Demon Departure - Phoenix Dragneel

Pink to white

Unaware of his surroundings, Natsu lay barely conscious on the stone tiled floor, Jellal and Pazuru stood in the shadows watching his power vanish from his body. "Not much time left now, fire boy. Almost every last drop of your magic has been removed and placed into my magic cylinder, where it will be used to create the worlds most powerful weapon!" Shouted Pazuru, lifting up Natsu's chin and then chucking him back down.

"You-you'll never get a-away with..." Stuttered Natsu a violent cough erupting from his throat as his magic continued to defuse from his bloodstream. Jellal laughed maniacally, grasping Natsu's throat, "FOOL! You have no magic left, what are you going to do? Pazuru switch the button up a notch and it will begin to drain his life force as well!" He smirked spitting in Natsu's face. Though the pain was unbearable, Natsu had no strength to cry out, a choked sob strangling his throat.

Gray's POV

Phoenix walked with me, hand in hand, as we tried to locate Natsu, our anxiety rising as the time ticked on. The silence was haunting, nothing could be heard but our footsteps. Then, we heard the smallest coughing noise from the end of the corridor. "Phoenix did you hear that? I think it might be Natsu!" I nudged her as we ran towards the door that hid a tragedy. Slamming the door open, a black ink encased the room and two masked figures stepped towards us. "Ah I see the little bastards friends have arrived. Time to have some fun!" Screamed the smallest figure while clearing the black ink from the air.

There, stood none other than Jellal Fernandez and Pazuru Akuma, the dark wizards that previously kidnapped Phoenix. "You guys again! What the fuck do you want with our guild this time? Where's Natsu, I swear to god if you've laid a finger on him I won't stop myself from killing you!" I screamed my whole body wracking with anger. "Natsu? Oh you mean him, he's no use to you anymore so just leave him with us." Jellal smirked shifting over so we could get a clear view of Natsu. What I saw made me want to vomit!

Erza POV

Although we had split up, I could hear everything that was being said at the opposite end of the building. "Happy fly ahead and make sure we are clear to go help Gray and Phoenix!" I barked sending Happy flying ahead. Moments later, he came back his wing slightly bent, a stumble in his flight. "What happened? Are you okay?" I asked mending his wing instantly. "There is trouble ahead, 3 wizards are guarding the main entrance to the hall and they're really powerful! Erza we need to find a way to defeat them!" Happy cried both from hurt and worry for his best friend.

Third person POV

Meanwhile, Pazuru and Jellal had stepped aside to show Natsu to his guildmates, his lifeless body sprawled on the floor. His once flaming pink hair had turned completely white and his whole body trembled. "Natsu, Natsu please wake up! You can't leave me now. Natsu plea..." Phoenix cried holding Natsu's face in her hands. "Ph-Phoenix I'm so sorry. Gray keep her safe for me." Natsu coughed his eyes fluttering closed as he let out a shaky last breath.

While Phoenix cried and held her brother close to her, Gray could do nothing his body once again paralysed with fear but anger was slowly taking over. His best friend had been killed by these monsters and he could no longer hold back his anger. "You bastards I'll fucking kill you! Phoenix take Natsu somewhere safe, try and get back to the guild. I'll catch up with you later!" Gray growled kissing her softly on the forehead before turning back to the dark wizards. "Gray don't do this please. I can't have you being killed as well!" Phoenix cried clutching onto his shoulder but Gray just pushed her off his eyes piercing through Jellal's head.

Jellal's POV

Phoenix ran off carrying Natsu in her arms but Gray stood his ground staring down the bastards that stole his friends life. "Come on ice princess what are you going to do? Kill me? Unlikely, we'll just do to you what we did to Natsu!" I smirked nudging Pazuru to send a spell towards the aggravated Mage. "Ice make lance!" He screamed firing a 10 foot ice lance towards the two of us. I quickly dodged it and Pazuru was able to fire a puzzling spell straight back.

