About two weeks had now passed since the war against Phantom Lord. Since then, a few things had changed. First, Ur had officially joined Fairy Tail, albeit only as an "honorary member". This meant that she had free access to the guild hall like all the other members and could accompany them on their quests but couldn't take any of her own. Now, Ur wasn't usually much of a joiner, but the recent experiences had made her feel connected to this guild. Second, the Council's army had left Magnolia. And finally, most of the members of Fairy Tail had gotten to the reconstruction of their guild hall. While they were at it, Makarov decided they might as well make it bigger and more sophisticated, much to the chagrin of some of his members. Currently, it was early morning and they hadn't started working yet. Instead, the ones who had already arrived were gathered by the makeshift bar, eating breakfast, drinking, chatting.
"How do you know that Lucy went to have a talk with her father?" Gray asked.
"She left me a letter saying she had to confront him and make sure he wouldn't try to use his money to attack the guild again." Natsu supplied.
"But she's coming back, right?" his blue-furred friend inquired in a concerned voice.
"That's what she said. In her own words, she needed to "sort things out" with him and would be gone for a few days, which implies she intended to return." the pinkette confirmed.
"How many days, exactly?" the ice mage pushed. When he did, Natsu and Wendy's sensitive ears faintly picked up someone mumbling about a "love rival" or something. But it made so little sense that they both dismissed it as a figment of their imagination.
"What do I know? You think I put a tracker on her or something?" his pink-haired guildmate snapped, getting annoyed at their insistence.
As she saw Gray about to escalate again, Erza decided to butt in. "There's no point in worrying yet. She said she'd be gone a few days, so we'll wait a few days. If we still don't have any news by then, then we'll consider going after her. Agreed?" she declared in a calm but stern tone, which made her childhood friend relent.
They continued to discuss about everything and anything until Makarov's arrival, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone.
"LISTEN UP, BRATS!" he bellowed. "This morning, I received a letter! It has informed me that one of the founders of Fairy Tail, and one of the Ten Wizard Saints, Warrod Sequen, will be visiting us this evening!" This announcement aroused a mix of awe and excitement among his audience, and the murmurs quickly ensued. As for Natsu, while he could feel Mavis' happiness at the news, he, himself, was wary of the meeting to come. If Warrod recognized him from their encounter so many years ago, it could cause problems of unforeseeable proportions, for everyone involved. But there was no avoiding it now, he'd just have to keep low profile and hope for the best. "SILENCE!" the short man yelled out, effectively regaining everyone's attention. "In order to give our guest the respect he's due, we're going to work extra hard today to make the premise presentable! Now, let's get to it!"
This very evening, all the guild members that had passed by the guild hall during the day were gathered and eagerly watching what was meant to become the building's entrance. As Makarov had hoped, his announcement had motivated his brats to double their effort. So much so that they had made more progress in that single day than in the seven that had preceded it combined. Meanwhile, Natsu had spent the whole day racking his brain trying to come up with a solution to his conundrum. But much to his dismay he hadn't found any. As a result, when everybody else was filled with anticipation, he was nervously apprehending the incoming meeting. But while he couldn't avoid it, he had, however, managed to think up some semblance of excuse to justify being distracted. Although he had to admit it was a horribly pathetic pretense in every way possible.
"So Wendy." he called his little sister, who looked up at him. She was considerably less enthusiastic about the affair than the rest of their guildmates. "I've been wondering: has Grandeeney taught you anything about draconic?"
"{A little.}" the blue-haired Dragon Slayer responded in the aforementioned language, which to the untrained ear just sounded like a really hoarse and incoherent mess. "She told me it could be useful so she taught me the basics, but that it wasn't used a whole lot anymore, even by her own kind so she didn't get to far into it."
"And she was right. But, there were many texts written in draconic several centuries ago. Some of which could be very useful...if they can be read. {Which is why you need to practice it.}" the pinkette insisted.
After that, the two dragon siblings spent a couple of minutes talking to each other in the all but forgotten language, Natsu correcting any mistakes she made as they went along. That's when cheers and chatter invaded his ears, though he pretended not to notice and, luckily for him, his sister was so enthralled by their conversation that she wasn't paying attention to it.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the source of all the commotion and he was surprised to see how much the man's appearance had changed. The most significant change was that he now had plant-like physical features: his head resembled a slightly gnarled tree trunk, whilst his hair looked like a leafy treetop. His attire consisted of a high-collared kimono tied with a belt, loose trousers, a coat, and a pair of boots.
When the founder of the guild finally reached the bar, he came face to face with the current guild master sitting on it with his arms crossed. The two stared intently at each other a little, making the tension in the room rise exponentially. Then, it vanished when they beamed at one another and shook hands.
"Saint Sequen." the shorter man greeted. "Welcome back to Fairy Tail."
