Hey guys, I'm back with the first quick update chapter. This new chapter will pick up right where the last one left off in the manga, and will start to get the Battle for Fairy Tail arc. In this chapter we'll also see Natsu confront Gajeel about his possible feelings for Levy. This fic has finally passed 800 reviews, is almost at 1,700 followers, and is nearing 1,600 favorites. I want to sincerely thank you all for your continued patience and support, because this fic wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is without all of you. So with that all out of the way, let's get to the fic!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Magic
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, or any of its characters.
(The Next Day: Fairy Tail Guild Hall)
"The guild's as noisy as ever today." Lucy said with a small smile, as she rested her head on her palm, watching her rowdy nakama yell and laugh. "It's just so lively in here."
"Well it can't be helped." Erza said, walking up behind Lucy and resting her hands on her hips. "It's Fairy Tail's spirit after all."
"Ah, it's not so bad." Lucy said, as she turned to face the scarlet-haired knight. The blonde celestial spirit mage was surprised to see that Erza was wearing a brand new set of armor. Lucy was also surprised that Erza wasn't trying to calm everyone down and stop the party. "Hmm, it seems like you've changed ever since we got back from the Tower of Heaven, Erza." A hidden smirk spread across Lucy's face when she noticed Erza unconsciously rubbing her mate mark. "Heh, I wonder why."
"Really? I don't feel like I'm doing anything different." Erza said in a confused tone, slightly cocking her head. "Please elaborate Lucy."
"Well before you'd be yelling at everyone to calm down and to be quite." Lucy explained, as she gestured to the partially destroyed guild hall in front of her. Erza's face slightly flushed red in embarassment, as she remembered all the destruction she had caused the previous day. "But now you're joining and partying with us. It's good for us to relax once in a while, you're only young once. Everyone needs to unwind and blow off some steam every now and then."
"Well...I suppose you're right." Erza said, slowly nodding her head. "But I still think I went a little overboard yesterday. I mean Elfman just regained consciousness this morning and Gray will never look at spoons the same way ever again."
"Huh? What did you to Gray with a spoon?" Lucy asked, as she quirked an eyebrow in confusion.
"It's best you don't ask." Erza replied in a serious tone, leaning closer to the blonde celestial spirit mage and locking eyes with her. "I mean it Lucy, you don't want to know."
"O-Okay Erza...I won't ask again." Lucy said with an audible gulp, as she slowly leaned away from Erza. "S-So changing the subject...that new armor you're wearing looks pretty cool."
"Why thank you Lucy, this armor is quite comfortable." Erza said with a smile, her tone and mood doing a complete 180. Erza's new armor was more detailed, sporting a breastplate now composed of a single piece of metal, decorated with curved lines and a deformed version of Heart Kreuz's mark. The right arm of the mark's cross extended to armor's right side, with Fairy Tail's mark added under the cross itself, which was now lacking the brand's name. The shoulderguards were also larger and more detailed. The waistguard was now composed of only two elaborated plates hanging from a simple belt over a smaller thinner pair of plates circling her waist. The most visible additions of the new armor were the plated gauntlets extending up to Erza's elbows, which were covered by elbow guards adorned by protruding metal ornaments similar to feathers, and a prominent armored collar circling her neck and leaving the front side open. This collar was made up by protrusions similar to the ones on Erza's elbows. "This armor is actually a brand new design by Heart Kreuz. It was specially designed just for me."
"Well it looks great on you." Lucy said, as she gave Erza's new armor a quick look over. "Although it is kinda weird seeing you wear something so flashy."
"Oh, I'm the flashy one?" Erza asked with a teasing smirk, quirking an eyebrow in amusement. "You're the one who's hair is all done up and is wearing makeup...and those clothes you're wearing." Erza shook her head as she glanced at Lucy's attire, which consisted of a orange blouse that exposed her midriff and a pair of extremely short shorts, that exposed most of the blonde's luscious thighs. "I think you're the one who's trying to catch someone's attention."
"Well that reporter is coming today..." Lucy muttered, as her face began to flush red in embarassment. "And I was really hoping to-"
"OH! IT'S TITANIA ERZA!" A new voice shouted from behind Erza and Lucy. Turning around, both girls were surprised to see a scrawny looking man with dark blonde hair, which was sticking straight up in a single point on his head. The overexcited man was wearing a Fairy Tail t-shirt and had a camera around his neck, as he ran towards both girls. "OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S REALLY YOU!" Suddenly the man slide on his knees, coming to a stop right in front of Lucy and Erza. "COOL! COOL! COOOOOOOL! THE REAL ERZA IS SO COOOOL!"
