A/N: Okay guys, time for the next chapter in this much-requested cross-over! In this we will see how Natsu and Wendy deal with not only Sloan, but also Horst and Brom! Hope you enjoy this again, and please don't hesitate to review and/or message me!


Meeting Carvahall

Eragon pushed open the door and led the two younger kids inside the meat shop. Natsu looked round hungrily, his stomach growling loudly, but he stayed true to his word by not destroying anything. Wendy eyed some of the displayed meats uneasily, but she said nothing.

Soon however, a bald man caught their attention. He was slightly overweight, and his back was turned to them. As Wendy and Natsu saw him, their first impression was that he might resemble Master Bob of the Blue Pegasus guild. But when he turned around with a face that seemed perpetually bent by a scowl, they knew that they could not be more wrong. Master Bob may have been a very strange individual, but he could never be so mean-looking.

"Good afternoon, Sloan," Eragon said as he stood in front of the counter.

"Ah, the might hunter returns to grace us with his presence," the man replied mockingly. "How many did you bag this time, other than the two brats I see hiding behind you?"

"None," Eragon replied curtly. "Which is obviously why I'm here."

"Hmph," Sloan sneered. "You have no money, so I'm not interested in doing business."

"I have something to trade," Eragon countered as he reached into his pack and retrieved the blue stone that he had found the night before. Behind him, both Natsu and Wendy's noses began to twitch as they both encountered a familiar smell- one that they had not encountered in many a year.

Sloan's eyes lit up with interest and he put away the knife that he'd been sharpening. "Well now, how did a farm boy like you pick up a beauty like this?" he asked as he examined the blue object.

"I found it on the ground," Eragon answered, obviously holding back his temper. To Wendy, he seemed very different than the frightened child that they had found the previous night. He seemed a lot more confident now that he was in his hometown.

"More likely you stole it," Sloan retorted. "Well, it looks pretty, but I can't really see what it's really worth. In that case, I suggest you take my offer of three crowns."

"That's a miser's bargain!" Eragon protested angrily.

Sloan shrugged, obviously not caring how much Eragon thought it would be worth. "That's my offer, and unless you want to wait to sell it until the traders come through, you'll take it," he sniffed, moving to pick up his knife again.

"Fine," Eragon snapped. "Get me a week's worth of beef in that case."

"Deal," Sloan smirked. "Not that it matters, but where exactly did you find that stone?"

"Last night when I was hunting in the Spine," Eragon replied. He was shocked when Sloan shoved the stone back into his chest, nearly sending him reeling.

"Get out!" Sloan barked as he grabbed another knife to clean. "I won't have anything to do with those damned mountains! Get that sorcerer's stone out of my shop!"

"Hey, man, what's your deal?!" Natsu said as he shouldered his way past Eragon. "My pal here was willing to pay for everything, and now you're just gonna give him crap over where he found the thing?"

"It's none of your business, child!" Sloan said brandishing the knife like a weapon. "Now get out!" Natsu glared as the shop owner, and Wendy felt her chest constrict as his fist drew back, hidden from view as it began to smoke for what she knew was his Iron Fist technique. But before his magic could be unleashed, a new element entered the picture.

A man of massive stature wearing a coal-stained smock came into the shop, a girl with long copper hair trailing him. "What seems to be the problem, Sloan?" the man rumbled, cracking his knuckles. His sinewy biceps rippled with power as Sloan paled with fear.

"H-Horst!" he stammered. "This boy and his cohorts have come into my establishment, refusing to leave, even when I warned them that I would use force!"

Horst raised a bushy eyebrow and turned to Eragon, his dark eyes shining with a hidden laugh underneath the black hair atop his head. His massive beard moved with a smile as he asked, "Eragon, is this true?"

"Not on your life!" Natsu interjected, surprising the smith and the boy. "Eragon here was gonna sucker up to this scumbag just to get a measly meal for his family when the little coward starts freakin' out about how he found this old rock in your Spine!"

Horst turned back to Sloan, all business again. "Sloan, is that so? I've no love for the Spine myself, but that stone seems valuable enough. And if you doubt its worth, I'd be willing to back it with my own money." He slapped a heavy purse at his belt, and Sloan paled further.

"Father," said the girl that had come in with Horst. "Eragon is willing to pay us. Please, can we not get this all over with and have supper?"

