A/N: Episode 187.

Enjoy!

edited on december 27th, 2024 @ 11:13pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝙵𝙾𝚄𝚁,
𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴.

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"𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘, we were in a prison." Future Lucy was saying.

"'That time'?" Happy quoted.

"Um, why did you both come from the future, Lucy-san, Samuel-kun?" Wendy asked.

"In order to change a terrible future..."

"A terrible future?" Natsu repeated.

"What happened in your future?" Yukino questioned.

"Despair awaits in the very near future. A swarm of more than 10,000 dragons will attack this country. The city is burned down. The palace is destroyed. Many lives are lost." Future Lucy replied, leaving everyone in shock while Future Samuel looked down.

"What... the hell... is that?!" Natsu screamed out.

"Use your indoor voice!" Lily scolded.

"Over 10,000 dragons..." Mira muttered.

"Why would that happen?" Yukino asked.

"Oh my gosh!" Happy shrieked.

"Maybe it has something to do with the dragon graveyard?" Wendy guessed.

"I don't know." Carla said.

"It's unfathomable." Lily added.

"Oh my gosh!" Happy continued to freak out.

"That's annoying!" Lily told him in irritation.

"I wonder where they'll come from." Lucy said.

"Is it even possible for them to be lying in wait without being discovered?" Loke questioned.

Natsu was holding a bunch of spears. "Anyway, we gotta stop wastin' time here and prepare for war!"

"We're going to fight?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"That'd be impossible!" Happy added.

"Everyone... You believe me?" Future Lucy asked in shock.

"Is it a lie?!" Natsu accused.

"No! But..." Future Lucy paused. "I didn't think anyone would believe something like this."

"Why would we doubt your words, Lucy?" Natsu asked.

Future Lucy glanced down and smiled slightly. "You're my future self, but that's pathetic! Have more trust in your friends!" Lucy scolded.

"I'm scolding myself?!" Future Lucy exclaimed. "But you're right..."

Carla thinks back to her vision. "Now it makes sense. The destroyed Mercurius, singing in the palace... No, that was Lucy crying and shouting! Crying? Why?" She recalled before walking up to Future Lucy and Future Samuel. "Hey, what happened to us in the palace when the dragons came?"

Future Lucy glanced down and didn't reply. "Carla, I'll take a guess. Maybe we..." Wendy started to say.

"... d-died?"

"No..."

"We... died?" Happy teared up.

"Because I was with you? Bringing bad luck..." Yukino thinks to herself.

"I don't remember how many days passed. When I came to, I remembered Eclipse. I didn't know how to activate it, but I opened the Gate by instinct. I had faith in the possibility of going back in time. And I really did go back to the past. July 4th, 791." Future Lucy explained.

"That's... so recent." Loke commented.

"With Eclipse, can you only go back to the recent past?" Mira asked.

"But the plan was to go back 400 years in the past and defeat Zeref..." Wendy reminded.

"I don't know. Part of it was broken, so maybe that's why." Future Lucy replied.

Arcadios was leaning on the wall, now conscious. "I see. They're both the mysterious people from the future who advised the princess. But something's bothering me..." He thought.

"There are Lacrimas placed all throughout the city to film the Grand Magic Game. We want you to go underground to meet up with Jellal-san and his comrades." Future Samuel instructed.

"Jellal?" Natsu repeated.

"I told him everything. I'm sure he's developing a strategy right now."

"Developing a strategy?" Samuel quoted.

Future Lucy and Future Samuel both glanced down. "I'm sorry. Lucy-san and I didn't come from the future with an answer. We don't know how to keep all of this from happening." Future Samuel confessed.

"As I thought..." Arcadios noted, recalling his conversation with Hisui. "Why? You're the ones who sold the princess on Eclipse 2. And the both of you arriving on the 4th is a lie, too. Why are you both lying to your comrades?"

"I'm really sorry. It's like, why did we come here? Until today, neither of us didn't know what to do, so we just wandered around the city." Future Lucy said.

"Nah. We'll do somethin'." Natsu promised, making Future Lucy glance up.

