It was another regular day in Fairy Tail, with the guild members chatting and drinking together. Sitting at the bar were Erza and Natsu, both having taken a break from their training to rest and eat.
"So, you two, how is your training coming?" Makarov asked, while sitting on the counter, causing the two pausing in their eating to look at the master.
"Very well Master, I'm finding it easier to use Dragon Slayer Magic with each passing day." Erza said, having gotten better at using Blade and Armor Dragon Slayer Magic
Though she hasn't really come up with different attacks, like Natsu or her sister with their style of Dragon Slayer Magic. Erza preferred simply channeling it into her weapons and armor to enhance her current fighting style, not to say she didn't have separate Dragon Slayer attacks, just not as many as one would expect from a Dragon Slayer.
"Mm, and you Natsu?" Makarov asked, while looking at the pink-haired teen, who looked down in shame.
"It's… coming along." Natsu said, not wanting to say he still had a few close calls in going berserk when using his Curse.
Even now, he still heard the voice in the back his mind, telling him to hunt down Zeref and kill him. He's learned to block it out, but it was always there.
Makarov simply nodded, placing a hand on the Dragon Slayers shoulder.
"Don't let it get you down, this is a form of magic I doubt many even know exists. It will take time before you can master it, the important thing is to not give up." Makarova said, with Natsu nodding at his words.
Though Makarov's head immediately started drooping, getting their attention, along with Mira's.
"Huh, is something wrong Master?" Mira asked.
"Hm, I'm fine, just sleepy." Replied Makarov, realizing what was happening.
Mystogan was back.
"He's coming." Makarov stated.
Mirajane realized what he meant as she also grew tired, before falling to the floor asleep.
"Not again." Gray groaned, as he and Elfman fell asleep as well.
"So tired."
Erza looked around and saw everyone hitting the ground and knew who was coming.
N-no… I have to… stay… awake. Erza thought, wanting to resist Mystogan's sleep spell.
She was able to stay awake just long enough to hear someone enter the guildhall, before she could no longer stay awake.
"Crap…" Natsu said, while falling to floor unconscious not soon after.
Makarov saw Mystogan's familiar cloaked figure walk over the sleeping bodies of his guild mates to the Request Board, while giving a glance at Erza and Natsu, having noticed they stayed awake the longest.
"They've gotten stronger." Mystogan stated, since only the strongest mages in the guild could resist his sleep spell.
"Yes, they have." Makarov replied, as Mystogan grabbed a job request.
"I'll take this job Master and return." Mystogan said.
"Right, but lift your sleeping spell before you leave." Said Makarov, with Mystogan nodding, before turning to leave.
"5… 4… 3… 2… 1." Mystogan counted down, with the moment he left the guildhall being the moment everyone woke up from their forced slumber.
"Ah man, was Mystogan here?"
"What a jerk."
"Does he have to put us to sleep every time he comes here?"
Damn it. Erza mentally cursed, knowing she couldn't stay awake.
She needed to get stronger, if she was letting something like a sleep spell stop her, then how did she ever hope to go against Ruby?
Granted, Mystogan was an S-class mage and a contender for Fairy Tail's strongest wizard, but she had hoped that after gaining Dragon Slayer Magic, she'd have gotten strong enough to resist his sleep spell. It just showed she needed to up her training even more.
"AHAHAHA! Look at you all, taken out by a sleeping spell, talk about pathetic!" Said a familiar and annoying voice from the second floor.
"Laxus!" Natsu growled, while glaring up at the said figure; Laxus Dreyar, the grandson of Master Makarov.
"But I guess it just shows how weak you all are. After all, if you can't fight off one sleep spell, then you shouldn't even be mages. But that'll change once I'm master." Laxus said smirking, causing Natsu to clench his fists in anger at his words.
"Why don't you come down here and say that to my face!" Natsu shouted, wanting nothing more than to smash Laxus' head in.
"Yeah right, you couldn't even handle Rose, running back here with your tail between your legs." Laxus taunted.
While the exact events and secrets that were revealed during Natsu, Gray, and Erza's confrontation against Ruby weren't known. It was known that they encountered Rose on their job to stop Eisenwald.
"Says the person who's never fought her, either." Erza said, knowing that if Laxus and Ruby fought, Ruby would tear him apart given she could simply eat any attacks he throws at her.
"Please, I'm Fairy Tail's strongest wizard, if that Dark Mage showed her face, I'd handle her no problem." Laxus said in confidence that he'd be able to beat Rose with his Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic.
"Then prove it. I'm a Dragon Slayer too, you think you can beat Rose, then beat me if you can." Natsu said with a dark edge in his voice.
"You come to me then runt." Retorted Laxus with his arms spread out.
"Gladly!" Natsu shouted, before jumping off a table, ready to beat Laxus into the ground.
Unfortunately, before he could get up to Laxus, he was smashed down by Makarov's enlarged fist.
"You're not allowed on the second floor Natsu, at least not yet." Makarov said.
Natsu growled as his eyes flickered between yellow and black for a moment, before he took a few breaths to calm down, knowing he couldn't lose his temper.
"I think you made him grumpy." Laxus taunted.
…Kill him…
No, no matter how tempting it might be. Natsu thought, while shaking his head and banishing the voice.
"That's enough out of you, Laxus!" Makarov said, reprimanding his grandson, while also saving his life.
Makarov didn't want Laxus to end up pushing Natsu to the point of going berserk. Given Natsu's origins and just what he meant to Zeref as a human, Makarov could only wager he made his little brother the strongest Etherious alive, to make sure he couldn't die again. He'd rather not see just how strong he is, should he unleash his power in his anger.
Getting up after Makarov removed his fist, Natsu gave a final glare at Laxus before sitting down. Though he definitely wasn't going to drop this, he just had to find some other way to stick to Laxus.
And I know just the way. Natsu thought while getting an idea, not only to get Laxus to shut up, but also as a way to see just how strong he's gotten and how much of his Curse he can use.