White Eclipse

Chapter 21

A day has passed. Though everything has died down, questions were being raised on what was going on between the dark mages, and Fiore.

"A dragon!?" Natsu quickly jumped up from his seat. "Where!? When!?"

"Natsu! Down!" Makarov walks into the middle of the guild with a stern look on his face. "After what happened with Acnologia back during the S class exams, and the massacre after the games. I don't want anyone here chasing dragons for any reason! Do I make myself clear, Natsu!?"

Natsu slams his hands on the table. "Screw that! This is my chance! That dragon could lead me to Igneel!"

"Natsu! This isn't up for debate!"

"I know it isn't! That's why I'm going!"

The entire guild watches in suspense as Natsu dares to defy and hold his ground against Master Makarov. "Going against master is not a man." Elfman muttered.

"All I've wanted was to find Igneel! You're not gonna stop me from that!"

Natsu screamed out. "I'm not going to tell you again Natsu! You're not chasing after a dragon! Now you can listen to what I say and stop being a best dammit! Or you can leave this guild with no intention of coming back!

The guild was in complete shock now as whispers and murmurs were heard all around.

"Master that isn't necessary." Erza spoke, but Makarov merely stuck his arm out to silence Erza, and to show he wasn't kidding.

"Natsu..." Lucy and Happy looked on, waiting for Natsu's decision.

"Just drop it flame brain." Gray called out from the right.

Gajeel took a few steps forward, now standing with his arms crossed. "There's something's you just gotta let go Salamander. This is one of them."

Natsu bared his teeth in frustration. He then turns to the job board and grabs a random job without even looking and starts walking out the guild.

"Natsu!" Happy begins flying towards the door , but it slams in his face.

"Natsu.."

"Just give him time to cool off Happy." Erza stated. "Maybe a solo job will be good for him."

"Aye...sir.." Happy sniffles, feeling bad about Natsu as he stares at the door, hoping for him to come back for his partner...

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Aira was seen sitting alone, looking out the window of the guild. She sighed as she continued to look out into the snow and mountains. Jaxon and Zain were sharing a laugh from a conversation, when he spotted Aira from the corner of his eye. Jaxon walks over to sit across from Aira. They exchange smiles, Jaxon's was obviously brighter. "What's wrong Aira."

Aira slowly shakes her head, still smiling a bit. "Nothing really...it's just. I feel bad for not being able to help Taya by myself. I needed Wendy and that Chelia girl's help. And then Chelia lasted longer than any of us. Is there really that much stronger wind users?"

"Yes." Jaxon replied. "But they're only temporary. It's up to you to get stronger than them. You can do it. You're White Eclipse after all!"

Aira simply nods. But she agreed. "I guess sitting here isn't going to help any huh?"

"Listen up!" Reve takes center stage as everyone turns to the gunslinger.

"Now that Taya is okay, we can go back to what we're supposed to be doing. As I look around, I realize this guild is kind of crowded feel me? It's time to train. In less than a year the Grand Magic Games come around in full circle. On that day, we'll take what's ours! Until then. Go out and train like your life depended on it, because your guild's name does! For now until the games, unless the job says otherwise, anyone who goes on a job, has to go alone for better training. I don't care who you train with, but that's the job rule until it's time for the Games. Now, lets prepare to show them why it's White Eclipse or second place!"

Nearly all of the guild erupts in cheers.

"Hey Jack!"

"Hm?" Jack Royal turns to Zalen who was walking up to him. Zalen bows in respect like he would do to any one older or someone he respected to that level. "You're still joining the games right?"

"I really didn't want to, Zalen, but after what I heard happened last time, I have to." Jack takes another chug of the alcohol in his hand before finishing his statement. "The preliminaries.. That's too embarrassing. So yeah, I'll join. If I don't get cut by some of these newbies." Jack give a boisterous laugh while Zalen smiles.

"Taking a job already?" Selene looks over at Tak who was in the midst of pulling off a job flyer.

"Might as well. I like the idea of a solo job. Gives me a chance to learn to watch my own back."

"That's a good point, but I'll stay around the guild for a while and train."

"Suit yourself." Takeru gives Selene a salute as he begins heading out the door.

"You're not gonna pack anything to take with you?" Selene called out, but Takeru was already out the door.

Skye skips over to Kairi and Kai, who were sitting in what now seems their usual seats.

"So what are you two gonna do?" Skye asked.

Kairi shrugs. "Train? Hopefully make a team for the games. I wouldn't mind representing, but there's heavy competition. So training and jobs is all we can do."

"What she said." Kai responded. "There's heavy competition here just to be an alternate, let alone make the team."

"There's no limit to alternates though." Skye replied.

"And? That's the point. Anyone can be picked, so why us? That's why I'm gonna work hard." Kairi stood up after her words and began to walk to her room. "So starting tomorrow, I'll do some serious training."

"How serious? And why tomorrow?" Sidney appeared right in front of Kairi. Kairi falls back to her rear from Sidney scaring her out of her mind. "D-don't do that!"

"I can feel it. You have a powerful soul, so I want to see if your magic can back up what your soul feels. So how about a spar in a bit?"

"But..you're the ace here.." Kairi looks around a bit, to see if anyone was gonna come for her "rescue." No one moved, only watched.

