The Second Salamander

54) Oh Brother

Natsu

I smiled proudly, scanning the crowd of mostly uninterested people. My face fell and I pouted, slumping my shoulders in dissapointment.

"Aww, c'mon guys!! Aren't you gonna ask me about how I beat them up?" I whined. As I looked over the sea of faces, I realized that a certain white haired mage was missing.

"I'm pretty sure no one needs to..." Grey started. I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

"Shut up! Someone's missing..." I murmured. My eyes shot straight to the bar, where a white rag and a cup were sitting dejected on the counter.

"Who?" Lucy whispered.

I was silent for a moment as I made sure that it was her that was gone. I nodded my head once.

"Mirajane!" The group gasped.

"What if she finds Ja-" I cut Lucy off with a flick of my hand as I heard a faint shout of surprise, coming from the second floor.

'Crap!'

"She did!!" I said as I rushed up the stairs. I turned down the hall and heard everyones footsteps behind me.

"Hey, Flame Brains! The cat's room is this way!" I ignored Grey's snarky comment and continued in the direction that I was going. I sniffed the air and followed Kameel's scent down the hall.

I made my way out a secret back way that led to dark room, which was weird since I helped build this Guild Hall. As I made my way down the stairs, I could hear muffled voices. I turned a corner into a lamp-lit area, and in front of me was Mirajane, Kameel and Jack.

Jack had a very confused look on his face, Kameel looked annoyed and frustrated, and Mira was happily scribling something in a sparkly notebook.

"Okay, so now I just have to think of a good name..." Mira said as she tapped her chin with her pink pen.

"Mira, jeez! Would you just stop this already?" Kameel groaned.

"What is she doing, anyway?" Jack asked.

"You don't wanna know." She whispered. "Mira, I helped you with NaLu! Shouldn't that automaticly disqualify me for your rediculous match-making? I mean, shouldn't the two people... I don't know... NOT know that you're the mastermind?"

"I think this kinda stuff is too lovey-dovey and sappy for my taste..." Ember huffed, crossing her arms. I smirked as Kameel nudged her with her foot.

"Knowing I'm the 'mastermind' doesn't protect you, Kameel!" Mira giggled. "Heck, some people even do the same thing to me!" She grinned, waving her hand in an amused and dismissive way. Then she looked intensly at the two of them. "Now I just need to come up with a name..."

'I seriously have no idea what's going on...'

'Trust me! It's better if you don't!'

I snorted, which blew my cover. All eyes snapped to me, and I gulped nervously.

"H-hi!" I stammered as I waved awkwardly.
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~ Time Skip ~ Twenty Minutes ~
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Jack

All eyes were on me as I was introduced.

"Everyone," Kameel sighed, her plan going up in smoke before her eyes, "this is Jack."

I knew everyone there. Everybody was familiar, like I had known them for years. But I hadn't. This was the first time I was meeting all of them, and yet I could point to each and every person in the room and say their name. I didn't, though. All I did was smile awkwardly and wave.

"Hi."

Natsu was resting his head on a table, looking completly uninterrested. Lucy was smiling reassuringly at me. Grey, Erza, Wendy, Carla, and Happy were all standing in the back, not quite sure what to do, and probibly waiting for the guild to flip over on it's head at the sight of me.

Everyone just stared at me, barely even blinking. Some mouths were slightly open, but other than that, there was really nothing else that was different about each expression.

I leaned closer to Kameel, still looking across the dumb-struck expressions. "They're not doing anything." I whispered.

"Just let it sink in..." She whispered back.

Unexpectedly, a certain black haired, tall guy with countless peircings raised his hand. I turned towards him and jerked my chin in his direction, feeling too extremly awkward to say anything.

"Why do you look like the Salamander?"

It was like his question was the trigger to a bomb. Immediatly after the words left his mouth, every single person jumped out of their seats and rushed over to where we were standing, bomb-barding us with questions! I barely even had room to move!

"Now, hold up!! HOLD UP!!!" Kameel shouted, raising her hands in the air. The voices hushed to a whisper almost instantly, and then became silent. "I know you all want to know what's going on," Several people nodded their heads. "But, jeez!! Atleast give the guy some space!!" She chuckled.

The awkward atmosphere in the room was immediatly replaced by a warm, homey one, and I felt all my anxiety and nervousness melt away as I laughed at all the curious and intrigued faces.

Voices over lapped as multiple people tried to talk at the same time. I looked around me to see smiles and wide, friendly eyes. In that moment, it felt like I was surrounded by family, something I had never had before...

I chuckled and smiled at everyone. I closed my eyes for a second, and everybody stopped talking. I opened my eyes again, confused, as I looked at all the shocked faces. They were all staring at my hair, even Natsu and the others.

"W-whats wrong?" I asked worriedly. Kameel reached up and ran her fingers through my hair, sending a light blush to my cheeks.

"Your hair is completly brown!" She marvled. Then she looked into my eyes. "And your eyes are back too!" She said with a wide smile.