Chapter 35...
"It was nice seeing you again." Mindy said with a warm smile.
"You as well." Natsu replied matching her smile. They were at the train station at Magnolia. They were saying their goodbyes before the train left back to Mindy's hometown. They stood at the loading ramp while other passengers were loading up.
"Well good luck with your guild. Hope to see you again soon." She gave him a quick hug and began to board. Natsu stood on the platform and waved her off till the train was away. He smiled and felt satisfied. He really needed a break from the antics at Fairy Tail.
"(Sigh), Guess I should get back to work." He figured and began walking back to the guild. He then turned to a stall and saw them giving out free samples. He went over and grabbed one. He walked through town and ate it down to the tooth pick and just tossed it in a nearby alley. He brushed his hands and put them in his pockets. After a few minutes of walking he looked around Magnolia. It seemed to be normal.
..Which was weird.
"Quiet day huh? Well, lets see how the guild's doing."
He arrived at the large bat doors and gently opened them then walked inside. He closed it then turned and he saw all the usual members looking up at Makarov who appeared to be giving a speech.
"So i'll need at least three members each to go make deliveries to-Ah, just who I was waiting for!" Makarov noticed Natsu.
"Gramps?" Natsu asked.
"I was waiting for you to get back. We have a situation that's been going on that requires our attention." He floated down to the floor.
"What's up?" He crossed his arms.
"You remember that guild Eisenwald?"
"Yeah. What's going on?" Natsu asked. Makarov than began to explain about the recent activities of a dark guild called Oracion Seis, and how that Fairy Tail along with several other guilds were banding together to take them down.
"..So let me see if I got the gist of this." Natsu shook his head from the amount of information he received. "Oracion Seis, a guild of SIX dark mages, is up to no good. And it was determined that four guilds work together to take them out?" He repeated in his own sense.
"That's about right." Makarov nodded.
"Well who went?" Natsu asked.
"Erza, Gray, and Lucy. I was going to send a forth, but Mira and her siblings haven't returned yet."
"...I see where this is going." Natsu crossed his arms.
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you were up to the challenge, boy." Makarov smiled and leaned on his staff.
"You know I would say yes either way." Natsu said walking past him, looking at a screen that appeared to be some type of rankings for dark guilds. "These the sub guilds?"
"Yep. As far as we know." Makarov came up.
"Hmm." Natsu seemed to be thinking. "Don't suppose...you know where they're meeting?" Natsu turned to him.
"Blue Pegasus's guild hall. Erza and her group left about an hour ago."
"An hour? Shoot, I better move." Natsu said quickly, walking away towards the guild doors.
"Be careful Natsu." Makarov said before he left. "There may be six of them, but their power is to not be taken lightly."
"Yeah well, neither is mine." He smirked. And with that he left.
"...Goodness. He just can't stand still for that long." He chuckled.
Natsu was walking through town and was walking toward a public stage line. When he arrived he came up to the person sitting on the coach reading a magazine.
"Hey pops!" He called.
"Eh? you lookin' to head out of town sonny?" The old man asked, lowering his reading material to get a better look at the customer.
"Yeah. I'm looking to get to Blue Pegasus's guild."
"Hop on. Oh by the way it's 2,000 jewels for a round trip." He warned him.
"It's gonna be a one way." Natsu assured him.
"Very well." He waited till Natsu paid him, then they took off.
Two hours later...
Natsu had arrived at the Blue Pegasus guild entrance. He hopped off groggily then nodded at the driver. The driver took off and he stood there looking at the entrance. The driver took a short cut through the forest and he had arrived there about an hour sooner than he planned. He looked at the guild insignia and something about it just reminded him of something.
"..." He stared long and hard at the building. That symbol..he had seen it somewhere." He crossed his arms and closed his eye. "Must be my imagination, but I swear I've seen that symbol somewhere...why does the word 'Men~' keeping popping up in my head?" He KNEW that it sounded familiar. "..Well who cares? I better make my presence known." He figured, and proceeded toward the entrance. He went inside but no one was there. He looked around and was wondering where they all went. Their scent was in the air alright. He hummed and decided to just head back out.
"Must have missed em'." He shrugged. He stepped outside and walked back to the entrance and noticed foot prints leading down a path in the forest. He looked around and figured they must have gone into the forest. He walked for a few minutes but then came upon something. It was a burly bald man who was lying on the ground grunting, as if he was fighting an internal battle. He walked up to the person and they weakly looked up.
"W-who are you? Comrade of...Angel?" He seemed to have a look of disgust.
