Salutations everyone! I come bearing another story!
Pairing: Natsu/Gray. Natray/Gratsu
No, this will not change at all. If that is not your cup of tea, please turn back and find something else to read. I won't be offended. But I will be annoyed if you read this and flame about how you can't believe someone would write a story like this, can there be a different pairing for Natsu or Gray, you are the scum of the Earth, blah blah blah.
There won't be an abundance of romance in this fic, but there will be elements. (lol, no smut, sorry) That being said: If you do not like Natsu/Gray, you can always leave, I'm not stopping you. Otherwise I hope you enjoy! :D
Rated T for now, may change the rating later.
DISCLAIMER: Fairy Tail is not mine. I'm a broke college student, I can't afford it.
[I HAVE FIGURED OUT THE ALL MIGHTY LINE BREAK]
I: Ominous Feelings
"Ah, I can't wait to be home!" Lucy asked as she luxuriously stretched her arms high above her head. Fairy Tail's Strongest Team was on the train, heading back from their latest job. Erza flashed a smile over at her comrade and nodded.
"Yes, I find I am excited as well." Her brown eyes suddenly sparkled. "I called the bakery before we left the station for home. I now have a fresh strawberry cake waiting for me!" Lucy and Wendy glanced at each other before shaking their heads slightly in disbelief. How Erza could survive on a diet that consisted of only strawberry cake was a mystery to the entire guild. Surely strawberry cake wasn't the best to eat at every meal? Not that anyone was stupid enough to tell her otherwise, of course.
Across on the other bench, Gray leaned against the window, half in a doze. He absently petted the pink hair of the fire Dragonslayer who was sprawled, snoozing, in his lap. The girls squealed inwardly at the sight. It had come as a shock to nearly everyone when Natsu had loudly proclaimed that he and Gray were mates in front of the entire guildhall, much to the poor ice mage's mortification. There were exceptions, however, such as the Dragonslayers. They had already known that one of theirs had found his life-mate and were therefore unsurprised when Natsu informed (screamed out loud at) his guildmates.
"I'm so happy for Natsu and Gray," Wendy murmured, a small smile on her face. "A dragon's mate completes them, and I can't really think of two people who fit that description more."
"That's so romantic," Lucy gushed quietly. It was like something out of her romance novels. She inwardly hoped that she could find her own soulmate one day.
Erza for her part was happy that her boys were happy. And that they stopped fighting was just a bonus. Plus, she won the bet the girls had going (well, she, Cana, and Mira won the bet) and got strawberry cake, which was the epitome of heaven.
Soon, the train pulled into the station and the mages got ready to disembark. Erza called softly to Gray, rousing him from his doze. Gray blinked sleepily and, when he took notice of their location, gently shook Natsu's shoulder.
"Wake up, Flame Brain," he mumbled, "we're here. Let's get off this damn train and get some real sleep." Natsu grumbled for a bit, looking all the part of a disgruntled, sleepy dragon, before Gray's words registered. He leapt to his feet, energy returning with a smile.
"We're home! Let's go, Ice Princess!" He grabbed his bag and Gray's hand and sprinted out of the train, dragging his complaining mate behind him. As soon as the boys stepped onto the platform, they both froze. The girls, frowning at their companions' actions, hurried out of the train and onto the platform themselves, only to be greeted by what had caused the boys to halt.
Though the sun shone brightly in the blue sky, a shiver ran down the mages' backs. The breeze stirred up the summer heat, but not even that could warm up the chilling atmosphere. The very air seemed to still, holding its breath. Townsfolk and travellers alike bustled swiftly to their destinations without the usually friendly fanfare, trying to get to where they were headed and leave the unsettling outside. Apart from the occasional murmurs of the travellers and workers, the train station was eerily quiet.
"What—" Lucy whispered, but Natsu interrupted, eyes narrowed.
"Something's coming. I don't know when or where, but something is on its way here."
"Yeah," Wendy murmured, her normally cheerful façade darkened and her eyes scanned the town outskirts. "I feel it too. It's suffocating."
Gray exchanged a look with Erza. "We'd better hurry back to the guild and inform the Master." He spoke quietly and squeezed the fire mage's hand when Natsu growled lowly. The Dragonslayer sniffed their air and shuddered slightly. He pulled Gray closer to him before he spoke up again.
"Let's go," he muttered and set off at a brisk pace, Gray at his side, and left his other teammates to catch up. At the speed with which they were moving, it didn't take long for the returning mages to reach the guildhall.
"Do you hear that?" Wendy piped up lowly, causing the others to pause and glance at her.
