Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto or Fair Tail

Co-author & Beta: Etheral-23

Lava and Fire

The morning rays slip through the tree leaves as the early humming of birds served as her alarm clock. The darkly tanned blonde woman smacks her lips as she slowly sits up, her mane of messy hair covering her eyes. She yawns as she scratches her head and stretches out her arms. Working out the cricks on her neck, she stands up from her sleeping bag, clad only in a white tank top which showed her midriff and a pair of white shorts.

Her attire reveals that her body was pretty muscular, very toned and broad figured, yet possessing still some womanly curves. She pretty much walks automatically over the long since doused campfire where a large piece of beef jerky on a bone still stood over a grill.

"Finally awake I see" Said another voice, appearing from within the trees of the forest. A small cat makes his way to the camp with a pile of fishes on his hands. At first glance he looks to be a tabby, but the orange of his fur plus his black stripes made him look like a tiger cub more than anything. His golden eyes stares as his companion sat in front of the campfire. He sweatdrops when she didn't wait for the fire to heat up the meat again, taking the beef jerky to her mouth looking like she still hadn't quite shrugged off the morning drowsiness. "Oi, you gonna eat that cold Atenea?"

The blonde woman pauses right before the meat touched her lips, she placed a hand on it and it suddenly began to heat up at great speed, quickly steaming like a recently made dish. Then she proceeded to chew on it.

The cat rolls his eyes. After placing the fish on the grill, he walked over their bags and pulls out a bottle of water; he throws it at his friend who caught it without looking. After swallowing the meat in her mouth, she proceeded to quickly drink the bottle's contents.

"Ahhhh;" She sighs in satisfaction, shaking her head back to clear to reveal her red eyes and a beaming smile. "Thanks Bishop!" She said before taking another big bite from the jerky.

"You know" The cat, Bishop, starts. "Most people start their day with coffee to wake up"

"Ah noft mfft pheophe" The muscular woman said with her mouth full. She swallowed and then spoke again. "I'm not most people"

'Got that right,' the tiger tabby mentally grumbles. Still, he wouldn't trade her for anyone else partner wise. Someone had to be the voice of reason for his friend, may as well be him; "So... How more lost can we get before actually finding this dark guild we're hunting?"

The woman pouted at that; "We're not lost. I've got the best nose in the Sun Reavers, so I'm the best tracker in the guild."

"Whose been distracted by every scent in the area since coming here," Bishop retorts dryly.

"Hey it's not my fault this place is filled with so many tasty animals!"

"No, but it is your fault you took this job on your own instead without waiting for the others!"

"Oh please!" She waved him off with the beef jerky. "It's a simple job!"

Bishop stared at her with deadpanned look. "Really, finding the hideout of a Dark Guild full of alchemists who are creating monsters in droves is simple..?"

"It is when I'm on it"

Bishop did not even stop himself as he face palmed, being so simple and prideful at the same time she was, it could get on his nerves. Why was always getting them into trouble? "Can we at least not destroy this area like what happened with the last job? I couldn't tell if master was laughing or crying."

You really couldn't tell with him always wearing that armor.

The woman snorts as she chews down on her jerky. She would just kick some dark guild ass, maybe a few monsters they made and head home. The Lava Dragon Slayer always got the job done!

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Mirajane found herself waking up curled against something warm and hard. Her blurred vision slowly cleared up, revealing she was resting atop someone's chest.

Her lips slowly formed a content smile. 'Ah that's right...' The memories of last night came back like a flood. Imagines of passion and tender intimacy filled her heart with happiness.

She had no regrets; laying her heart bare to the man she had fallen in love with. Lifting her head she gazed at Naruto's sleeping face. Learning about the Kyuubi, and his feelings to her, she meant every word even if he does find his way back home. No matter how long it took she would find him again.

A low groan came from the blond Uzumaki as his eyelids slowly opened and cerulean and midnight blue gazed at the other; "Morning." Lifting his hand, he used a finger moving away a few strands on Mira's face; "How you feeling?"

"Amazing," she purred softly.

He leaned forward and kissed her, Mirajane answered in kind, bringing her hand over his neck as she felt his arms pulling her closer. "What time is it?" He asked.

"I don't know" She replied with a smile, she didn't care either.

She planted her lips over his again, softly, like they had all the time in the world.

"We should get up" He said in between kisses, though he didn't really mean it.

"Hmm" The Strauss moaned absently in reply.

"They'll be wondering at the guild what took us so long..."

XxX ~ lemon start ~ XxX

She moaned softly in their kiss. "What if I don't want to get up..?" She whispered hotly against his lips. Her head lowered as she kissed his jaw going lower until finding a sensitive spot on his neck. "I waited so long for us be like this… you'll forgive me if I don't plan on stopping soon"

He released a pleasurable sigh as her hand slowly traveled down his chest and over the hard ridges of his abs. Naruto gasped as her palm reached his member and slowly, agonizingly slowly, massage him. His half limp member quickly developed a hard erection.

"Ah!" He moaned. "Mira…"

She smirked at hearing her name. Mirajane took her time to worship the body of her lover, kissing that strong chest and the valley that was his stomach, every single part of him aroused her so much. "Does it feel good?" She said teasingly. "It's only fair payback…"

She slowly rose to straddle him, sucking in a sharp breath as her folds grinded against his muscular midsection, heat quickly spread from her core as her nipples became painfully hard. "Because of how…" Her voice was breathy, desperate.

The white haired beauty positioned herself over his waist, standing right above his erection. "Good…" And slowly lowered herself unto him; "Y-You..!" She gasped as his girth began stretching her inner walls.

Naruto grunted as he felt himself entering Mirajane slowly, his hands strongly grasped her waist and buttocks, guiding her descent. "Make me… feel..!" She cries out in pleasure.

She rides him with masterful movements of her hips, going up and down his member as each stroke sent waves of pleasure throughout their bodies. The blonde closes his eyes as he let the sensations drive him wild, the heat emanating from her as her wet folds wrapped themselves tighter around him. He moved her up and down, she was almost weightless.

Mirajane throws her head back and gasped, sweat pouring down from her body as the heated pleasure coming from Naruto's member penetrating her sends her into overdrive. Her hands went up to her breasts, bringer herself even more pleasure by massaging feeling the mounds of flesh and playing with her erect nipples.

Her hands soon went down her body, sending shivers of electricity as slowly brought them over to Naruto's. He was almost too hot to touch, but it only aroused her further, the feeling of his body under her, those strong muscles of his arms which held her so tightly.

"N-Naruto..!"

He swiftly sat as he heard her call her name, almost as if sent into a wild need to hold her even closer. Mirajane gasped when those strong arms she had previously admired now held her back tightly, her breasts pressed against a muscular chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer so their lips would meet in a mad dance. He thrusted forward, meeting her gyrating hips, burying himself as deep as he could.

A sudden buildup announced them the critical point was near. Mirajane gasped into Naruto's ear. "I-I'm gonna… Ugh!" She closed her eyes tightly trying to hold back the sudden surge. The blonde too felt it coming, his thrust became erratic. His heart beat so fast he thought it might burst.

Mirajane's mouth opened in a silent cry as her head and column arched back. "Oh gods..!" The dam was broken, and so her release marched unimpeded, pleasure exploded from within. Naruto grunted as he felt himself spill inside her, he held her tightly as the two rode out the orgasm.

Mira breathlessly smiled, her eyes half lidded she leaned down kissing him; "Oh we're not done yet" She rested her sweaty forehead on his.

The blond only smiled hungrily; "Oh no, we're not..."

XxX ~ lemon end ~ XxX

People were starting to get a bit worried at Fairy Tail. It was nearly noon and neither Naruto nor Mira had come in like everyone else. Levy, being the good friend she is took over serving drinks.

At the bar, Lucy kept glancing at the open door of the guild. Makarov only snorted, sitting at his usual spot; "They will fine child. Those two are adults after all and quite responsible-ish."

Sitting at a table with Gray and Natsu who were currently arm wrestling, Erza also looked a touched worried; "They are not ones to be late, Mira especially master." Happy nodded in agreement, replying with a muffled 'aye' as he ate a fish.

"We all need some time to ourselves once in a while," the old mage waved it off.

As if on cue, Mirajane came in through the door. "Sorry I'm late everyone!" She apologized with a sunny smile. Thankfully she had agreed that she and Naruto were going to appear at different times as not to arouse any suspicions, they didn't want to tell anyone just yet. This was something private they didn't feel like advertising, even to the guild. "Got caught up with some things at home" She explained as she went behind the bar.

"Where's Naruto?" Erza asked, looking up from Natsu's and Gray's match, ignoring how the mix of cold and heat was creating a large puddle around the table.

"Oh he's off doing training. Some of that sage stuff"

"Huh" The Titania replied in understanding.

Unbeknownst to the others, Claire's ears twitch as she sniffed. This wasn't her elven senses, oh no, this was sixth sense developed through centuries of experience. Ohohoho, someone had a bit of afterglow clinging to her~

Ohhhh she was going to have so much fun teasing those two.

Macao, from his place on the stool, noticed something about Mirajane today. "Oh hey you got rid of that crop in your hair"

Mirajane's hand quickly went up to her forehead, and noticed her usual front ponytail wasn't present. She silently cursed, lamenting that she had forgotten. Why did she forget?! She literally did her hair every day! Oh right, cause she and Naruto had been caught up in the shower.

Wakaba puffed out some smoke from his pipe before holding it away from his lips. "Well I think you look good" He smiled. "'Bout time you got rid of that ridiculous thing"

"...'Ridiculous'?" She repeated in a somewhat wounded tone.

The smoke mage froze and a various glares were sent his way. "Ehhhhh..."

"Did... Did it really not suit me?" She wondered. After all this time...

