Chapter 36...
The train had just arrived at Crocus's station and a lot of sleepy passengers had just woken up from the sharp whistle of the train. Among them were Natsu and Wendy who had gotten off and proceeded into the city.
"Crocus. Been a while since I was here." Natsu pointed out.
"It's a very popular resort and festive city from what I hear." Carla said while looking around.
"Yeah, a lot of these buildings get trashed in the Magic Games." Natsu said looking at the countless apartment buildings.
"What time is it?" Wendy asked.
"11:00 o' clock." Natsu said looking at the town clock tower.
"We still have some time." Wendy said. "I'll go look around town with Charla. I'll see you later Natsu-san."
"Mm. We'll meet here after 1:00." Natsu nodded and the thee split up. As he walked through town he was getting stares from the population around him.
"Hey look. Isn't that the One-Eyed Dragon?"
"Holy crap! I can't believe he's here!"
"I heard he was summoned by the princess."
"I wonder what it could be?" The townsfolk said among themselves.
"Guess my reputation is known here. But not the one I was hoping for." Natsu said under his breath. After a while, he arrived at the gates to the royal palace.
"I have an audience with your princess." Natsu shouted to the guard up on the watch tower.
"Who goes there?" He called.
"I have a seal of...summoning. The name's Natsu Dranigon!" He looked at the letter one more time before showing it to him.
"Open the gates!" He called down to the guards.
Throne room...
Natsu walked down the hall with an escort to a red velvet carpeted floor of a very large room. They bowed and they marched back out the door closing it behind them. Natsu looked back and then forward.
...Where was everyone?
"...Guess i'll wait?" Natsu said to himself. He approached the room's center and looked around him. It was quiet. Dead quiet.
"Something's not right." He looked around once more and then turned to the door.
"So you are the chosen one?" Natsu turned to a voice with a narrowed look. "I must admit, you don't look like much." A caped man with two scythes attached to the back of his cape said.
"And what are you supposed to be? Cause Halloween isn't here yet pal." Natsu said turning to him.
"Such insolence. How can you be what the princess is expecting?" He said while still crossing his arms.
"Kukuku! I think this guy wants to melt badly!" A big man with the words 'ACID RULES' on the back of his shirt appeared with a bottle of purple liquid in his mouth.
"And you're pretty fat. You supposed be the smart one?" Natsu crossed his arms.
"Hmhmhm. It appears this one has a rather interesting mouth on him. Does he not know that he is now cornered like a rat?" A girl wearing a purple yukata came out saying holding a piece of paper.
"You got me. I have a crippling fear paper." Natsu threw his arms up in a mocking fashion.
"Tai!~ We got a wise guy!" Suddenly a weird man showed up in tropical clothes and a...weird smile.
"Tai?" Natsu asked confused.
"It isn't beautiful to resist." Another pink haird girl wearing pink-like clothes, along with a hat that covered her eyes said.
"Wow. You guys are just coming out of the wood work." Natsu said as they surrounded him.
"We are the Garou Knights. We are also the kingdoms executioners. I am Kama." He introduced himself.
"Cosmos is my name." The pink haired girl said.
"Kamika is what I go by. The other girl said.
"I am Neppa-san! Remember it before you die!" That big man said.
"Uosuke is my name, Tai~!" The weird man said.
"And?" Natsu said still composed asked.
"We will determine whether you are fit to seek an audience with the princess."" He grabbed his scythes and held them at the ready.
"That so?" Natsu's expression was unreadable. "(Sigh), why can't I catch a break every once in a while?" Natsu pinched his nose in frustration.
"Do not take your eyes off me!" Kama charged with his scythes at the ready. "How many sins did you commit up to this point?" He said now above Natsu. He brought his scythes down and expected to land a hit, but it was met with a loud clang. His eyes widened and he was in the midst of a lock between his scythe and Natsu's sword that he summoned right before it struck him.