"Thank you, Makarov. It's good to see you; and it's good to see the guild standing strong once more." the older man responded warmly.
"Of course. You know us. But we have plenty of time to talk about that. You must be tired from your journey. Would you like something to eat or drink?" Makarov offered.
"I'd love to. But unfortunately, I can only eat eggshells and banana peels." he explained, which instantly silenced the entire guild, including Natsu and Wendy. After a few seconds of everybody staring at him in bewilderment, he burst out laughing. "I'm joking!"
Although he was the only one laughing, this revelation did relieve everyone present.
As the two more isolated members resumed their conversation, the older one started another with the spirit in his head. 'I don't remember him being like that.'
'Neither do I.' the blonde agreed, still sounding slightly dazed. 'I suppose age changes things.' she continued, this time adopting her characteristic mischievous tone. 'Like how it has made you cynical.'
'Wha-Cynical?!' the pink-haired mage mentally blurted out. 'If age had made me cynical, then it has made you rude. I haven't seen you say "hello" to Warrod yet.'
'Excuse me?! Are you suggesting I'm avoiding him on purpose?! I'd like nothing more than to have a chat with him, I'll have you know! But I'd rather not cause a massive scene!' the First Master countered in outrage.
'That's true. Some of them are already swooning as it is. If you appeared too, they might faint with emotion.'
While Natsu was struggling to maintain two discussions at once, down at the bar, the two old men were having one of their own. So far, it had been very lighthearted, with each one of them telling anecdotes and stories about their respective time at the guild. Sadly, that wasn't to last. And when Warrod was sure no one was listening, he brought up the subject he least wanted to discuss.
"Makarov,…" he started slowly, which prompted said mustached man to become more solemn. "...I trust you know why I'm really here."
"...The Council sent you, didn't they?" the guild master surmised after some time. Upon receiving a nod as a reply, he sighed tiredly. "They want to see me?"
"Not just you." the higher-ranked Wizard Saint corrected, alarming his interlocutor. "You and Natsu Dragneel are both officially summoned by the Magic Council to Era within a week to attend a special hearing regarding the disappearance of former Wizard Saint, Jose Porla." he elaborated in a very formal fashion, taking out two letters that bore the Council's seal from his tunic and placing them in front of Makarov.
This development caused the usually nigh-fearless old man to start shaking and sweating in panic. He knew the Magic Council wouldn't give up that easily, but he never thought they would do something like this. And he could see at least a thousand ways this could go horribly wrong. Granted, Natsu was more mature than most of his brats. But he also had a predisposition for sarcasm and offending people by belittling them. And if he did that to one or multiple council members… "Saint Sequen...I assure you...it is I and I alone who am responsible for-"
He stopped himself when the older man held up his hand in interruption. "Makarov, as much as I respect what you're trying to do, the Council already knows Natsu was the one who fought the last battle against Jose. And therefore, is the last one to see him. Some people, including myself, have already tried to oppose this. But I can't call this one off, I'm sorry." the tree-man explained. When he saw the despondent expression on the small man's face, he decided to add something else. "What I can do is prepare him."
This new information caused Makarov's eyes to widen in shock. "W-What do you mean?"
The founder of Fairy Tail couldn't help but chuckle at this change in demeanor. "I mean, I have extensive experience with the Council, I know them better than most. How they think. What they seek. What they want to hear. What they don't want to hear. And I'm more than willing to share that knowledge with Natsu before he has to confront them. But I'd rather we talk more privately."
Nodding in understanding, Makarov took a deep breath before yelling out. "NATSU!" This instantly quieted everyone down. Their gazed all turned towards said pinkette who, for his part, remained frozen in place. He could hardly believe his bad luck. It took him several long seconds to turn his head in direction of the guild master. "Saint Sequen would like a word with you."
After a hesitant nod, the two men made their way outside through the back door, or at least its frame, under the curious gazes of the rest of the guild.
They were now silently facing each other, sizing each other up. Finally, Warrod was the one to break the silence with a warm greeting. "I've heard so many impressive stories about you, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Natsu Dragneel." he declared, while extending his hand for a handshake.
One of the pink-haired mage's eyebrows cocked in perplexity. He hadn't expected the conversation to go this way. Either Warrod didn't remember him, or he was pretending not to. Nevertheless, he accepted the gesture. "Likewise."
After they separated, the Wizard Saint began his explanation. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid we won't be able to swap stories now."
"No, we won't." the other mage concurred, but what caught the founder's attention was how his gaze was fixed on something behind him, so he turned around.
"Hey Warrod!" he suddenly heard screaming and nearly jumped out of his tree bark, and a second time when he saw it had come from someone he thought he'd never get to see again.
Because there stood Mavis Vermillion, only a couple of steps away, floating in the air so that she was the same height as him.
