Chapter 24

Spiraling

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's and Ideas

.:+:.

.... Something.... Something is wrong

"... Mm... Morning Atia...!" Lector and Frosch mewed drowsily, half asleep still as they floated up behind her into the Box set for their Guild. The Colosseum itself was filling up fast as the day started up, and Hora had been there since early that morning- getting there long before anyone else in SaberTooth had gotten there.... She hadn't slept at all for this damn dreadful, foreboding, bad feeling...

She'd had to get up and leave the Inn altogether, she couldn't sit there alone anymore and she couldn't be around them either- if they realized how worked up and tense she was right now? And without knowing why entirely?

They don't need that, not right now.... They are all already worked up enough

"You got up early today, huh?" Lector asked, breaking off halfway to yawn as she turned toward them a bit, and nodded. The early morning sunlight glittered off the large, massive sphere of water set above the ground in the center of the Colosseum- no doubt for the first Event of the day.

"Yeah, I walked around a bit and just decided to head here straight away." she murmured softly, her eyes trailing from the Exceeds and over toward the two Dragon Slayers that came in behind them. "Did you guys sleep alright?" She asked lightly, steering the subject away from herself while also casually checking to see if they were as tense as she was.... They were Dragon Slayers after all, right? They usually had some internal sense of things not being quite right, but the nods and small smiles she got back made it clear she was the only one feeling.... This.

"Yep." Sting hummed, his hands falling on his hips and stopping in front of her as his head tilted- smiling still. "Hey, that ice last night helped, huh? That bruise has faded along with the swelling~" he smirked, leaning in a little to get a better look at said bruise on her cheek- Hora nodded a bit, smiling just faintly.

"Yeah, I suppose you do have some good ideas sometimes." she replied without skipping a beat. He sweatdropped a bit but didn't get worked up, he simply sighed and shook his head a little as Lector and Frosch chuckled beside him.

"That's a lot of water." Lector mumbled,his head tilting passed Hora and eyes locking to the sphere full up with enough water it would have likely turned the arena floor into a lake.

".... it'd take a lot of Magic to hold up something that heavy.." Rogue mumbled nearly all to himself, Hora agreed- because again.... who the hell runs the Games?! And makes all the stuff that goes into them?!

"Gooooooooood Morning everyone! And welcome to the Fourth Day of the Grand Magic Games! Thank you for sticking with us, we will be starting shortly!"

Hora glanced up slightly at the sound of the Announcer's voice suddenly ringing out around the Colosseum, sending the four of them into silence as they listened in.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what we have in store for today! That contraption you see before you is part of our first event of the day, it's called; Naval~!"

Well that seems a bit on the nose...

"Let me rundown the rules for you really quickly! Each Guild will send out one member of their team to participate! The stakes are as follows, each member will do their best to stay within the confines of the water while the other Teams try to knock them out! Points will be awarded based on what place you are knocked out from, so first person out gets the least points and so forth! Once there are only two people left, a five minute Timer will start! To have any hopes of Second Place, you must stay in the water for the whole of the five minutes- or automatically get kicked into last place! Teams! Please send out your participants!"

Hora's head tilted backward toward the Arena as she blinked, her ears training away from her immediate area and toward the Arena floor.

"First up is Rocker from Quatro Puppy! And then we have Risley Law for Mermaid Heel!"

"Is Rufus gonna participate?" Frosch asked,

"Nah, should be Orga~! He could just zap everyone in the water no problem~!" Lector purred,

"Fro thinks that's a little dangerous..." Frosch mumbled, Hora would have to agree- but she also trusted Orga not to go overboard on the matter.

"Jenny Realight from Blue Pegasus joins the fray! And then the lovely Juvia Lockser from Fairy Tail Team B!" The Announcer went on as people entered the Arena, "And then Sherria Blendy from Lamia Scale!"

Sherria huh....

"It won't be either of us."

Hora's eyes snapped back toward the entrance to the Box in surprise, her attention falling on both of Rufus and Orga as they stepped inside, and she sweatdropped.

".... so the Lady plans to join the first event..?" Sting mumbled, immediately looking tense- they all did.

"She insisted it was time she step in." Rufus murmured coolly, his eyes finding Hora as she swallowed a bit, her eyes darkening slightly.

Of course she did-

"For Fairy Tail Team A- we have Lucy Heartfilia!"

Hora went rigid, and everyone in the box around her immediately tensed up too- she must have gone very pale, because all eyes snapped toward her and she could feel their seriousness and slight spark of panic- just as she felt her own.

Her heart dropped into the very bottom of her feet, her lungs ceasing to catch any air and her pulse quickened into a terrified, frantic, terror-driven speed as she stood there, so, so cold at her center she was hurting.

N..no....

She was stiff in her spot, frozen to where she was and unable to move a muscle, she could feel her heartbeat thrumming a million miles a second through every inch of her person as the world seemed silent and deaf to her outside of it- outside of...

"And SaberTooth's Minerva Orlando comes into the play! The Naval Battle will begin shortly!"

W... was this...... t..that feeling....? That dread...?

"Hora...." Rogue started lowly, his hand reaching out toward her as his red eyes glittered- she didn't look at him.

Rufus and Orga exchanged glances between themselves and then with Sting and the Exceeds, all of them sweatdropping and expressions serious.

Why.... of all days..... Lucy and Minerva are in the same event..... and.... and after all that shit Salamander pulled.....

She gulped, her eyes glittering as she kept on staring at the floor.

..... I... I know Minerva..... she's going to single Fairy Tail out for that.... a...and......

N....no....no.....!

She whipped around, her body finally listening to her again as her eyes locked on to the Arena and her jaw snapped shut.

Everyone else around her jumped slightly at how quickly she had turned around, easily able to see the fear and the concern etched into her face as she let her hands fall on the railing, her fingernails digging into the stone.

".....tch....... I swear...." Hora hissed lowly, her voice something shy of a whisper. The other Sabers behind her all looked between one another, sweatdropping heavily.

The day just turned into a whole level of bad they hadn't anticipated, and they realized in an instant- they remembered what Hora said... that she'd worked with Fairy Tail, with Natsu and Happy and Lucy.

They knew she thought of them fondly, as friends even to those Fairy Tailers- and right now one of those new friends was right in the center of the Lady of SaberTooth's icy stare, and they all knew.

This is bad

Shit.... shit....! I swear... if Minerva...!

Rogue swallowed, his hand finding her shoulder and making her jump as he stopped to stand beside her- Lector and Frosch on the railing just in front of him and Sting on her other side. Hora's eyes shift over toward him, narrowed and glittering as he let out a small breath- and the look he gave her was clearly one that said don't.

Don't because if you get mad, or protest against this.... you'll end up hurt or worse.

She knew that, of course she knew that- she had to stay levelheaded, like always... keep her mouth shut.

I hate it

She huffed, frowning slightly as her eyes moved from him and toward the Arena almost stubbornly, and Rogue sweatdropped more.

I swear.... if Minerva does anything.... I'll-!

'..... protest, and end up dead.'

Lixue's words did nothing to calm her down

The gong rang around the Arena, the spectators and crowds all around roaring in excitement as Hora dug her fingernails further into the stone railing- glittering blue eyes fixed on SaberTooth's Lady and nothing else, her heart hammering in her chest in both terror and hate.

'Keep calm, Horatia.'

Easier said than done... and she didn't know if she had much will to keep herself in check anymore...... she hadn't, since coming back. The hesitation (and better judgment maybe...) had started to fade in her heart and her consciousness, and she just.....

"Sorry everyone, but I'm knocking all of you out right off the bat!" Lucy grinned, a Golden Key in hand as she twisted it in the water- and a Magic Circle appeared with the chiming of a bell.

"Open! Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"

"Raaahhh!!! The Water is my playground!!!" The very enraged looking Spirit made an appearance, a jug held aloft over her head as the water began to churn with fervor-

"I won't let you! Water Cyclone!"

The other Fairy Tail Mage swept her arms forward as the spinning vortex of water from Lucy's Spirit was matched with a second one brought to life by the bluenette from Fairy Tail Team B. Both cyclones of water smashed into one another, matching on one another and stalling- evenly matched in power as both Lucy's Spirit and the other Fairy seemed stunned at it.

Hora's eyes still didn't leave Minerva for even a split second, not even when Jenny kicked the Quatro Puppy Mage from the water and Sherria started in on trying to knock someone else out.

"This isn't going well..... so I'm gonna bail." Aquarius mumbled,

"W-what?!" Lucy snapped, "B-but you're the best I have in the water, I need you!"

"Don't yell at me, you called me here when I was busy as it is." The Spirit snapped, a wry smirk falling across her features. "Anyway~! I have a date to get too~!"

"Wait a minute!" Lucy snapped, but Aquarius had already gone- and Lucy got slammed into by the water, being sent spinning out toward the edge in a panic.

And Hora hated herself to think maybe Lucy would be pushed out- lose, yes- but out of Minerva's grasp and interest.

"Open! Gates of the Maiden and the Ram!"

Lucy had already taken out two more keys in the matter of a few seconds,

"Virgo and Aries!"

There erupted a wall of fluff as two pairs of hands grabbed tight hold of Lucy and she ran into the fluff- saving her falling from the water with not a second to spare, two Spirits who looked like young woman in bathing suits appearing with Lucy and making the crowds (well, more the men...) drool.

Hora's teeth ground down on one another, her eyes flicking sideways away from Lucy and back toward-

"I'll knock everyone out in one fell swoop!" Juvia announced, the water spinning with her hands and her Magic as she set her sights on the rest of the competitors- and the water was absolutely thrumming.

The water rushed out on all sides, great currents ramming into Sherria, Jenny and Risley all at once and sending them spinning out of the water sphere and out of the game in the course of a few seconds- she might have been impressed with it, Juvia was clearly a masterful Water Mage, but even so...

..... tch.... of course Minerva didn't even flinch.... And the fact that she's waited this long-

Lucy kept herself in by only a hair, struggling along with her Spirits.

"Incredible!! Juvia from Fairy Tail Team B has knocked out three opponents in one fell swoop!" The Announcer roared, "No one can match Juvia's might in the water!!"

Hora hissed, her eyes flashing as Minerva's hand swept out in one, calm, deliberate motion- toward Juvia.

F...fuck....!

The whole of the crowd and their cheering and fervor seemed to falter- eyes wide and completely lost as Juvia suddenly appeared outside the water and was left to the mercy of gravity, falling to the Arena floor and taken back as much as anyone else.

"W-what...?!"

"What just happened?!"

"Huh?!"

"J... Juvia has fallen from the water! What a turn-!"

".... She could have easily thrown all of them out from the start...." Orga muttered, face tense and shoulders rigid- just like everyone else in the SaberTooth Box.

They all knew that- and the fact that Minerva hadn't done just that....

Hora's shoulders were rigid, her eyes glittering and a large bead of sweat falling down her face as she bit the inside of both cheeks without giving a damn how painful doing so was on the side that Jiemma had hit.

S...shit.....!!

"Lucy and Minerva are the only ones left in the Orb! The five minute Timer starts now!"

Minerva and Lucy were facing one another, the blonde all levels of tension and Saber's Lady nothing but cool- smiling slightly at the Fairy and only mildly amused.

"Hmm... with my Magic I could easily throw you out of the water in all but a few seconds." Minerva told Lucy lowly, "However.... that wouldn't be very entertaining."

Hora's heart skipped a beat, her face paling at that smirk that drew across Minerva's lips, the sheer, calm, subdued malice she had seen so many time right before Minerva did something that had her hurting-

Minerva's hand lift, the water shimmering and bubbling around her fingers almost white- Hora could hear the hissing and her stomach flipped.

Lector grabbed to one of her arms and Frosch held lightly to the other one, both Exceeds casting her anxious glances- Hora still never let her eyes wander, she was fixed, riveted-

.... terrified...

The blazing hot ball of heat rammed into Lucy's side, pushing her sideways and earning a yell of pain from the blonde that run around the whole of the Arena, and sent shivers running down Hora's spine... shivers in the same instant that the fire in her core burned brighter, wilder-

"Lucy!" Natsu's voice echoed through the noise of the crowd and everything in between, Hora picked it out in an instant. ".... tch... shit....!"

I... I tried to warn you...

Another blast of heat slammed down on Lucy from above, leaving her just as bruised, bloody and singed as the first. Lucy's hand shot down to her waist, looking for her Keys- but didn't find them.

Minerva's hand lift with the key's strung between her fingers and smiling so, so coldly still. Lucy blanched, her eyes wide and the panic setting in.

"... M...My Keys... but when did she..?!" Lucy stammered, Minerva snapped her fingers and a large blast of heat that felt like lead rammed into her again, throwing her backward toward the edge with enough force the entire orb seemed to shake.

... shit..... shit...!

4:07 left

Lucy's arms struck out, paddling furiously to keep herself from falling out of the water and being dropped into last place- but.... that..... d...damn it....!

"Oh?" Minerva hummed lowly, her voice cool but not without that cold, stinging malice and intrigue- the same sickeningly amused tone that the 'Lady' used when she-

Hora's hands gripped tighter around the edge of the stone railing, hard enough it cracked, just a little- and the Exceeds held tighter to her arms, unaware of the deep, shinning ebony black that had appeared on her hands and was slowly creeping upward.

Another blast of heat and pure force rammed into Lucy and sent her forward, her scream of pain was ringing off wall and water and it made the fire burn brighter- the terror slowly getting swallowed up more and more by hot... burning... rage.....

3:14 left

Sting and Rogue grimaced a bit, their expressions mimicked by Orga, Rufus and the Exceeds as they felt their cores knot a little as Minerva kept on sending the Heat/Pressure attacks out at the Fairy Tailer, ever aware of what prickling, heavy weight had settled over the box and how much the air seemed to be getting warmer... aware of that rigid form of Hora standing so stiffly there between them and her face nothing but fear and anger all mixed in with pain as she forced herself to stay standing there, quiet. Aware that with every hit Lucy took, and every sound of her pain- Hora flinched, and more and more as the sheer, careless brutality continued on- Hora was shaking.

Aware that she was losing her grip on herself and her emotions, aware of those dark Markings getting longer and stretching passed her hands and up her arms- aware that the air around them wasn't just heavy with tension. No, it was getting hot in the box- and Lector and Frosch had to let go of their hold on Hora's arm once the Markings made her skin too warm to the touch to risking holding on to her right now.

1:05 left

The fire burning in her core wasn't icy hot, it was just burning, blinding, boiling... white hot it was like lava, swirling and churning, rushing through her from her center, running through every vein, every inch of her blood and setting off a chain reaction- no matter how hard she tried to keep it down. She pushed it away, did her best to keep the Markings from stretching- from letting her emotions get out of hand, but the more she watched, the more she heard Lucy's screams.....

..... I..... I want..... to....

Her lips curled, her jaw clenched so hard she might have cracked a tooth, her face pulling into a snarl even as she desperately held herself back. Trying so, so hard to stop it from.... stop the fire....

...... I... I can't....... if I..... do anything.......

It surged, she felt it vying for control again, eating away at her and persistent, strong-

Stop her

Lector and Frosch backed off of her a little, their eyes leaving the Arena all the way and ears pressed flat against their heads. The other Saber Members around them cast Hora wary glances, sweatdropping heavily when they saw such rage and hate in her eyes- her entire form trembling and the air stuffy from the sheer heat she was giving off with her emotions, and yet still she managed a way to stand there.

For now

"It's about time I knock you out of here all the way." Minerva sighed, sounding bored now as Lucy stayed where she was, bloody and bruised and panting for air.

Stop her

N...no... wait....

She couldn't hear Lixue trying to talk her down, he was just... gone- the fire was too loud, too strong.

".... I... I can't lose..." Lucy grumbled, "... I... I won't be able to face everyone else... they've all been working so hard..... I can't lose, I'd be letting them down." The blonde looked up, holding a badly burned arm but her eyes were so steely. "I can't let them down... I'm not going to give in to you." She growled,

Hora's heart stopped, the dread and worry and panic inside of her sharpening into a sharp point.

With yet another sickening crunch, Master's foot came down upon Horatia as hard as he could manage. The young woman's entire body tensed at the almost unbearable amount of pain that flared up inside her, she tensed her jaw, biting down on her tongue as she kept herself absolutely silent.

It was an unspoken rule really, the more noise anyone made while being hit or punished by the Master, only entailed the punishment more harsh. The Master hated anything that could be seen as weakness in the Guild, therefore... You had to stay as quiet as you possibly could. Horatia knew this rule, and yet trying to stick to it was harder than possibly imaginable... But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of hearing her yell, her anger was bubbling more and more.

Unspoken rule, stay quiet, don't talk back- everyone in SaberTooth knew that, and they knew it didn't apply to just the Master- but his daughter as well.

L...Lucy..!

Minerva's hand fell back a bit from being pointed at Lucy, the brutality and violence stalling for a few seconds as the Timer hit;

30 seconds left

But every single person in the Saber Box was stiff as a board, all of their faces paling and all of their hearts stopping as their blood turned to ice. They all knew how much a mistake that was, talking to Minerva like that-

SHIT

Hora's shoulders hunched, her body leaning over the railing a bit and shaking all over as the stone under her hands blackened and burned, and the air got about a few dozen degrees warmer.

Minerva's hand swung back before swinging forward again, the water a blinding bright white and absolutely boiling as her face twisted, rage and wicked amusement falling across her features as she settled that dangerous smile on Lucy- malice so potent it was like a spear through the heart.

STOP HER

Hora fidgeted, her feet shifting slightly but she still managed to just... stop...!

Y..you can't.... you.... ca... calm down....y.. you......

.:+:.

The rest of the chains produced from the man's Magic snapped around Lucy, pressing tightly against her body and her arms, some of the links connecting themselves to the Nullification Cuffs and attaching themselves to the stone roof overhead, holding her tightly in place and dangling uncomfortably off the floor by barely an inch.