"He's...the reporter from the Weekly Sorcerer?" Lucy asked, pointing to the panting man, who looked like he was about to pass out from sheer excitement. "Is rather...energetic...isn't he?"
"I believe his name is Jason." Erza said whispered to Lucy, just as said man got back onto his feet and rushed over to the scarlet-haired knight. "I see you made it here okay."
"Oh it was no problem." Jason said with a grin, rapidly nodding his head and pulling out a pen and notepad. "Now can I ask you some questions?"
"Hello, my name is Lucy." The blonde celestial spirt mage said with a bright smile, as she extended her hand to Jason. "I'm Erza's friend." However, Lucy's shoulders sank when she saw that she was being completely ignored by the reporter. "OH COME ON! I got all dolled up for this interview and now he's acting like I don't even exist!"
"So Erza, how many armors can you re-equip into?" Jason asked, his hands slightly trembling as he prepared to jot down anything the scarlet-haired knight might say.
"Hmmm..." Erza hummed, as she tapped her chin while she thought. "Around two hundred I think, I don't really keep count to be honest."
"SO COOL!" Jason exclaimed, rapidly scribbling notes onto his notepad. "Which one do you like the most!?"
"It's a tie between the Flame and Lightning Empress armors." Erza replied, as a small smile spread across her face.
"THAT'S COOL!" Jason cheered, quickly jotting down several more notes. "Any particular reason you likes those armors over all your others?"
"Yes, there is a special reason that I like those more..." Erza said, as she gave Jason a sly wink. "But that's a secret."
"THAT ANSWER WAS SO COOL!" Jason yelled with a stupid grin, flipping to a new page on his notepad. "Okay, let's move to an easier question. What's your favorite food."
"Ah, that's an easy one." Erza replied, as she closed her eyes and nodded her head. "Strawberry cake is my favorite food by far."
"*Sigh* I guess I did all this for nothing..." Lucy complained, resting her head on her palm as she watched Jason continue to question Erza. However, Lucy perked back up when she saw Jason walk away from Erza and turn his attention to her. The blonde celestial spirit mage smiled and the reporter and waved him over. But Lucy's hopes were quickly dashed when Jason sprinted past her, practically shoving her out of the way in the process.
"IT'S GRAY! I CAN'T BELIVE THE REAL GRAY IS RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES!" Jason exclaimed, as he came to a skidding stop in front of the ice mage's table.
"Damn it...why isn't he paying attention to me?" Lucy muttered, slumping down into the seat next to Erza. The scarlet-haired knight couldn't help but chuckle lightly when Lucy slammed her head onto the table in frustration. "It's not fair."
"Well he's interviewing the most well know members of the guild first." Erza reasoned, just as Mirajane strolled over and set down a tray full of tea and sweets. The scarlet-haired knight's mouth began to water, as she eyed the numerous cakes and deserts Mirajane had baked. "I'm sure he'll get to you eventually."
"That's right Lucy, just be patient." Mirajane said with a smile, taking a seat on the other side of the table. "You'll get your chance to be interviewed."
"I guess you're right...I'll just have to wait my turn I guess." Lucy said, as she released a light sigh. However, as Lucy stared at the white-haired barmaid, she suddenly remembered something. "By the way Mira, weren't you supposed to be performing a song in a few minutes?"
"Oh that, don't worry about it..." Mirajane replied with an innocent smile, dismissively waving off Lucy's question. "Someone asked if they could perform instead of me, and I said it was okay."
"Who is it?" Lucy asked, as she quirked an eyebrow in intrigue.
"I promised I wouldn't tell." Mirajane said with a quick wink, pressing a finger to her lips. "So you won't get any info out of me."
"Fine..." Lucy said with a huff, as she laid her head back down on the table.
"Mira these are delicious." Erza moaned, biting into her fourth piece of strawberry cake. "You'll have to teach me how to makes these sometime."
