Hi guys Azza here!

Very dialogue heavy chapter here, but necessary. Hopefully you all enjoy it!

I do not own Fairy Tail, One Piece or the Nasuverse.

Lamenting On Recent Events

/Amazon Lily – Natsu's POV/

Sitting atop the roof of Boa's palace, Natsu gazed up at the stars with a neutral expression. He still had yet to sleep, his mind refusing to rest until he'd concluded every last objective he'd set out prior to his departure from this very same island over a week ago.

He could hear them all now, the girls, chatting away amicably below him. Boa had practically crash tackled him the moment he'd returned, her tear-streaked face begging forgiveness for what she had put him through to protect her people.

He had to admit, peering into her mind revealed her sincerity. She blamed herself for what had happened to him on the way to Impel Down, cursed her inability to aid him at Marineford in any meaningful way …

It was … touching.

Realistically, they barely knew one another. Sure, she'd laid her soul bare before him, shown her truly sadistic side that relished the destruction of arrogant men. He'd delighted in it, relished in the opportunity to inflict pain on mortals who thought themselves better.

And so, he'd shown her a glimpse of his broken self.

There were scarcely few who could comprehend his true self in its entirety. He knew that had he revealed himself in full, Boa would have likely broken. She delighted in torturing and slaughtering men and Celestial Dragons … but she had a reason to be that way.

He knew the way he'd acted during Sabaody was wrong. Even the Natsu of a year ago, the one that had journeyed around the five great countries of the Elemental Nations in Naruto's reality, would not have been so quick to do what he did on Sabaody.

He tortured and exposed the three Celestial Dragons, knowing full well the response such an action would entail. He tortured them on a live broadcast to countless millions, killed them in such a way that he essentially spat in the face of the World Government as if daring them to respond.

Knowing he was yet to fully recover from Thriller Bark, he did so.

Yet, even as he struggled to combat Kenpachi and Kizaru, he found himself relishing the destruction, the sheer level of Chaos it brought about. Even as he fought, he planned ways to utilize the entire debacle to his advantage, the lives of the tens of thousands who died with each missed attack not even a blip on his radar.

He no longer cared about mortal lives the way he once did, and that was arguably the most concerning takeaway from all the events from Sabaody all the way to the end of the Marineford War.

If he could kill his target, he would blow away thousands. Get some intel, he'd obliterate an entire island. To make a point, he would condemn a country to utter annihilation.

He released the prisoners from Impel Down that even he knew would surely come back to bite him in the ass. Douglass Bullet, Patrick Redfield and Byrnndi World, all three men were capable of wielding Devil's Aura and all three knew they were around the same level of power as he was.

Releasing these men was a colossal mistake, yet he did so with a smile. Why? Because it scared Magellan and the World Government and garnered him momentary amusement.

At Marineford, he slaughtered countless troops, many of whom didn't even want to be there. He remembered how he cackled with glee as his blades and fists sank through flesh, sliced and diced his foes apart. The blood spraying around him as he danced a macabre symphony of death.

Each slain mortal was not a casualty in his eyes, they were a mere number to be crossed off, an obstacle between him and what he wanted done.

His torture of Vice Admiral Momonga was probably the only act of barbarism that could be truly justified. The man was undoubtedly an example of the worst that the World Government housed. His … treatment aboard the ship bound for Impel Down was the worst he'd ever received in his life.

Even when captured by Alvarez, he'd never been subjected to such inhumane acts by those who had captured him. The only other beings who he could recall being similar were Orochimaru and Danzo Shimura and even they had an excuse since it was all in the name of science!

Momonga and his crew on the other hand had no excuse. They brutalized his seemingly defenceless form because it was just that … defenceless. They relished every blow they landed on him, every cut, jab, severance and piece of degradation their bodies could muster. Even as they tired and released the beasts upon him, they still cackled with glee at his Fate.

Momonga and all those who served under him would get their due from him in the end. Releasing him back to Sengoku was merely a minor setback to his plans for the scum.

As his mind began to fantasize about what he would do to Momonga, a crazed grin slowly wormed its way onto his face. His insanity becoming apparent as he struggled to hold himself back from going out to slaughter with reckless abandon.

