edited chapter 2 enjoy
It has been two months since Natsu and Happy headed off on their journey.
In that time, they did continuous training gaining strength with each passing day.
"FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST" he brought his fist hard across the face of the wyvern, effortlessly ending its life.
"Wow, Natsu never thought you take out a wyvern in one hit," Happy cheered.
"Well, that what happens when you train nonstop as we did after my time in prison."
"I hate to say it, but do you think our friends are still alive."
"I don't know Happy, part of me wants to believe they're coming back, but part of me has to accept they might be gone for good"
"That's mature of you, Natsu."
"Hmm, Erza and gramps were always hounding me to grow up. Who would have thought them possibly being killed was the push I needed."
"You're not alone."
"Glad I'm not the only one."
"On to another matter, how are we going to make money since we are not joining a guild so we can train?" Happy asked
"I thought we could do some freelance jobs."
"Freelance jobs?"
"Yeah, it's where we go from town to town to see if there's any job to do."
"But I thought all job requests had to go through the council?"
"Normally, you'd be right, but there are a lot of wizards who don't join guilds for whatever reason to do freelance work."
"So these wizards are what's the word nomadic."
"Yes"
"How do you know all this, Natsu?"
"I was in the magic prison for three months on top of my conversation with Jellal. I had nothing better to do than learning of another way to earn money since we aren't joining a guild any time soon."
"Ahh, so where we heading."
"Not far, about half a day's walk from here."
"That reminds me, how do you know which one to go to."
"During my conversations with Jellal, I learned that towns with a lot of foot traffic generally have more freelance jobs posted the others."
"I guess that makes sense." By the time they made it to the nearest town in the early hours of the night.
"We're finally here!" Natsu said cheerfully
"Are we camping or renting a room?"
"I suppose we can rent a room, buddy."
"Sweet, no more sleeping on the ground!"
The next day
Natsu woke up in the early hours of the morning.
He opens the curtains to see a hue of different blues as the sun sat just under the horizon.
He turns his head to see the sleeping form of Happy at the foot of the bed.
Not wanting to disturb his slumber, he quietly left the room. Then, he trekked to the local pub to see what jobs were available.
When he entered, he's met with a mostly empty bar with only the bartender and a few farmers based on their looks.
"Well, if it isn't Salamander," the bartender declared
All eyes in the bar landed on the dragon slayer resulting in a sheepish grin as he walked over to the bar.
"Yes, I'm Natsu. Don't wear it out."
"Boy, your name has worn off a long time ago from your exploits!"
With a sigh, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," he anticipated.
"So what brings you to our small corner of Fiore," the bartender said.
"I'm looking for work as I'm a freelance wizard now."
"I and many others were wondering what you are going to do after being sentenced to prison. Then there's the dragon attack at I thinks it's tenrou island".
"I would like to join fairy tail again, but I want to get stronger first so that tragedy never happens again."
"I don't blame you."
"I was wondering what jobs you have available for this area."
"The job board is right behind you right side on the front door."
"Thanks"
"No problem, just try not to cause too much damage if one catches your fancy," the bartender said as Natsu walked over to pick a job.
The board in question was precisely like the one at the fairy tail guild even had similar jobs.
"Ok, so we got clearing out a local cave overcrowded with swamp bats for 50,000 jewel. Next, put a stop to some problem wyverns tearing up fields for nesting for 60,000 jewels. Then, finally, bandit clearing near a waterfall for 20,000 jewel,"
There were more jobs available, but those were the only ones that piqued his interest.
He tore off the fliers going back to the bartender. "Hey, where do I go to register them and claim the reward."
"You'd want to go speak with the mayor on the far side of the city."
"Thanks," waving him off.
It took about half an hour, but just outside the mayor's office, he stuck his hand pulling on the door only to find out the door is locked.
"Damn, it should have known considering how early it seems I'll have to head back to the inn," he thought.
Several hours later
Happy was finally waking up.
"I see someone's awake."
Wiping the sleep from his eyes, "so what the plan, Natsu."
"I got us three jobs. One is clearing out wyverns, swamp bat, and bandits."
"So which one are we doing first?"
"Wyverns"
"Aye, Sir"
With Happy in tow, the two walked for about an hour to fields nearing the mountainsides.
With his nose held high, he took a few sniffs of the air.
"They're not far."
"Why are we waiting? Let's go!" he shouts, picking up his slayer bolting towards the wyverns.
