Twist of Fate

The first thing Gray Fullbuster noticed when he came to was the overwhelming stench of rotten fish upon his first gasping breath. He gagged, managing to inhale both foul air and salty water into his mouth which resulted in him breaking out in a coughing fit. Once his lungs and throat were clear, he found himself lying on his back on rough, solid rock, half-submerged in icy seawater. He wrinkled his nose in disgust before having to plug it, resorting to breathing through his parched mouth. It was pitch black when he opened his tired eyes. He could hear the slow drips of falling water echoing all around in what sounded like a large cavern of sorts.

Slowly, he brought up his trembling right hand and rubbed his weary face. His wet, wrinkled fingers were numb and cold as ice just like the rest of his body. What happened? He tried to remember how he had come to be but a throbbing ache in the side of his head prevented him from dwelling on it too much. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, careful to avoid taking another whiff of the awful aroma stinking up the cavern. Exhaustion plagued every muscle in his body. It was difficult to move.

Something stirred within the darkness – something large that noisily shifted the waters nearby. Gray's eyes snapped open when he felt the large ripples lap against his body and splash over his face. Rising painstakingly onto his elbows, he quickly spat the water out of his mouth and turned his head towards the sound and movement.

His breath was caught in his throat when his eyes met a pair of enormous eerily glowing green eyes that burned with a sinister aura within the darkness. Feeling so terribly close, the luminous orbs towered above where the boy was lying. Thick lines, both continuous and broken, forming an intricate pattern, shone the same colour along a large, serpent-like body that coiled beneath the dark water's surface, its end vanishing into the deep, dark depths. Despite its glow, the light of the creature was not bright enough to see the surrounding area.

Shivers managed to run through Gray's numb body when the demon's gaze pierced through his mind and soul. He remembered now – he was swept overboard the Thousand Sunny and the enormous dark shadow with eyes that glowed green swallowed him up…

You have finally awoken, wretched human.

The mage grimaced at the deep, rumbling snarl of the monster's voice ringing through his head at an excruciating volume. Writhing in the water, Gray clutched at his temples in hope of easing the sharp pain resonating within his skull. What sounded like steel repeatedly scraping on stone broke through the mage's stifled curses.

Pitiful creature, mocked the damn sea snake, its voice replacing that horrid screech. It was purely enjoying Gray's suffering. You cower before my might.

The ice-user cursed through gritted teeth and glowered at the green orbs that seemed to sneer at his torment. "I ain't cowering. Your damn voice is a freaking pain in the ass," was his snide retort, growled out through the agony.

Again, the demon released that awful sound of grinding metal, forcing Gray to cover his ears. What the hell was the stupid monster doing to produce such an atrocious noise?! Gray would have appreciated the demon's deep moans than tolerate this shrill screech threatening to tear out his eardrums.

The sound echoed throughout the cavern long after the monster ceased its screeching. Just when the mage thought he had a chance to regain his bearings, the sea snake's voice rang through his mind;

Your soul burns bright, young mortal. How I wish to devour you…

Gray flinched back and tried to rise in preparation of defending himself but found his body far too weak to support his own weight. With legs like jelly, he only managed to take two steps out of the water before he collapsed onto his side on rough, jagged stone. He laid still, his head spinning and his breathing labored – which was made more difficult with the rank smell of rot. Sharp, pointy protrusions of rock were pressing painfully into his skin and his entire back was stinging but he didn't have the strength to care. Damn, he felt like absolute crap. All of his magic was depleted. He had no shred of energy in his exhausted body. He could vaguely recall casting one final spell before the demon's jaws enclosed around him in the sea.

Weakly, he peered into the darkness and glowered at the watching sea snake, confused as to why he was still alive when he was certain his fate had gone to the demon's under the dark depths of the angry sea. "You had your chance, you rotten bastard," he muttered in spite, his words slightly slurred, "So why didn't you? Or did you actually choke on me?" A smirk found its way onto his cold, numb lips.

The green orbs intensified with fiery hatred and the air seemed colder and heavier. The water rippled, disturbed by the demon's growing aura. The glowing lines along the monster's body visible above and below the water's surface brightened as well, a sharp contrast against the pitch black of the cavern. And yet, the monster did not move as it glared with utmost hate at the weakened mage before it. A drawled out hiss that sounded like water fizzling in a heated pan accompanied Stormbringer's anger. Soon to follow was the damn voice that threatened to burst Gray's skull to pieces;

Insolent creature! You should be grateful that you still breathe within my presence!

