Eye of the Black Dragon

The Dragon Returns

"Hey, Lisanna?" Lucy asked as she leaned over the table. It was the day after she joined Fairy Tail, and she was still trying to make sure she had a firm foothold in the guild.

"What''s up?" Lisanna answered as she looked up from the table she was polishing. Happy was sitting next to her, munching on a fish.

"Why is everyone so wary of Natsu?" Lucy inquired. Lisanna paused her polishing and sighed, before setting the rag on the counter.

"Its a long story," she said.

"I don't have any given assignment yet, so I've got the time," Lucy responded.

"Alright then," Lisanna said," I suppose I'll try to sum it up as best I can, as quick as I can. As the Master told you, Natsu was basically forced to join the guild."

"Forcing someone to join Fairy Tail?" Lucy echoed, cocking her head," That doesn't make a lot of sense."

"That's what I thought at the time too," Lisanna agreed," I guess the idea was Natsu was supposed to be exposed to people more, so he became less anti-social."

"Doesn't seem like it worked," Lucy noted.

"You'd be surprised," Lisanna said, shaking her head," I think Natsu has made some progress since he joined." Unless Lucy was just being paranoid, and hearing things, it sounded like Lisanna was trying to convince herself about that.

"Well, I understand that much, but what I don't understand is people apparently being afraid of him," Lucy continued. The white-haired girl cringed.

"That is where the story gets rather dark," she said," Let's just say that Erza and Gray both ended up confronting him. Natsu beat them both with ease. He crushed Erza's armor like it was made out of tissue paper, and nearly left her with a few broken ribs." A shiver went down Lucy's spine. From what she got from watching Erza so far, she seemed to be the scary one. For a woman like that to be afraid of Natsu....

"Gives me chills," Lucy said.

"Natsu gives everyone chills," Lisanna said," That's another reason why a lot of people are afraid of him. He gives off this really sinister aura. Its almost..."

"Evil?" Lucy asked. Lisanna only nodded, averting her eyes. Natsu never struck her as being "evil", in fact, she didn't even think he was a bad person. Sure he was anti-social, but that was just about it. But for people in Natsu's own guild to think that he might be evil... it made Lucy shiver again.

"Has Natsu beaten anybody else since he joined?" she asked.

"Well, he's manage to defeat Laxus, and Mystogan," Happy said as he put down his fish.

"Plus Mirajane," Lisanna added, as she continued to wipe down the counter," The only two he's never manage to defeat are the Master himself, and Gildarts, although Laxus and Mystogan have managed to give him a good run for his money in the past, and Laxus actually beat him once, though only that time. Erza also occasionally challenges him, but he keeps beating her. That is, assuming that Natsu decides to take her up on her challenge, which he doesn't always do. Gray has also tried his luck against Natsu, but he never succeeds."

"Natsu sounds unbeatable," Lucy said. Happy stopped eating for a brief moment. Lisanna sighed.

"Well, maybe he is," she responded.

"Natsu can't be unbeatable!" Gray's voice suddenly interjected. The two girls looked over, and saw Gray standing there, with a visibly frustrated look.

"He's got to have a weakness," he insisted," There must be a way to beat him!"

"Gray's right!" Erza said as she walked up, clenching a fist," No one is completely invincible, and there has to be someway he can be taken down!"