After five minutes of flying, they made it to the nesting site.
"drop me down over their"
"Aye, sir," he let go of Natsu.
Natsu landed with a powerful slam into the earth.
Using his heightened senses to guide him, it took him no time at all to find the nest.
He's greeted by the sight of five wyverns sizing him up as a possible threat.
"Based on the scale pattern, their forest wyverns. well, no use standing around better to get this over with."
Not feeling their gaze, one bit Natsu pulled a trick unknowingly out of gildarts playbook letting his magic run wild.
Natsu's body erupted in a ball of fire, engulfing his entire being as he stalked closer and closer to his target.
There would be some concern if these were real flames, but these flames are just manifestations of his magic.
This tactic did the trick as all five wyverns were over stricken with fear as he stepped closer and closer.
"I hate to do this but a job a job," he muttered as he ended the lives of five wyverns.
Happy finally flew down to Natsu, "wow, Natsu, that the first time I've ever seen you do something like that."
"Which part?"
"The part where flames were erupting from your body yet were destroying anything."
"Oh, that part, I was just letting my magic run wild but made sure the flames weren't dangerous."
"Ok, so where to now?"
"Next is the cave, then the bandits."
"Aye, sir."
Over the next two days, Natsu completed all three jobs single-handedly since Happy's not one for combat.
"So how much did we make Natsu."
"130,000 jewel"
"Wow, that should last us a while if we conserve it."
"Yeah, time to move on to the next town."
"Aye, sir."
Two months later
It has been seven months since Natsu and Happy left fairy tail, the last month of spending outside of Fiore.
He left Fiore to train a neighboring country to fight fire-related monsters.
He didn't want to at first; however, the pay was in the millions of jewel.
He wasn't going to turn something like that down.
Now he was back in fiore for the foreseeable future. As for how much he made, well, let's say he'll never have to worry about food money.
Right now, he wasn't his cheerful self. Why? Word finally made it to him about Jellal breaking out of jail.
He didn't know what to think. On the one hand, he wants to help Jellal clear his name and get him out of jail.
On the other, he would have to obey the law and turn him in to carry out his punishment.
They're on their way to visit fairy tail right now to see how far they've come along.
They are walking through worth woodsea when they suddenly heard a loud noise off in the distance.
"What do you think that could be, Natsu?"
"Don't know, but we're going to find out."
With the help of Happy Natsu, I made it there in no time at all.
When they finally made it, the area was overrun with Lahar's members of the magic council battalion.
He looked across from Lahar was Jellal along with a dark pink-haired girl and a woman with raven-colored hair.
After getting a closer look and the woman, he couldn't help but blush slightly while dirty thoughts entered his mind "now's not the time," he thought, clearing his mind.
As his gaze scanned over the scene before him, he realized Lahar lackeys surrounded the trio of mages.
"What's going on here" making his presence known dropped down in between Lahar and Jellal.
"Nothing, just taking Jellal back into custody," Lahar said, adjusting his glasses.
Natsu turns his gaze toward Jellal with a stern expression that told him he has a lot of explaining to do.
"Jellal, as happy as I am to see you again, mind explaining what the hell is going on!"
Lahar was about to speak when Natsu stuck out his finger, telling him to keep his trap shut.
"Well, as you know, Ultear and Meredy are former members of grimoire heart, and I built the tower of heaven. They broke me out of jail so they can have some help. Oh screw it, we all have blood on our hands from our past deeds and were trying to make amends by taking out dark guilds."
"That doesn't sound too bad" he then looked towards Lahar "you and I both know that with two-third of the Bala alliance broken, the dark guild under their control...well, they're no telling what they'll do with the leash around their necks gone!"
"Are we proposing we let them go? They are all wanted criminals even if they are hunting dark guild that does not excuse them from their previous action?" he said, adjusting his glasses.
"Yes."
"I hate to break it to you, but I can not allow that."
"What if I looked after them, be their handler, you know, keep them in line with the law."
Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy had varying levels of shock at the Natsu declaration.
"Natsu, would you do that for us," Jellal thought to himself?
"I knew he was selfless, but I didn't think he'd go this far for us," Ultear thought.
"Guess I shouldn't be surprised this is Natsu after all," Lahar thought "are you saying your willing to accept responsibility for these three"
"Yes"
"You do realize if they break the law, you'll be thrown in prison alongside them for however long they will be"
"I fully understand."