Natsu kneeled down, placing his hand on Future Lucy's head. "Thank you. You're doin' this for our future." He said, making Future Lucy tear up.

"I swear we'll change the future." Natsu promised.

Samuel looks at his future self. "Something bothering you?" He questioned, making his future self glance over.

"I didn't come from Lucy-san's future. Actually, I'm also dead in hers." Future Samuel revealed as Future Lucy remained silent.

"Then why did you come from the future, Samuel-kun?" Wendy asked.

"To kill someone." Future Samuel confessed with no emotion, shocking everyone.

"What? That doesn't sound like you, Samuel." Natsu said.

"You're not the type to kill anyone." Lily agreed.

"Time changes people. I don't expect any of you to understand, anyway." Future Samuel said in a cold tone before frowning as he recalled a memory.

"Sting!"

Sting collapses to the ground after a blade had struck him. "No!" Samuel shouted. "Hey, Sting! Answer me, please!"

But it was too late. Sting was gone.

Future Samuel wipes the tears that were able to escape. "The person I wanna kill killed someone important to me. I used the gate to go after him. While here, I happened to run into Lucy-san and we teamed up. That's all there is to it." He explained.

"Killed someone important to me?" Samuel thinks to himself, lost in his thoughts.

The only people important to him were Gray and Sting.

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"It's not all necessarily true?" Ultear quoted.

"You mean the Future Samuel is lying?" Meredy asked.

"Why go to all that trouble?" Ultear questioned.

"More than 10,000 dragons... Eclipse... Magic power... It just doesn't add up." Jellal explained.

"Then..." Meredy started to say.

"... he's purposely giving misinformation about the future?" Ultear finished.

"Are Samuel's words lies? Or is his entire existence a fiction?" Jellal asked.

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"Go ahead, say it again. Who's not as strong as whom?" Gajeel questioned.

"Rogue..." Frosch muttered worriedly.

Rogue started chuckling, confusing Gajeel. "Little by little, I feel like I've come to understand... why you joined Fairy Tail." He claimed.

"What are you talkin' about?"

"I don't blame you for not remembering. I was a little bald brat. Just a little nuisance who idolized Phantom Lord, the guild you were in." Rogue said, making Gajeel widen his eyes. "I wanted to join Phantom Lord too when I got bigger. But the guild lost in a war with Fairy Tail and disbanded."

"And of all things, you joined the hated Fairy Tail. I couldn't believe it. For you to join the guild that destroyed Phantom Lord... But I was sure you had a reason. A reason for being in Fairy Tail... And now I understand that reason. They're comrades, aren't they?" Rogue asked.

"No one feels that way in Sabertooth. We're the Master's soldiers. His orders are absolute. Victory is absolute."

"If you call yourself a guild, take care of your comrades."

"What is a guild? Comrades... What... am I fighting for? Now I understand why you people are so strong. That's why we can't beat you. Although the daughter, who's in a league of her own, and Sting, who's revved up because of Lector, are different stories." Rogue continued.

"Stand up." Gajeel told him, causing Rogue to look up at him. "You don't understand nothin'."

Rogue nodded as Gajeel then grinned. "The frog is your comrade, ain't he?" He questioned.

"Frog?" Rogue repeated in confusion.

"Fro thinks so, too!" Frosch commented.

Rogue stood up. "Frosch is a cat!" He exclaimed.

"An Exceed, to be exact." Gajeel corrected. "Right?"

"That's right. Frosch is my comrade." Rogue agreed, making Gajeel smile.

"Rogue..." Frosch teared up.

Rogue sighed. "You got me."

"Rogue."

Rogue suddenly widened his eyes as he looked back.

"Look in front of you. The enemy still stands before you."

"Huh?" Gajeel suddenly said.

"Who are you?! Where are you?!" Rogue looked around frantically.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Gajeel questioned.

"Rogue, kill Gajeel!"

"Hey, where are you?!" Rogue asked.

"That's your destiny."

"Where...?"

"Fool."

Rogue looked down at his shadow.

"I'm your shadow. I'll lend you power. Kill Gajeel!" His shadow grinned.

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Future Lucy and Future Samuel both had their hoods up as the group was following them. "This way!" Future Lucy instructed.

