Template:TMITM/Feb2013

 

Right people, this month we might actually be treated to some better than usual chapters... at least if we compare them with the recent pile of shit Mashima has carefully been gathering and guarding with a double-barreled shotgun while wearing a straw hat and blowing into a glass bottle bearing three large "X" on it.

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Yeah, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm being even more random than usual this month.

Let's go.

I - Chapter 317: Hamster Frog
So, what was it last time... 10.000 Dragons going to fuck the world for good, uh?

Everyone is shocked (seriously, how many fucking times have I been forced to use these words?), and everyone goes about the usual "Could it be..." stuff. Natsu, forgetting about being a Dragon Slayer altogether, readies to fight the gigantic reptiles with arrows and armors. Lucy 2.0 is surprised by everyone accepting what she says as true without a question. Nakama Crap, Carla's prediction crap, Lucy travelling back a bit late because Eclipse was in bad conditions. The usual stuff.

The "interesting part" comes after that... Arcadios remains silent, but he knows quite a bit, having been told by the Princess of the "Etherion 2" plan: to use the Magic Power stored inside the gate, rivaling that of Etherion, to fight the Dragons... a detail Lucy 2.0 doesn't tell her friends. The squared nose wonders why as we're treated to some NaLu2.0 moments, while the girl goes all "I came back from the future without a motherfucking plan and I'm crying my liquid fluids out" and the boy sort of comforting her.

Outside town, Ultear and Meredy spit the usual crap, while Jellal realizes something more interesting... that Lucy 2.0 is either being dishonest, or she is an impostor.

...

Alright, maybe it's a little too soon to use the surprised animation. Let's wait a bit.

Elsewhere, Rogue can't do much against Gajeel. The downed Shadow Dragon Slayer claims he's realized why the other joined Fairy Tail after Phantom Lord, the guild a young Rogue himself wanted to join, was destroyed by this very same rival: friends, a concept completely lacking in Sabertooth. He then goes on to wonder what guilds and friends are. Gajeel tells him to stand and then asks him whether he consider Frosch (or "that frog", as he says) a friend. After some hesitation caused by him/her/it being "a cat" (Jiemma's got nothing to do with this statement, right?), Rogue, much to both his and Frosch's happiness, states that's the truth.





... just as an unknown voice starts telling the Shadow Dragon Slayer to kill Gajeel. Rogue looks around, confused, unable to find his interlocutor... only to realize that the one talking is his shadow, which claims he'll lend him the power to kill Gajeel.



So, as I said, this was a rather nice chapter, especially if we consider how Mashima's finally managed to come up with some surprises actually capable of surprising (I'm referring to Eclipse 2, Jellal's guess and Rogue's shadow... though the latter is also a bit WTF?). Nice art, and a 2-pages shot of Natsu butting heads with Lucy 2.0.

II - Chapter 318: Gajeel vs. Rogue
So, we pick off with Lucy 2.0 leading the others through the castle's basement, whose layout she memorized, and which ought to be left out by the soldiers' patrol.

Yeah, it ought to. Still, in no time, a pretty large group of cannon fodder charges towards the intruders. Point is, Arcadios is gone. Oh, right, Yukino is gone too.

I know things sometimes don't go well, but hey, you've actually got to apply yourself for things to go this bad.

Mira runs away, willing to find Yukino, not giving a single fuck 'bout the Arcadios, while Natsu & Co start trashing the soldiers around. The group spares some thoughts for both Mira and Yukino.

And, again, none gives a fuck about Arcadios.

Elsewhere and on to something more interesting...

Rogue is being taken over by his shadow, the latter's intent being to kill Gajeel. Having taken over the body of the Shadow Dragon Slayer and caused it to enter a Dragon Force-like status, the being introduces itself as "Shadow, the one who controls Fate".

Seriously, nice to meet ya. I'm "Aldarinor, the one who controls rodents of varying size".

Gajeel is struck a pair of times, and, now hoping for a good fight, decides to retaliate with his Iron Dragon's Sword. His foe, however, evades the attack with it/his (it's Rogue's body, but it looks like someone else is currently in charge) shadowy form, and strikes back with Iron Dragon's Waxwing Flash.

The audience is shocked, and Frosch goes as far as to wonder who "Rogue" currently is.

In the field, Gajeel looks for his opponent, only for the latter to reveal himself emerging from Gajeel's own shadow and strike him. As "Rogue" claims Gajeel is indeed weaker than Natsu but goes on to state that even the Fire Dragon Slayer would be no match for the "enhanced" Rogue, Makarov and Mavis notice how the Shadow Dragon Slayer is being possessed, with the deceased "fairy" noting how the one possessing him is a foul and incredible Magic.

