17

Natsu and Ur woke bright and early, ready to meet Makarov at Magnolia Station by nine in the morning. Having eaten a filling breakfast, the two Grand Wizards made their way down, finding the aged Guild Master already there waiting for them.

"Already here gramps," Natsu smirked. "And here we thought we were being the punctual ones?"

"Never underestimate the ability of the elderly to beat you out in that department Natsu," Makarov grinned in response. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Whatever was in that concoction Porlyusica made, it healed those holes right up."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that," Makarov nodded before looking toward Ur. "And you Ur?"

"Fine, but nervous," the Ice Make Mage replied honestly, eliciting knowing nods from the two men with her. "I still want to get this whole thing looked into as soon as possible. I might be nervous, but I won't run from this."

"You never struck me as the type to do so," Makarov replied honestly. "In any event, time to discuss what I needed to have you both here for…"

"You said this was to do with how we get into Menoa Town from the Fell Woods, right?"

"Correct," Makarov nodded slowly. "Menoa Town is protected by powerful Magical Barriers that prevent its location from being reached unless you are allowed entry by one of its residents. The reason for this will become abundantly clear once you arrive."

"So, I assume you have the … invites, for us?"

"I do," Makarov nodded as he passed the pair two small rings. "Wear these, and it will render you immune to the Magic of the Fell Woods."

Natsu and Ur both nodded, sliding the rings on as Makarov continued to speak.

"Now then, this is the most important thing, and I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to listen to me on this," the old man stressed, clearly wanting them to understand the significance of what he was saying. "Do not, and I repeat … DO NOT attack anything within the Fell Woods that does not physically harm you first!"

"That's … oddly specific," Natsu replied with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"It isn't something I'm at liberty to say," the old man replied. "Just know that it is a rule, and you must follow it."

"Fine, we'll follow it," Natsu relented, still not really liking the idea of letting something dangerous harm them, before they can harm it back. "Is that it?"

"Yes. The rest you'll pick up once you arrive in Menoa Town," Makarov replied as he took several steps back. "Good luck on the Job, as well as the … other thing."

"Thanks gramps," Natsu replied as the pair turned and made their way toward the ticket counter, before boarding the train and finding a compartment.

Once seated, they waited until the train was moving, before deciding to discuss what Makarov had told them.

"How much do you wanna bet we're walking into something that's gonna cause us a headache," Ur giggled as Natsu smirked, shaking his head.

"Mysterious town that is seemingly hidden by powerful Magic, requiring access to be given to us just to enter … definitely a headache."

"And that warning Makarov gave us about not attacking anything in the woods unless it attacks us first," Ur continued, her amusement less visible when it came to that specific tidbit. "I don't really like the sound of that?"

"It's just something we'll have to find out once we get there," Natsu shrugged in reply. "Anyway, let's talk about how we're getting to this forest anyway?"

"We're riding the train until we hit the fourth stop, then we walk East for three hours, then stop at the tree with the gnarled branch…"

"…"

"The hell kind of directions even are these," both Grand Wizards snapped as Ur tossed the paper aside.

"Walk East for three hours and turn left at the tree with the gnarled branch," Natsu scoffed. "How many damn trees have those!?"

"This place better exist," Ur grumbled as the pair lamented the journey they'd gotten themselves into.

***POTD***

Having followed the directions to the letter, the pair walked East for exactly three hours, bringing them to what appeared to be an intersection of sorts. The road continued East, or, one could turn South.

"We timed it at three hours, right," Natsu asked as Ur tapped her ring, the Lacrima shooting out the small projection of a timer. "Dead on three hours…?"

"Yet, no tree with the gnarled branch?"

"I feel like we're missing something," Natsu frowned, crossing his arms as he looked around the area. "I wonder…?"

"What?"

Natsu didn't respond, instead, walking to the center of the small crossroad and turning to face North. There was no path forward, but instead, just the solid rock wall of a cliff that towered above them.

Reaching out, he touched the wall, the ring Makarov gave him flashing momentarily, before his hand started to sink into it. Startled, he pulled back, but it became apparent that there was definitely something here.

"Its empty space on the other side of this wall."

"But what about the whole thing about the tree with the gnarled branch?"

Natsu pondered that for a moment, before sticking his head through the wall for a moment, pulling it back out with a scowl.

"Its behind the wall," Natsu huffed, walking through it, with Ur following his lead moments after.

Once they crossed through, they found themselves in a small cave. There was a hole in the roof of it, enough that allowed a single tree to grow at the center of the cave. The tree was small, and its branches were gnarled and sickly looking.

Inwardly, Natsu figured Saint Warrod might cry if he saw it.

"So, we found the gnarled tree," Natsu sighed as they stood before it. "What now?"

"We exit the cave," Ur replied as she passed him the paper. "Supposedly, the Fell Woods lay beyond this cave?"

"Well then," Natsu muttered, sending the paper to his Requip Space. "Let's move."

The pair slowly walked down the only available tunnel the cave held, finding the light growing fainter the further they got from the gnarled tree. Curiously, though, a new light slowly started to replace it. This light, however, wasn't from sunlight.

"Are those … crystals," Ur muttered as they looked up to see a faint red hue being emitted from a cluster of crystals wedged into the roof of the cave. "I wonder what's powering them?"

"No, they aren't just crystals," Natsu responded as he sniffed the air. "This place is strong with Ethernano… Those crystals are actually Lacrima, Ur."