"Uhh, no?" He bent down. "Who did this to ya'?" He asked.
"Please, there is not much time...my comrades ahead..they must be warned."
"Hmmm...You wouldn't happen to be part of that alliance of the good guys would ya'?" He asked.
"And what if I am?" He asked, unsure of this person's intentions.
"I'm with Fairy Tail. I'm the fourth member they were supposed to send." Natsu explained.
"Ah!..You're friends are ahead with the rest of the alliance...we were deceived...Urggh.."
"You okay?" Natsu asked worriedly.
"I'm..perfectly fine...I inhaled a parfum that..weakened my body.."
"...A what?" Natsu made a look as if it were the dumbest thing he had ever heard.
"Please...they went that way.." He pointed with as much effort.
"What about you?"
"I'll catch up..but someone needs to warn them." He urged.
"Got it. Careful, cueball." Natsu began running away towards the direction he pointed.
"..Please, hang on. I'll be there as soon as I can.." He struggled to stand up.
Elsewhere...
"Damn...these guys are tough." Gray cursed after standing up from a beating.
"These guys are really strong. But there's only six of em!" Lucy also seemed to have taken a light beating. As a matter of fact, all of the wizards that were in the alliance appeared to be getting battered around helplessly.
"This is too easy. These slowpokes aren't even worth slowing down for." A man wearing a racing outfit said suddenly appearing in thin air.
"These weaklings are nothing. They'ed have better use as target practice." A sly, dark skinned guy with spiky brown hair, a white coat and red pants said with a smirk. A large purple snake resided close to him.
"It's our win.." A young lady with angelic features said.
"Ho ho~! It is a shame~!" A large man with squarish facial features said.
"ZzzZ..." The fifth member was gothic in appearance, but he was sleeping on a magic carpet.
"I have no use for you fools any longer." A dark skinned man with various tattoos and a wooden staff with a skull and feathers bellowed. He was about to attack, but suddenly stopped.
"Huh? What's the matter Brain?" The sly man asked.
"Wendy..." He slowly said, eyeing the blue haired girl who was hiding behind a rock.
"Y-yes?" She nervously asked.
"..That's Wendy Maiden of the Sky." Brain said in surprise. The others seemed also surprised at this information.
"Maiden of the Sky?" Lucy repeated in confusion.
"We need her!" Brain said and lifted his staff. A hand made of dark green energy reached out and grabbed her.
"Wendy!" Carla began chasing.
"Help me!" Wendy yelled.
"I got you!" Carla grabbed her hand, but they were both sucked right into nothingness.
"Wendy!" Several of them shouted.
"Vanish into nothingness! "Dark Rondo!" Brain fired many beams of dark green energy into the sky and they all came raining down on them.
"I got you!" Gray said grabbing Lucy protectively.
"I got you too!" Lyon who was also there said to Sherry.
"Yes, hold me in your tight embrace~!" She blushed.
"Oh no you DON'T!" Natsu shouted and swiped his arms. A screen of flames shielded everyone from the blast. The energy dissipated in the air much to Brains surprise. Natsu slid to a stop when he landed. He looked up and he had a dark narrowed look at the Oracion Seis members.
"Huh?!"
"Who's this guy!?" The man in the racing costume and the man with the sly grin which turned to a look of surprise exclaimed.
"Why am I always late to these things.." Natsu scowled.
"Natsu!" Lucy shouted with a smile of relief.
"That you man?!" Gray was just as surprised.
"It's him!" Lyon was wide eyed.
"(Gasp!)" Sherry was shocked to him as well.
"Looks like we missed one." Brain clicked his tongue. "Racer, deal with him so we can get going." He ordered.
"On it." He said and vanished from his sight. He appeared next to Natsu who just blocked his kick with the back of his hand. Natsu narrowed his eye. Racer disappeared and reappeared behind him in the blink of an eye.
"It's over!" He said before delivering a dropkick.
"I wonder?" Natsu smirked and grabbed his foot.
"Hu?!-Oof!" Natsu then spun him and threw him on the ground and he skidded back towards the dark guild members. They all had shocked looks.
"Racer took a hit?!" The girl exclaimed.
"Oi, what the hell man!?" The brown haired guy yelled at Racer.
"T-that was just a lucky hit." Racer grunted and wiped his mouth from the dirt.
"Think so? Why dontchya' take another crack at it and find out?" Natsu taunted.
"He got em'!" A handsome young man with brown hair praised.
"I don't know who this guy is, but he doesn't look to be our enemy." A dark skinned young man also said.
