43

Natsu arrived in Era three days after the battle in Easthearth. Eliza departed before they entered the city, leaving him to face the Council alone.

As he walked up the newly constructed pathway toward the front gates of the Council building, he raised his ring, which automatically opened the gates for him. Walking right into the main building, one of the frogs at the front desk was startled by his sudden appearance.

"Lord Dragneel, you're back!?"

"That I am."

"I assume you have come to file your report on the Easthearth incident?"

"I'm afraid things in Easthearth are much more complicated, and the Council will need to be informed directly, mainly due to sensitive information that I've uncovered."

"Very well Lord Dragneel, you wish to petition the Council for an emergency meeting?"

"I do."

"Understood. The Council have currently convened for some trivial matters, so I shall inform them that you wish to see them urgently," the frog replied, walking down the corridor and out of sight, before returning five minutes later. "They will see you now, Lord Dragneel."

Natsu nodded stiffly, and followed the frog down the hallway and into the room where he'd been ordained as a Wizard Saint. The Council sat where they had previously, with Chairman Org seated at the head of their precession.

"Natsu Dragneel, you have returned from Eastheart at last," the Chairman muttered stiffly. "I can only surmise that the mission was a failure, given the proverbial fireworks sighted all the way in Crocus?"

"That would be an understatement, Chairman…"

"Very well, then let us hear the damage," the Chairman sighed.

"Well, before we even get into the specifics, I think its important to clarify that everyone in Easthearth is dead," Natsu began, shocking the entire Council into a stunned silence. "Their bodies litter the streets, along with thousands of Easthearth's long since departed…"

"I take it that you have a very good explanation as to why this happened," Org half stressed, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"The full details will be in my written report, Chairman, but suffice to say that the Tartaros Guild are the ones responsible for the trouble plaguing Easthearth."

"Tartaros!?"

"Yeah. It turns out that the place where the Easthearth Graveyard and Mausoleum were located, just so happened to sit atop the former Guild Hall of Tartaros.

"You mean to tell me… that you found the original Guild Hall of Tartaros? A location that has been widely sought for almost five centuries!?"

"Yes."

Org slumped in his seat, clearly at a loss for words. Natsu couldn't really blame the man, however, since all of this was extremely heavy news.

"Who from Tartaros was behind this specifically?"

"The atrocities were committed by Archbishop Keyes, the Gate of Limbo, but it was on the orders of Mard Geer Tartaros," Natsu replied, as several of the Council shook just at just the mere mention of his name. "

"I understand now why you wanted to speak of this matter in person, Natsu," Org sighed, finally collecting himself. "This incident is definitely something we can't have leaking to the public. Several squads will need to be dispatched to clean up Easthearth…"

"There was … another issue," Natsu muttered, as Org slowly lowered his gaze on him once more. "In pursuit of Keyes, I was confronted directly by Mard Geer Tartaros…"

"What," Org uttered weakly, seemingly on the verge of having a heart attack.

"I fought him, and lost soundly," Natsu answered, stunning the room at his admittance of defeat. "Our battle caused major damage to the mountain range around Easthearth, as well as the forest in its general vicinity."

"By the Gods Natsu, I don't even know where to begin," Org stammered, completely and utterly flabbergasted at everything he'd just been told. "How are you even alive!?"

"I'm a Dragon Slayer, these things only make me stronger," Natsu lied, as he thought back to Eliza healing him. "I would have been back here much sooner, but my injuries weren't exactly great."

"Completely reasonable, considering the circumstances," Org replied with a wave of his hand. "Knowing what we do now, we can at least pin the blame on the correct party. Unfortunately, there isn't really much we can actually do to punish Tartaros themselves, since the only Mages capable of actually handling Mard Geer himself reside among the Ishgar Four…"

"If its alright with all of you, I'd like to go home and rest for a bit? I'm still not feeling too well after my battle with Mard Geer…"

"Of course you can, and thank you again for what you have done! At the very least, the threat of undead in the Easthearth region has been quelled, and its perpetrators identified," Org replied sharply. "It is much more than we had before! Anyway, please do take care on your way back to Magnolia, and we'll be in touch.

Natsu nodded silently as he left the chambers, which quickly burst into an uproar about what they had just told them, right as he passed through the doors. Ignoring all the noise, Natsu sighed and began to leave the building, when he caught an interesting scent.

"So, you actually fought Mard Geer Tartaros and lived," an amused voice chirped from around the corner. "I knew there was something special about you…"

"Should I be flattered," Natsu replied dryly, as the person laughed openly in response, before rounding the corner, effectively trapping him in the hallway.

The man stood around seven foot five, had medium length wavy orange hair that formed a half crescent moon behind him, and wore a fancy white robe with long blue sleeves and a long black cloak that had a large yellow and black striped collar.

"Perhaps? Perhaps not? Either way, for you to have survived an opponent of Mard Geer Tartaros' caliber, there must be something within you that the world has yet to see," the amused figure smirked, as he leaned against the nearby wall. "I just realized that we haven't even been formally introduced yet! Where are my manners…"

One Of The Ten Wizard Saints

The Strongest Mage In Ishgar

One Of The Ishgar Four

Wizard Saint Rank One

God Serena

"Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail Mage," Natsu replied bluntly, clearly not impressed by either him, or his many titles.

