Hello Everyone! I'm here to give you guys another chapter of Flames of Hope. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, and followed my story to this point in time. Now I know that most people are wondering what will the pairings will be, all I can say is keep on reading to find out what will happen next! There is still so much left to tell!

I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL MASHIMA-SENSEI DOES! (Otherwise I would have created it to be a dark story XD)


Chapter 2: The Search for Answers


'Why do I keep having this same dream every night? It's pissing me off!' in the weeks that followed, Natsu began to lose sleep, and lose focus in battle. At first he passed it off as bad week, the rest of the group realizes that Natsu is slipping in skill. Natsu always finishes battles, but it's Erza that was picking up the slack for him recently. It's has become so troublesome that Happy began to keep his distance from Natsu, not knowing what to do in this situation.

'It has gotten so bad that I'm putting the whole group in danger! I need help with understanding this dream I'm having, but I don't know where to start.' Natsu quietly thought. His frustration at this dream weighs him down not only in skill, but in mind. In the recent weeks he also began to feel more down than usual, not being the life of the party as he had always been. 'I'll try asking Levy! She might be able to help me with understanding this. She's always been smart, maybe she knows something.'


Walking through the happy atmosphere that is the Fairy Tail guild, Natsu found Levy hanging out with her usual group shadow gear as well as Gajeel.

"Hey Levy" Natsu said in his usual tone.

"Hey Natsu" Levy was always in a happy mood, but with the mood that Natsu has written on his face it leaves a lot to be desired on her atmosphere

"Natsu are you alright?" Jet managed to say.

"You've been glum the past few weeks, and you're left with all these wounds." Droy also said

"Why you looking so glum Salamander; something got that fire in you?" Gajeel asked rudely.

"Gajeel!" Levy said. "Anyways what's wrong Natsu? You haven't been yourself recently. Anything you would like to talk about?"

"I'm okay, but there is something I would like to ask you." Natsu said rather seriously

"Sure what's on your mind?" Levy asked.

"You're into books and you're really smart. So what can you tell me about dreams? Even about dreams that happen over again?"

'If a dream is bothering him it must be serious.' Levy says to herself. "Well I have a few books that I have that can give you to read, and if you don't understand it I'll try to help as well."

"Sure thing!" Natsu smiled. However the smile was surreal like a jester's face paint, with Levy seeing right through it.

'Even though it's none of my business, I can't abandon Natsu to this by himself.' Levy analyzed his face giving her a hunch that this only the beginning of a new trial for Natsu to face.

"How about you come to my place in Fairy Hills? I give you better assistance there." Levy also asked him

"I thought I wasn't allowed in Fairy Hills." Natsu said

"Not when you need to do some work." Levy 's coded message brightened Natsu's face as he got the hint.

"Sure thing what time would be best?" Natsu asked

"We can leave now if you like."

"Alright then let's get going!"

With a mix reaction on Gajeel and looks of disappointed men not being able to get laid tonight, Natsu went back in his serious tone and spoke to them

"I'll bring her back I promise guys. I just need help with this." Natsu turned around and what Gajeel saw in his face was a look of fear and uncertainty as if he knows he's not walking out of a fight alive. Natsu and Levy silently left the guild hall and went straight to Fairy Hills.


"I'm really worried about Natsu. He's been like this for three weeks already." Happy said in sorrow. Three weeks since he started hearing Natsu scream into the night and waking up frantic.

"Wendy you sure that this is not just a dragon slayer problem we need to worry about?" Carla said.

"I-I'm sure it isn't. It's only happening to Natsu, or otherwise Gajeel as well as I would be affected too." Wendy always worried over everyone in the guild, especially for Natsu. As the days turned into weeks he had more cuts and scrapes, she often healed and tended to in her spare time.

"More importantly why are you here with us Happy? Shouldn't you be off with Natsu? She could use the company as well." Carla asked with her eyebrows tipping downward in frustration.

"Natsu looks like he needs space I can't really be a bother to him right now." Happy said with a sorrowful look. "Aye as for why I'm with you guys, Wendy needs all the company she can get, and going with Natsu to get his wounds checked every day, it just stuck."

Carla began to mull over Wendy's current emotional state. 'I agree with Happy on this. Her emotions have been getting the better of her since she first started healing Natsu's wounds. As well as putting into account the stress of seeing Natsu depressed doesn't help improve her dilemma.'

"I don't know Carla what should I do?" Both Happy and Carla looked at Wendy and saw the tears on her fair skinned face. Her tears and her heart screaming for Natsu to return to normal was all that Wendy asked for.

