All rights go to Hiro Mashima

Enjoy!

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"What in the world is that?"

Natsu looked up into the sky above the village to see what looked to be a flying rat...Natsu staring at the sky summoned a bottle of whiskey and took a long swig before putting the cap back on and sending it away.

Lucy ran over towards him, she too looking up at the flying rat in the sky, "Natsu what is that?" she asked as she stood next to him, Natsu looked down at her and looked up again, repeating this action three more times he spoke "It's erm...well its a flying rat," he said looking back up at it, "This is quite literally a once in a lifetime event...I...I'm struggling to process what I'm actually seeing in all honesty," Lucy deadpanned "Why the sky, that makes my deadfall trap pointless," she shouted shaking her fists up into the sky, as she cursed the rat out she noticed the rat seemed to be carrying something.

Looking more closely she could make out a bucket, as she was observing she noticed what seemed to be a jelly-like substance fall out of the bucket, it seemed to be falling right where she was standing as well, "Jelly?" she asked putting her hand out to touch it.

All of sudden the jelly seemed to fly off into the distance like it was being pushed by an unseen force, she looked over her shoulder to see Natsu, his hand outstretched palm wide, "Lucy, if you ever see a strange liquid falling from the sky, quick lesson, don't stick your hand out to touch it, I'd rather you have both arms," Natsu said patting her on the head "Wh-what was that?" she asked concerned.

"That was double poison jelly," he said crossing his arms over one another putting a hand to his chin, "Melts skin and bone alike, leaves nothing traceable...nasty stuff, hurts like hell as well," Natsu stood calmly as the villagers descended into panic.

"Is that bucket filled with that stuff," one asked in a panic, putting his hands on his head, "D-don't tell me they're going to dump that stuff on us," another asked in the same tone from behind the other.

On top of the giant rat, Yuka looked down at the villagers, each one making his stomach turn, "Hideous," Sherry nodded "They're almost like demons; like Delioras children. How unpleasant."

"Do it. Angelica," With that command from Sherry the rat threw the bucket in a circle, covering the entire village, now all they had to do was wait.

Lucy looked up into the sky, slowly panic began to set in, she started shaking her knees became weak, her whole world was about to be over, her breath quickened as she watched the substance fall onto the village, she turned her head to look at Natsu, a last resort her brain defaulted too, but her eye's widened as she saw him looking up, his lips set in a flat line, with his hands in his pockets he sighed and took one out, 'Did he just sigh, were all about to die and he just sighed!' anger overwhelmed her panic as she looked at the man in disbelief, that was until he looked at her.

"Get everyone into the centre of the village," he ordered her, no room for arguments, she nodded getting to her feet and rounded everyone into the centre.

Natsu stood in the middle of the crowd "What a pain," and with that he raised his right arm high into the air, "Storm Field" Lucy watched as a ball of wind gathered in the palm of his outstretched hand as he sent it high into the air, the shockwave of the ball leaving his hand throwing people to the floor and damaging some of the nearby houses, Lucy remained standing as she watched the ball intercept the jelly above the village, and she watched as it created a hole in the middle, leaving the middle of the village and where everyone was stood safe.

The same couldn't be said about the village though, the rest of it was melted, nothing remained, it was all but a crater, Moka who hadn't been in the middle was saved by Virgo who had appeared and saved the village chief, she walked over to her princess and placed the chief down "Virgo!" Lucy shouted happily.

The villagers looked around, checking if any of their own were hurt, Moka stared at the grave of his son as it stood melting when all of sudden it was kicked over by Yuka, and as the trio began approaching the villagers, Lucy stood facing them as they approached, she and happy stood as they, "The cold emperor's enemy's must be eliminated," Sherry spoke from the middle of the group, "We were trying to show some mercy by making your deaths quick...but it seems there's going to be bloodshed after all," she said flipping her hair over her shoulder, Yuka stood with his hands behind his back a twisted smile on his face, and Toby...well Toby looks like a disfigured dog he isn't really intimidating.

