Three years ago, Lucy Heartfilia lost all her memories, forgetting everything and everyone she knew, especially the man she loves, Natsu Dragneel. Gray, having feelings for the celestial mage, takes advantage of the situation and tries to steal Lucy away from Natsu, taking every opportunity and not giving Natsu a chance. At first it works and Lucy starts to fall for the ice mage, despite the fact that Loki told her that Natsu was her boyfriend. As time goes, Lucy begins to slowly regain her memories, mainly her memories of her and Natsu, but Gray still plans to win Lucy's heart no matter what. Not wanting to lose Lucy to the ice stripping jackass, Natsu, along with Wendy, Gajeel, and Team Shadow Gear go to Mt. Zonia to retrieve the Dragon's Eye (a diamond encased in a glass sphere with the top part showing, giving it the appearance of an eye). The Fairy Tail mages were successful in obtaining the eye, but at a terrible price.
Year X791 Fairy Tail Guild
The guild doors slammed open, revealing Team Shadow Gear, Wendy, and Gajeel with something that appears to be a large sack on his shoulders. But Natsu was nowhere to be seen. Where could the fire mage be?
"Levy! Wendy! Your back!" Lucy ran up to her best friend whom she somewhat remembered but stop when she noticed that she, Jet, Droy, and Wendy were all crying, except for Gajeel.
"You guys?" She didn't get an answer, this made her and the rest of the guild worried. Makarov, who saw this, walked over to them.
"Levy, what happened? And where's Natsu?" The guild master asked with a worried face, seeing that Levy started to cry harder.
"I think it's best (sniffle) to tell you (sniffle) after Lucy uses this." Levy takes out the Dragon's Eye and shows it to Lucy.
"What is it?" Lucy asks curiously.
"Wait that's the Dragon's Eye isn't it? How in the world did you ever get this?" Makarov asks. He was impressed that they could retrieve something so powerful while at the same time mad since the Magic Coucil forbade anyone but themselves and members of the Ten Wizard Saints to set foot on Mt. Zonia
"I'll tell you everything, but use this on Lucy. She will regain all her memories once she looks into the Dragon's Eye." Makarov was looking at Levy with both a serious but understanding face.
"Very well. Lucy." He looks at her.
"Okay."She takes the eye from Levy and did what she was required to regain her memories. As she looked into it, the eye started to glow a brilliant color of white and illuminated the room. After a few minutes, the light faded and Lucy had a big smile on her face. All her memories came back to her. Her memories of Natsu were the ones thatmade her really happy.
"I remember. I remember. Everyone! I remember!" Lucy shouted out with her hands in the air. Lucy hugged Levy, but noticed that she was still crying.
"Levy, what's wrong?"
"Lucy (sniffle) do you remember Natsu now?"
"Of course I do! He's my boyfriend! The man I love so very much! Levy! You guys! Thank you so much! I finally remember Natsu! I finally remember who I really love!" Upon hearing this, Gray scowled in defeat, knowing he lost to Natsu again. He wanted Lucy to love him, he wanted to win her heart so bad even though he knew that Natsu wasn't going to let that happen and would do anything to get Lucy to remember him. The ice mage punches a nearby support beam out of anger and frustration.
'Why the hell couldn't you have just let me be her boyfriend flame-brain?!' Gray asked in his mind.
"Hey wait, where is he? Didn't he go with you?" She asked as she turned her head and looked for him.
"Lucy, let's sit down and talk." Lucy nodded and walked with Levy over to one of the tables and sat down. Wendy sat next to Lucy, Jet & Droy stood next to their teammate, Gajeel just sat on the floor, placing the sack down as well.
"Levy, tell me what's wrong. What happened? Why are you, Wendy, Jet & Droy crying? And where's Natsu?" Levy looked at her friend with more tears falling from her eyes.
"Lucy, the Dragon's Eye was guarded by a diamond dragon, and as you know (sniffle) only dragon slayers (sniffle) can kill a dragon, which is why Natsu asked Gajeel and Wendy to come along since all three of them are dragon slayers. But..." Levy tried to finish but faltered.
"But what?"
"Salamander beat the dragon, but it was too much for the guy." Lucy turned her attention to Gajeel.
"Too much for...What do you mean?! Where is he?! Where is Natsu?!" Lucy asked in a serious but worried tone.
