Chapter 7: Time is bitter

3 YEARS LATER
NO ONES POV
Time can either make you into what you are today, a great person or it can break you, turn all your memories against you. Until it all just consumes you, time isn't something you can just manipulate. You can neither go back in time nor change your future, time is something that you can just press play on and hope that it doesn't eat you alive. Over the years' time has been rough on everyone since their death and it's especially taken a toll on certain people in the guild. Erza's been more firm to everyone even Gray and master, she constantly goes on jobs rarely even hanging out with anyone in the guild anymore or saying more than 2 sentences that don't involve her job. Gray stopped his stripping habit and became more reserved, he's either at home or in a dark corner of the guild drinking booze until he knocks himself out and someone has to take him home. Mira looks the same to people who just joined or visit once in a while, but she's not, her once blissful and carefree smile has turned into a sad one. Cana would either be sober or drunk enough where she couldn't even understand what was happening around her all the time. Levy stopped interacting with people all together and just sat quietly and read, except with Gajeel where she only speaks to him in whispers so he's the only one that could hear her. Gajeel became more emotionless and less talkative, he mostly ever talked to Levy. Happy was too depressed to do anything that he eventually just shut everyone out, that was until Master had asked Happy to be his companion. It took a while for happy to comply, but he eventually did and went everywhere the master went or needed him to. Wendy, like the rest of the guild would go into a depression mode whenever someone brought up either Natsu or Lucy, even when they were reminded of them in any way possible. So I guess you could say today was like any other day, the rowdiness still there, but still not the same... it all just seemed...fake.
~Meanwhile in the underworld/hell~
"I'm bored!"

"Yes! My apologies King! Would you like me to entertain you?" The young slender servant with black hair and brown eyes says as he takes out torturing tools, the other man that is well built and looks around his 20's, hair bright red, his eyes were bright orange, black medium sized horns sticking out the side of his head with hidden black bat-like wings inside his suit and razor sharp fingernails clawing at the arm of his chair. His bored looked turned into an annoyed one and rests his head on his fist as he loosens his tie from his charcoal black suit and black undershirt.

"No... I've grown bored of that too!"

"My apologies King! Would a women satisfy your needs?"

The servant got on one knee and knelt down in front of the King's throne "No, they're all ugly to me now! Get up and fetch me the crystal! I'd like to see what Earthland is like and what it's doing or if it's even worth the trip"

"TRIP?! But sir why would you bother going to the worthless human world anyways? Even if you did go you know you'd be at high risk for an archangel to attack you!"

The man stands up from his throne and gives his servant a death glare "I will not repeat or explain myself to a mere servant. Now! Do as you're told!" The servant backed away and bowed before he ran to go get the crystal, tch. "Pathetic."

He turned to go and sit back on his throne and the second he sat down his servant was already there with a spherical crystal laid down on a velvet pillow "What took you so long?"

He brought the crystal up to him "My apologies King, it seems you'd misplaced it last time and it took a while to find it"

"Yeah yeah whatever! Just hand it over" he grabbed the crystal from the pillow that the servant had it on and it glowed. It was blinding for a second but didn't turn away, it soon cleared up and now showed Magnolia.

The sky was clear and people were walking the streets with smiles "How disgusting", the view came in closer to fairy tail. A smile started to form on his face as he got closer to the orb "yes, I think I will visit magnolia of Earthland today! How fun it would be to play with these 'strong-'" he thought to himself for a second and a crazed smile started to form on his face "mages"

He got up from his chair and walked down the aisle that had red carpet to the large black doors that matched the rest of the room's golden royal designs.

"I'm going to have some fun, don't disturb my time there"

His servant was at the same spot he was in and bowed with a worried frown on his face "Yes king and what about the crystal? Will you keep that for now?"

He tossed it up in the air for his servant to catch and he did. The man put both of his hands on the door as he chanted some inaudible words that made the golden engravings on the doors glow. He pushed them open, but there wasn't a hallway like last time but a dark black hole. He took a step in and he was gone, the doors closing hastily behind him leaving a worried servant standing there waiting for his King's safe return.

~At the same time in heaven~
The young female sat down on the railings of her balcony, one leg hanging off while the other on is pressed up against her chest with an emotionless look on her face as she stared out in the distance.