"Take a hike." Natsu said in a bored tone before a sudden shock wave blasted Kama straight to the ceiling. Crashing into it and falling down onto the ground unconscious. His face mask was burnt off, and his armor sizzled from the heat. Last thing he saw was a bright blue light and then darkness.
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
"Kama!?"
"Tai~?!" The other four were shocked their leader was taken down with one hit.
"Well this is quite the predicament I find myself in." Natsu said while spinning his sword by the string around his finger. "I don't know what orders you were given, and I don't care. The next one of you that takes a shot at me is going to be acquainted with the floor in the most painful way possible. But if you all back off now, i'll pretend this little scuffle didn't happen. But if you all decide to fight.." He stopped spinning his sword and grabbed the handle. "They'll be taking you all out of here in a dust pan." He had a dark look.
"Urk...What do we do?" Kimiko asked.
"I'll handle this!" Neppa declared. He took a step forward but suddenly stopped.
"...Why'd you stop?" Cosmos asked.
"..." Neppa couldn't shake the feeling, but he was feeling fearful all of a sudden. "He's full of openings...he's practically asking me to attack...So what is this feeling?!" Neppa was sweating from the look Natsu was giving him. Natsu then took one step forward and faced Neppa. He narrowed his eye half way and just held his sword to his side. It was like an aura of a dragon that made him feel so small.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Natsu asked.
"Gugh..."
"If you aren't going to attack then back off." Natsu scoffed.
"Don't be so arrogant!" Neppa then raised his arms and suddenly a green wave of acid came up from the ground and approached Natsu. Natsu took one step forward and then suddenly shot at him with blinding speed. Natsu's slashed right through the acid and he was know mere inches from Neppa. "Wha-?! GAAgh!" He was suddenly jabbed in the gut by Natsu's sheathed blade and sent flying into a wall.
"Two down..." He then turned to the other three.
"Even Neppa.." Cosmos said, shocked.
"Then a double attack!" Kimiko announced to her partner. "Confetti! Yellow Dance!" A swarm of yellow paper then began engulfing Natsu. He was unfazed by the electricity that was crackling throughout his body.
"Take this!" Cosmos then sprouted plants from the ground and they fired a bunch of seeds at him.
"...You honestly don't know when to give up." Natsu said clapping his hands. A flaming blast wave erupted from his body and blew away all the paper and plants that were around him. He then shot forward again. This time he grabbed Kimiko and Cosmos by their mouths and held them up in a dark manner. "Now I don't have any problems burning you all till your nothing but ash. But I think i'll just be a dick and break your legs." He said to them. The magic pressure was overwhelming up close. They had tears in they're eyes from the fear of whatever Natsu was going to do to them.
"Topography Effect: Gravity Zone!" Uosuke suddenly said raising his arms. Suddenly Natsu and the others were lifted into the air. Natsu turned back with an annoyed look. "Topography Effect: Gale Force Wind Zone!" A wind suddenly blew Natsu back, making him release the two girls. He then stopped and narrowed his eye at him.
"Azure Dragon's..." He then inhaled flames. "..ROOOAAAR!" Suddenly a torrent of flames shot out of his mouth and came raging toward Uosuke.
"Topography Effect: Iceberg Zone!" He raised his index and middle finger and icebergs came out of the ground to shield him. "That won't work-" Uosuke was beginning to say but Natsu's flames smashed right through the icebergs. "Wh-what, Tai~?!" Was the last thing he said before getting blown back and engulfed in a flaming inferno. When the flames died down, Uosuke was unconscious and had burns all over his body. Natsu wiped his mouth and then turned his attention to the girls again. They both flinched.
"That's enough." Another voice said which made them all look up. It was a a young woman with white royal robes, a white short dress, green hair, and a jeweled head piece with red and blue gems. "Pleased to meet you Natsu Dranigon."
"Can't exactly say the same. Your little goon squad totally blows for a red carpet." He said narrowing his eye at her.
