Chapter 4: The scarf.

"You were right, you all over the news."

"It's not safe to walk while reading, miss Lucy."

"I told you to just call me Lucy, Natsu-san."

Lucy had on her hands the most recent newspaper, on the first page said:

Famous wizard comes from the dead!

Natsu Dragneel alive

"I don't like the note, it make me seems like some kind of rare creature."

"Not everyday someone comes backs from the being death. But at the very least, all those people pretending to be you are going to stop."

"I hope so, that Bora was truly despicable."

"You tell me." They were both walking on the streets of Magnolia, people were constantly looking at them. Or rather, looking at Natsu. The news about his return went viral very quickly and the fight he got at Hargeon helped a lot. It was a little embarrassing to walk with him, she could see how the people were whispering about the two of them.

"Well, here we are." Lucy's smile open like she never did before, in front of her eyes was her dream place. "Welcome to Fairy Tail."

"I can't believe it! Thank you so much to bring me!"

"It's my pleasure." The two wizard went inside the guild, her first impression was good: it was a very wide and lousy place, like any other guild. People were drinking and partying, it was very good to see something like this.

"Natsu!" All of the sudden a flying blue cat with white wings came to greet him. "You're back!"

"Who is that cat?!"

"Welcome back, Natsu."

"Oh my god, is Mirajane!"

"You finally came back, flame brain."

"Why is he only wearing boxers?"

Every single wizard of the guild came to greet the knight like he was some kind of celebrity.

"I'm back."

"Who is this lady, Natsu?"

"She is quite the looker!"

"A-Are you single?!" It was nice to finally be notice but most of them were middle aged man who weren't very good looking.

"She is Lucy Heartfillia, she wants to join."

"Oh, why didn't tell us? I'm Mirajane, come and I will fill you in."

"Nice catch, brain flame." Lucy blushed at the black haired boy and the laugh of all the men.

"Dress up, there ladies present." He said with a serious and commanding. "And you, most of you are married men. And even if you aren't, she is uncomfortable. Let her breath."

"Well said, my boy." Everyone raise their heads and saw a tiny old man standing on the second floor. "Listen up, I got the last report from the magic council about us and it wasn't good." Lucy immediately recognize this man, he was one of the ten saint wizard and current guild master: Makarov Dreyar! "Let's start with you, Gray. You did very well in taking down that criminal organization, but you walked around naked and stole underwear that was being drying on!"

"Wouldn't have be worst to stay naked?"

"Don't be naked to begin with…"

"You are no one to talk, Elfman. Your mission consisted on guarding a V.I.P but you end up assaulting him!"

"Is because he said "that men are all about education"…."

"Cana you drunk 15 gallons of alcohol and charged to the council. Loki, you flirt with the granddaughter of a council member. One talent agency charged us with damage compensation, too." The Master put his eyes on Natsu. "Natsu….the council was grateful with your cooperation to putting a slave ring down. They also erased you death certificate and wish you well. "

"Huh? You work with those bastards?!"

"They provide me with support and logistic in order to take out Bora."

"They hate us!"

"Probably because most of you utterly fail in your missions and harm those you swear to help."

"EH?! Care to say that again?"

"Master has already told you."

"Enough! Natsu it seems that been away from us has make you forget things about how we do things." The report of the council was on fire. "We don't care what the council say about us, the good and the bad are meaningless coming from their mouths. Magic is not a miracle. When the spirit flows within us and the spirit connect with the nature, they will form an embodiment for the first time. You will need a strong will and a lot of concentration for that. What I mean, that the act of pulling of you have into something is magic. But if you want to improve, you should ignore the fools of the councils." Makarov raised his finger and pointed to the sky, every single member did the same. "Do what you think is right! That's the way of Fairy Tail's mages!"

"YEAAAHHHH!"

Lucy was taken away by the mood. Everyone was smiling and laughing, this is what she wanted to join. A sensation that she couldn't get from her family. But something was off. She looked at her new friend, who wasn't taking part of the collect cheering.

"IS that it?" Every single person inside the room, including the cat, was out of word when he spoke. "You're just getting pass what they just did?"

"Didn't you hear what I say?"

"I did and I agreed with all you say. As a matter of fact, is exactly what I believe everyone should do. But there's a difference in doing what one things is right and other to recklessly hurt innocent people."

"What you mean, flame brain?! That we're idiots who hurt people?!"

"You're starting to sound like those from the council."

"Master Makarov just tell us about all the wrong you all did in your missions. A no one contradict him, meaning that you all accept the blame."

"Curious you say that, my boy." Makarov interrupted. "I remember all the complains that I got from your missions back then. My, I could fill rooms of the amounts of reports I got!" Everyone laughed, Natsu did not.

"I'm aware of how I was, Master. Don't need to remind me. You may think of me as a hypocrite, but If I meet with my younger self I would definitely beat him senseless for the stupidities I commit."

"Je, never thought that I will see the day you admit to be an idiot."

"Beat it, Gray. Natsu, may I have a word with you in private?"

"Of course."

