And here's the poll reminder. It's on my profile page. And now it's gone. But technically, as I'm still mentioning it, so it's still here. Meh. Anyway, Enjoy the story!

(Lisanna's POV)

"Huh? What are you guys all worried about?" If the situation hadn't been so dire, Mirajane would have face palmed and smacked her little sister on the head.

"Don't move… We'll get you out of there in a second… Just stay calm…" Lisanna frowned.

"What are you talking about? Get me out of what?" As it was, Mirajane just gritted her teeth. Lisanna was really trying her patience.

"Just stay calm…" To the cloaked man, she yelled. "What is it you want? Money? Food? Well give it to you, but I swear, if you harm my little sister I'll—" Lisanna stomped up to her elder sister and bonked her on the top of her head. Hard.

Smack

Unable to process what just happened, everyone held their breath, stunned. Mirajane was the first to recover.

"Are you hurt anywhere? How many fingers am I holding? Oh my god, what did he do—" Lisanna tried to bonk her again, but this time Mirajane was ready, and caught her hand.

"What are you doing? I just saved you!" Lisanna snorted.

"Save me? From what?"

"From him!" She pointed at the man, but Lisanna looked back at confusion.

"Him? Who?" It was now safe to face palm, and the Devil did so.

"HIM! THAT MAN! HE ATTACKED YOU AND NATSU AND GRAY!" Lisanna sighed, looked down, and groaned. Returning her gaze back to her sister she said, very slowly

"HE didn't attack me. YOU did. HE SAVED me" Mirajane reeled.

"What?" Sighing, Lisanna began to explain.

(Natsu's POV/ Ten minutes ago…)

Huh? He was just running to Fairy Tail and…

"Hey! Stupid fireball! What was that for?" That voice, and that insult.

"Gray, you stupid icicle, what are you yelling at me for? I was just heading back home!" Gray snorted.

"So was I! And you just had to run into me! I demand an apology!" Natsu growled.

"Not now! It can wait for later! Lisanna might be—" Gray punched Natsu before he could finish his sentences.

"No excuses!" Natsu just ran, not even trying to engage, but Gray was just as fast. "Don't even think of running away you!"

"Let me go! Lisanna might be in trouble!"

"Yeah right! You're just using that as an excuse! Master and Mirajane, are there! No way they'd be beaten so easy! Now stand and fight ember head!" Natsu growled. While he agreed with the ice mage's logic, the feeling in his nose was still tingling. And his nose was never wrong. Damnit. He would have to finish this quick then go save Lisanna.

"ICE CUBE, GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Natsu jumped, legs ablaze. Gray put his fists together and created a shield.

"Ice Make Shield!" The ice melted and Natsu regained his balance, immediately attacking again, this time twice as fast. Gray's face was struck, and the boy was sent hurtling into the floor. Natsu attempted to leap over his rival, but Gray grabbed his leg mid step.

"Not so fast. Using magic already huh?" Bringing him back to earth Gray slammed him into the ground. Natsu managed to break free from Gray's grip and roll off some of the impact. The fire magic got into his stance, and breathed in.

"Fire Dragons Roar!" Gray threw himself to the side, barely managing to escape the blast, the heat still pressing his back. Natsu again ran past him, but again his attempts were thwarted.

"Ice Make Ice Wall!" A towering wall cut off Natsu's path, but that didn't stop him.

"Fire Dragons Claw!" Swiping the barricade, the wall was made into ice cubes and melted in a matter of seconds. But those seconds were enough for Gray to get back in front of him.

"Whoops. Almost let you by there" Natsu was getting angrier and more impatient with each passing moment.
"I wont say it again! Get out of my way!" Gray sneered.

"Bring it!" Snarling with feral rage, Natsu launched his barrage of slaying magic. Even Gray was cautious. Natsu wasn't easily angered, or at least, not by pure rage all the time. Maybe there really was something going on… But there was no time to think, just enough to react.

"Fire Dragons Sword Horn!" Natsu head butt the ice mage, Gray managing to summon ice to his hands at the point of impact, minimizing internal damage, but still sent rocketing away. But Natsu wouldn't let up. Following Gray before he even had a chance to land, Natsu sent him to the clouds. Gray had no time to react.

"Fire Dragons Wings!" Flexing his legs, and shooting flames from his feet, Gray found Natsu on top of him, even at such a height. A few seagulls squawked in alarm to see humans in their territory. For the finishing blow, Natsu raised his fist.

"Fire Dragons Fist!" Gray was punched in the gut, and the accumulative blows to his chest area finally registered to his brain, and his body exploded in pain. But he wasn't about to be beat without a fight. In the air, Natsu had nowhere to run, and Gray would use that to his full advantage. Putting his hands together, he chanted

"Ice Make Arrows!" A bow appeared in his hands, and a hail of arrows shot at Natsu. Even the dragon slayer would be hurt at such a close range attack of Ice Make Magic. Both of the hurtled back to Earth, and crashed into— A cloaked figure caught Natsu, and Gray, before they touched down. He didn't say anything, but examined the two to see if they were hurt. They were, and badly. But the man spread his hands over the two, and a gentle light pulsated.

(Lisanna's POV/ About ten minutes ago…)
She had seen the whole thing. The crash, the fight, and the stranger. He had caught both of them and doing so making it look almost effortless. She ran to help him carry one of them back, but before she could do anything, a mug hit her in the back of the head. Before blacking out, she saw two things. The first was Mirajane behind her snorting with laughter, and the master yelling at her. The other was the cloaked man gently resting her to the ground. How had he gotten up the hill so quickly? Natsu and Gray were also in his arms.

