Hello everyone. Sorry for the wait, but now we've finally reached the Edolas arc. I'm sure you are all eager to see this, so lets now wait another moment. One quick note though, expect some minor AU changes to the main storyline of Fairy Tail. So then, let's get started.
Gildarts
It was a foggy in the East Forest, so foggy that the fog looked like it could be cut with a knife.
"Lisanna!" The eight-year-old Natsu called out as he ran through the fog. "Where did you go?! Would you quit messing around already?! Come on and say something!" Natsu tripped over a branch and fell down on his knees "This stinks."
He then heard a scream in the distance and turned around with shock evident on his face.
"Lisanna!" Natsu called as he woke up. He took some deep breaths and realized he was in a bed in a certain apartment, and it was now dawn outside.
"You doing alright?"
Natsu looked to see Dante on a coach with his feet on an ottoman. "Dante? How the heck did I get in your place?!"
"Natsu, you and Dante fought again, remember?" Happy reminded as he flew towards him.
"Oh, right." Natsu remembered.
"Basically, after I kicked your ass I just thought I bring up here to get some rest." Dante joked, earning a slight glare from Natsu. "So, you had a nightmare or something?"
Natsu sighed as he got up and was about to leave. "See you guys later." He closed the door and left.
"Okay, what was that about?" Dante asked.
"He said, Lisanna. I guess he was dreaming about her." Happy said.
Dante remembered about some guild members telling him about Lisanna; Mira and Elfman's younger sister and how she died on an S-class quest two years ago. "I'm guessing those two we're close, huh?"
"Yeah, they we're." Happy replied with sympathy evident in his voice.
Dante looked to the side, he knew all to well the pain of loosing someone close. He got up and put his sword on his back as usual. "Come on, I'm hungry, let's get something to eat." The Son of Sparda left with Happy close behind him.
Guild Hall
Lucy looked to see two certain female Devil Hunters sitting at a table. Lady was drinking a thing of beer, while Trish was reading a magazine. "Gotta say, you two are looking quite at home here in Fairy Tail."
"This place isn't so bad, really." Lady said. "Aside from the constant fights and flying beer mugs."
"Yep, my kind of place." Trish stated with a smile. "Just moved into Fairy Hills, now that's something fancy."
"How come you're not there Blondie?" Lady asked Lucy.
"Yeah well, I didn't find out about till after I got my apartment. Besides, the rent there is like 100,000 Jewel a month. My apartment is way more affordable."
"Not to mention you're broke." Trish joked.
"Don't remind me." Lucy replied as she sweat dropped.
At another nearby table sat another new addition to the guild, the former apprentice of Sparda, the black-clad demon swordsman, Modeus. The only thing different was a white Fairy Tail emblem on his left arm. He was drinking some tea when a certain Dragon Slayer sat next to him.
"Hey Modeus, how are you doing?" Wendy greeted.
"Oh Wendy. I'm doing quite well, thank you." Modeus replied.
Wendy chose her next words carefully given what recently happened. "I'm sorry that things turned out how they did, but… if you need anything…"
Modeus smiled as he patted her head. "You have a kind heart Wendy, and I appreciate your concern."
Carla flew up towards him. "It seems Wendy's grown quite fond of you, you serve a much better role model than the likes of Dante or Natsu."
Both Modeus and Wendy gave nervous laughter at that comment.
Soon however, Max and Warren came bursting through the guild hall's main doors. "BIG NEWS!" They both yelled at the same time, getting everyone's attention.
Multiple church bells began to ring all throughout the town of Magnolia, drawing the attention of all the citizens, and even those in Fairy Tail as they heard it all the way from there.
"What's that?" Trish asked.
"Sounds like some kind of bells." Lady replied.
"Does this happen often?" Modeus asked Wendy and Carla and both just shrugged. Modeus looked towards Lucy who also shrugged in response.
On the roof, Natsu stood with Dante and Happy as they looked out towards Magnolia.
"This some kind of church thing?" Dante asked.
"I bet I know why they're ringing." Natsu said in anticipation
"Aye" Happy agreed.
Back inside; most, if not all, of Fairy Tail began to smile in anticipation as well.
