Chapter 6: A hero's welcome
Date: December x784
Location: Fiore, Fairy Tail
Tenrou
S Class trial grounds
The skies above Tenrou Island would begin to darken, shrouding those that were on the island in complete and utter darkness. These younger fairy tail members didn't know yet but they were about to receive a massive blast from the future from two of their current members. As they scattered to find shelter from the rain that was pouring down on them, they would notice two balls of light baring down on a specific part of the Island, that being the first masters grave. Makarov would be one of the first to make his way down to the sacred grounds, in search of what the light had to do with the rain and what it was doing with their first master's grave.
Natsu would be the first that Makarov would run into as he made his way down to the burial site. Letting out a sigh of relief, he would examine his surroundings before freezing in place, Natsu not knowing what to do, would slowly extend his hand out to his master before being met with a glare that of an enraged man. It wouldn't take long for Natsu to feel the presence of a strong mage standing behind him and his master.
Shrouded in darkness, a set of eyes would glisten, that filled with a fire like no other. As Natsu locked his gaze with this mysterious figure, Makarov would turn to face the person that had been eyeing him. He would instead be met with that of a somewhat familiar face, that being of a certain ice mage, though he knew immediately that something was off as half of their face was covered in a dark mark that ran down half of their torso.
Just as Natsu began to ignite two fireballs in his hands, Makarov would chuckle before walking up to the figured that had kept himself in the shadows. Extending his hand out to the person, Makarov would speak in a calm tone. "I know my children when I sense them. You are and you aren't my children. Yet you are fairy tail members. Care to tell me what's going on? Gray. Natsu?"
Makarov's response would confuse the fire dragon slayer. He'd turn to look at his master before hearing the person behind begin to chuckle as he walked past him, noticing an all too familiar white scale scarf. Everything about this person resembled him, it was like he was staring into a mirror. Though there were very distinct features that this person boasted. That being that he seemed older than him. He would turn his attention to the other person and with an open mouth he'd point at Gray, noticing that he wore a dark mark over one side of his torso.
"Who the hell are you guys? I mean you, you're definitely me, Gray, what's up with that get up?" Natsu was more than flabbergasted with the look of his fellow guild made but the more time he spent staring at this person, he would grow to realize that he was indeed not the same gray that he currently knew.
The two fairy tail mages would walk up to each other, examining themselves as to make sure that they themselves were in one piece before turning to face the two people that had found them. Natsu would be the first to introduce himself to his younger self with a fire ball the size of a meteor, it clearly impressing the mage, though Gray would playfully put this out with one of his massive ice shields. But this fun would be short lived as the two mages sighed and turned to their master. A younger one at that.
"It's good to see you again, gramps. Things aren't going too well, we're in trouble and we need help." Natsu would look at the smaller man that stood before him with an all too serious look. Taking what his older guild mate was telling him, he would turn to look at the present day Natsu who was still standing with an awestruck look on his face.
"Gramps, trust us. We just escaped near death, Zeref, he succeeded in taking our guild down. He took you down. Acnologia didn't help either. I know this is all too much to take in at once but we know about our first master. Take us to the guild, quickly. We cannot waste time." Gray knelt down as he spoke to his master while extending his hand out to him, revealing something hidden with the palm of his hand, that being the key to the lower basement of the guild.
Makarov, being the wise man that he is, would take the key from Gray's hand before letting out a sigh. Knowing that his two children were in fact telling him the truth, he'd turn to look at the present day Natsu, giving him a stern look, he would gesture for him to take a seat before turning his attention to the two men that were standing before him.
"You must tell me what you know before I take you back to the guild, I have to at least know what has happened, what brought you back here." Makarov, despite giving a demand that would seem to be too steep even for him, would try to keep himself calm as he stared that two, obviously stronger versions of his current children.
Gray and Natsu would sigh in unison before agreeing to their master's demand, despite not wanting to discuss such information in the open. Though knowing that they were on their guilds S class grounds, they'd settle down. With the current day Natsu still in complete disbelief with what Gray and His future began to explain to him and Makarov, it would become clear that the force that was assembling, that being Zeref's empire, would have a much higher chance of succeeding in their plan to take fairy tail down, again.
No matter how Natsu and Gray put it, Makarov would only come up with one outcome, that being that fairy tail would lose even with the advantage of having two of its most powerful players coming back in time to warn their younger guild mates.