"That's right, you're a part of that … funny little Guild, aren't you? That would make you the third member of Fairy Tail among us now, wouldn't it?"

"Warrod isn't part of Fairy Tail anymore, so its two," Natsu replied, momentarily surprising the Saint, who almost immediately reverted to his calm and playful demeanor.

"True, very true… You know, it's quite funny how a lot of Mages from that Guild go on to do great things, isn't it? Almost like your founder, Mavis Vermillion, had a certain … secret power, doesn't it?"

Natsu narrowed his eyes at Serena's words. The man was clearly doing something here, but he had absolutely no idea what? It seemed Serena knew this too, delighting in the look of momentary confusion on his face.

"I find you interesting, Natsu Dragneel. You know, the name Dragneel actually rings a bell," Serena continued, adopting a mock thinking pose. "I remember reading it associated with a Mage of extraordinary renown… Or not!"

"Is there a point to all of this?"

"There does not need to be a point for you and I to speak, for we are on the same side in the … END."

"You-!?"

"Well, that was a rather lovely chat, but I've got very important, strongest Mage on the planet stuff to do," Serena laughed, vanishing and reappearing at the exit to the Council building in the blink of an eyes. "But hopefully we can have another chat soon? It's always nice to talk to another like me…"

Serena vanished, this time for good, leaving Natsu thoroughly confused. The man clearly knew things he didn't, but his instincts, or something else deep within him, was screaming not to trust a single word he said.

It was … strange, to say the least.

Deciding to shrug it off and think about it when he was more rested, Natsu departed the Council Headquarters, catching the first train back to Magnolia.

***POTD***

Night had fallen upon Magnolia when Natsu finally arrived, having easily made it to the Guild Hall without being stopped by anyone for a chat. Aside from a select few, he really wasn't in the mood.

Entering, he was glad to see the place empty, aside from Mira, who was cleaning the place up after what would have undoubtedly been another busy day. With a wave of his hand, all the trash was picked up, swooping across the room into the bin, with the dishes all clearing themselves of any leftovers in the bin and making their way to the sink.

Mira spun around in shock, not having even sensed the presence of another person on the room, before pouting, hands firmly placed on her hips.

"You startled me mister!"

"Sorry, just wanted to help," Natsu replied, as he made his way toward her. "I know its late, but can I have a drink?"

"Well… I suppose I can accommodate you, since you did turn twenty minutes worth of work into ten seconds," Mira replied, her expression shifting as she winked in his direction. "Sit down, I'll get you our strongest. You really look like you need it."

"If only it could get me drunk," he snorted in response, as Mira ducked behind the counter, grabbing a full bottle, and tossing it in his direction.

Catching it with his Gravity Magic, it was at his lips in moments, as the white-haired Mage sat across from him on the bench top.

"What happened?"

"Undead army, Easthearth is completely wiped out," Natsu replied between sips, as Mira's eyes narrowed, as if deep in thought.

"Easthearth…I know that name," Mira muttered quietly, as her eyes shifted in coloration, and a sultrier tone took over. "Ah yes, my old stomping grounds was located there…"

"Hecate…"

"No need to explain the details of what you found there; I can easily guess what you encountered. Some of Keyes' little undead pets, right?"

"Were you actually part of Tartaros once?"

"Once," the Demon replied easily, smirking in a manner that was extremely out of place on Mira's face. "Once you no longer hold value to Mard Geer Tartaros, you are tossed aside like garbage."

"And how did you lose value to him?"

"Simple," Hecate smirked, as she pressed her index finger to his nose. "I lost."

"You…lost?"

"We are Demons of Etherious, beings created by Lord Zeref. We are supposed to represent his vision, and none believe this to be true more than Mard Geer Tartaros. For a Demon of Zeref's design to lose, means that they weren't TRUE servants of Zeref's will, but instead, mere failures…"

"So, you lose once, and that's it?"

"For me at least, yes," Hecate shrugged in reply. "I lost to Mirajane when she was still a teen, so he likely saw me as pathetic. A rather amusing oversight, I must say."

"Do you miss being in Tartaros?"

"Do I miss it," Hecate repeated, an amused smirk on her face. "You realize that you're effectively asking me if I miss being my own true being, and not stuck inside Mirajane?"

"Oh…"

"To answer your question though," Hecate continued, suddenly growing serious, as she stared unblinkingly into his eyes. "No, I don't miss it. Mard Geer Tartaros may have been superior to me, but he was an absolute bastard to deal with, even at the best of times. Unless you can provide him with something, like Keyes, or bow and scrape to his every whim, like Kyoka, then you are treated like a slave."

"I kind of got that impression when I fought him," Natsu nodded slowly. "He seems to be extremely arrogant, and a sadistic son of a bitch."

"Oh, I can assure you that he most certainly is," Hecate agreed, as she looked away from him, and toward Makarov's Office. "You'd better go and inform the other Saint about Easthearth, and whatever else you did whilst there…"

"Right," Natsu nodded slowly, finishing off the bottle he had, before looking back at Hecate. "Is Mira still there?"

