishgar. However, Makarov only met six of them. The Winter General, Invel. The Sand King, Ajeel Raml. Brandish the Nation Destroyer. Erza told Makarov that she and her friends encountered her on Caracole Island. Dimaria the Warrior Queen. God Serena, ex-Ten Member of the Wizard Saints. Spike mentions to Makarov that Brandish mentions an equalizer known as God Serena. August the Wizard King. The mere mention of August and his unfathomable magic power scares everyone; Including the fact, he mastered all forms of magic throughout Earth Land. Makarov does know the names of three more but doesn't know their magic type. Bloodman, Nineheart, and Wall. Makarov also explains that Zeref is the ruler of the Alvarez Empire and seeks to destroy in an ultimate showdown. War is imminent among everyone with Alvarez and Fiore. Also, Zeref wants the Lumen Histoire. 

"We're ready to fight them, Makarov," Spike said. 

"Yea!" Natsu is fired up. "Spike ensured that everyone trained hard during the year! We all improved on our magic power!" 

"No joke. Some of us even trained with Spike to improve our skills," Gray said. 

"He helped me become stronger when I was slacking," Nab confesses. 

"While you were gone, some of us defeated an overpowered demon known as Midnight Sparkle. She had an endless wave of soldiers with a few demons on her side. Guess you can say we had our training battling an army," Happy said. 

"Everyone here strived themselves when Spike decreed a year-long training, Old Man. We're different than a year ago," Laxus said. 

"However, we cannot defeat a super-evil on our own," Master Makarov turns to Spike. "Contact every guild in Fiore. We're going to need their help in this battle." 

"You got it," Spike flies out of the guildhall and back to the apartment. 

"In the meantime, we're going to make them rue the day they chose to mess with our family! Let's take them down!" Master Makarov excites his children. Everyone in the guild cheers proudly.  

Spike is at the apartment writing letters to Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, Lamia Scale, Sabertooth, Quatro Cerberus, and many more. Spike takes a deep breath as the name God Serena comes to mind. 

An hour later. Lucy comes back to the apartment to check on Spike after hearing shocking revelations. She's perturbed from the bone-chilling details she learned. 

"Everything okay, Lucy?" Spike sees Lucy distraught. 

"We know what Fairy Heart is, Spike," Lucy confirms. "Also, you used Fairy Law during the Grand Magic Games." 

"Yea and Fairy Rage got rid of the contradiction curse that would have killed my friends." 

"WHAT!?" Lucy is appalled. "Wait.., huh.., please elaborate." 

"Fairy Rage sensed something manipulating within our body, and he got rid of it. I want to say it's the curse." 

"And..," Lucy trembles. "You got rid of it like that..," Lucy can't believe what she's hearing. 

"Fairy Rage did. I asked a lot of questions, and Master Makarov obligingly answered. So, I'm guessing Makarov told you everything about the Lumen Histoire?" 

"Master Mavis explains the origins of Fairy Heart. How vital it is to keep it silenced and hidden. I now understand why you didn't want to answer any questions about it. You were protecting us from a horrible truth." 

Spike nods. "I kept my promise to never speak of it. I left out a crucial detail. It holds unfathomable power. It's all I can say without going into further detail." 

"I've never known that Master Mavis' body was inside a healing lacrima." 

"I was in shock when I heard it. I was mesmerized when I saw it while building the sector alone. The one where Erza made sure no one dared to snoop around." 

"That would explain why you didn't want my help or Wendy's. Wendy was a little upset," Lucy said. 

"At the time, it was best that no one sees what I'm doing. Now that the guild knows about Fairy Heart, it's best not to talk about it any further." 

"Agreed," Lucy said. She goes to the kitchen. "Want tea, Spike?" 

"Green tea will do, Lucy," Spike said. "I'll make dinner sandwiches and cookies." 

Lucy gasps. "For real, you're going to make your specialty cookie?"

"Yes, and also give to the Landlady. She's expecting a batch this month."
> Alvarez vs Fiore: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night in Magnolia. Spike and Lucy hear the door knocking. Spike answers the door after finishing his specialty cookie. Natsu and Happy are standing by. 

"Hey, mind if we come in?" Natsu asks. 

"Yea," Happy nods. 

"Lucy?" Spike turns to Lucy. 

Lucy sighs a bit. "Let them in."

Natsu and Happy enter the apartment. They informed Lucy and Spike that all residents of Magnolia safely after the evacuation. Spike tells Natsu and Happy he mailed the letters to the guilds. He doesn't know how quickly help will be arriving.   

"So, wanna play some games?" Natsu enticingly asks. 

"Not tonight. Tomorrow, war could be upon us. We're facing an enemy that can't die. We're up against the toughest wizards we never came across besides that Marin guy and Brandish."

"Also, I have a feeling this God Serena guy may best me in battle. I tried asking Makarov about it. All he can say is God Serena was the strongest wizard in Fiore before he left. I can't stop thinking about the guy's magic power and the possibilities." 

"C'mon, Spike. You took on Acnologia Twice and defeated Sparkle Sunlight at Canterlot," Natsu claims. 

"It's Midnight Sparkle, and we were at the Crystal Empire," Happy corrects Natsu. 

"My point is, you fought tougher opponents. You bested Jura during the Grand Magic Games. You held your own against some demons of Tartaros. You pulled off amazing feats! No need to doubt yourself. You've come a long way! I remember seeing you for the first time, and you didn't know how to use magic. You took the time to elevate yourself into the Fairy Dragon we all know and love! Quit beating up on yourself!" Natsu said, hoping his words enlightens and encourages Spike. 

Spike cracks a smile. "You're right. I have come a long way. I struggled, I fought, I strived, I honed, I laughed, I cried, I bled, I've done so much, I'm not stopping now!" Spike is fired up. Lucy smiles and thanks Natsu for lighting a spark in Spike's heart. 

"That's the spirit!" Natsu high-fives Spike. 

"Hey," Happy smells Spike's freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. "Can we have some of those cookies!" Happy starts drooling. 

"Sure, just don't eat it all," Spike said. He figures the Landlady has evacuated as well. 

"Also, let's play strip poker," Happy shrewdly chuckles. 

Lucy refuses to play strip poker. "No way! You and Spike are naked as is!"

Spike, Happy, and Natsu laugh. Spike Natsu, Happy, and Lucy play a couple of board games while enjoying each other's company. After an hour of having fun, everyone feels a draft outside, distorted fog, and smoke filters all over Magnolia. The Fairy Tail Bell chimes, alarming everyone that Alvarez has arrived. 

"They're here now!" Natsu couldn't believe in less than a day, Alvarez starts invading. 

"Already?" Happy couldn't believe the bell is ringing. 

"I don't think I'm ready for this fight, guys!" Lucy trembles a bit. 

"It's time to fight to live tomorrow!" Spike flies out the window. "Whoa," Spike sees many aerial cruisers in the skies, shooting magic bullets from its cannons at the magic barrier surrounding Magnolia. 

"Happy!" Natsu catches up to Spike. 

"That must be Freed's enchantment." 

Freed is with Bicklsow and Evergreen at the Kardia Cathedral. He's conjuring the enchantment barrier while taking an onslaught from fifty aerial cruisers. The spell Freed is using drains of his magic power tremendously. 

"Natsu, Spike. Can you hear me?" Mavis said from the guildhall. She's communicating telepathically. 

"Yes, First Master!" Natsu shouts. 

"What's the status?" Spike asks. 

"Fifty aerial cruisers has arrived. It's time to unleash the dragons to annihilate their air power!" Mavis commands. 

"Right! Let's do this!" Spike and Natsu shout. Spike and Happy soar in the skies while bringing Natsu. They meet with Carla, Wendy, Panther Lily, and Gajeel. 

A sand soldier approaches Ajeel with important information. Ajeel sees one of his cruisers getting destroyed in an instant. 

"The hell?" Ajeel is perplexed as to what happened. Ajeel is a dark-skinned, muscular young man. Ajeel wears a thin light gold cloth tied around his neck and upper torso, leaving his bare chest and abdomen exposed instead of a traditional shirt. He wears baggy, brown-colored pants as well. On his wrists are gold bands on each of his biceps. He wears gold lock-in sandals and a golden scarf bearing an eye on the region covering his forehead. He adorns two large spherical earrings on his ears. 

"Say hi to the Flying Dragon Squad!" Natsu shouts. 

"What the..?" Ajeel looks at Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, and Spike. 

"Now, let's rock," Gajeel said. Panther Lily flies Gajeel straight into another aerial cruiser ship. 

Spike and Wendy hold hands and fly together. "Fairy Sky Dragon, Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Green Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a tornado that destroys many aerial cruisers. 

"No way!" Sand Soldiers panic due to the combined power of a dragon and a kid. 

Natsu crashes and destroys many aerial cruiser ships with Happy's flight speed. While Spike, Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu fly, dodge enemy fire, and destroy several more cruisers, Bisca is on the ground aiming Phantom Lord's Jupiter Cannon at the aerial cruiser ships. She hopes to blast them all sky-high.

"You're going down," Bisca shoots the Jupiter Cannon at the cruiser ships. A powerful stream of magic power goes directly at the lead cruiser in front. The Jupiter Cannon is powerful enough to obliterate a town. 

"Sir! Incoming fire!" A sand soldier warns Ajeel. 

"Nice try, losers!" Ajeel uses his sand magic to repel the immense power of the Jupiter Cannon. However, repelling the immense magic causes several other ships to take critical damage. 

"He defused a shot at the Jupiter Cannon?" Panther Lily is in shock to see how powerful Ajeel is. 

"Guess we better fight him up close," Gajeel said. "I say we start with the Sandy-Bastard!" 

Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily release Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel. Spike lands next to them to confront Ajeel. 

"You guys really know how to break stuff," Ajeel is excited to fight. He and Spike turn to see Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel suffering from motion sickness. "What the hell?!" Ajeel's eyes pop out in shock. 

"Even flying ships get you guys sick?" Spike groans. 

"Also, how are you not sick?" Ajeel asks Spike. 

"I'm a real dragon. Not a Dragon Slayer. I don't carry the motion sickness ordeal," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel to the guildhall. 

"We're in the guildhall?" Natsu forgot about Spike's teleportation already. 

"Quick thinking by Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"He saved me from a foolish blunder I made," Mavis said, sounding very disappointed with herself. "While he teleported you away, ground forces are beginning to mobilize. Get to the Western Hill of Magnolia." 

"Right!" Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy said. They ran out the guildhall, calling for their exceeds to fly them to enemy lines. 

"Where did you send them!?" Ajeel is more confused than ever since he doesn't know Fairy Dragon's abilities. 

"Away from this fight," Spike powers up. "It's you and me, Sand Boy!" 

"The name's Ajeel, you little runt!" Ajeel is livid and powers up. 

Erza swoops in with her Heaven Wheel's Armor, taking out sand soldiers left and right. "Spike, go down and deal with the enemy troops that are landing on the ground. I'll take care of this." 

"No way!" Spike refuses to leave. "He's going down!" Spike flies at Ajeel. 

"No! Spike!" Erza sisterly instincts come into the fray then fights incoming sand soldiers. 

"Foolish mistake!" Ajeel lunges at Spike with his sand engulfing his hand. He punches Spike's face so hard he receives a bloodied nose. "Whoops, did I break something?" Ajeel laughs. 

Spike adjusts his nose, snapping it back in place. "Lightning Inferno Flame!" Sparkling Green Lightning Flames engulfs Spike's hand. "Demolition Fist!" Spike wants to return the favor by punching Ajeel's face. 

"Nice try, runt!" Ajeels' sand magic deflects Spike's attack. However, he notices his sand magic transferring into Spike's claw. "What is this?" 

"I suckered you into my trap!" Spike jumps back and claps his claws. He creates a Sparkling Metallic Inferno Sand Sword. 

"NO WAY!" Ajeel shouts in horror. 

"Your magic is now infused with mine," Spike chuckles. 

"What are you?" Ajeel asks Spike. He stands there, petrified. 

"I'm Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. I am an Energy Maker Dragon!" 

"Sands of Death!" Ajeel creates an enormous wave of sand that engulfs Spike. "Got you, you stupid Fairy Dragon!" Ajeel laughs while Spike coughs due to the sand going into his mouth, nose, and eyes. "I'm going to kill you by draining your magic power and encasing your body in the sand!"

Erza roars and slashes Ajeel from behind after encasing Spike in the sands. Ajeel loses focus of his spell and releases Spike; Spike gets hit with enemy fire from a different cruiser ship falls. 

"Spike!" Erza watches him fall. 

Ajeel shoots Erza with his sand magic. "Not cool! Now you're dealing with me!" 

"You'll regret harming my brother!" Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor and fights Ajeel. 

Spike coughs out the sand while he's falling. "I need to do less monologuing and more fighting." Spike looks down and sees he's about to crash hard on the ground. He uses his fire breath to teleport to Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu. They are fighting sand soldiers by the Western Hills. 

"Spike?" Wendy's eyes widen in shock when she sees him land in front of her. 

"Flaming Arrows!" Spike's claw is in a C-Formation, shooting flaming arrows from his fingertips. He scorches sand soldiers behind Wendy. 

"What happened?" Wendy asks Spike. 

"I got beaten by the sand wizard and shot by an enemy cruiser. I monologued too long," Spike said in shame. "Erza is battling Ajeel." 

"Enough talking lovebirds, and help us fight the army!" Carla said. She's in her humanoid cat form battling the sand soldiers in hand-to-hand, close-quarter combat. 

"You can kiss later!" Gajeel irately says while fighting Kareem. 

"Right!" Spike and Wendy spring into action. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her dragon breath attack at the Sand Soldiers. 

"Ice Paladin Strike!" Spike raises his claws, conjuring many ice missiles with lightning flames inside. "Launch!" Spike unleashes the ice missiles on every sand soldier he sees. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath attack at Bakel. He scorches him and several sand soldiers behind him. 

After a few minutes, the first wave of sand soldiers is defeated. Everyone takes a breather. 

"Man, I can't believe you've lost to that sand wizard, Spike!" Natsu said in disbelief. 

"You lost while standing on a cruiser. You shouldn't be talking," Spike counters Natsu's statement. 

"He got you there, Natsu," Happy said. 

"This is not the time for bickering," Carla infuriated states. 

"Another wave of ships are upon us," Panther Lily alerts his friends. 

"Master Mavis did say earlier that Alvarez will be relentless on their pursuit for Fairy Heart," Wendy said. "We just gotta have faith we can win." 

"I know we can win," Spike proclaims. 

"Give up, now!" Bakel is a tall, dark skin muscular man with messy dark hair who tries to attack Natsu from behind. "How can you beat our army when this is all you got! You losers can't even handle the Ajeel Division, and that pathetic dinosaur lost to him!" Bakel laughs. 

Natsu elbows Bakel and punches him high in the skies. Gajeel, Spike, and Wendy look up while every other defeated sand soldier watches in awe and horror. Some are deciding to stay down and not bother the Dragon Team. Bakel crashes into the ship Erza and Ajeel are fighting on. Ajeel is distracted, allowing Erza to strike Ajeel with her wind and water blades. Then, out of nowhere, Ajeel summons a sandstorm. It covers the entirety of Magnolia. 

"What's going on? Where this sand come from?" Natsu asks. 

"It's hurting my eyes!" Happy has to close his eyes. Wendy and Carla do the same. 

"Now what? More enemies are coming!" Panther Lily is out of options due to the sandstorm. 

"You cats stand back. Us dragons can use our noses to fight the bad guys," Gajeel said. 

"Spike, can't you eat the energy of the sandstorm?" Happy asks. 

"I've never tried it before," Spike is shielding his eyes. "I'll try!" Spike starts consuming the energy of the sandstorm. He gags a bit due to the sand and collapses. 

"Spike! Are you okay!" Wendy gets worried while she hears Spike gagging. 

After a few seconds of gagging, Spike stops and stands on his feet. He's no longer affected by the sandstorm. "I'm ready for my rematch!" Spike takes off and flies at Ajeel's ship. 

Amid the sudden sandstorm, Ajeel grabs Erza's throat and chokes her. Erza is in her Wind God Armor. She was holding her own against Ajeel before he unleashed the Sand World. 

"Recognize me as your God and start begging me for my forgiveness. Do that, and I'll show you mercy," Ajeel decrees while proclaiming himself to be a Sand God. "I'll grant you an instant death." 

"My strength.., it's fading..," Erza is losing her strength due to Ajeel's Sand Word. 

"It's excruciating. My magic can dry up all the water in your body. The source of light itself," Ajeel laughs in triumph while watching Erza squirm, trying to take a breath. "Do you want to shrivel up and die painfully that way? C'mon. Say God, and I'll end your suffering." 

"Hands off, my sister!" Spike punches Ajeel, causing him to release his hold on Erza. Erza catches her breath. 

"You!" Ajeel snarls. "Wait a minute..?" Ajeel notices something peculiar about Spike. "How can you touch me?" 

"I consumed some of your sand from this sandstorm," Spike uses his magic to harden the sand around him, creating twin swords. 

"How is that possible! Sand is-" Ajeel realizes what Spike meant by being an Energy Maker Dragon. His sandstorm is a wave of energy. "No..," Ajeel grits his teeth, now knowing he made a fatal mistake. "You.., stay back!" 

"Morning Star Armor!" Erza requips into her armor, illuminating light throughout the sandstorm. 

Bisca, who had trouble locking on her target due to the sandstorm, can now see Ajeel's ship. She fires the Jupiter Cannon at the cruiser. 

Ajeel is distracted from his flaw when he sees a flash of light colliding with him. He screams in agony. "Nooooo! Impossible!"

"Spike, mind if I finish him?" Erza said. She requips into her Nakagami Armor. The armor is composed of a short revealing robe tied together with an intricate ribbon at the waist. The armor features large pauldrons over each shoulder, bearing the image of a lion with an open mouth, and decorated greaves that match the armor. The armor has a rhombus-shaped tiara, a large sash that loops above her head with the ends hanging out towards the ground with a bead on each end. The armor comes equipped with a large halberd possessing a circular hand-guard at its center. 

"By all means," Spike steps aside. 

"Nakagami Starlight!" Erza's spell with her weapon dismantles Ajeel swiftly and with brute force. It also disperses Ajeel's Sand World spell, getting rid of the sandstorm. 

"Curse yoooooooou!" Ajeel says in defeat. His cruiser gets blown up in the process. 

Spike flaps his wings after the ship explodes. He notices that the Nakagami Starlight spell drained Erza's magic; She have bruises on her body from Ajeel during her battle. As a result from the explosion, Erza reverts to her attire but it's tattered. Spike flies and catches Erza. 

"Got you," Spike increases his size and puts Erza on his back. Spike is the size of half a dragon. 

"Spike..?" Erza wakes up and realizes she's on Spike's back. 

"We defeated one of the Twelve Spriggan," Spike locates Wendy battling with her friends against another wave of sand soldiers. When Spike lands, many of those soldiers cry in horror, thinking Spike is going to devour them. 

Natsu and Gajeel combine their dragon breath attack to defeat the second wave of sand soldiers. Some retreat due to Spike's height. 

"Wendy!" Spike grabs Erza and places her on the ground. 

"Coming," Wendy rushes to Erza and starts healing her. 

Gajeel chuckles. "Nice work, Fairy Dragon." 

"Thanks," Spike reverts to size.  

"Hey! We took down the Western Forces!" Natsu announces. He finishes the rest of the sand soldier fleet. Warren uses his telepathy to pick up Natsu's status and everyone around in Magnolia that fought. 

"Erza, Bisca, and I took out Ajeel. Though it was Erza and Bisca that delivered the final blow," Spike announces, hoping Warren's telepathy picks up. 

"Great to hear, Fairy Dragon," Master Makarov is pleased to hear the good news. 

"Thanks, Wendy," Erza smiles happily now that she's healed. 

"You're welcome," Wendy smiles. She finishes healing Erza. 

"Hey, we're happy to confirm that we captured one of the twelve," Lucy said. She and Cana defeated Brandish. 

"And we're bringing her to the guildhall," Cana confirms. She's carrying Brandish. 

"We did our part!" Gray announces. He, Juvia, Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane were battling Machias soldiers created by Wall Eetho. Machias Soldiers are robots that can use magic power.  that used their weaknesses against them. 

"We took out a member of the Spriggan that conjured the weakness bots," Bickslow said. 

"However, he's still alive. We fought his Machias form," Evergreen said. 

"I received your letter, Fairy Dragon. Rest to sure that Blue Pegasus got Fairy Tail's back!" Ichiya said. He poses in front of Bickslow, Freed, and Evergreen at the Kadiac Cathedral.

"Thanks. Glad you can make it, Ichiya!" Spike said in excitement. 

"Blue Pegasus wasn't with you when you defeated that wretched demon of yours from that Canterlot Crystal world, so allow us to help you win this war!" Ichiya is stomping the head of the Spriggan robot. It's his undoing as the head self-detonates. 

"Crystal Empire," Happy corrects Ichiya through Warren's telepathy. 

Everyone hears an explosion coming from the Kardiac Catherdral. Smoke and fire are viewable from afar; Ichiya, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen survive. However, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen took it the worst while shielding Ichiya from the blast radius. 

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!" Laxus yells in Warren's ear after hearing an explosion. Warren gets an earache. 

"From what I see, the Kardiac Cathedral got blown up!" Gray responds. 

"I'll be back," Spike flies to the Kardiac Cathedral. 

"We should head back to the guildhall," Panther Lily said. 

"Yea," Everyone around agrees with Panther Lily. Natsu helps Erza up. 

Ichiya pants a bit from the explosion. "Guys, are you okay? Please, say something," Ichiya is horrified to see Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed, tattered and bruised from the explosion. "Freed.., Evergreen.., Bickslow..," Ichiya tears up a bit. 

"I'm glad.., you're okay..," Evergreen said while catching her breath. 

"We worked together in Blue Pegasus. You allowed us to work after having a meeting with Spike. That bond can be stronger than blood," Freed weakily says.  

Ichiya tears up more. "You mean that?"

"Yea," Bickslow weakily said. "We're family."

Spike arrives at the Kardiac Cathedral. He goes inside and lifts the rubble off Ichiya, Bickslow, Evergreen, and Freed. "I got them. Wendy, they need your healing. I'll take them to the guildhall." 

"On it!" Wendy said. Carla picks her up and flies to the guildhall. 

"How are they doing, Spike?" Laxus asks while using Warren's telepathy. 

"Everyone is in one piece but took a toll from whatever bomb that blew up. They'll need time to recover," Spike confirms. Spike then senses something large and powerful. "Guys! I'm sensing a large stream of magic energy coming our way!" 

"I see it, Spike! I can see it on my radar!" Warren said after hearing the alarms sounding off inside the guildhall. "It's super fast and heading right at us!" 

"Spike! Think you can intercept it?!" Master Makarov shouts louder in Warren's ear. 

"Ah, dude, my ear!" Warren complains a bit. 

"I'll try," Spike flies up and sees the wave of magic energy pass by him. "Oh, shit!" 

"I told you, Spike. Blue Pegasus got your back!" Ichiya commands the Magic Bomber Christina to intercept the long-range attack. The Christina is shattered, but the Fairy Tail Guildhall remains intact. Untouched by the surging magic power. 

"Thank you," Spike said. 

"Calling all of Fiore, now!" Ichiya activates a calling lacrima. "Listen up, everyone! Whether you received Spike's calling letters or not, this battle belongs to all of us! We won't allow Zeref to wipe us all out!" 

Through Ichiya's calling lacrima, a thunderous roar echoes the landscape of Fiore. 

"Let's get you fixed up, Superman," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Ichiya, Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow to the guildhall. Spike turns to see the sun rising. "This is going to be a long warfare," Spike takes a deep breath and flies to the guildhall.
> Alvarez vs Fiore: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike is at the guildhall with his friends. It's been several hours since the first wave of attack. He's drinking a barrel of water after consuming sand energy from the sandstorm. Cana and Lucy place Brandish in magic-seal stone cuffs to nullify her magic power and put her in a holding cell. 

"Taking up Cana's drinking habits?" Gajeel jokes around Spike. 

"Do you know what it's like to eat sand?" Spike's voice sounds raspy. 

"I tasted it, and it's dry. Eating it, no," Gajeel replies. He's eating iron. 

"I have never been this thirsty in all my life!" Spike drinks the barrel of water some more. "Ugh, never again will I eat sand energy. It's the worst." 

"Have you learned by now? Never again always leads to doing it again," Happy said. "For instance, mode of transportation for Dragon Slayers." 

"Don't remind me," Natsu feels motion sickness at the thought of another vehicle. 

"We managed to fend off the first wave of attacks. However, the fact remains we're facing enemy forces coming at us in every direction," Makarov said. 

"Luckily for us, thanks to Spike's letters and Ichiya spreading his message far and wide, we have every guild in Fiore coming to our aid," Jet said. 

"Yea, ain't no way we're losing this battle. We have Fairy Dragon to counter anything they throw at us," Droy said. 

"I'm flattered that you believe in me to counter anything, but there's only one of me. I'm not everywhere at once," Spike's voice sounds better. 

"Oh, yeah. We forgot," Jet and Droy said. 

"You can count on me to defeat the punk that attacked the Thunder Legion, Spike," Laxus said in a vengeful tone. 

"Thanks," Spike finishes drinking the barrel. 

"I finished using my healing magic," Wendy said, coming out of the infirmary. "The Thunder Legion and Ichiya need time to recover." 

"Warren, give me a situation report," Master Makarov orders. 

"I'm on it, Master," Warren uses his magic to project. "Oh, no! There's a situation to the east! Almost every guild in Basco has been decimated!" 

"Not good!" Several members of the Fairy Tail Guild panics a bit. 

"I don't know if their goal was to take down Basco, but it seems like they stopped their advanced for now," Warren said. "There is some good news, though! The enemy army coming from the north is about to be met by Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus! Although the invaders have taken the Port of Hargeon, Mermaid Heel and Lamia Scale are on their way to drive them out!" 

Spike sighs a bit which catches Master Makarov's attention. "Something wrong, Fairy Dragon?" 

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news. I believe Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus may be at a disadvantage." 

"What!? Why would you say that!" Warren, Jet, Droy, Max Alors, Nab, and Lisanna, Mirajane, and Elfman say in unison. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "Sabertooth didn't train as hard like Fairy Tail did when I gave the initiative order a year ago. I flicked Sting in his White Drive Dragon Mode and defeated him. Then again, we don't know who's out there for them to encounter from the Spriggan 12." 

"First Master?" Master Makarov turns to Mavis. 

"We'll need to form some squads to help our allies," Master Mavis calculates the best crew to team up with to aid every other guild. "Mirajane. You, Elfman, Lisanna, Gajeel, Levy, Lily, and Spike will take the north." 

"Manly Squad!" Elfman cheers. 

"This isn't a favor to Jenny but glad to help," Mirajane said. 

"We can handle them," Lisanna said. 

"Yea," Levy nods. 

"Getting to team up with Fairy Dragon. Now, this is a party," Gajeel chuckles. 

"I'll say. Just like training during the year and working together all over again," Panther Lily said. 

"Perfect," Spike smirks. 

"Aw, man," Wendy sheds a tear. She was hoping Mavis would pair Spike with her. 

Mavis announces the second team. "Providing support to the south. It'll be Natsu, Happy, Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Carla, and Laxus." 

"I guess that means we'll be seeing my old buddy Lyon again," Gray said. 

"I hope Popeye has returned to Hargeon to lay waste on some Alvarez Soldiers," Juvia said. 

"Who's Popeye?" Mavis asks Juvia. 

"He's a Sailor, wicked powerful when he eats spinach. I've seen him one-punched Kain Hikaru during the battle with the Seven Deadly Sins," Juvia answers. 

"Let's hope he's there!" Romeo said. 

"If I go south, I can crush that mechanical freak's real body," Laxus is looking forward to some payback. 

"It'll be great to work with Sherria again," Wendy said now that she thinks about her situation. Still, it bothers her that Spike won't be by her side going to Hargeon. 

"Yes, the Sky Sisters. Back in action," Carla said. 

"Hang on, where's Natsu?" Gray asks. He doesn't see Natsu anywhere in the guildhall.

"I could have sworn he was here with us," Juvia said. She remembered seeing Natsu around after bringing Erza back to the guildhall. 

Erza comes in, badly bandaged up. "Wherever he is, he's doing what he needs to do." 

"Erza," Carla is worried about Erza's condition. 

"I volunteer to go in Natsu's place," Erza said. "I loved to see Kagura once more." 

"You're still too injured," Wendy said. 

"Sis, you can't be serious. You were getting choked by that Ajeel guy and that Nakagami Armor worn you out," Spike said. He's worried about Erza's health. 

"I'll be fine, Spike. I'm worried about you for what you may consume next." 

"Eating sand is one thing. Consuming Hades' Abyss Magic was another. I don't think I'll be able to top that," Spike exclaims. 

"She got you there, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel said. 

"No joke. You even consumed a Demon Slayer's magic power," Juvia reminded Spike. 

"Let's not forget he consumed the Pheonix's magic bomb that held all of our magic," Lucy noted. 

"Geez, I'm not that reckless," Spike said. Most of the guildhall gets a good laugh. 

"Spike," Wendy walks up to him. 

"Yes," Spike looks at Wendy. 

"When this is all over, and we win," Wendy holds Spike's claws. "I want a day just the two of us. It's been a while since we had one of those." 

"I promise you we'll have a day when it's the two of us," Spike leans to kiss Wendy. Wendy returns the kiss. 

Mavis smiles, watching the two kiss. She turns to Lucy and Cana. "Lucy, Cana. You'll stay here and watch over the prisoner."

Lucy was distracted by Spike and Wendy kissing. "Oh, yes, Ma'am." 

"Definitely don't want to leave her alone with those creepers," Cana is referring to Macao and Wakaba. 

"C'mon," Macao and Wakaba whine a bit. They were hoping to watch Brandish alone. 

"Everyone else will defend the guildhall," Mavis instructs. "There's still a high probability of a surprise attack." 

"Agreed. What about the forces coming from the east and west?" Makarov asks Mavis. 

"The western army is moving much more slowly than the others. Which means that's likely where Zeref is coming from; We'll have to deal with the other three groups first. Once they're neutralized, we'll fend him off with everything we got left." 

"Okay, you can send me to the Eastern Front!" Romeo shouts with confidence. 

"The eastern army poses the most imminent threat right now. Given the situation, we must counter them with the strongest fighters we can find," Mavis said. 

"And who would that be?" Romeo asks Mavis. 

"I assume we're in contact, Warren?" Mavis turns to Warren. 

"Yes, Ma'am! Fiore's Mightiest are ready for action!" Warren replies. He's referring to Jura Neekis, Warrod Sequen, Wolfheim, and Draculos Hyberion. The Four Emperors of Ishgar. 

"Whoa, it's them!" Several members of Fairy Tail are amazed to see them partaking in the war. 

"If the enemy somehow fights their way past them," Mavis turns to Spike. "Spike, you'll be our backup for that kind of enemy." 

"Consider it done," Spike said. He figures God Serena is there, coming from the east. He remembers what Brandish told him the other day. 

On Warren's monitor; They picked up where Natsu and Happy went. Natsu is going after Zeref with his secret weapon. 

"That boy is foolish! Spike! Bring Natsu here!" Master Makarov commands. 

"It won't do any good. Natsu will go out after Zeref. Like an endless pursuit," Spike's answer is a no to Makarov. Makarov grabs the back ends of his hair in anger. 

"Spike, teleport me to Natsu! He should face Zeref alone!" Gray shouts at Spike. 

"No!" Erza intervenes. "This is Natsu's fight. Natsu said he has the power to take out Zeref. We need to trust in Natsu." 

"Also, Natsu is not alone. Happy is with Natsu," Carla reminds Gray. 

"We need to get going and meet up with our allies," Erza said. 

"Fairy Dragon! Time to fly! Manly style!" Elfman said. He wants to ride on Spike again. 

"Hold it," Erza interrupts. "He needs to teleport us to Hargeon. From there, we'll meet up with Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel." 

"No," Spike shakes his head. 

"What do you mean no?" Erza gives a vicious glare to Spike. Other Fairy Tail wizards cringe, flinch, and back away from Erza. 

Erza's glare doesn't scare Spike. "As much as this pains me, you still need time to recover. Since you're taking Natsu's spot, a day of travel will do you some good, which will extend Wendy's healing magic on you. Also, my flare marking is in Hargeon, surrounded by enemy forces and not with the allies. You'll need to meet with Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel to push back the army." 

Erza takes it into consideration and sighs deeply. "You're right," Everyone around Erza flop by Erza's calm reply. "Teleporting us to Hargeon will be dangerous. I wasn't thinking clearly. Thanks for the reminder about your flare marking."

"You're welcome," Spike replies.   

"I swear, I can never get Erza to talk like that whenever she gives someone the cold shoulder," Gray said to Lucy. 

"It's crazy that no matter what stare Erza gives, Spike is immune to it," Lucy says to Gray. 

"Spike," Wendy looks at Spike's eyes. "If you have to go to the east, bring me with you. I refuse to have you fight alone." 

Spike reads Wendy's eyes and hugs her. "I will. Don't you worry, I won't fight alone." 

"Thanks," Wendy graciously says. 

After twenty minutes, Elfman, Lisanna, Mirajane, Levy, Gajeel, and Panther Lily are ready. Spike goes outside and transforms into a full-size dragon. His friends jump on his back, and Spike flies north. It's late at night in the north. Spike lands, allowing his friends to hop off his back. He reverts to size. 

"I can't believe it took us over a day to get here!" Elfman complains to Spike. 

"This is why I prefer to travel by different means! There are areas I haven't explored nor tagged a flare marking!" Spike barks back at Elfman. "You read the map upside down and told me where to go, so it's not my fault that it took us this long!" 

"Perhaps I should give you a manly beatdown!" Elfman is ready to throw down on Spike. 

"Bring it on!" Spike is ready to fight Elfman. 

"Shut up! Both of you! At least we're here," Gajeel said. He's tired of Spike and Elfman bickerings. 

"Better late than never, huh?" Panther Lily said. 

"I hope Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus were able to hold off the armies," Lisanna said. 

"Let's hope so," Mirajane said. 

"An army is arriving," Spike sees soldiers marching in formation. 

"Looks like we're fighting without them," Gajeel said. 

"Can we take on that many?" Levy is unsure by the mass of the army marching. 

"Don't worry. The other guilds should be close by; Also, we have Fairy Dragon on our side. I'm not worried one bit," Panther Lily said. 

"Still, there are members of the 12 Spriggan to dispose of; that guy with the sand had me good at first. We should not underestimate our opponent," Spike said. 

"Agreed," Mirajane nods. 

"If we gotta do it alone, so be it," Gajeel prepares himself. "Everyone, get ready to fight!" 

"Gajeel..," Spike's jaw drops when he sees what the soldiers are carrying. 

Gajeel's eyes widen in shock. Elfman, Panther Lily, Lisanna, Mirajane, and Levy are horrified to see Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus tied up on wooded poles and tied in crucified positions, raised like trophies for a display of rapid dominance. 

"Yukino..," Levy is in tears, seeing her friend humiliated in the worst way unimaginable. 

"That's Sting and Rogue!" Panther Lily shouts in horror. 

"That is so messed up," Gajeel said in anger. It brings him daunting memories of his Phantom Lord days. 

"You and your big mouth!" Elfman yells at Spike for being right again. His predictions and theories scare him. 

"Elfman, calm down," Mirajane said, trying to cool off her brother. 

Spike grits his teeth. "Let's get 'em!" Spike takes off. 

"Let's go!" Gajeel follows Spike. 

Spike flies in front of the Alvarez Army and takes down the front lines. He rescues Ren and Hibiki first. Gajeel uses his Iron Dragon Roar to blow the soldiers away, rescuing Sting and Rogue. Elfman, Lisanna, Mirajane, Panther Lily, and Levy are battling the soldiers while saving every Sabertooth member and Blue Pegasus member. 

"C'mon, Sting. Wake up!" Gajeel checks on Sting; he's battered and bruised. 

"All the others? Are they still alive?" Sting asks. 

"Safe and sound," Gajeel answers. "Don't worry." 

Members of Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus are resting in makeshift camps Lisanna and Levy made. They're making sure everyone is accounted for while Spike, Mirajane, Panther Lily, and Elfman push back the Alvarez forces. 

Sting tears up a bit. "What a disgrace! We didn't stand a chance. We're weak!" Sting feels humiliated.

"Don't beat yourself up," Gajeel reassuringly says. "We'll get revenge for you. They'll be picking their teeth off the ground." 

"What's happening?" Sting feels something is changing. 

"Gajeel?" Levy turns to Gajeel.

"Meteor Rain!" Spike conjures Sparkling Green Orbs and unleashes it at the Alvarez Army. The Sparking Green Orbs explode on contact. 

"Something doesn't feel right," Sting senses the area changing. 

"You can say that again," Gajeel feels a rift. 

"It's so weird. The snow is melting," Levy said. 

"Spike, is that your doing?" Gajeel shouts from afar. 

Spike picks up Gajeel's call. "No. I'm focused on pushing the army back!" Spike breathes fire on the soldiers, pushing them back. 

The snowy region of Northern Fiore changes like a new season. From winter to spring. Flowers blossomed all around the area. 

The attack wages on as Lisanna and Levy help untie Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus, allowing them to recover and take cover while Spike, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Mirajane, and Elfman fight the army. The Alvarez army steps back and brings the wounded with them. Reinforcements will be arriving shortly. 

Sting and Rogue break down while their friends are recovering. "Dammit, what are we going to do? They got those three monsters on their side!" 

Gajeel chuckles after hearing Sting mention three monsters. "Yea, but we got six monsters and a Fairy Dragon on our side!" 

Elfman transforms into his Beast Soul, Lisanna is in her kitty form, Mirajane transforms into her Satan Soul. 

"Here, Gajeel," Spike conjures a metallic shield and gives it to him. 

"Thanks, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel munches on the metallic shield, replenishing his magic power. 

"Let's go!" Spike, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, Lisanna, Mirajane, and Elfman spring into action, going after the Alvarez army now that reinforcements have arrived. 

Some soldiers flee when they see Gajeel using his Karma Demon Iron God Sword to slash them and Spike creating ice missiles. To two knocks down hundreds of soldiers with their combined attack. 

"Iron Dragon!" Gajeel conjures his breath attack. 

"Fairy Dragon!" Spike conjures his breath attack. 

"Roooooooooooooar!" Spike and Gajeel combine their breath attack into an Iron Sparkle Flame unison raid. Many soldiers get scorched and blown away by sheer force from the attack. 

Levy uses her Solid Script Magic to create all sorts of carnage. Her Fire Script scorches soldiers; her Iron Script crushes soldiers with iron that spawns above them; her Lightning Script electrocutes soldiers. She's holding her own nicely against the soldiers.

Panther Lily takes down many soldiers with his song sword. The soldiers don't have an answer to fighting an exceed that wields a sword much larger than him. Panther Lily's sword slashes rows of soldiers left and right. 

Mirajane, in her Satan Soul, conjures many dark orbs and destroys the soldiers from advancing any further while protecting Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus. Elfman and Lisanna are helping Mirajane in that regard. 

While they fight, Sting is still in tears. Rogue is trying to help Sting snap out of his breakdown. 

"It's all my fault. I'm nothing but a screwup..," Sting sniffs. "I'm supposed to be the Master of our Guild. That flick from Spike the other day made me feel like I'm weak.., too weak to pose a threat now. Look at us.., we got our asses handed to us by those monsters!" Sting sobs. 

Yukino grabs Sting's arm and pulls him up. Then, she slaps Sting. Yukino is in tears for what she pulled. Minerva, Rogue, Frosch, Lector, Rufus, and Orga are shocked; eyes widen at what they witnessed. They never anticipated Yukino to pull a stunt like that. 

"You are our Master, Sting. And that means when things get as dark as they are now, you lead us out of it," Yukino said, giving a painful but truthful reminder about what a guild leader is supposed to do. 

"Yukino..," Sting looks at Yukino's eyes. 

"You can do it. I know you have what it takes," Yukino believes in Sting even though he doesn't believe in himself right now. 

Sting looks deep down at himself after hearing what Yukino expressed from her heart. "I'm sorry," Sting holds Yukino's hand. "That must have been painful."

"No.., I mean.., I slapped you so, wouldn't that hurt you more?" 

"Having to do something like that because your Master is pathetic is the painful part of it," Sting wipes his tears. He sees Spike, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna battling the soldiers. Newfound confidence emerges within Sting. 

"You're not pathetic. I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do," Yukino apologetically expresses. 

"Someone needed to knock some sense into me. We gotta learn from this experience and grow stronger," Sting takes a deep breath. "If you can still walk! Follow me! We're Tigers, and we're hungry for a fight! And right now, it's feeding time!" 

"Let's do this!" The Trimen of Blue Pegasus steps into the fray. 

Sting leads the charge with Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus. They rejoin the battle and fight the soldiers for tying them up and humiliating them. 

Team Fairy Tail hears the commotions and smiles, knowing Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus got their fighting spirit back. Then panic spreads again when some wizards are dying. Members of Blue Pegasus and Sabertooth flee. 

"What the hell?" Gajeel and Spike see an enemy appearing. Wizards are shouting that the Grim Reaper has returned. Purple and black mist appears and disappears, revealing the demon behind the killings. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel's arm turns into an iron club and hits the supposed Grim Reaper. More iron clubs hit him, and Gajeel uses his Iron Dragon Sword to pin the supposed Grim Reaper to a tree. 

"He must be one of the Spriggan 12," Spike said, seeing how every wizard is afraid of the supposed Grim Reaper. "What is your name?" Spike asks so he can carve a tombstone for him. 

"The name's Bloodman," Bloodman is an extremely, muscular demon. The appearance of the demon sends chills to anyone's soul. A Black and red demonic breastplate covers his chest that wraps itself around his lower abdomen. Attached to his breastplate are extremely large, irregularly-shaped metallic pauldrons that connect and fade out into his extremely long cloak, which he uses to keep the hoodie up. His faces resemble a red oni mask with his eye area painted yellow all around his chin to conceal his face. Bloodman wears a fishnet, mesh-like material on his arms. 

"How do you like being crucified?" Gajeel asks the supposed Grim Reaper. "For me, this is bringing up some bad memories." 

"Better than what your future holds," Bloodman uses his magic. His voice is dark and grim. His body becomes particles and moves out of Gajeel's iron pin. 

"Take this!" Spike shoots an energy beam from his claw. It does nothing to Bloodman.

"You have touched death!" Bloodman grabs and chokes Spike and Gajeel through his sheer strength. The wizards near Spike and Gajeel become more afraid and flee. "There'll be no deprive, no escape!" 

"You think so?" Spike and Gajeel grab Bloodman's throat together. 

"This means it must be my lucky day," Gajeel turns his body into iron. 

"You'll be six feet under when we're through with you!" Spike's body ignites in Sparkling Green Flames. 

Gajeel headbutts Bloodman. He lets go of Gajeel's and Spike's throats. 

"Inferno Flame Scorching Fist!" Spike punches Bloodman. He hurls back a bit from the two impacts. 

Spike and Gajeel nod and attack Bloodman in close-quarter combat. 

"My Bane Particles spell doom for any wizard who inhales them. Soon, you'll feel a sensation of your organs liquifying!" 

"Yea, I don't think so cause my lungs are made of iron!" Gajeel said. 

"Oh, great. Bane Particles to add on. Erza will not let me hear the end of it," Spike said. 

"Excellent news, it's been too long since I truly faced two challenging opponents!" Bloodman shoots his Bane Particles at Gajeel and Spike. They dodge the attack. 

"Iron Dragon Spear!" Gajeel's leg turns into an iron spear to attack Bloodman. His attack phases through his Bane Particle body. 

"What the?" Spike is trying to figure out how to hurt the guy. 

"My body is made of Bane Particles. You touching me will seal your doom!" Bloodman declares. He unleashes black skulls in a wave of an attack. "I am the God of Death! Dragging all I face into the Underworld!" Spike and Gajeel scream a bit due to the magic Bloodman is unleashing. It's creating internal torture in their bodies. 

Many wizards, not far but can see Spike and Gajeel fighting, starts bleeding from their mouths, feeling their organs liquifying, and screaming in agonizing pain. 

"The two of you can survive this, but what about those who don't have your gifts?" Bloodman taunts Gajeel and Spike. 

"Everyone, getaway, right now!" Gajeel yells. "Don't come near him!" 

"Leave this guy to us!" Spike shouts. 

Spike and Gajeel land in the pile of black skulls Bloodman spawned. "My legion of the dead will consume your souls." 

"Damn these bones," Gajeel said. They're everywhere. 

"Solid Script, Shine!" Levy uses her Solid Script Magic to repel the dark souls using light energy. 

"Holy Magic?" Bloodman was not expecting to face a wizard that uses Holy Magic. 

"Levy, you gotta go!" Gajeel becomes worried about Levy's health when he sees Levy using her Solid Script Magic to create a mask for herself. 

"Nice thinking, Levy," Spike said. 

"Those who oppose me cannot escape death,"  Bloodman is getting serious. "I'll drag your souls through the gates of Hell. For I am Death, and the life you cling to will be broken, without mercy." 

"Will that mask of yours work, Levy?" Gajeel asks. 

"It's Solid Script. Of course, it'll work," Levy said, smiling at Gajeel to ensure him she's going to be okay going forward. 

"When the first seal is broken, Bane Particles drain your magic power. The second opens the gate to the Underworld beneath this field of corpses. Upon breaking the third seal," Bloodman's body is engulfed in Bane Particles. "The God of Death judges upon you," Bloodman's body turns black while his eyes are and mouth turns bright purple. "And when that happens, you are condemned down to the land of the dead." 

"You're nothing like the Grim Reaper the way I imagined it," Spike admits. 

"I get you're trying to be scary, but your magic power is a joke," Gajeel taunts Bloodman. "You got nothing on the rest of the twelve, do you?" 

"That's because I wield the power of curses," Bloodman proclaims. Spike, Gajeel, and Levy gasp. "I control what rises from the depths of Tartaros! Curse Power! Explosion Spiral!" Bloodman creates a large, spiraling explosion of purple and black Bane Particle Flames. Gajeel and Levy hurl back from the immense power. They crash into the pile of black skulls. Spike, however, is consuming Bloodman's Demon Curse. "You've chosen suicide! Hahahaha!" 

"Spike! No! We don't know what Bane Particles can do to you!" Levy shouts in horror. 

"Are you crazy?!" Gajeel thought Spike wouldn't resort to consuming Bane Particle Energy from Bloodman. 

Spike's body twitches after consuming the power. He falls to his knees; Bane Particles course through his body and organs. 

"I've seen fools breathing my Bane Particles but now a dragon, willingly to breathe and consume so much? Might as well call you the Kamakaze Dragon," Bloodman laughs in triumph. 

Spike roars while his body changes color. It sounds demonic, which surprises Bloodman. Gajeel and Levy recognize that demonic roar. A wave of powerful energy strikes Spike. The blinding light shields the eyes of Bloodman, Gajeel, and Levy. 

"What is that?" Bloodman asks Spike. He has never heard a demonic roar like that. 

"It's not what I am but who I am." 

"Who are you, then?" Bloodman rephrases his question. 




Hours ago. 

In the ports of Hargeon, Kagura, Erza, and Jellal are in hot pursuit of a member of the Spriggan 12. They're on Alvarez' Military ship shrouded in darkness. 

"What is happening?" Erza tries to look around in the darkness. 

"It's so dark," Kagura said. 

"Can't see a thing," Jellal said. "I know this magic."

In the darkness, Erza, Kagura, and Jellal are attacked by -

"It's been a while since the gang is back together. Remember my dark moments' spell? Nostalgia, isn't it?" Simon said. Erza, Kagura, and Jellal are dumbfounded by what they're seeing. For Erza and Jellal, it's a blast from the past. 

"Simon..?" Erza stutters a bit. 

"You're still.., alive..?" Jellal could have sworn he killed Simon years ago at the Tower of Heaven. 

"Erza, glad to see you're doing well," Simon said. He's happy to see Erza, his crush. "You seem different these days, Jellal. And you," Simon turns to Kagura. "Could you be?"

Kagura is in tears. It's the first time in a long time she sees her big brother since that faithful night in Rosemary Village. When the Child Hunt took place. "Big brother..," Kagura wants to hug Simon. "It's me." 

Jellal extends his arms, blocking Kagura's path. "Stay back. This thing isn't Simon."

Kagura is pissed off. "You bastard. How dare you!" 

A man sitting high on the sail pole laughs below. He watches and relishes the emotions emitting from Kagura and Erza. The man is wearing green armored boots, green pants, a green armored vest with purple rose patterns. His hair is purple with a ponytail. 

"Your Historia has a bit of everything. Love, pain, friendship, heart pain, death. Oh yes, you share a compelling and beautiful Historia."

"What does that mean?" Kagura asks the man above. 

"You must be one of the twelve shields," Jellal said. 

"This is your doing?" Erza irately asks. 

"I'm Nienhart. I'm surprised you grasped the situation so quickly. This is the manifestation of your Historia. A wizard you all hold in your hearts. I can see inside them, you know? Your hearts are brimming with memories and devotions; I gather all those feelings and bring them physical form. I am a creator of life. My magnificent Historias." 

"I can't believe it..," Simon looks at Kagura. "It really is you. Kagura," Simon disappears slowly. 

"Big brother," Kagura runs to Simon. 

"You've grown so mu-" Simon is gone. 

Kagura's sadness becomes anger for what Neinhart has pulled. Jellal steps in Kagura's path. 

"Control yourself. It was an illusion," Jellal said, snapping sense into Kagura. 

"Illusion is a bit misnomer. You saw it yourselves. I create life forms that can use magic, among other things; Living beings with memories and magic," Neinhart shoots a powerful wave of magic at Kagura. Jellal tackles Kagura, avoiding the blast. 

"Jellal, Kagura!" Erza walks up to the hole in the ship caused by Neinhart's magic power. 

Neinhart chuckles and snaps his fingers. Erza turns around to see Ikaruga, a swordswoman she fought and defeated at the Tower of Heaven. 

"You're here too," Erza draws her sword. 

"You thought our paths will never cross again. How wrong you were," Ikaruga said. 

"Trinity Raven is gone. I saw you died!" Erza said, remembering the events at the Tower of Heaven like they were yesterday. 

"You merely released my soul," Ikaruga said. 

"Ikaruga, an exquisite dangerous flower," Nienhart smiles. 

Erza and Ikaruga have their sword battle. However, droplets of blood fall. Erza has not fully recovered from her battle against Ajeel. 

"You're not the warrior I fought years ago. Has the creep of time stole your edge?" Ikaruga is disappointed with Erza's fighting prowess. She expected more from her. 

Another enemy of Erza's past jumps into the fray. Azuma of Grimoire Heart. "It must be her wounds. The Erza I fought was powerful and fierce."

"Azuma," Erza said. She turns to him. 

"Let's see. Have you lost your strength or was that baby dragon of yours holding you back!" Azuma unleashes his magic, roots rise from the ship attacking Erza. 

Azuma and Ikaruga doubleteam Erza in this fight. They dominate Erza a bit with their combined magic power. All Erza can do is defend herself in this outcome. After a few moments, Neinhart releases a third into the battle. Kyôka of Tartaros has now entered this battle. 

"The more adversaries a person has overcome, the more splendid their Historias are. This is my magic. The Historia of Corpses! With it, I can bring new life into battles into old," Neinhart explains. 

"Kyôka," Erza remembers her the most. 

"I see," Azuma turns to Ikaruga. "So you died too." 

"Hush, Azuma. I refuse to discuss it." 

"These souls have never had the pleasure of meeting before but now interact as old friends. Ah, such a marvelous thing," Neinhart releases more Historia corpses all around Hargeon. Also, he sees a thrilling memory Erza holds dearly. "I shall recreate this one for my pleasure." 

"Who do you have in mind now!" Erza grits her teeth in anger. 

A young dragon appears in front of Erza. He looks exactly like Spike, but his spikes are orange while his scales are amethyst. His eyes are orange, while the Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest is black.

"Hello, Erza." 

Erza gasps in horror and steps back. Her eyes are full of tears for the first time in a year. She drops her sword. "Noo... Fairy Rage..?" 

Fairy Rage smiles while looking at Erza and nods. "It's me. I'm back." 

Erza pants. She doesn't have it in her soul to battle Fairy Rage; Not after he sacrificed his life to resurrect hers. 

"So, that's what Fairy Rage looks like, huh," Kyôka remembers the scary prowess Rage had when he possessed the Chairman's corpse. 

"I can't fight you..," Erza said in tears. She refuses to fight. 

"I know. That's why I'm here to help." Fairy Rage turns around. "Inferno Rage Roooooooooooar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his fire breath at Kyôka, Azuma, and Ikaruga. The trio crash into barrels of the ship. 

"What the hell..?" Neinhart is extremely perplexed by the sudden betrayal. 

"Do you honestly believe I'll harm my friend? My sister?" 

"Time for you to go!" Neinhart is about to send Fairy Rage back to where he belongs. 

"Noooooo! Don't!" Erza doesn't want to see Fairy Rage gone a second time. 

Neinhart snaps his fingers. Fairy Rage smirks and remains as is. "What the..?" Neinhart snaps his fingers again and again. Nothing changes. Fairy Rage laughs at Neinhart's misery. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" 

"Your magic has no effect for sending me away." 

"How is that possible!? I created you out of memory and gave you a new body!!" Neinhart breathes heavily in anger. 

"Funny thing. You grabbed my memory from a different realm I was occupying." 

"WHAT?!" Erza and Nienhart gasps. 

"Erza holds the memory of me dearly; however, since you pulled the memory from her today, you opened a gateway for me to come back." 

"ELABORATE!" Neinhart demands. 

"Gladly. When I sacrificed my life for Erza's during the war with Tartaros and battling Midnight Sparkle, I entered the light. However, since I'm a soul without a body, I wasn't given access to Heaven, Hell, and Limbo." 

Silence reigns. Erza and Neinhart's jaw drops in shock and horror by that explanation. They are stunned beyond disbelief.

"For access, you need a body. All living creatures have a body and can enter the afterlife. The soul creates a new body in the afterlife that matches the one you originally had. I'm an extreme rare occasion because I am the first to enter without a body. Since I couldn't go to Heaven, Hell, or Limbo, I was placed in a different realm where there is only one occupant. For the past year until today, I was with the Embodiment of Death." 

"No way..!" Neinhart and Erza said in unison. 

"Since you pulled Erza's memory of me out of her, a gateway where the Embodiment of Death lies was opened. You don't have the power to put me back since the door is closed. Therefore, you resurrected me." 

"Oh, shit! Oh, shit! OH, SHIT!!!!" Neinhart grabs the back of his hair. His magic of Historia has betrayed him by bringing back Fairy Tail's powerful ally. 

"Did Neinhart give you a body, Fairy Rage?" Erza smiles widely. Her fighting spirit has come back. 

"No. This physical form you're seeing will dissolve because of Neinhart's magic. However, I can roam freely and return to Spike's body." 

"ZEREF IS GOING TO CLAIM MY SOUL FOR MY BLUNDER!" Neinhart is in full panic mode. He commands his Historias to finish Erza for his blunder. Kyôka, Azuma, and Ikaruga get back up. 

Fairy Rage grabs Erza's hand. "You ready to finish this battle?" 

"More than ever," Erza grabs Fairy Rage's claw. 

Fairy Rage and Erza fights Kyôka, Azuma, and Ikaruga. Erza goes back with her sword battle with Ikaruga while Fairy Rage increases his size to slam Kyôka and Azuma to the ground. Fairy Rage notices his physical form is dissolving and conjures an inferno firebomb by raising his claws. He unleashes it upon Kyôka and Azuma. The two get blown up by the collision. As a result, Fairy Rage is now a spirit without a body that can roam free until he finds Spike. Erza defeats Ikaruga a second time with her swords. Neinhart's Historia of Kyôka, Azuma, and Ikaruga vanish. 

"Rage, are you here?" Erza asks, catching her breath after defeating Ikaruga. 

"I'm here. The body dissolved." Fairy Rage is invisible to the naked eye. "I can roam free until I get to Spike's body." 

"What have I unleashed..," Neinhart looks at his shaking hands, he still couldn't believe he resurrected Fairy Rage. He takes a good look at Erza and becomes awestruck in fear. 

"Erza!" Kagura and Jellal rejoin the battle. They see Erza catching her breath. 

"Hello, Kagura. Hey, Jellal." 

"Who said that?" Jellal looks around. 

"Fairy Rage..?" Kagura's jaw drops hearing Fairy Rage's voice. 

"Yes. You can thank Neinhart up there for resurrecting me." 

"Thank you, Fairy Rage," Erza passes out. She sustained new injuries during her battle. 

Kagura holds Erza. "Erza, talk to me!" 

"She'll be fine. She needs rest. Erza overdid it before I came back." 

Jellal gives Neinhart a vicious glare. He's ready to end his life by bringing calamity to Erza. "It seems there's one final sin I need to commit." 

"What do you mean?" Kagura turns to Jellal. 

"No! What happened to the sky!" Neinhart looks up and sees stars. A ring of clouds opens a portal to what looks like nighttime. 

"May the Seven Stars Bring Judgement Upon You," Jellal aligns himself after his incantation. 

"I've seen your Historia, Jellal. Simon! Your old friend! The one you murdered after all he'd done for you! You can't do it again! How could you!" Neinhart taunts Jellal while regaining some confidence for his blunder. "The guilt, can you live with that burden?" 

Kagura unsheaths her Archenemy sword and takes out Simon. "This thing is not my brother!" Neinhart panics. He's lost all confidence now. "Jellal! Strike him now!" 

"Grand Chariot!" Jellal unleashes seven powerful streams of magic from the skies. It obliterates every Alvarez sailing ship and Neinhart; He falls in the water, defeated and drained of magic power. All his other Historias he let lose disappears in Hargeon. 

Jellal and Kagura take Erza off the ship and to the ground. Fairy Rage is with them. 

"Tell Erza what she saw wasn't a dream. She saw the resurrection of Fairy Rage." 

"Alright, Fairy Rage. Where will you go now?" Kagura asks. 

"Home. It's time I reunite with Spike." Fairy Rage soars in the skies. 




Present time.

"I'll ask again. Who are you?" Bloodman asks now that the blinding light vanishes. 

Spike smirks. "I am Fairy Rage!" His eyes turn orange, and his body ignites in radiant orange flames. 

"WHAT?!" Levy and Gajeel shout in shock. They thought they'll never hear from Fairy Rage again. 

"Fairy Rage versus the Grim Reaper. How fitting." 

"You've met your demise Bloodman." 

"Wait, what?! How the hell are you alive, Fairy Rage!" Gajeel wants answers. 

"We heard you sacrificed yourself for Erza," Levy said. 

"Long story short, I was brought back to life by Neinhart of the Spriggan 12." 

"Impossible. Neinhart projects life by using memories for those they have reverence. Neinhart should have disposed of you by now." 

"That would be truthful for those that entered the afterlife. However, I did not." 

"What?!" Bloodman, Gajeel, and Levy shout. 

"You see, I'm a soul without a body. Instead of going to Heaven, Hell, or Limbo, I was sent to a different realm where there's only one occupant." 

"Well, allow the Grim Reaper to take you to the Underworld!" Bloodman unleashes bomb curses at Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage reflects the attack away, causing the bomb curses to implode on trees around him. 

"What!?" Bloodman didn't anticipate Fairy Rage to reflect his demon curses. 

"You proclaimed to be the Grim Reaper, but you are not him." 

"I am the God of Death. I judge who lives and who dies! Your sentence is a slow agonizing death by my hands!" Bloodman declares. 

"No, you're not. I should know. I've spent the last year with the Embodiment of Death and his realm." 

Bloodman laughs, believing that Fairy Rage is a nutshell. "We're not friends. I am the living representation of Death! I slaughtered those that opposed me! My power is absolute!" 

"Is that so?" Fairy Rage stomps on the ground. An orange flame pentagram is drawn in the middle of Fairy Rage and Bloodman. 

"What's this?" Bloodman looks at the pentagram on the ground. 

"What are you doing?!" Gajeel and Levy ask Fairy Rage. They see a circle drawn on the pentagram. It lights up in orange and black energy mass. 

"Summoning, my friend." A cold-chilled nerve-racking deathly whistle is heard and blown. The ground and leaves on the trees wither, the tree barks rot, the black skulls Bloodman place melts. "You call yourself the God of Death, Bloodman. Let me introduce you to the Embodiment of Death!" 

A tall figure emerges from the pentagram. It wears a black cloak, skeleton body with red dots in the eyeless void. It has skeleton teeth and breathes the coldest air that'll freeze any ice wizard to death. Death wields a scythe that has countless unforgiving souls in its blade. 

"That's your so-called Grim Reaper?" Bloodman looks at Death. "He's just a skeleton that I can shatter with my demon curses!" 

"I don't call myself the Grim Reaper. That name is misinterpreted so many times. I am Death," Death uses his scythe to tap the ground. Black mists swarms around Bloodman, causing him to choke.

"What is this?!" Bloodman coughs repeatedly. 

"If you claim to be me, why do you breathe? Why do you choke?" Death walks up to Bloodman; Bloodman feels unnerving chills, unlike anything he inflicted. Death taps Bloodman's arm. He wails in agony. "Why do you scream?" 

Bloodman steps back while trying to hold the missing remains of his arm on instinct. He grits his teeth, but they chatter. 

"Why are you afraid?" Death comes closer to Bloodman. With his skeleton index finger, he slashes Bloodman's chest, causing him to bleed a bit. "Why do you bleed?" Death unveils himself, showing his skeleton form to Bloodman. Souls he gathered over the years flow in and out of his rib cage. 

"This is disturbing..," Gajeel said. 

"I'm scared..," Levy shields her eyes with her hands. 

Death picks up Bloodman to meet him eye to eye. "For those who proclaim to be me, receives a punishment unlike any other. I had my eyes on you for many years because you pissed me off. You claimed to be me and made yourself into a God. You are no God; You are nothing compared to me," Death opens his mouth. Blackish-green flames erupt, removing Bloodman's soul in the process.

"You can't do this! It isn't fair!" Bloodman protests. 

"Death is not fair. It never is. However, since you wrongfully judge people by claiming to be me, my judgment is absolute!" Death consumes Bloodman's soul from his body. Death tosses Bloodman's body. It turns to ash before it hits the ground. 

"That is the most disturbing event I've ever witnessed..," Gajeel couldn't believe he saw Bloodman's soul taken by Death himself. 

"I wanna go home and take a hot bath," Levy said. She's never been more afraid in her life. 

"Rage," Death turns to Fairy Rage. "Thank you for the company. You will not come back to my realm," Death descends into the pentagram on the ground. He removes all the Bane Particles released from Bloodman. Anyone infected is cured. The pentagram vanishes. 

Spike blinks a few times. His eyes are green again. "Rage, was that really you?" Spike eye's water a bit. 

"Yea, it's me. You can thank Neinhart's blunder of resurrecting me." 

"I missed you so much!" Spike basically hugs himself like he's hugging Fairy Rage. 

"I missed you too. I missed all of you." 

"In a messed up kind of way," Gajeel places his hand on Spike's head. "We're glad to have you back," Gajeel chuckles. 

"Yea, and please don't do any more horror stuff. Seeing Bloodman and Death is bad enough," Levy said. She's going to have nightmares from what she saw. 

"No promises. Though, I will try." 

"We should regroup with the others," Spike said. He, Gajeel, and Levy see the sky glowing red. 

"Fairy Rage! Is this your doing?!" Gajeel and Levy lividly ask. 

"Now that I'm back in Spike, this is not my magic. Someone powerful of the Spriggan 12 is doing this." 




Hargeon

Erza wakes up and sees Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Carla, Kagura, and Mermaid Heel in the room of an infirmary. 

"Kagura," Erza tries to get up, but Kagura persuades Erza of laying back down. 

"Your wounds are pretty bad, which will take time for you to heal up," Wendy informs Erza. 

"Don't worry. There shouldn't be any scarring," Carla said. 

"Kagura, did you tell them?" Erza refers to Fairy Rage. 

"He told me what you saw is real. He's back." 

"Who's back?" Gray asks Kagura. 

"Who did you see, Erza?" Juvia asks. 

Erza smiles. "Fairy Rage." 

Silences reigns. Everyone in the room except Kagura is awestruck. Their heart beats rapidly for a few moments. Carla covers her mouth while her thoughts run loose. 

"Holy, crap! How is that possible, Erza?" Gray asks. 

"You can thank Neinhart of the Spriggan 12. His blunder led to resurrecting Fairy Rage with his Historia Magic." 

Erza goes more in-depth about Fairy Rage's return and what he explained when he met with the Embodiment of Death. Gray and the others explain that their mission to liberate Hargeon is a success. A few moments later, everyone in Hargeon sees a red flare in the skies and covering the landscape of Fiore.
> Alvarez vs Fiore: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the blinding red lights vanish, the landscape of Fiore is different and disfigured. Spike looks around and doesn't see any of his friends. 

"Rage, what happened?" 

"Someone powerful enough to change the entire landscape of Fiore. Everyone that worked together on both sides is separated." 

"So, what was it like hanging around with Death?" 

"Interesting. Death has so much knowledge and wisdom. He shared some of it with me; Death is lonely. Since the beginning of time, Death has always been alone. So, I'm his first friend. I watched how you grow into the Dragon you are now. However, I didn't see what you did with Midnight Sparkle. That, I need to take take a peep into your memories." 

"Do that after we win the war," Spike thinks for a few moments. 

"What are you planning, Spike?" 

Spike takes a deep breath. "We need to regroup with our friends." 

"Who do you want to start with?" 

"I don't know. My heart is saying go to Wendy." 

"Go. I got your back. I'm not leaving anytime soon." 

Before Spike takes off, he hears distant faint telepathy. Fairy Rage picks up on the message. 

"Well, it's an assembly call of all of Fairy Tail Wizards. It's time to save Master Mavis. Let's freaking go!" 

"Yea! Now, you're talking!" Spike flaps his wings and soars in the skies at rapid speeds. After an hour of flight, Spike sees like a million soldiers guarding the Fairy Tail Guildhall. He inadvertently flies next to Wendy and Carla. 

"Spike!" Wendy is happy to see Spike. 

"Hey, Wendy. Hey, Carla. Great to see you." 

"I can't believe it. It is true!" Carla smiles widely. "I can.., I can.., I'll tell him later." 

"It's great to have you back," Wendy said. She holds Spike's claw. "Ready Spike?" 

Spike nods. "Ready." 

Spike and Wendy go after the army. Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Juvia, Happy, and Erza see the two working together again. 

"Fairy Sky Dragon, Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Green Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a tornado that blasts the Alvarez Soldiers. 

Spike blinks a few times, his eyes turn orange, allowing Fairy Rage to have some fun. "Lightning Inferno Rage Roooooooooooar!" Fairy Rage unleashes his Sparkling Orange Lightning-infused Flames to scorch and electrocute the Alvarez Soldiers. 

"Wait, what?!" Natsu, Happy, and Lucy say in shock. 

"Oh, yeah. We forgot to mention that one of the Spriggan 12 resurrected Fairy Rage," Gray said. He laughs a bit, watching Natsu's face. 

"Neinhart and his Historia Magic betrayed him when he saw one of my beloved memories. Neinhart thought he could make me lose my fighting spirit by summoning Fairy Rage. However, Fairy Rage turned the tides and helped me defeat the Historias, allowing Jellal and Kagura to finish the job." 

"Wow," Lucy watches Fairy Rage unleashing his wrath on the Alvarez Soldiers. 

"Rage Missiles!" Fairy Rage conjures fire missiles with crash exploding magic within. "Launch!" Fairy Rage unleashes the Rage Missiles at the army. All across the front lines are covered in fire, smoke, and broken bones. 

"Beast Soul! Ape!" Elfman transforms into a red ape; He charges and knocks down soldiers. He arrives with Yukino, Angel, Frosch, and Lector. 

Master Makarov is leading the charge with the rest of Fairy Tail. They are ready to save Master Mavis from Zeref's clutches. 

"There's our backup!" Natsu is happy to see his friends coming together again. 

"Oh yea," Lucy said. She and her friends are pumped up. 

Eight colorful dragons rise from the frontlines. Everyone turns their attention to a man that jumps off and lands in front of the army. He poses and points. 

"This is as far as you buffoons go! Because the undead version of God Serena made his Godly ascent!" God Serena says in a cocky, arrogant tone. God Serena has medium-length wavy and spiked orange hair that is similar to rabbit ears. He wears a fanciful white robe with blue-long sleeves, a blue belt, and blue pants. His chest and neck area are covered by a small red cloak with white-colored edges, a large collar, and three yellow-colored crescent shapes lined up vertically on both sides over his chest. God Serena also has the wheel of blades on his back resembling a dharma wheel. 

"This is the poser that got me scared? You're God Serena?" Spike asks. He feels ashamed that the name that terrified him was for nothing. 

"Indeed, Fairy Dragon. You have no shot against the Eight Dragon God Serena!" 

"You look like a reject that got kicked from a boy band," Spike said. 

God Serena stands there, stunned to hear what Spike said to him. Natsu and Happy couldn't help but laugh. "Now, your dead! Purgatory Dragon Blazing Inferno!" God Serena unleashes a wave of incinerating heat from his left palm. 

"Fire Dragon Slaying Magic?" Gray thought God Serena would use different elements besides fire. 

"Time to chow down!" Natsu eats God Serena's Blazing Inferno. 

God Serena growls a little. "Try this, Mighty Sea King Dragon Water Vortex!" God Serena unleashes a wave of water from his right palm. 

Spike swoops in and drinks God Serena's Water Dragon Magic. "This is delicious! I've been thirsty all day!" 

"Oh, C'mon!" God Serena is starting to whine. "Tempest Dragon!" God Serena inhales. "Song of Moon and Wind!" God Serena unleashes his Tempest Wind breath. Carla lowers Wendy so she can devour the wind magic. 

"Ah," Spike, Natsu, and Wendy say after having their fill. 

"No Fair!" God Serena is having difficulties. He's whining and stomping on the ground like a tamper tantrum baby. 

"I can't wait to use this newfound Dragon Water Magic we added." 

"Likewise, Rage." 

God Serena grits his teeth. "Carven Dragon Earth Collapse!" God Serena alters the ground to have everyone fall to their demise. However, his Earth Collapse gets shattered before he can do anything else. Smoke covers the battlefield. "WHAT NOW!" 

The smoke clears. "Yo," Gildarts has returned. He's the one that negated God Serena's Earth Collapse spell. "Fairy Dragon. Mind if I take this guy?" 

"By all means, Gildarts." 

"Thanks, Master," Gildarts doesn't know that Master Makarov is the new Master of Fairy Tail. Gildarts bud heads with God Serena. Debris from the headbutt pushes some soldiers and wizards away from the impact. 

Everyone in Fairy Tail watches Gildarts fighting God Serena. Romeo is having second thoughts about the war. His knees are shaking. Wendy and Spike see that he's troubled; They comfort him. 

"I'm not sure if I can go through with this. I feel so pathetic and afraid," Romeo self-doubts himself about fighting the soldiers. 

"Don't feel bad. We're all scared," Wendy said. 

"Hey, we're Fairy Youth Squad. We go in this, together!" Spike proclaims. 

"Yea!" 

"Rage! You're back!" Romeo is happy to hear Fairy Rage once more. 

"I'm not leaving anytime soon. I'm going to fight so we can live!"

"You with us?" Spike asks Wendy and Romeo. 

"YEAH!" Wendy and Romeo shout in unison. 

"FAIRY YOUTH SQUAD! LET'S TAKE THEM DOWN!" Spike, Romeo, and Wendy shout in unison. They're ready to fight anyone that comes in their way. 

Then Ajeel makes an appearance by creating a sandstorm. "Hey, Fairies! Time for you to shrivel up and die!" 

"That guy again?" Gray shields himself from the sandstorm. 

"Yes, and he's using the same spell as before," Erza said. 

"A real man isn't afraid to get dirty!" Elfman goes after Ajeel. He turns into his Sand Beast mode. Unfortunately for Elfman, Ajeel turns the tides and uses his sand to sink Elfman. Lisanna swoops down and picks Elfman up. 

Neinhart is the one that created God Serena and gave him a new life. He does the same for Bloodman and Wall Eetho. Rogue and Minerva join the battle and take on Bloodman and Wall Eetho. Gildarts is upset that God Serena isn't alive; otherwise, the fight would have been better. He punches God Serena so hard; God Serena crashes into many soldiers. 

Gildarts leads the charge, encouraging every Fairy Tail Wizard to run towards the guildhall. The Fairy Tail Guildhall is elevated like a mountain top. Spike, Wendy, and Romeo run together and battle Alvarez Soldiers. 

"Let's try our Fairy Youth Unison Attack!" Romeo suggests. "Rainbow Flame!" Romeo conjures his Rainbow Flames from his hands. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame!" Spike's claws ignite in Sparkling Orange-Green Lightning Flames. 

"Sky Dragon!" Wendy inhales her breath attack. "Rooooooooooar!" 

"Fury Storm!" Spike and Romeo press their hands to create an incinerate fire cannon. 

Spike and Romeo's heat cannons fuse with Wendy's breath attack to create their unison raid. Over a thousand Alvarez Soldiers got hit with the impact. Half of them suffer from different burnt degrees while the other half gets blown away. Then the weather changes from sandstorm to blizzard. Spike casts his flare ring on Wendy, Romeo, and many of his allies he sees. 

Many Fairy Tail Wizards continue to bring the fight to Alvarez despite the blizzard. Spike, Wendy, and Romeo combine their magic power for more unison raid attacks. They push the frontlines back, allowing more of their friends to advance and gain more ground. However, some members of the Spirggan 12 are applying pressure on their opponents. Ajeel is having a field day with Lisanna and Elfman, Bloodman is dominating Rogue, and Wall is having with way against Minerva. 

Carla gets a vision. She sees Juvia about to die at the hands of Invel. "Wendy, I need you to come with me!"

"Coming!" Wendy jumps up and goes with Carla. 

"I'm going to follow pursuit. In case a Spriggan is waiting for them. Romeo, think you can handle things with the others?" 

"You can count on me, Spike," Romeo said. His father and Wakaba come behind him. 

"We got him, go!" Macao said. 

"Let's fly!" Spike takes off, going after Carla and Wendy. 

"I can't believe Fairy Rage has come back," Wakaba said. 

"Better late than never, I supposed," Macao said. 

Spike catches up with Wendy and Carla. They see Juvia on the ground, badly injured. Wendy uses her healing magic to restore Juvia's health. Juvia thanks Wendy for saving her life and bows in gratitude. 

"It's no problem. We're supposed to help each other, you know. I owe it to Sherria to work twice as hard to keep everyone safe!" Wendy said. 

"What happened to Sherria?" 

"Ultear unlocked Sherria's third origin to defeat the God of Time, Dimaria," Wendy answers. 

"Spike, we do have the power to recover a lost trait from the magic books we read. We could give it a shot with Sherria's magic." 

"No way! You have the power to restore a trait?!" Carla said in awe. 

"Yea. However, the opportunity didn't come to use it. We now have a chance to test it." 

"I do remember reading magic books about it. Unfortunately, I don't remember how to follow through with those spells." 

"Leave it to me, Spike. I'll direct it." 

"Sherria is going to be so proud to use magic again!" Wendy imagines Sherria's reaction to using magic. 

"Do you know where Gray could be?" Juvia asks Spike, Wendy, and Carla. 

"He wasn't here when we showed up," Wendy said. 

"He could be going after to whoever caused you great strife." 

"Help me find him," Juvia pleas. 

"Can we teleport to Gray?" Wendy turns to Spike. 

"Ever since the landscape changed, my sense of direction for flare markings is erratic. Until it's restored, we'll have to use our noses." 

"The entire country got affected by the spell. It's our best course of action for now." 

Spike increases his size. "I'll carry Juvia. Let's stay together." 

"Right," Carla and Wendy nod. 

Spike puts Juvia on his back and walks with Wendy and Carla. After a while of walking, Spike, Wendy, Juvia, and Carla feel immense magic power building up. Spike knows what it is from using the technique itself. 

"Rage, can you sense it?" Spike asks. 

"Fairy Law. Maybe Makarov unleashed its power on the soldiers of Alvarez." 

"Why would he use that?" Carla asks Fairy Rage. 

"The numbers were overwhelming, and Makarov's heart wanted to ensure the safety of his children. Spike could have done the same as a full-size dragon for wider effects." 

"And I will not suffer the full effects Fairy Law does." 

"Yea. Like before, I would uplift the manipulating matter of the curse that follows." 

"I hope Master is okay," Wendy said. She worries about Makarov's old age when using the spell. 

"I'm sure he's going to be fine," Spike reassuringly says. "We need to keep moving." 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Juvia continue to walk. Wendy uses her scent of smell to track Gray. After ten minutes of walking, Spike, Wendy, Juvia, and Carla see Natsu, Gray, and Erza. 

"Gray, my darling!" Juvia sees Gray. Gray turns around to see Juvia on Spike's back. "You're not dreaming. Wendy nursed me back to health, and I'm on Spike's back. I'm okay now." 

"Okay, might be taking it a little too far with those injuries," Carla said. 

"You can put me down, Spike," Juvia said. She wants to walk up to Gray. 

"Alright, then," Spike reverts to size, allowing Juvia to stand on her feet. 

"Look, Erza and Natsu seem fine too," Wendy said. 

"Juvia..," Gray falls to his knees. 

"My love!" Juvia runs towards Gray and holds him. Gray and Juvia pass out. 

"No, what happened?" Wendy wasn't anticipating the two to fall over.

"Clearly, their recklessness caught up with them," Carla states. 

"Judging from the battle scars they have, they fought someone vile and malicious. They're breathing and alive." 

Natsu falls over and is met with Lucy hugging him from behind. "I was so worried about you." 

"I'm sorry," Natsu said. 

Happy runs up to Natsu and hugs him; He cries while hugging Natsu. Natsu falls out. 

"Sis," Spike approaches Erza. "What happened to Master Makarov?" 

Erza holds back her tears but relents. She turns to her friends. "Master Makarov sacrificed himself to destroy the majority of Alvarez Soldiers. He cast Fairy Law and turned to stone." 

Spike, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Happy's jaws drop. Silence reigns. Lucy advises her friends to find Porlyusica and have her treat Natsu, Gray, and Juvia. Spike increases his size to carry Natsu, Gray, and Juvia on his back. Erza leads the way to find Porlyusica since Spike's mode for teleportation is off-limits. With the land deformed, mangled, and infused with other elements around, the flare markings Spike placed also changed. It's hard for Spike to concentrate on a particular flare marking, even on a person. 

Half an hour later, Erza senses magic power and warns her friends to take cover. An explosion happens in front of Erza, missing her and everyone behind her. 

"Where did that come from?" Happy looks around, trying to find the source of the magic power. 

Erza turns around to see a woman with a staff walking. "It's been such a long time. Hello, Erza," She smiles. Her smile speaks malicious and yet calm. 

"You know this person?" Lucy asks Erza. 

"I don't," Erza replies. "Tell me who you are." 

"That woman looks like if Erza has a mom." 

"Yea, I do see a canny resemblance," Spike said. 

"I see it too for some reason." Wendy thought to herself. 

"That little dragon bastard," She frowns cause Spike ruined the surprise. Then she falls to one knee while she illuminates in the white aura. "Not now.., damn it, Larcade," She's fighting Lacarde's spell that expands throughout Fiore. 

"You need to get all the wounded to safety right this instant!" Erza commands. 

"Yea. Right," Lucy nods. She takes Natsu. 

"Aye, aye," Happy grabs Gray. 

"Carla, take Juvia. I'm staying with Erza for this battle," Spike said. 

"Understood," Carla grabs Juvia. She follows Happy and Lucy to Porlyusica. 

Erza springs into action, attacking the woman Spike theorizes to be her mother. She launches a counterattack with her staff, shooting a wave of magic energy. Wendy deflects the attack using her Sky Magic. 

"I'm going to help you fight!" Wendy states. 

"Wendy!" Erza is in shock to see Wendy protecting her. 

"I'm not abandoning you and Spike in this battle. We're taking her down together!"  Wendy shouts with determination. 

"What's your name!" Erza demands to know who she's fighting. 

"Irene Belserion," She looks similar to Erza Scarlet with her red hair. Her two front braids have two golden ornaments near the upper sections; she wears two U-shaped earrings. Irene dons a lewd version of the typical witch's garb. Her black top has a diamond-shaped opening, revealing a portion of her chest and a heart-shaped pattern around the borders. It extends down to her stomach, where it meets an angular scar. It's arranged by a dark-colored cape with a light-colored inside and two medallion gold-like ornaments and is held together by a golden chain. She also wears black thigh-high boots with heels that have a white-colored border near the top and gloves of the same color and design; Only having claw-like extensions. Her black witch's hat is much larger than her head and possesses dreadlock designs with white bandaging near its ends. "I find it repulsive that you three are not affected by Larcade's spell." 

"I protect Spike's mind. Whatever spell Larcade is using, it won't affect Spike." 

"You must be the fool Neinhart resurrected," Irene lividly said. 

"Indeed I am. If Neinhart didn't mess with Erza's personal memory of me, I wouldn't be here. He was relishing Erza's pain and fears at the moment. I am Fairy Rage." 

"Enough chatter," Spike powers up. "Let's do this!" Spike conjures a metallic flame sword. 

Spike and Erza spring into action, attacking Irene simultaneously; Wendy uses her enchantment support magic to give Spike and Erza an edge in battle. Irene holds her ground, deflecting each sword strike Spike and Erza muster. 

"Flame Sword Slicer!" Spike slashes his sword. Sparkling Green Flame slicers are heading towards Irene. 

Irene uses her staff to nullify the attack before it hits her. She uses her staff to unleash a barrage of magic power on Spike. The immense power causes Spike to crash into the ground hard. 

"Spike! Are you okay?" Wendy asks after watching him get knocked down hard. 

"I'm fine," Spike gets up. "She's on another level in terms of magic power. This will be tricky." 

"Heaven's Wheel!" Erza requips into her Heaven's Wheel Armor. "Scatter Petals!" Erza releases a barrage of swords upon Irene. Hundreds of them appear to strike Irene where she stands. Smoke and debris were scattered everywhere. 

"An attack of countless swords all converging on your target. I'm impressed you controlled that many at once. It's quite a feat," Irene applauds Erza's achievement. All of Erza's swords missed their target. "You earned a flower," The smoke clears. Erza's swords aligned in a flowery design. Irene standing in the middle. Larcade's spell no longer has a grip on her. 

"She was able to stop that attack and do this too," Wendy starts to fear Irene's magic power. 

"She's mocking me," Erza said. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Sparkling Green Explosions hits Irene beneath her feet. Irene is unfazed by the attack. 

"Now that was majestic," Irene applauds Spike's clever tactic. "Fairy Dragon has more tricks up his sleeves. I can see why God Serena would have problems taking you down. Despite it all, your attacks are pathetic, even with the little girl giving you and Erza an advantage." 

"Do not mock my girlfriend," Spike said. Irene struck a nerve. 

"Girlfriend? Your girlfriend is a Dragon Slayer. Don't you fear her? She can end your life if she gets bored or feels the need to acclaim her title as Dragon Slayer." 

"I WILL NEVER HARM MY SPIKE!" Wendy retorts. "I LOVE HIM DEARLY, AND HE LOVES ME! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" Irene struck a nerve in Wendy's heart. 

"Who are you really?" Erza demands more information from Irene. 

"Fairy Dragon figured me out just by looking at me. Do you deny his claim?"

"I've never seen you in my life. I don't remember you. I trust Spike's theories but not this one." 

"Then allow me to clarify. I am your mother, Erza," Irene smiles at her daughter, giving Erza a mother's glare. 

Erza takes it in. At times, she wishes Spike's theories are wrong due to how accurate they are; Erza sees into Irene's eyes and knows in her heart that she's fighting her mother. Erza grits her teeth, emotions are running wild in her heart. 

"You liar!" Erza refuses to accept the truth even though it's evident that Irene has similar traits to Erza. "I grew up in Rosemary Village before it was burned to the ground. I'm an orphan. I have only one family member left." 

"You're wrong about that because I am your mother, Erza," Irene said. "Who's the other family member left?" Irene is curious to know who Erza is referring to. 

"I only had one parent in my life. His name is Master Makarov! As for my other family member, you're looking at him." 

"The dragon?" Irene is confused. 

"I decided to be his older sister. He's my younger brother. We've been through a lot together since he came to Fairy Tail." 

"Fine, not that I care about it. And just because I have a daughter doesn't mean I care about her." 

"You're in denial." 

"You don't know me, Rage. You can make all the assumptions you want. You don't know how I feel." 

"Still in denial." 

"Besides the assumption, here I thought you were dead all these years, Erza," Erza and Wendy are silent. The feeling about a mother not caring is wrong. All mothers love their children. "I would never dream of meeting on the battlefield." 

"A parent's love is everlasting. Whether they want to admit it or not," Spike said. 

"Perhaps in some folklore. Not me," Irene calmly states. 

"No matter who you are, you attacked Fairy Tail, and that makes you my enemy," Erza calmly says while holding her anger. 

"Just as anyone who dares oppose the Alvarez Empire is my sworn enemy. Even my very own child. But still, dying here without the secret of your birth, that would be tragic." 

"A secret?" Wendy questions Irene's statement. 

"It means nothing to me," Erza said. 

"I held onto the story for years now. You could at least allow me to share it with you, Erza." 

Erza requips her sword and attacks Irene. "Shut your mouth!" 

Irene uses her staff to block Erza's sword strike. "It's time to listen to your mother, Erza. I'm Irene Belserion. Once upon a time, I was Queen of the Dragons." 

"Queen of the Dragons!" Spike, Erza, and Wendy shout in unison. They are appalled to hear that title. 

"You're lying," Erza said. She refuses to accept anything Irene says is true. 

"No, it's true. I shall tell you a story," Irene said. "About events that took place four hundred years ago in a kingdom here on Ishgar called Dragnof."

Irene explains the origins of Dragnof first. Dragons and Humans co-exist in harmony, while on the western continent, Dragons are not civil. The Dragons in the west were consuming humans and may need to come to Ishgar for more food. One of her dragon friends informed her about a possible war; The Dragons in Ishgar swore to protect the humans from possible war. Irene explains that the war that came to pass was known as the Dragon King Festival, started by the good Dragons that wanted to defend humanity. 

"Four hundred years ago? How did you not age?" Erza asks Irene. 

"I'll address that eventually, now back to my story. Also, your Dragon friends may want to hang on to every little detail." 

Irene's Kingdom was a place of harmony with Dragons and Humans living together in peace for many generations. Back then, several kingdoms alike existed in Ishgar. Irene explains that she created enchantment magic to help the Dragons of Ishgar. However, it proved to be futile due to the overwhelming numbers the western continent had. A fellow Dragon named Belserion came bearing with bad news about the war. It was Irene that forged a new wave of wizards. Dragon Slayer Magic. Belserion lent her his magic, thus becoming the first Dragon Slayer to turn the tides against the war. 

Wendy steps back a bit from the sudden news. Spike remains silent. 

"Are you saying you're the one who created that type of magic?" Erza asks Irene. 

"I am saying it. You can consider me the mother of Dragon Slayers. After producing numerous Dragon Slayers, we were able to gain the upper hand in the war. Victory seemed to be in reach, and with that victory came our very survival." 

Spike remembers the story that his uncle Zirconis has spoken back in the catacombs under Crocus, how his mother was the one who decided that dragons should co-exist with humans. 

Irene goes back to her story, telling that the chosen wizards that enhanced Dragon Slaying abilities began to take a toll. Those that couldn't suppress the power went mad. The extraordinary sensory perception of Dragons caused vertigo and motion sickness in humans. What's more revealing was by obtaining Dragon Slaying abilities, Dragon Seeds are born. Humans that obtained Dragon Seeds start turning into Dragons themselves. Spelling doom to all Dragon Slayers. 

"To complicate things further, I was carrying a child in my womb. You, Erza. I'm sure you're curious about your father. He was a general of a neighboring country; Our marriage was political in nature. A solution to a territorial dispute. He was there to comfort me when Belserion gave his life for humanity." 

Irene speaks Acnologia's rising to end the war by his hands. No side in the war was declared the victor; Acnologia slew hundreds of dragons and won the first-ever Dragon King Festival. A week after the Dragon King Festival, the people of Dragnof, including Irene's husband, betrayed her. They fear that Irene would wind up as Acnologia, a bloodlust killer with no intentions of stopping. Irene was pregnant with Erza, and Irene's husband refused to father his child. The people of Dragnof and her husband locked her away in imprisonment. Irene cast a spell for Erza in her womb to protect her until she can be safe to live in humanity. Irene's husband kept her locked up until her execution. The husband was about to kill the baby when Irene sprouted wings. She turned into a dragon and killed her husband, then decimating the castle of Dragnof, taking off with Erza in her womb. 

"Centuries past since escaping. I held you inside while remaining in my dragon form. All I wanted was to be human and uplift the curse that bestowed on me. I lived deep in the mountains, far away from human civilization. Searching for a way to lift this curse. Then, one day." 

Irene talks about the day when she met Zeref for the first time. Zeref was amazed to discover that Irene is a human. Zeref used his magic to give Irene her humanoid figure, but some side effects came along with it. The spell Zeref casts don't include other human elements such as tasting and sleeping. All Irene wanted was to be human, and it will never happen. Dark thoughts clouded her mind and thwarted her into insanity. Irene tried to enchant herself into Erza's infancy, but it failed. 

Wendy is horrified while Erza remains still. Spike takes a deep breath. All three are silent and full of dread by the story. 

"Since I had no use for you, I threw you away. So you wouldn't weigh me down. I left you in some backwater hamlet." 

Now, it's Erza's turn to speak. "That was Rosemary Village."

"I didn't care to remember the name," Irene replies. 

"Erza," Wendy wanted to speak, but Erza silences her. 

"It's alright. I guess I should thank you. If only for giving me the gift of life."

"A waste of breath," Irene coldly states. "Your life is no gift. I promised that." 

"What's wrong with you! She's your own child!" Wendy is offended by how Irene is treating Erza. 

"You may be right," Erza requips into a new armor. A bunny suit-themed armor while wielding two swords. "Leaving me behind was the true gift. If you hadn't thrown me away, I would have never met my real family. Fairy Tail! Anyone who stands between me and my home will pay the price!" 

Wendy taps into her Dragon Force while Spike ignites his body in Sparkling Green Energy. 

"It's interesting. I thought sharing your birth story will spark the smallest bit of love for you. Perhaps reawaken my dormant eternal instinct. But it didn't work. All I feel for you is hostility and disgust!" Irene shoots a red power beam of destruction at Erza; Erza dodges each blow and strikes at Irene. Irene uses her staff to block the attack. "I've become a Queen because of my unparallel magic power. You still believe you can defeat me?" 

"My family gives me power," Erza replies. "You threw that away!" 

Wendy soars with Spike. "Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy strikes Irene with a whirlwind of air from her arms.

Spike conjures a fireball from his claw. "Inferno Heat Wave!" Spike presses his claw forward, creating a heat cannon to launch at Irene. 

The combined attack from Wendy and Spike mesh together in a unison raid creating a fire whirl. The unison raid does little damage. Erza uses her crimson black blades to attack Irene, it pushes her back on impact. 

Irene is now irate. "You've broke my skin. How dare you." 

"I'm sorry for what you've been through in your past. But still, you turned your back on your only child. I can't forgive that!" Wendy shouts. 

"Listen up, little Dragon Slayer. Do you remember the Dragon Seed I mentioned? The thing that took over my body and made me into a monster. You have one. It's growing inside you as we speak." 

"Yes, I know that. My mom stopped that from growing years ago! So you can't use it to scare me." 

"She what?" Irene gasps a little, not knowing that Dragons can do that. 

"We won't turn into Dragons. We're not like you," Wendy states. 

"I supposed neither will Natsu," Erza said. 

"The same applies for Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue, Erza," Spike said. 

"I see. The Dragon that cared for you entered your body and halted the seed's growth," Irene takes it all in. "The Dragon who granted me my magic, Belserion, died right before my eyes. So I took his name and swore on my own life that I would avenge him." 

Spike seems dazed by the mention of Belserion for some reason. Like he's heard of the name but doesn't know why. Fairy Rage cannot pick up what Spike's sensing. 

"All those centuries of pain, and now. Now, I know it could have been prevented. It was all for nothing!" Irene blasts her magic at Erza, Wendy, and Spike in anger. Her sheer force of magic power blows Erza, Wendy, and Spike back. "I WILL HAVE MY LIFE RESTORED TO ME! I'LL LEAVE THIS BODY AND AT LAST, BE FREE!!!!" 

"I can put you out of your misery! Wendy! Spike!" Erza regains her composure. 

"Ready!" Wendy powers up. "All physical abilities up!" Wendy uses her support magic. "Deus Eques!" 

Spike conjures his metallic lightning flame sword. He and Erza feel Wendy's power of enchantment rising through their bodies, feeling more powerful than before. 

"Very clever," Irene raises her hand. "Separate Enchantment Deus Zero," Irene uses the spell to cancel Wendy's enchantment. 

"I'll cancel your Deus Zero with my own Deus Zero!" Wendy does so. 

Irene feels her spell failing and becomes amazed by Wendy's enchantment capabilities. Erza combines her crimson black blades into a singular blade for more power: Spike's lightning flame sword increases its magic power. Erza and Spike slash at Irene's head. They manage to slice her hat and cause some bleeding on Irene. She still stands firm from the collision. 

"Now I understand," Irene smiles. "At last. I know why the enchantment on you failed. I thought because you were an infant or by our biological connection got in the way, or perhaps the whole concept is flawed. Enchanting a person's identity onto another was never truly possible. The key is compatibility. I just realized that's the only factor that makes a difference. And now I found someone who is compatible. Dragon Slayer and an Enchanter. One with a youthful body that'll never succumb to Dragonification." 

Spike catches what Irene is planning. "Ring of Defense!" Spike casts a protection spell on Wendy. She hears a click in her mind. 

"You believe that defense spell will work against me?" Irene targets Wendy with her magic and switches bodies. 

"Wendy!" Erza and Spike see Wendy struggling profusely. Her body twitches and behaves erratically. After a few moments, scarlet flames arose from Wendy's body. 

"Ah, I waited so long for this day," Irene said in Wendy's voice. "Her magic is a bit weaker, but I suppose that's fine. I have to say, that Ring of Defense spell was immensely powerful, but I'm years in experience compared to you, Spike," Irene smiles. 

Spike horridly gasps with tears flowing. He steps back and pants heavily in horror. 

"What did you say..?" Erza is equally as terrified to hear her mother's voice inside of Wendy's body. 

"I will have a whole new life," Irene smiles with Wendy's body. "Thanks to this body. Irene Belserion has been reborn. I'll get used to this. It shouldn't take much time," Irene flexes with Wendy's body. "My left thigh is slightly injured, and it seems I've been covered in scratches and bruises. But I really can't complain. It works," Irene feels Wendy's chest. "What a petite little thing, so cute." 

"What happened to Wendy?" Erza asks Irene. 

Spike is frozen in fear, barely breathing from what he's witnessing. Erza turns and notices Irene's body drop. 

"Pay her no mind. She's nothing but a pile of flesh now." 

"What have you done with Wendy!" Erza demands to know where's Wendy. 

"Oh, she's gone. Or rather, I supposed you can say, she's here," Irene said, now taking full pleasure of being Wendy. 

"No..," Spike falls to his knees, looking at the dirt while he's contemplating, feeling like a failure for not protecting Wendy. 

"Stop this nonsense," Erza demands. "Get out of her right this instant!" Erza goes after Irene. 

"Are you really that slow-witted, Erza? This isn't a form of possession!" Irene kicks Erza back by using Sky Dragon magic. "I have become this Dragon Slayer! Your dear mommy has no use for you anymore." 

"Despicable," Erza gets up. 

Irene uses her magic to create a wave pulse at Erza. Erza feels the full force of the attack. She's on the ground, battered and bruised from the spell. 

"Hmm, my magic power hasn't gone down as much as I thought. It seems this little girl is a wellspring of potential," Irene relishes her new perception as being young. "I may be a child now, but playtime is over. As you can plainly see, I'm far too young to be a mother to you. I can't truly focus on the new life ahead of me," Irene conjures another pulse wave. "Until I completely erase your entire existence!" Irene unleashes the same spell on Erza again. Erza takes the full hit and hurls back in pain.   

"Wendy, fight it!" Erza pleas. "You have to do it! Do it for Spike!" Erza hopes by mentioning Spike's name, Wendy can fight for her body back and kick Irene out of hers. 

"Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, huh," Irene ignores what Erza said and decides to test it out. "Let me try this out," Irene flies using the Sky Dragon's Magic. She unleashes a whirlwind on Erza. "I think I like it!" 

"Please, Wendy! You have to push her out!" Erza begs. "Your love for Spike! Use it as motivation!" 

"It's no use, Erza. The girl you knew is dead! Because, as of today. I am Wendy. Wendy Belserion!" Irene proclaims. "And I don't love you, Spike," Irene taunts Spike's emotions using Wendy's voice. 

Spike grits his teeth and looks at Irene's eyes of Wendy's body in anger. "GET OUT OF MY WENDY'S BODY!" Sparkling Black Energy skyrockets in the sky, bursting clouds in the process. His eyes are no longer green but pure black with white pupils. Spike's green spikes turn black while his purple scales turn the darkest purple. He grows in size while his claws and his teeth are sharper. His Fairy Tail emblem on his chest turns blood red.

Irene's eyes widen by sensing Spike's magic power. "That Dragon.., he's emitting all that magic power?" 

Spike roars demonically, scaring the daylights out of Irene and Erza. Erza has seen Spike transformed in Fairy Demon Dragon before but never like this. Not even during the Grand Magic Games against Twilight when he unleashed his feelings. 

Erza now knows Spike snapped. "SPIKE!" Erza's sisterly instincts say Spike is about to regret doing something in the next moment. 

"Don't worry, Spike. I'm here," Wendy gets up while being in Irene's body. 

Spike turns to Wendy in Irene's body. Wendy smiles at Spike, causing Spike to tear up in great happiness; He reverts from his Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"Since we both can use enchantments, I thought about trying your body switching technique too. Guessed it worked," Wendy pants a bit. "Took a little while, but here I am. Spike, I love you." 

"Wendy!" Erza and Spike are happy to hear from her again. 

"Impossible..," Irene said in shock and horror. 

"This is different," Wendy feels the size of her chest. "Heavy." 

"There's no way..," Irene now fears for the worst. "That little girl was able to pull off a full personality enchantment?" 

"I feel so strong," Wendy confidently says. "It's great," Wendy charges an energy ball. "Time to teach you a lesson about messing with Spike's emotions in my body!" Wendy throws the energy ball at Irene. 

Irene tries to use her magic to repel the attack. Unfortunately, she discovers a flaw in being in Wendy's body. Irene's original body is stronger than Wendy's, including magic power-wise. 

"Separation enchant," Wendy casts the spell while applying pressure with the energy stream of magic. 

Irene feels her soul about to separate from Wendy's body. She tries her best to cling to it. "You can try, but you won't pull me out of here!" 

"You're wrong," Wendy smirks. "You said it yourself. Your new body is weaker." 

"This girl. Who is she!?" Irene said fearfully. 

"Now, give it back! Give back the old me!" Wendy demands. "This body does have its advantages, but I lived my whole life being small. I want my old self back!" 

Irene grits her teeth in anger. "Damn you!" Irene punctures Wendy's body, hoping to bargain with her. "You still want it that badly?" 

"I'm proud of all my scars. They're proof I've fought for what I love and who I love. And they remind me even though I suffer, I still heal!" Wendy proudly claims.

Spike flies up to Irene and grabs her arm, pulling it behind her back. "I won't let you harm my WENDY ANYMORE!" Spike's eyes are still black. His strength overwhelms hers. 

"Let go of me!" Irene struggles while trying to hold her own. "LET GO!" 

"In that body, remembers the warmth of every friend that comforted me and the love of my life!" Wendy finishes the enchantment. She takes control of her body once more. However, the attack Wendy unleashed with Irene's body still hits the target, or in this case, Spike shielded Wendy's body with his. 

"DAMN YOU!" Irene curses at Wendy for what she stole from her. Freedom from a never-ending nightmare. 

"Wendy!" Erza hopes that her friend is alright. 

"Erza, Spike," Wendy smiles widely.

"Wendy," Spike holds her. "Wendy.., I..," Spike feels Wendy holding his claw. 

"I love you too. I love you so much, and that will never change," Wendy sheds tears of happiness. 

"I love you, Wendy," Spike hugs and kisses Wendy. His eyes are back to green. 

"Spike, Erza. If you don't mind. Can you handle the rest?" Wendy said. She's tired and bruised up badly due to Irene's antics in terms of bargaining. 

"Sure," Spike and Erza said. 

Spike releases his hold on Wendy. "Ring of Defense," Spike casts another protection spell. This time, Wendy hears three clicks in her mind. 

"You're just wretched little brats," Irene said. 

"Trust us, Wendy. This will be over very soon," Erza declares. 

"You believe that? You're way out of your head, brats," Irene powers up. 

Spike claps his claws, creating a Sparkling Black Energy Sword. Though he's not in Fairy Demon Dragon form, the emotion that sparked it allows him the access to use the power. Erza requips and spawns a sword. She and Spike take it to the skies. Irene unleashes a barrage of energy spheres at the two; Erza dodges the attack while Spike's Sparkling Black sword absorbs Irene's magic power. 

"Demon Slash!" Spike slashes his sword; black slicers are heading towards Irene. She dodges, and it explodes behind her. Causing Irene to take damage from behind. The Demon Slash is stronger than the Flame Sword Slicer. 

Erza uses the momentum to slash and strike Irene. She feels Erza's blade cutting her skin. Spike and Erza nod. They lunge at Irene and combine their swords strikes on Irene, making it harder for her to defend herself. Irene gets pushed back until she uses her magic power to fling Spike and Erza a few feet, creating separation and breathing room from the onslaught. 

"All that time I protected you, I held you inside my womb, and from the moment you were born, you've been nothing but a complete disappointment. Why must you stand in the way of my happiness!" Irene unleashes a wall of fire to attack Spike and Erza. 

"I know you endured much misery," Erza runs next to Spike. "But still! I won't take pity on you!" Erza slashes her sword with Spike. The two push Irene back with their combined strength. 

"What the hell do you know about suffering?! About true misery!" Irene sways her arm. Releases a strong wind that hurls Spike and Erza back. 

"After you abandoned me in Rosemary Village, I was taken by a cult. For years I was a slave. They tried to take my humanity," Erza stares into Irene's eyes. She's not affected by Erza's story. "I realized it's not four hundred years of pain, but it affected me profoundly. Changed me," Erza goes high to attack while Spike flies low to attack. "It's why I am the woman I am today. Why I keep my heart open! Why I was able to find my true family! With their love and care, I can overcome my pain, and it begins to heal!" 

Irene blocks both attacks with her arms. "Enough of this nonsense," Irene's dragon form is emerging. "Your whole existence is nothing more than a mistake! I never should have had you!" Irene's eyes glow red. "Now I have to kill you! It's the only way!" Irene roars and dispels her human form. She's now a Scarlet Dragon and swipes Erza away from Spike. The impact causes Erza's bone to break, and she screams. "Let's see you move, now." 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size to meet the height of Irene. 

"What?" Irene is mesmerized to see Spike matching her height.

"Back away from my sister!" Spike tackles Irene. 

"Spike, no!" Erza watches helplessly while Spike and Irene battle each other as Dragons. 

Spike and Irene claw, punch and use their dragon breath at each other. The two bite each other's necks to gain the upper advantage. Irene uses her tail to choke Spike and conjures an energy ball of devastation. She hits Spike, and he falls to the ground.

"What happened to the sudden burst of magic power?" Irene stomps on Spike's body. 

Spike coughs a bit. "I don't know, you tell me. Meteor Rain!" Spike conjures Sparkling Black Orbs above Irene. There are thousands of them. 

Irene looks up, and Spike unleashes their devastating power. Though they are small, the damage is multiplied tenfold due to his mass size. Irene screams in agony and devises an ingenious idea. 

"Prepared to be obliterated! Deus Sema!" Using the immense power, Irene enchants an asteroid in space to come crashing down to earth like a meteor. 

Spike looks up and sees a glow from the skies. "You have the power to call forth an astroid!?!" 

"It's going to obliterate Erza and everyone around for miles on end!" Irene laughs in triumph. 

"Not on my watch!" Spike tries to take off by Irene grabs his tail. 

"Not on my watch," Irene punches Spike and pounces on him. She repeated the blows until the asteroid kills Erza. 

Erza looks up and notices the similarities of Irene's spell from Jellal's. The asteroid is much larger in scale. She sees Spike getting beaten by Irene. 

"It's over, Erza. This is how you, Wendy, and all the other sheep will die!" 

"NOOO!" Spike tries to breathe fire but is met with Irene's fist. 

"You're going to watch them burn," Irene laughs. 

To Erza's surprise, she can move her right arm. She uses her magic power to lift herself into the skies with that right arm. Irene is in shock to see Erza flying high with one good arm left. 

"Are you going straight into the meteor?" You're speeding up the inevitable!" Spike laughs at Irene's confusion. "What's so funny?" She removes her claw out of Spike's mouth. 

"You're about to witness a jaw-dropping moment." 

Erza roars with determination and spawns a sword. 

"It's pointless. You can't stop it. You're just a human!" Irene shouts at Erza. 

"At some point in time, people started calling me Titania, a name shared by a Legendary Fairy Queen. Honestly, I've never given much thought to that name they chose to call me. But, if you're Queen of the Dragons, then I'll take the name Titania with pride," Erza's body lights up. "A Queen who cherishes her people and protects them! I'll do all I can to help those in need! Even if it ends up destroying me! Lend me your strength, Master! PLEASE!" 

"My daughter, is she even human?" Irene stares at Erza going straight at the asteroid, not batting an eye at what Spike is doing. Erza strikes the asteroid in one slash. Her strength and love for Fairy Tail shatters and crumbles the asteroid before it makes contact. Irene's jaw drops as Spike predicted. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Spike rolls back while Sparkling Black Explosions hits Irene beneath her feet. Irene falls back and suffers some damages from the attack. 

Wendy witnessed the whole sequence when she heard Erza's painful cries and Spike transforming to battle Irene's Dragon form. She's happy to see Erza pulling off what seems to be the impossible. 

Using the momentum from the asteroid exploding, Erza soars down, ready to strike Irene when she saw her collapse from Spike's spell. Wendy decides to use her magic to enchant Erza's sword with Dragon Slayer Magic. While on her back, Irene sees Erza's sword glowing with Dragon Slayer Magic. Spike watches Erza delivering the final blow on Irene, which reverts her to human. 

Spike reverts to size and flies up to Erza. "Sis, are you alright?" 

"Never better..," Erza smiles and pants a bit. "Though, most of me is broken."

Irene covers her face while she picks up Erza's sword. "You've been a thorn by my side. That's all you've been to me," Irene drags Erza's sword on the ground. Spike stands in front of Erza. 

"You want her? You'll have to get through me," Spike positions himself. 

Irene notices Spike's stance; She sees a resemblance of her Dragon, Belserion, defending humanity. She stares into Spike's eyes. It reads determination just like Belserion over four hundred years ago. 

"Why are these thoughts getting to me? Why is that Dragon continuing to.., to.." Irene is lost for words in her mind. Spike notices Irene's demeanor changing; Irene is struggling to keep an angry face. "Why does this Dragon remind me of Belserion?!" "I have a serious question for you, Spike. How did you survive with Acnologia running amuck for four hundred years?" 

"I was conceived here as an egg, hatched in Equestria, then moved here after making a wish."

"How did you wind up in Equestria?" Irene asks. Now, she's interested in learning a bit more from Spike.

"You mentioned the story about the Dragon King Festival. I was aware of the origins when my uncle told the story in the catacombs beneath Crocus. You mentioned that Belserion loved humanity after humanity saved his life. However, it wasn't his idea to unite Dragons with Humans." 

"It wasn't?" Irene is stunned to hear that. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "It was my mother. Amy the Amethyst Dragon." 

Irene drops Erza's sword. "You're Amy's Dragon..?" 

"Yes, now going back to your question about how I ended up in Earth Land. Four hundred years ago, after my father died, my mother gathered the eggs and used the Eclipse Gate to send the eggs back in time. However, the Infinity Clock rang and thwarted the eggs into Equestria while losing the ability to use magic. I never got to meet my father. Only my mom and uncle through the Milky Way spell Wendy used." 

Irene covers her mouth and tears up. Wendy and Erza catch Irene's reaction to Spike's explanation. 

"What's wrong?" Erza asks Irene. 

"I.., I.., I knew your father..." Irene sadly says. 

"What?" Spike's eyes widen in shock. Erza's jaw drops a bit. 

Irene pants and falls to her knees. "Your father mentioned having a wife, the love of his life. Amy. I.., I only met her a few times. She's a caring Dragon with a big heart for Humans. I now see the resemblance and made a foolish mistake!" Irene slams her fists to the ground. "Belserion is a dear friend of mine, and I nearly killed his son! I'm.., I'm..," Irene sobs. "I'm sorry!"   

Wendy crawls her way to Erza. She heard everything from that conversation. Wendy doesn't know whether to forgive Irene or not. From everything she pulled. 

Spike walks up to Irene and places his claw on her forehead. Erza and Wendy are confused as to why Spike is doing that. 

"Whoa, I can feel it. The Dragon Seed with Zeref's irregular magic within her body. Fused together." 

"What are you doing?" Irene looks up at Spike. 

"As crazy as this sounds, I believe I can fix you." 

Irene smiles widely after hearing that. "You can do that?" The idea of being human again and free from the burden. 

Spike turns to Erza and Wendy. "Erza, Wendy. Should I give it a try?" 

"After everything you pulled, spewed, and tried to kill us, my answer is no," Erza coldly states. Irene knew that was the outcome. "However," Erza takes a deep breath. "I don't have it in me to kill a bloodline. You've protected me for many years and put me with the family I have. For that, in some weird way, I'm grateful for it. I want you to change and be my mother," Erza tears up. She smiles, knowing this path can lead to new memories as a family. 

"Wendy?" Spike asks Wendy.

"A mother should be there for their child. No matter what happens," Wendy takes a deep breath. "I said I'll never forgive. If you can change, you'll have my forgiveness. I beg of you, don't throw it aside." 

Irene sighs in happiness. "I promise you. I won't. Both of you." 

Spike takes a deep breath. "Okay. Hold still. This'll be the first time I'm doing this and hoping it works," Amethyst aura ignites Spike's right claw. He extends his left claw out. 

Irene screams while feeling irregular magic leaving her body. The irregular essence leaves Spike's left claw. The color distortion is black, white, and gray. Erza and Wendy watch as the colors of Zeref's magic leave Irene's body. After a few moments, the amethyst aura enters Irene's body for the cleansing effect. Spike stumbles back and sits on the ground panting heavily. 

"Did it work?" Wendy asks. 

"Yea, it worked. That process drained a lot of our magic power. More than eighty percent of it." 

Irene blinks a few times. She still feels her Dragon Slaying abilities. "You said it worked. I still feel the same." 

"Trust us. It worked." 

Spike sits up. "I have an idea to test it," Spike breathes his fire, teleporting a refrigerator. 

"You can teleport refrigerators now?" Erza asks Spike. 

Spike groans a little. "I meant to teleport myself to the apartment. Then I forgot. The spell that caused Fiore's landscape to change altered the pinpoints of my flare markings. It appears the flare marking I left at the apartment is on that fridge," Spike points at it. He stands up and opens the fridge. "Glad to see the food didn't spoil." 

On cue, Irene's belly growls. It's the first time it growled since four hundred years ago. Irene loves her human perceptions once more. 

Spike grabs the tray of his freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies. He takes a bottle of apple juice and closes the fridge. "Here, have a taste of my freshly baked homemade triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies." 

"That's a name of a cookie?" Irene is surprised to hear the name of the cookie. She grabs one. 

"Wow, I haven't had one of those in a long time," Wendy licks her lips. She remembers the sweetness of the cookie. 

Spike helps Erza sit up. Spike, Erza, and Wendy watch Irene taste the first bite of the cookie. 

"Oh.., my.., God..," Irene savors the flavor. "It tastes like a heavenly glorified dessert that the Kings and Queens should only enjoy!" Irene drinks the apple juice and relishes the flavor of drinking juice again. "So good!" 

Spike chuckles a bit. "That's a new one." 

Wendy takes one and gives one to Erza. They take a bite of success and enjoy the moment. 

Irene takes a few more and enjoys the flavor of the cookies. She grabs and hugs Spike. "Thank you!" Irene sheds tears of happiness. "Thank you for freeing me and giving my humanity back!" 

Wendy gasps. "That means you can restore Sherria's magic!"

Spike nods at Wendy. He turns his attention to Irene. "You obtained your Dragon Slayer magic, but you no longer have access to transform into one." 

"Due to Spike being an Energy Maker Dragon, we absorbed the raw power of the Dragon Seed and shrunk. It'll never grow. Spike, where did that amethyst aura come from? You normally use Sparkling Green." 

"I absorbed my mother's energy essence, and she unlocked my hidden potential due to irregular magic concealing it. It was Twilight Sparkle's magic that held back my further usage of my magic power."

"Wow. That went uncheck, unnoticed all this time even when I came to life." 

"Crazy, isn't it?" 

"Yea." 

"So, now that your humanity is restored, what are you going to do now?" Wendy asks. 

"It's only fair I reverse my spell and change Fiore back. Afterward, I'm stepping down as a member of the Spriggan. I've decided to fight for Fiore. Fight for my daughter's guild," Erza looks at her mother. She sheds some tears. "Then, I'll reconnect with my daughter after all this time. Who knows, maybe join Fairy Tail and embarrass her a few times in front of her friends," Irene giggles a bit. 

"Moooom," Erza blushes a bit, thinking about the humiliating possibilities Irene may say in the guild. Wendy and Spike laugh. 

"As for you, Spike. Since my daughter called you brother, allow me to adopt you as my son." 

"Really?" Spike asks. 

"Yes. You are Belserion's son. I think it'll make him happy to know that I'm watching over his son." 

"Very well," Spike smiles. 

"Now," Irene walks to her staff and picks it up. "Time to make a change. Universe One!" Irene taps the ground with her staff. Her enchantment turns all of Fiore back to normal. Everyone in Fiore is wondering why the landscape has corrected itself. Many wizards fighting end up back in Magnolia. Zeref senses that Irene has betrayed him. 

"Welp, I better teleport the fridge," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the fridge back to the apartment. 

"I'm sorry for taking your body, Wendy," Irene looks down. "I'm sorry for messing with your emotions, son. Sorry for the pain and strife I inflicted on each of you." 

"We forgive you," Spike, Wendy, and Erza said. They pull Irene for a hug. A loving embrace and family hug.

"Hey, look," Wendy said. She points to the sign of where they are now. 

"We're at the Fairy Hills Girl's Dorm," Erza said. She looks up at the sign. 

"The guildhall is not far from here," Spike said. He points to the guild.

"Think you can teleport us there, Spike?" Wendy asks. 

"I need to conserve my magic power. I used a chunk of it restoring Irene." 

"Fair enough," Erza said. 

Irene enchants Wendy so she can use her healing magic on Erza. Erza's bones are restored, but she can barely walk. Irene decides to help Erza walk. Spike, Wendy, Erza, and Irene sense a vast amount of magic power coming their way. It crashes in front of the four. The figure standing has long, dark blue-colored hair. He carries a sharp gaze; his eyes have black circles around them. He is dark-skinned. On his body, he bears light blue markings. He wears a high collared, black cloak, sharp red claws around his neck, a sash around his waist, a gold arm ring tightened around his right upper arm, and baggy pants. 

"I had my fill of this world. I've got to find the Black Wizard and do what must be done," He sees Spike. "You," In a cold, harsh tone. He grits his teeth. 

"Acnologia," Spike said. He never forgets when someone gives him a beating. 

"I've come to end the Black Wizard. A few minutes of my time will be shared with you!"
> Fleeing from Acnologia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You eluded me for quite some time, baby dragon," Acnologia said. Erza, Wendy, and Irene are scared, paralyzed in fear due to Acnologia's presence. 

"You killed my family. My mom, dad, uncle, and many more in my clan and all other Dragons." 

"Oh, I remember. You have the scent of Amethyst Dragon!" Acnologia menacingly laughs. "It's nice to see you, Queen of the Dragons," Acnologia turns to Wendy. "You're a Dragon Slayer? A little thing like you has that kind of power?" 

"You're not slaying my girlfriend!" Sparkling Black Energy ablaze Spike's body. 

"A Dragon dating a Dragon Slayer? HOW PROFOUND!" Acnologia creates a destructive energy blast from the palm of his hand. His anger for Dragons pushes his magic power over the edge. "I thought about giving you a quick, painless death for the times you escaped my wrath! Now that I discovered you're dating a Dragon Slayer, you make me sick and pissed off!" Acnologia's power causes the ground to tremble and break. "I'll give you a slow, agonizingly painful death!" Acnologia sinisterly laughs. "The end of days for all Dragons have arrived!" Acnologia unleashes the power at Spike, Wendy, Erza, and Irene. 

Spike prepares himself to consume the magic power of Acnologia when Jellal steps in and shields everyone with his Hexagon Barrier. The shield repelled Acnologia's attack. 

"Jellal?" Erza is amazed to see him stopping Acnologia's attack. 

Jellal aligns himself. "Heavenly Bodied Magic! Pleiades!" Jellal calls forth six rays of light that fall from the sky, attacking Acnologia. 

Acnologia plays around with Jellal's attack. Jellal then transfigures nine lightning-made swords and directs them at Acnologia to strike simultaneously. Jellal would then go for his signature Grand Chariot Spell. 

"Dude! That's Acnologia!" Spike shouts. 

Jellal, Irene, Erza, Wendy, and Spike watches Acnologia consuming all of Jellal's attack, taking pleasure while laughing at Jellal's weak magic power. 

"What's his element?" The question never came to pass until today for Wendy. 

"Element? I have no one kind! I am the Ultimate Dragon! The Dragon of the Apocalypse and the Devour of all Sorcery!" Acnologia made his statement known by slamming on the ground with his only hand while powering up to greater lengths than before. Acnologia transforms into his Dragon form. "I am the Arcane Dragon Acnologia!"

"Now I wish I can turn into a Dragon," Irene said. She's angry at herself for wanting her human perceptions at a costly time. Due to her human perceptions, she's weaker at the moment from battling Spike, Erza, and Wendy. 

"If you're the Dragon of the Apocalypse," Spike powers up and transforms into a full-size Dragon. "Then I am the Miracle Dragon! The one that will bring a new age of Dragons!" 

"You dare to defile me!" Acnologia roars at Spike. Spike roar at Acnologia. 

"NO! I CAN'T LOSE YOU LIKE THIS!" Wendy is fearfully afraid to lose Spike. She knows Spike is not powerful enough at the moment. It feels like Tenrou Island all over again. Wendy roars and taps into her Dragon Force. 

"Fear not, I'll aid you both," Irene powers up. "Deus Eques," Irene amplifies Wendy and Spike's physical abilities. 

"Give them all the power you want! There's no saving grace from the Dragon of the Apocalypse!" Acnologia laughs, then gets hit with a newly established Magic Bomber Christina. 

A hatch opens, revealing Ichiya by the door. "Wendy, Erza, Spike?" Ichiya looks up and notices that Spike is breathing heavily. He knows Spike used too much magic power and is tiring himself. "Rest of you, get on board! Quickly! We're going to use the Christina as bait to lure Acnologia away from Magnolia." 

Spike reverts to normal. "Let's go," Spike flies inside the Magic Bomber Christina. Wendy, Irene, Erza, and Jellal hop on board. 

"Let's go. We may not get another opportunity," Jellal said. 

The Magic Bomber Christina takes off and soars towards the oceans. Spike falls over and catches his breath. "So tired..," Spike catches his breath. "I could use a nap."

"We overdid it when we fixed Irene. It was bound to happen with all that irregular magic flowing in her body." 

Acnologia shakes it off and takes off, chasing the Magic Bomber Christina. 

Wendy holds Spike's shoulders and looks him in the eyes. "Spike. Please," Wendy holds back her tears. "Promise me right now you'll stop doing reckless actions!" 

"Maybe after I defeat Acnologia.., I'll consider it..," Spike sincerely said. 

"Where are we going?" Erza asks Ichiya. 

"We're going to a location that'll thwart Acnologia once and for all," Ichiya explains. A woman comes to greet the new guests on board. "Correct?" She nods. 

Hibiki comes to Ichiya. "Captain, this way. Spike, thanks for saving our asses back there when the army humiliated us and crucified some of us as trophies." 

"You're welcome," Spike replies. 

Ichiya nods. "My friends, everything will be explained to our destination," Ichiya goes with Hibiki. 

"Indeed," The woman said. "That should give me ample time to get you up to speed."

"Who are you?" Spike asks the woman. 

In the cockpit of the Magic Bomber Christina, Jenny warns everyone that things are about to get bumpy. She makes a quick turn and continues to fly the Magic Bomber into the oceans. 

"Wendy," The woman approaches her. 

"Do I know you?" Wendy turns to her. 

"How do you know Wendy?" Spike asks her. 

The Trimen and Jenny see that Acnologia is chasing the Magic Bomber. 

"Perfect, Acnologia is giving chase," Ren said. 

"Let's have a little fun with him," Eve said. 

"Roger that," Hibiki steadies the Magic Bomber. "We need to give Spike some time to recover. In case all else fails."

"Charging focus Magic Cannon Jupiter," Jenny prepares the cannon to strike Acnologia. "Here we go," She pulls the activation cord. "High-speed rotation," Jenny aims the cannon at Acnologia. "Energy charge at one hundred percent. Fire!" 

The Magic Bomber Christina fires its Jupiter Cannon at Acnologia. However, instead of taking the hit, Acnologia devours the powerful magic energy of the cannon. The Trimen and Jenny are stunned after realizing that Acnologia is immune to magic. 

"I can't believe it! He just ate it!" Jenny's eyes widen after watching Acnologia devour one of the Christina's powerful cannons. 

"How about conventional weapons?" Eve suggests using against Acnologia. 

"He still looks kinda hungry! Maybe he can eat some lead!" Ren operates the torrents of the Magic Bomber Christina, shooting large bullets the size of torpedoes at Acnologia. 

"You really believe you can get away from me?! You don't have a chance!" Acnologia shouts while speaking hard facts about Blue Pegasus' futile weaponry. Acnologia flies faster. He wants to kill Spike first before the rest of the Dragon Slayers. 

Hibiki uses his Archive Magic and notices Acnologia's flight pattern has increased. "Heads up, his speed is increasing." 

"No one outruns the Heavenly Horses!" Ren proclaims. 

"Magic Boosters, ignite!" Eve activates the Magic Bomber's rockets to outfly Acnologia's flight speed. 

The movements of the Magic Bomber Christina cause Erza and Jellal to land on top of each other in awkward positions. Irene remains still while watching the Magic Bomber Christina trying to slow down Acnologia with its offensives. 

"Hey, I remember you," Wendy smells the woman's scent. 

"So, you remember me, Wendy," The woman smiles. 

"Who are you?" Spike asks the woman again. 

"She looks like if Lucy has an aunt." 

"Well, the second voice in the Dragon is a bit disturbing," The woman said. 

"Spike, this is my teacher, Anna. Also, you'll get used to hearing Spike having two souls in one vessel."

"Now, that's interesting. Anyway, I'm an ancestor of a close friend of yours. Well, the second voice figured me out a bit. Lucy and I are in the same bloodline."

"I don't understand what this means," Erza said. 

"It's obvious she's from the past. Perhaps during my era," Irene answers. 

"What's your plan for defeating Acnologia? You must share it with us," Jellal said. 

"I know you're quite eager, but be patient. All things come in due time. It's good to see you, Wendy," Anna Heartfillia said. Anna wears an elegant red and white robe with a high-collared cloak. She wears a keyhole blouse and a long dress. "So, what relations you have with the last Dragon?" 

"Spike is my boyfriend, Anna." 

"What..?" Anna looks at Spike and Wendy. "Wow, that's unexpected." 

"Life is full of mysteries that haven't been explored yet." 

"Fair enough," Anna replies. 

"I need some magic energy to have a shot at defeating Acnologia," Spike looks out the window. He knows Acnologia is staring directly at his soul. "Also, how did you know Wendy?"

"Four hundred years ago, I was the one who taught Natsu, Wendy, and the others about language and civilization. I also passed through the Eclipse alongside them. To the current era." 

"No way! Wendy was born four hundred years ago?!" Spike's jaw drops in shock. 

"Yes. When were you conceived?" Anna asks Spike. 

"My mother, Amy the Amethyst Dragon, conceived me four hundred years ago. She was supposed to use the Eclipse Gate to send the Dragon Eggs back in time. Unfortunately, the Infinity Clock rang and thwarted the Dragon Eggs into another world where I hatched. Due to the Infinity Clock's gong, Dragons lost the ability to use magic. I made a wish after living a horrible life, and it turns out my wish brought me back home all along." 

