Alright! Its here.

I know, "what took you so long?"

Simple. Over the last few weeks, I have been in a car accident, replaced a phone, in a campus police office, two tests, and a metric fuck ton of other minor issues like finding another place to live.

Its been a rough ride.

But whatever, half of you, if that, probably dont even read the Black Bold print at the top, so who gives a fuck.

XX

Enjoy your chapter.

XXX

Cold…Natsu never knew the feeling. He had, since as far as he could remember, had a fire burning in his core, warming his blood and body. He had never had the occasion of shivering from a chill, or felt he need to place more clothing on his body for warmth…

But right now, it was unsettling. It was penetrating, leaking from his bones as a ghostly chill seemed to grip his lungs and chest, like a breeze, with raged breath and frosted touch. he shivered, before jerking, and blinking slowly, coughing lightly as a breath of air confronted his lungs far more fiercely than he remembered. Light flared as he squinted, rolling to the side trying to ignore the ice forming in his ribcage. He glanced around, feeling…the soft sheets of a bed?

He blinked, his vision becoming more focused, and his hand groped about for something to grab, sitting up. He scooted so he was up straight, and rubbed his throat in slight annoyance as it felt strangely tight…was he cursed?

"AH! Natsu!" a happy voice called, and suddenly a small projectile slammed into his stomach much to his sudden surprise. He lurched in reactionary shock, and near smashed the thing that hit him before he recognized the voice.

"…Happy" he said faintly, wheezing, much to his own further shock. What kind of curse was this? Surely Makarov must have a Dispeller somewhere…it's the number one guild in Fiore!

"Aye!" Happy giggled, flying about his head, "SO glad your awake! I get to eat Fish now! Ha ha!" he left with a cheer, and Natsu felt an eye roll slip beneath his closed eyelids as he heard Happy fly about the main hall, harassing some of the members that he was awake, and telling Mira a deal was a deal.

He rubbed his throat further, before he flexed his hand and rolled his neck.

Nothing.

He blinked in horror, trying again and again…oh no.

Natsu sprang out of the bed, fatigue and sluggishness gone as panic rode his heart into the ground. He tore apart the entire nursery, looking for anything, ANYTHING

He needed FIRE.

WHERE IS IT?!

Natsu smashed apart a dresser, throwing its contents all over the floor as he dug through the remains, and finally something.

Matches.

He tore the package into shreds from pure ferocity, and quickly grabbed three, nearly breaking them in half as he lit all three at once.

He quickly stuck one in his mouth, and inhaled, feeling the warmth absorb into him…and then dissolve. A sickening feeling lurched in his gut, and he doubled over, landing on all fours as he wretched.

Black fog poured out of his stomach, dripping from his fangs as his eyes clouded over with a colorless darkness. He hurled again, spilling it all over the floor as it drifted like a deadly plague. Natsu felt panic strike him again, and he immediately set about gathering the remains of the dresser he destroyed earlier, and scrapped it all together, before lighting another match, and dumping the rest onto the pile of wood.

And then lit it.

The fire almost smoked out, before it bloomed with light. The darkness seemed to match its power as it grew more violent, and Natsu coaxed the flames a little taller. Soon, it was a bonfire, leaking smoke out of the window, he fanned it more and more, he needed more! He couldn't let anyone see-

"Natsu! What are you DOING!?"

Shit.

Erza appeared from the door, glaring angrily, before it melted off her face in an instant seeing his unnatural facial expression.

Panic.

"Stay Back!" Natsu said as quickly and authoritavely as possible, "Don't touch the mist."

It wasn't mist, in fact the opposite, but they really didn't need to know that.

Not yet.

He needed to hurry.

He turned, seeing the flame reach as tall as his crouched form was, and he decided to harvest it. He inhaled, drawing the warmth within him, and it caught, burning, and growing. He hugged his gut as nausea rocked his balance, but held on. His hair started to smolder, and his hands smoked. His gritted teeth started to ooze steam, and his eyes lit ablaze. Fire started to pop around him, existing for seconds as it tried to manifest, and burn, but was fought time and time again by the black "mist".

"Mira! Stay back." Erza suddenly said, and Natsu squinted up, seeing yet another spectator join the party. He growled at how it was taking so long, but focused nonetheless.

Yes!