"My apologies. I had to make sure you were who you said you were. There are a lot of people going around using your alias as of late." She said with a bow.
"I didn't give myself that name. Some bum from Black Rift got away and he started spreading some bullshit about me." Natsu said crossing his arms.
"Regardless, your reputation appears to proceed you." She said coming down the stairs. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name Hisue Fiore." She said with a courtesy.
"So what did you want?" Natsu asked while crossing his arms.
"Of course. The reason I brought you here." She said now heading off toward the stairs. "Follow me." Natsu began following her but stopped and looked over at Cosmos and Kimiko. "I haven't forgotten about you two." He pointed and said coldly.
"Ung!"
"Mmph!" They both tensed up. Natsu then turned and walked up the stairs.
Natsu and the princess had entered another room that looked like a meeting room. A large rectangular table was in the center along with some type of lacrima in the middle.
"This is the council's chamber. We conduct business and other things like economic structure, tax and many other things."Hisui explained.
"So this is where it happens." Natsu said looking throughout the room. "Anyway's get to the point." He said while crossing his arms.
"Such insolence! You are speaking to the future queen of Fiore!" An old man wearing council clothes and carrying a staff protested while entering the room.
"...Why is this old fart here?" Natsu asked Hisui.
"Councilmen Org was the one that brought this issue to my attention." She explained.
"Why this insolent fool? Jura, Makarov or even Josei would be better suited to this task!" He seemed displeased.
"Because Natsu Dranigon is the only one who is familiar with that part of Fiore." Hisui explained.
"WHAT are you talking about? Why am I here princess?" Natsu demanded to know.
"...You are familiar with Mount Kaiyo ?" She asked.
"...You could say that. How could I forget? It was a village of innocent people after all." He said glaring at Org.
"You do not know what you speak of." Org said sitting down.
"YOU ordered Josei to kill an entire village Org! All for some stupid mining rights!" Natsu protested.
"We did not kill them."
"Oh yeah, that's right. You asked some dark guild to take the fall for that. Well it was money not worth spending, cause I killed him a while ago." Natsu said angrily.
"It was an unfortunate incident, but letting a mountain of the richest lacrima vain within a few hundred miles just sit there is a waste of a resource!"
"You shriveled piece of-"
"Please! Whatever past history was between you is going to have to wait! We have a pressing issue that needs our undivided attention." Hisui calmed them down.
"..Tch."
"Hmph." Natsu and Org turned away from each other.
"As I said, this requires our undivided attention." She held her hand out and the lacrima in the middle lit up and a holo frame showed. Natsu looked at it and he blinked.
"Is that an army?" Natsu looked at the screen and narrowed his eye.
"Yes. It would appear that a force carrying a banner we've never seen before." Hisui said.
"Maybe it's the Alvarez Empire's troops." Natsu suggested.
"Doubtful. We've been monitoring the border ever since we split ties with it's country. No one from there has crossed the border, let alone our own." Org said.
"So, an unknown army just happened to pop up in Ishgar's backyard without anyone noticing?" Natsu said sarcastically.
"Exactly." Hisui said seriously.
"Huh?" Natsu was surprised.
"They just appeared out of nowhere there two weeks ago." Hisui shrugged.
"So why are you not sending the army?" Natsu asked.
"We did...we haven't heard from the task force ever since we sent them to deal with it." Hisui frowned.
"What?!" Natsu was surprised a task force from the king's army had not reported in.
"It was a diplomatic unit...but I fear the worst." She frowned.
"Well this is obviously a job for the Wizard Saints then." Natsu wasn't understanding why he was even there.
"We were going to, but it was agreed they remain here in case that army marches to Crocus." She explained.
"The kingdom's safety is top priority. Dividing our forces now would not be a wise decision."
"Send one then! I'm not asking you guys to send every asset you have at an unknown enemy! Beside's their just soldiers! The Saints could flatten them in a heartbeat!" Natsu argued.
