AN: in honor of my one year anniversary as an author on fanfiction i've decided to update all my in-progress stories and to put up a few new ones. Hopefully, if i ever get writer's block, i can cure it by writing one of seven other stories.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
Natsu grinned once he had finished filling in Gildarts. He jumped to his feet, dramatically pointing a finger at the older man. "Now that the talking's over, Gildarts, I challenge you! There's no way I'm going to pass by the chance to fight you.
Gildarts mimicked him, his tattered cloak fluttering as he stood. "That's the spirit, Natsu."
"I'm going to beat you so bad, Gramps will end the test right here and promote me to S-class! Just you wait!"
"I warn you now," Gildarts said seriously, "I will not hold back."
"Neither will I! Give me everything you got! I want to face your best!" the pinkette yelled.
Gildarts complied, his magical power exploding outwards around him, visible as pure white energy. It was suffocating, the sheer force of it. 'Is this how other people feel when I release my true power?' Natsu wondered.
"I warned you this would not be easy." Gildarts said when Natsu stood frozen. "You can still back down and move on to the second part of the exam."
"No way." The dragon slayer shouted. "I will earn my way." He went on stubbornly. Natsu released his hold on his own magic, surprising Gildarts with the ferocity of his magic. Pebbles defied the laws of gravity and floated up to the ceiling. A strong wing caused Gildarts's cloak and Natsu's waistcoat and the white scarf given to him by Igneel to flap wildly.
The two different magics continued to grow, and when they connected, exploded.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
Third Guild Master Makarov relaxed at the campsite set up for those who would fail the first part of the S-class promotion trials, sipping on cool ale.
The ale spilled down his front when a force shook the whole island. There was an echoing boom of rock being destroyed. In the distance he could see smoke spiraling upwards and large chunks of rock hurtling to the ground.
Makarov could sense both Gildarts's and Natsu's magic locked in battle. He chuckled out loud. "Looks like Natsu picked the path with Gildarts. I can't wait to see how this ends."
He couldn't help the sense of unease he felt, and prayed to the First Master that they did not sink the whole island.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
The battle between Natsu and Gildarts was fast and furious. Fire spewed from the dragon slayer's mouth. It encased limbs as he ran forward slashing, kicking, punching, and twirling. Gildarts fought back tooth and nail, using his crush magic to destroy Natsu's attacks before they reached him, and dodging out of the way when he could not without risking killing the boy.
Despite his claims to go all out, Gildarts could never fully relax and just enough the fight the way Natsu could. If he lost control of his magic for even a second, he might crush Natsu or the whole island.
He was not surprised when the thousands of miniaturized Natsus he had created jumped him with tiny cries of "Fire Dragon's Roar!" or "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" The fires felt like little pinpricks. Gildarts ignored them, grabbing his cloak in one hand and swinging it to bat away the still leaping Nastus looking to sink their teeth into his flesh.
When he became overwhelmed and Natsu actually started to bite him, proceeding to lit Gildarts up like he was a bonfire, Gildarts reversed his magic, and the thousands of copies of Natsu flew together, merging once more until only one normal sized Natsu stood before him.
Natsu didn't let the sudden return to himself derail him. He had already been geared up to release his Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame. Both hands lit up. He brought them together, creating a gigantic fireball, as tall as the cave's ceiling, and threw it at Gildarts. Natsu followed up by drawing his flames up from his stomach, puffing his checks as he leaned back. The image of a dragon could be seen behind him as he hunched forward, two fists in front of his mouth with enough space to blow through.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
The floor fell out beneath them when his fire collided with Gildarts's crush magic. It looked like somebody had taken an oversized ice cream scoop and scooped out the center of the floor. Standing several feet from the middle of the depression stood Gildarts. He had shielded himself with his cloak, which was now smoldering beneath his boot.
"Still standing, eh? You won't be after this!" the pinkette promised. "Hidden Fire Form – Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!"
