Chapter 31: Return to Normal
A loud crack of thunder followed a quick blue flash that lit up the rainy night sky, since the turn of seasons Magnolia had found itself victim to many Spring thunderstorms. Natsu hated the rain, he always hated the gloomy atmosphere the storms brought about, the way the sun hid behind dark, gray imposing clouds, the deafening sound of each loud thunder crack that came shortly after a blinding blue lightning bolt streaked through the sky. Most of all though, he hated how useless he felt when it rained, it was by no means a secret that water put out fire, his flames were no exception the rain rendered his powers totally useless. Rendered him totally useless. It was fitting now though, the feeling of helplessness and sorrow that filled him were reflected in the way his flames were smothered by the rain. A couple of tears slid down his wet face getting lost in the swarm of rain droplets that pounded down onto him. His fist tightened and he sniffled while looking down at the gravestone that bore his father's name. It's amazing really how one day can change everything you thought you knew about someone. How his very beliefs could be shifted by just one fateful encounter.
All his friends were currently having the times of their lives at prom, graduation was right around the corner, there hadn't been any big city-ending threats he needed to prevent. All in all the last three months since the Nirvana incident had gone by smoothly, but Natsu couldn't find it in his heart to be happy, how could he after all that has happened over the last day. Unknown to him he wasn't alone in the graveyard. He was pretty much unaware of all his surroundings for that matter, all that he was focused on his father's name etched forever in stone marking the place where he laid in the ground forever.
"Another griever? And here I thought I was going to be the only one foolish enough to come here in this weather." A gentle voice shook Natsu out of his thoughts as he turned to face the person who had spoken. They stood a few headstones away and stood under a black umbrella that he held in one hand, a large bouquet of white, and red roses in the other. His long jet black hair laid flat down for the most part except for a few tufts that spiked up at the very top of his head. His large black eyes conveyed the same gloomy emotion that was present in Natsu's own heart. It was clear that this man had been crying similarly to Natsu, he stood at around the same height and build as Natsu. He wore a nice black suit that was fitted to his figure, shiny black shoots on his feet, and a golden locket on a chain wrapped around his neck.
Neither of them would know it until later, but this encounter would set the stage for the end of the world…A chance meeting in a graveyard on a stormy April afternoon, the meeting of a salmon haired teenager, and the black haired man in his late twenties. Their eyes firmly locked on the others, nothing but the sound of the rain falling to the ground, or the thunder in the air could be heard.
2 Days Ago…
The quietness of the small apartment on Strawberry Street was soon interrupted in the early morning by the unwelcome alarm that awoke Natsu who was laying on the new couch that Lucy, and him had got. The TV was left on all night airing reruns of The Office, Happy meowed unhappily as the teenager he had chosen to sleep on stirred.
"I'm up, I'm up…" Natsu groaned as he pressed the snooze button on his phone, he sat up causing Happy to jump off him.
"Natsu? Can you do me a favor and make me a cup of coffee?" The elegant voice of his blonde roommate/best friend/crush called out from the bathroom just before her hair dryer could be heard turning on.
"Yeah, I got it…" Natsu replied groggily, he cracked his neck and walked into the kitchen and began making Lucy a pot of coffee, he yawned as he flowed through the motions. After he had completed his task and poured the steaming liquid into her bright pink Disney mug. He then proceeded to throw a couple slices of toast into the toaster and walked out of the kitchen.
"There is toast cooking, I'm gonna get ready!" Natsu yelled over Lucy's hair dryer while he walked past the bathroom door, the dryer shut off.
"Okay, I'm all done in here." The door clicked open a few seconds later allowing Natsu to grab a change of clothes from his bedroom and get ready for the day. Life had returned to normal for the most part, after Nirvana it had been hard readjusting, but after a month or so Natsu had returned to his normal self no longer haunted by the events he had been subjected to. It had taken a lot of work though, there were many sleepless nights out of fear of finding himself in another horrid nightmare. It was in that month though that he had truly become thankful for the people in his life, Lucy, and Happy were his rock, they kept him from falling into the deep depths of insanity, Lucy spent just as many nights awake with Natsu. Keeping him company whilst sleep eluded him, and of course Happy was always ready for a nap on one of his humans laps.
