PART ONE. Realization

October 2nd, The Eastern Forest

Day 2

As it turned out, Natsu Dragneel did not have a good relationship with boats.

It was much the same with practically any other vehicle as well. Erza with her magical carriage; ships; trains; that one time when he'd landed in a railway cart when he was fighting a golem outside of a mine near Crocus. Even the mere thought of stepping into one of those moving contraptions… simply made his stomach turn upside down. And yet…

…He did sign up for this. Completely. Of his own free will.

Are you trying to get yourself killed, Dragneel? Got some sort of death wish?

Natsu could only bitterly ignore the obvious question floating in his head as he kept his walking pace beneath the trees around him, navigating his way effortlessly through the darkened brush and bushes. He could see in the dark, after all.

Walking just a few feet ahead of him was none other than the Old Man himself. Makarov had kept surprisingly quiet as soon as they'd linked up by the east gate near the edge of town. But that could probably be chalked up to the guildmaster being awake earlier in the morning than he'd usually like.

Both of them had backed some bags to bring along with them-in Natsu's case, he'd only packed a few days worth of clothes and food. He didn't rightly know why, but when he asked Makarov what the purpose was, he'd only gotten a knowing smirk as an answer. And nothing else.

Natsu wondered what was going to happen… was Makarov going to put him on the train? If so, then they'd been heading in the wrong direction this whole time.

Were they going to get on a ship? Or some other moving vehicle which could very well result in Natsu's premature demise? How exactly was the old man going to help him get rid of his motion sickness? And moreover… why exactly was Gramps so confident that he could?

It certainly didn't seem like Makarov had any personal experience dealing with motion sickness. From what Natsu knew, the old man definitely was not a Dragon Slayer.

So… what was it then? How was this camping trip supposed to help him?

And when was the sparring going to start? The old man had told him that he'd secured a suitable sparring partner to help Natsu get stronger and 'surpass' his limits when it came to his own training and power.

Whatever that was supposed to mean.

In any case, who was this mysterious training partner, then? An S-Class Wizard? Was it someone Natsu knew? And if so, then who?

There were so many questions that boiled in his mind as he kept following Makarov through the forest-too many to keep track of all at once. As soon as his head started to hurt, Natsu decided to forget about them for the moment, and focus on the present.

He was good at that, at least.

All around him, his senses had picked up so many familiar scents and sounds. The silent whisper of tall grass as it shuffled along with the early morning breeze; twigs falling from tree branches and snapping against the forest floor; somewhere to his left, perhaps… seventy or so feet away from him, an elk was cautious sniffing the air-trying to anticipate whether or not the new scents coming from their direction meant that it would have to outrun a predator.

And then there was… the flowing of water.

No! It wasn't flowing. More like it was lapping against something. A shore, more than anything. Not a stream, but a lake.

So Gramps is actually gonna put me in a boat, then… Natsu felt his stomach grumble uncomfortably.

He shouldn't have been so surprised that the old man's question hadn't been rhetorical.

Sure enough, they'd gotten past the long line of trees. Makarov led the way out onto a small beach that stretched on for almost half a mile ahead of them both. And out beyond the expanse of sand lay the beginning of Natsu's worst nightmare.

A boat-a canoe-lay upturned about halfway down the beach. As Natsu felt the cold sand crunch and shift under his sandaled feet, only then did the urge to run away come back to him.

Man, just looking at that thing makes me nauseous.

Makarov stopped sharply at the canoe. The old man had taken a left turn, going up the hill and then finding a spot in the grass to sit. "Now, before we begin, there is something I'd like to speak with you about." Makarov smiled. "In approximately a month and a half, I will make an official announcement in front of the entire guild. This will be for our annual S-Class Trials, of course. And… if by that time you have already achieved significant growth not only in magical power, but also as an individual, then I will guarantee your position as a candidate for the Exams."

At another time in his life, Natsu might've started dancing maniacally at the news.

But now? Now he managed a sort of half-grin. A part of him was excited, of course. Yet, after what he'd gone through at the Tower of Heaven, the position of S-Class simply didn't quite do it for him anymore. It seemed to him now, that he had bigger priorities to worry about rather than some title that he'd pretty much already qualified for.

At least in his estimation.

