Wow, I really need to step up my game. Once again, I apologize for the long wait! At least, the good news is that Spring Break is around the corner, and that is the perfect time for me to catch up with my writing. Well anyways, here is chapter 10 to Crimson Eyes!

Natsu

I'm back. I'm me again.

I was able to control my body, something I never thought I'd miss so much. The troubles he made me go through, the things he made me witness; it was painful. I'd never dream of harming my Nakama, yet today, I made so many of them scream in fear.

Now, I can't trust myself, not with that monster in my head. My eyes were closed as I took deep breaths, relaxing my mind. At the moment, it felt empty, with no intruders residing within it.

"Hello?" I echoed in my mind, trying to see if my alter was still there. No response. As I laid there, I came to realize that I didn't feel rage either, only the calming state of peacefulness. Lucy sat by my side, along with Gray and Erza.

I sluggishly moved my hands from my face, looking up at the blue sky above me. I felt completely drained, even worse than when I was at the guild. It took me a minute to formulate a simple question. "Did… Happy tell you what happened?" My voice was low. It cracked, as if guilt was breaking my words. Lucy looked over to me, her lips tightened in a small smile. "Yeah, Erza made him spill everything."

I looked at Erza, and she flushed red, shaking her head. "Happy didn't want to say anything, so I had to force it out of him." She laughed.

"Ouch," I whispered. "That must've hurt."

Erza's smile faded, and she tightened her jaw. "Natsu, Happy said that you made him promised you not to tell anyone about your situation. Why didn't you want anyone to know about what you were going through?"

Here it comes. The inquiry. I slowly sat up, my eyes shifting from Erza to the ground. "It's because… I thought I could handle it myself, so I didn't want anybody to worry…"

"But clearly, you ended up turning evil and worrying us all." Gray blatantly stated. I could feel his eyes boring straight into me.

"I'm sorry, okay?" I snapped, my voice low and sharp. I felt a bit of frustration build up within me, so I took a deep breath. No negative emotions. We wouldn't want that monster coming back, now do we? I spoke softly, yet stuttered. "I know that w-what I did was wrong."

Lucy scooted closer to me, placing her hand on my cheek. She lightly turned my head to face her, where I broke my daze from the ground to meet her eyes. "Natsu, what we are trying to say is that you could always count on us, no matter what the situation is. I'd never want you to suffer through things alone, because you are not alone. You have FairyTail."

There was a warm feeling in my heart, and I appreciated it. I don't know what I'll do without my friends. Without Lucy… "You really know how to make things sentimental." I said, rubbing my eyes.

"Oh, come here, you…" Lucy pulled me into a hug, and Gray leaned over to mess with my hair.

"I'm telling you," He teased. "You can be such an idiot at times."

"Oh, like you're any better, ice princess." I remarked, catching Erza chuckling in the corner of my vision.

The scarlet mage stood up, brushing off her armor. "Come on, let's go help put out the fires."

I pushed off the floor to stand up, and I immediately regretted it. My vision swayed back and forth, and the corners of my eyes began to blacken. "Oh, that's not good…" I mumbled, toppling over.

Gray rushed forward, grabbing my shoulders to prevent me from falling. "Woah, you good Natsu?"

I regained my stability, my hand holding my head. "Hey, uh, what happens if I lose consciousness again?"

Lucy's face contorted into a fearful expression. "Oh no, that wouldn't be good at all…" She wrapped her arm around my waist, and her other hand held mine for steadiness.

Erza walked right in front of me, leaning her face close to mine as she scrutinized my tired features. She took in the dark circles under my cloudy eyes, as well as my slack expression. "Natsu, I'm being honest with you, you look horrible…"

"Well thanks, Erza…"

"I'm serious. You look like you could pass out at any second. And if that happens, your evil alter might resurface." She pulled away, rubbing her chin in concentration as she deliberated.

"What? Do you have a plan?" I asked, my eyes beaming. I'd do anything to not go through that again.

"My only thought is to keep you bound until Master comes with the antidote. In that way, we wouldn't have to worry about retrieving you, if you go rogue of course."

I smiled at the plan, nodding excessively. "Alright… let's do it."

Gray offered his idea. "I've been working on strengthening my ice cage. Wanna use that to keep you in?"

"Won't his alter just melt it?" Lucy asked, contemplating on Gray's logic.

"Whatever, l-let's just get it done with." I slurred. My head was really starting to hurt.

"Natsu!" A deep voice yelled. We all whipped our heads to see a giant-sized man running towards us. As he came closer, he began to shrink until he was only 3-feet tall.

