Notes: This chapter took a lot longer than I expected it to, but it does cover everything I wanted it to.
Shine On
A Fairy Tail Fanfic by
Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Chapter 3: Natsu
It was nothing unusual for Lucy Heartfilia's house to be occupied while she was away. In fact, it had become something of a guild tradition for random members to break into the house, lie in wait, and badly startle Lucy once she got home. Lucy had complained, certainly, but she had never complained about feeling lonely or neglected, nor had she ever tried to get her locks changed (not that it would have done any good, since Erza had been knocking doors off their hinges for so long that she had near constant job requests from Magnolia's locksmiths).
The gathering that night would have given a great deal for Lucy to walk through her door as if nothing had changed, but she didn't, because it had.
Natsu had taken his usual spot on Lucy's bed, but had never looked more restless. Happy was stretched out beside him, staring hopefully at the door. Wendy was curled up beside him, asleep with her head in Erza's lap. This was a small comfort at best: Wendy had cried even harder than Juvia upon learning of Lucy's disappearance, and perhaps the only person who had taken it worse than her was Levy. It was all proof that as much as Lucy had loved the guild, they had all loved her back just as much.
Natsu was not really waiting for anything in particular, so when the knock at the door did come, he was more surprised than anyone.
Happy instantly launched himself at the door, clearly hoping to find Lucy on the other side, but everyone else knew better: Lucy had keys to her own house, after all, and as much as her uninvited visitors annoyed her, she would never allow them to let her in as if she were the one visiting.
They were all surprised when Gajeel barged into the house, but less so when they saw that he was accompanied by Levy and Pantherlily. "Told you they'd be here," Gajeel snorted as he pulled out a chair for Levy. "Damn freeloaders wouldn't go anywhere else."
Levy's face was red and puffy from crying nonstop, and the moment she sat down, Pantherlily hopped into her lap and allowed her to squeeze him tightly.
"So what's the plan, Salamander?" Gajeel asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Natsu frowned. "What plan?"
"Don't give me that. You're not the type that would just mope around here. You're supposed to run off and do the first stupid thing that comes to mind. So again: what's the plan?"
The words were in Natsu's mouth before he even knew it. "I'm going back to Tenrou Island in the morning."
Erza gasped. "Master has forbidden it. The island is no longer safe for us."
"Do I look like I care?" Natsu snapped. "Maybe I missed something important. I'm going to retrace Lucy's trail again."
"I'm going, too," Gajeel added, drawing several surprised looks. "Levy asked me to, and my nose is much better than that dinky bulb on your face."
Natsu smirked, but said nothing to contradict Gajeel's claim. That he hadn't was a sure sign of how seriously he was taking finding Lucy.
"I'll go," Wendy said as she sat up. "I don't know how good I am at tracking, but I might as well learn while I can."
"Master will not be pleased," Erza warned them.
"You going to tell him?" Natsu challenged.
"No," she sighed, shaking her head. "I want Lucy found, too. But if you're going to outright defy Master, at least bring back some new information."
Natsu nodded. "I won't come back until I do. That's a promise."
"You should try looking for Ultear," Levy said abruptly.
"Why?" Natsu asked.
"She uses Lost Magic. It's called the Arc of Time. I saw a little of it on the island. I think she can force things into the future."
"Like people?" Wendy asked, her eyes wide. "Like Lucy?"
"I don't know. But maybe that's why Lucy's trail just ended. If Ultear could influence the environment, maybe she could force it into the future, too, and erode away any trace of Lucy. I know I'm grasping at straws, but we were completely unprepared for the type of magic that Grimoire Heart uses. There's no telling what they're truly capable of."
Natsu had more or less stopped listening after the part about Lucy. He already believed that Grimoire Heart had something, possibly everything, to do with Lucy's disappearance. If so, he would find them, save her, and make them pay. It was that simple in his mind. He didn't want to consider what he might do if she wasn't with them. For that matter, neither would Grimoire Heart. "So it's settled. We leave just before dawn."
None of the Dragon Slayers slept that night. Natsu could not say for certain why this was, only that it didn't bother him. Wendy passed the time by sniffing Lucy's belongings and committing the scent to memory. Natsu and Gajeel mostly sat around glaring at nothing in particular, though Gajeel and Erza had both forced Levy to sleep in Lucy's bed once she began nodding off.
