On a normal day at Crocus, the city is now looking more beefed up as everything has been rebuilt from the ground up and is made to be dragon proof thanks to Princess Hisui who did it all for her Dragon friend; Natsu.
Currently, Hisui is in her study room as she is doing some readings with her usual Dragon Book that she had already read nearly hundreds of times over the years.
Hisui stares at the content of the book that she knows as she flips a page and continues staring at the drawn sketch of fully grown dragon compared to a human.
"I wonder if there is a magic that allows me to transform into a dragon?" Hisui wonders out loud as she flips the page again before she felt a small rumble in the room that made her turn towards the window with a smile. "ah, he came back."
Hisui gets off her seat and went to the window that she opens as Natsu appears while in his dragon form.
"had fun at Mt. Ivan?" Hisui asks with a smile as she steps back and allows Natsu who transforms into his human form to come right into her study room. The salmon haired dragon man wearing a plain white long sleeved shirt, and black jeans while being barefooted.
"it was chilly as heck!" said Natsu while shivering a bit in his attire. "I may be a fire dragon, but that place is colder than winter!"
"I guess it is true that all dragons are cold blooded, huh?" Hisui giggles with a smile.
After some months and a few years with Natsu, Hisui has spend her time all day being happy. Whether it is doing her daily studies or duties to the kingdom as the princess or just being with her dragon friend who is always with her.
"don't you ever get bored of reading the same book over and over, Hisui?" Natsu asks as he lies lazily on a couch while looking at Hisui who continues to read her book. "it's getting worn out, you know?"
"I know, but lessons are stored in this book." Said Hisui as she gently traces a hand to her book's pages. "at ancient times when Dragons roam the land all freely, mysteries of their race are hidden yet stored in a single book." She then glance and smiles to her dragon friend. "even now, I'm still learning a lot about you from this book, remember?"
"I guess so." Natsu replied before he yawns. "man, winter is coming and I'm getting so sleepy."
"possibly the hibernation that the book talks about." Hisui giggles as she flips some pages on her book to see info that talks about some certain types of dragons hibernating in caves or any area that has warm climate. "I still find it hard to believe that a Fire Dragon like you needs to hibernate while Ice elemental dragons don't."
"Those guys are probably used to the cold." Said Natsu as he looks to the ceiling and let out a small puff of fire from his mouth. "they're called ice dragons, right?"
Hisui giggles with a smile as she continues to spend her time reading her book while Natsu lazes around and accompany her with small talk.
After some hours pass, Hisui is seen walking in the hallway with Natsu following behind her.
"your old man sure has a pain stacking job of running his kingdom, huh?" said Natsu as he has his hands folded behind his head, his eyes glancing straight at Hisui. "can't imagine how stressed you will be if you succeed the throne, Hisui."
"Indeed." Hisui replied while smiling. "But one's sacrifice that is done for the sake of many? That is a job entitled to the princess and future queen of Fiore." She looks up and let out a small sigh. "it's funny…"
"What is?" Natsu asked while raising an eyebrow.
"well, I used to hate being a princess and everything that comes with it." Hisui spoke out softly before she glances at Natsu while showing him a loving smile. "but thanks to meeting you all those years ago. I feel like it is a duty that I will honorably see through."
"Is that so?" Natsu replied as he looks oblivious to the meaning of Hisui's words.
The two just walks around in the hallway before they hear a ruckus coming the inside of the castle.
"We must not let that monster remain in the kingdom!" a voice shouted all loudly as this caught Hisui and Natsu's attention.
"sounds like trouble" said Natsu as he and Hisui quickly yet quietly sneak their way into the castle and into the throne room where they see Toma with Arcadios and Darton in the middle of a meeting with short lab coat wearing old man who has a gray springy looking hair style.
"I have told you a hundred times in the past and currently to the present, Silverspark!" said Toma in a stern voice. "that boy is my daughter's friend and not a monster!"
"how can you say such a thing!?" Silverspark retorted. "that thing you call a boy and your daughter's friend is nothing more than a monster! a dragon is no man! Just a beast! A powerful creature that could destroy the world if it wishes!"