"Yeah!" Elfman exclaimed.
"That's awesome!" Grey stated.
"Old Gildarts is coming back home!" Natsu said with a wide smile.
"Gildarts?" Dante asked, as it was the first time he heard that name.
"Oh yeah!" Happy exclaimed in happiness.
"GILDARTS IS BACK!" All the Fairy Tail wizards cheered as they had now begun to celebrate.
"Gildarts?" Modeus asked.
"Who's that? Someone in the guild?" Trish also asked.
"I've never heard of him before." Lucy said.
"He's the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail." Mirajane revealed.
"WOAH! Are you serious?!" Lucy exclaimed.
"I always thought Erza was the top fairy in this guild." Lady said.
"All modesty aside, I don't even hold a candle to him." Erza acknowledged with a humble smile.
"Oh, now I'm interested." Trish said with an eager grin.
The entire guild was cheering quite loudly; which was being observed by Erza, Modeus, Lucy, Trish, Wendy, Lady, Mira, and Carla.
"Well they seem certainly excited." Modeus observed.
"I get it's good he's back and all, but everyone seems to be going nuts." Lucy said.
"Look how happy they all are." Wendy stated.
"They seem more out of control than usual." Carla said.
"Which says a lot, coming from this particular guild." Lady agreed a bit.
"It's only natural that their excited." Mira said. "He's been gone quite a while; three years in fact."
"Three years?" Trish and Lucy questioned at the same time.
"What kind of job would ask that of someone?" Modeus asked curiously.
"Well as most of you all know; we have regular jobs and S-Class quests." Mira began. "Above those are SS-Class quests. And above those jobs are called Decade quests."
"'Decade quests'!?" Lucy, Lady, and even Modeus questioned at the same time.
"Their jobs that no one has been able to complete in ten years; thus the name Decade quests." Erza explained. "Actually, Gildarts took a job higher than that, a Century quest."
"What?! A Century quest?!" Lady questioned with surprise evident in her voice.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Lucy exclaimed. "Who in the right mind would take on a job that lasts a HUDNRED YEARS!?"
"Him." Erza replied.
"Seems like something my mentor Sparda would undertake." Modeus said.
"I'm liking this guy more and more." Trish revealed with her own grin.
In Magnolia, all the townspeople we're preparing for Gildarts' arrival back to Fairy Tail. There was even a floating mega-phone speak giving an announcement; telling the town to prepare for something called a 'Magnolia Gildarts shift'.
"This guy's got quite the reputation." Lady observed.
"I'm all for festive, but this is just ridiculous." Carla said.
"Maybe because you're a major buzz-kill." Trish cracked, earning a slight glare from the white cat.
"They sure seem excited." Wendy observed.
"What the heck is a Magnolia Gildarts shift?" Lucy asked.
"Step outside and see for yourself." Erza replied.
The entire town of Magnolia just began to shift and change, almost like an earthquake was occurring. Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Trish, Modeus, and Lady all looked outside to see this with surprise evident on each of their faces.
It wasn't long before a giant pathway was formed that led straight to the Fairy Tail guildhall.
"Okay, did the entire town just split in two? Or am I going crazy?" Dante questioned as he was still with Natsu and Happy on the roof as the two we're still quite excited.
"Nope. This always happens when Gildarts shows up!" Natsu said excitedly.
"Man, talk about the Royal Treatment." Dante joked with his own smile.
"Well they kinda have to do that." Happy said to Dante. "His magic lets him destroy pretty much everything he touches."
"Really?" Dante asked with a raised-eyebrow, to which Happy nodded. "Well, sounds like someone I want to meet."
"You're in luck, cause here he comes!" Natsu eagerly exclaimed like a fanboy.
"Aye!" Happy agreed in the same tone.
Dante looked down to see a middle-aged man man wearing a mostly brown robe with short red hair walking towards the guild.
Inside the guildhall, nearly every wizard waited in deep anticipation as Gildarts walked inside the building. He looked around a bit and gave a slight sigh in disappointment.
Natsu and Dante we're inside to see him come on. "Come on you old geyser! Let's throw down!" Natsu happily exclaimed.