Fire suddenly overtook the darkness, overpowering it with Natsu's aid, and his own fire reawakened, surging up from its smothered blanket. He exploded into fire, lighting the whole room up as drapes and sheets combusted. Mira gaped at how her pride and joy suddenly started to blacken, but Erza held her firm behind her. Natsu had never shown such emotion before, it wasn't his usual nonchalance or rage, it was the opposite, horror, shock…fear.

What was this substance that had him so afraid for her?

Natsu stood, looking almost back to his normal self as the fire all around the room dripped off the draped, and raced to him, drawing in the black substance that blanketed the floor. It started to recede, following the floor, and Natsu knelt, holding a hand out as his flames gathered. The darkness pooled, and rose like a wave, grasping his outstretched hand, and he visible flinched and shivered as it slithered up his arm, and sank into his chest like a puddle evaporating from the summer sun. Natsu trembled slightly, before he brought his fists into a chamber, and combusted with much more force, burning so hot the tiles beneath him reddened, and the cot frames started to sink and sag as the metal lost its solid state.

Natsu breathed, before slowly turning down the flame as it died slowly. Soon enough, it completely dissipated, and he did something that caught the audience by surprise.

He belched, a puff of black "mist" puffing out, before he waved through it with his hand aflame, dispersing it into smoke and flame.

Natsu breathed, inhaling deeply, and flexed his neck, swallowing and rolling his neck again.

Yep, back to normal.

Natsu smiled, turning to the now larger crowd as nearly all of the guild members were crowded in the doorway, staring at him.

Or, rather, the burned facility.

At least they didn't see it.

He'll have to get Erza and Mira to swear secrecy on this matter, today preferably.

He glanced around, before looking at Mira as apologetically as he could muster.

"Sorry, I'll pay for it."

XXX

The repairs for the guild hall were going well. He was actually in a small temporary building near the build site, hence why so many people were around and gathered at the sudden smoke pyre that polluted the sky. The ground had been leveled, and construction of the stone walls was already underway. Materials were scattered about as they had apparently dropped everything to come see him, but the place was clearly functioning, and making headway.

After some small talk, and a rather romantically stylized bento that Erza snatched from Gray, but other than that, it seemed fairly easy.

Except he wasn't seeing a new face.

"Where is Lucy?" Natsu asked carefully, and the reactions from his recovery shifted into a more…somber one.

"She hasn't left her home, she's still on the mend. Apparently she was being held outside of the guild hall by the last of the Element four…she was roughed up pretty bad, but Gray managed to get her out."

"How is she?"

"She's healing." Erza said, nodding, "She sustained some damage, but not something time or magic cant heal within a week or two."

Natsu nodded, "I was afraid that she might have been inside the guildhall when I…entered. I did check before hand, but I had some lingering unease. If she is on the mend, that is all I can truly hope for. Perhaps I should make a visit to speed up her recovery."

"You're barely recovered yourself!" Gray growled, jabbing a finger at him, "Look man, heal, I'll be damned if I have to explain to Makarov why your passed out in an alley somewhere because your too stubborn!"

"Did I forget that I can heal myself too?"

Gray blinked, before his face glowed with embarrassment and he huffed, storming off to go lift something too heavy for him. Natsu laughed lightly at the display, but felt a little prickle in his heart at the gesture.

Natsu suddenly turned and headed out, earning questions from Erza.

"Even if you can heal yourself, you should take it easy. It's not too important is it?"

She was even respecting his privacy…what a change.

"It will…assist me in healing…I can show you if you want." Natsu said slowly…he really wasn't sure even if it was the best, but he knew that someone else knowing of this would assist him in the future. If she was family…then maybe.

Maybe she can set him free.

Erza looked surprised, before she smiled brightly, "I'm right behind you."

Natsu smiled, before he walked. He heard nearly the entire guild follow him, and he just smiled a little. Erza maybe…but everyone? No, it's too soon for that.

He reached back for Erza's hand, and she took it without hesitation, surprising him slightly. These people were really hitting him in the feels lately.

Smoke began to billow out of his heels, like a warm fog that force the observer's eyes to close. Erza herself found herself blinking rapidly, but she didn't dispel it. She must have figured Natsu had his reasons.

He did.

Soon, the guild was left behind, and they traveled quietly.

"Natsu…where are we going?"

"not terribly far…I had to grow them far away from human interaction…it would have been dangerous otherwise."