"She's asleep now, I have to do that in order to take over for a bit."

"Right… I assume you'll fill her in on this conversation later, right?"

"Maybe," the Demoness smirked, as she got up from the bench and moved around to his seat. "Stop asking such silly questions Natsu, and just enjoy basking in my mere presence…"

"Blegh."

"You didn't even try and come up with a response," the Demoness snorted, flicking his nose as she moved to the exit. "Tell Makarov that Mirajane went home after serving you."

"Right," Natsu replied, waving the Demoness off, before making his way upstairs, as the entrance doors closed. "Right…"

***POTD***

Makarov didn't need to look up as the door to his office opened, the report in his hands already an indicator of who it was. He continued to read, even as Natsu sat on the couch opposite his desk, a grim look across his features.

"Mard Geer Tartaros… It seems like times really are changing if the Tartaros Guild are willing to do something so brazen against the Council," Makarov hummed, finally meeting Natsu's gaze. "Are you alright?"

"No. I couldn't save anyone in Easthearth, and that honestly hurts more than the beating Mard Geer gave me," Natsu replied honestly, as he clenched his fists. "They looked overjoyed when I showed up, were cheering that Lord Dragneel has arrived to save them. An hour later, the entire place was wiped out…"

"I know its hard, I've had the unfortunate displeasure of having to deal with similar failures over the course of my career in the Wizard Saints. You need to understand though, no one holds you responsible for Easthearth's fate," Makarov replied gently. "You did everything you could, even facing down the strongest known Demon in Ishgar to try and help."

"I know," Natsu sighed, as he ran a hand through his hair. "The Council actually seemed to understand once I explained I had to fight Mard Geer. Honestly, that surprised me."

"I think its important for you to recognize that you managed to hold your own against him, albeit briefly. Not many, even among the Ten Wizard Saints, can claim such a feat."

"Yeah, God Serena said as much when I spoke to him."

"God Serena? You actually spoke with him," Makarov's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "I'm surprised he was willing to talk to you, since normally, he considers even speaking to the other Ishgar Four a hassle? What else did he have to say about all this?"

"Honestly, not much. He just said he knew I had potential, as well as how the Fairy Tail Guild seems to have produced many notable Mages over the years. He also said that it was almost like First Master Mavis had some sort of secret power that still had influence over the Guild, though he didn't elaborate on that."

"He said that," Makarov asked, almost in an alarmed state. "Are you certain he said that!?"

"Uh… I definitely heard him say that, yeah."

"I see… I probably shouldn't tell you this, but Mavis Vermillion did possess a type of Magic that held influence over the Guild, even after its death. Though, I cannot tell you what that is, since it is a secret only the Guild Master can know about."

"This wouldn't happen to relate to what your Son Ivan was after, would it?"

"It might, though Ivan doesn't even know what it actually is," Makarov replied, before shaking his head. "Regardless, I'll not speak any more on that topic."

"Fair enough," Natsu nodded, before suddenly remembering something. "Hey gramps, you knew the Second Master, right?"

"Precht Gaebolg," Makarov replied with a stiff nod. "Of course I knew him, he was my predecessor, after all. Why?"

"When I was exploring the old Tartaros Guild Hall, I found the biography of a Demon that said that it had been killed by the Second Master of Fairy Tail, Precht Gaebolg," Natsu explained. "Apparently, it was during something known as the Dawnspire Incident, if you know what that is?"

Makarov's eyes went wide, as he slowly swiveled in his chair, looking out the window as he contemplated what Natsu had just said.

"So, he was there as I thought… The Dawnspire Incident was a siege on Castle Dawnspire, home to the Caine Family. Apparently, the head of the family, Ashur Caine, had been secretly doing deals with the Tartaros Guild, supplying them with Humans in exchange for Dark Artifacts. Suffice to say, once the Human supply ran out, Tartaros went right for him."

"Leading to the siege on Castle Dawnspire?"

"Correct. Fearing for his life, Ashur Caine put out a request for any Mages to assist in fighting off the horde of Demons that were coming for his head," Makarov nodded in response. "It was said that there was a Demon leading the charge against Castle Dawnspire wielding Black Arts akin to the kind the Black Wizard Zeref once wielded…"

"Kalros, that was his name," Natsu replied, with Makarov humming in response.

"It was said that an elderly man appeared during the battle, right as the Demons were about to break through into the castle. Supposedly, he made short work of over one hundred S Class Demons single handed, before engaging and slaying this Kalros you mentioned. After the battle, the man refused to give his identity, only claiming that he found what he wanted, before departing, never to be seen again…"

"And now we know that it was Second Master Precht," Natsu muttered contemplatively. "He must have been really damn strong?"

"When I last saw him, he most certainly was," Makarov agreed. "Considering that the Dawnspire Incident took place seven years after he left Fairy Tail, I can only surmise that his power grew even further. Hardly a surprise, when you consider he was one of the founders of Fairy Tail alongside Mavis, Warrod, and my own Father Yuri."

"True," Natsu agreed. "Its good to at least figure out one of the mysteries that came from that place, even if only a little."