Oh, and speaking about foul Magic... Jellal & Friends are feeling that Magic. AGAIN. Seriously, this story's becoming a pain in the ass. Anyhow, Natsu & Co keep beating up the soldiers, and not even the intervention of the so-called "Anti-Mage Division" can do much about them.

"Amateurs".

Back to the serious battle...

Gajeel got beaten badly by "Shadow", who/which now tightens its grip around the man's neck, much to Levy's distress. Frosch hurries to the battlefield, its goal being to "bring the real Rogue back". The possessed Shadow Dragon Slayer readies to finish off his opponent by having it consumed by shadow. Gajeel, however, as something to say about it, and claims that if Natsu can do that, then he can to... before starting to consume the shadow, much to Levy's (and Droy's... seriously, what the fuck are you doing in these panels?) dismay. Now back on his feet, Gajeel orders "Shadow" to leave Rogue's body, telling it how the guy's real name is Reyos (Raios? Sheesh, translators...), a former disciple of him, who by no means looked up to him... he feared him. Now completely transformed, the Iron Shadow Dragon Slayer claims he'll remember his foe of the terror he can cause.

...

...

...

Seriously... that was cool.

It might be because it's Gajeel and not Natsu we're talking about, or because this second instance might give a sense to that Lightning Flame Dragon Mode which made most Fairy Tail fans tear their hair off... Still, hey, I can't wait to see the new Gajeel kicking asses.





This chapter was nice. Rogue's possession is something we didn't see coming (at least till the previous chapter, that is), and Gajeel's Iron Shadow Dragon Mode (guess it could be called like this) not only showed Mashima wasn't high when he designed the Flame Lightning one (or that, if he was, he wants to continue down this route), but also gave the Iron Dragon Slayer a scary badass something (a thing he hadn't seen in ages). Good art, a great 2-pages depiction of the"enhanced" Gajeel and a superb volume-like cover showing Natsu in some random pose and clothes.

III - Chapter 319: The White Knight
So, it's time for the "new" Gajeel to show us what he's got. Everyone looks on in shock as the Iron Shadow Dragon Slayer, using his newly-acquired traits, turns into a shadow to deliver a surprise attack on Rogue; something which is followed by the two opponents both taking on a shadowy form, and with the Fairy Tail Mage managing to "pull out" the other from the shadow he'd taken shelter in and reducing the surrounding area to ruins before assaulting Rogue with his new Iron Shadow Dragon's Roar... which, we must say, doesn't cut a sorry figure.



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...

...

Seriously, is it over already?

I mean, we know Mashima can't possibly create long fights... but hey, for something this awesome, the one we've just seen was way too short.

Rogue is defeated, Fairy Tail rejoices, and one point is awarded to the team. "Shadow", having acknowledged Rogue's current limits, escapes from his body in a small, shadowy form, just as Frosch steps in to prevent any further attacks from Gajeel... Which is pretty useless, since I don't remember him being a Dark Guild/Sabertooth/Phantom Lord Mage... Oh no, wait, he used to be the latter! If he still was, at this time he'd probably be raping Rogue while wearing the Exceed on his head like a fancy hat.

Anyhow, the Shadow Dragon Slayer doesn't remember a thing about the fight's last part, and Mavis keeps up the "unknown malevolent evil creepy shadow possession" stuff.

Elsewhere... Natsu & Co are trashing soldiers. Nothing new. However, the whole thing seems to be enjoyable enough for some old acquaintances to join: "Fiore's strongest executioners" show up out of nowhere, ready to hinder the group's path again... sort of.

While the main characters occupy their screentime with pointless activities, someone is actually up to something interesting. Having somehow made it to Mercurius' seeming armory, Arcadios clads himself in his White Lily Armor, a snow white battle suit. He comes across a group of surprised "former" subordinates, who, instead of trying to stop him due to his current "criminal" status, tell him where the Princess is, at the same time letting him know where jagged knives, tape and torture devices are kept, in case he wanted to do something stupid to one of the most important individuals in the Kingdom right below the eyes of the ever watchful soldiers.

Having realized that Lucy 2.0's tears are true, and thus that her words aren't lies, the White Knight readies to confront the one who, as a result, must be the liar... The female heir to Fiore's royalty.

This chapter wasn't bad, if we don't consider the ridiculous length of Gajeel and Rogue's battle. The Garou Knights' return might finally solve a pair of doubts (namely Poison Guy's name and Scythe Guy's "killing Magic"), the White Knight finally made his appearance, and the foreshadowing to some apparently interesting developments about the whole Eclipse story comes up. Art living up to the chapter's contents, a 2-pages image of Gajeel's new Roar causing more damage than an A-bomb, and a Cover showing both Gajeel and Levy, a great shot for fans of the pair... if you don't consider Levy's pantyshot completely ruining the serene, innocent atmosphere, that is.