CHAOS XX
Gajeel wandered through Magnolia Park, hands shoved deep in his pockets, the sharp clink of the metal on his boots the only sound breaking the quiet of his steps. The cobblestone paths were slick from last night's rain, reflecting the dim morning sun in puddles. He hadn't slept.
Makarov's offer echoed in his mind like a bad chorus line. "There are people around who like being alone. But not one person in the world can handle total isolation. Why don't you come join my guild?"
Gajeel scoffed, kicking a rock off the path. What a joke. Him? In that guild? He glanced around the peaceful Magnolia Park. Kids running around, couples taking up benches, a street musician tuning his guitar. It was too quiet. Too... soft. Not his style. Fairy Tail was filled with saps like this. Warmth, friendship, all that crap.
So why couldn't he stop thinking about it?
"Dumb old man..." Gajeel muttered under his breath. He turned a corner and felt a hard shoulder check snap him out of his thoughts.
"Watch it—" a low voice growled before turning into scornful laughter. "You've got to be kidding me."
Gajeel narrowed his eyes as he looked up into the cocky expression of Laxus Dreyar. Behind him, his team stood idly, watching the Iron Dragon with dirty glares. "My bad, princess," Gajeel said flatly, mocking the lightning mage. "Didn't see you there."
"You've got a real mouth on you for some Phantom Lord trash." Laxus sneered.
Gajeel grinned lazily. "Been called worse. Mostly by people who didn't walk away."
Laxus turned slowly, electricity crackling at his fingertips while his teammates backed up. "You're seriously strutting around my town, acting like you belong here?"
"Didn't realise you owned the streets. Guess Magnolia's just one big Dreyar playground now, huh?"
"Don't push your luck, scum," Laxus scowled, stepping forward. "You're a stain. The fact that the old man let you breathe under our banner is embarrassing. Fairy Tail used to mean something. You—"
Gajeel's grin faded slightly as he interrupted. "Yeah, I've heard. What I did was unforgivable, I should be dead. Thanks for the reminder. You planning to chew me out or fry me where I stand?"
That did it. Laxus didn't answer. The spark in his eyes ignited into a full charge of lightning that surged down his arms. He raised a hand, fury overtaking restraint. A hard pulse of golden light flared out in front of him.
Gajeel braced himself, preparing for the S-Class mage to smite him down. He wasn't dumb. He knew exactly how strong Laxus was. This wasn't a fight he could win.
But the hit never landed.
The lightning met a shield and shattered into sparks that flew harmlessly into the air. Gajeel blinked once, then scowled. A dark-clad figure now stood between him and the lightning mage, pushing Laxus back with a hard shove to the chest.
"The hell are you doing, Laxus?" Chaos growled.
"The hell are you doing?" Laxus barked back. "You're interrupting my kill."
"Unfortunately, your kill is a member of Fairy Tail now." Natsu dispelled the shield, standing up straight. "Makarov took him in, just like me and half the guild. Not that you'd understand, being born with a silver spoon and all."
"Unfortunately…" Gajeel muttered from behind, deadpan.
Laxus let an amused grin tug at the corner of his mouth. "What's with the sudden switch up? Just yesterday you wanted this guy dead as bad as I did. And now what? You're grateful the old bastard took you in? That used to be your biggest gripe."
"Situations change." Natsu said evenly. "So do people."
Laxus clicked his tongue. "You're on thinner ice by the day, Chaos. Typical fire brat. Always burning bridges faster than you can build 'em. I'll let this slide again since you're strong, but this attitude business won't fly when I'm master. Remember that!"
With a loud cackle, Laxus turned on his heel. The Raijin Tribe followed close behind, and in a crackle of thunder and flash of lightning, they were gone. Natsu watched them vanish with a look of barely contained disgust. Gajeel flinched when the static hit his piercings.
"You don't need to stand up for me." Gajeel scorned.
"Don't flatter yourself," Natsu replied, not even turning to face him. "I'll knock Laxus off that high horse any chance I get. You just happened to be in the way." He gave the other dragon slayer a quick once-over. "Get cleaned up. I know you're tough or whatever, but a little first aid won't kill your rep."
Before Gajeel could respond, Chaos disappeared in a burst of smoke and flickering embers. He coughed as the ash caught in his throat, waving it away with a grimace. "Jackass," he muttered, dragging himself upright. "I need a cool elemental exit..." He grumbled, trudging away with his head down.
As he headed back towards the guild, he didn't notice a short blue haired girl watching him with concern from behind a tree.
