Dragon Family Values
Disclaimer – I do not own Fairy Tail
Summary: Natsu is abducted by a Dark Guild that is determined to use him to capture Zeref. Gray, with the help of Sting and Rogue, race off to rescue him. But what will they find?
Author's Note #1 – I'm using the 100 Theme Fanfiction Challenge for this collection. I thought it'd be something different.
Author's Note #2 – This one I am rating M for MATURE.
Author's Note #3 – These drabbles are pretty much one-shots and are not related to each other in any way unless otherwise indicated.
Love (Rated M)
Natsu groaned as he slowly came back to consciousness. He tried to place a hand on his aching head, but found that he couldn't move his hand. Either of his hands.
Opening his eyes, he turned his head to the left. As his vision slowly focused, he realized that both his wrists were mounted to some sort of stone wall with Magic Seal Stone cuffs. Glancing down, he noticed that his legs were in the same predicament. What the hell was going on?
"Awake, are we?"
Natsu's head snapped back up. A tall, lean man stood in front of him. His hair was the darkest black he'd ever seen, and they matched his stone cold eyes. "Who the hell are you? And what the fuck am I doing here?"
The man approached him slowly, seemingly amused by his captive's outburst. "My name is Guild Master Zayin Brevil and you are currently in the Dark Guild, Blood's Towers. And if you're wondering how someone as strong as yourself was captured by a measly Dark Guild, then you should not underestimate the power of a Binding Magic Weapon and a blow to the head."
Well, at least that explained the headache. "I'll say it again. What the fuck am I doing here?"
Zayin leaned toward Natsu, their noses nearly touching, a smirk on the dark mage's face. "You're not a very patient man, are you? Well, that'll soon change."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're my means of capturing Zeref."
Zeref? Natsu clenched his hands into fists. What did this man want with Zeref?
"You see, Zeref is an extremely powerful dark wizard. He's dabbled heavily in the Black Arts and Living Magic. My most recent research has led me to his use of Ankhseram Black Magic, or as I like to call it, Death Magic."
"Yeah, yeah. So you took Black Wizard 101. What's that got to do with me?"
"You," continued Zayin, "are the key to his capture. I intend to control Zeref by any means necessary in order to rule this pitiful continent of Fiore. You see, Zeref is one side of a very special coin. He's the Black Wizard, he's cursed, he's the darkness, the epitome of death. I intend to create the second side of this very special coin. A White Wizard, per se. Someone who represents the light. A being I intend to have harness Ankhseram White Magic, or Life Magic."
"Life Magic?"
Zayin nodded. "Life Magic is something I stumbled across in my research. Whereas Zeref has the magic to take life away, I discovered a magic that gives it. However, I need a vessel to harness the ability to use this magic. An extremely powerful mage, if you will."
"Wait," said Natsu, realization dawning in him. "You're gonna use me for some freaky experiment? Hell no!"
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter," said Zayin. "Once I create Zeref's complete opposite with my little ritual, I shall bind you to him, and I will have control over life and death."
"Then do it to yourself! Why me?"
"Because," said Zayin, leaning even closer to Natsu's face; he gripped the dragon-slayer's chin in his hand to ensure he looked him straight in the eyes, "it works best with someone who has familial ties."
Natsu's eyes widened. He knew. This Zayin guy knew.
"Now, shall we begin? Let's start with this," Zayin said maliciously as he removed Natsu's scarf.
That snapped Natsu out of his shock. "Give that back!"
"I don't think so," he replied as he tossed it into the lit fireplace on the other side of the room. He approached Natsu again and began stripping him of all his clothes. Zayin tossed those into the fire as well.
Natsu was left helpless as he watched his clothes burning on the far side of the room. Naked, humiliated, and afraid, he swallowed the lump that began forming in his throat.
"Oh, I almost forgot," chuckled Zayin as he stepped toward Natsu. He raised a hand and placed it on the dragon-slayer's right arm, directly on his guild mark. "You won't be needing this anymore."
