The Dragon Bartender.
Quick Note – In the first chapter, I said that I would have other guilds to have a taste of Natsu's cooking and I haven't decided which guild should go first. This chapter will just be about Fairy Tail trying Natsu's cooking.
Which guild should be in the next chapter and the future chapters? Should Mermaid Heel go first in the next chapter, Lamia Scale second, Sabertooth third and Blue Pegasus last or a different order? Let me know in the reviews of which guild you want to have in the next chapter and the future chapters.
Enjoy the chapter.
Chapter Three: Day One.
(The Next Day in Magnolia)
It was another beautiful and normal day in Magnolia, and everyone was doing their usual activities just like yesterday, except there was a huge carnival in the park where people would go and have fun. The atmosphere in the town was cheery and filled with happiness.
However, while the citizens were having fun with their lives and enjoying the huge carnival, the Fairy Tail guild wasn't acting like their usual self, which was being loud and cheerful. If the citizens of Magnolia knew that Fairy Tail wasn't acting their cheerful and loud personalities, they would've become very concerned and wondered if this was really Fairy Tail.
The reason why Fairy Tail wasn't acting their loud and cheerful personalities, which said personalities now was deathly silent and anxious, was because of the events from yesterday. Events they were trying very hard not to imagine or even think about. But as the minutes ticked by, they couldn't help but think about the events, which leaves them to this reaction.
"WHY ARE WE HERE AT THE GUILD INSTEAD AT HOME WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO TASTE NATSU'S COOKING?!' Everyone thought with extreme panic looks on their faces, trying their best not to imagine the 'food' Natsu is going to cook for them. 'IS THE MASTER TRYING TO KILL US OR SOMETHING?! DOES HE HATE US?! OR IS THIS KARMA FOR ALL THE TIMES WE DESTROYED PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES WHEN WE WERE ON MISSIONS?!'
"Yes, this is karma for all the times you made me pay for people's properties you destroyed on your missions." Makarov replied, as if reading everyone's minds, as he took a sip of his morning coffee, which hid the smug grin on his face. Oh, how he enjoyed his children's reactions when he told them they were going to eat Natsu's food since Mira can't cook for them. It was so priceless and funny that he would cherish the memory in his heart.
Makarov still let Mira serve the guild members for now since Natsu hasn't arrived at the guild but only drinks.
"But why I do have to eat Natsu's food with the rest of the guild, Master? I don't destroy people's properties!" Lucy exclaimed, sitting at the bar and holding her head in her hands. The poor woman was shaking like a leaf, and she had the worst reaction than the members. Her face was slowly turning green from imagining trying Natsu's food. "That's all of them, not me!"
"Hey!" Everyone in the guildhall exclaimed, offended from what blonde-hair woman said, even though it was the truth.
"It is true that you don't destroy people's properties on missions, Lucy, and I'm grateful for that," Makarov said, causing Lucy to beam happily at the praised, but the beam vanished from the old man's next words. "But regardless, you do show a tendency of destroying stuff and have to join the others of eating Natsu's food."
Lucy felt her world shattered into glass from hearing that last part and the look of pure shock and despair on her face actually caused everyone to become concerned about the blonde-hair woman, including Makarov, who was starting to reconsider letting Lucy not eat Natsu's food. There could be a possible chance that the woman may no longer be herself again if she tried a bite of Natsu's food.
Lucy was so shocked from what Makarov said that she didn't notice she stood up from her seat, walked over to a corner of the guildhall, kneeled on the floor and began crying with an aura of deep depression around her.
"C'mon, Lucy, cheer up." Mira said, walking towards the still crying Lucy and wrapped comforting arms around her. Lucy instantly leaned into the touch the moment she felt arms wrapped around her. It did calm her down but not enough for the tears in her eyes to go away. "I'm sure Natsu's food won't taste that bad."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that, Mira." Gray said with a bit of warning in his voice. "Natsu hasn't been near a stove before and doesn't know how to follow the recipe instructions. He would just dump all the ingredients in a pot and use his magic instead of the stove."
"Mira-nee showed Natsu how the kitchen works yesterday, Gray, including showing where the food and alcohol storage is." Lisanna said, also hugging Lucy in a comforting gesture with her big sister. "I'm sure Natsu wouldn't accidentally burn down the kitchen from seeing a stove for the first time."
'I hope Natsu doesn't burn down the kitchen when he starts serving the other members because I really don't want the Master to get very angry again.' Mira thought, successfully hiding the worried and unsure look on her face. 'He can't afford to get into trouble again since he caused a stir in the guild, and I'm not sure if Erza had calmed down from what Natsu said about her since I haven't seen her arrived at the guild.'
