A/N: WARNING! LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE EVER WRITTEN! Mature humor and a LOT of violence, FLUFF ANGST, ASS KICKING and fighting in this chapter. This fic is rated T for Teen, it does have some blood foul language, etc. Also, I apologize for any OOC but I'm going off instinct here, and utilizing everyone's personalities to the fullest. The bits of genuine sincerity scattered in this chapter are only natural, given what the elaborate concoction I've created. Please Review! The more reviews I get, the fast this wonderful story is updated! I also have a few more members of the Naruto cast, along with their techniques and variations of them, popping up in this chappy. This is a CROSSOVER, remember? Don't worry, I'm sure you'll like where all of this is going, at least, I hope you do. And Pleaaaase, don't forget to review and/or comment! Now, I will introduce...sheerEpicness!

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / A Fairy's Heart, A Dragon's Fist, and A Demon's Pride! Crushing Darkness!/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"He's gone."

'Why?'

Cana didn't know whether it was the tears or the rain that blurred her vision. She didn't care, and it did not matter to her.

"He's gone. He's gone, he's gone, he's gone...why the hell is he gone!"

"He isn't."

"The fuck he isn't! I'm looking right at him!"

"No, you are not. Now...Cana-san." Hinata's kind, gentle voice dragged Cana back and she jerked upright with a sharp cry. "Naruto-kun isn't dead. You fell asleep again."

"Oh." Cana blinked, and shook her head to dispel the fatigue, and the angry tears. "I knew that."

"I'm sure you did." Hinata smiled warmly, even to Cana's stubborn reply. "You slept soundly, but you were quite...loud. Passionate, too."

"Eh...?"

"Naruto holds that passionate enthusiasm in high esteem, right?" Hinata blushed happily, the smile still in place as she looked back to the road ahead. "That's good to know." Cana blinked. Once, twice, thrice, it took her a total of five long slow movements of the eye before she realized the implications behind Hyuuga's words. "P-Passionate? W-What is that supposed to mean...Her face scrunched up into a puzzled expression, deliberating over the vague response. As she did so, a blush crept up her face. When Hinata cleared a rooftop in a single bound, Cana's scream was not one of excitement.

"Reh!" Cana spluttered wildly as they landed again. "W-W-What did I say! Tell me!"

"Well...

"N-Nevermind!" Cana crossed her arms in an X and nearly fell back before she somehow managed to once again latch onto Hinata's shoulders. "D-Don't tell me! I'll die! I'll die of embarrassment! Even if Naruto does manage to pull a victory out of this damned fiasco!"

"You should not." Hinata replied sharply. "Say that."

"What now?" Alberona blinked in surprise. "You think he can win, even with Laxus! You didn't see how-

"You shouldn't say such things about Naruto-kun." Hinata's soft, determined whisper jerked Cana out of her fuming speech. "He's stronger than you think. Much, much stronger. When we left, he had that look in his eye, the one he had on the day that I met him, the day he smiled and saved my life. I know this may sound foolish, but please, trust me when I say that I know he's going to win."

"How would you know?" Cana muttered to herself, wincing as another impact traveled up Hinata's soles and her bruised arms. "I didn't exactly see the two of you stargazing, today." While she didn't necessarily share Mirajane's opinion of 'A prissy good for nothing man stealing whore' neither did she appreciate the girl's abrupt personality reversion whenever Naruto was near. Put the two of them together, and Hinata would start stammering and blushing like a high school girl would around her crush. She'd actually considered it cute, before Hinata she'd seen Hinata give Naruto her 'greeting'. She'd just come back in to snag a request, one that she wanted to complete before her supposed meeting, when, lo and behold, she saw them. Hinata, a complete stranger to her at the time, had marched right up to Naruto, and laid one on 'em. Laxus had, surprisingly, shouted a warning, and not a second later, Mirajane was on the ground, and Naruto was the one doing all of the shouting.

Where the hell did Hinata come from, when they called that a greeting? This girl?

She, being the same age as Naruto, was a hale and hearty sixteen year old girl, who looked as though she were somewhere in her early twenties. No surprise there with that figure, which some of the older men had referred to as a 'rockin' bod' before that very 'rockin' bod' put each and every on of them in the infirmary for implying that Naruto didn't deserve to, as she quoted 'hit dat' and blushed furiously at the concept before running out of the guld. Cana winced at the memory of the pummeling, which had turned out to be a rather ironic demonstration of Hinata's abilities. The girl hadn't show them much, her little impromptu 'bout' had only lasted for about thirty seconds and the brief spar between the two of them, had been even shorter than that. She'd been their damn referee to boot!

(Brief Flashback, a few hours after the announcement)

"Oi! Cana-san!"

"Like the new look?"

"Eh?" Cana glanced toward Naruto who gazed down at her with a toothy grin. "What's up with the new outfit?" He was still bare-chested, but now, he'd apparently integrated the cape even further into his wardrobe, now wearing it beneath a well designed long sleeved coat. (Reference: Coat is that of the Hokage in shape and form NOT color) You weren't wearing that thing five minutes ago."

"Well, it felt kinda weird, wearing painted clothes." Naruto shrugged, twirling for emphasis. "So I decided to go shopping. Some girl said I looked 'ravishing' in this. Anyway, I need a favor."

"Ravishing?" Cana shook her head. "Boys. You really don't understand women, do you?"

"Should we?" Naruto shrugged. "I think it looks good on me."

"So do I."

"Pardon?"

"Err...I said wow, look how time flies!" Cana smacked herself across the face, chiding herself for the slip. "Look, whatver you need, I can't do it. There's this job I gotta take before tonight, so-

"Wait!"

"Not now!" Cana shook her head. "I really gotta go."

"But...I really need your help with something, Cana-san. We need a ref!"

"A referee? Why, are you and Laxus finally going at it?"

In the background a few girls passed out from a certain...image.

"Eh? Naruto scratched his head. "No, everybody wants to see Hinata and me fight. You gotta be the supervisor."

"Me? I'm going out on a job, remember?"

"It can wait!" Naruto grinned. "Just for sixty seconds! Its all I'm asking!"

"Ask Mirajane!"

"Zettai ni nai!" Naruto bellowed, causing everyone to glance toward the suddenly sweating blond. "Absolutely not! She wants me dead! I'll die Cana-san! I'll die!"

"Too bad." Cana shrugged, already on her way out the door. "It was nice knowing you, Naruto."

"Waaah! Traitor!" Naruto sank to his knees in lament. "Damn it all! Not you too! What did I do to deserve this, my lord, my god?" Cana slowed, but Naruto, head buried into the floor, did not notice. "What right did I wrong, what sin did I commit, to be given such a terrible and loathsome fate? What, oh what did I do, to deserve such a fate, youuuurgh!" Naruto yelped as Cana hauled him up by the collar of his jacket.

"You know what you did, baka! That face won't work on me! The answer is no!"

"Pleaaaaaase?" Naruto begged with wide, puppy dog eyes."Everyone's been fucking harassing me about it! No one wants to do it, but everyone wants to see it! I won't have peace until they do!" Damnit he even had tears! Either Naruto was a VERY skilled magician, or he had taken acting lessons at some point. Regardless of the training or lessons, Cana found herself unable to resist such a pleading expression.

"What about Erza?"

"Wants to watch." Naruto answered, expression unchanged. "Natsu and Gray, too."

"...Gildartz!

"Out for the next four days. Mystogun too. Master just left for the yearly guild meeting. No one wants to referee, but everyone wants to watch."

"Laxus!"

"Fuck no, Cana no baka!" Dreyar barked from the nearby stairwell. "I'd rather eat Natsu's shitty flame than do that!"

"EH! What as that about my flame being shiiiiiiiirrrrgh!"

"Like I said," Laxus sighed, ignoring the now barbecued Natsu at his feet. "The dobe wants you to do it Cana. Accept his feelings."

"NANI!" Cana shrieked angrily. "Don't say it like that!"

"Well, it IS what he wants. You CAN do it, right?" Laxus shrugged, either calm in the face of impending doom, or suddenly as much of an idiot as Naruto was. "So stop being such a pansy and get wet, already. I mean, everyone has to do it sooner or later."

Cana was seriously beginning to suspect the former.

"S-S-S-S-STOP SAYING NASTY STUFF LIKE THAT!" Laxus evaded the spell she launched at him, and deflected the rest. "HENTAI! KONO HENTAI!"

"You're the perv for thinkin' that way." Laxus chided sternly. "Just do it."

"Aye!" Naruto chorused, STILL keeping the sad expression. "Just do it!"

"CRUEL! How can you say all of that with such a face! Both of you!" Cana hollered back at them. "No! Anybody but me! I won't do it! Especially not after that!"

"Gotta be you!" Naruto insisted with either a very good fake whimper, or a real one. "No one but Cana-san will do!"

"Why me!" Cana thrashed the blond up and down as though he were a rag doll, much to the amusement of Laxus. "Why are you so determined to have me do it, huh!"

Naruto blinked, abandoning the comical sad eyes for a more serious expression.

"Well...I just want you, Cana-san."

He was posthumously deposited seconds later, to a low whistle from the second floor.

"Not a bad answer, dobe."

"Y-Y-Y-You...want me?" Cana asked through chattering teeth. "Seriously?"

"Yup." Naruto replied simply, completely unaware. "You're the only one for this."

'C-Cana no baka! Don't think like that!'

"Fine."

"For real?"

"Naruto no baka!" Cana threw her arms up in exasperation! " I said I'll do it! But you have to treat me to lunch-BEER! I said beer! Do you hear me? ! You have to treat me to a cold beer!" She stuck out a hand, awaiting Naruto's reply, knowing, hoping, that the blond did not have nerve to see through the obvious bait and tear her plan apart. "Or no deal!" Naruto's quizzical expression suggested that he disagreed with it.

"Definitely said lunch." Naruto shook his head firmly. "You have a stuttering problem, Cana-san?"

"NO! NOW STOP INSULTING ME! I SAID-

"Lunch, it is then." Naruto grinned, abruptly shaking her hand, silencing her protest. "I don't see a problem in sharing a meal with around...tormorrow?"

'Hehehe. Tonight AND tomorrow...I win!'

"Alright, then in that case...

"W-Wait a sec!"

"Nē, min'na!" Despite the intense ruckus, Naruto whistled, somehow earning everyone's attention. "Everybody! Who was it that wanted to see Hime and me spar, again?"

"Again?" Cana blinked, but Naruto abruptly shushed her, as nearly everyone chorused a loud shout of approval. "You ALREADY decided this without me?"

"Wonderful!" Naruto laughed boisterously, looking eerily like the master for a moment. "If you would be so kind as to form a circle, then?" Naruto waved his hands like a master conductor, guiding everyone into a rough oval as they complied. When they had done so, he circled his wrist around a few times, instructing them to spread out accordingly. "A few meters should do. No...that's too wide...ah! There." He lowered his hands and grinned, bowing in thanks. "Now, this bout only be a spar. Neither Hinata or I will use any ultimate technique, or super cool finisher, just in case you expect such a thing. But magic..who knows?"

Everyone smiled, or smirked to Naruto's lazy shrug.

"Now, our referee!" The blond snapped his fingers and Cana felt someone push her from behind, not so subtly ushering her into the center of the large cirlce. "The lovely Miss... Alberona!" Seconds later, Naruto staggered back, reeling from a huge welt in the head. Cana quietly lowered a closed fist, much to everyone's laughter, only for Naruto to lurch around plafully, clearly exaggerating the extent of a harmless injury.

'Itai!' Cana winced inwardly as her now hidden hand throbbed against her chest. 'My hand's fucking numb from that punch! Natsu was right! Hitting Naruto felt like punching a lacryima! How the hell does Mirajane hurt this guy?' With a scowl, she stared at said blond, who abruptly tensed his body, bringing himself back to his feet. 'Not even fazed! Wait...could he also be acting when Mira slaps him around?'

The thought was a tad discomforting, and Cana gladly shook it off as Naruto began to scan the crowd.

"Now, where oh where is Hinata-cha...AHA!" Naruto answered his own question by abruptly pointing to a random point in the crowd, causing everyone to move away from the section he had indicated. "Hora!"

The crowd parted for her, a sea of seasoned mages gaping and gawking at the graceful beauty that glided toward Naruto. Unfortunately, Hinata had opted, to keep her original attire, which only intensified the lustful and open stares directed toward her lithe form. Thankfully, she did not greet Naruto in her previous manner, though her eyes were warm and bright as she bowed her assent to him.

"Naruto-sensei."

"Sensei!" Mirajane's incredulous screech momentarily rose above the crowd. "Who the hell do you think you are! You hardly know him! There's no way you can-

"Urusei!" A suddenly intact, battle eager Natsu and nearly every other self-respecting 'man' in the guild hollered in unison. "I wanna watch!"

"This is a friendly spar, Hina-chan." Naruto adjusted his coat accordingly, as if he were cooling himself. "Let's enjoy ourselves to the fullest extent, shall we?" Hinata squeaked at the comment, flushing a deep, dark crimson, though their was absolutely no lecherous intent of any sort behind it. "Na-Na-Naruto-kun!" A few groans and cries of loathing bounced off Naruto's thick skull, too which he blinked all too slowly, wondering at what that strange itching sensation was at the tip of his nose. Cana sweatdropped, realizing that she not only might have a crush on Naruto, but a possible crush on a Dragon Slayer who just so happened to be a complete and total goofball/idiot/flirt.

"OI! " Cana hollered, waving her hand angrily. "The ref, that's ME, is losing her patience! Finish the greeting quikcly and start!"

Finally, Hinata seemed to calm.

"W-Wakarimashita." Hinata nodded stiffly, bowing low in apology. "I understand."

Several perverts passed out from nose bleeds as she did so.

"Just like we practiced." Naruto declared loudly, earning a few confused looks and noises from the lot of them. "We'll take this round...oh...three steps further than before?" He shrugged, leaving everyone terribly confused, but not Hinata. She nodded her assent, and assumed her stance, spreading one leg forward the other back, and adjusting her arms likewise. Naruto opted to settle into a more rigid stance.

"Jā?" Naruto smiled cheefully, hands slipping out from within the pockets of his slacks, coming together as he paid respect. "Ready to start, hime?"

"H-Hai!"

Cana rolled her eyes.

"Ready? We're using points for this one, too bad if you don't agree. A DIRECT HIT, not a block, determines the score. Fist to three is the winner!"

"Sate..." Naruto smiled, straightening up from his customary bow. "Hina-chan."

"BEGIN!"

In the time it took Cana to blink, Naruto grinned again, and swiftly brought his arm down upon Hinata. Sparks exploded from his hands, smashing down into a seemingly unprepared Hyuuga, who made absolutely no effort to block, evade, or even shunt the blow to the side. In the cloud of dust the strike created, there was the unmistakeable pop, and Naruto was sent skidding back, one arm rasied to defend himself against some unseen strike. He glanced upward, and raised his hand, catching a Hinata's fist, and revealing that her hand had inflicted the wound, that the sleeve of his jacket was torn and bloody.

"Point!" Cana declared.

"Very good!" Naruto spoke to Hinata as a proud teacher would compliment their most prized student for a correct answer. "Once again!"

With sharp ruh of wind in the closed hall, the two jerked apart amongst dismayed and elated cries. Hinata was unreadable, her face a blank slate as she stared across the distance that seperated them. Naruto was not quite so calm. With a slow, and dangerous smile he raised both arms, and brought each hand toward the other, as though he was going to clap, Hinata blinked, as though badly started, and suddenly...

Naruto had Hinata by the, wrist with both hands as the afterimage everyone had been staring at, disappeared. In place of it, Hinata was in front of Naruto, straining against his trembling arms that struggled to hold back a simple punch. Hinata, however, did not show the slightest amount of strain, and conitinued to drive him back, exerting a constant pressure of strikes with the other, until Naruto finally stopped evading, frowning as he locked fists with her.

"I didn't even see that one!" Someone whispered. "When did he get her?"

"No, look! He's bleeding!"

"Good." Naruto regarded his bloodied palms, as a man would a disloyal dog, but when his gaze slid to Hinata, it was full of warmth and admiration. "That...is your point as well, Hina-hime. I also tore my own arms off by trying to grab you like that." Hinata 'eeped', one that was drowned out in a loud chorus of groans amongst the mages. "Eh? Why does everybody keep acting like that? Jeez, you're all so...WEIRD!"

Abruptly, Naruto swept a leg outward, the circular sweep forcing a suddenly clumsy Hinata to skip backwards.

"Oi, that wasn't your best, though."

Straightening, he smiled.

"Full force."

"B-But...

"Hit me with full force, this time, hime." Naruto grinned encouragingly and surprisingly, relaxed his guard. "I won't be holding back either this time, so you don't have to wooooorrrrggh!" Naruto abruptly sailed across the room, as though launched from a cannon. Thos unfortunate to be in his path, either scrambled out of the way, or were mowed down with the rest as he was sent shooting past an amused Laxus, and into the wooden beam opposite Cana. Not only did the impact creating a large dent in the wood, but it was enough to earn several gasps and cries of admiation from Hinata's followers. Dismayed wails from those who had chosen to support her opponent. Naruto wasn't making any move to get back up, even though he technically still had another point left to use. Eventually, he raised his head, and laughed, loudly.

"Itai, Itai, and Itai again." He turned his head and opened his coat, revealing the massive bruising he'd been given. "You pack a helluva punch, that's for sure, Hinata-chan. I only counted about eight attacks in that one, but I'm pretty sure you got me good with all sixty four." Laughing, he allowed his body to sag amidst many a startled gasp. "Huh. And you didn't break any of my bones,eh? Well, can't fault you for being gentle with me. I wouldn't want to be in bed for a week now, would I, hime?" Hinata only blushed and timidly began to check him for any extensive injuries she might have caused.

"EH!" Everyone gasped, quieting as they gazed upon Hinata. "Sixty four blows?

"Aye. I give." Naruto raised a hand, wincing from the pain. "Call it, Cana-san."

"W-Winner! Hinata!" Cana tossed her arm up, to many a laugh and lament. "Now skedaddle!"

Hinata blushed furiously and murmurred her gratitude one last time, before she was swarmed by the adoring guild members. Naruto watched with a small smile, blinking only when Cana tapped him on the shoulder and offered him her hand.

