Chapter 7: Help Me

Natsu's head hung low as he stood in front of the guild, but his spirit rested even lower. Natsu hated admitting to himself that he needed help, but these questions were beyond him. The old man, while annoying, was powerful. And if anyone could provide the answers he sought, it would be him. Natsu hoped that due to how late it was, many of the guilds' inhabitants would have already gone home. Luck proved to not be on his side as he made his way into the guild. They were staring. All of them. They all looked at Natsu as he made his way across the crowded guild. Makarov rested atop the bar, his eyes following Natsu. Natsu stared at the ground as he mumbled out something incoherent.

"Eh? What was that?" Makarov asked.

"Help me." Natsu repeated, raising his head to meet Makarov's eyes. Makarov place his mug on the bar and wiped the remaining beer from his lips. He was still angry at Natsu for what he had done earlier, but that could be dealt with later. Right now, one of his children needed his help.

"What can I do for you Natsu?" Makarov noticed Natsu looked to his office. Thinking the boy may not be comfortable sharing his problems in the open, he escorted Natsu there. Cana had watched every move Natsu had made since he entered the guild. He looked… sad. That would be the best way she could describe it. Seeing any of her friend in this state would have bothered Cana but seeing Natsu look this way. It didn't feel right.

Once the two had arrived in Makarov's office, he asked his question once again. "What is troubling you Natsu." And Natsu told him. He told him everything. His magic leaking out, how he entered his Dragonforce state without activating it, his fight with Laxus and how his body acted on its own. Finally, he told the old man about the beam of his chaos magic that had shot from his body after the fight, and how every bit of the residual chaos energy had been absorbed into it, leaving him unconscious.

"Hmm…" Makarov pondered. In truth, he didn't know much about Dragon Slayer magic. It was one of the magics lost to time. Hardly anyone knew anything about it. Sure, Laxus was a Dragon Slayer, but that was his son Ivan's doing. He had implanted a lacrima into Laxus's body when he was a young and frail boy. Since Laxus hardly used this power, Makarov didn't see any reason to research it. "I'm afraid I can't help you when it comes to matters of your magic. Personally, I don't understand it well enough to offer any advice." Natsu was disappointed when he learned the old man could not offer him the help he needed. "Fortunately for you, I know someone who might be able to give you the answers you need." Natsu perked up again at hear this. Makarov told him to sit tight while he went to fetch this person. Luckily, he wouldn't have to go far.

Makarov returned an hour later with an old woman. She had been a pervious member of Fairy Tail and now acted as a sort of healer for the guild and an advisor to Makarov. Her name was Porlyusica. "So this is the brat you wanted me to look at?" She circled Natsu, giving him a quick examination as she walked. "Fine. But after this don't bother me again. You know I can't stand being around humans." Makarov filled her in on the details of the boy, making sure to note that he was a Dragon Slayer, and the type of magic he wielded. Which earned a groan from the woman. She had a good idea of what was happening, but she wanted to check a few more things just to be sure. Makarov, deciding it was best not to hover over her while she worked, exited the room.

"Come her boy." Porlyusica grumbled out rudely. "The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can leave." She pulled out a notebook and prepared to record her findings. But Natsu refused to move. He did not know this woman. And he for sure did not like her tone.

"Listen you Old Hag, I don't know what you think you're doing, but I didn't ask for your help. I asked the Old Man."

"And he asked me. So you'll just have to deal with it." She stared at the Dragon Slayer. She was already annoyed with having to be here, but his rude tone was making it some much more unbearable. "Besides, I think I might already know what is wrong, so I just need you to answer a few questions and they we both will never have to see each other again."

"Fine." Natsu said. "Ask your stupid questions and be done."

Porlyusica's eye twitched. She wanted nothing more than to hit the child before her, but she took a deep breath and decided to just ask the questions and leave. "What element do you wield Dragon Slayer?"

"How do you know I'm a Dragon Slayer?"

"Well for starters, Makarov told me. But even if he hadn't, I would have known just by observing you." She saw the puzzled look on Natsu's face, and with a sigh, explained further. "Your mannerisms. They are draconic in nature. Not nearly as defined as an actual dragon, but nowhere near like those of a normal human." Natsu had never bothered to notice this before. To him, he believed his mannerism were completely normal. "Your teeth," Porlyusica continued. "They are sharper than most, especially the canines." Natsu raised his hand and felt his canines. They had always been sharp, but he never realized it was due to him being a Dragon Slayer. "Finally, I can feel the essence of a dragon on you."

"Explain." Natsu commanded, but to no avail.

"Answer my questions first brat. And then I will tell you about that."

Natsu took a deep breath and started his explanation of his magic. "I am a Chaos Dragon Slayer. I have command over the aspect of Chaos." Porlyusica made not that he mentioned his magic being an aspect rather than an element like most Dragon Slayers used. "It manifests as black energy, but as of earlier today, silver specks started showing up. Natsu held out a fist and engulfed it in his chaos to show her. She closely examined the magic swirling around his closed fist, documenting everything she observed.

"And how long have you been able to use this magic?"

"Since I was five. But I didn't actually get the hang of it until I was around seven."

"I see." Porlyusica continued to write down her findings. "And earlier, you lost control of your body?"

Natsu was hesitant to answer this question, but eventually, he nodded, confirming her statement.

"And has anything like this happened before?" Natsu shook his head, letting her know this was the first time something like this had occurred. "Well," Porlyusica rose to her feet and closed her notebook. "I have an answer, though I don't know if you'd like it.

"Just tell me."

"Fine. If you want me to be blunt, I will. You are in the early stages of dragonification."

