A/N: Hello Minna! Here's a new chapter...finally.

As always, I hope you enjoy! ~

Natsu POV

It was a strange feeling; seeing that island come into view. It all finally felt real to me. The S-Class trials were happening and a new rank was just within my grasp. I had found it so hard to believe on the way to the docks that, not only would I be taking the exam but I'd also have my brother alongside me. A rush of euphoria rushed through my veins as my excitement began to pour out. The temporary relief from my motion sickness making it all the better. Although after the trials were over I'd ask Senji to help me train myself out of it. But even if I had to still deal with that major weakness, nothing could stop the pure joy I felt in finally getting so much closer to my main goal besides finding Igneel.

I stood up, leaning against the rail, barely listening to what Makarov was saying as he explained the trials, focusing rather upon the island and the thin pillar of smoke that poured from it. I could smell Gildarts, Mira, and Erza from this far, about two miles or so from shore. I could feel my adrenaline ready to rush through my veins as the boat jerked to a stop. The sudden jolt of the action shocking several members as Makarov gave them all a smile and cried out, "EXAM START!"

"Eh?" Gray looked at the old man in disbelief. He stared at the man as if he'd grown three more heads. "You can't be serious?!"

"Aren't we still in the ocean?!" Loki added equally as shocked, motioning to the water around them. "Do you expect us to swim there?"

"Not everything is in a perfect setting." Makarov simply stated, "This is the S-Class trials and these challenges will not be normal."

As he finished speaking, I caught a spike of Freed's magic and turned to grab my brother. "Let's go!" I didn't want to be on the boat when Freed finished casting. Senji frowned for a moment, he didn't like the look of how things were going so far. But I could tell he caught the spike in magic as he did a sweep of the boat to zero in on Freed. But there was no time to spare.

"Wait wha-!" Senji exclaimed as I picked him up and jumped overboard as everyone else just stood there gaping at the old man. He quickly pulled out of his shock and shortly after I felt Senji charge up for a spell. I couldn't have been more glad than when he realized what I was doing and creating a makeshift path for us to run on. Although it was very fragile as it crumbled to dust right behind us.

I grinned as soon as we started running and I felt Freed's magic flare up to release his spell, casting a rune barrier around the ship. I barely heard Gray shout something at Freed as he tried to follow us, running face first into the boundary.

"Damnit Freed!" His curses towards the rune mage were muffled, almost as if he was in a bubble, making him sound ridiculous and I fought the urge to laugh as the others joined in, instead trying to focus on my footing.

"Relax, it's set to dissolve in five minutes!" Freed chuckled to those still trapped.

"Why don't you just lock 'em there forever?" Bixlow asked jokingly.

"Then it wouldn't be much of an exam, now would it?" Was Freed's simple reply. The pair sped towards the island, quickly catching up to us.

I was glad I had gotten me and my brother out of there before Freed finished his runes. I wasn't sure my brother knew enough rune magic to disable Freed's barrier, although I wouldn't be surprised at this point if he did. And speaking of my brother, Senji-having noticed that almost everyone else was trapped-was now laughing hard enough that the once hard cement-like path below our feet had turned into soft dirt as his concentration wavered. but pretty quickly I joined in, shouting back taunts between breaths for the poor trapped mages as we were coming up on land. Just in time to see Freed and Bixlow enter one of the paths, a barrier forming behind them.

"Damnit!" I cursed with a sigh. I had wanted to enter one of the routes first; even if it wasn't a race. I sniffed out the air, locating Gildarts, Erza, and Mira. I had thought they'd at least put up runes so us dragon slayers wouldn't sniff out the opponents we wanted. But I wasn't complaining that they didn't. I turned to my brother, "So who do you want to fight?"

"Honestly? I don't want to fight the girls." Senji admitted.

"Yeah? We'll then which one should we take?" I grinned, knowing already which one he'd choose.

"I want a go at that old man who seems so content just waiting for us." He replied, "Although I don't know why you're asking me. It's your exam."

"Just cause I felt like it..." I glanced back to the ship, noticing that Evergreen and Elfman as well as Gajeel and Levy were on their way towards us. "Well, since you have made your choice we can hurry up and go before someone catches up to us." I grinned heading towards our path at a run as I heard the cheers from back at the boat. It wouldn't be long before everyone else arrived. I motioned for Senji to follow making sure that when both of us entered the barrier erected behind us before even beginning to slow to a walk.

The tunnel we entered was damp, moss growing along the walls and crawling onto the ceiling. The moist plant hung down in places, occasionally low enough for us to have to move out of our way as we made our way through the tunnel. Little trails of water ran in places were the ground slanted. I shivered lightly, not from the cold breeze but rather from the uneasy tightness in my stomach. Something was going to happen.

"Natsu," Senji spoke, his voice just above a murmur, "There's something strange about this island."

"You feel it too?" I asked, halting my step. Senji nodded, a flicker of concern appearing in his eyes briefly. "Things are gonna get interesting."

