The answer to the riddle:

All the people on the boat are married.


On the way to the island

Gray, Lucy and Happy aboard the sailor's boat and continues their journey to Galuna Island. The girl apologised to Gray for her behaviour at the harbour. While the team was relishing under the blue sky and the white clouds roaming in it.

The ice mage suddenly asked the boatman, "Why did you changed your mind earlier? about taking us there?"

The boatman starts speaking for the first time and answers, "My name is Bobo."

"I once used to live on that cursed island, before, I escaped." He grievously told them and continued, "Tragedy befalls those who visit Galuna Island. That's the curse of Galuna." he said in a grim tone.

"Do you want to know what is the curse that makes that place scary?" all three others swayed their heads in disapproval.

The man shows them the effects of the curse by revealing his left arm which resembles the arm that of a demon.

"Oh my..." Lucy covers her mouth, shocked.

Gray's eyes were wide from surprise along with Happy.

As they look at his demonic arm in shock, Bobo pointed in a certain direction, "That is the... Galuna Island."

Black thundering clouds encompassing a particular region were seen.

In the middle, there, stood the Galuna Island.

They all looked at the island, meanwhile, when Lucy turned to ask the boatman something, just to find that he has... disappeared, leaving her terrified.

"Was he a g-ghost or something?" she murmured, she swore she could hear laughter from somewhere. For unknown reasons, Gray was trying to stabilize the boat quickly and yelled "Look!"

"Lucy, we're in great trouble! LOOK!" Happy pointed in front, bringing the celestial sprite mage out of her stupor.

She saw a giant wave that washes them away.


A figure emerged from the water on the shore of Galuna Island, completely dry. Since he obviously knew some sort of Water magic. The emerging figure smirked slightly. Recalling the 'Ghost' incident back in the waters. He knew that those mages were engulfed in that whirlpool he passed earlier.

Suddenly, the air smelled of roses, precisely like a rose perfume. The figure heard light footsteps, indicating that it was a light weighted human and that too, a girl.

He tried to hide behind a tree but the nearest tree bound him with its branches. How...? unless it's someone's doing...

"Who's there? I have seen you and grabbed you with my 'Love~'." came a really creepy threat, in the figure's opinion however he remained impassive.

The girl came into view and the most striking highlight was her pink, hot pink hairs in a pigtail, wearing gothic lolita clothes.

She held a solemn expression, however, that changed when she saw her prisoner. His face was scarily stoic. The most noticeable feature was the white scar on the left side of his face and the eyes... She shuddered. Those yellow pupils including the black iris reminded her of a snake. He looked like a teenager...19 probably.

Yes, it is our protagonist Natsu.

Natsu had enough of this girl's staring, he casually breaks the wooden grasps...for him it was natural as breathing.

The girl screamed, "Aahhhhh! you destroyed my lovely creation."

Natsu covered his ears and glared at her, she instantly shuts up. "Now girl, tell me your name." he demands her still glaring at her.

"Sh-Sherry Blendy." Sherry shuttered.

Natsu kept quiet, not knowing what to do. He usually just march into a situation without a care in the world.

"Why are you here? I know you're from outside by your scent." he asked her with a straight look.

Before she could reply, a giant monster tried to jump on Natsu. Thank his senses, he leapt back before time and that thing flattened Sherry anime-style.

Now that he got a good look at the thing, he was dumbfounded and the only thing indicated it was the widening of his eyes. There was a freaking giant ... RAT!? that to wearing a maid outfit! Natsu smirked, Who knew things like these could exist!

Before Sherry could wake up he murmured, "Celestial gateway," and disappeared in a golden shimmer.


The evening sunlight was shining upon them. The wind blowing taking some sand with it. Lucy shivered, opening her eyes slowly to see if it was heaven. All she saw was the eyes of a concerned Happy munching a fish, sitting on her face. "Kiiiyaaa." she shrieked hoarsely, scaring Happy and some nearby seagulls.

"Wha- whad d fell!" {What the hell!} Gray yelled groggily and came into a seated position and instantly went into a coughing fit, hurling water from his mouth.

Lucy sneezed, water came out of her nose, her lungs felt heavy to her, "Why did you do that Happy?" she asked, annoyed. Her heart was still beating faster from that scare.

