Hey everybody! This is the crossover between myself and unknown legion so I hope you all enjoy it! Now, this takes place immediately where he left off and will deal with a universe he created. Also, I'm thinking of making a small story that follows 'Last of Us' Natsu and Asuka as they rebuild their lives and go on a few adventures. Obviously this is just an idea right now but it could happen I suppose. ANYWOO! I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter! READ! REVIEW! AND ENJOY!
The Shattered
Universe 132-F Fairy Tail Guild Hall July 23rd Year 785
Natsu was still holding onto the crying version of Happy as all the doubles stood around looking at their surroundings, trying to come to terms with this new situation. Bisca had walked past them, heading to the kitchen to help Mira and the other women to cook some meals for the mages. The sounds of sizzling meat and the clinking of pots and pans were soon heard as the second Erza walked forward with tears in her eyes.
They were like rivers, flowing down her soft cheeks as she embraced the bearded man without hesitation, almost squishing Natsu in the process.
"N..Natsu…You…your alive" She sniffled as the man slowly patted her back.
"What do I do? This is the second version of Erza I've met in two weeks…but this one has obviously lost some friends"
Finally deciding, Natsu just didn't say anything as the red head cried onto his shoulder for a few minutes as the guild watched the scene play out. Finally releasing her grasp, Erza backed away as Grey walked up with a small smile. Evergreen, Laki, and Kinana were in his wake with tears in their eyes as well.
"Hey man…even though the beard is weird…it's good to see you again" Grey said with some emotion as he extended his hand. Clasping it, the two shook as Natsu gave a small nod to the ice user. They were men…they wouldn't hug…but a handshake would do.
"Hey Natsu! That is one stylish beard! It's even better than mine" Gildarts said loudly as he came up, slapping the fire mage on the back with a big grin. Even though they had just arrived from a meteor blasted landscape, the crash mage was excited to see his adoptive son again alive and well.
Nodding, Natsu had to agree with Gildarts on that…it was stylish. Hearing the thumping of footfalls as he continued to hold Happy in his arms, the two men watched as Grey ran up to his new double, pointing an accusing finger.
"Just so you know other me! Grey won't let you have her! NATSUMI IS MINE! Grey will give her many lovely children in the future!" The love sick man shouted out at his double that was now sitting with Evergreen, Laki, and Kinana at a table nearby.
"What…the fuck?" the newest ice mage uttered in confusion and horror.
"Don't play dumb with me! I know she's beautiful and sexy, but I will win her heart!"
"Be quiet you idiot! They don't need your level of stupidity right now! And besides, Natsumi isn't even in this universe right now!" Asuka yelled at the stripper before punching him in the face and sending him flying against the wall like a missile. Hearing a dull thud, the man slid down into blissful unconsciousness as the newcomers looked at the fourteen year old in a new light.
"Is…Is that Asuka?" Levy whispered in awe as she sat with Lisanna, Pantherlily, Laxus, Wendy and Carla at their new table near their own selves.
"Yeah, She's Natsu's kid…well adopted daughter but she might as well be" the other lightning mage explained with his team standing nearby as they looked at the fourteen year old once more who had a small grin on her face.
"Uh…I have to admit that was a pretty good punch" the second Lisanna said as she leaned against her boyfriend for support. "This is…so weird! Yesterday we were living on an abandoned farm and now we meet our doubles and a fourteen year old Asuka!"
"I don't get it. I see Alzack right over there. Did Bisca and Alzack have a divorce? But they're not old enough to have a daughter this old…" Kinana asked as she sat close to Grey, seeking his comfort as her own double cooked in the kitchen on their meals.
"Natsu. I think it's best if we just explain everything to them and they can do the same" Makarov said from his seat at the bar. "My poor children…even if they are from a different world I have to do my best to establish a better life for them…"
"Yeah…that would be the easiest option" The bearded man gruffed out as he took Happy and set him on the table near Erza, Mira, and Cana. Noticing the closeness of the three women, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something more as Mira comforted the blue cat.
Walking back to the center of the guild, Natsu sat on the table top of a wooden surface as he rested his feet on the bench. Glancing as Asuka and his own Happy that were close by, the man gave a small nod as the rumbling of conversation died down among the newcomers.
"Alright. To put it simply, myself, Asuka, and Happy are not from this universe. We were rescued by Mira just like you all were…and not to sound like a dick, but your all pretty lucky"
"How can you say we're lucky? We lost…so many friends and loved ones" Laki asked as she sat next to Evergreen.
"Because you still have each other despite the calamity that befell your world" He replied harshly, making some of the women flinch at his tone before he continued. "In mine, a plague ravaged the population and just…killed everybody. Lucy and Juvia…Gildarts and Cana…Erza and Lisanna…I lost my whole family to that horrible disease…and before she died, Bisca made me promise to protect Asuka…to keep her alive and safe" He paused, taking a deep breath as the memories came roaring back. The pain and sorrow…the sheer heartbreak of those horrible days filled with death and loss. "I…had to bury everybody….and it broke me. The only thing that kept me going was Asuka and Happy"
"That's…horrible" Cana whispered from her table with Mira and Erza. Glancing at her own double at the bar, the brunette returned her attention to the man before them all.
"It gets worse…" Asuka told them all as she sat with Happy in her lap. Blinking heavily as she remembered the hell that was her life. "It was a few weeks after all our friends died…Natsu…he had made the guild hall a shelter for other survivors. We gathered food and weapons…medicine and water…anything that could be useful" She whispered as the girl clutched Happy close as she took another deep breath. "The infected came that night. Staggering and covered with spores. Turns out, not everybody stayed dead….Magnolia became a killing field as they tore and ate the others. The three of us and a few other survivors managed to escape…but they would end up dead too. As time went on and the months passed, humanity broke. Kindness and mercy…were non existent. I…killed a man when I was ten…for a case of clean water" She finished as Natsu set a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Everything failed…power grids…water and sanitation…wide spread looting for simple supplies. And people turned feral…some even went cannibal and hunted others…I've killed a few of them. And that was our life for five years. Surviving day to day…scavenging what we could and trying to stay alive from other humans and the walker's" He finished as the newcomers remained silent.
"No wonder he said we were lucky…" Mira stated sadly as her double came out with a few plates of food. Setting it down, Mira tried to smile up at her own twin as steam wafted off the meal.
"He's…rough around the edges…and won't hesitate to kill. But he still is a good person…I can tell. Plus, Asuka is adorable" M.J. replied as she set another plate near Erza and Cana. Walking away as Bisca came out with more food, the gun mage set the plates down near Grey and his circle of ladies as Kinana did the same with Laxus and the others.
"So…um…what's the deal with this Natsumi girl?" Evergreen asked the salmon haired man who grunted out at the question.
"I haven't actually met her yet. She apparently dates a different version of me and is currently fighting some subterranean monsters in universe one thirty seven C. Erza and Levy explained how it works out…at least she isn't dating that fool over there" Natsu pointed to the still knocked out Grey.
"Have to agree with that one…" Fullbuster agreed as Scarlet spoke up between bites of her meal. Turns out many of the mages were famished and were inhaling the meals before them.
"How…how long have you and Asuka been living in this universe?" the red head asked quietly. "Zombies and cannibals! For five years after losing everything! The nightmares he must have…"
"Just a few weeks. I've started doing jobs again. Going to build a house for myself, Asuka and Happy…the missions are pretty easy though"
"Excuse me! I just had a knife to my throat a few hours ago! And they said my boobs were fake! My girls are real!" Cana shouted with a hint of annoyance to her future boyfriend as she nursed a drink in her hand.
"You got a bit careless by not killing them while they were down. Besides, your boobs are fine" Natsu said with a wave of his hand, not caring if the brunette mis-interpreted or not.
"Did he finally notice how banging awesome they are?" Cana asked herself as she turned away, a small hint of blush to her cheeks as the new mages listened to the conversation while eating.
"Does…Cana like this version of Natsu? Based on what we just learned, it's completely understandable. Strong, brave…obviously intelligent and good with kids…" Evergreen thought as she glanced at her double that was glancing at the fire mage. "Hmmm…her too…" the earth user figured out quickly as she scanned the room. Turns out, many of the women had been stealing glances at Natsu the whole time…but the man either didn't care or just wasn't interested. Taking another bite of her breaded chicken, Evergreen gave a small nod as the juicy meat was chewed. "In all likelihood, he just isn't interested at a time like this. His priority must be Asuka and caring for her…romance is probably the furthest thing from his mind" She concluded as she continued to eat her delicious meal.