He wanted to make Momonga and his crew hurt like he did, to endure all that he had and more. But not just more, he would inflict far worse than they could ever possibly conceive! What Momonga endured at Marineford was just a prelude, he would make sure of that!

Just as he was about to continue his fantasy, his entire crazed demeanour vanished as Seilah emerged from the shadows cast by the roof with Mordred holding onto her shoulder. The pair stepped out beside him before turning and looking down to him.

"That time already?"

"We've put off this discussion long enough," Seilah replied evenly as she turned around to gaze out over Amazon Lily. "We should be able to discuss what we need to in that location across the island you mentioned earlier."

Simply nodding, he rose from his place as both girls placed a hand on either shoulder. The three vanished and reappeared at the place Natsu had easily subdued Penth in his Enyo disguise, only now there was a table and three chairs present at the centre of the clearing.

The trio each took a seat, Natsu waving a hand to summon some drinks and light food from his Requip Space with Mordred immediately taking a large swig from her provided ale.

"Before we go any further with this, I think its important for us to clear the air between one another," Natsu said, though his tone spoke volumes as to just how little he actually wanted to have said discussion.

"Very well then, I'll go first," Seilah replied swiftly, Natsu snorting in response which elicited a raised eyebrow from the Demoness.

"To begin, your plan was atrociously thought out in the beginning and we all almost died."

"Really? Can you believe that, Mordred? We all almost died!?"

"You can joke all you want Natsu, but I almost did die in my fight against Thaddeus Ryker," Seilah shot back with a scathing glare that Natsu easily brushed off. "Had it not been for the intervention of The Darkness then I most likely wouldn't be here at all."

"To be fair, I offered to double back and help you," Mordred said quietly as she looked between Seilah and Natsu. "Though I do agree that having her do what she did was stupid Natsu."

"And what other alternative did we have? Seilah is the greatest infiltrator I have at my side Mordred; she was literally created for that purpose! I needed to buy every last second to make sure the plan went off without a hitch and the World Government presumed her dead!"

"I'm going to be blunt Natsu, and I don't care if you try to justify yourself when I say this, but your mind is degrading at a rapid rate," Seilah stated bluntly as Natsu lazily swished his drink out in front of him, looking at his reflection in its murky brown surface. "You're insane."

"Batshit insane," Mordred added, the edges of Natsu's lips twitching upward slightly in response to their blunt words.

"It was a strategy that had an almost zero percent chance of working, relied on variables that didn't even exist yet in either of our calculations … yet it somehow worked. The stars quite literally had to align so that I would not die on Sabaody and your plan would be capable of even being put into full effect."

"What do you two want me to say? You both know what's slowly happening to me, I can't help what I'm becoming," Natsu replied with narrowed eyes. "Out of everyone who does know the truth of my condition, the two of you should understand better than most why my thought processes are so fucked."

"I want greater autonomy," Seilah replied evenly with Natsu raising an eyebrow in response. "I want the ability to refuse a direct order from you if I so choose to."

"Seilah-."

"I know you don't use that Authority on me, but … I'm worried that you might eventually fall to that level."

"We both are."

"You too Mordred?"

"We're bound to your service Natsu," Mordred sighed as she reached across the table and took his left hand in her own, Seilah doing the same with the right. "As it stands, you could order us to commit to a suicidal banzai charge whenever you so choose."

"We know that deep down you would never wish to do so, but this madness that is encroaching upon your mind … it worries us."

"We want to be able to see this through to the end, together."

"But we can't if your madness gets us killed."

"So, we want the ability to defy direct orders that would result in the deaths of either ourselves or our direct allies."

Natsu met the gaze of the girls warily. He'd inwardly been thinking much of the same as he mulled over the events that led him to the present. His madness was getting worse, bouts of unintelligible rage and whispers to destroy gnawed at his subconscious. He felt the call to destroy with every waking moment and his lack of rest certainly only exacerbated the problem.

But he had to admit, he hated the idea that the girls feared he'd lead them to their deaths.

"Seilah … Mordred …"

Squeezing their hands tightly, the girls flinched, only to gasp as they each felt something within themselves shift. Natsu's constant presence within their souls lessened somewhat, the power granted as a result fading slightly, yet returning greater autonomy in turn.

