The Power of One Dream (A One Piece x Fairy Tail Story)

Part 34

[Back in the Entrance Foyer]

The massive front doors were finally open. And though the dark of the forest at night and the little illumination offered by the candles in that chamber obscured some of the faces, there was no mistaking the look of overjoyed relief on Master Makarov Dreyar's face as he beheld his children, in spite of his weariness for his part pushing the doors open (once again giant size). With him were a mixture of exclamations of relief, joy, confusion and concern either side of the vast expanse that had been the Foyer floor. The Polar Bear Mink Navigator Bepo was perhaps one of the most overjoyed at seeing his captain along with the rest of the Hearts Pirates. Eustuss 'Captain' Kid just continued scowling at Law which he returned, but was clearly likewise gladdened to be reunited with his own crew. Otherwise onlookers might suffice to believe both were equally relived to see their respective allies in their Ishgar operations unharmed. On the other hand, little expression could be interpreted for certain of the masked Mage Mystogan's eyes set within his hat and scarf headwear. But it seemed to have a hint of wary anxiety as he gazed towards the Fish-Man on the other side. Perhaps particularly towards the rousing swordswoman held in the arm of the Fish-Man.

And then everyone felt the shaking.

Carved stone buttress fragments, Manticore stone statuettes and pieces of ceiling fell plummeting into the expanse between the groups. There was little doubt in everyone's mind that the Mugiwara/Fairy battle against the Manticore Sting Guild was fast approaching the end of its final phase.

"Uhh Guys! The house is coming down, and not in a good way!!" Brook panicked. Lucy perked up at once and turned to Fairy Tail's Master Ice Mage with clear objective. "GRAY!! We need a bridge across the big hole! RIGHT NOW!!!" For once Gray didn't quibble about being bossed around. "Ice Make: Bridge!!" Almost instantly, a bridge of solid ice manifested across the chasm stretching from the Rescue Party's side over to the heavy open doors. And the Rescue Party wasted no time making their way across, even as chunks of debris continued to fall, cracking the sites of impact along the way and almost hitting the fleeing fighters.

By the time everyone was outside in the clearing of the now comparatively less scary forest, a few more faces were now visible among the throng surprising the Fairies from inside. A few faces being ALL the other major Wizard Guilds of Fiore! All clearly having expected more of a fight once word had reached them (no small efforts thanks to Crime Sorciere) of the location of the notorious new Dark Guild. And there were none too few tense looks in particular from the Sabretooth Guild towards the dishevelled Shadow Dragon Slayer and their newest member the 'New Beast King', both still in the tattered remains of their undercover Manticore Sting robes. And for Rogue, the hardest face to look upon was that of the tiny green Exceed in a pink frog onesie. No longer wearing their loveably dopey absent-minded smile, but a look like they were about to burst into tears. He had no words to convey why he was gone all these 2 long months without contacting them or the guild, or how he could have left them hurting so. Neither were any necessary as they threw themselves at him for a tight hug.

Then all eyes were drawn to the roof of the dark building exploding! Followed by a large oozing black mass soaring through the night sky, containing three people surrounded by ribbons of flame.

.........

The open night sky all around them. The crumbling ruins of Avatar far below them. Large crowds of which they were sure contained their friends a way off from the ruins below. And the battered and bruised Fullerman emerging from the ink-black mass dead ahead of them. The battle was almost won, but they still had to finish the job.

Natsu looked to Luffy who had restored his arm to its original shape. Natsu no longer in Dragon Force form. Luffy no longer in his Haki-imbued state. "You ready to finish this?" The Dragon Slayer asked the pirate captain with fists once more blazing and his signature 'All-Fired-Up' grin. "Just try and stop me." Luffy replied with his own special grin and fists upraised. Even though he wouldn't be able to use Haki again for a few minutes, months of training and many adventures had prepped his body giving him all the stamina he needed for one last attack.