"You're gonna regret that you punk!" Racer gritted his teeth.
"The only thing I regret is not throwing you harder. Bring it road rash!" Natsu waved his arm with an amused look in his eye.
"Grr!" He disappeared and appeared behind Natsu. Natsu blocked it with his hand and another strike from the front, but it was a feint and Racer went straight for his legs. He tried to knock him off his feet, but Natsu jumped. Natsu then looked around and he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Fast...almost too fast." He frowned. He felt a presence behind him and he felt a sharp kick knock him back to the ground.
"Ergh!" He grunted. He than widened his eye then suddenly closed it.
"He closed his eye?" Erza who was gripping her arm in her Flight Armor noted. Natsu furrowed his brow.
"You're gonna wish you never showed yourself!" Racer appeared in front of him. He attempted to kick him again, but Natsu blocked it, shocking him. "What!?" He shouted in disbelief. He disappeared again and this time appeared from above, about to hit him, but Natsu side stepped it and he appeared behind him again. Natsu then opened his eye, but he got hit.
"Ow!" He yelped.
"Racer, what are you waiting for!?" Brain demanded.
"Kch! This guy is good." Racer admitted. Natsu then looked up. It was still on both sides as the tension thickened. Natsu smirked which made everyone curious. "I see how it is." He said.
"He figured it out?" Lucy wondered.
"It's not a matter of how fast you are..." He began saying. Racer appeared on his side. He then received a kick to his gut which made Racer cough up saliva. He crashed into a tree and Natsu lowered his leg. "..its a matter of how fast I think you are." He emphasized.
"Rrrgh!" Racer hesitantly got up.
"I don't know how you're doing it, but I can feel you getting close two seconds faster than I can see you getting close." Natsu explained. "Unless you're faster than a lightning bolt, then I suggest you pick up the pace."
"..." Racer remained silent.
"Anyone else want to take a shot?" Natsu turned to Oracion Seis.
"..Wait. I think I know you." Brain raised his hand. "..A black jacket, an eye patch, pink hair..Mm!?" He then realized he was staring at someone known by reputation. "You're the wizard slayer of Black Rift, the One-eyed Dragon!" He declared. Natsu just scoffed.
"How do you know me?" He said and crossed his arms. "...Wait a minute.." Natsu thought back to that screen he saw back in Fairy Tail.
"One-eyed Dragon?" Lyon slowly repeated.
"Wizard...slayer?" Lucy sweated nervously.
"What the hell is he talking about? Does this guy know Natsu?" Gray thought.
"...If I recall, there was a dark guild called Tainted Sun that took orders from Oracion Seis. Guess word gets around." Natsu nodded, thinking that was the reason.
"This a bit of a pickle." Brain groaned.
"What so special about this guy?" The man standing next to the snake asked.
"He may not look it, but this wizard is a dragon slayer." Brain said which made them surprised. "He massacred half of the dominant dark guilds in Black Rift. Very few had actually escaped from the destruction he caused out there."
"But he didn't use any magic apart from that blue fire show~." The large man with a square like face noted.
"It's Dragon Slayer magic. Almost nothing remains after he is through with his opponent." Brain explained.
"You gonna keep talking about the dragon, or you gonna fight the one in front of you?" Natsu asked, losing his patience.
"...Dark Rondo!" Brain debated a few moments before launching another attack at them from the front.
"That won't work." Natsu swiped his arms in front of him and a wall of blue flames protected them again. After they disappeared, so did Oracion Seis. "Tch! They got away." Natsu cursed.
Everyone was gathered around while tending to their wounds while Natsu sat cross legged on a stump.
"So I think I know everyone here. This is certainly a surprise." He chuckled. "I'm surprised to see Lyon here though. Looks like you finally got your head on straight " He teased.
"Most unexpected running into you here of all places." Lyon smiled.
"Looks like I was a tad too late though." He frowned. "..Hm? Wellll~ if it isn't miss tragic romance." He eyed Sherry who gasped. "Guess you realized you got somethin' to live for." He smiled.
"O-of course! I don't need you to tell me that!" She pouted.
"Nice to see you too." Natsu said sarcastically. He then turned to a trio who was tending to each other.
"Not familiar with you guys though." Natsu said blankly.
"I'm Ren." The dark skinned man introduced himself. "You may know me as Silent Night in the Weekly." He snapped his fingers.
"Hundred Night, Hibiki. At your service." The brown haired man said posing.
"Holy night, Eve." The young blonde man also bowed.
