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On a hill in the middle of Crocus, was a castle fit for a king. Not just any king, King Jude Heartifillia.
The lone knight, Takao, entered the throne room covered in a full body cast. The king looked down on him with a scornful eye.
"Why do you come back empty handed knight?" He spat. "And why are you covered in bandages? This was supposed to be an easy job for you. But instead you come back with your ass kicked?! You have five minutes to explain everything,"
Takao bowed before he told his tale of the fire breathing monster that beat him yet again.
"-he was a hundred times stronger than when I first encountered him. He didn't go into Dragon Force, thank god, but his flames kept getting hotter and hotter. That's why almost all of my bones are broken or cracked, and why my whole body is one third degree burn," Takao kneeled down with tears in his eyes. Partially from pain and partially from failure.
Jude laughed darkly. "Well, I think I know how to get back my daughter and kill that beast just from your story,"
"H-how could we do that?" Takao wondered.
"It's simple. We need a slayer for the dragon slayer. But first, we wait," Jude tapped his fingers on his throne.
"Why wait sire? Wouldn't it be easier to attack him when he is at his weakest? When I fought him, I could sense underlying sadness when I brought up the Princess and the queen,"
"Because you idiot, we need to figure out just what we're up against here. And what better time than the Grand Magic Games? There, we can find his weaknesses and strengths. Then when we get all the information needed, we can acquire a dragon slayer's slayer. Now, leave me. I need to prepare. " Jude ordered. Takao bowed again and walked out of the huge mahogany doors.
When the doors slammed shut, king Jude let out a small chuckle.
"Little Lucy. Don't you know you can't hide behind that dragon forever? Come out and play."
...
Natsu groaned as he sat up. At first he was completely disoriented from waking up in a room that wasn't his own.
When he sniffed the air, he immediately knew where he was: the infirmary. He checked over himself looking for any wounds but found none. Just little marks from where tiny scales crawled up his arm.
"Good morning Natsu!" A familiar voice said to his right.
"Good morning Luce!" He said and grinned. For some reason, a light blush fanned her cheeks. Natsu thought it was cute, but was kinda weary about her red flesh.
"Luce, your face is red. Do you have a fever?" He put his hand to her head but it got worse.
"N-no! I am fine Natsu really," Lucy hid her face. Natsu shrugged and slouched back.
"Well, I am not really ok," she admitted after a short silence.
"What's wrong?" Natsu started to worry a bit.
"I know my father's- I mean the king's army came to visit. I also know," Lucy got up and started pacing. "They wanted me and you beat the guy who killed my mother to a pulp. Erza told me she and Gray had to distract you so you wouldn't kill the man. But he was almost dead anyway." Natsu could see sadness in her eyes when she spoke of her mother. He could also see anger that her mother's murderer was still alive.
"I am sure Gray told you I went apeshit," Natsu rubbed is neck sheepishly.
"I'm sorry." He said.
"Why are you sorry?" Lucy sat next to his head on the infirmary bed.
"Because I couldn't control myself. I was so close into telling him you were here. He kept taunting me... Some of the things he said were hurtful Luce. In the beginning, I was in the rafters watching the whole thing go down. Then he started taking about the third-degree burn that left a scar on his face. The whole story was how you and me got separated. He told it in his version to where he was the "knight in shining armor". How he was trying to save you from the monsters in the woods. I couldn't take how wrong that was. So, I set him straight and possibly letting people know your true identity," Natsu felt really bad about the whole situation, Lucy could tell.
"What's done is done Natsu. And I don't blame you for possibly tipping them off about my identity. They would've found out any way."
"Yeah, but if I hadn't have done that, we could've kept the peace with the kingdom a little bit longer. You see what I mean?" Natsu brought his hands to his face and covered his eyes.
Lucy just sighed. Of course he was right. If he hadn't had done that though, they most likely would've never have told the guild her real identity. She was about to tell him her thoughts, but stopped when the door opened.
Three figures entered the room, who she identified as Master Makarov, Wendy, and Porlyusica with a flying cat accompanying them.
"How are you Natsu-san?" Wendy skipped over to his bedside and started to check his vitals. Lucy took this as her cue to stand next to the bed rather than sit on it.
"I feel great Wendy. Thanks for healing me!" He grinned his big toothy grin to the young sky Mage. Wendy blushed.
"So," Makarov sighed. "You said you would explain your situation Lucy?"
Lucy sighed and sat on the bed again. This time, Natsu sat up so she could lay on the bed with him. When she sat down, he put his hand in hers and started to explain most everything. Lucy got about as much time to speak as Natsu did just before the door opened again to reveal Erza.
"Master, you wished to speak with me as soon as I came in today?" Erza spoke. Master nodded.
"Get as many people that were in the guild hall yesterday as you can."
