Taking the train was probably the hardest thing Natsu did in his life. He hated transportation; boats, carriages, anything that can move.
Motion sickness was a dragon's achilles heel. In battle, if you throw Natsu in a boat, he'll probably lose.
He would eat his own fire then get on a train. Actually… that would be the opposite. He only ate his fire once when he was little, living with Igneel. Natsu could never forget the pain bursting in his throat, eating him alive on the inside. Igneel just laughed, calling him a fool for not listening to the red dragon.
But here he was, with the others, almost puking his guts on the wood floor of the monster called a "train".
Happy snickered, sitting one of the arms on the chair, just in case one of the dragons started to get a bit… pukey. "You guys are hopeless." The blue cat teased, and patted Natsu's head. He merely grumbled, obviously lacking the strength to argue back at him.
Pantherlily smiled. "To think only objects that can move can bring a dragon to its knees. It's rather amusing."
"And yet, it's rather pitying to see Wendy in this state." Charle said, the white cat patting the sky dragon who was in terrible agony. "We should have grabbed some of Porlyusica's potions for motion-sickness."
Lector sighed. "Yes, but even if we took it, it still won't be enough to cure them the whole ride."
Sting groaned. "No need to tell us how long the train ride is, Lector." The blonde seemed to lose all that energy from just a simple ride at the train.
Natsu sighed and decided to block the noise from the other dragons and exceeds. He decided to think about that girl, the weird heiress. She wasn't like other girls, and Natsu gave any interest to females, everyone knows that.
But why can't he stop thinking about her? Maybe it could be because of her personality. He can't help thinking back what she said, that she has to get married against her will. Her brown irises lost their sparkle for a second, looking a bit sad.
He groaned, this time not from the motion sickness, but with his head pounding with questions.
Who was that girl honestly?
"Ah!" Natsu exclaimed with relief as he plopped on the floor. "Sweet, oh so sweet ground. Oh how I missed you."
Wendy nodded, relief glimmering in her russet brown eyes. "I am so glad we're off the train." She looked at Natsu. "We should be close to Cloverdale by now."
Sting rubbed the back of the hand. "Yep," The blonde turned to his fellow dragons, "Do we go and fly or just walk there?"
Gajeel pondered for a moment. "I don't think our legs could handle another walk. We should just shift into our dragon forms."
"Wow! Gajeel said something smart for once!" Natsu teased the Metal Dragon, who growled at the pinkette.
"At least I have brains. You couldn't even think that up, oh so great leader."
The fire dragon glared back. "I was gonna, but you had to speak first!"
"Yer wanna go?"
"Let's go! I'll beat you up to a bloody pulp!"
He felt a tug at his shirt and looked down at Wendy, who was looking at the two with a serious look. "Natsu-san! Gajeel-san! No fighting! We have to go to the mountains, shift, and then find her! Then maybe you can fight."
Rogue shook his head. "How about no fighting at all till you get back at your guild. We have no time to spare, we gotta do this fast."
"You still haven't answered my question! Shift or no shift?" The white dragon hollered, narrowing blue eyes.
Without answering, Natsu jumped in the air. Everyone watched him coat himself with fire, and with a blinding orange light, he turned into a huge red dragon. Unlike Igneel, who was a deep red, he was more of a light red. A bit smaller than his father though.
"What do you think?" the fire dragon replied, flapping its huge wings. The trees shook from its strong breeze.
Wendy smiled and jumped as high as she could. With a huge gust of wind, there was a tiny white dragon, a bit smaller than himself but still huge. Her wings and scales were feathers, beautiful white feathers tinted with the faintest of blue. She honestly looked just like her mother, Grandine, the form and everything. Only difference is maybe the eyes. While Grandine has mesmerizing blue eyes, Wendy has russet oak brown eyes.
He heard flapping from behind him, and turned around to see Gajeel. He lived up to his name, "Black Steel." His scales were hard as metal, dark silver, lighting up in the moonlight. Red crimson eyes glared at Natsy, white teeth bared into a smirk. He was the same size as Natsu, a bit taller, just like their human forms.
Sting and Rogue were true white and shadow dragons. Sting was a white dragon, with scales and feathers coating him from head to toe, huge talons hang from the hair. Blue mischief eyes sparkled in the night sky. His tail swished back and forth excitedly, hitting the now Shadow Dragon in the air, who was ready to give the man a beating of his life.
