E.N.D

Chapter 2: Gray VS. Natsu

"Natsu, stand down. We don't need to fight. Just come home with me." Gray shouted down at his opponent, to which he got a small reply:

"NEVER!" Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs, and jumped forward into the air, using fire at his feet to boost himself up towards where the Ice Devil slayer flew.

Gray easily dodged out of the way, causing Natsu to fly past, and come crashing down into the earth.

Gray remembered what Erza had said to him, before she died: Gray, you need to defeat Natsu. No matter the cost. If he doesn't stop peacefully, do not hesitate to kill him. We are all counting on you. I trust you will win.

Now that Gray was face to face with this monster, he wasn't so sure he could do it. But he had to, for his guild members were counting on him. So many had already died thanks to his former comrade, Erza, Elfman, Macau, and so many more. He almost killed Juvia. She might not live through this because of what Natsu did to her.
No, I need to stop dwelling on all the bad things that have happened, and started making good things.

Gray dived down towards Natsu, his fist covered in ice, ready to hit the demon. But he moved out of the way at the last second, causing Gray to instead fly into the ground at a speed that would normally kill a person.

Gray lay a foot under the rubble, he shook with pain. Get up. A disembodied voice called to him through the darkness blurring his vision. It was Natsu. Or, at least, the old Natsu. Seriously, Gray? You're gonna give up so easily? Natsu scoffed at him I... I wasn't gonna give up. Gray retorted, slightly offended at how quickly his own conscious doubted himself. Then get up. And face the challenge in front of you. Gray nodded from underneath the earth, feeling slightly re energized.

"Haha! You are as pathetic as Lucy!" Natsu laughed at the pile of rock that covered Gray's body.

"Who said I was finished?" Gray shouted at the top of his lungs, his hands popped out of the rubble like an undead zombie from its grave. He pulled himself up, and out of the rock pile, a dusty Happy clinging onto his back.

"Happy, you okay?" Gray asked the normally optimistic cat.

"Aye, sir." Happy replied, the poor exceed had already gone through much more than simply hitting the ground hard. He spread his wings, and shot up into the sky like a flash of lightning.

They were at a safe enough height that Natsu couldn't see or smell them, getting ready for their next attack. If they messed up again, neither would survive.

"Carla." Happy mumbled.

"What about Carla?" Gray asked the winged creature.

"I smell her. There!" Happy pointed down to a pile of dust, a white cat ear poking out, twitching slightly.

"Oh! I forgot about you, she- cat!" Natsu screeched in Carla's direction, causing the cat's eyes to enlarge and trembling with fear.