Author's Note: Oh boy! Here you guys have it; the first major timeskip and the largest chapter I've uploaded for this Fanfiction so far. The reason I wanted it to be so long is because I wanted to thoroughly set the stage for this timeskip.
First off, I would like to address two of my reviews.
1) A timeskip was suggested by a guest. The timeskip in this chapter was intentional, so it was a mere coincidence that it happened right as this guest posted their review!
2) I haven't forgotten about Kagura's Gravity magic… We'll leave it at that for now (;
I try to respond to any constructive criticism through PMs instead of addressing them in the Fanfiction. So be sure to check your PMs if you left a review!
With that out of the way, thank you again for the immense support you have been showing me. My reviews, favorites, and followers NEVER go unnoticed: I get a phone notification every time someone does one of these actions! In all honesty, I had mixed feelings about some of the stuff I included in this chapter since it gets a bit controversial. I digress, I think you all will enjoy it to its fullest!
During Those 7 Years
Chapter 13: X786
Two men were sitting in a simple office with no lighting but a window behind them. Bookshelves lined the walls off to the side while an elaborate desk was positioned towards the rear. Behind the desk was the window covered by curtains gazing out towards a glistening lake with the sun beating down above it. Despite how calm the interior of the office was, the two men were speaking of something much more serious.
The man behind the desk began to speak to his guest in a dark voice. "Do you understand what I'm asking you to do? There can't be any errors with this. If I knew another way we could get the same outcome in such a short time, I would do it in a heartbeat. I just don't have the time right now to delay this any longer."
The man opposite smirked wickedly before responding. "There's no reason to be so vague. The plan is burned into my head. You came to the right person to get their hands dirty."
The original man nodded in satisfaction before leaning forward. "I'm glad to hear that. For the next few hours, I'm not the compassionate mage you know, so don't be afraid to see how creative you can get with this task of yours. Remember, you're going to poison the girl in order to slowly suck the life out of her. After that, force the other person that will be with her to make a decision: either he gets the chance to leave and no one will know about your two's encounter as long as you mug her, or he dies trying to protect the girl considering how powerful and notorious you are." He nodded while leaning back again.
The man opposite to him questioned. "What's the name of the person that will be with her? Will I remember them from two years ago?"
"His name isn't really relevant, and the chances you've heard of him are low. The man's name is Reedus Jonah. I've instructed him to take the specific path you will be positioned at since he's going to be running a few 'errands' for me. Him and the girl he meets won't know each other, so this should be interesting for us to watch. I'll be off to the building across the channel observing the entire scene unfold."
The guest began to stand up from his seat before speaking. "I have one more question for you… What's in it for me? You can't really expect me to do this considering you were the person to lock me up in the first place."
The man behind the desk leaned in further before confidently speaking. "If you can successfully poison the girl and force Reedus to make a decision, I'll convince Gran Doma to pardon your life sentence. You'll still be under strict supervision by the Magic Council until you can be trusted your full freedom, but that's my offer right now."
The guest who stood up cringed slightly before speaking again. "Can I at least see her one more time? I don't care if you lock me away for life… Just let me speak to her one last time." The man stuttered slightly.
The original man leaning forward loosened his tense composure before sighing. "I'll think about it. Just know that the last thing I need on my hands right now is a mental relapse from her, so the chances are low."
The guest bowed rapidly before speaking. "I'll take anything I can get at this point. You won't be disappointed. I'll make Reedus beg for that girl's mercy." He wickedly smirked before shaking the other man's hand from across the desk. He then regained his composure before leaving the simple office while closing the door behind him.
The original man who was sitting behind his desk stood up and reluctantly opened up the curtains behind him. He allowed the sunlight to pour into the near pitch black room which revealed his identity. The sun's rays caressed his signature pink hair and the man even had a light stubble of same color that he began to sport since he rarely had the time to shave. He couldn't help but also plaster a wicked grin on his face while staring down at a group of mages training in the distance. The man's name was Natsu Dragneel.
Natsu continued scanning his Nakama who were training below the office he was standing in. His black eyes then rested on a rather skinny mage who was talking to a group of friends. Natsu then muttered towards this mage with slight hostility in his voice. "I hope you're ready Reedus." The Guild Master then made his way around his desk and left his office shortly after the other man left in order to position themselves for the ambush they had planned.
"Hey Reedus? You going to come and help us set up the decorations for Master Natsu since we're all finished with our training for today? I think he just left to go run some errands. I mean, we wouldn't be here without him if he wasn't our Guild Master. No better time to celebrate his anniversary considering he's about to announce some new S-Class mages!" A purple haired man yelled towards him from the rear entrance of the guild hall.
The Pict mage frowned slightly before responding. "I wish I could help Macao, but Natsu's been really busy lately being Guild Master so he wanted me to help him run errands around town. When I'm done visiting the post office, I'll try to get back so I can help you guys finish the decorations."
Macao nodded while smiling. "Take your time! Just be back before he does so we can surprise him. He told me he'll be back before the sun sets, so you have tons of time to run those errands. The rest of us will be waiting for you inside!"
Reedus smiled at Macao while waving. "Oui! I'll see the rest of you guys then!" He yelled before bolting around the guild hall and entering the streets of Magnolia Town.
The Pict mage wasted no time bolting towards the entrance of Magnolia town where the shopping outlets were. The faster he brought back Master Natsu's tax papers from the post office, the more time he would have to party with the rest of his Nakama. He crossed a cobblestone bridge that him from Fairy Tail's court yard towards Kardia Cathedral.
Just as he rounded the Gothic structure looming above him, his ears picked up on uncontrollable sobbing coming from the entrance of an alleyway to the left of the main street he was running on. He immediately stopped running to notice that a young girl was crying at his feet. He reluctantly walked towards the kneeling girl who was sobbing into her legs before speaking. "Wuh- What's wrong?" He compassionately asked the black haired adolescent.
The girl lifted her head from her legs before speaking. "Muh- My father wanted me to go to the store to pick up fresh bread." She paused to hold up the warm loaf lying next to her. "Buh- But the only way to get back home is by going around town or through these alleys. The alleys are a lot faster usually, but they're dark and I don't like going in them because my parents tell me not to if I'm carrying lots of money with me. If- If I'm late my father will yell at me for not being on time for dinner!"