"Wow," Is all Anna and Jellal said. 

"Going back to my story, Wendy, Natsu, Sting, Rogue, and Gajeel arrived in the year 777 in pursuit of a singular purpose, defeating Acnologia. Four hundred years ago, we had no way to defeat Acnologia. Things were grim. So the Dragons created a plan to place their hopes in the future. They would enter Dragon Slayers' bodies, then travel forward in time into this era."

"We know. Grandeeney told us about that," Wendy said. 

"We heard it's due to magic power. Because our current period is rich in it," Erza said. 

"That's true. Magic power is quite prevalent. It's proven to be a wise choice. I opened the gateway, but it was created by Zeref." 

"Zeref?" Jellal asks Anna for more info about the Eclipse Gate. 

"He studied time and how to manipulate it. However, despite his extensive research, he was never able to make his dream of traveling into the past a reality. Still, I believe he thought salvation could be found in the future. We had a powerful wizard connect us to this era. Her name was Leyla Heartfillia. I opened the entrance, and she the exit." 

"Lucy's mother was involved with this?" Erza asks. 

"I'm surprised a time paradox didn't happen." 

"I came along to explain the whole situation to her. I would accompany the Dragon Slayers and raised them until they were ready." 

"You were supposed to raise us together?" Wendy asks Anna.

"You were still children with so much left to learn. But things did not go as planned. An unforeseen accident flung you through the gate in different directions; You, Natsu, Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue. It took me five years of following leads to track down all of you. And when I did, I saw you would all found your own lives in this new era. I decided to wait to make contact and not further disrupt the situation. Things do happen in due time," Anna explains further about her plans. 

"I'm glad you allowed them to live their lives. Otherwise, Wendy will not be the love of my life." 

Wendy gasps a bit with sudden realization. If Anna would have taken her, she would have never met Spike or Fairy Tail. She would have never met Sherria, Carla, her Jellal, and many other important people in her life. 

"I'm glad you allowed me to live my life, Anna. It's been a true blessing in disguise." 

Anna smiles. "I'm so happy for you, Wendy. Now while I was conducting my search, I happen upon an extraordinary discovery. I didn't know if it was a result of what had gone wrong during the opening of the Eclipse or if it's merely coincidental, but something new had come into existence." 

"Hold on!" Jenny announces, shifting gears on the Magic Bomber Christina as Acnologia catches up. Acnologia roars louder. 

"You cannot escape from my wrath! I will annihilate you all!" Acnologia declares. 

Anna resumes her explanation about her discovery. "I stayed in the shadows all this time, so I can investigate and properly prepare for it. It possesses tremendous power. A dangerous amount. Perhaps, not a power. It's more like a concept." 

"What is it exactly? I mean, can you explain it more clearly?" Erza asks Anna. 

"I call it a rift in time," Anna said. 

"You found a rift in time?" Jellal, Erza, and Irene say in unison. 

"Indeed, we can trap Acnologia," Anna said with confidence. 

"Bad idea," Spike said. 

"What?" Anna turns to Spike. "The idea is trapping Acnologia in a stasis, similar to Limbo." 

"Bad idea. I agree with Spike." 

"That can't be good," Erza and Wendy said. When Spike puts pieces together, they know what's up. His conclusions are absolute. 

"Explain to me; why it's a bad idea?" Anna said. 

"You said it yourself that the rift holds tremendous power. Acnologia is similar to me. We can consume different sorts of magic energy to replenish our magic power and add to our arsenal. If you're planning on sending Acnologia there, he will absorb the power within the rift, thus gaining the ability to use time. He'll be near impossible to defeat." 

Anna's jaw drops in horror after hearing that explanation. Irene looks at Spike like he's a mad genius. Jellal now sees why Erza and Wendy agree with Spike after he put pieces together like a puzzle. 

"I never thought of that," Anna rethinks her decision based on Spike's theory. 

"That's scary, even for me," Irene admits. 

Erza sighs. "If you give Spike enough pieces, he can figure out any equation. He solved many problems and questions based on his judgments, Mom." 

"That Dragon is smarter than he looks," Jellal said. 

"I have to try. I have to see it through. It could be the only way of defeating Acnologia!" Anna said. 

"No, to defeat Acnologia, there needs to be an equalizer on stopping him," Spike stares at Anna's eyes. "I'm the equalizer. It has to be me that defeats him." 

"You can't!' Wendy shouts. "You're drained of magic energy. I refuse to lose you to that behemoth!" 

"No need to fret, Fairy Dragon. The rift will sure..," Ichiya sees Spike's vicious glare and backs away from revealing their plan to lure Acnologia into the rift. 

"Spike..," Wendy is worried. It's a new look she sees from Spike when he's serious. 

"Ichiya, turn the ship around," Sparkling Black Flames ignite Spike's body. "WE CAN'T LET ACNOLOGIA GET NEAR THAT RIFT!" 

"Maaan!" Ichiya is scared. It's like taking a direct order from Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"Stay on course!" Anna strictly commands. 

"Maaaaaaan! I don't know what to do!" Ichiya doesn't know who to listen to; Anna or Fairy Demon Dragon. 

"Spike, there are two sides to the theory. Yours and mine. I've studied the ramifications of the rift. I'm telling you that the rift will trap Acnologia. We lured him away from Magnolia. If we turn, he'll catch up! We have to try my plan of action." 

"Give me some freaking energy to consume, and let me fight Acnologia! He's not going to stop giving chase!" Spike barks at Anna. "Stop being so stubborn!" 

Everyone on the Magic Bomber Christina hears the roars of Acnologia. He's in close range with his flight speed. Hibiki alerts everyone that they're getting closer to the rift. 

"It's time," Anna said. 

"NO!" Spike is about to breathe his fire to teleport the Magic Bomber Christina away when Anna roundhouse kicks Spike's mouth. Spike crashes into the wall of the Magic Bomber. It knocked him out. 

"HEY!" Wendy is livid with Anna hurting Spike. Irene, Jellal, and Erza are in shock to see Anna's retaliation. 

"Sorry, I can't have him thwart my plans. Although his theory could be correct, it could be wrong as well. I'm not willing to throw it away." 

Wendy grabs Anna's collar, causing Anna to flinch. Wendy pulls Anna close to her eye level. "If you dare hurt my Spike again, I'll hurt you myself!" 

Anna reads Wendy's eyes and understands how much she loves Spike. How much she truly cares about him. "Sorry, there's no turning back from the rift when we're this close. You can thank me later when Acnologia is trapped." 

Wendy lets go of Anna's collar; She turns to Spike and comforts him. Spike is somewhat asleep from the roundhouse kick.

Erza walks up to Anna. "This better work. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with me," Erza gives a vicious glare to Anna. Anna steps back a bit and gathers herself. 

"Likewise," Irene gives a similar glare to Anna for what she did to Belserion's son.

"Is there anything you can do?" Jellal turns to Irene. 

"My magic power alone is not strong enough to defeat Acnologia. When Spike purified me, I lost my ability to transform into a Dragon. I can give Spike my magic power, but it won't be enough. We're drained due to the Dragon King Festival." 

"I guess our best option is to hope that Spike's theory is wrong," Jellal said. 

"Maaaaan," Ichiya said, hoping that the rift can get rid of Acnologia. 

Eve announces their hundreds of meters away from the rift. Acnologia is inches away from biting the Magic Bomber Christina; Hibiki, Ren, Jenny, and Eve see a colorful faint vortex. They do a barrel roll to avoid the rift. Wendy holds onto Spike while Erza and Jellal continue to land in awkward positions. One of those awkward positions made them nearly kiss each other. Irene remains still while watching Ichiya bounce around like a ball. Anna Heartfillia clings onto the railing of the Magic Bomber Christina. 

Everyone on board looks out the window to see Acnologia getting closer. He collides with the rift. Everyone cheers and celebrates at first, but, Acnologia grabs hold of the Magic Bomber. It turns out that Acnologia closed it by sheer force and determination to get to the Dragons on board. 

"No way!" Hibiki couldn't believe what he felt. 

"He hit the rift of time!" Ichiya saw it. There was a blinding light that lasted a few moments. 

"He flew straight through it!" Anna shouts in disbelief. 

"I'm coming for you, baby dragon! There's no delaying my wrath!" Acnologia shouts. 

"But how?" Anna is confused about the rift's capabilities. 

"It appears Acnologia is too powerful for the rift to seize him," Irene said. 

Erza gets an idea. "Ichiya, you have to destroy the anti-motion sickness lacrima." 

"What for?" Ichiya asks. 

"Acnologia is a Dragon Slayer. He'll have to let go of the ship." 

"Activate power parfume!" Ichiya takes a whiff of his parfume and increases his muscle mass. He shatters the lacrima with his strength. 

"Oh no," Wendy and Irene suffer motion sickness. Irene falls on her side while Wendy leans on Spike's body. 

"Sorry, Wendy, Mom," Erza sincerely apologizes. 

Acnologia hurls a bit. He lets go of the Magic Bomber Christina. In a fit of rage, Ancologia gives chase to the Magic Bomber Christina, wanting to kill everyone on board for reminding him of his motion sickness weakness. Acnologia had enough of playing games and use his magic power to clip the wing of the Magic Bomber Christina. It's a warning of what their future holds in the next few minutes. Jenny activates another booster of the Magic Bomber Christina to fly faster than before. To stay out of Acnologia's range. 

"Running won't help you. As long as you harbor the baby dragon, the Queen of Dragons, and the little Dragon Slayer, it's my mission to slay them all!" 

"Erza, I'm going to need your help. Since Acnologia flew through the rift, I need to reopen it to capture Acnologia." 

"I don't think it's wise, Anna. I believe what my brother says, and it'll help Acnologia more." 

"Your brother is knocked out. Irene and Wendy are out of the picture. There is no other way to defeat Acnologia." 

Erza snarls a bit but complies. "Very well. I hope this works out." 

"I'm a Celestial Wizard. Opening gates is my specialty." 

Acnologia uses his magic to hit the Magic Bomber Christina. It takes critical damage. "I won't stop until every Dragon has been slain. The world must be cleansed from them!" 

"I'll buy you some time," Jellal said, stepping up for Erza. 

"Are you sure?" Erza asks Jellal. 

Jellal leaves the Magic Bomber Christina to fight Acnologia. Acnologia plays around with Jellal's magic and consumes his attacks. Acnologia exhales an energy beam of mass destruction at Jellal to kill him regardless of destruction he lays waste. Acnologia's attack split the oceans. Everyone on board is in awe and terror to see Acnologia's destructive prowess. 

Anna tries her hardest to reopen the rift but claims that the rift is opened. She can't explain how but senses that someone has access to the rift. The opening of the rift catches Acnologia's attention. It's a circular vortex of black, blue, and white. 

"The time rift has become visible to Acnologia!" Anna is appalled now that Acnologia is aware of it. 

"What is that?" Acnologia is intrigued by the presence. 

Jellal uses his Meteor Spell to move swiftly in the skies. Using all of his strength, he headbutts Acnologia's chest, pushing him back. Acnologia decides to consume Jellal's magic from his Meteor Spell to dissolve Jellal's movements and render him useless. Acnologia unleashes torrents of his magic power to strike the Magic Bomber Christina. It takes heavy damage that it loses its flight control. 

"Brace for impact!" Hibiki shouts, alerting everyone on board that the Magic Bomber Christina is about to crash land in the ocean waters. 

Acnologia grabs Jellal. "I'll enjoy crushing you," Acnologia squeezes the life out of Jellal. Jellal coughs out blood and screams in anguish. 

The Magic Bomber Christina is a wreck. Everyone on board is in the waters. Irene holds onto Spike while Hibiki commands everyone to swim far before the Magic Bomber blows up. Erza is worried that Acnologia is going to end Jellal's life. She wants Acnologia to set him free. Anna Heartfilla is in the cockpit of the Magic Bomber Christina and takes off; she's going to drive the Magic Bomber Christina at Acnologia to push him into the rift. Anna Heartfillia struggles to drive the Magic Bomber Christina and loses control. Luckily for her, Ichiya is still on board and takes control. 

Wendy bursts into tears, not wanting to see Ichiya and Anna sacrifice themselves. All members of Blue Pegasus cry as well. Erza watches as the two bravely bring the fight to Acnologia. Ichiya shoots missiles and bombs at Acnologia, demanding him to release his comrade. Acnologia acknowledges the Magic Bomber Christina and lets go of Jellal. He's preparing to stop the Magic Bomber from pushing him into eternal imprisonment. 

Spike wakes up and notices Erza swimming as fast as she can to catch Jellal. "What happened?" 

"I think we took a nap while on the Magic Bomber Christina." 

"No, Spike. Anna Heartfilla roundhouse kicked you before you breathed your fire. I assumed you were going to teleport everyone off the Magic Bomber to stop the relentless pursuit to the rift," Irene said. 

"Yea," Spike rubs his head. "Hey, wait. Why am I..," Spike sees everyone in the waters and notices Acnologia is by the rift. "HELL NO! GET HIM AWAY FROM THAT!" 

"It's a little too late, Spike," Irene said. 

Anna and Ichiya use the Magic Bomber Christina as a battering-ram to push Acnologia into the rift. With the Magic Bomber tackling Acnologia, his motion sickness kicks in. Acnologia is unable to move while the Magic Bomber Christina continues to push him towards the rift. 

"You're finished! This is where you die!" Ichiya declares. 

"You're terror ends here!" Anna declares as well. "The Dragon King's Era is over!" 

Acnologia touches the rift a second time. "What's happening to me?!" Acnologia screams while being sucked into the rift. It closes on him. 

Everyone in the waters watches while the surgical streams of magic energy convulse. The rift shatters as everyone no longer senses Acnologia's magic power. It's a bitter victory at the cost of two brave wizards to send Acnologia into an eternal abyss. 

After a bit, everyone starts swimming to a small rock island. It's been ten minutes since Acnologia got swallowed by the rift. Jellal is laying on Erza's laps after surviving a grueling experience. 

"Erza, I didn't think I survive that," Jellal said. 

"I'm glad you did," Erza smiles at Jellal. 

"So, I guess Spike's theory about the rift is wrong?" Hibiki said. He heard the commotion Spike barked at Anna earlier. 

"Let's hope so," Ren and Eve said. 

"Anna..," Wendy is sad that Anna sacrificed herself. 

Spike is troubled, which worries everyone around him. Spike wholeheartedly believes that sending Acnologia into the rift was a fatal mistake. Erza's portable communication lacrima rings. 

"A portable communication lacrima?" Jenny looks at Erza 

"Huh, I forgot I still had it," Erza answers the call. "Is this Warren?" 

"I can't believe it works! I dropped this thing during the craziness! I'm so glad I found it. What is your situation now, Erza?" Warren's call is losing reception. 

"Irene of the Spriggan 12 changed sides. She's with us. We drew Acnologia's attention and trapped him in a seal of time and space. Two allies made the ultimate sacrifice," Erza's reception gets cut off. "We lost the signal." 

"Well, sounds like we'll have a lot to talk about later," Jenny said. 

Spike shakes his head. "I have a bad feeling." 

"Please, stop! You'll give us anxiety!" The Trimen said in unison. 

"Any word on Natsu and Zeref?" Jellal asks Erza. 

"We need to return to the guildhall as soon as possible. Spike, think you can teleport us there?" Erza asks Spike. 

"Low on magic power. I can't teleport anyone there. Anna knocked me out and put me to sleep for a while. Rested, a bit, recovered magic power, nope." 

"Well," Wendy walks up to Spike. "I'm glad everything worked out for the best," Wendy holds Spike. "You still owe me a day together." 

"That, I'm looking forward.., to..," Spike's eyes widen when he notices a crack in the skies. Like the fabric of space and time rippling. 

Wendy, Jellal, Irene, Erza, and all of Blue Pegasus notice what Spike is seeing. The cracks in the skies grow wider. Everyone screams when they see Acnologia's claw piece through the cracks. 

Wendy holds onto Spike tightly. "You're were right, Spike..." 

"DAMMIT, SPIKE! YOU ARE A FREAKING JINX!" Hibiki shouts in horror. 

"Why didn't we listen to you when we had the chance!" Jenny is angry that Anna's plan gave Acnologia the power of time.

"Acnologia is going to kill us all!" Eve shouts while covering his eyes. 

Acnologia laughs. "I'm overflowing with power. It feels like when I mastered the art of Dragon Slaying all those years ago! I was a King before, but now I've become a God!" Acnologia spreads his wings and escapes the rift's realm. "This world and everything in it is my dominion!" 

Everyone is silent as Acnologia powers up. Fear has them paralyzed, and they know there is nothing they can do about it. If only Blue Pegasus listened to Spike and avoided the rift. They and everyone could have a better shot of taking Acnologia down. 

Acnologia reigns supreme. "Oh, yes. I wield the power of time itself. This immense magic energy cannot be controlled!" Acnologia conjures time torrent spheres all around him. "I will erase all of humanity! Eternal Flare!" Acnologia unleashes his wrath on everyone. 

"Everyone, out of the way!" Erza shouts. 

Acnologia's magic power extends to the far reaches of Magnolia. Buildings and streets get blown up. Acnologia relishes his newfound power and takes off, forgetting about Spike, Wendy, and Irene at the moment. All of a sudden, Wendy and Irene are hovering in the air. 

"WENDY!" Jellal and Spike shout. 

"MOM!" Erza shouts. 

Acnologia releases blue time tendrils to take Wendy and Irene away. They feel immense pain and misery. 

"WENDY!" Spike flies after Wendy. His instincts are telling him to protect her no matter the cost. Acnologia uses his tail to swat Spike away. 

"SPIKE!" Erza watches Spike easily getting swatted away by Acnologia. He crash-lands somewhere in Magnolia. 

"And now, the final step of Dragon Slaying begins! All Dragons will be eliminated! I'll pull them into my temporal realm." 

"They're gone..," Erza can't believe that Acnologia took Irene and Wendy away. 

Moments later. 

Spike crash-lands in front of Lucy, Gray, and Happy. The trio is awfully scared by the impact of Spike's crash. 

"SPIKE!" Lucy, Gray, and Happy check on him. 

Spike looks up and sees Gray, Lucy, and Happy. He groans in pain. "Man, that hurt," He sits up and flexes his wing. His left wing is broken. "Ah, crap." 

"What happened?" Happy asks Spike. 

"Acnologia. He now acquired time magic. He took Wendy and Irene to his temporal realm. I believe he took all the Dragon Slayers there for his final objective." 

Gray, Lucy, and Happy gasp in horror, they now know what has happened to Natsu when he disappeared all of a sudden ago. 

"Blue Pegasus got a tip from Anna Heartfillia about a rift to trapped Acnologia. I warned them it was a bad idea, and she went through with it anyway. I couldn't stop it. Now, Wendy and more like the others are gone.., forever..," Spike sheds tears of sadness. "I.., don't have the magic to pull them. My flare markings are gone. I can't sense Natsu, Gajeel, Laxus, Sting, Rogue, and Wendy." 

Acnologia's roar echoes throughout Magnolia. He is on his way.
> Spike vs Acnologia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is bad," Lucy said. She and the others hear Acnologia's roar. 

"Why weren't you taken with Wendy?!" Happy asks Spike. 

"He's not a Dragon Slayer. I guess Acnologia only needed Dragon Slaying magic for his cause. Spike is now the only one that can defeat Acnologia." 

"I don't have magic energy left in me. I need more. Loads of it," Spike said. 

Mest appears with Erza. "Come with us-" Erza sees Spike's left wing is broken. 

"Dude, are you alright?" Mest asks Spike. 

"I'll live. It's only a broken wing," Spike replies while trying not to flex it.   

Spike, Erza, Mest, Gray, Happy, and Lucy hear the sounds of their friends and allies coming together. Spike, Erza, Gray, Happy, and Lucy are happy to see Master Makarov alive and well. Porlyusica pushes Master Makarov's wheelchair. 

"Master," Erza cries in happiness. 

"I'm sorry for the worry I caused you, Erza." 

Mest gets everyone's attention. "Alright, listen up. Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers are battling Acnologia's spirit in his temporal rift realm." 

"That means all they gotta do now is beat him, and they'll get out," Gray said with enlightenment. 

"Since Laxus is in there, it'll be no problem," Bickslow declares. 

"I wouldn't say that. No one has ever beaten Acnologia," Freed reminded Bickslow. 

"That's true. Even if they are alive, we don't know if they're badly injured or what," Levy said. 

"Poor, Wendy," Carla tears up. 

"I know how you feel, Carla. All we can do is hope they bring the fight to Acnologia." 

"Can you teleport to them? Or teleport them out?" Evergreen asks Spike. 

"No," Spike sadly shakes his head. "My flare markings disappeared. I am unable to teleport to anyone within Acnologia's rift." 

"Not good. To put it in other words, what you're trying to tell us is we're completely hopeless?" Panther Lily asks. 

"I still have hope!" Carla said in tears. Their not sadness but determination. "I know Wendy is fighting." 

"There's another issue to deal with," Erza reminds everyone. 

"Acnologia's flesh form is-" Mest gets interrupted by Spike. 

"Mine!" Spike said. 

Erza's sisterly instincts kick in. "Spike, your wing is injured. You won't-" 

"SHUT IT, ERZA!" Spike yells at Erza. Everyone around Spike flinches a bit with his sudden outburst. Erza looks at Spike differently; His face tells another story. Determination, anger, sadness, and courage. "I know you worry about me. I know what is against me. However, no one here can hurt Acnologia or defeat him. No one here has Dragon Slaying abilities. Otherwise, they'll go to the other realm. I'm still here. That is why I must fight Acnologia!" Spike looks at the sky and takes it all in. 

"Spike..," Erza tears up a bit. "I can't ask you to sacrifice your life for any of us! You're important to us!" Erza sniffs. Lucy, Lisanna, and some of the others feel the same. They remain in silence. 

Spike lowers his head. "I know," He feels someone is touching his head. 

"You're not fighting Acnologia alone," Macbeth said. Macbeth is formally known as Midnight. "Crime Sorcière will aid you." 

Spike looks up and sees Midnight. He's surprised to see Macbeth stepping up. 

"We got your back, Fairy Dragon," Evergreen, Freed, and Bickslow said. 

"You can count on us," Kagura said, speaking on behalf of Mermaid Heel. They nod. 

"We're not going to allow you to fight this Dragon yourself. As your Master, Fairy Tail is stepping in this battle!" Master Makarov decrees. Every Fairy Tail Member cheers. "We're going to war with you!" 

"You've kept the guild together, and you're our family. Family sticks together," Lucy reminds Spike. 

"We're with you," Gray and Juvia throw the thumbs up. 

"It's going to be manly!" Elfman shouts. 

"On behalf of Sabertooth," Minerva speaks for her guild. "Sabertooth will fight with you!"

"Yea!" Orga is excited. 

"It'll be our thank you gift for saving us from Bloodman's wrath," Rufus said. 

"Erza, I'm," Spike looks into Erza's eyes. He's about to apologize for his outburst. 

"I know. You needed to do what's right. I've watched you grow from the moment you came into Fairy Tail's life. I'm with you to the very end, brother." 

"Thank you," Spike smiles. 

"Everyone, hold hands and concentrate your magic power. It's time to feed our Fairy Dragon with the power to defeat Acnologia!" Master Makarov shouts. 

"I need someone to snap my wing in place," Spike said. 

"Allow me," Erza does so. She snaps the bone back in place. 

"Ow!" Spike aches a bit from Erza's instant snapping. "Thanks, Erza." 

"Anytime," She locks hands with Lucy and Gray. 

"Together! Concentrate on your magic power and release it!" Makarov shouts. 

Every wizard around Spike concentrates and releases its magic power in a spherical form. It grows by the second. Sabertooth, Fairy Tail, Crime Sorcière, Mermaid Heel, and more wizards around continue to release their magic into the sphere. 

"Eat up, Spike, and take that bastard down!" Gildart shouts. He wants to see how Acnologia feels to have a monster to battle. 

Spike jumps into the sphere and consumes everyone's magic power. "OH, YEAH! I CAN FEEL IT! THE MAGIC POWER FROM THE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY!" Spike's magic-aura illuminates in all sorts of different colors. 

Acnologia arrives and roars. Everyone sees Acnologia preparing to use his dragon breath attack. 

"Hurry!" Everyone encourages Spike to consume its magic before it gets blown away by Acnologia's magic power. 

Acnologia unleashes his dragon breath attack at Spike while he still consumes the magic power. 

"Take cover now!" Master Makarov commands.

Spike swipes his left claw, reflecting Acnologia's destructive dragon breath attack. It collides with the oceans. "Acnologia!" Spike's eyes are multi-colored. He increases his size to match the height of Acnologia. "I am Spike the Miracle Dragon!" 

Acnologia roars at Spike and flies at him. Spike lunges at Acnologia and tackles him to the East Forest. Spike punches Acnologia's face with repeated blows; Acnologia uses his tail to grab Spike's throat. He flings Spike off of him. However, Spike grabs Acnologia's tail and swings him hard into the skies. 

"Miracle Dragon!" Spike conjures his dragon breath. The combined magic from his friends and family forges with his magic power. 

Acnologia regains control of himself unleashes a wave of his Eternal Flares. Thousands of stars rain down destructively.

"Ring of Defense!" Fairy Rage casts the spell. All of Acnologia's stars did not harm Spike. Acnologia is confused about how his attack didn't give Spike any scarring. 

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!" Spike unleashes his dragon breath. It's a multi-colored destructive wave that represents the guilds that lend their magic to Spike. Initially, magic cannot harm Acnologia, but something is different with the breath attack. Amethyst aura covers the breath attack. Acnologia screeches from the attack and drops. 

"Unbelievable," Gray said, watching the sequence from afar. 

"He is a sight to behold," Erza said, watching Spike battling Acnologia. 

"He's a Fairy Tail Wizard at heart," Lucy said. 

"Aye!" Happy concurs. 

"He's our Fairy Dragon with the sole purpose of our guild. Eradicating evil," Master Makarov states. 

"I think he's more powerful now than that Crystal Dragon form he took," Orga said. He remembers watching Spike take down his demon. 

"I recall Spike defeating any demon he comes across when he puts his heart into battle," Rufus said. He remembers the Grand Magic Games during the first confrontation with Twilight Sparkle. 

"I think so too," Frosch said.

"Man, if Spike is battling Acnologia like that, I feel sorry for him cause Sting and Rogue are fighting twice as hard," Lector claims. 

"After Natsu fought hard to defeat Zeref, he's doing so against Acnologia," Happy claims. 

"Gajeel will deliver the final blow," Panther Lily believes in Gajeel. 

"Laxus and the others; are showing Acnologia how a family operates when working together," Freed said. 

"Agreed," Evergreen and Bickslow said.

"Wendy and my mother will give every Dragon Slayer the boost to bring down Acnologia's spirit," Erza proclaims. She knows with all the Dragons working together. Acnologia's reign will come to an end. 

"All of our Dragons are fighting for a better tomorrow," Minerva said. 

"I can't believe what we went through with that Dragon," Macbeth said. "Our enemy at first and now our ally." 

"Oh, yeah!" Richard said. "His love for his friends and family is Spike's motivation to win this fight! Oh, yeah!" 

"I know my brother puts his heart and soul into everything he does," Kagura said. She's grateful that Spike filled the void in her heart when she lost Simon. 

"Show him no mercy, Fairy Rage!" Carla shouts in support of her Fairy Rage. "Bring that Dragon down!" 

"Show Acnologia how manly you are!" Elfman shouts in support and encouragement for Spike. 

Spike continues to bring the fight to Acnologia. Meanwhile: 




Acnologia's Temporal Rift. 

The temporal rift has many floating crystal islands, black and blue skies shimmering with stars. The area looks like they're in outer space. Wendy, Irene, Gajeel, Laxus, Sting, Rogue, and Cobra heard the voices of loved ones and those that believe in them. They're next to Natsu, getting ready to bring down Acnologia once and for all. 

"All physical abilities up!" Wendy and Irene use their support magic. "Deus Eques!" They're even supporting each other with the same spell. Natsu, Wendy, Irene, Gajeel, Sting, Rogue, Cobra, and Laxus' physical abilities amplify tenfold and go after Acnologia. 

"Fire Dragon Roooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath at Acnologia. 

"Poison Dragon Roooooooar!" Cobra unleashes his poison breath attack. 

"Lightning Dragon Roooooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning breath attack.

"Sky Dragon Roooooooar!" Wendy unleashes her wind breath attack. 

"Iron Dragon Roooooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron breath attack. 

"Holy Shadow Dragon!" Sting and Rogue combined their Dragon Slayer Magic for a powerful and destructive attack. "Flash Fang!" They release a combined burst of light and shadows at Acnologia. 

"Sage Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Irene unleashes a scarlet destructive breath attack. 

Acnologia tries to deflect it but feels something horribly wrong. "What is this?" Acnologia's spirit is having a hard time reacting to any of the Dragon Slayers before him. He takes critical damage and drops to one knee, coughing some blood. 

"Keep it up! We can win this together!" Natsu leads the charge to attack Acnologia. 

"Don't tell me. That baby dragon is posing a threat to my flesh form!" 



East Forest

"Miracle Dragon Combustion Fist!" Spike punches Acnologia's face with all the combined power of his friends and family. Acnologia crashes onto the ground hard. "Miracle Dragon!" Spike raises his claws. He mimics Acnologia's Eternal Flare magic. "Radiant Shine!" Stars that shine brightly rain upon Acnologia with destructive force. 

Acnologia acknowledges the pain and shows signs of bruising. He lunges at Spike and flies toward the Port of Hargeon. The two punch each other profusely on the way there. Despite having one arm, Acnologia continues to fight viciously. 




Acnologia's Temporal Rift. 

"That baby dragon. He's causing me great pain! I can feel it!" Acnologia is contemplating giving up the ability to use time magic to defend himself better. 

Acnologia is struggling to fight against the Dragon Slayers. Natsu,  Wendy, Gajeel, Laxus, Sting, Rogue, Irene, and Cobra continue their onslaught on Acnologia, not allowing him to get any advantage on them. 

"Natsu, look!" Wendy points at Acnologia. His body language says it all. 

Acnologia's body reveals the reactions of Spike hurting his dragon form. His face looks like repeated punching strikes; the way his body reacts looks like its trembling. 

"Spike is fighting Acnologia!" Natsu shouts. 

"I say we finish what Spike started," Gajeel's arm turns into an iron sword. 

"Agreed, for all of our friends and Fairy Tail!" Laxus' body ignites in lightning. 

The Dragon Slayers roar and charge at Acnologia with all their power and might; they cause Acnologia great strife while his physical form is taking heavy blows from Spike. 




Hargeon

Acnologia and Spike crash-land in Hargeon. Lamia Scale sees the two battling each other, unsure what to do next. Acnologia bites Spike's neck and tosses him away. He spears Spike, not allowing him a chance to get some breathing room. The two are by the waters, and Acnologia's instincts tell him to kill Spike now. Acnologia flies high in the skies and drops to stomp Spike's chest. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport himself away from a crushing blow. Now he's in the skies. 

"Miracle Dragon Radiance Inferno!" Spike presses his claws and creates a massive heat cannon at Acnologia. The radiance that makes Spike's fire shine is everyone's magic power combined into one attack. 




Acnologia's Temporal Rift. 

Acnologia pants heavily from a crushing blow, courtesy of Spike. "Damn that baby dragon!" Acnologia curses Spike's name. 

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy strikes Acnologia with a whirlwind of air from her arms.

"Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction!" Laxus raises his clenched fist in the air. "Raging Bolt!" A large bolt of lightning descends on Acnologia. 

"Iron Dragon Lance!" Gajeel turns his arm into a large spearhead. "Demon Logs!" Gajeel shoots many steel spears at the Acnologia. 

Acnologia takes the damage from the three Dragon Slayers. With Spike attacking his flesh form, Acnologia is showing signs of regress. 

"Shadow Dragon Roooooooooar!" Rogue unleashes his shadow breath attack at Acnologia. 

"White Dragon Holy Ray!" Sting unleashes a barrage of Holy Beams, which inflicts heavy damage at rapid speeds at Acnologia. 

"Explosion Cataclysm!" Irene tries Spike's spell. Scarlet explosions hit Acnologia beneath his feet. The explosions are colossal and more powerful than the time Spike has used it on her. "I have to say, that is a nice spell you learned, Spike," Irene is satisfied with the usage of the spell. Acnologia has burnt markings on his face. 

"How dare you!" Acnologia is livid. He reacts painfully from his backside. It appears Spike has attacked Acnologia's back with a more powerful attack. "Curse the baby dragon! I'll end his life!

"Fire Dragon King Brilliant Flame!" Natsu charges up a dark fireball from his palms and blasts Acnologia. 

"Poison Dragon Twin Fang!" Cobra moves his arms forward in a cross, forming a very large amount of poison in two massive waves shaped like fangs. He hurls it at Acnologia. 

Acnologia sways his arm when he feels like he couldn't. It's frozen like in a trance. Acnologia gets bombarded with more attacks from the Dragon Slayers. 

"That Dragon will not be the death of me!" Acnologia's magic aura pushes the Dragon Slayers away. "I have to do it," Acnologia has decided to relinquish the time magic he absorbed since he's unable to concentrate in this battle. 

The temporal rift starts to deteriorate. The floating crystal islands tremble while all the Dragons Slayers are confused. They don't understand what Acnologia's goal is now. 

"WHAT'S THE DEAL?!" Natsu shouts at Acnologia. 

"I'm vacating my usage of time magic for now. I refuse to allow that baby dragon to end my reign as Dragon King of the Apocalypse! Once I kill that baby dragon, I'll finish all of you!" Acnologia sinisterly laughs while he thwarts everyone out of his temporal rift. 




Hargeon

The sky cracks open. Natsu, Wendy, Laxus, Gajeel, Irene, Sting, Rogue, and Cobra land on the streets on Hargeon. Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, and Crime Sorcière arrive in Hargeon to watch the climactic battle. They inadvertently bump into the Dragon Slayers and Lamia Scale. 

"Natsu!" Happy and Lucy hugs Natsu. They are happy once more. 

"Hey, where are we?" Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers look around. 

"Hargeon!" Happy replies. 

"Natsu, did you defeat Acnologia?" Gray asks. 

"Not quite," Natsu replies. 

"What do you mean, not quite!" Lucy and Happy panic. 

"Wendy!" Carla hugs Wendy and cries. She's happy to see Wendy, okay. 

"I'm here, Carla," Wendy holds Carla. 

"Wait, if you didn't stop Acnologia, what happened?" Master Makarov asks the Dragon Slayers. 

"We were battling Acnologia but noticed he's taken too many hits and not from us," Laxus informs his grandpa. 

"We figured it's Spike's doing due to Acnologia's body language when we didn't launch any attacks," Wendy said. 

"I believe we were on the verge of defeating Acnologia's spirit. However, he vacated the time magic he devoured since Spike has caused him to suffer heavy blows," Irene said. 

"I see," Master Makarov puts two and two together. "We gave Spike some of our Magic Power to amplify and plenish his. He's been giving Acnologia's Dragon form a run for his money." 

"Uh guys," Lector grabs everyone's attention when he sees Acnologia regaining control. Everyone looks up at the skies to see Spike flying at Acnologia. 

"You wretched bastard!" Acnologia speaks and grabs Spike's throat with his tail. Spike chokes a bit from the sudden grasp. "Prepare to die by the Dragon King of the Apocalypse!" Acnologia unleashes his dragon breath attack at Spike's face. 

"SPIKE!" Wendy watches in horror while Spike crash-lands into the buildings of Hargeon. 

"No way," Gajeel couldn't believe what he saw. "Did Acnologia get stronger all of a sudden?" 

"No," Panther Lily approaches Gajeel. "Spike has been battling a mindless Acnologia. It appears now with Acnologia regaining control. He's using what he knows to counterattack any of Spike's magic power." 

The time rift Acnologia discarded appears in its original shape. A circular vortex of black, blue, and white. It hovers away from Acnologia. 

"Look!" Fairy Rage made Spike look at the time rift. "It appears that Acnologia withdrew his time magic. Otherwise, he wouldn't be talking." 

Spike gets up. "You don't think he killed..," Spike assumes for the worst. 

"No. The Dragon Slayers are here. I heard Wendy calling your name." 

"Time to die, Fairy Dragon!" Acnologia creates a destructive energy blast from the palm of his claw. "The End has arrived!" 

Natsu and everyone see Acnologia preparing his attack. Erza sees the rift Acnologia devoured drifting away. 

"Happy! Let's go!" Natsu runs off. 

"AYE, SIR!" Happy grabs Natsu and takes off. 

Wendy taps into her Dragon Force to fly. "I won't let Spike fight alone! I promised we help him take down Acnologia together!" Wendy takes off, following Natsu. "Carla, take Irene!" 

"Right!" Carla grabs Irene and takes off. 

"Huh, so this is what it feels like to have a cat fly me," Irene doesn't get motion sickness from this and feels relieved about it. 

"Lily, let's go!" Gajeel shouts. 

"Right!" Panther Lily grabs Gajeel and takes off. 

"Frosch," Rogue turns to Frosch. Frosch grabs Rogue and takes off. 

"Time to settle the score. Let's go, Lector!" Sting shouts. 

"You got it!" Lector grabs Sting and takes off. 

"We're not finished with our job!" Laxus uses his lightning to soar in the skies. 

"No, we're not," Cobra runs off to fight Acnologia. 

"Prepare to die, Fairy Dragon!" Acnologia unleashes his destructive energy blast at Spike. 

"Sky Dragon Rooooooooooar!" Wendy's breath attack rerouted Acnologia's destructive energy blast. It destroys Alvarez Military Ships by the harbor instead. 

"Wendy!" Spike sees Wendy flying to his aid. 

"We made a promise that we will work together on slaying Acnologia! I'm not backing away from it now!" Wendy shouts with pride. 

"The love-dragons can share a grave together!" Acnologia prepares his breath attack. 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel arm turns into an iron club and strikes Acnlogia's face. 

"Fire Dragon King Destruction Fist!" Natsu's fist ablaze in a huge amount of fire and punches Acnologia's face. 

Acnologia swats the two after getting hit in the face. Happy and Panther Lily held on tightly after getting swatted. 

"I'm going to enjoy ending your miserable lives!" Acnologia declares. He conjures his Eternal Flares once more. Thousands of destructive stars appear all around him. 

"Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus shoots a massive, powerful lightning spear at Acnologia. Laxus winds up destroying some destructive stars that explode all around Acnologia. 

"You bastard!" Acnologia suffers some pain from the explosions. 

"Take down those stars!" Irene shouts after seeing what happens when Acnologia's destructive stars are used against him. She unleashes her wave of scarlet-destructive magic at Acnologia's stars, turning his offense against him. 

"Poison Dragon Fang Thrust!" Cobra generates a wave of poison, shaped like a large-fanged snakehead, and sends it towards Acnologia's destructive stars. 

"Miracle Meteor Rain!" Spike conjures Sparkling Radiant Orbs and unleashes it at Acnologia. The Sparking Radiant Orbs explode on contact. With the guilds' magic-infused, the orbs are more vigorous than before. 

"Spike!" Wendy extends her hand to Spike. 

Despite being huge, Spike's claw ignites in radiance magic aura. He nods at Wendy to create a unison raid attack. 

"Miracle Sky Dragon, Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Radiant Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a whirlwind of proportions to strike Acnologia. 

With every Dragon working together, attacking Acnologia simultaneously, Acnologia drops and lands on the buildings of Hargoen after taking so many hits. 

"Let's finish him!" Natsu shouts. He encourages everyone to use their Dragon Breath attack to finish Acnologia. 

Spike, Wendy, Natsu, Gajeel, Laxus, Irene, Cobra, Sting, and Rogue conjure their breath attack while Acnologia looks up from the ground. They create a massive unison raid of their Dragon Breaths to subdue Acnologia once and for all. A gigantic explosion erupts at first, but the sound of consuming catches everyone by surprise. 

Acnologia laughs while consuming the magic power from all the Dragons. "Did you honestly believe I would stay down?" 

"No way!" Natsu said in shock. 

"Damn it! He was playing possum!" Gajeel angrily states. 

"Things could get ugly," Happy said. 

Acnologia laughs in triumph. "I may not have control of the time rift when I absorbed its magic power. Thanks to you, I have more than enough to slay you all!" Acnologia powers up. 

"This is bad," Wendy gets scared. "I'm nearly all out of magic power, guys!" 

"This sucks!" Cobra said. He senses Acnologia's power ascending to higher peaks than before. 

"We have to keep fighting!" Laxus shouts. "We cannot allow this demon to destroy all of our friends and family!" 

Spike turns to see the time rift still hovering. "Rage. If that time rift separated Acnologia's mind from his body, could it separate you from me and give you a body of your own?" 

"I'm not sure. If it does, we may have a better shot against Acnologia." 

"Let's hope for the best!" Spike flies after the time rift. This catches Acnologia's attention. 

"What are you planning?" Acnologia continues to charge his breath attack. 

"Spike!" Wendy worries about Spike's actions. 

"Hey, what is he doing?!" Happy turns around, and Natsu understands what Spike is intending on doing. 

"Wait! You don't know what that can do to you!" Natsu shouts. 

"Hey, can you hear Fairy Dragon's mind to know what he's doing?" Laxus asks Cobra. 

"You kidding me? That Fairy Rage of his blocked my usage of hearing his mind. Whatever Fairy Dragon is thinking must be good." 

Spike devours the time rift, and a bright light blinds everyone in Hargeon. Even Acnologia has to shield his eyes from the blinding light. 

"Damn it, Spike!" Erza shout. She knows Spike broke his promise again about his reckless action. 

"What was he thinking?" Gray wonders what made Spike devour the time rift. 

"I don't know!" Lucy wonders if Spike figured out a motive to defeat Acnologia using the time rift himself. 

"Hey, I can see the light vanishing!" Elfman shouts. 

The light simmers down a bit on cue. However, there's an increase in magic power all of a sudden. Like Spike's magic power double when he consumed every guilds' magic earlier. 

"HOLY CRAP!" Gray shouts after he sees what the blinding light revealed. 

"No way! How is that possible!" Lucy is stunned to see what everyone is seeing. 

"Amazing," Erza said. Her jaw drops a little in awe. 

Everyone watching the fight can't believe what the blinding lights reveal. Acnologia finally sees what the viewers are watching. 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Acnologia is dumbfounded. 

Spike remains in size after consuming the time rift. However, a dragon with orange spikes while his scales are amethyst. His eyes are orange, while the Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest is black is next to Spike. He's a full-size dragon as well. 

"NO WAY! FAIRY RAGE IS NEXT TO SPIKE!" Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Laxus, Sting, Lector, Rogue, Frosch, Cobra, and Irene say in unison. They are astounded and in awe. 

Fairy Rage feels his body. Unlike the body Neinhart gave him before it dissolved, this one feels real. 

"I don't understand! How is it possible that there are two dragons after consuming the time rift?!" Acnologia shouts in anger. When Acnologia consumed the time magic, he was separated from his dragon form. 

"Spike had two souls in his body. It appears that his mind didn't get separated. Instead, I got split apart and granted a body of my own." Fairy Rage's claw ignites in orange flames. "Now, you have two dragons to take care of." 

"He now has a body of his own. I can finally ask him." Carla thought to herself. 

"Leave Acnologia to us!" Fairy Rage said. "Spike and I will finish him." 

"Are you sure?" Wendy asks. Spike and Fairy Rage nod. 

"Hey, if you die, I'll kill you!" Natsu claims. 

"Good luck, Fairy Dragons!" Gajeel said. 

"Bring him down!" Laxus said.

"Show Acnologia what a true Dragon is capable of!" Sting shouts. 

"Make him regret the day he tried to slay all of our friends and family!" Rogue said. 

"Teach that scumbag a lesson!" Cobra said. 

"Good luck, son. I have faith in you!" Irene shouts in support. 

"SON?!" Natsu, Gajeel, Laxus, Cobra, Sting, Rogue, Happy, Carla, Frosch, Lector, and Panther Lily say in shock. They thought Amy the Amethyst Dragon is Spike's mother. When all of this is over, they want explanations. 

The Dragon Slayers return to their friends, leaving Spike and Fairy Rage to finish the job. They believe in the two. 

"I've slain many dragons when they ganged up on me. What makes this scenario any different?" Acnologia mocks Fairy Rage and Spike. 

"Just watch!" Spike flies with Rage after Acnologia. 

"Prepare to die!" Acnologia breathes his devastating dragon breath that's intense with magic power from the breath attacks he devoured at Spike and Fairy Rage. 

Spike and Fairy Rage grab Acnologia's breath attack and absorb it into their claws. Their claws ignite into their flames to combine for a unison attack. Acnologia senses the enormous magic power of the two. 

"Miracle Rage Demolition Blast!" Spike and Fairy Rage combines their attack. They press their claws forward at Acnologia. Using Acnologia's destructive flares from his breath attack and combining it with their flames creates a massive energy blast.

The energy blast conjured by Spike and Fairy Rage engulfs Acnologia's body. Since Acnologia's power is merged with Spike and Fairy Rage's magic power, Acnologia could not devour the attack. Spike and Fairy Rage roar while exerting all of their magic power into the attack. 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Acnologia disintegrates within the blast. He is no more. 

Everyone cheers loudly as they witnessed Acnologia's demise by the claws of Spike and Fairy Rage. 

"HE'S GONE! HE'S GONE!" Natsu cheers louder than anyone around him. 

"AYE, SIR!" Happy cheers loudly. 

"He did it..," Erza said in tears. "My brother did it." 

"It's over!" Lucy smiles. She remembers meeting Spike for the first time and watching him grow into the Dragon he is today. 

Gildarts laughs at Acnologia's defeat. "How does it feel like to lose, Acnologia!" 

"What an amazing display of magic power," Kagura said. 

"That's two dragons to never mess with," Risley Law said. 

"I recall Spike using his opponent's magic against them," Rufus said. 

"Spike did that to me when we fought. He used my poison against me," Cobra said. It's a painful reminder of when he lost to Spike. 

"And me," Sherria said. She remembers fighting Fairy Rage during the Grand Magic Games; how he combined her Sky God Slaying Magic into his arsenal. 

"Makes you wonder what if we didn't have Fairy Dragon," Bickslow said. 

"I don't want to think about that," Evergreen replies. 

"Agreed. Spike's involvement with our guild has been crucial," Freed said. 

"I need a drink to celebrate!" Cana said. 

"Sting, you did great out there," Lector said. 

"Thanks," Sting smiles. "Fairy Dragon. I hope to see you at next year's Grand Magic Games. I'll train hard with my guild to surpass Fairy Tail as the number one guild in Fiore." 

"I can't believe it. Our Fairy Dragons have slain Acnologia," Master Makarov couldn't help but smile. 

"That's how it's done!" Laxus said. He remembers the first time he fought Spike and how weak he was. Now, he's grown into a powerful dragon with the help of Fairy Rage. 

"I thought I never see the day Acnologia meets his match," Irene said. She thought it would be Zeref that'll annihilate Acnologia. 

With everyone celebrating a momentous victory, Spike and Fairy Rage pant heavily. They exerted all of their magic power into the blast to finish Acnologia. The two revert and collapse. Wendy and Carla fly as fast as they can to catch Spike and Fairy Rage. Carla transforms into her humanoid cat form to increase her flight speed. 

"Gotcha!" Wendy and Carla catch Spike and Fairy Rage. They crash into the ground hard. 

"Wendy," Spike smiles lovingly at Wendy. 

"You did it," Wendy tears up in happiness. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "We did it. We fought together against Acnologia," Spike hugs Wendy. Wendy hugs Spike to have a loving embrace. 

"I can feel you," Carla said. She feels Fairy Rage's head and body to see if she's not dreaming. 

Fairy Rage chuckles. "I can feel all sorts of things. I have to say. You look beautiful in that form." 

Carla slightly blushes a bit. "Thanks, you look stunning to me." 

Fairy Rage smiles and flexes his claw. "I don't think this body will be dissolving." 

"Wait, what?" Wendy and Carla ask Fairy Rage. 

"Neinhart of the Spriggan 12 revived me by accident and gave me a body. However, it dissolved due to his magic. The time rift Spike ate separated my soul from his body and granted me this one. I don't think this body is temporary. I believe it's permanent." 

"No way," Carla tears up in happiness and smiles more. She hugs Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage returns the hug. 

From afar, Happy sees Carla hugging Fairy Rage and becomes enraged. He tried many times before to have Carla in his arms, to have Carla as his soulmate, and just like that, Carla has Fairy Rage in her arms, showing some love. His blood is boiling while everyone else is oblivious to Happy's feelings. 

Everyone runs to meet with Spike, Fairy Rage, Wendy, and Carla. They hug, cheer, cry in happiness and celebrate like no tomorrow.
> The Aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few hours since the war ended. Master Makarov issued for all guilds that partook in the war; to celebrate at the Fairy Tail Guildhall. Spike is sitting with Wendy while Fairy Rage sits with Carla. Happy is behind a pillar, closely watching Carla. 

"Hey," Sherria comes to sit with Wendy and Spike. "Is it possible to restore me now?" Sherria slightly laughs after discovering Spike restored Irene's human perceptions. 

"Yea, let me gain full strength to try it. Uh," Spike turns to Fairy Rage. "You gonna help me out, Rage?" 

"Yea, no problem, though I find it weird to have a body of my own. I'm so used to being inside of you." 

"Gross," Natsu said in an eerie tone to make it sound dirty. 

"HEY!" Fairy Rage feels offended by Natsu's joke. 

"I'm just messing," Natsu pats Fairy Rage's head. 

"Which is crazy. Now we have two Fairy Dragons," Lucy said. 

"I guess now we'll have more hybrid dragons to co-exist with humanity," Spike said. 

"I'm going to enjoy this," Carla holds Fairy Rage's arm. 




Hours ago at Hargeon

While everyone has their joyous moment, Fairy Rage and Carla depart to have their private conversation. 

"Hey, Carla. You look beautiful in your humanoid cat form."

"Thank you, Fairy Rage," Carla holds Fairy Rage's claws. "I'm so happy you came back. I'm thrilled to see you in a body of your own." 

"To be honest, I didn't think eating the time rift would do this. I thought whatever happened with Acnologia would happen to Spike and me. Then, I'll drag Acnologia to the rift and contain him forever." 

"I'm glad that didn't happen," Carla said, slightly blushing. 

"Can I be honest with you, Carla?" 

"Sure, I'm all ears," Carla smiles at Fairy Rage. 

"While I grew within Spike's body, living each day with Fairy Tail, I admire the elegant voice you have every time you speak. Your personality and how much you cared about those you cherish. Also, how straightforward you can be with others. I find it hilarious when you scold some of our friends when they do idiotic things. Truth be told is, I love everything about you. I couldn't bring myself cause I didn't know how it would work or how us would work cause, at the time, I was in Spike's body. Now that I have a body of my own, I would love to spend my days with you. Sure, we'll move in with Spike and Wendy, but I want to be your boyfriend. Can I be your boyfriend?" 

Carla is in tears of happiness. For a long time, she withheld her feelings about Fairy Rage. "Let me tell your something, Rage. I admire your straightforward talk and your awareness. You're willing to put your life on the line and care for others. I love your enthusiasm and personality; Truth be told. I loved you. I still love you. I wasn't sure how it was going to work as well. When you passed away, I was devastated. More so than Spike, but I hid it," Carla grasps Fairy Rage's claws. "I want to follow you to the end of time. I want to be your girlfriend." 

Fairy Rage and Carla kiss each other. They hold each other as they kiss. For a whole minute, they share that wonderful moment. 




Fairy Tail Guildhall

"It's not fair! I'm supposed to be with Carla! Not that dragon!" Happy thought to himself. He's angry that Carla chose Fairy Rage and not him. 

"I can't believe you had a crush on Fairy Rage, Carla," Erza said. She comes to the table with a plate of strawberry cake. 

"By the way, what was it like being with Death?" Gajeel comes to the table. He chows on his iron. 

"You would think being around with the Embodiment of Death would be a terrifying experience. It turns out that Death is a chill guy. He holds wisdom and knowledge and taught me many things." 

"Which brings me to this question. How the hell you summoned Death the way you did?" Gajeel asks. 

"Well, when Neinhart tapped into Erza's memory of me, a door opened into the realm where Death and I exist. Death hates people who acclaim to be him for taking people's souls to the underworld. He doesn't mind if those say they're the reaper or try to dress like him. Death asked me a favor, and he'll ensure that I go with Spike to the afterlife. I said sure. I'll do it. He gave me the authority to summon him only once, and so I did." 

Everyone around the table is silent after what Fairy Rage spoke. Even Spike had no words to describe what he was feeling. 

"So now, even with the deal made, I'll go to the afterlife in this new body." 

"I'm so happy you're here, Rage," Carla is in her humanoid cat form hugs Fairy Rage. 

"I'm happy to be home in the guildhall." Fairy Rage nuzzles Carla a bit. 

"I will slay that Dragon for taking Carla away from me!" Happy thought. He's livid. 

Irene is sitting alone in the guildhall. She's drinking her mug of beer, enjoying the flavor. Erza walks up to her and sits. 

"How's it going, Mom?" Erza asks. 

"Terrific," Irene admits. She turns to Erza. "I'm happy to see you well after all this time..," Irene frowns a bit. "All those things I said to you when we were fighting, I'm sorry. During the time, all I ever wanted was to be free from the curse that bestowed on me." 

"I know. Spike purified you. You're normal again," Erza smiles. 

"I can't believe he's the son of Belserion. I should have known better when I first saw him after seeing Amy a few times," Irene sighs. 

"I'm happy you'd adopted Spike as your son, Mom."

"What was he like when he first came? Why did he leave Equestria?" Irene notices Erza's demeanor change real quick. She knows it's serious. 

"I'll tell you everything. You may want to order a few plates cause it's a long story." 

"Anything else you can tell us while being in the realm with Death?" Panther Lily asks Rage. 

"It turns out being in the realm with Death is also being in the presence of the world. I was completely invisible, and no one heard me. I tried talking to Spike whenever he would talk into the mirror and imagine talking to me. I was basically a ghost that had no power to start a poltergeist. I followed Death wherever he went and spoke to him about many things. I'm his first and perhaps his last friend." 

"Wow," Everyone said at the table. 

Ichiya, Anna Heartfillia, and Blue Pegasus arrive in the guildhall. Lucy turns and sees Anna for the first time. 

"Uh, why does she look like me?" Lucy is perplexed. 

"That's your ancestor, Lucy," Spike said. "The one that roundhouse kicked me to ensure Acnologia gets trapped in the time rift after I said it was a bad idea." 

"NO WAY!" Lucy shouts in shock. She's mesmerized to see her ancestor. 

"In some form or fashion, we should thank her for her stupidity." 

Spike chuckles a bit. "No kidding." 

Anna notices Spike, Lucy, and the others. She walks up to them. "There's a second dragon?" 

"Surprise. The name is Fairy Rage. Your blunder with Acnologia has granted me a body, so thank you." 

"So that's what you look like," Anna notices how similar Fairy Rage is to Spike. The only difference is their eyes and spikes on their bodies. "Hello Lu-" Spike clobbers Anna Heartfillia. 

"Spike!" Lucy turns to Spike angrily. 

"She cheap shotted me while fleeing from Acnologia and ignoring my warning. She had it coming." 

Anna rubs her head and receives a bump. "I'll admit. I deserved that. Honestly, I was hoping he would have forgotten it." 

"My comrades, it was an honor fighting the Spriggan..," Ichiya sees Irene. "There's one of them!" 

"Easy," Bickslow gets in the way. "She's on our side." 

"Soon to be part of the guild," Freed informs Ichiya. 

"For real?" Ichiya turns to Master Makarov. 

"She is Erza's mother and has now adopted Fairy Dragon as her son. She knew Spike's dad. I wasn't going to turn down one of the most powerful wizards in Alvarez away. She'll get her emblem later today," Master Makarov drinks his mug. 

"Maaaaaaaaaaan!" Ichiya is upset someone that powerful has decided to join Fairy Tail and not Blue Pegasus. 

"Hey, Natsu. From your experience, who was harder to fight? Zeref or Acnologia?" Spike asks. 

"Zeref was indeed challenging, but Acnologia was on another level. Even with Erza's mom on our side, Acnologia was too strong. If it weren't for you fighting Acnologia, things on our end would have been hell." 

"Yea, Acnologia's spirit reacted to the attacks you launched when we didn't strike him. It gave us closure to honor the promise we made about defeating Acnologia together," Wendy said. 

"Yea," Gajeel concurs. "It was brutal but we won." 

"This was one intense battle we endured. Despite it all, I'm glad Mavis left our world smiling in happiness to the one she loved," Spike said. 

"Agreed," Natsu replies. "I wonder what happens next." 

"Go on more jobs, helping around, spending time with friends, and creating new memories," Spike answers. 

"That's one I can get behind. It gives me more time to utilize my time with Carla." 

"Huh, Exceed-Dragon. Draxeed. Exgon. What to call those hybrids?" Natsu thought of some names for Carla and Fairy Rage's kids. 

"HEY! WE'RE NOT THERE YET!!" Carla and Fairy Rage angrily said. The two whack Natsu. 

"Sorry," Natsu apologizes. 

"Which befalls another question. Where would you sleep, Fairy Rage?" Wendy asks. 

"Ah, crap. That part I haven't figured out." 

"Rage, you technically lived with Spike in the apartment. I won't change that until you and Spike have a place of your own," Lucy said. 

"Thanks, Lucy. That means I'll be applying for many jobs to make the Jewels for our dream house. I know which one too." Fairy Rage chuckles a bit. 

"It's not Lucy's old mansion, is it?" Carla asks. 

"Oh, you got me there. Yes. Big enough for us four and wide-open areas for our kids to grow. No matter what they appear to be. The future for us is bright." 

"Indeed," Spike, Wendy, and Carla nod. "However, we're not there yet." 

Spike, Fairy Rage, Wendy, and Carla have a good laugh. Happy stares daggers at Fairy Rage, but he doesn't acknowledge Happy's stalkerish antics. He's enjoying his time with Carla and his friends. 

Romeo jumps in the fray. "This is awesome! Fairy Youth Squad got a lot stronger! I can't wait to go on more jobs with you four." 

"We'll be glad to have you aboard. Soon, it'll also be Asuka." 

"Yay!" Asuka heard what Fairy Rage said and can't wait to show off her markswomanship in a few years. 

"And thanks for the encouragement when we were fighting the Alvarez Army. I'm never letting this fire of mine burn out," Romeo said. He'll embrace any challenges with determination and emotions for his friends and family. 

"Yo, Fairy Dragon," Cobra and Macbeth come to the table. Their friends are talking with the others. 

"Hey, Cobra. Midnight," Spike replies. 

"I prefer to be called Macbeth. That is my name, after all." 

"That was sick from what you and Fairy Rage pulled to slay Acnologia," Cobra said. 

"Indeed it was," Macbeth takes a deep breath. "I've come to make amends with you, Fairy Dragon. I was a different man back then." 

"Same applies for me," Cobra admits. 

Spike offers his claws. "Shake on it. From this day forward, we're friends." 

Cobra and Macbeth shake Spike's claws. "Friends." 

"I wonder what this means for our team," Gray said in his underwear. 

"Gray, your clothes," Lucy points at his underwear. 

"Dammit! Not again!" Gray shouts. 

"That does bring a good question. Our team is getting bigger," Lucy said. 

"Nah, it's always good to have more friends with you!" Natsu said in a lighter tone. "Spike's been with our group for a long time. Then comes Wendy and Carla. Now, it's Fairy Rage. Technically, he was in Spike, so he was already on the team!"

"Good point," Lucy and Gray said. "I don't know what we're thinking." 

"Hey, Rage," Happy comes to the table. "I have a question." 

"Sure, what is it?" 

"This'll get him for sure. Hehehahahahahaha!" "Do you prefer Carla to be in her human form or Exceed form?" Happy asks, hoping to see if Carla would dump Fairy Rage. 

"Well, I imagine her being in her human form for other things down the road if she knows what I mean." Fairy Rage winks at Carla. She turns around to hide her blush. "But overall, I'm happy with Carla in either form." 

"Crap! That was not what I was hoping for; I think I might have strengthened their relationship!" Happy thought to himself. "Good to know," Happy flies and rests on Natsu's head, hoping to devise some scheme to break them apart. 

Master Makarov taps his glass to gain everyone's attention. He has an announcement to make. "Thank you all for coming. As Master of Fairy Tail, I'm forever grateful for your assistance in winning this war! And for assisting our Fairy Dragon with the magic power, he needed to bring down Acnologia! Thank you! Thank you for stopping evil from bringing the apocalypse on our homelands." 

Everyone cheers and celebrates after Makarov's announcement. Irene comes from behind, hugging Spike. 

"Everything okay?" Spike sees that Irene has tears in her eyes. Erza is next to her mother. 

"I told our mom about your past life in Equestria, the struggles, and everything you've done for us," Erza said. 

"I'm so proud of you. Your father would be proud for the dragon you've become," Irene said. He pulls Spike a bit too close to her bosoms. 

"Thanks," Spike said. Irene lets go of him. 

Irene turns to Erza. "I guess I'll be bunking in with you, Erza." 

Erza nods. "We have a lot of catching up to do." 

"Yes, we do," Irene smiles. She wipes some tears off her face. 

The rest of the day goes by with celebrations, eating, drinking, throwing a few punches here and there within the guildhall. After a few hours, Spike, Fairy Rage, and Sherria are outside the guildhall. 

"Alright, let's do it," Spike places his claw on Sherria's forehead. Fairy Rage does the same. 

"We're bringing the Eternano into your body and seal the third origin within you."

"Will it hurt?" Sherria asks. She's excited about using magic again but worries at the cost. 

"For a few moments at best." 

Sherria gulps and closes her eyes. "I'm ready!" 

Spike's claw glows in an amethyst aura. Sherria screams while feeling the third origin in her closing. Eternano is replenishing Sherria's magic power. After a few moments, Spike and Fairy Rage lower their claws; Then amethyst aura enters Sherria's body. 

"Why did that hurt so much?!" Sherria stomps hard, and her Sky God Slayer magic shatters the ground. Sherria's eyes widen in happiness. "I CAN USE MAGIC AGAIN!" Sherria leaps around in joy. 

"Thanks for helping her, Spike," Wendy said. She explained the story of how Sherria defeated Dimaria, the Goddess of Time, at the cost of unlocking her third origin. 

"You think we'll let down a friend in need?" Spike asks. 

"She is an honorary member of the Fairy Tail Youth Squad. Also, we're aware she's your Sky Sister." 

Sherria laughs and hugs Spike and Rage. "Thank you," She smiles. She's grateful to use magic once more. "Speaking of Fairy Youth Squad, let me know when you go on jobs. I want to tag along." 

"Don't worry, we will," Wendy smiles. She imagines the adventures that come along with it. 

"Sherria," Lyon comes out. "It's time to go home." 

Sherria waves goodbye and goes with Lyon and Lamia Scale back home. Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, Blue Pegasus, and Crime Sorcière leave the guildhall. Erza places a blue Fairy Tail Emblem on Irene's left bicep. The same location her emblem is on. 

The moon rises. It's 8:00 at night. Spike, Fairy Rage, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla return to the apartment. Home at last after having their epic battle. Lucy crashes on her bed, releasing a satisfying sigh. Spike, Rage, Wendy, and Carla do the same and laugh. 

"So, what's going to happen from here and out?" Lucy asks Spike and Rage. 

"I guess I'll bunk here tonight and with Carla in her room from now on. I can teleport to the flare marking Spike placed. Every morning, I'll teleport Carla and me to the apartment to have breakfast together." 

"I would prefer that," Carla smiles. 

"That means Spike and I can share the bed tonight and going forward. Until we have a place of our own." 

"I'm looking forward to creating that family. To create a new age of dragons," Spike said. 

"Likewise." 

"Until then, we have many years before we reach that date," Spike smiles. 

"Agreed. We're far too young after all," Wendy laughs a bit. 

"Gives me time to snuggle with my dragon," Carla said. 

Unbeknown to everyone, Happy is watching outside of the apartment's window. He's angry that Carla chose Rage. A dragon over an exceed. He flies so he doesn't get caught being a stalker.
> Recovery Process: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 1

Audio Log #1: 

Hello, my name is Doctor Psyche. I'm here with my fellow doctors and nurses in the C.E.W. Crystal Empire Ward. Today, I have two patients since a demon known as Midnight Sparkle has slaughtered many ponies I had under my care. Nurse Blue Shield is with Pegasus Number One, Cozy Glow. Initially, I would have Ms.Rarity's number restarted; however, she is a survivor of Canterlot Ward. Therefore, she'll remain as Unicorn Number 3428. When I receive newer patients as Unicorns, they'll be the ones to start with the starting numbers. As of now, many creatures far and wide are constructing United Equestria. I, for one, will not participate in that venture in life. I still have my duty to uphold for any pony whenever they are needed. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #2: 

Within the building of C.E.W., the rooms structured nicely. The conditions are better than what I had in Canterlot. The beds, lounge rooms, research laboratories, mess hall; even the guards are more suitable than the Royal Guards. Even though Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail are no more, you never know what other evils are lurking in every corner. Even though Unicorn Number 3428 conquered her demon, an anti-magic ring and straightjacket are enabled. I've issued a straightjacket for Pegasus Number One. Cozy Glow doesn't mind it as long as we figure out why she's manipulative and cunning. I believe something happened to her before meeting Lord Tirek that led her astray. It'll be my duty to draw out those memories and find the cause of her turning to darkness. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #3: 

I've decided to allow Unicorn Number 3428 to interact with Pegasus Number One. It appears the two have bonded with each other for some time. I'm monitoring the two from the camera room. Cozy Glow and Ms.Rarity are laughing and enjoying their time together. Before Midnight Sparkle possessed Rarity, Rarity was recovering quicker than most patients. It seems her transitional process has carried through. I will have a thorough interview with Unicorn Number 3428 in the next hour. My lunch break is drawing near. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #4:

My name is Blue Shield. I've been observing Pegasus Number One for some time now; She's talkative and sounds genuine. I know what manipulative ponies sound like from my experiences working in Canterlot Ward. The tone, the way they move their eyes, and smile. Cozy Glow has not shown any manipulating matter. I asked several questions to Pegasus Number One, and Cozy told me she bonded with Ms.Rarity in her mind. Being part of Demon Tail had some perks; however, Ms.Rarity opened her mind and sought change. When Doctor Psyche told me Cozy's story a few days ago, I was shocked to see her filly side not wanting to witness any more bloodshed for power. Doctor Psyche will have a thorough interview with Pegasus Number One after his interview with Unicorn Number 3428. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #5 Interview: 

Doctor Psyche: "Hello, Ms.Rarity. How are you today?" 

Rarity: "I'm great today, Doctor Psyche." 

Doctor Psyche: "That's great. So, have you felt any traces of Midnight Sparkle since she fell?" 

Rarity: "No. I even beat the stuffing out of Midnight Sparkle. I have no traces of Demon Curses within me. I'm pure free from Demonic Curses." 

{Doctor Psyche is taking notes}

Doctor Psyche: "So no evil intent is flowing within you?" 

Rarity: "I gave Midnight Sparkle a beating of a lifetime within my mind. I want no part of walking into a dark path from which I may not come out alive. Midnight Sparkle was petrified in stone and shattered. That is not what I want in my life. Also, while being held prisoner in my own body, Midnight Sparkle ran amuck, killing creatures left and right for power. All because she couldn't handle simple punishments and losing her entitlement. She wanted Fairy Dragon back in her life and didn't care about the repercussions and consequences as long as things go her way." 

Doctor Psyche: {Takes a deep breath} "I lost many patients due to Midnight Sparkle's wrath. The elderly and fillies didn't elude Midnight's terror. A lot of my data was lost as well. It brings me joy to see you recovering so quickly." 

Rarity: "My sister needs me. She longs for her big sister, and I haven't stepped up in my role as her older sister. I put my friends and career ahead instead of my time with her. I refuse to be a Midnight Rarity if my Sweetie Belle were to run from me due to my negligence." 

Doctor Psyche: "We don't need another Midnight. One was enough."

Rarity: "So, how much longer until I can go home?" 

Doctor Psyche: "Based on my judgments and the progress your making. I will say as early as tomorrow afternoon. I need to be sure of where you stand with another interview later tonight." 

Rarity: {Takes a deep breath} "Alright, Doctor. Thank you for your time." 

Doctor Psyche: "You're welcome. See you in a few hours." 

{Doctor Psyche writes more notes about the interview and takes his leave}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #5.5-1 Aftermath: 

So, after my interview with Unicorn Number 3428, Ms.Rarity seems genuinely honest and normal. I read her body language and her eyes. There are no evil intentions and no signs of Demonic Curses. I say that Ms.Rarity is ready for society. However, I need to test and push some buttons of hers before confirming my belief. I need to see where Ms.Rarity stands with the current Spike. Will she see him as her friend or as an inescapable lust for love? 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #6: 

It appears I will have to wait a while before I conduct my interview with Pegasus Number One, Cozy Glow. She's asleep. She's muttering something about her parents, and her body language reveals she's getting flogged. I will have to wait for why she's reacting that way until that interview comes. Interestingly enough, she's not screaming. 

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #1: 

{On the footage, Cozy Glow is shown to be flogged repeatedly. However, there is no apparition of any whips and lashings. She's talking in her sleep} 

Cozy Glow: "Dad! Mom! Stop! STOP!" 

{The footage shows Cozy Glow falling out of her bed, screaming and crying}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #7: 

It's me, Blue Shield. Cozy Glow is suffering from a P.T.S.D, Otherwise known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I see Cozy Glow is reacting to morbid experiences; Her family must consist of abusive parents. I can see why she would be manipulative, trying to win those around her. She's searching to fill a void in her heart. A child yearns for love. I believe with her giving up her old ways and wanting to start anew, the trauma returns, and her demons come back to haunt her. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #8 Interview: 

Doctor Psyche: "Good evening, Ms.Rarity. How are you tonight?" 

Rarity: "Not well. I heard my friend screaming a while ago. Something is terribly wrong! Did Midnight Sparkle somehow survive and haunt Cozy Glow for betraying her?!"

Doctor Psyche: "No. Midnight Sparkle didn't die. She's very much alive, just shattered and split apart. I don't think she has the magic capability to pose a threat to anyone. A spirit can't haunt unless it's dead. When you were in Canterlot Ward, Midnight Sparkle wasn't dead. She was alive but portrayed to be deceased." 

Rarity: "Then.., what happened to my friend?" 

Doctor Psyche: "It's concluded that Cozy Glow is suffering a P.T.S.D." 

Rarity: "What is she suffering from?!" {Rarity's voice sounds frantic}

Doctor Psyche: "Daunting memories of her family. According to Nurse Blue Shield, Cozy Glow's body language speaks she's reliving the moments when her parents flogged her. As for reasons why it's undisclosed for now." 

Rarity: "Please! Help her!" {Rarity sniffs}

Doctor Psyche: "I'll do all I can to help the young filly." 

Rarity: "Thank you!" {Rarity sniffs}

Doctor Psyche: "Now, on a related note," {Doctor Psyche takes a deep breath} "Where do you stand with Spike? Do you want him to be your lover? You're loving Prince?" 

Rarity: "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" {Rarity angrily shouts. Her demeanor has changed real quick} "I don't want to date him, kiss him on the lips, or have any sexual intercourse!" 

Doctor Psyche: {Taking notes} "Are you sure? You do have an option on waiting for him to grow up."

Rarity: "I'm sure," {Rarity takes a breather} "I apologized to Spike for nearly violating him. Honestly, I'm out of my league for asking a minor. In truth, the Spike I knew was older in pony years. I was counting on his dragon years. As you know by now, dragons age differently than ponies. I screwed up all my chances to have the Spike I know and love. He has Wendy Marvell, and there's nothing I can do to change it." 

Doctor Psyche: "If there was a way to change it all, would you take it?" 

Rarity: "No. Spike was on the brink of suicide. I would have used Spike as my trophy husband. I wasn't a good mare back then, so I wouldn't be a good one with Spike. Honestly, if I were to do that, all of Equestria would be doomed, and what we have right now wouldn't be happening." 

Doctor Psyche: {Taking notes} "True statement. You just showed me your humility and willingness to accept the reality of the situation. You've recovered quicker than any other patient I had." 

Rarity: "I'm not trying to impress you, Doctor Psyche. I want to improve my well-being. Become a new Rarity. One that cherishes family." 

Doctor Psyche: {Writing a slip and putting the stamp of approval. He grabs his walkie-talkie} "I need assistance. Please come to Room 104-C."

Rarity: "Wait, what is happening?" 

Doctor Psyche: "I'm releasing you from my care." 

Rarity: "WHAT!?" {Rarity sounds excited}

Doctor Psyche: "Out of all the patients I had, you've recovered quicker. In a way, I should thank Midnight Sparkle for opening your mind to a what-if scenario. What if you had gone astray to fulfill your heart's desire regardless of how everyone else feels." 

Rarity: "I would hate to relive any scenario to that what-if. I witnessed Midnight Sparkle's onslaught and refused to follow that pattern in any way possible." 

{Nurses come inside the room to remove Rarity's anti-magic ring and straightjacket. There are sounds of Rarity using her magic}

Doctor Psyche: "I hope to never see you again in my workplace." 

Rarity: "You won't. I promise you that. There is one favor I would like to ask of you." 

Doctor Psyche: "What is it?" 

Rarity: "When Cozy Glow is released, contact me so I can take her home." 

Doctor Psyche: "I'll pull some strings to allow it. However, my jurisdiction compels me to contact her real family or what's left if they survive. I'll allow you to come to get her if Cozy's family have perished." 

Rarity: {Rarity sighs} "Sounds fair." 

{Nurses escort Rarity out of the room. Doctor Psyche writes more notes and leaves the room}

<End of Recording>
> Recovery Process: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 6

Audio Log #29: 

Cozy Glow has been asleep for five days now. Perhaps being within Rarity's mind, she didn't process sleep. She had to be wide awake within Rarity's body. I've noticed her body language easing up with the flogging memories two nights ago. I saw on the monitor that Cozy was crying in her sleep. It's a rare occasion. I have asked Princess Luna to look into the matter. She's preoccupied with a strange phenomenon that happened within the Crystal Castle. When Princess Luna finishes her investigation, she'll come aboard to help us with our only patient. Doctor Psyche released Unicorn Number 3428 five nights ago. We're restarting the numbers within our new facility in the Crystal Empire once we receive new unicorns for our care. 

<End of Recording>




Day 8

Audio Log #30: 

Geez, it's been a week since Cozy Glow was asleep. I'm going to check on her. 

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #2: 

{Nurse Blue Shield enters the room to check on Cozy Glow. He puts his stethoscope on Cozy's chest to hear her heartbeat and falls out}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #31: 

Something is horribly wrong. Ponies in the Crystal Empire have fallen into a deep sleep! It's like a plague that's happening! My nurses haven't woken up from their slumber; I can't contact the Princesses. Something vile is happening and is affecting everyone here! I haven't shut my eyes for two days. I've been drinking a super-active coffee brew. I see like a blue.., blue.., what in Celestia's name is-

<End of Recording>

Video Footage #3: 

{Doctor Psyche is struggling to keep his eyes open. A shadowed magic aura roams, striking any pony within the facility, causing them to fall asleep}

Crystal Guard: "What in the world..," {He collapses after seeing the shadowed magic penetrate his body}

{Many Crystal Guards are falling due to the magic impaling their bodies. The shadowed magic aura seems to be searching. It leaves the building}

<End of Recording>




Day 18

Audio Log #32: 

{Yawns} It's me. Doctor Psyche. Whatever invaded our facility has departed days ago. However, I woke up hours ago. Whatever it was, it was searching for something. Princess Luna was indeed affected by it and has forgotten what she needed to do. She returned to the foundations of United Equestria to continue building her new home with Princess Celestia. I'm upset that she has forgotten her duty to help Cozy Glow. Princess Luna recalls no such agreement. I {yawns} find it ridiculous. Whatever infiltrated our facility, it may want to ruin Cozy Glow's road to redemption. It could be remnants of Midnight Sparkle's Demon Curse. She survived oblivion from Fairy Dragon and shattered in stone; this woman should have died. I'll check on Cozy Glow. It appears she's finally waking. 

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #33 Interview: 

Doctor Psyche: {Yawns} "Geez, I need a cup of coffee."

Cozy Glow: {Yawns} "Hot chocolate for me, please." 

Doctor Psyche: "Nurse, one cup of coffee and one cup of hot chocolate." 

{The sound of the door opening and hoofsteps are displayed in the audio. The door shuts} 

Cozy Glow: "Thank you," {yawns} "What happened, Doctor?"

Doctor Psyche: "Some magic aura invaded the Crystal Empire and put every pony in a deep sleep. It has done damage with the Princesses." 

Cozy Glow: "What was it?" 

Doctor Psyche: "I wish I knew. Do you have any impression who could do such a thing?" 

Cozy Glow: "No. I can confirm this is not Midnight Sparkle's doing. She was turned to stone and shattered; Her pieces are across the land of Equus. Also, Midnight Sparkle lost a portion of magic she collected from Grogar's Bell." 

Doctor Psyche: "Well, Midnight Sparkle is not the culprit then. I'm trusting  with your truth." 

Cozy Glow: "She's a psycho bitch. Am I allowed to say that?" 

Doctor Psyche: "Please refrain from using harsh language. There's a reason why we don't say curse words." 

Cozy Glow: "I'm sorry, Doctor. I've been with Midnight Sparkle and seen the darkness beyond the darkness. She went on a murderous rampage to restart time to her liking. All for her reputation because of what Mard Geer has shown her."

Doctor Psyche: "What did Mard Geer reveal to Midnight Sparkle?" 

Cozy Glow: "A utopian future where she rules as Princess with Spike by her side. However, she wears glasses in that future." 

Doctor Psyche: "There's a Twilight that wears glasses. From your testimony, I believe Midnight Sparkle believed in a lie. Mard Geer showed her was the new Twilight Sparkle taking her place with her Spike." 

Cozy Glow: "Rarity figured that out." 

Doctor Psyche: "Good. Now, Cozy Glow. Care to tell me what your family was like?" 

Cozy Glow: "M-M-M-My f-f-family..?" {Cozy's demeanor and tone sound frantic and worried} 

Doctor Psyche: {Writing notes} "Yes. We noticed your body language and talking to yourself while you slept. Before the rest of us succumbed to a deep sleep spell; of some sort." 

Cozy Glow: "I guess it's something I can't avoid topic anymore," {Cozy Glow takes a deep sigh and breath} 

{The nurse returns with a cup of coffee and hot chocolate. The nurse removes Cozy Glow's straightjacket. She entrusts Cozy to drink the hot chocolate and not run off}

Doctor Psyche & Cozy Glow: "Thank you." 

{The nurse leaves and shuts the door behind her. Doctor Psyche and Cozy Glow drink their cups, waking them even further} 

Cozy Glow: "My parents are not the greatest, to be honest; My dad is an alcoholic while my mom had problems." 

Doctor Psyche: "What kind of problems?" 

Cozy Glow: "She was demented, cruel, and abusive." 

Doctor Psyche: {Writing notes about the parents} "Care to explain more in-depth about your parents?" 

Cozy Glow: {Takes a deep breath} "Yes. My dad was a former Commander for the Equestrian Military. More so with the Royal Guards but not anymore." 

Doctor Pysche: "What led him astray?" 

Cozy Glow: "Me." 

Doctor Pysche: "Pardon me?" 

Cozy Glow: "My parents longed for a son to continue the bloodline of asserting dominance. It's a tradition within the family. My father, Red Flare, and my mother, Red Nova, were due for a son. They failed many times, and when they heard the news of having a daughter, aborted, immediately." 

Doctor Psyche: {Drops his clipboard of notes. Papers scatter everywhere} "You're joking, right?" 

Cozy Glow: "No. My parents told me I was lucky to be born after failing many times." 

Doctor Psyche: {He picks up his clipboard of notes} "Scumbags." 

Cozy Glow: "I know. Hospitals refused after noticing a chain reaction with my mom and dad. They had no choice to keep me." 

Doctor Psyche: "I must ask, what happened." 

Cozy Glow: "My dad lost his reputation within the family. Red Flare is a prideful Pegasus. Due to his loss, his chain of command also plummeted with his confidence. The Princess stripped my dad of his rank and sent him home. Since he couldn't raise a son to become like him, a fierce, noble warrior, he turned to alcoholism. He would lash me with whips or his belt every time he looked at me. Telling me that the world is cruel. Every time I cried, he would tell me that he took the pain and wanted more." 

Doctor Psyche: "That's horrible. Has any other ponies around your home heard your cries?" 

Cozy Glow: "My family and I at the time lived in the woods. We had no neighbors." 

Doctor Psyche: "Oh, Celestia." 

Cozy Glow:  "My dad wanted to teach his son to endure the wilderness and grow strong. To be a leader, you must endure the surrounding area cause danger lurks at every corner. My mom, Red Nova, was a drill sergeant. She longed to be a great mother and an instructor for her son. When she gave birth to me, she despised me. She gave me impossible tasks at such a young age without showing any love. She would make me sleep in a cage, telling me that I will never take control." 

Doctor Psyche: "Oh, my Celestia," {Steadies his breathing from the info. His reaction sounds heartbreaking}

Cozy Glow: "She taught me something I'll never forget. The weak never survive. Only those who are smart and strong live longer. In a way, she was trying to break me. Instead, she encouraged me to outsmart them." 

Doctor Psyche: "What did you do?" 

Cozy Glow: "I plot vengeance. After I took many lashings throughout the years, I stopped crying. You can say I broke, but at that moment, I turned into the thing they wanted in a son. Someone fierce and decisive. One night, while I was in the cage, I used broken materials scattered on the ground and picked the locks. Then I trotted into the kitchen and noticed my mom and dad had dinner ready. They were taking a bath together. Despite how they hated me, they loved each other wholeheartedly. Little did they know I planted roofies in their drinks." 

Doctor Psyche: "You drugged them?" 

Cozy Glow: "Yes. They gave me roofies whenever I wailed too loud in pain." 

Doctor Psyche: "Oh, Celestia. These ponies deserve prison time." 

Cozy Glow: "Going back to my story. After I drugged their drinks, I ran back down to my cage. I waited like an hour or so for them to have their dinner. It was long until I heard two loud thumps upstairs. I made my way up and saw my parents on the floor. Because of their wicked ways; the abuse they have given me, it was my turn to exact my revenge. I tied them tightly on the bed they slept. When they awoke, I stood on the bed with dad's belt. They demanded me to untie them, but I gave them their just desserts. I lashed them for every abusive atrocity they inflicted on me. When my mom and dad felt their bindings loosening, I bolted. The two were so angry that they flew after me. I didn't run far from the house cause my parents are skillful fliers. However, they ceased their chase when they saw the Royal Guards. I looked at them in the eyes, pleading that I escaped from abusive parents. I looked at the Royal Guards with pleading and teary eyes." 

Doctor Pysche: "How did the Royal Guards locate you in the wilderness? You told me you had no neighbors." 

Cozy Glow: "Funny thing about that; My mom writes and mails letters to relatives every month to inform them that the family is doing fine. I wrote a letter behind my parents' backs. It had my dad's old address when he was a commander. I informed them that I was a prisoner that they abducted and killed my real parents." 

Doctor Psyche: "Shrewd and clever. Very decisive and manipulative." 

Cozy Glow: "It's how I earned my cutie mark. To control and survive, I needed to be cunning and manipulative. So, I manipulated the Royal Guards into thinking that my family was dead while I was held prisoner by deranged ponies. When they saw my parents for the first time in a long time and saw how bruised up my body was, it didn't take long to do what was right. I performed a show with my crying about losing my parents, being locked up in a cage, abused, and receiving punishments. I cried and showed the Royal Guards how scared I was. I went into full detail about the cage in the basement and the different torture tools. I stretched the truth, and the Royal Guards searched the house. What I said, they found every speck of evidence. Red Flare and Red Nova got sentenced to life in prison without parole. With no family to turn to, they put me for adoption. No one adopted me, and I needed a place to stay. I received a letter from Lord Tirek and became pen pals." 

Doctor Psyche: "So, it was Tirek that contacted you. Not you?" 

Cozy Glow: "Lord Tirek heard a rumor about how I got my real parents locked in prison. He loved how manipulative I was and how I thought out my strategies, calling me a tactician. Since I longed for love, he told me a brilliant way of filling the void in my heart. Friends. If I were to become friends, I needed to stir up some trouble. So, I did." 

Doctor Psyche: "Why did you listen to Lord Tirek?" 

Cozy Glow: "He's my first friend since I left Tartarus. I'm referring to my mom and dad, not Tartarus itself." 

Doctor Psyche: "I understood that notion. Please, continue." 

Cozy Glow: "Lord Tirek promised me that friends fill the void in my heart. All I had to do was improvise. Then, I devised my scheme to rid the world of magic. I'll be the Princess of Friendship sort of speak; then everyone will give me the love I craved. However, as everyone knows, I failed. I failed cause I went on the wrong path." 

Doctor Psyche: "Any regrets?" 

Cozy Glow: "Listening to what Midnight Sparkle proposed; She killed me for power and failed to defeat Spike the Fairy. In a twist of fate, I experienced what death felt like; It wasn't pretty to say the least. Either than that, I have no regrets. My parents got what they deserved, and I hope they rot for eternity. All I want is to be part of a loving family. Is that so hard to ask?" 

Doctor Psyche: {Hugs Cozy Glow} "After what you have revealed to me, it is in my best interest to not report to the Princesses what you testified. Ms.Rarity wanted you. I believe you'll find the family you longed for with her and Sweetie Belle. Perhaps, your friends are the supposed Unity Species group that thwarted Midnight Sparkle."

Cozy Glow: "How long do I need to stay here?" 

Doctor Psyche: "A few more days. You've answered the questions I was about to say from the explanation you spoke. I need to confirm all of this to Nurse Blue Shield and a few others." 

Cozy Glow: "Will I be wearing the straightjacket?" 

Doctor Psyche: "Yes. However, it may not be for long." 

{Doctor Psyche puts the straightjacket on Cozy Glow and leaves the room}

<End of Recording>

Audio Log #33.5 Aftermath: 

It's me, Nurse Blue Shield. I watched from the monitor of the interview session. Cozy Glow did not show signs of manipulating manner; She's sincere and honest about herself and her story. I want to say her parents did perish when Canterlot fell. However, it'll be in my best interest not to reveal the information to Cozy Glow. It may cause a setback within her mind or cause a relapse of herself. For all I know, she could be dancing in a hallelujah. 

<End of Recording>




Day 19

Audio Log #34: 

After a meeting with all my doctors and nurses, we've decided to allow Cozy Glow to go. We're not receiving new patients, and the last thing a filly needs is solitary confinement. Cozy Glow doesn't belong with us anymore. She has experienced enough trauma and many what-ifs already. When Rarity told me about what she endured and hearing testimonies from creatures that survived Midnight Sparkle's wrath, there's not much we can do. In a way, Midnight Sparkle helped us with Cozy Glow by seeing the light. Rarity helped in that aspect as well. I've contacted her, and she'll be arriving later today. 

<End of Recording>

Doctor Psyche and Nurse Blue Shield enter Cozy Glow's room and remove the straightjacket. They escort Cozy Glow to the main room where Rarity and Sweetie Belle are waiting. 

"Wait, I'm free to go?" Cozy Glow looks at Doctor Psyche. 

"Yes," Doctor Psyche replies. "You see. You've endured the wrong side of life with Midnight Sparkle. A bad influence, and you've been through so much. Our procedure is to show a what-if scenario, but Midnight Sparkle has already done that. You're committed to living life happily, right?" 

Cozy Glow nods. "After going through Tartarus by that wretched demon, I don't want to go into the path of darkness ever again. I'm through chasing power. What I want now is to chase passion." 

"Go for it. Don't you ever come back here," Nurse Blue Shield said. 

"I won't. I'm hoping I don't," Cozy inhales the fresh air of freedom. 

"So, what do you want to do, Cozy Glow?" Rarity asks her friend. 

"I want to apologize to the creatures of United Equestria for my involvement with Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail. I have a long road ahead of me." 

"Mind waiting a few months until completion?" Rarity asks. 

"Yea. I would like to spend time with my new family." 

"Let's go!" Sweetie Belle is excited to have a new sister in the family. 

Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Cozy Glow trot to the train station. Cozy Glow can't wait to see what her life has in store. 

A figure wearing a dark cloak trots with an important tool it collected from the Crystal Castle. Its devising a plan once it knows who's with the Bar of Alliance.
> Unwanted Visitor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been months since Cozy Glow left C.E.W. Crystal Empire Ward; She lives with Rarity and Sweetie Belle in Ponyville. Many ponies and creatures were unnerved by her arrival. Cozy apologizes to every creature living in Ponyville and will take any punishment they see fit. Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon told the townsfolk that during Midnight's wrath upon Ponyville, Cozy Glow saved their lives. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy vouched for Cozy Glow. They reminded every creature that at some point. A second chance to atone is all they need. 

Rarity spends most of her day working on new dresses for an epic comeback in the fashion world while having family time with Sweetie Belle and Cozy Glow. Cozy Glow explained to Sweetie Belle that her cutie mark appeared when she started to think like a tactician. Sweetie Belle advises Cozy Glow to become somewhat like her parents; To lead an army into battle with her clever tactics. Cozy Glow resented the idea of following in her parents' hoofsteps but will consider it down the road. 

Cozy Glow is familiar with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but now she's an honorary member. The four have fun, try new things in life, and help any pony or creature that needs comfort or encouragement. Cozy Glow met with several of her classmates from the School of Friendship and reconnected with them. She explains her life story and how she reformed with the help of good ponies. They welcomed Cozy Glow into their friendship. 

For the first time in a long time, Cozy Glow found peace with herself. If only she could share that with her first friend, Lord Tirek. Despite his rudeness and evil-natured personality, he listened to what Cozy had said and read many letters to keep in contact. She wishes that Lord Tirek would embrace the goodness the world has to offer. 

Today is Friday. Today is a day that Rarity is all out of gemstones. 

"Girls, I'm off to gather gemstones for my next latest fashion design. Would you like to come with me?" Rarity asks Sweetie Belle and Cozy Glow in the kitchen. 

"I'll go," Cozy said. 

"Headmare Glimmer wants all teachers to assemble for a meeting, Rarity. That includes counselors as well. I'm meeting with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo at the school in an hour. Another time, I'll join you, Rarity." 

"Have fun, Sweetie Belle," Rarity smiles. She turns to Cozy Glow. "I'll gather my things, and we'll get going." 

"Sounds good," Cozy said. She eats her waffles. 

An hour later. Rarity and Cozy Glow are on their way to the mountains. The exact location where Rarity once brought an exceedingly amount gemstones with her friends years ago. 

"Alright, I'm hoping to find the jackpot with gemstones around the area," Rarity said. She's using her magic to track gemstones. 

"Is it safe to be out here?" Cozy Glow asks. She's unsure about being this far out of civilization. 

"So, I haven't been out here in years, but no need to fret. This area of the region is a hotspot for finding gemstones. I know today we'll hit the jackpot!" Rarity gets a little too excited. She finds her first stash of gemstone under the ground. "Found it." 

Cozy and Rarity dig the ground and pick up different colored gemstones. They place them into the wagon they brought. 

"I did the count. From what we dug, we found twenty," Cozy said. 

"Not enough. I need hundreds more for my latest design," Rarity spell picks up another batch of gemstones. Rarity follows to where they are hiding. 

Cozy follows while bringing the shovels. Rarity's spell reveals a hefty portion of gemstones. Rarity and Cozy Glow start digging. 

"Jackpot!" Cozy shouts. She gives Rarity an oversize amount of gemstones. 

"Oh, my," Rarity's eyes glitter due to the size of the gemstones. "I need to break these gemstones into smaller quantities." 

Cozy Glow does a count after Rarity places the gemstones into the wagon. "We have fifty in total." 

"Even when I break them, I still won't have enough. We must keep finding," Rarity's spell gets attracted to a new batch not far from the position. "I have a lock on a new batch," Rarity trots ten feet to the next haul of gemstones. "Wow." 

Cozy Glow trots to see what appears to be hundreds of gemstones that stretch wide, all in different shapes and sizes. Cozy and Rarity start digging. However, their digging has attracted familiar faces. 

"Gemstones..," A Diamond Dog rises from the ground. "My precious," He chuckles. 

"No.., not you ruffians again!" Rarity remembers the last encounter. 

Another Diamond Dog rises from the ground. "We've taken classes to deal with whiny complaining ponies like you." 

More Diamond Dogs rise from the ground. "This is payback from hurting our ears!" They laugh. 

"This doesn't look good," Cozy Glow sees more Diamond Dogs rising from the ground. They intend on surrounding her and Rarity. 

"Oh, I got this," Rarity coughs. "Oh, why are you ganging up on mmmmmph!" A Diamond Dog jumps from behind to muzzle Rarity. 

"Hahahaha," Rover, the leader of the Diamond Dogs. "We've been practicing for this outcome. You'll help us find gemstones forever, yes?" 

A brolic Diamond Dog picks up Cozy Glow. "Or, we'll crush these wings and make you eat them!" 

"You? Harming a defenseless child?" Cozy Glow gets muzzled by a Diamond Dog before finishing her statement. She was going to manipulate them. 

"We don't care. Ponies whine and complain, trying to undermine everything. Not this time," Rover laughs. 

"We took lessons from Iron Will about being assertive," Spot said. 

Fido whacks Spot. "Did you have to tell them everything we do?" 

Rarity groans in her head. The mere mention of Iron Will makes her cringe. Cozy looks around and notices Dragons flying nearby; She backhoof the brolic Diamond Dog into letting her go and flees to the wagon. 

"Don't let that pony get away!" Rover commands. 

Diamond Dogs chase after Cozy Glow. They tackle her after she tosses a gemstone high in the sky. 

"Got her, boss!" A Diamond Dog Guard pins Cozy Glow. She growls in her muzzle. 

"Good work," Rover turns to Rarity. "Time to be our precious little pony, yes?" 

"Dude, we're late for the party in District Ten," Garble said. He's flying with Charcoal and Clump. 

"Hey, we need to teach Spike how to be a Dragon; That's why we're going to introduce him into the sweet sensation of eating gemstones," Clump said. 

"Hey, free snack!" Charcoal catches the ruby gemstone. 

"Huh, where did that come from?" Garble and Clump ponder a bit. The two look down.  

"We got ponies in distress. Let's get those punks!" Garble leads the charge; he, Clump, and Charcoal land in front of the Diamond Dogs. 

"Ah! Dragons?" The Diamond Dogs turn to the Dragons. 

"Let's pound them," Two brolic Diamond Dogs have their spears, preparing to battle Garble, Clump, and Charcoal. 

"Aw, how cute? The puppies think they can handle a Dragon?" Clump mocks the Diamond Dogs. 

"Get them!" Rover commands. He points at the Dragons. 

The Diamond Dogs bark and charge at Clump. Garble and Charcoal side steps, allowing their friend to use his earth magic. 

"Rock Spike!" Clump slams his fist on the ground hard. The force of the slam causes rock spikes to rise from the ground. The Diamond Dogs get launched into the air and land on their backs hard.  

Rover gasps. "Since when Dragons can use such force?" 

"If I were you, boneheads, I run," Garble ignites his body in Hellfire. "I'm fired up, now." 

"Retreat!" Rover doesn't want to get scorched. He and the Diamond Dogs whimper and flee from the overpowered Dragons. 

Charcoal removes the muzzles off of Cozy Glow and Rarity. "What were you two doing?" 

"Gathering gemstones. I didn't think the Diamond Dogs would be a nuisance after the last encounter," Rarity replies. 

"Bummer. Need some help?" Garble asks Rarity. 

"We can work together on gathering gemstones," Charcoal said. 

"That'll be delightful. Come along," Rarity's spell goes off the chart due to Clump's magic for elevating the earth. Gemstones are everywhere. 

The Dragons, Rarity, and Cozy Glow collected enough gemstones. They spent two hours gathering while the Diamond Dogs watched from a distance. They watched the Ponies and Dragons go their separate ways. They growl in anger since they are hopeless to pose a threat. 

"Those monsters. Always taking our precious gems," Rover bitterly expresses.

"Seems we have a common enemy." 

"Who said that?" Rover and the Diamond Dogs turn to see the figure wearing a dark cloak. 

"What are you?" Rover, Fido, and Spot ask. 

"I have many names. However, we must discuss elsewhere." 

"Our caves down below will provide much privacy, yes?" Rover asks the stranger.

"Very well. Proceed to the caves." 

Rover and the Diamond Dogs escort their new friend down below. The stranger drags the important tool it snagged from the Crystal Castle.
> Investigation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Cadance trots to the meeting room to discuss recent events. She took inventory after hearing reports of missing artifacts within the castle. Princess Luna is present while her sister resides in United Equestria. Many Crystal Guards and Royal Guards are in the room to report on the manner. 

"Thank you for coming," Princess Cadance looks like she didn't sleep well. Something is amiss within the Crystal Empire recently. 

"Strange phenomenons have transpired throughout Equestria recently. While the foundations of United Equestria were constructed, eyewitnesses reports have confirmed of extreme tiredness," A Royal Guard informs the Princesses.  

"We indicate that certain artifacts have been taken possession of by an unknown anomaly. We have no prime suspects as to who is responsible," Captain Amythest reports.  

"I have taken inventory after taking a long snooze from whatever spell the caster conjured. As most of you know, the spell had a longer effect on me than most other ponies residing in the Crystal Empire," Princess Cadance said. 

"What's missing, Princess Cadance?" Princess Luna asks. 

"A portal that travels between dimensional plains. The exact portal that Midnight Sparkle once used during her time as Princess. To retrieve her Element of Harmony Tiara." 

"That's not good," Princess Luna ponders why someone would want to steal and harness the usage of the portal. 

"It is my belief that someone wants to travel and lure a greater evil from another realm," Princess Cadance formally claims. 

"Not possible," A Royal Guard interjects. "A clone of Discord or Discord, sometimes I can't tell the difference, has displayed the memories of Twilight and Spike's memory of that other realm. It's doomed with a verified plague similar to the walking dead." 

"Since the fall of Canterlot, many buildings were destroyed, including several libraries and hidden passageways to the forbidden library zone. While I investigated, I noticed several books scattered as someone was salvaging. The books are from the forbidden session. I did an inventory count on the area and discovered that one book from the library is missing." 

"What would that be, Princess Luna?" Princess Cadance is eager to know what book is missing from the forbidden library.

"There are some stars and planets my magic can't control. It extends to the far reaches of space. The book predicts the star and planet alignments for control of dark magic."

"Wait, that book exists?!" The Crystal and Royal Guards are mesmerized to hear a book like that. 

Princess Luna nods. "In my younger years, I used my magic to study and learn about the far reaches of stars and planets since I could not obtain them. So, to understand those stars and planets, I watched their formation every night and noticed a chain reaction on evident dates." 

"Do you remember a date that'll occur the usage of dark magic?" Princess Cadance asks. 

"Yes. On February 29th, during the night hour. The stars and planets will align themselves in a straight line, directing unfathomable magic power in a direct line. The caster can use the magic to the full extent."

"For what purpose?" A Crystal Guard asks. 

"Could be anything. The unfathomable magic could be as divine as Discord's chaos magic." 

"February 29th is tomorrow," Princess Cadance said, which worries the Crystal and Royal Guards in the room. 

"We need to be on full alert. I'll inform the Districts to be on high alert and prepare for anything that follows," Princess Luna flaps her wings. 

"I'll prepare the army of the Crystal Empire to protect the Crystal Heart. No matter who or what is doing, we will not allow it to succeed." 

Princess Luna nods and takes off; She flies out of the window. Princess Cadance asks Captain Amythest to prepare his troops.

Princess Luna flies to the castle of United Equestria. She sees her fellow neighbors interacting with each other nicely, forming get-togethers and social outings. When she arrives, Princess Celestia is discussing with Pharynx. 

"Celestia, we have a problem." 

"What seems to be the problem, Luna?" Princess Celestia sees the worry in Luna's face. 

"A new threat is on the horizon. I had my meeting with Princess Cadance. Someone or something has taken the portal; During my investigation, one of my books has vanished. It predicts the alignment of stars and planets that produce unfathomable magic." 

Princess Celestia and Pharynx are silent after hearing the dreaded news. Princess Luna goes into more detail about the meeting with Cadance, and the new threat will use the unfathomable magic tomorrow night. A clone of Discord overhears the conversation and volunteers to spread the news within the Districts. 

"Who else would it be to pose such a threat?" Pharynx asks Princess Celestia. 

"I'm not sure. King Sombra is vanquished. Lord Tirek is locked up in Tartarus. Storm King was subdued and killed. Cozy Glow is on the side of good. Midnight Sparkle is in pieces; There are not many known villains I can come up with." 

"Must be someone new that's been waiting to strike," Pharynx said. "Not many out there that would want to hunt us, Changelings. For years we scared anything away from our presence." 

"Whoever he, she, or whatever it is, their reign won't last long," Princess Luna said. She knows with support from the United Equestria. No villain stands a chance.

"Agreed," Princess Celestia and Pharynx nod. 

Clones of Discord are informing the Ten Districts about the possibly new threat on its way. Neighsay receives the news and enters the Guildhall of Harmony. 

"Every creature, I received word from a clone of Discord," Neighsay sees his friends having a pointless pillow fight. He grabs an airhorn and blows it, causing a cease-fire. 

"Hey! Yona no like airhorns!" Yona drops her pillow. 

"What's with the airhorn?" Gallus asks Neighsay. 

"I received word from Discord. It's about-" Neighsay gets interrupted by Silverstream. 

"Is it about going back to school?" Silverstream asks. "Honestly, I think we'd already graduated since we formed our guild." 

"Yea. We defeated the top-notch threat known as Midnight Sparkle. Who's going to trump her?" Gallus said in cockiness. 

"A new villain rising," Neighsay replies. Gallus' cockiness drops as he turns to Neighsay. 

"Whoa, are you serious?" Smolder asks Neighsay. 

"Yes. Discord has informed us to prepare ourselves for the unknown." 

Garble, Clump, and Charcoal arrive with their stash of gemstones. They enter the guildhall. 

"Yo, Master. What did we miss?" Garble refers to Neighsay. 

"Well, I'm not the Guild Master," Neighsay replies. 

"Dude, you're the only one that's taken the responsibility as one; Always making sure we stay in check ever since building our guildhall, much similar to Tail Fairy," Clump said. 

"Fairy Tail," Every creature corrects Clump. 

"My bad," Clump scratches the back of his head. "I haven't rewatched memories of Fairy Dragon in ages." 

"However, Clump makes a good point. You've taken the leadership role since you came to the school. When Headmare Glimmer decided to have you join our group," Sandbar reminds Neighsay that faithful day. 

"You took control of the canoe trust exercise and led us to safety," Ocellus said. 

"You're practically calling the shots," Aria said, straight to the point. 

"Point taken. I guess you can say I was saving the seat for the potential Princess Twilight Sparkle," Neighsay takes a deep breath. "I'll gladly be the First Master of United Species."  

"Finally," The Spirit of Harmony appears. "I thought I never see the day." 

"Hey, Harmony," Every creature within the United Species has decided to call the Spirit of Harmony, Harmony. They weren't sure how to address the spirit. 

"So, you were waiting to see who'll be the Guild Master?" Neighsay asks Harmony. 

"Yes. I had some suspicions you were going to delay the acceptance. Potential Princess Twilight Sparkle needs time to elevate her magic prowess and continue her study from the Princesses. I know you'll be a great First Master, Neighsay. Continue to lead your friends." 

"Hey, Harmony," Sunset gets the spirit's attention. 

"Yes, Sunset Shimmer?" 

"Any idea about the possible new threat?" 

The Spirit of Harmony shakes her head. "Any reaches not met with Friendship is beyond my pinpoint. Whoever or whatever the threat is, I'm blind to it. I advise you to prepare yourselves for any outcome that lies ahead." 

"Wow, for Harmony that doesn't know must be critical," Sonata said. 

"I'm sorry. I'll inform you more about the threat once I uncover the mysteries. Until then, I wish you luck," Harmony leaves the guildhall. 

"Say, where are Twilight and Spike? I was hoping to show Spike how to become more like a dragon," Garble said. 

"Same with us," Clump and Charcoal concur. 

"I believe they're with Chrysalis and Terax at the Changeling Hive. I'll go get them," Ocellus said. She takes off. 

"What should we do, First Master?" Gallus asks. 

"Train. We're going to train until February 29th arrives. Then, we'll gather with the armies and prepare for what tomorrow night has in store," Neighsay decrees. "Find partners and train in weaponry or magistery."

On command, every creature forms groups to train wholeheartedly. Neighsay goes to the library to read history books. Thanks to Discord's chaos magic, Neighsay has many encyclopedia books on the history of Equestria. Perhaps an enemy of the past is in the works. An enemy that was hiding in plain sight in case a newbie is not the cause.
> A Greater Evil
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's February 28th. 4:30 in the afternoon. 

The Diamond Dogs escorts the figure wearing a dark cloak to their underground caves. The Stranger plants the items next to a rock pillar. 

"So, what brings you to us, Stranger?" Rover asks the cloaked figure. 

"We have common enemies that have grown too strong to counteract. I advise creating a new sustainable army to overthrow the United Equestria." 

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Rover is confused. 

"Hmm, it appears you Dogs don't get out often." 

"Hey, buddy. We have our jobs to uphold when it comes to gemstones. Right now. There's a shortage due to Ponies and Dragons coming into our lands and taking what is not theirs!" Fido barks at the Stranger. 

"Yet, you don't send scouts to see what's happening around you?" 

"Uuuuuuuuh," Rover looks and feels dumbfounded for not sending scouts out. 

"Typical," The stranger sighs. "To keep you Dogs up to speed, many nations have banded together to create an alliance. Ponies, Dragons, Griffons, Changelings, Hippogriffs, Buffalos, Storm Creatures, Crystal Ponies, and Yaks are together in their Districts." 

"Why are you telling us this?" Spot asks the Stranger. 

"You don't pay attention much, do you?" 

"Uuuuuuuuuh," Spot loses focus. 

The Stranger rolls his eyes. "Ponies and Dragons are more powerful creatures than some I've listed. As you saw today, Dragons can use magic." 

"Yes," Rover replies. "Ponies use magic. Dragons use magic. We can't use magic." 

"Which is why you need an equalizer. Are the Diamond Dogs affiliated with other species?" 

"Uh, Chameleons and Lizards. Though, we haven't spoken much to them in years," Rover said.  

"You may want to address that situation if you don't want other species storming into your land and taking what's yours," The Stranger said in a bold, firm, commanding tone.  

"Why are you helping us? What is there to gain for you?" Rover asks. 

"Absolute domination over my enemies. Even with the power bestowed in me. I cannot take out nations singlehandedly. That is why I require your services." 

"And if we say no?" Rover and the Diamond Dogs get closer to the Stranger. 

"Prepare to lose everything to Ponies and Dragons that want to wear and feast on your gemstones. Diamond Dogs will become Dogs, a nation with nothing left!" The Stranger truthfully, harshly expresses. 

Rover, Fido, Spot, and the rest of the Diamond Dogs cringe; They don't want to lose everything that makes them unique.

"Okay! Enough said! You made your point!" Rover shouts. He doesn't want to lose his title as Diamond Dog. 

"How long will it take for you to get in touch with the Chameleon and Lizard nations?" 

"A few hours if my Diamond Dogs hustle," Rover replies. 

"See to it. We have much planning to overthrow United Equestria," The Stranger unveils the mirror portal. The Diamond Dogs present ooooh's at the mirror. 

"What does that mirror do?" Spot asks. 

"It opens a portal to an alternate universe. However, the stars and planets will align themselves differently, releasing unfathomable magic for me to reach someone in particular about our conquest." 

"Who do you have in mind?" Fido asks. 

"From what I remember, this sadistic creature is known to be a Knight." 

"A Knight?!" The Diamond Dogs are clueless. 

"This Knight will be key to our salvation. Bring the nations over with much-needed supplies and materials for reconstruction," The Diamond Dogs are lackadaisical after the command. "NOW!" The Stranger demand in a threatening tone. 

"Yes, yes, yes! Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Rover commands his Diamond Dogs to reconnect with the Chameleon and Lizard nations, not wanting to disrespect or anger the Stranger. 

Fifteen hours later. The Diamond Dogs has brought the Chameleon and Lizard nations into their caves. It's February 29th at 7:30 in the morning. 

"So, what's the meaning of bringing our tribes into this dump?" Sliver, a tall, dark green reptilian, said. He has a stocky build and possesses a strong-muscular tail. He wears brown shorts, a jeweled encrusted crown, and wields a sword. 

"Patience, Sliver," Rover sneers. 

"We haven't seen eye-to-eye in years, you, mangy mutts!" Aster is a light green Chameleon that wears a jean jacket. He also wears black sunglasses. He's the leader of the Chameleons. 

"I know. We've gone our separate ways. However, we are called for something better, yes?" Rover turns to the Stranger approaching. 

"Who are you?" Sliver and Aster try to depict who's wearing the dark cloak. 

The Stranger laughs. "Your Commander, going forward." 

"Excuse us? Commander? What prowess you uphold that can terrify us?" Sliver and Aster mock the Stranger. 

The Stranger's eyes glow and use its magic to pin Aster and Sliver to the walls. "You dare defy me? You dare mock the most powerful creature that can snap your bodies like twigs?" Its voices echos in a demonic tone that send chills down on Sliver and Aster's spines. 

"No, Sir! NO, SIR!" Sliver and Aster sweat like crazy. The Lizards and Chameleons quiver and tremble by the divine power the Stranger upholds. 

"Good," The Stranger releases its hold on Sliver and Aster. "I called you here for purposes. Tell me. Are you two aware of what's happening in the world?" 

"If you're talking about United Equestria, we're not interested," Aster and Sliver say. They sound angry. 

"Why is that?" The Stranger wants to know their reasonings. 

"Ponies had our tribes removed from the mountains, their so-called Canterlot formed in our homes. We Lizards thrive in the mountains. We had water pools, an ecosystem, lively greens!" Aster shouts lividly. 

"Our ancestors lived together in peace when those thieving ponies drove off and killed our greens. The one called Celestia 'persuaded' our kind into leaving. Her army used magic to scare us into leaving!" Sliver said. He storms and stomps in anger. "My five great ancestor, Slithe, was King of the Lizard Nation when he tried to fight for our home in the mountains. Those ponies say they're good, but they're evil within. They don't share unless you have something to give back. They took our home, and now it's desolate. We've waited a long time, and now we can't claim it!" 

"They destroyed parts of the mountains to create a burial for the fallen. Screw the fallen when they have taken our homes! We would want nothing but vengeance," Aster balls his fists. 

The Stranger smirks. "So, it's official. Ponies have ruined my domain, and that is why; you lost your homes centuries ago. I was keeping those Ponies at bay until one ruined me. It took me quite a while to regain my magic power. They created an alliance to ensure their dark secret remains unchecked." 

"So, that is why you wanted us to unite? To reveal the dark secret, so their alliance falls into chaos? Yes?" Rover asks the Stranger.  

"Precisely. However, United Equestria's numbers are far too great. That is why we need to band together." 

"You've listed many nations. We're not enough!" Fido exclaims. 

"There is one individual we need for our plans to succeed. The Knight I mentioned. Did your nations bring raw material and supplies?" 

"Salvaging machinery and metals from the Storm Creatures were too easy," Sliver said. The Lizards bring wagons of materials. 

"My Chameleons are great for stealth, Sliver. We scour hidden libraries and ancient artifacts. We've found a wide collection of forbidden magic." 

"Forbidden magic?" Rover looks at Aster. 

"Say, how long until the stars align themselves?" Spot asks the Stranger. 

"Nightfall, the unfathomable magic will be within my grasp, and I'll channel the power into activating the mirror portal." 

"And what about this Knight? How will you address the situation?" Fido asks. 

"Leave that to me and follow along." 

Twelve hours later. It's 8:00 at night. The stars and planets have aligned themselves in a straight line; Unfathomable magic releases itself on the world of Equus. The Stranger's eyes glow, harnessing the unfathomable magic hitting Equus and shooting yellowish-black magic at the mirror portal. 

The Diamond Dogs, Lizards, Chameleons ooooh and aaaaw at the magic display from the Stranger, the mirror portal activates. Loud explosions cause the mirror portal to deteriorate. Smoke and dust from the explosions filter the air, causing the Diamond Dogs, Lizards, and Chameleons to gag. A creature steps through the portal and falls, coughing profusely.  

"Damn it," He coughs. "My experimentation has backfired on me." 

The Stranger absorbs the smoke and dust, creating breathable air; Every creature breathes in satisfaction. The mirror portal is critically damaged but still repairable. 

"Thanks," He catches his breath. "What is this place?" He looks at the creature that summoned him. "Who are you?" 

The Stranger unveils himself. He's a blue ram with dark blue curl-horns reaching to the back of his neck, white mane, eyebrows, and tail. He adorns a sash with yellow orb markings. "My name is Grogar." 

The creature is wearing a purple hooded assassin's uniform, black boots, a skull chain necklace, dark purple jeans. He has a green mohawk, and his eyes are green as well. His weaponry consists of dual-wield pistols, a green sword, a purple and green bow, and arrows. "My name is Spike Knightwalker, Grogar," He's in his humanoid form. "Now, what is this place?"  

"The remains of Hell. I require your assistance, Spike Knightwalker," Grogar laughs in triumph while the Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards are left confused.
> Making a Deal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hell?" Spike Knightwalker takes a whiff of the caves. "Damn, it stinks," He covers his nose. 

"You expect Hell to smell pleasant?" Grogar glares into the eyes of Spike Knightwalker. 

"No. I expected worse in Hell. Also, what do you mean by remains of Hell? I don't get it," Spike Knightwalker sees what the domains of Hell look like; Rusted doors for containment, odors that stench for miles on end, the ground is rough, rock pillar and spikes all around, tunnels that lead to darkness. "Alright, I'll bite. Why am I in Hell? I thought I atoned my sins and took my punishment all those years ago." 

"No. You murdered thousands during your sadistic days. The Heavenly Father has decided you're not worthy of redemption. However, I'm willing to negotiate with the Heavenly Father if you help us reclaim Hell," Grogar entices Spike Knightwalker with a reasonable cause. 

"Reclaim? I don't understand. What's going on?" Spike Knightwalker turns to Grogar. 

"I'll show you," Grogar walks up to Spike Knightwalker and uses his magic to teleport Spike Knightwalker to the top of the mountain that was Canterlot. "My magic will enable us to be invisible from all other forms of magic. Now, tell me. What do you see?" 

Spike Knightwalker looks around the mountain top to see beautiful colors covering the landscape. From afar, Spike Knightwalker sees a utopia. It has the tallest castle he'd ever laid eyes. "It's beautiful." 

"Hell is not beautiful," Grogar corrects Spike Knightwalker. 

"Then why are you showing me this?" Spike Knightwalker is confused. 

"Do you remember the ones that tormented you?" Grogar hopes that triggering Spike Knightwalker's past will reawaken him. 

"Remember? How can I forget?" Spike Knightwalker remembers the Celestials. A dark guild that tormented and scarred him in his youth. His demeanor changes as he remembers the lashings, the punishments, and slave labor. 

"That dark guild you killed has changed the landscape of Hell." 

"How is that possible?" Spike Knightwalker turns to Grogar. 

"The one known as Twilight Sparkle has stolen a powerful relic of mine then locked it away. That relic strips creatures of their magic power. It's how I sustained my order upon the populous that enters Hell." 

"So, you're saying that this relic was your way of ensuring absolute dominion over the sinners?" 

"That is correct. Twilight Sparkle and her friends manipulated my relic to create this utopia. To avoid the punishments that Hell was supposed to give. I'm the Warden of Hell. Without that relic, I cannot affirm my absolute reign over sinners. There's supposed to be one Heaven and one Hell. If Hell turns into a Heaven." 

"That means balance becomes one-sided," Spike Knightwalker finishes Grogar's statement. 

"Precisely. Since you're the one that brought the Celestials into my domain, you should oblige to help me restore my order," Grogar commands in a firm tone. 

"I don't think I have it in me. To turn back my ways," Spike Knightwalker looks down at himself. 

"What do you mean by that?" Grogar looks at Spike Knightwalker differently. 

"Can we discuss it elsewhere?" Spike Knightwalker doesn't feel comfortable discussing his tale out in the open. 

"Very well," Grogar taps his middle orb sash and teleports back to the Diamond Dogs' caves. He commands every creature to leave him and the Knight alone. They flee from Grogar's presence at the booming voice of his command. 

"After failing to defeat my counterpart, Spike the Fairy, I thought my life was over. I used to be a cruel, demented, heartless killing machine that went on a rampage, hunting dark guild wizards. For years, I ravage and relished their cries like a grim reaper, harvesting their souls," Spike Knightwalker sighs. "A lot has happened after King Jellal took control of Edolas. I was grateful for the mercy King Jellal decreed on my life. My mother's counterpart saw I had a heart like her brother, waiting to blossom, to turn me into the man I am. King Jellal allowed me to work on creating solar panels as the new usage for everyday living. Solar panels harness energy like magic but tenfold." 

"What changed you completely?" Grogar wants Spike Knightwalker to go straight to the point. 

"I opened my heart. King Jellal advised me to apologize to the citizens of Edolas and any wizard that somehow survived my massacre. I made a public service announcement to all of Edolas in the Royal City. Many surviving wizards and one remaining dark guild did not accept my apology proposal. So, I did the next best thing. I let them release all their anger upon me." 

"You willingly allowed yourself to get pummeled by those wizards?" Grogar had hoped to summon the Spike Knightwalker he heard and saw from Spike's memories. Not this reformed Knightwalker. 

"Yes. It did reawaken my PTSD, but I refused to acknowledge it. I somehow didn't die. I was expecting to die right then and there, to be honest. One member showed mercy even though I didn't deserve it. Her name is Wendy. She sought the good in my eyes and the burdens and shame I have with it. We have a family. I'm a father of two." 

"That's why you can't go back?" Grogar is disappointed. His effort for summoning the sadistic, malicious, hellbent, raging machine was all for nothing. 

"I love my family wholeheartedly. I love my wife, my son, my daughter. I'll do anything for them. After I received mercy, I slowly gained the trust of the surviving wizards and created a new future to uphold."

"You're willing to do anything for them, and yet. Are you refusing to help me to help your family?" 

"What?" Spike Knightwalker looks into the eyes of Grogar. 

"If I cease control of Hell entirely, you can kiss your family goodbye. Once Hell turns into Heaven, there is no afterlife, and all life ceased to exist!" Grogar snorts, making his statement bold. 

"I.., I..," Spike Knightwalker loses his train of thought. 

"May I remind you that you're the one that sent those souls here! They've been plotting on means to escape my Hell to come for you. To bring Armaggedon." 

"Armaggedon..," Spike Knightwalker trembles with the possibility. 

Grogar sees the fear produced by Spike Knightwalker and takes it a bit further. "The utopia you saw is a means of building their army, a Legion of Doom for vengeance against the one that sent them here." 

Spike Knightwalker starts panting. He remembers the Celestials' doing for harnessing the Elements of Fiendship to create a weapon of mass destruction. "This can't be happening..," Spike Knightwalker covers his face in shame. 

"Unless things get resolved, our line of existence is in jeopardy. God is willing to forgive your sins if you help me. However, I need the Lieutenant you once were. I need your brilliance and sadistic, malicious, hellbent killing machine you were once were." 

"I'm willing to help, but I refuse to be that man. I departed from him," Spike Knightwalker put his foot down, making his statement clear. 

Grogar's eyes glow yellowish-black. "I wasn't talking to you." 

"Huh?" Spike Knightwalker sees Grogar's eye color change. From red into the glowing eyes. 

"I'm talking to Spike Knightwalker, the son of the Fairy Hunter!" Grogar shoots his magic at Spike Knightwalker; He screams in agony. His screams cease. "Spike Knightwalker, are you there?" 

Spike Knightwalker's malevolent laughter makes Grogar smile. "I'm here. I'm free from the burden of holding back my true nature. I can feel the magic flowing through me like in Edolas." 




Spike Knightwalker's mind

"What's happening?" Spike Knightwalker is shackled to a wall within his mind. 

Vile laughter is all Spike Knightwalker can hear. An image of himself with red eyes instead of green eyes is in front of him. 

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Spike Knightwalker struggles to get free. The shackles are custom-made by Grogar's magic restrainer. 

"I'm you. The old you that you locked away," Sadistic Knightwalker replies. 

"LET ME OUT!" Spike Knightwalker demands. 

"It's futile. You sucked up to King Jellal instead of ending his life to reinstate King Faust. We could have resumed killing those wizards. Instead, you happen to marry one of them. Especially a freaking Fairy Tail Wizard. I despise your kids and wife. You're not taking my fun away ever again." 

"You have no hope!" Spike Knightwalker knows his plans will fail. As long as good triumphs, evil will meet its demise. 

"Says the one who can't control his mind. Well, I'm in control. Hell needs me to reinstate the order. I'm going to enjoy watching the Celestials beg for mercy before I end their pitiful lives once more." 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Spike Knightwalker shouts. 




Diamond Dogs' Caves

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker looks at Grogar. "I have a few questions." 

"Ask away." 

"Have they turned into animals like you?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker asks. 

"Yes. However, their new form has allowed them to use magic to greater extents." 

"Two, what technology do we have? I need to see where we stand in weaponry to make modifications. With magic flowing smoothly, I think I can create bio-tech-magic weaponry that no other has seen before." 

"We scavenge some tech from the Storm Nation. Feel free to create different usages for your content."

"Three, you want them dead or badly wounded that they'll never pose a threat?" 

"They die, they come back. If you can cripple them, it'll do wonders for more inflicting punishment. I would advise on keeping them alive." 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker smirks. "Let me know when the invasion takes place. I assume we'll need time to develop our army." 

"Trust me. It'll be soon to exact more punishment on those that scarred your childhood. Especially, Twilight Sparkle and her friends," Grogar sinisterly laugh. "Do we have an agreement?" 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker sneers. "Yes, we do. I look forward to creating calamity upon them."
> Fairy Rage's Death Days
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fairy Rage walks in Magnolia. He can see all that's around him. However, many people phase through him. He tries to call out to people around, but no one hears him. 

"What is this?" 

"Hmm, it seems I have a guest," Death approaches Fairy Rage. He wears a black cloak, a skeleton body with red dots in the eyeless void; It has skeleton teeth. Death wields a scythe that has countless unforgiving souls in its blade.

"Wait a minute? You're Death?"

"Indeed. You are the first to enter this realm, for which I stand," Death said. 

"Do you know me?" 

"Yes. The second soul of Fairy Dragon. I have to say, even with my best of knowledge, I did not foresee this outcome." 

"Here, I thought I go to the afterlife. I guess I won't be with my beloved." 

"Beloved?" Death is puzzled. 

"Don't you know everything?" Fairy Rage looks at Death. 

"That's the big guy's job. I don't have permission to read the minds of souls. I must uphold the laws wherever there's life." 

"Oh wow." Fairy Rage is flustered a bit. Just days ago, he sacrificed his life to resurrect Erza. 

"Who did you end up falling in love with?" 

"Her name is Carla." 

"The white exceed? How interesting. Here I thought you had feelings for the Princess," Death is aware of Princess Hisui's feelings for Spike the Fairy. "If you don't mind me asking, why her of all women?" 

"In a weird way, Carla is like me. Our bond for those closest is strong. I admire her determination, strength, persistence, and I love the elegant voice she has. I don't care about what she looks like; I care about who she is. I always thought about holding her in my arms. However, I don't have limbs. I resided in Spike's body." 

"Gross," Death says in an eerie tone to make it sound dirty. 

"HEY!" Fairy Rage is offended by Death's joke. 

Death chuckles. "I can say it's rare that I have someone to communicate with, the big guy and the Celestial Spirit King don't keep in touch with me." 

Fairy Rage rolls his eyes. "Anyway, I refuse." Fairy Rage sighs. "I refrained from taking over Spike's body to have a private conversation with Carla. At first glance, it'll appear that Spike is cheating on Wendy."

"Very understandable. You were willing to prolong until the afterlife." 

"Yea." Fairy Rage nods. "However that won't be the case since I'm here with you." 

"You can see Carla and your friends all you want. They won't hear, see, or do anything to or with you." 

"What about an ouija board? Would that help?" 

"No. Ouija boards don't have the capability to communicate with me and you. Only spirits through the afterlife. The prowess of the ouija board will not penetrate this dimension. I'm sorry." 

"So, that's it. I'm here with you, forever?" 

"It's not so bad. You'll get to see your friends grow up, have new adventures, and see them grow more like a family. If you need me, call me. I have to resume my duty before the big guy scolds me. Later," Death leaves Fairy Rage's presence. 

Fairy Rage notices Spike gathering all the Fairy Tail Wizards for an announcement. He hears the Spike decreed the guild to go for a year's worth of training. In one year's time, to regroup at the crater to rebuild the guildhall. 

