13

"Stand still and die, damn you," Agares snarled as he extended his right hand, firing a dozen quake blasts at Natsu's position, only for the Dragon Slayer to dodge them with ease. The attacks made impact behind him, ripping apart the earth and showering the landscape with rocks and other debris.

After dodging the barrage, Natsu coated his body with flame and rushed Agares, the Demon bringing his arms out in front of him in a cross formation.

"Fire Dragon King's Seismic Sword Horn!"

Agares grit his teeth as he skidded backward, the Crash Magic laced within Natsu's attack having done some damage to him as blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. The Demon raised his right leg, revealing that the soles of his feet also had holes in them, and slammed it down on the ground, hard.

"Etherious Aura: Curse – Fissure Finale!"

The entire area was rocked by a tremendous earthquake that had Natsu immediately off balance. Beneath him, the ground started to split apart, forcing him to scramble off to the left whilst struggling to stand, the earth giving way to a giant chasm that rapidly began to fill with the nearby marsh water.

The Demon rushed Natsu as he was regaining his footing, striking him hard in the ribs, and sending him flying across the newly formed fissure as he coughed up blood. Smashing into the side of the fissure, he quickly used Crash Magic to free himself and leapt out before a projectile based quake struck his former position.

Upon landing, he was immediately blocking and dodging a series of rapid blows as Agares tried to sink his claws into him. After being pushed back several feet, Natsu momentarily flared his Crash Magic Barrier to its maximum, causing Agares' left claws to be shattered into cubes.

"AARGH-!"

Immediately, Natsu performed an upward kick, striking the Demon in the chin and sending him slightly airborne as he crossed his middle and index finger, firing the shattered claw pieces at their owner, piercing him with three of them before he flew out of the way to avoid the rest.

"You'll pay for that, Human filth," Agares snarled viciously as he examined his now damaged left hand. "How dare you shatter my fingers!"

"The rest of you will be broken shortly," was all Natsu responded with as he took a deep breath, his chest puffing outward. "Fire Dragon King's Quaking Roar!"

Agares' eyes widened as Natsu fired the breath attack at him, narrowly avoiding it before swooping around and dashing toward him at high speed.

"The games stop here and now," Agares roared as his tail began spinning rapidly, the spike at the end of it beginning to vibrate, causing the rest of his body to gain a noticeable shudder to it. "Etherious Aura: Curse – Quaking Star!"

Performing a front-flip midair, he brought the attack down on Natsu's position, with the Dragon Slayer easily dodging it. The attack smashed into the ground, completely compressing it inward as a shock-wave was suddenly propelled right toward where Natsu had dodged.

Natsu gasped as the shock-wave ripped through him, blood pouring from his mouth and nose as it blasted his insides. He didn't even have the time to fully process that, however, as he was struck directly by the tail across the face, being sent flying right through the Second Circle and back out into the dense marshland.

Hitting the water, he skidded along before crashing into a small set of mangroves, Natsu was immediately grabbed and thrown up into the air by Agares. The Demon was furious as it rushed him, intending on decimating him in the air where it had the advantage.

Flipping in the air, Natsu looked down to see Agares charging a high-powered aerial quake, the Demon's forearms bloating up to ten times larger than normal. Knowing that this one was going to be far stronger than the others, Natsu prepared himself as he crossed his index and middle finger, orange sparks bursting from his palm as he slowly moved to hold it out before him.

"Etherious Aura: Curse – Quake Cascade!"

An audible bang was heard the moment Agares fired the attack, like the sound of a massive explosion, as a large quake was fired directly at Natsu's position. However, the Dragon Slayer was ready this time, having seen how the technique worked from the last time he got hit by it.

"Crash Arts: Crash Repulse!"

A solid barrier flared up in front of Natsu's palm that quickly was pushed out to meet Agares' attack head on. The two attacks smashed into one another, immediately setting off a large explosion that sent Natsu flying back toward the Second Circle.

Crashing through the roof, he smashed through two floors before coming to a stop on a dining room table. Laying there for several moments, he sighed, wiping some blood from his face that threatened to obscure his vision.

Sitting up, he continued to block out all the pain, and focused on the battle at hand. Cocking back, his fist ignited as he leapt at the far wall right as Agares smashed through, only to be punched in the jaw … hard.

"Fire Dragon King's Seismic Demolition Fist!"

The pair retained contact for several moments, before the Demon was belted right back out of the trashed castle, currently ablaze. Natsu panted slightly as he took several steps forward, stumbling slightly as his right leg gave way.

Curious, he looked down to see a piece of wood stuck in his calf. Sighing, he looked around for several moments, before grabbing a piece of cloth as he ripped the wood out, quickly shoving the cloth into his mouth, he held his right palm over his leg and fired a condensed burst of Crash Magic at it.

His leg was sliced into dozens of cubes, blood splattering everywhere as he bit into the cloth. Breathing heavily, he channeled more Crash Magic as all the shattered pieces returned, merging back together to reform his leg once again, only now with a scar where the wood had entered his calf.

"Bloody Demons, can't just stay fucking hidden, can they," Natsu hissed as he slowly rose to his feet. "Fucking piece of shit Agares and his stupid perverted bullshit!"

Testing his leg by tapping it on several surfaces, before putting his full weight on it, he was happy to say it was at least going to work. Tossing the cloth aside, he marched outside, now absolutely pissed as Agares tore up the path toward him.

"DAMN HUMAN-!"

Agares lurched forward as Natsu struck him in the stomach, easily ducking to avoid the blow the Demon had intended to strike him with. He then grabbed the Demon's head and smashed it right into his waiting knee, before grabbing onto his shoulders, pinning him in place.

"Wha-What are you doing," Agares gasped as Natsu sucked in a deep breath, his chest puffing outward, as small bursts of flame escaped from his mouth. "NOO-!"

"Fire Dragon King's Seismic Roar!"

Striking the Demon point blank, Natsu unleashed his fury on it as it screamed in agony. Fire and Crash Magic tore at his Demonic flesh as he was blasted across the marshland, setting fire to every mangrove in the area as he did.

Once the attack ceased, Natsu exhaled some steam through his nose before holding out his right hand. He could sense the girls heading toward him, thinking that he'd defeated Agares, but he knew better.

Agares was a Demon of Etherious, and there was no way he was slain by an attack of that caliber. No, he would make sure the job was done properly, even if he had to take out the entire marsh to do it.

"Natsu," Mira cried as the three girls reached him. "Natsu, you did it-!"

Mira's words died in her throat as Natsu conjured a small sphere of flame. He didn't even acknowledge their presence, even as it began to rapidly grow in size.

"Oi, Natsu, what are ya doing," Kiara asked, clearly confused.

"Yeah Natsu? Like, you totally wrecked that creep, right?"

"Not yet," Natsu grunted as the sphere expanded even larger, forcing the girls to begin stepping backward. "It's not over yet…"

"Oi! The hell are ya doing," Kiara barked as the flora around them all began to catch fire. "You'll kill us all!"

"Natsu," Mira cried out as it continued to grow larger and larger, sucking up the fire from the flora that had caught fire. "Natsu!?"

"What?"

"What are you doing!?"

"I'm taking that perverted bastard out Mira," Natsu snarled, the size of the sphere finally halting before beginning to shrink back down at a modest pace. "I promised you I was gonna kill him … and I will."

The girls watched in fascination as the sphere slowly returned to its miniature size, the tiny orb vibrating with power as Natsu slowly started to advance toward the direction Agares had been sent.

"All of you, stand back."

Aiming the attack in the direction he'd blasted Agares, he slowly prepared to fire it as the entire area began to shake violently. Right as he was about to make the arm movement necessary, he paused, eyes widening slightly.

"What the-!?"

"She just, like, appeared out of nowhere!?"

Kiara and Jenny's eyes weren't deceiving them, as a woman had literally popped right in front of Natsu's attack, smiling faintly.

The woman was pale, had long flowing purple hair with matching colored eyes, and a seriously sizeable bust. From her head, two large, faded golden horns protruded from her head, and a strange symbol was seemingly branded into her forehead.