"How can she keep eating like that and keep that figure?" Lucy thought with a frown, as she watched Erza finish her piece of cake and immidiately move on to another one. "Where does all that cake go-" Lucy stopped mid-thought when her eyes landed on Erza's breastplate. Despite being covered by armor, Lucy knew the giant globes of flesh that lie hidden underneath. "Oh, that's where it goes."
"I'm enjoying your company Mira and love that your brought us snacks..." Erza said in suspicious tone, setting down her fork and quickly wiping her mouth. The scarlet-haired knight's eyes suddenly narrowed, spotting the devious smile on Mirajane's face. "Shouldn't you be getting back to the bar? I'm sure other people are waiting to place orders."
"It's no problem." Mirajane said, as she cocked her head, her smile widening. "I got someone to fill in for me for a little bit. So I have some time to spare."
"Okay Mira, what do you want?" Erza asked, pushing her half-eaten piece of cake away. "We've been friends for years, so I can spot most of your little tricks. You obviously brought these sweets to butter me up."
"Oh? Whatever do you mean Erza?" Mirajane asked in an innocent tone, as she pouted cutely. "I would never do something like that, and I'm a little offended that you'd accuse me of such a thing."
"Okay Mira drop the act already..." Erza said with a hint of annoyance, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm not really in the mood to play your games right now. You obviously want something so just out with it already."
"You're no fun Erza!" Mirajane huffed, as she crossed her arms underneath her impressive bust. "Hmph! At least Natsu plays with me a little." Mirajane's devious smile soon returned, as she began to tap her chin. "Speaking of Natsu...your hair looks quite different Erza."
"Ah, I see what this about now." Erza said, leaning forward and resting her head on her hand. "You want the details of my first time with Natsu."
"Is it that obvious?" Mirajane asked with a smirk, as leaned towards Erza in anticipation. "So, will you spill the beans? I'm dying to find out, especially after Lucy told me all about her 'special' time with Natsu."
"You told Mira about that?" Erza asked the blonde next to her in a surprised tone. "Huh, I didn't know you were that type of girl Lucy."
"Hey, I'm not some floozy who goes around and brags about all the guys she bangs." Lucy said in a slightly offended tone, her face burning a light shade of red. "I only told Mira because she's the one who helped me get with Natsu in the first place. Without her encouragement I wouldn't be together with him."
"That's right Mira..." Erza said, as she turned attention back to the white-haired barmaid. "You're the one came up with this whole little 'harem' situation Natsu has going on right now. I must say I don't appreciate you scheming behind my back."
"Well you know how you can be Erza..." Mirajane said, leaning back away from the scarlet-haired knight. "If you had gotten with Natsu first, then you would have most likely hogged him all to yourself. You can be quite possessive, so I figured the that only way for Lucy and I to have a chance was to somehow be with him first. That would force you to be open to the idea of sharing Natsu, or lose him forever." Erza's face started to turn red in embarassment, because she knew that the things that Mirajane was saying were true. "Besides Natsu was raised by two dragon kings, so he's destined to be several girls. It's not something he can really control."
"I guess you're right." Erza said, as her irritation began to ween. "I will admit that I'm not too thrilled about the idea of sharing Natsu with other girls, but my time spent with Lucy has begun to change my mind. I feel closer with her now more than ever, and I know it's because we're both Natsu's mates. So, I guess I can get used to Natsu being with multiple girls."
"Well that's good, because I plan on making my move soon. Can't let you two have Natsu all to yourselves." Mirajane said in sly tone, a devious smirk returning to her face. "So Erza, you gonna tell me about your first time with Natsu or not?"
"*Sigh* You just don't know when to quite, do you?" Erza muttered, as closed her eyes and took a calming breath. When Erza's reopened her eyes, they were half-lidded and teasing, a small smile gracing her face. "Fine Mira I'll tell you...but not about my first time with Natsu." The white-haired barmaid quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "I'll tell you about my first 'six' times with Natsu."
"I'm listening..." Mirajane said, leaning closer to Erza, the scarlet-haired knight now getting her full attention.
(Across the Guild Hall: With Gray and Juvia)
"Oi, who are you?" Gray asked the hyperactive man, who had just stormed over to his table.
"Remember what master said yesterday, Gray-sama?" Juvia said, as she smiled brightly at Jason. "He must be the reporter from the Weekly Sorcerer."
"Oh great, now there's two annoyances at this table." Gray thought, releasing a long sigh.