Eyes clenched shut, the boy writhed in agony, his mind ringing with the demon's words. The rocks beneath him tore into his skin but that pain was nothing compared to the torture in his head. "Breathe?" He dared to laugh once he regained his senses – managing only breathless snorts that ridiculed the ugly snake. "Wish I didn't. I'm dying just from your stench. I'd rather be dead…"

You desire death? Then crawl closer. Your meager existence will cease when I devour your life.

Through half-lidded eyes, Gray evenly met the demon's fearsome glare looming before him. He was shivering – not from the cold of the water or the remnants of his last spell – but from the evil emanating from the cursed monster, chilling him to the core. He couldn't remember the last time his body shook so badly since he was immune to the cold. His muddled, aching mind tried to comprehend the situation carefully, pondering over why Stormbringer had yet to eat him when it craved his flesh. After a moment, he realized the answer and slowly formed a wicked sneer. "What's… What's the matter, worm?" he taunted, straining to form his words through his trembling lips. "Why should I have to… crawl over to your disgusting face? If you want my soul so bad… come and get it. I ain't going… ain't going anywhere."

Riled, the demon's aura flared, its eyes shifting only slightly as it attempted to move its gigantic body. The water stirred, however, the monster struggled to even move an inch from where it was lying. The furious hissing sound returned followed by the demon's cringing voice; Curse you, puny little wretch… This pathetic body has been damaged by your despicable magic! There was an angry clacking of bony teeth, with the green eyes bobbing up and down, for a while before Stormbringer eventually stopped snapping its jaws. Strangely enough, the sea snake's rage dwindled and the heavy chill in the air lessened to the point of becoming bearable.

Unable to contain his hate for the ugly beast, Gray couldn't help but mock its weakness after taking a moment to recover. "Can't believe we thought you worse than this… You're nothing but a rotten snake. Some demon you are."

Crack went the serpent's jaws. Green orbs burned bright, boring into the ice mage with great repulsion. I am only a husk of my former glory. My body and powers have deteriorated and only this weak, fragile shell remains. Consider yourself lucky, mortal, for you would have been consumed beneath my ocean if I was once was.

Lucky? Gray smirked humorlessly. The freaking monster was a goddamn joker. "You kidding me? I should've died either way… Supposed to be eaten or drowned but I ended up surviving only to suffer with you. Fate can be so cruel…"

Cruel, indeed. Stormbringer's voice was surprisingly more tolerable and oddly mellow. My being no longer has its use. Your cursed ice has torn and frozen what remains of my body. I am to rot beneath the ocean floor – nothing but a pile of sunken bones, never to die, never to fade. Existing but with no purpose, forever to haunt the bottom of the sea. Fate is cruel indeed. And I desire an end to it.

It took the mage a while to fully understand what the demon had said. He blinked a few times and narrowed his eyes in caution. "An end to what?"

What all wretched humans once sought centuries ago: an end to my existence. You desire it. I can see it – I can sense it. Your hate for demons is vibrant – your soul burns red like the blood moon. You cannot deny it, human. If you wish to kill me, then do as I bid and my end will come.

"W-Wait. What?" Gray was staring, confused but also anxious at the same time. He cleared his parched throat and wet his dry, salty lips. "You're willing to die? Just like that?"

The serpent produced that grating screech that lasted only a few seconds. Indeed. I have been reduced to nothing since my banishment. The harsh oceans of the distant realm I was imprisoned under stripped my life and powers. For centuries, my body slowly corroded, my magic drained. What you see now is what remains – a worthless corpse that can no longer defy the command of a mere mortal! Stormbringer clacked its many teeth together in anger and stirred the water once more. It was seething, directing its spite at an unseen being. Curse that mortal! Curse him to the depths of the darkest hell! How dare he bring me back to this prison island… How dare he command me! How dare he!

Gray clutched his head tightly from the demon's furious outcry, barely holding onto consciousness.

You! Mortal! Seek that wretched human and destroy the item that controls me! By destroying it, you destroy me as well! Are you paying attention? Stop groveling or are you–

"Will you just shut up?!" the mage screamed at the top of his lungs. His voice and his anger echoed around the cavern, stilling the monster's annoying rant. Breathing heavily, Gray managed to glare heatedly at the annoying sea serpent through the pain. Stormbringer glowered through the dark in silence. Finally having a moment of reprieve, the ice-user let out a groan and rolled onto his back, hissing at the stinging sensations coming from the many new cuts on his body due to the stupid sharp rocks he was unfortunate to lie upon.