Both Mages marveled at the natural occurrence, contemplating how something like that could have formed inside this cave. Once they finally moved on, however, they quickly found their answer.

"What the…?"

"This is … unreal," Ur gasped as they both gazed out upon the marvel ahead of them.

The cave did not in fact lead to an exit, so to speak, but rather, it simply brought the pair out into a central chamber that expanded out before them. An entire forest, completely filled with Lacrima that had taken the form of trees.

It was a beautiful sight, with trees of all colors that bathed the cave in a myriad of dull lights. The amount of raw Magic present here was something that neither could truly fathom. Each tree alone held enough raw Ethernano to destroy a city block at least.

"No wonder this place is well hidden," Natsu murmured as he placed a gentle hand upon one of the Lacrima. "If the Dark Guilds … or even the Magic Council, managed to get a hold of this much raw Ethernano…"

"It would be a slaughter," Ur finished for him as they slowly advanced into the Fell Woods. "Come on, we still have to find Menoa Town in here, wherever it might be?"

"I'm a little bit worried about what gramps said about things being in these woods now," Natsu replied slowly as they carefully navigated their way through the forest. "Can you imagine the kind of things that would be living in this place?"

"The creatures that live here would be feeding off of such potent Ethernano, it would surely alter them in various ways, wouldn't it?"

"I'll bet," Natsu agreed, sniffing the air before pausing. "Hold on…"

"What?"

"Something is approaching us … straight ahead," he whispered, sniffing the air again.

Neither Mage moved, waiting for exactly one minute, before a worm the size of a train carriage slowly moved toward them. Both Natsu and Ur remained deathly still as it slowly stopped right in front of them, both of them horrified to see that the thing had a somewhat humanoid face, and was even wearing a bowler hat.

The two Mages and the worm started at one another for several minutes. Neither Natsu, nor Ur, dared to so much as breathe, fearing that the thing might be waiting for any sign of their presence aside from sight.

"Hello."

Natsu and Ur paled, their eyes meeting before darting back to the worm.

"D-Did you just … speak?"

The worm looked at them, its tiny eyes opening to a minute degree, before closing once again. There was a sudden flash of light that blinded the pair, followed by the sound of someone yawning.

"Well now," an elderly voice sighed. "I dare say we have some newcomers on our hands!"

"I'm so lost," Ur mumbled, shaking her head as Natsu decided to take point on the questioning.

"Uh, Sir? You were the … uh … the worm?"

"Hm? Oh, why yes, I was!"

"Is there any particular reason as to WHY you were a worm?"

"Well now, that's a rather strange question," the old man laughed. "You do realize I am a worm, right?"

"…"

"…"

"Oh, right, you're Human," the old man chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the strange tension. "I noticed you were both looking a tad concerned, so I used a spot of Transformation Magic to make myself Human!"

"Wait … So, you're actually a worm? Like, you aren't a Human that can turn into a worm, but you're a sentient, giant … worm?"

"You catch on quick young man!"

"Okay," Natsu sighed, massaging his temples, deciding to just roll with it. "My name is Natsu, and this is Ur. We're from the Fairy Tail Guild, and we're here regarding a job request from Menoa Town?"

"Oh, you're headed to Menoa Town? Yes, that makes sense, seeing as you managed to get in here and all," the old man nodded. "You two see that large cluster of Lacrima up at the center of the cavern?"

"Yeah?"

"Menoa Town Hall is situated directly beneath it. If you try and line yourself up with it, you'll find Menoa Town!"

"I … see," Natsu muttered. "Thank you, Mr, … uh-?"

"Oh, right," the old man laughed. "I didn't give you my name, did I? My name is-."

What followed was something so audibly scarring, that Natsu and Ur groaned, feeling as if something scraped their ear drums with a knife. The old man then turned back into the giant worm and started crawling away, as Natsu and Ur looked to one another in shock, their ears bleeding.

"Let's just get to the town," Natsu said shakily as they practically bolted through the forest.

Following the advice of the worm, they lined up their route with the central cluster of Lacrima, ultimately arriving at Menoa Town without encountering any other strange creatures.

Menoa Town was rather interesting, and served to take the duo's mind off of what happened earlier. The place had architecture styles of all sorts, some familiar, and others completely foreign to them.

But what shocked the pair, were the residents themselves.

If the strange worm, and the Lacrima trees weren't enough of a reason as to why this place was a secret, this certainly took the cake. The town was comprised of all sorts of beings. Just from scent alone, Natsu caught a whiff of Demons walking around, but there were also other species as well.

Smaller versions of the worm they saw earlier, a strange blob creature, a pack of wolf-like humanoids that vaguely resembled werewolves, a strange spider-like humanoid and even a humanoid who appeared to be entirely made out of junk.

"Yep… Now it makes sense why gramps sent Mira here," Natsu muttered as he looked toward Ur. "If you're gonna be able to find someone to help you figure out what's going on with you, I'm sure this is the place!"

"Excuse me, Humans, but can I have your attention for but a moment?"

Both Natsu and Ur blinked, before looking down at their feet to see a strange looking mouse-like humanoid that stood only around three feet tall. It had its little arms crossed and was clearly some sort of official for the town, since it wore a funny little suit.

"Um, sure?"

"Excellent. Now, can I see the means by which you got here?"

"Uh, you mean the enchanted rings," Natsu asked as both Natsu and Ur briefly flashed them to the mouse. "We got given these by the person who sent the job request…?"