"I understand your concern, Mr. Silverspark. I truly do." Arcadios stated. "but there is a saying of 'Do not judge a book by its cover'. This is currently what you are seeing of the princess' friend." He waves a hand to the side. "I was at first in fear of him being with the princess, but gradually over time. He has earn my trust to be Princess Hisui's friend. I do not wish to agree with you that he is a monster. he may be a dragon with destructive, but he is a friend."
"I agree with Arcadios." Darton nods. "you must not make such haste actions just by seeing what the boy is from the outside, but also from the inside."
"outside!? Inside!? He is nothing than a monster! a monster that we must exterminate or subdue!" Silverspark screams to the top of his lungs. "if we do not do something of him, how is our kingdom going to prosper for it one day it succumbs to chaos by his presence!? How!? That beast is a monster that will cause chaos! He is nothing more than a monster!"
"how much paranoia can you have, Silverspark!?" Toma exclaimed. "Natsu has been nothing than a great influence for our kingdom! He has aided us during times of crisis! He has saved my daughter when she was still a child and a teen!" he gets off his seat and waves a hand front. "our kingdom has become stronger thanks to his cooperation with Hisui who implemented the plan to rebuild our home with his shed scales! How can you say that he is a monster when he is our comrade!?"
"you are a fool, King!" Silverspark exclaimed all furiously. "you let your daughter taint our land with that monster's scales that could be poisonous if it decays! You are a fool to believe that such a creature can be a friend to mankind! Mark my words! That creature is nothing more than a monster!"
"silence!" Hisui's voice suddenly rung out as Toma and Silverspark turns to see the princess coming in and looking all furious. "how dare you!"
"Hisui!" Toma cried out as Hisui made her way to Silverspark and quickly slaps him on his face.
"Natsu has been helping our kingdom for years now and yet you wish to call him a monster!" Hisui furiously screams at Silverspark who she slaps once again. "how dare you! He's my friend and I won't allow you to make a mockery over him!"
"Hisui! Enough!" Toma exclaimed as Hisui was about to kick Silverspark, but Arcadios quickly holds her back.
"let me go, Arcadios! Let me go!" Hisui struggles with Arcadios while the guards came to pull back Silverspark.
"see! The princess is allured by the monster!" Silverspark exclaimed. "she is misused by him! that monster plans to rule the kingdom by using her! I tell you! She is being allured!"
"take him to the Dungeon!" Darton commanded the soldiers. "Imprison him for 6 months!"
"he is a monster! a monster that must be subdued! If we don't act now, we will all be doomed!" Silverspark screams as the soldiers dragged him away. "we all be doomed!"
When the mad man was taken away, Natsu went into the throne room as he decided to stay hidden until it was time.
Natsu went to Hisui who was freed from Arcadios' hold on her, but the princess is now in an argument with her father.
"we need to banish him!" Hisui exclaimed. "I will not tolerate a person who says such things about Natsu! I will not tolerate it!"
"we cannot do such action just because of such a reason, Hisui!" Toma retorted as he tries to make her see reasons that the kingdom can't act so selfishly because of a single person. "please, Hisui. Calm down!"
"I will not calm down!" Hisui screams. "Natsu has been helping our kingdom for years! He is kind, brave, and compassion! He's not a monster! He's my friend! I won't let anyone say anything bad about him! i!"
Hisui was soon pulled into a hug by Natsu from behind, the dragon man just holds her close and surprising her along with everyone.
"it's alright, Hisui. Don't let your emotions get to you because of what that man said." Natsu spoke out softly. "just let it go."
"but he said that you're a monster…I don't like people calling you a monster!" said Hisui as she tears up a bit while turning to face Natsu. "how can you just stand him saying such things!? You helped the city! you protected the people from harm! How can you just stay and do nothing when you get mocked for your kindness!?"
"it's because it's who I am." Said Natsu with a small smile. "let them speak whatever they want about me. I only care is that you don't get yourself in harms way if you hear them. That's all there is to it."
Hisui looks at Natsu with slightly widened eyes as she soon tears up and then hugs the dragon man who returns it.
Sobs and small whimpers are heard from Hisui who just hugs Natsu while being watch by Toma and the others.
"Hisui…" Toma whispers with a sigh.
The time of night came as the sky is dark with the starts and the full moon arised in the air.
At the castle's garden, there is Natsu in his large dragon form. He lies on his stomach on the grass and looks at Hisui who lies on the top of his snout; reading him a book that is not her usual dragon book.
