A/N: I was going to do the Eclipse Celestial Spirits Arc, but I didn't want to bore you guys with an Arc that was just a filler. So we're going to do these episodes and then it's onto the Tartaros Arc!

End of Episode 223 + all of Episode 224, Opening 18.

Enjoy!

unedited

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝙸𝙵𝚃𝚈,
𝓣𝙷𝙴 𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙴 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙲𝙰𝙼𝙴 𝚃𝙾.

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Sabertooth . . .

𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗛 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟. "Natsu-san!" He shouted.

"Hi, Sting! How have you been?" Natsu questioned before Sting grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Hurry up! The exchange program is canceled!" Sting informed, shocking Natsu.

The Fairy Tail Mages soon joined Sting, Rogue, Samuel, Lector, and Frosch on top of a watchtower.

"That's..." Sting pointed to an island.

"... an island, right?" Natsu asked.

"What about the island?" Gray questioned.

"It suddenly appeared from the sea several days ago." Sting responded.

"An island suddenly appears from the ocean? Is that even possible?" Lucy asked.

Rogue turned around. "It's true. We think the island appeared because of the recent occurrence where the ground shook." He explained.

"It's not a volcano, and it's got a real forest. It's some weird island." Lector added.

"Fro thinks so, too."

"It's got structures, doesn't it?" Natsu asked.

"You've got good eyes." Lucy replied.

"So the Council contacted us." Sting explained.

"We want you to explore the island."

Everyone turned, seeing Lahar with two Rune Knights at his side as Wendy and Carla were with him.

"Sabertooth and Fairy Tail, working together." Lahar continued.

"What are you guys doing here?" Natsu asked Wendy and Carla.

"Um, how can I put it?" Wendy questioned.

"Master asked us to come. You've been causing trouble all over the kingdom, so he told us to keep an eye on you." Carla explained.

"Lahar-san happened to be at the guild just then, so he took us with him." Wendy added.

"If you want us to investigate the place, it would help if you told us everything you know about it." Erza said.

"This is the ruling of the Council: 'That island is dangerous.'" Lahar stated.

"Dangerous?" Natsu quoted as him and Lucy looked back at the island. "Hey, Kemokemo?"

Kemokemo was staring at the island.

"That very important thing... When I try to recall it, a fog rolls in through my brain. I have the feeling I'm supposed to be doing something, but I don't know what it is."

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Everyone had boarded the Magic Council ship. "There. Troia is finished." Wendy told Natsu.

"Thanks. So what's dangerous now?" Natsu asked.

"We picked up a life form on the island, identity unknown. We don't even know if it's human or animal. The reading was inconclusive." Lahar replied. "But it definitely came from this island that just appeared a few days ago."

"Yeah, that doesn't bode well..." Gray agreed.

"And that's why we're checking it out?" Lucy questioned as Lahar nodded.

"As commander, I'll stay behind in the boat after we dock. If something happens on the island, send up a signal flare." He responded.

"Roger." Erza said.

The group soon left the ship. "Why is there a path on a new island?" Natsu asked.

"My guess is that people used to live here and then it sunk at some point." Lucy replied.

"And for some reason, suddenly popped up again... Anyway, there may be something in those ruins." Gray said, looking up at the ruins.

"This place is suspicious!" Lector told Frosch.

"Fro thinks so, too!" Frosch agreed.

"Let's split up and investigate the perimeter. We'll regroup at the ruins." Erza instructed.

Samuel was with Sting, Rogue, and their Exceeds when a sea serpent appeared from the ruins.

"Well, I guess we got our answer to the life reading." Samuel commented.

"It's near the ruins! Let's go!" Sting said.

They soon joined up with Team Natsu. "Natsu-san! That's a sea serpent!" Sting informed.

"What?!"

"A demon of the sea. I heard about them a long time ago." Sting said.

"But this is land!" Natsu exclaimed, pointing out the obvious.

The sea serpent charged at them, making all of them dodge.

Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Kemokemo went into the ruins as the serpent followed them, blocking them in.

Erza quickly shot a red signal flare into the air, getting a nearby Rune Knight's attention.

"Flare signal!"

"What?!"

Lahar looked down from where the signal came from with his telescope, seeing the sea serpent.

"What is that?!" Lahar wondered as the cannons soon appeared.

"Sorry! I'm late." Doranbolt apologized as he arrived. "What is that?!"

"I don't know, but Fairy Tail and Sabertooth are already on the island." Lahar responded. "Go to them."

Doranbolt nodded as he teleports away.

"We're going to support them! Prepare to fire!" Lahar ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

The sea serpent wrapped around the ruins. "Erza-san! Where are Natsu-san and the others?" Sting asked.

"Inside those ruins!" Erza replied.

"No way!" Lector said.

Cannons from the Magic Council ships began firing at the serpent as everyone else was ducking for cover when they suddenly heard a noise.

"What's that?" Erza wondered.

"What's that noise?" Lahar questioned.

"It kind of sounds like a heartbeat..." Wendy said.

