How….is…...it…...going my people? The 3rd Dragneel, returning after a long period to bring you the next chapter of Dueling Tail. Wow, I was able to post these chapters like they were nothing, but now that I've made so many stories? I apologize for the long wait guys, I honestly can't stop. I want to, but why is telling me 'PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE YOU IDIOT.' So yeah, I'm here with another Lemon chapter involving the poster girl of Fairy Tail herself: Mirajane.
But before we get into that…...WE MUST READ THE REVIEWS!
StreakFreak: Hmmmm, I actually like the design you put out for the Monarch duelist, I'll keep it in mind. Definitely can see Lisanna using Lunalights since her magic is similar to that archetype.
Warrior of six blades: Thanks, I wanted to make each duel as suspenseful as I could, especially given how tough their opponents are. Yes 101 was a jerk, but he was understandable, and…..there's a chance we could see him and the others popping back up. Never know….
Rebellion Rose: Thank you and trust me, the Edolas Arc will be better than the Canon was.
EH-01: For now my friend, for now…..
Sanedimentio: Wow, a duel between Natsu and Nate again will definitely be cool, I don't mind doing that.
To recap the last chapter: The battle between Fairy Tail and the 100s ended in a fiery conclusion. Erza had ended her fearsome battle with 105 with a combination of her Sacred Noble Knight of King Artorigus and Artorigus, King of the Noble Knights. In Nate's duel, he had melted any chance of 103 with his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. Against 102, Lucy and Wendy were able to pull a victory with her Rainbow Dragon, to which she and 102 had made amends. And finally, facing the leader of the 100s, Natsu and Stardust were able to defeat 101 using a combination of Supreme Arcanite Magician and Dark Magician, snapping Mira out of the trance. Meanwhile, both Utopia and Neos were able to defeat Chaos Number 106, saving the lives of Fairy Tail. And finally, during his fight against the corrupted Juvia, Gray was forced to make a tough decision and destroy the canister of Nirvana, causing a large explosion.
What happened to our Heroes? Let's find out…..
(Yugioh theme song...start!)
Natsu is seen standing in front of the guild doors opened, his eyes open slowly as the camera zooms at his serious face.
(Your move! Your move! Your move! Your move! Your move!)
Natsu looks in shock at the person standing in front of him, then cuts to the Number's castle, then to 101 looking over his shoulders, then a white glowing sphere is visible in his palm.
(Your move!)
Natsu activates his duel disk, Then places his deck in it's slot. Then four cloaked figures bow in front of 101. Finally, pieces of Natsu form together as multiple images appear at once.
Noble Knight Brothers slash downward. Then Gandora X roars in the sky, firing red lasers from his body. Summoned Skull appears in a bolt of lightning. Shark Drake fires a beam of purple energy while Gladiator Beast Gyzarus soars in the sky. Wind-up Arsenal Zenmaioh rushes forward with its drill arm. Heroic Champion Excalibur brings his sword down as Buster Blader does the same. Dark Magician fires a beam of magic energy while Blue Eyes soars in the sky with a powerful roar. Rainbow Dragon flies in the air while Black Rose launches purple flames, and finally Stardust roars in the sky.
(Your move!)
101 throws a white card at the distance, Mira screams as a cloaked figure takes her into the shadows, a large figure jumps out the castle and Natsu widens his eyes as a ninja rushes past him.
(Yugioh)
Natsu falls on his knees, holding his face as one eye turns amber before he screams in the air.
(Natsu: It's time to du-du-dudududududuel!)
Natsu draws his card while he and Stardust are back to back. Erza places a card on her duel disk. Gray draws a card. Lucy points forward with a determined look. And Wendy summons Black Rose. The entire Fairy Tail guild stare at the audience, Stardust and Natsu's duel monsters are at the ready, 101 and his followers are in his throne room, and the Barian emblem appears. Natsu smiles as he raises the card he drew as lightning shot out of it. Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, Blue Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician appear on his left side while Gladiator Beast Andal, Constellar Ptolemy M7 and Dark Magician Girl on his right. Stardust appears behind Natsu.
"The Dark Ones…..I can feel them getting stronger."
"If you have the power to beat those bastards, then use it."
"Cause if you don't…..everyone you love…..will die….."
*BOOOOOOMMMMMMMM*
"GUAH!" Natsu suddenly shot up in pure shock, sweat running down his head as he clenched his rapidly beating heart. He began taking large amounts of deep breathes, hoping to calm himself down before his heart exploded. Wiping his face, Natsu looked around and noticed he was back at his home, the morning sun bleeding through the window and giving a peaceful vibe behind it. "It was just another dream, it was just another dream." Natsu repeated to himself before he fell back in bed, looking at the ceiling. He reached out to the left, only to feel something off. Turning around, he noticed he was alone in bed, not a head of red hair cuddling next to him. "Hmmm, she must've left early." Shaking his head, Natsu got off his bed before stretching his muscles, hearing his bones crack a bit. Yawning under his breath, Natsu exited his bedroom before entering the bathroom. He turned on the faucet before splashing some water on his face. Putting his hands on the sink, he looked at his reflection front the mirror in front of him.
"Sleep well?" Stardust said to Natsu, his spiritual body appearing next to Natsu.
"Yeah…...I guess so." Natsu wiped his face, as if he just got hit in the face with some dirt. "Where is everyone? Do you know?"
"I think Black Rose took Wendy and Carla to the guild, with Erza maybe. Feeling a bit lonely?" The ink haired male just shook his head in amusement. "But in all honesty Natsu, maybe you should rest a little longer. Especially after what happened at Number's Castle."