"Hehehe." Naruto laughed as he took her hand. "I didn't hold back."

"So how strong IS she, then?"

"Well," Naruto folded both arms and grinned as Hinata was surrounded by adoring fans. "If you want an estimate, I'd have to say she's about...ten times stronger than I am right now."

"But that's only because you just got back!"

"Paritally." Naruto closed his jacket and adjusted it accordingly. "But I just need to eat, and I'll be back to full power. Even then, Hina-chan will still be WAY above me."

"R-Really now...

(End Brief Flashback)

Now, from what she knew of Hinata, Cana knew that Hyuuga was (A) Unbelievably fast, to the point where Naruto was either holding back against her for fear of destroying everything, or, because he really couldn't kee up with her. She moreso all the other girls save for Erza, could literally, punch your fucking lights out. Hinata, meek as a mouse around Naruto, seperate them, or throw an insult at her beloved 'Naru-kun', and you had a one hundred percent chance of waking up in the hospital with a broken leg and a punctured lung. She was strong and she was weak. But worse of all...

Naruto would probably end up having the hot's for her!

"Ne, Hinata."

"Hmm?" She replied, clearing a sudden pothole with ease. "Is there something wrong?"

"I have a question." Cana replied, albeit softly. "It might annoy you."

"Ask away." Hinata glanced toward her single passenger, griping Cana bit tighter as they slid across a puddle, when most would have slipped and gone down. "We have nothing but time."

"Huh." Cana sighed. "Alright then. Just who the fuck are you?"

"Well, the same as you, once."

"I heard about that." Cana couldn't smile, but she did giggle at the story, the one thing she had managed to wrangle out of Naruto before he snuck off to train. "So, the great Uzumaki Naruto, Raikage of Fairy Tail, singlehandedly defeated an entire army to save a princess, huh?" Such a story was likely exaggerated, but she had to admit, that it did make for a good read. Now, if Naruto were ever to publish all of his excentric tales and put them into one huge book, he could make a killing! That is, if he didn't always laze about like a dead possum whenever he wasn't taking a job or meditating.

Bummer.

"N-Not really." Hinata abruptly reverted to her shy, introverted self at the mention of the blond. "M-Mirajane-san was there too. If she hadn't been, then Na-Naruto-kun would have...

"Yeah." Cana cut Hinata off at the pass, recognizing her hesitation. "Man, I wish they took some pictures. I would have killed to see the look on those guys faces when they realized who they were up against. Still, wiping out an entire Dark Guild by themselves? Not only is that major overkill, but its just insane!" She shuddered. "They must have done something to piss her off, though. Making that girl lose her temper and all. That's why its the second rule of Fairy Tail. You just don't fuck with a Fairy, unless you want things to really get hairy." She laughed at the pun master often told them.

"Then what's the first rule?"

"Ha! Eeveryone knows that one!" Cana grinned at Hinata, unable to contain her laughter."Never piss off Mirajane."

"Cana-san," Hinata giggled helplessly."That's...not nice!"

"And Mira is?" The brunette leered happily. "Name one time!"

"Mirajane can be...nice." Hinata protested weakly, though a trembling smile and closed eyes suggested she did not entirely support her statement. "Sometimes." She sweatdropped as she finished, however, causing Cana to sigh and lean forward. Hinata did not flinch away in surprise as most men would, when she nonchalantly rested her chin against the thin collarbone of Hinata's shoulder.

"Sounds like we have something in common with our-er...YOUR prince, hime."

"W-What might that be,Cana-san?" Hinata quirked a glance over her shoulder, and still managed to leap over a tree trunk, all without looking away from Cana. Nothing out of the ordinary, if it hadn't been around a blind corner, which was absolutely impossible to see around. Alberona was just about to comment on the feat, when Hinata skirted a building, clearing it with a tremendous surge from either leg. This time, Cana Alberona did scream in fear, as they hurlted into the air, and came crashing to the... impossibly, they landed on a low hung awning that Cana hadn't even seen, such was the distance of her leap. Damn, what kind of trick was that! Did have something to do with the way her eyes looked now? With those veins in her head? Probably magic, but still, in her eyes? How could it-

"Cana-san?"

"Eh?" Alberona blinked rapidly, shaking her head to clear it, and only then, did she turn her gaze toward Hinata. "Whuzzat?"

"You were going to tell me what we have in common."

"Oh!" Recovering herself, a sly look slid across Cana's face as she leaned a hairs breadth forward. "Well, you see, its like this. Fairy Tail has another rule. A golden rule. Not everyone knows this but its absolutely vital if you want to be in our guild. That rule, is you must earn the trust and confidence of as many nakama, that is to say, friends, as you can, within your first day of being here. I suppose you could count Naruto as one, maybe Laxus, if you want to push your luck." She shook her head sadly. "But you need more than two! Even Natsu had at least six nakama when he first came here!"

"Ano...I'm not so sure that is wise, to count Naurot-kun." Hinata blushed furiously. "I just think...he wouldn't be a very good person to count as a...a..friend."

"Oh?" Cana scowled, offended by the concept that Naruto wasn't a good person, but moreso by what her potential rival was implying. "Why might that be?"

"Um...no reason." Hinata shook her head, unaware as Cana was, that their pace had slowed to little more than a crawl amongst the rubble strewn streets. "So...thsi rule...is important then?"

"Mōchiron!" Cana declared dramatically jabbing her finger into Hina's cheek with gusto. "Very! Without it, you won't be able to make any friends and will be exiled from Fairy Tail! You have to something in common with someone, or you get the boot!"

"I-I don't want that."

"'No one does!" Cana jerked her head down in affirmation. "So I'll tell you what we have in common! That gives you three, instead of two, ne?"

"I'd...appreciate it."

"Alright then." Cana grinned evily."The one trait that Naruto, you, me, and even Laxus, all share, is...

"Is...

"Mirajane can scare all four of us absolutely shitless!" Cana laughed loudly, Hinata's own joyous peal of amusement soon echoing after her for several seconds, until the rain and thunder overhead threatened to drown them if they kept their mouths open. Sighing, Cana laid her head down, content in listening to Hinata's silent laughter, her steady heartbeat. Leaning against the Hyuuga's back to recover her strength and stamina, she closed her eyes...for the moment. "Hime,huh? Damn. That's a good title, y'know." Hime, as in princess, had become both Hinata's official and unofficial nickname, codename, thanks in part to Naruto's little revelation that thie upon revealing her family history. Oh, that one was fun. The look on Laxus's face was especially satisfying. So was Mirajane's screaming.

'The Princess of Fairy Tail'. Born and raised from a noble line, she was the closest thing Fiore had to royalty. Granted, the government wasn't exactly a monarchy anymore, bu t

Hinata had either been too shy, or unwilling to ruin their fun, and thus, she had earned her infamousity.

Which brings us to our current situation. Hinata, despite vehement protestation from Cana, had insisted that she should not be walking on a sprained ankle. She'd shaken her head at the suggestion of simply staying within a certain radius, stating that they were told to head back to the guild, so that was where she would be taking Cana. She failed to be mentioning if she would stay behind, too.

And so, she sulked as the rain continued to fall.

She still couldn't see a damned thing through all this water. As Hinata helped her up the steps, daring to let her test her strength, Cana mumbled a thank you for what felt like the millionth time, only for the girl to insist that none of this was her fault. Suuuure. Spill your guts out to a fake Naruto who was was probably some mass murderer or worse, get your ass saved by the original, who stayed behind to fight said mass murderer. The only reassurance she had was a brief word from Laxus, who had raised his hand she was hurried away, muttering he'd "Keep your damn dobe alive."

'Don't die, you idiot. You better not die.'

Another raindrop, cold and frozen, splattered across her cheek, joining the silent tears there. She offered a silent plea to the gods of fortune, Kami, Buddha, or whatever deity that existed.

'Please don't die let him. He's...He's my...my-

Her words faded into silence as they rounded a corner, and into a huge black shape, for that was all she could think. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't human. Legs, as thick as tree trunks glittering scaled wings upon its back, and a wild, shaggy mane of green hair, which looked oddly out of place on its grey skin. One eye regarded each of them in turn, then fixated upon Cana, narrowing, as though in anger. But, to Cana's disgust, the monster beckoned to them, clearly intending for them to follow. Cana skittered backward, eyes wide and shook her head vehemently at the suggestion.

"Found you." It sighed, sounding relieved somehow in its deep, dark voice. "Quickly, both of you. They're heading this way. "

"Reh! No way in hell!"

"Cana-san, calm down."

"Calm down? Hinata, he's gonna eat us!"

"Pardon?" The demon tilted its head. "Why would I do such a thing?"

Ignoring Cana's plea, Hinata started walking steadily towards the demon. It let out a low snarl, but strangely decided to remain docile for a moment, likely sizing her up. Hinata stopped less than a foot away, and placed one hand upon the creature's massive forearm. The abomination's head cocked to the side slightly as it looked down at the small girl in front of it. Other than that one movement, it made no further actions to acknowledge that it noticed her. She smiled wordlessly, her eyes lighting up, happily. The glance of her shoulder, therefore, did not hold even the slightest trace of fear.

"He's on our side, Cana-san. This isn't even a monster. He's just a big puppy."

"Puppy?" Cana's left eye began to twitch at Hinata's innocence. "Puppies, don't have claws, Hinata! Puppies, don't try to eat you! Puppies, don't get that big! This thing is NOT a damned puppy!" The Demon still made no further movements, but let out a small growling noise as it continued to look down on Hinata. She lifted her arms up and opened them, expectantly, as if offering a hug to Demon.

"..."

The Demon...twitched.

The Grey Demon leaned it's head back slightly and let out a strange roar that seemed to continue much, much longer than it should. It took Cana several seconds to realized that it was not attacking them, but actually laughing. Mirajane watched with growing dread as it slowly lifted a hand in the air, while Hinata continued to stand there, looking up with her arms open. It lopped one arm down slowly, and patted a giggling Hinata on the head with one massive hand, whilst the other looped around her slowly, creating aloose embrace. Cana shrieked in confused disbelief, waving her arms madly at the sight.

"Oi oi! Hands offa her, kono hentai!"

"I am merely checking her," The Grey Demon made the laughing sound again. "For injuries, as ordered."

"Stop that, you." Hinata frowned and smacked it on the wrist, forcing it to release her. "Change back already before I forget that you can't control yourself in that form. "You're scaring Cana."

"My apologies." The gravelly voiced replied, its body beginning to ripple. "I am still... unacustomed to taking this form."

"Uwah!" Cana scrunched her eyes shut against the monster that reared up before them, the bulk and muscles shrinking away, the limbs thinning out and becoming humanoid. Slowly, it, regained an eye as it continued to shrink down from a hulking eight foot beast, to a more slender, Six foot, human. Assuming a fully human shape as the wings receded into its back. "No! He's turning into something even more hideous! I won't look!" She said this, but in reality, only partially succeeded, before her curisoy

"Open your eyes, Cana." A firm, masculine voice commanded, a now very human figure standing amidst the smoke and steam, now slowly approachingthem. "Tis' only I, though you might not recognize me at the moment. But as per I have been ordered, I will be escorting the two the rest of the way." Hinata made a relieved sound, and bowed graciously toward the still as of yet unmoving silhouette.

"I knew Laxus-san had a plan."

"Actually, Uzumaki was the one who requested my services."

That got Cana's attention.

"Naruto?" She blinked, eyes widening slightly. "Then you're-! A shriek of dismay cut through the no longer empty street as shewhat-or rather, who, had appeared. "Holy shit! You're bleeding! You're all cut up, too! What the hell happened!" She shouted and spat and hollered at a silent young man of eighteen years. He stared down at her sullenly, though not without a flicker of annoyed interest.

"..."

"Well?" Cana demanded, only for a surge of killing intent to silence her. "Answer me!"

"I was made aware of my limits." The figure finished replied brusquely, stepping the light at last. "Painfully aware."

"Fuck." She whispered, stunned into near-silence. "Wha on earth did you do...Freid?"

"I made the mistake of fighting." The teen now known simply as Freid, answered. "But it was a worthy one."

"No fight is worthy enough to die over!" Cana flung a rock at him, and to her dismay, he did not dodge. Instead, his hand shot out and crushed the pebble to dust within his palm. Brief, ever so briefly, a furious expression danced within his eyes, but it was gone by the time Cana had registered the movement. For Freid to be angry, even now, for him to be this furious, then that could only mean...

"W-Why didn't you move?"

The Raijinshuu captain offered a mute shrug in reply.

"Gods...Freid you look like shit." Cana struggled with the words and upon finishing them, bit her lip angrily. "Even the Raijinshuu got beat?"

"Yes, and you will be pleased to know that I feel far worse than I look."

With a small gasp, Cana covered her mouth and gazed upon a battered visage. Freid Justine, stood before her. His handsome face bore a series of bruises along his jawline, and the rest of him wasn't exactly in quality shape either. The long hair of which he was so proud was tattered and sticking out wildly across his shoulders, leaving his once perfectly, pristine outfit ripped and torn absolutely everwhere. With his arms and upper chest heavily bandaged, everything about his appearance suggested he'd been on the receiving end of a very serious beating, though he only smiled.

"This way."

Averting his eyes, Laxus's right hand man placed one hand on Cana's shoulder and began to guide her up the steps. Cana hadn't the energy to resist, and silently accepted the additional escort's assistance. From somewhere behind her, a massive explosion swallowed the central plaza, dimming seconds later. She shuddered, and kept with Hinata had calmed her, but now, the anxiety, the fear, all that tense and rigid anger, came rushing back to the fore. Seeking to distract herself, Cana opted to taking her surroundings, lit by the full moon overhead. That too, was already in danger of being swallowed up by the ever encroaching storm clouds, and she had to squint to see properly in the dank, dampened night. Naturally, her eye caught upon the first intense flash of color nearby. There, just to her right, she could see a strange, dark red pool. It had yet to be completely washed away by the rain, though it was already on its way. As they drew near to it, she was able to make out a a dark shape, one that wore a tattered red rob, and did not move. The pool, which smelled incredibly foul, came from that thing. Wait, that wasn't a body, was it? If it was, then that would-

'Oh God.'

Cana convulsed at the thought.

Freid gripped down on her shoulder, the pain the only thing that kept her from fainting outright. As she ascended the steps now, she could see them, the signs of a fierce battle. Burn marks on the white marble, huge cracks in the street, decimated buildings...she was beginning to suspect Natsu had been here recently, judging by the thick smell of smoke and flame in the air. Not only that, but it was quiet. So quiet, in fact, that, were it not for the rain and the storm, it would be completely, and utterly lifeless. As it was, the three of them were the only ones out and about in the night.

'Was everyone-

Hinata gently prodded her forward.

"No one was hurt...badly."

"Oh." Cana exhaled softly. "Good."

"You'll keep her safe?" Hinata slowly glanced at Freid, her expression inexplicably stern. "Freid? I can't afford to wait any longer."

"I gave my word to Laxus. "Freid stated swiftly. "I intend to keep it."

"Keep wha-

"Yamo no Ecriture: Silence!"

"Oi, Fre-mmph!"

Cana had just enough time to blink and shout against his palm, then Fried swiftly raised a hand, revealing two fingers over which elaborate and beautiful runes now danced. Without a word, he swiped two fingers across Cana's lips, as one would a zipper. Not so much as a squeak came past her lips, though they moved and shouted furiously. Outraged, Cana rounded toward Freid , waving her fists silently and idignantly, screaming for him to return her voice 'This fucking instant!' A set of binding runes around her arms solved that problem, and while he found it humorous as Cana furiously hopped up and down screaming curses at him with her eyes, Freid decided against binding her legs. Although it would have been absolutely hilarious, the magician reminded himelf with a small smile that only made Cana even more furious. Freid, however, content that the girl would not be able to interfere, turned toward a slightly abashed Hinata once again, who mumurred an apology to the poor girl.

"I meant every word, hime."

"I know."

"Mmph!" Cana protested mutely. 'Give me back my voice!'

"I see... That's good." Hinata suddenly let go of Cana's shoulder but it was Freid's firm voice that kept her from moving ahead of them. "You're going then?" His face scrunched up as they walked up the steps, but that was all Cana could see. "You'll die, hime. Allow me to accompany you. It is the least I can do." A noise of surprise answered him, followed by a soft sigh, and an even softer shy giggle.

?

Hinata smiled to Freid's puzzled face, and it was radiant.

"So, you're calling me that too, Freid-san? I never expected to use that title again." Slowly, Hinata glanced up to the moon, which could still be seen, despite the encroaching thunder clouds. "Everyone calls me the 'Princess of Fairy Tail' and I've only been here for one day. I knew Fairy Tail was nice, but I never expected it to be such a wonderful guild. Everyone here is so warm and thoughtful and..."

"Lady Hinata...

"Kon'nichiwa, Freid." Hinata abruply took a small step back, her hair swirling from the movement, her face eerily calm in the face of her decision. "It really was nice, being a part of Fairy Tail, being in the same guild with you and Naruto-kun, and Erza-san, and Natsu and Gray, everyone, evenn if it was only for one day." She blinked, and there were tears, rolling down her face, yet even sadness could not hope to diminish her beauty, as she stood against the backdrop of the shining moon. "I'll remember this place. I'll never forget you guys. No matter what. But...could you just do me one favor? It is...personal. I don't think I'll ever be able to bring myself to say it to him. So I want you to tell him, whether I come back or...not." Cana felt Freid stiffen, but outwardly, the rune mage nodded firmly.

'Kon'nichiwa? Why not Sayonara? Why would she say hello, and not goodbye?' Freid contemplated for a moment. 'Odd. I still cannot understand women of royalty.'

"Anything." He nodded, keeping his thoughts his own. "What would you ask of me?"

Cana tilted her head and tried to listen as best she could.

Hinata took three steps forward and whispered a series of soft-which to the bound Cana sounded absolutely unintelligible- words into Freid's ear.

"Hime!" Freid exclaimed loudly, lurching back from Hinata and nearly dragging a furious Cana down the steps with him. "You can't be serious! No!" Freid shook his head rapidly and vehemently, the wild mane of indigo green hair that was impossibly his own, whipping around violently from the motion. "I cannot! I will not!You ask too much of me, hime! Never! I cannot bring myself to do such a thing!"