"I- I thought you and Gray died, I was trying to wake you up." Happy said looking down, on the verge of tears. He took out a fish from his green bag and again started munching it.

Lucy coughed some more water and turned toward Gray, only to turn red.

Gray had lost his pants somehow, the only garment he wore on the boat. She quickly summoned Virgo and asked her to look for Gray's pants. It was nightfall before Virgo found it floating in the water, wet.


"You know Lucy, if we complete this quest then master has to acknowledge our work. We might even get a chance to become an S - class mage!" Gray hoped and walked on.

"Yeah, but first we have to find the village that requested our help." Lucy reminded him.

"Gray, Lucy there is a gate up ahead!" Happy informs them and true to his word they found a worn-out path and arrived in front of a wooden gate. 'NO ENTRY' and 'DO NOT ENTER' signs were seen hanging at the gate.

"Looks like this is it." Gray said. Lucy just hummed in response.

"Open the gate! We are mages from the Fairy Tail guild!" the ice mage shouted.

"Who are you, go away" a man barks coming into view. "This area is off limits, go away and don't waste your time here." another man yelled while coming on the watchtower. Both of them were covering their bodies with a cloak.

"We're mages from Fairy Tail guild, we are here to help you," Lucy told them. Both of the men were in an intense discussion before one of them asking, "Show us your guild mark."

Gray shows his right pectoral proudly, the dark blue Fairy Tail mark. Happy takes off his green bag, exposing his back where his guild mark is located. Lucy presents the back of her hand proudly, leaving those men speechless. "Yeah their really here to help us!" one of them yelled happily.

Gates were opened for them.

The team was greeted by the villagers who were wearing robes to cover themselves.

The village Chief, Moka steps forward and explained, "To understand our curse better you need to see it first. Villagers, now!" The villagers remove their robes, showing that parts of their body are demon-like; similar to Bobo's arm. Lucy is shocked again while Gray, Happy looks horrified, for an entire village to be in such a state.

Moka recounts, "This plague started three years ago, when the moon turned purple," he said while gazing at the looming clouds, "and this, is a curse."

The Mages, not believing a word about the purple moon wanted to verify such a hypothesis.

The Fairy Tail mages were left speechless when the clouds cleared and the moon was admittedly purple. Once the moonlight shined on the villagers, their whole bodies started transforming to that of demons. They screamed in pain and agony, even the children were transformed.

Once the transformation was completed, the village Chief described, "It's the effect of the moon's Magic Power." He continued, " At dawn, we will return to our human forms, but there are those that are unfortunate and lose their minds." he said tears lining his eyes, "As they become a danger, we are left with no other choice but to kill theose people; since they could kill every other villager."

"I had to do the same to my own son, Bobo." and begin crying at his photo.

Lucy and Gray paled, both of them coming to the same conclusion that 'Bobo was a ghost.'

One villager pleaded, " Please break the curse of the moon for us."

"For that, you have to - destroy the moon!" the chief informs them gravely.

"What!?"


Natsu was roaming the island, full-on alert. Spreading all his senses over the island. After hearing the problem of the villagers, he already knew what the problem was.

This island reeked of a magical substance, although, he doesn't seem to remember its name.

To say the least, Natsu loves his own company. Years of living alone in hardship have taught him one thing, to love yourself and your own company... It is difficult for him to show emotions when around people.

He can smell that stinky rat from earlier and hears some talking...and sobbing, from a small clearing at a distance.

"Stop crying Sherry!, oooon." the male voice howled. Natsu raised an eyebrow. He really needs to see what's going on here.

He used the 'celestial gate' again and teleported near them, hiding on a tree.

"Stop that howling Toby! Now, Sherry tell me what the intruder looked like?" he asked to the sobbing form of Sherry. Her mascara was smeared all over her flushed face.

"He doesn't know the true meaning of 'love' ~" She yelled in frustration and continued wiping her tears, "How can someone be so cruel and heartless!" she said, her voice coming out hoarse.

The other blue-haired mage sweat-dropped.

Natsu blinked twice, 'that's a first' he has met with several beings but not a single one had bushy eyebrows.

The other man, Toby was also weird. He had a pair of canine ears sitting on his head and a dog-like mouth. The man was bare-chested, wearing blue pants.