She wore a revealing leopard print kimono that was held loosely by a thick decorative yellow ribbon. She wore a pair of thigh high socks and no shoes of any kind, revealing her toes at the bottom.

"Hello, Natsu Dragneel."

"Another Demon," Natsu murmured in response. "I assume you want to defend your comrade?"

"Actually, no," the Demoness replied gently, eliciting surprise from all four of them as she turned to look over at the three girls. "I would wish to speak to Natsu Dragneel alone, as he is the one who has fought Agares-."

"Like hell," Kiara snapped. "We ain't leaving him with you!"

"Yeah! Like, you're a Demon, same as him," Jenny added sharply. "You could just be trying to trick us!"

"I-I think we should trust her," Mira muttered, faintly, bringing a hand to her forehead, seemingly confused. "She seems … familiar …"

Natsu looked back to Mira, before looking toward the Demoness before them once again. His eyes narrowed, quickly realizing what was going on here.

"Do as the Demoness asks."

"WHAT!?

"Natsu, are you crazy," Jenny hissed. "Seriously!?"

"I don't think she's hostile, at least not toward us," came his cryptic response as the two S Class Mages shared a look before finally relenting.

"Fine. We'll wait on over by the trashed Second Circle Guild Hall," Kiara replied, nudging Mira to get her to follow them.

The white-haired Mage shared another strange look with the Demoness, before departing. Once she was gone, the Demoness giggled softly.

"I thank you for trusting me."

"You should consider yourself lucky I've met good Demons, or I'd have shot this at you by now," Natsu replied dryly. "So, why did you want to speak with me alone?"

"Simple. I do not wish my identity to be released to the general public," the Demoness replied as she took a step back from him, performing a basic curtsy. "I am one of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros, Overseer of the Second Circle. A pleasure, I assure you.

One Of The Nine Demon Gates Of Tartaros

Overseer Of The Second Circle

The Gate Of Lust

SSS Rank Dark Mage

Goddess Of The Chill Moon

Seilah

"Judging by the fact that you didn't immediately try to stop or attack me, I take it that Tartaros don't want to pick a fight with me right now?"

"It is … not quite as clear cut, I'm afraid," Seilah replied gently. "Would you be so kind as to dispel your attack?"

"Why? I want to kill Agares with it, so why shouldn't I?"

"Agares is one of the main reasons I have come here," Seilah replied calmly, even in the face of Natsu's attack. "As you know, what you have done here could technically provoke a war between the Legal Guilds and the Bharam Alliance. However, the leaders of the Alliance have decided that I must decide if it is warranted or not, by discovering what led to your being here in the first place."

"I see," Natsu replied slowly, his attack beginning to slowly fizzle out. "If that's the case, then I'll cease my attack, since I'd rather not see such a war occur either."

"Very good," Seilah smiled. "Now then, perhaps you could explain to me why you've attacked my Circle?"

"The Guild Master, Agares, has been stalking Mirajane Strauss for a long time," Natsu replied. "I honestly don't know exactly how long, but Mira has dozens of letters from him. In them, he describes her as his 'Queen' and how they have always been destined to be together. We were in Elira Town recently and he attacked it with his Demons, killing many and kidnapping Mira."

"I had hoped that wasn't the case," Seilah sighed. "You must understand, Natsu, that the Second Circle represents Lust. The one chosen to represent the Circle must embody what the Circle represents. Agares certainly embodied Lust, however, he was not permitted to openly assault anywhere without the authority of myself, and by extension, the Bharam Alliance's leadership."

"So, he broke the rules then?"

"Yes, he most certainly has," the Demoness replied with a frown. "The Tartaros Guild has retained its non-aggression pact with the Fioran Government for two centuries now. We have no plans to begin open hostilities at this time, yet Agares has put all of that in jeopardy."

"What do you plan on doing with him, since its clear you don't want me killing him?"

"He will be brought to face the heads of the Bharam Alliance, and he shall suffer greatly for what he's done. Rest assured; he'll eventually be killed for his actions."

"Good," Natsu sniffed, surprising the Demoness, who hadn't expected such a violent response. "Make it as brutal as possible for that bastard."

"It will be, I assure you of that," Seilah replied, slowly stepping toward him once again. "I would ask you a favor, in order to preserve the peace?"

"Depends on what it is," Natsu replied slowly.

"I would ask that you deliver this letter to the Magic Council. It informs them that Agares acted against the will of the Bharam Alliance, and that we do not wish to fight over what he has done, and that we shall punish him accordingly."

"You realize Doma is a complete idiot, right? He'll probably rip this up as soon as he reads it?"

"Even so, it is worth a try, and Tartaros would appreciate it if you at least attempted to help maintain our neutrality … I especially would, Natsu Dragneel," Seilah replied, offering the letter with a hopeful look in her eyes, eliciting a sigh from Natsu.

"Before I agree, I want to know something?"

"What is it?"

"Have Tartaros been behind any of the incidents I've had to deal with recently?"

"I don't believe so," Seilah replied honestly. "I know that the major incidents, at least, weren't our doing. Lord Mard Geer had no intention of trying to revive Deliora or Lullaby, as they were more primal Demons, and unfit to be part of Tartaros."

"Fair enough," Natsu nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Well, since you've been rather reasonable to deal with, and since Tartaros haven't done anything to me personally, I suppose I can agree to help. This is, of course, provided that you let me know just how much that bastard Agares suffers?"

"You're rather different," Seilah smiled, nodding slightly as she agreed to his request. "However, I have no problem doing that for you. Here."

Seilah passed Natsu the letter she wanted him to deliver to the Council, before looking out into the distance as her eyes momentarily flashed a bright golden color.

"Etherious Aura: Curse – Macro Call Agares!"

Natsu watched as the bloodied form of Agares was forced to run toward them, the Demon clearly thinking that he'd lucked out.

"Thank goodness you've arrived Lady Seilah! This … Human … we must destroy him!"

"Alas, Agares, I'm afraid that won't be happening," Seilah smirked in response.

Natsu took great pleasure in watching as all the blood slowly drained from Agares' face, the perverted Demon seeing Seilah move to stand next to him.

"M-My Lady… I don't understand!? Why would you ally with a disgusting mortal!?"

"You've gone out of line Agares," Seilah replied coldly as the Demon was forced out of his Etherious Form and back into his Human one. "This fight is over, and you shall be brought before the Three Lords."

"WHAT!? N-NO! MY LADY NO! PLEASE, NOT THEM-!"

"Silence," the Demoness hissed, shutting his mouth immediately before turning back to Natsu with a warm smile. "I won't keep you from your Human friends, since they probably think I'm doing something sinister to you right now."

"Its alright," Natsu chuckled in reply as he extended his left, claw-like hand for her to shake. "I'm glad to see at least not all the Demons of Tartaros are unreasonable."

"Well," Seilah giggled as she gently shook his hand. "I'm afraid the others are … far less negotiable, than I. Still, thank you for the compliment."

Seilah looked at Agares, her eyes flashing as the Demon seemed to vanish on the spot, before looking back at Natsu once more.

"One last thing before I go…"

"Yeah?"

"Keep an eye on the Ice Make Mage who once bound Deliora … Ur, I believe her name was," Seilah suggested, surprising Natsu as he took a step toward her.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I can't speak of it, but its something of an unintended side effect that has Lord Mard Geer rather intrigued. He has no interest in her, I'm just warning you for the Ice Make Mage's own sake."

"I will," Natsu replied, slightly stunned, which eliciting a rather nice giggle out of the Demon. "Thank you, Seilah."

"Don't tell anyone about what we discussed," Seilah smiled, before vanishing like she was never there.

The moment she was gone, Natsu allowed his Flame Drive to expire, reverting back to his regular form. As he began his trek toward where the girls were, he pondered the battle he'd just fought.

Agares was strong, but honestly, Deliora far exceeded him in terms of raw power. Still, he at least learned some weaknesses in his fighting style, and vowed to try and hone them during future training sessions.