The North Wind woman waved a hand nonchalantly, looking bored as the cell bars before them suddenly vanished, letting the North Wind Mages step through and inside the cell easily now that the Fairy Tailers had been rendered immobile.

The Third Man smiled, he had drawn up in front of her with ever a hungry smile and now reached his hand up to curl his finger around a tendril of her hair, Lucy shuddered, squirming slightly to try and pull away even though she couldn't move. "You think Fairy Tail Wizards have a chance against us and a Demon of Zeref, huh?"

Lucy shivered, her eyes wide and looking mortified as his hand fell and moved toward her stomach, and toward the edge of her shirt.

"QUIT IT!" Natsu's voice was absolutely seething, only to get cut off as the man to kick him before brought his boot down on his back, hard. The ground cracked underneath the Fire Dragon Slayer,

"I told you to shut it!"

"Natsu!" Happy stammered, eyes wide and glittering.

"Hehe, see?" The Second Man smirked, "Fairy Tail rejects don't stand a chance against us."

"And this Fairy's too scared to even say anything, hmm?" The woman murmured, her expression bored as ever as she spared a glance toward the adjacent cell, her arms crossed over her chest and hip cocked. "Where did all that anger from before go, huh-?"

Her jaw dropped slightly, sweatdropping as her hands unhooked from about her chest, the words shaking in her throat, frozen as the cold and chill of the room was suddenly destroyed in a wave of sheer, choking heat that bounced off the stone.

The dim was split apart in a brilliant, violent wave of deep crimson fire that suddenly swept out across the stone floor and from their right, the brilliance sweeping forward in front of Lucy, directly between her and the Man, who's trailing hand was suddenly snatched away.

Lucy blinked, her jaw falling and her heart leaping in her chest, her eyes riveted and reeling just like everyone else in the room at the sudden unexpected development. Lucy was so transfixed she hardly even felt that wash of heat roll against her body, or flinched at the flames licking so close to her own body, but never touching her.

Hora's hand snapped down onto the Third Man's wrist with an iron grip, her hand and her arm stained black, the markings trailing up her neck and creeping across her right cheek, pricking just under her eye, her body dancing with fire and her hand burning the man's wrist immediately upon grabbing hold of him- he yelped, trying to pull free though Hora didn't let go.

The bars that had previously separated the Cells were a heap of melted metal, the chains that had been holding her down a mess where she had been but seconds before, trails of liquid gray seeping into the stone and even melting the rock itself.

The other North Wind Mage's eyes snapped around in utter shock, anger and hints of fear making it's way into their features at seeing Hora suddenly free and completely caught off guard by her sheer power.

"H-How did she get free...?!"

"S-Shit!!"

"Hora..!" Lucy breathed, Hora didn't seem to hear anything though, she moved, swiftly, deftly, her eyes cold and face twisted in hardly contained fury.

Hora's grip on the offending man's wrist tightened, her body snapping around as she twisted, throwing him and his unwanted attention on Lucy, clear through the opening that had appeared in the bars, flame dancing off her person and off the floor around her as he yelled, smashing into the ground down the corridor in front of them. The North Wind Mages recoiled, faces paling slightly and stunned, unable to move in their shock as their eyes landed on Hora, shaking as their gazes snapped from the black covering her skin and toward that icy blue Guild Symbol that remained clear under the pitch black consuming her person, visible with her sleeve having been destroyed enough with the sudden rise in power to let her shoulder-blade remain bare.

"W-wait?!"

"She's SaberTooth?!?!"

"S-SHIT!!"

Hora hadn't paused for hardly a second, her seething dark blue gaze snapping immediately toward that man that stood beside the still downed Natsu, his hands swiping upward in reaction as he readied himself to throw his Magic toward her.

Hora's Magic swept out over the ground in two directions, a wall of crimson, angry fire tearing up the floor and headed straight toward that man, and the other two North Wind Mages left standing behind her now, her arms swinging up around her body as she spun halfway.

The look on her face was icy rage, dark... murderous.

The black markings spread further up her cheek, crossing over her eye as the heat rolling from her Magic seemed to triple.

"Crimson Flame."

Her voice sent a shiver down Lucy and Happy's spines, their hearts skipping a beat in tune with Natsu's, a trickle of blood falling from his temple and his face tense as he watched Hora in rigid silence.

The shouts of pain from the North Wind mages rung on the air with the hissing and the booming of Hora's Magic as it made contact with them, sending them flying and knocking them senseless instantly, even as their own Magic flared to try and defend against that fast moving wall of fire- they were absolutely no match for her, and the sheer extent her Magic had reached in such a small amount of seconds had them all reeling and breathless.

"H-holy cow...!" Happy stammered breathlessly, Natsu sweatdropped, his eyes snapping from Hora for the first time toward the four North Wind Mages she had just disposed of so easily, his ears straining and still, blinking a few times.

".... she knocked them all out..." The pinkette mumbled under his breath, his eyes trailing back toward Hora, who had halted for a moment, the flame dancing around her dying, slowly, her eyes closed and stiff.

"That was amazing, Hora!" Happy grinned,

"... thank you for the save...!" Lucy sighed, looking breathless and utterly relieved at the turn in events. "... I'm so glad you stopped that guy... such a creep!" She shuddered at the thought, blinking for a moment when she realized Hora hadn't said anything, or moved for a few moments, her Magic faded now, though the air still felt hot despite it being gone.

Hora swallowed, hard, the Fairy Tailer's voices lost on her ears almost entirely as she forced herself into a complete standstill, fighting with herself to quell what rage and fury had risen up and what violent a way her Magic had manifested because of. Though she didn't show it outwardly, it had taken every inch of concentration she had to just... not, let herself get so out of hand and her Magic with it. Had she not been actively focusing on keeping herself under control, she might not have been able to wrestle her Magic in enough to keep from accidentally burning Lucy with how close the blonde had been, and more so....

... every inch of her wanted, screamed at her- to kill those North Wind Mages. Every inch of her person screamed at her to burn that asshole who had put his unwanted, filthy hands on Lucy- to burn him alive, turn him to ash. Her Magic festered at it, rose up, threatened to take control and send her mind spiraling into that numb, unaware haze of fury that would have let her do that... she couldn't, she had to not... and damn it, it was so hard. Her skin was on fire to the point it was cold, an that sensation encased her arm, crawled up her neck, stretched over her face and fought to try and spread more even as she willed it to recede.

Calm down, calm down... control yourself... you... have to.....

That fire was wild and so utterly cold, and pushing against it made a sharp, jolting flash of pain run through her core where she had been spared that feeling for weeks now, and she outwardly cringed at it. Her hand snapping up to press her fist against her chin, willing herself not to hiss and not to end up-

.:+:.

STOP HER!

Hora hissed, her voice trembling as much as she was as the fear struck her through her center just as strongly as the anger did. Struck hard, but not as hard nor as painful as it was to keep herself standing there, still and silent-

.:+:.

Her body moved out of sheer instinct, her Magic flaring as the Markings took chance to spring forward without her wishing them too.

But there was no anger then, not true anger, not the burning hot rage and murderous intent she had had to contend with her entire life. The Markings didn't burn like they usually did- they were hot, enough to be icy across her skin, but it wasn't the same force that sent her mind spinning away into a chasm she couldn't pull free from. She didn't intend to harm that man because of how fun it would be, nor how good it would feel. She wasn't attacking him outright, she was-

- Protecting them. No matter what.

And the anger didn't turn to rage, she was just... resolute. Her Magic was resolute, her Magic was steady and calm and controlled like she had seldom felt it be, in so very, very long a time.

She was moving, her Magic was rising to the surface without her thinking about it, she'd moved herself in front of all three and she did it without hesitating a single moment. Her hands raised on either side of her, flames flickering as they circled her arms like serpents would, her hair moving as the wind and pressure picked up around her. The Markings stretched down both arms, stopping just shy of her jaw and crossing over her chest and shoulders where they were visible, the black shining warmly in the growing light of the fire.

Hora let out a low, slow breath- the air engulfed in a hazy cloud before her, all of their eyes reflecting the metallic sheen that bounced from the hundreds of blades and weapons that had seemed to materialize out of the stone walls around them. The Fairy Tailers looked between the blades and Hora in utter shock, eyes widening and jaws dropping at how quickly she had moved and where she placed herself.

Those golden-red eyes landed on the North Wind Lieutenant steadily, her expression resolute and unflinching, her attention never leaving him and never flicking for even a second toward the hundreds of incoming weapons and blades of all sizes and shapes- and all deadly in their own right.

Her hands swung forward, the flames dancing from her arms and springing through the air in a wave, whirling and spinning as if they were beasts and creatures in themselves.

The flames burned an incredible golden-azure color unlike anything any of them had ever seen, striking out across the ground and through the air in mere moments, Hora's voice clear and cold as the words bounced off the stone.

"Fire Devil's-" Hora growled lowly, too low for anyone to possibly hear normally, a waft of air rushing into the Fairy Tailers behind her, causing them to bring their hands up and cover their eyes, their faces washed against by a thick cloud of heat. A flickering visage of a Magic Circle flashed in front of Hora for a split second, before it imploded and air shook with it.

"Guardian Circle!!"

.:+:.

Lucy screamed, loudly- her voice carrying all around and bouncing as she was bombarded with a million different attacks all at once- at triple the ferocity and violence.

Hora's eyes flashed, the air wavering around her as steam started to rise off her hands.

"You have your heads in the clouds Fairy Tail!! What kind of heart do you think we have?!" Minerva snapped, her Magic blazing in newfound fervor and brutality.

"We are the number one Guild in all of Fiore!! We are SaberTooth!!!"

Lucy was sent spiraling out through the water toward the edge at breakneck speed, headed straight out- before she disappeared- and appeared right in front of Minerva again.

"W-what?! But she was headed out?!"

Minerva's leg swung around and rammed into the center of Lucy's back hard enough to break bone, and the blonde screamed again.

.:+:.

...... friends.....

".... even if I'm Saber....?" Hora mumbled, it being the only response she managed. Honestly, hearing them say it so easily... they'd only known eachother a few days, and certainly not long enough..... well....

"Of course!" Lucy said quickly,

"We got plenty of friends in other Guilds ya know, don't matter to us if your SaberTooth or not." Natsu smirked, "A Guild don't define what kind of person you are."

"That's right. We like you as a friend for who you are, not what Guild you're a part of." Lucy assured easily.

Hora glanced slowly between the both of them, her hands pressed lightly against the ground between her legs and her shoulders sagging slightly.

....... Brother.....

They just kept smiling, so content and so serious about it all.

....... Brother.... I remember the last time..... It felt like this......

She swallowed slightly, her eyes falling slightly.

..... it..... It happened just as quickly then as it did now..... I knew how I felt.... But that word never popped up so fast.....

...... I thought..... I mean.... I think of them that way... I guess...... But I thought.... I always thought it took longer... Than that.... To count.....

And what Lucy said? And Natsu too...?

...... Brother..... Have I been.... Looking at it wrong the whole time....?

She bit the inside of her cheek, doubt swirling inside her stomach and her heart now where she hadn't expected it to.

...... Have I been thinking about it all wrong....?

But..... Even in doubt and worry now.... It felt better. It felt nice.

She smiled softly, nodding her head a little as she glanced to Natsu and Lucy both- familiar faces from here on out to be sure..... Friendly faces.

She never thought anyone could feel like friends in so little time, and it be real.

But this feeling in her chest was assuredly real.

.... They almost make me wish I'd ended up in Fairy Tail instead.

But just almost.

Her friends in Sabertooth were too important to her to wish she'd never been in Saber, they were too important even with how shitty things had gotten and how she'd become a slave to a tyrannical mad-man. Knowing them made it worth it.

"Yeah, friends." Hora smiled softly, her head tilting as Lucy, Cancer and Natsu alike smiled in return. "... And I will do my best, to listen to what you said, Lucy. Promise."

"Good to hear." Lucy smiled, Hora chuckled under her breath slightly.

.:+:.

STOP MINERVA

Hora shuddered, her breath shaking in her throat as she swallowed back at the inferno inside- the incessant want, the need... the need that grew stronger with every hit Minerva landed, every whimper and scream, every new wound on Lucy's person.

.... kill Minerva... burn her...

.:+:.

"Are you gonna be OK traveling all that way, Hora?" Lucy asked, earning blinks from everyone else. "Are you feeling ok enough? You still look a little pale... I don't want you to push yourself if you're feeling unwell."

"Are you sick or something Hora?" Happy asked, his head tilting slightly as Lucy asked the question.

"Yeah, you OK?" Natsu mumbled, "... I mean I heard you two talking about it earlier but..."

Hora sighed slightly, shaking her head slightly as she smiled, her arm lifting as she wrapped her arm around Lucy's neck, pulling the blonde closer as her other arm wrapped around her shoulder. Lucy blushed, blinking several times in shock as she went rigid, pulled into Hora so easily and so quickly she hadn't any time to react as Hora rest her cheek against the top of Lucy's head, the blonde's face getting pushed slightly into Hora's heart.

"... Geez... You're freaking adorable..... Hehe..." Hora murmured softly, Lucy blushing a bit harder though Hora didn't see it. ".... You're really such a kind person, and so honest too.... And you're cute when look all worried, Lucy."

.:+:.

STOP HER!

N...no..... if you..... you have to stay..... still..... b....but....

"STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!" Natsu roared, his voice breaking through only barely.

Natsu's head snapped around, his eyes searching (almost in vain) to catch a glimpse of where the rest of the SaberTooth Team was standing, his eyes only barely managing to catch a glimpse of them from the near impossible angle Fairy Tail Team A's box was at- and his heart skipped a beat as his jaw dropped.

All of SaberTooth, all of them- the Twin Dragons, Orga, Rufus and the Exceeds- all of them stood rigid and sweatdropping, their faces pulled and pained as they watched what was going on and he could tell in an instant that they hated what they were seeing.

And his eyes found that head of multicolor, fiery orange hair and even he could see the terror and the rage on her face, see the steam rising from her hands, see the way she was utterly shaking.

Minerva was one of the only two in SaberTooth that Hora had warned him about, he remembered that the instant the Announcer said Minerva joined.

Hora and the rest of the Saber Team standing there with her?

They... they hate this too....

.:+:.

"All done packing." Lucy smiled cheerfully as she and Happy approached both Fire Wizards, Hora's and Natsu's hands falling away from one another as they settled their attentions on the two of them.

"We're ready to head out now." Happy purred, Hora nodded.

"Then I guess I oughtta say bye." Hora murmured, "It was great working with you three, I had a lot of fun." She smiled genuinely, Lucy and Happy nodded in agreement to the words.

"We had a lot of fun to, it was so good to meet you." Lucy murmured brightly, "I hope we see more of eachother soon, I can't wait until the GMG!"

"Aye!"

"Hmm, me too." Hora smiled kindly, the smile breaking off as Lucy suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her neck in a firm, entirely unexpected embrace.

"You'll be careful out here by yourself, won't you?" Lucy asked softly, her breath washing against the inside of Hora's neck as the Saber girl slowly returned the embrace. Her eyes found Natsu for half a second, his expression unreadable but she could imagine how much he was fighting with himself not to leave. And Lucy hadn't any clue what she would be facing either... and Natsu knew it, Hora knew it.

"..... yeah... I'll be careful. I promise, we'll meet up again at the GMG, don't you doubt it."

.:+:.

Hora growled, her voice almost animalistic and her lips curling as her face went so very, very dark. Lector and Frosch bristled, their fur standing on end as they saw her expression twist.

Minerva's hand swung out toward Lucy, her Magic so strong now it was making the air throb- an attack of massive scale headed out toward the blonde that had already ceased moving and making any noise through the torture.

Hora felt something snap, her feet bringing her forward and all will to stay still just shattered in a single second- all she saw, all the heard- was Minerva, and the fire screaming inside of her to,

Kill

"MINERVA!!!"

Hora's voice was loud, and hate-filled, the name burning on her tongue and carrying easily through the box and across the Arena- but the only ones who heard that shout were among the likes of Dragon Slayers and God Slayers in the other Guilds. They all glanced up, some of them not recognizing the owner of the voice at all- but some did.

Natsu, Wendy and Sherria- they heard that voice and recognized it in an instant, even though it sounded strangely distorted and muffled to them, and for a moment their horror driven watching of the match faltered as they tried to pinpoint where she was.

Horatia

Gold Runes flashed across the open space above the railing of the Saber Box, a Spell placed and set up with deft hands and not a word by Rufus the instant he realized that Hora likely wouldn't keep herself in check any longer. A Spell that kept the volume and sound of her voice from making it passed the confines of the Box, so it would not reach either Minerva nor Jiemma's ears- her voice that was so icy and enraged, and he did not blame her.

SaberTooth's Lady was ruthless, and wicked- and she was handling that Fairy more harshly than was usually seen, and he and everyone else knew why. The sight of it curled their stomachs, made them cold- they did hate it, they wished it stop, but they held back still for fear.... fear that was lacking now in Hora as of late.

And again it came to them, that thought that they had all thought to themselves thousands and thousands of times;

This needs to stop

Everyone in the Saber Box jumped, their hearts leaping and panicked slightly as they saw Hora move- her voice ringing all around them and loud enough they winced, in her glittering eyes they saw that fire and sheer fervor erupt in her like it had that night she charged in to stay off Natsu's hand at the Inn. That fire and sudden determination and strength of will that had appeared in her so suddenly, out of nowhere even- and they had seen when she came back from her mission with the Fairy Tailers.

She started to move, ready to jump over the railing and head down into the Arena- and in all that anger and rage and determination, there was something darker too, something colder... malicious.

Murder

She never got very far, Sting placed himself between her and the railing as quickly as Rogue moved behind her and threw his arms around her, holding to her tightly and not letting her go even as his skin and clothes singed instantly from the contact with her body.