"Why hasn't he made a move yet? There's been no activity whatsoever from him in the last 16 years since he was crowned the new King of Hell, there wasn't that much activity with the last King since I only arrived here 21 years ago and that was Michael's assignment not mine." In both heaven and hell the time quickens which means that 3 years should have already passed in Earthland. She brushed her bangs from her face to show her beautiful features was. Anyone would be captivated by her looks, she had blonde white hair, sky blue eyes, porcelain white skin, tattoos of gold inscriptions running throughout her entire perfect body with pure white feathered wings sprouting from her back. Her fingers run through her strapless white gown that opens up at her thighs and splits apart with a golden center piece in the middle of her stomach, her bare feet with golden cuffs on her ankles. Her dress in the back dragged behind her and was see through as only that part of her dress was designed with a golden de lacey floral pattern, much of her cleavage showing and her underwear showing as the front was connected to the back by silver chains between the golden cloth. She closed her eyes to see what 'he' is doing, as she thought. What is he talking about? She furrowed her brows together and tried to look closer to his lips so she could read them without be detected but was interrupted by a knock on the large porcelain white door.

She opened her eyes again "You may enter," and said in her regular robotic voice and in came a handsome built fellow with short wavy light brown hair and the same colored eyes, but was wearing what looked like Spartan armor that was white and gold.

"How come when it comes to the king of hell that's when your emotions start to spurt out and with anything else...nothing. Y'know it's not bad to take a break once in a while, you work too hard"

She sighed "well that's because it is my duty, that you generously bestowed on me, also to let you know that I could not be more pleased than to know I am this trusted with the duty to watch the king of hell himself... Michael" Yes Michael, the all mighty archangel- Michael, Lucifer's brother.

He chuckled "Yes, I'm glad you like your post and you're not taking light of this but all I'm saying Lucia, is that it's been 16 years and no activity but yet you constantly watch over knowing that nothing going is to happen"

She looks down and then over to him "I have to, you never know when he'll decide to make hi-" She touched her head and closed her eyes with her brows now furrowed.

"Is there something wrong?" Michael asked worryingly

"It's...!" She quickly rushes out her room and requips into her revealed yet dignified armor that was just made from pure gold and silver. In her warriors armor did she truly look like an angel from heaven; pure, majestic, and graceful. She quickly looked in her artillery for a weapon to use just in case things got out of hand, she scanned it and then a hand was placed on her bare shoulder.

She turned around to see Michael "here." He handed her a diamond sword that had complex designs engraved in it with silver.

"I can't... Not the sacred sword"

He practically shoved it to her "Yes, I don't want my little sister to get hurt. Plus it is mandatory when facing such a powerful opponent such as the King of hell. His strength is unknown since he was just newly crowned, but I know for a fact that he is powerful, the last King wasn't weak even though he barely held his own against me. That's more than I can say for others."

Whenever Michael said little sister something in the back of her mind was always tugged on, but always ignored it. When Lucia first woke up in heaven she wasn't frightened as most people were, but she just looked empty and was distant towards every. Even so Michael and her got close over the years she spent training with him, it began when he noticed his protectiveness and kindness to her that he'd never shown to anyone else and then he began to call her little sister. She didn't mind and since he trusted her so much and was just as skilled as he was, which was impressive because she was the only angel to reach a closeness of level to his level of archangel, that he let her use his weapons. He pulled her head close to him and kissed her forehead, then gently let go as she looked at him expressionless as always because she was so used to every one of his little tactics that he expressed over the years. He then gave her a cloth to cover half her face since showing your face around people with sinful desires (humans) was considered dirty and taints you, though not enough that you can't cleanse it off. Also because Michael just wanted Lucia's pretty face to himself too.

"Now go before something happens" she nodded and put 2 golden cuffs around her wrists just in case she needed to contact anyone for backup and it also helps her requip when she's drained of magic power, then she went to her balcony and leapt off.

"I know she'll do well with whatever happens" Michael whispered before reporting to his superiors about the king of hell's recent activity.
-Magnolia-
The king of hell had finally arrived to his destination, Magnolia where he seeked to find a guild called 'fairy tail'. He's not sure what'll come of it, but he knows it'll be amusing. He started to walk forward and look at his surroundings. It looked like the outskirts of the city, there was a borderline of trees and rocks with the town still in sight. He put his hand on his head, he touched his forehead again and looked at his now normal hands, no sharp nails and he didn't feel any horns on his head "did my appearance change during the trip?" He said half panicked and half calm, he then saw a puddle just a couple steps away. He went closer to get a good look at himself

"GUH!" He touched his spiky hair "IT'S PINK!"
KING OF HELL'S POV
WHY IS MY HAIR PINK! If anyone ever saw me like this my reputation would be ruined! I scrambled my hands on my head, before realizing how much more of a ridiculous idiot I look.