Reedus slowly began to rise from his position and reluctantly gazed back at the long street ahead of him. In the distance he could see the post office he needed to get to. It was only a five minute walk away. He then looked back down to the sobbing girl and the alleyway across from them.
"You don't have to cry. I'm a Fairy Tail mage. I'm running really important errands right now, but I can help get you home quickly before finishing them." He sighed slightly while coming to a conclusion. Right now, this girl mattered more then being late for some party, even if it was his Guild Master's. He finished by rolling up his vest to show his guild mark on the upper part of his forearm to prove he was a Fairy Tail mage.
The girl giggled in happiness before cheering up. "That's so cool! My parents talk about your guild sometimes. Thank you for helping me out." She stood up, picked up her bread, and hugged the man's lower body.
Reedus couldn't help but gush before speaking to her. "Pardon, but we should probably get going now so you're not late. Remember to stay close to me. I don't want you to get lost in the alleys, otherwise you'll never get home!" He teased before the girl stood up. They nodded to each other before walking into the seemingly lightness abyss in front of them.
A couple seconds into their trek, Reedus began to start a conversation with the young girl. "Pardon me, but what's your name young lady?" He spoke while guiding her through a maze of trash cans.
Even though Reedus could barely see her, the girl beamed upwards and smiled. "My name's Mako. Sorry about being a crybaby earlier, but I'm a really big girl! I'm already 10 years old!" She confidently stated while beginning to march slightly.
"Oui! You definitely are a big girl! You wanted me to help take you home through these alleys when I'm to afraid to even stare at them." The Pict mage half joked towards the black haired girl. "Your parents wouldn't that you're walking through dark alleys as long as you're with a friend, would they?" He cautiously asked.
Mako crossed her arms and pouted. "They keep telling me to never walk through them no matter who I'm with. I think they're just a bunch of dummies! That's why I wanted you to come with me. I wanted to show them that it's safe as long as you have someone with you! I mean, we're walking through them and nothings happening to-" Before Reedus could begin lead them out of the alleys because Mako mentioned how dangerous they could be, a cloaked man leapt from one of the rooftops directly behind the duo him and hurled his body towards the young girl.
The cloaked man broke his fall with a roll and grabbed Mako from behind while resurfacing from his jump. The man pried the girl's neck upwards which exposed its rhythmic pulse to Reedus's back. The girl attempted to scream but was silenced by the man forcing his hand over her mouth.
The man who ambushed Mako then positioned himself and his hostage so a small ray of light shone on his face revealing his identity. Reedus immediately whipped around to see why Mako was emitting muffled screams. His eyes quickly rested upon a man wearing a white cloak with maroon colored hair with a demented smirk on his face.
Redus's first instinct was to attack the man holding Mako as hostage, but as he inspected the attacker more thoroughly, Reedus's eyes began to widen when he realized who the man was.
The cloaked figure then began to chuckle when he saw Reedus widen his eyes. "What's wrong? I thought Fairy Tail mages were supposed to protect their Nakama? Isn't it about time you helped little Mako out… Reedus Jonah?" The man finished by sneering the Pict mages name.
This caused Reedus to shiver and take a step back. "Huh- How do you know my name?" He stupidly questioned.
"You should know damn well the answer to that question considering what your Guild Master did to me. I'm simply repaying the favor to that pink haired idiot." The man sneered. He took a pair of broken handcuffs from his cloak using his free hand and tossed it towards Reedus a couple feet away.
Reedus gazed at the broken handcuffs before he coldly replied. "How could I forget someone who attacked my Nakama two years ago. I knew who you were the second I saw your hair. Your name is Cobra. Master Natsu told me all about you. Just tell me what you want and you can have it, but leave Mako alone!" He snapped while stepping toward the duo.
Cobra reflexively used his free hand to channel his Poison Dragon Slayer magic into a sharp dagger that formed in his grasp. He made an extremely small cut into Mako's neck using the blood colored dagger causing the small girl to shed tears slightly while muffling even more into Cobra's hand. Reedus could only flinch at not being able to help.
Cobra then began to coldly speak after the poison from his dagger entered the adolescent's blood stream. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Take a step closer and I'll kill little Mako on the spot. Let me start by saying why I'm doing this in the first place. You can decide the outcome once I'm done explaining myself."
Reedus could only tremble in fear for the girl's life before meekly stuttering. "Just please… Don't kill her."
"Stay wear you are and that won't be the case… Yet. Here's what's going to happen. I couldn't help but overhear that this girl had lots of money on her because she was running to buy bread for her daddy: all thanks to my enhanced sound magic I received from sacrificing my right eye." The dagger in Cobra's hand vanished and he sneaked his free fingers into the adolescents pocket and pulled out a bulging stack of Jewels and flaunted it toward Reedus. "HAH! With this kind of money, I'll be able to bail myself out of jail and start myself a new life! No wonder her parents didn't want her coming into these alleyways."
Reedus began to grow desperate now that Cobra finished mugging the young girl. He knew what would have to happen next. "You've got her money… Now just her alone!"
Cobra sighed in annoyance before proceeding. "I thought you would have realized by now that isn't going to be the case. You see, I learned in my two years in jail why half the people there are handcuffed to their beds 24/7. It's because they made the mistake of leaving witnesses alive. When I cut Mako using my poison, that was the same magic I used to poison Erza Scarlet. I'd say little Mako has a few more hours before she meets the grim reaper."
"No… You're joking!"
"If that's the case, then she wouldn't be turning pale by the second." Cobra nudged to gesture towards her whitening face. "Of course, just like any Dragon Slayer spell, it'll be canceled once the caster can no longer able to support it. That's if you're able to even fathom beating me in a one on one duel. Might I add that is a feat even your Guild Master had trouble accomplishing back during Nirvana's resurrection? What I'm trying to say is that I can trust you to keep your mouth shut, but not little Mako. For all I know, the minute I even release my hand from her mouth she'll run off into the streets of Magnolia Town. The same scenario applies to you, but I'm on the assumption that you wouldn't be dumb enough to do so. Remember, I tracked the two of you down before. It would hardly be an effort doing it twice if you were to speak of this to anyone else."