"What have you planted?"

"Lets just save the surprise for when we get there…just let me explain what they are before you get all jumpy ok? I need you to enforce your maximum use of self-control."

She gripped his hand tighter.

They walked for another time, before Natsu dug his heals in, as if putting out a fire in his boots, and the smoke stopped pouring out. It lifted, and Erza's eyes got a good look at her surroundings. It was a small log cabin, something she hadn't even seen before.

"Is this your…home?"

Natsu just tilted his head, "I wouldn't say that…more like a place to return too."

Erza seemed to understand that. A home is more than simply a place to return…it was where your heart could really settle down and rest.

Natsu released maintained his grip on her hand, and led her forward around the back. there, was a thin whispy fog that obscured everything past it. Natsu soldiered forward, his footing confident even if Erza's was not. They moved slowly, before Natsu finally let go of her hand, and held them infront of him as if measuring something. Smoke began to collect from all around him, into a ball the size of a small rock. He held it close, before simply pocketing it, and Erza looked past him to see what was before her.

Her eyes were suddenly lit with gold sparkles as her eyes feasted on what was before her.

Fruit.

Golden Fruit.

And there were two kinds.

Pears…and Strawberries.

Her eyes were glued to a particularly large one not to far away, a small sliver of drool appearing out of the corner of her mouth as she beheld its divine suppleness.

Natsu laughed at her expression, jarring her out of her fascination for a second.

"Careful Erza, these arent your regular fruits…these are something I need you to keep close for a time, and listen."

She tore her eyes away from the sight before her, and tried to focus on Natsu as best she could…it looked so tasty!

"These are Dragon Fruits." Natsu said, waving small hand forward. "The pear shaped fruits are the originals…the Berry shaped ones are my…experimental versions."

Erza was now much more wary of the fruit.

"Dragon fruit, to dragons, is much like the famed ambrosia. It's a food source that replenishes stamina, health, and allows you to gather Magic much more rapidly…it even serves as a boost in terms of vitality, regeneration, and can even function as a medicine for various diseases…this is as close to a Panacea as this world currently knows."

"…a Perfect Cure?" she breathed out in awe.

Natsu nodded. "I have told you that I am the Son of the Fire Dragon King…but my mother is someone who is arguably of even greater status."

Natsu waved a hand, and branches from the fruits suddenly wound up, forming chairs for the both of them to sit in. Erza looked a little nervous as to the weight of her armor, but she doubted that Natsu's plants were so weak. She sat down comfortably, and listed as he continued.

"She was the Dragon Priestess of Runes, the Forest Dragon Queen. Dragon Priestess's were regarded as equals to royalty, maybe even higher as even rival clans bowed their heads. All life came from the forests, to that end, Forest Dragons were peace keepers. Their abilities to heal, soothe, and even destroy, were regarded as a proud and natural art."

Natsu reached down, and plucked a small strawberry from a vine, and held it up to her. "It is the Forest Dragon's job to sustain these fruits…and it is the Dragon Priestess's main role to plant, and harvest these fruits. From seed to sapling to bud to fruit, they require great care. My mother's fruits were unique, coming in various forms and functions. She had effectively managed to breed, in specifics, what traits of these fruits she wanted. Her skills and prowess were unmatched by her predecessors."

Natsu span the fruit, looking at it sadly, "However, these fruits have always been the center of attention. Because of their abilities, everything alive desires them. Dragons, animals, monsters, demons…humans even. Every living creature cannot ignore these fruits."

Natsu stared at the fruit for a small time, before he leaned forward, and held it out for Erza to take.

Erza stared at it with trepidation, slowly reaching it, and touching it. It felt cool despite the environment, and on contact, she could feel the power it held.

"Its life and power is essentially measured by its storage of magic power, the place it grew in, and the original magic catalyst of the planter…me."

Erza couldn't take her eyes off the fruit.

"Simply put Erza, that fruit your holding in your hand is worth more than this continent." Natsu said flatly, leaning back as he watched her. "If you were to consume that right now, it would nearly double your magic supply, heal you, and immunize yourself of all possible disease and some poisons for a few weeks."

Erza was transfixed…it was so golden.

Natsu recognized her expression…and his eyes hardened slightly.