Her eyes caught glimpses of Minerva holding the limp form of Lucy outside of the water and by a cruel grip in her hair even as her movement was halted and Rogue held tight to her. Saw how bloody and bruised Lucy was and the wicked smirk on Minerva's face even as Rufus and Orga moved themselves in front of her just like Sting had, and blocked her view-

"Get her out of here, now." Sting ordered lowly, his eyes locking with Rogue's red ones, and the Shadow Dragon Slayer already ahead of his White Dragon counterpart.

Hora struggled against the pinning hold instantly, her anger bubbling higher in agitation and snapping out no few amount of curses as she felt herself yanked backward, almost sickeningly so- and the entire world got swallowed up in deep, pitch black before her very eyes.

Nothing but shadow, Rogue still holding so tightly on to her even as she snapped at him to let go.

"LUCY!!!!"

Everything was nauseating freefall for a few seconds, the sound of the Arena faded into a low drone and her world flipped on it's head- light bombarding her senses and her gaze after those fleeting moments, and she stepped forward, throwing Rogue's hands off roughly as her feet hit solid ground..... underground, in one of the deepest parts of the underway of the Colosseum. Both she and Rogue far, far away and below the Arena in the matter of a few instants- and all because he's pulled himself and her into the Shadows, and used his Magic to make them melt into the black and flit away.

She rounded on the Shadow Dragon Slayer, her arms encased now in the burning, inky black Markings and the air shuddering under the heat she gave off. Fire sparked from her person as she set her steely blue gaze on him, a stare that was so angry and burning it would have stopped any man's heart, and surely did his for a second or two- but he stayed where he was and stood tall, doing his best not to waver even under so much rage.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" Hora snapped, her voice like venom and her fists clenched at her sides.

"Saving you from making a mistake." He replied lowly, Hora bared her teeth at him.

"Mistake!?" She shot back, fire sparking off her shoulders now as she stomped a foot into the ground hard enough to make the floor crack. "The only mistake I've made is putting up with Minerva's bullshit! And her bastard of a father too!" Hora snapped, her eyes flashing as Rogue grimaced- and her eyes narrowed when she realized where he had placed himself in this small little sideroom, right in front of the door.

That just made the fire burn brighter in her soul, and made her angrier.

"I am done, I'm not standing for their cruelty anymore! This needs to end!" Hora hissed, her eyes like flint as he held her blazing gaze as steady as he could- but honestly?

This much rage and anger in her was terrifying, the way the Markings kept stretching, reaching over her shoulders and crawling up her neck... the sheer light in her eyes, the darkness of her expression?

She looked less like the Hora he knew and more like someone else, someone evil

What walls she had kept up all these years to keep her anger at bay were gone now, they'd cracked after what Jiemma had done to her those three months ago, they'd been halved when she was out with the Fairy Tailers. And now they were barely a foot tall, after what had happened with Yukino, and Natsu at the Inn.

Fear or better sense or whatever that had always held her back for so, so many years was all but gone- and the pent-up anger, hurt, and outrage was spilling over so violently he wasn't sure he could contend with her if she got worked up enough. And Hora surely wasn't having any luck stemming the tide.... not that he was sure she was trying to hold herself back anymore.

She must have, right? Otherwise she wouldn't have stayed as quiet as she had through the Naval Battle... and she had to, otherwise knowing her, her Magic would have gotten out of hand enough by now to do more than make the air hot, or even just slightly singe his hands.

All through that match, through watching Minerva do that to the blonde Fairy- he hadn't been watching them, no. His eyes had been locked onto Hora and nothing else, seeing how hard she was shaking, how tight her grip on the railing was, how rigid her entire body had turned. Every second where her emotions were getting all the more out of hand and he kept his eyes locked onto her, waiting for when she finally did snap- he knew she would.

Because he understood how deeply Hora cared for everyone she knew, and everyone she ever dared to call Friend. She cared so much, more than people could ever fathom and she as so very, very loyal... and that loyalty and care for Lucy, for him, Sting, Lector, Frosch... for everyone in SaberTooth, and even for the Fairy Tailers- that that had already been rock solid was now all the stronger since she came back, and that care and loyalty had grown into something much fiercer than her will to keep herself in check, and just take everything she had from Minerva and Jiemma.

Rebel, stop it, fight back- speak up. The need to do that was more now than it ever had been, and as admirable (and even needed) as it was, doing that wasn't a good idea... and he knew that as well as she did, he knew that where no one else did, just why it wasn't something she could risk doing.

"You can't Hora, you know that." He grumbled lowly, her fists clenched harder at her sides. "If you go against Minerva or the Master, you will die! He almost killed you the last time you stood up for Fairy Tail, if you do something now he really will kill you- and probably without a second thought!"

"I'd like to see him fucking try!" She shot back instantly, a ring of fire spiraling up around her feet for a few seconds as he eyed the flames warily, but stayed in his spot regardless. "I'll turn the both of them into a pile of blackened goddamn bones before they even have a chance to try it!" She growled, the Markings stretching up to just under her left eye as her blazing gaze locked with his. "Even if I can't get rid of them before Jiemma tries anything, I'm not backing down! This bullshit has gone for years! Too goddamn long, and I am tired of living with this! What Minerva just did?! I can't let that go!!"

His hands came up to press against either side of the doorway, blocking her way just that little bit more as Hora settled him with a look so very, very icy- he felt shivers run down his spine at it.

"I'm not going to let you passed me, Hora." He told her lowly, "I'm not letting you run off to start a full on war with Minerva or Jiemma. I'm not letting you run off to get yourself killed!" He hissed, his jaw clenching as he shook his head once, and Hora just looked more enraged, her body angling slightly as she drew her hand back, and still he forced himself to stand still- ready to fight back if he had to.

"You might not care if you end up dead, but I do! I don't want to lose you, I will not let you die!"

His eyes instinctively snapped closed as Hora stepped up, her fist swinging forward toward him at breakneck speed and flame licking off her fingers- her teeth bared and eyes glittering as she swung out toward him in all her pent-up rage and anger and pain. He felt the heat in the room raise more than a few dozen degrees, a waft of it ramming into his face and his body and instantly making him sweat- he could hear the crackle of the fire in his ear, so close his hair must have been singing. Any second and-

The room shook, the air bouncing with a loud boom that went off somewhere behind him and the sound of stone cracking and crumbling rumbled all around him. The sound of fire washing out over everything was deafening, like it had turned into some great river, and he felt like a hot rod had been placed a few inches from his left cheek, but... that was it.

She... didn't hit me...?

His eyes snapped open, rigid in his spot and eyes wide as his attention found Hora a few inches from him, her fist raised but passed his face- she'd swung out but deliberately avoided hitting him at the last second (missing him by only half an inch or so), so that all the force and fire behind the hit streamed passed him and into the hallway he was still blocking off. A quick look behind him saw that the stone of the hallway wall directly behind him was crumbling into a huge mess, and all around that and about a good fifty feet down the corridor on the left and the right, everything was blackened and burned, ash and destruction still warm to the touch- and all of the sheer force not touching him, at all.

She'd halted, only about five inches between them and her entire body shaking from head to foot- he could hear her breathing trembling too, panting and high-strung as her head tilted down too much for him to see her face. He couldn't move, in the same instant relief slammed into him fear did too, because her other hand had come up to grab about the shirt over her chest as if she was in pain-

"Hora...?" He mumbled,

"Tch..... you... you should know better..... than to get in the way of a.... pissed off Devil Slayer......" Hora hissed, her voice so low and so shaky. Her fist retracted back toward her and away from him as she forced herself a few steps back, shaking her head several times and still clutching to her shirt. Her other hand moved up to press her palm against her forehead, turning away from him slightly and swallowing, hard.

"..... tch.... damn it!" She snapped hotly, her voice raising suddenly as he flinched at it a little. Her hands fell, holding on to eachother and gripping tight to her lower arms, Rogue watching in tense silence as the Markings shifted, and receded a little, moving from her cheek and her neck and stopping at her shoulders.

I... I was losing it again.....!

'..... you were incredibly worked up, I am surprised you refrained from hitting the Dargo Dragair Slajur just now.' Lixue commented lowly, his voice suddenly breaking though the haze of anger and hate that had risen up to swallow her so quickly. She stiffened on instinct to the sound of it, her eyes snapping open and on the floor as she sweatdropped.

Where were you...!?! Lixue?! You're the one that's supposed to help me with..!!

'.... you were angry enough you could not hear me.' Was the low reply, her stomach flipped a little. 'Even if you wish to hear me, if you get worked up enough to allow that Fire to get so wild, you will not hear me... it will drown me out, keep that in mind.'

S...shit....

"... tch..... I.... I just....." Hora hissed, Rogue swallowed a bit as his shoulders sagged slightly. Hora turned her back on him completely, her arms unhooking as she swung her fist forward into the wall and it caved in under the impact- her shoulders hunched and shaking still, but the burning sensation of the Markings got a little dimmer regardless.

But forcing herself to calm down again, forcing herself not to hit Rogue just then... it was agonizing, it was so goddamn hard.

"..... I worked with her!" Hora snapped, her head tilted down and her fists shaking against the stone she had decimated with little effort. "We worked together, we fought together! We ate together, traveled and looked after one another! She... She was so unbearably kind even when she'd already been told by the rest of her Guild what SaberTooth is like... what we've done to them in the Games before!" Her other hand moved, her palm pressing against the wall as she let her forehead fall against the stone lightly, it was cool against her skin.

".. I.... S.. she's my friend damn it! We are friends and Minerva just nearly... beat her to death! And I forced myself to just sit there and let it happen!" Hora hissed hotly, her voice quavering as Rogue grimaced a little. "I... I've been forcing myself to let Minerva and Jiemma just get away with everything! Everything! Every time they hurt me, or everyone else in the Guild.... I've fucking hated it! And I've still forced myself to do absolutely nothing!!"

His eyes dropped a little, a lump forming in his throat.

"How can I even call myself a friend to any of you even when I've been letting all of this go on for years?! After I've been lying to you and hiding everything for so god damn long?! After I've sat back and watched them do all of those things to any of you?!"

He'd asked the same thing, several times... more and more recently.

"..... I didn't care...... if I died.... I never have..... I just..... I want this to stop.... I want to stop it!" Hora snapped, her voice dropping as his heart lurched a little.

I.... I.... I don't.... want....

"..... I don't...... want to just..... watch any of you.... hurt like that... and not do anything.... not anymore...."

.... but I'm still......

"...... I don't want..... to..... a..and...... I don't want to..... turn into the monster.... my Magic.... makes me..... e..either........i....if..... I lose.... it........"

Rogue stepped forward a little, eyes wide and glittering as he heard her breathing hitch- and he saw the tears dropping to the floor at her feet.

She's crying again

"..... if.... if I.... l...lose it...... I'll be..... just as bad...... as them....... w.....worse....... b...because I've.... a.....already let...... a...all of this..... keep on.... for s...so long....!"

Her knees gave out on her and she sank to sitting on her heels, Rogue jumped and started forward toward her quickly- but drew up just behind her, his hand reaching out uncertainly.

".... I.... I just.... I want.... to protect everyone... I care for.... b....but....... I'm..... not good enough..... I'm not..... that person.... I can't...... be.... that person....... I wan......wanted........ to...... b.....be..... better than....... them..... be better...... than him..... b.....but I'm...... not........."

I'm just as bad... as all of them..... as Minerva... and Jiemma...... as Arden......

.... I've been letting the people I love just suffer for so long, and never doing a damn thing....!

She'd always been broken beyond repair, she'd always hated herself and hated what she was- hated what she failed to do and blamed herself for so much. She'd never been afraid of dying, because for a very long time death was all she wanted... because dying meant she could be free, on more than one account.

She was broken in so many ways and she had always hidden it, even when she was sad or in a bad place- she smiled and put on a face for everyone else... not unlike the face that the Guild put on for the world. Hers just hid how much pain and turmoil there was inside. How much horror and rage and heartbreak she had kept bottled up- and they still didn't know. Not about who she really was, where she came from. Not about her Parents, or her Brother, or Deliora... not about how she became this person either, with this curse of a Magic.

But since Jiemma had nearly beaten her to death, since she broke down and told them to leave- that face was shattered and they could see it now, how much it all hurt, how unsure she was.

How much pain there was

'.... you are much better than Arden.' Lixue told her softly, his tone gentle again where it had hardly ever been.

But she didn't want to hear it, she couldn't believe him.

"Don't say that." Rogue's suddenly firm voice made her jump, her eyes snapping open and glancing quickly backward toward him in surprise and question. He wasn't behind her anymore, he'd settled down on to his knees on her side and his hand fell on her back lightly, his red eyes glittering as he shook his head at her.

"You are nothing like them, either of them. You don't hurt people just to cause pain, you are not indifferent to the things that go on- you want nothing more than to help people, and you hurt when you can't." Rogue told her lowly, steadily. "Jiemma is cruel beyond words, he doesn't care what pain he inflicts and he's not afraid to take lives to satisfy his own interests. You're kind and you are gentle, you've showed compassion for everyone in the Guild and outside of it with ease, and you would never take a life as easily as he does. You are nothing like him." He leaned in a little as his eyes flashed, and Hora sucked in a breath and held it.

"Minerva doesn't hesitate to harm other people, she's amused by it. But you aren't like that, you'd never hurt anyone and enjoy doing it. You are kind and loyal and you've only ever done your best to try and protect us, even if that meant holding yourself back. Don't ever say you're someone who hurts and betrays other people, you are nothing like that."

Hora's eyes flashed, glimmering still as tears fell down her cheeks without end and her breathing didn't even out all that much either- not even as he said his piece.

"Hora, the fact that you are so worked up and regretful about forcing yourself to stand by all these years, just proves you are a good person." Rogue murmured, "And as it is, you've had little choice on the matter. You'd be risking your life if you'd fought back against Jiemma... We don't expect you to die for us, we would never want you to. We want you here, as our friend, alive and safe."

Alive and safe.... But what does safe mean when the Guild is being run by Minerva and Jiemma?

She sniffed, her eyes falling from him and into her hands as she held her breath again, and her chest felt like it was on fire.... like her lungs burning from the inside out all over again.

She shut her eyes tight against the sudden stab of pain through her center, cringing against it- and the hurt, the emotional turmoil, the anger....

.... And what small spark of warmth there was in her heart, gentle, soft warmth that came to life with what he said, and even with the contact of his hand on her back. Appreciation seemed the closest word to describe it.

But she couldn't find a way to really listen to him, regardless.... Not all the way

I know what I've done is wrong, letting all this bullshit go on for years.... I should have tried to stop it a long, long time ago

Her jaw clenched against the pain, eyes shutting tighter as she let out a hot breath that was more shaky than she or Rogue liked.

"... Hora...?!" Rogue murmured quickly, immediately aware of the show of pain.

"....tch...... Graaaahhhh!!" She snapped hotly, her voice a growl and non-coherent words- just aggravated noise as she brought her hands up and smacked her palms against her cheeks a little roughly, Rogue jumped.

"I fucking hate crying!" She hissed, shaking her head with her face still in her hands and looking less panicked now and just more annoyed. She rubbed at her eyes, grumbling and cursing several choice things under her breath as she did her best to wipe away the moisture- whilst also gaining hold of herself again.

I got worked up... Way too fucking fast!

And I still feel like I wanna kill.. Minerva....!!

FUCKING DAMN IT ALL

She rounded on Rogue, her hands in her lap and scowling as he recoiled slightly- his hands raising in front of him in surrender almost as he sweatdropped.

"H-Hora..." he started, but her glittering blue gaze found his hands and not his face- and she stiffened, her face filled faintly with pain and guilt.

"... I burned you..." She mumbled, her voice tense as Rogue faltered for a second. He sweatdropped, his stomach knotting slightly as he moved to lower his hands and take them from her direct view- only to halt when her hands moved up and hooked around his wrists with the utmost amount of gentleness and care.

I did it again, just like when Yukino grabbed me.... d...damn it...

Her shoulders hunched a little, her eyes flashing as she bit back at what stinging sensation and sharp, agony reared it's head in her heart.

... d... damn me.... I keep hurting them... and I can't even.... do anything about it... not with that god damned...

She let out a low breath, every fiber of her being hoping, wishing... yearning.... that it came out somehow different from the trembling, shaky, hot breath it was.

Not what she wanted... never what she wanted.

"... it's not that bad, I'm okay." Rogue assured quietly, she hated how gentle he made his voice in that instant.... hated that he didn't sound miffed or angry about it, because she was.

She hated herself for it

"Hora." Rogue murmured, his voice a bit firmer now as her eyes slowly matched with his, a grimace pulling at her lips and her expression so guilty. "Really, you didn't hurt me badly. It's little more than a sunburn, I'm fine, I promise." He assured gently, a moment passing before he gave her a soft smile. "Besides, I can't complain- you could have punched me in the face five minutes ago, but you refrained. Thanks for that, by the way- I probably should know better by now than to get in the way of a 'pissed off Devil Slayer'....."

It was his attempt at lightening the mood a little, but it honestly didn't help that much, but she forced a small smile anyway.

"... I'm sorry....." She mumbled softly, he shook his head a little.

"It's alright." He assured quietly, one of his (singed) hands falling gently on her head.

No, its really not

His soft smile faded a bit, tenseness creeping into his expression as Hora felt her heart clench.

"..... We should probably get back, in case Minerva thinks something is..." He started, but trailed off when Hora stiffened, her eyes glinting darkly at the name as her lips curled slightly.

She knew he had a point, but her tolerance for doing what was 'acceptable' according to Minerva and Jiemma's standards was incredibly low now.

There was nothing she wanted to do less than go back up to that box and sit in it with Minerva.

But damned if she had any real choice

".... Tch.... Fine." Hora growled, her eyes flashing as her hands clenched into fists in her lap. Her eyes dropped from him and closed as her shoulders hunched a little, "... Just.... Give me a minute." She grumbled, Rogue nodded slightly.