"Of course, knowledge is power after all," Makarov agreed. "Who knows when that might come in handy? That aside though, I have another matter I need to discuss with you?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"Well, you know how the S Class Promotion Trials are held every year, right?"

"Yeah, how could I forget that," Natsu replied with a curt nod. "Is it coming up?"

"It is. I'm planning on announcing the Mages who have been selected for the Promotion Trials two days from now. However, there is a task I need all S Class Mages to do…"

"I'm guessing you want us directly involved in the trials," Natsu mused. "A sort of test or something along those lines?"

"That's correct. I've already spoken to Gildarts, Erza, and Mirajane, and they are all on board with the plan. I just need confirmation that you can participate?"

"Gramps, you know I'll do whatever you need me to do for the Guild," Natsu replied with a small smile.

"I know, but asking is still the polite thing to do," Makarov replied with a wave of his hand. "Thank you though."

"So, what is it you want us to do?"

"The plan is that I'm sending yourself, Erza, and Mirajane on ahead a day early, just to setup the area which the trials are taking place. Gildarts and I will be bringing the group to the test site."

"And where exactly is this test site, exactly?"

"The trials always take place on Tenrou Island," Makarov replied. "The place is considered sacred ground, as the island houses the grave of the First Master…"

"The First Master's grave," Natsu hummed in response. "Interesting place…"

"It most certainly is. I'll be giving the list of things that need to be done on the island to Mirajane tomorrow morning, so the three of you can depart for Tenrou Island."

"Fair enough," Natsu replied with a stiff nod. "Guess I'd better get home and get some sleep. Oh, and by the way, Mira left right after she gave me a drink, just so you know?"

"That's fine, I'll lock up tonight," Makarov replied with a nod, as the two men stood, making their way to the door. "I suppose I'll see you in a few days Natsu. And remember, don't fret about what happened during the Easthearth Incident."

"I know gramps, I'll do my best," Natsu replied, waving the old man off as he left the Guild Hall behind, making his way back home.

***POTD***

Arriving at his home, Natsu walked in, finding that Ur was still awake, sprawled out on the couch as she read a book.

"How very unladylike of you," Natsu joked, eliciting a snort in response from Ur. "How are you?"

"You know, thanks to my new … additions, I barely have to sleep anymore? I have so much free time now I literally don't know what to do with it!?"

"Maybe its an energy thing," Natsu mused, as he sat down across from her. "Maybe you need to just do more physical activity than you already do to burn off enough energy that you feel tired?"

"Maybe? Its kind of hard for me to do that though," Ur replied, as she put her book aside, sitting up to speak with him. "I don't want to sound like I'm bragging or anything, but the amount of power I've got now… I can't just go throwing it around, I could blow up all of Magnolia, or worse!"

"Maybe its just a Demon thing to be awake for longer then? They do often tout their superiority to Humans, maybe not needing to sleep as much is one of the natural perks?"

"Maybe," Ur shrugged, as she held out her right arm, as Natsu watched it slowly turn into a blackish-blue colour, her hand becoming more like a claw.

"So weird how that looks just like Deliora's arm…but feminine now?"

"Honestly, I've actually kinda started liking the addition," Ur replied quietly. "Before we went and saw Bathory, I despised what I'd become… But I think that with you, Makarov, Bathory, Draculos, Mira, and … ugh, and even the perv Gildarts' support, I can accept and embrace what I am."

"Well, that's definitely good to hear Ur," Natsu smiled as he took her claw-like hand with his own. "You're one of us, doesn't matter if you're a Human or not."

"I know, and I'm grateful you guys think that way," Ur replied with a warm smile, before it dropped slightly. "I just feel bad that we have to hide this from the others…"

"I don't think Gray can ever accept it Ur, at least not without some other life changing event making it possible," Natsu replied, with the Ice Make Mage nodding in understanding. "But don't let that get you down, we're still here for you."

"I know. I just feel like its inevitable that he'll find out about it, you know?"

"And we'll deal with that day when it comes. For now, let's focus on the day-to-day problems, like your sleep thing. Maybe you and I could fight, I'm sure that would be a good workout?"

"I was actually considering that myself," Ur agreed, a small smirk coming across her face. "I'm actually curious which of us is stronger, to tell you the truth? I somehow got the bulk of Deliora's raw power, and it combined with my own. I wonder if I could beat you…"

"Well, we've got the S Class Promotion Trials coming up in two days, but after that, I reckon we'll head out somewhere isolated together… have us an explosive afternoon?"

"Careful Dragon, that almost sounded like a proposition," Ur teased, eliciting an amused chuckle from Natsu. "Wow, you didn't even blush or anything from that, I'm surprised?"

"I guess I'm just used to that kind of flirting by now," Natsu replied, getting up off of the couch. "On that note, I'd better be getting to bed. I've got to head out to the site of the Promotion Trials in the morning."

"Fair enough," Ur replied with a nod. "And thanks, for being a good friend. I never really had many people I could rely on like I can with you…"

Meeting Ur's gaze, he saw the faintest tinge of vulnerability from the Ice Make Mage, and found himself touched she would say that. Walking back over to her, he pulled her to her feet.