"Humans risk so much for entertainment, huh?" Natsu spoke out to Hisui who nods as the two are reading a story book.
"it's all because it is thrilling and exciting while also fulfilling." Hisui replied as the story book she holds in her grasp, talks about a group of people venturing into an unknown land. "may they be adventurers, mages, or just thrill seekers, the fact remains that discovering something unknown and amazing just gives a whole new meaning of living."
"I see…" Natsu nods while chuckling a bit. "I guess I can understand that if I venture somewhere unknown and meet other dragons."
"if you really go on that adventure, promise me that you'll bring me with you!" said Hisui all smiling to her dragon friend. "I want to meet other dragons and get to know them like I did with you!"
"if that day comes, I'll bring you with me." Natsu grins as Hisui smiles while giggling.
The two spends the time in the night reading more books together as they never get bored of doing the same thing repeatedly for the passing few weeks.
But unknown to the group, there is a figure hiding and lurking in the shadows nearby.
In the kingdom's dungeon, Silverspark is found behind bars as he keeps on screaming on how Natsu is a monster, and he must be subdued or terminated.
"He must be terminated! That monster must be banished from the kingdom!" Silverspark screams as he just repeatedly scream the same words over and over to the point that it annoys the guards.
"he keeps on saying the Princess' Dragon is just a monster…" one guard spoke out after sighing. "it's getting so annoying."
"yeah." Said another guard while nodding. "the old man is so crazy nowadays."
The guards chattered together before they decided to take a small break and leaves Silverspark unattended, thinking that he won't be getting out of the prison cell he was in.
Silverspark continues screaming about Natsu is a monster that must be terminated and subdued for a minute before he stops after he was sure that the guards were gone.
"those fools have left." Said Silverspark as a little girl who looks to be a teen appear from out of nowhere. She wears a lab coat with a white and black sun dress underneath. "have you brought my requested items, my daughter?"
"yes, father." The girl replied as her name is Ripenille who takes the keys and frees the old man from his prison. "I have prepared them as you had requested." She takes out what looks to be a silver remote controller along with a headband that looks all gizmo in a way. "my subordinate is preparing to use the item on the beast upon your signal."
"good." said Silverspark as he takes the headband and puts it on before he grins while holding the controller in his grasp. "now, let us show this foolish kingdom the monster that they have lurking within them."
Back at the garden, Natsu lies asleep while Hisui had gone back to her room for the night.
Natsu snores loudly as he rests in his dreams while not knowing that a figure from the shadows appeared. This figure is a tall man wearing a cloak who held his hand out that has some sort of metal glass sphere like object that is glowing a red light within it.
The cloaked figure goes near Natsu who snores before he slowly opens his eyes because of smelling the guest he has near him.
"who are you?" Natsu asked the cloaked figure as he slowly rises up and looks down at the cloaked figure. "you don't smell like anyone from around here."
The cloaked figure didn't reply as he readies his metal glass sphere that he throws and let it latches onto Natsu's head.
"this is?" Natsu looks at the object stuck on the forehead area of his head as he sees its glowing a red light that soon turns green.
The sphere morphs as it grew out metal spider like legs that latches onto Natsu's scales and instantly send an electrical shock into the dragon's mind.
"RAAAAAHHH!" Natsu instantly let out an enraged roar as his eyes glows red and his body flared in fire.
A few seconds earlier, Hisui is in her bedroom as she is asleep on her bed but she was abruptly woke up when Natsu unleashes his roar that made the entire castle and possibly the kingdom itself to vibrate.
"w-what!?" Hisui looks all frantic and panicked from the roar as she got up and went to her nearby window.
Hisui opens the window and is soon met with the sight of fire blazing everywhere.
"t-this is?!" Hisui gasps as she sees the kingdom in chaos because of Natsu who goes berserk. "Natsu!?"
"raaahh!" Natsu roars out loudly as he stomps around the kingdom's grounds while destroying everything with his claws and tail.
"Natsu! What are you doing!? Natsu!" Hisui screams out as she tried to get out of her room through her window, but Arcadios soon came in and stops her.
"Princess!" the knight grabs hold of Hisui and pulls her back. "what are you doing?! We must evacuate!"
"no! Arcadios! Natsu! We have to stop him!" Hisui cries out. "we have to stop him!"