He'd have won the fight today, even if Seilah hadn't shown up. Next time, however, he wanted to win it faster, since he knew he ultimately could do better.

Either way, despite the destruction to the Second Circle and the surrounding area, he'd call this a success. Now, he just had to reach the girls without his leg giving out.

***POTD***

After meeting up with the girls and enduring a bombardment of questions, many of which he managed to avoid answering, the quartet made their way back to Elira Town. They walked back by using the mangrove Warrod grew to get them there, albeit, at a much slower pace.

Upon arrival, they were glad to see that the town was doing reasonably well. They were welcomed back with cheers by the local residents, who had seen them fighting against the Demons and chasing them back into the dark and murky marsh beyond the town itself.

After enjoying the applause given to them, they made their way toward the front of Sorcerer Weekly's Headquarters.

"Well, this is us," Kiara grinned as she and Jenny moved to stand closer to the doors. "I dunno about you two, but I'm fucked!"

"Yeah! Like, I know we're all meant to be S Class and all, but like, fighting major Dark Guild baddies is such a drag!"

"Well, I'm still grateful you came along and helped Jenny," Natsu smiled sincerely, eliciting a blush from the blonde-haired Mage. "It sounds like you and Kiara smashed Agares' second, giving me time to beat down the perverted bastard. I couldn't have done it without you two."

"Aww! Group hug time," Kiara laughed as she scooped all of them up into a big hug, much to the chagrin of Jenny.

"Hey! Like, I'm literally dying in my stomach right now Kiara! Don't squeeze me like that!"

"Oh, right," Kiara giggled, clearly somewhat embarrassed, as she let them all go. "Sorry."

"Hey, no need to apologize. Normally I'm, like, totally down for that, so it's all cool!"

"Well, it was nice working with the two of you," Natsu said as he bumped fists with Kiara and kissed Jenny's hand. "Another win for Guild Relations, am I right?"

"Hah! I doubt any amount of effort is gonna get my Guild Master to let you into Mermaid Heel Natsu," Kiara smirked. "Still, I reckon she'll be happy we all worked together on this."

"Oh yeah! My Master is, like, totally gonna bust a nut over this," Jenny laughed, prompting the rest of the group to lightly rib her for her choice in wording, something she eagerly laughed along with.

"By the way, that shoot we did is gonna take me a bit of extra time to get out," Kiara added quickly. "Probably will need at least a week I reckon?"

"Shoot? What shoot," Jenny asked curiously, before her eyes widened in shock. "Wait a minute!? NO! FREAKING! WAAAY!? You two did NOT do a dual shoot together!?"

"We did," Mira smirked, eliciting a slight blush from Natsu who merely nodded and avoided Jenny's gaze.

"OHMIGOD! I, like, definitely need to buy the next edition of Sorcerer Weekly," Jenny gasped, before suddenly rounding on Natsu. "And you! We're totally doing a shoot together stud! I REFUSE any refusal you give me!"

"We'll see what my schedule is like," Natsu chuckled awkwardly. "I'm not exactly a pro, or even an amateur at that kind of thing…"

"Aww, come on Natsu," Mira cut in cheekily. "I thought you did great!"

"Time to go," Natsu laughed awkwardly as he turned and started walking away. "I'll see you two around!"

"Don't be a stranger Dragneel," Kiara grinned.

"See ya stud," Jenny purred, waving him goodbye as Mira turned and quickly caught up to him.

"Well, that was a journey and a half," Natsu sighed once they had gotten a considerable distance away, reaching the lily pad they had arrived on. "So, what's the plan now? We headed straight back to Magnolia, or staying the night?"

"I think we'll stay the night," Mira replied with a small smile. "I don't think you're really in a good enough state to make that sort of trip quite yet."

"Ah, this is nothing Mira-?"

"You've still got a slight limp," the white-haired Mage replied flatly. "Why?"

"I never said I was at a hundred percent…"

"We're staying the night," Mira stated firmly. "No discussion."

"Fine," Natsu chuckled softly, looking up at the afternoon sky. "I suppose the rest of today will be as good of a time as any for us to sit down and talk."

"Talk," Mira asked, clearly unsure about what he'd just said. "Why? What do we need to sit down and talk about?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean," Natsu replied gently as he turned to look at her. "I don't know about you, but I've had to bottle up everything about … Lisanna, for a decade. I wanna talk about it."

Mira's cheery expression fell, but she still nodded slowly regardless.

"Honestly, I haven't really had a chance to truly talk about it either. I can't talk about it with Elfman because … well, you know why. I would have probably talked about it with you a few years after it happened but, again, you know why I couldn't …"

"I understand," Natsu nodded stiffly. "Let's save this talk for somewhere more private, eh?"

"I booked us a hotel room before we came to Elira Town," Mira replied as she motioned toward the tallest mangrove tree in the distance. "Let's head to our room and talk there."

Natsu nodded as he gently steered the lily pad toward their hotel, his nerves beginning to flare up at the topic that had plagued him for a decade.

But now the time had come, he was ready to face it.

***POTD***

The walk to their hotel room had been quiet, save for Mira purchasing over a dozen bottles of expensive alcohol, of course. Once the door was closed, they sat down on the bed together and, almost immediately, the silence became awkward.

"Figures," Natsu chuckled bitterly. "How do you even start a conversation like this?"

"The smart answer would be 'At The Beginning' and we'd go from there, but it isn't quite that simple, is it?"

"No."

"So, I have a compromise," Mira continued as she tossed Natsu a bottle of whiskey which he eagerly caught, before opening one of her own, beginning to slug out of it.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Can't get drunk," Mira replied, dipping her head in his direction. "Just like how you can't because of your Dragon Blood, neither can I because of my Demon Blood."

"Ah. I guess that explains why I've never seen you drunk before."

"I wouldn't allow the general Guild to see something like that anyway," Mira giggled before sighing and taking another swig. "Anyway, back to my compromise…"

"Right."

"We each get one question, and the other has to answer it truthfully. We don't have to fully dive into the topic, but we have to promise to be honest … on Lisanna's name."

"Agreed. You can ask first, since she was your Sister," Natsu replied as he took off his boots so he could properly sit on the bed and cross his legs.

"Alright then," Mira nodded, removing her shoes and doing the same. "Did you love my Sister?"

"Ouch," Natsu chuckled, placing a hand over his heart. "What a damn doozy, right from the start…"

"I've wanted to know the answer to this question since the two of you got close, so of course I'm going to ask?"

"Fair," Natsu sighed as he looked past Mira for a moment. "Keep in mind that I was only a kid then, but I think I did like her more than just a friend. Did you know that she asked me to take her virginity, you know, for the whole Dark Guild Virgin Act thing?"

Mira blinked in surprise, shaking her head slightly, not having heard a whiff of that information.

"She said that she wanted me to be the boy to do it, otherwise she'd rather be taken by a Dark Guild as a Virgin Sacrifice-."

"She did NOT say that!?"

"She did," Natsu replied evenly. "Personally, I always wondered why the Council had such a stupid law anyway, instead of just sending the Wizard Saints to kill off the Blood and Ritual Dark Mages, but whatever…"

"Wow," Mira muttered. "So, you two were close enough to talk about stuff like that?"

"Lisanna was rather … forward, when it came to me," Natsu laughed, taking another swig. "She was actually like a miniature you, in the sense that she would be unrelenting in getting me to do what she wanted. I thought it was cute at the time, but I can agree she was a bit too pushy with hindsight."

"I suppose that makes sense, to a degree. She was my little Sister, after all," Mira smiled as she thought about Lisanna secretly acting like her younger self. "That's actually a rather interesting image to think about."

"For you, maybe, but I lived it. Still, she was a really nice girl, very sweet at times, and I did really like her. It was always Lisanna who would patch me up after I'd get the shit kicked out of me by either you, Laxus, Erza, Gildarts or whoever else beat me up that day. She'd call it … Wife Practice, among other things."

"Wife Practice," Mira giggled. "That cute! Did you ever play along?"

"At times, we'd play House," Natsu replied with a slight blush. "I never really had the heart to tell her that she wasn't my type though."