Wakaba remained silent for a moment before he sighed; "Okay, already crossed that line might as well go through with it. Yes" He said directly to her. "It did not suit you"

"Wakaba!" Macao chastised him.

"Oh come on people, we ALL thought it"

The Fairies suddenly found any other sight that wasn't meeting Mirajane's gaze to be very interesting. "Ehhhhh..." They mumbled as they collectively scratched the back of their heads.

"Why did no one tell me?!" She cried out waving her arms childishly.

"Well" Makarov shrug uncomfortably. "You're very sensitive and we didn't want to hurt your feelings"

Mirajane's lip quivered. "N-No I'm not..."

"Yo!" Everyone shifted their gaze seeing Naruto walk in with a waving hand; "After training, a black cat crossed my path so walked around Magnolia several times and got lost on the road of life."

The blond swore he felt Kakashi-Sensei screaming happily up to the heavens and say 'I GOT ONE!'

Both Natsu and Gray both stopped their match as they dryly looked over to their blond friend; "Dude that was so lame." Claire only kept smirking while watching.

Sitting at the bar beside Lucy, he ruffled/patted her hair which earned a light smack from the buxom blond. "What's got you in such a good mood?" The Celestial Mage wondered as she put her hair back in order.

"Well" Carefully masquerading the real reason of his cheerful mood, he came up with a vague yet honest answer that would warrant no questions. "During training I realized a few things"

"Like?" She asked.

Naruto froze; clearly he had not thought that one through. "...Personal things"

"Okay..." Lucy slowly said.

Mirajane only gave her lover a dry look as he sheepishly chuckled. Claire only tilted her head; "It must have been a vigorous training session. Did you get all that built up tension out?"

"Uh, yeah," Naruto said simply.

"Hmm," the elf tapped her chin playfully. Why did neither Mira and Naruto like that look on their friend's face? "Hmhmhm" Claire chuckled, tucking a dark lock behind an ear as her green eyes stare at them. No, it was like she was looking right through them. "I imagine. All the sweating and panting, it must have been quite the... release" She finished with sultry tone.

Oh gods, she knows. Both Naruto and Mirajane realized with dread. Of course the sexaholic elf would know; she must be a bloodhound when it comes to carnal pleasures...

"Do you train with him often Mira?" The elf asked.

"Eh?" The Strauss replied intelligently.

"I'm just curious to how much he... works you up"

"Mira does do causal exercising with Naruto occasionally, just like I do" Erza, thank the gods, came for the save. Although blissfully ignorant on what Claire was hinting on about.

The redhead soon squeaked as Claire came from behind hugging her; "OH it that why you're so sweaty some mornings? Our hottie of a foxy sage just giving you such a thorough and vigorous workout leaving you so breathless…"

"Get off me you harlot!"

Both Naruto and Mirajane blushed wildly at their elven friend's antics. A blushing Lucy only sighs; "I am never getting to use to her."

After winning his arm-wrestling competition with Gray –'It was a draw!' The Ice Mage kept shouting-; Natsu looked over the jobs board.

Naruto sweatdropped. "You're looking for a job again, man?" It wasn't that long ago since they went to Garuda, but Natsu seemed to run on endless energy.

"'Course I am!" He replied with his typical smile. "Mainly something with big monsters to beat up, I'm running low on meat back in my house"

Quite a few of his guild mates stared at him in silence for a few seconds. "Natsu, honey" Cana started slowly. "Do you always get your food out of the things you kill?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Don't you, I dunno" The card mage shrugged. "BUY it with the money you earn?"

Natsu whines broadly. "What's the fun in that?"

"...Alright, fine" Cana said, going back to her mug. "I'm not even gonna try to understand his logic"

Makarov snorted; "Safer for your sanity that way," he muttered while downing a mug.

"OH" The dragon slayer pulls off a paper; "How about this one!"

Naruto and Lucy both look at the paper; "Alchemists making monsters," both blonds spoke up. Lucy looked at the reward; "Seven hundred thousand!"

Gray whistles; "Has to be bad for that kinda cash to thrown out. Where is this going on?"

"Veor Valley" Natsu read. "Hmm, think that's north of here"

The Master nods. "About a day or two walk" He explains. "Not really anything special. The place is not visited that much aside from nearby settlements, if a Dark Guild is smart they can make a good hiding place among forests and mountains"

"If dark mages are creating monsters then they need to be stopped immediately" Erza said in a determined tone. "I'm going"

"Me too!" Natsu said excitedly.

"Well" Gray added with a small smile. "Can't leave you guys alone, now can I?"

The Celestial mage looks at the elf and the sage. "Are you coming too?"

Naruto looked to Mira who gives a nod; "Yep, might as well keep an eye on Natsu."

"HEY!"

"...I like Veor valley," Claire said as had a look of nostalgia. She stands up; "I'm going."

Seeing those two coming along Lucy sighs; "Alright guess I'll tag along."

"Everyone pack up supplies, we're going camping," Erza stated as she walked beside Naruto out of the guild.

"Would it be too much to hope Natsu does not blow the valley up," Naruto mutters. The beautiful knight only shook her head; "I thought so."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

They had managed to catch a train that would leave them a few miles away from the Valley, but they still had properly prepared themselves for camping, seeing the valley was of a relatively large size it could take time for them to find the Dark Guild.

"Are we there yet?" Natsu groaned.

"No" The group droned tiredly.

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are we there yet?"

"No..."

"Are we there yet?"

"No!"

"Are we there yet?"

"NO!" They all shouted at once, finally silencing him.

Or so they thought. "We're there!" Natsu smiled toothily. He pointed forward and so the team saw he was right. Right up ahead was a sign with the words 'Veor Valley' written on it.

The valley itself wasn't really something to talk about. A couple of mountain ranges and plenty of forests, but there was nothing special about it as their master had said. And the place's natural beauty was far outshined by that of other natural beauties and landscapes one could find in other parts of Fiore. The trees all looked pretty much the same, and there was little to no flora or interesting fauna present around the area. All in all, Veor valley simply didn't have anything that would make it a popular place.

The only thing that stood out was the sudden increase of various monsters rooming around the area.

A good place for a Dark Guild hiding.

"So" Grey started. "The job said there were alchemists making monsters around here" He looked around, on the lookout for any such beasts that might suddenly appear out of nowhere.

"Oh great, mad scientists..." Oh Naruto was so done with that shit; he had had enough with Orochimaru back in his world.

The elven woman gave a light smile; "Just like I remember." Everyone looks at her; "When I was Romeo's age my father and I came here hunting for days." She soon frowned; "I won't have some idiots defile this place."

Naruto patted his friend's back as they soon got off the train. Lucy held Plue in her arms; "Okay so what next?"

"We go hunting. Find a trail and track it," Erza said looking around sharply.

Happy flew… happily around them; "Time to go monster hunting."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

The young Sennin had to admit this place almost felt like the forest back home around his village. It had a soft sense of peace and serenity, though nothing really stood out from it. Claire seemed oddly both serious and sentimental walking through the valley.

The elf kept watching through the tree lines, searching intently for the people responsible for the problems going around the area. A lot fond memories she shared with her father here, this was a very important place for him, she was not about to have some jackasses taint this place; for any reason.

Natsu... "Oh this place has some awesome smells around here. Can we go hunting after this?"

"...Of course you would think with your stomach," Lucy sighs.

"Smells really nice" The blue cat admitted, flying around the tree-line. "But besides that, man, this place is boring" Happy commented disinterestedly.

"Oh big time" Claire agrees with a wide smile. "But if your nose is good enough, you can pick up some awesome stuff to track. The game here may not be a lot, but it's good"

"Quality over quantity huh?" The knight absently commented. The elf nods, someone was getting it.

This place was too quiet for his liking, so Naruto placed buried a kunai against a tree and leant his ear closer. His gaze narrowed when he felt the vibrations.

"You guys feel that?" He prompted, making everyone stop what they were doing.

The Dragon Slayer frowned and knelt, pressing his head against the ground. "Something's near..." He took a sniff in the air. "But I can't smell it"

"Maybe it's the smells of this place that's masking it for you" The Ice Mage tried to rationalize.

"Could be..." Natsu didn't sound so sure. "But I am not hearing anything either" That's what was putting him on edge. "The vibrations are getting stronger too" But he didn't hear any footsteps, he didn't smell anything getting close either.

That didn't sit well for the Titania. So Naruto and Natsu were feeling something but they didn't couldn't make it out. Just what was- The sudden and barely perceived tremor they felt alerted her immediately.

"Bellow us!" The knight shouted. Everyone stared down as the ground began trembling, it got stronger with each passing second. They quickly moved out of the way just in time for the ground to burst open and something came out from underneath the earth.

"...What am I looking at?" The ice mage muttered with wide eyes.

Whatever it was, it was giant, furry and brown. It could have passed for a mole... if not for the razor sharp teeth in its mouth and the moving tendrils on its snout. Or the bony carapace on its back. Or the multiple eyes on its head.

"Oh gods" Naruto felt sick. "Are those whiskers or tentacles..?"

The Celestial Mage screeched. "Why does that thing have eight eyes?!"

The elf had to blink once, twice. "Well, I think this is a clear case of alchemy gone bad..."

"Hmm" The Dragon Slayer look indecisive. "I kinda don't want to eat something looking like that, but you know what they say; 'Don't judge a book by its cover'"

"DON'T GUESS HOW IT TASTES! KICK IT'S BUT Al-" Lucy squeaked as a tendril grabs her and pick up her up into the air; "HELP ME!"

"Let our friend go you fiend!" Erza drew her swords as she charged.

Using the trees, with chakra applied to his feet, Naruto threw several kunai at the tentacle mole monster. The kunai bounced off its think hide.