At this appearance, Warrod stayed frozen in shock for several seconds, staring wide-eyed at the blonde girl, whose smile just kept growing. When he finally recovered, it was to throw an accusatory glance at the pinkette. "Is this your doing?"
"No/Yes." Natsu and Mavis respectively and simultaneously answered, prompting the former to glare at the latter.
"And how am I doing that exactly?" he inquired.
The First Master even allowed herself the audacity to chuckle before she responded. "Quite simply, I couldn't be here if not for you."
"Maybe, but I didn't coax you into giving your close friend a heart attack." her host countered.
"But you did create the perfect setting for it to happen." the blonde insisted.
"It doesn't mean you had to be a mischievous little prankster." the pink-haired mage accused.
"I don't think I'm either mischievous or a prankster, more like good-natured and lively." the thought projection corrected.
"And since when is that exclusive? You're all of those and more. And I'll say something else-" the pinkette tried to add, but was cut off before he could.
"Excuse me?" Warrod stepped in, drawing both their attention. "But what in the world is going on right now?"
During their back-and-forth, Mavis had floated back to the ground and steadily moved closer towards Natsu, to the point where they were now standing opposite each other, a pace or so away. They were now both just staring at the third member of their little group with wide eyes, quite stupidly. Both of their heads then snapped to shortly gaze at the other, before going back to staring at the tree-man. And after a few more seconds, they went back to looking at one another.
"I'm ashamed to admit it,...but I had forgotten he was here." Natsu confessed, though without looking the least bit embarrassed.
"I hate to admit it,...but me too." Mavis concurred, having the decency to look a little sheepish.
"Which is actually more shameful for you." he doubled-down with a provocative smirk.
"Come again? You're the one walking around with super senses." she refuted, sounding scandalized.
"And you're the one who ought to be paying more attention-" the pink-haired mage tried to respond.
"Enough!" the Wizard Saint exclaimed, more forcefully this time. "I get it. Either Mavis is really here or you knew her very well. In any case, that's good enough for me."
At this declaration, both the ghost girl and her partner turned fully towards the third person and, as a final provocation, Natsu used their height difference to rest his elbow on top of the girl's head. 'Maybe next time you'll think twice before calling me cynical.' he jibed. This made her grumble in annoyance, but he could see the corner of her lips tugging upwards. "So, I believe there's something you wanted to discuss?"
"Right." Warrod confirmed. "As I told Makarov, the Magic Council has been becoming increasingly agitated and concerned about one of their Wizard Saints' unexplained disappearance. They want to see you to shed some light on the affair."
At this, the thought projection and her host exchanged a brief but meaningful glance at each other. "They sent you to arrest me?" Natsu asked.
"No." the tree-man quickly denied. "They neither have the evidence nor the confidence to make such a daring move against you or Fairy Tail. But they have issued an official summons for you to report to their headquarters in a week's time. At which point, a special hearing will take place and you will be sworn in. And while some members of the Council bear the guild no ill will, others will try everything in their power to make you confess to one misdeed or another, so as to give them a motive to sanction or even disband Fairy Tail altogether. And they think it will be easy. They just believe you, like all Fairy Tail members, to be nothing more than a foolish little boy."
While his last statement mostly amused Natsu, he felt Mavis' anger rise and saw her fists clench at her sides. Strangely, that part of the explanation seemed to displease her more than the rest. "And you're telling me this because...you think they're right."
"On the contrary." Warrod one again corrected. "I'm telling you this in the hope that they're wrong. If they weren't, then nothing I could say would matter." he elaborated and waited a few seconds to gather his thoughts before continuing. "They know of your reputation. They know that you are a competent, powerful mage and that...you like to provoke people."
Mavis tried in vain to hide her smile of amusement by turning her head since she couldn't contain it.
As for Natsu, while his face gave off an impression of emotionlessness, the annoyance in his eyes told a different story. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I do." the blonde-haired girl interjected cheerfully.
Once more, Warrod felt the need to jump in before these two launched into another banter match. "Look, either the rumors are false, then there's nothing to worry about, or they aren't and I can tell you everything I know about every Council member to prepare you."
Both people expectantly fixed Natsu, waiting for his response. One of them with a neutral expression, the other with a wry smile. After a few seconds of deliberation, he reluctantly conceded. "Start talking."
Mavis opened her mouth to make a comment, but it turned into a startled squeal when she felt her partner's hand pinch her at the waist.
Several minutes later, Warrod was wrapping up his description. "And like I said, Makarov will be with you the whole way through. So if you're in a tough spot, I have little doubt he'll step in to draw attention to himself and away from you."
Natsu then took a few moments to let all the information sink in before speaking up. "I see. Well, I guess I have a lot to think about." He then turned his gaze to the girl who was still under his arm. "I suppose you two would like a moment to talk alone?"
