With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 11

The funeral was held a week later, on a dreary, overcast morning. Natsu, Gray, and Ur stood dressed in black, surrounded by neighbors and friends who had known Igneel well. They listened in solemn silence as the priest spoke final words, and then watched, hollow-eyed, as the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground. One by one, the mourners paid their respects and quietly drifted away, returning to the warmth of their homes.

But Natsu stayed.

Gray and Ur urged him to come with them, but he couldn't move. His body felt numb—like his grief had frozen him in place. Even when the skies opened and rain began to pour, he remained there, soaked and unmoving, staring at the fresh mound of dirt.

But then, the cold drops suddenly stopped hitting him. He looked up and saw someone holding an umbrella over him. It was Lucy.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice tired and raw.

"I heard about what happened to your father," she said softly. "I wanted to see if you were okay."

"You didn't have to come, you know."

"I know. But I wanted to."

"Thanks, Lucy... but right now, I don't think anything could comfort me." He lowered his gaze again. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do now. My father's gone. My mother abandoned me. I don't have anyone left. I'm all alone."

"I wouldn't say that," Lucy said gently. "I talked to Gray and his aunt. They're going to let you live with them. They really care about you, Natsu."

"Yeah... I guess," he mumbled.

"I know you're hurting," she continued, kneeling beside him in the wet grass. "But I promise you, the pain doesn't last forever."

"How would you know?" he asked, not out of anger, but quiet despair.

"Because... I lost my mom too," she said softly. "And for a long time, it felt like the hurt would never stop. But it did—slowly. Because I had people who stayed with me. Friends who helped me heal."

She gave a small, reassuring smile. "And so do you. Gray's here for you. Ur is here for you. And I am too. You're not alone, Natsu. You never were."

Natsu didn't say anything. He just stared at the grave, his hands trembling slightly. But for the first time since Igneel's death, something warm stirred in his chest. It didn't erase the pain—but it gave him the strength to breathe through it.

He glanced over at Lucy, her eyes full of quiet strength. And for the first time in days, he nodded.

"Thanks, Lucy."

As the sky darkened into evening, Gray pulled up to the cemetery. With Lucy's help, he gently coaxed Natsu away from the grave and drove him home.

The ride was quiet. Natsu stared out the window, lost in thought, his father's final words echoing endlessly in his mind:

"With great power comes great responsibility."

That promise he made—it wasn't just something he said to bring comfort in a final moment. It was a vow. One he knew he had to keep. He just didn't know how.

Later, Gray knocked lightly on the door of the guest room, now Natsu's new bedroom.

"Aunt Ur says dinner's ready," he said.

"I'm not hungry," Natsu replied quietly.

"Alright. I'll tell her to save you a plate."

As Gray turned to leave, Natsu spoke again—voice tight, haunted.