"You should have opened with a Rasengan" The Nine Tails informed.

"I should have opened with a Rasengan" Naruto was quick to admit it.

"Get me out of here!" Lucy screeched. "These things are moist! Why are they so moist?!"

Ugh, this was the grossest thing that ever happened to her, there was no way it could get worse... It suddenly got worse when the mole-thing opened its maw to devour her.

Lucy screamed as she was brought closer to the sharp teeth, but then the reason behind her shouts became her falling to the ground.

The tendrils were somehow severed in one swift move, she could feel and see the severed appendages burning, and like what ever had cut them had intense heat. At first she thought it was Natsu's doing, but then saw a figure standing in midair before the monster.

"RAAAAH;" A devastating kick was thrown at the mole's snout, such ferocity and power it carried the monster's neck twisted with horrifying sound of bones snapping. Its head turned into a painful angle, and slowly fell backwards to the ground, the collision made the earth tremble.

Lucy landed safely, cushioned by the tendrils still wrapped around her. "Lucy!" Erza cried out as she severed the appendages with her blade, releasing her. "Are you okay?" She offered her friend a hand to stand up.

"I-I am..." She said, slowly standing up with her help.

Gray narrowed his eyes. "Who is that?"

"Hmm" The fox mused inside Naruto. "She feels like your pink haired friend"

That made Naruto pause, like Natsu? What was he talking about?

The Dragon Slayer for his part blinked, he sniffed the air a couple of time. That smell...

The figure lands atop the fallen beast. "HAHAHA..!" The voice was clearly a woman's, she was laughing in celebration. "Just one punch..? Man, you were a disappointment!" She proclaims to the corpse. Turning around, red eyes stared at the group of strangers. "Sup!" She grinned widely.

The woman is blonde, her hair wild with the lower portion held on a low ponytail. She wore a set of leather armor, a chest piece with strips akin to a kilt, metal bracers on her arms and legs along with sandals. On one shoulder she had a single shoulder pad, while the right shoulder was bare, revealing a tribalistic yellow sun on her tanned skin.

The woman, as Naruto noticed, was tall. Hell she was probably as tall as he was. She was also ripped as hell. He found it a bit odd as all the women he's met in his life, even the warriors, possessed figures that could be compared to supermodels and the like, so he supposed he was sorta used to it, perhaps he even expected it by this point.

Not this woman, her build was tall and highly toned, possessing highly defined muscle groups with a musculature even broader than Natsu's. Yet somehow she managed to possess some womanly curves.

"Ohhhh" Their resident elf and professional pervert immediately looked at her with starry eyes. "That tan, the clothes and those muscles~" She purred. "She's from Callisto"

That made Lucy blink and turn to her. "Wait, the island of amazons?"

The woman gave a big toothy smile much reminiscent to a certain pink haired fellow they know; "that's right, names Atenea of the Sun Reavers guild!"

"Sun Reavers?" Erza repeated. "I see; you're a member of Master Solaris's guild then"

"You guys from Fairy Tail?" The amazon observed the visible symbols some of the mages were displaying. "Cool! Master Solaris said tons of good things about you!"

"That's a first…" The knight muttered dejectedly. She cleared her throat and gave the tanned woman a friendly smile. "Master Makarov has said great things about you guys as well"

"Hehe, course he did!" Atenea smirks proudly. "Ain't anyone better than us!"

They expected Natsu to protest, loudly, at that claim. His pride for their guild burned like his flames.

But he… was currently acting strange. He just stood there with a strange expression on his face.

Natsu kept looking at her with a confused stare. There was something about her he couldn't quite explain.

The amazon looked at the pink haired boy with a raised eyebrow. "What, I have something on my face?" Her eyes slowly widened as she sniffed. She walked closer to the energetic young man, casting a contrast to how tall she was, and sniffed the air around him.

Natsu soon did the same, making the other sweatdrop at the sight. "What" Gray deadpanned; "They gonna sniff each other's' butts next?"

Atenea looked at him in confusion. "Do I... know you?"

"I don't think so" He shrugged. "But you... I don't know, you kinda smell familiar"

"Yeah..." She slowly nodded. That felt very strange.

It hit Natsu like a thunderbolt. "You smell a dragon"

That made his friends gasp. Could it be..?

"You too" Atenea softly whispered before her lips twisted into a large toothy smile. "Are you… Are you a Dragon Slayer like me?"

That made the rest of the Fairies pause for a moment. "YOU'RE A DRAGON SLAYER!?" The sheer impossibility of the situation fell on them like a ton of bricks. They could believe they were meeting someone like Natsu.

"There you are," a tiger stripped tabby flew with white wings before landing on Atenea's shoulder; "You ran so fast I couldn't keep up."

Happy gawked; "A talking cat!" That earned two dry looks from Naruto and Lucy.

"...Never looked yourself in the mirror, huh genius?" The tabby retorts sarcastically; "Call me Bishop."

"Hey, hey, Bishop;" She calls to him like an excited child. "He's a Dragon Slayer!" She points at the pinkette.

"Huh, how about that. You don't see that every-EHHHHHH?!" The cat did a comical double take.

The muscular woman ignored his stupor in order to focus on her fellow Slayer. "What's your element?"

"I'm fire!" Natsu proclaims proudly. "What's yours?!"

"Lava!"

"No way, that's so cool!"

The Fairies plus Atenea's companion could only stare. "Anyone else feeling a deja vu here?" Gray remarks.

"Hey, hey" Natsu looks like he was about to bounce on his feet. "Were you raised by a dragon too?"

"Hell yeah," She grins toothily. "But..." It soon shrunk. "He just... disappeared one day. I don't know what happened to him"

"My dad disappeared too" Natsu said in sympathy, understanding her perfectly. "I have no idea where he went"

"Volcanus didn't tell me anything, one day I wake up and suddenly he wasn't there anymore"

"Same for me" This was beyond weird. "What's up with that?"

The buff amazon scratches the back of her head. "You think it was related?"

"I don't know" He shrugs. "I'm still looking for Igneel though" Natsu soon grins a smile full of cheer of hope. "But I'm gonna find him one day. I wanna show him how badass my magic got!"

The Lava slayer couldn't help but find his optimism contagious. "Hehehe" She closed her eyes and grinned. "Yep, one day Imma show my dad I can take him on anytime!"

Both Naruto and Gray look at each other; "Natsu clone," both mutter. The thought sent a wave of terror down their spine. Dear gods, one was bad enough!

Atenea claps her hands; "Well my guess you guys came for Alchemist assholes causing a mess around here yeah?"

"Yes," Erza gives a nod.

The lava dragon slayers smacks her fist into her palm; "Awesome!"

"Extra pair of eyes and noses could help," Bishop offered.

"Oh hell no," She exclaimed with irritation.

"Wha-," Her partner gawked at her sudden shift.

"Uhhhh" Lucy didn't know what to say at that.

"I said awesome because I thought that meant I get to fight them for the job!"

She got incredulous stares all around, well except for Natsu. "Makes sense to me"

Naruto chuckled nervously. "H-Hey ain't any need for us to fight. We can work together and-"

She directed her red eyes threateningly at them. "I'm gonna find that Dark Guild all by myself and beat the crap of every single person there!" She smirked savagely. "I got the job first and I'm getting all the fun. So if any of you wanna claim the glory, you're gonna have to go through me first!"

The tabby cat face palmed so hard it could leave a mark. "Do you ever hear yourself talk?!"

"'Course I do. I have a wonderful singing voice!" She smiled.

"...Crap, you do" Bishop admitted before looking at her in disbelief. "But why are you trying to pick a fight with them?!"

"They look strong" She shrugged, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "And I want a good match today"

"Hmm I can give you a good match~" The elf suddenly was next to the amazon, placing slender hands on the Slayer's strong biceps. "Oh honey, I could write poems about your body"

Her friends winced as seeing the Elf locked into a very painful backbreaker; "Not the kind of match I was thinking..!" Claire strains.

Bishop only sighed; "Here we go again..."

"Okay, whose ass do I kick first," Atenea threw Claire back to the Fairy crew, with Naruto catching the elf with one hand without really looking at her.

Natsu gave a wide savage smile; "Oh I'll take you on," Flames burst from his fists.

"Why do I feel this will end badly?" Lucy doing a very Naruto-like squint.

"Because it will…" The male blonde dryly replied before letting the elf fall painfully to the ground.

The Slayers did not waste any time, they charged at each other with great force. They raised their forearms clashed, and their skin shined with the sheer heat emanating from them.

A gust of wind was released from their collision, and it hit the spectators' faces with intense heat.

"Oh man…" Naruto swiped the quickly gathering sweat of his forehead with his hand. He took off his cloak, having the strong feeling that things would only escalate. "Gray could you-"

The ice mage did not wait for the petition to be made, and with a quick movement of his hands he surrounded the area around them with ice. "Ahhhhh" Naruto sighed in relief now that he felt the air around them cooling. "Thanks man"

"So" The tabby cat started. "Is yours as hard headed as mine?"

"Oh you have no idea" Erza said in exasperation.

"Then we'll be here for a while"

Lava and Fire Slayers began trading blows at great speed, making it look like they had multiple arms. Natsu kicked her left side, but to his surprise she grabbed his legs. Atenea spun him around and threw him away.

The Fairy quickly regained his balance and landed in a crouch. He lifted his gaze and looked at her with a savage grin. The Reaver charged at him, while Natsu got to his feet and prepared himself. The amazon raised a fist and struck, but the Fire Slayer ducked and delivered a sweeping kick at her legs, making her fall face first to the ground.