"Soo…how long ago was your world wrecked?" Laxus asked as he looked at his double eating with astounding vigor. "Hmm…Levy and Lisanna are pretty close to him? Does he date them both?"
Hearing a throat clear, the blonde mage turned to Gildarts as the crash mage finished his meal.
"Well…Natsu was right. We are lucky compared to what he went through with Asuka and Happy" The crash mage paused as he tried to find the right words. "It's only been a month since that meteor storm ravaged our planet. All of us here were traveling back from Crocus on the train when the sky lit up with fire. The train came to a halt and we had no idea what was going on….so we made our way back to Magnolia. But…"
"It…it was gone! The whole city had been wiped off the map! Nothing but a crater! The surrounding towns and villages had been decimated as well while a tidal wave wiped out Hargeon! Everything was gone!" Erza shouted as tears welled in her eyes once more. "Natsu…he had wanted to take his two girlfrend's Lucy and Juvia to a festival in town…they were probably vaporized…" the knight sniffled as Mira set a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder.
"We…we tried to find some semblance of authority, but the destruction was so wide spread. It wasn't just Fiore that was destroyed…but almost all of Ishgar from the scattered communications we managed to hear from a few small towns that escaped the blast zones. We even heard that the rocks struck the ocean near Alverez and created half mile high tidal waves that just…washed away whole coastal cities…Tens of millions died in a single day…" Mira whispered as her eyes fell.
"After leaving Magnolia, our group found an abandoned farm in the country. It had food and a source of fresh water so we decided to stay there for a few weeks. It was then your Erza and Evergreen found us and brought us here" Wendy finished as the young girl sat with her own Carla.
"That's pretty lucky. Eventually, people would've found you and tried to take what you have…nothing makes a human willing to kill others like starvation and desperation…" Natsu finished as he stood up. "There's not enough room in the hall for all of you…The mages here have a warehouse nearby. It's solid and secure"
"Do you plan on all of us staying in this universe?" Levy asked, glancing at her twin across the room. "This…is still all so confusing. There are people from three different universes in this room right now…and by their posture and stance…they've done this before"
"No. We'll give you shelter until we can find you all a new reality to live in" Makarov finished as he looked at Natsu. "Natsu. Show them the warehouse and get them settled in. We'll start looking for a new reality tomorrow"
Giving a grunt, the bearded man started to walk toward the door with Asuka as the two Happy's fluttered and adorned their wings. "Let's go" He said evenly, his voice showing no sense of playfulness or joy.
"Don't mind him. He's…still adjusting. Being on the road for so long kind of made him…harsh" Lucy told the visitors in an apologetic tone as they stood up and started to follow the man out of the hall. Once they had all left, the blonde gave a small sigh, a little saddened that she had died in a different reality. "I just hope they were all together in the end…"
Walking down the road with the group following, Natsu could feel his annoyance ebb and wither. Dealing with multiple versions was a headache. Hell, he didn't even want to deal with those bandits from earlier…but Cana insisted.
"Hot day still…" Asuka mentioned as she walked next to her father, her mothers hat resting on her head as Happy rode her shoulders…with the other riding her dad's. The sun was till boring down in the afternoon, wafts of heat rising from the street as the whole group walked.
"I know! I'm melting…" Happy groaned as he looked at his sad double. "Don't worry other Happy! We'll find you a new home with a really nice Natsu that isn't all grumpy!"
"I'm not grumpy"
"Sure you are! You have a scowly face like a hobo!" The little cat admitted as Asuka snickered in step as the two cats giggled. Seeing the previously crying cat show some joy was a good thing in the young woman's eyes.
"I'm not a hobo either. This beard is stylish" Natsu grumbled as the group weaved through the foot traffic of the city among the hot, July day.
Following in his wake, Erza, Mira and Cana were at the forefront of their group as they looked at the city around them. They had made their way into the shopping and commercial district, the road lined with shops and stores as the citizens moved in contentment and with smiling purpose.
"I…I never thought we would see this again…" Cana said softly as her father walked behind her, the crash mage taking in the sights of his home town.
"I know…if only Natsu, Lucy, and Juvia had come with us…" Mira said sadly, missing her dear friend. A man she regarded as a brother.
"Mira" Natsu called out as he turned down a side street as a few magical mobiles drove past, their new style influenced by certain mages from a different universe. His boots rang out against the sidewalk as the heat rose, causing Asuka to wipe her brow.
"Y..Yes?" she asked nervously, which is strange as this Natsu was a far cry from the one she knew. It was like he was a coiled spring, ready to kill or destroy anything that threatened him or those he cared about. "But that would make sense…fighting nightmarish zombies and surviving on the road for five years…who knows what vile and horrible things he's witnessed with his daughter and Happy…"
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry you lost your brother Elfman and your friends…it's a rough deal" He said with a rasp as they walked past a few more warehouses. Looking oddly at Erza and Cana, Mira was marked with confusion.
"Who's Elfman?" the white haired beauty asked as several of the group shrugged. "It was always just myself and Lisanna"
"Ah…your brother…guess he just wasn't born in your universe. Maybe it's a good thing…less mourning for the lost" He answered before stopping at a single story warehouse. Pushing the door open, he walked inside with his daughter and the rest as the heat was stifling inside.
Looking all around, Laxus was standing with Levy, Pantherlily, and Lisanna as he took in several details of the building. To his left was a dining and kitchen area with a refrigerator that hummed with magic, its location next to several counters and a large stove for cooking. Further along among the open room was what could be described as a recreation room with a television, pool table and area for reading…most likely for them to pass the time. A large safe was in the corner, its contents unknown to the blonde as his friends and family walked in. Turning his head to the right, he saw several closed doors, one with the sign of a bathroom and shower while the others he had to guess were bedrooms.
Letting out a low whistle, Grey stood with Kinana, Evergreen and Laki as he walked into the dining room.
"This place is pretty nice" the ice mage admitted as Natsu stood in the middle of the room, taking a look at all of them before clearing his throat.
"So uh…I guess this universe has helped other mages like you find new homes…you know…mages that lost too much due to some kind of shit. Hence the warehouse furnished with rooms and furniture" He paused before pointing to the kitchen. "The fridge is fully stocked with food…can thank Mira for that one. Uh…there's spending money in the safe. Combo is eighty four eighty four…just don't go crazy" he told them with a grunt as an amused look overcame his bearded features.
"Is something funny?" Erza asked as she looked around the building.
'Ah…not really. Just…a month ago money didn't matter at all…bullets, food and medicine were what mattered. Now I'm lecturing on spending habits" He chuckled before pointing to the right side of the building. "Obviously those are the bedrooms and showers. There's a total of six bedrooms with two large bed's each…" He was saying before Grey raised his hand.
"Um…So I'm not complaining, but is there enough room for these three to join me in a single bedroom?" the ice mage asked as he pointed to the three women near him.
"I guess…but why?"
Clearing her throat, Evergreen had a small blush on her face before looking at the fire mage. "We…we all date Grey…the three of us…" She admitted with a small smile to her boyfriend as the other two women nodded.
"Huh…so that's why your smell is all over each other…" Natsu replied as Asuka looked oddly at the four new mages. She knew how babies were made…but couldn't figure out how three girls would work with just one man.
"Come to think of it, Laxus with Levy and Lisanna have their scent all over each other too…and Erza, Mira, and Cana…ohh…so those three are like that…"
"You can make your sleeping arrangements how you want, don't really care. Just don't go having sex in the kitchen or whatever" He stated as Wendy blushed from the statement.
"So…you…you figured it out…" Erza blushed mildly as she held Mira's and Cana's hand affectionately.
"Yeah…I just figured it was close proximity…no judgment though. If that's who you love, good for you"
"Natsu…I don't get it…" Asuka said in a confused voice as she looked up at her dad.
"I'll explain later. Now come on, we have to get to the merchant guild. That shipment of cement for the basement came in yesterday"
"Can we get fish on the way there?" Happy asked as the man nodded. Walking toward the door with Asuka and Happy, he paused before looking at the mages standing in the warehouse.