"It's just a spar. I want harm you...much." Sidney then disappears in a white cloud of smoke, appearing beside Jack at the bar.

Jack merely smirks, now intoxicated completely. "Always scaring the kids neh?"

"Just want to see the new members in action Jack. Would be ashamed if they got lost in the shuffle.

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"Erza where are you going?" Lucy asked as she walked up to the S class Mage who was holding a job flyer.

"I decided to take a solo S class job. I feel it would be good training to go alone this time. Like what Natsu just did." Erza smiles at Lucy and gives a salute.

"Gihe, I like that idea. Solos and training." Gajeel smirks as he head nods to Pantherlily. "Come on Lily, lets get some training in."

"Hai!" Lily nods as well as he hops down from the bar and begins walking out with Gajeel.

"Solo missions and training huh?" Lucy pondered the memories of last years Games and came to the conclusion that she too needed some alone training. "I guess that sounds like a good idea. I'll join the wave!"

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Natsu stood in front of the train, wincing and wobbling before he even stepped foot on the train. His job required a three hours train ride, and he quickly regrets it.

"Maybe I should..."

"Afraid... of a little..transportation, Salamander?" Takeru appeared next to Natsu, also shaking from the thought of transportation.

"You!" Natsu points at Takeru. "What are you doing here!?"

"Just going on a job. You?" Takeru replies in a calm manner.

"Aye, same." The two dragon slayers begin to stare each other down.

"What's your job...?" Takeru asked, getting a bad feeling that today was not going to be a good day.

They both hold up their flyers. [Help wanted: Ancient artifact stolen from Fiore Bay city museum. Please see caretaker for more information.]

"..."

"..."

Takeru sighs... "I saw this coming. Look, Natsu, I know our /treaty/ says that we can't dispute. And I know you're not gonna just go home. So I-"

As Takeru turns, he sees that Natsu was standing on the train steps as it begins to slowly take off.

Natsu waves as it begins moving. Takeru begins walking until he's beside Natsu as the train slowly picks up speed.

"Natsu...move."

"Nuh uh! No fighting!" Natsu smiles from ear to ear as Takeru starts to jog to keep up with the train.

"I swear if you don't move I will push through you, Salamander."

Natsu continues smiling...until the train hits it's first bump. In a flash, Natsu goes blue in the face as he weakly wobbles around, trying to stay up on his feet.

"HA!" Takeru takes this opportunity and jumps in through Natsu. He smirks as he holds on to him, but then quickly hunches over as he too feels the effect of motion sickness.

"L-let go of me!" Natsu tries to push off of Tak but he has no strength. With another bump of the train, the two go tumbling towards the back of the train. They both land ok a seat on top of each other, until Takeru pushes Natsu off of him, and into the seat across from him. Natsu lands in the seat. Sitting next to Natsu, who was already in the seat before the struggle, was Fiore's renowned blonde haired white dragon slayer, Sting. He was hunched over from the motion sickness, holding his stomach like Takeru, while Natsu held his head back in distress.

Sting looks over to his right after noticing who landed next to him. "N-Natsu-San?"

Natsu forces himself to fight through the sickness as he looks over at Sting. "Sting? W-where are you headed."

Sting grins as he holds up the exact same flyer that Takeru and Natsu had.

"Of course you are." Takeru responded.

"What?" Sting asked. "You guys too?"

They both nod in unison. Sting then grins, but goes back to holding his stomach before he speaks again.

"That's fine.. A little competition on the job we'll be fun." Sting then turns to Takeru. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure we've properly met yet. I'm Sting. Sting Eucliffe. One of Sabertooth's twin dragon slayers."

"That's nice." Takeru responded. Sting blinks. "Umm..yeah. And you are?"

"Takeru."

"No last name?"

"L-last name isn't important."

"He's from...White Eclipse." Natsu spews out as he hunches over as well.

"Oh! S-so you're...you're from the guild that everyone's hearing about. Nice! That's how Sabertooth got started as well."

"Don't compare us, we're ...obviously better."

"Oh!? Well we'll find out later won't we!?"

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"Fire make: Knuckles!" Kuro slams his right fist into a giant boulder placed in front of him. The boulder smashes into big pieces as Kuro stands there, panting.

"Not bad. You're getting there." Daityas stood with his arms crossed, observing Kuro as he trains. "Take a quick break and we'll try again."

"Hai! Thanks again for helping me train Dait! I'm sure you could have better things to do right now."

Daityas shrugged. "Eh. I have a lot of free time now a days. Don't make a deal out of it." Kuro nods as he behind rotating his shoulder. "Okay! Lets try this again!" He slams his palms together as a magic circle appears. "Fire make: knuckles!" As fiery fists appear over Kuro's normal ones, he rears back a right fist and slams it into another boulder. The boulder again breaks into pieces. Daityas watches as he begins thinking to himself. "That's right..get nice and strong Kuro. I may have plans for you later on in your life. And when the time comes. I will call on you." Daityas can't help but smirk at his own thoughts. Kuro notices, but believes it's for a different reason. "Was that good!?"

"Huh?" Daityas snaps out of his own thoughts and returns to Kuro. "Oh, yeah, great job. Lets call it a day. We'll pick up tomorrow, same time alright?"

"Hai!"