Taking his chance, Natsu quickly moved after her. But suddenly Atenea planted her hands on the ground and lifted her feet. She pushed herself from the earth and delivered a painful double kick at Natsu's face. The Fairy reacted fast enough to block the kick with his forearms, his bones vibrated painfully at the impact.

Atenea did not relent, and spun her legs in air akin to a breakdance move, hitting his defense repeatedly, slowly forcing him to take a step back. She flipped back to a standing position threw right hook directly at his exposed stomach.

Natsu's instincts warned him and quickly deflected the strike with left hand. Atenea did not stop and followed with a left punch. The Fire Slayer defended himself by blocking it with his right. The amazon quickly tried to need him but Natsu back away and took advantage of a short opening by kicked her left side.

Atenea gasped as the pain expanded through her midsection. She gnashed her teeth and her red eyes looked at her opponent with fury. The Reaver saw him directing a fist straight for her face, but she dodge and leant forward, she could see the surprise in his eyes at her sudden move, and quickly slammed her fist on his abdomen.

Natsu cough with spit flowing from his mouth. The two quickly pushed each other away, gaining distance so they could recover their breaths and fight the pain away.

The Fire Dragon Slayer coughed repeatedly, he took in deep breaths as he cleaned the saliva from his mouth. While the Lava Slayer hissed as she tenderly touched the left side of her abdomen, it felt like he had hit her with a piece of pure metal. The Slayers looked at each other once more, green eyes meeting red… and each smirked a fanged grin.

"You're pretty good" She said with a heavy tone.

"Hehehe, I like your style" He complimented right back. He stretched so the pain would spread and lessen. "Fighting you is turning out to be really fun"

"I'm enjoying myself a lot too" Atenea said with sincere joy. "But we both know we're just getting started.

Their grins became savage, draconic one could say.

"I'm all fired up…"

"My blood is boiling…"

Neither Uzumaki nor Fullbuster hide their twitching eye and dull/dry expressions while observing the dragon slayers duking it out. "Even a cheesy one-liner," the ice mage drawls.

"Either we found Natsu's long lost sister or some mad scientist felt Earthland needed two Natsu's but one as a female," the sage dryly retorts.

Claire sighs blissfully as she watches the amazon woman fighting, she very much enjoyed the sight of her muscles flexing and swelling with each movement; "Ah the isle of Callisto. Remarkable place, amazing culture, and the women are fantastic," she cooed.

The celestial mage deadpans at the elf while Erza watches with Bishop standing beside her; "Sorry about all this. Atenea really can't help herself."

"Its fine," The Titania shook her head; "Natsu is the same unfortunately."

"He causes mass chaos wherever he goes?"

"Yep," All the fairies speak up.

Natsu and Atenea tightened their right fists respectively. The Fairy's hand was shrouded in flames, while the Reaver's was submerged into a boiling substance. It was a mixture of bright red, yellow and dark brown in color, shifting like liquid and moving slowly, in contrast with the violent flame searing on the rosette's palm.

They grinned, and charged at each other. Their fists collided in a blast of pure heat, waves of fire spiraling around Natsu while torrents of pure lava surged from Atenea's fist. The clash of magic created waves of wind filled with scorching heat to be released.

The grass around them was immediately burnt to cinders; the trees in close proximity dried up and were on the verge of catching fire. The wind hit Gray's ice dome and began melting it, through the cracks and leaks the spectators experienced firsthand a fraction of the hotness of their clash.

Naruto started sweating heavily once more. "Holy fuck…"

"I think" Erza panted as she shifted into cooler clothes, which was a bikini and a beach skirt enchanted to resist heat. "We should move further back…"

No one argued, and so they quickly retreated through an ice path Gray built. Erza had already sweated quite a bit, which draw the eye of the blonde sage, despite his attempts not to ogle.

Seeing her sweat making her body glisten, the bland shakes his head furiously.

Their fists shook as they pushed against each other with all their might. Green and red eyes were locked on each other as they grinned savagely at their respective opponent. The heat of their elements clashing could not compare to the raging inferno they were feeling on their souls, hammering at their chest with each beat of their hearts, the sheer excitement at fighting someone so similar.

No, it was more than outward similarity in terms of their power and attitude. With their clash they began to think at the same wavelength, and so they realized their souls burned with the same fiery passion for combat, a desire to prove themselves, to become stronger and seek ever greater even challenges.

No words were needed; they let their fists do the talking.

Separating for just a moment, they gathered more power in their fists; each held a raging inferno in their hands.

"Fire Dragon's…"

"Lava Dragon's…"

They jumped at each other, their faces twisted into sheer joy and determination.

"Iron Fist!"

"Eruption Fist!"

Their fists clashing was like the collision of two meteors, with destruction and flames spiraling out of control as the ground beneath them cracked with the forced and lava began filling in. While the trees were set ablaze, the closest ones were reduced to black chars, while those further back were thrown with the expansive wave of their clash.

The others had to take refuge at a good distance away; Gray hastily summoned multiple layers of ice to block the flaming threes coming their way along with the chunks of molten earth spilling close.

Natsu and Atenea entered a barrage of swift strikes, their natural resistance allowed them to withstand each other's elemental charged punches and kicks. Their bodies glistened with intense heat.

The pinkette kicked her away, sending her skidding across the ground. Her hand clawed at the earth to stop her movement, reducing stone and soil into a red sludge. Swaths of fire gathered inward on Natsu's fist and thrust his hand forward, firing a large stream of flames directly at her.

Atenea growled and hit the earth with all her strength, the ground crumbled and a wall of magma erupted from beneath, which shielded her from the flames which spilled around the edges of her defense. Her red eyes narrowed as the flames while deflected by her lava, were not consumed by it as they should had. Natsu's magical power was sure impressive. It only made her blood boil even more.

The Fairy towards her, but the Reaver was already expecting it. She raised her leg high and stomped the ground with such force it trembled. The earth before her softened into sludge soon became lava. Yet Natsu did not relent.

He jumped over the molten rock, shrouding his feet in flames and proceeded to skid over the highly heated rock with great dexterity, propelling himself with the flames at his heels.

The move was so insane, Atenea loved it. With a savage grin she crossed her arms over her chest and then lifted them up with a grunt. The molten ground trembled and boiled violently, geysers of pure lava erupted in perfect pillars, but Natsu was able to carefully avoid them with great speed.

He kept his charge forward towards her when a pillar suddenly erupted before him, too close for him to dodge. The Lava Slayer grinned in victory, but her smile was obliterated when from within the pillar the Fire Slayer emerged, shrouded in his signature element which had shielded him from the molten rock.

He jumped to deliver a devastating downward kick at the amazon, but Atenea raised her right arm, forming a shield of hardened around her limb to defend herself. Even as flames spiraled out of control and the ground went wild, neither did relent.

But suddenly Atenea thrust her palm downward, causing another eruption to occur right beneath her opponent. Natsu shouted in surprise as he was sent flying away back.

The amazon did not wait until he was back on the ground. She buried her fingers on the lava, this one quickly hardened, and pulled. She growled with extreme exertion, throwing her head back as she did so. The muscles of her arms bulged as reins rose. The group was tore apart as she dragged out a huge chunk of heated rock which was at least ten times larger than her.

Natsu stood yet in the air, staring with a gaping mouth as she flung the entire thing at her. The lava spilling form its crack and the heat radiating from it made it looks like a meteor going up.

The Fairy smirked at the challenge.

Rather than try to dodge it or destroy it, Natsu charged directly at it, propelling himself with flames coming from his feet. He planted his palms on it and pushed, using as much thruster power as he could generate. He intended on returning Atenea's present to her.

The Lava Slayer could only smile with wild excitement, she stomped her feet on the ground and spread her arms. "Come on!"

The huge chunk of rock was within reach, and so she firmly planted her burning fists over it. Each opponent pushed from their side as much as they could. Sweat dripped from their foreheads as they felt their limps be taken to the limit.

Yet neither would relent, it wasn't in their nature to do so. So instead they poured even more strength into it.

"RAAAAAH!" They let out two draconian roars filled with their determination.

The flames on Natsu's feet exploded with great intensity, as lava flowed from every pore Atenea's body. The earth underneath cracked from the sheer pressure.

The rock began shining brightly as even more fissures began forming on its surface, from the half closest to Natsu, flames raged from under its surface, while in Atenea's half torrents of lava erupted.

Erza's eyes widened as she understood what was going to happen. "Naruto, reinforce Gray's ice now!"

The blonde didn't need to be told twice, in the blink of an eye he placed his hands on the multiple layers of ice and immediately lettering began appearing in complicated segments and arrays, trying to enhance the substance's strength and durability as much as possible.

The great rock exploded.

Pieces of rock flew everywhere like meteors in a great shower of fire. The moment they collided with the ground they tore it apart, the ones that clashed against the ice barrier managed to dent it slightly, as well as causing some cracks to form and sections of it to slowly turn into water. They sighed in relief, it would have been far worse had Naruto reinforced their only protection against their fight.

"T-Those two are out of control…" Lucy stammered.

"Natsu plus a female Natsu fighting equals disaster…" Was Gray's opinion on the matter, it was a very apt one in that regard.

"Look at them" Happy pointed with his paw, the two currently laid on opposite sides of a field that had been destroyed beyond recognition. There was no evidence to suggest the area around them had been anything more than a natural disaster. Both Slayers were face down on the ground, but their forms twitched as they tried to stand.

The elf's green eyes widened "They're still going?" Her ears dropped as she sweatdropped. "Gods, I think these two might be the most stubborn people I've ever met" And considering her age and the kind of people she's met, that said a lot.

"This is one of the coolest fights I've seen" Naruto's inner child couldn't help but watch on in enjoyment of the pure destructive awesomeness of it all.

On the battlefield, Atenea dragged her face up to stare at her opponent. She panted, grinning all the same. "Giving up?"

