Disclaimer: Fairy Tail would have a hell of a lot more darkness and despair if it was mine. And it would probably be over because everybody died….
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Back at the guild, the doors once again flew open to announce the return of Erza & co. The mission had been a success, and walking up to the bar counter to notify Mira of this was the Queen of Fairies, Titannia. Following her were Happy, Lucy and Gray respectively. After searching through the faces of those in the guild, Happy looked confused at the lack of a certain someone. Noticing this, Mirajane smiled at the little blue cat and told him that Natsu was on a mission, and would be back soon. The next one to smile at the cat was Lucy, when she heard Gray say the cat would stay with him. The second smile was of a more, not sinister, but impure nature, as the blonde had been certain the cat would stay at her house, seeing how he spent more time there than anywhere other than the guild.
After Erza finished with Mirajane, she turned towards the others. "I suggest you go home early tonight and get some rest. You're probably tired, and when Natsu is back, we'll go out again. Somebody" she stared at Gray and Happy, "made it so Lucy didn't get enough for her rent."
Shivering from the stare, the boys simultaneously called out "Aye, sir!" as they ran out the door. Lucy soon followed suit. After all, Erza's wrath, no matter how small, was nothing to sneeze at.
The next day, all four of the team gathered at the guild once again. Natsu should be back today, as his mission was a simple one, and Lucy's rent was due next week. When he hadn't come in by lunch, the team members started to get worried. Even though a number of things could have happened, there was a certain fear present in the team's mind.
Something had happened. Natsu wasn't going to be coming back today.
Just as Gray was about to get up, Erza turned around and asked Mira where Natsu had gone. Puzzled, but not wanting to anger the redhead, Mira answered and the group ran off towards the train station.
When they got there, everybody was quiet. The ominous feeling had only grown as time moved forward. The train just couldn't move fast enough.
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The next time Natsu woke up, he tried to move for water but winced in pain. Looking down at his wasted body, he couldn't find any possible source for the pain, but as he licked his lips, he felt it. The pain had come from where they were splitting. His body needed water. He hadn't been able to drink any the last two times he had been awake, and he knew that if he didn't this time either, there would be no next time.
Reaching his arm out, Natsu discovered the stream had shrunk much since he had arrived. What was bubbly and filled before now only held a trickle of liquid. How it had happened, Natsu didn't know. Maybe from the heat he was sure he was radiating, maybe from the sun that rose and set multiple times between his awakenings. Either way, Natsu needed water. The sensation of dying from dehydration and starvation was sickening. Even worse was that the biggest factor in this dying state was from heat.
Heat stronger than fire.
When Natsu's arm finally reached what was left of the stream, he had used nearly all of his strength. The willpower was leaving him as he knew he had nowhere to go. His eyelids were feeling heavy. It shouldn't matter… Natsu thought. Holding out longer will still lead to the same place…. Only with even more suffering…
Natsu once again missed the water.
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Gray was the first one off the train. He didn't want to admit it, but he got the feeling he was the most worried out of all the group. Even including Happy. That meant he was worried. Really, really worried. And they were supposed to be bitter rivals. Ha! Gray was beginning to think that whoever had said 'hate truly is the closest thing to love' really knew what they were talking about.
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As unlikely as it had seemed, Natsu had managed to wake up once more. This time, however, the waking had been caused by his over-sensitive nose. Something, someone, was nearby. The smell was familiar. But who? Who could have found him out here? Natsu's feverish mind was in no state to remember. Even so, he tried to discern the owner of the scent. It was a special smell, the smell of a loved one. But who? Natsu couldn't remember any of his loved ones any more; he had a heck of a lot of them, after all. Suddenly, Natsu's mind showed a vague image. It was from long ago, in a cave filled with fire. There was a man standing in the flames, and a dragon's soul looked to be extending from him. That's it! The scent… it had to be this man's. He would know where to find Natsu; he would be there to take care of him. At long last, they were to be reunited. But, why had they separated…?
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Gray was now running through the forest. His legs couldn't move fast enough to satisfy him. The ominous feeling in his mind was becoming alarmingly large, and every second wasted getting there was torturing the ice mage. Never had he felt this worried, not even with Ur. Gray shuddered. That was because he had seen Ur, he couldn't see what was happening with Natsu. He didn't even know whether or not the mage was still alive. 'Damn it, Gray' he told himself. 'Natsu's alive. That hot-headed bastard wouldn't die this easily.'
A/N: Yay! This chapter's longer. Please keep reading! It won't be much longer until fire and ice meet… Or at least what's left of them. What does the future hold? Please wait and find out.
Reviews are always welcome, and I will try my hardest tor respond to each. If you have any ideas for the story, I'm open to hear them, just keep in mind that they might not always fit in.
~Master of the Hellish Yard