Natsu's entire body ignited with flames, almost golden in color. He charged Gildarts, surprising him with his speed and sending the man into the air with a sharp uppercut. He then jumped up and feinted a kick to Gildarts's midsection, which he block, and head-butted him.
Gildarts slammed into the ground. Natsu let his flames die, waiting to see if he would get up.
"Behind you." Gildarts grabbed Natsu by the throat, hand already glowing white. "It's over, Natsu."
"Not yet. Let's see you hold onto a dragon." The dragon slayer smirked as he transformed. Gildarts was forced to release Natsu as he grew several times his sizes and sharp scales covered his skin. He stared at Natsu, who was the second dragon he had seen. He had no idea that the true power Natsu spoke of gave him the ability to shift into a dragon form.
The dragon roared, flames spewing from his mouth carelessly. Natsu slammed a clawed foot down on Gildarts, who barely managed to hold it up. With one mighty thrust, he pushed the large appendage away enough to dive out of the way.
Natsu the dragon chose then to take flight. Powerful wings beat, lifting him out of the opened cavern.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
Makarov Dreyar literally choked and spat out his drink when he saw a red dragon appear in the sky. He sputtered, eyes watering, as he stared at it in disbelief. He had never seen the boy in his dragon form.
It was certainly frightening. At almost ninety, it had to be the most frightening sight he had ever seen. If he hadn't already known the boy, he couldn't imagine a baby Natsu growing up believing the dragon Igneel to be his true father.
The dragon roared.
The sound echoed over Tenrou Island, sending chills down the rest of the guild's spine. A torrent of flames so hot that Makarov could feel their scorching heat from his place of safety, shot down at where Natsu had come from.
Makarov picked up his drink again. "I hope Natsu doesn't kill Gildarts."
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
Natsu's flames filled the cavern, shooting back up the sides and rocketing down both tunnels. The barrier blocking his movement forward was no match. When the flames finally extinguished, Natsu landed and returned to his human form.
"Aren't you exhausted yet?" Gildarts asked, taking in Natsu's relaxed stance and the lack of scratches on him.
Natsu had told him every change that had been brought about by his eating Etherion; the limitless supply of magical power, skin as hard as dragon scales, new and stronger attacks, his transformation ability, and more. Gildarts also knew that he and Erza believed there was still more powers for him to uncover. He didn't see how that could be possible. What else could he do once he turned into a dragon?
Natsu laughed. "Never!"
Gildarts decided to take the risk. Unleashing his full magical Aura had done nothing against the black dragon, so it probably wouldn't harm Natsu. The cave filled with his magical Aura, white magic so compressed and concentrated that it was visible around him. Gildarts's eye seemed to glow red.
Surprisingly, Natsu reacted, falling to the floor on one knee.
Gildarts let it go, preparing to tell Natsu that "Fear is not "Evil" It is to know your own weakness. If you know your weakness, people can become strong and gentle. That's what is necessary to becoming an S-class," when the boy bounced back up.
"That was so cool!" he exclaimed. "I'm all fired up now! I want to try that!"
Gildarts's eyes widened in fear. If Natsu pulled that stunt he would obliterate the entire island. He backpedalled quickly. "Save it for when you face Acnologia, Natsu."
The pink haired dragon slayer pouted.
"Go now, Natsu," the older man gestured at the previously blocked tunnel. "You've definitely earned the right to move on. You are more than capable of becoming an S-class mage."
Tears pooled in Natsu's black eyes as the man he looked at like a second father told him he believed in him. Natsu crushed him in a hug before racing down the tunnel calling for Happy to hurry up.
Gildarts exited the tunnel system for the rest area, more confident in Natsu's plan to defeat the King of Dragons.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
Gray stared gobsmacked at the clearing in front of him. He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't imagining it. He wasn't.
The clearing was charred. Completely charred. All he could see was black grass, black trees, and some still burning fires.
"What the hell happened here?" Loke didn't have an answer for him. "This has to be flame brain's doing."
"Natsu's not here." Loke pointed out helpfully.
