Back with Natsu X Ultear Fanfic continuation
"speaking"
""thinking""
On with the story
"It really does only rain in this village."
Lucy and the others had finally reached the rumored Amefurashi village. The village looks old and the rain was only raining down on the village in a raining barrier
"That's suspicious," Wendy commented.
"it's probably Juvia, she's the only one I can think of being able to do this" Meredy said as Natsu nodded
"let's go" Natsu said as he takes out several one person umbrellas and gives them out to everyone except himself
"aren't you going to need one?" Meredy asked her stepfather who went into the village and sees that the rainwater steamed away before it could rain down on Natsu
"guess that's how he never got cold again" Ur said as the group followed after Natsu
Juvia sat on a bench not far from her home. Sitting there in the rain, waiting patiently
"Juvia! He~y!"
The rain woman slowly craned her neck upward, her eyes slowly moving from the wet earth to a figure running to her through the heavy rain. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Sorry I took so long." a familiar face grinned with an apologetic wave.
"Gray-sama…" with a gasp Juvia shot up from the bench and ran to him as fast and hugs him
"Welcome home Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed before realizing that the one she was hugging was none other than Meredy as the rain mage was hugging the girl a bit too tight
"Juvia.. can't' breath!" Meredy said in the embrace as the pink haired girl's face was turning blue
Juvia lets go of the hug and took a step back. "Meredy…?"
"who else?" Meredy asked as she takes a deep breath to fill oxygen back into her lungs
Juvia looks to Meredy before noticing Natsu and the group
"Natsu-san, Lucy-san, everyone…" Juvia muttered out as tears started to build in the corner of Juvia's eyes. "What are you all doing here?"
"To see you of course." Lucy answered. "Why else would we be here?"
Juvia's vision began to blur, then without warning she collapsed.
"Juvia?!" Lucy gasped.
Natsu caught her before she hit the ground.
"her body temperature is cold" Natsu said as he looks at the rain woman's face
"even a water mage would get a fever in this rain too long" Ur said as she looks up to the still raining dark clouds
"let's head inside" Ultear proposed as Natsu nodded and carries up Juvia
The group heads into the home where Juvia had been staying as Wendy was using her healing magic to heal Juvia's fever away
"I managed to ease the fever" Wendy said as she had just used her magic to heal Juvia's high fever
"now she just need some good rest" Charla added in as Juvia was resting on the bed
"I smell Gray" Natsu said as he had just sniffed the smell coming from the house
"Gray was here as well?" Charla inquired.
Juvia nodded. "Yes. The two of us lived here together after the guild disbanded."
"we ate together, trained together, and did jobs together" Juvia smiled to the memory of how she spent her times with Gray before frowning
"Then one day…it all started to change again."
Flashback
"Honestly…" Juvia huffed as she picked up Gray's pants from the dirt. "You can't leave your clothes behind when you strip, Gray-sama. They'll get dirty and-"
Juvia looks to Gray and saw that on his right arm there was a black mark, trailing from his hand to the side of his face as. It appeared he had been infected by some kind of disease.
"Gray-sama…your body…" Juvia uttered, her mouth wide. "What happened…?"
"This?" Gray looked at the disfigurement briefly before grinning at the concerned rain woman. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
"But, Gray…"
He turned on his heel and walked to the house, ignoring Juvia's concerns. "What's for lunch? I'm starving."
Flashback ends
"Soon after that he started going off on his own more and more." Juvia explained. "Then...six months ago…he stopped coming home at all."
"I can't believe it…" Wendy trailed off, her eyes on the ground.
"How could that stupid disciple of mine just up and leave?" Ur fumed. "Leaving his friends behind like that."
"He must have had his reasons for leaving so suddenly." Ultear defended
"What kind of reason?!" Ur said "what could be more important than being there for a friend?"
"I…I don't know, but there must be one." Ultear replied
"There is no excuse." Juvia said as she turns to the side as her back was to everyone
"Juvia…" Lucy called sadly.
"Gray-sama left without so much as a word. Every day I searched for him, but I found nothing. He just...disappeared."
Juvia bit her bottom lip in frustration.
"I began to think that if I stayed here, he would eventually return...but he never did."
