Came up with this after being so sick of watching Mashima degrade Natsu to the pathetic MC that he is. Let's face it, he did defeat Zeref and Acnologia through bullshit power-ups, and he never really came around to becoming that developed MC at the end. He stayed the same as always even until the very end. Naruto, Ichigo, and Goku had character changes at the end of their respective runs. With Natsu tho, he stayed the same idiot 'till the end.
And me and my friends actually have this running joke that whatever character Mashima makes gets destroyed. He has no single acceptable character at all. If you have clarifications on this, don't just review, PM me 'cause my response will be extremely long and detailed.
Mashima is doing it again with Edens Zero it seems. Wouldn't want to stick around to read that shit.
Criticisms will be answered accordingly, so if you have a sharp tongue or think you have an easily debatable argument, I suggest you not post your hateful comments. Imma burn you… a lot.
P.S. Natsu will be very OOC since that's the whole point of this fic. Erza…maybe. That's up to you.
…
Lesson 1: Erza POV
I experienced just how cruel the world could be when I was just a child. Because of my past experiences, I had difficulty in letting people into my heart, thus my constant need of armor to protect myself. As time passed, I became more aware of the darkness that permeates from every crack in the world.
I ignored this darkness, always believing in the strength of the light. After all, the shadow can't be stronger than the light, right?
I remained indifferent to the sufferings of others because I didn't want to go back to my own. Funny how everyone saw me as the Queen of the Fairies when in fact, I am the one most afraid to shoulder the pain of others.
So I trained myself relentlessly. To get stronger to protect myself and my comrades, not once thinking of others whose voices constantly cry out for hope.
But I was afraid because I already knew that there is a darkness in everyone's hearts. No matter how innocent one can be, life will always find a way to wake you up.
I always believed that Jellal will continue to guide me towards that path I had envisioned of back then. But even he succumbed to the darkness.
Then I met Natsu.
Probably my closest male friend (Is he just a friend to me though?), with Gray second to him.
Natsu always found a way to keep me from abandoning my faith in humans. He was so pure and charismatic in his own way. He always found a way to raise everyone's spirits. He may not be as physically strong as me or Gray, or as sharp as Lucy or Wendy, but his innocence always leads him to say what we need at just the right time.
He is my hope in the human race. No matter how vile people may be, I knew that at the end of the day, Natsu will save me from this cruel reality.
I daresay he is stronger than me in every way possible. It's just…he's still too young to utilize his full potential.
When we set out to train for the Grand Magic Games, Natsu had an unusal request. He said he wanted to train alone.
Happy of course, was the strongest opposition, but Natsu eventually convinced him to let him be. As we parted ways, I could only wonder why he preferred to train in isolation. Isn't it better for us to train together? We could not only help ourselves become stronger individually, but we can also improve our teamwork and coordination. Not that our team was already perfectly compatible, but still…there are always room for improvements.
After we visited the Celestial Spirit World, we found out that we lost the whole 3 months allotted to us, much to our dismay.
Just then, Crime Sorciere appeared and helped us boost our powers greatly thanks to Ultear's Second Origin boost.
I almost kissed Jellal in the heat of the moment. After knowing that our paths can never intertwine with one another, I reflected while walking in the sandy shore of the beach.
I knew Jellal saw this as a way to repent for his sins. I'm not really that angry though. Since I have Natsu after all.
Everyone is aware of my feelings for Jellal, but what they don't know is that my heart has been split in half, the other belonging to Natsu.
I suppressed my feelings for Natsu and did my best to convince myself that I loved Jellal because I was aware that Lucy and Lisanna had strong feelings for Natsu, whether they deny it or not. I knew because I observe them in the guild everyday. My sharp mind is not only useful for missions, it seems.
And it worked…for a while. During our fight with Oracion Seis 7 years ago, I bawled my eyes out for Jellal. And just now, I tried to start something with him again. But in the end, Natsu is the only one for me after all.
