Fairy Tail:
Adventure on Dragon Island
Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima
Story and OCs © Me
Summary- When Natsu hears a rumor about dragon sightings on a far-off island, he ropes the others into going along with him in the hopes of finding Igneel there. However, what they don't realize is that they might have fallen into a dangerous trap.
Ch. 1- July 7th
He could hear the gentle sounds of birds chirping their sweet songs. He could feel the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the grass under his back. The sweet smell of the summer breeze as it gently blew over him...
...but more importantly, he was hungry. His stomach gave a demanding growl, even though he wanted to sleep just a little bit longer.
Despite that, he yawned as he sat up, gently raking his nails over his pink, spiky hair while sleepily smacking his lips before turning around with a smile of greeting.
"Morning, Dad!" he said. "Time to get breakfast-"
To his surprise, though... there was no one there. No shiny red scales that glint in the morning sun, no feeling of hot steamy breath, and no big, toothy grin to greet him. Natsu blinked, bewildered before he stood up and looked around for the great beast that he called his father. Perhaps he was just playing a game of hide-and-seek, though Natsu didn't really see the point. After all, he was so huge, it would be impossible for him to hide... but he'd humor him, nonetheless.
"Dad!" the boy called as he looked around, but there was no answer. "Dad, where are you?"
He looked inside a huge, dark cavern... at least, that's any other human would see. With his enhanced sight, he could see inside it clear as day. Plus, it helped when you could use your own hand as a torch.
"Dad?" Natsu called. "Are you in here?"
To his surprise, the only thing that responded was a swarm of bats, which flew out in a panic from the sudden noise, causing Natsu to yelp as he ducked for cover. He waited for a few minutes before checking to see if the coast was clear, but as he continued his search, his stomach started growling again, reminding him of its emptiness, causing him to groan in irritation.
"Dad!" Natsu called. "Come on, I'm hungry! Where are you hidin', already?!"
There was still no answer. With a sigh, he trekked on. He was certain his stomach could wait. Food just didn't taste as good without his father to share it with.
As he kept searching, however, he still found no trace of him. He couldn't even smell his scent in the air. As the day went on, his irritation began to give way to concern. It wasn't like his father to be gone so long.
He searched near the edge of a vast, rocky valley, at the foot of several mountains, and in a huge, green forest... and yet, he still couldn't find him.
"Dad, where are you?!" Natsu called out as he ran through the trees. "Seriously! This isn't funny, anymore!"
Suddenly, he grunted as he tripped on a stone, causing him to fall forward and tumble down a hill before landing roughly in the dirt... but he didn't get back up. Instead, he lied there, trembling as he slowly raised his head, bits of soil and rock falling off his cheeks and hair as he looked up at the orange and red sky. With a sniff, Natsu sat up on his knees, his vision beginning to blur as tears welled up in his eyes.
"Dad... where are you?" he asked before he opened his mouth in a scream.
"WHERE ARE YOU?! IGNEEEEEEEEEL!"
XXX
Natsu gasped as he sat up on the mattress, chest heaving with every fast, short breath he took and sweat dripping down his face. As he looked around, he found himself in a rather messy room, discarded clothes all over the floor, his backpack sitting in one corner, an old cow femur that's probably been there for days and riddled with teeth marks, and other things. Also, Blue Fang lied at the foot of the mattress with Happy on top of his back, the blue cat muttering things about fish and whatnot. As Natsu assessed his surroundings, he suddenly heard shuffling beside him.
"Mmm... Natsu...?"
Natsu turned to see his sister propping herself up on her elbows, dressed in bluish-white silk pajamas with spaghetti straps that left her stomach exposed, as well as a pair of puffy pants with a cute little pink ribbon the front. Her hair was also undone, hanging freely down her back without that dark red ribbon in her hair.
"Are you okay?" Haru asked, sleepily rubbing her eye.
"Uh... y-yeah, I'm fine," Natsu replied. "Just... just had a weird dream, that's all."
"What was it?" Haru asked, still sleepy but showing a bit of concern as she sat up.
"Don't worry about it," Natsu replied as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Just... go back to sleep, okay? I didn't mean to wake ya."