Makarov continued. "The title of 'S-Class Wizard' is completely meaningless, Natsu. What truly matters is the character behind the one who holds it, and in how Wizards of that skill level conduct themselves professionally. Others will look up to you, aspire to be like you. This is a great responsibility, Natsu, but one you cannot take up if you remain as you are now. You, my friend, have the next month-and-a-half to become a more competent version of yourself… the version of Natsu who is worthy for such a role. What do you say? Are you up for the challenge?"

Natsu didn't even think of the answer. It came naturally to him. "I'm ready, Gramps."

"Excellent!" The old man said warmly, setting down the bundles of food and now standing up. "Now, onto today's docket… You see, Natsu, there's a little-known technique for dealing with one's motion sickness. It's not necessarily the easiest thing to learn for one in your position, but with a little practice… it can be used to great effect. Go ahead and turn that boat over, would you?"

Natsu simply grunted. As he went, he felt his stomach begin to lurch as he'd approached the canoe and easily turned it onto its hull. "So what exactly are we supposed to do here, Gramps?"

"Well…" The old man snapped his fingers, summoning a small flame on his index finger. He took his time lightning his smoking pipe as he shrugged off his pack. When Makarov was finished, he'd taken a short puff, and then another, before resuming. "I'm going to get started on making a fire. I'm in the mood for some bacon and eggs for breakfast as it so happens. I brought along some cheese, so perhaps I'll make an omelet while I'm at it. Hmmm, sounds good. And from there I'll also get started on making some coffee. I brought some beans with me, and this lake is just fresh water, so that won't be much of a problem. And then-"

Natsu took advantage of the brief lull in conversation, "What about me, Gramps?"

"You?" Makarov seemed almost confused by the question. "Why, you'll be getting in the canoe, of course."

"But how am I supposed to get back to shore? With my hands?"

"There should be a paddle there too," The guildmaster had batted his concern aside effortlessly. "But if you need to use your hands, so be it."

Shit.

Natsu might've protested if he hadn't knowingly walked into this. The Dragon Slayer simply pursed his lips before, reluctantly, looping his pack off his shoulders and throwing it over to the rock that Makarov was sitting next to. He knew that he had to adapt to his motion sickness, but he still didn't quite know how sitting in a boat out on the water was going to help him do it.

As Natsu was coming to terms with his fate, Makarov had already gotten out some of his camping supplies; a small bundle of birch bark; and some food wrapped in thick cloth. The wafting scents of cheddar cheese and fresh bread came to him then.

Meanwhile, the old man had spoken up again, this time with his pipe in his mouth. "Now my boy… this exercise, hopefully, will never need to be repeated again after…"

"Today?"

"No. More like… these next few days." Makarov clarified. "Adapting to this exercise is going to take some time. You, Natsu, are going to want to give up. But if you can get through this, and learn to control your motion sickness, you'll be one step closer to becoming that ideal version of yourself. It won't be a weakness that you'll have to fear… merely a passing annoyance that you won't even need to give the time of day."

"And… I'll be fine regardless of the vehicle I'm on if I do get this right?," Natsu asked, still skeptical.

"Exactly."

Thankfully, there actually was a paddle lodged underneath the thwart on the inside of the canoe hull. At least I'll be able to make some distance back to shore before my stomach jumps out of my-

The old man continued. "From my understanding, your motion sickness is the result of your… draconic senses and your human senses clashing with one another. They effectively disagree with what's happening around you while you're 'in motion'" Makarov suddenly appeared at his side. "I believe this conflict can be put to rest, however… provided you give your senses something to focus on once you're in a moving vehicle."

"Something to… focus on?" Natus frowned, partially shocked at the old man's knowledge of how his motion sickness worked. He'd never once thought of it like that in a more scientific sense. "What do you mean?"

"You've got to use your eyes, boy. Pick something to focus on in the distance. "

What? That was… astoundingly silly.

Natsu almost laughed. "That sounds… a bit dumb honestly."

Makarov smirked, "Well, your crippling inability to deal with moving vehicles sounds rather nonsensical in the first place, son. But-" He spread his hands energetically. "Here we are."

"How do I know this will work, Gramps?"

"Right now, you don't. But you really have nothing to lose by trying, do you?" Makarov nodded to the canoe. "Get in the boat. I'm rather practiced with Wind Magic, so don't you worry about getting out to the middle of the lake. From there you can make your own way back."