It was true, Erza isn't inside the Fairy Tail guild at all and she, like Mira, always arrived at the guild early than the other members. Said members noticed it at first but completely forgotten about it when the Master of Fairy announced they were going to eat Natsu's food. Mira couldn't help but wondered where the crimson-hair woman is. Could she be at her apartment or is she currently training to let out some steam from yesterday before coming to the guild? Mira was betting the latter.
While Gray did agree with Lisanna's statement about Mira showing Natsu how the kitchen works and where the food and alcohol storage was, he still didn't look convinced but chose not to say anything and drink his morning coffee, wanting to savor the taste before he ate Natsu's food, which isn't going to taste good at all.
'This is so not going to be a good day at all.' Gray thought, as he continued to drink his morning coffee, while trying not to imagine the food he was going to eat. 'Why did I come here when I should've just stayed home?'
(Time-Skip)
It has been nearly an hour since the Fairy Tail guild has opened and Natsu still hasn't arrived at the guild to do his punishment, which was making the guild members happy, yet angry at the same time. Happy because they haven't tried Natsu's food and angry because they were starting to get hungry. They haven't eaten anything when they woke up!
As the guild member's hungers continue to rise, they all had the same two questions in their minds: Where was Natsu and when is he going to do the bartender punishment?
"When is Natsu going to get here and do the punishment?" Lisanna asked, sitting at the bar counter and drinking a glass of water. Sitting next to her was calm down but still depressed Lucy, who was slowly drinking a strawberry smoothie. "It's been nearly an hour and a half since the guild opened."
"He must be at his house, Lisanna," Mira replied, wiping a dirty mug with a rag. "You should know he's not an early riser like the rest of us."
"I know that, Mira-nee, but I was just wondering why Natsu is taking so long to get here. He never arrives the guild this late."
"Maybe he's sleeping in." Mira suggested with a thoughtful look on her face.
"Maybe he's skipping the punishment like a wuss." A gruff voice spoke up from across the guildhall, and the Strauss sisters turned to see who the speaker was. It was Gajeel, who was looking grumpier than ever and sitting at the corner of the guild with Team Shadow Gear and his Exceed partner, Pantherlily.
"Gajeel, that's not a nice thing to say about Natsu!" Mira lightly scolded.
"I'm just voicing out my theory." Gajeel said, raising his hands up. "Salamander must be skipping the punishment."
"A real man never skips punishments!" Elfman exclaimed, hearing the conversation.
"Natsu would never skip a punishment, Gajeel, even if he doesn't want to do it." Lisanna stated, remembering the times Natsu had to do punishments he didn't want to do when she was a little girl.
"I'm still thinking Salamander is skipping the punishment."
"No, Natsu must be sleeping in." Lisanna retorted, sending a glare at the Iron Dragon Slayer.
Gajeel glared right back at Lisanna. "Salamander is skipping the punishment!"
"Natsu's sleeping in!"
It didn't take very long for Lisanna's and Gajeel's argument to become heated and loud enough to draw every guild member's attention, making them wondered what the two were arguing about. Mira was trying to get her little sister and Gajeel to calm down before a fight can broke out in the guild, which is the last thing everyone needed because they were all cranky from not having any food yet.
"C'mon, Lisanna and Gajeel, calm down." Mira pleaded, moving in-between Lisanna and Gajeel when they stood up from their seats and began walking towards each other. Tension was mounting high. "It's too early in the morning to start a fight."
"Not until Gajeel takes back what he said about Natsu!" Lisanna exclaimed, still glaring at Gajeel.
"As if I'm going to take back what I said, Strauss!" Gajeel shouted, also still glaring at Lisanna. "I was voicing out my theory, but I'm starting to think Salamander really is skipping the punishment like a wuss!"
"Natsu's not a wuss!"
"He is if hasn't arrived at the guild!"
"Would you two knock it off and go back to your seats?!" Makarov shouted angrily, causing Lisanna and Gajeel to freeze from hearing the angry tone. "Like what Mira said, it's too early in the morning to start a fight and I'm not going to tolerate it! You two will apologized to each other and head back to your seats!"
Lisanna and Gajeel didn't want to apologize to each other, but after seeing the angry look on Makarov's face and the stern look on Mira's face, they had no choice but to do what they were told. They gave each other a curt apology before heading back to their seats.
Makarov let out a heavy sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose. This was just great; not even afternoon yet and a fight almost broke out. He was starting to regret letting Natsu do the bartender punishment and he was even regretting not letting Mira cook food for everyone. If he had let Mira cook, then everyone would be in a much better mood. But what's done is done and he can't change it. However, that didn't mean he can't voice it out.
"If Natsu doesn't arrived at the guild in the next five minutes, I'm going to-"
Bang!
The door to the Fairy Tail guild suddenly sprung open with a mighty bang, interrupting what Makarov was about to say and making everyone turn towards it to see who kicked it open, only to widen their eyes from what they saw.
