He groaned in annoyance for the pink haired Dragon Slayer. He really didn't have no clue what went through Natsu's head sometimes.
First, he picked a fight with the blonde when she was starting to feel unwell.
Then claimed she was cheating on him when the girl was only telling Gray about how she felt unwell.
Wouldn't listen to her when she was bedridden; when she was trying to tell him about her chat with the Icemaker. Telling him that Gray was only there by the docks with her that one time because she could barely walk herself home that day.
Gray rolled his eyes. Natsu was oblivious to pretty much everything other than fighting. He even had to make matters worst; that Pinky...
As well as disappearing for two days without any signs, right after the girl needed him the most.
And, as soon as she felt better and everyone was happy, he had to remain hidden.
The Icemaker really wanted to take Natsu up on his offer. Even though Lucy was fine now, he still wanted knock some sense into the Pinky. But then again, that's Natsu for you.
No matter how much Gray hated to admit it. He still couldn't believe why Luc actually liked the guy in the first place.
Another sigh escaped his lips. He really needed to do a checkup on his friends instead of letting those like Natsu come through.
Gray walked pass the trees into a clearing. In the middle of it was a small shack with trash piled outside. This was Natsu's house, because the lad never thought to rent a house.
He opened the door and the pink haired was nowhere to be seen. He knew Happy was already at the guild with the others partying. "Where the fuck are you..." he groaned as he closed the door once again.
...
He searched through the night and ended up falling asleep in the middle of the woods. Course, the party was already over by now. Gray lifted his butt off the ground and stretched his arms. He was starting to wonder if Natsu was even around Magnolia anymore.
Well, last time he seen the Dragon Slayer, he was running out of the guild hall. He probably flee for it or something.
"You idiot..."
He wlked through the trees until he saw sunlight piercing through the branches. Each step brought him closer to the edge, and soon he was out of the forest and in front of him was a high cliff.
He didn't know why, but he just started walking forward. At the very end of the cliff was a small tree without any leaves.
A small smile tugged at Gray's lips. He could see the whole city from here. As well as the sun raise. All of the different colors shined as the sun rose.
This was a beautiful place.
Until he saw a pale hand lying out on the ground from the tree.
He slowed his pace and his eyes darted from each side of the tree, waiting for a monster to jump out.
Instead, he found a body.
Wrinkled skin.
Limp limbs.
Dirt-patched clothes.
Clutched leaf.
Drooped eye sockets.
White scarf wrapped around his neck.
A red fairy tail mark...on his right shoulder.
Pale pink hair.
Natsu.
"What?!" Gray's jaw dropped at the sight of his fallen elder friend.
...
He told them about the old man Natsu.
They all thought he was crazy.
Insane.
Until, they saw it for themselves.
They only knew of one person with pink hair, white scarf, and a red fairy tail mark. And he was the only Fairy Tail member gone.
The body laid in the wooden box with cushion sides.
His pink hair was combed back against the feathered pillow.
His eyelids were closed as both of his hands rested on his chest.
Lucy sat there on the bench. Her pupils were dilated. She stayed still and her eyes didn't leave the freshly-dug grave.
Levy sat by her side and held her hand.
That couldn't be Natsu.
Natsu was young.
That man was old.
Natsu would never die.
It was far too soon for him to die.
Those thoughts swirled around in her head as Master gave his speech. She barely heard a word as she denied this. This wasn't Natsu's funeral.
A bundle of pink roses were laid against the tombstone.
Happy stood there in the corner and cried his heart out. "NATSU!"
The three siblings stood around each other in a bear hug. Tears filled Lisanna's eyes. Natsu was one of her first friends.
Gray looked at the ground. All of those thoughts he had about the pink haired. How he bad talked him. He felt like an asshole for thinking such things.
Erza wore a black dress, as did others. And for one she showed emotion that wasn't her serious nature. A tear streamed down her face as she stared at Master's back.
Why did everyone think it was him?
It wasn't Natsu, right?
Natsu was roaming the kingdom and destorying everything in his path.
Gajeel smashed a piece of metal with his hands. "Stupid...Pinky..."
What about all of their fights? They still had an unfinished brawl to settle.
What about their goal? They still had to find their dragon fathers.
What about Gajeel's promise, as well as Gray's? That they would be the ones to kill the Pinky; and yet something else got to him first.
That Salamander still had some unfinished business with the Iron Mouth. Yet, he went out the easy way.
All of their promises and goals went out the window.
Natsu hasn't beaten Erza. Nor Laxus.
He hasn't found his father.
He hasn't became a S-class wizard.
Unfinished business.
Yeah, Natsu will come back.
He promised me he would come back...yeah...
Plus, we still had to go to Crocus!
A tear swelled in Lucy's eye.
...
The sunlight glinted through the glass, into Master's eyes. His eyebrows squeezed together as he picked it up and looked at it.
He gasped.
The Glass Ring of Time.
It all made sense. He closed his fist around the ring.
An elder Natsu.
A recovered Lucy.
The lad gave his own time up for his girl.
All of it.
"Natsu..." Master shook his head. He was never one to chose over his children. "You idiot..."