Though Natsu had never said as much, he had no intention of taking Happy with him. Oddly enough, this was also true of the other Dragon Slayers: Pantherlily had decided to look after Levy, and Carla had stayed at the guild building to help care for the injured. Natsu didn't really expect they would find anything dangerous on the island, other than the creatures that already lived there, but as far as he was concerned, he'd lost one friend too many recently.
Levy woke up early the next morning to prepare a heaping helping of SolidScript for all three, each in their preferred flavor. Wendy ate as much as she could and offered the rest to Natsu, but her share seemed to evaporate in his mouth and only served to annoy him.
They had never really discussed how they would get to the island. Natsu just figured they would take a boat from somewhere and worry about the consequences later. After all, it wasn't like they weren't good for it: everyone in Magnolia knew where Fairy Tail was located, and there were always at least several people in the guild building that could be forced into easy labor to repay for damages suffered, indirectly or otherwise, during guild jobs.
This worry turned out to be entirely unnecessary: they were met at the docks by Reedus, and without a word, he quickly painted a massive, smiling whale on his chest. In seconds, the whale leaped off his chest, rapidly expanding in size and crashing down in the water.
Natsu couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. The whale was a friend, not a vehicle. He would have no motion sickness on this trip.
"Just find Lucy," Reedus said simply, and hurried away without another word.
The whale got them to the island with no trouble. Even then, it did not disappear, so while Natsu assumed it intended to wait and take them back, he also assumed that they were working on a timetable.
As expected, Lucy's scent had faded somewhat, but Natsu was able to lead Gajeel and Wendy to the spot where it simply vanished with ease. They decided to spread out and search in different directions, then double back to meet up in half an hour. However, even doing this twice brought them no new information. There was simply no other trace of Lucy anywhere on the island.
Part of Natsu had expected as much: Grimoire Heart was involved, so the answers had to lie with them. What they really needed was to confront the dark guild and demand answers. He wasn't sure how Gajeel and Wendy would respond to this idea, though. Gajeel was always eager for a fight, but it was clear that he was still greatly concerned about Levy. As for Wendy, Natsu was still surprised that she'd agreed to disobey Makarov even this much. He was sure he could convince her to come along if Gajeel was on board, because she wouldn't like dealing with the pressure of being the only available Dragon Slayer in Fairy Tail.
Seeing no point in wasting valuable time, Natsu simply told them what he was thinking. He could tell from their immediate reactions that neither one was going to outright refuse, but they also weren't going to agree immediately.
"They'd squash the three of us like bugs," Gajeel said plainly. "Even if we can't get the whole guild in on it, we need some serious back-up to pull that off."
"I'll go if Master and Carla approve," was all Wendy would agree to.
It was then that Natsu realized something important himself. If Makarov disapproved and forbade them from going, it wouldn't matter. Natsu would gladly leave the guild if it meant getting even a step closer to finding Lucy. He couldn't say if this was because she was more important than his other friends, or if it was simply because she was missing. He only knew that he could not simply go on as a member of Fairy Tail if the guild didn't exhaust every possible method of finding Lucy.
With nothing left to discuss, the trio headed back to the whale. Natsu fully expected the Master to be waiting on them when they reached the docks. They would likely be punished, but he didn't care. It probably wouldn't be anything too severe, because the Master had never been one to punish people for following their hearts. In any case, Natsu decided that he would apologize when they got back, at least to Wendy. Gajeel was used to being in trouble, so he likely wouldn't care.
Gajeel boarded the whale first, and Natsu was just about to boost Wendy up when they all heard it. Despite being a sound that none of them had heard in years, it was instantly recognizable: a dragon's roar.
All thoughts of leaving the island vanished from Natsu's mind. While he could tell that this dragon was not Igneel, it was still a dragon, and that was all that mattered.
"It's not her," Wendy murmured softly, her face falling. "It's not Grandine."
"But it's still a dragon," Gajeel insisted, already back on land. "It might know something about the others."
Wendy nodded, and said something that Natsu had never even considered. "Maybe it even knows something about Lucy?"
There were two possible ways to take that, and Natsu did not like to think that Grimoire Heart might have a dragon on their side. But if that was indeed the case, they were the perfect mages to defeat it. "Let's go," Natsu said, and the other two nodded at once.