With an unsteady hand, he rubbed his weary face in both exhaustion and bewilderment. His mind was too muddled to think clearly but he was somewhat aware of what the demon was asking from him. It wanted to die and it wanted Gray to bring its demise. An easy victory. After all, he teamed up with the Straw Hats to bring down the monster and that was exactly what he, Franky and Usopp just did. So why did it feel wrong to kill the monster when it specifically asked him to do so? Giving it death would be giving it mercy… Unless the demon was only playing some sort of trick. Demons could never be trusted.

You are wasting time dawdling there like a lowly sea worm.

Gray gritted his teeth but was silently thankful that the demon didn't have the need to bellow out its words that time. The boy muttered a curse. "Damn it, snake… Damn it all… How can I believe you? For all I know, you could be lying. I could just leave you here to die on your own."

I do not lie. I am forbidden to lie. Heed my words true, human, for you are the only one to hear my plea. My soul will not die, not as long as I am bound to this world. I will be left with a cursed and miserable fate at the bottom of the ocean. When the mage was not convinced, the demon grew impatient. Do you require me to beg? Must I sound desperate?

Somehow Gray had the strength to be sarcastic. "Would you kindly?"

It hesitated. No. I still possess a shred of dignity in this pathetic form.

The mage formed a thin, bemused smile and after a short moment of painful contemplation, he sighed, feeling utterly tired. "Fine. I'll do it. But don't think I pity you or anything."

Pity? That is the least I would expect from you, young mortal. Only hatred reigns in your blood-red soul. You yearn for my death so bring it quickly. I tire of this body and I tire of you humans meddling with powers that truly do not belong to your race.

"Wait. On one condition, snake: you must first answer my questions."

A waste of time.

"I want to know–"

You waste your breath. You will know what I know, see how I see, hear how I hear once you complete the pact with me.

"A pact? With you?" Gray snorted and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Forget it. This wasn't part of the plan to kill you."

Your life is waning, ignorant wretch. Weak as you are now, how are you going to seek out the one who holds my chains? Stay here any longer and you will die. Your strength will never replenish within this cavern. Seals have been placed to block out all magic energy to enter by the nefarious humans that occupy this prison island. Slowly, you will wither and–

"Then why come here? Why the hell would you bring me to this damn cave?"

I did not bring you here. Your vile ice damaged my body greatly. I had no choice but to retreat with your frozen life trapped within my maw. Forever I am bound to this cursed cavern that is both my prison and sanctuary. It was either here or the bottom of the ocean. Be grateful it was not the latter.

Gray grunted, not knowing if he should be thankful at all. Deciding to work with the demon did not sit well with his conscience. The damn monster was wrong to think he hated all demons. He only despised the evil ones that strived for destruction and death and nothing else, ones like Deliora. Stormbringer was one of them for sure, there was no mistaking the evil emanating from it.

If he formed a pact with the demon, would he deeply regret it later on? He was highly suspicious of the monster's motive. It could very well be lying despite claiming it could not, hiding its true intentions such as freedom from its bonds or worse…

Who was insane enough to trust an evil creature?

Unfortunately, Gray was that person, having very little choice in the matter. His body refused to move much like the demon's. If the demon spoke the truth, he would never recover staying in the dark, wet cavern. And Stormbringer might have all the answers he and the others sought after to fix the mess they were in if Natsu's group have yet to find them. The Straw Hats could finally go back home and Earthland would have one less evil demon to worry about.

Slowly, he closed his eyes, his heart heavy with guilt and his mind uneasy. His hands curled into fists, feeling the rocks scrape roughly against his skin. "Fine… If it's the only way… How ironic for you to say that we shouldn't meddle with your powers."

It is not meddling when I grant you it, mortal. You have already given your blood to me. Now you must speak the incantation. Repeat what I tell you. Do not falter. Do not stutter.

What sounded like a complex vocabulary of garbled words and hisses in the tongue of a demonic language filled the mage's head. He didn't catch any of it, resulting in him staring sullenly at the monster once the serpent finished. He cleared his throat. "Yeah… Run that by me one more time. Slower."

