Chapter 16

The Dragons Clash

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Change

"I knew it wouldn't be to hard to catch a Salamander if you used the right bait." Gajeel chuckled.

"Well unlike you Phantom creeps, I look out for my friends." Natsu said back. "You ain't gonna mess with either of them again, you hear me?"

"Natsu..." Laki smiled at her partner/friend/crush.

"You okay, Lucy?" Happy asked as he started to pull at the shackles on her wrist.

"Happy!" Lucy smiled at the cat.

"Gajeel!" Boze shouted concerned.

"This one is mine." The Dragon Slayer smirked. The two slayers launched forward at each other and Gajeel sent a club at Natsu, who caught it and flung Gajeel into the wall. He landed and braced himself as Natsu jumped and swung his flame covered arms, creating a wave of flames that swept the other Phantom wizards away.

Gajeel jumped out of the dust cloud and Natsu followed him, delivering a flaming punch to the face of the Phantom wizard that knocked him to the other side of the room. "Fire Dragon Talon!" Natsu flipped in the air and slammed his foot down on Gajeel who blocked with an iron club, creating another explosion.

"Wow..." Lucy mumbled as Happy pulled out the last screw holding her to the wall. "I've never seen him like this before."

"Me either." Happy agreed as Lucy rubbed her wrist. "He's more fired up than ever before. I wouldn't want to be that other guy." Lucy nodded before the two ran over to free Laki.

"I gotta admit, for Fairy scum you ain't half bad." Gajeel confessed.

"You're the scum, not me." Natsu said back. "As payback for what you did to Lucy and Laki, I'm gonna use my fire power to melt that ugly mess you call a face."

"Sounds like fun." Gajeel chuckled. "Bring it on punk."

The Slayers charged forward and traded blows until Natsu jumped back when Gajeel's arm turned from a rod to a sword. "That's a nasty looking toy you got there."

"This is the Iron Dragon Sword." Gajeel explained. "Anything it touches is cut to shreds." The blade of the sword started moving like a chainsaw. "How about I give you an up close and personal look at it?"

"Oh, I'm so scared." Natsu sarcastically said.

"How is he doing that!?" Lucy asked as she helped Laki down.

"It's Iron Dragon Slayer magic." The glasses wearing girl said.

Gajeel laughed before slamming his sword on the ground, creating a shockwave that tore through the room. "Come on, where's all that spirit from before?" He asked before swinging the blade again. "I think you're scared." Natsu dodged several more swings until Gajeel returned his arm to normal. "You sure are a nimble little fairy."

"You're no pushover yourself." Natsu said back.

"We still have a score to settle from that raid, Salamander." Gajeel said. "No time like the present, am I right?"

"Let's go, rivet face." Natsu said back.

'As Dragon Slayers, we have the ability to take on the mythical traits of the creature.' Laki thought to herself. 'And that means these two wizards who can slay dragons, are about to fight infront of us. I wish I could help him, but I'm just not as strong as Natsu. Please, be careful.'

A magic seal appeared beneath Gajeel before his body was coated in iron scales. "Let's play, Fairy!"

"Those are...!" Laki stared in shock.

"Dragon scales!" Happy finished her thought.

"Iron Dragon Hard Fist!" Gajeel shot forward and pulled his fist back. Natsu raised his arm to block, only to be sent flying back into a wall.

"The hell are we still doing here!?" Boze asked.

"We should get out of here!" Sue shouted.

"Hearing you hit that wall was like music to my ears." Gajeel smiled wickedly as he looked down at Natsu.

"He took Natsu down with just one hit..." Lucy stared in shock.

"That's because those scales are made of solid iron!" Happy added.

Gajeel uppercutted Natsu before punching him again. He swung his leg and Natsu ducked, and the force of the kick created a gale of wind.

"How can a kick do this!?" Lucy asked as she and Laki held down their clothing.

"His attacks are twice as strong now because of those scales." Laki explained as Natsu ignited his fist and punched Gajeel in the face.

"Pour little fairy, that had to hurt." Gajeel mocked. "Sorry pal, but you can't even scratch my iron."

"It's like he's got indestructible armor." Lucy mumbled.

"Nothing is indestructible around Natsu." Laki said back before Natsu cried out in pain. "I hope..."