Fairy Rage follows Spike wherever he goes afterward. To the meeting to discuss with the other Guild Masters, to training with his friends at the East Forest. 

"Aw, dude. What is happening in your nightmares?" Fairy Rage instinctively asks Spike. Spike is in his tent after his freak accident while training with Gajeel and Wendy. 

"I can't believe this is happening?" Spike talks to himself. "Rage? Are my dreams a sign to go to Equestria and end Midnight Sparkle?" 

"Yes. You must return to Equestria. Assemble a team to take with you." Fairy Rage instinctively answers. However, Spike shrugs it off. 

"I guess if you were here, Fairy Rage, You'd be telling me to chance it. Maybe not. I don't know..," Spike sighs in his tent. "I wish you provide me a definitive answer." 

"You must defeat Midnight Sparkle to end your nightmares! Do it!" 

"He can't hear you," Death appears next to Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage groans. "I'm used to giving my brother my second opinion. Whenever he needed someone to give him advice on certain things or events, I was there for him. It's hard being a spectator." 

"Get used to it. You'll be staying until the end of time," Death truthfully says harshly and painfully. 

Fairy Rage watches Spike sleep with his friends in the Traveler's Prime tent. He's watching Spike's body twitching and disturbingly reacting to a gruesome nightmare. Wendy, Erza, and Lucy try their hardest to wake Spike up from the horrifying nightmare. Fairy Rage couldn't help but frown since he couldn't help his brother wake up from the nightmare. 

"Damn, this sucks. However, I'm happy to see Spike stepping up to face his fears. Good luck in this battle, Spike." 

After a while, Fairy Rage watches Spike bringing an army of wizards into Equestria. However, he cannot follow due to a breach in barrier. Death appears and tells Fairy Rage that the dimensional plain does not exceed the reaches of another realm. One Death per universe.

Fairy Rage waited for many hours for Spike to return. He was glad to see Spike rejuvenated. Fairy Rage watches Spike resume his training with his friends for the week. Fairy Rage watches how close Spike and Wendy get until Sherria eats potato chips, ruining a moment of love. 

"Sherria." Fairy Rage watches Sherria entering her tent. "Did she hear me?" 

"Of course not, stupid," Death appears next to Fairy Rage. 

"How often are you going to pop out of nowhere?" 

"I can hear you across the planet when doing my work. I'm used to silence." 

"Get used to hearing my voice whenever I speak and somewhat interact despite no feedback!" Fairy Rage loses his temper. 

"Well, I'm off," Death leaves Fairy Rage's presence. Another body has dropped elsewhere. 

"Jackass." 

"I heard that." 

Fairy Rage rolls his eyes. Fairy Rage heads to the apartment; He overhears the conversation between Spike and Lucy about their yearly plans. Lucy wants to pursue her dreams as a writer, and Fairy Rage sees Spike encouraging Lucy to follow her passion. Fairy Rage watches Carla's demeanor change. 

"Does she miss me?" Fairy Rage walks up to Carla. Wendy and Spike go on their second date. 

"I miss you, Fairy Rage. I wish.., I can..," Carla groans a bit. "I wish you were here, still with us. I know what you did was noble. However," Carla sheds a tear. "I wish... I can tell you how much you mean to me." 

"Do you love me?" 

"As crazy as this sounds, I wanted you more in my life. You're nothing like the Tomcat that continues effortlessly to win my heart. You're protective, passionate, and not annoying or a nuisance. Always mindful of everything and ready to protect those you cherish. Every time I see your eyes glow orange, I know things are alright. I can never tell you how I feel without making a scene. Spike loves Wendy, and me talking to you out of love would put Spike and Wendy in a bad situation. I already ruined their first date. I refuse to ruin their relationship by how the peers view us. I'm hoping for us to be together as a couple. I guess I'll have to wait until I see you." 

Fairy Rage smiles wholeheartedly. He heard every detail Carla had to say. Even though Carla didn't hear his question, she gave him an answer. Fairy Rage hopes to reunite with Carla and someday tell her how he feels about her. 

A day later. Fairy Rage watches Spike the Fairy and; their friends take on the Seven Deadly Sins and a Leviathan. Death appears to take the soul of Bluto using his scythe. 

"Huh, that's it?" 

"Yes. Then, I extract the soul in a waiting line. The big guy determines where to put the soul. The process takes a few seconds, and the soul will go to Heaven or Hell. It depends on the person or creature." 

"Even a Leviathan?" Fairy Rage points to the Leviathan that lost its' life a few moments ago. 

"Even a Leviathan. All life has a place in the afterlife," Death takes the soul of the Leviathan with his scythe. "Well, I'm on my way." 

Fairy Rage follows Spike wherever he goes and would occasionally watch Carla. Then, Fairy Rage started following Death wherever he went. Since Fairy Rage knows he's going to remain with Death for eternity so might as well get on his good side than his bad. For many months Death has shared his wisdom and knowledge with Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage perceives Death's demeanor towards a member of Alvarez. A supposed God of Death, calling himself the Grim Reaper. Death is pissed off. 

"You're pissed, aren't you?" 

"I can tolerate when others proclaim to be a reaper or dress up like me. I hate when they acclaim to be me for taking souls to the underworld. When someone acclaims to be me, the quote-on-quote true Reaper of Death, I hate it." 

"What about when Spike portrayed as the Ice Reaper Dragon? Didn't that offend you?" 

"No. I find it cute. An Ice Reaper Dragon, very creative." 

"Okay, I get it. A reaper doesn't offend you. It's the reaper that does." 

"Erigor portrayed as a reaper. People like him get a pass." 

"You're weird." 

"I'm different. Nothing new." 

"Hey, what if I can get you that Bloodman guy? Would you allow me to enter the afterlife and be with Carla?" 

Death laughs. "Yea, and I'll allow you to summon me to claim Bloodman's soul." 

"Deal." Fairy Rage shakes Death's skeleton hand. Then a door opens in the realm. "What the Hell?" 

"It appears Neinhart has opened the gateway into this dimension plain." 

"How is that possible, Death?" 

"Neinhart's magic allows him to use the memory and takes the soul of the memory, giving it life. His magic is used preferably on souls from the afterlife. Since you never crossed the afterlife, this is your opportunity to return to the land of the living." 

"In other words, I'm being resurrected!" Fairy Rage gets excited. 

"Yes. The door will close and will never be open. You'll never come back since now I have to honor my word to you. As funny as our arrangement was, I must uphold any agreement made. I will find a way to bypass your soul into the afterlife. If you go out on your accord, I won't come for you. Farewell, my friend. May we never meet again in this place." 

"Farewell, Death." Fairy Rage enters the door. He's on his way to Hargeon.
> A New Day in Fairy Tail
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a new day in Magnolia. Spike, Wendy, Lucy, Carla, and Fairy Rage are heading to the guildhall. Many people in Magnolia are confused until Spike explains the whole situation. Now the people are thrilled to have two Fairy Dragons protecting their town. 

It's a beautiful day; The sun is shining at 10:30 in the morning. Everyone wonders what new adventure awaits. 

"I'll check the-"

"Morning Fairy Youth Squad!" Romeo approaches Spike, Fairy Rage, Carla, and Wendy. 

"Hey, Romeo. You look eager today," Spike said. 

"Yea! With the townspeople returning, the guild got jampacked and flooded with all sorts of jobs on the board!" Romeo holds a flier. 

"What you got there?" Carla takes a look at the flier. 

"Hmm, since you five will be going on a job, I'll tag along with Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Erza. Have fun," Lucy leaves the Fairy Youth Squad be. 

"Says here there's a hydra running loose," Carla finishes reading the flier. 

"Wait. First, we took on a Kraken. Then, you lot faced a Leviathan. Now, the job is asking us to fight a hydra?" 

"I know it's crazy, especially since you and Spike took down Acnologia. It should be interesting. Imagine you cut off one head, and two more take its place. That's something to look forward to, for all we know, this hydra running loose could be from a dark guild that praises hydras." 

"Hey, I'm down to fighting and stopping a hydra," Spike admits. 

"I'm going where you're going," Wendy holds Spike's claw. 

"I guess that settles it." Fairy Rage chuckles a bit. 

"I concur," Carla holds Rage's claw. She's in her humanoid cat form. 

In the background of the scenery, Happy is behind a pillar. He's fuming due to Carla holding Fairy Rage's claw. 

"Carla should be holding my paw! Not Rage's claw! I showed Carla appreciation and gave her gifts! I fell in love with Carla, and she chose Fairy Rage! WHY?!?" Happy lividly thought to himself. He doesn't wish to make scenery. "I have to find a way to get rid of Fairy Rage! He stole my love life!" Happy's emotions are making him think irrational. 

"Alright, I'll let Mirajane know, and we'll get going," Romeo takes the flier to Mirajane. 

"Carla, did the flier say where the hydra resides?" 

"Well, it's near the forests of Clover Town," Carla replies. 

"Hey," Wendy gets a little nervous. "Have you been to Clover Town before,  Spike?"

"I think I have. Honestly, I don't know or remember," Spike honestly said. 

"We may have to take the train to get there, Wendy." Fairy Rage said. 

"Can you head over to Popeye's for those motion relieve pills?" Wendy begs Spike. Ever since she joined the Dragon Slayer Motion Sickness Club, she detests public transportation. 

"I'll check on him. He should be back in Hargeon by now." 

"Thank you," Wendy smiles widely. 

Spike teleports to Hargeon using his fire breath. Fairy Rage decides to grab some grub for the way to Clover Town. Happy has decided to observe the Fairy Youth Squad from afar. He hopes that Fairy Rage doesn't pick up his whereabouts during the travel. 

Spike walks around in Hargeon. He sees the people finish rebuilding their town after the war. It's been a week since Spike and Fairy Rage defeated Acnologia after the war with the Alvarez Empire. 

"Ahoy, Spike," Popeye finishes eating his can of spinach. "Sorry that I missed out on all the fun." 

"It's alright, Popeye. Say, do you have motion relieve pills?" 

"Yea. I have a new shipment. Care to make a purchase?" 

"Yes. How much will it be?" Spike uses his fire breath to spawn his briefcase filled with Jewels. 

"A hundred grand for a crate. I'm in the process of recruiting new mates and will be training them." 

Spike pays Popeye the crate of motion relieve pills. "Thanks, Popeye." 

"Here's a bonus," Popeye gives Spike ten cans of spinach. "To help you grow strong." 

"Thanks," Spike waves bye to Popeye and uses his fire breath to teleport back to the guildhall. He's next to Lucy. Natsu and Gray are fighting each other. "Did I miss something?" 

"No," Lucy groans. "Natsu wanted to go on a job he picked, and Gray wanted to go on a job he picked. The two are settling to see which job to go on." 

"That's enough!" Erza shouts, scaring Natsu and Gray. They stop fighting on command. 

"Sorry, Ma'am!" Natsu and Gray say in unison, not wanting to upset Erza. 

"Hey, Spike. What you got there?" Erza looks down at Spike and notices the crate. 

"I have motion relieve pills. I purchased them from Popeye moments ago. I don't know how much is in here," Spike breaks the crate and sees dozens of motion relieve bottles scatter on the floor. "Wow. That's a lot." 

"No kidding." Fairy Rage picks up a bottle. "You have at least a good thirty or forty bottles to last a few months easily." 

"Thank you!" Wendy hugs Spike. 

"Hey, I can use these!" Natsu takes a few. 

"Give me some," Gajeel notices the bottles and takes them for himself. 

"So, I can ride in style?" Laxus takes a good portion. "So, how long does one pill lasts?" 

"48 hours, Laxus," Spike responds to Laxus' question. 

"Perfect," Laxus goes with the Thunder Legion on their job request. 

Spike takes the remaining bottles that are on the floor. He does a count. "Alright, a good ten bottles," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport nine of them to the apartment and holds onto one.

"I have food to go. I know you didn't feel like cooking today." 

"Thanks. Have you thought about cooking for yourself?" 

"I suck at that. I need time to practice. I am an emotion of you that now has a soul, but I'm not exactly like you, Spike. There are many things I still need to learn, especially the importance of eating and drinking. Even after a week, I still can't believe I'm walking and having my own body. I feel that I'm in a never-ending dream." 

"Well, I'm glad things turn out better," Carla smiles at Fairy Rage. "I sometimes wake up thinking what I saw was a dream. I still can't believe that you and Spike defeated Acnologia by combining his magic with yours." 

"I still can't believe we pulled that off. I avenged and fulfilled Zirconis' wish. I felt amazing. I can see my mom and uncle smiling down from the heavens, knowing that an Apocalyptic Dragon is no more," Spike said. He sighs in satisfaction. 

"Hey, are we ready to go?" Romeo asks. 

"Yea and I have spinach," Spike said. He puts the cans in bags for travel. 

"Also, are we going to invite Sherria? She is an honorary member," Romeo asks. 

"Yea, we'll stop by their guildhall to see if she can make it or not," Wendy said. She hopes that Sherria can make the trip. 

"Alright, let's get going!" Spike shouts. 

Spike, Wendy, Fairy Rage, Carla, and Romeo leave the guildhall. Spike advises Wendy to take the pill when they get on the train. After settling a dispute, Erza picks the job for her friends to embark on going forward. Happy drifts away, hoping that the others don't see his antics. 

Spike, Wendy, Fairy Rage, Carla, and Romeo hop on the train. It'll take an hour to get to Margaret Town. Happy decides to follow the train rather than ride it. Wendy takes her motion relief pill and feels a lot better. The train departs, and she feels no motion sickness. 

"Much better," Wendy leans on Spike's shoulders. 

"Good. I could have teleported us there, but I think we should enjoy the travel instead," Spike said. 

"I'm guessing flying is out of contention?" 

"Well, for now. I won't mind flying back home or teleporting. I feel that we should travel to our locations than teleporting back and forth. It soaks up the thrill of an adventure." 

"Fair enough." 

"I agree. I'm sure there could be fun places we haven't explored," Romeo said. "Also, dangers do lurk in every corner. We could beat up some muggers if they try to do something bad." 

"Agreed. It doesn't hurt to explore a bit more," Carla said. 

"Wherever Spike goes, I'm there," Wendy happily states. 

Romeo chuckles. "Even the bathroom when he needs to do his business?" 

"Dude!" Spike didn't like that statement. 

Romeo laughs. "Hey, Wendy said wherever you go, she's there." 

Spike rolls his eyes. As funny as the statement was, he tries not to laugh at it. 

"He got you there." 

Happy flies a mile away from the train, hoping that Fairy Rage doesn't sense his whereabouts. Happy imagines all sorts of lovey-dovey moments Carla and Fairy Rage could be doing on the train. Due to his imagining, Happy becomes agitated. 

Two hours later. The train arrives in Margaret Town. Spike, Wendy, Fairy Rage, Carla, and Romeo get off the train. Wendy and Carla lead the way to the Lamia Scale Guildhall.

"Hey, Romeo. Have you been to Margaret Town before?" Spike asks. 

"Nah. My dad and I trained hard by the seas and ran on the beaches. Though we've been on several jobs for Popeye." 

"Margaret Town is a lovely place. Much similar to Magnolia," Wendy said. 

"It feels nice coming back here. Wendy and I spent many months working with Lamia Scale," Carla said. Many people cheer for Wendy, hoping she'll sing for the next concert Lamia Scale will throw in a few months. 

"Here, I thought you'll spend the year with Spike," Romeo thought that was the case. 

"Well, I spent time with Spike for the first two and half months. We trained, worked hard, and had fun. It was after the Crocus Cook-Off that we went our separate ways. Honestly, even though Spike sent me many letters, I missed him wholeheartedly. It was one of the worst experiences I've gone through," Wendy sighs a bit. "Many nights without holding my Handsome Dragon. 

"I'm right here," Spike holds Wendy's hand. 

"I know," Wendy smiles. "I'm happy you're here. I don't know what I do without you." 

"Panic?" Spike answers. 

"I would say yes. However, I don't know, and I don't want to find out." 

"No Spike would mean no Fairy Rage," Romeo chuckles which causes Carla to gasp. 

"You okay, Carla?" Fairy Rage sees Carla's demeanor changing into sadness. 

"I had a crude thought about life without you and Spike in Fairy Tail. Can we please discuss something else," Carla tightens her grip on Fairy Rage's claw. 

"We're here, Carla," Wendy said. She and her friends have arrived at Lamia Scale's Guildhall. Wendy opens the door and enters the guildhall with her friends. 

"Wendy!" Sherria runs up to Wendy and hugs her. "I'm so happy you're here!" 

"Likewise, Sherria," Wendy returns the hug. 

Sherria gasps. "You're inviting me to go on a mission with the Fairy Youth Squad?" 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, Fairy Rage, and Romeo nod; They explain to Sherria that their job request is to take down a hydra in the forest region near Clover Town. Sherria gets excited. She tells Lyon she'll be back later tonight. 

"Hey, can we fly to Clover Town?" Sherria asks. She's excited to ride on either Spike or Fairy Rage. 

"Uh, how far is Clover Town from here, Sherria?" Spike asks. 

"By train, four hours. On foot, eight hours. Flight, I'm not sure," Sherria honestly expresses since she flew to Clover Town before. 

"Sure, why not. We took the train here, and the villagers are tired of waiting by now," Spike replies. He feels a bit guilty for taking the train to Margaret Town now that he thinks about it. "Spike wants!" Spike increases his size into a full dragon. Fairy Rage, Sherria, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla hop on Spike's back. "Direct me to Clover Town." 

"I'll do just that," Sherria said. She laughs. Her excitement and adrenaline get the better of her. 

Spike takes off. Sherria tells Spike to fly straight for forty minutes. Carla and Fairy Rage hold each other while enjoying the beautiful landscapes of Fiore. Wendy rubs Spike's back a little while Sherria continues to direct Spike based on her memory. 

Happy is not far from Spike's flight pattern. He has binoculars and grinds his teeth in anger. He sees Carla and Fairy Rage hold in an embrace. Unbeknown to Happy, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy are following his trail. Natsu wants to know why Happy has gone awol when they have a job to complete. 

Two hours later. Spike flies over Clover Town. Fairy Rage shoots his flare marking at Clover Town so when another job surfaces within the town, he and his team can teleport there. Fairy Rage does imagine going on several jobs without Spike. 

Spike lands in the forest region of Clover Town and reverts to size. Sherria enjoyed the winds hitting her while riding on Spike. She turns to Wendy, calling her lucky that she can hop on Spike whenever. 

"Whoa." Fairy Rage notices an enormous footprint on the ground. 

"Spike, that's not yours, is it?" Romeo turns to Spike. 

Spike lifts his foot. He only has three toes, while the footprint reveals to have five toes. 

"Well, since it's not Spike's foot, we have a tall order to defeat," Sherria said. 

"Agreed, let's get moving," Carla said. 

"After you." Fairy Rage allows Carla to walk ahead of him. 

"Why, thank you," Carla smiles. 

Happy is behind a tree, breaking a small tree branch in anger. 

"Did you guys hear that?" Romeo turns around to the sound of a tree branch breaking. 

"I heard it. However, I'm not sensing any magic power," Wendy said. 

"I don't feel a disturbance around us. We need to follow the tracks of the hydra." 

A loud screeching roar echoes in the forest; Many trees are getting knocked down. Spike, Wendy, Sherria, Carla, Fairy Rage, and Romeo follow the sounds of the screeching roar. Happy sighs in relief for nearly blowing his cover. 

The screecher roars get louder while Fairy Youth Squad follows its trail. Spike and Fairy Rage shove their friends to the ground when a large tail sways, nearly colliding with them. 

Everyone looks up at the hydra that's running amuck. It has six heads, purplish-black eyes, razor-sharp teeth, purplish-black thick scales, three legs, and six pentagrams on the forehead. The hydra is tall, like Spike's half-dragon size. 

"What's with those pentagrams?" Sherria questions a bit. He's confused as to why a hydra has pentagrams on its foreheads. 

"It appears a guild did summon it. Good call, Romeo." 

"I'm shocked, and it wasn't a theory from Spike. Now I know how the others feel when you're right about something disturbing." 

"Six heads, and there's six of us. We need to keep this creature at bay." 

"Wow, that's scary." Happy thought to himself. He sees the hydra first-hand. 

The hydra turns to see its prey. It conjures and releases a fury of lightning flares at the Fairy Youth Squad. Spike and Fairy Rage cross their arms, creating Sparkling Metallic Shields to repel the attack. 

"Damn, this thing is tougher than it looks!" Spike admits. He and Fairy Rage gets pushed back a bit from the onslaught. 

"Don't just stand there! Attack it!" 

"Right! Sorry!" Wendy, Carla, Romeo, and Sherria spring into action. 

Spike and Fairy Rage nod; they throw their shields at the hydras' heads. While Fairy Youth Squad brings the fight to the hydra, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Erza arrive. 

"Happy!" Natsu looks up to see Happy on top of a tree branch, gazing north. 

"Natsu? What are you guys doing here?" Happy asks his friends. His heart pounds rapidly now that he's exposed. 

"You took off and had us worried! We were wondering why you took off without saying anything."

The loud screeching of the hydra's roars scares the crap out of Lucy. "What was that?" 

"I don't know what, but it's dead meat!" Natsu rushes in the direction. 

"Hey! Don't leave us hanging!" Gray follows Natsu. 

Natsu stops running when he sees the hydra. "Fire Dragon Rooooooooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his fire breath attack without giving it much thought. 

Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Happy catch up to Natsu after seeing him roast the hydra; Not only did he defeat the hydra in one blow, Spike, Fairy Rage, Carla, Wendy, Sherria, and Romeo got scorched in the process. They're pissed at Natsu for following them. 

"Whoops," Natsu sweats a bit, not thinking or realizing what he just pulled. 

"Are you serious?! Why did you follow us?!" Romeo irately asks. He demands to have answers. While fighting the hydra, Romeo figured out its weakness. The stomach of the hydra, and now he won't know for sure since Natsu took it out. 

"Uh, why are you here?" Spike is curious why Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Gray, and Erza are here. He doesn't mind seeing them but finds it strange for them to be the stalkerish type. 

"I need a bath," Carla said. She smells like a burnt cat. 

"Please explain as to why you followed us." 

"Oh well, you see, Happy was nowhere in sight. I followed Happy, and he led us here," Natsu slightly chuckles. 

"Honestly, we weren't stalking you if that's what you were thinking," Lucy said. "Natsu mentioned Happy's sudden disappearance." 

"No joke. When Natsu takes off, I knew it was serious," Gray said. He's in his underwear. 

"Forgive us for our intrusion. It was never our objective for such a thing," Erza apologetically says. 

Fairy Youth Squad sighs in defeat. They were hoping to celebrate a joyous achievement. With the hydra defeated and the pentagrams disappearing from its foreheads, all they can do now is collect the reward. Carla has suspicions that Happy was stalking her for unknown reasons. She is trying to come up with a possible conclusion, but her burnt scent is throwing her off. Natsu apologize for his reckless action when he got excited seeing the hydra. 

A few hours later. Sherria is back in the Lamia Scale Guildhall. Spike, Wendy, Carla, Fairy Rage, Romeo, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gray, and Lucy are back in the guildhall. It was an awkward silence during the trip back. Happy tries to avoid Carla's glare during the time; his jealousy has got him today. 

"Hey, Fairy Youth Squad," Master Makarov is drinking his mug of beer. "How was your mission?" 

"Fine until Happy led Natsu to ruin our job request," Romeo bitterly said. 

"We got scorched in the process thanks to Natsu," Wendy said. "It was painful." 

"I'm going to the bathhouse," Carla said. She's still in her humanoid cat form. 

"That's where we're going," Romeo and Spike said. 

"Likewise." 

Fairy Youth Squad leaves the guildhall. They sound upset but try to shrug it off. They claim that their next mission will go smoothly. 

"Natsu! Happy!" Master Makarov shouts to get their attention. Natsu and Happy approaches Master Makarov. "What in heaven's name made you two interfere with Fairy youth Squad's mission?" 

"Happy took off without warning, and I had to pursue him, Master! I thought something might have happened to Happy!" Natsu exclaims, making his case. 

"I..," Happy gulps. He doesn't want to admit he was jealous of Fairy Rage's relationship with Carla. "I wanted to see what the hydra looks like; Then I saw it with my own two eyes and heard its screeching. It was amazing, Master. However, I didn't foresee Natsu coming into the fray in terms of searching for me and taking down the hydra with one attack," It's not often for Happy to lie, but he doesn't want to admit his jealousy. 

Master Makarov sighs heavily. "I see. Well, it's not best to spy on your friends and make rash-decision-making. I hope you two learn that lesson. Also, let the kids grow when they go on their missions, okay?" 

"Yes, Master," Natsu and Happy comply with Makarov's wishes. Happy sighs in relief due to Makarov believing in his lie. 

At the bathhouse, Spike, Fairy Rage, and Romeo are in the men's while Carla and Wendy are in the women's. Laxus, Freed, and Bickslow enter. 

"Sup, guys," Bickslow greets his friends. He steps into the hot waters. 

"Hey," Romeo and Spike reply. 

"How did your day go?"

"Not bad. Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and I took out a guild that summoned a hydra. Though, we didn't get the opportunity to defeat it." 

"Huh, funny thing you mentioned that," Romeo slightly chuckles. "Spike, Fairy Rage, Wendy, Carla, Sherria, and I fought the hydra. It had pentagrams on each of the six foreheads." 

"For real?" Freed wonders where the hydra went off too. "Where did you find it?" He steps into the hot waters. 

"The forests near Clover Town." 

"So, you guys took it out no problem?" Laxus gets in the hot waters. 

"Not exactly, you see," Spike explains to the Thunder Legion that Happy followed Fairy Youth Squad earlier, which resulted in Natsu following Happy and taking out the hydra with no regard. Natsu didn't think about the FairyYouth Squad right there and then. 

"What an idiot," Gajeel overhears the story. He came back from a job with Levy and Panther Lily. 

"Sounds to me that Happy got a bit curious about seeing a hydra. Judging from the stories about seeing the Kraken and seeing the Leviathan first-hand, Happy wanted to see the hydra," Panther Lily steps in the hot waters. "Now, this is refreshing, Gajeel." 

"Told you," Gajeel steps into the hot waters. "Serious, want me to pound Natsu for what he's done?" 

"Leave that to me. I haven't used my winnings from the Grand Magic Games ordeal. I get to boss Natsu around for an entire day. I'll make his day feel like hell for the stunt he pulled." 

"Thanks, Laxus. Now that I'll gladly watch while eating some popcorn," Romeo said. 

"Speaking of winnings, I haven't used my day to boss Wendy around yet," Spike is devising some plans. He couldn't help but smirk at all the possibilities. 

"So, that's what happened?" Levy and Evergreen ask while being with Wendy and Carla in the waters upstairs of the bathhouse.

"Honestly, I want to say that Happy's suspicions of wanting to see the hydra got the better of him. He didn't get to see the Kraken, and he missed out on seeing the Leviathan," Carla said. She's washing her hair. 

"We got scorched in the process thanks to Natsu's quick thinking. He sprung into action without taking note of us fighting the hydra. Also, Romeo figured a weak point of the hydra but never got to explore it," Wendy said. "Romeo and Sherria were more upset than Spike and me." 

"I wanted to claw Happy's eyes out for leading Natsu to us," Carla admits. 

"How did Fairy Rage take it?" Levy asks. 

"He was upset. Mad at himself for not sensing Natsu and Happy. One of the key factors Fairy Rage used to have is awareness. Now that he no longer resides in Spike's body, Fairy Rage's sharpness is not up to par. He's trying to get himself with his awareness prowess," Carla explains. 

"Hmm, that makes sense. Considering Spike was more powerful with Fairy Rage within in," Evergreen said. She remembers how quickly Fairy Rage can sense magic manipulations. Now, Fairy Rage is a step behind in that category. 

"So, what are you planning to do next?" Levy asks Carla and Wendy. 

"Hopefully, have a better attempt on another job with the Fairy Youth Squad or go one a simple job with Spike and Fairy Rage," Wendy replies. 

"Like a double date?" Cana laughs a bit. She enters and heard the whole story of what happened. 

"Double date?" Wendy and Carla put some thought into it.
> Double Date
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Fairy Rage walk back to the apartment after having a long bath at the bathhouse. 

"Man, I wish I could have enjoyed those waters with Carla." 

"Master Makarov's ruling or else face a penalty. Makarov has a sick mind for his punishment game," Spike reminds Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage groans in defeat. "Still, there's so much I can't wait to experience with Carla." 

Spike and Fairy Rage enter the apartment. They enter the room to see Lucy writing her novel. She apologizes for not knowing that Happy led her and her friends into interrupting Fairy Youth Squad's mission. Spike and Fairy Rage accept her apology. Fairy Rage informs Lucy that he doesn't have the long-distance awareness he once had within Spike. That is why he had no idea of Natsu's intrusion. 

"Wait a minute," Lucy does a doubletake from hearing Fairy Rage's statement. "You don't have the awareness you once had no more?" 

"I do have some awareness. However, it's in half. Other perks of mine have reduced since having a body of my own. It'll take me some time to readjust myself. I am as strong as Spike, but now I have more flaws to fix than before." 

"That sucks," Lucy now imagines possibilities that could hinder many jobs or fights. 

"Yea, well, I'm not complaining about it. What sucks was that Happy led Natsu, and I didn't sense it." 

"Did you buy into Happy's excuse, Fairy Rage?" Spike asks. 

"Well, you know the saying. Curiosity kills the cat." 

"Agreed," Spike and Lucy said. 

Spike, Fairy Rage, and Lucy talk about recent events and are looking for what the next day brings. It's 9:00 in the morning. Spike wakes up and sees Fairy Rage reading a magic book. 

"Lucy took off on a job request with Erza, Irene, and Team Shadow Gear. Irene wanted to say hi, but you were asleep. She asked me to pass you the message." 

"I'll have to reply to her later," Spike gets out of bed and fixes it. "You ate?" 

"Not hungry. My appetite is different." Fairy Rage continues to read the magic book. 

"Are you saying that cause you don't know how to cook?" Spike teases Fairy Rage a bit. 

"I admit that I can't cook, but I'm telling you I'm not hungry." 

Spike laughs a bit. "There are fruits and sandwiches in the fridge, dude," Spike grabs a bagel and adds butter on the bagel. He uses his fire breath to melt the butter. 

"So, you staying home today, going on another job, or what?" Fairy Rage turns to Spike. 

"I don't know yet," Spikes starts eating his bagel. "Maybe spend the day with Wendy. I owe her a day after fighting Acnologia," Spike smiles, thinking about the possibilities to do with Wendy today while eating his bagel. 

"Whenever a brutal battle or war comes, she wants a day to be with you. I heard that statement many times on such occasions." 

"To be fair, we work a lot. During the past year, we did spend time together. We were also training. Then for nearly ten months, we've gone our separate ways."

"I know. I had the privilege to watch your progress and every other Fairy Tail Wizard." 

"You mean Carla," Spike smirks. 

Fairy Rage blushes a bit but hides it from Spike. "I did watch her during my time with Death. The one thing that sucked was that I couldn't talk to you or her. I couldn't talk or do anything while being with Death. It sucked being a spectator." 

"I'm happy for you, Rage. You and Carla make a great couple." 

"So do you and Wendy. I've seen it, the memories, and well, hearing your thoughts about her." 

"Thank you for not exploiting it." 

"Yet." Fairy Rage laughs a bit. 

"Please don't," Spike doesn't want Wendy to know his graphic thoughts. 

"Just messing with you. However, I inquire that you teach me how to cook from time to time." 

"Alright. At noon, I'll teach you how to cook." 

"Thanks." 

Spike and Fairy Rage hear the door knocking. Spike answers the door, and his jaw drops. Fairy Rage comes by and does the same. 

"Hello, boys," Wendy and Carla giggle at their lovers' reactions. 

Carla is in her humanoid cat form. She's wearing a shimmering golden dress that sparkles, black tights, and black heels. Carla is also wearing a gold heartshaped-neckless. Wendy is wearing a shimmering silver dress that sparkles, black tights, and silver heels. She also has silver bows on her pigtail hair. 

"Wow," Spike said in awe and amazement. 

"Gorgeous." That is all Fairy Rage can say. 

"Wanna go on a double date?" Wendy and Carla seductively say while winking at their lovers. 

Spike and Fairy Rage's wings flap. That means it's a yes. Wendy and Carla laugh a little, grab their lovers' claws, and leave the apartment. A certain blue exceed is hovering from a rooftop and has binoculars. He's boiling red while watching Carla in an elegant, beautiful dress holding Fairy Rage's claw. 

"That's my woman, you stealer!" Happy lividly thought to himself. He has decided to keep watch until Fairy Rage screws up or devises a plan to make him screw up his relationship. "She looks too good in that dress, and she's with the wrong guy!" Happy screams internally and keeps a distance away. 

Wendy and Carla take Spike and Fairy Rage to South Gate Park to have a stroll around. Happy is hovering above a building two blocks away from the viewpoint. Fairy Rage and Spike couldn't keep their eyes off Carla and Wendy. 

"So." Fairy Rage loses his train of thought. He has never experienced going on a date and knows how to handle the situation. "You look beautiful, Carla." 

"Thank you," Carla smiles. 

"You look as gorgeous as ever, Wendy," Spike compliments. 

"Thanks, Spike. You'll always be as handsome as ever," Wendy smiles. 

"So, what are the plans for the double date?" 

"You'll see," Carla teases Fairy Rage a bit. Fairy Rage blushes a bit from Carla's seductive tone. 

Happy from afar is clutching tightly to the binoculars. The way Carla expresses herself to Fairy Rage is getting the better of him again. "Why can't that be me instead of him?! WHY!?!"

Spike, Fairy Rage, Wendy, and Carla walk around South Gate Park for an hour, talking and enjoying each other's company. Wendy and Carla bring Spike and Fairy Rage to a different restaurant in Magnolia. They wanted to avoid going to 8-Island in case of another mishap interrupts their date. Carla and Fairy Rage comply with the arrangement. Carla remembers what Team Shadow Gear had done while Fairy Rage mentions every detail that happened like it was yesterday. A waiter takes the four to their table and gives them their menus. 

Happy decides to get something to eat and sees Carla in the restaurant. He goes in and sees a table next to Carla and Fairy Rage. He asks the waiter and hopes that table is vacant. Indeed it is. The waiter takes Happy to the table. 

"Hi, Carla!" Happy pretends he doesn't notice her being in the restaurant. He hopes she believes in his little white lie. 

"Happy? What are you doing here?" Carla is perplexed. 

"Why aren't you with Natsu?" Wendy asks. 

"Natsu is busy with Laxus for some reason," Happy lies. However, Spike and Fairy Rage believe in his lie. 

"Hmm, I guess Laxus pulled the trigger after all." 

"What do you mean?" Carla turns to Fairy Rage. 

"Laxus has decided to invoke his winning from the Grand Magic Games. To boss Natsu around for an entire day," Spike explains. Wendy gasps a bit. She remembers Spike hasn't invoked his winning. 

"Thank you, Laxus. I can get away with this!" "So, with that said, I'm just lonely, and well, I needed to keep my mind occupied with something. Gray and the others are working, and I'm a little lonesome. Can I hang out with you?" Happy does the puppy's eyes in hopes of making Wendy and Carla submit to his cries. 

"No." Fairy Rage rudely replies 

"Huh?" Happy is surprised by the attitude of Fairy Rage. His plan is working. 

"Rage, are you okay?" Carla asks Fairy Rage. It's not likely for him to rudely respond to Happy. 

"Don't you find it coincidental that Happy is here? Yesterday, he led Natsu and scorched us along with the hydra. Now, he's here alone?" 

"You do make a valid point. However, there are moments in life when friends do meet up at unexpected times," Spike explains. Happy is glad that Spike is not noticing his unprecedented timing. 

"Well, considering that Happy did lead Natsu yesterday.., I'm not sure," Wendy sighs a little. She doesn't know what to do. 

"Please?" Happy asks again. 

"It's up to you, Rage," Carla said. She now has suspicions that Happy is indeed up to something. 

"No, Happy. We're on a double date." Fairy Rage calmly replies. He knows Happy is up to something. 

"Fine," Happy relents. "I guess I'll go elsewhere.., and.., and..," Happy's emotions cause a scene in the restaurant. Many people are looking at the commotion. 

"Fine. Eat with us." "What a freaking baby." 

"Thank you!" Happy's demeanor changes real quick. He grabs a chair and sits next to Carla and Wendy. 

Carla sees that Fairy Rage is upset but is hiding it. She still has her ace up her sleeve. Happy is happy and orders a salmon breakfast fish. The double date becomes awkward with Happy in the midst. Instead of lovey-dovey talks, the conversations turn into reflecting on previous adventures. 

After a half-hour since Spike and Fairy Rage didn't feel like eating, Happy decides to part ways and claims to find Natsu not busy with Laxus. In truth, Happy resumes spying on them again. 

"Man, that was awkward," Spike admits. 

"He's a troll. Happy is up to something. I just know it." Fairy Rage is irate. What's supposed to be his first date with his beloved has turned awry with Happy involving himself. 

"Don't worry. I know how to," Carla rubs Fairy Rage's cheeks. "Make you feel all better. Follow me," Carla grabs Fairy Rage's claw. 

Spike and Wendy follow Carla and Fairy Rage to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. Happy flies over to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree and devises another scheme. He sees the Forest Vulcans nearby and flies in their direction. 

Fairy Rage feels the tree for himself. He always imagined dancing with Carla in front of the tree. Hoping that it'll recreate a scene like the night Spike and Wendy danced in front of it. 

"Shall we dance, my Marvelous Wendy?" Spike holds Wendy's hand. 

"I thought you'll never ask," Wendy smiles and starts ballroom dancing with Spike. 

Fairy Rage turns to see Carla offer her hand. His heart pounds rapidly. 

"Care to dance with me?" Carla smiles. She waits patiently for Fairy Rage to accept. 

"I-I-I never danced before." Fairy Rage is nervous. He doesn't know the first thing about dancing. 

"Trust me," Carla grabs Fairy Rage's claw and pulls him close to her. "Follow my lead." 

Fairy Rage is about to touch Carla's hip for the ballroom dance when the cries of Happy echo around everyone. Happy flies and crashes into Carla, crying. 

"Happy, what's wrong?" Carla sees that Happy has some bruising. 

Angry forest Vulcans storm into the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree park. They want a piece of Happy. 

"Are you serious?!" Fairy Rage is pissed. 

"Fairy Sky Dragon, Whirlwind Barrage!" Spike and Wendy press their hands forward for a unison raid attack. Sparkling Green Energy and Sky Dragon Winds circulate, creating a tornado that blows away the forest Vulcans. 

"Well, they're taken care of," Spike said. 

"Happy. What happened?" Wendy comes over to heal Happy. 

"I thought I heard Natsu in the East Forest. I wanted to surprise him by tackling him, and that's when I realized I ticked off the Vulcans! They tried to beat me up and eat me!" Happy cries while Wendy heals him. 

Carla soothes Happy while Wendy continues to heal him. Carla sees that Fairy Rage believes Happy is trying to interrupt their date. Two events caused by Happy are a coincidence. Still, any member of Fairy Tail in need is a priority. Fairy Rage flaps his wings. "Where are you going?"

"Medical supplies in case Happy needs more assistance." Fairy Rage lies and flies towards the guildhall. 

"Carla is soothing me and stroking my head while Wendy heals me! This feels great. I need to plan this again down the road." 

Fairy Rage lands in front of the guildhall and enters. He sees Laxus and flies up to him. "Hey, Laxus. Got a minute?" 

"What's up, Rage?" Laxus drinks his mug of beer. 

"Were you bossing Natsu today?" 

"Natsu took off with Gray and Warren on a different mission. I overheard that Happy decided to go on a solo mission. He called it an espionage mission of some sort." 

"Espionage?" Fairy Rage pictures himself with his left eye twitching. He doesn't want to show that he's beyond pissed. 

"It's what I heard. Honestly, it's a load of crap. I don't know what the blue cat is doing." 

Fairy Rage takes a deep breath. "You know when Natsu will be back?" 

"No. Why not teleport to Natsu?" Laxus asks Rage. 

"My magic is a bit different from Spike. Spike is busy today with Wendy." 

"Young love, I supposed. Well, see you later," Laxus goes back to his drinking. 

"See you around." Fairy Rage calmly flies out of the guildhall. His eyes flare in anger. 

Spike, Wendy, and Carla are back at the apartment. Happy still has some bruising on his face. Wendy's healing magic didn't fix him entirely, and she's perplexed about her magic. 

"I don't understand. Why is my Sky Magic failing me? I can easily heal any wound," Wendy is upset that Happy still has bruises on his body. 

"I guess your healing magic is deteriorating, and we need to be more cautious," Spike said. 

"How are you feeling, Happy?" Carla asks Happy. 

"A little better," Happy replies. "I still ache from the beating." 

Wendy grabs Spike and takes him to a different room in the apartment. "I'm sorry that the double date didn't go as planned. Carla and I had everything thought out." 

"It's alright. I guess things in life don't turn out the way we expect. I  guess Rage must endure an awkward first date like you and I had." 

"We enjoyed our time for most of it before Carla interrupted the cuddling. This. It's a whole another level." 

"I know. I'm grateful for the thought you and Carla had. Perhaps another day will be perfect." 

Fairy Rage comes into the apartment after finding out they were not by the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. Happy see Fairy Rage and gulps a little. He starts to sweat. 

"Rage, are you okay?" Carla asks Rage. She sees Fairy Rage's eyes flaring. 

"I will be. When I have five minutes with Happy." Fairy Rage's claws ignite in orange-black flames. 

"AH!" Happy flinches from Fairy Rage's outburst. Spike and Wendy come over to see Fairy Rage pissed off. 

"What's wrong, Rage?" Spike asks his brother. 

"This little troll lied and ruined our date!" Fairy Rage yells. It's not often for him to lose his cool. 

"WHAT?!" Spike, Wendy, and Carla shout in shock. They turn to Happy. 

"Happy, is this true?" Carla looks into the eyes of Happy. 

"He lied about Laxus bossing Natsu around and the Vulcans beating him up. The only reason why they chased him was that Happy called them names. The bruises are probably not real but painted. Camouflage to make it real." 

Wendy gasps. She had doubted her magic capabilities. "Happy, is that true?" 

Happy is silent and sees the window open. "Later!" Happy spreads his wings and takes off. 

"GRAAAAAH!" Fairy Rage shoots his orange-black flames at Happy. It hits Happy's rear end as he flies out the window. 

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" Happy screams and falls to the ground. He rolls into the water route in front of the apartment to cool off the fire. 

Fairy Rage angrily pants. His anger did get the better of him. "Sorry, you had to see me like that. 

"Rage?" Carla walks up to him. She's worried about him. 

"It's best that you and Wendy go. I am in no mood to do anything." 

"Are you-" Fairy Rage cuts Carla's speech. 

"I wish to be alone. I'm not in the mood or can think straight after what I pulled." Fairy Rage sighs and lays on Spike's bed. He goes to sleep early. 

Carla looks down. Wendy tells Spike she'll comfort Carla and will plan another double date in the future. Spike tells Wendy he'll see her in a few days. 

Hours later. It's 7:30 at night. Happy is walking in the streets of Magnolia, trying to wait for the right time to return to the guildhall, knowing that Wendy and Carla are probably there. Happy doesn't have what it takes to confront anyone in the guildhall about questioning his actions. He doesn't want to get an earful from Lucy and Erza. 

"I'm so freaking dead. I'm so freaking dead. How can I explain my actions without revealing the truth about Fairy Rage stealing my love life." Happy sadly thought to himself. He knows what's coming and wants to avoid it.  

Happy walks into a dark alley when he sees a man smiling widely, praising a hallelujah. "Excuse me, what are you so happy about?" 

The man looks down at Happy. "I met someone who'll fulfill my heart's desire. Someone who'll eradicate the person in the way from stealing my beloved!" 

The revelation from the man entices Happy. "Please explain what you mean by eradicating?" 

"Well, in simpler terms, the guy will make sure someone you want to disappear, like being erased and not affecting the timestream much. My friend won't be stealing my bride! Yahooo!" The man walks off. He praises a hallelujah now that no one is standing between his love life. 

Happy decides to follow where the man walked. Down the street, the lights got dimmer and dimmer. Buildings look distorted and rundown. Happy sees a  building with flickering lights and white fog shrouding it. Happy feels disturbed about entering the building and starts having second thoughts. He could face his punishment like a man or eliminate Fairy Rage and have Carla all to himself. The way the man was speaking about erasing someone from time sounds too good to be true. Happy takes a deep breath and enters. 

"Who enters my domain?" 

Happy hears a sinister voice trickling down his spine. He gets instant goosebumps. The presence feels demonic. "My name is Happy." 

"Happy?" A set of glowing purple eyes flashes in the white fog, staring at Happy. "What brings you here?" 

"I.., uh..," Happy gulps a bit. "I heard a rumor about you erasing people." 

The glowing purple eyes circulate Happy's position. "A Fairy Tail Wizard seeking my services? Why do you inquire about my services? Surely Fairy Tail is up for any task with any amount of Jewels." 

Happy takes a deep breath. "Will you help me?" 

"Of course, I'll help. What is your desire?" The voice speaks professionally despite sounding demonic. 

"There's someone in the guild that wants to kill me and steal my lady." 

"Who? I require specifics on my next target. To ensure I don't target the wrong wizard. After all, targeting the wrong target is bad for business."

"He goes by the name Fairy Rage. He attacked me earlier while I was with Carla," Happy shuts his eyes. He hopes that deceiving the demonic figure will give him the chance to be with Carla. 

"Is that so? Well, no matter. I do not care about the cause of the issue. I care about eliminating my next target."

"So, that means..?" Happy looks at the pair of eyes, ascending. 

"Yes, I accept your request. By tomorrow, the world will change. Fairy Rage will be no more. You'll have your beloved, and she'll never love the one known as Fairy Rage." 

"Thank you!" Happy becomes excited. "Oh, and what is your name? You know mine, so it's fair I should know yours." 

"Tergeri. Now. Before I set forth, do you wish to withdraw your request?" 

"WHAT?!" Happy panics. "Why would I do that?!" Happy doesn't want his secret getting exposed. He knows it'll get him expelled from Fairy Tail. 

"Well, not everyone is willing to have someone erased due to their selfishness. People and creatures have thought over their decisions and withdrew their requests. That is why I am asking you. When I complete my task, the world changes, and everything is set anew depending on the importance of the target's influence. Once I completed it, there's only one way to break the seal. Out of the darkness, the light shines." 

Happy is confused about the riddle Tergeri said. Out of the darkness, the light shines. "What do you mean by that?" 

"You can't be that stupid, can you?" Tergeri looks at Happy. 

"Uuuuuuuuuuh..." Happy is having a brain fart. 

"Typical." "What you do in the dark comes to light." 

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuh..." Happy is still confused. 

"Okay. You still want me to go through?" Tergeri asks. 

"YES!" Happy shouts. He doesn't want his secret to get exposed due to his jealousy. 

"Very well. By tomorrow, the world will change, and you'll have Carla to yourself. Enjoy your new life." 

Happy leaves the building feeling happy. He feels like the man that was praising a hallelujah. No worries for him, and he'll have Carla to himself. Happy decides to wear a tuxedo and give Carla a gorgeous gift, one she'll say yes to being his girlfriend. Then, it'll be her and Carla while Spike continues his relationship with Wendy. Nothing can go wrong from here.
> Happy's Request?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy heads over to his home where Natsu should be, expecting a not-so-smart conversation about love since he knows Natsu doesn't have a love interest. He can't wait to embrace the new world of tomorrow. 

"Natsu, how was your day!" Happy shouts, entering his home. He doesn't see Natsu. "Natsu?" He looks around and doesn't see Natsu anywhere. "He must be at Lucy and Spike's apartment. Aw man, Spike could be revealing my lies to them!" Happy panics. "Wait, I know!" Happy finds a club. "I'll whack myself on the head and give myself amnesia. Then, when the questions come, I won't remember what happened!" Happy goes to his bed and whacks himself on the head. By the time he wakes up, he won't remember the lies he made. 

The next day. It's a bright, shiny day in Magnolia. It's 9:45 in the morning. Happy wakes up and notices that the house got ransacked. 

"AAAAAH!" Happy screams. "I can't believe it! We've been robbed in our sleep! Natsu!" Happy frantically calls for Natsu. "Natsu!" Happy searches around the house in search of Natsu. "Wait a minute," Happy sees dust on the floors, plates shattered, and roots from trees sticking out. "What is happening?" A funny thought comes to Happy. "Of course, It's Warrod's doing. That guy knows how to bring comedy with his plant magic." 

Happy decides to leave the house. Outside of his home, the grass is withered, the walls of his home have mold, and there are dead wingfish everywhere. 

"Yuck!" Happy covers his nose. "They smell worse than taste!" The odor gets to Happy, causing him to vomit on the grass. "Oh.., I'm sure Natsu won't mind cleaning that up." 

Happy jumps as usual to activate his flight magic. Instead, he falls flat on his face. "Ow!" He gets up and rubs his cheek. "What's up with my magic?" Happy gasps and remembers why he can't fly. "Rage," He balls his fists. "Rage must have neutralized my flight magic with his flames!" 

With no other choice, Happy runs to the guildhall. Happy hopes to see if anyone can help regain his flight magic from Fairy Rage's spell. Ten minutes later. Happy arrives in the streets of Magnolia to see it mainly annihilated. 

"What the?!" Housings and many buildings are ruined. The Kardia Cathedral has many windows broken and smokes coming out of the rooftops. There's much white marble statued debris all over the streets of Magnolia, people outside using metal barrels to keep warm. "What did I miss?" Happy runs into the streets of Magnolia. 

Many people and their remaining families are suffering. Some kids are crying for food. The misery from many people gets the better of Happy, and he wants to know why Fairy Tail isn't helping out. Happy runs to the guildhall, only to see it as a crater. 

"Not again?!" Happy grabs the back of his head. He looks around in search of any of his friends. "Where are they?!" Happy becomes frustrated. An idea comes to his mind. One that is dreaded and makes him sweat. "Aw, man. I have no choice but to seek Spike and Fairy Rage." 

Happy runs to Lucy and Spike's apartment. The apartment is in shambles. Without giving much thought, Happy runs inside and goes straight into Lucy and Spike's apartment. He opens the door to see the room covered in dust. Spike's bed is missing. "Lucy! Natsu!" Happy doesn't want to say Spike and Fairy Rage's names. He hopes they're somewhere trying to fix maybe.., Crocus.  

Happy doesn't hear anyone and leaves. Fear succumbs to his mind, and he doesn't know who or where to turn. "The Fairy Hills Dorm!" Happy hopes at some miracle, the dorm still stands, and there are Fairy Tail Wizards. 

Happy runs to the Fairy Hills Dorm. He gets tired and hungry from exerting a lot of energy into running and should be walking. Happy continues to push himself. It turns out on foot; it's a forty-five-minute run to the dorm. Happy arrives and sees the building burnt but still standing.  

"What a relief," Happy sighs in relief and enters. This is Happy's first time in the dorm. He walks up the stairs. "Hello! Anyone here?!" Happy hears the door opening. Two Fairy Tail Wizards and- "Carla!" Happy runs up to Carla. 

"Happy.., you're alive!" Carla is not in her humanoid cat form. She's in her exceed form wearing a dress. She runs and hugs him. 

"Happy?" Wendy comes out of the room. She's wearing a black jean jacket and blue torn jeans. Her blue hair is short, and no longer has pigtail extensions. 

"I can't believe it!" Erza is in tears. She's wearing her armor, but it's dented and old. Erza's red hair is shorter. 

Happy returns the hug. "What happened to the guildhall? What happened to Magnolia?" 

"You don't remember?" Carla asks. She's puzzled as to why Happy is behaving the way he is. 

"Remember what?" Happy is confused. He turns to Wendy and Erza. "What happened in Magnolia? Why is it desolate? Where's Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Gajeel, and the others?" 

Erza and Wendy look at each other with sad expressions. They sigh sadly. 

"Have you forgotten what happened, Happy?" Carla steps back a bit, knowing Happy will not like the outcome. 

"Please! Tell me! What happened to our guild! What happened to Magnolia!" Happy shouts. He wants answers.  

"Happy, the war with Tartaros ended over a year ago. We lost," Carla answers one of Happy's questions. 

"What?!" Happy steps back a bit. "No.., no, no, no, no, no, no, no," Happy shakes his head. "That's not possible. We defeated them. I remembered that battle!" 

"We fought Tartaros, and we lost, Happy. They succeeded in rendering Earth Land's magic power useless entirely," Wendy sits down. The memories come back to haunt her. "We couldn't beat them!"  

"Then, Tartaros are the new rulers of Earth Land now?" Happy asks Erza. 

"Not exactly. Demons of Tartaros are bound to Zeref, the Faces self-destructed. Zeref lost all of his magic. Without Zeref's magic, they ceased to exist." 

Happy's jaw drops, and he covers his face. "They brought calamity on themselves..." Another thought comes to Happy. "What happened to Acnologia?" 

"When the Faces self-destructed, Acnologia lost his magic and Dragon Slaying Abilities. He fell to his demise for being high in the sky," Erza answers. "I remembered like it was yesterday. Many of our friends died." 

"What about Spike? Did he die?" Happy asks, knowing it's a painful question to ask. 

"Who?" Erza, Wendy, and Carla counter Happy's question. 

"Spike. You know, the Legendary Fairy Dragon? Spike the Fairy?" Happy see the confused looks on Erza, Carla, and Wendy's faces. 

"We have no idea who you are talking about, Happy," Carla said. 

"Who is this Spike you speak of?" Erza asks Happy. 

"Fairy Dragon? Spike the Fairy? Doesn't ring any bells," Wendy said. 

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Happy is in shock. He believes it's some sort of prank. "Erza! You and Spike created a brother-sister-type bond days after he arrived in the guildhall! Wendy, you and Spike are a couple! You held and kissed him, raving about how much you adore him! The entire guild knows you two are a young couple! Carla, you and Spike are friends. Also, he has a second soul, which you fell in love with, called Fairy Rage!" 

"Did you hit your head hard, Happy?" Carla doesn't recall Spike the Fairy nor Fairy Rage. 

"Are you feeling alright, Happy?" Erza approaches Happy to read his eyes and body language. 

"Happy, I'm not in a relationship. Spike the Fairy doesn't exist. I know cause I have no idea who he is." 

Happy pants. "That's ridiculous! Spike's been with Fairy Tail ever since he fell from the skies! Natsu and I brought him to the guildhall. A day before the Fairy Tail Battle Royale, Laxus and the Thunder Legion devised! He gave you confidence during the coalition with Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus! You even kissed his cheek after showing gratitude. I saw it! He helped our guild in many battles and wars, helped bring the title of the Grand Magic Games, he even pulled Fairy Law against Twilight and Celestia during Day Four of the Grand Magic Games! Spike brought the fight to Acnologia before we went on our seven-year snooze!" 

"Happy, you're hallucinating," Carla slaps some sense into Happy. "There is no Spike the Fairy. You must have been in a comatose state." 

"WHERE'S NATSU?! HE'LL CONFIRM EVERYTHING I TOLD YOU! HE WAS THERE WHEN SPIKE ARRIVED IN THE EAST FOREST! HE HELPED SOLVE MANY RIDDLES, THEORIES, PUZZLES, AND MORE!" Happy is shaking his head. "He was there and ready to help. Fighting for Fairy Tail." 

"Happy," Carla walks up to Happy. "Natsu is gone." 

"NO!" Happy remembers that Natsu is E.N.D. Natsu is bound to Zeref and must have died. "Spike lives with Lucy in the apartment! Ever since he first arrived, Lucy allowed him to bunk with her ever since! She can tell you all about-" 

"Lucy is dead, Happy," Wendy said. 

"Most of our friends in Fairy Tail are gone, Happy. There's only a few of us remaining," Erza said. She sees Happy in tears. 

"You're wrong!" Happy steps back and falls back. "You're.., you're..," Happy cries. 

"Let's bring him inside," Wendy picks up Happy. 

Wendy, Erza, and Carla return to their room. Their room is cleaner than anything outside. Happy cries for a half-hour before calming himself. 

"We're sorry for bringing the bad news. Though it's great seeing you alive," Wendy said. 

"We thought you died with Natsu. It's been over a year since we last saw you," Carla said. She sits next to Happy. 

Happy gets the girl, but a dystopian future is the cost. He covers his face in shame. "Who's around?" 

"Mirajane, Levy, and Romeo. They've gone their separate ways, not wanting to be in a depressing town," Erza said. She wishes the guild was still together, happily and thriving. 

"What about the rest of the guilds in Fiore?" Happy asks Erza. 

"Sabertooth disbanded after Sting and Rogue passed. Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel stand united, but many members departed. Since there is no more magic, life without magic wasn't worth living."

"Many have tried to find purpose without magic, but..," Wendy sighs. 

"Many brilliant minds have perished due to the Faces self-destruction sequenced. We have no backup plan to fix or make changes. All we can do is live until we perish," Carla depressingly expresses. 

"Nonononononononono!" Happy refuses to accept the new reality. "This isn't what Magnolia or Earth Land is supposed to be!" A thought comes to Happy's mind. "Tergeri!" 

"Who?" Erza, Wendy, and Carla ask. 

"Tergeri is behind the change! Our world is not bleak but rich with magic power!" Happy shouts. Erza, Wendy, and Carla believe Happy has lost his mind. "I'll be back!" Happy leaves the room and decides to check the building from the dark alley.  

"Should we follow him?" Wendy asks Erza. 

Erza grabs a sword she forged many months ago. "Yes. We need to keep a close eye on him. Many scavs may want to eat Happy since food is scarce. Let's go." 

Erza and Wendy follow Happy's trail. As usual, Carla will remain in the room where it's safe. For many months since food is scarce, many scavengers, cults, and even survivors have been eating Exceeds since other animal kingdoms are extinct.
> Happy's Revelation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy runs in the streets of Magnolia, panting heavily. Along the way, Happy screams while he's getting chased by stray dogs. Happy inadvertently triggers a trap that encaptures the stray dogs in a net. Erza and Wendy are not far from Happy's position. 

"Tergeri! Where are you?!" Happy shouts. He runs down on the same block he walked last night, hoping to find the white fog. 

The street, like any other, is visible. The buildings are worse than last night. Happy pressed onward, ignoring the conditions of several buildings and people in the streets. 

"This can't be happening! This can't be happening.........." Happy thought to himself. He wanted Fairy Rage gone and to live in the beautiful world. Not in this desolate wasteland with no magic and Natsu. Happy falls to the ground. He sees his reflection. "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" Happy sniffs. 

Happy sees the building where Tergeri was last night. White fog is emitting in front of the building. Happy sighs in relief and enters the building, hoping that Tergeri is inside, waiting to dispel his request and turn things back to normal. 

"Hello?" Happy gasps. Scrolls and books are scattered on the floors. White fog is filtering the air. 

Purple eyes glow in the room. A manifestation of a man with two horns on each side of the head appears. He's wearing a time clock medallion and a black top hat. He consists of wearing a business suit with number all around it. 

"What's the matter? You don't want the girl?" Tergeri said. He circulates the room with his fog. 

"The world is bleak, desolate, and has no magic! There's suffering everywhere!" Happy exclaims. 

"Yea, well, in the end, you got what you want, right?" 

"NO!" Happy retorts. 

Erza and Wendy see the fog and question its prowess when magic power is gone. They overhear Happy and a strange figure in the building. Erza and Wendy wonder why Happy sounds frantic and angry. 

"Pardon me? Was there someone else in the midst between you and Carla?" Tergeri thought Happy would be satisfied with his services. 

"No, you idiot! I wanted Carla, but this is not the world I expected to be with my beloved! You screwed up!" 

"Your exact words were: There's someone in the guild that wants to kill me and steal my lady."

"What?" Erza and Wendy thought to themselves. They continue to listen to the conversation. 

"But, but..," Happy remembers his request clearly and never mentioned that the world must stay the same. He facepalms himself for his foolish choice of words in his phrasing. 

"I gave you an opportunity to back away from your request. I told you specifically that the world would change and start anew depending on the target's influence." 

"How does getting rid of Fairy Rage cause the world to turn out like this?" Happy is perplexed by Tergeri's statement. 

Tergeri grabs a book and puts it on the table. Happy walks up to the table to have a look. "You see," Tergeri opens the book. Diagrams of Fairy Rage and Spike's memories are displayed for the explanation of the story. "Fairy Rage and Spike the Fairy are one of the same. The birth of Fairy Rage comes from Spike's decision to help Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, and Erza fight against Master Hades. In the correct timeline, Spike defeated Master Hades by consuming Hades' Abyss Energy and turning into Fairy Demon Dragon for the first time. Due to the seven-year gap, Master Hades' Abyss Energy had a side effect and thus created a new entity. The entity was meant to possess Fairy Dragon. However, it forged and created a different aspect when Spike slept it off after thinking he puked out the rest of it." 

"Why are you telling me the birth of Fairy Rage? How is this important?" Happy asks Tergeri. 

"Well, Fairy Rage is the attended target. However, to eliminate Fairy Rage from existence, Spike the Fairy also becomes the target." 

"I didn't tell you to go after Spike! I told you to go after Fairy Rage!" Happy stomps in anger. 

"If only you paid attention. Fairy Rage is an emotion of Spike the Fairy. Fairy Rage is an emotion with a soul. Fairy Rage is Spike. So, to eliminate Fairy Rage, I prevented Spike from coming to Earth Land." 

Happy's fear return as his heart rapidly beats. "How..? How..?!" Happy said in tears. "HOW DID YOU PREVENT SPIKE FROM COMING TO EARTH LAND?!" 

"Well, by now, you should remember the God of Time, right?" Tergeri calmly asks. 

"Yea..," Happy nods. "Her name is Dimaria." 

"Her magic power allows her to freeze time and walk on the plains of her field. Where there is a God, there's also a Demon. I am Tergeri, the Demon of Time." 

"Demon of time..," Happy pants a bit. Now knowing he made a deal with a Demon. 

"WHAT?!" Erza and Wendy shout in their thoughts. They are mesmerized to hear what they are listening to. 

"I am not bound by time. I can create a new world within the current timeline. I have to say this is by far the worst I've ever seen in my life. Normally, small ripples of companies and some businesses fall. Never have I encountered a reality such as this for doing my job." 

"Why did the world turn out like this?" Happy asks. 

"In more ways than another, Spike was pivotal for Fairy Tail. Through his intelligence and magic physique. Spike helped Fairy Tail become more successful during the crucial battles and wars. Without Spike, Fairy Tail won each battle but barely. However, the war with Tartaros escalated. Sure, there is no Midnight Sparkle hiding until making her move. Erza, Lucy, and several key wizards fought longer and had difficulties maintaining their magic power. Spike helped relieve the pressures of battle due to his Energy Maker Magic, a rare form of magic power. Since Spike wasn't around, it took longer for everyone to defeat the Demons of Tartaros. The Dragons within each Dragon Slayer had a delayed reaction when they were summoned to destroy the Faces. They failed on taking all of them down and were drained of the magic power. With magic depleted from the world, Fairy Tail was surrounded by Tartaros Soldiers and was overwhelmed." 

"What about the Lumen Histoire? Didn't Makarov activate it?" Happy asks Tergeri. 

"Makarov withheld the activation of the Lumen Histoire. Then, Master Mavis died within along with Makarov's heart for failing his children. The loss of Laxus was too much to bear, and seeing most of the Fairy Tail Wizards dying due to the overwhelming force of Tartaros Soldiers." 

"Can you fix it?!" Happy is willing to pay any amount of Jewels to correct the world. He doesn't want to hear any more from the mess he made. 

"To fix it, the light must shine within the darkness," Tergeri explains as simply as he can. 

"I still don't get it!" Happy cries in anger. "Can you just tell me! Please!" 

Tergeri sighs. "Fine. Since you're completely stupid and lack the understanding of my metaphor, you asked a Demon to do something. Your request was to eliminate the one that loved Carla. You lied to me about Fairy Rage, and worse, you lied to your friends. When you plot something in the dark, you become deceptive. Deceitful. You asked a Demon to perform an act in the dark. Now, you must shine the light within the darkness to disperse deceitfulness. You must become the light since Demons are in the darkness." 

"Me? Become the light?" Happy shakes his head. He doesn't know what to do. "How do I become the light that shines the darkness away?" 

Tergeri has enough of Happy being an imbecile. "Stupid cat, you lied. So, tell the truth!" 

"The truth!" Happy panics. He was hoping that his secret wouldn't be exposed. "I can't tell the truth! What I've done is beyond wrong!" 

"Well, until you reveal the truth, enjoy your happy life with Carla for a possible wife," Tergeri stares down at Happy. "Only the truth will set you free from the burden you created," Tergeri vanishes. The fog starts to clear, revealing an angry Erza and Wendy by the door. 

"You," Erza said with coldness, maliciousness, angrily terror. She scares the life out of Happy. 

Happy turns around and sweats profusely. He didn't know that Erza and Wendy had followed him and potentially heard every bit of detail from the conversation. 

Erza walks up to Happy and grabs him. "You did this?!" Erza wants to strangle Happy. Her anger is getting the better of her. 

"Happy, how could you!" Wendy is angry and sad. She has many questions for Happy to answer. 

"I'm sorry! I was stupid!" Happy answers. He's expecting the worst from Erza now. 

Erza's cold stare causes Happy to cry in fear and shame. As much as Erza wants to end Happy's life, she refrains from doing so since Happy is the only one to shine the light within the darkness. 

"Wendy, grab that magic book this Tergeri used. It may hold many answers to questions Happy may not or refuse to answer," Erza strictly commands. Happy sweats and becomes worried. He doesn't want to experience Carla's wrath for the stunt he pulled. 

"On it," Wendy grabs the book and follows Erza out the door. Erza made sure Happy doesn't try to escape from her clutches on the way back to the Fairy Hills Dorm.
> A Warning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike are with Chrysalis and Terax at the Changeling Hive. Spike is having fun with Terax while Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Chrysalis talk. 

"So, how are you doing as of late, Twilight?" Chrysalis asks. She's drinking her cup of tea. 

"I'm great, Chrysalis. I'm learning a ton from Princess Celestia and Luna. They have so much wisdom and knowledge. I couldn't help but take notes on every detail that spews out of their mouths." 

"Interesting. How is Spike cooperating with you during the sessions with both Princesses?" 

"Spike is a tremendous help. Our magic is growing exponentially. Unlike Midnight, I give my gratitude and appreciation to Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) drinks her tea. "Spike, on his accord with practice his Energy Maker Magic, learned as much from rewatching Fairy Dragon's memories while reading magic books with me to add to his arsenal. We practice what we learned and help each other. So, how are you and Terax doing as of late?" 

"Terax is growing with his Changeling properties and magic power. I'm helping him day-by-day to focus his magic power, encouraging him that he can achieve anything. I'm well, Twilight. I'm happy that I'm the Changeling now than I was. One that I despised from my hating history," Chrysalis sighs.  

"You still get those nightmares?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks with a level of concern.  

Chrysalis drinks her cup of tea. "I often get those dreams when I feel depressed by my mistakes as Queen of the Changelings. It's like looking in the mirror, and the reflection moves, pinning me down as if I'm a disgrace. Twilight, the old me, tried to take over Canterlot and all of Equestria." 

"You're different, and your past should not come back to haunt you, Chrysalis. You're stronger, wiser, and more loving. I watched you grow into a mother when you took Terax as your son," Twilight (Sci-Twi) enlighteningly expresses.   

"He is my son, Twilight. For a year now. I watched him grow and fight against Midnight Sparkle with bravery and courage. While I was scared for Terax's life, I was proud of him. He stood up to a monster. He's the reason why I have my new body." 

"So, how do you feel about being members of United Species?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks. 

"I feel honored to be part of a guild. Sure, Changelings are family but being with Ocellus and her friends who helped me embrace change, how could I not refuse?" Chrysalis finishes drinking her tea. "I wonder who'll be the Guild Master of United Species." 

"Honestly, I'm hoping to be the Second Guild Master," Twilight (Sci-Twi) honestly admits. 

"Why second and not first?" Chrysalis is surprised to hear her friend prefers to be the second and not the first. 

"It'll feel natural when I do become Princess of Friendship. Midnight Sparkle and her friends were ordained to wield the Elements of Harmony and the path of Friendship. I want to create a different chain reaction rather than repeating history." 

"Fair enough. It's wise to ensure there won't be another Spike leaving Equus or another Midnight Sparkle." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) shudders the idea of another Midnight Sparkle. "I rebuke that in God's name." 

"Who?" Chrysalis is confused. 

"Sorry, it's one of those earthling phrases we use to rebuke since the name is unmeasurable. I'm still adjusting my speech to fit Equestria and now United Equestria." 

"Speaking of an earthling, any word from that friend of yours from the other side?" 

"I haven't heard from my Pinkie in a while. She does write, but the sentences are small and vagued." 

"How, unfortunate. Well, I hope your friend continues to write to you when she can." 

"Thanks, Chrysalis." 

Ocellus arrives at the Changeling Hive. She sees many of her kin interacting with each other and having fun. Ocellus hopes to find Chrysalis and Twilight (Sci-Twi) in the room. Spike and Terax fly above her. 

"Tag, you're it!" Terax finally tags Spike and flies in a differing direction. 

"I'm going to get you!" Spike flaps his energy wings. 

"Hey, Spike. Have you seen Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Chrysalis?" Ocellus asks. 

"Yea, they're in Chrysalis' room having tea," Spike flies after Terax. 

"Thanks," Ocellus trots to Chrysalis' room and knocks. 

"It's open," Chrysalis announces. She and Twilight (Sci-Twi) turn to see Ocellus entering the room. 

"Ocellus, what's wrong?" Chrysalis sees the look on Ocellus' face. Something grim is on the horizon. 

"The United Species and the Districts received a report of a possible new enemy threatening to bring disaster upon us. Tomorrow night, magic beyond measurable will hit the world of Equus. All armies are drawing their defenses against this new foe. We need you and Twilight." 

"Alright, we'll go to the guildhall. Let us bring the boys, and we'll head there right now," Chrysalis said. She wonders what new enemy has its eyes on United Equestria. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Chrysalis grab Spike and Terax, informing them they need to leave right away. Chrysalis places Terax on her back and flies to United Equestria. Spike grows in size a little after learning from Spike the Fairy's memories and studies on enlarging the height. Twilight (Sci-Twi) gets on Spike's back, wrapping her arms around him. Spike takes off and flies next to Ocellus and Chrysalis. 

In District Ten, Neighsay continues to read on possible threats that could still be lurking. He read five different books and carefully analyzed each page. Every creature is training hard to improve their strengths and unison raid formations to tackle any enemy, no matter how big or small it is. 

"Any luck, Neighsay?" Sunset asks. She brings Neighsay a cup of coffee. 

"Not the slightest, Sunset. I crossed out names that are deceased and imprisoned. It can't be Lord Tirek cause he's in Tartarus. King Sombra's horn disappeared, and he's not formidable enough to withstand an army of nations. Storm King is dead. There's not enough evidence for an old enemy that survived a merciless beating within our archives." 

"Then, this enemy must be other-worldly. No one in their bright minds would oppose us," Sunset said. "No amount of magic power can override and overrule all of our power through the Magic of Friendship." 

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Sunset," Neighsay drinks his coffee. "I'll continue to read each book until I discover a possible threat. Until then, hone your magic power. We will need it." 

"I will, Neighsay," Sunset leaves Neighsay be to continue his investigation. Sunset decides to read magic books to hone her magic.  

Two hours later. Chrysalis, Terax, Ocellus, Twilight (Sci-Twi), and Spike arrive and enters the guildhall. They see their friends training hard for the upcoming enemy that'll be here tomorrow with the unfathomable magic power surging throughout the lands of Equus. Chrysalis decides to help Neighsay with her knowledge of villainry. She has a long list of possible names that could resurface. Spike and Twilight (Sci-Twi) decide to help their friends with magic power. Spike would train with the Dragons while Twilight (Sci-Twi) practices her usage of magic power with Sunset Shimmer and Ocellus. Terax watches while eating popcorn. Watching his new friends' training is entertaining for the little guy. 

All eleven Districts train and devise battle strategies for the upcoming potential battle tomorrow night. Due to Princess Luna's discoveries, many armies are preparing themselves for a possible threat that surpasses Midnight Sparkle's Demonic Curses. Clones of Discord are spread throughout every nation's homelands to keep their occupants secured from whatever wrath that's on its' way. 

The leaders of United Equestria, except for Neighsay, band together. They devise different strategies that'll work for the long run if the enemy has other plans to use the immense power from the skies.

It's February 29th. In front of United Equestria are all the armies in battle lines, waiting for the upcoming enemy to make a move with the unfathomed magic power coming from the stars above. The leaders except Neighsay are in the castle, keeping watch on all sides for the uprising enemy that may want to utilize the unfathomed magic power for its purposes. 

Neighsay has crossed out many names on the list after reading hours of books in one go without any rest. He's determined to discover which enemy is the threat. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is helping Neighsay with the list while Spike continues his training with the Dragons. The United Species are ready for any possibilities that the enemy can dish out. 

"Any possible leads to a potential enemy, Neighsay?" Gallus asks the First Master. 

"Nay," Neighsay shakes his head. "Many Equestrian villains are defeated, banished, or perished. I have some notions about Grogar, but he lacks the physical endurance to control the magic. Either than him, I can't think of who else." 

"Grogar," Chrysalis shudders at the mere mention of Grogar's name. "He was defeated long ago by Gusty Winds. I doubt he would pose a threat even with the unfathomable power unless," Chrysalis puts some thought into her theory. 

"Unless what?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is yearning to know what Chrysalis has in mind about Grogar. 

"Grogar has developed a new relic to harness the magic similar to his Bell or something worse. He is known as the Father of Monsters." 

"Whoa," Twilight (Sci-Twi) is taken back. "He sounds like a Devil." 

"Grogar has created many beasts during his days. He conquered Equestria and ruled all creatures through fear. He's a legend among the underworld of evil," Chrysalis explains to her best knowledge. 

"Wow," Every creature listens to what Chrysalis is speaking about and becomes afraid. Even Neighsay has some fear of Grogar's reputation. 

"If Midnight Sparkle were to meet with Grogar, Grogar would have decimated Midnight regardless of magic power. He's that powerful." 

"We need to inform the leaders at the castle pronto on possibly Grogar sightings. It's the only lead we have unless someone new has decided to make itself known," Neighsay advises the guild. 

"I'll go. Princess Celestia and Luna are expecting Spike and me for a lecture. Spike, you stay and train with Smolder, Garble, Charcoal, and Clump. I'll be back as soon as possible," Twilight (Sci-Twi) leaves the guildhall and gallops to Castle Central. 

After many months of discussion, the castle built is called Castle Central. The leaders and districts voted on the name. Twilight (Sci-Twi) gallops past commanding officers of each army, preparing for battle. Within Castle Central, Princess Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, Gilda, Pharynx, Prince Rutherford, Ember, Chief Thunderhooves, Tempest, Princess Skystar, and Discord are continuing their discussions about tonight's event. 

"We need to set a line of defense in the middle. Changelings and Unicorns should combine their magic to create shields for the front and back lines," Pharynx advises. 

"I agree," Shining Armor concurs with Pharynx's statement. "With the unfathomable magic energy surging tonight, we may need to take precautionary advances. Discord, can this power rival yours?" 

"I was in stone when it came the first time. My memory is blank about its power. If I had to give it an estimated chance, it's a 51%-49% tip on the scale. It can go either way with me and the power on the scale," Discord honestly says. "I wish I knew more of its power to give you a definitive answer." 

"Yak wants to know if the enemy is possible past threats. Yak knows it cannot be Midnight Sparkle," Prince Rutherford said. He knows that Yaks don't have any enemies that want to harm them. 

"We can all say that Midnight Sparkle has no part of the uprising enemy. We have her in pieces despite having her alive. Also, Midnight Sparkle has depleted magic power. Grogar's Bell deprived the magic power she stole, and her alicorn horn snapped," Princess Celestia reminded every creature in the meeting room.  

"Then, who could it be?" Gilda asks Princess Celestia, Luna, and Shining Armor since Ponies have dealt with extensive crises from grueling enemies. 

"Dragons don't have enemies that would want revenge even with our newfound magic power. Dragons have remained superb," Ember said.  

"Are there any Changelings dormant on attacking?" Shining Armor asks.  

"Chrysalis was last to reform, Shining. There are no other Changelings left," Phayrnx coldly confirms. 

"Sorry," Shining Armor apologizes. 

"Still, there could be other species that could hate each of us. Then again, they would want to be left alone," Gilda said.  

"Leaders," A Royal Guard trots in with Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Twilight," Princess Celestia welcomes her student into the meeting room. 

"Sorry, Twilight. We cannot uphold our lecture for today and the rest of the week. We're needed to stop this new threat from emerging," Princess Luna informs Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"My guild has a possible lead as to who may be rising or, in this case, resurfacing," Twilight (Sci-Twi) informs the leaders. They all take heave and listen. 

"Resurfacing? Who, Twilight?" Princess Celestia is intrigued to know who the United Species has declared a prime suspect. 

"Neighsay and Chrysalis thought over possible enemies, and one came to mind. Grogar. Grogar, the Father of Monsters, could be the one to use the unfathomable magic. If it's not him, it's someone new looking to spur carnage."

The Leaders takes in the info from Twilight (Sci-Twi). They couldn't figure out a possible lead based on their histories. Princess Celestia, Luna, and Shining Armor struggled to remember any former villains that may want vengeance. The rest of the creatures had complications since they did not have many enemies. After a few minutes, they sigh and believe the United Species theory.  

"Alright, we'll take heavy consideration for an uproar from Grogar. Princess Luna and I will reread our archives of Grogar's history and capabilities. He could have other relics more powerful than the Bell. Let's go, Luna," Princess Celestia and Luna leave the room. 

"Everyone else," Pharynx gets every creature's attention. "Get ready. If he decides to strike, tonight will be the time!" 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and the Leaders leave the meeting room. It's now nightfall. 8:00, to be exact. Princess Luna sees the stars and planets aligning themselves, releasing the unfathomable magic power on Equus. It's a radiance of white, purple, red, and pink. Many creatures get nervous while watching the display from the skies. 

"Whoa," Discord's body twitches. "This power from the skies is unreal." 

"How so?" Princess Luna turns to Discord. 

"This magic power is unlike anything I've felt in my whole existence. Here I thought Midnight's Demon Curses were more powerful than any other form of energy. Then we saw Spike's Crystal Guardian Dragon form and obliterated most of Midnight Sparkle. This," Discord points at the radiance of unfathomable magic power. "It's beyond my understanding in terms of magic power. I believe if Grogar or any villain harnessing this kind of power, I will not be a match for it," Discord shamefully and honestly admits about the power difference. 

"That's not good," Prince Rutherford says in awe. He's worried about his friends. 

While every creature remains in battle formation, a clone of Discord is with District Ten. They're preparing their offensive lineup to counter anything Grogar or the new enemy's attack. 

"First Master, we're ready," Silverstream said. She, Gallus, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata have their weapons drawn. 

"Do not engage with the army. Stay with the guild until further notice," Neighsay commands. 

"Understood, First Master," Silverstream complies. 

"What shall I do?" The clone asks. 

"Be on guard and alert us when you sense the enemy invading," Neighsay orders the clone. 

"Will do," The clone complies and leaves the guildhall. 

After an hour, every creature sees the radiance of unfathomable power disappearing. Many are confused as to what has happened. The Leaders are dumbfounded. They are perplexed as to why Grogar or the uprising enemy has decided to withhold any advancement. 

"Not good. Perhaps Grogar or this enemy have scouts and knew about our preparations?" Pharynx theorizes if he were planning to strike many nations. 

"Not likely. Perhaps harnessing the power for a weapon of some sort," Gilda theorizes. 

"There are many possibilities we can come up with for our next meeting. I think it's safe to say that this enemy didn't want to release any carnage yet," Princess Celestia noted. She understands that with many nations united, an equalizer is in order. "Command everyone to their Districts. The clones of Discord will take watch." 

Everyone complies, and Discord plays his piper, hypnotizing his clones into taking the first of many watches. 

"Twilight, nothing happened," Spike informs Twilight (Sci-Twi) and the rest. He was outside with the clone, keeping watch. 

"Something did happen," The Spirit of Harmony manifests itself in the guildhall. 

"What happened, Harmony?" Aria asks her. 

"A gateway was opened by the unfathomable power surging from the skies. I still do not indicate who used the raw power. I can confirm two strong beings are working together. They seem to strike a partnership. I felt a force I have not sensed since my birth. This force should not be taken likely under any circumstance. I advise planning with precision and decisively. What any creature may endure will be worse than Midnight Sparkle's wrath." 

"WORSE?!" Every creature in United Species shouts in horror. Even the clone of Discord overhears the conversation. 

"The Evil Within far exceeds any I've encountered. The creature is using an advanced spell to camouflage itself from my presence. I cannot detect the establishment of the source. I am blind to whoever uses such power," The Spirit of Harmony said. She wishes to have more information to share. "I'll take my leave and inform the Leaders. They should know what kind of foe is it and how potent this creature can be in the long run."  

Every creature sighs heavily. It's a lot to take in after a long stretch of peace. Also, how many more lives will be lost since Harmony says the enemy is worse than Midnight Sparkle's wrath. 

"I understand it's a lot to take in. Please remember this moving forward. Friendship is magic," The Spirit of Harmony leaves the guildhall. 

"So, how long until this new threat arrives?" Spike asks Neighsay, hoping he has an answer. 

"Chrysalis, you were a former villain; if you were to exact vengeance. How would you plan the outcome?" Neighsay asks Chrysalis. 

Chrysalis groans. It appears her past will not leave her alone yet. Terax flies and hugs his mother. "Thanks, Terax," She puts Terax on her head. Chrysalis takes a deep breath. "Normally, I will try to destroy any foe by myself, no help necessary. However, the number's game will not be in my favor. If I were to attack United Equestria, I would forge a new army to counter the numbers. Starting with other nations that refuse to acknowledge Friendship or a nation with a vendetta against another. I would create different spells that can manipulate the minds of other creatures or find different sources of magic to create a new weapon of some sort. Resort to make unholy alliances for strength and power since the Princesses' power combined is more than enough. Also, let's not forget the physique of Dragons and their magic power." 

Neighsay and Twilight (Sci-Twi) take notes of everything Chrysalis is speaking about; it'll help them prepare better than idly wait for the answer.  

"That's all I can come up think of; please don't make me repeat myself. I despised myself for the Changeling I used to be," Chrysalis turns her back on her friends. Thinking as a demented creature doesn't help even with her nightmares resurging." 

"I won't ask of you ever again," Neighsay said. "I forbid anyone of asking Chrysalis questions of her painful past and idealist thoughts as a former villain." 

"Thank you," Chrysalis leaves the guildhall with Terax on her head. She'll sleep in the dorm next to the guildhall. She doesn't feel like flying back to the Hive tonight. 

"That must have been brutal to relive such a horrid past," Yona said. 

"Well, things weren't easy being a Changeling," Ocellus said. 

"Still, I wonder," Gallus gives it some thought. "Would Lord Tirek embrace a deal with the new enemy?" 

"Let's hope not. We've experienced what Lord Tirek is capable of when he has magic power," The clone said. He remembers Lord Tirek's wrath when he helped him grow. 

"What do we do now, Master?" Sandbar asks Neighsay. 

"Rest. I'll need time to analyze the likely scenario we'll be embracing and prepare for the right attack sequences when it arrives," Neighsay said. 

"I'll help," Twilight (Sci-Twi) volunteers to help Neighsay any way she can. 

"Thanks, Twilight," Neighsay goes to the library with Twilight. 

"Let's go," Smolder grabs Spike's claw. "There's much to teach you about being a Dragon." 

"Alright, Smolder. Lead the way," Spike follows Smolder and Garble outside.
> The Truth: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An hour later. Erza and Wendy return to their room. 

"Did everything go...-" Carla sees the anger and frustrations written on Erza and Wendy's faces. "What happened?" 

Erza tosses Happy on the couch in anger. Happy cried throughout the travel back, not wanting to reveal his dark truths to anyone, no matter how crucial they are to reverse the world he created.

"This one has a lot of explaining," Erza frustratedly expresses. She throws her sword away in anger. 

"What's with the book, Wendy?" Carla turns to her. 

"Answers. This book has magic power from this Tergeri guy. He's a Demon of Time," Wendy sounds upset and disappointed at Happy. 

"WHAT?!" Carla is horrfied to hear a Demon that uses time magic. 

"You heard me right," Wendy said. She places the book on the table. "Happy made a deal with a Demon." 

Carla turns to Happy. "What did you do..?" Carla is sad about the news she's hearing from her friends. 

"I screwed up!" Happy continues to cry. "Natsu! Lucy! Gray! Fairy Tail! I'm so sorry! I'm so so so so so so so so sorry!" Happy covers his face in shame. 

Carla walks and sits with Happy on the couch. She rubs his back in the process. "I can see the remorse in your eyes, Happy. Do you regret it?" 

"Yes, I regret-" For some reason, the room starts trembling like an earthquake. Happy stops talking, and the room stops quaking. 

"An earthquake?" Wendy doesn't recall earthquakes happening in Magnolia. 

"I don't know," Erza is not sure. She figures it's a side effect of the Faces detonation a year ago.               

Happy sighs. All Happy want is to eat with Natsu and apologize for his blunder to the rest of his friends. 

"Happy," Wendy turns to Happy. "What made you bargain with Tergeri?" 

"We want honest answers, Happy. If you lie, we will know," Erza grabs a chair. 

"You're going to hate me even more," Happy sobs. 

"I promise you I won't," Carla comforting and reassuringly expresses. She calms Happy down from the crying. 

"Yes, you will," Happy knows it in his heart. When he explains everything, hatred from his remaining friends will consume him. 

"Happy, look at me," Carla grabs Happy's head, making him turn to her. "I promise I won't hate you." 

Happy can feel Carla's warmth and embrace. He feels the love from her, but everything else is wrong. He looks at the stern faces of Erza and Wendy. They want answers. 

"I'll repeat Wendy's question. What made you bargain with Tergeri?" Erza asks. She's suppressing her anger to focus on the task at hand. 

Happy sighs and looks at Erza and Wendy. He walks to the book and opens it. "I was jealous of Fairy Rage," An image of Fairy Rage appears. A dragon with orange spikes while his scales are amethyst. His eyes are orange, while the Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest is black. 

Carla is surprised to see a dragon projecting from the book. She's confused as to why Happy is jealous of a dragon. "Why on earth would you be jealous of a dragon?" 

Happy frowns and sighs heavily. "That dragon fell in love with you, and you were in love with him," Happy's ears drop in sadness. 

"What?! That's preposterous! Why would I fall in love with a dragon?" Carla is questioning how she would fall in love with Fairy Rage. 

The book reveals many moments when Carla started falling in love with Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage talks within Spike's body with his straightforwardness and brutal honesty. Carla then sees how it transitions to a moment when Fairy Rage starts protecting his friends and those around him. Carla finds it funny that Fairy Rage is like her in many ways. Carla sees many moments of her other self hiding emotions whenever Spike eye's turn orange. The book reveals an iconic moment when she heard Fairy Rage sacrificing himself to revive Erza. Carla sees how devastated her other self felt. 

"Wait, something just hit me," Carla turns to Erza. "Do you recall someone named Spike?" 

"Spike Knightwalker. He wore a purple hooded assassin's uniform, black boots, a skull chain necklace, and dark purple jeans. He had a green mohawk and green eyes. From what I remembered, he was Erza Knightwalker's adopted son." 

"What happened to him?" Happy asks. He knows that Spike Knightwalker is alive.., somewhat. He doesn't know the full extent. 

"Natsu came and fought Spike Knightwalker when he saw me battling him and my counterpart. Natsu inadvertently went too far and incinerated Spike Knightwalker with his flames. Then I fought an angry mother of Erza Knightwalker to a standstill," Erza remembers that day like it was yesterday. Such a crushing blow to watch someone you love perish instantly.

"No way..," Happy recalls Spike defeating Spike Knightwalker. 

"I didn't understand how Edolas had a Spike Knightwaker until I heard that Demon of Time and you spoke about," Erza said. 

Happy frowns. "In the correct timeline, you and Spike have a special brother-sister type relationship." 

"We do?" Erza puts the pieces together and understands how the level of love would fair with Erza and Spike Knightwalker. It would have been the perfect reflection of two worlds. 

"Yes. When Spike first came to Fairy Tail, he didn't have a last name. Spike explained his origins, and you told him you relate to him in more ways than another. You're the one who gave him a last name." 

"Fairy?" Erza remembers Tergeri mentioning Spike the Fairy. 

Happy nods. "That's correct. Spike took the name with pride, and everyone knows him as Spike the Fairy."

"How did I start a brother-sister relationship with Spike?" Erza is intrigued. The book reveals a moment when Spike and Erza were talking. The memory depicts where Erza reflects on her life as a slave for the Tower of Heaven project. It was after the talk that Erza confessed her love for Jellal. After that confession, Spike admits to having feelings for Erza the same way. "What?" Erza then sees Spike was out of his league in the age limit. Then the memory shows that her other self proposed a brother-sister bond to elevate the love. "Wow, I started it." 

"If he flunked, who did he end up with?" Carla asks. 

"With Wendy," Happy points at Wendy. 

"Me? How?" On cue after Wendy's question, the book reveals the moment they met. For hours on end, the book reveals every moment Spike and Wendy held feelings for each other, grew as friends, confessed their love, and continued their relationship as a young couple. Many memories of love and embrace made Wendy cry in pure bliss, seeing how happy her other self was. Wendy sees how much her other self cared for Spike and how much Spike cares about her other self. "Wow," Wendy watches her other self having fun with Spike, battling, training, hanging out, and creating memories. "My handsome dragon," Wendy repeats what the memory displayed when Spike wore a suit to go on their first date. She saw Spike's emotions and personality. She cries, knowing she won't have any of those moments. 

"Did I confess my love to Fairy Rage?" Carla asks the book. The book reveals a pivotal moment. It was after Spike and Wendy went out on their date. Carla sees her other self's demeanor change. While alone in Lucy and Spike's apartment, Carla spoke aloud. She wishes that Fairy Rage was still around to confess her love. 

"What the?" Happy didn't know about this. 

"As crazy as this sounds, I wanted you more in my life. You're nothing like the Tomcat that continues effortlessly to win my heart. You're protective, passionate, and not annoying or a nuisance. Always mindful of everything and ready to protect those you cherish. Every time I see your eyes glow orange, I know things are alright. I can never tell you how I feel without making a scene. Spike loves Wendy, and me talking to you out of love would put Spike and Wendy in a bad situation. I already ruined their first date. I refuse to ruin their relationship by how the peers view us. I'm hoping for us to be together as a couple. I guess I'll have to wait until I see you."

Happy's jaw drops after hearing that confession. Happy now knows how much Fairy Rage meant to Carla. Carla continues to watch herself speak more about Fairy Rage and how much she misses him. It then transitions to another moment about confession; after the defeat of Acnologia. Carla is more in shock that her other self has a humanoid form. Wendy and Erza are dumbfounded after seeing her humanoid form. 

"While I grew within Spike's body, living each day with Fairy Tail, I admire the elegant voice you have every time you speak. Your personality and how much you cared about those you cherish. Also, how straightforward you can be with others. I find it hilarious when you scold some of our friends when they do idiotic things. Truth be told is, I love everything about you. I couldn't bring myself cause I didn't know how it would work or how us would work cause, at the time, I was in Spike's body. Now that I have a body of my own, I would love to spend my days with you. Sure, we'll move in with Spike and Wendy, but I want to be your boyfriend. Can I be your boyfriend?"

Carla is in tears of happiness. For a long time, she withheld her feelings about Fairy Rage. "Let me tell your something, Rage. I admire your straightforward talk and your awareness. You're willing to put your life on the line and care for others. I love your enthusiasm and personality; Truth be told. I loved you. I still love you. I wasn't sure how it was going to work as well. When you passed away, I was devastated. More so than Spike, but I hid it," Carla grasps Fairy Rage's claws. "I want to follow you to the end of time. I want to be your girlfriend."

Happy didn't know about that confession at Hargeon. He hits himself for allowing his emotions to take away Carla's happiness even more. Carla backs away from Happy. She's not angry but disappointed that Happy's jealousy took her and Wendy's lovers away. 

"Happy. Did you realize what you've done?" Carla turns her back on Happy. She's holding her anger. 

"I ruined two relationships and destroyed the world," Happy said. He's angry at himself for falling so low. 

"You single-handily killed Fairy Tail and most of the world due to your jealousy! What do you have to say for yourself?!" Wendy lost her cool. Erza steps back from Wendy's sudden outburst. 

"I'm sorry," Happy said in tears. "I WISH I CAN TAKE IT BACK!" Happy cries. "TERGERI! I SAID THE TRUTH! FIX THIS NOW!" 

Purple eyes glow in the room. A manifestation of a man with two horns on each side of the head appears. He's wearing a time clock medallion and a black top hat. He consists of wearing a business suit with number all around it. White fog shrouds the room. Erza, Wendy, and Carla backed away from the Demon. 

"Correction. The book revealed more about the truth than you." 

"I told them. I told Carla, Wendy, and Erza how I was jealous!" Happy exclaims, tears hurting his eyes. 

"Did you explain what happened before you met me?" Tergeri asks Happy. 

Happy gulps. "No..." 

"You're still in the darkness, Happy. The light needs to shine brightly to escape it." 

"Wait!" Carla gets Tergeri's attention. 

"What is it?" 

"Can I request you take out Happy before he met you?" Carla wants to see if it's possible.

"No. Happy asked me to get rid of Fairy Rage, so you and he can become a couple. What you're asking violates my contract." 

"How can Happy shine the light even further?" Erza asks Tergeri. 

"He needs to tell the truth first. He cannot use the book to provide answers. It doesn't work like that. Using the book technically bypasses his duty to speak the truth, which won't work." 

"What is it that Happy needs to explain?" Wendy asks Tergeri. 

"I know what I need to say," Happy swallows his pride. 

"What did you do that led to meeting with Tergeri?" Carla asks Happy. 

Happy closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He opens them, knowing that it won't be easy. "I ruined a double date you and Wendy planned for Spike and Fairy Rage. A surprised double date." 

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Carla, Wendy, and Erza shout in shock and anger.

"I lied to Natsu about going on an espionage solo mission. He believed that my job would be crucial and let me be. I noticed that you were wearing a gold dress and looked absolutely gorgeous. You and Wendy wore beautiful dresses, and I couldn't keep my eyes off you. I proceed into following you from afar with my binoculars. My intention during that day was to devise a scheme in hopes of making Carla break up with Fairy Rage. I watched how Carla teased Fairy Rage seductively a bit. It drove me mad. After an hour, Carla, Wendy, Spike, and Fairy Rage went to a restaurant, so I made my first move. Making Carla and the others believe that I was left out and abandoned. Fairy Rage did not like my approach one bit. I lied to the four of them about Natsu being busy with Laxus. A believable lie that everyone fell for; however, when I asked to join them, Fairy Rage said no. He was rude about it. Fairy Rage called it coincidental that I appeared when he, Carla, Wendy, and Spike was battling a hydra." 

"What made it coincidental, Happy?" Wendy asks Happy. 

"I stalked Carla the whole way without informing Natsu of my whereabouts. He stormed after me, got overly excited, and scorched the hydra in one blow. Fairy Youth Squad got scorched in the process. Before you ask, Fairy Youth Squad consists of Spike, Fairy Rage, Wendy, Romeo, Sherria, and Carla." 

"Alright, that answers another question," Wendy said. 

"Please, continue with your confession," Erza calmly says. 

"After Fairy Rage's rejection, Spike intervenes and says that meeting up with familiar people can happen at any random time in life. Wendy was unsure, and I pleaded to stay. Rage still said no, and I acted like a baby to get what I wanted. I made a scene, and Fairy Rage relented, allowing me to join them for lunch. After lunch, I departed but kept watching, observing what was next during their double date. Carla and Wendy led Spike and Rage to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree to dance during the day. I decided to enraged forest Vulcans into chasing me. I made fake bruises and cried my way into Carla's arms while the forest Vulcans were chasing me. Wendy and Spike combine their magic for a unison raid attack, blowing the Vulcans away from the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree with immense force. Fairy Rage was pissed that I interrupted the date due to my mishap."

"Ahem," Tergeri said, knowing that mishap is not the correct terminology. 

"Rage was pissed that I interrupted the date intentionally," Happy sees Tergeri nodding with approval. "I explained that I thought I heard Natsu and tackled him, which caused the Vulcans to chase after me. Fairy Rage took off while I was lost in pleasure with Carla stroking my head. I was planning on doing it occasionally for that kind of attention. After a while, we were in the apartment. Wendy was highly upset with herself since my bruises didn't go away. She doubted her healing magic. When Fairy Rage came to the apartment, I was sweating cause he knew the truth. Carla asked if Fairy Rage was alright. He replies that he needed five minutes with me while his claws ignite in orange-black flames. Fairy Rage exposed my deception, and I tried to leave. He shot his flames at me, and I felt the pain. Hours later, I wanted to avoid going back to Fairy Tail, knowing that I'm in deep waters. I saw a guy smiling widely and praising a hallelujah. He explained to me that Tergeri was going to solve his problems. I was intrigued and wanted to avoid trouble, so I visited Tergeri. I lied to him about Fairy Rage wanting to kill me and take the love of my life. I told him I wanted Fairy Rage gone. He complied and gave me a warning right then and there to back away, and I refused. Tergeri told me that the world will change and start anew the next day." 

Wendy imagines beating the stuffing out of Happy for what he did. He screwed her out of a happy life with a miserable one. Erza can't look at Happy the same. For what he pulled, Happy would be expelled from Fairy Tail. Carla is angry and has every right to be. Happy's selfishness destroyed the world around him and more. Happy wishes everyone will forget what he pulled. 

Tergeri nods. "You succeeded in telling the truth to those impacted the most." 

"So, what do I have to say?" Happy asks Tergeri. He wants to fix everything and set things right. 

"Say my name backward and finish the sentence," Tergeri answers. 

"Huh?" Happy is confused. He grabs a pen and paper and writes Tergeri's name backward. "No, way! Your name is I regret?" The room starts trembling again. 

"That is my name. However, I prefer to have my name backwardly pronounced. So, finish your sentence." 

"Wait, after he's done, what happens?" Erza asks Tergeri. She figures there's more after the incantation. 

"Simple. Happy needs to say the truth a second time to make the timeline permanent." 

"Oh, c'mon!" Happy whines. 

"Or, you can choose to remain in this timeline. The choice is yours," Tergeri rudely claims. 

"Fine!" Happy stomps hard on the floor in anger. "I REGRET MY DECISION TO HAVE FAIRY RAGE ERASED!" Happy shouts and pants. "I regret allowing my jealousy to kill my friends and family." 

Tergeri lifts his clock medallion. The minute and hour hands start circulating in different directions. "Blink three times, and you'll be in the corrected timeline. The world will change around you in a flash."

"Where will I be?" Happy asks. 

"The moment before you stepped into my domain. You'll return into yesterday's body with the memories of today's present." 

"What will happen to us?" Carla asks. She wonders how it'll impact her and her friends moving forward. 

"This timeline will be erased along with you. To the corrected timeline selves, it'll be nothing but a bad dream at best." 

"What happened to Spike?" Wendy asks Tergeri. 

Tergeri is silent. He knows what happened but would prefer to have it explained in the correct timeline. 

Happy takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry for the trauma I caused you." 

"If it helps, I accept your apology," Wendy said. She's still angry but refuses to let it out. 

"Don't ever recreate this world, and I'll forgive you," Erza said. "If I see you're the cause of it, I'll knock sense into you." 

"Bye," Carla said. She doesn't sound sad or mad. She sounded formal. 

Happy blinks three times; The world around him changes within the blink of an eye. Happy is in a dark alley when he sees a man smiling widely, praising a hallelujah. 

"Did I fix it?" Happy sprouts angelic wings and flies to the skies. He sees the beauty of Magnolia lights high in the sky and smiles widely. It's 8:00 at night. "YES! I FIXED IT! THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL!" 

Happy instinctively flies to the guildhall to be with Natsu and his friends. Upon arrival. Happy enters the guildhall to see his friends looking highly upset. Wendy and Carla are furious with Happy while Natsu looks down at him. 

"Care to explain your actions, Happy?" Natsu asks. His arms are crossed and displeased. 

"Uh, oh," Happy now realizes he has to explain the whole truth a second time.
> The Truth: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Spill it, Happy. What did you do?" Natsu asks again. 

Happy's heart pounds rapidly and starts sweating. The truth about stalking Carla and ruining her double date and the alternate world he created makes Happy's knees shake. 

"Well.., I.., uh..," Happy stutters a bit. 

Wendy sees Spike walking into the guildhall weakly. "Spike?" Wendy becomes worried and rushes to him. Wendy bloodcurdling shouts when she sees what happened to Spike. 

"What happened?" Natsu turns in Wendy's direction and gasps horridly. 

Spike's eyes are up, tears flowing on his cheeks, his head is reddish, and a thick noose scarring on his throat. He collapses onto the floor, struggling to breathe. 

"Spike!" Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lucy rush towards Spike. Wendy cries while using her healing magic. 

"Yo, who the hell did this?" Wakaba asks Spike. 

Spike is struggling to answer; The noose scarring prevented him from speaking. Master Makarov and Irene enter the guildhall after having their conversation. 

"What's happening, my children?" Makarov sees the distraught on everyone's faces. 

"Spike is dying!" Natsu frantically answers. 

"WHAT?!" Master Makarov and Irene are appalled to hear the dreaded news. 

"I can't heal him!" Wendy holds Spike. "Don't die, please! STAY WITH ME!" Wendy burst into tears while rubbing Spike's head. 

Irene immediately checks on Spike's conditions. "Spike," She feels a familiar sense of magic power after touching the noose scarring. 

"Mom, do you know anyone that uses nooses to harm anyone?" Erza asks. She wants to go looking for the bastard that traumatized her brother. 

"There's no one that specifies in using nooses for weaponry. I'm afraid this outcome occurred by a different source," Irene replies. "There's one fellow I know who'll do such a thing." 

"WHO?!" Natsu is boiling red and wants to beat up the punk who caused Spike to suffer. He pounds his fist in fire. 

"Tells us who, and we'll pound them," Gray wants a piece of the action. He pounds his fist in ice. 

Happy gulps a bit and swallows, he not looking forward to spilling the beans. Perhaps he can tell a little white lie, have Natsu beat up Tergeri, and he goes free? 

"Don't even think about it, Happy." 

"Who the hell said that!?" Natsu is hoping for the punk to appear and fight it. 

"Show yourself!" Gray and Erza demand. 

Purple eyes glow in the guildhall. A manifestation of a man with two horns on each side of the head appears. He's wearing a time clock medallion and a black top hat. He consists of wearing a business suit with number all around it. White fog shrouds the guildhall. 

"Who are you, and what implications do you have with Happy?" Master Makarov asks. He wants answers to what's going on. 

"Tergeri," Irene answers. 

"Hello, Irene," Tergeri waves at Irene. 

"You know him, Mom?" Erza is surprised her mother knows the entity. 

"Yes, his name is Tergeri, the Demon of Time." 

"Demon, you say," Gray taps into his Ice-Demon mode. "Allow me to take this punk out." 

"That won't be necessary," Tergeri tries to explain, but Gray springs into action. Gray goes through Tergeri and lands face-first into the floor. 

"Gray, my love!" Juvia runs to Gray and helps him up. 

"I'm fine," Gray takes off his shirt. He wants another crack at Tergeri. 

"You're going to harm your guildmates. Due to my magic, I'm not bound by time. I exist here because of my client," Tergeri explains. 

"Happy is your client?" Master Makarov asks Tergeri. He notices Happy paralyzed in fear while looking at Tergeri's presence. 

"There is no way Happy is your client! Tell him Happy!" Natsu refuses to acknowledge that his best friend made a deal with a Demon. 

Happy's silence is more than enough for Erza and Irene to confirm that he indeed hire Tergeri. Happy turns back from Natsu in shame. 

"Happy.., you didn't..," Natsu hopes that Happy is messing with him. 

"Tergeri, what happened to Spike?" Irene asks Tergeri. 

"Didn't Happy tell you what happened?" Tergeri asks everyone in the guildhall; They shake their heads. They don't understand the circumstance Happy created. "Well, there are things I can explain about Spike's condition. However, before I can speak, the light must shine." 

"Oh, c'mon!" Happy whines to Tergeri. "I told the truth already! Why must I speak it again!" 

"Cause if you don't, the world you created will return, and you'll have to redo the process again. You have until tomorrow night to speak the truth or be trapped in an infinite loop until you change." 

"What did you do, Happy?" Wendy said in tears of sadness. She doesn't want Spike to die because of Happy's contract. 

Happy sighs in defeat, knowing he can't prolong the truth any longer. He just scarred Wendy with a horrid image for the rest of her life. "I hired Tergeri to erase Fairy Rage because of my jealousy." 

"YOU WHAT?!" Carla angrily yells at Happy louder than anyone else reacted. 

Natsu can't believe what he's hearing from his best friend. "Happy. Why?" 

"I'm jealous because Fairy Rage and Carla are dating." 

Carla feels the need to strangle Happy for the stunt he pulled. "HOW DARE YOU TAKE AWAY SOMEONE I LOVED!?"

"It gets worse. Due to my blunder, I created a new world where Spike was never a Fairy Tail Wizard."  

Silence reign. A world without Spike the Fairy gives everyone wretched thoughts. Tergeri sees the disturbed, concerned, and hysterical faces everyone has after hearing the truth. 

"What happened to Spike?" Lucy asks, knowing the answer will be brutal for everyone to hear. 

"The new world Happy created, Spike committed suicide to free himself from slavery. He hanged himself," Tergeri answers.

Wendy gasps in horror and cries. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOHOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"That is messed up," Gajeel imagines the possible reality of Spike committing suicide. 

"After Spike hung himself, an all-out war decimated all life. Many nations fought Equestria, and neither side won. It was a bloodbath. What's happening to Spike is the result of Happy's request. Fairy Rage and Spike are one of the same. The difference is an emotion of Spike has life and developed new feelings."

"DUDE!" Natsu shouts in anger. 

"NOT COOL, HAPPY!" Gray shouts in anger. 

"What happened in this new world Happy created?" Master Makarov asks Tergeri. 

"The world loses its magic to the self-detonation of Faces, and many wizards died. Only a few survived the apocalyptic world," Tergeri answers.  

"You mean to tell us that Happy killed us all because he was jealous?" Carla wants to make sure what she heard is the truth and not a fantasy story. 

"Yes," Happy answers. "Erza, Wendy, Carla, Romeo, Mirajane, and Levy survived. Everyone else in Fairy Tail died." 

"I can't believe you! You caused all that because you were jealous?!" Lucy can't believe that Happy had her killed over his feelings for Carla. She's irate. 

"I love you, Carla, and I always thought I would have you as my girlfriend. Getting chased by stray dogs, living in a world filled with famine, speaking with Tergeri in the harsh reality.., it's something I don't want to go through, ever," Happy turns to Tergeri. "They know the truth. Will Spike get healed?" Tergeri is silent. Happy groans. "I'm sorry that I ruined the double date. I had plans of doing so time and time again to be with you, Carla. I deserved to be expelled from the guild. I deserve any punishment fitting for causing such calamity." 

A number is erased from Tergeri's suit. "Happy. You are no longer bound to the contract we've made. Say the incantation, and Spike will be free of his current situation." 

"I regret coming to you because of my jealousy and stupidity," Happy honestly said. Tergeri leaves the guildhall; the fog clears along with Spike's condition. Spike breathes the fresh air. 

"Spike!" Wendy hugs Spike tightly. 

"Too tight, can't breathe!" Spike said. Wendy lets go of Spike, allowing him to breathe. "Thanks." 

Happy sits down and covers his face. He knows Master Makarov will expel him from the guild for sure.

Master Makarov walks up to Happy. "Happy." 

Happy looks up after hearing the coldness of Makarov's tone. "Yes, Master?" 

Master Makarov sighs heavily. "I won't expel you from the guild since you've corrected the situation. However, I'm leaving your fate in the claws of Fairy Rage. Whatever he decides will go as planned. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes.., Master..," Happy obliges to Master Makarov's decree. He feels many scornful looks staring down at him like throwing daggers piercing the heart. He looks at Natsu. "I'm sorry, Natsu." 

Natsu sighs. "You should be apologizing to Rage, Happy. I forgive you since you own up to your mistake. I'll see you at our house, Happy," Natsu leaves the guildhall. 

Happy takes off and leaves the guildhall. Spike asks if it is okay to sleep over in Wendy's room after everything he endured. Wendy nods and takes him there. Carla follows and plans for a surprising day with Fairy Rage. Also, she needs separation from Happy's end-of-the-world tactics.
> Let's Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fairy Rage is sitting at the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree alone. Moments ago, Fairy Rage was choking for no apparent reason. Then the choking ceased, which raises more questions. 

"Damn, what the hell was that?" Fairy Rage speaks aloud to make sure he can talk. "Well, I'm glad that's over." Fairy Rage sighs. "Damn that stupid cat for ruining my first-ever date!" Fairy Rage groans. He gets flashes of Carla wearing the shimmering gold dress. "Carla looked so beautiful..." 

Happy flies to the apartment and asks the Landlady where Fairy Rage has gone; she tells Happy that Fairy Rage is sitting by a tree to contemplate. 

"Thanks!" Happy gets an instant idea of which tree Fairy Rage is and flies there. 

Fairy Rage closes his eyes and tries to remember the good parts of the date. He grabs a rock and chucks it far in anger since the images of Happy's interference come to mind. Happy gets knocked down by the rock Fairy Rage threw. He crash lands on the grass hard. Happy couldn't tell if that was on purpose or unintentional. He proceeds on his flight path to the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Tree. 

Ten minutes later. Fairy Rage gets up after sitting for too long. He looks up to see Happy descending. 

"Oh, wonderful." 

"Rage, wait!" Happy see Rage about to take off. 

"What is it you, lying piece of-" 

"I'm sorry!" Happy shouts, cutting off Fairy Rage's statement. "I'm sorry for ruining your date with Carla." 

"Are you, or did she beat some sense into you?" Fairy Rage doesn't believe in anything Happy has to say. 

"I did something horrible in retaliation for scorching my behind when you found out the truth of my deception."

"Like what?" 

Happy sighs and Fairy Rage starts believing that Happy has changed a bit. "You see..," Happy takes a deep breath. "I went to Tergeri, the Demon of Time to have you erased." 

"WHAT?" Fairy Rage's claws ignite in Sparkling Orange-Black flames in anger. 

Happy doesn't flinch; he expected the reaction from Fairy Rage. "I followed through with my request after I had a chance to withdraw. Tergeri used his magic to prevent Spike from making his wish since you and Spike are one of the same. By doing so, I altered the timeline and winded up creating a new world without Spike the Fairy. What I saw was absolute Hell. Debris everywhere, people scattered, famine, no magic, the world I winded up creating happens to be a what-if Tartaros succeeded with activating the Faces' destruction. Since I've done something in the darkness, it was up to me to shine the light within by telling the truth. So, I spoke the truth with some encouragement and received a ton of hate for my blunder. I did all of that because I was jealous of you having a relationship with Carla."

"You created an apocalyptic world due to jealousy? Dude, you technically fulfill Midnight Sparkle's goal." 

"Oh, God," Happy facepalms himself for not realizing that. 

"Happy, you hit on Carla more than once, and she ignored you. I've seen you attempt to give her gifts, mainly fish, but she refuses to accept. While I resided within Spike's body, I noticed her body language around you. You're a friend to her. When I was in the realm with Death, she spoke more about me and how she wished to be with me. I'm sorry that I didn't notice how you would react when Carla and I hooked up. I don't have the awareness I once had. I don't have many perks that I used to have when I was inside Spike. However, what you've done is more wrong than what Laxus tried to pull during the Fairy Tail Battle Royal." 

"I know," Happy sighs. "That is why Master Makarov is allowing you to punish me any way you see fit." 

"He is?" Fairy Rage did not expect that outcome. 

"Yes," Happy nods. "Since I targeted you to be erased, you should be the one that punishes me." 

"I'll tell you this. You won't be expelled from the guild. You've owned up to your mistakes after you witnessed the mess you made." 

"Thanks," Happy is grateful. 

Fairy Rage thinks for a few minutes about an appropriate punishment. "Alright. I've come up with a fitting punishment for you." 

Happy gulps. "What is it?" 

"One. You cannot spy on Carla and me when we're together, especially dating." 

"Sounds fair." 

"Two. The next date Carla and I have, you'll be our butler." 

"That's fair," Happy thought the Fairy Rage would come up with grueling punishments. 

"Three. You cannot eat fish for two months." 

Happy screams in horror. No fish for two months sounds disastrous. "You can't be serious?!"

"I am. Four. Any amount of Jewels you make for the next six months, half of it goes to me." 

"Oh, c'mon!" Happy doesn't like it. He needs the money for fish. 

"Five. When Spike's birthday comes, you'll be stuffed into an oversized piñata with your head sticking out." 

Happy groans. He remembers when Gray got stuffed inside a piñata for helping Daphne. "I'm not looking forward to that." 

"Spike's birthday is coming. Enjoy your time before getting whacked." 

"Is all those punishments necessary?" Happy hopes to lighten up the punishments. 

"Yes. Also, it'll be a helpful, painful reminder to never make a selfish ambition agreement to any demon."

Happy sighs in defeat. "Very well. Let me know when the date comes so I can dress up as a butler." 

"I will." Fairy Rage flaps his wings. 

"Thanks for not expelling me from the guild." 

"Natsu would not forgive me if I expel you. He would argue on your behalf or plea about allowing you to rejoin the guild. I'm trying to avoid a future headache."

"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Happy nervously asks. 

"Yea. Later." Fairy Rage flies back to the apartment. 

Happy sighs in relief, but he's not looking forward to punishments three, four, and five. The third punishment is the hardest, knowing that Happy craves fish all the time.

Fairy Rage arrives at the apartment and sees a note on the door. Fairy Rage reads it. "Out on a late-night job with Natsu and Gray. They need something to unleash unease tension. See you in the morning, Lucy." Fairy Rage walks into the apartment and sees Carla in her humanoid cat form wearing black kitty-themed lingerie. Fairy Rage's wings start flapping. 

"Welcome home, my handsome Prince. Care to snuggle with me, meow," Carla seductively expresses as she does a cute purring sound. 

Fairy Rage blushes. He walks by the windows in case Happy has resorted to stalking again. Happy is nowhere in sight but shuts the shades in case. 

"Wow, Carla." Fairy Rage is lost for words. 

"Shhhhhh, no more talking. Come sleep with me," Carla pats on the bed. 

Fairy Rage complies and relaxes. He joins Carla in bed and snuggle for the first time in his life.
> Fridge Raided
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dude, it's been four days since you've eaten. Is everything alright?" Spike asks Fairy Rage. It's 9:30 in the morning in the apartment. 

"I'm fine. I don't know why I'm not hungry." Fairy Rage pats his belly. 

"NATSU!" Lucy angrily shouts. She sees the fridge decimated and looted. 

"Aw, man, this is the second time this week," Spike said. He's scratching the back of his head. 

"Emptied fridge, no food or drinks. I guess Natsu wanted your cookies, Spike." 

"It was to pay the Landlady for this month. Now I have to start over," Spike sighs a bit. "I better go buy more supplies."

"I'll go with you. Gotta prepare some provisions in case another ransack when we sleep," Lucy said. She follows Spike out the door. 

As Fairy Rage stays within the apartment, Spike and Lucy bump into Natsu and Happy. Lucy grabs Natsu's shirt, pulling him close to her. 

"Have you been in my fridge again?!" Lucy angrily pants. 

"No!" Natsu exclaims while shaking his hands. "I would never ransack your fridge again!" Natsu made his case. 

"That tuna fish sandwich with mayo was good and yummy," Happy said. He licks his lips to remember the sensation of the flavor. 

"Ahah! A confession!" Lucy grabs Happy's tail. 

"OW! Lucy, that-" Happy keeps his mouth shut. He sees how angry Lucy looks. Her face is red. 

"I can't believe you and Natsu raided our fridge last night!" Lucy barks at Happy. 

"Dude, that's not cool," Spike said. 

"It wasn't us! We're innocent!" Happy and Natsu pleas. They didn't raid Lucy and Spike's food. 

Lucy lets go of Happy's tail and take a deep breath. "Look, don't come to the apartment and steal our food," Lucy's stomach growls. She storms off to the nearest supermarket in Magnolia. 

"So, it's' twice in the last five days our fridge got raided. Lucy is not in the mood for any shenanigans. Sorry for the inconvenience," Spike leaves Natsu and Happy alone. He catches up with Lucy. 

"Natsu, I think we should do a stakeout tonight," Happy suggests. 

"I can go for some steak," Natsu rubs his belly. "I do agree with you, Happy. We should find the culprit that's raiding Lucy's fridge. Perhaps the culprit has raided other fridges in the past." 

"I bet it's Droy," Happy giggles at the thought. 

Three hours after food shopping, Spike, Fairy Rage, and Lucy arrive at the guildhall. Rumors of someone raiding food are the hot-take in the guildhall. 

"I wonder who's raiding the fridges in Magnolia," Gray said. He's wearing only his underwear. 

"I say it's Droy," Jet said while eating an apple. 

"I'M RIGHT HERE!" Droy punches Jet for making a repulsive suggestion. 

"Out of everyone, you're still the fattest, and sure as hell it ain't Nab who still won't pick a damn job!" Jet shouts which grab Nab's attention. 

"Are you making fun of me?" Nab turns to Jet raising his fist. 

"You're not working, so it's you that's raiding fridges at night in Magnolia," Jet boldly claims, changing his mind now that he's thinking clearer. 

"How about I feed you a knuckle sandwich!" Nab goes after Jet. He, Droy, and Jet start a brawl in the guildhall. 

"Well, everyone is on edge with their food looted," Spike said. 

"Like a famine is about to happen in a few days. I hope things get resolved soon," Lucy said. 

"I wonder if there's a job request on stopping the foe from creating a civil war among the populous over food." 

"Let's go find out," Spike flies to the job board and searches for anything similar to raiding. 

Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna arrive in the guildhall starving. They had no food in their home. 

"Help us..," Lisanna said, holding her stomach due to the hunger pains. 

"We had no food in our home..," Mirajane said. 

"I need a manly meal!" Elfman shouts. He falls to his knees. 

Kinana is cooking breakfast for those affected by the recent food raidings. She, Laki, and Levy bring food to Elfman, Mirajane, and Lisanna. 

"Thank you!" Elfman gorges on the eggs and bacon. 

"Thank you," Lisanna tries not to gorge as Elfman did. 

Mirajane walks up to Master Makarov while eating her plate. "Master, what should we do?" 

Master Makarov put his plate down. "We need to have rotating shifts during the late hours. Those affected need extra security when the raider returns to the homes they plundered from." 

Erza enters the guildhall with Alzack, Bisca, Wakaba, Macao, Romeo, and Max Alors with fresh food. They were worried that the guild got raided during the night. Erza sees her friends going through the different stages of hunger pain. 

"I'm glad our fridge didn't get raided," Romeo said. 

Cana screams and rushes inside the guildhall. "Someone raided my fridge and drank all of my beer!" 

"I'm pretty sure she was drunk and drank it all," Lucy said to Levy. 

"Normally, I agree with you, Lu, but this is serious," Levy replies. 

Erza walks up to Master Makarov. "Master. I've taken note that one-third of Magnolia had their food stolen." 

"That's not good. Was Twilight Orge impacted as well?" Makarov asks Erza. 

"I saw a note on their door. Twilight Orge went out of town for a month on a retreat. However, I believe they were raided and didn't want to answer Magnolia's cry." 

"Alright, thanks for the info, Erza." 

Spike doesn't find any job requests about the raidings, which is puzzling. He flies back to Lucy. "So, I don't see any job requests regarding the food raider." 

"Quit complaining," Laxus said. He sees Freed, Bicklsow, and Evergreen overreacting over the food situation. 

"My secret stash of junk food got taken, man," Bickslow said in tears. "How did anyone find out?" 

"My kitchen had broken plates and glasses on the floor. Not a speck of food traced," Freed weakly said. 

"The girl's dorm wasn't spared either. All that's left was a mess to clean," Evergreen complains and sounds tired. 

Juvia comes inside the guildhall with Gajeel, Panther Lily, Carla, and Wendy.

"We've done our investigation and couldn't smell the perpetrator," Gajeel said. 

"There are familiar scents throughout Magnolia. We can't depict who's the raider, Master," Wendy informs Makarov. 

"That sucks," Gray said. "I hope to pound the bastard!" 

"You may want to wait in line for that, Gray, my love," Juvia said. She wants a piece of the punk, like everyone else. 

"I can't believe that Fairy Hills got raided during our sleep. How in the world did we not hear the commotion?" Wendy asks Carla. 

"I have no idea, Wendy. It's beyond our understanding," Carla responds. 

"Spike, Rage, any idea of possible leads?" Wendy asks. 

"We're clueless like everyone else is." 

"Lucy did speculate Natsu since he and Happy have done it to us in the past," Spike recalls the time before going on a job with Laxus and the Thunder Legion. 

"Why Salamander?" Gajeel asks Spike and Lucy. 

"It's something they would do," Lucy states. "Also, I had a tuna fish sandwich in my fridge. It was supposed to be my lunch later today, and it was gone. Happy mentioned the sandwich in perfect detail, leading me to speculate he and Natsu raided the fridge." 

"I also had cookies to give to the Landlady, and they were gone." 

"Dude, when are you going to make more of them!?" Gajeel asks Spike. It's been months since he had Spike's specialty. 

"After the raiding comes to an end," Spike sighs. "If I bake now and it's gone, my efforts were for nothing." 

"I expect the guildhall the next target for the raider. Freed, Levy, I need you two to work on an enchantment that'll alarm and prevent the culprit from entering," Master Makarov decrees. 

"That shouldn't be too hard, Master," Levy said. 

Freed nods. "I'll get to it," Freed's stomach growls. "After I have my fill." 

Natsu and Happy arrive in the guildhall. They see everyone on edge. They receive some dirty looks pointed at them. Especially from Lucy with her memory of the two sneaking into the apartment many times. 

"Look, it wasn't us!" Happy shouts. 

"And we'll prove it!" Natsu proclaims. "Let's go and prove our innocence, Happy!" 

"AYE!" Happy follows Natsu and leaves the guildhall. 

"You don't think other towns are experiencing the same crisis as we are, right?" Romeo asks around to get everyone's opinions. 

"I'll check around," Spike volunteers. "It could be possible that this guy or girl or whatever it is could have ravaged other towns," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to Mermaid Heel's guildhall. 

Many people at the Mermaid Heel's venue cheer in excitement. They are having breakfast, and now they want the lunch hour cooked by Spike. Kagura and Millianna see Spike and approaches him. 

"Nice timing. Now we'll have more hungry customers," Millianna cheerfully says. 

"What brings you here, Spike?" Kagura asks Spike. 

"Have you experienced anything abnormal recently?" 

"How abnormal are we talking about, Spike?" Kagura counters Spike's question with another. 

"Fridges raided?" 

Kagura and Millianna shake their heads. "We have not encountered a foe that raids refrigerators. Jewels and jewelry. Mugging and kidnapping people. Raiding food is a new one. However, we'll keep our guard up since you're experiencing it." 

"Thanks, Sis. See you and Millianna around," Spike hears many people groaning. "I'll come back another time. Today was a quick visit," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the Sabertooth guildhall. He inadvertently collides with Sting, knocking him to the floor. 

"Dude! Not cool!" Sting gets up. "What's the deal?" 

"Have you experienced food raidings?" 

"Nah. Who wants to raid food?" Sting is puzzled. He turns to his friends for answers. 

"I have no memory of the sort in our town. I recall common enemies stealing money, artifacts, relics, jewelry, and precious cargo. Food's unheard of," Rufus states. 

"Why would anyone want to steal food when there are food pantries?" Orga states. He finds it lackluster for someone to steal people's food where there are much more valuables to grasp. 

"I have no clue. So far, one-third of Magnolia has experienced such a crisis, and people are starving. My fridge got raided twice during my sleep, and the culprit got away without making a sound." 

"Whoa," Sting, Rogue, Rufus, Orga, Minerva, Yukino, Lector, and Frosch are stunned to hear that from Spike. They now know how serious the situation is. 

"A good portion of my friends came to the guildhall starving. That's why; I'm asking around to see if anyone has dealt with a similar predicament," Spike said. 

"Hate to say. We have not endured a food calamity within our town," Rogue said. 

"Spike, Sabertooth will help you find this punk," Sting decrees. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. "Just bring some rations with you." 

"Milady?" Sting turns to Minerva. 

"I'm on it," Minvera heads to the kitchen. 

"We'll be in Magnolia later tonight. Don't let anyone know about it. We want to make it a surprise for the jerk." 