Reedus began to panic now. "Please just allow Mako to speak so she can explain to you that she won't speak a word of what happened."
"Can't do that. For all I know, she'll scream so loud that the King of Fiore will hear us from Crocus. The only reason I'm trying not to kill her on the spot is so you can make a rational decision. If I were to kill her beforehand, who knows how you would have acted. I'm giving you the option to run away from this. If I killed her on the spot and you went berserk like most of your other buddies do, then that would defeat the purpose of others not knowing my identity."
Reedus cringed as he realized the outcome that had to happen. "So all I have to do is leave and act like I didn't see you mug Mako... aAnd she eventually dies of poison. That way, you won't have to kill me as long as you escape with the money in your hands and I don't tell another soul?"
"Or you die trying to protect this worthless girl. The decision's yours, but either way, I'm leaving with a sack of Jewels and my freedom. The reason I'm not trying to kill you is because that risk would outweigh the chance that you would tell someone. The last thing I need is anyone else seeing my face, and I certainly don't need any attention to be drawn to us from a duel."
Reedus smiled in relief before looking Cobra in the eye and speaking. "Oui. If that's the case, then I think the answer is quite obvious."
Mako saw Reedus relax his composure which allowed tears to streak uncontrollably down her cheeks. She couldn't believe a Fairy Tail mage was going to let her die to the hands of a criminal without even putting up a fight.
Reedus nodded while turning his back to the duo. He then cautiously strolled towards the entrance to the alley while making sure no one was watching what went down. This caused Cobra to lower his tense grip out of utter shock. He couldn't believe that even Reedus of all people was about to give up that easily no matter how shy of a mage he could be.
Cobra was about to release his grip from Mako. Out of nowhere though, his concentration was broken by a shadow that leapt into the alley from behind him. The shadow darted straight towards Cobra and swept right beneath the Dragon Slayer's legs which caused him to release Mako from his grip. The figure knocked him over onto his bottom and the Dragon Slayer reflexively roared out of confusion and embarrassment.
The figure then nudged Mako's rear causing her to fall back onto its back. Mako clutched whatever she landed on for dear life, opened her eyes, and gasped aloud when she realized what saved her. She was resting on top of a purple colored boar.
Mako grasped the boar even tighter before it bolted back to the side of the alleyway Reedus was about exit. The Pict mage smirked when he heard the animal charging towards him. The boar carried Mako behind where Reedus was standing for protection. This caused him to turn around and face Cobra who was left on his bottom in utter rage.
Reedus coolly began to speak while staring straight at the ground. "You obviously know a lot about me since you were able to track me down. In fact, you might have even assumed in the past that I'm not brave enough to stand up to you. PARDON ME, BUT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW WRONG YOU TRULY ARE." He paused to show Cobra his stomach. Plastered upon his vest was a boar that he secretly drew while his back was turned to the Dragon Slayer.
Cobra was left completely dumbfounded. He snapped out of his dazed state and bolted back to his feet. He wickedly smirked before speaking. "Fairy Tail mages are supposed to be smart, not foolish. I thought I explained to you already that little Mako will be dead in a couple of hours, and there's nothing you can do to stop it considering you're nowhere near strong enough to beat me in a duel. Why do you think I planned everything out the way I did? You should've grown a brain and left while you had the chance, because now I'm going to enjoy killing you both since you proved to me you've already made up your mind!" He maniacally spat.
"It doesn't matter if I'm strong enough to beat you in a duel or save Mako for that matter, because by your logic, she's going to die either way unless I try to help her!" He retorted while drawing something on his vest again.
"Is that so? Do you really value this girl's life over your own even after I gave you the chance to leave?" He roared while bracing his body for the Pict mage's attack.
"If it means there's the slightest chance we live, I'm willing to bet my life on those odds! I'm a Fairy Tail mage, and I'm not scared anymore to stand up for what's right anymore. ANYTHING LESS AND I DON'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED A MAGE!" Reedus yelled while finishing his drawing. He revealed his drawing to his opponent before activating his spell. "Nature, Run Wild!" Reedus chanted. A stampede of boars were projected form his stomach, but instead of charging towards Cobra, the boars shot their tusks towards him. This caught the Dragon Slayer completely off guard because he was expecting a slightly delayed attack.
Cobra had little time to react. He had to use his full concentration to dodge the barrage of tusks being shot at him by leaping in different directions and using evasive tactics. He dodged the remainder of the tusks but was caught off guard by the last boar launching one projectile towards his left eye which didn't have a scar. Instead of having time to evade, all he was able to do was lean backwards and hope the tusk traveled over him.
Cobra arched his back backwards only for the tusk to fly directly over his face. The tip of it grazed his unscarred eye and left a deep cut around the skin. The Dragon Slayer immediately fell to the ground again not expecting the last tusk to be launched at him in the first place. "DAMNIT! THAT WAS MY GOOD EYE!" Cobra roared before staggering to his feet in anger. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!" He exclaimed while clutching his injured eye with the palm of his hand. He then used his free arm to activate his own spell to counter. "Poison Dragon's Scales!" He shouted while extending his free arm.
A blood red magic circle formed at the end of his arms fingertips. A large amount of scale shaped poison projectiles were launched towards Reedus. The blood red poison was sent flying towards the tuskless boars that were still in front of the Pict mage. Each poison projectile crashed straight into a colored boar which caused them to vanish in a cloud of dust.
When the cloud settled, Mako was clinging onto her boar behind Reedus in fear. "I'm so scared!" She whimpered towards him.
Reedus turned around to smile at her and spoke. "Don't worry! I'm going to finish this up right now." He declared while refacing his opponent. "This place you chose to battle me is a double edged sword in your case. Even though it supported your ambush, how do you plan on escaping without that snake of yours that Master Natsu told me about? There's only two ways out of this alley."
This caused Cobra to roar in laughter. "Why would I need to escape when I'm going to kill you right here?"
Reedus victoriously smirked and confidently spoke. "No… Not escape this duel of ours… I meant escaping this next attack." He finished by briskly drawing another picture on his vest.
This caused Cobra's smirk to slowly disappear. The Dragon Slayer reluctantly turned around to check his other exit. Standing behind him was a massive stampede of boars ready to charge him. When he turned back around to face Reedus, he saw a slightly smaller amount ready to attack him from the front.
