Chapter Two: The Return

Authors Note: Vwa-la! (How ever you spell it) I know where the story is going. If it stopped at an odd spot the last chapter, I had to cut chapter one in half cause it was to long. Sorry, so~ this could be called; Chapter One, Part Two. Anyway~ Enjoy!

"We're back!" Droy yells, walking into the guild hall.

"Wow..." Everyone stares.

"T-the money!" Makarov anime cries at the sight. The guild hall is much larger, with a more open guild hall. The layout is exactly the same, but the amount of people in it explains the enlargement.

"Hey!"

"Welcome back!" People shout greetings but the hall is soon filled with silence as they realize the extra company.

"YOU'RE BACK!" The long-lost guild members are soon tackled by their friends, tears shed as they greet.

"Hey, is Natsu back yet?" Alzack scoops his daughter up, asking Reedus.

"Not yet."

"Should be today, though." Makao speaks up from his spot at the bar.

"Then lets start the party!" Everyone yells in excitement of the guild members return, starting the celebration. Many of the people from Tenrou crowding Bisca and Alzack, wanting answers about their new child; Asuka.

"So... are you the guild master?" Makarov sits next to Macao who bursts out laughing at the statement.

"No, no. But I am his adviser." He takes a gulp of his beer,"Speak of the devil..." he sighs as the doors fly open. Dust is flown everywhere as the figure, shadowed by the light outside, walks in.

"Hmm? Did somebody start a party without me?" the male voice speaks. Though he is darkened and they can't see his face, the returning members can see his broad shoulders and toned muscles. Easily taller than Erza, with black sandals slapping the floor as he walks. Spiky hair bouncing on top of his head, going no longer than the scarf he wears. And then they realize it.

His hairs pink.

"N-Natsu!" the Tenrou group yells, only to be overpowered by the yell;

"Master!" The light preceding, they see his clothes are generally the same as when he was younger, except the vest is closed unlike before. He wears thick, black gloves with golden rims and, like before, both sleeves are missing. His right arm has the red Fairy Tail mark, but the mark now has an orange outer rim, the right arm also has multiple scars on it. There's a diagonal cross-shaped scar that goes from his temple to his lip on the right side. He looks somewhat like Gajeel build-wise, but is more toned and happy-go-lucky.

"Whoa, whoa!" He raises his hands, as they realize it's Natsu they can obviously tell his voice had deepened, and he'd matured.

"You won't believe it!" A boy the age Natsu was seven years ago jumps in front of him, followed by a mage dressed in darker clothes (Sting and Rogue). Landing next to them appear two exceeds, a red one and one dressed like a frog.

"Natsu! Over here!" Macao motions for the pinkette to join him, and the current guild master brushes everyone off.

"Keep on doing what you're doing. Sting, don't forget what you want to tell me." He walks away to the counter, not noticing the Tenrou group watching him intently. Plopping onto the stool, he lets out a long, tired sigh, leaning back on the bar.

"Would you like anything, master?" the bar girl asks.

"Hmm? Oh, just a beer. Thanks." He murmurs the last part, then turns to Macao. A glint catches Grays eye and he notices the shine coming from Natsu's scarf, staring he realizes what the blue brooch is.

"W-Wizard Saint!" He gasps, everyone looks at him, then at the object hanging on Natsu's scarf. There it is, the Wizards Saint brooch on Natsu.

"So, what happened at the meeting?" Macao questions as Natsu gets his drink.

"Not much." He drinks.

"You expect me to believe that?" The both chuckle at this.

"He's having a mellow conversation!" Lucy whispers.

"A-aye..."

"It was just the usual. Sting and Rogue destroyed a lot more than I thought they did." Makarov sweatdrops at Natsu's statement, while the other rests his forehead on the bar counter.

"You gonna do a speech?" Macao flicks his eyes at the Tenrou group before returning his gaze to Natsu again.

"I guess. But this is way to tiring, dammit!" Slamming his drink down he stalks onto the stage, stretching his arms. As soon as he steps up the guild goes silent, shocking the Tenrou group.

"He's about to make a speech?!" Gray whisper-yells, being shushed by some random person.