Jellal is a stubborn and gutless man. I knew that no matter how much I try, he will not waver from his path.
With Natsu though, the possibilities are endless. I said that I suppressed my feelings for him for the sake of those two, but I want to be selfish, even if it's just this once. I think I've been selfless enough, right?
As soon as we reunite for the Grand Magic Games participant selection, I will claim him before anyone beats me to the punch. Who knows who else might like him the way I do. Everyone thought my heart belonged solely to Jellal, didn't they?
But when he came back, I saw a lot of changes from my Natsu.
For once, he actually focused on his hygiene. He looked more appealing to the eye, I say (not that he wasn't back then).
His hair was longer, but not in a messy manner. More like, it made him look even hotter. His color scheme was still the same though, but his outfit changed.
He wore the one-sleeved coat, but unbuttoned like how he used to wear his old vest. On his right arm with his Fairy Tail mark, he wore a fingerless glove sleeve that extended just past his elbow. It had the same outlines as his coat, that bronze or orange-like color.
He replaced his baggy white pants for a form-fitting one. He also wore boots to accompany his pants.
His body was more defined, and he got taller. He was now as tall as Gajeel, and his muscles rivalled those of Laxus'.
His eyes were more mature…would be the best way to describe it. He didn't have the same innocent eyes we were accustomed to. He looked older than Jellal now for Mavis' sake.
Most importantly, his muffler was replaced with an orange scarf, much to everyone's surprise. Did something happen in those 3 months? Having this intangible intimidating aura around him, no one dared to ask.
Taken by surprise by his new hunky look, I lost the courage to confess. Maybe I'll do it after the Grand Magic Games after all. Yeah, I'll do just that.
Seriously though, how could he have changed so much in the span of 3 months. Looking at Elfman, it's not really that surprising. But his personality also changed as much as his appearance did, perhaps even more so.
His eyes reflected his new personality. He was much more mature that in the span of one week since coming back from our training, my image of him as the younger brother type changed to the older brother one.
But no matter, it's his heart that captivated me in the first place, at least that won't change, right?
After hearing his speech on the Chariot race, I clung to this hope. He still had the heart I loved.
However, after the events during the fourth day of the Grand Magic Games, I fear that he is no longer the light I admired.
Allow me to recall what happened…
…
Natsu and Gajeel were selected to represent Fairy Tail in the team battle. They were pit against the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, Sting and Rogue. As expected, this match has been the fan-favorite so far.
I saw Gajeel come out first, with Natsu following soon after. Happy must have said something to Natsu seeing as he's not in the stands. Typical of those two, as inseparable as always.
I don't know much about the Twin Dragons, but I heard their popularity slightly surpassed Salamander. It has been 7 years after all, it was inevitable. From what I could gather from their fan-base in Sorcerer Magazine and outside, they used to look up to Natsu.
But I think that Sting has a stronger admiration for Natsu than his dull partner.
As they presented themselves in the arena, I noticed that Natsu had a more powerful presence.
With his new look, it was only natural. It looked like he was fighting against kids.
"You know, Natsu-san, I always looked up to you. But now that you're my opponent, I will show the world that I'm the strongest Dragon Slayer" Sting proudly announced, before launching himself at Natsu.
As soon as the fight started, Gajeel and Rogue immediately started trading blows.
Meanwhile, Natsu was casually defending himself against Sting's attacks. Not one of Sting's moves could land a hit.
Looks like his change was not just limited to himself, but his power as well. To think that he was easily countering Sting's spells like he was fighting a rookie.
After 10 minutes of fighting, Gajeel and Rogue were both gasping for air while locking eyes with each other, a few meters apart. Sting's fist and shin looked like it was in pain, no doubt from coming into contact with Natsu's well-built body. Every time he attacked Natsu directly, he would end up being the one to take damage. Despite entering his White Drive mode, nothing seemed to be changing from his fight with Natsu.
