Author's Note: This is the first of hopefully many Fairy Tail FanFics from me. This chapter is a recap of Fairy Tail Chapter 259, which will be the point in the story after which I will deviate and go a new route. Takes place after the Tenrou Team has returned from the 7 year time skip and found out how far behind their magic was, as compared to other guilds of the time. This story chronicles Natsu and Laxus's journey to expand their magic in time for the Magic Games.
Sparks & Embers
Chapter One
Lightning and Flame
Laxus
Inside the old tavern they'd converted into a guild building, over a dozen Fairy Tail members were gathered around one of the many small round tables that occupied the guild interior.
Standing on top of the table in order to be seen, Master Makarov was at that moment in the middle of a very important announcement.
". . . so what I'm saying, is that I've decided to retire." he announced to the assembled mages.
From his position overlooking the crowd on the second floor, Laxus could see the looks of surprise and disbelief that crossed the gathered mages' faces. Many had mouths hanging open, dumbfounded, while other's eyebrows were raised so high they nearly disappeared into their hairlines.
Though he couldn't see their faces, he could feel the Raijinshu fidget behind him as well at the unexpected news. Laxus, on the contrary, remained still. His face was impassive and with his lack of reaction, it could be wondered if he were even listening to his grandfather's speech.
"Now, I'd like to introduce the new Master to you," Makarov continued, ignoring the whispering and muttering that were breaking out following his declaration.
"He can't be serious, can he?" Evergreen asked. It was the same question being asked uncertainly in the crowd below.
"Nah, he's probably just joking," Bixlow reasoned. "With everything that's happened, he must realize the guild needs him now more than ever. Picking now to retire just wouldn't make sense."
Of the three members of the Thunder God Tribe, Fried was the only one to withhold judgment until he heard more. He'd noticed that none of what Makarov said seemed to come as a surprise to Laxus, because despite appearances, he was sure that Laxus was listening just as intently as everyone else. Experience told him that if Laxus wasn't worried or particularly bothered over the announcement, then the Master's grandson either had access to more information than he did, or the subject just wasn't worth being bothered by.
Or maybe . . . maybe Laxus wasn't surprised that the Master was retiring for another reason? Was he told about this beforehand? Could it have something to do with the letter Mirajane delivered to Laxus earlier that day that had caused him to leave the guild on a mysterious 'errand'? Could Laxus possibly be the next . . .?
Before Fried's mind could go into overdrive speculating on all the possible scenarios, Makarov resumed his announcement.
"The Fifth Master of Fairy Tail is . . .," he paused dramatically, then swept his hand backwards to introduce the S-Class mage and his successor as guild master.
"Gildarts Clive!"
There was a moment of confused silence . . . the person he was indicating, while being an S-Class mage, wasn't Gildarts Clive. Smiling brightly and waving cheerfully to the assembled mages was none other than the Take Over mage, Mirajane.
"What happened to Gildarts!" Makarov exclaimed, eyes bugging. Mira held out an envelope with his name on it.
"There's a letter left here from him." she told him.
"What!" he took the envelope and tore it open, a feeling of dread settling in.
"To Master and all my guild mates," he read out loud. "As far as being the Master is concerned . . . Sorry, it's just not my style."
"Whaaaaaa?" Around him, the rest of the guild exploded in laughter. It was just the type of reply they'd have expected from Gildarts.
"But . . . since you've already appointed me . . . I'm leaving you two assignments as the Fifth Master. The first one . . . is to reinstate Laxus as a member of Fairy Tail."
The guild went silent. All eyes turned to where Laxus stood leaning against the banister on the floor above.
He was staring down at the letter in his grandfather's hand in disbelief. He'd never been close to Gildarts as so many others in the guild were, so for the old man to do something like this for him . . . he was speechless.
"Old man . . ." Did this have something to do with that from before?
Behind him, Bixlow and Evergreen both had silly grins on their faces, while Fried actually had tears pouring from his eyes.
"That's great, Laxus!" Bixlow shouted.
"The Raijins are back in town!" Evergreen squealed, grabbing his arm.
"Well . . . I . . . " Laxus tried to speak, but couldn't find the words.
"Gildarts . . . what a man . . ." Fried was too emotional to get much out. All he could do was repeat the same statement over and over, seeming unaware of the tears streaming down his face.
Makarov, on the other hand, looked furious.
"What the hell d'you think you're doing!" he demanded angrily of the absent Fifth Master.
It was just for show though, as everyone could tell. Facing the wall to hide his expression, he said with much effort to sound reluctant,
"Nggh . . . If the Fifth says it . . . I'll abide."
Up on the second floor, the Raijinshu's happiness couldn't be contained, and it was with great difficulty that Laxus got them to calm down so that he could hear the rest of the letter.
"Fairy Tail is my home," Makarov read. "I promise I'll be back."
"Until then . . . My wish is that Fairy Tail becomes the #1 guild in Fiore once again."
"But that's not my responsibility. It's yours." the letter concluded.
Somehow, Laxus felt as if part of the letter was spoken directly to him, as if Gildarts was standing right beside him, letting him know what he had to do next.
Below, the other members of Fairy Tail seemed to share similar feelings. The atmosphere was still one of happiness and excitement, but following Gildart's letter, a sense of determination and hope pervaded the guild.
It was not only possible to fulfill Gildart's wish, but with these Nakama, it would surely happen just as he'd said. Fairy Tail would definitely be the number one guild in Fiore again.
After the announcement, the assembled mages dispersed to go about their individual pursuits. Some stayed in the guild to enjoy the company of their friends and party for a while. Others, filled with a newfound determination after reading the letter, immediately set out to make plans to improve their magic and do their part to bring Fairy Tail back to the top of Fiore.