Lucy grabbed her whip ready to defend the villagers when she heard a voice come from behind her, "Approximately fifty villagers and two wizards," Yuka spoke from next to Sherry "About fifteen minutes I'd say," he cracked a grin as Toby chuckled.

Moka enraged began to try and run to attack the trio of wizards but was stopped and carried away with the villagers, as they evacuated the surrounding area.

"I'll help too," Gray declared, the attack waking him from his unconscious state, "Gray! You're conscious!" Lucy said looking at him surprised, Natsu came up from behind Lucy staring at Gray, "...Go with the villagers, you're in condition to fight," Natsu ordered.

Gray looked at Natsu and almost snarled, "Don't...underestimate me," he said panting heavily, his left arm holding his rib cage where he had some damage, Natsu sighed before walking towards him and putting a hand on his shoulder, "I'm not underestimating you, Gray..." Natsu lifted the hand on Gray's shoulder and chopped the back of his neck, "Just making sure you don't hurt yourself anymore,".

Natsu then gave Gray to one of the villagers as they escaped to the opposite side of the crater.

Sherry seeing the fleeing villagers beckoned Angelica to her side "I'm afraid there will be no escape, the cold emperor had ordered for everyone's elimination...Angelica," As Angelica's tail began to spin a sharp whistling noise cut through the air, all of sudden the spinning of the tail stopped, the rat screamed in pain as it looked at its wound, the whole of its tail had been cut off, the throwing knife severing it from the rat's body.

"ANGELICA!" Sherry screamed in worry, the rat no longer being able to fly, Yuka and Toby quickly got into battle positions 'I didn't even see his arm move!' was the thought running through Yuka's head, looking to the thrower Natsu stood arms crossed smiling smugly "I'm afraid that rat of yours will be going nowhere...Lucy c'mon let's get down there," as he said that he slid down the cliff side, now on the same level as the trio and the rat, Lucy following closely behind.

Sherry was seething as she soothed the injured rat, she turned her body assuming a battle position with the other 3 "YOU...YOU...YOU ARE ENEMEY'S TO LOVE!" she declared, walking in-between the two other mages, tears streaming down her face "YOU HURT ANGELICA AND FOR THAT I WILL TAKE YOUR LIFE'S...IN THE NAME OF LOVE," she shouted activating her magic, all of a sudden the rubble from the jelly attack began floating, around 10 of what seemed to be massive rock giants were created stood behind the trio, "MARIONETTE MAGIC: ROCK DOLL!" Lucy stared at the rock giants sweating nervously, that was until a whistle emanated from her right "Marionette magic...haven't seen that parlour trick in a while," Natsu said, the smile still ever present on his face.

"My magic is not a parlour trick you imbecile," Sherry said a tick mark appearing on her forehead, "I'm afraid you two are outmatched here...two wizards against three and all of our rock golems...we shall grant you a painless death if you submit now!" came the voice of Yuka from Sherry's left.

Natsu's smirk turned slightly feral, losing his snarky attitude, he threw his arms out and chuckled, "If anything, you three need a lot more backup than you do now... that is, if you even wanna scratch me," as he said that for all but him it looked like he had teleported across the field kicking Yuka in the gut, sending him flying back he then grabbed Sherry by the hair and threw her over his shoulder in an incredible display of strength, then ducking out the way of a swing from Toby he grabbed the man's outstretched arm and pulled the man closer to him headbutting him, sending him flying.

Happy and Lucy stood shocked, mouths wide open as they watched him swiftly deal an opening blow to the group effortlessly, "Lucy, you take the love chick, I've got these two and the dolls! Happy you head back with the villagers and help get them set up!" he shouted effortlessly dodging out the way of a blast of wave magic from Yuka "Okay!" Lucy and Happy shouted back at him, both running towards where they needed to go.