"No!" Natsu shouted desperately, but it was to no avail. Zayin had erased his precious guild mark.
"Let the ritual commence."
"How the hell did he go missing in the middle of a war?!" shouted Gray angrily. Not only was he pissed about the attacks from Alvarez, but now his friend was missing.
"Happy says he was taken," said Erza.
"Taken? By who?" questioned Sting, worry marring his features. His heart stung at the thought of Natsu being captured.
"It wasn't someone from Alvarez," said Happy. "The guild mark was different. I think they were some kind of Dark Guild."
Erza crossed her arms as she frowned in thought. They weren't in the best situation right now. Alvarez had them spread out on various fronts, and now that Natsu had been taken, their chances of success had diminished considerably. But to suddenly spring a rescue mission…
"Sting and Rogue," she snapped. "Do you think you can find Natsu by catching his scent?"
"I can still smell it, although it's faint," said Rogue.
Erza nodded. "Gray. Go with Sting and Rogue and find Natsu. Bring him back. Destroy that Dark Guild if you have to."
"On it," replied Gray as he took off with the two dragon-slayers. You'd better be all right, flamebrain.
When Natsu woke next, he noticed two things. One, his body felt like it had been scalded in boiling water. Two, his back wasn't resting against hard stone anymore; it was against something soft—a bed. That was strange.
Slowly opening his eyes, he saw that he was no longer in that room with Zayin. And he sighed in relief. Natsu hadn't lasted five minutes of that ritual before passing out. The pain had been so intense. It wasn't something he ever wanted to experience again.
"Where the hell am I now?" Natsu mumbled under his breath. However, his voice caught as soon as the words left his mouth. It sounded different. His voice sounded different. It was higher, more—"Holy shit!"
Natsu sprang up into a sitting position. A white sheet that had been covering him, pooled around his waist, his now very narrow and feminine waist. Accompanied by small, round mounds that were now Natsu's very own breasts.
"He turned me into a girl?!" Natsu shrieked.
"And a very pleasing one at that."
Natsu jerked when hearing Zayin's voice. Grabbing the sheet, he quickly covered his naked body.
"There's no need to be shy," cackled Zayin as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"What the hell did you do to me?"
"Exactly what I said I would. I created Zeref's complete opposite. He harnesses Death Magic, you now harness Life Magic. He is the Black Wizard, you are now the White Wizard. He is male, you are now female. Once I bind the two of you, I'll have control over Life and Death."
This guy was crazy! "Why did you have to turn me into a girl?"
"Do you know nothing of nature?" inquired Zayin. "In all things, the female gives life. Using Life Magic is impossible as a male. Call it a balance, if you will. And once I get you near Zeref, I will bind you together, connect you. When that is complete, I will bind your minds and bend your will to mine."
This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. "Change me back." Natsu meant for it to come out threateningly, but it came out as a whisper.
"Oh, I don't think so," Zayin said as he leaned forward. "There's too much at stake to go back now. I need you to recover your magic power."
Magic power. That was it! The Magic Seal Stone cuffs were gone. Natsu could use magic!
"Before you get any ideas, I may have forgotten to mention one thing," Zayin said as he smirked. "Your days as a fire dragon-slayer are over, I'm afraid. You won't be able to use that magic anymore."
"I don't believe you," Natsu spat. Lifting his hand rebelliously, Natsu tried to summon the flames he always had ever since he was a child.
They didn't come.
He tried again and again and again. All had the same result. There were no flames.
"I told you," said Zayin. "Your fire magic is gone. Oh, don't look at me like that. It makes you look far too tempting."
Natsu blanched when Zayin leaned even closer. Placing his hands on the dark mage's chest, Natsu tried to push him away, yet to no avail.
This action only made Zayin chuckle. "You're both physically and mentally drained. Do you really think you stand a chance against me?" He ripped the sheet away that kept Natsu covered and pushed him—no, her—back down onto the bed. "Now, let me show you what it means to be a woman."
