Natsu appreciated Lucy comforting him in that moment but he didn't want to burden her with his problems not to mention he had to meet Gray later today so kept his breakdown short.

"You alright?" Lucy asked him.

"I'm fine." He assured her. "Thanks for being nice to me during my brief moment of pain."

"Well you were nice to me during mine so I returned the favor." She said. "Are you going to be okay? Do you want me to go home with you?"

"No I'll be okay. I have to meet with Gray now so I'll see you around?"

"Sure."

The two parted ways and Natsu left to meet Gray. They changed into their alter egos and once again searched the city for Laxus. During the search they each took time to check up on Glidarts, Ur, Juvia, and Erza to make sure that Laxus hadn't of attacked them. They were all still safe but it didn't ease their fears. It was unbearable how they kept constantly fearing what Laxus could and would do to the people they cared for. When Natsu wore the symbiote it corrupted him but because Natsu was a empathetic and caring there was some hesitation in certain moments of violence and he had come to his senses once he realized he had gone too far. But Laxus lacked empathy and didn't really care for anyone meaning that as long as that symbiote was on him there would be no hesitation or returning to the senses. He would show no mercy.

"This is all my fault." Natsu said to Gray. "I should have listen to you and Erza, Gray. I should have never worn that stuff for as long as I did. I should have gotten rid of it immediately."

"Blaming will not solve our problem here." Gray said. "We just need to find Laxus and get the symbiote off him. Although I'm not entirely sure how we're going to pull off that last part."

"Aren't waves a weakness to that goop?"

"Yeah but how are we going to get Laxus to hold still long enough to produce the waves and pull the symbiote off? Because I can tell you right now he's not just going to hold still and let someone remove it for him. You didn't."

"But I did remove it myself."

"And you think he'll do that?"

"Maybe, if we can reach him and help him realize what's really happening to him. Tell him that the symbiote is only using him and eating away at his brain."

"I don't think that'll work. I told you what that stuff was really doing to you but you didn't believe me."

"Can't hurt to try to reason with him right?"

"Actually yes it can. Need I remind you that you tried to kill me when I used reason."

"Excuse me but that happened when you tried to forcibly remove the suit."

"Whatever, the point is Laxus has always hated us and has never once hesitated to cause us physical harm. Reason will not reach him."

"Let's just try it. Next time we see him, we don't fight. We just talk to him."

"Fine but before we do can you give me a minute to say goodbye to my aunt? Because I know that if we do this I will most likely not come back alive."

"Don't be so dramatic."

They searched for Laxus for hours but at long last they found him. But it turns out he had planned for them to find him.

"Took you long enough." He said. "And here I thought nerds were never late."

"We're not here to fight you Laxus." Natsu said. "We just wanna talk."

"We told you morons that we're not Laxus! We're Black Dragon!"

"Well whoever you are you have to listen to us. Thatsymbiote you're wearing is dangerous."

"Is that right?" He said clearly not convinced.

"Yes! It's like a parasite! It chooses a host and then feeds off of it!"

"If you keep that stuff on your body for too long it'll takeover you and you'll go brain dead." Gray explained.

"We suspected that you would try to tell us lies."

"It's the truth!" Natsu said. "It almost destroyed me! So I took it off!"

"Almost destroyed you? Is that it? Or was it that you couldn't handle the power?"

"Is that what thesymbiote is telling you? That I didn't appreciate it's gifts? That I wasn't man enough for it's strength and abilities? Because it's all a lie! It was eating away at my mind and it's doing the same to you!"

"Why should we believe anything you tell us? You've only gone out your way to destroy us!"

"Well thesymbiote yes but not you! Laxus I can't say that I've always liked you but that doesn't mean I want you to end being a flesh puppet to alien slime!"

"Shut up! Stop calling us Laxus! And enough of your lies! We know that you'd never really try to help us! But if you're so sure we're sick then maybe we should get a second opinion on this little diagnosis of yours. A professional's opinion. Like maybe that smokin doctor friend of yours."

"We won't let you get anywhere near Erza!" Natsu said protectively.

They lunged to grab Laxus from different sides but he jumped out of the way causing both heroes crash into each other. Black Dragon let out a vicious and inhuman chuckle as he watched their blunder, taking great amusement on how he seemed to be one step ahead of them.

"We have an illness and you don't want us to see the good doctor? Some heroes you two are." He mocked. "But fine. She's not our only target. Afterall..."

His gaze was directed straight at Natsu.

"We know who you love the most."

He was off after that. As expected they chased him but like before they lost his trail.

"I told you there was no reasoning with him." Gray told his partner.

"Gray, he said that his next target would be the person I loved most." Natsu said getting worried. "Who could he be talking about? The person I love most is my father and he's dead."

"He mentioned going after Erza but said he changed his mind. Still he could have been lying."

"Or maybe he meant Gildarts."

"Let's split up and go check on them. I'll go look in on Erza, you watch Gildarts. If anything happens we call it each other."

"Right!"

Gray headed for Erza's apartment and Natsu went to the hospital where Gildarts was visiting his daughter. About an hour later Lucy had finished some after school studying at the library and decided to go home. She hailed a taxi, one stopped for her, and she got inside.

"Where to Miss?" The driver asked.

"Strawberry Street please." She answered.

However during the car ride she noticed that none of the areas the vehicle past were familiar to her and it didn't look like they were going anywhere near Strawberry Street.

"Excuse me sir." She said to the driver. "I think you might have made a wrong turn."

"No I haven't."

"But I'm positive this isn't the way to Strawberry Street."

"I know. It's not."

"But I wanted to go to Strawberry Street."

"I heard you but we're not going there."

"What's going here? Where are you taking me?"

"Relax Miss Heartfilia."

"How do you know my name? Nevermind! Stop this car! I want to get out!"

The taxi stopped but before Lucy could open the door and leave a black, ooze covered hand was slammed over her mouth and pushed her roughly back into the seat. To her horror, she saw that the driver was actually Black Dragon.

"Sorry blondie but you and I have a double date this afternoon."