Natsu answered in kind. "As if"

The two grunted as they stood up on shaky legs. They were tired; their bodies were driven to the limit. But they wanted more, they needed to fight more.

They just need more energy, just something that could refuel them and…

It was then that Natsu paid attention to the lava on the ground, and Atenea spotted some chunks of rock set ablaze with the Fire Slayer's element.

They grinned and dug in. Natsu slurped on the lava as one would a soup, while Atenea inhaled so strongly that the flames around her went straight to her mouth.

"O-Oi!" Bishop looked on startled. "Are they actually-"

"-eating each other's elements" Erza finished for him with a narrowed gaze.

"Wait" Gray said in shock. "Can Slayers eat other elements?"

"I am not sure" The knight confessed. "But their elements are so similar it might have the same effect"

Naruto's excitement quickly diminished as he realized something. "Oh boy… we better run"

"Why?" Lucy asked slowly, not sure if she really wanted to know.

"If things were bad before, they're about to get ten times worse"

Natsu and Atenea finished with their meal, their hairs casted a shadow over their eyes as they stood perfectly still. Then they laughed. And their bodies began to emit auras of pure concentrated hot magic.

"Man!" The amazon licked her lips. "Your fires taste good!" She flexed her arms and watched the bicep raise, enjoying the energy coursing through her every muscle. "It's awesome!"

"Hehehe!" Natsu grinned toothily at her. "Ain't never tried lava before, super tasty!" He tightened his fists and rolled his necks, satisfyingly popping some knots. "So, you wanna finish this?"

"Finish this?" She asked incredulously. "I want to fight you forever" Atenea shrugged as she smiled with mirth. "But then we won't know who the winner is"

The Fire Slayer nodded. "My feeling's exactly"

The prelude was done, now was time for the climax.

They each took a deep breath, gathering as much magic in their bellies as they could

"Fire Dragon's…"

"Lava Dragon's…"

Magic circles appeared before them, and so they unleashed everything that made them who they were, pouring all their passions, their desires, and their will to fight.

"ROAR!"

Two titanic streams of wrath of nature collided, and there was only light and noise.

The spectators looked on from a hill as a great sphere of light rose higher and higher into the air, consuming everything on their path. The earth was violently ripped apart as lava came in waves; the swaths of fires incinerated the trees on their paths.

"…Wwwwwoah!" Was the only thing Naruto could say, the others nodded numbly.

The light soon dissipated… to show the two Slayers locked in a clash of extremely fast strikes.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Gray shouted. "How much more are they gonna fight?!"

Erza looked on to the sky to see the sun reaching its apex, indicating it was midday. "Hopefully not much longer"

XxX ~ Hours later ~ XxX

Erza tiredly look at the purple sky, at the horizon there was a line of orange as the sun slowly set. Naruto yawned loudly, smacking his lips and scratching his head. On the distance they still heard the sounds of fighting.

Lucy tiredly lay on the ground with the ever shaking Plue in her arms. "How much longer can they go..?"

Claire nearly dozed off when her ears picked something strange. "Listen" She stood up abruptly. "They stopped…"

Her words made the others snap out of their tiredness and look at each other. Without wasting another second, they quickly walked down the hill and unto the massively destroyed field.

As they approached, they saw the figures of Natsu and Atenea, both completely still but each had their fists buried in each other's cheek.

"N-No way…" Gray couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Both Slayers had their eyes closed, a bubble coming from their noses while their mouths opened and closed in snores.

"THEY FELL ASLEEP?!"

"I don't think you're too far off on that clone thing brat," The Bijuu King mutters dryly; "Either the Gods were trying to be funny or were high on drugs when coming up with these two."

He feels his eye twitching as the blond Uzumaki inspects the damage done to the area; "This place is a mess."

Lucy snaps her fingers between both dragon slayers; "Jeez, who falls asleep while in the middle of fighting. They are completely out of it."

"Not surprised," Bishop mutters rubbing his eyes. "Atenea only ate breakfast and likely got hungry while fighting and then got sleepy."

"...Sounds like Natsu too," Grey drones beside Naruto sizing up the scale of the devastation; "Man this place looks like a bomb hit it."

Claire kneels down looking at the scorched ground and trees almost mournfully. She did not say anything as they could tell she was upset. The elf sadly sighed.

"This place truly means a lot to you doesn't it?" Erza asked with sympathy.

"What? Noooooo. It's just a place where some of my most dear childhood memories took place" The elf replied in a very forced cheery tone. "And I am not mad these two morons wrecked a part of it, not in the least!"

Grey deadpanned. "Geez, we get it you're mad. No need for the sarcasm"

The ice mage froze as the elf was not inches from his face; "This is me upset boy," she says quietly as she leans in further. "Trust me; you do not want to see me angry." Her green orbs boring holes into Gray's own as she turns and walks off.

"She's a lot more complex than she pretends not to be," Naruto comments patting Gray on the back as he sighs in relief.

'She got as scary as Erza,' the ice mage mentally shivers.

Two starlight paddles begin to take shape in Claire's hands as she walks and stands behind Natsu and Atenea; "WAKE UP BRATS!"

Least a dozen birds and wild animals scurry away as two echoing and loud shrieks erupt from the forest. Now holding their wounded backsides, both Slayers start shrinking under the angry gaze from the wood elf.

"So," she said in a sweet and sugary tone which made everyone shiver; "would you two youngsters like to tell me how you're going FIX THIS!" she points at the badly burnt up area as she screams the last part.

Natsu scratches his head, ruffling his hair as he gave the destroyed terrain a look. "Ehhh, can't really fix this"

"Me neither" The amazon added. "Only know how to break stuff. I leave the fixing to my friends"

The elf warned them. "I am this close to smacking you both so hard you'll fly to the moon"

"I know!" Natsu suddenly brightened up. "We could make it even!" He said, holding up a flaming fist.

"Wait, what?" Claire's confusion and sudden horror was mimicked by the others.

"We burn up the rest of the forest so it all looks the same!"

"No!" The elf shouted, waving her arms madly. "That is a terrible idea!"

The amazon smacked her lips. "Even I think that's kinda dumb"

Bishop dryly stated. "And usually her attitude is no better than his, and that's saying something"

The Scarlet sighed, placing a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Let it be, Claire" She tried to make her see reason. "These two can't fix it. We set up camp for the night," Erza orders while Claire slumps forward.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Leaving ground zero, the Fairies and Reavers set up for the night in a clearing well-guarded by dense trees. Naruto unsealed a scroll with food and started cooking, bless Mira for teaching him. Jiraiya was alright, but the man only cooked one way.

Sitting by the fire, both dragon slayers chatted in a lively tone with Lucy and Gray chiming in occasionally. Happy and Bishop were both chowing down on fish, while Erza ate quietly. Sitting up on a tree branch, Claire remained the quietest while watching the moon in the sky.

"Dad will be pissed when hearing his favorite hunting ground was partially leveled," she mutters quietly.

"That bad?" she jumps now seeing Naruto sitting beside her.

"Gods, don't sneak up on me like that" Claire replied, sounding annoyed.

"Ninja" Naruto shrugged. "Can't help it" He gives her a concerned look, perceiving how down she was feeling. "So, you spend a lot of time with your dad here huh?"

"Yep" She sighs. "This is a very important place for him"

"Look I know those two went over the top with their fight but I honestly don't think-"

"He met my mother here"

"...Ouch"

"Yep," Claire dryly retorts; "she was a huntress, a good one to for a human."

Naruto blinked a few times; "Wait you're..."

"Half-elf, but we retain our elven looks and longevity." She chuckles with a faint smile; "Father had never met anyone like her in all his life. He was so enraptured by mother. And his charm worked since they got married and had me..." Her smile faded; "She died when I was young. A sickness not even elven medicine could stop"

"You never told us you were half human" The jinchuuriki said tactfully.

"You tell your new friends every single detail of your life?" She shot back. "...Sorry, that was rude of me" Claire quickly apologizes with regret in her voice. "Look, the Eldrin don't mind about that stuff, we wood elves are like hippies with regal sense. But uh..." She brings her legs closer to her chest as she surrounds them with her arm. "Other elven races... don't really approve of it. It was tough growing up half-human sometimes. I don't really feel like talking about it right now"

Naruto nods in sympathy; oh he understood very well what she meant.

"Heh" She let out a humorless snort. "Don't let anyone tell you elves are wiser or emotionally healthier than other races"

Gently he puts one arm over her shoulder giving her a light half hug; "Well least I learned you can be serious."

A mischievous smirk forms on her lips as she eyes him; "Says the cute guy who pretends to be dumb when he's not," a giggle came from Claire seeing him look away blushing; "We are a lot alike in that respect, we both hate being serious. The world could us more laughs and less moping"

"Oh don't get me started on that" He grumbles. "Some people I fought were 'doom' this, 'hopelessness' that. 'Waaaaah the world is so unfair'" He mocked in a childish tone. "I mean, my gods, nobody knows how to laugh once in a while?"

"Ohoho" That amuses the elf enough to get her into better spirits; "Run into lots of edge lords huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. They were so edgy I think you could cut yourself with their sheer emoness"

That gets the wood elf laughing; "That's, hehe, not even a word..." She knew she liked this blondie for a reason.

"Hey," Looking down they both see Lucy holding Plue; "There is still some food left. You guys still hungry"

Naruto snorts as Claire blushes when her stomach makes known how hungry she is. "Yeah I think we are Lu-Chan."

"Well you better have some before Natsu and Atenea eat it all."

"Don't tell me they're having an eating contest now" Naruto deadpans.