"I won't, Sting," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the Lamia Scale guildhall. Spike sees Sherria and Lyon walking up to the guildhall. 

"Spike!" Sherria runs up to him and hugs him. "It's so good to see you!" 

"You here to take Sherria on another Fairy Youth Squad mission?" Lyon asks. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "I'm here to ask a question." 

"What is it?" Lyon asks. He's interested. 

"Have you and Margaret Town experienced food raidings?" 

Lyon is confused. Sherria looks dumbfounded by the question. "Food raidings?" Lyon and Sherria say in unison. 

"Yea," Spike nods. 

"We've dealt with many raidings, but it never involves food," Lyon said. 

"Why would you ask that?" Sherria wants to know what's happening. 

"One-third of Magnolia had their food raided. Some of my friends in the guildhall showed up starving. The phenomenon has been going on for a week now. My fridge got fleeced twice during the week while I was sleeping." 

"Wow," Lyon and Sherria are in shock. 

"That is serious," Sherria said. She thought it was funny until she heard the news from Spike. "Did Wendy eat well?" 

"I hope so. The Fairy Hills Dorm got plundered last night, according to Evergreen." 

Sherria panically rushes into the guildhall. She imagines a hunger-pain Wendy in tears. Though, in truth, Wendy can eat the air to make herself feel better. 

"I'll bring a small team to help Fairy Tail catch the transgressor. I would hate to have anyone starving in Margaret Town," Lyon said. He hopes to show off Gray by capturing the raider.

A few seconds later. Sherria brings a box of food and shoves it to Spike. "Give it to Wendy! Make sure she eats well. I want my Sky Sister satisfied, not hungry." 

"I will," Spike said. He's worried that Sherria is overstressing and overthinking. "I'll see you guys later," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport back to the guildhall. 

Spike arrives inside the guildhall to see his friends organizing defensive measures to secure food in all of Magnolia. Irene claims she's seen many atrocities in her life. Someone stealing food without leaving a trace is new to her. 

"Wendy," Spike grabs Wendy's attention. 

"Yea, Spike," Wendy approaches him. 

"Sherria wanted me to give you this," Spike hands Wendy the box. 

"Thanks," Wendy takes a look inside. The box contains sandwiches, apples, bananas, pears, oranges, candy, bags of chips, and potatoes. 

"I think we should hold that in our room. Keep it away from any refrigeration units until things get settled," Carla advises. Also, she takes an apple to snack on. "Mmm," Carla enjoys the sweetness of the apple. "Nice and juicy." 

"Just like your kisses." Fairy Rage walks by Carla, making her blush immensely. 

Carla takes another bite to relish the apple and withdraw her blush. 

"How many lacrima vision cameras do we have?" Erza asks Master Makaorv. 

"We don't have many to cover house per house. We could have them hovering and patrolling all the streets of Magnolia," Makarov suggests. 

"I'll take a nap now. I want to be wide awake for the night shift and use my magic and tech to keep track of our food thief," Warren said. 

"Take your nap and be ready," Master Makarov said. 

Warren leaves the guildhall and goes home. Everyone in Fairy Tail orchestrates a plan of action after having their fill. Irene decides to plant magic circles. The magic circles will indicate who stepped on the premises in full detail to ensure Fairy Tail who the pillager is. 

"Fairy Rage, can you detect anyone from coming in any range?" Master Makarov asks. 

"So, one of my perks of detecting is shortened. I need to focus and practice my perks on ranges. Sorry but ever since having this body, my many advantages plummeted. It'll take time to readjust what I had." 

"Alright, if lacrima visions don't pick up, all we can do is hope that Irene's circles reveal our looter," Makarov said. 

"No need to fret. My magic of revealing the culprit has not failed me. We will discover who our enemy is," Irene said. "This has to be one of the lamest atrocities I've ever experienced."

Those who aren't affected by the recent raidings decide to go home and protect their kitchen. Those affected decide to protect other homes not affected by the food looter. Lucy informs Spike she'll be watching the guildhall with several of their friends. Spike and Fairy Rage decide to head back to the apartment. The old saying goes: Third Time's the Charm. 

Nightfall approaches. Lacrima cameras roam the streets of Magnolia. Warren is using his magic and technology to monitor all of Magnolia. Spike and Fairy Rage are in the apartment, guarding the fridge. 

"This is boring."  

"Well, Wendy and Carla wanted to guard the Fairy Hills kitchen with the others in our guild. Lucy decided to stay in the guildhall with Erza, Irene, Mirajane, Jet, and Droy. The rest are protecting homes all around. It's different compared to our routine of fighting bad guys."

Fairy Rage sighs. "Yea. I guess after having a body. I expected to use it more for fighting and sparring. Instead, I snuggled with Carla, kissed her, had fun, and held her. Sure I've done other things, but the only time  I used my power was to help you defeat Acnologia and barely fight the hydra before Natsu scorched it and us." 

"Well, after this. The next job should have something engaging for you." 

"I hope so." 

Natsu and Happy are buildings away from Lucy and Spike's apartment. They have their eyes peeled on the fridge their friends are guarding. 

"Time to save our innocence, Happy," Natsu is looking at the binoculars.

"Aye, Sir," Happy concurs. "I have some experience on stalking, so we should remain a bit farther than further. Fairy Rage can't sense further reaches." 

"Point taken, Happy. Man, I'm still mad about the stipulation Fairy Rage made. Making you cough up half of what you make." 

"It's my fault, Natsu. I took things too far and created a world where you died. I'm not looking forward to Spike's birthday." 

"When is his birthday, Happy? I don't remember celebrating it with Spike even with the year of training," Natsu said now he comes to think about it. 

"I don't know. We'll have to ask Spike or Rage later." 

Master Makarov activates the lacrima visions in the streets of Magnolia. Many Fairy Tail Wizards are patroling, many are at the homes affected, and many are protecting their homes. Warren checks his radar for any sighting of the looter. Irene walks around town, placing her magic circles. She finds it ridiculous and wants more action. Laxus is at the top of the Kardiac Cathedral, eyeballing around to find the looter. 

It's 11:30 at night. So far, nothing has happened. Spike is getting sleepy after waking up earlier in the day. 

"You want to get some rest?" 

Spike yawns. "Yea. I want to stay up, but," Spike yawns again. "My body wants to sleep." 

"Go to sleep. I'll place a protection circle on the fridge. Also, I'll wire the door to the apartment. Lucy said she won't be coming home until tomorrow afternoon." 

"Alright then," Spike yawns which last longer. "Night, Rage," Spike goes to bed. 

"Night." Fairy Rage places a protection circle on the fridge. He goes to the couch to sit for a while. He grabs a deck of cards to play solitaire.

Natsu and Happy see Spike going to bed. They also see Fairy Rage playing a card game by himself. The two scout around to find the jerk that's stealing food. 

"Hey, Natsu. Want some fish?" Happy offers one of his fishes. 

"Sure, buddy. I haven't eaten since this morning," Natsu grabs the fish and cooks it with his fire breath. 

While Natsu and Happy eat their fill, many Fairy Tail Wizards are patrolling the streets of Magnolia. Checking every home and inspecting every kitchen they come across. Warren uses his telepathy to contact every wizard patrolling for updates or sightings. 

"I don't smell any bastard lurking around me," Gajeel confirms to Warren. 

"My babies are searching left and right. Things are calm in my area," Bickslow said. 

"Lisanna and I are checking the neighbors. No sighting for the food burglar here," Elfman reports. He's checking the upstairs kitchen of the apartment complex. 

"I don't see any issues around my area," Max Alors said. 

"I hear nothing. My magic circles haven't depicted any sighting of the trespasser," Irene said. 

"Alright, thanks for the feedback," Warren sighs. He turns to Master Makarov. "Master, do you think he's bidding his time?" 

"I'm not sure. We must be ready for anything to stop this madness." 

It's 12:30 in the morning. Natsu gets sleepy while Happy scouts around with the binoculars. He sees something moving in one of the homes next to Lucy's. 

"Natsu, look!" Happy wakes up Natsu, who is nearly asleep. 

"Huh-wha-?" Natsu yawns and sees what Happy sees. 

A house is getting raided next to Lucy's apartment. Happy and Natsu see the fridge lifted and the person devouring the food. 

"Hah hah!" Natsu gets excited. "We found him! We can prove our innocence! Got the camera, Happy?" 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy takes a picture of Natsu. 

In that split second, the looter is off to another house. Natsu and Happy see the figure running in the shadows. The two hightail and follow the culprit to the next home it sees. 

Panther Lily is at home protecting the kitchen. He's asleep in his battle form while wielding his song sword. With Gajeel patrolling the streets, he figures that their home could be the next target. The figure walks into the kitchen, not noticing Panther Lily guarding, and opens the fridge. Panther Lily snores in his sleep, so the noise cancels what's happening in the kitchen. Natsu and Happy are by the window and observe that the kitchen is dark. 

"Who's place is this, Natsu?" Happy turns to him. 

"Definitely Gajeel and Panther Lily's pad. Lily is snoring," Natsu said. He hears how loud Panther Lily's snore is. "It sounds like the roar of a train." 

"Can you spark a light to see who the looter is?" Happy asks. 

"Yea, I can," Natsu ignites his hand and sees the figure no longer in the kitchen. The looter has already left. "AH CRAP!" Natsu yells which startle Panther Lily. 

"Who's there?" Panther Lily is ready for battle. He sees Natsu and Happy by the window. "Natsu, Happy. What are you doing here?" 

"We found the looter. He was right here, and now he's gone!" Happy said. 

"Yea and your snoring blocked out the rummaging in the kitchen!" Natsu angrily shouts. 

"That's preposterous! I don't snore like-" Panther Lily turns, gasps, and sees the fridge decimated with scraps all over the place. "Gajeel's gonna kill me for sleeping on the job," Panther Lily becomes pale and imagines Gajeel scolding him severely. He's not looking forward to it one bit.   

"I have a faint scent on the guy. Come with us, Panther Lily," Natsu advises. 

"Yea," Panther Lily only agrees to come up with an excuse as to why the fridge got raided. 

Natsu follows his nose and runs down the street. Happy and Panther Lily fly next to him. The trio arrives at a different house. Like Gajeel and Panther Lily's kitchen, it's dark. This time Natsu ignites his hand to see the looter. However, the kitchen is missing a refrigerator. Natsu, Happy, and Panther Lily are perplexed when they hear the commotion coming from the backyard. Happy picks up Natsu to hover at the backdoor to get a better bird's-eye view. Panther Lily flies to see the facial of the looter. Fairy Rage comes bursting out the door, lifting the fridge, and eating the food that falls out. 

"Yooooooooo-hooo-hooo-ooooh!" Happy laughs uncontrollably at what he witnessed. "Man, tell me I wasn't dreaming. He scarfed the whole fridge!" 

Natsu and Panther Lily's jaws drop after witnessing the event. They follow Fairy Rage to the next house he sees. They couldn't believe that Fairy Rage was looting fridges this whole time. 

Fairy Rage enters the home of Alzack, Bisca, and Asuka. Natsu, Happy, and Panther Lily are by the kitchen window, watching the display. Fairy Rage opens the fridge and starts devouring what he can get his claw on. Natsu and Panther Lily couldn't help but stare at the extravaganza. 

"Out of everyone who could have done it, it was one of our own..," Natsu said in shock. 

"This is rich, Natsu!" Happy has popcorn. He takes pictures of Fairy Rage eating. 

"We should do something, right?" Panther Lily doesn't know how to tackle the situation. 

"Have some popcorn and enjoy the greatest show on earth!" Happy relishes the moment, eats some popcorn, and shares it with his friends. "I'm going to blackmail Fairy Rage into dropping some stipulations!" 

"That's not cool, Happy," Panther Lily seriously states. "You should honor your punishments, not looking to expel them." 

Happy takes another snapshot. "This is great," Happy ignores Panther Lily's advice. 

"Guys, I think we should step in now before he wanders off," Natsu said. Since Happy took the snapshots, there is more than enough evidence to prove his and Happy's innocence. 

"Alright, fine. The show's over," Happy said. He, Natsu, and Panther Lily no longer see Fairy Rage in the kitchen. "Where did he go?" 

"Think it's possible to have two kitchens in one house?" Natsu asks his friends. 

"Only one way to find out," Panther Lily slides the window open and enters the house. He, Natsu, and Happy go up the stairs. 

"MOOOOOM! DAAAAAD!" Asuka frantically shouts from her bedroom. 

Natsu, Happy, and Panther Lily rush after hearing the screams. Happy opens the door to see Fairy Rage trying to eat Asuka. Asuka is halfway in Fairy Rage's mouth, screaming for help. He closes the door quickly after seeing a gruesome image. 

"Happy! We need to get in there!" Natsu opens the door to see Asuka in her pajamas, covered in saliva. "He spit Asuka back out." 

Panther Lily sighs in relief. "Oh, thank heavens. That was intense."

"Asuka, are you alright?" Natsu checks on her. 

"Who was that monster? Why did it try to eat me?" Asuka nervously asks. She's shaking from the experience. 

"Someone we know dear and is possessed by a wicked spell," Natsu lies to Asuka, and Asuka believes in his lie. 

"Please, help him, her, or whoever it was, Natsu," Asuka worriedly said. 

"Don't worry," Natsu soothes Asuka and rubs her head. "We'll fix this. Let's go!" Natsu jumps out of the window. 

"Need any help going to sleep?" Panther Lily asks Asuka. 

"I don't think I can sleep by myself. I'll wait for mommy and daddy to come home." 

"You want some company?" Panther Lily volunteers to stay with Asuka. 

"No," Asuka shakes her head. "Go help our friends. They may need it more than me." 

"You're an angel, Asuka," Panther Lily said. He follows Natsu and Happy. 

"Hey, Natsu? Did you notice anything different about Fairy Rage?" Happy asks while following Natsu. 

"I did. Fairy Rage has his eyes closed. He's sleep eating." 

"Why, though?" Happy is confused. 

"If I have to guess, Fairy Rage lived most of his life not eating or drinking. So, when Spike ate that time rift, Fairy Rage's perception came to play and had a delayed reaction." 

"Wow, Natsu," Happy blinks twice. He can't believe Natsu came up with a clever theory. "This is a new shade of you." 

"Well, being around Spike made me think more about putting pieces together. I heard of sleepwalking, but sleep eating is a whole new level." 

"Yea, now that I think about it," Happy recalls times when Fairy Rage would eat less. "Fairy Rage doesn't eat as much as Spike does." 

"That would explain why Fairy Rage's hunger has differed from the rest of us," Panther Lily said. He caught up with Natsu and Happy after overhearing their conversation. 

Gajeel is patrolling the streets. He hears glass shattering. "It's go time," Gajeel chuckles and turns his arm into an iron sword. He goes through the back door and sniffs a familiar scent. "Fairy Dragon?" Gajeel enters the kitchen to see Fairy Rage gorging on food. "What the hell?" Fairy Rage ignores Gajeel's questioning and continues to eat. "Fairy Dragon," Gajeel snaps his fingers in front of Fairy Rage several times. "Wake up!" Gajeel is losing his patience. "That does it! Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel turns his arm from an iron sword into an iron club and attacks Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage, in his sleep, catches Gajeel's club strike. "Huh?" Fairy Rage chucks Gajeel away from his presence. Gajeel lands on the table, startling Cana in her sleep. 

"NOT AGAIN!" Cana wakes up in fear of her drinks begone when she gets to the kitchen. Cana arrives in the kitchen, fully armed with her magic cards. Cana sees Gajeel on the table and Fairy Rage leaving. "What the hell?" 

Gajeel gets up. "We have a situation," Gajeel and Cana hear the loudest burp from Fairy Rage. Cana rushes to her fridge and sees her drinks are empty. 

"Not again..," Cana said in tears of sadness. 

"Forget the drinks! We need to stop Fairy Dragon before he claims another house!" Gajeel shouts, awakening Cana. 

"That dragon is going to feel my wrath!" Cana angrily shouts and goes after Fairy Rage. Gajeel catches up with her. 

Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, and Kagura arrive in Magnolia. They explain that Spike came earlier to question them about food raidings and now are here to help catch the culprit. Sting suggests splitting up into factions to cover more ground. After a few minutes of compromising, the guilds depart in search of the looter. 

Fairy Rage is flying to the Fairy Hills dorm. He smells something delicious that caught his attention. Kagura, Sherria, Sting, and Yukino are heading to the guildhall when they notice something flying towards the Fairy Hills dorm. They nod in agreement and decide to investigate the Fairy Hills dorm. 

Wendy, Carla, and Evergreen finished making several pies to lure the looter. They place the pies by the window of the Fairy Hills dorm. 

"I hope this works," Wendy said. 

"It has to. I want a piece of the jackass that raided our kitchen last night," Evergreen said. She's eager to use her magic and turn the culprit into stone. 

"I hope we can end the madness," Carla said. She's ready to fight if the looter poses a threat. 

Natsu, Happy, and Panther Lily meet up with Gajeel and Cana. Cana is furious with what transpired at Gildart's house. She was hoping to bring her drinks there to protect it. It failed her. 

"Salamander, cat. You're in the clear," Gajeel said. 

"We know. Fairy Rage is sleep eating," Natsu responds. 

"That's Fairy Rage? Huh. Here I thought it was Fairy Dragon," Gajeel replies. 

"Doesn't matter. Fairy Rage drank my alcohol, so now he has to pay for it!" Cana angrily proclaims. 

"It's not like Fairy Rage is doing it on purpose. He needs help," Panther Lily said. 

Gajeel and Natsu sniff; they turn to see Sherria, Kagura, Sting, and Yukino. 

"What brings you here?" Happy asks. 

"Spike told us about your situation," Kagura said. 

"We came to help you guys," Sherria noted. 

"Seems you figured out who it is," Sting said. 

"So much for providing backup," Yukino slightly sweats in embarrassment. 

"We may need your assistance with those Celestia Keys," Gajeel said. 

While they follow Fairy Rage's trail, Warren's magic picks up the irregularity coming close to the guildhall. Everyone within the guildhall is on high alert. Laxus turns and sees Fairy Rage flying aimlessly to the Fairy Hills dorm. He wonders what Fairy Rage is up to and decides to observe it for himself. Using his lightning, Laxus moves quicker throughout the streets of Magnolia. 

Fairy Rage arrives and enters the Fairy Hills dorm. Warren alerts Master Makarov that the culprit is at the girls' dorm. Erza and Lucy decide to go there and stop the looter from ransacking the fridge. Makarov approves and allows them to see to it. Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Cana, Kagura, Sting, Sherria, and Yukino arrive at the Fairy Hills dorm. Laxus appears next to them. 

"Figure it'll be you two clowns monkeying around," Laxus refers to Natsu and Happy for causing the situation. 

"It wasn't us!" Natsu and Happy protest. 

"Seriously. Salamander and cat are not the enemies. We know who the food raider is," Gajeel said. 

"Who?" Laxus asks. 

"Fairy Rage. Apparently, he has a sleep eating disorder," Panther Lily informs Laxus. 

"That can't be good," Laxus now understands why Fairy Rage hasn't eaten much in the guildhall. 

"Rage will pay for drinking my babies," Cana refers to her alcohol and beer beverages. 

"Easy. Our dragon friend doesn't know what he's doing and can't control it. We need to help him out first before busting his chops," Laxus said. 

"Did I hear that right?" Erza joins everyone with Lucy. 

"Fairy Rage sleep eats?" Lucy asks her friends. 

"I have pictures to prove our case," Happy said, holding the camera. 

"Sorry for scolding you two earlier. Now, let's help our friend," Lucy suggests. Her friends nod and proceed to enter the Fairy Hills dorm. 

Fairy Rage hovers into the kitchen and sniffs at the pies. Wendy, Carla, and Evergreen are in hiding. They hear the sniffing, and Wendy picks up the scent. 

"Oh, no," Wendy now knows who entered the kitchen. 

Evergreen comes out of her hiding spot and lunges at Fairy Rage. "Time for your petrification!" Evergreen uses her magic, but Fairy Rage dodges. Evergreen lands face-first into a frying pan on the wall. "Ow." 

"My turn!" Carla comes out of her hiding spot. 

"Carla! Wait! That's your-" It was too late for Wendy to explain. Carla is in her humanoid cat form and tries to strike Fairy Rage's head with a kick. 

Fairy Rage catches her kick. "Rage?" Carla doesn't understand why Fairy Rage is in the kitchen, eating the pies when it was for the food raider. Fairy Rage throws Carla, and she slams her into the wall. "OW!" Carla landed on her tail on impact. 

Fairy Rage blinks and yawns after hearing Carla's yelp. He's a bit bigger with his overweight stomach hanging out. "What the hell?" Fairy Rage feels his stomach growling in pain. "Ooooooh, my stomach is killing me." Fairy Rage belches. Happy gets hit when he enters the kitchen with his friends. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Happy runs in circles before going into the sink filled with water to flame out the fire. 

"Happy?" Carla turns to him. 

"Ooooooh." Fairy Rage falls to one knee. "I don't feel so good." Fairy Rage burps loudly. 

"What happened?" Wendy comes out and sees Fairy Rage a little overweight with his stomach hanging out. 

"I don't know. I don't understand how I got here. The last thing I remembered was falling out after playing solitaire." Fairy Rage holds himself. "I don't know why I'm like this." 

"We know what's happening," Natsu said. 

"We saw Fairy Rage sleep eating and raiding refrigerators," Panther Lily explains. 

"Me? Sleep eating?" Fairy Rage is confused. 

"Yea," Happy comes out of the sink and grabs a slice of pie. "It was great. You ate everything, including Asuka."

"HOLY CRAP!" Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Erza, Gajeel, Cana, Laxus, Sting, Yukino, Kagura, and Evergreen shout in unison. They look at Fairy Rage's stomach. 

Fairy Rage looks at his oversized belly. "AAAAAAAAAAH! I ate Asuka?! No! NOOOO!" Fairy Rage panics and tries to hear his belly for signs. "I don't have a flare marking to get her out!" Fairy Rage grabs the back of his head. "ASUKA! NOOOO! I'M SORRY!" Fairy Rage said in tears for having the idea of tasting human flesh. 

Happy laughs hysterically. Panther Lily whacks Happy for leaving a crucial detail. "You didn't devour her, Rage. You spat Asuka out." 

Everyone except for Natsu and Happy sighs in relief; Happy has a bump on his head from Panther Lily's whack. 

"Oh, thank God." Fairy Rage groans with the idea of having the taste of human flesh. "I need help." Fairy Rage yawns. "I'm getting sleepy." 

"Don't worry. We'll sleep over to keep an eye on you," Natsu said. 

"Hey," Warren uses his telepathy to call Erza and Lucy. "What's the status?"

Lucy answers Warren's call. "We have the culprit. However, we have a situation." 

"What kind of situation are we talking about, Lucy?" Master Makarov interjects Warren's telepathy. 

"It's Fairy Rage. He has a sleep eating problem," Lucy reports. 

"WHAT?!" Everyone guarding the guildhall shouts in shock. They couldn't believe that Fairy Rage caused the calamity. 

"Yea, he was great! He ate everything, including Asuka!" Happy informs the guild. 

"THAT DRAGON IS GOING TO DIE!" Alzack and Bisca are ready to hunt Fairy Rage with their gun magic. 

The guildhall hears Happy's laughter until he gets slapped by Carla. "OOOOOOW! Carla. That hurts..," Happy said in tears. 

"Serves you right for messing with my boyfriend. Alzack, Bisca. Happy left the part when Fairy Rage spits out Asuka. She's alive." 

Alzack and Bisca sighs in relief. The two hightail back home to comfort Asuka after hearing the news. 

"Master, I believe Fairy Rage may enter a food coma from how much he ate tonight. We'll bring him to the guildhall later in the morning," Erza said. 

"Alright, Erza. I'll inform the rest of our guildmates to cease their activity. We'll see you in the guildhall later in the morning." 

"I don't think I can move at the moment." 

Erza picks up Fairy Rage. She grunts a little. "You're heavy." 

"Sorry." 

"Bring Rage to our room, Erza," Carla wants to be right beside Rage. 

"Alright," Erza carries Fairy Rage to Carla and Wendy's room. Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Laxus, Evergreen, Cana, Sting, Lucy, Yukino, Kagura, Sherria, Wendy, and Carla follow Erza. 

"It's a good thing our room is big enough to house our guests," Carla said. 

"I kinda wish Spike was here," Wendy admits. 

"He's asleep at the apartment." Fairy Rage yawns. "Man, I'm sleepy." 

Everyone enters Carla and Wendy's room. They see how big the room is. Erza suggests taking turns keeping watch until the sun rises. 

"Hey, got any extra blankets?" Happy tries to open a closet door, but it seems stuck. 

"We couldn't get that closet door to open. Also, we didn't want to break the door," Wendy said. 

"It just needs an elbow's grease," Natsu grabs and opens the door. Natsu and Happy scream while food piles on them. 

Some of the others couldn't help but laugh at the scenery. Wendy and Carla now know why they couldn't open the door. 

"Rage, was that you?" Carla asks. 

"I don't know. I don't know what I do in my sleep?" Fairy Rage burps. Cana picks up the scent of her alcohol. 

"You owe me!" Cana grabs Fairy Rage's shoulders. 

Carla shoves Cana. "Keep your drunken hands off!" Carla won't allow anyone to touch Fairy Rage due to his unfortunate deed that he can't control. 

"You want a piece of me?" Cana is ready to throw down. 

"ENOUGH!" Erza shouts, causing Carla and Cana to cease their infighting. "We need to ensure that Fairy Rage won't sleep-eat for the rest of the night." 

"Sorry, Ma'am," Carla and Cana said in defeat. 

Gajeel sniffs the food. "Surprisingly, they're not spoiled. Could be hours old without refrigeration." 

"I have spare blankets, so I'll bring them here," Erza leaves the room. 

Two hours later. Carla, Wendy, and Fairy Rage are sleeping together on the bed. Everyone else is sleeping on the couch or floor. Erza, Kagura, Gajeel, and Panther Lily are keeping watch while their friends sleep. 

"So, how was your day, Kagura?" Erza asks. 

"It went well. Spike came earlier and questioned about the food raidings. Millianna and I were perplexed about the situation. Also, Spike arrived in front of our venue, and we received a ton of customers. However, they were sad that Spike came for a brief visit." 

"Well, I hope he plans more than a brief visit with you," Erza said. 

"Look!" Gajeel points at Fairy Rage hovering when Carla stops holding him in her sleep. 

"WAKE UP! RAGE IS ON THE MOVE AGAIN!" Erza wakes her friends up. 

Everyone wakes up and sees Fairy Rage hovering. He flies out the window, but Natsu grabs his tail.

"I got him!" Natsu uses his strength to pull Fairy Rage back in. Rage's sleep flight is more resistant than it appears. "I need help!" 

"Rage, wake up!" Carla shouts, hoping her voice can wake up Fairy Rage. 

Fairy Rage opens his eyes and notices he's out the window. "What the hell?" 

Natsu pulls Fairy Rage back inside. "Dude, your sleep strength is twice as strong." 

Fairy Rage groans. "How can I stop this?" 

"I bet my old man has the answer," Laxus said. "We should take him to the guild now." 

Fairy Rage closes his eyes. He's still sleepy from the food coma. Laxus wakes Fairy Rage by shooting his lightning. "I'm up! I'm up!" 

"C'mon," Natsu drags Fairy Rage to the guildhall. 

"My stomach is cramping." 

"Poor guy," Lucy, Sherria, Wendy, and Carla said. 

Wendy and Sherria use their healing magic on Fairy Rage to calm his stomach. It doesn't help much since Fairy Rage ate a lot in his sleep. 

It's now 7:00 in the morning. The rest of Sabertooth and Lamia Scale is in the guildhall and explains to Master Makarov their involvement after Spike informed them about the raidings. Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Cana, Laxus, Evergreen, Gajeel, Cana, Sting, Yukino, Kagura, and Sherria arrive in the guildhall. Many Fairy Tail Wizards are sleeping except for Master Makarov, Warren, and Irene. 

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuugh." Fairy Rage groans in pain. 

"Damn, he's as big as Droy," Warren said. He sees Fairy Rage's overweight problem. 

"This is quite a quandary to see Fairy Rage in this state," Master Makarov said. He observes Fairy Rage's conditions. 

Fairy Rage closes his eyes. Laxus gives him another bolt of lightning. "I'M UP!" 

"You can go to sleep later, Rage. Now we need to fix your sleep eating disorder," Laxus said. 

Porlyusica walks into the guildhall to bring Master Makarov his monthly medicine. "Why is everyone up this early?" 

"Fairy Rage has a sleep eating disorder. He's the one that's ransacking food throughout Magnolia," Master Makarov explains to Porlyusica. 

"No wonder why my potions disappeared. Rage ate them," Porlyusica is irate but pushes her emotions aside for now. She is a victim of Fairy Rage's late-night ransacking. 

"Sorry..." Fairy Rage burps some vomit but instinctively swallows it. "Ooooooooh, I should have let it out." 

Carla rubs Fairy Rage's back. She's worried about his condition even more. 

"Do you have any potion for relieving this disorder?" Wendy asks Porlyusica. 

"Not at the moment. I need time to gather the ingredients to make a supplement. I'll need help to speed the process," Porlyusica said. 

"We'll help. Perhaps in Margaret Town, they have what you need since Rage probably ate what you need during the week," Lyon said. 

"We'll help as well," Sting said, speaking for Sabertooth. They nod in agreement. 

"Alright, I'll give you a list. Also, I need some lubricants from eels, jellyfish, and a wyvern. It'll help with the potion," Porlyusica writes the list and gives it to Lyon, Kagura, and Sting. 

"I said wake up!" Laxus shoots another bolt of lightning at Fairy Rage, for he has fallen asleep. Fairy Rage, in his sleep, catches the lightning with his claw, and it turns orange. "Ah, crap," Laxus gets hit with the lightning from Fairy Rage and crashes into a pillar. 

"Laxus!" Natsu shouts, which causes the other Fairy Tail Wizards to wake up. 

"Why so loud?" Freed wakes up to see Fairy Rage sleep flying. "Oh, no." 

Fairy Rage flies to the kitchen when Elfman transforms into his ape mode and tackles Fairy Rage. "You're not going on an eating spree-ee-eeeeee!" Fairy Rage lifts Elfman and tosses him like paper. He crashes into a pillar. 

"Move now!" Natsu barks. "We'll hold him down until you come back!" Natsu then gets a little excited. To fight Fairy Rage in his sleep and Rage won't know would be a perfect test of his limits. Kagura, Porlyusica, Sabertooth, and Lamia Scale are on the move. 

Erza requips her purgatory armor. "Sorry, Rage." Erza takes Lucy's whip and jumps at Fairy Rage. Using her strength, she ties Fairy Rage's belly with the whip and yanks hard. Erza's yanking doesn't move Fairy Rage's hovering a bit. 

Carla flies up to Fairy Rage. "Can you hear me?" Carla gets no response from Fairy Rage. He's tired still. "Rage! Wake up!" 

"Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel hopes his strike can push Fairy Rage to the floor. Fairy Rage catches Gajeel's iron club. "Not again!" Fairy Rage swats Carla and Erza, freeing himself from Erza's grip. 

"OW!" Carla yelps in pain. However, it doesn't wake Fairy Rage. 

"This is not good," Wendy said. She taps into her Sky Dragon Force. 

"I'll help you, Wendy. We need to keep him down!" Sherria powers up. 

Makarov increases his right arm to grab Fairy Rage from going any further. "Sorry, as your Master, I order you to-AAAAAAH!" Fairy Rage snaps and breaks Makarov's fingers. He lets go so Fairy Rage doesn't snap his thumb. "That dragon is far more potent in his asleep than awake," Master Makarov shakes his hand. 

Wendy and Sherria jump high enough and use a combined breath attack to pin Fairy Rage to the floor. Fairy Rage shields himself from the blow. Lucy grabs her whip from Erza and latches it onto Fairy Rage. She, Natsu, Freed, Gray, Juvia, Evergreen, Mirajane, Lisanna, Irene, and much more pull on the whip with all their might. 

It's now 8:00 in the morning. Spike wakes up after having a good night's sleep. He gets out of bed to check the fridge. 

"Oh, what a relief," Spike sees the food and drinks untouched from last night's possible raid. "Well, I better head to the guildhall and find out if they captured the culprit," Spike fixes his bed, freshens up for the day, and flies out the window. 

It's a sunny day in Magnolia. Spike sees many people celebrating like no tomorrow. He figures that the culprit was found and stopped. A few minutes later. Spike arrives in front of the guildhall and enters. 

"HOLY SHIT!" Spike sees the carnage within the guildhall. Broken pillars, some blood-splattered, burnt markings on the floor, ceiling, and walls, many of his friends on the floor, barely breathing. He sees Wendy struggling to breathe. "Wendy!" Spike flies over to her. "What happened?" 

"Spike..," Wendy puts her hand on Spike's cheek. "Stop..., Rage..., he's sleep...," Wendy passes out. 

"Sleep...," It clicks in Spike's head. He hears the rummaging coming from the kitchen. Spike hovers to the kitchen and sees Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray, Irene, Makarov, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Happy, and Carla on the floor. They were beaten up badly from Fairy Rage's sleep eating. "Rage." 

Fairy Rage finishes eating all of the food in the kitchen. He's still asleep and feels his next threat; His body ignites in an orange aura. 

"Spike..," Carla wakes up. "Rage's sleep increases his strength. We couldn't hold him. You have to wake him up." 

"I have two ways. One, to piss Rage off. Two beat Rage up." 

"How do you intend to make Rage angrier?" Carla asks Spike. 

Spike sighs. "By saying this," Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm starting a harem and taking Carla as my second girlfriend!" Spike yells. 

Fairy Rage growls. He furiously wakes up. "No, you won't!" Fairy Rage roars in anger and tackles Spike. He punches him left and right for a split second when he realizes what he heard is the reality and not a dream. 

"Okay, that hurt," Spike said. From the blows, Fairy Rage gave him a bloodied nose. 

"Sorry." Fairy Rage pulls Spike up. "I thought I was having a nightmare about someone stealing my Carla away from me. I refuse to allow someone to take her away from me." 

"I hear you, bro," Spike wipes the blood off his nose. "I feel the same about my Wendy. Remember how I reacted when Master Hades attacked her or Irene took her body?" 

"Yea, I remember. You went ballistic for the ones you care for." Fairy Rage recalls the time when Lucy got submerged in the Infinity Clock. "You took possession of me and tried to annihilate Imitatia." Fairy Rage sighs. "I'm guessing I'll be expelled from the guild for all this..." 

"I wouldn't expel my children for situations beyond their control. Your sleep-eating was not intentional," Master Makarov said. "However, expect a fitting punishment for the carnage you created in your sleep." 

Fairy Rage sighs. "That's fair." 

Two hours later. Kagura, Porlyusica, Sabertooth, and Lamia Scale return to the Fairy Tail guildhall. They see the mess created by Fairy Rage's battle versus Fairy Tail. Fairy Rage is wide awake while talking to Spike. Wendy and Sherria are healing their friends as well as each other. Most of the guild wants a piece of Fairy Rage due to their anger, but Spike intervenes, reminding them that Fairy Rage has no control over his sleep-eating habits. 

"What's my punishment, Master?" 

"You're cleaning the guildhall by yourself. You're paying for the food and drinks you've devoured in Magnolia for the houses you raided. Anything you broke comes out of your pocket." 

That's reasonable. I'll get started after I take my supplement." 

"See to it," Master Makarov sees Porlyusica, Kagura, Sabertooth, and Lamia Scale back from their trip. "I am so glad you didn't partake from the beating we've endured." 

"I could have-" Orga stops talking. 

Erza shakes her head. "No one was powerful enough to stop Fairy Rage during his sleep-eating. We now hope this is the last of his sleep-eating days." 

"With the help from these guilds, it'll take me a little while to create the supplement." 

"Make it sooner, Porlyusica," Master Makarov said. It's now his turn to get healed by the Sky Sisters. 

It's now nightfall in the guildhall. Fairy Rage is in the guildhall alone, cleaning the mess with everyone home and recovering from today's attack. Fairy Rage hears footsteps. 

"Who's there?" 

Carla is in her humanoid cat form. "It's me, Rage." 

Fairy Rage sighs. "I'm sorry for the harm I caused you..." 

"You've told me a dozen times today, Rage. As the previous answer still applies, I forgive you." 

"I don't think I can forgive myself from the wreckage I inflicted during my sleep." 

"It's not your fault, Rage," Carla gets closer to him. "It was a freaked accident." 

"Amazingly, I didn't kill my friends during my sleep. Did you view me as a monster?" 

"Never," Carla hugs Fairy Rage from behind while he's mopping the floor. "I was a bit scared because I didn't know what I could do at the time; How to stop someone from sleep eating when the answer was me all along." 

Fairy Rage slightly smiles. "I'm lucky to have someone such as you." 

"I'm happy to have you. You, having a body of your own, and I can hold you and feel you all I want. What were you dreaming of during the time?" 

"You. Every dream of mine, I see you. It didn't matter what form because I saw you. Smiling, laughing. I see us having a family or just us in the open fields." 

"Beautiful," Carla smiles. 

"So are you, Carla." Fairy Rage puts the mop away. He grabs wood from the closet to start repairing the pillars. 

"Here, let me help you," Carla wants to assist Fairy Rage. 

"This is my punishment, Carla. I must endure it alone." 

"I'm not leaving you alone. You were practically alone with Death, unable to talk or be with me. I'm staying right beside you," Carla grabs the hammer. "Now, let's get to it." 

"As you wish, Carla." Fairy Rage smiles. He's grateful for the assistance.
> Working at the Theatre 1: Getting Started
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 9:00 in the morning in Magnolia. Spike and Wendy wake up. 

"Morning, Wendy," Spike kisses Wendy's cheek. 

"Morning, Spike," Wendy kisses Spike's cheek. 

The two get out of bed and go to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. They laugh while having fun scrubbing each other. Wendy decides to wear her white thigh socks and red boots. She then puts on a white dress with red ribbons.

"So, we're eating here or going to the guildhall for breakfast?" Wendy asks Spike. 

"The guildhall. I don't feel like cooking today after what we went through yesterday," Spike said. 

"Fair enough. Though with Fairy Rage relieved from his sleep eating, can you make those cookies of yours?" Wendy asks, hoping to taste the sweetness once more. 

"Sure. Plus, I need to buy extra ingredients." Spike wants to make sure to pay the Landlady for the month. 

"So, after breakfast, let's go on a job that'll help pay for those ingredients," Wendy suggests. 

"Sounds like a plan," Spike holds Wendy's hand. 

Wendy smiles. She holds Spike's claw. The two leave the Fairy Hills dorm together and walk to the guildhall. On the way to the guildhall, Spike and Wendy walk into Carla and Fairy Rage. Carla is still in her humanoid cat form. She's wearing brown shoes, black tights, a red skirt, a green buttondown shirt with a blue tie with a white paw at the bottom, and a blue and white jacket.

"Morning, you two. How was your night?" Carla asks. 

"Terrific. Spike and I had fun. How about you, Carla?" Wendy asks. She's eager to know if Carla's plan to make Fairy Rage feel better was successful. 

"It went well, right Rage?" Carla smiles at Fairy Rage. 

"It was amazing. Blissful." Fairy Rage smiles. He's happy to have Carla with him last night to repair the damages in the guildhall. Also, to spend the night together in bed. "So, what's on today's agenda?"

"Having breakfast in the guildhall. Then going on a job," Spike replies. 

"Sounds good." Fairy Rage said. 

"I agree. We're going to tag along," Carla said. 

"Of course you are. We're family," Spike and Wendy say in unison. 

Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Fairy Rage enter the guildhall. They see their friends eating, drinking, having fun, and looking for work. Erza approaches them. 

"Hey, you four. Wanna tag along on a job?" Erza politely offers. 

"What's the catch?" Fairy Rage asks. 

"A job at the theatre!" Erza holds a flier. "Rabian requires recruits for a project. I say it's about time to show the world that we have style!" 

"No way," Wendy and Carla respectfully decline the request. They shake their hands and head. 

Spike and Fairy Rage take a look at the flier. They are intrigued. 

"Working at the theatre sounds like fun. Plus, I need the money to pay off the food I devoured from our neighbors and the guildhall." 

"With our talents for playing music, it should be easy," Spike noted. 

"Uh," Wendy and Carla nervously look at each other. They don't want to go on another job with Erza, especially working at the theatre. 

"What's wrong?" Spike turns to Wendy and Carla. 

"The last time we've done a show at the theatre, Erza's stage fright caused an uproar with the crowd," Wendy explains. 

"And not in a good way," Carla finishes Wendy's statement. She remembers people throwing food and trash onto the stage. 

"Maybe it'll be different. I recall Spike mentioned Erza to be a bandit sort of speak. Perhaps, Erza's character should be a blind character. She'll be on stage, but her vision is off." 

"I'm already packed and ready to go!" Erza's bags, suitcases, and luggage are in the wagon she uses to carry. It's weightier than the last time. 

"Geez, Sis! That's a lot!" Spike starts counting the amount of luggage and suitcases in the wagon. 

"Why drag so much? If it's a job at the theatre, why overload?"

"You never know in showbiz," Erza proudly states. She's practicing a routine for a possible lead character. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Irene said, stopping Erza before she could leave while drinking her cup of coffee. 

"To go work at the theatre, Mom," Erza replies. 

"Not without me," Irene finishes her cup of coffee. 

"Can we eat first before we get going to Onibus town?" Spike, Wendy, and Carla said. 

"What about you, Rage?" Irene checks on Fairy Rage. 

"I'm good. I'm full for days with all that food I devoured." Fairy Rage pats his belly. Since he took the supplement yesterday, Fairy Rage no longer sleep eats. "Do not hit me in the gut." 

"That's good to hear. I don't ever want to fight against another sleep-eating-dragon," Erza said. 

Fairy Rage turns to Irene and Erza. "How have you two been doing since reunited as a family?"

"Pretty good for the most part," Erza said. 

"I concur. It's been a blessing to hold and cradle my Erza," Irene said. Erza blushes in embarrassment since her friends overheard Irene's chatter. They are laughing. 

"Mooom!" Erza didn't want any of her friends to know that. 

"Sorry, Erza. I'm still trying to get used to being the mother I'm supposed to be," Irene apologizes. She's trying to withhold her laughter. 

Half an hour later. Spike, Wendy, and Carla finished having their breakfast and are ready to go. Fairy Rage, Irene, and Erza follow the trio out of the guildhall. Behind Erza's back, some of her friends make baby noises to tease her. Erza is fuming, and when she returns, she wants to make them cry like a baby. 

"Ignore them, Sis," Spike said. 

"If they want to act like babies. Perhaps we should treat them like babies when we come back?" Fairy Rage sinisterly suggests. He laughs at the idea. 

"Don't worry. I have something in mind when we return," Erza said. She focuses on her routine as the lead character while dragging the wagon. 

"So, besides the piano, any other instrument you can play, Spike?" Irene asks. Erza told her about the time Spike played piano so well that many wizards cried. 

"Well, I'm rusty with stringed instruments. I can sing, but I rather not," Spike said. 

"Why not?" Wendy is curious to know. She now imagines her and Spike singing together on stage. 

"Trust me. My singing voice is different and unsettling as of late. It's all I can say," Spike said. 

"Before then, he would sing to his content. Now, his voice for singing took a turn. He's unsure of how anyone would react." 

"It can't be bad as Erza's acting, right?" Carla asks. 

"HEY!" Erza finds it offensive. 

"Is it really that horrible?" Fairy Rage asks Carla. 

"Her stage fright ruins the flow of the act. If there are no viewers, she will ace her role," Carla calmly answers. 

Irene wonders how it'll play out from Erza's perspective. She refuses to believe that Erza has stage fright. "So, are we walking to Onibus Town, teleporting there, flying? What's the objective here?" 

"Do you feel like flying Spike, Rage?" Wendy asks. 

"Not really," Spike replies. 

"I don't feel like flying today. Especially with this gut of mine." Fairy Rage pats his belly. "It's going to take me time for it to shrink." 

"I'm guessing we're taking the train?" Carla asks. 

"I have motion relief pills so Wendy and Irene won't succumb to motion sickness." 

"Thank you, Spike," Irene and Wendy say in gladness. 

Upon arriving at the Magnolia Train Station, it's suspended until further notice. Spike sighs and does the next best thing. He uses his fire breath to teleport everyone to Onibus Town. 

"I have to say; your teleportation is quite impressive," Irene said. She remembers what Spike's flames felt like and how his flames didn't affect her for teleporting. 

"Thanks. I left a flare marking here a year ago, so teleporting to locations with a flare marking makes traveling easier. However, I prefer seeing the landscape more than just poof there, poof over there, poof everywhere," Spike admits. "Traveling is fun, and you never know what new places you can run into." 

"Flying does have its breathtaking experience. However, either one of us has to be in the mood." 

"I didn't feel like increasing my size," Spike admits. 

"Neither was I." Fairy Rage takes a deep breath. "I hope this big belly goes away." 

"Well, we're not far from the theatre," Erza said. Her excitement gets the better of her. She storms off and runs to the theatre. 

"There she goes," Wendy sees the trail of smoke from Erza's takeoff. 

"I'm not looking forward to this," Carla said. She imagines another uproar with the crowd throwing trash onto the stage. 

Fairy Rage holds Carla's hand. "Well, things will be different." 

"We're here," Spike encouragingly says. 

"I'm sure I can make a difference with my daughter's shortcomings," Irene said. 

Spike, Fairy Rage, Carla, Wendy, and Irene catch up with Erza in front of the theatre. Rabian becomes elated to see the return of Wendy and Carla. He becomes ecstatic to see Spike, Fairy Rage, and Irene. 

"Thank you very much for coming! I have a new play in mind, but my actors are all on vacation. With you here, my show will become the one to talk about for many ages to come!" Rabian gives the script to his newest recruits. "Go over, and if you feel that there need to be substitutions or adjustments, let me know so we can correct it." 

Erza wastes no time and enters the theatre, leaving the others behind. Irene now knows Erza is determined with the play regardless of looking it over with her friends and family. Wendy and Carla take Spike, Fairy Rage, and Irene to the backroom of the theatre to discuss more in detail. 

Spike, Fairy Rage, Wendy, Carla, and Irene go over the script. They are not fond of Erza being a lead character. Erza shows off her character to perfection in front of an emptied audience. Irene is annoyed with Erza, proclaiming that the role is best suited for her. 

"I have to say. The idea is well-thought-out. A hero losing a sense and wants vengeance against the one who stole everything." 

"I agree. Does it say which sense?" Carla asks her friends. 

"Hearing. Though, I'm not fond of that sense. I'm going to tell Rabian to change from hearing into seeing."

"I can handle the role-" Erza sees vicious looks from Wendy and Carla. They don't want Erza's stage fright blunder to cause another uproar. 

"We want to get it right. Your stage fright will cause a calamity, Erza," Carla states. Being with Fairy Rage gives her more confidence to stand up to Erza's glare. 

"It will not!" Erza gives a vicious glare at Carla, making her quiver a bit. Erza is determined to get the role right. "It doesn't need any changes." 

"Yes, it does," Spike turns to Erza. 

"You're exaggerating, Spike. There's nothing in the script that needs readjusting," Erza proudly proclaims. "Besides, I think you're jealous I'm taking the lead role." 

"Honestly, it's not about the lead role. It's about bringing an experience to people who want more of the product," Spike put his foot down, making his point evident. 

"You think I will flunk?" Erza stares down at Spike. Most other stares will make people sweat and tremble. Spike is immune to Erza's vicious strict looks. 

"How does Spike stand up to Erza like that?" Wendy asks Carla. 

"No clue," Carla answers. 

Irene gets between the two. "Cool it. Erza, I keep hearing from the others about you having stage fright. I don't want to believe it, Erza. Now, I want to hear from you. Is that true?" 

"Well.., I.., uh..," Erza looks at Irene's eyes. There's no fooling her. "Yes," Erza said in defeat. 

Irene reads Erza's script as the lead character. "Erza, it won't work with you being the leading character. Either you go as a blind hero with no vision for the crowd or pick another character." 

"Mooooooom!" Erza doesn't like the sound of it. She's at the end of the loop after seeing her mother's vicious glare. 

"I'm not going to repeat myself, young lady. Now, do what I told or I choose for you," Irene's tone sounds motherly and strict. 

Erza angrily groans and storms off. She goes to one of the locker rooms to be alone. It's rare to see Erza behave the way she is. 

"Wow, that's rare to see Sis storm off in a temper tantrum," Spike surprisingly says. 

"Give her time to recuperate," Irene said. "She'll make the right choice." 

An hour later. Everyone goes over the script a second time; Erza comes out of the locker room after much-needed contemplating. Erza walks up to her mom and the others. 

"You thought about what you want?" Irene asks Erza. 

Erza sighs. "Will I have to wear a blindfold as the lead character?" 

"It's the idea for the lead character," Wendy said. She read the script for the hero's position. 

"I'm not fond of wearing a blindfold for the character," Erza said. She feels humiliated to wear one for a live audience. 

"Then choose another character," Irene said. "I'm choosing the traveler role that meets with the hero." 

"The Deadly Duo to go against the hero. I want to be one of the Deadly Duo Characters." 

"That means I'll be the partner of that," Carla said. She wants to act with Fairy Rage. 

"Sounds good." Fairy Rage puts an arm around Carla. 

"Hmm, the hero has a love interest. I'll be the hero," Spike said, hoping that Wendy becomes the lover's interest in the show. 

"I know my role," Wendy smiles at the idea. 

"Wait, then what would my role be..," Erza sees the last character. "Eh," Her left eye twitches after reading the role. "Oh, you got to be kidding me." 

Rabian comes in to check on his recruits. "Everyone good with their roles and positions?" 

"Yea. However, we're going to change the sense that the hero will lose. Instead of hearing, it'll be seeing," Spike informs Rabian. 

"Ah, a readjustment. Thank you very much," Rabian imagines the scenery. He likes how the hero would have to rely on hearing and feeling to navigate throughout the world. "This'll be a helpful criticism." 

"Also, when will we perform?" Wendy asks Rabian. 

"In two weeks tops. I've sent requests throughout Fiore so we may have more characters for our story." 

"Hmm, the more, the merrier, I suppose," Carla said. 

"I wonder who else wants to partake," Irene ponders. 

An hour later. Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Sabertooth, and Mermaid Heel arrive. Rabian escorts them to the backroom where Spike, Wendy, Erza, Irene, Fary Rage, and Carla are, rereading and going over some battle scenes within the play, wanting to add more flair to it. 

"Wendy!" Sherria runs up to Wendy. 

"Sherria, what a nice surprise," Wendy is happy to see her Sky Sister once more. 

"I didn't expect you to partake in a theatre. It's so exciting! I wonder if we can sing together on stage?" 

"I don't think so, but we're allowed to compromise with Rabian on adding additional scenes to the script," Wendy said. 

"Awesome!" Sherria does a fist pump. 

"The Trimen will make the show spectacular," Eve, Ren, and Hibiki say in unison. They are posing to show enthusiasm. 

"I'll make the show glimmer with my beauty and elegant acting," Jenny proclaims. 

"Things will be electrifying, wouldn't you agree, Rufus?" Orga said. He flexes his muscles. 

"I recall you having a terrible singing voice. However, I have not seen you act in front of a live audience. Only fighting," Rufus said. 

"Be nice," Yukino said. "We're here to have fun." 

"I think so, too," Frosch said. 

"Why did I let Sting talk me into this?" Rogue said. He imagines himself acting like a monkey in front of his friends. 

"It won't be bad," Minerva said. "Try and enjoy a different change of pace, Rogue." 

"Easier said than done, Minerva," Rogue crosses his arms. He wished to step down from agreeing on the theatre job.

"I hope there's a cat character within the play," Millianna said, knowing she'll ace the role regardless. 

"Only time will tell, Millianna. I hope there's a role best suited for me," Kagura said. 

"Wow," Spike is amazed to see how many people applied.

"Thank you very much for coming. Feel free to make adjustments to the script, inform me, and I'll consider it wholeheartedly. I've already informed the Fairy Tail Wizards."

"Excuse me, Rabian. I had a thought." 

"What is it, Spike?" Rabian turns to him. 

"It's Fairy Rage or Rage. Spike is over there." Fairy Rage points to Spike putting a blindfold on. 

"My apologies. So, what's on your mind?" 

"We have an outdoor theatre. Inside would be cramped for certain scenes of the script." 

"Oh, my," Rabian imagines an outdoor theatre. His thoughts run wild with the possibilities. "Yes, yes! Make it an outdoor display!" Rabian laughs with joy. "Thank you very much for creating a decisive idea!" 

Lyon takes a look at the additional characters for the play. "Hmm, looks interesting." 

"Hey, Kagura," Spike waves at her after removing the blindfold. 

"It's good to see you once more," Kagura smiles at Spike. She looks at Fairy Rage. "You're not going to sleep-eat again, are you?"

"No." Fairy Rage shakes his head. "I want to steer clear from food for the next few days."  

"So, are there any cat roles for the play?" Millianna asks Spike. 

"At the moment, no. We can add one into the play," Spike answers. 

"Meow!" Millianna gets excited. "I can't wait!" 

"Wow, a role for three kings," Hibiki looks at the script. 

"Obviously, we're the three men qualified for the roles," Eve said. 

"Agreed. Time to show our charm in presentation!" Hibiki, Eve, and Ren say in unison. 

Spike gives Kagura the script and notices a character she likes. "Sister," Kagura smiles and imagines the scene accordingly. 

Sherria is looking at the script with Wendy. She's trying to figure out her character role for the play. Rogue and Lyon are having trouble figuring out their placement. Spike informs them that they could create some scenery with their magic. Rogue, who doesn't want to act, smirks at the idea of creating shadowed scenes for the play. Lyon suggests creating a winter atmosphere for the act. It'll draw more with the tone that before the warmth of light before a dark, cold setting is in order. 

"The journey during a cold winter sounds good." Fairy Rage imagines the cold creating darkness within the mind. 

"I have to say, it does," Spike concurs. "I see the hero taking a dark path because of what he lost before the light gets revealed or, in this case, felt and knowing that the light outshines the cold darkness." 

"Well, it appears we need to create awesome scenery with our magic," Rogue said to Lyon. 

"Indeed," Lyon nods. "We'll create generic visuals that no other can compare." 

"I think so too," Frosch agrees. 

Minerva is looking over and notices Erza having some problems. Minerva walks up to Erza. Erza doesn't like her role of being a common gatekeeper with a few lines.

"Something troubling you, Erza?" Minerva asks. 

Erza sighs. "I wanted to be one of the main characters, but my friends shoved it aside..," Erza sadly states. 

"Why is that?" Minerva knows that Fairy Tail won't do that to a fellow comrade. 

"I get stage fright. Wendy and Carla have seen it. Spike and Fairy Rage have not. However, I revealed the truth to my mother. Therefore, Spike has taken the role." 

"Well, what was the role?" 

"To be the hero. The hero loses a sense for the duration of the play. It was hearing, but Spike suggested it to seeing. He did it for me and that I should wear a blindfold." 

"Sounds like he was trying to help you so you can be the lead character." 

Erza sadly sighs. "My stubbornness got the better of me, and I refused. I advised no changes, and that's when I lost my privileges to the role. Now I don't know what to do..." 

Minerva thinks it over, and an idea comes to mind. One she believes Erza would like. "Well, I see you as a pivotal character for the play." 

"How?" Erza turns to Minerva. 

"Every hero needs a master. Since Spike is the blind hero, a blind master is in order." 

Erza's jaw drops. "A blind master?" 

"One skilled with the sword and knows how to combat any foe while using the other senses," Minerva slightly chuckles, seeing Erza's shocked face. 

Newfound confidence builds up within Erza. "I know who my character is," The name comes to Erza. "The Black Rose," Erza grabs a pen and paper to draw out her costume design for Black Rose.

"Glad to see you in high spirit, Erza," Minerva leaves Erza to work on the character she wants to be. 

"Thank you," Erza hugs Minerva from behind. 

"You're welcome. Please note that you'll need to be blind during the performance."

"Don't worry, Minerva. I'll stick to my role and not mess up," Erza proclaims. 

"Good," Minerva regroups with Yukino to discuss their characters for the act. 

Wendy and Carla inform Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, and Sabertooth about the play's debut. With two weeks to go by, everyone starts building an outdoor theatre. After a few hours of working on the outdoor theatre, everyone calls it a day and will discuss it more in detail about the play tomorrow.
> Working at the Theatre 2: Compromising
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's 10:00 in the morning. Everyone is working on creating ideal sceneries for the play. Spike is with Rogue, discussing his involvement and devising a clever character best suited for him. Fairy Rage speaks to his friends about using his fire breath to teleport the different stage scenes for the outdoor play, so there's no hassle going into the next part of the story. The flare markings will have a number for each act with the character designation. 

Kagura is going over her character. She has chosen to be the hero's sister, giving helpful advice during the pivotal moments of the play.

The Trimen are having a field day with their Three Kings' roles. The Three Kings will be three components to help solidify the hero when the encounter comes. 

Millianna has decided her role will help the Deadly Duo as a catgirl. She'll survey the hero's home and find crucial evidence. Millianna suggested the character to Rabian, and he fell in love with the idea. He green lights Millianna for the role. 

Jenny finds her role as the Queen of Diamonds. The Queen of Diamonds is a dictator within the play. Lyon decided to use his ice magic to create ice crystals to help the character blossom, giving the Queen of Diamonds a more promising role with a definitive expression. 

Wendy is the hero's love interest. She and Carla compromised to make the scenery with the hero. The formation of the Deadly Duo comes from a heartbreaking moment of betrayal. Carla loves the idea, but it will be hard for her to perform since Spike and Fairy Rage are nearly identical. It will add flair and emotion. Fairy Rage encourages Carla to imagine Spike as Happy when the scene comes to fruition. Carla smiles and will consider it. 

Orga has decided to be a heavy hitter working with the antagonist. A terrorizing brute before his defeat. He doesn't mind the role and talks to Spike about making the scene more realistic with the fight. Spike complies but suggests the scene happen either in the beginning or middle of the act. He's not sure yet with all the placement. Orga accepts it. 

Irene jots her memories of traveling the land to make her character an extension of herself, using her experience to add to the character as a traveler. The traveler meets the hero in a life-changing scenario. She had decided that her role be more towards the middle of the story and won't mind having fewer dialogs. It's not that she has stage fright; she knows Erza got that problem from her father's side of the family. 

Yukino has decided to be the narrator of the play. She admits to having some stage fright and only came to encourage her friends. Yukino will also help organize the flow with her tone when a scene is about to change. 

Minerva is having a difficult time deciding where her character fits the story. Either an ally for the protagonist or antagonist. Erza walks up to her and suggests being a supporter of the antagonist before switching sides. Minerva thinks it over and now considers it the best motive for her character design. Minerva has chosen to become a deceiver and be a pivotal character in the act. 

Rufus' character for the show will be either in the middle or towards the early end of the act. He's unsure where his character will fit during the beginning stages of the play. Yukino, Rogue, Erza, and Sherria help Rufus with his character placement for the show. They conclude that Rufus' character will work better in the middle of the act since there will be many arcs during the beginning stages. 

It's 3:00 in the afternoon. Time flows by quickly when everyone is having fun and planning their characters. Spike is with Rogue, rehearsing a dark scene within the play. Spike wants Rogue to be somewhat like Future Rogue in the menacing aspect. Rogue complies only for the duration of the show. He doesn't want anyone to think he's becoming like his disturbing future self that nearly destroyed the world. Frosch wants to partake in the demon aspect of the play with Rogue. Rogue advises Frosch to be Spike's shoulder angel, giving him good compliments. He'll even put a halo on Frosch, allowing him to keep the frog costume.

Rabian comes to inspect his performers. He's glad to see everyone working hard and closely with his play. Rabian relishes the different scenes each wizard has built for the play changes. He imagines the crowd applauding, wanting an encore of what transpired. 

The costume designs are an intricate part of most characters. Blue Pegasus, with their roles, doesn't find it troublesome since all they need is royal attires for their characters. Rogue decides to use his shadow magic form as the demon character. He doesn't need to wear an attire when his scenes come into the fray. Frosch only needs a halo for his character. 

Spike and Fairy Rage tell their friends they'll be heading to the boutique in Magnolia for their costumes. So far, it's the only clothing store that features draconic clothing and costume designs. Erza has her attire all set up due to the many props and costumes she brought for the trip. Wendy and Sherria are going to see what attires are available. If anything, they go with Spike and Fairy Rage to the boutique. The others tell Spike and Fairy Rage they may need teleportation to the boutique. It's in case the costumes don't meet the criteria. 

It's 5:00 in the afternoon. Spike leaves the theatre to go out for dinner. Spike seems a little different than usual. Irene notices Spike's demeanor changing and decides to check on him. 

Spike enters the restaurant and sits at a table. His right claw glows amethyst; Spike takes a deep breath while remembering his time with his mother. 

"I miss you, Mom," Spike stares at his glowing amethyst claw. 

"I miss you too," Irene said. She sits with Spike at the table. 

"I-oh, um..," Spike is taken back from the sudden arrival of Irene. 

"I know you didn't mean me. What's on your mind, Spike?" Irene gets to the point with her motherly tone. 

Spike frowns and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath. "I miss my mother, Amy the Amethyst Dragon. I met her one time and wished I could have a few more minutes with her." 

"That's understandable, Spike. There are those I miss wholeheartedly. I wish to spend more time, one more day," Irene refers to Spike's father, Belserion. 

"What was my father like?" Spike asks, hoping to have some clarity even though he'll never see him. 

"Your father was a brave dragon that loved humanity. He, Amy, and many others have decided to befriend humanity, creating everlasting peace. Your father was kind, a teacher sort of speak that shared ideally and wisdom. I took your father's name due to my friendship with him," Irene chuckles. "When I first met you, you looked nothing like your father. However, I should have realized the resemblance you have to Amy. Also, the love you have for Wendy and Erza, you have your mother and father's love for humans. The way you moved, used your magic, and protected Wendy from my possession spell, Belserion would have used his power to protect me from a takeover spell." 

"Two minds think alike, I suppose," Spike said. He sounds better. 

Irene nods. "Belserion would have sacrificed his life to save me no matter what situation I encountered."

"If my parents didn't hook up. Would you have fallen in love with Belserion?" Spike asks out of curiosity. 

"Without a doubt. Though at first glance, it'll be difficult. Give it time, and we could have found something to make it work. We would have been the first to do so. You and Wendy are officially the first to fall in love. A human and a dragon."

"I'll never forget the first day we met. Our first coalition mission to stop the Oracíon Seis from seizing control over Nirvana." 

"Erza told me that story. I asked how did you and Wendy hook up. She gave me thrilling details based on what she saw. She even told me you had a crush on her." 

"I did. It was then I learned I was way out of my league. When I saw Wendy for the first time, she was awestruck from looking at me. She had many questions, but I defused them by saying I had no clue. At the time, I believed Equestria was my home that I ran away from; Now that I have the whole story, it turns out I migrated to Equestria. When I met Zirconis, he saw me and told me I had come home. It was amazing to discover my origin and parts of my family." 

"Did you have eyes on any other before Wendy?" 

"Only Erza. After I confessed, we started our brother-sister relationship. Since then, we've gotten closer as siblings. Her stares, glares, and looks that terrorize our friends don't affect me. I laugh at it cause it's funny. Seeing Sis fed up or taking control over the situation is a sight to behold." 

"She got it from me, Spike," Irene said. 

"I know. I saw how Erza backed away from yesterday when you glared at her. I've seen Erza use it on many of our friends. More so with Natsu and Gray whenever they argued, bickered, and fought each other." 

Irene laughs. "Fire and ice don't mix well." 

"Natsu and Gray are great friends. Throughout my time in Fairy Tail, in a way, I watched them grow."

"Those two will never stop fighting each other." 

"It's their way of expressing brotherhood. Fighting each other to get stronger," Spike laughs. "Sometimes they hate each other and will fight." 

"Is that why there are pointless brawls in the guildhall?" 

"Yea. We all fight each other, and it's fun," Spike takes a deep breath to change the subject. "Do you remember where my dad died?" 

Irene sadly sighs. "I can never forget where he took his last breath, Spike. I mourned for him by the mountains during the Dragon King Festival. Why are you asking me of this?" Then it hits Irene. While possessing Wendy's body, there is one spell that allows her to connect with any spirit. "You're thinking of having Wendy use the Milky Way spell, aren't you?" 

"Yes," Spike nods. "I should be happy to meet my mom and uncle, but I never met my dad. I guess it bothers me when it shouldn't." 

"It's understandable that a child yearns for both parents. While I was damaged, I did miss my child for many years. Because of you, I'm free from the curse of the Dragon Seed. Now, I will take you to meet your father." 

"You will?" Spike's eyes lit up like fireworks. 

"Yes," Irene smiles. "I don't know how long the spell will last on your father's soul. 

"I'll be happy with five minutes." 

"Then, let's go," Irene takes Spike and leaves the restaurant. The waiter comes by and becomes perplexed as to why the customers are leaving so soon without food.
> Being a Dragon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike is following Garble and Smolder to the Dragon Lands. Charcoal and Clump are behind them. Many Dragons wave at Spike even though he's not the Fairy Dragon. They believe Spike can become similar to Fairy Dragon. 

"So, what are we doing?" Spike asks Garble and Smolder. 

"We're teaching you how to be like a dragon since you were a dog," Smolder said. 

"I taught the other you, but I was mean. Things will be different to teach you how to become more like us," Garble said. 

"We were also mean, Spike," Clump and Charcoal said. They regret the treatment they gave to Fairy Dragon at first and afterward with the egg hunt. 

"Hey, Spike? Want a snack?" Smolder offers a ruby gemstone. 

Spike takes the gemstone and looks at it. "Will it be a better substitute than meat?" 

"Taste and find out," Smolder enticingly says. 

"Well, okay, I suppose," Spike takes a bite and spits it out. "Ah! It's like eating glass," Spike drops the gemstone. "I miss eating meat." 

"Okay, we need to get you into eating gemstones like the rest of us," Clump said. Clump watches a good sizeable ruby descend. 

"It tastes like glass. I'm not eating it again," Spike refuses to eat other gemstones. 

"Okay, gemstones are out of contention," Garble said. Smolder, Charcoal, and Clump agree and won't be inviting Spike to the all-you-can-eat gemstone buffet. 

"Hey, let's show him the thrill of swimming in lava!" Clump suggests. 

"Yea!" Garble, Charcoal, and Smolder get excited and flies towards the lava pool. 

"Is it that thrilling?" Spike asks Clump. 

"Uh-huh. We have a cannonball contest. Let's fly!" Clump flies to the lava pool. 

Spike takes a deep breath and follows Clump and the rest of the dragons to the lava pool. He sees several dragons waving at him and some whistling at him. He's used to the attention and understands his role is to become much similar to Fairy Dragon. 

"Hey, Spike! Over here!" Smolder catches his attention from a mountain cliff. 

Spike flies and lands next to Smolder. A purple dragon name Fume and a white dragon name Fizzle approach Spike. 

"Hey, welcome to the Dragon Lands," Fume said. He was one of the dragons that were mean to Fairy Dragon. 

"Sup, Fairy Dragon," Fizzle didn't mean to address Spike as Fairy Dragon. 

"Thanks, and I'm not Fairy Dragon. I don't have the emblem on my chest as the other me do." 

"My bad," Fizzle apologizes. "You have a canny resemblance." 

"I'm aware of that. I'm still in the process of using Energy Maker Magic the way Fairy Dragon does." 

"That's cool," Fume said. "Up for a cannonball contest?" 

Many teenage dragons are ready for the cannonball contest. Spike looks down and sees the gap. A forty-story drop that scares him a little. 

"Whoever makes the biggest splash is the ultimate dragon!" Garble declares. "Cannonball!" Garble jumps first and makes a huge splash. 

Fizzle, Charcoal, Fume, and Clump do their cannonball. Each dragon makes a bigger splash than the last. Clump so far made the largest out of every dragon. 

Smolder is about to jump when she sees Spike feeling unnerved. "Something troubling you, Spike?" 

"I've never done a cannonball before. I normally chased squirrels or my tail back home," Spike said. 

"Have you ever gone swimming?" Smolder asks. 

"No. I hated taking baths back home," Spike admits. He always hated water until he took his first bath at the Castle of Friendship. "There are many things I still haven't tried. All I've done was study, learn how to use my magic, and play games. Lava cannonball is a new experience for me. Swimming qualifies as an experience I haven't tried. There's so much I haven't done since my year in Equestria, Equus, this world." 

"Spike!" Garble shouts from the lava pool. "Make your grand entrance!" 

"Come down, Spike! The lava is great!" Clump shouts. 

"Do the cannonball!" Charcoal encourages Spike. Then the rest of the dragons start chanting Spike's name. 

Smolder walks up to Spike. She grabs his claw. "Let's go down together." 

Spike looks up at Smolder. He smiles. "Let's do it." 

Spike runs and jumps off the cliff with Smolder. The dragons down below cheer loudly. Smolder is successful with her cannonball attempt. As for Spike, he does a belly flop instead. The dragons cringe from the impact of the belly flop. 

Smolder surfaces after her cannonball. "So, what do you think about the cannonball, Spike?" 

"Sis, Spike did a belly flop," Garble said. 

"Spike!" Smolder shouts. 

Spike rises and takes a deep breath. "Ow," Spike rubs his belly. "I think I did it wrong." 

"Dude, that was one sick belly flop," Clump said. 

"Nice one," Charcoal throws the thumbs up. 

"What else is there besides lava cannonball?" Spike asks every dragon around him. 

"There's King of the Hoard, a belching contest, and tail wrestling. There are other things we did but not anymore with the whole Bar of Alliance and unity," Garble answers. 

"Which, in retrospect, it's kinda bizarre that we have a Bar of Alliance, and back in Earth Land, Dark Guilds used the same format as the Bar of Alliance," Fizzle said. Every dragon around him is dead silent. They remember Juvia explaining it in one of Fairy Dragon's memories right before his first coalition mission. 

"So, uh, King of the Hoard?" Spike asks his dragon friends. 

"Yea," They say in unison. 

Spike watches every dragon gathering all sorts of gemstones and piling them like a mountain. He gets a little excited and may want to show his new prowess to every dragon. After a few minutes, since there are tons of gemstones everywhere, the mountain is set. The rules are simple, only one dragon remaining on top is King of the Hoard. In Smolder's case, it's Queen of the Hoard. 

"Spike wants!" Spike increases his size. He's as tall as Laxus. The dragons are in awe after seeing Spike increasing his size. 

"Dude," Garble can't believe what he's seeing. 

"How did you do that?" Charcoal asks Spike. 

"I tried many months and couldn't pull that off," Clump said. 

"It doesn't add up. Fairy Dragon's perspective of obsession for succession doesn't work with us," Fizzle and Fume said. 

Smolder is silent. She's aware that Spike can increase his size after bringing Twilight (Sci-Twi) to the guildhall earlier today, though witnessing this close is breathtaking. 

"I rewatched and observed Spike's practices on increasing his size. Yes, the logic Fairy Dragon received from his friends is crucial. However, I took the time to hone my capability. Now, I can't increase into a full-size dragon, but this is a good start," Spike flexes his body. "Since we're doing King of the Hoard, why hold back when we can make it more competitive." 

"So," Garble's body ignites in hellfire. "You want competition, huh?" 

Smolder does the same. Her body ignites in hellfire flames. Charcoal ignites his body in lightning; Fume does the same, igniting his body in lightning. Clump stomps on the ground, quaking the area around. 

Every dragon gets excited. They roar King/Queen of the Hoard and climb on the mountain pile of gemstones. Garble and Spike got in each other's faces. The two try to push one off of the mountain hoard. Clump jumps and punches the mountain hoard, causing a trembling which causes some dragons to fall. Smolder uses her hellfire breath attack to remove Clump from the mountain hoard. He crashes into the ground hard. Smolder flies up and spears into her brother and Spike. Smolder and Garble notice their hellfire consumed by Spike. 

"Uh, oh," Garble and Smolder say in unison. 

"Hellfire Blazing Rooooooooooar!" Spike uses his fire breath at Garble and Smolder. The two take the hit and crash onto the ground. 

"That hurt," Smolder flexes her wings. 

"Is it me, or has Spike gotten stronger?" Garble asks Smolder. 

"I have no clue. We've trained with our friends at the guildhall. We were the ones that defeated Midnight Sparkle. I wonder what kind of intense training Spike does annually." 

"We should ask," Garble gets up, and he helps Smolder up. 

Charcoal comes from behind. "Electric Shockwave!" Charcoal places his claw on Spike's back and electrocutes him. Spike slides down the mountain hoard. "King of the Hoard!" 

"Damn it," Spike said. "I let my guard down." 

"Hey," Clump helps Spike get up. "You did awesome on your first try." 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. He reverts to size. "I can't maintain size for long periods. I'm still working on it." 

"I will say, you are one tough dragon," Fizzle said. 

"Thanks. There's still much I need to improve." 

"The same goes for the rest of us," Smolder said. "When you consumed my hellfire, you also drained my magic power." 

"Whoops," Spike sweats a bit. "Sorry about that." 

"No need to apologize. It's a reminder that many foes can drain magic power," Smolder replies. 

Garble and Charcoal cringe from the memory of having their magic drained by Midnight Sparkle. Clump knows the feeling when he fought Lord Tirek. 

"Also, we can't let any guard down during or after the battle," Charcoal noted. "Never know what can happen to any of us. It could be a life or death situation during any fight." 

"Agreed," Every dragon nods. 

"We're doing the belching contest or tail wrestling?" Fume asks his friends. 

"I think we should spend the rest of the day training and sparring. I think Garble may want another go-at-it against me." 

"Oh, you know it," Garble cracks his knuckles. "I have a fire in my belly!" 

Spike lends Garble some fire for him to consume. Garble eats the fire, and his body ignites in hellfire once more. Spike smirks and prepares himself for a brutal sparring session with Garble. He uses his magic to create energy wings to fly. 

For many hours, teenage dragons fought hard and practiced their magic. Every dragon pushes themselves to the limits in honor of their guild and the Fairy Tail Guild. They strive to ensure they can defeat the upcoming enemy that used the unfathomable magic power for their purposes.

Nightfall approaches, and every dragon calls it a day. Everyone got their bumps, bruises, and scars from the intense training session. Spike knows Twilight will worry and wants to go back to her. The dragons decide to go to United Equestria. Mainly District Ten to see if Neighsay and Twilight uncovered the mystery foe. 

It's 11:30 at night in District Ten. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is in her room. She waits anxiously for Spike's return. She groans and wishes she knew her teleportation spell properly to go to Spike. Spike enters the room and sees Twilight sitting on her chair. 

"Spike!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) is happy to see him. 

"Hi, Twilight. I had a good day with the dragons. There's pride in every effort and encouragement." 

"Wonderful, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles at Spike and hugs him. "I'm glad you had fun."

"Also, I trained and practiced my skills with the dragons. Smolder is-" Spike gets sidetracked from her encouragement. 

"What, Spike?" 

Spike snaps back to reality. "Oh, right. Smolder helped me overcome a nervousness I went through." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) chuckles a bit. "Like what?" 

"She held my claw to jump a forty-story cliff into a lava pool." 

"WHAT?!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) shouts in horror. 

"I did a belly flop and got stung a bit. Overall, I got my bruises from my workout than that." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) sighs in relief. "I'm so glad," Twilight (Sci-Twi) pulls Spike into a hug. "Time for bed, Spike." 

On cue, Spike yawns. "I agree." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike get in bed. Twilight (Sci-Twi) wants to hold her Spike in her sleep for the night, to enjoy every moment, unlike her counterpart. Twilight (Sci-Twi) still keeps her vow with Spike and never abandons him. Always be by his side and allow him to grow with his friends.
> Belserion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike and Irene are on their way back to the theatre. Irene requires Wendy's help for the Milky Way spell to perform. Spike can't wait to see his father for the first time. His claw ignites in an amethyst aura on its own. He's at a loss as to why his magic is doing it. 

Wendy and Sherria are working on a segment, trying to devise a song for the play. The two are outside on the stage while everyone else perfects their character and lines. Spike and Irene approach them. 

"Wendy," Spike calls her name while she's singing, interrupting their flow. 

"Darn it, Spike!" Sherria angrily stomps. "Wendy and I are trying to create lyrics, and you ruined our flow!" 

"I can use a break anyway," Wendy sits down and grabs her water bottle. "What's on your mind, Spike?"

"My mom, Irene, knows where my dad's corpse is, and we need your help." 

"See you later, Sherria," Wendy gets up and hops off the stage. 

"Wait, what?!" Sherria is stunned to see how quickly Wendy responds to Spike. "Wait, wait, wait," Sherria hops down and stands next to Wendy. 

"Sherria, I'm going with Spike and Irene. It is the closure Spike needs on his family." 

"Wendy, I'm going with you. I would like to see Spike's, old man," Sherria boldly states while crossing her arms. "I missed out on meeting his mother and remembered seeing his uncle beat the stuffing out of other dragons." 

"Fair point," Wendy said. Although Wendy has never seen Spike's mom, she heard her voice. Spike and Carla gave Wendy the thrilling details of Amy the Amethyst Dragon's appearance.

"Let's go," Spike increases his size. He's eager to meet his father for the first time. Irene, Sherria, and Wendy hop on Spike's back. He takes off. 

"Huh?" Fairy Rage sees Spike taking off. 

"Where are they going?" Carla sees Wendy, Sherria, and Irene riding on Spike's back. 

"If I had to guess, someplace important." 

"Should we follow?" Carla asks Fairy Rage. 

"No. There are things Spike needs to do on his own. Even with the friends and family that's supporting him." 

"That's a little out of character for you, Rage," Carla feels the urge to follow them. 

"Carla. Since I no longer reside inside Spike, there's not much I can do. Whenever Spike ventured, I was asleep cause I didn't want to interfere with what Spike did. I allow Spike to see and embrace what comes to him. So, in this instance, I'm doing what I usually do. Staying out of Spike's business until he either needs me or tells me what's up. I input myself into the situation when it's dire. From what I'm feeling, Spike is finding clarity." 

Carla sprouts her wings, and Fairy Rage grabs her hand. Carla is still in her humanoid cat form. "Rage?" 

"You should wait until Wendy returns with the others. Remember what happened with a curious cat?" 

Carla shudders and doesn't want to remember her foolish mistake and Happy's. The memory of spying on Wendy and Spike led to ruining their first date and Happy luring Natsu to scorch her friends and the hydra, creating an apocalyptic world out of jealousy. 

Carla sighs in defeat. "Point taken, Rage." 

"C'mon. We need to master our characters as the Deadly Duo." 

"Alright, Rage," Carla couldn't help herself. She feels nervous and anxious about Wendy's whereabouts. 

"If it helps, I'll teleport to them if it feels they've been gone for too long." 

Carla sighs in relief. "Thank you, Rage." 

"You're welcome." Fairy Rage smiles. He and Carla go over their script and practice their dialog. 

Spike is flying northern of Fiore. Irene is by Spike's shoulder, navigating his direction; Wendy and Sherria observe the breathtaking sight of the landscape of Fiore. Irene hopes that the Milky Way spell will have long-lasting effects on Belserion.

"Wow, Wendy! The landscape of Fiore is beautiful!" Sherria shouts in excitement. Spike flies through a cloud, and she gets wet. "Amazing!" 

"I'll say," Wendy laughs it off a bit. 

"So, what was Spike's mother like, Wendy?" 

"I had my eyes shut while focusing on the spell. As for what I do know, Spike's mom sounded caring, kind, and motherly. She knew I was a daughter of Grandeeney."

"Wow," Sherria's eyes widen in shock from the revelation. 

"I imagine the appearance of the amethyst dragon. Spike, Carla, and Irene can give you all the details, Sherria," Wendy said. 

"Alright, then. I'll ask later." 

An hour later. Spike sees several mountains and lands near one of them. The mountain region spans for miles on end. Irene remembers Belserion losing his fight, and his remains are somewhere near. Irene starts having flashbacks from the last encounter she had with Belserion. Belserion fell from the skies; his injuries were too severe to nurse him back. The amount of tears Irene poured while grieving and mourning the loss of her friend, the one that granted her Dragon Slaying Abilities. 

Spike reverts to size, allowing everyone else to hop off his back. Spike looks around while storm clouds forge together. Wendy, Sherria, and Irene look up and see the clouds turning dark. 

"Those clouds look angry," Sherria smells the scent of the rain. 

"There should be a cave nearby," Spike said. 

'Follow me," Irene starts walking. For her, it's a trip down memory lane. Spike, Wendy, and Sherria follow Irene. Irene looks down a bit and wonders how Belserion would react about her doing after his passing. Would Belserion still be her friend or resent her is the question. 

It starts pouring ferociously. Spike, Wendy, and Sherria get drenched by the rainwater. Irene's hat prevents the rainwater from wetting her. They enter a cave to wait out the storm. 

"Judging from those rainclouds, they'll stay for a few hours," Wendy said. 

"Aw, man," Sherria whines a little. "I wish I had candy or chips to pass the time. Spike, can you hop in town for junk food?" 

"I don't feel like teleporting into town, Sherria," Spike's claw glows brighter in the amethyst aura. "My claw keeps doing this, and I believe my magic may be erratic." 

"Boo!" Sherria throws the thumbs down. 

"Don't boo my boyfriend. If Spike doesn't feel like teleporting, we won't force him," Wendy seriously states. 

"Sorry," Sherria said after seeing Wendy's angered face. 

"Phew," Spike mimics his claw. The claw that glows amethyst aura sparks an amethyst fire. "That's new." 

"I'll say. Your flames are normally sparkling green," Wendy sits next to Spike. 

"Please, teleport some food to kill time?" Sherria is on her knees, begging Spike. 

"Fine," Spike blows his fire to teleport a fridge from the apartment. Instead, Fairy Rage's stash of food piles on Sherria. Wendy and Spike giggle a bit. 

"Ow, so this is what it feels like to be Happy and Natsu the other day?" Sherria's head sticks out from the pile of food. 

"I guess my flare markings are interfering with Rage's markings. It can be one of many hidden stashes."

Spike walks up to Irene. Irene is watching the storm clouds with many memories of Belserion flowing through her mind. 

Irene takes a deep breath. "I still can't believe it's been over four hundred years since Belserion's passing." 

"Mom?" Spike addresses Irene, snapping her from her trance. 

"What is it, Spike?" Irene doesn't turn to him. Bad memory sways her mind. The images of attacking Spike come back hard when she was someone else. The idea of murdering a descendant brings guilt to her, taunting Belserion's son's emotions. How she nearly killed her own flesh and blood comes back to haunt her. 

"Are you okay?" Spike is concerned about Irene. He can tell her demeanor has changed with the awkward silence. 

"I-" Irene coughs a bit to readjust her claim. "I'm alright. I have things on my mind." 

"Is it about my old man, Belserion?" 

"Yes. I miss your father every day of my life. You remind me of your father every time I look at you. His caring heart for humanity and wanting to defend in honor of love and friendship." 

"What are your favorite memories with Belserion?" 

Irene is silent due to many fond memories of Belserion coursing through her mind. She can hear Belserion calling her name like it was yesterday before the first-ever Dragon King Festival. She remembers the laughter and joy with Belserion whenever he wasn't with Amy by Eden's Forest. 

"I have so many fond memories I would have to write a memoir to give you the thrilling details. One of my favorite memories was riding on Belserion's back for the first time. The rush, the adrenaline, feeling the winds pressing on your face while viewing the beauty of Fiore at the time. Seeing Belserion for the first time after a successful search and rescue after hearing several soldiers confirming that a dragon saved their lives. When Belserion recovered from his wounds, he and I started our friendship. We clicked like a brother-sister-type relationship," Irene chuckles. "Wow. I just realized something." 

"What?" Sherria interjects the conversation. She's eating popcorn while listening to Irene's short story. 

"My daughter has the exact relationship with Spike. A brother-sister-type relationship. History repeating itself within the bloodlines." 

"That explains so much, especially from the Grand Magic Games," Sherria recalls Day 4 when Spike and Erza fought Midnight Sparkle and Princess Celestia. It was after Spike unleashed Fairy Law that Erza ran and hugged Spike. 

"I've seen how close Erza and Spike are throughout my time in Fairy Tail. She loves him like a brother, caring for him, and not once laid a finger on him in anger. Sure, she'll throw punches during a pointless brawl, but that's good fun," Wendy noted. "If I was the older one and Erza was my age, I see Spike and Erza as a couple." 

Spike remains silent with that comment cause it holds some truth. He did fall in love with Erza and admitted it to her. "Erza and I are close due to our similarities in the past. We spoke a lot after finding out that Mystogan looked like Jellal."

"Erza mentioned the story about your origins in Fairy Tail in-depth. Who would have thought it'll take 400 years to see your father?" 

"Not me," Spike's claw continues to glow more vibrantly in the amethyst aura. "Okay, turn off, please," Spike tries to cancel his magic, but its not responding. 

Irene checks on Spike's magic power. "Its erratic but lifelike. Like a possession spell." 

"Damn it! I wish Fairy Rage were here to fix it!" Spike shouts in annoyance. 

"Uh, why not teleport him here?" Sherria asks Spike. 

Spike facepalms himself. "I'm still getting used to having Fairy Rage around in his body than inside me." 

"Gross," Sherria laughs at the comment. Her tone of voice makes it sound dirty. 

"HEY!" Spike found the statement a little disrespectful. "Why do people have perverted minds?" 

"I have no clue, Spike," Wendy said. 

"Neither do I," Irene concurs. 

An hour later, the rain clears. Wendy sniffs and informs everyone that no more rain will pour down. Irene leads everyone on a four-mile hike to the mountain where she last saw Belserion. Spike had teleported Fairy Rage's stash away while holding onto a chunk for the travel. Sherria is eating a bag of candy during the walk. 

As Irene leads the pack, she relives the memory of seeing Belserion crashing after taking a beating. She rushes to the landing area. Spike, Wendy, and Sherria follow in pursuit. Irene sprints with tears streaming down, not wanting Belserion to die. 

A few minutes later, the chase stops. Irene is on the ground crying. She's having a PTSD moment, crying hysterically for a befallen friend. Spike hugs Irene from behind. 

"Mom! It's okay. It's o-" Irene interrupts Spike's speech and pulls him into a hug. 

"What is happening?" Sherria asks Wendy. 

"Irene is reliving the day when Belserion passed away. She's having a PTSD moment, and I've seen the effects of what PTSD can do. Gildarts nearly killed Spike when he relived his encounter with Acnologia eight years ago." 

"Oh, man. That sucks," Sherria cringes at the thought of Spike dying and learning more about the effects of PTSD. 

Fairy Rage, Carla, and Erza appear next to Wendy and Sherria. Erza runs up to her mother the instant she hears her mother's cries. 

"Mom! Why are you crying?" Erza grabs Irene's attention. Irene pulls Erza into a hug with Spike and continues to cry. 

"Whoa, what happened here?" 

"Why is Irene crying?" Carla asks Sherria and Wendy. 

"We're here cause of Spike's dad," Sherria answers Carla's question. 

"Irene and Spike spoke a lot, and Spike's claw was glowing amethyst. Irene and Spike asked me to come along to use the Milky Way spell. I figure it's closure for Spike's family," Wendy explains it better. 

"Huh, so that's what it is. The final piece to the family of dragons." 

"So, is Irene reliving the final moments of Belserion?" Carla asks Wendy. 

Wendy and Sherria sadly nod. It's a painful sight to witness; much sadness and grief in reliving the moment. Carla and Fairy Rage remain silent until Irene finishes her crying. 

Irene stops crying and takes several deep breaths after ten minutes. She got it out of her systems. Spike and Erza now understand how much Irene loves Belserion as brother and sister. It's literally like theirs. Spike knows how devastating it was to watch Erza die because of a blindsided attack from Midnight Sparkle and couldn't do anything to stop it.

"Do you sense anything, Wendy?" Carla asks. 

"I do. I sense many dragon spirits all around us," Wendy takes a deep breath. "I hope I find the one that'll answer the Milky Way spell," Wendy kneels and activates the Milky Way spell. She has a lock on the closest spirit. "Got it!" 

"Belserion! Can you hear me?" Irene shouts in hopes the dragon Wendy found is her friend. 

"Irene, it's been so long," Belserion said. He smiles down at his long-time friend.

Belserion is sporting features typical of his species: large, quadrupedal body build, sharp claws, tough beige scales, large wings, and a tail with a smooth, armor-like underbelly. Of his draconian features, Belserion's most notable features are the exceeding amount of sharp protrusions on the various parts of his body: large tusks jut out from and curve around either side of his jaw; two large horns that stick out from the back of his head; two long maxillary canines protrude from his bottom jaw; his chin is rather sharp; he has a horn on his snout; the scapulars of his wings also feature large, spiked protrusions.

"Wow," Spike, Carla, Sherria, Erza, and Fairy Rage say in unison. They now know what Belserion looks like and are amazed. 

Belserion turns his gaze to Spike. He leans down to see Spike's eyes. "You must be Spike the Fairy." 

Spike smiles and nods. "I am, Dad," Spike sheds some tears. 

"Finally, after all this time, I get to lay eyes on my son," Belserion instinctively tries to grab Spike, but his claw fazes through, making him groan angrily. "That's right. I'm a ghost," Belserion turns to Irene. "My friend, what have you been up to since I last saw you?" 

"Many life changes, my friend. Including making foolish decisions," Irene looks down, and Belserion picks it up.

"You've done something regretful, didn't you?" Belserion is eager to know what Irene did. 

"The dragon seed grew, and I turned into a dragon. It made me go insane, to the point I nearly killed your son and my daughter." 

"What?" Belserion lividly expresses as he snorts. 

"Dad, she was different, and all she wanted was to be human again. Fairy Rage and I shrunk it and cured Mom. She had Zeref's irregular magic flowing in her body, giving Mom a deceiving body." 

"How did you cure Irene, and how did she become your mother?" Belserion is baffled by the revelation.

"I learned a technique to restore a trait within any wizard's body. Being human qualifies as a trait. Plus, I have my mom's amethyst power. I believe she's like Wendy's mom, Grandeeney, in terms of healing." 

"Well, you're close to your theory, Spike. Amy's magic is purification. Your mother is known as Amy the Purifying Dragon."

"So that's why Spike's claw glows amethyst every time we fix someone. It's purification magic." 

"Who are you?" Belserion fixes his gaze at Fairy Rage. 

"Fairy Rage. I'm Spike's brother. I was born due to dark magic from Master Hades Abyss' spell. Then, I had a seven-year delay which altered the remaining magic inside of Spike, and I grew. From then on, I vowed to help Spike and not possess his body for my selfish gains, plus helping out the Fairy Tail guild on many jobs, quests, battles, and wars. Then we fought Acnologia. Spike ate a time rift that separated me from his body. The time rift granted me a body to live for the rest of my days." 

"I will put in the word with Amy about having a second son in the family. As for you, Irene," Belserion turns to her. "Look after my sons for me. They need a parent to show love and care." 

"Wait, what?" Fairy Rage looks up at Belserion in shock. He wasn't sure if he heard it right. 

"You said you're an emotion of Spike. Therefore, you are my son." 

"Wow.., I'm speechless..." Fairy Rage never thought this outcome would have happened. 

"I thought I was doing a good job taking care of Spike," Erza said. 

Belserion turns to Erza. "You must be the daughter of Irene. It's an honor to meet the daughter of Irene." 

"Likewise, Belserion. My mother has told me much about you. Spike and I treat each other like siblings." 

Belserion laughs. "Well, I see history transcends into our bloodlines, Irene." 

"It sure does, Belserion," Irene smiles. 

"Guys, I'm sensing another spirit coming!" Wendy warns her friends. 

Spike's body glows a blazing amethyst aura. A towering dragoness roars while vacating Spike's body. She has amethyst scales, orange belly scales, lapis lazuli spikes, and citrine eyes.

"Amy," Belserion sees the love of his life. 

"Belserion," Amy smiles at the love of her life. 

The two ghost dragons hold and embrace each other. Everyone besides Wendy is silent and in awe. The two thought they'll never be together with their son near them. 

"Mom, Dad!" Spike cries in happiness. 

"Come here," Amy uses her magic to lift Spike and Fairy Rage. She and Belserion hug their kids. 

"In another lifetime, we will be together as a family. I promise you that," Belserion said. 

"Rage, I do accept you as my son. An emotion of Spike is still Spike in my heart," Amy nuzzles Fairy Rage a bit. 

"I can feel that... Wow.., I can't believe I get to call Amy my mom." Fairy Rage closes his eyes and smiles. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome," Amy turns to Irene. "Thank you for adopting Spike as your son. I never got the chance to thank you." 

"You're welcome. I'm sorry for-" Amy shushes Irene's speech. 

"I forgive you. I heard your backstory and everything you've gone through. Anyone would have lost sanity for the torture you've endured. I'm happy that Spike was in the right place at the right time to restore your humanity. I would hate to see any outcome that doesn't involve Spike." 

"Thank you for understanding my circumstance," Irene gratefully says. 

"Continue to watch over our boys, Irene," Belserion said. He grabs Irene and pulls her into a hug. With Amy beside him, he's able to grasp onto Irene. 

Irene closes her eyes and hugs her long-time friend. She shed tears of happiness. 

"Erza," Amy turns to Erza. 

Erza looks up at Amy. "It's an honor to meet the mother of Spike the Fairy." 

"No," Amy shakes her head. "It's an honor to meet the sister that nurtured Spike during his first days of Fairy Tail. I saw Spike's memories and tell everyone else in Fairy Tail that Belserion and I say thanks." 

Erza smiles. "Very, well. Consider it done with our guild coming to watch us act in less than two weeks." 

"Your father and I will be watching from above," Amy kisses Spike and Fairy Rage's cheeks. She then puts them down. 

"Thank you, Mom!" Spike shouts in happiness. 

"Our time is up," Belserion turns to Amy. 

"Yes," Amy nods. 

Belserion and Amy smile at Spike, Rage, and Irene's friends and family. They start to vanish. 

"Thank you for your time!" Spike waves by at his parents. He's not sad but happy that the two are reunited and can rest together. 

"Be well and bring a new age of dragons into the land, boys," That is Belserion's only wish. 

"Continue to watch over them. And Spike, you still have my purification magic, so don't worry if you thought I was taking it."

"Thanks for the clarification, Mom! Have a great rest!" 

"Farewell." Fairy Rage salutes his parents. 

"See you another day, Belserion," Irene smiles while shedding tears of gladness. 

Amy and Belserion go to the afterlife together. Wendy stops using her Milky Way spell and runs to Spike, hugging him from behind. Spike is at peace knowing he had his family moment with Amy and Belserion. Irene intends on keeping Belserion as her last name, not out of vengeance but out of love and respect. She'll continue her duty as a mother. 

"That was a beautiful moment we saw," Carla said in awe. She's happy for Spike and Rage. 

"I'm feeling inspired for the play after seeing the loving embrace of a dragon family," Sherria said. "It'll do me wonders with my character!" 

"The same applies to me," Wendy said. "I have the right inspiration for my lover role." 

"Rage, how are you feeling?" Carla walks up to Fairy Rage. 

"Fantastic. You were correct for coming after waiting over five hours. I would have missed all of this if I didn't teleport us here after your concerns." Fairy Rage yawns. "I'm ready for bed." 

Irene uses her staff to create a carving on the ground. It reads: Here lies Amy and Belserion; Loving couple and great friends of the family.

Spike and Fairy Rage use their fire breath to teleport everyone back to the  Onibus Hotel. Spike, Irene, and Rage feel at peace and not saddened. Irene can lay her demons to rest after seeing Belserion and hugging him.
> Grogar's Next Motive
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few days since Spike Knightwalker arrived in Equestria. Grogar is reading the books available and knows that it's his works of long ago. It's a good refresher for certain things he has forgotten. The Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards are working together to gather many supplies and materials for Spike Knightwalker to use. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker is working on a new weapon using the different resources he has available. One thing that intrigued him was the color gemstones the mines have. He analyzed each one and uncovered many secrets of the sort. Sadistic Spike Knightwalker does get some headaches, but the medication given by the Diamond Dogs helps him overwhelm his other-self. 

"Alright, I'm stumped. We've gathered all of this for what purpose!?" Spot complains after carrying more metal scraps and junk. 

"Weapons to fight off the magic-wielding creatures," Sliver reminded Spot and the rest of the Diamond Dogs. "I swear, your minds are feeble. I don't understand why Grogar would be interested in you dogs." 

"Hey!" Fido didn't like the remark from Sliver, making him and his species feel inadequate. 

"Pay attention, and you'll learn that these two creatures are key to our salvation," Aster said, drinking a bottle of pop. 

Grogar comes to check on Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's progress. He sees turrets on the table. "What's this contraption?" 

"Turrets," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker replies while making adjustments to the turret. 

"What does it do?" Grogar analyzes the weapon. 

"Shoots missiles from long range. The missiles are made of the gemstones the dogs dug up. I've analyzed each colored gemstone for its better abilities. The red and blue ones are the more dangerous color." 

"Why is that?" Grogar is intrigued to know what Sadistic Spike Knightwalker uncovered with the different usage of gemstone colors. 

"The red gemstones are for incineration. The blue gemstones are for freezing." 

"Impressive. What about the rest of the colors?" 

"I'm still working on many formulas for the rest of the colors. Green gemstones are perfect for poisoning the Dragons." 

"How so, Knightwalker?" 

"Dragons eat these gemstones, so the green ones could make them sick with the right spell to amplify the stability. I need a little time testing the theory and will need a Dragon to test all of my theories," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker said. 

"The Chameleons will get you that test subject. There is one other ally I need to recruit," Grogar leaves Sadistic Spike Knightwalker be, allowing him to resume his duties for engineering weapons. 

Aster sees Grogar approaching. "Grogar, what are your commands, Sir?" The Chameleons are ready for any order. 

"I require a Dragon for testing. Grab a Dragon egg by the volcanic nests," Grogar commands. 

"Yes, Sir!" Aster and his Chameleons leave the mines and go to the Dragon Lands. 

"Where are you going, Grogar?" Rover asks. 

"Retrieving an ally for the cause. Do not follow me," Grogar wears his cloak and leaves the mines. 

"Geez," Aster said. "I wonder who's he getting." 

"Hmm, that demon he mentioned?" Spot answers with a question. 

Two hours later. Grogar sees the suspicions and worries from February 29th's constellation has many creatures spooked with the unfathomable power he used. No one has figured out who's the culprit of using such magic power. Grogar notices many species more united than ever, having many theatres replay recent events and Fairy Dragon's memories. Grogar uses his magic to alter his appearance into a blue earth pony. Princess Celestia and Luna fly above him. Grogar takes a deep breath and continues his travel to his destination. 

Grogar travels to the gates of Tartarus and sees Cerberus. Grogar uses his magic to put Cerberus, several Dragons, and many Royal Guards to sleep. Tartarus has not recovered well since Midnight Sparkle last came. Many creatures within the cages don't have their magic power and are close to death. 

Grogar enters Tartarus and feels the dread lurking all around him. He relishes the feeling and imagines all of United Equestria fallen and filled with fear, sadness, and misery. Grogar walks up to Lord Tirek's cage. Lord Tirek is frail with minimum magic. 

"So, I have another visitor," Lord Tirek turns around to see the blue earth pony. "Let me guess. You must be from the School of Friendship and wished to befriend me on a special Friendship Quest or project of some sort?" 

"You are far from the truth," Grogar said. His tone sounds demonic and enticing. 

"Eh?" Lord Tirek observes Grogar's disguise. "So, why are you here?" 

"For my purposes and ensure the destruction of United Equestria," Grogar replies. 

Lord Tirek laughs at Grogar's statement. Grogar remains silent while Lord Tirek continues to laugh in mockery. Lord Tirek now sees Grogar's blank stare as serious. 

"You're serious?" Lord Tirek questions Grogar's firm belief in bringing destruction upon United Equestria. 

Grogar narrows his eyes and reveals his true form to Lord Tirek. Lord Tirek is astounded to see the Father of Monsters in his presence; He feels honored and petrified at the same time. 

"Hello, Lord Tirek," Grogar readdresses Lord Tirek. 

"Grogar, wh-what an honor to meet a legend such as yourself," Lord Tirek bows before the Father of Monsters. 

"I have a proposition for you, Lord Tirek," Grogar looks into the eyes of Lord Tirek. 

"If you're asking for my assistance, it won't do you any good," Lord Tirek says in defeat. 

"Why do you have any doubts about my objectives?" Grogar is captivated by any info Lord Tirek has.  

"United Equestria has your bell in their grasps. They also defeated the most powerful demon known as Midnight Sparkle. She slew thousands of species with her curses. Sure, I helped in that regard by bringing an apocalypse, but I failed to defeat her and watched how misfits defeated her. Dragons are more promising in magic power than Unicorns and now Alicorns. What power you have bestowed is not good enough to match or override their forces." 

"I have an equalizer that'll counterattack any magic they unleash. I have an army of species growing. If you believe the bell is my only relic of power? You are wrong!" Grogar slams his front hooves on the ground, shattering Lord Tirek's imprisonment. 

Lord Tirek flinches from the sudden outburst of Grogar. His conscience is telling him to trust Grogar's words since he still despises all of Equestria. Sure, he still treats Cozy Glow as a friend, but she hasn't checked on him since departing from Midnight Sparkle's mind. 

"Follow me," Grogar commands. 

"Coming," Lord Tirek follows Grogar to the underground vault of Tartarus. Lord Tirek sees Grogar bust the door wide open, revealing different relics. "What are you looking for?" Lord Tirek asks while observing different relics and books contained. 

Grogar found the relic he created by his magic of centuries ago. There's a defense circle protecting it. 

"What is that?" Lord Tirek sees the artifact glowing and hovering in a defensive magic sphere. 

"My Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter," Grogar uses his magic to dispel the protection spell. The magic power of the defense spell gets transferred into Lord Tirek, making him stronger.  

Lord Tirek gains muscle mass and looks redder with his horns sticking out. He no longer looks frail. Lord Tirek kisses his muscles. "It feels great to have this much power again." 

"I didn't free you to kiss yourself. I freed you for your power and assistance," Grogar angrily yells and grabs his Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter. The Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter is black with a pentagram carved on the skull on top. The back of the skull sports a large dark tanzanite gem. 

"What does that staff do?" Lord Tirek is perplexed by the scepter's power. 

"Brings calamity and gives birth to monsters of my imagination. Another equalizer for the cause, in case my army is not up to par. Now, we must take our leave before an inspection arrives," Grogar uses his magic to teleport him and Lord Tirek out of Tartarus. 

Grogar and Lord Tirek arrive in the mines. The Chameleons return after snagging a Dragon Egg from the Dragon Lands' volcanic nest. Lord Tirek sees the species allied their allegiance to Grogar's purpose. He's not impressed with the Diamond Dogs, Lizards, and Chameleons' forces and believes they are weak. 

Grogar and Lord Tirek enter Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's domain. Lord Tirek couldn't help but stare at Spike Knightwalker. 

"Any progress, Knightwalker?" Grogar asks Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. 

"The Dragon Egg needs a few days before I can test my theories. As for my weapons, some are ready for other testing to see how prominent they are for battle. Who is that?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker sees Lord Tirek. 

"Lord Tirek. He'll be helping us take control over the creatures I've shown you the other night," Grogar answers. 

For Lord Tirek, it's a dream come true to see the twisted version of Spike the Fairy. Knowing that he is malicious, sadistic, cruel, and ready to kill makes Lord Tirek more of his fan in the art of magistracy. 

"He's my depiction of what I believed the devil would look like running Hell," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker said. He imagines Lord Tirek bringing chaos and destruction wherever he goes.  

"It's an honor to greet the one that gave Fairy Dragon a beating of his life," Lord Tirek respectively expresses. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker grabs and pulls on Lord Tirek's goatee, nearly ripping it off of his chin. "Listen here, goat-face. Do not bring up that name in my presence! I will kill him for ruining my country's chances for eternal magic in Edolas! You want to be on my good side, do what I say, and we'll have no problems!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker shoves Lord Tirek into a corner. 

"Impressive," Lord Tirek spits some blood and a tooth from the impact. 

"He's working on weapons that bring mass destruction. He's decoding the color of gemstones to weaponize them and turning the Dragon's strengths into weaknesses."

"Then what's my purpose?" Lord Tirek asks Grogar. 

"I need you to turn our army into a vicious one. The Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards need much improvement to pose a threat." 

Lord Tirek groans, knowing the Diamond Dogs are idiots. He accepts his role to help strengthen the army by any means. Grogar amplifies Lord Tirek's power to ensure the Diamond Dogs, Lizards, and Chameleons that they'll become monsters for vengeance.  

"Listen up, maggots!" Lord Tirek echoes with his speech in the mines. For the Diamond Dogs, it's worse than Grogar's echoed voice. 

"My ears!" Rover, Spot, and Fido cover their ears. "They're bleeding!" 

Aster and Sliver laugh at the trio and much of the Diamond Dogs' misery. Lord Tirek stomps his front hoof to make a statement and scares the life out of the Lizards and Chameleons. They ceased their laughter and turned to an angry Lord Tirek. 

"Sorry, Sir!" Aster and Sliver salute their Commander in fear. 

"Training starts now!" Lord Tirek shouts. 

"Yes, Sir!" The Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards say in unison.
> Investigating Tartarus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord gets red alerts in his home about Cerberus falling asleep. Princess Celestia had asked Discord to place a spell on Cerberus to ensure that Tartarus' best defender won't succumb to anything remotely similar to Midnight Sparkle when she came. Discord calls his clone to inform the Princesses and all of United Equestria about the state of Tartarus. 

The clone receives Discord's call and informs all leaders to Castle Central for an emergency meeting. After ten minutes. Princess Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, Ember, Prince Rutherford, Gilda, Princess Skystar, Pharynx, and Tempest arrive in the meeting room. They wonder if it's about the strange anomaly that occurred a few days ago. 

The clone of Discord walks into the meeting room, keeping his cool and composure to explain the reasoning for the meeting. Everyone gasps in surprise at Cerberus' sudden comatose state. Many theories come to mind for possible threats that can ascend to rapid power of dominance within the vault of Tartarus. Princess Celestia and Luna mention many artifacts, relics, items, forbidden spells, scrolls, and books they confiscated throughout a dark time in Equestria. Every other creature besides Discord shows a level of concern with more possibilities that a new threat can unleash more power than Midnight Sparkle.  

Neighsay and Twilight (Sci-Twi) enter the meeting room. They are representing District Ten. Everyone gazes at the two walking in and ponders if Neighsay and Twilight have uncovered anything useful or discovered the perpetrator that caused Cerberus to succumb to slumber. 

"After many days and nights of scouring all files based on Equestrian History, Twilight and I conducted the only villain that can pose a new threat upon our lands." 

"His name is Grogar," Twilight (Sci-Twi) finishes Neighsay's statement.  

"Grogar..." Princess Celestia places her hooves on her face in horror while remembering the tyrant when she was small. 

"Before our power rose, Grogar laid waste to Equestria. He's known as the Father of Monsters. All we mentioned could be key to his new rise in power," Princess Luna states. 

Dead silence filters the air with every creature, hearing tales of Grogar's wrath and how the world was shrouded in darkness and despair. A world that no one wants to relive. Princess Luna, Ember, and Shining Armor requests for a few delegates of United Species to join them on their quest to investigate Tartarus. Neighsay, the First Master of United Species, accepts their request and will package a team to go forth. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) is unsure about allowing Spike to go with Princess Luna, Ember, and Shining Armor. She's aware that Spike has become as strong as Fairy Dragon during the beginning stages, but her motherly instincts come into play. Neighsay believes Spike is more than capable due to watching his practice runs during their training sessions. The team Neighsay put together are Spike, Garble, Smolder, Sunset Shimmer, Gallus, Adagio, and Ocellus. 

"Please, be careful, Spike," Twilight (Sci-Twi) worryingly expresses. She doesn't want to be controlling of Spike but would hate to hear him suffer an injury of some sort. 

"Twilight," Spike inhales deeply. "There's no reason for you to worry. I'm learning and thinking creatively with my magic as Fairy Dragon would. Also, I'm with friends and family. It's not like I'm going in alone." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) exhales deeply. "Very well," She pulls Spike for a hug. "Be careful and mind your surroundings."

"I will," Spike smiles at Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"No need to worry, Twilight. We got his back," Smolder and Garble said, placing their claws on Spike's shoulders. 

"Onward to Tartarus," Neighsay commands. 

Princess Luna, Ember, Shining Armor, Neighsay, Spike, Smolder, Garble, Gallus, Adagio, Sunset, and Ocellus travel to Tartarus. On the way there, every creature felt cold and not in a good way. They sense the darkness of evil drawing near. Princess Luna and Ember are concerned with their kin for protecting Tartarus alongside Cerberus. 

After an hour of traveling, everyone sees Cerberus outside. The doors are flayed open with many Royal Guards and Dragons succumbing to whatever spell Grogar unleashed. Princess Luna, Shining Armor, and Sunset gallop to investigate what spell Grogar used on them. Ember is irate that her Dragons have fallen victim to Grogar's spell and wants to tear Grogar apart. Limb-by-limb.

"Grogar used a somnolent spell on these defenders," Princess Luna confirms to everyone present. 

"A what?" Garble and Gallus are confused about the type of spell Luna mentioned. 

"It's a sleep spell that can last for a few hours or days, depending on the stability of Grogar's prowess," Sunset clarifies while using her magic to examine a Royal Soldier's heartbeat. "They are alive, which is good news." 

"What about the Dragons?" Ember asks Princess Luna. 

"Judging from the usage of the spell, the Dragons have taken critical damage. Dragons could be asleep for a week to a month," Princess Luna says after analyzing their bodies. 

"A month!?!" Ember panics. She flies up to her Dragons and tries to wake them up with her Dragon Scepter. The magic within does not wake up any Dragon she sees. She roars angrily, which startles some of her friends. "I'll kill that freaking Ram!" 

"Calm down, Ember," Smolder approaches her Empress. "We will exact retribution another day. Right now, we need to see what Grogar might have taken during his trip to Tartarus." 

Ember breathes her blue flames, melting a boulder in anger. She then takes a deep breath to calm herself. "Alright, let's venture inside Tartarus." 

Princess Luna leads the way inside Tartarus. Ember, Smolder, Spike, Gallus, Adagio, Ocellus, Sunset, and Neighsay are feeling unnerved by the presence of Tartarus. Princess Luna and Shining Armor remain calm from the many times they ventured to Tartarus. It's eerie and gives Tartarus the definition of Hell by seeing many contained creatures suffering due to the lack of magic and life. 

"It looks sick," Spike sees a Bearbee slumping onto the edge of a cage.

"The lifeforce of many creatures you see before you were drained by Midnight Sparkle," Princess Luna painfully explains. "Midnight Sparkle overexerted the Demon Curse when she first used it here. Discord tried using Grogar's Bell to give them their magic power, but it's tainted with Demon Curses that caused them to be sick. We don't have the magic power to restore their health. Discord tried, but his Chaos Magic does not work well with Demon Curses. It magnified their sickness even more." 

"They're dying? Why not end their suffering?" Gallus asks Princess Luna. 

"It's Midnight Sparkle's curse. Since she technically didn't die, we can't end their suffering. So, they have to ride it out until their day arrives to leave our world." 

"That's horrible," Ocellus said. She looks at a cockatrice that's vaguely asleep.  

"I feel uncomfortable being here," Spike sees other creatures contained while walking with his friends. "Get me out of here!" Spike starts to panic. 

"Calm down, buddy," Smolder holds Spike to calm his senses. 

"No kidding, this place is..," Garble is lost for words while seeing many creatures suffering in their cages. Garble can't muster enough courage to keep moving. 

"How are you holding up, Gallus?" Adagio sees Gallus shaken by the Dragons and Royal Guards on the ground motionless. 

"We fought Midnight Sparkle, and yet. I'm terrified about this Grogar! Does that make sense?" Gallus asks Adagio. 

"Fear of the unknown gets the better of many creatures. I'm aware of Grogar's capabilities. If he and Midnight Sparkle were to fight, Grogar would best her." 

"That's not helping!" Gallus shouts. 

"However, Grogar is only one creature. We are many. We can defeat him working together," Adagio smiles lovingly at Gallus. 

"You may want to take back your statement, Adagio!" Sunset shouts. 

"Oh, why is that?" Adagio questions Sunset's theory. 

"Look!" Neighsay points at the empty cage that Lord Tirek was confined in.

"That's not good," Ember said. 

"It belongs to Lord Tirek. With Lord Tirek joining forces with Grogar, this is quite a quandary," Princess Luna states. 

"Where's the vault?" Spike asks Princess Luna. 

Princess Luna gallops to the vault. Everyone else follows in pursuit; They see the fear and panic on Luna's face. Upon arrival, Princess Luna screams in terror. 

"What?! What!?" Every creature behind Princess Luna is prepared for battle. 

"He.., he..," Princess Luna is lost for words. 

"What?" Shining Armor steps in and witnesses the missing artifact. "Oh, no." 

"Can someone explain what the worry is about?" Neighsay enters the vault. Everyone else enters and sees the two lackadaisical. 

"Why are they staring into oblivion?" Ocellus scours what forbidden scrolls, relics, and books the vault has. 

Spike inhales. "Guardian Dragon Roooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his Sparkling Green Flames on Princess Luna and Shining Armor, snapping them out of their trance. 

"It burns! It burns!" Shining Armor drops and rolls the fire out. 

Princess Luna does the same and turns to Spike. "Have you lost your mind!?" Princess Luna snorts at Spike. 

"Why are you silent, and why are you scared!? What is it that has you spooked?" Smolder asks, defending Spike for his actions. 

"Do you not see the empty space of the vault?" Shining Armor barks at Smolder. 

"There are many spaces. Be more specific," Gallus said. 

Princess Luna sighs. "There was one item more dominant than any of these scrolls combined in this room. It's called Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter."

"According to legend, that staff is more prominent than Grogar's Bell. The magic within is unparalleled to all magic in Equestria. I want to say even all the magic Dragons can now use." 

Every creature gasps in horror after hearing Shining Armor's comment. A relic mightier than all Dragons combined is serious. Princess Luna is in disarray, unsure how to tackle the situation. Right now, it's clear to inform every leader at Castle Central. Princess Luna uses her magic to teleport to Castle Central. From there, she requires the medical clones of Discord to pick up the defenders of Tartarus as they require emergency medical attention. The medical clones waste no time traveling to Tartarus for extraction and back. 

"I'll take my guildmates back home. Many preparations need to be addressed moving forward. We may be the only creatures to stop Grogar's ascent from dominating the wills of all creatures," Neighsay said. He has a feeling Harmony may appear in the guildhall with vital information later today. 

Neighsay, Spike, Smolder, Garble, Gallus, Adagio, Sunset, and Ocellus leave Castle Central. They are heading back to District Ten. Smolder nudges Spike's shoulder to grab his attention. 

"What's up, Smolder?" Spike turns to Smolder. 

"What's with Guardian Dragon?" Smolder is intrigued by the name. 

"Well, my counterpart is known as Spike the Fairy. Fairy Dragon. So, I decided to give myself a name that lives up to the hype. Guardian Dragon. So, I'm Spike the Guardian Dragon. Cool, huh?" 

Smolder smirks. "It is cool since you've invented the name. Guardian Dragon. I can get used to saying that."
> Discord's Reflection
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discord is on his porch drinking a tub of chocolate milk, reflecting on the sins of his life and some decisions he made. Despite hearing news about the rising of Grogar, Discord couldn't help but think back to two years ago. 

Discord heard Spike's distressing and disturbing story and then sent him to his homeland, Earth Land. He impersonated Spike and fooled the masses, including Twilight Sparkle, who later became Midnight Sparkle. Discord groans angrily at the mere mention of Midnight Sparkle as he's reflecting. 

"Something troubling you, Draqonecuus?" Princess Luna appears next to Discord. 

"Luna?" Discord does a doubletake by Princess Luna's sudden arrival. 

"You are asleep and seem afflicted, Discord. So, what troubles you?" 

Discord tosses the tub of chocolate milk away. "I'm just..," Discord sighs deeply. "I'm reflecting on my actions, Luna. Did I do the right thing?" 

Princess Luna is perplexed by Discord's statement and question. "Uh, explain thoroughly, Discord." 

"My impersonation as Spike and fooling everyone. My critical thinking led Twilight astray due to Cozy Glow's dark days. My refusal to take her to see Spike with the others for a proper farewell." 

Princess Luna hears Discord explains all of his actions, including the times he got Twilight and the others in a load of trouble. The time he purposely spewed blood and told Princess Celestia, furthering Twilight's punishment. Discord spends an hour explaining his time as a teacher in the School of Friendship, reminding Twilight and her friends of all the trauma as an excuse to scold them further. 

"Discord, you need to let go of the past to heal properly," Princess Luna commands with a level of concern. She's worried about Discord's well-being. 

"My actions led to Twilight exterminating thousands of creatures for her lust to correct everything. To recreate a world in her image because I withheld the truth from her." 

"Well, from what I know, your actions led to a better Equestria. A United Equestria. Your decisions allowed Spike to live a happy life. I have never seen clones of you helping every nation we have peace. Your actions are justified. I don't want to imagine a world where Spike commits suicide to escape the enslavement. An all-out war between other nations against Equestria once or if they figured out what led to Spike's suicide in that world." 

"Devastation and ruin will all be left if that were to happen," Discord uses his dreams to change the scenery and create a what-if scenario. The horrors displayed are awful and mesmerized that the Dragons, Changelings, Griffons, Yaks, and every pony annihilate each other, creating nothing but a wasteland that stretches the far reaches of Equus. 

"Not even the Storm Nation gets spared," Princess Luna sees all creatures that inhabit Equus get wiped out due to a spell conjured by all the Alicorns and forcing the usage of the Crystal Heart and the Elements of Harmony. 

"No way..," Discord refuses to accept this what-if. He tries a different what-if in his dreams. After a hundred tries, it all leads to cataclysmic havoc, no life after the war in Equus. 

"Wait, what about..?" Princess Luna notices something else within the what-ifs. The human realm gets obliterated by the other Sunset Shimmer and the Changeling project; Only a few survivors are fighting the apocalypse. 

"No way..," Discord has forgotten about the other realm Sunset Shimmer ran to, that his decision saved Sunset Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Spike (Dog) from death.  

"Discord, can you see what's happening in the other realm now?" Princess Luna asks, worried about the other people in that world. 

"When I destroyed the mirror a year ago, I'm no longer tethered to that world. I felt it the moment I used my magic to disintegrate it." 

"Oooooh," Princess Luna shakes her head. She hopes that whoever survives can find happiness in the end. 

Discord sighs and lowers his head in silence. Princess Luna decides she'll sit with Discord, extending her time in the dream realms for him. Sometimes in life, the best way to comfort someone is to show that you're there. Words may not be enough, but action will. 

Princess sat with Discord for two hours. Neither speaking a word. Discord inhales and smiles. 

"Thank you for your time, Luna. I need this moment to release my emotions." 

"You're welcome, Discord," Princess Luna smiles at Discord, slightly blushing. 

Discord rubs the back of his head, trying to come up with other words to say. He looks at Princess Luna and remembers the memories he shared with her, even before turning to stone for the first time. His conscience is telling him to lean forward. Discord leans forward, unsure what he's doing, and Princess Luna does the same. Discord and Princess Luna kiss each other for the first time. Though it may be a dream, for them, it's a reality, their reality. After the kiss, Discord blushes immensely, realizing he kissed Princess Luna. Princess Luna smiles at Discord, tilting her head. 

"That was more real than anything I've been through," Princess Luna kisses Discord's cheek and leaves the dream realm. 

Discord wakes up on the couch with the tv on and feels the side of his cheek. "Still warm," Discord looks to his right and sees a blue vortex manifesting. Out comes Princess Luna. "Princess Luna?" 

"Who else would it be?" Princess Luna trots to Discord's couch and sits with him. "I have the day to myself. I wonder if you would like some company." 

"I would love that," Discord nuzzles Princess Luna. 

"So, what were you watching?" Princess Luna is curious to see what Discord watched. 

Discord rewinds the footage, revealing he fell asleep watching Spike the Fairy competing during the Grand Magic Games. "Oh, I guess I binge-watched the memories again." 

"Sounds like fun." 

"I better skip," Princess Luna extends her hoof to stop Discord from fast-forwarding the memory. "Luna?" 

"You need to watch Midnight's slow descent. It wasn't you that manipulated her into using the memory erase spell or going to Tartaros, right?" 

"No!" Discord frantically shakes his head and waves his arms. "That was on her accord. I stood by and watched." 

"Then, rewatch it with me. You've reflected on the bad. Now, it's time for the good." 

"Okay," Discord presses play and continues watching the memory with Princess Luna.
> Before the Act
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a week since Spike had his family moment. Rabian started selling tickets for an all-wizards act. Tickets are sold left and right after people see who's participating in the play from passing by the outdoor theatre. 

It's 12:30 in the afternoon. Spike and Fairy Rage are having lunch with their friends at a restaurant. 

"I can't believe tomorrow is the show." Fairy Rage eats a sandwich. He's no longer fat from all the food he devoured weeks ago.

"We've been working hard to improve our placement and dialogs for nearly two weeks," Carla said. She's eating a bowl of salad. 

"All I hope for is a successful show and not a bombshell," Wendy still remembers the train wreck from the last show she performed with Erza and Carla. It was so bad it caused a violent uproar from the audience. 

"Well, be glad I'm wearing a blindfold," Erza said. During her practice run, Erza practiced her lines blindly while using her other senses.

"Being a blind hero does have its challenges. However, I find it a great practice. Just in case a likely scenario comes into play," Spike admits. He's thinking about training his other senses. 

"Being a King was made for us," The Trimen says in unison. They pose in posture while eating their fill. 

"Queen for me," Jenny relishes her role as Queen. 

"I'm an angel," Frosch smiles. He's wearing a halo. 

"That you are, Frosch," Rogue pats Frosch's head. Frosch smiles. 

"I can't wait to show off my moves during the act," Orga said while flexing his muscles. "My character is going to kick it." 

"Likewise, Orga," Rufus concurs while eating ramen. "I wonder if our guilds will watch the show." 

"I know Sting and Lector are coming," Yukino said while having her soup. 

"I see everyone in Fairy Tail coming," Wendy said. 

"I want to say that Natsu may blur and shout from the stands if we mess up by accident." 

"I doubt that, Rage. However, I believe Natsu will show up for laughs knowing Erza's stage fright," Carla responds. 

"What was that?" Erza fixes her gaze at Carla, scaring her a bit. 

"Nothing, Ma'am!" Carla frantically replies, not wanting to upset Erza. 

"Relax, Erza," Irene puts her hand on Erza's shoulder while drinking her coffee. "No need to fret about any peer possibly mocking you." 

Erza sighs in defeat. "Okay, mom." 

"They'll be amazed by our spectacular performance; it'll melt their hearts," The Trimen said while posing like Kings. 

"They'll see elegance, beauty, emotion, and love each of us put into the extravaganza," Jenny said, drinking her strawberry banana smoothie. 

"Meow, I can't wait to show off my kitty character!" Millianna's excitement gets the better of her. 

"All of our roles will be vital. Even the climactic battle between Rage and Spike," Kagura said. 

Fairy Rage exhales. "That's the hard part of the play, still. The final confrontation." 

"I'm excited. I mean, all of it is for fun. It's not like we're going all out." 

"I admire your optimism, Spike." 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. 

Everyone continues to talk more about the play and the possibility that the crowd may want an encore. After an hour at the restaurant, everyone leaves and goes to the hotel for relaxation. Spike is sharing a room with Wendy, Carla, and Fairy Rage. Fairy Rage and Carla are snuggled on their bed while Spike is out on the balcony, looking at the sky. 

"Something troubling you, Spike?" Wendy approaches Spike. 

"Well, I don't know what's next after this," Spike admits, unsure of what the future has in store for him and Fairy Tail. 

"What do you mean by that?" Wendy is confused by Spike's sudden demeanor. She holds his claw. 

"Well, it may sound corny, but we've defeated our toughest opponent, Acnologia. We've won the war against the Alvarez Empire and their strongest force."

"And?" Wendy presses on. She knows Spike is hiding other facts in his heart. 

"I don't know what's next for us, the guild. What's next after our job at the theatre?" 

"I'm not sure what the future has for us. I know a few things, though," Wendy snuggles Spike's arm. "You and I get to live happily ever after. We'll bring a new age of Dragons into the world. We may encounter newer threats from other continents that could rival or be more resilient than the Alvarez Empire." 

Spike chuckles. "Well, you got me there. I forgot about those possibilities and us creating a family down the line." 

Wendy kisses Spike. "Enjoy the moments we have now, silly. Tomorrow can wait." 

"Spike!" Natsu shouts from down below. 

"Wendy! Hi!" Lucy shouts and waves at the two. 

"Are you practicing for the big show tomorrow?" Happy asks. He flies up to them. 

Spike and Wendy chuckle. "More or less," They say in unison. 

