Natsu sat in a wide anteroom, many tables set up around him, he sat with his legs crossed over the table top staring boredly into space. He had been given a few days reprieve of the political shit storm that had stirred with his killing of the Elder and saving the village, whilst being a Hunter meant he was unable to be prosecuted for completing anything that could fall into the category of 'Mission requirement's' Many people still believed that he was outside of the mission's parameter in that specific attack and so he sat in a room surrounded by aspiring Elder's listening half-heartedly to their argument's making sure if they included him they could answer. It didn't take long for the son of the slain Elder to stand pointing an accusatory finger at Natsu, he smirked at the foolish boy in response as he waited for his words.
"I see no proof of my father's alleged involvement in this kidnapping, as far as my mother and I knew he went to save the girl who was kidnapped by that Hunter's rival!" He spat viciously.
"You know nothing you insolent rat," Natsu fired back, surprising everyone in the room by finally speaking "That Hunter may have been my rival but his mere presence is proof enough of your old-man's involvement, by the five pledges themselves a Hunter is not permitted to attack an innocent person without express order's from someone who holds them in contract, no Hunter is stupid enough to go against the Hierarchy in this even one as dumb as Erigor."
"These human's are certainly troublesome, it is like they didn't know the rules that govern Hunters at all." Karite said tiredly his mood mirroring Natsu's.
The boy scoffed "This is all very convenient for you if I may point out."
"Only you, with the blood of that imbecile running through your veins, would have the gall to proclaim this as convenient for me, Your old man has been a criminal for years he murdered the one person closest to me, then attempted to do the same thing again, there is no way for you to bend this, protecting this village was my only mission directive…That included threats from domestic sources and your old man was kidnapping women to sell them into slavery to make money, breaking many law's in the process." Natsu replied forcing his voice to remain level
The boy huffed and sat down, having no further ammunition and realizing his arguments were useless he was the only one defending his old man.
Natsu returned to half listening to the conversation whilst thinking 'I wonder if the rat is going to try and get into power just to hire another Hunter to come after me.' Natsu almost laughed at the thought 'It is unlikely he could get anyone worth worrying about, but the idea of him gaining power after his old-mans habits coming to light is a long shot.'
"What are your thoughts on this matter Mr. Dragneel?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he stared at in source in question.
"We are debating what to do with the bodies of the men you have slain over these last few days." The man reiterated.
"You will treat them as you treat anyone of your own dead." Natsu said flatly.
"B-But those criminal's do not the honor of being laid to rest properly I think we should burn them and be done with it!" One man shouted in argument, more than a few people nodded their agreement.
Natsu stood slowly "There crimes in life matter little now that they are dead."
The men ceased there argumentative rumbling and looked at him curiously, the leader of the argument stood again to speak "You said yourself the Elder killed a loved one of yours and attempted to take another are you really okay with him being let to rest for all his crimes?"
Natsu's eyes didn't waver as he stared at the man "As I said, the crimes one commits' in life mean nothing after death, in death all men are equal."
Natsu began to make his way to the door, before a hand stopped him he turned around to see the young man he had met beside the north-gate the first night he had arrived, he gave the boy a smile before turning back to the group "As for my thoughts on who should succeed the dead Elder, I would like to put forth my nomination on this young man right here," Natsu touched the boys shoulder as he spoke with a smile "The night I arrived he not only greeted me, but he showed a concern for each and every one of the villager's he even was one of the only militiamen who did not surrender and managed to hold onto a part of the village against the odds that were quite simply against you."
With that Natsu turned quickly and left the room, a few of the men in the room watched the door close before turning back to the rest of the group "All in favor?" One man asked as he lifted his hand, he was followed by a vast majority of the assembled party.
"So what was the last bit all about?" Karite asked a little amused
"It was the truth, I found him the other day still held up in the warehouse with two other men and a small portion of the women he had saved."
"Did he not realize that the bandits had been repelled?" Karite asked
"That area was where most of the Militia were housed, no one had gone over there to check it out in a long while, he had no clue it was safe until he tackled me mistaking me for a passing bandit." Natsu chuckled at the memory.
"And you forgot his name?" Karite asked amused.
"He was a little shocked and he never gave it to me." Natsu answered with a small smile.
The sound of someone running caused Natsu to turn his head slightly, he didn't recognize the woman who ran up to him, she slid to a stop and handed him a small note, he looked down at it slightly confused, she offered no explanation before turning and running away again.
"Courier job." Karite said simply.
Natsu cocked his head and noticed the small insignia on her pack, "Yeah she is an Academy Hunter by the look of that." he said simply.
He looked down at the note, putting the package under his arm, he broke the seal with his thumb and read as he walked.
Natsu Dragneel I.D Number:57365 Codename: The Reaper.
Natsu groaned as he read the opening line 'Academy letters' he thought glumly.
We received word of your kill of one of our men known as Erigor, The challenge has been sanctified and proven legitimate.
We regretfully need to inform you that Erigor has no personal possessions to speak of for you to receive regardless we thank you for removing one of our own from such unsightly business.
The Seven Sacred son's of the Hierarchy.
'Signed with the official seal too." He thought with a chuckle
"So what now?" Karite asked
"I have a few things I want to think about." Natsu replied simply, he looked around him and noticed it was late afternoon and the shadow's around him were getting long, he smiled 'Well at least I can remove some travel time.'
Erza stood in a small training area, going through a few of the form's here grandfather had taught her they had always felt like more of a dance than fighting techniques, she wore a fairly standard shinobi's uniform as she moved about the room, she stopped in the centre of th room and eyed the target's around her, tossing a small number of Kunai knives into the air she caught two and tossed them, whirling around she grabbed two more and kicked two other's into target's the familiar sound of metal puncturing wood was heard before she loosed her last knife, the sound if metal clashing against metal caused her to snap her head around to the source, she dropped low and allowed her two shortened katanas to rest on her forearms.