Gray froze the still burning fires, and just as a precaution, covered a rock in ice before he sat down on it. They had beaten Mest and Wendy easily. For a disciple of Mystogan, Mest wasn't very strong. With him down for the count, taking care of Wendy was easy. The girl shook at the idea of fighting. She only tried now because she owed it to Mest to try.
Now that he thought about, he couldn't ever remember fighting Mest before. Gray knew he had gotten far in the trials last year, so it was kind of hard to believe that he and Loke beat him so easily. His memories of him were hazy. He couldn't even remember who his partner was in the last exam.
Gray shook his head. He needed to focus on the exams, not remembering who Mest partnered with last time. He wondered who else would join them.
They were quickly joined by Cana and Lucy. The two girls and picked the quite route.
"How lucky! You didn't have to fight at all." Levy said as she and Gajeel entered the clearing. Gajeel scoffed.
"Lucky? I wouldn't have wanted the quite route. I wouldn't have gotten to punch anybody."
"Who'd you face?" Cana asked.
"Freed and Bickslow."
"Hey, where's Natsu? He reached the island first. Shouldn't he be here by now?" Lucy worried about her pink haired teammate when Gray shook his head.
"He must have gone up against Erza and decided he didn't want to fight his girlfriend," shrugged Gray.
"That can't be! Natsu would never turn down a chance to fight Erza." The blonde glanced around again, double checking to make sure she hadn't missed him. She couldn't believe only three teams had made it passed the first exam. Or that Natsu wasn't one of them.
"Is this everyone?" The three teams turned to the Master as he walked into the blackened clearing with hands in his pockets.
"Don't count me out Gramps!" Natsu came barreling into the clearing, Happy flying on his heels.
"Ah, now that's everyone. Let me recap. Cana and Lucy were lucky enough to pass through the quiet route." Lucy flashed a peace sign and Cana grinned.
"Levy and Gajeel beat Freed and Bickslow in a fight route."
"Whaaaat?!" Gray shouted.
"Natsu and Happy overcame Gildarts's barrier."
"I did nothing those." Happy cheerfully said, raising a paw.
"No Waaaaaaaay!" Gray shouted.
"Gray and Loke beat Mest and Wendy in another fight route."
Gray placed his hands on his hips. "Where is Juvia anywhere. Did she fail too? What's with the face, Gramps?"
"Juvia and Lisanna met with her . . .that female knight that doesn't know how to hold back."
"That leaves just Elfman and Evergreen." Lucy said.
"By process of elimination," Cana continued, "that leaves," the two girls imagined the demoness, "Mirajane."
"Wait!" Came a shout from the edge of the charred clearing. Elfman and Evergreen staggered in, covered in scratches and bleeding lightly, Evergreen either holding Elman up or clinging to him to keep herself standing. "We beat that lady and made it through, too! We are men!"
Evergreen slapped him on the chest. "I'm a woman!"
Makarov looked shocked. "What the?!"
"How did you beat Mira?" Happy asked.
Elfman lowered his head downtrodden while Evergreen stiffened. "I can't say that, as a man."
"Let's just say we managed to strike her in a split second opening."
'What did they do?" Everyone thought.
Makarov coughed, returning all attention to him. "In that case, these five teams have officially passed the first exam. Now the second exam shall begin."
Natsu became pensive. So Mest hadn't passed. Why? Did he learn what he had come for, and had no reason to continue? Or was the trials just a means of getting to Tenrou Island.
"The second part of the S-class promotion trials is as follows: To find the grave of the First Guild Master Mavis Vermillion. I'll be waiting."
Makarov sent them off with a time limit of six hours.
"Alright Happy, let's do this." Natsu's fiery wings grew from his back and both man and cat took to the skies. "You go left, I'll go right. This way will cover the island twice as fast. This'll take no time at all."
Happy saluted and went off in search of Mavis's grave. Natsu on the other hand, sniffed out Mest and Wendy. Whatever the Magic Council wanted, Natsu wouldn't let it happen. Mest wouldn't be allowed to stay on Fairy Tail's sacred island any longer.