"May I ask why...?" She wondered. He shook his head. She bowed and went to carry out her duty.
"What are you planning Master?" Lucy said.
"Yeah, Jii-chan," Natsu agreed.
Makarov looked at his 'children'. "I have an idea. Instead of explaining your secret Lucy, Porlyusica and I make a powder that can seal memories. When the powder does the trick, there is a spell that can replace the lost memory."
Lucy and Natsu gasped. Wasn't that going under their friend's noses? They knew it was risky to have their friends know their secret, but did they have to go to these lengths to do so?
"B-but, wouldn't that make us bad people? And what happens when people ask them about what happened? What would they say? Would they remember?" Lucy was panicking, her eyes looking back and forth. So much could go wrong if that happened...
"We have created a fake memory for them to have. They will remember everything when either you, Natsu, Wendy, Happy, Carla, Porlyusica or I make them remember. The memory is just sealed, not erased." Makarov tried to calm down the spirit holder, and it worked.
"What is the memory going to be?" Natsu wondered. Makarov smiled at him.
"It's you beating everyone in a fight, Natsu-san! But, when you won, you almost passed out from magic power exhaustion. I thought if they were going to forget, I might as well let you have some fun with it!" Wendy replied and blushed.
"Yosh! I'm all fired up!" Fire jutted from his hands. Lucy covered his fist with her hand to put it out.
"Not to loud!" She hissed.
"Shut up you noisy humans!" Porlyusica barked. A tick mark appeared above her head.
"A-aye!" They squeaked.
"Master! Everyone is here and accounted for," Erza entered the door way. Makarov nodded and motioned for everyone in the room to follow him to the balcony.
Lucy helped Natsu stand for a moment. They both looked at each other before stepping out if the room. Lucy was undoubtedly nervous. She knew she would feel bad about it later, just not so much now.
"Oh! Master!" Lucy whispered in his ear before he addressed the guild.
"What will happen if they say something before the powder takes effect?"
Makarov shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there," then he left her.
"It's gonna be ok Luce," Natsu said in her ear. She felt chills run up and down her back when he spoke. Not the bad, scared kind, no, the pleasant and addicting kind. Sensing the unease still in her, he slung his arm around her shoulders as they walked.
Turning the corner, Lucy just now fully realized how big the guild was. You couldn't even see the floor close to the stairs and balcony. Members were bunched together like cows going through a chute. Some of the members looked impatient, curious, annoyed, betrayed, and skeptical. Lucy couldn't blame them for any of the emotions she was seeing. Natsu looked kinda on edge as he drew back his arm from her shoulders. She missed the heat it brought, but stood quiet.
"Ok brats listen up! I know some if you want answers, and we, or they," he gestured toward Natsu and Lucy,"Just not now. For the moment, I need all of you to close your eyes," they did. "Good. Now stand still for a second. Now remember this, I am doing this because I care for you,"
Erza, eyes still closed, spoke out. "What is this master?"
"Wendy! Now!"
"Hai!" She used the air to float above the guild. Wendy sprinkled the gold dust on the members while Makarov recited spells.
"Memorīshīru!"
Memory seal!
"Memori wa kōkan suru!"
Memory replace!
With out a moments notice, everyone effected by the dust was in the ground, knocked out cold. Wendy dropped down to the balcony again and ran down the stairs with Porlyusica following, hands full of bandages.
"Why does she need bandages?" Natsu asked. His question was short lived when he saw bruises, cuts, scratches, and scorch marks appear on all of the members.
"What is happening?" Lucy was shocked beyond belief. Did they just intentionally hurt them?
"We had to make it seem like they got in a fight. These "injuries" won't hurt or threaten their health. Just when they wake up, they will be sore," Makarov explained. He was about to say something until he was interrupted by the all mighty Porlyusica.
"Get down here and trash the place! Maybe burn it too. We need to create an atmosphere that makes sense to what happened." She ordered. Natsu and Lucy quickly ran down the stairs.
Avoiding the people on the floor, they turned over tables and broke chairs. Lucy wasn't good at being destructive, so she called out Loke (he doesn't like to be called Leo) and Taurus to help her. Natsu at one point was walking on the side of the wall, burning it with his feet and hands. At one point, he just attacked the wall and made sure to leave a place without any scorch marks to make it look like a person was standing there.
When the damage was done, Natsu and Lucy leaned against the counter, watching Wendy and Porlyusica finish wrapping the last wound on Erza. Somehow, they got her armor to change into Flame Empress. How, was still a mystery to Lucy but she mentally dropped the subject.
"We're done! They should wake up in about half hour. Now, we have just got to play our parts right. Right Carla?" Wendy called to the Exceed who was sitting next to Happy in the rafters.
"Tom cat! Quit getting fish guts everywhere!" She gripped. "But yes, just don't mess anything up Natsu. You got it?"
