第31章: Reunion
Another normal day at the fairy tail guild hall and once again filled with drinking, laughter, brawl and stories. Except at one table where this time it is not only occupied by Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Carla and Wendy for this time Cana who is not drinking and Juvia who is so upset. On there faces are looks of worry "First, it was Erza. I know how the stupid Gray feels about her, but I didn't expect him to disappear, what an idiot" Cana sated with annoyance. "Juvia is worried with her Gray sama" she said while crying and blowing her nose on the table napkin. "Maybe he needs to be alone, he amongst everyone was the saddest, even Jellal has moved on" Lucy answered "I'm going to beat that popsicle stick into a pulp when I find him" said Natsu balling his fist as Carla just nodded and Happy saluted at no one as he says "Aye sir!!! He loves Erza" and the blue haired woman cried even more "I wished Gray sama would notice Juvia now that Erza chan is gone" earning herself a nasty stare from everyone else in the table.
The door swung open. A certain raven haired guy walked in with his hands in his pockets and is clothed. He stopped at their table, raised his right hand to wave before saying "Yo" and smiled. Everyone was quiet, shocked at his demeanor, even Juvia is too surprised to even say a word. "What are you looking at flame for brains?" Gray shouted at Natsu "what did you say ice princess?" He replied and went on their usual brawl. Lucy and Cana looked at each other and smiled in relief. Juvia cried and hug the raven head from behind "Juvia is happy to see Gray sama back" she said as Carla let out a satisfied sigh.
An explosion. It was near the guild hall but they felt it. They went out to check but can not see anything. Another explosion destroying the roofs of nearby houses. Still they can not see anything. People ran in panic trying to avoid any injuries. Then another explosion but now it was directly above them, at the guild hall. Out of nowhere Loke appeared beside Lucy. "What are you doing here? I didn't summon your gate to open!!!" She told the Celestial Spirit. "I know, I just thought you needed some help to see what's going on or who came back" he answered with a smirk "what are you talking about?" Gray asked. Loke took on his casting stance. He then let out a large amount of light from his body, covering a wide radius. "Shishikōyō" he said and then right after opening their eyes trying to recover from the blinding lights they saw Ulquiorra and a flash of scarlet locks.
"Why do you protect these humans? I thought you are worthy of serving Lord Aizen" the hollow said in a stoic expression and lunged forward to attack the red head and she parried his attack. "I will fight for my friends than watching them get hurt, I will fight for those I love." She answered and unsheathed her zanpakutō.
"Bala" the 4th espada commanded and a concentrated spirit energy shoots from his hand. Erza crossed her arms in front of her to brace for its impact but to her surprise nothing hit her and when she checked, she saw Gray frozed the opponent and Natsu was standing in front of her who took the attack.
Her eyes widen in surprise "Gray, Natsu. Both of you, wait what are you boys doing?!?" Natsu flashed his smile to her and Gray wrapped his arms around her from behind. "You can see us?!?" She asked the Lucy stepped forward and smiled before saying, "Loke helped us, he used his magic so we can see you"
"Cero" Ulquiorra said and an orb of light formed on the tip of his index finger then fired a powerful energy blast. Erza immediately casted a kidō spell "Kekkai: Mijon Esukudo!" She then creates a light green hexagonal barrier, which is fixed in front of each of them. Upon contact with the force from the hollow's cera attack, the barrier enlarges to fully protect whomever it is affixed to. The barrier keeps the attack away from the target by gathering the energy in one area, and momentarily absorbing it before forcing the attack outward and away from the shield, dispersing the attack altogether. She made sure that everyone and even the guild hall is protected her kidō barrier spell.
"Impressive" the enemy commented keeping a melancholic expression and Erza just smirked in return. "We need to cut our reunion short, I'll be right back. Meanwhile, do not interfere. Don't even try, I placed a binding spell to all of you" she told her FairyTail friends with her famous death glare and all answered in unison "aye, sir!"
"Enclose Murciélago" Ulquiorra commanded as he enters his Resurrección form by releasing his Zanpakuto "Segunda Etapa" he again commanded and transformed into his second release form. In the other hand Erza remained calm and stoic. "Bankai: Shinku Ryūjin"she said. A dragon like wings appeared and stretched from her back. Her zanpakutō transformed into her bankai a scythe adorned with dragon powers. Dragon like scales appeared on some part of her body and monster-like horns appeared on her head. Her ears extended like that of a fairy elf. Her clothes was a short black dress designed and is covered in golden armor. A strong and scary glowing red energy force emits from within her as it surrounds her like a magical aura.