"What will my Cold Emperor think of me, he won't love me anymore!" Sherry exclaimed in horror. They bicker like that for some time until Toby says, "It is time for the ceremony, come on Yuka hurry!"

"Yeah" Yuka dismisses him and looks at Sherry expectedly.

Sherry wipes her tears and nods at him, "Angelica!" she called in her hoarse high pitch voice. That maid pet rat comes to her aid, Natsu made a face, stinky~

"O' great warrior of Love, Angelica please let us ride on your beautiful back and take me to my Cold Emperor, my Love~" Sherry askes her pet. A vein popped on Natsu's head this girl has some serious problem.

Yuka shook his head, "Can you do that somewhere else!? we have to reach the ceremonial site"

"LEts's Go!" Toby angrily shouted at Sherry, breaking her dramatic trance.

The three mages hop onto Angelica's back and the mouse started to fly using its tail like a propeller. Natsu's lips twitched, he always gets to see new things every time he scours the world. Sighing he followed them by hearing the rat's tail.

He passed the village at some point in time and heard the girl, Lucy was her name, scream at that blue cat, " Happy! close the window! the village chief told us not to look at the moon, remember?"

"Aye, but you would look more beautiful if you become a demon Lucy." Happy told her in his not-so-innocent voice.

After hearing that, Natsu left that area and entered a trail. Upon taking it, he arrived in front of a Monument that had several red coloured crescent moons painted on the outside. Yet the only thing Natsu noticed was that smell...

He could hear chanting on the rooftop. But first, he chose to further investigate the building.

Entering the monument, he saw more moons painted. There was a sacred feeling about this place. Possibly this place is a temple...

"Yeah, it is a temple." He muttered eyeing the wall before him, some dialogues were inscribed in an old language, which Natsu could easily read. It read:

This is the sacred temple of the moon.
Built in honour of the moon.
The moon shall bring forward its sacred light to protect us all and pure the evil.

After his inspection inside the temple was completed, he went outside and could still hear the chantings. Upon ascending the stairs he saw it.

There, in the sky above were several purple magic circles lining up till it reached the moon.

Ah, "Now I remembered...the answer was moon drip all along." Natsu said inaudibly, hiding behind some boulder and broken pillars.

He saw some people wearing strange robes, covering them from head to toe doing the Moon Drip ceremony. It was being transported by a magic circle on the floor to somewhere else.

The moon drip can be used to dispel any magic. Particularly some very rare spells need to be dispelled by moon drip.

Natus pondered, what spell are these people trying to dispel? And if it will be something wrong then he can easily stop them.

Shrugging lightly, he walked away silently thinking what he will do the whole night.


After being informed regarding the curse of Galuna Island and the villager's initial need to destroy the moon. Gray, Lucy and Happy after discussing their situation, took a rest in the village house. Despite Gray and Happy's enthusiasm, they soon come to the naive conclusion that destroying the moon is not possible and they must find another way to save the villagers.

They decided to explore the island the next day.


In the morning.

Lucy, Gray and Happy went outside the village to explore the island and look for an additional solution without destroying the moon.

While walking in the murky water Lucy cried in frustration, "urgh! this water is so dirtttyyy. There are so many insects and creepy things!" She was donning a rosy tube-top with a matching tank-top on it and a complementing cream coloured skirt that held her whip and celestial keys with her usual boots.

"Just shut up," Gray said, tired from her complaints. Thank heavens he was wearing something. He was dressed in a black button-down shirt and his normal black pants.

"I don't have to worry because I ...can...fly" Happy tried to tease her but stopped after seeing the thing in front of him.

They are ambushed by a giant shadow, watching them with its hungry and shiny eyes. The mages ceased their talking.

The shadow cleared and saw a monstrous rat wearing a maid uniform.

They are shocked down to the core. "EEEEEEPP" Lucy screeched.

The mouse started walking toward them. It opened its mouth, anticipating an attack Lucy quickly summoned "Open gate of the clock constellation: Horologium!" she and Happy got inside her silver celestial sprite, to protect themselves from the attack leaving Gray to suffer.

The rat releases a horrible odour. So horrible, that Gray almost lost his sense of smell and himself to unconsciousness.

Lucy ordered her sprite to run followed by a freaked out Gray.