"there's nothing we can do!" Arcadios exclaims. "he has gone berserk! He has gone and followed his natural instinct as a dragon!"
"no! he is not!" Hisui exclaims. "there's something wrong! Something is making him go berserk! I just know it!"
"even if you say so!" Arcadios retorted before he gasps when he sees something that made Hisui turn and look in shock because Natsu is looking at the two through the window with his glowing red eye.
"N-Natsu?" Hisui spoke out softly in shock to see her dragon friend up close as the reptilian creature glares before he turns and let out a powerful roar that causes her and Arcadios to close their ears. "aahh!"
Natsu roars loudly before he growls angrily at the occupants in the room.
"Natsu!?" Hisui cries out before she gasps when she sees the device attached to the forehead of the dragon. "t-that's!"
"Princess!" Arcadios quickly grabs Hisui and runs out of the room because Natsu raises his claw and swung it straight into the princess' room that gets destroyed.
"Arcadios! There's something on him!" Hisui cries out to the knight. "there's some sort of device attached to his forehead! I think that's what is causing him to go berserk!"
"a device?! Mind control!?" said Arcadios as he carries the princess while just running for safety, the Dragon still going on berserk. "but for one that is powerful enough to control a creature like a dragon!"
Natsu let out a roar as he keeps destroying parts of the castle piece by piece while rampaging.
Chaos ensued in the Kingdom as the citizens were all running away while screaming in a panic because of the utter destruction that Natsu is causing.
Natsu roars as he stomps his large foot down to the many buildings that he crushed under his weight. The dragon growls loudly before he gets dozens of arrows fired and bouncing off the scales on his back. turning around, he growls and roars at a squadron of soldiers who are now retreating after seeing that their attacks were futile.
Growling while having flames raging in his large jaw, Natsu roars before spewing out flames to the kingdom that burns.
"destroy it! destroy it all!" Silverspark laughs loudly as he is on a rooftop a few miles away from the destruction. The scientist and his associate watches the destruction of the kingdom caused by Natsu who is controlled by the controller that the small old man is holding and using. "destroy this kingdom and make them see the error of their ways! hahahaha!"
"father, do you plan to destroy the entire kingdom?" Ripenille asks while seeing how much destruction that the fire dragon is causing upon the command of the mind control device. "if this plan somehow fails…"
"It won't!" Silverspark exclaimed while grinning. "this marvelous invention of mine is my master piece!" His hands gripping hold of the controller while his thumbs are moving the joysticks and pressing some buttons that made Natsu roar and spew out flames upon Crocus. "with it! that monster is completely under my control!" He laughs as his grin become one that is sinister and evil. "I thought that it would be great to have the kingdom be in fear of that monster, but having it in my control and causing its utter destruction! Such power! This monster can grant me any dream into my reach! I! I can rule the kingdom!"
Ripenille looks at her father who is slowly becoming a mad man because of the power he is controlling.
Natsu roars as he stands and started stomping his foot down to the burning buildings that are getting destroyed, yet his fire doesn't affect much to the land itself.
Hisui is seen being evacuated by Arcadios and some soldiers as they are tasked to protect her no matter what.
"wait! We can't let this go through!" Hisui said to Arcadios as she was carried by the knight. "we have to stop this chaos! We have to stop it!"
"even if you ask of such thing, we cannot possibly be able to do with how destructive he is!" said Arcadios as he looks back and sees Natsu just roaring while surrounded in smoke and fire. "he's become the beast he is!"
"he's not a beast!" Hisui shouted. "Natsu is not a monster! he's my friend! He is this kingdom's great protector!" she soon gets off from Arcadios before she starts to run straight for Natsu's direction. "I'm going to stop him!"
"Princess!" Arcadios instantly chases after her while the soldiers look panicked for a moment before they followed.
Hisui rushes straight for Natsu who roars and swings his tail to the side, destroying more building with a single strike.
"Natsu! Natsu!" Hisui screams out as Natsu turns and growls at her. "Natsu! Please! Please snap out of it!"
The dragon just growls before roaring as it charges up flames in its opened jaws.
"Princess! Duck!" Arcadios shouted as he lungs at Hisui who he pushed down and saved her against the flames that the dragon unleashed that just miss them, but the power of its heat caused them to get nearly blown away from the hot air. "ahhh!"