"Is this the new Erza!?!" Gray asked to no one in particular hoping for an explanation. "What's happening!?!" Natsu as usual is clueless about the situation while Wendy, Lucy, Cana, Juvia, Carla and Happy watches with fear, since they are the only ones Like casted his magic on.
"So this is the power Lord Aizen was referring to when he said that you are his queen" he said "Then Why are you wasting it protecting this lowly mortals?" He added. Erza smiled and looked at the other mages before saying "Even if we walk on different paths, one must always live on as you are able! You must never treat your own life as something insignificant! You must never forget the friends you love for as long as you live! Let bloom the flowers of light within your hearts." Then she balled her fist and stared at the hollow with determination "All I need is the power to be able to protect my comrades. So long as I can have the strength to do that, I will fight for my friends than watching them get hurt, I will fight for those I love. My companions make my heart strong. If I'm fighting for those I love, I care whonyou are or what you are capable of, you messed up with the wrong guild"
"Heart, you say? You humans are always so quick to speak of such things. As though you carry your hearts in the very palms of your hands. But this eye of mine perceives all. There is nothing that it overlooks. If this eye cannot see a thing, then it does not exist. That is the assumption under which I have always fought. What is this "heart"? If I tear open that chest of yours, will I see it there? If I smash open that skull of yours, will I see it there?" Ulquiorra teased.
Erza moved her scythe "Death Scream" she commanded and The area was enveloped by darkness and the only source of light was her, the radiant red magical beam of light sorounded her "I'll show you the power of love and friendship" she said as she slashes the space in front of her and an invisible force ripped the hollow's wings as she walked slowly towards his direction. Ulquiorra looked at her with confusion unable to understand what just happened and his body started trembling when he felt her power. "I am giving you a chance to run, the next blow will kill you" Erza warned him but he stood up and is prepared to fight "I under estimated you" he said before commanding "Cero Oscuras" it is a variation of Cero bit is far more powerful than an average Cero, with a vast range and massive attack power. It shattered and destroyed half of the dome over Las Noches. Erza simply dodges his attack by her fist like a little fly and returned it towards him injuring him greatly. The mages quietly watches their former seventh guild master in both dread and excitement.
"Ransa deru reranpāgo" he then enchanted. Using his spiritual power, Ulquiorra creates a javelin-like weapon. The energy flowing off of each end in a fashion similar to flames, making it look more arrow-shaped. He threw it towards Erza like a spear, it produces an incredibly destructive explosion on impact, which dwarfs the fortress of Las Noches in height. But Erza just stood there without a single scratch. "Darkness Cage" she commanded pointing her weapon towards him. A sphere of Darkness Magic formed from the dragon scythe, before firing it at him, releasing several ghosts that wrap around her target, restraining his movement. "This ends now" she said in a serious manner. "Shin Tentai Mahō Sēma" she enchanted. She then begins to slowly move her weapon until it points upwards, causing the clouds above her to begin circling, creating what appears to be a cyclone. From the center of the swirling formation, a glowing orb begins to form, growing in size until a humongous meteor emerges, falling quickly to earth towards Ulquiorra. When the meteor hits, the force is strong enough to create a large explosion, which engulfs a wide area and releases a strong hurricane of air, also leaving a large crater in its wake.
Ulquiorra was thrown unconscious with more than half of his body blown away and ripped apart from the explosion, to the ground. His body is regenerating, but it is only a front, for the internal organs which were blown way will not regenerate.
Realizing he is finished, Ulquiorra requests Erza to finish him off, or else the fight will never be considered finished. "Kill me" he pleaded, but she just remained silent "Quickly, I no longer have the strength to walk." He added. "No. I'm not going to do it." She answered sternly. "I don't want to end it this way." She said walking towards him "Even to the very end, you never do what anyone wants or expects" he said expressing his growing interest in Humans. "And here I am starting to take interest in all of you" Ulquiorra, then reaches out his hand to her and said "you never are afraid to anyone or anything" Erza nodded and answered "Never. As long as I have my friends with me, I will never be afraid" she then tries to grab hold of Ulquiorra's hand, but it begins to dissolve into ash before she is able to. "It's a shame that I never got the chance to meet you before all this. Would you have befriended me and taught me the love and heart you were talking about?" Erza nodded and returned to her normal form and sheathed her zanpakutō then wrapped the man in her arms.
From her gesture, he, realizing what a heart is, believes there, in his disintegrated hand, is a heart. "I see. So this is it. It lies here within this palm. The heart." Is his last words as Ulquiorra fades into the wind.