The Scars Tale 5
"Woah! This place is huge!" Natsu exclaimed, fidgeting around the front of the building, trying to stay still.
Makarov smiled, turning his attention back to his home, and looked up.
Three stories; one welcomed to all, second to those who are worthy of the challenges that are offered, and last his office, rarely used, for the Master's hatred of being too far from his children. Pale green, burnt orange, and lighter than midnight blue flags where strung up, in that order, on the front of the top floor. The middle and by far the most important, held the powerful symbol of the guild, a flying Fairy, the same design of which was proudly worn on every member of the family.
"So this is the kind of place where wizards come and meet up!"
Natsu paced around the by the door, craning his neck to look up at the sign. His emerald eyes dilated in excitement, "Whazzat?"
The older male moved his gaze from his home to the boy who was sporting a face-splitting grin, fangs bared. Smiling fondly at the child Makarov said, "It's Fairy Tail."
Natsu's eyes conveyed bemusement, "Fairy Tail?" He echoed curiously.
The boys eyes gleamed with questions, and Makarov went on to explain, "Nobody knows if Fairy's have tails or not," he paused, recollecting the tale as he remembered from his own telling all those decades ago. "Nobody could even tell you if Fairies ever existed or not. The strong-willed, magical sprites wrecked havoc for some and helped all worthy. Loyal and powerful is what they were rumored to be, family is everything to the fairies- makes them strong, keeps them together."
He looked at the boy out of the corner of his eye and met his gaze, "People don't understand that now-a-days, everything's about getting stronger and moving up, but no one stops and thinks about the family that they could have, and the friends they're missing. The Fairies-We Fairies understand that, we all get hurt, get upset, but we don't have to deal with it alone."
He saw Natsu look down and tipped his own head to catch his eyes again, smiling gently, "And neither do you."
Makarov nodded his head towards the open door, gesturing for him to look, "The chaos falls apart and all you can see is a caring family. Within those doors are my children waiting for a new little brother. New guilds don't get that, old rogues can never understand until they see it, and very few open their eyes wide enough to even try.
"That's why it will forever be a mystery. Forever be an adventure." He sighed wistfully, a nostalgic smile taking over his face as he watching his kids play around in the walls of his home. "That meaning is infused within the walls of this guild."
Seeing the thoughtful furrow draw Natsu's ever-happy face togeter, Makarov tilted his head down with a secret smile, "Natsu," he called grabbing the boy's attention somewhat, "Come on inside, I want to show you something."
He's a special one, this kid.
The shorter, yet undeniably older, walked forward gesturing over his shoulder for the other to follow, the latter followed after him curious as to what the man wanted to tell him.
Natsu's mood improved as he traveled through the building- no, the guild- for the first time. Well, technically the second, he thought, the first time I was unconscious...and in a bag.
He watched as the people ran about. He saw the red headed girl and cringed a bit, that was the one that chucked him across the room.
She was about his age it seemed, her fierce scarlet hair was tied into a braid at the back of her neck, pieced together at the end with a ribbon. She was wearing armor, he noted, and a skirt, an odd combination, one he'd never seen before.
He nearly stopped walking as he saw her copper eyes glow in anger, a scowl scrunching her face.
Natsu followed the direction she was looking to see the other cause of his newly inflicted injuries.
Her snowy white hair flowed out behind her mostly uncovered body. It's not hot outside, is it?
She was wearing a short dark purple top, pale skin contrasting against the midnight blue short-shorts held up with a white winged belt.
A younger girl with the same looking ivory hair stepped up to the rivals and put her hand on her hip and yelled, "Mira-nee." to the white-headed witch.
Natsu saw the anger build up on her face as she 'humph'd dejectedly before walking away in search of someone else.
He picked up his pace again looking around at the familiar markings on everyone he passes.
It looks like that thing outside. Trying to recall the name Natsu began to wander about the room gazing curiously at all the faces. They all seem so...happy. His eyes landed on the frowning boy who was missing his shirt again. Except him.
"Whatcha staring at, pinkie?" Gray yelled at him.
"Not your stupid face, stripper!" Came the oh-so-witty retort.
"Hey, are you two fighting?" The previously engaged duo faced the boys with pitching scowls. "Don't set a bad example for the little ones!" They simultaneously stepped forward.
Tensing up, they looked quickly at the other, making a silent pact. "Course not!" they piped.
"Natsu!"
The boy in question blinked rapidly for a second, clearing his head much too easily of his musings, and turned his head to his caller.
Ojii-chan...Oh, now he remembered, he was supposed to be following him.