"Yes, I'm aware," the mouse replied, rolling its little eyes. "I merely need to check to make sure that you two are the Fairy Tail Mages, and not some random imposters who managed to get a hold of them."

"That's fair," Ur agreed as the mouse wrote something down on the small clipboard it had.

"Good. Now, the client you're looking for lives in the house up over there, just behind Town Hall," the mouse replied sharply. "Please, do try to be respectful to the residents here, Humans? We live here to get away from your kind, so the least you could do is show us some respect?"

"Uh… okay?"

"Good! Wouldn't want to have to report you to the big cheese," the mouse muttered," with Natsu immediately snorting loudly in an attempt to stifle his laughter. "Did you say something, Human?"

"Nope-!"

"Alright then," the mouse replied, eyeing him suspiciously. "Go on, and welcome to Menoa Town."

The mouse scurried away, leaving both Natsu and Ur to stand there at the town entrance in disbelief.

"Let's just … take a minute to process this," Ur mumbled.

"Yeah…"

***POTD***

Taking some time to process what they had walked into; the pair finally made their way to the house that the strange mouse told them to go to. Walking past many interesting creatures, they arrived at the doorstep of a gothic looking mansion.

Natsu knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting for the owner to answer. It didn't take long at all, however, neither Natsu, nor Ur, were prepared for the person who would answer it.

The door opened swiftly, revealing a ten-foot-tall woman who appeared to be in her late thirties to early forties. She had long, silky black hair and piercing blood-red eyes, along with pale white skin and, most curiously, little bat-like wings sticking out of her back.

This, however, wasn't what caught Natsu and Ur off guard. It was her choice of attire that stunned the two Grand Wizards.

The woman wore what appeared to be a set of black lingerie consisting of a pair of thigh high stockings with expensive high heels, a black G-string that went rather well with the garter belt she had on. She also wore a black lacy bra with silk gloves that reached half way up her forearm. Her look was completed with a black leather collar and a small, crimson circlet situated around her forehead that had a red Lacrima at its heart.

"Can I help you," the woman asked in a deep, sensual tone, that had a strange allure to it.

"We're the Mages from … uh, Fairy Tail," Ur replied, caught completely off guard by the woman who seemed wholly surprised to see them.

"Fairy Tail? Ah, I see now," the woman purred as she stepped backward. "You're the ones Makarov told me about? Natsu and Ur, correct?"

"That's us," Natsu replied with a stiff nod.

"Wonderful! I've been sprucing up for the two of you," the woman replied cheerfully as her small bat-like wings fluttered rather cutely. "I've been so deep into my research that I haven't cleaned up for a while, so my apologies if you see anything unclean inside!"

The woman turned around and walked into the mansion, giving the pair a sight of her well-shaped rear. Not even Ur could deny that it looked good, the pair sharing a look before simultaneously blushing upon realizing they thought the same thing.

Quickly hurrying inside to follow the woman, instead of ogling her, they arrived in a rather lavish living room. Everywhere they looked, it was everything had a gothic touch to it. From red and black furniture, skull candles, black and grey paint on the walls and a dim lighting that complimented the glow outside.

"Now then," the woman chimed in, drawing their attention back toward her. "I shall have my butler bring us some refreshments!"

Snapping her fingers, the pair were surprised when a bat popped into existence right in front of her, before it suddenly turned into a Human with bat wings not too dissimilar from the woman.

"You called, Mistress?"

"Drinks for our guests, Clavicus!

"Of course. However, might I suggest that the Mistress wears something more … appropriate, before our honored guests," Clavicus asked in a tone that clearly told them this wasn't his first time dealing with this.

"Oh my," the woman muttered as she looked down at her current state of dress, before giggling as she looked up at Natsu and Ur. "My apologies, I didn't even notice! Still, no harm done, I'm sure? After all, what's a little lust between friends, hmm?"

"Of course, Mistress," the butler replied, clearly not believing a word as he walked right out of the room, not even bothering to argue.

"Now then," the woman continued, her body engulfed in a momentary flash of light, as she used Requip Magic to slip on a rather tight black dress that clearly barely fit her. "Welcome to Menoa Town!"

A Researcher Of Great Renown

Former Member Of The Fairy Tail Guild

Mayor Of Menoa Town

Grand Wizard

Bathory Hyberion

"Excuse me, but I have a question," Natsu asked, eliciting both a giggle and a nod from Bathory, who found his slight blush highly amusing. "Master Makarov told us that he met you when he was young and still an S Class Mage, yet you appear to only be in your late thirties to early forties? How can that be?"

"Oh my, such a charmer," Bathory smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth which were all pointed. "I'm glad you think I still look so young! I've found many who enjoy me in this form."

"Form?"

"Ah, yes, I suppose you wouldn't have been told," Bathory giggled. "I'm quite old darling, though I'm not going to tell you anything specific. Just know that I've been around long enough…"

"How long is long enough?"

"Long enough to have been good friends with your First Master when she founded your Guild," Bathory replied, shocking both Natsu and Ur. "She was the cutest little thing. Those little wing ornaments she wore were the cutest thing I've ever seen-! Oh, right, sorry, serious time!"

"Did Master Makarov tell you why we came," Ur asked, eliciting a curt nod from Bathory, who adopted a more serious persona.