"Let's discuss the finer details back at the guild. And see what you can do about Mavis's subconscious form. I'll try to gather the kids up and meet you down by the shore. Don't cause too much of a scene when they see you. Especially you gray." Makarov would sigh, visibly disturbed with what he had at least been told by the future fairies.
What Gray, Makarov hadn't noticed yet was that Natsu had been looking over his shoulder more than he should have, seeing how the current day Natsu was the only one that had caught onto this, he'd decided that he would pull his future self to one side before they could make it to the beach where the others were soon to gather.
Fairy tails Ship
Once Makarov had sent out a call for the other S class guild members to round up, he'd make his way down to the ship that was docked just a few meters away from the shore, as to keep it from running aground. The present day Natsu would wait for the future Gray to catch up to his younger self, who instantly would try to punch the future version of himself, that being a proper reaction for the ice mage.
Taking his chance to pull his future self to one side, Natsu began to examine himself, seeing that he was brandishing a few new scars and an obvious amount of energy was radiating off this version of himself, it being nearly enough to intimidate him. The future Natsu would chuckle as he knew that he was most likely confusing his younger self, knowing that he had a crap ton of maturing to do, he'd simply allow his younger self try to process what was truly going on.
"I know you're me, tougher and obviously older. But there is something troubling you, that being aside from what has happened in the future, that much I can tell from looking at myself. What gives?" The younger Natsu would cross his arms as he looked right into his future self's eyes.
The older Natsu's mood would change drastically as his younger self spoke, after allowing himself to finish speaking, he would stare directly into his younger self's eyes before telling what it was that had been bothering him since he had arrived with Gray. Clutching onto something that he had brought with him from the future, it would be a locket.
"Not that I expect you to try and accept what I'm going to tell right now, I want you to hear me out because I don't want to repeat myself. Lucy is dead. Where I just came from, Acnologia killed her." As he finished his sentence, Natsu would let out a slow sigh while placing his hand on his younger self's shoulder, who in turn would do the same before nodding his head.
"Trust me, I will not let her die again. Acnologia, Zeref, they're going to die for what happened. Hold onto this for me, I need to see her." As Natsu said this to his younger self, he would hand the younger dragon slayer Aquarius's broken key.
As he turned, Natsu would raise his hand into the air, his hair instantly becoming consumed by the fire that was now covering every part of his form. The younger Natsu would then watch as his older self let out a blood curdling roar, it being enough to challenge that of the dragon that had just entered the islands magical barrier.
Gray, having just arrived at the shore with the rest of the s class fairy tail members, would turn to see what it was that Natsu was roaring about, though this would be answered by the shadow that would immediately pass over him. As he felt the enormous power radiating off this entity, he would create a massive ice barrier between him and the black dragon. Makarov, having just witnessed the dragon's arrival, would signal for their ship to immediately set sail towards the guild, leaving him and the S class mages to deal with this problem.
"What a damn welcome party. Today's the day, something's off, He shouldn't be here now." Gray was more than confused with Acnologia's timing, he was a few days too early at the S class trial grounds.
As he thought about this, he would come to realize that he had sensed the magical presence of Natsu. Using his companion as a distraction, Gray would let himself out of the ice barrier to face Acnologia, with Natsu's help they would have the means to defeat the dragon before he could have the entirety of the fairy tail crew frozen in time. But as Gray was preparing to attack the dragon that as now within his range of attack, he'd notice two literal balls of fire soaring up towards the sky, as they made contact with the black dragon, he would hear Natsu's roar accompanied by another, that being his younger self joining him in the fight.
"Damn them, they think like children, not that I'm surprised, one just grew a bit" Gray would chuckle as he began bolting down towards his two friends, using his ice make magic he would create a few lances before firing them off at the dragon as to distract him for a moment, though his ice make lances would be met an ice make canon ball. As he turned his head, he would watch as his younger self caught up to him before firing off his own ice make lances. Sighing, he would only push onward with the added benefit of having his younger self help him, it being something he gladly welcomed.
"For someone that is claiming to be an older version of me, you act so recklessly" Gray's younger self would chuckle as he runs past the future version of himself. Both wearing a grin as they begin to create a massive ice canon. Using their combined magic, the two would blast one direct attack towards the unaware Acnologia.
The massive dragon would take this direct hit but would not go without a scratch. Gray's future self would boast a massive magic boost over his younger self and it showed as his attack alone was enough to make the dark dragon roar back in his direction. With this split second, the two Natsu's would use a combined fire dragon roar to knock one of Acnologia's wings out, this in turn leading to the dragon crashing down to the ground.
