A/N: Hey there everyone! Thank you all so much for your support on the first chapter on this new story! Pretty happy with how it turned out, and glad to see you guys liking it too! So, I will admit that it will be a while until we see Natsu join Fairy Tail, BUT the events in canon will be taking place in the next few chapters, already have a general idea of how it'll go down. Hope that you'll enjoy it!
pixelgames805: Sorry, I cap the number of girls in the harem at five. Any more, and I'll be busy wondering what to do throughout the story. Also, I will consider thinking about letting Natsu incorporate more elements, otherwise utilise some other forms into his battle. Who knows?
Pixie Duck: Same response as above. Sorry.
Majestic Star Arceus: I'll be honest, I started laughing the moment I saw this review. Because, truth be told I have NO IDEA. I have already sorted out what I want to add to this story up till the Grand Magic Games, and even then, I worry I won't be able to reach there. But, I will most certainly try my best!
Chapter 1: The Girl in the Village!
Year: X777
'Man, how far am I from a nearby village?' Natsu sighed to himself, as he leaned on a tree bark, staring blankly at the sky.
It had already been several days that has passed since the pinkette made a decision on fulfilling his father's goal. Since then, the Dragon Slayer left the forest and officially began his adventure on becoming stronger.
Not only did he focus on perfecting the techniques that he had already learnt from his father, but he also made sure to work on were the new spells that Igneel had left behind for him.
The pinkette had no idea when the red dragon managed to find time to create it for him, but he wasn't complaining since it meant he had plenty of time to be able to perfect them.
Though there were several spells that managed to catch his eye. Most of them were destructive spells which caused lots of damage, making the pinkette extremely giddy, though there was one spell in particular that the Dragon Slayer was determined to master.
It was a supporting spell that not only increased his fire abilities, but also to enhance his physical capabilities. The spell's name was Inferno Drive.
In fact, there were several Drives that were in the scrolls that Igneel left behind. Each of which had different description and effects when used.
Of course, our main protagonist was determined to learn them all so that he would be able to handle whatever situation that he was dealing with. However, the task proved to be much more difficult than he could have even imagined it.
The techniques he had learnt from Igneel, even the Secret Arts, almost seemed like a pushover in comparison to the spells his father had left behind in the scroll. It made the pinkette wonder if Igneel had been easing him into some of the Dragon Slaying techniques he had left behind.
Asides from the new spells he received from Igneel, Natsu also made sure to meditate daily so that he would be able to access his Dragon Force.
It was one of the few things Igneel made sure to drill into his head, much to his chagrin. Though, admittedly it was working considering the fact that the pinkette was able to access his Dragon Force much faster and could even last longer in that form.
Additionally, as much as Natsu trained by himself each day, the pinkette still wished to abide his father's wishes of mixing with other people and befriending them.
His first thought was immediately to find Wendy again. He hadn't seen her in years and truthfully, he missed the girl. Despite their last meeting happening over several years ago, he hadn't forgotten about the Sky Dragon Slayer. However, he had no idea where the girl was, and he was certain that it would be easier to fulfil his goal by finding a nearby village or something.
Which is why the Dragon Slayer was currently on his way to find any signs of human civilisation.
Though it was safe to say, that he also didn't have as much luck on that path.
'When Anna said that I'd be transported to somewhere in Earthland, couldn't I at least be brought somewhere where there are civilisations nearby?' He sighed before shrugging it off.
He was already at this situation; what point was there for him to complain about it?
Currently, he had already set up camp in a clearing, and by setting up camp, that meant the Dragon Slayer made sure to hide his equipment in some bushes while also making a mark of the area so that he would be able to return after scouting the nearby area.
After ensuring that everything was safely kept away and wouldn't be stolen, the Dragon Slayer took off in his search.
After what felt like hours to the pinkette, Natsu felt like he was about to give up. Though that was when a small smile formed on his face the moment he picked up on a familiar scent. It was similar waft of smell whenever he was near a village… it smelt human.
He pumped the air in pure excitement. It had been way too long since he had a proper conversation with people. With that, the pinkette began heading towards the source of that smell.
However, his joy was quickly replaced with horror as he continued to proceed through the forest. The reason was because of the smoke that seemed to be coming from the direction of the village.
'I have to be quick!' Quickly breaking into a run, the Dragon Slayer took off, silently praying that the people in the village would be alright.
The moment Natsu neared the village, he came across a small sign that said "Rosemary Village" which revealed the identity of the village…or what was left of it as the pinkette passed through the gate.
His eyes widened in horror upon seeing the chaos and destruction which occurred within the village.
Houses were set on fire; belongings were sprawled across the ground and even the ground were littered holes throughout the ground.