"That would be nice." she confirmed. And so, after saying a quick goodbye, he went back inside and left the two to their own devices.
The two founders just stared at each other for a little while, one with skepticism, the other with amusement.
Finally, it was the one physically present who broke the silence. "So...it's really you, isn't it?"
"Was there ever any doubt?" the blonde teasingly inquired.
"If there was, there certainly isn't now." the tree-man muttered to himself, but spoke the next part louder. "How can you be here though? I thought your body was…"
"It is. What is standing in front of you is merely a thought projection." she clarified.
"But to maintain a thought projection without a physical body to draw magic from would take a tremendous amount of magic power-"
"Unless there is a piece of my soul attached to a suitable receptacle nearby." the First Master added.
This made her interlocutor cock a wooden eyebrow. "And what "suitable receptacle" have you found?"
"I'm going to leave that up to your imagination." she cheekily answered.
His look of skepticism slowly transformed into one of stunned disbelief and slight outrage. "Are you out of your mind?! Him?! Do you realize what he could do-...Wait...Does this mean that he knows about the condition of your physical form and…"
Although on the outside Mavis maintained her carefree expression, inside she was riddled with conflict. 'He genuinely doesn't remember Natsu. How can this be?' she made sure to keep that information in the back of her mind for a later time. "He doesn't just know, he's seen it." When she saw him about to protest, she held up her hand to stop him. "Warrod, please. You've trusted my judgment countless times in the past. Do so one more time when I tell you that Natsu is trustworthy."
After a few moments of internal debate, the Wizard Saint relented and the conversation when on to be much more lighthearted.
Four days later, Natsu and Makarov found themselves in the courtroom of the Magic Council headquarters in the city of Era. It was this very same room that Erza Scarlet had been tried for her actions during the Lullaby incident. Warrod had accompanied them from the guild to the door of said room and had continued to give them advise all along the way. But, being forbidden from attending the proceedings, he had not been authorized to follow them inside.
The room itself was covered in decorative motifs, and leaning against a wall was a large, majestic structure acting as a podium for the Council members or their thought projections, complete with armchairs for them to sit on. The lower part of such podium was the most intricately decorated, with highly elaborated bas-reliefs adorning the square pillars on its frontal part, with a pair of similarly adorned, rectangular concave parts, with rectangular, horizontal niches on top, held up by small columns, visible in the back, each housing what looks like a rectangular window. Such lower part seemed to house two scribes, sitting one in front of the other. Above this first level was a second, stage-like level, housing the Council members themselves. This section was given access to by a pair of staircases placed at its sides of the first level. The wall behind the seats for the Council members was split into various sections by thin structures going up to the wall's top, which slightly protruded outwards; each section was decorated by a large rhombus flanked by a pair of smaller arcs, complete with more, intricated motifs around them. On top of the whole structure appeared to be the place for the chairman, complete with an armchair reminiscent of a throne, larger than those for the rest of the Council members. Behind it, attached to the wall, was an enormous painting with an intricately decorated frame. In front of the entire assembly was where the accused had to stand during a trial. It consisted of a small, rectangular area marked by a massive, decorative balustrade open on the back, on the part facing towards the large, double door giving access to the court, at whose sides were several stands for the trials' possible public to sit in.
That's where Natsu currently was as his guild master was scheduled to be the first to take the stand. He wasn't paying a lot of attention to that though, he couldn't…'Don't be sarcastic. Don't be sarcastic. Don't be sarcastic.'...because of this. Ever since he'd stepped into the room, the spirit inside his head had been repeating the same four-word instruction non-stop.
He honestly couldn't tell whether it was a genuine request or just one of her trademark jokes. Either way, his reaction had been the same. The first couple of times, he'd been amused, then annoyed, and now he was honestly kind of impressed. 'How come you're not out of breath yet?'
'Don't be sarcastic. I'm a ghost. Don't be sarcastic.' she supplied between repetitions. This finally stopped though, when they both had to hold their chuckles at their own silliness.
And with that new-found silence, they perceived the unmistakable sound of snoring. And that effectively extinguished every ounce of fun they previously had. As he slowly, tentatively turned his head, Natsu saw that, as he had feared, Makarov had literally fallen asleep while he was testifying. And shifting his gaze upwards, the pinkette noticed that, while a couple of members of the Council seemed amused, the vast majority looked disappointed at best, and furious at worst.
'And you tell me not to offend them.' the pink-haired mage commented in a mirthless tone.
'This is actually kind of genius, when you think about it.' the First Master argued. 'Can't say anything self-incriminatory on the stand if you don't say anything at all.'
'Are you suggesting this is some sort of grand strategic move on his part?' her host asked with perplexity.
'...I wish.' the blonde-haired girl replied in a deadpan tone.
"Um...Saint Dreyar?" one of the scribes called.