"You missed one but it was still impressive." Natsu voice rang around the clearing for a moment and Erza visibly relaxed.
Natsu balanced the kunai on the top of his hand, he rolled it around his finger's as he walked towards her.
"So this is training you received from your grandfather I presume?" It wasn't really a question.
Erza nodded "It may not be as potent as your own fighting forms but it is effective nonetheless."
Natsu smiled as he held the Kunai out in front of him by the handle "I have a challenge for you."
Erza raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Take this Kunai from my hand." He said simply.
Erza watched him for a moment for wiping at the knife, she got air and she watched as it appeared her hadn't moved at all 'He didn't say I couldn't touch him what is his game?' she thought trying to read the message he was hiding behind the exercise. She shot forward attempting to trip him up and take the knife, he sidestepped her and continued to maneuvered around all the while holding the knife out in front of him, she threw an punch towards his stomach forcing him to dodge with his injured leg, hampering his speed considerably as she drove forward to her surprise she still got nothing but air. Erza clenched her fists in annoyance.
"Are you giving up that easily?" Natsu asked voice as level as ever.
Erza shook her head firmly as she dived at him again, she swept towards his leg causing him to jump to avoid her, she smirked believing she finally had him, she threw a punch towards his midsection and it was met with the back of his arm he moved the attack away effortlessly turning her momentum back onto her, she realized too late she had put too much into the punch as her body quickly followed her arm and she flipped over looking up at the sky, she coughed at the impact and got up slowly.
"You are wasting movement." Natsu said simply.
'Wasting movement? Is he just testing me? Trying to riel me up so I make more mistakes, what is his goal I doubt hurting me physically is in this so why?' The questions rocketed through her mind one after the other as she watched him turn to him. She approached him more slowly than before trying to read anything that she could use.
Natsu cocked his eyebrow as she approached slowly 'Well at least she is more focused.' He thought, he waited for her to rush him or attack in anyway.
She watched him carefully as she moved around him in a circle, she realized not matter how much she moved he had stayed in the exact same spot merely rotating his body to make sure he was facing her she smirked as she ran towards him, Natsu watched her charge him again, he moved his body to the side to avoid the first kick sent his way, before the knee turned slightly, his eyes widened slightly as he realized she had him, he registered the pain before he felt his back hit the ground he bounced once and slid to a stop, he opened his eyes and sat up, she walked over to him with the Kunai in her hand smiling victoriously.
Natsu chuckled "Well done." He said simply.
"What do you expect when you don't move your feet?" Erza asked
"I expect you to noticed and use it," Natsu said simply "The most tell-tale sign of anyone's fighting style is there stance it is the first step to reading someone's attack's and movement pattern's ."
Natsu pulled a small paper wrapped bundle from his cloak and tossed it to Erza, she looked down at it curiously and then back at him before sitting down opposite him. she peeled the wrapper back slowly and looked down at the small bundle of clothing inside, the thing blended almost flawlessly into the shadow they were currently seated in, she realized it was the same material as his cloak, she picked up the shirt and pants, it was much like the Shinobi's uniform she currently wore with a few minor changed, it had more than a few places to conceals knives, it dawned on her that he must have been watching her practice the last few days and he had this made suited to her style of fighting. She looked at him curiously, he kept his face unreadable as she looked over the other content's, the shirt was sleeveless and folded beside it was a pair of gloves, as she picked them up she realized they had a few plates of metal over the elbow's and knuckles, the gloves worked as sleeves with their length and she gave them a simple nod of approval. The pant's were just pant's really the same black materiel that allowed freedom of movement and the ability to blend flawlessly in the dark. She peered won at the last two articles of clothing in the package, The same style of mask Natsu wore around his neck at the moment and a small metal medallion, the metal was odd looking kind of a dark black steel it was cool t the touch and tied with a black cord, she picked it up and placed it in her palm.
"Hey there," She recognized the voice that rang out in her mind immediately, the consciousness of Natsu's Scythe Karite "The medallion is a small sliver of me, it allows me to converse with you as I do Natsu."
She nodded slowly as she pulled it over her head.
"So what is all this for?" She asked simply.
"I would like to ask you to become my apprentice, I will train you the same as I have been trained, we will eat sleep and live together for a few years as well as complete missions together." Natsu explained flatly.
Erza smiled widely "Okay…But don't expect me to call you master or anything like that." she snapped quickly.
Natsu let out a sigh of relief "Don't worry it won't be anything like that."
"So when do we start?" Erza asked excitedly
"We already started," Natsu smiled "The small exercise we just did is the first part of learning to read people like I do, it gets easier with practice."
"Do I get a talking weapon like yours?" Erza asked curiously.
Natsu shook his head "No, I found Karite in an old temple and as far as I know there is nothing like him anywhere else."
Erza was a little disappointed 'But it doesn't matter cause I finally get to leave this place and I get to travel with Natsu too!'
"All right let's head home we need to pack and I need to eat something." He said flatly, his stomach rumbling loudly at the mention of food.
She rewrapped the clothing and stood up, she walked along beside Natsu, he resting lazily on his shoulder as the pair walked he smiled at her and wrapped his hand around her waist.
"Hey Natsu? Why do you dislike Academy Hunter's so much?" She asked as they walked.
"They are arrogant suck up and more than the majority of them are dishonorable using missions as a shield to break every law set in place by man." Natsu replied a little angry.
she sighed as she realized she wasn't getting anything more out of him and just opted to enjoy his company on the walk back.
A/N: All right guys! I know it has been a few day's but as I said busy month :P, well I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I will see you in the next one!