Gray hadn't noticed that I'd sneaked off behind a pillar, leaving Pazuru to deal with the hardest part of the battle. With anger, Gray was firing spell after spell at the dark wizard using up masses of magic power. His power slowly weakening, I saw this as a chance and shot a spell right towards his body. Unaware of my location, he didn't see it coming and was knocked back by the force of the spell, his stomach bleeding profusely.  "Poor little boy, you couldn't even leave a mark on us never mind kill us." I laughed pressing down on his wound as he gasped in pain.

Gray's POV

Pain surged through my veins as blood left my body at an alarming rate. Suddenly, a scream echoed through the doorway and Phoenix appeared still holding Natsu. "That's fucking it! You've killed the only family I had left and now your trying to kill the one I love, I don't fucking think so!" Seethed Phoenix her hair suddenly turning icy white, eyes burning with black magic. Inky infusions coated the walls and floor before slithering towards Pazuru and Jellal. Phoenix had managed to conjure up some remaining ankhseram magic, the infusions strangling the monsters. Both Pazuru and Jellal dropped to the floor, their eyes glazed over like a porcelain doll. The once shy, innocent girl I knew had become a powerful wizard able to murder people who hurt her family and friends.

"Gray can you walk? Actually that's a stupid question jump on my back we need to find Happy and Erza to get you guys back home." Phoenix babbled her eyes travelling down to my bleeding wound. We eventually found Erza and Happy, their mood from their earlier won battle instantly vanishing when they saw us three. "Phoenix please tell me Natsu is okay.  Tell me you saved him in time, and we can all go back to normal." Erza cried shocked by her close friends appearance. "Phoenix please please tell me...TELL ME HE'S NOT FUCKING DEAD!" She screamed her figure crashing to the ground while Happy just stared at Natsu's lifeless body.

Although Erza was the one crumpled on the floor sobbing, I felt worse for Phoenix. She had watched her brother die and now she was carrying his lifeless body back to the only place they have ever known to be home. "Can we go home please. Gray needs his wound seeing to and... Natsu." Phoenix whispered her voice cracking as she said his name. Erza immediately got up, wiping her face and told me to get on her back so Phoenix didn't have to carry two people.

Phoenix's POV

It took us an hour to get back to the guildhall, but by then the darkness around us had set in. None of us spoke the entire way back, Erza shocked into silence and Happy tired from flying all day. Gray had fallen asleep on Erza's back and I couldn't bring myself to speak, every thought I had making a lump form in my throat and tears swell in my eyes. Erza pushed the main doors open and rushed in to find Master Makarov. "Take Gray to the infirmary Erza, I need to see Phoenix now." Master spoke appearing from the bar area. As his gaze landed on Natsu, his eyes widened and he directed me to follow him. We quietly entered the room and still silent, he pointed for me to lay Natsu down. "Phoenix tell me what happened, and I will go slaughter the people that did this to my child." Makarov soothed his eyes never meeting mine, only focused on Natsu's lifeless orbs. "There is no need master, I already saw to that before we left. Please tell me you can do something to help Natsu." She spoke emotionless holding onto her brothers hand, his grasp limp and unloving. All the Master could do was shake his head "Nothing can be done for him now child, he is gone. I will leave you alone with him for a while if you would like." I slowly nodded as I watched him shut the door on his way out.

I don't care anymore that we may not be related, because all I know is that Natsu has been the closest thing to family that I've ever had. Stroking my hand through his now white hair, memories flooded back to me of the days when we were all so carefree.

Flashback~

"Nix do you want to play with me and Gray today? We're going to the forest to play basketball." Natsu spoke a huge grin on his face. I smiled and nodded taking his hand in mine and meeting Gray in the forest where we stayed for 3 hours having fun.

"Natsu I'll never be able to do this, it's too hard! I'm such a failure." I frowned frustrated that I couldn't fully control my power yet. "Nix I believe in you just keep practicing and you'll be more powerful than me." He laughed ruffling my hair.

End of flashback~

Tears streamed down my face, as the memories flooded back to me. "Natsu please don't leave me, I can't do this alone. Your the strong one,the powerful one, the happy one, you can't leave me now. I-I can't do this without you your the only family I have left." I cried holding onto his limp figure. Hours passed and after crying for what seemed like forever, I eventually fell asleep holding Natsu's hand.