"I'm surprised you know the way!" Natsu confessed.

"Samuel and I wanted to at least avoid a future where everyone is captured by the imperial army." Future Lucy explained.

"Makes sense." Lily commented.

"You two must have studied the underground passages, huh?" Happy asked.

"I want to send up a flare soon." Mira informed.

"Especially since everyone must be worried about us." Wendy added.

The group finally made their way into the palace halls, the sound of royal guards were soon coming their way.

"There they are! The fugitives!"

"Capture them!"

"The imperial army? They were stationed here?!" Future Samuel exclaimed.

"How...?!" Samuel questioned.

Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry! If I can use Magic, we won't get caught."

"That's right." Loke agreed.

"E-Excuse me!" Wendy suddenly shouted. "Arcadios-san isn't here!"

"Neither is Yukino!" Mira added.

"What?!"

"Why would they go off on their own?!" Samuel asked as his future self had a dark shadow casted on his face.

"I don't care about the knight, but I can't leave Yukino behind. I'll go back!" Mira informed, turning around and heading towards the opposite direction.

"Mira!"

"Don't! We'll get separated!" Lucy shouted.

"Everyone, be careful!" Mira warned.

"Leave it to us. We're gonna..." Natsu started to say.

"Yeah." Loke agreed.

"... run through these guys!" Natsu and Loke finished in unison as the two of them got in a fighting stance.

"Get them!"

Natsu leaped into the air with his fist covered in flames, attacking some of the guards as Loke attacked some more.

"Mira-san..." Wendy thought worriedly.

"Yukino..." Lucy thinks to herself.

"I'll protect you, Carla." Happy claimed, holding up a stick.

"This uneasy feeling..." Carla had her paws to her head. "What should we do?!"

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Rogue gripped onto his head as his body was trembling. "Hey, what's wrong with you all of a sudden?" Gajeel asked.

"Kill Gajeel! That's my destiny."

"Would you get a hold of yourself?!" Gajeel said.

"I'll lend you power."

The shadow soon took control over Rogue as Gajeel was suddenly flung back.

"Gajeel!" Levy shouted.

"Gajeel-san!" Takashi exclaimed.

"What's this all of a sudden?!"

"Did he say something that hit a nerve?"

"This guy..." Gajeel thinks to himself.

Rogue chuckled darkly. "I just lent you a little power, Rogue." He claimed.

"Who are you?!" Gajeel questioned.

"A shadow. A shadow that rules destiny."

"Huh? What are you talkin' about?"

Rogue disappeared and kicked Gajeel, making him do a backflip as he landed on his feet. "I don't get it, but you're rarin' to mix it up, huh? This'll be fun!" Gajeel exclaimed.

"What the heck? It looked like they'd settle things peacefully before." Romeo pointed out.

"Something strange about his demeanor..." Makarov stated.

"Gajeel, be careful!" Levy warned.

"Iron Dragon's Sword!" Gajeel called out as his arm changed into a sword.

Rogue turned into a shadow and climbed around it before reappearing and attacking Gajeel with shadows.

"Shadow Dragon's Waxwing Flash!"

Gajeel collapsed to the ground. "Gajeel!" Levy yelled.

"Gajeel-san!" Takashi called out.

"Rogue..." Frosch mumbled.

Frosch looked at the Lacrima screen. "Who is that?!" He questioned to himself.

Gajeel stood back up. "Where'd he go?" He wondered.

"I'm right here."

Gajeel looked behind him. "Shadow Dragon's Slash!" Rogue called out, attacking Gajeel once more.

"Number One, what is that?" Makarov asked.

"It seems like he's possessed by something." Mavis replied.

"Why, you..." Gajeel said as Rogue dodged his attack before sending a few of his own.

"Right then, he could grab him, even in shadow form!" Romeo exclaimed.

Levy had her mouth covered. "The type of Magic changed?" She questioned.

"I sense... I sense great evil... A type of Magic that I didn't even know existed..." Mavis noted.

Gajeel was clenching onto his arm. "I was right. You're not as strong as Natsu Dragneel." Rogue claimed.