"Wait, really? You never found yourself romantically interested in her?"

"Mira, I was around ten when we were doing this," Natsu replied bluntly. "I wasn't romantically interested in anyone."

"Oh… right. But Lisanna clearly was though, right!?"

"A fair point. Again, I wasn't interested in anyone that way back then, and just kind of went along with whatever Lisanna wanted because I liked her in a familial way, or I assume that's what it was."

"So, now I'm curious-?"

"Do I get to ask a question yet? You've had a whole heap," Natsu asked, eliciting a blush from the white-haired Mage, who quickly realized she had indeed been consistently asking questions.

"Ah, right…"

"You can ask this one more, then I get to ask one."

"Okay. So, I'm curious about what your preferred type actually is? You said you didn't like Lisanna in a romantic way, so what DO you like?"

"Well," Natsu sighed. "I like women who are strong. I don't know if its part of my Dragon side, or if I somehow just gravitate toward that, but I like a woman who is either physically, or mentally strong. Bonus points for both."

"Really? So, hypothetically speaking … Who from the Guild would you consider to be attractive?"

"That's another question Mira," Natsu replied, prompting the white-haired Mage to slap a hand over her mouth. "I'll answer that, after you answer one of my questions."

"Okay, that's fair. I think you've been more than fair," Mira giggled as she downed some more whiskey. "Ask away!"

"Getting back to the topic of Lisanna," Natsu smirked, eliciting a blush from Mira. "I want to know why you can't access your Take Overs anymore?"

"Oh," Mira muttered, realizing this wasn't going to be a fun question to answer. "I understand why you'd want to know that, given the last twenty-four hours and all…"

"You don't have to go into full detail if you don't want to," Natsu added quickly, only for Mira to wave a hand in response.

"No, I'll tell you. There are only three other people who know about this, so please don't say anything to anyone?"

"I swear I won't," Natsu replied seriously as he put his drink aside and sat up straighter.

"Well … After Lisanna died, and after you left, I didn't exactly handle things very well. Honestly, I don't remember all of it, because I was …"

"You didn't," Natsu asked softly, hearing Mira sniffle as she nodded quickly. "Mira…"

"Alcohol didn't work, no matter how much I drank, that's actually how I figured out I was immune to its effects," Mira continued shakily as she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. "I-I found someone who sold drugs that would work on Demons. At first, I only took it on bad days but … well … you know what eventually happens to people who take hard drugs."

"How long did this go on for?"

"Four years," Mira croaked, tears beginning to spill from her eyes as Natsu quickly pulled her close and held her. "I don't even remember half of it. All I know is that I disappeared around a year and a half in, and I was saved after four years of it."

"Damn Mira… What happened?"

"Well, it turns out that the guy who was selling me the drugs was from a Dark Guild called Fragile Elysium, a Guild under the Oracion Seis. Master Makarov said they had apparently used the drugs to gain control over me and my Take Overs, before using me to do their dirty work. They also made me do … other things, as well."

Natsu's gaze hardened at that. He had a fairly good idea what Mira meant by that, and didn't want to have her even need to repeat it. So, he cut her off before she could mention it, pushing the conversation forward.

"Where did gramps find you?"

"I was at their Guild Hall. I remember that day quite well, since they hadn't given me any drugs for about two days. I remember the entire building shook, then suddenly the roof was gone … and Master Makarov loomed over it …"

"Using his Giant Magic," Natsu asked, eliciting a silent nod from Mira.

"When he saw me, he went berserk. The Dark Mages all panicked, but Makarov tore them apart. He killed hundreds of them … hundreds … and then, Mystogan grabbed me and started getting me away from there."

"Mystogan," Natsu blinked, shocked at the name-drop of the most mysterious S Class Mage. "He was involved in this?"

"He's the one who found out where I was to begin with. Apparently, Master Makarov had him working on that for some time, and he tore apart over forty Dark Guilds looking for me."

"Bloody hell," Natsu muttered. "What happened then?"

"I spent about three months in the hospital before I was allowed to leave, then another year I stayed at Porlyusica's home as she slowly fixed the damage I'd done to my body."

"And then…?"

"I finally returned to the Guild, and Master Makarov said I had been away on a top-secret S Class Job," Mira laughed in a hollow tone. "He completely covered everything up, and they all just believed him, thinking I was so cool and amazing … but I wasn't. I was a disgrace to the Fairy Tail Guild, and to my family."

"Hey, come on Mira," Natsu sighed as he held her slightly tighter. "You had a moment of weakness, and got taken advantage of. You can't be blamed for that-!"

"But I can," Mira replied in a slightly firmer tone. "I chose to seek out the drugs, I chose to keep taking them, and I chose to destroy myself and ignore my family. I chose that path, and Master Makarov and Mystogan had to save me from it. That's just the facts, Natsu, plain and simple."

"Is this why you can't use your Take Overs anymore," Natsu asked quietly. "Are you afraid to use them again, after what you did with them whilst you were an addict?"

"Partially, yes. Part of it is also because the Demons within me actually refuse to allow me to use their power."

"Wait…what? They can refuse you?"

"Yes. I can absorb them, and wield their power to a degree, but it won't really be very effective," Mira replied softly. "However, just before I became S Class, I spoke with all the Demons I have, and we struck a deal. They adjusted the way my Take Over abilities work, and in exchange, I had to make two promises."

"Two promises? What were they?"

"The first, was to never actively try to kill one of their own kind if they asked me not to do so. They've only asked that of me once, and I agreed. The other thing, was to never abuse their power … the promise I broke."

"I assume you did this while you were drugged, right?"

"Right. See, I was drugged, but so were they," Mira sighed. "I didn't know until they told me after I got clean, but they all suffered just as much as I did. Learning that nearly broke me, since it took a lot of work just to even befriend them, only for me to then turn around and nearly kill them all."

Natsu said nothing, because there was literally nothing he could say. Her Take Overs were well within their rights to shun her for what she had done to them, though, he had to admit that it was extremely harsh, given the circumstances, for them to do it for this long.

"We haven't spoken much since the day they told me that. The last time I spoke to one of them was about a year ago, when someone tried to poison me, and they called me an idiot and purged it. Though …"

"When Seilah appeared," Natsu muttered, surprising Mira, as he placed a hand to her right temple. "You seemed confused and pressed your hand here. Your Demons recognized her, didn't they?"

"They didn't say anything, but I did feel them stir when I looked at that Demon. That's why I said to Jenny and Kiara that we should trust her, because my Demons weren't threatened by her."

"I see," Natsu replied quietly, gently stroking Mira's hair absentmindedly as he processed everything she'd told him. "I have to say, I certainly didn't expect to hear what you just told me Mira. But I want you to know that I don't think any less of you for what happened, and stand by what I said earlier about it not really being entirely your fault."

"But-!"

"Let me finish," Natsu replied firmly, silencing Mira with a firm, yet understanding gaze. "You made a mistake at what was undoubtedly the lowest point in your life. You got addicted to a powerful drug, and were forced to do things you can't even fully remember. You do bear some responsibility for falling to that, but you've accepted that, and admitted you played a part in your own self destruction. But you've failed to follow the most important step after accepting what you've done."

"You mean moving on, don't you?"

"You're alive, Mira. You lived through the darkest time in your life and have been working hard ever since. Can you imagine my shock when I walked into the Guild Hall after running away for a decade, only to be greeted by a bubbly, cheerful woman who tells me her name is Mirajane Strauss? You've become a lovely person, Mira. A lovely, smart, helpful, hardworking beautiful woman!"

Mira could only stare at Natsu in shock as he continued to list off all the things that he thought were so great about her, in an attempt to make her feel better. It was obvious he wasn't very good at this sort of thing, as he repeated the same compliments several times, but it was certainly working, as she began to cry again.

"Ah, shit … I'm sorry Mira. I'm not good at this kind of thing-!"

"No, you stupid man," Mira laughed, still crying as she hugged him again. "These are happy tears!"

