Chapter 294: Gathering Old Friends
"I want to know just what in the hell you were thinking? Do you know how much trouble you caused me with that little stunt you just did" asked Dante in an angry tone as he looked at Natsu who was pouting. Dante, Natsu and Happy were currently waiting to be seen by the king of Fiore, Natsu was to be judged for the destruction he just caused. Seeing that Natsu wasn't answering him, Dante continued to speak.
"Well? Are you going to answer me or what" asked Dante, getting more annoyed with Natsu since he was electing to pout instead of respond to his questioning. Happy chuckled to himself before he started to speak.
"Natsu is just mad that you were able to beat him so easily even though Natsu spent the last year training his butt off" responded Happy in an amused tone. At these words, Natsu started to speak.
"Hey! Dante didn't beat me easily, he just got in a cheap shot" shouted Natsu. In response to Natsu's words, Dante hit him over the head to silence him as he started to speak.
"Don't shout Natsu! Remember that we are in the castle waiting to be seen by the king" stated Dante in an annoyed tone. Seeing that he still had Natsu's attention, Dante continued to speak.
"Besides stop pouting. You think you were the only one that spent the last year training? It just wasn't all council meetings for me you know" stated Dante. Hearing these words Happy gave Dante a curious look as he started to speak.
"Council meetings? What do you mean Dante" asked Happy in a curious tone. It was Dante's turn to give Happy a curious look as he started to speak.
"Wait you guys haven't heard" asked Dante in a curious.
"Heard what" asked Natsu, giving Dante an equally oblivious look as Happy was. Seeing that they weren't messing with him, Dante sighed with exasperation before he started to speak.
"Thanks to Tartous killing the previous magic council, it was decided that the new magic council would made up of the Wizard Saints. For the past year I've been a member of the magic council" responded Dante. Natsu and Happy had a look of shock on their faces at these words while Happy started to speak.
"Wow really?! That must be a lot of work" responded Happy in an awed tone. Smiling at Dante, Natsu started to speak.
"You've been on the magic council and still had time to get stronger? Man you must have been away from the guild just as long as we have" stated Natsu with an amused smile. Hearing these words Dante once again gave Natsu and Happy a curious look as he started to speak.
"Wait don't tell me you guys also don't know that Fairy Tail disbanded" asked Dante, shocked that Natsu and Happy could be this clueless. A moment of silence followed after Dante said these words until Natsu and Happy shouted in shock.
"AHH what" asked Happy in a shocked tone.
"What do you mean Fairy Tail is disbanded" shouted Natsu in a shocked and angry tone. Again Dante gave Natsu and Happy an annoyed look as he started to speak.
"I told you guys to keep in down" responded Dante thinking that Natsu had already caused him enough trouble without him shouting like an idiot in the middle of the castle while waiting to be seen by the king.
"How can we keep it down when you tell us something like that?! Why in the hell is Fairy Tail disbanded" asked Natsu, still shouting at a loud volume.
"Master Markov disbanded the guild shortly after Tartous, he said it was important for everyone to find their own path" responded Dante, still remembering that he couldn't disclose the real reason why Markov disbanded Fairy Tial.
Thinking about it for a moment Dante felt worried for Master Markov. It had now been a year since Markov left for the Alveraz Empire and all word of him had ceased. Dante hoped that Markov was alive and well but the problems with the Alvarez Empire seemed to be growing. According to the reports the magic council received, it appeared the Alveraz Empire was mobilizing their forces. To make matters worse the strongest wizard in all of Fiore left the continent. Serena, the strongest of the Wizard Saints suddenly and without warning left the magic council. It was suspected that Serena defected to the Alveraz Empire. Dante always hated the guy, but he really hoped even Serena wasn't capable of treason.
"That's a stupid reason to disband the guild! What the hell is gramps thinking" asked Natsu, still shouting. Once again Dante hit Natsu over the head before he started to speak.
"I told you to keep it down" responded Dante in an annoyed tone. As Natsu rubbed his sore head, Dante continued to speak.
"Regardless if you agree with Master Markov's reasons, that is what happened. The guild has been disbanded for now and everyone has found their own path" responded Dante hoping that Natsu would stop shouting. It seemed that Natsu wanted to say something more, maybe to argue that Markov was wrong for disbanding the guild but a royal guard entered the room they were waiting in.
"The king will see you now" stated the royal guard. Nodding his head in understanding, Dante started to speak.
"Thanks, we will be there in a moment" responded Dante before he turned his attention towards Natsu and continued to speak.
"You better be on your best behavior or else" stated Dante in a threatening tone. Natsu gave Dante an annoying look as he started to speak.
"Yah yah, whatever" responded Natsu in an annoyed tone. Sighing with exhaustion, Dante turned his attention towards Happy and started to speak.
"Can I at least count on you Happy" asked Dante in a tired tone. Happy smiled at Dante as he gave him his signature salute and started to speak.
"Aye Sir" responded Happy. Despite the annoyance Dante felt with how much work Natsu's antics gave him, Dante couldn't help but smile since it was good to see his friends again after so long.
"Alright then, follow me you two" responded Dante as he started to lead Natsu and Happy towards the throne room. After a short walk Dante was standing in front of the king of Fiore, along with Natsu and Happy.