They did not actually need to go anywhere: the moment the enormous black dragon broke through the clouds, it headed straight for them, landing in front of them with a terrific crash that shook the entire island. At first glance, there was nothing but rage in the dragon's white eyes.
It did not occur to Natsu to be afraid as he approached the dragon. "Hey!" he shouted. "Do you know what happened to Igneel and the other dragons?!"
The dragon looked toward Natsu, so it had clearly heard him. Instead of answering, it raised a foot and tried to stomp him into the ground. Natsu dodged, but it was a close thing: for something so huge, the dragon was lightning fast.
"Please stop!" Wendy cried at the top of her lungs. "We only want to know about the other dragons!"
"I think there's only one language this thing understands," Gajeel said, cracking his knuckles. "So aim for vital points and try not to kill it."
Normally, such a statement might have horrified Wendy, but she saw the expressions on her comrades' faces and knew it was just talk. Neither of them was looking too confident about their chances of winning. "I'll support you both!" she assured them. "Just focus on the battle and don't worry about anything else!" Wendy thrust her hands out, grabbing both of them by the arm. "Arms x Armor x Vernier!" she cried.
Natsu felt his power soar with the effects of Wendy's spell, but this only filled him with a sense of growing dread. It didn't feel like they were charging into battle with an enemy they absolutely had to defeat. Instead, it felt like they would soon be fighting for their lives, and that the moment that Wendy's spell faded, they would lose.
Gajeel stepped forward, elbowing Natsu out of the way and sending him a heated glare, as if having guessed his thoughts. Without a word, he turned to face the black dragon and inhaled deeply. Catching on at once, Wendy began to do the same, and an instant later, so did Natsu.
"Iron Sky Fire Dragon's Roar!" they yelled as one, each releasing a swirling blast from their mouth that combined into an enormous, flaming, shrapnel-filled tornado.
They never discovered what type of damage it might do to the black dragon, however, because with a single flap of its mighty wings, the tornado changed direction, slamming back into its casters with the added force of the dragon's powerful winds. Natsu was vaguely aware of Wendy screaming as they were ripped from the ground and tossed about in the air like helpless dolls. He reached out for her, but a piece of flaming metal caught him in the forehead and plunged him into instant darkness.
It was the warmth the woke him: a familiar, all-encompassing glow of protection that penetrated the deepest darkness.
Natsu opened his eyes to find the sky above him filled with golden light. "Fairy Law," he whispered, sensing the Master's comforting presence nearby. His own pains were forgotten at once, and Natsu rolled over onto all fours, shaking the cobwebs from his head. He could see Wendy, and beyond her Gajeel, also trying to regain their bearings. They could not help but respond to Fairy Law, because it being cast meant that their troubles were surely over. Nothing could possibly threaten them once their beloved Master had cast that spell.
Nothing except a certain dragon, apparently.
Because the sight that greeted their eyes would stay with them for the rest of their lives: Master Makarov, enlarged to colossal, muscular size by his Titan magic, staring in disbelief at the dragon that bellowed in rage at being challenged. The only difference was the network of golden scars all over its black body, proof that Makarov had just barely penetrated its tough armor with the guild's mightiest magic.
Proof that, barring a major miracle, they were all going to die.
Natsu was still not afraid. Instead, he was furious. Furious that this dragon was going to keep them from returning to the guild, finding Lucy, and making everything right again. Igneel had not raised him to be defeated, and certainly not by a dragon.
But as if he could read Natsu's mind, Makarov called out to him. "Natsu! Get those two back to the guild safely, and you'll all be made S-Class mages!"
"Screw that!" Natsu shouted immediately. "We don't want it that way, old man! You can make us S-Class once all four of us get back!"
"We won't leave without you, Master!" Wendy agreed.
"You cheeky, ungrateful brats!" Makarov howled, but with his giant size, it was fairly easy to spot the enormous tears in his eyes. "You have to live!"
"Then we'll beat this dragon together so we can!" Gajeel added fiercely.
"Get back!" Makarov ordered as the black dragon began to charge toward them. "You'll get caught in the blast!" With a roar, he ran forward and slammed his weight against the dragon's. For a moment they seemed equal, but then the dragon slowly but surely began to gain ground as it raked the old man's chest and back with its claws. It had only taken a few steps when Makarov suddenly shrank to his original size. The dragon immediately fell forward, off balance, and Makarov slammed his hands against the dragon's chest and shouted, "Hyperion's Lance!"