"He did indeed. I spent a little bit of time gathering all the information I could regarding the incident on Galuna Island. My Brother works for the Magic Council in a rather comfy position, and was able to get me classified information that wasn't on public record. Using it, I have several hypotheses already, but I must run tests first before I can come to any solid conclusions."

The duo had to admit, they were rather impressed with how professional Bathory was being, now that the topic was regarding Ur. The woman seemed to sense this, and smiled in response.

"When you get past a certain age, you don't really have any issues slipping between both a serious and playful demeanor. Your case is certainly one I can't blame you for feeling uneasy about, and so, I shall treat it with the utmost respect!"

"Thank you," Ur nodded in respect. "By the way, do you want us to do the job before, or after all of this?"

"Oh yes, the job," Bathory sighed. "I suppose before would be best, all things considered..."

"So, what's the job? You listed it as an S Class Job, so I assume it's something dangerous?"

"I wouldn't say dangerous per se, just … important."

"Whatever it is, we'll do our best to see it through," Ur replied firmly. "Considering what you're doing for me, you can count on us to do our best!"

"I don't doubt it," Bathory giggled, before sighing as Clavicus entered with some drinks.

"Refreshments for the Mistress … and guests …"

Clavicus handed a wine glass full of blood to Bathory, a glass of bubbling fire to Natsu, and, amusingly, a slushy fruity beverage for Ur, who seemed pleased with it.

"The job I need done is either going to be a retrieval mission, or an extermination one," Bathory began as they all sipped on their drinks. "You see, I have a pet dog by the name of Balthazar. He ran away recently, and neither the townsfolk, nor I have seen hide nor hair of him. I'm terribly worried my precious darling is out there in the Fell Woods causing a ruckus for the locals again…"

"By locals, do you mean things like that giant worm that can turn into a Human?"

"Oh, you met him? Such an amusing fellow, isn't he?"

"That's … one way to put it," Ur muttered as she and Natsu shared a look.

"Anyway, I need you both to go find my Balthazar and bring him home," Bathory continued. "If he's been killed by something out there, I want it dead and its corpse brought back to me."

"Fair enough," Natsu nodded. "Shouldn't be too hard to track him, since my nose is basically made for tracking targets across vast distances."

"Wonderful! Before you both pop out, I'll need a blood sample from Ur?"

"To test if her blood contains any kind of Demonic Essence, right," Natsu replied before Ur could question it.

"Correct. I must say, you're rather well informed, aren't you?"

"Demons and I have a long and lengthy history," Natsu replied vaguely as Bathory motioned for the pair to follow her.

"Feel free to bring your drinks, I know I will," the older woman smiled, sipping on the blood and licking her lips teasingly. "Just don't spill it."

The pair nodded and brought their drinks along, being led by Bathory into a laboratory of sorts. There were all sorts of devices that neither of them could even begin to fathom the purpose of. Fortunately, that wasn't their job.

"Now then," Bathory sighed, grabbing a sterile needle from a nearby tray. "Your dominant arm, please?"

Ur nodded and rolled up her right sleeve, exposing a vein for Bathory to get direct access. Closing her eyes, Ur waited to feel the painful jab of the needle, only to suddenly feel something stick to her skin.

"All done!"

"Wait…really?"

"Not to toot my own horn, but I'm a woman with MANY talents, darling," Bathory smiled. "No Magic with that arm for ten minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

"That was very precise," Natsu noted as he watched Bathory transfer the blood into a vial. "Takes a certain skill-set to jab someone and extract that much blood as quickly as you did…"

"Did I not emphasize that I have MANY talents, darling?"

Natsu chuckled softly as Bathory led them back to the entrance and out onto her front porch. Once they were outside, the woman closed her eyes and hummed.

"Go…. that way," she said sharply, pointing out toward a section of the Fell Woods with thicker Lacrima. "I can vaguely sense Balthazar's presence out there."

"Right then, we're on it," Natsu nodded as he turned to leave.

"Thank you for doing this for me, I do appreciate it," Ur added sincerely as she gave the older woman a half bow. "We'll do our best to find your dog."

"Ahh, I do so love sincere gratitude," Bathory cooed as she pinched Ur's cheek, much to the Ice Make Mage's chagrin. "Off you go now! I have much work to do if I want to have these results by the time you return!"

One amused giggle later, and the woman darted back into her home, quite literally slamming the door shut and leaving the pair on the porch.

"Well, she was fun," Natsu grinned, moving to pinch Ur's cheek, only to have his hand smacked away. "Tsk-!"

"Let's focus up and find this dog," Ur huffed. "You have any way of tracking its scent?"

"Plenty," came the curt response as he motioned for Ur to follow him around to the back of the house. "What's something all dogs have?"

"Uh… Fleas?"

"Heh. No, they don't actually. Try again?"

"Toys?"

"Yep! And look," Natsu grinned as he picked up and chewed up ball. "One dog toy!"

"And you can actually track it with that?"

"I just need something with a scent on it," he replied with a shrug. "Dogs are often possessive over their toys, so naturally, their scent is often all over them. To put it simply, the stronger the scent, the easier it'll be for me to track it."

"Should I collar and leash you so you don't race off to find the thing without me," Ur smirked as Natsu paused mid-step to grin back at her.

"A real comedian, aren't you? I'm not in a rush, so I'll be courteous and not run on ahead…"

"Aha… I am eternally grateful to the almighty Salamander for taking pity upon an aged woman such as myself," Ur sighed as she lightly slapped his shoulder.

"Speaking of your age-?"