That was it then. No more discussion. Just get in and get to work.

Well… Natsu Dragneel certainly didn't have any desire to jump in the canoe. Nor was he completely sure about the vague hint of a technique that Makarov had given him.

Natsu didn't waste any more time. Hesitantly, he approached the canoe and rested his hands on the stern. It took him only a small push to get the thing off the sand and out onto the water.

And not even a second after he'd planted both of his feet within the hull as the boat began to rock gently in the water, had his stomach lurched violently underneath his abdomen. The nerves underneath his skin and all over his body had simultaneously shocked him, almost as if he'd been hit with one of Laxus' lightning bolts. His legs shook, and beads of sweat started to form along the crown of his skull.

It was, somehow, way worse than when he and the others sailed to that stupid Tower to go rescue Erza.

"N-n-no… Not again! Oomph!" He made to cover his mouth as the world started to spin in circles around him. Natsu fell to his hands and knees. "Shit! I'm gonna hurl!"

"Well, good luck son!" Makarov shouted behind him, probably with a smirk, as he'd summoned a sharp gale of wind to push the canoe out into the lake. "Seems like you'll need it."

As the sun began to break out among the clear blue sky above, and dawn was in full swing… Natsu Dragneel lay face first against the hull of the canoe completely petrified, with his right hand splayed up along the starboard, and his left foot planted on the stern seat. A long line of drool had begun slipping out of his mouth, and all of the limbs on his body were totally, seemingly, paralyzed.

"Knew… this… was… a bad idea…"

Erza Scarlet was having an excellent morning.

She'd risen from her bed at dawn feeling extra chipper, though the exact reason as to why had escaped her. Her morning run and breakfast had gone by just as it usually did, before she settled into her sunroom and continued reading her adventure novels. And at nine, she had gone to the guild.

Magnolia was always a peaceful town to walk through, and she couldn't imagine herself living anywhere else, much less a big city like Crocus. She had spent the better part of her childhood here, and as the rest of her friends were here, Erza also knew that she'd grow old and eventually pass away in this town. Perhaps surrounded by both her guildmates and her children, when she eventually decided to have children, that was.

Such a line of thought might usually be considered morbid and wistful, but Erza didn't mind it. She liked Magnolia and had no qualms about wanting to settle down here.

Instead, she thought that today, since her team was no doubt recovered from their escapade to the Tower of Heaven, that she would offer to take everyone out for an S-Class Job. It was the least she could do, and Natsu and Gray were always up for a challenge.

It'll be good for them, and for me, she thought to herself as she was perhaps thirty paces away from the new and improved guildhall.

Erza approached the tall twin green wooden doors to the guildhall and pushed them open. Much to her surprise, the hall was somewhat full of her fellow guildmates. Most usually showed up later in the morning, or around noon.

Well, the S-Class Trials are coming up in December, she reasoned. That must be why guild activity was higher than usual.

After last year's trial, where none of the selected candidates had succeeded in passing all the challenges (and therefore nobody attained S-Class), it was no surprise that everyone was more eager to prove themselves this time around. Those who'd failed previously wanted another go at it, and those who were just powerful enough to be accepted as a candidate were greedy for the position.

That said… Erza knew well enough that simply completing more jobs than everyone else meant little to Master Makarov.

What truly mattered was how practiced one was with their magic, their strength of character, and how capable they would be when it came to protecting others.

To be both strong and kind.

When one became powerful-they often showed their true colors, who they are underneath it all. Many such individuals were cruel; they took pleasure in the fact that they could push others around, make them do things they didn't want to, and take what they wanted.

The overwhelming number of Dark Guilds that existed in Fiore only served to confirm her conclusion. It was a fact. Nothing more, nothing less.

Setting a good example for what a wizard should be, was the end goal.

Erza watched as her guildmates rushed over to the notice board, smiling as she saw Nab and Alzack bickering over one of the slips of paper, that being a job.

"Morning, Erza," Macao greeted from his table, holding up his mug to her as she passed by.

She gave the older man a light smile, "Good morning, Macao," then approaching the bar, taking a seat.

Who would be selected for the S-Class Trials this year? Erza knew that Master Makarov always kept a close eye on the potential of each guild member… somehow. He was almost omniscient like that.