They'd found it. They'd finally found it. Gray thanked the heavens that Sting and Rogue were dragon-slayers. They probably wouldn't have been able to find the location of where Natsu was being kept otherwise.
"Well?" asked Sting when Rogue reappeared from the shadows.
"This is a Dark Guild by the name Blood's Towers. It seems they are Zeref worshippers or something along those lines. I don't know where the guild master is, but there don't seem to be too many mages."
"Maybe the war has something to do with that," suggested Gray.
Rogue briefly nodded. "I can smell Natsu inside. He seems to be deep within the guild."
"Well, then let's go bust him out," said Sting, raring to go. No one messed with his fellow dragon clan, especially Natsu.
"Let's do this," said Gray.
Rogue disappeared back into the shadows while Sting and Gray quickly and stealthily approached the guild. They heard Rogue's shadows snatching mages here and there, which allowed for the two to make their way into the guild unnoticed.
"Where do we go?" whispered Gray.
Sting raised his head and sniffed. "This way," he replied, leading Gray down a dark corridor toward the left. They crept painstakingly slowly, Sting stopping every now and then to sniff the air. "His scent is everywhere, as well as someone else. Someone powerful. It's hard to pinpoint his exact location."
"But he's down this way, right?" Sting nodded. "Then let's check the rooms along the way."
Both Sting and Gray checked every single room down the corridor and found nothing until they reached the last door at the end of the hall.
"Here," said Sting. "Natsu's scent is heavy in here." The two mages opened the door and found…absolutely nothing. "I don't get it. He should be here. I smell him."
"Let's investigate. Maybe we'll find a clue."
Sting wandered to the far side of the room where he smelled Natsu the strongest while Gray made his way toward a large, stone-like wall that stood in the middle of the room. Magic Seal Stone cuffs were mounted to the wall. Gray clenched his fists when he thought that perhaps Natsu had been held here.
Sting huffed as he stared at the barely smoldering fireplace. That must mean whoever was here must not have left that long ago. But why did Natsu's smell bring him here in the first place?
It was then he noticed something white in the thick ashes of the fireplace. Kneeling, he swiftly brushed some of the ashes away. His heart plummeted. It was Natsu's scarf. Reaching into the hearth, he pulled it free from the remaining embers, seemingly unharmed, albeit a little dirty. He held the scarf against his chest.
"Did you find anything?" asked Gray as he made his way over to Sting. The dragon-slayer stood and turned toward the ice mage. Gray noticed the scarf in his hands. "Natsu."
"Where the hell is he?" Sting snapped, anger consuming him. "We need to find him. I need to find him."
Suddenly, Rogue appeared from the shadows. "I took care of the other mages, but I can't find the guild master. Did you find Natsu?"
Sting shook his head and pulled the scarf closer to his chest.
"We'll find him," said Gray. "I promise."
A scream abruptly pierced the air.
"What the hell was that?" started Gray.
"Let's find out," said Sting, wrapping the scarf around his neck as he led the way.
Natsu froze when Zayin pinned her hands above her head with one hand, his other trailing slowly down her chest. She gasped when Zayin squeezed one of her breasts.
"You should consider yourself lucky," said Zayin. "You're the only one of my guests who's received such special treatment."
"Let me go," Natsu gasped, feeling the traveling hand continue its journey southward. She struggled as best as she could, but Zayin was just too strong. So she did the only thing she could think of in a situation like this. She screamed.
This only made Zayin laugh. "Do you really think anyone will come to save you? Think again. No one even knows where you are."
BANG!
The door behind them splintered in a flurry of wooden shards and ice. Zayin bolted to his feet, giving Natsu the chance she needed to grab the sheet, wrap herself, and flee to the far side of the room.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Zayin, staring down the one who dared enter his domain. He took a step backward, however, when he noticed two other mages flanking the main mage's sides.