Laxus paced around the crumbled remains of a dark guild. He weaved through the still bodies of dark mages as his boots crunched over broken stone and splintered wood. Freed and Evergreen stood off to the side, watching him with carefully masked unease. Bickslow bounced his puppet absently, his usual grin a little more subdued.
"Taking these guys out just isn't hitting the same today." Laxus muttered, frustration slipping into his tone. He kicked over a half-scorched banner, sparks scattering from the motion. Usually, tearing down bottom-feeder dark guilds like this gave him a sense of clarity. Let him burn off steam, keep the Fairy Tail name feared. But today? It barely scratched the itch.
How dare they continuously disrespect him, knowing he was to inherit all their sorry asses? They might've been on top now, but it wouldn't last. Not with even Chaos, that detached, emotionless powerhouse starting to slip. To fall into the trap that was the bond of friendship, it was almost enough to piss him off.
Makarov's soft-hearted nonsense was working, spreading through the ranks like a disease. Laxus clenched his fists, sparks of electricity dancing across his person. It made him sick.
The silence stretched, broken only by the occasional crackle of lingering electricity fizzing around the wreckage.
Finally, Freed cleared his throat. "What's next?"
Laxus stopped pacing. His back was to his team, shoulders tense, still sparking with residual magic. "What's next…" he echoed, then chuckled. He turned around, eyes hard with conviction. "What's next is simple." He let the moment hang in the air. "My tolerance has hit its limit. I'm done watching Fairy Tail rot from the inside out. Gramps thinks taking in enemies and weaklings will make the guild stronger. He thinks friendship is enough to protect us. But he's wrong."
Evergreen stiffened slightly. Freed shifted his stance. Bickslow stopped bouncing his puppet.
"We're going to build a new Fairy Tail," Laxus stated. "One with real strength. No dead weight. No second chances, no sob stories. Just pure, raw power." He glanced toward the rising moon, eyes locked on the distant spires of Magnolia. "And if that means tearing the old one apart to make it happen... so be it."
"Laxus is seriously that powerful?" Lucy's mouth fell open as Happy animatedly recounted old Fairy Tail battles.
"Aye! He's really majorly strong. He even took out Erza in seconds—and she was wearing her Lightning Empress armour!" Happy gestured wildly as Lucy nodded along, pressing for more details.
"Has anyone ever won against him?"
"Natsu beat him once," Happy said, tapping a paw to his chin, "but barely. Most of the time, they call it a draw."
"What? A draw? With Natsu?!" Lucy hissed the name as she glanced toward the corner of the guild, quieting her tone. "Who else has he fought?"
"Mirajane!"
"What?!" Lucy raised her voice again. She looked up to the white-haired barmaid, humming contently as she swept the kitchen. "Is he really that evil?"
Happy tilted his head. "Well, Mira used to be really dangerous too. She was called the 'Demon.'"
"No…" Lucy squinted at Mira again, watching her cheerfully scrub a dish like the embodiment of kindness. "You're messing with me."
"I swear! She was scary back in the day. Real scary." Happy shook his head. Lucy crossed her arms sceptically, but let the cat continue. "There's also Mystogan and Gildarts. They're both crazy strong."
"Mystogan…" Lucy put a hand to her chin. "He's the one who puts everyone to sleep so they don't see his face, right? Who's Gildarts?"
"Gildarts is the strongest in the whole guild. He's on a hundred-year quest, so we don't see him often. But even Natsu can hardly land a hit on him."
"Wow, there's stronger here?" Lucy shivered. "And here I thought Natsu was insane." She looked around the guild. It was buzzing with laughter, music, and clinking glasses. More than usual, even for Fairy Tail. But as she sat at the bar next to Happy, nursing a soda while he told her old stories, she couldn't help but smile. It was loud, messy, and… kind of perfect.
"Lively, huh?" Mirajane appeared, dropping a plate of fish in front of Happy before sorting through a pile of posters on the counter.
"Definitely. There's been so much excitement today."
"It's been like this all week," Mira said brightly. "And it's only going to get busier."
"Busier?"
Mira tucked a lock of white hair behind her ear. "Mhm. Fantasia is coming up. Fairy Tail always plays a huge part."
"Fantasia?"
"It's Magnolia's biggest festival!" Happy provided. "There's a parade, lights, and dancing. Fairy Tail always puts on a performance."
"It's kind of our way of thanking the town for putting up with us." Mira added.
"Ohhh," Lucy's eyes sparkled with interest. "That sounds so fun! Are you participating, Natsu?" She turned toward her pink-haired comrade, who silently emerged from the shadows behind her. His sudden appearance caused a ripple of startled whispers among the nearby tables.