"WHOA! IT CAN'T BE!" Jason shouted, his eyes shooting widen open in excitement when he spotted the blue-haired water mage. "YOU'RE JUVIA! I THOUGHT YOU WERE WITH PHANTOM LORD! BUT NOW YOU'RE WITH FAIRY TAIL! COOL!"
"Yes, Juvia was once a member of Phantom Lord." Juvia explained, as her pale white cheeks began to flush red. "But after reuniting with an old friend and meeting someone special, Juvia decided it was best for her to leave Phantom Lord and join Fairy Tail."
"OH!" Jason exclaimed, erratically scribbling down notes onto his notepad. "A possible love triangle?! This will definitely spice up the next issue!"
"Wait! Juvia didn't-"
"Gray!" Jason shouted, as he pointed at the peeved ice mage. "Why are you always undressing?"
"I don't!" Gray replied in an irritated tone, standing up from his seat. Jason and Juvia's eyes were both draw downwards, spotting that Gray had already removed his pants. "So don't go calling me a pervert or some shit!"
"G-Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed with a massive blush, as she frantically pointing to the ice mage's lower body; doing her best to avert her gaze. "Y-Your underwear is showing!"
"AH!" Gray yelled in surprise, immediately sitting back down in his seat to hide his lower half. "Why does this keep happening!?"
"OH MY GOD!" Jason suddenly cheered, as he spotted a pink-haired man walking across the guild hall. "IT'S REALLY HIM!"
(Back with Lucy, Mirajane and Erza)
"Oh my God Erza..." Mirajane said, panting slightly as she fanned herself with her hand. "Those were some really steamy details. I seriously wasn't expecting you to go so...in depth."
"Well you wanted to know all the details..." Erza said with a sly smirk, as she flipped some scarlet and pink locks out of her eyes. "And I always aim to please."
"Heh, you sure do." Mirajane said with a smirk of her own, leaning towards the scarlet-haired knight. "So can I see it?"
"See what?" Erza teased, fully knowing what the white-haired barmaid was referring to.
"Don't play stupid with me Erza, you know what I'm talking about." Mirajane said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "If you don't show me I'll start to get upset."
"Alright, alright. I was just getting back at you for earlier." Erza said, as she unequipped her armor and moving some of her hair to the side. "You wanted to see this, right?" Pulling down her collar, Erza revealed her mate mark to Mirajane. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"It's so intricate...just like Lucy's mark." Mirajane said in awe, faintly tracing the mate mark's lines with her finger tip; causing a shiver of pleasure to run down Erza's spine. "The design is simply beautiful, and I can feel a faint warmth emanating from it." Releasing a light sigh, Mirajane leaned back away from Erza. "Man, I can't wait to get my own mark."
"Don't worry Mira, I'm sure you won't have to wait much longer." Lucy reassured the white-haired barmaid with a small smile. "If Natsu felt a connection to Erza and I, I'm sure he felt one to you as well. He's probably just waiting for the right time."
"You're right Lucy, thanks for that." Mirajane said, as she flashed Lucy a smile of her own. "But a girl can only wait so long before she starts to get impatient, you know?"
"Trust Mira, Natsu is worth the wait." Lucy said, patting the top of Mirajane's hand.
"You bet your ass he is." Erza said with a grin, as she re-equipped her armor.
"Huh, speak of the devil." Mirajane said suddenly, spotting a familiar pink-haired dragon slayer walking towards them. "Here comes Natsu right now."
"Hey girls!" Natsu exclaimed with a toothy grin, as he waved to the girls. "How are you all?!"
"Hey Natsu!" All three girls chimed simultaneously, smiling at the man they loved.
"What brings you over here Natsu?" Mirajane asked, as she cocked her head slightly. "Normally you'd be rushing to pick a job, and practically pushing Lucy and Erza out the door."
"I actually wanted to ask you guys something." Natsu replied, placing his hands on the table and leaning towards the girls. "Have any of you seen Gajeel anywhere? I wanted to talk with him about something."
"Actually Natsu, Gajeel is-"
"COOL!" Mirajane was cut off when Jason ran up to the table and practically tackled Natsu. "YOU'RE NATSU DRAGNEEL! THE SALAMANDER OF FAIRY TAIL THAT I WANTED TO SEE THE MOST!"