"You are both right in what you're saying," the Hybrid sighed tiredly. "Though you both know I'll do all I can, I can't promise that my decisions will be as great as they should be as I am now. So, I'll grant your request of greater autonomy, with a condition."

Both girls flinched as they felt something new enter their beings, the connection to Natsu flaring momentarily before returning to its previous state. They looked directly into Natsu's eyes, shocked at what he had just done as Mordred jerked her hand away.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"Don't act like its not a good idea."

"Natsu, I too must protest this-!"

"It won't force you to do anything outside of the specified conditions," Natsu replied as he motioned for Mordred to settle down. "A simple contract to replace the old one, is all."

"Do you even understand what you've just done!?"

"Of course I do Mordred, I wrote it into both of you."

"If you fully succumb to the madness before the final piece of your being can be retrieved … we will have no choice but to cut you down," Seilah whispered with Mordred gritting her teeth, cracking the table under her iron grip. "How could you ask this of either of us!?"

"I ask it of you because I love and cherish you both," Natsu whispered as he gently smiled to the shocked pair. "Even in feral, frenzied state, I could never lay a finger on either of you. Even if you openly declare your intent to kill me, my feral self wouldn't be able to do anything to you."

"B-but that's-!?"

"A last resort," Natsu said firmly as he snagged Mordred's hand again, steely gaze boring into the pair as they both sucked in a sharp breath. "I have no plans to become something like that, nor do I wish to die. My days of seeking my own death are in the past where they belong now that I have you girls, Cynthia and a clear objective of returning home!"

"Natsu," Seilah whimpered, tears in her eyes as her very being fought to try and purge what he had set upon her, to no avail. "Please-!"

"Believe that we will succeed, Seilah … I believe, and so should you. This is merely insurance that should we somehow fail, a calamity is avoided at all costs."

"You really are a bastard," Mordred sighed with a shake of her head. "I hate what you just did, but you're absolutely fucking right about doing it, as much as I hate to admit it."

"The moment I reclaim the final piece of myself that is missing will be the moment the contract fades. Already you should feel its presence fading from your consciousness, destined to be buried until the time it is hopefully never required."

"At least you thought about that," Seilah sniffed as she squeezed his hand tightly. "Just so you know, The Darkness fully agrees with what you did."

"I assumed she would."

"I-I think we should stop talking about this for now and move onto other business," Mordred muttered as she felt the presence of the contract slowly fade out of her mind. "Seilah, how did your other task go?"

"Yeah, I'm actually quite curious," Natsu agreed as they both looked expectantly her way. "How much did you get?"

Seilah sighed as she slowly brought herself back to her usually calm and collected state. With a wave of her arm, piles upon piles of documents appeared all across the table and around where they were currently seated.

"All copies of the originals, just as you requested Natsu."

"Excellent," Natsu responded with a feral grin. "It appears Thaddeus Ryker had quite a high clearance level indeed."

"I've collected information on countless World Government top secret projects, bases, operatives, tactics, research and development projects, troop movements, training methods and basically everything else I could get my hands on in the short time I had free reign to move about Marineford Headquarters."

"This is perfect," Natsu murmured as he perused the titles of the various documents before him. "And they have no idea we have any of this information?"

"I was completely undetected during the entire time I was there," Seilah replied evenly. "They might suspect something was compromised since I revealed myself from Ryker's sickly corpse, but I doubt they could even comprehend just how much damage we've done."

"This is excellent work Seilah," Natsu practically purred, his eyes locked directly with hers as she felt a blush beginning to form across her face. "What you've given us can literally reshape this world … Whatever you want from me, you've got it."

"Well," Seilah muttered, her gaze never once leaving his despite the deep blush now present across her dark-skinned form. "I think you know exactly what I want in return, don't you?"

"Heh, you'll get it alright," Mordred chuckled in response as she licked her lips. "No way I'm missing out on how he's gonna force that fat dick as deep as it'll go to fill that womb of yours. Knowing what he's been dealing with since Sabaody, his cum is gonna be red hot for sure!"

"Jealous Mordred," Natsu teased with the King's eyes conveying naught but lust before shooting the same toward Seilah who was clearly equally as excited as she was.

"No need to be jealous when I'm gonna be there, is there? Unless your stamina has become … lacklustre?"