Hora forced herself a breath, her hand moving up and Magic flaring as she pushed her hand into the Magic Circle that appeared beside her in air. She reached in, her fingers curling around a pen and a few pieces of paper courtesy of Requip- a bit of taking note from Ira, actually. To store up some writing and drawing material in her Requip- which she likely should have started doing a long time ago....

She hated the way her hand was shaking when she pulled it out, she swallowed back at it as she leaned over and started marking across the top paper quickly. Rogue sat across from her, his eyes glittering as he watched her work away, almost fixed.

In little time at all there came into being the form of a small, round little bird. Small enough it could fit in the palm of her hand when given life, with a small trail of feathers for its tail.

She brushed that piece of paper aside and drew the pen over the next paper, the tip barely a smidge above the surface and her hand... Hesitated, trembling, tense.

She gulped a little, her eyes flashing as she felt them sting a little- and her heart felt like her heart cracked a little more.

Rogue grimaced, watching her hand hesitate, feeling almost for himself how much pain and guilt and regret there swirled inside of her in the next few instances. That woman he knew to be fearless and strong-willed was quite, scared, and so, so broken... And for the first time in near a decade, just lately- he was able to see it.

Hora...

She shut her eyes tight against the sting of tears threatening to make another appearance even though she tried so hard to just... No

Her breathing hitched a little and she held it, cursing herself and Minerva and Jiemma all silently in her head as she scribbled down a few words, and hated more how shaky the letters came out.... She just couldn't keep her hand steady.

She folded the paper up and tossed the one with the bird into the air, lighting it on fire in one fluid motion and giving life to the illustration. Embers and bits of flame fell from it wings and feathers like a soft rain, it chirped once as she lift the folded paper in hand- and it took it from her with little a sound.

Hora didn't say anything, the bird simply turned in air and fluttered off quickly- leaving herself and Rogue in a silent, tense room all alone as their ears trained to the sound of the wingbeats getting farther away.

Rogue broke the stillness, offering a hand to Hora to pull her up off the floor, their hands never separating as their eyes matched.

The sound of the Firebird's wings faded into nothing as both Saber Wizards stayed still in that room a few seconds more- the Announcer's voice reaching them from far, far above.

"-we have an Announcement! Pending Raven Tail's disqualification, the GMG's Guild Battles have earned an odd number of participating teams! To combat this, the Games Administration have decided that Fairy Tail Team A and B will combine to create one single team! Team Fairy Tail will keep Team A's 35 Points!"

Hora hardly heard the announcement, and she didn't bother to even pay any attention to what announcement came next- she never heard the crowds get louder, seeing for themselves who made up Team Fairy Tail and the Announcer not bothering to call out the names of people everyone has already been watching for days.... her ears were trained on to the sound of the firebird even if it got so, so far.... Even when her world got swallowed up in pitch black and it felt like the ground sank under her feet.

She strained with everything she had to hear the wings and the flicker of fire and ember from that small, paper bird she had given life even as Rogue pulled her and himself back into the shadows and back up toward the Saber Box before Minerva realized they had ever left.

She stood still in that box, stiff as a board and expressionless, silent- ignoring the looks she earned from Rufus, Sting, Orga and the Exceeds.... Her hands clenching at her sides as she felt that dark gaze of Minerva shift over toward her, piercing and steady and searching- waiting and looking for some reaction to what she'd done with Lucy, but Hora never let their eyes match. If they did she wasn't sure she could hold herself back, or quench what burning inferno of rage was still swirling inside.

She kept listening, searching for sound of that bird as she only held herself back and together and quiet by a hair's width. Her heart a million pieces and guilt tearing at her so incessantly, anger biting at her heels and hatred settled so deep in her stomach it was sickening.

It was like the world faded into nothing, and she couldn't find the sound of its wings again.... It was just silent. She heard nothing, and saw nothing even as her eyes locked on to the Arena. The people on the Arena floor were moving, fighting- Blue Pegasus and Quatro Puppy going head to head just didn't register for her.... It just... Couldn't, right then.

What Minerva did... It.... I can't anymore

'I understand, Horatia..... Truly.' Lixue broke in softly, his voice in her head near the only sound she heard... It was like everything went quiet, and fell deaf on her ears. What little she could hear from him was just... Her own pounding heart.

.... Do you....? I just.... I can't live like this anymore, Lixue..... I was willing to let myself get killed, if only to... Do something

Anything

He didn't reply, so she just stood there, watching without seeing, listening without hearing.... Stuck in her spot and hardly breathing, practically feeling the weight of that chain that had been clapped around her neck and her soul for over ten years now.

Stuck smack dab in the middle of her own life that felt like it was starting to spiral out of control... Slowly but surely dragging her down into some level of chaos she didn't want to get swallowed up by. Madness and terrible, terrible dread- that even after what happened with Lucy... That bad feeling, and foreboding still had not gone away. She was still....

... Trapped and useless, powerless.... Slave

That bird she had given life flitted away through the labyrinth of hallways and underways in the Colosseum, drawing farther from the destruction let loose by Hora in her anger and hurt, the folded piece of paper in its beak and knowing exactly where it was it was going.

It fluttered through corridor after corridor, leaving a glittering orange and red rain of embers and bits of flame behind it.... Drawing closer and closer toward a slightly ajar door and a room that was quiet, but not empty.

Wendy's head tilted toward the door, her nose twitching and alert as she heard sound of wings- and smelled fire and smoke and ash.... And something sweeter, and cooler mixed in. Something that smelled as familiar as Natsu, but not quite.

The Young Dragon Slayer shifted slightly in her seat beside the bed, eyes glittering as her attention found the small, soft red and orange glow from some strange creature that darted into the room with little a noise. Carla and Porlyusica perked up, their eyes snapping toward it too and sweatdropping slightly- a few split seconds of tenseness passing over the room as the three girls quickly tried to decide if it was a threat or not.

The beaten, bandaged blonde that had been dozing in the bed in front of Wendy stirred, her hands still holding to the bundle of Keys that had been returned her. Her glazed eyes shone slightly as she caught sight of that paper bird bleeding flame and ember, her eyes widening wearily as she spotted the folded piece of paper in the Firebird's beak.

The small creature fluttered forward toward the bed with ease, Wendy standing up from her chair and slightly tense as she moved into something of a suddenly defensive posture. Carla echoed her Partner and Porlyusica grimaced as she took a small step forward from her place on the opposite end of the room,

"Wait." Lucy murmured quickly, her voice soft as Wendy and Carla blinked in surprise. Wendy sweatdropped, shifting sideways a bit as the bird passed her by and a rain of fire and flame fell over her head- warm but not burning.... almost like soft snow.

Wendy's eyes flashed, widening slightly as her nose twitched a few more times, and her heart jumped a little.

That smell.... it had to belong to her, that same woman who's voice Wendy swore she heard when-

".... i... is that Horatia's Magic...?" Wendy murmured breathlessly, almost awed- Carla and Porlyusica stiffened in surprise at the question from the bluenette.

The creature hovered to a halt beside Lucy, the Celestial Mage's hand moving up to take the letter from it weakly. The Firebird chirped softly, hovering instead over the nightstand by the bed for a few seconds as Lucy's hands fumbled slightly, slowly unfolding the paper in air above her as her eyes trailed along words written by a hand that had clearly been shaking as much as her own.

Lucy's swallowed, her eyes flashing as sadness pulled across her face and small specks of moisture pecked at the edges of her eyes. Wendy and Carla blinked, sweatdropping a little as they saw the way Lucy seemed to tense, and Porlyusica's eyes narrowed to slits.

"... oh... Hora..." Lucy breathed,

'I am so sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen, I tried to warn you guys, but... I just...... I hated watching her.......'

The words that came next got scratched out, and further down the small note simply ended with;

'I'm so sorry.'

The Firebird chirped one last time, before the fire licking at it's body finally started to eat it- and in a flash if brilliant red-orange, it was gone entirely.

Lucy let the letter fall on to her chest with her Keys, her eyes dropping closed as she let out a small sigh.

.... It's not your fault....

.:+:.

Hora hardly registered Lamia Scale Vs. Mermaid Heel, what little of it that managed through what deafening haze she seemed to have fallen into was the realization that Lyon was fighting..... But even then she didn't really catch any of the battle itself.

I just... I can't

After half an hour, there was only a tie between Lamia and Mermaid, and the competitors left the Arena with little a word... and Hora let her eyes drop closed.

That foreboding, unending dread sharpened into a fine point... some deep shadow lurking at the edge of her mind and her soul. A precursor that stalked her, a symbol of things in her life continuing in down toward some chasm of total insanity.

What else could possibly-

"Next up! A true battle of the Ages! Folks, today you'll have the pleasure of watching four Dragon Slayers duke it out! Our final battle for the day will be Fairy Tail's Natsu Dragneel and Gajeel Redfox against SaberTooth's Sting Eucliffe, and Rogue Cheney!"

The world and all sound suddenly cascaded down on her ears for the first time in what felt like forever- and her heart dropped with it.

Her eyes snapped open, her body going rigid and forgetting entirely how to breath. She felt her reaction mirrored in most everyone around her, surprise and shock and worry- and small, almost undetectable hints of excitement too... but only just.

Hora swallowed slightly, her eyes narrowed to slits and sweatdropping as terror and panic hit her faster than a Mage with Speed Magic.... and she hated it.

Sting and Rogue shifted, Sting smirking slightly and Rogue with a poker-face, cool and collected at the announcement- but Hora could see the worry, hidden deep down maybe.... but there.

And why not?

Gajeel and Natsu were the two people that Sting and Rogue looked up to when they were growing up. Those two were idols to the Sabers, always had been- and there was this need and drive to test themselves against their predecessors and prove themselves. A fight against them was just what they wanted, and had dreamed to do for so long- but even that got weighed down now.

Because Fairy Tail was much stronger than anyone anticipated, yesterday's events had proven that. Natsu had always been an incredible Mage, and Gajeel too- they were not to be taken lightly, and fighting them wasn't going to be easy.

There was a chance that Sabers would bend to Fairies... and right now, allowing that to happen?

That was as good as a death sentence in Jiemma and Minerva's eyes.

And they knew that.. they all knew that.

-Shit....

Lector and Frosch bristled slightly, worry breaking through their expressions for a fleeting few seconds before they pushed all that aside and smiled.

"Yeah, you go get um Sting-kun!" Lector cheered, his defense of his Partner flaring in no time at all. "Show that Salamander who's Boss!" Sting smirked at that,

"Rogue will do his best too!" Frosch purred brightly, earning a soft smile and a nod from the Shadow Dragon Slayer.

"Indeed, show them the true might of SaberTooth's Twin Dragons." Rufus murmured coolly,

"Kick their asses." Orga smirked,

"I'm sure you won't disappoint." Minerva smiled, but it was nothing but ice and barely shadowed threat, the Dragon Slayers nodded a bit.

"Of course not, My Lady." They murmured in unison,

Hora felt their eyes turn on her, though hers had never left the Arena floor even as sound and reality crashed back down. She knew they were looking for her to say something, be the person they were used to- and quite frankly, needed.

That optimistic, supportive Hora who always smiled at them and showed how much she believed in them, and their Power..... the one who'd never doubt them, and who would at the very least- make sure they knew it was okay to muck up sometimes.

Not this time, they couldn't muck up.... that was a risk that even the favorites of SaberTooth could not afford, not now.

But damn it-

She bit back the panic and the worry and the doubt, forcing it down to some section of herself that they wouldn't be able to see. She pushed away all of that, even though she knew she couldn't look at them and be exactly what they wanted.

Her eyes locked on to both Sting and Rogue, deep blue gaze glittering and hard as her entire countenance seemed to straighten. They blinked, a little taken aback by how suddenly firm and resolute she seemed out of nowhere- and she didn't smile, she just looked at them with an expression that was so steady and calm.

"Give it your all, both of you." Hora said steadily, they sweatdropped at it.

Even if.... If you lose....

She nodded at them, her chest felt so heavy and her heart too- but she stayed steady anyway. She had to, for them, for Lector and Frosch, and Rufus and Orga. If anyone in that box needed to look so steady and sure in that instant, it had to be her.... Even when it was the hardest for her to do.

"Everything you have, your strength and your skill- all of it." She went on,

Your heart and your convictions, and your feelings too....

"Give it all you have, it'll be enough." She told them firmly, her eyes flashing as they blinked a little in faint awe- because how... how did she look so sure of that?

No matter what happens.... you are enough.

How did it make the worry in their hearts melt...?

Sting and Rogue nodded firmly, their expressions hardening in tandem with her own sudden steadiness.

"Right."

'... you really wish to believe that.' Lixue mumbled softly, sadly almost as she watched those two Dragon Slayers head away to enter the Arena. Hora glanced back toward the Arena floor, Frosch and Lector setting themselves in front of her on the railing and their tails brushing against her arms.

No, I don't wish anything.... I do believe that. They are enough.

'.... then you simply wish that things will work out.' Lixue breathed, she swallowed.

I hope they.... I need them too... but....

'.... yes, this dread.... I feel it too.' Lixue murmured gravely, '..... something dark is still lurking.... like some incoming catastrophe.'

Cheery thought.... but she had a feeling he was right.

Hora sweatdropped, her eyes falling on the figures of Natsu and Gajeel as they walked out into the Arena amidst a roar of approval from all around. She stiffened, Natsu's head tilting slightly as she saw his eyes cast sideways- and his onyx gaze locked with her dark blue one, both of them, tense, and quiet- his though, it was searching.

She dropped her gaze from him, biting the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood as guilt slammed into her, regret too.

S...shit.... I......

She took in a silent breath, her eyes flashing as she crossed her arms over her chest- her attention trailed up toward the sky.

..... Brother..... Mom... Dad..... if you're up there.... somewhere..... listening... and seeing... this.....

Her heart lurched hard enough she cringed inwardly at the onslaught of despair and hurt that was as raw as... that day.

...... if you somehow.... know..... and are even bothering to.... keep an eye on me anymore.... please.

She hated herself, doing this.... she'd..... she'd done it more than she cared to admit.... and for things she hated herself for ever thinking, feeling.... considering.

'Still praying to lost souls, Horatia....? To those long since claimed and dead.... gone from this plane........' Lixue hummed, '.... hmm..... many would say it's useless.... but....... perhaps in some way.... even the dead can still watch.... and hear...... and touch... in some way.....'

She wasn't sure if she believed that were true, but she wanted to. At least... she'd never stopped doing it, as 'useless' as it probably was.

..... if Lixue is right.... and somehow you know...... please..... please do what you can, anything you can.... we need help.... we need..... I need.....

Her grip on her arms tightened a little as a bird flew across the sky above them, and the Arena got louder as Sting and Rogue walked out.

.... I need some way.... to just...... make it through all of this..... with everyone in one piece.... alive.... safe..... please..... I'm just......

Her eyes fell closed as her jaw clenched.

.... I don't know what to do anymore..... I'm.....

She could feel Minerva's stare on the floor without seeing, she could feel the heaviness and the pressure from somewhere up above and in the stands from where Master Jiemma was watching. She could feel the malice and the piercing, throbbing power from those two so hellbent on victory- no matter the cost, and it never.... it had never chilled her more than it did just then.

.... scared....

"LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"

The gong rang around the Arena, Hora's eyes opened to watch as both Sting and Rogue tensed as they started to get ready and move forward- Hora sweatdropped even more when she realized that both Gajeel and Natsu were already moving.... fast as hell, and with not a split second to spare as the gong got hit.

She needn't see Rogue and Sting's faces to know they were caught off guard by the speed, and she flinched slightly when both boys were suddenly blown backward by a heavy hit from Natsu and Gajeel both.

She felt everyone in the Box around her, even Minerva- all of them stiffened as their eyes went wide in shock.

Rogue and Sting slid back across the Arena floor, but they hadn't anytime to even steady themselves before they were rushed down upon- again.

"...h...huh...?" Lector stammered softly, Hora's eyes narrowed to slits as her jaw clenched harder.

Natsu's gotten faster...

"White Dragon Roar!"

"Shadow Dragon Wing Slash!"

- Neither of which made hardly a dent against the Fairy Tailers, and Hora felt her stomach knot further.

Rogue got thrown by Gajeel with a hit that was hard enough she heard it, she grimaced as Natsu's hand snapped on to Rogue's arm with a steely grip as the darker haired man was in air, fire licking at the pinkette's body as he swung Rogue around like a doll- and slammed him into Sting in a sudden explosive wash of brilliant red and orange.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Slash!"

"W-What?!"

"What is happening?! SaberTooth's Twin Dragon Slayers are being pressured!"

Sting and Rogue huffed, pulling themselves to their feet and eyes glittering as they faced those they had idolized for so long- Rogue with a fire in his heart just as Sting, but the White Dragon Slayer was the only one of the two smiling. As what was dictated by those faces they always put up.

"Heh... you're just as strong as I imagined." Sting chuckled quietly, his voice was almost lost to her under all the cheering and roaring of the crowd. The blonde smirked a bit more, his expression softening just faintly and only enough that Natsu saw it- and paused. "Heh, you'd have to be- to have her vouch for you, Salamander."

Natsu blinked, sweatdropping slightly as Gajeel's eyes narrowed at the way Rogue's pokerface melted so faintly into something... sad, and somber then. A small crack and change in their outward personalities to all the world so suddenly, and only because they could not be seen clearly nor heard by the crowds or anyone else- what with all the noise and the clouds of dust swirling all around them from the conflict and fire Natsu let loose.

It was only for a few fleeting seconds, that arrogant and crude shell of the Sting Eucliffe was gone and his real side shown through, a sort of softness falling in him when he said that- her.

The one word and the one person, the same thing that had Rogue's pokerface melting for those few seconds too- and both Gajeel and Natsu saw it, and were surprised by it- but only slightly in the latter. Natsu had seen it already, the tears and cracks in the SaberTooth Guild and what people they were for the outside world- the worst, most harsh and merciless version of them... that just wasn't them.