"Freid." Hinata took five steps to the south, once again placing herself within Cana's sight. "You have to promise me, Freid. No matter what." Cana frowned and tried to turn around, but Freid would have none of it, and held her in place. Seconds later, Hinata's shadow fell over the two of them, to which Freid promptly stood, blocking Hinata from Cana's view. He made a sound then, something caught between a angry snarl and a scream of frustration, neither of which sounded even remotely normal for the usually stoic mage. 'Ouch.' Hinata snapped angrily back, words sharp. Whatever she had said, it must have been terribly painful, for a broken Freid nodded, relenting with a sigh to her sharp reply. They shifted once again, and then it was Hinata who was blocking Cana's view of Fried.

"You have my word... hime." Fried muttered.

"Thank you, Freid." Hinata smiled one last time as the moon was lost behind the clouds. "Maybe we'll see each other again." Suddenly, all of Magnolia Town plunged into wet, inky darkness, illuminated only briefly by the ever so often flash of lightning. She drifted in and out of sight, there one moment, gone the next as she drifted toward him, removing her rain soaked hoodie, that bore a bloody tear.

'Holy shit...when did she get that? Was that the thing I saw on her back earlier?'

Casting it off, she revealed the vicious tear in the back of her blouse, stained red with blood. Cana gaped, her eyes shooting wide as that very wound, stitched itself shut again. With a brief glance over her shoulder, Hinata smiled softly. She placed one hand where the wound had been the soft and smooth skin of her back soft and supple beneath her hands. She shook her head slowly, for silence.

"Please, don't tell Naruto-kun about any of this. Cana-san."

"Weh?' Cana tilted her head, stiffening in surprise, Freid's bindings preventing her from doing much else. 'Hinata? How're you... Unfortunately, being tied up by magical runes, witnessing a huge battle raging in your backyard with your potential romantic interest involved in said battle, becoming momentarily mute, AND hearing random voices in your heard, do not prevent one from sufffering complete and total pyschotic break down, otherwise known as: 'Eeeeeh! OI! How the hell are you in my head! Are you some kind of freak or something! G-Get out! Don't be reading my thoughts! OUT OUT OUT OUT!'

"I-I'm not doing anything harmful.' Hinata's voice protested weakly. "I'm just p-projecting my thoughts into your mind. It's a one way process, but I can use it to communica in times like this. So please, I'm asking you...take care of Naruto-kun for me. My death will hit him hard, I'm sure, but he needs people like you, like Mirajane, to keep him grounded. He's strong, but even so, without someone to support him, he won't make it on his own. So please... for Naruto, for me, be that someone to him."

'No!'

"...What?"

'I said no!' Cana shook her head vehemently. 'You're not pulling a kamikaze on me, you hear! Stay put! You don't have to run off and-

"You're so kind, Cana-san." Hinata's voice broke suddenly. "So...just be quiet. This is difficult enough."

'Hinata!'

Freid of course, did not hear any of this.

"Decency would be preferrable." Freid averted his eyes, only to stiffen a pair of soft lips pressed themselves to his cheek. "W-What are you doing, hime?" Hinata laughed, the joyous peals of laughter fading as she slid her foot out into empty air. Cana screamed wordlessly as she realized what Hyuuga was about to do, but her body refused to answer, and so she lay there, bound, and helpless.

"That, is how my people say hello." Hinata breathed, now taking that last, crucial step backward. "Christ, I'm so selfish." She smiled, and even Cana could see the tear marks flowing down Hinata's smiling face."All my life, I've always wanted what I could never have. Peace, courage, bravery, even simple things like being held by another. I had all but given up on that dream, but that dream did not give up on me, and neither did Naruto-kun. Love. I think you call it that. Its everything and anything I could ever want or need, and now that I've finally found it, I really don't want to give it up." She sighed, turning in place, her back to them both, staring into the ominous sky overhead. "I was always persecuted by my family for what I am, did you know that? Today, I'm going to use that gift."

"!"

"Which is why, I won't say goodbye to Naruto-kun, Cana-san, Laxus-senpai, or to you, Freid. Instead, I say-

Her lips parted ever so slowly.

"Kon'nichiwa."

'Don't!'

With a rush of air, Hinata stepped forward, and plunged into the darkness.

"Hime!" A loud explosion of thunder deafened Freid's desperate voice as his dripping hand passed through empty air. "Wait!"

Cana risked a glance toward the stormy sky, a sorrowed look in her eyes. Those flashes of lightning were Naruto and Laxus, fighting for their very lives, against something inhuman. Hinata murmurred something else to Cana, and then, she was gone, and they were alone. Startled, Cana turned, but Hinata was already sprinting in the opposite direction. Not away from the fightning, as she had been instructed, but rather, toward it. Before Cana could even think to call out, she was gone, scaling a wall with ease, leaping over a railing, and leaping across a rooftop, to be lost from sight altogether.

Freid exhaled sharply, as though it pained him to breathe. Lurching a step backward, he sat down beside Cana, and stared blankly into the distance.

"Take care...hime."

'Freid!' Cana angrily kicked his shin, earning a confused blink for her efforts. 'Aren't you forgetting someone? ME!'

"What is it?"

'My voice!' Cana pointed toward her soundless lips, tapping one foot impatiently. 'Kind of mute here, in case you forgot!'

"Oh, I'd nearly forgotten about you."

'Eh?'

"Yami no Ecriture:Dispel."

Freid flicked his hand a second time, and Cana's voice, as well as control of her body, returned with a loud shout.

-KA! BAKA! Why the hell did you let her go!"

"My deepest apologies," Freid bowed humbly, evading a kick that swept over his head. "But your silence was necessary."

"So is this!"

Cana swiped at the rune master, only for him to spin her around and face forward to the far off light that awaited them at the guild. "Come Cana-san." Cana slapped his hand away, and was about opene her mouth and protest, but Freid's sound of offense, and a furious glare silenced her frustration just as quickly. "Hold. Cana Alberona, do you take me for a fool?" His lips pulled back when she began to disagree, exposing pearly white teeth in an unusually frustrated snarl. "Nay. Do not think that I would be so foolish as to pursue Lady Hinata. Furthermore, if you're entertaining the notion of following her yourself, then I will bind your arms and legs together. Our hime is more than capable of holding her own in battle. For that very reason, I have stayed to take you to safety, instead of pointlessly throwing myself into this battle." Abruptly, Freid's face softened into a gentle smile, instantly dipselling the fearsome visage. "Please, Cana-san. I will be more than happy to answer the many questions you have while we walk." Cana gave a small shiver, despite herself. So this was why everyone called him 'Darkness' Freid. Still, she could not remain silent about Naruto's warning.

"Stop! You idiot! We have to stop her! Naruto said he saw another man in a cloak! Hinata will-

"That, has been dealt with." Freid offered her a scattered scrap of a red clouded cloak, tattered on the edges, and soaked in fresh blood. "Thanks to Uzumaki, the true Uzumaki Naruto we somehow, please, do not ask me of the who, what, when, where ,why, and how, managed to repel that man and those...things he controlled."Freid frowned suddenly, sorrow briefly overwhelming the pride that had so intensely filled his features. "I am shamed, Cana. I had my doubts of the man, as did the rest of the guild, but now...I do not know what to think." He stared sorrowfully at the street, and Cana could clearly see the pain in his face. She said nothing, and again, Freid answered, though his pause was significantly longer this time, his voice wracked with barely contained humiliation and relief.

"Stop rambling!" Cana shouted, furious at being delayed. "We have to turn around! Hinata's going to throw her life away for nothing!"

"I will respect her wish. Should she die aiding the man she so ferevently desires, then so be it."

Ba-dump.

"Freid. Are you done yet?" Cana lowered her throbbing palm, regarding a smacked, stunned Freid through tear filled eyes. "Hinata. Is. Going. To. Die! You won't do anything?" Freid Justine stared for a moment, gingerly touching the throbbing red handpring upon his face. "Just because of some stupid jealousy?" Slowly, that hand clenched into a fist, releasing her to turn away. "Freid! Answer me!"

"..."

"Freid!"

"YOU NAIVE LITTLE WENCH!" Freid rounded on Cana, no longer that perfect gentleman, but the burning, passionate young man again, with all the fury of hell in his eyes and heart. "Do not preach your spirited sermons to me! Do you think I know nothing of the situation?" He thrust a handout, indicating a bright light suddenly visible. "That I do not know of her feelings? That I cannot see how she fawns over him so? I am well aware of it!" He made another sound again, this one sounded more of a scream, than a sob. "The way she looks at him, reveres him, adores him! Him! Only him!"

"Freid-

"You know nothing!" Freid snarled, not harming her, but startling her nonetheless as he pointed toward the sudden brilliance that grew larger with every second. "You...Cana, who are so blissfully ignorant! They are as the sun and the moon! They cannot exist without one another! Have you not seen how he coddles her, how she shadows his every step? There is no point, there is no logic in declaring my feelings for one who will never acknowledge them in turn! She may have all seeing eyes, but her vision has been clouded by that one desire! Do not speak to me of it! For I shall not!"

Gasping the last of his words out, Freid panted for air, a wild, and terrible look in his eyes.

"You love her." Cana replied suddenly. "Don't you? I wasn't deaf when you used your runes, Freid."

"!"

"My sincerest apologies." Freid abruptly calmed and dusted himself off."I do not know what came over me. My temper, I suppose.I suppose I do hold a bit of a grude against Uzumaki, but I will settle my dispute with him in the tournament, as is proper. Until then, I shall speak no more of this topic. Come, we must go." He beckoned Cana after him and switly continued on his way down the street. It was only seconds later, that he did speak once again. "Mention this to no one, Cana. I do not wish to be considered a raving lunatic by my comrades. I am entrusting you with this secret, as Uzumaki did your well-being to me."

'Freid...

"He saved us, Cana." The words exploded from Freid's lips, and he appeared to bend beneath them. "Before you ask, I will offer a brief explanation, brief, mind you, nothing more." Freid helped her through a particularly large mound of rubble, but when Cana turned to offer her thanks, she was greeted by a strange, and distant look, one that both saw, and did not see."When the attack came, you might say we were...less than prepared." Cana managed a hasty nod, realizing that the right hand of Laxus, had finally decided to speak. "Everyone was drinking, celebrating, laughing, and altogether thrilled by the news of Gildartz and Mystogun's participation in the tournament." It was only after Laxus left with Hinata and Uzumaki that some of us began to notice certain...items."

"Such as?"

"Brief." Freid reminded Cana, cringing as a sharp explosion echoed in the distance, followed by the faint sound of laughter. "I'm nearly finished, Cana." Freid shook himself mightily, the misty eyed gaze returning as he swung Alberona over a small fissure, and somehow continued to weave the tale. "Within an hour after their departure, a young man came to our door. Freid shuddered, but delved back into the memory with those chilling, haunted words, as though he were experiencing the horror a second time. "He...He begged for food, Cana. He was reed thin, and looked as though he might dry up at any moment. Elfman let him in, how could he not have? The man was on death's door, and his hair, red, if you must know, and absolutely filthy, was matted down with blood, though I am beginning to think this too, was also an illusion. Regardless, he had the face of an angel, and Mirajane was not there to warn us of the cruel intent lurking under that all too deceptive facade."

Dread seized Cana's heart and threatened to crush it into a bloody pulp.

"Oh god, don't tell me-

"They are injured, but still very much alive." Freid was quick to assure the distraught girl. "Thanks to Uzumaki."

"But you said you were wiped out!"

"We were." Freid gave Cana another taste his infamous Dark Glare. "Will you PLEASE stop badgering me and let me finish?"

...Aye." Cana relented sullenly. "So I guess he really did beat all of you, then."

"I was the first to fall." Freid inexorably dragged himself onward, ushering the story to its ultimate conclusion. "They knew then, though it did us little good. Slowly, precisely, he picked each and every one of us apart, inflicting just enough damage to prevent retaliation, yet stave off death."I, was forced to watch, as one by one, he defeated them, while I lay there, paralyzed. "I do not remember how long that lasted, but it was long enough, when Uzumaki Naruto arrived. Five seconds, Cana.It took Uzumaki Naruto, five seconds, to completely, utterly destroyed him, this man- no this creature, that none of us, not even Natsu and myself, could harm." A cold, terse expression filled his face again, yet still he maintained his monologue, determined to recount the terrible memory. "Sadly, he escaped before the final blow could be dealt." Cana did not press Freid when he paused, and he seemed to recover swiftly as a result. "He left us with Mirajane and Evergeen, claiming that there was another."

"The one who came after me." Cana murmurred, recalling the memory with dread. "I get a wierd feeling about that freak. Like, this guy is worlds apart from the last one, or something."

"Why do you say that?" Freid blinked, startled by such a prospect. "Wait...you encountered him? The second intruder?"

"He touched my forehead." Cana explained, flicking her thumb upward, brushing it against her head. "When he did, I got a brief sense of his magic. Maybe his thoughts, to. I dunno, and you know what, I do NOT want to know. All I could see, all I saw, were two blonde's inside his head, over and over again. They were grinnin' hella crazy. The only people like that, are Naruto and Laxus."

"I see." Freid cast a worried glance over his shoulder. "That would explain Uzumaki's concern..."

"Eh?"

"Questioning again!" Freid repeated whirling around with his Dark Glare, demanding Cana's silence. "Let me finish!"

"...Sorry." Cana waved him on angrily. "But hurry up!"

"I hadn't thought much of it at the time, but Uzumaki insisted that someone had been posing as him immediately after he and Laxus formed their team with Lady Hinata." Freid's expression hardened suddenly, pulling itself down into a furious scowl, directed not at Cana, but the one who was responsible for this immense scale of destruction. "If that is the case then...he knew. Impossible as it may seem, this man, and the other, likely his partner, knew that Mystogun and Gildartz had left us, only hours before. No, it is far too obvious to ignore."Their attack just so happened to coincide perfectly, with the master leaving to attend the yearly guild meeting, and our deadliest warriors taking on one last monstrously difficult mission before the tournament? Unlikely, at best, perhaps even planned."

"Alright," Cana had begun to frown under Freid's horrified stare, and now, she was scowling ourtight. "Care to explain? You kinda lost me there when you said planned." Freid beckoned for her to follow, as he increased his pace, forcing Cana to hurry after him. "Oi! Chotto matte!" Suddenly, the sky, which had been eerily quiet during the course of their discussion, decided to, erupt into a fresh torrent of wrathful thunder and renew the storm en mass. "OW! Not so tight on the wrist!" Cana, winced through the rain as Freid suddenly reached back to grab her by the arm and drag her aside.

"Kono Hentai!" Dragged into a nearby stable and shoved back first into a bale of hay, Cana cried out in protest. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" Freid ignored it, virulent screaming and all when Fried abruptly wrapped both arms around her. Further protestation only earned her another glare. When she bit down on his wrist, the rune master winced, but only shook his head, vehemently.

"Do not move." He warned, pressing Cana into his chest. "Do not make a sound."

"What're you-

Not an instant later, Dream Boulevard exploded.

"We need to move." Freid winced as another explosion destroyed a building less than a yard away, and the unmistakeable sound of laughter filled the night. "They are above us now. If we stay here, I'm likely to be dragged into the battle against my will, as are you. If this man is as strong as you claim, then we must not allow such a thing to happen. I would say the same of Laxus, but...

"So those two are...

"Too late." Freid grimaced as something hit the street not a yard away, snarled, and exploded back into the sky with a loud expletive. "We've been spotted again. I can only hope that Uzumaki can keep that creature from noticing us." Freid's expression made it clear that he did not think likely of this. In his current state, despite a sudden burst of sanity, Naruto was just as much a danger to them, as he was to himself. And where was Laxus in all of this? Surely he hadn't been defeated, so soon? If he had, then

"You mean...above?"

"Directly."

Cana blinked, gazing up into the frozen clouds overhead. For just a moment she could have sworn she spied a human shape in those clouds, but it was gone with the next flash. Nodding, she allowed Fried to lead her away by the arm, anxious to be gone from whatever it was Naruto and Laxus were fighting, whoever it was that had tried to kidnap her, and was now likely stalking the both of them. Unfortunately, their pursuer did not take kindly to their abrupt retreat, for as they rounded the next corner and came into clear view of the guild, There was no warning, no pretense, no precursor to herald its arrival, it simply arrived. A dull crunch, very much not that of lightning, slammed down into the street before them, tearing up stones and rubble alike. Freid, aware of it before Cana was, moved in an instant. His hand seizing the guard of his sabre, drawing it, gliding around Cana to stand before her, warily. Seconds later, something large and serpentine reared up over their heads.

"Show yourself, intruder."

"Kukuku...It whirled, rounding on them. Clad in a black and red cloak, wrapped in sickly grey skin with black hair, and for just a moment, Cana could see the teeth. "I seem to have happened upon two little fairies, one of which I have already met. But the two of you aren't S-Class. Now, both of you can just- A sudden burst of lightning dissuaded him, as did the heel crashing into his face. Cana blinked, as someone, a figure she couldn't quite make out thanks to that last explosion, grabbed the man by his hair. She did, however, hear the sound of music, and recognize the furious voice.

"Get the fuck out of here!" Hoisting the cloaked man upright, their rescuer hollered an obscenity, and tossed the man down the street, launching after him not an instant later. A series of angry shouts and breaking bones came now followed by a calm sigh that whispered through the darkness, as familiar as it was thrilling. A terrible humming filled the air, and for the briefest of moments, she could see someone. Then the darkness swarmed, pressing in around them, and he was lost once again. A sharp light lit the dark, and two figures could briefly be seen within it, walking toward them slowly.

Someone blew it out, and everything plunged into darkness a second time.

"Oi oi, you're fighting the two of us, remember? If you wanna fight these two, be our guest, but you'll have to go through us first."

"Dobe's right. We're the real threat, not them."

(Insert Fairy Tail Ost: Guild Darkness)

"Persistent." A sharp hiss answered their footfalls. "Why won't you boys just die?"

"Yeah, about that..." Answered the calm voice that was Naruto. "Dying sucks. I'm none too fond of being in the ground a second time."

"You'll be dead a third time if you don't zip it." Answered a second, brooding figure that had to be Laxus. "Wait a second...You were never dead to begin with!"