"Perhaps in my current state it is," Natsu admitted easily as both girls lost the seductive gazes they were shooting him as reality crashed into them. "But, once I've had a chance to rest, I've clearly got some catching up to do with the two of you."

"O-of course," Seilah stuttered out as she fidgeted on the spot. "So sorry for forgetting your current condition-!"

"Settle down Seilah, I knew full well what you were going to want from me and believe me when I say that you'll be getting it for this," Natsu growled huskily which had Seilah blushing yet again. "Speaking of fucking a woman until her legs no longer can function and she looks like she's pregnant … I'm going to be trying to get with Boa and probably Avenger as well."

"Figures." Mordred snorted, rolling her eyes amusedly as she took a sip of her drink. "Honestly shocked you haven't pounced on Boa yet, all things considered?"

"I agree. To the sensitive nose like ours, one can easily smell her arousal when being close to you."

"Boa is a complicated case, Avenger even more so," Natsu sighed as he thought back to all they had told them of their pasts. "I will not force anything. They will seek me out or it won't be happening."

"You want to have sex with them, yet you will not even attempt to pursue them?"

"Believe me when I say that it is for the best things work out that way," Natsu replied tiredly as he took another sip from his own drink. "Their pasts are not mine to speak of, but they are the reason I will not be the one to pursue."

"Fair enough," Mordred replied with a shrug, having lost interest in the topic as she read over some of the sensitive documents before her. "As long as the three of us get our time together then you can do whatever you want. I'm sure you're … eager to experiment with my new body as well, no doubt?"

"You have no idea the thoughts running through my mind at what the three of us are gonna be doing," Natsu grunted as his gaze roved over their forms. "But enough about sex before I get too excited and take you both right here …"

"Daddy please!?"

Having taken another swig from his drink, Natsu nearly choked at Mordred's lusty response. Coughing violently, Seilah exploded into fits of laughter with Mordred cackling away, the devious bitch that she was.

"The fuck," Natsu coughed as he met Mordred's emerald eyes, noting that they seemed to almost shimmer gold in amusement. "Where the hell did that come from!?"

"Rhongomyniad."

"Seriously!?"

The sparkle behind her eyes only intensified, causing him to openly gape at his Servant, Seilah's laughter reigniting in turn.

"I might be a wild girl, but combine her into the mix and I'm liable to do just about anything for you … Daddy."

Natsu shivered at Mordred's tone. Knowing that Rhongomyniad herself was in on this was one thing, but the context behind Mordred saying that specific word in THAT way …

"May the higher realms forgive us for what we'll be doing to the poor bedroom we end up in," Natsu said solemnly with both girls giggling in amusement. "And my pelvis."

"Getting back on track before we truly do cross the line," Seilah giggled as she floated some documents over to Natsu's position. "These are the documents on … HER."

And, just like that, the entire happy atmosphere vanished, replaced with one that was its antithesis.

"So now we know for sure," Natsu sighed as he leant back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "She's in Wano Country."

"And working directly under Emperor Kaido," Seilah added gravely as the three shared knowing looks.

"Do we know if its willingly or not?"

"Not one report mentioned her willingness to cooperate with Kaido, only that she is one of the strongest Servants at his disposal."

Looking down at the photograph, apparently taken by a Cipher Pol Aegis Zero operative, Natsu couldn't help but let out a low rumble from his throat. Both girls shared a glance, the trio all in the same boat when it came to this specific individual.

"Her bounty is higher than the one you showed me last time Seilah?"

"She's been very active as of late."

"I can see that," Natsu muttered as he took a deep breath to reign in his emotions. "We will monitor this situation, nothing more. Wano is off limits to us due to Kaido's presence; Shanks was very clear on that."

"As you say," Seilah responded with a stiff nod, not happy with his decision though understanding of his situation. "Moving on, we should discuss the deal you wished to forge with the Underworld, then?"

"Yes," Natsu agreed as he summoned a piece of paper from his Requip Space. "Salvatore is our in, but from there it'll be murky waters. We don't know all the Underworld Brokers and I refuse to lose this opportunity!"

"With the kind of information we have at our fingertips now we should have no issues garnering leverage into their rank."