"Yeah….the castle…." Natsu stared at his reflection a bit longer, recalling the events that happened one week from today…..
'Flashback, one week ago'
*BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM*
"NO!" Juvia/Shark Drake attempted to run towards Nirvana, only for the explosion to send them flying backwards. The blue haired girl's back hit the wall with enough force to render her unconcious, freeing her from Shark Drake's control.
"WWWWOOOOAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Both Gray and Quinton, due to being close to Nirvana, were also sent flying from the explosion, landing just a few feet from Juvia.
"Quinton!" The human scientists quickly rushed towards the two males, helping them up to their feet. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Quinton said through gritted teeth, the shockwave from the explosion took more of a toll on his body than he thought. "At least we were able to destroy Nirvana before it could be used."
"Juvia." Gray muttered, pushing the other humans out of the way before he kneeled in front of his Guildmate. A small trickle of blood ran down her head, but otherwise, she looked fine.
*RUMBLE*
The group couldn't afford to rest as Number Castle suddenly began to shake due to Nirvana's explosion. Cracks began to appear on both the roof and the floor, crumbling to pieces. "The building's collapsing!" One of the scientists shouted in horror.
"We…..have to….run…..now." Quinton was able to say as his colleagues began to carry him out. Gray quickly picked Juvia up bridal style, though he did have some difficulty due to his fight with her…..or should he say with Shark Drake.
'Dammit, I can't quit.' Gray attempted to run after the other humans, only to fall on one knee. 'Stupid legs.'
*BOOM*
Gray's eyes widened as the roof over him collapsed, a large amount of debris falling towards him. "SHIT!" Not being able to use his magic, Gray quickly covered Juvia with his body, closing his eyes as he waited for the inevitable to happen.
…..that is…..until a bright blue light suddenly surrounded him.
*DING*
The sound of something hitting a dome echoed in Gray's ears. Slowly, he opened his eyes…..only to see a barrier, completely made out of ice surrounding hi and Juvia, blocking the debris that would've otherwise crushed them. "What the…." Gray was certain that he didn't use his Maker Magic, and this ice felt….different. Narrowing his eyes, Gray noticed an invisible figure standing on top of the barrier, its yellow eyes looking at him, as if telling him that everything is okay. "Is that….."
"Molten Crimson Flare!" A large stream of fire suddenly burst through the floor of the room, much to Gray's shock. Flying out of the hole was none other than Nate and his partner Red Dragon Archfiend.
"Fullbuster, are you alright?" Nate asked the Ice Wizard, noticing the wounds on his body, as well as an unconcious girl.
"Yeah…...yeah I'm fine. But she needs help." As Gray stood up, the ice barrier surrounding him shattered. Red Dragon Archfiend noticed something in the air, an almost…...dragon like ghost was with Gray, protecting him.
'Was that what I think it was?' Red Dragon thought as Nate quickly jumped off his shoulder, rushing over to Gray.
"Red Dragon, we need your help." The large Synchro Monster was pulled out of his thoughts when his Duelist was seen carrying Juvia in his arms, taking some of the pressure off of Gray.
"Right, sorry." Red Dragon said before he picked up the three humans, shielding them from more of the debris.
'With Lucy and Wendy'
"WOAH!" Lucy fell on her butt with a loud thud as the ground under her began to crack.
"LUCY, TELL YOUR TUMMY TO STOP GROWLING!" Happy shouted in a half serious manner, using his Aero magic to fly in the air.
"H-HAPPY, NOW'S NOT THE T-TIME LITTLE BUDDY!" Loke shouted while attempting to keep his balance.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Wendy said desperately, only to slip before Carla caught her.
"It sounded like an explosion just happened underground!" Carla said while helping her Dragon Slayer stand up. The white haired cat then saw the roof collapse over them. "LOOKOUT!"
"VINE WALL!" A large amount of black vines suddenly sprouted from the ground, smacking away the roof before it could crush the wizards and cats. Black Rose Dragon materialized in the real world, looking at her surroundings with narrowed eyes. "I sense a great amount of magic was just released in one blow. We must leave now. Quickly, everyone jump on my wing." Black Rose extended her left wing towards the group, who quickly climbed it.
"What about Natsu and Mira?" Lucy said with concern.
"If I know Natsu, he's probably figuring out a way to get out. We should to Luce." Loke urged his Master, who reluctantly nodded.
'With Natsu'
"Fire Dragon Roar!" Natsu unleashed a stream of flames from his mouth, destroying the debris that was going to crush him and Mirajane. Being at the top of Number Castle, the pink haired wizard was forced to endure the tip of the castle swerving left and right. "Man, what the hell happened?"
"Well, judging by the amount of power that was just released, I have to say that someone or something just attacked the lower levels." Stardust said as debris fell through his astral body. "We have to leave Natsu."
"Not without Mira!" Natsu began to run towards the window of the room, holding Mira in his arms. "Stardust, a little help?"
"Right." Focusing his energy, Stardust materialized into a physical body before gently picking up both humans with his claws. More of the roof collapsed over him, though he simply ignored it as his body began to glow. "Hang on tight!"
'Outside of Number Castle'
As for the rest of the Fairy Tail guild, they could only watch in horror as the castle began to crumble in front of them. Normally this would be a call for celebration, but the fact that some of their members were inside when it collapsed worried them. "Master, we have to help Natsu and the others!" Cana urged the shorter old man, who gave her a serious nod.