"I don't care what you do here. Walk around…shop…play games...just remember if any of you put my new home or my daughter in danger…there will be trouble" he stated harshly with no emotion in his voice.
Hearing the cold warning, Erza felt her chest tighten as the man closed the door behind him, leaving them all alone as the air conditioning started to hum and belch cold air. "What has he been through to make him so cold? I…We have to do something to show we don't mean any harm!" Setting her gaze on the door, Erza marched forward before throwing it open toward the stifling hot day as sunlight wafted in on streams of light.
"Erza, where are you going?" Her girlfriend Mira asked as Cana joined her.
"To help them in some way…even if it's just carrying cement or assisting in some other manner…I don't want to be a freeloader when all of them have shown us kindness and set aside all this for us" The red head exclaimed before marching after Natsu, her two girlfriends and Happy following close behind as Gildarts started to raid the fridge.
"Well…no way I'm helping my double get with a chick version of Natsu…I could use a shower though…" Grey admitted as his three girlfriends smirked.
"We will join you" Laki smiled at her precious ice mage as the four moved toward the showers, their intent obviously clear as Gildarts smirked.
"Hell yeah Grey! You give those ladies the business!" he smiled while uncorking a bottle of booze.
"SHUT UP YOU PERVERT!" Evergreen yelled before dragging her man into the showers…Grey sporting a perverted smile.
"Well…I don't know about you all, but I would love to pick my doubles brain about all this dimensional stuff!" Levy stated as Laxus, Lisanna and Pantherlily smiled softly.
"That sounds good. Plus, I'd like to compare notes with my own double" Laxus told his two ladies as they soon left, leaving Gildarts and Wendy with Carla in the main room.
"I think…I'd like to just read a few books…if that's okay?" Wendy asked Carla who commenced to hang out with her as she moved toward the small reading area. Selecting a novel about dragons and castles, she nestled into a chair with the exceed before turning the first page…
With Natsu, Asuka, and Happy.
Walking down the street with his family, Natsu was going over a list of things in his mind as Asuka walked with Happy sitting on her shoulder. "Let's see…I'm still waiting on half of the cinderblocks to come in…those will be used for the basement. But I at least bought half already so I can pick those up today… Shit…I'll have to take more jobs to start getting the lumber. Which means somebody will want to come with on some lame ass bandit quest. I mean…I don't hate it when Bisca or somebody else tags along, but all these jobs are too easy. And the girls keep trying to prevent me from killing those useless bastards. Don't they understand killing them is a way to prevent retaliation?"
"NATSU!"
Hearing the feminine voice behind him, the man turned to see the trio of girlfriends plus Happy coming down the road with determined looks on their faces. Pausing his steps, the man waited for the four to catch up.
"Yeah? What is it?" he asked as a few strands of sweat dripped down Mira's features from the heat and brief sprint.
'We would like to help you with your task" Erza stated calmly as the man sighed.
"Fine, whatever. I'm just picking the shit up and taking it to the site anyway. It's too late in the day to start working on my new home anyway" He said with a simple tone before turning and walking away. Hearing the scuffling of boots and feet, the man soon found himself surrounded by the trio of lesbians.
Walking in silence for a few minutes, Erza's curiosity got the better of her as she looked at the man to her left. "So Natsu? Do you have a girlfriend in this universe?"
"No"
"Why not?" Cana asked as she walked near Asuka with the other Happy sitting on her shoulders as her brown hair bounced and weaved with each step. The ninety degree day was bearing down on her, causing some droplets of sweat to pool between her cleavage as the supple breasts bounced and weaved with each step.
"Like I have time for romantic crap when I need to get my house built. Not to mention the fact that Asuka now needs to catch up on her schooling. Besides, why would any sane women want to date a man that's killed like a hundred people? Or suffers from nightmares almost every night? I've stabbed people to death over a few bottles of medical alcohol…no woman would want that kind of monster in her house" He stated with finality as they reached the merchant guild.
Hearing the finishing tone, the three women kept silent. It was painfully obvious to the three that this man didn't think he deserved something like that…and to be honest…they were refugees from a devastated world. Their opinion would most likely be ignored at best or result in anger if pushed.
"But he kept Asuka alive for five years….doesn't he realize what a catch he is? If I wasn't a lesbian and in love with Cana and Erza, I'd want him for myself" The Strauss sister thought as they quickly approached their destination.
"We can still get fish after, right?" Happy asked as the twin exceed perked up from the possibility of yummy fish.
"It'll have to wait until after. But I'm sure Mira has a few extra for you both at the guild" he told the two cats as they grinned with smiles.
Walking into the merchant guild as people bustled and placed orders, Natsu quickly made the arrangement's at the counter as Asuka idly looked around.
"I still can't believe how much stuff this world has…" She whispered in awe. Everywhere she looked people were buying and trading items that would be their weight in gold back in her old reality…and they were just common items.
"It…must have been very hard for you three" Erza stated as the younger woman nodded.
"It was…everyday was a fight to survive…to find food and shelter" Asuka told the knight as her father finished talking with the clerk at the counter. Seeing him wave them on, the group was walking through the building toward the back supply lot.
It was very large with several medium sized storage buildings while lots for building materials took up several stalls. Lumber and steel…glass and a dozen different types of brick and stone….almost anything that was needed for construction was found here. On the left was a few magically powered trucks, their beds bare and waiting for product to be loaded.
Opening one of the vehicles, Natsu climbed in as he started the engine as it rumbled to life.
"He…doesn't he have motion sickness?" Cana asked in surprise at a version of Natsu driving…anything really. He had already swung the truck around, backing up toward a lot with a pile of cinder blocks and bags of cement before parking.
"Uh…yeah…Levy said its from the dimensional travel. It stabilized his equilibrium…I think it works on any dragon slayer too" Asuka explained as Happy flew off her shoulders with his twin in tow as they approached the pile of materials.
"That's amazing…our Natsu would've loved that…" Erza said quietly, the rawness of her dead friend still fresh in her mind and the others. It had still been only a month since the calamity and she dearly missed her wonderful friend along with Lucy and Juvia who constantly bickered over their man.
"I rented a truck…better than stealing one since that's frowned upon here. Now come on, you three wanted to help, so help" He instructed while picking up the first bag of cement. Tossing it into the truck bed as his muscles rippled from the effort, he caught Asuka and the women starting to assist as the two Happy's supervised with little construction hats.
"Put that brick over there worker drones!"
"No! Place that bag over here!"
"Where did they get those hats?' Natsu idly wondered as Cana grunted with a cinderblock in her hands.
"Ugh! I should've worn a shirt! My boobs might pop out!" she huffed as Mira smirked at the brunette's words.
"Not like that's a problem…" the demon winked as she helped Erza carry another bag of cement.
"Oh…you'd just love that wouldn't you!" the lush shot back as the knight chuckled. She loved the banter her two girlfriends gave and couldn't imagine her life without their love and support.
"Now now, I'm sure we can enjoy…" Looking at Asuka, Erza blushed as Natsu cocked an eye at her. "Um…hehe…" she laughed awkwardly, not wanting to scar the fourteen year old any further.
Loading another bag into the truck bed, Natsu saw the springs sag as he went back for another. Soon,curiosity getting the better of him as the three girlfriends talked and teased while working.
"So…how did you three get together? Was it because of the meteor strikes?" The male asked as they continued to work.
"No, nothing like that. We've all been together for over a year now. I actually thought I was the only one who felt this way about women, but when Erza and Mira announced their relationship, I knew that is was a golden chance. After discussing it, the three of us went on a date together…my dad was very supportive along with Natsu…the perverts did want us to always kiss though…" Cana relayed as she wiped her brow, remembering her fallen friends with sadness.
"Well…I guess that's good" Natsu replied as he set down another bag of cement.
"AHHH! NATSU! YOU DIDN'T STACK THEM ALPHABETICALLY!" Happy shouted with his little construction hat as he twin flew close, inspecting the bags with a critical eye.
"YEAH! AND THE BRICKS ARE NOT ARRANGED BY COLOR!"
"There all the same! It doesn't matter you furball!" Natsu scolded the two who quickly panicked and flew to Asuka.
"AHH! NATSU WAS MEAN! WE NEED FISH TO FEEL BETTER!"
