Hello, everyone. c: ♥ I'm just on a roll aren't I?  If I keep this up, I could be finished by Monday! :o  But I want it to last a little longer, lol.  I really am on a roll! ^.^  I might publish one more chapter, so look out for that!  The problem is I have volleyball in the morning, so I wouldn't be able to publish in the early morning.  I dedicate this chapter to FlamesxKeys. c: She's got great stories too, so be sure to check them out!  I hope you all like this chapter, and feedback is - as usual - very much appreciated!  Until next time, minna!

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Natsu jogged through Etoiles Noires, ready to end this.  With his feelings, Natsu was able to break free of the illusions and start moving again.  Natsu knew he had been out for awhile; his body told him that much.  His magic was reguvinated, though he was still sore from his injuries.  The most annoying ones was the one on his side caused by the Levain, and the one on his shoulder from Lores.

Natsu stopped to take a breather.  He had been following Lucy's scent, and suddenly it stopped here.  What did that mean?  Was...Lucy here?  Natsu couldn't help but admit it; he missed Lucy.  Her image was starting to get foggy in his mind; which he was half happy about, because it was Lucy's crying face he saw right before she let go.  Damn, he couldn't shake the remaining pain from that moment.  If Natsu had been more strong, he and Lucy wouldn't be in this mess.

He had no time to think about that.  He was about to search for Lucy's scent around the area, when the most familiar scent he ever knew wafted through his nose.

Along with a voice.

"It looks like it's time to pulverize you, since I've been given orders."

Natsu felt disbelief fill him as he recognized that voice, and he turned to look at the newcomer with shock.  Was this who Natsu was fighting next?  It couldn't be.  

Why would Vallen do something like this?

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"What's going on, Lores?"  Erza asked, walking up to the screen that showed Natsu.

"He's reached his last obstacle..."  Lores replied, shock slightly filling him.

Erza tensed.  "That's who Natsu's fighting?!"

Lores nodded, and soon the others were coming over to see what was going on.

"So, who's Natsu fighting now?  Is it--"  Gray stopped, taking a look at the lacrima vision with dumbfoundness.  "N-No way!  He's going to battle--"

"I believe so."  Rose replied.  "I had a feeling this would happen.  What better last obstacle?"

"True..."  Loren murmured.  "It would be difficult, especially in Natsu's case.."

Gray clenched his teeth.  "Flame Brain better be careful!"

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"Y-You're--!"  Natsu stuttered, still struggling to figure this out.

The person grinned.  "I'm all fired up."

Taking a step closer, Dark Natsu came into better view.  He was wearing the same exact clothes as Natsu; everything was the same.  His eyes, however, were more dark than Earthland Natsu's.

Natsu growled.  "You're me."

"No, you're me."  Dark Natsu replied, smirking.  "It's about time you got here; I've been waiting for awhile."

Natsu clenched his teeth, lightning his fists on fire.  "So, you're my last obstacle?  Well then, bring it on!  I'll mop the floor with you!"

Dark Natsu lit his hands on fire as well, but instead of it being red, it was black fire.

"You're fire..."  Natsu murmured, noticing; however, he didn't stray from his angered exression.

Dark Natsu smirked.  "Yeah, it's black.  So what?  It's just a strong as yours."

Natsu smirked.  "Oh yeah?  We'll see about that.  This'll be fun; fighting myself might make me stronger, considering I know my own strength."

"Let's go, then."  Dark Natsu replied.

They both smirked at the same time.  

"I'm all fired up!"  They yelled simultaneously.

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Vallen was watching the scene play out with a smirk.  Even though Natsu Dragneel was at his last obstacle, Vallen knew he wouldn't beat himself.  They'd take both of each other down, considering the opponents.  No one can win against themselves, not only because they know every move, but they both know their weak spots.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

Taking his eyes off of his prize, Vallen was too into the upcoming battle to be careful about sound coming through the spectacle.  So, the sounds of Natsu and Dark Natsu arguing reached through the area.

To a certain female with blonde hair.

Hearing Natsu's voice, Lucy stirred, but didn't wake.  Nothing could wake Lucy from her deep slumber, but it did seem Natsu's voice had some effect on Lucy.  The effect of Lucy stirring made her hands tighten; though, she couldn't move.  Invisible chains suddenly appeared, wrapped around her body and keeping her in a dead-tight grip.  It wasn't only just chaining her body, but her mind.  It was the cause of her deep sleep; of her slumber.

The chains were too tight to break; made of Vallen's dark magic it looked too tough to snap in half.

It looked inbreakable.

But, Vallen didn't know the power of freindship; of family.

And because of that, his demise became a possibility.

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Natsu and Dark Natsu were in perfect sync.

Natsu threw a punch at Dark Natsu, who dodged it and decided to throw one back.  Natsu dodged that one too, and jumped back a few paces to throw his head back in preparation to fire.  Dark Natsu did the same, filling his mouth up with black fire.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

"Dark Fire Dragon's Roar!"

They roared their magic at the same time, and the columns of fire collided at the same time.  The flames licked at each other for a moment, one side trying to get the upper hand.  But after realizing it was evenly matched, both types of fire snuffed out, causing a ring of pressured air to explode in all directions.  Natsu used this as his opportunity to sneak an attack as the remaining flames snuffed out.  However, Dark Natsu was ready, and as Natsu appeared out of the dust clouds, he formed an "x" with his arms and blocked his attack.

He then threw a punch at Natsu, who barely ducked in time as a black fired-fist came soaring over his head.  Natsu then spun in a circle, dropping to a crouch to aim for Dark Natsu's legs.  Natsu managed to trip him, but Dark Natsu did a back-flip to regain ground, landing on his feet a few feet away.

"Face it,"  Natsu replied.  "We're evenly matched!"

Dark Natsu smirked.  "Maybe.  But I'm still going to beat you!  Count on it!"

Natsu smirked in turn.  "Bring it on!"

Lunging again, they lit their hands on fire at the same time, and yelled at the same time as they charged.

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Looks like Natsu's final obstacle was revealed!  Can he find a way to gain an upperhand, even though he's fighting himself?

Find out what happens next in Chapter 15: Awakening!