"What do you want" Natsu said placing Happy on the ground next to him the anger still present in his voice.
"Just stay there" he said using both is hands to start charging a spell after a few seconds the spell was ready. "Now die" Jose announced.
Natsu knelt on the ground next to Happy glairing daggers at the mage before him as the spell was charging unafraid, but moments before Jose could realise his spell something broke his consideration he was knocked forward on to the ground reviling Erza standing there in her standard armour.
"We are not your puppets" Erza announced emotionlessly, Natsu then stood up and walked towards the fallen mage Jose tried to raise his hand to cast a quick spell at Natsu but before he got the chance Natsu stood on his hand causing Jose to cry out in pain.
"You took someone precious to me" Natsu said coldly still in his dragon force, he then used his foot that was currently crushing Jose's hand and moved it and stopped on his head his eyes staring down at him with hatred. "This is nothing compared to how he felt" Natsu said his anger raising again and pointing at happy.
"Natsu that's enough" Erza spoke as she saw him keep stomping on his head.
"I'm just giving this Bastard what he deserves" Natsu said not looking up from Jose.
"He will be punished" Erza said determined, but Natsu didn't let up. "Natsu stop this instant" Erza demanded.
"Natsu please stop" an angelic voice called from behind him he put him foot down one more time before turning to face the voices origins.
"Mirajane" Natsu whispered as he saw the white haired beauty walk towards him,, he then moved his foot off of the mages head as he let go of his dragon force, he felt pain in his head and nausea for a moment to but it quickly disappeared, when she reached him she pulled him into a hug "Is he really gone?" Natsu asked looking at Wendy who was trying to heal the exceed, but to no avail.
"I'm sorry Natsu" Wendy said softly, Natsu felt his tear start to build up but held them back, he still had the rest of his friends under Jose's mind control, he then let go of Mirajane giving her a weak smile he then turned his attention to the barely conscious mage on the floor.
"How do you undo the effects" he said crouching down in front of him.
"Hahaha" Jose laughed weakly " You really think I would tell you" Natsu then raised his fist above his head but it was caught by a cold gauntlet, he looked up to see Erza shaking her head slowly.
"I'll deal with this Natsu" Erza said with a sad smile "You need to calm down" Erza said looking at Mira giving her a sign to move him back, Mira took the sign taking his free hand carefully and pulled him away both Mira and Erza knew if Natsu started he might not know when to stop.
"Now" Erza said looking down at the beaten mage she then knelt down and reached in to the dark mages pockets taking out the small cube, she then in her free hand Requiped a pair of magic sealing handcuffs and attached them to Jose. "Unfortunately for you I saw how you released Happy" the name got caught in her throat as she turned and began releasing everyone present from the mind control, one by one they all regained control of themselves and stood in silence out of respect.
After they had all said there goodbyes to Sabretooth the guild headed back to Magnolia Erza went a head to release the remaining members that were left at the guild, also Erza let Elfman out of the guild jail apparently when Wendy snapped out of control so did he after receiving the order to fight his sister but he was unfortunate enough not to get away and was imprisoned. Soon after a few days walk back fairy tail was all back together with people apologising to Natsu for treating him so badly, the overall mood in the guild was low later that afternoon was the funeral of one of their treasured members. Everyone had headed home early to change for the funeral, Natsu was still down and wanted serious pay back to the mages locked up in the guild jail he was being kept there until the magic council picked him up the following day. Natsu looked around his self made shack it seemed emptier than usual without Happy, he had changed into a black suit and tie with black trousers and a white shirt, he then heard a knock at his door he opened it reviling the three Strauss siblings standing there with sadness expressions, Lisanna's eyes were red from where she had been crying.
"Natsu are you ready?" Mira asked quietly.
"Yea let's go" he replied giving the three a forced smile he then stepped out of his house closing the door. It was a quiet walk to the cathedral where the funeral was taking place on the way there it had started raining and the group were under two umbrellas Elfman and Lisanna under one with Elfman supporting Lisanna and Natsu and Mirajane under the other, nothing had been said since the left Natsu's house but they soon approached the cemetery where most of the guild had already arrived they had just been waiting for the four that just arrived they politely split apart down the middle to allow the four to the front, Master Makarov noticed their arrival and stepped forward.
"We are gathered here today to share in a loss he may not of been one of the most powerful but Happy always brought a smile to people's faces" Makarov paused to hold in a few of his own tears "Happy may have been born a exceed but he was as true of a member as anyone else" he paused again many people had tears falling down there faces especially Carla who was standing next to Wendy either tears steaming down her white fur. "Happy wouldn't want us to be sad he would want to look to the future, here's to a true member of the fairy tail family" Makarov finished raising his hand in the iconic fairy tail way, most people followed suit only Carla, Natsu and Mira hadn't raised there hand in support after the funeral was over the majority of the guild left to head back to the guild leaving Natsu and Carla with Mira standing back watching the two the rain had eased up for the moment as Natsu approached the still crying Carla.
"You know he cared for you right" Natsu said smiling down at the exceed.
"I know but he'll never know own how I felt" Carla said between her cries.
