28

"I still can't believe you're going to become a Wizard Saint," Erza muttered, as she walked with Natsu through the sparsely packed morning streets. "Are you sure you don't want to let the rest of the Guild know before you head out?"

"If I'm being honest, I'd rather avoid dealing with everyone playing twenty questions with me about it," Natsu sighed tiredly. "I doubt many of them would even get why I'm being chosen to become one? And I doubt they'd take too kindly to finding out the grittier details either..."

"I suppose that's fair, they really wouldn't get it," Erza replied knowingly, fully aware that most of the Guild were far from the hardened Mages she and Natsu were.

"You were heading on over to see Mira after you drop me off at the station, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You can tell her if you want? Just try to stress that I don't want a big deal made out of it, okay?"

Erza giggled in response, with Natsu rolling his eyes at the unspoken reply Erza had lined up to his request.

"I suppose that was a bit of a silly request, wasn't it?"

"You'd think you'd know better than that by now Natsu," Erza laughed, as she playfully swatted his arm as they rounded a corner. "Asking Mira to keep quiet about something without leverage is about as likely as Nab becoming a member of the Magic Council!"

"Fair point."

"Can I still tell her?"

"I suppose," Natsu sighed, as a cheeky smirk wormed its way onto his face. "But in exchange for being forced to endure torment upon my return… Perhaps you could compensate my handsome self?"

Erza mirrored his smirk, as she roughly pushed him into a wall. Her right leg moved between his thighs, as she leaned in close. Natsu could smell the scent of strawberries as she brushed past his cheek, nibbling on his earlobe briefly, before whispering huskily in his ear.

"I suppose something could be arranged in compensation," Erza whispered, as she gently ran her knee over the place she knew his rapidly growing erection was. "But I think it might require a bit of effort on your part to receive such a reward, no?"

"Might have to take that reward now," Natsu growled, only for Erza to grip him by the throat, fully pinning him to the wall. His eyes widening momentarily, until Erza greedily captured his lips with her own.

"I doubt it will take much for you to get it once you return wearing the Wizard Saint getup anyway," Erza gasped, as Natsu's hands moved to her rather shapely rear.

Both Natsu and Erza locked eyes, the lust the pair felt for one another clear as day, as Erza moved in to kiss him again. On any other day, Natsu would have tossed all responsibility aside and gladly gone back home to enjoy what would have undoubtedly been a wonderful day with Erza … But, the footsteps approaching from around the corner dashed such thoughts as quickly as they'd come.

Their tongues locked in a fierce battle for dominance, Erza couldn't help but giggle at the whine that escaped him. She was, however, surprised, when he pushed her back and straightened himself up with a look.

It took her a brief moment to bring herself down from her overly horny state. Fortunately, she quickly caught onto the sound of footsteps, and quickly smoothed out her dress and blouse, right as Master Makarov turned the corner.

"Ah, there you are Natsu," the old man said with a small smile. "I was wondering if you'd be there or not?"

"We were heading to the station gramps," Natsu replied, as he looked toward Erza. "Erza was gonna see me off before heading over to see Mira."

"Ah, I see," Makarov hummed knowingly. "I take it Mira is still rather worn out due to the resurgence of her powers?"

"I would say so Master," Erza nodded in agreement. "I planned on seeing her today before I'd heard the news of Natsu becoming one of the Ten."

"I understand," the old man replied with a stiff nod, his words ringing true as he pondered the events of the previous day. "Go to her Erza. And if there's anything Mira needs-?"

"I'm sure she's well aware Master, there's no need to worry."

Makarov smiled at Erza's words, knowing them to be true. Nevertheless, he still was worried for the white-haired Take Over Mage. He knew full well that she was likely still coming to terms with what had happened, but he was glad she would have Erza there in his absence.

"I suppose I should get going then, so you two can arrive on time," Erza began, as the three lightly strolled in the direction of the station. "Knowing the two of you, I don't doubt that there's other things you'll want to discuss in private?"

"Thank you for your understanding, Erza," came the rather sombre response from the aged Guild Master. "Though what happened with Laxus has now been put to rest, it has certainly raised new questions. Questions that are strictly on a 'need to know' basis, if you catch my drift?"

Erza nodded immediately, knowing full well what the old man was referring to, as the pair reached the station steps and began to ascend. As they went, thoughts of Laxus' banishment and the looming figure of Ivan, and just what he could want, raced through her mind.

"Don't let what happened yesterday ruin today," Erza said, as they finally reached the top, a gentle yet firm tone matching the neutral gaze she held toward the two men. "You've earned this Natsu, regardless of what you think. And you have to be there to cheer him on for all of us Master. I know what happened was terrible, but today is a day worth celebrating! So, we should embrace it with both hands."

"Very well said Erza," Makarov hummed in agreement as they reached the ticket booth, Makarov merely nodding to the attendant, who smiled in response, and gave the old man two tickets. "I would appreciate it if you could ensure the Guild does not grow too rowdy in celebration during my absence Erza? I know you will be with Mira after we leave, but-?"

"I understand Master, don't worry about it," Erza replied, as she shifted her gaze up toward Natsu. "Well, guess you'll be off then?"

"Indeed I shall," came the immediate response, in an overly posh voice that brought a smirk to the scarlet-haired woman. "It behooves me to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances, I shan't be capable of remaining within thy company another moment longer! Woe is me, fair lady-!"

"Shut up dork," Erza laughed. "If you come back speaking like that, your diet will consist of nothing but soap to wash that garbage out."

"I mean… If I'm forced to consume your strawberry soaps, then I might survive," came the cheeky response, as he wiggled his eyebrows in amusement.

"Master, take this idiot and get his act cleaned up," Erza scoffed, rolling her eyes, as the two moved toward the train. "See you both later!"

"Bye Erza, my fair maiden-!"

"How you even manage to catch the eye of women the world may never know," Makarov chuckled, as the pair boarded the train and made their way down to the end compartment.

Slipping inside, the pair sat down opposite one another, and made themselves comfortable. Natsu summoned a bottle of whiskey from his Requip Space, along with two glasses.

"That nervous?"

"Don't even get me started …"

"It isn't that big of a deal you know," the old man responded, as he took the now filled glass from Natsu, the bottle placed between them. "The whole thing is more of a grandiose showing about how great the Magic Council supposedly is, more than it is about the newly minted Wizard Saint."

"In case you've forgotten, the Magic Council and I don't exactly see things the same way," came the snort in response. "Unless that's what they actually want from their Wizard Saints?"

"You know its funny, but if you actually look at all Ten of us, that's kind of how it is," Makarov chuckled, taking a sip of his drink, before staring out at the slowly moving buildings as the train began to move. "The Ishgar Four in particular are notorious for not doing what the Council tell them to do, let alone others like Jose!"

"And we know Seigrain was only sucking up to them because he had a role to play, what with him really being half of Jellal…"

"Yes. It seems that when it comes down to brass tacks, I'm the one who follows more of their directives than anyone!"