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Arriving at the location, Lucy approached Sherry, "That brute!" Sherry said hitting the ground, a small trickle of blood falling from her forehead "When I get my hands on him...I'll...I'll," Sherry jumped out of the way of a swing of a whip avoiding it as it made its cracking motion in the air, "You, I'll take some of my anger out on you!" As Sherry said that the tree next to her seemed to uproot itself and form into a smaller version of the rock doll "MARIONETTE MAGIC: TREE DOLL!" The tree charged at Lucy, she dodged one of the swings, moving backwards before pulling out her key ring, "Open Gate of the golden bull: Taurus!" After a puff of smoke, a giant cow seemed to appear, "MISS LUCCCCCCYYY," the bull charged at the tree easily cutting it down, "A celestial spirit mage! And a zodiac key at that!" Sherry said shocked from her place across the open area "Taurus," Lucy shouted happily from the floor, having fallen over dodging one of the tree's attacks," Miss Lucy your body is udderly the best!" the cow shouted perversely.

"Hmph, I had no idea you fairy tail wizards were so perverted, telling your celestial spirit to say that about you," Sherry said disgusted from where she was, "Ahh no wait, I don't tell him to call me that, he does it on his own accord," Lucy said shaking her hands as to deny the accusation.

Suddenly the aura around Sherry changed, "Still, Celestial spirit mages are a terrible match up for me," Sherry said, grinning like an unhinged psychopath "Whatever, Taurus get her," Lucy commanded her spirit "MOOO!" Taurus charged the women when all of sudden he felt an unknown force take over his body, and just like that he stopped charging.

"H-hey Taurus, get her," Lucy said egging on the spirit, suddenly Sherry started cackling like a mad woman, "NOW...NOW I CAN DEFEAT THAT PINK-HAIRED BRUTE...and it's all thanks to you," Sherry said as Taurus, turned around, his eyes whited out, "Ta-Taurus?" Lucy asked "Moo?" the cow responded almost in a comatose-like state.

"It takes a brute to take out a brute so hopefully these two will take each other out," As she said that Taurus turned in the direction of Natsu's fight and began charging, "He-hey where you going!?" Lucy asked, as she was about to run after the bull she was grabbed by another tree doll, it growing vines around her body, trapping her.

Sherry approached the girl smirking, "You see, I now control that bull, its a perk to my magic, and now that I control it...that bull is going to go off and kill that little boyfriend of yours...and I'm going to let you watch as his brains splatter all over the ground as your own servant kill him," Sherry caressed Lucy's chin and wiped away a tear the fell down her cheek, "And it will all be in the name...OF LOVE," she skipped towards the battlefield, the tree doll following closely behind her, a sniffling Lucy captured within its grasp.

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Back with Natsu he quickly dodged a kick from Toby ducking under the foot swing before jumping into the air and dodging a wild swing from Yuka, he landed safely on the other side of their field, Yuka panted heavily along with Toby, "We have been here for nearly ten minutes and we haven't even touched him! He cleared out those rock dolls with a single swing of his sword...just how strong is this guy?" Yuka shouted stomping his foot like a child, "I can't even use my wave magic properly as he isn't even using magic," Toby nodded as he whispered a new battle strategy to Yuka, said person nodding as they looked back up at Natsu...who was gone "Shit, where did he go!" Yuka said franticly looking around.

That was until he felt a knife on the back of his neck, his body went still, 'Shit is this where I die, shit shit shit' all of sudden the pressure was released and as soon as it was Yuka turned around wildly, seeing Natsu with a shit-eating grin on his face, "Why...why are you playing with us?" this was the fourth time the pink haired bastard could have ended the fight...and there lives, but had chosen to play with them instead, like a predator with its prey.

"Hmm, I'm waiting for something," Natsu said rubbing the back of his head, Yuka and Toby were taken aback for a second before Toby spoke up "What are you waiting for then," the dog person asked throwing his arms in the air, Natsu looked at the two before they all felt the ground shake suddenly, big footsteps could be heard approaching, "Me...I'm just waiting for training to begin," as he said that a massive cow-like creature punched Natsu square in the face, sending him flying across the clearing.