"Technicalities, Laxus." Laughter, kind, amused peals of mirth, resounded around Cana, followed by a rush of warm air. "I was mistaken and assumed to be dead, and was posthumously buried alive when everyone in that town assumed that I had died. I'll have you know I was very much alive when they put me in that damned coffin! Ingrates! Fools! Imbeciles! I almost suffocated in that damned box! To them, I was one hundred percent D.E.A.D!"

"Not that I care, but what the hell were you doing in there anyway?"

Cana sweatdropped.

'He's cracking jokes at a time like this? To think I was actually worried about him...

"N-Nothing in particular." Naruto answered hesitantly, only to yelp under a sharp, thwack one that sound particularly painful. "Itai! The hell was that for Laxus! My answer ain't that great!"

"Humour me."

...Sleeping." Naruto replied sullenly.

"Seriously?" Laxus stared blankly. "In a coffin?"

"Damned thing was comfortable, alright!"

"Wow." Laxus snorted. "You are a freak."

"NANI!"

"I hate to inerrupt your little comedy routine, but aren't you forgetting something?"

"That would be?"

"Me." An angry hiss reached Cana at the same time as Naruto slapped a red blast aside and into the ground.

"Uh?" Naruto scowled his face exposed in that brief flicker of light. "Did you just pull a sneak attack?"

"Oh...that is it!" Laxus snapped. "Fuck it! Let's just kill him!"

"Kukuku...The silky smooth voice laughed, assuming the shape of a man once again. "Such selflessness, to value the safety of your friends more than you do your own lives."

"Fuck yes we do!" Naruto coughed loudly. "It'll take more than a puny fireball to knock us out, too!"

"Damnt straight."

Freid abruptly stiffened.

"Laxus?"

"The one and only." A smug retort came. "But what're you doing out here, Freid? You should be inside."

"You too, Cana." The smooth voice that undoubtedly belonged to Naruto was dangerously close to her face. "It isn't safe for you out here. Y'see, we're a little...pissed." A hand touched her shoulder, and then someone walked past her, his footsteps firm and strong, echoed by another, more aggressive sound. Amidst the rain, it sounded as though that of someone stomping forward heavily, about to wade into a river. Two pairs of footsteps, one soft and calm, the other, barely containing their rage. Two figures, each walked past Freid and Cana. As one, they paused, the sound of footfalls dying away for but a moment. They were replaced by the sound of thunder, a loud crackling rising within it, swelling outward to momentarily stifle the turbulent hissing of the storm.

"Raikiri."

With a sudden explosion of blue lightning, Naruto, and Laxus beside him, burst into existence. In either hand, Naruto clutched a crackling mass of light magic, providing illumination. The faint light soon became something more, as seconds later those twin flares of light raged even brighter. With in no time at all, their attacker was forced to step back into that light, revealing himself once again.

"See this, Laxus?" Naruto scoffed as he waved the glowing beacon about. "Betcha can't copy this one."

"Will you shut up?" Dreyar elbowed Naruto in the head, and jerked him by the hair to look ahead. "He's coming."

Covered in blood, the man slinked across the courtyard, somehow still standing, still moving despite the wounds he'd received. Naruto hissed in warning, his hand tightening around the magic. Cana shuddered at the sight of his disfigured visage, twisted horribly around as though someone had literally rearranged the features of his face. As they looked on, he began to, welll... he moved them.

"Gross!" She gagged as he manually cracked his jaw and performed various other procedures to repair his face. "He just...yuck!"

The man smirked toward Cana.

"Do you disaprove?"

"Very much so!" She hollered back! "Nasty fucker!"

"My apologies, then." He tutted softly. "I'll be back for you soon enough, my dear."

"The hell you will." Naruto snapped, sapphire eyes narrowing as he placed himself in the serpent's stare, walling Cana Alberona off from his lecherous gaze. "Are you forgetting who we are?" He slowly raised his hand, and the heavens wailed in reply. "How about it, Laxus? You're better with these speeches than I am." Beside him, another shadow tossed aside what looked like a pair of headphones.

"We're S-Class, bitch."Laxus snarled, thrusting a hand outward, shifiting the light toward the unamed assailant. "The dobe over there may not look it, but he's every bit as strong as me." The heavens shook a second time as Laxus slowly clenched that hand into a fist. "We're the best of the best, you no good son of a whore!" Naruto mimed the action, increasing the output of his own technique, forcing Cana and Freid to squint against the suddenly offensive glare lest it blind them."Aye, he took the words right outta my mouth. No matter how strong you may be, together, we're stronger."

"Man, it just doesn't sound right when you say it like that!" Laxus complained loudly, with a shudder of his shoulders. "This ain't no happy hour!" The two headbutted, snarling at each other as one of their many arguements began to deteriorate. She glanced at Freid, who only gaped, his expression hidden in the darkness. If not for his hand on her wrist, Cana might not have even seen him there.

"Just like Natsu and Gray except...

...who just so happen to be capable of destroying an entire city when they're angry."

"A-Aye." Cana agreed with Freid's assesment and gave a nervous gulp. "Th-They're exactly alike...

"Will you cut the crap already!" Naruto shouted in a crude voice, as though he were deliberately trying to pick a fight. "I'm just saying he doesn't stand a chance! That is all! Can we move on and be done with this already!"

"We could, if you didn't sound so fucking gay when you talk! Say it with more flair! Something with style! Like: 'C'mere, mother fucker! We'll kick your ass back to hell!' Like that!" Laxus folded his arms defiantly, refusing to budge as Naruto glared sparks at him. "There's no point in winning, if we make assholes out of ourselves! You just don't do that shit, dumbass! That's the way its gotta be!"

Naruto's eye twitched angrily at that one.

"Wha the-Are you kidding me...? This isn't the fucking anime you always listen to, Laxus!"

"How did you know about that!" Laxus glared back at the fuming Dragon. "Eh! Who told you! Was it Evergreen?"

"Nope, but thatlast bit was interesting." Naruto sneered. "You and Ever, huh? Hehehe, I'll be sure to remember it."

"I'll fucking kill you!"

"Kukuku...fools."

Naruto and Laxus abruptly paused, and turned toward their snickering opponent.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." The cloaked man chuckled. "I'm simply enjoying the free show. Though I wonder, whatever happened to that clean victory you were bragging about?"

"I wouldn't say clean, per-se." Laxus grinned, making his intent all too clear, his magic crackled louder than usual. "But yeah, when I'm finished with you, they'll have to scrub the town clean, just to get rid of your smell." They each advanced a step, making it all too clear that the fight was far from over. The red clouded cloak was indeed a menacing sight, as was the expression its owner wore as he suddenly turned toward Naruto, unnerving the slayer with a glare. "Such cruel words, son of Ivan. But your friend hasn't exactly said his peace yet now, has he?" Naruto looked away with a grimace.

"What of you, boy?"The man smiled kindly, if such a face could wear that expresssion. "You've been hiding the bulk of your power from me this entire time. Why not let it out?" Naruto tilted his head, a scowl forming upon his face as he regarded the man. "Doesn't it irk you, to constantly hide your true strength away from the world? From yourself? Come, let it out, hit me with that raw energy lurking just under the surface."

"In a densely populated area, you really want me to cut loose?" Naruto shook his head. "No way. I do that, not only will you have a real fight on your hands, but I'll destroy everything. You wanna fight me at full power, take the fight somehwere else, or I'll make you." He rasied a hand, revealing a second Lightning Cutter within his palm. and shot forward, plunging the blade directly into the man's chest, so suddenly, so forcefully, that a portion o fthe street was actually destroyed from the sheer force of the thrust. Had Freid not been holding her down, the concussive force would have blown Cana clear off the ground. Laxus spared them a glance, his hand shooting out to catch Naruto by the collar when the glond was inexplicably toseed toward him. "Idiot, that doesn't work, remember?"

"Shut up! It did the first time!"

"We can handle him as is." Laxus retorted. "Get ready."

"So you two have been toying with me the entire time? Dear me, this is quite surprising." The man smiled thinly. "My word. I seem to be at an even greater disadvantage than I had originally thought. How could I, a humble sage, ever hope to overcome such terrible pair of adversities? The offer of my surrender still stands, you know. Surely we can negotiate a cease fire?"

"God I hate him!" Laxus was getting into berserk mode again, Freid paled at the sight. "He's...pissing me...OFF!"

"I noticed." Laxus exhaled softly. "Give that windbag some wind, then."

"Tch." Naruto scoffed. "Let go of me and I will!"

"Eh?" Cana blinked as Naruto dropped to all fours, and raised himself up seconds later. "W-Wait! We're right behind you! Idiot! Don't do anything crazy!"

"Check it out, yo." Naruto grinned, slapping both hands together as though he would pray. "Hold down tight, cuz I'm about to unveil my latest and greates technique. It's a real...blast!"

"!"

"Rairyū no Tatsumaki!" (Lightning Dragon tornado) Naruto waved the hand that Cana had thought to hold a Raikiri, but in actuality, attached to that hand, was a massive lightning twister, one that sure as hell hadn't been there before. It was also shaped like a gigantic dragon! Naruto laughed at the noise of surprise Cana made. "I'll blow you away! Have a nice trip!" Waving his hand, directing the elemental beast as a conductor would his musicians, he bid the tornado to sweep the cloaked man up, and carry him off. Without so much as an ourtraged cry, the man was launched into the air, spiraling several miles to the south, and out of sight as the Dragon Twister carried him off. A plume of smoke in the southern plaza pinpointed his current location seconds later, as did the many fires.

"O

"I'm going on ahead, Laxus." Naruto declared, walking back toward the plaza station even as he spoke. "Get Cana to safety."

"Hell no!" Laxus spat, only for Naruto to up his pace to a fast walk. "As if I'd let you steal all the glory!

""I'm not telling you to run." Naruto called, staring straight ahead, as though he expected the shadows to erupt at any moment. "I'm telling you to drop them off and get your ass back here." He waved, descending the steps seconds later. Laxus muttered something and turned towward Cana, who stared back with a slightly gobsmacked

"Move it ALREADY!" Laxus hissed, shoving Cana forward a stunned Freid. "Get her out of here! GO!"

Then he too, rocketed into the clouds.

"We must hurry." Freid swiftly abruptly forswore the way of the gentleman, causing Cana to squeak aloud as he swept her up into his arms. "As it is now, the entire town of Magnolia will become their battlefield." Another explosion to the south confirmed this. "We will not be safe anywhere, but for the Guild. Perhaps not even there. Naruto and Laxus, they, are the 'knowledge' that man is seeking."

"N-N-Nani?" Cana stared with trembling hands, as the three men shot back into the sky, returning to the battle. "N-Nevermind! I don't wanna hear your messed up theory!"

Cana shook her head.

Freid sighed softly.

"Cana, I am beginning to think you are an idiot."

"Huh?"

"You, are among the few individuals that one our most powerful members cherishes more than his own life." Freid raised his hand and pointed toward the sky. "I daresay Uzumaki Naruto would give up that life, if it were to protect you. Naruto, had he been an instant off in either arrival, would not have been able to save you, nor would there be a guild to take you to." Freid bit his lip, a thin line of crimson running down his lip seconds later." They must have thought that they could succeed. What concerns me, however, is that not only were you targeted, but Mirajane was also attacked by the secondary intruder. Why do you think that is? Why were you attacked? The answer is so blatantly obvious, and yet you, are oblivious to it."

Doe brown eyes snapped open.

"Naruto!" The name finally tore through herthroat and emerged as a sob. "Naruto is-

"Likely the true target?" Freid nodded. "Correct. Lisana was attacked as well, but...Natsu was with her at the time, and he did not take kindly to that." He averted his eyes, grimacing towards a rather large scorch mark in the eastern gondola, visible only in the storm when by another explosion of light. Cana swallowed nervously, and allowed herself to be hurried along at a more rapid pace, whilst Freid continued his detailed explanation of the situation. "I am beginning to suspect that they, whoever they were, are targeting the Dragon Slayers. Which means that they may strike again. Also-

"That means-

"Yes." Freid glanced down at a suddenly terrifed Cana. "The one who attacked you, did so knowing that Uzumaki would likely try to stop him." A deafening explosion silenced them, even though it was many a mile to the east and still far off. "And as you can see, he succeeded in angering the man known as Fairy Tail's Raikage. What they did not expect, I think, was for, excuse the pun, Raikage to have befriended Raijin, our most powerful mage. For reasons I do not know, Laxus decided to follow Naruto once he went after Cana, and that, may very well be the deciding factor in this battle." He scowled into the storm for a second time. "That, is the only reason that I am not at his side now, rather than escorting you." Freid remained remained remarkably stoic. "The God of Thunder and the Shadow of Lightning have decided to work together. Do you know what this means? Lightning is the purest form of the storm. In this environment, the two of them are nothing short of invincible."

"But," Cana couldn't bring herself to stand again. "It's my fault. The fake must have come to Naruto's place looking for something, and when he found me there...

"I will not repeat myself, or Laxus." Freid gently rapped Cana across the head, just enough to earn her silence. "This is not your fault. That you desired to learn what was promised to you was entirely natural, given the fact that the fake may have very well been the one to promise you the answers in the first place. In fact, you may have saved the lives of thousands today, just by being what you would call 'selfish', because whatever your actions were in that room, it alerted the original to this foul play So do not reflect upon your faults and wrondoings, Cana. Rather, work to build upon them."

"Is that so?" Cana scowled darkly. "You almost had me for a second there."

"Pardon?"

"You need to stop fussing over Hinata and find yourself a real girlfriend." Cana answered with a deadpanned expression. "Because you've got that whole knight in shining armor routine down pat. I swear, you're even worse than Naruto and that idiot doesn't even know what he's doing half the time!" She glared at the Raijinshuu commander, blatantly clear that she did not approve of his sullen emoish act.

"Erm...yes. Thank you for the compliment." Freid answered hesitantly, off balance. "N-Now,we realy should be-

"Helping Naruto." Cana argued. "And dragging Hinata back with us."

"That concerned for him, are you?" Freid sighed.

"If its him...Cana paled and managed a stiff nod. "Then...yeah."

"Uzumaki won't lose." Freid assured. "Laxus is with him, and I'm certain Hinata won't intervene unless she sees an opportunity. Regardless, I intend to join them once I've taken you home."

"You do?" Cana twitched. "Then, what the hell was with the speech?"

"I have had a change of heart." Freid blushed and looked away. "Is that truly so surprising?"

"Very. But why the hell do I have to go back!"

"Erza." Freid replied, and the word sent a small rush of relief into her. "Has already set out. Natsu is on his way there as well. THAT is why your assistance is not required."

"Na-Natsu?"Cana gulped, remembering how fired up he could get. "Is that...a good idea?"

"Yes." Freid paused at the top of the steps, and stared yearningly into the clouds. "'Titania Erza, and three Dragon Slayers will be fighting side by side with Laxus. They cannot be defeated. My prescence will only bolster their ranks and increase our chances further." Cana blinked, he'd lost her the moment he mentioned three Dragon Slayers. That didn't make any sense. Fairy Tail had two...

"Eh? Three? But there's only Natsu and Naruto. Who are you-

Freid would say no more, for they entered the guild and were greeted by the light.

"I have returned." Freid announced, to the exhausted gazes that fell upon him. He gently shooed Cana toward a battered looking young brunette, her fair skin and mark easily visible amongst a light green skirt and slightly torn blouse. "Evergreen, take care of Cana." Without waiting for her consent, Freid abruptly snatched a new rapier off the bar counter, buckling it tightly into his second belt.

"Freid, you aren't going to-

"I am." The Rune Expert abruptly whirled around. "Cana has made a formal request of me, and as I gentleman, I cannot refuse her. "He paused, glancing over his shoulder. "After all, someone else has to keep Natsu from destroying the town again." He stare meaningfully toward Lisana, who flushed and looked away at the implications. "I'll be off then, if you have no further need of my services...

"Now wait just a second." A pair of strong hands slammed the door behind him, and Elfman braced himself against it. Again, Freid regarded someone as though they were a dust mote. "You've been out there, right? What the hell's happening? And where the hell's Naruto and Laxus?" A defeaning explosion from somewhere outside answered them. "Eh? D-Don't tell me they're in the middle of a...

"War." Freid stated simply. "One that I am about to join."

"I'll go." Elfman delcared suddenly. "You'll need the help."

"Foolish boy." Freid shook his head. "You barely control a partial Takeover and you haven't even attempted a Full Body Takeover yet, Elfman. You'll only slow me down." He earned a few nervous laughs at this , but the tension had undeniably been broken. Brushing Elfman aside, he briefly glanced around the guild."On the off chance that Laxus and Uzumaki return without me, I...apologize."

"Don't spout that crap!" Cana glared at Freid. "I owe you a drink when you come home."

"I would...appreciate that." Freid Justine actually smiled at her offer. "That will be my goal to return to, then."

"G-Good." Cana blushed and glanced away. "So...come back."

"Hehehe, it sounds as though our little Cana prefers a different brand of alcohol, now." Wakaba snickered evilly at the pun, to Cana's swelling blush. "Gosh, they grow up so fast! When did you two get 'addicted' to each otherrrrrrrrgh!" Seconds later, he sailed across the hall, and found his head stuck in the stairs. When Jet and Droy were foolish enough to voice their opininon on the matter, they joined him. Cana glared toward a now snickering Bixlow, but the man was a light on his feet as he was strange, skipping away from the wild punch she threw in his direction.

"Hoho! Looks like you've got fans, Freid!"

"Baka! Don't be saying wierd stuff like that at a time like this! He's just a friend!"

"Hoho, watch out! She's gonna get me!" Bixlow laughed and danced away from the girl's flailing fists as she turned her wrath upon him. "The new guy tastes better, eh? Bettter than that booze you're always chugging down? Oohoo, don't deny it, I can tell! That look says it all!"

"O-Orokana!" Cana shook her head and waved her hands wildly in protest. "W-W-What're you saying! A man that tastes better than alcohol? S-Such a thing doesn't exist!"

"Leave em, be, Cana-chan." A tired voice sighed. "He's just in high spirits from the fight."