"You're a great person Ur, a great friend. You've done so much, not just for the world, but for Fairy Tail. You've confided in me, just like I have with you, and we've kept each other's secrets… Fuck it, let's just hug it out before I get sappy!"

Ur laughed as they hugged, both of them sighing into the other's embrace.

"You ever need my help Natsu, just ask…"

"Same to you Ur, though, you already know that," Natsu whispered back, as the pair separated. "Right, bedtime!"

"See you later," Ur smiled, as Natsu walked upstairs and into his shared bedroom with Erza.

Getting undressed, he slipped into bed, which stirred Erza from her slumber. Yawning cutely, she stretched, rolling onto her side as she gave him a drowsy smile.

"Hey you…"

"Hey Erza," Natsu replied gently, as he leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Sorry for waking you."

"I'll make an exception this time, because you've been out there working hard again," Erza yawned. "How did it go?"

"Not good," Natsu replied tiredly, which managed to push back Erza's drowsiness somewhat, as she propped herself up on her elbow. "Everyone in Easthearth was killed, the Council is cleaning the place up."

"What happened?"

"The Tartaros Guild were behind it, I almost died to Mard Geer Tartaros, and thousands of people died for nothing," Natsu replied bitterly, as Erza shuffled herself closer to him, pressing her forehead against his.

"I know you would have done everything you could to make things right, that's the kind of man you are. You lost, but you're still alive… Learn from that, and grow…"

"I know Erza," Natsu whispered, as he pecked her on the lips. "Just seeing the same people who cheered for my arrival, who saw me as their savior, become undead…"

"Its hard, I don't doubt it at all," Erza replied gently, as she placed a hand on his cheek. "But you're strong, Natsu, stronger than anyone I know. You can move past this, grow stronger, and eventually you'll avenge them."

"Yeah…"

"Now, I want you to forget all about Easthearth for now, and focus instead on what's to come. Did you agree to come to Tenrou with Mira and I tomorrow?"

"I did, yeah."

"Good. Mira was thinking we could have a picnic together tomorrow on Tenrou once everything is all sorted. There's a lovely spot we both agreed we wanted to show you," Erza replied with a gentle smile. "But that's tomorrow… which means…"

"I have to sleep," Natsu muttered, his eyelids growing heavier, as Erza half draped herself over him. "Mmhm…"

"Let's rest Natsu, and tomorrow, we'll have ourselves a good day…"

Erza didn't receive a response, as Natsu's fatigue finally caught up with him, as he fell into a deep slumber.

Kissing him on the lips one last time, Erza quickly fell asleep once more, as the house fell deathly silent for another night.

***POTD***

The next day had arrived, with Natsu, Erza, and Mira, all departing for Tenrou before the sun had even risen over Magnolia. After catching the train to Hargeon, they acquired a ship Makarov had paid well in advance for, and sailed off toward Tenrou Island.

There was a decent amount of setup work to be done to get the island into shape for the Promotion Trials. Setting up signposts so newcomers wouldn't get lost, checking for any unnecessary hazards, as well as preparing an area for everyone to regroup after the trials ended.

This was Natsu's first time going to Tenrou Island, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Upon finally sighting it in the distance, he was surprised to see the massive tree in the distance, in awe at the sheer level of Magical Power it exuded.

"It reminds me of the Ichor Throne," Natsu muttered to himself, as the ship got closer to the island. "What a coincidence…"

"It seems the place held up rather well," Erza chimed in, as both she and Mira stepped up beside him. "You brought some light clothes to wear for later, didn't you Natsu?"

"Yeah. You said this place had a tropical heat, right?"

"It's the kind that makes wearing heavier clothing a really bad idea," Mira replied, as she placed a hand on her right hip. "I'm going to go change before we go ashore."

Natsu nodded, as he used his Requip Magic, removing his Wizard Saint clothing, and replacing it with a simple pair of black board shorts that had a red flame pattern on them. Both girls giggled at his choice, eliciting a small blush from the Dragon Slayer.

"What!?"

"You're such a kid sometimes with your clothing choices Natsu," Erza laughed. "I mean really, fire pattern on your shorts?"

"Come on, its just a pair of damn shorts," Natsu huffed, as Erza used her Requip Magic, changing into a simple red bikini that left little to the imagination.

Likewise, Mira changed into a white bikini that also left little to the imagination, as she rejoined them. The trio looked out at Tenrou Island, finally beginning to feel the heat.

"That's definitely a tropical heat," Natsu hummed, as he turned to look back at the girls. "Let's anchor here and head on over."

The girls nodded, as they made preparations to keep the ship secure, before heading on over to prepare the island for the trials.

***POTD***

After a rather taxing day of setting up the locations for each of the trials, the three S Class Mages found themselves walking through the forest.

"You're going to love this spot Natsu," Mira said, as they stopped at a small gap in the brush. "It's just through here."

"I assume we're camping out here tonight," Natsu asked in response, eliciting matching hums from the girls, as they led the way through the brush.

"You'll see why when we get there Natsu," Erza replied knowingly, as he continued on without making another comment.

