A/N: Another chapter with Natsu on it. I know how some of you totally hates Natsu right now haha XD But of course, he wouldn't just be like that without a reason, knowing his real personality based from the manga/anime and flashbacks. You'll soon discover about his point of view during his past and the time he drifted apart with Lucy.

Btw, since Natsu's personality changed due to his dark past. Since he wanted a new and different image to those people, he'll also change the name he is called to "Etherious" (i couldn't think of anything XD). But his friends including Lucy will still call him Natsu.

Ooooo

Natsu didn't mind those eardrum-breaking noise made by those people who are partying and dancing wildly on the dance floor. Plus, the loud music one cannot escape from unless they exit the nightclub. Natsu just gave his full attention at his second shot of vodka he ordered.

As usual, he doesn't feel like going home at the condominium where he and Lisanna have settled together. He'd rather go on a one or two-week business trips or spend a night at his half-brothers' house, than being with Lisanna. No one can blame him for preferring to do those instead, for he never wanted to be with Lisanna in the first place. Being the son of parents who are rich is not easy. Not that his job or future is already decided by his parents, but even the woman she must love and marry whether he liked it or not.

Lisanna was his childhood friend. They became got along with each other well and became good friends not only because of their fathers, but they both have the same interests and hobbies. During their kindergarten and grade school days, both of them didn't have lots of friends neither notice by most people. Natsu is seen as a naughty and idiotic kid. His fellow schoolmates doesn't like him that much. Lisanna is seen as a spoiled little brat by most that's why he didn't have any friend aside from Natsu. They literally spent their whole childhood with each other. But things officially changed when Lisanna's parents died before their Freshman year. Mirajane and Elfman, her elder siblings, lived with their grandparents' on their mother's side. But Lisanna chose to live with her aunt and uncle at the city of Edolas where she was offered the opportunity to study in a high-standard university. Lisanna leaving Magnolia resulted their friendship to drift apart. Natsu felt like he is no longer that special to Lisanna like before for she has found new friends who fits her interests and personality a lot better. But Natsu didn't let himself be depressed for a long time just he drifted apart with his childhood friend. He did his beat to develop his personality by being friendly and helpful so he would gain friends for he knew high school life is way different from grade school days. He made friends with Gray who was his rival as well, with Jellal, Gajeel and Laxus. Inside three and a half years of not hearing anything about Lisanna, he managed to finally get over the childhood friendship they had. He had a different life without Lisanna hanging around with him all the time up to the point he started dating Lucy. But he encountered another change in his life that could possibly last for a lifetime already...when Lisanna came back to his life...

"Sir Etherious, what seems to your problem this time?" The bartender asked, who've known Natsu for being a regular customer already.

Natsu took a sip from his drink before answering. "As usual, stress from work, slutty secretaries and...Lisanna." He answered and forced a soft laugh.

"Oh," the bartender could just nod his head. "Is there anything new? You'd kill yourself ready from getting yourself drunk with the same problems all over again. Can't you really work with it out with your wife?"

Natsu hungrily craved for more sips of his vodka. He is just tired from answering the same question all over again. His answer has always been the same as well ever since. Lisanna may used to be the one and only and special friend he has before, but that doesn't conclude he can easily open his heart for her. He never intended or fantasied about being with the right girl for him.

He is Etherious Natsu Dragneel, and he hated women. For him, women are crack whores who only want men for money and a better future, just like his own mother.

Before he met Lucy, he dated lots of girls that he could barely remember all the names. He sees women like some kind of toy that he could easily throw away once he's tired and sick of it already. He thinks women are selfish, social climbers and materialistic that are willing to be or give anything for material things and their status symbol even if their own dignity depends on it. But when she met Lucy, it just suddenly changed his views on women. Sadly, his new view on women didn't last for long when Lucy was gone...he saw women worst than from how he sees them before.

"Lucy never loved you! It was just an infatuation because you made her experience those things she shouldn't be doing. You are just a rat in her life! You're not the right guy for her

Those words kept echoing in his mind again.