"Or very dangerous." Senji added as we began to walk again. "Then again, we are about to go against the strongest mage in Fairy Tail."

"Uh-huh. There's a good chance we're going to lose this one." I sighed, stretching my arms in front of me, "But I'm not going down without one worthwhile fight."

"I can agree with you there." Senji chuckled, "It's been way too long since I've had a good fight. Back in Bosco, there wasn't much chance for a good fight," He paused. "Unless you're avoiding slavery that is."

"Slavery?" I hadn't really heard much about Bosco except that it was there that my brother stayed for the past 9 years. "I didn't think something like that would be so active. Even in that country."

"Hmm? It wasn't always that way but two years ago the black market gained a new ringleader twice as cruel as the last." Senji's expression contorted into anger. "Many of those I called my friends where I stayed were captured and killed by that man." I lost my voice to speak. I didn't know what to say or how to console him with any words. I could only just walk beside him, letting a stress-filled silence permeate the air as we moved forward. Anger and malice radiating off my brother in waves. The temperature in the cave rising as his emotions did and it wasn't long before his blue flames began to flicker into existence in his hands.

"Senji..." I reached out, grasping his hand in effort to calm him before he drained his magic. He jumped slightly, his flames and magic fading almost instantly as he snapped back into reality. Senji caught my concerned gaze and shook his head. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry. Just flashbacks." Senji stated, almost blankly. "Let's go, that old man had been waiting long enough."

I wanted to question him more. To force him to give more answers. But I knew better than to pry, especially in matters as delicate and scarring as this seemed to be. I felt my own anger begin to boil. Whoever this ringleader of the black market was...he was going to pay as well as the man that took Senji from me to begin with. This I swore in silence, watching as Senji took off in a run as if leaving his burst of anger and drudged up memories behind. I followed after him ready to continue on, mentally steeling myself for the battle to come and for good reason. We had chosen a hard battle. One we may or may not come out of well beaten.

We finally reached the end of the tunnel, running out into a bright clearing. Sure enough, not even twenty paces before us was Gildarts. He sat lazily on a fallen tree, leaned over with his head propped up on one hand. It looked as if he'd been dozing off waiting for us. But it didn't take much for him to realize we were present and he glanced up.

"Oh, Nastu and Senji." He stood, stretching. "You boys sure took your time huh? No matter."

"Oh yeah, I'm all fired up." I grinned, catching a mirror look on my brother's face. There was no doubt he was excited as well. I nodded slightly before moving to charge the older mage. "Let's go, Gildarts!"

"Eh? Hold on a minute..." Gildarts sighed but I paid him no heed, I wanted to get this battle started and get out the lingering anger I felt back in the tunnel and I had no doubts that Senji felt the same as he appeared beside me. I charged up an arm and Senji gathered his magic. "Boys, hang on. I'm not mentally prepared for this yet."

Senji split off to the left, releasing a bright blue roar at the mage. Gildarts disappeared in the licking flames and I saw him move beside me almost faster than my eyes could track. Turning my body and using my momentum, I sprang back at him, throwing a flaming fist his way. I felt it contact but frowned when I realized my punch had been stopped by his hand. I had but a moment to move as Gildart's magic sparked the air around us, barely dodging his magic.

"Natsu!" Senji called, not in alarm as Gildarts had thought but rather as a warning that he was going in for the next move. He leaped up, using his fire to gain speed and went in with a flaming fist. I caught Gildart's charging up again, releasing his magic on the ground, almost creating a cushion for the blow.

"If I had been a normal mage that would have taken me out." He chuckled, flinging my brother aside. I watched to make sure he landed alright before moving back in. "But seriously, hang on a moment you brats."

"Not a chance!" I charged him again, this time charging my arm with magic before concentrating it down to my fist. The flicker of iron on my skin and the flames whirling around caught my brother's eye and I remembered briefly that I hadn't actually shown him this move before now. I forced my attention back to the fight and brought back my arm as I approached the waiting mage. "Iron Dragon's Fist!" I cried as I brought my hand forward, but not before I saw Gildarts turn to catch my arm. "Shit!"

Senji charged up his magic, ice creeping up his hand and licking the frozen places before mixing together. It looks like I wasn't the only one hiding a few moves. I grinned his way before remembering where I was and found my arm trapped. Not long after Gildarts hit me with a few short strikes and flung me to the ground. I stayed down for only a moment longer as Senji launched his attack, "Frozen Fire Dragon's Fist!" I waited until he passed over before getting to my feet and mirrored his moves, repeating my last attack.

However we didn't land the blows, getting thrown back and barely landing on our feet. A quick glance at one another was all we needed to sync up and charge, "Fire Dragon's Roar!" We cried as we released our fire, blue and crimson swirling around before meeting it's target. At least, that's what we thought until our flames burst away revealing a perfectly unscorched hand and a spell heading right for us.

"Shit!" I tried to back off but I wouldn't be able to avoid the spell. Gildarts had a expression of shock on his face and I heard Senji shout as the world around me flickered. The next thing I was aware of was the ground no longer being beneath me and the rush of air past my ears. I had somehow been flung into the air. But that wasn't the only thing I noticed. I had seemed to both shrink and...multiply?!