"What is that thing!?" he yelled, eyes wide with shock, never had he ever confronted a giant rat and that too wearing a maid outfit! plus that horrible smell he had to witness. He still had not gained back his sense of smell.

"Just defeat that thing Gray, yells the gracious Lady." Holorogium told Gray in his indifferent voice.

After running for a while, the team was panting and was becoming tired with each moment passing. The mouse does not seem to go or stop.

They had to fight it somehow, Gray got an idea. He produced an ice floor by applying Ice-Make: Floor. Which makes the mouse slip and it falls off, unconscious.

After the rat goes unconscious, Lucy's sprite returns to the sprite world and she breaths in relief.

Seeing an ancient temple ahead. "Hey Gray, Happy let's go inside for safety! while we have the chance." Lucy said, relieved to find a shelter for safety.

"We should kick its butt while we have the chance!" Gray yelled with white angry eyes, anime-style while kicking and punching the stinky rat. Happy was also contributing by hitting the thing with a raw fish.

The Mages began to explore the building after some time.

"Every wall has paintings of the moon." he said trying to figure out their meaning.

"Yeah, Island of the moon, the curse of the moon and I believe this place is the temple of the moon." Lucy stated.

Without thinking Lucy stepped on something, something like a disguised button on the floor. Which opened a secret perpendicular tunnel. "AHhhhhh!"

The team of fairy tail ended up falling below and fell on the floor with a humph.

"OOwww!" All of them cried in harmony.

Gray's head was lying in between the valley on Lucy's chest, "Holy! they are huge Lucy."

She stared at him awkwardly then kicked him in the balls. He howled in pain, holding his crochet.

Lucy got up and smirked, "That's what you get for harassing me."

She inspected her surroundings and realised that they are in an underground cave. Up ahead she saw light, blue to be exact. "Looks like there is something..." she ran toward the opening, only to be so shocked to the point where her mouth hung open.

"What is it, Lucy?" asked Gray, coming into the cavern and losing his shirt anyhow. He could still feel stinging in his crochet.

Gray stopped, legs trembling and mouth agape. A shiver of fear ran down his spine, this can't be...

"Gray your sweating." a concerned Happy said, coming from behind only to stare at the huge frozen monster encased in ice.

Lucy turned toward him, to see that her friend was indeed sweating and held a terrified expression. "What happened Gray?" she asked quietly, worried for him.

"This...this can't be. I-I don't understand why is it here!?" moving backwards slightly Gray cried in bewilderment. Lucy tried to ask him what happened but he didn't acknowledge...as if he is in a daze.

Gray was seeing flashes of his boyhood memories. A happy and lively snowy town...A roar...a woman with short hairs...'You can do it G-'

"-Gray! Gray!" he heard Lucy and Happy's voice.

Slap! Smack!

Gray blinked out of his stupor. Rubbing his cheek where he had been slapped and smacked by Happy's raw fish. His legs were still trembling as he got up.

"What was that?" the celestial mage asked, feeling guilty for slapping him.

Gray stared at both his friends and started quietly, "This demon is called Deliora The Demon of destruction." Lucy and Happy nodded.

He continued angrily and frustrated, "But this demon shouldn't be here- couldn't be here. I don't understand how is it possible!?"

They heard some footsteps coming toward the caverns.

The teams quickly hide behind some boulders from whoever is coming.

"I'm sure I heard voices coming from this area, don't you agree Toby?" said a smirking short man whose blue-hairs were slick straight, he was a mage as Lucy and Gray could quickly sense his magic power. The blue-haired wizard came out of the shadows, she and Gray could barely keep their eyes from widening. This man had Xtra-black, freaking huge eyebrows! he was holding both his hands behind.

"OOonnnn! yes, I think that tooo." said another tall man, Toby. The most unusual characteristic was his canine ears.

"Haha, what are those ears? are they a result of moon drip?" teased the short man.

"They ARE JUST DECORATIVES! talk sense Yuka!" shouts Toby angrily.

The two mysterious mages arrive in front of the imprisoned demon. Yuka hummed, "The cold emperor would be very happy with our progress, won't he Toby?" he held a smirk, looking toward his partner.

"Oonnnn, yes. Now Deliora would be free an-" Toby was interrupted by a new girly voice.