"It hasn't gotten to the point yet, thankfully" She laughs sheepishly in relief. "Those two won't stop comparing notes about being raised by dragons. Hehe, each says their dad could beat the others"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Atenea laughs wildly; "Oh my dad was so pissed! He chased me all over the mountains," the slayer snickered.

"HA! Sounds like Igneel, he hated when I ate his food to," Natsu bit into some well cooked meat.

The amazon smiled fondly. "To test if I had gotten the Slayer immunity to my element, he threw me into a volcano"

"Ahhh" Natsu's face showing nostalgia and melancholy at the memory of his own father. "Yeah, Igneel breathed fire on me to test mine"

The others gathered around the campfire just sweatdrop. "They're talking so fondly about things like that..." The ice mage muttered in disbelief. Being set on fire or thrown into a volcano did not qualify as 'happy childhood memories' on his book.

"He was so proud" The Lava Slayer lay back on the ground with her arms behind her arms behind her back; she smiles as she stared at the twinkling stars. "I remember when he would take me on his back and fly, seeing the world from up there..."

"The wind in your face, the rush" The pinkette's tone was one they hadn't quite heard before from him. Natsu was always so excitable, even in his calmest moments, but reminiscing about his lost father with someone who understood seemed to put him... at peace.

Atenea lifts one arm as if trying to grasp the night sky. "No matter how much I try my arms can't touch the sky, not like they could when on dad's back. Regardless of how tall the mountain I climb, how great is the height I jump from-"

"-It's just not the same"

"We have to find them," the blond amazon says with determination. "I'll look for the surly old coot even if I fight in the pits of hell."

Lucy sweatdrops; "that's a bit extreme isn't it?" Bishop snorts at that.

"Trust me she can get more colorful than that."

Claire takes a bit out of her meal as Natsu looks at his fellow slayer; "Say if you find your dad first can you ask him about Igneel?"

Atenea gave a thumbs up; "You got it hun. When his jaw heals after I punch him of course."

"Hehehe, I'm gonna take a swing at Igneel too" Natsu smirks. "Wanna show him how strong I got!"

The muscular amazon sat up and grinned at him, "Let's show our folks we can beat their asses any day" They bumped fists as to cement their promise.

Bishop merely smiled at how well his old friend was getting with this Slayer. Atenea had great friends back at their guild, though this Natsu fellow seems to be someone she relates to quite well, and for that he was thankful. The tabby cat could see the two becoming close friends in the future.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

By the sun's place in the sky above, it was well into the afternoon as the Fairy crew along with Atenea and Bishop had been searching the forest looking the dark guild ever since morning. Claire on her part was much happier thanks in part to Erza and her equip magic.

As morning has dawned the group came back to the area where the two dragon slayers had fought so wildly. During the night the redhead had come up with an idea to repair the damage done to that area. Dawning two armors not even Naruto hadn't really seen before, his longtime friend had first made sand erupt from the epicenter of the damage. This extended out till appearing like a massive sand box.

Gaara would have been proud of that feat.

Next, she equipped another armor and Erza had called forth water from deep underground literally creating a miniature beach. By the time she was complete, Claire had given Erza a non-perverted hug silently thanking her.

After leaving the area, she had explained how her parents met here and her being a half-elf. Natsu bluntly asked why she looked more elf than human, which earned a hard smack/punch from Naruto and Erza.

Back to the present, Both Lava and Fire dragon slayer sniffed the ground and air while Bishop and Happy flew around the others. "Maybe with two sharp noses they can find these guys," Naruto reasons while walking beside Erza, who for whatever random reason was back in her bikini outfit.

In the morning she had decided to enjoy the mini-beach she had created and taken to rest for a while. So Erza had kindly asked Naruto to rub some lotion on her (because OF COURSE she had that among the innumerable things she kept in her traveling gear). The blonde just couldn't say no to her, but he had forced himself to have pure thoughts while applying it.

The fox wasn't of any help however.

"You enjoyed it"

'Shut up'

"Ain't any reason to have just one mate?"

'Not listening'

"You do know the human clans back home like Uzu, occasionally had a second spouse."

'I thought you hated humans.'

"Oh~ I do," by the gods that was just so wrong in how cheerfully the furball said that; "But that doesn't mean I'm an idiot in not knowing about their cultures."

The young Sennin mentally grumbles as Atenea leaps onto a large branch smelling the air; "I think I found something," she calls out to the others on the ground.

Natsu, also picking on the scent, motioned them to come closer. They sneaked quietly behind some bushes they saw a group of people camping in tents, there was plenty of alchemical equipment laying around, concoctions being made by people wearing dark cloaks. Upon their backs was their symbol, alchemy bottle dripping its contents over a cauldron.

"That symbol" Erza whispers loud enough for the others to hear her. "Fel Cauldron, the dark guild of alchemists"

"Why are they out in the open?" It struck Naruto as something beyond odd. "I thought they were hiding somewhere around here"

"Let's listen for a moment. You two" The Scarlet directed a commanding glare at the Slayers. "Stay. Put"

"You're no fun..." Natsu groaned, but he wasn't gonna argue with Erza when she got like that.

Turning their ears to the camp, they listen in closely to find out more information about their group.

At the center of the camp, a dark haired man was talking with various other members of his guild. "What do our familiars report?"

"The entrance to the Guild is locked on tighter than a nun's chastity belt" A small woman with short green hair stated with her colorful analogy. "The biomass has spread, and it's sealed the entrance shut. We fear the thing will wake up if we disturb it"

"And we don't want that" The dark haired man agrees. "We'll have to come up with something to take it out"

"Oh like what?" Another man dryly replies. "Make another huge monster thing to help us? Because that CLEARLY worked so great for us before..."

"Alchemy is a magical science with trial and error," the dark haired man said calmly.

The green haired woman snorts; "Especially when it comes from some book we only recently found and did not wait to see just how dangerous it was."

Claire narrows her eyes on hearing that one as Gray whispers; "So they botched something and stuck out in the open."

"What book are they talking about?" Lucy asks besides Natsu.

"How should I know?" The Fire dragon Slayer shrugs.

"I don't know Marus" Another man, one who looked to be around a decade older, addressed their leader. "Maybe we should call for help"

"Call for help?" The one now known as Marus replies incredulously; "To who? In case you have forgotten, we are dark mages," He exclaims, spreading his arms wide. "We can't ask anyone for help without getting thrown into jail!"

"Look, I don't wanna go to jail either" The green haired woman said. "But ever since we found that book, everything went downhill"

"You too, Eri," Marus rolled his eyes.

"All I am saying is that we should have been more careful" She replies. "Remember how Thomas spent nights reading that thing? Next thing we knew he was going crazy, hearing things and speaking in a strange language. Oh, and that was before he turned into a PILE OF TENTACLES!"

"Tentacles," Claire whispers in an odd voice. Oh she had a bad feeling about this...

Naruto gives Erza a look; "Maybe we should get them to surrender and answer some questions. There's clearly something else going on"

"Agreed"

Marus angrily addresses his council. "Look, we're going to figure this out on our own! Even if council forces or guilds come for us, we will most definitely not, not now nor never-"

The Fairies plus two Reavers stepped out of the bushes; "Sup?" The amazon grins.

"We surrender!" Marus was the first to scream and get on his knees, throwing his wrists at them as if waiting to be cuffed.

Eri gave her leader a dry look. "...Well, so much for that"

"Wow," Gray mutters; "no balls at all…"

Ignoring the ice mage, Claire walks in front of Eri; "Honey could you describe this book for me please?" Oh she was praying to all the gods that were listening this was not one of so'.

The elderly man spoke before his younger comrade could; "A large black tome. We found it in an old ruined temple. It was very deep underground. Thomas, rest his soul knew what it was but he never told us."

"Was there any markings or engraving?"

"A really weird tentacle creature," Eri said with disgust; "the thing creeped me out."

Oh for gods' sake... "Annnnd you found one of old Herma-Mora's books. Fan-fucking-tastic..."

"This is something we're not gonna like isn't it," Naruto drawls pessimistically.

"Not in the slightest" The elf sighs, rubbing her eyes warily. "Herma-Mora is an ancient entity outside time and space, a god. He collects all knowledge of what it was, is, and will be. He likes to sometimes throw his books into the mortal worlds, those things have eldritch knowledge you could only dream of. Bad news is, if you're not careful it will drive you insane. Not to mention chances are the knowledge it holds can be pretty destructive for everyone around it..."

The buxom celestial mage pales; "I-I thought those were pure myth. I read about Herma-Mora but I never-" Lucy looks sharply to their elven friend; "How much do you know?"

"Well, being when I was in a rebellious phase when younger. I found one of those books and read it," Claire said in an annoyed tone. The others. even those in Fel Cauldron paled; "Yes I was an idiot."

Collecting herself after shaking her head Eri looks to the redhead; "You're Titania right," Erza gave to woman a nod; "As much as I hate the thought of prison. I like being alive better. Can your group kill the thing we summoned?"

"Do you swear to surrender to proper authorities?" The knight asks in a serious tone.

Marus desperately dragged his himself before them. "I'll personally lick your boots if that's what it takes, but please save me!" He could feel the glares of his subordinates behind his back. "A-And my friends too, hehe, can't forget about them"

"You suck!" Someone shouts in the background.

"You're one of the saddest criminals I've met" Naruto muttered without a shred of sympathy.

The lead alchemist sobbed. "All I did was illegal experimentation..."

Erza ignored his last statement, and nodded; "Very good, where is this creature?"

"At our base," Eri speaks quietly, "It's not far from here, just go north."

"Cool!" Atenea smacks her fist into her palm. "I'm gonna take it out by myself, thanks!" She immediately turns and run off. Bishop sighed and runs after her.

"Wait what?" Natsu sputters and quickly followed them with Happy. "Nuh-uh, I'm gonna beat the monster's ass!"

