Hot and Cold

Iron Rock Jura

~*****~

Ballad tugs at the braid resting on my shoulder. "So, if there isn't a pilot seat or control panel where we can stop this thing, what are we gonna do?" She asks curiously.

"Destroy it, of course," Natsu retorted.

"Leave it to us to demolish a city, right?" Lucy sighs.

I hum delicately and tilt my head. "Isn't that kinda what we Fairy Tail wizards do?"

"Not to sound pessimistic, but that's a pretty tall order." Gray mentioned.

"Before that, we should see if Brain knows how to stop Nirvana." Jura states.

"I doubt that brute would share such information with us." Carla comments.

"If he won't tell us, maybe Jellal will know." Wendy hummed almost inaudibly.

I hum in response, my gaze swinging out to the city below. "Is everything okay?" I hear Lucy ask.

"Think of something that'll help?" Gray asks.

I turned my gaze onto Wendy as she began to fidget with the sleeves of my overcoat wrapped around her shoulders. "Well, I'm not quite sure." She mentioned lightly. "But it may be the best option we have, so I'll do my best to find it!"

"Wendy? Where are you going, child?!" Carla called as she flew after her.

"Hey!" Gray exclaimed.

I snort. "She sure is determined," Lucy hums.

Jura hums in response before a voice echoes through my head. "My friends, can you hear me?" I palm my ear and wince. Who the hell was that? "It is I, the wizard known as Hoteye."

"You guys hear that too, or am I goin' crazy?" Lucy stammered.

"I heard it," Natsu retorts.

"Yeah, so did I." I nod.

"Did you defeat Midnight, Richard?" Jura asks.

"I tried my best, but in the end, it seems my magic wasn't simply strong enough to trump his. Do not concern yourself with my rescue. You must work together to bring Midnight down for good." Hoteye explains. "If you succeed in defeating him, Nirvana's source of magic power will be rendered dry and the city will cease its destructive path."

"Am I supposed to know this guy?" Natsu asks irritably. I snort in response, equally confused.

"So, we can stop Nirvana without destroying the whole thing?" Gray asks.

"He's directly below you, just outside of the royal throne!" Hoteye says. "His power is not one to be underestimated. Please, be cautious, my friends!"

"The same to you, Richard!" Jura exclaims.

"What are we waiting for?" Lucy asked.

"Nice!" Gray beamed. "This mess just got a whole lot easier!"

"I'm all fired up now!" Natsu exclaims. "We're comin' for you, Sleepy Head!"

"Come on, I know you can do better than that." Happy commented.

"All right, how about Sir Snores-A-Lot?" Natsu asked.

"Nope, that's your nickname." I comment dryly.

"At least I don't drool ice cubes!" Natsu exclaimed, his face flushing in response to my tease.

"Only one of the six prayers still remains on the battlefield. Every ounce of my trust and confidence belongs to you, my friends." Hoteye explains. "Defeat Midnight and stop Nirvana once and for all! Oh yeah! I wish you luck, my faithful comrades!"