Immediately, more than a few answers had come to mind as she scanned the guild hall.

Cana, for sure, she thought as she spied at the brunette who was currently chugging down yet another beer barrel. Cana had been selected as candidate in the last four S-Class Trials alone and she still hadn't passed. There was no doubt that the card wizard was powerful in her own right, Erza had seen her in action during the raid from Phantom Lord. Maybe she was holding out hope still?

Maybe not… Cana seemed to be drinking more and more as the years got on. Why was that? Was it because of her consistent failures to succeed in the Trials? Erza figured that it wasn't really her business to know, though she would always be there to support Cana given the chance, and moved on.

Another glance out in the guild hall gave her another candidate idea. Elfman.

The takeover mage had just picked up both Jet and Droy and clobbered their heads together, probably over some perceived slight.

He'll be picked, Erza knew. Elfman, while something of a quirk with regard to his manhood, embodied many of the traits and qualities of an ideal S-Class Wizard. Perhaps he would follow in his older sister's footsteps in that sense.

And what of her own team? Of course! How could she not consider them as well?

Lucy would not make it as a candidate, as Erza did not believe she had the temperament to be an S-Class Wizard. But that did not lower the affection and immense respect Erza held for her. Nonetheless, Lucy was a strong mage.

What of Gray? He would certainly be considered by Master Makarov. Gray was, at least most of the time, a very mature and considerate man. He'd be picked, and the fact that he'd been growing in power would not have escaped Makarov's notice. Gray would undoubtably make a good S-Class Wizard. The Ice Wizard would certainly surpass his old master, Ur, within a few years' time.

And Natsu?

Natsu… Erza paused her train of thought. Natsu recently had been something of a puzzle, and on some level, she was both uncomfortable and relieved with his demeanor. Usually, he was simple to understand, to the point that Erza could accurately predict his movements and swings in attitude.

But now?

Now she didn't know what to think of him. Natsu certainly had the power to back up his claim to S-Class, without a doubt. And perhaps before their trip to Akane Resort, she would've shaken her head at his chances at becoming an S-Class Trial candidate-he was simply not mature enough to take on that responsibility. Natsu certainly used to be more of a wildcard if anything.

It was much different nowadays. She remembered the calm, collected Natsu that she'd seen standing in the door frame of his own house. And she certainly could recall his cold fury as he scolded both Lucy and Happy in the middle of town when they returned to Magnolia.

The sudden change in him was… well… it was shocking to her.

Not to mention, Natsu spent far less time around the guild these days too. What was up with that?

Sure, he'd come out every few days to spend time with her and the rest of their team… but the rest of the week? He was gone. Nowhere to be seen.

Almost like he'd disappeared from the face of Earthland.

What was he doing? And how could she-

"Morning, Erza!"

The Knight had glanced up.

Mira, naturally, was standing behind the bar looking expectantly at Erza. Today the barmaid was wearing a conservative mahogany gown that went down to her shins, and covered both her shoulders as opposed to the regular maroon-colored dresses she wore. And with her spotless flowing blonde-white hair now assembled into a loose ponytail, she still managed to glow radiantly-even with the dirty dishtowel that hung just from the light-brown leather belt across her midsection.

It was a look that was somewhat reminiscent of Mira's get-up when they were younger, and when both she and Erza would quarrel much the same way that both Gray and Natsu did now. Except it seemed far more feminine in tone.

"Good morning, Mira," Erza greeted back in kind. Something about this exact situation felt outstandingly familiar to her. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well," The barmaid said cheerfully. "In fact, I just picked up this dress yesterday! I've been waiting for it to get finished for a few weeks now, but I think it looks pretty good! What do you think?"

"It matches well with your hair."

The barmaid grinned. "That's exactly what I thought, too when I picked out the color! I'm glad you think so," It was then, however, that Mira had leaned on the bar facing Erza. "But what about you?"

Erza paused briefly. "Well… the usual, I suppose."

"The usual? Seems like something's eating you. Not anything to do with Natsu again, I hope?"

"No, no!" Erza shook her head immediately. "No, Natsu and I are fine. It's just…" She sighed impatiently, her mind scrambling to find the right words and…

…coming up with nothing to say.