Gray sighs. "And here I thought we had solved the issue..."

"We should probably go after them" Lucy sweatdropped.

"Don't worry" Naruto assured her. "Happy still has my kunai on his backpack" They could find them in jiffy.

Natsu grinned when Happy lifted him off from the ground. "See ya!" He laughed madly as they soared past the two.

Atenea instead merely grins and looked at her partner, this time the tabby cat shared her grin. Suddenly his entire body was enveloped in a plume of smoke; it grew large enough that Atenea was caught in it. A roar filled the air, and from the smoke jumps out a great tiger with Atenea riding on top of it at great speed.

"...What?" Gray blinked.

"The hell?!" Natsu and Happy's eyes widened like plates.

"I know transformation magic!" The great tiger spoke with Bishop's voice. "What, you never tried learning any before?"

"Later!" Atenea laughs as Bishop sped up immensely, quickly passing the flying Slayer and cat.

Claire sighs as she follows the slayers; "I need to get that book anyways and have it properly sealed."

Equipping into her Hearts Cruz armor, Erza runs off with Naruto following, but not before creating several clones to watch Fel Cauldron. Lucy and Gray soon give chase.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

"Okay," Natsu scratches his head with Atenea doing the same; "That looks nasty."

Finding what looked like a cave both Slayers arrived to find the way in was blocked by a bulbous black mass with tentacles which move about aimlessly.

"Kinda reminds me of some hentai novels I've read before," The amazon mutters; "Ain't eager to see where this goes now…" Bishop, still in tiger form, just sighs.

The rest of the group soon catches up to them. Gray pants; "You guys shouldn't rush a-WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" He shouts upon seeing the large... stuff with the wriggling tentacles.

"Oh gods" Lucy turns several shades greener.

"Ugh" The fox makes a disgusted sound inside Naruto's head. "I'll take the snake freak any day before that stuff..."

"Anyone else feels like throwing up..," Naruto asks, looking sick.

Claire's nose wrinkles in disgust; "Yep. That's some bad demonic alchemy gone wrong there"

Erza, showing a remarkable composure, merely asked. "What can we expect?"

"Well, they said they cooked up a big monster that turned against them. And seeing this is Herma-Mora's knowledge at work it might be one of his demons, maybe a Seeker or a Lurker" She takes a good look at the murky black biomass. "But to have caused a spread of chaotic substance like that... must be a really big one"

"How do we get pass that?" the lava dragon slayer asks.

Claire eyes over to Natsu; "Just use your fire breath. However, and pay attention to this, no one touch that book," the elf speaks in a very authoritative tone; "Trust me, it'll show you things you really don't want to see. I tried once before, and now I wish I hadn't"

No one got what she meant but they all nod in compliance; "What will you do with it?" Naruto asked.

"Seal it and ship it back home with the others we found while roaming around Earthland," Safer with her people locking it up then some moron finding one.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

The moment the torrent of flames hit, the tentacles moved even more widely, almost as if they were in pain. The murky black substance was burnt away, feeling apart like disgusting scamps from an old wound. The flames went deeper inside the cave, burning away all in its pace.

Then a loud gurgling roar was heard, something that could only be described as demonic.

"Oh joy;" The elf deadpans; "Lurker"

"Which is?" Naruto warily asked.

"Big demonic fish can span tentacles. Has a face even a mother wouldn't love"

Lucy shivers, rubbing her arms; "let's just get this over with and go home."

"Lurkers are relentless, so be careful and watch each other," Claire says before heading into the cave and the others follow.

Entering they follow they descending path as they hear the demonic creature further inside. Luckily they did not have to go far as they found themselves in a massive open area with several bodies lying on the rocky cave floor. But what they saw at the area's center even made Erza shiver.

Humanoid, but nearly giant in size, it scaly fish-like skin, dark purple in color. A scream echoes the entire cave till Lucy realized it came from her lips as she covers her mouth.

The demonic fish-like entity turned its head at their direction, hearing the blonde's scream. It maw snaps open as needle sharp teeth bared themselves in a threatening gesture. Its dark beady eyes looked at them with primal hunger.

It let out another gurgling roar and charged at them without hesitation.

"Here it comes;" Claire shouts, conjuring her starlight bow; "Keep your distance and be careful, its limbs are highly toxic!"

"Spread out;" Naruto orders, and so they moved around the cave, circling the beast. The Lurker's gaze snapped from one place to the other, unsure of whom to go after first.

Lucy moves close to the wall at the end of the cave. She held out her gold key, "Open, the gate of-!" A tentacle from the black murky substance on the wall latched on her wrist, tightening its grip her key fell to the ground while the tentacle pulled her closer to the wall. "Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods" She cried in disgust as more tentacles held her prisoner. "Gross, gross, gross, gross!"

Natsu breathed fire upon the creature as Naruto combined his attack with a wind jutsu. Flames enveloped the monster; the disgusting smell of flesh burning filled their nostrils.

"Think that's a fish I don't want to try..." Happy muttered from the sidelines.

The Lurker roared in agony before throwing its head back letting out an impressive amount of... something foul smelling and disgusting they didn't want to ponder on from its mouth, bathing its entire being with a slimy liquid, quickly putting out the flames and coating its body with a flame resistance substance.

Everyone's face reflected their disgust; "Oh that is just... so gross" The blonde sage exclaimed.

The Lurker smashed its foot and spawned a writhing mass of tentacles, secreting the same murky black substance that covered the cave from its limbs and unto the floor. Forming a quickly spreading pool which formed even more tentacles.

"Shit;" Claire cursed. "That stuff is poisonous!"

Gray quickly forms a shield of ice to hold back the tide, yet the tentacles struck with ferocity forming cracks on the ice. Erza had equips herself with two swords, quickly slashing free Lucy who scrambles on the ground looking for her key while the knight fights off the black limbs.

"Where is it? Oh where is it?!" She cried out in desperation.

"We don't have time, summon a spirit!"

"But the one that could help right now is Aquarius but she-!"

Erza grit her teeth in strain as a tentacle lashed out like a whip, making her skid back over the ground. "Lucy!"

"Oh alright!" The Celestial mage pulled out her strongest spirit's key. "Open the Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"

A small plume of smoke appeared and so manifested the mermaid spirit. "Okay, what the hell do you want no-" She stopped upon seeing the creature in the cave. "Is that a Lurker? What in the Spirit King's name did you get into girl?!"

"Black book!" Claire yells firing two starlight arrows.

Aquarius says nothing for a moment before getting serious; "Just get behind me Lucy." grabbing her pitcher she sends a powerful torrent of water against the creature.

The great Lurker merely stomps the ground, creating a tidal wave of black substance which crashes against the pure waves.

Naruto looks at the ground which was being filled more and more by that horrible stuff, he wasn't going to risk it and step over the black liquid from where all those tentacles were coming from. So he summoned two clones and pulled out the Raijin no Ken.

The clones grab him by the arms and throw him with all his strength, the great beast turns to late and Naruto slashes off its left arm. It screeches in pain as black ichor, which he assumes was its blood, leaked in torrents. He lands safely on the other side, next to the Lava Slayer who had just incinerates a pair of tentacles.

"Got him" He said in triumph... his smirk was soon obliterated when black tentacles sprouted from the severed limb and the stump of its arm, joining the severed limb together once more. "Oh come on!"

Atenea backs a way as more and more of the black liquid poured forth from the monster. "We gotta get rid of this stuff" She grunts. "I think I can take care of that but you guys should find some cover"

"You got it;" Naruto quickly made his way to where Lucy and Erza are, "Gray, we need you here!" The Ice Mage nodded and run towards them, carefully avoiding the tentacles and the black liquid.

"Yo Natsu;" The amazon shouted. "Gonna need your help here!"

The pinkette smashed his fists together, creating bursts of flames; "You got it!"

Naruto and Gray regrouped with their comrades; "Make a shield!"

"On it;" With a motion of his hands, the mage created a thick barrier of ice which protected their corner.

The sage turned to the spirit. "Make a water layer in front of the ice!"

"Tch, even this brat is now telling me what to do..." Even so she complied, creating flowing secondary barrier in front of the ice and kept it going.

Naruto slammed his hands and reinforced the ice with seals, hoping this would be enough to withstand the coming blast in such an enclosed space.

The amazon clenched her fists and flexed her arms, growling as magma gathered in them. She raised her arms high. "Lave Slayer Art;" She chanted; "Fissure;" And slams her firsts down upon the ground.

The earth trembles and cracks up, creating fissures where lava spills forth, the black liquid was consumed upon with the molten rock, solidifying as more and more lava spilled forth. The Lurker roars in pain as its feet were being burnt, it tried to stomp over the ground again, but a fire blast straight to the face threw it of balance, making it stagger back. Natsu then kept breathing a constant stream of fire at it. The monster shrieked and flailed the bile that shrouded its body was finally being consumed by the combined heat of the flames and lava, exposing its flesh to a more vulnerable state against the fiery elements.

The lava came close to the others, but their defense held it at bay.

The moment they thought the battle was won, the beast gave out a horrific shriek as its body began... mutating, it suddenly absorbed all the remaining black liquid, becoming a bulbous mass of disgustingly twisted flesh. It kept on expanding until it touched the roof of the cave, tentacles, pincers and other horrible appendages bursted from under its skin.

"...Just when I thought this couldn't get any more gross" Naruto muttered stupefied, the others could only watch with a stunned gaze at the deformed monstrosity that just kept expanding.

At this rate, it would fill up the entire cave and crush them.

Natsu grunted, they needed to do something and fast, before this thing exploded-

A lightbulb appeared on his head.

