Chapter 41: Twin Sabers No More

A/N: Hello there everyone! You know what? We're already at the forty chapter mark! Well forty one, but you know. I'm not quite sure how much longer this story will last as I still cannot see the finish line, so yeah. This story will at least see fifteen chapters more, at least. I'm just flowing with ideas but I don't it to drag on forever, so yeah that is where I am at. Shout outs today go to the regular reviewers in brucie86 and sashaXmafuyuFOREVER, you guys are simple amazing! Enjoy chapter forty one!

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Next Day (Natsu POV)

I walked through the mansion and soon arrived to the meeting room, where Kurayami, Esoj, Nena, and Gōsuto were waiting. Lucy was walking with me and we walked to our seats around the table, just like we used to when we first formed Ronin. "Ok, we're here, so let's get this meeting started. First order of business is?" I asked and Gōsuto stood up.

"The rankings for all the new members. We have four new members raising our number to nine, which while an odd number is fine as one of them can just have no partner. My suggestion for the order would be: Rai, Mern, Karr, and then Juvia." Gōsuto said and looked at everyone.

"Bullshit ranking, you just think Rai is strong so you ranked him higher. That was completely biased, here's how it should go: Mern, Rai, Karr, then Juvia. For now, give me some more time and she should be around six or seven, she has that much potential. May even crack the top five if she works hard enough." Esoj said standing up as well to look Gōsuto in the eye.

"I don't know, I can't have to agree with either of you. Mern and Rai are about equal in strength. If they fought ten times, each would win five times. I would suggest both Mern and Rai get six, let one be six a, and the other six b. And I'm not convinced of Karr, I would already put Juvia ahead of him." Nena said as she looked at everyone from her seat.

"I agree with her as well, I know Karr and he is getting long in the tooth, Juvia is twenty eight. Barely less than half his age and in her true prime. I second Nena's ranking." Kurayami said.

"I third her ranking. But I do agree with Esoj's belief of Juvia's potential, she could crack the top five soon enough. Just give her time and keep training her." Lucy said.

"Ok, then we accept Nena's ranking, but back to something Gōsuto said about not everyone having a partner and having nine mages, that is actually not totally true. Luce is pregnant now, and I will not have her risking the life of my child on missions. So until the baby is born, Luce is off of active duty. She will act as co-mission coordinator along with Kurayami." I said and everyone nodded in understanding except for Lucy.

"Natsu, come on don't do this! I wanna still be able to do stuff too! Come on please!" She begged me, giving me her usual pout, but I wasn't budging.

"Not a chance, Luce think of the baby. I don't want you to, let's say hypothetically speaking, you get struck by lightning and it kills the baby on accident. It's not just your life anymore, it's the life of our baby too." I retorted and she sighed nodding, she knew this battle was one she couldn't win. "Good, now anything else we need to discuss?"

"Yes, master Natsu. There is a guest here who has just arrived saying he knows you and that he needs to speak to you. He looks familiar and is with a cat that is dressed in a frog suit… now why is that so familiar sounding?" Virgo said as she barged in on our closed door meeting.

"VIRGO! What did I say? Boundaries! A closed door meeting is meant to be a closed door, private, only invited members only!" Lucy yelled and was shaking her head. "Wait, a guy with a cat with a frog suit?"

"No it's ok, I know who it is. Gōsuto get everyone else ready, defensive positions. Esoj and Nena, you're with me, Luce you stay here and coordinate with Kurayami. Understood?" I asked and everyone nodded, "Good now go." I said very seriously and everyone knew something was wrong, so they ran off and did as they were ordered. I walked to the front entrance and did so briskly as I wanted to know exactly he was here and how he found us.

We arrived at the door and I waited until I could hear Esoj and Nena were right next to the door, ready to strike if needed. I nodded to both of them and opened the door, and saw only Rogue Cheney and his exceed Frosch standing there. Both looked battered and tired, like they had travelled a great distance to arrive here. "Rogue, why are you here?" I asked and looked him over to see he had a lot of injuries and looked as if he was ready to drop then and there, "How did you find us? And where is your butt buddy Sting?"

"Natsu-san. I have travelled all the way from Oak Town to come here and ask for your help…" He said and as he finished he fell over and was unconscious.

"Rogue! Frosch thinks he needs help. Frosch thinks so too!" Frosch yelled out and I looked around.