Despite not being very loud, the voice was enough to startle the short man awake. "I'm up! I'm up!"
"It is strictly forbidden to sleep while testifying." the frog creature reminded.
"Right! Right! My apologies!" he hurriedly agreed while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "The journey was draining. And I suppose I just got bored for a second a dozed off."
Natsu couldn't restrain the slack-jawed look that took over his facial expression while he heard Mavis facepalm at Makarov's last statement.
"Enough!" the chairman finally lost his temper. "If these proceedings interest you this little, then there's no reason for us to waste our time listening to what you want to say! Get out! Let your guild member take the stand instead!"
The last sentence made the mustached man alarmed. "Mister chairman, with all due respect, I was under the impression that I would be allowed to attend Natsu's testimony."
"What you thought isn't our concern." a female Council member rudely shot him down, she even had a cruel smile on her lips. "You were called to testify about the events that lead to and consisted the war between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord. The next part of this hearing will focus on the disappearance of the Wizard Saint Jose Porla, in which you said yourself you weren't involved in. So there is no reason for you to stay."
Makarov cast a subtle glance at one particular member of the assembly, who could only frown in response. And so, with a defeated sigh, the guild master turned around and exited the room, but not before giving Natsu an encouraging nod.
The pinkette then made his way to the balustrade where his guild master had previously been. After being sworn in, he once again recounted his well-rehearsed version of what happened from his return from Galuna to Jose's defeat at his hands. As he was talking he noted how the audience was paying exceptionally close attention to every word he was saying, with the sole exception being Ultear, who was content to just give him one of her cryptic grins.
After he finished, there were a few moments of silence as the Council members pondered their questions.
"So you maintain that Jose Porla is still alive?" one of them finally opened the ball.
"I maintain that, when I left him, he was still alive and hadn't sustained any life-threatening injuries. What happened after that, I have no knowledge of." he evasively responded.
"Then how do you explain his disappearance?" another one of them followed up, his tone slightly more accusatory.
'I'm sorry, is it my job to explain it?' he wanted to react but he managed to bite it back just in time and instead said: "Perhaps his shame over his defeat led him to ostracize himself. Perhaps he went into exile in an attempt to avoid being punished by this committee. Or perhaps one of his guild members became disillusioned with their master and decided they'd be better off without him. That is, after all, the kind of mentality he fostered. I can make many theories, but that's all they are: theories."
"Quite right." the person Makarov had glanced at, a short old man in a black three-spiked hat, concurred. "We are here to discuss facts, not speculation. Speaking of which, can you confirm to us that Phantom Lord's attack on your guild was motivated by an illegal request?" he continued, earning a few glares from his peers.
"Yes. Jose himself told me during our fight that his guild had been hired by a rich family to kidnap a member of our guild." Salamander affirmed.
"And tell us, Mister Dragneel, how long has Fairy Tail been "your" guild, exactly?" a small man, who strangely resembled a cat, inquired in a sly voice.
"A little over a year." the pink-haired truthfully replied.
"And since then, have you truly felt accepted? Integrated? Or have you had the feeling that they were hiding things from you?"
This time, Natsu was really about to fly off the handle. Fortunately for him, Ultear chose this moment to speak up. "Now, now, Michello. I love a good gossip as much as anyone, but I have to say this has nothing to do with why we're here."
"On the contrary." the older man argued. "By his own admission, he was not present when Saint Dreyar gave the order to attack Phantom Lord's guild hall, nor for said attack itself. And for all we know, this was the event that sparked this whole unlawful conflict. What I'm wondering is if the rest of his guild deliberately waited for his departure before launching their campaign because say...they distrust him?"
This insinuation brought a dark look to Natsu's face. That, combined with the silence that accompanied it, sent shivers down the Council members' spines. "If you must know, the master initially refrained from retaliating because he knew it would be going against the legislation. And it was only after three of his young members were brutally attacked that he decided to make a stand. And the only reason why I wasn't a part of it, was because at the time, I was unavailable. But you already know all that, don't you?"
"I don't take your meaning." the man denied, but with a tinge of nervousness in his voice.
"No? Then what were your Rune Knights doing in Magnolia all this time? If you expect me to miraculously change my version to smear anyone from my guild, you're going to be disappointed." the pinkette declared, crossing his arms over his chest to demonstrate his noncooperation.
"But this isn't about your version, is it?" the young, blue-haired man of the group intervened for the first time, sporting a provocative smirk. "This is about the truth."
"The truth? Well, the truth is what I testified to. Now, is there anything else, or can I go?" Natsu coldly answered.
Some Council members seemed ready to protest, but were silenced by their chairman interfering. "No. Your testimony is concluded. You may leave us, but please remain within the confines of the building while we deliberate."