"The name's Gray Fullbuster," he announced. "My friends and I are looking for someone. Perhaps you know him. Does the name Natsu ring any bells?"
Zayin clenched his jaw and glared at the mages who stared murderously at him. He wasn't in a position to start a fight with these mages. They meant business. But that didn't mean he was finished.
Zayin smirked. "Natsu, did you say? The one you know as Natsu is no more, I'm afraid," he said, taking a few more steps backward before turning to face Natsu. "I'll be back for you," he whispered as he disappeared from the room.
"Teleportation Magic?" muttered Rogue.
"What the hell are we going to do now?" ground out Gray.
Sting, however, ignored them both, his eyes trained on the figure in the corner of the room. "Hey," he said soothingly, "you can come out now. No need to be afraid."
Natsu inhaled sharply. Sting didn't notice. That…hurt. She didn't know why, but that suddenly made her cry.
"Woah, it's okay," he said, rushing over. "There's no need to…" The minute Sting reached her, his senses were assaulted by something familiar. It was slightly different from before, yet he'd know that scent anywhere. "Natsu?"
Natsu's head shot up and stared at Sting with watery eyes. She nodded briefly and continued to cry.
"Did you say Natsu?"
"You found Natsu?"
Rogue and Gray appeared next to Sting to see what he was staring so intently at. They gasped when they saw a young woman on the floor, who looked strikingly similar to Natsu.
Sting knelt before her and inhaled once more. This was Natsu. They'd found Natsu. "Natsu? Why are you a..."
"Girl?" Rogue offered.
"Yes," said Sting. "Why are you a girl?"
"He turned me into one," Natsu sobbed. "Zayin did some kind of ritual to turn me into a vessel that harnesses Life Magic or something like that. He said he needed an equal for Zeref. He changed me and took everything that made me who I was!"
"I take it Zayin's the guild master," Gray stated, still trying to get over the fact that his best friend now had breasts.
"Natsu," Sting replied soothingly, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "Everything's going to be fine. We'll fix this. Us dragons have to stick together, right?"
What Sting thought would soothe her only made her cry even harder.
"Nice going, you blonde bimbo," growled Gray.
"What did I say?"
Natsu tried to get control over her sobs to explain. "He took it."
"Took what?" asked Rogue.
"He took my fire dragon-slaying magic. I can't do it anymore. Zayin replaced it with Life Magic."
Sting had never seen someone look so broken. Before he even knew what he was doing, Sting embraced Natsu, rubbing her back consolingly. It was then he noticed something else. This Zayin person's scent was all over her. Growling possessively, he demanded lowly, "Did he take anything else?"
Natsu peered up at him, unsure by what he meant. She blushed when it dawned on her that he must have smelled Zayin. Natsu shook her head. "You guys came before he could get any further." She had been so relieved when she felt that wandering hand leave her body.
"Any…further?" Sting ground out. Just what had Natsu been subjected to?
"H-He touched me…a little," replied Natsu quietly as she gripped for a scarf that wasn't there.
Gray couldn't believe what he was hearing. When he found Zayin, there would be hell to pay.
"Natsu," began Rogue, "are you naked?" Always the blunt and straightforward one, Gray and Sting's eyes shot toward Natsu once more, only now realizing she was covered in nothing more than a white sheet.
Natsu whined pitifully. "He burned my clothes…a-and took my scarf."
Scarf? "Oh! Here!" shouted Sting, unraveling the scarf from around his neck and giving it to Natsu. "I almost forgot." To be honest, he was surprised she didn't notice it.
"My scarf," she said, a smile lighting up her face. It made her look absolutely adorable. "You found my scarf. Thank you." She held her precious item against her face with a contented sigh.
Sting stood up from the floor. "We need to get out of here and get back to base camp. Then we can figure out how to turn you back."
"Good idea," said Gray.
Rogue cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should do something about Natsu's attire first. I don't think…she wants to go out like that."
The three mages stared at a blushing Natsu. Clothes would be a good idea.