"Toby, Yuka." came a girl with hot pink hairs. The mages turn and she continues, "someone had hurt my 'love'~ Angelica." she said delicately closing her eyes.

"You mean that stupid rat?" Yuka asked rudely.

Lucy had to suppress a laugh.

She threatened, "DO not say that, she is a warrior of-"

"Yeah, we know warrior of love and all that...do you know who did that Sherry?" Yuka asked arrogantly, not interested in her trash talking.

"I think it is that reptile eyed intruder, the one I caught near the beach. He destroyed my creations! that I made." she shrieked in anger.

Yuka declares, " For having seen Deliora,"

"The intruders must be eliminated." Toby continues,

"And we also have to meet the Cold Emperor at the ceremony." finished Sherry, locking both her hands.

They heard some noises echo at the entrance of the cave. Yuka,

"Let us catch that intruder before the cold emperor knows about it!" and runs before the sound followed by Sherry and Toby.

Gray and Lucy come out after those three had left, however Happy suddenly flew into Gray, panting. He looked quite frightened, "What is it, buddy?" the ice mage asked him.

Happy quickly flies into Lucy and hugs her, crying. Whatever this feline saw had him terrified.

"I-I was going to distract those three mages by making noise from dropping a rock...bu-but I sa-saw something terrifying." Happy cried, Gray and Lucy looked at each other, "It was a set of yellow-reptilian eyes! sitting there in that dark tunnel, glaring at me. I thought it was a snake first. But i-it murmured something and rocks started coming out of the ground and started making noises I never heard a rock make! I was terrified." cried Happy into Lucy's tank top. She kept stroking his head until he fell asleep.

"Gray do you know something about this demon? like...this demon related to the cursed people on this island." Lucy asked him, silently praying for him not to go into that traumatic state again.

"I dunno...but I do know that this is the demon that wreaked havoc and destroyed my hometown, killed my family making me an orphan. But it was sealed away...by my teacher Ur, the one who taught me magic, into this ice prison. She gave up everything to seal away this demon, everything." Gray said clamping his teeth, keeping himself from shuttering and clenching, unclenching his knuckles.

"I won't let that cold emperor throw dirt on Ur's name!" snarled Gray, "If Deliora is revived, then it will be unstoppable." he mutters.

Lucy and a crying Happy hug him in comfort, "I just don't want that to happen again." tears lined Gray's eyes as he said this and holds them tightly.

"What do we do now? find that cold emperor and beat him?" Lucy asked him in an attempt to cheer him up.

"Yeah, we can do that!" Happy spoke.

"No, we will wait till nighttime, I think Deliora is linked to the curse of the moon somehow." Gray informed voiced his plans.

They all agreed.

Without them noticing, the Pinkett left the cave.


Natsu just left the cave, he knew he had to after scaring that Blue cat. 'That ice mage...' he thought, must have gone through a trauma, the woman he was talking about, Ur. She imprisoned the demon Deliora inside that ice, he knew that spell.

Natsu knew what spell she used to seal the demon. Back then this spell was heavily used by ice mages trying to defeat dragons. Its impact was true to its words, massive.

However due to exhaustion of magic or no control over this spell mages easily lost their lives. The big catch was, that the seal's or prison's existence will always depend on the caster's willpower. More determination from the caster will result in a longer duration of the iced seal.

He could detect the icy smell of the woman who created the seal.

Natsu was impressed, from Gray's story Ur imprisoned Deliora the demon from the book of Zeref a decade ago. His eyes softened, how compassionate that woman must be. He should've met her.

Walking toward a fruit tree he spotted earlier for eating something. His lips twitched, thinking about his new nickname. Reptilian-eyes.

He detected a faint smell of perfume, not the rosy smell belonging to Sherry. Something different. The perfume reminded him of lavenders. But he saw no other woman, extending his senses on the entire island, he did not find anything suspicious. He did discover something of his interest to listen.

Changing the path, he took the one leading to the moon drip site. Sitting in the grooves, near the stairs leading up to the altar. He requiped a container of cookies that he purchased in Hargeon a day ago and started munching on them. Listening to the song of the celestial spirit, the blond had summoned.


Natsu woke up, to some commotion. Eyes wide, a look of astonishment was upon his face. 'didn't get any...of those...' he shook his head, not now.

