Chapter 9 – The Ace's Ace

"I'm sorry Mira, I fucked up." Naruto said sitting in the infirmary while Mira tended to an unconscious Makarov.

"It's ok Naruto. You did what you thought was best. No one can fault you for that." Mira said as she came over to try and comfort her boyfriend. "No one was seriously injured. Master only had his magic drained, and received a couple bumps and bruises."

"No. I could have went and beat them all myself. There was no need for anyone to come and put themselves in harm's way. It was careless." Naruto argued.

"Hmm. You could have. But then the guild wouldn't have gotten to work there grudges out. They needed to come. To help. It's just as much their guild as it is ours. We Fairy Tail mages are too proud to let someone fight our battles for us." Mira told him.

"You'll just have to suffice that you kept everyone from being seriously injured. Or worse." She added.

"Mira…" Naruto said. Thinking about her words. She was right. Even though she had toned down her rather haughty attitude, her pride was still there. Although, not as apparent.

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

"What is that?" Naruto asked as the ground shook.

"I have a feeling it's Phantom." Mira said, her eyes narrowed.

Rushing outside they were met with the able bodied members of the guild. Overlooking the cliffside behind the guildhall, they saw the very mobile guildhall of Phantom Lord approaching on large mechanical spider like legs. Once it reached a suitable distance it stopped.

"Here me, lowly fairies. Surrender Lucy Heartfilia to us or be destroyed." Came the voice of Jose.

A rumble sounded from the rival guildhall, before a large cannon protruded from the building.

"Tremble in fear, Fairies, surrender the Heartfilia girl, or feel the wrath of our Jupiter Cannon!"

Fairy Tail's mages felt uneasy about their odds, but steeled their resolve. They would never turn over one of their own.

"Never!"

"No way!"

"Lucy's one of us!"

Lucy having heard her friends and guildmates refusal to trade her for their safety, cried tears of happiness. She had truly found her home.

"Fine. If you won't hand her over then feel free to tremble in despair." Jose answered the guilds refusal.

"FIRE!"

The barrel of the cannon began to glow as it charged. Erza seeing no way to stop the cannon from annihilating them all, began to run forward, intent on using her strongest armor to block the blast.

She only made it a couple feet before she was yanked back and onto her butt. Looking at the one who stopped her she found that Naruto had stopped her and charged in front of everyone. She stared in awe as her friend was… glowing? And the Jupiter Cannon had fired. It was rocketing forward, intent on ending them.

"KURAMA!"

Suddenly a giant glowing fox emerged from Naruto's new form. Standing tall in front of them. Then the fox did something they didn't think possible, by batting the blast away. As though it was a minor annoyance.

To further awe his guildmates, the fox opened his fanged maw and let loose a quick concentrated blast at the Phantom Lord Hall. Ripping through the mobile building and destroying the Jupiter Cannon in the process.

"JOSE! TAKE YOUR GUILD AND LEAVE. YOUR CANNON AND GUILDHALL ARE DESTROYED." Naruto yelled.

"HA! I APLAUD YOU IN YOUR ENDEVOUR. BUT THIS IS OVER! THE HEARTFILIA GIRL IS OURS!" Jose mocked. "PREPARE FOR YOUR UTTER ANHILATION!"

Naruto turned around to look for Mira. He had felt her near Lucy moments before he blew the Phantom Guild to pieces. He received a grim look as his answer that it was true.

Letting his Kurama mode vanish, he regrouped with the others. He noticed their awe in his glowing Kurama Sage mode, having never used this in front of them before.

"Erza, Mira, Natsu, Gray, Elfman. Let's go. You all get Lucy back, and I'll deal with Jose." He said with little room for argument.

As they made their way to the severely damaged guildhall they were met with a single fire mage. He bypassed him with his vastly superior speed and continued on. Eventually making his way to the top he found Jose, the man smirking in his own supposed victory.

"Well, well, well. A little fairy has come to challenge the Phantom." Jose said as he smirked.

Naruto glared and made no comment.

"Oh? No heroic remark, snide comment?" Jose mocked him. "Well your taking all the fun out of this." He said as he unleashed his Dead Wave at the shinobi.

Naruto maneuvered around it and charged the Wizard Saint. Landing a vicious punch to the wizards cheek. Knocking him back into the wall.

"You might make this fun af *AGHH*" Jose was interrupted as Naruto aimed a punch into the man's chest, cratering the wall behind him.

"This is fun to you? Endangering my guild, my friends, and more importantly my Mira?!" Naruto growled at the man. Delivering another punch that sent him through the wall.

Allowing the man a moment to gather himself, he found him shakily standing to his feet, wiping his mouth of blood.

"You! How dare you!" Jose yelled as he unleashed a horde of his shades. It would be for naught as Naruto danced around the ghostlike magic beings. Harmlessly exploding around him as his chakra cloak kept him protected.

"How dare I? How dare YOU! You started this. Attacked our guildhall in the night like cowards. Kidnapping Lucy, to use as a hostage. You make me sick." Naruto told the man.