Natsu glared at the cheerful celestial mage. Lately, she had become highly perceptive of him, often revealing his presence to the guild when he observed from downstairs. She stood firm on her quest to indoctrinate him into the friendly ranks of the fairies, and he couldn't deny she was doing efficacious work.
"It's not my scene." He muttered dismissively, brushing past her toward the stairs. He could already feel the agitation building inside him. Hopefully a long, perilous job awaited on the S-Class boards.
"Natsu's never gone to the festival!" Happy flew onto Lucy's head. "He's boring and would rather go to work."
"Come on," Lucy groaned, leaning against the railing as he ascended. "You might actually enjoy yourself for once."
He glanced briefly over his shoulder, his expression softening for just a fraction of a second before reverting to its usual indifference. "Don't count on it, Lucy."
"You're not staying for Fantasia, Chaos?" Mirajane reemerged from under the bar balancing an impossibly high stack of plates and cups as Natsu returned downstairs. She quickly arranged the dishes, clearly rushing to finish preparations.
"No reason to," he replied, sliding the flyer across the counter. "My two days are up."
Mira smiled as she stamped it, pushing it back to him. "I hope you don't think you're unwelcome here. It's been nice to see you open up to the guild lately. I'd hate to see it go to waste."
"Open up?"
"You have a whole team now."
"I don't." Natsu huffed, sitting on a barstool. "Gonna need a drink if you keep talkin' like that." Mirajane slid a glass across the counter, the clear liquid inside looking entirely too innocent. Natsu eyed it suspiciously before scoffing and sliding it back. "Something stronger."
"You're barely older than my baby sister. Too young for alcohol." Mira slid the drink back to the dragon slayer, stubbornly crossing her arms and solidifying her stance.
"I'm eighteen…" Natsu grumbled, reluctantly taking what he was given as Mira disappeared into the kitchen.
Natsu left the guild, slowly and aimlessly walking through the busy streets of Magnolia. The city was already pretty dressed up. String lights stretched between rooftops, lanterns floated in the canals, and Mira's colourfully decorated posters were plastered on every wall and window. It was exhausting just to look at.
He stepped around a stall prepping firecrackers and ignored the man calling out for volunteers to help decorate floats. The scent of fresh food wafting through the air barely earned a glance. It all felt… distant.
He found a rooftop just outside the market district to lounge on, the folded job request tucked lazily between two fingers. He'd read it three times now. Not because it was complicated, but because it was so damn dull.
Some rich merchant's trade route had been overrun by bandits. Escort the next shipment, wipe out anything that moved, get paid a stupid amount of money. Simple. Clean.
Pointless.
He crumpled the paper slightly in his fist. Good money, but what would he use it for? Didn't matter. Taking jobs was never about the reward but getting out of the commotion. Magnolia was all smiles, screams, and strung banners. Too noisy.
Maybe I'll leave tomorrow.
He'd been saying that for three days before he found himself crouched in the shadows of the guild's rafters, half his body swallowed by the dimness overhead. He wasn't supposed to be here. He'd already signed off on the job, packed his things, and was ready to leave. But something kept him lingering.
He didn't know what he was waiting for. Maybe he was just curious about all the fuss. Or maybe Makarov's words were still scratching away at the back of his mind, the old man's gentle plea for him to stick around and 'mingle.'
The guild was loud as usual, voices overlapping in chaotic harmony. Only now it was worse. So much worse.
He scowled down at the scene below, regretting every second he spent wasting his time here. The first event of this stupid festival turned out to be a pageant. A pageant.
He watched, unimpressed, as the women of Fairy Tail paraded themselves around in… clothes? Trying to outshine one another for no real purpose at all. Or maybe it was for money. Or popularity. Who the hell knew?
His gaze landed on Lucy, dressed in some ridiculous cheerleader outfit, beaming and waving to the crowd like an idiot. To do something like this for a little cash was crazy, in his opinion. If she needed work, she could've just asked him to take her on a job. Then again, maybe she was just having fun.
Natsu's scowl deepened. He couldn't understand it. It'd be best to sneak out of here and forget all of this. He was just in front of the upstairs window when havoc erupted.
Evergreen's smug voice cut through the noise, her presence immediately turning the atmosphere tense. Natsu's eyes narrowed. One of Laxus's lackeys. A member of Fairy Tail by name only. No one liked them. Just like no one really liked him.
But there was a difference. Natsu kept to himself by choice. These guys were kept away because they looked down on everyone else. They weren't here to be part of the guild. They were here to act superior to it. And Evergreen was making that painfully clear. Her voice rang out with some ridiculous declaration about her stupid petrification curse. And then she did it. Turned her guildmates to stone like it was nothing.