"Yet you also cop more crap than them," Natsu added, with the old man barely suppressing a scowl.

"That's because of all you brats destroying half the country on your jobs!"

"Hey, leave me out of it old man! I've only destroyed stuff in its defense!"

"And lucky for you, the Council agrees with that statement," Makarov replied with a roll of his eyes. "I heard the bill for some of the places you've been recently has been extensive."

"Akane?"

"About a hundred thousand to fix the resort up. That being said though, Tartaros copped the 'official' blame for the incident."

"Not the Bharam Alliance as a whole? Or Jellal?"

"Easier to pin the blame on the two literal Demons slugging it out with one of Fiore's top Wizards, isn't it?"

"Touche."

The two men were silent for several minutes, Natsu's gaze eyeing the rapidly passing countryside with disinterest. Slowly, his mind wandered back to the past few incidents that have occurred since he'd returned from Scarlione, and what had brought him to becoming a Wizard Saint.

'Should I really be going through with this? I'm not good for much other than fighting, so why would they want to pick me?'

His eyes narrowed, each breath becoming slightly deeper, as he began piling question after question on top of himself. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to find an answer to any of them, finding himself becoming rather tense only for a gentle hand upon his shoulder to snap him back to reality.

"Gramps …?"

"Take a deep breath and give me a sigh, Natsu," Makarov asked kindly, with the Dragon Slayer doing as instructed. "There. Feel a little better now that you aren't fretting over the sea of nonsense in your mind?"

"Kind of," came the soft reply, with the old man taking a seat to his left. "Am I really the right choice for something like this? Aren't Wizard Saints meant to be the best of all Ishgar Mages?"

"Natsu, let me explain something to you? The Wizard Saints on paper might appear to be the 'best' like you said. But in reality, all of them were like you at one point or another. Some of them just don't like to admit it."

"That's a fair point…"

"It isn't worth stressing over, trust me. Besides, you aren't the only one being inducted today, so you'll have someone else alongside you going into this."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. Remember, both Siegrain and Jose have to be replaced?"

"Ah, that's a fair point," Natsu agreed as he took a sip of his drink. "Do you know who it is?"

"I think I'll let you meet them for yourself," Makarov grinned in response. "I think the two of you will get along quite well though?"

"Well, that's good to know," Natsu replied as he looked out the window again. "So, any news about Ur? How's she doing over with Bathory?"

"Last I heard, she had just about mastered the ability to shift between her Demonic Form and her Human one. Bathory has been quite impressed with her progress."

"Ur's a Grand Wizard, so it isn't really all that surprising," Natsu smiled in response, imagining Ur and how she was doing. "That place was wild by the way?"

"You mean the Fell Woods, or Menoa Town?"

"Both!"

"Heh. I always find it funny sending people there who've never been before," Makarov chuckled softly. "Did you encounter that worm that can transform into a Human form?"

"YES! What the hell is that thing!? It made our ears bleed when it told us its name," Natsu replied quickly, amusing Makarov at how excited he was about the topic.

"No one really knows? Apparently, he's been down there since the early days of the Fell Woods, but he's not hostile to those who are nice to him…"

"Hence why you told us not to attack anything unless we were attacked first, since he wouldn't attack us," Natsu hummed in understanding. "That makes a lot more sense now if there are old creatures like that in there…"

"The Fell Woods aside, the entire area is a closely guarded secret, as I told you before. Bathory and Saint Draculos were both born there, and take hiding it from the Council seriously due to the elderly entities within it."

Natsu nodded in understanding, fully aware of what the Council would do if they discovered such a place.

"It would be like a second Kryden if they didn't submit, wouldn't it," Natsu asked, eliciting a curt nod from Makarov as the train began to slow down.

"Well, looks like we're about to hit Era," Makarov sighed, as the two Mages slowly rose to their feet. "Time for you to become a Saint!"

"Can I stick to being a sinner instead?"

"Funny," Makarov replied with a roll of his eyes as the pair exited the compartment and prepared to disembark from the train.

***POTD***

After disembarking the train, the pair stood at the Era Station steps, openly gawking at the sight before them.

The once lavish seat of power for the Magic Council, the giant floating structure that housed Chairman Doma and his most trusted associates, along with the large building beneath it, were in ruins.

The floating structure had seemingly collapsed onto the main Council building beneath it, causing million of Jewel in damages. Even from where they stood, the pair could see scores of workers stripping down the structures for all they were worth.

"When Yajima told me what happened, I certainly didn't expect this," Makarov muttered, clearly in shock. "I'm glad you found out about Siegrain and Ultear, Natsu. If it wasn't for his suspicions regarding them, he would have died in that mess…"

"I'm surprised they actually managed to successfully assassinate most of the Council," Natsu agreed with a curt nod. "When was the last time that even happened?"

"Well before the time Fairy Tail was formed, I can assure you of that," Makarov replied, as the pair started walking through the city streets. "We shouldn't dawdle…"

"Is this newly formed Council sure that they want to do this now? I mean, this clearly isn't the best time for it, right?"

"From what I've been told, King Toma E. Fiore personally requested that the Magic Council be reformed, and that the Ten Wizard Saints be summoned," Makarov explained, surprising Natsu. "From what I gather, he is concerned that without a Council, and without the Ten Wizard Saints being fully formed, Ishgar will be left at the mercy of the Bharam Alliance, who will seek to capitalize upon that fact…"

"Well, he's certainly not wrong about that," Natsu sighed as they approached the gates to the destroyed Council building. "Wow, looks even worse up close, doesn't it?"

"Indeed," Makarov hummed, as the two men looked through the gates at the ruins before them.

"Ah, Saint Makarov! We've been expecting you, along with Candidate Natsu Dragneel! If you would both please follow me, we shall head to the only remaining Council Chambers not currently in ruins…"

Natsu and Makarov shared a look as they followed the messenger frog. They found themselves being led into the Rune Knight Headquarters, which were located to the far right of the area. Though some windows were broken, and some rubble had collapsed the north-most section, the place was still mostly intact.

Upon entering, the frog lead the pair down a long corridor, until they came upon a large set of double doors. Before they could enter, the frog spun around and held a hand out, prompting them to stop.

"Candidate Dragneel, you must remain here until you are called in," the frog began, before looking toward Makarov. "Saint Makarov, you are to enter and assemble with the remaining members of the Ten Wizard Saints."

"I understand," Makarov nodded, as he turned toward Natsu. "Well, all I can say now is that I'll see you inside, eh?"

"I guess so," Natsu smiled, as Makarov gave the side of his leg a gentle pat, before entering the room ahead along with the messenger frog.

For the next five minutes, Natsu waited. He was beginning to feel rather bored, and was hoping he'd be called in soon, just so he could do something, when the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor behind him.

"So, you're the famous Salamander," an unfamiliar, deep voice asked, as Natsu turned around to face a rather interesting looking man.

The man stood just taller than Natsu, at a solid nine feet, was bald, and was extremely muscular. He wore a black yukata with a dark red floral pattern across the entirety of it. He used a matching dark red sash around the waist to keep the yukata tied, with the upper portion of the yukata being left open slightly, somewhat exposing his chest.