"You're just saying that to get what you want!" He roared internally as Mira loaded the last brick, shutting the tail-gate as Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you want fish that bad, go to the guild. I'm sure Mira has some from that fish universe" He grumbled while climbing into the cabin.
"Uh…Natsu? There isn't enough room for all of us" Erza stated, pointing at the two seat driver compartment.
"Ah…don't worry about it. Myself and Asuka can unload. Why not go treat your yourselves to something?" He suggested before his daughter slapped him on the arm.
"Don't be rude! Say thank you!" the girl scolded as the man grunted.
"….Thanks for the help" He admitted before driving off through the gate, leaving the two exceeds and three women in the supply lot. Seeing as they left, the two Happy's decided to head to the guild with the hopes of fish and fun in their eyes.
"Well…I guess we could get cleaned up? Today is pretty hot…" Mira admitted as the trio started to walk back to the warehouse to shower.
"Don't worry…I'll clean you off sweetie" Cana teased while kissing the white haired beauty on the cheek.
"A shower would be quite invigorating. Perhaps we could treat ourselves to a nice dinner afterwards?" Erza suggested since they hadn't had much time for romantic moments since the disaster that claimed their world.
"I like the sound of that…a nice, candle lit dinner" Mira smiled as she walked with her two loves down the road…
The next day…
The refugees were all in the guild, standing around as Natsu and Levy stood near the I.V.D. While most of the mages had gone off to complete jobs or hadn't arrived yet, some were still there such as Bisca and Lucy who were sitting next across from Asuka as they helped the girl with some schoolwork. Natsu had done his best, but math and literature were not a priority when fighting spore zombies and raiders.
Juvia was in the kitchen, helping M.J. cook some breakfast for the members and newcomers…while trying not to stare at Natsu.
"Juvia must remember to behave herself around Natsu! She must bide her time to make him hers!" She thought as the stove sizzled with freshly cooked food.
"Alright everybody! Looks like your all here, so now we will start searching for a new home for you! Just…watch and if you have any questions, make sure to ask. Natsu? Would you like to try the first string?" Levy asked as her double sat on Laxus's lap, pressing her back to his muscular chest.
"Uh…what's a string?" Evergreen asked with a raised hand as she stood near her boyfriend Grey and the two others.
"If you hadn't spent so much time screwing last night, I could've explained it to you!" Levy M. scolded from Laxus's lap as the three women blushed heavily. It was no secret what they had done…especially with the squealing and dirty talk echoing from the room. It had gotten so bad that Wendy and gone to her double's place at Fairy Hills to escape it for the night…she didn't need any more mental scars.
"A string is what we call universes that are very similar in nature. For example, this is universe one thirty two-F that is home to Natsumi. But if we went to reality one thirty two-G, we would find Natsumi in a romantic relationship with Cana. Go further on, and she could be single, dating a woman, or even Laxus or Grey. Of course, there are the odd ducks and stand alone's that don't fit into the string. Some are beautiful and pleasant…some…not so much" Levy explained as she started to punch some buttons on the technology.
"Oh. That makes sense I guess" Evergreen replied as the other women nodded in understanding.
"Natsu? Numbers if you please" Levy asked kindly, smiling at the man she secretly wanted…well…secret to him.
"I guess…two seven sixteen-T?" He suggested with a shrug of his shoulders. "Why am I even here? I want to get started on the basement for my house…these women just keep showing up and insisting on jobs and hanging out with them…" He silently complained before looking at Bisca and Lucy smiling and explaining math to his daughter. "Then again…Asuka likes spending time with Bisca and Lucy… Ugh…whatever, I'll deal with it for today"
"Got it! Okay, here we go!" Levy cheered out with a giddy smile as a viewscreen sprung forth, showing a view to a different world…
The guild hall was bustling with activity as mages sat, ate and drank at their respective tables. Many were talking about their plans for the day, some hoping to take a job to earn some jewel. Wendy could be seen chatting with Carla, the young woman enjoying a light salad as she talked about the success of her very first job.
Cana could be seen at the bar, already drinking for the day from a large barrel as the lush grinned from the heavenly drink as Levy and Evergreen ate some light lunch near their friend. Near the bar a familiar knight and blonde key mage could be seen as they chatted about taking a job themselves…mostly because Lucy was out of money again.
Across from her was a smiling Natsu with Happy as Mira and Juvia flanked his sides, each one smiling as they enjoyed a lunch with the dragon slayer.
"Your always so broke Lucy! You should try living in the woods like I do! I have no bills" Natsu told his friend who looked at the idiot before her.
"AND GET ATTACKED BY BEARS! ARE YOU STUPID!?" She yelled while placing a hand to her forehead. "If I just hadn't spent so much on clothes this past month…" She muttered as they all gave soft chuckles and grins from their friends suffering.
"Actually Natsu, you shouldn't be laughing at her. After all, your going to be spending a lot of money to renovate and rebuild your…ahem…house"
"Why are you making me do that again? My house is great already!" Natsu said excitedly.
"Because Juvia wants to live with her boyfriend…and she doesn't' want a tree growing through the living room!" The water mage said sternly as Mira gave a curt nod.
"That's right. As your two girlfriends, you need to have a home we can all share…WITH NO ROTTING FISH!" She yelled while looking at Happy.
"AHHH! IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE!" The cat cried out in panic before flying into Juvia's waiting arms.
Ignoring his little friend's antics, Natsu nodded in agreement at the two women. "Well…I guess that makes sense…" he stated before snapping his fingers. "Hey! We should take an S-class mission! With Erza and Mira along, it should be easy! Plus the reward will be plenty for all of us" Natsu finished as the view screen faded away.
"Huh…two girlfriends…" Natsu admitted as he stood near Levy as Juvia and Mira smiled in the kitchen, happy to see a universe with them as his girlfriends.
"As you can see, that was a universe around our own timeframe and with Natsu dating Mira and Juvia. Most likely Natsu had probably fought Juvia during Phantom Lord and won her heart. As for Mira…maybe he saved her during that ill-fated mission years earlier? It's hard to tell without watching for a few days" Levy lectured as the visitors nodded.
"Let's try two seven sixteen S next" Natsu suggested as Bisca watched with Asuka and Happy. Truth be told, this was far more interesting than some simple school work.
Inputting the new commands, the familiar screen sprang forth with ease as Levy took the controls, a small smirk on her face. Knowing her, she really loved all this stuff even with the weight of possible horror and death as the next universe came into view…
The sun was shining over the forest as a light breeze blew through the summer leaves. A small river could be observed, feeding into a pristine lake that had a sandy shore with abundant wildlife and water fowl. But the main attraction was the construction site near a small clump of trees as several familiar mages worked on a half finished home. Its wooden frame was growing as Grey, Laxus, and Gajeel hammered away at joints with Pantherlily flying toward them with a bucket of nails for use.
Kinana was behind a table with water and snacks, handing them out to all the mages working on the house as Cana walked by with a few planks of lumber. She was following Juvia who was working on laying plumbing pipes in the house, her eyes constantly checking over her work as she tightened a wrench.
To the side in a construction worker outfit was none other than Erza as she stood near Natsu and Lucy, a small smile on her lips as she kept a tight reign on the mages.
"Elfman! Get the lumber up the stairs! Mira and Bisca need more wood!" She half shouted at the brother who grunted.
"A real man lifts everything at once!" He said loudly over the noise of hammers, drills, and saws as he picked up more than enough wood for his sister and the greenette.
"I still can't believe our dream house is really happening!" Lucy said with a bright smile as Wendy handed out some water to thirsty friends nearby.
"You got that right Lucy! The three of us will be happy here, plus we have our own lake!" Natsu said excitedly as he kissed the celestial mage then the knight on the lips in turn, making both women blush just a little bit…they loved their pink haired idiot as he drew away. "Say Erza? How did you convince everybody to help?" Natsu asked as Gildarts walked past, his teeth showing in a wide grin.
"We all get to punch you once, Natsu…every. Single. One of us" The crash mage cackled evilly as Grey, Gajeel, and most of the other men smirked at the coming beat down of the dragon slayer.
"Wait…WHAT!?" He yelled out as his eyes looked to Erza with horror. "Did…you sell me out! I'll…BURN YOUR CHEESECAKE!" the man threatened as Erza set a stern, but loving hand on her boyfriends shoulder along with Lucy.
