Fear of the Innocent Flame (a Nalu Fanfic)

Prologue: Natsu's Past pt. 2

Author's Note:

Hey, swaghetti_123 here! I would like to thank all the people that read my first chapter. I honestly am shocked that I got as many reads as I did. I am currently almost at 30 reads! That is so awesome. Also, thank you to those that comment! Those comments mean a lot to me.

Also, I want to really thank @Anime_Star_Shipper01 for the beautiful new cover! She is amazing and if you haven't read her NALU books then you're missing out. Well, now I hope you enjoy the next chapter of "Fear of the Innocent Flame"! <3

No One's POV

Natsu had now arrived home, seeing that his father had not returned. His father usually came home late with food and left early in the morning to go out again. Igneel never returned home without food for his family of two.

While Natsu sat in silence, with only the crackle of the fire, he started to think about what the scared girl said to him. The words, I stumbled across a huge, scary dragon that wanted to eat me played through his head as if it were a broken record player. Those words baffled him and made him slightly scared.

Was the dragon she mentioned Igneel? No, no it can't be. He is too kind to do that. Are there other dragons? No, no there are no others. At least I think... he mumbled to himself. Little did Natsu realize, Igneel heard his mumbles and entered the cave acting as if he heard none of it.

"Hey, son, what did you do today?" Igneel asked Natsu who was still in his mind, trying to make sense of what happened today. Natsu was still focused on his thoughts that he turned his surroundings off and was in his own little, world. Igneel doesn't like it when he ignores him so he roared at his, now, startled son.

Igneel repeated his question, "What did you do today?"

With this asked, Natsu explained everything. From finding the stream to meeting the little girl and helping her get home. He was really happy to tell his father about his day.  As he got to the parts about the girl, he hesitated to tell him what she had said.  In the end, Natsu left the conversation the girl and him out of the story telling.

While Natsu was speaking about his day, Igneel seemed to be in a trance-like state. The same type of trance Natsu had been in just a few moments ago.

Is he talking about that little girl? No, no it can't be the same one. There are so many little girls in the nearby village. Should I tell him now or wait til he's-

Natsu interrupted his little mumbling session by questioning him, "What should you tell me?"

The mood in the room became serious and tense. Not even a knife could have cut it.

Igneel gulped and looked at his somewhat upset son. "I'll tell you in the morning; its getting late and you need your sleep."

Natsu reluctantly obeyed his order and laid down on the ground and tried to sleep. It was hard for him to sleep with unanswered questions, but he managed to finally fall into a deep sleep with dreams of dragons and adventures he wished to go on one day.

Igneel watched his son with a hint guilt in his eyes. The dragon turned to him and whispered something to his beloved son, "I'm sorry I brought you this life." Natsu did not hear him because he was so quiet. After finishing what Igneel had to do, he left the cave once more.

That was the last night Natsu ever saw his father.

That night, as the innocent Natsu slept, he had a dream. In this dream, Igneel had said his goodbyes and left Natsu a warning. He told his son:

Natsu, my son. I am sorry to leave you like this, but I fear I am going to cause pain in your life. The little girl isn't the only one who fears me and my power. Everyone, all humans and living things, fear anything who can handle fire. The power you now possess will leave you as an outcast in this world. Try to hide it. I love you, my son...

Natsu woke up the next morning, feeling a chill going up his spine. He noticed something was missing, but he couldn't pinpoint the source. That was when it hit him.

Igneel was gone.

He got up immediately and scanned the cave for any sign of him. As he looked around, he saw no trace of him. There was only emptiness...

Natsu didn't realize he was crying until his tears began to fall. He just sat there, feeling what it means to be alone for the first time, that he could remember. Natsu had no one to rely on. He felt betrayed by his own father.

Eventually, his sadness developed into rage towards his father. "I hate you!!" he yelled as loud as he could. Regret filled his heart soon after, perceiving that him yelling was pointless. What do I do now?

He started having a staring contest with the wall. A plan was being produced in his mind as to whether he should stay in the cave or not. Then he thought of his dream adventure he wanted to go on some day. He reminisced on all the things he wanted to do, sighing with happiness. That is what I am going to do!

His father's warning still loomed in his mind. With all that has happened, he slightly didn't believe his words. Natsu packed up his things and began his adventure into the unknown.

*Time Skip 1 Year Later*

Natsu has been traveling around Fiore for a long time now. The only way he can get money is by pickpocketing people that pass by him. He doesn't want to do this, but he knows there aren't many options for someone that people are frightened of.

When he first started his journey, he didn't think much about his father's warning; until, he tried to help someone who was cold, one winter night. Natsu grabbed some wood from a nearby house. Yes, he did steal wood, but he felt it was justified in order to help this person not freeze to death.

"Would you like me to start a fire for you, mister?" he asked the shivering man politely. The old man nodded in reply, showing gratitude. Natsu set the wood logs down in a tent-like fashion.

Next thing the old man saw was Natsu spitting fire from his mouth to make a fire.

The old man got up from where he was sitting and ran down the street yelling, "There is a fire breather! He tried to kill me, I tell you!" This rattled up the town into a frenzy of people sprinting the opposite way of Natsu.

He stood there in shock of what they did. That was the first time Natsu had ever seen what his father meant.

Why can't they understand?

Now, after witnessing what he had, Natsu does not use his power, in fear for his life and those that are around him. He hates his power and he still despises the thing that showed him this.

*Time Skip to the Present Day*

It has been a total of 8 years of his so-called "Grand Adventure". Natsu is now the age of 19 but looks a little younger because of the lack of food. He is miserable and lonely. He has no one to talk to and no one that is willing to listen.

All he does is travel from place to place. Every place he goes, he almost gets caught for stealing something. This tears him apart. He hopes that one day he can stop stealing for money and food to survive.

Natsu is currently in a town called Hargeon. This is where he will meet a certain someone that will truly change his life altogether.