Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Rosario + Vampire. They belong to their respective owners.-
a=Narration and descriptions
"a"=Dialogues
a=Inner voices or thoughts
a=Intense dialogues
`a`= Phrases with hidden or another meaning-irony-sarcasm.
*a*=Sounds
[a] =Time and places
(a)=Small side-notes
Hi guys! Chap 2 is finally here. Well, concerning this chap I don't have many things to say up here so…
Have a pleasant reading and enjoy!
2. Prejudice!
[The day after Natsu saved Mizore – Morning – In front of the snow women's village's ice gate.]
''We are here. This is my village.'' Mizore dressed in her usual kimono informed Natsu who was standing next to her.
''Whoaa! Talk about a nice place!'' Natsu commented amazed, with his eyes wide open while staring at it. ''Everything's glowing!''
''Thanks! I'm happy you like our land.'' Mizore thanked him with a small smile.
Following that, she changed her expression to a serious one.
''Natsu… You remember what we discussed, right?''
''Eh…? Oh, yeah, yeah! I remember. I mustn't reveal to anyone that I'm a fire user.'' Natsu answered to her, turning his face to her.
''Exactly! What happened, it's really unfortunate, but now there's no other choice but to let you temporarily live with us until you find another place.'' _
[Last night – In the cabin Natsu was using as shelter.]
Somewhere in the middle of the night, Natsu felt the urge to use the toilet, so he got up of his bed. But to his utmost dismay, the temperature was extremely low and as a result his body got cold enough for him to start shivering. Next, when he finally finished his `business`, he was about to return back to his bed, but before he had the chance, he sneezed hard as a reaction to the cold, releasing a small amount of flames from his mouth. An amount of flames that fell onto the wooden floor and started spreading fast across its surface due to the fact that the wood was old and in accordance, easy to be burnt.
In conclusion, after some minutes Natsu ended up sitting inside a large campfire. He could escape of course, but to him, staying inside flames was a thousand times better than staying out in the cold weather. And he, as well as his clothes, were fireproof to a major degree, so there wasn't actually a problem in his opinion.
[6 hours later – Morning.]
Hours later the sun rose in the sky and with the first light of the day, Mizore visited the cabin to bring Natsu something to eat for breakfast. But to her greatest surprise, the sight she came upon after she arrived there, left her speechless. The whole cabin had been reduced to charcoal and in the middle of it Natsu was sleeping comfortably with a carefree expression of his face. A sight so absurd that lead Mizore to lose the strength in her legs and kneel down shocked and with her mouth wide open.
[Present.]
''Heh, heh… I really messed up, didn't I?'' Natsu asked Mizore with a wide smile full of embarrassment, scratching the back of his neck as sign of his uneasiness. ''Erza has told me to place my hand in front of my mouth whenever I want to sneeze, but I forget it every time.''
''Well, it's meaningless to cry over spilled milk. You can't change the past.'' Mizore replied to him to reduce his embarrassment. ''What we need to do at the moment is go to my house and introduce you to my mother. I explained the situation to her earlier when I ran back there for a little and she told me that it's fine for you to stay at our home since you don't have anywhere else to go. But in any case, you have to be very careful to not let anyone find out who you are; my mother included. Our tribe consists of kind people, but the fire element is taboo for our race.''
''Roger! I will be super careful! You can count on me.'' Natsu assured her, bumping his right fist on his chest.
''Good!'' Mizore claimed with a small smile and next turned to her front. ''Let's go.'' She added and started walking towards the opened gate's interior.
''Ok!'' Natsu replied to her and followed her.
[20 minutes later – In front of Mizore's house.]
''Oh my! So, this is the boy you mentioned, Mizore? He is quite the charming young man, I must admit!'' Tsurara commented to her daughter, praising Natsu with a pleased expression.
He and Mizore had arrived at her home a few minutes ago and after asking of a woman who worked for her household to call Tsurara, they waited a bit until her beautiful silver and purple-haired mother finally made her appearance from the building's main entrance, wearing a long, classic, white kimono and an azure sash around her waist to keep it closed.
''Eh? Err… T-Thanks… I suppose…'' Natsu responded to her compliment in a confused tone and with an intense blush on his cheeks.
He was used to hearing people calling him a lot of different things; mostly negative like –blockhead- or –troublemaker-, but never in his life something like –charming-.
''Y-You too are very beautiful.'' He complimented her back to show that he had good manners.
He was going to stay at her house, so he had to show its owner that he wasn't an ungrateful man and in addition, Igneel had taught him that he always had to reciprocate in a proper way when someone was praising him.
''Mmm! Handsome and polite!'' Tsurara commented a second time in a delightful tone after his words. ''…And with a pretty manly appearance…'' She continued inside her head while checking out Natsu's well-trained muscles and six-pack. ''I was wondering what kind of person would be the man Mizore was going to bring with her and truthfully, I'm glad to see that it's someone like you… err… Could you tell me your name?''
''Natsu… Natsu Dragneel! Nice to meet you, Mizore's mom.'' Natsu answered to her in a more casual tone, getting over his momentary blush.
''Nice meeting you too, Natsu-kun! And my name is Tsurara Shirayuki. Calling me –Mizore's mom- sounds pretty awkward.''
''Oops! My bad! I will keep in mind to not do this again, Shirayuki-san.''
''- Tsurara-san -… I want you to call me – Tsurara-san -. You are going to live together with us from now on, so pronouncing me with my surname sounds to formal between people who are about to share the same roof, don't you think yourself?''
''Yeah… Good point! Then, I will call you –Tsurara-san-.''
''Excellent! And you know, in the future you are free to call me –mother- if you ever wish for it. I don't mind. Hu, hu!'' Tsurara stated to him with a small chuckle and her eyelids lowered.
''Huh?!'' Natsu questioned, blinking a few times puzzled by hearing that.
Always loyal to her usual habits, Tsurara was trying once again to get a husband for her daughter, despite the fact she just met Natsu. But as expected, knowing too well her mother, Mizore realized it right away and deduced that she had to interfere before things go out of control. Natsu was there due to need, not to as a candidate to become her fiancé.
''Mother, please stop it. You will make Natsu feel uncomfortable.'' She scolded Tsurara in a complaining tone, stepping forward.
''Um? Why are saying that, Mizore? What I'm striving obviously is the opposite. I want Natsu-kun to feel as comfortable as he can like he is at his home.'' Tsurara replied to her, not affected in the least by her daughter's complaint.
But unexpectedly, someone was bound to be affected by her own words. More specifically, the moment Tsurara talked about him feeling like he is at his home, Natsu's expression changed to a faintly sad one and he lowered his face slightly. Something Mizore noticed from the edge of her right eye and understood very well its meaning. She seriously had to stop her mother before she said anything else that would pain Natsu.
''Mother, let's end this conversation. Natsu isn't used to the temperature out here and if we keep this up, he is going to end up with a cold.'' Mizore explained to her in a serious tone.
According to her logic, Tsurara wouldn't like the man her daughter brought home, who could also be proved to be a future choice for a groom, to get sick and in any case, there was also truth in her words since Natsu was dressed very lightly and that meant that he was quite vulnerable towards the area's low temperature.
''Hmm… I think you are right, Mizore.'' Tsurara replied to her after taking a quick glimpse at Natsu's clothes. ''It might be better to go inside. It's warmer there and we can give Natsu-kun some heavier clothes. We surely wouldn't like it if he were to catch a cold.'' She added with a smile. ''Come.''
''Ok.'' Mizore responded and moved inside the house's main hall.
''I'm coming too.'' Natsu claimed, following after Mizore. ''Thanks again for letting me stay here, Tsurara-san!'' He said to Tsurara the moment he passed next to her.