Natsu had never heard of that spell, and had no idea what it would do. Judging by the old man's warning, it wasn't something they wanted to risk being close to when it finally activated. Forcing himself to ignore every instinct that told him to stand and help Makarov fight, Natsu ran to Wendy and scooped her into his arms, barely even slowing down. Gajeel was already on his feet, but either couldn't or wouldn't move, so Natsu grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away from the battle.
Somehow, Gajeel knew before Natsu did, and began to struggle a second later. "Don't let him do it, Salamander! It's a suicide technique! He's throwing all of his magic at that thing, and if it fails, he'll be totally defenseless!"
"It won't matter," Wendy whispered. "None of us is stronger than Master, and he's the only one that's even managed to put a scratch on that dragon. Our best chance is to let him do whatever he feels is necessary, and then to get him away as soon as he's done."
"And then you can heal him, right?" Natsu added.
Wendy bit her lip. "Natsu, those claw marks on him. They-"
"You can heal him, right?" Natsu interrupted angrily.
Her eyes filled with tears. "He was only able to keep fighting with those awful wounds because his magic is so strong. But once it's gone, he'll be beyond my ability to help. That dragon is far stronger than any of us."
"Then the least we can do is give him a proper send-off," Gajeel said. "You two distract the dragon, and I'll grab the old man."
The words were barely out of his mouth when the battlefield erupted in a blinding storm of golden light, and a wave of heat slammed into them, so powerful that even Natsu felt his skin begin to burn. He immediately crouched down, shielding Wendy with his body, even as she pressed her hands to his chest, murmuring spell after spell to increase his magical defenses. Gajeel, however, coated his body with metal scales and ran directly into the blast, intending to keep his word and retrieve their Master.
Laying at the epicenter of the light storm, Makarov wished he had been a better Master. Part of him had known that at least Natsu would return to the island. He should have never let things progress to this point. He could have stopped them at the docks. But when all three Exceed had been present and accounted for that morning, he had assumed that their Dragon Slayers were still in Magnolia. If not for Carla abruptly receiving a vision about a dragon destroying Tenrou Island, he might have arrived too late to do anything.
His thoughts were interrupted as a gleaming iron fist seized his collar. Makarov could only see a few feet around him in any direction, but he could sense Gajeel's magic as the arm began to withdraw, pulling him along with it. He hadn't really expected them to abandon him, no matter how much he wished otherwise, but he was still a bit surprised that Gajeel was the one who had come back for him.
After a few seconds, Makarov suddenly slammed into Gajeel's side, and then Gajeel was running through the storm, elongating his other arm and sending it flying head of him. "Salamander!" he shouted. "I've got the old man!" After a few more seconds, there was a great jerk on Gajeel's arm, and then they were both flying through the air at high speed, only to slam headfirst into Natsu.
"You fools," Makarov gasped with effort. "I told you to run!"
"Shut up, old man!" Natsu shouted angrily, rubbing his aching forehead furiously. "We're going to beat this dragon, now that you've weakened it!"
Makarov shook his head. "You don't understand. That spell wasn't supposed to weaken the dragon. It was only supposed to stall for time, so you three could escape. You can't defeat this dragon. You can't even hope to escape, now that you've wasted time saving me."
Both Natsu and Gajeel gaped at him, as if they couldn't believe what he was saying. Wendy pushed between them, kneeling beside Makarov and stretching out glowing hands, but he caught them gently. "It's useless, child. Save your strength. I'm going to die."
"NO!" Wendy cried, pushing his hands away and throwing herself across his chest. "You can't die! I can't lose another Master like this!"
"Neither time was your fault, Wendy," he sighed, feeling her hot tears on his skin as he gently stroked her hair. "It's just the way things are sometimes."
"I don't believe that!" Natsu yelled. "I still say we can win! Nothing can survive a blast like that unscathed!"
Moments later, a ground-shaking roar filled the air, dispersing the light storm, and proving Natsu correct. The black dragon was still very much intact, but with one additional battle scar: there was now an enormous, golden Fairy Tail stamp that stretched the entire length of its underbelly.
"See! You did it, old man!" Natsu cheered, but Makarov shook his head.
"The spell failed, Natsu. If it had been successful, the light magic would have pierced the dragon's body and exploded outward, destroying it from within."
"So we aim for the weak spot! No problem!"