"Natsu will pull through I'm sure." Carla began to reassure her like any mother would. Happy could see how much Wendy was suffering.

Suddenly Happy began to hear voices outside of Wendy's room. He heard Levy talking to another male and the echoes passed through the thin walls.

"Natsu, my room is just down the hall from here." Levy said to him quietly

'Natsu's here? Why is he here? If this is a good chance to find out then I'd better let Wendy and Carla know.' Happy thought to himself.

"Wendy if you want to know what's going on with Natsu now's your chance."

"Where are we going?" Wendy asks Happy. Carla also gives a questioning look to the blue exceed.

"We're going to Levy's room."

Levy's room was always filled with books, almost as if she had a mini library within them. Seeing her look through her books diligently was something Natsu always admired about Levy.

"Okay first question: why did you ask me instead of Lucy or Erza?" Levy continued to search for the book in question as she went through rows and rows of books.

"You have more stuff to draw on. I know they're my friends but I can't exactly tell them the whole reason why just yet, because I don't understand this myself." Natsu began to look away from Levy's eyes and observed the room around him. "I don't want to get blasted for this especially by Gray."

'He really seems focus and determined to figure this out. It may be a different feeling from Natsu, but his motivation is still the same.' Levy says to herself.

"So what's this dream of yours Natsu do you mind telling me about it?" Levy asked. "It might be able to help with finding a book that can help you understand it better."

"I was hoping to avoid talking about it but I guess I have no choice." Natsu said. "It starts out when I see a town in flames. People running everywhere bodies all over the street.."

Natsu observes Levy taking notes as she writes down details to help her in her search.

"Okay; anything else you remember?"

"I can see myself flying away from the town and I'm in the night sky and the town burns… then I feel as if something is behind me watching my every move. I turn around to see who is then" Natsu suddenly stops and his eyes roll as if he moved into a trance like state.

"Natsu?" Levy could only utter as she watches Natsu's unusual behavior.

Natsu began to utter the same line told to him again and again in the dream, but it turned into something foreign and unintelligible to Levy. After snapping out of his trance he collapsed with a sound of thunder.

"Natsu!" a voice said as she runs past Levy "Say something! Please!"

"Wendy? Is that you?" Natsu said as he mustered his remaining strength to open his eyes. Natsu aggressively tried to lift his arm but he couldn't feel it as it was as numb and cold like ice.

"You scared me Natsu. I was worried that you could have died." Wendy began to cry. Natsu was like an older brother to her, one of the strongest people she has ever met and continually relied on him for strength. To see her "big bro" in this weak state made her worry.

"I'm fi—"It was all Natsu said before he became unconscious and motionless like a rock.

'I feel cold, nothing but cold; no fire, no warmth and no strength. I'm just here waiting in the dark.'

'Natsu'

'Igneel!'

The darkness that is Natsu's mind is illuminated by white light. Clouds began to form with a radiant yellow sunrise as far as any eye could see.

'Natsu…..open your eyes boy'. A loud thunderous voice echored throughout the tranquil sign as if it wanted Natsu to know that "it" existed that I'm here though you cannot see it. Natsu began to open his eyes and found out he was floating in the sky. In front of him he saw a familiar face that he had been searching for a long time.

"Igneel" was all Natsu could mutter.

"Natsu I do not have time to explain, you must listen and listen carefully" As happy and as joyous as he was to see Natsu again, Igneel had little time for small talk. "The world is in danger. The Dragons will rise again and the Dragon Emperor will reclaim and oppress the entire world, and all of human kind with it."

"What do you mean? I thought the dragons are all gone!" Natsu felt more confused and bewildered by this sudden situation

"The dragons that lived in Earth-Land were exiled from another land, for rebelling against the Dragon Emperor." Igneel began to speak in a mournful tone. "I helped these dragons in defense of the humans, but we failed and the humans who inherited our powers slaughtered."

"What does that have to do with me?" Natsu asked

"More is to be revealed to you in time. You must heed my instructions and go back to the place where we had lived together. There is something that I want you to have; something that only you can wield."

Before Natsu could say anything the image of Igneel began to fade into ashes. As he tried to grab and reach for his foster father, Natsu felt the remains of Igneel flow through his hand and fly through the current reality that stood before him. As he turned around he saw the very same bright light envelop the landscape that is his dream. The light consumes Natsu, and his dream fades to white.


A/N: That's it for Chapter 2. A bit of good news to all readers and followers; I am done planning the first ten chapters of the story, and am currently writing out the 6th chapter as we speak. Thank You and don't forget to read and review! Until the next chapter keep on reading!