"We wanted to surprise you, but Natsu sped on, and we had to play catchup," Gray said, standing next to Natsu and Lucy. "The guild is here to watch your performance tomorrow." 

"Hey! You guys want to hang out?!" Natsu asks, eager to be with his friends again. 

"I'm coming. Wendy, want to come with me?" Spike offers his claw. 

"Sure! Carla, Fairy Rage, you guys want to-" Wendy sees Carla getting dressed while Fairy Rage is stretching. 

"Of course, we're coming, child," Carla puts on her brown shoes. 

"You ain't leaving me behind." Fairy Rage smirks. 

"We're coming!" Spike, Wendy, Carla, and Fairy Rage hop down from the balcony of their room. 

"So, I'm guessing everyone else is at a different hotel?" Carla asks her friends. 

"Yea, not far from you guys. Sabertooth, Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, and Lamia Scale came as well," Gray answers. 

"So, the gang is reunited?" Erza steps into the fray. 

"Erza!" Happy chuckles. 

"Great to see you again after all this time," Lucy admits. She misses being with the team after two weeks of separation. 

"Likewise, my friends," Erza puts her arms on Natsu and Gray. "So, what are we doing?" 

"Oh, you know," Natsu laughs a bit. "Catching up and-" Loud explosions catch everyone's attention. Civilians are screaming for their lives while the authority nearby gets overrun by a new guild. "Stopping bad guys," Natsu pounds his fist. He's excited to work as a team once more. 

"Who would be stupid enough to cause a scene here?" Gray wonders who the vigilantes are. 

"Take it! It's all yours!" A suffering seller says while showing some bruising. 

"Pleasure doing business with you," He smiles in delight while taking precious artifacts that haven't been used in centuries. 

"Hey, I got the book we need," Another wizard holds a forbidden magic book. 

"Hold it right there!" Natsu runs to the shop, leading the charge with his friends. He sees two wizards; One that looks like a chicken man, the other a samurai goat. 

"Hey, it's those..." 

"Wow. Eight years since we last saw Fairy Tail." 

"Who the hell are you, chumps?!" Natsu demands to know what purpose the two wizards have. 

"Wait, I remember the two of you," Erza remembers seeing the two at Tenrou Island. 

"You do, Sis?" Spike doesn't know who those two are. 

"Yes, Gajeel fought them and defeated the two during the S-Class Trials. The one on the left is Yomazu. The one on the right is Kawazu. They are former members of Grimoire Hearts." 

Everyone around Erza gasps. They thought dealing with Kain Hikaru of the Seven Deadly Sins marked the end of any former member of Grimoire Hearts. With most of the Seven Kin of Purgatory either defeated or changed sides. 

Kawazu is an anthropomorphic chicken with human-like arms alongside chicken wings. His attire consists of an eastern-looking orange apron adorned with a golden diamond-shaped crest in the front, partly covered by the simple cloth belt he wears over the lower part. On his legs, Kawazu dons dark pants reaching down below his knees where his chicken feet begin, with a large stripe descending each side of the leg. "We have a new guild rising from the ashes of defeat!"

"Ain't no way you Fairies are taking us down!" Yomazu is a humanoid goat, with a prominent flat nose and a goat’s beard. His fur is brown. Yomazu's attire consists of a traditional samurai helmet, and red samurai-like armor with golden edges, consisting of a traditional breastplate bearing a different guild's emblem. Underneath the armor, Yomazu wears a long, pale gray shirt, loose dark pants with lower leg parts wrapped in bandages, and traditional Japanese sandals with socks. 

"There's two of you and more of us!" Happy proclaims. "You got nothing to stop us while we have two powerful Dragons and two powerful Dragon Slayers!" 

"Two measly Dragons don't frighten us!" Kawazu leaps in the air and disperses his Heavy Egg Rain. The eggs he spits out cause explosions. 

"Age!" Yomazu uses his dark sword to write solid script. Due to Yomazu's aging spell, Kawazu's Heavy Egg Rain becomes more powerful. Spike and Fairy Rage conjure metallic shields, but they explode on contact while their friends split up. 

"That's new!" Spike is surprised to see how quickly his shield got destroyed. He and Fairy Rage sustained some bruises from the impact. 

"Someone else is here, operating in the shadows!" Fairy Rage senses another wizard amid the confrontation. 

"Fire Dragon King Destruction Fist!" Natsu's hand is ablaze in an immense fire. He leaps at Yomazu for leaving himself wide open for an attack. 

"This is where your luck runs out," A wizard with purple white hair, wearing purplish-black warlock clothing, swipes her finger at Natsu, causing Natsu to turn and punches Spike's face. Spike crashes into a building nearby. 

"Spike!" Lucy and Wendy shout in horror. 

"You're going to regret that!" Wendy taps into her Dragon Force and goes after the woman. "Sky Dragon Crushing Fang!" Wendy intends on unleashing a terror of winds. However, the woman swipes her finger, directing the attack at Carla and Fairy Rage. The impact causes the two to hurl and crash into the ground hard. "Sorry!" 

"Man, that hurt." Fairy Rage gets up from the impact. He helps Carla up. 

"Thanks," Carla is ready to give the three a beating they deserve. 

"Silly, little girl. Your magic is obsolete against mine," She laughs and notices Lucy grabbing her gate key. 

"Now, you're going to rue it! Open Gate of the Goat! Capricorn!" Lucy summons her Zodiac Spirit. 

Capricorn stands next to Lucy, ready to fight on her behalf. "How may I help you, Milady?" 

"Hey, wait!" Yomazu remembers Capricorn being a member of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. 

"What are you doing with her?" Kawazu is confused. He does his signature chirp. 

"You're thinking of someone else that possessed me. I am Capricorn, Lucy's Zodiac Spirit. Any relations with the two of you are voided. Since Lucy summoned me, I must vanquish the two of you," Capricorn formally says while preparing for combat. 

"Jinx! Got something up in your sleeve for battle Zodiac Spirits?" Yomazu asks his fellow comrade. 

"Ice-Make Lance!" Gray extends his arms forward, creating long, curved ice lances. He directs them at the trio. 

Erza requips into her Flame Empress Armor and slashes flame sword slices at the trio. Lucy commands Capricorn to defeat the three. Natsu and Wendy unleash their Dragon breath attack on them; Fairy Rage, Spike, and Carla read the body language of their foes. Happy flies away to keep himself safe from the carnage in case it reflects onto him. 

"I do!" Jinx steps up and claps her hands in a prayer stance. The wave of attacks gets repelled and pushed back from the shield, causing Natsu, Wendy, Lucy, Erza, and Gray to feel their attacks come back like a boomerang. Capricorn apologizes to Lucy for striking her in hand-to-hand combat. Wendy's breath attack hits Natsu, while his breath attack hits Wendy. Erza felt the flames hitting her slightly due to her armor's effect. 

A number thirteen appears in purplish flames engulfs Kawazu, Yomazu, and Jinx. "You haven't seen the last of the Preying Mantis Guild!" She laughs, and all that's left is purplish flames and destroyed relics from the store they robbed. 

"Preying Mantis, huh?" Fairy Rage heard the new name of the guild. A guild that hunts for what?

Spike and Carla check on their friends after they witness their attacks repelled and used on them. 

"Wendy, you've gotten stronger," Natsu said while wiping the dirt off his face. 

"Old enemies, new alliances," Lucy said. Capricorn helps her out. 

"My apologies, Ms.Lucy. It won't happen again," Capricorn bows, feeling disgrace for striking his friend. 

"Don't worry about it. It's an accident. I know you'll never intend on personally harming me."

"Thank you for understanding. Call me when you need me," Capricorn says as Lucy closes his gate. 

Lucy sighs. "Do any of you know who that girl was?" Lucy asks her friends. 

"I have never seen her before," Erza claims. When working with Gajeel and Panther Lily with the Rune Knights, traveling around Fiore, she never came across a woman like Jinx. 

"I have never seen her around Margaret Town when Carla and I were with Lamia Scale," Wendy said. 

"I traveled around but never encountered her until today," Spike said. 

"Rage, you've been with Death and everywhere. Surely, you know who that wizard was," Gray turns to Fairy Rage. The others do so as well.

"Sorry. While I did go with Death around in the realm he and I were in, I didn't take account of learning everyone's business when I was focused on Spike and Carla. She's new to me." 

"What kind of magic did she use?" Happy asks his friends after seeing what she can do. 

"Judging from where I was standing, it appears Jinx uses cursed magic," Spike said. 

"What kind of curse magic are we talking about?" Carla asks Spike. 

"It's not demonic curses. When I'm thinking about curse magic, I believe it's actual bad luck. She manipulates the space around her creating a good luck field and unleashes a wave of bad luck upon her opponents. That is how she took most of us down." 

"I wonder if there are more members of the Preying Mantis Guild," Happy ponders on the subject. 

"I believe we may encounter another battle down the road with that guild. We got a sample of their magic power," Wendy said. 

"All we need is Gajeel to beat those two chumps again," Happy boldly states, disregarding Jinx's involvement. 

"Gajeel never fought Jinx. We don't know the outcomes based on previous encounters, Happy," Spike said. 

"When they strike, I'll be ready for them!" Natsu shouts. 

Erza and Lucy help the seller since his store is in ruins. He mentions a magic book about cata- before passing out. Ten minutes later, medics arrive to take the injured to the hospital. Master Makarov approaches his children at Onibus Park. They explain what they saw and endured during the conflict. 

"So, former members from Dark Guilds are coming together to forge a new one," Master Makarov ponders on the possibilities Fairy Tail has come across as potential threats. 

"Indeed. Two from Grimoire Hearts and one that is new. She goes by the name Jinx," Erza informs her Master. 

"I have never heard a wizard addressed as Jinx. She must be new," Makarov said. 

"Do you think she's from the Alaverz Empire, Gramps?" Gray asks Master Makarov. 

"Possibly. Jinx could have come from anywhere outside of Fiore. If there's more like her, we need to keep our guard up." 

"Understood, Master," Erza takes Makarov's decree seriously. She'll make it clear to her fellow guildmates. 

"Right now, we must leave our stars alone. They'll be performing tomorrow. I doubt we'll see the Preying Mantis crashing the party tomorrow." 

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Makarov. I believe they're in search of new power since Zeref is no longer around." 

"Indeed. Let's go, my children," Makarov walks towards one of the hotels Fairy Tail is renting. 

"See you tomorrow!" Natsu and Happy say. They follow Master Makarov. 

"Break a leg," Gray said, following Makarov to the hotel. 

"We'll see you tomorrow," Lucy is last to say her byes and follows her friends. 

Spike and Fairy Rage use their fire breath to teleport their friends back to their hotel.
> Act I: Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many people are taking their seats for the outdoor theatre. Rabian has announced that all wizards must not intervene unless the red light alarms go off. The wizard guilds will be seated in the back free of charge since saving all of Fiore from the Alvarez Empire invasion. Everyone participating in the play is getting excited and a bit nervous since they now have to perform to a live audience. 

"Ready?" Fairy Rage asks his friends. Each of them is wearing their attire for the play. He is wearing his costume for his character. 

"More than I'll ever be," Spike said. 

"We're born ready," The Trimen says in unison. They're dressed like Kings for the play. 

"It'll be swell," Kagura calmly states. She's not bothered by the many in attendance. 

"It is amazing to see my Handsome Dragon in his costume. After it, I want him to stop," Wendy admits with a slight blush. She's used to seeing Spike in the nude and prefers the way Spike is. 

Carla takes a deep breath. She knows her role; From one Dragon to another for betrayal. And yet, it's still hard to overcome due to her love for Fairy Rage and how alike Spike and Rage are. 

"Places!" Rabian comes to address his actor and actress wizards. "I know you've worked hard on this dream-like scenario of a play. We have over a thousand people in attendance for the outdoor theatre. I know this'll be the most prominent show ever displayed. I've explained to the guilds that red alarms will flash if the play goes astray." 

"Thanks for the heads-up, Rabian," Irene speaks on behalf of her friends. 

"Thank you very much for following through and not quitting," Rabian gratefully expresses. 

"You're welcome. Now, if you don't mind," Lyon takes a deep breath. "The show must go on."

The outdoor theatre has a stage that stretches forty feet wide. The seating elevates from the ground to a few feet high so everyone can see. Behind the curtain are the outer reaches of the stage that'll foreshadow some appearances and changes for each action performed.

Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, Mermaid Heel, and people sit at their designated seats. All dressed like going to a fancy party. Natsu is bored out of his mind, wanting the play to start.

Yukino is wearing a white and blue calf-length coat with long sleeves rolled up to the forearms, feathery protrusions that cover the shoulders and mid-back, over her blue blouse and thigh-length skirt while held at the waist by a blue sash with a silver buckle. She wears a white pair of thigh-high socks and white boots. Yukino has a book in her hand while walking on stage and trips. 

"FAIL!" Natsu blurs from the seats. 

"Natsu, not cool," Lucy sternly comments at Natsu's shout. 

"Geez, lighten up. I'm here for entertainment," Natsu responds. 

"Simmer down!" Master Makarov decrees. He doesn't want any of his children openly backlashing the performance. 

"Fail," Yukino sees Natsu sitting in the crowds. "Some would say fail. However, friends will bail while you eat popcorn that is stale." 

Natsu spits his popcorn on that statement. He refuses to eat anything old and inedible. Some of his friends laugh at Natsu's misery for believing he's eating stale popcorn. 

"Now, allow me to tell you a tale about-" 

"Hold it!" Lyon steps in; He has a book in his hand. He's wearing a high-collared tunic. It's dark and has light edges and cuffs, together with many decorative motifs on the lower part of the chest and sleeves. The tunic is slightly open. His shoulders are covered by a dark mantle with a high collar and light jagged edges matching his tunic. Also, he wears pants with light parts circling his thighs and gray boots. "What do you think you're doing, Yukino?" Lyon looks upset that Yukino is taking the spotlight already. 

"I'm narrating the play in front of these people," Yukino calmly responds with respect. 

"We talked about this! I'm narrating this story! Not you!" Lyon gets agitated. 

"Geez, Lyon. Let her narrate. No need to have a fuss about it!" Gray feels embarrassed that Lyon is acting like a child in front of the audience. 

"What is that fool doing! I should spin Yukino for taking Lyon's spotlight!" Ooba Babasaama declares while imagining spinning Yukino into submission. 

"Hey, cut it out!" Sting is annoyed that Lyon is interrupting Yukino's duty as the narrator." 

"I guess some people can't learn to let go," Lector said. He wishes that the two devised equal footing for the presentation of the play. 

Yukino and Lyon overhear the crowd. They are bickering while trying to figure out who should be narrating the story. For Yukino and Lyon, this is how they imagined. The people getting engaged before the act begins. 

"So, tell me. What are you narrating?" Yukino asks Lyon in a serious tone. 

"Hah, I'm narrating one of the greatest champions to ever step foot in the land. What about you?" Lyon smirks. He stares down at Yukino waiting for a response. 

"I'm narrating the best hero of the greatest era in mankind," Yukino retorts. "You have nothing in that book that triumphs mine."

The people ooh and awe at the two on stage; The wizards are perplexed about the situation when it dawns on them. They now know that Lyon and Yukino are already acting, and all of it is a setup. 

"Very clever," Lucy smiles in delight. 

"Please explain," Natsu and Happy turn to Lucy. 

"Wow, you two boneheads don't know? How sad," Gray chuckles a bit. 

"No joke. I want to say Fairy Dragon might have involved the two to perform a show before the show," Gajeel said. He's eating a bucket of bolts and nuts. 

"I give credit its due. They had me fooled," Laxus said. He's only here because his grandfather commands the guild to show support. If it weren't for that, Laxus would be doing his thing by now. 

Sting uses his hearing to listen to what Fairy Tail is talking about. He explains to Lector that the bickering of Lyon and Yukino is an act, a prelude, before anything else. 

"Huh, they had me fooled," Ooba Babasaama starts spinning Toby. 

"Cut it out, you Old Hag!" Toby starts getting dizzy from Ooba Babasaama's magic. 

"I can't wait to see what Kagura and Milliana came up with for the play," Risley law said. 

"Should be something special or incredible from the two," Beth Vanderwood said. She believes that Kagura got the lead role. 

"So, enlighten me. Who is one of these so-called great champions," Yukino urges Lyon to spill the beans. 

"With pleasure. His name is-" Lyon gets interrupted by a brolic man jumping and landing on the stage. Smoke covers the stage as people gasp in horror. They were startled by the sudden arrival. 

"Who is that?!" Yukino acts all astounded by the arrival of Lyon's champion. 

"Allow me to introduce you all!" Lyon steps back. 

The smoke clears, revealing a brolic man with spike green hair in gladiator attire. It consists of a white tunic worn under black metallic pleated body armor decked with straps and buckles. A maroon cape is attached and gathers at the Velcro shoulder guard, where it is fastened with a gold medallion. "I am Titan!" Titan is Orga's character. He flexes his muscles while declaring he's the strongest in the lands. His black lightning ignites the stage floor to show his dominance in power. 

"Top that!" Lyon challenges Yukino. "Titan has never lost a battle. Look at his size! He'll dethrone any who oppose him!" 

"Is that so?" Green fog filters the stage, causing Titan to cough and gag at the sudden arrival. 

"Who is that?!" Lyon demands an answer from Yukino. 

Yukino laughs. "The hero I'm narrating." 

"This fog shrouds your true identity. A feeble lowlife who isn't worth being my opponent!" 

"Forgive the intrusion. With you making an entrance, I thought of doing so myself," The green fog clears, revealing a draconic warrior. He's wearing a green hooded assassin's uniform, purple boots, a cross-chain necklace, and dark black jeans. The attire has holes for Spike's wings and tail. 

"Who are you supposed to be, shrimp?" Titan balls his fists, readying himself to dominate the twerp. 

"I am the Mighty Galvin," Galvin conjures a Sparkling Green Metallic Energy Sword. "I bring down any foe that opposes me or brings fear upon the innocence." 

The stage curtains drop, revealing trees in the background. The petal of cherry blossom trees scatters with the windows blowing. Titan and Galvin power up on the stage. 

Yukino opens the book. "And so, the journey of the Mighty Galvin begins." 

"You mean; The downfall of the Mighty Galvin!" Lyon shouts vigorously. "This story is unlike the so-called Fairy Tales mommy and daddy would read to their children before bed!" 

"Enough talk!" Titan slams his Lightning God magic on the ground. "Time to fight!" 

"Agreed!" Galvin concurs. He and Titan shout their warcry while charging straight at each other. 

Yukino and Lyon flee so they don't come across the crossfire of these two warriors battling.
> Act II: The Encounter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There's one weakness you brolics have in common!" Galvin said, swooping down and dodging a fist full of black lightning. 

"What is it!?" Titan shoots black lightning torrents at Galvin. 

"While the two continue to battle, Titan monologues, proclaiming to be-" Lyon interrupts Yukino's narrating. 

"One of the best champions to defeat opponents smaller than he, thus claiming the title, Titan Unleashed!" Lyon puts more emphasis on narrating to make and sound like Titan is a serious threat to anyone foolish enough to challenge him. 

"However, Galvin will-" Yukino gets interrupted by Titan. 

"I had enough with you two!" Titan grabs Lyon and Yukino's hair and lifts them to his eye level. They flail a bit from the pain. "Give me that!" Titan takes the books from the two and incinerates them with his black lightning. He then drops Lyon and Yukino hard on the stage. 

"What was that for?" Yukino asks. She's upset that her role in narrating has ended. 

"Why did you incinerate my book! I was going to tell you the story about-" Lyon's angry rant gets interrupted. 

"First of all, I'm changing the story! Hearing you two blab about me is not cool. Second, I'll show them who I am. Third, prepare to die!" Titan clenches his fists, charging his black lightning. 

Galvin swoops in and kicks the back of Titan's head, causing him to hurl away from the two. "Run!" Galvin advises Lyon and Yukino. 

The audience, including guild wizards, is amazed to see Orga losing his cool during the play. Sting is irate that Orga threw a temper tantrum during the play and screwed their friends' roles as narrators. 

"Alright, that's uncalled for," Lector says while watching Titan and Galvin battle. He is livid that his guildmates are causing a scene in the early stages. 

"Huh, I guess that knucklehead hates it when someone steals the spotlight," Laxus said. He wonders how his friends would turn the tides of the play. 

"Hmm," Master Makarov is invested with the play so far. A bit of a fourth-wall break interaction to allow the performance sells itself for others to figure out. 

"How are you feeling about the turnabout, my love?" Juvia is curious about Gray's point of view. 

"Not bad. I can't tell if what we're watching is part of the early stages. Like, we're getting fooled, or is it something extra in the works," Gray responds. 

"Natsu, what do you think?" Happy asks Natsu about the situation with Orga, Lyon, and Yukino. 

"I'm going with part of the show. I'm not getting punked a second time from what we're watching," Natsu said. He continues to eat his popcorn after finding out it is not stale. 

"What about you, Lucy?" Levy asks while watching Titan getting the upper hand in the conflict. Titan uppercuts Galvin with a fist full of black lightning and unleashes a barrage of black lightning orbs to attack Galvin into submission. 

"As a spectator, I'm not sure based on what I'm observing. As a professional writer, it's part of the show for sure," Lucy smirks. She can't wait to see what else is in store. Lucy sees Galvin defending himself with his sword while receiving the onslaught of Titan's fury. 

Galvin drops his sword after getting hit by a wave of black lightning, causing him to collide with a tree in the background. Titan gets closer and stomps on Galvin. Some kids in the audience scream for Galvin to get back into the fight. Many people as well. They know Spike is the Legendary Fairy Dragon, and they don't want him to have this only scene. 

"I told you," Titan stomps on Galvin's chest, causing him to scream. "I'm changing this story and outcome!" Galvin laughs. "What's so funny, runt?!" Titan grabs Galvin's throat a little, causing him to choke. 

"You lost," Galvin lifts his claw, calling for his sword to slash Titan's ribs. Titan drops to his knees, releasing his grip on Galvin. "Now," Galvin grabs his sword, strikes Titan now that he's vulnerable, and places it next to Titan's neck. 

"You can't!" Titan trembles in fear, not knowing Galvin has the capability of calling his weapon to him and how elegant his sword strikes were. Titan has severe markings on his exposed skin. 

"It's-" Galvin gets interrupted by a woman; coming on the stage. "Mika," Galvin sees his girlfriend approaching. 

Mika is Carla's character. Mika wears a dark blue Renaissance Medieval Gothic Victorian Long Sleeve Dress, black stockings, a leather belt buckle strapped around her waist that carries a short sheath blade, and black Victorian Goth Boots with a skull on them. Her hair is still white as snow while adorning white roses in her hair. 

"Wow," Titan is amazed to see Mika in person. Her beauty meets no bounds. 

The majority of the audience is astounded to see Carla's beautiful attire. Many recognize her from Lamia Scale in Margaret Town and now want to date Carla. Happy wishes to date Carla but then remembers his demise by attempting to rid of Fairy Rage, which begs to question, where is Fairy Rage?

Galvin has some bruises during his battle with Titan. "Mika, what are you doing here?" 

"What?" Mika comes closer to Galvin and kisses his cheek. "Can't check on my hubby?" Mika smiles. She sees Titan at the mercy of Galvin. "So, are you going to kill him now or what?" Mika coldly and sadistically expresses with a wicked smile which causes the audience to gasp except for Laxus and Gajeel. 

"Dude! That's cold!" Gray can feel it from his seat. 

"I didn't think Carla could be that dark," Juvia said. Even when she used to work with Phantom Lord, Juvia was not that cold working with a dark guild. 

"Wow," Lucy said in shock. She thought Carla would be more cheerful or happy, not this sinister witch she's proposing to the viewer. 

Happy gets some dirty thoughts and imagines Carla in some peculiar situations. Lucy slaps Happy since his thought bubble becomes visible for the eyes to see. 

"No way! That's not the Carla I know!" Toby howls a little in frustration. 

"Of course not, you idiot!" Yuca angrily said. Sometimes, he forgets how idiotic Toby can be when he doesn't listen to detail. 

"Shut up!" Risely, Beth, and Araña of Mermaid Heel shout. They are intrigued by the change of pace. 

"Hmm, I wonder what Fairy Dragon has under his sleeve," Gajeel said. 

"Psst, only time will tell. I wished everyone would pipe down so I could listen," Laxus said. 

"Enjoying the scenery, boy?" Makarov asks Laxus. 

"Only a little. The way Spike and Orga fought. It's making me want to spar with Spike again," Laxus admits. 

"Fair enough," Master Makarov thought Laxus would be bored for sure. He's somewhat surprised that Laxus finds the act entertaining to some degree. 

"Well?" Mika is losing her patience. 

Titan shuts his eyes, waiting to meet his doom while trembling in sadness and fear. Galvin grabs him and hoists him with his strength. 

"I'm going to say this once. Leave, don't ever pick on the innocents. If I hear that you resume your carnage ways, not only will I come for you, I will make you rue it every wakening day until you die," Galvin warns Titan and shoves him to the ground. 

Titan doesn't say a word and flees. He leaves off stage while Galvin drops to one knee, panting from the energy he exerted during the battle. 

Mika shakes her head in displeasure. "Why insist on letting him live? Vile people like him never learn," She sounds distraught that Galvin let another leave with mercy. 

"Being strong doesn't mean killing someone when they can learn from it, Mika." 

Mika chuckles slightly. "You and your honor. One day, it'll betray you," Mika jokingly says. She sounds calmer and polite. 

"It'll never betray me. It's my principle; to always see the good in others. If not-" Mika finishes Galvin's statement. 

"You put a sword to end their reign!" Mika shouts in delight. 

Galvin sighs a little but pushes his emotion aside. He knows that Mika does mean well to him. The two share a kiss while the stage curtain rises. A few moments later, the stage curtains descend, revealing several trees and huts as the background. 

Galvin and Mika travel together, enjoying each other's company. That's when a villager gets tossed and vanishes right before their eyes by orange flames. Galvin gasps while Mika remains quiet. She had never seen someone turn to ashes that quickly before. Mika relishes the sudden power inflicted on a villager. 

"Who did that?!" Galvin draws his sword. Mika does the same to show loyalty and stand by Galvin's code of honor. She'll fight with her soon-to-be husband, the strongest among warriors. "Show yourself!" Galvin demands. 

Orange fog filters the stage, and it's denser than before. A figure comes out laughing and ready to fight. "Hello, brother." He smiles. 

"Skeeter?" Galvin said. He wields his sword, preparing to fight.  

Skeeter is Fairy Rage's character. He wears an orange flame bandana on his head, a black scarf around his neck and throat, a black jean jacket with holes for his wings to expand, a white-ripped shirt that exposes the chest, orange-black gloves, ripped black jeans with a hole for his tail and black combat boots. His weaponry consists of an energizer sword engulfed in orange-black flames. 

"Who else?" Skeeter's eyes turn black. The stage is ablaze in flames, causing some audience to gag and gasp at the sheer size of the fire ignited. 

Galvin steps back a bit which causes Mika to second guess her choice for a husband. She wants one that shows no fear or mercy. Mika is always tired of those that show too much emotion. 

"Galvin." Skeeter wields his energizer sword. "Time to fall!" Skeeter increases his size to install fear into Galvin's heart, knowing his code of honor will prevent him from slaying his kin. 

Mika is startled and excited to see her new potential lover cripple her new ex to death. 

"Wait, how long is the play, Lucy?" Natsu asks Lucy. 

"How the heck should I know? Leave me alone," Lucy watches how confident Skeeter is while Galvin loses confidence, knowing he has to battle his brother.
> Act III: Calamity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I like him," Mika said, watching Skeeter towering Galvin. 

"You won't like him one bit!" Galvin panics and leaps back, dodging Skeeter's punch that punctures the stage floor. 

"Get back here!" Skeeter demands, his claws igniting in orange-black flames. 

Skeeter starts going after Galvin while Galvin flies in the skies, shooting flaming bullets from his claws by mimicking gun movements. Mika watches the two gladiators fighting in the skies. 

"Take him down!" Mika cheerfully shouts, which gives Galvin motivation. 

Skeeter growls in anger. He detests his brother for having such a pretty lady cheering him on; Galvin conjures a greenish-lightning flame ball large enough to do critical damage. 

"Take this!" Galvin unleashes the lightning flame ball at Skeeter. 

"I'll pass." Skeeter laughs and swats the lightning flame ball at Mika. 

"NOOO!" Galvin swoops down to take the hit head-on. His own attack is used against him to save his lover. Galvin sustains some bruises and bleedings from the impact, while Mika doesn't show any signs of regress. 

Skeeter lands in front of the two. "I'm surprised you survived that strike." Skeeter sounds malicious and vile. He grabs Galvin's throat and tosses him aside. "Mika, huh?" Skeeter observes Mika's beauty and strokes her head. 

"Get away from her!" Galvin shouts with adrenaline and pride. He screams his warcry and flies directly at Skeeter while his body ignites in Sparkling Green Aura, using his love for Mika as a confidence boost to defeat Skeeter. 

"She's mine now, wimp!" Skeeter sidesteps to counter Galvin's attack, only to witness Mika knee striking Galvin in the gut. Skeeter smiles at the sudden betrayal. 

Everyone in the audience is dumbfounded by how quickly Mika betrayed Galvin. For the wizards in attendance, it makes sense that Carla and Fairy Rage would be together for the play, but they didn't anticipate this kind of betrayal this early in the act. 

Galvin coughs blood a bit from the knee strike. Now, his own momentum gets overrun by his girlfriend's betrayal. 

Skeeter maniacally laughs. "How does that feel?" Skeeter's tail squeezes Galvin, causing him to wail in agony. 

"Wh-Wh-Why?!" Galvin turns to Mika. He's having trouble breathing at the moment. Skeeter loosens his grip so he can hear the pathetic words spoken by his brother. 

"For years, I watched you grant mercy to any opponent you come against, and it made me sick. You believe there's good within any creature, yet; you are blind to your ambitions. I never loved you. I tolerated it because you were the strongest. Now, I met a real dominant warrior. One who doesn't hold back for any moral code," Mika explains while walking around Galvin's predicament. Her tone is evilly cold. 

"I saw the good in you! I knew you were troubled, but not like this! I wanted to help you change for the better!" Galvin is in tears. The woman he loved and wanted to see the light succumbed to a deeper shadow of herself. 

"I didn't need your help. I wanted you to meet your match and die!" Mika laughs and spits in Galvin's face. The disrespect from Carla on stage as her character causes an uproar. She's tugging on their strings, and it has them good. 

"Damn! This play is dark!" Natsu shouts in shock. 

"Not just that, I bet it was eating Carla on the inside, imagining Spike as Fairy Rage," Lucy said. It causes most of her guildmates to cringe. 

"How did Rabian approve of this?" Happy wants to know what else Rabian has allowed for the rest of the performance. 

"I never knew Carla had that in her," Panther Lily said. He watches Galvin's suffering from Mika and Skeeter. 

"Neither did I. I guess she withheld her anger for Happy when he altered the timelines and used that anger to express it here," Gajeel theorizes. 

"Aw, man," Happy had hoped to hear the end of it by now. So far, it's been an instant reminder of his selfish deed. 

"I can take her," Cana said. She remembers how defensive Carla was when she came close to putting her hand on Fairy Rage for his sleep-eating frenzy. 

"I wouldn't pick a fight with a lover," Alzack advises. "If any were to pick on me, Bisca would mount their heads on our bedroom wall."

"Trust us, don't mess with anyone that has so much love for that person," Bisca concurs with Alzack's statement. 

"Erza's love for Spike as a brother ignited her to defeat Kyôka after losing all of her senses. It was a sight to behold," Panther Lily states like the war with Tartaros happened yesterday. 

"Then the same love applied to Wendy to fight Midnight Sparkle and Erza when Rage resurrected her. Messing with those you love normally means the end of you," Happy chimes in the conversation. 

"No comment," Cana replies. She remembers how her father came into the fray during the war against the Alvarez Empire. 

"Shush, I'm trying to watch," Laxus said. He sees Mika's monologue of how she hated being with Galvin. 

"Don't.., let..," Galvin chokes on his words due to the tightening grip of Skeeter's tail. Skeeter then tosses Galvin aside like a ragdoll. 

"I had enough of your pleas. Time to die!" Skeeter extends his claw at Galvin, creating an orange energy blast to vaporize Galvin once and for all. 

Galvin gets up after taking several deep breaths. He sees Mika hugging Skeeter's arm lovingly. 

"I can tell that Skeeter has no fear. That's why he doesn't hold back. Please, end Galvin's life once and for all," Mika kisses Skeeter's cheek to spite Galvin. It was enough for Galvin to snap. 

"He won't be standing for much longer." Skeeter shoots his orange blast at Galvin. 

Galvin directs the attack with his back claw on the huts and trees in the background scene. "I'm done holding back!" Galvin's magic power spikes to new levels. Mika is surprised to see the newfound power within Galvin and may have already rued her decision. "YOU'RE FINISHED!" Galvin uses her anger and flies directly at Skeeter. 

Skeeter smirks. "Gotcha." 

Galvin's eyes widen in horror. It was too late for him. Mika now knows how intelligent her new boyfriend is. Skeeter used Galvin's emotions and turned them against him. As a result, Skeeter scratches Galvin's face, causing him to cry in pain while he covers his face. 

"MY EYES!" Galvin covers them. "I CAN'T SEE!" Galvin doesn't know what to do now. He has no vision to defend himself from any attack. Galvin sounds frantic due to the severity of the situation. 

Mika walks up to Galvin and unsheaths her sword. She stabs Galvin in the back, causing him to whine loudly due to the pain. "Consider this our official breakup," Mika kicks Galvin's face hard. 

Skeeter relishes the torment inflicted by Mika. He grabs her and tongue kisses her on stage. The tongue kiss causes many parents to shield their children's eyes while the two receive an uproar of boos from the crowd. 

"I won't kill to end your suffering. That's the easy way out. The way I see it." Skeeter laughs menacingly at his pun. "Death is too comforting, brother. I will oblige with your rule for no killing so you can live with remorse." Skeeter grabs Galvin's chin. "Your regret is finding out that no one ever loved you. Just using you until you are meaningless." Skeeter shoves Galvin to the ground. 

Galvin sobs at his distress. "Mika..," Galvin's heart is shattered. 

"I'll take this back," Mika yanks her sword out of Galvin's back, causing him to yell in pain for the moment. "Love hurts, doesn't it?" She sinisterly laughs while walking with Skeeter. He and Mika walk off the stage. 

Galvin remains at the center, crying his eyes out for losing his love life, getting backstabbed, and tormented. After five minutes, Galvin tears his hoodie and uses it to cover his eyes. Then, Galvin grabs his sword to use for navigation. The stage curtains descend, leaving everyone bewildered about the rest of the show.
> Act IV: Relapse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The stage curtain rises after a few minutes pass. The background reveals a small, broken-down village. The scenery appears to be nighttime, with some candles lit around. Galvin aimlessly walks due to his sight no longer being available. 

"Okay, Galvin. No need to..," Galvin gets startled by a faint sound in the background. It shows the viewers that losing a sense can be costly for any outcomes not yet encountered. 

Sounds of rustling with the winds cause Galvin to panic, especially with footsteps echoing. The echoing becomes louder as a man wielding a long sword confronts Galvin and kicks his face. Galvin lands on the floor hard with his sword separated from him. 

"Who's there?!" Galvin shrieks and pants heavily. All he sees is darkness. 

"I have many names. The Butcher; The Relentless. You may call me Richard the Ruthless!" Richard uses his long sword to slash Galvin's chest. 

Richard is Rufus' character. Richard wears a long red overcoat with golden edges, a black inner armor vest with blood stains spelled Ruthlessly, brown mildly baggy pleated pants tucked inside his black boots knee high, a red archery cloth face mask, and a long leather belt buckle that holds two swords. Richard also has an eyepatch on his right eye. 

"Richard!" Galvin stumbles back. His first encounter with Richard ended up succeeding by taking his right eye, preventing his ability to shoot incinerating heat vision that vaporizes anything on contact instantly.

"Galvin," Richard lifts Galvin. His tone sounds bitter with the distaste of defeat from the last encounter. "So defenseless without your vision, huh?" He slaps him hard and throws Galvin into a barrel full of wine. "Now, I can claim victory and vengeance for taking what I love!" Richard's left eye glows. Since he cannot use his heat vision, Richard can channel the energy into his strength. "Fight me!" Richard taunts Galvin's dilemma and laughs with satisfaction. 

Galvin conjures a new metallic flame sword and holds it close to him. His defensive stance trembles due to the uncertainty of Richard's prowess and positioning. Galvin swings his sword at the slightest sound, which is not Richard's doing. Richard leaps over Galvin and kicks his back into a run-downed house in the background. It collapses on him. 

"How Spike ever agreed to this is beyond me," Laxus said. He wonders who else will beat up Spike's character in this scene. 

"Huh, did you expect a beating like this, Sting?" Lector asks Sting. He continues to watch Richard shamelessly give Galvin a beating of a lifetime. 

"To be honest, I don't know, Lector. I didn't anticipate Orga and Rufus demonstrating their prowess against Spike in a play like this. I wonder if Wendy and Sherria are healing the actors slightly, so the pain doesn't overwhelm them," Sting replies. 

"That's a possible theory," Lector said. He's putting Sting's theory into thought. 

"This is heartbreaking to watch," Lucy said, watching Spike's character pummeled. 

"Spike can take a pounding. Plus, he agreed to this for his role," Gajeel replies. 

"The beating should be nothing compared to fighting Acnologia," Gray said, injecting himself into the conversation. 

"I agree with my beloved," Juvia concurs. "Also, it's to tell a story that not all beginnings have an easy path." 

"Point taken," Natsu, Happy, and Lucy said. 

Galvin drops his sword after taking a pounding from the onslaught Richard gave him. Galvin has a hard time breathing due to the amount of pain he has. Richard grips his sword and aims to strike Galvin's exposed neck. 

"For ten years, I waited for this exact moment! You took my ability to incinerate anyone I want! Now, I take your breath away!" Richard shouts. 

If Galvin could close his eyes, he would have done it and waited for the inevitable. However, a loud clang happens within a flash. Galvin wonders what Richard struck. 

Richard sees another sword that saved Galvin's life. "Who are you?"

"I'm Angelina," Angelina is Kagura's character. She wears a beautiful blue kimono, a black ribbon wrapped around her waist, white thigh-high socks, and wooden sandals. Also, Angelina wears a white headband with a white ribbon tied at the middle in a bow, pointing straight up. "Attacking my brother is a grave mistake!" Angelina disarms Richard roughly and kicks his stomach, causing Richard to drop to his knees, not knowing how strong Angelina is. 

"Wait!" Richard pleas before receiving another blow from Angelina's sword. He gets stuffed into a barrel and rolls off the set. Many people cheered for Kagura's role and stopped the senseless beating. 

Angelina turns to Galvin and notices the scenery getting darker and bleaker. "No..," Angelina knows what's coming and picks up Galvin. "I won't let you take him!" Angelina runs off stage, carrying Galvin to safety while the darkness draws near. The stage curtains descend.

"So, Rogue is casting that shadow. I wonder what else he does," Sting said. 

"I wonder what character Frosch will be, Sting," Lector said. He sees Rogue's shadows engulfing the stage as the stage curtains descend. 

"I'm surprised that Kagura has chosen to become Galvin's sister for the play. Here I thought she'll be a mentor of some sort," Beth Vanderwood said. 

"Well, if it's Kagura's role, I wonder what Erza's character portrays as," Risley Law said now that she and her guildmates see their leader in action. 

"I wonder what else Rogue will do in the play. Any ideas, Gajeel?" Panther Lily asks.

"Probably sinister. Like darkness within a soul or a creature that lures those fallen so low into a deeper pit that shines no light for relief or comfort." 

"Wow, that sounds terrifying," Levy said, imagining a likely scenario in the play. 

The stage curtains rise, revealing a bedroom on the stage with birds singing and trees in the background. Galvin is on the bed while Angelina is right beside him. 

"I can't see.., I'm.., I'm.., I'm..," Galvin starts tearing up. "USELESS!" Galvin bursts into tears, crying his eyes out, which causes more pain when the tears sting his wound. 

Angelina looks down and wipes her brother's tears. She softly coos to him. "You're not useless, Galvin. You never were," Angelina rubs Galvin's head. She removes Galvin's modified blindfold to see his eyes. She gasps in horror. 

"I'm useless!" Galvin blurs in sadness and anger. "I lost my sight, my fight, and the love of my life! I fought honorably and still lost!" 

"It's okay to lose once in a while, Galvin," Angelina nurturing speaks to comfort Galvin's anguish. 

"NO, IT'S NOT!" Galvin shouts angrily and pants. "I CAN'T SEE YOU, SEE THE BEAUTY OF OUR WORLD. HELL! I CAN'T EVEN SEE IF SOMEONE WERE TO ATTACK ME! OUT THERE, I'M TARGET PRACTICE!" Galvin didn't mean to lose his cool, but the frustrations got him. 

Angelina takes a deep breath. "I understand your-" Angelina gets interrupted. 

"NO, YOU DON'T! YOU'RE NOT BLIND! I AM! YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR ASS KICKED! I DID! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LOSS IS UNTIL YOU LOSE IT!"

Angelina sheds some tears. "I lost you to darkness once. I refuse to allow it to happen again." 

Galvin sarcastically chuckles at the statement. "LOST ME TO DARKNESS. WELL, GUESS WHAT? ALL I SEE IS DARKNESS!" 

"No, I didn't mean it like-" Angelina gets interrupted a second time. 

"GET OUT!" Galvin points to the window. He thinks he's pointing to the door. 

Angelina sadly sighs. "As you wish," Angelina gets up and walks to the door. She turns back to look at her brother and sighs. Shaking her head, she leaves the room, walking off stage. 

Silence reigns, with everyone awestruck by Galvin's outburst. Some in the audience feel connected when they lose something precious and can never get it back. The wizards watching are amazed to see how good the performance is and feel the tensions rising. 

Galvin groans as the scenery get darker and shrouded in shadows. Two red eyes and sharp teeth emerge. Happy gets flashbacks from his visitation with Tergeri; He remembers purple eyes watching his every movement. 

"Hello, darkness, my old friend," Galvin said when the area got cold. 

"NOOO! NOT AGAIN!" Angelina comes rushing in, only for the darkness to knock her down on the floor. 

"He's mine now," The Darkness replies. 

"NOT AGAIN!" Angelina uses her sword to fight the darkness, keeping it away from Galvin. "DON'T LISTEN TO IT, BROTHER! FIGHT IT!" Angelina screams. She's scared that this'll be darkness extinguishing her only relative. 

"I've come to talk with you again," Despite Galvin's lack of vision, he knows his darkness has come for him as he still remains in place.
> Act V: Light Within the Darkness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's been too long, hasn't it, Galvin," The Darkness says. Its' red eyes dawn on Galvin, making the area colder. 

Galvin remains silent. His head tilts up as if he were to look up. "I..." 

"No need to start a conversation. No need to complicate things further. You lost your eyes, fight, and girl in one day. You got your ass handed to you by an old foe. Humiliated, shamed, defenseless now, and just a burden!" The statement echoes for all to hear. 

"DON'T LISTEN TO IT! FIGHT IT, GALVIN!" Angelina's strikes do nothing to Darkness cause it's not her fight. "I.., I.., I can't lose you..," Angelina slumps in defeat, knowing that the Darkness is more resilient than before. 

Galvin lowers his head while the area gets colder. Too cold that people in the audience start putting on their coats after taking them off earlier. Gray strips and no one bats an eye to his doing. 

"You'll spend the rest of your days only being taken care of; your sister and whatever friends you have will never see you the same; Might as well become a footstool to your enemies. Continue to live, or let me take you and end your suffering!" The Darkness entices Galvin into giving up; the air becomes harder to breathe for Galvin. 

"If I go.., I won't be a bother to anyone... My sister can live freely without me..," Galvin tries to breathe, but the cold air makes it intricate to do so. 

The Darkness is about to claim Galvin when a tiny spark of light illuminates the area, creating warmth. The spark of light reveals an Angelic Exceed wearing a white robe hovering with a halo. He's next to Galvin, creating breathable air. 

"YOU!" The Darkness trembles with the presence of the Angel that's next to Galvin. 

The Angel looks at the Darkness, determined with his goal. "Step aside," The Angel said in a calm, commanding voice. The Darkness complies and backs away a little. 

Galvin takes several deep breaths. Angelina heard the commotion and thanked God that an Angel repelled the Darkness' grasp on her brother. 

"Why did you save me? I should be gone..," Galvin looks in the opposite direction where the Angel is hovering. 

"Your book is not closing. There's much more for you to accomplish," The Angel calmly and comfortably expresses. The Angel softly rubs Galvin's right shoulder. 

"More to accomplish? I'm blind. What can I do as a blind swordsman?!" Galvin asks the Angel angrily. 

"Fight," The Angel replies. 

"Fight? FIGHT?! HOW CAN I WHEN I'M BLIND?!" Galvin snorts, and green smoke forms from his nostrils. 

"You can accomplish anything when you put your mind to it. Don't let one negative become your only focus. You have much more than you realize. Hone what you have and take a journey." 

Galvin sarcastically chuckles. "Hone, what I have? I don't have much left!" 

"Use what you do have," The Angel replies with a straightforward message. 

Galvin groans. "What journey do I need to take?" 

"A life-changing discovery." 

Galvin screams in anger. He feels conflicted about the life-changing statement. His life changed the moment he lost his sight. Galvin believes all of this is a sick joke wrapped up.

"Fine, screw it. I'll go on this journey. Graaaaah!" 

"In the end, you'll find great happiness," The Angel leaves as the Darkness vanishes. The Darkness vows to claim Galvin's life when he feels down again. 

Angelina sees the Darkness fading and rushes to Galvin's side. She's happy that Galvin is alive. Galvin feels the tears of his sister's sadness and knows that he can't go astray. He doesn't want history to repeat, like what happened to their parents. 

"Please, I can't lose you either..," Angelina hugs Galvin tenderly. 

Galvin can feel the warmth of his right shoulder and feel the coldness of his left shoulder. "I won't give in," Galvin's moral code kicks in, and it reminds Galvin of many of his accomplishments when he did well. Now, Galvin is unsure how to accomplish anything due to his lack of vision. However, the Angel instructed him to go on a life-changing discovery, and so he shall. 

"Angelina, I'm going on a life-changing discovery. Will you join me?" Galvin sincerely asks. "Also, I'm sorry for lashing at you in anger." 

"Of course, Galvin. Family sticks together," Angelina grabs Galvin's claws to let him know she's with him every step of the way. 

The stage curtain descends. Everyone wonders what's going to happen in Galvin's life-changing scenario. 

"Wow, Frosch is an Angel. Who would have thought about that?" Sting said. 

"I'm surprised that Frosch concentrated on his role. He's usually distracted by anything he sees in his eyes. For him to step up as an Angel to repel Rogue's Darkness was pretty cool. Also, we have Angelic Wings, so it does make sense, Sting." 

"Point taken, Lector." 

"This feels like a what-if scenario," Happy said. 

"Elaborate, Happy," Panther Lily said. 

"Spike took the abuse and went on a life-changing discovery to find great happiness. The difference is that he's taking the abuse as a hero instead of a slave," Happy said. 

"Which begs to differ, why did Spike greenlit this idea," Lucy said. 

"It's beyond us, Lucy," Natsu said. "However, it's Spike's choice. I imagine Erza being the lead character, but the play wouldn't be this exceptional." 

"It would have ended by now," Gray reminds his friends about Erza's blunder. 

"So true," Natsu, Happy, and Lucy say in unison. 

"Maaaaan! Where are my handsome Trimen and Elegant Jenny!" Ichiya complains. Blue Pegasus is the only guild not shown in the play yet. 

"Pipe down!" Elfman shouts at Ichiya. "You're acting like a nuisance! Be a man and man up!" 

"I have you know that I am a handsome man. Second, I'll show you what this man can do!" 

"Simmer down! The both of you!" Master Makarov and Master Bob say to cease a conflict before a war begins. 

"Sorry," Elfman and Ichiya say in unison, not wanting to be barred from their seats.

The stage curtains rise, revealing a forest background with some huts in the scenery. Galvin and Angelina are walking together. Galvin now wears deep black sunglasses; He holds Angelina's hand. Galvin is ahead, leading the pathway with Angelina's guidance. 

"You see anything interesting, Angelina?" Galvin asks. All he hears is the footsteps and rustling of the tree branches and leaves. 

"Just a small village. Nothing out of the ordinary," Angelina said, knowing Galvin may throw a temper tantrum. Galvin stops walking. He lets go of his sister's hand. "Galvin?"

"What's the point?" Galvin loafs. "We've been walking for days and found nothing. What's the point of trying anymore?" Darkness draws near when a shrieking terror echo in the forest. "What was that?" 

"Let's go find out!" Angelina grabs Galvin's claw and whisks him to the location of the shrieking. 

"Where is it?!" A woman holds a villager against a tree near her hut. "Don't make it difficult, and surrender the artifact!" 

"Please, no! I don't know what you're talking about!" The villager exclaims, hoping the woman bullying her doesn't end her life.

"Hey!" Angelina shouts to grab the bully's attention. 

The woman turns. "Well, if it ain't Angelina and Galvin."

"RELEASE HER!" Galvin points at a tree where the woman and villager aren't there. 

"No way, you can't see? That means you're..," The bully bursts into laughter and drops the villager hard. "You're blind! Hah! One of the greats lost his vision! That's perfect!" 

"Not funny, Monika!" Angelina unsheaths her sword, getting ready to battle. 

Monika is Minerva's character. Monika wears a brown cargo vest filled with many gadgets and devices, white fingerless motorcycle gloves, a dark blue short sleeve t-shirt, dark blue denim jean shorts, black fishnet stockings, black fishnet sleeves, and black thigh-high boots. 

"I still have a bounty to complete. Putting your heads on a silver platter and bringing the artifact to my boss!" Monika powers up. She throws smoke pellets all around Angelina and Galvin. 

"Galvin, run! I got this!" Angelina rushes out of the smoke and sword fights with Monika. 

Galvin coughs and stumbles into a tree. He groans and walks around the tree somehow, only to step on a rake, and the pole hits his face. "My life is mediocre now, isn't it?" 

"Hey!" The villager runs up to Galvin. "Are you okay?" 

Galvin sheds a tear and feels the Darkness drawing near once more. "No..." 

"Let me help you," The villager grabs Galvin's claw and leads him away from the battle. She trips on a rock and falls down a steep hill with Galvin. 

As Galvin and the villager roll away, Monika and Angelina continue their brawl. 

"What are you after, Monika?" Angelina leaps back, preparing for another attack. 

"There are artifacts scattered around to devise the perfect weapon to conquer the world. I'm after the four relics so I can dominate the will of all leaders. Every King and Queen will bow down at my feet for mercy!" Monika laughs when she feels a jolt in her body. It's an instant painful reminder of who she works for when retrieving the relics. 

Angelina notices Monika's little shock treatment and knows she's planning on betraying her boss. Angelina is aware of the Armageddon Doomblaze weapon and how omnipotent the sword is. No weapon comes close to matching its raw power. 

Monika shouts her warcry and goes after Angelina. Now that she knows, she'll keep the info to herself in the grave.
> Act VI: The Light
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monika and Angelina continue their battle while Galvin and the villager are away from the scenery. Monika and Angelina are evenly matched, exchanging their blows with repeated swords and hand-to-hand combat strikes. Angelina devises a strategy after discovering Monika's weakness, a shocker when Monika monologues about personal interests and dominion. 

"Like any other feeble soldier, when receiving a direct order, you're submissive," Angelina mocks Monika's circumstance. 

"I am not! When I gather the components, I'll rule the planet under a-" Monika receives another jolt. It's denser than the previous shock. 

Angelina springs into action and slashes Monika's vest, which causes some of her gadgets to malfunction. Smoke bombs and gases metastasize in the area. Angelina jumps onto a tree branch while Monika coughs. 

"Damn you!" Monika shouts, then stumbles onto one of her gadgets. "Ah, shit!" Monika steps on a portal vortex. The colors of the vortex are orange, red, black, and white, swirling together. It opens and draws Monika inside. "We will meet again, Angelina!" Monika screams while holding onto the relic she stole from the villager. 

"When we do, it'll be the last encounter," Angelina said. She looks around the area. "Crap, I lost Galvin. Galvin! Galvin!" Angelina shouts as the stage curtains descend.  

"Well, that felt like the Grand Magic Games all over again, right, Sting?" Lector asks while munching on some popcorn. 

"Well, last I checked, Erza and Kagura defeated Milady after she pulled that nasty stunt," Sting refers to when Minerva used Erza's sword to penetrate Spike's back, eliminating him from the competition. 

"Classic Kagura, using ingenuity to her advantage," Risley Law said, satisfied with how Kagura's character thwarted Minerva's character. 

"Well, it's only the beginning after a dark start," Beth Vanderwood reminds her guildmate. 

"I guess you're right," Risley Law treats the play like the Grand Magic Games. 

"Hmm, I wonder what happens with Spike and-" Lucy shushes Happy's comment. 

"The curtains are rising," Lucy said. She's eager to know what happens now. 

After the stage curtains rose, Galvin and the villager see eye-to-eye somewhat. Galvin is still blind as the villager lock eyes with him. The background of the stage reveals a garden-like field with many flowers, trees, and fruit trees. 

"Are you okay?" The villager asks, and she sounds polite. 

"I don't know," Galvin sits up. "I'm supposed to go on this journey my angel sent me, and I'm useless. I can't see a thing!" 

"Hah!" Another villager comes across the two. She's wearing leather armor, a green tunic paired with a small cloak, light gray stockings, and black thigh-high boots with intricate flower designs. 

"Sara, this isn't funny!" The villager responds to her sister's chuckle for someone's misery. She's upset at her. 

Galvin sighs. Another person or creature to mock his predicament over his sight. 

"Okay, relax, Suki. No hard feelings," Sara waves her hands, trying to defuse the situation as if it was nothing. Sara is Sherria's character in the play. 

Suki is Wendy's character in the play. Suki wears a long-sleeve white and gray stripe button-down shirt with a black vest, a short gray pleated mini skirt, black wool tights, and light silver shoes.  

"Just leave me," Galvin said in disgust. 

"Alrighty, then," Sara is about to take off when Suki grabs her arm. 

"Can't you apologize for a moment? Say you're sorry, Sara," Suki said in a commanding sisterly tone. 

"I'm sorry.., uh," Sara doesn't know Galvin's name. 

"Galvin," Galvin speaks so Sara can finish her apology. 

"I'm sorry for my rude behavior, Galvin. Now, can I go?" Sara asks her sister, Suki. 

"No. We lost the item we were supposed to protect," Suki said. She's upset that Monika bullied her into submission. 

"Hey, are you alright," Galvin reaches for Suki's shoulder. Instead, he accidentally touches Suki's chest, and Sara immediately slaps his face. "OW!" Galvin rubs the side of his cheek. 

"You deserved that, pervert!" Sara shouts, defending her sister. 

"I can't see!" Galvin removes his glasses which reveals scarring on his eyes. Suki and Sara gasp and understand that Galvin's blindness is not an excuse for touching in a no-go area. 

"Okay, now I'm sorry for upsetting a loser like you," Sara said. She sounded a bit mean with her remark.  

"Sara!" Suki shouts which infuriate her. 

Galvin angrily groans. "She's right. What loser would want me? A blind swordsman.., no.., a blind guy," Galvin sadly sighs.  

Suki reaches for Galvin's claw; Galvin is taken back a little from the sudden touch and smoothness of Suki's hand. It feels welcoming for some reason. 

"No way. Uh-uh," Sara disapproves of Suki's motives. "You are not going to fall for another." 

"You're not the boss of me," Suki remarks. She sees Galvin looking the other way in shame. "What happened to you that made you lose your sight? Why are you distraught?" 

"Why bother listening to a-" Sara gets scared by Suki's mean look. She backs away, knowing not to piss her off. 

"One more rude remark; I will make you eat your words," Suki said, as calm and yet as frightening as she could be. 

"Sorry! Please, don't hurt me!" Sara frantically shouts. The role play that the two are conjuring does make some of the audience laughs. 

"Classic Wendy when she defends her boyfriend," Natsu said, watching Wendy and Sherria go at each other over Spike's character's dilemma. 

"Totally," Gray, Happy, and Lucy say in unison. 

"I saw that coming a mile away, kinda predictable," Gajeel said, unamused with how Wendy defends Spike. 

"Why is that, Gajeel?" Panther Lily asks. 

"You put two love birds in a scene; they'll defend one another regardless of their role," Gajeel replies. He continues to chow on his iron. 

"Point taken," Panther Lily goes back to watching the play. 

"I was known as the Mighty Galvin before I came across my brother, who defeated me. He's the reason why I can't see. Also, Mika, the love of my life, betrayed me and literally backstabbed me with her sword. I lost my fight, my sight, and my light in a matter of a few moments."  

"You're light?" Sara is perplexed by that statement. 

Galvin growls a little with a bitter taste. "I once called Mika the light of my life because I loved her wholeheartedly. I saw darkness within her, and I  shed light on her. It worked, but it was a charade. She withheld her ways and lied to me. Mika only wanted the strongest, which shows no mercy. I showed mercy because I believe that people can change. Now, I don't know anymore." 

"Well, you can trust me," Suki said in a nurturing tone. "I'll be beside you." 

"You're dating a-" Sara gets interrupted by Suki's magic power. 

"Shut up!" Suki blasts Sara with her sky magic. Sara collides with a tree. It snaps in two, and the top half hits Sara. 

"Sorry, sis!" Sara painfully apologizes. Her rude behavior gets the better of her when she sees someone handicapped. 

"What was that?" Galvin tries hearing the sounds of the impact. He doesn't know where to look. 

"Don't worry about that. I was teaching my sister a lesson. Right?" Suki turns to Sara. 

"Right!" Sara shouts. She removes the top half of the tree and dusts the leaves and branches off of her. 

Galvin turns, and Suki holds his face. "I understand your pain. I want to help relieve that pain of yours. I see someone capable of achieving more in life. Galvin, you need the right push and, well," Suki shyly smiles with a slight blush. "I want to motivate you. Plus, I want a rematch with that bounty hunter for bullying me and choking me out, knowing I could have beaten her in a fair fight." 

Angelina arrives at the scene after finding her brother. "There you are," Angelina sees Suki. "Hey, are you alright?" 

"I'm fine," Suki replies. She sees Angelina's sword and battle scars. "Thanks for saving me. That bounty hunter had me pinned hard and used one of her gadgets to subdue me." 

"Speaking of Monika, why did she go after you?" Angelina asks. She wants to know what piece Suki possibly had in possession. 

Sara approaches Angelina. "We were protecting a sacred relic passed down from family generations."

"The Gaia Staff," Suki said. "The staff has granted my sister and me the powers of using sky and wind magic. Any user wielding the staff has access to use any weather or element without fatigue." 

"That's bad," Angelina and Galvin said in shock. 

"That's one of the relics Monika is after. Do you know where the other three are possibly at?" Angelina asks Suki and Sara. 

"No," Suki and Sara shake their heads. 

"The other families dispersed centuries ago. We don't know where those three relics are and who is in possession by now," Suki said.  

"We have to go find them," Galvin said. He sounds more determined than he was feeling moments ago. 

"We? You can't see for...ah!" Sara shrieks due to Angelina's sword near her throat. 

"Do not disrespect my brother, got it?" Angelina sternly commands. She sounds cold and terrorizing. 

'"Yes, ma'am!" Sara nods frantically, not wanting to be decapitated. 

"Where should we go?" Galvin asks. 

"There's someone not far from here that we can speak to," Suki said. 

"Nope, you can count me out," Sara knows who Suki is referring to and doesn't want any part of him whatsoever. 

"Who is it?" Angelina asks Suki, knowing she will reveal crucial information about the person's whereabouts. 

"Don't even say his name or else!" Sara powers up, but it does little to sway Suki from revealing the name. 

"His name is Chane," Suki informs Galvin and Angelina. Sara yells loudly due to unfortunate events between her and Chane. 

"Where do we find him?" Galvin asks. 

"He's by the palace not far from here," Suki grabs Galvin's claw. "Follow me, and I'll take you to him." 

Galvin slightly blushes a bit. The softness, calmness, and politeness of Suki make him relaxed. Galvin decides to trust Suki and see if the angel that sent him on this journey also meant having a love life. Galvin will have to wait and see how it unfolds. The curtains descend as Suki takes the lead, escorting Angelina and Galvin to the palace.
> Internal Affairs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a new day in United Equestria. Twilight (Sci-Twi) wakes up and notices Spike is not in the room. 

"Of course, his usual morning routine with the Dragons," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said as she got out of bed. 

As of late, Spike has been training hard with Garble, Smolder, Charcoal, and the rest of the Dragons to hone their magic power. Twilight (Sci-Twi) makes the bed and leaves the room. She trots down to the kitchen and sees Neighsay and Sunset having coffee. 

"Morning, you two," Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles at her guildmates. 

"Morning, Twilight. Say, any word on Pinkie Pie?" Sunset asks, knowing Twilight (Sci-Twi) has the journal. 

"No news besides surviving the carnage. Maybe the book got blown to smithereens during their crossroad journey to District Equestria. I wish I had more info despite it being over a year since we came here..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sadly groans. 

"You still miss that other world, huh?" Neighsay trots up to Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

"Uh-huh," Twilight (Sci-Twi) nods. "Seeing my friends die by that-" A clone of Discord blows an air horn, bleeping Twilight (Sci-Twi)'s curse word. 

"We don't condone that language here, young lady," The clone said. 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) takes a deep breath. "Sorry. I'm used to saying it back home. I guess I'm still struggling to clean my mouth." 

"No worries. However, only at my house; the language is acceptable." 

"Is the original around?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks the clone. 

"He should be. Why do you ask?" The clone reads Twilight's (Sci-Twi) body language like a book. 

"I have an internal struggle I want him to uplift. That way, she won't become influenced by that wretched demon." 

The clone nods with understanding. "I'll take you to Discord's realm. Anything else you require before we leave?" 

"Spike's whereabouts," Twilight (Sci-Twi) replies. 

"He's with Chrysalis, Terax, Princess Cadance, and Flurry Heart on a playdate. Spike is not with the Dragons today." 

"Alright then. Can one of your clones inform Spike that I'm taking care of my internal affairs?" 

"One of them will. I'm sending a voicemail into the inbox," The clone spawns a letter and whispers words inside. Then the clone gives the mail wings for it to fly. "See you later!" The clone waves. "Alright, let's get going," The clone snaps his claw, teleporting him and Twilight (Sci-Twi) to Discord's house. 

The clone and Twilight (Sci-Twi) arrive at Discord's house. They enter and catch Discord and Princess Luna kissing each other after having dinner for breakfast.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh," Discord and Princess Luna blush while being in an awkward situation.

"Sorry for the intrusion. Do you have a few minutes of your time?" Twilight (Sci-Twi) asks Discord. "If not, I'll come back later." 

"I should get some sleep for my night duties, Discord," Princess Luna trots to her bedroom upstairs. 

Discord takes a deep breath. "Have a good rest, Princess Luna," Discord fix his gaze at Twilight (Sci-Twi). "So, what do you need?" Discord's eyes widen when the stone statue of Midnight Sparkle's head illuminates. Twilight (Sci-Twi) is in front of the stone statue headpiece. 

"There's something I need to get off my chest," Twilight (Sci-Twi) said with determination. "I want you to extract the Midnight Sparkle out of me." 

"What?!" Discord doesn't know how to react at the moment, with the headpiece of Midnight Sparkle illuminating more. 

"I don't want to be forced to turn into her. Grogar is a powerful evil of darkness, right?" 

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-es," Discord nods. Then the revelation comes to him. "Let's do it. Luna!" Discord calls for his mare friend. 

"Coming!" Princess Luna gallops down the stairs to aid Discord in any way she can. "What do you need, Discord?" 

"You're assistance. We're eradicating Midnight Sparkle." 

"WHAT?!" Princess Luna panics and turns to look at the headpiece of Midnight Sparkle. She sees it emitting light. "I thought she was gone for good! That dragon shattered her, and we divided the stone fragments!" 

"It's not your Midnight Sparkle, Princess. It's mine. I turned into Midnight Sparkle after getting peer-pressured by my classmates at Crystal Prep. Principal Cinch enticed and blackmailed me into unleashing the magic I've captured during the Friendship Games. Since we've encountered a Demonic Midnight Sparkle, I don't want my demon let loose. I humbly ask if you and Discord can remove the Midnight in me." 

Princess Luna takes a deep breath. With Grogar running amuck elsewhere and could use Twilight's (Sci-Twi) Midnight Sparkle memories and prowess of the stone statue fragments to empower herself into a compatible ally for Grogar. 

"We need the United Species with us in case this Midnight Sparkle goes beserk if she steals our magic power," Princess Luna advises Discord. 

"I'll be back," Discord snaps his claw, teleporting to the Guildhall of Harmony. 

Princess Luna tells Twilight (Sci-Twi) to follow her to the basement. Twilight (Sci-Twi) complies as the clone follows the two. 

Discord arrives in the Guildhall of Harmony. He sees the United Species having a pointless pillow brawl. Feathers and pillows are scattered everywhere, while some creatures are down for the count. Discord approaches Neighsay. 

"Neighsay." 

"Discord," Neighsay put his chug of apple cider aside. "What brings you here, my friend?" Neighsay sees Discord's eyes and knows it's serious. Discord has an emotionless face which shows the severity of the situation. 

"I require all members of United Species to come into my home. We have urgent business," Discord calmly expresses without making a scene. All other members of United Species are with Discord for the urgency. 

"Understood. Please, help me gather the rest of my guild," Neighsay asks. 

"I'll grab them. Teleport to my house," Discord uses his magic to teleport to Spike and Chrysalis. 

Spike is at the Crystal Empire Fields with Terax, Flurry Heart, Princess Cadance, and Chrysalis. Spike is playing tag with Terax and Flurry Heart. Chrysalis and Princess Cadance talk about recent events and prepare for a possible war with Grogar with his new alliance with Lord Tirek. Sure, they fought in wars and took down vicious foes, but that was with the aid of Earth Land Wizards and the Magic of Friendship by their side. Still, with the Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter in Grogar's grasp, they don't know what power the Scepter embodies compared to Grogar's Bell. 

"Tag, you're it!" Flurry Heart shouts and flies away after taking Terax. 

"Not again!" Terax flies after Spike and Flurry Heart. 

Discord arrives and seems to step into two bowls of potato salad some pony else made. 

"Way to go, buddy. It took us three days to make that potato salad!" A Crystal Pony is infuriated with the clone's antics on April Fool's Day. He's with his wife and daughter. Discord hightails away from the family. "Three days!" The Crystal Pony raises his hoof at Discord. 

"Sorry!" Discord uses his magic to spawn two new bowls of potato salad for the family. 

"Tag! You're it!" Terax tags Discord and flies away. 

"Oh, great. I intruded in a game of tag," Discord said, unamused at the moment while searching for Spike and Chrysalis. 

Chrysalis watches Terax tagging Discord. She believes something amiss is happening. "Discord!" Chrysalis shouts to get Discord's attention. 

"Oh, boy. What's running amuck now?" Princess Cadance dreads any news spoken by Discord, knowing it's serious. 

Discord lands in front of the two. "Chrysalis, I need your assistance on an urgent matter." 

"What's the status of the situation, Discord?" Princess Cadance asks Discord. 

"Twilight has requested to revoke her inner demon, Princess Cadance," Discord calmly replies. 

Spike overhears the conversation and flies down to greet Discord. "Twilight is getting rid of her today, Discord?" 

Discord nods. "Twilight fears Grogar using her power for his benefit." 

"Let's get going," Spike seriously states. His body gets engulfed in Sparkling Green Flames. 

"What? Mommy, I don't want to stop playing," Flurry Heart flies next to her mother, knowing the game of tag and her playdate has ended. 

"Sorry, Flurry. Perhaps another time. They have their priorities of the day," Princess Cadance motherly says to Flurry Heart. "I'll tell you what. We'll go for ice cream." 

"Yay!" Flurry Heart does a loop of joy and flies with her mom to the Crystal Empire Ice Cream Shop. 

"See you later," Terax waves Flurry Heart goodbye. 

"Bye, Terax! Bye, Spike!" Flurry Heart happily shouts while flying to the ice cream shop. 

Discord snaps his claw, teleporting Chrysalis, Terax, and Spike to his basement. They see United Species forming a circle around Twilight (Sci-Twi). Princess Luna approaches Discord. 

"While you were away, the headpiece of Midnight Sparkle quaked. I believe if we stall, whatever presence of Midnight Sparkle within her petrified state may entice Twilight's Midnight Sparkle and take her place. We need to operate quickly before another dilemma arises," Princess Luna advises. 

"Alright. Chrysalis, Spike; Take your place," Discord walks with Princess Luna to the center of the circle. Twilight (Sci-Twi) steadies her breathing, unsure how the extraction would feel. 

Spike decides to stand next to Twilight (Sci-Twi) and hold her hoof. "I'm with you, Twilight." 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) smiles at Spike. "Thanks, Spike. That means a lot. Everyone, I want this Midnight Sparkle dead. She cannot have a moment to flee. She sees what I see and know what's about to happen." 

"She sees what you see?" Sunset Shimmer is baffled at the revelation. 

"Yes," Twilight (Sci-Twi) sadly nods. "It's like Fairy Rage but the opposite. Instead of helping me, she wants to turn on me and take back control." 

"Why didn't you ask this when you first arrived?" Garble said. He's doing an arm cross while suppressing his anger. 

"Yea! We could have taken out two birds with one stone!" Clump angrily stomps his foot on the floor, quaking Discord's house with his strength. 

"I was afraid of Equestria's Midnight Sparkle gaining more power if she merged with mine or worse..," Twilight (Sci-Twi) looks down with shame. 

"Look, Midnight Sparkle, before turning to stone was rampant. We didn't need two working together. I know that the Midnight in my Twilight is in stasis, but she's biding her time, plotting, scheming, and planning for a pivotal time to erupt. I would advise Twilight to wait until she's ready to confront the situation. With everyone closer and more powerful, this is the perfect opportunity to strike. It's never easy discussing her Midnight Sparkle because of what Equestria's version unleashed last year," Spike said, quieting down those that are angry dealing with another Midnight Sparkle crisis. 

"Can we just turn your Midnight Sparkle into stone?" Gallus asks Twilight (Sci-Twi). 

Twilight (Sci-Twi) shakes her head. "No. I'm afraid turning Midnight Sparkle into stone would be futile. She needs to go; that way, Grogar's power doesn't increase." 

Neighsay and every creature else sigh. "We have no choice." 

"Discord, make sure there are no escape attempts if she flees from our battle," Princess Luna suggests. 

"Way ahead of you, Luna. My clones are standing by to subdue her if she gets passed all of us," Discord confirms.

"Alright, let's begin," Princess Luna said. She and every creature around power up while Discord and Spike place their claw on Twilight's (Sci-Twi) head. They will combine their power to unleash Midnight Sparkle within Twilight (Sci-Twi).
> Act VII: A New Sense
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The stage curtains rise, revealing a daytime background of open fields and a white palace far back. Suki continues to navigate everyone to the castle when Sara stops walking. She's unsure about visiting Chane. 

"What's wrong?" Angelina sees Sara's demeanor changing while getting closer to Chane's palace. 

"I have my standards about approaching Chane, especially when a favor will be owed down the line," Sara knows that Chane will want something in return for the relic or any info based on the artifact.  

"They used to date long ago. However, Sara backed out of the relationship, deeming it pointless when Chane cared about good-looking women. Chane is picky when it comes to women," Suki informs Angelina and Galvin.  

"You don't say," Angelina knows Chane will target her at first glance. She is not looking forward to meeting and greeting Chane. 

"If I had my eyes, I would clobber him for looking at you like that, Angelina," Galvin said. "Also, to you, Suki," Galvin looks at Sara instead of Suki. 

"I'm Sara, dumbass," Sara gets whacked by Suki. "OW!" Sara rubs her head from the impact. 

"Not nice, Sara. I see that Chane's influence rubbed off on you," Suki said. She's upset at her sister for his continuing bad behavior toward Galvin due to his disability. 

"Let's keep moving," Galvin wants to forget the reminders about his blindness. 

"Well, do my eyes deceive me?" Chane approaches the girls. Chane is Eve's character. Chane wears a blue crushed velvet tunic with metallic jersey mesh sleeves and a lower front inset. White leather cuffs on the sleeves in front of the tunic. A brown leather belt wrapped around the waist. A jeweled, increscent gold crown. Black leather boots and black leggings. 

"Oh, no," Sara facepalms herself. "It's him." 

"Finally!" Ichiya shouts from the crowds. He finally sees one of his guildmates partaking in the show. Everyone around shushes him for the loud commotion. 

"Sara, it's been a while," Chane sees Angelina and Suki. "Well, well, well," Chane approaches Suki first. "I see eyes on a beauty." 

"I have a boyfriend, Chane," Suki grabs hold of Galvin's claw. 

"Hey, I know you," Chane sees Galvin. He smiles widely. "You're the Mighty Galvin that slew a thousand armed thieves and took control of a train that nearly derailed with precious goods and spices!" 

"Was," Galvin lowers his head. 

"Was?" Chane is perplexed by Galvin's demeanor. "Dude, you're a living legend that walks among us! You're a great swordsman with a code of honor! What happened to you?" 

Galvin removes his deep black sunglasses to reveal the scar he suffered from the claws of Skeeter, his brother. "I lost my vision. I lost everything because of my brother and the betrayal of my ex, Mika. I'm not the same swordsman, you know. I can't even defend myself from opposing threats, even you." 

Chane is upset that his hero sounds depressing. He heard many stories of his victories, and that one defeat led him astray, feeling sadness due to a lost trait. "Come with me," Chane gets serious and grabs Galvin's claw. "There's something I want to present to you," Chane drags Galvin away from the girls. They follow him and Chane to where he wants to take him to. 

The stage curtains descend. After a few moments, the stage curtains rise, revealing a garden with a white castle in the background. There are trees, bushes, birds, and fruits. Chane stops in front of the palace's yard. 

"Wow," Suki, Sara, and Angelina say in awe. They see how beautiful the castle's garden is and decide to walk around and observe the beauty in all of its richness. 

"I'll be back, Galvin," Suki said, reassuring Galvin that she'll be back. Galvin will take Suki's word since he can't see and read her body language. 

"Mighty Galvin," Chane addresses Galvin as his title's name. 

"I'm just Galvin, Chane. I'm not Mighty anymore," Galvin sadly sighs with his current condition.  

"You still have much more in your arsenal," Chane reminds Galvin as his Angel did. 

Galvin bitterly groans. "That's what my Angel said. Then, he told me to use what I have," Galvin kicks the air in front of him in anger. "I'm useless." 

"No, you're not," Chane doubts that Galvin is useless. He believes Galvin has more than he realizes. 

"You don't understand. I can't see. I can't see the beauty, what's around me, what my supposed girlfriend is wearing and looks like, or my potential opponents. Hell, I can't see any attack and the slightest sound scares me because the enemy can or is right behind me! Explain to me what I can do to turn the tides!" Galvin angrily shouts at the Chane. 

Chane takes a deep breath. "Galvin, I am King in these lands you're standing on, and I must inform my people of potential threats or upcoming events. However, at times, seeing potential dangers doesn't happen. You must feel the circumstance around you."  

"Feel?" Galvin questions Chane's statement. He's unsure about Chane's metaphor. 

"Yes. Months ago, I felt something unsteady and unstable. My kingdom was going through an earthquake of record-breaking magnitude." 

"What does that have to do with my circumstances?" Galvin is confused about the story, interrupting the moral lesson given to him. 

"Allow me to finish," Chane takes a deep breath. "After I felt the earthquake, I informed my people to go into protocols. One time, there was vibrant movement shifting from side to side when a bear arrived to disrupt an annual picnic. I didn't see the bear but felt its movement, which gave me preparations to eradicate the bear from the premises. The idea I'm indicating to you is using your other senses. Since you lost one, you should heighten another for your advantage." 

"My senses?" Galvin is still confused about Chane's motives. He can't sense what is around him. 

"Yes. Tell me, what do you feel?" Chane asks Galvin. 

"Sadness. Depression," Galvin replies. 

"No, no, no, no, no, no," Chane waves his hands in disagreement. "What do you feel? No emotion but touch." 

"Well," Galvin uses his arms and waves around to feel something sharp and pull his arms away. "Ah, thorn bush!" 

"Correct." 

"Dude, not cool," Galvin suspects Chane of letting him look like a fool in front of a King. 

"Try feeling something else," Chane walks around Galvin and stomps on the ground. 

"I feel something stomping," Galvin turns to try and grab Chane but grabs a light pole instead. "This feels smooth, and yet," Galvin taps a bit. "Metallic."  

"That'll be the light pole of the garden," Chane informs. "Tell me, what else do you feel?" 

"Well, I feel the marble stones under my feet; my tail feels a bush that bears some fruit. I can't tell what it is. Also, I'm feeling footsteps coming closer to me," Galvin grabs Sara's arm and slams her in front of him on the ground.  

"OW!" Sara painfully shouts. She rubs her backside. "That hurt, you jackass!"

"How did I?" What Galvin did was an instinct like the times he would fight in battle. 

"Well, aren't you going to apologize, jackass?" Sara rudely says. 

"Sara!" Suki approaches her. "Galvin doesn't know what he's doing and-" Suki blushes a bit. She sees Galvin's claw on her shoulder. 

"It's alright. It was my fault in the first place. I felt something drawing near, and I sprung into action. Almost like it was an instinct of some sort." 

"No, Mighty Galvin. You used your sense to feel what's around you and took action. Sometimes, your eyes can betray you. Feel what's around you and utilize it to your advantage." 

"Do my ears deceive me? Or is the King speaking wisdom?" Sara is amazed to hear King Chane speaking wisdom. She sees him as a changed man. 

"He's serious. The look on his face reveals leadership with understanding and passion," Angelina confirms. "A King would speak motivation to help anyone in need. From the story you mentioned, it turns out he matured wholeheartedly." 

"Feel the different vibrations around you to understand the surrounding areas better. You'll need to be patient at times to calculate your next move," Chane places his hand on Galvin's shoulder. "Never lose hope when you have more than you realize. You lost one ability, but you can always gain more with what you have. Remember to hone your abilities, Mighty Galvin." 

"Thanks," Galvin removes Chane's hand from him to give him a proper handshake. It succeeds on the first try. "I won't forget your wise words." 

"I know you won't," Chane smiles at his favorite hero of all time. 

"Chane," Suki approaches him. 

"Yes, Suki?" Chane turns to look at the beauty of Suki. He wants to hold and kiss her; King Chane longs to have a Queen by his side. 

"Thanks for helping Galvin, Chane," Suki said. 

"You're welcome," Chane is about to lean a small kiss on Suki when Angelina stops him by grabbing his face.  

"Don't even think about it," Angelina shoves King Chane a bit. 

"Rude," Chane rubs his beautiful face from the shove. 

"Chane," Sara confronts him. 

"Sara. I guess you want to hook up again?" Chane gets closer to Sara's face. 

"No, you creep!" Sara steps back. "As much as we appreciate your wisdom for jackass here," Sara is waiting for Galvin's apology. She'll continue to call Galvin a jackass until he apologizes. 

"Sorry," Galvin apologizes, but it sounded sarcastic for the moment. 

"Look, my sister and me were attacked by Monika in search of the relics. We lost the Gaia Staff," Suki explains. 

"WHAT?! THE GAIA STAFF IS GONE?!" Chane frantically panics. "TO THE VAULT!" Chane hightails to the palace while everyone else follows. Suki grabs Galvin's claw to lead him where to go. The stage curtains descend.
> Act VIII: Ransacked
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The stage curtains rise, revealing many guards on the ground in the vault room. The stain-glass windows are in ruins, and the vault door is wide open. King Chane, Suki, Galvin, Sara, and Angelina arrive at the scene to see many artifacts and treasuries scattered on the floors. 

"Oh no," King Chane grabs the backends of his hair in shock and horror. He walks into the vault to check on his subject. "Who did this?" 

"Milllll...." The guard passes out. 

Angelina, Suki, and Sara investigate the vault while Galvin remains still. Galvin decides to use his new technique to feel for vibrations around him. King Chane continues to ask his guards for any answer they encounter during the attack. Like the first guard he inspected, the others didn't say a word. All have passed out due to the attack. 

"What kind of artifact you had in possession, Chane?" Angelina asks while gripping her sword to unsheath in case the perpetrator still lurks around. 

King Chane sighs deeply. "A powerful energy resource," Chane takes Angelina and the others to the broken-down safe that no longer has magic properties. "It's known as the Dawnlight Nexus. It's an orb containing a never-ending charge like a battery. Alone the relic is not formidable unless combined with a weapon to harness its power. Then, we're talking about an unending wave of power energy with no equal." 

"That's bad," Angelina said in shock. Sara and Suki gasp in terror. The girls are dismayed by the info provided by King Chane. 

"Guys," Galvin feels a faint movement not far from his position. "Someone is still here with us," Galvin confirms. 

Angelina unsheaths her sword as Suki and Sara power up. Chane grabs a weapon from his guards in case the intruder may assassinate him. 

"I see no one, Galvin," Sara said. She looks around and feels like an idiot. "Of course, you're punking us."  

"Ah!" Suki felt something sharp scratching her back while moving swiftly. 

Chane, Angelina, and Sara feel the same sharp pain in their backs. Then, their clothes get torn a little right before their very own eyes. They question the prowess of the intruder's quick movements when Galvin elbow-strikes the perpetrator in the gut. She falls to her sides from the impact. 

"Ow, you hit hard," A woman containing an orb in a sealed container says. She's wearing a black jumpsuit with black leather gloves covering the palm and backhand only, allowing exposure on the fingers. A belt with gadgets inside wrapped around her waist. She wears no boots, allowing stealth movements without drawing much attention. 

"Who are you?!" King Chane commands the intruder. 

"My liege," The woman bows to show some respect. "I am Milissa. Your.., demise!" Milissa throws a shuriken at King Chane's face. 

Angelina deflects the shuriken with her sword, saving King Chane's life. She directs her sword at Milissa. "You're going to hand over that orb you stole or prepare to die with dignity!" 

Milissa laughs at Angelina's threat. "Bitch, please. I don't fear threats." 

Galvin steps back because Milissa said a trigger word. Angelina's eyes are full of wrath. She lunges at Milissa, growling at her in anger. 

"Oh, crap!" Milissa reaches for a smoke bomb and throws it on the ground. Angelina goes through, missing her target. "Sorry, but that was too easy," Milissa laughs at Angelina's feeble attempt.  

"Get over here!" Angelina goes after Milissa to strike her. Milissa dodges each attack, deeming them pointless; Suki and Sara spring into action to subdue Milissa's movements. 

"Gotcha," Milissa throws another smoke bomb on the floor. She moves quickly, allowing Suki and Sara to collide with Angelina. "Wow, sucks to be you three, huh?" Milissa sees the trio down and out from the collision. King Chane stands still, frightened about his fighting techniques. He's an amateur for fighting someone as skillful as Milissa or anyone. "Then, there is one," Milissa disregards Galvin. She sees him as a lucky fool despite hearing the rumors of his blindness. She knows Galvin is a skillful swordsman, but without his vision, he's a nobody.

Galvin remains motionless while feeling Milissa's movements. The vibrating movements become heavier with the pacing; Milissa is getting closer to King Chane. Galvin runs and shoulder-tackles Milissa. 

"Gotcha!" Galvin has Milissa pinned to the floor. Angelina, Suki, and Sara get up and sees Galvin holding Milissa in place. 

"Nice going!" Angelina is impressed by how quickly Galvin adapts to using a new sense to heighten. 

"Hmm, all luck," Sara said. She helps Suki get up. 

"No, skill," Suki believes Galvin is getting better with the teaching he learned from King Chane. 

"That's what you think!" Milissa double-kicks Galvin's face. She rolls back and jumps out of the broken-stain glass window. She holds the Dawnlight Nexus in her hands. 

"You got cocky, Galvin! Graaah, how stupid can you be by letter her go?!" Sara facepalms herself in anger. 

"Cool it," Angelina angrily said to Sara. "How the hell is she your sister, Suki?" 

"At times, she's not like this. Usually, she's nicer and understanding," Suki explains. She runs up to Galvin and helps him up. 

"This is bad," King Chane shakes his head. "Since Milissa stole my artifact, she could be going to the other kingdoms to create the ultimate weapon." 

"Which is?" Galvin asks King Shane. 

King Shane has trouble breathing due to the complexity of the situation. After a few moments, he relaxed, taking deep breaths. "W.E.D."  

"W.E.D?" Everyone is curious to know what it stands for.

King Chane lowers his head. "It stands for Warblade Eternal Damnation. I remember my grandfather telling me stories about the Grand War. W.E.D, when used in the hands of righteousness, can control the weather, magic, and reality. No amount of evil and carnage from the opposing side can withstand the weapon's prowess. However, using W.E.D; for too long causes mental damage. Each wielder had a limited time window to harness its power before going into insanity. After the Grand War, our ancestors divided W.E.D. relics to ensure that no one would ever use its power for evil desires. If anyone vile enough restructures the weapon, there's no saving grace from their wrath. That evildoer will dominate the wills of the entire planet."

"So far, they got two relics," Angelina said. 

"The Gaia Staff..," Suki and Sara worriedly said after hearing some info about W.E.D.

"Dawnlight Nexus," Galvin imagines how devastating W.E.D. may bring upon the lands. He believes the path the angel sent him is this one, preventing a superweapon from merging by the claws of Skeeter or someone more wicked than him. 

"Chane, what is the closest kingdom from here?" Angelina asks King Chane. 

"One of my best friends is the ruler of Harp Citadel. You can't miss it once you hear it," King Chane gives Suki a scroll and a map. "I need you to give King Echo this scroll. I need to make battle formations and arrangements." King Chane sighs deeply. "War is imminent." 

"Thank you for your time, King Chane," Suki said with the utmost respect. 

"Let's go," Sara wants to leave immediately. She's eager to help King Echo and fight off whoever wants to steal the next artifact.  

The stage curtains descend with Rabian coming on stage with a megaphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Boys and girls. Wizards from all guilds. It's the first intermission of the act. It'll last half an hour so take the time to stretch your legs or grab food from the vendors sponsoring this play. I will inform you of more intermissions and say which will be my last to announce. Thank you very much!" 

"Hey, wanna sneak around and say hi to our friends? Getting a little sneak peek for the next session?" Natsu whispers in Lucy's ear. 

"No way! Are you kidding me?!" Lucy barks back at Natsu's childish plan. "I am not going backstage looking for trouble!" 

"Happy," Natsu turns to his friend. "Are you down?" 

"Aye!" Happy gladly concurs. 

"Let's go!" Natsu gets too excited and shouts, which raises suspicions from Master Makarov. 

"Laxus, keep an eye on Natsu," Makarov commands. 

"Fine," Laxus gets up. He walks over to Natsu's seat. "Natsu." 

Natsu turns to Laxus. "What is it?" 

"I'm invoking my winning from the Grand Magic Games," Laxus grabs Natsu's scarf. "You're buying me food!" Laxus drags Natsu away, preventing him from doing any espionage.  

"No fair!" Natsu cries loudly while getting dragged away. 

"Well, so much for that," Happy watches Natsu getting dragged off by Laxus. He extends his wings. "I'm going to buy fish." 

"Uh, didn't Fairy Rage forbade you from eating it?" Lucy reminds Happy. He starts sweating. 

"If Fairy Rage doesn't know about it, then I'm in the clear," Happy nervously chuckles a bit. "Who would rat me out anyways?" Happy flies to the nearest vendor. 

Lucy shakes her head in disbelief. "Happy is in trouble." 

"Are you going to tell Fairy Rage that Happy has been skipping out on his punishment?" Gray asks Lucy. 

Lucy opens her purse. She reveals a calling card that Spike made which is still active. "He already knows."
> Inner Demon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight's (Sci-Twi) eyes glow aqua blue, and she screams. Her screams are jarring and dreading. Every creature around took a step back except for Discord and Spike. They are indeed worried about Twilight's circumstances. 

"Twilight! What's wrong?!" Spike worries that his mother is in grave peril from the bloodcurdling screams. 

"I was wrong!" Twilight (Sci-Twi) screams frantically. "I was so wrong!" She wails louder than before, causing her friends to feel anxiety. 




Twilight's Temporal Mind

Within the temporal mind of Twilight Sparkle, Midnight Sparkle appears to be in spellbinding chains while in stasis. The world features a daytime opened dungeon to keep Midnight Sparkle in containment. It turns out that Midnight Sparkle created the illusion, waiting for the perfect moment to seize control and take over as the host. The chains vanish right before Twilight's eyes. 

"I! AM! FREE!" Midnight Sparkle's voice echoes while Twilight watches. Her fear makes her paralyzed. Midnight Sparkle flies directly at Twilight, causing her to jerk and gag. 





Princess Luna, Discord, and the United Species watch in awe and horror as Twilight (Sci-Twi) start morphing into a humanoid shape. Discord and Spike get blown back by the energy manifesting from Twilight. Her clothing appears, which brings disturbing memories of the first encounter. She wears a dress, showing off the colors black, dark purple, light purple, and dark pink. Her hair color is purple with a pinkish streak, and it floats upwards. Also, she wears dark purplish-pink knee boots. She has a long, purple tail, and her skin is dark purple, just like her eyes. She has a glowing turquoise horn with a black magical aura. She has black feathery wings that slightly glow in an aqua blue aura.

"Discord! What do we do!?!" Spike asks Discord. He doesn't have any clue about confronting her Twilight as Midnight Sparkle. 

"Attack!" Neighsay ordains his guild to attack Midnight Sparkle. In his mind, Midnight Sparkle shouldn't have any breathing room to conjure her next motive. 

"Wait!" Discord holds the guild back as Midnight Sparkle shoots aqua blue flames from her hands. She scorches Discord in the process. He screams in agony. He's not aware of Midnight Sparkle's true potential while she was in stasis. 

"DISCOOOORD!" Princess Luna sees the tremor in Discord's eyes. The pain is unreal for him to bear. She gallops to him and checks on him. 

"Oh, shit," Spike pants in shock. Not knowing just how powerful Midnight Sparkle was this whole time. 

"She's.., more powerful.., than.., I.., anticipated..," Discord pants heavily from the blow. Discord wonders if Midnight took and practiced any spells Twilight discovered and added to her arsenal. 

"Don't even try attacking me a second time," Midnight Sparkle floats in midair, crossing her arms in the process. "You wouldn't want to kill Twilight Sparkle in the process? Yes?" Midnight Sparkle grins wickedly at the creatures that slew the other Midnight Sparkle. 

Discord snaps his claw, teleporting him away from danger. He doesn't understand why his chaos magic has failed him in protecting the underlying attack. 

"You'll rue that!" Princess Luna's eyes turn reptilian-like, with her irises slit. Everyone besides Spike steps back from Princess Luna. They know the signs of Nightmare Moon's arrival. 

"Nightmare Moon, huh?" Midnight Sparkle sounds unamused. She stares daggers at Princess Luna. 

"Easy, Princess," Neighsay trots up to Luna while his friends are preparing to subdue Midnight Sparkle. He doesn't want Princess Luna's feelings to make a possible regretful decision. 

"Midnight Sparkle!" Princess Celestia arrives with Thorax and Pharynx. "Release Twilight Sparkle!" Princess Celestia commands in her Royal tone. It echoes loudly. 

"You are not my Queen to give me a direct order," Midnight Sparkle smirks. "However, I should thank you and Princess Luna for those tutoring lessons. You've given me much more than I could ever dream of!" Midnight Sparkle sinisterly laughs. 

"As far as things are concerned, you're trapped with us," Chrysalis reminds Midnight Sparkle's predicament. She snorts to show assertiveness. 

"Yes, yes, I'm aware of the numbers. However, you're not killers. An army of no killers isn't an army. I've seen the devastation my other self has unleashed. You think she's bad? I'm worse. However, I'm willing to compromise than make rash decisions." 

"Why would any of us believe you?!" Sunset Shimmer angrily raises her voice at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle turns to Sunset. "I haven't forgotten about you; How you managed to make my weaker self submit to you. That won't happen a second time." 

A clone of Discord emerges from the rear of Midnight Sparkle. He slowly walks up to her while she's distracted by every creature else. 

Princess Luna fixes her gaze at Midnight Sparkle after seeing the clone sneaking his way. "I will slay you, demon!" Princess Luna's anger causes her fur to turn pitch black. "You will die!" 

"I won't die. You kill me, and Twilight will come with me!" Midnight Sparkle laughs. 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Spike shouts and tears up. "TWILIGHT! FIGHT YOUR DEMON! YOU CAN BEAT HER! I BELIEVE IN YOU!" 

"Silence!" Midnight Sparkle swipes her right arm, causing aqua blue flares to strike Spike. 

"Look out!" Smolder and Garble jump in the fray and consume the aqua blue flares before the flames can harm Spike. Spike stood still. He couldn't retaliate at the one who cared for him when he was a young puppy. 

"Can we please take her out?" Silverstream's memories remind her of the time Midnight Sparkle slew her kin. She heard the stories and news from her friends. She refuses to allow history to repeat. 

"I want to scorch her!" Smolder and Garble's bodies ignite in hellfire flames. 

"Oh, my. Look at all that magic emitting from you two dragons. How cute," Midnight Sparkle claps her hands. "It's so invigorating as this clown," Midnight Sparkle grabs the clone's throat from behind. "Tries to sneak up on me!" She chokes and breaks the neck of the clone. A loud snap is all every creature heard. "Did I do that?" Midnight Sparkle sneers. She relishes the horrid and angry faces of everyone in the room. "Did I make history repeat itself?" She tosses the clone's body away like a piece of trash. 

"You!" Princess Luna growls and lunges at Midnight Sparkle. However, Princess Celestia, Chrysalis, and Neighsay use their magic to repel Princess Luna from making a fatal mistake. "Let me go!" Princess Luna demands, nearly sounding like Nightmare Moon. 

"Cease, sister! Don't allow your emotions to get the better of you!" Princess Celestia urges her sister not to kill Midnight Sparkle on the spot, no matter how enticing. 

"Come here," Midnight Sparkle mocks Princess Luna by flexing her index finger to come closer to her. 

Princess Luna snarls in rage. She wants to terminate Midnight Sparkle for taunting her. She grits her teeth and tries to force her way out of the combined magic force of Princess Celestia, Chrysalis, and Neighsay. 

"Refrain from assaulting, Luna!" Chrysalis shouts. She's losing some of her focus due to Princess Luna's desire to kill Midnight Sparkle. 

Princess Luna finally relents and desists. She reverts to normal before losing herself into the Nightmare. 

"What do you want?" Pharynx asks Midnight Sparkle. 

"I want my freedom. With Twilight Sparkle in my grasp, killing me is not an option for any of you. So, please me with the right offer," Midnight Sparkle sinisterly smiles. "Also, you cannot harm me once the deal concludes." 

Every creature growls and snarls in detest; They don't want Midnight Sparkle to create another disaster. The other Midnight Sparkle's rampage brought genocide. No one wants another at that magnitude. 

Another clone comes into the fray with a dagger. The dagger has a demonic red skull with burning black eyes. He attempts to stab Midnight Sparkle from behind, but she grabs his throat. 

"Honestly, you think I'm predictable for having my back turned?" Midnight Sparkle gazes at the dagger. She takes it and tosses the clone to the creatures like a paperweight. "What is this?" Every creature panically gasps. 

"Discord, what is that?" Princess Celestia becomes nervous. Never in her life had she seen a dagger. 

The clone sweats and gulps. "Well, I rather not spoil the surprise." 

Midnight Sparkle laughs malevolently. She powers the dagger with her magic. "I'll make this a weapon unlike any other!" She shouts triumphantly. Spike conjures energy wings and flies at Midnight Sparkle. "Meet your demise!" She tries using the dagger when a sparkling green shield materializes. Her weapon didn't penetrate the shield. "What?" 

"No way!" The clone of Discord is astounded that his dagger didn't penetrate the shield. 

"You know what I know from the times I trained with my Twilight! However, you don't know everything I'm capable of!" Spike shouts as he powers up. "Guardian Dragon!" Seven sparkling green orbs appear in a hexagon formation. "Light Cannon!" Spike presses his claws at Midnight Sparkle. A stream of magic power shoots directly at Midnight Sparkle. She gasps and flies away from the blast. Spike follows in pursuit with the Dragons, the Dazzlings, Silverstream, Gallus, Ocellus, and Pharynx. 

"Discord, please explain. What is the dagger Midnight Sparkle has in possession?" Thorax asks. He and everyone else wants to know what is in Midnight's grasp. 

"The Dagger of the Tribunal. Forged by Demon Slayers to exorcise any spirit regardless of their power. Also, it creates a devastating effect on those not possessed by spirits. Unfortunately, it comes with a heavy price when using the Dagger of the Tribunal." 

"Everyone! Take down Midnight Sparkle without taking her life!" Spike commands. "Guardian Dragon Spears!" Spike spawns sparkling green arrowhead spears to shoot at Midnight Sparkle's wings. She dodges the attack.

"Right!" Dragons, the Dazzlings, Silverstream, Gallus, Ocellus, and Pharynx, shout in unison. They drift apart to corner and subdue Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle, with the dagger in hand, repels some attacks from the creatures coming after her. The clone of Discord explains the penalty of using the weapon. The cost means disqualifying all usage of magic power permanently; Princess Luna, Celestia, Chrysalis, Thorax, Neighsay, and the rest of the United Species gasps. They now know why a clone was willing to use a weapon of great force. Those going after Midnight Sparkle missed out on the crucial information. 

Midnight Sparkle grabs Silverstream's wings and uses her momentum to collide with Smolder and Ocellus, taking them out. She then catches Clump's mace tail and chucks him into Charcoal, Garble, and Pharynx. Gallus and Adagio manage to leave some claw marks on Midnight's face. They use claw-to-claw close-quarters combat. Midnight Sparkle receives several blows from all around her body. She then uses the dagger to slice Gallus' right arm off. He screams and falls due to the overwhelming pain. 

"Gallus!" Adagio turns with wrath on her mind. She wants to kill Midnight Sparkle for harming her boyfriend. Adagio uses her rage as an adrenaline rush to fly after Midnight. However, Midnight Sparkle kicks Adagio mid-flight. She grabs Adagio's head and slams her down. She lands on top of Gallus, breaking his back in the process due to the strength of Midnight Sparkle. 

"Ow! There goes my back," Gallus painfully cries a little. 

"Sorry, Gallus," Adagio sincerely apologizes. She looks up and sees Midnight Sparkle laughing at their misery. 

"Guardian Dragon Roooooooar!" Spike unleashes his sparkling green fire breath at Midnight Sparkle. 

"Repel!" Midnight Sparkle swipes her right arm, redirecting the direction of the flames into hitting Yona and Sandbar. 

"Watch out!" Princess Luna and Celestia combine their magic power, creating a bubble shield. It melts on contact due to how powerful Spike's flames are. 

Midnight Sparkle flies to find an opening to leave the basement. With every creature else flying in pursuit after getting up, it becomes intricate finding that exit. 

"Are you two okay?" Neighsay checks on Sandbar and Yona. 

"We're fine," Yona and Sandbar said. "We can't figure out a weakness this Midnight Sparkle has!" Yona and Sandbar were observing Midnight's movements to devise a strategy that'll work in their favor. 

"Thorax," Chrysalis calls him. He turns and nods. He and Chrysalis fly to help the others subdue Midnight Sparkle. 

"Wave motion!" Midnight Sparkle circulates her arms and presses her hands forward, generating aqua blue flames at the two. 

"Don't mind if we do!" Spike, Garble, and Smolder intervene and consume the flames. Their bodies ignite in flames. 

"Lightning Blitz!" Charcoal unleashes lightning orbs from his claw. He launches them at Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle casts a shield to repel the orbs in front of her. However, none of them made contact. "Hah! You missed me!" 

"Did I?" Charcoal smirks. 

Midnight Sparkle sees the reflection of the lightning orbs on her shield. They're all around her, above and below as well. "You bastard!" 

"Detonate!" Charcoal commands. All the lightning orbs explode, causing residual energy to paralyze Midnight Sparkle's movements. 

"What is this?! I can't move!" Midnight Sparkle tries to move but sees lightning bolts sway and shift on her body. 

"My lightning particles have entered your body, paralyzing you, which allows my friends to finish you off!" Charcoal shouts. 

"Shit!" Midnight Sparkle tries her hardest to move an inch when everyone comes at her. Midnight Sparkle moves her left arm through sheer force and brings the dagger close to her throat; Spike, Aria, Sonata, Ocellus, Chrysalis, Pharynx, Thorax, Smolder, Garble, Clump, Charcoal, and Silverstream pause their movements. "Come closer, and I'll kill us!" 

"She's serious. I can tell from the look in her eyes," Sunset informs everyone. Midnight Sparkle's facial expression reveals grim and urgent. 

"What do we do now, Discord?" Princess Celestia asks the clone. She's unsure what else to do with suicide in the mind of Midnight Sparkle. 

The clone of Discord knows what he needs to do and flies up. Midnight Sparkle sees him and puts the dagger closer to her throat. Her hand shakes. She will take Twilight to the grave if anyone else makes other sudden movements. 

"Stay back!" Midnight Sparkle demands the clone. "I will commit suicide on the spot!" 

"I don't think you will," The clone comes closer without hesitation while Spike and the others are dreadfully worried about the rash thinking of Midnight Sparkle. 

Midnight Sparkle's teeth chatter. She wants to live and be free from being a prisoner within Twilight Sparkle. "Watch me!" She tries jamming the dagger into her throat. The clone grabs her hand and grabs the Dagger of the Tribunal. The clone slashes the chest of Midnight Sparkle vertically. "What did you do-aaaaaaaah!" 

Every creature sees residual power from the dagger creating a red flare line. Then, the clone grabs Midnight Sparkle's head and tears her into two pieces. The left piece forms into a unicorn while the right remains; Twilight Sparkle lands on the ground hard. Midnight Sparkle lands on her feet.

"TWILIGHT!" Spike and the others soar down to check on her. Those that didn't listen to Discord's explanation are dumbfounded. 

"I'm.., okay, Spike," Twilight places her hoof on Spike's cheek. Spike is in tears of joy. 

"I'm free..," Midnight Sparkle laughs. "I'm finally free!" She laughs maniacally. 

The clone of Discord disintegrates. Since the clone no longer has magic, he might as well call it quits. Discord in his home feels another piece of him lost. He clutches his chest in sadness. 

"Now, I will exterminate you all!" Midnight Sparkle tries using her magic, but it fails her. "What the hell?!" 

Princess Luna trots up to her. "Using the Dagger of the Tribunal means you forfeit your right to use any magic," Princess Luna said as cold and bitter as she could. 

"NO!" Midnight Sparkle tries to use her magic to show assertiveness. She tries generating her aqua blue flames. All that comes out are puffs of smoke, indicating that she's defenseless. She walks back until she hits the wall of the room. All creatures come together except Spike, Twilight, Gallus, and Adagio. She frantically pants and balls herself in fear. 

"What should we do, First Master?" Sandbar turns to Neighsay. 

"Celestia?" Chrysalis turns to Princess Celestia. 

"I told you to eradicate her," Twilight Sparkle gets up. "End her." 

"Noooooooohohohoooooooo!" Midnight Sparkle scaredly shouts. 

Spike conjures a sparkling green energizer sword. He walks up to Midnight Sparkle. "This one is mine," Spike said as calmly as he could. 

"Spike, are you sure?" Smolder asks Spike. 

"Fairy Dragon fought and conquered his Midnight Sparkle for treating him poorly. My Midnight Sparkle held my mom prisoner and threatened to take her away from me. Midnight Sparkle didn't care about someone I love with all my heart. I refuse to allow her to find any opportunity to succeed by different means necessary." 

"No.., please.., I'm.., sorry..," Midnight Sparkle knows what's coming and hopes Spike would show mercy. 

"Leave her to me," Spike powers up. 

"I'll see you upstairs, Spike," Twilight leaves. She doesn't want to see what Spike will do in the next few moments. 

Neighsay commands his guild to follow Twilight up the stairs. Princess Celestia, Luna, Thorax, and Pharynx follow, leaving Spike to end Midnight Sparkle's reign of terror. Every creature sees Discord on the couch watching the whole event. He turns off the tv. 

Silence reigns until the loudest bloodcurdling cries echo in the house. Everyone except Twilight cringes to hear death that closely. A few moments go by with the sounds of Spike walking up the stairs. Twilight gallops to Spike and holds him dearly. Spike exhales. 

"It's over. Midnight Sparkle won't come back," Spike said. 

"Are you sure?" Discord turns to Spike. 

"She's nothing but ashes after I sliced her body into multiple pieces with my energizer sword and fire dragon breath. That," Spike points to the headpiece of Midnight Sparkle. "Will never drain magic power from Midnight Sparkle." 

"Discord, where did you find that Dagger of the Tribunal?" Princess Luna asks him, and the others concur with that statement. 

"It's a long story. I don't want to go into full details due to the heartwrenching moments of that conflict with my species. All you need to know is that the Dagger of the Tribunal is not a modified weapon of Grogar's formula."

"Hey, Discord. Can you fix my arm?" Gallus asks while holding his torn limb. 

Discord bites his lips. He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "I'm sorry. When Midnight used the dagger on you, she tore any magic fabrications of reattaching your arm in place." 

Gallus' eyes widen, and he starts panicking. "I'm going to be a one-arm Griffon?!" 

"Well, uh..," Discord sighs deeply and lowers his head. "Yes... My magic and anyone that can use magic cannot help you." 

"WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!" Gallus cries in anger. Adagio is sick to her stomach to see the one she loves in such pain. 

"Ooh, ooh!" Yona raises her hoof. "Yona says Gallus should have an artificial limb like Gildarts!" 

"An artificial limb?" Gallus imagines a right metallic claw arm with different properties attached. Like hidden magic weapons of some sort. "How long would that take?" 

"A few months, give or take," Princess Celestia informs Gallus. 

"We will help you create the perfect artificial limb, Gallus," Princess Luna said. 

"Thank you, Princesses," Gallus smiles. 

"Gallus," Neighsay turns to him. "As your Guild Master. I order you to take time off from battle practice." 

Gallus sighs. "Okay, Master Neighsay." 

"Can we stay here for the rest of the day, Discord?" Neighsay asks Discord, knowing his friends are tired and perturbed with today's event. 

"Yea," Discord nods. "My clones and I will prepare the rooms for you."
> Spike's Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been three days since Spike took the life out of Midnight Sparkle. He's with Twilight (Sci-Twi) at the dorm near the guildhall in District Ten. Spike's appetite hasn't been easy since the transition over a year ago. He longs for meat, yet most of the world in Equus are not carnivores; Twilight has handled her cravings better than Spike throughout the year, but she has her yearning for meat every now or then. Clones of Discord have produced the desires of Twilight and Spike, but it's not the same for them. 

It's 11:30 in the morning. Spike informs Twilight he's going out for a while. He's taken a pouch filled with bits and takes flight. Spike has decided to search for a farm or marketplace where they sell chicken. Any meat throughout the land will do except for Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cottage. Spike knows that the two would not accept, especially Fluttershy. She would fight to save the life of a chicken. 

Many creatures outside of United Equestria wave at Spike; They know he isn't the Fairy Dragon but has heard the rumors about his new title, Guardian Dragon. Spike flies past the mountains where Canterlot once stood. He imagines Grogar's overwhelming magic power and what the Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter's power can unleash. Could it be worse than Midnight Sparkle's mass genocide a year ago? 

Spike sees Rainbow Dash gathering clouds for Ponyville, helping the weather team. She helps bring rainwater to Sweet Apple Acres. 

"Hey, Spike. Where are you off too?" Rainbow asks, placing a chunk of rain cloud above Sweet Apple Acres. 

"Looking to buy something I require. How are things with the Wonderbolts?" 

"Pretty good for the most part. Spitfire may put me as Squad Captain while she trains the newer cadets. I improved my flight speed as well as my pranking spree." 

"Pranking spree?" Spike looks at Rainbow Dash with a level of concern. 

"Yesterday was April Fool's Day. Pinkie and I had a field day with harmless pranks. Nothing too overzealous that would be heartless." 

Spike sighs in relief. "That's good. Well, I'm off." 

"Hey, before you go. When will we see you and Twilight? It's been a while, Spike." 

"Soon, Rainbow Dash. Right now, things are hectic. Especially in the guildhall." 

"Alright, Spike. Take care!" Rainbow Dash flies at top speeds to Sugarcube Corner. 

Spike flies through the rain storm. He flies straight into the clouds, disregarding the rain. Since Midnight's onslaught on the Everfree Forest, it has become a desert. The clones of Discord are trying to regrow the plant life. The residual energy of Midnight Sparkle's wrath made it hard for the clones to use their chaos magic to restore the Everfree Forest. Several clones high-five Spike as they work. 

"That's right. Dodge City is to my left," Spike flies left after passing the Castle of the Two Sisters. He hopes to find some farmland there that sells animals. 

Within the hour of steady flying, Spike arrives at Dodge City. Many ponies come to greet Spike and take several photos of him. Spike doesn't mind the attention due to his near-exact resemblance to Fairy Dragon. All that's missing is the Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest. 

"Hey, is there a farm around here that has livestock?" Spike asks. 

"Cherry Jubilee has a ranch not far from here. She produces cherry trees and should have some livestock, Fairy Dragon," A gray-ish stallion with a black mane confirms. 

"I'm the Guardian Dragon. I'm not Fairy Dragon," Spike addresses his title. Many ponies around him gasp with enlightenment. They love the name Guardian Dragon. "Also, is there a tattoo parlor around here?" 

"Our best tattooer moved to Manehattan last week. Her name is Tats. I'm sure she'll provide the best services for you, Fa-Guardian Dragon," Another pony says. She's green with a red mane. 

"Thank you," Spike smiles. "I'll get a tattoo on my chest. One that represents what a Guardian should be." 

Spike walks around Dodge City, scouring the buildings, the townsfolk, and activities happening. He's glad to see this town unaffected by Midnight Sparkle's wrath when she was on a magic stripping spree using Grogar's Bell. After a half hour, Spike sees an orchard for cherry trees. 

"Hello, Fairy Dragon," Cherry Jubilee smiles. 

"Guardian Dragon," Spike corrects Cherry Jubilee's greeting. 

"My apologies. Anyway, what can I help you with?" 

"Do you sell livestock by any chance?" Spike asks. He hopes that Cherry Jubilee does have livestock. 

"Yes, I do. It's been a while since I last sold a creature for someone's purpose. Follow me to my Cherry Ranch," Cherry Jubilee leads the way to her ranch. 

Spike's heartbeat pounds a bit fast, with adrenaline building up. First time in over a year, Spike can finally sink his teeth into flesh. He can't wait to taste the sensation of protein and the juicy flavor, whether it's chicken, cow, or pig. He knows Twilight would want some and crave it, savoring each bite. 

Cherry Jubilee shows Spike her cherry orchard. Many cherry trees that produce red and yellow cherries are everywhere. It's similar to Sweet Apple Acres. The right side of the ranch has cherry trees. The left side has livestock. Spike rubs his claws together as excitement overwhelms him. He sees what he wants more than anything else; Chicken. Chicken is one of the meats he urges daily. 

"See something you like, Spike?" Cherry Jubilee politely asks. She turns to see Spike drooling a bit and steps back. 

"Oh, sorry," Spike wipes his drool. "How much for a chicken?" 

"No worries. Chickens are thirty bits each." 

Spike takes his pouch and starts counting. "Shit!" Spike didn't mean to blur out the language. Also, there is no clone of Discord to use an air horn to censor his cursing.

Cherry Jubilee smiles widely. It's the closest to hearing Fairy Dragon cursing. She's a fanatic but still has her duty as a professional salespony. She takes a deep breath. 

"Spike, we don't use that language around here. Please refrain from speaking it," Cherry Jubilee said professionally. She wants to release her emotions but can't." 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for using harsh language. I don't have enough bits on me. I only have twenty-one bits," Spike sadly sighs. His journey for meat is all for nothing. 

Cherry Jubilee sees the devastation written on Spike's face. She doesn't want to see him upset. "I'll let you purchase a chicken at a ten-bit discount. Instead of thirty, the cost will be twenty." 

Spike's eyes widen, beaming with happiness. "Thank you!" 

"You're welcome," Cherry Jubilee smiles. She takes Spike to the chicken coop. "You can scour until you find the one for you." 

"Thank you!" Spike hands Cherry Jubilee the twenty bits and goes inside the chicken coop. He sees some resting, some flapping around, and some watching his movements. Spike goes to the one that looks like the fattest of the bunch. "You're coming with me," Spike licks his lips, already imagining the flavor. Spike leaves the chicken coop and activates his energy wings. "Have a good day, Jubilee. I'll remember to bring exact change in the future and wash my mouth with soap." 

"Good boy," Cherry Jubilee smiles. She watches Spike takes flight. Finally, she can fantasize and relish Spike cursing as the fanatic she is. 

Spike flies back into the Everfree Forest. "I can't wait to cook and eat you!" Spike smiles, and the chicken clucks in fear. The chicken doesn't want to die. 

The clones of Discord are curious and suspicious about Spike's involvement with a chicken. They pay little attention while attending to the land. The chicken clucks louder, hoping that someone or something can rescue it from a dragon's belly. 

Spike sees and remembers what Ponyville is having. "Oh-" A clone of Discord blows an air horn to censor Spike's foul language. Spike groans, noticing Fluttershy's cottage. "Mother-" The clone of Discord blows the air horn a second time. 

"What's up with you?" The clone asks. His paw finger is tapping on the presser in case Spike swears again. 

"Frustrations, Discord. It's all I have due to the weather," Spike points to the heavy rains and gusty winds. 

"Well, our good friend Fluttershy should have no problem having you in her cottage until the rain clears," The clone advises. 

Spike sighs in defeat. "Would Fluttershy intervene in my business with this chicken I purchased?" Spike reveals the chicken to the clone. 

"Well, if you stole that chicken, yes. Purchased as you said, then no. However, things can become ugly if Fluttershy feels something is amiss. Good luck, maestro," The clone departs and returns to his work on the Everfree Forest. 

Spike takes a deep breath and flies to the cottage. He didn't want to increase his size for fear of squishing the chicken in his claw. Spike knocks on the cottage's door while the gusty winds push twigs and leaves into his and the chicken's eyes. 

"Coming," Fluttershy said. She opens the door with Angel Bunny on her back. "Spike! Get in quick!" 

Spike enters the cottage. He's wet and covered in some leaves. "Thanks, Fluttershy." 

"You're welcome. Also, who's your little friend?" Fluttershy smiles cutely at the chicken, gently stroking her head. 

"Oh, uh, I haven't thought of a name. Uh, Daisy?" Spike didn't care about the name. He cares about sinking his teeth into the fat juicy chicken meat. 

"Nice name, Spike," Fluttershy continues to stroke Daisy's head softly. "Oh, I bet she's hungry. I'll be back," Fluttershy trots to one of her cabinets in the kitchen. 

There are several chickens in Fluttershy's home. Spike sees them, speaking in their language, and walks away from them. He fears his chicken mentioning getting eaten and frightening all the others in the room. They come closer. 

"Back away!" Spike tries to shoo them, to give him space. 

Fluttershy returns with a bowl full of grain. "Here you go, Daisy. A nice bowl of grain just for you. Hmm?" Fluttershy looks up. 

"Fluttershy!" Spike is hovering away from the other chickens. Daisy's clucking frightens the other chickens; they run to Fluttershy. 

"It's alright. I know," Fluttershy's kind tone changes instantly after hearing the message. Using her left wing to put the bowl of grain on a table, she approaches Spike. "Give me Daisy, Spike."

"No way!" Spike responds, clutching Daisy. 

Fluttershy flaps her wings, meeting eye level of Spike. "Give me Daisy, Spike!" Fluttershy's tone sounds demanding. She's serious. 

"NO!" Spike angrily shouts. 

"GIVE ME DAISY, SPIKE!" Fluttershy shouts angrily and calmly. 

"F-" A clone of Discord blows his air horn, censoring the first word Spike spoke. "OFF!" Spike growls a little. 

Fluttershy's right eye twitches. She understood Spike loud and clear. "You leave me no choice, Spike." 

"Well, I have one choice. Later!" Spike flies through Fluttershy's window. The rain and gusty winds ease up. However, Fluttershy is hot on his tail. 

"Nice," Rainbow Dash comes out of Sugarcube Corner. "It's time for me to clear the clouds. Thanks for having me, Pinkie." 

"No problem, Dashie. It was fun having you here! Have fun bursting those clouds!" Pinkie squee and gives Rainbow a cupcake. 

"Thanks, Pinkie," Rainbow takes the cupcake and notices Spike flying fast. He passes Sugarcube Corner. "Whoa! That was fast." 

"I would love to see you and Spike race! I'll commentate the whole event!" Pinkie glees while wearing a headphone mic. 

"Give me Daisy, Spike!" Fluttershy flies faster after Spike. She flew past Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie are dumbfounded. Fluttershy's flight speed is on another level. Rainbow Dash believes it's faster than the time when Fluttershy helped the pegasi lift the water to Cloudsdale. 

"What is happening?!" Pinkie freaks out. Never in her life had she thought she'll witness Fluttershy flying that fast in her life. 

"I don't know! I'm going to find out!" Rainbow Dash flaps her wings and takes flight. She follows Fluttershy's tail. 

"Wait for me!" Pinkie Pie gallops just as fast as Rainbow's flight speed. 

Fluttershy is nearing closer to Spike. She refuses to allow Spike to eat Daisy. "I won't let you kill her!" Fluttershy declares. 

"The chicken is mine, Fluttershy! I bought her!" Spike retorts while increasing his flight speed. However, it didn't matter. Fluttershy's motivation for saving Daisy gives her the edge to tackle Spike. 

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie see Fluttershy knocking Spike out of the sky. They are near District Ten of United Equestria. Rainbow Dash performs the Sonic Rainboom to catch Fluttershy; Spike crash lands on the ground, creating a massive crater. 

Fluttershy doesn't thank Rainbow Dash for catching her. She trots to the crater. Neighsay, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Sunset, Smolder, and Garble come to check the crash landing. Spike gets up, still clutching Daisy. She was well-protected from the impact of the crash. 

"What in blazes is going on?" Neighsay asks about the severity of the situation. 

"All we know is Fluttershy wants Daisy from Spike," Rainbow reports to Neighsay.

"Why?" Twilight comes closer to the crater. 

Spike looks at Twilight and the others. "You can't take my chicken away, Fluttershy." 

"You're not eating, Daisy, Spike!" Fluttershy shouts, addressing the situation for all to hear. Many creatures around gasp except for Twilight. She now knows why Spike wanted to make a purchase. Since his doggie days, the urge for meat has overwhelmed him.

"Spike, did you steal Daisy from Fluttershy?" Pinkie asks. She sounds upset that Spike would steal a chicken. 

"No! I bought this chicken from Cherry Jubilee at Dodge City! I was going to fly here when I remembered that Ponyville had a rainstorm. The clone of Discord suggested that I take refuge at Fluttershy's cottage until the storm clears a little. I knew going there was a death trap; written on the walls." 

It's an awkward situation for everyone present. Neighsay knows that Spike's appetite has been erratic since coming to Equestria. He also knows how much Fluttershy cares about all the animals. However, it's clear who's in the right despite the awfulness of the outcome. 

"Spike, there's no reason for all this trauma over a chicken. Just give it to Fluttershy," Smolder said. 

"Yea, we're still helping you with eating the gemstones," Garble holds a bag full of them. 

"They taste like glass! They have no nutrition for me!" Spike yells at the two. His stomach growls. His body yearns for chicken. 

"Spike, don't make me use the STARE on you into relinquishing Daisy," Fluttershy gets closer. 

"Enough!" Neighsay and Twilight stomp their hooves to cease the foolishness. 

"Twilight, as First Master of the guild, I got this," Neighsay commands. 

Twilight sighs. "Very well." "I hope you're thinking what I thought of." 

Spike flies to Neighsay, holding Daisy in his claws. Fluttershy is next to Spike. She knows Neighsay will say to give Daisy to her. 

"Spike," Neighsay takes a deep breath. "You may keep the chicken." 

"WHAT?!" Fluttershy growls at Neighsay and shoves him. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" 

"Fluttershy!" It's a new experience for Rainbow Dash to see this side of her. As for Pinkie, it brings back memories of when Fluttershy took advice from Iron Will. 

Neighsay sees the anger and disgust in Fluttershy's eyes. "I'm serious. Spike bought the chicken. Therefore it's his unless he sells it to you." 

Spike smirks. He's in the clear. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I'm not selling Daisy to you," Spike inadvertently pokes Fluttershy's chest with his finger. Daisy clucks and starts hyperventilating. She doesn't want to get eaten. 

Fluttershy closes her eyes and unleashes her STARE at Spike. It's powerful with hypnotism in the midst. Spike sees Fluttershy's stare and becomes nervous. His claws trembles while every creature backs away from Fluttershy. Twilight can't believe her friend is using that tactic to force Spike to give up his chicken. 

Spike is nearing to hand over his chicken to Fluttershy when his hunger reawakens him. He jabs Fluttershy's eyes, causing her to squeal in pain. Fluttershy instantly covers her eyes while Pinkie and Rainbow Dash check on her. 

"Spike!" Twilight rushes to him. "What have you done?!" 

"Dude, that's not cool!" Pinkie shouts. She's upset with both her friends for going to these lengths. 

"Twenty percent less cool," Rainbow affirms. 

Spike pants heavily after realizing what he's done. "She used the f-" A clone of Discord censors Spike's swear. "STARE at me! That's uncalled for!" 

Fluttershy opens her eyes. It's red from the impact. "I'll pay for Daisy's freedom. Name your price!" Fluttershy pants heavily. Tears of anguish stream on her face. She's determined to save Daisy from Spike's belly. 

"Any price?" Spike is thinking of an unfair asking price to seal the deal. 

"Any," Fluttershy said with affirmation.

"Thirty thousand bits right now. No help from any of Discord's clones or any one of our friends here," Spike said. 

Fluttershy's jaw drops. She was about to ask any of the clones to lend her bits. "You're a monster..." 

"You call me a monster because you couldn't stop me. I'm the Guardian Dragon. Not a monster." 

"Then start acting like a Guardian! What kind of Guardian kills another life?!" Fluttershy twists Spike's title in hopes of making him feel guilty. 

"If you think guilt-tripping me into surrendering the chicken to you is going to work," Spike turns his back and flaps his energy wings. "Think again. I already know how to kill." 

"What!?" Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie said in shock. "You killed before?" 

"Yes. I know what it's like to stare into life in the eyes and strip it away."

"So, you're going to be the next Midnight Sparkle?" Fluttershy bitterly said. 

Spike's jaw drops from being compared to Midnight Sparkle. The thoughts of knowing how to kill and translating to Midnight Sparkle's wrath opened a floodgate of uneasiness and uncertainty. The idea of buying chickens in the future and possibly making them go extinct cause Spike to drop to his knees. Tears swell up, and it's enough for Twilight to bear. 

Twilight trots up to Fluttershy and slaps her hard; she knocks a tooth out of Fluttershy's mouth. Fluttershy falls to the ground from the slap. 

"TWILIGHT!" Rainbow Dash and Pinkie are awestruck by Twilight's retaliation. 

"Twilight, that hurt," Fluttershy said in tears. She never thought of her friend causing physical pain to her like this. Spike's actions were on purpose. 

"How dare you compare my Spike to that genocidal Midnight Sparkle?!" Twilight snorts. "Don't you eat eggs in the morning?" 

"Well, I uh..," Fluttershy quivers in fear. 

"Don't you eat cakes? Pancakes? French Toast? Ice Cream? Marshmallows?" 

Twilight continues to name many foods with eggs with them. Fluttershy tears up, realizing her mistake in confronting Spike about eating an animal. Also, she remembered giving fresh fish to her bear, Harry. Fluttershy whimpers and backs away slowly. 

"Get out of my sight until you learn your lesson, you hypocritical b-" A clone of Discord blows his air horn again. "Also, eating those products, you are technically killing baby chicks." Twilight makes her case clear.  

Fluttershy cries and flies back to her home. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are silent. They follow Fluttershy back to Ponyville. 

"Twilight, don't you think that was harsh to say to Fluttershy?" Sunset asks. She's not one for eating meat but giving someone a mindset of killing baby chicks is another. 

Twilight puts Spike on her back. Despite holding onto the chicken, Spike stood still. What Fluttershy said has impacted him. "Try telling that to Fluttershy the next time you see her. She compared my Spike to a menacing, egotistical, self-centered, murderous, narcissistic demon. Never disrespect my son in front of me. It will be the last thing anyone will ever do." 

Twilight trots to her room in the dorm with Spike and the chicken on her back. Neighsay takes a deep breath and informs his guildmates to go back into the guildhall. 

Twilight uses her magic to open the door to the room. She trots inside and uses her magic to put Spike on the bed. "Spike, are you okay?" 