"Gramps?" I questioned, bewildered that he actually made it in time.

Gramps stopped in front of us, panting, before he was able to speak. "Natsu— *huff huff* —there is no time to waste! Porlyusica made the antidote, and we must inject it in order to rid you of the poison!"

I looked at the syringe he held in his hands, the needle easily over 4 inches. I shook my head, slowly backing up. "No, no, no… I-I don't like needles…" I've never needed them before, because with my fire immune system, I never got sick. Now, with one presented before me, with one pointing at me, I didn't know how to react. Fear resided with me, as well and the bubbling feeling of rage.

"I-I hate needles. Th-they make me angry…" A torrent of negative emotions washed within me, and my tiredness began to cloud my vision. In my head, within that wave of emotions, red eyes flickered on.

Natsu, it seems you should take a break, and let me gain control…

Gray's POV

"Guys, Natsu's gonna lose it!" Lucy gaped, looking at the fire mage in fear.

He seemed to be in a trance, slowly rocking side to side as one hand clutched his head. His eyes were empty, as if no one was in full control of his body. He slowly blinked, as he continued to repeat the same words. "I hate them… I hate needles, I hate them…"

I stood there in a prepared position, gritting my teeth. Lucy's right, he completely lost it.

Erza whipped her head towards me. "GRAY, NOW!" She ordered. I gave an affirming nod, leaping into action.

"Ice-Make: Prison!" I did a front flip over Gramps and Natsu. My arms were outstretched, forming an ice cage on top of them as I was mid-air. I landed on the ground, looking back to see Gramps and Natsu enclosed from my shield.

Immediately, Lucy and Erza ran to the cage, grabbing the frozen bars in anticipation.

Within the cell, Gramps slowly approached Natsu, careful on his words. "Natsu, take it easy. We are doing this to help you, not to hurt you."

Suddenly, Natsu stopped his mumbling, and his hand slowly released from his head. His eyes were shadowed by his hair, as he stayed looking at the ground.

Gramps smiled, relieved at Natsu calming down. "That's right, now let's just—"

In a split second, Natsu's hand were wrapped around Master's throat, cutting him off from his sentence. Master began wheezing for air, completely shocked from the sudden turn of events.

"Gramps!" I ran to the cage in a panic, clutching on the wall opposite of Lucy and Erza.

Erza eyes widened in fear, and next to her, Lucy leaned against the ice bars, tears flowing from her cheeks. "Natsu!" She sobbed. "Please, don't hurt him!"

Natsu lifted his head, revealing those wretched, crimson eyes, as well as that sadistic smile that was plastered on his face. "Ah, so this is Fairy Tail's master, huh?"

Gramps wheezed in response, clawing at the tight grip around his neck.

Natsu chuckled. "Well, I must say, you truly raised a strong-willed mage. I mean seriously, how stubborn can this Natsu get? His energy is bottomless. It's gonna take a lot to break him." Natsu tossed Gramps to the side, hitting the far end of the cage. He looked around his surroundings, just noticing the large cage that enclosed him. "Oh? Well, this is nice."

We had no time to waste. Erza materialized a small knife in her hand, flinging it through the ice bars of the cage. It snagged onto the fabric of Natsu's vest, pinning him onto the ice bars behind him. Natsu's back was now directly in front of me, so without hesitation, I grabbed both of his hands and held them tightly behind his back.

Gramps got up from the ground, and leaped right into action. With Natsu held down, Gramps darted towards him, the syringe ready in his hands. He jumped forward, digging the 4-inch syringe deeply into his bandaged shoulder. Natsu yelped in agony, before he lifelessly slumped against the wall. His eyes grew heavy, yet their deep red color glared intently into Master's eyes.

"Makarov~" Natsu sang playfully.

Gramps looked at him in anger. "What do you want? You've been defeated, evil one. Now leave my child at once."

Natsu chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, Makarov. You don't understand, do you? This won't be the last time you'll see me. Remember, I am rage." Natsu lowered his voice to a whisper, where only the two of us could hear him. "I will always be apart of Natsu."

I let go of him, and gramps pulled out the syringe from his shoulder, as well as the dagger Erza threw that pinned Natsu onto the wall. The fire mage slumped to the ground, unconscious, as Gramps and I stood there facing each other, panting.

Gramps and I exchanged fearful looks. Cold sweat dripped from my face, and an unnerving chill went down my spine. Natus's words hung within the air, his last words replaying in my head like a broken record.

I will always be apart of Natsu... What could he have meant by that?

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