"Oi, wait a second..." Natsu said with narrowed eyes, as he looked at Jason from head to toe. Suddenly the dual dragon slayer's eyes shot open in realization. "You're that damn reporter from the Weekly Sorcerer!" Natsu grabbed Jason by the collar and lifted him into the air, which only seemed to excite the reporter even more. "You've been ruining my reputation you bastard!"
"You tend to do that on your own Natsu." Erza muttered, releasing a light sigh.
"You're always reporting that I destroyed this, and demolished that!" Natsu growled, continuing to glare at Jason. "I mean just a few weeks ago you said I trashed all of Hargeon!"
"But didn't you!?" Jason asked, which caused Natsu to huff in irritation.
"NO! I destroyed the port! And only the port! Not the entire town!" Natsu exclaimed, causing the three girls next to him to sweatdrop. "Get your facts straight next time!"
"COOL! COOL! COOL!" Jason cheered, as he rapidly scribbled down a series of notes. "I'LL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT NEXT TIME!"
"Good." Natsu said, setting Jason back down onto the ground. "Cause I don't like people spreading stupid rumors about me."
"Natsu, would it be cool with you if I shook your hand!?" Jason asked, as he extended his hand to the dual dragon slayer.
"Uh, sure thing." Natsu said, taking ahold of Jason's hand and shaking it. However, a devilish smirk soon spread across Natsu's face. "Careful, people sometimes say my handshakes are quite...shocking." Without warning, Natsu charged his hand with lightning, sending powerful jolts of electricity into Jason's body.
"C-C-C-C-COOOOL!" Jason exclaimed, as his entire body began to spasm from the lighting flowing into his body. When Natsu released his hand, Jason collapsed to the ground, still twitching slightly. "T-That was the most e-electrifying handshake I've ever experienced! You're too c-cool N-Natsu! A real h-hero!" With great effort Jason pulled out his notepad once again and jotted down some more notes. "I'm totally writing this down."
"Man he's really dedicated." Lucy said, getting out of her seat and crouching down next to Jason. "Uh...Mr. Reporter...do you any questions to ask me?"
Jason stared at Lucy with wide eyes for a few moments, before he suddenly darted past the blonde celestial spirit mage. "ELFMAN! SO COOL!"
"Damn it." Lucy sighed, as she leaned against a nearby wall in disappointment.
"Don't give up Luce." Natsu said with a grin, patting his mate on the shoulder. "If you keep at it, I'm sure that reporter will interview you."
"You're right!" Lucy exclaimed, as she perked back up; Natsu's words causing a fiery determination to burn within her. "I'll give it my all!"
"Then go get him!" Natsu cheered, giving Lucy a gentle slap on the back.
"I'm getting that damn interview!" Lucy yelled, as she stormed after Jason. By the time Lucy caught up with the reporter, he was already interviewing Elfman.
"What is manly to you?" Jason asked, pen ready to write down anything Elfman said.
"That's a manly question." Elfman replied with a smirk.
"How can such a lame conversation be more important than me!?" Lucy exclaimed, as she reached out to tap Jason's shoulder. "Excuse Mr. Re-" But before Lucy could even finish, Jason had already moved on to someone else.
"CANA! I totally need to get a picture of you this time!" Jason cheered, quickly snapping a pick of the lush brunette.
"HAHA! I like your energy man!" Cana said with a grin, as she patted the seat next to her. "Why don't you sit down and have a drink with me?"
"You're not getting away this time!" Lucy thought, finally catching up to Jason. But when the blonde celestial spirit mage stopped for a moment to compose herself, the reporter had taken off once again. Seeing that Jason had eluded her once again, Lucy stomped her foot in frustration. "GOD DAMN IT!"
"OH! TEAM SHADOW GEAR! COOL! Is it true that you guys have a love triangle going on?" Jason asked, which caused Levy to quirk an eyebrow in confusion.
"Huh? What are you-"
"No comments!" Jet and Droy cut Levy off simultaneously, both men having fierce blushes spread across their faces.
"WHOA! Master Makarov!" Jason cheered, as he slide up next to Fairy Tail's guild master. "Can you give me a new guild ambition please!?"
"Hmm..." Makarov hummed, stroking his chin while he thought. "To let love and justice fill people's minds."