"Bastard..." Gajeel muttered.

"Although even Natsu Dragneel is no match for me now." Rogue grinned.

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Jellal raised his head as him, Ultear, and Meredy all sensed it. "This Magic..." Ultear muttered.

"I'm sure of it!" Meredy added.

"In the city..."

"Calm down. The Future Samuel and Future Lucy have both become caught up in a battle. If Natsu and the others are with them, there's no need to panic." Jellal informed.

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"Get back, Samuel!" Lily warned as he was in his Battle Form.

"I'm fine!" Samuel reassured.

Wendy threw some wind up in the air, attacking the guards.

"Even though they're just kids, they're damn strong!"

"Call the anti-Magic unit!"

"You're not getting past us!" Loke claimed, kicking one of the guards as Natsu threw back more royal guards.

Natsu suddenly got blasted by something. "Direct hit! Ready waves two and three!"

"Was that Magic?" Carla asked.

"Who are those guys?" Happy questioned. "Natsu!"

"The kingdom has a Magic unit, too..." Carla muttered.

Natsu pats his back, smoke emitting from it. "That's a surprise." He turned around, grinning. "You guys actually make a living with Magic like that?"

"It didn't work!"

"Is that kid a monster?!"

"What should we do?!"

"Hi! Sorry I took so long!"

"Don't!"

"We weren't waiting for you!"

"Don't just come out on your own!"

"Who the hell are you?!" Natsu questioned.

"Sorry, sorry!" The dolphin apologized.

"Me? I'm the kingdom of Fiore's strongest Magic soldier."

"That's going too far!" The dolphin exclaimed.

"What is this guy?" Lily asked. "A wizard? Not a Celestial Spirit?"

"They don't have people like him." Lucy responded.

"Time for punishment, isn't it, Princess?" Virgo questioned.

"I'm gonna go all out for the lovely Princess Hisui."

"Ball! Get it!" The dolphin said, moving through the guards.

"He's bowling over his allies?" Wendy questioned.

"That guy's scary!" Happy exclaimed.

"In more ways than one..." Carla commented.

The dolphin guy crashed into Natsu. "You got some power there!" He claimed.

"I've got confidence in my physcial strength!" The dolphin said.

"Your man there's exhausted!" Natsu pointed out.

"Sorry! I can't..."

"You can't?!"

"All right!" Natsu lit his fist on fire. "If you claim to be the strongest, then I'm gonna do my worst!"

"Okay! I'm waiting for it with open arms..." The guy was sweating.

"All that sweat!" The dolphin complained.

"Fire Dragon's Fist!" Natsu called out, punching the man-dolphin away.

"We tried!"

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Rogue was currently choking Gajeel as he chuckled at his state. "Are you sure you're Gajeel? This is too easy." He claimed.

"Stop it! He'll die!" Levy shouted. "Gajeel!"

Frosch was currently running through the corridor. "Fro has to go! I have to get Rogue back!" He said to himself.

"The shadows are going to eat away at you. You'll disappear for eternity!" Rogue exclaimed as Gajeel collapsed to the ground, shadows surrounding him. "Sleep in the darkness."

Gajeel grinned. "If the Salamander could do it, there ain't no way I can't!" He stated as he began sucking up the shadows around him.

"What?"

Gajeel sat up. "It can't be!" Rogue said.

"He ate the shadows?!" Levy questioned to herself.

"I knew he could do it!" Makarov stated.

"He absorbed the properties of the shadows." Mavis noticed.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but get outta his body." Gajeel said.

"Out of Rogue?"

"And his name ain't Rogue. It's Ryos, my former disciple. You didn't idolize me back then. That wasn't the kind of guy I was. I know that better than anyone. You were scared of me." Gajeel stated.

"This is..."

Gajeel's body soon turned to steel. "I'll remind you of that one more time. How terrifying I am!" He exclaimed.

"This is... the Iron Shadow Dragon?!"

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A/N: Since we weren't really sure how Future Sting died, I had to improvise that bit. I think you all know where I'm going with this idea since I included both Future Lucy and Future Samuel. 

Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2652 words.