**previously**
The frog-man cleared his throat "Ah yes. We are here to arrest Natsu Souleater under charges of destroying public property in Clover town''
The silence lasted only a second.
"WHAT?!"
Chapter 11:
"What are you talking about? He killed that damned demon!'' Erza moved as she yelled at the frog.
"While what you say is true he also destroyed Oshibana station and the meeting hall"
''Oshibana station was destroyed by Eisenwald'' Lucy objected.
''And control room as well? The doors along with controls are so damaged it all has to be replaced'' councilman questioned with a raised eyebrow. Lucy opened her mouth to reply but the councilman continued ''No need to reply, I know the answer''
"We were all there'' Wendy objected ''Shouldn't we also bear some consequences?"
Natsu looked at his adopted sister, glad he stood by him as she always did. His eyes drifted at the councilman, a small pang of guilt rising in his heart before he squashed it mercilessly.
He promised her they would find their parents one day but how to tell her he already knew where Grandeeney was? It was forbidden, the violation of the rules brought by dragon's council was punished by death.
"The Council sent me only to bring Natsu Souleater. I have no authority nor desire to arrest anyone else" the frog said.
"But he-" Gray was stopped from saying anything else as Natsu raised his hand up, the back of his hand facing the ice mage in a sign to stay silent.
"I'll leave with you'' Natsu spoke as he looked at the frog-man and the knights behind him who all visibly relaxed. If he refused there was really nothing they could do to make him go.
"But brother..." Wendy looked at him as her lips trembled for a second before she bites it until it turned white.
"Wendy'' Natsu said as he glanced at her, his voice unusually sharp ''Don't cry''
Wendy blinked at him, brushing the moisture from her eye that had yet to leave them. ''I wasn't going to'' she insisted.
Nastu's lips twitched up again ''Of course''
She smiled at him as he turned around and walked by Rune knights and frog-man who quickly followed, the Rune knights moving to tie his hands with magic-concealing cuffs only to stop as Natsu said, not even looking at them ''Don't even think about it''
Rune knights retreated their hands in a blink of an eye ''Of course''
As Natsu disappeared from their view along with the councilmen.
Guild was left in silence, shocked at the sudden change in events.
Mira looked around and sighed as her eyes turned back to the spot Natsu could last be seen further down the street.
'Just a few words with them, nothing else' she thought with a small smirk forming on her lips as she slipped away from her guildmates, unnoticed.
Natsu walked beside the frog-man trough the antic-styled hallway of Fiore's branch council building lined with columns.
The silence between the two was something Natsu greeted with open arms and the frog-man beside him didn't seem to mind it either.
With his eyes fixed in front of himself, Natsu immediately noticed the appearance of a new figure in the hallway, the figure leaning on the column.
''Siegrain'' Natsu said in a way of greeting as he passed the projection.
The frog-man's eyes widened as he dropped to the ground in a bow.
''Is that all I will get from you, Souleater?'' the blue-haired man asked with a grin as he inclined his head to the side.
''It is more than you deserve'' Natsu replied as he looked at him.
''Ah, now that's rude'' Siegrain said with small smile obviously not offended but finding the whole situation amusing.
''You are not even standing before me in person'' Natsu pointed out. ''Most people would be a lot more offended by this''
Siegrain smiled again as he waved his hand through the air dismissively ''Most people wouldn't speak to me in the way you speak''
''Is that supposed to be a warning? I am not going to show more respect to a man that doesn't deserve it''
''Always with jokes''
''I am not joking''
Siegrain snorted ''Of course. Well, I'm off to the courtroom. You'll be there soon enough''
As the thought projection disappeared the frog-man stared at Natsu. ''You know someone that important?!''
Natsu looked at the man ''I know important people but I would hardly sort him with them''
''We will now start mage trial'' called the frog-man ''Defendant Natsu Souleater''
Natsu looked at the people seated in the seats above him, watching him carefully.
''Please take a witness stand''
The councilman seated in the middle spoke in a gruff voice that matched his appearance ''Defendant Natsu Souleater. Concerning the terrorist incident at Eisenwald the other day, you are suspected of destroying part of Oshibana station, Ryusica canyon's railway bridge and an entire mansion in Clover.''
Natsu's face didn't change as the councilman listed. ''According to witness' testimony... the culprit is a man with pink hair''
Natsu's eye twitched 'It's not pink'
''And...''
The man got no further as the doors of the courtroom exploded open. ''What in the world?!'' the councilman yelled in outrage as he rose to his full height which was not a small amount and slammed his fist on the table.
Natsu's eye twitched again as an identical replica of himself stepped from the smoke risen by the explosion.
''I am Natsu Souleater!'' the replica replied in unusually high voice for a male person. Noticing the slip, the replica cleared its throat ''Arrest me if you can!'' Now the voice matched Natsu's perfectly.
Natsu resisted the strong urge to face-palm and settled for the small parting of his jaw.
'I'm gonna kill her'
''Tell me what I'm guilty off and make sure it's more important than the lives of the guild masters!''
The councilman in the middle seemed to share Natsu's ideas but he simply replied ''Put them in jail''
Natsu turned to look at him but before he could say anything his replica yelled at the man ''Wait a minute! You can't put an innocent man in prison'' she said pointing at Natsu who couldn't help it anymore as his hand slapped over his forehead, his head shaking in disbelief.
''Could it be separate jail cells by any chance?'' Natsu asked after a moment. His replica turning to stare at him, her voice again not his own ''What? Don't agree to this Natsu, you're innocent!''
The replica stiffened as it spoke in his voice again ''I mean I'm Natsu''
Councilman ignored the replica completely as he looked at Natsu. ''Granted''
Mira glared at Natsu trough the bars of their separate cells. Natsu sat in the middle of his cell, his back turned to her as he stared at the moon from the window.
''Won't you say something?'' Mira huffed after few more minutes of silence.
''I'm too shocked to say a word'' Natsu replied as he looked at her over his shoulder. ''It was just a formality''
Mira blinked ''Formality?''
Natsu sighed soundlessly again, his shoulders sagging slightly before he straightened his back again. ''The arrest was just a facade. The council needed to display their authority so that they can keep us in check''
''What... do you mean?'' She knew it full well.
Natsu's eye twitched again as he looked back at the moon through the small barred window. ''Meaning, I would be sentenced guilty, but I wouldn't receive any 'punishment'. I would've already been home if you didn't go wild''
Mira smiled uneasily ''I... didn't think-''
''Indeed. You didn't think at all''
Mira frowned as she huffed ''That's not what I was about to say''
''And what were you going to say?''
Mira stubbornly stayed quiet, her face slowly reddening.
''That's what I thought''
They stayed in silence for a long moment. ''I appreciate the gesture though''
He didn't look back as he said it so he didn't saw as Mira looked away, her face red.
''It won't be long, Natsu'' Siegrain said as he looked at the pinkhead trough the glass orb in his hands, the man staring at the moon that was invisible in the small orb.
''It won't be long''
End of chapter 11.
Rewritten
In the next chapter, I plan to start Phantom Lord arc. Please review and thanks for reading :)