Author's note : Hey!
Here we go with the next part!
We're still in the introduction phase, but I can't wait to dive deeper into the main story. There will be a few more 'setup' chapters, so to speak, to establish the setting and important characters after this one.
Enjoy reading, and I'll catch up with you at the end!
kuroshiragami0 : To be honest I'm not sure about what you meant by "I respect the Natsu's arc", but thank you for your support ^^. I hope he's okay too :p.
xxXCrimson-Wolf-MoonXxx : Hi! Your comment made me so happy, and your feedback really helped me!
I'm really reassured that their reactions seemed appropriate to you. I had thought of another version of Natsu's confrontation with Gray and Erza after writing this one, and I must admit, I'm itching to write it just to publish an alternative version. It would be a version where the three end up really fighting, but without putting their hearts into it. Like Erza and Gray forcing themselves to attack him to stop him from leaving, trying to corner him by attacking simultaneously. But Natsu keeps getting up, and they end up hurting him unintentionally to the point where they have to beg him to stay down and not get up again. I vaguely allude to this somewhere in this chapter, I think you'll recognize the passage when you read it. But in any case... I really like it and I'm a bit sad I didn't think of it before writing the first version ^^.
Sorry, I'm getting off-topic :p. It was precisely Erza I had some doubts about, so it's perfect if you liked how I handled her emotions and reactions ^^. I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter and of the rest of the fic in general.
Thank you so much for your comment, you have no idea how motivating it is! I hope I won't disappoint you :)
Hope to hear from you soon and happy reading!
TheLaughingStalk : Hi! Thank you! I'm glad I didn't disappoint you! But still, I'm curious to know what usually disappoints you in this kind of scenario. Personally, I haven't read that many... I usually come across stories where Natsu (or Lucy) leaves the guild because, all of a sudden, the guild has become horrible to him for no reason and he leaves. Generally, as soon as I see a fanfiction heading in that direction, I stop reading immediately. I don't like it when the characters are distorted to that extent.
Anyway, thanks for your feedback, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter too!
Guest : Huum, I'm not sure what I should say. I really don't think this kind of review was necessary. Plus you can't just judge with one chapter. I don't know what you mean by "action" fic, but if you mean a story where you only have a succession of fights without any emotional involvment then mine is definitely not what you're searching for. I also don't know if you mean Bromance like only between Natsu and another male character (Gray in this context) or just any fraternal friendship. In any case you can't say that you saw anything with one chapter. Actually we didn't see anything about the plot yet so, maybe you should just wait a bit before making assumptions.
In any case you should maybe watch your words, someone more sensible than me could really take it bad. Not really nice of you to discourage people with non-constructive comments. You could have said the same thing more nicely.
I still hope you're going to find a fic to your liking.
Chapter 3: Aftermath
The door of Fairy Tail flew open.
Lucy burst into the hall, breathless and teary-eyed. She was drenched in sweat from running all the way to the guild without stopping, her exhaustion compounded by the extra energy drain from her growing panic. Her bruised heart was beating so fast that every breath seemed to get stuck in her throat, forming a suffocating lump of air.
Memories of the last few minutes flashed through her mind, bringing tears to her eyes. Her muddled mind couldn't grasp what had really happened; she didn't even know where she had found the strength to come all the way back here while feeling so devastated. In her confusion and panic, she understood only one thing: Natsu had succeeded in putting Gray and Erza out of action before disappearing with Happy without a glance for her. Her defeated friends needed her, and unable to bring them to safety on her own, her only hope was to find help.
So, once her shock dissipated, replaced by immense fear, she had to flee the fateful scene Natsu had left behind and return to the guild.
No one noticed her dramatic entrance since the room was completely empty. Soaked to the skin by the raging downpour outside, she took a few unsteady steps forward, shivering.
"Please!" she called, realizing her friends were probably still in the infirmary. "I need your help!"
Her desperate call was answered immediately. First, she heard a door open, followed by the sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs. They reached the hall where Lucy stood, still shaken.
"Lu-chan?!" Levy exclaimed, noticing her extreme distress. "I thought you-"
She fell silent as she realized that it was precisely the reason for her distress, and her eyes moistened with emotion, halting her words. The other mages behind her also stopped at the foot of the stairs, freezing like she did at the sight of Lucy's evident confusion.
"Where are Gray and Erza?!" Droy immediately asked, as the whole group came to the same conclusion as Levy.
"And Natsu and Happy?!" Jet added.
The girl opened her lips to answer, trembling all over, but tears broke free instead of words. Mirajane rushed to her side, placing gentle hands on her shoulders in a gesture of support. The barmaid furrowed her brow, saddened by her imploring gaze.
"Natsu is… Happy… They-"
Lucy shook her head, attempting to gather the courage to speak, but words remained trapped in her tangled throat once again. Her breathing grew more labored with each passing moment and she hastily shut her eyes, as if to banish the intrusive thoughts stifling her ability to speak.