"NONE OF YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH!" Makarov roared, spittle flying from his lips. "Can't you see it took all I had just to leave scars on that monster?! You have no hope of surviving a battle with that thing! That's why I told you to run! Do you think I wanted to see my beloved children die before me?!"
"But we love you, Master," Wendy whimpered, wiping away her tears. "How could you ever expect us to leave you to die?"
Her words cut him deeply, but Makarov refused to be moved. "The guild can live on without this old man. But we have already lost two of our precious young lights. To lose three more on such foolishness... no guild could survive that. Can't any of you see that? Can't you understand? Only you can keep the family strong."
"I'm only going to say this once, old man," Natsu whispered, his voice firm. "I lost one father already. I am NEVER doing it again, you hear me?!"
Makarov closed his eyes. There was no convincing them, and he had no power left to force them away. A small part of him was relieved. If he was going to die, and there was no question of that now, he would do it surrounded by his faithful children. It was not such a bad end. It was quite a good one, all things considered. But he had so wanted a better end for all of them.
"Fear not, my brave friends," said a soft, warm voice in his ear. "The strength of your bond has empowered me to aid you."
Makarov winced as bright light blinded him, but he could feel the touch of a tiny, warm hand on his arm. Instantly, he felt younger and stronger than he had in years, and though he knew this effect would be fleeting, he also sensed that it was no magic. It was simply friendship and love in its purest form, more powerful than any spell he had ever learned to cast.
The light faded abruptly, and Makarov gaped at the tiny, barefoot girl who knelt on the other side of him, smiling. "Master Mavis?" he breathed, unable to believe his eyes. "But you're dead..."
"G-G-GHOST!" Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy shrieked, pointing fearfully at Mavis.
She blinked, her eyes wide, and suddenly threw back her head and laughed, clapping her hands delightedly. "Your children amuse me, Third," Mavis giggled, wiping tears from her eyes. "You have surely built a wonderful guild in my absence. I thank you wholeheartedly."
"But HOW?" Makarov insisted. "How can you be here, First?"
"So long as Fairy Tail lives and breathes, I will never be far away," Mavis assured him. "Now, please, tell me. How may I best assist you? My power is limited, but I will not abandon you. If you wish it, I can heal your wounds."
It was a good offer. Makarov never even seriously considered it. "Can you... use your power to save my children?" he asked.
"Master, NO!" Wendy wailed, clinging to him again. "Heal him, Master Mavis, please! I beg you!"
Mavis smiled gently, and said the words Makarov knew she would. "Unfortunately, I cannot do both. And I must honor your Master's wish before all others. It is his right, and it is his wish that you survive. No, that is my wish as well." She paused and tilted her head slightly. "Besides, as I'm sure he has told you, it would do no good. Even in perfect health, none of you possess the magic needed to drive this dragon away."
"And you do?" Natsu asked doubtfully.
Mavis nodded. "I do if you will aid me, Natsu." She extended her hand to him. "Will you help me?"
Natsu was going to refuse. Part of him still wanted to force her to heal Makarov. But it was then that he noticed something that shook him to his core.
The black dragon had not attacked them, or done much of anything at all for several moments. It was certainly not injured, though. In fact, it was just sitting there, looking off into the distance. But it was where the dragon's gaze was directed that bothered Natsu.
It was looking in the direction he and the others had come from. Toward Magnolia. Toward Fairy Tail.
For the first time, Natsu understood completely why the old man had been willing to give his life to protect them. Then and there, Natsu realized he would do the same, if it meant there was a still a Fairy Tail for Lucy to return to one day. What was he going to do, save her only to return her to a smoking hole in the ground? With no further hesitation, he reached out and grasped Mavis's hand firmly. Her hand was warm and soft, as he'd expected, and her touch made his body feel strangely light, as if he could float away at any moment.
Mavis closed her eyes and began an incantation, one that no one present recognized.
"Land without sun, dream without waking.
Bright Lady of the east, Pale Master of the west
Grant thy unworthy child a final boon.
Ignite and transcend the darkness, EternaFlame!"
Wendy and Gajeel gasped as Natsu and Mavis were engulfed in silvery-white flames. Mavis extended her free hand, making a fist and pointing it at the black dragon. She too careful aim, steadying her fist until it appeared to be level with a spot just below the dragon's heart. Then the world turned white again.