"Well, this week has been tiring." He begins to pace along the stage,"first, where can I start with Sting and Rogue. And somehow Lector and Frosch managed to do some damage. You know, I'm not even gonna go into that." A sigh drifts through the air, and they watch as Sting and Rogue release the breath they were holding. "Alzack and Bisca... and Romeo! The least you can do is warn the people the day before a battle. You had it planned and everything. Hell, I was there when you planned the attack. Think before you strike!" Everyone laughs at this, and Natsu sports a smile,"But to hell with it. Sting, Rogue... and you exceeds. And every other mage in this guild. If there's one thing I know, do not fear the council because if you're worried about them your magic won't improve. To improve yourself you need to pour your body and soul into it, so if you destroy a few things in the process..." he pauses and strokes his chin," Well, do whatever you think is right! Cause that's just who we are. Now, who are we?"

"Fairy Tail!" A few people shout, but a lot of people wear the happiest grins.

"I'm sorry," he stops in the middle-front of the stage,"WHO. ARE. WE!?"

"FAIRY TAIL!" Everyone- including the Tenrou group- shouts out, gaining Natsu's goofy grin.

"FAIRY TAIL!" Natsu booms, raising his hand up in the Fairy Tail signal, everyone else doing the same.

"FAIRY TAIL~!" Everyone echos, with a smile, he nods and hops off the stage back to the bar. Sting and Rogue walk up to him.

"W-we're sorry." Sting looks down, Natsu drinks some beer.

"Frosch is, too." The exceed says for him (or her) self.

"Have you had any alcohol yet?" Natsu asks the teen who looks up at him in shock.

"Of course not!"

"Then why are you acting like you're drunk! Did you not hear my speech just now?" He places his hand on the young dragon slayers head with a smile,"Don't worry about it, just promise me that whatever you do from now on. You put your heart and soul into it. I don't mind. Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good, now go party... say, why're we having a party?" He taps his nose, taking in a long whiff before jumping up. The stool falls to the ground, making a noise that everyone falls silent at.

"That's what I was going to tell you..." Sting mumbles as Natsu turns towards Macao.

"So,what? Is it a secret, a surprise?! I've known it's the seventh year! WHERE ARE THEY?!" He turns around, a grin spread across his face. Seeing the table they all sit at he dashes for them, somehow tackling them all into a hug.

"N-Natsu! Whoa!" Lucy blushes and he gets up, brushes himself off, and stares at them.

"When'd you get back?"

"Just before you did." Erza gets up, and everyone just stares at her next movement. She grabs a fistful of Natsus' clothing and pulls him- shamefully to her- down so they're eye-to-eye.

"U-umm...? Erza?"

"Explain." He ponders for a moment, trying to remember what she's talking about. Just as he's about to speak, a deep yawn escapes him, shocking the Tenrou group. Giggles erupt from the surrounding crowd and girls dash for their guild master.

"Oh, Natsu-sama. Come to bed with me~."

"No me~, Natsu-sama!" They pull at his clothes and he brushes them off. Lucky! Makarov stares, blood streaming down his nose.

"I'm not going to bed yet, and I've already said no enough times!" Natsu looks around, ignoring the girls tugging at his clothes,"And why did the celebration stop?" Looking at each other the guild itself seems to shrug as people start partying once again, the girls leaving Natsus' side.

"Wha-how?" Gray stares at his rival. "Fight me." Everyone expects him to accept.

"Not n-n-" another deep yawn,"now. I need some rest and you guys were just released from Fairy Sphere. It takes time for you to get back to your full power."

"How'd you know it was Fairy Sphere?" Levy asks, she never heard anyone tell him.

"Ah, Macao. You explain. I'm gonna sneak out of here." He whispers and is gone in a crack of lightning, much to the girls disappointment.

"So, Macao, explain." Makarov watches the man sigh and scratch the back of his neck.

"Where do I start..."

"From the beginning." Erza sits at the table, staring intently at the mage.

"Very well..." he sighs,"He was brought to the guild unconscious by Doranbolt who told us everything he knew. Tenrou being gone and Natsu being the only survivor. When Natsu woke up he told us you guys were alive because he believed the spell had worked. We appointed him as master that day, too. When we made the attributes of the wanted master and he fit them all..."

(Flashback)

"So, Master Natsu." I walk up to him as he lays his head on the counter.