He was seeing it more and more now, more easily... he'd seen it that first time, when she stepped in to stop a fight between them. He'd seen it again when he stormed their Inn and when he questioned what their Master had one- and once more he saw it... saw them, when the Naval Battle went on.

Pain and fear and regret.... People who weren't what they tried so hard to make the world see them as.

But this time someone else saw it too, and Gajeel found himself searching those two Dragon Slayers- before his red eyes snapped toward Natsu and what unsurprised expression the pinkette had. The way Natsu seemed to just know what it was Sting meant when the blonde said that;

Her

And then in the next few seconds as the dust cleared all the way, Sting's expression hardened and twisted into arrogance again- and Rogue's pokerfaced and dead eyes resumed.

But why do they change, and hide?

"Let's go, we'll show you the power that kills Dragons." Sting growled, bravado flaring as Natsu frowned slightly.

Master is watching, and so is Minerva

"White Drive."

"Shadow Drive."

"They're in a win pattern now!" Lector purred,

"Fro thinks so too!" Frosch echoed, Hora blinked.

Dread still

For the next five minutes, Sting and Rogue had the upper hand- they dove around the Arena floor at renewed, breakneck speed and strength. Power surging and throbbing in their bodies and at their fingertips, both of them alive in sudden life and vigor- and it was Natsu and Gajeel's turn to be driven back.

And then it turned again, and Sting and Rogue got their blows returned in full- not enough to break them, but enough to hurt... and Hora hurt with them.

Sting stepped sideways, catching himself and staying upright as Natsu's fist slammed into his jaw- it hurt like hell, yes... but he was having the time of his life. And in his own way, Rogue was enjoying the spar too... and would be enjoying it all the more if-

"Heh, you guys are amazing, no doubt." Sting chuckled, his feet sliding across the ground as he pulled himself into stance- and white light began to swirl around him. "Looks like I'm gonna have to step it up a notch! I've always wanted to surpass you, and today's the day!"

Hora's eyes glittered, Rogue's body streaming in black and red eyes glittering as he pushed himself forward harder just as Sting was.

Give it our all

"White Dragon Secret Art;" Sting hissed, his feet pushing against the ground in insane speed as he ran straight at Natsu- who simply watched.

"Holy Nova!!"

The arena shook, a massive beam of light swinging in tandem with Sting's fist as the floor disappeared in a sudden explosive dome of pure, blinding white.

It was good, he was good... they were both good-

Rogue swung out as he drew up to Gajeel, he was throbbing with power and streaming in pure, jet black that matched those devilish Markings that plagued her skin.

-both of them, so, so strong....

The white faded and the crowds went stiff, Orga's jaw dropped in the same instant that Lector's did- and Rufus' placid, cool expression shattered in shock and awe.

Hora's heart felt like it got torn in two

Natsu held fast to Sting's fist, standing tall and firm in his spot even despite the devastation- he looked like he hadn't been touched, and Sting's demeanor broke too, in complete and utter shock.

"He blocked it that easily?!" Lector bristled,

"You gotta be kidding me, right?" Orga hissed,

".... this wasn't recorded in my memories.." Rufus mumbled,

Gajeel's fist swung forward and caught Rogue in the chin, knocking the Shadow Dragon Slayer across the yard with so much force it was painful to see.

"R-Rogue...?" Frosch stammered, Hora's eyes dropped closed as Natsu threw Sting away too.

"U-Unbelievable!! The Levels are just... far too different!!" The Announcer trilled, "T-These developments! Who could have expected this!?! SaberTooth's Twin Dragons can't even lift a finger before Fairy Tail!! Will the Match end like this?!?"

No.... because I know that wasn't near all they have

"Tch..... as if it would end here...." Rogue grumbled,

"Yeah... we knew this wasn't gonna be somethin' to win easy." Sting grumbled, his hand drawing across his chin as he wiped away the blood.

We have to give it our all... we have to be enough

"We can't lose." Rogue and Sting muttered lowly, their gazes hardening as the air shifted.

Sting shone like a beacon of pure white, sterling pearl markings stretching across his skin as Rogue was swallowed in pitch black, inky markings of a jet colored hue stretching over his skin- both of them like the center of some massive, heavy, reverberating storm of pure, unrelenting force.

"Hmm, quake before the true power of the Third Generation." Minerva murmured coldly, her lips a sickly sweet smile.

'.... Dragon Force at will...' Lixue muttered,

"Stay back Rogue," Sting murmured as he stepped forward ahead of the darker haired man. Rogue stiffened, his eyes flashing as he shot the White Dragon Slayer a warning look- and the blonde cast a glance over his shoulder, giving Rogue a slightly exasperated smile that only the Shadow Dragon Slayer saw.

After all of that, they had to do something to make this battle seem less even-sided.... they both knew that.

So- put on that face again, for all the world to see....... for Master and Minerva to see...

"I will be enough to take them down." Sting smirked, his attention catching Natsu and Gajeel's again- both Fairy Tailers gave him a stare that was searching, and Sting ignored it.

Without warning Sting had launched forward, his speed and power not only doubled now in Dragon Force- but damned near ten times as Powerful, a sudden leap in level that not even Gajeel and Natsu were ready for. Sting dodged around the both of them, a white blur and hitting both of them with Magic and fists so strong they were soon ragged and bleeding- the White Dragon too fast for either to block or dodge, or even really think about doing so.

Dominating in the matter of a few seconds... true power in him, hidden for most of the world- but not now.

Not today, not with things like this

To Natsu's credit, he did manage to swing a flaming fist at Sting, but only received a kick in the gut that knocked the air out of him. Before Natsu could be thrown away, Sting grabbed onto the back of his shirt and flung him at Gajeel, causing the two to crash into each other in near the same manner that Natsu had earlier thrown Rogue into Sting.

Sting jumped, pushing himself off the ground and high into the air as the Fairy Tailers wheezed- and he sucked in a sharp breath of air, in a gesture all too familiar.

"White Dragon's;" Sting hissed and his head snapped down to face the Arena.

"ROAR!"

The entire arena was engulfed in the light of his Roar, and the arena shook as the floor of it caved in from the sheer force and scope of the attack under the effects of Dragon Force. Natsu and Gajeel were sent down, and Sting rushed after them.

"The match is still continuing! Please enjoy it via Lacrima vision!" The Announcer broke in as the screens appeared to aid in viewing the three Dragons that could no longer be seen from the stands.

"Its not over yet!" Natsu snapped, twisting in air as he crouched down on one of the falling pieces of earth.

"Fire Dragon's..." The earth Natsu was standing on was shattered as he pushed off of it with amazing force and hit Sting in the stomach with his head, looking like a flaming rocket. "Sword Horn!"

Gajeel appeared above Sting in an instant, "Iron Dragon Roar!" Sting was hit by the spinning tornado of Iron Magic, sent streaming toward the bottom of the hole in the Arena floor. But he landed on his feet, not at all fazed by the retaliation and all the more thrilled with it- smirking as his hands lift in a gesture few knew, like Hora did.

He's never fought so hard.... and it's for you, Natsu.... and for us too.

"The Brilliance of the White Dragon Purifies all things." Sting growled, Lector was beaming as he watched his Partner work.

"Holy Ray!"

Hundreds of streams of light lunged at Natsu and Gajeel, hitting the two dead-on, here, there and everywhere all over their bodies as their cries of pain got lost to the sound of the ensuing destruction.

Natsu struggled to stay on his feet, bloody and bruised as Gajeel hit the floor with a thud- his eyes went wide as Sting appeared in front of him in seconds, the blonde's fist swinging forward. The contact sent off a sonic wave of pure force, and the Fire Dragon Slayer was sent flying into a bit of wall and cavern and earth that was decimated by the simple force of his body smashing into it.

Not even Natsu could block that.....

Things came to a sudden standstill as Fairy Tail Mages lay on the ground, unmoving. There was not a soul in the whole of that Arena who was still, or quiet- they were all amazed, aghast and stunned- not a single person in the whole of Crocus was not watching that fight... that power.

"..... Times Change." Rogue murmured as he stood above Sting, looking down at the two defeated Fairy Tail Mages from a perch above the caved-in Arena floor. Sting's head twitched slightly at the sound of Rogue's voice, and the Shadow Dragon Slayer's pokerface broke a little as he seemed to deflate.... almost remorseful, in a way.

Those two Fairies were what they aspired to be... and to beat, but seeing it.... it was different.

".... In seven years we became real Dragon Slayers..... and now it looks like the old generation's Era is over." Rogue mumbled softly, Sting's ears catching the soft words with ease as he sighed- and his Magic faded into nothing of his own volition.

"Yeah." Sting replied, his hands falling on his hips and smile gone now. He looked somber too, like Rogue- though no one could see it. "But you were strong... Natsu...Gajeel." Sting murmured with a small smile, his eyes glittering.

You were what we wanted to be

"Hell yeah~!" Lector smirked,

"That was great!" Frosch purred,

Hora's eyes flashed, her shoulders sagging slightly as she felt a huge fraction of her worry and panic just disappear... even if there was a newfound sense of remorse in her too.

Sorry Flame-Brain..... I do want Fairy Tail to do well... but.....

"IS THE MATCH OVER!?" The announcer shouted, "T-THIS IS-?!?!"

"Wait a minute!"

Hora's heart skipped a beat, her eyes going wide and forgetting to breath as- all at once- both Gajeel and Natsu jumped to their feet, standing tall and firm almost as if it was like Sting had never hit them.

Sting and Rogue were just as stricken by it as she was... everyone was.

... you.... are kidding....? After all of that... having Sting throw his all into Dragon Force....?

Natsu and Gajeel grumbled, looking miffed and rolling their shoulders- both letting out huffs.

"Oww.." Natsu mumbled as he tilted his head and his neck cracked.

"He's better than I thought." Gajeel muttered.

"Yeah..." Natsu mumbled but smiled slightly at the frozen and speechless Sting who stood before the two, eyes wide in shock, Rogue was the same way, and Hora, Lector, Frosch- everyone.

"But, I found out all of your habits." Natsu smirked.

She felt that huge fraction of her worry and panic that had melted suddenly get reborn anew and fall a thousand times heavier over her soul, she couldn't breath, she was suffocating...... shocked..... terrified....

..... s...shit.....

"What?!" Sting stammered, sweating up a storm now.

"Yeah, the timing of your attacks, your pose when you're defending yourself, even the rhythm of your breathing." Natsu told him lightly, waving a hand at him slightly- Sting scowled.

"N-no way....! There's no way in hell you could tell that when I'm using Dragon Force....!" Sting retorted as he swung a hand out at the pinkette almost dismissively. Natsu just smiled a bit more,

"Oh yeah, that's some great power ya got there man.... I'm hurting all over." Natsu chuckled at him. "But either way, I still figured ya out. Like when you attack, you turn on your pivot leg to 11 o' clock."

"No, its 10 o' clock." Gajeel cut in.

"Its 11." Natsu said back instantly, and earned a glare from Gajeel.

"10!"

"11!"

"Tch, whatever! Then lets say its 10:30, its not 11!" Gajeel snapped.

"Its 11! Or 23!" Natsu hissed back.

"That's a whole other turn!"

Hora sweatdropped, her jaw dropping slightly as she blinked at the sudden argument and how.... how like him, it was. It was exactly like him, even as Natsu and Gajeel started shoving eachother back and forth and the Fairy/Tiger Battle got completely sidetracked.

"Shut up!" Natsu yelled as he shoved Gajeel back, causing the Iron Dragon Slayer to back into a cart(?!) and fall into it, as his arm hit the break-switch and he took off down a set of tracks leading away from where they were and further into.... wait, that cave-in looks like a literal cave-in!

Is there a fucking cave under the Colosseum....?!

"Hey! You little... ugh..." Gajeel yelled but trailed off as he let out a groan, his image on the screens got lost as the cart went faster and he disappeared down a tunnel and out of sight. Natsu smiled widely, turning back toward Sting who looked lost.

"Hihi..." Natsu snickered and Sting and Rogue just stared.

".... What ... what the hell are you doing?" Sting muttered breathlessly, Natsu smirked.

"Well- since you underestimated me, I have to reply." Natsu replied with ease, his grin fading into a firm, serious little smile and raising a hand as his flames flickered off his fingers to spell out the words 'come on'.

"I'll be enough." Natsu murmured lowly- mimicking exactly what Sting had said earlier in his little show of face and 'bravado', and the blonde visibly blanched at it- Natsu only kept on with that smile. "Come on! Both of you!"

Sting and Rogue stiffened at the words, their worlds shuddering to a confused, wild half-halt as the battle turned in a way they never expected- ever, and no one else looked like they believed it any more than they did.

Hora didn't... but maybe.... she had to.....

That... dread...

"Are you fired up now?" Natsu asked, Hora's heart fell into her feet, and her conviction shattered into a million pieces- never to be picked up again, not that day.

And she hated herself for it- because in the next instant, somehow... she didn't know how-

She just... she knew... she could hear it, in his voice- see it, written all over him, in his posture and his face and his eyes.. and in that damn fire too.

For all her wanting and wishing and hoping she could be that person- that optimistic person with all the faith in the world for them.... and she did, she really did. There were no two people in all the world she believed in more than she did those two Dragon Slayers down there, she'd stake her life on them and their Power- a hundred times over. In her heart she knew they were strong as hell- hell, she believed fullheartedly they were stronger than she could ever be.

She could go head to head with a damned Demon of Zeref and come out alive- and yet never in a million years would she ever even think of herself for a single second, as being stronger than either Sting or Rogue. Never. And never when they were together, fighting side by side- two sides and forces of nature so opposite nature, and yet never so perfect nor more powerful when combined.

White and Black... Shadow and Light

Rogue and Sting were incredible, powerful, loyal and so god damn strong- they could do anything, she believed that. She really, really did- and she always would. They could mess up and act like children, but they had so much potential and they had so much room to grow to heights she could never even fathom- and they would in time, she knew they would.... but right now?

She knew, and it broke her

They're going to lose

And when they did, it didn't matter if it was okay to mess up and to get beat- her assurances of them getting stronger and working up to being the very best she knew they would be- none of that mattered. Not when they were in SaberTooth, not when Minerva was there watching like a hawk and that bastard Jiemma was in control of the Guild.

They lose, and they were in danger... and that scared her, more than anything

She held it together, her hands falling on Lector and Frosch's heads as they all watched- stuck in that Box with the by now sneering figure of Minerva. She held it together and forced her expression never to break from tense neutrality, never cracking nor breaking under the weight of fear as they watched the battle turn- and the Fairy dominated the Tigers.

Held it together even as they lost ground, traction, will and strength- and Sting and Rogue fought so damned hard. Watched and held it together as they did what she said- and gave it their all.

Unison Raid.

That was their plan, they were hoping the power of the Unison Raid would take Natsu down and manage a way to leave them ahead. And Unison Raids aren't something just anyone can do, it's a feat near impossible for even the strongest of Mages- a feat Hora even hadn't ever managed in her lifetime with another person.

But Sting and Rogue? They were different, they could do it- had done it, so many times and every time it was amazing- their Unison Raids weren't ever just half-assed, hardly put together attacks governed by luck alone. When they put their Magics together like that, it was strong, concentrated and amazingly in tune between both of them and through both of them- as their Magic fused together almost seamlessly.

And it was incredible... so, so incredible.

But even.... even that failed, Natsu was stronger than Sting and Rogue had dared to think or even ever thought to give him credit for, and even more than Hora would have. Something had changed, drastically- since she'd worked with him.... or maybe she just.... hadn't wanted to see it

"Crimson Lotus; Exploding Flame Blade!"

The glow of Natsu's flames was brilliant, it shook the air and clashed with the bright white and black Raid- sending bits of color and Magic out all around it, intense, incredible power matched on intense and incredible power from both sides.

But the fire won out- the Unison Raid ending in a sea of orange as the flames and the two Saber's Magic was thrown back at them.... and Hora felt like she got hit too.

When the dust cleared, both Rogue and Sting fell, the Match was over.... they lost

"FAIRY TAIL IS NOW IN THE LEAD BY ONE POINT, WHAT A TURN!!"

Minerva clicked her tongue, earning Hora's eyes from the side as she felt ice run through her veins at what dangerous look had befallen SaberTooth's Lady.

The sheer disgust and the malice

We are... we are screwed.....

The Exceeds were trembling under her hands, and Hora swallowed as she rubbed the top of their heads- a small, faint attempt at some sort of reassurance... but of course it did little.

She felt the sheer anger and rage bubbling from somewhere overhead- and she needn't see the source to know it came from Master Jiemma.

Bloodlust

Hora swallowed back against it, her eyes shifting toward Minerva as the woman raised a hand and her Magic flared- the Lacrima Vision screens still trained to Natsu, Sting and Rogue went dead and dark with a wave of her hand. Her movement earned everyone else's eyes, and her dark gaze snapped toward Hora- who stiffened slightly at it, but dared not let her face give way what panic shot through her with just a single look.

"Go and collect those two. Do what you will, but be prepared for an Audience with my father." Minerva growled lowly, her eyes glittering like dark chips of ice. Hora bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes flashing as she felt Lector and Frosch shiver against her hand- and she could hear Rufus and Orga hold their breath against the words and what venom Miverva sewed into them.

"You have one hour."

They all nodded stiffly, Hora's eyes casting sideways toward Rufus- who dipped his head slightly as a glow of gold swirled up around herself, him, the Exceeds and Orga all.

This is bad.... and that dread?

It's a hundred times worse now.... shit

'...A looming storm....'

.:+:.

Natsu let out a sigh, his countenance deflating slightly as his eyes found Sting and Rogue one the floor- both of them, including himself all covered in wounds and muck and blood.... But it was a hell of a fight. They were strong as hell, enough so even Natsu was by now completely beat.... Damn.