"This is none of your business, Katrina," Sloan glowered. "Go back to the house, do you hear? Get out!" The girl stiffened and walked out the door, slamming the door behind her. Eragon winced at the unpleasantness, but Horst wasn't done yet.

"Well then, Sloan," he said as he opened his purse. "Get me a week's worth of your best steaks and the like, enough to fill Eragon's pack. And make it quick." Sloan did not budge, eyeing the offered money uneasily. "Not selling to me would be a very bad idea," Horst glowered. Added to this was Natsu, grinning with a dangerous gleam in his eyes, cracking his knuckles behind Horst.

Sloan finally caved. He moved into the back room, where the group heard a series of chops, curses, and wrappings occurring. When he came back, he slammed the meat down on the counter and grabbed Horst's money roughly. He then set about cleaning one of his knives, acting like they did not even exist.

The four of them exited without another word, whereupon Wendy let out a huge sigh of relief. "That was too close," she gasped.

Horst let out a huge round of laughter as he clapped Eragon heartily on the back, saying, "Ah, I've waited a long time to do something like that."

"Thank you very much, Horst," Eragon said as he held out the stone for Horst to take as payment. "I appreciate you helping me out."

"No, keep your strange rock," Horst said with a shake of his head. "If you truly wish to pay me back, Albreich plans to leave next spring to become a master smith. I'm going to need an extra hand around the forge to take up the slack."

"Again, thank you!" Eragon said with a bow of gratitude. "I would be more than delighted to help you in his absence!"

"Think nothing of it," Horst insisted. "But tell me, who are these two youngsters?"

"Ah, forgive me, Horst," Eragon said as he turned to face. "This is Natsu Dragneel and Wendy Marvell. They are travelling cousins heading on to Theirnsford in a few days' time. I found them lost in the Spine last night."

"Do they have a place to stay?" Horst asked with concern. Seeing his face, Wendy was reminded in a way of the master of her old guild, Cait Shelter. "I have plenty of room at my house if they need to stay somewhere for a few days. I would not charge them like Morn's Tavern- though I would ask with some help around the house."

"That sounds wonderful!" Wendy said with her most winning smile. "Thank you so much, Mister Horst!"

"Will there be food?" Natsu asked, much to Wendy's embarrassment. "I'm starving!"

"As long as you help make it, there will be food," Horst replied patiently, much to Eragon and Wendy's relief.

"All right!" Natsu shouted happily. "I'm all fired up, then!"

"Before you go, would you like to join us for dinner?" Horst offered to Eragon.

The boy smiled but shook his head. "I would love to, but Uncle Garrow is expecting me home tonight. Perhaps later this week?" The two men shook hands, and Eragon turned to Wendy and Natsu to say, "I'll be busy for the next week or so, but if you have time, either try to visit Brom, or come see me. My home is a couple of miles down the road that way." And he pointed down the main road of Carvahall. "Try and stay out of trouble, alright?"

"We will," Wendy promised. "Won't we, Natsu?"

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu shrugged impatiently. "Come on, can we go already? I haven't eaten anything since that nasty excuse of fire the other day!"

Horst looked at Eragon with an eyebrow raised, but the youth simply shrugged his shoulders. "He seems… strange, but he was willing to stand up for me back there," Eragon said. "I'm sure he'll do just fine in the forge."

"Very well, I'll take your word for it," Horst decided. "Is there anything else before you go home?"

"Ah, yes, actually," Eragon said as he beckoned for Horst to come closer. He whispered something to the massive blacksmith that made him chuckle.

"Yes, don't worry," he grinned. "I will tell her. And be sure to tell Roran and Garrow that I wish them both well."

"Of course," Eragon said with one last bow. "Good day, Horst. Natsu, Wendy, I'll see you soon."

"Bye!" Wendy waved as she watched him walk off.

"Later, man!" Natsu said as he waved good-bye as well. Turning to Horst with surprising eagerness, he said, "Okay, now where's the food?"


Natsu and Wendy were one their way to the house that Horst had told them about, saying that he would be home soon. "This place doesn't seem too bad," Wendy said they walked through the main road. "That guy Sloan seemed mean, but Mister Horst and Eragon are both very nice. I just hope that his wife Miss Elaine is as nice as he is."