"Agreed. To the castle!" Makarov announced to the members of his Guild who were still standing. They yelled in response before they began to run towards the spiky tower…..only for Utopia to expand his Lightwing Shield, blocking their path.
"What the hell are you doing?! My sister's in there!" Elfman shouted at the large titan, who simply looked at him with calm red eyes.
"Everything will be alright, trust me." Utopia said in a calm tone, though it did little to settle them down.
"Sir, I'm grateful for what you've done for my children." Makarov said in a knowing tone before he stared at the golden warrior with a serious glare. "But you aren't going to keep me away from saving my ch-"
*BOOM*
However, Makarov couldn't finish as the entirety of Number Castle fell apart, the top of the tower falling straight into an abyss. "Salamander…..Titania….Kid….." Gajeel muttered under his breath.
"No….Lulu…" Levy whimpered as tears began to fall down her cheeks.
"ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?! YOU JUST LET OUT FRIENDS DIE!" Macao shouted at Utopia and Neos as some of the Fairy Tail members began to cry.
*RRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRR*
Their sorrow was short lived when they heard several loud roars in the air. Looking up, their tear-filled eyes widened as they saw what looked like Dragons flying in the air. Utopia and Neos looked at each other before giving an understanding nod. "Sorry, but that's all you'll see folks." Neos told the wizards before he raised his right arm, focusing his cosmic energy into it.
The last thing Fairy Tail saw….was Neos' light.
'Flashback end'
"That was a tough battle, but you were all able to defeat some of the most powerful XYZ monsters in all of Duel Monsters Natsu. You should feel proud." Stardust said, a proud smile on his face as Natsu exited the shower of his bathroom, rubbing his neck sheepishly.
"Well, I only beat 101. Erza and the others helped out. But are you sure it was a good idea to wipe out everyone's memories?" Natsu asked his Duel Dragon curiously.
"Yes. Aside from keeping your Guild calm, it also keeps the World of Duel Monsters separate from your world. If more people knew, then there would be more panic, and more chaos would give the Dark Ones more energy." The white Dragon's eyes softened as he saw the guilty expression on Natsu's face. "I know keeping Fairy Tail in the dark about all this is difficult for you, given how they treat you like family, but at the same time, we're keeping them safe."
"I get that, but it doesn't make it any easier." A sigh escaped Natsu's lips as he exited the bathroom, using some of his magic to dry his body much quicker. There were so many times Natsu wanted to shout 'Hey, there's this fun card game that lets you summon real monsters, or and I have a Dragon with me!' But as much as he hated to admit it, Stardust was right about keeping Fairy Tail out of the loop for their safety. "Hey, speaking of Duel Monsters, how's 101 and the others doing?"
"As well as expected, given their imprisonment. I'm actually going back to the Spirit World soon to talk with Dark Magician. But I wanted to check on you first." A smile crept on Natsu's face.
"Thanks dad." As soon as those words escaped Natsu's mouth, both he and Stardust froze in place. Did…..did Natsu JUST say the D word? "I-I-I mean 'thanks dad' like I was messing with you. Not like 'hey dad' like you're m-my dad or anything!"
"Of course, I-I understand." Both Duelist and Dragon stood in silence, completely uncomfortable with what just happened. "I'll…...be on my way. Tell everyone I said hello." With that, Stardust disappeared, allowing Natsu to fall on his bed with a frustrated sigh.
"Man, why the hell did I have to say that?" The pink haired Dragon Slayer rubbed his face while grumbling to himself.
But one thing was for sure…...it felt nice calling Stardust that.
'In the Fairy Tail Guildhall'
"I summon Sapphire Pegasus in attack mode." Lucy said while placing one of her new Duel Monsters on the table she was sitting at. In front of her were none other than WEndy Marvell, Happy and Carla, with the former as her opponent.
"Nice one Lucy." Wendy said with a smile before grabbing her facedown card. "But I knew you'd do that, so I play this." As soon as she turned the card, Lucy gasped as she recognized Wendy's trap.
"Bottomless Trap Hole? Wow Lucy, you're so bad at this~" Happy teased the blonde, who glared at him while putting her Pegasus in the banished area on the table. Instead of simply practicing their Dueling with their Duel Disks, the two girls decided to have a friendly game inside the Guildhall. Some of the members were curious at the game they were playing, but after a few rounds, they decided to let the girls have their fun.
"Oh, like you could do better? Don't you think we remember when you tried to summon a monster I higher level?" Carla shot back at Happy, who quickly looked away in shame.
"I…..I forgot." Happy admitted with a dark cloud over his head.
"Okay, my turn." Wendy drew her card before smiling. "I summon my Shining Angel."
"Hmmmm, that game looks pretty good." Cana said nonchalantly from the bar, looking at the two females of Team Natsu with interest.
"Yes, and you say you've never heard of it before?" Makarov asked the burnette while sitting on the bar, mug in hand.
"Just cause I use card magic doesn't mean I know everything about them Master." cana shrugged before tapping a swig of her beer. "By the way, what was up with that Nate guy Natsu brought with him to the Guild?"
"Last I heard, he was going on a mission with Gray since yesterday. I can see a lot of potential in that boy, yet he told me he wasn't going to stay in Magnolia for long." As Makarov drank from his mug, a thought came to mind. 'But why does it feel like I've met him before?'