"Something smells like bullshit..." Lucy said, as she scrunched her nose and crossed her arms underneath her chest. "Alright that's it." Huffing in irritation, Lucy stormed off to a nearby changing room. "Sorry Natsu, but I'm going to get this guy to notice me and you did tell me to give it my all." Slipping into the small changing room, Lucy smirked when she spotted the perfect outfit. "Oh, this will definitely get his attention." A few minutes later Lucy stepped out of the dressing room, now dressed in a very revealing bunny girl outfit. With a massive blush spreading across her face, Lucy made her way onto the main stage. "God this is so embarrassing! But I'm getting that interview damn it! Alright..." Lucy took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, before a bright smile spread across her face. "Hey everyone, look over here!" Instantly, all eyes in the guild were on Lucy; everyone shocked to see what Lucy was wearing. But none of them were more shocked then Natsu, the dragon slayer spitting out his drink when he saw his mate so scantily dressed in front of so many people. "I'm gonna sing you all a song now!"
"LUCY?!"
"HUH!?"
"A BUNNY GIRL!?"
"I knew Lucy could be bold, but..." Erza said, as she stared at the blonde celestial spirit mage in shock.
"Natsu...are you okay?" Mirajane asked, knowing how the dual dragon slayer normally reacted when people flirted with or ogled his mates.
"I'm...okay...I'm alright..." Natsu muttered, his brow twitching as he took rapid breaths to calm himself. The pink-haired dragon slayer could practically feeling everyone mentally undressing Lucy, his girl, and it was making his skin crawl. "I know I told her to go all out and get that reporter's attention, but this is going too far! I feel like I'm gonna explode right now!"
"Heh, I knew the bunny girl costume would be popular." Lucy thought with a smirk, as she gazed at her awestruck nakama. Suddenly all the lights in the guild went out, something that Lucy hadn't planned on. "What's going on now!?" Out of nowhere pure white curtains dropped down on the stage behind Lucy.
"What?! What?!"
"Is that Mira-chan!?"
"Is she going to sing too!?"
"Oh no." Mirajane said, hiding her face in her hand. "I totally forgot."
"Forgot about what?" Natsu asked, as he quirked an eyebrow in confusion. Suddenly the white curtains moved away, revealing Gajeel sitting on the stage in a white suit and hat, with sunglasses covering his eyes and a guitar in his hands. Lucy stood beside Gajeel, staring at the iron dragon slayer in utter shock.
"GAJEEL!?"
"WHAT THE FUCK!?"
"BWAHAHAHA!" Natsu laughed uproariously, slapping his hand onto the table. "What's with that getup man!? I'm dying!"
"There aren't many things that can entertain me~" Gajeel sang, as he began to strum his guitar.
"HAHAHA! He's singing too!" Natsu bellowed, now on the floor rolling in laughter; tears forming in his eyes. "HAHAHA! I can't take it! Someone stop him before I die!"
"I was a stray wolf, but now I'm accepted by you guys, then I should get closer to you~" Gajeel continued to sing, as his fellow guild members stared at him awkwardly. "Even though we were enemies before, now we're friends~"
"H-Huh, his singing voice may be a little off, but his lyrics aren't bad." Gray said, a shudder running down his spine.
"Do you best Gajeel-kun!" Juvia cheered with a large smile, as she clapped her hands.
"Yeah, give it your best!" Natsu parroted, slowly getting up off the floor, his boisterous laughing changing to barely contained giggles.
"Natsu, be nice to Gajeel-kun." Juvia said with a frown, as she gently slapped the pink-haired dragon slayer in the arm. "He's trying to closer to everyone."
"I got that Juvia." Natsu said, taking a breath to calm himself and wiping the tears that had formed in his eyes. "I already accept Gajeel, so he didn't have to do this to earn my trust. But you gotta admit this is fucking gold."
"You...already accept Gajeel-kun?" Juvia repeated, as her eyes widened in surprise. "After all he did to your guild and nakama...you'd trust him so easily?"
"What I said the other day didn't convince you?" Natsu asked, a small smile spreading across his face. "I know Gajeel isn't really a bad guy, he can just be a total ass sometimes, so he doesn't have to prove himself to me. Although I can't really forgive him for trashing the guild and hurting my nakama, especially Luce, but I still want to try and be friends with him. I'm sure everyone will come around eventually as well, you just have to be patient with them."
"Thank you for being so kind to Gajeel-kun." Juvia said, as she clutched a hand over heart. "He always has such a tough time making friends...Juvia always saw Gajeel-kun all alone."