"Do not make idle threats about that heavenly dessert. Besides...once it's done, Nurse Erza and nurse Lucy will bring you back to full health…all night long…" she hinted as her perverse mind wandered to all the…wonderful things the three of them would do as the implications hit the man….
The view faded once more as Lucy and the parallel knight coughed as some of the men grinned.
"Erza and Lucy…what a lucky guy" Gildarts said with a perverted smile as his daughter glared at his nature.
"Ah, looks like my twin was dating Lucy and Erza while already starting their house…interesting though…" Natsu admitted as several mages looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Laki asked as she drank a cool glass of water at her table with Grey.
"I selected the exact same site for my house…which I was going to work on today…" He muttered with annoyance as stuff just kept pulling him away.
"Dad…it's fine. There's no zombies or raiders to take it all or burn it. You can waste one day here in the hall" Asuka tried to reason, knowing her dad didn't like to waste time or put tasks off till the next day.
"I was gonna start laying the foundation! How can I do that when I have to keep talking and all that shit! And the next three days is supposed to storm so now I'll be set back even further! These mages barely needed our help in the first place! Sure millions died but at least some small towns and cities survived! They would've found a place to settle down! Instead I have to babysit!" He shouted out before taking a deep breath as Juvia walked up with a plate of grilled chicken and a drink. This whole thing was a waste of time in his opinion. He could be doing something important…not babysitting the other mages that frankly…lucked out in everything.
"Natsu…?"
"WHAT!?" He yelled in annoyance at another bother before seeing the rain woman's face. Pinching his nose at his outburst toward Juvia, he took several deep breaths before looking again. "What is it, Juvia?" He asked softer, knowing the woman had a kind heart. "Probably said too much again…"
"Juvia made you some lunch…and she can help you with your house whenever you want…she doesn't mind. But you should be nicer to them…your world was broken too, just in a different way"
Emitting a grunt while staying silent, the man took the plate and drink as he gave a small gesture of thanks. "I…guess your right on that" he admitted before studying the stance. "Sorry…" He mumbled, doing his best to apologize to the hall and water mage. "When the ground dries, it will be hard work…no goofing off" he lectured at the woman.
"Juvia will do her best!" She replied with a cheer as the man nodded, taking a seat as the girl walked away. "Juvia just scored five points! That mean's she's tied with Erza and Levy now!" her mind told her as she walked past M.J. in the kitchen with a very smug look…something the barmaid did not miss with a glare of rivalry.
"Anyway…I'll show you one more before we start looking for a new home for you all" Levy told her twin and the others who had tried to ignore the outburst from Natsu.
"He said he broke when everybody died…seeing all of them alive again after so long must be playing havoc with his emotions" Erza concluded as Levy started to input co-ordinates for two seven sixteen-U. In a flash, the dimensional view screen gave witness to a new reality…
The site where Fairy Tail once stood was a large memorial now, a standing obelisk that reflected the sun with its pure white marble surface. It stood twenty feet tall, the point reaching toward the sky as a small memorial park took up the rest of the property. Flowers and gravel paths for visitors dotted the site as they wove through some trees, spilling sunlight through the leaves.
"What happened?" Cana Alberona asked with dread as she sat with her two girlfriends. The other visitors and mages were confused as well as Natsu gave a curt reply between bites.
"Probably nothing good" He grunted as Asuka bowed her head…she didn't like where this was going.
"Oh no…the names on the memorial…" Kinana whispered as the guild finally got a good look at the obelisk.
There were hundreds of names…all decorating each face of the monument as a few people kneeled and planted flowers to the fallen, tears trickling down the faces of mothers and fathers…brothers and sisters who had lost someone. But the most horrifying was the names at the top near the Fairy Tail symbol.
Gildarts Clive
Cana Alberona
Erza Scarlet
Grey Fullbuster
Mirajane Struass
Lisanna Strauss
Elfman Strauss
The names went on and on…listing practically the whole of Fairy Tail as three familiar faces walked toward the site, flowers in their hands as they came to pay their respects.
Lucy was crying once again as she held the bundle of white roses, her tears like rivers of pain as she choked back a new sob. She was standing next to Natsu, the man's left shoulder a gnarled stump of loss as the limb had been obliterated on that fateful day. He too was trying to hold back his tears as he held onto Juvia's hand.
The rainwoman had obviously been badly wounded as her fresh tears fell, a few drops hitting the ground as her artificial leg that replaced her left limb supported her.
"It…It's my fault. If I had been there…" Natsu whispered as he looked at all the names, including little Happy's on the memorial as Juvia squeezed his hand.
"There…that monster was so strong Natsu…It killed Gildarts in one blow…none of us could stop it…" the water mage tried to say, her words like cracked glass as the three looked on with broken and dead eyes.
"Oh no…" Kinana whispered as Grey clutched her hand, trying to give support to his lady. Trying to give a small amount of reassurance, the man was interrupted as Natsu abruptly sat up, his eyes boring into his doubles across the rift of space and time.
"His eyes…they're exactly like mine during those first months of blood and death…haunted and broken" His face contorted in anger and pain upon seeing that broken man…and he would do something about it.
"Natsu?" Lucy asked softly as the man…had an angry sneer cross his features. Ignoring the blonde, Natsu turned to Levy at the controls as the other script mage watched in silence.
"Levy. Open a portal right now" He stated with no nonsense or hint of playfulness in his voice. This was the serious Natsu…the one that would kill or defend based on the situation…something everybody had quickly learned in his time here.
"A..alright…" Levy complied as her fingers flew over the controls of the dimensional technology. Summoning a spinning breach of purple and blues that crackled with power, the dragon slayer immediately walked through to the broken world of three, lonely fairies…
Universe 2716-U…The Memorial.
Natsu was trying to stay strong for the two women he loved…he really was. But the sheer…loss of everyone tore his heart to pieces everyday. He was a failure…a nobody that couldn't protect anybody. Watching as Lucy set down the flowers at the foot of the memorial, the dragon slayer tried to say something…anything to make it better for Lucy.
"It's all those bastard's fault…if that stupid END hadn't shown up, that monster would've never attacked and killed so many!" Natsu shouted, blaming the fucking demon for all the pain that befell them. He…He loathed that fucking creature and if he ever saw him again, he would kill him! Natsu was a mass of anger and rage…pity and sorrow as a few tears fell. "If that garbage hadn't shown up from another universe, everybody would be alive and happy! I hope wherever that END bastard is…he has a gruesome and bloody death for what he caused!" The man blamed, his anger and pain seeking a scapegoat for his misery and loss.
'Pop…Crackle…POP! POP!'
A strange vortex appeared near them, startling several of the other mourners who backed up in fear as Lucy and Juvia trembled.
"Is…Is..Is it the monster again!?" Juvia cried in panic as Natsu stood before her, lighting his right hand on fire. His two lovers were fearful and shaking with horror as the breech flashed and pulsed…before a man stepped through with a pink haired beard and familiar face.
"I WON'T LET YOU HURT THEM!" Natsu shouted out in fear and hate, jumping forward with a flame coated fist. Flying through the air, the blow landed, cracking across the man's face as a few speckles of blood flew from his mouth.
"THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!" Natsu countered as he laid down a heavy haymaker, punching his one armed twin across the face, creating a bloom of blood from the blow before moving forward. Bracing his left forearm under the man's jaw, Natsu followed up with a fire coated fist to his stomach, doubling him over as he cried out in pain and fell to the ground.
"NO! DON'T KILL HIM!" Lucy and Juvia cried out as the two women surged forward, grabbing and holding onto their boyfriend with all their might as fresh tears flowed. "Haven't you monsters taken enough already!?" Lucy shouted at the man…before realization dawned in her eyes along with the others.
"I'm not here to hurt or kill any of you…Lucy" Natsu told the blonde as the one armed slayer looked up at him with disbelief and shock.
"Bullshit! Your with that END guy and that monster! What!? Not satisfied with killing my whole family you fucker!' Natsu roared out from his place on the ground, not noticing several civilians running off to gather the authorities.
Wiping an annoyed hand down his face, Natsu looked down at the broken man with dead eyes. "I don't know who END is…or what monster your talking about…so why not fill me in?"