"And you must be the other Wizard Saint candidate my Guild Master told me about," Natsu replied as the man extended a hand out to shake his own.

S Class Mage Of The Lamia Scale Guild

A Candidate For The Wizard Saints

The Ace Of Lamia Scale

The Iron Rock

Jura Neekis

Both men shook hands firmly, clasping each other's forearms, which eliciting matching smirks.

"My my, I'd heard you were a man who'd been around," Jura grinned as they released one another.

"Let me guess… Kiara Lynnes told you about that?"

"We recently collaborated on a job together," Jura nodded in response. "She had quite a bit to say about you, actually…"

"Good things I hope?"

"Oh, believe me," Jura chuckled. "I'm not normally one to buy Sorcerer Weekly, but Kiara predicts this to be one of her best works yet. Once I told her that you were in the running to be a potential Wizard Saint, she decided to hold off publishing her article until after you took the position."

"Really," Natsu asked, genuinely surprised. "Why?"

"She wouldn't say," Jura replied with a shake of his head. "You know how she can be, right?"

"Very wild and unpredictable," Natsu laughed. "Yeah."

"So, are you nervous about what is to come?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Natsu replied easily. "I'm more a man of action, not politics."

"I'm much the same. There's no need to worry though, since it looks like this will be nothing more than a formality," Jura replied with a small nod. "From what I've heard, we're already inducted into the Wizard Saints, with only some sort of test to determine our actual ranking being necessary?"

"Is that right? Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from the reformed Magic Council, since they probably want to get things back in order as soon as they can?"

"Indeed. When I heard that I was chosen for the position of Wizard Saint, I must say, I was quite surprised. Compared to the likes of you, my accomplishments aren't nearly as legendary-."

"Ah, come on man!? I've only been back in Fiore like a month or so," Natsu laughed lightly. "I haven't had nearly enough time to form a legendary reputation!"

"It's good to see someone strong, yet also humble, for a change," Jura replied with a genuine smile. "I heard that you're the one who removed the previous two Wizard Saints from their positions, were you not? That alone is no easy feat, combined with your defeat of dozens of Demons and Dark Mages…"

"Well, to be honest, I wasn't exactly looking for a fight in most of those incidents…"

"Most," Jura smirked, eliciting a slight blush from the Dragon Slayer, as the pair shared a light chuckle. "That's kind of how it goes though, isn't it? We end up solving problems without actually meaning to, don't we? As Wizard Saints though, that will likely change, as the Council uses us to solve problems for them…"

"Not that I already haven't done that for them in the past," Natsu scoffed. "That's how I ended up taking out Valtheim's Razor, as well as fighting the Demon Deliora."

"I've heard some rumors that once we're inducted, we might very well be getting sent on a mission," Jura replied. "So, I suppose you can add that to the list too?"

"A mission? And here I thought I'd finally get an afternoon off, eh?"

"I don't believe they'll send us out today, but you never know," Jura smirked, as the doors briefly opened, and the messenger frog from earlier approached the pair.

"Candidates, could you please follow me?"

The pair nodded, and made their way forward into what appeared to be an old courtroom that had been converted into a makeshift Council Chamber. Natsu looked to the left to see the Wizard Saints seated by their rank, his eyes locked with the person at the end of the group.

'So, that's the strongest Wizard Saint,' Natsu thought to himself, as the pair broke eye contact. 'Interesting…'

The new Council were seated at the front of the room, with only the one at the center being recognizable. The man gave Natsu a stiff nod of acknowledgement, before rising to his feet, and walking to a podium.

"This meeting will now commence," the man's voice boomed, as the doors behind them were sealed shut. "I would ask that all present today be mindful that this meeting is not under the most ideal of conditions, and that we shall attempt to keep this as brief as possible."

There were slight grumbles, the Rank One Wizard Saint being one of the most audible, but they quickly died down.

"The meeting regarding the induction of two new Wizard Saints into the order will now commence. We have with us today to bear witness to the induction, all current standing Wizard Saints that remain within the order presently, as well as the newly reformed Magic Council. We also have with us a representative of the crown, Defense Minister Darton."

"Can we hurry this up, many of us have more important things to do than listen to your grand speech, Chairman?"

Chairman Of The Reformed Magic Council

A Formerly Retired Member

Former Head Of The Ministry Of Intelligence

Org

"As usual, you are out of line. Please, do try to hold your tongue for the duration of this meeting? You might be the Number One ranked Wizard Saint, but you still must adhere to basic courtesy like the rest of us…"

"All I'm saying is that this is a waste of time! Why do you need all of us here!?"

"Calm down young man," a familiar voice chimed in, as Natsu noticed Saint Warrod looking toward his colleague. "We all have better things to do than listen to that idiot, I agree. I want to get back to my garden, it's at a crucial stage in its development, after all! However, I'm sure there must be a good reason for us all being dragged here?"

"Did you just tell me what to do, you old geezer!? Remember you're only Rank Three Warrod, so know your place-!"

"Silence!"

The room fell silent, with the exception of the Rank One Wizard Saint, who merely chuckled in response to Chairman Org's call for silence.

"Bickering aside, I suppose we'll skip the formalities. Natsu and Jura, you are here today to be inducted within the ranks of the Wizard Saints. Do you have any objections to being inducted? If so, please speak now?"

The two remained silent, as Org waited several moments, before continuing to speak.

"Very good. It is with great pleasure that I induct both of you into the Wizard Saints-!"

"Great. Can we all go now," the Rank One Saint yawned loudly, as he began to get up from his seat.

"No! Now sit back down, because we have to determine their ranking! Now then, you will both be required to reveal your full power before this Council, as well as your peers. Jura Neekis, can you please step forward into the spot on the floor marked by the image of a Magic Circle?"

Jura nodded, and rose from his seat, giving a quick glance to Natsu as he walked to the requested spot. As he did, a Magical Power Finder was brought out, with many in the room eagerly waiting to see where Jura would scale.

"Jura Neekis," Org said formally. "Show us the current peak of your power…"

"Very well," Jura muttered, as the entire area fell silent, before the ground started shaking violently.

A massive pillar of raw Magic exploded around Jura, as the man flexed his Magical Power to its absolute max. Large pieces of earth shot up from the ground around him, as the MPF began to scan him. And, once it spat out its number, there were quite a few raised eyebrows.

Jura Neekis (Full Power) – 149,440 MPI

Once the reading had been given out, Jura powered down. Many in the room nodded at his display, clearly respecting the man's level of raw power, as he returned to his seat.

"Natsu Dragneel, would you please stand where Jura was just now, and do the same?"

Nodding, Natsu got up and walked over toward the spot Jura had stood moments prior. Once in place, he sent all the clothing from his upper body to his Requip Space, surprising some of those present who hadn't a clue about what he was about to do?

Gritting his teeth, Natsu entered the Dragon Force, his body becoming much more draconian, as wings sprouted from his back, startling those nearby. What shocked the majority of the room, however, was when the temperature in the room skyrocketed, and everything within a ten-meter radius started to outright melt.