'Magnolia Plaza'
Taking a step away from the Fairy Tail Guildhall, we now focus our attention to two males, who were currently walking through the peaceful town of Magnolia. They were Gray Fullbuster and Nate Golan, who had just returned after taking a small Job Request. Though it was supposed to be a solo mission for Gray, he was encountered by Nate, who wished to talk about something that had been on his mind. "Okay, we finished the job, so what did you wanna talk about?" Gray asked the person next to him, who had his hands in his pockets.
"Fullbuster, tell me something." Nate said, glancing at the wizard with cautious green eyes. "Are you a Duelist? Have you ever even picked up a deck, a card?"
"Does it look like I play that game?" Gray said rhetorically with a raised brow. "No I don't. I only found out about all this from Flame Brain after Nirvana. Why do you ask?" Nate stopped walking, something Gray noticed as he too stopped. "What?"
"You remember when that Ice Barrier formed around you and Lockstar, right?" As Gray widened his eyes slightly, Nate continued. "From the look on your face, I can see it wasn't one of your creations, am I right?"
"So, why does it matter?" Gray asked with a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Because kid…..that barrier was made by a Duel Monster." Red Dragon Archfiend said while materializing behind Nate.
"W-What?" Gray lost his cool and adopted a surprised expression. Sure he felt some kind of presence near him, but he thought it was just his imagination. But…..now that Nate mentioned it, the creature did resemble some kind of Duel Monster.
"Red Dragon can sense other Duel Monster Spirits if they're around, and I can see them to an extent, especially if they use part of their energy. But what caught my attention was how the monster shielded you. It was like the monster was made specifically for you. Tell me, has it returned since the Castle?"
"Not really." Reaching the large fountain in the middle of the town, Gray took a seat on it, hands cupped together. "It's not like I can just call it whenever I want. It just…..came that one time."
"Hmmmm…." Nate hummed to himself before he turned towards the citizens of Magnolia, each going about their own business. He had to admit, all the time he travelled, he barely spent enough of it just enjoying the scenery. It…...almost reminded him of…
Nate quickly shook his head. This was not the time to think about the past. It happened, that's it, nothing more. Though that still didn't stop the Synchro Dragon spirit from giving his Duelist a somewhat concerned expression. "I'm not staying in Magnolia for long, you know. Me and Red Dragon still need to ensure the Dark Ones don't attack anymore innocent people."
"You sure it's a good idea to travel alone? I mean, you could always join Fairy Tail, I know Ash for Brains would like it." Gray suggested. Even though he barely knew Nate, from what Erza told him, he was a skilled wizard and Duelist. Having someone who can go toe to toe with a Number and Natsu would help Fairy Tail a lot in the future.
"Thanks, but I'd rather be on my own. But that's the reason I'm telling you this." Nate turned back to Gray with a serious expression.
"What if I trained you to become a Duelist?"
'Magnolia, year X782'
"Today, we're to say goodbye to one of our family." Makarov said in a sad tone, standing in front of a tombstone while rain poured heavily around him. Today was the day Lisanna Strauss, beloved sister and Wizard, had died. Every member of Fairy Tail had gathered to say their final goodbyes to the girl that would bring a smile to their faces everyday.
Erza looked at the grave with one tear running down her left eye, since her right eye was an artificial one and couldn't produce any.
Gray looked down at the ground with a deep frown, trying his best not to cry.
Macao and Wakaba both had tears running down their cheeks, not believing that a sweet girl like Lisanna could have her life snuffed out like this.
Cana gritted her teeth while trying not to bawl her eyes out.
Team Shadow Gear all stood in silence, out of respect for the youngest of the Strauss siblings.
"Lisanna was….one of the bravest wizards I had ever had the honor of meeting. She was sweet, she was kind, and she would hold no ill will against anyone. She truly represented what our Guild is supposed to be." The short Guildmaster swallowed a lump ins his throat, failing to hold back his tears. "Lisanna, if you can hear us, we hope you've finally found peace my child, and may Mavis guide you in the other side." His words only caused more tears to fall down the cheeks of all his children, but none so more than the remaining Strauss siblings Mirajane and Elfman.
The middle child held his head down, a cast wrapped around his arm as he began to cry his very soul out, especially considering HE was the reason she was 6 feet under. There wasn't even a body for them to bury!
And as for the oldest sister, she was…..to say she was devastated would be an understatement. She was an S-Class wizard, one of the strongest Wizards in the whole Guild, and yet…...she couldn't stop her brother from ending the life of her sister. What was wrong with her?! How could she be so weak? How could….she let her baby sister die for her? Lisanna was still trying to bring Elfman back after his Take Over of the Beast failed, but all it really did was get her killed, and there was nothing Mira could do. After giving a moment of silence, the members of Fairy Tail began to leave, each giving their condolences to the white haired wizards.
"Come on Mira, let's go home." Elfman told her older sister with a croak in his voice, though he got no response.
"I…..I can't leave her…..not like this." Mirajane said in an almost monotone voice. Usually she would just punch the guy or gal who would touch her, but she just…..didn't feel like it. Elfman looked at her with an even bigger frown before he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, his eyes widened in recognition.
"N-N-Natsu." The white haired beauty flinched a bit as she heard the name of her sister's crush. Oh god, was he gonna start yelling at her for not taking him with them? She couldn't….didn't want to deal with that right now. She heard Elfman step aside, causing her to sigh mentally.
"Natsu, if you're gonna yell at me, please….just don't. Not in front of h-" Before Mira could finish, she felt something wrap around her body, causing her eyes to widen.