"I'm going to give you a choice Erza. You can take that fruit as a sign of good faith, on the condition that you do not breathe a word of this place to anyone or thing…or, you can replant it, right here, in this garden, and add your magic to this garden. If the garden accepts you, then you can come here whenever you wish, and help me support this small haven."

Natsu leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he examined her face. "What will you do?"

She was hardly able to respond…but she could still think. "What do you mean accept me?"

Natsu replied evenly, "I mean that the fruit you're holding will judge you. There is a reason only Forest Dragons could maintain them, and Dragon Priestess's could grow them. The magic power that they hold is immense, and for reasons I have yet to understand, it can choose its planters. If it accepts you, then you yourself will gain a crest like this."

Natsu held up his arm, and his Nature powered tattoos manifested, highlighting a symbol at the base of his wrist. "With this, the garden welcomes you…however, if it rejects you, it will consume your magic container. You will never use magic again, if you remain alive long enough to escape the forest."

Erza didn't seem to hear, just…mesmerized by the fruit she was holding.

"I can…grow something like this?"

"Maybe…are you ready to be judged?"

She didn't seem to hear.

Natsu's frown deepened. His original intent was to simply alert her to its existence here, but it was clear she was already taken by them. He had wanted for her to be able to take him here if he was ever critically injured, or trust her with a fruit for him should he ever not be able to protect everyone and win.

It would do no good if she ate the fruit before it reached him, or hoard the fruits for herself while he was away.

She needed the resolve to put it down.

He didn't mind sharing, but gluttony would kill her.

Whether by the forest or by Natsu himself.

Erza seemed to be weighing her thoughts, her eyes fighting against the golden gleam of the fruit she was holding, before she closed her eyes entirely, and leaned forward.

Handing the fruit back to him.

"You brought me here to test me." She said evenly, "And while I can't say I like being doubted…I can say you have valid reasons."

Natsu hid his mild surprise, and accepted the fruit, palming it.

"What will you decide?"

"Neither."

Natsu stopped. The fruit seeming suddenly warmer.

"Hmm?"

…had she come to some sort of conclusion?

Interesting!

"Both of those options allow for greed to be born. A risk for a greater trove or a single treasure. Neither of which are worth your trust in me, Natsu. Do not take me for a traitor." She said with a powerful stare, "You came here to heal right? If it is a cure, than eat it yourself."

Natsu held her stare for a moment, and eventually smiled.

A large smile, teeth and all.

He popped the whole fruit in his mouth, and his form shivered at the taste. It was, contrary to its looks, really fucking sour and bitter.

Not that he let it show on his face. His mothers were delicious, and he too would get there…one day. He didn't inherit her crest for nothing!

His body suddenly glowed with a faint gold hue, and Erza watched in amazement as his posture straightened, his eyes sharpened, and his skin cleared. His pale demeanor vanished, and his spirits were definitely increased.

Natsu's smile never left his face. He extended his hand down, and two more fruits grew up and landed in his palm, allowing them to be harvested. He held them up to his eye, before holding them out to her.

"I want you to carry these on you at all times. In a safe place that nobody will think to search, or reach even in death. One if for you, to save you if you ever cannot recover. The second is for me. If I ever fall, if I ever can't take the world on, then give me one, and run."

"What if someone else is injured?"

Natsu looked perplexed. "That is something you already know the consequence too."

She looked down, "they will wonder what that fruit was."

Natsu nodded, "If it remains nameless, we can live, but it will never be the end for you. The moment you do, the entire world will want to know what you did, what you used, and where you found it. Magic cannot replicate a full restore without a drawback to the administer of the remedy. If you are prepared to face that, then let me know after its done, and I will find you a replacement fruit when another is available. I can't rush the growth of these fruits. Use them sparingly, and only in dire need."

Erza nodded, finally accepting the two fruits, and placing them in her dimension.

Natsu pulled out the pellet he compressed early, and he crushed it in a single hand. Smoke exploded out like an eruption, before it returned to saturating the entire interior of the area.

It served a greater purpose of simply hiding this place.

Natsu grabbed Erza's shoulder, and smiled as he suddenly started disintegrating, ERza along with him.

"Let's head back shall we?"

XXX

So yeah, there you go. Figured out where I wanted to go. Wont be posting soon though, working on a private story thats closing in on 80,000 words. excited about it honestly. Let me know if you guys want to help me deveop my ideas more, i dont want to work retail all my life. Take care friends.

Peace.