"AH! I knew you were gonna go there," Ur laughed. "You can't-!"

"-ask a woman her age, I know," Natsu replied with a roll of his eyes. "Hmm…"

"What," Ur asked as they reached the edge of town behind Bathory's home. "Is something wrong?"

"It's the scent," Natsu muttered as he sniffed the ball again before rising up and sniffing the air. "It … changed?"

"Changed? You mean something's interfering with it?"

"No… Or, at least I don't think so," came the confused reply as he dropped to a crouch and started crawling along the ground, sniffing. "The hell…?"

"What are you doing?"

"There's a point where the scent definitively shifts to something slightly different," Natsu huffed as he drew a small line in the dirt. "The moment my nose crosses this line, the scent alters itself. It isn't enough for it to be something else, as it retains the same core identifiers… but … I can't understand what would have done this unless…?"

"Unless what?"

"The dog itself changed," came Natsu's slow response as he slowly started moving into the Fell Woods, still on all fours. "Come on Ur, let's go!"

The Ice Make Mage was intrigued now. So much so, in fact, that she wasn't even making fun of Natsu crawling around on all fours like a dog himself as they started moving through the woods at a steady pace.

"You're sure we're tracking the right dog, right?"

"Positive," Natsu replied as he stopped by a cracked Lacrima tree. "Hmm…"

"What?"

"The scent ran right into this cracked Lacrima, stumbled around, before splitting off and going in three separate directions," Natsu replied as he got back on two feet. "This is quite interesting…"

"What do you think that means?"

"I have two current theories, with nothing more than mere speculation for both."

"The first?"

"The dog ran into this Lacrima tree, either accidentally, or on purpose, and managed to ingest some of the raw Ethernano that would have been spat out through the cracks. This could have caused anything to happen to it, allowing for the possibility of it splitting and veering off in three directions."

"And the other theory?"

"The dog was never normal, and Bathory didn't see it necessary to tell us that," Natsu replied as he met Ur's surprised gaze. "Considering what both the Fell Wood, and Menoa Town, call home, I wouldn't be surprised if Bathory's dog was something odd too?"

"Is it weird I'm leaning more to that theory than the first?"

"Not in the slightest," Natsu muttered as he sniffed around the cracked Lacrima tree. "There's one way I can figure out where it went, but its gonna get a bit weird…"

"Define what you consider to be 'weird' for me, before you do something stupid?"

"Okay. So, I was going to lick the space where the cracks in the Lacrima have formed-."

"What the fuck-!?"

"Let me finish before you call me an idiot," Natsu snapped back. "Dragon Slayers are more resistant to the negative effects of raw Ether consumption. We can't just chow down on it, but we can ingest it in small amounts."

"So, you'll … lick the cracks in the Lacrima tree … WHY exactly?"

"With the Ethernano from it within my system, I can better discern which route is the correct one of the three," Natsu replied, prompting Ur to massage her temples in mild frustration.

"I don't even want to know how that works so just … I guess just do it, but be careful!"

"Got it," Natsu smirked as he walked up to the Lacrima tree and licked the slowly regenerating crack in its surface, immediately falling on his back.

"Natsu-!?"

"Whoa," Natsu muttered, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, now with a noticeable pink tinge to its surface. "This is, like, crazy … and stuff …"

"Why did I agree to let him do that," Ur growled to herself as she looked back down toward where Natsu was, only to find him gone. Her head snapped back upward, quickly looking around, until she saw him walking down one of the paths. "Natsu, wait!"

Ur followed closely behind as he seemed to just walk in a straight direction, despite his occasional fumbling about on his feet. They soon ended up reaching a large cluster of Lacrima trees that had been cracked open.

"I-I think this is the right way," Natsu mumbled as he shook his head. "Eugh…"

"Are you … alright?"

"Just so you know, that thing tasted like real sap. Would not recommend…"

"Well, I certainly have no plans to be licking any kind of raw Ethernano," Ur replied with a shake of her head. "So, did you catch the trail of the dog?"

"Yeah, I did," he nodded stiffly in reply. "Its just up ahead, actually. We should be careful though, since its eaten raw Ethernano."

"Right," Ur agreed as they walked further down the path, around the cracked Lacrima and into a small clearing.

Upon entering the clearing, the pair paused. Across from them was a twenty-foot tall, furry mound. The thing was tearing into something, blood splattering everywhere as its head reared up, a chunk of flesh in its maw.

"There he is," Natsu muttered in reply, only for the pair to freeze, as two more heads suddenly rose up alongside the first. "Oh…"

The dog rose to its feet, turning around and snarling in their direction. All three heads looked rather feral, saliva escaping its mouth at an alarming rate as blood seeped through the cracks of its grit teeth.

"A Cerberus…"

"We're gonna have to kill it," Natsu murmured softly, so as to not startle the beast. "It likely got mutated into one by the raw Ethernano it consumed…"

"Right," Ur agreed. "I'll tag its legs, you shatter it."

Natsu nodded stiffly as he slowly stepped forward, opting to be the bait so Ur could prepare. He momentarily flared his power, both in order to identify himself as a threat, and draw attention away from Ur whose own power was steadily rising in preparation.

The Cerberus howled and charged in his direction, its tails rising up and flinging bolts of lightning in his direction. Natsu easily avoided them, before vanishing and appearing high above the beast.

"Fire Dragon King's Blazing Patella!"