As the two Gray's watched the massive dragon come crashing down just short of the position where they stood, a massive fire ball could be seen blowing up in the background. The younger Natsu being flung far from where he had originally been standing. As they helplessly watched the present Natsu crash into the roaring waves, they would notice a dark object running up to Acnologia, that being the future Natsu.
Something was more than odd with him and that would be the obvious fireball like aura that surrounded his body. As he raced up to Acnologia, he would be met with a massive blow from the dragon, though this would be immediately be rendered unless as he blocks his attack with one of his own, it being strong enough to have the dragon stumble back.
Makarov, not being able to handle watching one of his own kids being hurt, would break down the barrier that gray had made to protect him and the others from Acnologia. As he rushes to the fallen Natsu's aid, the two Gray would watch as the future Natsu single handedly began to take one Acnologia. The Aura that was surrounding him was one that not even the future gray had ever felt. Being covered from head to toe in scales and boasting wings of his own, the future Natsu would roar out loud as he continuously attacks Acnologia with attacks that neither the dragon nor the future gray had ever seen before.
Acnologia would show his admiration to the small dragon slayers attempts to bring him down but to his surprise he would be met a single brutal attack, one that would have the future Natsu lunging at one of the dragons limbs. Mimicking what the black dragon would do to his father in the coming time, Natsu tears his arm off, though unlike his father, would take the arm and a bit more of the dragons torso with it.
"You have done enough, you have taken enough from me, you aren't leaving this island alive Acnologia!" Natsu would roar as he drops the dragons limb as he uppercuts him, knocking the dragon back a few feet. While doing this, he would blow a sizeable part of the dragons wing open with his fire dragon king roar.
With Natsu bearing down literally all hell down on Acnologia, the Gray's would both form a massive barrier once again to shield the fairy tail member's from the massive amount of fire blowing past Acnologia. Makarov, having grabbed the now unconscious present day Natsu, would rush to get the dragon slayer to safety. He had noticed that Acnologia was being injured and this did shock him but with everything happening so fast, he wouldn't have the time to process the power that the future Natsu possessed.
"Natsu you damn Idiot, be careful! What's gotten into you?!" Lucy would scream as she yells at the older Natsu, who was still very much concentrated on the dragon that was now charging up one massive attack. But with each attack, he would force that dragon to try and recreate the attack.
As Acnologia turned to face those that were cowering from fear, he would be met with an attack that would drive his head into the ground. As that future Natsu shot the back of his head with a fireball nearly the size of the beast, he would be met with an all too familiar sound. That sound being the fire dragon kings roar. As he quickly turned to look at the dragon slayer with wide eyes, he would be met with ferocious attack, one that would have Natsu truly resembling his father. With his wings spread and fire flowing from his mouth, the dragon slayer would drive his fist into the dragons back as he blows one final attack through him. His arm having lit up, would show a wicked tattoo that was left behind by Acnologia, though this being the work of Natsu finding a way to restore its power.
"You die here, now, for the lives you have taken!" As Natsu yells this to the black dragon, a massive beam of light could be seen bearing down on the two, this would send the future Natsu flying towards the fairy tail members and have the black dragon finally put down.
"Stand down, he is done, the fight is yours Natsu" a soft could be heard from behind the group that was being shielded by the two Gray's. Holding onto what seemed to be a necklace, Mavis would look directly at the future Natsu who was staring right through the ice barrier and into the First master's eyes. With the full intent to kill, Natsu would be hit with yet another beam of light that would have him kneeling, panting heavily as he is forced to calm down.
"Calm yourself, you let anger flow within you as if it were water. You mustn't let this anger overpower your judgment. You were right take down an enemy of Fairy tail, but you have no right to take a life." Mavis would speak softly as she looks down at the future Natsu, who in turn was still looking at her as the flames that surrounded him began to die down.
"I'll tell you why I did what I did. That man, dragon, didn't deserve to continue living." As Natsu spoke, he would look at Lucy, whom was standing beside Laxus, obviously petrified after witnessing the power that this Natsu clearly possessed. Though he would only grin as he turns to face a now dying Acnologia. Letting out a soft sigh, he would kneel down and close his eyes as he holds onto that white scale scarf of his, knowing that he had taken down one enemy, knowing another was still standing. That enemy being zeref.
End
I hope you all are having a good day, enjoy the latest chapter of my story. Please stay posted for the next one that will come out next week, take care!