Stormbringer echoed the incantation only to have to repeat itself over and over again, each time growing more furious that it pained the mage to listen. They snapped at each other, threw insults back and forth, and both even agreed that they were hardly getting anywhere and required brief moments to somewhat calm down. After what seemed like the hundredth time, Gray uttered the last word of the spell without fault, his throat dry and his voice husky.

The green orbs in the dark shimmered as if sneering. Within that instant, the ground beneath Gray started to glow bright with a sinister blood red as magic runes appeared, spreading out to form a large circle around him. Stunned by the light, the mage only had a brief second to blink before his vision was engulfed entirely in crimson.

What came after was the worst part. He was wracked with an electrifying pain; like lightning had struck him through and through. Not once, not twice; he lost count at how many times the electricity coursed through every part of his body. He wasn't sure if he was screaming for he had gone deaf and his eyes, blind. Then, it all finally ended, his senses completely numb and his thoughts, lost. Nothing but darkness waited.

It is done, child. Your life is mine… and my life is yours…

It felt as if the entire island was shaking from the mighty roar that rent the air. Coming from an enormous winged dragon, fiery embers escaped the great beast's white hot throat as it cried out towards the sky that burned orange from the scorching flames flaring from its crimson-scaled body. Even when the roar ended, it seemed to go on forever, resounding throughout the barren land.

Hands cupped to her ringing ears, Lucy opened her eyes only to stare at the creature that was once Natsu, not able to recognize her dear companion in the form of that monster. She was horrified by what the dragon – her friend – had done to Berta. It killed the witch. It ate her whole without hesitation. Happy was in a similar state as he clung to Lucy's shoulder, his claws sinking into her skin, too shocked to even move.

The dragon wasn't Natsu. It wasn't him at all. He would never kill no matter how cruel the enemy and no matter how evil they were. So what happened to him? What did he become?

Eyes wide, the spirit mage watched in horror as the giant lizard fully turned to face the pair that stood in the distance: Erza and the pirate cook, Sanji.

Strong arms grabbed Lucy, picking her up on her feet and dragging her backwards, away from the dangerous fires spreading around the dragon. The intense heat was visible around the reptile, distorting the air with translucent waves and making the area unbearable.

"Natsu…" Lucy tried to call his name, but her voice was hardly a whisper. She couldn't breathe in the terrible heat, she was panting like everyone else, sweat dripping from every pore on her body. But then, she screamed it out just as the enormous reptile took into the air on large, leathery wings, lunging straight for Erza and Sanji.

Others were yelling as well, warnings and panicked screams that were both angry and frightened. There was a pang in Lucy's chest when the dragon descended on the pair with a soundly crash and an eruption of fire.

The mages cried out Erza's name. The pirates for Sanji. No one could see the fate of their two companions behind the mass of fire engulfing the land. The dragon was growling and someone was swearing beyond the boundary of flames, a good indication that the mage and cook were still alive. The sound of metal clashing hard against something solid rang from the distance.

"Damn it, Natsu Dragoneel! What are you doing?!" Luffy bellowed, stepping forward only to be stopped by multiple hands sprouting over his body. Fingers gripped tight around the Captain's arms and legs, making him trip over.

"Do not be rash, Captain," Robin told the boy, her tone stern. Arms crossed before her, the archaeologist's gaze was fixated on the inferno in the distance. She and Brook were the least affected by the intense heat that sapped everyone's strength. The Ambient earrings she wore protected her from the extreme temperature and Brook was, well, a skeleton. "You will burn up the instant you step foot in there. His body temperature is likely over a thousand degrees Celsius. Likely more."

"But Sanji… He and Erza…" Chopper panted with worry, barely able to stand on his two legs. The poor animal was overheating too quickly and Happy was hardly faring any better.

Nami swore out loud as she hastily wiped the sweat trickling down the side of her face. "What's gotten into him? Lucy! Happy! What's wrong with him? Why is he attacking them?!"

"I… I don't… Natsu…" the blue feline was still too shocked to fully speak, his little pink tongue lolling out of his mouth. His eyes were wide and teary, glowing orange from the light of the fires.

Lucy bit her lower lip. "His magic… It… It's gone out of control…" was her explanation as she slowly shook her head in disbelief. Guilt clawed at her insides and dread filled her heart. "The Amphorite… He ate too much. I told him not to… I told him not to…" She clenched her hands tight, her nails digging deep into the palms. "It's my fault, isn't it? It was my idea and look what happened…"

"You didn't know," Nami told her, trying to sound assuring but it was difficult when it was so damn hot and the fate of their friends was unknown. "Just tell us, how do we stop him?"