"I promise that won't happen here Juvia." Natsu reassured the water mage, wrapping an arm around Juvia's shoulders and pulling her close, which caused a massive blush to spread across Juvia's face; Natsu's warmth completely covering her body. "Fairy Tail members always look out for their nakama."
"O-Okay, J-Juvia will trust you." Juvia stuttered out, as she scooted a little closer to the pink-haired dragon slayer.
"Oi everyone, listen up." Gajeel announced, continuing to strum his guitar as he spoke. "This is a song I wrote called, Best Friend." Adjusting his white hat, Gajeel leaned closer to the microphone. "Colorful, colorful shooby doo bop~! The melody of love, metallic blue~! Dou dou dou shalala~!"
"WHAT THE HELL IS HE SINGING!?"
"GAH! MY EARS!"
"STOP!"
"Alright, Juvia will admit it's kinda funny." Juvia said, using her hand to help suppress her giggles. "*Giggle* Give it your best Gajeel-kun!"
"I bite those honey tightly~" Gajeel sang, before he turned his head away from the microphone and spoke to Lucy. "Oi bunny girl, be my dancer."
"*Sigh* I'm already up here." Lucy said in a dejected tone, starting to half-heartedly dance next to Gajeel.
"COOOOOL!" Jason exclaimed, as he began to snap pictures of Lucy and Gajeel. "The absurdity is off the charts! This has to be the hit song of the year!"
"Shooby doo bop~!" Gajeel sang, dodging a bottle that was thrown at his head.
"What the hell is shooby doo bop anyways!?"
"For the love of God someone stop this guy!"
"COOOOOOLLLLLL!" Jason cheered, as he ran onto the stage and slide up next to Lucy. "Fairy Tail is the best!" The reporter then got back onto his feet and turned to the blonde celestial spirit mage. "Excuse me, but could I bother you for an interview!?"
"Of course!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes lightning up in joy. "Let me just go get changed real quick, and I'll answer any questions you have!"
"COOL!" Jason yelled, as he pointed towards the bar. "When you're ready come meet me over by the bar!"
"YES! I did it!" Lucy cheered in her head, sprinting to the changing room with a triumphant smile on her face. While Lucy prepared for her interview, Gajeel remained on stage singing his song; much to the irritation of his fellow guild members.
"Come on man!"
"Get off the stage!"
"Stop singing already!"
"Nah! Keep it up Gajeel!" Natsu shouted, before he began to laugh boisterously. "You're singing is the best man! HAHAHA!"
"Oi! Shut the hell up Salamander! You're ruining my song!" Gajeel roared, as he hurled his guitar at Natsu. But to Gajeel's surprise, the pink-haired dragon slayer easily caught the instrument.
"Huh, this is actually a pretty sweet guitar." Natsu said, turning the instrument over and inspecting it. "It's almost as nice as Mira's. Too bad I don't know how to play."
"If you're done ogling my guitar, I'd like it back." Gajeel said, as he held out his hand and beckoned Natsu to return the instrument. "That thing was really expensive."
"Why don't you get off your lazy ass and come get it?" Natsu asked with a mischievous smirk, plucking a few of the guitar's strings. "You were the one who threw this thing at me in the first place."
"Tch, fine." Gajeel grunted, as he hopped off the stage and walked over to the dual dragon slayer. "Alright Salamander, give it back."
"Sure thing." Natsu said, holding out the guitar. But when Gajeel reached for the instrument, Natsu pulled it back. "On second thought, not just yet."
"Don't start screwing with me Salamander." Gajeel growled, as he glared at Natsu. "I ain't in the mood for games."
"I'll give your guitar back..." Natsu said, pointing towards a secluded section of the guild hall. "But after we've have a quick talk...in private."
Gajeel's blood red eyes narrowed dangerously, as he stared Natsu down. After several moments, Gajeel saw that the dual dragon likely wasn't going to try any tricks. "*Sigh* Okay, I can talk for a minute, but don't go trying any weird shit."
"I just want to ask you a question." Natsu said, leading Gajeel over towards the back corner of the guild hall. Once Natsu was sure that no one was listening in on them he spoke up. "Okay Gajeel I'm just gonna be blunt and ask you straight up...is Levy your mate?" Gajeel's immediate reaction made Natsu realize that he had hit the nail on the head. The iron dragon slayer's face had quickly flushed red and he began to stammer.