"Well, uh, we could take the sheet and do something with that," suggested Gray as he moved in to grab the sheet.
Sting smacked him away. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Helping Natsu get dressed, obviously!" retaliated Gray.
"Oh, no you're not! You're the master of taking clothes off, not putting them on!"
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Rogue rolled his eyes as Sting and Gray continued to squabble. He approached Natsu and offered to help her utilize the sheet as a piece of clothing. She readily agreed. A few minutes later, Natsu was dressed. No one would even know it had been a sheet.
"Oi, idiots!" shouted Natsu. "Let's go!"
Sting and Gray stopped their bickering to look at Natsu, and their jaws dropped. Sure, she was still the same old Natsu, but with her hair a bit longer and more tamed and with her feminine physique, she looked stunning as a girl. The sheet, which had once been draped precariously over her shoulders, was now arranged around her like a fashionable toga, her scarf wrapped around her middle just beneath her breasts to keep it in place. Natsu's feet, however, were still bare.
"Stop staring at me!" Natsu hissed, the blush returning full force.
"S-Sorry," said Sting as he averted his eyes. "Let's get out of here. I don't think anyone else is left in the guild, but we should still be careful."
The four of them left the room and began making their way down the darkened halls of the guild, Natsu trailing behind them. That ritual had taken a lot out of her, but she wasn't willing to admit that. She didn't want to be seen as weak.
"Eek!" she yelped when she felt a strong pair of arms lift her bridal-style. "Sting! Put me down! I can walk!" Natsu felt the rumble of his laugh through his chest.
"I know you can," replied Sting, "but even I can see that you're utterly exhausted. You're not going to be a burden. Just let me help you."
Natsu's irritation simmered at the gentle look in Sting's eyes. She sighed, her brave front dissipating as exhaustion took root on her smaller form. "All right."
By the time they made it to base camp, it was already nightfall. But perhaps that was a good thing. It prevented a lot of unwanted questions.
Sting, Rogue, and Gray brought Natsu to a vacant tent in the base camp. Once they considered her settled, Gray left to find Master Makarov and Porlyusica. A few minutes later, they arrived.
"N-Natsu!" Makarov stammered as he leered at one of his children. Porlyusica smacked him in the back of the head.
"What have you humans gotten yourselves into this time?" she said as she pursed her lips and stared at Natsu.
Natsu then related the story of her capture by the Dark Guild, Blood's Towers and Zayin's intentions. Makarov grew angrier with every word she spoke. How dare someone do such horrible things to one of his children! Although, he had to admit, he kind of liked the way Natsu looked like this.
Before Porlyusica could smack Makarov in the back of the head again due to the unsavory nature of his gaze, she found that she'd been beaten to it. Both Sting and Rogue had smacked the old man.
"I can just smell your perverted intentions," Sting spat. Rogue grunted in agreement.
"Is there any way to change me back?" Natsu's voice startled everyone out of their thoughts.
Porlyusica approached her and lifted a hand over Natsu's head. A faint glow appeared above her. "This is a powerful spell. You said it was a ritual?"
Natsu nodded.
"This type of magic is forbidden for a reason. And you said this man instilled you with Life Magic? Don't use it. I'm not sure if that man is aware of this, but using Life Magic puts the user at risk. As for changing you back, it is possible since you haven't been bound to Zeref as was the intention of that horrid human."
"How do we get Natsu back to normal?" asked Gray.
"Simple," replied Porlyusica. "You must partake in an act of love."
Natsu just blinked. "An…act of love?" What was that supposed to mean?
"Yes, now if you'll excuse me, I have wounded to tend to," said Porlyusica as she left the tent.
Everyone stood in silence for a few minutes, pondering the healer's words before Natsu lost it.
"That tells me nothing!" she screamed. "And will someone find me some damn clothes for crying out loud?! I'm tired of this stupid sheet!"