After some time, they arrived at what he could only describe as an oasis amidst the tropical climate. The very air itself lacked that muggy moisture that had made their skin so slick with sweat, despite their lack of clothing.

"Wow, that water is really damn clear," Natsu hummed, as he stepped up toward the water's edge, sticking a hand in. "Nice and cool too."

"It's a rather strange phenomenon, isn't it? Its almost like this one area is plucked right out of another part of the world," Mira chimed in, as she placed down the basket she was carrying. "Erza, do you have the meat?"

"Of course," the Requip Mage replied, summoning an entire, semi-prepared pig from her Requip Space.

"You seriously got this thing seasoned before you put it in there?"

"Natsu, we're here to relax and let loose a little. I wanted some flavoring on it, okay?"

"Fine, fine," Natsu replied, hands up in mock surrender. "What's the occasion though?"

"The occasion is actually a multitude of things," Mira replied, as they began setting up a spit and fire to roast the pig on. "It's to celebrate your return, to thank you for all the good you've done since said return-."

"-to thank you for saving both of us from trouble when we needed it most," Erza added, not needing to directly reference said trouble directly. "Plus, you're our age, and someone special to us…"

"We wouldn't invite Gildarts, Laxus, or Mystogan to do this," Mira explained, seeing his somewhat confused expression. "It would be a bit weird having them here, if that makes any sense?"

"I get it," Natsu nodded in response. "I'm glad you two wanted me to come…"

"You're probably the only one we'd have invited," Erza replied with a warm smile. "Though, to be fair, we wouldn't have said that before you returned, given how you used to act."

"Heh. Yeah, I was a bit of a goof. Surely you can cut me some slack though since I was like ten, right?"

"A fair point," Mira smirked, as she finished preparing the fire. "Natsu?"

Pointing at the fire pit, it instantly ignited with a small, steady flame, as he turned his attention back to the girls.

"I know I just said it, but… I'm really glad you two brought me along to do this," Natsu said quietly, as he sat down on the ground. "I've spent most of my time either fighting, or getting into drama. Moments like this… well, they're a rarity for me."

Both girls remained silent, as Natsu seemed to stare off into the surface of the clear oasis before them, seemingly lost in his memories.

"The last time I did something like this, was the last night with the Scarlione Team…"

"Scarlione Team," Mira asked gently, half expecting him to clam up like he normally would.

"There were eight of us," Natsu began, both girls' eyes widening considerably as they fully focused their attention on him. "You might have heard me mention them in the form of The Old Crew or, like I just said, The Scarlione Team."

"Who was in the team," Erza asked quietly, as Natsu began to list them off.

"There was myself, Gildarts, Shrikke Gondue-."

"Wait, the Head Chef at Et Firniel," Mira gasped, eliciting a small nod from the Dragon Slayer. "Wow…"

"Shrikke is more than just a regular Chef. His Magic is tied to cooking," Natsu explained with a small smile. "They called him Ishgar's Famous Fighting Chef, because he could drop a SSS Rank Dark Mage with a Chicken Drumstick."

"WHAT," both girls screeched, garnering an amused chuckle from Natsu.

"How!?"

"His Magic is split into two spheres. First, Flavor Magic, and second, Palette Magic. Flavor Magic is essentially making someone eat a food you've imbued your Magic into as you cook. Shrikke was unrivaled at it, and could quite literally cook a meal that could affect a Mage's combat ability beyond just a fatigue metric. I'm talking increasing things like attack potency, defensive capability, durability, speed, cognitive function…"

"Wow… No wonder Et Firnel is one of the most popular restaurants in Fiore," Mira hummed thoughtfully. "What's Palette Magic then?"

"You know how a person has a certain inkling toward certain types of foods, and a raw dislike of others?"

"Yeah," both girls hummed in response.

"Well, in order for Shrikke's Flavor Magic to work on an enemy, he has to actually convince his foe to eat whatever he puts out, right?"

"Right…"

"So, Shrikke uses what he calls Palette Magic, and works it into the scent of whatever he cooks up. The result is that whatever he puts out in front of you, you literally can't not eat it."

"Wait… Natsu, are you saying that he can influence a person to eat anything he wants?"

"That's correct."

"So, does that mean that-?"

"Nope. Shrikke wouldn't ever use his Palette Magic on his customers," Natsu replied immediately. "His Flavor Magic on the other hand, yes. Though, you would see that he specifies what you'll get out of it on his menu, so he's not doing it without consent either."

"Wow… Who would've thought a Chef could be that impressive?"

"The other people who were part of your team must have been just as impressive, right?"

"They certainly were," Natsu smiled wistfully. "The next one was Solomon Duvorn, a Battlemage who, from what the old bastard Gran Doma used to say, was on par with the Ishgar Four in terms of power."

"No way…"

"What was he like?"

"He was around fifty, big bald guy, dark skin, had a whole heap of these tribal markings across his body. He told me that he came from a tribe located on the fringe of Scarlione, bordering the sea. They were the very first to suffer when Alvarez invaded Scarlione, his tribe being slain until only he remained."

"Oh my…"

"Is that why he joined your team?"