"That's no way to treat a man!" Elfman stated.
"Gonna have to agree with him on this one." Dante agreed.
"Welcome home." Mira greeted as Gildarts approached her.
"He's the most powerful guy in the guild?" Lucy questioned.
"He really doesn't look like much." Lady added.
"I wouldn't underestimate him." Modeus spoke up. "I can sense his magic, and it is truly powerful, one of the most powerful I've seen so far." That earned looks of surprise from Lucy, Trish, Lady, and Wendy.
"Sorry to bother you miss." Gildarts spoke to Mira. "I'm looking for a certain guild that used to be around these parts. A place called Fairy Tail."
"This is it." Mira replied. "Remember me? Mirajane."
Gildarts actually looked surprised. "Mira?" He questioned as he remembered her more intimidating appearance. "Wow! You sure have grown up a lot little girl. And did you change this place while I was away?" He asked as he looked around in surprise.
"He didn't notice that from outside?" Trish questioned.
"Gildarts!" Natsu happily exclaimed.
"Natsu! Hey pal. Now there's someone I recognize." Gildarts said as the Dragon Slayer bore an eager grin.
"Good to see ya!" Natsu yelled as he jumped high, realign back a fist. "Now let's party!"
Gildarts gave an amused smile as he caught the incoming Natsu, and nonchalantly threw him up to the ceiling, leaving an impression. "Not now kid."
Dante saw this with a raised-eyebrow and he gave a slight whistle. "Not bad."
"Same old tough guy we've always known." Grey acknowledged with a smile.
"A good old fashioned man's man." Elfman stated.
"I see some new faces here as well." Gildarts observed looking around the guild. "A lot sure has happened while I was gone."
"Gildarts." Makarov called as he approached the bar where the guild master was sitting.
"Oh master. You're looking well." Gildarts greeted.
"How'd the job go?"
Gildarts gave a laugh before speaking again. "No good, way too much for me."
That hit hard for every wizard in the guild, especially Natsu and Happy. Dante himself was quite surprised at that.
"I can't believe he'd just give up like this." Grey stated.
"I guess it takes a big man to admit defeat." Elfman said.
Lucy found herself thinking. "A Century-quest was too much for even the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail? I wonder what it takes to finish it."
"I know what you're thinking over there and you should stop." Erza told Lucy. "There's no way."
Lucy had a panicked look on her face. "Oh I wasn't thinking about anything at all! I swear! My mind is totally blank!" She quickly spoke.
"You we're thinking about taking on a Century-quest." Trish said with a raised-eyebrow and a smile.
"No I wasn't!" Lucy exclaimed.
Modeus gave a slight chuckle before putting a hand on her shoulder. "Lucy, allow me to give you one of the first lessons Sparda ever taught me: know you're limits. It's fine if you want to become stronger, but don't jump the gun, all you'll be doing is signing your own death warrant."
Lucy gulped a bit. "I'll try to remember that."
Modeus smiled as he patted her shoulder.
"I see, the job was to tough." Makarov said.
"Forgive me for bringing shame to the guild, master." Gildarts apologized.
"No, you only brought yourself back in one piece." Makarov smiled. "That's no small feat in on itself. As far as I know, you're the only one who made the journey home alive."
Gildarts smiled back as he began to walk out. "Thanks boss. Now I gotta get back home so that I actually feel alive. Rest my weary bones." Natsu, Wendy, Dante, and Happy watched, as he was about to leave. "Oh, Natsu. Stop by later. I brought something back for you." Natsu smiled as Gildarts walked towards a wall. "Well I'm outta here you guys."
Gildarts looked like he was about to walk into the wall, only for the actual wall to explode, leaving an opening for Gildarts to walk though. Lucy, Trish, and Lady looked quite surprised while Modeus and Mira had more amused smiles.
"I was afraid of that." Mira said.
"I assume he hasn't heard of a front door." Modeus joked a bit.
Natsu's smile was still present as his fist lit on fire. "Ha ha. I wonder what the old man's got for me! I'm fired up just thinking about it!" He punched a hole through the wall, earing amused smiles from most guild wizards.
"One wall breaker is enough!" Max yelled.