"They're gone...," she finally managed to announce, new tears covering the old ones along her cheeks. "Gray and Erza... They tried to stop him but-"
Once again, her words were interrupted by a wave of memories, or more precisely by a flash of the scene of desolation that had played out on the edge of the city. Two bodies lying unconscious at the feet of a Natsu turning his back, the curtain of rain veiling the scene in oppressive darkness, seeping deep into her being and chilling her to the core. Then, in a second flash, like a destructive lightning bolt, Natsu vanished from this grim setting, leaving only her and the poisoned legacy he had left behind. She felt so alone once more that it took considerable effort to remind herself that her friends were now near her, where her greatest support no longer was. And never would be again.
For the first time in her life, Natsu wasn't there to give her hope when she had none or to warm her heart. He had never been the source of her pain before, and now that she could no longer benefit from his comforting presence, the situation felt even more insurmountable.
"T-They're unconscious," she revealed, drawing stunned looks. "I-I don't know what happened, I arrived too late... Natsu had already..."
She shook her head, chasing away the most terrifying hypothesis coming to her mind. Her listeners tried to do the same, staring at her wide-eyed. For Gray and Erza to be subdued to the point of unconsciousness, the Dragon Slayer must have used methods they were afraid to imagine. Natsu was powerful, but not enough to take on both of them at once and still escape. This was especially true given his weakened state from the wounds inflicted during his previous mission, which had caused this appalling pain attack.
They tried not to imagine that he could have exploited their emotional instability to overpower them, or to think of the heartbreak caused by a fight where both sides inflicted serious injuries on each other.
"I-I don't think they're hurt," Lucy clarified as she noticed their horrified yet incredulous expressions. "I don't know what Natsu did, but... we have to get them back right away!"
Her panic was growing more intense, so Mirajane hastened to reassure her before her rapid breathing caused her to suffocate or collapse from exhaustion. She held her tenderly, trying not to convey her own anxieties.
"Hey, Lucy… Don't worry, okay? We'll take care of it. Everything will be fine."
"But Natsu-"
"One thing at a time," she objected, with enough confidence to convince her of the validity of her directives. "The most important thing right now is to bring Gray and Erza back and make sure they're okay. We'll search for Natsu and Happy all together, I promise."
Mirajane felt Lucy's nod and her tears stream down her neck as she weakly responded to her embrace, breaking her heart. She could barely contain her own emotions, knowing that their attempt to bring Natsu back had failed, cursing her own inability to discern the truth in the fire mage's actions and words. Yet, she had been the only one, apart from Makarov, to have the opportunity to speak to him between his awakening in the infirmary and his disappearance. This nightmarish situation could have been avoided if she had been more attentive, if she had pressed Natsu when she sensed he was troubled but unwilling to share. Once again, she had allowed herself to be swayed by his smiles, which had always masked his true feelings so effectively. Her incompetence was now having serious consequences, for Lucy and the entire guild.
However, this was no time for self-pity. The urgency of the situation compelled her to pull herself together.
"Lucy, you have to tell me where they are," she asked as she separated from her friend, keeping an encouraging hand on her shoulder.
"J-Just at the edge of the forest, east of town."
Mirajane nodded, giving Lucy's head a brief stroke before entrusting her to the benevolent presence of Levy standing nearby. The latter gently wrapped a warm towel around Lucy's freezing shoulders and slowly rubbed her back, seeking to warm her body and heart as much as possible.
After one last compassionate glance at her heartbroken friend, Mirajane turned to her brother, who nodded in recognition of the silent message conveyed by her gaze. The Strauss siblings then stormed out into the pitch-black night, completely oblivious to the torrential rain still pouring down on the city.
"I'm going too," Macao announced, looking incredibly tense despite the firmness of his declaration. "They'll probably need help."
The rest of the group watched him run out the door, and Wakaba frowned in concern. He'd known Macao for a long time; they'd spent most of their time together when all the other members of the guild were still children. It was evident for him that his friend was not in his right state of mind.
Natsu's disappearance might have been enough to trigger such behavior from him, given the deep affection he felt for the boy, but Wakaba sensed there was something more. Earlier that day, he had observed Macao entering Makarov's office, only to emerge furious. Macao had refused to divulge what had upset him, but Wakaba suspected it was related to his likely conversation with the guild master. Considering Makarov's subsequent announcement of Natsu's departure, Wakaba quickly made the connection. Macao was keeping something from them, something related to this crazy situation, and Wakaba feared that this secret could eventually weigh heavily on his friend if left unshared.
Despite Levy's comforting presence, the stellar mage stubbornly kept her eyes fixed on the ground, until she was enveloped in a warm embrace of tender support. Save for a few embarrassed onlookers, the rest of the guild had gathered around her, forming a shield against sadness and misery.
"Guys…"
"Don't worry, Lucy," Cana declared on behalf of everyone else, placing a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure Gray and Erza are fine, and we'll find Natsu and Happy, for sure."
At that moment, the girl's tears redoubled in intensity, tugging at the heartstrings of a certain old man who couldn't bring himself to join them.