Haru's eyes softened as she looked at her adoptive older brother. She knew Natsu long enough to know when he was forcing himself to smile. However, she also knew that if she tried to argue, he'd only dig in his heels and say he was fine.
With a sigh, Haru lied back down on the mattress while Natsu leaned over and lightly kissed her forehead, then gently pulled the covers over her. Once he had assured himself that she had gone back to sleep, the Dragon Slayer quietly stood up from the mattress and stepped over Haru, being very careful not to wake her again, then made his way out of the living room of their little house while somehow able to maneuver his way past the haphazard mess on the floor before he opened the door and headed outside.
However... he didn't realize that Haru was sitting up on the mattress again, watching with concern.
"Oh, Natsu..."
XXX
Natsu walked through the forest path for what felt like ages, not really having a destination in mind. He just wanted to be alone, right now. It wasn't very long before he found himself standing in the middle of a clearing, on top of a tall hill, arching his head to the sky, where he saw the full moon and the stars twinkling above. A cool breeze blew over the field, causing Natsu to grip his scarf... but as he did, he took a moment to inhale its scent.
The scent of smoke and mountain air... the scent of Igneel... his father.
Natsu sighed before he dropped down on his knees. Normally, that scent calmed him... but not this time. All it did was remind him of the dragon that he had spent the past 7 years searching for... the dragon he missed so much.
And tomorrow morning... would be the very same day that he vanished.
As Natsu looked back up at the night sky, all he could do was wonder...
"...Where are you... Dad?"
XXX
The next day at the Fairy Tail Guildhall...
"Hey, Lucy! Could you bring those mugs over here, please?"
"Yes, Mira!"
Lucy gathered the dirty mugs and dishes from one of the tables before carrying them back to Mirajane, who took them in the kitchen in the back to be cleaned. Gray, meanwhile, was busy wiping off another table... without his shirt on. As for Happy, he was busy carrying some drinks and a chocolate muffin to Macao, Wakaba, and Romeo using his wings to fly over to them while being very careful not to drop the tray.
"Here you go, guys!" Happy said as he put the drinks down in front of the two men while giving the muffin to Romeo. "And here, Romeo, this is for you from Elektra."
"Thanks!" Romeo said as he grabbed it and took a bite, savoring its sweet flavor while Macao gently ruffled his son's hair.
"They're certainly keeping busy, huh, Grandpa?" asked Elektra as she sat at the bar with Makarov, who was taking a swig of some fine whiskey.
"Well, since they can't work, they have to find other means," replied Makarov.
Meanwhile, Natsu stood nearby, holding a broom in his hand... but he wasn't really doing any sweeping.
"Hey, Natsu!" called Max Alors, the guild's Sand Wizard. "How long are you just gonna stand there?"
Natsu didn't seem to hear him. He had a distant look in his eyes and he was just staring off into who knows where. It was only until he heard the voice of a certain iron-clad girl that he snapped out of it.
"Natsu!" Erza snapped, causing him to tense. "That floor won't sleep itself! Chop-chop!"
"Sorry!" Natsu cried as he began to sweep up any dust and debris into the dustpan.
"Hmph," Erza scoffed as she went off to check on Gray, who had just finished wiping down the table. She took off one of her gauntlets before wiping her finger against the surface, causing Gray to bite his lip in anxiety.
"Hmm... spotless," Erza said as she put her gauntlet back on. "Well done, Gray."
"Phew!" Gray sighed in relief.
"Now put your shirt back on," said Erza as she walked away, causing him to gasp as he finally realized he was topless.
"How are you doing, Lucy?" Erza asked as she saw Lucy gathering some dirty dishes.
"Pretty good," Lucy replied as she brought them to the counter for Mira to collect. "You know, even though it's only been a few days since our suspension, I still feel pretty good! I mean, I can't make any money for a while, but that's okay! My rent's not due until later this month, anyway! In a way, I still feel like I'm contributing!"
"I'm glad," Erza replied with a smile. "Two weeks will go by before you know it. You'll be able to make some money again, soon."
"Thanks," Lucy said.
"Hey, Erza," Happy said as he flew in, suddenly. "You got something on your skirt."
Erza blinked before she glanced down at her blue skirt, where she saw this black spot... and instantly, her eyes went wide.