Everyone could only look on at their one-sided match.
After 5 more minutes of battling, Rogue finally had enough and activated his Dragon Force. In complete contrast to Natsu's fight with Sting, Gajeel was being one-sidedly beaten by Rogue.
Sting was sweating a lot and was gasping for air needily, panting strongly. It seemed he was almost reaching his limit. Natsu was unaffected as ever, standing in the same spot he's been in the whole time without leaking any signs that he's exerting any effort at all.
Enraged by Natsu's nonchalant attitude towards their fight, Sting finally flipped. He activated his Dragon Force as well.
At this point, everyone was holding their breath in anticipation of how Natsu will deal with it, curious if he can still maintain his stoic façade.
Much to everyone's surprise, Sting supported Rogue in his attack on Gajeel. Looks like they were planning to take him out first so they can focus on Natsu, seeing as how much of a threat Natsu displayed himself to be.
Not too long after, Gajeel was down for the count. Now, it was just the Twin Dragons and Salamander.
Glaring at Natsu as if to intimidate him, Sting voiced out…
"Let's see how you can look down on us when we beat you to a pulp, Natsu-san!"
"Not like you're that strong anyway. You couldn't even beat a real dragon"
Sting continued his mindless provocations.
After maintaining his silence the whole time, Natsu finally spoke.
"And you did? If you were able to beat a dragon like that, the dragon probably let you win" he said with a chuckle, openly mocking Sting and Rogue.
Sting was the first to attack Natsu. To his surprise, Natsu was faster than him and simply sidestepped to dodge his projectile move.
Rogue followed with a direct punch, only to have it blocked effortlessly.
He sweatdropped and in that moment of weakness, was thrown at Sting.
Getting up, they both looked at Natsu in shock. After being unstoppable for so long with a trump card you possess, having it stopped is equal to the shock of losing a fight you never lost before.
"How is this possible? This is the power we used to defeat dragons" Sting said shakily.
"Sting! Calm down. No matter how strong someone is, they always have a weak spot" Rogue pointed out, snapping Sting back to reality.
"Ohhh…then where do you think my weak spot is?" Natsu said in a teasing manner.
"We'll just have to find out!" Sting shouted as he lunged at Natsu once again, Rogue following his pursuit.
The Twin Dragons unleashed a breathtaking flurry of combos that raised the momentum of the crowd.
The mages spectating watched in awe, breathless at watching such unparalleled coordination.
"How magnificent! Each move they take are designed to leave room for the other to strike" Jura-san praised, interested in the turn of events.
"They're supporting each other while attacking Natsu, leaving no room for holes in their defense. To think that they're able to synchronize their movements and predict what the other will do in an instant, their reputation as the most powerful duo in Fiore is well-deserved" Master praised as well.
At this time, there was only 13 minutes left until the timer runs out, and Natsu doesn't seem to be making any sign that he's going to go on the offensive. Up until now, he's only been defending without making any unnecessary movements to conserve energy. What is he up to?
"What's Natsu doing? Is he planning to lose this match?!" Gray shouted out. I could clearly see his frustration as evident in the tone of his voice. I, too, am curious as to what Natsu plans to do to counter their attacks.
18:38
Looking up at the timer, a minute had passed. When does he plan to finish the match? Not that I'm looking down on Sting and Rogue as weaker than Natsu, but judging from how relaxed Natsu has been so far, I could tell he already has a plan to win. I find it odd no one else has noticed his calm demeanor. Maybe they're too focused on the ones attacking? Perhaps it's the heat of the moment? No one is even paying attention to the knocked out Gajeel…aside from Levy and Pantherlily that is.
Anyway, another interesting aspect of this match is the words they're trading with each other. The Twin Dragons, Sting for the most part, kept provoking Natsu to attack.
Catching everyone's attention, Natsu finally went on the offensive and pushed them back.