And so, without saying another word, the pink-haired mage turned around and walk out of the room, followed swiftly by the two scribes. A tense silence then settled over the room for a few moments before Siegrain broke it.
"Well, that went well." he sarcastically mocked.
"He didn't budge on anything. I think it's clear to all of us that he won't help us; he is too attached to this guild of his." one of them commented.
"Indeed. But that is inconsequential. We shall just find another way to get rid of them." the chairman announced.
"Are we sure this is prudent?" Ultear questioned. "Fairy Tail is becoming quite popular, and we are plotting to disband them. Can you imagine the upheaval in the country if word of this got out?"
"Since when have you gotten so fond of this guild, Councilwoman Milkovich?" the one called Michello suspiciously asked. "Have you forgotten the damage they've caused to this body's reputation and authority?"
"Oh, but you misunderstand me. It is not the whole of Fairy Tail I am focused on, merely him. the dark-haired woman corrected, pointing at the large double door. "He is an interesting one, isn't he?"
"If by interesting, you mean dangerous." the only other woman argued. "Who is this boy, anyway? Nobody had ever heard of him until he joined Fairy Tail a year ago. Even our archives dating back over a century make no reference of a "Natsu Dragneel", or to anyone with that last name for that matter."
"Perhaps our archives are simply incomplete. It is not unheard of." the younger of the two offered as an explanation.
"It is possible." a bald man with a long beard conceded. "But even then, I must admit I find this situation most concerning. This young mage comes out of nowhere and rises to national prominence in the space of a single year, using various and powerful forms of Lost Magic. And now, he's single-handedly taken down a guild's ace and one of our Wizard Saints without suffering a scratch. It makes me wonder what other kind of devastation he could cause if he so chose."
"If his mystery and his power so concern you, perhaps it would be wiser not to needlessly provoke him and make ourselves his enemy." the kimono-wearing mage suggested.
"On the contrary, we have to be ready to face him should we ever have to. He clearly has no love for us. If we move against Fairy Tail, he'll oppose us for sure." another Councilman countered.
"That is beside the point right now." Siegrain butted in. "If I may bring us back to the matter at hand, what are we to do about this whole Phantom Lord situation?"
"The only thing there is to do." the chairman answered. "Phantom Lord will be disbanded and Jose Porla will lose his position among the Wizard Saints. Although I highly doubt we will ever see him again. Now, unless any of you have anything to add, we are adjourned."
While this was happening, Natsu and Makarov could be found chatting in the hallway. Surprisingly, after hearing the pinkette's account of what had happened in his absence, the guild master was quite confident.
"All in all, I think it went pretty well." he declared, breathing a sigh of relief.
His attitude made Natsu raise a brow in bemusement. "Were we in the same meeting? The one where you literally fell asleep on the stand?"
This reminder caused a complete turnaround in the Wizard Saint's behavior, that went from relieved and confident to sheepish and a little scared. He looked away and started rubbing the back of his head. "Y-Yes. Sorry about that." There was then a pause in their discussion as Natsu waited for the short man to add what he was struggling to. "Say...Natsu...Is there any way at all that you could not tell the First Master about this particular episode of the hearing?"
'Oh, just you wait.' the aforementioned blonde commented in a sickly sweet tone of voice.
"I'm afraid it's too late for that." the pink-haired mage responded, honestly feeling a little bad for what the mustached man was bound to take. This feeling only increased when he saw Makarov's face turn pale.
But before either of them could say anything more, they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming towards them. As they turned towards it, they saw one of the very people they had just left approaching them.
"Councilwoman Milkovich." Makarov politely saluted with a respectful nod. "I take it the deliberations have ended?"
"Saint Dreyar." the woman greeted back with one of her enigmatic smiles. "Indeed, they have. I believe your friend Yajima will be here shortly to share our conclusions with you. In the meantime, may I borrow Natsu a minute or two?"
"Borrow me?" the S-class mage repeated, but was ignored.
"Of course." the small man accepted, walking back towards the hearing room to join with his former teammate.
"You made quite the impression back there." the dark-haired woman informed him with an amused smile as she started to walk in the other direction.
"And let me guess, not in a good way." the pinkette surmised and walked with her.
His assumption made the Council member chuckle. "It depends on your definition of good. Some would find intimidating the Magic Council quite a useful thing. Then again, you probably have concerns that they don't."
"So what do they plan to do?" the Fairy Tail wizard asked after a few moments, studying his interlocutor's expression closely, knowing that everything this woman said had to be taken with a pinch of salt.
"For now, they're just going to keep an eye on you. They're much too wary of you to do anything more. The only decisions they did reach today were that Phantom Lord would be dissolved and Jose disgraced." Ultear disclosed.
"This seems mild. He should be imprisoned for his crimes at the very least." Natsu shared his opinion.
