The Shadow of Ice

Natsu was growing ever more frustrated. He was hot on the trail of his old rival, who had suddenly disappeared two years prior. The master had told everyone not to worry but after the sixth month of Gray's absence, he himself seemed to be disturbed. For Natsu the guild just wasn't the same anymore. And it may be weird but he really missed the feeling of his fist on Gray's face.

Now as to why Natsu was so frustrated, it was due to his fellow teammates. The Gray retrieval team consisted of himself, Lucy, Cana, Happy and Juvia(whose return they had to wait for before their departure). Natsu was forced to slow his pace for Lucy and Cana as they were unable to keep up with him. Juvia as well seemed to be pushing herself to keep the intense pace they were moving at.

"Come on guys the longer we're stuck herthe further Gray gets. His scent is already getting fainter."

"Juvia agrees." She said this despite her haggard breaths.

"Come on Natsu you need to calm do-"

"HOW CAN YOU EXPECT BE TO BE CALM WHEN WE'RE SO CLOSE!"

They all began to remember their old friend which surprisingly caused tears to well up in Cana's eyes. There was an uncomfortable silence that elapsed, that is until a cool silky voice was heard. "Hey flame brain don't you better than to make a girl cry", all eyes were directed towards the origin of the voice.

"Gr..Gr..Gray Sama."

"Huh who's this Gray guy?" Now that they were all facing him he definitely looked like Gray. The black raven hair toned muscular body, dark blue eyes and most of all a smug overconfident grin plastered on his face. But there were some distinct differences: the absence of his silver chain, the absence of all Gray's scars and most of all the absence of the fairy tail insignia on his right pectoral.

Before anyone could think Natsu launched himself at proxy-Gray. Due to the suddenness of the attack it shouldn't have been able to dodge, but that wasn't the case. Natsu ended up crashing into the tree behind proxy-Gray while the mystery man stood in the same position he was in, completely unharmed. "Who the hell are you?" the question was directed to the mystery man by Natsu. The girls where now deeply confused, then Natsu said "You guys stay back. He may look like him, he may smell like him but that's definitely not Gray."

Lucy made eye contact with Cana who seemed to have a better understanding of the situation of the situation than she did. Cana gave her the signal for them to move back but then she caught a glimpse of Juvia. Juvia was clearly perplexed, in fact she seemed to be about to suffer a panic attack. Lucy seeing this ran to her friend and embraced her.

For the first time since his appearance the mystery man's smile disappeared, "Let's take this elsewhere." He motioned for Natsu to follow him which he did. Before leaving Natsu told them "not to worry".

As they arrived at a clearing Natsu spoke up, "this is good enough."

"Well if you say so." The stranger turned to face Natsu.

"So what is it you want from me flame brain"

"Who the hell are you and why do you smell so much like him?"

"I don't have a clue what you mean"

"Then I'll just beat the shit outa you and get my answers later"

The stranger let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't see how you getting your ass kicked is gonna get you any answers". Natsu had no more time "IRON FIST OF THE FIRE DRAGN!" The strike was about to land but the stranger side stepped him grabbed his wrist and easily flipped him into the air. Natsu's feet were ablaze and he used his flames to right himself in midair. He prepared his next attack. "ROAR OF THE FIRE DRAGON!" A humongous column of fire erupted from Natsu's mouth and engulfed the land below including the stranger, or so you'd think. Natsu still in midair felt a hand on his shoulder. He swerved around just in time to catch site of the stranger. A blue glowing tattoo wove its way around his right hand up to his shoulder, then diverged towards his eye and his chest.

The tattoo ended with it pointing at his right eye and his heart. Also there seemed to be a mini blizzard spiralling around him. Natsu was caught off guard and paid the price for it. The stranger's fist connected with his face and sent him rocketing towards the earth. When he connected with the ground there was a gigantic crater with Natsu at the centre. The surface of the crater was covered in smooth cold ice. Wait did Natsu seriously just think something was cold. He shook the taught from his mind and faced his opponent. "That was a ice punch droopy eyes, but time for round two." Golden bolts of lightning began to spring forth from his body. Natsu was ready to end this but things wouldn't go as he planned.

The mystery man turned away from him and began to walk away. "Hey what the hell-" the mystery man slightly turned his head ever so slightly just enough so he could make I contact.

"Sorry Natsu but you've already lost. Now taste Trishula's Fangs." Natsu feel a sharp pain in his cheek the type of pain you felt due to being in contact with something very cold. The pain was coming from his cheek from where he was punched. He touched it with his hand and when he looked at his fingers they were glazed white. The pain started to spread and with it the ice covering his body. He tried to fight it but his flames refused to appear. He succumbed to the spell and became an ice statue.

"See ya round squinty eyes". He may have won but his face wasn't that of a victor but of someone with many regrets.