"A heartbeat?" Carla repeated.

Inside the ruins, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy turned around. "Is there something... deeper inside of here?" Lucy wondered.

"Anyway, we've got to do something about that thing!" Rogue informed.

"Yeah. Before Natsu-san and the others are crushed inside!" Sting agreed.

Erza jumped forward as she requipped a sword. "Let's go, everyone!" She ordered, charging forward and slicing at the serpent.

"Ice Cannon!" Gray shouted.

Samuel placed his fists together. "Ice-Make: Water Serpent!" He called out, pushing the serpent back a bit.

"Rogue!" Sting said.

"Right! Shadow Dragon's..."

"White Dragon's..."

"... Roar!"

Their two breath attacks combined, attacking the sea serpent straight on and knocking it completely down.

"That's my Sting-kun!" Lector cheered.

"And Rogue!" Frosch added.

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Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Kemokemo walked deeper into the ruins, seeing a bunch of writing.

"W-Wow..." Happy muttered.

"W-What is it?!" Natsu asked.

"The same ancient characters that Jura-san showed us!" Lucy replied as she opened a book.

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Outside, the sea serpent stood back up. A purple glow emerged as Wendy dropped on a rock. "Wendy!" Carla shouted in worry.

"For some reason... I can't... move..." Wendy muttered.

Carla dropped next to her. "What's happening?"

Doranbolt soon appeared. "Were they attacked?!" He asked.

"Doranbolt!" Erza exclaimed.

"They suddenly collapsed! I've got no idea!" Gray said.

The serpent roared again. "Take them back to the ship!" Erza instructed.

"Right! What are the rest of you going to do?!" Doranbolt questioned.

"Don't worry about us! Just go!" Erza ordered.

The serpent attacked again as Sting, Rogue, and Samuel moved out of the way.

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Inside the ruins . . .

Natsu punched a rock that was coming at Lucy. "Lucy! If you don't hurry it up, we're gonna get squashed!" He informed.

"I know, but there are tons of characters here!" Lucy said as another sound came.

"Hey! Again?" Natsu questioned.

"Doesn't that sound like a heartbeat to you?" Happy asked.

"Heartbeat?" Lucy quoted before turning to Natsu. "Is this island alive?"

Happy suddenly exclaimed in shock as green smoke appeared around them. "What's this smoke?!" He questioned.

The three soon turned to Kemokemo, who seemed a lot bigger. "Kemokemo... When did you get so big?" Natsu asked.

"He's huge!" Happy added.

Lucy looked at the book and then at the green smoke. "Smoke..." She mumbled.

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Outside . . .

Gray soon hunched over. "Gray!" Erza exclaimed before she joined him.

"Erza-san!" Lector shouted.

"Are you okay?" Frosch asked before him and Lector collapsed on a rock.

"W-What the hell is happening?" Erza wondered.

Samuel fell to his knees before he hunched over. "Sam!" Sting calls out in worry before him and Rogue collapsed as well.

"W-What's going on?" Sting questioned.

"F-Frosch..." Rogue managed to get out.

"I don't feel good. I-I'm dizzy..." Lector said.

"Fro, too..."

All of the Rune Knights on the ship collapsed as well. "What is this? What's happening?" Lahar wondered. "What is this...?"

Doranbolt arrived, carrying Wendy and Carla in his arms. "What happened on the island?" Lahar asked.

"Erza and the others are battling a monster." Doranbolt explained.

"What about these two?"

"I don't know. They suddenly collapsed, but this situation could involve..." Doranbolt paused.

"Some kind of virus?" Lahar finished.

"Take these two to a cabin." Doranbolt told a Rune Knight near him as Lahar collapsed. "Lahar!"

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Inside the ruins . . .

Natsu continues kicking the fallen debris. "Not yet! Lucy?" He asked.

Lucy looks at the book before glancing back up. "It's written here, too! 'Light,' 'benefit,' 'tree'..."

"Anything else?" Happy questioned.

"'Protect'... 'disaster'... 'Poison'... 'purify'..." Lucy reads. "Poison? Purify?"

"P-Poison?! This is poison?!" Happy exclaimed in terror.

"Natsu, try shining light on the ceiling." Lucy said as Natsu lit his fist on fire towards the ceiling. "That's..."

"What?"

"Those are the same pictures I saw from the literature at Lamia Scale!" Lucy recalled.

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Outside . . .

"Frosch! Lector!" Rogue exclaimed in worry.

"Dammit! I can't get up!" Sting struggles to move.

"M-Maybe this is a virus or something like that..." Erza guessed.

"Whatever it is... it's sapping my energy..." Samuel breathed heavily.

Gray looked up at the ruins. "Natsu... What the hell are you doin'?" He questioned.

The serpent roared as Rogue scooped up Frosch while Samuel grabbed Lector.

Gray pushed Erza out of the way.

"You okay?!" Sting asked.

The serpent charged again as Sting quickly pushed Rogue and Samuel out of harm's way.

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Inside the ruins . . .

The ceiling continued to crumble. Natsu extended his arms out to protect Lucy.