"Well that's what we thought. But these arrived earlier from a scout we sent there a few days ago." The screen changed and a large mechanical dragon-like thing was seen.
"What the hell is that thing?" Natsu asked.
"Some type of magic powered unit from the report."
"Well no wonder your task force vanished." Natsu crossed his arms.
"We fear the same thing." Hisui frowned
"Also.." Org said while the screen showed many soldiers with odd weapons. "The armaments of this army appear to be magical weaponry."
"We have little to no answers for whoever this is. We need more information before we could act." Hisui said while putting her hand on her chin.
"So why did you contact me?" Natsu asked.
"I've read up about you. The youngest to ever become a Wizard Saint, and a independent mage for hire. You left the Wizard Saints and then wandered Fiore, and also assisting with our army's endeavors."
"They're just some guys I know." Natsu shrugged.
"But the reason we called you was not because of your unique skill set, but because we believe that you are familiar with the individuals in the next image." Hisui said as the screen flashed and suddenly Natsu's eye widened.
"I-is that...?"
"So you do know them?" Hisui asked.
"Yeah..that's Mira, Erza and Kagu...what the hell happened to them?" The image was of the three, practically naked encased in some type of crystal tank with some strange wires attached to them.
"We don't know. But they must have been contained for some reason." Hisui suggested.
"They also took over the mine and have been working on some structure in it." Org explained. Natsu paced back and was deep in thought.
"This is bad." Natsu thought. "Not only were the three of them somehow subdued, these guys took over the mine and probably know how to extract it to use in their weapons. And if these guys don't wanna part with Jura or someone else from the Ten..."
"Natsu Dranigon?" Hisui asked.
"...Who else knows this unknown army is there?" Natsu asked.
"Just me, Councilmen Org, and a handful on the council. If word got out we were under attack, the other countries might use this as an opportunity to attack us while we're dealing with this." Hisui answered.
"Terrific." Natsu sighed. He looked at the image one last time and he took a deep breath then exhaled.
"...I'll go.
"Huh?"
"What?" The princess and Org were surprised by his sudden answer.
"I'll find this army, and take em out." Natsu declared.
"What, that's crazy! If word spreads-!"
"Get your staff out of your ass Org. You and everyone apparently can't do anything about this, so i'll go deal with this my own way."
"Are you insane!? This could be a taken as a sign of aggression, and they'd retaliate!"
"They're not going to retaliate because I am going to blast that entire mountain to kingdom come." Natsu explained.
"WHAT!?" Org roared.
"What do you propose?" Hisui asked confused.
"It's a Folthose grade lacrima vain. It's just a giant fire cracker buried in dirt. If I feed enough magic into it till it overloads, then that'll erase that army off the face of the earth." He explained.
"You'd blow an entire raw deposit of lacrima just to destroy an army?! If that lacrima vein goes, we won't only lose a potential resource, we could set off any other deposits in the area!" Org protested.
"Last I checked, that mine was the only one in the area within 10 miles. If that thing goes off, it'll blow the entire mountain at the most."
"This is madness! Princess you cannot agree with this crazy fool!" Org turned to Hisui.
"Org does present a valid point. Are we sure there are no other sources connected to that mine?" She asked Natsu calmly.
"See for yourself." Nasu clapped his hands and suddenly a scroll appeared in thin air. He rolled it out on the table and he showed them. "This is the last blueprint that was drawn for the project. If you look at it it's just a giant spike, or like a core for the mountain."
"This is council property! How did you-?!" Org demanded to know.
"I know a guy who knows a guy." Natsu said rolling it up and making it disappear. "Princess, I can promise you this. I will take out that army and I assure you, you or wrinkled councilmen Org over there won't be involved in the slightest." He said to her.
"You would do this out of nobility?" She was astonished he was going to agree to it.
"No, i'm just crazy." He said with a snicker. "I'm leaving." He immediately began leaving.