''My pleasure, Natsu-kun!'' Tsurara replied to him in a cheerful tone while he was walking away from her. ''It's the first time Mizore brought a boy here since the time she brought Tsukune-kun and her friends. She was so closed up to herself the past weeks that I was afraid that she would never associate with anyone else ever again. For her to open up to someone and on top of that, so fast, Natsu-kun must be a special case. As her mother I can't let this chance to slip by.'' She thought in her head, focusing her eyes on Natsu's back.
[10 minutes later – In the house's living room.]
After Mizore and Natsu walked into her house, the same woman who talked with them earlier escorted them to its living room so they would feel more comfortable while discussing with Tsurara. In addition, she instructed two other women who also worked for Tsurara to go bring Natsu a set of warm clothes.
That request was a bit difficult of course since no one of the snow land's residents needed warm clothes in their lives. But in the end they managed to find two kimonos for men, probably owned in the past by Mizore's father and bring them to Natsu to wear them both on top of his usual clothes. Following that, Tsurara came too in the room, sitting on a couch across her daughter and Natsu who were sitting on another one. _
[20 minutes later.]
''I see… Mizore didn't exactly explain to me all the details, but I'm quite surprised to hear that you came from a different world, Natsu-kun. Our Realm is considered too another world compared to the Human Realm, but either way, both coexist in the same dimension. Learning that there are other dimensions out there except our own sounds almost unbelievable.'' Tsurara said to Natsu with an amazed expression.
From the moment she joined them, she kept asking Natsu questions about himself and his home, so it was inevitable for him to make a mistake due to his character and accidentally reveal to her the truth about his journey to their dimension. But to his good luck, Tsurara started commenting on this right from the next second, so he didn't have time to say anything about his powers. As for Mizore; she came close to having a heart attack when she heard Natsu saying to her mother that he fell from a hole in the sky. Good thing that her mother had that other habit of not letting anyone finishes talking after hearing them talking about something that piqued her interest.
''Well, Earthland exists. And I'm sure my friends are waiting for me. I just wish, I could return to them as soon as possible. I miss them so much!'' Natsu murmured in a wistful tone.
''I understand. It must be really hard for you, Natsu-kun. When Mizore's father went back to his Yuki-Otoko tribe, I was devastated during the first days and if I didn't have my daughter with me, I'm guessing that I would still be in the same state. That's why, for as long as you are going to remain in our world, I promise you that our family will support you in any way we can.'' Tsurara promised to him, joining her hands in front of her chest.
After that, she turned to Mizore.
''Right, Mizore?'' She asked her with a small smile.
''Eh? Yeah! I owe Natsu my life, so this is the least I can do for him.'' Mizore answered to her in a casual tone.
''Well said! As expected of my daught…'' Tsurara was about to say with a proud look on her face, but she wouldn't have the chance to finish her sentence.
''Please pardon my interruption everyone, but I brought the tea and the sweets Tsurara-san asked me to.'' The familiar woman announced to the two women and Natsu while holding a large tea tray with a teapot, three cups and a plate with a variety of small traditional Japanese sweets.
Hearing her, everyone turned to her place.
'Thanks, Setsura-san! And sorry for increasing your work.'' Tsurara thanked her, changing her tone to an apologetic one near the end of her speech.
''Not at all, Tsurara-san. It's my duty to take care of the house and your guests. And considering that this is to welcome a boy who saved our Mizore-chan, I would feel bad if we didn't offer him something to show him our hospitality.'' Setsura replied to her in a humble tone. ''So, should I place the tea tray on the main table or you would like me to leave it here?''
''I think leaving it here would be more convenient. It's just tea, so moving to the main table isn't necessary.''
''Very well! I will do as you wish.''
Next, Setsura walked closer to them and made a move to place the tea tray on a small, short table between the two couches. But in the process, she tripped on the living room's carpet, looking like she would fall down together with the tray. That moment, Natsu jumped from his seat to grab her and prevent her from injuring herself by crashing on the floor.
A goal he achieved in time thanks to his quick reflexes, but also had a completely unexpected result. More specifically, that precise second Natsu grabbed Setsura to help her maintain her balance and his bare, left hand touched her own bare, left hand, she felt an intense burn like her skin was lit on fire and she automatically jolted towards the other direction, throwing the tray in the air. As a result, she fell onto the couch Tsurara was currently sitting while the tea tray with everything it had on it ended up landing on Natsu, soaking his clothes in tea and filling his hair with many little pieces of sweets.
''Woah! Natsu are you alright?'' Mizore asked him, standing up from her seat hastily.
''Ggk! Yeah… But the sweets are gone!'' Natsu answered to her in a sort of whining tone.
Those sweets seemed very tasty to him, so he was eager to put them in his mouth, but unfortunately, now all of them were scattered on his head and the floor beneath him.
''What's the matter, Setsura-san? What happened?'' Tsurara asked her, turning to her puzzled.
''…I'm sorry, Tsurara-san. I don't know why, but when our guest touched me, I felt like my hand would melt. I'm aware that this sounds absurd, but it's the truth.'' Setsura explained to her in an apologetic, but also shocked tone.
''-You felt like your hand would melt-?'' Tsurara repeated even more puzzled and next turned to Mizore and Natsu.
From the look of things, Natsu's fireproof body, which was trained to withstand extremely high temperatures, wasn't exactly a good combination with the snow women's bodies if he were to come into direct contract with them. But that was an explanation Natsu and Mizore couldn't give to Tsurara, so they had to improvise.
''Err… This… was probably because of… err..'' Natsu started muttering hesitantly, without having a good excuse in his mind at the moment.
''…Static electricity.'' Mizore added, completing Natsu's explanation with scientific reasoning.
All those studying sessions with Yukari back at Youkai Acadamy weren't for nothing as it seemed.
''It's common for people to momentarily feel heat or a light sting when their skin rubs together with force. Natsu's and Setsura-san's hands rubbed together too quickly, so she experienced a phenomenon of static electricity and confused it for actual fire.''
''Is that so? Well, that makes sense.'' Tsurara commented on her words, thinking more highly over her daughter for being such a smart girl.
''I'm so sorry, Tsurara-san! I embarrassed you in front of our guest.'' Setsura apologized once again to Tsurara, tightening her eyelids as a sign of her shame.
''No, it's fine. This was an accident. It wasn't your fault, Setsura-san. '' Tsurara stated to her to ease her worry and then turned to Natsu. '' Would it be too much to ask of you to forgive Setsura-san for what happened, Natsu-kun?''
''Huh? Ah, not at all! I don't mind it.''
Next, he looked at his clothes.
''But my clothes are a mess.''
''That's not a problem. I will go ask my people to clean them for you. And in the meantime, you can visit the hot spring we have at our back yard. This will help you clean yourself and keep your body warm until your clothes are ready.''
''I see! I will go with this then.'' Natsu replied to her with a small smile.
''Splendidly!'' Tsurara claimed in a satisfied tone and without wasting a second, she stood up, helping at the same time Setsura to do the same.
Then, she instructed Setsura to go treat her hand since it looked that it was still bothering her and she, herself, went to inform her other female employees to prepare the hot spring and clean up Natsu's clothes.
As for him and Mizore; after the two women walked out of the room, they just exhaled in relief simultaneously as a sign of how tensed up they were earlier that Natsu's secret was about to be brought to light with that sudden accident.
Well, sometimes it's wise to not count your chickens before they're hatched as they say. And both of them would learn the actual meaning of this idiom very soon.
[25 minutes later – At the house's private hot spring.]
A little later, two women came and escorted Natsu to the hot spring, taking his clothes when he undressed. So, currently, he was soaking himself inside the hot water, relaxing and enjoying its warmth.
''Whoaahaa! This is heaven!'' Natsu claimed in a delightful tone while sitting in the hot spring with his back leaned on a boulder that was in the middle of it. ''Gek! Just now I sounded like an old man.'' He thought, goggling slightly. ''Oh, never mind! The water's perfect, so who cares?'' He added not bothered, taking a relaxed pose by placing his forearms behind his head and leaning it on them like they were a pillow.