"Salamanders dead. He died after he killed the dragon." Gajeel bluntly said. Lucy's eyes widen in shocked.
"WHAT?!" She yelled out, followed by her guildmates who were shocked at what they heard. Even Gray was surprised.
"Lucy, Natsu's dead. The dragon was beyond powerful, almost at the same level as Acnologia. Natsu came up with the most dangerous idea that cost him his life when he ate the diamond from the dragon, some melted iron from Gajeel, and some Air from Wendy.
-Flashback-
Levy woke up after being knocked by an energy blast created by Scylla. She saw Jet and Droy knocked out next to her and the three dragon slayers on the ground, laying in front of the diamond dragon.
"You pathetic humans! You think you can beat me?! The great Scylla?!" The diamond dragon asked in an arrogant tone. She looked at the three dragon slayers that were laying face down on the ground, and noticed the familiar magic energy that flowed through their bodies.
"Grandeeney. Metalicana. And Igneel. Ah yes, that's why your presence is similar. Those three must have taught you dragon slayer magic." She laughs maniacally.
"W-What's so funny?" Natsu asked while trying to get up.
"You three. Just because you know how to use dragon slayer magic, you think you can beat me." Scylla laughs again once more.
"Your not dealing with any kind of dragon you know! Those weaklings don't even compare me! And to top it off, you having the same type of magic as them makes you twice as weak!" As soon as Natsu heard what she said about Igneel, he really wanted to punch her lights out. Not for insulting his magic, but for insulting the one who taught it to the fire mage. Same goes for Wendy and Gajeel. So without warning, Natsu asks Wendy to give him a portion of concentrated air. He also asks Gajeel to give him a piece of metal, which the fire mage melts a little. Lastly he took the diamond that came off of Scylla. Everyone wondered what he was planning, until he ate all the three materials and like the Etherion & the Flame of Rebuke, absorb the magic power into his body and entered Dragon Force. (Now normally eating other elements will affect a dragon slayers body if he/she eats one different element, but eating three will grant the dragon slayer a triple Dragon Force energy boost at the cost of his/her life.)
"Salamander! What the hell?! Don't you know what happens when you eat other elements?!" Gajeel yelled out questionably.
"Natsu-san! You'll die!" Wendy screamed out with tears flowing.
"It's okay. If sacrificing my life is what it takes to defeat Scylla, get the Dragon's Eye, and restore Lucy's memories, than I'll take the risk." He says while his closing his eyes slowly.
'Lucy, I wish you remember who I am, but if giving my life up is the only way for you to remember me, then so be it. Lucy, I love you.' Natsu says in his mind with tears streaming down his face. He wipes his tears away and began charging at Scylla.
"Dragon Slayer Magic- Delta Dragon Arts: Crimson Lotus Phoenix Blade!" Natsu yells out before being engulfed in the magic he absorbed and makes contact with Scylla.
"NOOOOOO! AAAAHHHHH! NOT LIKE THIS!" Scylla yells out in pain as the power of the dragon force plus the multiple magic energy emanating from Natsu was too much for her.
'Goodbye. Lucy' was the last thing that Natsu said in his mind for he knew this was the end for him.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
-End of Flashback-
He used all the magic he consumed and entered Dragon Force. But using that power while using different elements affected his body and eventually the power was too much. He knew that doing something so reckless might kill him, but he said if that's what it took to get the Dragon'e Eye, then he would risk it. He didn't want to lose you. He didn't want you to love someone else. In your case, you started to fall for Gray. Natsu was heartbroken when Loke and I told him. That's why he asked me to find a way to help you regain your memories, before it was too late. There wasn't anything we could for Natsu. We're so sorry Lucy. We did the best we could to help him, but Wendy's Sky magic couldn't save-"
"NO! YOUR LYING! THERE'S NO WAY HE WOULD DIE LIKE THAT!" Lucy screamed out loud making everyone cringe. After her outburst, Gajeel opened the sack he had on his shoulders earlier, and revealed the fire mages lifeless corpse. Everyone gasped, some of them screaming in horror. He was severely injured, his Fairy Tail mark was gone, he had a huge x-shaped scar on his chest, and his left arm had large cuts. The scarf that Igneel gave him had holes on it and had blood stains on it. His hair was also covered in blood with a few strand of hair still having the pink color that Lucy loved so much. Her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't believe what she was looking at. Natsu. Her boyfriend. The man she fell in love with but forgot. She felt like a knife stabbed her in the heart. Natsu died, just so that Lucy could remember him. Tears streamed down her face as she realized the mistake she almost made. She almost fell in love with Gray. She walked over to Gajeel, knelt next to the corpse, and started crying as she grabbed Natsu and held him in her arms.