"Natsu?" Senji knelled down not sure what to do. "Um...are you okay?"

"Other than being shrunk? Yeah!" I heard similar echos around me. Things from arguing about which was the real Natsu and challenges to Gildarts. It was so weird hearing my voice in other places besides from my own throat but it was stranger having so many copies of myself. I glanced to where Gildarts stood with a frown.

"You'll be back to normal in a little while," He ran a hand through his hair, "But it looks like this is the end of the line for you. I'm sorry Natsu but you-"

"Hold on a moment!" I shouted, "This isn't over yet! Not while I still have fight left in me!" I was smaller now but I felt no change to my magic. If I couldn't use my strength then my numbers and magic should do it.

"Besides, you haven't forgotten that I'm here as well." Senji grinned, "Besides, there's now more of us to fight."

"Get ready Gildarts!" I shouted at him. Although at the same time I couldn't help but want to laugh at my situation but at the same time, it was a chance to turn the fight in our favor. A change to swing ourselves into victory even if the chance was only slightly higher. The shocked expression Gildarts held only made the change so much sweeter. I charged him, noting how the others followed before being knocked back with a simple block from the mage's cape. Although it didn't take long before he was overwhelmed by our sheer numbers.

"You guys are annoying..." Gildarts growled, brushing us all off him before motioning for the release of the spell and I blacked out for a moment once more before realizing I was back to my normal size once more.

"Chance!" Senji charged up, moving forward as soon as I was back to normal. He locked Gildarts in short hand-to-hand combat as I regained my footing.

I grinned as Senji backed off, letting me get in close, "Dragon Slayer Secret Arts..." I charged my magic, concentrating it into a small sphere before letting it expand and release, "Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!" My flames swirled around me, slicing at the ground and air before expanding and exploding around its target. I stepped back panting lightly. I had put all my strength into that move. I couldn't see Gildarts through the dust and smoke. I knew better than to think I had beat him. That knowledge further proven when the debris clears revealing a completely unharmed Gildarts although his cloak has definitely seen better days.

"It didn't even leave a scratch..." Senji muttered, catching my glance. "Natsu..."

"Look again." I grinned, "He moved."

"Eh? Of course he-" A look of shock flashed over his features, "You're telling me he didn't even move an inch while we battered away at him?!" I nodded, quickly regretting the simple motion as the ground seemed to become unstable as the lack of magic too effect on my body.

"That sure was something Natsu and now I believe I understand your power deeper." Gildarts said fondly, "Normally as an instructor, I would let you pass but-"

"No, I wouldn't be able to become an S-class like that." I had very little magic left but could still fight. "Besides, I'm only supposed to move on when you surrender or I beat you."

"I figured you'd say something like that." A heavy pressure weighed onto my shoulders as magic poured into the clearing. My heart skipped a beat as I felt an emotion that I hadn't felt like this in years. Fighting the temptation to step back, I focused instead on what Gildarts was saying. "That's why...I won't go easy on you." Gildarts released his magic, letting it swirl around. Senji threw me a worried glance. He knew we wouldn't win this and was slowly getting into a defensive stance. "There is something left for you to acquire, both of you, in order to reach the top of the magic world. Learn it and never forget."

I grimaced as his magic burst out, threatening to knock me off my feet or at least move me backwards. A chill crept up my spine as a light trembling settled in my limbs. Fear. An emotion I tried to shut out especially after Senji was first taken. It led to many actions that often led to situations much worse than the prior. I could see the power flowing off of Gildarts in waves. The pure amount of his magic making me want to run. But I knew the man before me wasn't a true threat, even as my instincts said otherwise.

"I-I lose..." I let myself fall to my knees under the magic pressure. My heart beating away as I tried to regain my calm.

"I cannot blame you for backing down. Those with the courage to sheath their blades are rare." Gildarts explained as he released his magic, letting it disperse. "Fear is not something 'evil' but rather it can show you your weakness. Once you know your weaknesses, you can become stronger and kinder. This is what an S-class mage is. Keep that in mind Natsu." Gildarts ruffled my hair, the motion slightly soothing, helping to bring my heart rate back down. "You pass."

"But I..." I didn't beat him and that is what this exam was about. A battle where the winner would move on.

"Go. As your supervisor I say you pass." He chuckled, "But the exam doesn't end here. there are much more grueling tasks ahead. With Senji with you, I'm sure you'll get through them. Have confidence, I'm sure you can do it." He knelt down before me, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Powerful magic isn't everything about a man. Take this from a friend, not your supervisor. This has nothing to do with age or career."

"Gildarts..."

"I'm the same as you, I don't want to lose either. Not to you or anyone."

I felt the warm tears try to escape as I listened to him. Everything he was saying was true, each word piercing me. I felt Senji kneel next to me, an arm around my shoulder and I could almost see the proud smile on his face.

"Now go become S-class Natsu."

To Be Continued...