'So I guess he saved me too… Thank you…' And she blacked out.

(Present Moment/Mirajane's POV)

"So… He saved you…?" Lisanna put her finger to her chin.

"Well… It wasn't really saving, for me at least, because I wouldn't have died, but it would have hurt. So, he helped me, and saved Natsu and gray. Do you get it now? He's a good guy!" Mirajane growled and turned on her little brother.

"What about you? Are you with Lisanna as well?" Elfman just scratched his head and wouldn't look his sister in the eye.

"Well, he helped me carry my groceries, until he saw Natsu and Gray needed help. He's a good person, he even caught Lisanna. He's super fast too" Coming from the timid Elfman, this was a big compliment. Mirajane finally relaxed her tense muscles and slumped into a heap on the floor. Lisanna rubbed her sister's back.

"So I was fighting this guy for nothing…?" She groaned. "And now I'm all tired… Great… I even worked with that red-head too…" Erza made no acknowledgment that she had been offended, other than a slight dip in her eyebrows. Insults of this level weren't worth fighting over. Yet.

"So stranger, what are you doing here?" The figure didn't say anything, so Elfman spoke up.

"Well, he had this badly drawn map that showed Fairy Tail as where he wanted to go…" The man pulled a piece of paper from some pocket hidden in his jacket. On it were barely legible drawings that had an arrow point in the direction of Fairy Tail.

"Ah! Ko-chan! Long time no see! How have you been?" All heads turned to face the Guild Master.

"Ojii-san, you know this guy?" Mirajane asked. Makarov nodded.

"Yes, we're old friends. Neh, Ko-chan?" Before anyone could blink, carved into the floor was the sentence.

'I told you never to call me that' Mirajane and Erza were stunned. They hadn't seen the sword at all. It had just popped into existence, and she could've killed everyone watching. Erza unsheathed her sword and Mirajane bent her knees. But Makarov just laughed.

"Hahahaha! Okay, okay, if you say so Ko-chan. So, would you like something to eat? I'm sure you're a little hungry. The curry that Lisanna can whip up is the best. Could you and Elfman please make some for everyone please?" Lisanna cheerfully agreed.

"Sure Gramps! C'mon Elfman, we have cooking to do!" The two ran to the kitchen with the bag of groceries, ready to start.

"Hehehe. Kids these days. So cheerful. Right Ko-chan?" Before he finished his sentence he bent down. "Hey! Lucky penny!" Another scar on the floor appeared behind the elder.

"Well, it's been some time since I've seen you we have much to catch up on! But that can wait till later, please, make yourself comfortable"

(Lisanna's POV)

It was a bit tense, as the attacker was found to not really been an attacker, and everybody tried to go back to their daily routines, but most were nervous around him. After all, he had stood his ground with Mirajane, and held out for a while when Erza joined in. Nobody else, save Laxus, or maybe Mystogun could equal such a feat. Makarov and he seemed to be discussing old times. Makarov was laughing and drinking beer, sometimes leaned to the side, to avoid invisible blows. Lisanna was trying to concentrate, but she kept getting distracted and her gaze flitted between pots and pans, and the stranger. She wondered what they were talking about…

(Makarov's POV)

"So, why are you here? I hope nothing has happened," Ko-chan didn't answer, but the silence was more than enough. Makarov's expression and feelings fell into an abyss. "Oh no… Not…" Ko-chan nodded. The two were silent for a while. Ko-chan gazed around, though Makarov couldn't see her eyes, he still knew what she was thinking.

"Yes… While I was gone, I went and found myself another family. My little brats. So, Ko-chan, would you like to join and watch over them?" Makarov hopped to dodge another sword swing, but when he landed, the thought he saw a ghost of a smile.

(Mirajane's POV)

Of course, while everyone was somewhat frightened of Ko-chan, Mirajane had no such problems. She strode straight up to the Guild Master and Ko-chan's table, stomping on it so hard, it broke in half. Ignoring the fake tears from Makarov's eyes, she challenged

"I want a re-match! This time I can go all out since I'm not worrying about Lisanna!" Erza stepped forward.

"I'm sorry to trouble you, but I would also like to request a bout. I as well felt the need to hold back when I thought my friends were in danger" Ko-chan nodded.

"I would be happy to have an earnest match with the both of you. I haven't exercised in a while" Erza frowned, and Mirajane gaped.

"No way…" He reached for his hood, and pulled it down… It wasn't a he… but a woman. A woman with fiery orange hair, emerald green eyes, red shirt and plain skirt, and physique barely a head taller than Erza herself. Makarov's eyes widened in perverted surprise.

"Ko-chan, I'm surprised! You've really grown up in some places!" Then he saw how the kids were looking at her. "What? Didn't you know she was a girl?" He retreated from the table and ran off with a goofy smile on his face, guffawing this newfound treasure. Calming down, Ko-chan took a deep breath, and let it out.

"I Kokoa Shuzen, accept your challenge"

Well… The fight and discussion were super easy to write. Natsu and Grey fighting is easy, but then came emotions of wanting to pass. That was slightly more difficult. And Cliffy has surprised again hasn't he. Good boy. I can't wait to write more of this.

- Justin, Lover of anime, enemy of haters, and family to all my otaku brothers and sisters. Welcome to my world! XD