Natsu was walking outside and Dante couldn't help but notice Natsu's attitude during Gildarts' presence in the hall.
"I'm guessing Natsu and Gildarts have a special relationship." Dante spoke to Happy.
"Aye." Happy replied. "Gildarts may be on a completely different level than Natsu, but they've been pretty good friends for as long as they've known each other."
"So you've seen this to?"
"Aye." Happy replied to Dante. "He's been around since the time I was born, so I've known him my whole life."
Happy then began to tell the story to Dante.
Many years ago
Little Natsu, Lisanna, and Happy sat by the river while Natsu was fishing.
"When do I get my fishy-wishy?" Little Happy complained.
"Hold you're horses, I'm just about to land a huge one." Little Natsu replied.
"They don't seem to be biting today." Little Lisanna observed.
There was a pull on the rod, which caused the three to become excited.
"What I tell ya?" Natsu stated.
"Get that sucker!" Happy cheered.
Natsu then pulled out a rather small fish. "Yes!" He yelled, while Happy and Lisanna just sweat dropped.
"It's tiny!" They both exclaimed.
"It may be small, but it'll feed us, right?" Natsu said as they had now begun to roast the fish at a fire.
"I guess, but that huge one you we're gonna land would have fed us even better." Happy complained.
"I'll get a bigger one, just not today, okay?" Natsu grumbled.
Lisanna giggled a bit. "It's just like watching a little kid asking his dad to get him a better toy."
"No it's not!" Natsu pouted. "Cause I'm not his dad."
"I defiantly don't see him as a father figure." Happy chimed in, earning a comical growl and glare from Natsu.
"Well I wouldn't mind being the mom, because that'd mean I'd be like your wife." Lisanna said.
"Don't start that again!" Natsu stated as he blushed. "You and I aren't married, okay!?"
"Then why are you blushing like that?" Lisanna asked with a mischievous smile. "It'll be true someday, wont it?"
Natsu's face was redder than a tomato. "No it won't you big dummy!"
"You're just the cutest when you're embarrassed." Lisanna said, causing Natsu's red face to turn away and puff with steam.
"Oh Natsu, she liiiikes you." Happy rolled.
"That is gonna get old real quick!" Natsu yelled.
Later that afternoon, the sun was about to set and the three we're sitting their home that they made for Happy. Little Happy was lying down on the soft hay, sleeping with a blanket over him; while Little Natsu and Lisanna sat down.
"So tell me, do you remember anything about your mom or dad Natsu?" Lisanna asked, causing to Natsu to look at her with some surprise. "Just curious. My brother and sister are super nice and take good care of me, so it's not like I don't have a family or anything." She shyly looked a way a bit. "But I wonder what it would be like, just to feel a parent's warmth."
"Yeah I don't know." Natsu replied, as he had no memory of his birth parents.
"Do you ever feel that way?" Lisanna asked.
"Maybe." Natsu began. "I mean… I guess that I knew Igneel's warmth."
"Your dragon?"
Natsu looked down a bit while Lisanna looked towards the setting sun. Natsu began to shake a bit "I don't understand." He began as he began to weep. "Why? Why did he leave me?" Lisanna looked to Natsu to see him shake with tears in his eyes. "I tried really hard to find him! I looked everywhere! But it was just no use at all! He left!"
Lisanna felt complete and total sympathy to poor Natsu. "It's so sad." She then realized something. "I almost forgot, I found some giant footprints just outside of the East Forest."
"What, for real?" Natsu asked, as she had his attention.
Lisanna nodded. "Yeah. I'm not sure if they we're dragon tracks, but they seemed big enough to me."
Natsu quickly jumped up with a large grin. "Alright! Let's go check them out!"
Happy slowly began to stir awake.
"I… I don't know… the sun's about to set." Lisanna noted.
"Who the heck cares?!" The eager Natsu questioned. "I'll go by myself if I gotta! Tell me where you found em!"
Happy had now just awoken and rubbed his eye. "What are you yelling about?"
Lisanna now had a determined look on her face. "I'll go to. Kay? I'll show you."
"Oh yeah! I'm fired up now!"