"How does it feel like seeing Lucy with another man?! That was the man she truly loved not you!" Jude Heartfilia batted those harsh words at him. He could still remember how those two men who are working for Jude Heartfilia held him tight while being 'verbally' abused. It wasn't just simply a one-on-one insult wherein Jude scores the most, but he keeps batting words that he won't be able to swallow. "You think you'll be able to escape from what you have done to her!?"

As the memory keeps rushing back to him, his grip on the thin wine glass tightened.

He could still remember how Jude held the torch on his hand. "Strip off his shirt." He ordered his two goons. The two men did what they're told to do so. They forcibly stripped off his shirt with Natsu unable to do anything. He could barely fight that time. The goons held him tighter this time for they know what Jude is up to with the guy who destroyed his daughter. "You used to impress Lucy through doing fire magic tricks. Well...this time I'd like you to see this fire trick of mine." Then, he gave helpless Natsu an evil smirk. The next thing Natsu knew is that he felt like being burned down in hell along with the other sinners.

Jude mercilessly dipped the torch on his bare back. "Ahhhhhh!" Natsu just knelt on the floor while screaming and crying in pain. He wanted to run away, but those two heartless goons kept on holding him tight as his whole back was being burned. "Take this!" This time Jude brushed the burning torch on his nape that it burned few small strands of hair above.

After Jude was done torturing him with fire, he let out a sadistic laugh. The two goons freed him by pushing his body on the floor, resulting her to helplessly kiss the ground. He felt his whole body in pain, but numb as the se time for he couldn't even move a muscle. That's what you get for messing up with the wrong man. You think fighting for your love for Lucy would make me want to accept you in her life?! No! Cause you are one piece of trash she shouldn't be with!"

Natsu's started trembling in anger an hatred as he kept on recalling that memory. His grip on the wineglass gets tighter.

"This is what ambitious jerks like you deserve." Jude spitted on his burned back. Natsu felt like he just wanted to die that time. It was a good thing the fire from the torch isn't that strong or else it could have been a third degree burn already. "Are you all fired up now, Natsu? Well, take this for now, to cool off your burn." Jude said, then gave the goon a signal to start doing what he told to do so. The goon splashed a bucket of cold water with chunks of ice cubes. "Ahhhh!" He let out another eardrum-breaking scream helplessly. His whole body officially became numb. Before he lose consciousness, Jude even ordered his two goons to beat him up.

When Jude and his goons were done torturing him, they just threw Natsu's body on the curb of the house father, Igneel Dragneel, who lives with its wife. They left him shirtless so the first thing his family would see are the second degree burn on his whole back up to his neck and wounds, bruises and scars.

Igneel came out of the door, and found his own son laying unconsciously and helplessly on the curb. "Natsu? Natsu!" He quickly lifts up his son's body to check him out. "Natsu, son, please wake up!" He cried.

"P-papa?" Natsu regained a bit consciousness and strength to at least speak.

"Natsu, who did this to you?! I swear I'm gonna make them pay!"

"Papa...I'm sorry...I...broke your promise. I hurt Lucy..."

Out of anger, Natsu suddenly broke the wineglass into half. Those small shattered glasses dug on the flesh of his hands. "Sir!" The bartender gasped shockingly after witnessing.

"I'm sorry, I'll just pay for it." Natsu apologized, and lets go off the broken glass wine from his hand. Shattered glass pieces were dug on his flesh, causing fresh blood to stream down to his wrists. The pain he is feeling as of this moment is nothing compared from being left and forgotten by the woman she used to love the most, rejected by family and the night Jude Heartfilia gave him too much a taste of his own medicine.

Ooooooooooooooo

"Mr. Dragneel?" A blonde secretary opened the glass door, and entered the CEO's office.

"Yes?" Natsu asked without even looking, he just kept on continuing his business with his laptop and paperworks.

"Mr. Heartfilia came to see you." The secretary informed. Natsu was suddenly stopped from what he was doing. "Oh...send him in alright." Then, an evil smirk appeared on his face. He remembered once again, that it has been seven years since the last tome they faced one on one. During their last encounter, he was nothing. He couldn't prove himself to the Heartfilia no matter what he does for he is only a teenager who isn't a fan of responsibilities. But here is he, already a CEO of the company at the age of twenty five.

As his secretary left the room, the middle aged blonde-haired man entered his office. Jude Heartfilia.