"Oh…"

"How can I refute so many words of kindness," Mira continued as Natsu returned her hug. "I'm literally about to ugly cry thanks to you, Natsu Dragneel!"

"Is that even possible?"

"Stop saying nice things and just hug," the white-haired Mage sniffed as the pair decided to just hug it out.

They spent the next twenty minutes just sitting there, hugging silently. The only sounds audible were Mira's occasional sniffles and their breathing, as Mira finally calmed down. After awhile, Natsu finally spoke again.

"I think that's probably enough serious talk for today," Natsu whispered as the pair slowly separated. "But, can I ask one last thing?"

"Sure…"

"What does ugly crying actually look like?"

Mira couldn't help it, and openly roared with laughter. Natsu smiled as she clutched her sides, whilst wiping her eyes. Eventually, she just lay on her side, looking up at him with a gentle smile, her hair and face an absolute mess.

"For the record, this is a symptom of ugly crying," the white-haired Mage giggled as she motioned to her disheveled state. "Pray you never cause a girl to be in this state, and you'll live a long and healthy life."

"Noted," Natsu chuckled as he slowly got up off of the bed. "I'm gonna go take a quick shower, since I got kicked through a lot of gross stuff today."

"I wondered what that was I could smell," Mira giggled as Natsu slowly made his way toward the bathroom. "Go on."

Natsu smiled and nodded, before entering the bathroom and closed the door.

***POTD***

Several minutes later, Natsu stood within the generously sized shower, enjoying the feeling of the hot water running down his body. Looking down, he saw the numerous scars lining his chest and stomach, running a hand over them idly before placing his right hand on the shower wall, sighing audibly.

His body was rather sore, now that he wasn't actively ignoring the battle damage he'd taken. He could feel his insides were rather rattled, but healing, and his leg hurt like Hell, hence why he placed his right hand on the shower wall, to balance himself out as he placed most of his weight on his other leg.

He pressed his forehead to the wall, his soaked hair partially obscuring his vision, as he just allowed himself to relax for a moment, his muscles relaxing as he ran a hand over his face.

His eyes widened slightly as he heard the faint sound of the door being quietly opened, followed by soft footsteps, and the door being quietly closed once again. He didn't turn around, even as he heard the sound of clothes hitting the floor, and the shower door quietly opening.

A pair of arms gently wrapped themselves around his abdomen, as he sniffed the air. He knew it was Mira, and he could smell something he hadn't smelt in a long while on her.

"You gonna turn around?"

"Maybe…"

"I would appreciate it if you did?"

Slowly, Natsu rose to his full height, Mira's arms loosening enough so that he could turn to face her. He was taller than her, and it showed, as he looked down upon her naked form as she placed both hands onto his abs.

"Hello," Mira smiled, eliciting a small chuckle from Natsu in response as she ran her hands over his abs and chest. "Fancy meeting you here?"

"Are you really doing this," Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow. "Just curious?"

"Well, I'm literally standing naked in front of you, feeling you up," the white-haired Mage giggled in reply as she gently grabbed his left hand and placed it on her left breast. "And now you're touching my tits, so…"

"They are a lovely pair," Natsu smiled back as he gently fondled both her breasts as she continued to run her hands over his abs and chest. "Are you sure about this?"

"I haven't done this in years," Mira replied gently as she leaned into his body, her hands moving around to his back, before traveling lower to his ass. "And, I know you have your sights set on someone else …"

"You know that, do you?"

"Its obvious you like Erza," Mira replied easily as Natsu's hands slowly started to explore her own body, one cupping her own firm, well rounded ass. "Ngh… But we're both single, and adults…"

"Very true," Natsu smirked as he leaned down and pressed his forehead to Mira's own. "I just don't want you doing this because you think you need to repay me this way, you know?"

"And that … is precisely why I want to fuck you," Mira whispered as she reached down with her right hand and gently wrapped her fingers around his rapidly hardening cock. "Tell me, is this affected by your Dragon Blood too?"

"You know, you aren't the first to ask me that," Natsu smirked in reply as he leaned in and began nibbling along Mira's neck. "For the record … it probably is."

"Probably," Mira moaned softly as she wrapped a leg around his own, one arm wrapped around Natsu's shoulders as she clung to his side. "Why probably?"

"Well… I've been told that my cum is rather … hot," Natsu smirked as Mira began stroking him off whilst fondling his balls with her free hand. "And I apparently have inhuman stamina."

"Inhuman stamina in the bedroom," Mira purred as she toyed with the head of his cock, her fingers dancing across it as she licked her lips. "Funny you should mention that, because apparently … I'm the same?"

"We're not sleeping tonight, are we?"

"Definitely not," Mira replied lustfully as she teased him by slapping the head of his cock on her lower abdomen. "You'll be too busy packing this nice and tight…"

"Fuck," Natsu growled as he leaned in and roughly captured her lips with a kiss, spinning the pair around as he pinned Mira to the shower wall whilst their tongues battled for dominance. "Are you seriously saying we can fuck raw?"

"I cast a Contraceptive Spell before I came in," Mira panted, jerking his cock slightly rougher than before as he smacked her ass. "Ah-!"

"Slow down a little," Natsu smirked as he leaned down and started peppering her neck with kisses. "You'll get what you want in a minute…"

"I can't stop touching your abs," Mira whined as Natsu's left hand started toying with her outer lips. "AH-! How are you so damn good at this!?"

"Practice," came the cheeky reply as he slipped his middle finger into her, whilst his index toyed with her clit. "You didn't think you were dealing with a virgin, did you?"

"I-I didn't," Mira gasped as Natsu wrapped a hand gently around her throat, pinning her to the shower wall as she panted heavily, mouth open and tongue slightly hanging out. "Promise!"

"Good," came his amused response as his thumb was quickly sucked into her needy mouth. "You've got me going now Mira…"

"Good," the white-haired Mage replied as Natsu slipped his finger out of her and sucked on the juices coating it. "Oh my …"

"Turn around and spread your legs Mira," Natsu ordered, with her complying almost immediately. "Good girl…"

His praise was followed by a smack to her right ass-cheek, something Mira saw as only a positive, as Natsu growled lustfully upon seeing it jiggle from the impact.

Dropping into a crouch behind her, Mira wasn't prepared for his tongue to assault her pussy, as he quickly started lapping away at her juices, whilst his hands spread her cheeks apart. She now moaned and mewled, barely able to contain her pleasure-filled cries as his tongue assaulted her clit, and a slick finger gently teased her tight asshole.

"Ngaaahhahaha! MORE!"

Natsu smirked, knowing he was about to get her good with this next one, as he suddenly inserted two fingers into her pussy and made a 'come here' motion, whilst simultaneously upping the assault on her clit by isolating it and sucking on it, causing her to scream in ecstasy.

"FUCK! NATSUUUUUWHATTHEFUUUUCK!"

Natsu smirked as Mira came, surprised to find that she was a squirter, as he latched his mouth over her and eagerly drank it down. This seemed to only further arouse Mira as she reached around with a free hand and tried to force him further into her.

Once she'd finished, Natsu's mouth detached from her slick pussy, his tongue the last thing to separate, leaving a thick trail of saliva as he slowly rose to his feet.

"You ready to go further Mira?"

"Do you … not want me … to suck you off," Mira panted, still coming down from her orgasm as she shakily turned around and dropped to her knees before his impressively sized cock. "Let me at least get you ready…"

Natsu nodded as Mira immediately started licking around the head of his cock, stroking the base of the shaft as she lapped up the precum leaking from his tip. Natsu sighed, clearly enjoying it as Mira took it to the next level, taking his length into her eager mouth as she started working to quickly deep-throat him.

Even as he allowed himself to succumb to what was happening, Natsu still knew why she rushed to deep-throat him. She wanted to get to the main course, and quickly. He could smell it on her.

After several minutes, he forcibly pulled her off of his cock, grinning as it was coated in her spit and dropped down into a crouch before her.

"On all fours… now."

Mira was clearly out of it by this point, her tongue lolling from her mouth as she immediately dropped to all fours before him, performing a perfect arch with her back and presenting her pussy for him.