The sun had now set and Little Lisanna was now leading Little Natsu, with Little Happy flying beside him, through the East Forest.
"It's getting kinda scary." Happy observed.
"Don't worry about it." Natsu said. "So, do you see them?"
Lisanna began to look around. "Hmm. Not yet, but I think we're getting pretty close to them."
They continued to look around, and it seemed that Lisanna had spotted something. "Right here!" She said, causing Natsu to run towards her location with Happy close behind.
"Wow, those are footprints?" Happy said in awe. "Their so big."
These we're indeed large footprints that resembled a rather large mammal-like creature, something Natsu noticed.
"So what do you think Natsu?" Lisanna asked.
"Hmm." He looked and sounded a bit more disappointed. "I think these are from a Forest Vulcan."
Lisanna them gasped as she remembered when that one Vulcan tried to eat there egg that held the unborn Happy inside. "Are you talking about those big monsters? Like that Gorian you fought that one time?"
Natsu than sat down with a disappointed sigh by a rock overlooking a river. "I should have known better. I mean, I looked all over for Igneel, there's no way he'd just happen to show up so close by."
Lisanna then had a feeling of guilt swept over her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get your hopes up. It was a mistake."
"Aw don't worry about it." Natsu dismissed. "Let's start heading back." Lisanna nodded.
They began their walk back home, with Natsu up front. As they continued to walk, Natsu found himself lost in thought. "Where is he? Where did Igneel go?"
"Natsu! Wait for me!"
Natsu and Happy turned back to see Lisanna a bit a ways from them. She looked tired as she held her knees catching her breath. "You're walking a bit too fast for me."
"Sorry about that." Natsu and Happy then continued their walk with Lisanna still behind them. As they continued walking, some heavy fog began to sat down, making it difficult for them to see.
"It's getting super foggy." Happy noted.
"Yeah, it is." Natsu replied.
Happy turned back. "Hey, shouldn't we wait and let Lisanna catch up?"
"Oh, yeah." Natsu turned around. "Hey come on, hurry up." They we're quite surprised to see that she wasn't there. "Uh… is she still back there?"
"I told you we should have waited for her!" Happy exclaimed.
Natsu began to grimace a bit. "Uh oh… if word gets out that I lost her out here, I'm gonna be in serious trouble." He could already here Mira and Erza in his head promising him the beating of a lifetime.
Natsu then began to run back into the woods to search for her. "Hold on Lisanna! I'm coming for ya!" He yelled in a panic, as he was also quite worried about her as well. Lisanna! Where did you go!? Would you quit playing around already!? Come on and say something!" He tripped on a root he couldn't see and fell on his knees. "This stinks."
He heard Lisanna scream in the distance and turned around to see the same Forest Vulcan that tried to eat his egg a long time ago, who gave a sinister chuckle, earning a panicked look from Happy.
"Long time, no see little punk." He showed that he had Lisanna in his grip. "You wouldn't be looking for this would you?"
"Help me!" Lisanna screamed.
"Lisanna!" Natsu exclaimed, as he was now quite angry. "Let her go! Get you're stinking paws off of her you darn dirty ape!"
"No way." The Vulcan replied. "You don't know how things work in the forest, do you kid? Finders keepers, losers weepers."
"She isn't yours to keep!" Natsu yelled.
"Yeah!" Happy agreed.
The Vulcan brought her close to his face. "Oh I'm gonna keep her alright. Cause it just so happens that I've been looking for a wife."
"A WIFE?!" Lisanna exclaimed with comical tears down her face, as she imagined herself with dozens of mini-Vulcan-babies. "I don't think so!"
Natsu's eyebrow twitched at that. "You're such a perv." He said nonchalantly.
"Oh scandalous." Happy joked. "Truly forbidden love."
Lisanna turned away with a blushing smile. "I'm sorry if you feel that way Mr. Vulcan. But my heart belongs to my sweet little Natsu." She said, hopping that would also help her out of this crazy situation.
The Vulcan looked quite angry at that. "Yeah!? Well I say you're mine, so that makes you mine, alright?!" He angrily said, earning a panicked look from Lisanna.
"You don't make the rules around here!" Natsu yelled.
