Chapter 3: Demon & Knight' Infatuation
"..and then I got this huge bird that tried to eat me but I fried it before it could attack, and I ate it." An hour later, the initial shock died down. Natsu was back into his chatty self as he was retelling his adventures to Erza, Lisanna and Ur. Ur, albeit concerned, knew Gray won't do anything stupid.
The guild door slammed open and the ice mage came roaring inside. "Pinky! I challenge you to a duel!"
'Spoke too soon!' Ur thought as she looked from her student to the cheerful boy next to her, who upon hearing the challenge, stood head to head with Gray with a grin.
"Oh yeah stripper?!"
"You're gonna lose!"
"Yeah, when you stop walking in your underwear!" As the two exchanged insults, the other members watched with interest, but everyone quickly diverted to what they were doing and ignored the two, except for a select few.
"Hmm I am off gramps. Be back in a week." Laxus stated as he walked towards the door, ignoring the dragon child and ice mage.
"Master, should we..." Erza inspected the scene with concern but Makarov had already decided as he stood up on the counter.
"Fine, but not here, also, I, Ur and Erza will supervise the spar." With that he jumped off from the counter and walked towards the door, followed by Erza, who also acted as a wall between the fire and ice mages.
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A few minutes later a small crowd was gathered around the Fairy Tail Mage and the potential member who were both glaring heatedly at each other. "The rules are simple, the fight will continue as long as both competitors are standing, and will end if, one fails to stand up, both collapse or one forfeits." Makarov stated the ground rules and although the two boys didn't look at the old man, they nodded.
"Ready to get your ass whooped?"
"Oh let's see icy! I'm all fired up!"
"Begin!"
Both charged to the centre and engaged in combat, trading blows and kicks, Gray's fighting skill and offense was of a higher level than that of the dragon slayer while the latter's defence was impenetrable. The crowd lost the thought of the combatants being kids and started betting.
As Makarov, Ur and Erza observed the spar, they deduced a few things, one, Gray had more fighting skills while Natsu used brute strength and speed to his advantage. It was obvious, the latter have never fought a human, but what he fought were things no man will go near.
Jumping back, Gray yelled "Ice make: Lance!" The attack went straight at the dragon slayer who was surprised for a moment at the attack and missed the opportunity to dodge and allowed the attack to hit him where it wanted and steam clouds erupted from the impact and that's all the cover Natsu needed.
When the clouds disappeared, there was no Natsu and all of a sudden, Gray felt the air leave his body and being thrown off as Natsu delivered a punch to his abdomen. The ice mage landed harshly on the ground, knocked out.
"Gray Fullbuster is unable to continue, victory goes to Natsu Dragneel." Ur rushed Gray to the infirmary after the Master's declaration. Natsu grinned and hopped around, celebrating his victory as if he had won a championship.
"So, what is your opinion Erza?" Erza came out of her thoughts and shook her head apologetically.
"Forgive me master, I got distracted, if you want you can hit me." Erza leaned forward to receive her punishment but Makarov waved off. "But I did realize something, our Gray is a skilled fighter while Natsu has no fighting experience..err..at least not with humans, but his physical strength and speed are of a whole different level. And all though those aren't the only reason he won, he was able to think of a strategy in the middle of the attack that Gray used on him. It was enough to give him the cover to overcome Gray's skills." Erza's points made the Master nod in approval.
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The day passed on uneventful for Natsu as he was struck with boredom because of his unconscious rival. 'It's all that streaker's fault!'
"So Natsu," the said boy turned towards the person who called his name.
"Yea?" Erza leaned on the counter as she stared at the now up and running dragon slayer
"What was Igneel like? If you don't mind me asking, I mean, I can understand if you don't want to share the information with me." Erza made sure that she didn't bring back any unwanted memory for the dragon slayer, but Natsu never was.
"He was an enormous ass, always mentioning my attitude to be disrespectful and has an arrogance that could blow up this planet! But..he was a caring, protective and fun idiot..I don't know why he left.." Natsu's cheerfulness turned a little dull and into a small sad smile with which he looked at her.
Erza's heart crumbled. "Natsu, I-"
"But I will find him! And kick his ass real good!" Erza felt her heart skip a beat at his passionate words that he shouted out with actual fire coming from his mouth. She smiled softly at the boy and nodded.
"Hey, Natsu right?" Cana popped up next to Erza, the dragon slayer looked curiously over the new comer before grinning with a nod.
"Do you like to know your future?" Cana's question sparkled his eyes and immediately nodded his head vigorously.
Smiling, Cana turned to Erza "Erza, do you want to try too?" But the scarlet girl shook her head no.
"It is better to be in the dark while knowing the light is always with you than having the light and unable to see." Of course Natsu didn't understand what the girl said.