"What no Sabertooth army here with you? No Sting, Rufus, Obra, or Yukino?" I asked and was surprised to see him shake his head. "Hmmm, Gōsuto! Stand down! Luce and Juvia! Take Rogue to the clinic, everyone else check out the area and see if they are any guild mages around. You see any, you kill them no questions asked. Especially any blonde ones, that guy is annoying as fuck. Alright, disperse! Go, and find something out, Luce! Wait a moment and call your spirits to find out where Yukino is." She nodded and pulled out her keys and started concentrating, using the keys as a medium to talk to them.

She stopped and shrugged, "Not here, back in Oak town. Well actually in transit to Magnolia for the funerals… Odd, he might actually be here of his own volition. Wait, check for a guild mark." So I did and I didn't find one, which caused me to furrow my brow and Lucy to whisper, "What's going on? Did he turn like he did in the future?"

"No, he wouldn't have Frosch if he did. I'm guessing something happened between him and Sabertooth. Let's get him to the clinic and we'll go from there." I said and Lucy nodded.

"Wait, Juvia thinks he is simply dehydrated. Allow Juvia to give him some water and see how he feels." Juvia said and we nodded, she gave him some of her magical water and waited.

He woke up about ten minutes later and looked around before saying, "Water." We all laughed and Juvia gave him more water, which he quickly drank and drank a lot of it. He finished drinking and looked at us gathered there and said, "Natsu-san, it's as I said, I need your help. Sting and I…had a falling out. I left the guild and wandered for a while until I heard that Ronin was lead by you, then I let the shadows of my magic lead me here."

"What happened? Seems a bit fishy how you just suddenly left, and somehow found us using your magic. I don't like that answer. Now tell me why I should change my belief of your answer." I said and crossed my arms and got close to his face so I could intimidate him.

He stood up and sighed, saying, "It is very true. You see, he and Yukino have become a thing, finally. But I wasn't fully aware so I tried asking her out in front of him, big mistake. He was furious and we had a fight, then he said that he knew I was after Yukino, which I wasn't I just wanted to hang out more than anything. But we fought and we were broken up and I thought that something was off, so I stayed away for a few days. When I came back I apologized and he accepted it and I thought that was the end of it but it wasn't. Lector was mad too and insulted Frosch very harshly and made him sad, said I was a bad guy and that the only reason he took care of me was because I felt bad. Which is not true, I took him in because I love him like a little brother. So Frosch told me and I told Sting to make Lector apologize but he said no, said that he didn't think he did anything wrong. That was when I had had it, and I challenged him to a duel for our honor, and I lost. Barely, but I lost. So I as I had no honor, I left and quit the guild and wandered all around, trying to find a place to stay, but I left three months ago. Sting kept it quiet and just said I was off on an S-class mission, and I thought I was never going to find a new place to call home. But then you made yourselves known. I was in Hargeon and heard all about how you guys were able to defeat Fairy Tail and I wanted to join you guys. As for how I found you, I eat shadows and am able to travel in them, and I knew that you had a shadow mage. So using my shadows, I traced the source of the shadow magic and found myself here. Believe me or not, this is the truth." He finished his story as the others returned and reported in, they had not found any mages from Sabertooth.

"Well it looks like your story is legit. I have a hunch of just how strong you were, but I don't know about it now, so here is a test for you. I want you to release all of your magical power and see just how strong you really are." I said and he nodded. He stood upright and focused for a moment before releasing all of his magical power and I was a bit taken aback. He was strong alright, but he had lost to Sting. 'Just how strong is Sting then? Eh, it won't matter, as long as I fight Laxus we should be fine here. But let's see just how much he really wants to leave Sabertooth.' "Luce, bring out the prisoner we have been keeping here."

She nodded and ran off, everyone but Rogue knowing who it was, 'This should be good! He definitely won't see this coming.' Lucy returned a minute later with a female who had a bag on her head and was struggling to get free. Lucy pulled the bag off of her head and threw her down in front of Rogue who just looked blankly at her, totally surprised. "Minerva, so this is where you have been." He said and just kept looking at her, not moving at all.