"Disrespecting me kid?" The Vulcan asked with an evil smile. "I'm gonna keep her then. But if you really want her back, you should apologize."
"Now you're blackmailing me?!" Natsu questioned.
The Vulcan tightened his grip on Lisanna, earning a glare from Natsu. "Swallow your pride, get on your hands and knees, and I'll give her right back." The Vulcan said as he chuckled.
Natsu sighed. "Fine."
"He's doing it?" Lisanna and Happy both questioned in surprise.
Natsu then got on his knees and bowed. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you sir. Please give Lisanna back."
Lisanna had tears in her eyes, truly touched by this. "Natsu…"
"In your dreams!" The Vulcan yelled as he slammed Natsu into the ground with his foot, much to Happy and Lisanna's shock.
"No don't!" Lisanna begged.
"That's playing dirty you ape!" Happy yelled.
The Vulcan than began to repeatedly step on Natsu quickly, practically jumping up and down on his body while doing it. "You just fell for the oldest trick in the book!" The Vulcan stated.
Natsu was in a small crater, covered in bruises with white circles for eyes. "That… really… hurts"
"Oh yeah, now I'm fired up!" The Vulcan said as he still held the scared Lisanna who was trying to reach for Natsu. He then grabbed a massive boulder, much to Lisanna and Happy's surprise. "Prepared to be squashed like the little bug that you are!"
He was ready to bring it down, and all Natsu could do was close his eyes so he wouldn't see it coming. But someone else stepped in the way and caught the rock, much to the shock of the Vulcan, and the relief of Lisanna and Happy.
"You really are a nasty, stupid monkey, ain't ya?" Gildarts said with an eager grin.
"It's Gildarts!" Natsu said in relief.
"Who are you calling names you runt?!" The Vulcan yelled as he tried to force the boulder on Gildarts, but he wouldn't budge.
"I'll just get this out of the way." Gildarts said as he used his Crash Magic on the boulder, causing it to shatter into tiny pieces much to Lisanna's amazement, and the Vulcan's horror. "Let me explain to you how this is gonna go from here. You're gonna put the girl down, turn around, and walk away."
"I hear you loud and clear!" The panicked Vulcan said as he quickly set Lisanna down and began to run away as fast as he could. "Sorry sir!"
"Thanks a lot." Lisanna thanked Gildarts.
"Hey, do I know you little girl?"
Lisanna nodded. "Yes, I'm Lisanna."
"I'll be. You're Mirajane's kid sister."
Natsu rubbed his head as Happy flew towards him to help him. "Natsu, are you feeling okay?" Happy asked.
"Yeah."
"Does anyone else see a flying cat over there or am I going nuts?!" Gildarts questioned as this was the first time he saw Happy.
"That's just our newest guild member, Happy." Lisanna answered for him.
"Sorry Gildarts but…" Natsu began to look away, feeling ashamed.
"You've grown up to be quite the man Natsu." Gildarts began, getting his attention. "There's a whole lot more to being a wizard than just having magical power. It's about having guts and standing up for those who can't help themselves, no matter what the odds may be. And you got guts."
Natsu then smiled at Gildarts' words. "Thanks."
The four then began to make their way out of the woods as more fog began to roll in.
"But, I guess having a wife is pretty manly to, huh?" Gildarts joked.
"She's not my wife!" Natsu exclaimed with a red face.
"Aw don't be embarrassed." Lisanna teased.
"He liiiikes her." Happy rolled, earning a laugh from Gildarts.
"Man this fog is like pea soup." Natsu observed.
"It tends to get thick this time of year, so watch your step." Gildarts advised as the group continued walking.
"It's so magical, like we're walking around on a completely different planet right now." Lisanna observed with a smile.
"You think so?" Natsu asked.
"Earlier when you we're looking for me, it felt so good to hear your voice calling my name through the murk and fog." Lisanna swooned a bit, causing Natsu to grumble and blush at the same time. "Hey, if I went missing like that again, you'd go looking for me, wouldn't you? You just wouldn't let me stay gone, would you?"
Natsu looked at her a bit. "Yeah, of course."
"I knew you'd say yes."
"Why not?"
