Hot and Cold

Celestial Spirit King's Thanks

~*****~

When nothing else comes for us, we charge forward, delving deeper into the beast. "I don't know about you guys, but it looks like it's getting brighter," I mention, my eyes squinting in the new light.

"Yeah, we haven't been attacked by any weird rocks lately, either," Natsu retorts.

"Who knows, maybe the others found a way to beat him up from the outside," Happy comments.

I snort. "Knowing those reckless bunch of wizards, I'll bet they're using brute force."

"Could be," Natsu chuckles. He began sniffing again. "Hey, wait, I can smell it a lot clearer now--" Natsu comments. "Loke's gotta be that way."

"Cool! Let's get him!" Happy cheered.

"Aye, sir!" Natsu, Ballad, and I respond cheerfully.

We continue flying towards the light. "Hey, Natsu, what do you think that light could be?" Ballad asks shakily.

"That's the spot! Bet the whole Zodiac's in there!" Natsu exclaims.

Happy shuddered. "It's so bright! And my feathers are melting!" He cries.

"Yeah, I don't know how much longer I can handle this!" Ballad sobs.

"Just get us in as close as you can, okay?!" I call back.

"Aye, ma'am!" Happy and Ballad shout.

Just as we get close enough, my stomach drops instantly. There on the brilliant light, lays the Celestial Spirit King, chained down tightly. "What the heck is this?" Natsu gasps.

"That isn't possible... is it?" Happy asks shakily.

"The Celestial Spirit King!" I exclaim.

"Well, if the Spirit Beast is as hungry as we think he is, he'd try and eat himself for sure!" Happy mentions. "That orb must be it's stomach!"

"Wait, so where do you think we are?!" Natsu asks.

"We're right above the center of the Spirit Beast. His belly!" Ballad reiterates.

"Hey, big guy! Stache-face!" Natsu calls loudly. "Wake up, will ya?!"

The chains react to his voice and start tugging the Celestial King downwards to the light. "That can't be good!" Happy cried. "What do we do?!"

"Keep him from gettin' dragged into that mess!" I exclaim. "Come on, guys!"

"Aye, ma'am!" Happy and Ballad chirp.

"If those chains that are pulling him in, if we can break 'em, we'll be good!" Happy exclaims.

"Sure thing!" Natsu shouts. "Fire Dragon Crushing Fang!" He bellows. He slugs one of the chains and it does nothing. "Fire Dragon Roar!" He bellows again, but yet again, the chains remain strong.

"They didn't even budge!" I gasp.

"Please tell me you were holding back!" Ballad cried.

"Well, yeah, I can probably burn through 'em, in a minute," Natsu retorts. The chains move and start pulling on the Celestial Spirit King again.

"It's too bad we don't have one!" Happy cried.

"Dammit! Gotta think fast--" I growl as I start scrubbing at my hair violently. A familiar scent wafts over my nose and I snap my gaze onto the chain Natsu is pulling at. "Hey! Loke is that you?!"

Natsu peers at me suspiciously before the scent hits him, too. "Whoa! What the heck are you doin'?! Hiding?!"

"This doesn't concern you, human," Loke's voice rings out. "Be gone."