Chapter 10

Grumbling, as a film of sweat covered his whole body from the heat, Zank put his hand on his forehead, saying.

"Tsss! It's like being in a sauna now! If you only did that to impress me, you're wrong! Nothing can scare me."

However, as soon as Natsu turned his face towards him and stared at him, Zank backed away without realizing it, noticing that Natsu's eyes had changed. From now on, they were no longer human. No, they looked like those of a ferocious beast. The eyes of a dragon.

"But where did this guy come from?"

" Did you dare to hurt one of my friends?"

"There's no way he could be just a simple human." Zank thought.

"You're going to pay dearly for this."

"Is this a Fairy Tail's wizard?"

"You're going to taste my most powerful attack!" Said Natsu. "LIGHTLING FIRE..."

"Idiot!" Chuckled Zank, calling out his teigu. "I can dodge your attack and..."

Freezing then, Zank couldn't hide his surprise, reading Natsu's thoughts. Anger, hatred, revenge. Here are all that could read Natsu's mind. There wasn't the slightest trace of any strategy.

"Impossible!"

"... DRAGON'S ROAR!"

But just as he was about to spit out his attack, a voice commanded him.

"Natsu, stop it right now!"

"Hmm?" The magician wondered.

Gajeel was standing on a roof, looking at him, and saying.

"No, but do you realize what you were going to do? We're in the middle of a city, idiot! If you let go of your attack here, in anger, you'll kill hundreds of people."

"Wha...?"

"Forget this fight." Gajeel ordered him, jumping from the roof. "And go take care of your stupid cat instead."

"But, Happy, he..." Natsu began, while clutching his old friend's body to his chest.

"Hurry up and go see Wendy." Gajeel ordered him. "If anyone can still save him, it's her! Lily!"

Appearing in the sky, the black cat grabbed Natsu before lifting him off the ground.

"Head for the barracks!" He announced.

"Oh no! You're not going anywhere." Zank replied.

Seeing him throw his daggers, Gadjeel turned his arm into a sword and was able to stop them.

"You're the one who's going to stay where you are! Go, Lily! I'll take care of him."

"All right!" Assured his teammate, taking Natsu away from the battlefield.

Looking around him, a guard had one hand on his sword, ready to use it at any time. Seeing him do so, the other guard, at his side, questioned him.

"What's the matter with you?"

"It's because of that damn murderer around here! I can't feel safe anywhere after dark."

"It's okay! We're in charge of guarding the entrance to the barracks! Who'd be dumb enough to try to storm an entire regiment?"

"He would be able to do it." Replied the other guard. "Did you see the state Seryu came in yesterday? Since she got her teigu, she's considered unbeatable! And then there was also the girl who beat lieutenant Furick, who was with her! Both of them fought against Zank and yet he managed to hurt Seryu and run away! That guy isn't human!"

"Hey, stop it! It's not like he's going to fall from the sky and ask us to let him enter in the caserns."

As if to show him that he was wrong, a figure suddenly fell from the sky, and landed just in front of the two guards, before a voice roared. "

"Let me in! It's an emergency!"

Screaming in fear, the two guards pointed their weapons towards the newcomer, thinking they were dealing with Zank. To their surprise, however, they only saw Natsu, whose face was very different from the one on Zank's wanted posters.

"What... Who are you kid? And what do you want from us?"

"My friend was hurt to death!" he said, still holding Happy in his arms. "Please, let me in so Wendy can heal him."

"Hey, visits to the soldiers are forbidden after curfew." Replied one of the two guards. "Wait until tomorrow if you want to see your friend."

"But it's an emergency, I tell you! I need Wendy to take care of Happy."

"Do you think we're a hospital or something? Get out of here and go take care your stupid cat elsewhere."

Realizing that talking wouldn't help, Natsu hastened to do what he was better : rush into the heap. Walking towards the two guards, he ordered them.

"Get out of the way! "

"Who do you think you are, you brat?" the two guards got angry, rushing at him and pulling out their weapons. "We're going to get you to give us orders."

"That's enough!" Ordered a voice.

Freezing at that moment, the two guards heard footsteps behind their backs as they recognized the voice of the person who had just spoken.

"Se... Seryu?"

"Justice is done for us to help anyone who asks us for help." Said the girl, moving towards them, with Koro.

Remaining with a lowered look, she affirmed.

"And all those, who refuse to help the people, are unworthy to serve justice."

Trembling then with fear, while Koro began to gesticulate in all directions, waiting for an order from Seryu, the guards cried out.

"Please, no!"

"We won't do it again, I promise."

Not caring about their sudden fear, Natsu cried out.