Gildarts gave an amused smile. "Come by tomorrow, pal. We'll play a little catch, alright?"
"Oh yeah! I hope you're ready!" Natsu eagerly said.
The next morning, little Natsu and Gildarts we're playing catch at the bridge by Gildarts' house, with little Lisanna and little Happy watching. Natsu was throwing hard, but Gildarts gave little effort, as his magic actually made the ball sting quite a bit as Natsu caught it.
"Let me ask you, what we're you doing walking around the East Forest in the dead of night anyway?" Gildarts asked as he threw the ball to Natsu.
Natsu caught it and shook his stinging hand. "I told you about Igneel before. You remember don't you?" He threw it back to Gildarts.
"Yeah, that's the red dragon you'd been chasing after." Gildarts replied as he threw it back to Natsu, which still stung his hand as he caught it.
"Lisanna found some footprints so we went to look for him." He gave an eager grin. "It turns out she was dead wrong!" Natsu threw the ball, charging it with fire. Gildarts caught it with no effort, but the ball shattered with his magic on accident.
"Oh. Sorry, my bad." Gildarts apologized. "This Igneel. I reckon seeing him again is pretty important to you isn't it?" Natsu looked down a bit, but Gildarts put his hand on Natsu's head and looked with a large smile. "With guts like you've got, I know you'll find him kid."
Natsu smiled at Gildarts' encouragement. "Yeah."
"Now what do you say we do a little fishing?"
Lisanna and Happy were watching this. "Gildarts is really nice, he's almost like a father to him."
"Aye." Happy agreed.
Gildarts pretty much spent the rest of the day with the kids and their little cat. He gave Natsu a ride on his shoulders; they went fishing where Gildarts caught a massive fish, which they roasted. Next, they we're playing games in Gildarts' house, picking mushrooms, making a stew from the mushrooms and fish. The three little ones all slept with smiles on their faces later on with Gildarts watching over them with his own warm smile, not unlike a father watching over his children.
Present Day
Natsu was on his way to Gildarts' house with Happy close behind.
"Wow! Maybe he's bringing back a rare fire from a magic kingdom or something!" Natsu hopped.
"Yeah, I wonder what it is!" Happy stated, as he was quite excited as well.
Natsu kicked the door open to Gildarts' house.
"Yo!" Natsu greeted.
"What's up?" Happy greeted as well.
"Hey, good to see ya." Gildarts welcomed.
"You guys ever knock?" Dante joked as he was sitting in a chair across from Gildarts.
"Dante, what are you doing here?" Natsu asked.
"He and I are getting to know each other a bit." Gildarts answered as he turned to Natsu. "So now you're picking fights with the Son of Sparda huh?"
"You know about Sparda?" Happy asked.
"Well I kinda told him." Dante revealed, surprising them a bit. "If we're in the same guild, might as well." He said with a shrug.
"You hunt demons for a living, you got guts to rival Natsu's here." Gildarts complemented.
"So what you got for me pops?" Natsu asked Gildarts.
"Never mind that. How have you and little Lisanna been getting along since I've been gone?" He teased.
"Uh oh." Dante grimaced as his smile vanished.
"What?" Natsu questioned as his mood turned into one of irritation.
"You don't have to play coy." Gildarts joked with a laugh, but Natsu wasn't laughing back.
"Lisanna died. Two years ago."
Gildarts' face became filled with shock and regret. "Are you serious?!" He put his hands to his face. "I see… that's why Mira… my condolences."
Dante looked down a bit to, starting to feel a little sympathy towards Natsu and being more respectful.
"If that's all you want to talk about, I'm out." Natsu turned around, ready to walk out. Dante slowly stood up as well.
"Natsu, wait…" Happy tried.
"Listen. While I was gone… I met a dragon." Gildarts revealed.
Natsu stopped in his tracks and looked towards Gildarts in surprise, as did Happy; Dante found himself interested as well.
"It's not the one you're looking for though." Gildarts said. "It was black as a moonless night."
"Where was it?" Natsu asked.
"Sacred Mount Zonia." Gildarts answered. "He's the real reason I failed on my quest."
"You're serious?" Dante asked, to which Gildarts nodded. Natsu was about to leave. "Natsu, where are you going?"