That was a very big no-no, according to Makarov.
Then a voice lacrima crackled to life, Laxus's demands pouring out with all the arrogance of a king addressing his worthless subjects. A game to determine who ruled Fairy Tail. Now that was ballsy. He thought back to all the times Laxus had declared he would take over the guild. Natsu had always assumed he was joking. A weird, arrogant joke that came from Laxus being Laxus.
But this? Declaring war against the entire guild? Turning everyone to stone and sending his lackeys to attack their own members? It wasn't a joke. It wasn't even some misguided test of strength. Laxus was serious.
But what was the point? What the hell would Laxus even do as master? Paperwork?
Natsu shook his head, his thoughts out of line. This wasn't just about Laxus trying to prove himself. It was a challenge. A battle of ideals.
Natsu's eyes drifted back to the crowd, to his petrified guildmates. He should've left. This was none of his business. But something about the way Laxus was throwing everyone away like they were nothing gnawed at him.
If he left now, he'd be turning his back on the very people who had been trying to accept him. The same people he'd grudgingly started to care about. His eyes fell to Lucy, Erza, Mirajane—all turned to stone on the stage.
He sighed. He had to make Laxus regret this.
"If Sparky wants a fight, I'll give him a good one." Natsu dropped down from the rafters, landing heavily on the guild floor with a resounding thud that startled everyone nearby. Wide-eyed stares followed him as he turned around, stepping onto the stage and circling the statue that was Lucy. He knocked on the side of her head and laughed. "Heh, hardheaded as usual."
The crowd exchanged baffled glances, some relieved to see Chaos ready to act, others unsure if his casualness meant he wasn't taking this threat seriously.
"Please, Chaos, go easy on him." Makarov's weary voice broke the tense silence.
Natsu tilted his head in confusion. "Go easy on him? He's holding the entire town at gunpoint and demanding you turn over the keys to the guild, and you want me to play fair? You gotta grow a pair, old bastard."
Makarov hung his head with shame as Natsu headed to the doors, but he knew the dragon slayer would obey. Chaos always did, even if he complained every step of the way.
It wasn't until the boy slammed into an invisible wall that everything went to shit.
"Huh. That's unfortunate." He studied the runes that appeared in his path. Runes were not his strong suit. This all just spelt trouble.
"Natsu! You can't get out?!" Happy hovered beside the dragon slayer, who stared at the foreign text blocking his path.
In an instant, panic swept through the guild like wildfire. Voices drowned each other out, echoing against the stone walls. This wasn't just a game. Laxus had gone too far.
Luckily, Levy McGarden was quick to respond. The young script mage dashed toward the door, a thick book clutched in one hand as she read the glowing characters, her eyes darting from line to line.
"Runes," Levy muttered, inspecting the spell. "By Freed. They've set conditions. No stone statues or anyone over the age of eighty can leave the guild. Everyone else should be good to go."
The room went silent. Then the dam broke.
The fairies flooded out of the guild hall in search of the Raijin, weapons drawn, faces set with determination. Within moments, only few remained. Levy, Reedus, Makarov, Happy, and Fairy Tail's two quiet dragon slayers. One stuck behind the runes. Everyone else had gone to hunt Laxus's goons or was turned to stone.
"Gotta say, you look real good for your age, Chaos. Ghi-hi." The taunting voice belonged to Gajeel, crouching on a table near the door with a smirk etched into his pierced face.
"Don't pick fights you can't win, Black Steel." Natsu leaned lazily against a wall. If he was going to be stuck here, he might as well make himself comfortable.
"Don't you worry your elderly little head," Gajeel sneered as he jumped from the table and swaggered toward the exit. "I'll take care of Laxus."
Natsu watched as the Iron Dragon Slayer strutted confidently toward the double doors, only to slam face-first into the same invisible barrier. The impact left him jarred and pissed.
"What the hell?!"
Natsu barked out a loud laugh. "Talk about instant karma." He pushed away from the wall and took a casual seat at a nearby table, propping his feet up as Gajeel gripped his nose and made a sour face. Happy flew back to the stage, inspecting the statues.
Makarov stood near the centre of the guild, eyes locked on the glowing runes that shimmered in the open doorway. His shoulders were hunched, and the colour was draining from his face. His soul may as well have left his body. Two of his strongest, loafing around like schoolboys in detention while Laxus turned the city into a warzone.