"Cut the act!" Gajeel said before he headbutted Natsu to the floor. "You just don't want your friends to see you cry like a bitch!" He slammed his hand to the ground but Natsu jumped out of the way.

"I've had it with you, ya walking scrap heap!" Natsu slammed his hands together before bringing them to his mouth. "I'm gonna melt you into a pile of slag! Fire Dragon-"

"Iron Dragon-" Gajeel prepared his own attack.

"What the!?" Lucy shouted.

"No way!" Laki stared in disbelief.

"This guy can use a breath attack too?" Happy asked.

"Roar!" Natsu and Gajeel unleashed their roars at the same time. They spell collided in an explosion of flame and iron, which blew out the side of the room.

"I told you we should have left the room..." Booze groaned as rubble fell around them.

"Did you hear me say we should stay here?" Sue asked with swirls in her eyes.

"Looks like there are some clear differences between our fire and iron dragons, aren't they, Sally-boy?" Gajeel mocked as he stood with his back towards the hole in the Giant. "You can shower me with flames until your blue in the face, but it won't even crack my iron armor. On the other hand, just one of my iron blade breath attacks can cut you to shreds.

"Natsu..." Laki stared at her crush with worried eyes.

"He'll be fine." Happy said. "I hope..."

"I can't crack your armor huh? Natsu asked with a grin. "You sure it ain't feeling drafty in there?"

As if on que, the scales over Gajeel's eye cracked, shocking everyone. "He actually did it..." Lucy muttered in shock.

"I never doubted him." Laki smiled.

"I don't just breathe normal fire." Natus shouted. "The Fire Dragon Roar can destroy anything it touches." He swung his arm and threw off his destroyed vest before a magic seal appeared beneath him. "I think it's time we stopped playing around. Let's get the real fight started."

"Let's go!" Gajeel copied the actions and his own shirt was blown off.

"Huh?" Lucy asked in fear. "What are they talking about?"

"Up until now, they've just been testing each other." Laki explained. "Measuring each other's strength, trying to get their footing. Just like beasts when they fight over territory."

"Their amazing..." Lucy mumbled. "And they're both practically half naked."

'Not that I mind seeing Natsu half-naked...' Laki thought to herself. 'No, bad girl.'

"Black Steel, I'm ready when you are." Natus said.

"The sky's not big enough for two dragons, so I'm just gonna have to take you down." Gajeel said back.

"Natsu, please, be careful..." Laki whispered.

Fairy Tail

The shades started swarming together until they condensed into a giant ball with glowing red eyes and tentacle hands.

"That's just not right." Bisca said cocking her gun.

"Forget about that! Look how big it is!" Wakaba shouted back.

"This is just ridiculous." Macao added before the sphere started swinging its hands and slamming them into the guild hall.

"That monster is trying to tear down our guild hall!" Cana shouted with tears in her eyes.

"Shoot it down!" Macao ordered and everyone started using their magic on the sphere.

With Natsu and Gajeel

Both Slayers charged with their fists back before swinging them and hitting each other, creating a whirlwind before they launched above the guild hall and continued fighting. To the untrained eye, it looked like fireworks going off.

"What the..." Sue asked in shock.

"He's actually keeping up with Gajeel." Boze sounded impressed.

The two wizards clashed on the Giants head until the force of the attacks destroyed the roof, sending them falling into the room. The spike not the head soon followed.

"Now we have to get out of here!" Lucy shouted as she, Laki and Happy jumped out of the way of the spikes impact. As the dust settled, Natsu and Gajeel were standing across from each other, panting.

"Is that kid beating Gajeel?" Sue asked.

"No, that Salamander seems to breathing pretty heavy too." Boze observed.

"Natsu panted heavily before the sound of crunching metal reached his ears. He watched as Gajeel chomped and chewed on any scrap of iron he could shove in his mouth. "You're eating!?" He asked annoyed.

"So what?" The other slayer asked.

"He really does eat iron..." Lucy mumbled.

"I wonder how it tastes..." Happy wondered.

"Guys, this is bad." Laki said as Gajeel swallowed his 'meal'.

"Now I've got a fire in my belly." Gajeel mocked.

"That's my line!" Natsu shouted.

Gajeel roared as his body erupted into a green aura. "I don't understand! He was staggering a minute ago!" Lucy shouted.