"M-Macao!" Cana whirled on the voice, fuming when she saw that its owner sported only a patch over his eye, but was otherwise unharmed, whereas the others were not. "Why aren't you doing anything! You're nearly an S-Class yourself! Get out there with Freid and go help them!" She thrust a finger imposingly toward the door, to which the veteran paled and rapidly gave a negative.

"C-C'mon." Macao weakly rubbbed at his head. "We're taking about Naruto and Laxus for crying out loud! Those two are crazy powerful, right? If they really are working together, kami forbid, their opponent doesn't stand a chance! B-Besides, a an old far like me couldn't do much to help them." He grimaced toward the upper stairwell, which was badly damaged. "Only one who could or would s' gotta be Gildartz and Mystogun, but they're a bit tied up...y'see." When no one answered, he felt the need to elaborate further. "They weren't attacked or anything, guys. They're just not here."

"I know." Freid blanched. "We're running out of options. I'll have to hurry."

"Do you really have to?" Levi cradled a broken arm in a nearby chair, but now glanced toward him. "You're injured too, Freid."

"Course he'll does." Bixlow snickered, sidling up beside Freid. "And I'll make sure he comes home safe and sound, ya?"

"I appreciate it." Freid offered a small smile of thanks. "Can you fight?"

"Who do you think yer talkin' to!" Bixlow cackled madly, one hand touching at the mask. "'Course I can fight! Ain't that right, BABIES!"

His floating dolls each chorused an affirmative.

"That's it!" Gray spat into a nearby corner and leapt back up from the barrel he had been sitting on. "I'm coming with you, too!"

"You will do no such thing, Fullbuster." Freid scowled and thrust out a hand in warning. "This battle is beyond you."

"Then why is Natsu out there!" Gray glared back. "Huh! You were awfully quick to let him follow Erza!"

"Because," Here did Freid Justine smirk, the corner of his lip pulling up ever so slightly as his gaze slid subtly to a dazed Lisana. "Natsu has someone to fight for. You would be surprised by the strength that can give you. You, on the other hand, have no such thing, and while you are indeed strong, I will not risk your safety with your injuries." Before another volunteer could emerge, Freid spoke up again, raising his voice to drown out the initial cries of protest. "Enough! All of you! This enemy is well beyond any of your ability! Bixlow and I are the strongest present at the moment, so we will-

"SHUT UP!"

A loud growl silenced them all.

'Uh-oh.'

"Stay here, all of you." Cana flinched as a sharp voice broke that silence. "Take a nap or something. I'll handle this."

"Eh?"

"Aren't you listening?" Someone abruptly shoved their chair out from a nearby table and stood, her boots clompingloudly. "I said...

'Eeep!'

"Clear that shit out of your ears and go to sleep!" Seconds later Freid, with Bixlow, and soon after them, Gray, joined Wakaba in the wall, out cold and blissfully unconcious. The doors were torn off their hinges not an instant later, each bolt squealing in protest as they were heaved down the stairs. Illuminated in a brief flash of lightning, someone with long, white hair, stalked outside and outside, a pair of black and demonic wings flaring out against the sky as they erupted from her back. "I'm off." She announced loudly, calm on the outside, and a raging tempest within. "Take care of yourselves."

With nary so much as a parting word or a farewell glance, she sprinted down the stairs, and took flight.

Lisana blinked.

"Mira-nee...

Somewhere now miles away, Mirajane snarled.

'Damnit... fucking idiot! I'll kill you, Naruto!'

zzz

(With said idiot/even further away)

"Above!" Naruto roared, whirling to the right as the individual he had dubbed 'Cloak' for lack of a better word, reappeared. "Laxus! MOVE!"

"No way-!"Laxus spun and blocked, only to find Naruto in front of him, barely bringing his staff up in time to stop a slender snake from slicing across his chest. "Oi! I don't need you saving me again, Uzumaki!" Naruto grunted in reply, lashing out and upward with his heel. To Dreyar's amazement, he actually landed a clean hit, the abrupt kick to the chin, launching Cloak head over heels, and more importantly, away from them. Their victory was short lived however, as the man tugged upon the serpent that still gripped Naruto's staff. Naruto glanced down, eyes widening as it uncoiled rapidly.

"Shit."

With a a furious roar, he was jerked toward Cloak, the serpent used as a means to whip Naruto around, and through another building. Thankfully, most of them were unoccupied, their inhabitants having fled the scene the moment their battle reached the Town's outer limits. What was not so fortunate, he realized, upon emerging, was the wickedly sharp piece of glass from a nearby broken window that Cloak seemed to have acquired and intended to use. Holding it out as means by which to impale the approaching blond, the nameless man smirked as his hapless prey rapidly drew closer.

That is, until Laxus loomed up behind him.

"Got you." He grinned, pressing one finger into the man's spine. "I finally found something to call you too...fucking Hebi!"

"Hebiiiiiiiiirgh!" Smoke leaked out of the aptly dubbed Hebi's ears eyes, and nose as a jolt coursed up his spine.

"Now what?" Naruto scowled toward the intact form of their opponent. "I thought we could get him if it was two on one, but...damnit! We can't hit him!"

"Wow, noticed all of that on your own, huh?" Laxus spread his hands, warning the enemy away with multiple threads of lightning. "You want a medal or something?"

"Platinum, preferably." Naruto replied angrily. "Handmade would be better."

"I look like a smith to you?" Laxus snarled. "Dobe?"

"Not really. You look like more of a-Oh no."

"Eh?" Laxus turned, just as Naruto shoved him aside, a knife arcing into what would have been his chest. Instead, it plunged deep into Naruto's arm and remained there, burying itself from the wide edge, up to its plastic hilt. Wincing, the Dragon Slayer swiftly extracted it, but it was clear that the damage had already been done.

"Ahem." Cloak coughed into one fist. "Please, refrain from the foul language, boys."

"Shut up!" Laxus screamed. "I'm sick of your mouth!"

"Thankfully," Cloak chuckled into one hand, "I have yet to grow sick of yours."

"Wu-oh." Naruto took a small step back as Laxus began to twitch. "You really...should not have said that."

"AARGH!" Laxus howled, the last thread to his sanity snapping under the taunt. "Enough! No more! I can't take this guy's bullshit anymore!" With a sharp crrrraaaack, he drove his fists into the street, cracking it with a single blow. "He pisses me off!" Another blow, another crack, as scales began to bulge upon his arms. "I'll kill him!" Cloak stifened, eyes widening at the sudden change that occurred.

"Fairy Law it is, then."

"Eh?" Laxus blinked, his rage abating, the mysterious transformation subsiding. "Did you just say-

"Aye. Naruto abruptly tossed his coat aside, allowing the tattered garment to be swept away in the wind. "We'll have you use Fairy Law one more time, and I'll be the decoy, again."

"Idiot! We already tried that, remember!" Laxus spat at the memory. "I had to jump in and save your ass after ten seconds!"

"How long you need?" Naruto asked quietly. "I can make it... if it's a minute."

"As if. I need at least five minutes this time, and I'll need even longer than that if I have to abort it again."

"..."

"Can you last that long?" Laxus frowned toward a now silent Naruto. "If you're telling me to do that, I won't be able to step in again." This guy had taken them both with little to no effort thus far, two S-Class mages, with utter ease. Now, upon discovering that he was a mere diversion for another, they had been forced to resort to this, most unorthodox of tactics. It was either wipe him out in one fell swoop, or risk the delay and allow his still living partner, some fellow by the name of Sasori, to retrieve whatever object or intelligence they had doubtlessly come here for. Regardless, Laxus knew a losing fight when he saw one, and he was likely sending a good friend to their death. He took no pleasure in the knowledge it brought. Something like this would either make or break his very soul.

Naruto was strong, he begrudgingly acknowledged this. It was the reason they had agreed on an alliance in the first place. But no, the dobe was not that strong. Yet for some reason, whether he truly was holding back himself back or not, he insisted that Fairy Law, not tag teaming would win this battle. All they had done thus far, was get their asses kicked. Now, he suddenly wanted to face this guy alone, this man, who, nearly one hour before, had almost skewered him within ten seconds? No, Laxus hated the dobe with a passion, but he did not want him dead. Alone, Naruto was definitely dead.

'Fucking guilt trip, all of these guys...

"Forget it." Laxus threw his hand out now, barring the path, as Naruto slowly looked up and stepped forward. "We'll just have to get past him somehow."

"Eeeeh?" Naruto glanced over his shoulder suddenly, and showed Laxus the very face he so very hated. "What's with the face? I ain't a weakling, baka yarō." Laxus nearly said To hell with this and took a swipe at the blond right then and there for that one. It was the Dragon Slayer's next words however, that stayed his hand. That, and the chuckle he gave was slightly more than...unnerving.

"Eh...you sure you wanna do this?" Laxus hastily aveted his gaze, backing down for the first time in his life. "It ain't my fault if you get killed, buddy."

Naruto smiled, and it was the coldest, most inhuman expression Laxus had ever seen.

"I have to." He grinned, his features shifting, molding, as lightning surged in and out of his body. "He's going to kill us." Naruto eyed the red clouded cloak with dread, and even more so the man who wore it. "I haven't felt any magical energy like this before, and to tell you the truth, I don't think we can beat this guy by ourselves, even if we do go all out." He shrugged, buckling on Lisana's cape, tying it tightly down. Abruptly, the stormy sky began to rumble, as though a thousand horses were racing through its dark horizon, over the skies of Magnolia Town. "Still, I can buy some time, Laxus."

Naruto raised his hands, palms up, to the sky, and closed his eyes.

When they snapped open, there was nothing but pure and holy light radiating from within them. An impossibly

"With this technique."

With a soft sigh, the heavens released their bounty, and it continued to rain. Thick, freezing droplets spattered about the town, drenching the pair again within seconds, chilling them to the bone. Yet they stood stone still, even as a curtain of rain blocked their opponent from sight. Silently, Naruto raised a hand to his face, his thumb jutting outward prominently. Without hesitation, he bit down on the digit, allowing the blood to flow down his fingers, and leak into his palm. A dull rumble answered this sudden action, and sparks began to fly out of his body as he removed his hand from his mouth.

"The magic that only I, the great Raikage-sama, can utilize. Behold!"

The blood in his plam flashed a pure, transluscent white gold. Seconds later, it lurched as though it were alive, wrapping Naruto from head to toe in a shining fabric of such intense light, that even silent attacker looked on with intense intrigue. Before either could comment on the spectacle, the coffin of fabric disintegrated from knees up, leaving Naruto's bare thighs and feet wrapped in the strange material as it withered away into fading embers and vanished altogether. With a small sigh, his head escaped into the air, exposing silver irises and long, smooth skin was a bit more tahn than before, bordeering on brozne. A refined body that spoke of years of in the outdoors, and a face that possibly chiseled from stone, such was his expression. Most importantly from his back, sprouted...

Wings. The kind of wings iwith a six foot wingspan, that you only saw in a painting of the angels.

"There." He sighed, his voice reverbrating slightly. "Are you satisfied?"

"The fuck is that?"

"The magic I was born with." Naruto sighed in a slightly deeper tone, echoing in on itself. "Why do you ask?"

"Give me a name." Laxus argued. "Damnit."

"Raizen."(Risen) Naruto declared solemnly, gazing at a glowing palm. "This is my full power, and ascended state. It won't last long. Make it count, Laxus." Naruto stared straight ahead, calm, despite the wild and unruly element raging around him. "I'm going to go all out now, and you know, it would really suck if I died for nothing. So do what you have to do, and I'll do mine. Get me?" He slowly reached for the staff, which was the only aspect of his new form that had not changed. "Don't come running in if you see me in trouble. Do not break your stance, even for a moment. If I call for you, stay still. If I'm about to die, you stay the fuck put, Laxus. Finish that Fairy Law, no matter what I say or scream or shout. If you don't, and really, I hate to be the downer here, we are fucking dead."

"As if I'd stop just to keep you alive...Laxus muttered. "Gods, you piss me off."

With a dull thunk, his victim flew back out, comically skidding to a halt on his back, and at the feet of Laxus. A white whip of energy coiled around his neckk, violently jerking him into the air, and slamming him to the ground just as quickly.

"See you on the other side."

"Don't get yourself killed, dobe." Dreyar's grin bordered on mirthful and sadistic. "I'll have to buy another punching bag."

"Wow, thanks for the encouragement." Naruo deadpanned, his expression oddly similar to that of a fox, despite the transformation. "I'm definitely going to win with that inspiration."

"Oi," Now it was Laxus who placed one hand upon Naruto's shoulder. "Seriously. Don't fuck up. I won't be able to save your ass time if you get caught."

"Careful?" Naruto laughed coldly. "But Laxus, that isn't entertaining at ALL!"

The rain was deafening when Naruto spoke again.

"If I don't make it..."

"Un?"

"Tell Mirajane I...ah fuck it." Naruto shook his head and shrugged when the words failed him. "Don't tell her anything. I'm just no good with any of this... shit!"

(Fairy Tail OST vol. 2 - 28 Tokihanatareshi Chikara)

Just as he finished, Naruto lobbed an obscenely large blast of magic energy towards their assailant. Slamming into the dusty earth beneath his feet, they ignited a series of small explosions, kicking up smoke and flame. Surveying his handiwork, Naruto glanced at Laxus one last time, nodded his thanks, and bolted, racing into the noxious fumes with a mighty war cry befitting that of a grand warrior.

"Here I come!"

Hebi suddenly flew through the air, as Naruto's staff shrank back to its normal size. Laxus blinked, surprised by the sudden feat, but before he could think to inquire further, Naruto slammed his weapon into the ground and muttered something. Crazy bastard. The Dobe was unpredictable, that was all his card said, and now, Laxus could understand why. Playing the fool to find an opening. Striking when least expected, and generally being hated/loved by the entire populace. This was the way of only one mage, the idiot who called himself the Raikage, The Lightning Shadow of Fairy Tail.

Brilliant.

Naruto surged forward, the lightning moving in his hands, out of his palms, before he'd even taken the second step. Behind him, Laxus continued to gather magical power, funneling it into his hands. A blindingly bright glow issued forth from his palms, casting multiple shadows upon the streets and walls, sweeping aside the smoke as though a giant hand had pulled aside the veil. Hebi grinned into the smoke, and spat out an enormous roiling mass of what looked like snakes, all of which rushed toward Naruto as one massive, writhing column of flesh. Such an action would have made Naruto retch, were the situation not so dire. Instead, he inhaled, drawing a massive amount of magic into his lungs, as well as a good deal of the lightning that raged overhead. The magic raged, surged...

"What?" Hebi frowned at the sight.

"Rairyū no...Hōkō!" Naruto roared, skidding to an abrupt halt, spewing a massive, concentrated beam of light into the sawm. "And," With his free hand, Naruto gripped the iron clasp of his holster, throwing it, staff and all, into the air. "Rairyū no...dai kōzui!"As the staff spun wildly toward the snakes, Naruto declared the name, and hurled the Halberd forward, into the blaze. The moment the surge of light met the rod of steel, it birthed an explosion that could only be described as a small nucelear warhead, gouging out a large section of the approaching wave, consuming each, and the rest of them in turn. It was as if he'd used his own power to direct the explosion, but as the smoke cleared, there was not a trace to be found of either, save for the incessant thunder and lightning overhead.

And the hissing behind his back.

"I believe you miscalculated." Hebi noted, indicating another such wave that loomed over the boy. His vague smiled faded into a frown as Naruto lowered a now empty arm, sending an indiscernible white blur hurtling into the heavens above. "Hmm? What are you doing?" Naruto only smiled as the clouds crackled a bit too brightly, with a sudden lack of thunder that was eerily disturbing now.

"Byakurai!"

"Oh, dear."

With a deadly riar, for which it was so well known, Lightning descended from on high. With a deafening roar,white light blasted downwards and plowed into the serpents, sweeping through them and into the perplexed magician below as one, shredding his body to the point where it appeared to disintegrate outright, as did his creatures. Sand blew up and out, blanketing the surrounding structures and the sole spectator that looked on in awe and disbelief. Hundreds upon hundreds of blackened husks rained down from the sky, now little more than charred charcoal.

"What was that about miscalculatin', huh! No good- oh yuck."

Naruto raised his hand once again, now to remove one of the dead creatures that fell on his shoulder. It was limp, tiny little thing, but the moment his hand brushed it, the blackened husk jerked back to life with an angry hiss. Naruto blinked, startled by this sudden reanimation, but before he could swat it away, the little serpent hissed with satisfaction, and sank its fangs deep into his shoulder.

"Hsssssssssss!"

"Uurgh!"Naruto blanched, stunned to realize that thse things actually were snakes, then angered as a burning pain erupted in his neck. "Fucking damned nasty snake!" Crushing the viper in his hand, Naruto squeezed until he felt its feeble heart burst from the strain and beat no more. Scowling at the bothersome viper, he tossed it away to join its brethren. His shoulder burned from the pain the motion induced, and was irritating at best. But aside from the twinge of anger he felt, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. He'd have to ignore it for the moment, and hope that it was not deadly.

"Hey, Laxus-

Turning back toward the crater, Naruto was greeted by an unnaturally bright aura.

"Did you get him?" Laxus called, his hands trembling as the struggled to contain the massive flare that would eventually become Fairy Law. Sweat beaded down his face. "I can't see anything in this godamned smoke!" Naruto frowned as a small tremor shook their feet, only to fade away seconds later. Laxus hadn't been kidding. Even Hebi would die if he got hit by that much compressed magic.

"I don't think so." Naruto glanced at the crater, from which black smog continued to pour. "He's probably moving underground." One Byakurai would have done the job, but two were just plain overkill, this he knew, and yet, their enemy still lived, his presence hidden and unable to be located. Naruto's gaze slid to the left, the right, and then the left again. Damn. It was nearly impossible to suppress your own magical energy, and this guy had tons of it, so where on earth was he hiding, now? A strange feeling of dread began to coil inside his heart, shortening his breath ever so slightly.

"Oi, Laxus. Give me a charge, just in case."

"Fucker!" Laxus spat, a sudden burst of steam rising from his shoulders. "I'm using all of my magic for Fairy Law!" Naruto scowled at his fellow blond, refusing to budge as his rival glared at him over the holy light. In another ten seconds, Fairy Law would be ready, and once it was, this little partnership would be over, until their tournament began. Still, did Laxus always have to be such a dick?