"Natsu Dragneel you stand before me today with serious charges brought against you" stated the king of Fiore. Seeing that he still had Natsu's attention, the king continued to speak.
"You've interrupted the Grand Magic games, eliminated the entire competition and melted the arena which caused millions of jewel worth of property damage. What do you have to say in your defense" asked the king in a serious tone. Natsu smiled at the king as he started to speak.
"Haha whoops sorry about that pumpkin head" responded Natsu in way too casual of a tone for talking to the king. Dante hit Natsu over the head before he started to speak.
"You want to try that again" asked Dante to Natsu, a vein bulging in his head with how annoyed he was with Natsu. Natsu rubbed the bruise on his head as he started to speak.
"Geez what was that for" asked Natsu, oblivious to his actions. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Dante started to speak.
"You really don't know?! That is no way to talk to the king! Now apologize properly or else" responded Dante in an annoyed tone. Giving Dante a challenging look, Natsu started to speak.
"Or else what" asked Natsu in a challenging tone. Natsu still remembered how easily Dante beat him down after he crashed the Grand Magic games, and he wanted a rematch. Smiling confidently at Dante, Natsu continued to speak.
"I'm ready to go another round with you Dante. You just got lucky last time, this time I'm all fired up" stated Natsu in an eager tone. Dante thought that Natsu was going to be the death of him. Instead of begging the king for forgiveness, Natsu was challenging him to a fight. Giving Natsu an ice cold look, Dante started to speak.
"If you don't apologize to the king properly, I'm going to get Mira" responded Dante in a serious tone. Hearing these words, the color drained from Natsu's face as he imagined the she devil coming after him. With a nervous look on his face, Natsu turned his attention towards the king and started to speak.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me" stated Natsu in a nervous tone. Dante sighed with relief; he was glad that Natsu was under control for now. Turning his attention towards the king, Dante bowed his head as he started to speak.
"Please forgive him your majesty. Natsu is just an idiot but he's not a bad guy" stated Dante hoping that Natsu wasn't about to be arrested. A moment of silence followed before the king started to laugh. Dante, Natsu and Happy gave the king a curious look as he continued to laugh. After a short while the king started to speak.
"Haha none of that is necessary. I already made the decision to look the other way" responded the king in an amused tone. Dante breathed a sigh of relief at these words, glad that his friends weren't going to be arrested.
"Really? What for? Natsu destroyed the arena, why would you just forgive him" asked Happy in a curious tone. Dante looked at Happy with annoyance as he started to speak.
"Haven't you ever heard of not looking a gift horse in the mouth?! Shut it you stupid cat" stated Dante in an annoyed tone. Once again the king laughed at these words before he started to speak.
"Haha it's quite alright Dante. I don't mind explaining my reasoning for allowing this incident to slide" responded the king in an amused tone. Turning his attention back towards the king, Dante along with Natsu and Happy waited for his explanation.
"Fiore still owes you a debt of gratitude for your efforts in fighting against the dragon horde and for taking down the Tartarus guild" stated the king with a smile. Seeing that he still had their attention, the king continued to speak.
"Not only that but seeing how Natsu is a friend with a member of the magic council and a God of Ishgar, I can forgive him this time" stated the king with a smile. Smiling back at the king, Dante thanked the king for his mercy before he quickly rushed Natsu and Happy out of the throne room before they said or did something stupid that would offend the king. Once Dante, Natsu and Happy were standing outside in front of the castle, Dante started to speak.
"That's a relief that I didn't have to try harder to keep you guys out of prison" stated Dante in a tired tone. Happy gave Dante a curious look as he started to speak.
"Dante the king said you are a God of Isgar, is that true" asked Happy in a curious tone. Nodding his head, Dante started to speak.
"There was an opening recently and I along with Jura were chosen to fill the role, so yah I'm a God of Isgar" responded Dante. Happy gave Dante an impressed look as he started to speak.
"Wow that's amazing" responded Happy in an impressed tone. Sighing with exhaustion, Dante started to speak.
"Not really. It just means more work. Ever since I was named a God of Isgar, I've been given a lot more work on the magic council" responded Dante in a tired tone.
"Natsu, Happy there you two are" stated Lucy in an excited tone as she rushed over to Dante and the others. Smiling at Lucy, Natsu started to speak.
"Lucy it's been a while, how are you" responded Natsu with a smile. Lucy smiled back at Natsu as she started to speak.
"I'm good but never mind that. How much trouble are you in for pulling that stunt" asked Lucy in a worried tone. Smiling at Lucy, Dante started to speak.
"Luckily for Natsu the king was being nice and let him off the hook" responded Dante with a smile. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lucy started to speak.
"That's a relief" responded Lucy in a happy tone. Shortly after saying these words Natsu turned around and started to speak.
"Enough talking already, let's get going" stated Natsu as he started to walk away. Giving Natsu a curious look, Lucy shouted after him.
"Huh Natsu, get going where" asked Lucy in a curious tone. Natsu turned around to face Dante and Lucy with a smile on his face as he started to speak.
"Where else? We're getting the guild back together" responded Natsu with a wide smile.
End of Chapter 294