Juvia had tears building up in her eyes as the pent-up sadness in her heart was reaching its limits "I'm sorry…I am finally reunited with all of you…and all I can do is cry about my problems. I'm so selfish."
"Don't worry." Natsu said as he looks out in the rain outside "I'll find him. we're reviving Fairy Tail after all"
Juvia's eyes went wide in disbelief, and she felt a small warmth well up in her chest. Revive…Fairy Tail?
Natsu went out in the rain as he looks in the sky
"what should we do now?" Lucy asked Natsu as Ur and the others were still inside the house, looking after Juvia
"we're going to Sabertooth" Natsu replied to her
"huh? Why? You think Gray's there?" Lucy said as Natsu turns to look at her
"not exactly"
Far away
In a dark forest lies an old spooky castle
Inside the castle were five people sat at a round table. They had been there for well over an hour, awaiting the arrival of their sixth and final member.
A man dressed as a priest slowly entered the room.
"First Oracion Seis…" he ominously began. "Then Grimoire Heart…and finally Tartaros. The fall of the Baram Alliance signified the end to the glorious age of Dark Guilds." He slammed the bottom of his staff on the stone floor, the sound echoing throughout the empty halls of the castle. "Now a new age is set to begin! The age of the black magic cult Avatar!"
This man was known as Alok the High Priest. The leader of this sinister guild of dark wizards.
"The time is finally upon us!" he continued. "We will purge all wizards who dare defy the will of Zeref! May Zeref's will be done!"
"May Zeref's will be done." A man with unkempt blonde hair echoed.
A girl with shoulder-length pink hair looked down at her clasped hands with a smile. "May Zeref's will be done." She prayed. Once done she rose her head and looked to the man seated directly in front of her. Her smile growing slightly.
This mysterious man's shadow black hair was slicked back, making most his forehead visible to everyone in attendance. He wore an open black and white cloak with no shirt underneath, exposing his bare chest – half of which was covered with black markings. His right arm – which was almost completely black due to the same markings on his chest – laid listlessly on the table as he leaned on it.
"May Zeref's will be done."
This was the newest member of the Avatar Cult…
Gray Fullbuster.
With Natsu
Natsu and Lucy were on their way to Sabertooh by riding on North's back as the wolf runs in highspeed
After leaving Ultear and the others to take care of Juvia, Natsu and Lucy had gone to Sabertooth due to Natsu's words
"so? Why are we here again?" Lucy asked Natsu who sits in front of her
"we need to find Rogue, that's all I can say for now," Natsu said as they were getting closer to the hometown of Sabertooth
With Wendy and the others
"There. I think her fever's down for now." Wendy wiped the sweat from her brow and looked over Juvia who was resting on the bed
"I think Natsu and Lucy should be arriving at Saber by now," Charla said as she watches over Juvia who was getting her sweat cleaned up by Meredy and Wendy
"I still wonder on why are they going to Sabertooth," Meredy said as she wipes off the sweat on Juvia's shoulders then to her back
"if it's Natsu-san's idea, it must be something important," Wendy said before noticing Juvia's large asset
"there's no hope for me is there?" Wendy said in a bit of a gloomy voice
"you're still growing," Meredy said sweat dropping
At Avatar's hidden hideout
Inside the barren Avatar church, the wails and calls of the High Priest Arlock could be heard echoing through the halls.
"The day of purification is near, Zeref! I offer up all souls to you!"
He stood before an old, cracked altar. His hands raised as he gave praise to his God.
"You will stand atop the Grand Magic World! This impure world will be destroyed and then reborn in your image!"
As Arlock continued his "prayer" a man with shaggy blonde hair walked into his chamber. He stood a few paces behind the priest, his face showing traces of concern. This man was known as Jerome.
"High Priest, do you still intend to continue on with Operation Purify?" he asked. "There is a good chance that the Council is already aware of our plans."
The priest looked over his shoulder at Jerome, smoke filtering out of his metal mask.
Before Jerome could question the priest again, Briar entered into the room
"There is nothing to get worked up over." She reassured Arlock. "What Scruffy here is suggesting is that we simply remove any unknown elements from our ranks. That way we won't have to constantly look over our shoulders."