[Behind some high bushes close to the hot spring.]
''That's quite surprising! I never expected to hear a young man like him say something like this.'' A purple-haired woman in a white kimono whispered to another blue-haired one in the same attire who was standing next to her.
''Me neither, but we shouldn't let ourselves get distracted, Yukimi-san. Tsurara-san gave us a task, so we mustn't fail.'' The other woman pointed to her in a serious tone, also whispering.
''I do. I'm not so old to start forgetting things, Setsumi-san.'' Yukimi replied to her a bit offended.
[10 minutes ago – In one of the house's room's.]
''Did you understand what I want you to do… Yukimi-san… Setsumi-san?'' Tsurara asked the two women, turning to each one by the call of her name.
''Of course, Tsurara-san!'' Both answered to her simultaneously.
''But isn't this a bit extreme, Tsurara-san?'' Yukimi asked her then, looking somewhat hesitant.
''I share the same thought with Yumiki-san. Isn't Mizore-chan going to get mad if we freeze her friend to keep him here until she decides to marry him?'' Setsumi asked her second, having doubts about Tsurara's plan too.
''You are both right, but please try to look at this from my perspective. Mizore is my precious, only daughter. Watching her wandering inside the house while grieving silently for her lost, first love pains my heart. I wish for my daughter to find happiness and make a family before it is too late. You are well aware of the fact that our race can reproduce only when our bodies are still young. If Mizore doesn't find a husband soon, she will never be able to give birth to her own child… That boy, Natsu-kun, managed to earn my daughter's trust when she seemed completely isolated emotionally and furthermore, he also saved her life. I'm not sure if this is a gift from God or what they call –fate-, but I can't sit still and leave everything to luck. I have a responsibility to help my daughter and I'm determined to do so even if this means that I have to use underhanded methods.'' Tsurara claimed with an expression that revealed clearly her steely resolve.
A sight that made all the doubts the two women had, disappeared.
''Fine, Tsurara-san! We will do it.'' Setsumi agreed in a determined tone.
''For Mizore-chan's sake.'' Yukimi added the same way.
''Thank you both a lot!'' Tsurara thanked them, bowing slightly her head.
[Present – Behind the bushes.]
''Alright! Are you ready, Yukimi-san?''
''Yes! Let's do it!''
[Back to Natsu's place.]
''Heh! To think that you can find a place so warm in such a cold area! Mizore's mom is a genius for building it. I ought to remember to thank her later for this warm ba…'' Natsu was murmuring to himself, but he wouldn't have the chance to finish due to an unexpected phenomenon.
When everything seemed so warm inside and around the hot spring, the air above it suddenly became chilly and the water's temperature started falling dramatically.
''What the…?! Where the hell did this chill came from? And why does the water feels so cold now?'' Natsu wondered, wrapping his arms around his body and shaking due to the cold. ''I thought this was a hotsprin…'' He tried to question this time, but once again he was bound to be cut short midway.
This time from something more direct than a simple change in temperature.
''NOW!'' Yukimi shouted, jumping out of the bushes.
''YES!'' Setsumi followed, shouting too and jumping beside her co-worker.
Then, before Natsu has the time to comment on the fact that two women popped out while he was butt naked, they bent down, placing their hands in the currently cold water and using their powers, they started transforming it to ice in such an astonishing rate that he didn't have the chance to get out and as a result was trapped whole inside of it.
''This looks good enough.'' Setsumi stated, standing up.
''Better go announce to Tsurara-san that our mission was a success.'' Yukimi suggested, standing up too.
''I agree.'' Setsumi replied to her, turning to her.
After that, both turned around, getting ready to leave, but to their ultimate astonishment…
*Kkkrtss* (Sound of ice shattering slowly)
…a sound like cracks being formed on the ice stopped them in their tracks with their eyes wide open. To confirm what was happening, both decided to make a reversal, but the sight they witnessed turned their faces' skin even whiter than it already was.
''L…ies…'' Yukimi muttered in utter shock.
''It's absurd!'' Setsumi claimed with her eyes trembling.
[5 minutes ago – In Tsurara's room.]
''I heard you called for me, mother.'' Mizore said to Tsurara, entering her room.
''Indeed!'' Tsurara answered to her, approaching her.
''So… What's this so important matter you wanted to discuss with me?''
Hearing that question, Tsurara didn't answer, but closed her eyes, remaining silent.
''Mother?''
''…What do you think of this boy named –Natsu-, Mizore?'' Tsurara answered to her at last with a question of her own, opening her eyes and having a pretty serious expression on her face.
''Huh? Natsu?! Why are you asking that?'' Mizore asked her again puzzled.
That moment, she came to a realization by summing unconsciously in her mind her mother's character together with her behavior from the moment Natsu appeared in front of their door.
''Hold on second! Don't tell me that you are planning seriously to make him my husband? I convinced myself that you were just fooling around earlier… Natsu isn't from our dimension and we have no right to chain him down here by forcing him into a wedding. And in any case, I don't think that I ever said that I'm looking for a man. For God's sake, mother! You always…''
''…I always worry about you and your future, Mizore. I know that Tsukune-kun's decision to not pick you has affected you greatly, but you can't stay stacked in the past forever. You have to get over him and move on. You need to find a new lover and create a family with him. You are close to your eighteens. For how long do you think you will be fertile? It may looks selfish of me to push you despite your will, but you don't have much time. At best, you have only two years left to conceive a baby. And who knows when a good boy like Natsu-kun will appear before you again? If you don't snatch the opportunity now, you might never have the same luck.''
''Even so, I can't throw away all my feelings for Tsukune so easily, or neglect Natsu's wishes for my own benefit.''
''Then, what are you planning on doing? Stay alone forever and waste your entire life in the name of your unfulfilled love? Are you honestly such a sorry woman, Mizore? I don't remember raising you like this!'' Tsurara stated to her in a frustrated tone, frowning.
''I don't care! My life is mine to handle. I gave in the pressure of our laws once, but I won't do the same mistake again. I…'' Mizore tried to reply to her, being in the same state, but was interrupted by a loud sound…
*Ktspbff* (Sound of a type of explosion after something breaks with force)
…and a quick, but strong tremor through the ground.
*Grrttss*(Sound of the ground shaking)
''What were these?'' Mizore questioned astonished by what took place a second ago.
''It's bizarre, but the sound seems like it came from the back yard.'' Tsurara pointed, turning her gaze to the back yard's direction.
''-From the back yard-? Isn't there where Natsu is?'' Mizore asked her worried. ''We must go see what happened.'' She added and started heading to the back yard.
''I'm coming too.'' Tsurara claimed and without further ado followed after her daughter.
[In the main hallway.]
Both mother and daughter were filled with anxiety due to what happened a little ago, that's why they tried to run as fast they could to Natsu's side, but in the end, surprisingly they wouldn't need to go far. Just when they had covered half the distance, Natsu walked in their way from a corner, wearing a towel around his waist and holding with each of his hands the women who attempted to freeze him from the collars of their kimonos. In addition, he had a quite angry expression on his face for some reason.
A reason Tsurara was well aware of.
''Natsu, what's going on? What was that noise earlier and why are you holding Yukimi-san and Setsumi-san?'' Mizore asked him at loss, approaching him.
''-Why-, you ask? Well that would be because they tried to turn me into an icicle.'' Natsu answered to her in frustration.
Next, he looked at them with a vein twitching on the left of his forehead.
''I was taking my bath peacefully without bothering anyone and then they jumped out from behind some bushes and started freezing the water I was in. I knew they were back there because of their smell, but in the beginning I thought that they were your gardeners or something, that's why I ignored them… But they attacked me dammit!'' He growled pissed. ''Good thing the ice wasn't such a big deal, so I busted it and got out.''
[10 minutes ago – At the back yard.]