Despite his supposed hatred for both of them Gray, and Gajeel had also helped in their own way, they made sure to keep Natsu's fighting spirit alive and well, each of them wanting to spar with the fire-user at the drop of a dime. Much to Levy who had become awfully close to Gajeel, Lucy, and Juvia's annoyance who wished that the three could find a resolution to their squabbles without fists meeting faces. Erza, and Wendy also helped out whenever they could by attempting to make sweets, Natsu appreciated their sentiment however...more often than not the cake or pie was undercooked and goopy. He didn't care all that much, he was happy that he had such good friends and family. One of the people who had helped Natsu most of all had been Gildarts.
"Hey kiddo, take a seat will ya…" Gildarts motioned over Natsu to the bar, Natsu begrudgingly separated himself from Gray muttering that they would finish what they started later. He sat down at the stool next to Gildarts looking at him confused as to why he had been called over.
"Hey sweetie, can you slide over a couple of cold ones?" Gildarts asked his daughter who stood behind the bar, Cana looked at Natsu and Gildarts knowingly and uncapped two bottles of beer and slid them towards the two.
"Enjoy. This ones on me!" Cana beamed looking at Natsu with a chaotic glint in her eye. Natsu took the bottle confused.
"You called me over to drink with you? You know I'm underage….right?" Natsu asked the man who grinned down at the teen and laughed.
"Of course I know that, but nonetheless…" His grin slowly vanished.
"I figured since you would never get the chance to share a drink with your old man...you'd like to share your fist drink with your Godfather." Natsu smiled at the man softly, and took the bottle into his hand.
"That would be nice…" He muttered, Gildarts grinned from ear to ear and held up his bottle.
"That's good to hear, CHEERS!" Natsu chuckled at the man, and clinked their bottles together.
"Cheers…" Gildarts wasted no time in raising the bottle to his lips and chugging the contents of it. Natsu however was slightly hesitant, instead of immediately drinking the liquid he instead lifted the brown bottle to his nose and sniffed, cringing immediately as the smell burned his nostrils. Cana watched in amusement as laughed at Natsu's reaction.
"Trust me Natsu, it tastes wayyyyy better than it smells…." She said as she took a swig of whatever concoction she had poured for herself. Natsu made an internal note to introduce her to Bacchus sometime. Letting out a sigh he parted his lips and took a small sip of the drink, and began coughing and gagging at the taste. Gildarts, and Cana burst out laughing at his reaction.
"It's an acquired taste that's for sure…" Gildarts joked, but Cana took a different route.
"Man! That is lame, I was able to down my first drink in one gulp!" She cracked up, Natsu blushed and placed the bottle down on the counter top.
"I'm not sure that alcohol is quite my thing…." Gildarts chuckled at him and soon asked him to take a walk outside with him, Natsu had agreed and soon the two were walking around in the snow in silence. That was until Gildarts suddenly stopped and looked up into the night sky.
"I've been thinking a lot about what you told me and Master Makarov when you returned….it doesn't make sense." He spoke, Natsu stood next to him, and looked up at him unsure of what he was referring to.
"What are ya talking about old man?" Natsu questioned, Gildarts sighed and shook his head.
"How are you able to enter Dragon Force? You aren't Igneel's blood child so it doesn't make any sense…." Natsu pondered his question for a second letting it set in. He had a point, he wasn't actually related to Igneel unlike Cobra and Laxus who were related to Yuri, and Cubellios of the Eight Dragons respectively. Sure Igneel was a member of that group, but Natsu wasn't his blood son so how was it possible?
"I-I….don't know actually….I haven't given it much thought really, besides it doesn't really matter I don't think….I can't actually enter it at will, trust me I've tried...but I can't do it." Gildarts had stopped looking at the sky, and turned his gaze towards Natsu with a frown.
"Strange….Once Igneel figured out he could do it, he was able to do it whenever he wanted….perhaps you just need some help." He moved his hand to his chin thoughtfully and then seconds later lowered it to reveal a large grin.
"Okay that settles it….Natsu I want you to hit me." He deadpanned, Natsu looked at him confused.
"Hit you? Are you serious?" Natsu asked in surprise, Gildarts' grin grew.
"Yeah! Why not…I want to see how strong you are…." He backed up a couple steps and got in and stood with his arms crossed. Natsu stood in place stunned, unsure of if he should go through with it.
"Come on, I won't wait all night for you slowpoke…" Gildarts quipped. Natsu smirked and got into a fighting pose.
"Alright….Just remember you asked for this…" His fist engulfed in flames.
"Bring it…" A second later Natsu shot forward and threw a flaming fist at Gildarts' face, he smirked and simply held up his arm and blocked the strike. He didn't even move an inch, Natsu blinked as his flames disappeared, and fell to the ground.