"You can't be serious!" Org shouted.
"Believe it. Just go hide under a rock or something until this blows over." Natsu said before he left.
"The council will not be happy with this news." Org said to the princess.
"Regardless, this is for the best interest. We can only put our faith in that man. But in the event that he fails, we will defend ourselves with everything we have." She said sternly.
"Princess." Org was astonished of her declaration.
Natsu walked down the stairs and was in midst thinking of how he gonna do this. He then stopped and turned to Cosmos Kimiko who were helping their comrades.
"I'll be back." He pointed out.
"H-hai!"
"Right!" They both said attentively. He then left. As he was about to leave the castle, he stopped.
"Right, Ultear's gotta know about this." He then clapped and a notebook with a pencil appeared in his hand. He spent a few minutes writing something down. He then made a envelope appear and he folded the note and put it inside. He then thought of something else.
"Oh right."
He went back.
Train station...
"There he is!" Wendy said happily.
"Geez, you sure took your time." Carla huffed.
"Natsu...Natsu-san?" Wendy realized he had a serious look.
"Wendy, you're going back to Mermaid Heel on your own. I also need you to take this and give it to Ultear, okay?" He asked as he bent down and put his arms on her shoulders. He then gave her a message in the form of a letter. "Erza, Kagura, and Mira are being held prisoner by some sort of army at Mount Kaiyo."
"What?!"
"What do you mean-!?" Carla and Wendy asked shocked.
"The pictures are in the envelope, along with a message." He explained. "I'm going to head out on foot. I'll try to find em'. Do you understand?" He asked her.
"Mmph. Leave it to me!" Wendy nodded.
"How do you know this?" Carla asked.
"As I said the envelope will explain everything, now go!" He said standing up.
"Good luck Natsu-san!" Wendy called out to him while he speed walked to the city entrance.
Mount Kaiyo...
We find Erza and Mira sitting next to each other in some sort of magic chains wearing nothing but a sheet that was left for them to cover up. They were tired and exhausted.
"How much longer are they going to keep Kagura..in the tank?" Erza asked. They then heard the doors to the prison they were in open and in came Kagura being dragged along. The guards opened the cell door and threw her in. She was completely soaked and had indications she was beaten.
"You shouldn't break the guard's jaw just because he was a little carried away." A voice that sounded like Erza said. And said woman came in and she looked exactly like her. Though she just were a black scarf and revealing clothing, she looked exactly like the scarlet. She also held a large spear that had a unique shape.
"You bitch. I can't believe you look exactly like her." Mira hissed.
"Hmph." The Erza look-alike scoffed and locked the doors.
"Kagura, are you all right?" Erza asked as she came over to lay her down on her lap.
"I-i'm fine. You..really know how to hit someone..ehehe..(coughs)." She joked.
"I would never..." Erza clenched her fist and had a saddened look.
"She's not the Erza we know." Mira said wiping some dirt off her head with the sheet. "This is messed up. If only we could somehow get these damn chains off." Mira complained.
"Ultear should be noticing us missing. When she does i'm sure she'll start looking." Kagura said sitting up and groaning.
"I agree. We just have to hold out until then." Erza said while comfortingly rubbing her cheek.
"But where did they come from?" Mira asked.
"I don't know...It makes no sense. There's even more here than when I last saw outside." Erza said. They only hoped they could get out in time before they had run out of usefulness for their captors.
Crocus, outskirts...
Natsu was marching straight in the direction of Mount Kaiyo.
"...I did say I was going to blow it up, but I need to get those three out of there first." He thought.
"Wait!" He turned to the voice of Hisui who appeared out of breath.
"Princess? What are you doing out here?" He asked.
"I..have a personal request to ask of you." She said finally catching up to him.
"And what's that?"
It's about the task force I sent, the one leading them, his name is Arcadios. He is a very dear friend so if you could find him, I would be in your debt." She bowed.