When the two women turned around to see what was that they heard, they discovered that it was the ice they had just created to trap Natsu with its surface full of large cracks, meaning that it was ready to shatter. Something that happened a few seconds later with Natsu emerging from inside of it like a beast after making the ice explode to pieces by using his brute force. He had deduced that he was between friends, so he had let his guard down, but as it proved, this was a major mistake. A mistake he was sure to correct right away, rushing to the women's place before they escape, grabbing them tightly from the collars of their kimonos and dragging them next inside the house to take some answers from Mizore and her mother.
[Present.]
''N-No… W-Wait… We didn't want to attack you.'' Setsumi muttered to him a bit scared of his face's expression.
''T-That's right… O-Our goal wasn't to hurt you. We just wanted to keep you immobilized.'' Yukimi added, muttering too.
''And why did you need to do that?'' Natsu asked them again in a frustrated tone.
Hearing his question, the two women turned their faces towards Tsurara like they were asking for help. A gesture Natsu noticed and made him mimic it.
''Tsurara-san, did you have anything to do with this?'' He asked her half confused-half angry.
''Eh…? Well… You see Natsu-kun…'' Tsurara started saying to him, hesitating while averting her eyes to the left and right.
As expected, she didn't have a good excuse to give him. She never really imagined that someone could actually break free from the snow women's ice, so there wasn't any need for her to prepare a fake explanation beforehand. And that came back to bite her. But despite this, she couldn't reveal to him the truth behind her employees' actions. That would make Natsu hate her and also destroy her grand plan to get him together with her daughter.
But hope wasn't entirely lost for her yet. Even though she was mad at her mother for her persistence to make her marry someone and for what she instructed her workers to do to Natsu, Mizore couldn't abandon her at that difficult situation. She was her mother nonetheless and also, if things stayed like they were, Natsu would think that they both tricked him. And she certainly wouldn't like that considering that he saved her from those criminals.
''Natsu, please calm down. I know that what they did to you was bad, but I believe them about not wanting to hurt you. These women work for us for many years and I can guarantee to you that they aren't evil people.'' Mizore said to him with some drops of sweat flowing down her face due to the uneasiness she was feeling.
''Then why did they try to freeze me?''
''This…err…''
Well, Mizore made an attempt to cover for them, but truthfully, even she couldn't think of something good enough so fast to justify their actions. This time her mother went too far with her plots.
But due to some crazy whim of fate, this whole incident was bound to be put on hold in the upcoming seconds and be replaced by something even more crucial.
''And to be honest, I would have understood it if I had done something wrong to make them think of me as their enemy, but I…aaa… didn't… aaa… do… AAA… anything…. ACHOOO! Natsu sneezed hard near the end of his sentence, not being able to hold it in.
An action that resulted in two things... The first was for him to let the two women out of his grips thanks to the sneeze's intensity and the second…
*Ffhhss*
…to release a few flames in the air the second he sneezed. A fact that left everyone, who was present, with their eyes and mouths wide open, but for different reasons. Tsurara and the two women because they discovered that they were hosting a fire user inside the house and Mizore because now things were undoubtedly destined to become way too complex.
''*Snfft*… Damn, I forgot to cover my mouth again. At least this time nothing got burned.'' Natsu commented, wiping his nose with his right hand while looking at the floor to check if it was fine.
After that and not hearing the others talking anymore, he lifted his face to see what was going on. And when he did and checked their faces, even a guy as dense as him could easily realize that he had made a major blunder.
''Oh, crap!'' He murmured stunned inside of his teeth, sweat-dropping comically.
As for the rest…
''WAAHHH! FIRE! HE BREATHED FIRE!'' Setsumi screamed in panic, pointing her right index finger at Natsu.
''HE IS A FIRE USER! WE TRIED TO FREEZE HIM AND NOW HE IS GOING TO MELT US!'' Yukimi followed, screaming in the same state and touching her cheeks with both her hands.
''Huh? No, no, I didn't do it for that. I just sneez…'' Natsu tried to explain to them after watching their reactions, but with no luck.
''WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!'' Yukimi claimed screaming in distraught and started running away towards the house's exit.
''WAIT FOR ME! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!'' Setsumi said to her in the same loud tone, starting running after her.
And like this, the two of them stormed out of the house like scared cats.
''Haaa… Things are gonna get tough!'' Mizore sighed in a desperate tone, face-palming herself.
''Mizore… What's… the meaning of this?'' Tsurara asked her then in utter confusion and with her eyes opened wider than ever.
''Um? Err…''
[10 minutes later.]
With her mother being at the brink of having a crisis, Mizore had no other choice but to tell her everything that took place yesterday when Natsu saved her, this time without hiding anything, revealing to her his identity as a man whose powers are originated from the dragons. As for him; by Mizore's request, he remained silent, watching them with a comically guilty expression on his face and apparently having totally forgotten the incident at the hot spring.
Of course, despite the fact that Tsurara wished for some answers, in reality a part of hers wasn't exactly ready to hear the whole truth in one go. Certainly, she wouldn't begin disliking Natsu because of his nature since she wasn't so shallow minded, but she was very nervous about the consequences of his secret coming out to light. Her people's fear of fire was something that was bound to make the situation pretty awful.
''I can't believe it! How can you be so immature, Mizore?'' Tsurara asked her in a disappointed tone. ''You ought to have told me all this earlier.''
''And how would that have changed anything? Would you have taken it more lightly if I had told you about Natsu's powers from the beginning?''
''No, I would have been equally shocked, but at least then we would have taken some measures together to keep his secret safe. Now that it's exposed, we will have many troubles with the rest of the women here.''
''Maybe, but in any case, Natsu hasn't hurt anyone. Even the thing earlier was an accident. What could people possibly do without having sufficient proof that he's our enemy?''
That was a question that placed a valid point that no logical person could deny.
*Kftss* (Sound of a glass being shattered)
But sometimes there are a couple of people whose logic can't go against their stereotypes.
''Hm? What was that?'' Mizore questioned startled.
''It came from there.'' Natsu mentioned to her, pointing his right index finger at the direction the sound came from.
''It's from the front yard.'' Tsurara claimed, appearing some drops of cold sweat on her face.
Whatever that noise was; it most likely indicated that their hardships were about to begin. That's why they had to find out what was happening and fast.
[In front of the house's main door- At the inner side.]
Rushing fast to the place they heard the noise, Tsurara, Mizore and Natsu came upon a quite disturbing sight. The two small windows at the two sides of the main door had been shattered by two rocks that currently were lying on the floor a few inches away from the entrance. And to make matters worse, they could easily distinguish through them a raging crowd of snow women standing out of the house with furious expressions.
''Just as I suspected.'' Tsurara murmured, lowering her eyelids.
''What do mean, mother?'' Mizore asked her in an anxious tone.
''As it seems, the news of Natsu's identity has already been spread across the entire village, so the residents are here to hunt him.''
''-Hunt me-? Those women?'' Natsu asked her puzzled.
''Yes, Natsu-kun. Unfortunately, your presence is unwanted by our people since they learned of your powers.''
''But I'm not intending to do anything bad.''
''Even so, our race has suffered a great amount of casualties due to fire users, so the hatred residing inside our people's hearts is extremely deep.''
''What are we going to do, mother? There's no way we're going to let them hurt Natsu, right? I won't allow it. I owe him my life. If it's needed, I will fight.'' Mizore said to Tsurara in a determined tone.
''No, no,absolutely no!'' Natsu stated his disagreement on her thought, making an X with both his arms in front of his chest. ''Fighting your own people isn't right, Mizore. Those women don't have a problem with you. That's why there's no need for you to make others mad at you for my sake. I'm a man. If they want me, I'm not scared to go confront them.'' He claimed with a straight, unwavering voice.
''But…''
''Don't worry! This is common for the wizards of my guild. We get into this kind of trouble all the time… It's gonna be ok.'' He interrupted her with a kind expression and a reassuring smile, placing his right hand on her left shoulder gently.