"Give me a few minutes to run this by the council, but I'll warn you they aren't a fan of you, so don't be surprised if they turn this down."
"We won't know until you ask."
Lahar walked away, pulling out a communication lacrima.
"Natsu, why would you-"
"I didn't do this because of you, Jellal. I did it because everyone deserves a second chance, and it's what gramps would have wanted" Jellal could only smile at this.
"Thank you"
"No problem, oh and one more thing," he walked up to Ultear before bringing her into a hug. "I never got to thank you for fixing the village on Galuna island," he said with a massive grin.
Ultear had a slight blush from the hug "your welcome," she struggled to say
Jellal and Meredy traded glances at each other before sharing a smirk. They're going to have fun with this.
"They like each other," Happy said, making his presence known to the two.
"That a bit of stretch, don't you think, but I do agree their something between them," Jellal said
"Ultear never blushed before, let alone from a hug."
"Aren't you the only one giving her hugs?"
"Good point, but I can say for certain it won't be boring with Natsu around."
"Aye, sir" he looks at the Natsu and sees him blushing as well. You have to love a dragon slayer's enhance senses.
"What did they say?" Ultear question though her blush.
"You don't wanna know."
Ultear would continue before realizing Happy was with them, giving her a good idea of what was going on. She then promptly took a step away from Natsu, who mirrored her action.
The trio could only grin at this "definitely gonna have fun with this," Meredy thought.
It was at this time Lahar returned from his conversation with the council.
"They begrudgingly agreed with your reasoning, but there's a catch."
"No surprise here."
"I'm compelled to tell you the only reason they allowed this is you had proven you could handle Jellal when he failed to activate the R system. First, the terms are for you to become an official guild and must abide by the council's rules for all guilds. Second, if any of you break the law in the slightest, all of you, I mean ALL OF YOU, will be sent straight back to prison, mostly like for the rest of your days. Third, you will have a member of the council with you to keep an eye on you. Fourth, someone will have to be your guild master, and since Natsu here is the only one who paid his debt to society, he by default is your guild master" Lahar glared daggers at the three criminals during the last term of their freedom.
"Ok, anything else, and which council member will be with us."
"Me" everyone looks to voice and see none other than Doranbolt.
"Yes, well, Doranbolt has a history with your former guild. The council thought it was best to have someone you know to stay with you."
"Fine by me."
Lahar walked up to Ultear "you possess time magic. Knowing Natsu's destructive tendencies. I suggest you stick to him like glue. He's bound to destroy something important!"
He promptly left with the rest of his battalion. Leaving behind Natsu as his new guild members.
Ultear walked up to Natsu with a firm expression "just to set the record straight. I'm not your personal maid, so don't even think about going overboard because I can fix it, do I make myself clear!" she said with fire in her eyes.
Natsu being Natsu, just laughed as the woman glared.
"What so funny?" she said firmly.
"You don't have to worry about that. I've had plenty and a very long conversation with Jellal when I was in prison with him."
"Hmm," she walked away toward Meredy.
"What crawled up her pants and died" Natsu wipers to Jellal
"In my experience, it's better to let sleeping dogs lie."
"What did I ever do to her?"
"A few days after your fight with her on galuna. her face swelled up, and she has yet to forgive you."
"One, she was the enemy, and two, what does that have to do with anything."
"Natsu, there is something about women we guys will never understand best to just leave it for now."
"Believe me. I know you're not the one who grew up with Erza, Remember."
"Touche, my friend."
"So what do we do now," Meredy said
"We head to the nearest council's outpost and register all of you," Doranbolt informed.
"Looks like our plan not to join a guild went out the window Natsu."
"I said we wouldn't join one, but it looks like we are forming one."
"Aye, sir."
"Ok, what about a name for the guild," Natsu asked.
"Way ahead of you, the name of our guild is called Crime Sorcery master Natsu," Jellal informed with a grin.
"I don't think I'll get used to this"
"Well, you better Natsu since your their only option," Dornabolt added.
"Just Natsu is fine. No need to be formal," he said with a sigh.
"Well, let's head out."
The group of wizards made to the nearest council outpost to register their guild.
Natsu is filling out the paperwork to be a guild master with Ultear, who is reluctantly helping him as she is a former member of the council.
Much to her dismay, Natsu got the bright idea for her to be his assistant or second in command.
She didn't want to do it but wasn't given a chance as both Jellal and doranbolt refused, and Meredy is too young, and Happy is well Happy.