This caused the Pict mage to respond to Cobra's shocked state. "It's over. Nature, RUN WILD!" Reedus declared. He extended his dominant arm out in front of him to order the stampede of boars to charge his enemy from both exits.
Cobra had only one chance to lower the attack's strength. He turned around to take care of the exit which had more boars charging towards him. He inhaled deeply while another blood red magic circle formed at his mouth. "Poison Dragon's Roar!" He exhaled while using the remainder of his magic to encase the exit he was facing with a barrage of poison from his mouth. This cause the boars to be consumed in the poison before vanishing into a cloud of dust. He had absolutely no time to react to the boars charging from Reedus's side. All he could do was continue to face his back towards them and brace for the attack.
Just as the boars began to close in on Cobra, another shadowed figure leaped from the adjacent building and planted himself in between Cobra and the boars that were about to strike. The shady man stood up from his position and swiped his arm in front of him. This caused multiple magic circles to form in front of his arm. The orange circles then took aim at an individual boar while the man activated his spell. "Fire Dragon's Explosive Pyre!" This caused the magic circles to launch an individual orb of blistering flames that flew towards the boars at an unfathomable speed. When each orb connected with their target, they exploded into multiple smaller flames that incinerated the boars until they all vanished in a cloud of smoke.
The man cleared his throat and lifted his head into the sunlight. This caused his pink hair to be revealed to Reedus in front of him. He then spoke towards the Pict mage in case Reedus tried to attack him out of confusion. "Reedus? You don't have to continue fighting anymore... That was amazing." The man finished while a smile slowly crept on his face.
This caused Reedus to lower his tense stance when he saw the man speaking towards him. "Muh- Master Natsu? What's going on? Why are you helping Cobra? We first need to defeat him so Mako stops being poisoned!"
Natsu chuckled before speaking. "I'll explain to you everything on the way back to the guild. But first..." He paused to turn around and face the other Dragon Slayer. "Ahem…?" Natsu pointed towards Mako while staring at Cobra.
Cobra sighed and cursed under his breath. He then strutted towards where Mako was on Reedus's boar. He held up his arm and rubbed the cut on her neck with his free hand. He finished by swiping his hand in the opposite direction. Mako's pale color immediately began to revert to its original hue which caused her to sigh in relief.
The young girl got off the boar which then disappeared in a cloud of smoke and began smiling brightly to the Pict mage. "You did good buddy." Mako spoke in a relaxed tone which confused Reedus.
"Pardon, but how did I do good. You nearly died!"
The young girl was then engulfed in a cloud of blue smoke. When the smoke disappeared, Reedus's mouth went slack when he saw the person standing in her place.
"MACAO?!" The Pict mage exclaimed in utter confusion. "Pardon, but can someone please tell me what's going on!" He yelled in a flustered manner.
Natsu began to explain himself slightly. "Reedus? Macao was disguising himself all along as that little girl. I know it sounds really cruel, but this was all a test to see how much you've improved over the last two years. I think I can safety say that your improvements as a Fairy Tail mage beats any of our other members right now. That's how brave you were when you fought! Just promise me you won't tell Sayuki and Eiji I said that though… They'll kill me especially since Eiji's been getting a lot of attention around Fiore lately."
"What about Cobra?" He worriedly stated while ignoring his Guild Master's joke. He didn't bother asking how Macao was with Master Natsu and Cobra even though he should have been setting up decorations for their Guild Master's anniversary.
"He's still in custody, but I was able to convince Gran Doma to let me borrow him in exchange for a few years off his prison sentence. Consider this as a lesson for our lost one here." The Guild Master paused to speak to Cobra. "Thank you again for helping me. If you take the Eastern exit of town out until you reach Magnolia forest, there's a that path will lead you to an old woman's cottage. I spoke to her and she agreed to get you healed up after your duel. Her name is Porlyusica, and she'll be able to completely mend your eye and might even be able to heal that scar on your other one as another token of my appreciation. Are you feeling good enough to get their on your own? If you are, I'll have a Magic Council representative stop by their to pick you up later."
Cobra nodded in satisfaction before waltzing out of the alley. "And before you even say it… I remember the restrictions. No trying to escape. I still have that Magic Council tracker somewhere inside my body and you'll hunt me down with your senses if I even step off the path."
"Good." Natsu smirked. "And I'll talk to Kinana for you. If she feels like meeting you again, I'll bring her to your cell one day to reintroduce yourself to her."
With that, Cobra continued walking without looking back towards the trio. The only conformation that he heard what Natsu said was that he held his hand into the air as farewell.
The pink haired Dragon Slayer put his hands on both Reedus's and Macao's shoulders before speaking. "I think this deserves a celebration. C'mon! Everyone's probably wondering what's taking us so long to run those 'errands.'" He offered while leading the small group down the cobblestone path to Fairy Tail's Guild hall.
The trio was now walking through Fairy Tail's courtyard. Even though Natsu explained what happened to Reedus multiple times, the Pict mage still could barely comprehend his encounter with Cobra.
"So you're telling me that everything was set up all along?" Reedus stuttered because he was still dazed at what happened.
"For the third time, yes. Cobra wasn't going to kill Macao. Even if he planned on doing that, I was watching the whole scene unfold. I was ready to stop him if it came down to that. And have some faith in the Old Man! He could have protected himself just fine." Natsu laughed which caused Macao to fume.
"There's only one thing I'm confused about. Why did you do all of this in the first place? Was it some type of training drill that you wanted to test out on me?"
"We wouldn't be celebrating some stupid training drill. We're celebrating how much you've matured as a mage. You'll understand in a minute when I make the announcement to everyone else." Natsu stated while approaching the wooden doors to the guild.
"What's there to even announce?" Reedus groaned to himself in his mind.
Before he got the chance to ask, Natsu began to open the large doors to allow his group to enter the guild hall. He flung them open but was surprised to see the guild hall completely deserted. The tables, bar, and second floor were all completely empty. The young Guild Master reluctantly began to trek into the barren room while Reedus and Macao closed the doors behind them. The moment the doors clicked shut, the atmosphere completely erupted.