I recompose and touch my chin "I guess this is how I looked like before I died, I mean everyone in heaven or hell had to have lived once"

Sigh

"What a terrible look, at least I still have my suit and my looks can pull this off that'll make me look less of a freak" I start walking again and I spot the thing I'm looking for "fairy tail!"

I can feel my face form a maniacal smile as my heart starts to thump so loud that I can hear it pounding in my ears "this'll be more exciting than I had originally thought!"
GUILDS POV

Off in the corner sits Gray having what his ninth mug of alcohol.

"MIRA ANOTHER!" He yells across the room and she complies with a sad look on her face. A minute or so later she comes to his side with another mug of alcohol handing it to him as he chugs it down.

"Gray... I think you should lay off of the booze, better yet you should probably go home you've had enough."

She says worryingly and Gray puts down the drink "Don't you have anything better to do?!"

He stands up, knowing exactly what Mira was doing and everyone's attention is now on them "I'M NOT SOMEONE YOU CAN PITY ALL THE TIME! JUST BECAUSE I DRINK DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT CAPABLE OF TAKING CARE OF MYSELF!"

The guild turned dead quiet, Gray huffed "I'll just go somewhere else to drink" and stumbled his way to the guild doors.
BOOM!
The entire building shook making everyone and everything topple over.

Gray groaned while trying to stand up, which thankfully snapped him out of his buzzed state "What the hell was that?!"

Cana stood up too "YEAH WHAT THE HELL! IT MADE ME SPILL MY DRINK!"

Wendy winced in pain "Maybe magnolias under attack! Where's master and Erza!?"

Wendy cried and Mira went to her side "Master had to go to a meeting for a couple of days and Erza's off on another s-class mission that she left for yesterday, I also don't know what it was but it felt somewhat evil in its own way."

Elfman held his head "That was way too big to be a magic attack! You'd have to be manly like Gildarts or one of the 10 wizard saints to pull that off!"

Gray headed out the doors "Come on! What if magnolia is under attack! We have to help everyone!"

When gray opened the doors the guild was filled with gasps... there was fire everywhere and people screaming. Gray stood there shocked like everyone else, you could see some people burned to death on the floor or just running around engulfed in flames. You can hear inside the guild some females crying,

Juvia came upfront alongside Gray trembling out of disgust "What kind of sick monster could to this?"

A person's shriek came to their ears snapping them out of their state of shock "PLEASE SPARE HIM! KILL ME INSTEAD! JUST LET MY CHILD GO!" The mother was covered in burns and tears poured out of her eyes, as she saw a man holding her child by his throat.

The person smirked evilly "How noble! You're willing to give up your life for you child!- But you know deep down... you're happy that the person that's about to die isn't you" her crying ceased and she just completely froze, he leaned closer to her face "aren't you?" he said in a deathly whisper.

"ICE MAKE LANCE!" He turned around to see ice spears headed straight his was, but before they could even touch him he melted them causing steam to surround him.

He dropped the kid and he ran to his mom and they both made their escape "JUVIA SNAP OUT OF IT! TELL THE GUILD TO PUT OUT THE FIRES AND HELP THE WOUNDED I'VE GOT THIS BASTARD!" She hesitated but did as she was told.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Dark crimson flames engulfed Gray's enemy so not even a single part of him was visible except the outline that made its way through the flames. Which was only a blob "ANSWER ME!"

Gray punched the floor "ICE MAKE GEYSER!"

Yet again his enemy used his flames to melt the ice before it could touch him, his fire must be hot because no ordinary magic fire could melt it that easily, Gray thought.

"You really want to know who I am." Gray stopped dead in his tracks, that voice! Gray thought to himself as he trembled a bit as he stood up straight to get a better view of his opponents face.

"Heh" gray was confused on what that noise was but it started up again, he then realized it was the guy laughing like maniac "I'M THE PERSON WHO YOU'RE GONNA SEE WHEN YOU'RE SIX FEET UNDER!"

His voice started to calm down a bit and black smoke started to form under him carrying him to about where he's now three feet close to Gray, but the flames still did not let him see his face. His face! I can't see his face! Gray thought eagerly. The flames that engulfed the enemy started to fade away, Grays eyes widened as his breath was hitched.

Grays body started to shake out of happiness and rage "Nat-"

Suddenly a bright light appeared between the both of them followed by a gust of wind that sent both Gray and the enemy flying at least 10 feet away. Gray groaned as he let his forearms lift him up a bit but still looked in the same direction of the beacon light as it still stayed their blindingly bright. The light died down and there was a person that stood there, Gray swore that he saw wings. It was a girl with golden blonde hair bowing on one knee and she stood up with her face in the maniac's direction wearing an armored silver feathered masquerade mask.