He sighed soundlessly, he stretched a yawn a sign of his good sleep being interrupted and heard some yellings. He stretched again washing away that lethargic feeling. It was nighttime, he noticed and saw the moon drip ceremony going on, on the platform. Spreading his senses, he heard Gray bellow in bewilderment dashing toward the masked man, "I can't believe it's you, Lyon." followed by his Ice make: geysers.

Another, Ice make: shield was heard shattering Gray's maker magic.

"It's been a while, Gray, probably ten years." The cold emperor A.K.A Lyon taunted.

Gray was angry...no he was furious. How dare he...

"You all go and eliminate the villagers, they cannot be left alive." Lyon ordered the three mages from before.

They ran from there, Gray suggested, "Lucy I think you and Happy should go and stop those mages."

"I-I How can I fight them when you're also alone!" Lucy gulped, not wanting to fight three mages head-on.

"I will be fine, besides this is my fight." Gray smirks confidently.

"You can finish this drama after my hands are stained by your blood, Gray." said Lyon impassively.

"Lucy let's goooo!" Happy said picking up Lucy on the spot, surprising her.

As Lucy flew with Happy she saw an unknown figure climbing up the stairs toward the ceremony. Thinking it is another mage working for Lyon, she got worried for Gray.


Footsteps were heard in the tense environment between two childhood rivals. A yawn was heard, to emphasize that someone was bored or sleepy. Gray and Lyon looked in the direction of the stairs. Keeping an eye on each other, alarmed.

A Pinkett came into view. The things those two noticed that the new person was donning a white button-down shirt, black pants and strapped boots. On top of the shirt was a white cape with two silver feather decorations hanging from corners, held loosely by a red-stone ornamented tie.

The person had a white scar running on his face, several on his exposed hands and also held a dragon tattoo on his right hand.

He just went toward the boulder that Gray was hiding behind and sat. Both the ice mages were watching him intensely, asking the figure through the eyes, 'Who was he?'

The man held a calm expression, not affected by their glaring at all. Now, an irritated Lyon cleared his throat to get his attention. Nothing. The figure did not as move an inch. Staring at the two with those straight eyes. It unnerved them.

"Excuse me? who are you?" Gray asked uncomfortably after a minute of staring contest.

The scarred man hummed, "I'm Natsu."

The two again stared at him expecting an explanation for his unnamed presence. No explanation, nothing.

"Why are you here imbecile, I can sense you're a mage with very Low magic power." insulted an irritated Lyon.

Natsu snorted and smirked, "Don't say about things you don't know."

"As for me being here, don't bother. I just wanted to see some action in person, that's all," he told them calmly and requiped a packet of cookies. "Continue, please." he requested.

Gray's eyes widened, did this Pinkett just used Requip magic? It was very fast to see any flash of light, he was not sure it was Requip magic. Who is this guy, why was he here? Many questions appearing in Gray's mind. But he has to concentrate on this fight while keeping an eye on that Pinkett, Natsu was his name.

Ignoring Natsu's presence Gray dashes toward Lyon and kicked him, Lyon shattered into pieces. He turned around hearing his rival speak, "Your magic is not even near my level, Gray."

"Stop acting like you're my senior, you're not Ur's student anymore."

"Neither you are Gray," Lyon said before taking off his mask. "Since she isn't alive anymore." He said

Lyon was a pale blue-haired man with average height. His spiky hairs were jutting upwards. He had slanting eyes and sported a large white cape, with a wide collar and fur trimmings over the shoulders, held closed by belt and its corresponding buckle. Below this cape, Lyon wore a blue, high-collared tunic with golden edges.

"Lyon! why are you destroying Ur's seal!? for which she sacrificed her life!" screamed Gray. "It was her last act. How can you destroy it!"

"Now, now Gray we both know who killed Ur, don't play fool with your memory," Lyon said in a matter-of-fact tone and continued, "It was you! who killed her." he accused.

"Don't you dare speak her name from your mouth!" Lyon glared at his rival. He caught Gray with an unknown Ice make spell. But Gray did not even try to defend himself.

"If you're too ashamed to attack me, then get out of my way and let me revive Deliora." Lyon told him.

"I won't let you." responded Gray.