"THANK YOU OR BEING OUR GUILD MASTER!" The guild hall roared. Even Reedus and Macao were stunned at the sudden change despite knowing about the surprise planned. Guild members stood up from behind the bar counter, jumped from the second floor, and even dropped from the ceiling from their hiding places while they released a flurry of balloons that fell to the ground. Kinana, Bisca, Alzack, and Kagura emerged from the stairs leading to the infirmary with a massive cake in their hands that they placed on the bar's counter.
Sayuki and Eiji held a giant banner that read "Master Natsu" and pinned it to the banister of the second floor they jumped form.
All the other guild members surrounded the entrance to greet their Guild Master after they emerged from their hiding places.
Natsu reluctantly began to uncover his ears while the volume began to die down. He plastered a teary smile on his face and slowly spoke after eyeing all his Nakama in front of him. "You- You guys remembered!"
"Of course we did!" Max exclaimed while walking towards him. He began to lightly shove his Guild Master towards the stage on the opposite side of the guild. "Now go on. Say something to us about the past two years."
Sayuki and Eiji began chanting from their seats that they took at the bar. "Speech… Speech… Speech… Speech!" They began to repeat as more guild members joined in.
Max lead the slightly embarrassed Guild Master up on the stage. He turned on the mic to allow his Guild Master to reflect over the past two years. The moment the mic began making static noises, everyone turned a deathly quiet because they were expecting their Guild Master to begin speaking. Max hurriedly left the stage to join the rest of his Nakama to hear what Natsu had to say.
Natsu surveyed all his guild members who were looking up at him with bright smiles. He inhaled deeply before speaking with his signature grin on his face. "This day isn't about me. It's about all of us as a family. I might be your Guild Master, but without the rest of you, there's no way in hell we would still be considered a guild. All of you have helped me so much over these past years. From me becoming Guild Master, to all your hard work training to make sure I stayed Guild Master when I suggested that Magic Coalition, to even having to abandon our reckless nature so we don't file for bankruptcy, I all love you individually for those sacrifices." This caused all the members to gush.
Even Kagura who was next to the stage had to look away out of embarrassment to keep her stoic expression. Natsu continued speaking when he noticed the Sword mage look away from him. "That includes you Kagura. No matter how old or new you are as a guild member, I'm proud of everyone here for making sure our family stayed alive all these year. And that includes you because you're learning to overcome Simon's death."
This caused the guild to lightly applaud for one of their newest guild member's accomplishment before Natsu continued. "The thing is, all of us sacrificed time and parts of our lives to this guild hall over these past two years, and those are sacrifices we all had to make. If there was an easier way that would have allowed us to keep our reckless nature so that we could still parade around on jobs like idiots again, would I take it? Honestly, I wouldn't. Because that problem was what inspired me and the rest of us to move past the Tenrou Group's death and take on that ridiculous bet I made with Gran Doma all those years back. Without everything we've done up until this point, we wouldn't be this close to each other. For that reason, I would like to dedicate our guild's future to one of our Nakama who has just recently proven to me that it's not impossible for them to move on from his past: that it's not too late to change. That person has shown all of us that they are no longer the shy individual that they used to be. They showed us how much they matured over these past two years!"
This caused a thunderous applause to rain throughout the guild hall. Many guild members began to murmur with one another about who the individual was going to be. Before their chatter could get out of control, everyone's volume died down when they saw their Guild Master start to speak again.
"Reedus Jonah?" Natsu smiled towards the Pict mage who managed to find a seat at the bar. "Congratulations on being Fairy Tail's newest S-Class mage."
There was no silence whatsoever. Immediately after Natsu made the announcement, the guild roared in approval. All the guild members bolted towards the Pict mage and gave their individual congratulations while Natsu sweatdropped at his Nakama's antics. The only person who was shocked by this announcement was ironically Reedus. All he was capable of doing was standing in place in awe.
Nab ran towards the Pict mage with Vijeeter and both began patting him on the shoulder. "Reedus! You totally deserved to be S-Class mage now that I think about! I thought that Vijeeter and I were going to be the next S-Class mage since we got one of the highest scores on the Magic Power Finder, but that just proves power isn't everything."
Macao nodded in approval next to them and added. "Nab and Vijeeter are right. You seem really surprised, but don't you remember two years back when Laxus went psycho and nearly killed Master Natsu and Gajeel? You barely had the courage to ask Porlyusica to help us out during the battle!" He finished by jokingly punching the Pict mage.
This was followed by all the other mages giving Reedus words of encouragement which boosted his confidence slightly.
"I wasn't done speaking!" Natsu fumed while everyone began to encourage Reedus. It was no use though, no one was paying attention anymore. Instead, many of the guild members began to enjoy divert their attention back to the party by ordering drinks at the bar for Reedus while Kinana began cutting cake for anyone that wanted a slice.
All Natsu could do was meekly sigh. He hopped off the side of the stage and strolled to the bar across from him to have a quick word with Reedus about his decision. Macao and Wakaba were on both sides of the Pict mage encouraging him to accept purchasing ale for him as a congratulations for becoming an S-Class mage.
"C'mon Reedus. We never see you drink at the bar. You deserve it for becoming an S-Class mage." Wakaba encouraged from the right of him.
"Pardon, but I only drink wine." He apologized by pulling out a bottle of wine from his vest. "I got this one as a reward from a mission a while ago. Would you like to share it with me? I wouldn't mind at all. It's supposed to be extremely rare."
Just before Macao and Wakaba could reluctantly accept his offer, Natsu strolled up from behind him and got his attention. "Hey Reedus?" He asked.
Reedus turned around and smiled up at his Guild Master. "Oui! Master Natsu, would you like to try some of my wine. It's the least I could do to repay your kindness and decision."
"You earned this buddy. There's no reason to repay me." He paused to lean into his ear. "The thing is, is there anyway you can stay behind with Kagura after the party ends? It's about you becoming an S-Class mage. I'll explain everything later." The Guild Master whispered to him secretly.
"Oui. It's the least I could do!" Reedus nodded in acceptance before returning his attention to Macao and Wakaba.
Natsu smiled in satisfaction and separated himself from the Pict mage. He then grabbed himself the first slice of cake handed to him by Kinana at the bar. He continued to make his way to the second floor of the guild where he pulled out a chair from one of the tables and sat by the banister so he could monitor the commotion below him while eating his dessert. He kicked his legs up on the rail, leaned back in his chair, and let out a sigh of relaxation.