He winced slightly, stepping to the side a bit to steady himself as a bout of lightheadedness rammed into him.

He really had had the crap beaten out of him, regardless if he was still standing... and he didn't mind much the pain or anything. There was that part of Natsu that had enjoyed the fight too, even if all through it there was that sinking feeling- that small worry of what would happen, if he did win.

Saber's Master had kicked Yukino out of the Guild for losing against Kagura, right? What would he do to Sting and Rogue now that they lost...?

He hated that, thinking anything would happen..... what a bastard of a Guild Master.

His eyes softened slightly as he glanced between both of the downed Dragon Slayers, his shoulders sinking slightly as he sighed- before smiling gently, almost all to himself.

"Heh.... Lets fight again someday, ok?" Natsu murmured softly, sweatdropping slightly after a minute as his eyes fell.

..... and sorry in advance..... if this gets you in trouble..... I just wish I understood why.... why any of you just let him do any of that....

His eyes widened slightly, perking slightly at the sudden glow of gold that appeared beside Rogue and Sting both- Natsu's nose twitching as he caught scent of something familiar, and he sweatdropped.

The gold swirled up in a spiral, clashing with the deep orange of the setting sun and the harsh shadows cast over the cave-in around them- before that Magic faded entirely and left the figures of Rufus, Orga, two Exceeds and one woman with fiery orange hair standing there in the collapsed cavern, not ten feet in front of him.

Natsu frowned slightly, his eyes flashing as Hora glanced toward him from the side- and his eyes landed on the dark bruising stretched across her cheek, injury still present from when she'd gotten hit at the SaberTooth Inn... when he charged in.

Their eyes matched for a few seconds, and his stomach knotted at the fear on her face, the worry and the.... pain.

".... Hora.." Natsu started, she shook her head at him sharply, turning her back on him slightly as Lector and Frosch rushed up to their Partners, teary eyed and bristling from head to toe.

"S-sting-kun..!"

"Rogue..!"

Rufus and Orga split up, one each moving toward the downed Dragon Slayers and Hora stuck in place for a few seconds- she could feel Natsu's eyes on her back.

"..... Hora... look-" Natsu started again,

"Don't, Salamander." She grumbled sharply, he blinked, sweatdropping a bit more. He saw her fists clench at her sides and he swallowed back at the lump that was suddenly in his throat, "... just.... don't, Natsu. Don't apologize.... you won, fair and square. There's nothing wrong with that... all of you gave it everything you had, that's all I can ask...... you won, don't feel bad for it. Losing isn't.... its not a crime." Hora mumbled, her voice dropping slightly and he heard it tremble slightly at the end.

Her words earned quick glances from Rufus, Orga and the Exceeds- all of their expressions tense and serious, all of their ears ringing on that last part- that true, and yet untrue part.

Losing isn't a crime

... but it might as well be, in this Guild..

Hora's eyes were locked on the ground at her feet, she could feel all of them looking at her- feel her Guildmates looking to her for.... for something, some assurance, something that would alleviate what fear they had now. Looking to her to be the one not to crumble under what serious shit-storm they all knew they were in now.... to be the one who was calm and stood tall in it, and she really was trying... and more, she wasn't struggling to.

Because her mind was made up now, and that certainty made it easier.

She forced herself a sigh, her head tilting slightly as she cast a glance over her shoulder back toward Natsu- and the Fire Dragon Slayer felt his heart twist when he saw the withdrawal and surrender buried in her expression.

She looked like she was ready to just..... give up, maybe even like she planned to....

He stiffened, his eyes widening as small flickers of panic and fear dawned on his face next.

"Don't worry about us, Salamander. We'll be fine." She told him quietly, her eyes glittering. Natsu felt his heart skip a beat, he didn't like that look she gave him, it was... it was almost hopeless, but more than that it was just so.... so acceptant, almost sickeningly so- and his blood turned to ice as dread fell over him like a heavy cloud.

".... what are you....?" He breathed, she smiled at him and shook her head.

"This time, Natsu- leave it alone." She murmured lowly, sternly almost and he swallowed. "You didn't listen the first time, but you need to now, got it?" He just stared, fixed in his spot and hardly daring to breath-

He really did not like that look, at all

Hora looked away from him, her hand waving at him almost nonchalantly, and just once. In the same time she glanced toward Rufus, and the blonde dipped his head in understanding.

"Bye, Natsu."

All of the Sabers disappeared in a wash of gold, and Natsu got left alone with his feet cold and his blood like ice- and he didn't know why, but he knew it wasn't... it wasn't good.

".... what... are you gonna do, Hora...?" Natsu breathed, his voice lost to empty air.

.:+:.

Hora's feet hit the floor in Sting and Rogue's room back at the Inn, Rufus, Orga, the Exceeds and the afore mentioned Dragon Slayers appearing in the room via Rufus' Magic at the same instant.

I think Natsu could tell what I was thinking, huh... Lixue....?

She didn't wait for a reply, and she didn't expect one either- her attention shifted toward the low moan and the hiss of pain that fell on her ears, both Sting and Rogue groggily coming to now from being knocked out a few minutes ago.

"Sting-kun, a-are you alright...?!" Lector hissed shakily, the blonde propped up only by Orga's hold on his arm, which the Lightning God Slayer had pulled it over his shoulders.

"R... Rogue...?" Frosch mewed, barely holding back tears as the Exceed floated in front of the Shadow Dragon Slayer being held up by Rufus in the same manner Sting was by Orga.

Rufus and Orga shifted, bringing themselves and the Dragon Slayers over toward their beds as they helped eased the injured Mages to sitting on the beds- the movement earned a few more winces and hisses of pain from both, and Lector and Frosch stuck close, shaking, alert...

"Tch.... we got our asses handed to us..." Sting growled lowly, his forehead falling in his hand as Rogue bent over a bit with his elbows on his knees. "...shit.... he was stronger than I thought...."

".... we underestimated him..... and we lost...." Rogue mumbled quietly, "..... even with both of us.... we were outmatched...... if Salamander was that strong, Gajeel would be too.... we haven't surpassed either of them..."

".... Master... and the Lady....." Sting mumbled, sweatdropping heavily as everyone else did too.

".... we are in trouble..." Rogue breathed, his voice trembling oh so faintly- Hora's heart twisted at it.

"... She gave us an hour to get you two fixed up, before facing Master." Orga explained lowly, Rogue and Sting seemed to gulp.

".... I'm so sorry... Hora..." Rogue muttered, she blinked in slight surprise.

"... you told us to give it everything we had.... and we..." Sting hissed, her eyes flashed.

"Why are you apologizing?" She sighed, both Sting and Rogue's heads snapped up in surprise at the question. She let out a breath, her hands on her hips and looking between the both of them- her expression nothing but calm and even... gentleness.

She shook her head a bit, her hands moving as she started to untie the ribbon wrapped around her torso and over her shirt- and then move it and wind it around her arm tightly. She pulled the red ribbon she'd gotten from Ira, from being around her wrist, holding it in her teeth and her hands working to pull her hair into ponytail, before using that ribbon to tie it.

Everyone in the room just watched her do so, unsure and staring- because what did she mean...?

"Losing isn't a crime." She murmured lowly, they blinked. "And don't worry about not beating Salamander... even if you don't match up now, you will- I know you'll be stronger than him and Gajeel some day. Don't doubt it."

She moved to place herself between both beds, her hands falling on Rogue and Sting's heads softly as she gave them both a gentle, sad little smile.

"You did what I asked, you both gave it everything you had, and you fought amazingly..... that's what matters." Hora told them quietly, their eyes flashed as their lips pulled into a tight line. She just smiled a bit more, her eyes glancing between them as she ruffled their hair a bit, "You were both incredible, and it's alright that you lost."

Her eyes dropped closed a moment as she let out a silent breath,

".... don't worry about what Master or Minerva will have to say about it.... we'll figure something out." Hora murmured softly, everyone exchanged quick glances between themselves as Hora let her hands remain still on top of their heads.

We'll have to figure something out.... even if it means a last resort.

"... Everything will be fine... trust me." Hora murmured softly, they wilted a little.

.... I just... I can't anymore.

They nodded a bit as her hands left their heads, she shot them a smile and they seemed to relax- just a little... and thankfully so did everyone else in the the room. She was happy she could manage to do that, even now.

Even if that goes against everything he said, about what he and everyone else in the Guild would want... my mind is made up this time.

"For now we just need to worry about fixing you two up." Hora murmured, Sting and Rogue sweatdropped while everyone else in the room nodded in agreement.

I'll do everything I can before I go all in... but if there's no other way, then I'll do it....... I'm not afraid to.

She caught Rogue's searching red stare for a few seconds, he was doing his best to understand what she was thinking now- and why it was she seemed so... calm. Especially because the situation called for anything but calm. And she hadn't been calm, not all day- and now she was, out of nowhere, and it put him on edge.

She looked away from him, her hand extending forward to take the bandages and towels that Lector and Frosch had started to gather up.

I'm sorry.... I might not be able to do what you want.... but in the long run...... it will be better, for all of you.

She nodded toward the Exceeds, offering up a reassuring smile as Rufus moved forward to help her. Hora set the supplies down on the bed beside Rogue, her hands reaching forward to help him take what tattered mess was left of his cloak- off.

... even if the better thing comes without me in it.

For years she'd stayed silent and watched as Jiemma ruled over the Guild without mercy, his daughter rising in ranks and influence as her cruelty grew worse with every passing year. For years she'd endured everything they threw at her and lived with it, she'd sat back and watched as people came and people got hurt- as her friends were mistreated and harmed.

For years she'd resigned herself to all of it, every second she hated it more and the fire inside burned brighter- and still she quelled it.

But the last few months her tolerance for all of it had been broken down, and faded- with the beating she endured for her help given to Fairy Tail, that tolerance was cut in half.

With every second she spent with Lucy, Happy and Natsu- that tolerance withered away without her realizing it. Her conviction and ire ignited when she went head to head with North Wind broke it down further.

When Yukino was humiliated and thrown out, that tolerance halved again- it lessened more the instant Jiemma struck out at her and slammed his Magic against her jaw.

What little tolerance she had left was nothing but a hairs-width tall now, after Minerva's brutality toward the blonde Celestial Mage she had come to call friend.

And now in the face of threat and danger toward Sting, Rogue, and the Guild as a whole... her tolerance was little to none, and her conviction was at a high it had never been in all her life. She regretted that it had taken her so long to earn any semblance of that conviction, though... or what steadiness and calm it brought with it.

She pulled the cloak away and set it down on the bed beside him, she could hear Sting growl as Rufus set to work helping Lector treat the White Dragon's wounds. Rogue hunched a little, his eyes snapping closed and holding his breath as he moved the wrong way and ended up in pain for it, Hora's eyes flashed a little.

..... if it comes to that.... I'm sorry.... I hope you can all forgive me for it.... you too, Lixue.

Hora's hand trailed gently under Rogue's chin, making him tilt his head up toward her as she brought a towel wet with disinfectant up to his cheek and started to clean a cut running along his jaw. She felt him recoil faintly as she touched it, but he kept himself in place and quiet as best he could- and she was as gentle as she could be... more gentle than Rogue could ever remember her being.

His eyes locked on to her face, her own gaze following her work and not matching his- he was still searching her expression for some semblance of something, and she knew it. But she wouldn't dare let him see anything that would give away what it was she was thinking, or what she'd decided. Because he of all people in that room knew the full extent of her situation with Jiemma, and if his ire earlier when he stopped her going after Minerva was any indication... if he knew what it was she'd settled in her head now after a day of things just continually spiraling more and more out of control... he'd try and stop her.

I won't risk it, if there is another way

She kept on working in silence, every once in awhile murmuring a soft apology when she hurt him despite best efforts not to- she kept working and not saying a single thing to him even as she cleaned up cuts and bruises, wrapped wounds and whatnot. She didn't care about the blood she got on her hands, or what scarlet smeared across her shirt when she wiped her hands off on it- she didn't care if she got dirty, or her hands or anything else stained red. She was used to blood, and she simply cared about helping him.... that's all she ever wanted to do, for all of them.

.... but if it comes down to it... and I have to go to a last resort..... even if Jiemma destroys you, Lixue...

She tied the length of bandage she had wrapped around his forearm into a knot, her hands hesitating to let go for a few, fleeting seconds.

..... even then, I can last for a few minutes.... and a few minutes is all I'll need.

Her eyes dropped closed for a second as she pulled her hands back only a little, one of them curling under his as she let her fingers twine with his gently.

"Come on, you can go get changed." She told the Shadow Dragon Slayer softly, their hands twining together a bit more tightly as she helped pull him to his feet and off the bed. Rogue nodded a little bit, wincing under his breath as he stood up- but he was steady enough she didn't mind letting their hands part again.

Hora glanced behind her toward Sting, the White Dragon Slayer covered in bruises and bandages just as Rogue was now- and already changed. Rufus had already moved himself away from Sting once he was done with his part, his hat and mask having long been abandoned on the table where Orga had been sitting in rigid silence the whole time.

Rogue moved off toward the bathroom with a spare clothes in hand and limping, leaving Hora standing by the bed with her hands on her hips and watching him go in silence.

That unending bad feeling that had never gone away was so heavy now she could hardly breathe... a shiver ran up her spine and she reflexively shut her eyes against it.

...... I'm sorry..... I really don't want things to go that way.... I'm sure you really don't either...

'..... I can accept it.' Lixue replied softly, his voice making an appearance after a long bout of silence. 'I already accepted my fate long before I ever came to you, I'm not afraid of what might come now.'

For once they were in complete agreement.... of course it had to be now, of all times. And about... this.

She could feel the minutes counting down, the seconds that kept growing shorter as their hour of solace came closer to death. Seconds and minutes streaming passed and caught up in what spinning vortex of madness her life had turned into... spinning down further and further toward a pit as pitch black as those Markings born from her Magic she had always hated so, so much. Daylight failed with it as night settled in and the dark crept forward, consuming everything in the world, and threatening all light with it.

This, what was coming with Jiemma- this had to be what that looming storm was... that dread.

And now that looming weight had fallen over all of them, everyone could feel it now- every single member of the SaberTooth Guild felt the darkness hanging over their heads as they waited for what was coming, what incredible bad was assuredly coming to them.

Hora's eyes fell on the smear of Rogue's blood across her shirt, her eyes flashing as she sighed.

This is what is was, then...? So much bad..?

She pulled the shirt up and over her head, taking it off and leaving the gray tank top underneath it in full view- it lift a little as she raised her hands over her head, and Sting's eyes found the bandages wound around her torso and stomach last night... and the stain of red of her own blood slowly seeping through the bandages again. She must have agitated the wound when Rogue had whisked her away during the Naval Battle, and Sting swallowed a bit at the thought of it.

After how angry and worked up she had been- she'd been on the warpath- after all of that, how could she seem as calm as she did right now? How could she and her voice stay so steady when she said everything was going to be okay? How could any of this turn out okay?

What changed in her, that neither he, nor anyone else in the room could understand?

Rogue came back from the bathroom, changed into clean clothes and looking as sullen and somber as someone at a funeral.... they all looked that way, no matter how hard they tried not to.

"..... we'll be fine." Hora murmured aloud, caching everyone's ears in a split second. "... if we give it our all, both here and in the Games... everything will be fine. It'll work out... I promise."

Why did she sound like she really believed that?

"Don't get discouraged now, any of you." Hora went on, dropping her shirt on the nightstand and her hands falling on her hips. She let her dark blue eyes sweep out over the room, catching every single one of their eyes as she nodded at them, everything about her was just so... resolute, and in some way that was a million times more soothing to them than they believed it ever could be. "You'll live through this, you're too strong not to." She told them firmly, they blinked at the words- before they nodded, sweatdropping.

".... yeah." Sting and Rogue mumbled, Lector and Frosch nodded a bit more firmly than they needed, but they looked more resolute none the less, their paws clenched and tails held a bit higher. Orga grumbled under his breath, his arms crossed over his chest and not bothering to say anything- but he looked a little less on edge too.

"It would be remiss of us not to trust what you say, after everything." Rufus murmured softly with a nod to Hora, "... We trust you, and we trust what you believe... things will work themselves out, one way or another.... I do believe that as well." Hora's eyes glinted,

"Good." She murmured,

She felt that shadow lurking and stalking as they left the room- the hour finally up.

Every step was a thousand pounds, their trek down the hallway and toward the main portion of the inn felt like a lifetime, and still she felt that shadow following... that bad feeling sharpening to a fine a point as the end of the hallway came into view, and she saw the rest of the Guild already lined up ahead of them. She saw the rigidness and the fear etched into the backs of everyone ahead of her, Hora bringing up the rear of their little group and fists clenched at her sides. She felt the ache and the pain in all their hearts, and what agony was still bombarding Sting and Rogue from their fight- though they walked as tall and as evenly as they possibly could.

Show no weakness... especially not after losing.

And that bad feeling became so, so suffocating- her blood was ice and her heart skipped a beat as they came within a few feet of the main hall.

This is it, isn't it-

She went stiff as a board, her steps faltering as the dread sharpened into a clear, sickening sense of unrelenting danger out of nowhere- her mouth fell open in reaction, a gasp rising from her throat- but it got cut off when someone's hand clapped down over her mouth from behind.

What the hell-?!

She couldn't move, she couldn't make a sound, and she hadn't even a single second to react before the sight of everyone ahead of her got swallowed up in nothing but sheer, unending black. Her world tipped and the ground disappeared under her feet, her core flipping as all sense of up and down failed her- and she was being held and bound- unable to move as hands from some stranger held to her body, cold against her skin, unfamiliar- terrifying.

She had no idea what was going on, or what happened, where she was- nothing!

Nothing... but... why can I smell Sting and Rogue....?

N... no... that's not right..... this scent.... it's one scent... it's... it's wrong-

W-who the hell is....?!