Cana placed a few blank cards on the counter in a particular order and looked at Natsu and asked "Tell a number between 1 and 15."
After a few seconds of thinking, Natsu spoke, "7?"
"Okay, now touch any seven cards from this." She pointed at the cards she placed.
"Uh..OK..this one, this one this one this one and that one and this too oh and this too!" Natsu touched the cards cheerfully and Cana took the remaining eight untouched cards.
"Now let us read what all you are meant for in the future. Pick one first!" Cana instructed.
"Mmm this one." He touched one.
"Alright let's see." Words started appearing on the blank card.
"Strength. Hmm great strength awaits you, pick another."
And Natsu touched another and the same magic happened "Oh adventurous."
Again. "Mischief. Not really surprised."
"Loyalty. We will see."
"Bravery."
Again "Rash and ignorant."
"Hey!" Natsu protested and Erza giggled lightly.
"Just pick the next one." Cana demanded.
"Love...? Wow..and romance too!" Cana purred at the confused dragon slayer and a curious Erza. "And also mistre-" she gasped at what was on. Erza and Natsu stared curiously as they saw Cana clasping the card to her chest and hiding it with a deep blush.
"What is it Cana? What does it say? Fight? Battle? War? World domination?" Natsu asked excitedly while Erza now glared suspiciously.
Laughing nervously, Cana got up and inched away. "He he he he oh will you look at that, it's already evening." With that she ran out the door, the card still held by the girl on to her chest.
Staring at the girl, Natsu said out loud "Weirdo."
Slap
"Ow! What's the big idea!" Natsu exclaimed as he rubbed the skin of his hand which was given a slap by Erza.
"Because, you don't call a girl a weirdo. Are we clear?" Her eyes glowed red which made the dragon slayer jump back with a shiver
"Yes ma'am!"
Erza sighed tiredly before smiling "You shouldn't insult girls, Natsu. It's a bad thing to do."
"So what should I say to a girl then?" Natsu curiously listened to what she was saying.
"You should say something nice..like..uh" Erza thought but Natsu grinned and said.
"You smell nice!"
"Yes that- whaaat? Uh.." Erza upon realizing it was a comment towards her blushed.
"You smell nice, its fresh strawberry and..uh..some awesome stuff I don't know yet about!" He cheered himself for saying something nice.
Erza's face was beet red at the compliment. "T-thank you."
Ignoring the weird complexion on Erza's face Natsu asked "Erza, what if a girl is mean?"
"Natsu there aren't any-"
"Oi! Fire crotch! Stop making out with your toy!" The sudden voice caught the guilds attention and the next thing Natsu saw was the calm, strict and always composed now head butting a Gothic dressed girl wearing little clothes.
"What did you say, Goth shit?"
"Ya deaf ginger ass?"
"Shut your trap white haired hag!"
As the insult was being traded on equal grounds by the girls, the guild members started inching back, knowing the fight that was about to come will probably put bystanders in the infirmary, the master was sweating nervously at the damage the two were going to deliver. But, the pink haired dragon slayer, not recognising what was going on, went through the crowd and towards the angry beauties.
"Oh so you wanna- oh hey your boyfriend's here..what are you staring at?" Mirajane looked at him as he continued to stare at her.
"I will buy you clothes with the money I get from my first job!" Natsu's determined face and voice caused the demon to take step back and gasp.
"Uh whaa..I oh..I thin..well you are cute..maybe I will give you a chance." It was a sight no one has ever seen, Mirajane and Erza, both had red faces, but for different reasons, Mirajane thought of it as if he was asking her out and was embarrassed while Erza..actually thought that too but was..angry and red.
"See ginger? Your boyfriend left you for someone better." Without wasting the chance to insult Erza, Mirajane shot.
Clenching her fist and grinding her teeth, Erza grabbed Natsu's collar "Natsu! I demand you take me for shopping immediately after your mission." She asked, no, demanded.
"uh.. okay?" Confused, Natsu nodded. 'Gee that girl, I can understand since she's too poor to afford clothes. But why does Erza need?' He didn't voice out though as he saw Erza and Mirajane exiting the guild with Lisanna being dragged by Mirajane. Natsu gave small wave to Lisanna who disappeared behind the door.
Sighing, he turned around to see a very silent rowdy guild. Very silent. Unexplainably silent. "What?" He asked, confused.
"Na-Natsu? How did you do that?" Makarov asked while trying to breathe while holding a small notepad like many who held them along with a pen and trying to juice up the info.
"Why? I just asked them for shopping." He replied before walking towards the mission board and plucked a few high grossing missions. "See ya gramps! I am of to my first mission!" He excitedly walked out of the guild, but the Fairy Tail males couldn't share the excitement and come out from their shock as they stared at the boy who went through the open door and was disappearing into the sunset.
"H-he just got t-two dates? On the first day itself!"
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