Jerome took umbrage with his nickname. "Scruffy?" he irritably repeated.
Arlock stared at the two for a few more seconds – smoke still filtering from his mask – before facing the altar again.
"I am in prayer. You will leave." He ordered.
Jerome gritted his teeth, but ultimately bowed in compliance – as did Briar. "As you wish."
The pair exited the chamber and entered the hall, with less than pleased looks on their faces. When they rounded the corner, they were met by a smiling girl with short pink hair and a bow that looked resembled cat ears.
"The old guy has a stubborn streak, doesn't he?" the girl - known as Mary - giggled. "I wonder if Zeref will come for us so quickly."
"Quiet, venomous woman." Briar spat.
Mary pouted. The way her lips puckered one would think she ate something very sour. "You're such a meanie, Briar! Besides I'm not the one going around giving people weird nicknames! Totally lame ones, too!"
Soon the pair of Jerome and Briar were happened upon by the rest of Avatar.
Behind Briar and Mary stood a tall, bulky man wearing a mask with a red and black eyepiece in the center. There were also silver masks on his shoulders that were very reminiscent of demon's faces. He went by the name D-6.
Sitting on one of the castle archways appeared to be a child with a very big hat. He seemed uninterested with the conversation as a whole, choosing to play with the Curse Doll in his hands. He was known as Able.
Next to him was a bald, heavyset man with very bushy eyebrows and a goatee. He wore a robe with various characters on it – there were also two eastern characters tattooed on his forehead – and had a straw hat affixed to his arm. This man was Goumon.
Gray was there as well; leaning against the wall across from Jerome.
"If the Council has found out about Operation Purify, it means trouble with a capital tea." Goumon voiced.
Mary giggled. "More tea puns, honey? That was a real lemon."
"Upon whose side will fate smile…?" D-6 wondered.
"I don't care as long as it's fun." Able voiced, still playing with his doll.
"The problem isn't the council…" Jerome stated. "But how the information was leaked to them in the first place."
Gray smirked. "One of us is an informant for the council." He looked to Jerome. "And you suspect it's me, right?"
The entire group looked at Gray. Truth be told they were thinking the same thing.
"Ice…" Briar muttered.
"Well you were part of the 'best' guild on the continent!" Mary laughed.
"I've also done some research on you." Jerome added.
"That's not very nice." The ice wizard retorted. "What ever happened to privacy?"
"You've got quite the history. Your parents were killed by one of Zeref's demons." Jerome revealed. "Not only that, I heard that both Ur and Ultear who are mother and daughter were once related to an accident to Zeref but was saved by a friend of yours"
Unbeknownst to the group, Mary's smile slightly faltered.
"It's true he's the most suspicious one out of all of us…" Briar began. "But it's a bit late for doubts now, isn't it? He's been with us for the past six months. If he was going to do something he would have by now."
"What I'm saying is that he has absolutely no reason to worship Zeref!" Jerome shouted.
"So you did a little digging and found out Zeref was involved in killing some people I know. So what? You got a point somewhere in there? Or were you hoping we would change your name from 'Black Sword' to 'Detective' Jerome?" Gray mocked.
Jerome stepped towards the impertinent ice wizard. "My 'point' is that you have no reason to be here."
"Stop it, Scruffy." Briar said.
"It's fine, Briar. This is the perfect chance to make my intentions clear…to all of you." Gray pointed his blackened hand to Jerome. "What I want…the only reason I am here…is to get the Book of END."
Everyone was shocked at this revelation – even Able was now focused on Gray.
"If I can get my hands on that book then nothing else matters. I don't care what happens after that."
""Such darkness"". Briar thought.
"I forgot all about my guild and the people in it!" Gray's eyes darkened, and a sinister grin stretched his lips. "My reason for living is to defeat END. And I will use whatever or whoever I want to make that dream a reality."
""His lust for revenge has completely corrupted both his body and soul."" Briar said to herself.
Gray stepped from the wall and walked past the group. Before moving further, he stopped and looked over his shoulder to them.
"Until then I will continue to work with you people."
With those last words spoken he walked down the hall.