"It's because he ate that iron." Laki explained. "Dragon Slayers can restore their magic energy and strength by eating their elements."

"?So Natsu just needs to eat fire?" Lucy asked.

"That would help, but he can't eat his fire or anything he sets on fire." Laki further explained. "It has to come from somewhere else."

"So how can we make that happen?" Lucy asked.

"Say good night, Fairy." Gajeel braced his left hand in his right elbow ditch and a magic seal appeared. "Iron Dragon Lance: Demon Logs!" Dozens of iron spears shot out and struck Natsu until he fell to the ground.

"Comeon, do I have any fire spirits?" Lucy asked as she searched for her keys before she remembered. "That's right, I lost my keys when I was attacked." She felt her back pocket and pulled out a single gold key.

"Isn't that the one you got from Galuna Island?" Laki asked.

"Yeah. But we haven't even formed a contract yet." Lucy confessed. "But I don't care! This our only hope right now."

Natsu struggled to his feet as Lucy held out the key. "I call upon thee in the world of the Celestial Spirit! I beck you to my side at once! Pass thought the gate!" The key started glowing before a magic seal appeared. "Open, Gate of the Archer - Sagittarius!"

Out of the seal emerged a man in a horse costume holding bow. "You called me ma'am?" The spirit asked.

"The hell is that?!" Laki asked looking at the spirit.

"Why is he in a horse costume?" Happy asked.

"Look we can't work on the contract right now. I need to know if you can shoot fire!" Lucy shouted.

"No, but I am a master marksman." The spirit answered.

"Laki, you and Lucy stay back." Natsu said to the group. "It's too dangerous."

"Got it, sure." Lucy grabbed her spirit by his collar and pulled him to the side.

"Here goes nothing." Natsu ignited his body and charged forward. "Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" He slammed into Gajeel and barely pushed him back.

"That's it?" Gajeel asked unimpressed. "Guess you're not as tough when you're hungry, huh?" He slammed his hand into Natsu before using his Club and turned Natsu into a plow along the floor and wall. "Well then, eat iron!"

Natsu groaned in pain as Lucy and Laki watched in horror.

"Nobody beats Gajeel." Sue said watching.

"I've had my fun with you." Gajeel mocked as Natsu slid to the hole in the wall. "So get lost trash!"

"No, this can't be..." Laki whispered. "Natsu can't lose... He just can't... Please... Get up..."

"Hey, take a look at your guild hall." Gajeel mocked. "We're doing a little redecorating." All the Fairy Tail wizards looked and watched in horror as their guild hall collapsed to the ground as Gajeel started cackling.

"Whoa, this place is huge." A young Natsu stared up at the building. "So this is a wizard guild?"

"Yep. It's called Fairy Tail." Makarov explained.

"That's a weird name." The pinkette chuckled.

"Yes, but you see, no one really knows if fairies have tails or even if they exist." The master elaborated. "So it's forever an eternal mystery, unless we try to find out for ourselves. That in turn becomes an amazing adventure."

"I don't understand, but it sounds awesome." Natsu said back.

Cana cried into Macao as rubble flew to the ground.

"The heck are you looking at, pinkie?" A young Gray in his underpants asked. "You got a problem with me?"

"Maybe I do." Natsu said back.

"Gray, your clothes!" A young Cana shouted.

"Aw, man!" Gray shouted as he stood up and flinched.

"Geez, what a pervert..." Natsu mumbled loud enough for Gray to hear.

"Who you calling 'pervert', pinkie?" Gray asked as he butted heads with Natsu.

"You, ya loud-mouth streaker!" Natsu said back before Gray threw a punch, sparking a brawl between the two.

"Feisty one, isn't he?" Makarov asked from the bar.

"He'll be a perfect fit." A thin Reedus said.

An orange banner fell on top of the debris.

A young Erza forced herself between the two brawlers.

"You want a piece of me too!?" Natsu shouted as she glared at Gray.

"Don't do it." Gray warned before the red head launched both of them into the wall.

"What total idiots." Erza mumbled.

"Why did you hit me?" Gray whimpered out.

"You're not to fight, understand?" She asked as the boys fell off the wall.

"Crystal, ma'am." Gray responded instantly.

"Scary..." Natsu said.

"What's your name kid?" Erza asked.

"Natsu..." He huffed out.