"You, so high and mighty. Just like Makarov, but just like him your too weak willed and lighthearted to do what needs to be done." Jose sneered back.

"That's where your wrong. I might be from Fairy Tail, but I'm not from here. I've fought and killed my enemies. Watched my comrades fall in front of me. And today, I watched a good handful get hurt. And I am tired of holding back. I thought I was doing everyone a favor by allowing them the chance to fight these fights. But that backfired. And it could have been worse." Naruto said.

"So now, I'm not gonna hold back. I'll crush you and anyone else who tries to harm them." Naruto continued as he charged forward, dodging a last ditch blast of dark magic. He threw another punch at Jose's face. Then another and another.

The Guildmaster eventually fell to the ground, his face swollen from the beating he took.

"Naruto!" came the voice of his Mira. She came running into the room, a worried look on her face. That was until she saw him, a beaten Jose laying on the ground, did that worry change to joy.

"We beat them all and got Lucy back all safe and sound." Mira informed him, her beautiful smile on her face. Naruto started to make his way over to her.

"DEATH WAVE!"

Time slowed down for everyone as Mira saw the attack curve around her boyfriend as it made its way towards her. Her eyes closed as she braced for the attack. Only for it to never hit. Opening her eyes, she found she was across the room in her boyfriend's arms.

Setting her on her feet, he turned towards his barely standing foe. His eyes hardened, as anger spread across his face.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Naruto roared. "RASENGAN"

His Sage Kurama enhanced Rasengan took out a huge chunk of what was left of the room and obliterated Jose. Nothing was left of the man. Grinded to dust. Naruto, blinded by rage missed that fact.

Once the dust settled he found he couldn't find the man. Powering down, he turned to Mira. He ran towards her and scooped her up.

"We did it Mira!" Naruto beamed.

"Of course. All thanks to you." She said as she dipped her head down to kiss him.

*AHEM*

The couple turned to see their Master staring at them. A big smile on his face.

"Well, as much as I don't want to interrupt. Congratulations are in order. Good job defeating Jose." Makarov told them.

"Ya, it was kinda disappointing. He wasn't all that strong. I don't know how he can be compared to you Master." Naruto said.

"Well, he had strength, but I had experience. Makes me leagues above." Makarov teased. "Where is Jose, anyway?"

"Not really sure, I think I blasted him out into the water. Bastard attacked Mira and I kinda lost it. Didn't see where he went." Naruto said frowning at the thought that he might get away.

"Well, let the Ruin Knights get him, everyone is waiting for you two to return." Makarov informed them.

Pulling Mira close and wrapping his arm around her waist, they made there way to where everyone was waiting.

"Naruto." Makarov said as he stopped ahead of them. Turning he bowed at the waist. "I thank you for protecting my children in my absence. I was cocky and allowed Jose to lure me into a trap. But you stepped up and lead everyone despite everything, and kept everyone in one piece, even if a little roughed up."

"Buh, you don't have to thank me. I would have done it anyway. The guild's family after all." Naruto said embarrassed at the praise. His unoccupied hand rubbing the back of his head.

"You did do a good job, Naru. Keeping everyone safe and saving me." Mira told him. "My hero~" she said as she kissed him. "You deserve a reward. Let's go see everyone and we can go home. I'll whip up a batch of ramen, and properly reward you." She whispered into his ear.

Grinning like a fool, he scooped Mira up and took off towards the broken down guildhall.

"HEY!" Makarov yelled. "Don't leave me here, you brats." He mumbled as he stomped his way back.

*At the Hall*

"HEY! It's Naruto and Mira! There back!"

"Good job Naruto!"

"YA! Really showed those Phantom losers who's boss!"

Naruto and Mira where greeted by their guildmates smiling faces as they cheered them on. Everyone looking mostly fine, bandaged and bruised but fine.

The crowd parted as Lisanna came running towards the two. Engulfing the two in her arms in a bug hug.

"Thank goodness you're alright." She said.

"Ya! You were a real man out there Naruto!" came Elfman as he clapped Naruto on the shoulder. A big grin on his face.

"Yes. I must thank you Naruto. If not for you I could have been seriously hurt, or worse." Came Erza.

The praises and thanks continued before it quieted down, as Lucy strode forward. Her face tear stricken, as she bowed and thanked the Ace for helping save her and fighting Phantom Lord for her sake. Mira, ever the mother hen, pulled her into a hug. A coo of reassuring words to the girl.

"Don't sweat it Lucy. Your one of us. That means your family. And we don't ever abandon family." Naruto told her. It only made the girl cry harder, knowing that she finally felt like she was home.

"NARUTO! What was that big glowy fox thing you did? Is it strong?" Natsu said eager for a challenge.

"That's a story for another time." Naruto said, not wishing to dive into that today.

"Come on. No ones ever seen you do anything like that. You never even used it on Gildarts. Tell us something." Gray argued.