With scales black as night, he looked like Skiadrum exactly. Huge black wings flapping in the air, you could probably see shadows in them, following him like a trail of gold. His red eyes glared at Sting, who was trying to save himself from knocking himself into his twin.
"Watch where you're going, dumbass! You could have sent me flying!" Rogue hissed at his twin, who looked a bit irritated.
"My tail knocked you out, not me! I didn't do it on purpose! Plus, you're a dragon, you can stop yourself from landing on the ground!"
Natsu sighed. And this is why they'll get a blink of sleep because of these fools. Well technically, he usually starts fights, and usually ruins these kinds of nights.
Before he could talk, a little green object flew up to the black dragon, who looked as if he wanted to rip out Sting's throat, literally. "Rogue, let's get going! No need to fight!" Frosch chirped, landing on his owner's snout.
The shadow dragon relaxed and smiled at his exceed. "Of course Frosch. Anything for you."
He'll do anything for that cat, yeesh, Natsu thought, shaking his head, with a grunt, he flew, signaling the others to follow him.
He likes the feeling of flying. With the wind smacking his body, he reached for the clouds, trying to touch them. Happy laughed as he tried to hide in one of them, Natsu blowing each cloud away.
He could feel the ache in his back leaving. It's not good for dragons to be cooped up for a while, it's pretty bad for their health. They need to stretch, to breathe the night and back then, day air.
Until humans came.
After a few rounds of flying around and chilling around Cloverdale, they made their way to Tenrou Island once again. A sacred island where Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis Vermillion was born.
The person they were looking for.
Master Makarov told them to find the body of the first master, and sent them everywhere, not until last week, Makarov reminded them to check Tenrou Island, the birthplace of the Fairy Tactician.
He has heard tales of their first master. She was smart, leading her comrades and guildmates into battle with a plan, usually winning. No one has ever seen her or has even laid eyes on her grave in a long time.
That is, until stupid Makarov forgot, after all years of searching her, he finally remembers to check the land of Fairy Tail.
Must be old age.
"Natsu-san, I still cannot believe that Makarov forgot about this place. I thought it's pretty weird not going there, considering that's where she was born."
Gajeel scoffed. " The old geezer is old, it's natural to lose something that could be the most important thing related to the First Master."
"Ah! I see it!"
Natsu narrowed his eyes against the wind, and there he saw, an island with the biggest tree he has ever seen, the island looked more holy than ever. He has been here before, when he was little, well because…
This was the place he met Makarov.
He was alone, with an egg that'll soon be Happy. The rain poured, flattening the little boy's spiky hair. He looked at the ground, his eyes blank with no emotion.
Footsteps echoed in the island, coming closer and closer to Natsu. He clutched the egg, protecting it from any harm.
The bushes rustled, and there was an old man, who was even shorter than Natsu himself. He had a calm air around him, his eyes curious as he studied little Natsu and the egg he was currently protecting.
"My, my. Are you alright lad? You shouldn't be staying in the rain, you could catch a cold." The man squatted down to the boy's level, eyeing him carefully.
Natsu didn't bother to respond, looking at the egg who sat on his lap.
The man sighed, and looked at the egg Natsu was holding. "Oh my, is that an exceed egg?"
The little boy raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Exceed?"
The stranger nodded. "These mythical creatures are like little cats, but they can talk and fly faster like the speed of light! You got a lucky one, kid."
Natsu stared at the egg, then looked at the old man, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "You're not gonna take it away from me, aren't you?" He asked, clutching the egg tighter to him.
"No no! I thought I should tell you." Another silence. "You know, you can tell me what's wrong you know, where's your parents kid?"
That was the breaking point for Natsu as he felt tears well up his eyes. He let out a sniffle, alarming the man. He could feel them falling down his cheeks, and let out a sob. Soon he was a mess, crying.
His tiny heart ached as he thought of his only parent, a red dragon, noble and strong, and caring. Oh how he missed him.
"I-i d-don't have p-parents… My dad… h-he's gone. But he's not dead, j-just disappeared."
He felt a hand ruffle his wet pink hair, and he looked up to kind wise eyes. "Well, there are lots of kids like you who lost and don't know where their parents are. Come with me, I'll protect you."
Natsu smiled at the memory. Makarov introduced him to his guild, he met guildmates that he could call friends, and found out why they were never allowed to be themselves in the outside world, to humans.
