It had been many years since Natsu had seen the old Fairy Tail Guild building. The guild had been forced to relocate after the S Class trials, when master, the candidates and their partners, alongside all the current S Class mages were trapped inside Fairy Sphere. No matter the size of the guild, the effect of having Master Makarov and 19 of Fairy Tail's best mages missing for those 7 years had been devastating. Now, almost 20 years after their return, they had finally bought back their guild which had been untouched all that time.
The day the building had been returned to its rightful owners, most of the guild had gone to see if it could be salvaged, or if there really was any point in trying to restore what time had taken. Only three had remained behind. Master had outright refused, and in the same breath had told us what was so heavy on his heart. "I shall not go back to the guild, I have many memories there, but none that need to be renewed. I am old, I have denied it for many years, but I can no longer..."
Natsu cut him of for a moment, "Gramps..." a rather exasperated tone in his voice.
Makarov continued undeterred. "I am almost 108 years old boy! However numbers are irrelevant. I am retiring. It will fit nicely in with relocating back to the guild. This time, however, I want a proper election, a competition of sorts. I need to know I am handing the care of my kids to someone who deserves it!"
This time he had spoken right over Natsu, who had grunted, "101 thanks..." as Master had included the 7 years they had spent in the fairy sphere, which had aged them none.
Other than Natsu himself, the third to not go back to the ruined guild that day was Gildarts. After Makarov's speech, the S Class mage, easily the most powerful in the guild who's only competition was Natsu, now an S Class mage himself, had left on a job, one that might have him gone for many months. His words before leaving, apart from a lengthy goodbye to his daughter Cana, were simple but said more than what may be interpreted. "Fairy Tail Guild does not need me as its Master." He had said, his expression impossible to read, "I am almost as old as Master, and I have seen promise in you all far beyond what I could offer. I will not take part in this competition. There are many who deserve this more." At that, he looked pointedly at Natsu, then left.
Natsu had no big secret to be hiding, nothing he had to say that was stopping him from going. Just a simple concept, "I will not go see the guild, for the guild is a representation of its members. This guild is not weak, it is not crumbling. It is strong in its foundation. It is strong! I will not see our guild in its time of weakness, and have that image etched into my memory. I will wait to see it strong again, strong and united a Fairy Tail guild is!"
When the mages had returned they discussed what needed to be done. The unspoken, was that Time Arc magic could restore the guild. It was a ridiculous idea that someone might just have illegal magic lying around, but they did. Then somehow, and this argument did have an element concerning the possession of a soul, Duckie was stuck fixing the guild.
Now the guild was fixed, thanks to Duckie, and the newest problem arose.