"We need this position for once the Straw Hat Pirates are reunited. I can see the entire crew now," he sighed as brief flashes of their positions flowed through his mind. "They suffer, but they are all very much alive."

"Does Luffy know that they're all still alive," Mordred asked prompting Natsu to nod.

"He knows that they are all still alive, just not their … less than ideal, circumstances."

"Does he know the full truth though," Mordred pressed, prompting Natsu to stiffen slightly in response. "I'll take that as a no?"

"He's going to be furious with you once he discovers what truly transpired that day on Sabaody," Seilah murmured quietly from his spot. "To know that you were in on the plan to separate the crew using Bartholomew Kuma's ability …"

"He might even hate you for it?"

"If he does, then it is what it is," Natsu replied firmly. "What's done is done and there's no point crying about possibilities that won't ever come to pass! Fact is, I made the decision with Rayleigh and it happened, end of story."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Naturally."

"When?"

"Depends," Natsu sighed as he stretched his arms outward, yawning loudly which earned him an eye roll from Mordred. "He's still in a rough state at the moment, isn't he, Seilah?"

"Trafalgar Law believes that Luffy can recover, provided that he rests," Seilah replied softly as her mind shifted back to the ghastly sight of Luffy on the operating table. "If Jimbei hadn't shielded him from that Magma Punch in the air, Luffy would not have survived."

That was another person who Natsu had forgotten about amidst all the chaos of the last week. The Former Warlord Jimbei, one of the many he'd helped break out of Impel Down and the one who had put it all on the line to protect Luffy.

"How is Jimbei?"

"Stable. He hadn't endured as much punishment as Luffy prior to Akainu's attack, so his body was able to adapt much quicker to Law's treatment," Seilah answered immediately. "He may even be awake right now?"

"Before I go to sleep, I need to thank him," Natsu said as all three lowered their heads. "He came to help Whitebeard and Ace yet ended up almost dying saving Luffy. I owe Jimbei a debt and I fully intend to make him aware of it."

"Natsu," Seilah said, shaking him out of his musings as he glanced in her direction. "I need orders on what to do next with all of the intel we've taken from the World Government. We know some of it is going to the Underworld Emperors, but what about the rest?"

"The Revolutionary Army will have access," came the swift reply as both Mordred and Seilah looked at him in confusion.

"The Revolutionary Army? Why," Mordred asked curiously. "I get that they oppose the World Government, but-!?"

"You'll understand soon enough," was his only response with Seilah jotting down his order in a small notepad. "The Servant State gets full access provided that they swear they won't immediately act upon every last scrap of intel."

"Fair," Seilah sniffed as she jotted that down as well. "Wouldn't do for my hard work to be squandered so quickly."

"As for the rest, you know what to do about it."

"Archive it. Understood."

"A productive meeting adjourned I think," Natsu yawned loudly as he rose to his feet, the countless files vanishing with another wave of Seilah's arm. "Many laughs were had; many tears were shed and I only just killed a monstrous erection. SO, time to go be sad again."

"Are you planning on finally seeing Luffy?"

"Yeah," Natsu sighed as Seilah and Mordred placed a hand upon each shoulder and they warped across the island, arriving at the edge of a small secluded camp.

Within the camp was a small Pirate crew, none even remotely aware that the trip had even arrived. Well, almost none.

"I was wondering when you would finally come yourself instead of sending Seilah," a rather laid-back voice said dryly as all activity in the camp ceased. "The legendary Natsu Dragneel, slayer of Gods."

"You have no idea how factual that statement actually is," came the curt response as Trafalgar Law slowly rose up from a laid down position behind one of his fellow crew, a large and funny looking bear-humanoid.

Strolling into the camp with Seilah and Mordred backing him, the entirety of Law's crew, save for the man himself, were frozen in fear at his mere presence. Like everyone else, they had seen his ruthlessness and brutality, both at Sabaody and at Marineford.

Law however, merely smirked.

All of you settle down, no need to be so scared around him," the Pirate Captain grinned as he extended a hand out to Natsu. "Is there, Natsu-ya?"

"There's a confidence in you I've rarely seen across these seas," Natsu responded as he stepped up to Law. "I like that."