"Why should we? Juvia asked with sorrow as her metal leg reflected part of the sun.
"Because I'm like you…I lost everyone except for Happy and Asuka…" Dragneel told the three who had odd and confused looks on their faces.
"Um…who?" Lucy asked as she tried to wrap her head around this whole situation.
"Bisca's and Alzack's daughter" the visitor replied before lending a hand down to his twin. Ignoring it, the man was helped to his feet by Lucy and Juvia as he kept a healthy distance between them and the…other him.
"So why come here if that's all you had left? Shouldn't you be back with them…protecting them? Do you even know what loss is?" Natsu sneered at his twin who gave a nod.
"They're safe…mages from a…very friendly universe took us away from that hell on earth…away from the walking corpses and decay…the cannibals and death" Dragneel started before glancing back at the three. "Mira came through a breech like the one I came through…gave myself and my family a new place to live since my whole world was dead"
"You…you got to see Mira and the others again…?" Natsu whispered, a flash of memory showing the bubbly barmaid in his mind.
"Yeah…everybody is alive there…its…surreal" Dragneel started to say as his looked up at the clouds. "They're all so nice and friendly…but none of them understand survival or killing to live…of having to eat rat…or moldy food because that's all that's left as the walkers roam around outside. And when I look at them all…all I can think of is how I failed my family…in my own universe. How it broke me when Lucy died first…then the plague just…burned through them all. Everyday I buried a member of my family. So yeah…I know what losing everybody is like" Dragneel told his audience as he looked each one in the eye. And in that moment…the three understood.
"Did…you just come here to tell us that? To brag how you found a new home?" Lucy asked with dejection as she thought about her fallen friends.
"Not quite…but tell me what happened here" the man graveled out as the three began to relay their tale…of the dimensional visitors…the horrible monster that slaughtered and killed so many across Magnolia. How Fairy Tail was pretty much a pipe dream now…the efforts of princess Hisui to establish a memorial and her endeavors to help shattered families. A heartbreaking tale of death and mourning for the three as they finally finished.
"I'm…not even a mage anymore…I'm completely useless without my keys…" Lucy sniffled as the sounds of heavy boots and clanking shields rattled the air. Turning to look, the four saw a company's worth of Rune Knights along with a very familiar princess.
"So… the report was true…" Hisui stated as Dragneel shifted his feet, readying himself for a fight. Walking forward as the bearded man watched her closely, the female raised her hands in a placating manner. She did not want to fight if she didn't have to.
"I will not have the knights attack you…other Natsu. But I do have some questions…" she stated…just as another portal sprang forth.
Spurring the knights into motion, they formed a defensive perimeter around the princess as another person joined the strange situation. Walking onto the trimmed grass, Levy stood there with a portal gun on her hip as she surveyed the situation.
Eye's widening in recognization, Lucy sprung forth and wrapped Levy in a massive hug as fresh tears dripped down. She didn't care that she came from a different world…one of her friends was back! This whole day had already been an emotionally challenging rollercoaster for the three…and now…
"LEVY!" Lucy bawled out as she gripped her friend tight, her large breasts practically crushing the shorter girl who was soon smothered equally by a crying Juvia.
"IS THIS A DREAM! JUVIA IS SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!" The busty woman cried between gasps of relief and staggering emotion as the shorter woman struggled to escape the smothering.
"Is…is that…" Natsu sniffed as the two girls continued to smother the poor script mage…who finally managed to come up for a deep breath of air.
"Yeah…Levy from my new home"
"OKAY! THAT'S ENOUGH! YOUR ALL COMING WITH ME UNTIL THIS IS ALL SORTED OUT!" Hisui shouted before turning to the knights. "Captain. Maintain order and assure the public there is no threat. The rest of you will escort us to the Magnolia barracks" she ordered with finality.
"Uhhh…well…I guess that's alright…" Levy said awkwardly as she moved besides Dragneel, knowing that he would protect her if things got dicey. "Jeeze…these poor mages got the crap kicked out of them…but does Natsu really think that? That he failed his old family every time he looks at us? There was nothing he could've done against such a sickness…" She thought while looking up at the bearded man who had a stern glare in his eyes.
"I…I can't believe it…" Natsu whispered as he looked at his friend once more. "It's her! That other me looks like some homeless bastard…but Levy! It…She has the same smile and blue hair…everything!" Wiping a few tears away with his one hand, Natsu decided to follow the princess and others as his girlfriends walked in step…tears still flowing from seeing their dead friend.
"She's real…she's really real…" Lucy whispered as the group moved through the city toward their destination…
Half an hour later…
Hisui was sitting at a long table, flanked by Cosmos and Kamika as they stood guard. While they had nothing to fear from the one armed Natsu and his two girlfriends, the other two were still an unknown commodity. And knowing what had befallen Fairy Tail, the two would no take any chances. If these two made the wrong moves…they would pay for it as the other five sat across from the princess.
"Alright…explain" the green haired woman commanded as Dragneel just scoffed.
"I already told them everything, I'm not retelling the whole thing again" He uttered as the two guards glared.
"You show respect!" Cosmos as the man glared and started to rise.
"Why should I? The Hisui from my world is dead…eaten by you two after you both turned! Some fucking body guards you are!" The man roared before Levy grabbed his arm and pulled him back down while the trio of women looked on in shock.
"W..what?" Kamika asked with a dumbfounded tone as she looked at the princess, her face contorted at the disturbing fate that befell her double.
"Natsu! That isn't helping anything! I know your still adjusting, but we have a chance to help here. We can't do that with you arguing and threatening!" Levy scolded as the man grunted…before finally relenting.
"I'm sorry about that…his original world was ravaged by a spore zombie plague…" Levy tried to apologize as Lucy spoke up, finally adjusting a little to the strange meeting.
"You said you could help us? How?"
"Well…I heard your story from earlier as my guild observed you three with my Natsu here. While it will take me a few days or a week, I could probably build a device to home in on your celestial keys"
"But…they're gone. Eaten by that horrible monster…there's nothing to find…" The blonde whispered as she remembered how useless she was. "I'm not even a mage anymore…I'm useless…" she continued as her one armed boyfriend set a reassuring hand on her thigh.
"Your not useless…Your very important to me, Lucy…I'm sure we can figure—"
"You do know they reform, right? Your keys if they're destroyed" Levy interrupted the two as she eyed the blonde.
"W..what?" she stuttered at the words.
"Your celestial keys. Their tied with spiritual energy and reform in time and get dropped on Earthland somewhere. I've met a few different versions of you that lost a key or two…they probably have reformed now…at least some of them anyway. So how about it? Want me to build a 'key radar?'
"You…" Lucy sniffed as the words struck her heart. "I can see Taurus…and Loke…and Aquarius again! This isn't some sick joke, right? No…Levy is too nice for that…"
"Your serious…? You can do that?'
"I can…and something else too" Levy told the blonde as she studied the one armed man and Juvia with the metal prosthetic. "My reality has some interesting technology…including the ability to attach new limbs that look like the original. Skin and blood…the ability to wield and channel magic. The only difference is the titanium at the center to replace the bone"
"You…can give Juvia a new leg…that looks like her old one?" The woman asked as she looked down at the ugly metal on her left. "Juvia is ugly with this thing…she…she wants to look normal again"
"Why would I deserve such a new limb…I failed everybody and this…" Natsu waved at his stump. "Is a reminder of that. How can I think of a new arm when my family died" He replied with sorrow in his voice.
"Well…that's fucking stupid. You think your friends would want you to stay crippled…especially when you're at such a disadvantage in a fight? I just kicked the crap out of you with ease barely an hour ago. How do you plan on protecting those two if your minus one arm?" Dragneel asked while leaning his arm on the table, his glare boring into his twin between Lucy and Juvia. "You have an opportunity to be complete again…to be stronger to protect those two women you love. What if some other monster or evil bastard comes along and threatens them…and you still have one arm? He overpowers you easily because of your disadvantage and does bad shit to your ladies…or you can get a new limb and do a better job" The older man uttered at the stubbornness of the younger man.
"Natsu…It…it would be nice if we could both hold your hands while walking…and a lot of jobs need you to have two arms…would…would you do it for us?" Lucy pleaded as she looked into his eyes…same with Juvia.