"Natsu, huh?" The red head repeated. "Let me explain something. Everyone in Fairy Tail treats each other like family, and this guild hall is our home. Not a place for fighting, understand?"

"Yeah." He huffed out.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail. I'm Erza." She introduced herself.

"She's mean..." Natsu whispered.

"Tell me about..." Gray added. Both looked at each other and smirked before they turned away in disdain at each other.

The town of Magnolia watched as the guild hall collapsed.

"Bye, come back soon." A young Lisanna waved at Natsu.

"Where are you going?" Mira asked.

"I got my first wizard job!" Natsu cheered holding up the paper.

"Did you even read that thing?" Mira aksed.

"Course I did." Natsu looked at the paper. "It says please get rid of this thingy that's somewhere doing something to someone, for fifty thousand jewels."

"No way it says that!" Lisanna shouted.

"Lay off, okay?" Natsu glared at Mira.

"Are you seriously so stupid all you could read was the reward?" Mira mocked.

"Be nice, Mira." Lisanna told her sister.

"I can read!" Natsu shouted. "Igneel taught me how to read and write when I was little! It's just, it wasn't anything on this flyer."

"It's okay..." Lisanna started walking over.

"But I know all kinds of foods!" Natsu shouted as everyone looked at him as tears formed around his eyes. "I'm serious, Igneel taught me how to read. He taught me to read lots of stuff."

"You're so cute. Please don't cry." Mira mocked.

"That's creepy, Mira." Lisanna said back. "Hands off."

"I'm not crying!" Natsu shouted.

"Calm down everyone." Erza said as she walked over. "There's no reason to be embarrassed. I'm sure Igneel did his best. But reading and writing is hard because there are an awful lot of words."

"Know-it-all." Natsu mumbled.

"Just be patient and study hard." Erza continued, ignoring his comment. "And I'd be more than happy to teach you."

"No freaking way!" Natsu shouted back. "You're too scary."

Erza grabbed his hair and dragged him towards the door, kicking and screaming. "What's so scary about a vocabulary lesson?" She asked, missing the point of his statement.

Mira held her sides as she laughed at the Dragon Slayers misfortune. "You'll be fine!" Lisanna shouted.

"That's what you get for being stupid." Gray said before a bag was thrown into his face.

"Say that again, mister walk-around-in-his-panties." Natsu said in Grays face.

"Gladly, you snot nosed brat." Gray responded before Erza pushed them away from each other.

"Three days." Erza said to Natsu, who looked at her in fear. "Think of me as Igneel number 2. In three days, I'll have all the vocabulary you need through your thick skull." She summoned a sword to her hands. "And you will not eat, drink or sleep unless I say so!"

"Fine!" Natsu shouted in defeat. "Teach me the stuff already!"

All of Fairy Tail stared at their destroyed guild hall.

"So, how do you like the guild, Natsu?" Makarov asked on the second day of his 'lessons' under Erza.

"I love it." Natsu answered. "Erza's pretty scary, but everyone else is super cool. I wanna stay!"

Natsu got on his knees as smoke rose from the rubble.

"Guys, check out what I found." Natsu shouted, holding a large egg.

"It's been fun playing house with you." Lisanna said inside their hut. "Maybe someday I could be your real wife?"

"What got you thinking about that?" Natsu asked with a blush.

The egg cracked and a ball of light shot out before it turned into a baby Happy. "He's so cute." Lisanna said. "He's like a little blue ball of happiness."

"Happiness..." Natsu repeated. "Okay, I'll name him Happy."

Laki looked up. "What's a guild?"

Natsu smiled. "A guild is a, um, it's uh, like a um." He couldn't think of the right words. "Oh, right. A guild is a family. A place where everyone is welcome and no one is alone."

"Why do you get to go on an S-Class quest?!" Natsu asked. "That's not fair."

"I bet it won't be long until you're going on them." Lisanna teased.

"When!?" Natsu shouted.

"I don't know, but when it does happen, me and Laki will be there to support you." Lisanna said before turning back to her siblings. "We need you to keep things safe back at Fairy Tail."

"Brign us back a souvenir!" Happy waved good bye.

"Natsu." Lisanna raised her hand and made the Fairy Tail symbol. "I'll be back real soon." Laki and Natsu smiled before they copied her action.