"We beat the sense back into him!" Luffy suggested, flopping on the ground in an attempt to break from Robin's many hands.

Brook pierced his cane into the black rock beside the boy's head, making the captain momentarily stop his squirming. "You heard from the lovely Robin. You will burn the second you lay a hand on that dragon. And you will lose more than just the skin on that hand," the musician warned with a wave of his bony finger. He then gaped at his skeletal limb as if seeing it for the first time, looking rather horrified. "Why, look at my hand! It's already burned to the bone! Oh wait! I'm already bones! Skull Joke! Yohohoho!"

Nami rolled her eyes before her expression became serious. From behind her waist, she freed three short, blue hollow rods, each with a spherical attachment at one end, from their holds and snapped two of the pieces together and twirled the third one in rapid circles in her hand. Just when Lucy was about to question what the navigator was doing, the mage felt a pleasant drop in temperature. "With all this hot air rising and clouds already in the sky, I can start up a storm. Let's hope it's enough to put out the fires… And let's hope they're okay… Please, be okay…"

The air grew thick with fog and gratefully cooler with each spin of Nami's Perfect Clima-Tact. The navigator had mentioned her weapon to Lucy once on the ship; how impressive it was to manipulate the elements of the weather with the specially made rod.

Shrouded in heavy mist, the heat was no longer the main problem, and the fires were barely visible through the cover. However, Nami wasn't too pleased. "Damn it. The cold air's heating too fast. It's making fog instead of clouds!"

"We don't have time for this!" Luffy growled, resuming his struggle. More hands grew to reinforce their hold on the captain. "Robin! Let me go!"

"Luffy, you can't just barge right in there!" the navigator tried to reason. "If only I can make it rain sooner, then maybe it might be cool enough for you to fight. But I need to get higher…"

The straw-hat wearing pirate twisted his neck in her direction and grinned. "Want me to throw you up in the sky like I did to Zoro?"

Nami angrily conked him over the head with her rod, giving the captain a visible bump. "No way! I'm not that crazy! I don't want to die!"

"I…" Happy started to speak up, finally regained his bearings. His fur was damp from the thick moisture hanging around. He dropped down and approached the navigator, his wide eyes shining with newfound devotion. "I can fly you to the sky! If there's a way to bring Natsu back, I want to help!"

"Fly?" The girl was nervous about the idea.

"Oh! I want to fly, talking blue cat!" cried Luffy, gawking at Happy like a child begging for his turn for a ride.

Nami sighed and ignored her captain as she kneeled before the Exceed. She smiled with determination and scratched the feline under his chin, making the animal smile in pleasure. "All right, little kitty. I'll have to trust you with my life. We'll bring your friend back."

"It's Happy… Not 'little kitty'..." he purred. White, feathered wings appeared on Happy's back and he took into the air, his ability still captivating the pirates. Wrapping his tail around Nami's waist, he easily lifted the girl off the ground. With a final nod from the both of them, they vanished upwards through the thick mist. Nami's startled screams could be heard as the Exceed carried her as fast a dart.

Seeing that Happy was willing to do whatever it took to bring Natsu back, Lucy started to feel the same. She drew a steady breath, her heart set on overcoming the dread that troubled her. She needed to focus and she needed to be brave. The only way to change the Dragon Slayer back to his normal self was most likely brute force. And she knew just what to do.

She kneeled beside the captain of the Straw Hats, knowing that he was among the few capable of pulling through with her plan. "Captain Luffy," she began, drawing the pirate's attention away from the need to break free, "I think I know how we can change Natsu back. The Amphorite he ate, the rocks here," she patted the shadowless rock beneath them, "they're greatly amplifying his magic power to the point that he is no longer in control… If we can get them out of him… he'll likely turn back to normal."

Luffy raised an eyebrow. "Should I jump into his stomach?"

"No, Luffy!" Chopper exclaimed in horror. "You'll just get incinerated in there!"

Robin soundly smirked, dropping her arms and dismissing her extra limbs in a flash of flowery petals. "We'll have to force them out of him. Is that what you are implying, Miss Lucy?"