Arcadios holds Hisui as the two rolls on the ground before they slowly gets back up and could only look in horror when they see the burned corpses of the knights that were behind them.
"everyone…" Hisui gasps in horror as she showed a very grim and guilty face to see the death caused by Natsu who continues go on a rampage.
Tearing up for a moment, Hisui shakes her head and then turns to look at Natsu who is growling at an army that is firing magic blasts, and arrows at him from a far.
Natsu growls before roaring as he spreads his wings and takes off into the air.
Hisui watches Natsu fly before she looks around and finds a discarded bow an arrow near a dead soldier's corpse. She quickly grabbed the two items before running off.
"Princess! Stop!" Arcadios shouted as he chases after Hisui but was cut off when a building's broken and burned rubble fell upon his path and blocked him. "d-damnit!"
Hisui runs as she chases after Natsu who soars in the air before he came down and crash landed straight to where the soldier army are at. He begins to trash around as he swings his tail and caused many to fly and fall to their death.
"Natsu! Natsu!" Hisui screams out to the dragon that growls before slowly turning and glaring down at the princess. "Natsu!"
Natsu growls as he soon roars at Hisui who gets stopped from how powerful the roar is and how much gusts of air is unleashed.
Hisui held on before she faces Natsu head on and sees the dragon charging up flames in his opened jaws.
"Natsu…" Hisui spoke out as she readies her bow and arrow while taking aim at her dragon friend. "please…please wake up!"
Hisui pulls the arrow on her bow's string and instantly fired the projectile that flew and miraculously hits the device stuck to the dragon's forehead.
Natsu growls before he roars in pain as shocks of electricity gets sent into his mind from the device that is malfunctioning because of getting hit from the arrow.
"Natsu!" Hisui cries out to her dragon friend who started trashing around.
"what?! no! my device!" Silverspark screams as he tried to make do with his controls on Natsu that is starting to fail. "why?! it is supposed to be perfect!"
Natsu growls and then smashs his head to the ground, causing the land to rumble for a moment before he slowly raises himself up, the device on his head now destroyed and crushed to pieces after what he had done.
"i…what was I doing?" Natsu asks himself as he placed a hand to his head. "what just..happened?" he then notices what was occurring around him, the dragon could only look in surprise to the utter destruction caused by himself. "what the?"
"Natsu!" Hisui cries out to the dragon who turns and sees her running to him while in tears. "Natsu!"
"Hisui, what's going on?" Natsu asked as he lowers a hand for Hisui to get on and he slowly raise it up so that he can a face to face conversation with the princess. "what just happened?"
"I'm glad! I'm so glad!" Hisui cries as she went and hugs Natsu's snout. "you were! You were rampaging! That device! That device made you do it all!"
"Hisui, calm down. I can't understand what you are saying." Said Natsu as he looks confused to Hisui.
After a moment of silence, Hisui begins to give a brief explanation about Natsu going on a rampage in the kingdom after he gets the device controlling his mind.
"a device?" said Natsu as he looks down to the small scraps of the device that he destroyed before he growls angrily when he remembers the cloaked man who had thrown it. "that man!"
Natsu rises as he turns and glares angrily at the direction of where Silverspark and his men are at.
"f-father!" Ripenille cries out to her father who was busy trying to fix his controller while not noticing something bad coming their way. "t-the dragon!"
Silverspark turns and gawks in horror as Natsu is flying in the air before he comes crashing down to the ground, causing the land to tremble non stop.
"you're the one who made me go berserk!" Natsu growls and then roars angrily at Silverspark while holding up Hisui who holds on his right claw.
"Silverspark!" Hisui exclaimed. "so you're the one behind this!"
"r-retreat!" Silverspark shouted as he and his comrades flee but failed when Natsu took a deep breath and exhaled it, causing heavy gust that blew them away. "aggghhh!"
The group flew and falls to the ground as they knocked themselves out because of falling on their heads.
Natsu growls angrily at Silverspark and the others before he turns and sees the destruction that he caused to Crocus.
"with how much destruction I caused…" Natsu spoke out softly before he frowns. "what have I done?"
Hisui looks at Natsu with a frown as she was sure that he felt guilty for being controlled and causing destruction to the kingdom that had welcomed him in.