"W-what…." He muttered stunned, Gildarts however only cracked up once again.
"Gotta say...I expected a bit more from you...but nonetheless…I'll help you." Natsu looked up at him.
"Help me?"
"Yup, when I get back from this next mission of mine you and I are gonna train your butt off….And then you will be able to enter Dragon Force!"
Natsu grinned while he recalled that event, Gildarts said his mission would last him until the end of April, or the start of May and Natsu could not be more excited. He was totally excited at the idea of being able to control his Dragon Force, and get stronger.
"You ready Natsu? Class starts in an hour." Lucy knocked on the bathroom door.
"Y-yeah, I'll be right out!" He replied, and hurriedly got dressed, before stepping out.
"I swear, some days you take longer than me to get ready…" The beautiful blonde joked at the expense of her best friend. Natsu let out a huff and grumpily took the piece of toast she held out for him.
"As if….I could be at school way before the time it takes you to brush your hair." Lucy shot him an offended look, and puffed her cheek.
"Oh I'm so sorry I choose to look like the queen I am instead of the alley dog you try to be." She ruffled his unkempt spikey hair to prove her point. Natsu shrugged her off, and grabbed his backpack.
"You are a queen of being a real pain in my neck that's for sure…" He joked and held out her own backpack for her. Lucy stuck her tongue out at him as she accepted the bag.
"You love me and you know it…" She nudged him with her elbow, causing him to blush as they walked out the door.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…." He muttered as the two continued their playful banter on the entire walk towards school. Over the past months their relationship had only grown stronger, their friendship really was something the two would always cherish, of course not everything was picture perfect as Natsu was soon reminded as soon as they walked through the doors of the school.
"Lu-Lu! There you are, I was so worried that you would be late!" The voice belonging to the Natsu's newfound least favorite person made his blood boil.
"Here we go…" Natsu sighed as a tall boy with dark red hair and red eyes ran through the crowd of students, he wore the signature varsity jacket of all the other football players at Magnolia High, the last name 'Straight' was embroidered onto the chest of the jacket. Natsu rolled his eyes as the new transfer student stopped in front of Lucy and pushed Natsu out of the way making him fall onto the ground.
"Oh my dear Lu-Lu, you look as beautiful as the day I first laid my eyes on you!" The boy exclaimed as his eyes examined Lucy who was simply wearing a light sweater and jeans, her hair was tied in her signature side ponytail. Natsu growled at the boy and stood back up to his feet dusting off his pants.
"Good morning Dan…." Lucy smiled brightly at the teenager as Natsu was. This was one part of the last three months that were horrible, Dan Straight the new transfer student, and Lucy's number one fanboy.
"Oh you have no idea how good it is!" Dan exclaimed excitedly as he followed Lucy to her locker leaving Natsu to wander to his own where his male best friend was waiting for him.
"Man, that guy is annoying as Hell…" Gray's cool voice spoke beside Natsu who began digging through his locker looking for his History book.
"You know….I don't think it would bug me as much if it was anybody other than Lucy…" Natsu stopped looking for the book to face Gray.
"Yeah, I'd imagine if Lucy was Juvia I'd be in the same spot as you, but…." Gray grinned slyly.
"But what?" Natsu growled, but Gray just shrugged.
"But maybe if you had grown the balls to ask her out Freshman year then you wouldn't be in this situation."
"So it's my fault that guy is a freak?" Natsu snapped, but Gray chuckled.
"Not necessarily, I'm just saying...Prom is at the end of this week and you haven't asked Lucy to it yet, makes one wonder if she will wait around for your dense ass forever…" Natsu let out a sigh, Gray was right. Doesn't mean he liked it.
"I dunno...I just...am scared I guess….Like what happens if I do ask her out, and everything changes, and we break up losing my best friend in the process…" Gray rolled his eyes at Natsu's words, and smacked the back of his head.
"HEY!" Natsu snapped and rubbed the spot that Gray had smacked.
"Listen to me carefully, things are going to change. They will change a lot, but that doesn't mean that they will change for the worse. Look at me and Juvia, or Erza and Jellal...You just have to have faith that the relationship you have already developed is strong enough, and trust me. The two of you have been through thick and thin...There is no universe where you two do not stick together...So grow up, and ask her out before someone else does...Who knows how much longer she will wait around." Gray walked away leaving Natsu alone by his locker until a tall redheaded girl waltzed up beside him.
"He's right you know…" Erza spoke to him, Natsu sighed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah I know, I know...It's just not that simple…." The bell rang alerting the students to make their way to their classes. Erza squeezed the bridge of her nose and began walking with Natsu.