"Enough. If and when Naruto chooses to tell us is his business." Erza scolded.

"Thank you Erza." Naruto said thanking her for her support in the matter.

"It just gives us a reason to force him to use it." Erza said matter of factly. Naruto and Mira sweat dropped at her reason.

"Well everyone. It's been a long day. And it'll be a long couple days til we get our guildhall back up and running. Let's go get some rest and we'll get at it tomorrow." Naruto told everyone. They all agreed and made their way home.

A couple minutes later, Makarov would show up, to find an empty field where he had left everyone earlier.

"WHERE THE HELL DID EVERYONE GO?"

*At Naruto and Mira's*

Having finished his 'Hero's Feast', Naruto and Mira sat on their couch, snuggled into one another.

"So… how was the ramen?" Mira asked.

"It was perfect. As always." Naruto said.

"Good." Mira said as she straddled his lap. Her arms wrapping around his neck. "My big~, strong~, handsome~ hunk of a boyfriend. Deserves only the best, saving me from being hurt." She continued as she kissed him.

"Sooo~, was that glowy fox Kurama?" Mira asked. Hoping that buttering him up might get him to open up a bit more.

"Ya, it was." Naruto told her, enjoying her spoiling him.

" He's… bigger than I thought." Mira continued.

"Ya, I guess." Naruto replied. Kurama however was irritated by his answer.

"I mean, he's taller than the guildhall." Mira said.

"Ya he's pretty big. Not like the ten tails though." Naruto said enjoying her hands roaming his hair.

"Ten tails…?" Mira started and left open.

"Ya, it was a monstrous being made of chakra. Made Kurama look small." Naruto said as he relaxed in her embrace.

"And it just? Lived in your world?" Mira continued.

"No. It was brought into the world during the… war." Naruto said as he realized what she wanted.

"The war? That must have been rough." Mira said hoping he would continue.

"Mira, I know you wanna know more, but I'm not ready to talk about it." Naruto said.

"Naruto we've been together for 2 years. The guild was right, you never open up. You never tell us much if anything about your world." Mira reasoned.

"Look Mira, I know this is hard. But my world wasn't like this one. It was cruel and painful. One day I'll tell you. I promise."

"Naruto. Please? You know I know the most about you and your past, which isn't much mind you." Mira argued. "You know about my past, but you won't tell me anything. Please? Just something? Please?"

"Mira…" he said, looking into her bright hopeful blue eyes. "I, I guess I can tell you a bit." he said relenting.

Naruto spent the evening telling her some of the happier stories of his world. Mira listened to every word, entranced by his tales. How he spoke of his friends and teachers. It was then, that she truly realized why he didn't like talking about it. She knew he came from another world, against his will at that. He was taken from his home, his friends, those he considered family. His very life was taken from him.

"And then when Jiraiya sensei went *MMPH*" Naruto said before Mira silenced him with a kiss. This one passionate and heated. After a moment they separated.

"What was that for?" Naruto questioned. "You've been dying to hear about my past."

"I guess I realized why you've never liked talking about it. What you left behind." She said as she trailed off.

"I lost them all. I don't even know if they are ok. I hope for the best." Naruto said sadly. Seeing Mira look upset she had pushed this on him he continued. "But I'm here now. And I have you. And despite what I've lost, I'd do it all again for someone as amazing as you." He told her sincerely.

Mira processed his words, still not looking up at him. Then it clicked. She looked at him and saw the truth in his eyes. She couldn't take it as she started to tear up. She darted forward and claimed his lips again. This one filled with all the love she had for him, and him her. Separating she smiled, her face still red and tear ridden.

"I love you." She told him.

"I love you too, Mira."

*SKIP*

The next couple weeks were rough on the members of Fairy Tail, being interrogated by a council representative and being watched by Ruin Knights. To having to spend their time while not being off on jobs, they spent restoring their guildhall. Luckily Naruto was able to take the lion's share and used clones to make things easier.

Eventually the big day finally came. The Grand Reopening of Fairy Tail's Guildhall. Everyone was all excited as they ran around exploring the finished hall. Everything brand new and currently in one piece.

"Wow, take a good look everyone!" Naruto shouted to everyone as he and Mira stood in the middle of the large hall. "Probably be the last time everything looks this good!"

Mira chuckled but slapped his chest. "Let them enjoy it. It's been a hard two months."

"Hey, I did most of the work. Even rebuilding the kitchen after Natsu and Gray decided to 'help'." Naruto said.

"And you did a wonderful job." Mira told him. "I love the new kitchen. Which is why it's off limits to EVERYONE, that's not on staff." Mira warned everyone. Her dark aura leaking out as she stared down Fiore's rowdiest guild. Everyone got the message. Only Mira and her barmaids could go into the kitchen.

"Good. Now Naruto, I need your help in the kitchen." She said as she grabbed his collar and took him into the kitchen.

"But… Naruto's not on the staff." Someone pointed out.

"NOT YET HE'S NOT" came the reply as they disappeared into the new kitchen.

END