Moving to crouch directly behind her, Natsu teased her entrance before slowly pushing inside, groaning at how warm and tight she was. Mira, likewise moaned audibly, as she received him, one of her hands immediately moving to play with her clit.

The pair wasted no time and began their rather rough, primal, rutting session in the shower. Natsu derived great pleasure in seeing Mira's ass bounce with each thrust, and her completely lust-fueled state only further enhanced that.

Mira meanwhile was in absolute heaven as Natsu's cock hit her in all the right spots. There were no other thoughts in her head, only that she wanted to keep fucking him, and that's exactly what she was going to do.

Eventually, Natsu's thrusts grew more erratic, as he draped himself over her back, pinning her head to the floor as he nipped her neck. Mira could feel his cock throbbing violently within her, and knew he was close.

Their primal grunts increased in their intensity as Mira tightened herself around his length, only serving to push Natsu over the edge as, with one final, desperate stroke, he buried himself as deep into her pussy as he could.

His cock throbbed violently, before spurting out rope after rope of red hot, thick, potent seed. Mira's mind was in complete heaven, but she recalled how Natsu said his cum was described as 'rather hot' by someone else, and that statement was certainly accurate.

It wasn't a burning sensation, but it was a good kind of hot. The kind that soothed her battered womb after the absolute thrashing it had just received. She moaned, spit just openly leaking from her agape mouth as she soaked in the post orgasmic bliss between them.

She could feel he'd completely filled her, as cum seeped from within her and down her legs, but she didn't care.

After all, this was only the first round of many. And she wouldn't stop until they were both completely satiated.

***POTD***

The pair woke around midday, both groaning audibly as they wiped the sleep from their eyes. The room smelt of sweat and sex, and was in complete shambles. They had somehow made it to the bed before passing out, with Mira sleeping atop Natsu, his cock still buried firmly in her thoroughly abused pussy.

"Morning Mira," Natsu groaned. "Please tell me you aren't desperate for more?"

"No," the white-haired Mage groaned back, sinking down onto him more which elicited a tired moan from them both. "Woke up like this…"

"I think I have enough in my for one more… I think…"

Mira moaned gently as he thrust up into her several times as they shared a passionate kiss. He gently squeezed her ass with his left hand, groping her breasts with his right, as he quickly felt himself wanting to release.

Hilting deep inside her, he came, as the pair moaned whilst continuing to make out. It wasn't even a remotely strong creampie by any means, but they both knew their marathon had completely destroyed the chance of that.

"Fuck," Natsu sighed, sweating as he gently stroked Mira's back as she lay atop him. "How didn't we kill ourselves last night?"

"Dragon and Demon equal a battle of stamina and endurance," Mira giggled as she nipped his neck playfully. "I needed that so bad…"

"You're telling me. I feel like a million Jewel," Natsu grinned as they shared another chaste kiss. "This was definitely a good idea…"

"Like I said last night, we can fuck and still be friends," Mira replied as she gently moved a stray strand of hair from Natsu's face. "We're adults, and single, and close friends, so why not?"

"Damn right," Natsu agreed as they laid there for several more minutes before Mira decided to speak again.

"By the way, you can have everything free at the bar from now on."

"Wait, really? Even the alcohol?"

"Within reason, yes," Mira giggled. "And its not just because you fucked me really good, either. Its for helping me with that Second Circle problem, as well as listening to me last night. I haven't had anyone to talk to about it … and … well, I still have some stuff I'd like to talk about when I'm in a better state of mind but-."

"I'll be there, Mira," Natsu promised as he cupped her right cheek. "If you need to talk about anything, regardless of what it is … I'll listen."

"Thanks," Mira smiled sincerely as she pecked him on the nose. "This is off topic, but is it weird I really like the smell of this room right now?"

Natsu couldn't help but chuckle, with Mira giggling alongside him. The pair had strengthened their bond as friends, becoming much closer over the course of the last few days, and learned new things about each other.

In Natsu's mind, everything had been worth it.

***POTD***

After the pair had taken a shower together, and done their best to tidy their hotel room, they went to Elira Station, boarding the train bound for Magnolia.

The pair were both visibly stiff, with Mira having a visible limp that Natsu only took amusing jabs at her for in the first twenty minutes of their journey. Shortly after the train stopped at one of the various stations along the line, they were surprised when Elise, Erza and Gray entered their compartment.

"Natsu? Mira," Erza asked as she stuck her head in, genuinely surprised to see them. "What are you two doing here?"

"We're on our way back from Elira Town," Mira answered as she got up and hugged Erza, Elise and Gray entering and taking a seat. "What were the three of you doing?"

"We took an S Rank Job to Lacross Town," Elise replied cheerily. "Their golf course became home to an Elder Adamantoise, so we had to move it along."

"How big was it," Natsu asked curiously. "Largest I've seen was the size of a mountain?"

"Nothing that big," Gray laughed. "This one was only about as big as a large hill."

"We actually did really well. We got a bunch of vegetables and led it out of town and into the nearby forest and told the client to let us know if it comes back. They seemed glad it was so easy to handle."

"The larger ones can get hostile if you treat them poorly," Natsu agreed with the trio. "Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun?"

"Yeah, we did actually," Erza smiled. "Oh look, we're almost home."

The group looked out the window to see Magnolia in the distance. Whilst most of them seemed happy, Natsu and Elise's eyes narrowed.

"Oi, Elise?"

"You see it too," the War God Slayer asked, prompting the rest to look at them in confusion.

"See what," Mira asked curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"There's something wrong with the Guild Hall. Elise and I can see it because our eyes are sharper thanks to our Slayer abilities," Natsu replied as the group all crowded around the window, squinting to try and make out what they were seeing.

"Probably better off just waiting until we're there," Elise said as they all slowly took their seats. "Should only be about five minutes or so?"

The rest of the group that couldn't see simply nodded, now curious to see what Natsu and Elise saw. Hoping that everything was alright.

***POTD***

Once the group arrived at Magnolia Station, all five were frozen in place.

The entire building was completely trashed, with dozens of massive metal spikes having ripped through the place, rendering it far too dangerous to even risk going inside. The pair shared a look before descending the stairs, fully intending on figuring out just what was going on.

"Who would do something like this," Erza asked in disbelief.

"Someone with a grudge against the Guild, no doubt," Natsu huffed. "I'm sure gramps will know what happened?"

The rest of the group agreed, and quickly made their way to the Guild Hall. It honestly looked even worse up close, however, they could hear the sound of activity going on off to the side.

"Sounds like they're all in the basement," Mira chimed in as she led the group around the side, finding the basement doors wide open and everyone downstairs. "Here they are!"

The five walked down into a rather sombre atmosphere. None of the usual cheeriness of the Guild was present, and no one could really blame them for that. Natsu quickly spotted Makarov sitting atop a bench in the back corner, and made a beeline for the old man.

"Oh, you and Mira are finally back, eh?"

"Gramps, what happened here while we were gone," Natsu asked quietly, with the rest of the group nodding, wishing to know what happened.

"Well, its honestly not a surprise who did this," Makarov sighed as he drained his mug. "Phantom Lord."

"Phantom," Erza hissed. "Are you serious Master?"

"Those pricks again!?"

"Hold up Gray, what do you mean again," Natsu asked, clearly out of the loop. "Who are Phantom Lord?"

"You probably wouldn't know them, but they believe themselves to be the top Guild in Fiore," Mira replied knowingly. "Their Guild Master is also a Wizard Saint, just like Master Makarov, and they even have their own Dragon Slayer."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, and they've messed with us and Magnolia before," Gray growled. "This is bullshit!"

"Settle down Gray," a familiar voice chimed in as Ur slowly strode toward the group. "Getting mad isn't gonna solve anything."

Natsu was pleased to see Ur looked much better than when he last saw her. She was now wearing a pair of ripped blue jeans with a pair of heeled combat boots, a basic black belt, a strapped top that exposed some slight cleavage and a long grey and blue coat that hung loosely from her shoulders.