Standing motionless on the threshold of the huge hall, Makarov watched his precious family struggle through the maelstrom of sadness and incomprehension caused by his decisions. He yearned to guide them through this ordeal, but how could he burden them with his own torments, when he had willingly allowed this tragedy to unfold? His children were already so devastated by the consequences of his choices… what would happen if they were to discover the truth?
His thoughts inevitably turned to Natsu, to what he had agreed to endure for the sake of their community, and he felt himself faltering. In a mere moment, with a single sentence, he had shattered the life of this boy who deserved nothing but happiness, leaving him at the mercy of his unjust fate. He didn't know what words might have prevented Natsu from sacrificing his own salvation for theirs, but if such words existed... he had been unable to find them.
Natsu was gone for good, and his mistakes would remain irreparable for eternity.
Now all he could do was ensure his world wouldn't fall apart. He had to continue protecting the rest of his children until he had atoned for his sins and been forgiven. If only he could ever forgive himself.
Fairy Tail had faced various losses before and always found a way to bounce back, but for it to do so this time... the truth had to remain concealed at any cost, even if it meant he would have to endure a lifetime of suffering, and Natsu with him.
He closed his eyes and clenched his fist, his heart crushed by horror and grief. He would have sacrificed his own life to prevent this tragic event and to bring Natsu back among them, but he had to face the facts.
Nothing on earth could save him now.
It was now two in the morning.
Forty-five minutes had passed since Mirajane, Elfman, and Macao left to assist Gray and Erza. Except for Makarov, who had quietly returned to his office, the Fairy Tail mages were waiting as calmly as possible in the hall.
Lucy sat on a chair in the corner of the room, wrapped in a blanket that Cana had given her to replace the damp towel. Levy was beside her, her forehead wrinkled with sadness and compassion at seeing her friend so vulnerable, while she continued to stroke her back for comfort.
Her heart still heavy from what she had witnessed and worried about the rest of her team, Lucy looked up at the front door for the umpteenth time, hoping to see it open. Unfortunately, it remained closed and she turned away, refocusing on her trembling hands. Each time the situation remained unchanged, she seemed to burrow deeper into her confusion, greatly worrying her friends.
Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived. As soon as Lucy heard the distant voices of the Strauss siblings, she leapt to her feet and rushed to the door, carelessly tossing aside the blanket covering her. She turned the knob and stormed out, then halted on the threshold, turning to face something—or more likely someone—to her right.
Tears welled up again as she gazed at the four silhouettes slowly making their way toward her. They halted a few meters away when they noticed her. Gray and Erza stood in the rain, conscious and alert, accompanied by Elfman and Mirajane. Curiously, Macao was missing.
However, while Erza seemed perfectly stable, Gray needed Elfman's support to stay on his feet. Lucy noticed bruises and burn marks on his chest, and her stomach turned, knowing full well what had caused them.
What worried her most was their morale, evident from their glum looks and downcast demeanor. Gray immediately looked away, his jaw tightly clenched in anger and frustration, while Erza's eyes grew bright with unshed tears. Beside her, Mirajane seemed troubled by her former rival's distress, and Elfman forced a relaxed expression contrasting with his evasive gaze. Lucy had never seen them so disturbed.
She couldn't hold back any longer. Releasing all the strength of her fear and grief, she rushed over to hug them and burst into tears.
"Lucy...," Erza murmured softly, her distress echoing her own.
The red-haired mage responded to her embrace by slipping an arm around her shoulders, resisting the temptation to join her tears. Despite his own unstable emotions, Gray joined in, placing a reassuring hand on the girl's back. He couldn't utter a single word or fully repress the anger clouding his features, unable to forget the bitter failure he had just suffered. The stellar mage's current affliction only heightened his sense of defeat, and he once again cursed his rival's name for having fooled them so cowardly.
"We'll find them, Lucy," Erza reassured her with exemplary composure. "Even if we have to search the ends of the earth."
The girl nodded weakly, and Erza closed her eyes, her heart unbearably heavy. Natsu had left them behind, destroying all their hopes of bringing him back, using their feelings against them to perjure himself in every possible way. His appalling insults to Gray, his arrogant, disdainful expression, his contemptuous gestures—it had all been a charade designed to destabilize them, to make them hate him and let their anger take over. He had deliberately provoked Gray to get close enough, exploiting the recklessness caused by his raw emotions to corner him, and in the end, he had dominated them both with disconcerting ease.
It would have been so simple, so relieving to blame him, but she couldn't.
Natsu hadn't even given her that escape. At the last second, despite the inhuman effort it took to maintain his mask of contempt, the pain of separation forced him to reveal what lay behind it.
The last images she had of him would haunt her forever, as would her intolerable helplessness, but she wouldn't let them slow her down. The final words they exchanged left no doubt about his true emotions, even though she was consumed by the questions they raised within her. The answers were out there, and she fully intended to find them, even if she was the only one who knew they existed.