"Now, now, Natsu. In case you've forgotten, you're no longer testifying. There's no need for pretenses anymore. We both know that no one will ever see Jose Porla again. And if I had taken that position in there, this could have seriously harmed you and this precious guild of yours." the Councilwoman explained, her tone light in contrast with the seriousness of her words.
"Are you threatening me?" the pink-haired mage inquired, finding it hard to believe that this woman could be so daring.
"Oh, on the contrary. I'm pointing out that I supported you on an issue that is most important to you. I do not believe it is unreasonable to expect you to return the favor." she suggested with a smug grin, which instantly vanished with Natsu's next sentence.
"You mean with your mother? I thought we had agreed the story between you two was none of my business." Salamander wondered, intrigued by the rage that appeared in the young woman's eyes.
"That is what I said, yes." the dark-haired woman confirmed through gritted teeth. "But then, I gave it some more thought and realized that it became your business when you brought her back from the dead. You made a choice then. You didn't know anything about this woman. Yet, you chose to bring her back to life, even though it implied also reviving a mindless, murderous beast and endanger who knows how many people. Perhaps it's time you started to wonder what you've triggered by doing so. And take responsibility for the consequences."
"What exactly do you expect from me?" Natsu interrogated after a while of trying to decipher the resentment in her words.
Ultear herself had to take a few extra seconds and deep breaths to alleviate the deep-rooted anger that was assailing her mind. "The only upside I can see in what you did is that she most likely trusts you somewhat now. Maybe even enough to be honest with you about her own wickedness, and tell you the truth I know she will never tell me. What do I want? I want to know why she abandoned me and replaced me with those two buffoons she picked up who knows where."
Their conversation then entered another lull as Natsu assessed her words. One thing was certain, if there ever was anything this woman had been honest about, it was her hatred of her mother. "You're right, I don't know her well. But even then, I don't really believe that she abandoned you. And frankly, I don't think you do either."
"And who are you to tell me what I believe-" she began inveigh against him.
"You kept her name." the pinkette cut her off, his statement giving her pause. "So, at the very least, some part of you still hopes there is an explanation to what happened."
She spent some time silently gazing at him with narrowed eyes before she rebutted his comment. "Whatever. You offered me your help not so long ago. Now, I'm taking you up on it.
So you're either going to do this, or you're not. Which is it?"
Despite his better judgment, Natsu had to admit this had piqued his interest. "Fine. I'll look into it." he relented.
His answer brought a smile of satisfaction to the Council member's face. "Good. And as a token of good faith, here's something you should know. Siegrain is going to make his move soon. If I were you, I'd keep an eye on Erza Scarlet." And without anything more, she turned around and walked away.
This same evening, as the sun had set and the stars were beginning to shine in the dark sky, Wendy Marvell could be found in her pajamas, getting ready for bed in the house she shared with her brother and their two furry partners; both of whom were already fast asleep. Usually, that house made her feel safe and relaxed. But for the past few days, she had been filled with nothing but apprehension. Ever since Natsu had told her he had been summoned by the Magic Council, she had been feeling uneasy. It wasn't that she was worried about what the Council could do. She knew better than anyone just how powerful her older sibling was and had no doubt that he could easily fight his way out of Era without suffering a scratch if he so wished. No, what truly made her lose sleep was the possibility that the secret of his true nature would come out. If that were to happen, he might be forced to leave Fairy Tail and go into hiding, else run the risk of being constantly sought after by wizards who wanted either to obtain power from him or make a name for themselves by taking him out. And knowing him, he would feel remiss to take her with him and make her go through that alongside him; even if that was what she wanted. Which, in the end, would mean that she would, once again, find herself isolated from someone that she considered her family. And that was her biggest fear. She knew it was a little irrational, but she couldn't help it. First, her mother. Then, her brother. And finally, her first guild. It was starting to be a lot. Now, Wendy didn't believe in things like fate; Natsu had seen to it. But it seemed like the world was determined to take her family away from her. Granted, it was a little different regarding her pink-haired sibling. First of all, he had come back, like he had promised he would. Second, he hadn't up and left like her mother or vanished forever like Cait Shelter. The only reason why they had separated was for her to experience the world.
"Good evening, Wendy." an unknown voice rang out from behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Spinning around in an instant, she assumed a defensive stance. And locked eyes with the intruder who was sitting on a nearby cupboard. It was a girl around her own age with extremely long blonde hair, green eyes, dressed in a white dress and no shoes. She was looking at her with a warm smile that befitted someone older than her.
"Who are you? What are you doing in our house?" the bluenette fired off suspiciously, not swayed by how innocent the newcomer looked.
And yet, her distrustful attitude only made the other girl's smile widen. "You have nothing to fear from me. I mean you no harm."
Although it was intended to be reassuring, this declaration only served to cause the Sky Dragon Slayer's eyes to narrow further. "Then why did you sneak up on me? Why could I not hear you? Why can I still not smell your scent?"
