Helllllllllllllloooooooooo peeps! Some of you may have read one of two of my stories, others may not have. However, I have a new idea and have decided to put it into action. If this goes well, then this should be a pretty long fanfic. However, with school starting, I may have trouble to uphold that decision.
Summary: Join one of the strongest guilds in Fiore as they go on new journies, experience unexpected betrayals, and save their nakama from various troubles. I am planning to have several arcs and possibly introduce OCs as main characters. However, the main characters from Fairy Tail will be the main characters from here as well. Natsu x Lucy is the only pairing I have decided on so far. Gray's and Erza's respective relationships will wait until I have decided what to do with Jellal. If you guys have a solution for me, then leave it as a review! I will consider each of them.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, only the OCs and, to a certain extent, the plot.
Chapter One: Rising Anger
It was a normal day in Fairy Tail, which most normal people would think of as a quiet, progressing day in which many things get accomplished. However, those who know Fairy Tail know the difference between a "normal day" for Fairy Tail, and a "normal day" for the rest of humanity. The guild was currently causing a lot of ruckus and destroying things that the Guild Master would rather be kept in spotless condition. Makarov could only sigh as his words of calming failed to reach the ears of many of the Fairy Tail members. He would have put them in place through force when words failed to do the job, but Porlyusica had strongly cautioned him to refrain from using his powers unless it was to defeat an enemy. She had suggested that maybe he retire, but Makarov had strongly declined. Even after using Fairy Law, a spell that is physically and magically taxing on a man like him, Makarov was still going strong. His vision of sight was diverted to Gray, who oddly was not participating in the natural brawls of the Guild this time. Rather, he just sat at a table, alone, with his arms crossed. His gaze was piercing as he stared at the wall, obviously pondering something important.
Come to think of it, the ice alchemist had been getting more and more quiet after each of Fairy Tail's adventures. Makarov glanced at him curiously, and he examined Gray's facial expression closely as the stripper glanced at Natsu with a small but noticeable scowl. Makarov sighed and shook his head, berating himself silently for thinking that there was something wrong. There was always brotherly hostility between Natsu and Gray.
However, he was dead wrong. This was more than simply hostility.
Gray glanced down at the table, unable to shake his unease. He scowled at Natsu unconsciously. When did that Salamander get so powerful? Nearly every fight they have been in so far, Gray was left on the sidelines as his rival defeated the strongest enemy. Sure, Gray had saved Natsu once, but that was only due to Natsu's motion sickness when fighting that owl-guy working for Jellal. Recently, Natsu had defeated Hades after entering Dragon Force, and while the S-Class Trials had been postponed, anyone withe eyes could see that Natsu was going to be an S-Class soon enough. Finally, Gray slammed his hands on the table and stood up. Immediately, he turned towards Natsu and kicked the Salamander in the back. Natsu turned back towards Gray, fire literally spraying from his mouth.
"What the hell ice-freak! Stop picking fights!"
Natsu, however, was surprised when Gray turned around and started sprinting towards the entrance/exit of the guild. The ice alchemist looked back at Natsu and smirked.
"Catch me if you can, lizard-breath!" Gray snorted and put on an extra burst of speed before exiting the guild. Natsu roared before pointing his palms in the other direction, and small jets of fire bursted from his palms, propelling him forward and increasing his speed as he ran.
"Come baaaaaaack!" Natsu's yelling became more and more faint as both he and Gray left the guild.
Lucy sighed, placing a hand on her cheek and glancing down. "Those two will never change, will they?" she questioned hopelessly.
Erza, however, was glancing sternly at Gray. Sure, the ice alchemist had picked at Natsu a lot and vice-versa, but there was something different in Gray's eyes when he kicked Natsu for no reason. It was a sort of emotion. Maybe...fear? Anger? The Titania didn't know, and before she could stop herself, she walked over to the Master. "Master," she murmured. "Please allow me to chase after them. They will be brought back and punished by me directly when I return with them," Erza requested.
Makarov pondered her decision for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he shook his head. "No, they will be back in a moment. They will just fight it out for a small time before racing back towards the Guild." Even as he said that, indecision lingered in his eyes. Why did he feel that this time, things would be different?
Natsu ran aimlessly through the forest. Gray's perverted scent was the only thing leading Natsu right now, and he knew that the ice alchemist was somewhere in this general direction. A blur passed in front of Natsu, and a kick landed square in his jaw that sent the Salamander skidding back a few feet. Natsu wiped his mouth and spit to the ground, glaring at Gray who had just jumped out of a tree after kicking Natsu.
"What the hell is your problem!" Natsu demanded, ready for a fight.
Gray, still with his hands in his pockets, charged Natsu. "Shut up and fight," the ice alchemist replied softly before headbutting Natsu in the chest and kicking the Salamander in the gut.
Natsu smiled, crashing the fist of one hand into the palm of another in preparation for a fight. "Sounds good for me," he said, before charging towards Gray, his hands clenched. He threw his punch towards Gray, who nimbly dodged to the right and took his hands out of his pockets.