With a puff of hot breath, he settled down on the island, and with a poof, he was in his normal human form. He looked at the place; it still looked the same after all these years. The tree still looked ancient, its golden leaves falling off its branches, littering to the ground.
Happy floated beside Natsu, looking at the man with an excited look. "Hey Natsu, isn't this place you found me?"
The pinkette smiled and patted his loyal friend's head. "Sure is. You could call this place your birthplace."
The blue exceed laughed and landed on Natsu's shoulder, his paws patting his cheek fondly. "My place is yours Natsu. After all, we are best friends!"
Natsu grinned. "We sure are!"
Wendy landed besided Natsu, almost tripped, but Natsu steadied her, a hand on her arm. "Easy there, Wendy. You're too clumsy." He teased the little girl, who pouted, but smiled warmly at the older boy.
"Thank you Natsu-san." She looked around the island, taking in their surroundings. "So this is the place where the Master found you. It's beautiful."
Natsu shrugged. "Eh, I really didn't think it was beautiful and all, really didn't even pay attention to it."
Happy snickered. "That's Natsu for ya!" Which earned a protest from the fire dragon.
Gajeel stretched his arms. "We don't get all day. I suggest we split up, and meet at the base of the tree."
Pantherlily nodded, the black cat looking around the island warily. " And be careful. No one has been here for awhile, so stay on guard."
Sting saluted, while Rogue sighed. "I'll keep Sting with me, since you know, troublemaker."
"Oi! Why do you keep teasing me? Don't tell me you're still mad at me?"
"Why wouldn't I? That was reckless, even Natsu won't do that!"
"Hey, back off Rogue!" Natsu shot back at the shadow dragon, who ignored him and started walking. The white dragon grumbled something under his breath, and followed his twin.
"Oi Salamander."
The pinkette turned toward the metal dragon, who slung a bag over his shoulder. "Make sure you take care of the little squirt, you got it? And don't start fires in a forest, dumbass."
Natsu growled. "I always protect Wendy, and what is with you all doubting me today?"
"Cause yer the real troublemaker here, idiot!"
Charle groaned. "What is with men and their bickers? Can't they have a normal conversation for once?"
Wendy smiled apologetically at her exceed. "That's just how there are, ever since I've known them." She thought for a moment. "Maybe that's how they show their friendship and love?"
"Definitely not love!"
"We've been walking all day and we couldn't find a thing!" Happy groaned, who was currently trying to walk but failing instantly.
Charle sighed, and flew down to the blue exceed. "You know, you could just fly."
"Oh yeah! I forgot about that!"
"Showoff." Natsu grumbled, his legs aching. They've been walking everywhere, and yet they still couldn't find anything related to Mavis. "Why did Gramps send us to do this? I'm pretty sure he could have done this himself."
Wendy sighed. "True, but he needs his rest. Plus, maybe he thought dragons could probably get it done faster."
"Well he was wrong!"
The bluenette laughed, and paused immediately, turning to the others. "Guys, do you not feel that?"
Charle looked at her partner. "Feel what, Wendy?"
The little girl put a finger on her chin, thinking hard. "I've had this weird feeling this whole time, it feels like magic power, but it's very small, almost nonexistent."
"Oh!" Natsu exclaimed. "You feel some magic energy here? Then show us!"
Wendy shook her head. "It's not that simple. As I said, the magic is almost gone, but it's still here. I could try, but maybe it's just my imagination." She looked down at the feet. "I'm not very good at these things." She said shyly, unable to meet her comrades' gazes.
Natsu looked at the girl, and ruffled the girl's midnight blue hair, earning a squeak from the girl. "Don't think so lowly of yourself like that. You're a dragon, a sky dragon no less, that means you have more meaning to magic than any of us."
The girl looked up to the man who is almost a brother to her. "You're right." She pulled back, and smiled at the pinkette. "Thank you Natsu-san."
"Anything for ya, kid."
And wowie, I'm back! I am so sorry for missing out last week's update. Last Thursday was Thanksgiving, and I always have like some sort of family gathering at the holidays, so I didn't have time to write or update anything that whole week. BUT to make it up, I'll post another chapter, maybe tomorrow, just to lift your spirits up!
And I finally revealed the she! Did you guys guessed it was Mavis? We'll finish this night quest thing tomorrow and get back to Lucy right away!
Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites! They make my day!
See you all later, bye lovelies! 3