On the second floor, the Raijinshu were deep in discussion about what type of training they should do. Evergreen was arguing for a training camp style event somewhere luxurious, maybe on a beach. Fried and Bixlow were adamantly against that. If they wanted to truly get stronger the two argued, they should do it in a wilderness or somewhere cut off from civilization. Just them against the elements.
The argument went on for sometime, until finally Evergreen turned to Laxus to get his opinion.
"Well, Laxus what do you think?" she asked. "Should we train somewhere nice or in some desert wasteland like these two want?"
Laxus's head snapped up suddenly at the sound of her voice. She hadn't been sure he was even listening.
"Desert wasteland?" he asked, distracted.
"Yeah, would you rather train there or on a nice, sunny beach somewhere?"
He didn't answer. The moment he'd looked up, he'd immediately turned and began looking over the guild, searching for someone.
"Hey . . . where's Natsu?" he asked suddenly.
"Huh? I don't know, was he even at the meeting?"
As Laxus began searching more urgently, Fried walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I think he's outside. He's the only one likely to be making that much noise right beside the guild. Do you need him for something?"
Now that it'd been brought to his attention, Laxus could indeed here a commotion going on outside. It sounded like someone was using magic right beside the guild. And just like Fried, he had a good hunch who was causing it.
"I'll be back. I need to have a word with him . . ."
Natsu
"Is this for real . . .?" Natsu panted. In front of him, Max stood unscratched and undaunted.
While he'd accepted the fact that seven years had some how passed since the events on Tenrou Island, he was only just beginning to grasp the full implications of the time loss.
"Did you think we sat around doing nothing for the last seven years?" Max asked him. "We've taken all that time to train ourselves."
What Max said made an obvious sense, even to Natsu; the degree to which he'd been getting beat, loss after loss, said it even louder still. Despite that, he wasn't ready to admit defeat.
"Again, damn it!" Putting everything he had on this last battle, he charged Max. "Graaaaaaah!"
His focus at its peak, he attacked with a flurry of right and left punches.
None connected. Max dodged them all effortlessly, not stepping back once.
Twisting his hand, Max conjured a whirl of sand around he and Natsu, and with another twist of his hand and a command of "Sand Rebellion" sent the pillar of sand slamming into Natsu from underneath.
"Uwaaahh!" Natsu was knocked forcibly into the air. Surrounded by sand and flipped upside down by the force of the attack, he threw his hands out to the side and summoned his own whirl of flame.
"There's nothing I can't incinerate away!" he shouted defiantly as his flames burned away the sand attack, in the process sending clouds of smoke and sand washing over the bystanders.
"Go Natsu!" Happy cheered, as beside him Lucy and Wendy coughed and shielded their eyes.
Natsu landed on his feet and immediately launched back into his offensive, determined not to let up for even a second.
"Fire Dragon's . . . Iron Fist!" Right fist awash in flame, he struck out at Max.
"Sand Wall!" Max countered before the attack could land. Immediately, a dense wall of sand was conjured between he and Natsu.
Natus's attack struck the deceptively soft looking sand with a thwack and went no further.
"Nghh!" he strained against it, but only succeeded in taking more damage than he dealt in attempting to break through the impenetrable wall.
"A little different than seven years ago, aren't I?" Max taunted.
"Unbelievable! Max is totally unbelievable!" Vijeeter cheered ecstatically.
"He's overpowering Natsu?" Warren asked disbelievingly, jaw dropping at the complete reversal of power being displayed.
Beside him, Nab grinned. "We just might be able to beat him too . . ."
Damn it! Was this how far behind he'd become? Even his own guild mates were looking down on him now! DAMN IT! He wasn't going to lose to someone like Max!
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He could feel it. Fury. Determination. Magic. He wouldn't lose. He refused to lose.
"MODE: LIGHTNING FIRE DRAGON!"
From deep within his body came the feeling of a container filled to the brim with volatile gasses suddenly being ignited by a spark of electricity.
In an explosion of magic he never thought he'd feel again, Natsu's body erupted into a fiery aura of flame and lightning.
YES. This power. This was a power that no one could look down on. As if he'd lose!
"No way . . ." Lucy murmured. The power radiating from Natsu was massive. Form obscured by the inferno raging around him, all that was visible of the dragon slayer was a dark shape within the flames, and then only because of the forks of lightning encircling and illuminating the fire.
Both awed and somewhat afraid at the same time, she couldn't help but feel that at that moment, he looked as fearsome and monstrous as any dragon she could imagine.
Facing Max, Natsu assumed a familiar stance; legs spread, knees bent, and lungs inhaling.
"Lightning Fire Dragon's . . ."
"Wha. . . What the heck is that . . ." Max managed to get out.
"ROAARR!"
* * (*) * *
Author's Note:
For the sake of shorting the first chapter, and because it fit the order I wanted for the story more, I've rearranged the sequence of events in the chapter a little. Assume that somewhere in there they also found out about the Magical games. I'd started writing that part out too, but it got too long, so didn't make the final draft.
To be clear: I Do Not Own Fairy Tail, Nor Any Part Of It. All Credit Goes To Fairy Tail's Respective Owners . . . and whatnot.
I'm always open to constructive reviews and would love to know what you think. Feedback really helps the quality of any further writing I do, and will always be greatly appreciated.
If you have a Fairy Tail, Bleach, or Soul Eater Fic you've written and would like an extra reviewer on, let me know and I'll do my best :)
- Futuristic Phoenix