"That's funny," said Happy. "It looks a bit like a-"
"SPIDER!" Erza practically shrieked as she swatted at her skirt. "Get it off! GET IT OFF!"
To her surprise, however, the black "insect" instantly vanished, instead rubbing off on her gauntlet.
"Huh?" she muttered in confusion.
"Oh, never mind!" Happy said. "It was just ink!"
Hearing that caused Erza to let out a mixture of a sigh and a groan. She had forgotten that earlier, she had helped Makarov sign a few documents and some ink must have gotten spilled onto her skirt by mistake. As for Lucy, she was rather surprised that Erza could scream like that... as was everyone else in the guild, which the Requip Wizard noticed.
"What are you all looking at?!" Erza asked. "Nothing to see! Go about your day!"
Deciding it would be best not to bring about her ire, the rest of the guild members just went about their business.
"Wow, Erza," said Happy. "If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you were afraid of spiders!" He then giggled before he saw the scarlet-haired woman fix him with a deadly glare, causing him to gulp nervously. "Uh... good thing I know you better!"
"I'm back!"
Everyone turned to see Haru walk in with Blue Fang trotting in behind her.
"How'd your job go, Haru?" asked Mirajane.
"Pretty good," Haru answered. "I managed not to break something, this time, so I got paid in full!" That's when she noticed Natsu standing nearby. "And guess what, Natsu! I also got a coupon for your favorite restaurant!"
"That's great, sis," Natsu muttered, not really making any eye contact with the Beast Wizard, causing her mouth to sag into a frown.
"Hey, Natsu, what gives?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah, you usually jump at the chance to eat," Gray added.
"Are you feeling sick, Natsu?" asked Happy.
"Huh?" Natsu asked. "Oh... uh... I..." He only heaved a small sigh before he turned and headed out. "I'm... gonna get some fresh air for a little while."
"Are you sure, honey?" Elektra asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Natsu replied. "I'll be right back, I just... I just need to be alone."
With that, he walked out without another word, leaving everyone confused and not to mention a bit worried.
"Jeez, what's with him?" asked Gray. "Usually, he's jumpin' all over the place."
"Maybe he's just bored," said Happy. "We can't take any jobs, right now, don't forget."
"That's usually why he jumps all over the place," Gray countered.
"Or maybe he's just looking for an excuse not to do any chores," said Erza.
"Leave him alone!"
Everyone turned to look at Haru as she made that shout, a slightly angered expression on her face.
"Come on, he can't help it!" she said. "It's not his fault!"
"What are you getting all hot and bothered about?" Gray asked.
"Guys... you don't even know what day it is, do you?" asked Haru.
"What are you talking about?" Erza inquired.
"...It's July 7th," said Haru, causing everyone in the room to fall silent... and for some reason, Lucy put her hand over her chest as if something had just grabbed her heart and squeezed it tightly.
"...July 7th...?" she whispered.
"Jeez..." Gray muttered as he cast his eyes. "Now I feel like an ass."
"Aye," Happy agreed, sadly. "Even I didn't realize what day it was."
"Man... is it seriously July 7th, already?" asked Cana, holding her barrel of beer.
"I guess even I didn't realize," Mirajane added while Makarov and Elektra glanced at each other in concern.
"I suppose we all lost track of the days," said Elfman while crossing his arms. "That's not very manly."
"I see," Erza said, solemnly. "No wonder he's out of sorts, today. I should have realized something was wrong sooner when he wasn't acting like himself."
"Wait... what does July 7th have to do with how Natsu's feeling?" Lucy asked.
"...July 7th, Year X777," Haru replied. "It was on this day, 7 years ago, that Igneel disappeared... and Natsu's been searching for him ever since." She cast her eyes to the floor while Blue Fang whimpered and nuzzled her. "These past few nights, in fact, I feel him tossing and turning in bed and he starts calling out Igneel's name in his sleep before he wakes up... then he walks out of the house and he doesn't come back until it's almost sun-up."
Lucy's eyes went wide while everyone else just sat quietly, the mood around the guildhall turning somber.
"Come to think of it," Elektra began, "Natsu always seems to get sad during this time of year."