"W-What the hell are you t-talking about Salamander!?" Gajeel hissed, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "There's no way that shrimp would be my mate."
"Are you sure?" Natsu asked, becoming quite amused by Gajeel's flustered state. "Because I'm pretty sure I saw you getting really jealous when Levy kissed me on the cheek the other day."
"Tch, you must be seeing things." Gajeel replied, as he turned his head away from Natsu.
"Oh, if that's the case then I guess you won't mind if try to take her as one of my mates." Natsu said, deciding to give Gajeel a little push and see if he could get some sort of reaction. "I've actually-" Natsu was cut off when Gajeel suddenly grabbed him by the vest and slammed him into the wall. The dual dragon slayer was expecting Gajeel to get upset, but he wasn't prepared for this type of reaction. After being momentarily caught of guard, Natsu regained his composure. "What's up Gajeel?"
"Stay the hell away from Levy." Gajeel growled, as he bared his fangs. "She's mine."
"Is that so?" Natsu asked with a smirk, locking eyes with the iron dragon slayer. "I thought you just said Levy wasn't your mate? So why should you care if I make her one of mine?"
"I-I...well...you see..." Gajeel stammered, as he realized he had been backed into a corner. "I just...shit..."
"Gajeel, put me down." Natsu said with a small smile, the iron dragon slayer quickly doing as he was told. "Now calm down. I wasn't serious about making Levy one of my mates." Natsu had to suppress a giggle when he saw a wave of relief wash over Gajeel. "I just wanted to see how you'd react."
"That was a dirty trick Salamander." Gajeel muttered, as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well I guess you caught me."
"When did you realize she was your mate?" Natsu asked, leaning against the wall next to Gajeel. "It must have been after...you know..."
"Yeah it was after...that." Gajeel replied, as he tightly balled his fists. "After you kicked the shit out of me...and I had some time to think...I couldn't seem to get her out of my head. I guess some part of me realized that she was the one. She was all I could think about...and I started to feel like trash for all the awful things I did to her."
"The reason you couldn't stop thinking about Levy is probably your dragon instincts letting you know that she is your mate...and the reason you feel like shit is because you hurt your mate. Normal dragons have a single mate for life. Their mate is usually determined at first sight...and you hurt the one person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with." Natsu explained, causing Gajeel to hang his head in shame. "My situation is a little different because I was raised by two dragon kings. My magic subconsciously picks several mates for me to ensure that it will passed down to future generations of dragon slayers."
"Well what the hell am I supposed to do now?" Gajeel asked, before he released a heavy sigh. "Levy probably hates my guts right now."
"She doesn't hate you Gajeel...no in Fairy Tail hates you. Yeah sure, some of the other guild members may be pissed at you for what you did, but I can guarantee they don't hate you." Natsu said, making Gajeel lift his head back up. "If anything Levy is just scared of you right now. All you have to do is prove to her that she doesn't have to fear you anymore. You just need to talk with her, and spend some time with her, but don't be too pushy."
"How the hell am I going to face her though?" Gajeel asked, as he locked eyes with Natsu once again. "I did something truly awful to her."
"You just have to man up and apologize to her face-to-face." Natsu said, placing a hand on Gajeel's shoulder. "It's going to take time for you to earn Levy's trust, and even longer to win her heart. But if you're serious about making Levy your mate you can't give up." Natsu suddenly patted Gajeel's shoulder and began to walk away. "You just have to go for it Gajeel. I believe in you can do it."
"I just have to go for it, eh?" Gajeel muttered, as he spotted Levy across the guild hall. The petite bluenette had a smile on her face as she flipped through a book. Gajeel's heart seemed to beat just a little bit faster as he gazed at her. "Maybe Salamander is right."
And done! I know this was a shorter chapter, but I felt this was a good stopping point. Next chapter will finally reintroduce Laxus and really get this arc underway. This chapter also got the Gajeevy relationship started, but don't expect anything to happen between them for quite a while. Just like Natsu said, it's going to take Gajeel quite a while to win Levy's heart. But I also plan on advancing their relationship more in this fic more than in the canon story. I should hopefully have the next chapter out soon, and it will be the last quick update chapter for now. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK, PM me any ideas you have for my fics, and check out my profile and other fics if you haven't. Well that's all I wanted to say. So until next time, I'm outta here!