Natsu had given her a painful glimpse of the suffering his own behavior was causing him, making her the sole witness to what his heart was truly enduring at the prospect of never seeing them again.
She could have cursed him for burdening her like this. She wished she could curse him. But she was trying to view this as an opportunity, a chance to maintain her determination and transmit it to Gray and Lucy, protecting them from this frightening memory. She would be their shield, their lightning rod against the storms that would seek to ravage their resolve.
She had failed, but it would never happen again. Gray and Lucy needed her, and she would never let them down again, even if she had to forever conceal her torments behind her armor.
"Let's go home for now," she declared assertively, breaking contact with the celestial mage. "We need to take care of Gray, and there's no point in searching blindly. The rain will have washed away all traces anyway. We need to rest and devise a plan of action."
Her sudden display of confidence surprised her companions, especially Mirajane, who had watched her lose herself in endless thoughts during the whole way home. While relieved to see her regain composure and confidence, Mirajane remained concerned. It was in her nature to project an aura of assurance and invulnerability, but in this instance, she was shouldering so much that Mirajane feared the consequences.
Erza would continue to bear all the responsibility and gradually destroy herself until she found Natsu.
Whatever had occurred that night, what they had witnessed and endured had deeply affected them, and the repercussions could be catastrophic if not handled carefully. Until the blessed day when Natsu and Happy would return to them, they would need to double their efforts to prevent the memories of that night from consuming them.
The barmaid was pulled from her thoughts as the rest of the group silently followed Erza's directions toward the guild doors. She observed them enter the hall before following suit.
As soon as Gray and Erza entered, all the mages in the room rushed to them, showering them with concern and support. Erza reassured everyone about their physical condition, particularly emphasizing that Gray was likely only suffering from minor bruises and burns. Gray was settled on one of the benches not far from the entrance, and Mirajane began treating him, feeling a twinge of sorrow when she remembered that Natsu was responsible for those burns.
Gray kept his eyes closed throughout the treatment, unwilling to risk meeting anyone's gaze, particularly Mirajane's sympathetic one. It was already frustrating enough to know that all his friends were aware his rival was responsible for his pitiful state; he felt so miserable that even the slightest sign of compassion might provoke a violent reaction he would regret.
Thus isolated from the outside world, it became even more difficult for him to focus on anything else, and the memories of the last two hours hit him hard. His lips quirked in frustration as the image of Natsu surfaced. He vividly remembered him lowering his eyes as he unscrupulously immobilized him with the sleep seal, and then his voice infiltrated his thoughts along with his guilty expression.
"I'm sorry."
Anger clenched his heart so hard he thought it might implode. At the last moment, he restrained himself from leaping to his feet to strike or hurl the first object within reach in the dull rage that struck him.
"Gray? Is everything all right?" Mirajane asked, feeling him tense.
Her question compelled him to open his eyes, confronting him with the worried gaze he had been avoiding. Despite the rage simmering beneath his skin, threatening to surface at any moment, he managed to maintain enough self-control.
"I'm fine," he replied, his voice betraying his emotional instability. "It just surprised me."
"It'll be over soon," she reassured him, hoping to convey that she hadn't understood what had triggered his reaction.
Though he was still undeniably tense, the young woman's intervention had at least pulled him out of the spiral of memories threatening to engulf him. He knew it was only temporary relief, but he was grateful for not breaking down in front of everyone. He could deal with his emotions later when he was alone, but for now, he needed to hold them back.
After a few minutes, Mirajane's hands broke contact with his chest, and he opened his eyes again.
"Nothing's broken," she announced with relief as she finished adjusting the last of the bandages. "The burns are pretty bad, but not serious. They should heal in a few days."
"Okay, thanks, Mira."
The young woman smiled gently at him with a nod, then stood up.
"That said, your injuries don't seem to account for this difficulty in moving around, which is a bit concerning."
"It's noth-
"He got hit with a sleep seal," Erza interjected, oblivious to how embarrassed her friend felt about being subdued like that. "Its effects haven't completely worn off yet, that's all."
The stares directed at him made him so uncomfortable that he couldn't help but shoot Erza a hostile glance. She frowned at his animosity, and then Gray averted his eyes, biting his lower lip. It dawned on her. Abandoning her threatening look for one of guilt, she opened her mouth to apologize, but the presence of the others prevented her from doing so. It would only add to his discomfort if she publicly proved how humiliated he felt, so she reluctantly remained silent, watching Gray bear the consequences of her lapse in judgment.
The burning shame he felt surged so abruptly that he clenched his fist on his knee. The mix of pity and surprise in their eyes only made it worse, triggering memories he wished he could forget. He cursed himself for exposing his weakness to everyone.
Lucy watched his defeated expression with a pang of sorrow, picturing the scene in her mind. She couldn't fathom the fear he must have felt as the situation spiraled out of control. Being beaten in such a way, especially by his rival, must have been a huge blow to his pride. Not to mention that his careless mistake directly led to Natsu's definitive departure despite all his efforts to prevent it, making it even worse.