"And together, we form Blue Pegasus's elite team, Trimens!." They all posed at once but winced from the pain.
"...Never heard of ya'." Natsu deadpanned.
"Hmph. It matters not. As long as a woman has heard about the value of our service, our spirits will not be dampened." Ren whipped his hair. "And who are you?"
"Names Natsu. Not well known, just a wandering mage." He plainly said.
"Well I've never heard of you." Ren huffed.
"Notice I used the key words 'Not well known'." Natsu sweat dropped.
"But you seem to be quite strong." Ren narrowed his eyes.
"Brain also seemed to be familiar with you." Eve noted.
"Is there something we should know?" Hibiki sported the same look as all eyes turned to Natsu.
"I'm sorry, could you be specific? That guy was saying a lot of things." Natsu just blinked.
"What did he mean by One-Eyed Dragon, and that you were a wizard slayer?" Lucy asked.
"Oh that..." Natsu narrowed his eye. "..lets just say I pissed off a lot of dark mages down south, and they all have it out for me." He explained simply. "It's nothing you guys should concern yourself with. I'm on your side here." He assured them.
"Hmph~* It appears everyone is here~*" A short man with an ugly mug said while spinning into weird poses wearing a white suit said."They all ran away before we even fought at full power, there for we win by default~!*" He posed.
"THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS YA WEIRDO!" Gray shouted in annoyance.
"Look pal, we may be battered but we're not down. Here, let my pain killer parfum ease your discomfort~*" He popped open a vial and a fragrance wisped around the air.
"What a lovely scent." Sherry could feel it rejuvenating her.
"Yeah, my pain is fading away." Lucy also seemed to be enjoying the healing parfum.
"I am glad to see you all are alright." Lyon said to Jura.
"I barely made it out alive." He said sternly.
"Are you injured?" Lyon asked.
"Their power is not something to make light of. We were right to forge an alliance." Jura sighed.
"Well, they aren't here now. We should probably come up with a new plan of attack." Sherry suggested.
"I agree, but.." Ren agreed, but they all turned to Erza.
"Ngh!..." She winced in pain from the stinging sensation of a purple venom in her veins.
"Erza, are you alright?" Gray asked.
"I-I don't know." She grimaced from it spreading throughout her arm.
"Not to worry my honey~!* I know what you need...A EXTRA DOSE OF HEALING PARFUM~*" He opened another vile and it circled around Erza.
"NNghh..AAHhh!" Erza however was still in discomfort.
"W-what is this~?* My parfum has no effect~?*" Ichiya was surprised.
"That venom was pretty nasty." Sherry cringed, thinking it must have been painful.
"In that case...Lucy! I'll need your belt!" Erza quickly grabbed Lucy's belt,, shocking the blonde.
"Wha-!?" He skirt fell down and the Trimens had perverted looks but were met with a Lucy punch."Don't look~!" She wailed.
"Erza? What are you doing?" Gray asked.
"Ergh!..There." She wrapped the belt tightly around her shoulder and stabbed her sword in the ground in front of them. "CUT IT OFF!" She demanded.
"What!?" Lucy was surprised.
"Erza, are you losing it?!" Gray protested.
"It's the only way I can continue fighting. Please, make it quick!" She bit unto the belt and readied herself.
"But-!" Lucy was about to interject but Jura held his hand in front of her.
"It is her wish. We must not intervene." He said firmly.
"Very well..i'll do it." Lyon picked up the sword.
"Wait, lets talk about this!" Gray began to defend her.
"What's there to talk about? Her arm, or her life? Which is more important to you?" Lyon argued.
"This is something that will effect her for her whole life. We have to think of something else!"
"I'm doing it. It's what she wants." Lyon raised the sword and swiped down, but Gray caught it in ice which surprised them all.
"You're not cutting off her arm." He made a threatening look at Lyon.
"Hmph. Same old Gray. Spineless as ever. When are you going to learn to grow up?" He scowled.
"And your just as shifty as ever!" Gray argued back.
"Please, hurry!" Erza begged. Natsu was watching and decided he should intervene.
"That's enough Gray." Natsu told him.
"He's trying to cut off her arm! Do you realiz-!?"
"I said enough Gray." He made stoic look. "Bickering like an imbecile is not helping her in slightest, and every moment you spend whining about it she feels more pain."
"But there has to be another way!" Gray turned to Natsu.
"There is, now would you settle down? " Natsu ordered.
"Well what is it?" He asked.