"See? There's no way that someone with magic that dark is working with the council." Mary said to D-6.
The large man only hummed in reply.
"Briar" Jerome called out to the tanned woman "Scruffy suits me" his words surprised the woman
In a rocky plain not far from the forest housing Avatar, the Magic Council's Law Enforcement and Custody Unit marched forward.
"Captain!" one of them men called. "We'll soon be arriving at the Avatar cult's base in Mikage Forest."
"Good."
"There something else as well, Captain…"
"What is it?"
"According to our informant…Gray Fullbuster is a member of Avatar as well."
The Captain of the force smirked at this news. "Gray?" He chuckled lightly.
He stopped walking and looked ahead, seeing a gathering of dead trees further in the distance. The sun shined on his long black locks, the wind blowing against the inside of the council coat draped on his shoulders.
"Who cares if he's there?! We're gonna arrest all of them!" He declared. "That's our job ain't it?!"
With Pantherlily at his side it was official, Gajeel Redfox was coming to arrest the members of Avatar. Including Gray.
At Sabertooth
Natsu and Lucy were at Sabertooth as the two were greeted by Yukino
"Lucy-sama! Natsu-sama!" Yukino greeted the group before getting her cheeks licked by North "I missed you too, North-sama!"
"Yukino!" Lucy greeted the Celestial mage with a big smile as the two were happy to meet each other again
"been well?" Natsu said with a small smile
"all of the old Fairy Tail jobs are going to us and it's giving us too much profit" Orga said sitting at his table
"I have committed it into my memories" Rufus said while tilting his hat
"uhh…I don't mean to imply that" Yukino said as Lucy shakes her head
"I figured, besides, we're going to revive Fairy Tail" Lucy told to Yukino
"really!?" Yukino said as she suddenly cried "I hope that day comes fast!"
"it's nothing to cry about" Lucy told to her
"now there's a voice I haven't heard in a while!" "it appears so, yes!" a voice was heard as well as a smaller one
Lucy and Natsu turns to the side and see Sting and Lector only that the White Dragon Slayer looks chubby
"if it isn't Natsu-san and Lucy-san?" Sting said with a smile
"and North-kun too!" Lector added in
"who?" Lucy said
"it's Sting" Natsu said as Lucy got surprised by his words
"eeehhhh!?"
"you haven't changed a bit, Natsu-san!" Sting said to Natsu
"could say the same thing to you" Natsu said
The group got reacquainted for a minute before Natsu asks Sting on where Rogue was
"Rogue and the Mistress left a few moments ago" Sting said as Natsu clicked his tongue
"North! Find Rogue!" Natsu ordered out as North runs out of the guild and into the town's streets "slobber him in drool if you have to stop him!"
Natsu then runs ahead as he catches up with his partner
"what was that all about?" Sting asked as he was no longer fat anymore "I don't know" Lector added in
"he's back to normal!?" Lucy exclaimed in surprise
"he was a bit overweighted so I had Libra to fix him up a bit" Yukino said while holding Libra's key in her hand
Natsu runs in the streets of the town where he sees ahead, Rogue, Frosch and Minerva were greeting North who was slobbering Rogue with his canine drool
"ROGUE!" Natsu shouted as the group heard him
"Natsu?" Rogue said before he got dragged by Natsu "hey!?"
Natsu dragged Rogue into a nearby grass maze as he looks stern to the man
"give me the request paper you have!" Natsu demanded from Rogue
"huh? Why should-" Rogue was about to retort but Natsu gave him a killer glare "h-here"
Rogue gives Natsu a request paper as the man takes the paper and reads it
"Destroy the Black Magic Cult, Avatar"
"I knew it" Natsu said before turning his attention to Rogue "stay at your town and don't leave. I'll be taking over this job"
"huh?! No way! This one belongs to Sabertooth! You can't take a job when you aren't in a guild!" Rogue told to Natsu who merely smirked to him
"I am in a guild" Natsu said as he burns the request paper in his hand "I'm in Fairy Tail"
Natsu then sees Lucy coming with Minerva by her side
"let's go Lucy!" Natsu shouted as he grabs her hand and started running
"what was that all about?" Rogue said in confusion
That's a wrap!
Bye bye