"Hmm? Call me Natsu..." He moans in reply, still depressed about something.

"What spell is keeping them alive?"

"Fairy Sphere." He mumbles.

(Story interrupted)

"Fairy Sphere?! And this was only three days later? How'd he know?" Lucy butts in, there's no way he knew so soon.

"I was getting to that..." he mumbles in irritation.

"S-sorry..."

(Back to Flashback)

"What's Fairy Sphere?"

"I... don't know."

"Then how do you know it saved them?!"

"I have faith." Natsu looks up at me. "It's about time I find out."

"What?" I watch Natsu get up, stretch, then head for the guild library.

"I'm gonna do some research." he replies, turning around. "Keep an eye on things for me, but try not to bug me. If any one leaves to go on their... 'break'. Inform me straight away."

"Yes, Ma... Natsu." I can only watch, stunned by how... mature he's acting.

He was almost constantly down in the library. Coming up for food or to send people off. The members that attempted to just wallow in misery, the ones that lost faith that the others would return, had to face Natsu. Droy was drowning himself in food, a few days after Natsu began his... research, he realized it.

All his attention was the focused on the weight-gainer. He put off a week of research to help him, and once that was done he forced Jet and Droy out of the guild, not to come back for at least a month. They were gone for almost a year and came back looking the same way for the rest of the six years.

Natsu, after a month of being in the library- including the week with Droy- came up into the hall to inform us of what he discovered about Fairy Sphere.

"GUYS! I have it!" He screams, the only ones in the hall were; Max, Wakaba, Reedus, Nab and I.

"W-what is it?" Wakaba sees the excited boy.

"I need a scale map of Tenrou Island! ASAP!"

"Yes sir!" Nab gets up and rushes into the library for what was asked for. Natsu clears a table, laying the retrieved map on it. Then pulling out a book and opening it to a certain page.

"What is it?" I walk up, stunned at his happiness.

"Fairy Sphere," he looks up at me, and then I see the bags under his eyes. He must've gotten little to no sleep... I thought. "It's one of the three great fairy magics. An ultimate defense one, too. Now..." He began measuring the size of the island, and after some time of us all just watching him, he draws a large circle around it.

"What is that?" Max asks, indicating the sphere.

"The barriers size. The consequence of this magic is time, so..." He measures the circumference of the barrier, and then sits down, wide-eyed.

"What is it?" I ask him, apparently taking him out of his daze.

"They'll be back in seven years..." He then smiled the happiest smile I've ever seen on him,"thank Mavis... Well. I'm glad I figured this out in only... How long has it been?"

"Just above a month." Reedus says, looking worriedly at Natsu.

"*yawn* A month? Whew, I'm off to bed. We'll tell them when they get back..." He said, before passing out on the table.

(Present)

"Looking back, I could never imagine Natsu being so intelligent and what-not. But, he was." Macao smiles,"I think he worked on it because everyone else was so gloomy... Though he said he knew you were all alive, we didn't truly believe it. He pushed himself to his limits- physically and mentally- just to pick us back up. If I was master, I would've just lead us to rock-bottom."

"Don't be so down on yourself." Gildarts puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"So, you never answered my question." Lucy asks,"How did Natsu know it was Fairy Sphere?" Macao realizes Lucy's right.

"Oh, umm. He said when he was knocked away, he heard a faint voice announce the spell." They all look at each other with one thought; Mavis.

"So, the guild being as destructive as before?" Makarov finds a spot to sit on the table.

"Even more so..." Wakaba gives a slight chuckle, joining in on the conversation. "We have two old Natsu's in the guild now. The light and shadow dragon slayers; Sting and Rogue."

"I figured." Gajeel nods, remembering the masters speech.

"So, he's a wizard saint?" Gray turns to the two men who stare at him.

"Oh, yeah." Wakaba blows some purple smoke.

"It happened about two years after you all left. He's ranked-"

"Macao, Makarov." Natsu speaks from the balcony, interrupting the purple-haired mage, "Please come to my office immediately."

The two look at each other and then at the preceding figure of the guild master, then follow after him.

Authors Note: Ta-da! Lil' convo-sation gonna go on with dose twee. Don't ask about that spelling... Thanks for reading, and I live off reviews! Til next time, see ya!