Spike lowers his head. He extends his claw. "I don't want it anymore." 

"Spike..," Twilight is now worried about Spike's mental health and well-being. "It's yours. Fluttershy is a hypocrite. Don't listen to her. What do you want?" Twilight said in a motherly nurturing tone. 

"I want to eat the chicken. I was looking forward to eating it. Now..," Spike tears up. All he sees is feathers and blood everywhere. His guilty conscience is clouding his sight. He lunges into a pillow and screams. "I don't know anymore!" Spike burst into tears. 

"Hey, how is Spike?" Terax flies into the room. He and Chrysalis just arrived in District Ten a few moments ago. 

"Uh," Twilight is about to respond when Chrysalis enters the room. 

"Terax."

"Yes, mommy?" Terax turns to her mother, still hovering in the air. 

"Keep Spike company. I need to talk with Twilight." 

"Okay, mommy," Terax flies and sits next to Spike. He rubs Spike's head with his hoof while Spike continues to cry his eyes out. 

"I'll be back, Spike," Twilight leaves the room to chat with Chrysalis.
> Conversations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight (Sci-Twi) and Chrysalis go to the lounge room in the dorm. Twilight worries about Spike's mental state after being compared to a demon for wanting chicken. She sits on a chair facing Chrysalis. 

"According to Neighsay and Sunset, the crater was caused by Spike because he wanted chicken?" Chrysalis sits on the lounge chair, facing Twilight. 

"As you know, Spike and I come from a different world. We have vegetarians, vegans, and carnivores. Spike loved eating meat. Pepperoni, beef, steak, hamburgers, pork, and chicken. The list can go on. Chrysalis, have you noticed that Spike eats less?" 

"He skips mealtime a lot, especially with the dragons. He rarely eats lunch. What does he normally eat, Twilight?" 

"Well, as of late, Spike has forced himself into eating gemstones, but he keeps spitting it out. He will eat anything breakfast related as long there is no chocolate. Back home, chocolate was a poison to digest, so he still removed that delicacy from his food chain. Spike is not big on veggies either."

"So, have Discord's clones conjured anything Spike would want?" Chrysalis wonders if Spike tried eating whatever Discord spawned. 

"Although Discord has given Spike meat, it doesn't taste the same. I ate it myself, and I can relate to Spike. It tastes bland every time." 

"Bummer. I understand the urges and desires to achieve something regardless of the consequences. Did Spike steal the chicken from Fluttershy?" 

"No," Twilight shakes her head. "Spike bought it from this Cherry Jubilee fellow. Fluttershy sensed the chicken's life was endangered and wanted to prevent Spike from taking its' life. I want to say that Fluttershy chased Spike and tackled him. Fluttershy somehow landed safely, while Spike crash-landed, creating the crater you saw outside." 

"So, Spike was forced into relinquishing the chicken to Fluttershy's custody?" 

"No. Neighsay decreed that Spike maintain the chicken since he bought it. Neighsay allowed Fluttershy an opportunity to purchase the chicken. However, Spike arranged a proposal in his favor. He petitioned thirty thousand bits without the aid of Discord's clones or any creature lending her money. Spike devised an inescapable offer that forced Fluttershy to forbear."

Chrysalis imagines the reaction Fluttershy must have had at the moment. To cough up that amount to evade the situation. "I hate saying this. Spike forged that bargain after finding the loopholes Neighsay decreed. Fluttershy had to be pissed." 

"She was pissed. Fluttershy attempted to use the STARE at Spike to forfeit the chicken to her. It nearly worked until Spike's hunger woke him up. Spike jabs Fluttershy's eyes to repel the STARE tactic. I wasn't happy when Spike struck Fluttershy's eyes. Actually, I wasn't happy with the two fighting each other over a F-" A clone of Discord uses an air horn to censor Twilight's curse word. "CHICKEN!" Twilight pants a bit after the short rant. 

"Was it before or after Spike proposed the purchase?" 

"It was before the price check, Chrysalis. Fluttershy attempted to force the chicken out of Spike's claws. I stood there and watched instead of intervening right then and there." 

"Well, what happened next?" Chrysalis drinks her bottle of apple juice she got from the mini-fridge. 

"She called Spike a monster," Twilight uses her magic to lift a bottle of apple juice from the mini-fridge in the room. 

"Damn. So, what happened after Fluttershy called him a monster?" 

"Spike readdress the name calling. He quoted himself as the Guardian Dragon. Fluttershy notch it up by questioning Spike's ability as a Guardian and what kind of Guardian would take life away?" 

"Well, she should talk. She's a caretaker and knows what animals need. I've seen her feed this bear fish from time to time whenever I'm with you and engaging with the former bearers." 

"Fluttershy's focus was somewhere else. She would not subside the situation despite being in the wrong from the beginning. I hope Spike recovers from the trauma Fluttershy unleashed." 

"Trauma? What trauma?" Chrysalis is perplexed about the state Spike is enduring. 

"You saw and heard him cry when you came into my room. Fluttershy said something that.., well..," Twilight sadly sighs. "Broke him." 

"Broke him?" Now Chrysalis is worried about Spike's condition. "How did Fluttershy break Spike?" 

Twilight's emotions get the better of her as her rage boils. She looks at Chrysalis furiously from remembering Fluttershy's words that broke Spike. "I should have killed that f-" A clone of Discord blows the trumpet, censoring Twilight's swear. "HYPOCRITE!" Twilight lividly shouts. Bursts of her magic power spark, creating a small flame around the lounge room. A few clones put it out with fire extinguishers; coughed out from their cotton candy clouds. 

Chrysalis remains calm. Sure, the outburst is one thing, but she's used to enduring many during her reign as Queen of the Hive. Chrysalis understands Twilight's predicament about being a mother during a crucial time when she sees a child dismayed. She recalls a time when Midnight Sparkle nearly killed Terax, and she went rampant after her transformation. Her desire to kill Midnight Sparkle fueled her rage. 

Twilight deep sighs. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this..." Twilight turns the other way. 

"It's understandable, Twilight. I would be boiling if any broke my Terax. A mother's instinct to get involved in any situation is to stand up for her child. After Midnight Sparkle assaulted Terax, I went berserk. All I wanted was to slay the demon that brought harm to my child." 

Twilight angrily groans at the mere mention of Midnight Sparkle. Then, she pauses. "Chrysalis, what I'm about to tell you will be unimaginable." 

"I've seen the unimaginable and unthinkable in my life, Twilight. I don't think anything can top what I've witnessed," Chrysalis drinks her apple juice. 

"After Fluttershy questioned Spike's title as being a Guardian, she compared him to Midnight Sparkle for killing," Twilight bitterly said, which caused Chrysalis to spit her drink out in disgust. 

"That's f-" A clone of Discord plays the guitar loud enough to silence Chrysalis' swear. "up. How dare she compare your Spike to a sadistic, massacring, demonic terrorist?!" Chrysalis is genuinely outraged by Fluttershy's remark. She finds it scandalizing and sickening.

"I know. Fluttershy compared my Spike to a genocidal lunatic with selfish greed. It's uncalled for; I slapped her so hard, I knocked a tooth out of Fluttershy's mouth." 

"I concur with your actions, Twilight. That's how I reacted when I struck Midnight Sparkle for messing with my son."

"Fluttershy dared to cry when I struck her when she mentally broke Spike due to his natural instincts for craving meat. He's a dog, and Fluttershy treated him as a dragon. I'm more than well-aware that Spike is a dragon, but he was born as a dog. We mentioned our tales during our trips in Ponyville." 

Chrysalis gets up and comforts Twilight in an embrace. The two don't say anything during the hug. Twilight does shed some tears due to the hurt she has in her heart. 

As Twilight and Chrysalis share their moment, Terax remains silent while Spike weeps. Flurry Heart bursts through the window. She used her magic to scatter the glass before entering. 

"Terax? What happened to Spike?" Flurry Heart is worried sick about Spike after feeling a disturbance. She also sees a chicken huddling in the corner of the room. "What's with the chicken?" 

"Spike can't stop crying. As for the chicken, I don't know. Maybe it's his lunch?" Terax has no idea about the chicken being in the room. He cares about his buddy, Spike. 

Flurry Heart hovers down and gets on the bed. "Spike?" Flurry Heart nudges Spike's head with her right wing. All Flurry Heart can hear is him crying. It makes her sad to see her best friend upset. 

Terax pats on the bed, alerting Flurry Heart to sit. "You can help by being here for Spike when he's ready to talk." 

Flurry Heart takes Terax's advice and sits next to him and Spike. "How long until he's ready to speak?" 

"As long as it takes. Sometimes, it's best to be with someone in need than saying the right words." 

Flurry Heart and Terax sit beside Spike as he continues to cry his eyes out. Horrid images of him slaughtering chickens for hunger clashed with the memories of Midnight Sparkle's wrath upon the populous. Spike screams into the pillow, which makes any other creature outside the dorm feel disheartening. 

"Dude, that's brutal," Sandbar said. He and Yona return from helping the Yaks set up their annual celebration. 

"Yona wants to know why dragon friend is crying," Yona notices her friends lowering their heads. 

Smolder and Garble are refraining from their urges to give Fluttershy a piece of their mind after standing by doing nothing. Ocellus is heartbroken from the actions caused by Fluttershy, according to Neighsay and Sunset. Aria and Sonata couldn't believe what they heard and felt for Spike. 

Silverstream approaches the two with the dreadful news. "Fluttershy broke Spike with a painful statement. As you know, Spike is known as the Guardian Dragon." 

"Of course. Sandbar and I heard Spike's claim. We also bear witnessed hearing Spike's first kill when Midnight Sparkle came out of Twilight," Yona said with pride and delight. 

"So, what happened next, Silverstream?" Sandbar is eager to know why his friend is feeling blue. 

"Well, as we know, Spike used to be a dog, so his eating habits haven't changed much. He forced himself into eating what dragons would consume, but it hasn't helped. So, from what I know, he bought a chicken elsewhere; Fluttershy tried to rescue the chicken's life but failed. However, she said something so unpleasant it broke Spike mentally." 

"What did Fluttershy say?" Sandbar and Yona asks Silverstream. 

"That punk compared Spike to Midnight Sparkle in terms of killing!" Smolder interjects the conversation. She's mad that Fluttershy made that comment over a chicken. 

"Say WHAT?!" Sandbar and Yona are stunned by Fluttershy's comparison toward the Guardian Dragon. 

The doors fling wide open by Princess Cadance. "Did I hear that right?" She's upset about hearing the dreaded news about Spike's condition. 

"Princess Cadance? Why are you here?" Neighsay approaches the Princess. 

"I followed my daughter here. She felt a disturbance and sought to check it out. I admire her enthusiasm, but she needed to inform me before flying off. So, I'm here to bring my daughter back home." 

"Say, does she have a crush on Spike?" Smolder asks Princess Cadance. It's not like she has a crush on him. She's just curious. 

"Possibly," Princess Cadance saw the signs when Flurry Heart started talking fluently. 

"Oh, crud." Smolder thought to herself. She reminds herself that Spike is not ready for love and will be soon at the right time. 

"Did Fluttershy compare Spike to a genocidal, egotistical, raging devil?" Princess Cadance is calm. Other creatures in the guildhall are afraid. At times, stillness shows that someone is suppressing their anger. 

"Yes," Smolder and Garble nod; They know hiding the truth is not the best motive. 

Princess Cadance gallops to the dorm next door. Neighsay and Sunset explain everything else to Sandbar and Yona about the situation with Spike. 

Chrysalis and Twilight leave the lounge room and inadvertently bump into Princess Cadance. Chrysalis and Twilight see the fury within Princess Cadance's eyes. 

"Let me guess," Chrysalis breaks the silence. "You know what happened with Spike?" 

"Your friends informed me. I know Flurry Heart sensed and know it as well," Princess Cadance calmly replies. 

Chrysalis, Twilight, and Princess Cadance go and check on Spike. Princess Cadance sees Flurry Heart right beside Spike. Chrysalis sees Terax sitting next to Flurr Heart and Spike. Twilight sees the chicken by the corner of the room. She knows what to do with it. For now, Spike needs her more than ever. Spike stops crying and pants heavily. His mind is in disarray after the horrid images of chickens clucking to their deaths fade away. 

"Spike?" Flurry Heart and Twilight say in unison. They are eager to hear what Spike has to say. 

Spike looks at every creature in the room. He lowers his head and sniffs. "Will I turn into a demonic dragon going berserk on an endless killing spree?" He hears the daunting words of Fluttershy in his mind, saying he'll be the next Midnight Sparkle. 

"No!" Twilight and Flurry Heart immediately say before everyone else in the room. 

"Dude, you're far saner than that Midnight Sparkle who nearly killed me. You're better than her. Fairy Dragon passed the torch to you to become the next protector. Like a Guardian of the Crystal Empire or Equestria sort-of-speak," Terax said. He knows Spike will never become a murderous dragon seeking to destroy all life in his heart. 

"Also, you only killed to get rid of a demon. What you're doing with that chicken is your primal instinct. You're not devouring all life. What Fluttershy said is way out of line. She said it to make you feel guilty so she can save the chicken's life," Twilight said. "I'm sorry I didn't intervene when I should have, Spike. I should have told Fluttershy to f-" A clone of Discord blows an air horn. 

"Seriously. What's up with you lot cursing left and right?" The clone said, shaking his head. "I need to create a swear jar. One bit of every time I hear any of you swear goes in the jar." 

"Sue me," Twilight didn't care about that comment. 

"Are you good on the 15th? I know a good lawyer," The clone said literally. 

Spike's stomach growls. He lays on his side. "So, hungry; Haven't eaten in days..." 

Twilight sees the hunger pains and knows that Spike once again skipped breakfast. She trots to the corner where the chicken is cowering. Using her magic, she levitates the chicken. "I'll be back," Twilight leaves the room. 

"Where are you going?" Princess Cadance sees Twilight galloping. 

"Making lunch for my son!" Twilight shouts. 

Smolder and Garble have decided to check on Spike. They see Twilight galloping to the kitchen in a hurry, with the chicken clucking madly. The chicken hopes someone can hear its' cries before death arrives. 

"That's uh," Garble is unsure about the chicken's fate. 

"I know we don't eat meat. However, we must understand that Spike's past life was being a hound. We tried our best to convert Spike into eating gemstones, and it failed. Should one of us go talk to Fluttershy?" Smolder asks Garble. 

"I believe so. It should be you or some of our friends that have better relations with Fluttershy," Garble replies knowing that he and Fluttershy don't have much of a bond. 

Princess Cadance overhears the conversation from Spike and Twilight's room. She trots out while Chrysalis, Terax, and Flurry Heart remain with Spike. "I'll go talk to Fluttershy on the matter. I need you two to watch over my daughter until I return." 

"Can do, Princess," Smolder and Garble salute. They watch Princess Cadance leave the dorm. 

Smolder and Garble go into the room to check on Spike and watch Flurry Heart. Smolder sees Flurry Heart comforting Spike and becomes a bit jealous. Flurry Heart hugs Spike and softly cooing him while Spike suffers from hunger pain. 





Ponyville, Half Hour Ago.

Fluttershy is in her cottage, crying her eyes out from the assault Twilight unleashed. She still lost a tooth and feels depressed for not saving Daisy's life. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are with her to comfort her. Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Cozy Glow arrive at the cottage to see their friend. The trio becomes awestruck and asks about Fluttershy's state of mind. 

"Well, it's not pretty," Pinkie said. 

"What happened exactly?" Rarity comes closer to Fluttershy and gasps. The front teeth of Fluttershy are missing an upper tooth. 

"This is all Spike's fault! He's a monster!" Fluttershy shouts, then bursts into more tears. 

"What did Spike do?" Sweetie Belle asks Rainbow and Pinkie. 

"Spike bought a chicken from Cherry Jubilee and planned on killing and eating it," Pinkie replies which cause Fluttershy to wail in her sadness. 

"So?" Cozy Glow said. Fluttershy ceases her crying and turns to Cozy Glow furiously. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SO?" Fluttershy is irate and wants to hear Cozy Glow's defense. 

"Spike used to be a dog, and he used to eat meat at home. Do you mean to tell me he shouldn't eat what is nourishing? That he should only eat what ponies eat? Dragons eat?" Cozy Glow said. 

"Well.., he.., uh.., I mean.., I-I-I-I supp-supp-suppose. Oh.., my," Fluttershy stutters with coming up with a statement. 

"Also, Spike mentioned how he longed to taste meat again. I remember the conversations about his food chain before it altered when he turned into a dragon. Animals eat each other all the time, and you have no problem with it. Didn't you feed Harry with a fish this morning?" 

Fluttershy turns the other way. It's twice she gets reminded about feeding Harry meat. Fish meat but nonetheless. 

"Spike did nothing wrong. I remembered hanging out with him, Terax, Flurry Heart, and Princess Cadance when they came into town a few weeks back. We had lunch, and Spike couldn't eat the gemstones or hay fries. He tried, but it's not good enough. You mean to tell me you're willing to watch him slowly deprive himself of nutrition than letting him have his fill?" Cozy Glow asks a hardening question. Fluttershy didn't realize that Spike had been starving himself. She knows he won't eat veggies. 

"Another thing Fluttershy forgot to include," Rainbow Dash sighs. "She compared Spike to Midnight Sparkle." 

"WHAT?!" Rarity and Sweetie Belle are petrified to hear Fluttershy comparing Spike to that wretched beast. Cozy Glow growls. 

"Why would she compare Spike to that awful psychopath?!" Sweetie Belle shouts in anger. 

"We heard that Spike killed. So, with Spike being the Guardian Dragon and all, Fluttershy twisted his title then compared him," Pinkie said. Sweetie Belle and Rarity gasp. They didn't think Spike had it in him to start killing already. 

"I know what it's like to strip life away when I worked with Midnight Sparkle. After I reformed, no one asked me if I would become the next Midnight Sparkle. Spike's kill was probably for a good cause with his title, yet you dare to call him out as the next demon? Shame on you, Fluttershy!" Cozy Glow is livid. 

"But..," Fluttershy responds in tears. "He was going to..." 

"FEED HIMSELF!" Cozy Glow raises her voice in anger. Fluttershy flinches from Cozy's outburst. "HE'S HUNGRY, AND YOU WOULD WATCH HIM ACHE?" 

"No!" Fluttershy shakes her head. She sees the burning passion in Cozy Glow's eyes. The desire to defend a friend in need. 

"Ask yourself. Would you let your animals die of hunger because they didn't get what they yearn for; You feed them something else and find out they can't consume the sustenance?" 

"NO! I WILL NEVER PUT ANY OF MY ANIMALS AND FRIENDS IN THAT POSITION!" Fluttershy exclaims. She would never strip anything of her animal friends of their food. 

"WHY ARE YOU PUTTING SPIKE IN THAT PREDICAMENT THEN?!" Cozy Glow barks at Fluttershy. 

"HE WAS GOING TO KILL DAISY!" Fluttershy huffs after her response. 

"How many fish families won't see their relatives cause you went fishing? How many baby chicks won't see their relatives cause you chose to eat breakfast or any food products?" Cozy coldly asks. 

It's twice Fluttershy heard those questions. She lowers her head. "Leave," It's all Fluttershy can say. 

"Fluttershy, are you sure?" Rainbow asks, putting her hoof on Fluttershy's back. 

Fluttershy remains silent. Cozy Glow sees that her interrogation becomes too much for Fluttershy to handle mentally. Cozy Glow called her out about her ambitions when she was clearly blind about taking the lives of the food chain to feed her animals. 

"Fluttershy, I apologize for bringing this drama into your home," Rarity sincerely said. She and Sweetie Belle are stunned to witness Cozy Glow's scolding and rant. 

Once again, Fluttershy remains silent. Every pony hears the door knocking. Pinkie hops to the door and answers it. 

"Princess Cadance?" Pinkie Pie reads her body language. She knows things will take a turn for Fluttershy. 

"Princess Cadance? What's wrong?" Rainbow Dash approaches her. 

"I require a private session to talk to Fluttershy about the comparison she made about Spike to Midnight Sparkle." 

"Just leave my home," Fluttershy is in tears. She's angry with herself about possibly breaking Spike's spirit. Her words and actions were more inflicting than she realized over a food chain. Oh, how she wishes to take it all back. 

Princess Cadance hears the sadness in Fluttershy's tone and decides to let it go. "Very well,"  Princess Cadance knows that Fluttershy feels genuinely remorseful about her tactics to guilt-trip Spike. 

Princess Cadance leaves the cottage with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Cozy Glow. Cozy Glow informs the Princess about what she spoke and how she defended Spike's actions more than Fluttershy. Princess Cadance does thank Cozy Glow for awakening Fluttershy's viewpoint on how others need their nourishment regardless of the food chain. 

Fluttershy looks out the window and stares into the skies. Her comment about comparing Spike to Midnight now haunts her even more. She breaks down in tears. "What have I done..?"
> Making Lunch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight (Sci-Twi) is in the kitchen with the chicken. She uses her magic to levitate a cleaver knife and put it on the wooden cutting board. The chicken clucks profusely. 

"Don't worry, you'll have a good sleep and won't feel a thing," Twilight uses her magic to put the chicken to sleep. "Now.., I..," Twilight uses her magic to levitate the cleaver once more and aims to chop the head off. "Okay, you can do this.., Twilight. Just a simple..." Twilight struggles to cleave the head off the chicken and groans loudly. "How do butchers do this all the time?!" Twilight lividly shouts and tosses the cleaver knife aside. She slumps to the floor. "I can't do this. Even when it sleeps!" 

A clone of Discord checks on Twilight and notices the sleeping chicken on the wooden cutting board. "Need some assistance?" 

"Can you take the head off a chicken?" Twilight asks. She closes her eyes due to disappointment. 

"Well," The clone grabs the chicken's throat. "I've done many things in my life. Chopping the head of a sleeping creature should be easy." 

"That's all you have to do, and I'll do the rest," Twilight regains her confidence. 

"Alright," The clone of Discord grabs the chicken and the butcher knife. "One careful aim," The clone made sure he's aiming the chicken's head correctly. "Wham!" The clone shouts, connecting with the butcher's knife. Not only he missed the chicken's head, but he also cut off his eagle's claw. The clone is not bleeding, but taffy does pour and squirt out of his missing arm. 

"How did you miss?!" Twilight is aghast after seeing Discord's claw running away from the kitchen. 

"Hey! Get back here, thing!" The clone chases after his claw. 

"Good grief," Twilight sighs and balls herself. Aria comes into the kitchen to see Twilight on the floor. 

"What's wrong, Twilight?" Aria looks around the kitchen and sees the chicken Spike brought sleeping. 

"Ooooh," Twilight sounds upset and disappointed with herself. "I came here to cook the chicken for Spike. He's suffering from hunger pains, and I can't do the simplest thing! I can't chop the chicken's head!" 

Aria grabs the chicken and the butcher knife. She chops the head off the board and pushes the chicken's head into the garbage. Twilight flinches at how swiftly Aria does it. 

"After the fallout from Canterlot High's Battle of the Bands, Adagio, Sonata, and I had to take part-time jobs before regaining our confidence to start singing for money. I used to work in a meat market. Doing this is nothing new to me." 

"Wow," Twilight is amazed to hear that Aria has experience. 

"If you ever bring livestock for Spike to eat, let me know, and I'll take care of the dirty work," Aria said. She knows most creatures don't have the stomach to perform what she did. 

"Thank you," Twilight smiles. 

Aria starts cleaning the chicken's body and removing the feathers. "I'll prepare this so you can cook it," Aria grabs the cutters and cleans them. 

"How is Adagio doing? I haven't seen her in a while," Twilight wonders if Adagio is helping Gallus or working on creating an artificial limb. 

"She's with Gallus and doing well. The two are in Castle Central devising the artificial limb as we speak. Adagio refuses to leave Gallus' side." 

"Makes sense. Also, I wonder how the arm will look," Twilight imagines many different arm structures. Some wielding weapons, magic-based weapons, grappling hooks with the fingers, mini-launchers from the fingers.

"Only time will tell, Twilight," Aria continues to clean the chicken, ensuring no feather or fur is left. Only the skin. "You want to keep the chicken feet or not?" 

"No," Twilight shakes her head. She knows Spike doesn't eat chicken feet. Aria chops them off. 

As the two work together in the kitchen, Spike falls asleep to stop his belly from aching. Flurry Heart lays next to Spike in hopes of comforting him. Terax flies and lands on Chrysalis' back. He'll watch Spike from there. Garble and Smolder don't know what to do while watching Flurry Heart. Smolder tries not to become jealous over Flurry Heart's good intentions. 

Two hours later. Princess Cadance returns from Fluttershy's cottage. She enters and smells something delicious that makes her mouth water. She trots to the kitchen and sees Twilight and Aria working together, adding spices to the chicken. The aroma of flesh sizzling with the stench of garlic and onions made her stomach growl. 

"Wow, that smells good. Maybe I can have a nibble before I leave." Princess Cadance thought to herself while trotting to Spike and Twilight's room. A few minutes later, she enters the room to see Spike and Flurry Heart sleeping. "What did I miss?" 

"Not much. Spike has been sleeping for a while now," Garble said. 

"Flurry Heart has decided to comfort Spike the best way she can. It's adorable to see her sleeping with Spike," Chrysalis said. 

"Not that adorable." Smolder thought to herself. She snorts a little, which catches Princess Cadance's attention. 

"Something troubling you, Smolder?" Princess Cadance hopes there is no conflict between Smolder and her daughter. 

"I'm mad that Fluttershy guilt-ridden Spike into submission. I can only imagine the horrors displayed in his mind," Smolder lies but does say a partial truth. In all honesty, she has fallen for Spike. 

"Also, did any of you smell that aroma I smelt?" Princess Cadance asks out of curiosity. 

"It smells good. However, I know it's for Spike. My sister and I failed to convert Spike into eating gemstones. There are foods we cannot digest." 

"I'm with my brother. We won't start eating flesh as Guardian Dragon will. Well, more like Guardian Dragon resumes with his eating habits." 

"Gemstones are too delicious to pass up," Garble licks his lips a little. He eats a red gemstone to satisfy himself. 

"I do want to try, in all honesty. However, I fear devouring it all after tasting the flavor," Chrysalis sincerely says. 

"Which is true. When mommy tastes something new, she will gorge. I've seen it happen five days after my birthday," Terax said. Chrysalis slightly blushes in embarrassment. 

Princess Cadance giggles a bit. Hearing that from Chrysalis is new to her. Chrysalis is embarrassed since most Changelings couldn't stop talking about it in the Hive. 

Chrysalis sighs. "I'll never hear the end of it, huh?" 

"It's funny, mommy," Terax laughs a bit. He remembers the reactions from all the other Changelings during his birthday party lunch. 

"I can only imagine," Princess Cadance closes her eyes for a second when she hears hoofsteps coming closer. 

Twilight comes into the room to check on Spike. She sees her friends in the room and trots to Spike's bed. Twilight smiles at Flurry Heart and Spike, cuddling each other. "Aw, cute." Twilight softly nudges Spike's head to wake him up. "Spike," Twilight said in a loving mothering tone. 

Spike blinks a few times. "Twi-Twilight?" Spike yawns. "I'm so hungry..," Spike tears up from the hunger pains. He can no longer delay the inevitable. 

"Come with me, Spike," Twilight uses her magic to hover Spike onto her back. She turns to her friends. "Thank you for watching him. It means a lot." 

"Anytime," Princess Cadance uses magic to levitate Flurry Heart onto her back. She wakes up and notices the change of scenery. 

Flurry Heart wakes up and yawns. She sees Spike riding on Twilight's back. "Is he going to feel better, mommy?" 

"Yes, he will, Flurry Heart," Princess Cadance said. Flurry Heart gasps happily, knowing her best friend will no longer ache for food. 

"Can we see?" Flurry Hearts wants to see Spike happily and eating right. 

"Of course," Princess Cadance follows Spike to the kitchen. Chrysalis, Terax, Garble, and Smolder follow them to the kitchen. 

Aria is adding the final touches to the chicken. She sees Twilight coming into the kitchen with all the others. Spike is smiling widely while his stomach growls loudly. 

"Shhhhhhh," Spike pats his belly. "It's almost feeding time." 

Aria brings the tray of chicken to the table for Spike to eat. Spike goes and sits at the table. His mouth waters with sensation while the other sniff and relish the flavor of the chicken. The chicken itself looks bronze coated in black pepper vinegar sauce. 

"Wow, nice presentation," Spike said. It's been a long time since Spike saw a rotisserie chicken freshly made like this. He would go with Twilight and Shining Armor to the supermarket every week on Thursday back home. He whiffs the aroma of the chicken. 

"Dig in, Spike," Twilight smiles. She's happy to see Spike happy again. She sits at the far end of the table, across from Spike's viewpoint. 

"Thanks for the grub!" Spike grabs a chicken leg and pulls it off. He takes one bite and savors the flavor. He starts to become teary. "I missed this so much! Thank you, Twilight. Even you, Aria!" Spike continues to eat his heart out. 

"You're welcome," Aria and Twilight respond in gladness. 

Chrysalis decides to leave the room now that Spike is eating his fill. Terax is happy that Spike's eating well again. Flurry Heart is ecstatic to see Spike elated while enjoying his food. She asks her mother to take her home, not wanting to disturb Spike's mealtime. Princess Cadance informs Twilight and Spike that they're leaving. Spike talks with his mouth full of chicken, saying goodbye for now. Twilight reminds Spike not to chat with his mouth full of chicken. Garble and Smolder leave to go to the guildhall and inform their guild master and friends about Spike's progress since he's enjoying himself. Aria leaves to check on Adagio at Castle Central. She has a feeling Sonata is on her way there. Twilight thanks her for the help. 

"Oh man," Spike is eating the chicken thighs. "This is delicious!" 

"I'm so happy for you, Spike. I'm sorry that I couldn't feed you properly throughout the time," Twilight lowers her head in sadness. 

Spike stops eating for a moment. "Twilight, it's not your fault. My food pallet is.., well.., different. Chocolate was poison to me, but I'm afraid that I'll somehow get sick with my dragon form. I'm not a veggie eater despite the number of times I tried it. Candy is okay. Same with ice cream, but it's not for me to have it every day. Like you, I have my trials of adjusting to our new home. What I dealt is one of them, especially running into Fluttershy when I buy the next livestock. I anticipate Fluttershy and me having altercations about the next chicken, pig, or maybe cow I will purchase." 

"Well, know that I'm not mad at you when you struck Fluttershy when she did that STARE on you. I should have stepped in and put my f-hoof on the ground," Twilight nearly said foot. She's still adjusting to the Equestrian vocabulary. "Also, bring me with you when you're buying livestock so I can step in a prevent Fluttershy from making rash decisions. Especially what comes out of her mouth." 

"I will, Twilight," Spike takes a deep breath. What Fluttershy said earlier is now forgotten by eating his chicken. He devours half of it and offers some to Twilight. 

"Spike, you should take it. I'm fine, really," Twilight reassuringly says. 

"I know you've been craving for this. I know you've been longing to taste chicken. I don't want to be selfish, mom," Spike smiles and walks up to Twilight. He gives Twilight a good portion of chicken on the plate. 

In truth, Twilight has been itching to taste chicken. There are some foods Twilight yearns for that Equestria does not serve. She smiles at the chicken wing, thigh, and breast. "Thank you, Spike." 

"You're welcome!" Now it's Spike's turn to watch those teary eyes watering on Twilight's face. She revels each bite of chicken with a little giggle. Oh, how much she missed eating something this delicious. 

After ten minutes, Spike and Twilight put the leftover chicken in the fridge and cleaned the plates together. With Spike's hunger now content, he can focus on other duties such as training and spending time with friends. For now, after what he endured, Spike wants to be with Twilight for the rest of the day. Twilight informs Spike that she has another magic session with Princess Celestia and Luna. Spike still wants to go. He wants to show moral support and perhaps learn more about magic to add to his arsenal. Since Grogar is out there, plotting, scheming, and creating a long-term means of war, Spike wants to prepare himself for possibly taking down Grogar as Fairy Dragon would have confronted any enemy daring to strip happiness and freedom away.
> Act IX: Possession
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many people return to their seats with food and drinks from the vendors. Laxus returns with his food and commands Natsu to stay put until the next intermission. Master Makarov thanks Laxus for using his winnings to secure Natsu from doing anything redundant. Happy brings salmon and a fish sandwich to munch. He offers food to Natsu, which he gladly takes. 

"I'm surprised you didn't want to stretch your legs, dear," Juvia said to Gray.

"I'm fine. Honestly, when the Preying Mantis Guild comes and disrupts the play, that'll be the time I'll get out of my seat. Lucy, did Fairy Rage reach out to you during the intermission?" 

"He did. Rage said he'll have a thorough conversation with Happy on a  stipulation regarding a date. Happy is supposed to be a butler for Rage and Carla. I imagine a humiliating uniform Happy would have to wear." 

"Wait, what?!" Happy overhears the conversation and goes into a panic attack. He breathes into a paper bag repeatedly. 

"That's right. You were supposed to be on probation with the fish punishment, Happy," Natsu remembers the story when Happy came home with the penalties Rage informed. "How did I forget when I promised Rage I'll keep a close eye?!" 

"Because you're a forgetful idiot, Salamander," Gajeel said while eating his iron. 

"He did forget to save a town for seven years," Gray refers to the time Daphne used artificial dragons to plague a town. The townspeople used their magic to become shadow people. 

"Oh, sure. Bring up an event when you were also helping the enemy contain me!" Natsu barks back at Gray. 

"You want to throw down, fire breath?!" Gray shouts. He's eager to knock some sense into Natsu after taking off his shirt. 

"Bring it on, Frosty!" Natsu springs into action. He and Gray brawl in the stands. 

Security and wizards come to break Natsu and Gray apart from their pointless brawl. Master Makarov gives Natsu and Gray a warning. If the two spur trouble again, they will endure a punishment game. 

After a thirty-minute intermission, the stage curtains rise, revealing a fortress with a hiking path with music faint in the background. Harps, violins, and trumpets play in melody and harmony. Suki reads the map while holding onto Galvin's claw. Angelina and Sara follow closely. 

"How far are we now?" Galvin asks. His new perception allows him to hear and feel more around him.

"Not far," Suki replies. 

"Well, I want to say another five to ten minutes judging from the music I can hear in the forest. We're closer to Harp Citadel, the music kingdom," Sara said. 

"I've been there once during a patrol mission. The kingdom is like walking into heaven," Angelina states while relishing the moments of hearing the exotic tunes of relaxation in the citadel. 

The background changes for a split second as the four enter the kingdom. Pedestrians play elegant music to their heart's content while several small concession stands are visible. There's a castle so tall, painted in white mural marble with a black music note emblem on the front wall. 

At the front wall, there is a balcony where King Echo looks down. He sees four travelers and decides to come down and greet his potential new residents. 

"Look, someone approaches," Suki shouts excitedly. 

"Good. Hopefully, King Echo can lend us his relic for protection," Galvin said. 

"You mean us protecting it, huh, blindy," Sara rudely says. She still doesn't have high hopes for Galvin and imagines him doing something stupid to her again. 

"Behave!" Angelina sternly says to Sara. She has had enough of her rude remarks toward her brother. 

King Echo approaches the four and becomes awestruck by all their beauty. As for Galvin, he pays no mind to him. "My my, what lovely ladies we have. Are any of you single?" 

"Oh great, another perv," Sara said, looking at King Echo. 

"Me? A perv?" King Echo is Hibiki's character. He's wearing a blue colonial steampunk tailcoat jacket, a gothic victorian frockcoat uniform, black and white pinstripe pants, and brown medieval leather boots. "Do I look or sound like a perv?" King Echo formally says while speaking in a respectful manner. 

"Who are you?" Galvin walks up to the sound of King Echo's tone. 

"I am King Echo. Who are you four?" King Echo thoroughly sees Angelina, Suki, and Sara's body physiques and becomes attracted to all three. He doesn't mind starting a harem for his desire. 

"I'm the M-" Galvin coughs. "I'm Galvin." 

"I'm Suki. Galvin's girlfriend," Suki said. It causes King Echo to sigh heavily. 

"I'm Sara. Suki's sister." 

"I'm Angelina. Galvin's sister. We're here because King Chane has asked us to hand you this scroll," Angelina passes the scroll to King Echo. 

"Hmm, let's see what Chane wants," King Echo unveils the scroll to read and becomes heartbroken. He trembles, reading each sentence on the scroll. "No.., no, no, no," King Echo sits on the ground. He stares at the four. "The Gaia Staff and Dawnlight Nexus are gone..?" Galvin, Angeina, Suki, and Sara nod. King Echo inhales deeply. "Okay. I'll give you my relic  since the other two are in possession by an unknown enemy." 

"I have a feeling who it may be, King Echo. It could be my brother who wishes to create supremacy."

"Who's your brother, Galvin?" King Echo gets up and puts the scroll in his pocket. He will now have to assemble his army for an upcoming war. 

"Skeeter. He's why I'm blind and no longer the Mighty Galvin." 

"Alright," King Echo didn't want to believe that the Mighty Galvin was blind after hearing the rumors. Now he knows it's the truth. "Follow me to my vault."

The stage curtains descend for a few moments after everyone follows King Echo. Then, the stage curtains rise, revealing a new vault room. It looks like a dungeon theme with no windows. There are lanterns all around, creating the light of the vault. King Echo rings bells in a tune; the ole shave and a haircut passphrase. It deactivates the traps within the storage room. 

"So, what relic are you in possession of?" Angelina asks. She scours the room and makes sure no one lurks in the shadows. 

"In my grasp, I have Faith's Iron Spellblade. It's the sword piece to attach to the Gaia Staff," King Echo opens the hatch in the safe and grabs the sword piece. It's a red blade not attached to a sword handle. "That's odd. I could have sworn the piece was supposed to be green with inscriptions labeled on the prop. Maybe there was a switch? I hope things get resolved if that's the case." 

"Was there a switch when we changed scenes?" Kagura thought to herself. She rolls with it until the color of the blade is corrected. "Interesting name," Angelina said. 

"Wasn't the blade supposed to be green with the inscriptions on it?" Spike, Wendy, and Sherria thought to themselves. Something is amiss. 

Gajeel smirks. "Smart move, Fairy Dragon. Honor your bro with a name for a weapon." 

"How do you know he did it for you? You think it'll be that coincidental, Gajeel?" Levy asks him while watching the play. 

"Well, yeah. Fairy Dragon and I have gone through a lot during his time in Fairy Tail, especially when we've trained during the year," Gajeel answers. 

"What's the purpose of Faith's Iron Spellblade?" Suki asks. Wendy resumes her character's role despite the mishap of arranging props. 

"The blade has no equal when it's merged with the sister parts; One slash, while having faith, can slice any attack at ease. Without the sister relics, it fathoms the best support magic by enchanting any wielder with strength, health, and endurance. The blade will allow the wielder to keep fighting for days on end while canceling the hunger and parching state." 

"That's something I will need," Angelina removes the handle of her sword. "Alright, Echo. Please, hand it over." 

"As you wish, beautiful," King Echo winks at Angelina as he gives her the blade. 

"I will protect this blade with my life!" Angelina proclaims after assembling Faith's Iron Spellblade to her handle. "When we get off stage, I'll correct this error." 

"Looks powerful," Sara said in awe. 

"Looks amazing," Suki said in astonishment. 

"Looks like you'll live with regret," Monika said, entering the vault with Milissa after attacking the guards." "Why is the blade red?" 

"You have something that belongs to our master," Milissa said. She meows a bit. "I think Rabian messed up with our props for the switcharoo." 

"I told you we'll meet again," Monika aims her sword at Angelina. "There is no escape for any of you!" Monika and Milissa throw their smoke bombs on the floor. They navigate around the five in the vault. 

"Keep your guard up!" Angelina shouts. She firmly grips her new sword, ready to attack either Milissa or Monika. 

"Understood!" Suki and Sara power up, preparing to use their wind magic against the two. 

"Take this!" Monika uses her sword to slash Angelina from behind. Angelina turns around instantly to counterattack the strike. On impact, the blade breaks. 

"Oh, crap!" Spike, Kagura, Sherria, Wendy, Millianna, Hibiki, and Minerva thought in unison. The blade they thought was strong to repel any metal blade snaps like a twig. Then, black smoke emerges from the sword. 

To the audience's dismay, they are confused about the relic already destroyed when it's supposed to merge with the others. Master Makarov is not fond of the black smoke emitting from the prop sword. The wizards in the stands feel unnerved by the black smoke. 

Spike whispers to his friends. "We need to call off this act and redo it." 

"Agreed," They whisper and nod in response. 

Before the signal for Rabian to step in takes effect, the black smoke goes up in Spike's mouth and nostrils, suspending him high off the stage.

"SPIKE!" Wendy, Sherria, Kagura, Hibiki, Millianna, and Minerva shout in horror. The red alarms go off as people frantically panic.

Spike gags and gurgles from the unsettling transition. The black smoke causes Spike to convulse and shudder. Spike roars demonically, but it's a different tone. It's not Fairy Demon Dragon but something more sinister in nature. 

"Everybody, get out of here!" Master Makarov commands the people in attendance. He instructs his children to help the citizens flee from possible carnage. Levy, Lisanna, Jet, Droy, Wakaba, Macao, Romeo, and others facilitate the people to escape. 

"So, someone has crashed the party," Gray activates his Ice Demon Form. He believes the strange occurrence has to do with the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"They just messed with the wrong guild!" Natsu taps into his Lightning Flame Dragon mode. Lightning and flames engulf his body. 

"Yo, what is happening?" Fairy Rage comes out after hearing a different demonic scream. 

Carla, Erza, Ren, Eve, Lyon, Yukino, Rufus, Orga, Rogue, Frosch, and Jenny comes out to investigate the demonic roaring they heard. They are frightened watching Spike's uncomfortable transformation. Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, and Mermaid Heel get closer to the stage. 

Spike grits his teeth as his head look like it's taking whiplashes. He groans in displeasure and anguish. Two demonic horns grow at the side of his head. A third one grows under his chin. "Get out of meeeeeeeeeee!" Spike is trying to fight whatever is in his body. He's failing miserably. 

"Spike, can you hear us!" Wendy shouts. She and everyone else is worried about his condition. 

Spike pants profusely. His purple scales turn red, his green spikes turn white, and his eyes turn bright yellow. Three more eyes appear on Spike's face. One above, one below, and one in the middle of his set. His body shape alters tremendously. Spike's teeth become crooked and sharper. His claws become razor-sharp, and his Fairy Tail Emblem disintegrates. 

Wendy is in a trance. She's unable to think of a solution to tackle the situation. Everyone else is silent after witnessing Spike's forced transformation. 

"Master, what should we do?" Lucy asks Master Makarov. She's dumbfounded after the terrifying experience she witnessed. 

"Who are you?!" Master Makarov uses his magic to increase his size, showing assertiveness on the unknown enemy possessing Spike. "What are you?!" His voice echoes, causing some wizards to cover their ears. 

The demon within Spike starts laughing devilishly. Sting starts sniffing and covers his nose. 

"Sting?" Lector turns to Sting. He knows what's up. 

"This demon is worse than Bloodman and possibly Zeref. His scent is beyond putrid," Sting says. 

"Erza, is this part of the play?" Happy flies up to Erza. She's not in her costume but has requipped into her Heaven Wheel's Armor. 

"No. We had no intention of doing anything remotely close to this outcome. Something doesn't add up. How did that thing come in contact?" 

Rogue sniffs the foul scent emitting for Spike the Fairy. "Ugh, that reeks!" Rogue covers his nose. 

"Rogue, I'm scared," Frosch is freaking out. 

"HEY! GET THE HELL OUT OF THE FAIRY DRAGON AND FIGHT US!" Gajeel activates his Iron Shadow Dragon mode. He's ready to throw down. 

"Don't make us do it the hard way," Lyon removes his jacket and shirt, preparing himself for battle. 

"Relinquish, my brother!" Kagura demands. Rabian tosses her sword from backstage. He notices someone cowering while wearing a dark hooded cloak. Rabian helps him leave the potential all-out brawl. 

"You made a grave mistake messing with my brother and taking his body. Now, release him!" Fairy Rage powers up. By doing so, he accidentally incinerates his costume. 

"Let's stop wasting time and give this demon a manly beatdown!" Elfman shouts. 

"I agree. However, the parfume is unlike what I smelt before. Whoever the host is, he's dangerously evil," Ichiya said. He smells decay coming from the demon within Spike. 

"Spike, please, fight it! I can't lose you like this!" Wendy is horrifically terrified about Spike's well-being. 

"Enough stalling! I say we beat it out of Spike!" Natsu shouts. 

The demon smiles and licks his mouth. Spike's tongue rips in two. "I possess.., the most powerful.., dragon.., in existence!" The demon cackles. "You believe.., you can defeat.., me?" The demon taunts every wizard. "You," The demon points at Fairy Rage hovering in the air. "I.., have.., no.., brother! You're just a piece of me..," The demon mocks the existence of Fairy Rage. 

"Don't make me use Fairy Law on you!" Fairy Rage threatens the demon with a powerful spell. 

"Is that the best you got?!" The demon sneers at Fairy Rage's feeble threat. 

"ENOUGH!" Irene walks onto the stage. She's dressed in her usual attire and holds her staff at hand. She looks into the demon's eyes and knows who it is. 

"IIIIIreene," The demon remembers Irene of long ago. His smile turns into a frown. He extends his claw at her, charging an inferno incineration blast. "Don't even try to exorcise me. You no longer have Larcade by your side." 

"Mom, you know him?" Erza turns to her mother. All eyes are on her except for Wendy. 

"Know me?" The demon laughs maniacally. "I'm surprised you remember me after all these years in exile!" 

"Who is he, mom, and how can we stop him?" Erza asks. She wants to save Spike from the demon's grasp. 

Irene fixes her gaze on Spike. "He goes by the name Ajax. A demon that once led a legion into the Alvarez Empire and nearly succeeded in taking host in Zeref." 

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouts in shock except for Wendy. She is still in a trance. 

"Nearly," Ajax uses Spike's index finger and thumb to leave the smallest gap of touching to show how close he nearly succeeded. "You and Larcade prevented me from taking possession of the Black Wizard. However, this body is beyond the capabilities of the Black Wizard! I have the freedom of creativity to counteract and counterstrike! Now, I will unleash my wrath, bring my legion, and bring this world to its' knees!" Ajax viciously laughs. "Here is a sample of my power!" Ajax's three horns light up in a reddish-black aura. He's preparing to unleash one of his most dominant spells. "ARCANE RAY!" Everyone is preparing to deflect the attack when-

"White Dragon Holy Breath!" Sting launches himself into Ajax's face and unleashes a surge of an extremely-powerful burst of light from his mouth. The attack covers Ajax completely. 

"Graaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Ajax is corroding from the holy properties Sting has in his arsenal. His scales start to peel off his body as his spell gets dispelled. Ajax lands on the floor of the stage, bursting right through. "It buuuurns! It buuuuuurns!" Ajax squeals in pain. 

Irene walks up to Sting. "I'll need you to exorcise Spike. If I'm not mistaken, you were the one that took out Larcade, yes?" 

"I had Rogue's help in that department," Sting catches his breath. 

"I need you both to follow me," Irene calmly says. Sting and Rogue follow her to the crater of the stage floor. 

Ajax flies up despite feeling affliction from the impact. His scales start melting. "I admit, that was excruciatingly painful," Ajax cracks his neck. "You want this baby dragon?" Ajax extends his claw and appears to be splitting apart. Spike and Ajax splinter apart. Ajax loses a pair of eyes while maintaining his dragon form. Spike reemerges but is now in the claw of Ajax. Ajax holds him, choking the life out of him. 

"RELEASE HIM!" Erza demands while pointing her sword at Ajax. 

Ajax maintains the three horns on his head and under his chin, the red scales, and white spikes. His eyes reassemble themselves horizontally; They are still yellow. He's still brolic. Instead of a Fairy Tail emblem on the center of his chest, a devil's pentagram appears. 

"As you wish. I have collected what is required. A new body for my purposes!" Ajax throws Spike hard to the ground and uses his fire breath to teleport away from Irene, Sting, and Rogue. 

Makarov increases the size of his hand to catch Spike. Dead silence filters the air as many questions come into everyone's mind. Spike is unconscious while Wendy and Sherria combine their healing magic. 

"This is bad," Lucy said in horror. 

"A demon that has Spike's abilities is troublesome. That sounds-" Natsu interrupts Happy's statement.

"AWESOME!" Natsu now has a tough opponent to overcome. Jobs back in the guildhall have become too easy for him to handle. 

"Moron," Gajeel shakes his head. Honestly, he does want to fight Ajax for having Fairy Dragon's body and copied abilities. 

"Not awesome, Natsu. Spike took down vicious foes, and now a demon made a copy of his body. We're up against someone possibly stronger than Acnologia!" Gray reminds Natsu of being an idiot. 

Makarov sighs and turns to Irene. "Has Ajax taken possession of anyone before Spike?" 

"He has. Ajax possessed many formidable wizards and acquired their experience in using spells in his stockpile." 

"I see. Then, is there anyone Ajax could be working for or teaming up with that you recall in your time in the Alvarez Empire?" 

"No. There's no one in the Alvarez Empire Ajax can partner with; I suspect he could be joining a dark guild or an underground empire." 

"Hmm," Makarov suspects that Ajax could partner with the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"Master," Wendy turns to him after she finishes healing Spike. "Spike is not waking up..," Wendy becomes teary. 

"Not even my Godly Sky Magic can uplift his condition," Sherria sadly states. 

"Spike could be out for a few days at best. Maybe a week," Irene predicts the stability of Spike after putter her hand on his head. 

"Master," Levy returns with her friends after the people vacated. "What's the status?" 

"The show is over. A new threat is on the move. We should head back home to Magnolia," Master Makarov commands. 

"This sucks," Orga complains a bit. "All of our effort for this awesome play, and this happens." 

"Not everything comes to fruition, Orga. Be glad that we got to play our parts," Rufus said. He, too, is upset about the unfinished play. 

"Think we can reschedule this for a later time?" Carla asks her friends. 

"I don't think we can reschedule. First, the Preying Mantis Guild showed up yesterday, and now this. More evil is lurking, making a name for themselves now that Zeref's following cults have dispersed." 

"So much for my character," Erza said in tears of sadness. She was hoping to showcase her character and prove to everyone that she can perform without stage fright coming into play. 

"So, what was the moral of the story?" Natsu asks his friends that performed. 

"Never be discouraged because you lost something. Embrace the change wholeheartedly, and happiness will soon follow," Everyone but Wendy and Spike said in unison. 

Fairy Rage grabs Happy's tail and pulls him close. "You and I have a lot to discuss."

"Oh crap," Happy starts sweating in fear. Fairy Rage knows Happy has been evading his punishment to eat all sorts of fish.
> Ajax
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few days since Ajax copied Spike's body and took off. Spike is still unconscious from Ajax's overwhelming power. He's in the infirmary's bed. The protection that Fairy Rage gave him right before sacrificing his life was not strong enough to repel Ajax's presence. It's a rainy day in Magnolia as most of the guild is out due to their daily lives as Fairy Tail Wizards. 

There haven't been any sightings and reports of Ajax or the Preying Mantis Guild. No news from the Magic Council and elsewhere since the Onibus attack. All guilds in Fiore are on the watch for any sighting since. 

Irene walks into the infirmary with her cup of coffee. She sees Wendy still sitting by Spike's side, hoping to see him wake up from the coma Ajax put him through. Dried-up tears are visible on Wendy's cheek as she remains motionless. 

"Wendy," Irene calls her, but she gets no response. Irene gets flashbacks of when she took Wendy's body and mocked Spike for not loving him. Irene understands how much Wendy loves Spike and regrets toying with his emotions. "Wendy," Irene calls again, coming closer to her. 

Wendy sighs. She rubs Spike's head and whispers in his ear, telling him to find her, that she's waiting for him at the end of his deep dream. 

Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, Lucy, Carla, Fairy Rage, and Master Makarov enters the infirmary. They are checking to see if Spike is about to wake up. 

"Any luck?" Lucy asks. She and the others are hopeful and concerned about Spike's life. 

"Yea? How much longer are we going to wait!" Natsu pounds his fist impatiently. 

Irene looks at Spike and then at Erza's friends. She takes a sip of her coffee. "Could be any day or another week. Ajax was in control of Spike's body for a while. Whenever a demon possesses someone, it takes time to snap back to normal. At times it's instantaneously, and other times, it's a gradual process." 

"So, can Gray's magic hurt the demon? Him being a Demon Slayer and all?" Happy asks Irene.

"Possibly. However, I've never seen a Demon Slayer enact their prowess upon a demon. I've seen Holy Knights decimating a legion before Ajax fled. I know that Sting's magic is similar to Larcade's. He will be a huge asset in terminating Ajax." 

"How do you know, Ajax, Irene? You didn't say enough details about him," Carla said. She's in her humanoid cat form, standing next to Fairy Rage. 

Irene grabs a chair to sit on. She takes another sip of her coffee. "Ajax is a fallen angel of long ago. His real name before picking up an annotation in Earth Land is Zaronos. Zaronos is a demon of wrath and carnage with the sole purpose. To dominate the will of all life on Earth Land and crush any resistance with an iron fist." 

"Sounds like Gajeel when he worked for the Rune Knights," Natsu laughs at his pun. 

"I heard that, Salamander!" Gajeel said from the mess hall. He's pissed that Natsu compared him to Ajax. 

"Hope you can eat a knuckle-iron sandwich, Natsu," Happy giggles a bit. 

"Hope that butler suit is more humiliating when Carla and Rage go on their first date together," Natsu painfully reminds Happy about his other punishment. 

"Aw, man," Happy said in tears. He's not looking forward to that day. 

"Can it! I want to hear what else my mom has to say!" Erza shouts, causing Happy and Natsu to hold each other in fear. 

"Sorry, Ma'am!" Natsu and Happy shout in response. 

Irene rolls her eyes. "Fifteen years ago, Ajax formed his legion using dark wizards that practiced witchcraft, dark magic, and blood magic. He became an idol for fools who want to live in a world full of destruction, desolation, and misery. Ajax attempted a coup on the Alvarez Empire. It was a bloodbath from start to finish. Innocent lives were lost, and at the time, the Spriggan 12 was not as powerful as we were before the war between Alvarez and Fiore. Ajax dominated Bloodman, nearly corrupting his mind, Ajeel, Brandish, and Jacob. His legion took down most of our armies within the days." 

"How long did the conflict last?" Lucy asks Irene. Judging from the story, Ajax freaked Lucy out of everyone in the room. 

"Six days. Larcade and I battled Ajax when he attempted to siege control over Zeref's body. He was close to succeeding in his objective cause if he copied Zeref's magic and body, no one would be able to stop him." 

"Since he didn't. How will we stop him now that he has a copy of Spike's power and body?" Happy asks. 

"Was anyone paying attention when Sting attacked him?" Irene responds with another question, hoping someone will answer the question besides Makarov.

"Ajax is now a demonic dragon. Being a dragon has one glaring weakness. Only another dragon or Dragon Slayers can hurt him physically." 

"Yes! I'm the man to slay the Demon Dragon!" Natsu shouts in glee. 

"No one can stop Ajax on their own. Work as a team to subdue him. It's the only way," Irene states, finishing her coffee. 

"Which is a problem, Natsu," Gray said. "Spike can turn into a Fairy Demon Dragon. Now Ajax has that ability, and you should know the full capabilities of that transformation's fury."

"Ah, crud. I forgot about that. It's been a while since we saw Spike transformed into Fairy Demon Dragon." 

"He transformed when I took Wendy's body using an enchantment," Irene painfully reminds her actions when she fought her daughter, son, and Wendy. 

"Can't your enchantment-" Irene interrupts Makarov's question. 

"My spell allowed me to switch the soul of someone out of their body. Ajax didn't use that spell. My enchantment has no effect, Master Makarov." 

Master Makarov sighs deeply. "I was afraid you would say that." 

"So, how did Ajax get into that red saber during the play?" Happy asks. 

"Could be a number of possibilities, Happy. When I wasn't in character, I would help set up the scenes for the next act using my magic. Initially, I placed the green katana blade inside the safe. An outsider could have sneaked their way and switched the props undetectably. A follower of Ajax could have done it. Or maybe the Preying Mantis Guild snuck in and sabotaged us." 

"After Ajax's defeat, Zeref confined him in a black sphere to suffer for all eternity. Well, Zeref isn't with us anymore. That meant Ajax tasted freedom for the first time. I assume he's consumed magic elsewhere to reestablish his formidable power," Irene gets up to check on Spike. 

"Trapped?" Lucy said in shock. 

"This is bad," Gray and Natsu are stunned by the revelation. 

"Zeref passed a few weeks ago, and Ajax is now this powerful?" Erza is dazed at how quickly Ajax regained his power and then some. 

"How long since Zeref died, Natsu?" Happy asks him. 

"Tomorrow will be a month since the Dragon King Festival ended, buddy," Natsu replies. 

"Less than a month, and Ajax is that powerful. That's scary," Carla said. 

"Quite the quandary. With Zeref cults disbanded, Ajax can establish another legion, willing to follow his every command." Fairy Rage said, which worried everyone in the room now. 

"I must speak of this to the Magic Council. Irene, you are in charge until I return," Master Makarov leaves the infirmary. 

"Understood, Master," Irene complies. She stands up. "I want each of you to train hard for the next few days. Anything can happen in a blink of an eye." 

"Yes, mother," Erza grabs Natsu and Gray's collars, leaving the room. 

"HEY!" Natsu and Gray didn't like being forced out of the room. "You didn't need to grab us like this!" 

"Might as well inform the rest of the guild," Lucy said. 

"Aye," Happy concurs. He follows Lucy out of the infirmary. 

"I'm staying here to keep watch of my brother." Fairy Rage grabs a chair and carries it to the other side of Spike's bed. 

"I'm staying with the two of them," Carla transforms into her Exceed form. She lands on Wendy's lap, hoping she'll hold her. 

Wendy heard everything Irene said and remained silent. She grabs Carla, wrapping her arms around her while staring at Spike. Wendy sniffs and becomes sad that Spike hasn't woken up. She wants him to snap out of his coma so she can hold him. 

Irene gets up and leaves the infirmary. She'll check on Spike later.
> Spike Wakes Up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike wakes up screaming after his nightmare ends. He pants and sweats from the horrific dream. Then he looks around for any one of his friends. "Wendy? Natsu? Rage? Mom? Lucy? Sis? Anybody!?" Spike screams, trying to see if anyone notices him. He gets out of bed and falls off. "Ow," Spike landed on his tail and got a bruise. "Oh, c'mon," Spike breathes through his nose and covers it quickly. "Ack, that's rancid! What is that odor?" 

Spike hears a loud crash that comes from outside. He runs up to the window and screams in fright. Outside the room are bodies with blood, hanging organs, and volcanoes erupting. There's fire and lava on the streets and reddish-black skies, clouds raining acid, destroying the landscape and green pastures. 

"What happened?!" Spike screams, grabbing the back of his head. Spike flies out of the infirmary to see the mess hall in shambles. Spike's friends are on the floor, some eyeless, some with flesh ripped apart, and some clothes on, revealing the skeletons. Debris is everywhere, with burnt markings and bloodstains covering them. 

"This can't be happening! Nononononononononononono!" Spike falls to his knees and cries loudly. "THIS IS NOT REAL!" Spike sees a sword by the bar and flies to it. He gasps with tears burning his eyes. Erza is missing half of her body. All that remains is her upper armor, dried blood, and drool stains on the counter. Her skeletal hand is wielding the weapon. Spike's claw trembles, vigorously quaking while trying to grab the sword. When he pulls it away, Erza's skeleton falls over. "Ah!" Spike stumbles back. He trips on a scarf. "Natsu.., no..," Spike picks up Natsu's scarf and sees his remains. His sandals, and holding onto what appears to be remains of Happy. Only the green scarf and head of Happy are visible. 

Spike uses Erza's sword to pierce his arm, hoping all he sees is fictional. "AAAAH!" Spike drops the sword and knows the pain is real. "How long was I out..?" Spike is breathless with the possibility of being out cold for centuries, maybe?

Spike notices that not all Fairy Tail Wizards are in the guildhall. He sees a newspaper on the floor to read the date. "July 3rd. Graaaaah!" The year of the newspaper is illegible to read. 

After a while, Spike flies out of the guildhall. All of Magnolia is now a wasteland. No signs of life anywhere. "Ring of Defense!" Spike hears a clicking in his head. His magic still works. "Gotta find help!" Spike flies out of Magnolia, not wanting to look back and see the disfigured faces and dissembled body parts. 

It's been four hours since Spike departed Magnolia. Everywhere is the same results as Magnolia. Lifeless, carnage, ravage, despoil. Streams of blood flood the streets of every town he passes. Trees are on fire, buildings are in ruins, and smoke is everywhere. Spike lands in Margaret Town. He hopes to find some survivors of the Lamia Scale Guild in their guildhall. 

"Please, let me find someone. Anyone will be valuable," Spike looks up as he's asking God to answer his prayer. Spike enters the guildhall to find no one lying in ruins. "Well, better than death, I supposed," Spike sighs. Then he searches for clues about any incoming attack from the enemy that desecrated Earth Land. "Nothing. The dates are smudged." 

Spike uses his fire breath to teleport to the Sabertooth guildhall. When he arrives, no one is there. Spike searches to find any information about the attack that took place. Once again, he finds nothing. The cycle repeats; in every location that Spike placed a flare marking on, he finds nothing and wonders why there is no one here. Then it struck him. "The Grand Magic Games!" Spike flies out of Mermaid Heel's guildhall to Crocus. Spike imagines Irene, Fairy Rage, Laxus, Gajeel, and Mirajane as participants in team Fairy Tail. Carla would be with Rage for support. Wendy would come along for a day or two. He imagines once word came about Spike's awakening, Fairy Rage would use his fire breath to teleport Wendy to Spike instantly.

An hour later, after flying swiftly, Spike sees Crocus demolished. Fire blazing every house and every corner of Crocus. Half of Mercurius stands with black smoke rising. Spike inhales and rushes to the coliseum. Many people are in pools of blood, limbs torn apart. Not even the younglings get spared from the slaughter. Their resting place is in the arms of their mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters. It made Spike vomit on the way to the arena. 

Spike teleports to the suite where Fairy Tail Team B resided during the Grand Magic Games. "HOLY SHIIIIIIT!" Spike hysterically screams at the pile of bodies mounted. There is no flesh. Only bones. He flies to see many of his other friends part of the mountain. He starts to hyperventilate after seeing a dragon skeleton that resembles himself. "RAGE NOOOOOOOO!" Next to Rage's body is Carla's humanoid cat carcass. Then Lucy, Gray, Lisanna, Elfman, Sherria, Lyon, Kagura, Sting, Rogue, and many bodies start falling off the mountain pile once Spike removes Rage's body. "WENDY! WHERE ARE Y-" Spike stumbles back and sees the remains of Wendy. "nooooo..." 

Spike steps back to pull Wendy's corpse. She's wearing her green dragon scales dress with three color wavy stripes of blue, green, and light yellow running across the dress. He holds Wendy tightly, ignoring the fact that she's a corpse. "I'm here.., I'm here.., I'm sorry.., I'm sorry for being late..!" Spike cries uncontrollably. "I'll find the bastard that slew you all!" Spike's speech jitters as he cries his eyes out. He rocks Wendy's body back and forth, not wanting to let go. 

What felt like an eternity lasted for a few minutes at best. Spike feels tremors, walking to the center of the arena. He turns to see the thing that possessed him, a dragon with two horns on his head and one under his chin. He has red scales and white spikes. Instead of two eyes, there is a third in the center. The eyes are yellow. On the chest of the dragon, there is a devil's pentagram. 

"You!" Spike growls. He softly lay Wendy's corpse on the ground. Using his newfound hatred, he taps into Fairy Demon Dragon. 

The demonic dragon smiles at him. "Thank you. Thank you for giving me the keys to victory. Thank you for being their demise!" He laughs sadistically, devilishly, and barbarically. 

"You'll pay for this!" Spike flies after the demon that corrupted him. 

"My name is Zaronos. Oblivion awaits you!" Zaronos extends his claw and unleashes a wave of Blistering Abaddon Heat.

Spike couldn't devour the energy. He hears the screams, shrieks, wails, and outcries of those that couldn't oppose Zaronos. He screams while feeling his body combusting. 

Spike screams so loud it startles Wendy in her sleep in the infirmary. She sees Spike screaming and flailing like crazy. 

"Spike!" Wendy holds Spike on the bed. Spike continues to wail after feeling what death felt. He opens his eyes to see Wendy on top of the bed in tears of heartache. 

"Wendy!" Spike bursts into tears and holds her tight. He feels her and hyperventilates again; He doesn't want to let her go. 

Fairy Rage, Carla, Irene, Erza, Lucy, Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, and Happy come in. They see Spike as a complete mess and know he dreamt something morbid. 

"I'm here, Spike," Wendy tries her best to coo Spike and calm him down. "I'm not going anywhere." 

"It was horrible! I'm happy to see you alive!" Spike continues to cry while panting heavily. 

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPEN TO FAIRY DRAGON?!" Gajeel shouts. The way Spike is reacting to a nightmare is worse than the Midnight Sparkle crisis. 

"WHY IS SPIKE LIKE THIS?!" Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Lucy shout in shock. They are highly concerned about Spike's condition. 

Erza runs up to Spike. "Spike, I'm here. You have nothing to be afr-" Erza gaps. She sees a scorching mark on Spike's arm. It seems to have a piercing wound. 

Fairy Rage, Carla, and Irene walk up to Spike's bed. Irene and Rage place their hands on Spike's head. 

"Ajax has grown stronger," Irene senses residual magic power from Ajax. "Ajax allowed Spike to either have a vision or a worst-case scenario of a possible future. 

"Oh, damn." Fairy Rage uses his magic to see the coma nightmare Spike endured. "I've never seen dreams do that to anyone, even with my time with the embodiment of Death. We never saw anyone waking up with wounds relating to their dreams. Zaronos is on another level in terms of breaking his victims." Fairy Rage feels his residual magic within Spike fading. "That punk diminished my protection spell on Spike." 

"Your protection? Spike is vulnerable to manipulations, mind trickery, and erase spells." Carla asks Rage. 

"Yes." Fairy Rage nods. "However, I'll put a new one for him. Since Ajax has a copy of Spike's magic and experiences, he can use Spike's memory to break him and then slay him." Fairy Rage channels a lot of his magic power. "Rage of Honor." A pinkish-orange aura enters Spike's body. Spike is still crying in Wendy's arms. He's oblivious to what Fairy Rage is doing.  

"What did Spike dreamt, mom?" Erza asks. She wants to help Spike in any way possible after hearing the dreadfulness of his tribulation. 

"It would be best if I explain to you all downstairs. Those who want to comfort Spike should stay. I need to address the rest of the guild about the aftermath of Spike's awakening. I'm sure they'll fill you in on what you missed out on," Irene leaves the room. She's devastated by the surreality Spike endured. 

"Let's go, Happy. I need to hear this story to fight the bastard that harmed my brother!" Natsu angrily shouts. 

"Aye, Sir," Happy follows Natsu. 

"Wait up," Gray follows Natsu out of the room. To defeat a demon, you do need a Demon Slayer. 

Spike continues to cry his eyes out. Wendy notices Spike's injury and tries to heal him, but Spike wouldn't let her. He still clutches her. Fairy Rage, Carla, Gajeel, Erza, and Lucy grab a chair and sits. They'll wait until Spike is done crying and ready to talk.
> Spike's Recovery 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a few hours since Spike woke up and calmed down. He explains to Fairy Rage, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, Gajeel, and Erza the execrable nightmare he endured. The world he spoke in full detail is eerie, detestable, and unimaginable. Like Hell rose and snuffed the population off the face of the earth. Spike reveals gruesome images of the deaths he glanced at from the rotting flesh, organs spewing and skeletal bones. 

"That's disturbing, Fairy Dragon," Gajeel takes it all in. It's confirmed. Spike's nightmare is worse than the vision he saw with Midnight Sparkle claiming to take his happiness away. 

"Since I know better, that dream is a possible reality I can't ignore," Spike wipes the dry tears off his cheek. 

"All of us dead because of Ajax from that dream. That's something I want to prevent." 

"July 3rd of what year, Spike?" Carla asks. She hopes her magic power to see the future comes to play to prepare for the attack. 

"The year of my vision was smudged. I don't have the answer. All I saw was Zaronos thanking me before killing me." 

"July 3rd is coming in seven months," Lucy informs her friends. "That would be the second day of the Grand Magic Games." 

Spike frowns. "It could be this year, next year..," Spike shakes his head. "I don't know." 

"However, Ajax has a glaring weakness we can use to defeat him to prevent the disaster of Spike's dream from becoming real life," Erza said, reminding her friends and clarifying to Spike about Ajax's Achilles heel. 

"What is it?" Spike wants to know what Zaronos' weakness is. 

"Ajax copied your dragon physique. With that said, he can be slayed by a Dragon Slayer. Since he's a demon, you fight demons with holiness."

Spike's eyes widen. During his dream, he tapped into Fairy Demon Dragon and was vanquished. Fairy Demon Dragon is not a match for Zaronos. It's not even an equalizer. "When I rushed him, he defeated me in an instant cause I chose to transform into a demon myself." 

"That would have meant he devoured your magic power and used it against you. You and Ajax are alike. Two sides of the same coin," Carla thoroughly explains. Spike groans and falls back on his bed. "Great. I never thought of that. How would I take him down?" 

"You're not. Our best champion at the moment is Sting. With him being a White Dragon Slayer filled with Holy Properties, he's the only person who can kill Ajax." 

"At the moment," Lucy said. "Perhaps we can recruit Wizards that practice Holy Magic," Lucy suggests the idea to her friends. 

"I'm sure the Master will decree that option and pay heftily to get the job done," Erza said. She likes Lucy's clever idea. 

"We have much to prepare for this fight. I don't want Ajax to blindside attack and kill me. I want to be ready to take Ajax down with my iron," Gajeel's right arm turns into an iron club. 

"What you want to do now, Spike?' Wendy asks. She's holding onto Spike's claw.

"Heal," Spike replies. "I want to be myself, feeling great. Not dread because of Zaronos' invasion or the influence he had in my mind," Spike uses his index finger to point at his head. Spike groans. "That'll be a while." 

Irene walks into the infirmary with Master Makarov. Master Makarov heard the tale Irene spoke about Spike's overwhelmingly nightmare to the guild. 

"How are you doing, Fairy Dragon?" Makarov calmly asks. 

"Terrible, Master. I feel like shit after the nightmare encountered," Spike painfully and truthfully answers. He sighs heavily. 

"Spike. I have the magic to remove the emotions of the nightmare you sustained. I do have the authority to conjure the spell. Would you like me to uplift the emotions?" Irene asks motherly. 

"Yes," Spike nods. "I want to focus on getting better without fear of sleeping getting the better of me. I don't want to feel dread and sadness. I need motivation, not discouragement. So, lay the spell on me, mom!" Spike closes his eyes, waiting for the emotions to drift. 

Master Makarov nods, allowing Irene to conjure the spell on Spike. Irene places her right hand on Spike's head and extends her left hand. The exact sequence when Spike fixed her, allowing her to become human again. Distorted crimson, white, and black colors leave Spike's mind. It's the aura of Ajax's power within Spike. Master Makarov, Wendy, Gajeel, Lucy, Erza, Carla, and Fairy Rage are frightened to see Ajax's residual magic within Spike this entire time. 

"That crafty punk. Ajax was hoping to use his magic to torment Spike even further," Lucy said after seeing the distorted colors departing Spike's body. 

"This spell Irene is using is similar to ours." Fairy Rage said. 

"It is similar. Spike's different usage of magic inspired me to practice it myself after I joined Fairy Tail. I used Explosion Cataclysm on Acnologia when the Dragon Slayers and I fought his human self."

"Which is true," Wendy vouches for Irene. "She and I used our support magic to amplify everyone's magic power." 

"I was amazed that she pulled it off, Fairy Rage," Gajeel said. "It was denser and more powerful." 

"Wow. So, Irene. Know any groups that specify Holy Properties?" 

"No," Irene shakes her head. "In the Alvarez Empire and my time in Ishgar, I have not encountered any other group that uses Holy Magic. I'm aware of the Holy Knights. Their location is unknown. From what I remember, they are the real Demon Slayers cause their sole purpose is to eradicate demons of any kind. They came to the Alvarez Empire and took out the legion. I thought it was Zeref's underground platoon. It wasn't his." 

"Master, what should we do?" Erza asks Master Makarov. 

Master Makarov takes a deep breath. "We have a seven-month gap before the Grand Magic Games commence. Until then, we'll continue our days as Wizards helping people and stopping bad guys. I trust everyone using their free time to train harder to overcome this demon. I hope Ajax doesn't align himself with a dark guild. That would be tragic." 

"Alright, Master. We'll do just that. Also, to live our lives and stop the apocalypse before it begins," Erza replies. 

"I'm going back to sleep," Spike yawns and hopes he gets a better dream. 

Irene walks and picks Spike up. "You're coming to our room, Spike. Family sticks together. Erza, be a dear and bring cake and tea." 

"Yes, mother," Erza complies and goes to the bar in the mess hall to order strawberry cake and tea. 

"I'm coming, Irene," Wendy said. 

"Good," Irene takes Spike and leaves the infirmary. Wendy follows her. 

"I'm going back to the apartment then." Fairy Rage said. 

"I'm coming with you," Carla said. 

Gajeel gets up. "I'm going to the Magic Council to see if they have files about the Holy Knights. Perhaps they have spells and rituals to contain Ajax if his magic far exceeds Holy Magic." 

"Very well, Gajeel. Take Lucy, Panther Lily, and Levy with you." 

"I will, Makarov," Gajeel turns to Lucy. "Let's go. Time's a-wasting." 

"Okay," Lucy follows Gajeel out the door. "We'll call Warren once we receive any crucial information the Holy Knights may have left out." 

"Thank you, Lucy," Master Makarov sees his children go. He'll make some calls to his other friends that can lend a hand.
> Spike's Solo Mission
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Holy Knights. The name never came across any files when we were rounding up escapees and dark wizards for the Magic Council," Panther Lily said while walking with Lucy, Gajeel, and Levy. 

"I know. Also, from what I know, the Holy Knights fought and purified people from demonic possessions, curses, and sealed gates to Hell," Levy said. She's reading a history book of the Holy Knight's testimonies to pass the time since Gajeel no longer has motion relieve pills to take public transportation. 

"From what Grandpa Crux uncovered, the Holy Knights were famous and secretive. They came and left without a trace. With wizards forming guilds and using magic, there was no need for the Holy Knights unless it was urgent," Lucy informs. 

"Hopefully, we can find these Holy Knights or their former base of operations. Any other clues and evidence will help give us an advantage," Gajeel said. He's reading the map of Fiore. 

"No kidding. Right now, Sting is our best chance at defeating Ajax unless Spike and Rage learn Holy Magic," Lucy said, reminding the three about Ajax's weakness. 

"Maybe he should teach Spike about White Magic. Sting can give Spike the power to consume to overtake the demon once and for all," Levy tosses an idea to consider down the road. 

"That's something we gotta tell Spike and Fairy Rage if they draw blanks with their training," Gajeel said, now eating some iron. 

A few hours later into their travel, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Lucy, and Levy arrive in the town called ERA. They are not far from Magic Council Headquarters. Many people in ERA go out with their business, not batting an eye to Gajeel, Panther Lily, Lucy, and Levy. They meet up with Jura Neekis of the Four Emperors of Ishgar. 

"Jura, good to see you again," Panther Lily looks up to Jura, who is collecting herbs from the market. 

"Likewise, Panther Lily. Greetings, Lucy, Levy, and Gajeel. What brings you four here?" Jura smiles at them. He believes the three came to work for the Magic Council once more. As for Lucy, maybe gain hands-on training and experience. 

"We've come to search the files the Magic Council has regarding a group that combats demons," Levy answers. 

"Ah, the Holy Knights clan. After Makarov stopped by to inform us about Fairy Dragon's flagitious nightmare, Warrod and I searched and read many files that potentially mentioned the Holy Knights' name. Unfortunately, we were not able to uncover any evidence of their whereabouts. You may try to read our archives to detect vital information that went unnoticed." 

"We will do just that," Levy proclaims. She and Lucy are ready to identify any key anagrams, passcodes, and references the Holy Knights could have given to the Magic Council for urgency. 

"I wish you four luck with your inspection of our archives. Also, when you can, give Fairy Dragon my regard," Jura leaves Gajeel, Panther Lily, Lucy, and Levy's sight to continue shopping. 

"Alright, let's get going," Gajeel, Panther Lily, Lucy, and Levy resume their travel to the Magic Council Headquarters. 




Magnolia

Spike is on his way to the Fairy Tail Guildhall after having a night of better sleep and dream. Irene's magic for uplifting his traumatic emotions yesterday allowed Spike to become himself before Zaronos possessed him. 

It's 1:30 in the afternoon. Spike enters the guildhall and sees his friends having a good day, eating, drinking, catching up on recent events, and preparing to get some work done. 

"There you are." Fairy Rage comes from behind. He slaps Spike's back. "How are you feeling, Maestro?" 

"I'm better today than when I woke up last night. My mom's magic did the trick. I no longer fear my dreams or sleep. However, I still have Zaronos in my mind. I'm looking forward to getting even with him. Why he should be more afraid of me." 

"That's the spirit." Fairy Rage laughs. "So, what do you have planned for today?" 

"I'm thinking of going on a job today, Rage." 

"Hey, Spike," Wendy approaches Spike and Rage. She's wearing her white dress with red ribbons, white thigh socks, and red boots. She also wears red bows on her pigtails. "How are you feeling today?" 

"I'm great, Wendy," Spike hugs Wendy. "Thanks for asking. How are you?" 

"I'm elated to see you well after that horrific experience," Wendy smiles. 

"Hey, Rage," Carla is in her Exceed form. She doesn't feel like transforming into her Humanoid Cat form today. 

"Hey, Carla. I'm guessing you're relaxing for the day?" Fairy Rage smiles. 

"More or less. So, what's on today's agenda?" Carla asks. 

"Spike is going, and there he goes." Fairy Rage stops talking and sees Spike going up to the job board. 

"Yo, Spike. I heard you went through bad mojo. How are you doing?" Romeo asks Spike. He wasn't present when Irene told the story to the guild yesterday. 

"I'm good, Romeo," Spike sees two jobs that link with each other and takes them. 

"Two jobs? I wonder why Spike has decided to do both." Wendy thought to herself. 

"What is he thinking of?" Fairy Rage thought to himself. Usually, it's taking one job request unless the job flier seems too easy. 

"Hey, Spike. What you got there?" Mirajane sees the two jobs Spike wants to apply for and notices that both requirements are two parts from the same client. However, Mirajane sees the intenseness written on Spike's face after reading the requirements thoroughly. "So, are you going with the Fairy Youth Squad?" She wants to be sure that Spike conquers the next part of his chapter with those he cherishes wholeheartedly. 

"Uh uh," Spike shakes his head. "I'm going on a solo mission."

"WHAT?!" Everyone around Spike in the guildhall is stunned to hear Spike wants to go solo after having a traumatic experience. 

"Huh?!" Wendy is baffled by Spike's decision. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You don't need any help from the Fairy Tail Youth Squad?" Romeo wants to be clear about Spike's decision. 

"Yes. I read the job descriptions and know what they are asking. Plus, it's something I've been meaning to take care of since joining the guild. Going on this solo mission," Spike stretches the truth, but his tone of voice sounds sincere. 

Master Makarov overhears Spike's explanation. "About time, Fairy Dragon! Good luck on your mission!" 

"I'll drink to that," Cana said. She drinks her barrel of alcohol as a toast. 

"Thanks, Master," Spike is about to go off when Natsu stops him. 

"I'm coming with you!" Natsu said. He knows a fight is coming on Spike's venture. 

"Not today, Natsu. I'm not flying and where I need to go is by train," Spike replies, causing Natsu to freeze due to his motion sickness that will kick in once he steps foot on any mode of transportation. 

"Still want to go, Wendy?" Carla asks her. She's suspicious that Wendy will follow Spike regardless of his motive to embark on the solo mission. 

"Well, uh," Wendy stutters a bit and remembers. "Yes. I still have my motion relief pills!" She takes them out of her pocket. 

Spike is about to pass her. He closes his eyes. "Sorry, Wendy. I prefer to go on this mission alone." 

Wendy is stunned by Spike's words. Hours ago, Spike woke up, wanting and needing to be in her arms. Now, he doesn't want her company? Suspicions arose with many possibilities with a side of jealousy for some reason. 

Fairy Rage grabs Spike's left shoulder and wants to be clear about his decision. "You sure you want to tackle those jobs alone?"

"Yea," Spike nods. "It's on my bucket list. Plus, this is something I need to conquer. Please, don't follow me," Spike removes Rage's claw off his shoulder and walks down the street. 

"So, are we going to let him go?" Carla asks Wendy and Rage. 

"He made his decision. It's all on Spike until he returns." 

"If he returns," Gray interjects himself into the conversation. "I suspect Spike is hiding something from us. His primal instincts as Seventh Master of the Guild are amid his decision-making. I say we go on an espionage mission." 

"Now, I'm in!" Natsu excitedly shouts. "Spike out in the open means Ajax or that Preying Mantis Guild can get the jump on him." 

"Normally, I respect Spike's motives and choices, but something is amiss. My mother has uplifted his feelings, but not the memories of his hellish nightmare. I want to say the job request ties in with the Preying Mantis Guild or Ajax," Erza said. Also, her sisterly instincts are telling her to watch Spike from afar. 

"Rage, think we can hop on your back and observe from the high grounds?" Carla asks Rage, knowing he's keen on watching out for his brother.

"Spike will sense our residual magic miles away. He will know about us spying on him. There is one spell I know that would hide us from plain sight, but I haven't tested it out." 

"Dude! Now will be the time!" Romeo overhears the conversation. He walks up to Fairy Rage. "When will you get another opportunity to use it for a test drive?" Romeo entices Rage with a convincing situation. 

"Another time. I'm not going to meddle with Spike's business." 

"Damn, you're impossible!" Natsu is upset that Rage won't budge. 

"Aye," Happy wants to tag along and agrees with Natsu for being stubborn. 

Carla transforms into her Humanoid Cat Form and whispers something explicit to Fairy Rage. He blushes, and his wings flap. 

"Whoa, what did you say, Carla?" Happy wants to know what convinced Fairy Rage to relent. 

"That's between Rage and I, Tomcat," Carla hides her blush and focuses on the task at hand. 

"So, what spell will you be using, Rage?" Erza asks him. She wonders if the spell is something Rage picked up in his studies. 

Fairy Rage goes to a concession stand where Max Alors is for the day. He's working on selling prized sellers instead of Nab, who read comic books. 

"Hello, Rage. What can I get you?" 

"Hey, Max. I need ten pairs of sunglasses." Fairy Rage places a bag full of Jewels and doesn't care about how much money is in the bag. 

"Here you go, ten pairs of Fairy Tail brand sunglasses. See you later," Max Alors start counting the money. 

Fairy Rage takes the box and walks back to his friends. "Before I proceed, is anyone here hungry, thirsty, tired? What are you feeling?" 

"I'm good. Eager to throw down in case the Preying Mantis Guild sneak up on Spike!" Natsu's palms ignite after he pounds them. 

"Fine," Gray replies. Gray removes his shirt in the process. 

"I'm good. I just ate," Romeo replies. 

"Why are you asking this? Are you prolonging on purpose?" Erza intensely glares at Fairy Rage. 

"No." Fairy Rage is immune to Erza's vicious look, while others become afraid and give Erza space. "The spell I'm about to perform was something Death taught me." 

"Death taught you magic?" Romeo is in shock like the others. 

"He did. Death taught me many spells that'll be useful down the road. Now, are you hungry, thirsty, tired-" 

"No!" Everyone around Fairy Rage replies in unison. They want to follow Spike. 

"Very well." Fairy Rage takes a deep breath and grabs a pair of sunglasses. "No Hay Sentidos!" Fairy Rage breaks the sunglasses, causing Wendy, Carla, Natsu, Gray, Romeo, Happy, Erza, and himself to turn invisible. They can see each other as see-through spirits. 

"Whoa! I'm a see-through invisible Exceed!" Happy flies to a person and goes through. "I'm a ghost!" 

"Awesome! Just imagine using magic!" Natsu gets excited. "Fire Dragon Iron-" 

"Wait!" Fairy Rage flies to grab Natsu's mouth. 

"Strange, I feel less powerful in this state," Erza said, flexing her magic power and trying to summon her sword. 

"Wait!" Fairy Rage tries to get everyone's attention. 

"I feel lost without my ice magic. And it's getting cold, even for me," Gray said. He tries to reach for his shirt when his hand phases through the shirt and the ground. "What the?" Gray is confused and attempts to pick up his shirt. He's unable to lift it. 

"Romeo! Where are you?" Macao comes outside, looking for his son. 

"Dad, I'm right here!" Romeo waves his arms in front of his father. It's like, Macao is blind to see his child directly in front of him. 

"What's the meaning of this, Rage?" Erza asks. "Why can't Macao see Romeo?" 

"Yea? What did you do?" Wendy asks. 

"Why did you stop me from using my magic?!" Natsu is fuming and feels he's getting weaker. 

Everyone else asks questions about the current situation; They have forgotten about Rage's ghostly spell. Fairy Rage rolls his eyes in annoyance. Carla understands the feeling of being surrounded by idiots at times. 										

"Just to let you all know. Using magic will disband my spell. What I said to activate my magic was in Spanish. No hay sentidos. It means there are no senses. Therefore, we forfeit any senses we have and turn into a ghost. That includes magic which Spike will pick up. What we felt before using the spell is how we feel until I uplift my magic or it gets dispersed by someone else using magic. Now, we should get moving. Otherwise, we'll miss the train Spike will embark." Fairy Rage sees his friends rushing to the station except for Carla; Fairy Rage groans. He follows pursuit. 

"Damn it," Spike is at the Magnolia Train Station. He missed his train and will take a half hour for the local. "So much for the express," Spike sits down on a bench and waits. 

Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Erza, Gray, Romeo, and Fairy Rage arrive at the Magnolia Train Station. They see Spike sitting at a bench with other people taking photos with him. 

"Never gets old." Fairy Rage says as more people want Spike's attention. 

"It happens whenever Spike decides to ride the train rather than fly to places," Carla said. 

"Hey, Wendy and I won't get motion sickness, right?" Natsu frightfully asks. He and Wendy are petrified of riding the train. 

"No. When I used the spell, what you were feeling stayed as is. You won't feel the train's movement." Fairy Rage replies. 

Spike uses his fire breath to spawn a briefcase onto his lap. The people around ooohed, awed, and clapped at the sight of Spike's magic. Many people ask what's inside. Spike says it's his money. Spike can say it loudly, knowing that none of the people here are dumb enough to attempt to steal a dragon's profit while provoking Fairy Demon Dragon. Spike calmly asks for personal space, to which the people comply and return to their business. 

"Only twenty minutes until the local train arrives," Spike gets up to look at the map. Using his index finger, he navigates the direction of the train route to his destination. "This is going to be a long day. I'll write Wendy that the job may take more than the day to complete." 

"How often did Spike write to you, Wendy?" Romeo asks out of curiosity. 

"Daily during the year of training when we weren't together. I have a collection of his letters in my room," Wendy said. 

"If he's going to write a letter, how long is his train ride?" Happy asks. 

"From what I know, Spike's destination could be a seven-hour trip," Gray said after hearing the news about a new station opened near a new civilization formed eight years ago. Also, he saw how Spike dragged his finger at the new train station on the map.

"Care to explain, Gray?" Erza asks. 

"A new station appeared on the map. I would have grabbed it, but it phased through my hand," Gray responds. He's frustrated that he can't grab anything at the moment. "The spell Rage used has its challenges." 

"Did you try harder?" Erza asks and hoping that Gray didn't make excuses. She has forgotten the flaws of Rage's spell. 

"Try it yourself," Gray challenges Erza. 

"I will!" Erza said with determination. She shoulder bumps Gray and tries reaching for the new map. Like Gray's hand, she phases through the paper. "Well, I see how infuriating this could be." 

"We're perpetual spirits in the realm we're walking until someone uses magic or I disband the spell. We can feel, see, hear, taste, smell, and sense each other. As for the others that are not like us, we're invisible to them. When I was with Death, it was exactly like this feeling. The only difference is that we're using my spell to be in this realm, and we can't see Death." 

"So, can your spell allow us to see Death himself?" Romeo asks and is quaint about seeing what Death appears to look be. 

"It can, but that elevation is way too risky to use. Plus, I haven't tested it, nor do I want to. I rather not discuss this any further for someone stupid enough to attempt using this spell." Fairy Rage is referring to Natsu. 

"That's fair," Romeo, Erza, and Gray said. They see Natsu and Happy trying to haunt people and failing miserably. 

"This is going to be a looooong day." Fairy Rage is not thrilled with Natsu or Happy's stupidity for attempting to cause a haunting in the train station. 




Magic Council HQ

Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, and Lucy arrive at the Magic Council Headquarters after grabbing snacks. They have a long day to analyze every file, catalog, and archive to track down any cruciating info about the Holy Knights. Gajeel takes the lead going straight to the Magic Council's library. They see Draculos Hyberion reading scrolls. 

"Whoa.., it's, it's..," Lucy is petrified to see Draculos Hyberion a second time. The first was from the commentating booth with Mato during the Crocus Cook-Off many months ago. 

"Wow..," Levy is astounded and feels unworthy to be in the presence of the First God of Ishgar. He was second, but due to God Serena's betrayal, departure, and demise, the title goes to Draculos Hyberion. 

"Yo," Gajeel remembers his talks with Draculos Hyberion during his days with the Rune Knights. He's calm. 

"Greetings, Hyberion," Panther Lily says with the utmost respect to Draculos Hyberion since his days working for the Magic Council. 

"Likewise, Iron Dragon and Lily," Draculos Hyberion turns to Levy and Lucy. "No need for worry. I don't suck people's blood for power. That's a common misconception from the rumors spewed before the Magic Council blew," Draculos Hyberion sees Lucy relaxing while Levy still feels unworthy. "Anyway, what brings you lot here?" 

"We're here to unravel any information regarding the Holy Knights," Gajeel explains. 

"Makarov has informed us about Fairy Dragon's grotesque nightmare. The warning issued of a possible future. We have sent out private investigations to scour Fiore and other regions for possible sightings or evidence of the Holy Knights' whereabouts and the Preying Mantis Guild's progress. You may commence your discovery here in the library," Draculos Hyberion puts the scroll down. "I wish you luck in your attempt to uncover the mysteries of the Holy Knights. Hopefully, the answers we seek with make an appearance." 

"Thank you, Draculos," Gajeel offers to shake Draculos Hyberion's hand. 

"You're welcome," Draculos Hyberion shakes Gajeel's hand and leaves. 

Within the Magic Council Library. There are bookshelves from the floor to the ceiling; a lacrima monitor for archived information, diaries, and case reports; scrolls on the walls, chest, and cabinets. 

"This is going to be a loooong boring day," Gajeel said, knowing that he'll be reading lots of junk. 

"Quit complaining and start reading," Levy tosses a book detailing a case report dating twenty years ago to Gajeel. 

Gajeel catches the book. "Whatever," He opens the book and starts reading. 

Lucy and Levy use their Gale Reading Glasses to skim through the books while Panther Lily reads the scrolls dating a century ago. 




Magnolia

Twenty minutes were slow for Spike. The local train arrives at the Magnolia Train Station. Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Erza, Gray, Romeo, and Fairy Rage watch Spike board with his ticket in claw. Fairy Rage informs his friends that they'll be fine riding the train since he's the beacon of the spell's activation. Wherever he goes, there will be solid ground to stand and sit on. They board the train and spot an empty seating booth across from Spike, who sits alone. 

"So, just to clarify, Spike can't hear us?" Natsu asks Fairy Rage. 

"Spike can't see, hear, touch, smell, taste, or sense us as perpetual spirits. We're completely invisible to any eye, regardless of what awareness is concerned. You can sit next to him and make faces all you want. Spike won't acknowledge 'cause there's nothing for him to see." 

Natsu, Gray, Happy, Erza, and Romeo sit together. Across from them, Wendy, Rage, and Carla sit with Spike. Wendy is sitting next to Spike. 

"Spike, why venture alone after that horrific nightmare? What's going on with you? Why are you seeking vengeance so soon?" Wendy is jumping to conclusions rather than waiting to see why Spike has decided to go on two jobs.

"Can you peep into Spike's mind and uncover what he's doing? Spike is not talking to himself on the trip. Just gazing out the window," Carla asks Rage. 

"If I do that, we get exposed. Spike will be pissed and more likely to teleport us away. We must wait and see why he chose to go alone in a while longer." 

The train departs from the Magnolia Train Station. Natsu and Wendy are relieved that they won't succumb to their motion sickness. Now, they can focus on hearing about Spike's jobs and why he has decided to go solo. The real reason and not some cheap boatload crap. 

An hour into the train ride, Spike decides to talk to himself. Erza shushes everyone since they can't ask Spike to repeat what he says. 

"I hope they forgive me for bringing calamity upon their kin," Spike looks down sadly. 

"Spike, who's they? Why are you sad?" Wendy attempts to put an arm around Spike, but her arm goes through his neck. "Spike! Don't be sad! Please!" Wendy sees a few tears drop from his face. 

"He can't hear you, Wendy. You have to be strong for Spike." 

"It's not fair! I want to help and comfort him! How could you cope with..," Wendy now understands the frustrations written on Fairy Rage's face. She sighs. "Sorry, Rage. I, I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright. What you're going through is how I went in my early stages. In times like these, being there for someone is more effective than just saying the right things. There'll be a time for chatter." 

"It's strange. Like, all of a sudden, I feel that Wendy is with me," Spike looks into his reflection and sees his Fairy Tail Emblem. "She's always with me," Spike contemplates a bit. "Perhaps I should summon her with my breath..?" Spike ponders a bit while rethinking his decision for the solo mission. 

"Now that's a problem. If Spike tries to use his magic to transport you to him, it won't work. My spell intervenes in Spike's ability to teleport any of you to him. He'll think something has gone wrong and become worried." 

"Which could put Spike in a state of panic. He freaked out when he couldn't teleport Erza, Natsu, and Mirajane before Tartaros came to Magnolia," Wendy remembers the frustrations when he thought his magic failed him. 

"He would think the guild got attacked or worse..," Carla becomes fearful of Spike's motives if he discovers that his magic cannot bring Wendy to her. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "Then, my solo mission would not be completed, checked off of my bucket list. Plus, this is one chapter I need to bury before moving on. To put an end and give some clarity to those that suffered tremendously." 

"Which is?" Wendy couldn't help but question Spike about the client and his job request. 

Spike sighs heavily. "Will they forgive me?" 

"WHO'S THEY?" Everyone except Fairy Rage, Carla, and Wendy shouts eagerly. They are tired of the vague monolog Spike spoke and want answers about the client. 

"He can't hear you. Idiots." Fairy Rage said. He's unamused by how quickly the others have forgotten about being invisible to Spike. 

"This is taking forever!" Natsu starts whining. "I'm so boooored!" 

"Be glad you can sit on a train and not get motion sickness. Right now, Spike is speaking vaguely, and we're only getting bits of the story and not the whole thing just yet. Right now, we need to be patient. So, sit down and shut up." 

"Seriously, aren't you a bit impatient or dying to know what Spike is planning?" Gray asks Fairy Rage. He wants to hear how he's coping with receiving vague answers. 

"No. The answers will come in due time. Until then, I'm watching Spike until he decides to teleport Wendy to him. I need to make my best accurate decision to make it not look suspicious or abnormal." 

"Fine," Gray looks the other way. 

Someone stops by and sits in an empty booth across from Spike. He's a chunky fellow and winds up taking Natsu's seat. 

"Hey! Get off of me!" Natsu shouts. His head pops through the man's belly. He gets up, and his body phases through the chunky man. "What's the big deal? Can't you see where you're sitting?!" Natsu becomes furious due to the man's perception.

"We're invisible, Natsu. He can't feel us, and we can't feel him. Suck it up." 

"Let me know when Spike starts blabbing to himself," Natsu walks away from the seating booth. Happy follows pursuit. 

Erza watches Spike's body language and knows he hates being alone. "Why couldn't you explain the job's details before embarking on them? Why go alone knowing you'll be lonely?" Erza thought to herself. 

"Spike?" Spike looks up to see Kagura riding on the train. She smiles at him and decides to sit with him. She winds up sitting on top of Wendy. 

"Hey!" Wendy didn't like the idea that Kagura taking her seat and blocking her view. 

"Let it go, Wendy." Fairy Rage calmly says, knowing that Wendy is upset. 

"Fine," Wendy complies. She gets up and stands still. 

"Hey, Sis. Fancy meeting you here, huh?" Spike chuckles a little. Then he becomes sad. 

"What's wrong with you, Spike? Why are you sad?" Kagura asks Spike. She sees the sadness written in his eyes. 

"It's the job I'm going on. As you see, I'm on a solo mission. It's a two-parter, and I already know the outcome. I'm going to see pain and strife." 

"Pain and strife? Please explain," Kagura puts her right arm around Spike's neck. She's worried about Spike and feels the need to follow him on his journey. 

"There's one more piece of the chapter I haven't closed. One that I need to seek to finish. Remnants of Midnight Sparkle." 

"WHAT?!" Kagura, Erza, Wendy, Carla, Fairy Rage, Gray, and Romeo shout. They are stunned to hear the mention of Midnight Sparkle's name. 

"Oh boy. Now I know why Spike wanted to go alone on this journey." 

"Are the Exceeds the client that wagered two job requests?" Romeo asks Fairy Rage. He remembers tales of Midnight Sparkle drinking the blood of the Exceeds. 

"There's no doubt about it. I recall how Midnight Sparkle killed Exceeds, drank their blood, and absorbed their internal magic," Erza said. She now knows the gravity of Spike's sadness. Something he didn't want his friends involved in after running away from Equestria years ago. 

"That's brutal. A final face-off to release the burden of Spike's actions," Gray said. 

"I don't understand. Why carry this burden alone?" Wendy is confused about Spike's motivation. 

"The job requirements must be a search and rescue for the Exceeds. Tartaros are the ones that enslaved and tortured many Exceeds as food substances for Midnight Sparkle. The weight of that thought must have been too much for Spike to ignore," Carla can only imagine the heartache of her kin and her friend. 

"So, that's why Spike wanted to go alone," Natsu returns with Happy after hearing the commotion. 

"Poor guy. Just when he thought about getting rid of that demon, she made a way to break him down mentally," Happy looks at Spike. He frowns a bit, understanding his pain. 

"A closure to put an end to Spike's troubled past. We should get off at the next stop and return to the guildhall. Anyone agrees?" 

No one is objecting to turning tail. Everyone wants to see how things play out for Spike now that they're aware of his circumstance Fairy Rage sighs. It's like he's invisible with Death all over again. 

"What does Midnight Sparkle has anything to do with the job requirement, Spike? Last year, you put an end to her tyranny. I saw you obliterate her with the Crystal Guardian Dragon form. What did she do that is causing you to go on this job alone?" Kagura wants answers. She thought for sure Spike was over Midnight Sparkle for good. 

"My first job is to meet with the Queen of New Extalia at their new citadel. There's a map on the back of the flier. She will go over in full detail the missing Exceeds. Then, I'll more likely get a list of names and photos of the Exceeds possibly killed by Midnight Sparkle. From there, I'll fly to the Magic Council and ask to see the archives that Tartaros has in possession. I feel intense that the Exceeds will want justice for a heinous and cruel deed Midnight Sparkle had unleashed. I didn't want to involve my friends in this job request because I didn't want them to feel my pain after witnessing the dreadful look when I woke up from my hellish nightmare last night. Between you and me, Kagura," Spike sighs deeply. "I feel guilty that Midnight Sparkle killed Erza during the war with Tartaros. I feel responsible for creating a demon due to my desire for happiness."

"Sp-Sp-Spike..," Erza had no idea how deeply Spike felt about his guilt over her assassination. "It wasn't your fault. You shouldn't feel bad about-" Erza lowers her head after knowing Spike's dark secret. 

"That wasn't your fault, Spike," Kagura reassuringly says. "Midnight Sparkle ambushed you guys when there wasn't much magic power in any of you. It's a textbook tactic to strike when they see an opening." 

"That's because I was weak. Acnologia came, and I fought him instead of standing by with Erza. Because of me, she suffered from nightmares and PTSD whenever her left arm trembled. What am I supposed to feel? Pretend that everything is okay and shrug it off?" 

Erza feels dread and awful that Spike continues to blame himself for her demise at the hands of Midnight Sparkle. Now, she wishes to allow Spike to be on his journey alone instead of spying on him. The others are a bit creeped out for listening to Spike's vent without his consent. 

"You can't allow the past to disrupt your future, Spike. I know you're on a solo mission, but I'm coming. I'm not taking nos from you. You are still technically by yourself on a mission as a member of Fairy Tail," Kagura insists. 

Spike sighs in defeat. "Very well. I can use the company anyway. I wonder how my friends will feel when I tell them about what has happened." 

"I'm sure they'll understand why you sought to go alone on this venture," Kagura said. "I'm sure they'll accept the reasoning behind your decision." 

Spike smiles. "Thanks, Sis. I don't know what I'll do without you." 

"Happy to help, Spike. So, how long until we get to our destination?" 

"Another three hours since this is the local train," Spike replies. 

"Very well. Until then, I want to know about the hellish nightmare. I want to help you any way I can." 

"My nightmare is disturbing. It may be uncomfortable to discuss why." 

"I'm all ears, Spike," Kagura calmly replies and mentally prepares herself for the outcome of Spike's explanation. 

Spike goes in-depth about his nightmare and all he witnessed. The burning scent of fire and magma, the odors of smoke, coal, volcano, and blood, seeing bodies in pools of blood, flesh dangling, and skeletons. Spike reveals the travels he embarked on, seeing no signs of life, hearing the immense whistling of scorching winds that would make anyone choke, gag, and suffocate. The mountain pile of bodies with all he knows and loves in the middle of the coliseum in Crocus. Holding his deceased girlfriend and weeping, Spike mentions the Demon Ajax but confirms his real name Zaronos. The way Spike narrated his nightmare took two hours of travel time. 

Kagura remains silent after hearing the whole explanation. Never in her life had she heard of a surrealistic nightmare from anyone, knowing within Spike's dreams that she and her friends died in the most gruesome way unimaginable. For everyone else on the train, as ghosts, it's a brutal reminder of what transpired in Spike's vision. 

"That dream of yours, Spike, that won't happen. You had something similar to Midnight Sparkle and conquered your demon. I know that you'll conquer Zaronos and all of his trickery. If it helps, Mermaid Heel has you back, Spike." 

Spike smiles. "Thanks, Kagura." 

"Anytime," Kagura smiles. She knew Spike needed the extra comfort on his travel. 




Magic Council HQ

"Geez, this is taking forever," Gajeel tosses his sixtieth book aside on the mountain pile of books. 

"Nothing about the Holy Knights in any of these scrolls," Panther Lily places his seventieth scroll in the cabinets. "I can use a break about now." 

"I agree," Lucy said. "Book after book and not one trace of the Holy Knights mentioning. Not even anagrams can resolve this dilemma." 

"I concur with Lucy. Even with my best knowledge of finding cryptic messages and meanings, there is no evidence of the Holy Knights in the Magic Council's archives," Levy groans tiredly. "I think we may have to return to the guildhall empty-handed." 

"What do you think, Gajeel?" Panther Lily turns to him. 

"We've done all we can. Perhaps the other guilds may have better luck than us," Gajeel stretches after sitting down for five hours to read all sorts of books. He takes out a calling card Makarov has given him. "Makarov, bad news. After searching and reading the archives the Magic Council has in possession, no traces of the Holy Knights are here. We're heading home." 

Master Makarov is in the guildhall having a chug of beer. He hears Gajeel's report. "Very well. I'll inform the other guilds to help locate the Holy Knights' information. Perhaps they will have better luck than us." 

"Took the words out of my mouth, Makarov. See you later today," Gajeel hangs up the calling card. 

"So, what will we do next?" Lucy asks Gajeel.

"Keep searching for evidence elsewhere. We're not making any progress here. Let's go." 

Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, and Lucy leave and thank Draculos Hyberion for allowing them to conduct their investigation. With a painful sigh, they leave the Magic Council Headquarters empty-handed. 





The train arrives at its destination after a seven-hour trip. Spike gets up and flexes his muscles and body after sitting for so long. Kagura follows Spike out of the train. Fairy Rage, Carla, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Romeo, and Erza follow the two. The new town that now takes residence is known as Astereae. 

Astereae is a small rural town with some businesses, markets, trade, and livestock. The population of Astereae is a thousand, with polite, generous folks all around. There are trees as the eye can see, and many Exceeds interacting with people, having a good time, and doing some work. 

Spike takes out the flier and reads where the trail starts. Three tall oak trees align themselves to form an isosceles triangle using the leaves as shading. "Oh, that'll be interesting to scour since we're near a forest, and it's nighttime." 

"Anything else after finding those trees, Spike?" Kagura asks. She looks around and feels the uncanny sensation of being watched. 

"Yes. The tip of the isosceles triangle directs where we need to walk. The flier mentions that two Exceeds will be waiting for our arrival." 

"Let's get moving," Kagura grips her Archenemy Sword. She knows someone is spying on her and Spike. Spike and Kagura start walking toward the forest. 

"Why does Kagura look perturbed, Rage?" Romeo asks Fairy Rage. 

"It could be my spell that allows certain people to feel differently. As I stated earlier, this is my first attempt at using what Death taught me. I don't know all the kinks and layouts. There's much more I need to detail going forward." Fairy Rage replies. 

"I would feel uneasy if someone were to follow me this discreetly," Wendy admits. 

"Well, that's what we did after coming for you with your first job at the theatre," Carla reminds Wendy. 

"Well, more like check on you," Natsu said. "Actually, I wanted to tag along since I fell asleep. What about you, Rage?" 

"Dude, I wasn't even born. Plus, Spike stood home to hone his skills. I existed after the Tenrou Island trip." 

"Oh, right," Natsu forgot about Spike staying put when Wendy went on her first big job. 

Fairy Rage, Carla, Wendy, Erza, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Romeo follows Spike and Kagura into the forest. On the way there, Happy sees several posters on the bark of many trees, asking if someone has seen this Exceed last seen over a year ago. Spike sees the pictures and starts imagining their screams and cries while Tartaros or Midnight Sparkle slay them. Spike touches one flier, which consists of a pink Exceed with a flower on her head as a missing Exceed. It punctures his heart with loads of remorse. 

"This is disturbing," Natsu said, looking at the posters around them.

"Horrific," Gray said. He feels a lot of pressure from looking at the images of missing Exceeds. 

"Breathtaking," Romeo concurs with his friends while looking into the faces of many Exceeds, possibly dead due to Tartaros. 

"Rage, disperse your magic, now!" Erza commands. She had enough of watching Spike suffer the way he is by closing his final chapter.

"I rather not, Erza. Spike will be too emotional as he is right now. I would refrain from exposing us all as well." 

Kagura placed her right hand on Spike's left shoulder after he kneeled in a moment of silence. "You want to see this through by yourself?"

"I thought I was ready to embark on this task by myself. To check off the solo mission. I guessed I picked the wrong one, huh?" Spike turns to Kagura.

Kagura nods. "This chapter of your life should not be handled all alone. Even though I am here for you, I would advise bringing your friends. Let them know what's happening and why you sought to do this yourself."

Spike laughs a bit. "Wow, I feel like a dumbass for attempting to close this demonic chapter myself rather than having my friends and family help me through. My decision-making clashed with my instincts as a former Guild Master of Fairy Tail. Oh, I feel like a peabrain," Spike feels pathetic in his attempt.

"No. Spike, everybody makes mistakes at times when good or bad judgment gets the better of us. No one is perfect. You're going through a learning curve. Also, how old are you? You always mentioned that you were the age of adult ponies in Dragon years," Kagura asks.

"Oh, that. I'm Wendy's age. I'm 14 years old in Dragon years."

"WHOOOA! I didn't know he was fourteen years old! When is his birthday?" Happy asks Fairy Rage.

"February 10th."

"Why haven't we celebrated his birthday in the guildhall?" Romeo asks.

"I can answer that. Spike's former friends skipped his birthday unintentionally for three years straight during his time in Ponyville, so naturally, he had forgotten about celebrating the day of his birth. It became a norm for Spike, which is why he didn't mention it in the guild."

"His birthday is a month away!" Wendy gets an idea about a special gift to give to Spike. Her smile grows wide with it running through her mind.

"I guess after telling the truth, we'll secretly prepare for a surprise birthday party," Erza said. 

"I like the sound of that!" Natsu shouts in excitement. "A birthday brawl to keep the energy going," Natsu pictures giving Spike a birthday punch from all the other times he sucker-punched him to start a pointless brawl.

"Sounds like a party already," Gray said. He can't wait to have another pointless brawl, especially at a birthday party.

"Hey, how about we have the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party moved to Spike's birthday? Would Master Makarov approve it?" Romeo asks Erza out of curiosity. 

"That's a brilliant idea, Romeo. I'll have a thorough conversation with Makarov once we're home," Erza loves the idea very much. Also, it's been forever since Fairy Tail had a Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party.

"Alright. I'll use my fire breath to summon my friends here," Spike takes a deep breath. 

"Natsu, use a Fire Dragon Iron Fist on me. Making it look like we were fighting at the guildhall in a pointless brawl!" Fairy Dragon urges, hoping his timing links with Spike's fire breath. 

"You got it!" Flames engulf Natsu's body. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu lunges at Fairy Rage as Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends to him.

Fairy Rage's spell wears off after Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends to be beside him. Spike sees Natsu punching Fairy Rage hard with his Fire Dragon Iron Fist; Fairy Rage gets flung into a tree. It collapses on top of him. Spike sees Erza, Gray, Wendy, Carla, Romeo, and Happy looking confused. Spike takes a deep breath and explains his current situation and why he wanted to go alone, which was foolish of him to embark on in the first place. 

"Well, we're glad to assist you on this final chapter of your life, Spike. Before you finish another demonic chapter in your book," Happy said.

"You should have told us in the first place, silly," Wendy said. She sounds sincere even though she already knew from the start. 

"Thanks for helping Spike throughout some travel, Kagura," Erza pulls Kagura into a hug.

"Don't mention it," Kagura tries to get out of Erza's grasp. 

Fairy Rage comes back and regroups with his friends. "So, that's why you decided to go alone. Here I thought the job would be a simple one." Fairy Rage said, pretending to be oblivious to Spike's reasoning. Then he walks up to Spike. "Bro, we need to talk. Alone." Fairy Rage drags Spike away to have a thorough conversation. Spike is confused, but since Rage is no longer in him, something must be amiss, and Spike wants to find out. "Silencing Circle!" Fairy Rage places his claw on Spike's forehead and casts a circle with sparkling orange shimmers around, creating a barricade so no one may puncture his spell. 

"What do you have to tell me, Rage?" 

"Spike, I have to confess. We've been spying on you. I cast a spell Death taught me that allowed Erza, Carla, Wendy, Natsu, Romeo, Gray, Happy, and me to be incognito. We heard and saw what you endured during the train ride, and Erza knows your dark secret about feeling guilty over her demise even though I resurrected her." 

"You WHAT?!" Spike shouts and groans angrily. "There were things I wanted to keep hidden. Other things that I didn't want anyone to hear. You've kept many secrets from our friends, so what else have you spewed?" 

"Not much." Fairy Rage lies to Spike. He wants to keep the surprise birthday party hidden from him. "I understand your frustrations. I tried to back away, but I couldn't cause of three things. One, using magic will expose us right in front of you on the train. Two, I was worried you might have had an emotional breakdown when you spoke with Kagura. Three, I was concerned about your magic to summon Wendy to your side. My spell intervenes with your fire breath to summon people to you. It would have given you anxiety or worse." 

Spike looks at the night sky and sits down from the information given to him. "So, will that be a norm whenever I go on solo missions in the future?" 

"No. I won't be doing this to you again. Though, I need to be clear about keeping my promises. After all, you broke yours." 

"I knew you wouldn't let me hear the end of it!" Spike frustratedly shouts in annoyance. "Well, I won't go astray."

"Is that a promise you want to keep?"

"I won't be like Spike Knightwalker and be a sadistic dragon bent on killing the masses. That's not me," Spike inhales deeply. "Let's go and meet with the Queen of New Extalia."

"As you wish." Fairy Rage deactivates his silencing circle. He and Spike return to the others. 

"So, where to, Spike?" Wendy asks as she sees him and Rage coming from their private conversation.

"To follow-" Spike gets interrupted by an Exceed known as Nadi. He's a tall black Exceed that does a lot of fist-pumping.

"There you are!" Nadi swoops in to confront Spike and his friends. "We've been waiting anxiously for your arrival. Queen Shagotte and New Extalia are not far from here. Please follow me, and we'll explain the missing Exceeds that need to be searched and rescued."

"Isn't it all these posters tagged on the trees?" Natsu asks Nadi.

"What posters?" Nadi says. He sees no posters marked on any of the trees in the forest. 

"Are you blind? These post-" Romeo turns to point at the pink Exceed with the flower on her head. The poster he and everyone else saw had vanished. "What the..?" Romeo freaks out at the sudden disappearance.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Happy notices the fliers have gone in an instant.

"Weren't their hundreds of posters detailing the missing Exceeds?" Carla asks Nadi and her friends. 

"Is my mind playing tricks, or did we see those missing Exceeds in full detail just now?" Gray is confused at the moment. He knows what he saw. He saw the 'Have you seen this Exceed?' title on each of the posters. 

"Who's out there?!" Kagura and Erza shout loudly, knowing that someone is casting an illusion. 

"Show yourself right now!" Natsu demands. He's ready to throw down. 

A shadowed figure claws Spike's face swiftly, causing him to fall over. The size of the shadow is small but has angelic wings. It catches everyone by surprise when more appear and claw Gray, Fairy Rage., Romeo, and Wendy on their face. Natsu tries to punch it, but it grabs his face and drains his magic essence. 

"What are these things?!" Gray pries the shadowed creature off of Natsu's face and freezes it. 

"Ow," Wendy feels the claw mark on her right cheek. The cut is deep, and she's bleeding. 

"Its' dead!" Natsu's right hand ignites in lightning flames when he notices the creature inside the ice. 

"A hellhound with wings?" Carla sees a black hellhound encased in ice. His eyes are red.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Spike gets up and approaches Nadi. His claw phases through his body. "What the hell?" Spike is confused. The other gasps when Nadi hovers while his body twitches. 

"Hell is right!" It's all Nadi said. Then a burst of yellowish-black magic gusts pushes everyone back a little until Wendy starts consuming the winds. "Huh?" His teeth become razor-sharp. 

Wendy taps into her Dragon Force to dispel the usage of Nadi's winds. "Who are you?!" Wendy demands to know who is controlling Nadi's body. She knows the Exceeds can't push anyone away with their magic power. 

Nadi's body stretches elastically. Red and black pattern scales appear on his body; his arms and legs readjust themselves into an enormous limbless body, standing fourteen feet tall. The head reverts into a triangular copperhead. The eyes are red with black pupils. The forehead of the copperhead reveals a white Preying Mantis Emblem dead center. The forked tongue of the snake is yellowish-black. 

"I knew this job was an ambush waiting to happen!" Erza shouts. Her sisterly instincts were on point. "Prepare yourself for a merciless beating!" 

"I'm fired up now! I knew you punks were waiting to ambush Spike!" Natsu taps into his Lightning Dragon Mode. 

"I would refrain from attacking me based on your feelings. You wouldn't want to bring calamity on certain creatures," The snake smiles wickedly.

"There's more of us than you here! You have nothing on us!" Romeo boldly claims, reminding the snake's unfortunate circumstance at the moment.

"Yea! You're going down!" Happy proclaims. 

"I say we ice this loser!" Gray taps into his Ice Demon form. 

"I would be careful if I were you," The snake starts laughing when many eyes start glowing around them. Too many to count. Spike, Rage, Wendy, Carla, Erza, Kagura, Romeo, Gray, Happy, and Natsu see many eyes glowing red in the dark forest. They feel disturbed by its presence. "By the way, the name is Cabal. I'm here to ruin you!" Cabal laughs maniacally. "Attack!" Cabal commands the creatures in darkness to attack the wizards. 

Spike and Fairy Rage sense something odd about the hellhounds. They decide to dodge their attacks rather than fight them off. 

"Have a taste of my Rainbow Flame!" Romeo conjures his Rainbow Flames with his right hand and unleashes his fury on the hellhounds flying toward him. They screech in torment. 

"Ice Demon Raaaaaaaage!" Gray unleashes his demonic ice breath on the hellhounds. He freezes them, allowing Erza to shatter them with her swords so they won't get controlled by Cabal. 

Erza intercepts a wave of hellhounds and requips into her Flame Empress Armor. She strikes the hellhounds at ease while Kagura jumps into the fray, annihilating another swarm coming from the backside of Erza. The two nod and continue their onslaught on the hellhounds coming from every corner. 

"Sky Dragon Wave Wind!" Wendy swings her hand and generates a large and powerful tornado. It collides with the hellhounds and flings them into several trees. The trees collapse on top of them, pinning them to the ground, rendering them help and hopeless. 

"Lightning Flame Dragon Brilliant Flame!" Natsu engulfs his left hand in lightning and his right hand in flames. Then he combines both elements to generate a large, destructive, sparking blast to incinerate the hellhounds. "Lightning Flame Dragon Roooooooooar!" Natsu unleashes his lightning flame breath attack on the hellhounds, instantly killing them right on the spot. His usage of magic power is overkill, wanting to take down any schemes the Preying Mantis Guild is devising to bring calamity to the world. 

Cabal slithers into action, going after Spike and Fairy Rage. Spike and Fairy Rage take flight to separate themselves from Cabal's presence. It didn't matter due to Cabal's magic. Cabal activates magic circles to slither upward to attack Fairy Rage and Spike. Wendy and Carla spring into action by kicking Cabal's forehead from the skies. Wendy's kick allowed gusts of wind to push Cabal down hard. The impact of his landing created a crater. 

"Wow, I actually felt pain for the first time in a long time," Cabal looks up and sees Wendy and Carla lowering to the ground. He sees that his hellhounds are vanquishing in battle. They are not putting up much of a fight. 

Erza, Gray, Natsu, Happy, Romeo, and Kagura rejoins Wendy and Carla. Spike and Fairy Rage feel uneasy due to how easy it was to take down the hellhounds. All the hellhounds did was fly toward their friends, not unleashing any other attack except for the clawing. Something is awry, and there's more to Cabal's planning than they realize.

"It ends here, Cabal!" Erza points her flame sword at Cabal's forehead, ready to pierce him.

Cabal smiles. "Are you sure? It seems that I have won this battle." 

"What are you talking about; We've just defeated your army of hellhounds!" Gray retorts. He's confused as to why Cabal made a bold statement about winning the battle when he clearly lost it. 

Cabal laughs wickedly. "Poor simpleton. If only you paid attention to the Dragons' motives for not attacking these fine creatures." 

"Can we fry him, Natsu? He's just spitting nonsense!" Romeo urges Natsu to set Cabal on fire. 

"In a second, we will," Natsu starts sniffing and finds a familiar scent. 

"Recognized a scent, Dragon Slayer?" Cabal smirks at Natsu since his demeanor change. 

Natsu's jaw drops after sniffing the scent. "Guys, we've committed a heinous atrocity..," Natsu sees black particle bubbles ascending into the skies. 

Cabal sneers. "Seems to me you figured out why the other Dragons didn't partake in the onslaught." 

Wendy starts sniffing and gasps horridly. Erza, Carla, Romeo, Happy, Gray, and Kagura see Wendy tearing up. "You.., you..," Wendy becomes irate. "YOU MONSTER!" Wendy points at Cabal. "HOW DARE YOU DECEIVE US!" Wendy grits her teeth angrily and pants heavily, knowing what she committed. 

"I'm in a dark guild. It's what we do. Plus, why call me a monster when your friends dished out the attack?" Cabal laughs sinisterly. 

"What did you do?! Tell us!" Erza demands. She's ready to end Cabal's life for making Wendy cry. 

"See for yourself," Cabal relinquishes his spell on the hellhounds. The hellhounds transform into their original embodiment. The hellhounds are Exceeds in disguised. Many of them have broken bones sticking out of their bodies. Some are fried, which only leaves their skeletons. Some are decapitated, scattered on the grounds from the ice encasement. The rest are smushed and squished from the trees that landed on them. 

"HOLY CRAP!" Gray freaks out at the number of Exceeds that lay lifeless on the ground. 

"NO!" Romeo can't believe what he's seeing. He can't believe he murdered many Exceeds under a submission spell. 

"AAAAAAAAH!" Happy is petrified to see so many of his kin laid to waste. 

Carla falls to her knees and picks up an Exceed. A green Exceed with a sunhat on her head. She tries to read her pulse. There is no pulse which brings Carla into tears. She can't believe what she committed. 

Kagura is silent though she feels remorseful about her actions. She should have known that manipulating matter was in the midst of the situation. Spike and Fairy Rage knew of this outcome but weren't sure due to the energy reading. Fairy Rage still has trouble sensing manipulating matter since having a body of his own. 

"I'll take my leave, wizards of Fairy Tail," Cabal laughs and uses his magic to disappear into the night. After a moment, the sun rises, revealing a new day. 

Fairy Rage descends and approaches Carla. "Carla?" Fairy Rage puts his claw on her shoulder. He's worried about Carla's state of mind. 

"I want to go home..," Carla is broken. She can't believe she was part of the Preying Mantis Guild's scheme of creating a rift. She inadvertently helped them slay her kin. 

Spike is still hovering in the air. More guilt falls upon him for going on his solo mission alone. Despite his friends and lover following him, he should have explained the situation so they could have avoided this trauma. Spike knows over a hundred of them are dead due to the many Cabal had in possession. This whole ruse was supposed to damage Spike mentally. Instead, his friends got the receiving end of Preying Mantis Guild's ploy. 

Spike is about to lower down when he sees smoke in the distance, not far. He flies towards the smoke, which raises suspicion from the others. Fairy Rage has granted Carla's wish and uses his fire breath to teleport Carla and himself to her room in the Fairy Hills lodge. 

"Where is he going?" Wendy sees Spike flying north. 

"Let's find out!" Natsu follows Spike's scent. Erza, Wendy, Gray, Romeo, Happy, and Kagura follow in hot pursuit. 

Spike flaps his wings faster to prevent Cabal from possibly seizing any more creatures creating the smoke. He hopes to save a few lives from the assault of the Preying Mantis guild. He arrives to see New Extalia decimated. Exceed Guards lay lifeless from the bite marks of fangs on their necks. Some guards no longer have fluids in their bodies which is more disturbing.

"Hello!" Spike shouts, hoping to hear a reply. "HELLO!?!" Spike yells, eager to know if someone has started the fire and has gone into hiding until the time is right. "ANYONE HERE!?" Spike looks around and sees many huts in flames. 

Natsu and Wendy arrive after following Spike's scent. They see the devastation of New Extailia. Huts are on fire, the Exceed Guards are on the ground, and blood is spattered everywhere. It's like a slaughterhouse. The rest arrive to see New Extalia obliterated. 

Spike is speechless. What he saw is similar to the nightmare he endured and suffered. 

Wendy walks up to him. "Spike?" She places her hand on Spike's shoulder. 

The sound of rustling gets everyone's attention. A door of a burning hut falls over, revealing Queen Shagotte and several young Exceeds that survived the wrath of Cabal. 

"No way," Happy is amazed to see the Queen of Extalia somehow surviving the brutal assault. 

"Please, help us..," Queen Shagotte drops to her knees, crying her eyes out. 

Wendy, Happy, Romeo, and Natsu rush over to Queen Shagotte. Spike is in a trance, thinking about what just happened and how it connects to his nightmare. 

"I want my mommy and daddy!" A young red Exceed girl with a red ribbon bow tied on her head wants her family. 

"I want my parents too!" A few other young Exceed children burst into tears, wanting to be with their families. 

Erza walks up to Queen Shagotte. "Do you remember what happened?" Erza formally asks, trying to stay as professional as she can despite what she committed a while ago. She now carries a huge burden for her crime against the Exceeds, even though it's an accident. 

"We were waiting for the wizards that took the job for a search and rescue. Over a year ago, our kin and many new eggs got taken by an unknown enemy. We got ambushed by a changeling creature a few hours ago. It stood like twenty feet tall, a serpent-type creature with the powers of hypnotism. He possessed my subjects at ease. Many of my brave soldiers fought but didn't stand a chance against the changeling's overwhelming magic power and physique. It stretched and grew limbs to pierce my guards. I tried to take many to find refuge, but it was impossible. Now, we're on the verge of going extinct," Queen Shagotte finishes her answer and breaks down. She feels like a failure for not protecting her kin from a monster.