"Natsu" Hisui calls out to the dragon who glances down at her. the princess went and gently caresses his chest near her. "everything will be fine, I promise."
Natsu looks at Hisui for a moment before he closes his eyes and tilts his head down. The dragon accepts the shame and mercy given to him.
About a week later, Crocus undergoes rebuilding as many of the destroyed buildings get rebuilt while the citizens are in a complete riot against the royal family for having Natsu who had caused the destruction.
"get that monster away!" "he destroyed everything!" "I lost my husband because of that monster!" the citizens goes on a mob riot as they are making themselves towards the castle Mercurius but are being blocked by the soldiers who are pushing them back.
"please calm down!" Arcadios leads the charge as he tries his best to push back the angry citizens with his men. "we have told you all that this destruction was at the hands of the man named Silverspark who had used a mind control device upon Natsu! He is not the culprit! Please calm your anger!"
"that monster is a monster!" "why you protect him when you're supposed to protect us!?" "it's a monster!" "just a monster!" the citizens rioted as none have any heart to care for a monster without seeing pass their anger.
"please calm down!" Arcadios exclaimed as he pushes back against the angered citizens.
Meanwhile in Mercurius, in the throne room.
Toma is in a tight spot as he is pressured in taking action to what had happened to his kingdom
"my King, it is what we feared the most." Said Darton as he wipes off sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief, the minister looking distressed. "reports are coming in on how the citizens are going on riots. More and more letters are coming from neighboring kingdoms and…"
"I know, Darton." Said Toma as he placed a hand over his eyes and looks incredibly frustrated. "how could I have let this happened?"
Toma was given pressure after pressure of paperwork and meetings with his cabinet and ministers who are either telling him that he must act in getting rid of Natsu or dismiss him from appearing in the kingdom.
"because of what Silverspark had done…my kingdom is in complete hatred to the boy…" Toma whispers as he knew that it was the right thing to do, but he didn't want to act it because Natsu was innocent and banishing him or imprisoning him would just hurt his daughter's heart. "what should I do?"
"my King…" Darton looks at Toma with a small frown as he understood what the king is going through.
In the castle's garden, Hisui is present with Natsu who is in his human form while wearing a plain white shirt and black shorts. The dragon man was just sitting around in the garden with the kingdom's princess who is just accompanying him for their usual book reading together, but while being supervised and watched by nearly 20-30 elite castle soldiers as amongst them are mages.
"and that's the end of this book…" said Hisui as she closes the book in her hands, the princess finished reading it with her dragon friend. She let out a soft sigh and then smiles towards Natsu. "seems that books these days are getting boring, right Natsu?"
Hisui looks at Natsu who nods but his face doesn't show any agreement.
"Natsu?" Hisui calls out to the dragon man who is frowning. "Natsu, you can't be still thinking.."
"I am." Natsu nods as he frowns even more while getting off the grass. "Hisui, I should really leave this kingdom."
"w-what!? no!" Hisui exclaimed while getting back up and letting her book fall to the side. "Natsu, you're not the one at fault! It was Silverspark and his minion's doing! They controlled you and made you go berserk in order to frame you! It's not your fault!"
"whether or not they controlled me and made me use my power to destroy the kingdom…." Said Natsu as he frowns and close his eyes while turning to look away from Hisui. "it doesn't change the fact that everyone in this kingdom sees me as a monster now."
"we just have to work hard to regain their trust!" said Hisui as she went and grabs Natsu's hand. "you were thought to be a monster years ago when you first come to the kingdom, right!? You gained their trust and become a friend!" she tears up and grasps the dragon man's hand tighter. "just because of what happened, doesn't mean you really are a monster! we just have to work harder to regain everyone's trust! If we work it well!"
"Hisui, it's enough." Said Natsu as he slowly pulls his hand away from Hisui and takes a few steps away from her. "you already done enough for me. you shouldn't sacrifice anything more for me." he turns and frowns sadly to the princess. "I can hear how much your people despise me after what I had done, I can hear how much pressure is on your father after what had happened." He looks down and close his eyes. "it's better if I go so that your father won't be dethroned for trying to protect me."
"no…" Hisui muttered before she shakes her head while crying in tears as she soon went and hugs Natsu. "no! I don't want to! You can't go! You're not guilty! It's not your fault!"
