The River of Stars for Pride's Sake

is the 88th episode of the Fairy Tail anime. It first aired on July 16, 2011.

Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel finally finish their valiant battle against Byro and Hughes. Gray Fullbuster also defeats Sugarboy and attains the key to the Dragon Chain Cannon, the device that can save Magnolia Town, using his own Magic.

Summary
In the Royal City, Edolas Gajeel observes the cat lacrima holding the Extalia Royal Guard. He believes that it's time to relay his information. Meanwhile, Lucy Heartfilia battles Byro to protect Coco while Gajeel Redfox battles with Pantherlily. Gajeel starts getting serious with battling Pantherlily as Lucy summons Taurus in her battle against Byro. Byro is initially stunned but he is able to defeat Taurus with Flame Liquid.

After taking a direct hit from Byro, Lucy summons Virgo. She knocks him through the ground with Spica Hole. They think it's over, but suddenly the place shakes and Byro pops up from the ground in the form of a huge octopus and traps Coco. Byro claims that none of Lucy's Magic can affect him. Before Virgo leaves, she tosses the extending whip from the Celestial Spirit World, Fleuve d'étoiles, to Lucy and wishes her luck in battling Byro in his octopus form. Lucy's first use of the Magical Whip fails. At first, she thinks that the whip is completely useless. However, when she realizes that Virgo gave her that whip because her Magic and slowly been draining due to her consecutive summons, she gains her determination to battle Byro.

She extends the whip and wraps it around Byro's tentacles. Lucy quickly navigates around Byro's body as the whip extends. She declares that she can't lose to someone who would hurt his own comrades like him. After wrapping the whip around numerous tentacles, she pulls it and Byro falls on the Monster Academy with his tentacles in tangles. Suddenly, flame bursts out of the Monster Academy. It's Natsu Dragneel who erupts from inside with Hughes, yelling that he's not a damn monster. Natsu's flames subsequently defeat the two.

Coco, in tears, hands over the giant key that will activate the device that will ram the Lacrima into Extalia to the two of them, saying that she'd rather live in peace rather than have an infinite supply of Magic and pleads for them to destroy it. However, as Natsu is about to take it, Sugarboy appears and takes the key. Gray Fullbuster, riding a Magic Motorcycle, then appears and pursues him.

As Gray chases Sugarboy, Sugarboy tells him that the key will activate the Dragon Chain Cannon. Gray quickly figures out its nature even without Sugarboy telling him. He manages to distract Sugarboy with Ice Make: Floor and by tossing his motorcycle at him and then reaches for the key. He freezes the key just as he makes contact with it. It doesn't break at first, so Gray further expands his use of Magic so he turn the key in a state wherein Edolas cannot use it anymore. Sugarboy attempts to counter with the liquefying properties of his Magic Sword: Rosa Espada. Their Magics clash for a moment, but to Sugarboy's dismay, the key suddenly cracks and breaks. As Gray punches the key and Sugarboy into a wall, Sugarboy reveals that the key can also turn back the Lacrima into its original form as the Dragon Chain Cannon contains Dragon Slayer Magic that restores lacrima. However, his further attempts to persuade Gray to a ceasefire don't work and Gray finally blasts the key into pieces.

Sugarboy charges after Gray with his sword in fury, but Gray dodges this and finishes off Sugarboy with Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance. The defeated Sugarboy calls him crazy for destroying the key that could've saved his friends, but Gray surprises him by creating an exact replica of the key to the Dragon Chain Cannon out of ice.

Battles & Events

 * Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia vs. Hughes & Byro (concluded)
 * Gajeel Redfox vs. Pantherlily
 * Gray Fullbuster vs. Sugarboy (concluded)

Magic used

 * Summoned the Golden Bull, Taurus
 * Summoned the Maiden, Virgo
 * Summoned the Golden Bull, Taurus
 * Summoned the Maiden, Virgo
 * Summoned the Golden Bull, Taurus
 * Summoned the Maiden, Virgo
 * Summoned the Maiden, Virgo

Spells used

 * Rampage
 * Flame Liquid
 * Storm Liquid
 * Octopus Liquid
 * Freeze
 * Freeze
 * Freeze

Abilities used

 * Hand-to-Hand Combat

Weapons used

 * Two-bladed axe
 * Fleuve d'étoiles
 * Fleuve d'étoiles

Items used

 * Celestial Spirit Gate Keys
 * Gate of the Golden Bull Key
 * Gate of the Maiden Key
 * Magic Vials
 * Magic Motorcycle

Manga & Anime Differences

 * Lucy avoids Byro's attack by herself in the manga, but Virgo saves her in the anime
 * In the manga, Lucy climbs a ladder in order to escape and catches the Celestial Spirit whip when Virgo throws it to her. However, in the anime, she is thrown on top of a large glass ball and the whip smashes into the glass when tossed at her.
 * Sugarboy placed a strange creature in Natsu's hand in place of the key in the anime; but in the manga, he simply stole the key from him
 * A "Closed" sign twirls to view in the manga in E-Land, but this was not in the anime
 * Moments of Gajeel and Pantherlily's battle are shown in the anime, but were not included in the manga