Natsu smashed the beast in its back, causing it to trip and fall over as its back was momentarily folded inward. It quickly rolled onto its back as its three maws all opened wide and started firing spheres of purplish-colored Dark Magic at him.

As he landed, Natsu erected his Crash Barrier, easily shattering the attacks. The Cerberus seemed frustrated that its attacks weren't working, the central head beginning to charge up a more powerful attack.

"You ready yet Ur," Natsu asked as he prepared to block the attack."

The Cerberus howled, firing off a dark wave of energy from its central maw. To the shock of the beast, Natsu simply extended his right hand outward, firing a pulse of Crash Magic out that shattered the entire attack.

"Natsu, out of the way," Ur shouted as Natsu felt the temperature drop well below zero. "Ice Make – Ice Shelf!"

In an instant, the entirety of the ground around the Cerberus was engulfed in a four-meter-thick sheet of ice, one that trapped the Cerberus' legs. The beast snarled and tried to move, but only succeeded in falling flat on its front.

"Now to end it," Natsu sighed as he walked up to the beast, his right arm straightening out as he prepared to strike it. "Fire Dragon King's-!"

Natsu paused as he watched the Cerberus begin to howl, shaking the entire area, its body beginning to shrink down in size. The pair watched as it turned into a tiny version of itself, slipping out of Ur's Ice Shelf, flopping onto its rear as its three heads looked around in a confused state.

"Uh…?"

Natsu crouched down as the tiny Cerberus stumbled up toward him and flopped onto its belly, seemingly tired. Picking it up, he looked at the Cerberus curiously before looking over at Ur.

"Should we bring it back with us?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a retrieval mission," Ur replied with a shrug. "I'm not carrying it though."

"Gee, thanks," Natsu scoffed as they slowly started to make their way back toward Menoa Town.

***POTD***

"Oh, my darling Balthazar," Bathory cooed as she yanked the dog out of Natsu's hands. "Look at you! Your other heads got all bloody wuddy! Yes they did! Yes they did!"

"So, is this actually how Balthazar was supposed to look," Natsu asked as they sat down in Bathory's living room. "Is he actually a Cerberus?"

"Well of course," the older woman replied as she placed Balthazar onto the floor, the small pup running off to go play somewhere. "I-I didn't tell you that, did I?"

"No," both Natsu and Ur replied simultaneously.

"He was also around twenty feet tall, and eating something he'd killed, when we found him," Natsu added, surprising Bathory, who sipped on her glass of blood, pondering such a thing. "There were some cracked Lacrima trees out there, and somehow, your dog ingested raw Ethernano. Makes sense how he survived it, knowing he's a Demonic Dog, but still…"

"I must admit, that is rather strange," Bathory agreed. "And you said he was eating something out there when you found him?"

"No idea what it was, since he ate the thing whole…"

"Right," Bathory sighed with a stiff nod. "Well, at least he's back. I might have my Brother look over the forest just to make sure everything is safe. Regardless, I have the results from your blood sample."

"Alright," Ur nodded stiffly. "Lay it on me."

"According to my tests, you are now one hundred percent a Demon of Etherious," Bathory replied calmly.

"I see…"

"However, there was something far more unique in what I found within the blood sample," the older woman continued. "It came back saying you were a full Demon of Etherious … specifically, a full match to the Demon Deliora."

"Wait… Are you saying what I think you're saying," Ur gasped, visibly shaken as Natsu gently took her hand into his own, offering support.

"Yes, I'm afraid I am," Bathory replied gravely. "I ran the test another five times, just to be absolutely certain. You, Ur, are essentially the Demon Deliora, in the flesh."

"Wha-HOW!? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!?"

"I cannot say," Bathory replied apologetically. "The circumstances around your return are something not recorded in our known history. Time Magic is volatile to use even on its own, let alone to restore a Human from being a half-melted block of ice. In fact, you should consider yourself lucky to have returned with your sense of self at all…"

Ur's eyes dropped to her lap as she pondered everything she'd just been told. Whilst what Bathory had said was certainly true, and she should be grateful she even has her sense of self, she still had trouble swallowing the fact that she was a full Demon now.

"This presents you with an interesting situation, Ur," Bathory continued. "You are essentially a reborn Deliora, yet you are still … well … YOU, for lack of a better term. This means that, given time, you could combine the full power of a Prime Deliora with your own power, theoretically…"

"Will I still be me, should I choose to try and learn to use that power," Ur whispered as she squeezed Natsu's hand tighter. "I'm … I don't know what to think? I'm…"

"I understand that you both do not have a lot of time, so, should you choose to decide to fully unlock your ability to begin harnessing this power … I have something that will begin the process."

"What is it," Natsu asked on Ur's behalf, seeing that the Ice Make Mage was too shocked to speak any further.

"This," Bathory replied, presenting a vial of swirling black liquid. "If Ur drinks this, it will accelerate her Demonic growth, fully transforming her into her Demon and Human Hybrid State. I'm sure you both know what I mean by that?"

"Yeah, I do," Natsu nodded. "She won't be fully transformed, but will still have her horns and other Demonic features on display."

"So, once I take that … I'll look like one of those Tartaros Demons forever?"

"Once you take it, and the process to accelerate your growth has been completed, you will. However, that is only the beginning," Bathory replied gently. "Because then, we move onto teaching you how to return to your original Human form."

"Just like how Mira can," Natsu noted slowly. "I remember how she used to have Demonic hands and feet when she first showed up, but then she came here and they were gone. You taught her to do that, didn't you?"