An act that didn't exactly changed Mizore's feelings, but with Natsu showing such a resolve to handle that hopeless situation peacefully, she couldn't retort. But that applied only for her. Witnessing that scene between them and more specifically his decision to face everyone all alone to prevent them from directing their anger towards her daughter, Tsurara's desire to welcome him into her family grew even stronger. Natsu was without a doubt the right man to stand beside her daughter even if his element was making it look impossible because he couldn't even touch her directly. So, she wouldn't be able to call herself a good mother anymore if she were to remain idle under those circumstances… And she wouldn't!
''Very well! Since things came to this, I will try to persuade them into accepting Natsu-kun with everything I've got.'' Tsurara informed them with a determined expression.
''Eh? What are you saying, mother?'' Mizore asked her surprised, turning to her.
''You don't have to, Tsurara-san. I told you, I'm gonna take care of it myself. There's no reason for you to bother yourself with it.'' Natsu insisted, not going back on his decision.
''Hu, hu! In my opinion there is one, Natsu-kun.'' She giggled, smiling after a small chuckle.
Following that, she focused her eyes on her precious daughter.
''One very important reason!'' She added and turned towards the door. ''You two stay here and wait for me. I'm positive that I will manage something with a little effort.'' She instructed them, approaching the door and grabbing its handle.
Next, she turned it around and went out, closing quickly the door behind her and leaving Natsu and Mizore staring at it worried about her safety.
[Outside.]
''LOOK, SOMEONE CAME OUT!'' A woman yelled the moment she noticed Tsurara in front of the house's entrance.
''IT'S TSURARA-SAN!'' Another one followed.
''May I ask you what's the meaning of this ruckus, everyone? Is something the matter?'' Tsurara asked all of them, smiling casually like everything was fine.
''STOP PLAYING DUMB ON US, TSURARA-SAN! WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A FIRE USER INSIDE YOUR HOUSE!'' A third woman yelled at her furiously.
''HOW COULD YOU, TSURARA-SAN? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT WE HAVE SUFFERED BECAUSE OF FIRE USERS?'' A fourth woman yelled in the same state as the previous one.
But despite their yells, Tsurara's face didn't look at all fazed, holding instead its casual, calm expression.
''Of course, I haven't. But what makes you think that such a person is in my house?''
''Still trying to act ignorant, eh? But you can't fool us!'' The third woman stated to her and next turned to her back. ''You two, step forward.'' She ordered some other people.
People whose identity was no other than Yukimi and Setsumi, who after hearing her call, they came to the front, walking in a hesitant rhythm. As members of the snow women's race they had acted according to their laws, but in any case, they were too ashamed for succumbing to their panic, losing their composure and ending up betraying their employer and friend.
''We…We are really sorry, Tsurara-san!'' Yukimi apologized with her head bowed.
''It's just that we couldn't keep this important fact hidden from the others.'' Setsumi explained to her in the same apologetic tone as Yukimi, having her head bowed down as well.
After what they did, they couldn't bring themselves to look Tsurara in the eyes.
''It's fine! I understand. You two acted as lawful citizens of our land.'' Tsurara said to both in a kind, forgiving tone.
Something that helped them lift their `burden` and brought tears to their eyes due to how much compassionate Tsurara was. So, wishing to express their gratitude to her, they raised their heads, but before they had the chance to comment on how big-hearted she was, they were cut short by the quick interruption of another woman's voice.
''Something that apparently doesn't apply for you, Tsurara-san.'' A deep, womanly voice was heard saying from the middle of the crowd.
Then, a middle aged, silver-haired woman in her seventies, wearing glasses and a white kimono with a gray sash, made her appearance, walking past some women until she arrived in front of Tsurara.
''So, you came too, Shura-san…? But I'm guessing it was inevitable.'' Tsurara stated, still keeping her casual expression.
''I'm the snow priestess-sama's `right hand`, so it's a given that I would attend in such a critical matter for our village.''
''But if this is as important as you claim, why didn't snow priestess-sama come herself?''
''Snow priestess-sama had to take care of another urgent matter, so the responsibility of protecting our people fell into my hands... But don't try to change the subject. You committed one of the worst crimes, Tsurara-san; providing shelter to a man who endangers our entire population's lives just with his sole existence.''
''My apologies, Shura-san, but I think you are exaggerating. Natsu-kun certainly is a man who can manipulate flames, but after meeting him and talking to him, I realized that he poses no threat to us. He is a very good boy. I can assure you that he isn't someone who would ever hurt anyone of our people.'' Tsurara claimed in a positive tone, lowering her eyelids momentary.
As difficult as it might was, she had to convince everyone that it was alright to allow Natsu to stay at their village. And that included the highest and eldest members of their society whose minds were still affected by the past.
[In the meantime –Inside the house - In the living room.]
While Tsurara was outside, giving it her best to persuade the masses into accepting Natsu, he and Mizore were in the living room, watching everything from a large window. Furthermore, before they did that, they went and took Natsu's usual clothes from the cleaning room since their washing has been finished so he won't have to keep wandering around wearing only a towel.
''Who is that grumpy-looking granny?'' Natsu asked Mizore curiously, focusing his eyes on Shura.
''Her name is Shura and she's our leader's most trusted helper. Following the snow priestess, she holds the highest authority in our village.''
''Oh… I see…''
''Yeah… But now that she appeared, things aren't going to be so easy for my mother.''
''Why's that?''
''Shura-san's two daughters were murdered by a fire creature some years ago, so she holds a huge grudge against anybody who uses the element. My mother is an expert at convincing others, but unfortunately Shura-san's case is a level beyond her.''
''Should we then go out to back her up?''
''I don't think this is a wise idea. The situation is already too tense, so if you happen to appear out there, it's pretty much certain that it's going to turn into a disaster.''
''Are you sure? I told you, I'm not afraid and I'm feeling kind of guilty, letting Tsurara-san handle everything on her own. That's not how Igneel raised me.''
''Even so, we must endure it and hope that my mother will work something out. Right now this is the only thing we can do.'' Mizore stated to him, frowning and tightening her grip over the window's inner edge.
She too wanted to go assist her mother, but she knew that their interference would cause her more problems than help her. Something Natsu understood, first by her words and later by witnessing her reaction. Mizore was suffering, watching her mother going against their entire tribe all alone, but she was trying to endure it, retaining hope in her mother's skills. That's why, despite that he liked more to act first and think later, he had to follow her example and be patient as frustrating as it would be.
[Outside.]
''-A very good boy- you said, Tsurara-san?'' Shura asked her with a stern expression on her face.
''Yes, Shura-san. Natsu-kun is without a doubt a splendid gentleman, so there's no reason for you or anyone else to feel any sort of insecurity.''
''Is that so? But what if he is deceiving you and he actually came here to annihilate us? People of the fire are all traitorous and devious creatures.''
''Maybe some are, but Natsu-kun isn't. I have confidence in my ability to judge people and from the moment I looked Natsu-kun in the eyes, I could easily tell that he doesn't hide any evil in his heart.''
''And that's why you are defending him so persistently may I assume?''
''Precisely!''
''Hn! Such trust towards a fire user...'' Shura snorted at Tsurara. ''…You truly make me feel disappointed on you, Tsurara-san. I had high expectations of you. You were one of the most suitable people to take my place when I retire… It's truly a pity that you drove me into having to do this.'' She stated to her in a tone full of displeasure.
''What you mean, Shura-san? Do what?'' Tsurara asked her slightly confused by her last sentence.
''This!'' Shura answered to her with a deep scowl, snapping her right hand's fingers.
A gesture that alarmed six of her young followers who were inside the crowd and that, after noticing it, they rushed towards Tsurara without any warning, surrounding her in a matter of seconds.
''Um?! What…?'' Tsurara was about to question, but before she has the chance, the six snow women began using their powers in a flash, trapping her whole body in thick ice.
A sight that made Tsurara goggle in astonishment as she observed the ice reaching her neck.
