A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: GILDARTS

A young Natsu is in a forest looking for Lisanna. He trips and hears a scream. Suddenly, he wakes up from the dream and also wakes up an annoyed Lucy. Lucy ended up sleeping on the floor when Natsu and Happy suddenly arrived at her house to have an unannounced sleepover, taking the bed in the process. After Happy wakes up as well, Natsu explains that he sleeps best on her bed and begins feeling hungry. Lucy asks him about the dream, but Natsu acts like he didn't hear her and starts to look for breakfast, causing Lucy to tell him to answer her.

Later, at the guild, while Lucy converses with Wendy and Carla, bells ring to announce the arrival of Fairy Tail's strongest Mage, Gildarts Clive, who just returned from a hundred-year quest. Above Magnolia, flying microphones tell everyone that Magnolia is to activate the Gildarts Shift and order everyone to go to their designated places. Back at the Guild, everyone hears the announcement. The whole city moves and shifts its position so that a clear and straight path leads to Fairy Tail. Gildarts finally walks in and asks Mira where Fairy Tail is. Mira explains that that they are in Fairy Tail and who she is. Gildarts suddenly remembers her and comments on the guild being new when Natsu finally jumps from the stairs and challenges him to a fight. Gildarts catches him in one hand and throws him to the ceiling, ending the "fight".

"You ain't changed a bit, Pops." Aira chuckled.

"A Man among Men!" Elfman grinned.

"There are faces I never seen before... Things sure have changed..." Gildarts stated.

"Gildarts!" Master Makarov calls out his name.

"Oh, Master! Long time no see." Gildarts approaches Master Makarov at the bar.

"How did the job go?" Master Makarov questioned.

Gildarts thinks for a second. He begins to laugh out loud. Master Makarov stares at him with a serious face, lowering his head. "No good. It's impossible for me." He replied.

Everyone becomes speechless and surprised upon hearing his answer. The guild members mutter things under their breath about his failure.

"Even Pops couldn't handle it?" Aira mumbled.

"Knowing when to withdraw is also being a Man!" Elfman said.

"Impossible, even for Fairy Tail's strongest wizard?" Lucy thinks to herself. "What in the world is this hundred-year quest?"

"You aren't ready for a hundred-year quest." Erza informed. "Don't even consider it."

"Do I look rarin' to go to you?!" Lucy points to herself in surprise.

"I see. Even you couldn't handle it?" Master Makarov sighed.

"Sorry, this'll be bad for our reputation." Gildarts apologized.

"No, I'm just happy you came back safe and sound." Master Makarov said. "You're the first one I know that's ever come back from this quest alive." Gildarts grins at the Master.

"I wanna get some rest, so I'm heading home." Gildarts leaves the bar so he could go to his house. "Man, I'm beat..." He sighs out loud. "Natsu! Come to my place later. I've brought souvenirs!" He laughs out loud. "Now, pardon me." He uses his Magic to blast through a wall.

"My, my..." Mira smiled sheepishly.

"Use the door, man!" Warren shouted.

"I wonder what he brought me? I can't wait!" Natsu copies Gildarts and punches through the wall as well.

"Don't go copying him!" Max yelled.

"My, my..." Mira said.

"Happy, let's hurry up and go!" Natsu shouted.

Lucy asks Happy about Natsu and Gildarts' relationship. Happy tells her Gildarts has taken a liking to Natsu and begins to recount a story from when he was just a little cat.

Past...

Natsu, Happy, and Lisanna were fishing by a pond. Happy tells Natsu to catch him a big fish, but Natsu only manages to catch a tiny fish. As the three cook their fish, Happy and Lisanna tease Natsu about them being a family. A little while later, Lisanna tells Natsu about some big footprints she found near the East Forest, thinking they could be from the Dragon Natsu was looking for. Even though the sun is beginning to set, the two decide to go into the forest with Happy. They arrive at the sight of the footprints, but realize that the footprint belonged to a Gorian, a forest Vulcan. A heart-broken Natsu, Lisanna and Happy decide to return home. Natsu is walking so fast that Lisanna is having a hard time catching up. Suddenly, the fog thickens and Natsu and Happy realized that Lisanna is no longer following them, but was captured by a Gorian that they once defeated.

The Gorian tells Natsu to kneel down and apologize and he will give Lisanna back. Natsu does what he asks, but the Gorian begins to stomp on him and is about to kill him with a giant boulder when Gildarts appears to stop him. Gildarts uses his Magic to disassemble the boulder and orders the Gorian to put down Lisanna and leave the forest. Natsu begins to apologize, but Gildarts cuts him off and tells him he did the right thing and to be proud. The four head home and Gildarts asks Natsu to play catch with him the following day. The next day, the two play catch and talk about Natsu finding Igneel. Lisanna and Happy are watching the two and commented that they are like father and son.

Present...

Natsu and Happy arrive at Gildarts' house. Gildarts asks him about Lisanna. Natsu replies that Lisanna is dead and attempts to leave, but Gildarts stops him and tells him that he met a Black Dragon on Mt. Zonia and that it was the reason he failed the job. Natsu tries to leave again, saying he will find the Black Dragon and ask it where Igneel is, but Gildarts tells him that it is likely to be traveling around the continent, or perhaps the world. When Natsu is still willing to go, Gildarts shows him the damages the Dragon caused. Gildarts' left arm, left leg and an unspecified organ were taken from him when the Dragon attacked. He continues to say that the Dragon is an enemy to humanity and that a human can't defeat it, but Natsu shouts out that only Dragon Slayers can defeat Dragons and runs off. Happy tries to follow him, but Gildarts stops him and says that he should give Natsu support.

Outside of the Guild...

"There are five Dragon Slayers in our guild... Exactly as Porlyusica said. Fate is trying to make its move." Master Makarov said.

A/N: Another chapter is finished!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.