Spike snaps out of his trance after hearing Queen Shagotte's response to Erza's question. Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Erza, and Kagura are silent after hearing the dreadful news. They knew about Tartaros' involvement in increasing Midnight Sparkle's power, but how will they explain an accidental mass genocide to the Queen who had suffered so much? Fairy Rage and Carla dodged a bullet to reveal the awful truths to the Queen in the next few moments.

Spike walks up to Queen Shagotte. "Shagotte..," Spike is in tears. He has decided to reveal the information about Tartaros' involvement and the rest of her kin. 

"You're.., You're the Fairy Dragon that Nichiya spoke of when he visited after the Grand Magic Games," Queen Shagotte smiles a bit with hope starting to fill her heart. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I am. I'm the wizard that took the job for the search and rescue. I'm here to inform you about the Exceeds' whereabouts." 

A spark ignites Queen Shagotte's heart. She hopes to hear great news for once. "Where are they? Are they safe?" 

"The unknown enemy you spoke of used to work for a dark guild known as Tartaros. The unknown enemy used the Exceeds to fuel a demon known as Midnight Sparkle. She drank their blood and consumed the magic within. Midnight Sparkle bragged about consuming many and sought to seek more. I hate to be the bearer of bad news after what transpired today; however, I must confirm that those Exceeds are no longer here." 

Queen Shagotte starts panting heavily. "N-N-N-N-N-N-N-Noooo..," Queen Shagotte grabs her head. "N-N-N-N-N-N-N-N-Noo..! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She bursts into tears and imagines the screams of her subjects at the mercy of Tartaros. The younglings near her cry start crying. 

Spike takes a deep breath. Now, he has to reveal the second part of the tragic accident that partook a while ago. "Queen Shagotte," Queen Shagotte looks up at Spike. She knows the next part will not be satisfying. "The changeling you spoke of, my friends and I encountered him. He is known as Cabal of the Preying Mantis Guild. The guild is indeed a dark guild. We fought him and his apparent hellhounds." 

"Hellhounds..?" Queen Shagotte is confused. There are no dogs around New Extalia. Then it hits her. "Noooooooo..," She starts putting the pieces together as to why Cabal possessed her subjects. She starts to hyperventilate. "Don't tell me, don't tell me, don't tell me," She keeps repeating the same sentence multiple times when it's evident about the ordeal. 

"Rage and I sensed something odd, but we took action anyway. We struck the hellhounds until they were no more. Cabal succeeded in his mission to ruin us.., mentally..," Spike closes his eyes as guilt wraps him up tightly. "They even smelled different during Cabal's possession over them. We slaughtered them, not knowing they were Exceeds until it was too late." 

Queen Shagotte's screams are bloodcurdling. Now her heart is broken into a million pieces. "It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!!!" She slams her paws on the ground angrily. "WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS!!!?" 

"Where are we supposed to go? Our home is desolated," A young Exceed asks Queen Shagotte. 

"I DON'T KNOW!" Queen Shagotte barks at the youngling. She didn't mean to take her anger out on her. Queen Shagotte sniffs. "I don't know where we can go..." She lowers her head. 

Kagura walks up to Queen Shagotte and the remaining survivors of New Extalia. "I know someplace where you can reside. Also, I know someone who will be eager and interested in protecting you." 

"Wh-Wh-Who?" Queen Shagotte turns to Kagura. Hopefully, having a protector can help clear her conscience to ponder the next motives for her species to thrive again.

"Spike, mind teleporting us to her?" Kagura turns to Spike. 

"Yea," Spike nods. He uses his fire breath to teleport Queen Shagotte, the remaining younglings, Erza, Gray, Wendy, Natsu, Happy, and Romeo, to the Mermaid Heel outdoor venue. 

Millianna is serving food for her customers when she sees the sudden arrival of her friends. Many customers cheer for Spike now that the breakfast hour can become the brunch hour. 

"Kitty kitty, meow!" Millianna leaps for joy when she sees many Exceeds. 

Kagure stands in front of her. "Millianna, we need to talk," Kagura grabs Millianna for a private discussion. She informs Millianna what took place. Millianna becomes heartbroken from the revelation that many Exceeds died and are on the brink of extinction. She refuses to allow any more kitties to perish. Kagura comes back with Millianna after their discussion. 

"Shagotte. You and your kitties will be with me. I'll protect you from all harm!" Millianna proclaims. She refuses to allow any dark presence to lurk around and strike again. 

"Thank you," Queen Shagotte gracefully smiles, knowing the young can live without fear overtaking them. "You have my gratitude."

"Hey, Queen Shagotte," Happy flies up to her. 

"Yes?" Queen Shagotte turns to Happy. 

"My friends and I will bring justice and end the Preying Mantis Guild for bringing calamity on you and your subjects. I swear!" Happy proudly states. He knows that the Fairy Tail Guild will get the job done. 

"We're sorry for what we've committed. Let us make it up to you by ending the Preying Mantis Guild's reign of tyranny," Erza said. 

"Apologies accepted. I know you were under the influence of Cabal's manipulation magic and didn't recognize the Exceeds. I would imagine any other guild falling into the trap devised by an intelligent creature." 

"We will make them pay!" Natsu slams his right fist into his left palm. Fire bursts from the impact. "Mark my words. We will make them rue the day they messed with our friends!" 

"You got that right!" Gray concurs. He wants retribution for the stunt Cabal performed a while ago. 

"Now, it's war," Romeo said. He wants a piece of the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"No doubt about it," Wendy agrees. "Spike?" 

"The Preying Mantis Guild will fall like any other enemy of the Fairy Tail Guild. Let's go home," Spike wants to go home after everything. The Preying Mantis Guild has gone too far, and he wants to use this anger and kill Zaronos. 

"We'll keep in touch from time to time. Let us know about the Preying Mantis Guild's operations," Kagura said. 

"Don't worry. We will," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his friends back to the Fairy Tail guildhall. 

Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, and Lucy return from their trip. They see Spike, Wendy, Erza, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Romeo looking distraught. 

Gajeel approaches the group. "Why the long faces? Did something happen while we were away?" 

"I don't want to talk about it. I want to go home," Spike walks past Gajeel, Panther Lily, Levy, and Lucy. Spike is holding onto his emotions and doesn't want to break down in front of his friends. 

"Wait up, Spike!" Wendy knows what Spike is thinking and wants to be with him for a little while. 

"Geez, what's up with Fairy Dragon?" Gajeel asks his friends. 

"A lot has happened, Gajeel. All will be explained in the guildhall," Erza answers. She is upset like the others are. 

"Like what?" Lucy asks. She's worried about their well-being.

"Come inside. We'll explain to everyone," Natsu replies. 

While Spike walks home with Wendy to the apartment, everyone else enters the guildhall to report their discoveries to Master Makarov. It won't be a pleasant topic.
> Solo Mission Aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No way," Gajeel said in utter shock after hearing the whole story from Erza and the others that spied and traveled with Spike on his first solo mission.

"Are there any survivors from the gruesome attack?" Panther Lily asks. He can't believe that a member of the Preying Mantis Guild brainwashed hundreds of Exceeds to use as guinea pigs for a mental assault. 

"Besides Queen Shagotte and some younglings, we can only hope others had fled from Cabal's mind control spell," Erza said. She, like the others, is distraught by the turn of events that transpired in New Extalia. 

"We want to say that the new town we've gone to was an illusion created by Cabal as well. We are not sure about the other Exceeds we saw that interact with the people a while ago," Gray said. He's angry that Cabal used his friends to create calamity for the innocents. 

"This is quite a predicament. An ingenious tactic to wear down our strongest forces," Makarov said. He's drinking his mug of beer after hearing the explanation. 

"Any idea who would devise such strategies, Master?" Lucy asks Master Makarov. 

"I wish I knew, my children. We're dealing with a dark guild with some familiar faces. There could be possibilities of a returning villain or someone new stepping up to the plate since Zeref is no longer an influence. We will have to wait and see what happens next. Also, we will be cautious with all jobs on the board. I fear some jobs are mendacious for us to fall into another trap. As of now, no one is allowed to go on solo missions. That includes S-Class Wizards. Either go as a group or stay put." 

"Understood, Makarov. We will prepare for any outcome when we go to work," Erza said, speaking for her friends and any other member of Fairy Tail around in the guildhall. 

"So, no info about the Holy Knights?" Natsu asks Gajeel and his team. 

"I want to say that the previous building of the Magic Council's base of operations had the information. We went through every scroll, book, archive, and file to find a trace of the Holy Knights," Levy said. 

"We found nothing, Natsu," Lucy finishes Levy's comment. She sighs sadly, hoping to find any glimmer of hope. 

"Has anyone seen my mom?" Erza asks. She hasn't seen Irene since her and her friends' arrival a while ago. 

"Irene informed me of private matters to attend to; she disclosed any information. I can only hope it's about the Holy Knights. Her story about them arriving at the Alvarez Empire does make sense to investigate there, cataloging all the resources to find any traces of the whereabouts of the Holy Knights," Makarov says. He finishes drinking his beer. 

"I hope that's the case. I have never seen so many dead cats since that awful timeline I created out of jealousy," Happy said, though it was more people than Exceeds. 

Fairy Rage arrives in the guildhall. He sees his friends by the bar next to Master Makarov. He goes to the stool and sits down. 

"Hey, Rage. How is Carla doing?" Happy asks, knowing the outcome of what Fairy Rage will say, but still, he feels the need to ask. 

"She's broken, Happy. Carla is devastated by much of her kin corroded by her hands and everyone else's except for Spike and me when Cabal possessed the Exceeds. I feel guilty that I didn't alert any of you to withhold the attack of the hellhounds. I sensed manipulation matter, but I didn't know how to describe it at the time. You, her, Lily, Samuel, and possibly a few others are now the last of your kind. It's a heavy blow, and it sucks!" Fairy Rage sighs deeply. "I'm here to grab food to bring back to Carla. I don't want my Carla to embrace depression." 

"Well, tell Carla we found survivors!" Romeo said to Fairy Rage with excitement. 

"What?" Fairy Rage is happy to hear the great news. Perhaps a spark could help Carla become better. 

"Queen Shagotte and a few younglings are with Millianna. Also, several other Exceeds have escaped the wrath of Cabal's mind possession spell!" Romeo shouts with pride. 

"Wow. I'm sure Carla will be happy. Now, I need to ask of you. How is my brother doing?" 

"Broken as well," Erza painfully says. She's upset that Spike's nightmare correlates to the events of the Exceeds' demise. 

"Well, I hope he pulls through with Wendy by his side." Fairy Rage turns to Mirajane. "Whatever is on the menu, I'm taking." 

"Understood, Rage. I'll get back to you when it's ready," Mirajane and Lisanna start preparing food Rage and Carla would want to eat to enlighten the mood. 

Irene returns to the guildhall. She sees her daughter and Rage with Master Makarov. "Erza, how was your day today?" She comes to the bar and sits on a stool next to Makarov. 

"Terrible, mother." Erza sadly says. She sheds a tear at what transpired by her hands. 

"How so?" Irene is curious to know what has dismayed her daughter. 

"It envisions Spike's nightmare to a certain degree." 

"What..?" Irene is in shock. "What happened?" Irene is now serious. Her motherly instincts are craving to know what occurred. 

Erza explained the whole story in detail to her mother. Irene is heartbroken to hear that her son, Spike is in disarray due to how similar his nightmare has revealed upon the Exceeds. Cabal, a member of the Preying Mantis Guild, devises a cerebral attack to wear down Spike and create a guilty conscience over a near extinction. 

"Where is my son now?" Irene asks Erza and her friends.

"Home," Lucy answers. "Spike is at our apartment."

"I've heard about changelings during my day. One that uses taming magic, that's new to me unless someone else is behind the shadows, orchestrating the events. Do any of you know someone who is a master of illusions?" 

"Lamar is locked up in prison. Fairy Dragon, Erza, Lily, and I apprehended him during a train raiding. He and his Chameleon Guild were good until they got caught. Besides Lamar, we don't know any other who uses illusion magic," Gajeel said. "Plus, no reports about his escape. I've checked the records to be sure." 

"Has to be someone new," Panther Lily said. "Rage, did you feel anything besides the Exceeds different outlook?" 

"I couldn't tell. I'm still adjusting to my new body, and the perks I once had have reduced tremendously. I'm still practicing using my senses to determine the fullness of manipulating matter. When I was in Spike, I would inform any of you immediately. Now, it's harder, especially with time of the essence." 

"That sucks," Happy said. Happy was hoping that Fairy Rage was getting better and improving his senses. 

"Don't remind me. I'm trying my best to get back to where I was before Spike ate the time sphere Acnologia spat out." 

"So, what were you doing, mom?" Erza asks. She and the others want to know what Irene did.

"I finally apologized to Princess Hisui and King Toma E. Fiore about my actions and explained that I'm anew. It's been on my to-do list. After an earache, I walked to speak with the Archbishop. I asked him many questions about the Holy Knights. Not even the Zentopian Church had any info about the Holy Knights. Now, I'll need to go on a trip to the Alvarez Empire to search for any documented clues about the Holy Knights' whereabouts. Hopefully, they have something stored in their archives."

"Very clever to ask the Archbishop and Zentopia about the Holy Knights. It's a darn shame they have no recollection of them," Makarov said. "Irene, even though you outclass me in magic power, I must refrain you from going out alone. I fear that some members of the Preying Mantis Guild could be more omnipotent than you." 

"Although I would reject your command, you are the Guild Master and knows what is best. I will comply with your decree. I will take my family with me on the journey. In three days, we'll set sail." 

"What a relief! I'm avoiding boats!" Natsu shouts with glee. 

"However, Natsu. You still have many jobs to complete, which will require traveling by transportation since Spike will more likely not accompany you for the next while," Master Makarov painfully reminds Natsu of his motion sickness. 

"AW CRAP!!" Natsu is now fearful of his motion sickness already. He wishes Spike would send him motion relief pills when he goes to Hargeon. 

"From the sails, that took days," Erza said. 

"I know. However, if the Alvarez Empire were to see Spike flying, it could be a disastrous fallout. Also, I doubt he remembers how to fly there," Irene states. Honestly, she doesn't know if Spike placed a flare marking near the Alvarez Empire.

"Everyone in the Alvarez Empire would be extremely nervous, especially with the word about two Fairy Dragons ending Acnologia's reign of tyranny. I say you are making the right call, Irene." 

"Thanks," Irene said. 

"Rage, I want you to stay with us when Irene goes to the Alvarez Empire. I know Spike will go on the trip, and having a backup Dragon on standby in case the Preying Mantis Guild attacks will be much-appreciated," Master Makarov decrees. 

"If Carla decides to go with Wendy, I'm going. If she stays, I'm staying. Carla went through a whole year without me, Master. Her wish is to be with me through the end of time. I'm keeping that promise. Also, don't even try to use Freed to put an enchantment on me. He knows better from his experience with Spike during the S-Class Trials." 

"I still feel the burns back at the beach," Freed remembers when Spike scorched him and Bickslow for his stunt to keep everyone on board the ship. 

"It still hurts, ya know," Bickslow said to Fairy Rage. 

"I didn't do it. That was Spike. Though, seeing the memories was hilarious."

"Which begs to differ," Natsu turns to Master Makarov. "When will we have another S-Class Trials, Gramps?" 

"Hmm," Master Makarov ponders a bit. It has been too long since the last S-Class Trials. The S-Class Trials didn't end due to the invasion of Grimoire Hearts. "I'll give it some thought, Natsu. The same goes for the other events before the seven-year nap." 

Everyone cheers loudly after hearing what Makarov said. That means the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party, the Endurance Race, and other festivities will return since it's been many years. Irene wonders how she will partake in any of the events. She orders a cup of coffee to go. 

Mirajane and Lisanna pack up Fairy Rage's food in several trays since he is not specific about the food. Fairy Rage takes the food and uses his fire breath to teleport to Carla's room.

"I'll be back later," Irene takes her cup of coffee. 

"Where are you heading, mom?" Erza asks. 

"I'm going to see my son and comfort him. I haven't seen him in a while," Irene gets up and leaves the guildhall. 

"Want to go with her, Erza?" Lucy asks. She trusts Erza in her apartment more than Natsu and Happy.

"I'll check on Spike later. Right now, I need to help Makarov devise the right teams for jobs they can go on. We need to be sure that none of them are deceiving us as the last one Spike took." 

"Which won't be long. Also, I'll inform Gildarts to stay for a while. The guild can use Gildart's power to deal with this rising threat," Makarov said. He reaches for his calling card Gildarts handed him a year ago. 

"Wanna go on a job, Lucy?" Natsu asks. 

"What kind of a job are we talking about?" Lucy is nervous about venturing with her friends when the Preying Mantis Guild is out there, preparing to make their next move. 

"Stopping bandits from robbing a cargo train," Gray said, holding the flier. 

"Natsu's motion sickness won't come into the fray. I'll be flying him around the train for him to use his Dragon Slayer Magic," Happy said. 

"That's brilliant, Happy!" Natsu said in shock. 

"I gave Happy the idea in case you don't have the motion relief pills. Judging from your emotions earlier, you ran out of them," Panther Lily sees Natsu nodding. He knows Natsu exhausted his supply rather than rationalized it. 

"Lily pulled through when Fairy Dragon and I fought the Chameleons on the train. Having Lily hover while the train is in motion helps," Gajeel confirms. 

"Awesome! I'm fired-up now!" Natsu shouts in excitement. 

Fairy Rage arrives inside Carla's room. Carla is still in her humanoid form, lying on the bed. She hasn't moved since she left the battlefield. All Carla sees is the Exceeds dead on the ground while holding onto one in her hands, how she attacked her kind without thought. Carla still wears her black tights, a red skirt, and a black shirt. 

"Carla?" Fairy Rage calls her name, hoping to hear a response from his girlfriend. 

Carla is silent. She hears Fairy Rage calling her name, but she's in her trance. She hears the Exceeds screaming in fear of death by her hands; How each of them died by her friends' hands as well. 

Fairy Rage puts the food on the table and walks to the bed. He gets on and lies down behind Carla to hold her. Carla doesn't acknowledge Fairy Rage holding her. She feels the coldness around her when Cabal reveals his deception. 

"Carla, please respond." Fairy Rage holds her tighter. 

Carla snaps out of her daze when she feels the warmth of Fairy Rage. She sees his claws wrapped around her body and embraces them. She bursts into tears and cries her eyes outs. The pain is severe, and Rage blames himself for not informing his friends fast enough about Cabal's brainwashing on the Exceeds. 

Irene arrives at Spike and Lucy's apartment. She walks up the stairs and notices the door to their apartment wide open. Wendy is in bed with Spike, who has cried himself to sleep. Irene closes the door and grabs a chair. She watches the two of them sleeping and decides to place her hand on Spike's forehead. She senses great turmoil within Spike. 

"He's getting worse." Irene thought to herself. Then she feels an irregular presence. She pretends to be oblivious to the feeling until it decides to make its' move. 

It makes a noise, indicating that it is coming closer. A small red and purple figure tries to enter Spike's nose when Irene grabs it. The figure makes a loud screeching sound causing Spike and Wendy to wake up. The two are startled when Irene chucks the figure away from Spike and Wendy. It rises from the impact.

"WALKER!" Irene growls. She points her staff at Walker, preparing to attack. 

"WHO'S WALKER?!" Spike and Wendy shout. They don't know what's happening.

"Shadow Walker, to be precise," Walker is in a shadowed form that allows him to enter the minds of those asleep to mess with their state of slumber. Walker's appearance features a ghostly small humanoid shape but consists of wearing a druid's cloak attire. His eyes are red with purple pupils. "I'm surprised you remembered me, Irene." 

"Are you with them?!" Irene refers to the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"Why would I tell you about my business, Irene? Why do you care for that dinosaur?" Walker mocks Spike, which infuriates Wendy. Irene is ready to kill Walker but knows it's futile due to his magic. Walker can project shadowed physical images of himself. 

"Choose your words wisely, asshole. You are messing with my son!" Irene is irate. She wants to kill Walker.

"As if you can kill me!" Walker laughs sinisterly. "Go on, give it your best shot!" Walker taunts Irene.

Spike gets out of his bed to confront the jackass mocking his mother. "You will rue this!" Spike warns Walker.

"Oh, dearest me, a Dragon with a hissy-fit," Walker continues to insult Spike any way he can. "I'm so scared," He boops Spike's nose to piss him off. Spike starts consuming the energy essence of Walker's projection. Walker feels like he's getting dragged like a vacuum collecting dust particles. "Hey, what the hell?!" 

Irene smirks. "I guess you never heard of the Energy Maker Dragon, huh, Walker?" 

"Ah, shit! I can't believe this is happening to me!?!" Walker feels his projection getting consumed. One of his fears is to be eaten alive. 

"Enjoy a real nightmare, prick," Irene taps her staff on the floor, allowing Walker to relive the moments in his mind constantly. 

Walker screams, regretting his decision to mess with Spike mentally. Spike finishes consuming Walker's shadow and sits down. He feels strange. 

"Spike, how are you feeling?" Wendy asks Spike. She's concerned about a possible new power. 

"I feel weird. I feel like," Spike thinks about conjuring a fake clone of himself. One appears in front of him. The copy opens its eyes. "Hey, I think I can move freely while my body remains in stasis." 

"Incredible. You have obtained Walker's projection magic. That'll come in handy for future encounters," Irene said. She thought Spike's body would become a shadow like Rogue's shadow magic. 

Spike concentrates and dissolves the copy. He opens his eyes. "It will be helpful down the road. However, I need to start packing." 

"What? Why?" Wendy doesn't like the sound of Spike leaving. 

"Walker knows where I reside. That means Lucy's life is in jeopardy. Walker can spill the beans to the Preying Mantis Guild, so I need to sleep elsewhere. A place where they won't think of." 

"Where are you going?" Irene asks Spike. She needs to know where to address the situation with Lucy later. 

"Home," Spike replies. "There's a place I know where I can hide away from the Preying Mantis Guild. A location only a few know about."

Wendy ponders a bit when it comes to her. She gets out of bed and whispers the one location she knows, the cave within Eden's Forest. Irene remembers that forest. She knows how to find Spike. 

"I'll be around the guildhall, being with you, mom, and the others. It's not like I'm leaving the guild. It's for to have a good night's rest or nap when I need it."

"Can you take me with you, Spike?" Wendy hopes Spike will say yes. 

"I'll think about it for the long run. Right now, I need to prepare to take the essentials."

"I'll help. I'll put an enchantment so that only members of Fairy Tail can see you. It'll work the same as it was with the Alvarez Empire." 

Spike smiles at Irene's gesture. It's comforting for Wendy to see Spike smile after what he encountered with Cabal's magic and assault. Since Irene says she'll make that enchantment, Spike tells Wendy that she can come with him. He'll need to teleport his bed. After packing up, Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the bed, his belongings, Irene, Wendy, and himself into his cave in Eden's Forest. 

Carla stops crying. She holds onto Fairy Rage's claws for comfort. Fairy Rage uses his tail to rub Carla's sides to make her feel better. He has never seen this side of Carla and hopes this'll be the last of it. 

"Carla, can you hear me?"

"Yes," Carla nods. 

"I have great news about the Exceeds." 

"...what..?" Carla was not expecting to hear good news. Only grave news.

"Queen Shagotte and a few younglings survived the carnage Cabal unleashed. Some Exceeds fled from his wrath. There are survivors out there. Queen Shagotte and the younglings are with Millianna and Mermaid Heel." 

Carla's jaw drops in happiness. It's the best news she heard today. She turns over to meet Fairy Rage's orange eyes. She smiles at him. "Thank you for uplifting my spirit."

Fairy Rage's smile deteriorates. "I'm sorry that I didn't speak up. I sensed something manipulating the area, but I couldn't determine what it was when it was the Exceeds all this time. I'm sorry for letting you down."

"It's not your fault. If anything, we shouldn't convince you to spy on Spike. We should have taken your suggestion about leaving Spike alone. Perhaps, there wouldn't be much genocide..," Carla sadly sighs. "I don't know." 

"I wish I could keep my perceptions and perks when I obtained this body. It sucks that I must climb back to the top of my game!" Fairy Rage groans angrily. Then he takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry that you went through that awful experience. I wish I could have stopped the carnage. I wish I could have teleported us away when I had the chance..." 

Carla reaches Rage's cheek and holds them gently. "It's not your fault. We got ambushed by a threat who outsmarted us. We will have our retribution for the harm they inflicted on us. I know you'll tear their limbs off. I'll be there with you," Carla reassuringly says, kissing Rage on his nose. 

Fairy Rage smiles. He holds Carla more. "Thank you."  

Carla and Fairy Rage start getting frisky in bed with the kissing and cuddling. They roll around, enjoying each other's company, having the thrill of their life.
> Planning Ahead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike, Wendy, and Irene arrive in the cave of Eden's Forest. Irene gets sudden flashbacks of Belserion whenever she can leave the kingdom to visit him. She feels the walls of the caves while sensing an overwhelming surge of magic energy. 

"Home," Spike said while absorbing the energy in the cave. 

Wendy sniffs and smells something disgusting. "Agh!" Wendy covers her nose. "What is that?"

Spike walks over to see some old fruit and fish gone bad. "Leftovers. I forgot about the food I picked the other day when Natsu, Happy, and I trained during the month and a half." Spike uses his fire breath to teleport it elsewhere. 

"Thanks, Spike," Wendy sighs in relief, breathing the fresh air. 

"You're welcome," Spike smiles. 

"Mind teleporting me to my room, Spike? I want to gather my belongings. I'm aware that you and Wendy would prefer alone time, but as your mother, I forebay you of being with Wendy by yourself," Irene motherly says. 

Wendy didn't like the sound of Irene possibly monitoring their fun together but wholeheartedly appreciated her decision. "Teleport me to the Fairy Hills Dorm as well. I know Rage and Carla will be together in my room until the Preying Mantis Guild is no more."

"Very well. I'll use my fire breath to transport you two to the Fairy Hills Dorm. Wendy, you still have my calling card?" 

"Yeah," Wendy nods, holding the calling card. "I'll call you when Irene and I are ready."

"Sounds good. I'll be here, waiting," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport Wendy and Irene to the dorm. Spike fixes his bed and moves it to an area he seems comfortable. 

Wendy and Irene land in front of the Fairy Hills Dorm and enters. They go to their rooms to start packing. Irene writes a note and leaves it on Erza's table, letting her know that she'll be bunking with Spike and Wendy at Eden's Forest. She believes that Erza wants to move into the cave; so she's either not lonely or to protect Spike from any other member of the Preying Mantis Guild. 

Wendy is stunned and blushed red to see Fairy Rage and Carla asleep and naked in bed. She knows Carla is naked since her clothes are on the floor. "Whatever they did, they are lucky. I hope Carla feels better after what she and Rage did in bed." Wendy quietly moves around and packs her clothes and essentials. She flinches after hearing slight movement from Rage and Carla; Wendy carries her stuff in a backpack and leaves the room. Wendy goes to the lobby and waits for Irene. 

An hour later. Irene comes out with a duffle bag she's borrowed from Erza. She stored enough clothing and essentials for many weeks in the cave. Irene also has her belongings in a different bag for the trip to the Alvarez empire. She walks to see Wendy blushing in the lobby. 

"Something troubling you, Wendy?" Irene wants to know what's on Wendy's mind. 

"I saw too much in my room..," Wendy has somewhat of a mental scarring seeing Carla naked with Fairy Rage. She had never slept with Spike naked in any bed before. 

Irene gets an idea about the possibility with Fairy Rage and Carla. She decides not to pester Wendy with uncomfortable questions. She asks Wendy to activate the calling card and grabs her shoulder. Spike receives the call and uses his fire breath to teleport the two back to the cave. 

Natsu, Happy, and Lucy are heading upstairs to Lucy's apartment. They came from their mission, stopping thugs from robbing a train. Natsu scorched them before they boarded the train, making the job swifter than usual. 

"Too bad those punks didn't know anything about the Preying Mantis Guild," Natsu said. His stomach growls, craving food. 

"I'm surprised that you stopped them before getting on the train, Natsu," Happy said in delight. 

"Before they got on?" Lucy becomes stupefied by the statement. "Natsu melted the train with his fire breath!" Lucy barks in anger. "Not only have we lost money, but now we have to pay for the damages of the cargo train!" She complains a bit. 

"Relax, Lucy. Be glad that you're almost in your apartment. Also, I wonder if Spike's awake," Natsu said, carefree with his tone. 

"We'll find out," Lucy opens the door to her apartment and sees Spike's bed and belongings disappear. 

"HAPPY! WHAT DID YOU DO NOW?!" Natsu and Lucy shout in anger. 

"WHAT?! YOU'RE BLAMING ME FOR THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SPIKE?!" Happy retorts, feeling conflicted about the accusation. 

"You're the only one who would erase Spike from existence!" Lucy is fuming. 

Happy sadly sighs. "That was true, but I had nothing to do with it here, Lucy. I swear on my Fairy Tail Emblem that I had no involvement with Spike's disappearing act!" Happy sincerely and honestly proclaim. He put his right paw on his chest. 

Natsu sniffs Lucy's apartment. "Happy is right. Spike was here, but he's elsewhere." 

"See, what did I tell you? I didn't make another contract with Tergeri. Been there and won't be doing that again," Happy said. 

"Sorry, Happy," Natsu and Lucy apologetically say. 

"I forgive you. Honestly, I don't blame you, either. I know from here and out I'll be the first for allegations whenever someone dissipates." 

"So, where do you think Spike went off to?" Lucy asks Natsu. 

Natsu sniffs the room more. "Someone else was here. The scent was familiar when we encountered Cabal and the Exceeds." 

"You think Spike went away to protect Lucy?" Happy asks Natsu. 

"Without a doubt. We'll see Spike but not here. There's one other place I can think of if he wanted to go in hiding." 

"Where, Natsu?" Lucy and Happy ask him, wanting to know if Spike is in a safe place. 

"I rather not say. Walls have ears," Natsu believes a member of the Preying Mantis Guild is present and pretends to be oblivious to its presence. 

"Point taken," Lucy and Happy say in unison. They can't complain, knowing that the dark guild is attacking Fairy Tail mentally. 

"I can't believe I have the apartment to myself again," Lucy finds it strange. For a long time, she's used to having Spike in the apartment. Now, it's going to be different. 

"What's wrong with that, Lucy?" Natsu asks; he's concerned about Lucy's well-being. 

"I'm used to having my brother here in the apartment. I remembered my days of living alone after a long day working with you guys. However, having Spike around meant I wasn't alone. I had someone watching over me, someone to talk to, and someone to have good mornings with." 

"What about your days living in Crocus when you were a journalist?" Happy asks. 

"I had trouble sleeping during the nights. It was hard to adjust my lifestyle for the year," Lucy replies. 

"Well, Gramps forbade anyone from working on solo missions. I'm sure he won't mind if we stick together when we sleep," Natsu laughs. His thoughts run wild if Lucy believes he's up to no good. 

"Oh, yeah! Sleepover at Lucy's! We should bring our bed to replace the space!" Happy entices Natsu. 

"Good idea, Happy!" Natsu hops out the window and rushes to his and Happy's house.

"HEY! I DIDN'T PERMIT YOU TO MOVE IN!" Lucy shouts out the window. She sighs. "Oh well. It was bound to happen anyway." 

"That's the spirit, Lucy," Happy starts scratching the walls. 

"Will you cut that out!" Lucy demands Happy cease his foolishness. 

Back in the guildhall, Laxus returns from his solo mission. He sees the guild in disarray. 

"Geez, what died in here?" Laxus wonders why everyone seems gloomed. 

"Changes are among us, boy," Makarov said. He's drinking his beer on the stool. 

"How so?" Laxus approaches his grandpa. 

"It now has my attention," Gildarts brings his carrying bag into the guildhall. 

"What brings you here?" Laxus turns to Gildarts. 

"Makarov alerted me about a gruesome nightmare Spike endured. I missed out on fighting Midnight Sparkle when Spike had that dream. I'm not missing out on this upcoming war." 

"Right. So, what's the news, geezer?" Laxus stands next to Makarov. 

"No one is allowed to go on solo missions regardless of the magic prowess someone possesses. Either go as a team or stay put," Makarov instructs Laxus. 

"Anything else, Grandpa?" Laxus will be siding with the Thunder Legion. That won't change. 

"Whenever you're out on jobs with your team, try to uncover clues about the Holy Knights. Anything will help us at the moment," Makarov said. 

"Fine," Laxus meets up with the Thunder Legion. They discussed everything else that happened. 

"So, who will I partner with, Master?" Gildarts asks Makarov. 

"Whoever you feel like, teams of three wizards and more. The Preying Mantis Guild is on another level for mental assault." 

"Very well, Makarov. I wonder if Erza's mom will be interested," Gildarts gets a perverted image of being close to Irene. 

"Probably not. Irene is the mother of Spike the Fairy," Makarov confirms to Gildarts. 

"Say what?!" Gildarts is stunned and horrified, thinking of messing with Spike's mom. "When did this happen?" 

"Two weeks before the play in Onibus Town." 

Wendy and Irene appear next to Spike. Spike arranged the cave to make it homier. Spike's bed is at the hieroglyphic of his mom, Amy. The drawing of the Amythest Dragon makes him feel relaxed. There's a makeshift campfire in the middle of the cave. Next to the campfire is a table he made using the trees from Eden's Forest. Spike also crafted chairs from leftover wood. 

"Nice work, Spike," Irene walks by and pats his head. 

"Thanks," Spike smiles. "I'll be back," Spike uses his fire breath to teleport into Magnolia. 

Spike is in front of the mattress store and walks inside. An hour later. Spike buys a full-size firm bed for Irene to sleep in for 100,000 Jewels. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport the bed, sheets, and blanket back to the cave. When he arrives, Wendy and Irene are preparing dinner. Irene caught fresh fish from the river nearby, and Wendy made a fruit salad by gathering all sorts of berries, pineapples, bananas, and grapes. She's amazed to see all many fruits Eden's Forest can produce. 

"Welcome home, Spike!" Wendy waves a banana to catch his attention. 

"Thanks, Wendy," Spike chuckles. 

Irene notices the full-size bed and approaches Spike. "Is this for-" Spike nods, answering Irene's question before she can finish. "Oh, you," Irene lifts Spike and pulls him into a loving hug. "Thank you." 

"I wasn't going to allow my mom to sleep on rocks. Not even a sleeping bag," Spike replies. 

"Thank you," Irene kisses Spike's cheek in gratitude. 

"You're welcome, Mom," Spike kisses her cheek. 

Irene puts Spike down. She and Spike walk to the table. "Fish won't be ready until another hour of heating." 

"I can wait," Spike said. 

Erza arrives in the Fairy Hills Dorm. It's quieter than usual. As she walks to her room, she wonders what her mom is doing. Erza worries about Spike's health but knows that Wendy and her mother can care for him. Erza enters her room and notices a letter on the table. She grabs the envelope and unveils it. 

Dear Erza, 

Spike had an encounter with a possible member of the Preying Mantis Guild. He goes by the name Walker; Walker's magic allows him to manifest in shadowed apparitions. With that said and Makarov's declaration, I decided to bunk in with Spike and Wendy at Eden's Forest. I left a calling card if you desire to come along. Spike decides to protect his roommate, Lucy, from other incoming attacks since they know where he slept. Burn this letter after you read it; the walls have eyes. 

~ Irene Belserion

Erza takes the calling card and shreds the letter. She wants to slaughter Walker for attempting to bring misery to her brother. Erza doesn't wait too long to start packing. After ten minutes, she activates the calling card. 

"Mom, I'm ready," Erza calls. She closes her eyes while holding onto a wagon full of many luggage. Spike uses his fire breath to bring Erza and her wagon inside the cave. 

"Hey, Erza," Wendy waves at her. 

"Hey, Wendy," Erza scours the cave and sees the depiction of Spike's family on the cave walls. The story of his clan, and she feels immense magic energy all around her. "Whoa, I feel stronger in this cave." 

"That would be the infinite load of magic power in the cave, Sis. I could never get enough of consuming it every day. It's overflowing," Spike said. 

"The wave of magic power flows in you, making you stronger by the second," Wendy said. "It's like those herbs we got the day before the Rainbow Cherry Blossom Party." 

"I see," Erza basks in the presence of the abundantly magical power. She sees a scarlet aura flowing around her. "What is that?" 

"I have deep roots with Belserion and Amy, Erza. The clan of Energy Maker Dragons shared their power with those they deemed worthy. Since Spike is the last member of his family, it's safe to say that his presence allows us to immerse ourselves in the overflowing magic energy," Irene explains.   

"Natsu progressed immensely during his training with me in the caves. I want to say the richness of the magic power sustained Natsu, multiplying tenfold within every second spent here," Spike said. 

"Before we eat, let's discuss our Alvarez Empire trip," Irene said. "Come to the table," Irene walks over to the table. Wendy grabs her seat. 

"Shoot, I didn't make enough chairs," Spike facepalms himself. 

Erza leaves the cave to chop a tree down. Using one of the logs after a few slices, she uses it as her seat. "This'll do, Spike," Erza places the log near the table. 

"Alright," Spike sits on his chair by the table. Irene does so. 

"So, who else should come with us?" Wendy asks her friends. 

"I imagine Makarov asking Fairy Rage to stay. Having an Energy Maker Dragon as a backup would be an ideal scenario. I would assume Carla stays with Rage, refusing to leave his side after the year of his sacrifice," Erza said. She knows how close the two have become since Spike ate the time rift. 

"Natsu is known for terminating Zeref, the former king of the Alvarez Empire. I'm sure he will be public enemy number one," Irene said. She knows even after two months, things are not progressing smoothly. 

"Gray, Lucy, and Happy are out of contention. They will more likely stick together and go on several jobs around Magnolia. Knowing them, they could go looking for the Preying Mantis Guild," Spike admitting says cause it's something he would do as retribution. 

"Well, there's a team that wouldn't mind accompanying us for the ride. Also, you may need to get those motion relief pills from that Popeye fellow," Erza reminds Spike. 

"What for?" Irene turns to Erza. 

"The pills prevent us from having motion sickness for 48 hours," Wendy answers. 

"That is impressive. I can use my enchantments to enhance the supplement for a week at best," Irene said. She wants to utilize the effects of the pills since she has to ride on a boat. 

"That's perfect!" Wendy gets excited.

"Also, which team is best suited for us?" Irene asks her daughter. 

"The Thunder Legion," Erza said. She still has some beef with Evergreen, but she's willing to set aside their differences for the upcoming trip. 

"Sounds good. Still, I have only been on one job with the Thunder Legion. Should be fun setting sail with them on the journey," Spike said. 

"It'll be fun to work with Bickslow again," Wendy said. 

"Hopefully, they won't mind coming along. It's still their decision," Irene said. She is interested in learning more about Laxus. 

Spike gets up to check on the fish, but Irene uses her staff to prevent Spike from coming closer. She's the one that's cooking it and intends to serve it to her family. Erza leaves the cave to gather more wood for the upcoming nights since she has decided to stay with them for a long while. 

Carla and Fairy Rage wake up from their slumber. Fairy Rage and Carla smile at each other while holding each other's cheeks. The two blush lovingly and kiss each other on the lips. 

"Morning, sleepyhead," Carla said. She lightly taps Fairy Rage's nose. 

"Morning, beautiful." Fairy Rage kisses Carla's nose. "You were such a captivating kitty." 

"Oh, you," Carla giggles and lays on her back, staring at the ceiling. "Thank you." 

"Ah, you're welcome." Fairy Rage stares at Carla's face. He reaches over to pet Carla's white hair and scratches a little behind her cat ear. 

Carla coos a bit. She smiles widely. "That feels nice," Carla relaxes. 

Fairy Rage chuckles a bit. "I knew you'll enjoy that." 

"So, what do you feel like doing today?" Carla asks. 

"Staying in bed with you? I don't feel like getting up after all that fun we had a while ago. You?" Fairy Rage watches Carla get out of bed. 

"Well," Carla puts on her white bra and shirt. "I thought we could search for the missing Exceeds that fled from Cabal's mind control." 

"Really?" Fairy Rage didn't anticipate Carla wanting to search for the others so soon. He thought the search would take place in a week or so; After Carla recovered from the brutal scarring image of her kin slaughtered. 

"Yea," Carla puts on her black tights slowly. "Since Queen Shaggotte and the younglings are with Millianna, perhaps we can find those that fled, and you teleport them to Millianna." 

"I don't have a flare marking on Millianna or the Mermaid Heel Guildhall. I remember how to get there on foot. So, is it us, or are we inviting our friends?" 

"Us, Rage. Like a," Carla blushes and smiles at the idea. "Date. No Wendy, no Spike, no espionage tomcat stalking us," Carla puts on her red skirt. "Just you and me." 

Fairy Rage's wings flap with excitement, and he gets out of bed. "That's all you need to say." 

Carla starts putting on her green-buttoned shirt and tucks it into her skirt. She walks up to Fairy Rage and kisses his cheek. She sits on the bed to put on her brown shoes. 

"Do you need to wear your tie and jacket?" 

"I want to look my very best in front of the dragon I fell in love with," Carla replies. "Also..," Carla sighs. 

"Sorry for pestering." 

"It's not that. You have nothing to apologize for; It's just..," Carla sighs heavily. "I can't turn back." 

"Huh?" Fairy Rage is confused. "I don't sense anything manipulating you. I don't sense anything abnormal either." 

"Rage," Carla grabs Fairy Rage's claws and looks at him in the eyes. "I can't see myself as an Exceed; after all, I enacted on killing the hellhounds without noticing that the Exceeds were mind controlled by Cabal." 

"That was a freak accident. I know you would never obliterate the Exceeds." Fairy Rage locks eyes with Carla. "We were ambushed and had no time for logical thought. You can't blame yourself." 

"I do blame myself!" Carla shouts and pants heavily, with tears streaming down her face. "I attacked with our friends. We wanted to defeat Cabal and.., and..," Carla cries and holds onto Fairy Rage. 

"We fell into a trap." Fairy Rage gives Carla time to release her emotions. He softly rubs her back in the embrace. "We will make things right and have our retribution. However, we mustn't blame ourselves for anything. Cabal won the battle. We will win the war." 

"You won't say anything to enlighten the mood? Just straight to the point?" Carla chuckles slightly. 

"You should know by now. Sweet talking is new to me. I spew facts, and whenever Fairy Tail goes to war, Fairy Tail wins. Simple as that." 

"I admire your straightforwardness. Thanks for being strong." 

Fairy Rage lets go of Carla to grab her blue paw tie and jacket. "Here you go. Remember, you're strong too. Stronger than any of us during certain situations. Don't fret and cling to the negativity that'll decline you from moving forward." 

"I'll remember that," Carla puts on her tie and jacket. She's ready to go. 

"Let's search for three days, then head back to the guildhall." 

"Sounds good," Carla reaches for Fairy Rage's claw. "Let's go." 

Fairy Rage and Carla leave the room. The two decide to write to Spike and Wendy about their absence later in the day. Fairy Rage and Carla agreed to ride the train to New Extalia to commence their search and rescue operation.
> Making Amends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy has spent the past few hours crying due to her remarks and the scolding she received. She hates herself for mentally scarring Spike by comparing him to an evil tyrant. Angel Bunny and every one of Fluttershy's animals tries to comfort her. 

Discord arrives inside Fluttershy's cottage to check on her. He's aware of the tiff between her and Spike. Fluttershy turns to see Discord after hearing the poof of her best friend. 

"Hey, Fluttershy. How are you feeling?" Discord asks, knowing Fluttershy may spew a curse word about her feelings. 

"I feel like-" Discord blows the airhorn as Fluttershy finishes her comment. "Discord! I didn't even say sh-" A clone blows the trumpet to censor Fluttershy's swearing. 

"Then, what did you say?" Discord is curious about Fluttershy's vocabulary. All day he censored Spike's profanity. 

"I said I feel like a monster!" Fluttershy sniffs. 

"Oooooooooooh," Discord realizes his mistake. He leans down to hug her friend. "Sorry for the assumption. My clones were with Spike and Twilight. They were spewing profanity today." 

Fluttershy turns around, using her right hoof to hold her head in sadness. "I know." 

"So, what are you planning?" Discord stops hugging. 

Fluttershy looks down. "I don't know. I want to apologize for trying to starve Spike even though I didn't know he was starving, to begin with." 

"That's a good start," Discord uses his chaos magic to spawn a bowl of nails without any milk. He needs the iron for his body. "Also, you know Spike will buy other chickens to feast on now that he ate his, right?" 

"Yes. Also, I should not interfere when Spike buys chicken or other animals he needs for consumption. No matter how painful the cries of animals will get to me." 

"What will you do to draw out their cries?" Discord eats the bowl after eating his nails. 

"Have any earmuffs?" Fluttershy knows seeing the slightest reaction from any creature will melt her heart and spring into action in an endless loop. 

Discord snaps his paw and gives Fluttershy soundproof earmuffs. "Here you go." 

Fluttershy puts them on. Fluttershy hears nothing but silence. Discord is blabbing about something, and he becomes hard to lipread. Fluttershy listens to her sub-conscience and agrees to wear the earmuffs every time Spike flies by with a new animal for him to devour. Just close her eyes and think of something to distract her instincts. 

"I will reveal Spike and Twilight my new earmuffs to cancel any screams of other animals Spike wants to consume," Fluttershy removes her new earmuffs to hear Discord's response. 

"Nice idea, Fluttershy. Also, do apologize to Twilight for your remark about comparing Spike to Midnight Sparkle. The new Twilight treats her Spike as a son and has warned you and the others about certain behaviors towards Spike," Discord reminds Fluttershy. 

Fluttershy sighs. "I know."

The next day. Fluttershy wakes up after having a not-so-good sleep. She dreamt about the comparison and how Spike killed and ate her alive. Fluttershy goes to her kitchen to make eggs and drops them. The remarks from Twilight and Cozy get to her. She shrugs the feeling and puts the eggs away in favor of having a salad for breakfast. 

"Okay," Fluttershy takes a bite out of the lettuce and tomato. "Today, I make amends to Spike and do what he wants from me..," Fluttershy gulps with the probability of purchasing a chicken to lend to Spike. She faints a bit, seeing the chicken's facial reaction of betrayal within that instance. It's heartbreaking for her. 

Spike wakes up after a good night's rest. Twilight (Sci-Twi) wakes up and rubs Spike's head. They smile and hug each other, knowing today will be a great day. The two get out of bed and fix it together. Twilight encourages Spike to hop on her back and go to the kitchen. Spike complies, smiling widely, and gets on Twilight's back. 

Twilight trots to the kitchen with Spike and sees Chrysalis and Terax having breakfast. Terax tackle hugs Spike. Spike pretends that the hug knocked him off Twilight, and the two laugh. 

"Let's play, Spike!" Terax persuades Spike energetically. 

"After breakfast. I'm hungry," Spike sees Twilight opening the fridge to reheat yesterday's chicken. Spike starts drooling, knowing he'll stuff himself with more delicious meat. 

"Okay!" Terax flies and lands on Chrysalis' head. 

"I see you two are in a better mood," Chrysalis said, drinking her jasmine tea. 

"We had our learning session with the Princesses. Well, magic class Twilight endured, I was there for moral support and to learn what spells I can add to my arsenal." 

"Interesting. Anything good, Spike?" Chrysalis finishes drinking her jasmine tea. 

"Not really. The session is more for Twilight to utilize her magic power to greater lengths. Also, Twilight." 

"Yes, Spike?" Twilight puts the chicken in the oven. 

"I'm going to get my tattoo on my chest later today," Spike said. 

Twilight's eyes widen in pure shock. She slowly turns to gaze into Spike's eyes. "...what..?" 

"Well, I'm tired of being referred to as the Fairy Dragon. I know I have exact similarities, but I'm not Spike the Fairy. I want everyone to refer to me as Guardian Dragon, Guardian Spike, or Spike Guardian Dragon. I need a name that sticks out and creatures to respect my name. So, I'm getting a tattoo on the center of my chest." 

"Spike, getting a tattoo hurts; a lot. A needle going into scales may do more damage than you think," Twilight is nervous about Spike's decision-making. 

"Twilight. I swam in lava. A needle won't damage me," Spike scoffs at the idea of a needle hurting him. 

"I don't want to hear you cry or tap out once the needle touches you, mister," Twilight sharply replies. She understands the frustrations all too well since the last Twilight went astray and killed thousands for her ambitions. The comparison with the probability of history repeating itself. 

"As if I'm going to allow a needle to make me cry," Spike overconfidently says. 

"Don't you dare get a tattoo, Terax!" Chrysalis sternly says, hoping her tone will convince her son not to backtalk or be encouraged to follow Spike's footsteps. 

"Yes, mommy! I won't get one!" Terax shouts, hoping not to displease his mother, especially in front of her friends. 

"Good," Chrysalis' tone sounds motherly and polite. 

Smolder and Garble enter the kitchen. The two see Spike sitting with Chrysalis and Twilight. 

"Hey, Spike. Want to come and train with us in the Dragon Lands?" Smolder asks, hoping to spend time with Spike and gain his love interest. 

"Maybe later today. I'm flying to Manehattan to see Tats," Spike replies. 

"For what?" Smolder and Garble ask. 

Twilight sighs. 'Spike wants a tattoo on his chest." 

"A TATTOO?!" Garble and Smolder didn't like the sound of Spike getting a tattoo. Dragon tolerance for pain is different for sharp ends on items. 

"If you can convince Spike to decline the tattoo, be my guest. I have no power over Spike," Twilight said. She starts making coffee. 

"You're his mother! Do something!" Smolder shouts. 

"Get an emblem like Fairy Dragon did, bro," Garble tries to persuade Spike to avoid a tattoo experience. 

Spike snorts at the mention of Fairy Dragon. His friends and Twilight see a different shade from him. It's unnerving to see the hostility of the other Spike. "This is something I need. I hear creatures daily calling me the Fairy Dragon. I don't have Spike the Fairy's emblem and have no intentions of getting a replica. I'm getting a tattoo that symbolizes the definition of being a Guardian Dragon." 

"Oooooooh," Smolder understands Spike's motive better. She and Garble understand the desire but needles on scales hurt like hell. Well, anything sharp hurts. 

Spike thought long and hard about his design for an emblem to showcase on his chest. He hopes Tats can draw his depiction before marking him. 

After breakfast, Garble and Smolder told Twilight they'll escort Spike to Manehanttan since they flew there not long ago. Twilight wants to go with them but remembers that Neighsay needs her assistance for a research project about Grogar's relic possibilities. Twilight and Spike hug each other before departing. Chrysalis feels Terax attempting to fly and follow Spike, so she uses her magic to withhold Terax in place. Terax pouts, wishing that he could go with his best friend. 

Spike activates his energy wings and takes off with Garble and Smolder. Silverstream and Ocellus notice their friends flying and tag along for the ride. They become ecstatic to see the possible new image of Spike's chest with an emblem clarifying that Spike is the Guardian Dragon.

Fluttershy is outside her home, tending to the chickens. After filling their bowls with grain, she looks up and sees Spike, Smolder, Garble, Ocellus, and Silverstream. They are flying not far from her home, so she decides to approach Spike with an apology. 

Smolder and Garble lead the pack, guiding them on a fast route to Manehattan when Fluttershy intercedes their flight. She hovers in front, panting from using most of her energy. 

"Fluttershy?" Smolder and Garble wonder what she has to say. Spike glares at her; he's still upset about being compared to a genocidal maniac. Ocellus and Silverstream remain silent. They show no emotion. 

"Spike.., I know you detest seeing me after making that awful remark about you and Midnight Sparkle. I'm not here to scold or make any rude comments."

"Save it, Fluttershy. The next thing you're going to say is, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for comparing your first kill to a narcissistic lunatic who wanted to purge all the magic to restart time and regain what," Spike knows the apology is either exact or similar. 

Fluttershy sighs heavily. She looks at Spike sincerely while trying to withhold her tears. "You're right. Those words you've spoken are similar to what I was going to say. Also, I want to grant you any wish." 

Spike's eyes light up after hearing Fluttershy is willing to grant him a wish. "Any wish I ask, and you won't cringe, cry, or try to convince me into wishing for something else?" Spike wants clarification that Fluttershy won't cop out after hearing what he wants. 

"Anything," Fluttershy expects Spike to wish for a chicken brought to him. She's mentally preparing herself to fulfill anything that may compel anguish from animals' cries. "What is your wish, Spike?" Fluttershy starts having butterflies in her stomach; it's painful to witness the squeals of chickens, but she will force herself to tolerate the situation. 

Garble and Smolder turn to Spike. They suspect him of asking Fluttershy to buy another chicken at Cherry's ranch. Ocellus and Silverstream become suspicious of Spike's thoughts possibly running wild with a side of sadism. 

"How many bits you have on you?" Spike asks Fluttershy. He smirks at the idea in case of a setback. 

"Not much..," Fluttershy gulps. She starts sweating due to Spike's smirk. 

"Bring your purse," Spike commands. 

"Of course," Fluttershy flies home. 

Fluttershy releases her tears since the others won't notice her crying quietly. Her animals see the despair written on Fluttershy's face when she arrives. Angel Bunny is worried-sick about his owner and hops to her. Angel Bunny rubs the right side of Fluttershy's neck. "Oooooh," Fluttershy sadly groans and grabs her purse from the closet. She does an initial count. "Seventy-five bits," Fluttershy finishes counting, and Angel Bunny flops. He knows Fluttershy would not take that many on errands. "I'll be back later..," Fluttershy closes her eyes and embraces her laborious challenge. 

Spike, Garble, Smolder, Ocellus, and Silverstream waited patiently for Fluttershy. Spike doesn't intend on scarring Fluttershy since she's caring for her animals, but he's not sure how much the tattoo will cost him. Since Fluttershy yearns to do right with Spike, Spike will oblige to her offer. 

Fluttershy returns, and the others see dried-up tears on her face. Spike sighs heavily. 

"Alright, we're flying to Manehattan. Think you can keep up with the long trip?" Spike asks Fluttershy. 

"Uh-uh," Fluttershy sadly shakes her head. 

"How long is the train ride to Manehattan?" Spike asks his friends. 

"Five hours," Fluttershy answers Spike's question. 

Spike groans. "No matter. A little sightseeing on the train wouldn't hurt." 

The train ride from Ponyville to Manehattan took seven hours. There was a train delay with sheep sleeping on the train tracks. Spike received unwelcomed attention from many peers, asking for an autograph from Spike the Fairy. Spike's anger arose with the pestering, and he threatened to turn into a demon dragon to harm those who asked another question. Instead of every creature cowering in fear, they encouraged Spike to turn into Fairy Demon Dragon. Fluttershy felt ashamed of herself for dragging Spike into an unfortunate circumstance. Her drive for wanting Spike's forgiveness may have dropped severely since more ponies chanted Fairy Dragon's name. Smolder and Garble did their best to push back the crowd without causing harm but were overwhelmed by the numbers. 

Spike gets out of the train with Smolder, Garble, Fluttershy, Silverstream, and Ocellus. They get swarmed by the paparazzi, asking about making progress like Spike the Fairy; Spike flies away from the pestering ponies taking many flashed pictures of him. The others followed Spike away from the train station, with many ponies proud of taking photos of Spike, making sure to edit them by plastering the Fairy Tail Emblem on the chest. 

Spike is on a Manehattan rooftop panting heavily. "I'm sick of them!" Spike finally yells out his frustration. "Fairy, Fairy, Fairy, Fairy, FAIRY! I'M NOT SPIKE THE FAIRY!" Spike unleashes a surge of sparkling green flames from his roar in anger. 

Silverstream flies down to the streets to ask random pony folk about a tattooer named Tats. Also, it's to avoid a meltdown from Spike. 

"Then why are we here, Spike? Am I going to buy you a chicken here?" Fluttershy asks. She thought Spike wanted to come here to try Manehattan's chicken. 

"No," Spike shakes his head. "You're here for another reason, Fluttershy." 

"Trust us. You'll be surprised about Spike's resolution," Smolder said. She hopes that Tats is around the corner or someplace nearby. 

Silverstream rejoins the group. "I have the address, Spike," Silverstream gives Spike a business card. 

Spike reads the card. The back of it details a map. "Alright, the shop is," Spike walks to the edge of the roof and points down to the sign that read Tats' Parlor. "There..," Spike turns to Silverstream. 

"Whoopsie," Silverstream couldn't believe that the mare who gave her the business card was next to the tattoo shop. 

Spike hovers down. Everyone follows Spike as Fluttershy gets nervous. Her eyes widen in shock at the title sign above the door; Tats' Top Visuals. Fluttershy snaps out of her daze when the bell chimes. She understands now. Spike wasn't getting a chicken; he was getting a tattoo!

Spike gazes around the shop. A red mare unicorn with a black mohawk mane, fishnet tube socks, a leather jacket, a black gothic-spike collar, several tattoos all over her body, and a cigarette in her mouth turns to see Spike and his friends. Her jaw drops along with her cigarette. Never in her life had she expected to see Dragons walking in her shop, especially Spike. 

"Hey, are you Tats?" Spike asks the mare. 

Tats shake her head to wake herself up. She stomps on the cigarette. "Yes, I am," Tats smiles widely at Spike. "What can I do for you?" 

"I'm here to get a tattoo on my chest," Spike points to the center. 

Tats' eyes glitter in excitement. She gets to tattoo the Fairy Tail Emblem on the exact replica's chest. "Please, have a seat on the chair," Tats points to a comfy lounge chair near several mirrors. She watches Spike walk over to the chair and sits. He relaxes and gets comfortable. 

Smolder, Garble, Ocellus, and Silverstream scour the different artwork in Tats' shop. They are amazed to see the different styles of work Tats can do. One, in particular, will make Spike cringe. The Fairy Tail Emblems. Fluttershy sees the cute animal tattoos and how realistic they look. 

"What are you looking to get?" Tats asks. 

"I want an emblem that shows what a Guardian would be. Something that symbolizes protection and ready to fight!" Spike becomes enthusiastic. 

Tats gets an elegant idea. "I'll be right back in a few. I'm going to draw a few sketches in the back," Tats trots to her art room to draw out the idea of being a Guardian. 

Fluttershy strolls up to Spike. "So, I'm paying for your tattoo?" 

"Yes. You help get me the tattoo, and I'll forgive your mistake." 

"Deal," Fluttershy shakes Spike's left claw with her right hoof. She's glad Spike is not using her to buy a chicken. 

"Spike!" Garble grabs Spike's attention. "Smolder, Silverstream, Ocellus, and I will explore a bit while you get your tattoo!" 

"We won't be long," Smolder assures Spike. 

"I'm curious to see what Times Square looks like!" Silverstream shouts in excitement. 

"Same with me!" Ocellus concurs. 

"Alright, Fluttershy, and I will come for you after I get my tattoo," Spike responds. He doesn't want his friends to succumb to boredom in the shop. 

"Later, bro!" Garble and Smolder shout as they leave the store. Ocellus and Silverstream walk with them. 

Spike takes a deep breath. Second thoughts run wildly in his mind about the pains of a needle. The pain tolerance of Dragons gets the better of Spike and his decision-making. Fluttershy calms and decides to encourage Spike to see through the tattooing machine. Fluttershy reminded Spike about the intense pillow fight a year ago. 

A few moments later, Tats returns to Spike with a sketch she believes symbolizes what a Guardian should be. It's a Fairy Tail Emblem with a longer wingspan. Spike is not thrilled and frowns at the image. 

"Something wrong?" Tats is confused by the sudden sadness. 

"I didn't ask for the Fairy Tail Emblem!" Spike is upset and sounds frustrated. 

"Well, I remember Spike the Fairy called himself the Crystal Fairy Guardian Dragon. So, I figured that you wanted something similar to his form. That's why, when I tattoo you, I'll add the UV ink light to make your tattoo sparkle."

I don't want a FAIRY TAIL EMBLEM!!! I'M NOT THE FAIRY DRAGON!" Spike yells angrily at Tats. 

"Nonsense, don't judge a book by its cover," The fan side of Tats gets the better of her, and she insists on giving Spike the tattoo she made. 

Spike furiously moans as every pony and creature will forever see him as someone else. Fluttershy confronts Tats.

"Excuse me. Is that how you talk to your customers?" Fluttershy assertively asks Tats. 

Tats turn to Fluttershy. "What do you want?" Tats rudely responds. 

"I want you to give my friend the tattoo he wants! He detests being someone else and is trying to live his life! Not someone else's!" Fluttershy barks back at Tats. 

Tats smirks at Fluttershy for being insistent. "When somepony tries to block, show them how I rock!" "This is my shop, lady! Be a dear and leave since you're disruptive!" Tats points to the door and shoves Fluttershy by the door. "Bye, now." 

Fluttershy grits her teeth and slowly trot to Tats. She does her STARE at Tats, and she whimpers from Fluttershy's vicious glare. "GIVE SPIKE A GUARDIAN TATTOO THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY FAIRY TAIL REFERENCE, OR ELSE!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Tats runs to her art room and designs new sketches. Spike couldn't help but laugh at the transition. 

Fluttershy sighs in relief. "Never thought of doing the STARE to somepony else again," Fluttershy turns to Spike. "I'm sorry for using my STARE, forcing you to hand me, Daisy." 

"I understand, Fluttershy. I should have known better than to come to you during the storm." 

Tats slowly trots to Spike with a new design. She trembles a bit from the STARE Fluttershy unleashed. The drawing details a heater shield with a capitalized G in the middle; on the sides, there are two long angelic wings that angels would have. 

"Is th-th-this better..?" Tats hopes that the redesign will please Spike. 

"What colors you'll use?" Spike asks Tats. 

"Any colors you choose," Tats replies, hoping not to receive the stare from Fluttershy again. 

Spike asks for the outline of the tattoo to be black, the heater shield to be purple, the capital G to be black, the angelic wings to be gray, and UV sparkle dots to glimmer all over the tattoo. Tats comply with Spike's request. Fluttershy stands next to Spike for support. 

Tats uses her magic to levitate the tattoo machine. "This won't hurt a bit. It's going to hurt a lot." 

"WHAT?!" Spike mentally prepares himself. 

"Hey! Why can't you be gentle?" Fluttershy is tempting to use the STARE again. 

"He's not the first dragon to receive a tattoo. Dragons have a weakness for sharp stuff, sweetie. He's my first dragon to tattoo, but I have my experiences with other dragons on the receiving end." 

"I'm ready. If you need to knock me out, by all means!" Spike closes his eyes. 

Tats place her design on Spike's chest and slowly peels the paper off. The instant the tattoo machine touches Spike's chest, he screams in agony. However, he refuses to tap out, knowing that Grogar will use different spells that would cause more severe injuries than a tattoo machine could ever do. Fluttershy is heartbroken by hearing Spike screaming in pain. She wonders if Twilight warned him about getting a tattoo. 

Six hours later. Tats finish her work on Spike's chest. Spike is tired of crying and screaming over a needle machine. He pants heavily from the entire traumatic experience and regrets going through the process of achieving his heart's desire. Fluttershy checks on Spike and sees the UV lights activating. The size of the tattoo is similar to the size of Fairy Dragon's Emblem. She wondered if Tats did that on purpose. 

Garble, Smolder, Silverstream, and Ocellus returns after getting sidetracked by the parades in the city. They brought food for Spike and Fluttershy. They see Tats turning off the lights in her shop and notice the UV lights appearing on Spike's chest. They come closer to feast their eyes on Spike's new tattoo. 

"Dude, that's killer," Garble said in awe. 

"Now everyone will know the Guardian Dragon, huh, Spike?" Smolder checks Spike's condition. 

"I hate needles," Spike said after the six-hour session. 

"We warned you," Garble and Smolder say in unison.

"Why get a tattoo instead of a stamped emblem?" Ocellus asks. It would make sense for something less painful. 

"I've uncovered a spell within the new library in Castle Central. When I cast it, it'll protect the art from anything. In hindsight, it's pointless, but for me, it's a blessing. Tattoos are artwork, so the magic with protect my new emblem," Spike places his left claw on his tattoo. "Now, everyone will refer to me as the Guardian Dragon," Spike turns to Tats. "How much in total?" 

"Seventy bits," Tats replies. 

Fluttershy tosses the bag of bits to Tats, and she flinches. She's afraid of Fluttershy. "Keep the change," Fluttershy puts Spike on her back and leaves the shop with the others. 

Tats immediately shuts the door to her shop, bolt-locking them; so no one enters for the rest of the night. 

"She doesn't like you, Fluttershy," Ocellus said. She wonders what Fluttershy did to make a tough unicorn quiver. 

"Oh, don't mind her. It was business," Fluttershy states. "Let's go home." 

"Agreed," Spike activates his energy wings and increases his size. "Fluttershy, hold on tight. We're taking off." 

Fluttershy gets on Spike's back and wraps around him. She tries not to worry about the flight speed since Spike tolerated the long train ride. 

"RACE YA!" Spike leaps and takes flight. 

"YOU'RE ON!" Garble, Smolder, Ocellus, and Silverstream take flight. They race each other back to District Ten. 

An hour into the race, clones of Discord appear and interrupts the fun. They inform every creature that Twilight and Neighsay sent them since the trip took far longer than anticipation. Fluttershy is relieved and yet saddened that the race got halted. She enjoyed her time with Spike and the others. With a snap by Discord's clones, everyone is back home. Safe and sound. 

Spike looks around and sees Twilight in their room. Twilight hugs Spike after worrying for quite a while; She becomes awestruck at Spike's tattoo. Spike reveals how his day went. The explanation took an hour, and Twilight sighed about the pestering ponies and paparazzi indulging the idea of meeting Spike the Fairy. Everyone knows the story and should have learned that her Spike is far different than Fairy Dragon. Twilight recommends Spike spend time in the Crystal Empire. Show their new Brave and Glorious what Guardian Dragon can do. 

Spike takes it to heart and decides to stay at the Crystal Empire for a few weeks. Spending time with Flurry Heart and Princess Cadance wouldn't hurt, either. Spike said tomorrow he'll go indefinitely. Spike wants to eat, spend time with Terax, and then sleep.
> Making Progress
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grogar inspects Lord Tirek's training with the Chameleons, Diamond Dogs, and Lizards. They are tired and frail due to the lack of rest. Lord Tirek is pushing them brutally, reminding them how creatures in United Equestria continue to annex property, possessions, and land. Grogar admires Lord Tirek's motivation to toughen those creatures into shape. 

Grogar enters Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's laboratory to animadvert his weapons and the stability of the baby dragon. Sadistic Spike Knightwalker greets Grogar with a domineering smile while holding an injured baby dragon wishing for death. 

"The longevity of this youngling has outstanding sufferance. I tested every color of the gemstone, and surprisingly, the youngling won't die." 

"What color are more efficient on dragons?" 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker grimly laughs, which scares the youngling dreadfully. "As I anamnesis, the blue one has freezing qualities. Dragons are cold-blooded except for a few that practiced water magic." 

"Which was imminent since Fairy Dragon bestirred every dragon's potential," Grogar intentionally provokes Sadistic Spike Knightwalker with his peerless opposite. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker grabs the head of the baby dragon and twists its' neck. Grogar evades his insulting measures, so no Chameleon returns to the Dragon Lands to retrieve another dragon egg. 

"You wouldn't want me to be the catalyst of your declension, right?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker chuckles sinisterly. 

"No," Grogar grits his teeth. He snorts bitterly.

"Red gemstones are inutile for all dragons. Others that use magic to escutcheon themselves or those around them will suffer the consequences," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker warrants. 

"Are you sure you can validate that theory? Young dragons are incommensurable to Ponies, Changelings, and Alicorns." 

"Come with me," Sadistic Spike Knighwalker walks out of his laboratory with the youngling in his arms. Grogar abides and wonders what else Knightwalker acquired. 

Grogar enters a chamber and sees a unicorn in shackles, standing on her hind hooves. She has a light yellowish-gray coat, a red mane, a tail with purple highlights, purple eyes, and a cutie mark of a crescent moon and three stars. "Who is that?" Grogar surveys the barbarous scarring on her body. On her horn, she adorns a voice command ring. 

"Moondancer. No one suspects anything of her vanishment." 

"What's with the accessory?" Grogar scans the ring Moondancer is wearing. 

"Since her abduction, I needed a willing participant to conjecture my formulas with each gemstone. Moondancer refused and rebelled against my demands; I gave her a reason to submit. Observe," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker reveals his modified pistols. "Ring, activate magic shield." 

Moondancer's horn ignites after the command. Moondancer looks at Sadistic Spike Knightwalker in humiliation; She has no control of her magic and casts a bubble shield. Grogar relishes the dolor emitting from a hopeless unicorn. 

"Please.., no..," Moondancer becomes teary; she knows what awaits her. Sadistic Spike Knightwalker aims at Moondancer's left side. "PLEASE! DOOOOOOOOON'T!!!!" Moondancer squirms for dear life, not wanting to experience the insufferable paroxysm. Sadistic Spike Knightwalker fires an incinerating shard bullet at Moondancer's left side. The gemstone pierces the defense spell at ease. Moondancer wails and thrashes in affliction; the shackles hold her in place. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! LET ME GO! LET ME GOOOOOOOOOHOHOHOHOOOOO!" Moondancer bursts into tears. "I WANT TO GO HOOOOOOOOOOOOME OOOOOOHOHOHOOO!" 

Grogar grins with satisfaction. Hearing the cries of mercy and discomfort brings happiness to his cause. "You have done well. Although, that was a mere unicorn. I need further advancement with an Alicorn. Also, an almighty Changeling infused with the Crystal Heart." 

"You dare mock my power?!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker fires an incinerating bullet at Grogar. 

Grogar conjures his defense bubble. "Insolent worm-" The bullet dispels Grogar's shield, and the incinerating gemstone pierces Grogar's left eye. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Grogar falls over and feels his left eye melting. He roars in torment. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker walks up to Grogar and lifts his horns for an eye-to-eye confrontation. "That was from my pistol. It's only a fraction of my capability. Imagine if I used my arrows or turret. You would be dead or emanating for mercy!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker drops and kicks Grogar. He collides with several walls. 

Grogar sees Sadistic Spike Knightwalker as a worthy adversary but has deep concerns about his motives. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker shows no sympathy for his actions. "You require my assistance; remember who owns you, punk." 

"Dare speak that tone at me?!" Grogar rises from the impact. "My scepter will obliterate you where you're standing!" 

"What's stopping you from retrieving it?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker challenges Grogar. 

"Who is this guy?" Grogar has a new respect for Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's personality. Grogar decides to catechize Lord Tirek's progress. 

"Walk away," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker unimpressively says. He returns to his laboratory to work on his weapons. 

Grogar strolls to the makeshift training facility near an underground rapid. Lord Tirek is pushing the Chameleons, Diamond Dogs, and Lizards with several weight-training exercises. 

"I detest these weaklings," Lord Tirek slumps over after watching everyone flopping due to the heavyweights. 

"After all of these weeks, they are meaningless?" Grogar turns to Lord Tirek. 

"Unavailing scum is the right terminology, Grogar," Lord Tirek turns to his superior. "What happened to your left eye?" 

"Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's incinerating gemstone appears more omnipotent than my better judgment. He's a worthy ally for the conquest. Best not provoke him either." 

"You pissed him off?" Lord Tirek asks out of interest. 

"I aroused his theory after commentating on the bullet's prowess on a weak unicorn in confinement. Sadistic Spike Knightwalker shot me and dissipated my defense spell. What I felt is unlike anything that rived me in agony throughout my existence. He's terrifying," Grogar unwillingly admits. 

"My hero..," Lord Tirek is afraid of Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. "Have any spells that'll increase the muscle mass of these weaklings?" 

"I don't have enough magic power to share with an army yet. I need a supplement to channel enough force. I need-" An idea strikes Grogar. One creature has the potency to increase his magic since the Alicorn Amulet is worthless. "I shall return by nightfall. Do not follow me." 

Rover crawls to Lord Tirek, begging for rest. He and all the others are narcoleptic from today's unmelodious session. Lord Tirek permits an hour's recess for every creature. 

Grogar puts on his cloak and transforms into a blue earth pony. He departs the mines and embarks on a scavenger hunt; He'll take a trip to the Crystal Empire.
> Searching for Answers: Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's nighttime in Magnolia. Fairy Rage and Carla didn't realize when they left that it was nightfall but didn't care. Fairy Rage and Carla hold hands while strolling to the train station. They'll follow the path they embarked on when they spied on Spike. Luckily for Fairy Rage, a few people approached him and Carla to take pictures. They can see from the spikes on his head are different than Spike's. Then the train arrives, and the two board the train. 

"Seven-hour ride, right?" Carla turns to Fairy Rage. 

"Yeah. Seven hours of undisturbed travel and peace to be with you." Fairy Rage rubs Carla's hands. "We will find them. Someday, a new breed of Exceeds will come to fruition." 

Carla blushes at that statement. Despite it being too soon to bring forth life, she welcomes the probability of becoming a mother. She kisses Fairy Rage's cheek. "Thank you." 

Fairy Rage chuckles joyfully. "You're welcome." Fairy Rage kisses Carla's nose. 

Natsu returns to Lucy's apartment while carrying his and Happy's mattress. Natsu bumps into Gray since the front half of the bed blinds his vision. 

"Hey, watch where you're going, doofus!" Gray retorts. He's in his underwear. 

"Buzz off, man!" Natsu lifts his bed to see Gray. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" 

"I can say the same about you, fire-breath!" Gray angrily barks back at Natsu. "I see you're sleeping on the streets," Gray taunts and laughs at Natsu. 

"Nu-uh!" Natsu protests. "Spike left the apartment with all his things, so I'm moving with Lucy!" 

"Why did he leave?" Gray gets serious. 

"Punks from the Preying Mantis Guild followed him and attempted to subdue him and possibly Wendy. Spike wanted to protect Lucy since the Preying Mantis Guild has a personal vendetta against Spike!" 

"Where would Spike go?" Gray wants answers. 

"I can't answer that question. Other members could be lurking, evading my scent with cloaking spells. There's one place I know Spike will go to sleep on any occasion. We trained there before." 

Gray puts the pieces together. He remembers reading a letter about Spike's discovery during the year of training to depict a location of refuge. "Alright, Natsu," Gray turns around. "Might as well bunk with you, Happy, and Lucy for the night. Safety in numbers, right?" 

"You're sleeping on the couch," Natsu said. 

"Fine by me," Gray responds. He and Natsu enter Lucy's apartment. 

Spike is in front of the cave, looking at the night sky. He sees comets and shooting stars. Erza walks up to him with a cup of juice. 

"Something troubling you, Spike?" Erza asks. She drinks her juice. 

"Pondering about the trip to the Alvarez Empire. The first time we went, we were going on a search and rescue. This time, we're searching for answers. Mom used to reside there until she became a Fairy Tail Wizard. I can't help but think how they would respond to our visitation," Spike replies. 

"We won't know until we arrive, Spike. With August defeated and their forces crippled, I doubt the Alvarez Empire would pose a threat. Especially with you in the midst," Erza claims. 

"You may be right, Erza," Irene interjects the conversation. "However, the empire hasn't fully healed since going to war with Ishgar. Frankly, they'll see me as a traitor for siding with Fairy Tail. Whoever is the new ruler of the Alvarez Empire may want to retaliate when they see Fairy Tail Wizards and Dragon intruding their homeland." 

"We need someone to correlate on the journey. To bring peace and unity with Ishgar and the Alvarez Empire," Wendy joins the crew after hearing them talk for a while. 

Irene closes her eyes and sighs heavily. "You make a valid point, Wendy. I know who to bring along on the journey. Although she is not fond of me for what I did to her..," Irene remembers the moment of horror and sadness. 

"Who is it, Mom?" Spike and Erza ask. 

"Princess Hisui and Toma E. Fiore, Erza and Spike. Not my proudest moment during my wicked days..," Irene detests her former self for creating strife and relishing the pain and suffering. 

"Princess Hisui is a huge fan of mine. I can talk to the Princess about the trip. I'm sure she wouldn't hesitate," Spike reassuringly proclaims. 

"I know she is, Spike. When I changed Princess Hisui's human self, she held onto a Spike the Fairy plush. She grasped it like her baby," Irene said. She then remembers the earache and scolding from her father. 

"I can fly now and ask her," Spike flaps his wings. 

"Go in the morning. And before you leave, teleport us to the guildhall so we can recruit the Thunder Legion," Irene commands motherly. 

Spike nods and accepts his mother's advice. Spike yawns and is ready for slumber; Wendy grabs Spike's claw and walks to his bed. As for Erza, the bed Spike brought Irene is large enough for the two to sleep together as mother and daughter. 

Five hours later. Fairy Rage and Carla wake up and ask the conductor about their destination. Due to several delays on the main track, it'll take another four hours. Carla clutches Fairy Rage's arm, 

"You okay, Carla?" Fairy Rage is worried about Carla's state of mind. 

"I'm fine; Just going through the emotions," Honestly, Carla is mentally preparing herself to see the many corpses of Exceeds when they walk into the forest. 

"It's not your fault." Fairy Rage knows it has something to do with New Extalia's location and battlefield. He holds Carla lovingly. "I promise you; we're finding many Exceeds to reunite with the others. I won't rest until we find them all."  

"Do rest when needed, Rage. I can't lose you again," Another fear Carla has is losing her Dragon for the second time in her life. 

"I'm not going anywhere. We're intertwined now, Carla. You won't lose me. Not even that stupid dream Spike had will ever separate us." 

"I love you, Rage," Carla hugs tighter. 

"I love you, too." Fairy Rage replies. He softly rubs Carla's head, knowing it'll calm her down. 

Horrid illustrations of Exceed corpses plague Carla's mind. She tries to ignore it with Fairy Rage petting her. One image scars her more than anything, the demise of her beloved Fairy Rage during the Grand Magic Games. 

Fairy Rage senses something manipulating Carla that's causing her distress. He reaches for a pair of sunglasses. "Visión fantasmal!" Fairy Rage breaks the sunglasses. He becomes a perpetual spirit. 

"RAGE?!" Carla sees her beloved going invisible. She figures it's another spell Death taught him with sunglasses. Then Carla sees a silhouette of a tall figure getting beaten up mercilessly. 

The spell wears out with Fairy Rage pinning a shadowed man.

"AH, DUDE, YOU GOT ME! CHILL! CHILL!" Walker pleaded for his life. He has severe bruises on his body. 

"WHO ARE YOU, AND WHY ARE YOU GOING AFTER CARLA?!" Fairy Rage snorts. Smoke hits Walker's projection. 

"Ah, Shit! YOU'RE THE FAIRY DRAGON!" Walker realizes his fatal error. He screams in fear. 

"Fairy Rage! Numbskull!" Fairy Rage hoists Walker by the druid's collar and slams him against the train doors. 

The impact of the slam causes the train doors to fracture. One door breaks apart and goes flying with the wind. Walker sees the velocity of the train's movement. He pants heavily, knowing he messed with the wrong victim. 

Fairy Rage reads Walker's body language, and his senses speculate about his magic power prowess. "How interesting." Fairy Rage's smirk becomes malevolent. 

"Wh-W-Wh-Wh-What?" Walker becomes petrified about Fairy Rage's disturbed smile. He stutters and trembles. 

"You're using shadow projections." 

"WHAT?!" Carla gets out of her seat and approaches Walker. She grabs him by the throat. 

"Ack!" Walker feels Carla's grip and the fire in her eyes. He knows she's pissed and may have solved his inclusion. 

"WE'RE YOU INVOLVED WITH CABAL'S HELLHOUND ONSLAUGHT?!" Carla stares daggers at Walker. 

Walker grins. "Yes. I am an accomplice during that confrontation," He laughs as Carla's hand phases through. 

"What the?" Carla realizes that Walker is toying with her and Rage. 

Walker sinisterly chuckles. "Do you honestly believe I'll allow you to harm me?" 

"Las Sombras Se Funden!" Fairy Rage breaks half of the sunglasses. 

Walker's eyes widen in horror. He understands the language. "YOU BASTARD! THAT'S SPANISH FOR-" Many shadowed projections that Walker unleashed return to him. He's becoming solid with each one of his copies merging with him. Fairy Rage grabs his throat with his left claw. Now, Walker is choking for real. 

"You better listen well, you jackass. Thanks to you, my girlfriend is mentally scarred. Now, it's time for retribution!" Fairy Rage's right claw blazes in orange-black flames. 

"NO, WAIT!" Walker flinches at the burning flares of Fairy Rage's claw. 

"Rage," Carla puts her right hand on Fairy Rage's left shoulder. "I want to beat the shit out of him first." 

"Wh-What..?" Walker turns to Carla. He gulps. 

"As you wish." Fairy Rage gut-punches Shadow so hard he falls over. The impact, for some reason, nullifies his magic power. "I'll inform the conductor about guild business, so he'll escort the passengers of this car and leave us be with this prick." 

Carla maliciously smiles. Walker starts whimpering since he can't use magic to elude the punishment. Fairy Rage leaves Carla, and he hears the painful bellows echoing on the train. 

It's 9:00 in the morning. Spike is getting ready to leave Eden's Forest. Erza, Wendy, and Irene have everything packed for the journey. Spike uses his fire breath to teleport his family to the guildhall. Spike flaps his wings and flies to Mercurius. 

Irene, Wendy, and Erza see Master Makarov having his morning drink. Erza and Wendy search the guildhall, looking for the Thunder Legion as Irene approaches Makarov. 

"So, I guess you're recruiting for the trip?" Master Makarov turns to Irene. 

Irene nods. "Indeed. We need to take a few more with us for the travel. I also suspect the Preying Mantis Guild following in pursuit to torment Spike." 

"These attacks are relentless," Makarov drinks his coffee. "My children are enduring new waves of hurt and pain. So, who do you have in mind for the journey?" 

"The Thunder Legion," Irene responds. Mirajane is by the counter, pouring a cup of coffee for Irene. "Thanks," She drinks her cup. "We can't take Fairy Rage. He's with Carla, and she's recovering from the gruesome experience." 

"Gildarts took Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen on a job an hour ago. Laxus is here," Makarov informs Irene. 

"Laxus!" Erza grabs his attention. She found him having breakfast with Gajeel while discussing going on a job. 

"What up, Erza?" Gajeel turns to Erza and Wendy. 

"What's on your mind, Erza?" Laxus finishes eating. 

"Spike, Mom, Wendy, and I are heading to the Alvarez Empire to inquire about evidence of the Holy Knights. I humbly ask for your and the Thunder Legion's assistance." 

"You don't say," Laxus is intrigued to journey. Going to the Alverez Empire could mean another battle since the wounds is still fresh from the war weeks ago. 

"I'm in," Gajeel said, giving little thought to the circumstance. 

"I concur," Panther Lily said. He heard the conversation. 

"I'm down with that," Cana said, drinking her chug of beer for breakfast. "Juvia, you're down for the trip?" 

"Oh..," She wanted Gray to come along. However, she knows better than to interrupt his rest wherever he is. She feels it's necessary to say yes since Spike carried her to see Gray during the war as owing him one. "Very well. I suppose since I got nothing better to do." 

"Master, I think Fairy Tail Team B will be going with Irene and her crew," Mirajane said. To see the team connecting feels like the Grand Magic Games all over again. 

"Very well, Mirajane. You go with them," Makarov turns to Irene. "Where is our Fairy Dragon?" 

"Picking Princess Hisui for the ride," Irene responds. 

Within the hour, Spike mentally prepares himself for likely scenarios when approaching Princess Hisui and King Toma E. Fiore. Would they be invested in creating a peace treaty with the Alvarez Empire after the war ceased or try to conquer them on an invasion of their own? Many people in Crocus see Spike on the horizon. They cheer loudly seeing the fan-favorite of possibly this year's Grand Magic Games since last year's was a letdown. 

Colonel Arcadios and Defense Minster Darton see Spike coming to Mercurius. They are eager to know Spike's business if it regards the Princess after hearing their people cry in a voice of triumph. 

"Hmm, I wonder what brings the Fairy Dragon to our palace?" Defense Minister Darton said. 

Colonel Arcadios tries to come up with a theory. "Maybe a visitation with the Princess? Perhaps Princess Hisui sent a private notice that required his persistence?"

"Perhaps. If that's the case, I'm not fond of the Princess making those decisions without my consent," Darton said; he hates not getting involved during protection protocols. 

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Darton." 

Spike lands in front of Mercurius. He sees Arcadios and Darton having a conversation and greets them. "Morning, Arcadios. Morning, Darton," Spike smiles at the two. 

"Morning, Fairy Dragon," Darton replies with respect and honor for the fan-favorite Dragon of the Grand Magic Games. 

"What brings you here, Fairy Dragon?" Colonel Arcadios goes straight to the point. 

"I need to speak with Princess Hisui. It's imperative for private discussions."

Darton and Arcardios are stricken with the request. The Royal Guards come out to welcome their champion after hearing the news about Acnologia's downfall. The Royal Guards notify Spike about Toma E. Fiore's summoning to the throne room. Spike proceeds to enter the castle. Arcadios and Darton lead the way since they'll be present during the conversation. 

Spike arrives in the throne room to see the King and Princess seated. Princess Hisui still clutches onto her Spike the Fairy plush. King Toma E. Fiore grins and is the first to speak. 

"Welcome, Fairy Dragon, to our humble home. What can we do to serve you today?" 

"Are you aware of the new dark guild coming out of the blue?" Spike asks. He needs to know where the King and Princess stand regarding their info about the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"The Preying Mantis Guild," Princess Hisui answers. 

Toma E. Fiore sighs deeply. "Those hooligans have caused nothing but trouble in Ishgar. I'm starting to believe they are worse than the Alvarez Empire invasion." 

"Speaking of the Alvarez Empire, I'm going there later today," Spike said, alerting the two about his mission.

"WHAT?!" Darton, Arcadios, and Toma E. Fiore shout in horror, thinking Spike may want to dispose of them for good. 

"What for Spike? Why are you going there?" Princess Hisui is interested to know Spike's purpose for traveling there. 

Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm searching for the Holy Knights' Clan. Since you have formal knowledge of the Preying Mantis Guild, I'm sure this info didn't cross your minds. There's a demonic entity working within the guild. His name is Zaranos. However, he goes by the name Ajax. He possessed me and molded a body of my image." 

"You're kidding," Colonel Arcadios received many inscriptions about Ajax's horrific involvement with another member named Jinx. 

"That explains why he has a canny resemblance to you, Fairy Dragon," Darton remembers seeing imagery of a demonized dragon. It gave him nightmares for days. 

"Also, I require Princess Hisui to join me on the journey," Spike humbly asks, bowing to the Princess and King. 

"Absolutely not! I forbid it!" Darton and Arcadios said in unison. They don't want to put Princess Hisui at risk. 

"Hmm..," Toma E. Fiore tilts his head slightly to the left, trying to read Spike's body language. "Why do you want my daughter to go with you?" 

Spike inhales and stands up. "If the Alvarez Empire were to see Fairy Tail approaching their lands, they may retaliate, thinking we're coming for more. To weaken their unstable kingdom since King Zeref passed away. By having Princess Hisui with us, we can negotiate a treaty. Allowing Ishgar and the Alvarez Empire to co-exist in peace." 

"Hmm," Toma E. Fiore smirks as a brilliant idea comes to him. Darton and Arcadios are not fond of the King's thinking wholeheartedly, knowing they won't enjoy the outcome of the King's command. "Hisui, my daughter."

"Yes, father," Princess Hisui stands up from her throne, still clutching to her plush. 

"I have one objective for you to complete. Once completed, you'll be Queen of Fiore."

"Really?" Princess Hisui becomes astonished. Her eyes widen in shock. Her smile grows cheek to cheek. 

"You're serious, Sire?" Darton and Arcadios say in unison. They now know Toma E. Fiore is planning to retire. 

"More than I'll ever be," Toma E. Fiore replies formally. "Hisui, bring peace between Ishgar and the Alvarez Empire. If you fail, I won't retire, and you'll never be Queen." 

Princess Hisui understands her task and responsibilities. She refuses to allow any negativity hinders her future. "I won't fail you nor my country. I will bring a new era of peace with Ishgar and the Alvarez Empire."

"Arcardios, follow the Princess," Darton advises, knowing that Princess Hisui needs the protection. 

"You don't have to tell me twice," Arcadios says. He's mentally preparing his mind for likely scenarios upon arrival. 

"Colonel Arcardios. I forbid you and Darton of following Princess Hisui. It's her task. If you want to support my daughter, have faith in her," Toma E. Fiore sternly commands with authority. 

"Yes, my liege," Colonel Arcadios bows with respect. He screams internally, knowing he cannot leave the castle. Otherwise, the King will take notice. Darton is fuming.

"Fairy Dragon," Toma E. Fiore turns to him. 

"Yes, Toma E. Fiore," Spike wonders if the King wants him to be Princess Hisui's bodyguard. 

"I'm trusting you and your guild to protect my daughter at any cost. That is my job request since you're asking me for my daughter's hand in marriage." 

"WHAT?!" Spike flinches and becomes pale at that statement. He didn't know asking for the Princess' involvement is also asking in marriage. 

Toma E. Fiore bursts into laughter. "Gotcha!" He points at Spike for having a terrifying reaction. 

"Daaaaad! That's not funny!" Princess Hisui sounds hurt by her father's joke. Also, it's a reminder that she can't marry Spike the Fairy. 

Toma E. Fiore coughs to recompose himself. "Sorry, dear. I didn't mean to disrespect you in front of the Fairy Dragon. Please, accept my sincere apology, Fairy Dragon." 

"Apologies accepted," Spike knows the King made a bold joke. His love life is Wendy and nobody else. 

Princess Hisui turns back on her father. Despite being a Princess, she's still a child. She walks away and grabs Spike's claw. "We're on our way, father." 

"Don't you want to pack up before you leave?" Toma E. Fiore asks his daughter. 

"I will, father. I need to show my room to Spike; then we'll fly right out of here." 

"I can't believe we're allowing this to happen..," Arcadios and Darton said, watching Princess Hisui taking Spike to her room. 

A few minutes later. Spike is inside Princess Hisui's room. She's packing her belongings for the trip. Darton and Arcadios couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation outside. They needed to know how long the Princess would be away from the kingdom. 

"So, how soon you'll think the trip would last?" Princess Hisui asks while carefully packing her lotions and perfumes. She's taking her luggage and backpack for the trip. 

"Honestly, it can take two to three weeks of travel." 

"WHAT?!" Darton and Arcadios hate the possibility that Princess Hisui will miss some festivities. They are livid. 

"That includes coming back home?" Princess Hisui finishes packing all of her belongings. 

"No. I'll use my fire breath to teleport us back to Ishgar. From there, I'll fly you to the castle." 

Princess Hisui smiles. She learned to smile more since receiving wisdom from the Celestial Spirit King. Darton and Arcadios sigh in relief at the return trip; however, being unable to keep the Princess safe is eating them alive. 

"So, are we flying there?" Princess Hisui hopes to fly on Spike today for the thrill of it. 

"No. We're sailing there. But, there's a friend of mine I want to visit since he owes me one. If all goes right, we'll fly there on his ship." 

"Alright. Are we flying there or teleporting?" 

"I'll fly us there. My treat." 

Spike and Princess Hisui leave the room. They bump into Colonel Arcadios and Defense Ministry Darton. The Royal Guards came to escort Princess Hisui and Spike outside Mercurius. King Toma E. Fiore and many servants are outside of the castle, waiting to see Princess Hisui before she embarks on her journey with the Fairy Tail crew. 

"Hisui, my daughter," Toma E. Fiore smiles lovingly at his daughter with great pride and honor. Princess Hisui looks down at her father lovingly. She smiles widely, knowing what he'll say next. "I have total conviction you'll execute the peace treaty successfully with the Alvarez Empire. You are making me proud for taking this initial step forward to become a great Queen of Fiore. I wish you safe travels, Princess." 

"Thank you, father," Princess Hisui walks up to her father and hugs him gracefully. The two share an embrace from what seems like a lifetime ago. "I love you, dad." 

"I love you too, Hisui." 

Spike steps aside, allowing the two to have their moment since it'll be either days or weeks until they meet again. Spike increases his size into a full dragon. That interrupts the heartfelt moment when people crowd and take pictures of their fan-favorite Dragon. They start chanting Fairy Dragon's name. 

"Sorry," Spike apologizes; he should have known his transformation would draw attention. 

"No worries, Fairy Dragon!" Toma E. Fiore accepts Spike's apology. "Well, time to go, Hisui." 

"Yea," Princess Hisui lets go of her father and grabs her belongings. She walks to Spike's claw. 

"Your Highness," Colonel Arcadios approaches the King. "Please, reconsider. Allow me to travel with the Princess." 

"No!" Toma E. Fiore stomps his left foot on the ground. "This is my daughter's quest to become Queen. She needs to endure life outside the castle's walls. You're part of that, Arcadios." 

That stuns Colonel Arcadios. "But.., Sire..," Arcadios couldn't utter another word. The King's eyes speak a thousand words about why her daughter needs to venture this without being babied. He sighs in defeat, knowing that the King is in the right and his overprotectiveness gets the better of him. "Yes, Sir." 

"Be proud, Colonel Arcadios. You'll be working with the next Queen of Fiore. Have faith in the Princess for what she's about to accomplish." 

Colonel Arcadios smiles. "Yes, my King," He turns to Princess Hisui. "Princess!" 

"Yes, Arcadios?" Princess Hisui doesn't know what to expect from Arcadios. Maybe an apology or disregarding her father's wishes to come aboard on the mission. 

"Good luck," Arcadios throws the thumbs up. "I believe you'll succeed, Princess." 

"I believe in you as well, Princess," Darton concurs. 

Many Royal Guards, servants, and people believe in the Princess. The people have no clue what's happening, but with Fairy Dragon in the midst, it must be crucial. 

Spike safely puts Princess Hisui on his back. Then he flaps his wings. Princess Hisui waves her people goodbye for now. Toma E. Fiore sheds some tears but is proud of his daughter. He knows everything will be swell. Spike flies out of Mercurius with the Princess enjoying the sightseeing on his back, taking in the beautiful landscape of Crocus from above. 

It's been an hour since Carla brutalized Walker. Walker suffered a blackeye, four broken ribs, a dislocated left shoulder, and broken ankles. Walker begs for mercy, but Carla wouldn't give it to him. Fairy Rage grabs Carla's right shoulder. 

"Enough." 

"NO! I want him to suffer for the calamity he and his guild have caused!" Carla angrily says with tears of sadness streaming down her face. 

"Please..," Walker spits blood and several teeth. "Have pity.., have mercy..." 

"I promise you'll have your retribution. Right now, we have someone who'll give us answers." 

"A-A-Answers..?" Walker's magic still doesn't work. Even if it does, he can't move. He can't reach for the cyanide in his pocket. 

"Fine," Carla rolls her eyes bitterly and sits down. She glares at Walker wrathfully. 

Fairy Rage grabs Walker and drags him to an empty booth. He shoves him to his seat and has Walker sit up straight. "Why are you after Spike?" 

Walker pants heavily and whimpers pathetically. "M-M-My Guild Master.., w-w-wants Fairy Tail's str-str-str-strongest.., to.., to.., to.., suffer." 

"Why?" Fairy Rage's left claw ignites in black flames. 

"ACNOLOGIA! AFTER HEARING THE NEWS OF SPIKE DEFEATING ACNOLOGIA, MY MASTER WANTED HIM SUBDUED. FAIRY TAIL HAS GROWN TOO STRONG TO MAKE ANY ADVANCES! MY MASTER WANTS RETRIBUTION OVER AN EIGHT-YEAR WAR THAT LED HIS FORMER GUILD TO RUIN!" Walker yells in fear. 

Carla's eyes widen. She becomes defensive, knowing that the guild is also targeting her beloved. She grits her teeth and growls. 

"What else?! Talk, and I'll spare your life!" Fairy Rage's black flames shape itself into a dagger. 

"I was in the crowd when you had that little play in Onibus Town! I used my magic to allow a brethren of mine to swap the sword prop into the relic that freed Ajax!" 

Fairy Rage's jaw drops a little. "WHO'S THE SCUMBAG THAT BROUGHT ZARANOS?" 

"HIS BROTHER! SLITHER!" Walker answers and bursts into tears. "He's a Changeling!"

"A Changeling?" Carla remembers what Changelings are like in the world of Equestria. She wonders if Changelings also originated here like the Dragons. 

"WHAT ELSE?!" Fairy Rage deathly glares at Walker. 

Walker flinches. "We've been spying and planning on hunting each of you down! I don't know why my Master wants to align himself with a demonic entity! I swear!" 

Fairy Rage drags Walker to the open train door. Walker is defenseless in this situation. He endured so much pain. Carla gets up and wants to see Fairy Rage toss the scumbag. 

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Walker hears the train going by a bridge with a steep drop to the waters below. "You said you'll spare my life!" 

"I am." Fairy Rage gives Carla his demon-powered black flame dagger. 

Carla's body is ablaze in a black flame aura, giving her the power to wield Fairy Rage's magic power. It adds like a multiplier, giving her enhanced strength and magic prowess. 

"THIS IS FOR ALL THE EXCEEDS WHO DIED BY YOUR GUILD'S MOTIVES!" Carla impales Walker's heart with the black flame demon dagger. She thrusts it hard until Walker's eyes close. Then, Carla pulls the weapon out and decapitates Walker for good measure. She pushes his lifeless body into the watery grave. 

Carla's anger becomes sadness. She pants heavily and falls to her knees. She wails in the sorrow of her kin's demise by wicked, sinister people of the Preying Mantis Guild. Fairy Rage comforts her and holds her tightly. 

Spike arrives at the Blue Pegasus guildhall. Princess Hisui had a blast during the flight, seeing many birds and creatures flying in the open blue. Spike lowers on all fours, allowing Princess Hisui to hop off his back to revert to his size. The Trimen of Blue Pegasus returns from a job they went on and eyeballed the Princess's beauty. 

"My my," Hibiki, Ren, and Eve say in unison, making their move on the Princess. 

"Hold it right there, men!" Ichiya comes out with Jenny. He catches his fellow members about to flirt with Princess Hisui without him. 

"Sorry, Maestro," The Trimen backed away from Spike and Princess Hisui. 

Ichiya gets a little personal with Princess Hisui, smelling her parfume. "Sniff, sniff. Sniff."

Jenny whacks Ichiya on his head. "Ichiya, show some respect for the Princess's presence." 

The whack causes Ichiya to have a bump on his head. "My apologies. Force of habit."

"So, what brings you here, Spike and Princess Hisui?" Jenny asks. 

"We're on our way to the Alvarez Empire for two reasons; One, conducting our research on any evidence of the Holy Knight's Clan. Two, creating a peace treaty with Ishgar and the Alvarez Empire," Spike replies. 

"That's a tall order. Also, I haven't located any information about the Holy Knight's Clan," Hibiki informs Spike. His guild is finding the resources to meet at least one member. 

"Sadly, our investigation led us nowhere," Ren said. He's displeased with himself. 

"We'll keep trying during our spare time," Eve said. He remembers what Master Makarov reported to Master Bob and the other Guild Master about the new upcoming threat Spike envisioned in his nightmare. 

"Thank you," Spike graciously says. 

"So, with you two here, what can we help you with?" Ichiya asks while posing masculinely. 

"Can we borrow the-" Ichiya interrupts Spike's request. He understands immediately. 

"Of course, you can use the Christina. Technically, you were right about Acnoloiga consuming the time rift when Anna wanted to imprison him. We owe you big for destroying Acnologia's reign of tyranny." 

"We're coming. Not missing out on this adventure," The Trimen and Jenny say in unison. 

"Give us time to pack up," Ichiya poses in front of Spike and Princess Hisui. 

"Thank you so much!" Princess Hisui smiles at the gesture of the Blue Pegasus guild. 

It's 11:30 in the morning. Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy are heading to the guildhall. They see their friends outside with much of their belongings. 

"Erza! What's going on? Where is Spike?" Lucy asks. She's still worried about her brother. 

"Should be arriving by now," Erza replies. 

"You let him go alone? What if he gets ambushed by Zaranos and the Preying Mantis Guild?!" Lucy is fuming. 

"We have Fairy Rage to bring him-" Laxus interrupts Natsu's speech. 

"Rage is not here. Neither is Carla. Wendy went to check on them an hour ago. They're missing." 

"I wonder where they went," Happy said. 

"Probably for alone time since Carla is scarred for life," Panther Lily reminds Happy about the ambush. 

"Oh, right..," Happy painfully remembers seeing much of his kind in pools of blood. 

"Guys, look!" Mirajane points to the Magic Bomber Christina coming closer to the guildhall. 

"Looks like we're flying in style," Gajeel chuckles. 

"Hopefully, Ichiya fixed the lacrima that prevents motion sickness," Wendy said. 

"Now, I'm coming!" Natsu gets excited. 

"Hold your horses," Master Makarov comes out. He sees the Magic Bomber Christina lowering itself. 

"My brother and sisters, come along. We must make haste to our destination!" Ichiya said. Spike and Princess Hisui are standing next to him. 

"I know you four are eager to go, but-" Master Makarov gets silenced by Natsu's delight. 

"Let's go, Happy!" Natsu shouts. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy follows Natsu, laughing excitedly to fly in style. 

"Wait up!" Gray ignores Master Makarov's wishes and boards the Magic Bomber Christina. 

"Sorry, Master," Lucy follows her friends. 

"Don't worry. With the Magic Bomber Christina, our trip will be swifter than we'd imagined," Erza said, reassuring Master Makarov. 

Master Makarov sighs in defeat. He sees Laxus, Gajeel, Cana, Juvia, Mirajane, Wendy, Erza, Irene, and Panther Lily boarding the Magic Bomber Christina. "Godspeed, my children!" Master Makarov has total conviction and belief that his children will find some closure during the trip.

"Trimen and Jenny! We're taking off now!" Ichiya alarms his crew. 

"Aye, aye, Sir!" The Trimen and Jenny respond loudly. The Magic Bomber Christina lifts and takes off into the blue yonder. 

"Alvarez Empire! HERE WE COME!" Natsu shouts excitedly. "I'M ALL FIRED UP NOW!"
> Raiding the Crystal Empire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike arrives at the Crystal Empire. Princess Celestia sent a letter alerting Princess Cadance about Spike moving in for a few months. Twilight (Sc-Twi) promised Spike to visit from time to time. Flurry Heart is happy to have Spike; so are the Crystal Ponies. They know that Guardian Dragon is far different than the Brave and Glorious. The Crystal Ponies cheered loudly and helped Princess Cadance set up the Crystal Faire. 

Spike receives a warm welcome. Hearing the chants of Guardian Dragon is overwhelming. Flurry Heart tackle hugs Spike; she's happy to see him. 

"Flurry Heart," Princess Cadance trots up to her daughter, indicating to let Spike go. 

"Sorry, Mom," Flurry Heart giggles and flies off Spike. 

Spike gets up. He turns to see the Spike Statue with the chest missing a piece. "Uh, what's with the void?" 

"Our sculptors want to carve the new tattoo of yours. Then piece the crystal into the hole," Princess Cadance points to the empty chest piece. "Also, I love the design of the shield. Shining Armor would be jealous." 

"Oooooh," Spike now understands about the new Spike Statue. He saw one in the Districts with the Fairy Tail Emblem on it. "Thanks for the compliment."

Many Crystal Ponies approach Spike and take pictures with him. Spike signs a few autographs and embraces the attention. Then, all of a sudden, many Crystal Ponies start getting sleepy. Princess Cadance notices her guards succumbing to slumber. 

"I don't.., want to go.., to..." Flurry Heart yawns and falls asleep. 

Princess Cadance grits her teeth. She knows who's approaching, but the spell is heavier than anticipation. Her eyes flutter up and softly collapse.

Spike is left clueless. He doesn't understand why every pony has fallen asleep. "The Crystal Heart?" Spike flaps his wings and flies to the Crystal Heart, guarding it with his life. 

Grogar, in his disguised form, enters the Crystal Empire's fields. He sees many Crystal Ponies falling ill to his magic. "Perfect. No one will topple me when I claim my prize." Grogar proceeds to stroll to the Crystal Castle. 

Grogar enters the streets of the Crystal Empire. All Crystal Ponies are soundly asleep, snoring, having nightmares, and talking in their sleep. Like the first time, he senses immense magic power within the Crystal Castle. He chose not to retrieve it due to the mirror's importance. Now, he's in dire need of the power source; In case of a mutiny caused by Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. 

Approaching the Crystal Castle's boundaries, Grogar senses the Crystal Heart and a different magic power he doesn't recognize. Grogar's eye widen, seeing Spike patrolling the Crystal Heart. "How is that Dragon not asleep? Something is amiss with his magic capability." 

Spike keeps his guard up and notices a pony wearing a cloak. He stands still, reading the pony's body language to determine whether or not the pony is a friend or foe. "Grogar." The only creature to come to his mind ever since the alignments of planets came some time ago. 

Grogar knows to save this Spike for Knightwalker. However, he sees a critical error that he must fix. There is no Fairy Tail Emblem on Spike's chest. That would ruin his plans if Knightwalker fought him. "I need to rearrange his chest piece to secure Knightwalker's trust despite his weapon overpowering my magic bubble earlier." Grogar fears what Sadistic Spike Knightwalker could do to him if the truth came out. He thought he knew the real side of Sadistic Spike Knightwalker but was severely wrong. He never understood the real sadistic side of Knightwalker and wondered who controlled his actions. 

"I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, GROGAR!" Spike shouts at the top of his lungs as he points at him. His claws ignite in sparkling green flames. 

Grogar snarls and uses his magic to teleport the cloak away. He disposes his disguise, for he has other plans. "Stand aside or die." 

"DIE!" Spike conjures energy wings and flies at Grogar. "YOU WILL DIE!" 

"Strong words from a baby dragon!" Grogar gallops toward Spike with the evil intention of subduing him to some degree. 

Spike's left claw and Grogar's right hoof collide. The impact of the collision sends every pony asleep away from the Crystal Heart. Grogar's magic catches Spike and electrocutes him. He wails until he breathes fire at Grogar. Grogar releases his hold due to the scorching flames, rubbing the fire away from his only eye. 

Spike lunges at Grogar. "Take this!" He jabs his index finger into Grogar's left empty eye socket. 

"AAAAAAAH!" Grogar zaps Spike away with his magic. The sting reminded him of Knightwalker shooting him. He pants while blood starts dripping. "SCREW IT! I'M ENDING YOU NOW!" 

"I hope this works." "Exploding Cataclysm!" Spike imagines dozens of sparkling orbs beneath Grogar's positioning. 

"What?" Grogar looks down and gets bombarded with explosions. He groans in pain from the impact and coughs due to the smoke. "What the hell is wrong with me?" It hits Grogar. The incinerating red gemstone has more drastic effects than Knightwalker led on. Not only can it pierce magic, but it can eradicate it too. "NO!" 

Spike waits until the smoke clears from his spell. Grogar still stands but looks fatigued. "Still standing, huh?" Spike starts getting cocky. He believes he can finish Grogar before armageddon begins. 

Grogar underestimated Spike's prowess. Although the incinerating bullet helped, the magnitude of the spell is fearsome. He couldn't detect the exploding orbs underneath. "I see you copied the Fairy Dragon's magic." 

Spike grits his teeth angrily. He hates the comparison to the Fairy Dragon. Grogar notices Spike's demeanor and smirks. He's going to use Spike's emotions for his benefit. In a fit of rage, Spike flies at Grogar. 

Grogar jumps to his left, evading Spike's tackle. Spike crashes into a home of a Crystal Pony. "You've become sloppy, Fairy Dragon!" Grogar sneers. He charges his magic for a powerful spell. 

"SHUT UP!" Spike's body blazes in a sparkling green aura. He lunges at Grogar with ferocity. "Guardian Dragon Demolition-" Spike tries to withhold his punch when Grogar lifts Princess Cadance's body to use as a shield. 

"Gotcha," Grogar unleashes a malevolent sphere at Spike. He encases Spike within and drains his magic power painfully. Spike screams and holds his insides. "You should have gone through to stop me!" Grogar laughs. He lifts Spike's containment and throws him far away with his magic. "Now, to claim my prize!" Grogar uses his magic to follow the trace of the unmeasurable source of magic power. 

Spike breathes heavily while the agonizing pain suffocates him in the sphere. He remembers watching the footage of Fairy Dragon using his fire breath to teleport himself to places or away from danger. He focuses on the last location of the Crystal Empire and breathes fire. Instead of teleporting himself, the sphere vanishes, freeing himself from captivity. However, Spike crashes into a school full of Crystal Fillies and Colts. 

Spike shakes off the rubble and looks at the drawing board. He sees many pictures depicting Spike the Brave and Glorious. It also has the Guardian Dragon of the Crystal Empire. "I need to spend time with all Crystal Ponies after vanquishing Grogar!" Spike solemnly swears as the protector of the Crystal Empire. He takes flight and flies straight to Crystal Castle. 

Grogar walks upstairs and remembers the corridors where Midnight Sparkle and Fairy Dragon brawled. He trots closer and locates a crystal shard King Sombra would use. The crystal shard is the immeasurable power of Demon Curses and Pure Cleansing. "You're what I sensed the first time. Even after rewatching the Fairy Dragon's memory, you are Fairy Law contained by a Demon Curse. The right power source for my army and more." 

Grogar puts the shard in his bag and prepares to leave. "Time to go. By now, that Fairy Dragon wannabe should be dead within that containment." Grogar walks back to the Crystal Heart. He's decided to exterminate the Princess of Love and drain the power of the Crystal Heart. He can weaken the empire and remove an ally of United Equestria. 

A few minutes later, Grogar exits the Crystal Castle and approaches the Crystal Heart. He sees the sparkling green flare left behind by the Fairy Dragon. Grogar reaches for it when his hoof starts burning intensely. He draws back and examines the prowess of the Heart's defense mechanisms. "The Fairy Dragon cast a Ring of Defense on the Crystal Heart to ensure its' safety."

Spike returns and sees Grogar flinching when the Crystal Heart repels his advances. Spike extends his claw, sparkling green aura shimmers, powering up a maneuver he practiced. 

Grogar attempts to strike the Crystal Heart when he sees Spike in the reflection. He turns to see him powering up. "So, you escape." 

It's too soon for him to get busted. Spike extends his claws forward. "RADIANT SHINE!" Spike unleashes an explosive beam of energy at Grogar. It's sparkling green with shimmering lights: a combination of fire and lightning. 

Grogar eludes the attack swiftly in hopes of Spike's attack destroying the Crystal Heart. "You doomed the Crystal Empire!" Grogar sinisterly laughs. 

"SHIT! I CAN'T STOP MY ATTACK! I FAILED..." Spike failed to use finesse with his attack. He carelessly conjured much magic power to kill Grogar but flopped when he needed more stability. It becomes too erratic for Spike to turn off. Spike closes his eyes and embraces the humiliating defeat and the demise of the Crystal Empire. 

Grogar laughs. He uses his magic to conjure a magic energizer beam of his own. "This is how you execute magic to tame your enemies, Fairy Dragon!" Grogar insults Spike with another comparison. He's charging his spell to annihilate Spike where he stands. 

The Crystal Heart absorbs Spike's energy beam. Another feature the Crystal Heart now has is seeking to attack those with evil intent. It found the source of dark magic. 

"OH, SHIT!" Grogar sees the Crystal Heart spinning rapidly. 

Spike opens his eyes, and his jaw drops. The Crystal Heart continues to spin and bloom with crystalizing purification shockwave. Grogar gets hit and hurls far away from the Crystal Empire. He screams as he loses the battle. Grogar lands in the snowy region of the Crystal Empire. 

Due to the Crystal Heart's defense protocol and disposal of Grogar, Spike gets a crystal coating, his scales glimmering in the radiance of absolute beauty. Also, every pony that Grogar put to sleep wakes up. They themselves are coated in Crystals. 

"Wh-What happened?" Every pony around asks while they wake up. 

Princess Cadance wakes up dumbfounded. She senses the awesome power of the Crystal Heart and acknowledges the sudden increase in magic power. 

Spike flies up to Princess Cadance and explains the events that took place. She couldn't believe that Spike stood up to Grogar and won with the aid of the Crystal Heart. Also, the mention of Grogar having one eye is skeptical. Grogar is known as the Father of Monsters and is very durable. Not many powerful foes can injure Grogar, so something is amiss. When the Crystal Ponies heard about the tale, they wanted to continue with the Crystal Faire and hold a feast with the Guardian Dragon. 

Grogar gets up and hobbles a bit. "Knightwalker's bullet has extensive capabilities that would slow anyone down. Color me impressed," Grogar admits and finds Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's weaponry more fierce than he could dream of; it's evident Grogar has a newfound respect for Sadistic Knightwalker's genius to wear down any creature in the aftermath of a conflict. 

Grogar uses his remaining magic to reestablish his disguise as he wears his cloak. He has a long travel to the mines. 

Hours later. It's 7:37 at nighttime. Grogar expels his disguise and sees his army asleep from another day of brutal training. Lord Tirek is leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed. 

"Any progress on these minions, Lord Tirek?" Grogar asks. 

"Pst," Lord Tirek replies bitterly. "These weaklings won't be ready when we storm their capital. Might as well throw in the towel." 

"On the contrary, I have the solution to help amplify our army with strength, power, and endurance unlike any other," Grogar unveils his prize,  a demonic crystal shard. 

"What is that fossil?" Lord Tirek senses familiar magic within the crystal. 

"Midnight Sparkle contained a powerful spell the Fairy Dragon used. Fairy Law." 

Lord Tirek is in shock by bearing witness to the shard. Knowing the eminence of Fairy Law and the properties within made him weary of the spell backfiring. From the movie nights, Fairy Law used to take out who the caster sees as an enemy to extreme proportions. 

"I plan on using my Scepter to extract the power and enhance it on our brethren. Then, they'll be more omnipotent to train and fight. I'll increase your mass and strength to defeat the Princesses. I'll singlehandedly extinguish the United Species' guild. Leaving Spike Knightwalker to defeat the Guardian Dragon." 

"Guardian Dragon?" Lord Tirek raises an eyebrow. He's confused by the title. 

"Fairy Dragon," Grogar added the quotation marks with his tone and flicking of his two front hooves. "So, where is Knightwalker?" 

"He went out on patrol, searching for trespassers to further his research. He told me he's nearly done with e-suits. Something suits that he's modifying." 

"E-suits?" Grogar wonders what kind of project e-suits are. "What about the gemstone bullets? Any info on those?" 

"He finished that project an hour ago. He detailed the right gemstones to use on dragons and magic wielders. Those who don't use magic are easier to slay with his e-suits. Once completed, he'll need a quicker process to copy." 

"I'll need to have a private discussion with Knightwalker later," Grogar goes to his quarters and rest from today's success despite suffering a humiliating defeat in a battle against the Guardian Dragon and the Crystal Heart.
> Crystal Empire: An Hour Later
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Cadance wrote a letter to Princess Celestia and all of the United Equestria about the raiding an hour ago. She detailed Grogar's arrival and how the Guardian Dragon, with assistance from the Crystal Heart, defeated Grogar. 

Flurry Heart is playing with the younglings and gathers them to meet the Guardian Dragon; he reveals his experience of conquering a demon, including defeating a monster that put every pony to slumber. Many Crystal Ponies cheer and chant Spike's name, glorifying their new savior since the Brave and Glorious resides in Earth Land. 

Spike is overwhelmed by the praises he's receiving from every Crystal Pony; he's trying to play the flugelhorn with many younglings, hoping to learn how to make music. While he makes music with the youth, he hears his name bellowing from afar; he and every pony divert their attention to two Dragons, a Changeling, a Unicorn, an Alicorn, and a Draqonecuus. 

Spike believes Princess Cadance's letter reached Castle Central and gained every creature's attention to the arrival of Grogar at the Crystal Empire; Princess Celestia, Chrysalis with Terax on her head, Discord, Twilight (Sci-Twi), Smolder, and Garble land in front of the Crystal Faire. 

Every creature wonders why they came to the Crystal Empire except for Spike and Flurry Heart. Flurry Heart believes that her mother received a response instantly, possibly from Princess Luna, to let her know about her sister and members of the United Species coming. Spike believes they came to inspect and retrace Grogar's motives for a thorough understanding. 

Princess Cadance descends from the balcony of her private room to confront Princess Celestia and the others to negotiate a private investigation while Spike and Flurry Heart continue with the festivities. Princess Celestia requires a one-on-one interview with Spike after the Crystal Faire ends since he's the creature that fought Grogar. Princess Cadance nods in understanding, and with Discord present, he can use his Chaos Magic to reveal Spike's memories for all to see. 

Discord's body starts quaking and follows the traces of Grogar's movements inside the Crystal Castle; every creature else follows except for Terax. Chrysalis instructs her son to follow Spike and Flurry Heart while having fun with every Crystal Pony. She urges Terax to stay near and inform an adult or Spike and Flurry Heart if you sense something abnormal. Terax understands his mother's instructions and meets with Spike and Flurry Heart. 

Discord sniffs Grogar's scent and activates a spell called the after image. Using time as a modifier, Discord closes his eyes and becomes Grogar; however, every creature can see Grogar missing a left eye, which makes them worry even more. Discord follows the trace up the stairs and into the corridor where Spike the Fairy and Midnight Sparkle fought; this causes sudden flashbacks for Chrysalis of when she confronted Midnight Sparkle during the war over a year ago. 

Discord pauses in his tracks when he replays the moment of Grogar picking up a crystal shard with immense power. Discord can't feel what Grogar felt but indicates something more terrifying than the memory led on. Princess Cadance, Celestia, Twilight, Chrysalis, Smolder, and Garble all have eerie feelings from a movie night review when Spike the Fairy and Midnight Sparkle fought a second time. Discord dispels his spell and takes a mental note of his memory. He and every creature are silent due to the alarming remembrance of the item. 

Everyone remembers the moment when Midnight Sparkle encased Fairy Law into a crystal shard before continuing her onslaught. 

"HOLY SHIT!" Every creature blurs, even with Discord using an airhorn to silence the language; it's horrific to think the horrors and travesty Grogar can unleash with the power of Fairy Law if he'd corrupted it. 

"We need to train our forces swifter; war is imminent, and Grogar can release a wave of devastation with that kind of power," Princess Celestia advises Princess Cadance to start prepping. 

Princess Cadance covers her face in shame with her front hooves; she's mortified about the negligence of retrieving the shard even after reviewing Spike the Fairy's memories many times over with her daughter. The humiliation on her face is evident that she and many others gave Grogar an unspeakable power as a supplement to his Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter. 

Princess Celestia confirms to Princess Cadance that she no longer needs Spike for a one-on-one session since Discord displayed the after-image spell. She is perplexed about the current health situation Grogar seems to have and feels something else is amiss, sensing someone more omnipotent than Lord Tirek. This hunch is unlike any other with magic such as Fairy Law amid the situation. 

Twilight voices her reason to stay within the Crystal Empire for the next few days or weeks since war is on the horizon. Princess Cadance approves Twilight's request and escorts her to Spike's room within the castle; It's the same one Discord used when he disguised himself as Spike two years ago. 

With Terax's friends residing in the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance informs Chrysalis she can stay with Terax, knowing he'll get lonely since his friends are already here. Chrysalis wonders which room she and Terax will bunk in, plus she'll do her part in training the Crystal Guards since Shining Armor is working with all armies of United Equestria. 

Garble and Smolder told Discord they must return to District Ten and report to Neighsay about what happened and what's coming afterward. Discord uses his magic and teleports the two to their guildhall; he warns Celestia about Lord Tirek's frightening transformation if he absorbs Fairy Law since it's one of Fairy Tail's most powerful spells. That puts fear into Princess Celestia's heart; she urges Discord to make haste and whisks them to Castle Central for an emergency meeting based on their discoveries. 

A few hours later, Spike, Flurry Heart, and Terax had a fantastic time together as friends, especially with the younglings and Crystal Ponies. Spike patted his belly for winning the Crystal Corn Eating Competition, proclaiming it was the best corn he'd eaten in his existence; Flurry Heart won a bronze medal during the flugelhorn solo act; Terax watched his friends and laughed when Spike attempted to play music, he claimed it bad as him playing the piano. 

Nonetheless, Spike, Flurry Heart, and Terax say their byes to the younglings and Crystal Ponies, then enter the Crystal Castle. Princess Cadance, Chrysalis, and Twilight confront the trio urgently. 

"Spike, please elaborate on Grogar's eye," Princess Cadance urges to understand Grogar's stability since there are no records of Grogar sustaining an injury explained throughout history.  

"When I jabbed his eyeless void, I felt something sizzling and tingling on my index finger; when I pulled back, my index finger was coated in redness for a few moments before dissolving." 

"Anything else about Grogar you may have forgotten to mention?" Chrysalis asks, hoping she'll remember what logical sense would harm Grogar and give him an injury unlike any other. 

"I've noticed he withstood a haul of my orbs exploding beneath his feet, but he looked dazed when the smoke cleared. I suspected Grogar was massively overwhelmingly resilient to withstand the attack, but I was sorely mistaken. Judging Grogar's body language, he looked like he was cursing himself for succumbing to minor injuries to a great extent. I could have killed Grogar if my feelings didn't divert me; the comparison to Fairy Dragon made me upset and pissed off. I should have known better than to expose such an unfortunate mistake that allowed Grogar to take advantage of me..," Spike sadly sighs, feeling like a bonehead for getting agitated by the reference to Fairy Dragon, knowingly using his Exploding Cataclysm spell. 

"Here's a tough lesson, Spike," Chrysalis asserts in front of Spike. "Every creature will compare you to the Fairy Dragon for having his voice, motives, and magistery; you'll need to find the proper balance to be yourself while fighting vicious foes. You cannot allow your emotions to drive you to your demise. Think outside the box and draw new ideas with your Energy Maker Magic to convince others to cease comparing you to Spike the Fairy; then, and only then, creatures will remember the name, Guardian Dragon!"  

Spike takes Chrysalis' advice to heart; he thinks about stepping up his game and humbling himself to avoid careless mistakes when he battles Grogar or someone more powerful than him. 

"Thank you, Chrysalis," Spike smiles and activates his energy wings; he'll fly to the Crystal Library to conduct his studying to apply different spells to his arsenal; Spike takes off and flies. 

"My pleasure," Chrysalis smiles, watching the Guardian Dragon better himself for the right reasons; she then sees Twilight flying after Spike.
> United Equestria: An Hour Later
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later in the evening, Princess Celestia and Discord arrive in Castle Central for an utmost meeting to discuss Grogar's warfare coming sooner than any creature thinks. Discord snaps his eagle-like claw, teleporting all District leaders into the conference room. Everyone except Neighsay is sitting in their chairs, looking confused for a brief moment until they see the faces written on Princess Celestia and Discord, indicating something grim. 

Princess Celestia and Discord take a deep breath to prepare for many questioning from all leaders within United Equestria. Discord projects a movie based on his memory from when he used the after-image spell while Princess Celestia commentate on the situation. Princess Luna, Princess Skystar, Tempest, Tribal Chief Thunderhooves, Pharynx, Gilda, Empress Ember, Prince Rutherford, and Shining Armor are stunned to witness the new weapon in Grogar's grasps, the shard containing Fairy Law; now with the grueling detail displayed, every creature is petrified. 

"Soon, Grogar will unleash a new creature that'll doom us all with that kind of power within his arsenal; then, it'll be game over for all who strived for peace," Discord sadly says while depicting Grogar's wound, trying to remember if Gusty Winds or some other creature managed to impale Grogar's left eye in the past. 

"What kind of monster can Grogar call upon with his newfound power?" Gilda asks. Since the discovery of Grogar, she read many historical records with the other leaders to understand Grogar's past and counter his advances. 

"We don't know," Princess Celestia and Discord gravely inform every leader with sadness in their tongues. 

"We can hypothesize and theorize that a new creation amid Grogar's nascency with the entitlement as Father of Monsters. I can't fathom the tyrannical entity Grogar can produce; he's that fearsome with his intellect," Discord wholeheartedly said with discomfort in his tone. Though Discord is the Lord of Chaos, reformed, he knows about other sentient monstrosities Grogar devised throughout the early years of Equestria's birth. 

"Can Grogar defeat us all?" Gilda asks the next serious question since he's obtaining power swifter than anyone projects. 

"We're not sure," Grogar's name strikes the hearts of many when they're interrupted by two hooves slamming on the conference table. 

"YES, WE CAN!" Prince Rutherford proudly acclaims with his tone of expression. He huffs and puffs angrily that his comrades are thinking the worse when they conquered a Demon and her Legion. "Have allies forgotten the times we rose to Midnight Sparkle's wrath!? How we came as one to defeat an overpowered loony who thinks they can defeat us?! Yak doesn't think so! So what that Grogar has terrorizing power, Friendship conquers darkness and evil every time!" Prince Rutherford strongly encourages his friends to wake up from the gloom and ignites confidence to win. 

Every creature in the room is stunned to see how fear has driven them away from an accomplishment; Though in hindsight, it was the United Species with the Pillars that defeated Midnight Sparkle, it's their Friendship that defeated evil in the face during the wrath and killing spree. Nonetheless, every creature standing has defeated the tenacious opponents they came across and succeeded every time. 

"I'll give you credit, Prince. You're like the Natsu of this group, kindling a spark to motivated for succession," Pharynx respects Prince Rutherford for boldly speaking when every creature was dismayed. 