''Shura-san, please reconsider it! It will bring shame upon our tribe if we injure an innocent gues…'' Tsurara tried to say to Shura, raising her face to look at her, but once again, she was cut short.
''SILENCE…! What will bring shame upon us is your foolishness, Tsurara-san! How did you even think for a second that there was even a slim chance for us to accept this…THIS FIEND… walking among us? Fire users are our eternal ENEMIES! The monuments in memory of my two beloved daughters are currently in snow priestess-sama 's shrine together with the monuments of countless others who also fell victim to their cruelty to keep reminding us their true face… I don't care in the least what you think about this born-criminal! He dared to set foot in our peaceful village, so I will use all my power and authority to exterminate him before another poor mother ends up shedding tears of sorrow for her children… But firstly, we have to deal with you, Tsurara-san. You violated our laws and on top of that, you took the side of one of our sworn enemies. In other words, you are a traitor and like a traitor you will be judged.'' Shura stated to her furiously, looking like she would explode in any second due to anger.
Next, she lifted her right hand, transforming it into an ice claw and pointing it at Tsurara's head.
''Tsurara Shirayuki, you are guilty of betraying your own race, so in priestess-sama's stead I pass judgment upon you and sentence you to death. May you regret your mistake in the afterlife.'' She said to her in a completely cold and unemotional tone.
During the past years, Shura's hatred had consumed her whole and her heart had become as hard as the ice around their village, rendering her unable to find it in herself to forgive even a woman who she actually admired.
''Do you have any last words, Tsurara-san?'' Shura asked her in the same inhuman tone.
''Just one... To leave my daughter out of all this after I die... She is still too young and hasn't experienced true happiness yet.'' Tsurara answered to her in a pleading tone, lowering her head as much as she could to give emphasis to her words.
But her request wasn't destined to be heard.
''I'm afraid that's impossible. Your daughter is equally guilty as you, so she will be executed likewise.'' Shura responded to her without a single hesitation in her words.
''Eh?!'' Tsurara jolted in shock, hearing her.
''Now it's time... Goodbye, Tsurara-san!'' Shura exclaimed and fired a large and pretty sharp ice dagger at her.
[Inside the house.]
''MOTHEEER!'' Mizore screamed that moment, tears appearing in her eyes while witnessing Shura's ice dagger approaching her mother.
But hope wasn't lost yet.
*Kftss*
[Again outside.]
When everything seemed so grim, looking like Tsurara's end had finally come, the window from where Mizore and Natsu were watching everything broke suddenly and following that, a figure jumped quickly from inside of it, placing itself in front of Tsurara and catching the ice dagger with its left hand a little before it made contact with her skull.
This figure was, as expected, Natsu. Watching how awfully that Shura-woman treated a gentle person like Tsurara was one thing, but seeing also Mizore shedding tears was enough for him to run out of patience. So, not being able to hold himself back anymore, he broke the window in front of him and immediately jumped out to protect his friend's mother.
''THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!'' He shouted in extreme anger, smashing the ice dagger to pieces by tightening his grip on it.
''Natsu…?'' Mizore murmured astonished behind the broken window with her eyes wide open, not having the time to realize what took place a few seconds ago.
''Natsu-kun… why did you come out? I told you to stay inside.'' Tsurara said to him in an anxious tone, worrying for his life.
''Yeah… But you know, Tsurara-san… Sitting still when my friends are in danger isn't quite my thing.'' Natsu replied to her in a straight tone without turning back to her.
Next, he focused his sight on Shura, scowling.
''You… So, you are that accursed devil that infiltrated our village?'' Shura asked him with a scowl similar to Natsu's.
''And what of it? Just because I came here, you need to punish my friend and her mother?'' Natsu asked her back as an answer. ''Don't joke around!I don't care what's your opinion about me, but I will never allow anyone to even put a small scratch on the people who treated me so nicely.'' He stated to her in a tone full of determination.
''Ha! How typical! In the end, criminals are bound to defend other criminals.'' Shura commented with a clear sourness in her voice.
''The only criminal here is you, old hag!'' Natsu said to her with a tick mark making its appearance on the right of his forehead.
''WHAT…?!'' Shura questioned in shock, goggling intensively. ''You insolent young barbarian! How dare you?'' She asked him and following that looked at her followers. ''KILL HIM!'' She commanded, directing her voice at her followers.
An order that by hearing it, they raised their hands, transforming them into ice claws and pointing them at Natsu. Continuing from there, they began firing multiple ice daggers towards his direction, striving to rip him to shreds. Little did they know; this was nothing to someone like Natsu.
The moment the daggers reached close to him, he engulfed his entire body in flames, turning the ice daggers into steam. Moving on from that, he raised his hands to his shoulders height, pointing them at his two sides and firing a small fireball from each one towards the ground in front of Shura's followers to scare them off so they would stop attacking.
A goal he achieved quite easily, making them run away like cats after his fireballs exploded on the ground. But that wasn't the only thing his action resulted to.
''OH MY GOD! FLAMES! – HE IS MAD! – HE IS GOING TO KILL US ALL! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! – PLEASE, SOMEONE SAVE US!'' A series of panicked screams began being heard from the crowd that moment.
''Tch! I knew it! You finally revealed your true colors, you damn killer. That's why I said that all fire users are evil. You…'' Shura started saying to him in a half displeased-half worrying tone, but was destined to be cut short.
''OOHH,SHUT UP ALREADY!'' Natsu growled at her pretty pissed.
An act that took Shura aback and made her start sweating.
''I'M TIRED OF HEARING YOU…! DEVIL-THIS, KILLER-THAT… ALRIGHT, I GOT IT! MY PRESENCE HERE ANNOYS EVERYONE, SO I WILL LEAVE IF THAT'S WHAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.'' He yelled again at her in an irritated tone. ''Just promise me that you are gonna forgive Tsurara-san and Mizore later.'' He asked of her, returning to his usual tone.
''I'm not making deals with enemies.'' Shura claimed to him stubbornly.
''Oh, yeah? Does this means that you are ok with forcing me to leave by yourself?'' He asked her with an intimidating look in his eyes, cracking his knuckles to give emphasis to his words.
As for Shura; seeing that he was fully determined to cause trouble if she were to keep denying his proposition and fearing for hers and her people's lives, she came into a conclusion that she had no other choice but to accept it.
''F-Fine! If you leave, I give you my word that Tsurara Shirayuki's and her daughter's life will be spared.'' She answered to him a bit hesitantly with an expression that revealed her frustration for having to succumb to his threat.
''That's better!'' Natsu commented hearing her and then deactivated the flaming cloak he had clad himself in.
Next, he turned to Tsurara and by touching the ice that had her trapped, he started transferring a small amount of heat onto it, reducing it gradually to water until she was completely free.
''Thank you, Natsu-kun!'' Tsurara thanked him when she was finally free.
''No, don't mention it, Tsurara-san. You defended me. If I hadn't done the same, I couldn't call myself a man.''
That moment and with the coast being clear, Mizore jumped too out of the broken window, running to her mother's and Natsu's side.
''MOTHER!'' She shouted full of tears, embracing tightly her mother, who she almost lost to the hands of Shura.
''Calm down, Mizore. I'm alright. You don't need to cry.'' Tsurara said to her gently, patting her head.
Then, she returned the hug back just as tightly as Mizore was currently holding her. She didn't want to show it, but it was a fact that she feared that she would die without being able to see her daughter again. As for Natsu; watching them, he smiled satisfied, feeling a sort of nostalgia for when Igneel was hugging him with his huge tail.
But unfortunately, that moving sight wouldn't last long.
''This is getting awfully annoying!'' Shura complained, staring at Natsu and the two women.
''Huh?!'' Natsu questioned frowning, turning to her. ''What's your deal now?''