"I thought you'd be cold." Natsu said, his voice was as flat as a table, but he didn't have a hint of anger in his voice. "Come on, you can't stay here."
"How can you say that…..when it was my fault she's gone?" Mira's voice broke as fresh tears began to run down her cheeks, her body shaking more than the cold of the wind.
"I know you guys didn't mean for this to happen." Natsu glanced at the gravestone. "And I know Liz wouldn't want you guys to be sad." He then forced his usual grin as he patted Mira's back. "So come on Mira, let's get back to the guild!" Biting her lower lip, Mirajane couldn't hold her tears back anymore and tackled Natsu into a hug, much to his and Elfman's surprise.
"I'M SORRY! I'M JUST MISS HER!" Mira practically bawled on Natsu's chest, hugging him as tight as she could. Though it was a surprise, Natsu let out a soft smile before he wrapped his arms protectively around the white haired demon, using a bit of his magic to keep her from getting cold.
"Hey, come on. Let it all out Mira." He rubbed her back with his right hand, like he would whenever Happy got a bump on his head. Elfman just smiled at the pink haired wizard's actions, though it didn't stop his guilt from growing.
"Mira….Mira…...Mira….."
"Mira…..Mira…...MIRA!"
"Huh?" Mirajane blinked a few times as she raised her head from the bar, only to see Macao and Wakaba giving her an odd look. "Yes?"
"Are you feeling okay? We've been trying to call you for the past five minutes." Macao said with a somewhat concerned expression.
"Yeah, you look like you were remembering someone." Wakaba said while lowering his mug.
"O-Oh, don't worry about me. I'm fine." Mira said with a forced smile. "Now, you wanted a refill?" It had been a whole week since the whole Numbers incident and thanks to the magic of Dark Magician, most of the Fairy Tail Guild had forgotten the large battle that took place in….well, except for Mira. For the passed five days, she had been getting strange visions of hooded figures, a sharp castle, monsters coming to life…...and Natsu fighting for her.
"I'll save you Mira, no matter way!"
Natsu's words of determination echoed in her mind, and for some reason, it made her heart flutter a bit. But why we she feeling like this now of all times, when Natsu is in a relationship with Erza, and why was she recalling how he comforted her when Lisanna died? 'This is so wrong: Erza's my friend, and yet now I have feelings for Natsu?' Mira thought to herself while wiping the bartop. Maybe she could talk to Erza about this…..no, that would just make things awkward. Lucy might be the best choice since she's the only other female Natsu spends the most time with.
"Hey guys, guess who's back?!" And speak of the devil, the object of her affections just entered the guildhall, wearing his signature toothy grin that'd bring a smile to anyone's face. Standing next to him were Nate and Gray. It did peak Mira's interest how Natsu and his team met the green eyed male, but she'll probably ask in the future. She then noticed the trio of males walking up to Lucy and Wendy's table, probably to discuss something private.
'I guess I'll talk to him later.'
'With Team Natsu'
"So Trey and Quattro left with their brother yesterday?" Lucy asked Nate, who sat next to Wendy and Natsu.
"That's right. They left early in the morning after they recovered from the Rank Up cards they used." Nate said before he pulled a letter out of his pocket, placing it on the table. "When I woke up, this was on the front door. Apparently, they didn't want to be a burden to us after what we did for them."
"They would've at least said goodbye to us in person." Wendy said in a sad tone.
"Well like the letter said, they didn't want to be a bother to us." Carla said nonchalantly while drinking some of her tea.
"Let's just hope they'll do okay on their own." Gray said while leaning back against his seat.
"Gray, your shirt." Happy teased while pointing at the Ice Wizard's naked torso. "You wouldn't want me to tell Black Rose you were stripping in front of Wendy, do you~" Gray's face paled up when reminded of the Duel Dragon's little rule that was made not too long ago. Considering what she did to the Oracion Seis…...if he broke her rule, then he might join Ur in the afterlife. Some of his friends began to chuckle at his expression, even Nate let out a small smirk of amusement.
"So guys, where's Erza?" Natsu asked curiously.
"I saw her when I was coming to the Guild, she told me she was going on a quick S-Class mission. She also told me to tell you she'd be gone for two days." Natsu let out a hum while laying his head on his arms. Sure he was a bit sad that Erza was gone for two days, but he wasn't the clingy type…...at least not at the moment. And yet, that wasn't the thing that was bothering him right now. The pink haired male looked towards the left and saw Mira happily chatting with Macao and Wakaba about something his ears couldn't pick up. He was worried about her condition since she was the one who was affected by that Nirvana X 101 and his allies made as a weapon against humans. Stardust told him that aside from exhaustion, Mira was fine and that she'd be able to act like herself.
'Hmmm, maybe I should talk to her later, make sure nothing's wrong.' Natsu thought, not realizing a pair of eyes watching him.
"Ohhhh, Natsu's making go-go eyes at Mira~I can't wait to tell Erza!" Happy practically shouted while giggling in his paws.
"Huh?" Natsu looked at his blue feline friend. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Well, you were just staring at Mira for the past three minutes." Gray told his friend with a raised brow. "Something you wanna tell us?"
"Not really. I was just checking to see if she was alright." Natsu stood up from the table, much to their confusion. "I'm gonna talk to Mira, see ya." With that, the fire Dragon Slayer left his group of friends.
"Mirajane's the one who was taken by the Numbers and experimented on, wasn't she?" Nate muttered while looking at the S-Class wizard.