Walking slowly over to the oddly small man with the cane, Natsu plucked lightly at the bottom of his scarf picking a miniscule piece of dirt off as he addressed the older man, "Where we goin'?"
Makarov hopped gleefully to the ground, taking advantage of his lower position as he guided Natsu where to go, going in an unnecessary direction through a flock of older guild-members.
A few scattered laughs came when a girlish shriek was heard from the old mans place in the crowd, and more joined in when they noticed the irked expression on the now suspiciously bruised master's face, and the hysterically scandalized look on the woman.
Reaching a break in the cluster, Natsu's attention was quickly directed to the far side of the guild, where to men stood, one with a hair-style that could in easily poke your eye out, and the other with a cheesy slicked do, of whom gathered the young dragon-slayer's focus.
A flash of light sparked in the palm of the man's hand and swirled mystically, Natsu's gaze immediately latched onto it. The purplish substance, smelling eerily akin to fire, levitated over to a cup on the table the two men were standing in front of and lifted the object.
Makarov watched the boy's obvious interest in the magic. He continued to study the boy's expressions as the cup lifted and smirked fondly at the intrigued look plainly on Natsu's face. Eager to learn.
Cringing, Natsu awaited the all familiar burning scent to kick up and lodge itself firmly in the air. The stagnant smoke hovering about until it soaks into whatever it get its hand on...but the more he watched the more he was amazed.
It didn't burn. It didn't melt-singe-light-crack-burn, like everything else Natsu has seen happen to things engulfed in flames.
Except Igneel and me, of course. The boy huffed in his head proudly.
The rose haired child, forgetting his task of following Makarov once again, sprinted to the miracle in the corner and reached out to touch the flames sprouted from the strangers hand.
"Woah, woah, kid!" The violet spark dissipated in a hurry as the slick haired man flinched back, away from the kids grabby hands. "That's dangerous."
Natsu blinked owlishly at him and pointed to the now fallen glass, "But you didn't burn the cup."
"Nah, nah." he rasped in a deep voice. "That's different."
"Can you show me?" Hunching his shoulders, he cinched his fists together.
"Uh." His nearly purple colored brows furrowed into his even darker eyes as he squinted widely at the child. Pursing his lips in a momentary decision he nodded hesitantly, "Sure, kid."
Natsu squirmed in his excitement as the older man snapped his fingers loudly and the flame reappeared in the man's palm before ripping down to wrap around the cup to move it back to the table.
"See? Cool ain't it?" He grinned, satisfied with the boy's stunned reaction. "I'm Macao. What's your name kid?"
Glancing up, Natsu smiled gleefully, "Natsu." and jabbed his hand out for the man, Macao, to shake.
He did so and pulled away.
Macao turned back to his conversation with the other man as Natsu stared at his own hand for a few moments wondering how this stranger made the harmless fire. Twitching his fingers he called upon his magic, the familiar rush coated his arm as it sparked, and, not seconds later, sizzled out.
All out...he grumbled mentally, Buzz kill.
"Ah, hey." The youngster hummed irritably, looked to Macao, who was now staring at the child's arm in shock and asked a question that nearly gave him a heart attack; "Can I try some?"
Macao, opened his mouth and gaped for a second, "Uh, what?"
Natsu rolled his eyes, "Can I-" He pointed to himself. "-eat some-" Now he acted out picked at food, "-of your fire?"
Macao didn't even look like he understood, "What?"
"Well, I can't eat my own, it doesn't work like that." Natsu nodded as if the older man followed, "Igneel told me so."
"I-Igneel? Who's that?"
Makarov had found them by now, along with a decent group of people now interested in the odd conversation being had by the local fire mage and the kid Gildarts brought in.
Natsu went on, ignoring the question, "Igneel would eat my fire...or he'd fly off somewhere, and I'd eat his-"
"Flew? Igneel can fly? Eating fire?"
"-cause you can't eat your own. Nope, doesn't work. Tried." Natsu shook his head. "Haven't had any in a while..."
Macao blindly grabbed at the boys shoulder, wondering at the strange heat coming off of him, "What's an 'Igneel', kid?"
He blinked owlishly at the azure eyed man, and cocked his head to the side, "Igneel's a dragon, of course."
Hi, been bout a year...I'm so sorry. I'm kinda in a mood where I think everything I'm doing sucks...my writing really, really isn't as good as I thought it was.
It stinks...and I'm sorry for that.
I'd like to think that I've improved this chapter that I've had written and hated for quite some time now.
Thanks for anyone who actually read this chapter and didn't give up on me. Guys please, give me a kick if I'm taking to long, don't be mean about it, but just like a rude nudge.
Thanks for all of you who reviewed and faved and followed and blah. Thank you so much.