This went unnoticed by Kagura who was wondering why he wasn't joining the party with her. "That's odd. Usually Master Natsu enjoys parties even if he told me that Fairy Tail had to change in order to stay open. I wonder if I should check is he's alright. Anyways, this would be the perfect time to give him it..." She frowned to herself while fidgeting slightly before shaking her head. "No! I don't need to be scared. He's done so much for me these past two years, so it's the least I could do to thank him. That's it, I'm going to give it to him right now!" She declared in her mind while gaining the courage to sneak behind the bar. She took out a beautifully wrapped present that was the color of her hair from the bottom shelf and scurried away to the second floor before anyone could ask her what she was doing.
Natsu started to doze off. He completely missed Kagura's antics just a second ago. The Guild Master was too busy thinking about the past two years. Currently, Kagura, Sayuki, and Eiji were all caught up with training and the true status of Fairy Tail. He explained to them why he no longer had the time to venture and find Igneel because of his need to divert attention to ensuring guild stayed open in future. He even told Macao everything about his conversation with the Guild Masters two years ago at the Magic Coalition since he could be trusted.
This is what Natsu was facing right now. The patterns in the quests that he discussed with the other Guild Masters hadn't stopped. In fact, the last time Natsu contacted the Guild Masters a week ago, the problem was getting much worse. Not only were the robberies getting increasingly violent from what they told him, but the situation had turned critical for some reason that they didn't tell him yet. All that the Guild Masters told him was that the Magic Council brought attention to the situation a week ago when they declared the situation critical for the reason he was yet to be informed.
The Guild Masters told Natsu that the Magic Council ordered the formation of another Magical Alliance to take care of the situation. Even though Natsu didn't know the reason for another alliance being formed, he know the situation had to be serious if the Magic Council of all people were ordering an alliance even after stating it was illegal during the Nirvana incident. This is why he needed to appoint Reedus as an S-Class mage. It was time to take action on this situation once and for all by joining this new Magical Alliance.
Before he could continue thinking to himself, Kagura approached reached the second floor and approached his seat from the side. The pink haired Dragon Slayer reluctantly lifted his head to see a purple haired girl towering above him.
Kagura had matured since they first met. Even if it was only two years ago, she grew even more slim since that time. Kagura was only 18, and every guy in Fairy Tail knew that her body was beginning to resemble Mirajane's. All the girls agreed she was pretty, but even the men knew she still had a lot to learn and mature before any of them wanted to commit to something serious with her. Unlike most of the other members of Fairy Tail… She just wasn't there yet like the rest of them because of what happened between her and Simon.
Natsu was still too dense to realize any of this. All he viewed Kagura as was a close friend who he was trying to help in any way possible. Sure, he caught onto the teasing that Bisca and Macao did every so often, but did that have to do with how he felt about her right now? Natsu wanted to help Kagura in any way possible… As much as he hated it, he wanted to help her more than anyone else. "Why do I want to help her so much over everyone else? She's just my Nakama like any other guild member, but it's like how Bisca acts around Alzack. I know those two are friends with everyone here, but it's almost like they're closer than anyone else. What if I'm viewing Kagura in the same way? Heck, I'm thinking about asking her to come along with me on a mission just to get to know her better-"
"Shouldn't you be joining the party?" A purple haired girl meekly smiled down at him in his seat. The girl's hands held a purple present within them behind her back.
Natsu snapped himself out of his daze and swapped topics so fast it was inhumane. "Hey Kagura. Sorry for not seeing you sooner. I just have a lot to worry about which is why I'm sitting up here. Plus, if I spent time with one person, I would have to spend time with everyone. I just don't think we have time for that since the night's about to end. Not to mention I'm pretty exhausted after that speech. Its been a long day for me."
Kagura sneakily pulled a seat with her foot and sat in it. "That makes sense. You are our Guild Master after all." Kagura paused to reluctantly gather her thoughts. "Was what you said in your speech true? You know, about how I'm overcoming Simon's death?" She reluctantly asked.
"Of course it was. I see you train every day and help Kinana and Romeo out even though they can't use magic. You're not fully there yet, but I'd say you're off to a good start. Only time will tell if this is what you need all along." Natsu smiled up at her. "I wanted to say more on stage, but I also didn't want to put you on the spot."
"Well... Did you want to say anything more to me that I should know about?"
"Actually, there is. Would you mind staying behind after everyone else leaves the guild? I think I might need your help with something. You might learn a few thing from what I have to offer to you and it'll be a great time for us to spend time together AND you'll be helping other people out. You spend so much time training in order to support our guild that you haven't had the time to socialize more. Plus, I think it's time to see if your hard work pays off."
"Oh? Would it happen to be a mission?" Kagura had a glint of hope in her eyes. If luck was on her side, Natsu would be going with her which meant she could learn hands on experience from being able to help others. Not to mention being around Natsu meant that she could learn more advice on overcoming her brother's death: a trait she learned to love about the Dragon Slayer. He always seemed to bring hope into the darkest of places. The only downside was that the duo was so busy nowadays that they barely had time to see each other even if Natsu was doing everything in his capabilities to give attention to his Nakama. She hoped this would give her a chance to interact with him more.
"You've got it. But it's not just any mission. It's going to be the biggest Mission you might ever go on. So big that I'm going to accompany you on it to make sure everything goes smoothly. I've already packed everything for the journey. The only thing I need now is for you to say yes because we would leave tonight." Natsu made up his mind and asked her while reclining in his chair.
Kagura's eyes widened slightly because she couldn't believe she was finally getting to spend time with her Guild Master. She nodded her head and even mustered an awkward smile. "Of course I'll go!"
"Yes!" Natsu cheered in his mind. Little did they know, both mages were equally excited to finally get the chance to become closer to each other.
A short silence fell between them while Kagura began to breathe deeply in anxiousness. The purple present was still behind her back in her seat. She inhaled deeply one more time. "Here goes nothing… Please like it." She thought to herself. "Master Natsu?" Kagura spoke out loud to get his attention.