"Hey Ur, looking good," Natsu grinned, earning him an amused smirk from the Ice Make Mage as she bumped fists with him. "Where'd you get the clothes from?"

"Bought em."

"She's officially part of Fairy Tail now," Makarov added, before anyone could ask how. "I met her shortly after I arrived back and we had a long discussion. She decided to join, though it sounds like the three of you did most of the work."

Natsu, Erza and Gray all shared amused looks.

"So gramps, you make her S Class," Natsu asked idly. "She probably should be, realistically?"

"I asked him not to," Ur cut in. "I wanna earn that, not be given it when others have to work hard to get it."

"That's fair enough," Natsu agreed. "Well, I'm glad you joined. Like I said before, I think you'd be a good fit for the Guild."

"Thanks, Natsu. By the way, I wanna have a one-on-one chat with you later, if that's alright?"

"Sure, no problem," Natsu nodded, eliciting another grin from the Ice Make Mage. "For now though, what are we doing about Phantom?"

"Natsu there's nothing we can do about it," Makarov replied neutrally. "Some punk kids came in here and trashed the place when no one was here. Tell me, what does that say about them?"

"That they're not worth it," Natsu sighed in understanding, only for Gray to pipe up, clearly not happy with that response.

"Gramps, are you freaking kidding!? These bastards trash our Guild Hall, and we just take it lying down-!?"

"Gray," Makarov cut in, clearly not in the mood to argue the topic. "The Guild Hall can be rebuilt, there isn't any reason to pursue this matter any further-."

"The hell there isn't!? These guys need to pay for what they've done-!"

"I forbid it," Makarov snapped, silencing Gray and impressing Ur as he effortlessly shut Gray down. "This is the end of the discussion Gray; I won't hear anything more on it!"

Gray grit his teeth, but relented, nodding before turning on his heel and storming over to the makeshift bar that was set up nearby.

"With that aside, I need to have a private discussion related to some sensitive matters with Natsu," Makarov continued as he hopped up and motioned for Natsu to follow him outside. "We'll be outside if anyone needs us."

The rest of the group nodded, as Natsu followed Makarov up the stairs and outside, as they headed out the back where the pool was located.

"So, what's up?"

"I've been informed of your most recent job," the old man replied bluntly. "I must thank you for being respectful to Saint Warrod."

"Ah, so you know? Who told you, Doma?"

"Saint Warrod himself, actually," Makarov replied calmly. "He said that you were rather angry because Mira was kidnapped by the Second Circle, but you were still respectful toward him."

"I wouldn't exactly say that," Natsu laughed awkwardly. "I even said I'd fight him if he tried to stop me from saving Mira…"

"He mentioned that, but said that he understood since you wanted to save a friend, and he respected that. You don't know who Saint Warrod actually is, do you?"

"I know he's one of the Ishgar Four, but that's about it."

"Saint Warrod was one of the founders of Fairy Tail," Makarov replied, genuinely shocking Natsu, whose eyes widened considerably as his jaw dropped.

"Wait, seriously!?"

"It isn't really my story to tell, but he was. He is someone this Guild owes its very existence to, and we must ensure he is treated with the respect he is due," Makarov nodded. "Anyway, Saint Warrod told me you should expect several million Jewel for crushing the Second Circle."

"It won't solely go to me. I had help from an S Class Mage from Mermaid Heel and another S Class Mage from Blue Pegasus-."

"Kiara Lynnes and Jenny Realight, I know. I've already been in touch with Master Bob and Master Tomaria. Both of them were extremely delighted to hear about the cooperation the three of you partook in to take down the Second Circle."

"They were both friends with Mira, and we were all in Elira Town when the Second Circle attacked, so it was kind of a no brainer really. Plus, both of them are definitely strong, so it all worked out really well."

"I'm glad to hear it. I know you probably expected me to yell at you about this, but this is actually the kind of news I want to hear, minus the part about Mira getting kidnapped, obviously," Makarov chuckled. "Making ties with other Guilds has been one of my missions since I took over as Guild Master from the Second Master. Mermaid Heel were always quite distrustful, but Master Tomaria seems open to further cooperation in the future, now that we've got such a high profile and successful Job under our belt."

"Well, glad to help I guess," Natsu replied awkwardly. "I just couldn't let Mira be taken by that … Demon."

"I understand, and fully agree. I would have supported you even had you been forced to go it alone," Makarov replied, before shaking his head. "That aside, I also heard that the Galuna Job was a success?"

"Yeah. But, as you probably heard from Ur, there were … complications."

"Her memory of when she was first restored to her Human form is rather hazy, so I hoped you'd fill in some blanks for me?"

"Alright," Natsu sighed, knowing Makarov was going to love this. "Basically, while Gray and Erza were fighting the people trying to revive Deliora I went to try and take it out before it was revived, but someone was there waiting for me."

"I take it from your tone you know this person?"

"Yeah, it was Ultear Milkovich, one of the members of the Magic Council," Natsu replied, though it appeared that Makarov wasn't all too surprised about it.

"I've had my suspicions about that one for a number of years, especially since she always follows along with Councillor Siegrain," Makarov replied slowly. "I assume he's also involved?"

"Its fairly safe to assume so," Natsu nodded. "Because, Ultear dropped the name of Jellal before she bailed."

"You've got to be kidding," Makarov sighed in disbelief. "What a mess…"

"I really wish I was kidding, but I'm not," Natsu sighed. "I know I don't need to remind you who Jellal Fernandes is?"

"Absolutely not, especially considering what Erza has been through because of him," Makarov frowned. "This is not good. This means that Siegrain, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, is likely compromised and working with Jellal, a high-ranking member of the Bharam Alliance."

"I think we're gonna want to be on guard when it comes to the Council from now on, since Ultear had zero issue revealing her identity to me. I think we should also warn Councilman Yajima, since he's probably the only non-corrupt one there at this point."

"I agree. I'll look into doing so over the next few days. For now though, I think you should go get some rest, since you've had a rough week so far."

"Tell me about it," Natsu scoffed, before suddenly remembering something. "Oh, right. By the way, I have a letter from the Bharam Alliance's Three Lords to the Magic Council."

"WHAT," Makarov gasped. "Why do you have something like that!?"

"Apparently, the actions of the Second Circle were not sanctioned by them, and they want to prevent an all out war as a result of what happened. Do you think you can deliver their letter when you go to meet Councilman Yajima?"

"Of course I can," Makarov replied quickly as he took the sealed letter. "Who gave this to you?"

"One of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros, the one in charge of the Second Circle."

"I see," Makarov hummed. "Very well, I'll make sure this gets where it needs to go. Now, it appears I have plans to make."

Natsu nodded and turned on his heel, making his way back down toward the basement where the others were.

"I'm all done with gramps," Natsu grinned. "So, how about we have that discussion you wanted to have Ur?"

"Can we head back home for it," Ur asked quietly, prompting his eyes to dart between Elise and Erza who both had no idea.

"Sure," Natsu agreed as he waved to the others as they departed the Guild Hall, making their way back to the manor.

Once inside, Ur practically dragged him to her room, which was still rather spartan, and told him to close the door. As soon as it was closed, she tossed her coat onto the bed and turned around, lifting up the bottom part of her strapped top and lowering the back of her pants slightly.

Initially, Natsu was completely thrown for a loop, thinking this was her weird way of hitting on him. His shock quickly gave way to a mixture of curiosity and confusion as he quickly realized why she was revealing the area just above her ass.

"I haven't told anyone about this," Ur muttered quietly. "I have no idea what this is…"

"Can I touch it," Natsu asked softly, eliciting a silent nod from Ur as he ran a finger over it. "This feels… hard, like some kind of natural Armor…"

"I woke up this morning and noticed it when I got out of the shower," Ur replied as she adjusted her top and jeans, before sitting down on her bed. "I wanted to know if you saw them do anything to me when I … returned?"

"I don't want to come to any hasty conclusions, so for now I'll just tell you what I saw. Ultear used Time Magic on Deliora's form, rewinding Time on the ice. In doing so, it sucked up all the melted ice and, after the ice vanished, you reappeared."