Though she was probably missing pieces to fully reconstruct what he and Erza had experienced, she understood how frustrated and unsettled they could be. The image of their unconscious bodies at Natsu's feet haunted her, reigniting her unease. She still couldn't believe he had forced them to fight him, only to knock them down using such underhanded methods.
Natsu was the most fair and honest person she had ever known, and using such disloyal tricks was not characteristic of him at all. No wonder Gray hadn't been suspicious, amplifying the sense of failure that had been gnawing at him and was now so painfully obvious.
How he had been able to incapacitate them at once without causing harm was now clear, but the truth was no less painful. The thought of their two friends having to confront Natsu in earnest was as heartbreaking as considering the frustration they must have felt for being deceived. Especially Gray, who, unlike Erza, had received several merciless blows from the Dragon Slayer before being subjected to this artificial helplessness. They wondered how he had managed to overpower Erza, considering that Natsu seemingly hadn't employed the same trap on her.
"H-How would Natsu get a sleep seal?" Levy asked, drawing everyone else out of their respective thoughts. "And more importantly, why would he have it with him?"
They stared at each other, searching for an answer to the raised question, but none could be found. Such a seal wasn't available on every street corner, and Natsu wouldn't have been able to obtain one so easily and on such short notice.
"It's me," announced a deep voice behind them.
Everyone turned towards its origin, wide-eyed in recognition. At the bottom of the steps leading to the second floor stood Makarov, his eyes determined to face the consequences of his actions.
"G-Gramps?" Gray called to him in disbelief. "What do you-"
"I gave it to him," the master clarified as he met his gaze squarely, leaving no room for doubt.
Gray's expression froze in stupor, his conscience refusing to comprehend what this meant. "W-What?"
Makarov couldn't hold his gaze this time and closed his eyes. "I knew you'd try to stop him, so I gave him a way to take you down without causing any harm."
The ice mage's mind reluctantly acknowledged what his heart had already grasped, though the anger stemming from this revelation had yet to fully surface. The puzzle pieces were slowly falling into place, revealing the stark truth.
"You gave him this... so we couldn't bring him back?" he murmured in a distant voice, refusing to believe it. "Are you messing with me?"
The old man clenched his fist against his side, crestfallen by what the situation had driven him to do.
He had simply aimed to ease Natsu's departure, intending to spare him the agony of a heart-wrenching separation. Despite his failure to prevent a confrontation with the rest of the guild and Natsu's subsequent suffering, the situation could have been much worse without his intervention.
In the worst-case scenario, their conflict could have escalated to the point where they would be forced to attack each other as enemies. Despite Natsu's recent injuries weakening his body, he knew his unwavering determination to protect them would drive him to never give up. There was a fear that his stubbornness might lead to serious injury inflicted by his own friends, as they would have no choice but to confront him with the intent to incapacitate or even kill him. The Dragon Slayer would have risen again and again despite his wounds and exhaustion, prompting his team to continue attacking until he could no longer fight.
He knew he had caused pain to Gray by aiding Natsu in setting this trap, and to all his children by allowing him to leave, but he felt he had no other option.
"I just wanted to protect h-"
"Protect him from what?! From us?!" Gray sprang to his feet, unleashing the rage that his chock had contained until now. His still-numb legs almost buckled beneath him but Mirajane caught him, preventing both his fall and any potential outburst. "What were you afraid of?!" he yelled, struggling slightly against what was restraining him from launching himself forward. "That we'd beat the crap out of him and ruin your plans, or were you scared we'd succeed where you failed miserably?!"
"Gray! Enough!"
Erza's intervention halted his tirade, as he became aware of the cruelty in his words. However, it did little to quell his raging fury, which still coursed through him unabated. The master's lack of reaction to his accusations only fueled his irritation, prompting a sense of guilt he'd rather not confront. Makarov's apparent validation of his disparaging remarks stirred an unwanted, uncomfortable compassion within him.
"I'm sorry, Gray. I truly am."
This sentence completely mollified the ice mage, although his frustration lingered. His jaw clenched, as all signs of aggression dissipated, giving way to a profound sense of disappointment.
"Do you realize... that if you hadn't been so obsessed with helping him get away... maybe we could've brought him back? We'd all be trying to talk some sense into him instead of nursing our wounds like beaten dogs."
"I am aware of that."
Gray scowled at the unnervingly neutral tone of his response. "Did you really want him to leave that much?" he asked coldly, fully aware that the reality was far from what was being presented.
Makarov stared at him in horror at the dreadful insinuation, but remained silent. He couldn't justify his actions without revealing everything, so he had to endure the hostility directed at him without wavering. If it could even slightly alleviate Natsu's burden and help Fairy Tail rise again someday, he was willing to bear their resentment for as long as it took.
"You're not going to explain, are you?" Gray continued, gradually resigning himself to the fact that he wouldn't elicit any reaction from the guild master. "You're just going to stand there, staring at me, hoping I'll drop the subject?"
Silence was again his only reply, prompting Erza to take a few steps forward, urging Gray to let her handle it.