"Good morning, Mr. Heartfilia. I suppose you came here to hand me the title deeds of your mortgaged properties and companies. And...how will you pay your current debt which is 10,000,000 jewels? Through cash or check?"He asked and sat at his desk while tapping his fingers.

All jude Heartfilia could say was, "I've got the title deeds."

"What about the 10,000,000 jewels? Excuse me, sir, don't tell me that your bank account was hacked again, somebody stole it from one of your safes or you lost a million to a casino again?"

Jude suddenly became speechless. Not knowing how would he be able to stand for himself now that he already mortgaged everything he owns. Nothing was left with him already, not a cent in his bank accounts. He is completely bankrupted. "Mr. Dragneel..."

"You can call me, Natsu. Since it's just the two of us talking. Don't be so formal. You can still call me like what you used to call me before." Natsu said amd plastered a fake smile.

"Natsu..." Jude sighed hopelessly. "Please, don't sue me. Give me more time to pay. I don't have money anymore. I already mortgaged all my properties, there's nothing left with me anymore." He pleaded in the humblest way he could.

Natsu scoffed at him. "Pardon me, Mr. Heartfilia, but it's not like we've been such strict in giving you those due dates of payment. We've been so considerate. I've been considerate for I know your company's income has really been decreasing these past few years. I'm afraid I can no longer consider someone who got bankrupted for losing the money with some idiotic business partner and casino. If you won't be able to pay the 10,000,000 jewels within two weeks, I'm sorry but we're gonna have to sue you, sir."

Jude suddenly lost his humbleness to the pinknette. Oh, Natsu, will you please do not take this personally? It's so unprofessional of you to have me pressured too much for a 10,000,000 jewel. It is clearly obvious you are taking this as tour revenge against me."

Natsu grabbed the lighter and cigarette next to his paperworks. He lights up a cigarette, and puffs a smoke before making a response. "I don't have personal stuffs when it comes to business. What's mine is you pay for the bloody debt you owe the company for two years already? You are being unprofessional. How come you lost 30,000,000 jewels our company invested for your company in a casino?"

"Mr. Dragneel, I am telling you, the money was stolen in my safe!"

"Oh, stolen?" Natsu nodded slowly and forced a sarcastic laugh. "So...you were probably expecting my stepmother to be in this office for the CEO. You were expecting she'd be the one you'd get to talk to and beg for a longer due date of payment. You thought could persuade her by saying, "It's just 10,000,000 jewels'. Well, unfortunately, I'm the new CEO. So, I am giving you two weeks to pay. If you won't be able to do so...I'm sorry we're gonna have to sue you."

Jude just nodded, speechless and dumbfounded. He left the office in silence, but Natsu deep inside felt like as if he unlocked another life goal. "You're about to have a worst nightmare, Mr. Heartfilia." He chuckled softly while puffing a smoke.

Ooooooooooooo

"Erza, are you sure you'll be leaving Bosco this week?" Lucy asked, while cleaning the wooden floor of the house with a vacuum cleaner. "How long will you be gone?"

Erza who's busy dressing up dolls with Nashi answered, "Yeah, I'll be leaving by Monday. Jellal's arrival is due on Monday morning. I took the flight that arrives at the same time of the plane he'll ride on. You know, so I could surprise him there at the airport."

"Have nice trip and time with Jellal." Lucy says.

"What about you? Aren't you planning to go visit Magnolia again? Even just for once?" Erza asked.

"I'd love to but...you know what happened to me at Magnolia. I have a very bad image to some of our fellow teenagers before, and besides...I can't go back home anymore. This is my home already. Nashi and my home. I don't intent in looking back at those bad things and events that happened."

"You have a point though. But, seriously, our fellow teenagers and former schoolmates? Well, if they talk about it all over again, it just proves how immature they are until now that we ate adults."

"Hmm...I guess so. Maybe sometime, I'll try to visit. If I needed to-" She was suddenly cut off when she heard a mailman's whistle from doors. The mailman dropped the letter on the floor. He started looking at those letters to see if ever there's something aside from bills for her. Until...

Dear Lucy,

Please come back to Magnolia as soon as possible...I need you.

Jude Heartfilia,