"Are you thinking of inducing vomiting?" the doctor questioned with a frown. "That's the only method I can think of…"

The Celestial mage nodded. "It's the only way, I believe. Luffy is strong enough to do it." She had heard the many impossible-sounding feats of the captain and seen his incredible strength. She didn't doubt the boy's amazing power and endless determination to save his dearest companions. A hard punch or kick to the gut would most likely make a dragon sick to its stomach, right?

It was a risky task since Luffy had to confront the rampaging reptile and its dangerous fire magic. Lucy could only hope that he was strong and quick enough to pull through without sustaining too much harm to himself. She wasn't going to let him fight alone, however. She would provide the support he needed. After all, Natsu's transformation was entirely her fault. She had to make up for it and in order to do that, she needed to save Natsu from his own destruction…

An explosion suddenly shattered the sky and all heads turned upward through the dissipating fog. The clouds above had turned thick and black, signifying a brewing storm just like Stormbringer's terrible spell. But this time, it wasn't the demon causing the storm, ironically enough.

Bright white lightning flashed through the dark clouds shifting from the growing wind. Thunder cracked and echoed. Soon to follow was the much needed rain. Heavy droplets poured down, pelting Lucy and the pirates around her, vanishing the last of the fog and further bringing down the heat. Within seconds they were all drenched to the bone and it was then that Luffy left the group and dashed straight towards the shrinking fires, his wet sandals soundly flopping .

Exchanging one last look with Brook, Robin, and Chopper, Lucy followed the captain of the Straw Hats.

When he saw those eyes of molten gold fall on them, Sanji knew they were in deep, deep trouble. Mentally swearing, the cook scooped up Erza Scarlet in his arms once more, grunting at the added weight of her new red, black and gold armour and her large crimson sword in hand. Ignoring her strict commands shouting in his ear, he twirled around and made a mad dash for it because he could sense and hear the giant flying lizard diving straight for them.

"H-Hey! What the hell's… w-wrong with… dragon-brat?!" he stammered between each panting breath. It was so hot and so difficult to breathe properly but that didn't stop him from running for his life and saving the beautiful woman in his arms. His nice, tailored suit was ruined from his own sweat soaking it through. Mouth awfully parched, he was exhausting quickly.

"Natsu…" Scarlet replied, looking over the blond man's shoulder at the incoming beast. "He doesn't recognize us! Sanji!"

There was no need for her to warn him, he could already feel the sudden rise in temperature at the back of his neck. It felt as if his whole back was lit on fire when the giant reptile landed at the very spot he was just at mere seconds ago. Glancing back, he couldn't restrain the many curses that loudly escaped his lips when he saw the dragon's maw wide open and the back of its throat glowing bright. A stream of yellow and orange fire was spewed forth from its mouth and headed their way.

Before Sanji could even blink, he felt Erza grab the front of his blue undershirt with one hand while twisting around, forcing him to lose his grip on her. She dropped her legs to the ground and managed to lift the taller man off his feet with the momentum and flung him over her shoulder. He was uncontrollably flying fast through the air, away from the direct stream of searing flames. He flipped around in mid-flight, aghast by the blinding intensity of the fire engulfing the woman he wanted to protect. "Scarlet!" he cried the instant he landed on his feet. He had to shield his face from both the powerful blast of choking heat and the intensity of the light that was as bright as the morning sun.

The stream ended, leaving a blazing trail that stretched far across the flat, barren plain of rocks. The ground around the fires shimmered like black glass, the rocks melted from the incredible heat that touched it. Standing amongst the burning embers was Erza, holding her red sword before her in a defensive posture, her entire body smoldering and the ends of her long hair singed. Her fair skin remained beautifully fair and not burnt black as Sanji had expected from such a devastating attack.

Just when he thought the mage was okay, her weapon slipped out of her hand and clattered on the glassy rock ground. Then she began to fall forward, her eyes closed. Acting quickly, the cook sprinted towards her falling body, adrenaline forcing his fatigued muscles to move. At the same time, the damn dragon snarled, its mouth dripping white hot slaver that could very well be lava. Each drop sizzled when it touched the ground, easily melting the rocks into molten pools.