"No, he had other reasons, Alvarez was a separate thing," Natsu replied, shaking his head. "Regardless, he was one of our stronger members."

"Who else did you have?"

"Next up, there was Alyssa Fawley. She was three years older than me when I met her, and the best damn Trap Mage I've ever seen."

"Trap Mage? Isn't that a Magic more suited for the Adventurers Guild?"

"Perhaps… That is, until you realize that she can snap her fingers, instantly forming a three hundred meter hole in the ground with twenty inch by five inch spike pit, complete with explosives."

"…"

"…"

"Like I said, I've never seen a Trap Mage as good as she was," Natsu chuckled with a shake of his head. "Next up is one I've mentioned a few times, though, I wouldn't say I'm happy to bring him up. "Felix Stomnen, our Telepath Mage."

"Wait… Wasn't he the one who-?"

"Yes," Natsu replied with a grim nod, as Mira looked between the pair confusedly. "He was confined to an Insane Asylum following our defeat, though I've been told he since escaped and is currently on the run."

"My goodness," Mira muttered, as Erza checked on the pig, rotating the spit before rejoining them.

"Moving along, the next member of our group was Frollo Fortunis von Scarlione IX, Shield of the Scarlione Empire."

"That's quite a title," Erza whistled in response. "He's a Knight I assume?"

"He's the Queen's sworn protector, at her side almost at all times," Natsu replied, surprising the pair that such a person had joined his team. "The Fortunis Family are among the highest honored in the Empire. His Father, Frederick Fortunis von Scarlione VIII is the Duke of the Ivory Coast, the largest and most profitable section of the Empire."

"So, definitely more than your average Knight then," Mira giggled in reply, eliciting an amused chuckle from Natsu.

"Yeah. You might be surprised to know though that Frollo has a defense so strong he was able to actually block attacks from Gildarts at max power."

"WHAT," both girls screeched, unable to believe such news. "HOW!?"

"His title as Shield of the Scarlione Empire isn't just a fancy title. Frollo is a Shield Mage, a specialist in what he calls Guardian Magic. It's a secret Magic that apparently only Mages of the Fortunis Family know, so I can't really tell you how it works."

"I can understand that," Erza nodded slowly. "Its likely so he can ensure his Magic remains as effective as possible."

"That's right," Natsu nodded with a small smile. "Which leaves me with the last member of our team…"

"Who was it?"

"I've definitely mentioned her dozens of times," Natsu snickered. "Queen Illyandra Scarlione VII."

"You mean to tell us … that the QUEEN was a part of your team," Erza spluttered. "Just what were you all doing!?"

"What were we doing? We were doing the Century Quest Gildarts picked up off of the Job Request Board ten years ago," Natsu replied honestly, as both girls merely gaped in his direction. "You realize just how rough a Century Quest actually is, right?"

"B-But your team was so strong…"

"How did you fail!?"

"Simple," Natsu replied, getting up off the ground and grabbing onto the pig on the spit, tearing off a piece of cooked meat and taking a savage bite. "The target was a being that is beyond Mages of our era. The Apocalypse Dragon Achnologia could fight a hundred of me and come off without so much as a scratch. Hell, he could solo just about any country except maybe Alvarez with little to no effort at all."

"What…"

"We fought him," Natsu continued darkly. "We fought him, and we didn't even last ten minutes against him."

Both girls were completely blown away by the revelation, unable to even process a foe that could possess such strength.

"Felix bought us crucial seconds of time, allowing Solomon to Teleport us all out of there, at the cost of his mind. He went into Achnologia's mind … and until we left him at the mental asylum, all I heard from him was the screams of a man who had seen something no man ever should…"

"D-Do you know what he saw," Mira asked hesitantly, prompting Natsu to shake his head in the negative.

"I don't ever want to, because I've never … ever … seen a man look as frightened as he did. No other being I can think of could ever do something like that, aside from that Dragon."

"So that's why you don't talk about Scarlione much," Mira asked quietly, after several minutes had passed. "Because of what Achnologia did to all of you?"

"Its one of the reasons, yes. The other reason is the war, of which I fought in for a number of years," Natsu replied, as Erza started cutting up the pig with an amusing looking knife-sword. "Fighting a losing war…you lose part of yourself in it. You commit acts that you never could have conceived of doing, all in the name of victory."

"Natsu…"

"I think that's enough out of me," Natsu sighed, running a hand through his hair, visibly shaking as he blinked rapidly. "Fucks sake…"

"Thank you for confiding in us Natsu," Mira whispered, as she pulled him in for a hug. "We won't tell anyone a single letter of what you told us here…"

"Mira's right," Erza agreed instantly, hugging him from the other side. "No matter what, you're still our best friend Natsu…"

Natsu didn't respond, only giving them a watery smile, as the trio hugged it out under the setting sun, their bonds having grown even stronger from Natsu's brief moment of vulnerability.

***POTD***

Several hours later, the sun had well and truly set over Tenrou Island, with the only remaining light being the fireflies across the island, and the fire pit at the oasis where the three S Class Mages were.

