The guild doors were slammed opened suddenly, "YO!" came the yell and several members looked up and grinned. "Oi Natsu! You still owe me a drinking match!" screamed Cana through a large barrel, "I'll put it on a rain check, okay?" he called back. "TATTOOS ARE MANLY" shouted someone and Natsu simply grinned, "You know it Elfman" and pulled down the corner of his shirt revealing part of what was clearly a huge tattoo, the part showing was the roaring head of a dragon and the neck was shown to twist around his back, the rest hidden from sight. "My, my, Tsu, aren't you the little exhibitionist." Mirajane slyly said from the bar, "Nah that's the Snow globe's thing, Miss Succubus." He replied without missing a beat, Mirajane flushed light pink and started scrubbing the bar's surface twice as fast. "Pet names for each other hey?" whispered Cana, "Shame for me, I really wanted to give him a go." She giggled, dodging the beer mug chucked at her head. "I WILL CUT YOU OFF WOMAN!" Mirajane shouted after her, but apart from that the guild was calm. Then a voice that gave her shivers of delight spoke up next to her, "So where's tin-can and ice-princess?" asked Natsu, Mirajane giggled "Oh they left earlier with Lucy. Apparently Erza had heard something worrying about the dark guild they had been investigating, would have been about an hour ago now." Natsu simply nodded in understanding. "Interesting. Ah well, they can handle it, can you get me a fire whiskey Mira?" she nodded before sliding one over the counter. "You usually don't drink so early? Something wrong?" Natsu shrugged, "Nope, I think I just have been spending too much time around Cana." At the mention of her an almost invisible frown crossed Mirajane's face, but Natsu caught the look. He leaned forward gently and whispered into her ear, "You really shouldn't be so worried about her, but if you are then meet me later." He slid a note over the counter to her, "By the way, you smell great." Almost unconsciously Mirajane leaned further into Natsu and the scent of burnt cinnamon and wood smoke drifted past her, leaving Mirajane's face furiously red, "Not bad yourself." She choked out. Natsu just grinned, "I'll see you around."
Two hours later Mirajane walked into the guild with a worried expression, "Natsu did you hear? Oshibana has been taken over by the dark guild Eisenwald." Natsu frowned, "Eisenwald? Why do I know that name?" he muttered under his breath. "Is that guilds Ace a wind mage?" Natsu's teeth were gritted and shot out the question with barely concealed anger. "Yeah, Shinigami Erigor" replied Cana who had been listening intently. Natsu had a face like thunder, "I'll see you in a bit Mira". Then he was gone.
"ICE MAKE: LANCE!" shouted Gray, wiping out another ten or so Eisenwald mages, "Who would have thought dark guilds were this easy to take on?" he asked, almost incredulously, "Yes, it does seem odd that they are this weak, do you think Lucy's tracking spirit has found Erigor yet?" came the calm, almost emotionless reply from Erza as she dodged a blow, ducked low under an incoming blade and then swiftly sent a dagger slicing from the dark mage's hip to his shoulder. "Nothing yet guys" came a shout from Lucy a worried expression on her face, she had been training in combat and magic pretty much non-stop since she joined and was still only about as strong as a C-Class mage, even so she still held her own against the Eisenwald lot, which only increased Erza's sense of worry. "You guys do know he already left the building right" came a shout from outside, causing the three mages to freeze in place. "Don't stop on account of me guys, you'll get hurt." Said the voice, Team Erza remained stock still and the voice sighed, "Goddamn it people get your shit together, Ignite" the spell that was cast set aflame the remaining Eisenwald mages, including several that were about to strike as the mages were unresponsive. "Look, I'll deal with the Erigor dickhead, you lot have Eisenwald's S-Class to deal with, the shadow guy is meant to be tough, even for you Erza." Erza and the others finally unfroze and just as Gray opened his mouth to shout an insult the voice called out "Silence" and a rope of flame bound Gray's mouth. "Don't even try it pretty boy" the voice yelled out, "I'd get a move on by the way he set up some kind of…"a roar of wind exploded up as the entire building was surrounded by air circulating with the force of a hurricane. Natsu sighed as he walked away from the huge barrier between him and his guildmates. 'Probably could remove that.' He thought 'But it would take too much time and energy, besides it takes ice-prick out of the equation which is always a bonus.' He sniffed the air, picking up a faint scent of blood and an aura similar to the calm before the storm. Natsu cracked his knuckles as he began flitting ahead, a couple hundred metres at a time, following the scent. "Time for some payback you bastard" he grunted.