"Because what you are currently talking to is a thought projection. And thus incapable of hurting you." Mavis reasoned, hoping to allay the other girl's concerns.
"But you can still try to deceive me." the blue-haired girl argued.
"True." the blonde admitted. "But what if I told you that I am a friend of Natsu's?"
The First Master finally felt like she was making progress when she saw the bluenette's eyes widen slightly at that suggestion. "I would ask you to prove it. Tell me something he would only reveal to someone he trusts."
"Fair enough. For starters, as long as it's just the two of us, maybe you'd rather we refer to him as "Blazeel"?" Mavis proposed, seeing shock fill Wendy's expression. "That is the name he used to introduce himself to you seven years ago, isn't it? After you dragon mother, the Sky Dragon Grandeeney disappeared, he took you in and trained you for a year before you separated with the promise that you'd meet again. Is this enough?"
"For now." the Sky Dragon Slayer acquiesced, lowering her stance. "Who are you?"
"My name is Mavis Vermillion. Nice to finally meet you, Wendy." the thought projection presented herself with a friendly smile.
"Nice to meet you too, Mavis...I've heard that name before…" the blue-haired girl thought aloud. Her eyes became the size of dinner plates when realization hit her. "Wait. You mean Fairy Tail's first guild master, Mavis Vermillion?!"
Mavis' smile slightly faltered at that. She didn't like it when people only saw her as the legendary "First Master" and failed to notice the person that she was underneath. Truth be told, she hated it. And it happened almost systematically nowadays. And that's one of the main reasons why she and Natsu got along so well. He had only ever seen her as Mavis Vermillion. Ever since they had first met, he had never once let her abilities or her intellect blind him to her personality. He never worshiped her like some sort of messiah or genius, and he even challenged her on a regular basis. But everyone else…. Even Warrod, the other night, had treated her more like his general than an old friend. Although it was a little more understandable in this case, considering what they had gone through during the Second Trade War, it was still no less upsetting to her. She had never, in all her life, wanted to be a guild master, let alone a military leader. All she ever wanted was to make friends and go on adventures with them, explore the world and discover magic. But ever since she had left Tenrou Island, it had just been one thing leading to another. She had always told herself that she had time, that there would always be another chance. And then she died. Well, not exactly, but close enough. Irony of it all, she'd wound up right back where she had originally started: stuck alone on her island. It wasn't just boring, it was downright depressing. Until Natsu showed up and allowed her to finally live out her dream. It was something she was immensely grateful for. So the least she could do was look after his little sister in his absence. Speaking of which.
"If you don't mind, I prefer Mavis." she simply stated.
"O-Of course." Wendy hurriedly agreed. "But why are you here?"
"Well first and foremost, I'm here to reassure you, to tell that Natsu's hearing is over and the Magic Council isn't going to take any action against him or Fairy Tail." the blonde girl revealed with a gentle smile back on her lips.
The bluenette's tension visibly lessened at that declaration. But her biggest concern remained. "What about his secret? Do they know that he's…"
"A dragon?" the First Master finished, shamelessly amused. "No, they don't. They are not even close to suspecting it. And you don't have to worry about that. No one could ever imagine such a thing, it sounds far too far-fetched. So the only way he could ever get caught was if he was sloppy, and we both that will never happen." At this point, she gave the young girl a few moments to fully soak her words up, and was glad to see the relief flood her expression. "That being said, there is a second reason for my presence…. How would you like to play a prank on your brother?"
The following afternoon, Natsu was returning to his house after the long trip back from Era. He and Makarov hadn't lingered in the city. Neither of them felt particularly at ease there, and the guild master was worried about the state he'd find the construction site in after such a long absence. For this reason, and the fact that he didn't want to have to deal with it, they had parted upon reaching the outskirts of Magnolia, and he'd delegated the task of recounting the hearing to their guild members to the old man and had headed straight home. There was still something on his mind though. Ever since they'd left Era, Mavis had been uncharacteristically quiet. Knowing her, it could only mean one of two things: she was upset about something or she was up to something. And he'd like to think that she trusted him enough to tell about anything that was bothering her. Which only left….
He decided to postpone this reflection when he reached the front door. He could tell by his nose that Wendy was inside, so he wasn't really surprised when he spotted a mane of blue hair as he opened the door and stepping inside. What shocked him to a halt was everything else.
Because what stood before him wasn't his little sister, but a tall woman in her late teens with ample breasts. Her attire consisted of a very revealing cerulean-colored top with a thin white trim, which tapers off at her waist and at her bust into multiple spiked points. Decorating the front of this top was a sky blue bow tied in the very center of her chest, and she wrapped up her overall appearance with a pair of white capri shorts.
"…What?" the pinkette asked in bewilderment.