He too lowered his fist onto his palm, and an icy mist surrounded his hands. "Ice Make: Lance!" Gray shouted, and spears of ice materialized and shot from the ground towards Natsu. Natsu, unaware that they would actually use their real magic in this fight, was caught by surprise and hit by the lances. He was thrown back into a tree which he then slid into the ground.
Gray chuckled, placing his hands back into his pockets. His chuckle grew into a full laugh that traveled throughout the forest, sending birds fleeing from the sudden noises. "Looks like my suspicions were wrong, Natsu. I should have known that you weren't stronger than me," he chuckled again, turning around and walking back towards the Guild. However, when he heard the sudden circulation of fire, he turned around sharply.
Natsu stood, his fists ablaze, only that there was no anger in his eyes. He wasn't even staring at Gray; he was staring through the stripper. Small, black lines formed on Natsu's skin that resembled dragon's scales. They shifted to a color of red, and a large pillar of fire grew from Natsu. "What are you doing?" Natsu questioned. "Using magic on a fight without the Guild Master's approval isn't allowed," Natsu stated.
"I just thought we would settle this once and for all," Gray replied swiftly. He was gradually becoming more and more afraid of the Dragon Slayer and what he was capable of in Dragon Force.
Suddenly, Natsu's form disappeared, and a blur was all that was visible before the Salamander was directly in front of Gray, his fist inches away from the ice alchemist's face. Natsu's fist slammed into Gray's face with the power of a train, throwing Gray back over twenty yards. "You want to settle this? Then I'm all fired up!" Natsu growled, and his flames grew only more powerful. A bead of sweat traveled down Gray's skull as he watched Natsu slowly walk towards him.
Makarov calmly sipped his tea, patiently awaiting Natsu's and Gray's return. Most of the guild was continuing their reckless behavior with the exception of Erza's intervening, since Titania was sitting at a table, resting her head on her hand. She hadn't agreed with the Master's way of handling this, but she had decided to listen to him nonetheless. However, a sudden boom echoed from not too far away, and Makarov almost spilled his tea. Erza darted out of her seat and glanced around, discerning that the boom must have been in the forest behind the Guild.
"Master!" Erza scolded, knowing that she should have stopped Gray and Natsu from getting into it. The Guild's doors slammed open and Natsu walked in, Gray draped over his shoulders, unconscious. The scales were quickly disappearing, and he dropped Gray to the ground with a silent thud.
Erza stomped towards Natsu, and she glared at him, her face a few inches from his. "Natsu, what is the meaning of this? Not only did you recklessly charge after Gray. However, despite his previous actions, you should not have knocked him unconscious!" the scarlet-haired beauty ranted at Natsu.
The entire time, Natsu's expression remained impassive as can be as he listened to Erza's rant. Gramps slowly walked over to Natsu, glancing between Gray's unconscious form and Natsu. "What. Happened?" Makarov's voice was dangerously low, and this was what truly sent a chill down Natsu's spine. The old man was mad, he had no doubt.
"Gray wanted to fight using magic, so I obliged," Natsu's trademark grin brokeout, although it was somewhat disturbed.
"And you, despite knowing the Guild's rules, listened to Gray's foolish request and completely defeated him?" Makarov questioned in a harsh tone.
Lucy stared at Natsu, pity in her eyes. He met her gaze and responded with a reassuring smile, and she halfheartedly returned it.
"He wouldn't stop. He even started using magic in the first place. There was no way to stop him without drawing out the fight unless I knocked him unconscious right away," Natsu replied.
Makarov glanced at Gray once more. "I will wait for him to awake before I said anything more. Meanwhile, you are not to leave this guild until then," Makarov muttered to Natsu. Salamander nodded and picked up Gray's body, placing it over a couch in a corner of the room.
Gajeel glanced at Natsu. It was easy to see that he was proud of the Fire Dragon Slayer, for both his rare use of rational thinking and being able to knock Gray unconscious without sustaining any real injuries. Wendy glanced at Natsu worriedly. "Natsu-kun," she began, but he caught her off with a smile, meaning that he would explain later. She smiled slightly and nodded, understanding the silent message.
Juvia's murderous gaze was missed by no one as she glared dangerously at Salamander. While Natsu wasn't scared of Juvia if it came to it, her gaze unsettled him. No one, however, noticed Gray's eyes flutter open and glance at the couch cushions. He could feel anger, helplessness, irritation, and many other negative emotions dwelling up inside of him. His fists clenched, and he wanted to charge Natsu and pummel him into a pulp. It was easily proven; Natsu was much stronger than Gray now.
Erza glared at both the Master and Natsu. She and Makarov were, for the most part, in an isolated area where few could hear their conversation. Makarov raised a hand. "Do not blame Natsu. Truthfully, I am the one to blame in this situation. You saw what might happen, and I refused to believe it. Those two...their friendship is declining, quickly," Makarov added.
Erza realized the truth behind his words that it wasn't Natsu's fault, and she didn't blame him now. However, she was shifting uneasily. "No, I don't think that's it. Natsu still holds Gray in high regard despite what he might say. But Gray...he has been changing. I don't know to what extent he is changing, but I think it is best to keep an eye on him for now," Erza advised.
Makarov nodded. "That might be the safest choice currently, for all of us."
So, what do you guys all think? Sorry if it sort of jumps from one PoV to another, but meh.