"Yes, as she is a demon now, I found her committing crimes in Inpei that were all for Zeref. I captured her and kept her locked away from society so she could do no more wrong, because she really was doing some horrible things. Now if you want to join us, then you will have to pass one last test, you are strong enough but now I must know how committed you will be to our cause. We aim to kill Zeref and will not stop until he is dead. Now you must strike a blow to his cause. You must kill her and take her head to Hargeon, because that is where he last was. We must show him that we mean business and he respects Minerva as a leader for his demons…" I started ad just as I was about to finish, he powered up a bit and cut her head clean off of her shoulders.

'He didn't hesitate! Woof! He has lost it! I don't like this... but either way I can stop him with one hand. I'll keep an eye on him, see what happens.' "Ok, so you pass, congratulations! You are officially a Ronin! Now you must recite the motto form memory, ready?"

He nodded and Lucy told him the motto. After about ten minutes or so he was ready and began, "THOUGH WE MAY HAVE NO TRUE HOME WE ARE NEVER ALONE! THOUGH NO ONE MAY WANT US WILL DO WHAT IS NEEDED! THOUGH NO ONE MAY APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO WE WILL ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING! WE ARE THE FORSAKEN, THE FORGOTTEN, THE LOST, WE ARE THE RONIN! DEATH TO OUR ENEMIES AND TO THE EVER LASTING GLORY THAT AWAITS US IN THE FUTURE. LIVE! FIGHT! LIVE AND FIGHT FOREVER!"

"Well said, now welcome!" I said and he nodded, shaking my hand.

"There is something you should know. Sting is on his way to Magnolia, as you probably know, and is on his way not just for the funerals, but to discuss you. The Ronin more specifically and how the council has ordered we be taken care of. My sources tell me that they plan to get a giant guild coalition together and use them to stamp us out. They are worried by your power. They think you could actually defeat Zeref and they do not want anyone other than a guild mage or one of them to do it. Would be a sign of weakness or something." Rogue said and we all laughed at this, seeing as we had already planned for this and were ready to deal with it.

"Hey Karr, you still got any contacts in the council ranks?" I asked and looked at Karr.

"Yes, I should have plenty for what your thinking. Hahahaha! This should be fun!" He said and everyone was still laughing.

"What? You already know or something? Or is there a plan for this?" Rogue asked confused by our actions.

I scoffed and said, "Oh yeah we do. Karr call up your contacts and have them find Luce and me a way into the next council meeting. We have a group to announce. By this time next week, everyone will know who the Ronin are."

(POV Change to Laxus)

I sat in my office on my new chair and was staring at Sting Eucliffe in disbelief, "You did what! You let Rogue quit your fucking guild! You idiot! Do you not remember what happened seven years ago? HE WENT FUCKING EVIL IN THE FUTURE! How could you just let him leave? And over something so stupid as who dates who and who asks out who, no offense Yukino." I was angry now, as he let someone who almost killed everyone not even seven years ago, go free.

"Hey, it's not my fault. He took offense to Lector making fun of Frosch even though he was kidding. It's not my fault he is so protective of Frosch, it's his own damn fault. Now are you going to let me finish my report from the council, or not? Either way I'm staying here in Magnolia for the funerals so I could always come back." Sting answered and leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable.

"No, just tell me now. I want to know what's so damn important that they actually told you to do something. So let's hear it." I said and leaned back myself as Sting sat up.

"You have heard of Ronin, obviously. Well the council has too now. The Ronin have been deemed a menace and the council has ordered are to be taken care of. They told me that they plan to get a giant guild coalition together and use them to stamp them out. They are worried by their power. They think Natsu could actually defeat Zeref and they do not want anyone other than a guild mage or one of them to do it. Would be a sign of weakness or something. So, they have asked that the big three gather and prepare to defeat them. Lamia Scale, Fairy Tail, and Sabertooth, that's who they asked for." He said and looked at me, waiting for my answer.

I sighed and stood up and looked at the wall behind me, "We had already planned to defeat them ourselves, but if you wish to join us we won't stop you. What about Lamia Scale? You talk to them yet?" I finished my question and looked at him.

"Yes, and they are in as well. How long will your plan take exactly, because according to how things went here, it didn't go too well." He asked and stood as well, extending his hand so he could shake mine.

I took his hand and shook it firmly, looking in his eyes matching his intensity, "One year from the day they attacked. That is when our rematch will be."

'It's also the day when I avenge you Jiji.'

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A/N: Whew, it's done! That was fun! I hope you guys enjoyed like I did. Well have a good day and remember, READ AND REVIEW! ADIOS!