"Hey Atenea!" He shouts over at the other Dragon Slayer, he could no longer see her due to the mass of flesh blocking his view. "Remember when blew up that rock you threw?" He exclaims with an excited smile.

He could just feel the fellow Slayer grinning. "I love the way you think!"

"Wait..." Lucy said in distraught. "They're not going to..."

Oh they were, weren't they?

Natsu quickly slams his hands a side of the bulbous abomination, not to push it back, but to channel his fire through the monster, burning up its insides. Atenea quickly did the same, channeling all the fury of a raging volcano. The heat kept on building from both sides, making its way to the center as it destroyed organs, bones and twisted flesh on its path.

The giant mass of flesh began shining red.

"Cover your eyes kiddies;" Aquarius dryly advised. "You won't like to see this.

The monster explodes in a shower of gore with such intensity it brought down the floor on them. The two Reavers and the Fairies shout as they fell further down. They landed on a dimly lit lower chamber filled with old ruins of some kind. After a painful landing, Naruto groaned as he stood up, he shivered as he felt something wet, soft and foul smelling slide down from his shoulder.

"I'm covered in demon guts aren't I..?"

Erza replied in a very, very sick voice. "You're not the only one..."

The redheaded knight was covered; head to toe in demon innards and black blood. Same could be said for Lucy, a dry looking Claire, except Aquarius who brought a water shield over herself.

"And I thought they smelled bad on the outside," the wood elf got to her feet. Now surveying their new surroundings that they fell down into.

The buxom celestial mage glared over at her summoning; "You could have shielded all of us you know."

"Do you know how much magic I had to use just fighting that monster," Aquarius scoffs; "I'm out of here, going to see my boyfriend. Need some cuddling after this," She vanishes.

"Does she have to rub it in?" Lucy growls while being helped up by Gray, who was also covered in demon guts.

Naruto helps up a sick looking Erza as he uses wind chakra to clean himself and her off; "Definitely a long shower when getting back." The blond Uzumaki notices how pale the Celestial mage looks; "Gonna puke?" She nods, quickly covering her mouth. Lucy quickly runs over to an old vase and emptied the contents of her stomach. "And she's puking…"

Both Natsu and Atenea recovering using their respective element to clean themselves off, by quickly burning away and incinerating any flesh and blood clinging to them. Afterwards they walked over to Claire; "Where are we?" the amazon speaks up.

"Is it a place where we can clean up?" Bishop grumbles as both he and Happy look disgusted, just as dirty as the others

The elf's her green orbs gaze about the room, they soon stop seeing a pedestal; "Where that thing came from?"

They felt... something. Almost like the sound of a beating heart. A soft drumming sound in their ears accompanied by the soft whisper of a wind current.

At least... they hoped it was the wind.

Lying atop the pedestal was a book bound in black leather, though they doubted it was truly the material it is. There was a strange engraving on the cover, a sort of symbol made up of tentacles.

Magic radiates from that thing like a heat radiates from burning coal. It was... sick, twisted. An invisible miasma of poison, of forbidden eldritch knowledge.

"Callisto be praised..." The amazon mutters, sounding far more sophisticatedly than before. Her red eyes were wide as she looks at the book. "The magic coming from that thing is..."

"Otherworldly;" The fox finished for her inside Naruto's head. The blonde had to stop at the tone of the Bijuu's voice; he had never heard the Kyuubi so... wary of something before.

With soft steps, Claire approaches the book, the others swore the heart beat they hear is beating louder now. Stopping at the pedestal the elf lifts her hands and lets her fingers glide over the cover, casting a barrier of blue runes around it; "I pray to the Gods this is the last one I ever see in my life."

Giving Lucy a cloth to clean her mouth, Naruto walks over beside his elven friend; "You said you found others... Doesn't that sound-"

"A bit too convenient?" Claire finishes; "Oh it is, and Herma-Mora can keep trying to temp me all he wants. I will never read one of these books ever again." Waving her hand, she reinforced the binding magic she casted, one could never be too careful with these things. She picks up the book before turning to everyone; "Mission complete."

"I thought the gods were all asleep like you said" Lucy said in confusion.

"The primal gods of this world, yes" She explains. "The ones that inhabit other realms merely can't travel here easily... and Herma-Mora most definitely is not from this world"

Naruto eyes the book, now bound with blue arcane sigils from the elf's magic, warily. "What does those things have?"

"Could be anything" Claire replies. "How to increase your power, drain power from others, extended your lifespan, travel through time and space... But it's never worth it"

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Leaving the cave and returning to the clones guarding Fel Cauldron who dispel when seeing everyone back. They take the dark guild through the forest and back to the trains. But not before Lucy, Happy, Bishop, Claire, and Gray got cleaned off via Naruto's wind chakra, with a combination of Erza washing them off with a water weapon of her personal storage. Heading through the foliage, the young sage eyes Claire who holds the sealed book in her hands.

"Don't even think about it," the Kyuubi warns; "you saw what happened to these idiots."

'Trust me I'm not, but just wondering what happened to Claire when she read one.'

"That fact she is still sane is a testament to the strength of her mental will," the old fox yawns before going silent.

"There you are Atenea!" The Fairies stop upon seeing a new group of people standing near the captured alchemists.

"Hey!" The amazon broke out into a large smile as she saw a group of three people. She run towards them as she waves. "So good to see you guys!"

Then she was struck by lightning. She twists comically and fell to the ground as a charred body; she twitched as arcs of electricity run through her singed hair.

The Fairies sweatdropped.

"Hmph" A young woman about Levy's height grunts in annoyance, her hair was a dark red done in a bob cut with a bang tucked behind an ear. She wore a dark vest with and a pair of blue short shorts. She had her arms crossed and her eyes closed, her face showing pure disapproval and annoyance. The flickering currents of lightning around her body coupled with her mannerism reminded them of Laxus a bit. "Idiot, running out by yourself on a job like this"

Another woman sighed, her figure was busty and curvy like Erza, and she was about her height too. She donned a form fitting leather armor with various straps and belts, along with a short cape over her shoulder. On her back she carried a masterfully crafted longbow with a quiver filled with arrows. Her hair was long and wavy; a rich blonde color with a bang covering one eye, the visible eye was a deep blue color. "Always getting into trouble"

"You're gonna give Master Solaris a heart attack one of these days" The final member of their group said. A young man with spiky black hair combed back, his eyes were a deep brown, and his facial features was neither delicate nor too rugged, in short he was a handsome one, the king of guy who could be the singer of a boys band. He wore a dark blue shirt underneath an asymmetrical armor. Large silver plates over his left arm but left his right arm bare, showing the tribalistic sun symbol of the Sun Reavers on his forearm. Both his hands had fingerless gloves. His baggy pants were tucked into bandages under silver metal plates protecting his shins. On his shoulders he had a pair of metallic shoulder pads lined with fur around his neck.

"T-T-These are my friends..." The electrified Lava Slayer rasps to the Fairies.

Bishop made a throaty noise; "The redhead is Eliza, the blond archer is Kara. Lastly, the pretty boy is named Jake."

Said pretty boy feels his eye twitch; "Weren't you supposed to 'watch' her Bishop?"

"I have been, I watched as she ran away before I could stop her." The tabby jabs a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the Fairy crew. "And met these interesting weirdos along the way,"

"Brilliant analogy," the Kyuubi snorts making Naruto mentally roll his eyes.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki," the blond Sennin gestures to himself; "This is-"

"Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster," Eliza interrupts and speaking dryly; "Heard of you four." She eyes Claire and Lucy; "no idea who you two are."

The buxom blond slumps while the elf grins; "And I can live with that."

Scratching the back of his head, Jake sheepishly says. "We apologize for whatever this musclebound idiot put you through"

"Hey..."

Naruto waves him off. "Nah, don't worry about. We have a village idiot of our own"

"Yep" Natsu agrees as he crossed his arms. "Gray can be a pain"

"HE'S TALKING ABOUT YOU, IDIOT!" The ice mage snaps a vein throbbing on his forehead.

However before both Natsu and Gray could start arguing, both were smacked in the head by Erza and sent to the ground; "Behave."

"Yes ma'am..."

Grabbing Atenea's ankle Eliza began dragging the amazon away; "Thanks for keeping an eye on this idiot," she dryly mutters walking away.

Both Kara and Jake sigh; "Eliza's not one for small talk," the blond archer speaks, smiling thankfully at the Fairy crew. "Thanks for looking after our friend, she can be a handful sometimes"

Jake eyes the dark mages with their hands bound; "Well, looks like you people took care of the job. The rewards should be yours."

"We're good," Naruto shakes the man's hands; "Atenea helped us, so it's fair you share the reward too"

Kara sheepishly chuckles. "Well, we could use it to pay for the damages she causes"

That made Lucy spoke up; "Feel I should warn you people" She dryly points at Natsu. "THIS one" She drones. "Is a male version of THAT one" The Celestial Mage then points at the Lava Slayer who was currently being dragged away?

The look on Jake's face was pretty much the same horrified expression they made when they had realized Atenea was so similar to Natsu in terms of personality. Kara looked like she was about to faint.

"Oh gods no..." He whispers with dread.

"...I wish I could unhear that" The archer mournfully states before leaving, walking with a dark cloud over her head.

The Fairies and Reavers made their goodbyes, the former going to leave the alchemists over a nearby posts of Rune Knights, while the former made their way out of the forest towards the train station.

"Hopefully Atenea doesn't blow it up…" Gray muttered, with someone like Natsu with the Reavers, destruction was a certainty.

"I just hope the guild wasn't destroyed while we were gone," Lucy sighs.

"Cheer up guys" Naruto tries to remain positive. "We kicked ass and met interesting people, this was a good day. 'Sides, Natsu and Gray were with us all this time, so the guild will be fine"