"Master, why did you do that?" she questioned gently, her brow furrowed with concern at seeing him so withdrawn. "I can't believe you let him leave without a good reason."
Unfortunately, even her compassionate approach failed to loosen his tongue, deepening the young woman's expression of sadness as she watched him with a heavy heart.
'Master... What's wrong with you? What are you afraid of?'
"Let it go, Erza," Gray's irritated voice croaked from behind her. "Don't listen to his justifications, he'll just beat around the bush as usual."
"Gray, that's enough now," she ordered without even looking at him.
Her authority quelled the ice mage's animosity, and he sighed in resignation. This time, he regarded Makarov without aggression, holding back his resentment as compassion and guilt gradually took over.
Maybe it was due to his actions that he'd faced the most significant and pitiful defeat of his life, but he couldn't be surer that their spiritual grandfather had meant no harm. He was firmly convinced that Makarov had acted for their collective good, including Natsu's, and hadn't intended any of the heartache they had endured. In truth, what bothered him most was Makarov's steadfast refusal to share crucial information, despite the distressing situation his choices had created. His silence and inaction hinted at the gravity of what he was hiding, which had ultimately driven Natsu away despite the torment it caused him. Makarov's oft-repeated phrase about his rival "choosing his own path" was just a self-deception. Some truth had forced him to leave.
Was it to protect them? To fight? Perhaps both?
It didn't matter. He just needed to know that he hadn't embarked on this path lightly to act, fueling his determination to uncover the truth and ensure Natsu didn't have to face it alone.
What he couldn't understand was why it was so important to keep it a secret. Was Makarov hiding it to protect Natsu, or to protect them?
"Gramps, you know we can tell there's more to this story, right? Natsu wasn't any better at hiding it than you are."
The mention of their verbal confrontation with the fire mage, the first since their return, sent a shiver of dread through the old man. Until now, he had carefully avoided any thoughts about how Natsu had handled his farewell with his team and its willingness to force him back to the guild. What might have been said haunted him, especially since he had already seen what the boy was capable of when it came to defending the core of his emotions.
With a heavy heart and a mind full of memories, he finally agreed to share his thoughts, "He tried to put you off by pretending to be a traitor, didn't he?"
"H-How do you-"
Makarov closed his eyes in sadness, recalling how heartbreaking it had been to see Natsu force this despicable attitude when it clearly hurt him to act that way and leave them.
"He did the same with me."
Erza and Gray were the most affected by this confession, as it brought back still-painful memories mixed with the images their master's words suggested. His expression spoke volumes about what had happened between him and Natsu before he left, and their hearts broke for them.
Natsu's relentless effort to be despised had affected him more deeply than they had realized. When he confronted them, it hadn't been the first time he'd been forced to act dishonorably, making this second occurrence even more trying and difficult to endure.
Makarov had been confronted with this harrowing vision long before them.
They realized that before deciding to help Natsu with his plans, Makarov had also endured his lies and then their separation.
"Master…"
Erza's sympathetic murmur was echoed by the confused looks of the rest of the guild, who was now aware of part of the ordeal surrounding Natsu's departure. It was painful to imagine him being forced into the role of a scumbag, and they realized he must have been particularly desperate to keep them from whatever was compelling him to leave.
Though Lucy felt a slight relief at the beginning of an answer to her questions, she was saddened to hear that. She glanced at Gray and Erza, then at Makarov, and their downcast expressions only heightened her unease and sense of isolation. She theoretically knew a fraction of what had transpired between them and Natsu, but in reality, her heart felt distant from theirs, leaving her feeling more alone than ever. While they could empathize with each other and understand Natsu and his emotions, Lucy couldn't. How could she, when she had been deprived of any genuine exchange with the Dragon Slayer? When her interaction with him had been limited to a single sentence of rejection, delivered without even a glance in her direction?
As she watched them connect in mere words, she felt painfully excluded, as if she were miles away from them. She knew they were suffering just as she was, perhaps even more. But they were suffering together, while she was alone.
She observed them from a distance, hoping for any chance to alleviate the growing emptiness in her heart, a void that Natsu wasn't there to fill as he always had. He had been her rock through every difficulty, and his absence was now more palpable than ever before, weighing heavily on her. She was terrified that this void would remain unhealed until her friend was returned to her.
"Yet you managed to talk to him, didn't you?" Gray's voice rose again, sounding particularly cold next to the softness of Erza's intervention.
The ice mage interpreted Makarov's lack of reaction as confirmation, reigniting his frustrating incomprehension. He couldn't grasp the master's actions, unable to think of a single plausible reason for him to remain passive in such a situation. He, who had somehow managed to reach Natsu's heart, unlike them, and unlike himself... why hadn't he seized this opportunity to reason with him? And if he had tried, why had he finally given up, knowing what the consequences would be?
He couldn't make sense of anything, and that terrified him. It felt like he was slowly heading towards the worst situation of his life, and that no one would ever explain why until it was too late. Before he knew it, he'd be in over his head, with no chance of making things right.