"Well if you want to be that way, then fine!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"Byakuraishō!"

"Eh?"

Naruto slid a centimeter to the right, just as Laxus shoved all the energy he had been collecting into his fist, and into Fairy Law, forward. With an exasperated hiss, a hideously distorted face, whose fangs had been about to clamp down upon Naruto's neck, now crumpled around the sparkling white blow and was launched backward. A long, spindly neck followed after it, retreating into the earth with a wet, sucking, slurping pop and disappearing. That strange echo continued, long after the earth closed up behind the abomination's head. Laxus's gaze slid to the right, and he rounded on an empty patch of dirt, his hand closing around the creature's face when it emerged a second time, just beneath their feet. Naruto blinked, startled, surprised, and very much grossed out as he felt the saliva on his neck and realized he had nearly become that thing's dinner. Impossibly, a sword exploded from the beast's mouth, piercing the hand of Laxus cleanly, stretching, no it was extending, taking some of Laxus's cheek with it as he jerked his head away and let it slam into the street. Wincing in pain, Dreyar tightened his grip, grimacing when it hissed and spat under him, determined to be free.

"Subarashi!" The Hebi beneath Laxus's hand cackled madly. "Such marvelous-

"DIE GODAMNIT!" He roared, the whites of his eyes widening, irises disappearing under the intense anger. "Shinsei no Inazuma!" (Divinity's Lightning) With a thunderous roar, he drove the magic of thousands upon thousands of golden thunderbolts, into the creature's gaping maw. Plowing the energy down into the monster's gullet, and the body that he likely he hidden away beneath them. The blast surged into the earth, forcefully bulging it outward beneath them, toward them, forcing both Laxus and Naruto to skip backward as the entire street exploded around them and was consumed in the blast radius. Outrunning the explosion proved to be the easy part, seeing through the noxious cloud of smoke and fumes that now enveloped several city blocks, was not as simple for our sad duo.

"Fuck." Naruto breathed at last, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp expletive. "Sorry, Laxus. I didn't see him."

Laxus, who had read and reread the scenario in his head, a half dozen times, had nothing to say. Throughout the battle, while wondering about what the mysterious man was after, he had imagined any number of horrible scenarios. Now, his worst fears had been realized. They were pawns in some kind of experiment.They were being toyed with, poked and prodded by a superior opponent, their abilities being assessed and gauged before each and every attack. Worse yet, their captor was SS-Class at least, and apparently, planning to torment them until his blood lust was sated. They couldn't win without Fairy Law. The Fairy Law that he'd just wasted, saving Naruto's life. He'd lost more than half his magical power in that attack, and he strongly suspected that it hadn't been enough, either.

There was nothing they could do.

"Chikushō...

"Look, I'm sorry!"

"Chikushō!" With an angry roar, Laxus slammed his hand into the nearby wall, utterly pulverizing it in the rain. "Naruto, you fucking idiot! We nearly had him that time! You fucking blew it!"

One second! One more fucking second, and it would have been over! He'd wasted his chance, their only chance! Now, as he felt the first tremor beneath his feet, despair filled Makarov's grandson for the first time in ten years, and he was afraid. Impossible, he thought, as their quarry burst out of the ground no less than a stone's throw away from them, long neck thrashing wildly about, his body still very much intact. How could anyone, how could anything be alive after that! It wasn't possible! And yet, it was, as the wizard dusted himself off, and swallowed the sword into his gullet once more.

""Think you can do that again?" Naruto whispered, sliding back a step so they were side to side. "Your Fairy Law?"

"Not for another ten minutes." Laxus snarled, raising one hand warily. "We're not gonna last that long, dobe."

"Hey, I said I was sorry!"

"Tell it to my corpse!"

"Not bad, boy." With a slithering hiss, Hebi resumed his original shape, neck retracting, popping into its socket, revealing a perfectly clean and handsome visage. "You're faster than your friend, aren't you? He wasn't even aware of my presence, yet you knew where I would strike, before I did." Keen, serpentine eyes regarded a brooding Laxus, who returned the stare tenfold. "Tell me, how did you do that? How did you know where I would appear, before the thought had even entered my mind? Is it some latent ability that you've been keeping under wraps, hmm? Or perhaps something else?"

"Intuition." Laxus snarled, his left foot sliding back half a step. "Besides, you weren't exactly quiet down there, teme. I could hear your heartbeat for miles around." Hebi frowned, the amusement wiped clean off his face in the light of this supreme arrogance. He glanced warningly at Naruto, who had shifted forward when he wasn't looking. Then, with a slow smile, his gaze fixed upon Laxus.

"Hmmm. I think I've changed my mind." Hebi stated suddenly. "I'd much rather fight you... son of Ivan Dreyar."

!

A vicious explosion swallowed everything the very second Laxus brought his fist to the ground. It appeared to many that the earth was crushed underneath it. A dust cloud erupted from where his fist forced its way into the gravel, and bits of rubble from Fairy Avenue were kicked up and sent away from the impact site; Confused voices soon made their way through the clearing smoke, hacking and coughing as they emerged from the windows of the nearby dorms, demanding to know what had just happened. The ruin that greeted them was more than enough to both answer and silence all.

"Uwah! Naruto and Laxus are at it again! Run away!"

The townspeople likely thought this was just another one of Fairy Tail's "firework's fights."

How wrong they were.

zzz

"Fuck!" A sudden gust of wind yanked Mirajane's skirt upwards, but before she could shove it back down, another violent gale blew clear off her feet, down the street, and into a nearby warehouse. Said warehouse just so happened to be a storage area for fruit and other varying food-stuffs. Spitting out a chunk of watermelon, the demon mage struggled and slipped around the messy entrails of what had once been fresh fruit and takoyaki. Muttering incessant curses, she stalked backk out into the rain, shivering as the frozen pellets pelted her skin in what Erza called her 'barely acceptable' outfit. Still, even the rain could not wash away the thick stench that rose up to greet her nostrils. Mirajane turned green upon recognizing it, and swiftly stuck her head into a nearby barrel to puke.

"Damn," She snifled. "Great, now I taste fish and I smell like fish." Mirajane rubbed at her sore bottom as she struggled to find her footing. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a brief flicker of momevement, darting across the rooftops at a much swifter pace then Mira could maintain or afford. In the town square, she even though it was still a good distance away, she could hear laughter.

"What the hell is going on over there?"

zzz

"YOU MOTHER FUCKER!"

Laxus had prided himself on keeping his temperamental outbursts contained during the past few days. He'd apologized to Gray for his sudden outburst, and of course, for nearly killing him. He'd tried not to beat Natsu so quickly whenever he'd gotten the idea to pick a fight. He had even been able to swallow his pride and actually ask for help! However, the old insult that Hebi had shot his way seemed to snap something inside him, his pent-up pride swelling like a riverbed after the breaking of a dam. With a feral snarl, Laxus launched himself forward and swung a hand down into his opponent's visage, causing the magician's eyes to widen under the shower of sparks. Grinning, the son of Makarov gripped Hebi tighter, fingers clenching around pale skin, laughing as he struggled.

"Laxus!"

"Raihamon! (Lightning Ripple)." Laxus declared snarkily, ignoring Naruto's dismayed cry. "Enjoy it, fuckface!"

"Nygaaaaah!"

"Doesn't feel too god now, does it! DOES IT?"Hebi's scream of raw agony was answer enough, and Laxus grinned in delight. "Didn't think so! Its your own fault for pissing off the great Dreyar!" Laxus cackled as he continued to drive the ten million volt charge deeper and deeper into his victim's brain, gouging out the eyes as he pressed into the brain. All he could think of was killing this evil man.

And as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped.

The writhing creature in the hands of Laxus Dreyar had begun to melt, the features of his face oozing into a thick, brackish substance that negated the lightning. It seeped through his fingers, denying him purchase and the satisfaction that came with victory. He could only stare as the sludge slipped away from him, forming a thick and soppy puddle at his feet. It bubbled once more, then lay still.

'What the... hell?'

"So that's...Earth Magic?" Naruto frowned as the fake Hebi crumpled to the ground in a gooey, earthen heap beneath them. "He made a duplicate out of mud and replaced himself with it? Smart!"

"Such a terrifying expression." Hebi emerged from the earth not a foot behind Naruto, his arms spread invitingly as the Dragon Slayer wheeled about to strike at him. "Such a temper! It's a good thing I sent in that replication." Naruto stumbled, his staff striking empty air as the man reappeared behind Laxus, the S-class mage throwing himself back as well, although no attack was made. "Have I struck a nerve now, Laxus? It would seem so." Hebi laughed aloud as Laxus leapt away with a choking sound."Truly, the Council was right to fear your grandfather. You have the same expression he had when we first met, all those years ago."If Laxus's angry snarl was anything to go by, then his memory of the event was either too dim to recall, or it was very, very unpleasant. It was the former.

"I take it you know this wacko?"

"Yeah...I remember him." Laxus made a sour face. "Barely. His name sure as hell ain't Hebi, though he prefers to be called that. He used to be an aide to some big wig, or something. You'd have to ask gramps about that part." Naruto continued to stare at Laxus expectantly. waiting for further answers. Laxus sullenly stared back, refusing to divluge them.

"Soooo...you got a real name for me, or what?"

"Yes, I think I do." The impostor smiled, answering the question before Laxus could speak. "But you see, I'm too wrapped up in all of this to remember. Ah, such nostalgia!" 'Hebi' laughed, eyeing the two blonde's and whispering death to them as a predator would their prey. "You've brought up many an old memory for me, little ones. I thank you. It's been such a long time since I've thought of it."

"Huh." Naruto frowned. "So you're from the council, then?"

"No, no, no." Hebi wagged a finger, his face puckering humorously as if he'd tasted a lemon. "My dear boy, I would never associate myself with those incompetent buffooons. Do you know that they want you executed, my dear boy? Hmm...the look in your eyes tells me that you either knew nothing of it, or you did,and it does not bother you. Such a pity, wouldn't you agree? How they decide who lives, and who dies." 'Hebi' began to strut about suddenly, as though he were giving a lecture, actually daring to fold both hands behind his back. "Fools, the lot of them. They sit up in their grand little castle, meting out justice and deciding the line between right and wrong as they see fit, and when we dare to voice our opinion!" He spared a glance to make sure his impromptu audience was giving him their full attention."They cry Dark Guild and send their lackeys to wipe us out. My guild, the one I founded, was nearly such a victim. Tell me, does that sound at all fair to you? I should think not."

"You?" Naruto and Laxus looked as though they might burst out laughing, despite themselves and the situation. It was only with a supreme effort that they did not laugh at the absurdity of it all, of a man like this, this creepy makeup wearing freak, who spoke in riddles and distorted perversion. The somewhat frustrated glare he was giving them only made matters worse, but somehow they did.

"Is it so odd that a humble fellow like myself would be a guild master?" Hebi sulked, and the expression did not seem to be altogther...well, it just didn't seem to fit on a face like that. "You'd fit right in there, Naruto-kun. I'm sure everyone would love to meet you." Naruto's expression remained dubious. "Uh-huh. Bunch of old farts and creepy pervs like yoruself. Sorry, I'll have to pass on your offer."

"Kukuku...Hebi tittered, as though he found something incredibly funny. "You would be...surprised if you came with me. My guild has quite few lovely young ladies that are more than capable of rivaling Fairy Tail's 'Demon' Mirajane and 'Titania' Erza. Naruto arched an eyebrow, but a slap on the wrist from Laxus silenced him. "So you claim. I haven't heard of them, and I don't particularly care, either."

"Very well." Hebi shrugged, the way you might expect a frustrated parent to, and for a moment, Naruto was nearly pulled in by the deception. "Still, I'm certain Kin-chan and Tayuya-chan would be thrilled to see someone their age again. Poor things, they've been so... lonely as of late." Producing a card from thin air, Hebi abruptly flicked the item toward Naruto, who swiftly caught it in his fist. "

"What's this?"

"A souvenir." Hebi stated as Naruto stared down at what appeared to a simple squre of black paper, rimmed by a white outline. "Oh don't worry, it is merely a harmless card. A strange old man I may be, but I have no intention of killing two future recruits. Oh, this?" He glanced down at the cloak they were frowning at. "Well...I could explain but I'd rather not. You'll know what this is...soon enough."

"Suuuuuure."Naruto snorted, still smiling derisively as he jammed the card in his pocket to burn later. "How many members do you have? Five? Because you're starting to bore me."

"Hundred." Hebi smirked. "Five hundred able bodied mages, most of which, are A-Class and higher. Can you claim to have that many here in Fairy Tail?"

"That's a lot." Naruto nodded. Ain't it?" Naruto and Laxus exchanged a glance. "A fucking lot." Laxus seconded. "We have that many, don't we?"They burst out laughing. The exact number of Fairy Tail mages was a closely guarded secret, and there was no way in hell that they were telling them they only hand a hundred or so! Instead, they laughed, both nervously, and to distract each other.

'Shit.' They thought as one. 'That IS a lot.'

"Anyway, the Magic Council is a piece of shit. Finally, something we all agree on." Naruto smiled ruefully. "And here I was beginning to think that we'd just end up killing one another like wild animals."

"Such a cheeky lad." Hebi smiled softly. "You would have flourished under my tutelage. Actually, It's not too late. If you agree to come with me, I can spare your precious home from this needless destruction." Naruto arched an eyebrow, gaze narrowing as it slid across the rubble and the destroyed homes. Fixating upon a plume of black smoke rising to the east, dangerously close to the guild.

"I'm inclined to disagree." Naruto did not fight down the flare of anger that raged inside his chest when he remembered Cana's broken arm. Nay, he welcomed it, and the brief power surge that it brought to his weary body. "I'd already decided to kill you the instant you attacked Fairy Tail-no, the moment you laid a hand upon Cana, you became my enemy. Laxus, and me, we'll stop you."

"As you wish." Hebi shrugged with a dauntless smile. "You will come to me soon enough, Naruto-kun."

"Why would I do that?" Naruto registered movement in the corner of his eye."I'm quite content with my place in the world. Besides, you have nothing to offer me."

"Oh, but I have a great deal to offer you." Hebi argued, his voice growing more and more passionate with every syllable. "I do not speak of mere magic, but much, much more. You will see, Naruto-kun, in due time. Now, come! The both of you! I wish to see the strength that the old generation and this new age has to offer me!" He raised a hand and beckoned. "Show me the might of the Dragons!"

Laxus hollered and threw himself forward seconds later.

"I'll show you strength, you piece of fucking shit!"

"Do not interrupt us, boy!" Hebi whirled, his hand striking out. "We are preoccupied at the moment!" With a dull crunch, Laxus crashed into the street, eyes wide, and disbelieving, as not the cloaked assailant, but Naruto lowered a smoking fist. Both mages stared at one another, one with surprise, the other, with cold and clear intent as he stalked toward his fellow blond against the heavy rain.

"Kukuku...Hebi shrugged helplessly at the expectant expressions. "T'was not I."

"Look, I'm all for kicking his ass, but have a sense of style, man!" Naruto sighed as Laxus tried to get up. "You need more oomph in your lunge, y'know?"

"You're the one who gave the signal!"

"Aye!" Naruto grinned miming a Happy expression and tone. "But you didn't do it right! Bleh!"

"Uzumaki...Dreyar rubbed at his bruised jaw, a cold expression in his eye looing as though he might actually turn on his partner this time. "I'm gonna kill you once we finish this guy."

"That so?" Naruto sneered, offering his hand. "Well, we shouldn't waste our time, then."

"Heh." Laxus squeezed harder than necessary as he was hoisted up. "I'll kick your ass to the moon when this is over."

"Cool." Naruto grinned, sapphire blue eyes melting into slitted vermillion as he spoke. "I've always wondered what it's like up there."

"Dumbass." Laxus spat, his voice crude and angry. "You tryin' ta pick a fight?"

"Idiot." Naruto replied a bit too sharply. "I don't associate myself with weaklings."

"Kono yarō." Laxus inched forward, lips pulling back into a snarl. "Watch your words."

"Baka yarō." Naruto slid a centimeter to the north, eyes narrowing venemously. "Hold your tongue."

"Dobe!" Laxus growled, headbutting his rival, sparks flying between them as they glared at one another. "You think you're better than me, don't you!"

"Ahō." Naruto hissed, his fangs gnashing together. "I know I'm better than you, there's no need to think about it!"

"Lovely," Hebi watched them bicker with thinly veiled amusement. "Dinner and a show."

"TEME!" The two mages snarled in perfect synch with one another, looking as though they were about to come to blows at last. "You're dead to me!"

What they did next was nothing short of incredible.

"AND SO ARE YOU!"

With this declaration, Naruto and Laxus inexplicably rounded on Hebi. A deadly glow filled his eyes, as both blonde's revealed two crackling bolts of pure magic, one for each hand. Naruto's were more of a raging azure, the twin chirping bolts held by Laxus, a light orphan blue, and emitting a wild chirping sound, as though thousand birds had taken flight and begun crying to one another. Regardless of their shape and texture, the two moved in perfect unison, sweeping under, thrusting their signature technqiue, designed for the sole purpose of taking life, deep into the stomach of their opponent.

"Raikiri/Chidori!"

zzzz

"Again!" Mirajane gripped a nearby wall for support as the street exploded not a block away. "They're crazy! Both of them!" Seconds later, Fairy Avenue went with it, forcing her to dive for cover as the flames licked at her heels and singed her toes. "What the hell are they doing over there!" Another explosion answered her, and she blinked against the dust and dirt that stung at her eyes. Crying out, she leaped, a pair of wing emerging from her back and carrying her away from the roiling inferno, and to safety. As the smoke swoftly lifted, she found herself staring at a massive trench that stretched across the town square and ended just below her current position. Embracing her Satan Soul, Mirajane hovered over the remains of what had once been bust street during the day, filled with shops.

Well, at least they had enough sense to get the damned bastard away from the town.

Now, Mirajane stared at a massive trench, as though something had just plowed through the street and devoured everything in its path. She was rewarded with a brief flicker of motion and then, with another explosion of azure light, the two figures rammed into the cloaked figure and drove him further south, toward the town limits. She dare not fly towards them, there was just too much thunder up there, and at this height, she was a veritable lightning rod. Plus, the rain continued to fall, dimming her vision and providing a thick curtain to cover their movements, and blunder her own. Damnit.