Makarov was smirking smugly, clearly proud, as the entire Council watched in disbelief as the MPF quickly hit the six-figure mark.

After some time, the reading finally stabilized, and spat out a number that even surprised Makarov himself, though it only further widened his smirk into a full on grin.

Natsu Dragneel (Full Power) – 185,988 MPI

Powering down, he summoned the clothing for his upper body back, and returned to his seat. Jura was sporting a wide, almost savage grin, at his display of raw power, as the pair bumped fists.

The biggest surprise, however, was the fact that the Rank One Wizard Saint actually seemed mildly impressed. He was clearly not completely invested, but he did appear to sport a small smirk on his face.

"Er…Well, I guess that shows how strong you are," Org stuttered out. "Makes sense, considering you beat both Jose and Jellal…"

"We've seen their power, so can we leave now," the Rank One Wizard Saint asked, snapping the Chairman back to reality as he shook his head.

"No. First, I must assign both Natsu and Jura their ranks within the Ten," Org huffed, glaring at the mouthy Saint. "Jura Neekis, I am assigning you the position of Rank Eight, the same position as former Wizard Saint Jose Porla."

"I understand," Jura nodded stiffly, as Org set his sights on Natsu.

"As for you, Natsu, I must admit that I most certainly never expected to see you sitting here when we met at the Ichor Palace seven years ago? But I believe that my bias against both yourself, and your Guild, has clouded my judgement for far too long…"

Natsu sat up a little straighter in genuine surprise, not having expected Org to actually address him like this.

"Since your return, you have proven yourself an upstanding member of the community. Already, despite only being back just shy of a month, you have become a widely discussed figure among the people of Ishgar. From the destruction of Valtheim's Razor, the defeat of the Demons Lullaby, Deliora and Agares, the defeat of former Saint Jose to save Magnolia Town, and the defeat of Jellal Fernandes and the prevention of the destruction of the entire coastline of the Kingdom of Fiore…"

Many of the staff seemed completely gobsmacked at what Natsu had achieved in such a short amount of time. Even some of the other Council Members clearly had no knowledge of his deeds, merely gaping alongside the rest.

"Due to these achievements, combined with your astonishing level of power, despite your age, I grant you the position of Rank Seven, right behind your Guild Master, Saint Makarov, and the same position that Jellal's alter-ego, Siegrain, formerly held."

"Thank you, Chairman," Natsu replied respectfully, as he bowed slightly in his seat.

"Awesome! Can we go now?"

"Could you be quiet for five minutes," Org snapped at the Rank One Saint, who merely smirked in response. "I'm still not finished yet!"

"Fine then," he huffed. "But this better be important…"

"Ignoring him for the moment, the two of you will need to retrieve your official Wizard Saint clothing, as well as your official brooch and ring, after this meeting has adjourned. For now, please take your newly assigned seats among your new colleagues, and we shall get down to the main topic on today's agenda?"

Natsu and Jura nodded, as they went over and sat in their respective seats. Makarov and Natsu shook hands, the old man clearly proud of him, before nodding toward Jura, as the large man also shook his hand.

Once they were seated, the meeting quickly progressed, as a Lacrima Projection Crystal was brought out, eliciting an absurdly loud groan from the Rank One Wizard Saint. One that went totally ignored.

"Now that the positive business is out of the way, we can move on to the matter at hand. It has been a widely known issue that the Dark Guilds are becoming far more organized. We need to come up with measures to combat them, so that incidents like all of those we've endured the last few months can be nipped in the bud…"

***POTD***

Several hours went by, as the Council and the Wizard Saints discussed the Dark Guilds. Several other key topics were also discussed, such as the laws surrounding Guilds combating the Dark Guilds, as well as a potential alteration of how Job Listings were made. Despite the bureaucracy of it all, Natsu actually found himself quite interested in what was being discussed, at least until the entire meeting was adjourned due to the Rank One Saint's incessant whining.

Natsu, Makarov, and Jura, all left the meeting together. Due to the fact that Makarov was Natsu's Guild Master, the task of getting their new gear was assigned to him. As they left, Natsu looked to his right and spoke to Jura.

"Let's agree that if we ever reach the top four, we'll be friends, rather than treat each other like crap?"

"Agreed Natsu. Being a Wizard Saint is all about setting the example, so we should focus on fighting against things like Dark Guilds, rather than each other."

"Well, it seems that the two of you became fast friends, eh?"

"Indeed. Natsu and I seem to get along rather well," Jura replied easily. "It is an honor to finally meet you in person, Master Makarov. I know we shook hands earlier, but I feel I should still make proper introductions with someone as legendary as yourself…"

"Its nice to meet you as well, Jura," Makarov replied sincerely as they shook hands again. "Your Guild Master, Ooba, always speaks highly of you. After today, its not hard to see why!"

"Thank you, Master Makarov, your words are too kind."

"Think nothing of it," Makarov smiled before clapping his hands together. "Now then! Time to get the two of you equipped with everything you'll need to be official Wizard Saints!"

"Is that even going to be possible, considering the state of Era," Jura asked curiously, as Makarov led them deeper into the Rune Knight Headquarters.

"The Armory of the Saints is located beneath the Rune Knight Headquarters, so it was completely unharmed," Makarov explained, as they reached a set of stairs and began to descend.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, they walked a short distance toward a set of cast iron doors that had a Magic Seal active over them. Raising his right hand, Makarov's ring flashed momentarily, dispelling the seal, and allowing the trio entry into the Armory.

"So, what was that supposed to be? Some sort of Sensory Magic," Natsu asked, eliciting a slight shake of the head from Makarov.

"Not quite. The seal upon the door is linked to this ring I'm wearing. All Wizard Saints receive one of these rings when they join, and the seals are there to prevent anyone who isn't authorized by one of the Ten from gaining entry."

"That's interesting," Natsu mused, as they walked into a large, expansive room that was full of rather advanced Magical Equipment. "What's all this for?"

"I'll show you. Over here is where your official Wizard Saint clothing will be made. Use this panel to input how you want it to be made, then step onto this platform. The platform will scan you, and then make the clothing for you over there at that dispenser."

"This is some fascinating technology I'm surprised that this isn't more globalized," Jura noted curiously. "A Lacrima that can produce clothing just from scanning your form would be a great help to the common folk, wouldn't it?"

"Well Jura, there are some things the Council seems to want to keep to themselves. I'm sure I don't need to explain the specifics behind that particular statement, do I," Makarov replied, as both men shook their heads, knowing full well what he meant. "Now then, which one of you wants to go first?"

"I'll go, I guess," Natsu shrugged, as he stepped forward onto the platform.

"Remember that you have to input the specifics of the clothing that you want into the panel before you step on the platform?"

"Oh, right? Well, let's have a look at what we can choose from? Let's see…"

Once he'd put in the specific requirements, Natsu walked onto the platform as it began to scan him. Once the Lacrima was finished the clothes appeared in the dispenser.