"You got him to drop his guard... and he still left?"
As he grasped the implications of Gray's words, the master lowered his gaze, once again overwhelmed by the memories of the heartfelt conversation he'd shared with Natsu after he had left the infirmary, full of words and tears. That final exchange had unveiled secrets about this child that he had never suspected, breaking his heart as much as he had shattered Natsu's by exposing the appalling truth of his existence. He had kept it hidden for so long, releasing it from the chains of silence had been torture for both of them.
Gray may have been right; Natsu may have lowered his barriers and let his heart speak in a way it never had before, but his determination had remained unshaken. He would never have relented in his decision to leave, especially after what he had learned from him. Trying to compel him to stay would only have inflicted more pain on everyone, particularly on Natsu himself. Makarov couldn't bear to subject him to such a monstrous ordeal.
But no one would ever understand that unless he revealed everything. Once again, he would have to guard his secrets and face the fallout of his silence, the price being the constant incomprehension, disappointment and resentment of his beloved children. They would persist day after day, hoping for the moment when they could finally pry the truth from him.
"Why didn't you stop him, gramps?" Gray pressed on, his tone still serious but softened by confusion. "What held you back? Did he ask you not to?"
The ice mage narrowed his eyes, attempting to appear more intimidating in hope that his barrage of questions would finally crack the guild master's imperturbable facade. Yet, he received no reaction, and his eyebrows furrowed.
"Was it him risking something by staying here," he continued even more insistently, "or was it us?"
The emphasis he put on his final word underscored how important the answer to this simple question was. Whether it was Natsu or the rest of the guild at risk, understanding why he left was paramount, even more knowing that he had been forced to. If Natsu endured this ordeal not for his own safety but to shield them from danger, it became inconceivable for them to remain idle. If Makarov wouldn't disclose the truth, they'd have to uncover it themselves. At any cost.
"I don't know what you're hiding, but we're bound to find out sooner or later," Gray voiced his thoughts.
"My children," Makarov suddenly tried, desperate to convince them of the validity of his silence. "I'm saying this for everyone's sake. I beg of you, please..." His tone was so imploring it seemed he might kneel before them. "Let him live his life. Don't try to find him."
"Why?"
Gray had deliberately insisted on this last question, begging their master to finally tell them what he knew, to put an end to their endless questioning. To provide them with any shred of evidence that staying away was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, his determination to get answers wasn't enough to destroy Makarov's to keep them secret, and he found himself up against another insurmountable wall. Another silent standoff ensued, leaving everyone at an impasse.
"Gray, please," Mirajane intervened, putting her hand on his arm to calm him down, "you won't get anywhere this way."
The ice mage sighed, resigning himself to the situation. "Alright, I get it," he relented, finally turning away from Makarov. "But I don't see why I should listen to him until he gives me a good reason to. If he doesn't want us to look for him, he should just tell us why. Until then..." He brought a fist firmly against his palm, showing his determination to pursue his goal wholeheartedly. "I'm not just gonna sit around twiddling my thumbs," he declared with decisive assurance. "And I bet I'm not the only one."
Gray glanced at Erza, then around at the rest of the guild. They all showed their approval without hesitation, whether through a nod, a smile, or a simple resolved expression.
"Of course not," Lucy confirmed, determined. "None of us are going to abandon him."
"Hey, that's not what I meant-" He stopped mid-sentence, realizing it was pointless to explain further, and let out a mock exasperated sigh. "Ugh, forget it," he said, throwing his arms up in surrender. "Anyway, we find this idiot, I punch him in the face, and that's it."
A wry smile had invited itself onto his lips, even as his heart remained tightly clenched. "You'd better be ready, flame-brain." He thought, exhilarated by his new-found determination. "As soon as we find you, you're gonna get a beating you won't forget anytime soon. You can count on it."
"That's all well and good, but... how are we supposed to figure out where he went?"
Levy's question cooled everyone's enthusiasm, and they exchanged questioning looks.
"Maybe we could find some clues at his place?" Cana suggested with a shrug.
"I suppose that's the best way to get a st-"
"It's useless." The guild turned toward the voice that had cut off Erza's reply, and found Macao standing on the threshold, his closed expression allowing no hint of his emotions.
"M-Macao!" Wakaba exclaimed. "Where have you been?!"
"At Natsu's."
At first, Wakaba's eyes widened, then he understood that the self-confident attitude stemmed from a crucial piece of information his friend likely possessed. Only he could detect the confusion behind the self-assurance, recognizing it as a facade forced upon him by the circumstances. Natsu's departure was unbearable for him, and what he had found at his home had intensified his pain. Someone else might have been mistaken, but not him. He had known him far too long.
"D-Did you find anything?!" he asked, hoping with all his being to be wrong in his pessimistic judgment.
"Yes: his house is gone."
Expecting anything but this, the guild suddenly felt oppressed by what this statement could mean.
"W-What?" Lucy asked, not understanding how this was possible. "What do you mean by-"
"Natsu burned it to ashes. There's nothing left of it."