"Woah," Both Yuka and Toby said at the same time as they watched Natsu fly through the air and land on his back, 'He can't get up, now's our chance' was the constant thought running through Yuka's head but just as he was about to run over and finish him off, Sherry cut them off, "WAIT!" she shouted as the two halted, "I want this one to watch as her own servant crushes that brutes head," she said gleefully, the two men sweat dropped before nodding, they also noticed that the blonde wizard had been captured and was being held by one of Sherry's doll's, stood only a few feet behind the crazed Pinkett.

"Now Lucy, look up," Lucy kept looking down, Sherry losing her patience swished her hand, as she did vines wrapped around Lucy's head and forced her to look up, tears were streaming down her face as she looked at Natsu, "Natsu," she said through sobs, she looked on as Taurus placed his hoof on the man's head and pressed down, after a few seconds, Sherry swished her hand again, and Taurus stood off the man, "Now any last words you pink haired brute," Natsu looked up, the dirt of the hoof spread out on his face.

"Hey Lucy," he spoke unnervingly calm for a man on the verge of death, "Do a forced closure," he said surprising Sherry, also causing her to laugh out loud, "Hahahahaha, you think this blond bimbo could force close a gate!? You really are a brute, the amount of magic power that takes...is just something she doesn't possess," she laughed again as she swished her hand once again.

The pressure from Taurus's foot resumed placing it on the man's face, Lucy looked with wide eyes as she watched her protector be crushed using her own spirit 'Forced gate closure, but that's...that's impossible right' she looked up 'If I could just maybe... it's worth a try' and screamed, "FORCE GATE CLOSURE OF THE BULL TAURUS" as she screamed that everyone stood still, Sherry went wide-eyed as she turned around, smacking Lucy across the face, "DID I SAY YOU COULD SPEAK..." "Sherry," came the voice of Yuka "HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU COULD EVEN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING OF THE SORT..." "SHERRY!," shouted Yuka "WHAT," Sherry said turning her head around, only to freeze when she saw some bright yellow lights and no bull.

"Holy shit she did it, I...I miscalculated...h-how," She fell to one knee as she looked on shell-shocked, and soon enough the scraping of gravel could be heard as Natsu stood up, he placed his hand on his neck and gave it a few good twists before he pushed his hand out to the left and clicked his finger's.

As he did, the tree doll went up in flames, burning the tree and letting Lucy go, surprisingly the flames didnt burn her, she dropped to the ground on her knees and stared up wide-eyed at Natsu, Yuka gulped as he and Toby assumed fighting positions, then Natsu spoke, "Okay...playtimes over" all of sudden Yuka felt his whole world turn upside down, it was as if he was spinning, and he could even see his own body, "Wha-" all of sudden he felt someone grasp him by the hair, suddenly he was brought face to face with Natsu, "How-how am I alive," Yuka asked as a tear sprung from his eye, "I just wanted to let you know, I could have done this anytime, and I also wanted to let you feel like how it feels to die, even watch your death in slow motion," Looking around it was the truth everyone else had frozen and all Yuka could feel was his eyes blinking, he couldn't move his arms or legs, not that they were even connected anymore, "NO...YOU...YOU'RE A MONSTER," Yuka shouted as he began to sob, "hehe, maybe so...," all of sudden Natsu's eyes changed colour, his iris's turning a blood red with his sclera becoming dark as night, "...That or your worst nightmare," Yuka began to scream when all of a sudden he felt his hands go to his throat to help him breathe.