"So how did you meet, Natsu?" After a while, Mira gave Lucy the mark of the guild and help her with all the paperwork. She was now an official mage of Fairy Tail. And for some reason, that gave every single member the right to bomb her with questions.

"I can't believe that he was able to catch such a beauty!"

"Let her breathe, guys. Sorry for the trouble, Lucy." Mira was definitely what she thought she would be like: the perfect woman that all the girls strive for. "I'm glad that Natsu bring you with us, is good that he is still a kind soul."

"Must be nice to be reunited with him after all these years!"

"Aye! You say it!"

"Happy…you are a cat, right?"

"Aye!"

"Never seen a talking cat before…"

"You're now a part of us, expect to see a lot of crazy shit." Cana said while drinking a massive barrel of beer.

"You seem to blend very well, Miss Lucy."

"N-¡!" Natsu wasn't wearing his red armor, he was wearing baggy white pants and that was all the clothes he wear. He was completely shirtless; everyone could see his well build body, although both of his arms were covered in red bandages. But her blushed quickly fade when she saw the amount of scars on his torso.

"Sorry, did I make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No at all! You just stall me, that's all."

"Man, you really went all out this last two years." Gray commented. "You make me want to fight you even more."

"We will have a fight other day, Gray."

"Is what you said last time and I'm still waiting."

"Soon, Gray. Soon."

Natsu was taken away by the men, they weren't taken away by his scar. The contrary, they find them fascinating. Perhaps was a male thing.

"I must admit…Natsu got truly handsome over the years!" Mira said with a very excited smile.

"Yeah. I never thought that I would say this but Natsu has a great ass." Lucy blushed at her comment. "Anyways, how was he like?"

"What you mean?"

"I mean, how as he?"

"Oh, emm…he is very nice. He doesn't wear that armor just for show, he is very gentle with me. He even pay for my room and trip!"

"He did?"

"Yeah, he even invited me to lunch."

"Woah, Mira…something bad happen to Natsu! He is too nice!"

"Don't exaggerate, Happy."

"Is it weird coming from him?"

"Long story short: He was a brute."

"Cana!"

"He was! I remember that time his mission was to kick up a gang from a building and he set the entire building on fire!"

"Really? He doesn't seem like it."

"Believe it, girl."

"Hey, Mira. Are you going to give it to him?"

"Yes, thank you for remind me. Natsu! Can you come here from a second?!" Natsu come to the bar and the white haired girl took a box from the stands. "This belongs to you."

Natsu grabbed the box and open it, inside of it was a white scarf. Every person who knew Natsu realized the big deal of returning his scarf. For years, it was the only memory they have of the boy. It was heartbreaking when after all those intense research they could only bring a scarf back.

"When they look for you, all they found was your scarf. I'm being taking care of it since then. I believe that is time to you to take it back."

"I make sure that Mira took good care of it. She almost worship it."

"H-Happy!" Mira blushed heavily, making herself the laugh of many.

"Oh….thank you."

Lucy didn't understand why everyone was shocked by his words. Was that scarf that important?

"I'm bringing back home with me. Let's go, Happy!"

"A-AYE!"

At the same time Natsu was receiving his scarf back, Makarov was sitting alone inside his office. The elder man was drinking a cup of old scotch that he save inside his desk when the ocation called it. This morning he got via Lacrima the monthly report from the council, he expected that his children would do a mess like always. Imagine his surprise when he read a positive report from one of them, Natsu no less!

But his joy lasted shortly when he read the full report.

"What you wanted to speak with me, Master?"

"Can you close the door? I don't want anyone to hear us."

"Sure." He closed the door. "So, what's wrong?"

"When I talk about your report, I omitted some of the most…scandalous parts."

"Like?"

"The dead bodies of Bora's men, lying on the port."

"What about them?"

"Did you kill them?"

"Yes." Makarov was taken back by how quickly he answered. "I'm not going to lie, gramps. I did what I have to do, I don't regret what I do."

"We don't kill people! That's not our way!"

"You say to do whatever we thing is right to do. I believe it was right to kill them and I would probably do it again."

"Then why didn't you kill the men who were impersonating Lucy?"

"Just because I don't have problems with seeing people dying, doesn't mean that others do. Seeing someone die is not something that people should see, much less a young lady." He couldn't believe what was he hearing, how could Natsu say such horrible things. "I suggest you to keep the secret from the others. It will be too much for them."

"My boy….I have no words to express how I felt the moment you came back. I don't know what happen to you during that time but it definitely change you."

"Heh."

"What's funny?"

"Nothing, I just remember what a good friend once said to me….Listen, is not that I enjoy killing people or that I don't know the value of a life. Is because I know the value of life, is the reason why I'm able to kill. If I could, I will try to keep my opponents alive. But if I don't have any other choice, I will do what I have to do."

….

…

"IF that's all, I will take a shower."

"That will be all, I hope that we don't repeat this conversation any time soon."

"I'll try."

He didn't say nothing that he stop using that elegant and well-mannered speak that he was using the last days. Meaning that he was putting an act in front of everyone but why? Why does he hide behind that armor and manners?

"What happen to you, boy?"