After a restless night of tossing and turning, the morning fared no differently. Rogue and Sting watched Natsu pace the tent furiously. She was started to create a trench in the ground.
"You're gonna have to leave sometime," said Sting as he played with his earring. "At least to let everyone know you're okay."
"And you have clothes now, so that's not an issue," stated Rogue.
"What is with you and the clothes?" snapped Natsu as she rounded on them. Her hair fluttered and landed atop her shoulders. Her chest had been wrapped with her scarf and a vest that somewhat matched her original one, completed her torso. Dark shorts that matched her vest adorned her legs, along with dark sandals. And thanks to Makarov, she also received her guild mark once again.
"Come on," said Sting as he approached her. "Let's go. I hate to say this, but you're making everyone worry. And we're kind of missing breakfast."
At the mention of food, Natsu felt her stomach growl. She sighed. "Okay. But if anyone says or does anything stupid, I want you to blast them with a roar or something, seeing as how I…can't."
"No problem," replied Sting as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His hand got dangerously close to her chest. "I'll protect you."
"Sting?"
"Yeah?"
"Get your arm off me before I rip it off and beat you with it."
Who needed fire dragon-slaying magic when she was just as vicious with her words?
"Sure," he replied, reluctantly removing his arm. It felt kind of nice holding her like that.
Natsu took a deep breath and braced herself for the impact that would undoubtedly come. She left the tent.
And was immediately assaulted by a sobbing Happy. He launched himself into her arms crying about how he'd heard she'd returned last night but wasn't allowed to see her. It was then he noticed something off about Natsu.
"Waah!" shouted Happy, flinging himself away from her arms. "Natsu's got boobies!"
A deadly silence filled the camp as all eyes turned toward Natsu. And then she did something she never thought she'd ever do; she kicked Happy into the sky. Her embarrassment and anger were enough to make her want to disappear into the ground.
The camp exploded in a torrent of questions, cat-calls, screams, suggestive remarks, whistles, and laughs. This was humiliating, utterly humiliating. If she could, she would blast them all with a good Fire Dragon's Roar, but she didn't have that anymore. She had nothing anymore. Tears stung her eyes. She wasn't strong enough for this, for any of this. "Sting?"
The dragon-slayer turned when he heard his name and saw the tears threatening to fall in Natsu's eyes. He turned back to face the camp. "Shut up!" he roared. Turning back to Natsu, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. The tears finally let loose.
"I don't think I can do this, Sting. What am I going to do?"
"Natsu, you might not feel like you have the strength to tackle this just yet, so let me be your strength for now. I'll help you through this, okay?" Sting felt her nod against his chest.
"Thank you, Sting. I don't know what I'd do without you," she replied softly.
BOOM!
"Well, well. Look at all the fairies," a voice cackled in the direction of the explosion.
People screamed and began to scatter. If that emblem was any indication, the person was from the Alvarez Empire.
"Don't run fairies! I have a welcoming gift for you," the man said, brandishing a round lacrima. "I hope you enjoy it." He dropped the lacrima as he disappeared.
"Everybody down!" shouted Sting. "It's an Explosive Lacrima!"
People ran for cover when they were suddenly enveloped in a bright light.
Natsu coughed as the dust settled around her. A heavy weight seemed to be pressing her into the ground. "Sting?" She soon realized the heavy weight was the dragon-slayer. Had he covered her to protect her from the blast? "Sting!"
"Mm," he groaned. "No need to shout. I'm right here." He got off Natsu and sat on the ground. "That was a hell of a blast."
Natsu immediately got to her feet. "Is everyone okay? Is anybody hurt?"
Slowly, but surely, people began to stir in the rubble. Natsu's keen eyes took count of her loved ones. Some were injured, but for the most part, they looked shaken up. They seemed to be okay.
Until someone let out a heart wrenching scream.
"Bisca," Natsu gasped before bolting in the direction of the wailing sobs, Sting hot on her heels.