"We're goners!" Happy exclaimed.

Lucy opened her eyes to see Kemokemo's eyes were glowing red.

"Kemokemo..." Happy muttered.

"Protect..." Lucy realized.

Kemokemo continued growing larger.

"Now I understand... what I am and what I should do. It's scary when I think about what lies ahead, but I'll stand up and fight. After all, Natsu said... that we're family."

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Outside . . .

Everyone was still unable to move as Kemokemo appeared from the ruins, releasing green smoke. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy appeared.

"Erza! Gray! Samuel!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Virus..." Erza muttered.

"Virus?!" Lucy repeated.

"This smoke was poison, after all! Everyone, wake up!" Happy shouted frantically.

Kemokemo grabbed onto the serpent's throat. "No! This smoke isn't poison! We were in there with the smoke and weren't infected by the virus. It's the opposite!" Lucy explained. "The smoke coming out of Kemokemo's body isn't poison! The virus is being released from the island itself, and that smoke is purifying it!"

"Purifying?" Erza quoted.

"Is that Kemokemo?" Gray questioned.

Lucy nodded. "I don't think Kemokemo is an animal. Kemokemo must be neutralizing the virus. He's the god of plants!"

"He was protecting us the whole time!" Natsu said as everyone was able to move again.

Kemokemo blasted fire at the serpent. "Kemokemo! I'm not gonna let you fight alone!" Natsu claimed, charging forward. "Let's go, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy flew Natsu into the air.

"Happy!"

"Aye!"

Happy drops Natsu, who lands on Kemokemo. "All right, Kemokemo! I'll show you our power!" Natsu exclaimed. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

"Since the distant past, this island has repeatedly sunk and emerged. And when it comes up, it always releases a virus. In ancient times, people built a civilization here, without knowing that. Kemokemo saved them then." Lucy explained.

"Then even now..." Sting started to say.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah. I think it's neutralizing the virus even now."

"Kemokemo!" Natsu shouted as Kemokemo blasted fire from his mouth.

"Exploding Flame Edge!" Natsu calls out.

The two fire attacks combined, striking the serpent.

"Where are Natsu-san and the others?" Wendy asked.

"Still on the island..." Lahar replied.

Everyone looked and saw the serpent was defeated before it vanished.

"Yeah! That was awesome, Kemokemo!" Natsu praised as steam appeared from Kemokemo. "Huh? Kemokemo? Hey, Kemokemo, are you all right?"

Rumbling was soon heard. "Look at that!" Carla pointed out as the island began to sink.

"The island!"

"Oh, no! Natsu-san!" Sting called out.

"The island is starting to sink!" Rogue informed.

"We've gotta get out of here fast!" Lector added.

"Fro thinks so, too!"

"Hey, Kemokemo! Kemokemo!" Natsu continued to call out.

"Natsu!" Happy said.

"What's wrong, Kemokemo?! Kemokemo!"

Branches started to form on Kemokemo. "What is this?" Natsu questioned.

"Natsu..."

"You... can talk?" Natsu asked.

"I had forgotten for the longest time. But now I remember... words, and my role, too." Kemokemo spoke.

"Your role?" Happy repeated.

"Come on, get up. Let's go home." Natsu insisted.

"I'm staying here. My body is already becoming one with the forest. I'm going to sink with this island." Kemokemo said.

"What are you talkin' about?!" Natsu asked.

"I'll absorb the island's virus. Go back with everyone, Natsu."

"No! You're goin' with me!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Why are you apologizin'?"

"I can't protect everyone anymore, so get off the island fast. This is goodbye, Natsu." Kemokemo said.

"It ain't goodbye! I can't go!" Natsu argued.

The island continued sinking. "Kemokemo..." Lucy muttered.

"Kemokemo! Kemokemo!" Natsu shouted.

"Natsu... I was... a member..."

"What?!"

"... of Fairy Tail too, wasn't I?"

"Yeah! That's right! You're a member of Fairy Tail! And a member of my family!" Natsu claimed.

"Thank you... It was fun..." Kemokemo said.

"Hey! Answer me! Answer me!" Natsu said as he was shoved out.

"Natsu!" Happy shouted.

"Natsu!" Erza yelled.

"Dammit! Why?!" Natsu said.

"Let's go!"

"No!"

A seed soon dropped onto Natsu's head, in which he picked up. "Kemokemo's seed?" Happy questioned.

"Let's go." Erza said.

The sun was beginning to set as all of them soon boarded the Magic Council ship, watching as the island sunk lower into the ocean.

"I couldn't protect him, even though he was family..." Natsu said.

"No. You've got it all wrong. It's the same as what the ancient civilization inscribed on the ruins. Kemokemo is like the god of the island." Erza tells him.

"Yeah. And he carried out his duty." Lucy added.

Natsu looked at the seed once more in his hand before clenching it tightly.

"We'll be able to meet again someday, right?" Natsu questioned as the island sunk completely.

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A/N: Another chapter is completed! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2352 words.