"Indeed I did."

"Then, its certainly a good idea for me to stay here for the entire process, until I've learned how to shift freely between the two forms," Ur muttered quietly. "I see…"

"I cannot say how long the process of the acceleration will take, but I'm more than happy to house you here for the duration, just like I did for Mirajane."

"Thank you Bathory," Ur smiled as she took the vial of black liquid, examining it curiously. "Well… I suppose this is where the next chapter of my life truly starts, huh?"

"It definitely does," Natsu agreed. "But you're still Ur to all of us, don't ever forget that,"

Ur smiled as she gently placed the vial down for a moment, moving over to give Natsu a gentle hug. Natsu immediately reciprocated, fully understanding that Ur was likely in one of the most vulnerable states she'd ever been in, and needed any support she could get.

"I'm glad I have you, along with everyone back at Fairy Tail, on my side," Ur whispered as he felt her slump into him slightly. "After my Daughter died I-I spent a long time just … alone. Gray and Lyon were there for a little bit, and I started to feel like I was moving on, but then…"

"Its in the past now, Ur, where it belongs," Natsu whispered back as he tightened his grip on her. "You're a Fairy Tail Mage now, part of a big family. All of us are there for you. Always."

Ur sniffed as she released him from the hug, sniffling slightly as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a few pieces of paper.

"Here, these are the notes regarding the new techniques I want Gray to try and learn. It might not look like much, but each piece of paper is one new spell."

"I'll be sure to give it to him," Natsu replied with a small smile as he sent the paper into his Requip Space.

Ur nodded thankfully, before turning back to Bathory as she picked up the vial of black liquid once again. Popping the cork, she sniffed its contents and hummed gently.

"Doesn't smell like crap…?"

"Of course it doesn't," Bathory giggled. "I'm a professional!"

"Right," Ur sighed, looking to Natsu one last time as they shared a simultaneous nod. "No more stalling! Bottoms up-!"

Ur downed the entire vial in one go, swallowing it and blinking several times. She was about to speak, but immediately fainted, Bathory's hand snatching the vial out of her hand as Natsu gently laid her back in her seat.

"Let me just do a preliminary MPF scan on her, just to get an idea if its working or not," Bathory hummed as she tapped a ring on her finger, the tiny Lacrima in it scanning Ur before spitting out her reading.

Ur Milkovitch – 55,802 MPI

"Is this accurate," Bathory asked, eliciting a slight shrug from Natsu.

"This may not be Ur with her Magical Power at its maximum, since she's been recovering from the Deliora Incident ever since we picked her up on Galuna. It would make sense though, since she could so easily face Jose alongside me."

"She was also a candidate for the Wizard Saints back when she was around all those years ago," another voice chimed in, startling both Bathory and Natsu. "I must say, this certainly is a strange sight to behold, though, not unwelcome."

"Brother," Bathory gasped as she rose from her seat, moving to hug the newcomer who had just entered the living room. "You didn't tell me you planned on returning so soon!?"

"Let's just say I returned to … sate my curiosity," the man replied as his eyes fell onto Natsu.

The man before Natsu was smartly dressed, wearing a pair of black dress pants with matching dress shoes, a dark purple vest with a white undershirt and a black bow tie. His hair was neat and short, a dark purple color and he had a cross-like tattoo on the upper left of his forehead, dark red in coloration. His ears, similar to Bathory's, were also pointed.

One Of The Ten Wizard Saints

The Lord Of Darkness

One Of The Ishgar Four

Wizard Saint Rank Two

Draculos Hyberion

"So, you're the number two," Natsu said as he rose from his seat, the two men shaking hands.

"I am indeed, Natsu Dragneel. I heard Warrod was quite impressed with how you handled the Second Circle, and now I hear from my fellow Saint, Makarov, that you are the one responsible for slaying the Rogue Saint Jose?"

"I only did what I had to on both accounts," Natsu replied, eliciting a soft, almost melodic chuckle from the man.

"Believe me, I'm more than aware of that. The Second Circle's actions were heavily scrutinized after that note you passed onto us from Mard Geer Tartaros, and we found that Agares, their Guild Master, was indeed acting of his own accord. As for Jose, well … I don't think anyone can deny that his actions very nearly cost the lives of thousands, and he had to be stopped."

"Well, at least it sounds like the Wizard Saints agree he had to go," Natsu sighed in relief. "I feared for a moment you'd been sent after me by Doma!"

"Keh. Doma does not have the ability to force the Ishgar Four to do anything," Draculos sniffed. "Only King Toma has the authority to actually order us to do anything, and he has used it sparingly, and, rather fairly."

"Excuse me Brother, but Natsu and I were in the middle of discussing Ur here…?"

"Ah, yes, of course," Draculos nodded as he moved and sat down in the seat next to the one his Sister had returned to. "So, she has somehow become the Demon Deliora reborn, correct?"

"Somehow," Natsu snorted in response. "The specifics behind how it happened may never be fully understood?"

"Perhaps not. However, what matters, is concealing the identity of her new Etherious Form from the Magic Council. Should they become aware that the Demon Deliora exists through Ur, they will attempt to have her branded a Dark Mage, and, likely mark her for death."

"Knowing Doma, that wouldn't surprise me…"

"That is where I come in," Draculos continued. "As one of the Ishgar Four, I have access to areas that not even Doma does. This includes the Department Of Magical Records…"

"You're gonna tamper with Ur's file," Natsu asked curiously.