-Flashback-
"Do you really want to know who Natsu was to you?" Loke asked.
"Yes. Was he someone important?" Lucy asked.
"Natsu was your boyfriend."
"He was?!"
"Yes, you two were dating but you gave up your memories to save him from dying."
"I see."
"Natsu doesn't want to lose you Lucy but he didn't tell you that he was your boyfriend since you had enough to deal with." said Levy.
"What if I like someone else though?"
"What?! Who?! Gray?!"
"Maybe."
-End of flashback-
'This isn't happening! This isn't happening!' Lucy said in her mind as she remembered what she had said to Loke and Levy.
"No. No. Natsu. Natsu. NATSUUUUUUUUUU!" She screamed to the heavens. Everyone in the guild started crying as well. Some of them glared at Gray with tears pouring down their faces but had eyes full of anger and sadness. They knew that he tried to steal Lucy away from Natsu, and now the ice mage's actions caused the death of the fire mage. Erza walked over to him and slapped him hard in the face, remembering how he wanted to "make things fair" and try to win Lucy's heart.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU ASSHOLE! THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED RIGHT?! NATSU'S DEAD! THINGS ARE FAIR NOW RIGHT?!" The red-head mage screamed with tears of anger and punched Gray in the face, giving him a bloody nose, followed by a kick to the stomach, making the ice mage fall to his knees.
'What have I done?' He asked himself.
3 days later...
The funeral was held at the Love & Lucky guild cemetery. It was decided that Natsu would be buried right next to Jude and Layla's graves, that way Lucy can visit all three of her loved ones at the same time. The gravestone however was customized. Instead of a regular gravestone, it was a dragon statue with the Dragon's Eye in the eye socket and a plaque being held by the dragon that read:
Here lies Natsu Dragneel
Birth: Unknown - Died: July 6, X791
In memory of the fire that never burned out.
For defeating the diamond dragon Scylla, this mage has been acknowledged as one of the "Ten Wizard Saints".
A Fairy Tail mage, the son of Igneel, and a loving boyfriend.
When the council heard about this, they were furious at first, but soon realized that only a dragon slayer could kill the dragon and gave the title "Wizard Saint" to Natsu. Reading those words made everyone cry. But no one cried more than Lucy. She forgot the man she loves, she started to love someone else, despite the fact that Loke told her that Natsu was her boyfriend, and now he's dead. She had Natsu's scarf along with Happy in her arms, blaming herself for forgetting the man she loved so deeply. Gray was mostly at fault because he wanted to win the celestial mages heart while she had no memories of Natsu, but she said that she was partly to blame seeing that she started liking Gray while Natsu and the others were at Mt. Zonia.
'How could I forget you?' Lucy asks as she looks at the dragon gravestone.
"Natsu..." Lucy says as she breaks down crying.
-At the border of Magnolia-
"Gray Fullbuster, you are hereby guilty of causing the death of Natsu Dragneel, insufferable pain to Lucy Heartfilia, as well our family. You are no longer a member of Fairy Tail!" Makarov exclaimed as he removed the guild mark on Gray's chest, making the ice mage feel like a part of him left.
"And furthermore, while deciding your punishment, I will respect the guild's decision to banish you from Magnolia. You will not be allowed to set foot in Magnolia." Everyone yelled out to the ice mage telling him to leave already.
"I understand." He bluntly said before leaving until Juvia came in front of him.
"Juvia do you-" He couldn't finish as he was interrupted when she slapped him in the face.
"I'm not going with you. You went after Lucy and caused the both of us pain. I see no reason to go with you, Gray. I've lost all feelings for you." Juvia said and walked towards her guildmates, leaving the ice mage to walk to who-knows-where with his guilt, shame, and the memories of what he did that will haunt him for the rest of his life.