"I'm not letting one loser and a tyrant any fear because of their power; I'm going to unleash the fury of Griffons on their advances and give them HELL!" Gilda shouts triumphantly. 

"Not if the Storm Nation has any say in the matter, Gilda!" Tempest smirks, knowing she, Grubber, and the Storm Nation will subdue Grogar and his advances. 

Shining Armor is feeding the energy of excitement from every creature now that the conference room generates position waves of strengthening and encouragement. "Alright, listen up! We are to begin our training right now! We will be ready for Grogar, Lord Tirek, and the rest of those failures for trying to seize control of our lands and dominate the will of every creature! We'll make them rue the day they messed with us!" Shining Armor shouts. 

"Let's go!" Princess Skystar flies out the window; She's eager to lead District Nine and prove to her mother that she can lead a nation into prosperity amid any battle or war. 

"Discord, dispatch messages to all kingdoms in case Grogar decides to mess with our homelands as Midnight Sparkle and Demon Tail did before," Pharynx instructs; that way, history is not repeated. 

"Will do," Discord salutes and writes many letters for all kingdoms affiliated with United Equestria. He inserts them in envelopes and yells, claiming he's sending a voicemail. 

Meanwhile, in District Ten. Neighsay is practicing magic with the other Dragons wanting to partake in the guild's family-like structure. Clump and Charcoal lend Neighsay a claw to strengthen the guild even more. Ocellus, Yona, Smolder, and Sandbar are inside, chatting with Aria and Sonata about having another pillow warfare. 

Garble and Smolder land in front of their guild master and address an alarming situation regarding Grogar. Neighsay's eyes widen in horror while remaining calm. 

"I can't believe we've forgotten that crystal Midnight Sparkle encased Fairy Law into!" Neighsay groans and stomps the dirt testily. 

"What are your demands, First Master?" Clump asks Neighsay while the Dragons cease their training session in magistery. 

"Grow as a family, strengthen our Friendships, train in unison, and have fun. We will not allow this demon to emerge victorious. Not on my watch," Neighsay proclaims, knowing that Friendship thwarted a demon and can do so again. 

"Yes, Master!" Every creature around shouts in unison, and they start training once more. Clump and Charcoal train with the newer Dragons once more. 

Neighsay enters the guildhall with Smolder and Garble. They debrief all information concerning Grogar and his newest possession of magic power, Fairy Law. 

"That's not possible," Sandbar shakes his head in disbelief. "Fairy Law annihilates those the caster sees. Fairy Dragon used that spell on Midnight Sparkle. There's no way of channeling that kind of raw power that specifically targets an enemy no longer around." 

"Yona agrees. No way Blue Ram can control a light spell since he's full of malice," Yona concurs with Sandbar's statement. 

"Lord Tirek can channel the magic, guys," Aria reminds her friends about Lord Tirek's prowess. They groan in realization. 

"He'll be invincible with that kind of raw power flowing through his veins," Ocellus said. 

"Devastating," Smolder chimes in with the possibility of Lord Tirek becoming unsurmountable. 

"I say, he's beatable," Gallus said. He walks into the guildhall for the first time since his arm cleaved off during the other Midnight Sparkle crisis. Gallus now has a new artificial limb coated with Storm Nation's state-of-the-art high-tech enhanced with magic, similar to the technology devised by the Storm King when he produced the first-ever Techno-Magic-Soldier. 

"GALLUS!" Everyone is delighted to see Gallus. It's been a week since they last saw him. 

"Sweet arm, dude!" Sandbar examines Gallus' right arm. So shiny and futuristic, with the limb looking like a muscular minotaur with the hand still resembling an eagle's claw. 

"Check this out!" Gallus raises his artificial limb and fires a rocket fist, puncturing the wall of the guildhall and creating a massive hole. The rocket fist returns to Gallus' artificial arm and reconnects itself. His friends are amazed by the new possibilities the arm can do for Gallus. 

"Luckily for us," Adagio arrives with cake to celebrate the return of Gallus. "We spoke with Tempest, Grubber, and the scientists about giving Gallus much-needed upgrades for combat. They listened to our ideas and worked hard to devise the first surgical weaponized limb. There's more in store, but Gallus will show Grogar firsthand, right?" Adagio turns to her boyfriend. 

"Damn right," Gallus nods. "Also, the artificial limb reenergizes my body with adrenaline to help keep me going." 

"Fantastic. Ready to train immensely, Gallus?" Neighsay asks. 

"I am. I'm not backing away from any threat that wants to destroy my country and friends! We're going to slay Grogar's wickedness and show him why we aren't afraid!" Gallus shouts pridefully. 

With that said, Neighsay commands everyone to train hard. To machinate unison raids, aerial assaults, and much more when working as a family. Harmony makes herself known to the guild and instructs them to trust their Friendship during the battle and believe in each other and themselves; she is still investigating Grogar's whereabouts and allies. So far, it's inconclusive until further notice; Neighsay says he and United Species aren't worried but told Harmony that Grogar should be worried about facing the same defeat Midnight Sparkle endured. With that kind of confidence, Harmony leaves United Species for now; she smiles while sensing their Friendship growing stronger by the second now that Gallus and Adagio have returned.
> New Project
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been five days since the raiding at the Crystal Empire and the first fight Grogar endured with the Guardian Dragon. Grogar is in his quarters, still recovering. Battling the Guardian Dragon is one thing, but feeling the fuller effects of Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's incinerating bullet is another. The extent of the red gemstone holds an essential factor that can weaken anybody, no matter their dynamism. 

Grogar demands one of the medics from the Chameleon army to remove the bullet from his left eye socket after failing many times on his accord. One named Nitor comes in with medical supplies to tend to the wound. 

"I need you to hold still as I examine the socket." 

"Make it quick!" Grogar rudely commands, installing fear into the Chameleon's heart. 

Nitor fumbles with his otoscope and quickly turns it on. He inspects the eye socket. "Uuuh," Nitor is dumbfounded. 

"WHAT IS IT?!" Grogar yells at Nitor for delaying his duty. 

"There's no gemstone." 

"ELABORATE!" Grogar growls at Nitor. 

Nitor gulps and starts sweating in fear. "The core of your eye is overlaid in red. Like the incinerated red gemstone Knightwalker used on Moondancer the other day." 

Grogar snarls and shoves Nitor aside. "Stay here until I return!" Grogar grabs his Scepter and shard. Then he leaves his quarters. 

Lord Tirek continues training the Diamond Dogs, Lizards, and Chameleons to extreme lengths for encouragement. However, the three nations are willing to throw in the towel. Lord Tirek brutalizes those who quit and reminds the weaklings that only the strong survive. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker arrived from his patrol and captured no creature for his experiments. He asks for a willing participant for the trial of his project. Slither voluntarily participate to avoid Lord Tirek's training. 

"So, what kind of test I'll be running?" Slither asks while watching his kin getting tormented with weightlifting exercises. 

"Since it's taking you creatures longer to develop strength and agility, I thought of exceeding those expectations tremendously," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker navigates Slither to his lair. 

In the laboratory, there is a mechanized skeleton on a medical table. The attachments are different weaponry, such as guns, missile launchers, and blades. The back features demonic wings to portray demons. 

Slither comes close to Knightwalker's invention. "What is this contraption?" 

"An Exo-Suit. It's a mechanical skeleton that enhances strength, mobility, flight, speed, and endurance for anyone wearing it. I made three different kinds for tactical purposes. Stealth, Combat, and Aerial. This Exo-Suit enables strength fifty times more than man. Try it on." 

Slither is perplexed about the Exo-Suit when it scans for a host and fastens itself onto Slither. The spine of the mechanized suit infuses with Slither's back; the collar rim connects to Slither's neck as the Exo-Suit slides onto his legs and arms like sleeves. Slither sees metallic sleeves holstering different weapons; his left hand wields a mini turret while the right hand features a red gemstone sword. 

"Th-This is cool!" Slither imagines flapping the wings to the Exo-Suit, and it does so on telepathic command. "WHOA!" Slither couldn't help but laugh in amazement. 

"It appears you are a fast learner. I didn't need to instruct you on how to activate the wing spans," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker is impressed by how swiftly Slither is operating the Exo-Suit. He pulls a pillar made of the leftover metal he rationed from his experiments. "Punch it." 

Slither imagines the sword sheaths itself and does so on command; Slither runs to the pillar and punches it, shattering it to pieces due to the enhanced strength of the Exo-Suit. Shards of metal pierce the walls, creating a small hole from the impact. 

"OH WOW!" Slither jumps in astonishment. "This has to be the coolest weapon ever devised by a brilliant creature such as yourself!" 

"I made a few suits and need copies for our armies to wage war on United Equestria." 

"I'm sure Grogar or Lord Tirek can help make copies since they're potent with magic power," Slither reassures. "So, does this suit comes off?" 

"No. Once it's linked up to a host, the Exo-Suits doesn't come off; that way, no one can replicate or remove it. As a failsafe, if the Exo-Suits gets detached in unfortunate ways, the host obtains the strength, durability, and agility to keep going in the war. I've programmed the Exo-Suit for all possibilities in warfare." 

Slithers laughs diabolically. He visions every pony begging for mercy, bowing to his submission as their home gets taken.

"KNIGHTWALKER!" Grogar stomps his way to approach Sadistic Spike Knightwalker in his lair. Slither backs away from Grogar's presence; despite his new enhancer suit, he's still afraid of Grogar's magic. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker observes Grogar's body language and determines he's pissed. "What?" He shows no emotions for Grogar's arrival. 

"FIX ME!" Grogar barks at Knightwalker. 

"Come again?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker doesn't see an issue besides Grogar's missing eye. 

"DON'T ACT FOOLISH! YOUR RED GEMSTONE WEAKENED ME! FIX IT!" Grogar painfully admits. During his recovery process, he felt weaker. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker laughs ferally. Slither takes a step back. "Fix you?" He continues to laugh pitilessly. "My work with these gemstones is meant to be permanent. Sucks to be you!" 

Grogar gasps in horror. If he continues to get weaker due to the longevity of the gemstone's purpose, he will be a threat to no one. "You.., you did it on purpose!" 

"You weren't pleased with my progress when I tested the ability on Moondancer, a mere unicorn! Pestering about its ability to slow down a Princess, let alone a Changeling with cleansing powers. So, you inadvertently became the second test subject. I see my work succeeded exceedingly well!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker grabs Grogar's cheeks roughly. Pulling him close to his face. "Soon, you'll be nothing but a worm underneath my feet!" 

"You dare betray me?!" Grogar slaps Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's hands away. 

"Betray you?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker tantalizes Grogar's questioning of betrayal. "Nonsense!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker kicks Grogar's face out of his lair. Grogar lands hard on the rough edges of the ground, creating a crater. 

Outside of Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's lair is another training site Lord Tirek instructs the Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards on close-quarter combat. Everyone sees Grogar getting up while wielding the Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter and the shard encased with Fairy Law. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker comes out to confront Grogar with Slither, aiming his mini turret at Grogar since he believes Sadistic Spike Knightwalker is attempting a successful coup. 

Grogar glares viciously at Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. "I won't be needing you any longer!" Grogar attempts to activate the devastating force of his Sceptor; however, his eye widens in culmination when he no longer feels an ounce of his power. "NO!" He feels sick to his stomach now that magic is no longer sustainable within his body. Grogar's vast knowledge and finesse have faded. 

"Feeling lost?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker senses Grogar lost the battle before it began. 

Grogar grits his teeth and turns to his army and Lord Tirek. "Don't just stand there! SEIZE HIM!" Grogar angrily dictums while showing fear to his minions, pointing the Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter at Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. 

No creature flinches at Grogar's decree. Not even Lord Tirek; he and everyone remain still and await orders from their true commander. Grogar feels isolated when no one complies with his command. It's eerie, even for him. 

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Grogar yells at his army. 

"They don't serve a weakling anymore," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker said while relishing Grogar's suffering. 

"I'M NOT WEAK!" Grogar turns to face Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker grins menacingly. "You can't perform the simplest spell if you wanted; the red gemstone ceases any usage of magic indefinitely. Only a specific ring can allow the victim to use magic on my authority. You're as useless as Moondancer, a shell of a creature who lost the ability to perform tedious magic."

"Why? Why betray me like this?" Grogar finally asks since he believes something else is amiss. "I brought you here so you can redeem yourself and go to-" 

"You're a lying, conniving bastard!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker shouts. "I overheard your conversation with Lord Tirek about fooling me into believing this place is Hell. Although I adore you for freeing me, you failed to comprehend my true nature when I'm allowed to cross boundaries my mother refused for me to access. Unlike those with a moral code, I enter paths of no return without care. I accepted the reality of not returning home; however, this world is mine to control, and no one will oppose me!" 

Lord Tirek, Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards remain still while listening to their commander preach. Grogar never thought someone such as Sadistic Spike Knightwalker would topple him in his lifetime; not even Gusty the Great had the confidence to strip Grogar and make him feel lesser than a foal. 

"You are a legend in my youth, Grogar. Now, I have a new idol," Lord Tirek bows in respect to Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. "What are your commands, Master?" 

"TIREK!" Grogar bellows, feeling betrayed by Lord Tirek. "You will rue betraying me for this insolent worm!" 

"I regret nothing," Lord Tirek backhands Grogar, knocking him aside fiercely. The impact causes Grogar to release the Scepter and shard. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker picks up the Scepter and crystal. "Lord Tirek. When we succeed in the invasion, I'll allow you to dominate any nation you desire, and you'll be dominion over those creatures." 

"Excellent," Lord Tirek wants all Equestrian Ponies to worship him when he becomes their ruler. 

"The same applies to each nation in my control. Chameleons, Lizards, and Diamond Dogs. You'll dominate the wills of the country you choose accordingly. I'll become the Arcane Ruler of this world," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker addresses his legion. A mass blackish-purple aura produces all around his body. 

"What have I unleashed?" Grogar fearfully thought to himself. The once Father of Monster has become the Fatherless. He sees Sadistic Spike Knightwalker as the real villain of this story. A rampant tyrant with the sole purpose of brutalizing anyone in his way, Grogar will have to ally himself with unholy alliances. 

"Lord Tirek, claim your prize!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker tosses the shard for him to devour. 

"With pleasure," Lord Tirek licks his lips and shatters the crystal, absorbing the raw power of Fairy Law into him, which makes him grow and become immensely stronger than before. Lord Tirek is bulkier and preponderant than he obtained all Alicorn, Chaos, and Equestrian magic. Luckily for him, the Diamond Dog caves are deeper in the ground, and Lord Tirek's horns don't pierce the ceiling that would have exposed his position to Harmony, who is still searching for the new evil. 

"With your newfound power, care to multiply the Exo-Suits I crafted for our armies to wear?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker marvel at Lord Tirek's new transformation and prowess. 

"Piece of cake," Lord Tirek uses his newfound magic to manipulate the Exo-Suits in Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's lair to levitate and produce copies of all kinds.

"My liege," Slither attracts Sadistic Spike Knightwalker's attention. 

"Yes?" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker turns to his warrior. 

"What to do with this scum?" Slither refers to Grogar. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker walks up to Grogar; Grogar is still due to fear creeping up on him. He pants heavily at being at the mercy of Sadistic Spike Knightwalker. 

"You will live to tell the tale that a Devil rose to conquer a new world of magic!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker grabs the horns of Grogar. "You won't be needing these anymore!" Sadistic Spike Knightwalker presses his foot on Grogar's face and tears the horns off of Grogar's head, giving him severe head trauma. Grogar agonizing wails intensely due to the injury. 

"Shut up!" Slither punches Grogar's face, knocking him out with his newfound strength. 

"You did well," Sadistic Spike Knightwalker pats Slither's left shoulder with approval for silencing a weakling. 

"So, what to do with him?" Rover asks. He and everyone are now wearing an Exo-Suit with all the weapons and attachments for warfare. 

"Put him in confinement. We're about to embark on new training sequences to ensure that every creature will use the Exo-Suits to the fullest. That includes you, Lord Tirek." 

All the copies of the Exo-Suits have already been analyzed and taken by their hosts, including Lord Tirek. Lord Tirek is shocked to witness an Exo-Suit increases to fit his physique after it scanned him. 

"I'll put Grogar in his place," A Diamond Dog volunteers to place Grogar in a cell. He is wearing the Exo-Suit and hoists Grogar off the ground. 

Sadistic Spike Knightwalker goes to his lair for a few moments to construct a crown using Grogar's horns. He comes out adorning his new headwear as a trophy to install fear. He addresses his legion. "From this day forward, I am not Spike Knightwalker; for the man is dead. In this world, I am, Mongor," Mongor grasps the Eternal Cataclysmic Scepter and consumes the power within, making his magic paramountcy. 

An hour later. Grogar wakes up, chained to the wall; he sees Moondancer barely alive while a single Diamond Dog guarding the prison cells with much despair on his face, although he wants a better refuge for his kin but not in warfare where there'll be bloodshed across many acres. 

Grogar groans, alerting the Diamond Dog's attention. "Listen.., you have to get me out of here... All life depends on this decision," Grogar pleads, sounding genuine with remorse for his actions to bring forth Sadistic Spike Knightwalker in his schemes to conquer United Equestria. 

The Diamond Dog listens and debates what to do next. If Mongor succeeds, there'll be misery, disharmony, and death. No one will be happy, and he knows it. History has shown that a world filled with corruption leads to astray and disaster, especially with the Windigoes amid the situation.
> Still No Word: Part One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edolas 43 Days Ago

Spike Knightwalker is walking in the streets of the Royal City after an exclusive interview with Gajeel on his podcast. Spike Knightwalker routinely inspects all homes and buildings with solar panels to ensure they're in working order or if it needs repair. 

Throughout the eight years since all of Edolas lost their magic, Spike Knightwalker's invention helped everyone live life better with solar-based technology. Of course, different factions are using solar-based weaponry to invoke their dominance, scouring to find treasuries to rob or kidnap civilians to hold for ransom. Due to Spike Knightwalker's sadistic days, only one guild fights these different factions whenever they strike the innocents, Fairy Tail. Despite being a dark guild, Fairy Tail prides themselves on helping anyone in need; King Jellal hired Fairy Tail to become his utmost investigators and warriors whenever the people cry outside or within the Royal City. 

Although Spike Knightwalker is a changed man with promise, most of Fairy Tail cannot forgive all the pain, strife, trauma, headache, and torment he inflicted during his sadistic days. They tolerate Spike Knightwalker since their weaponry based on his designs correlates to each warrior's power type. 

Only one member of the Fairy Tail guild showed mercy during Spike Knightwalker's punishment when all of Fairy Tail unleashed their wrath, and rightfully so; that woman also became the wife of Spike Knightwalker. Her name is Wendy, Wendy Knightwalker. 

Wendy Knightwalker is a tall, young woman with ample breasts and long blue hair. Her attire consists of a very revealing cerulean-colored top with a thin white trim that tapers off at her waist and her bust into multiple spiked points. Decorating the front of this top is a sky-blue bow tied in the center of her chest, and she wraps up her overall appearance with a pair of white capri-shorts. 

Wendy Knightwalker carries her son and daughter while approaching her husband. The two embrace with a loving kiss; Spike takes and holds his daughter. 

"How are you doing, Wendy?" Spike Knightwalker smiles lovingly at his wife. 

"I'm doing great," Wendy smiles. "The kids miss their father after you left the Royal City to inspect the solar panels in the outer rims of Edolas." 

"Oh, I know," Spike Knightwalker sighs. "I miss you, Spidy, and Windy so much; I have a few more experiments, and I'll take the year off to be with my family." 

The kids shout Yay with excitement. Spidy is a four-year-old boy with a blue mohawk and green eyes; he wears a white shirt, black jean shorts, and blue sneakers. Windy is a four-year-old girl with long green hair and blue eyes; she wears a red shirt, blue skirt, black tights, and brown flats. 

Spike, Wendy, Spidy, and Windy arrive at the house; next to King Jellal's palace. Erza Knightwalker finishes talking with King Jellal about a new project to use mirrors as a means of teleportation. Due to Spike Knightwalker's research for far-distant travels, King Jellal wants an analysis to see the potential of sending allies to his subjects without having them suffer by enemy hands. 

"No.., no, no, no, no, no," Wendy shakes her head, knowing wholeheartedly that her husband will return to his work already. The kids are devastated that their time with their father could be short-lived. 

Erza Knightwalker and King Jellal turn to the family arriving at the doorstep. "I shall see you soon, Erza Knightwalker," King Jellal turns to Spike Knightwalker. "After today, I want you to continue your progress with the mirror in your laboratory, Spike Knightwalker. I read your notes and am quite amazed to see the fruition of transporting people, soldiers, warriors, and supplies to any destination having reflective surfaces." 

"After spending the day with my kids, they long to see and be with their father," Spike Knightwalker said, hoping not to upset the King in his presence. 

"Much obliged, Knightwalker. Have fun with your family. I'll see you in two days," King Jellal gives Spike Knightwalker an extra day, hoping his final project gets finalized before taking the year off. 

"Grandma!" Spidy and Windy hop down and run to Erza Knightwalker. She hugs her grandkids with much love and affection. 

"You've grown since the last time I've seen you, two," Erza Knightwalker smiles, then turns to Spike and Wendy. "How did the travel go, you two?" 

"Work is usually busy in the guild, Erza," Wendy replies while holding Spike's hand. "Though, even after the peace Edolas is embracing, there is backtalk about you and your son since today's the ninth anniversary of the Thunder Legion's demise." 

Spike Knightwalker groans bitterly. The Thunder Legion was Fairy Tail's promising group executed by his hands through severe torture during an interrogation. At the time, Spike Knightwalker brutalizes the core to reveal evidence of Fairy Tail's whereabouts and several locations.

"A day I want to forget; I hate the man I once was. Sadistic. Cold. Evil," Spike covers his face in shame; more memories pour into Spike's mind of the times he mutilated many Fairy Tail Wizards and other dark guilds that opposed him. 

"It's an unavoidable topic, especially with my guild still hating you more than Erza," Wendy painfully says the truth, knowing her husband wants to leave his disturbing past behind him. "They still encourage me to divorce you." 

"Not happening," Spike and Erza said in unison coldly. The kids don't want their parents to split. 

"I know. I'm not letting my friends encourage me to divorce you and leave my family behind." 

"They hold a grudge, and rightfully so. I cannot forgive myself for my past sins; I still hear the screams about what I did..," Many people beloved in Fairy Tail are screaming in their agonizing death slow and surely, forever haunting Spike Knightwalker. Spidy and Windy don't understand what their father has done; Wendy doesn't allow her guildmates to influence the damages caused by her husbands' hands, manipulating them into hating and resenting their father. 

Spike, Wendy, and Erza take the kids inside for a warm and delicious meal for dinner. The kids roam inside, pretending to use magic on each other and imagining fighting a dragon that once stood tall in Edolas eight years ago. The same image is when Dragneel and the Dragon stood while facing a young Prince Jellal to a standstill. It does remind Spike Knightwalker about confronting and battling the Fairy Dragon during the final days of Edolas upholding magic power. Spike Knightwalker revealed his experiences fighting the Fairy Dragon three times to Spidy and Windy; however, he didn't lie or stretch the truth. Spike Knightwalker told how powerful a dragon is and how he was lucky to give it a run for his money. 

Erza Knightwalker is preparing a little feast to commemorate the anniversary of Spike and Wendy's marriage. Also, the day that the Knightwalker family changed for the better. 

Wendy Knightwalker gets notifications on her solar phone telling her to return to the guildhall for a tribute to the Thunder Legion and those who died at Knightwalkers' hands. She ignores the messages since they cannot let go of the past to move forward. Lucy even threatened to drag Wendy from the Knightwalker's household while disregarding her family. 

An hour later, while Spike plays with his kids, pretending to be the dragon, he hears the front doors knocking and excuses himself. Spike opens the door and sees Lucy pissed off with an angry tic on her forehead. 

"Where is-" Lucy pauses when she sees Spike Knightwalker at the door. Despite him being a different person, the scars left behind still traumatize her with flashes of sadism. As bold, strong, and mighty as Lucy is, Spike Knightwalker is still fearful in her eyes from the many conflicts the two had a decade ago. 

"She's here but refuses to leave the family," Spike Knightwalker calmly said while reading Lucy's body language. He senses the fear Lucy still clings to every time she sees him. 

"I want the guild to be together for the tribute!" Lucy shouts firmly with hesitation in her tone. "Tell her that-" Spike walks up to Lucy, and she steps back. "To.., come..., when she can." 

Years ago, Spike Knightwalker allowed himself to suffer torment by every Fairy Tail Wizard, especially Lucy, who hit him and hurt him more than anyone else. Lucy can no longer harm Spike Knightwalker whenever Wendy is around, and she's always with Spike. Lucy is one of the roughest Fairy Tail Wizards of the guild, and yet, she's afraid of pulling a punch now. 

"She's not coming," Spike Knightwalker replies. "You'll see her when she goes to work, not now since she's with the family and me. See you later," Spike closes the door and hopes Lucy walks away. He hears angrily grumbles and stomps away from the door. 

While King Jellal walks to the throne room for an utmost meeting, he gets confronted by Coco with urgency and worry. Coco informs King Jellal about Spike's mirror project glowing with an aura not seen since magic dissipated. King Jellal hurries to Spike Knightwalker's laboratory and witnesses the mirror radiating without any plausible reason. King Jellal and Coco rush to the Knightwalker's home. 

Erza and Wendy Knightwalker sets the table as Spike continues to play with his children. They are playing pachisi; Spidy is closer to winning the game than his father and sister. 

The family hears the door knocking again. Instead of Spike answering the door, it's Wendy. She believes her guild is persuading her to come to the tribute. Wendy opens the door and sees Coco and King Jellal deeply concerned. 

"No.....," Wendy already knows why these two are present. They want her husband. 

"I'm deeply sorry, but I need your husband at once," King Jellal formally apologizes. 

"We saw something unbelievable in his laboratory! We need Spike urgently!" Coco said. 

Spike overhears the conversation and gets up. Spidy and Windy are sick to their stomachs. They don't want their father to leave them again. 

Spike approaches King Jellal and Coco. "What's the status?"

"Your mirror is active," King Jellal confirms. "Coco and I saw it illuminating in brilliant colors unforeseen since Edolas' magic deprivation. 

Spike Knightwalker's eyes widen in shock at the revelation. He sighs, knowing what's vital. Wendy refuses to allow her husband to leave the family behind over a mirror. 

"I'll be back," Spike turns to his wife and kisses her. "I will be back." 

"Please.., can you save it for later?" Wendy asks. 

"If it's magic from a different world and possibly tries to enter here, would your risk it?" Spike Knightwalker asks. He worked diligently on the mirror project for teleportation. Since the mirror's activation is out of the blue, Spike must investigate the situation.

"Please, don't take too long," Wendy said, turning to her husband. 

"I won't be long. I promise," Spike Knightwalker kisses Wendy and leaves with King Jellal and Coco to the palace. 

Despite living close to the palace, the travel took fifteen minutes. Spike Knightwalker rushes to his lair while having implications about the possible worlds tethering to the mirror. He sees the mirror glowing in the radiance of yellowish-black. 

"My work is not supposed to emit a surcharge of any colors, and my mirror is weeks away from completion," Spike puts his finger through the reflective surface; his finger goes through like a portal. "Impossible!" 

King Jellal and Coco are stunned to see the shocking conclusion. Somewhere in Edolas or elsewhere. Now has access to the palace. 

"Alright, skipping the trials and energizing the mirror on my end," Spike turns the power of the mirror on and sees where the reflection is coming from. He hears unfamiliar voices from the portal. "Coco, tie a rope around my waist tightly. I'm going in." 

King Jellal nods in accordance with Spike's demand. "Do it. Guards!" King Jellal's soldiers arrive on cue. 

"Yes, my Liege," Five Royal Soldiers bow in respect of their King. 

"I require your assistance. Spike Knightwalker is testing the mirror teleporter on himself, and we'll need to combine our strengths to pull him out of the portal with the rope attached to his waist," King Jellal informs as Coco finishes tying Spike Knightwalker's waist with the rope. 

"Yes, Sir!" They loudly chant. Each of them grabs the backend rope with King Jellal and Coco.

"Alright," Spike Knightwalker takes a deep breath. "I'm going in." 

The moment Spike Knightwalker steps into the mirror, it shatters, cutting ties to the location Spike saw. 

"HOLY SHIT!" Everyone cries out in horror. Just like that, in an instant, Spike Knightwalker is gone in a blink of an eye. Shattered mirror shards are scattered all over the floor, with several notes of Spike's progress ripped to shreds. 

"Coco.., tell the Knightwalkers what happened..," King Jellal never anticipated a tragedy such as this to be so devastating within his palace. He has no words to describe the horror he felt. 

Coco gulps and runs out of Spike Knightwalker's laboratory. While wearing solar-enhanced sneakers, she matches her running speed when she used magic eight years ago. 

Spidy and Windy sit at the table with their mother and grandma. They are eager to hear from their father and hope to eat with him. Wendy feels unease while Erza tries to brighten the mood. The family hears the front door knocking; Spidy and Windy believe their father has brought them presents. 

Wendy gets up and answers the door. She sees Coco distraught; her face reads sadness, guilt, and anguish. "Coco, what's wrong?" Coco whispers the unfortunate events that took place minutes ago. "WHAT?!" Wendy horridly shouts in anger and sorrow. She scares the daylights out of Spidy and Windy while Erza balls her fist in anger over the fact that something tragic happened to her son.
> Still No Word: Part Two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edolas 42 Days Ago

Spidy and Windy dried their tears after crying for hours; Wendy and Coco explained the situation to Erza Knightwalker, and she's irate that her son, the one she saved from the streets, vanished into an off-world within a flash. Wendy and Erza ask Coco to babysit the kids to see Spike's laboratory and find traces, evidence, something worth noting to pinpoint locations where the magic got tethered to. 

Coco complies and tries to cheer Spidy and Windy for the best possible. She decides to draw funny pictures and tell tales of their dad's funniest misfortunes; Spidy and Windy laugh and start to believe that their father will return sooner than later. 

The Royal Soldiers are outside, on patrol, continuing where Spike Knightwalker left off with simple instructions for repairing solar panels all around the Royal City and the outskirts. They see Wendy and Erza Knightwalker hurrying to King Jellal's palace, longing to see what transpired more than ever. 

King Jellal sees the two entering the palace and rushing to Spike's laboratory; there will be much explanation when they see the remains of the mirror when it imploded hours ago. 

Wendy and Erza Knightwalker see the mirror Spike worked on in shambles with a distorted color sphere of green, purple, and black swirling in formation as a vortex. Much of Spike's research got shredded, making his notes hard to read and decipher. King Jellal walks by and hears Erza and Wendy weeping. He sighs deeply at the situation. 

"What... happened..?" Erza Knightwalker dries her tears. She turns to her king, awaiting an answer. 

"Coco tied Spike with rope so we could reel him in once he stepped inside the mirror. The moment he walked through, his experiment shattered within an instant. After Coco left, that sphere came, and we only see blurs." 

"Where did my beloved go?" Wendy turns to King Jellal. 

"We don't know. Our experts are unable to decode Spike's research. For now, all we can do is wait until he returns," King Jellal sadly answers. 

Wendy turns to the sphere and sits, hoping to see her husband soon. 




Edolas 35 Days Ago

It's been a week since Spike Knightwalker vanished when his experiment imploded. Wendy stares at the sphere, hoping, begging, crying, pleading, and praying for Spike's safety and return; she misses her husband dearly while everyone else in the palace work strenuously to decode and replicate the mirror Spike built. So far, Erza Knightwalker and King Jellal have worked tirelessly without rest to bring Spike Knightwalker from whatever realm he stepped into. The kids are restless and have given up hope; Spidy and Windy blame King Jellal for sending their father into unknown territory. 

King Jellal steps into Spike's laboratory to check on Wendy. "Hello, Wendy." 

Wendy keeps her gaze on the sphere, not wanting to turn away. "Hey." 

"You should head home. We'll send Coco and the others to alert you of Spike's arrival," King Jellal says, hoping to send Wendy home to be with her family and cope together like a family. 

"Any luck on reconstructing Spike's mirror?" Wendy asks, diverting the topic to something else. 

"Spike's notes are hard to read and translate since the explosion. Do you know others that can help?" King Jellal knows who'll do the job but believes they'll reject the offer. 

"I do..," Wendy knows who can help; however, they are more likely to refuse. 

King Jellal walks up to Wendy. "Go to them. Seek their support. I'll continue to do my part in bringing Spike Knightwalker back home." 

Wendy smiles slightly and nods. She gets up and leaves the room after taking another glimpse of the sphere. "I'll come to get you if I must." 

Wendy decides to go home first and be with Spidy and Windy. They do need their mother, so they don't think she's gone too; it'll be overwhelming for the kids to endure loneliness with no one to love. She doesn't want Spidy and Windy to think their parents abandoned them.   

Wendy decides to go to the market first to buy food to cook for Spidy and Windy; she grabs many fruits, vegetables, and meat. She's looking for spices and herbs to make the food tastier when she inadvertently bumps into Lucy.

"Watch it, you little-!" Lucy grabs Wendy's collar and raises her right fist, preparing to pound her face. She lets go instantly after seeing her friend for the first time in over a week. "Wendy!" Lucy sees Wendy distraught. "What's the matter?"

Wendy frowns and tears up. "It's Spike..," Wendy burst into tears. 

Lucy becomes agitated and cracks her knuckles. "What did that scumbag do to you?!" Lucy is ready to give Spike Knightwalker a deadly beating. 

"HE DIDN'T HARM ME, YOU STUPID BITCH!" Wendy shouts at Lucy angrily. She huffs and puffs after being fed up with her friends at the guild for holding onto the hatred of Spike Knightwalker. 

Lucy stands back a little after the outburst. She expected Spike Knightwalker to resort to going back to his sadism days and perform domestic and child abuse. "What happened then?" 

"He's gone!" Wendy cries in sadness. "His experiment blew, and he vanished." 

"YES!" Lucy does a fist-pump in excitement, knowing the world is free of Spike Knightwalker's tyranny. "That's karma for you!" Lucy laughs in triumph. 

Wendy slaps the shit out of Lucy for making a bold and yet, insulting remark. Despite doing simple jobs for the guild, Wendy's strength is on another level, leaving a handprint and bruise on Lucy's face. Wendy grabs Lucy's collar and pulls her close harshly. "Listen, you little shit! My husband, the man I love! The father of my children will return to me! You and the rest of the guild will help me bring him back!" Wendy's glare is terrorizing, similar to how Spike Knightwalker would behave during his sadism days when some sucker agitated him. Wendy's eyes are red with malice, and her teeth are razor-sharp. 

Lucy is sweating immensely from Wendy's glare and grasp. She messed with the wrong woman and now rues her decision. She complies to help Wendy by any means so she doesn't sustain any vicious, malicious injuries by her hands. The old saying is true, never mess with love. 

"I'll bring the kids to the guildhall in a day or two. I'll have my mother-in-law bring Spike Knightwalker's notes for Levy to debunk and recreate. If any dare to sabotage his research, I'll do to you all what my husband should have done years ago!" Wendy doesn't want the Fairy Tail guild to continue to hold their grudges and hopes they don't do anything foolish to Spidy and Windy's father.   




Edolas 33 Days Ago

King Jellal had his Royal Soldiers deliver all of Spike's research, including the shattered glass from the mirror, to the Fairy Tail Guildhall. They got other matters to address about the recent solar mechanic failure. Without Spike Knightwalker's intellect about resolving the crisis, they'll have to undergo a study using Spike Knightwalker's blueprints and instructions. 

Wendy informs her mother-in-law that she'll be staying with the guild with Spidy and Windy for a week or so, depending on the guild's progress in restoring the mirror portal Spike built ages ago. Erza Knightwalker hugs Spidy and Windy before they leave; she's on night duty with the Royal Soldiers due to several attacks within the Royal City. 

Wendy gets in a taxi with Spidy and Windy. Wendy tells the taxi driver to take them to the Fairy Tail Guildhall in the forest region near the capital. The Fairy Tail Guildhall resembles a plant sprouting; inside has tree barks for walls, mushroom tables and seats, small trees acting like pillars and poles around, lanterns hanging on the ceiling and branches for lighting, a bar, job board at the corner of the room. Lastly, there's a pointless brawl in the center of the room. 

Wendy, Spidy, and Windy walk inside and see how lively the Fairy Tail Guild is for the first time; the kids wonder why their father can't work with them. Wendy tells the kids to hang with Natsu and Gray. Gray is wearing so many coats he looks like the bottom half of a snowman. He encourages the kids to jump on him like a trampoline. 

Many Fairy Tail Wizards have seen Spidy and Windy before and know how to entertain them; the problem is their father, Spike Knightwalker. Most of the guild resents Spike Knightwalker and still hasn't forgiven him. Juvia approaches Wendy. 

"Why?" Juvia gives a scornful stare at Wendy. "Why bring that monster back?" Unlike Lucy, who trembled earlier, Juvia is not afraid of confronting Wendy; about her husband. 

"I love him. He cares about me, the kids, even all of you!" Wendy shouts. The kids stop jumping and understand why their father can never be a Fairy Tail Wizard. 

"US?!" Everyone else said in unison. They are iffy about Spike Knightwalker's care of the Fairy Tail Guild. 

"Besides his kids and Erza Knightwalker, I'm the only one who understands him and show compassion. He refuses to let go of his sins but strives for a better future. Without Spike Knightwalker, we wouldn't have solar-based weaponry that feels like magic, and we would be years behind in advancing technology! He'd even planted the guildhall here when all of you were tired of brutalizing him during the punishment!" 

"That's because he was obligated," Jet and Droy bitterly say. 

"No, he wasn't," Erza Knightwalker steps inside the guildhall. Everyone panics and gets sudden flashbacks of the Fairy Hunter. 

"What are you doing here, Erza?" Wendy is confused that her mother-in-law is in the guildhall. 

Erza smiles. "The kids forgot their clothes and toys for the week," She holds their belongings. 

"Ex-Ex-Explain!" Lucy demands with fright in her tone. She points at Erza, somewhat demanding an explanation. 

"King Jellal commanded my son to apologize publically for his cruelty and killing spree. He did so but knew it wasn't enough. My son had inside information on surviving wizards of other guilds, apologized to them, and allowed them to unleash their wrath. During his suffering, he had PTSD. A dark guild tormented my Spike when he was young. He was six when the Celestials first took him from an orphanage." 

Everyone, including Wendy, is silent. Spike didn't mention much about the reason behind his killing spree and hunting of dark guilds. Now it makes sense. He didn't want any youngling going through the torture and death from other wizards, wanting to obtain unspeakable power. In his demented mindset, Wendy sees Spike providing justice unlike any other; still, he's in the wrong for mercilessly killing innocents that did no wrong. 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard starts contemplating the reasoning behind Spike Knightwalker's action. A child enduring an endless nightmare would be the probable cause of going insane. It makes sense why Spike displayed such cruelty whenever he captured one of them; he'd never seen how good-minded wizards can do as a family until one presented herself. 

"My son has undergone many surgeries to undo the damages caused by the Celestials guild; none had succeeded due to a glaring issue. Spike's mentality due to the transition of the Celestials corrupted his mind. So, I had to take charge and tame him, train Spike to become an intelligent individual using his sadistic mind for other purposes. If I had not tamed Spike Knightwalker at the time, all of us would have perished. His mind would be so corruptible he would take the form of a demon and install fear in many. He'll cross boundaries no sane person would. He wouldn't care unless he completed a task. If that Spike could, he would have brought an apocalypse so wretched, he would rule over the ashes." 

"He can create a weapon that could slay us all?!" Every Fairy Tail Wizard, including Wendy, shouts in horror in unison. 

"Spike can turn anything into a devastating weapon. If any components are available, then we die. He's that brilliant." 

"Boy, I'm glad he's gone elsewhere!" Levy said with a sigh of relief. 

"Mind your tone, idiot!" Juvia and Wendy lividly express. 

Spidy and Windy now understand why their father screamed during the late nights back home; he was reliving the days of torture and sadness. Also, they now know why it's hard on their mother to go on epic jobs and adventures, with most of Fairy Tail detesting their dad. 

A slow, crept terror came to Wendy's mind when Erza finished her story about not taming Spike. "WE HAVE TO HURRY!" 

"Why, what's wrong?" Cana said while drinking a cup of tea. 

"Since Spike was tamed when Erza had him, what if something immoral were to break the shackles of his mind?" Wendy asks everyone. 

Erza and every Fairy Tail Wizard become pale and more afraid than ever; the idea of an untamed behemoth spreading carnage and destruction would bring decimation, catastrophe, and misery, and if Spike were to return as that unwavering demon, unstoppable with different technology that far exceeds anything he created or overpowered with magic power that overrides technology. Many probabilities come to everyone's mind. 

"Alright! We'll get Spike Knightwalker back. Only to prevent him from becoming far worse than a demon!" Levy shouts and starts reading his research. 

"Thanks," Erza Knightwalker turns to Wendy. "I'll inspect the progress and report to King Jellal; from time to time." 

"Sounds good. See you then," Wendy sighs happily, knowing that her friends will rebuild the mirror and analyze the shredded notes. Also, she'll reunite with her beloved.
> Divide & Conquer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"MY BROTHERS!" Mongor addresses the Chameleon, Lizard, and Diamond Dog armies; Lord Tirek is listening to his new idea after watching the humiliating defeat Grogar endured at the hands of the Mongor. "Today," Mongor raises his scythe, slashing the air and creating a temporal rift. It's an orange vortex with black strands swirling. "We will conquer our enemy by weakening their forces, destroying their hope, and making a statement that they'll never forget!" Everyone roars with a sound of triumph. 

The portal reveals a gloomy island where blimps and air cruisers are patrolling the skies; they have the Storm Nation's symbol. The Chameleons, Lizards, and Diamond Dogs watch with the anticipation of going through wreaking havoc on any they see; Lord Tirek knows there's no magic for him to consume for strength and power. 

"ASTER!" Mongor's command booms with authority, echoing the mines. "You are your battalion shall march into the Storm Nation's island, lay waste to any resistance, and ravage any technology that will benefit United Equestria." 

"Consider it done, my lord," Aster bows in respect to his commanding officer and leads his army into the portal; upon arriving, he and the Chameleons land in the square district, bombarding the innocents and annihilating any buildings that look like weapons' bureau. 

Storm Nation Creatures sees the onslaught of the Chameleons as Grubber decides to patrol the community. Grubber commands the guards to take down the new enemy while he retreats to HQ and notifies Tempest of an invasion. 

"Take this!" Aster activates the missile sequence, shooting multiple blue gemstone explosives; Storm Nation Creature gets encased in ice. 

"Firing!" Emerald shoots orange gemstone bullets at the frozen Storm Creatures with the mini turret, killing them on impact when several limbs rip off the icy imprisonment. 

The civilians are sickened to see such demolition from the Chameleons and flee for their lives; more Chameleons appear and intrude on the island, combating the defenders and surpassing them. 

Grubber runs with the crowd while many more troopers come to defeat the menace with their weaponry; however, the screams from his brethren verify that the new threat is more ominous than Midnight Sparkle's Techno-Magic-Soldiers. Something about the weapons attached to the Chameleons made Grubber more frightful about other invasions conceivably happening across Equus. 

Grubber enters the HQ and sprints up the stairs while many civilians arrive, pursuing shelter from the rampage caused by the Chameleons. The HQ doesn't have protection mechanisms, only guards on their outposts, guarding the area with air patrol with bombs mounted to deploy. 

Grubber is in his office on the twenty-eighth floor; he sees the bloodbath laid waste by the Chameleons, eradicating the soldiers while holding the innocents as prisoners from the window. Grubber starts a Morse Code to United Equestria District Eleven for Discord's clone to translate the message. Screams ululate in the building, making Grubber panic and send the Morse Code quicker. 

"While the Chameleons take care of business," Mongor slashes with the scythe, creating a new gateway. It's gold with white strands swirling, revealing Griffonstone. "Lizards! Time to crush the Griffons. Slither, I'm empowering you to exhaust their air power and reduce their weaponry to ashes." 

"Sir, not to be disrespectful, but aaaah!" Dino, a purple Lizard, dodges a magic bullet from Mongor's pistol. 

"To answer your inquiry about these preys of United Equestria," Mongor intercedes Dino's question, already knowing what he wanted to ask. "We're terminating their Air Force. Although we can soar, why share the skies with the foe?" 

"He has a good point," Fido said; he knows after many scout assignments that United Equestria has many creatures that fly and would cause a headache down the road. 

"The flyers of United Equestria are the Storm Creatures with their technology to fly, Griffons, Hippogriffs, Dragons, Changelings, Pegasi, and Alicorns; more than half of their powers can fly, and we are only less than their entire army, regardless of our superpowered-Exo-Suits. To win this war, we must eliminate a strength of theirs to keep them leveled so we can overwhelm them. That's why we're targetting the homelands of those who fly, to secure our objective is one step nearer," Mongor calmly and terrifyingly expresses with his rationale. 

"We will gladly take on the Griffons and overpower anything they have in store for us," Slither said; he and the Lizards are ready for combat. 

"LET'S GOOOOOO!" Dexter, a lime green Lizard with lab glasses, shoots many rounds at the ceiling and charges into the portal with his squadron as Slither takes the lead. 

Grampa Gruff is celebrating the anniversary of Griffons becoming new with Friendship in the town square. Many Griffons have put up many decorations, set up long tables for the potluck lunch, and set up a stage for short performances and karaoke. 

Gabby returns from her mailing duties and arrives on time to help her friends before celebrating a momentous event. She sees a portal opening and believes Gallus wanted his friends to celebrate with his family. Instead, Lizards come guns-blazing and shooting yellow gemstone bullets, paralyzing every Griffon they see. 

"AMBUUUUSH!" Gabby gets shot and taken down by Dexter. 

"A purdy little Griffon," Dexter places his left foot on Gabby's head; she snarls in frustration and wants to kick his head off. He laughs and unleashes a barrage of yellow gemstone bullets at any Griffon he sees. 

Some Griffons holding spears chuck them at the invading Lizards coming through the portal with all their might; they reflect off the Lizard's Exo-Suits, enabling them to aim their weaponry at the Griffons. Those Griffons that threw their lances became awestruck with terror, realizing their downfall ended before it began. 

Grampa Gruffs watches much of his kin paralyzed from the neck down, striking fear into his heart; he commands the remaining Griffons to seek refuge at United Equestria and alarm them of an opposing foe unlike any other. To his dismay, Grampa Gruffs notices several Lizards activating their flight mode and eliminating potential escapees fleeing Griffonstone. He watches his brothers and sisters drop like flies after getting shot by yellow gemstone bullets. 

Slither soars and lands in front of Grampa Gruffs. "There's nowhere to run, old-timer," He laughs in delight while watching many more Griffons drop like rain after getting shot with their weaponry. 

Many Griffons surrender to the Lizards' dominance since they're helpless to defend themselves from the onslaught; also, their children are saddened and filled with fear of death. 

Grampa Gruffs wants to fight Slither but knows he's frail and outmatched by his superiority. "Don't kill my children..., please...!" He pleads with the King of Lizards, huffing in sadness. 

"Your children got infected with a paralysis gemstone; they need us to care for them now!" Slither gloats over the Griffons' despair. 

"Y-Y-You monster!" Grampa Gruffs staggers with his speech in fear of the unknown. 

"Yet, your allegiance is with those that stole our homelands and left them in ruins; you are among the monsters themselves, and we're going to purge them!" Slither shouts coldly and steadies his aim on Grampa Gruffs' chest. "Be glad you'll live to witness how everything develops!" Slither laughs menacingly and fires Grampa Gruffs in the chest, contaminating him with paralysis. Grampa Gruffs falls over and bellows in anguish, feeling his limbs and muscles tightening and stiffing, unable to move except his mouth. 

All Griffons within Griffonstone cry in horror as the Lizards seize control of their homeland and ravage their belongings. Slither notifies Mongor about subduing all Griffons and intends on bringing them to base to seal them away forever. 

Mongor delivers steel cages to Griffonstone for the Lizards to trap them inside for transport. Many younglings were lucky to be with their parents, while others were unfortunate to be separated by those in the military. Every Griffon got muzzled to reduce their groans, whines, and cries. 

Every Lizard that captured the Griffons and locked them in cages pushes them into the portal they came out of; they become disheartened and fearful of their friends and family possibly enduring punishment beyond belief for the oppressors' pleasure. 

Grampa Gruffs becomes frightened at the margin of creatures wielding their Exo-Suits. "NOO!" Grampa Gruffs screams in thought after seeing Lord Tirek. He fears other Kingdoms falling to his regime; then his eyes are on Mongor, and he resembles someone more terrifying than Grogar. "That fellow looks like... Holy shit! That's the crazed-up Knightwalker from Edolas!" Grampa Gruffs is absolutely terrified by the shocking disclosure.

Mongor smiles in delight at his soldiers' success. "You've done well for acclaiming the Griffons and neutralizing their forces. Are there any survivors of the invasion?" 

"No one left in Griffonstone, my lord," Slither informs Mongor about the Griffon's populous status. "The rest are residing in United Equestria. We have thinned their numbers, my lord." 

"When this is over, we want the Griffons as our slaves," Dexter sees his prized pet in a cage, isolated from all the others. Gabby glares at Dexter but dreads the unknown.

Many Lizards arrive with the cages the Storm Nation creatures used to keep Equestrian Ponies contained; the Chameleon soldiers return with Storm Nation technology to keep United Equestria from elevating themselves. 

"My lord, we've also come with resources that United Equestria would revolutionize to contradict your impending strikes, and I bring a pet for your glory," Aster reveals a small cage that contains Grubber. He's muzzled and shackled. 

Grubber is rattling in his confinement; he wants to get even with the invaders that destroyed the island. "Who is this punk, and why does he look familiar?" 

"I have no interest in that swine; send it to kingdom come." 

"Wh-What does he mean by that..?" Grubber becomes worried about his life in the clutches of his captor; he thinks of the worst since he witnessed bloodshed by the Chameleons. 

"As you wish, my lord," Aster takes Grubber and follows his brothers to the containment units of the mines; he thinks about messing with Grubber to instill more fear into his soul. "Hey, little fella," Aster chuckles devilishly. "You're probably wondering who that scary demon was, right?" 

Grubber would say yes; however, due to the muzzle blocking his speech, he nods. "Maybe that Lunar Princess can enter my dreams so I can expose that punk who did this to us!" 

"See that poor fool over there!" Aster directs the cage's sight for Grubber to see Grogar in a weakened state. Grogar opens his right eye and stares at Aster detestably. "He brought forth the most devastating creature from another world for conquest and attempted a coup. Grogar summoned Spike Knightwalker, who is now Mongor, our leader of the invasion plans, while Grogar rots!" 

"Nooo! Not him! If Spike Knightwalker saw Twilight and Guardian Dragon, he would go ballistic and put all of us through hell!" Grubber whines and starts acting crazy in his cage, trying to find some way of escaping the wrath of a sadistic killer. 

Aster laughs at Grubber's misery. "There's nothing you can do to prevent the end of your world!" 

As the Chameleons and Lizards put away the prisoners in their cells, Mongor creates another vortex with the scythe. It's blue with multi-color strands like a rainbow swirling.

"Diamond Dogs, you will infiltrate the Dragon Lands and decimate the Dragons' magic power," Mongor commands, knowing that the Diamond Dogs wanted retribution for the humiliating defeat a few weeks ago. 

"Mongor, no disrespect, but you are dispatching the wrong squad to overthrow the Dragons; I should go instead," Lord Tirek wants to devour the Dragons' energy since they're the most promising source of overwhelming power. 

"Denied, Lord Tirek, for there is another country you'll eradicate the magic from," Mongor twirls his scythe and opens another portal. It's green with multi-color strands. 

"I understand, Mongor. Although Dragons are more omnipotent than Equestrian Ponies, even Alicorns, I should aid the Dogs."

"Although you would accumulate considerably more than Equestrian magic to regale on, this is not your mission, Lord Tirek; this task belongs to the Diamond Dogs. Dragons have always taken gemstones from the Diamond Dogs while belittling their existence, consuming their treasuries and returning for more." 

Lord Tirek sees the image of the portal reveal the Changeling Hive with many Changelings using their magic for flight and shape-shifting. "Oh, I understand. The Dogs would be stupid and fall to their antics." 

"Precisely," Mongor concurs, causing the Diamond Dogs to exclaim hurtfully due to the remark. He turns to the Diamond Dogs, complaining instead of proving their intellect and subduing the Changeling Hive. "Proceed with the raiding and reclaim what's rightfully yours." 

The Diamond Dogs take a deep breath and use their humiliating defeat the Dragons unleashed as motivation to bring forth a calamity unlike any other; the Diamond Dogs howl their warcry and rush into the portal while Lord Tirek enters the Changeling Hive. 

Many Dragons roam in the skies, practicing their magic prowess and becoming potent by the second with the fear of Grogar running amuck in Equus. The Diamond Dogs arrive near a training camp, watching many Dragons training with each other. 

"Hey! I know you scumbags!" Clump remembers the Diamond Dogs when they nearly took Rarity and Cozy Glow hostage. He approaches them and pauses, eyes widening at the weaponry that looks superior to the Techno-Magic-Soldiers. 

"Payback is a bitch!" Rover shoots multiple rounds of yellow and red gemstones at Clump. The bullet pierces his body, infecting his usage to perform any magical feats and paralyzing his body. He falls over like a statue without shattering. 

Clump grunts and growls in suffering; the bullets are worse than any needle. "RUN AWAY!" Clump alarms his brethren and sistren to flee from the Diamond Dogs; blood oozes from his wounds, indicating the severity of the situation. His voice bellows in the Dragon Lands; however, instead of taking heed, the Dragons pursue to suppress the Diamond Dogs' wrath. 

Fido, Spot, and Rover led the brigade and assaulted the Dragons on the high and low grounds, both sides roaring and howling their warcry. 

Despite the immense powers and strength Dragons possess, they are no match for the Diamond Dogs' deadly offensives; the gemstone ammunition used by the Diamond Dogs freezes many Dragons in agony, rendering them helpless. Some Dragons try to eat the bullets to regain their strength, but this only leads to their demise. Ingesting a gemstone pellet has an unfortunate and deadly effect; many Dragons succumb to the fallout of the gemstone's effect. Others that used their potency instead of magic suffered harshly from the brute strength the Exo-Suits enhanced the Diamond Dogs; they knocked teeth out of their mouths, causing the Dragons to spit blood, received critical blows when punched in the stomach, and broken limbs when they ganged up in close-quarter-combat. Using defense spells and magic becomes futile due to the arsenal of the Exo-Suits; the gemstones pierce the Dragons quicker and eradicate them. 

A Dragon named Maar unleashed a barrage of pink flare orbs at the Diamond Dogs' armor, but their shields held substantial. She watched as her siblings fell to enemy fire. Two Diamond Dog Guards tackle her hard and break her wings; they threaten to snap her neck unless she surrenders, which she does comply with.

Former Dragon Lord Torch joins the battle but gets swiftly defeated by Diamond Guard Dogs, who fly around and shoot yellow and red gemstone missiles. When they explode, the gases filter the air, going into the bloodstream and lungs of any creature and corrupting them based on the gemstone's effect. 

"KILL HIM! TEAR HIS WINGS APART!!" Fido commands his soldiers to shoot more projectiles at Torch. Some Diamond Dog Guards grab his wingspan and pluck the bones off his backside. Torch wails while unable to move any part of his body as more Diamond Dogs conjure their thought process to create energy blades to stab Torch's body from all angles. 

Many Dragons saw their former king getting dominated by the Diamond Dogs and attempted to flee from the scene; however, the Diamond Dogs flew and quelled their advances when they shot or stabbed them. Punching them caused severe bruising and organ failure since the Exo-Suit's physical strength multiplied the Diamond Dogs immensely. 

Within the hour, the Diamond Dogs collected all the gemstones the Dragons harbored and tossed the paralyzed ones in the portal like packages getting dropped off. Many younglings were put in cages, crying for their parents. 

The Lizards and Chameleons put the Dragons in different cells now that they are useless in combat. Teenage and young adult Dragons remain in paralysis while the enormous ones get ripped to shreds since the mines wouldn't house such behemoth Dragons. The Diamond Dogs return with thousands of crates of their precious gemstones and would give an ample portion to Mongor to resupply their ammo. 

Lord Tirek clenches his fists in anger, lamenting that the Dragon's magic that could have magnified his abilities was not his to consume! Mongor reminded Lord Tirek about his task to remove the Changeling's magic and prowess of transforming into anything they see; Mongor is unsure that the Changelings would copy what the enemy wears and clone it for themselves to counter his Exo-Suits. 

"When you're through with the Changelings, I'll apprehend the Hippogriffs, snuffing what remains of the society and capturing those that oppose me. You mentioned the pearl they have, so that'll be another relic for your consumption, amplifying your prowess with power beyond imagination." 

"Thank you, Mongor," Lord Tirek bows in respect of his leader and enters the portal leading to the Changeling Hive. 

At this given moment, Thorax had instructed the Changelings to depart after receiving a warning from his brother; he and many others are worried about Grogar's advances and stopped. They see Lord Tirek as more enormous than the time he fought Midnight Sparkle and lost. 

"Too easy!" Lord Tirek didn't need to start searching as the Changelings appeared to him; he chuckled in delight, licking his lips with the anticipation of absorbing the magic from the Changelings and capturing them, preventing them from alerting United Equestria. 

Thorax quivers where he stands and gulps, mustering enough confidence and bravery to oppose the abomination. Something about Lord Tirek's presence made him cower in fear. The size, the Exo-Suit, the potency he possesses; Thorax is in a trance when he sees a fellow Changeling charge after Lord Tirek. 

"You will not harm my family!" The brave Changeling shouts, shooting a magic beam from his horn. He sees Lord Tirek reach out with his left hand; a shield activates to repel and disperse the attack. 

"Hmm, it is a thought-process machine," Lord Tirek tests his new Exo-Suit with a simple command. He imagines the Exo-Suit's expanding his skeletal function, enabling him to stand on his hind legs; his front hooves now have energizing glove fists shimmering in a purple radiance, and he stands sixty feet tall. "Mongor, you brilliant madman. You've allowed all possibilities, after all." Lord Tirek admired Mongor's technical genius when he worked on the Exo-Suits for weeks. He clenches his fists and imagines his front hooves doing the same thing. 

The Changeling that attacked Lord Tirek remains firm, not allowing nervousness to overwhelm him; more of his kin align themselves, getting ready to attack Lord Tirek. It moves Thorax so much that he subsides his fear and gets in front of his army, allowing the younglings to flee from the battle.

Lord Tirek activates the visor sequence from the Exo-Suit and tracks every Changeling fleeing the battle; he knows where they're hiding until they feel safe. "This'll be fun!" Lord Tirek sprints towards the Changelings. 

"Separate and attack! He won't subdue us if we work together!" Thorax commands his army, taking the lead to attack Lord Tirek head-on. 

Lord Tirek laughs sinisterly, absorbing the magic from the Changelings before crippling them. 

Mongor arrives at Mount Aris, preparing to seize control of the nation, eradicate their armies, and retrieve the pearl that contains an overwhelming surge of magic power. Lord Tirek had informed Mongor about the Hippogriffs' capabilities, the clones of Discord enacting as the Navy with the Hippogriffs, and warned him about going underwater. Mongor reminded Lord Tirek about the Exo-Suits, which enables an underwater sequence, allowing him to breathe underwater like air. Mongor explained the Exo-Suit's protocols with all possible scenarios that'll come into the fray no matter the outcome. 

Clones of Discord sensed an unwelcome guest and became petrified by the tremendous power. He alarms everyone to be on guard while he investigates. 

The clone's name is Marshcord, and he dresses up as a general; he flies and sees what appears to be Grogar out in the open. "This can't be Grogar? He looks different than I remembered during my youth, during the original's briefed chaotic spree elsewhere in Equestria." 

Mongor lifts his head at the Draqonecuus flying on the horizon, staring at him in wonder. Mongor wastes no time and fires a yellow gemstone missile from the turret of his Exo-Suit; it collides with the Draqonecuus as he inhales the fumes. The clone failed to realize the rigorousness of the projectile's capabilities. He drops like a raindrop, paralyzed as he watches Mongor approaching. 

Marshcord moves his eyes up, staring at the figure. "You're not Grogar!" He recognizes Grogar's horns, but the figure in front is familiar. 

"I'm not," Mongor shoots a red gemstone pellet through Marshcord's chest with his pistol. He screeches loud enough for his clones to hear; however, those screams are silent due to the chaotic magic depleted by the effect. 

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Marshcord shouts irately at the figure in front of him. 

"Formerly known as Spike Knightwalker. Now, I'm Mongor!" Mongor raises his scythe, decapitating the Draqonecuu's head. 

Marshcord feels his lifeforce drained from the decapitation; he's unable to send memories of Spike Knightwalker's presence to anyone. He fears for the lives of everyone, knowing he aligned himself with forces beyond magic. 

The clones of Discord felt an eerie shudder when Marshcord's magic dissipated and his lifeforce begone. Mongor is flying in the direction where Marshcord came from and notices the clippers on the sea. Using the visors on his Exo-Suit, he sees over a hundred clones and Hippogriffs. 

"What is that?" Everyone on the Navy vessels says in unison; they start arming themselves to attack the invader after Marshcord's sudden silence. 

General Seaspray doesn't want history to repeat itself. It feels like Midnight Sparkle invaded their homeland and expropriated their magic. "Get-" His speech gets interrupted by yellow and red gemstone pellets piercing his back; General Seaspray screams in agony from the attack and falls over. 

"That sucka is mine!" Several clones of Discord ascend to apprehend the intruder; they want vengeance for another fallen brother due to the enemy's wrath. 

Mongor uses the visors to scan the clones approaching and uses his scythe to create small portals. 

"What the?" The clones are confused by Mongor's tactics when they see Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards aiming their weaponry at the clones and firing immediately. 

Mongor uses the scythe to decapitate every clone that falls due to the paralysis and eradicator gemstones his army used to puncture their bodies. Mongor slashes his scythe to generate more portals around the clones on the clippers and take out the Hippogriffs. Using the full power of the Eternal Cataclysm Scepter, he calls forth a typhoon to send everyone flying, allowing him to dive underwater to the kingdom. 

Many Hippogriffs fell as the Diamond Dogs, Lizards, and Chameleons stepped through the portal to unleash their fury upon the populous, distracting Queen Novo from the pivotal threat that wanted to seize the pearl. 

Queen Novo hears the commotion and informs her army to clash with the intruders, giving her ample time to send an SOS to United Equestria and retrieve the pearl. The tremors of the waters made her frightful about Grogar's advances, believing he initialized a divide-and-conquer strategy to thin the numbers of United Equestria. 

Mongor uses his scythe to track the pearl's magic particles to the undersea kingdom; Exo-Suit converts the water into oxygen for Mongor to breathe. When his visors scan the inhabitants within a nation, it does an initial count percentage-wise. Fifty-five percent of the Hippogriffs have resided on Mount Aris, meaning all the others live in United Equestria. As for clones of Discord, they're eliminated and won't return since Lord Tirek told Mongor about his cloning capabilities. 

Mongor confronts two Hippogriff guards and slashes their throats before they can counterattack; they watch helplessly by the swift motions of Mongor. They realized it was Spike Knightwalker due to his attire and hair before closing their eyes. 

Queen Novo notices the colors in the throne room turning dark with the scent of blood filtering. She turns and sees the figure that enters the throne room carrying the scythe. "You must be Grogar." 

Mongor slightly chuckles. "I have his horns as my crown; however, I am not Grogar. I am Mongor. The Demon of FEEEEEEAR!" Mongor roars and shoots the paralysis and eradicator gemstone bullets at Queen Novo; she easily dodges and notices the fumes filtering in the water. 

"Those guns..," Queen Novo recognizes the pistols from the Edolas adventure the Fairy Dragon embarked on moons ago. It becomes evident that Mongor is- "AH!" Queen Novo's fin turns into ice and drops to the throne room's floor. She attempts to crack the ice, but it's feeble. 

Mongor walks up to Queen Novo. "Such a fine specimen, and yet, got distracted by my appearance. Do I resemble someone you know?" Mongor uses his scythe to lift Queen Novo's head after shooting her with the yellow gemstone for paralysis through her chest. It doesn't kill her but infects her body. 

Queen Novo resisted the urge to let out a painful growl when she got shot by Mongor's pistols. She grits her teeth, panting heavily while her blood oozes into the water, allowing Mongor to drink it like wine. "You monster..!" Her eyes widen when she sees Chameleons swimming in her waters with Hippogriff guards paralyzed, begging for their lives.

"My lord, we have diminished the Hippogriff army, slain the clones, and apprehended the younglings as you've commanded," Aster bows to Mongor. 

"Excellent, Aster," Mongor turns to Queen Novo. "If you don't want an extinction, surrender the pearl to me," Mongor says as cruel, heartless, menacing, and calm to Queen Novo, sending shivers down her spine, allowing her heart to pound rapidly with the idea of watching her race die in front of her. 

"My lord, perhaps a demonstration of your power may influence the Queen to retrieve the pearl quicker?" Aster suggests slaying a youngling, knowing Queen Novo can't defend the child. 

"Proceed with a youngling aging five years and below," Mongor twirls his scythe, preparing to behead and drink the blood of a young Hippogriff child. 

"NOOOOO!" Queen Novo shouts and looks upward at the jellyfish. Mongor slightly tilts his head, understanding how to procure the pearl. "Release me from the ice, and I'll retrieve the pearl." 

Mongor shoots an orange gemstone pellet at the ice; it shatters Queen Novo's fin, rendering her useless to swim and deactivate the defense sequence protecting the pearl. 

Queen Novo cries in torment, feeling her fin breaking into pieces; she curses at Mongor for removing her ability to flail, hold, and comfort herself. 

Mongor uses his scythe to slash the jellyfish, obliterating the defense protocols to secure the relic Lord Tirek will consume to magnify his power tremendously as planned. "Aster, return to the surface and chain the prisoners. Have them in cages for the trip to the mines."

"As you wish, my lord," Aster grabs Queen Novo and swims out of the throne room, returning to his army where they are shackling the younglings, muzzling them, and putting them with their parents and families except for military personnel; they'll get a different punishment soon enough. 

After resurfacing from the undersea kingdom, Mongor uses his scythe to open a portal to the mines, allowing the Diamond Dogs, Chameleons, and Lizards to return with the new prisoners. Over a hundred clones belonging to Discord have perished during the onslaught; neither sent any memories to District 11, to the original, and United Equestria. Hippogriffs that were in their aquatic bodies turned into their earthly forms. 

Lord Tirek returns from the Changeling Hive with many prisoners in magic orbs; he's more puissant with the Changeling's magic flowing through him. "These fools came straight to me when I arrived. According to the percentage of Changelings at their hive, I procured fifty-eight percent of the populous." 

"Impressive, Lord Tirek," Mongor tosses Lord Tirek the pearl to heighten his magic power. 

"NO! DON'T GIVE HIM THAT!!!!" Queen Novo watches Lord Tirek consume the essence of the pearl's immense power, strengthening Lord Tirek's mass. She's full of dread with the possibility of United Equestria being at the mercy of Spike Knightwalker and his uprising army. 

Lord Tirek feels more omnipotent than the magic he held with Midnight Sparkle's demon curses and shared alicorn amulet power. He starts kissing his masculine muscles. 

"Mongor," Fido approaches his superior with curiosity. "What would we do now?" 

"Celebrate," Mongor genuinely smiles despite revealing a monstrous look on his face. "We succeeded in crippling United Equestria's air support. Lord Tirek, place the Changelings with Grogar." 

"As you wish, my lord," Lord Tirek bows to Mongor and commands the orbs to descend to the Grogar's imprisonment. There are many cells and cages for the Changelings to live in briefly. 

Thorax and many Changelings are weary about their circumstances since Lord Tirek drained their magic and paralyzed them with the yellow gemstone missiles he released from the turrets mounted on his shoulders earlier in the showdown. Thorax sees Grogar without his horns; he and the others know that Mongor is Spike Knightwalker after noticing the green mohawk and attire from the memories of when Spike the Fairy battled his sadistic counterpart. 

The Diamond Dog guard watches Lord Tirek putting a new set of prisoners in their cells and walking away; the conversation he had with Grogar earlier made him think otherwise. He turns to Grogar with a worried expression. 

"Help... me... before... it's... too... late..," Grogar weakly advises, watching the number of prisoners piling up every hour. 

The Diamond Dog Guard turns to every creature within the room, now pondering a life-changing decision that'll hinder all life in Equus with time running out.
> Amnesty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been three days since Mongor led his army to the outskirts of United Equestria for a divide-and-conquer sequence to thin the numbers and ensure victory when they march into United Equestria; Mongor specifically commands the Lizards, Chameleons, and Diamond Dogs to celebrate, then plot their advances to storm United Equestria's district before seizing their castle and leaders. The Diamond Dog Guard has decided to release Moondancer, Grubber, and Grogar from imprisonment, hoping Mongor doesn't detect suspicious activity. 

Moondancer is drained from the severe experimentations of Mongor and sustained injuries that'll put any creature on the brink of death. Grogar can barely stand on all four hooves from the devastating blow he suffered from Mongor's minions after uniting the three nations under his control. Grubber would guide the Diamond Dog Guard through a scenic route where he believes a clone of Discord would be incognito once the Diamond Guard Dog leaves the premises. 

The Diamond Dog Guard is grateful that his Exo-Suit can lift more than ten tons and would easily carry Grogar, Grubber, and Moondancer. He is the only Diamond Dog with guilt as the others are bloodlust; however, knowing that the Exo-Suit has a detection locator chip, it'll be complex to spring up an excuse, especially with his kin more likely to tear his limbs off for betraying Mongor's Regime. 

The Diamond Dog Guard decided to inspect Mongor's laboratory to read the inscriptions of the Exo-Suit he possesses; it depicts strength and mobility fifty times the speed of pegasi's flight velocity, which will give him the endurance to carry and run speedily to United Equestria. Then, he starts reading the map the Chameleons marked for Mongor during their expeditions with their new gear. There are many scenic routes to each of the eleven districts, including Castle Central of the United Equestria. 

After reading more of his Exo-Suit and documenting the best passageway, the Diamond Guard Dog leaves Mongor's laboratory with a map; he deactivates the homing device by pressing a button on the left shoulder pad. It indicates to Mongor that one of his forces has decided to go offline for stealthy purposes, making him not worry. 

Sighing in relief, the Diamond Dog Guard returns to the containment center to free Moondancer and Grubber of their bindings, then Grogar. Moondancer drops since her strength is nonexistent until she gets medical services; Grogar barely moves while he feels a heaviness in his left eye. Only Grubber didn't sustain injuries; however, he hoped District 11 received his transmission about the invasion on his island days ago. 

"I will carry the three of you to United Equestria; the scenic route I found will take three hours of travel when I accelerate the Exo-Suit's capabilities." 

"Buddy, I know a shortcut that'll lead us to an incognito clone who'll take us straight to Castle Central!" Grubby informs the Diamond Dog Guard. 

"Construct a white flag that way so United Equestria doesn't attack me... I have valuable information that'll turn the tides of the impending doom," Grogar said, trying his best not to sound strictly demanding while having some authority in his tone. 

"Fine," The Diamond Dog Guard leaves Moondancer, Grubber, and Grogar alone for ten minutes to forge a white flag for all to see; then he removes the ring off of Moondancer's horn, enabling her to use magic; however, he forgot that Mongor's incinerating red gemstone bullet nullified her usage. 

The Diamond Dog Guard puts Grogar on his back while holding Moondancer and the white flag, allowing Grubber to climb to his shoulder, hanging on tight. The Diamond Dog Guard jumps out of the mines to a hole one of the Diamond Dogs dug days ago when searching for gemstones. 

"Hello there," An affectionate and comforting sound, the Diamond Dog Guard turns to confront the new creature. "Do not worry. I'm not here to harm you." 

"Twi-Twilight..?" Moondancer sees Harmony still in the apparition of Alicorn Twilight Sparkle. 

Harmony shakes her head. "I am not her; I'm the embodiment from the Tree of Harmony. I am Harmony." 

Grogar grunts at Harmony; Harmony does a doubletake when she sees Grogar without his iconic horns. She's puzzled and concerned about Grogar's distress and senses something peculiar within Grogar's body. 

"Don't mind him," The Diamond Dog Guard says. "He and Moondancer suffered tremendously by a new tyrant who wants to dominate the wills of everyone and kill anyone that opposes him in ways no sane creature, no matter how demented their mindsets are; we drastically need assistance on ending this Devil." 

Harmony becomes frantic with the idea that the Heavens and Hell are starting the apocalypse; Harmony has seen many monsters since her existence and is aware of the Holy and Unholy battlegrounds. Speaking of the Devil is a sign that a war unlike any other is imminent; no amount of magic or Friendship can overcome a battle between Heaven and Hell. 

"What did you do?!" Harmony points at Grogar since he's the only creature capable of creating a monster so horrific as to unleash havoc and destruction on innocents. 

"I unleashed someone beyond the genocide of Midnight Sparkle into our world untamed; you want more information, I desire some stipulations that'll go according. If you and they deny me of that request, I'll leave you all in the dark and watch how everything falls apart." 

"It's-" Grogar silences Grubber's speech.

"Silence! The grown-ups are speaking about the balance beam in Equus, and I know you're fully aware of the consequences of leading astray without equilibrium. Right, Harmony?" Grogar chuckles, knowing more about Equus' well-being if things shift in the opposite direction. 

Harmony steps back; it takes an instant to reluctantly agree to Grogar's statement since he has valuable information regarding the Devil he birthed, also knowing what happens to a world when it becomes one-sided. "Very well," Harmony uses her magic to teleport the core to Castle Central's meeting hall, where all leaders of the Districts are present to discuss the fallout of several cities in ruin and many powerful creatures in agony by sources beyond comprehension. 

"GROGAR!" Everyone shouts in shock and horror at the sudden appearance of the Father of Monsters; also, they want retribution for the crimes he'd committed that they're aware of or not aware of. 

"Before you start any judgment on the Father of Monsters, he has crucial information to discuss if we want to avoid further collapse on everything we built on," Harmony decrees, hoping to calm everyone's nerves about Grogar's involvement that has everyone spooked for weeks. 

Princess Celestia approaches Grogar and becomes spaced out by his unfortunate appearance; the injury on his head is alarming since no hero in history has ever wounded the Father of Monsters sorely. Grogar looks away in shame despite having self-assertiveness in being in the presence of harmonic creatures. 

The Diamond Dog Guard puts Grogar on the floor; since Grogar hasn't eaten in days, he slumps, and his head lands harshly on the floor. Princess Celestia, Shining Armor, Discord's clones, Prince Rutherford, Empress Ember, Gilda, Tempest, Pharynx, and Princess Skystar see how weak Grogar is after learning much about his history and dominant power. 

Royal Guards take Moondancer to seek medical attention while the leaders tend to Grogar for an utmost meeting regarding the future of United Equestria; Grogar mentally prepares himself for the backlash from his peers when they learn and discover his true intentions of taking Equestria and the rest of the world back within his grasp. 

"Grubber!" Tempest gallops to greet her friend after finding no survivors at the Storm Nation's island; she had searched for three days and nights without rest. She holds him tightly, sobbing in the embrace. 

While the two are in an embrace, a clone of Discord analyzes Grogar's condition and shudders tremendously after realizing a horrid truth about his shape. 

Grogar groans anguishly in his weakened state; he barely blinks in the enemy's presence, who'll soon be his unholy allies for the impending war that won't go well. 

"With Grogar's testimony about the current situation regarding our future, we will provide him amnesty for his crimes since he swallowed his pride about our imminent hereafter," Harmony announces the declaration, which gathers unwelcome attention, complaints, whines, and flat-out cursing, which the clones censored when they blew the air horns. 

"You can't be serious! That thing caused my brother to get captured and maimed!" Pharynx shouted at Harmony after discovering the fallout of his brethren and sistren; not even the younglings were spared from the carnage and devastation in his homeland. 

"My Dragons are missing, and you expect me to forgive the Father of Monsters for enacting as Acnologia?" Empress Ember wants to execute Grogar for bringing calamity upon her subjects. 

"My best friend Gabby, Grampa Gruffs, and many Griffons vanished without a trace after blood was shed in a battle nobody foresaw!" Gilda is livid about Griffstone's fallout when she decides to return home for the festivities. 

"I will never forgive a demon that desires to bring suffering and ruin; I will not accept any apologies from Grogar!" Princess Skystar displays hatred at Grogar after discovering the horrid truths the other day. 

"You've given me far too much credit; however, I didn't initiate the idea of crippling a kingdom's strength," Grogar chuckles for getting accused of a heinous atrocity that'll go down in the record books. "That glory belongs to the demon I unleashed..," Grogar regretfully sighs, which is unnerving for everyone in the room to hear Grogar's dissatisfaction.

"You're the catalyst that brought forth a demon who obliterated several homelands and captured civilians and military personnel! You're the sole reason why every one of us is in a mess you devised for your ambitions, Grogar! Start taking responsibility!" Princess Celestia painfully reminds Grogar of his misdeed for bringing a calamity unlike any other. 

Grogar laughs after hearing Princess Celestia's rant. "Touché, Celestia." 

"Although Grubber knows what is partially happening within our lands, Grogar made a compelling case moments ago when we spoke. We will allow amnesty for the information he holds and the restoration of his health and magic!" Harmony stomps her left front hoof on the ground, making her validation evident to the surrealness of the situation. 

The groans and complaints become silent due to Harmony's authority regarding the dangers that await. 

The clone of Discord proceeds with Harmony's command, using his chaos magic to restore Grogar; however, his sorcery remains uplifted due to the gemstone's effect. Grogar groans since his ability to perform his sorcery is still invalid due to Mongor's pellet. The clone of Discord did not recover his missing eye and replaced it with an eyepatch. 

"No more delays, Grogar," Princess Celestia demands to know what has occurred during his imprisonment. 

"Buddy, stand beside me so I can explain everything to everyone," Grogar calmly calls for the Diamond Dog Guard; now he becomes afraid of Grogar's calmness. 

The Diamond Dog Guard stands beside Grogar, revealing the Exo-Suit to everyone in the conference; they oohed and awed at the sight before becoming afraid. 

Grogar turns to everyone, taking a deep breath after imagining the horrid, dreadful looks of the leaders in the room; he closes his eyes, mustering enough confidence to say the name he now fears in humiliation. "On February 29th, when the stars aligned themselves, I used the unfathomable power to ignite the mirror portal to open a new dimension to retrieve an ace to overthrow United Equestria since it became complex to exact my revenge after gathering much power that was taken from me by Gusty the Great. On February 29th, I summoned Spike Knightwalker into our realms." 

"YOOOOOOOOU WHAAAAAAAAAT?!!!!!!!" Princess Celestia, Shining Armor, Discord's clones, Prince Rutherford, Empress Ember, Gilda, Tempest, Pharynx, and Princess Skystar shout in horror and anger. Harmony is taken aback by the stunning revelation since she remembers the encounters he and Fairy Dragon had during the United Species' movie nights. 

"SPIKE KNIGHTWALKER IS A SADISTIC KILLER WITH A BLOODLUSTED MINDSET FOR TORTURING THOSE THAT PRACTICE WIZARDRY!" Gilda reminded Grogar about Spike Knightwalker's self-ambitions when it was revealed about the Celestials' Guild involvement during his childhood. "YOU REALIZE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE GUILD THAT SCARRED HIM FOR LIFE ARE ALIVE AND WELL HERE?!" Gilda irately speaks for everyone in the room. 

"I know, which was why I summoned him to begin with. I needed a tactician with his Lieutenant status to help bring an apocalypse so I could seize the world and regain my authority. My entitlement for creating fear throughout the lands..," Grogar sighs pitifully. "However, when he first arrived, I didn't take accountability for the possibility of his reformation." 

"He's good...?" Shining Armor ponders the thought of Spike Knightwalker becoming a good fellow since Edolas and Earth Land are supposed to be opposite realms. Many others in the room ask the same question. 

"Indeed; when I first spoke to him, he sounded like a good simpleton, not the sadistic warrior I wanted, so I informed Spike Knightwalker about God's plan to restore Hell since he killed the Celestials and they were overtaking Hell to create a paradise." 

Everyone in the room, even Harmony, is silent about the brilliant idea of tricking Spike Knightwalker into following his legion. 

"Spike Knightwalker told me much about his eight years of life-changing experiences; he's a father of two and married a Fairy Tail Wizard living the best life. Spike Knightwalker told me, and he refused to become the person he detested, so I enchanted him with a separation spell, allowing his darkness to consume his mind and take over. The goodness of Spike Knightwalker remains trapped as the real demon is free to do my bidding until he attempted a successful coup that overthrew my plans for conquest." 

"How did Spike Knightwalker succeed with the coup, Grogar," Princess Celestia knows Grogar hasn't revealed all of the evidence within his testimony. 

"When I had control of Spike Knightwalker, I referred to him as Sadistic Spike Knightwalker and made him work on weaponry more advanced than Midnight Sparkle's Techno-Magic-Soldiers using the materials from the Storm Nation's recycle plants and other machinery. Also, I instructed the Diamond Dogs to retrieve their allies for a vital task since the numbers of United Equestria vastly outmatched my power; the Diamond Dogs brought the Lizards and Chameleons. After freeing Lord Tirek and procuring my Eternal Cataclysmic Secpter, I made Lord Tirek train our armies as Knightwalker continued to work in his makeshift laboratory, designing weapons beyond imagination to counter anything United Equestria can use at disposal."

"That's not answering the question!" Prince Rutherford slams his front hooves on the table, alerting Grogar to quit stalling. 

Grogar ignores Yak's rant to proceed with his explanation. "With Sadistic Spike Knightwalker in our realms, his use of magic returned, enabling him with ideas for our soldiers to utilize against the enemy. After Lord Tirek and I discussed the potency within every ally, he decided to use the Dragon's craving kryptonite as an eternal weakness for every creature. He studied every color and used different spells to infuse his creation into a weapon unlike any other. I sent the Chameleons to retrieve Dragon eggs to conduct his experimentation on them once they hatched."

Empress Ember is ready to maul Grogar to death after discovering the cause of the disappearing eggs during the past few weeks. Pharynx, Tempest, Prince Rutherford, Gilda, and Shining Armor hold Ember in place, trying to calm her down before unleashing an angry wrath. 

"Sadistic Spike Knightwalker would maim the younglings with his inventions, testing every gemstone color, writing the inscriptions for the potency from to utilize and discard; then, he set his eyes on Moondancer, a Unicorn that wandered off in the wrong territory, allowing Sadistic Spike Knightwalker to further his investment on Moondancer. He showed me his invention, and I relished every second of his malice until I made a fatal error that cost me an eye and my magic. I taunted him, and one gemstone bullet dispersed my defense bubble, incinerating my left eye and eradicating my magic. The bullet came from his pistol, and in a few days, I lost control of everything; my armies, my allies, turned their backs against me for Sadistic Spike Knightwalker." 

"Talk about karma for creating a monster," Princess Skystar is pleased to hear about the downfall of Grogar's uprising. 

"Princess, this next part won't sound pleasing and comforting for your ears!" Grogar barks at Princess Skystar for having the audacity to find pleasure in his pain. 

Princess Skystar gulps, seeing Grogar livid, made her tremble and hide underneath the table for comfort. 

"Sadistic Spike Knightwalker turned me from a threat into a defenseless toddler; not only did he weaken me, but he also took my scepter and yanked my horns off my head! He wears them like a crown!" Grogar shed tears at the humiliation of revealing his tale and reliving the moments in his mind. "Sadistic Spike Knightwalker declares himself as Mongor, the Demon of Fear. My scepter turned into a scythe, and he's the catalyst for why Griffonstone, the Dragon Lands, Changeling Hive, Mount Aris, and the Storm Nation island are in shambles and obliterated. He sent the Diamond Dogs, Lizards, Chameleons, Lord Tirek, and himself to seek and destroy. Everyone succeeded, and the mines are full of prisoners; most got paralyzed, and those that use magic are useless." 

The room is full of dread by Mongor's ascent and the fallout of Grogar's demise by the Demon of Fear; now, they are asking questions about the Exo-Suit and how to defuse them or counterattack. 

"The Exo-Suit holds many-" Grogar gets interrupted and covers his ears after a loud high-pitch wave emerges from the Exo-Suit; it gets louder, causing every creature to wail from the pain and shatter all windows of Castle Central. 

Laughter from the speaker of the Exo-Suit sounds off after the high-pitched noise frequency ceases; The Diamond Dog Guard feels his heart pounding rapidly in fear, making him wish he didn't have the Exo-Suit attached to his spine. 

"HOW?!" Grogar frantically shouts after hearing Mongor's chuckle; it reminds him of his uprising in power. 

"The Exo-Suit on the Diamond Dog that betrayed my regime and attempted to silence himself for stealth purposes; however, the Diamond Dog Guard failed to realize by deactivating the locator chip, a live audio recording gets turned on instead. Also, another feature of the Exo-Suit is to document live footage of what it sees, and I know what the leaders look like except for District Ten. Harmony," Mongor chuckles after an explicit thought comes to his mind. "You'll witness the cessation of your peace as you'll watch despair and misery become the sole rulers of Equus; there is no help, no future, no counteraction from my invasion!" Mongor activates a failsafe switch on the Diamond Dog Guard's Exo-Suit. 

The Exo-Suit attached to the Diamond Dog Guard scans him as crossbones images flash, indicating a termination protocol to initialize; he howls in torment while feeling his organs squished. The clone of Discord attempted to remove the Exo-Suit off of the Diamond Dog Guard with his prowess and received a whiplash from the defense sequence, causing the clone to crash into several walls. 

Princess Celestia, Shining Armor, Pharynx, and Empress Ember attempted to use their combined magic to extract the Exo-Suit off of the Diamond Dog Guard's body, then met a similar fate to the clone of Discord, getting repelled and colliding into several walls. 

"The notes! I took the aaaaaaaaaah!" The Exo-Suit causes a spontaneous combustion, incinerating the Diamond Dog Guard. The Exo-Suit shoots a laser, burning the notes he took, then disintegrates itself, leaving no traces for analysis to copy and recreate a new or design a countermeasure. 

Princess Skystar, Gilda, Prince Rutherford, Tempest, Grubber, and Grogar are stunned to see the full extent of the Exo-Suit's failsafe procedure if anyone were to betray Mongor's regime; the notes the Diamond Dog Guard took got reduced to ashes. 

Princess Celestia, Empress Ember, Pharynx, and Shining Armor return to see the ashes where the Diamond Dog Guard stood and the little hope they had vanished; the clone of Discord enters the room and uses his chaos magic to restore what the Exo-Suit destroyed; however, his power got negated. 

"Mongor had everything planned..," Grogar would have never thought of executing a betrayer beyond the distance and questioned the demented mindset of Mongor's intelligence furthermore. He's now more afraid of Mongor than ever before. 

Harmony turns to Grogar after theorizing potential answers from his explanation. "Grogar, do you remember how to reach Edolas?" 

"I do, however, without a mirror portal, I cannot perform the ritual necessary; plus, I don't have the unquestionable magic power to perform such a feat. I would need an ample supply to teach someone the usage of the spell." 

"Why Edolas, Harmony?" Princess Celestia is eager to know about Harmony's decision rather than contact Earth Land and bring back the Fairy Tail Guild for aid. 

"Spike Knightwalker's friends and family are vital for him to regain control of his body and mind; setting him free would thwart Mongor's schemes with an internal struggle, allowing us to use the Dagger of the Tribunal to separate the two and finally end Mongor right there and then." 

"Dagger of the Tribunal..?" Grogar remembers the penalty of using the dagger and wonders if the effects would reverse the unusable to usable. 

"What kind of magic power would you need to unlock the doorway to Edolas, Grogar?" Princess Celestia turns to her unholy ally to further understand the usage and make preparations for the occasion. 

"I would imagine using the Crystal Heart, any creature with magic power, different relics, clones of Discord, and District Ten to concentrate in unison, allowing the wielder to create the portal to our realm and Edolas. I need a mirror portal; does anyone have notes to recreate one?" 

"The Castle of the Two Sisters may have what we need since our library got wrecked during Midnight Sparkle's onslaught at Canterlot," Princess Celestia answers Grogar's question in bitterness but with hopefulness. 

"If anyone is expecting an apology from me, my explanation is what you need to hear; know that I made a mistake, but I won't repeat history with any attempts of bringing an untamed animal from other dimensions." 

"Shining Armor," Princess Celestia is unhappy with the command she'll entrust Shining with. 

"Yes, Princess?" Shining Armor trots to Princess Celestia, already knowing what she'll ask of him. 

"Send a message to Princess Cadance about Grogar's arrival since he'll be helping us resolve this dilemma." 

Shining Armor sighs deeply, knowing how much effort will be put into the letter while training the Unicorn Royal Guards into concentration unison magic. Shining hoped the Guardian Dragon would not flip out and attack Grogar for unleashing the Demon of Fear in Equus.
> Searching for Answers: Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fairy Rage and Carla vacate the train four hours after terminating Walker's life for being in an alliance with the Preying Mantis Guild and provoking severe trauma to their guildmates and loved ones; also for attempting to break Carla more with her memories of the Exceeds dying by her and her friends' onslaught. The duo hold hands and walk down the path mirroring the entrance to the forest near Astereae. Fairy Rage and Carla hope to find survivors hiding from Cabal's onslaught and brutal attacks; the forest reeks of decay since it's been sometime before the two departed after witnessing their masquerade dissipating after Cabal claimed victory over the battle. 

Carla grips Rage's claw tighter, seeing her kin laid out by her hands as daunting memories return to torment her mind. She drops to her knees and sobs loudly, blaming herself for the atrocity she committed; Fairy Rage soothes her by rubbing her back, reminding Carla that all will be well and retribution will be in their grasp by extinguishing the Preying Mantis Guild. 

Mosquitoes and flies hover over the deceased Exceeds, generating an irritating sound that annoys Carla; she bellows them to go away, leaving her species in peace. Fairy Rage suggests burying each of the fallen in honor of their lives. Carla nods and starts digging many tombs for every Exceed that fell on that fateful day. 

After three hours, Fairy Rage and Carla gave the fallen a moment of silence before proceeding with their search and rescue operation; Carla swears on her life that the menacing punks will feel the wrath of Fairy Tail. 

Fairy Rage and Carla resume walking the pathway to finding the demolished village, hoping to uncover a map with imperative data about other Exceeds' sites. Upon arrival, Carla and Fairy Rage see the cabins and houses scorched and wasted; many bodies not burned were devoured by vultures and other creatures, considering the bite marks on their sides and heads. The two dig another grave for those not eaten while Fairy Rage decides to burn the devoured Exceeds into ashes.

After an hour, Carla enters a cabin much larger than the rest and reviews a large sheet of paper on a table with inscriptions. 

"Rage, come here!" Carla hollers to grab her lover's attention while she reads the descriptions. 

"Coming!" Fairy Rage enters the cabin and sees Carla reading thoroughly; she examines sectors other Exceeds claimed as their territory. 

"Rage, I believe we uncovered a lead to different regions Cabal doesn't know!" Carla gets excited; she yearns to welcome the surviving Exceeds that eluded the Preying Mantis Guild's causes! 

Fairy Rage comes closer to the table and scrutinizes the supposed map. He reads the icons and definitions to the best of his knowledge. "Carla, those markings in red are territories wiped out." Fairy Rage painfully says, heavily frowning since he couldn't utter a smile and lie, giving Carla false hope. 

"No.., NO!" Carla reread the map and acknowledged the areas circled in red marker meant forest sites. "Where do you see..?" Carla didn't see a note at the bottom of the sheet indicating the icons' representations. 

"Stand aside." Fairy Rage slowly extends his right arm and pushes Carla slightly away to read the map better. "Alright." Fairy Rage points at the upper right corner, marked blue, near Clover Town. "There's a safe zone near the forests of Clover Town, the same place where Natsu scorched us and fried the Hydra." 

"Let's go!" Carla grabs a few rations and leaves the cabin; she yearns to save more than to bury. 

"Right behind you." Fairy Rage takes the map and follows Carla out of the cabin. 

It's been a few hours since Ichiya gathered many Fairy Tail Wizards to venture on a quest to the Alvarez Empire; Ichiya anticipates the journey will take at least half a day at full speed without any issues. Spike is inside a private room, speaking with Princess Hisui about the upcoming Grand Magic Games and the visions planted in his brain. 

"Silencing Cirlce!" Spike invokes a spiral around himself and Princess Hisui to repel anyone from hearing, especially his friends. 

"So, what are you plotting for us to establish when the Grand Magic Games arrive? What's on your mind, Spike?" Princess Hisui desires to comprehend Spike's objective for the Preying Mantis Guild.

"A while ago, when I picked up a newspaper article about the Grand Magic Games, I saw the kingdom commenced a one-win victory to advance; the concept for my idea won't work. I need you to reinstate the points bracket of the eight teams competing."

"Hmm, I'm not sure; the Grand Magic Games have a rule about repeated formulas. It's my father's declaration to ensure that everything remains new year after year," Princess Hisui is doubtful due to her father's strict guidelines about the Grand Magic Games. 

"It won't be for a team of five wizards but seven instead, thus adding two more days of exhilarating spectacle. We could have a thirty-minute trios match, more two-on-two tag team matches, a roulette wheel to determine the participants for the one-on-one battles, allowing a Wizard Saint to challenge anyone for an exhibition before the opening challenges for all teams, and team stipulation for wager rounds!" Spike says with excitement to entice Princess Hisui to speak about the Grand Magic Games idea with her father, hoping it'll satisfy him. Spike gets excited about the potential matchups for this year's Grand Magic Games if Toma E. Fiore greenlights his sentiments. 

Princess Hisui wrote down every suggestion Spike had mentioned to make the bracket point system work. She starts jotting her ideas, such as color group eliminators based on foods, candies, fruits, etc. Spike's reason for the roulette wheel is to ensure he'll fight Zaronos and kill him during the confrontation, to ensure the future of Earth Land and prevent an apocalypse. 

As the two work on various ideas for the Grand Magic Games, Natsu runs around the Christina with Happy, appreciating not suffering through motion sickness due to the new lacrima Ichiya installed for Dragon Slayers. 

"I'm so glad we're not traveling by boat to the Alvarez Empire," Wendy satisfyingly says during the flight since leaving earlier in the morning and reminiscing the idea of riding Spike's back traveling across the lands during her daydreaming. 

"I wonder what Spike and Princess Hisui are talking about in their private discussion," Lucy heard Spike enchanting his silencing circle and pondered if their meeting consisted of the future of the Grand Magic Games in a few months. 

"He'll tell us eventually," Erza says, knowing not to meddle with Spike's business after he attempted to go on the solo mission, which went awry. She still regrets listening to Spike's darkest thoughts about her death and taking the blame for bringing a demon from one world to another. She stands next to Wendy, keeping a keen eye on Natsu and Happy antics of circling the Christina like a race track at a park. 

"Well, this is boring," Laxus is tired of sitting around doing nothing for the past four hours; he already took in the sightseeing when the Christina departed. 

"Tell me about it," Gajeel sits across from him inside the Christina, chowing on iron to uplift his boredom. "Can't even spar with anyone since we'll more likely to thrash the ship before it reaches our destination. One that the Fairy Dragon didn't mark with his flares when he went on that expedition to retrieve Makarov." 

"It's not so bad. During the rescue mission, it took us ten days to reach the shores of Alakitasia and then another few days of travel to the Alvarez Empire. According to Ichiya, we'll be there before we know it," Gray said; he had removed his shirt and jacket to feel the coolness of flying on the Magic Bomber Christina. 

"You got to clobbered heads while we were rebuilding the guildhall; it was boring, and I wished the Fairy Dragon had taken me with him," Gajeel admits his feelings during the boredom stretch he endured.

"So, how much longer until we reach Alakitasia?" Laxus turns to Mirajane walking by after talking with Jenny. 

"We'll be making a pitstop by Caracole Island for rations and to stretch our legs. Ten hours is what Jenny projected of our arrival since the provisions inside the Magic Bomber won't be enough for anyone on board. We're forty minutes away from the island." 

Juvia sits next to Gray while listening to the conversation; she wonders if the Alvarez Empire would harm her beloved and friends after the brutal warfare they endured weeks ago. "Let's hope the Alvarez Empire doesn't seek to retaliate after losing the war and beloved king." 

"They won't think twice about initiating any attacks since the Alvarez Empire is not resilient after losing many soldiers, powerful wizards, and potency. I am curious about the newly established king they'll elect or have already elected as interim king," Irene interjects herself into the conversation, knowing how the kingdom flourishes with a ruler in command. 

"Why wouldn't they?" Panther Lily is curious about Irene's statement about how the Alvarez Empire flourishes. 

"Although they would fear Natsu due to news spreading wildly like fire, the one that slain Acnologia is more fearsome than Zeref due to many glaring issues regarding occult prowess. Also, understanding my son's stature in magic power would send shivers down anyone's spine, making them decide instantly to cower in fear against someone who can absorb magic and turn it into a weapon or transform into a full-size Dragon, capable of unleashing carnage since God Serena is deceased. There are no other Dragon Slayers within the empire; therefore, they have every reason to submit to our whims or, in this case, accept the offer for peace with Princess Hisui." 

"That would make sense, considering you aligned yourself with us as a Fairy Tail Wizard, giving the Alvarez Empire a more justifiable reason to accept the offer. Hopefully, they have enough evidence to pinpoint the Holy Knights Clan's whereabouts to continue our investigation," Panther Lily responds, imagining the outcome once Fairy Tail arrives at their doorsteps. 

"So," Cana belches after drinking her bottle of liquor. "How would the empire respond to your transgression of aligning yourself to the guild?" 

"I expect my allies to resent me for bearing the emblem that shamed the kingdom; I also expect some groups attempting to lynch me for betraying Zeref and letting him die instead of saving him. Things can go awry or unnoticed if we get escorted to the conference room undetected; however, I highly doubt we'll receive a warm welcome, especially my decision to become a Fairy Tail Wizard." 

Half an hour later, Ichiya announces the descent to Caracole Island; he wants to showcase his cooking expertise to his colleagues and have a victory over the Fairy Tail Guild later tonight. Caracle Island was restored thanks to Brandish, who made people build a statue in her glory for the restoration. The people remembered the Fairy Tail Guild and offered free services for beating up unauthorized military personnel; also, they are huge fans of the Fairy Dragon. 

Princess Hisui takes a deep breath, enjoying the new world outside Mercurius' walls. She sees different people and feels like a regular among them, not using her royal status to make herself known. It's refreshing to understand the minds of people for study and utilize her experiences when she becomes Queen of Fiore. 

"Alright, everyone," Ichiya poses, acting like a chaperone. "Take the time to relax, enjoy some festivities, spar if you must; know that we're here for three hours, allowing the Magic Bomber Christina to recharge for smooth sailing the rest of the way. If you don't return, the Fairy Dragon will teleport you, and then we'll continue from there," Ichiya looks for the tanning booth on Caracole Island. 

"Let's go swimming, Happy!" Natus is wearing his swimming trunks, running towards the beach. 

"Aye, Sir!" Happy complies excitedly, flying towards the beach with Natsu to swim in the waters. 

"Sounds like fun," Spike thought about swimming when he felt Gajeel's hand on his shoulder. 

"Fairy Dragon, you and I are training," Gajeel wants to spar with Spike since it's been too long. "What do you say?" 

Wendy wanted to enjoy the waters with Spike; however, seeing Spike's demeanor changing, she sighed, knowing Spike would comply. 

"You're on!" A sparkling green aura engulfs Spike's body, accepting Gajeel's proposal in engaging a friendly spar. 

Gajeel and Spike move away from the group. Laxus follows since he wants a crack at the Fairy Dragon once Gajeel finishes. Panther Lily, Erza, Irene, and Wendy follow them towards the east side of the beach to get away from the populous so they won't get whiplashed by the carnage Gajeel and Spike may unleash on each other. 

Gray wanted to grab a bite, and Juvia followed Gray like a magnet. Princess Hisui, Lucy, Cana, and Mirajane decided to explore and buy a few souvenirs. Princess Hisui wants to explore the island like a tourist would to understand life outside the castle's walls. Lucy had a bad experience on Caracole Island when she came on a rescue mission and wanted to remember Caracole Island as a fun experience. Cana wanted to try every liquor, beer, and alcohol in every pub around the island. Mirajane desired to buy gifts for Lisanna and Elfman since they didn't join the journey. 

Spike and Gajeel set up a perimeter so the tourists wouldn't intervene and get injured during their spar. Laxus, Erza, Irene, Panther Lily, and Wendy are standing by to watch the two spar while keeping crowd control since people don't know how to behave. 

Gajeel's arm turns into an iron club. "Ready, Fairy Dragon!" 

"More than ready," Spike positions himself to catch Gajeel's iron club strike. He increases his size to match Laxus'. 

Gajeel and Spike don't move, reading each other's body language to determine which will attack first. The waves coming to the shores serve as the bell chiming to start the matchup. Spike and Gajeel lunge at each other, roaring their warcries and combat in a close-quarter hand-to-claw battle. The two smirk devilishly as it reminds them of the times they've trained for the Grand Magic Games and during the year off. 

"Iron Dragon Rooooooooooooar!" Gajeel is the first to unleash his iron breath attack at Spike. 

"Fairy Dragon Sphere!" Spike extends his arms and conjures a sparkling green orb to absorb Gajeel's attack; it increases its' mass like a balloon. He's attempting to try a new spell when he devoured Walker's magic particles days ago. 

"What is the Fairy Dragon thinking?" Gajeel thought for one second, then unleashed his wrath, not wanting the Fairy Dragon to gain an advantage during the spar. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art, Karma Demon Iron Spiral!" Gajeel transforms his legs into a giant drill, which rotates at high speed, heavily damaging and piercing Spike's orb, not allowing Spike to utilize the power contained. 

Spike closed his eyes and focused on the mixture of magic within the orb as a sparkling green iron claw emerged from Spike's spell, catching Gajeel's drill. 

"What the?!" Gajeel is stunned when his attack has foiled his plans. 

Laxus, Erza, Panther Lily, Irene, and Wendy become awestruck when they see a shadowed clone stepping out of Spike's orb. It resembles Spike in every way, but his body consists of iron. It tosses Gajeel aside, causing him to crash into the sand, creating a crater. 

"I'm impressed with Spike's tactical genius. He blended Shadow Walker's ability to procreate shadowed versions of himself infused with his opponent's magic power. This power can become deadly if he utilizes the full extent of Walker's capabilities in due time." Irene thought to herself while watching more iron shadow clones materializing from Spike's orb. 

Wendy remembers Shadow Walker's presence and sensed his magic within Spike's sphere. She's happy to see Spike utilizing the power and can't wait to explore unison raids with the technique. 

"That's sick, Fairy Dragon!" Gajeel gets back up and notices four iron shadow clones lunging at him. "Feeding frenzy!" He blurs and grabs one of the clones, attempting to bite its' head off when it explodes, causing Gajeel to crash into the sand.

"Interesting maneuver, Spike. Gajeel didn't suspect a trap, and you pulled an ingenious tactic of using your clones as bombs." Panther Lily thought to himself and expects Spike to create different breeds of magic clones for every attribute for defensive purposes, especially with Zaranos. 

The multiple explosions from the clones caused Gajeel to suffer some bruising; his iron clubs received burnt markings and dents. Spike opens his eyes, allowing a shadowed clone, not consisting of iron, to enter his body, enabling him like a second soul similar to Fairy Rage. Spike hopes his idea will work during Gajeel's following attack sequence. 

"Iron Dragon Shadow Mode!" Gajeel's body becomes iron, a black aura emitting all around him; his eyes turn purple. "You're going down, Fairy Dragon!" Gajeel submerges himself into the sand, moving like a shadow to attack Spike head-on.

Spike had manifested more iron-shaded clones to see if Gajeel's Iron Shadow Dragon form could not only devour his clones but replenish his magic power. Once the clones submerged in the sand, Gajeel attempted to consume them and worked. Gajeel emerges from the sand; his arm becomes an iron blade cloaked in shadows to slash at Spike. Spike's shadowed clone materializes, catching Gajeel's attack and defending the host from taking critical damage. 

"WHOA!" Gajeel is stunned to see how the shadowed clone enacts Fairy Rage for defensive purposes; he wonders if Spike would create many clones for all attributes for magic potency. 

The shadowed clone of Spike tosses Gajeel aside and reinserts itself into Spike's body. Gajeel lands on the sand, strategizing his next motive before Spike can counteract. 

"Fairy Dragon Iron Shadow Blades!" Spike transforms his arms into sword blades like the Dorma Anim but with a shadowed iron. His arms glow black; the aura enables him to move swiftly with no heaviness of a real sword. 

Laxus becomes excited to test Spike's new abilities to the limit; he decides to turn the sparring into a handicapped battle since there may be a scenario where Spike would have to fight multiple tough opponents rather than soldiers. "Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!" Laxus shoots a massive lightning spear at Spike to divert his attention and anticipates Spike's counterattack.

"Heads up!" Wendy instinctively warns Spike of the inbounding attack from Laxus; she doesn't mean to intrude on the sparring. 

"Fairy Dragon Sphere! Lightning Absorbtion!" Spike extends his shadowed arms and conjures a sparkling shadow orb that changes color due to Laxus' attack. "Lightning Shadow Claw!" Spike inserts his right arm into the sphere, extending his limb to grab Laxus, electrocuting him with darkened lightning shockwaves. 

Laxus starts devouring the lightning particles when Spike alters his attack and infuses it with his magic, replenishing what he conjures and evading any side effects from Spike's grasp. 

Gajeel and Laxus nod, attacking Spike simultaneously to train him to defend against two powerful opponents than one since it's a probability with the Preying Mantis Guild lurking and observing from afar. In a close hand-to-claw encounter, Gajeel and Laxus overwhelm Spike with their tenacity and ingenuity to use less magic power since Spike would absorb and create a countermeasure to oppose their offenses. 

Spike would use his dragon breath to teleport Gajeel and Laxus into harming each other, using their offense to his advantage. Spike produced his iron and lightning clone to absorb their magic power, and to his surprise, the technique worked. It was only short-lived once Gajeel and Laxus used their strength to obliterate the clones, reclaiming their magic potency, which inadvertently punched Spike in the face. Irene took notes about Spike's new ability with Walker's shadowed projection to help him utilize the technique. She wrote about the weaknesses to show Spike about the adjustments to ensure victory. 

"Lightning Dragon Roooooooar!" Laxus unleashes his lightning-breath attack. 

"Iron Shadow Dragon Roooooooar!" Gajeel unleashes his iron shadow-breath attack. 

Lightning and iron fused to create a devastating attack to overwhelm Spike; however, he's prepared to counterattack. 

"Lightning Inferno Flame Rooooooooooar!" Spike unleashes his lightning-flames breath attack. 

The combined energy clashed, causing the sand to whiplash and blind Panther Lily, Erza, Wendy, and Irene's eyes. After the sand dissipates, Wendy and Erza watch the spectacle between two Dragon Slayers versus Spike and how even the sparring has become. The battle grabs the attention of many bystanders, causing Irene and Panther Lily to repel their approach for their safety. 

Erza steps into the battle, calling for a ceasefire to prevent civilians from getting injured. Spike, Laxus, and Gajeel end their combat, respectively. 

"Wendy," Spike approaches Wendy with many black and blue bruises on his arms, chest, and stomach; he smiles at her, noting he needs a quick healing. 

Wendy sighs. "Oh, you," She proceeds to uplift the bruises Spike received during the battle with her healing magic. "I think that'll be enough fighting for now, considering our soon-to-be arrival at the Alvarez Empire, which might send the rest of their forces to attack us for annihilating Zeref and most of their army." 

"Fair enough, I had my exercise of the day," Spike relents to Wendy's statement about the possible continual warfare later tonight. 

"Word of advice, Spike," Laxus approaches him. "Work on building your muscle mass; it'll do you wonders during close-quarter combat. Also, don't rely too much on channeling your opponent's strength for redirection; it'll be obvious for any wizard or soldier with combat experience. You're giftedly strong with your magic power, but work on the rest of your body." 

"No kidding," Gajeel walks by Spike, intending to grab a bite to eat. "Although my body is iron, I would start working out if I were you. Zaranos is in a different league, and if you gain strength, you'll be more of a threat to anyone daring to stand in your way. C'mon, Lily, let's go." 

"Right behind you," Panther Lily follows Gajeel and Laxus to the nearest booth for grub. 

Hearing the wisdom from his friends, Spike vows to get physically stronger by moving mountains, which Erza corrects by lifting stones first. Wendy promises Spike to be beside him and get more robust by training to show she's not a pushover. 

With the people groaning about the copout with the infighting of three Dragons, they took some pictures of Spike and walked away. Wendy urges Spike to swim in the ocean; she even whispers a new swimsuit to wear. Spike's wings flap hard, showing he's excited and aroused by Wendy's enticing words. Erza finds it hilarious and requips into her black bikini bathing suit. 

Irene stares into the wild blue yonder, imaging likely confrontations with the Alvarez Empire, most leading into dreadful combat situations with the wounds still fresh from the war. She takes a deep breath when Princess Hisui comes from behind with two bowls of mangos. 

"You seemed distressed, Irene," Princess Hisui offers the second bowl to Irene. "What's on your mind?" She sounds formal with his question since she suffers from nightmares of being turned into a mouse in front of her dad weeks ago. 

Irene accepts the bowl of mangos, eating one and savoring the flavor. "I'm unsure of our arrival when we approach the gates or land in the city square near the conference castle. Riding on the Magic Bomber Christina, I suspect many lieutenants and commanding officers initiate their defense protocols to eliminate a target." 

"Well, the Fairy Dragon will protect us from their retribution; also, I believe they won't think twice if Spike increases his size, considering God Serena's demise and you becoming a Fairy Tail Wizard. Another thing, I don't believe the empire is willing to lose more than what they lost." 

"We'll see how the events unfold when we arrive," Irene watches her son and Wendy getting into the waters, having a good time splashing each other. Natsu appears out of nowhere to give Spike a german suplex. 

Princess Hisui mentally prepares herself to achieve the one task her father assigned her to create peace with the Alvarez Empire as a representative of Fiore. Princess Hisui asks Irene about possible interim Kings or Queens before electing a new ruler for the Alvarez Empire to have a better understanding when she confronts the nation during a conference room with the remaining members of the Spriggan 12. Irene named Ajeel, Yajeel, Kareem, Invel, Marin, Jacob, and Brandish for possible interim majesties and explained everything she knew of them. 

It's been seven hours since Fairy Rage and Carla departed Astereae; they are resting by an outdoor venue near Oshibana. According to the map, Oshibana is one two-hour train ride to Clover Town. Carla has her head down at the table, reliving the moments she saw her kin laid waste and the anger she became when she slew Walker. 

"Carla?" Fairy Rage is concerned about his girlfriend's state of mind, especially with the possibility of confronting another or new member of the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"Hmm?" Carla diverts her attention to Fairy Rage, staring at his handsome, draconic figure. 

Fairy Rage grabs Carla's hands, holding them lovingly with his claws. "Are you alright?" 

Carla smiles at Fairy Rage, hoping it'll ease his heart about her stability. "More than ever, my handsome dragon. I'm just.., going through some emotional pain and hoping to find hundreds of survivors that fled from Cabal's advances." 

"There must be at least a thousand that fled from his tyranny." Fairy Rage proclaims, hoping to soothe Carla's heart.

"I thought I heard familiar voices!" Bickslow said, approaching Carla and Fairy Rage by the table with Evergreen, Freed, and Gildarts. "Great to see you guys!" 

"Greetings, Fairy Rage, and Carla; I hope we're not intruding on your date in Oshibana," Freed approaches the duo, leaning his sword at the table Carla and Fairy Rage are sitting. 

"Any luck on finding any survivors?" Evergreen grabs a chair, pulling it towards the duo to sit. Bickslow retrieves a table nearby to join Carla and Rage. 

"We have a map detailing a site where surviving Exceeds are hiding. After lunch, we'll take the train there and continue our investigation." Fairy Rage shows the map detailing the locations marked in red for wiped out, except for one in Clover Town marked blue, a nearly exact area where the hydra was roaming a few weeks ago. 

"According to the Master's command, teams of three or more must accompany the travel since the Preying Mantis Guild is stalking Fairy Tail by the second, so, if you want to continue, we're coming as well," Gildarts says, speaking on behalf of the Thunder Legion. 

"Are you serious?" Carla sounds disappointed with the idea of others tagging along on what was supposed to be a date-search-and-rescue mission without any interruptions from any of the Fairy Tail Wizards. 

"It's what Makarov demanded ever since Spike endured those terrible nightmares and the constant mental strikes the guild has on us," Bickslow answers Carla's question. 

"Tell us, have you encountered any of the Preying Mantis Wizards during your trip?" Freed asks, hoping they did not and wouldn't since Carla is in disarray from the stories everyone had mentioned when Spike attempted to complete a solo mission. 

"We have." Fairy Rage answers Freed's question, which validates the severity of the travel and Makarov's decree. "We've encountered a wizard who uses shadows similar to Rogue's. I fought him, and we tortured him. Carla beat the crap out of Walker, then we interrogated him. Apparently, their Guild Master has a personal vendetta against Fairy Tail due to an eight-year war. Also, Zaranos is not the only demon of the guild. Zaranos also has a brother who is a Changeling. He disguised himself to bring the red blade prop to shatter and possess my brother." 

"That's horrible," Gildarts is angry for missing out again during a vital altercation with Zaranos. "So, where's Walker now?" 

"I killed him," Carla said, smiling widely. Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen, and Gildarts become dumbfounded by Carla's response. She's displaying no remorse for her actions. "Walker was a catalyst that brought forth a decimation upon my people, my kin, my species," Carla's ears drop a little with the daunting memories of the deceased Exceeds returning. 

"I'm sure by now you know what happened to us when we spied on Spike during his first-ever solo mission, right?" Fairy Rage asks his friends; the waiter returns to the table to give Carla her chicken caesar salad and Fairy Rage a hamburger with fries. "Thanks." 

"Natsu and the others were saddened when they revealed the gruesome details about the onslaught of hellhounds, which were an illusion due to some hypnotism," Freed replies to Spike's question, asking the waiter to bring out menus for his friends and him. 

"Walker cast the illusion on the Exceeds, and I didn't sense his presence. I felt manipulating matter and didn't attack the hellhounds with Spike. The others did with no hesitation to defeat Cabal and his supposed army. He laughed and claimed victory over us; indeed, he won that battle and scarred some of us." Fairy Rage nudges his head over to Carla, quietly sobbing while remembering the moment of horrific actualization. 

Gildarts slams his left fist on the table, shattering it into many small cubits; he detests watching women cry due to iniquity from opposing guilds. "Those bastards will pay! I'll make them rue the day they mess with Fairy Tail!" 

Everyone gets startled when Gildarts obliterates the table in anger; seeing this side of him ensures the demise of the Preying Mantis Guild. 

"Where should we go after helping locate survivors?" Evergreen inquires about the plans of Carla and Fairy Rage.

"We deliver the Exceeds to the Mermaid Heel's Guildhall where Millianna resides. She's caring for Queen Shaggote and several younglings." 

"After speaking with the survivors, hopefully, they'll pinpoint other zones on the map for us to search; then, we'll continue from there," Carla says, wiping the tears off her cheeks. 

"Before exacting revenge on the Praying Mantis Guild, retrieving the surviving Exceeds is our top priority for the next three days. We intend on scouring the landscape, hoping to find others not in harm's way by Cabal's advances." 

"We're with you," Freed speaks on behalf of the Thunder Legion and Gildarts since it matters to Carla about her transgression. 

"We're here for you, Carla," Bickslow smiles, his tikis hovering around Carla, attempting to comfort her with soothing sounds. 

"We got your backs; I want to encounter these fools that dare harm our friends!" Evergreen missed out on the action during the war weeks ago and wants to aid her friends during this expedition. 

"I'm sure Makarov would approve this voyage, considering the possibility of meeting the Holy Knights Clan if they were out there in Clover Town," Gildarts said; he remembers what Makarov told him about finding evidence of their whereabouts if any clues were to materialize. 

"Thank you," Carla smiles at her friends' love for building up a moment as a family would. She grimaces with an unfamiliar movement in her belly and ponders about the overextension of her ability. She's reluctant to change into her Exceed form. 

Fairy Rage notices the demeanor written on Carla's face and hopes she reverts to her Exceed form so he can carry her in his arms during the travel after lunch.
> Still No Word: Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edolas 22 Days Ago 

Every Fairy Tail Wizard is currently assisting Levy and Lucy in decrypting Spike Knightwalker's research, following Erza Knightwalker's explanation; Jet and Droy have been collecting the necessary materials to recreate the mirror, which includes Lacrimite - a substance made by infusing Lacrima with granite to make it reflective. Although Lacrima is useless due to the depletion of magic caused by King Jellal's reversal of the Anima project, Spike Knightwalker had quantities of Lacrima-based weapons that he used by combining their dead components and igniting them with solar radiation.

Wendy and Erza Knightwalker studied Spike Knightwalker's handwriting and determined that his notes on the mirror project are written in anagrams to prevent raiders from stealing his work and creating advanced versions of his masterpiece. The same applies to his gadgets and weaponry, which was why she and King Jellal had problems with the recreation days ago. Erza Knightwalker did feel foolish about her son's tactical genius to outsmart any minds within Edolas.

King Jellal arrives at the guildhall to deliver notes about the sphere floating in Spike Knightwalker's laboratory and deciphers morse code sounds emitting within. Keywords are: Hell, Grogar, Lord Tirek, Sadistic, Cataclysmic, and Equestria. Everything else is blurred, too comprehensible to understand what other sounds, including one that sends shivers down his spine. It was like demonic laughter or something in nature regarding the underworld.

"Equestria?" Wendy Knightwalker remembers the tales about her husband fighting his counterpart who originated from that world when he fled from the abuse. 

"That doesn't sound good..," Erza recalls the many moments her son revealed when he was recovering from the third battle he suffered by the claws of Spike the Fairy when he gained the usage of ice magic out of the blue. 

"Oh, why is that?" Lucy pesters Erza and Wendy about Equestria since the two show negative vibes; she wonders if that world connects any relations to Spike Knightwalker's past.   

"If you remember Earth Land's Fairy Tail, they have me as an ally and my son, and as you know about my son's horrific trauma, the same applies to Spike the Fairy, who endured hardship. The only difference besides their physicality is one killed their tormentors; the other left them. Spike the Fairy ran from his world, Equestria, and joined Earth Land. Now, here's the kicker. Spike the Fairy said that his tormentors are alive and well; that means when my son sees them, he will snap, in an instant, to kill them a second time without much thought. I believe he'll target their friends and families before ruling their world. If he can use magic in Equestria, that world is doomed. He's very dangerous untamed." 

"My husband didn't say much about his counterpart's backstory, only that there's a similarity. I figured out that the names of my husband's tormentors would be the same as his counterpart's. We must hurry before Spike creates unholy alliances to boost his devilish spree!" 

Panic empowers everyone to work diligently to recreate the mirror to teleport to Equestria since that's the more logical destination where Spike Knightwalker ended up. The names mentioned by King Jellal gave them more motivation to speed up the process to prevent Grogar and Tirek from seizing control and turning Spike's sadism into a demon of fear. 

Edolas Present Day

After many days of deciphering the directives Spike Knightwarker had written, the Fairy Tail Guild has successfully finished their project; however, nothing from what King Jellal and Coco saw is emitting. It's just a regular mirror in that people can see their reflection. 

Erza Knightwalker decides to inspect the progress and report to King Jellal about the status when she notices how the mirror is now a replica of her son's creation from the labs. She commands everyone to escort the mirror to Spike's laboratory; Erza has a theory by allowing the mirror to lean on the sphere within the room, the magic that transported her son to Equestria would activate. 

The Royal Guards are outside the guildhall, ready to bring the replica to Spike's laboratory and navigate every Fairy Tail Wizard to the palace. Spidy and Windy hold their mother's hands, unsure about the possibility of seeing their father as a demented demon everyone but her mother acclaims him to be by now. They want their father to return home and be a family again. 

An hour later. The Royal Guards leans the mirror on the sphere; it illuminates with immense magic power as a portal opens. Screams of agony and bloodcurdling cries echo in the room, causing everyone to cover their ears tightly. 

"What was that?" Spidy asks everyone before they can react to the howling cries of a dog before it bursts into flames. 

"A victim," Lucy and everyone in Fairy Tail says in unison after having sudden flashbacks of when Spike Knightwalker hunted and slew their friends for information or displayed his rapid dominance to extinguish the last remaining dark guild. 

"We have to go in!" Wendy turns to her friends, who are hesitant to retrieve Spike Knightwalker, whether or not he became the demon of fear Erza had mentioned. 

"We should leave him and destroy the -" Wendy elbows Lucy's gut and punches her harshly, knocking several teeth down her throat for suggesting to abandon her husband and the father of her two children. 

"Wendy!" Every Fairy Tail Wizard stands back from her hostile movements when they witness Lucy losing to Wendy; they become fearful of Spike Knightwalker's influence messing with her mind. 

"Look! I didn't ask or beg you guys to help so you could abandon the love of my life! I need him! The kids need him! Believe it or not, you need him for our solar-based technology!" Wendy huffs and puffs with her rant in front of Spidy and Windy; she wants to demonstrate standing up for your family despite the hardship, for love conquers evil every time. 

Lucy stands up and remains still, glaring at Wendy for breaking her teeth. "We can't all go in! Otherwise, chaos would run amuck with other factions destroying what we've built! You need to decide who's -" Lucy sees King Jellal approaching the portal. 

"I'm going," King Jellal stands next to Wendy. "It's my fault for ushering Spike's presence when he was supposed to be with his family for vacation."

"Sire, you can't go -" Coco sees the seriousness in King Jellal's expression, causing her to silence her speech. 

"I'm going, and any wish to join me is more than welcome," King Jellal grabs one of his staves, twirling it since he believes the world is fluent with magic power, which would restore his potency when he was a contender of Fairy Tail's strongest wizards. 

"I'm going," Erza Knightwalker says, including Spidy and Windy, since they believe if their father see his kids for the first time, it would ignite the goodness of him to break free from the evil within. 

"Obviously, I'm going," Wendy says, wielding her batons and flexing her movement. 

"So am I," Juvia is the first among the Fairy Tail Guild to willingly offer her servitude on bringing Spike Knightwalker back home, plus she considers Wendy as her sister than anyone else in the guild. 

"I'm in," Jet, one of the strongest wizards in Fairy Tail, has decided to help Juvia since he doesn't want her to take all the glory of succeedingly ridding the demon out of Spike Knightwalker to save the good half. 

"Same with me, bro," Droy stands with Jet and Juvia. 

"You're not leaving me behind, boys," Levy may not be fond of Spike Knightwalker, but she'll accept the opportunity to decimate the demonic side of him for inflicting years of torment. 

"Count me in! I won't back away from this job," Nab stretches his limbs, preparing to unleash his wrath on the demon of fear. 

"Alright, while we go to this Equestrian world, I'm initiating Martial Law. All Royal Guards and the remaining members of Fairy Tail are to keep the Royal City secured until we return!" King Jellal commands and directs his attention to the mirror portal. He takes a deep breath, imagining where they'll land and how to solve the dilemma. "Forgive me, Spike Knightwalker, for I shouldn't have asked you to conjure a quick-fix solution to resolve transportation if other worlds were tethered with formidable knowledge to seek anything worthy or demonic." 

A Royal Soldier gives Erza Knightwalker her former weapon, a magic spear containing the power of the Ten Commandments. Spidy and Windy hold onto Wendy's hands for comfort and a safe voyage while entering the portal to rescue their father from the demon of fear's clutches. 

"Let's go," King Jellal enters the portal first and notices a statue of a crystal dragon holding a heart behind him. He sees his comrades and friends entering the realm through the statue. "Alright, that's the entrance." 

"Where are we?" Wendy asks and feels magic power flowing through her body, an experience she has never felt before. 

Erza, Wendy, Juvia, Nab, Jet, Droy, and Levy feel differently about their potency in magic power, considering their belief to sense it through their weaponry as in Edolas. Jellal feels like he's back in Earth Land with his sorcery and notices several horses walking near and shouting -

"Fairy Tail Wizards!" Several Crystal Ponies shout in unison; they are thrilled to see the returning heroes that help defeated Midnight Sparkle and her cronies the first time; however, they soon realize that they are not the saviors and are from the Edolas world Fairy Dragon and his friends encountered several years ago. 

"No way..," Princess Cadance is stunned to see the Edolas version of Spike's friends, and she's happy to report to the Crystal Castle an unbelievable turn of events that just happened right after receiving a letter from Shining Armor about Grogar's involvement and allegiance to stop Mongor. "Follow me, quickly!" 

"Who are you?" King Jellal asks on behalf of the rescue party. 

"Princess Cadance, and I know why you are here."