"So I'm turning into a dragon?" She nodded. Natsu let out a small laugh. "I already knew that. I've been working on it. Let me show you." Natsu concentrated his magically energy and entered Dragonforce. Black scales sprouted across his body and his arms transformed into claws, but Natsu intended to take it a step further. To show the hag he was already a dragon. Black wings with silver undertones shot out of his upper back. A long black tail with silver markings grew from his lower back. Horns emerged from each side of his forehead and climbed until they reached around a foot in length. "See? I am already a dragon." He stated this proudly. His arrogant tone annoying the woman even more. Especially since he was wrong.

"No, no, no." She shook her head. "What you've done is merely take on aspects of a dragon. You have not transformed into one." Natsu powered down and reverted to his normal appearance. "What I mean by dragonification is you will transform into a dragon and cease being human." At first Natsu was saddened that he hadn't actually attained the form of a dragon yet but hearing that he would become one in time reassured him. A small smile spread across his face. "I don't know why you are smiling. The process is horrible, and you will likely lose yourself in the process. Your mind slowly deteriorating until nothing of your former self is left" She stated smugly. He didn't care though. With the power of a true dragon, surely his father would let Natsu return to his side.

Porlyusica rolled her eyes. If the brat didn't care, then why should she. She had done her part and more. Leaving the young dragon Slayer to his devices, she set off to report her findings to Makarov so that she could leave.

Once she had left the infirmary, she didn't have to go far to find Makarov as he was waiting at a nearby table. She approached he and began recounting her findings. "Listen up, because I'm only going to tell you this once. Natsu is in the beginning stages of a process known as dragonification. Eventually he will cease being a human and transform into a dragon." This was certainly a surprise to Makarov. Never in his life had he heard of something such as this. He needed to know why this was happening to one of his children.

"How did this happen." Makarov asked.

"His magic. That is the price all Dragon Slayers pay. But the process should take a lot longer to progress that in Natsu's case. My guess is that it is due to the specific type of Dragon Slaying magic he uses." Porlyusica could see the look of confused on Makarov's face and with a scoff she explained further. "Most Dragon Slayers use a type of element, but Natsu is different. Rather than harnessing an element, Natsu used Chaos, an aspect of life. A force of nature. This magic… it isn't normal. It was never meant to be wielded by a human, let alone a child. There is a reason this magic became lost. It is extremely volatile, and in Natsu's case, even more so. The reason Natsu's dragonification is progressing so rapidly is the chaotic magic coursing through his body is slowly corrupting him, allowing the acceleration of the natural process.

"Is there anything we can do to stop it?"

"As far as I know there is no cure for this." Makarov hung his head low upon hearing this. "However, we can slow the process down. We just need to remind the brat of his humanity. It should slow the dragonification down significantly… but given how difficult he can be that might be quite the issue."

"I see. That is my problem to worry about. I can't thank you enough for helping us out Porlyusica. Once again I am in your debt."

"You want to repay me? It's simple. Next time you have a problem like this and think of calling for my help. Don't." With this final statement, Porlyusica made her way back to her home, far away from the likes of the people here. Makarov smiled as she faded from his view. Despite her hardened exterior, he knew she cared about the guild and would do anything to help it and its members.

Makarov stood in front of the infirmary and prepared himself for his conversation with Natsu. The concept of mortality was hard enough to talk about even without considering a child would be the one on the receiving end of the news. He slowly entered the room and found Natsu quietly sitting on a bed, playing with his thumbs. "Natsu." His voiced broke the silence and Natsu turned to look at him. "I know what you were just told was a lot. Is there any of it you don't understand?" In truth, Makarov didn't fully understand it himself, but he was supposed to stalwart leader of the guild.

"Yeah I get it. Eventually I'm going to go insane." It had already sounded like Natsu had come to terms with it. "But I'll get the strength of a true dragon." Makarov frowned. He couldn't tell if Natsu actually thought way, or he was just using that as a way of rationalizing it so it would make sense to him. Whatever the case, Makarov was determined to keep it from happening.

"There is a way to slow the process my boy." Natsu gave the man a confused look as he explained the only way to slow the effects of dragonification. Why would he want to put off becoming a dragon? The sooner he transformed, the sooner he could regain his place at his father's side. But then he remembered what the old hag had said about him losing his mind. Suddenly, the image of Cana flashed within his mind. He didn't know why he had thought of her in this moment, but it did. To be honest, Natsu didn't care about sacrificing himself for the power being a dragon would grant, but not remembering Cana, that was something he didn't want. She was his friend. The first one he had ever had. Would giving that up really be worth it?

A pregnant silence clung to the air as Natsu took in what he had just thought about. "Old Man." Makarov looked at Natsu. "I'm trying. I really am. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I am. Everything is just so different here. It doesn't make any sense to me."

Makarov took a moment to digest what Natsu had said. "I appreciate you telling me that Natsu. But words and actions are two different things. You can say one thing, and then mean the total opposite through your actions." Natsu chose to stay silent, reflecting on what Makarov had said to him.

Makarov soon took his leave, knowing the boy needed time to think over everything that had just been dumped upon him. As Makarov exited the room, he noticed Cana and her blue companion, trying, and failing to not look conspicuous. He figured she must have eavesdropped and heard everything that had happened. Smiling, he passed her and gave her a knowing nod. He had seen how the two had interacted. He noticed how differently Natsu treated and acted around Cana. If anyone could save Natsu from himself, it was Cana.

Author's Note: Hello all! First off, I'd like to thank everyone who had taken the time to read my story and especially those who have left some great feedback in the comments. Next, I want to apologize for the lack of Natsu and Cana content in this chapter and the last. I decided those chapters would be best used to set things up for later on. But I promise the next few chapters will focus on the pair a lot! Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll see you next time! - Sinh