The black dragon had felt pain before. But that had been ages ago, and so it took several moments before the dragon's memory could recognize the sensation around the new, burning hole in its chest.
It wasn't used to being hurt. There were so few things left in existence that could truly hurt it, but this curious white fire was one of them.
Still, the pain was quickly overtaken by fury. The very idea that the dragon could be harmed by such pitiful insects was not only insulting, it should have been impossible. And for a moment, the only thought in its mind was to destroy them completely, and the island they stood on as well.
But as the dragon glared down at the tiny humans, something wafted into its nostrils that made it pause. The scent was rare, but immediately recognizable: not death, but the realm beyond it.
The dragon feared nothing. That was a fact. Even if it had been presented with a creature greater than itself, impossible as that seemed, it would have welcomed the challenge that such a battle would surely bring.
This was different, though. The dragon had little reason to fear death: time had only made its scales harder, and its mind sharper. In some ways, the dragon had already conquered death, for there was next to nothing left on the planet that could even threaten its life. Even so, all living things had reason to fear entities from the realm beyond, because not even death had ended them. Even the dragon's great might was subject to limitations that the realm beyond surpassed. So while it probably could have destroyed the tiny humans then and there, and while the wounds it had suffered were not life-threatening so far, the black dragon made a choice. It reasoned that if the humans had easy access to the curious power that harmed it, they would have used it from the start. It also figured that they had business elsewhere, as they had not been seeking the dragon originally. Most importantly, the dragon decided that it could simply destroy them at a later time, when the one who had managed to delay their destruction, if only by mere moments, would likely have died on his own.
Flapping its great wings, the dragon took to the air and soared into the clouds with a deafening roar. To most humans, it would only sound like an enraged beast's cry, but to one who truly understood dragons, it was both a challenge, and a promise to return.
Only one of the humans present realized what that cry meant, but it didn't bother her in the least. Mavis Vermillion knew that her beloved guild had made an eternal enemy of the black dragon Acnologia that day, and that it would return to battle the guild as many times as it took to destroy them. But she also knew that her guild would rise to the dragon's challenge each and every time. But as she looked down at poor Wendy, who was sobbing into the still chest of Makarov, Mavis knew they would do so under another Master. Though she had no tears to shed for him, Mavis bent down and placed a kiss on the old man's forehead. "Sleep well, Third," she whispered. "Our guild will live on. I promise you that."
"How did you do that?" Natsu demanded, his voice trembling with rage. "How did you scare the dragon off when nothing the old man did worked? How can you be stronger than him?!"
Mavis sighed. "The dragon wasn't afraid, Natsu. It simply chose to continue the fight another time. And it wasn't a question of strength that ended this confrontation, but of knowing the right kind of magic. You all have much to learn if you wish to defeat that dragon, and simply being Dragon Slayers isn't enough."
"Then show us what is," Natsu said firmly.
"I can't just show you," Mavis replied. "But I can teach you what my time in the realm beyond has blessed me with, if you're willing to learn. But that will have to wait." She gently caressed Makarov's cheek. "We must first return to the guild. All of us. Fairy Tail needs a Master to guide it through these trying times, and it falls to me to select one worthy to carry on Third's legacy."
"Yeah?" Gajeel snorted. "He may be dead, but I didn't hear the old man make you Master again, and I'm not taking orders from a ghost."
Mavis looked at him briefly, but offered no protest. "Do the rest of you feel the same way?"
Natsu said nothing.
Wendy glanced between her comrades hesitantly, then wiped her face on her arm. "I'm following Master Mavis," she said simply. "Master trusted her. I think we should, too."
Natsu shook his head. "I can't do that. If she's really the first Master, that means she picked the second. That means she picked Hades! He almost killed the old man! He almost killed you, Wendy!"
Wendy grimaced. "That's true. But Hades picked our Master, Natsu. I don't think it's fair to hold the mistakes of one Master against another. Anyway, Master Mavis just saved us all!"
"By letting the old man die!"
"She did what he asked! A good Master protects the guild!"
"Excuse me," Mavis interrupted calmly.
"What?!" Natsu shouted angrily.
Mavis showed him her glowing but very transparent hands. "That attack drained most of my power, so I can no longer interact with solid mass for the time being. I cannot carry Third, and he is too heavy for Wendy. Surely you would not leave him here, even if you disagree with my actions?"