"It may not be that simple, but it's also not as complicated as you think it is...The way a relationship works, is the same way a friendship works. As far as I'm concerned you and Lucy have already been dating since Middle School."
"I guess…." Natsu snuck a glance at the blonde in question as she was still at her locker trying her best to ignore Dan who was leaning next to hers talking a million miles a minute. Natsu felt the tug of jealousy in his gut as he thought about what Gray said. Erza noticed the look in his eyes and frowned.
"Imagine the feeling you are currently experiencing Natsu...That's going to be your everyday life if you keep on waiting...Because Lucy is an amazing girl as I'm sure you know…Some guy will happily step in to sweep her off her feet…" Natsu stopped in his tracks as Lucy walked off to her class with Dan following her neither of them even noticed him, Erza had also walked away leaving Natsu standing alone in the hall as the final bell rang. He slowly walked to his History class not really caring that he was late for it, he had already missed so much class that he had no idea what was going on in that class anymore. Thankfully he had been able to make up the piles of make-up work, and even had Makarov pose as a doctor so he didn't have to serve any detentions.
Needless to say Lucy was on his mind all day, he had barely listened to any of his teachers, and was honestly just kind of floating throughout the day. He sat in the cafeteria picking his food and didn't even notice two blue haired girls sit next to him until Levy poked him on the shoulder.
"Huh?" He asked, turning to face her.
"Hey there tough guy, what's on your mind?" She asked giving him a knowing look through her glasses.
"Yeah, Gray told me that I needed to come talk to you about Lucy, is that what's on your mind?" Juvia spoke up on his other side, Natsu let out a sigh for what felt like the thousandth time that day.
"Of course you two are in on this as well….It's nothing….Gray and Erza already went over everything with me…" Levy and Juvia frowned and made eye contact with each other.
"Natsu what's bothering you?" Levy asked caringly, Natsu put his fork down and pointed to a couple of tables away where the girl who had been on his mind all day currently sat with Dan and his friends. She was laughing gleefully at something Dan had just said which made him tighten his fist. Wanting nothing more than to walk over and punch that guy in his handsome face, but that would just make Lucy mad at him.
"That is what's bothering me…" He muttered and lowered his finger and picked his fork back up. The two girls followed his gaze and felt a twinge of pity for the boy in between them.
"Does Natsu want me to make him choke on his drink?" Juvia asked in complete seriousness holding up her hand preparing to use her powers, Natsu actually chuckled at that.
"That won't be necessary, but thank you Juvia."
"Hey I know! Why don't we get the gang back together tonight? We can have a movie night for old times sake!" Levy suggested, and Natsu just shrugged.
"Sure why not, you can all come over after school…"
This turned out to be a horrible, horrible idea. Natsu learned this the hard way, because Erza had decided to bring Jellal who was still in town, and Levy had dragged Gajeel along. That wasn't the part that bugged him, no it was that Dan was also there. Sitting on the couch with an arm wrapped around his Lucy, petting his cat who sat on his lap. Along with Gray and Juvia this made Natsu a ninth wheel which made him feel way worse. To make matters worse...nobody even seemed to notice he was in the room, so when he decided to go into his bedroom he was positive his presence was not missed. He hated this feeling, he hated how he felt so...alone? That was it, he was alone...A feeling that never left him since his time in Nirvana, no amount of late night joking with Lucy, or spars with Gray and Gajeel or Gildarts, or Erza and Wendy's baked treats could stop this feeling of deadly loneliness that he was shrouded in. He took off the t-shirt he had on after locking his door and fell onto his bed shirtless. His hand traced the bandage wrapping that kept his father's power inside of him….Maybe that's why he could go into Dragon Force not because he was special or anything, but because his father's power laid dormant inside of him.
"What's wrong with me?..." He whispered, after all his fear of losing Lucy, he had managed to take a step above that, he had lost all of his friends. At least that's how he felt...He had never fully returned from Nirvana. He heard the eight people outside his bedroom laugh at something that happened in the movie, and decided he needed to get out of there. Rolling off his air mattress he reached under his bed and slid out the case that he kept his Salamander outfit in. He quickly changed into his signature outfit and did a small stretch, it was time he betrayed his promise to Makarov. He had gone three whole months without being Salamander, but right now he just needed to get out of the apartment. So that's what he did, sliding his bedroom window open he slipped out and climbed the firescape to the top of the apartment complex. He got a running start and hopped onto the building next to it where he perched and took one final look inside his and Lucy's apartment, watching how all his friends were having the time of their lives without him...He looked down at the street sadly wishing to just let himself plummet onto the streets below.