"Damnit, since when does his Raikiri do that? Whatever, I hope he didn't miss this time."

With an angry swear, Mirajane folded her wings and began the long chase after them.

...On foot.

zzz

(Miles away, on foot)

Two exhausted blond boys glared into the gaping hole in a nearby motel. Black smoked oozed from the aritificual wound, only to be swept away with the fire as the rain intensifed. They had long since passed the Town limits, driving their enemy down toward the outer walls of the town, and now, they were on the verge of forcing a retreat altogether. Assuming they hadn't killed him, of course.

"Got em." Laxus smirked, the energy vanishing from his palms. "By the way dobe, when the hell did you learn that move? It looked a hella lot like my Chidori." Naruto glanced aside, the twin Raikiri still snarling and spitting from his palms, reluctantly dying seconds later as he now opened his badly burned fists. "Raikiri?" he snorted. "Before you created yours, I can promise you that. After all Raikiri's ten times better than that little spark you call Chidori." Laxus scowled at the remark and was about to refute it, but Naruto began to laugh, content that they had finally put down the persistent mage.

"Whew, I feel like someone stuck my brain in a blender."

"I feel like Gildartz just tap danced on my face." Laxus replied, grinning as Naruto paled. "Yeah, he's that strong. You'll find out once we fight him-

"Fuck." Naruto spat, and Laxus suddenly saw where he was looking. "That can't be possible." Amidst the rubble, stood a very much intact Hebi, his cloak sporting a series of holes from where the spell had made contact, but aside from a few receding burn marks, he was still among the world of the living. Smiling, he walked toward them, a content look in his eyes. No! After all that, he was still alive!

"Not bad,"His voice rang out from the wreckage, dispelling the mood and all of Laxus's hopes at a premature victory. "But not good enough either. Laxus just didn't have all that much power behind his spell, so it was easy enough for me to nudge it away from my vitals. From there, it was simple to absorb Naruto-kun's energy and heal my injuries. These techniques are nothing, students of Hatake."

Naruto frowned, eyes widening at the realization.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei taught that to you?"

"Maybe." Laxus muttered. "What's it to you? You know the guy?"

Naruto winced as the itching in his shoulder intensified.

'Damnit...its starting to burn...gotta be poison.'

"Nothing." He finally relented. "We need to figure out how he keeps negating my attacks."

"Hardly." Hebi shook his head in a way that said he was telling the truth, but knew more than he was letting on. "Attack me again, if you don't believe me."

"Fucking asshole!" Laxus snarled, his body assuming a pale golden glow as lightning began to leak from his hands. "We tore right through his stomach! I felt it! Damn it all!"

"No point in bawling about it." Naruto staggered to his feet, weakly groping for his staff as soft laughter echoed across the plaza. "Here he comes again. You got enough energy left?"

"Not as much as I'd like." Laxus groaned, taking a defensive stance. "Hate to say it, but I'm fucking tired. You got any tricks left?"

"I have three aces left that might not kill me." Naruto muttered to the disbelieving snort. "You won't like any of them, though."

"Better than nothing." Laxus winced as he stepped forward but two steps. "I'll take point, just hurry up and pull them out."

"Sure thin-

"Incoming!"

(Music change Naruto ost Kakuzu)

Laxus's preemptive defense proved to be a prudent decision as Hebi burst forward out of the smoke and attempted to plunge his hand into Naruto's gut. Laxus immediately swung down with his right hand and blocked the strike, causing Hebi's palm to miss Naruto completely as his arm was violently jerked aside. The magician quickly countered with his other fist, gripping Laxus's throat tightly with pale fingers and drawing him off the ground. Hebi's leg rocketed skyward then, the heel of his right foot catching Naruto square in the jaw before he could aid his comrade. The Dragon Slayer flipped backwards as his teeth clamped down on his tongue, the fleshy muscle in his mouth tearing as his head snapped backwards and dark blood splattered out from his lips. Laxus snarled at all of this, thunder exploding from his hands as they swooped down upon a smirking Hebi, slamming into his unproteced ears. With a pained cry, the mage staggered back, clutching at his skull, writhing in abject misery and agony. Laxus took advantage of this momentary laspe and kicked out against the wizard's chest, momentarily stunning him and buying the blond time to escape from the chokehold. Alas, the terrain betrayed him, and he lost his footing amongst the flooded street, for just a moment, landing awkwardly on his hand. A jolt of pain arced up his shoulder, exploding in his arm like shrapnel.

"Nnrgh!"

That moment of rest he took nearly killed him.

"Impudent pup!"

"Get your ass up, dobe!" He whirled around as an enraged Hebi descended upon him, seizing his hair in an effort to shove Dreyar's head under the water. The only reward Hebi received for his efforts was ten thousand volts of pure fury, into every inch of his very much soaked boy. Laxus received every bit of his own attack in response, the water working against his usual immunity to the elements. Stunned, both of the now smoking mages fell back in a heap, collapsing into the ever rising water-line, smoking and burning as the water put the fires out. Laxus groaned weakly as the sparks crackled over his body. So this was what it felt like to get hit by lightning. It fucking hurt, even more so as he sat back up, and found Hebi already rising to his feet. Naruto ate this stuff? Fucking nasty bullshit!

"Get up right now, or I'll fucking tell Mira about that!"Laxus gasped, more so from the exhaustion, then actual desperation. "Don't think I won't, Uzumaki!" Whatever that was, it was enough to get Naruto, face down in the water, moving again. With a sharp and angry gasp, he slapped both hands against the street, spewing out a gallon of water, then greedily inhaling a lungful of air.

"BASTARD! Don't you fucking dare!"

"Then get your ass over here!"

Naruto quickly flipped himself off of the asphalt, his exposed torso now marred with fresh scrapes and burns as he ran towards his beleagured rival. He leapt up and planted both feet flat against the brick building, his left hand reaching down to grip air, summoning light into his palm. Seconds later, he held up a hand, wildly swirling with gold that lit the side of the structure. He suddenly leapt backwards, pulling away from the wall as he swung his fist outwards. The Dragon arced through the air, connecting with Hebi's skull at the precise moment that he drifted out of the smoke below...

And froze.

"So, what was that about us being bad students?" Laxus had arched his back, left hand shining with saffron light, the other, restraining Hebi's wrist as he attempted to retreat. Naruto skidded to a halt beside him, bare feet sliding across the rain soaked stones as he came to a stop. "That lazy old man taught me more than just a few flashy moves and one liners, y'know. What about you, dobe?"

"Che." Naruto grinned as Hebi glanced from Laxus, to him, and realized what was about to happen. "He wanted to see our strength, didn't he? Well, the woman I trained under, also taught me a little trick, and she had a saying. Always go for the sucker bet. She said. Fighting someone like this guy is definitely a sucker bet, but you know, I am the student of The Legendary Sucker after all. Lets go."

"Again with the speeches?" Laxus sighed. "Where's that sense of style?"

"I'm about to ram it up this guy's ass." Naruto clenched his fist, summoning an inhuman amount of magic into his clenched fist."You can have it back when he pukes it out."

"Fair enough." Laxus cocked his arm back in reply. "This punch will determine who had the better sensei."

"We both know who that is." Laxus nodded. "Don't we?"

"Of course we do." Naruto's body abruptly exploded back into its Raizen form. "There was never any doubt."

"Mine." They spoke in unision and struck as one. "Is the best!

"!"

"Raika Hōken/Rairyū no Tekken!"

Hebi blinked in surprise as several dozen blows crashed into his face/stomach, ploughing him into the ground and across the town. As he skidded to a halt, two intangible blurs of golden light appeared before him, revealing themselves to be both Naruto and Laxus. A punch unlike any other, the next combined attack was nothing short of god-like, for the twin devastating right hook crumpled around Hebi's face and sent him hurtling across the street, through the girl's dormitory, and another series of buildings before he could be seen again, skimming across a roof as a third combined strike hurtled his frail form back to the earth. Limp, and likely unconscious from the many collisions, he tumbled head over heels, flailed through the air, careening into, through, a ridiculously rich restaurant, where an eager Laxus awaited, now launching the mage face first into the air with both hands, as though he were a human volleyball. Instead of pursuing, however, he waited, staring up into the darkened sky.

"RAGING BOLT!"Laxus snarled, thrusting one hand forward, revealing the massive sphere of light swelling before his palm. As Hebi began to fall toward the earth, he had only an instant to see the massive explosion hurtling towards him. Then the thunder magic roared over him, accompanied by a large, massive orb that engulfed him seconds later, shoving him upward. Laxus snapped his figners, severing the twin tethers that held his favorite technique up, triggering the detonation, heaving the badly burned dark magician even higher than before. Hebi pierced the cloud veil, and Laxus grinned.

"Dobe! Do it now!"

Floating amongst the storm and the rain, drawing power from itthem both Naruto raised his hands, and the staff they clutched, to the skies, leeching raw lightning into them, into the metal. As raw lightning surged into his palms, as Hebi's ascent began to slow, he placed them softly upon one another. With a sharp crack, he spread them apart moments later, revealing it, his signature technique in both hands, the weapon with which he had crushed Killer Bee. Channeled into the staff and amplified a hundred times over, the metal rod burst into the shape of a magnificent white halberd.

"Rairyū Hōtengeki: Saishū Keitai, Kami no Ikari! (Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd: Final Form, Wrath of the Divine!)

With a massive effort Naruto cocked his arm, and theheavens, they roared in response. The Almighty Halberd scorched his hand, sending wave after wave of raw voltage into his arm. With his bare hand, Naruto lashed out seizing Hebi by his collar, drawing him close, their faces inches apart from another. "Shinē!" He hissed in the age old tongue taught by Tobias. "Anata wa kaibutsu o kuso!"

With a swift, bisecting motion, the Dragon Slayer plunged the Divine Halberd into Hebi's hip, disintegrating his body below the ribs. With a swift arc, he brought it back around, and stabbed the tip deep into what remained of the man's chest, and released his hold on the shaft. Momentum seized hold then, dragging the snake down, at an ever increasing pace, triggering a massive explosion that wiped out half the forest. Laxus threw an arm up to shield his face, slamming one fist into the ground to keep himself from being blown away. When the smoke had finally cleared, he was stunned.

He stood at the lip of a massive crater, stretching several miles wide, blackened and charred, devoid of all life. A few stray sparks still skittered about the rocks, and he could taste the scent of burning flesh in the air, thick and putrid. Behind him, an out of breath Naruto began a barely controlled descent, gasping for air and covered in sweat as he struggled not to topple to the earth and perish.

"Oi! Overkill, dobe!"

"So? Ask Lucky to fix the forest with her wood-make, or something. Naruto landed with a soft tap, his boots thudding upon the ground ."Because It looks like this one did some real damage." Silently, he appraised the smoking crater,"He won't be getting up again, not with half his face blown off." Laxus was inclined to agree,or rather, he would have, had he seen a corpse, somehwere amongst the rubble. All he could see were a few tattered strips of cloth, however, and that did little to assauge his worries.

(Naruto ost Kouen also known as Crimson flames)

The bone chilling laughter behind them didn't help either. In a whisp of smoke, Hebi simplyappeared, having suffered severe burns about his now exposed neckline. Remarkably, his legs were still there, even though Naruto had watched them turn to ash and be blown away. He appraised the two blonde's for a moment longer, the laughter abruptly dying away as he decided to speak.

"Such wonderful magic. It nearly finished me off, Naruto-kun. Now, is that anyway to treat your future sensei?"

"Fuck you." Naruto growled. "The day you become my sensei is the day I become a priest. Ain't gonna fucking happen."

"I should hope not." Hebi grinned. "You would make a terrible preacher."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Dreyar collapsed to his knees, disbelief filling his face for the second time as the snake drifted around and appeared before them. "What are you?"

"That's my secret." Hebi winked, serpent coiling around his now exposed jugular. "Sadly, I no longer have need of you, Laxus. Which makes you...

"Raikiri."

Laxus barely had time to stand before Naruto rematerialized in front of him, the blue-eyed Dragon Slayer's magic blade crashing down upon their enemy and scoring a hit for the second time. Hebi, the wizard, was sent rocketing backwards and through the air, trailing smoke as he flew into the clouds. Naruto swiftly jerked his gaze skyward, then buzzed out of sight once more, this time chasing his prey out through the open air of Magnolia Town. Not alone. With an angry snarl, Laxus rejoined the battle, roaring back into the hurricane, creating another explosion of thunder amongst the heavens.

"Damnit...why won't he just die!"

The clouded skies overhead exploded, flashing as the light illuminated the three mages warring within the foreboding nimbus.

zzzz

"What on earth...

Upon reaching the plaza, Mirajane found herself staring up at what appeared to be a large mass of approaching storm clouds, brewing together as successive flashes coursed between them, around them, through them, and above them. She heard her own soft sound of surprise, and knew that the battle had become an aerial one, she understood this before anyone possibly could. Three streaks of light, two gold, the other a filthy smoke grey slammed into each other again and again, ricocheting wildly about as they parted, before careening toward one another yet again. The peals of thunder that deafened them, actually that of bones being broken, and magic shattering as the two clashed. Below it, a soft light, almost an afterglow, began to rise, illuminating all of the town with its radiance.

"Naruto and Laxus are battling the intruder." The heavy footsteps from the armor should have alerted Mirajane to the presence of her rival, but instead, she yelped, shrieking like a frightened school girl as someone emerged from the shadows behind her. "They will be able to delay him for a while yet, I should think." For the second time that day, Mira whirled around to face a stone faced Erza Scarlet.

"Scarlet! What the hell do you think you're doing here!"

"I am going to assist them before they drown in this flood." The redhead replied as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Just as you are."

"Me? Oh, hell no."Mirajane folded her arms and shook her head, only to scowl when the wet locks came around to slap her in the face. "Ain't no way in hell that I'm helping that bastard!"

"Which one?" Erza tilted her head.

"Naruto!" Mirajane barked just a little too quickly. "I-I mean Laxus! Both of them! You saw what happened!"

"What I saw this afternoon," Erza folded her arms over her breastplate, "Was a little girl throwing a hissy. I saw a child, Mirajane." Simultaneously, she reached forward, catching Mira's fist as she swung, securing her grip on Mira's hair as she did so. With a sharp tug, Erza pulled her head back, to slam into what felt like a wall, but in reality, was merely the suit of armor she always wore.

CLANG!

"Itai!" Mirajane yelped as she was released, furiously rubbing at her head. "Scarlet! Say and do that again! I dare you!"

"I needn't." The redhead raised her hand for silence. "However, I will say something else, regardless of whether I am challenge to repeat msyself. I agreed to be your teammate in the competition because I wish to test myself against strong opponents, Mirajane. I wanted to fight with a stronger ally. You have become stronger, I acknowledge that. However, strength of the body is nothing without strength of the heart," Erza rapped one hand against her chest, producing a loud echo. "Which is here, and what you are lacking. If you do not have both, then you will never be stronger."

"What, so you're saying you're stronger then me!" Mirajane seethed. "I hate it when you-

"I am not." Erza's swift and blunt reply startled Mirajane, she felt her lips parting in a silent 0. "Saying that. In fact, I do not claim to be strong in either aspect. You are, but you're so blinded by that pride of yours that you can't bringing yourself to admit it. That what you did today was likely a misinterpetation of a simple greeting, and now, you're not so certain if you made the wrong decision. Even now, you will likely deny my words and storm back to the guild, leaving your comrades to die. All of this, to satisfy that empty, foolish, stupid, and oh so destructive pride of yours, Mirajane."

"..."

"Do as you will." Erza roughly shouldered Mirajane aside as she walked past. "But remember, I will be the one to save Naruto and Laxus now, not you."She pasued, glancing over her shoulder, and through her rain soaked bangs, smiling coldly. "Can you live with that, Mirajane? Will you be able to tolerate the knowledge that he will owe me a debt that I can make him repay however I wish?"

"Y-You wouldn't dare." Mirajane stammered. "You can't!"

"Would I?" Erza smiled slyly as she turned away. "Uzumaki Naruto is quite handsome after all. Anyone would be lucky to have him."

"B-But you like-

"Women are fickle creatures, Mirajane." Erza smiled mysteriously as she continued onward, the shadows shading her eyes. "We are capable of changing our mind in an instant, as you aleady know."

Not three steps later, Mira ran after her.

"Oi! Wait for me! Erza! I'll help you save their asses, but don't mention any of this!"

A soft smile was the only answer.

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

zzzz

(With the guys in need of saving)

"On your left!"

"Oi! Don't hit me, too!"

Naruto spun and fell back as Laxus burst out of the sky and hurled another massive sphere, forcing Hebi to raise his hand and block. The two clashed and showered sparks across the horizon. Laxus pulled back and swung forward with both hands, hurling a torrent of lightning that barely missed Hebi's head as Naruto's right arm came back around a Rakiri aimed for the kill. The dark mage laughed and stabbed outward. Laxus dropped flat, the blade clipping a few hairs, instead of gouging out his right eye as it had been meant to. The blue-eyed Slayer dodged and skipped backwards as his opponent charged forward, his staff a blur of black and gold as it deflected the deadly serpents emerging from the man's sleeves. Laxus managed to ward off the attack as well, hurling bolt after bolt with wild and reckless abandon and forcing Hebi to either block, or leap away from the violent cage of light he was weaving. But as with all mortals, Dreyar had to stop and breath at some point.

Darting around the wall, Hebi swerved, pouncing upon Laxus when he paused for half a second.

"Ah, I see." Hebi grinned as Laxus, instead of blasting him away as he should have, caught his hand in one fist, and did so with the other when he truck out again. "So you require a cooldown period of fifteen seconds whenever you use your magic for more than an hour. Intriguing." A sharp crack to the right drew his attention elsewhere, and he, incredibly, lost focus. Laxus took that opportunity to lash out, the Chidori clipping Hebi's skin and sheering off some skin as he twisted to the right to avoid the expected attack Several strands of black hair fluttered to the ground as Laxus looked on in shock and awe, recognizing a weak spot at long last. That was it! Whatever magic he was using, it had something to with the higher functions of his body, likely his brain seeing as Hebi had survived multiple attacks that would have injured even gramps, albeit not very seriously. Hebi seemed to realize this, for his eyes widened slightly, narrowing as Laxus's voice left his lungs in a hollering shout.