The scoreboard on the far wall of the guild suddenly buzzed to life. Magical energy pulsed from it, casting a faint glow across the room. Names began to appear beside others.
Levy leaned closer, squinting. "Wait, what is this?"
Alzack vs. Droy vs. Jet
Happy flew up to get a closer look. "Are these... fights?!"
"They're making my children fight each other," Makarov murmured, horror dawning on his face. "It's Laxus's game. That…"
"So that's how he's playing it. Pick us off one by one." Gajeel grumbled.
"But… what happens to the losers?" Levy hugged herself nervously as Droy's name was crossed out.
Makarov exhaled slowly, trying to collect himself. "We need help. Porlyusica may have a remedy for the petrification. We'll need Erza if we intend to win this game at all."
"What, no faith in your low ranks?" Natsu grinned.
"That's a non-issue. Very few in the guild stand a chance against Laxus," Makarov mumbled. He turned to Reedus, who was uncharacteristically quiet. "Reedus, I need you to go to Porlyusica. Quietly. Avoid everyone, or you may be forced into a fight. You're not equipped for that."
Reedus nodded shakily. "I'll be careful, Master." He left through the back, slipping past the sealed main entrance. The rest waited tensely in the dim hall, watching as more pairs of names were etched into the glowing runes.
Only minutes passed, then…
Reedus vs. Freed
The names glowed for only seconds. Then Reedus's name flickered… and was crossed out.
Levy gasped. "No…"
Makarov staggered, nearly falling over from the sudden jolt of stress. He caught himself on a nearby table, his face suddenly pale.
"Master!" Levy rushed to his side, helping him into a seat.
"I'm fine," Makarov waved her off with a trembling hand. "Just… too much all at once."
Natsu watched with mild concern. He didn't say anything, but he noted every laboured breath, every twitch in the old man's hands. Makarov wasn't just tired. He was drained. Burning the candle at both ends to keep things together while Laxus tore the guild apart from within.
It irritated him. Not out of disrespect, but out of principle. Makarov was too old to be running damage control for power-hungry morons like Laxus. The man had given everything to Fairy Tail, no matter how soft he'd become. But for his own blood to repay him like this?
Before Natsu could dwell further, a burst of electricity pulsed in the centre of the hall. A distorted image of Laxus appeared in midair, crackling and semi-transparent, projected through magic for all to see.
"Well?" Laxus's impatient voice boomed through the room. "What's taking so damn long?"
Natsu sat up straighter. "We're stuck," he replied flatly.
Laxus blinked, genuinely confused. "Stuck?"
"Your boy's barrier is broken."
"Ah." Laxus tilted his head, amused. "Right. Should've figured you'd trip over each other before we even made it interesting."
The projection started pacing slowly, arms crossed behind his back. He then leaned forward, lightning sparking through the edges of the projection.
"Well, this is a purge. And with you locked down and Erza turned to stone, there's no one left in this guild strong enough to stand up to the Raijin. So, unless you want this little family to get a lot smaller, I'd suggest you pick up the pace. You got a choice to make too, Gramps. This could all be over."
And with that, the spell crackled out, leaving behind tense silence. Natsu leaned back before slowly lowering his feet to the floor. The air still tinged with static. Names were flashing across the scoreboard, being crossed out all too fast.
Makarov exhaled slowly as he stared down at the floor. "It's not the title I'm clinging to," he said at last. "I'd give it up in a heartbeat, if I thought the next master truly understood what this guild is supposed to be."
Levy didn't look up from where she crouched near the sealed door, scribbling counter-runes furiously into the floor. But she was listening. Gajeel looked up from watching her. Off to the side, Happy sat quietly on a barrel, tail drooping low. He kept glancing between the scoreboard and Natsu, waiting, hoping.
Makarov continued, "Laxus… he's powerful, no one can deny that. But he doesn't understand Fairy Tail. Not really. This guild isn't held together by fear or bloodlines. It's trust. And right now, I can't trust him with any of you."
Natsu tapped his foot impatiently. "How long are we fucking stuck here?"
"I'm doing what I can," Levy called breathlessly from the floor. "Freed's runes are complicated. He designed them with weaknesses only he would know." She didn't look back, too focused.
Natsu didn't have a plan. He didn't have an angle. And he hated that.
He just stood there, arms crossed, jaw clenched tight. Every fibre of him screamed to act, to punch something, to burn a hole through the wall and storm out into the chaos beyond. But there was nothing to hit. Nothing to burn. Only those glowing runes and the weight of helplessness pressing down on his spine.
So, he waited. Tapping his foot, breathing heavier by the second. And the anger simmered.