"Hey, you're the girl with the dog from the other day! Jerio, or something like that! Do you know where is Wendy ?"

"Hmm? Oh ! I recognize you." Seryu said. "You're one of the two men who was with Wendy."

Seeing Happy in his arms, she wanted to know.

"What happened to him?"

"No time to explain! Is Wendy here? I need her help!"

"All right, I'll take you to her." Seryu assured.

"But, he can't ...!" One of the soldiers replied, before his comrade could silence him.

"Hum?" Seryu wondered. "You're against justice, aren't you? Am I to understand that you're no better than criminals?"

"No, that's not it! It's just that..."

"SHUT UP ! " Ordered his colleague. "We'll get killed if you refuse to obey her."

Seeing them finally leave, Seryu growled in frustration. Then, she turned to Natsu before displaying her broad smile again.

"I'll take you to Wendy."

"Uh... Thank you very much." Natsu cried out. "Thank you so much."

Looking at the ceiling of her new room, Wendy's legs were like compote, after having walked so much. Yet, she couldn't find sleep, too busy remembering her confrontation with Zank. The worst thing was that the person who had really scared her during that fight had been Seryu. Indeed, contrary to her behavior during the patrol, her new comrade had been cruel as well as looking like a psychopath.

"Where did I fall?" She wanted to know, trembling. "She might kill me too."

"Wendy!" Suddenly shouted a voice.

"Hmm?"

No sooner had she had time to straighten up than her door opened, letting Natsu enter in her bedroom.

"Wendy, are you there?"

"Natsu? But...?"

"Happy was hurt." Shouted the wizard, approaching her. "He doesn't move! Help me, I beg you."

Seeing the cat in his arms, while a big wound crossed his body, Wendy didn't lose a moment, and lit up her hands. Entering the room in turn, Seryu could see Wendy use the spell she had performed on her, in order to soothe her.

"I haven't asked her yet, but what kind of a needle can she have." Seryu wondered. "She doesn't have anything like that on her! Would she be able to do this... on her own?"

Using all of her magical power, Wendy tried to perform a miracle to revive Happy. Praying, Natsu begged God or anyone else to save his friend.

"Come on, Happy! Don't give up! Come on, my friend! I know you can do it! Hang on, I beg you!"

Nevertheless, the seconds began to pass, and his friend's condition did not improve.

"Wake up, damn it!" Natsu cried out, sobbing again. "You don't have the right to die! We have to go back to Fairy Tail... all of us!"

Stopping then, Wendy finally said.

"It's over, Natsu!"

Then freezing, Natsu remained silent for a few moments, before retorting.

"No, that... that can't be true."

"Natsu, I..."

"Happy can't be dead." Natsu roars, taking his friend's body in his arms. "He can't be ... He can't be ... !"

"Natsu!" Called him Wendy. "I just finished treating him. "

"Huh?"

Moaning suddenly in pain, Happy let out a complaint, despite still being unconscious. But this simple gesture showed that he was still alive.

"That was just ." Wendy said. "Nevertheless, it looks like I acted in time! I couldn't treat him completely, so you'll have to take him somewhere so he can get..."

Having no time to finish talking, Wendy suddenly found herself hugging Natsu while the man cried out.

"Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Wendy."

Hearing him crying with joy, Wendy patted him on the back to calm him down a little. Then, a few seconds later, she said.

"Natsu! Citizens can't come here in the middle of the night! You have to leave before you get into trouble."

"She's right." Seryu agreed. "Now that your cat is safe, you have to leave before lieutenant Furick sees you."

"Alright!" Assured Natsu, getting up then. "I don't want to get you into trouble! By the way, Wendy, is everything okay here?"

Hearing him ask this question, Wendy hesitated for a few moments. She wanted to tell him that she needed to be by his side to be reassured. That Seryu was now scaring her and that she missed Fairy Tail more than anything. Nevertheless, finally displaying a serene smile, she said.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine."

Nodding his head, Natsu finally said.

"Very well! In that case, I am reassured! Thanks again for Happy."

Leaving then, he left with Seryu, leaving Wendy alone in her room, fighting the desire to go away with him.

Once back in the corridor, Seryu walked as smoothly as possible, while telling Natsu.

"Don't wake up the sergeants and the lieutenant! Otherwise I'll get a hell of a soap."

Stopping to follow her, Natsu suddenly bent down and cried out.

"Thank you! It's thanks to you that Happy was saved in time! Thank you for what you did."

"It's my job!" Seryu said. "Justice wants..."

"Justice has nothing to do with your decisions." Natsu said suddenly. "People who respect justice could have let me down, like the two guards! You're the only one who chose to help me! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Uh, I...! You're welcome."

