"speaking"

"thinking"

On with the story

A few days later, students are back in school as everyone was in a big crowd, near the front gate

Natsu was walking pass the gates when he spotted the crowd of students at a nearby billboard

He saw Lucy, with Erza and Kagura as the three looks at the billboard

"what's going on here?" Natsu asked as he walks towards them

They didn't respond, rather they pointed their finger at the billboard

Natsu looks at where they were pointing as his eyes widen a bit in surprise

On the billboard, Éclair, Ultear, Ikaruga, and Cana's photos were hanged up as they were marked red and stamped with the words 'EXPELLED' in red

"what….the" Natsu muttered out


In Irene's office, the four girls in question were standing in front of Irene who sat at her table while holding some photos in her hand

"all of you people should know that doing things like this can end your career here" Irene said throwing the photos in front of them, all photos of them being with Natsu and even during their make out times "get out of my school and never come here again"

Éclair and the others nodded before they bowed but the door to the office was slammed open by Natsu who had a furious look to him

"Natsu…" Éclair muttered out seeing the man as he made his way towards them

"go to your class, I'll handle this" Natsu told them as he faced Irene

"but-" Éclair said but Natsu looks at her and that one look made her stop talking

Éclair and the others soon heads out as they leave the room while closing the door

"what's the meaning of this, Natsu Dragneel?" Irene said folding her arms under her chest and folds her legs together "those girls are to be expelled"

"why?" Natsu asked as Irene snaps her fingers and the photos floated up to him

Natsu grabs them all as it showed him Éclair and the others during their times together for the past month but some showed them in their houses together and his own apartment "that girl…"

"it's common sense that such acts like this will get one expelled from any school" Irene said as she grabs her smoking pipe and holds it in her lips "especially in my school"

"retract their expulsion" Natsu said before slamming a hand on the office table "now!"

"do you think you are in a superior status? Who are you to give demands? I own this school in the palm of my hands" Irene said lighting the edge of the pipe before sucking and then blows out some smoke "I am the ruler"

Natsu's eyes twitched as black markings spread around his neck up to his face

"you witch…" Natsu growled as his right eye turned black and a reptilian pupil appeared "….that bastard is in this"

"perhaps but if you want something to be done, you must do it yourself" Irene said as she sucks her pipe before blowing out some smoke "that's the rule of life, after all"

"what do you want?" Natsu said as Irene looks at her before having a small smirk

"is that something that you need to ask?" Irene said while licking her lips "if you give me what I want, I will let this one slide as a small warning and perhaps forever"

"never!" Natsu growled angrily as Irene chuckles in response "not in a thousand lifetimes!"

"fine then, you might as well say goodbye to them…" Irene said turning her chair around "..forever, that is"

Natsu growled as his left arm turned into a black reptilian claw

"really now?" Demonic Natsu said appearing beside Natsu "let me handle her and I'll get your girls back for you"

Natsu looks at his demonic self as he glares at him before to Irene

"p-please….there has to be something else" Natsu spoke out lowly as Irene turns her chair a bit to take a glance at Natsu

"pardon?" Irene said while having an amused smile

"hey hey hey, have some dignity, won't you?" Demonic Natsu said before disappearing

"p-please.." Natsu said while biting his lips as he was swallowing down his pride before he kneel down "…I beg of you….is there something else I can give?"

"ho? This might be the first time that I see a King pleading" Irene said amused as she looks at Natsu kneeling to her "might I ask why go this far as to beg for me to withdraw their expulsion? what are those girls to you?"

"it's because…" Natsu muttered out lowly as the black markings on his face disappears "a King always protect his loved ones, no matter what the sacrifices. And they are my loved ones"

"ho?" Irene said raising an eyebrow before sucking on her pipe and blows out some smoke "you would give me something else but not even if it's something that you despise of?"

Natsu took a deep breath before exhaling and then nod

"interesting" Irene said as she turns her chair towards the big window "in all matters aside, just begging won't allow those four to not be expelled, but I'm feeling generous these days after the success of the Cultural Festival that you and your friends succeeded in hosting"

"then!" Natsu said looking up as Irene turns to look at him

"I will withdraw their expulsion, only on one condition" Irene said while leaning against her arm that was on her chair's arm rest

Irene snapped her fingers as a pamphlet float towards Natsu

Grabbing it, Natsu sees that it was the pamphlet for the Magic Competition held in Crocus

"my school is in need more benefactors of others, I'm quite tied up in doing so but this competition will give me all in just a single week" Irene said as she sucks on her smoking pipe before blowing out some smoke "win this competition with a team and I'll withdraw their expulsion so that it never happened"

"fine" Natsu said standing up while holding the pamphlet "but how do I know that you will hold your end of the bargain?"

Irene giggles before she draws a glowing x mark on her chest "I vow it with my own life."

Natsu keened her eyes as the x formed a magic circle on her

"a queen never lies, and you should know that better" Irene said smiling as the magic circle dissapeared

Hearing her words, Natsu turns and walks to the door

"I'll be expecting great results in the end" Irene said as Natsu looks at her before away

He closed the door and walks away in the hallway

Irene chuckles a bit before she turns around on her chair and face towards the window

"now then….will the Salamander be the champion? Or will the END be the champion?" Irene said with an amused smile


School was soon over as Natsu and the others gathered in the Kenjutsu Club room

Natsu had filled them all in as everyone knows the reason why the four are getting expelled while excepting the making out part

The Magic Competition's pamphlet was on the floor as everyone looks at it

"so? are we really going to do this?" Kagura asked to Natsu who nodded

"you shouldn't do this for us, we knew of the cause once we were found out" Éclair said frowning while looking at her lap "we should just leave school now and never come back"

"yeah, if anyone is getting expelled it should be me" Cana said drinking a bottle of beer "I've been drinking for way too long after all"

"this and that is different, you know?" Kagura said sweatdropping

"you should not do this for us, we are the ones at fault here" Ikaruga said frowning

"no" Natsu said as everyone looks at him "we are all friends, and we aren't going to let anything happen to each other"

"but this is the Crocus Magic Competition, many Students from many prestigious schools gather around and they all aren't pushovers" Ultear said "even our school only got 10th place because the difference of power they all had"

"then we close that gap" Natsu said "I'll train everyone and their magic to their limits"

"then I'm in" Mira said with a grin "I won't be standing by and let my friends get expelled"

"agreed" Erza said with a nod "you can count me in too"

"I as well" Kagura said "I have to repay what I owe after all"

Natsu nodded before he looks to Lucy who was sweating nervously

"you don't have to force yourself, Lucy. You can just say no if you aren't up for it" Natsu said as Lucy looks at him before to the pamphlet "we understand"

"n-no! I'm joining!" Lucy said looking at Natsu with determined eyes "Éclair and the others are my friends! I won't sit by and watch them leave forever!"

"atta girl!" Mira said as she slapped Lucy's back while having a grin

"we're going for this competition, and we're going to win it" Natsu said looking at the pamphlet with serious eyes "for Éclair and the others"

"but there's only 5 of us, we need six members for this" Erza said as Natsu nodded

"I know, I already decided on who is going to be the sixth member" Natsu said while crossing his arms

"who?" Erza asked curious

"someone who owes me one" Natsu replied


At the hallway, Minerva was walking around the hall with her pet mouse, hiding in her shirt

As Minerva made the turn to the corner, she was met with Natsu

"you" Minerva said while crossing her arms with a smirk "I'm surprised to meet with the delinquent who made four students get expelled"

"they're not going to get expelled," Natsu said as Minerva raised an eyebrow to him "I need to ask you a favor"


That's a wrap!

Bye bye