The air was still, a huge ravine lay to each side of the tracks and Natsu waited patiently, stood calmly in centre waiting for Erigor, he had tracked the wind mage and decided to stop him further along the track where he could minimise damage to the surrounding area. It didn't take long. In the distance Natsu could see a figure heading his way, a tattered cloak flapping around a chest decorated with tribal patterns, dirty white hair flowing upright in a powerful air current and finally there was a huge scythe resting on his shoulders. "Oi Erigor!" shouted Natsu, "You really think you were going to get away with attacking a train station and then legging it? Cause you are dumber than I originally thought if you do." His voice carried across the vast empty space surrounding the pair and set a scowl on the approaching mages face "Dragneel. Didn't think we would be seeing each other again, especially after the mess that was the Bosco mission." It was Na's turn to scowl, "We going to be fighting yet or are you going to make some kind of god awful monologue?" Wind whipped in ever increasing speeds, swirls of air building up around Erigor. Natsu rolled his neck to side, a sharp crack sounding out and magic pressure began oozing out, cracking the floor and rocketing the surrounding temperature. Then Natsu grinned, "Let's finish this thing quickly today okay? I've a got date later tonight and I would hate to be late."
"Of course, I can understand you would prefer death to angering Mirajane of Fairy Tail, I guess I'm doing you a favour." The area was silent, except for wind swirling around the two mages. The tension snapped and the two mages began releasing magical pressure. Wind snapped back and forth sending Natsu's hair and scarf rippling out, the ground cracked and burned, the iron railings of the train tracks below beginning to melt slightly, warping from intense heat and pressure. Natsu squinted his eyes and prepared his spells. A shout came from Erigor "Storm Blade!" sending Natsu rolling away to avoid a torrent of air sharp enough to slice steel to dust. Gathering air around him and centring his magic into his abdomen, the air became scorching and a roar sounded loud enough to be heard for miles, "Fire Dragon's Roar!" the pillar of flame blasting Erigor and streaming out into the sky.
"Shadow Orochi: Knives of Eight Thousand Warriors" Shadows were curling across Gray's skin, carving his flesh and blood trickling down his arms and chest and his teeth were gritted in pain, he launched forward, shattering the magic binding him "Ice Make: Seven Slice Dance" his forearms became encased in razor sharp icicles and his entire body whipped around again and again, fists and ice crashing into the opponent in front of him, the crunching of breaking bones filling the room and Gray's immediate vision consisted of blood and black hair, his or his enemies he didn't know. He didn't care, Lucy lay to one side with the tatters of a cloak keeping her modest, her face bruised and bloody. The final strike snapped across the enemies face and he collapsed to the ground. Gray spat a glob of blood onto the inert body of the man lying in front of him in disgust, "Fucking shadow mage… Oi Erza we can get out by the way, Lucy's spirit dug a hole before she was… well anyway we should get going." The requip mage nodded in agreement, "Gray… Take her to the guild and make sure you stay safe yourself." Scarlet hair shook and hazel eyes flashed darkly. She stomped her foot into the Shadow Mage's face and ground her foot for a couple of seconds before jumping down the hole. Gray scowled before picking up Lucy gingerly and dropping down himself.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist" shouted Natsu in frustration, fire flaring even brighter and his fist rocketing into Erigor's arm, sheathed in wind. "Time to get serious I suppose Natsu, it was fun. Storm Mail" called Erigor, air currents intensified until Natsu was standing in a hurricane, his body battered by countless cutting edges of wind, he wiped a trail of blood from his chin "I suppose it is. Fire Dragon's Claw! Fire Dragon's Talon! Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" The consecutive attacks rocked the already crumbling stretch of rock, wreathed in fire Natsu sent sweeping fists and feet at Erigor, each blow shattering bones and as if a dragon were there themselves the air became as still as a graveyard. Natsu smirked "Bye Erigor. Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" he was sent rocketing forward, his head as solid as a boulder slamming into the open chest of the Storm Mage. Erigor was sent flying down into the ravine and his body collided with rocks at the bottom. A small wooden object clattered to the floor, somehow it hadn't been broken and landed on what remained of the train track and Natsu looked on in confusion. Its scent was just… wrong and Natsu frowned as he dropped back to the unstable ground, heading towards it. Immense magic rolled out and Natsu paled slightly "Zeref…" he muttered softly "I should finish this one. Dragon Slayer Master Art-" more magic poured out of the object and the atmosphere had a sense of fear that was almost palpable. The wood began to warp and grow, almost looking desperate, quite a feat for something for something that wasn't remotely humanoid. "Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade" the torrent of fire spewed out, explosions down its length. It began to incinerate the wooden object and as Natsu cast his spell a roar of rage bellowed out before being cut short. A pile of ashes drifted off in a light breeze, then Natsu turned and left. What remained of the narrow stone bridge crumbled and fell.
Erza pumped more magic into the four-wheeler, desperate to catch Erigor and exact some painful revenge when Natsu dropped in front of her, her car skidding to a halt. "Hey tin-can!" he smiled brightly and Erza scowled, but not as darkly as she could have, he had an infectious humour after all. "It's over. I got the Eisen-cock and burned his wooden play toy while I was there. That made Erza relax slightly "What you didn't leave anyone for me? I didn't get anyone fun." Natsu's smile only grin, "Look I need to get back anyway, I'll seeya, you should head back, I can smell that Lucy chick's blood on you, you probably want to check on her." Then fire spread up his body and he was gone again.
The guild was quiet when Natsu got back and he frowned, "Yo Gramps I need a chat." He shouted up before leaping up to the office. Roughly ten minutes later he left along with Makarov and both had satisfied if sad faces. "TODAY BRATS. ONE OF OUR OWN WAS HURT!" this caught the guilds attention and everyone went silent. "HOWEVER" continued the Master, "WE HAD A GREAT VICTORY AND NOT ONLY WIPED OUT A DARK GUILD BUT DESTROYED A DEMON OF ZEREF! THIS IS NOT A DAY A SADNESS BUT REASON TO CELEBRATE! WHO ARE WE?" A resounding roar came back that very nearly shook Magnolia. Within minutes people were drinking, partying and brawling and Natsu glanced around. A certain barmaid was cleaning a glass as she stood at the bar smiling softly. As always a voice spoke up behind her "Hey Mira." She jumped about three foot in the air "WHY! DO YOU! ALWAYS! SNEAK UP ON ME?" Natsu just laughed, "Because you do stuff like that. C'mon I have something special organised." And with that he dragged her out the front door.
The two were stood on a large hill overlooking Magnolia and there was a table set out with two chairs, a delicate white tablecloth covered it, silverware arranged neatly and a bottle of a vintage champagne stood in a cooler. Mirajane gasped in delight, covering her mouth with a hand "Natsu…" he grinned impishly and snapped his fingers. Fire sparked into the air, a dance of red and gold which swirled around before forming lines, which became a hair here, part of an ear there, all of a sudden there was a huge portrait of flame in the sky. Her and Natsu leaning together on a tree, their tree! The picture hung in the air for countless moments and Mirajane looked on in wonder. The portrait twisted and drifted away in the wind leaving Mira basking in happiness. She turned head to the side to see Natsu mere centimetres away, "Mira…" he whispered and she just grinned before shutting him up with a kiss. Lips as soft as a feather pressed against Natsu and the smell of lilacs filled his world. Time vanished for the two as the night stretched on.