This truth hit them hard, eliciting frozen expressions of disbelief and causing a few to step back, including Makarov himself. It was so difficult to comprehend that it took several seconds. No one moved or spoke, trying to grasp the full extent of what this act entailed.
The thought of him watching his home burn down, reducing more than just a building to ashes with his own hands, was heartbreaking.
No one knew what to make of this gesture. Did he want to erase all evidence to prevent any of them from following him, or was it a desperate attempt to completely detach himself from his old life, of which they were a part? It was likely both. Whatever the reason for this decision, its extreme nature and Natsu's impulsive tendencies suggested that it was driven more by emotions than reason. Despite these uncertainties, the message was nonetheless clear.
Wherever he went and whatever happened, he had no intention of coming back.
At some point, they had harbored the hope that he wouldn't be able to resist returning on his own if they didn't find him themselves, but this act obliterated every ounce of it. If they couldn't find a trail to track him down… they will never see him again. This stark reality ignited a fierce urgency in everyone. Their most tangible lead had just disappeared, leaving them few options for finding out where he and Happy had gone and why. The search was bound to be even more grueling and protracted now that any potential clues had gone up in smoke.
They didn't lose their determination to find them, but the fear of coming up empty-handed grew heavier with each passing moment. Natsu and Happy had left four hours ago, yet they already seemed out of reach. Only Makarov could have immediately facilitated their pursuit, but he had repeatedly shown no intention of helping, for reasons known only to him and deeply terrifying to them. What could be so grave about this situation to justify his steadfast refusal to involve anyone? Their own determination not to give up should have persuaded him to change his mind long ago, but he remained stubbornly committed to his decisions. He seemed to cling to them like a lifeline, refusing to let go out of fear of confronting reality. It felt as though an unprecedented tragedy loomed over their community, and the only way to stop himself from intervening was to shut his eyes and disregard the consequences.
Even though he already knew Natsu would never come back, Macao's revelation hit the master like a reality bomb. His prior knowledge of the situation didn't soften the blow, evident in both his emotions and expression. Like everyone else, he was violently ripped from his illusions, giving Natsu's departure a tangible aspect his heart had previously refused to acknowledge.
After the initial shock subsided, grief washed over them. The shared concern for their missing friends united their hearts, each one haunted by vivid images of them facing their home consumed by flames. Some mages closed their eyes, while others cast theirs downward, a collective reflex grieving over the shattered hopes brought on by this revelation.
"Natsu, Happy…"
Lucy pressed a fist to her chest, distraught. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Makarov leave without a word, which only intensified her sense of doom. If even their spiritual guide, who had always been able to light their way and dispel doubts, was now powerless to set things right, how could they? This was the first time they had to find their way out of the darkness alone. She was terrified of the dark tunnels they would have to navigate if they engaged in this path without his support.
"W-What are we going to do now?" she asked, her voice reflecting the sudden wave of demoralization she had experienced.
No one answered for ten long seconds, each more oppressive than the last. Lucy's already raw heart began to sink further into despair, and she felt herself preparing to surrender to it, resigned.
"Isn't it obvious?" Gray blurted out after a moment, shrugging to appear relaxed. "We find them and we bring them back."
Erza nodded in agreement. "We'll definitely find something," she added. "Let's just start by going to the location of the mission they took."
Reinvigorated by the unwavering determination of her two friends, Lucy wiped away the tears that had begun to form.
"You're right," she declared, resolved to keep her head up. "We can't give up already, right?"
"Exactly," Erza confirmed with an encouraging smile. "It's only been a few hours; they can't have gone far."
"Don't worry, Lu-chan," Levy joined in. "We'll find them."
The stellar mage turned to her, moved, and then the collective voices of her friends urged her to look at each of them. One by one, they reassured her with a simple phrase, a smile, or an encouraging gesture until her attention finally settled on Gray. With a knowing nod, the ice mage provided the final spark of determination needed to revive her hopes. The resulting smile illuminated her face and gradually spread throughout the entire guild.
At that moment, their unity couldn't have been stronger.
Author's note : Well, I don't really know what to say.
This isn't a chapter where much happens; I just wanted to show the direct emotional consequences of the 'confrontation' from the previous chapter.
I'm curious, which character do you feel most affected by? Personally, I think it might be Makarov, but maybe that's because I know why he's acting this way, which makes it even sadder for me.
I'm trying not to focus too much on one character when there are many interacting at the same time, but I obviously can't talk about everyone either. I hope that's not too bothersome. You might have noticed the absence of some characters, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten them :)
Starting with the next chapter, we're going to move into a series of chapters where things will start to progress a bit. Let's say we're leaving the introduction phase of the story. As I mentioned earlier, I really can't wait to finish the 'exposition' phase and get to the main part. For those who like Natsu and angst stories, you should like it ^^
I don't have much else to say. Feel free to leave me some feedback if you like it, so I can know if my efforts are paying off.
Until next time, and thanks for reading!