Clasping the man's hand firmly, the two shook cordially as the entirety of his crew breathed a sigh of relief. Law sighed and shook his head as the two separated, motioning for Natsu to follow him toward the large yellow submarine docked nearby.

"You're looking for Straw Hat, right?"

"And Jimbei."

"Jimbei is up and about, just not fully mobile yet," Law muttered as the pair approached the sub. "But, before we go inside, I need to talk to you about a few things?"

"Such as the deal Seilah mentioned I would strike with you?"

"Among other things," Law replied as he turned back to face Natsu with a serious expression. "Listen, I know that you're the real one behind the Straw Hat Pirates-."

"Wrong."

"You didn't even let me finish-!"

"The Straw Hat Pirates existed long before I joined them and they likely will continue to do so long after I depart," Natsu replied bluntly. "I am merely a member of the crew, much like Seilah and Mordred. Our power eclipses that of the others by so many margins one couldn't even draw another, but we are content to follow where Luffy leads."

"You mean that you actually follow Straw Hat Luffy, for real?"

"Yes."

"But that shit on Sabaody-?"

"I may make some decisions here and there, but make no mistake that the Buster Call and Kizaru's arrival was an inevitability. Remove my presence, Luffy still punches Charloss in the face for being a disgusting piece of shit regardless and the Buster Call is enacted."

"That's actually a fair point, he did punch Charloss first."

"That dickhead aside, what is it that you want from me, Trafalgar Law?"

Law studied the man before him, noting that he could barely stay on his feet. His body movements were practiced, trained, honed to show no weakness. Yet, despite what was obviously decades of discipline, his body was failing him.

"You're exhausted."

"Thanks Doctor Obvious."

"I am a Doctor, its my job to be able to tell when someone is obviously completely beyond their final limit."

"And?"

"You should be dead, yet you aren't?"

"One of nature's greatest mysteries Law, now back on topic please so that once I see Luffy and Jimbei I may finally rest," Natsu sighed irritably.

"Alright then, fair enough, I won't beat around the bush anymore," Law shrugged as he looked Natsu dead in the eye. "In a few years I'm gonna need help to pull off a plan I've got going on. I want you to swear that you'll either convince the crew to help or just you help me?"

"Done."

Law blinked, his mouth dropping slightly before he composed himself and took several steps backward in surprise.

"Just like that? You didn't even ask what it was I wanted!?"

"Doesn't matter really because you saved Luffy for me," Natsu replied as the Pirate Captain's eyes widened. "Of course, when the time comes, if you just get myself or the whole crew will depend entirely on what it is you want done but we'll cross that bridge down the line."

"I-I see …"

"Excellent! Now then, if there's nothing else to consider then I'd like to see Luffy and Jimbei-."

An explosion went off behind Law as something came flying out of the roof of the submarine. Natsu's keen eyes noticed the object was large and he immediately shot up into the air and grabbed it.

"Natsu!?"

"Jimbei," Natsu said sharply as he landed back onto the ground, carefully laying the injured Fishman down. "What happened?"

"It's Luffy," Jimbei gasped as he clutched his left shoulder in pain. "He woke, but he's completely delusional! He thinks he's still at Marineford, that Ace can still be saved!"

"I thought this might happen," Law muttered with a deep sigh as he strode toward Jimbei. "Stay down, I'll need to check your stitches and bandages."

A loud roaring sound was all the ground heard before another form shot out of the smoking submarine. Yelling wildly, Luffy's bandaged and bloodied form crashed into the dirt right near Natsu and the others.

Rolling onto his front, Luffy grit his teeth as he eyed everyone in the camp with an almost feral gleam in his eyes.

"Where … where … WHERE'S ACE!?"

"Gone."

A choked snarl cut Luffy off before he could yell Ace's name again as he slowly turned around to face Natsu. Teeth barred; fists clenched as blood seeped through the litany of bandages across his body.

"What did you just say Natsu?"

"I said gone. Ace is go-."

"DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING FINISH THAT SENTENCE!"

"Ace is dead, has been for over a week now," Natsu continued coldly as everyone looked between the pair in complete shock and disbelief. "I should know, I was at his funeral."

"YOU'RE LYING!"

"No, I'm not."

"YES YOU ARE! ACE IS STILL ALIVE AND NEEDS MY HELP!"