"So, Time was rewound on me…"

"Can I check something else?"

"Sure."

Natsu nodded, placing his right hand on her head and gently running his fingers through her hair. Sure enough, his finger bumped into something, prompting him to inspect it closer.

"Put your finger right here," Natsu muttered as he tapped a spot on her head, watching as she did as instructed.

"Wh-What the heck is that?"

"That," Natsu replied as he sat down next to her, pulling her hand off of her head. "That is the beginnings of a pair of horns sprouting from your head."

"H-Horns!?"

"It looks like something did happen when Ultear did that Time Spell," Natsu nodded, taking her hands. "It seems that somehow, you've gained something from Deliora. What that is, remains to be seen? However, this isn't a bad thing-."

"Isn't a bad thing!? I'M TURNING INTO A DEMON!?"

"Are you still yourself?"

"W-Well…"

"Then that's a start, isn't it," Natsu smiled warmly. "We'll talk to Makarov tomorrow about this and probably Mira as well since she's also a Demon, and we can work through this together."

"I'll trust you on this Natsu," Ur sighed. "I guess this explains why I was feeling all weird earlier…"

"I'm sure we can work this into a positive, Ur, so long as you stay positive. Get some rest, and in the morning, we'll go see gramps."

"Okay Natsu," Ur replied, still clearly concerned about the whole thing. "What if I'm becoming Deliora?"

"Don't go thinking like that," Natsu huffed as he heard the sound of the front door opening, signalling the return of Erza and Elise. "We'll keep this quiet, okay?"

"Okay," Ur sighed as Natsu moved to leave. "Thank you for being so understanding about all this … I'm … I'm shitting bricks right now, not gonna lie."

"I don't blame you, but we'll work through it together. Get some rest, I sure as hell will be."

Ur nodded as Natsu left the room, his mind filled with thoughts regarding the last two days events, and the potential looming disaster on the horizon, as he decided to turn in early.

***POTD***

Several hours later, after having finally fallen into a peaceful sleep, Natsu was forcefully awoken. Groaning, he was surprised to find a worried Erza looming over him, shaking him.

"I need you to wake up Natsu, right now!"

"Erza … what's wrong," Natsu asked groggily, confused why she wasn't in bed. "Are you alright?"

"You need to get up and come with me, right now," Erza said in a no-nonsense tone that had him on his feet almost straight away.

"What's going on?"

"There's no time, just follow me," she replied, taking his hand and dragging him out of the house.

"Where are we going?"

"Magnolia Park."

"Why?"

Erza remained silent as the two ran towards the park making, Natsu realize that whatever it was she was showing him, it wasn't going to be good. Normally, she would at least tell him what the situation was. For her to opt not to meant that something really bad had happened.

When the two arrived at the park, a large crowd was gathered around the central tree, many sporting horrified expressions. Natsu couldn't quite discern what they were gathered around in his still semi-asleep state, however, Erza was already on the case.

"Everyone, out of the way," Erza barked sharply as the various civilians and Guild Members parted so that the two S Class Mages could get to the front.

"Alright," Natsu yawned. "What's the big-?"

Natsu looked at the tree, and he almost had to do a double take at what he was seeing. Rubbing his eyes, as if expecting the sight to go away, he slowly looked at Erza, who was looking right back at him, as if gauging his reaction.

There were three Fairy Tail Guild Members strung up onto the tree. The ones on the left and right had been beaten severely, and had scrap metal welded around them to bind them in place. The girl in the center had also been beaten harshly, and had metal binding her neck and arms in place, leaving her dangling there.

They were three Mages Natsu knew well. Jet, Droy … and little Levy McGarden.

Natsu felt his tiredness ebb away, rage slowly beginning to replace it as he began to look around to the various people gathered in the park. He grit his teeth when, upon a second gaze, he finally registered that some of the crowd around him were fellow Guild Members.

"Why the FUCK haven't any of you gotten them down yet," Natsu barked as he released some of his Magical Power, frightening the citizens and shaking the Guild Members out of their stupors. "Macao! Wakaba! You two are Veteran Mages!? Why are you just standing there, gaping at them like a pair of fish!?"

"Alright, calm down Natsu," Makarov sighed as everyone made way for the Guild Master. "What seems to be the-?"

Makarov, who had just arrived, was just as stunned as Natsu. His eyes were wide as he eyed three of his precious children in such a horrific state. Clenching his fists, the old man struggled to reign in his own magic before looking back at Team Shadow Gear once more.

"I must second what Natsu just said," Makarov growled as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Gramps, I think that it's rather obvious who is responsible for this," Natsu muttered darkly, motioning toward the Guild Emblem that was painted across Levy's exposed stomach. "I know you said you didn't want to go after them, but this is definitely the work of Phantom Lord. Surely we aren't going to let this go?"

"I agree with Natsu, Master. Phantom Lord have gone too far this time," Erza added, clearly furious. "We cannot allow Phantom Lord to get away with such a vicious attack on our own!?"

"I can take the insults, the bad publicity, and even the destruction of our property. Things such as those can be regained… However, once you harm one of my children, that is another story," Makarov replied, clenching his fists as the entirety of Magnolia Park began to shake violently. "YOU WANT A WAR, JOSE!? WELL, YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET ONE, THE LIKES OF WHICH YOU'VE NEVER SEEN!"

"You all heard the Master," Erza's voice barked out, bringing the Mages of Fairy Tail to attention. "As of this moment, we're at WAR with the Phantom Lord Guild!"

"Macao, Wakaba, come here," Natsu added sharply, as the two older Mages quickly approached. "I want the two of you, as well as Reedus, to look after Levy, Jet and Droy while we're gone. Take them straight to Magnolia General, I'll cover the full cost of their treatment out of my own pocket."

The two older men nodded quickly, clearly rather ashamed they didn't try and get Team Shadow Gear down earlier as they assisted some other Guild Members in getting them down and rushing them to the hospital.

"Natsu, thank you," Makarov muttered as Natsu simply squeezed on the old man's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "I will make sure once everything picks up again at the Guild, that you are compensated for this-."

"Its fine, I don't want anything in return," Natsu replied, his iris' shifting into a more draconian appearance that startled both Erza and Makarov, neither having seen such a thing from him before. "Actually, I want Phantom crushed beneath my boot. I think that will be all the compensation I need."

"They will be Natsu, I assure you," Makarov replied through grit teeth. "For now, we plan. Come sunrise, we take the fight to Jose."

"Natsu, I just heard what happened! Are we taking the fight to Phantom," Gray shouted as he sprinted into the park. "When are we heading out!?"

"Not just yet. We need to spread word to the rest of the Guild who aren't aware," Natsu replied firmly. "The S Class Mages who are here will need to plan out our attack on Phantom as well, so we most likely won't be leaving for a few hours at least."

"Natsu's correct," Makarov nodded stiffly. "We have a battle to prepare for…"

"Might be a good idea to grab Elise for this, since she is a War God Slayer trained by an actual War God. I'm sure she'd be able to help us plan out something solid?"

"A good idea," Makarov agreed. "Though, I'm thinking of leaving both her and Ur here to protect Magnolia, in case Phantom try something…"

"Let's go back to our place Master to discuss this further, Master," Erza suggested, eliciting a nod from the old man. "Gray, be ready for when we head out."

"Will do," the Ice Make Mage replied firmly as Natsu, Erza and Makarov departed the park.

As they departed, all three had the image of the bloodied and beaten Team Shadow Gear in their minds. Despite how powerful many of the Mages of Fairy Tail were, Phantom Lord had some strong Mages as well, and it wouldn't do to half-ass any plan they came up with.

As Natsu walked alongside them, he couldn't help but be relieved that he hadn't been forced to go all out against Agores. This volatile situation was likely going to require his full focus, since not only did Phantom have a Dragon Slayer among its ranks, but their Master was a Wizard Saint.

Indeed. Any plan they did come up with would have to be very well calculated if it wanted any chance at succeeding. Unfortunately, none of them could have accounted for what was ultimately to come