Looking at his duo of girlfriends, Natsu became silent as the rest of the people in the room awaited his decision. "I…I failed everybody because I was too weak…I barely was able to save you two…" he said with down cast eyes as he studied the stump of his left shoulder through his vest. "But…if…if your not lying about this…I…I need to be able to protect them!" he said loudly, the man's determination giving a small spark of life.
"Great! Well, let's go!" Levy said with a happy grin as she jumped from her seat, the shorter woman all excited to help out.
"Wait! What's your endgame here!?" Hisui yelled at the woman who gave a reassuring smile.
"Basically, they're universe helps the broken and lost find new places to live. Right now, we have double's of Erza, Mira, Cana, Grey, and several others that lost their home to a meteor storm that killed tens of millions…they need a new home. And since they lost their own Natsu, Juvia, and Lucy…" the man trailed off as realization hit the others like a freight train.
"You…you mean…we could see Mira again? And Erza? And some of the others?" Natsu asked with crashing emotions in his chest as his eyes watered. "Could…could this really happen? Seeing all of them again?"
"That's right, Natsu…even Happy and Wendy with Carla and…even Grey and Evergreen" Levy told the man with a hand on his gnarled and broken shoulder. Wiping a hand across his eyes as tears once again flowed forth, the pinkette nodded as he sniffled.
"I…I would really like that…"
"Alright. But first things first, let's get you all patched up" Levy smiled once more as she input the co-ordinates to her home reality into the portal gun. Springing forth, she led the way through the breech as the group of five walked through as Hisui and her two knights watched in a stunned stupor.
Blinking as the vortex snapped shut, Hisui was silent for a moment before a small smile adorned her lips.
"What? What is it?" Cosmos asked as Kamika still stood frozen from the portal.
"I think…that Fairy Tail is about to rise from the ashes…" Hisui told the two as she stood up, heading to make preparations for the country to learn of the wonderful news…
Universe 132-F…the next day.
Levy stood over the operating table with Wendy in the small clinic she owned a few streets away from the guild. While the main hall did have its own medical room for light injuries, there was always the chance one of the idiots would start a fight and disrupt the procedure. So…she had purchased this small building for just this kind of thing after pouring over every medical book she could find as Wendy insisted she could help too.
With the rain drumming down outside and pattering the windows, the two impromptu doctors tried to ignore the dreary day plastering their city as they each made the final preparations.
While by no means heart surgeons, the two women were proficient in setting broken bones, removing bullets, stitching up stab wounds, and re-attaching or implanting limbs. It was the same technology that allowed Cana from one thirty seven-C to walk around again with confidence, and since then, there had been a few minor improvements…such as the extra magical container built into the titanium bone that could increase a person's magic by almost fifty percent…it was a proven practice for quite a few parallel mages that their world had helped…and now it was Natsu's turn.
Looking down at the unconscious man on the table, Levy and Wendy were in scrubs and had the appropriate arm ready nearby as Levy held a scalpel. Natsu was completely sedated, because let's be honest…nobody wants to wake up in the middle of surgery.
"I feel so bad for these three…" Wendy said softly as Levy nodded. Glancing at the door, the shorter woman knew that Lucy and Juvia were in the small waiting room, insistent on being nearby. At first, they wanted to watch the surgery, but Levy's stern looked had squashed that notion as the two women relented and resigned themselves to wait on a couch.
"I'm just glad we didn't introduce them to the other survivors yet…too much at once could be a bad thing and overwhelm them" Levy admitted before taking a deep breath. Bringing the scalpel down, she didn't waste any more time as she started to cut away the mass of scar tissue. Blood started to leak and pour, but Wendy was on it with a suction tube as the script mage continued the surgery.
"Where did Natsu go anyway? As soon as you all got back, he left with Asuka and Happy…with Laki following for some reason?" Wendy asked as Levy finally found the first nerve amongst the muscles and tendons. It was delicate work, but Levy was happy for the conversation as she continued to find more of the sinewy nerve endings. Each one would have to be attached to the new arm…a very delicate process that she had completed dozens of times now.
"Said something about some camping trip…not wanting to get soft from fighting punk ass bandits…" Levy replied as she found more of the endings. Minutes ticked by rapidly as the surgery commenced, blood leaking from the man who had suffered a nightmare. The machine nearby was beeping, letting each of them know his pulse was steady and strong as Levy finally set the scalpel down.
Walking over to the arm suspended in a tank of liquid, her eyes glanced at the leg in another tank that would soon be fitted to a certain water mage. Lifting it up, it smelled of chemicals and disinfectant as she walked it back over to the man on the table.
"Alright Wendy…you know the drill. Reattach the nerves…socket it to the bone, then heal up the skin around it" Levy instructed as the younger girl nodded. They needed to be fast about this as antibiotics pumped into Natsu…his exposed flesh, bone and muscle just a giant risk of infection.
Getting to work, they attached the nerve endings to the artificial limb, knowing that they would fuse and grow stronger in the days ahead as his limb healed. Snapping the arm to the shoulder bone and other muscles, Levy grimaces as she felt the…crunch of her efforts seep and vibrate through her body. "It's already been almost two hours since we started…" she thought while glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Okay Wendy…do your thing" Levy ordered as the sky dragon started to use her healing magic to stitch and mend the torn and bleeding flesh. It was fascinating in a sick way…how the skin and muscle would reattach as Wendy worked.
"There will be a scar…but there always will be…" the thirteen year old told her friend who gave a curt nod. "It's expected…" she replied as the surgery came to an end. Grabbing some bandages, the two quickly started to wrap the shoulder in the white material as splashes of blood covered their scrubs. Finishing that, the two watched the monitor for any changes. Finding none as it beeped steadily, the two headed toward the door into the waiting room.
Watching the two enter, Lucy and Juvia were already getting to their feet, fear and worry in their eyes as Levy smiled at the two.
"Is…he…?" the blonde started as Levy waved it off.
"It was a complete success. Your boyfriend now has a new left arm. But! He is not allowed to do any training or strenuous activity for a month! The limb needs time to heal, and you will be subject to the same thing Juvia when we operate tomorrow"
"Can…we see him?" Juvia asked quietly, already knowing she would be confined to a wheelchair for several weeks when they replaced her left leg with a new and improved model.
"Of course. But, he is still sedated so don't expect him to wake anytime soon" Wendy told them both…before realizing she was talking to air. Spinning around, she saw the door flap shut due to the speed of the excited women.
"Ah…we should leave them be for a bit…" Levy suggested as her partner nodded. Heading to change, the two smiled with themselves at the wonderful feeling of helping out these three.
"Oh my gosh…look at it…" Lucy said in wonder at the new limb attached to her man. It was the exact skin tone as the rest of him…rippling with muscle and power…just waiting to be unleashed as bandages surrounded his shoulder.
"Juvia…is so happy that Natsu has a new arm…" the water mage sniffled as the two each took up a side near the man…knowing that their lives were on a new path as the beauties rested their heads on his chest, content to listen to his steady heartbeat as the rain drummed down outside…
Universe 2716-U…three days later…
Natsu was standing behind Juvia, the woman in a wheelchair after the surgery to replace her leg with a new and improved model. Lucy was standing to his right, the three mages standing in the park of the city. They were surrounded by a huge crowd as journalists and the princess along with her father that were waiting by their guards with the sun burning down on a warm, summer day. It was peaceful and serene…the perfect setting for what was about to happen. The crowd was murmuring and chatting, excited as the news spread through Magnolia and Fiore like wild fire.
"I still can't believe this…" King Toma told his daughter as he studied the three mages standing in the center of the clearing. When the tragedy had struck, the king had been…furious that some of his citizens had been killed and butchered by some sort of nightmarish…creature from hell. The fact that his country's number one guild had been practically wiped out…had filled the kind king with righteous fury. Unfortunately, by then the nightmare had ended. It was then his daughter suggested the memorial for all that died that day.
Looking at the three mages, Hisui could see the nervousness…the fear in their eyes as the three waited in a small group.
"Natsu…I'm scared…what if they're bad…or hate us?" Lucy asked as the fire mage gave a small smile with his arm still wrapped in a bandaged sling. "If…if they're anything like the Levy that helped us…" he whispered as Juvia squeezed his hand on her shoulder.