She was struggling, trying and pulling with every bit of strength she had- but it didn't do a damn thing, she couldn't move- she was paralyzed, and her heart dropped.

What the fuck is going on!?

"Forgive me, I understand this is disorienting...."

Hora's heart skipped a beat, her eyes flicking this way and that and searching the black, but there wasn't anything to see- she couldn't see anything, and that voice in her ear sent shivers running up and down her spine. It was so low and cold and... and dead-

"...... in all things that lead up to this..... whether you are there or not, Rogue will still know." The voice went on, hot breath washing against her ear- she wanted nothing more than to pull away, but she couldn't fucking move!

W-wait, what about Rogue...?!

"..... if any of them were as they are, where I am now, they would try and change what will come.... but I cannot risk the future changing, the Dragon King Festival must go on... the Eclipse Gate must open."

Hora gulped, her mind racing her heart pounding like a drum.

Dragon King what...?! And what the hell is an 'Eclipse Gate'.....?!

"..... this must happen for the future to remain as I need it....... even with you no longer at the Inn, when Jiemma acts, Rogue will understand what has happened... he will know why you never come back, Horatia." The voice went on lowly, every word of it making her heartrate pick up and the terror get worse-

N-never come back...? W-what... what is this... guy talking about....?

"..... and he will know who to blame, and who it is who is responsible for killing you."

She felt her heart stop altogether, her breath snatched away and eyes wide- paralyzed, taken and blind, with someone whose breath still brushed against her neck- her world gone and empty and cold around her and her nose filled with a scent that was so close to being familiar, but that was so, so wrong.... so twisted.

And a voice that was so cold and empty and still.... s...still.....

.... w...why... why does it almost... s...sound like... R-Rogue's.... voice.....?

A-and.... what does he mean.... k..kill me...?

"And his convictions will solidify when they find your body..... when he realizes that you died alone...... with your death, the future unfolds as it should... and the Eclipse Gate will open, the Dragon King Festival will go on- and I will still have what I came for."

W-wait... I.. i....?!

The hands moved, releasing her but her body still wouldn't listen- she couldn't see him, her Captor, everything was still too dark, they were still floating in a world of jet black- but she could feel that Stranger move, trailing around her until he was in front of her. They were so close she could feel their body against hers, their hands hooking behind her head and her neck as she felt their body-heat wash against her face... they.... whoever it was, they were pressed so close.... too close....!

".... hmm..... alone and in agony..... left to die on the streets without anyone near..... destroyed by the actions of someone you and I once called friend." He hissed, his thumbs tracing across her cheeks as he held her face... gently.

"Forgive me, Horatia. But even I won't wait to see you die a second time."

Second time..?! What the hell does he mean, second time-!?

Hora's thoughts broke off as her eyes went wide and still saw absolutely nothing but unending black, sweatdropping heavily as she felt the Stranger's lips press against hers, locked in a kiss she wasn't ready for nor wanting- but still her body was fixed, and she couldn't even pull away.

The kiss didn't break for a few seconds that stretched to millions of years in terrified, paralyzed stillness with her heart pounding deafeningly in her ears- and when the Stranger pulled away she was left feeling... violated.

"Hmm.... I felt nothing.... perfect."

His hands on the back of her head and neck moved forward, a suddenly cruel grip clamping down on her windpipe and cutting off all air.

"I will leave you to your fate now, Horatia... goodbye, for the final time."

She was hoisted up by her throat, she could feel the black all around swirling and frothing, like some massive ocean of shadow that she couldn't escape- and it all swirled, violently- light breaking through and blinding her as she choked.

She was thrown, her body bouncing painfully against stone and wall as the world of no light was lost and her world returned again- but the SaberTooth Inn was gone.

She hit the ground with a painful thud, coughing and sputtering as she was finally able to take air in again- her head whirling and her vision swimming as she struggled to make sense of what the fuck just happened, and where in the hell she was-?!

There were buildings all around her, the night sky overhead and the stars dimmed from the backlash of city lights and a populace of the thousands held in Crocus- her body hitting the pavement underfoot and surrounded by brick walls, trash and other rubbish strewn about and completely alone- though she could hear people not far off on the main streets. In the course of five minutes she was hundred of miles away from the SaberTooth Inn, and dumped in some back-alley on the opposite end of Crocus- what?!

She jumped up and on to her feet in the next second, senses on high alert and nerves on an all-time high as her gaze swept across every inch of space around her searching for who or what had snatched her, but she was alone- just as it...

"... n.. no seriously...?! What the fuck is going on... what just happened...?!" Hora snapped out loud, her voice hushed and shaking so damn badly- but she couldn't even manage a way to calm down, not even a little. She was turning this way and that, her eyes searching and her body shaking despite herself- panic sinking it's claws in deeper by the second.

"Y-you have to be.... what the fuck...?! Future...?! Dragon King Festival..!? Eclipse Gate..?!" She hissed, her eyes wild and glinting feverishly as she looked around still, not knowing what the hell to even just..... WHAT?!

"Lixue, what in the fuck....!? You heard all of that, right...!? Wh-who... in.... what....." Hora stammered, her voice breaking as the color drained from her face more than it already had, and she felt sick- her whirling thoughts landing on one thing.

".. what... what did that guy... mean....? T...that I'm gonna.... die...?!" She hissed breathlessly, her voice harsh and cracking as she shivered so hard she felt like her knees were about to give out. She was freaking out, panicking and panting- she couldn't even breathe, or even think about-

That bad feeling?

T...this....?

"Lixue, what the hell is-?!" Hora snapped, her panic making her incredibly impatient- but she never finished her question.

Her voice died in an agonized yelp, her breath driven away and her lungs ceasing any semblance of function as she felt something inside of her shatter- she went quiet, unable to make a single noise even when she heard Lixue's voice raise in a ringing, blood-curdling scream of sheer pain. Her hands grabbed at her chest, her knuckles white from the grip around her tanktop and her knees bending so far she was half her height and barely staying standing, she tried to scream, or cry or something- but nothing came out, her mouth opened soundlessly as her world slammed to a sharp halt.

Sticky red splattered against the concrete at her feet, she never even heard herself cough- the metallic liquid rushed up her throat and fell in a river passed her lips as she doubled over, suffocating, burning, cold-

Lixue screamed again and she heard it splinter further, felt it through every inch of her being and her soul as pain unlike anything coursed through every vein, bone, muscle, cell- millions upon millions of invisible blades suddenly thrust through every inch of her body and yet nothing ever touched her.

No- something did, Magic- Magic held by the cruel hand of he who had long since turned her slave, and that hand had now crossed hundreds of miles and gripped tight about that precious stone settled in her body, and was crushing it.

Destroying... killing it... killing... L... Lixue.... Killing her

Both of us

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't even fathom how to- she was breaking apart from the inside out and she felt her being being broken apart in tandem with him, the fire leaping at the sudden weakness and raging in all her pain and confusion and terror. The flame and furnace surged inside of her, burning and breaking as it washed across every inch of her- burning her again from the inside out and threatening to break her body just as that Lacrima was splintering with every second that... t..that...

J...Jiemma..... is.... de...stroying.... it....

The Black Markings burned across her skin, stretching with more speed and ferocity than it ever had and consuming her just as the fire was eating her alive from the inside out, and her mind was unhinging- her thoughts rampant and fractured and she just.. couldn't..!

Jiemma.... is... he's trying... t...to kill... us....?!

She couldn't think, she couldn't even make sense of herself or anything- not if she was moving or breathing or screaming, she was just struggling, writhing and fighting and trying to just... just make it stop!!!

She lost it, every semblance of control or thought or even any hold on reality- and the fire consumed it all, it took over- and she lost it

S..S..STOP..... P..PLEASE.....!!!

She was pleading and begging, burning alive and being ripped apart from the inside out- her soul being crushed and her life being destroyed with it as Jiemma's Magic and his Possession Link did what she had dreaded- and her anger and rage mixed with the agony and the fear and when she lost control of herself and every rational, clear thought-

STOP!!!!

She was screaming, her throat burning and choking on blood- and Lixue was screaming too.

The night air of the city of Crocus was ripped apart by her voice, the calm and the quiet shattered as her screams of agony and torture rung on the cool night sky and chilled everyone in earshot to the bone. Those closest looked around wildly for the source, and as they looked down that alleyway they were blown backward as a wave of blistering, crimson red fire streamed out from the confined space with so much ferocity the air boomed and the buildings melted and broke apart in it's quake.

The inhabitants of Crocus screamed and yelled, scrambling as they ran for their lives and faces filled in terror as the tortured screaming persisted, and the flames struck out randomly, wild and hungry and uncontrolled- breaking and melting and burning everything in reach. In seconds everyone in the area was sprinting, all of them running away and not daring to look back as the flames burned brighter and the explosions persisted with fervor- the more wild the fire got, the more agonized became the screaming, the more ragged.

STTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!

That band of Fairy Tailers that had been rushing away from the Palace and back to their Inn with dire news on their minds and the threat of a Guildmate taken and captured was forced into a jagged half-halt as the destruction and the screaming started somewhere off their current path. Their already strained emotions at the capture of their blonde Celestial Mage and the betrayal of the Royal Advisor was broken and crashed into by shock and confusion- all of them stiff and on high alert as they saw the flames licking at the dark sky and felt the heat even from distance. The people of Crocus yelled and ran passed them, headed away from what danger there was and whoever it was that was screaming so, so terribly-

- Screams of agony and pain and torture that were unlike anything they'd ever heard, and it made their hearts knot.

"What the hell is going on..?!" Gajeel and Gray snapped lowly,

"Juvia does not like this..." Juvia mumbled, her eyes flashing.

"Those screams..." Lily grumbled, Happy bristled from head to foot,

"T-that's.... f...fire....?" Happy stammered, his voice breaking as his heart did too at the sound.

"W...who...?" Wendy stammered, eyes wide in fright and trembling. Carla at her side was staring, sweatdropping heavily as he mind raced with images of a city in ruin-

"...I...Is this....?" The she-cat hissed under her breath,

Natsu grimaced, his eyes narrowed to slits and face pale- he was panting and shaking, but not from fright- he was drained and the world was spinning regardless of how much he wanted it to stop. There was not an ounce of Magic in him, and his body ached terribly from having it stripped away by the Eclipse Gate- it was all he could do at that moment to just keep up with everyone as they rushed back toward the Inn, and stopping now had him feeling dizzy. He could hear the screams, they were painfully loud on his heightened hearing and he heard how rough the voice was, how hoarse it was getting and even strangled. Whoever it was, they were in pain- they were being tortured, and it made him growl.

His nose twitched, taking in the air on instinct to try and catch clue of what it was and who was in that direction- Wendy and Gajeel doing the same as he was, and Natsu and Wendy went deathly still, their eyes widening in horror and their hearts plummeting into the earth. Wendy let out a terrified gasp, her face pale and shaking as her hands moved up to cover her mouth- and Natsu stopped breathing for a few seconds.

"T-that...!" Wendy struggled to say anything, her suddenly terrified expression earning looks of shock and concern from many of the others.

"What?" Gajeel grumbled quickly, rounding on the younger.

"Hey, Natsu- what the hell..?!" Gray snapped, sweatdropping heavily as he saw horror dawn on Natsu's face where the Ice Mage had never seen it before.

"...s..shit..." Natsu breathed, his eyes flashing as his dropped jaw snapped shut and he started sprinting forward before anyone else even had time to react. Wendy broke away from her terror and started to follow the Fire Dragon Slayer only a second after- everyone else reeling a millisecond more, before they all rushed after Natsu and headed toward the source- and completely in the opposite direction of their original destination.

"OI! Salamander!!" Gajeel snapped hotly,

"Wendy child, what has gotten into you..?!" Carla demanded,

"Natsu!! Wha-?!" Happy stammered,

"What the hell is going on?!" Gray yelled, neither Natsu nor Wendy slowed up for even an instant.

"I remember this scent!" Wendy called back breathlessly, everyone blinked at it.

"Remember what scent..?" Most everyone grumbled,

"It's Hora!" Natsu snapped back hotly, his voice edged in fear that was unlike him- and every single Fairy Tailer stiffened at the name. Happy nearly fell out of air when his wings ceased to function for a few seconds, and Carla gulped- whilst Juvia, Gajeel, Gray, and Lily's ears rung with the name they had heard mentioned beforehand.

"H-Hora..?!" Happy squeaked,

"Ain't that the chick who found Wendy and Carla....?" Gajeel grumbled, Gray nodded slightly.

"The one from another Guild..." The Ice Mage grumbled,

"Somethin' ain't right!" Natsu snapped, "She wouldn't be tearing up a city over nothing! And she... she's the one yelling, something is wrong!!"

And he instantly wondered if it had something to do with the bad feeling he got earlier, from that look she had when she told him to leave it, again.

They felt the heat thicken, a cloud of it hanging over everything and the ground shaking underfoot as they followed Natsu and Wendy straight into the fray- the flames a blood red color and destruction thrown about, the screams ringing on their ears as they skidded to a halt at the edge of what looked like a warzone.

Natsu's jaw clenched, his eyes glittering like mad as he scanned the wall of flame blazing in the center of it all- his heart skipping a beat when he found that familiar head of hair and that woman he had come to recognize so easily.

"Hora!"

She was on the ground, writhing and twisting and fidgeting as she screamed, curled in on herself and blood smeared across the blackened stone and ground as she coughed it up- clutching to her chest and her skin marked across by jagged, inky black Markings that seemed to swim and shift and burn like fire in themselves.

"A-atia...!" Happy stammered, tears in his eyes in the matter of a few seconds and shaking like a leaf.

"Oh no...!" Wendy breathed,

"What is she...?" Gray muttered,

"She's out of control." Lily grumbled lowly, Natsu hissed as he started forward without a second thought and toward the fire. He didn't hear nor care about several others in his group warning him not to rush off,

"Hora!" He snapped, his voice nearly drowned out by the screaming and the roar of the flames themselves. He stiffened though, his movement stalling and eyes widening as the fire shifted almost of it's own volition. They struck out toward him with so much ferocity he was slammed into and knocked back toward his Guild-mates, Gray growled- his hands lifting as he erected a wall of ice that blocked the overflow of the fire headed straight for the rest of them. His shield blocked it, but it hissed, steaming and shattering- melting away in a million pieces.

"Are you alright...?!" Wendy questioned Natsu quickly, he growled.

"Yer 'friend' just attacked us, Salamander." Gajeel snapped hotly,

"The hell she did!" Natsu retorted quickly,

"Yer gonna say that when she just threw your ass?"

"She seems to be in a lot of pain." Juvia mumbled quietly,breaking up what was quickly going to be an argument between both Slayers.

"You're right." Wendy said, her eyes flashing. "Natsu-san is right, there's something wrong. She's hurting, badly- she probably doesn't even know what's going on..!"

"And what do you expect to do?" Carla growled, "Even if you're right, you cannot get close to her! We cannot do a thing while her Magic is so out of control!"

"Carla I have to try!" Wendy argued hotly, her eyes glinting. "If she's hurt I have to help her! She helped us when we got attacked by Raven Tail!"

"That doesn't mean you should risk your life!" Carla retorted, "You don't have any idea what could even be the matter!"

"Then I'll use a Diagnostic Spell, we have to do something- we have to try and figure out what is wrong." Wendy said firmly, her eyes glittering and her expression suddenly resolute.

"How close do you need to be to use a Spell like that, Wendy?" Natsu asked instantly, both he and the younger Dragon Slayer ignoring the stern look from Carla and everyone else.

"I can use it from here, but I won't get a very good idea of what's wrong if I don't get within at least 5-6 feet from her. If I'm going to really understand what's going on, I need to get at least that close." Wendy replied quickly, Natsu nodded stiffly.

"Alright, stick close to me." He ordered, Wendy nodded.

"You're crazy!" Carla snapped,

"You might be fireproof, but the kid ain't!" Gajeel growled,

"You don't have any Magic right now either!" Gray hissed, Natsu shot them a glare.

"We ain't gonna just sit here!" the pinkette hissed, "Don't worry about my Magic Energy- I'm just gonna eat Hora's fire!" They blinked in surprise at that, Gray grimacing. "I can keep most of the fire away from Wendy, even if Hora's Magic is out of control- I'll force it to cut it the hell out, if I have to!"

"Juvia can help keep the fire contained." Juvia butted in, her eyes narrowed and expression serious. "Fire's natural enemy is water, Juvia is the best match to contend with this Magic." Gray grimaced at the bluenette, and Gajeel huffed.

"She has a point." Lily intoned lowly,

"We don't have time to argue about it!" Wendy said urgently, "If she's hurt enough to react like this, we can't waste a lot of time!"

"Then let's go." Natsu growled, Wendy nodded stiffly and Juvia did too- the trio starting forward as Juvia erected a wall of water around herself and Wendy, and Natsu jumped straight into the fire.

Gray hissed, shaking his head in exasperation- exasperation that was mirrored in everyone else.

"... this is a terrible plan." Gajeel grumbled, but even despite his clear disapproval, and Gray's too- they shifted, ready to jump in and fight with all they had anyway- Lily close behind while Happy and Carla kept their distance, watching.

"This woman's Magic is incredible..." Lily intoned lowly, and Gray and Gajeel had to agree. THey could feel the power coming from her, waves of pressure and a heaviness on the air that wasn't just the heat.

Natsu's mouth fell open, leaning back as he sucked in and the fire going wild all around and started eating it. The wall of fire surrounding Hora on all sides shifted, most of it being forced into streaming toward Natsu as Wendy and Juvia started passed him and to the side a little- the fire a bit more tame and hissing as Juvia warded off what parts of it broke away to try and batter her and Wendy. Wendy's hands lift, pressed close to Juvia and the wall of water keeping the fire at bay- eyes narrowed in concentration as she let her palms face where Hora was still squirming and screaming on the ground.

Wendy's eyes fell closed in concentration, Juvia sweatdropping and quickly feeling the might of the fire getting all the fiercer even as Natsu tried to eat up every shred of it he could- but the fire seemed almost endless.