This caused Natsu to turn towards her again. "What's up?" He responded while leaning forward in his seat.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me over the past two years. I hope you like it." She sheepishly smiled while extending her hands in front of her to show him the present.
Natsu's eyes widened and a warm smile appeared on his face. "Kagura… I don't know what to say." He teared up while staring at the small, purple wrapped present in front of him.
"Open it." She encouraged while handing him the gift.
Natsu untied the ribbon on top and shelled off the wrapping paper. He opened the black box underneath which revealed the hilt of a sword inside of it. The hilt looked exactly like the image of a dragon found in the middle of one of his magic circles.
Before he could get the chance to ask what it was used for, Kagura answered for him. "I was able to make that sword hilt at Men and Mages around a week ago. Since you're a Dragon Slayer, I thought that it would be special if I made the hilt into the shape of a dragon's head. There's no blade though, because unlike my sword, yours isn't an item. It requires actual magic to use, so it's only as powerful as you are with your Dragon Slayer magic. That means you need to train your own own magic potential and learn swordplay at the same time to officially become a Master Sword Specialist using it. It took me around the same time to create Archenemy, so I really hope you like it." Kagura finished her lecture with slight anxiousness.
Natsu chuckled while wiping his eyes at the thoughtful gift he received. "Kagura... I don't like it... I love it. So I guess that makes you a Master Sword Specialist?"
Kagura warmly smiled and responded. "I can say for certain that Erza Scarlet was a Master Sword Specialist."
"And I can say for certain you would give Erza a run for her money. If you're not a Master Sword Specialist, Erza isn't one either." Natsu complemented which caused Kagura to look away out of embarrassment. He didn't notice this and continued speaking. "But I don't know the first thing about using swords!" He pouted slightly.
"Well..." Kagura said while fidgeting in her lap. "Since you do so much to train me… Maybe I could repay the favor and teach you how to use your sword."
Natsu's eyes glistened and grabbed Kagura's hand. "It's a done deal!" He exclaimed before dropping her hand. He then picked up the hilt from the box and examined it. "So how do you use this thing?"
This snapped Kagura out of her embarrassed trance. She immediately responded with an also curious tone. "I actually have no clue. I was hoping you might have an idea."
Natsu held the hilt of the sword in his right hand and continued to examine it. Without warning Kagura, he forced a large amount of Dragon Slayer magic into his hand which transferred directly into the hilt. The eyes of the dragon's head flared up with fire and a sharp pillar of fire erupted from the sword. This caused both Natsu and Kagura to fall out of their seats which made a harsh thud throughout the guild hall. Both of them were too shocked to even yell because the entire upper floor of the guild began to flicker orange from the fire which didn't go unnoticed by the party below. Natsu then let go of the hilt from his hand which caused the bright light to stop.
"Is everything alright up there!" Macao worriedly called out to the glowing light which began to dissipate. All the guild members stopped their partying to pay attention to whoever Macao was shouting to.
Natsu crawled towards the banister and used it to stand up. "Muh- My bad! Just testing something with my magic! I'll do it outside next time!" He apologized before staggering back towards where Kagura was laying.
Macao just shook his head in response before continuing his conversation with Reedus and Macao. The party slowly began to ease back into its relaxed mood.
Natsu approached Kagura who picked up the sword for him. Surprisingly, the hilt didn't feel warm in the slightest. It almost felt lifeless. When she looked up to her Guild Master who had his hand extended to her, all she could do was plaster a comical grin on her face before completely bursting into laughter because of how white his face was. She eventually was able to accept his grip to stand back on her feet.
"You know, that's probably the first time I've seen you genuinely laugh." Natsu sweatdropped in embarrassment.
Kagura's laughter changed into a confident smirk. "Is that so? Judging from how white your face is, that's probably the first time I've see you scared from your own magic none the less. So I think I have the right to laugh. We can start training with that sword of yours once we finish this mission. I think we can both agree that you'll need it." She finished by smiling sweetly towards her Guild Master.
"Good idea. We should probably get back to the party. I don't think we don't need to cause any more surprises for our guild tonight." Natsu smiled back while releasing the grip on her hand. He put the sword hilt into his coat's pocket with absolutely no intention of using it any time soon: not until his new mentor would get the chance to finally teach him. They then began walking back down to the main floor with each other's company in their minds.
"Hey Reedus. Did Master Natsu want to talk to you about being an S-Class mage?" A purple haired mage asked while taking a seat next to her guild mate.
"Oui. He wanted me to stay behind so he could explain some stuff to me." He then paused for a moment to show the purple haired mage next to him a bottle he was holding. "What about you Kagura? Would you like to try some of my exotic wine?" He offered by pouring her a clean glass that was stacked on a tray.
"I've never tried wine before. I turned 18 not too long ago." She sheepishly rubbed her head while picking up the blood red liquid offered. "This isn't going to make me zonked… Is it?" She tried to joke.
This caused Reedus to chuckle slightly. "Don't worry, it doesn't work that way. Take a sip, you might like it." He finished while sliding Kagura the glass.
She raised the cup to her lips, swirled it slightly to examine the liquid's consistency, and took a small sip from the brink of the glass. She smacked her lips a couple of times in light succession before squeezing her eyes together and pursing her lips tightly. "It's so bitter!" She shivered in slight disgust before continuing. "I thought it was going to be sweet!"
Reedus sweatdropped. "You like sweet things?"
"I have a HUGE sweet tooth. Simon and me used to bake whenever we saved up enough extra money to afford fresh ingredients. He would always give me his portion even though it took months for us save up enough money to bake a simple cake." She smiled at the nostalgic memories before she was interrupted by a different voice.
"So you also have a sweet tooth? You remind me more and more of Erza every time you say something." Another person spoke. Both Kagura and Reedus turned around to be met with their Guild Master smiling in front of them.
Kagura looked at him in the eye while Reedus was the first to respond. "Master Natsu! Pardon, but have you finished talking to Macao?"
"Yup. He just left the guild" The Guild Master paused to gesture towards the double doors that were closing behind him.
"So what was it did you want to talk to me about? Is it okay if Kagura overhears us?"
Natsu smiled warmly and continued. "She's actually here for the same reason you are. I wanted to first congratulate you personally on becoming an S-Class mage. I meant everything I said during that speech earlier today. You're no longer shy and afraid to stand up as a member of Fairy Tail."