After changing into his new clothes Makarov could only nod in approval, with Jura giving him a thumbs up.

His new outfit consisted of a pair of blue stonewashed jeans, a black pair of combat boots, a dark red dress shirt with the top two buttons undone to partially expose his chest, and a black leather coat that hung loosely from his shoulders and went down nearly to his feet in length, the symbol of the Wizard Saints etched into the back of it.

"I see you didn't want to shift too much from your current style," Makarov noted. "Aside from the coat being longer, I suppose?"

Natsu had his hands in his pockets as he looked at himself in the mirror, nodding in approval as he ran a hand through his hair, summoning his signature scarf from his Requip Space.

"I like it," Natsu hummed as he turned back and forth to see how the coat affected his movement. "I probably won't really wear this in combat I don't think? Still, I'm definitely wearing this getup back to the Guild Hall."

"We're not done just yet Natsu," Makarov chimed in, as he motioned for Natsu and Jura to follow him. "Over here are the rest of the things you'll need. This here is the ring I spoke of earlier; you use it to access areas normally restricted to regular Mages. And here's your official Wizard Saint Badge. Don't lose it, since they cost a fortune to make."

"Right. Will do gramps.," Natsu replied as Jura tapped him on the arm to get his attention.

"Quite an interesting outfit choice there, Natsu? The scarf makes the outfit stand out more, you know?"

"This is the only memento I have of my Father, Igneel. I keep it with me all the time, for the most part, anyway."

"You were supposedly raised by a Fire Dragon, right," Jura asked, eliciting a nod from the Slayer. "That's a rather interesting tale, one I'd like to hear someday…?"

"Well, I'm sure we'll get to know each other plenty over the years," Natsu replied with a small smile. "So yeah, I'm sure I'll tell you about Igneel sometime. I've gotta get back to Magnolia today, though."

"Really? What's the rush?"

"Well I'm all dressed up, which is about half the setup required to take a girl out on a date," Natsu joked in reply, eliciting an amused chuckle from Jura.

"I see. Well, I suppose I can't fault that logic, can I?"

"Of course not, I'm a prophet in that regard," Natsu chuckled as the pair shook hands once again.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Natsu. I do hope you don't mind a little friendly rivalry though? After all, I want to move up in the ranks myself, and you're first in line for me to beat!"

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't wanna try," Natsu replied, as the two men shared matching grins. "Nice meeting you, Jura."

The two men parted ways, with Natsu and Makarov quickly departing Era, determined to get home before they were roped into anything the Council might want.

***POTD***

"WHAT!? They're making Natsu a damn Wizard Saint!?"

"Of course they are Gray," Erza replied with a roll of her eyes, as if it made perfect sense. "He has beaten two of them already, so it's only right that he gets selected to be one, isn't it?"

"Gildarts would be thrilled to hear about this," Mira chimed in happily, a beaming smile on her face as she framed the letter Natsu got from the Council.

"Is that really necessary Mira?"

"Of course it is Erza! This is a big moment for the Guild," Mira replied, as she hung the letter up above the bar with a proud smile. "Natsu will be the second active Wizard Saint in our Guild! I'd have done the same for the Master, but he was already a Wizard Saint before any of us were even born."

"I suppose that's true… But do you have to frame the letter?  Wouldn't you rather have a photo of Natsu instead?"

"Hm, you have a good point Erza. Maybe if I take a photo of him holding the letter….?"

"Why's the letter so damn important!?"

The Guild doors opened, as several members looked over to see who it was. A stunned silence soon enveloped the room, as the person casually strolled in.

Mira's face was priceless, as the figure casually strolled towards the bar. Even Gray was at a complete loss for words, unable to utter more than slight attempts to vocalize his shock.

"What's wrong guys," Erza asked as she turned around, only to come face to face with Natsu. "Oh…"

"Hey guys," Natsu grinned. "I'm back!"

"Holy shit, he really did become a Wizard Saint… I thought you guys were screwing with me!?"

"Natsu, you look so cool," Mira squealed, as she jumped the counter to check out Natsu's new outfit.

"Thanks Mira, you look pretty cool too," Natsu replied teasingly, earning him a playful hug from the white-haired Mage.

"Flatterer. It won't work in distracting me, but thanks," Mira giggled, as Gray slowly walked behind him, before gasping.

"Holy crap! That's the Wizard Saint emblem on the back of his coat!?"

Erza's mind was running a million miles a minute as she took in Natsu's new look. She was so distracted, it took Natsu several attempts to get her attention.

"Hm-!? What!?"

"What do you think Erza," Natsu asked, as she fully came back to reality. "Do you like it?"

"It's great," Erza blurted out, as Mira began to laugh.

"Smooth Erza... real smooth."

"Thanks Erza," Natsu smiled, as he placed his hands into his pockets. "So, I was thinking, perhaps we could … I dunno … grab a bite to eat?"

Erza was still trying to process what was happening, as Mira began to nudge her.

"Hold on a minute Natsu, I think you broke her, I don't think she was expecting you to come back looking so scrumptious."

Natsu gave Mira a look, with the white-haired Mage looking between Erza and himself and nodding. He immediately knew what she meant, and chuckled in response.

"Thanks Mira," came his sincere reply, right as Erza pulled herself together.

"Sorry Natsu, my thoughts were elsewhere," Erza sighed, shaking her head. "It seems that the meeting in Era went well?"

"Yeah, it went fine. As for your thoughts on my new look… Well, I kind of expected that," Natsu responded with a sly grin.

"You seriously caught me off guard with this one, I won't lie. I'll of course have to pay you back for it, since I've still got my reputation in the Guild to maintain, after all?"

"Nothing wrong with an occasional slip up to the mighty Titania's persona," Natsu teased, as he motioned for her to follow him. "Come on, let's go get something to eat together?"

"Can we go to the cake shop near the square…?"

"Of course we can! I had a feeling you were going to suggest that place," Natsu laughed, as the pair walked out of the Guild Hall and down into Magnolia.

"Um Natsu? I just want to ask before we go… Are you allowed to walk around dressed as a Wizard Saint yet," Erza asked curiously, just as they hit the town itself.

"Of course I am. I've got the ring and badge to prove it. Besides, how many Wizard Saints do you see that look as cool as me?"

"Well, you do look like quite the charmer in that outfit, I'll admit it. Though be honest, you clearly thought about what I liked when you had it made, didn't you?"

"Well, you're the one who became my self-appointed stylist after I returned," Natsu joked lightly. "I decided to get something I figured you would approve of, since I've not had the greatest track record with fashion."

"Well, I definitely appreciate that you thought about what I liked seeing you in when you had your new outfit made," Erza replied, her eyes softening slightly as she licked her lips. "You know, I never got to show you the outfit I had prepared for the Miss Fairy Tail contest? Perhaps a … private viewing is in order?"

Natsu blushed, as Erza took his hand and led him further into town.

"Come on, let's go eat! Since you're a Wizard Saint now, you can buy me whatever I like tonight!"