"Juvia…thinks it will be alright. She…she didn't have any nightmares last night for the first time since…" the water mage said softly, the previous night for once pleasant as she didn't have a night terror. In fact…she thinks Natsu and Lucy had an easier night as well.
'Pop! Pop! CRACKLE!'
The familiar whoosh and crackle of extra dimensional energy had hundreds of people aweing in surprise and amazement as the vortex came into being. Its power rippled and shuddered with electricity as Natsu stood rigid with his two ladies.
"This is it…please don't let this be a mistake…I…should've met them first…" Natsu thought to himself as nightmares of loss and pain entered his mind once more. "I can't…lose anybody else again…"
The portal flashed…it pulsed with power…then mages with familiar faces came through…people the three of them hadn't seen since that fateful day.
"E..Erza…" Lucy said with new found tears as her chest tightened. One of her best friends…was alive and standing there as the red head gave a small, but awkward smile.
"NNNAAATSUUU!" Happy cried out as he burst through the portal with Lisanna and Mira, the two women giving smiles to the three as the little blue cat crashed into Natsu's chest.
"AHHHH! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH! AND THAT OTHER NATSU LOOKED LIKE A HOBO AND WAS GRUMPY! We…I MISS FISHING WITH YOU NATSU!" The little cat cried into the pinkette's shoulder as fresh tears streamed down the slayer's face. Looking up as he hugged his little friend, more people came through. Evergreen and Laki with a purple haired woman he didn't recognize…Grey, Cana and Gildarts…Wendy with Carla and Pantherlily…Laxus and…two Levy's?
"Hey…flamebrain…" Grey said awkwardly as the two rivals stared at each other for a moment.
"Hey…Ice pick…" Natsu replied as more tears flowed.
"AHHH!" Lucy cried out as she hugged Cana, their breasts squishing together as the blonde cried. Not from anguish and pain…but because of joy. "My family…my friends…they…they're back!" she wailed as she didn't even try to hold back the tears.
"MIRA! Ju…JUVIA MISSED HER COOKING FRIEND!" the blunette cried out as the two females embraced with longing and love in their hearts.
"I…I missed you too, you crazy girl…" Mira replied as Lisanna took a turn to hug Lucy, unashamed of the tears.
"Juvia…isn't crazy…" the other woman replied as she continued to hug Mira.
"W…Wendy?" Natsu whispered as he finally noticed the younger woman standing there with her own tears flowing…along with Carla and the ever stoic Pantherlily.
"NATSU!" She cried out while jumping and hugging the man she considered her brother. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she…could feel the wash of pain and relief…loss and renewed faith course through his body as Levy McGarden stepped forward with a few items in her hands. Even with her own twin standing near Laxus, the script mage could instantly tell…they had done a wonderful thing.
"YO NATSU! LUCY AND JUVIA! NOT TOO BAD! Say…" Gildarts leaned closer, a perverted look on his face as he came in close to Natsu…who was still holding a crying Wendy as Carla smiled with joy.
"Have you done it with both at the same time? I bet they really en—"
"SHUT UP YOU DRUNK PERVERT!" Cana roared out, smashing a fist into her father's head as he fell to the ground with a dangerous aura of feminine rage pulsing from the brunette.
Natsu couldn't help himself…He laughed. He laughed for the first time in months as the evil and nightmares started to lift away. They were good people…even if they weren't exactly his, they needed him and the he needed them…it would work.
"So, based on your reactions…this worked out?" Levy asked as Erza nodded along with Lucy and Juvia.
"Yes…while not everybody is here…we can rebuild our guild…and our bonds with each other" Erza exclaimed as Levy M. grinned.
"Well, when your doing that, I have a few gifts for you all" she stated while walking over to her twin and handing over a lacrima crystal. "Instruction's for the dimensional technology…work with the princess to use this technology wisely and safely"
"I…I will!" the twin replied as she took the crystal from the doppleganger. Walking away, Levy M. then handed another crystal to Evergreen as reporters and photography flashed among the silent crowd.
"Blueprints for several different options for homes…since your all in your own little groups of harems…all with relaxing sauna's and hot tubs" Levy smiled impishly as Evergreen nodded with a smile.
"Thank you…for all you've done…" the brunette said with the utmost thanks as Levy walked toward Lucy. Handing her a strange device that looked like a bracelet colored a dirty gold, the script mage pushed it into the blonde's hands.
"A celestial key tracker. It homes in on the unique energy signature of your keys. While it can't tell you which one is which, it can display distance along with elevation. Here, press this button" she instructed Lucy who complied. In a flash of light, a small hovering screen formed in the air above the bracelet, showing a map and the direction to the closest key.
"Ah…it..IT SAY'S ONE'S IN HARGEON BAY RIGHT NOW! IT COULD BE AQUARIUS!" Lucy shouted with amazement and joy before hugging the woman that helped them so much. "Thank you…thank you for everything…" the future key mage said softly, her breath washing along Levy's neck as the women gave one final embrace. Releasing the double, the mages were already talking and chatting…trying to reconnect as Mira gave a trembling smile toward the blunette as she activated a fresh portal to travel back home.
"How…how can we ever repay you?"
"Hmmm?" Levy pondered for a bit as she thought of an answer…before giving a thumbs up. "Have some great lives and stay a family for years to come! And if you need anything, you know where we are!" She smiled with a wave before walking through, leaving the mages in a park filled with thousands of spectators.
"F…FAIRY TAIL IS BACK!" A man shouted, unleashing a cheer among the citizens as Natsu gripped Lucy's hand with a happy grin on his face as he stared into the blonde's eyes.
"Lucy?"
"Y…yes?" she asked as her heart beat faster with dried tears on her cheeks.
"Let's go get your key's back"
Breaking into a new smile, she leaned forward and kissed her boyfriend as Grey approached.
"You know…I have three girlfriends…makes me the better man now" He lightly challenged, testing the waters as Natsu glared at his returned rival.
"So what!? It's not a competition! Besides! I have Lucy and Juvia!" the fire mage retorted as he looked at the ice mage with annoyance.
"Oh…are you saying you think your girls are better than mine? I have Kinana, Evergreen, and Laki…who all have great bodies with large breasts you stupid ash heap!"
"Everybody knows that Lucy's and Juvia's breasts are bigger! Which makes them better, you lame ice block! In fact! Once my arm is all healed I'm gonna take Lucy and Juvia home to fuc—"
"DON'T SAY THAT IN PUBLIC!" Lucy roared out before punching her boyfriend to the ground…just as Evergreen, Laki, and Kinana punched the ice mage down as well as Erza and her two girlfriends giggled from the antics.
"Idiots" The four women uttered in unison as they glared at the renewed rivalry…with small smiles on their faces as the two men groaned on the ground from the female fury.
"Come on everybody…let's rebuild our guild!" Lisanna cheered out as the crowd erupted into new cheers as they welcomed the mages to Magnolia.
"HELL YEAH! WE'RE BACK!" Cana shouted as she gripped Erza's and Mira's hands with love as the mages set about to rebuild their shattered lives with family and friends…
And that is a wrap! I really hope Unknown Legion enjoys this…and I hope it's true to what happened in his 'battle for the multiverse' story. I know END didn't cause it, but Natsu wanted someone to blame…and who better than a demon? Anyway, This was my crossover with my buddy…and there could be a small story for 8484-N natsu. Just a few chapters as he continues to rebuild his life…while the women try to make him open up some more. I just hope U.L. doesn't rekill everybody here…lol.
Anyway, I'll be heading back to the COG next…so you know it will be brutal like always! Probably will see some more Erza/Irene bonding…maybe Kinana will be doing something to help out too since I really need to give her more screen time. But, I'll be starting that sometime this coming week…whenever I feel like. It takes a lot to write these chapters. BUT! I hope everybody enjoyed this and leaves a nice review!
Natsu: Finally…I can get to work on my new house…
Asuka: But dad…they really needed our help and now they're so happy!
Natsu: Shouldn't you be practicing your knife fighting?
Bisca: I gave her the afternoon off!
Natsu: *Glare*
Bisca: *Fidgets* I cooked BBQ wings?
Happy: YAY! BISCA IS THE BEST! SHE SHOULD BE YOUR WIFE, NATSU!
Natsu: Don't say stupid things…the fan's might get the wrong idea!
This is thehappy signing off!