Wendy sweatdropped, her brows knitting together as she felt something dark and malicious rise up in her mind's eye amidst her Diagnostic Spell. Some Magic that had wrapped itself around Hora and was... hurting her, breaking... some....

Wendy's eyes snapped open, her Spell failing as her jaw dropped and her heart skipped a beat and her mind whirled, quickly trying to piece together what was happening and what she could do- whatever Magic it was, it felt like that same evil and darkness that had seeped into Natsu's scarf back on Tenrou. Something powerful and cruel that had latched on to her like a lock, and was using it's own Power to slowly break apart something inside of her.

"There's some sort of Spell locked on to her, and it's attacking her!" Wendy called out breathlessly, her hands raising as her Magic flared again- setting to work straight away and aware that Juvia was grunting now in the effort of warding off the fire. "I think I-!"

"Watch it!"

Wendy broke off at the sudden warning, her and Juvia's attention snapping behind them to see the fire had rounded on them and was about to crash down over them in all it's smoldering intensity. Juvia whipped around, her Water Magic moving in tandem with her and the air shaking as the Water and the fire crashed into one another strong enough to send a wall of air washing out around it, and Juvia winced as she was pushed back a few inches, her feet skidding over the ground.

"Juvia!" Wendy gasped,

Natsu coughed, forced to give up sucking in all the fire when he ran out of air- his eyes snapped toward Wendy and Juvia, hissing. "Shit...!" He growled,

"Tch... You trying to tell me she really don't know what she's doin'?" Gajeel snapped at Natsu, the Iron Dragon Slayer having already moved to put himself between the fire and Juvia and Wendy. His hand turned into a broad sword, he swung around- pushing at the air and throwing a wave of it at the fire to ward it off further, his arm acting as a large, single fan blade. "Her Magic must have a mind of it's freakin' own if that's true, Salamander!" Natsu sweatdropped at the words- because Gajeel didn't understand how true those words were. Hora had told him, that her Magic was dark and had a mind its own, and that she had a hard time keeping it controlled all the time.

But Natsu didn't get a chance to reply to what Gajeel said, Wendy cut him off. "I don't think she even knows what's going on! She's in too much pain, and that Magic is hurting her really badly!" Wendy told Gajeel quickly,

"So she's delirious?" Gray grumbled,

"Which makes her even more dangerous- she might be confused enough to attack us regardless if we're trying to help or not." Lily grumbled,

"Tch... This sucks." Gajeel huffed hotly,

"Wendy! Can you get rid of what Magic is is that's hurting her?" Carla called,

"I'll try, but the harder I try and Dispel it, the more it fights back- and the more it'll hurt Hora." Wendy said tensely, everyone sweatdropped at that.

"If you don't get rid of it, what'll happen?" Gray asked lowly, Wendy's face pulled, her expression fearful- and that was answer enough.

"If I don't stop it and soon... She might.... she might die..!" Wendy hissed,

"Then do it!" Natsu ordered sharply, "Juvia, keep Wendy safe! The rest of us will try and keep her Magic focused on us and not you!"

"Right!" Wendy replied,

"So what, we're roast-bait?" Gray growled, not at all pleased with the plan.

"Just shut up and do it, Popsicle!" Natsu snapped back, his expression hard and Gray blinked at it. Natsu's eyes snapped away from the Ice Mage as his arms swiped out, fire erupting around him and slamming into the crimson red as it struck out toward him in retaliation.

"You want her attention on us Salamander, fine." Gajeel grumbled hotly, his hand snapping forward and transforming into a club as he aimed for the woman laying amongst that wild, burning inferno. Gajeel, nor anyone else among their group expected Hora to move- she seemed like she was out of it, entirely- but somehow she sensed the danger of Gajeel's attack, and she moved.

His club stuck into the ground as the woman rolled back a bit, her eyes that had been shut tight against the pain snapping open- bloodshot and glittering in agony, she missed the hit by barely an inch and she pushed herself up and onto her feet. Trembling and panting, her screaming ceasing and turning into a series of groans and wincing that was no less pain filled- but now in the haze of her blurred, swirling, out of control mind- her body and her Magic snapped into action at the threat, and she didn't even register it- she couldn't

She was lost

She had no idea who it was, who any of them were around her- she couldn't hear them over her heart, or the sound of the breaking- and not over the sound of Lixue's agonized screaming all through her shattered and shredded mind. She couldn't see them, her vision was blurred and red and black at the edges- all of it was nothing but a haze of color quickly turning monochrome as she slipped further and further into what Jiemma was trying to send her toward-

It was nothing but disoriented, dizzy, innate and panic and pain driven reaction- her body moving without thinking and her Magic doing what it will, she had no say in any of it anymore.

She just wanted it to stop

Her hand swung forward, the fire burning brighter and wilder- the metal of Gajeel's arm already uncomfortably hot suddenly burning as he pulled it back quickly, his red eyes flashing and jaw clenching when he realized that- that was a mistake

"..shit-!" He hissed, the fire streaming out toward him faster than he could manage to move.

There was a heavy boom as the fire rammed into Gajeel, the Iron Dragon Slayer sent hurtling backwards to slam into a building hard enough to leave a crater in the stone.

"Gajeel, are you alright?" Lily called quickly, by now in his Battle Form and glancing back toward what mess of rubble his Partner was in now. Gajeel let out a series of curses and grumbling, picking himself out of the mess and looking incredibly displeased- but quite alright, if maybe a bit singed.

"Fine." He growled, rolling his shoulders. ".... that chick packs a hell of a punch, I'll give her that...." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing as he saw Hora move again, her legs shaking as she stayed standing and blood dripping passed her lips as she hissed, but those eyes of hers- striking gold and red and.... dull, unfocused, wild.

"Hora!" Natsu called quickly, pushing further into the fire that was getting more fierce, spinning around her like beasts and snakes, he got pushed back but still managed a few feet forward- getting closer to her and onyx eyes searching. Searching for some semblance of focus or recognition in her, but she honestly didn't even seem to hear him- but she knew he was there... or at least, someone was there.

He heard her groan, more blood falling passed her lips as she coughed once- her arms swept up, the Markings still swirling and spinning across her skin like black fire in themselves and Natsu stiffened.

STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!

"Hora wait-!" Natsu snapped, but it was too late.

The fire streamed out toward him, tearing up the ground and making the air whine with the speed it moved at- his hands moved up to block himself, grasping at the flames and the breath driven from him as he struggled to stay standing and stuck in his spot. Natsu got pushed back, his feet digging into the ground and hands.... singing..?!

Natsu's eyes glittered, his jaw clenching and his stomach twisting- he'd felt it again when he was eating it, that darkness in her Magic, the wild, erratic nature- but this?

This was league's different from back then, it was insane- it was so out of control and it was like some mad, raving beast that was striking out randomly, and even his attempts at making it sit still were proving quickly useless. And it was stinging against his skin, he was sweating- the fire had reached temperatures and a level that even a Fire Dragon Slayer was feeling- shit!

This was so bad, she was completely out of control, and she was hurt- he could see the agony she was in, the sight of that blood falling passed her lips had him feeling cold. Wendy's words were ringing on his ears, the look on her face making his heart ache-

This is bad! She's dying-

He stumbled back, his arms swinging out and behind him as he forced the flames to break apart and they rushed out randomly on either side of him, Gray growled as his Magic flared in tandem with Natsu's movement. Walls of ice erected all around the square and shattering in contact with the wash of fire, but blocking it regardless.

"Well now you pissed her off." Gray grumbled hotly and shooting a look at Gajeel, who just grumbled in annoyance.

"Hora, listen to me!" Natsu called again, his feet bringing him forward toward her and spinning out of the way of another haphazard attack, a pale blue Magic Circle appeared in air over the center of Hora's back, though she nor anyone else noticed it.

"You gotta quit! You're losing control over your Magic!" Natsu yelled, his voice breaking off in a pained grunt as he got knocked back by another attack- she was throwing Magic out in every direction now, uncontrolled, unaimed- but no less destructive. All of the Fairy Tailers were moving and blocking against the flames, straining under the effort of the sheer force behind every scrap and wash of crimson red, raging hot flame- her fire felt a million times hotter than even Natsu's.

Who the hell is this woman anyway?!

She moved, her dull golden, pain-filled eyes locked on to Natsu's continual attempt at getting closer to her- and her feet pushed off the ground hard enough to crack the pavement. Natsu's movement slammed to a halt, reeling as she appeared right in front of him in seconds- her fist consumed in inky black and fire sparking as she swung toward him. He growled, his own hands snapping up to try and catch the hit.

He winced, both of his hands catching her fist and his palm bruising instantly at the contact, a rush of air rushing out around them as both he and Hora came to a halt. His arms were shaking as he kept hold on her fist, his eyes narrowed and locking with her own- but she didn't see him, and regardless of him having caught her in that moment, her Magic was still tearing out around everywhere else- and the rest of his Guild-Mates were still straining to guard against it all.

"Hora listen, it's Natsu!" He hissed lowly, she coughed, her jaw clenched but even then the blood managed it passed her teeth. Her free hand swung up to strike out at him, and one of his hands broke from holding the first to catch that one too- his fingers curling tightly around her hands, locking her in place though she immediately tried to pull free. "You gotta stop, I know you're hurting but you're gonna hurt other people at this rate!" Natsu pressed further, hoping maybe if he kept on there would be something- some recognition or understanding, but no-

"Hora, hear me! You have to stop! We're trying to help you!"

-No, the pain was just to blinding, and her mind was just too far gone in all of it- and the pain he saw in her made his heart break.

What happened..?!

The pain tripled out of nowhere and that was it-

She yelped, her hands twisting in his and ripping them away from him, her Magic doubled up around her in a dome and it exploded. Natsu was sent flying and the crimson red flame struck hard against everything in a ten foot radius, melting and blackening and tearing.

Hora yelled, her steps faltering as she lost balance and almost hit the ground- panting and hardly able to breathe at all, grabbing at the tank top over her chest, her eyes snapping shut against it and her Magic shaking badly with it- almost.... dying...

Wendy winced, pulling herself to her feet from having been knocked back- her Spell shattered at the sudden flux and surge of Hora's Magic, and that pale blue Magic Circle that had been stuck to Hora's back shattered by the heat. Wendy's hands balled into fists in front of her as her eyes snapped back toward Hora, frowning as small hints of panic hit her- but there was determination there too.

Of course, Wendy helped anyone she could and this one- this was a bit more personal. Hora, a stranger maybe, that woman had found her and Carla when they'd been hurt and brought them back to the Guild. She'd helped them both even when Natsu and Happy made it clear that helping them at all would get her in trouble.

And right now Hora was in trouble, she was hurting and she was being hurt so badly she was going to die- Wendy knew that, and she had to do everything she could to save her.

"I almost had it...." She hissed under her breath, her eyes dropping closed as her palms moved over one another and Wendy's Magic flared again.

"Whatever you're going to do Wendy, you need to do it quickly!" Carla called,

"Please hurry Wendy...!" Happy stammered, Wendy heard them both but she never replied, her attention fell into focusing on her Spell even as the conflict and Hora's Magic continued to rage all around.

"She's making a mess!" Gajeel snapped, warding off yet another wash of fire and sweatdropping. Lily jumped back to stand beside him, sword in hand and ears pressed flat against his head.

"All of this destruction is going to earn unwanted attention." Lily grumbled,

"Natsu, you good?!" Gray called over to the Dragon Slayer who'd been thrown quite hard- and was slowly picking himself up off the ground, still pale and still feeling the effects of getting Drained by the Eclipse Gate- even if eating Hora's Magic should have given him a boost.

"Don't worry about me!" He panted, huffing a little as he pushed himself up all the way.

"Water Lock!" Juvia had moved to place herself in front of Hora, the water streaming up and from her as it converged and moved to encircle Hora in a watery trap. It lunged out, Hora's eyes snapping open when it did so and lips curling in a snarl as she stepped forward. "Your fire will be no match against my Water Magic." Juvia grumbled her eyes flashing as Hora's hands swept forward toward the wall of water coming at her from the front, unawares of what Magic Circle had snapped over the center of her back again, a blue haze spreading out over her body by Magic that wasn't her own.

Juvia stiffened, her eyes widening slightly when she saw the fire burning bright around Hora suddenly dim down into nothing- and a flash of blue caught her eye behind the woman. The Water Mage's attention snapped over toward Wendy as the Sky Dragon Slayer stood just outside the confines of the water, her palms hovering over one another and her body shimmering in pale blue and white as her Magic rose to extremes she hadn't used since her fight with Sherria. Her blue hair rose and streamed under the pressure of her own Magic, spare bits of rubble and ash shifting and moving as air spiraled up around the little Dragon Slayer in a striking clash of shinning white against the contrast of the night sky.

Wendy's eyes snapped open, her palms separating as she swept her arms out on either side of her and the light of her Magic grew brighter around Hora, streams of it moving toward the woman from Wendy's own body.

"Deus Zero!"

Hora could smell the moisture around the scent of ash and blood, she could feel the rush of cool air wash against her face as the water rushed toward her- and her body moved on it's own to counteract, to throw her Magic out toward it, and burn it away.

Her hand swept forward, her body giving off an odd glow of white and blue that hurt her eyes and swum even worse than everything else in her already blurred vision- her fingers curled and the Markings that had been consuming her skin entirely were spinning, patches of skin visible and becoming more so as time seemed to slow down on that single instant she moved to retaliate against the Water Magic.

Hora couldn't tell or even notice her flames had died off all on their own volition, everything got swallowed up as the pain spreading from her center and outward to every inch of her body heightened to a sudden extreme, it was blinding.

And still the only thing on her mind was stop

Stop the water, stop the pain... just make it all stop-

The inky black Markings swirled, their vigor fading fast as they receded back up to her shoulder and disappeared altogether- time dragging by in moments stretched to hours as her fingers brushed against the water, and everything went so, so quiet.

Lixue's screams of pain and agony cut off abruptly, the sound of that precious stone in her chest chipping away and shattering failed too- she could hear her heartbeat, but she heard the water more now, heard the world that had been so lost on her. There was the clear, soft sound of some ethereal bell and the rush of wind- release.

The agony and torture tearing her apart suddenly broke off into nothing but a deep ache, and she felt the breath she let out, cold and chilly- the air fogging with it as her hand plunged into the water all the way.

W...what....?

Juvia's eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat as she watched the strange woman's eyes- gold and dull and unfocused suddenly change.

Hora's eyes glowed a sudden, eerie icy blue color and she felt a sudden rush of cold air suddenly cut through the area that had been smoldering and heavy to breathe. The water around Hora's hand shuddered, the deep blue ripped apart as blinding, sheer white and pale blue rippled out from her fingers and through every scrap of liquid water in seconds- and in seconds it was no longer liquid.

The water halted, shimmering in wet and glittering as the air clouded in frost and snow- the water dome that had been converging to trap Hora was now suspended in air as nothing but a mass of-

"I-ice...?!" Juvia stammered breathlessly, her words cutting off as she recoiled.

The suspended reality of time and movement and Magic shattered in the next instant, the ice moving fast and growing out passed where her water had been- alive and moving all of it's own volition as huge spires and pillars of it grew out of the air and the ground, headed straight for her.

"Ice-Make: Sword!"

The river of gleaming white ice that had been streaming out toward Juvia was suddenly cut apart and obliterated completely. Chips of ice and frost glittering in the moonlight, Gray planted in front of Juvia and hands clasped around a sword made of his own Ice Magic- and not three feet in front of where Hora had come to a slightly dazed halt.

The icy blue color of her eyes faded as she looked around the sudden flurry of glinting, soft pieces of chilly cold falling through the air all around them, her vision unblurring only slightly and her ears ringing with the sound of air and frost and... snow... ice....

D...did I just...?

Her hand fell slowly, time suddenly freezing again as the air had in a sudden surge of Magic no one was ready for- and in her searching dazed attention around the Magic she found the one who'd destroyed it, ice clashing with ice, and she froze, her deep blue gaze matching with one of near the same hue.

W-wait....

A young man, older than her, a head of black hair and chest bare- holding tight to a sword of ice and the blue Fairy Tail emblem plastered to his chest. Bits of snow and frost fell against the silver necklace around his neck, his eyes locked with hers, his expression tense and distrustful, his jaw tight, his.. he....

.... n...no.... i... it can't.....

She was completely paralyzed for the second time that night, she couldn't breathe and she didn't even care to- her fractured and splintered mind, body, soul and emotions were shattered still, and that made it.. this....

Her life, her years, the last few months, days... today, all of it had been a storm, all of it spiraling further and further into insanity and this...?

Impossible.... r...right...?

But.... but... he.... he looked.... alm... ost...... exactly.... t...the same......?

Older, stronger, angry... but that... that face... those eyes....

N..no....

How long....?

It can't...i..it....

She felt the tears fall down her cheeks in sheer, fixed, rigid silence and she just stared as her world fell apart further than it already had. And her heart fell apart with it... so much she wouldn't ever be able to pick the pieces back up again, not after all that happened, not after being taken, not after that pain, not after she'd... not after....t..this...

It can't be.... h.. how could it... ever....?

But she couldn't think her mind was playing tricks on her.... she couldn't think she was seeing things... not even as her vision started to fade and get swallowed up by black, a wash of it circling in and surrounding the image of him, and still she didn't dare let her eyes break away.

Impossible.... but....?

She was falling, her body and her mind failing to keep her attention on him- she just.... she couldn't take it, it was too much, all of it too much...

...G..Gray...?

She fell into pitch black, everything silent, falling further and further into that chasm that had been stalking her all day, and yet her descent was the last thing on her mind.

H....He's............ Alive....?

.:+:.

Longest Chapter yet! And a LOT of stuff happened! QwQ

I hope you enjoyed it none the less! Thank you for your continued support!

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