"Yeah, and I kinda think Natsu's right to worry about her." Lucy admitted with a frown. "We have no idea what they put her through, so I guess it was a good thing Stardust erased her memory."
"But still, I hope she doesn't remember what happened." Wendy said with deep concern.
"Hey Mira." Natsu said to the bartender, who turned to him with a smile.
"Hi Natsu, do you want the usual?" Mira asked in a sweet tone.
"Not really, I had a big breakfast earlier." Natsu leaned on the bar and tilted his head. "Are you feeling okay? You look like you haven't slept a lot." Though no one could really tell, Natsu could see some bags under Mira's eyes, and it worried him greatly. Seeing his concern, Mira's smile grew a few inches.
"I'm okay Natsu, thank you. What about you? I don't know if you know, but Erza took an S-Class mission and might not be back for a while."
"Yeah, I heard. But it doesn't worry me. We both know Erza can handle whatever and whoever she fights." The two laughed a bit at the fact before they eventually began to chat about other topics. It was a nice change of pace for the two of them, especially considering what had happened not too long ago.
'Duel Monster Realm'
*BANG*BANG*
"LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!" Inside a row of dark prisons cells, a series of loud bangs could be heard from the end. Inside one of the cells was none other than 106, who was reduced to his human form due to the Magic Canceling Lacrima placed around him. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME, SO LET ME OUT OR I SWEAR I'LL CRUSH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YA TA DUST!" The large muscular Number shouted, his fists striking the bars with enough force to destroy a mountain, though much to his irk they remained standing.
"I can't believe it. WE WERE BEATEN BY HUMANS OF ALL THINGS!" 107 said while punching the wall in front of him, causing it to crack slightly. "IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT BASTARD STARDUST, I WOULD'VE ENDED DRAGNEEL'S LIFE LIKE THE BUG HE IS!"
"Will you knock it off? Some of us are trying to sleep." 105 said while turning his back on his two allies, closing his eyes before embracing sweet slumber.
"How the hell are you so calm about this? Don't tell me that duel with Red made you soft." 106 told 105 in a dark tone, only to be ignored.
"Just save your energy 106, all your childish banter is annoying me." 104 said with clear irritation in his voice, trying to read a book he managed to get from the guards. "I've already lost my place 3 times, and I'd rather not repeat the same damn paragraph."
"Of all the people, why did they have to be my allies?" 103 said under her breath with a tired sigh before she opened her necklace, staring sadly at the picture of her lost love. 'Oh Brock, what would you think of me now?'
Little did anyone know, 102 was having similar thoughts to the only female of the 100s, only now he was staring at the ceiling of his cell, a solemn expression on his face. To think, he was defeated by the child of his first human friend and potential love Layla, and for her to defeat him with a creature like Rainbow Dragon was astonishing. As much as he wanted to enjoy facing her, he also couldn't hide the guilt of almost destroying the only child of Layla. "Layla, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. May your soul rest in peace among the stars." 102 muttered softly before a set of footsteps echoed in the large halls.
107 and 106 peeked their heads out and immediately glared at the person passing by. 105 opened a single eye to see who it was before returning to his nap. 104 lifted his head from his book and narrowed his eyes a bit at the figure. 103 and 102 simply ignored the person, too preoccupied with their guilt. The figure stopped in front of the very last cell in the row, looking at a shadowy figure sitting on their bed.
"101." The shadowy figure raised their head, revealing the face of the leader of the 100s, 101, otherwise known as Silent Honor ARK.
"Well look who it is: Stardust Dragon." 101 said in a blank tone, not even looking at the human shaped Dragon. "Have you come to gloat about your human's victory? Believe me, I'm in no mood to argue."
"That's not why I'm here and you know it." Stardust said in a serious tone, holding one of the bars with his right hand. "When we were examining the Numbers you and your allies had turned against us, we discovered that several were missing."
"And you think I know where they are?" 101 let out a dry chuckle. "I can't keep my eyes on every Number card that pass by."
"Stop playing games ARK." Stardust punched the cell bar, the echo ringing through the hall of the prison. He took a few deep breaths before continuing. "The Dark Ones are getting more powerful with each passing day, and so far we haven't been able to find them. If they continue to grow, then not only will Earthland be in jeopardy, but our world and Earth. I know you aren't fond of humans, but even you wouldn't allow innocent lives to be destroyed."
"Really? How many of these INNOCENTS LIVES you mention destroyed our brothers and sisters?" 101 said before standing up, walking towards the bars while giving the cosmic Dragon a glare. "I'd rather watch humanity burn than help them." The two Duel Monsters stared at each other in silence, amber eyes meeting blue ones, neither refusing to stand down. The other Numbers listened to the conversation in silence, curious as to what will happen. It was then…..101 sighed. "What Numbers were the ones you couldn't find?"
"Number 96, as well as a few Dark Times." Stardust said calmly, noticing how 101 narrowed his eyes.
"That monster…...sorry to tell you Stardust, but I don't know where he is, or where the Numbers he took are."
"How so?" Stardust raised a curious brow.
"Seven years ago, 96 and a few of his personal guards attempted to overthrow me as the king of Numbers. He and I battled, but in the end, I was able to win, and I banished him in Earthland. Since then, I haven't seen or heard of him." 101 then walked back to his bed, sitting down. "Sorry if that doesn't help you."
"It has, if only a little." Stardust said with a nod before he began to walk away, only to stop and turn back to the former leader of the 100s. "And I know that you have a heart ARK, it's just filled with hate." His eyes then softened, though 101 didn't see it. "Maybe one day, you'll understand." With that, Stardust walked away, leaving 101 to wallow in his thoughts.
