"speaking"

"thinking"

On with the story

Natsu flied in the sky as he floats in the air, overseeing the whole town

Demonic Natsu and White Natsu appeared beside him as the two spirits watched him

"you know, this is partly your fault for not leaving a copy at school" Demonic Natsu said while floating around

"and it's our fault for just being with the maidens" White Natsu said as Demonic Natsu looks at him with a sweatdrop

"whose side are you on, huh?" Demonic Natsu said

"silence" Natsu ordered them as his eyes glowed red

He scanned the town as his sight focuses on finding Ultear and the others

Two minutes passed and Natsu finds them in the storage house

"there, huh?" Natsu said as he soon dashed straight to the storage house at high speed

CRASH!

Natsu crashes in as the man landed on the floor before standing up

"welcome, Natsu Dragneel" Azuma's voice spoke out from the shadows as the man appeared from within "I have been waiting for you"

"where are they?" Natsu demanded as his plate slides open, revealing his angered face "tell me now before I end your existence!"

"if you are referring to your friends and daughter, they are safe" Azuma said as he snapped his fingers and a spotlight shined revealing Ultear and the others in the wooden cage "although, they won't be in 7 minutes"

Natsu looks at the cage as he sees the timer that was counting down from 7 minutes to 6 minutes

"release them" Natsu stated before flames rages around his fists "now!"

"if you desire their freedom then you must earn it" Azuma said adjusting his tie "this world's rules after all"

Natsu growls angrily as he summons Enryuo Kiba

"if you are thinking to free them with that sword, I advise you not to do so" Azuma stated "any sparks of flames that hits the cage will cause a chain reaction and explode"

"why you!" Natsu growls angrily

"do not feel so angry, I have set up the conditions for their freedom after all" Azuma said "if you are able to defeat me, the cage will disappear and their lives will be spared"

"what?" Natsu said as the flames on his sword blows away

"defeat me and they shall be safe. Simple as that" Azuma stated before taking off his vest and throws it to the side "do you accept my challenge? Natsu Dragneel?"

Natsu looks at Azuma as his armor disappears with his sword

"you…you aren't like them, are you?" Natsu said as he stood up straight "you aren't like that Zancrow guy nor that Rustyrose…you're different.."

"different? in what way?" Azuma asked

"those two are mad for power and this great world….but you?" Natsu said "you're very different from them. Why are you with Grimoire Heart?"

"I am what you may call a wandering warrior" Azuma said "in the magia war 20 years back, I was a soldier and then a mercenary whose purpose is to serve in the battle. Now that there is no more war, no more battle. I am a wanderer now. Seeking battle that will live through me forever"

Natsu looks at him then to the wooden cage as the timer reached 5 minutes

"what to do?" Demonic Natsu asked Natsu "take him down quick? Or comply to his little challenge?"

"only one choice" Natsu replied as his fists ignites in flames before his black gauntlets equipped onto him "it's your grave"

"then it is a yes?" Azuma said smirking while cracking his knuckles and then his neck

The two stared at each other before they dashed at each other, sending their fists at each other in unison

While the two were in battle, Lucy woke up

"ugh…what…" Lucy grunted a bit as she sat up while holding her head before Cana wakes up too

"man, I think I drank too much" Cana said rubbing her forehead before seeing the battle going on "what the? What's going on?!"

Lucy looks at Cana before to the battle as Natsu punches Azuma's gut before the dark mage swings his hands down, rains of sharp leaves flying at Natsu before exploding upon contact

"Natsu is fighting..who is that guy?!" Lucy said as explosions rang out in the battle

"his name is Azuma" Ultear who was already awake while cradling Meredy stated as she watched the battle "he's the one who kidnapped us"

"wait what?" Lucy said before a powerful explosion and a huge gust blew out as Natsu brought the fight with Azuma outside "how can you be so calm at the time like this!?"

