Chapter 4:

The circle of Natsu's friends didn't grow after the first day. Mira and Wendy could be seen around him more often than not. Lisanna was on friendly turns along with her brother Elfman but that was pretty much it.

Grey made a point in either avoiding him or annoying him which didn't end well for him.

Erza looked at him most of the times all high and mighty demanding he should not be in this guild after attacking a fellow member over something as petty as a childish insult... which ended up in quite an argument between Mira and Erza.

Soon after the initial shock of being around people without the orders to kill them worn off, Natsu made his way to the mission board and with Wendy by his side and sometimes Mira he went outside coming back soon for another. The more time that past the less time he spent in guild hall and he couldn't help but find it more relaxing.

**six years later**

The spring breeze past through the Magnolia park making the leaves rustle under the massive old oak tree where two friends sat talking to each other quietly.

The grass blades softly moving around the two as the breeze past over them again.

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" A 16-year-old Natsu asked Mira. The black-clothed teen ran a hand through his short spiky hair as he glanced at the beauty beside him dressed in gothic styled black sleeveless shirt and corset over it along with red leather pants.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm an S-class mage as well, you know. You should have more faith in me." Mira said with smirk

A sound of feet rustling moving towards them made them both look up just as Elfman spoke ''Mira! We need to go! The train leaves soon'' the white-haired wizard glanced at Natsu who looked at the Strauss brother with blank face hiding his annoyance. ''And you don't have to worry so much about them. I'm there to protect them''

"You'll be with your boyfriend when we come back." Lisanna teased with a smirk that grew as Mira's face went red.

"He's not my boyfriend, Lisanna!"

Mira refused to look at Natsu, too embarrassed to say anything as she stood up and marched toward her siblings brushing past them. The two looked after her, somewhat surprised by her quick departure but quickly followed after her as the white-haired beauty yelled ''Get your ass moving, will ya?!''

They hurried after her, no one paying attention to the pink color that spread over dragon slayer's ears and cheeks.

Natsu was coming to the guild after another successful job, Wendy happily skipping beside him, a white and blue cats with white wings flying above them.

The mission was a spur of a moment thing. He wasn't really planning on taking any until Mira came back but he quickly realized that wasn't the best idea when boredom hit.

When Natsu and Wendy opened the doors of the guild and instead of fights and celebrations found crying faces of members it was an understatement to say they were surprised.

Not that he showed anything else except raising an eyebrow. Wendy, Happy and Carla seemed a lot more concerned and didn't even try to hide it.

What made him worried was when he spotted Mira bawling her eyes out along with Elfman. When he didn't saw Lisanna he got an idea of what happened. Strauss siblings were on an S-class mission after all.

He went to Mira. As he walked toward her, he heard several other members saying something about him. Something as "Why is he here?", "He should go, nobody doesn't need him here now.", "He doesn't even care" or "That emotionless freak should just go away"

Natsu shoot them few glares and they shut up. Wendy, horrified and already crying, was walking behind him.

When he came to Mira he knelt beside her and hugged her strongly. She buried her head in his shoulder and cried. "What happened? Who made you cry?" He asked as he gently stroked her hair.

"L-Lisanna... she...she's dead...'' She said sobbing.

"Who killed her?" Natsu asked trying to show compassion as much as possible but to little avail. Years of learning how to hide one's emotions might not make you emotionless but it definitely makes it harder to show them when you want to.

Truth, as horrible as it was, was that the dragon prince cared more about Mira crying then Lisanna's death.

''Don't care about the dead'' Acnologia used to say ''Care about the living that are worthy of it.''

She and Wendy were the only ones who haven't seen him as a heartless monster and to see one of them crying was tearing what was left of his blackened heart apart.

He saw Mira as his best friend, always there when he wanted to talk and silent when he didn't feel like talking.

The true friend is the one you can be silent with.. or something along those lines.

Wendy is a younger sister he never had. He thought her throughout the years as best as he could. Even though their dragon slayer magic wasn't the same he was a better teacher to her than anyone else could be aside from dragons but they disappeared without a trace. The island and the palace never once being seen.

"I did. I killed my little sister" Elfman said with a wail.

Natsu's vision bled red as he stood up letting go of Mira and making his way toward Elfman.

As his anger spiked so did his magic as a spark escaped, dancing around him.

Natsu walked up to him and stood in front of the white-haired man. Everyone watching his every move carefully but no one was prepared as Natsu's eyes narrowed suddenly and he spat on the ground in front of Elfman.

''And here I believed you when you said you will protect them. Disgrace'' the dragon prince hissed with venom before he turned around and looked at Mira who was staring at him in shock.

End of chapter 4.

Rewritten

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