"He's dead, Luffy. Ace died in your arms, remember?"

Luffy snarled at Natsu only to cry out and clutch his head as memories flooded his mind momentarily. Dropping to his knees, Luffy cried out in pain as the horrific events were replayed over and over again.

"Ace … isn't … dead! If you won't help me save him then I'll just have to get the others to help me," Luffy muttered slowly as he shakily rose to his feet. "Most of them know Ace, they know how important he is to me!"

"The rest of the crew aren't coming here either Luffy," Natsu cut in, silencing the Captain as he froze in place. "The crew are currently divided across the globe dealing with their own problems. They need to help themselves before they help you with an already resolved conflict."

Luffy was frozen in place, his tired and strained mind mulling over what Natsu had just said. His brain knew that he'd just said something that didn't quite add up. Something he said hinted at a darker, more sinister side of the man he'd been travelling with up until now.

Then, it clicked.

"You … You knew where the others were the entire time, didn't you," Luffy said in a mixture of shock and disbelief. "You could have gone and brought them all back within a few minutes if you wanted to, can't you?"

Natsu refused to budge as the heavily wounded young man slowly stumbled toward his position. He could see the fires being lit in Luffy's eyes. He knew, deep down, that this was going to only end one way."

"I was forbidden from interfering-."

Natsu was silenced as he was slugged across the face, being sent sprawling to the ground as Luffy leapt on top of him.

"YOU BASTARD," Luffy roared as he started delivering blow after blow upon Natsu's face as both Seilah and Mordred moved to pull the young man off. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Pull yourself together Luffy," Natsu snapped, even as he was receiving punch after punch from the young man who quickly grew fatigued from the strenuous action. "You know better than to be like this!"

"YOU COULD'VE BROUGHT US ALL BACK TOGETHER," Luffy roared as he delivered one last punch upon Natsu's face before shakily rising to his feet. "You could've saved us …"

"Luffy-!"

"SHUT UP! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN!"

Luffy spun around and sprinted off at surprisingly fast speeds for someone so injured as the others all turned back toward Natsu who refused to get up. He was content to lay there and mull over his own plan, own failings, and how this was just another failure to his name.

"I deserve this," Natsu muttered to himself as he felt his face repairing itself. "I did fail them, even if it was because of the Council's meddling."

"Natsu," Seilah sighed as both she and Mordred sat down next to the Hybrid, gazing off into the forest and watching as sections of it were just being tossed about.

He could only watch as a small mountain was picked up and tossed across the area, none truly able to comprehend just how he was able to cause such destruction so quickly, despite being injured.

"I'll make this right for you Luffy … somehow?"

/Amazon Lily – Forest/

Punching through a tree, Luffy snapped it in half and snatched the upper half out of the air before throwing it across the area. Wildlife fled in droves as he rampaged around, no end seemingly in sight.

He was so caught up in his rampage, he hadn't even noticed that he was being followed from the moment he'd left the camp.

After headbutting a giant boulder and turning it into dust, Luffy's mind went back to Natsu again as he felt his rage spike.

"Man, you sure are struggling right now, huh?"

Spinning around, Luffy was surprised to not see anyone. The voice was male and he swore that it was right behind him.

That was, until he received the tap on the shoulder.

Spinning back around, Luffy clenched his fists, bloody as they were, and adopted an offensive stance.

"I think it would be in both our vested interests for you to settle down, Luffy?"

"How do you know my name!?"

"How do I know your name? Simple, I'm a Devil Representative of my own world, much like how Red Hair is for yours," came the simple response. "I came here of my own accord since its obvious Natsu will screw this up somehow?"

The person stepped up toward Luffy, running a hand through his long, yellow hair, whilst also shooting him a cheeky grin.

"Hi there Luffy, the name's Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, Devil Representative of the Elemental Nations, at your service!"

Former Student Of Natsu

Current Devil Representative Of The Elemental Nations

Bearer Of The Nine Tails

The Kage Of The Five Villages

Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze

Luffy felt his rage and anguish leave him, opting to instead openly gape at this legendary figure standing before him. Before him was Natsu's former student, the one he spoke so fondly of.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, however, everything went black with the last thing Luffy saw being Naruto's cheeky grin.

Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!