''Tsurara-san and her daughter can enjoy their reunion whenever they wish later and you have to keep your part of the bargain and disappear from our land without further delay.'' She answered to him bluntly.
An answer that rose Natsu's annoyance, but to his dismay, she was right. He had agreed that he would leave if she were to forgive his friend and her mother, so he had to stay true to his own words.
''Oohh! Ok! I'm leaving. I'm fed up with looking at you anyway.'' He replied to her and turned to the village's exit, starting to walk towards it.
(Start playing Fairy Tail's Main Theme- Piano Version if you like.)
''Wait! Natsu!'' Mizore called out to him, letting go of her mother and chasing after him.
''Um? What is it, Mizore?'' He asked her, stopping in his tracks and turning halfway back to her.
''Where are you going to go? You don't have anywhere else to stay or someone else to help you.'' She stated to him with a worrying expression.
''Well… I can't deny any of these, but either way… I will manage. I'm a tough guy!'' He reassured her, smiling cheerfully.
Following that, he resumed his way towards the exit. But before he left, the snow women who were present there had a small farewell gift to offer him.
''YOU MONSTER! GO AWAY AND NEVER COME BACK!'' One of them yelled at him and without any hesitation, grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it at his back.
*Gdp* (Sound of a stone hitting something)
But despite that, Natsu decided to ignore it and continue walking.
''YES! JUST GET OUT OF OUR PEACEFUL VILLAGE!'' Another woman yelled at him and copied the previous one, grabbing a rock too and throwing it at Natsu.
*Gdp*
''ALL FIRE USERS ARE SCUM AND MUST DIE!'' A third followed the other two into yelling and next into throwing a rock at Natsu.
*Gdp*
And somewhere at that point, every other woman who was there grabbed a rock and threw it in her turn at Natsu.
*Gdp**Gdp**Gdp**Gdp**Gdp**Gdp*
The rocks really were falling on him like rain drops and even with his hard muscles it was inevitable for his body to suffer a few minor bruises. But Natsu paid no heed to it and kept walking steadily, looking solely to his front. Those people were behaving towards him like he was some kind of crook, so he had every right to get furious at them and counter attack, but his vow to never fight anyone innocent and his loyalty to Fairy Tail's ideals weren't allowing him to raise a hand against them. Those people were mean to him, but it wasn't due to evilness. Apparently, they had a quite bad history with people of his element and that was enough to cloud their minds. That's why Natsu's only option was to let them do as they pleased. That way it would be easier for them to calm down according to his logic.
To what it had to do with Mizore now; she was just staying still at her spot, staring at him with a pained expression, her right fist over her chest and her lips as well as her eyelids tightened. Natsu hadn't done anything wrong to deserve that cruel treatment, but neither her, nor her mother could do something to help him because that would waste all the efforts he was putting to not further anger Shura and the other women. He chose to sacrifice himself for their sake and they were obligated to respect it… No matter how unbearable it was.
(Now stop the OST if you started hearing it.)
[15 minutes later – At the snow priestess's palace - In a hidden chamber beneath the main shrine.]
While all of those events were taking placing down at the village, the snow women's leader, the snow priestess, was inside a secret room inside her palace, chanting some spells in front of a large altar with a shining, snow flake-shaped, deep azure crystal attached to its center.
''This looks like it would be enough for the meantime.'' She commented, stopping her chanting and taking a better look at the crystal. ''I don't know why, but its power has been pretty unstable since yesterday. I wonder if this has something to do with Jack's prophecy.'' She murmured then to herself skeptically.
Following that and having finished with what she went to do there, she began climbing the stairs that were leading to the upper levels of her palace.
[10 minutes later – In the palace's throne chamber.]
''I spent a lot of time down there, so I hope nothing grave happened while I was absent.'' She said to herself the moment she sat on her throne ready to look in her crystal ball.
But to her surprise, she witnessed something which was far from what she hoped. Inside her ball she saw almost all the village's women gathered at Tsurara's house's yard, having surrounded her as well as her daughter and pointing their ice claws at them. In addition, for some bizarre reason, everyone had a pretty hostile expression on their faces and especially her loyal helper, Shura. A sight that left the snow priestess quite puzzled, driving her into using her powers to transform her body into an icy wind so she could go quickly to see firsthand what was happening.
[The same time – Back to Tsurara's house.]
''YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! YOU PROMISED NATSU THAT YOU WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING AGAINST US! THAT'S WHY HE AGREED TO LEAVE.'' Mizore yelled at Shura, scowling.
In less than half an hour after Natsu's departure, Shura ordered without warning for every woman there to apprehend Tsurara and Mizore, threatening them with their ice daggers so they wouldn't escape.
''Promises towards an enemy are invalid.'' Shura claimed to her with no remorse or shame. ''You two committed a grave crime, so it's proper to punish you. If I were to avert my eyes of this, God knows what you will do next... No…! I can't let this act of treason pass.''
''Please, Shura-san! You can do whatever you see fit with me, but as a mother to another mother, I beg you, don't kill my daughter!'' Tsurara pleaded Shura as intensively as she could, appearing tears to her eyes.
''Unfortunately, I ceased being a mother long ago because of people like the one you tried to protect. So, no matter how many times you beg me, you won't achieve anything, Tsurara-san. I'm going to execute you both this precise moment. For our village's and our dear leader's sake.'' Shura replied to her pleading in a cold tone.
Next, she raised her right hand in the air like a military officer before he gives the final signal for his troops to fire at a criminal sentenced to death while the women prepared their ice claws to fire the ice daggers at them.
But things wouldn't go Shura's way that time, either. Just when she was ready to lower her hand so the others could begin the execution, something grabbed it, stopping her.
''Eh?! Who dares to…'' Shura started asking in an irritated tone, turning slowly her face backwards.
But she wouldn't have the chance to finish her speech.
''For whose sake did you say that you will execute them?'' She heard then stunned the snow priestess asking her herself with a serious expression a few centimeters away from her back.
''M-My Lady!'' Shura muttered, astonished with her eyes wide open. ''W-What are you doing here?''
''This is my question, Shura-san? Why are you treating Tsurara-san and her daughter this way? She is one of our society's most respected members. What could she have possibly done that requires such a heavy punishment?''
''My Lady… What I'm doing is for the good of our tribe. This shameless traitor and her equally treacherous daughter attempted to shelter a fire user inside our village. Can you believe their nerve? A fire user! Our entire race's most hated enemy!'' Shura explained to her, turning her whole body to her back and kneeling in front of the snow priestess.
An action the other snow women mimicked simultaneously, withdrawing their ice claws.
''What did you just say? A fire user?'' The snow priestess asked her, jolting in shock.
''Yes! A despicable person of fire… But thankfully, I managed to fool him and send him away from our land.'' Shura answered to her in a humble tone.
As for the snow priestess; she felt like she had been struck by lightning. –Could that man be the one from the prophecy?- she questioned in her dead. –If he was, her helper had done one of most tragic mistakes ever.- she continued thinking, upset. But speculations alone were meaningless. She had to make sure that he was indeed the one before ordering the formation of search party to go look for him.
And so, with that in mind, she approached Tsurara and Mizore.
''You have my utmost gratitude, snow priestess-sama! I owe you mine and my daughter's life.'' Tsurara thanked her in a respectful tone, bowing slightly her head.
After that, she turned it to Mizore without raising it up.
''Mizore, don't be rude. Bow and thank the snow priestess-sama too.'' She whispered to her daughter to prevent their benefactor thinking that her daughter was ungrateful.
But at the moment, that was the least of the snow priestess's worries.
''No, It's alright! There's no need. On the other hand, I would like for you to give me some information.'' She told both with an impatient expression.
''-Information-?'' Tsurara repeated curiously, raising her head.
''Exactly…! That fire user you hosted at your house… How did he look like?''
''Um? How does Natsu-kun looks like?''
''Yes! It's very important, so you have to tell me.''