Standing in front of the door to Fairy Tail, wearing a serious and determined expression on his face, was the man who should've started the bartender punishment an hour and a half ago, Natsu Dragneel. He had a leg extended out in front of him, indicating that it was he who kicked the door opened. Normally, the guild members would give Natsu a bit of advice to walk through the doors instead of kicking it open, but they couldn't say anything because they were busy staring at the outfit he was wearing.
Instead of wearing his usual outfit, Natsu's outfit consisted of a sleeveless, short, red-trimmed, white jacket with a navy-blue T-shirt underneath, black hakama trousers with a white flame design at the bottom and black and red sandals. Around his head was his signature white scarf and tied around his waist that kept the hakama trousers up was a white sash.
"Sorry I'm late, everyone," Natsu said, walking into the guild. "I kind of slept in."
'HA! Told you so!' Lisanna thought with triumph, sending a look of smugness at Gajeel, who looked pissed that his theory was proven wrong.
"Natsu…what in the name of Earthland are you wearing?" Wakaba incredulously asked, gaping at Natsu's outfit.
"This outfit I'm wearing?" Natsu asked, getting a nod from the older man. "This is my chef's outfit."
"Your chef's outfit?" Everyone in Fairy Tail repeated incredulously, finding the outfit to be…a bit ridiculous. But then again, Natsu does have a nice sense of fashion, unlike Erza, who just wears armor all day.
"Yeah, it's my chef's outfit," Natsu said with defense in his voice. "You all have a problem with it?" He gave everyone a fierce glare that almost rivaled Erza's scary glare.
Everyone quickly shook their heads, not wanting to irritate the Fire Dragon Slayer. He can be scary when mad.
"Perfect!" Natsu exclaimed, losing the fierce glare and giving everyone a broad grin. "I'm glad you all like my outfit."
'We never said we liked it.' Everyone thought but didn't voice it out loud.
"Alright," Natsu clapped his hands together and began rubbing them. "Now that I have finally arrived at the guild, it is time for me to start my punishment and serve you all food. I can hear the sounds of hunger coming from your stomachs. But first, let me go put on an apron and set everything up." He began walking towards where the kitchen was, oblivious how everyone in the guild seemed to freeze when he mentioned the words 'punishment' and 'food.' Cold sweat appeared on everyone's foreheads when they realized a very important fact.
'OH, SHIT! NATSU'S HERE! AND HE'S ABOUT TO START THE BARTENDER PUNISHMENT!' Everyone screamed in their minds. 'WE ARE SO DEAD! KAMI, PLEASE HELP US!'
"I got my apron on!" Natsu exclaimed, walking out of the kitchen a few minutes later with a white apron around his waist. "Now, I actually do look like a chef." He gave himself a short chuckle of his words before turning towards everyone and adopt a focus look on his face. "Okay, since I have everything prepared and my white apron on, let my punishment begin. Who wants me serve first?"
Nobody answered Natsu's question since they were still traumatized of what they were thinking earlier. About Natsu arriving at the guild. What are they supposed to say? More importantly, what could they even say?
"Oi! Did anyone hear me?" Natsu asked, feeling annoyance bubbled inside him when no one answered his question. "I asked who wants me to serve first?"
'Oh, Natsu, I don't think anyone wants to answer your question,' Mira thought, sending a sympathy look at everyone. 'Since they are trying to figure out a way to get out of the situation they're in. I'm just glad that I don't have to try the food; I might've vomit after taking a bite.'
Apparently, Natsu's patience had run out very quickly and he let out a sigh of annoyance. "Alright, since none of you are going to answer my question, I will pick someone to be my volunteer." He looked around for a bit before spotting his volunteer. "Elfman, you will be my volunteer of tasting my food."
"W-W-W-WHAT?!" Elfman shouted, extremely shocked from what Natsu just said. He was going to be the first volunteer to eat Natsu's food?! Screw that! He wasn't going to eat something that doesn't taste delicious. "Why do I have to be the person who tries your food first?!"
"Two reasons. One, you always go on about being a man. And two, I can hear your stomach growling from where I'm standing."
Face flushing red in embarrassment at that second reason, Elfman tried to convince Natsu to change his mind about him trying the food. "Natsu, I appreciate that you want me to be the first person to try your food, but I don't think you should pick me. Why don't you pick someone else?"
"Can't do that, Elfman," Natsu replied, as he shook his head in negative. "If I pick someone else, they're just going to say the same thing. I'm not going to waste my time by picking someone else." He then pointed a finger at Elfman, who stared at it in surprised. "You are my choice, and you will try my food."
Once again, Elfman tried to convince Natsu. "Natsu, I really don't think I should try your-"
"Elfman, are you coward instead of a man?" Natsu asked in a bold and blunt voice, interrupting Elfman. He knew he was walking on dangerous waters when he asked that question, but the Dragon Slayer was behind schedule of doing his punishment and he needed to get started. He just hopes that Elfman would take the bait.
