With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 26

After telling Ur they'd be at the library studying, Natsu and Gray slipped into their superhero alter egos and headed out to patrol—Natsu to Dr. Kingston's lab and Gray to Mard Geer's chemical plant. Both moved cautiously, staying hidden and alert for any sign of the Black Demon. Each carried a communicator, a clever gadget Erza had procured from a friend, to call for backup if needed.

"Any sign of him?" Natsu's voice crackled softly through the communicator.

"No. What about you?"

"Nothing here. Keep a close eye on Dr. Kingston. That freak might try to take him out, just like he did with Professor Stien."

"Got it. And you might want to do the same for Mard Geer."

"Already ahead of you, bro. I'm in a position where I can see him right from his office."

"Well, we better keep it short. Too much chatter might give us away. No more calls unless it's an emergency."

"Right."

Hours passed. Natsu remained hidden, perched in a shadowy corner on the ceiling, his eyes glued to the CEO below. Suddenly, Mard Geer rose from his desk and walked down a hallway. Natsu followed, but quickly lost him in the thick crowd of employees. He scanned desperately, but finding him felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Then—a sudden explosion. Small, barely damaging, but an explosion nonetheless. Natsu sprang into action, dropping down to investigate. The blast was no accident—it was the Black Demon. As Natsu reached for his communicator to call Gray, a cloud of knockout gas was sprayed into his face. The Black Demon's maniacal laughter echoed in his ears before darkness swallowed him whole.

"Wake up, dragon boy."

When Natsu came to, he found himself lying on the rooftop of a nondescript building, Black Demon standing over him. He willed his body to move, but it was like his limbs belonged to someone else—stiff and unresponsive.

"You're not dead," the villain said with a twisted grin. "Not yet. Just paralyzed."

"Where... am I?" Natsu managed to ask.

"Just the top of some random building," Black Demon replied casually.

"What did you do to those people at the chemical plant? Did you kill them?"

"Relax," the villain said smoothly. "That stunt was just to get your attention. It's you I wanted all along."

"So... you're going to kill me?"

"A tempting idea," Black Demon mused, "but I have something better in mind. You know, you're an incredible creature, Red Dragon. You and I? We're not so different."

"I'm nothing like you," Natsu snapped back. "You're a murderer."

"Well, to each his own," Black Demon shrugged.

"Why have you been attacking and killing those people? What did they do to deserve it?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," he said with an ugly smile. "But don't worry—I'm not going to hurt you. At least, not right now. What I want is for you to listen."

"It's not rocket science to see the path you've chosen," he continued, voice low and venomous. "You chose the hero's path. The people thought you were amusing at first, but soon enough, they'll see you as a scapegoat—for all their pain and misery. No matter what you do for them, eventually, they'll hate you. So why bother?"

"Because it's right!" Natsu snapped defiantly.

"Here's the real truth," Black Demon said coldly. "There are eight million people in this city, and those masses exist only to lift the few exceptional ones onto their shoulders. You, me—we're exceptional. I could crush you like a bug right now." He grabbed Natsu's throat—not hard enough to kill, but enough to make his point clear. "But I'm offering you a choice. Join me. Imagine what we could accomplish together. What we could create. Or we could keep destroying each other, causing endless death and pain until one of us dies. Is that what you want?"

"So what now?" Natsu challenged. "You planning to kidnap my partner and give him the same offer?"

Black Demon's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I thought about it. But I saw how he threw himself after that girl when she fell—ready to die to keep her safe. People like him? They're damn near impossible to corrupt."

"And what makes you think I wouldn't do the same?"

"Well, I haven't seen you do it yet, so I figure I can get to you before your head fills with all this 'heroes must die for what's right' crap."

"You're a psychopath."

"We all have our quirks. The thing is, I don't see any potential in that partner of yours. You, on the other hand—you're talented, and it's being wasted on this little crusade of yours."

"That's not a fact. That's your opinion."

"Perhaps. But I'm a very smart man, and I'm usually right. Still, I don't know you well enough to be certain—I could be wrong. In the end I'll probably kill you and your partner, but I know one thing for sure: they will hate you. If that won't make you consider my offer, maybe this will—there's no happiness in the life of a hero. Keep going down this path and you'll lose everything. Everything you've ever loved will be taken from you, and all you'll have left is your hopeless cause."

He climbed onto his glider and soared away, yelling, "Think about it, hero!"

An hour later Natsu could move again. He went to find Gray, and together they returned home, where Natsu told Gray what had happened and about Black Demon's offer.

"He wants you to join him?" Gray asked.

"Yeah. Apparently, he thinks I have great talent and that I'm wasting it on this crusade. Honestly, the guy's a total psycho."

"What gave it away? The maniacal laughter or the fact that he's killing people with bombs?"

"But there was something he said that really shook me."

"What was it?"

"He said everything I've ever loved and held dear would be taken from me."

"So?"

"Call me paranoid, but I think he threatened the people I care about."

"I wouldn't call you paranoid for that. But he doesn't even know who we are or what matters to us, so I wouldn't lose sleep over it."

"Maybe you're right, but I've been thinking..."

"About what?"

"Maybe I should move out."

"Why?"

"I just feel like I might be putting your aunt in danger by living with you guys. What if, one day, I accidentally bring trouble home with me?"

"You have a point, but I'm not going to kick you out just because you're worried."

"It's not paranoia. Look, I don't want to scare you, Gray, but remember how I felt when I lost my dad? He was basically the only family I had, and losing him like that crushed me. If something I did caused you to go through the same pain—"

"Hey, don't say that. I'd never blame you if something bad happened, and I don't think you'd do anything to get my aunt hurt. But if you really think moving out is best... fine. You know what? I think I'll do the same."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I just turned twenty. It's time I got my own place."

"Do you think your aunt will be okay with that?"

"Are you kidding? She'd probably be thrilled. Her biggest struggle is finally moving out and finding some peace."

"I get that, but don't you think she might be upset? I mean, she basically raised you."

"I know, but I've always felt like a burden to her. She had to take care of me; there was no choice. She's my only family left."

"What are you talking about? She didn't have to take care of you — she did it because she loves you. I don't know why, but she does."

"Ha, ha. Very funny."