The only thing Natsu saw when Minerva kept beating Lucy was red. Red, filling his vision, making his eyesight hazy. Red, clouding his emotions. He could feel something building up in chest, his hands starting to flicker with flame.
As the temperature around him started to rise, people noticed. His guild mates backed away from him, unnerved by the image of him. Minerva looked directly at him, as did Sting and Rogue. They shivered at the sight of him. The crowd, noticing the commotion and Minerva's ceasing of the Lucy's beating, also looked over and gasped.
Natsu was tensed, his body coiled like a viper ready to strike. Flames licked his body, his head down, bangs covering his eyes. The vision of his nakama, one of his precious friends being viciously beaten even after she had lost kept replaying in his mind. He started breathing heavily. Everyone was staring at him.
"Natsu?..." Lisanna tentatively asked.
"Everyone… back away… slowly" Gajeel stated, emphasing the slowly part. With curious gazes and raised eyebrows, he said:
"Never hurt a dragon's family…"
At this point Natsu's head snapped up. Gasps were heard all around the stadium as he glared at Minerva.
'What is this feeling?... Could it be? Am I feeling fear?' though Minerva as she shuddered. Natsu's face was shadowed, his sharpened canines visibly showing and bared, grinding together as if trying to keep something from erupting. His eyes looked like two red orbs of fire.
And that's when it happened.
"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR"
The most guttural, visceral, dragonic roar burst from the mouth of Natsu. It sent shivers down the spines of everyone there, including Makarov and Mavis'. The roar of domination. The roar of a dragon's protection. The roar of a dragon's threat.
The dragon slayer's shivered at the threat they felt from the roar. As others noticed, they asked why they shivered, even though they themselves were still shivering as the roar continued.
"A-a dragon's roar c-can contain many things. Attacks, defense, intimidation. That roar… that roar issued a challenge. A fight of dominance. A promise of pure, unadultered pain to whoever he fights." Stuttered out Gajeel. Somehow the whole stadium managed to hear his response.
With Natsu's eyes set on Minerva as his roar subsided. She froze in fear. And he pounced.