"..Princess, let me explain something to you." He said facing her. "How do you even know he's alive? You said it yourself, that weird machine could have slaughtered them all. I'm only going to grab my friends and send that invading army straight to oblivion. Nothing more, nothing less" He said sternly.
"Please! Even if there is a small chance...Arcadios is like family to me...if I were to lose him." She begged him.
"Look even if you tell me, I don't even know where to look.." He tried to reason with her.
"They must have kept prisoners like your friends! I'm begging you, i'll do anything if you find him." She dropped on her knees and prostrated. Natsu expression was blank and only his eye patch could be seen.
"...(SIGH), alright. Stop bowing you're embarrassing me." He face palmed.
"Then-!?" She looked up a lot more hopeful.
"I'll keep my eye open for him. But no promises." He said.
"Thank you Natsu Dranigon! You truly are more noble and kinder than what others would say."
"I thought I told you." He turned and began walking away. "I'm just crazy. Later princess." He waved and walked off.
"Thank you, Natsu Dranigon." She put her hands together and was hoping the next time she saw him, he'd have Arcadios with him.
4 hours later, Mermaid Heel...
"(Yawn), geez, i'm bored." Ultear said sitting in the lobby.
"Has your muse abandoned you Ultear?" Angel asked sitting down.
"It's just that I don't have anything to do lately when he's not around." She pouted.
"Natsu-san is going to come back right? Maybe we should all throw another dinner party." Beth suggested.
"That's it! I'll get him so drunk he'll never be able to ride a train for at least another day." She seemed to have the gears turning in her head. "And when he wakes up the next morning...fufufufu~."
"You are absolutely smitten with this guy Ultear. But didn't you say the knights and the demon have a thing for him?" Angel asked while crossing her legs.
"Oh..i'll burn that bridge when I come to it." Ultear shrugged.
"All is fair right? Ahahaha." Sorano laughed.
Suddenly the doors to Mermaid Heel burst open and Wendy was nearly out of breath.
"Wh-wh-where is Ultear-san!?" She asked frantically.
"Wendy? What's wrong?" Ultear called over with concern.
"Ah, there she is!" Wendy rushed over to her. "Ultear, it's bad. We've got a big problem!"
"What is it?" She then stood up.
"Natsu-san sent me back to give you a message...Ah! Where is it?!" She was frantically looking all over her. "Ah, here!" She handed it to her and her guild master quickly took it. She opened it and she first came across a letter. She read it out loud as Beth and Angel came over curiously.
"I'm going to make this quick, the reason I was summoned was because they wanted me to provide information on an unknown army that suddenly appeared on Mount Kaiyo. At first I wasn't going to bother with it, but then I saw these pictures." Ultear stopped reading and pulled out the photos of an army and the picture of her S-class mages being held captive.
"Is that-!?" Angel immediately recognized the three of them.
"That's Erza, Kagura and Mira!" Ultear looked attentively.
"Are they okay?!" Beth asked.
"Hold on..."I don't think their dead, but they're not going to be alive much longer at this rate. My best guess is that whoever it is, they found some use for them. They're strong, but I don't think they'll hold out forever. The kingdom cannot send troops because of some bullshit "political ramifications", so i'm on my own on this one. I'll be probably halfway there when you get this. I'll move as fast as I can. Whatever you do at this point DO NOT send any of your mages near Kaiyo mountain.
Wish me luck,
N.D"
Ultear finished.
"What!? Nonsense! Why would they pull back the army!?" Sorano wondered angrily.
"No way...so Natsu is on his own?!" Wendy had a worried look.
"..." Ultear was silent.
"So what now Ultear?" Sorano asked.
"..."
"Ultear?"
"Sorano. Go tell Ikaruga to meet us at the train station." She suddenly said.
"Hm?" She wondered.
"I'm going to have a little chat with this princess." She sported an angered look.
"At once." Sorano smiled.
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