Finding himself outside, Natsu came out of the barracks and began to move away, turning back to Seryu.

"I'm indebted to you! So, if you have a problem and you meet me, don't hesitate to tell me."

"It's mine to say that, not the other way around." Seryu assured, doing her military salute, at the same time as Koro. "Justice always protects the citizens."

"Very well! Thank you for what you did."

"Uh, just a minute."

"Hmm?" Natsu said.

"Just... what can Wendy do, with the wind and all, how can she do it?" Wanted to know Seryu.

Smiling at her, Natsu set his finger on fire, saying.

"We're magician! That's all!"

"Magician?"

"Come on, see you next time!"

As he was leaving, he turned a corner before being caught by Lily, who took him away.

"So, we escaped the catastrophe." Najenda remarked, while Night Raid was in the base infirmary.

"Happy almost died and Gajeel is in a bad state." Said Sheele.

"I'm fine!" Replied the man.

Yet, lying in bed, the man wore a multitude of bandages due to his fight with Zank.

"Did you manage to beat him?" Natsu asked him.

Looking away, the man mumbled.

"Well, in fact..."

"He was saved by Tatsumi." Suddenly Mine laughed. "From what I understand, after you left, he fought against Zank! Nevertheless, his enemy had managed to take the advantage by reading Gajeel's thoughts, while hurting him little by little! And at the moment of delivering the final blow, Tatsumi had arrived and managed to block Zank's dagger."

"Oh!" Natsu said. "Well done Tatsumi! So, you managed to defeat him?"

"Not really!" The boy confessed. "In fact, to tell the truth, he dominated me in a matter of moments and it was Akame who had to take over and kill him."

"And now, we have Zank's teigu." Said Lubbock, glad he didn't fight the man. "He'll be a great help to us for later! At least, if we find a match."

Hearing Zank's death, Natsu couldn't help but smile a little, while staring at Happy's body, lying in bed and still unconscious. Yet, deep inside, he felt a deep disgust at the thought of rejoicing over someone's death.

So, as he walked away, he said.

"I'm going to walk a little."

Seeing him come out like that, with his eyes downcast, Najenda decided to get up and follow him. Once outside, she called out to him and asked.

"Are you all right?"

"Not really." The magician confessed to her. "I ... I don't know where I am anymore."

Leaning against a wall, he let himself fall to the bottom of it, while affirming.

"When I used to fight, it was just to beat up an opponent and try to reason with him! Under no circumstances did I want to kill those I was fighting! But now, with what happened during the fight and Happy's injury, I feel happy when I hear that Zank is dead."

Looking at Najenda, he asked her.

"Is it normal to feel that way?"

Suddenly taking the back of his head, Najenda folded his face against her abdomen. This gesture was similar to Erza's. However, not wearing any armor, Najenda didn't knock Natsu unconscious in any way. Moreover, she exclaimed.

"Natsu, it's normal to blame someone bad! It's normal to feel joy when they've done something bad to someone close to you! What you felt is something human! Nevertheless, it shouldn't go too far! You shouldn't enjoy killing people over and over again! Happy is now avenged, so you have no reason to take your anger out on someone."

"Yes!" He said, clenching his fist. "Still, I can't help thinking that all this is because of unhealthy people, who keep corrupting others! If this prime minister hadn't sent so many people to prison to be executed, Zank might have been able to keep a sane mind."

"Natsu, even if this was caused by someone else, Zank is responsible for his actions! Take Bulat's example! Even though he worked for the Empire, he discovered the corruption there and joined us of his own free will! Zank didn't do any of this! Even when he discovered the evil that reigned there, he himself began his reign of terror! He's no one to be pitied."

"Hey, Natsu!" Leone suddenly cried out.

Running towards the boy, she held a small ball of blue hair in her hands, while she said, in a sleepy voice.

"Where's my morning fish?"

Recognizing this voice, Natsu immediately got up, while Leone introduced him to Happy.

"Tadam! Look who's awake!"

Remaining motionless, Natsu looks at his partner, while the cat recovers his spirits. Finally remembering what had happened, the Exceed declared.

"There was no reason to worry Natsu! You know very well that I wouldn't die for so little! After all, we promised each other we'd go back to Fairy Tail, didn't we?"

As he hugged him, Natsu found him hard to hold back his sobs, as he ordered.

"Don't ever do that to me again, you stupid cat! Don't do that to me again."

"Natsu?"

"Never leave me alone." Natsu shouted, holding him tighter.

Feeling tears tingling in his eyes as well, Happy raised his hand to repeat the sign of Fairy Tail, all the while shouting.

"Aye, sir!"