There were even a small group of corpses looked to have been thrown off at the side…All in all, it was safe to say that the village once known as Rosemary Village was evidently no more.
The pinkette clenched his fists tightly at the sight around him.
'What kind of monsters would do this…?' He thought, growling angrily before something managed to catch his attention. His ears perked up for a moment, picking up on some sounds coming from deeper in the village, causing the pinkette to run towards the source of the sound.
The moment he arrived; the Dragon Slayer heard a small group of people in front of him. He quickly stood behind a house, and sneakily looked over from the side. It was safe to say that the scene he was witnessing in front got his blood boiling in rage.
In front of him was a small group of hooded individuals, with hoods that covered their facial features, and in one of the hooded figure's hands was an eight-year-old girl with long purple hair and a ribbon wrapped to look like rabbit ears, who was clearly struggling against the man's grip as he dragged her, yet no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to break free.
"I knew there were still people hiding around here! The brat was hiding inside some boxes at the corner!" One of the hooded individuals growled, looking at the little girl he was dragging.
"Sighs, do we really need to make the long trip there just for ONE girl? Isn't it a little excessive?" Another one sighed yet he did nothing to stop his companions.
"Well, whatever. Once we throw her in the tower just like the others, we can go and pursue other villages. Hopefully those ones would have some finer women." The man said with a cruel smirk on his face.
Having heard enough, the pinkette immediately walked out from his hiding spot, letting his presence be known as everyone turned over to him.
"Another kid? Man, were all of you slacking off when you were off searching?" one of the hooded individuals sighed. Ignoring this, Natsu narrowed his eyes at the group in front of him.
"I think you guys have done more than enough damage here…Let the girl go now." The Dragon Slayer said in a cold tone.
"Right…and what can a kid like you do to stop us anyways? Why don't you just be a good boy and let us bring you to where your friends are, okay?" The hooded individual asked in a cocky tone, resting his weapon on his shoulder; seeing the pinkette as anything but a threat.
Said 'kid' did nothing, only making a gesture for them to come at him, this angered those around him, as they began walking up to him, thinking they'd be able to easily capture him just like all the other kids prior.
Unfortunately for them, they decided to mess with the wrong kid.
Before they could even take a step forward towards him, Natsu took off, charging at the closest robed individual he could reach, and before the man could even react, the Dragon Slayer was already right in front of him.
With that, the pinkette immediately slammed his fist at one of the robed figures who was immediately sent flying into a building from the attack. Upon closer inspection, he was rendered unconscious from the attack.
"So, who's next?" The Dragon Slayer growled intimidatingly which caused a few of them to shudder in fear.
"W-what the?!"
"How on Earthland did he do that?"
"It doesn't matter! He's just a kid! Just attack him already!"
Pushing aside their fears, the group all ran towards Natsu, thinking they'd be able to overpower the boy with their numbers. Though, it was safe to say that it was only wishful thinking for their part as the pinkette was easily able dodge every attempt to catch him before he struck them back just as easily.
Seeing that they were getting overpowered by a child, the lone robed figure at the back decided to use this chance to charge up magic into his weapon.
"Take this!" Natsu turned around and could only watch as a large fire ball was shot at his direction. A small explosion covered the pinkette the moment the attack connected.
"That'll teach you to mess with us kid!" The leader of the group laughed out as the purple-haired girl could only let her tears run as she could only stare and watch as the boy who attempted to save her get 'killed' by the followers.
However… no one could have anticipated what came next.
Loud slurping sounds could be heard from the smoke, and as it was dispersed by the wind, everyone could only watch in shock as the flames all began to be sucked into the pinkette's mouth.
"Your flames taste disgusting. Are you sure you're even a Fire Mage?" The Dragon Slayer commented with a disgusted look on his face after he was done, though his actions seem to have further frightened the men surrounding him.
"H-he just ate fire!"
"M-monster! He's a monster! Run away!"
Watching the robed individuals run away in fear, the pinkette couldn't help but roll his eyes after hearing what they had to say about him, 'They were about to kidnap a little girl, and they call ME a monster?' The Dragon Slayer proceeded to turn his attention towards the girl in question who was doing her best to hide into a ball, shivering frightfully.
"Hey there, are you alright?" Natsu asked gently which caused the girl to stop shaking as she slowly looked up to face him.
"You don't have to be afraid; those guys won't get you anymore." The pinkette gently said to the girl with a smile, lowering himself so that he could meet the girl's gaze.
"R-really? All the bad people…are gone?" The girl whispered as she gazed at her saviour who nodded his head.
"Yup, I defeated them all, so you don't have to cry anymore, alright?" He said, doing his best to comfort the girl in front of him.
"T-thank you for saving me." She said timidly, as she began wiping away the tears from her face.
"A-are you a mage?" the girl asked curiously and Natsu nodded his head.
"That's right, and my name is Natsu Dragneel, what's your name?" He introduced himself.
"M-my name is Kagura Mikazuchi." The girl, now revealed as Kagura, introduced herself to her saviour. Natsu looked around to the destruction that surrounded him and frowned.
"So, do you know what happened here?" He asked, getting a frown from the younger girl.
"I-I don't know. All I know is that those people came in to the village and began k-killing everyone and taking the children here." Tears began to form at the edge of the girl's eyes.
"My brother was also taken away by them… and my mommy and daddy were…" The girl couldn't bear to remember as tears were now freely streaming down Kagura's face as she recounted the incident which occurred.
The Dragon Slayer frowned before he gently enveloped the girl into his arms.
"It's okay, let it out. I promise that everything's alright now." He said as gently as he could, and the girl's eyes widened slightly before she complied, crying out into the Dragon Slayer's chest.
Natsu closed his eyes as he petted the girl's back softly, but internally he was furious.
Furious at those hooded people who carried out these horrifying acts…but he was also furious at himself.
If only he hadn't been busy training and continued his travels, perhaps he could have come to the villagers' aid. He could have protected them, and chased those hooded individuals away and Kagura wouldn't be alone right now.
He swore right there and then that he would destroy and crush those people if he ever came across them again.
Though, he decided to put that aside for now. As, for the time being, there was something far more important.
Kagura.
What was he going to do with her?
Truthfully, the pinkette had no idea what to do with the girl. Though one thing was for sure.
He couldn't exactly leave the girl alone.
Realistically, he COULD bring her along to the next village he comes across and hope that they'd take care of her. If anything, at least the girl would be able to receive proper parental affection, especially for someone her age.
Though…Leaving a girl who had lost her entire family and village at once in a brand new one might be a tough pill to swallow. Especially if there was no one willing to take her.
Then…should he bring her along on his journey? It definitely beats leaving her alone with people she didn't know. Though that brought up one important question.
Would HE be able to help give the girl what she needed?
He didn't know.
After contemplating for a while longer, the pinkette finally made his decision.
Crouching down to his knees, the pinkette offered the girl a hand, "Well…if you really don't have anywhere to go, would you like to follow me?" Natsu offered and Kagura's eyes immediately widened.
"R-really?" The Dragon Slayer smiled gently as he nodded his head.
"Yeah, I'm currently on a journey all around the kingdom to get stronger, and if you had nowhere else to go, I was thinking that you could come along with me. I don't think I'd be the best companion but I'll try to-"
Natsu wasn't able to finish his sentence as Kagura immediately lunged at him and held onto his body tightly.
"Thank you…Natsu." She whispered and a smile slowly formed on the Dragon Slayer's face before he gently rubbed the little girl's back.
The two stood there in silence, amidst the chaos before the pinkette brought the girl over towards his camp where he had been resting the day before.
After making their preparations, the two began to set out on their journey.
Year: X779
Two whole years had passed since Natsu arrived in the remnants of Rosemary Village and saved Kagura from those hooded individuals whom they now realised were Zeref Cultists.
Throughout their adventure together, the two would constantly camp in either forests or clearings, but whenever they came across a village or town, the two would make sure to stay there for a couple of days for several reasons.
The first was simply to restock whatever things that they needed. Sometimes it included some clothing that Kagura needed, or food. The second, and the more important of the two, was money.
Since they were travelling, the two didn't have much money to begin with. Thus, in order to make money, Natsu handled several odd jobs at those villages, as well as sell whatever monster remains, they obtained during their travels, such as Vulcan Hides or Wyvern Wings.
Kagura offered to help as well, and as much as he wanted to refuse, he'd eventually give in to her demands whenever she gave him her dreaded 'puppy dog eyes'. So, he let her handle some odd jobs around the village, such as cleaning certain areas or help the elderly.
Speaking of Kagura, one thing which surprised the pinkette was his relationship with his travelling partner. Initially, Natsu had been worried that the purple-haired girl might shy away from him or keep to herself seeing as he was technically still a stranger to her. However, to his surprise, the girl acted as if she knew him all her life.
Whenever they were travelling, she always wanted to hold hands, and whenever they met any travellers on the road, she would always hide behind his legs. Heck, since the start of their journey, she insisted on sleeping together rather than apart.
At first it was because the girl would constantly be riddled with nightmares of her past, so as to comfort her, he would gently hold onto her while they slept. Though as the months pass, the girl preferred being in the presence of the pinkette.
Natsu had been surprised by this, but he assumed that it was caused by the traumatic experience she suffered before he met her, and it caused her to feel fearful towards other people, which made a lot of sense in his head. Though the pinkette couldn't deny that he was happy that the girl had opened so much to him, even if they were technically strangers at first.
Of course, Natsu being Natsu, he was too dense to see that the girl was showing signs of infatuation towards him while also being awestruck at whatever he does. Though, that will be a tale for another day…
Speaking of awestruck, the girl showed an immense interest in magic, especially whenever she watched the pinkette train, and even asked if she would be able to learn his Dragon Slaying Magic as well.
Of course, he told her she couldn't, causing her to pout. Though Natsu was certain that the girl would one day be able to activate her own magical powers.
And surprisingly, that day ended up coming sooner rather than later.
It came out of the blue as the two were preparing their camp in the forest when Natsu saw Kagura concentrating on something. He shrugged it off at first when all of a sudden, he felt his weight being dragged down causing him to almost drop to the ground, had it not been for sheer willpower alone.
It had been a massive surprise for the pinkette when he suddenly dropped to his knees after unsuspectingly getting hit by Kagura's Gravity Magic. The girl had been so confused when it first happened, and was very apologetic at the end of it after he was able to break free.
While he couldn't quite teach her on how to use her magic, especially nothing regarding Gravity Magic, but he was still able to teach her how to control it after much practice with Igneel. Fortunately, she was able to learn how to activate and deactivate her magical abilities, but it was only a temporary solution.
Asides from magic, the pinkette also made sure to train and teach her about hand-to-hand combat and made sure to teach her all the basics that he had learnt from his father and passed it down to Kagura.
The reason for that was simple, the Dragon Slayer wanted the girl to be able to protect herself when the time comes. He was certain that he wouldn't be able to travel with Kagura forever, especially with his goal of searching for Acnologia.
Regardless, while it was merely a temporary solution, the purple-haired girl was slowly learning how to control her magic and her CQC abilities were getting better by the day, much to the girl's happiness.
Of course, even while focusing on helping and training Kagura, Natsu made sure not to slack off with his own training as well. Thus, in the two years, the Dragon Slayer managed to master only a quarter of the spells that Igneel left behind for him, one of which included the Inferno Drive that he was desperate to learn before.
And one year into their travels, the Dragon Slayer and Kagura eventually came across a town called Azure where they would be able to rest up for a bit when he noticed Kagura looking intently at a flyer plastered across the walls.
He looked closer at it and noticed that it was a notice for sword training at a dojo located in town.
Seeing that the girl was interested in it, and having a small interest in it himself, the two decided to stop by the dojo. The moment they arrived; they were immediately greeted by an elderly man. Though from their first encounter, Natsu was quickly able to discern that the man was more than how he looked.
And he was proven right, seeing as he ended up being the swordsmaster who wished to share his techniques to others. However, it ended up only being Kagura and him who showed up to attend, much to his disappointment.
After a few weeks, Natsu quickly realised that he practically had no talent in wielding a sword, but the same couldn't be said for Kagura. She was absolutely incredible in her progress, and the way she wielded her sword made it look like she had been doing it all her life.
Even the swordsmaster was surprised by her progress and he noted that the girl might surpass him in a few years' time.
In the end, the two decided to stay at the town for a couple of months until Kagura had managed to master her sword arts, and for her to pass the final test given by her sensei, to which she managed to pass with flying colours.
And in order to celebrate this, the sensei decided to award Kagura with a custom sword that he purchased just for her as a way to celebrate her success.
After saying their goodbyes to the swordsmaster as well as the town of Azure, the two finally proceeded onwards with their journey.
Kagura Mikazuchi was happy.
Not only was she able to master her sword training, but she was even given an actual sword by her sensei as well! It all seemed surreal when she compared it to just a few years ago.
No longer was she the weak child who had been crying in the streets, needing to be saved. She was much stronger now…and it was all thanks to the pinkette with her.
While she definitely missed her brother and parents, and desperately wished for them all to be reunited, the girl also enjoyed being in the pinkette's presence.
If anything, being in the boy's presence made her face feel warm and her heart to pound rapidly. It was a weird sensation that she was unfamiliar with…but it was a nice feeling.
He was somehow able to fill in the missing hole in her heart left by her family.
She could only wish that she could spend even more time with the pinkette from this point onwards!
…
Unfortunately for the girl, things were moving steadily and their separation would come sooner rather than later…
It was just another stop of their travels together.
After finding yet another town to visit, the two decided to stop by and restock their inventory while also selling whatever loot that they had.
Though, just as they were about to leave, they decided to have some dinner at a nearby restaurant seeing as they were both feeling hungry.
After ordering their respective meals, Kagura looked excited at the outside window, staring in awe at the scenery from her seat while Natsu looked at the girl with a fond smile.
He was glad that the girl was still able to retain her youthful innocence even after what had occurred.
The pinkette noticed two men sitting in the seat in front of them, speaking in hushed tones. Thinking they might be up to no good, the Dragon Slayer decided to use his enhanced hearing to listen to what they were talking about.
"Hey, did you hear about that village in the south that was decimated?" One of them muttered to the other.
"Yeah, I heard they said that a black dragon was seen flying through the area and destroyed it."
"A dragon? Are you sure about that? I heard they were all extinct now."
"Just believe me on this one. The ones that saw it from afar were so terrified, they can't even speak about the thing without shaking."
As the two men changed their conversation topic to a livelier one, Natsu's body immediately went still after listening to the conversation to the men had. Or more specifically, due to certain words that were used.
'…A black dragon.' Natsu's body immediately began to shake ever so slightly, yet Kagura was somehow able to notice this and asked if he was alright in concern. He waved it off with a smile just as their food arrived.
Yet even after seeing how eagerly Kagura was eating her meal, the pinkette could only taste dust as he was trapped in his thoughts, and all he could think about throughout that whole meal…was about the dragon he was looking for.
'Acnologia…'
Later that night, as Kagura slept peacefully, Natsu remained awake as he stared up into the dark skies littered with stars.
Although he tended to sleep in his cave alongside Igneel during the cold nights, the pinkette also enjoyed those times where they slept underneath the stars. He was always so fascinated by them, and wondered if there would ever be a day when he could touch them. Of course, he knew that it was nothing more than a pipe dream when he got older.
Speaking of getting older, the Dragon Slayer looked down at the girl snuggling up to him in her sleep as a wry smile appeared on his face.
He was immediately reminded by his father's words to him in his message to him.
"This dragon's strength is unlike any other that I have seen before…and I have been training you solely so that you would be able to beat him in the future, Natsu."
Acnologia, a dragon that even his father was unable to beat…one that his father left it up to HIM.
Of course, he knew for a fact that he wouldn't be able to defeat the dragon that even his father was unable to overcome…but he wanted-, no needed to know the difference in strength. Especially now during his travels with Kagura.
In the two years he had spent with the purple-haired girl, he was able to fulfil one of his father's wishes but, at the same time, he had also forgot about his main goal.
His father trained him so that he would be able to defeat the black dragon known as Acnologia.
The pinkette could readily admit that the time he had spent with Kagura, were some of the best times he had, regardless of the small incident which resulted in them travelling together. However, as a result, he stopped his intense training regime that he would always put himself through because of not wanting to frighten the girl.
He turned his attention to the younger girl curled up beside him, blissfully unaware about the conundrum that he was facing in his head.
"Natsu…" the girl mumbled in her sleep before nuzzling closer towards him causing a rue smile to form on his face as he stared at the girl.
He never expected that he would be able to provide affection or care for someone…not with the blood which stained his hands. Yet the girl readily welcomed him into her life-, no it was better to say that she dragged him in with her.
However, as much as he wanted to stay with the girl, he knew that there would be a day when he needed to part ways with the purple-haired girl to resume his journey.
And until that day comes, the pinkette could only hope that she would forgive him for it.
Another month of travel passed, and after spending a few days in the forests, the two finally arrived in the town of Celestial Shores, a town which specialises in their trading services and is even a tourist location for most due to the pristine ocean and rivers within the city.
As per usual, the two had to make a stop at the town seeing as they were running out of funds and also needed to restock on their equipment. They were able to sell off all the monster goods they were able to collect during their travels, and now the two were on their way to purchase the supplies needed to continue their adventure.
"So Natsu, are we headed to the market?" Kagura asked curiously, getting a nod from the boy in question.
"Yeah, this amount of money should be MORE than enough to get enough supplies that could last us a month at most." He said, raising a bag of coins.
The girl looked around them cautiously, "You probably shouldn't be waving money off in public like that." She reprimanded causing the pinkette to chuckle as he placed them in his pocket.
"Yeah, you're probably right. But, it's definitely a pain at needing to go and look through all the stuff in the market again. I'm never good at those stuff." Natsu sighed, recalling the times when he would get scammed by the people there.
Kagura's eyes sparkled, seeing an opportunity to prove her worth to the Dragon Slayer, "Well, if you don't want to go, how about I go and get the supplies for us?"
"Are you sure? I could accompany you if you want." Natsu asked in slight concern, causing the girl to wave off his concerns.
"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it! I've seen you purchase all the stuff before of course!" the girl said, puffing her developing chest out and the Dragon Slayer let out a small chuckle and gently petted her head.
"Alright, I trust you. Just be sure to be careful, alright?" He said, getting a slight nod from Kagura who stared at her feet, not wanting the pinkette to see the blush which adorned her face.
Handing her the money, the girl proceeded to set off for the market in order to purchase whatever goods the two needed for their travels.
Watching the girl walk off, the Dragon Slayer decided to wander around the town, wondering why he was able to sense more people with magical powers in this particular town.
It was a skill that the pinkette was able to pick up when he was learning how to access his Dragon Force. Igneel told him that by meditating it would allow him to be able to sense the flow of Ethernano, and as a result, magic in the air. As he started getting used to it more and more, he was slowly able to detect the magical powers within people as well.
As the Dragon Slayer kept walking through the town, he eventually came across something that managed to catch his eye. Walking up to it, Natsu ended up being face to face with a large building, and as his eyes trailed upwards, he stared in awe at the giant mermaid statue at the top of the building.
"Do you need something with my guild, boy?" Someone spoke from behind him, causing the Dragon Slayer to turn back, where he saw an elderly woman, who appears to be in her late fourties or early fifties, standing behind him, staring at him with a curious gaze. The pinkette stared back at her cautiously, while the woman did her best, he was still able to detect a large amount of magical powers from her.
"No…I was just curious about the statue on the building is all." The pinkette said, getting a chuckle from the older woman.
"Well, you certainly wouldn't be the first one. Plenty of tourists and people who are new to town would always look at the statue in awe." She said in amusement, recalling the times she had seen the look of amazement on their faces.
Perhaps it had been worth it to spend all that money to make the guild more eye-catching…even if their budget didn't agree with her.
"My name is Tia, and I am the guild master of the Mermaid Heel guild, the building in front of you, if you need something then please don't hesitate to contact us, alright boy?" The woman now named Tia said gently.
"What's a guild?" Natsu asked curiously, tilting his head. The old woman seemed surprised by this question before deciding to reply to the boy.
"A guild is a place that mages join in order to find work. Many of them are full of mages that are friends and treat each other like family." She explained with a grin and the pinkette's eyes widened when he heard her words.
A place where mages would treat each other like family…
The pinkette immediately clenched his fists as he thought about his travelling partner.
"Are there any conditions for people to be able to join your guild?" Natsu asked and the old woman raised an eyebrow at his sudden curiosity before nodding her head.
"That's right, while Mermaid Heel carries out the same tasks and missions like any other guild, but we are an all-female guild. This means that we do not accept any males as members. So that means you wouldn't be able to join in, even if you wanted to. I apologise for that boy." She apologised though the pinkette shook his head.
"It's fine, I wasn't asking because I wanted to join." He said as the woman to raise an eyebrow at him.
"I have a travelling partner and her name is Kagura. I was looking for a place that would be able to take care of her." He said causing Tia's eyes to widen slightly before she raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you not want her to continue to travel with you if you don't mind me asking?" Natsu's eyes trailed down at the floor.
"I'm…on a quest to get stronger…and I'm bound to tread through dangerous paths in order to get there. That's why I can't bring her with me, I don't want her to get hurt because of me." The pinkette admitted, though he made sure to not mention anything about Acnologia.
The aged woman could tell that while the boy was hiding something, he was also telling the truth. She was also certain that he wouldn't say anything even if she tried prying it out of him.
"Alright, I'll accept her into our guild. I promise that we'll take good care of her." Tia said with a smile and the Dragon Slayer felt relieved…and also hoping that the girl would be able to make friends now in this guild.
"Thank you, I'll bring her to your guild tomorrow. Though, don't be too surprised if she'll be unconscious. I have a feeling she won't be too happy about letting me leave." Natsu sighed, already knowing that Kagura would be pissed off at him, getting the woman to chuckle.
"Well, if she really cares for you then there's no way she's going to let you leave that easily. Trust me, I've seen plenty of examples in my guild already." She giggled, recalling how many times her guild members would constantly start trouble because of their relationship.
It truly was a hassle to deal with the aftermath of it…
"Well, it's not as if I'm saying goodbye. I'll probably stop by once in a while to see how she's doing." The Dragon Slayer then narrowed his eyes at the woman in front of him.
"And if I found out that you didn't keep your promise…" The pinkette narrowed his eyes at the woman as he unleashed a bit of his magical power at the woman who was stunned at the sheer strength that the boy was emitting before a small smirk appeared on her face.
'To think that such a young boy was capable of being this powerful already…'
"I have no intention of breaking my promise with you, boy. I consider everyone in the Mermaid Heel as my children, and I care for each and every one of them, and the girl that you're going to bring along will be no exception." Tia said, staring into the boy's eyes to prove her words.
Looking directly into the woman's eyes, Natsu nodded his head, seeing no dishonesty in her eyes, before he said his goodbyes and walked away, intending to meet up with Kagura before she got concerned about his whereabouts.
Once they met up again, Natsu made sure to treat the girl as best he could, which garnered some suspicion from the girl, but she waved it off nonetheless.
"So, where are we headed to this time Natsu?" Kagura asked the older boy in confusion. The two were currently walking through the streets of Celestial Shores, carrying their bags with them.
The girl had assumed that they would be staying at the town for a couple more days, as Natsu always seemed to be looking around for information before moving on to their journey.
"We're heading to the Mermaid Heel guild." The boy responded and the girl tilted her head in confusion.
"Are we going to be joining a guild, Natsu?" the girl asked curiously and the pinkette lowered himself so that he could meet her eyes.
"Not exactly…" he said causing her to raise an eyebrow at the boy.
"What do you mean?" Natsu struggled to utter the next words out of his mouth, but after taking a deep breath, he looked at the girl directly in her eyes.
"It means that YOU'LL be joining a guild…while I'm not." He said and it only took a brief second for the girl to process the words that exited the pinkette's mouth.
"No…"
"I'm sorry Kagura, but this is where we're going to part ways…"
"No."
"I can't bring you with me this time. The journey I'm about to embark in will too dangerous."
"NO! I want to go with you!" the girl cried out, her tiny arms clinging onto the pinkette tightly refusing to let him go, almost as if her life depended on it.
She had been robbed of her family at a young age, and it was Natsu who freed her from that darkness. She didn't want him to go away and leave her behind like everyone else!
"Please, please don't go Natsu! I promise I'll be good. I'll train extra hard to be stronger…so please don't leave me alone." The girl cried out, tears already forming at the edge of her eyes.
Natsu felt his heart begin to ache upon seeing the tears that welled in the girl's eyes.
He already expected this sort of reaction from the purple-haired girl, and truthfully, he didn't want to part ways with her either, but he knew that he needed to continue on his quest to grow stronger and he knew that he couldn't bring the girl alongside him on his journey.
Especially if he intends to go after Acnologia.
As much as he wanted to bring Kagura with him, he knew full well of the dangers that would come from this journey.
That's why he lowered his bag and gently wrapped his arms around the girl, giving her a hug.
"You're already a good girl, Kagura. You train harder than even me when I was younger, and I know that you'll be even stronger in the future." He said gently, rubbing the back of her head in an attempt to calm the girl as she cried onto his chest.
"I care for you Kagura, and that's why I know that I can't bring you with me. I'd rather know you're safe and sound here rather than be constantly worried while you're with me." He explained, wanting the girl to understand from his point of view.
"But I can help you! I've been improving my magic…!" She said, desperately wanting to convince the boy. Though the Dragon Slayer only flashed her a rue smile.
"I don't even think I'll be able to survive whatever I plan on doing…exactly why I don't want you there with me." He said sadly.
"But-!" However, her words were cut short as the pinkette landed a chop the back of her head, which rendered her unconscious as her body fell slack into his arms.
"I'm sorry…Kagura." He whispered as he carried her unconscious body and knocked at the doors to Mermaid Heel.
Kagura let out a small groan as she rubbed her eyes, her vision slowly returning to her as she looked at her surroundings. It was a setting that she was unfamiliar with…
"Good morning, little one…or should I say good evening?" Tia greeted the awakening Kagura, who turned to the woman before she immediately backed away.
"W-who are you?" Kagura asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at her.
She already had a bad running with the Zeref Cultists when she was younger, and she was not going to take any chances now.
"Now, now, I have no intention of hurting you little one. I already promised someone that I'd take care of you, and I have no intention of breaking it so soon." The old woman said in amusement, raising her hands in the air to prove her innocence.
Hearing her words, the purple-haired girl's eyes widened, recalling about a certain individual who appears to be missing.
"Where's Natsu?" The girl asked turning her head profusely to search for a familiar mop of pink hair.
"I'm…sorry little one. But your friend has already continued on with his journey." The woman said with a frown, flinching slightly the moment she caught the sadness in the girl's eyes.
"So, he really left me here…" Kagura mumbled out sadly, as her bangs covered her eyes. Though, Tia could tell that the girl was desperately holding back her tears back based on how her little body was shaking.
"I was too weak…"
The older woman frowned when she heard this. She knew from experience that no words that she said would be able to comfort the girl now, especially when it involves a person she cared for. Fortunately, the boy who left her here was also aware of this.
"Kagura…before making any assumptions as to why the boy left you. I want you to read this." Tia said, holding a sheet of paper in her hand as Kagura sniffed her tears back as she stared at it.
"For me…?" The Guild Master nodded her head.
"That's right… your friend gave me this letter when he entrusted you over to the guild. He told me to hand over this letter to you the moment you awoke." She said, handing over the letter to the girl, who took it with both hands as she quickly began to read through the boy's message to her.
Dear Kagura,
If you're reading this letter, then that means I have already left on my journey. I have a feeling that you would be angry with me, and that is fine by me. I also know that no words would make you forgive me, but let me apologise nonetheless.
I'm sorry that I had to leave you in the guild out of the blue like this.
However, because of my goal, I know that you would be put into dangers that were much worse than what you have experienced when you were younger…
But knowing you, you might take this as a challenge to push yourself, so I'll encourage it this time. Get stronger Kagura, so that you no longer have to fear about anything ever again! Get stronger and who knows, maybe you'll be stronger than me?
I know that we'll meet each other again. That's why don't worry about me. I'll make sure to pay you a visit in the future. Until then, I pray that you will continue to take care of yourself.
Natsu Dragneel
Tears began falling down the girl's face as she read through the boy's letter to her. She held the paper tightly to her chest as tears continued to stream down her face.
Tia, who noticed this, decided to give the girl some space for herself as she left the room.
After what felt like hours, Kagura finally wiped away her tears as she read through the boy's words once again.
'I'll do it…I'll get stronger…' She thought to herself, as she clenched her fists in determination.
Although she had no idea what the pinkette's goal was, even after spending three years together, but she was certain that he was walking on the path of destruction…all by himself.
Which was why she'll make sure that she gets stronger. Strong enough so that she would be able to stand by his side when that day comes.
'Yes… I'll get stronger so that I'll be able to protect you this time…Natsu!' A resolute expression was now etched on the girl's face, replacing whatever sorrow she felt only moments before.
All so that she would be able to reunite with the boy who meant so much to her.
Meanwhile, around the same time when Kagura woke up in the Mermaid Heel guild, there was another girl, who was around the age of nine who had a bright smile on her face as she stared upwards at the skies above.
"Princess, it's time for you to go to sleep." A voice spoke from behind her, causing the girl to frown as she turned back to look at the guard, named Arcadios, who was standing by her door side.
"Aww, but I'm not tired!" the green-haired girl pouted at the knight who could only sigh at her words while also feeling a bit of sadness.
Where had the adorable girl who always listened to his and her father's words gone to?
Pushing aside his feelings, the knight bowed once more.
"I understand, but you must get proper rest in order to continue your studies tomorrow. Your father would be upset if you would be too tired to continue." He said and the girl began to grumble underneath her breath before an idea appeared in her mind.
"Another five minutes…please~" The girl pouted adorably and try as he might, Arcadios sighed and nodded his head. He knew that he wouldn't be able to disobey the girl's orders even if he wanted to. Heck, even her father was wrapped around her fingers sometimes.
"Understood, your highness. Just another five more minutes." He said, causing the girl to cheer as she turned her attention back to the skies above.
The girl's jade orbs stared brightly at the stars which littered across the sky, a bright grin etched on her face.
'For some reason, I feel like something exciting might happen soon.' She thought excitedly.
Unknown to the princess, her prediction would end up become a reality in only a few months, as a lone Dragon Slayer makes his way over to Crocus, effectively entering a new chapter of his life.
End Chapter
Yes, Natsu met Kagura and travelled with her for several years before leaving her at Mermaid Heel to continue his journey. I have the feeling I'm gonna get some comments about why I did so, but let me just say this. I have it all planned out, so just cool your horses' guys. You can't tell me that Natsu wouldn't have wanted to test his luck against Acnologia if he heard about it, especially if Igneel talked about it.
Fun Fact About 'The Ultimate Dragon Slayer' (1):
When originally writing the story, Igneel was supposed to bring Natsu to the Tower of Heaven and rescue Erza, to help reinforce the romance between her and Natsu, as well as for Natsu to make his first kill.
Why did I change it? Well, I still wanted to try and maintain the original timeline (even if Kagura living in the same village for a few weeks after the destruction of her village would make no sense either), but I still feel like it would make sense. Besides, even if I had Natsu and Igneel in the year X777, why would Igneel feel the need to have Natsu go to the Tower of Heaven?
Although this is Fanfiction, I still need to have certain things make sense in the grand scheme of things.