Erza was lying prone on the burning ground by the time Sanji cleared the wall of fire to reach her. At the same time, the crimson reptile was advancing towards them, its hungry eyes set on its prey. The flames singed his hair and burned his clothes, but Sanji was determined to save the woman he admired (and loved!) Acting quickly, he grabbed Erza with the sleeves of his suit to partially protect from burning his hands from the fires around her body. He fumbled a few times from the pain burning into his skin but did not let up. When he had the woman safe in his arms, the dragon was already upon them, its huge black claws raking down from above. There was no time for Sanji to react…

But then something appeared before the cook in a flash of steel and muscle. It was the idiot, Zoro, and he was swinging two of his blades upwards, crossing them above his head to block against the dragon's swipe. Swords and claws clashed in a brilliant shower of sparks and ringing metal. The pirate hunter nearly fell to his knees from the impact but persisted to remain on his feet, struggling to hold up the claws wanting to crush them like insects. "Hurry up!" he barked at the cook, his throat hoarse and his voice straining with effort.

Sanji didn't need to be told what to do by that moron. He bolted, escaping both the fire and the overgrown lizard's onslaught. "You better not get eaten!" he taunted without looking back. "Or roast to a crisp! You'll probably give the damn lizard-brat a nasty stomach ache!"

He heard the first mate loudly grunt in response followed by the sound of swords striking into solid scales and the dragon's furious growl. Sanji kept running, knowing the shitty marimo was not likely going to die so soon. Well, he was hoping. Never before have they ever faced a giant fire-breathing dragon that used to be one of their companions…

The cook collapsed when he thought he was, what he considered, a safe distance away from the heat and the monster. He was careful to fall onto his back to have Erza lie unconscious on top of him and in his arms. He gasped for air, wrinkling his nose at the smell of burnt hair and clothes, and hissed at the searing pain coming from the burns he had sustained on his hands. He clenched them tight, fearing to lose the mobility in his fingers if the damage was severe.

Carefully, he adjusted his hold on Erza, wanting to see how bad his injuries were. But then the woman moaned and stirred awake, her eyes fluttering open right below his chin. With everything forgotten but her, Sanji couldn't be too happy. His heart pounded heavily against his chest at the wondrous sight of a maiden waking on top of him. "Milady," he greeted, his smile wide and always charming no matter the circumstances. "Did you sleep well?"

Her brown eyes widened and the next thing Sanji knew, he was being shaken awake by the scarlet-haired beauty… and there was now an awful throbbing ache at the side of his head. "Sanji! Sanji! Forgive me!" she cried. She then slapped his face repeatedly, heavy metal gauntlets striking hard against his cheeks and eliciting painful yelps from him. She stopped and soundly sighed in relief at Sanji's groans. "I apologize… Reflexes kicked in and… Never mind that. Are you all right?"

Hearing her concern for him made him forget all the pain and fatigue in his body. The cook sprung into a sitting position and clasped his hands around her armoured ones, his mood elevated with passion. "Why of course, milady! Your strikes of love have woken my heart and soul. Nothing can keep me down with you by my side!"

Her mouth twitched into a snarl and she seemed irritated rather than stricken with affection. She pulled away only to stop when she saw his bare hands. Gently, she held his right hand, her brow knitting with worry.

Sanji couldn't keep his mouth from swearing when he saw the ugly red blisters on his palms and fingers.

"This is from saving me, isn't it?" Erza inquired, guilt-ridden. "I'm sorry you had–"

He shushed her. "I should be the one apologizing. You saved my life first. There was no way I could have avoided that fire…"

She softly touched the burns, looking more troubled than before. She turned towards the battle still raging on between dragon and swordsman, her eyes narrowed and her mouth a grim line. "I don't understand… How could Natsu do this?" Her lower lip quivered as she watched the beast that was once the pink-haired brat move about in the distance, trying to snatch the pirate in its teeth and claws. Its fires were spreading in its wake. At this rate, the whole island would be nothing but an inferno. "What happened to him? Did the damn witch do this?" Erza bared her teeth in anger and shook her head, frustrated at no absolute answer. "We have to stop him somehow. We'll have to knock him out and bring some sense back into the idiot."

The idea sounded insane, especially when it was impossible to get near the fiery beast without burning to death. The dragon's body temperature was probably akin to the inside of an active volcano. Even though Sanji could withstand the heat of his own Diable Jambe, fighting the dragon-brat was a whole new level. For sure, the bottom of his shoes would melt just from contact with the lizard's crimson scales.

However, he was no coward. He couldn't back down from a woman's request. He loosened his tie and stood up, staring boldly in the direction of the ongoing blaze that lit the darkening sky orange. For certain he looked dashing in such a pose, wanting to show his lady his true heroic heart. "Then stay here, milady. I'll pummel the brat into submission."