By the time they reached Bisca, Natsu felt the urge to vomit. Asuka—little Asuka—lay lifeless in her mother's arms. Alzack sat beside his wife, tears streaming down his face. Asuka was…gone.
"No," said Natsu. This wasn't right. Asuka was only a child. She was important; she was the future. Natsu could hear the whispers and crying from everyone else at their loss. Asuka was everyone's loss. She was…the future.
Before Natsu even knew what she was doing, her feet took her toward Bisca, Alzack, and little Asuka. Something kept urging her on to do something. What? She wasn't sure. It was as if her body knew what to do, even if her mind did not.
"Give her to me," Natsu said in a soothing voice that seemed to halt everyone's tears.
Bisca raised her head. "M-My baby. My b-baby girl is…is…"
"Shh," calmed Natsu, "it's okay. Give her to me."
"Natsu, what are you doing?" inquired Sting sharply. Did she not realize what she was asking? Bisca and Alzack's child had been taken from them and Natsu wanted to take her away.
"I'm not sure," she whispered back unsurely. "Bisca, please."
Bisca looked back down at her unmoving daughter. With all the strength she could muster, she handed Asuka to Natsu shakily.
As gently as she could, Natsu cradled the little girl in her arms. She now knew what she had to do. Raising her head, she spied the landscape until her eyes settled on what she was looking for. Her feet moved before her brain had a chance to catch up. She walked toward the lone cherry blossom tree that seemed to have survived the blast.
"Natsu, where are you going?" demanded Sting.
"Where are you taking my daughter?" cried Bisca, realizing that her child was being taken even further away from her.
"I need to fix this," said Natsu when she stopped in front of the tree, Asuka still cradled lifelessly in her arms. The tree was large and old, and had definitely seen many lifetimes. "I'll fix this."
Natsu turned, her back facing the tree. She closed her eyes, shifting Asuka's body so that she held the little girl outward and facing away from her, her hands resting under her arms.
Taking a deep breath, words Natsu didn't know she knew, left her lips. "Earth rests beneath us. Air flows above us. Fire burns within us. Water swirls around us. Spirit, please release us."
A soft light encircled Asuka's body as she seemed to be lifted from Natsu's hands into the air before her. So this is Life Magic, she thought. Clasping her hands together as if in prayer, Natsu desperately concentrated on the task at hand.
Sting watched with a mixture of horror and fascination. The tree behind Natsu was starting to wither and die as the light surrounding Asuka grew bigger and bigger.
"A life for a life. A death for a death. I take the years from one, and give them to another. May balance be restored."
Suddenly, the cherry blossom tree disintegrated as it dissipated into thin air. The light surrounding Asuka seemed to disappear as well. Her small body lowered, her tiny feet touching the ground as she stood. Blearily, Asuka opened her eyes and yawned, stretching her arms above her head before lowering them and rubbing her eyes.
"Mommy? Daddy?" she called out. Asuka looked for her parents. When she spotted them, she couldn't help but run over. "What're you doing on the ground?"
"A-Asuka?" stammered Bisca, her eyes widening as a fresh set of tears streamed down her face. She pulled Asuka toward her, embracing her tightly. "My little baby girl."
"Asuka!" Alzack wrapped his arms around both his wife and small daughter. Asuka had returned to them. "Thank you!"
Natsu lowered her arms, her breathing ragged. Asuka was okay. The future was safe now. She could…rest.
"Natsu!" Sting shouted, racing toward her when she suddenly collapsed. He caught her and lowered her gently to the ground. "Natsu?" She wasn't responding. "Natsu!"
Zayin spied the situation from a distance. "It seems there are consequences to using this magic. I'll have to think on this," he muttered, disappearing once again.
Sting brushed Natsu's hair out of her face, tapping her cheeks in an attempt to wake her. He barely noticed the people gathering around them. Leaning down, he placed his ear to her chest. There was no heartbeat. Why wasn't there a heartbeat?