"Well obviously, I'll ask him if he knows where Igneel is."
"Think again kid." Gildarts stated. "That black one is long gone by now. He's out flying in the wild blue yonder."
"I don't care!" Natsu exclaimed. "I can track him down if I put my mind to it!"
Gildarts began to discard his robe. "Natsu, look at me." He revealed his body to him, Dante, and Happy; all three could only look in wide-eyed shock, even Dante.
"Jesus…" Dante breathed.
Gildarts' chest was wrapped in bandages; he also had his right arm and leg removed as they we're replaced with prosthetics.
"It was over before I even knew what hit me. It ripped off my arm, my leg, then it gutted me." Gildarts stated to the surprised trio. "Igneel may be a different kind of creature, but I'm telling you this black one is no friend to anyone. There's not a man that can beat him."
Natsu's look of surprise became one of anger. "Look! We Dragon Slayers aren't called that for nothing you know! This guy doesn't stand a chance to what I'm capable of!"
"Natsu, have you ever faced a dragon before?" Dante questioned.
"This coming from a guy who never even saw a dragon before!" Natsu exclaimed. "Besides your Sparda's Son! If you and I team up, we most certainly can bring him down!"
"That's if we can find him." Dante said.
"Natsu, if this is what you think, then I'm not gonna try to stop you." Gildarts said.
Natsu's anger didn't seem to vanish. "Good!" He exclaimed as he ran out.
"Natsu wait!" Happy called while Dante face-palmed.
"That kid's got more guts than brains."
"Hey Dante." Gildarts said, getting his attention. "Be sure to have his back, alright?"
Dante gave a small grin. "That's the plan. Maybe no man can beat that thing, but maybe a Dragon and a Devil can."
"Aye!" Happy agreed. "You and Natsu are the strongest team!"
The sun was now setting over Magnolia as Makarov sat on the roof, watching over the town below.
"Not only do we have three Dragon Slayers in our guild, but also Sparda's Son and his apprentice. Porlyusica, it is just as you foretold. We are standing on the cusp of a new era."
Natsu found himself running on the outskirts of the city. "Come on! Come on! I gotta find him!" Natsu tripped and began to roll down the hill and into a nearby river.
Natsu laid down in the river but a hand quickly reached and pulled him out and Natsu looked with surprise at who pulled him out.
"Dante?"
"Sit down."
Both the Fire Dragon Slayer and the crimson Devil Hunter sat at the edge of the river. There was a brief moment of silence.
"You probably think I'm loosing my mind, don't you?" Natsu questioned.
"Nope." Dante replied. "Everyone wants to see their parents."
There was more silence.
"Do you think he's still out there? Igneel?" Natsu asked.
"Who knows?" Dante answered. He sighed "Natsu, look, I can understand what you're going though. My old man left to, just left my mom, my brother, and me alone. It wasn't long after that that she was killed, and my bro and I we're separated. I didn't find out till later that he died."
"How'd he die?" Natsu asked.
"I don't know." Dante revealed. "It's something that I doubt I'll ever know. At least there's a possibility your old man is out there, mine is gone… forever."
Natsu looked towards Dante with a bit of sympathy. "And I'm sorry about Lisanna to." Dante said to him. "If Igneel is still out there, I'm sure we'll find him; but it's just… sometimes knowing the truth can be worse than not knowing at all."
"I don't care." Natsu stated. "I need to know, I have to find him."
"You're incredibly stubborn, you know that?" Dante joked a bit before putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I said I'd help you find him, remember? And I don't break my promises." Dante put up his fist for a fist-bump.
Natsu gave a grin as the two fist-bumped. "Thanks. Bro."
Done.
What did you guys think? Up next is when the action in Edolas starts. I'm sure you guys are all looking forward to that. Thank you for your patience.
Just one quick thing, expect some minor changes to the main Fairy Tail storyline, as in certain characters having a more active role. Again, the future of this story is going to be a NaLi thing, and yes I am aware that the main one anime is pretty much NaLu at this point, so NaLu shippers, please don't hate me. Wish me luck with the rest of this story.
And Jackpot!
See you next time.