"Hear what?" Lucy answered nervously. "I don't hear anything."
"That's the problem," Natsu growled, "it's dead silent." Erza and Gray had already noticed the silence long before Wendy and Natsu confirmed it. The birds that regularly littered the trees and bathed the town in song had vanished, leaving behind the watchful silence.
"The Master must be informed." Erza strode forward and wrenched open the guild doors without a backward glance. "Let's not waste any more time."
"NATSUUUU!" The Dragonslayer barely had time to brace himself before he was nearly bowled over by an excited ball of blue fluff. Keeping one hand wrapped around Gray's, Natsu set his duffel down and held the little cat to his chest.
"Heya Happy!" Natsu chirped brightly, putting the unnerving atmosphere out of his mind for a moment.
"I missed you, Natsu!" Happy sniffled. Natsu hugged the cat tighter.
"I missed you, too, buddy!" He set the Exceed carefully on his shoulder, spitting out a mouthful of fur as Happy snaked his tail around Natsu's face to keep balanced, before he turned back to his team. The fire mage took note that Wendy was rapidly informing Carla about what they all had sensed on their way back from the train station. "Well," he asked when the youngest Dragonslayer stopped speaking, "shall we?" Turning, he headed for the stairs where Erza and Lucy waited.
"C'mon you guys," Lucy wrung her hands, glancing out the windows nervously, "let's hurry up to the Master. I don't like the way the sky is beginning to look."
"Huh?" Gray interrupted, brow furrowed in confusion. "The sky?" Shifting, he peered around Natsu at the window. Sure enough, a morbid grey color was beclouding the once cheerful blue. "What? It was sunny not even two minutes ago! What the hell is powerful enough to be able to alter the weather so drastically?"
"My thoughts exactly." Erza agreed. She turned and stomped up the stairs, the others filing after her. "I'm sure the Master must know something." She led the way down the corridor to the Master's office, barely pausing to knock before forcing the door to open. "Please forgive us, sir, for barging in, but I'm afraid it's urgent." The requip mage spoke as she entered.
Makarov glanced up from the latest invoice delivered by the Magic Council. His Strongest Team filed into his office, a grim sort of air about them. "Yes?" he asked warily. By everything that was sacred, please don't let them have destroyed another town!
"Our mission was a success." Erza stated bluntly. "But the moment we returned we all sensed a disquieting air about the entire town." Makarov raised a brow, perplexed. Gray picked up after Erza.
"The people are rushing through the town, they don't want to spend time outside. The birds have vanished and it's like the entirety of Magnolia is holding its breath, Waiting for something to happen." The ice mage nodded towards Makarov's office window at the ominous cloud cover. "And now a storm looks like its rearing to blow through here any minute now."
Makarov narrowed his eyes and turned to glare at the weather. "Hm, you're saying all of you sensed this troubling air about Magnolia?" he questioned gruffly as he turned back around. A collection of nods made him frown further. He hopped off his desk and walked over to the window, unlocking the latch and pushing the glass open.
Immediately, every occupant in the office tensed. Eight pairs of eyes scanned for threats and the duo of Dragonslayers had soft growls emerging from their throats. Makarov quickly closed the window, but the tension remained.
"Hm, I see what you mean." Makarov mused. He crossed his arms and tapped his finger on his bicep. Ambling over to his desk and rummaging through one of the drawers, the elderly guild master pulled out a communication lacrima. "I'm going to message the other guild masters," he informed the mages. "You all keep a wary eye out. I have a bad feeling trouble is coming our way." Sharp eyes roamed over his brats, taking in their taut muscles and vigilant postures. His children nodded and started to leave his office when he spoke back up. "Natsu and Wendy," two curious glances back, "go and seek out Gajeel and Laxus. See if they are sensing the same as you." Twin nods before Makarov was alone in his office once more.
He promptly began to pump his magic into the lacrima. Fairy Tail's Strongest Team were extraordinarily powerful mages in their own rights, which in turn made them very sensitive to magical energy and its outputs. What Makarov felt outside was nothing short of an enormous magical energy output—and an output with sinister intent. The fact that Natsu and Wendy—and most likely, Gajeel and Laxus as well—were acting in the manner they were did not bode well for the foreseeable future.
A bright flash alerted the aging guild master that the lacrima was ready. He tossed it up into the air and it split into multiple screens, the faces of the other guild masters displayed. The cheerful greetings tapered off at the seriousness of Makarov's expression.
"My friends, I fear we may have a serious problem..."
So that's the first chapter! If you liked it or simply have something to say, leave me a review. :)