"No. Sanji –"

The cook held her down by placing a hand over her shoulder. "You can no longer stand. Zoro and I will bring him back. Maybe Luffy too. Just watch."

"You can't–"

"Please don't cry, milady." He dramatically averted his gaze, feigning his sadness to depart. "It pains me to see your beloved tears!"

Erza groaned and attempted to rise but failed, her expression distorted with pain. He kneeled beside her quickly, worried that she would still try to fight when he left her side. Sighing in frustration, she hung her head in defeat, her hands furling into trembling fists upon her lap. "Damn it… I…" She let out another angry sigh before meeting the pirate's gaze. "There's no other choice then… Take my armour to protect against the heat and fire." Swiftly, she pulled off her gauntlets and unbuckled the straps to her greaves.

"M-Madamoiselle Scarlet!" Sanji's heart skipped a beat at the thought of her stripping down to her underwear. He couldn't wait to see the perfect curves of her hips, her shiny, smooth skin, and her plump breasts held behind the straps of a thin bra! However, to his biggest disappointment, she stopped at the neck brace that was adorned with a pair of large red and black leather, dragon-like wings that hung down the back.

She narrowed her eyes skeptically when she noticed his staring. "My breastplate won't fit you," she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now put these on and go."

"Aye! Milady!" He stood straight and raised a hand in the air, mimicking the same gesture of her companions when obeying her commands. It brought a smile on her face.

Sanji took off his scorched suit and rolled up what remained of the sleeves of his blue undershirt to slip on the black leather, red and gold metal plated gauntlets. They were a tight fit but manageable. Next, he kicked off his shoes and jammed his feet into the crimson plated greaves that covered up to his knees. The bottoms were shaped like the feet of dragons with clawed toes at the front and heel. Erza snapped the golden brace around his neck, the large wings loosely dangling behind him like the ends of a long scarf. She stepped back to look him over.

The warrioress smirked, more in amusement than in admiration. "Not too bad, Sanji. Not too bad." She was visibly stifling her laughter behind her hand.

"Any praise from you is like the words of a goddess!" He bowed before her only to jump back up when he heard a loud explosion coming from above them. "What the…?"

Both stared up, seeing the sky turned black with growing storm clouds. Lightning arced throughout the heavens in blinding flashes of white followed by the angry roar of thunder. The first thought that came to the pirate's mind was that it was the sea demon's doing.

"It's not Stormbringer's magic, not that I can sense over Natsu's magic," Erza informed when he had asked.

Sanji grinned. He knew the answer right away. "This is Miss Nami's work."

"Nami?" The mage perked an eyebrow. "How do you know for sure?"

"Whenever situations can't be beat with brute force, she always knows what to do." Calmly, he pulled a fresh cigarette out of the carton in the front pocket of his blue undershirt and placed it in his mouth, ignoring the pain from his burned hands. He didn't light up because it soon began to pour. Heavy rain soundly fell, blissfully cooling his body and washing away the sweat that matted his hair. He happily licked the water dripping over his lips, quenching the terrible thirst he had. "This is Miss Nami's way of helping us. Look! It's Luffy!" He pointed at the sprinting figure moving towards the dwindling fires, the straw hat upon his head unmistakable. "He's probably got the same idea we have." He gave Erza an assuring nod and started to run ahead. "We'll bring the kid back. Just watch!"

Clamping hard onto his soggy cigarette with his teeth, the cook awkwardly sprinted towards the giant winged beast hidden in thick, rising steam. The heavy greaves Sanji wore were heavy and clunky, each step pounding hard on the ground. They were definitely not designed for running. But whatever, Erza had given them to him, so he didn't care! Even when he stumbled and fell face-first into rough stone and scraped the bottom of his chin. He rebounded right back onto his feet as if it never happened.

Pleased to have the woman's trust, the cook formed a wide smile, thinking of only winning her true love as he continued towards the shrinking inferno that housed an enraged dragon.

A/N: Wanted to cram in the battle between pirates and dragon-Natsu at the end but thought otherwise. I'm going to try to extend it and make it a grand battle in the next chapter.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Now you know what happened to Gray, bwahahaha. Had a little fun writing Sanji's part. Hope I got his character down close to perfect.

Thanks for reading!