A tear dropped onto ground. He tighten his fist. It was always a parent's worst dream to see their own child die before them. Even if Natsu was only a brat, he was still Master's brat. Like one of his own son.
He wished he could go back in time just to give Natsu his own time, or give Lucy his own time to stop either one of them from dying.
He rather be in the ground than those youngsters who had a lot to live for.
...
His smile when they go on jobs. His laugh whenever she made a slight mistake that ended up with them both rolling on the ground. His eyes that sparkle when he smells adventure. His hair that matched her favorite flowers.
'I love you.'
She sat there in front of his grave as tears rolled down her face. "I-I love you t-too!" she hiccuped.
She stayed there while others started to leave. A hand was placed on her shoulder, but she didn't glance back; she was still staring at the grave as rain drops dripped down.
"Lucy..." It was Gray.
She didn't reply.
"Fla-Natsu..." he corrected himself and looked down at the ground, "...wouldn't want you standing out in the rain getting sick again."
"..."
He turned her around and saw as the tears flowed down her face.
Through the whole funeral, she did not cry until others left. They came streaming down and dripping onto the ground with the raindrops. "Luc..."
"H-He's...dead..." she hiccuped.
He's not coming back.
"Yeah..." he scratched his head and looked back at the grave. Even if it was Natsu who did the unpredictable, not even he can come back from the dead.
She leaned on his shoulder and cried. The tears kept coming as she sobbed.
Natsu was gone.
Gray's ears perked up and he glanced around. He thought he heard a voice.
'Ice Blo-Gray...take care of her for me...'
'Natsu?' his eyes searched around the cemetery for his missing rival-friend; he was no where to be seen. Gray frowned and looked down at the blonde who was sobbing at the death of Natsu. This was what Natsu wanted, so he wrapped an arm around her and kept her close as she cried.
...
She sat there in the middle of the guild. Even though three years has past, nothing has changed about the guild. Everyone still fought with each other; rarely. Everyone cheered; the loudest voice was gone. Everyone smiled; the biggest grin was missing and theirs shrink as well.
Because he was missing from it.
Natsu was gone.
Even though it took awhile, she being the worst case, but eventually everyone slowly returned to their old selves...kinda.
Erza's serious exterior was soften as she smiled and played along with everyone. Gray still glanced around waiting for a fight in any moment; only to end up sighing and patting Lucy's shoulder. These two were close to Natsu like siblings, and when their third gone, it felt incomplete.
Lisanna would stand there on the second floor looking out the window. Sometimes she will disappear from the guild to go to their old hangouts, the cliff and Happy's nest.
Gajeel seemed the least unchanged about Natsu's death, but he hasn't joined in on any of the rare fights within the guild.
Master's pile of papers were smaller and smaller; soon there was barely five papers there. Without the Salamander casing trouble, the council barely looked at Fairy Tail. He missed all of the noise the pink haired caused and he loved getting the higher ups angry. But now it was no more. That stupid kid...
Everyone stared whenever the doors slammed open, only to frown when it was only Max; much to his dismay.
Lucy and Happy were the worst case. Natsu was Happy's dad and partner. While Natsu was Lucy's love, protector, and friend. She ended up moving to the Fairy Hills with Happy rooming with her; which was filled with cherry blossoms.
Her old house didn't feel right anymore.
Her long blonde hair was shifted back behind her shoulders. She slide her chair in, and glanced at the chair next to it. NATSU was carved cruelly into it with sharp nails.
"Come on, Lucy!" Gray called from the guild door. He stood there with Erza, while Happy flew out the door. In Erza's hand was a quest.
She closed her eyes as she remembered Natsu saying the same thing to her. She turned around and walked to the door with her, his, friends. "We got a quest to complete!" she smiled at the two.
Gray returned it and patted her shoulder. "Then let's go."
The End.
Okay, at first, I was thinking just to cut this down in the middle, but yeah. I suck at endings...but I'm thinking of having alternate endings (not ending as sweet as this one). And thanks to Tiffy-Chan858 for getting me to write this (like I've said, I hate writing the endings).
Anonymooouuussse: Heh, well, here's the ending! Thanks for the review! And yeah, it's sad :/
Angie Swan: Yeah, I kinda uploaded the wrong chapter (it was for my One Piece story...but I got them switched around and uploaded the wrong one). This is the real ending, while I may make an alternate ending (which will be depressing). I got most of those things in this chapter, except the ghost Natsu part. Thanks for the review and support!
LRCN: Heh, don't we all? Thanks for the review!
CVLTheDragonSlayer: Well, it is a tragedy fic, so of course it's not going to have a lot of happy scenes...even counting the ending. Thanks for the review!
weareneverbroken: Yeah, I was just wondering because I really didn't know what I would do for this chapter (but thanks for all of the reviews, I got a few ideas for this chapter). Thanks for the review!
Baka-Bunny-Senpai: Well...he chose to give away his time. This isn't a tragedy fic for nothing :/ Thanks for the review!
FairyAngel123: Sure. Got this, and may have another chapter with an alternate ending.
Okay, thanks everyone for the support and reviews! Thanks for all of those who followed and favorited! It's been fun writing this (even if it's a sad tale) and reading ya'all's feedback!