"Ice make: eagle" Several eagles made of ice flew toward Gray. He defended himself with Ice make: shield, however, the eagle flew past his shield and injured Gray.

"Have you already forgotten that my maker magic is more powerful, I can make animate objects whereas you can only make inanimate objects." Lyon smirked. Ice make: Eagle.

Gray escaped those eagles and was standing in front of Natsu, munching cookies. He sweat-dropped, what a fellow. Appearance-wise he looked 18 or 19 to Gray.

"urgh" an eagle hit him on the right arm.

Gray took his stance both hands in front of him. "You still use both hands for casting Ice-make magic?" Lyon asked him in mock surprise.

"That was what Ur taught us." Gray replied.

"I have long ago surpassed Ur. Now I can use only one hand to cast my Ice make magic." smirked Lyon.

"Maker magic cast with one hand is always imbalanced, Ur must have taught you that, hasn't she?" Natsu asked, his voice muffled by munching cookies.

"I have surpassed Ur so it doesn't matter now." Lyon stated and also added, "Don't you interrupt in between pinky."

"It's Natsu." Natsu said in a matter-of-fact tone, not at all affected by such titles.

"Why you!" Lyon exclaimed irritated followed by Ice make: snow dragon toward the Pinkett.

Blood splattered on Natsu's unfazed face. He looked in front to see Gray protecting him, the ice mage had a bloody gash at his waist.

"Don't attack the innocent who can't defend himself, It's my and your fight. So fight me!" Gray shouted at Lyon.

Natsu's eye twitched, innocent who can't defend himself.

These mages were severely taking him lightly. He sighed soundlessly and picked up Gray from the buckle of his belt and threw him toward Lyon. "Innocent, huh." he murmured and sat back.

Both of the ice mages collided and Lyon was knocked unconscious.

Now Gray was angry, first, he had to help this jerk and get injured then getting thrown like a ragdoll was just insulting to him.

He gazed at the unconscious Lyon from the corner of his eyes, he should deal with the Pinkett first. Taking his stand he chose Ice make: Hammer to begin with.

Natsu slashed the ice hammer above him with magic coated hands. Gray stood there agape, "Is that all you've got Gray?" Natsu him a stare, looking uninterested. It made Gray's blood boil, he tried again. This time with a powerful attack, Ice make: cannon.

The released ice cannonball was inches away when Natsu's right hand caught it and crushed it. What irritated the ice mage was the fact that the jerk was still sitting, he looked like he wasn't even trying and that annoyed Gray to no end.

Gray still had that wound from before, blood was still oozing out and he knew, he will lose his consciousness in a while. He again got into a stance and prepared for another spell.

"Don't let your emotions control you, Gray, it becomes easy to calculate your next move." Natsu advised him, not knowing what to talk about and added, "Use your emotions as strength and power, I know you can do it. If you do it."

Gray paused, was this for real! this guy was giving him battle strategies in between a fight!? if this was to be called a fight.

"Look out!" he heard the Pinkett yell, but it was too late. Gray was hit by Lyon's ice eagles straight on the stomach repeatedly. Leading to the formation of another injury. He fell unconscious, blood pouring out of his body quickly.

Natsu casually walked toward the fallen mage and crouched to take a look. He stretched another yawn, not at all an interesting fight.

"Now it's your turn to die pinky," Lyon said indifferently.

Seriously? is this guy on a killing spree? Kill the villagers, kill the mages, kill Gray, kill him, kill Deliora. Natsu wanted to facepalm, instead, he rolled his eyes and requiped a white bandage to stop the blood from leaking, ignoring Lyon. Irritating the arrogant ice mage further. "What. is. your. problem!?" he yelled and attacked with Ice make: Eagle.

Picking Gray upon his left shoulder and before disappearing in a shimmer of celestial light, the Pinkett told Lyon again,

"It's Natsu."


Hey readers!

How was the chapter? Well, Gray met Natsu in this chapter, how was it?

I won't tell a soul about my plot tho. You all have to wait and see how my story goes. I have tried to improve my writing skills and also I wrote a fight scene with Lyon above. That was rough man! really. This was an easy chapter, took me 4 days to complete.

[5, 800 words]

Riddle of the week:

What can't talk but reply when spoken to?

Thank you for your supporting reviews, it kind of encourages me to write my imagination for you people.

Peace~