"Crap" Natsu shouts
"What" getting everyone's attention.
"We need a base to call home; I can't even begin to guess where to set it up."
Wanting to help Natsu Happy through in his two jewel in "What about Magnolia?"
"That is an option, but I don't want to bother them with us, and can a town have two guilds in it."
"Yes," Ultear And Doranbolt said in unison.
"it doesn't have to be permanent. You can have the guild be station in Magnolia temporarily till you guys get settled as a guild," Doranbolt informed.
"I suppose that could work, but what about you? are you a member of our guild or part of the council."
"I can be both if you want. It could give you some leverage as far as the council is concerned."
"If you want to."
"Then I will as it will help make amends for everything I've done to fairy tail."
"Glad to have you onboard, Doranbolt," he said with a grin holding his hand out.
"My pleasure," he shook Natsu's hand firmly.
"I assume you guys have an emblem?"
"Yes, we do," Meredy informed
With the help of her magic, Ultear put their emblem on Happy's back in black and Natsu and Doranbolt right shoulder in red.
After another 10 minutes, Natsu finished all the paperwork, and now they are an official guild.
All that was left was setting up a temporary base in Magnolia until they could find a more permanent location.
Later that night
They could have had Doranbolt teleport them to Magnolia, but Natsu being the guild master, decided to walk mainly to give him time to break the news to fairy tail.
While everyone was fast, asleep Natsu decided to go for a walk unknown to him. However, two of his members were still awake and decided to follow him.
"Jellal, you sure this is a good idea."
"Natsu is hiding something, and I want to know why."
They followed silently for who knows how long till Natsu stood in front of a cave.
"Don't bother hiding. I know you're there!"
The two walked out of the bushes, standing before their guild master.
"What is it you wouldn't have followed me if you didn't have a reason to."
"Your hiding something, and we want to know why."
"Was it that obvious?"
"You do a bad job hiding something you don't want people to know, especially from people as experienced as us, Natsu," Ultear informed
"And here I was hoping to get one past, you guys."
"Spill it," she said
"I'm just hoping I'm not making a mistake" he has a rare serious expression" I stuck my neck out for you guys. Don't make me regret it," he said sternly.
Jellal and Ultear couldn't help but cringe at this, no matter how you slice it. They were in Natsu debt, a debt they are damn well determined to pay off.
"You don't have to worry. We won't let this opportunity go to waste."
His expression changed to his carefree counterpart. "I have to worry. I'm your guild master now," he said
"We know you'll be the best guild master we could hope for," she said.
"Thanks, Ultear. That means a lot coming from you. After all, you're my second in command," he said with a smirk.
"Well, thank you, Natsu. Why did you come here."
Natsu turned his gaze towards the cave "this is the cave where I spent my first memories with Igneel, you know the rest."
"Really!" Jellal, with a hint of surprise
"Yes, I come every so often to reaffirm my beliefs, making sure all my decisions in life are the right ones," he said with a small smile, glancing at the two of them.
"Is that why were walking to Magnolia?" she said
"Yes, this was on the way."
"Does anyone else know this?" she said
"Only Happy and gramps knew. I made sure no one else from fairy tail knew about this."
"Why?"
"This place is sacred to me. No one should know about it. I TRUST you two can keep it that way."
With a smile, she didn't know she had "I-we will"
Curiosity getting the better of him, Jellal had to ask, "When was the last time you were here."
"Jellal, that kind of rude, don't you think" Ultear berated.
"It's cool Ultear, the last time I was well, two times were because of you, Jellal."
"How?" he immediately regretted that know what he meant when he said it.
"After the tower of heaven and nirvana, I took a solo job with Happy, of course, and stopped by here."
"Guess we all need a place like this," Ultear hummed.
"Sorry this one is taken," he jokingly said, getting chuckles all around.
"Well, you don't have to worry about that then," Jellal informed
"Well, let's get back. It's getting late."
The three-headed back to camp and called it a night.
For whatever reason, Ultear slept next to Natsu, a fair way away but close.
The next morning
Natsu was the first to wake up. First, he looks to one side sees the forest. Then, he looks to the other and finds ultear.
Apparent during the night curled up to him, not physically touching him but only a few inches away from him.
"She is beautiful," he whispered, not wanting everyone to get the wrong idea about them.
He sat at the base of a nearby tree waiting for everyone to wake up.
After thinking it over, Ultear must have curled up to him because of the naturally high body heat he gives off, thanks to his magic.