"That's enough horseplay for today. It's time I teach you two how to fight for real." Natsu said with a playful smirk, silencing them, even the audience. There's just something ominous about the way he's currently acting. Looks like he's finally done playing around.
"I'll teach both of you the secret to becoming stronger" Natsu said, effectively halting them from their preparatory combat stances. So they're curious too, just like me and everybody else.
"In order for one to mature, one must be broken first. Your growth will depend on how broken you've become" Natsu said. Seeing their confused faces, no doubt still trying to comprehend what Natsu just said, he continued…
"In other words, you have to lose something to gain something of equal value, or perhaps even greater"
"Lose something to gain something? How foolish, that's not even possible. Your words are contradictory in and of itself" Rogue said.
"You're the one too foolish to understand" Natsu countered, rebutting Rogue's claim.
"Did you know that love is the strongest weapon in the world?" Natsu suddenly asked, capturing everyone's complete attention. Not a single noise could be heard in the arena in anticipation of Natsu's next words.
Maintaining their silence as a sign for him to continue, Natsu began…
"Love can either push you to surpass your previously established limitations, or it can destroy you. there are such a thing as 'blind love' isn't there? That's an example of how love can destroy you. Then there's the option of you losing that love. What do you think will happen to you?" Natsu asked, not really expecting an answer.
"You'll become an empty shell, deprived of that drive you previously possessed. You may say that this can also apply to hate, but you're wrong. What brings you to hate in the first place? Isn't it when your love is taken away or is threatened? Following that trail of thought, that's what brings forth other strong emotions such as sadness and anger…"
At this point, every spectator were either crying (probably because of its poetic beauty or the content of Natsu's words itself), speechless at such wisdom, or for people like me who actually knew Natsu, shocked to hear such words from him. The three judges simply could not process what was happening anymore as they joined the crowd in watching in awe.
"…in the end, every emotion has love at its root. This was something I failed to realize before it was too late…" Natsu said with an expression of loss and regret. Basically, sadness itself.
"...the happiest moment in my life was when my two daughters were born. Imagine how big my fall was when they were killed"
At this moment, everything finally made sense. The titanic changes that Natsu went through in the span of three months was finally answered.
Everyone had varying looks of shock.
"There are still 7 minutes left, more than enough time for me to break both of you"
His magic intensified and in an instant, it flared up. The magical pressure was unbelievable. It was unlike anything I've ever felt in my whole life.
"Now then, let's begin the lesson" Natsu said ominously as blue flames spurt froth from his body.
"I'll introduce you to the world of adults"
With those final words, he began to flail their bodies across the place. Even in Dragon Force none of them stood a chance.
…
After winning the match, everyone's opinion of Natsu changed. No longer was he the lovable heart of Fairy Tail. He was now the infamous Mephisto who wields all flames, the slaughterer of countless dark guilds and monsters.
No one saw this side of Natsu coming. I recently learned of natsu's past, but that's a story for another time.
…
Put my all in this one. Just wanted to open your eyes to the possibility of Natsu becoming badass. Like a real, genuine badass.
By the way, I dunno if anyone has already said the things I made Natsu say in this fic, but I'll tell you that the words are mine, 100%. I swear with everything I have. It took me 3 months to come up with this philosophy, watching countless films and reading countless works. I also meditate to gather all my thoughts. Perhaps I'll introduce you all to new philosophies if I get motivated enough to make a second chapter. I'll make this a one-shot for now, but if I see that people want a second chapter, then I shall. Flattery and pride is what motivates most people anyway, I'm no exception. Blame human nature. So I'll be listing this as complete for now.
Might post a new chapter when I have the time. I'm lagging behind my other stories enough as it is. For those who read my other stories, don't worry 'cause I haven't given up on it. I never half-ass things. I swear that I'll finish all my stories no matter how long it takes. The most I'll stop updating is probably 3 months. I have a life too, y'know.