"Hmmm…" Mira hummed, nodding along as she'd occasionally kept and broke eye contact with Erza. "What are you thinking about then?"

"I was considering taking the rest of my team out for an S-Class Assignment."

Mira frowned, "Oh… I don't know about that... Lucy and Gray left on a job with Juvia last night. Pretty sure they'll be getting back after the long weekend. Something to do with a stolen painting, I think?"

Well, there goes that idea.

Alright… so what exactly was she going to do then? With her day? With the weekend ahead of her?

It wasn't like she had any other pressing responsibilities outside of being the guild's disciplinarian. All Erza had on her hands were her books and her training. And that was about it. Nothing else to strive towards.

And what about Natsu?

"What about Natsu?" She asked, putting her thoughts into words. "He's taken to arriving early these days-what about him? Is he around?"

"Don't think he'll be here for the next few days either, I'm afraid," Mira said apologetically. "He came in before we opened up and asked for some supplies. Looked like he was packing for some kind of trip."

Damn!

Had everyone just gone ahead and made plans for the weekend without telling her? It was surely nothing personal-but the fact that she was now on her lonesome did hurt a bit.

"So you'll be on your own for a few days… so what?" The barmaid had suddenly reignited the conversation, making Erza almost jolt in her seat again. "Don't you have any hobbies? Things that you do outside of guild time? It sounds to me like you need to spice up your life a bit. Do something interesting."

Hobbies? Well, of course, she did! "Well, I do read quite a bit at home and-"

"Pfft!" Mira shook her head dismissively. "I'm not talking about reading. I'm talking about a passion, Erza. Something you feel drawn to. Something that's… that's…" The blonde snapped her fingers energetically. "Something that's almost an act of creation! You get what I mean?"

"Not really, no," Erza said with a frown.

"Come on! Surely there's something you like to do? Baking; dancing; singing; writing." Mira said, then leaning closer. "Did you know I play the guitar? Discovered it years ago! Now I can't stop playing it! Every time I play a new song, I go to my happy place. It's one of the best things I ever did, swear on my life."

Mira… playing the guitar? Erza let her imagination wander a bit with that one. The image of the goth-looking blonde from her youth strumming a guitar was almost laughable, if in an enjoyable sort of way.

But if Mira was this energetic about a musical instrument… maybe she had a point after all.

Playing any sort of musical instrument didn't exactly appeal to her, though. "I'm not so sure I'd like to play the guitar." She said evenly.

"I never said you had to," Mira shot back instantly. "But I know for a fact there's something out there you haven't tried yet. And once you do try it, it's all you'll want to do for the rest of your life. Say, how about you and I take a girl's trip into town this weekend? We can get some cake and go shopping in the market, and maybe we'll even find something that catches your eye. Could be an instrument, or something else you can put your time towards. How does that sound, Erza?"

Well… it was a better plan than none. Erza did hold the barmaid in rather high regard. With a reluctant sigh, she nodded. "I… of course, Mira. I accept."

As Mira perked up in her usual, energetic fashion, the Knight had come to terms with her decision. "Oh! It'll be so much fun! And once we go see the farmer's market, they simply have the best strawberries! You'll love it, Erza! And…"

The Knight continued listening with rapt attention, and a smile as Mira went on and on.

Maybe, just maybe… a change like this might do her some good.

Author's Note:

And we're back.

Found some time to return to this story. It's still on my to-do list, just lower in priority these days.

Been using some of that time to plot out how exactly the rest of this story will go (already had an ending in mind when I started, mind you, so no need to worry on that front).

I've cooked up a few interesting, but slightly twisted ideas (think Lovecraftian-esque Monsters from D ) for solo S-Class Requests our favorite Dragonslayer will be taking on once he's leveled himself up. We will also be diverging significantly from how things went in canon, as the point of this story is not to retell Fairy Tail in its entirety. This story is about a man and a woman, both of whom set out to become the best possible versions of themselves in different ways, and how they positively affect the lives of those around them as they do so. And, conveniently enough, it's also about how they come together.

They obviously won't grow in the same way (Men and Women are different, go figure).

But that's sort of the point.

We should be coming up on Natsu's first few encounters with Laxus within the upcoming chapters-should be fun :)

In the meantime, cheers and have a good afternoon.