'Dragneel, you might be our last hope. Try to stay alive.'
'Magnolia, 8 P.M'
"So I'm just standing there, kicking ass and feeling bored when this guy comes in to try and hit me from behind. Then I lifted my fist and tapped it….the whole things breaks." Natsu gloated as he and Mira walked the dark streets of Magnolia at night, with only the full moon as their source of light.
"And then what happened?" Mira said, already knowing what he was about to say.
"I punched the bastard and sent him flying!" Natsu and Mira both laughed at his answer, one at how he looked cool and the other at just how cute he sounded. The two spent the rest of the day just talking to one another, something they rarely ever do since Natsu would normally take a request just for the thrill of it. They spoke to one another until the guildhall was eventually had to close down for the night, so Natsu offered to walk her home. Apparently, Elfman decided to rent his own place since it was time for him to 'man' up and live on his own(which made both Natsu and Mira roll their eyes.) "So, are we close to your house?"
"It's just around the corner." Mira said with a smile, though she did feel somewhat sad that their time would be cut short, it was nice talking to Natsu. Every few words, he would somehow make her heart flutter with how cute he was. Once the two wizards of Fairy Tail turned the corner, Natsu caught sight of a simple one story house, colored in white with a red tile roof, a small garden in the front, a white picket fence and a sign that said 'STRAUSS.' A smile crept on Natsu's face as he looked at the house. He remembered how Lisanna would always make him and Happy go to her house to eat dinner with her siblings and it was then that he was able to understand that despite being a gothic teen…..Mirajane was a Goddess in the kitchen. The two walked through the small stone path that lead to the door of the house.
"I guess this is where I go, huh?" Natsu said while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah….." A sad tone covered Mira's voice, something Natsu noticed.
"Hey, what's wrong? Did I say something bad?" A concerned expression took over Natsu's face.
"Natsu….I need to ask you something." The white haired beauty squeezed her right hand, biting her lip. Why was this so hard to say? She just needed to speak her mind, that was it.
"Okay, what's up?" Natsu tilted his head innocently. A part of him was a bit worried that she might be experiencing some kind of side effect from Nirvana.
"W-Well…..I've been…..having these dreams….a-and you were in them." Natsu's eyes widened slightly, but he continued to listen. "There were these creatures….and a large tower, and someone calling out to me, telling me to let my power go, to remember….." Mira swallowed a lump in her throat as she tightened her grip on her hand. Judging by her reaction, Natsu could tell she was about to recall Lisanna, and that made him frown a bit.
"That's…...weird Mira. I mean, maybe it was a nightmare you had."
"But it felt real." Mira cut off with a serious tone. "When I was having my dreams, they felt more…..like memories. It was confusing at first, but the more I saw them, the more they felt real. I don't know what it means….but I remember you calling out to me, saying you would help me, and there was someone next to me, telling me to….to fight you." Tears threatened to fall down Mira's eyes. "I-I think I did h-hurt you, and you were bleeding, and I…..I couldn't-" Before Mira could finish, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her body, revealing it to be Natsu holding her gently.
"Hey, come on Mira. You don't need to cry." Natsu said in a soft tone. The Nostalgia hit both wizards like a truck, it was just like the day Lisanna's funeral took place. Hell, Natsu was even rubbing Mira's back the same way he did back then. Not being able to contain herself, Mira hugged Natsu the same way she did all those years ago, letting her tears fall down like rivers. Why is it that whenever she was sad, Natsu would just hug her and it would all melt away? It must have been his magic, or something like that. Regardless, she smiled while pressing herself more against Natsu, who blushed lightly, but didn't let go in fear that she might cry even more. 'Oh man, I've gotta talk to Stardust after this.' After a few minutes of silence, Mira's tears disappeared and she begrudgingly let go of Natsu, a smile crept on her face.
"Thanks for that Natsu, I really appreciate it." Mira said in a tone that would make the sunrise.
"O-Oh, no. It's fine. I don't mind, really." Natsu said while grinning sheepishly. He then gave Mira a soft smile. "Well, I guess I should get back. You wouldn't believe how cranky Happy gets without a bedtime story." Letting out a cute giggle, Mira nodded at Natsu just as he began to away from her home.
'Don't go.' Mir thought while clenching her heart, her smile disappearing.
'Stay with me.' All the happiness that Natsu brought to her was starting to vanish and a cold feeling began to grow in her heart. She noticed him about to reach the white picket fence.
'JUST DO IT!'
"NATSU, WAIT!" The pink haired Dragon Slayer jumped in surprise when he heard his name being called.
"Mira, what is i-MMHHH!" The moment Natsu turned around, his lips were sealed by a pair of softer ones. His black eyes widened in surprise to find Mira kissing him, his mouth unconsciously opening, allowing her soft tongue to slither through. 'WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING?!' Natsu was honestly confused about the whole thing, but he had to admit: she was a good kisser. Feeling his hands shake, Natsu quickly wrapped his right arm around her waist while grabbing the back of her head with his left. The two wizards then proceeded to make out in front of the Strauss house before slowly backing up to it. Feeling herself being pressed against the door, Mira quick grabbed the handle before opening the door, allowing Natsu to push her inside and slam the door shut. The two pulled away from their kiss, panting heavily with clear blushes on their cheeks. "What…..was that…...Mira?"
"I'm sorry." Mira said with some shame in her voice. "I…...I…."