"Yes, indeed," Makarov concurred. "Poor lad... he must miss Igneel terribly."
"Isn't that why he joined Fairy Tail, though?" Lucy asked. "To find Igneel?"
"Well... that's part of the reason, hon," Elektra answered. "The truth is we found Natsu in the middle of the forest one day, all alone and soaking wet from sitting in the rain... so we just took him in, right then and there."
"We wanted him to feel like he had a home," Makarov added, "so even if he went out to search for Igneel and yet found nothing, he'd at least have someone to come home to."
"...I see," Lucy said before she glanced to the door. "Umm... could you excuse me for a bit? I'll be right back."
"Of course," Makarov replied.
"Happy, can you come with me?" Lucy asked. "I'll need your eye in the sky."
"Aye, sir!" Happy replied before he followed the Celestial Spirit out the doors. As they left, Haru blinked after them before a knowing smile appeared on her face.
"Thanks, Lucy..."
XXX
Natsu sat on the bench in the town square as the people just walked on by, happily chatting with each other, going about their routines, and whatnot. As the people bustled around him, he noticed a man in his 30s, walking through the square with a little boy sitting on his shoulders, laughing gleefully as he held onto him.
Natsu smiled at the father and son... but his smile instantly fell as he found himself thinking back to the days of his childhood, where he would sit on Igneel's back, holding on tightly to his red scales as the dragon took flight and laughing in delight as the boy urged him to go faster while performing loops and spin dives toward the ground. He remembered how Igneel would grin at him, toothily, asking if he was having fun, and Natsu would happily answer yes.
Those were such fun times... so on the day that Igneel just disappeared, it left him so confused... not to mention sad and hurt.
'Igneel... I just don't understand... why would you leave without telling me? Where did you go?'
"Natsu?"
Natsu gasped silently, breaking from his reverie before he turned to see Lucy approach him with Happy flying beside her, concern etched on their faces.
"Oh," said the Dragon Slayer. "Hey, Luce. Hey, Happy."
"...You don't mind if I sit with you, do you?" asked Lucy as she approached him.
"You can if you want," Natsu replied, and without any additional prompting, Lucy soon sat beside him.
"...Haru told me about what day it was," she said. "That today was the day Igneel disappeared, right?"
"Yeah," Natsu replied. "That was 7 years ago, today." He then sighed as he looked up at the sky. "I've been searching for him ever since... and I miss him so much."
"He probably misses you, too," Lucy said.
"Aye," Happy agreed.
"I just don't understand why my Dad just disappeared on me," said Natsu. "I mean... I heard dragons tend to be solitary, but... he wouldn't just leave without saying something first." He sighed as he hung his head low, running his fingers through his spiky pink hair.
"I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever see him again..."
A pause... before he felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to tense for a bit before he looked over at Lucy, who gave him a warm, reassuring smile.
"I'm sure you'll see him again, someday," she said. "Whether in the near or far future, I can't say for sure, but... I'm sure you will."
"How do you know that, though?" asked Natsu.
"Well... I don't, to be honest," Lucy admitted. "I just have a gut feeling, I guess."
"...A gut feeling, huh?" Natsu repeated.
"Maybe you have the runs," Happy added, causing Lucy to glare at him for his attempt at being funny before she stood up.
"I'm gonna go ahead and go back to the guild," Lucy said. "Everyone was worried about you, so I only came to check on you and see if you were all right." She then turned to walk away.
"Lucy?" Natsu called, causing her to stop in her tracks and turn to him... as he gave her a soft smile. "Thanks."
The Celestial Spirit Wizard blinked before she smiled back at him.
"That's what friends are for, right?" she asked before she turned and walked away with Happy flying off alongside her... with a mischievous grin on his face.
"You liiiiiike him!" he said with a snicker, causing Lucy's face to redden as she shot him a dagger-like glare.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?!" she questioned.
Well, I hope you enjoyed that NaLu fluff moment. I know I did! ^^
But in all seriousness, I really am gonna try and get back to work on my other projects. One Piece: The Fire Within will be updated this month while Bonds Through Time will come later this weekend. I might put up more of Wano while I'm at it. Keep a look out for those.
Review, please!