"Oi! What am I, your personal bank!?"

"Oh, and here I thought that you wanted to go on a date? Perhaps I was wrong….?"

"You're really doing this now? And here I thought you knew me better Erza?"

The two smiled, before bursting into a fit of giggles, both knowing they were joking, as they strolled on into town.

***POTD***

Natsu and Erza strolled throughout the town with smiles on their faces, as they stopped to look at the various window displays and sales. As they went throughout Magnolia, Natsu began to notice eyes on him, as he listened to the whispers of the citizens.

"That guy? Is he a…"

"A Wizard Saint! Look there, at the back of his coat..."

"Did he come to visit Makarov? He's a Wizard Saint too, right? Maybe they had business..."

"Hang on … He's one of the new ones, isn't he?"

"New ones? Wait is he…."

"That's Saint Dragneel! I saw a broadcast from Era about him!"

"Did you say Dragneel? As in Natsu Dragneel?"

"He's one of the Mages from Fairy Tail, isn't he?"

"It is him…"

The people continued to murmur amongst themselves, as Erza began to lead him away from the rapidly growing cacophony.

"Come on Natsu, let's go somewhere else?"

Just as the two of them were about to walk away, Natsu felt a tug on the edge of his coat. He turned around to see a young girl with a large smile on her face.

"All the grownups are saying you're a real life Saint! Just like Mister Makarov! Is it true Mister?"

Natsu leaned down and gave the girl a pat on the head, a gentle smile on his face as he motioned for Erza to wait a moment.

"Sure am! I'm pretty new though, so not many know of me just yet. What's your name?"

"My names Rana, Mister Saint! What's yours?"

"Natsu. I'm a Fairy Tail Wizard," he replied with a grin, as he slowly stood back up.

"I'm terribly sorry Saint Dragneel for my Daughter's actions," a woman gasped, as she rushed over and began to bow to Natsu.

"Uh hey, you don't need to bow or anything ma'am. I don't really go along with all the formal stuff anyway. And you can just call me Natsu, ok?"

"Are you sure that's acceptable?"

"Ma'am, I don't really buy in to the Lord nonsense. Some of the higher ups might, but you don't have to if you don't want to? And the same goes for all of you too," Natsu replied, as he looked out to all the other people who had gathered around.

"Mister Natsu? Are you here to keep us all safe? Just like the old Saint?"

"Keep you all safe? Well, there's a big friendly Guild over there, that are always ready to step in and keep you all safe," Natsu replied, with the young girl cocking her head to the side, clearly confused.

"But if that's true, then why were you all fighting the other day? A lot of the Fairy Wizards got really hurt, right? Why would you fight if you are family?"

"Well Rana, sometimes family members fight; I suppose you could call it sibling rivalry? What happened yesterday was not right, though. This town that we call home was damaged because of us, and I won't deny that. But you see Rana, we might fight sometimes, but that doesn't change how we feel about each other? Look over there for example, you see that man, the one working on fixing that store? That's a Fairy Tail Mage. He's out here helping to fix the mess we caused."

"I don't really get it Natsu?"

"If you grow up and find yourself in a Guild like Fairy Tail, you'll understand what I mean. I guess the best advice I can give you is to go out there and learn what it means to be in a family like Fairy Tail. If you ever wanna join our Guild then I'll be the first to welcome you in, okay?"

"Really!? I might do that when I'm older then!"

"That's enough Rana! I'm sure that L-Natsu, has more important things to do. He is with Erza Scarlett, after all."

"Oh trust me ma'am, this isn't a problem. Natsu and I are more than happy to speak with you."

"Your words are too kind Erza. When Fairy Tail was running around yesterday, it had me quite concerned. But seeing the way that the two of you are willing to speak with such kindness and respect… It makes me believe that there must have been a good reason for those actions yesterday, even as concerning as they were..."

"Thank you, ma'am. It pained our Guild to have infighting, and I can assure you, that had certain actions not taken place, we could have had the Harvest Festival last night. On behalf of Fairy Tail, I apologise to you all."

Everyone was shocked when Natsu, a Wizard Saint, bowed to them. The people quickly began applauding his actions, as Erza stood at his side, a small smile on her face.

'Honestly Natsu, you really do amaze me sometimes? You won these people over in a matter of minutes…'

"Uh, so, I kind of have somewhere I need to go everyone," Natsu chuckled awkwardly. "So, I guess I'll see you all around!?"

"Of course Natsu. Thank you for taking the time to speak with my Daughter. I'm sure she's overjoyed that a Wizard Saint actually was willing to speak with her?"

"I was happy to talk with her. If you ever wanna chat again Rana, just come on up to Fairy Tail sometime?"

"Really? I can!? Thank you Natsu! Here, you can have this!"

Rana gave Natsu a single flower, before proceeding to hug his left leg, before walking off with her Mother, as Erza gushed at the sight.

"Aww! That's so cute Natsu," Erza cooed, as she nudged him playfully.

"I suppose it was, wasn't it," Natsu mused, as he looked at the flower.

"You sure do have a way with people, don't you?"

"Come on Erza, I'm just being myself," Natsu replied, as he put the flower in Erza's hair.

Erza began to blush furiously at Natsu's actions, receiving only a playful grin in response.

"W-Wh-Why'd you do that!?"

"Hm? Well, I thought it suited you? Adds to the beauty, right? Now then, let's go get that cake!"

"Natsu…"

Taking his hand with her own, she led Natsu toward her favorite cake shop. The pair entered, with Erza going first, prompting the man at the counter to begin giving his ordinary greeting.

"Welcome! How may I-."

The man at the counter's eyes widened when he saw Natsu, almost immediately moving to bow before him, which elicited a roll of the eyes from the Dragon Slayer.

"L-Lo…"

"Please don't call me Saint or Lord? It's already old, and unnecessary… Natsu is fine."

"Oh, of course… My apologies N-Natsu. Oh, Erza! My apologies, I didn't even notice you there, how foolish of me! It appears you've brought me quite the customer today!"

"Of course! I can't afford to have you going out of business, can I? Where would I get my cake from if you closed down?"

"Erza, you alone could keep my business open with the amount you purchase. But enough of that, what can I get for the two of you? Well, obviously something strawberry for you, right Erza?"

"Hm? This one looks good," Natsu hummed, as he perused the caramel section. "What's this one?"

"This one is a caramel cake with macadamia."

"Can I get that one please?"

"Of course! I'll prepare them for the both of you now."

"Uh, Sir? How much will that be," Natsu asked, as he began to pull out some money.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly….?"

"I can pay for us Sir," Natsu replied gently. "We couldn't just take them without paying for them, that wouldn't be right?"

"Sir Natsu won't back down, so take my advice and just take the money. Besides I'd also feel bad as well. So please, don't offer us anything for free if we haven't earned it," Erza chimed in, leaving the baker in a state of genuine surprise.

"My apologies to you both. Most Saints I've dealt with in the past would usually expect things to be given to them for free… It's not like I was trying to cause offense, but it's just what we're used to..."