"I miss you..." Natsu said as he stared at the grave he made for her.

All the memories he made with Laki, Lucy, his friends, they all came flooding back to him. He stood up as the memories of all the pain the war caused came back. He staggered as he walked over to Gajeel.

"Your guild hall is totaled." Gajeel bragged. "How does it feel to lose?" Natsu pulled his fist back, but Gajeel backfisted him into some machines against the wall. "Just stay down, Salamander." Gajeel said as he walked over. "I don't know the meaning of holding back, so you're gonna die today."

"Natsu took down the Jupiter cannon, and he fought two of the Element Four..." Tears streamed down Happy's face as he spoke. "He just needs some fire and he'll strong enough to beat this guy!"

'I'm sick of just watching.' Laki thought as Gajeel picked Natsu up and turned his other arm into its sword form. 'I have to do something.' She braced her right hand on her left elbow ditch. "Wood D-"

"Just a moment." Laki dropped her arms and looked over at Sagittarius who held an arrow taunt. "It seems I didn't understand what you were asking me earlier. When I arrived you asked if I could shoot fire, I answered no. However, now I see that it's the fire that matters, not whether I can produce it myself."

"This is the end, Salamander!" Gajeel roared before a string of arrows pierced the machines behind him, creating an explosion.

"Nice shot!" Laki and Happy praised the archer.

"You created fire..." Lucy stared amazed.

"Depending on the force applied to an arrow and the arrows trajectory, it's possible to peirce or shatter metal." The archer spirit explained.

"That horse guy is getting on my nerves." Gajeel complained.

"You're like a master archer aren't you!?" Lucy cheered with stars in her eyes.

'Looks like my secrets safe for a while longer.' Laki thought.

The explosion spiraled together and Natsu sucked down the flames. "Just what I needed." Natsu wiped his mouth. "Thanks you guys."

"Eat all the fire you want!" Gajeel shouted as he sprinted back towards the other slayer. "You still can't beat me!" He jumped at Natsu who raised a flaming fist and forced Gajeel back.

"Levy, Jet, Droy, Gramps, Lucy, Laki. All my friends, Fairy Tail..." Natsu mumbled.

"Iron Dragon Roar!" Gajeel unleashed another breath attack, but Natsu caught it and sent it to the side. "He deflected it with his bare hands!?"

"I don't know how many people you need to hurt, but it ends now." Natsu declared.

"There's no way I can lose to this Fairy scum..." Gajeel mumbled.

"I'm gonna make you pay for hurting my friends! You're gonna wish you never messed Fairy Tail!" Natsu shouted as he light his body ablaze.

"Bringing on, Sally-mander." Gajeel mocked before erupting in a green aura and charged Natsu. "Iron Dragon Hard Fist!" He swung his fist and collided with Natsu's before his arm scales started to crack. 'No way, I'm the ultimate Dragon Slayer, not him!'

"You're done, Black Steel!" Natsu shouted. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art - Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragons Fist!" Natsu unleashed a barrage of flaming punches so fast, Gajeel couldn't dodge. The punches and heat weakened the armor before the final punch caused it to shatter and launched Gajeel outside.

The Giants head collapsed into the lake.

"No, this can't be happening." Booze said holding on to the floor for dear life.

"Gajeel can't lose..." Sue added.

"Natsu!" Laki cried out as she walked carefully on the destroyed floor.

"He's here!" Happy cried carrying Lucy. Laki ran over and saw Natsu standing over a beaten Gajeel.

"I... can't... Lose to... Fairy scum..." Gajeel gasped out in pain.

"I think you just did." Natsu said from above before falling backwards.

"I got you." Laki ran up from behind and guided him to the floor.

"Hey, Laki. I think I'm just gonna lay here for a while." Natsu said with a smile.

"Talk about over doing it..." Laki smiled. 'But still, that's one of the reasons I love you...'

This section really made me question Igneel's teachings. You focus on words of food instead of thinks like pronunciation?

I know your all feverishly waiting for Laki to use her real magic, so that's why I included this little teaser. But don't worry, we're getting close to the big moment. I can promise you right now, it will happen in the TOH arc.

Speaking of which, do you guys want me to skip over the Loke arc and just summarize it in the beginning of the the first chapter of the TOH arc, or do you want me to do it? Let me know out the reviews.

Beta read by digemsmack.