''Natsu is close to my age, has dark pink hair, brown eyes, a red tattoo on his right shoulder and well… he's also pretty muscular.'' Mizore answered to her as the person who had observed him most compared to her mother.
And that moment it was when everything finally became clear. If what Mizore told her was true, that –Natsu- was undoubtedly the man in her vision. That also meant that they had to get him back or else their future was doomed.
But to their bad luck, they wouldn't have the opportunity.
''SHURA-SAAANNN! EVERYONEEE! PLEASE HELP US!'' A woman's voice was heard screaming desperately from the village's entrance's direction.
Hearing it, everyone turned to where it came from puzzled, watching one of their women running like crazy towards them.
[When the woman arrived to everyone's location.]
''Haa… Haa… It's terrible…! Haa… Someone help us… Haa…'' She pleaded, falling on her knees due to exhaustion and panting heavily.
''What's the matter, Fuyuko-san?'' The snow priestess asked the woman, approaching her.
''Oh, snow priestess-sama… It's a nightmare! They appeared from nowhere and suddenly one of them killed Yukie-san and Oki-san.'' Fuyuko answered to her in distraught, talking very fast.
''Who did? Fuyuko-san, you need to pull yourself together and explain to us in a way we will be able to understand you.''
''A-As you wish…''
[5 minutes later.]
Doing her best, Fuyuko held back her panic and next explained to all of them that while she and the other two women, who were appointed to guard the main entrance of their village, were fulfilling their duties as usual, a large number of black jeeps began making their appearance from inside the forest, parking a few meters away from the village's perimeter. Following that, multiple people dressed in black suits and wearing black shades got out of them, swarming in front of the entrance. Then, she and the other women went to ask them the reason for that massive gathering of theirs and one of them with a pretty large body, wearing a black fur coat and smoking a cigar demanded to talk to their leader right away. But when they told him that he had to request for an audience with her first, he lit his hands in a deep crimson flame and threw two big fire balls to the two other women, reducing them to steam in a matter of seconds. Moving on from that, he instructed Fuyuko to run back to the village and bring their leader in front of him quickly, otherwise he was going to burn their land to nothing.
''Does this means that he's still waiting for me at the entrance, Fuyuko-san?'' The snow priestess asked her, frowning anxiously from what she had heard.
''Yes, snow priestess-sama. He said that he will wait for you for a little, but if you dared to ignore him, our tribe is finished.'' Fuyuko mentioned to her, trembling like a leaf.
''I see… Then, I don't have much of a choice. I will go meet him.'' She replied to her with a straight expression.
''Don't be rash, my Lady! Didn't you hear, Fuyuko-san? That guy apparently is another fire user. My guess is that he is a comrade of the young boy and he came here with his men seeking revenge for chasing away their comrade.'' Shura stated upset to her. ''If you go, your life will be in danger.''
''Hey! Natsu isn't such a coward and he doesn't know anyone else in our Realm.'' Mizore snapped that moment at Shura, stepping forward.
''Who gave you the right to state your opinion, little girl? Disgraces like you shouldn't meddle in such serious matters. You ought to be thankful for not being executed and hide in your house.'' Shura replied to her, turning back to her extremely annoyed. ''If not, I will see to it myself to discipline you in the most harsh way possib...''
''Shura-san, please refrain from making your position worse than it already is.'' The snow priestess interrupted her suddenly, sounding displeased.
''Eh? What do you mean, my Lady?'' Shura asked her startled, turning to her.
''Such decisions as sentencing someone to death are strictly mine to take. With what you did earlier, you stepped over your authority's boundaries, so if there is someone here who needs discipline, this one is clearly you… But for the time being, I must deal with our unexpected visitors, so your punishment will have to wait.'' She claimed bluntly and next started heading without delay towards the place those men had gathered to see what they wanted from her.
The same time, watching her doing so, the rest of her tribe decided to escort her from behind to support her if she were to face those unknown men. An action Mizore and Tsurara mimicked, unlike Shura who was so shocked by her master's words that she couldn't move a muscle, remaining back frozen like a statue.
[10 minutes later – At the village's entrance.]
''Hm? Ha! About time you showed up, priestess of the snow land.'' Dreik commented, noticing the snow priestess coming to his place followed by her tribe.
''I apologize for making you wait, sir, but when I was informed about your request to see me, I was in the middle of solving an internal problem of my people.'' She explained to him in a polite tone.
Next, she focused her sight on him, taking a pretty serious expression.
''Now, can I please hear the reason of your sudden visit and why you attacked my citizens?'' She asked him straightly without any fear in her speech.
''-Your citiz…-, oh, you are talking about those two stupid wretches that tried to play the tough guys to me. Well, they went asking for it.'' Dreik answered to her casually, not showing any remorse for his crime. ''As of why we came here…'' He continued saying to her, forming secretly a fire ball of compressed flames in his right palm. ''…I suppose that's a given.'' He finished his sentence smirking deviously. ''We are here…'' He started saying to her again, swiftly drawing back his right hand. ''…TO SEIZE YOUR HOME OF COURSE!'' He shouted to her, finishing his second sentence and throwing the fire ball at the snow priestess with force.
''Wh…?'' She was about to question, goggling intensively, but before she had the chance to do so, the fire ball crashed on her chest, unleashing all the stored flame it had inside of it.
A fact that in its turn forced the snow priestess to fall down with her body covered in water. A normal snow woman would surely have died instantly if she were to be hit by such strong flames, but thankfully for her, she was an exception among her race with a body many times sturdier than their own.
''SNOW PRIESTESS-SAMA!'' All the women screamed that moment simultaneously in shock.
Following that, Tsurara together with some of them, ran to her side to see in what condition she was and to help her stand.
In the meantime, a few meters away from them, Dreik and his men were looking at them with a series of mocking and satisfied smiles.
''I like this land so…'' He started proclaiming then to them, but was unexpectedly cut short.
''YOU RUFFIAN! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO THE SNO…'' A woman of the ones close to the snow priestess tried to yell at him, but as it seemed, like the snow priestess, she wouldn't have the chance to complete her sentence.
While she was in the middle of speaking, Dreik pointed his left index finger at her heart, firing in a flash a fire beam at it and reducing like this her owner to water.
''I hate it when others don't have any tact and interrupt me while I'm talking.'' He stated in a half hostile-half annoyed tone to all the speechless snow women who were staring at him with their eyes wide open and their bodies trembling.
Their land was currently facing its second greatest crisis after the Fairy Tale incident, but the difference was that compared to that time, right now there wasn't anyone to defend them against those new invaders. Even Natsu, who was most likely their only ray of hope, had to leave their village due to Shura's efforts.
Earlier they chose to rely on their unjustified fears, so they had to pay the price… The ultimate price!
A/N: And that's the end for now.
1: I know that I have promised you more action, but the thing is that this chap ended up way larger than I had anticipated since I didn't want to mess the natural pace of the story, so I decided to stop it at the most proper point. I apologize for not giving you the action I promised, but the positive side is that now I have all the free space I need to describe the upcoming battle even better in the next chap. Because we will have one next time and it will be awesome. ;)
2: As you realized, I just put the bases for one of the story's most dramatic elements. And of course I'm referring to the fact that Natsu can't directly touch any of the snow women and in accordance Mizore. As I previously stated, I look at these two like they are Romeo and Juliet, so I needed something really sufficient to prevent their getting together. But the story isn't labeled as tragedy, so don't get discouraged.
3: Next chap I'm planning to give you a nostalgic Fairy Tail speech's feeling.
4: I decided except the music suggestions, to start giving you and a small hint about every next chap like a small preview.
So, chap 3's hint is: An image of a furious Natsu standing between some rubble while being surrounded by a very large pile of fire, his skin over a few parts of his body looking scaly and his eyes glowing in a bright red.
Once again, my thanks to my beta readerPuck's Favourite Girl for her great help in completing this chapter.
See you next time!
Be well and love Japan! Ja'ne!