"yeah, we need to get out and get Meredy to safety" Cana said looking at the cage that they were in before taking out a magic card from her chest "I think I know how to get out of here"

"don't, he said that anything that is combustible can cause this cage to explode" Ultear said, recalling what Azuma had stated "Lucy, do you have any Celestial Spirit who can help us out?"

"wait a minute" Lucy said as she pulls out her Zodiac Keys "Taurus won't do…Loke can't…can't…can't…can't..i don't want to call her…I know!"

Lucy pulled out Virgo's key as the golden key shined

"let's dig out way out!" Lucy said with a grin before a yellow magic circle appeared and so did Virgo

"did you call, Princess?" Virgo asked in the cage with them

"yeah! Make a hole out of this cage!" Lucy said as Virgo nodded

"very well" Virgo said before she spins and digs underground, making a hole

"alright, Ultear you and Meredy go first" Cana said as Ultear nodded before she jumps into the hole with Cana and Lucy following behind

Natsu and Azuma were in a brawl outside as they punched each other's face hard

"this is it! This pain! This sensation!" Azuma exclaimed with a grin as he kicks Natsu's chin hard before following it with a punch to the face "this pleasure of battle!"

Natsu grunted a bit but he had an excited grin on

"I don't know why….but this guy….something about him…wants me to go all out!" Natsu thought in his mind before he caught Azuma's fist and then sends his straight at the man's face

"more! Give me more! Natsu Dragneel!" Azuma shouted as he swings his hands to the side, giant tree roots arising out of the ground before bolting at Natsu

Natsu pulls back his right gauntlet as it ignites in flames before sending it straight at the giant tree roots, burning and destroying it into the process

Azuma jumped up as he swings his hands, tree roots springs out of the ground and wrapped around Natsu, binding him

"let us see how much power can you take, shall we!?" Azuma exclaimed as he landed near Natsu before slamming his hands together "TOWER BURST!"

Natsu looks at Azuma before flames burst out of the ground, rising into a giant flaming tower that soon explodes

The power of the explosion was strong as it nearly causes an earthquake

The field was clouded with dust before it all cleared down

Natsu laid on the ground while Azuma stood up with a powerful stance

"it's over, huh?" Azuma said with a satisfied smile "you have my respect, Natsu Dragneel. You are truly a one of a kind warrior. For the great battle, I thank thee and as respect to you, your friends and child will not be harmed"

Azuma did a bow before he turns to walk away but soon stopped when he heard chuckling from behind

"could it be.." Azuma glanced behind as he looks at Natsu who slowly sat up

"that's a relief hearing" Natsu said as he got up while dusting off dirt on his clothes "you…you're strong…I can't remember the last time someone managed to hit me so hard..except for my Uncle that is.."

"I see, Tower Burst power was not strong enough to deal the final blow, was it?" Azuma said facing Natsu

"it was strong" Natsu said as he cracked his neck "but not strong enough"

Natsu got up straight as red scales climbs up his neck up to his cheeks

"it was a great battle..but it is not in your win" Natsu said as his gauntlet burst into flames before metallic plates started to climb up his arms up to his shoulders, covering it in metal "it's mine"

"powerful relentlessness…that is the source of your power, huh?" Azuma said

"it is, but the source of this power is different" Natsu said as the flames concentrated to his right gauntlet, the flames raging wildly into a vortex "my power…it comes from my loved ones….and this power…."

Natsu dashed at Azuma as the flaming vortex rages even more

"..IS THAT OF MY FATHER!" Natsu shouted as a raging red Dragon aura appeared behind him

"the power of a parent…." Azuma muttered out watching the raging flames with a smile "…excellent."