"I'm sure he knew he wouldn't of tried so hard if he thought you didn't" Natsu replied with a slight chuckle remembering all of Happy's attempts to get her to notice him.
"Happy" Carla whispered to no one in particular.
"Now come on there's a young dragon slayer in the guild who I'm sure is wondering where you are" Natsu said trying to sound cheerful in obviously worked as the exceed stood up and started heading towards the guild but she stopped.
"Thank you Natsu" she said she knew that he was hurting as bad as her but she had no words for him.
"Think nothing of it" Natsu said forcing a smile as she carried on back towards the guild. Mira watched the whole scene and was now watching Natsu who had been staring at the grave for a few minutes she decided to go over to him.
"Hey" She said so she didn't startle him, but she got no response " Natsu" she called again this time putting her hand on his shoulder she then walked next to him to see tears falling down his face he quickly whipped them away.
"Hey what's are you still doing here I though you would be back with the guild I'm sire Lisanna's a state right now" Natsu said sadly.
"Elfmans looking after her he said he would be alright when I said I was going to check on you" Mira said not taking her eyes of Natsu.
"I'm fine" Natsu said weakly " I'm just gonna need a little while, before you know it I'll be back in the guild" he said with a fake laugh he then turned to her giving her a quick smile before turning around to leave the cemetery, Mira watched him leave he wasn't heading back to the guild it looked like he was heading in the direction of his house she decided not to follow him and give him a bit of space but she couldn't get the nagging thoughts out of her head of the last time Natsu lost someone close to him, when he lost Igneel.
Night fell on Magnolia and Natsu was walking through town picking up the last supplies he would need he was wearing a large hooded cloak and a back pack Natsu had decided to leave for a little while, he had left two notes at his house one addressed to the guild the other for Mirajane he was walking through town and stopped when he heard a call from next to him.
"We're not going though this again" the voice said it was sweet but slightly agitated. " I hoped I was wrong" she said stepping out the shadows
"Mira please I need to get stronger I couldn't protect him and I couldn't bear that happening again" he said holding back his tears.
"You know own she said you might pull something like this but I didn't believe her" another voice called from behind him it this time it was a male voice.
"Gray?" Natsu said slightly confused.
"What's this the great Salamander running away" another feminine voice taunted.
'I'm not running Erza" Natsu said he had given up understanding how they knew.
"Really because that's what it looks like" another voice spoke.
"Lucy I'm not running I just need to get stronger so I can protect the people I care about" his eyes momentarily glanced at Mira. "I just don't know own what I would do if something happened to one of you" Natsu said sadly.
"You can't protect everyone" Wendy said stepping out from behind a wall.
"Not you too Wendy" Natsu said with a sigh.
"Everyone mage in fairy tail can look after themselves " Gray said.
"Besides while your protecting everyone who's looking after you" Mira said sweetly as Natsu turned to face her she was giving the kindest smile.
"I don't know" he responded simply.
"You should stop carrying all this weight on your shoulders" Erza said as she walked up to him resting her hand on his shoulders.
" That's what family is for" Lucy said seemingly finishing Erza's sentence.
"He may not be here in person but Happy will live on in us, our memories" Mira said " You taught me that when we though we lost Lisanna" Natsu sighed he couldn't talk his way out of this one.
"Now come on you flame brain idiot let's head back to the guild I'm sure everyone's wondering where you are" Gray said smirking.
"Yea your right" Natsu said in defeat as he group turned and started heading back towards the guild but Mira stopped.
"Natsu can I talk to you for a second" Mira spoke "Don't worry I'll make sure he comes back" Mira said as she saw the rest of the group stop but carried on when then heard Mira's reassurance, when she saw the group was out of ear shoot she turned back to Natsu.
"So Mira what.." he was stopped when Mira slapped him in the face.
"What we're you thinking you idiot" she said with hurt in her words. "Where you just going to leave with out saying a word" she continued.
"I did leave a letter for you" Natsu said trying to build some sort of defence.
"A letter really after everything we went through these last few days you thought a letter was going to be enough" she said.
"I. I'm sorry Mira I didn't think things through" Natsu said "I'll do what I can to make it up to you"
"Promise me you'll never do anything like this again, that's all I want" she said looking up at him into his deep brown eyes.
"I promise in everything I am I will never try to leave again" Natsu said simply and with that he pulled her in for a hug which she was to happy to return. " Thank you"
"What for?" Mira asked.
"For getting the other to talk some sense into me" he said smiling.
"I had a feeling you would pull something like this so I just had to mention it to the rest of your team and they where eager to come and talk some sense into you" Mira explained.
"Still thanks" he said after a few more seconds they pulled back from the hug " We should probably head back to the guild there going to be wondering where we are" he laughed and with that they headed back to the guild. As they started walking Natsu felt a short stab of pain run through his head followed by a little bit of nausea but as quick as it came on it was gone so he just shrugged it off taking Mira's hand.
A/N this is not the end of the story there will be more but the next chapter or so are going to be a little bit of fluff because I enjoy that sort of thing but after that I will start the next "Arc" if you will.