"Don't do this to me, Natsu!" Sting said, tears pooling in his eyes as he began chest compressions. He leaned down again, this time breathing air into her lungs before continuing the chest compressions. "Don't you dare leave me!"
Sting continued the process over and over again, ignoring the people who told him to stop.
"Sting!" shouted Rogue, his voice cracking. "Natsu's…gone."
"No," Sting protested as the tears finally fell. Natsu couldn't be gone. She couldn't. He pressed his forehead to Natsu's and cupped her cheeks. Emotions he'd buried deep inside himself suddenly burst forth. "You can't leave me, Natsu. I love you!"
Sting heard a slow intake of breath that wasn't his own. Raising his head, he realized that is was Natsu who'd taken said breath.
"S-Sting?" she started as she opened her eyes, confusion evident on her face. "Why are you crying?"
The dragon-slayer responded by laughing as he pulled Natsu up into his arms. "I thought I lost you," he said, his fond emotions for her growing stronger by the minute. Swooping down, his warm lips met hers in a gentle kiss.
Natsu's eyes widened. Sting was kissing her! Why?! Sure, it felt absolutely fantastic and made butterflies swirl around in her stomach. Being kissed by him felt nice…really nice. He was such a—
"Pervert!" she screamed as a flaming fist punched Sting in the face. Natsu jumped to her feet. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you perverted asshole?!"
Sting cupped his cheek. He could already feel it swelling from the blazing impact. "But…I love you."
Natsu's face turned bright red. Now both fists were flaming. "So you kiss me instead of asking me out on a date like a normal person?!"
"You want me to ask you out on a date?"
Natsu pouted as she averted her eyes. "Maybe," she said quietly. She'd always had feelings for Sting, even as a guy. She never thought it'd be possible to act on them, though.
Sting grinned. He'd always admired and loved Natsu. Male, female, it didn't matter. He'd always loved Natsu. Then something dawned on him. "Wait a minute! I can't take you on a date! We're in the middle of a war!"
Natsu narrowed her eyes at him. "No date, no kiss, no nothing."
Sting gaped at her. "That's not fair! What do you expect me to do?"
"I don't know!"
Rogue couldn't take it anymore. "Natsu? Sting? I think you two have missed something really important."
"What?" they both questioned simultaneously.
"Natsu," he continued, "your magic seems to have returned."
"Huh?" Natsu glanced down at her fists which were still aflame. She had her fire dragon-slaying magic back! But why was she still a girl?! "Wait! I didn't change back into a guy?"
"Of course you didn't," interrupted Porlyusica. "You said you wanted a way to change back."
"Into a guy!"
Porlyusica raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I can't do anything about that. But you did change back into a fire dragon-slayer, yes? Be grateful for Sting's act of love."
"Act of love?"
"Yes. Sting told you he loved you, the ability to use Life Magic vanished from your body and was replaced by your original magic, therefore nullifying the consequences of using it. Foolish humans," she spat before stomping off.
"Natsu?" started Sting. "Are you okay? Being a girl, I mean."
"It's…going to take some getting used to, but I think I'm okay with it. But…if I did turn back into a guy, would you still…l-lo…l-love me?" she asked cautiously.
Sting approached Natsu and pulled her against his chest, arms around her waist. "Yes, Natsu. I would. And you?"
"Would I still love you if you turned into a girl?"
Sting frowned. "You know what I mean!"
"I know," Natsu laughed. "I'm just teasing you. If I turned back into a guy, my feelings for you would be the same."
"And those feelings would be?"
"Oh, very irritated."
"Natsu," Sting growled.
"I'm just teasing," she laughed, her arms slowly circling around his neck. "I love you, too."
Sting positively beamed. He hastily swooped down and kissed her again. This time, he was also met with a flaming fist.
"I said I wanted a date first!"
"Wait! You were serious?!"
Author's Note – Another weird brain baby. I couldn't get it out of my head. I may continue this story with another one of the themes. What do you think?
*Next Theme – Light*