Everyone awoke to a startling noise, a bang to be precise. Knowing who it was just by his evil presence, they all readied themselves for a fight. Lucy was still sore, but she pushed her way through. She was going to fight. She was going to get her friend back. A couple of broken ribs weren't going to stop her, and the protests of a certain pink haired dragon boy weren't going to get to her either.
Without a word, everyone stood shoulder to shoulder, as if taking the final stand. With hard expressions and fixed resolves, they watched as blackness formed in the distance, his aura stronger than ever before. Even Inuyasha and his group took the silence as a battle cry. The sheer bond these people had was stifling. It was so thick, Kagome felt as if she could cut it with a knife. Just witnessing something so rare made her heart cry.
"There he is." Natsu squinted his eyes, his voice full of distaste.
"Time to save Yukino." Lucy clenched her fist, a determined smile lining her face.
Naraku finally showed through the blackness, his appearance drastically different. He was much more powerful. Kagome gasped.
"He only needs the shards from the band of seven and Kohaku. He's almost there." She bit her lip.
"Good. We can stop him here then." Inuyasha drew Tessaiga. A menacing laugh echoed around them, but it wasn't Naraku's.
Levy gasped.
"It can't be!" She bit her lip.
"There's no way." Gajeel murmured, his face darkening.
"Hell no. You're not getting her this time." Natsu clenched his fists as the memory of the future Lucy's death ran through his head. The dragonslayers all knew who it was just by his scent. It was him. It was the future Rogue.
"Well, well." The frigid man materialized from the darkness. "Nice to see you all again." His eyes landed on the younger Rogue, making his smirk widen. "Don't worry. You won't be pathetic much longer." His face contorted into pleasure. "Long time, no see, Sting." He teased, making the two twins' anger rise.
"Who the hell is this, and why does he smell like you two?!" Inuyasha pointed an accusing finger at Sting and Rogue. Rogue hardened his expression.
"He's me. From the future." Rogue took a side glance at Inuyasha and his team's confused and frightened faces.
"I must say, demons are such troublesome creatures," the future Rogue cocked his head to the side in a look of arrogance, "I wonder how they'd fair against dragons? Want to find out?" He lifted himself into the air before a sinister black hole opened, the mages freezing in shock.
"Bastard!" Natsu seethed.
"It was you!" Lucy gasped.
"Not entirely, young lady. I did have help, after all." Rogue laughed as he joined ranks with a more than pleased Naraku, the band of seven smiling deviously behind them.
The wizards could feel their quivers of fear as the first roar of anger was heard, the earth shaking at the very depths of its core.
"What was that?!" Miroku exclaimed.
"A demon?" Sango took hold of her weapon.
"No." Erza glared at the gaping hole as she crutched her numb, heavy body. She was through lying down. She didn't care if she was sick. She was going to fight.
"A dragon." Mira breathed in disbelief.
"Juvia will not let history repeat itself! She will protect Gray-sama!" Juvia positioned herself defensively in front of Gray.