Natsu and Gajeel traded uneasy glances, then carefully bent down to lift Makarov together.
"This doesn't mean you're the boss!" Gajeel snapped. "We're only doing this for him!"
Mavis nodded, smiling warmly. "I would expect nothing less of Fairy Tail."
Naturally, everyone in the guild was upset over Makarov's death, but the apparent return of Mavis at the same time had a rather curious impact. People wanted to grieve, but somehow it was quite difficult with a tiny, smiling, and arguably pleasant ghost around. It was equally difficult to worry about the fate of the guild under such conditions: if Mavis had somehow come back from the dead, then surely she knew some things they didn't, and clearly she was in no hurry to leave, so her presence had to mean that she had come to help.
Natsu was still reluctant to trust Mavis, however. True, she had saved his life, and even granted the old man's last request, but to him that did not outweigh handing the guild over to a man who would eventually try to destroy it, and just as important, a man who was likely responsible for Lucy being missing. Perhaps it would have been different if Mavis had admitted her fault in the matter, though Natsu doubted that would change his feelings. It wouldn't bring Lucy or the old man back, which was what he really wanted.
If Mavis was aware of any resentment, she did her best not to show it. Instead, she devoted all of her energy into organizing Makarov's funeral. Much to Natsu's surprise, she privately asked him to recount Makarov's final moments for everyone, with a specific mention as to why they had been on the island in the first place. At first, Natsu thought she might be trying to assign blame for Makarov's death, but eventually he saw what everyone else apparently did. Makarov could have sent anyone else to retrieve them, but he had gone himself because their survival was of the greatest importance to the guild. That, of course, and if he had sent anyone else, they likely all would have died before Mavis could intervene.
The funeral served as a celebration of Makarov's life, but not just his. Levy was the last person to speak, having been given special permission by Mavis. Oddly, she barely said a word about Makarov, and instead talked about Lucy. She spoke of Lucy's happiness at becoming one of them, of her love for the guild, and how she must have been feeling to be apart from them. Natsu agreed with everything Levy said, but noticed that she never mentioned anything about actually searching for Lucy, and couldn't help but feel that Levy had omitted this, or been asked to omit this, on purpose.
After the funeral, there was a party. Makarov had loved them, so it seemed only fitting to have one in celebration of him. Mavis spent most of that time seated at the bar, speaking softly with Wendy, Carla, and Mirajane. Natsu kept an eye on Mavis, and noticed he wasn't the only one. Laxus had been watching Mavis the whole time, and seemed to be one of the few that didn't need to be told who Mavis was: he'd recognized her on sight. It finally occurred to Natsu that since Makarov had exiled Laxus from the guild, only another Master could welcome him back. Mavis had not declared that she was taking over, but she was the only Master present, and no one had openly tried to challenge her right to lead yet.
About an hour into the party, Laxus had apparently waited long enough. He strode right up to the bar, easily towering over Mavis, and waited until she took note of the shadow that had fallen over her.
"Is there something you need, Laxus?" she asked, not impolitely, but still not with as much respect as Laxus was probably used to getting.
"You were there when the old man died. Did he say who the next Master was?"
"He didn't," Mavis confirmed. "But I promised that I would save his children, and I take that oath very seriously."
"So you're saying that you're the next Master?"
Mavis shook her head. "No. But it would seem it falls to me to select the next one. That is, unless there is someone in the guild that Third promised the position to in the event of his passing."
"There isn't anyone like that," Laxus said at once. "I'd know if there was."
Mavis stared at him, then glanced at Mirajane, who nodded. "Very well. Then Fairy Tail's Master Exam will begin... oh, right now. You're all eligible."
This announcement received a roomful of blank looks.
Laxus looked as if he were choking on his own tongue. "ALL of them?! You can't do that!"
"I said they are all eligible. Obviously, only one will be Master. I don't see the problem. If you don't like it, then I suppose you had better win so you can make the rules." Mavis frowned suddenly. "Oh, wait. You're absolutely right, Laxus. Everyone isn't eligible."
Laxus started to grin triumphantly, until he heard Mavis's next words.
"Mirajane tells me you were exiled, which means everyone but you is eligible. However, as I can see you are concerned for the guild, I will allow you to participate in the exam under the following condition. You cannot become the Fourth Master, but if you do well in the exam, I will give you my full support when the time comes for a Fifth to be selected. By then, I'm sure you'll be ready."