Natsu's hopes came true when Elfman, along with everyone in the guildhall, froze after registering the question. "What did you just say to me, Natsu?" Elfman's voice may be low and blank, but everyone can hear the anger underneath.
"Are your ears clogged or something, Elfman? I asked if you were a coward instead of a man?"
'Natsu, for the first time in my life, shut your mouth right now,' Mira pleaded in her mind, as she nervously glanced at her young brother whose face was turning scarlet red that matches Erza's hair. 'You almost caused a fight to break out yesterday because of what you said to Erza and the last thing we need this morning is to have another fight break out. So, please don't provoke Elfman.'
Elfman has many personalities he gained after joining Fairy Tail with his sisters, namely loud, confidence, over-protective brother and bravery, but cowardice wasn't one of them. He was not a coward! He was a man! A real man!
With both of his hands clenching into fists to the point his knuckles turned white, the male Strauss sibling sent a fierce glare at Natsu, who merely gazed back at him with coldness in his eyes. It was very unusual to see such coldness from the energetic Dragon Slayer. "Natsu, I'm going to ask this once and only once: Take back what you said about me being a coward."
"No."
Natsu's reply was cold and emotionless, something that caused everyone to become extremely shocked, including Elfman. Seeing coldness in Natsu's eyes was shocking but hearing the tone he currently used was another. Everyone was now wondering if this was the Natsu Dragneel they knew, the Natsu Dragneel who would never speak to his friends in a cold tone.
Quickly recovering from his shocked state, Elfman sent another fierce glare at Natsu to make him feel threaten. "I'm warning you, Natsu, if you don't take back what you said, I'm going to beat you up." To make his point across, the white-hair man released his aura, which was white. Everyone was amazed, yet scared, of the aura; it could be on parred with a low-level S-Class Mage, possibly a medium-level S-Class Mage if he pushed himself to the limit and the thought of him going par to par with another S-Class Mage was scary.
"And I'm warning you, Elfman, to not get on my bad side and waste anymore of my time," Natsu warned, releasing his own aura that made everyone froze. Natsu's aura was very much different than yesterday. Instead of being warm and cozy that everyone liked, it was very hot and uncomfortable, making the guild members sweat. Could this be the true power of Natsu? "I have not even started my bartender punishment and all I'm doing is arguing with you because you don't want to try my food! I am at the end of my patience, and I am not going to argue anymore! Either you try my food and become a true man, Elfman, or you can leave Fairy Tail and become a coward for the rest of your life. What is your choice?"
There was a great deal of deathly silence as everyone in the guildhall stared at Elfman, who was still releasing his aura and not taking his eyes off Natsu, who stared back at him. What was he choice? Will he try Natsu's food and become a real man or will he leave Fairy Tail and become a coward for the rest of his life? The decision rests on Elfman's shoulders.
'Can I really handle of trying Natsu's food?' Elfman thought, heavily weighing the options Natsu said in his mind. 'It's not like I have much of a choice.' That was true, he doesn't have much of a choice. He can either try the food and become a true man, something that would make him very happy and proud, or he can leave Fairy Tail and become a coward for the rest of his life. Elfman was tempted to do the second option, just so he cannot try the food, but quickly dismissed it down when he realized he'll become a coward. Things were not looking good for him.
Elfman was hoping his sisters can join the conversation between him and Natsu and support their bother of not trying the food, but it seems they were not going to help him because it was a conversation between men. While he can understand that, it didn't mean he liked it.
Realizing that he has no support from anyone else, Elfman released a heavy sigh. He's not going to like what he was about to say, but if he was going down, he was going down like a real man.
"Alright, Natsu, you win. I'll try your food."
I know the chapter is very short and I want to say sorry about that because I haven't been focusing much of this story as I promised in the previous chapter. I also lied in the previous chapter about this part chapter being the finale. It's not the finale, it's just an add-on part chapter to chapter three. The next chapter I write will be part two of Day One and I'm not going to combine that chapter with chapter three. The next chapter will be chapter four.
Things are becoming difficult for me to write chapters since I'm not focused and having enough energy to write. I'm not giving up on the story if you guys are wondering – really, I'm not giving it up – it's just hard to write chapters I haven't planned out. Well, that and the fact I have other stories to write, namely rewriting Kill the Second Chance.
So, with that in mind, I'm going to put this story on hold until I can at least get two stories done. If I get two stories done, I can have more time to work on this story and make the chapters longer than this one. Again, I'm sorry about the short chapter. But don't get your hopes up because I still have other stories to write.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, despite it being short, and I'm very sorry for the lack of chapter updates.
Write a review if you like this story and enjoy the chapter.
Next Chapter: Day One (Part Two)