"Why does everyone think I will screw it up huh? I don't do everything wrong..." Natsu turned back around in his bar stool and starting eating his shared piece of cake again. Lucy took a bite from it before talking.
"You do have tendencies like that, Natsu. Sorry, but its true," Lucy patted his head. He rolled his eyes at her.
"Yeah, whatever. Oh hey, Jii-chan! Who is going to the Grand Magic Games this year?" Natsu asked.
"I was thinking it be Erza, Gray, Wendy, You, and Lucy." Makarov said.
"W-wait, me?" Lucy stuttered.
"No. She can't go," Natsu stood up and slammed his fist on the bar.
"And why can't she come?" Makarov asked.
"Because... Because... I don't want her to get hurt. I am not saying she's not strong, it's just, I think that if the other competitors see that she isn't a strong as them, no offense, she will be the first to go down. They will pick her out first and might do the most damage." Natsu crossed his arms.
"You llliiikkkee her!" Happy purred.
"Shut up you damn cat!" Natsu yelled.
"You're so mean! Meaner than Lucy!"
"Come on Happy, I'm not that mean,"
"Hey!" Lucy squeaked.
Makarov snorted. "If they do that to anyone of our members, there will be hell to pay and you know that. But if they do that to Lucy, a new war will break out, where the guild responsible will be taken out by us and the person responsible for hurting Lucy will be all yours. Are we clear?"
Natsu nodded in agreement. Lucy put a comforting hand on his arm and smiled. "None of that is going to happen though. You are just being paranoid!"
Natsu chuckled. Leave it to Lucy to be optimistic.
The next few minutes went by slowly. One by one the guild members woke up. Natsu grinned when they were all awake. He now took this time to gloat and brag about his "victory".
"Ha! The Great Demon Lord Dragneel strikes again! I won! I won!" Natsu jumped on the bar and did a victory dance.
Most of the guild members looked at him in fear. Some were not too surprised that he "beat" them. But Erza, Gray, Gajeel, and Laxus were pissed that they lost. Well, beyond pissed in the male population's case, Erza however congratulated him on "beating" her.
"Impressively done Natsu. You have gotten strong," Erza ex-quipped into her regular armor and hugged him.
"H-hard," he stuttered as his head hit her breastplate.
"Dammit! That fuckin Salamander got the best of me. I will not lose again Dragneel!" Gajeel cursed.
"Man, I am sore all over thanks to ash-for-brains over here," Gray pouted in the corner.
"I can't believe the all mighty Laxus was beaten!" A distraught Freed cried out. Laxus huffed in annoyance.
"Quiet down brats! Now that you guys got your fighting out," Makarov looked over at Natsu who gave him a thumbs up. "We are going to organize teams for the Grand Magic Games that are coming up in three months!
"Here's how they will go:
Fairy Tail Team A:
Erza Scarlet
Gray Fullbuster
Wendy Marvell
Natsu Dragneel
And Lucy Heart."
Team Natsu (as they called it) grinned at each other.
"Fairy Tail Team B:
Gajeel Redfox
Juvia Lockser
Mirajane Strauss
Laxus Dreyar
And Cana Alberona.
Any questions? Good. You have three months to train. I suggest you get started! We will not stand for second place again this year. No, we will get the 30,000,000J! I mean, be the number one guild in Fiore!" Makarov shouted. Everyone cheered.
"Yosh! I'm all fired up! How about you Happy? Luce?" Natsu was obviously excited.
"Aye!" They both said, which earned a laugh from Natsu. He slung his arm around them both and smiled. Unknown to them, Reedus was painting a picture of their happy little family.
"You ready?!" Makarov yelled.
The guilds last unison reply for the whole night was...
"I'M ALL FIRED UP!"
...
Yay! Another chapter! Sorry I didn't post it yesterday, it's just been hard for me to focus lately. I know this chapter probably sucked, but it had to be done. Now the next few chapters will be fun to write! Its gonna be the Grand Magic Games: My version! See, won't that be fun?
Natsu: Yeah, fun. But with your mind right now, I don't know what you define as fun anymore. All I am getting is a bunch of new ideas for a story that you might post soon, your thinking about that guy who you have to translate for (He's an asshole in my opinion) and you keep thinking about chapters that are gonna be wayyy off into the future.
Me: Natsu! You gave away to much! *sigh* but yeah, I am thinking about making another story called FTIS (or the Fairy Tail NCIS!). I don't know though. I will need support from you guys to make it happen. If I do that, you will get updates every two weeks instead of one. I would just alternate weeks on updating.
So... Any thoughts? Please review aI seriously need to know...
Have a nice Monday/week!
Gajeel: Who is she kidding? Mondays suck Dragon Balls...
Levy/Me: GAJEEL!