It was not quite a snub, but Natsu was still surprised that Laxus didn't attack Mavis right there.
Mavis climbed onto the bar and faced the guild. "We'll begin now. The exam will consist of only one challenge. You must correctly answer a single question I will pose to you all. The first to do so will, in time, be Fairy Tail's Fourth Master."
Natsu frowned, certain the question had to be super-difficult. He wasn't sure what anyone's chances of answering it would be.
"Fairy Tail's Master must always be well aware of the of state of the guild, and have their eyes fixed firmly on the proper path. So the question is as follows: if you are selected, what would be your first order as Master?"
Immediately, the room burst into activity. Answers came from all of the place, but most were more or less the same. So many called for the destruction of the dragon that had taken their Master from them. This didn't surprise Natsu. Once upon a time, he would have been the first to say the same. In fact, one day, he even planned to hunt down the dragon himself. But the battle had shown him that he wasn't ready, and even if he had been, there was something far more important he still needed and wanted to do.
So without a word, he turned his back and walked away.
Outside, he nearly ran into Laxus, who was in the middle of a heated conversation with Gajeel. They both looked at Natsu and instantly fell silent.
"Don't stop on my account," Natsu said.
"This test of hers is pure crap, Salamander," Gajeel spat. "I say you and me force that little pixie to show us how she scared off that dragon. We're wasting time here."
The words were barely out of his mouth when a hand wrapped around Gajeel's throat. "I won't let you call it a waste," Laxus growled, lifting Gajeel off of the ground. "I won't let anyone call it a waste to bury the old man!"
"And is this how you would remember him?" Mavis asked as she joined them. "With pointless in-fighting? I can see why you were exiled."
Laxus threw Gajeel to the ground. "You know nothing!" he shouted at Mavis.
"I know you have a long way to go, if you ever expect to be Master of a guild you nearly destroyed," she replied. "So what will you do now, Laxus?"
"Exactly what I said: I'm going to bury the old man."
Mavis smiled. "That is the correct answer, for you. Come to me when you are ready to be the Fifth."
Laxus stared at her, clearly confused, but eventually turned and walked off.
"The black dragon will return," Mavis murmured. "The next Master will need to be ready."
"Screw that," Gajeel said as he got to his feet. "You going to teach us or not?"
"Wendy, too," Natsu added at once, earning a curious look from Gajeel.
Mavis looked at him, smiled, and nodded. "Wendy, too. But you two didn't answer my question."
Natsu shook his head. "We haven't got time to worry about who the next Master is. We need to find Grimoire Heart and make them tell us what they did with Lucy."
"You are going to leave the guild in a time of need, to challenge a powerful dark guild, all for the sake of one girl?" Mavis asked.
"She's one of us," Natsu replied fiercely. "Of course I would! I will!"
"I can see that. But three Dragon Slayers are not going to defeat Grimoire Heart. Not as you are now, at least. We will need to begin training right away."
"You're not going to try and stop us from leaving once we're done training?" Natsu asked in surprise.
"I won't have the authority by then," Mavis answered with a small smile.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you'll be free to make your own choices, Fourth," she told him. "A Master must always look after their children, especially the ones that are lost." With that, Mavis turned and skipped back into the building.
Gajeel gaped at her, then at Natsu. Finally, he shook his head and snarled, "This is because I got my cat last, isn't it?!"
Continued in Chapter 4: Cana - Remnant
Cana receives an unwelcome gift from Lucy: the mysterious Arc of Remnant, which is far too similar to Gildarts's Crash for her liking. But the real question is whether it is actually a gift, or something that was inside Cana all along.
Endnotes:
Made-Up Magics:
Iron Sky Fire Dragon's Roar (at least I don't think it's been done before): The combined roars of Gajeel, Wendy, and Natsu, in that order. Produces a colossal tornado filled with flaming metal shrapnel.
Hyperion's Lance: Makarov overlays his hands and places them directly on an enemy, pouring an immense amount of Light Magic (comparable to Fairy Law) directly into their body. Theoretically, the magic should then explode from the opponent's body in numerous beams, destroying them from within.
EternaFlame: A silvery-white flame from the realm beyond that consumes darkness.
Anyone who can guess the inspiration for EternaFlame's incantation either travels (or reads) in the same circles, or has probably been following me for way too long.