"Hisui, please. Don't make this too hard for the both of us." Said Natsu as he went and gently holds Hisui's shoulders. "if I go away, things will go normal for your kingdom." He frowns and let out a small sigh. "in the first place, a dragon like me shouldn't be in this place. I'm…"
"you're my friend!" Hisui interjected as she hugs Natsu while crying on him. "I don't want you to leave! Don't leave me alone!" she grasps her hands tight on the dragon man's shirt. "I don't want to be alone!"
"you're not alone, you have your father and.." Natsu stated but he stopped when he sees Hisui's face that is all in tears. "Hisui…"
"you saved me from loneliness when I was a child! You saved me when I was in danger! You're my friend!" Hisui cries out. "even if get hated by the people of my kingdom! Even if I have to sacrifice my title as the princess! I don't want you to leave!" she cries hard as she hugs Natsu even closer. "I don't care how much they will hate me….i don't want to lose my best friend…"
Natsu listens to Hisui's cry and just frowns while hugging her back.
The soldiers around the area had frowns and mixed emotions from hearing what had occurred.
Even Arcadios who is present and has been hiding his presence by a corridor. The knight had an emotionally mixed expression on his face after listening to Hisui's cry.
"for you to be in such pain, Princess…" Arcadios whispers with a frown. "I truly fail as your knight."
A few hours later, the day was gone and night time comes.
In the garden, Natsu sat on the grass while holding Hisui who he cradles on his lap. The princess clinging onto him while asleep.
Like a child who didn't want to let go of her favorite doll, Hisui was doing the same thing with Natsu who she didn't want to leave after what had happened days before.
Natsu stays there in silence and just looks at Hisui's sleeping face, but his attention is to her puffy red eyes that indicates that she had cried herself to sleep while holding onto him.
"you can come out now." Said Natsu in a soft voice as he turns and glance to his back to see Arcadios coming towards him with small and gentle footsteps. "she's fast asleep after all."
"you are truly the only person who could make the Princess be in such a state." Said Arcadios as he looks at Hisui before he close his eyes and let out a small sigh. "and you're the only person who could make her as she is."
"I don't think I should be a person anymore." Said Natsu to Arcadios before he turns and frowns to Hisui. "after what I had done that night….i don't deserve to be called a person." He close his eyes and remembers how his own flames caused the destruction upon Crocus. "I'm just a dragon."
Arcadios sighs and frowns a bit as he looks at Natsu.
"do you plan to make the princess sad by leaving?" Arcadios asked Natsu who nods. "if you do so…"
"it's for her sake and for the kingdom's sake." Said Natsu as he looks at Hisui and gently combs some of her hair on her face to behind her ear. "it's time to put an end to the whole 'Princess and Dragon' stuff." His body glows as the man morphs into his dragon form while holding Hisui who is just clinging to his discarded clothing. "it's time for there to only be the Princess of Crocus and future queen of Fiore."
Natsu slowly held out his hand towards Arcadios who gently carried Hisui into his arms.
"if she wakes up, tell her that I'm sorry." Natsu told Arcadios while softening his gaze at Hisui. "and also tell her that it was time for us to part ways." He tilts his head down. "the relationship between human and dragons must remain as it was. It must remain as men and monsters, not friends."
"Are you sure about this?" Arcadios asked as Natsu just nods his head.
"I have decided to do so after what happened that night." Said Natsu as he raise a hand to his chest and picked out a scale. "here" he holds his scale out and gently place it upon Hisui's stomach. "tell her to not cry for me. tell her that she should remember me as who she believed I was." He smiles as he gently stroke a claw of his around the princess' face, so gentle and slow like a mother's caress. "tell her that I will always be with her."
Arcadios looks at Natsu's action with Hisui before he nods.
"I promise." Arcadios stated as Natsu nods before he rises to his back legs and looks to the sky while slowly spreading out his wings.
In a minute, Natsu flies into the night sky as he flaps his wings a few times and heads off from the kingdom.
Arcadios watches Natsu fly away before he looks with a sad frown to Hisui who grasped the dragon man's discarded clothing very tightly, not knowing of his departure.
"may one day the two of you be reunited." Arcadios whispers sadly as he looks back to the night sky, no longer seeing Natsu anywhere.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye