Chapter 7. Nakama
You better apologize when you come back.
Natsu gasped for air, his eyes snapping open as he shot up into a sitting position. His body trembled uncontrollably, each breath ragged his muscles quivered and his heart hammered against his chest. He blinked, confusion heavy on his brow. Where am I? What... happened? The last thing he remembered was the black mist, the screech—then Lisanna! His heart lurched, panic rising in his chest. Is she okay? What about everyone else?
Around him, an endless void stretched out, an abyss that seemed to swallow everything. Natsu felt small and vulnerable, sitting in the middle of it. There was no fire, no sound, just... nothing. Natsu saw the miasma surrounding him, swirling in dark tendrils, but it was impossible to gauge how close or far it truly was. It seemed to circle endlessly, an ever-shifting presence, blurring any sense of distance. In this strange space, everything felt both near and unreachable at once.
He had just been face to face with Bramblethorn, and at that moment, he had been terrified. Fear had gripped his heart, his mind repeating one desperate thought: I don't want to die. Everything had gone black, the cold weight of the darkness pressing on him. Now, as Lisanna's voice echoed around him, he blinked, confusion heavy on his brow. His body ached, his muscles felt drained, and the fear lingered, like an icy residue in his chest. He looked around, disoriented, his heart pounding as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
He looked down, and for the first time, he noticed his hands. They were shaking. No, not just shaking—twitching. His fingers moved as though they didn't belong to him, as though they were reacting to something beyond his control. He clenched them into fists, trying to steady the tremors, but they persisted.
That's when he realized... everything was gone.
Images began to flicker in the void. They appeared like ghostly projections and formed memories before his eyes. Igneel, his father, smiling down at him. The familiar warmth of his tail's embrace almost comforted him. Almost. But then the image shifted, and another figure appeared: Lisanna, calling out to him with a bright smile. His breath hitched as the memory became focused—he saw it with his own eyes like it was happening all over again.
He felt the warmth of Lisanna's small hand delicately gripping his. She was pulling him along a narrow dirt path, her laughter ringing in his ears. The world around him shifted, and suddenly, he was no longer in the void. He was back on that familiar forest path, his legs stumbling slightly as he tried to keep up with her boundless energy.
"Come on, Natsu!" Lisanna's voice was bright, full of the innocence and joy they once shared. He could feel the rough texture of her fingers wrapped tightly around his as she tugged him. The trees around him, and the grass beneath his feet felt so vivid that Natsu forgot about the void for a beat.
Lisanna's white hair fluttered in the wind, and when she glanced back at him, her eyes sparkled with excitement. "We're almost there!" she called out, her grin wide as they ran toward the place they called their own—their hideout.
The trees parted, revealing the small clearing where they had hidden Happy's egg. Natsu could still remember how his heart had raced when they'd found it, how it had felt like the most important discovery in the world. And there, sitting in the middle of the hideout, was the egg—carefully cradled in a bed of soft grass and leaves.
Young Lisanna beamed at him, her cheeks flushed from the run, but her eyes were full of life and mischief. She knelt beside the egg, patting the grass as if showing off the world's greatest treasure. "You're its Dad! And I'm the Mom!" she declared, her voice brimming with excitement and certainty.
Natsu, his younger self, felt his heart swell. He'd been confused at first, not quite understanding what she meant. "Dad?" he'd echoed, scratching his head, but the way Lisanna looked at him—so full of spirit and playfulness—made him believe it, too.
"Of course!" Lisanna said, standing up straight and puffing out her chest. "We'll take care of it together, like a family."
Her smile was so bright, so full of hope, that Natsu had felt something stir in his chest even then. He hadn't understood it then, but looking at it now, it made so much sense. It was one of the first times he felt... important to someone. The happiness of that moment compared to the emptiness he felt now terrified him. Back then, he had felt needed, a part of something special. But now that feeling seemed so distant, almost like a dream he could barely touch.
The memory felt so real, so true, that Natsu could feel the weight of her words settling in his heart again. Like it was happening for the first time. He remembered how he'd grinned back at her, and the simple joy of being with her. "Yeah! We'll be the best!" he'd declared.
The memory faded, but its warmth lingered in Natsu's chest, filling the void for just a moment. His heart ached at the thought of that innocence, of that promise they made as kids. Lisanna... the girl who always believed in him, even back then.
Where are they? Why am I... here? He thought, his heartbeat quickening. Natsu quickly stood up, his legs shaky beneath him, confusion settling heavily in his chest. Nothing made sense, and he felt lost.
He tried to make sense of the images—his past, his loved ones—but the more he watched, the more disconnected he felt. He swiped at the visions in front of him, trying to push them away, but his hand went right through. The memories didn't shatter or disappear—they simply rippled like water. Small particles danced around his fingers, then floated back undisturbed by his attempts to grasp them.
He lashed out again and summoned the fire within him. Nothing came. No heat, no flames—just cold and pressing emptiness.
He ran. He didn't know where or why, but the urge to move, and escape, gripped him. Move! Fight! Do somethin'! The need to take action burned in his chest, but his legs moved without purpose. For what felt like hours—or days? He was not paying attention. He ran, ran, and ran, but the void never changed, the images kept haunting him with every step.
His breath came in ragged gasps. The oppressive miasma seemed to press in closer with each breath, as if it could sense his panic and wanted to crush him completely. There has to be a way out. He tried again, focusing on the fire, trying to summon even the smallest spark. Nothing. Just... silence.
"They left you again. You know why?"
A familiar voice with a taunting edge cut through the dark like a blade. Natsu skidded to a halt, his eyes snapping up. He spun around, his breath hitching, and his eyes widened as they locked onto a figure—a figure that sent a cold shiver down his spine. It was him, but not quite. The figure looked exactly like Natsu, but there was something... wrong. His eyes gleamed with malice, and a twisted grin pulled his face.
Natsu blinked, his mind reeling. "Wha-? Who are you and what are you talkin' about?"
For a moment, he stood frozen, the reality of the situation slipping away. And then, something inside him broke. He let out a hollow laugh, the sound echoing in the void.
"I must've lost it," he muttered, still laughing.
The figure didn't move. It didn't blink. It just watched him, its grin growing wider, more sinister. Then, the figure tilted its head: a dark chuckle escaped its lips, and its grin twisted into something more sinister. Natsu's counterpart narrowed his eyes, as he circled Natsu, like a predator toying with its prey.
"Ya still don't get it, do ya? Everyone you care for abandoned you. They always leave," it whispered, the tone low and mocking.
"W-What?" Natsu's legs buckled slightly as the words struck. He tried to step back, to shake it off, but the miasma around him felt suffocating. Each breath he tried to draw, felt heavier than the last. Natsu could feel the thickness of the shadowy vapor pushing down on him, drowning him in memories and doubts.
His mirror image scanned with a satisfied gleam in its eyes. "First Igneel. Then Lisanna. And now Lucy."
"NO!"
Natsu lunged forward, his fist tremoring as he tried to punch the counterpart, but it was like striking smoke—his attack passed right through, leaving him stumbling forward in vain. Natsu's teeth clenched, but the words stung. They weren't lies—they were truths, bitter and undeniable. Igneel had left him. Lisanna had died. Lucy was slipping away, wasn't she?
The words struck Natsu like a hammer to the chest. The memories hit him in waves. Igneel—the father figure who had raised him, who had vanished without warning, leaving him with nothing but questions and pain. Natsu had spent years chasing after him, trying to fill the void Igneel's disappearance had left behind. His fists tightened as that old ache surfaced again.
Was it all his fault? Was he destined to be the one left behind?
"Do you know why? It's because you're weak." the counterpart continued, its voice dripping with venom.
"No!" Natsu snapped. "I always fight with everything I have. One hundred percent of my power. To protect everyone back in Fairy Tail!"
"LIAR. Do you think they don't see it? They see you holding back. They see your fear. Fear of losing control, fear of hurting them." It sneered, stepping closer, its voice growing colder. "That's why they leave, Natsu. Because deep down, they know you're pitiful."
Natsu felt his resolve waver. Was it true? Could that be the reason he kept failing? He thought of the countless times he'd tried to protect his nakama and nearly failed. Tower of heaven. Phantom Lord. Edolas. How many more times would he nearly fail, if he remained as he was? Who would pay the price? The guilt crushed him, and each memory of his friends almost dead tore his insides.
"No..! I refused to believe ya!"
Natsu staggered back, his chest clenched shut, as though something sharp were piercing him. The words struck too deep, too close. But then, faintly, he heard something else. A soft voice. In comparison to the coldness of the void, and his counterpart's venomous tone, it was soothing and welcoming.
"I believe in you, Natsu."
Natsu flinched at the words but said nothing.
The counterpart stepped closer, its eyes gleaming with a twisted sort of sympathy."You think you're the one they need, but you're not. You're nothing without them. You're just a broken little boy, terrified of being alone." Its voice grew harsh and biting.
Natsu froze, the words catching him off guard. His heart pounded, anger simmering beneath his skin, but confusion gnawed at him. "I'm not weak!" he growled, taking a step back, his fists trembling. "I'll never abandon them! I'll never stop fighting for them!
The figure's laughter rang out, hollow and cruel. It shook its head, mock disappointment clear in its tone. "But you already have," it taunted, its voice low and cruel. A haunting vision formed within the swirling miasma. Lisanna's grave stood illuminated by an eerie, unnatural glow of the moon. Her siblings kneel before the headstone, tears streaking their faces as they clutch each other for comfort,
"You can't protect anyone. You can't even protect yourself."
Natsu's breath caught in his throat, and he felt a sharp, icy chill run down his spine. His hands twitched, the flames threatening to burst out. "I... I don't understand," he snarled.
The figure's smile darkened, and it took a step forward, its presence suffocating. "But that is not the worst of it. You did one thing, we swore never to do. You gave up."
Natsu's eyes widened, the words slamming into him like a physical blow. "What? I didn't—"
"DON'T YOU DARE TO DENY IT!" the figure's eyes narrowed, cutting him off, its voice dripping with venom. "We were so strong… Unstoppable, and we wanted to find Igneel again… but you… You gave up when Lisanna died. And now... you're going to do it all over again." It jabbed a finger at Natsu's chest, the force of it almost knocking him back.
"What. Happened. To. You?"
The accusation tore at Natsu, ripping open old wounds. His heart raced, the weight of those memories crashing down on him—Igneel disappearing without a trace, the ache of losing Lisanna, the recent sting of seeing Lucy drift further away. It was like the figure was peeling back layers of his soul, exposing the raw pain he had buried deep.
"No... that's not true," Natsu whispered, his voice trembling as he struggled to keep his composure. "I never gave up!"
The dark counterpart's grin widened, its eyes gleaming with malice. "Really? Then why couldn't you protect them?" It took another step forward, its presence looming over Natsu like a dark shadow. "Why couldn't you prevent Igneel from leaving? Why couldn't you keep Lisanna from dying? Why did Lucy abandon you? Why, Why? WHY!?" The words were daggers, each one piercing deeper than the last.
"I-I don't..."Natsu's fists shook, his vision blurring as the fire inside him flared uncontrollably. "I didn't want them to go! I… I tried, okay? I did everything I could—didn't I?"
But the figure wasn't finished. It leaned in, its voice dropping to a sinister whisper. "And yet they did…! All because of you."
That was it. Something inside Natsu snapped. The flames inside him surged, boiling over into a roar of pure rage. "SHUT UP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHIN'!" Natsu screamed, his voice raw, echoing through the void as he charged forward.
"I would never…!" he bellowed, closing the distance between them, fists clenching with an uncontrollable fury. "I'd never leave my friends... my nakama!"
He swung, his fist almost white, but it passed through the figure again, as though it were nothing more than a ghost. The dark counterpart just stood there, unmoving, a cruel, knowing smile still plastered on its face.
"What about me…?" it murmured, its voice as cold as ice. "Don't I matter too?"
Natsu staggered, his chest heaving as the weight of those words pressed down on him, the truth of them clawing at his heart. He had fought for everyone else—always for others, always trying to be strong for them. But had he lost sight of who he was fighting for somewhere along the way?
The dark miasma twisted around him, suffocating and thick, its tendrils coiling around his body like cold, slithering snakes. He could feel the cold weight pressing against his skin, tightening with each breath, and desperate struggle. Natsu stared into the malicious grin of his sinister counterpart, his chest heaving as the tendrils squeezed the very life out of him. Every word dripped with venom, cutting into his heart.
"You abandoned me when Lisanna died," the figure sneered. "And now, just like Igneel, just like Lucy... you will do it AGAIN."
"Stop..."
Those names. Igneel. Lucy. The two most conflicting forces in his heart. The words stung, dredging up feelings Natsu had buried for so long—his father's sudden disappearance, the ache of abandonment. And Lucy... the confusion of watching her drift away, feeling the distance grow between them.
"Why? Why didn't you protect me?" the figure hissed, stepping closer, its presence choking the air around him. "Our dad would puke if he saw how you now."
"STOP!"
Natsu's heart clenched painfully, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His fists shook as he fought the urge to lash out again. No. He couldn't lose control. Not like before. The truth of those words hurt, but there was something deeper, something that refused to be extinguished.
Then, like a faint whisper through the storm, Lisanna's voice seeped into the darkness again, soft and clear. "Natsu..." Her tone was gentle and soothing, a balm to the chaos swirling inside him. "You're not alone."
"Then why did you leave me behind?" Natsu cried into the empty void, desperate for answers. But the silence was deafening.
Natsu felt his chest throb painfully at the thought of Lucy—the warmth in her smile, the way her laughter had always lifted his spirits. But then, the doubt crept in. Lately, things have been different. She had been spending more time with Gray, laughing with him, going on missions without Natsu. The knot in his chest tightened. He couldn't deny the jealousy, the loneliness he had felt. Every time she teamed up with Gray, every time her smile wasn't for him, it felt he had been left behind, and replaced. That was the undeniable truth.
Exhaustion weighed heavily on Natsu, as he felt his legs under him buckle. The dark miasma coiled and twisted around him, its tendrils creeping closer, draining his will and leaving him feeling utterly hopeless. Perhaps it was for the best Natsu thought bitterly.
But then... a flicker of warmth. The faint glow of a fire, small but steady, appeared at the edges of the void. And with it, Lisanna's voice. "Natsu, come back to me," she whispered, her words cutting through the suffocating void.
You'll leave in the end. Natsu convinced himself. Why bother tryin'?
The Miasma swirled, threatening to engulf him again, but then Lisanna's voice broke through, clear and unwavering. An image washed over him—a scene of Lisanna, standing in front of him with her lips curving up, while her eyes shed tears.
"Natsu…"
Natsu blinked, the scene playing out vividly at the edge of the miasma. The spark flickered, growing brighter, and then he saw her—Lisanna. She reached out, her hand brushing gently against his cheek. The warmth of her touch spread through him, igniting something deep inside. "I have to go," she whispered, her voice trembling but resolute. "I have to… so I can save them... and you."
"SEE?!" the counterpart pointed at Lisanna.
Natsu's chest tightened as he met her gaze. The darkness around him pulsed, but for the first time, it didn't overwhelm him. He could feel the fire inside him stirring, growing a little stronger with each passing second.
"You can't trust her!" the dark Natsu hissed, its voice growing desperate. "She's leaving you behind! Just like Igneel! Just like Lucy!"
But Natsu wasn't listening to that voice anymore. His focus stayed on the warmth of her touch, and serenity in her eyes. She wasn't leaving him. She wasn't abandoning him. No, this was a girl trying to save her friend, to save HIM.
His mind flashed back to Igneel—to the day he had disappeared. Natsu had felt terrified and hurt when his adoptive father had left him—abandoned without explanation, leaving behind only questions and an emptiness that felt excruciating. He remembered the desperation, the helplessness. But now, as he watched Lisanna, battered and bruised, fighting Bramblethorn alone, he saw something different.
She wasn't leaving him behind—she was fighting for him, for them.
Her determination to meet Bramblethorn's blows head-on, despite her battered state, filled him with a realization: this was not abandonment, but sacrifice, the kind of sacrifice Igneel had made for him. Igneel hadn't left him because Natsu was weak or not important. He had left to protect him, to save him from something far worse.
And now, Lisanna was doing the same—giving everything to protect what was important.
"You are amazin'" Natsu whispered, a spark of fire flared around him and tore one tendril after another off him.
"NO! That's not true! It can't be!" His sinister self faltered, the sneer on its face twitching as it sensed the change in Natsu.
The spark of fire flared, growing into a roaring flame that surged through the dark mist, burning away the shadows that had once suffocated him. Natsu stood taller.
"They cast us aside…!" the dark version snapped, stepping closer. "Are we supposed to just forget that?" Its voice softened, almost mocking.
Natsu stood frozen, the darkness of the miasma swirling around him, his evil self's voice tugging at his thoughts, whispering of pain, loss, and fear. The twisted figure stepped closer, its grin widening as Natsu's resolve seemed to waver.
He looked up, meeting the gaze of his dark self, and for the first time, he saw something else in those burning eyes. Resentment. Natsu's fists clenched at his sides. "No…" he whispered, his flames reigniting, brighter, stronger. "You're wrong."
"You fool! Don't you see!? They cast us aside!"
"Maybe they did," Natsu admitted, stepping forward, his fire tearing through the darkness. "But they did it to keep us safe."
The dark Natsu narrowed his eyes, tilting his head as if amused. "What about our pain? OUR HURT! What we went through… WAS IT ALL MEANINGLESS!?"
Natsu's heart wavered for a moment, the weight of those words pressing down on him. Maybe his counterpart was right. Maybe he did deserve to be stuck here, lost and powerless. This emptiness was the price of his stupidity, his greatest failure. It was his punishment, and maybe he had earned it. He clenched his fists tighter, feeling the fire within him slowly flicker out of existence. Miasma began to swirl around his form, the last remaining tendrils choked his neck anew, making it feel like he would be consumed. When it threatened to surround and swallow him whole, a myriad of screams pierced through.
"Natsu."
"Please… don't blame yourself okay?"
"NO, PLEASE!"
"Lisanna... eat a lot of fishies with Natsu, okay? Lots… and Lots!"
"HAPPY!"
The sound cut through everything, snapping all tendrils off his skin at once like a peeled potato, allowing him to turn his attention away from the corruption. His breath hitched as his eyes locked onto an image, a vivid scene etched into the miasma itself. He could see Lisanna, her arms wrapped around Happy's small, limp form. His heart lurched painfully in his chest.
No..!
Happy's small, unmoving body lay cradled in Lisanna's shaking arms, his fur soaked with both rain and tears. Lisanna's face twisted, her eyes wide and tears flowed down her cheeks. Natsu could feel something in him splintering at the sight, the helplessness in Lisanna's eyes tore his insides apart.
NO! NOT HAPPY!
Memories gushed forward, barraging his mind all at once. He remembered the take-over mage's warm tone vividly. "It's normal for families to fight sometimes," she had said, smiling as though she could see right through him. "But what's important is that you make up. So no matter what happens... Happy is still our son!"
Her words struck a chord deep within him. Natsu's heart clenched, and a familiar warmth bubbled inside him, slowly at first, but then stronger, fiercer. More images began to gleam before his eyes. Fleeting, but precious moments. They had always been there, waiting for him to understand, and witness when the time was right. He saw Lisanna, her hand in his, pulling him along paths they'd walked together as kids.
Her words came back to him, clear as day. "When we grow up… Can I be your wife?"
He chuckled bitterly at the memory. What the hell? Who asks someone to marry them at that age? But now, that memory felt like it was everything. It wasn't just a childhood promise—it was a part of him he hadn't fully understood. Had he gotten it all wrong this entire time?
His chest tightened as the realization hit him. He pondered about every moment with Lisanna, the way his chest always burned with a familiar fire when she was around. It wasn't the same fire he felt for Lucy. No—it was something different. With Lucy, the fire was wild, fast, and unpredictable—like a raging blaze, consuming everything in its path. But with Lisanna… it was gentle. Steady. The warmth he felt when she was near was like the soft breeze that cooled him after a long battle. It was a comfort that had always been there without him noticing.
Lisanna's voice resonated again, louder this time. "Natsu, you're the dad. So you have to protect your wife and son."
Those words hit harder than anything the dark miasma had thrown at him. He looked back at Lisanna—her anguished sobs, the way she clutched Happy's lifeless body—and something broke inside him. He felt the flames stir deep within his chest, roaring to life like they hadn't in a long time.
His heart swelled so much it almost hurt. The heat radiated through his chest and made his limbs feel lighter, like a sense of certainty that had always been there, waiting to be acknowledged. There it was. He could feel the fire, just like before. But this time when he tapped his chest it didn't burn him alive... Instead, it beckoned him. It was the feeling of wanting to run to her, to be by her side, not just because she was a friend, but because she meant everything to him.
In that moment, everything clicked.
I love her.
The realization hit him like a tidal wave, crashing with a force he hadn't expected. He had always loved Lisanna—not just as a friend or companion, but something deeper, something that had always been there, even if he hadn't seen it until now. The heat surged, burning brighter with every heartbeat, and before he knew it, flames erupted around him—hotter, more intense than they'd ever been. The fire blazed, cutting through the miasma, and burning away the fog that had surrounded.
He glimpsed at his dark counterpart again and saw the truth. The anger, the rage, the bitterness... it wasn't just malice. It was pain and loss. The very same feeling Natsu had just realized, only it was twisted.
Natsu's eyes widened in understanding. "You too... right?" he whispered, the words catching in his throat. "Man, I musta been the densest guy in the world…!" he chuckled.
The dark version of Natsu froze. It didn't respond, but the conflicted look in its eyes said it all.
"You've known all along," Natsu said softly, his voice filled with quiet realization. "You're angry because you were afraid of being forgotten. Afraid of being abandoned… Afraid you could be replaced…"
The dark Natsu let out a bitter laugh, stepping back, its fists trembling at its sides. "Why would I care?" it snapped, venom lacing each word. "You left me alone! I hate you, Natsu!" The grin suddenly vanished into a down-turned lip and crunching teeth. "If it were me instead... I would've never let her look like that! Not in a million years!"
Natsu looked at his counterpart, his eyes softening. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"What... did you say?" The other half froze, its eyes widening in shock.
Natsu's heart ached, but it wasn't from fear this time. It was from understanding. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "You were right." the Dragon Slayer realized. "You were right... I did hold back," He looked down, his eyes filled with regret. "I never believed Lisanna was truly back. She was there, smilin', and laughin' but I always thought it wasn't real. I kept thinkin' she would vanish the next day and find out it was all just a dream. If that was going to happen... I didn't wanna face that kind of pain again."
For the first time, the two versions of Natsu stood in silence, no longer adversaries, but two parts of the same whole. They had both fought for the same thing, both burned with the same fire. But now, Natsu realized he was never alone, never abandoned, and his greatest strength… It was them.
"I'll carry these feelings with me," Natsu patted his chest, flames roaring around him. "But I won't let them ever define me."
Without a word, he extended his arm, offering a clasp. His flames roared to life with brilliance. The last veil of corruption around him dissolved, leaving a pure white void. His heart was full, his mind clear, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he was at peace.
The last remnants of the miasma faded into small particles, and his evil counterpart stepped forth. No longer filled with malice or anger, the figure stood before him, eyes gleaming with something close to pride. He hesitated for a beat, but then, with a firm grip, he took Natsu's hand into his own. As their hands connected, the circling flames surged, enveloping them in a fiery tornado. Natsu held tight, feeling the strength in his counterpart's grip. But something changed. The figure before him began to shift, the hard edges softened, and the corrupted veil faded out and morphed into a younger version of himself, the boy he once was. That boy, wide-eyed and innocent, grinned up at him, a spark of mischief in his eyes.
"Don't ever break your promises to her. Ya hear?" Young Natsu said.
Natsu nodded, his heart steady. "I won't," he vowed, his voice strong, a newfound certainty burning in his chest. He could feel the fire deep within him, stronger than ever. "I've got it now..."
"The fire in our bellies!" Natsu's younger self beamed, while he matched the grin.