"Well, I may be a Wizard Saint now, but don't lump me in with the others," Natsu replied with a shake of his head. "They get paid, but still expect free food when there's people who can't even get out of the gutter? Honestly, those Saints need to pull their heads out of their asses!"

"Your words for us regular citizens, and those who are less fortunate, are too kind. I'm glad that someone like you is a Wizard Saint Sir. A far better Saint than that fool Jose."

"Jose is an example of what not to become. Trust me, I'm not interested in making plays for positions, or further my power like he did. Good old-fashioned training will do me just fine. It makes the cake that you buy taste that much sweeter, after all!"

"Natsu, our cake is ready? Sorry to interrupt, but I am quite hungry," Erza cut in, having held out for Natsu's conversation whilst holding her precious strawberry cake for long enough.

"Oh, sorry Erza, my bad. Here, this should cover the cost for the cake Sir…"

"Thank you both for your business! And please, do enjoy, and come back soon!"

"Well, I know Erza will be back for sure. And I'll be back if I enjoy this cake."

"I look forward to it," the baker replied as they left the shop. "Enjoy your day!"

As the pair left the shop, Erza couldn't help but giggle in Natsu's direction, eliciting a raised eyebrow in response.

"What?"

"You really get caught up I conversations, don't you? It's not going to be like this all day, is it?"

"Nah! We'll go find a nice quiet spot and relax," Natsu replied, as they walked off to a less crowded part of town.

***POTD***

After walking for some time, the two decided to sit on a hill by a river, as they began to eat their cake.

"This is good," Natsu hummed, as he munched on his cake. "You weren't lying, the old man makes some good cake."

"Of course I wasn't lying. I've been going to that store since it opened you know?"

"Is that so? You just happen to stumble on your love of strawberry cake when you went there too?"

"Naturally. This was actually a month after I arrived. I'd just gotten my first pay from a job, and all the other kids were speaking about a new sweet shop that opened up. Of course, me being how I am, I obviously went while no one else was there."

"You were pretty shy back then, weren't you? Though, you'd never guess that now, what with the way you practically brim with confidence."

"Yes, well, you know why I was like that…"

"Right," Natsu sighed, looking down at the ground with a slight narrowing of his eyes. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay Natsu, it's in the past. Besides, you freed me from all that. All that's left is for you to tell me about what happened with Jellal?"

"Right," Natsu replied with a slight nod. "I can tell you now, but you can't speak of it to anyone else, alright?"

"I understand," Erza replied with a stiff nod.

"Alright then. Well, to summarize it, Jellal wasn't exactly the bad guy…"

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"He was being controlled the entire time," Natsu replied, as Erza seemed to take several moments to process that revelation. "The Lords of the Bharam Alliance seemed to be involved, though I'm not sure if it was them specifically controlling him, or someone else?"

"I see," Erza replied, after several moments of silence. "What happened?"

Natsu recounted everything that happened from the moment Erza had been knocked out, including his fight with Jellal. Once he finished, the scarlet-haired Mage gazed out at the town, a blank look on her face.

"Erza? You okay?"

"I-I don't know," came the quiet response, as Natsu gently wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close for a hug. "I spent so long thinking that he had abandoned us for power… But now that you mention he was possessed… I can't help but agree that it makes perfect sense. When I last saw him when we were kids, he'd just come back after being dragged away by some Dark Mages…"

"Meaning that its highly likely that during that time, Jellal was taken over?"

"Yeah," Erza nodded stiffly. "I'll need time to process this but … Thank you, Natsu, for telling me. I get now why you couldn't tell me at the time."

"It's alright Erza, let's just focus on something else right now, eh? How's your cake?"

"Tastes like…. strawberry."

Natsu chuckled, with Erza giggling softly into his side moments later. To his surprise, Erza used her fork, got a small piece of her strawberry cake, and moved it toward Natsu's mouth.

"Say ahh?"

"Ahh."

It was obvious that he was trying not to laugh as she fed him the piece of strawberry cake, a fierce blush on her cheeks as he held her slightly tighter to his side.

"Natsu… I'm glad that we could spend some time together," Erza whispered, as she snuggled further into his side.

"I'm glad I could spend this free time with you too, Erza. We've done nothing but life or death missions since I got back…"

"Yes, it is a shame. Unfortunately, that is how S Class Mages operate," Erza sighed sadly. When the Guild needs us, we will be there to assist."

"Yeah, I know, it's just a pain. I just have trouble processing everything sometimes, you know? I spent years training, and having my life constantly in danger, only to come back here and nothing has changed. Even now, it's hard to completely relax, despite how nice your company is… I guess that's a result of how I was trained, though? I can't help but be thankful to Gildarts for it, despite it all…"

"What was training with Gildarts truly like? I know you said you only did your earlier training up on Kryden, but what else did you go through?"

"Well, I'll put it to you this way… Gildarts is one of the harshest mentors I've ever been under. Remember Erza, I was raised by a Dragon, so that's no small boast when I say he was harsher than a Dragon. Training under Gildarts could really only be described as breaking yourself down, and rebuilding yourself up as a stronger person."

"So, Hell on Earthland then?"

"Heh. That's probably a light way to refer to it, I suppose? Have you ever subjected yourself to months of actual torture, just so you can withstand it if you're ever captured? One method he used to use, was to use his Crash Magic to shatter my bones, rebuild them and shatter them again. He'd do it over and over until I no longer cried. I still feel pain when I get hurt, but I don't cry when I get hurt. I was basically trained to shrug off pain in order to resist torture techniques…"

"Natsu, that horrible! How could he do that to you!?"

"Erza, you don't understand… That's what it's like to be a Mage like Gildarts. There's a reason why he gets called upon to do the jobs no one else wants, you know? While it hurt me more than anything I've ever experienced in my life, I'm grateful to him for it. If I ever get captured, I can look the enemy in the face, and give them a big smile as they fail to get any information out of me."

"But Natsu, you're so strong already? Who could possibly capture you?"

"Erza, the Scarlione Empire isn't like Fiore, as I've told you time and time again. Ordinary citizens there could probably handle most of the job requests regular Guild Mages here get, and that includes extermination requests. See, there are Dark Mages in Scarlione too, but they are much more hardened than the ones here. An example could be Valtheim's leader, right? The reason why I was able to handle him, was because in Scarlione, Dark Mages often pull out Blood Magic and go out fighting, rather than risk being captured. It's a different world over there, one that, while harsh, had a sort of charm to it…"

"So, you're saying that you'd voluntarily go back to that, knowing full well that there are people there who could kill you?"

"Erza, there are plenty of people in Fiore who could kill me, I'm nowhere near invincible. I can fight on par with Gildarts, but that's only at my full power. He may have told gramps otherwise, but I know the truth. But that's fine with me, because I'm sure when I'm an old grumpy bastard like him, I'll be ten times stronger than he is now?"

"Well now, that sure was an interesting little statement you just spat out, wasn't it? Might have to start reminding you of your place? Can't have you getting all high and mighty just because you're a big, bad Wizard Saint, now can we?"