"I just hope that they feed me," Natsu muttered sourly.

"You'll find both food and pleasantries at the home of Horst," an older man's voice said from behind them. The two young dragon slayers turned around with surprise to see a man with a gray-white beard walking behind them with a walking stick carved with strange runes. How old he was exactly seemed impossible for Wendy to guess. He looked like he could be well over sixty, but he moved with the ease of youth, not even really using the stick he carried for support.

"Done staring?" he asked sharply as he eyed Wendy from above a hawk-eyed nose.

"Y-Yes sir!" she stammered. "Sorry!"

"Can we help you, old man?" Natsu asked crankily, tired of people getting in the way of his dinner.

The man's gray eyebrows met in a dark 'V' above his forehead as he said, "You're a rather rude individual, aren't you? Here I was hoping to ask your names- strangers aren't very common in Carvahall."

"I'm sorry about him," Wendy said as she bowed nervously. "I'm Wendy, and this is my frie- er, cousin, Natsu."

"Wendy, is it?" the man said as she straightened. "You seem like a nice young lady. How is it that your 'cousin' doesn't share in your manners?" The way that he said the word 'cousin' gave the two friends a sinking feeling.

"Hey man, if you're gonna be asking questions, you better be ready to answer some!" Natsu said hotly. "You ask our names, but you don't wanna give yours?"

"I never said I wouldn't," the old man said mildly. "If you must know, I'm the town's storyteller. My name is Brom."

"Huh?" Wendy and Natsu said together. "This old gasbag's the guy Eragon was telling us about?" Natsu added.

"How do you know Eragon?" Brom's frown was back.

"Uh, he found us after we got lost in the woods last night," Wendy said timidly. "He was the one that helped us find a place to stay for a few days."

"Sounds like him, all right," Brom muttered to himself. Looking up sharply, he said, "Well, enjoy your stay here in Carvahall. May the stars watch over you until we next meet." He then shook hands with the both of them, none too gently, either. And he went on his way, a thoughtful expression on his face.

As the two of them resumed their original trek, Wendy noticed Natsu sniffing at his right hand. "Natsu, what are you doing?" she asked, conscious of the one or two curious looks being cast their way.

"That smell…" he said as he lowered his hand and frowned. "There's no doubt about it."

"What are you talking about, Natsu?" Wendy asked the older dragon slayer.

"That guy…" Natsu looked down sharply at Wendy as he said, "I thought I recognized that scent. He smells like a dragon."

"A… dragon?" Wendy repeated. "You mean, he's a dragon slayer like us?"

"I dunno, but I never forget a smell, and that guy definitely smelled a lot like Ingeel," Natsu said under his breath, tucking his face partially into his white scarf that he never let out of his sight. "I dunno if that means he's a dragon slayer, but he's definitely spent a lot of time around a dragon before. The scent is kinda faded, but it's definitely there."

"But…" Wendy frowned. "Given what Eragon said, that's impossible, right? I mean, he said that the dragons haven't been seen in over a hundred years here."

"Ugh…" Natsu groaned. "I can't think on an empty stomach… Let's get some dinner and then come back to this, 'kay?"

"Of course, Natsu," Wendy sighed heavily. "Let's get to Mister Horst's home, then."


Gajeel: Are you friggin' kidding me?! Salamander and the little pipsqueak get to have all the fun while I gotta sit around and wait for them to get back?!

Levy: Hey, calm down, big guy! It's not like we're all gonna die if we get a chance just to lounge around for a little while, doing nothing.

Gajeel: Yeah, but now I'm bored! Ugh, I need something to hit...

Levy: Uh... How about instead of breaking stuff, we tell the readers about a new poll that's only gonna be up for a week on Mataras' profile?

Gajeel: You mean that thing where people get to pick whether or not some punk named Roran gets to learn magic or not?

Levy: Bingo!

Gajeel: Boring.

Levy: Well, you're gonna have to come up with something to entertain yourself! Something that doesn't involve fighting!

Gajeel: Wait... Entertainment?

Levy: Oh, wait... Oh no.

Lucy: Hey, Levy! Where's Gajeel going in such a hurry?

Levy: I just made a terrible mistake...

Lucy: What? What happened?

Gajeel: Shooby doo bop!

Lucy: Tell me you're not responsible for this...