"Enryuo no! Hokken!" Natsu shouted out as the flames went crimson before he slams it straight at Azuma, the flames burns him heavily

"Gaaaahhh!" Azuma shouted in pain before he was sent flying straight into some buildings, destroying them in the process

6 nearby buildings were destroyed as Azuma crashed down in the 6th one, knocked out and defeated

Natsu huffs a few times as his fist steams heavily from unleashing a powerful attack

"ended well for both of you, didn't it?" Demonic Natsu said appearing next to Natsu "but there is still the fact that if your mates and daughter are ok or not"

Natsu turns to the storage room as he finds a hole which Ultear and the others got out of

"Huh? The guy actually kept his word" Demonic Natsu said before slowly disappearing "he's not bad, after all"

Natsu went to them as he made sure that they were alright and safe

In the shadows, Rustyrose watched Natsu tend to Ultear and the others as the man clicked his tongue in annoyance

"even Azuma too" Rustyrose said with gritted teeth before he holds a crossbow in hand "then, it is up to me to deliver the final blow then"

Rustyrose aimed his cross bow as he was going for Meredy who was sleeping even in the whole racket around her while Ultear carried her

"if I take out the child…the girl will be next" Rustyrose said as he carefully aimed at Meredy's head before something white blocked his view "what the?"

"my my, to think the fool won't ever learn" White Natsu stated while hosting a copy's body as he takes away Rustyrose's crossbow away from him

"you!" Rustyrose exclaimed as he tried summoning Balcacus but White Natsu swings his leg at the man's face, knocking him out instantly

White Natsu clapped his hands in satisfaction before he looks to Natsu and the group. The police had come to the scene in mere minutes

"I suppose that it's my time for an exit" White Natsu said as he disappeared

Azuma was taken away in anti-magic cuffs as he got placed into a police van with 6 armed magic policemen

"wait" Natsu called out as the police stopped taking Azuma away "I need to talk to him for a moment"

The policemen look to each other before seeing Macao

"don't worry, I'll keep him from doing anything funny" Macao said before Wakaba joined in

"you can double that" Wakaba added in

"what is it?" Azuma asked before seeing Natsu reaching a hand to him which made him raised an eyebrow

"I remembered your name, Azuma." Natsu said "my old man used to told me a story when he met a peculiar young man back in the war, he said that you are a man of honor and pride. You are a hero in the war and you have never committed any crime of whatsoever. I want to thank you for that"

Azuma looks to Natsu then to his hand before grabbing it and shakes it

"if our path were joined in the beginning, I can say that we would've been great rivals" Azuma said chuckling a bit

"no" Natsu said smiling "we would've been great friends"

Azuma looks to Natsu before he smiled as well

"friends, huh?" Azuma said closing his eyes for a moment before opening them "I'd like that"

Azuma soon got into the van as it drives away

"go to your friends, kid. We'll take the rest from here" Wakaba said while smoking his cigar before he walks away with Macao who nodded in agreement

Natsu looks to them before he looks to Ultear and the others who were getting checked by some medic

He went to them as the medic cleared them of having no harm of whatsoever

"you alright?" Natsu asked as they nodded

"no bruise, no nothing" Cana said showing their hands for no signs of any harm "the guy's different from the last two"

"yeah, he was just a wandering warrior seeking battle" Lucy said in a poem before smiling

Natsu smiles before he looks to Ultear and Meredy. The time mage had been protecting her and care for her the whole time

"thanks for taking care of Meredy" Natsu said as Ultear passes Meredy to him "and sorry about the whole getting kidnapped thing"

"it's fine, everyone is fine so it's alright" Ultear replied with a smile

Natsu smiled back before looking to Meredy who was waking up from her long sleep

"hey, had a nice nap?" Natsu asked his adopted daughter who yawned before smiling which made the man smile as well "sleepy head, aren't you?"

Meredy hugs Natsu's neck as the man hugs her tightly yet gently

"Papa" Meredy called out as this surprised Natsu

"did she just.." Natsu said before looking to Ultear who was giggling

"I had some time to teach her some words" Ultear said as Natsu smiles happily before lifting Meredy up high and started to twirl around with her

Meredy giggles happily before Natsu brings her down and rubs her nose with his, getting her to laugh happily

That's a wrap!

on hiatus

Bye bye