"Look at you Gildarts, acting as if you were hidden? Maybe if you didn't smell like booze, I wouldn't have caught your scent from half the town away?"

Gildarts shimmered into view just across the river, a small smirk on his face, before casually jumping across and making his way over to the pair.

"Sorry for interrupting your precious alone time, but Makarov wants to see the both of you in his office. Its pretty urgent too."

"You just got back and he's already bossing you around, huh?"

"Heh. Well, I may or may not have accidentally destroyed some construction materials on the way through when I got back? So, this may or may not be the beginning of my punishment? I see Laxus finally made his move though?"

"Yeah, it's a shame really. He went too far this time, having all the girls in Fairy Tail turned to stone, and even threatening to use the Thunder Palace on the citizens… It takes me back to Scarlione tactics."

"Yeah, well, in any case, the whole Laxus thing aside," Gildarts sighed with a shake of his head. "Makarov looked really damn serious about whatever this was, so you'd better get going?"

"Yeah, we'll get there. How'd your job go?"

"Simple translation job. Probably didn't need to be S Class, but Makarov said it was a royal artifact, so they needed a good Mage for the job."

"Should've passed then, since clearly you're not suited for it?"

"Easy now Saint. You can either walk back with a girl on your arm, or I could send you over there with my fist?"

"Yeah yeah, I get the message. We'll head out when Erza's ready, okay?"

"Honestly… The two of you are hopeless," Erza sighed, as the trio began to walk back towards the Guild Hall.

***POTD***

The trio arrived in the Guild Hall around an hour later, only to have all the members swarm Natsu again.

"Can you brats knock it off for five seconds," Makarov yelled, as he jumped down to the first level, and sat at the bar.

"Seriously, all of you scram! The Master needs us," Erza barked out, as everyone bolted back to where they came from.

"Right. Thank you Erza," Makarov sighed with a shake of his head. "Now then, let's cut to the chase. I have an off the books mission ready to go. Natsu, you probably have an idea what this is about?"

"Is this about the thing Chairman Org discussed during the-?"

"Indeed it is, my boy. I've spoken with the Guild Masters of three other Guilds, and shared with them the directive handed down by the Magic Council."

"What are the two of you talking about," Erza asked, seriously concerned with just how secret and official this all sounded. "What's going on?"

"The new Chairman of the Magic Council, Master Org, has requested that an alliance of Guilds investigate the activities of one of the big three of the Bharam Alliance… The Oracion Seis," Natsu replied, shocking Erza to the core.

"Are you serious…?"

"Recent intelligence suggests that the Oracion Seis are moving to secure something big," Makarov replied. "And, given what Jellal told Natsu regarding them, the Council is inclined to believe that they may have found something far worse than a mere Demon of Zeref, or some regular old Dark Artifact."

"So, what's the plan then," Erza asked, as Makarov passed her a document.

"We have formed an alliance between Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and Cait Shelter. Each Guild will be sending its top team to assist in handling this matter and, naturally, that means that your team will be going to represent Fairy Tail."

"Fair enough," Natsu replied easily. "I assume Jura will be there as part of Lamia Scale's team?"

"Jura," Erza questioned. "Who's that?"

"The other Wizard Saint who got inducted alongside me was the Ace of Lamia Scale," Natsu explained, eliciting a hum of understanding in response.

"Jura will indeed be there. With two Wizard Saints leading this operation, as well as the best team each of our Guilds have, I'm sure we'll succeed in putting a stop to whatever the Oracion Seis are planning."

"Alright gramps, we'll get it done," Natsu replied with a firm nod. "Have you spoken with Eliza and Gray?"

"They're already waiting for the two of you at your house," Makarov replied immediately. "I want you and your team to head out as soon as possible. You'll be meeting up with the other Guilds at one of Blue Pegasus' safe-houses that happens to be located near where the Oracion Seis have been sighted."

"Well, at least I got an afternoon off… right," Natsu sighed, before smiling over at Erza.

"Hopefully, once we get this sorted, we'll be able to have a proper quiet afternoon," Erza sighed with a shake of her head.

"That aside, we'll head home and grab the others gramps."

"Good luck to you all," Makarov replied seriously. "And please, do take this seriously. Remember, you're dealing with one of the three major pillars of the Bharam Alliance. This will undoubtedly be your toughest mission yet."

We'll be careful gramps," Natsu replied with a wave, as the pair made for the exit to the Guild Hall. "See you in around a week."

Makarov and Gildarts watched the pair go. In Makarov's mind, he knew that the risks were extremely high, given what the Oracion Seis were notorious for, but they had little choice here.

This alliance may very well prevent the Bharam Alliance from gaining an advantage over the Magic Council, the Guilds, and the Ten Wizard Saints.

He hated the idea of it, but he had no choice but to put them at risk. The fate of Fiore may very well depend on it…

***POTD***

"About time the two of you got here," Gray said, the door opening to admit Natsu and Erza inside.

"You forget whose house you're in, Gray?"

"Come on man, I was only messing with you guys," Gray replied, as Natsu clapped him on the back.

"I know, same here. You know the details?"

"Yeah, gramps walked us through it," Gray nodded. "Gotta say, this is actually pretty nerve wracking. Kind of hard to actually say it, you know? We're actually gonna pick a fight with the Oracion Seis…"

"I for one will relish this opportunity," Eliza chimed in. "Elise may still be in a coma, but I want to find that little fleshling, Kidomaru…"

"He's the one who put Elise into that coma, right," Erza asked, with Eliza nodding in agreement. "He is supposedly the right hand of the Master of the Oracion Seis, so we should run into him?"

"Talk of that aside, Erza and I need to quickly scrounge together some stuff before we head out."

"Where are we headed anyway? Gramps didn't tell us that part," Gray replied, as Erza left the room to grab some things.

"We're headed to one of the safe-houses run by the Blue Pegasus Guild. There, we'll be meeting up with the strongest teams from Lamia Scale, Cait Shelter, and obviously, Blue Pegasus. After that, we'll see what happens, right?"

"Sounds like we'll be meeting some of the monsters from the other Guilds then," Gray smirked. "Sounds like fun!"

"Just remember Gray, that this will most likely be another life-or-death fight. Make sure you're prepared for what's to come, since the Oracion Seis won't be like anything you've dealt with before?"

"I get what you mean man, and don't worry, I'm ready to do this," Gray replied firmly, quickly dropping his excitable demeanor, earning him an approving nod from the Dragon Slayer.

"Good. Right then, we leave in five," Natsu declared, right as Erza re-entered the room. "Anything anyone has to do, do it now."

No one responded, with everyone clearly ready to head on out to begin the mission. Sighing, and steeling himself, Natsu motioned for the others to follow him outside. Locking the front door, the team silently made their way down to Magnolia Station.

All of them knew that there was a good chance something would go wrong. None of them voiced that, however. Instead, there was a silent agreement to resolve themselves for the inevitable battles to come, as they embarked on a mission … to defeat the Oracion Seis