"Wait hands," he said panting heavily on the edge of passing out, then he moved his feet, "Legs I have legs," he said looking down at his body, he then heard Toby repeat the exact sentences he had just said, also equally as sweaty and panting, they looked at each other before speaking "Hey Toby I have an erm...body still...right?" Yuka asked, Toby, nodded before speaking "Yeah, erm...do I?" the dog man asked, to which Yuka also nodded, "Decapitated?" Yuka asked "Decapitated," answered Toby breathlessly

That's when they both heard a cough, both going wide-eyed looked up to see Natsu looking down at them, they both went wide-eyed, their breaths going ragged, Natsu smiled "Boo" with that, Yuka fainted and Toby with his instincts screaming at him ran away at full pace.

Sherry was more than confused, this blond bitch sent her celestial spirit back and that pink-haired brute had just defeated Yuka and Toby without raising a finger.

Sherry looked on from across the field and saw as the two seemingly went comatose and fell to their knee's then they suddenly start panting and crying, and then they woke up acting like headless cowards, and the man just said 'Boo' and now they're both out of commission.

She shakily stood up as he watched him approach her. "You know I won't go down as easy as thos-" she was interrupted rudely by a kick to the face from the side, and just like that, Sherry was also out of commission, "that for slapping me bitch," Lucy said putting her leg down.

"Nice kick Lucy, could use a bit of work but apart from that, it was-" all of sudden Lucy ran towards him and slammed into him, pushing him back slightly, "I-I'm s-so sorry," she said through tears, Natsu with his arms in the air, surprised by the hug, gently rested a hand on her head, rubbing it softly "You did good, I haven't seen a forced gate closure since your mother did one," Natsu said as he looked down at the girl, who slowly pushed herself of him, red-faced after she realised what she had just done.

She flushed at the compliment, until she realised something, "How did you know I couldn't force a gate closure?" she asked looking up at him, Natsu rubbed the back of his neck chuckling slightly "W-Well you see every time you would disperse a spirit, it would always be either the spirit or yourself running out of energy, so I kinda guessed that you couldn't, but counterpoint now you can!" he said putting his thumb up in the air, Lucy suddenly realised something.

"Sooo, then you being crushed by Taurus was all a play to make me unlock my force gate closure," Lucy suddenly found herself getting very angry "SO you're telling me, you tricked me into thinking you were going to die so that I could unlock my power!?" she screamed at him, "Yes, most power's find themselves manifesting it times of immense physical and emotional stress, so...yes I did trick you into thinking I was gonna get my skull caved in," Natsu answered pulling out a bottle of whiskey, Lucy looked at the man about to retort but found her mind empty, and then she actually found herself agreeing with him, she hated this "Stop making so much sense!" she shouted at him, she looked down at the ground before sighing and smiling and looked up at him, "Thank you Natsu," Natsu stared down at her, patting her on the head, "Heh anytime,".

Lucy looked at the passed-out Yuka before looking at Natsu "What did you even do to him?" she asked, "Hmm, I just used some basic illusionary magic, trapped him in a nightmare of pain," Natsu said smiling at her "Right," Lucy said looking at the passed out wave mage again.

Natsu took his hand off her head and walked towards where the villagers were setting up their camp when suddenly, Natsu's nose picked up a faint scent of something coming from Sherry, walking over to the girl he kneeled down, the girl who was unconscious, seemed to be drooling, 'sheesh Lucy really put her to sleep' The scent reminded him of something, but he couldn't put a finger on it, "What are you doing?" Lucy asked leaning over his shoulder, Natsu summoned a lidded cup and placed it underneath her drool taking some with him, placing the lid back on the cup, he stood up "Yah know stealing unconscious girls' drool is kinda weird," Lucy said a tiny bit creeped out, Natsu opened the lid and put it in front of Lucy "Smell this," he ordered, "Heh?" "Smell it," "O-okay jeez," doing so she placed her nose over the cup and took a deep sniff, "Smell's vinegary...but with a hint of cinnamon," she said weirded out, she had never smelt anything like it.