They had long since finished eating, and were now merely chatting away about various Guild gossip, as well as world gossip. Eventually however, Mira came up with an idea…

"Hey Natsu?"

"Hmm?"

"You know how you can do that thing with your body where you can heat things up?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Does that work on water?"

Natsu raised an eyebrow in response, as Erza looked at Mira with wide eyes, clearly kicking herself for not having thought of the idea herself.

"It does work on water," he replied slowly. "Why?"

"I was thinking that maybe we could turn the oasis here into a hot spring for a bit," Mira replied with a cheeky grin, as Natsu looked over toward the water, before looking back at the girls with an amused sigh.

"Alright, you'll have to give me a couple of minutes to heat the water up to that level, alright?"

Looking back toward the oasis, Natsu jumped in, as his body began to heat right up. Focusing more of his Magic into the ability, the water around him began to bubble, as a thin vapor lifted off of the surface.

"There. Give it about a minute and-."

Turning around, Natsu's words died in his throat, as Mira and Erza stood on the water's edge… completely naked. He refused to blush, but he had to admit, they had certainly piqued his curiosity… among other things.

"Let's hop in Erza," Mira smirked, as the pair dive bombed into the water, rising up to the surface and swimming toward his position.

"Someone seems to be the odd one out, don't they?"

"Seems so Erza…"

Without a word, he dismissed his board shorts to his Requip Space, with both girls immediately looking downward through the clear surface of the water.

"Much better," they both purred in unison, before giggling, and moving to press themselves up against him.

"And what have I done to deserve this?"

"Mira and I were talking about the latest issue of Sorcerer Weekly," Erza began. "I was telling her about how you and I have been floating the idea about dating one another soon…"

"You guys would make a great couple by the way," Mira chimed in playfully.

"We then talked about how you and Mira did an intimate shoot, and how much it catapulted Fairy Tail's popularity following it."

"You've seen what they're calling you now, right?"

"I have," Natsu replied. "What have you two been scheming?"

"We've been discussing the potential for another shoot," Erza smirked, as she pressed his arm further into her sizeable breasts. "But this time, we really hammer home your new moniker that Kiara gave you…"

"Imagine Natsu… you, myself, Erza… and Elise, all in one shoot," Mira said excitedly as she bounced up and down excitedly, giving his other arm a rather good time. "We would earn millions, and cement all our reputations, as well as the reputation of Fairy Tail in the process!"

"Definitely an enticing offer," Natsu replied, his arms wrapping around their waists, pulling them flush to his body. "But have either of you even asked Elise if she would want to do that? She doesn't seem the type…?"

"She would," Erza replied immediately. "Or, I should say, she'd do it specifically if it were for the three of us."

"Hmm. Well, I'm not going to say no, am I," Natsu laughed. "If you can convince Elise to do it, then I'm all for it. I quite enjoyed the last shoot, even if it was a bit embarrassing at the time…"

"Great," Mira squealed, hugging his side tightly as she kissed him on the cheek. "Its going to be so much fun!"

"I agree," Erza nodded, before shooting a sultry smirk in Natsu's direction. "I think he deserves a reward…"

"I couldn't agree more Erza," Mira purred in response, as they both kissed below his jawline. "What do you think Natsu… Are you willing to accept your reward?"

"Ladies… First you had my attention, but now you have my arousal," Natsu smirked, as he immediately slipped his index and middle fingers into both girls simultaneously, both startling, and exciting the pair. "Let's try not to get too carried away though…"

***POTD***

"The preparations are nearly complete."

"Excellent," an older man muttered from his seat, the faint hum of an engine audible as he looked up into the dimly lit room. "How long until we arrive?"

"Around a day my Lord."

"And the others?"

"All rallied."

"And Bluenote?"

"He's aboard as well."

"Good," the older man purred. "Get some rest. I daresay we'll all need it, given the task ahead of us."

"As you command," the feminine voice replied, as they bowed within the shadows, before vanishing.

"Are you certain you can pull this off?"

"As certain as one can be in this kind of situation," the older man replied, as a projection shot out from just above his seat, displaying the shadowed figure of a man sitting down, a smoke held loosely in his lips, and a glass of alcohol at his side.

"Do not get careless. Brain believed himself to possess the complete advantage during the Nirvana Incident, yet the Bharam Alliance lost almost a third of its forces in a day. I won't have a repeat of his failures… understood?"

"You forget that unlike Brain, I have several key advantages over our adversaries," the older man replied calmly. "I hold no delusions however that this will not be as easily won as even my own Officers believe it will. There are multiple Mages who could shift the tide in their favor…"

"As long as you are aware that the eyes of Alakitasia are upon you," the projected figure replied plainly, taking a drag from his cigarette. "The Emperor would be … most displeased, should you fail to deal with a single island and one Guild."

"He need not fear for my sake," the man chuckled darkly, leaning forward to reveal part of his face, and the lack of a left eye, which was covered by an eye patch with the emblem of a well-known Dark Guild. "Fairy Tail and I … I suppose you could say that we're … old friends…"

The man chuckled to himself, as the light in the room slowly faded away, leaving the man sitting in total darkness, the countdown for his long-awaited plan, now within its final hours