"Mira, what's up with you? You told me you were scared, then you kiss me and now you can't say anything." Natsu didn't sound annoyed, just concerned. "Is there something you wanna tell me?"
"I…...I just don't….want to be left alone again….not after Lisanna…." Taking a deep breath, Mira looked at Natsu with pleading eyes. "Can you stay with me, just for tonight?" Natsu wanted to say no. He could tell that Mira wasn't thinking, that she was just running on instinct like he would in battle. And yet….seeing her look so sad broke his heart.
'Dammit, why me?' With a mental sigh, Natsu held Mira tighter, making her blush. "Okay Mira, I'm not going anywhere." Seeing the determination in his voice, Mirajane let out the warmest smile before she moved in and pressed her lips against Natsu's. The son of Igneel quickly returned the liplocking, having some practice with Erza and Lucy. Mira moaned lightly as she felt Natsu's right hand run down her back until he placed it on her soft rear, squeezing it lightly.
"Ahhhh….." Mira released Natsu's lips as she let out a moan in the air. Her moans only grew as Natsu latched himself onto her neck, sucking her soft skin like it was ice cream. 'He's so good. Did he practice?' Mira wanted to know how Natsu knew how to pleasure a woman, but that could wait.
Something told her she was going to have a goodnight's sleep.
'Unknown terrain'
Far, far from Magnolia and even Fiore was emptiness. An area filled with pure darkness, that not even the sun could shine bright enough. Inside this void of darkness stood several figures, each varying in size and form. "The Numbers seem to have failed in their plan to 'eradicate us.' How pathetic."
"Yes, even if they were to use the magic gathered in Earthland, they still wouldn't have had the power necessary to destroy us."
"But now we've got an understanding of what the Duel Guardians have in terms of human allies."
"YES…" The figures all looked through a large orb at the center of the darkness, showing the battle between Fairy Tail and the 100s. "THESE HUMANS POSSESS POTENTIAL. POTENTIAL WE CAN USE TO DOMINATE THE WORLD."
"I agree, but they haven't grown enough for us to steal their energy." One of the figures smirked as they looked at Natsu defeating 101 with Dark Magician. "Soon we'll have them in our grasp. And how is your little human ZORC?" The one known as ZORC, who towered over the figures, opened their palm, creating a shadow-like image of a young man lying near a river, their short black hair shadowing their expression.
"HE IS NOT READY. BUT SOON, HE WILL HAVE TO MOTIVATION NEEDED TO FIGHT FOR OUR CAUSE." ZORC said with a dark smirk. "ISN'T THAT RIGHT…..YOUNG ZEREF? HEHEHEHEHEHE…."
Future Fighters: Yugioh Arc V Ending 2
Natsu is riding Stardust as they run up a hill.
(Egao ga soko ni aru kagiri, wanna keep on Shinin'!)
Images of all of Natsu's friends, as well as some members from other guilds and even Jellal pass by him.
(Kyuukyoku no Pride Katete, wanna be the perfect!)
102, 105 and 106 are on the bottom with cards in their hands as the screen rises up, revealing 107 and 104 in the middle. 101 is on top with 103 on his left.
(Donna toki mo shinjiteru, jibun no ashita wo)
Nate appears on 101's right side before he scowls.
(Ima yuuki no tsubasa de Just fly away!)
Mira looks down while Natsu passes her right and Lisanna passes her left. Both of them disappear, causing Mira to turn with tears running down her face.
(We are future fighters! Kono tamashii no Duel. Yami wo kirisake-)
Erza screams as Constellar Pleiades, Ptolemy M7 and Heroic Champion-Excalibur are behind her.
(Kiseki no kaado! Butsukari au jikuu koeta batoru!)
Wendy looks to the left with her duel disk raised as Black Rose Dragon and Wind-Up Zenmaines are behind her.
(O tanoshimi ha kore kara da!)
Nate extend his arm, commanding Red Dragon Archfiend to charge towards Natsu and Stardust.
(Sorezore no yume wo te ni ireru tameni. Ikuze Saikyou no mirai.)
Natsu slowly raises his head to see his entire guild waiting for him. He smiles as Stardust picks up the pace.
(Never give up! Never give up! Never give up! Never give up!)
Natsu stands in front of Stardust as he roars in the sky, he and Dark Magician are back to back, Utopia and Neos standing behind Natsu with their arms crossed, and finally, Natsu stands in the middle of all his monsters. The last scene has Natsu getting off Stardust before running towards his guild. Above the sky is a beautiful meteor shower.
PRANKED! Y'all thought the Natsu x Mira chapter was this one, sorry to say, but I fooled you, my bad. No but seriously, I felt that doing the lemon here after the battle at Number Castle would've been a bit rushed. Plus I wanted this to be like an epilogue chapter considering everything that's happened. Yes having the entire Guild forget is lazy, but if they were to remember what happened, the questions would never end and that would just put them in a lot more danger than they were.
So regarding Mira, it was obvious that she'd have some kind of flashback to what happened, especially with the experimental Nirvana in her body. That flashback with Lisanna really does pave the way for the Edolas arc, and there will be more fights, both with magic and in duels. Plus…...I've got some surprises planned for this next arc.
I would also like to announce that I have a new Yugioh story: Yugioh 5ds Heroes, a crossover with My Hero Academia(one of my favorite anime.) It's only one chapter in, but I hope you guys check it out.
Follow, Fav, Review and PM for anything.
Next time: Return of Gildarts.