Natsu took a deep sniff before going wide-eyed, "This is the smell of a Datura, a plant found in Bosco, its most common use...is rage potions," Lucy's eyes widened as she stared at Natsu, "Does that mean she took a rage potion just to be angrier at us?" Lucy asked confused, "No rage potions make people's bloodlust skyrocket, it's hazardous and illegal in nearly every country, and continent," Natsu said summoning some water and washing out his cup, "So why would she have it, and why would she take it?" Natsu asked, "Maybe she didn't know she had taken it," Lucy put out there, "Hmm could very well be...anyway we shoul-".

Natsu's head suddenly perked up and looked towards the nearest coastline, "So like you know how you and Gray broke a guild rule coming here?" Natsu asked her stuffing his hands in his pockets, "Y-yeah?" Lucy asked, "Well, short story short...Erza's here," Natsu said smiling slightly, "Wh-what?" Lucy grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him around, "Wha-what do you mean, oh she's so going to kill us, I didn't even last half a year," Lucy said worried for her fairy tail career.

Just as the sun began to rise the sun hit Lucy's face the worried look on her face disappeared as she watched the sun rise over the horizon, the ocean reflecting the sunlight, it bouncing off of wave after wave, Natsu looked at her as she seemed entranced with the sun, "Yah know for a girl so obsessed with stars...you really like the sun," Natsu said chuckling as she flushed, "Anyway, Erza's already at the camp, we should head down now," Natsu said walking off towards where the villagers went, "Yeah," Lucy said glancing back at the sun before slightly speeding up to walk in tandem with Natsu.

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At the camp Happy was currently strung up and being interrogated by Erza "Tell me Cat, or so help me god that a ban of fish for a year won't be the worst thing I'll do," Happy went wide-eyed before shaking his head again, for the eighth time this morning, Erza had walked into camp and found a sleeping Happy and a knocked out Gray asleep in a tent, she had yet to question the locals but was at her wits end with the cat.

"Where is Lucy? She could be in danger, do you want Lucy to get hurt, this place is too dangerous for her she could very well be dea-," before Erza could speak Happy spoke, "Lucy will be fine as long as Natsu's with her...oops," Happy slumped down realising he had just given away the one person who Erza didn't know about, "Natsu is here!" Erza shouted the grip around her grip tightening around her sword, "When did he get here?" Erza asked, "get rid of my fish ban and I'll talk," Happy bartered, "Seven months," "Two months," "Four months," "Deal," Happy agreed, "So we don't actually know, I and Gray woke and he was talking to Lucy, he had overheard she was coming here and then decided to tag along, but we didn't know he was coming till he woke us up with coconuts," Happy informed.

"Coconut's?" Erza asked, "Why would he have coconuts?" She asked herself, and that's when one was thrust in front of her, "Here this can answer for you," came the voice of Natsu, "Thank you Natsu," Erza said accepting the drink and taking a sip, 'Wait...is this strawberry, it's amazing' she happily gulped the drink down, "How delicious, thank you Natsu..." Erza paused as she looked at Natsu and Lucy.

Natsu leaned in and whispered to Lucy, "Give it a few seconds," Happy had been silent the entire time, he was just confused scared and creeped out all at the same time, "NATSU," "there we go,", Erza grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, although his height made it impossible for her to menacing in this situation, she let go before pulling out her sword, "Kneel down so I can shout at you properly," she stubbornly demanded, Natsu looked down at her before plucking the sword out her hand before she could even react, "Woo this a nice sword, its got a good grip, decent balance in your hand as well, I mean dont get me wrong it has nothing on mine, but for a bought sword it isnt half bad," As Natsu played with the sword in his hand, at least a dozen tick marks appeared on Erza's forehead before she snatched it back, having to slightly jump to get it back causing happy to snigger in the back, "Anyway Gray's awake now so you two have a fun conversation me and Lucy are going to get something to eat," truth to his statement Gray was currently rubbing his eyes as he blearily woke up.

"Hello Gray," Erza said disregarding Natsu and Lucy for now.

"Er-Erza?"

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Long chapter, well for me anyway, but hope you enjoy it!