"I think this might be my supervillain origin story…" He muttered to himself before forcing himself to turn away and hop off that rooftop onto the next one. Lucy turned to look at the window where he had just been peering through a mere second too late to see him, before shrugging and turning back to her friends and wondering why Natsu had gone to bed already when he was the one who wanted to watch the movie.
Natsu continued parkouring his way across the city releasing some much needed stress. Every now and then he would leap off the ground and summon jets of fire from his feet to send him flying through the air faster, and higher than he could normally. That was until a loud female scream pierced through the night sky causing him to stop in his tracks.
"SOMEONE HELP ME!" The same feminie voice cried out and Natsu reacted almost immediately, he sprinted towards the direction he had heard the voice come from until he came across a dimly lit street where a man was holding a rifle at a woman who was on her hands and knees being held in place by the largest of the three masked men, another guy searching through what appeared to be the woman's purse. He jumped down onto the ground below landing silently behind the two crooks wearing masks.
"Come on man hurry up!" The man with the rifle urged the man searching through the purse.
"Relax, nobody is out here…" The man replied annoyed, that was when Natsu decided to make his presence known.
"Are you sure about that?" All eyes turned to him as he ignited his fists.
"IT'S SALAMANDER!" The largest man yelled releasing the black hair of the girl he was clutching onto.
"Awww, you know me! How's about an autograph?" Natsu quipped and ran forward just as the man holding the rifle turned to aim at him. He shot at Natsu who rolled out of the way without missing a stride.
"Hold still!" He yelled at Natsu who grinned from behind his scarf.
"I would, but I'm way too ADHD!" Natsu proceeded to flip up into the air and deliver a spin kick to the gun wielder making him crash into the ground.
"My turn!" The one who was digging through the woman's purse dropped it and pulled out a large sword that was strapped on his back. Natsu turned to face him as he ran at Natsu with his sword drawn.
"You're right, it is your turn!..." Natsu leapt over the sword and landed behind the man.
"...Your turn to go down that is!" Natsu finished his statement with a blazing fist that connected with the back of the purse snatcher's head. The final one let out an audible gulp as the second of his buddies fell to the ground with a thud. Natsu looked at him, only his eyes visible thanks to his hood, and scarf to which the man backed off a little.
"Come on big boy…" Natsu taunted and got into a fighting pose. The man wasted no time in turning on his heels and running away.
"This isn't the last time you have seen Sylph Labyrinth!" He shouted as he ran into the distance. Natsu sweatdropped.
"I wasn't expecting that….are you okay ma'am?" Natsu turned to the black haired girl who picked up her large circular glasses on the ground and looked up at him as she put them on his face.
"Y-yes...T-thank you Mr. Salamander…" She crawled over to retrieve her purse from the ground and Natsu offered her a hand to help her up to her feet.
"Just Salamander is fine, Mr. Salamander was my father…" He joked, and the black haired girl smiled at him, giggling at his joke. A second later she leapt at him and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH! I WAS SO SCARED I WAS GOING TO DIE!" She cried into his scarf, to which Natsu awkwardly hugged the stranger back.
"Ummmm….it was no problem Miss…?"
"Daphne, my name is Daphne…" She spoke into his neck, Natsu began feeling more uncomfortable the longer she clung onto him, that was until something sharp was stabbed into his neck.
"Oww! What the Hell!" He pulled away from her, his hand shooting to his neck where he pulled out an empty syringe that had been stabbed into him. His head felt woozy, and his vision blurred.
"Just a minor sedative….You'll only be out for an hour Salamander…." Natsu fell to his knees after his legs turned to jelly.
"W-why…" He tried to ask why she had injected him with it, but the words couldn't form in his mouth.
"Why? Because the boss wants me to bring you to him of course...I must say the actors he hired did a splendid job of fooling you." She chuckled and knelt down in front of him. Her hand reached out and gripped his scarf.
"I made this for him...you have no right to wear it...not after you killed my beloved…I am going to enjoy what boss has in store for you…" Natsu tried to fight back the drowsiness he felt, but it was no use. Daphne ripped off Igneel's scarf from his neck and face, and before he knew it he was laying face first on the street.
Chapter 32: Igneel's Secret
Q: Who do you think the boss is?
Q2: DanLu or NaLu...XD Sorry not sorry…..I promise I'm getting to the good stuff soon!