"His face! Aim for his fucking face!"

Before Hebi could retaliate, a jagged bolt of lightning slammed into the back of his skull, and another into his spine, momentarily paralyzing him. Laxus grinned, grabbing Hebi by the hair and driving his knee into the wizard's face. There was a sickening crunch as cartilage gave way to bone, and Hebi staggered back, blood marring his otherwise flawless face. Aged eyes widened at the crimson fluid.

"You-Aargh!"

Naruto lowered a scorching palm and grinned as Hebi rubbed at his sore backside.

"I'm your opponent, too!"

A snarling laugh behind Hebi confirmed the long awaited return of Laxus's true magic.

"Don't be forgetting about me!"

"Boys," Hebi hissed playfully, his eyes narrowing cruelly. "You're beginning to iritate me."

"Really?" Laxus cracked a knuckle nonchalantly. "Good."

"Now that we know what we're attacking," Naruto seconded, creating another swelling mass of light in his poen hand, "I think this fight just got a lot more interesting." With a snarling hum, it expanded, double, triple its normal size. Hebi eyed it warily, the huge mass of lightning and wind swirling in its center, propelling it forward into a neverending loop as it continued to swell outward.

"Rasenshuriken!"

"OI!" Laxus abruptly threw himself back from the explosion. "Let me get ouf of the way!"

"Rasenshuriken?" Hebi inquired curiously, landing on a nearby roof opposite to Dreyar. "What is that technique, boy?"

"Fucking powerful, that's what." Laxus grinned back. "You get hit with that, and its all over."

"So, your friend suddenly created this powerful technique." Hebi began to smile. "Intriguing."

Naruto swore.

"Urusei! Laxus doesn't know what he's talking about!

"As I'm sure he doesn't." Hebi nodded. "It's a wonderful improvement to the Rasengan, Naruto-kun. After all, even a day with my old friend Jiraiya can work wonders for nearly anyone."

"Jiraiya?" Laxus blinked. "Who's-

"I've never heard of him." Naruto interrupted swiftly. "So don't bother."

"Rubbish." Hebi shook his head. "Do not lie to me, simply to placate your friend, boy. If you insist on doing so, I will have to...remove him from the discussion."

"!"

With a vicious laugh, Hebi pounced on the stunned blond, launching Laxus into the nearby lobby of a motel with an impossibly powerful kick. Dreyar lay amongst the rubble for a moment, stunned by the impact, but as he began to rise, a sharp cracking reached his ears. He had only an instant to jerk his gaze to the ceiling, just as Hebi brought it down around him with another torrent of snakes.

"Laxus!"

"It would seem that he isn't coming out." Hebi noted with false sadness. "Pity. Now, let us converse."

"Theres' nothing to say." Naruto insisted, despite the cold pit of dread in his stomach. "Don't bother."

"Oh, but there is much to say."

"I have nothing to say." Naruto snarled, futiley eyeing the rubble under which Laxus had been buried. "To the likes of you.

"Must you continue to stall? Hebi sighed quietly. "You'll only bore me at this rate."

"Laxus would do the same."

"What a troublesome child." Hebi shrugged his shoulders and placed one hand against his face. "But now that I've disposed of him, I can finally rid myself of this loathsome visage." Reaching up to his face, 'Cloak' did something that should not have been humanly possible, for a human. Gripping the flesh of his chin and neck, he pulled, tugging off the skin of his face as though it were a second skin, and tossing it to the ground. Revealed now was a similair, but much more sinister face. Lacking the laugh lines his previous face had possesed, this man's face was slim and smooth, his skin not quite an ashen grey, but more a polished, white marble. As the rest of his body peeled away, a slim, yet not frail figure emerged, wearing the same cloak as before, but the way this man wore it, was not with charign, rather, he wore the garment with utter pride. He ran one hand through his silken smooth hair, lacking the grease and grime of before, as did it the knots and tangles. Sharp slitted eyes regarded their new reflection in a nearby puddle, and the man laughed, the sound as hauntingly beautiful, as it was obscenely terrifying. The snake lazily opened one eye to regard the Dragon Slayer.

"Now do you know me, Naruto-kun? I'm the one Sarutobi-sensei asked you to search for?"

"You're...Orochimaru!"

"Yes, and you've made the great Orochimaru miss his appointment, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru chuckled softly, gazing into the sapphire eyes of his opponent. "For shame. Now I have to catch up with Sasori before I lose my head. Again." Tutting softly, he wagged one finger in admonishment. "However, I cannot leave without something of value. Would you care to compensate me for my losses?"

"What?" Naruto slid back half a pace. "What do you mean?"

"I find you and your kin...intriguing." Orochimaru smiled softly. "But you, Naruto-kun, you fascinate me to no end."

"Nasty." Naruto coughed up blood, and winced. "That is just nasty!"

"Ahem." Orochimaru coughed into his fist, hacking violently, his eyes widening against the intense strain. "My apologies, just a moment...AH!" Naruto stared...

Orochimaru gagged, arching his back as though he were in great pain. Pressing both hands against his stomach, he parted his lips, tongue hanging loosely agains the side of his face. As Naruto looked on in horror, a snake, yes a real living snake, emerged from Orochimaru's throat, and opened its mouth. From that mouth, the hilt of a weapon rose, no, it was the kilt of a katana, one that now arced overhead as it shot out of the serpent's retreating mouth. Naruto cast a bolt of lightning at it, but upon striking the blade, the element reflected, forcing the Dragon Slayer to dart three paces back.

"What in the hell?"

"Shall we then?" He briefly saluted, and took his unusual stance yet again. "Come at me, if you dare."

By then, the blade had already landed in Hebi's open palm, deflecting the staff as it descended upon him.

"Damnit!" Naruto whirled, tearing the street with the force of his next swing. Not an instant later, he met a solid wall of resistance, and was halted.

"Kukuku...this weapon, that technique...how nostalgic it is, to see them again. Both were created by my old sensei. He passed them down to his three pupils, which would explain how you were able to learn it." Cold, serpentine eyes regarded the stunned magician's furious vermillion with disdain and scorn. "Uzumaki Naruto...how could you possibly hope to harm me with a technique taught to you by Tsunade?" Scowling, he lashed outward with the blade, slicing into the blonde's neck, before he could retract the staff and leap away. Pain awaited his return to earth, however, for the instant Naruto touched down, his balance betrayed him, leaving him to tumble into the street. The world spun before him, and without warning, he vomitted, puking out what had once been meager meal on the road home. The pain in his shoulder was horrible, insatiable. No matter how he tore at it with his nails, even as he broke the skin, still, the horrible sensation persisted, growing stronger with every moment.

'W-What is this...? It...burns!'

"Still concious after all this time?" Orochimaru laughed softly. "You're more resistant than the rest, Naruto-kun. Your kind have a tendency to pass out after my little... love bites. But you, were able to fight for several hours against me before succumbing. I suppose I should attribute it to your DNA, though that last strike seemed to do it." Orcohirmaru smirked at the confused shouts Naruto gave.

"Don't worry, you won't die. Far from it. You will be...reborn."

"What?" Naruto winced as the burning in his shoulder intensified. "What the fuck did you do to-Aargh!" The words perished amongst the inhuman scream the Dragon Slayer gave, doubling over to furtively clutch at his head. Orcohimaru looked on in silent satisfaction as a strange mark blossomed from where the looked like a pair of fangs had dug into Naruto's hardened skin. It was...a tattoo?

"I gave you...a gift."

"When! When did you-Nyaargh!"

"Do you remember my pet?" Orochimaru smiled, and held up a hand, revealing a tiny little viper, or what remained of it. "He found your blood quite satisfying." Naruto glared at the crushed mound of flesh, recognizing it as the same serpent that had bitten him at the beginning of the battle, the very one that he had mercilessly killed after the fact. That little snake was the cause of all this pain?

Sapphire eyes widened immeasurably. Snakes. Pale skin. Constantly mentioning Sarutobi and his techniques. Everything, every puzzle piece settled into place, and with it, came a new wave of agony.

"...Bastard!"

"How insightful of you." Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword pricked the Dragon Slayer's chin, forcing Naruto to look up at him. "I was wondering when you would figure it out, Naruto-kun."

It burned. He hadn't felt pain like this since he'd first fought Tobias and even then, the agony had only lasted for about a second before he blacked out. However, instead of passing into peaceful slumber as before, Naruto remained concious, and thusly, was very much aware of the changes taking place inside his body. The marking had long since finished forming, but the sting of its fangs remained. Blood trickled from his skin, wherer he had been bitten Naruto had the strongest suspicion that he was missing a good deal of flesh in that general region. What the hell was this thing!

"Finally, it has begun." Orochimaru smiled as the mark glowed a virbant reddish orange, and began to spread across Naruto's skin. "Embrace it, young dragon. Embrace the darkness within your heart and make it your power. With this power, none can stop you, none can hope to stand in the way of far reaching ambition. You will come seek me out when the time is right. Until then, my boy...

"Fuck...You...Naruto spat gasping as they reached his right eye. "You won't get away...with this!"

"I already have." Orochimaru smiled. "Take care, little dragon. Become stronger, until next we meet!"

Someone screamed, filling the night with despair, and something else as well. A white bolt of something shot past the sage's cheek, forcing him to twirl around and face in the opposite direction as a thin gash blossomed there. When another such blasted lashed out at him from the blackness of the night, his palm shot out, slapping it aside with contemptous ease. He smiled, turning in the direction of the attack, his gaze falling upon a nearby rooftop. Though most of this building had been destroyed, a young woman stood atop the rubble, her lavender eyes wide and angry, trembling with fury.

"Oh?" Orochimaru chuckled as the rain began to subside, smiling as he beheld Hinata, soaked from head to toe. "Another insect has come to die."

Cold, frozen orbs regarded Sarutobi's former apprentice, the rubble in which Laxus lay, and the inert form of Uzumaki Naruto.

"Unforgiveable."

Her sorrowed gaze slowly slid from the the blond, back to the chuckling villain.

"Were you the one who did this?"

"And if I was?"

"Then I will destroy you." Hinata smiled serenly.

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't take you at your word."

"Don't...underestimate...him." Naruto gasped, the marks inching back as he fought at them. "He's...tough.

"Jūho Sōshiken." Hinata clenched her fists, now shrouded in pale blue light, each blur of magic resembling a lion's head. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but you need to lie down."

Orocihmaru chuckled.

"Amusing. But I have no time to be playing with youuuuuurgh!"

Without warning, Hianta had shot forward, and so too, had Orochimaru shot back, crashing through the wall. Buried within the now massive trench the collision had created,Orochimaru grunted, slowly opening one of his eyes, then the other. Blinking slowly, he shook his head to clear it, only to feel the crumbling remains of debris fall from his head. He lay there for a few moments, wondering if he had blacked out or what had happened. Hinata was stalking toward him trying to say something, but for some reason a ringing noise in his ears was blocking out most of what the woman was saying, even though Hinatawas speaking calmly and clearly to him. He tried to rise, but suddenly found that his body refused to move. He could feel everything, but somehow nothing would respond...

He could not bring himself to stand.

-Jyuuken." Hinata declared, glaring into the smoke with killing intent. "A hand to hand combat style, also known as the Gentle Fist. By striking certain points within your body, I can cut you off from your own magical power, and render you powerless, utterly powerless. My clan perfected this fighting style years ago, as a defense against people like you. I suppose you could call me an antimage, fiend."

"Such impudence." The dark mage hissed. "Little wench!"

"Hehehe." Naruto weakly rasied his head and grinned. "Get...'em...hime...

Orochimaru grimaced, but still, the invisible force held him fast.

"Can't move?" Hinata smiled, the first dark expression she'd ever worn, and it was terrifying. "Do you think that I've paralyzed you? Wondering why you can still feel your arms and legs?" Orochimaru renewed his efforts, but all he could manage was slight twitch of his neck, nothing more."You will not be able to move, so long as the moon is full." Hinata placed her hands together, and abruptly, the crushing pressure tripled, shoving him downward. Hinata no longer meek, and bashful, wore an expression as a terrifying as Mirajane's infamous Demon Eye, perhaps even moreso, as she spoke.

"Ordinarily, I am opposed to violence." Hinata inhaled sharply, a white magic circle appearing before her face."I cannot stand the thought of harming others, and that has always been my weakness. I am also weak, cowardly, and unable to express myself to those I care deeply about." Hinata tipped her head back, eyes gazing lovingly up to the full moon, widening as an immense surge of white energy forced itself upon her magic circle in that very instant. "However, whenever Naruto-kun is concerned, I suddenly lose all that inhibition. On this very day, one month ago, He saved my life, and in repayment, I promised to train under him, for either the rest of my life, or until he had nothing more to teach me. You...Hinata's hands clenched suddenly, her eyes stinging with hot and angry tears.

"I will never allow you to do this!" She bit back a scream, blinking the tears away, allowing them to run down her face. "I will not let you use him for your wicked schemes!" Hinata shook her head fervently, her hair splaying about, the stones beginning to rise under their feet. "I cannot find it in my heart to forgive you. No, I will not forgive you. Nor will I forgive anyone who harms him!" Now, a few of the uprooted trees, ancient Oak's that were the size of an entire town began to succumb to the strange filed around her. Shredding these and everything else to jaged peices, Hinata screamed.

"Tsukiryū no...

Suddenly Orochimaru understood the intensely powerful and unseen force that was still holding him in place.

"This...This is...

Hinata exhaled, her eyes narrowing viciously.

"Hōkō!"

With a terrifying crash, everything exploded.

A/N: Before you maim/congratulate at me, I say this. First, YEEEEES! its all coming together, but it ain't gonna be that easy, you'll see. NOT A HAREM because no one wants it to be so do not be angry! Hinata is NOOOOOOT in the relationship, her feelings for Naruto are onesided, unless you guys want it be otheriwse, and yes, she is the Dragon Slayer of the MOON, which was briefly mentioned in the first few chapters. Second... HOLY SHIT. This was the hardest and most EPIC fight scene ever, and it isn't over yet! In retrospect, Naruto and Laxus are ridiculously strong, but at the same time Orochimaru is one tough bastard! Even a Kirin Fairy Law combo might not be enough to do him in, if he's well...you know. Yes, Naruto got bit by that nasty, and NO he won't go all emo and power mad like Sasuke did, I mean come on, this is Naruto, people! You'll have to read on and see how he deals with this new "gift" Orochimaru so kindly gave him. If you haven't gotten the OTHER hint though, then I'll say it point blank. Orochimaru and Sasori are acting without direct orders, meaning there was no mandate to say "Wipe out Fairy Tail" so Akatsuki as a whole has yet to make its appearance, and this was likely an intel raid, which Orochimaru screwed up by being, well.. his suckish, usual perverted self. AGAIN, Dont worry, Naruto has dibs on Cana, AND Mirajane, I just need to put Laxus with someone too...

I DID NOT MAKE KONOHA ITS USUAL SELF WITH THE WORDS 'GUILD' AND 'MAGIC' SLAPPED ON INSTEAD OF'VILLAGE' AND 'CHAKRA'! IT IS UNIQUE! DIFFERENT! ORIGINAL! All the Naruto characters are NOT in this guild, as you will soon see in later chapters, some of them don't even know each other, and one, whom I particularly hate, will have their personaly flipped completely. There are some similarities to the Naruto world, yes, BUT, they are not the same. I will promise one thing, however.

Akatsuki WILL appear!

You didn't think I'd simply kick out every technique, character and concept from the Narutoverse, did you? NO SIR! Various Character's from Naruto will make the occaisonalappearance and cameo, though, as you've obviously seen with Killer Bee, their abilities are going to be a bit modded, considering that this is MAGIC we're talking about, and not jutsu. Don't think for a single second that any of them won't have any significance. I don't want to say anything definite just yet, as I'm still in the planning stages. Be prepared for an epic yarn, my friends!

Translations(There's a lot of them this timeto cover what I may have missed in later and future chapters lol):

"Orokana! Anata wa watashi ga naite tsukutte iru! Kore wa, subete omae no seida! Watashi wa anata o riyō shite imasu! Dōshite anata ga okonatte, jibun de subete no watashi no tame ni naguru shutoku shite iru! Orokana naruto! Orokana! Watashi wa, kuso o anata o aishite imasu! Anata wa... Anata dakede wana shini-kata o suru koto wa dekimasen! Watashi wa, dai baai wa Naruto anata o yurusanai! Sore wa kōheide wa nai!=STUPID ! You're making me cry! This is all your fault! I hate you! Why'd you have to go and get yourself all beat up because of me! Stupid Naruto! STUPID! I love you, damnit! You just...You just can't die like that! I won't forgive you if die, Naruto! It's not fair!

Anata wa kaibutsu o kuso= Die you fucking monster

Rairyū no...dai kōzui! (Lightning Dragon's Cataclysm)

Subarashi=Wonderful!

Un=yeah?

Ikazuchi no kiba=Fangs of Lightning.

Ikazuchi no Utage=Banquet of Lightning.

Rairyū no Tatsumaki=Lightning Dragon tornado.

Hīzamasuke= Kneel

Hora=Watch it!

Ikuzo=Lets go.

Hontōni=really!

Minasan, ohayōgozaimasu=Good Morning Everyone!

Tondemonai! Zettai tondemonai=RIDICULOUS! ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!

Mōshiwake arimasenga=I'm sorry, (insert name)

Zan'nen=too bad.

Ima sugu=rIGHT NOW!

Iya=Nay!

Kono Hentai=you pervert!

jijjī=old man

Itai... Itai... Itai=ouch...ouch...OUCH!

Erzengel=Archangel

Löwenmähne = Lion's Mane

Shākutēru=Shark Tail

Chikushō=Damn it!

Desho=Huh?

Chotto matte!=wait a second!

Yurusenai=UNFORGIVABLE!

Zettai ni yurusenai=ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE!

Kakusu tengoku no ryū no=Hide of the heaven dragon.

Gokuen Hozan Takutenshō=Hellfire Mountain-Crushing, Heaven-Bearing Palm

Rairyū Hōtengeki=Heaven Dragon's Halberd.

Raika Hōken=Crushing Fist of Majestic Lightning

Byakuraishō=White Lightning Palm