"Move and I will show you." Natsu said pushing him aside and kneeling down. He looked at Erza's arm and slightly touched the area. "You got bit by Night Viper. Your flesh will decompose at a slow rate." He concluded.
"Please..Natsu.." She was slowly blanking out.
"Don't worry Erza." He held his hand up and light blueish fire lit up in his hand. "You're gonna be in pain, but I can stop it." He warned her. "Do you trust me?"
"..I do." She quickly nodded.
"Alright.. on 3." He then counted. "One...Two...Three." He then pressed his hand on the poison and Erza shrieked.
"GAAAHAAHAGHGAAAAAAA!" She screamed in pain as her flesh sizzled.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Gray demanded gripping his shoulder.
"Don't stop me right now!" Natsu shouted as he continued pressing his hand against her
"GAAAHggghGAAA..AGH...(Pant)..(Pant)..." Natsu finally finished and Erza was breathing heavily. Natsu could feel her digging her nails into his shoulder.
"Don't worry, this should do the trick." Natsu told her as he summoned a wrapping and wrapped it around the portion of the arm he burnt.
"He burned the poison?" Hibiki wondered.
"That was a healing spell called Heavens Fire. It burns tissue and reforms it back to it's original state." He explained.
"You know healing magic?! That's a lost practice!" Sherry exclaimed.
"Yeah..." Natsu frowned. Erza had passed out from the pain and Natsu was holding her so she wouldn't fall forward. "Lets take five guys. I think we should recuperate before we head out." Natsu said to them all.
"But what about Wendy?" Lucy asked.
"Who?" Natsu asked as he picked up Erza.
"There was a little girl that was representing Cait Shelter, a guild that was participating in the alliance. Brain made off with her and a talking cat named Carla." Lyon explained.
"..Wait, they TOOK a little girl? What the hell for?" Natsu was confused as he laid Erza down next to a tree.
"We don't know. I remember them saying something about Maiden of the Sky, then that Brain guy looked like he saw a ghost." Gray recalled.
"Maiden of the Sky?" Natsu repeated. He then widened his eye a little. "Sky Maiden...Sky..is it possible..?" He put a hand to his chin as if he were unraveling something.
"Do you know what he was talking about?" Lucy asked curiously.
"..What was that girl's name again?" Natsu asked them.
"Wendy Marvell." Eve recalled.
"Name don't sound familiar. But it's possible..the time is about right-" Natsu was muttering to him self thinking out loud.
"Spill it Flambo, do you know who she is?" Gray asked, getting impatient.
"Well, Maiden of the Sky was actually a title that was given to female Sky Dragon Slayers." He said, and they all were wide eyed and their jaws were open.
"Huh?!"
"You gotta be kidding me!"
"That little girl?!"
"I thought her power was unusual." Jura put a hand to his chin while deep in thought.
"Are you saying Wendy is a Dragon Slayer?" Lucy asked.
"I don't know. I'd have to see for myself." Natsu shrugged.
"Sky Dragon...Who knows what use they have for her?" Jura shook his head. "By the way I haven't been introduced to you yet. My name is Jura Neekis of Lamia Scale." Jura introduced himself.
"Natsu Dranigon. Fairy Tail Mage and tag-along of the strange and exciting." Natsu nodded slightly.
"I thought I recognized your name. As I recall, you used to be part of the reserve Wizard Saints." He mentioned. "I myself am a Wizard Saint."
"Wizard Saint, huh? Don't think I met you yet." Natsu tilted his head.
"Most of my time is dedicated to Lamia Scale now than it was before." He explained.
"You don't say? Well nice to meet you Jura." Natsu smiled, thinking this Saint was a lot better than other Jose.
"Reserve?" Sherry asked.
"A step-in for the Wizard Saints so to speak." He clarified.
"So this guy is actually super strong?" Sherry exclaimed.
"Indeed. He is probably even better than me." Jura chuckled.
"No way!" Lyon was surprised.
"I don't know about that. I just know how to fight." Natsu shrugged.
"Hmph, very-" Jura began to say something.
"If you say noble, i'll kick your ass." Natsu joked. "I think you and I are gonna get along juuust fine Jura." He smirked.
"I look forward to working with you." Jura nodded with a smile.
"What just happened?" Lucy was unsure of the friendship that was suddenly forged that day.
Hope it was okay! I didn't want everyone to be under the impression he could one shot everyone in Oracion Seis. (Granted Angel, and Racer could.) So I need to watch this arc again to figure out how Nirvana worked, and why they were targeting Cait Shelter!
Read/Review/Rate!
Laters!