"KING!" The loud voice echoed throughout the city getting everyone's attention even those not a part of the fight. The enemy stood up as the girl launched herself at him with one foot and attacked him. Their level of magic power amazed Gray, they fought as equals

"DIE!" The blonde haired girl screamed.

What power... Were Grays only thoughts in that moment until someone helped him up, he looked up "Mira?!" Gray half yelled because their attacks and aftermath were just so loud.

She smiled at him, but it quickly disappeared "we have to get to safety while they tire each other out!"

Gray was still trying to figure out if that really was Natsu that he saw in that split seconds view "MIRA THAT PERSON!"

He pointed to the guy spouting out crimson red and charcoal black flames "It's Natsu!"

Mira looked pale "that's Natsu?!" She looked at the man with the crazed look on his face and then she saw it... His pink hair, those onyx eyes and how similar the magic and fighting styles were as he fought the strange armored blonde, even though Natsu's magic could never really be that crimson red or black

"We have to inform the others!"
BOOM!
Another blast of wind almost made them topple over again,

Mira transformed into her Satan's soul "we have to get everyone to safety first, we can't save the town, it's too late for that, we'll just rebuild everything later!"

She grabbed gray and flew to safety as fast as she could. They arrived at the 'refugee' camp that was outside of magnolia at a safe distance but can still hear and feel the faint booms,

"Mira!" Lisanna asked worriedly as she pounced on Mira as she transformed back to normal and pulled away.

"What's going on? Who did this!"

Mira gave Lisanna sad smile "Go find the others me and Gray and I have something to tell you... Everyone actually"

Lisanna looked at her sister worryingly "okay.."

Within minutes Lisanna gathered everyone in the guild leaving out the townspeople, Mira and Gray stood in front of the crowd

"What's going on?"

"We need answers! Who were those people?" Those shouts stood out, out of all of them

"Calm down, we can tell you but you need to calm down" everyone settled down and Gray stood in front of Mira as she backed away

"I know that this was uncalled for and took everyone by surprise, even me, but enemies don't care about your schedule..." Gray looked down, his bangs formed shadows on his eyes "actually I'm not sure we can call him that yet..."

Levy came from the crowd "What do you mean? Is it someone we know?"

Gray scoffed "I'm not even sure myself, but Mira and I know what we saw!"

Everyone looked confused and levy spoke up again "What do you mean Gray?"

It was Mira's turn to speak "What he means to say... Is that the person we saw was..." She started to tear "Was Natsu!"

Everyone froze at the name, "that can't be true! Because if that is him then that mean Natsu's a bad person for destroying and killing the people of Magnolia and I know he isn't!" Everyone turned to the sobbing Wendy,

Grays gaze softened, she had often reminded him of Lucy and he pulled her in for a hug "I know, but if it is then we'll have to take him down... Even though it would pain us so much to do so, he's hurting people."

Wendy cried harder "NO HE'S FAMILY!"

Grays eyes started to sting "I know..." His grip around Wendy started to tighten "but that look in his eyes..." He remembers that crazed look 'Natsu' gave him before being interrupted "he's probably too far gone, and we don't even known what could have done that to him!"

He let go of Wendy and in that second something impossible happened. He was slapped across the face by Wendy.

She looked at him beads of tears at the edge of her eyes "I know haven't been here as long as most of you but... I DO KNOW THAT GIVING UP ISN'T THE FAIRY TAIL WAY!" Everyone looked at Wendy like she had become their beacon of hope "Natsu is family and we'll get him back even if it kills us because we all know for a fact is that Natsu would do the exact same thing for any one of us in the guild because we're nakama!"

Everyone raised their fists up in the air "YEAH!"

Gray looked at Wendy and bowed "I'm sorry for giving up.." His tears started to drip down to the ground,

"It's okay gray, we'll get him back" Wendy spoke to him softly and started to apologize furiously for slapping him.

He stood up and wiped the tears away, "but how will we even get close to begin with?" They stared at magnolia, that was now engulfed in flames and ashes "I mean for all we know, he could in fact be fairy tail's most powerful wizard- maybe even as powerful or more powerful than Gildarts. What also troubles me is that if Natsu is here… where's Lucy?"
BOOM!
Everyone screamed as an explosion of both light and dark magic went off reminding people of the time when Nirvana was released.

"NATSU!" Everyone shouted and headed for the town as the beacon of magic died down.