"I shall simply insert a note that says that she has an approved Etherious Take-Over form, just like I did for Mirajane Strauss. Once that is in place, Doma has no ability to pursue Ur for being bound to the likes of Deliora. And, the best part is, I don't even have to specify what the Demon is, only that it exists."

"So, as long as no one says anything…"

"Ur will be as free to live her life as anyone else," Draculos nodded, a small smile on his face as he looked over at her unconscious form. "She did a lot of good back before she sacrificed herself. When Bathory informed me of her condition, I knew I had to do something…"

"Then it sounds like Fairy Tail owes you big-time," Natsu replied seriously, leaning forward in his seat. "You went that far for not only Mira, but now Ur as well … How can we possibly repay you?"

"There is but one way for Fairy Tail to repay its debt to me," Draculos replied as his eyes met the Dragon Slayer's own. "Keep living up to the tenets Mavis set forth for you all … I cannot ask for anything more than that."

Natsu nodded gently, taking the powerful Saint's words to heart as they all looked toward the unconscious form of Ur. Natsu then looked back to Draculos with a firm and determined look on his face, extending his hand out for the Saint to shake once again.

"I promise you; we'll always do our best to live up to the First Master's teachings."

Draculos smiled, revealing fangs similar to Bathory's, as he shook Natsu's hand firmly. The two men had found a healthy respect for one another. Bathory seemed pleased about this, as she turned to look out her window at the glow of the Lacrima, glad that everything seemed to be working out for the best.

***POTD***

The next day, Natsu arrived back in Magnolia by himself, having left Ur in the care of Bathory. He didn't waste any time with detours, and made his way straight to the Guild Hall to report to Makarov.

Walking inside, the place wasn't too lively, as it was late in the afternoon. However, he did bump into someone unexpected.

"Blacksteel," Natsu grinned, seeing the fellow Slayer conversing with Mira, who seemed somewhat reserved with him for the moment.

"Salamander," Gajeel grunted in acknowledgement, turning around and showing off his new Guild Mark. "The old man let me in."

"Told you he would, didn't I?"

"Actually … I'm pretty sure he only let me in because of one reason," Gajeel replied, surprising Natsu as Mira chimed in.

"Before he spoke to you, I saw him at Magnolia General," Mira explained. "He went there and apologized to Levy, Jet and Droy."

"Really? And was this before, or after, the two of us spoke?"

"Before," Gajeel replied as he sipped on his ale. "I'll admit, what I did to em was fucked up, and I went and apologized. It ain't gonna take back what I did, and I'm gonna have to work hard to make it up to em … but I will."

"I'm glad you did that Gajeel, takes a lot to do something like that," Natsu nodded. "Don't forget what you did, but don't let it control you either."

"I know Salamander, I know…"

"That's all I'm gonna say on the matter then," Natsu said firmly as he looked to Mira. "Is gramps in?"

"He's in his office."

"Thanks Mira," Natsu smiled, moving upstairs to speak with the old man who was currently filling out more paperwork. "Hey?"

"Ah, there you are," Makarov sighed as he pushed aside his paperwork. "Bathory told me you were on your way back. It seems like everything went well?"

"Yeah. Ur will be out of commission for … well, Bathory isn't too sure, as she probably told you, right?"

"Due to her being an adult, the process isn't as predictable as it was for Mirajane," Makarov replied with a curt nod. "She could be out for a day before regaining consciousness, or three months. Who can say?"

"Have you got an excuse for her absence lined up yet?"

"I've sent her on an S Class Job to test her ability to be promoted outside of the S Class Promotion Trials," Makarov replied smoothly. "Let's be honest, she's a Grand Wizard, a damn Wizard Saint Candidate … having her not be S Class is silly anyway."

"I doubt anyone is going to argue that point with you, considering she's as strong as she is," Natsu agreed. "Moving on from Ur though, is the whole training trip thing still good to happen?"

"It is. I've spoken with Erza, Gray and Elise about it, and they all have agreed to depart as soon as you all meet up. They're currently waiting at your home for your return, as I informed them that you would be back sometime this afternoon."

"Well, I guess if you're fine with us leaving whenever, we'll head out now?"

"Of course," Makarov nodded with a small smile. "Remember, this is for their benefit, not so much yours…"

"I know, I only plan to do very light training for myself," Natsu replied easily. "I got notes from Ur for Gray, and I have to teach Erza how to use the full potential of that Armor I made for her. Elise will get her training from Eliza no doubt."

"Well then, it seems like you know what you're doing," Makarov nodded as the pair both got up and walked out of his office and toward the exit of the Guild Hall. "I guess I'll see you all in a month or so?"

"We'll see," Natsu chuckled as they both looked out upon Magnolia. "I think we should be back before the Fantasia Parade, if that's fine?"

"That's several weeks from now … yes, that's acceptable."

"Alright then gramps, guess I'll see you then," Natsu smiled as he left through the double doors of the Guild Hall.

Walking down the steps, he pondered just how this training trip would turn out. He already knew that the Kryden Mountains would be something none of them had experienced before, but he also knew that it would be a great place to push them further.

After all, it was where Gildarts had spent the majority of their time prepping for Scarlione, so he knew it would certainly benefit them. He only hoped they were agreeable to the more … odd aspects of Kryden.

Either way, he was rather excited to see how it would turn out