"Thank you Master Natsu." Reedus bowed in his seat.
"That's not the main reason why I asked both of you to be here with me this evening though." He paused to direct his attention to Reedus again. "I wanted to talk to you about going on your first S-Class mission starting right now. I know it's really short notice and because of that I'm not going to force you to accept, but the request is urgent. Kagura and me are already going plus I packed for the three of us, so all I need is a yes from you."
"Oui! Of course I'll accept the quest with you guys. What do we have to do for our client?"
"I'll tell you on the way to Kardia Cathedral. The three of us are going to form another Magic Alliance with the other guilds. It's going to be just like how we stopped Nirvana from destroying the remains of the Cait Shelter guild." Natsu finished while making a beeline for the double doors.
"Pardon, but what about Macao and the rest of our guild mates?" Reedus questioned while him and Kagura caught up with him. The trio exited the guild hall while their Guild Master turned around to lock the doors behind him. He pulled on the handles to ensure they were locked before they entered the dimly lit cobblestone streets of Magnolia Town heading towards Kardia Cathedral.
Natsu finally responded with a shrug. "What about them? I just spoke to Macao a couple minutes ago. He already and knows where we're heading out to. I talked to him more about it a week ago and we both know what we have planned for the guild while I'm gone. If people start asking why we haven't been around the guild, he'll just tell everyone that we're training you to take on S-Class quests so Fairy Tail can make more revenue. There's nothing suspicious about that unless we chose to make it that way. If we work efficiently, it won't take more than a few days to complete this quest."
Kagura started walking by Natsu's side and spoke. "Wouldn't it make sense if we grouped up with the Magical Alliance in the morning?"
"We planned to meet the other guild members at night since no one is using Kardia Cathedral during that time. Not to mention it would look less suspicious then if we just got up from the bar and left during our morning training."
"Oui. You have a point," Reedus chimed in as the group crossed the main bridge leading to the massive Gothic structure looming above them, "So can you tell us more about why another Magical Alliance is being formed?
"The thing is, I don't know the reason for it being formed. But I know what we're trying to accomplish."
Kagura looked at her Guild Master slightly confused and responded. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well… Do you remember the Magic Coalition two years ago? Since I was still brand new at being Guild Master, the other Guild Masters from Lamia Scale, Quatro Cerberus, and Blue Pegasus came up to our booth during the Magic Coalition. They stated that they noticed a pattern in the requests on their Job Boards. When I say patterns, I mean the same type of robbery was being committed where thugs would loot a certain warehouse or department store and steal the same object."
"What was the object?" Kagura curiously asked.
"Lacrimas without any magical properties. The reason this concerned us is because there really isn't a reason to steal something like this in bulk since it takes years to harvest power using them. The rest of the Guild Masters and I assumed the situation would eventually sort itself out and people would eventually take the client requests to find out who was comitting these crimes, but that wasn't the case or we wouldn't be needing to form another Magical Alliance."
"So why would forming a Magical Alliance be a bad thing? It just means that we're trying to get to the bottom of this once and for all." Kagura asked.
"I wish it were that easy, but you can't forget how power hungry some of the Magic Council members are. We've told you about that time two years back when we also had to form a Magical Alliance to take care of Nirvana… Right?" Natsu questioned.
"Yup. You've told me all about your adventures." Kagura smiled.
"The problem with forming that alliance was that the Magic Council declared it as illegal. This wasn't that big of a surprise because of how strict the Chairman is. The only reason we're forming this Magical Alliance is because of two reasons. The first is because the original Magical Alliance was an obvious success and the Magic Council liked the results."
"And the second one?" Kagura worried slightly and the second answer.
"The first reason wouldn't be enough to warrant another Magical Alliance. The second reason would be if something really bad happened this past week that forced the Magic Council to finally take action and form another Magical Alliance. So bad that this is now an S-Class matter."
"That doesn't sound good." Kgura muttered while the group began to round the Cathedral towards its front entrance.
Natsu turned to both of his sides and smiled at his Nakma. "There's no need to worry guys. Since I know the least about everything that's happened so far including not knowing the reason why we're forming another Magical Alliance, the Guild Masters all agreed to make me leader of the team."
"That doesn't make much sense." Kagura deadpanned.
"It's the safest bet when you think about. The rest of the Guild Masters can watch our efforts from back at their guilds while I'm learning hands on about the situation from the other guild members apart of the Magical Alliance. Plus, as modest as they were being, everyone keeps saying that I'm the most powerful out of all of the Guild Masters which is probably another reason they want Fairy Tail to join them. The only other guilds I know who are in the alliance are Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale." Natsu finished while rounding the Cathedral. The small group then gazed at the massive stone and iron gates in front of them.
Reedus noticed Kagura drawing Archenemy's scabbard from her side almost as if it was apart of her initial impression to anyone inside the Cathedral. The Pict mage then began to reassure Kagura. "Don't worry about people not taking you seriously or anything like that. Last time Master Natsu was apart of the Magical Alliance he said there was plenty of time to prove how strong Fairy Tail was."
This caused Kagura to relax her tense state slightly while Natsu began to comfort her. "He's right you know! C'mon, how about we change things up. Would you like to do the honors for us?" The Dragon Slayer finished by gesturing towards the Gothic structure for Kagura to lead them into.
"Absolutely…" Kagura paused before mimicking her Guild Master's toothy grin back towards him. "I'm all fired up now." She finished by opening the large Cathedral which literally opened the path for her next adventure with her guild mates at her side.
Thank you for your time!
Author's Note: There we have it! Natsu and Kagura are slowly beginning to grow closer to each other. They aren't anywhere near a relationship, but they're unknowingly beginning to develop feelings that they acknowledged in this chapter. Natsu knows that Kagura is special to him… But will he dismiss her as simply his Nakama? Or will he eventually be able to put two and two together and embrace his true feelings?
Anyways, tried to do something different for this chapter. The first half focused on more of Reedus's perspective while the second half focused more on how Kagura and Natsu interacted with each other instead of just making it a general free for all.
As always, let me know what you think of this chapter! My phone notifies of every review you drop which means I'll eventually respond to them if you have a request. If you have any suggestions or ideas, feel free to contact me through said reviews!