Reborn As Papa Silva (Extras)

Just a little idea I've been playing around with for years and felt like writing, if you enjoy this, maybe I'll keep going. No AI used to edit this.

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"Natsu, what's wrong?" Lucy cock her head in confusion as her boyfriend (which she still can't believe that they're a thing now) suddenly froze in his step as they walked down the dirty road trail.

And it wasn't just him, a beat of a moment later Wendy did the same, as the two dragon slayers began to look around and proceed to… sniff the air like animals.

Gray immediately set his bag down on the ground with a heavy thud, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt (which surprised Lucy because she could swear it's nearly been an entire hour since he last stripped-this must be some kind of new record), and narrowed his eyes at the duo.

"Smell trouble?" It wasn't a question more like a statement, if it was just Natsu, Gray would probably write him off as Natsu just being Natsu and acting like an idiot, but when smart little Wendy joins in tow, it has to be something. Something serious.

Happy flew up onto Natsu's shoulder patting his face with his little paws. "Hey Natsu, what's up? What's up?"

But his partner didn't respond, no matter how many times Happy yelled in his ear or clawed at his face, Natsu just continued to scrunch his nose and furrowed his brows, his gaze turning more somber by the moment.

And that made the inquisitive atmosphere tense slightly.

Lucy knew Natsu, the few times he acted like this, meant something really serious was going on-or at the very least about to go down, so she reached for her keys by her side, keeping them on hand so she could summon one of her spirits or change into a star dress at the drop of a beat.

Erza took a single look at their party's dragon slayers, and immediately requiped into her standard Heart Kreuz Armor.

Erza never looked down on her guild mates and had complete faith in their intuition and senses, especially their dragon slayers, if they thought something was up, then something was definitely up.

She was bathed in brilliant light that disappeared to reveal her in her signature armor once again, but she yet to summon her sword with her armor.

If things were particularly dangerous the two would say something, Erza requiped to heighten her guard and defend herself but that didn't mean a battle was on the horizon… well atleast just yet.

Carla looked around at the duo furrowing her brows, she hadn't received any glimpses in the future that could clue her into what was going on, but of course her future sight had drastically stopped acting up ever since their first trip to Edolas.

She didn't mind though, that power often gave her a headache, she much rather opt to receive answers and learn things the normal way, through her eyes or word of mouth. 

So she simply walked to her dragon slayer, stopping at Wendy's feet and lightly placing her paw on the girl's leg as she looked upwards in confusion.

"Wendy… Child… what's wrong?"

Wendy looked down at her exceed partner and blinked but didn't answer and instead looked to the side at her practical big brother. 

"Natsu-san is that really…?" Her voice trailed off, her countenance unsure and unconfident. 

Natsu craned his head slightly to meet the girl's eyes for a moment before crossing his arms and giving a half nod with a frustrated grimace, "it seems like it but also more…"

"Human?" Wendy finished for him, that's what she picked up from the scent, more human than dragon. 

Natus took a moment to process her words before his eyes lit up and he pointed at her with a grin.

"Yeah, it's like how everyone smelled when Ignia cast the Dragonization… but more…" His voice trailed off once again, as he couldn't give a 100 percent answer.

This smell was too new and exotic to him. It wasn't like those abominations, it was more…

"Pure and natural?" Wendy finished his sentences once again, reading his thoughts like a book. 

Honestly Natsu couldn't have said it better if he tried, that was exactly what he was smelling, so he wanted to say yes immediately, but any time he opened his mouth those words died in his throat.

Wendy seemed so on point and on the ball, but at the same time so far away. It wasn't just Natsu' nose telling him that, but his gut instinct. 

Noticing the girl still staring at him and waiting for a response, Natsu sweat dropped slightly and shot her a near apologetic look, as he tried to put what he was feeling into words.

"But it also doesn't smell like it at all… like it smells like myself when I'm with Igneel… or…"

"Or when any human spends a lot of time with a dragon… like Karameel!" Wendy pondered aloud.

Natsu scratched his chin, "exactly, but also at the same time it smells too dragony… damn it I've never smelt something like this before… and there's also that other thing… dammit it's so frustrating!!!"

Natsu gritted his teeth and pulled and yanked at his hair, startling Happy who hopped off him in confusion, looking up at his partner in bewilderment.

Oh no, Natsu finally lost it… sorry Lucy… Happy looked at the blonde with a slight consoling face but the celestial mage wasn't focused on the dumb cat but her boyfriend.

And it wasn't just her, Erza, Gray, and Carla were all blinking, looking back and forth between the two dragon slayers as they engaged in a conversation only they could understand, without providing much context.

Normally they wouldn't interrupt but the term Dragonization stroked some bad memories from that god forsaken quest that took everything out of them to complete, and made their blood run cold.

They wanted-no needed some answers and clarity immediately. Lucy was going to opt for the polite and soft approach but not everyone was as patient as her.

"You two!" Erza yelled in annoyance, breaking the duo out of their musing and rendering them stiff as they saluted the red head like soldiers ready to go to war.

"Yes ma'am?!" Natsu and Wendy called in unison as Erza stomped up to them, her boots clicking against the dirt floor as she jabbed a finger into Natsu's chest making him wince in pain and depression. Dammit why only me… Wendy's here too?!

Natsu didn't dare to voice those thoughts, as he took in Erza's dark face. He wasn't cake nor Jella, he wasn't going to push his luck with her. 

"Explain yourselves! What on Earth is going on here?!" Erza demanded as she crossed her arms with a heavy clank of her armor.

Natsu opened his mouth to answer but stopped before looking at Wendy, he nudged her with his elbow drawing her attention as he whispered.

"You're better with words you tell them."

Although Natsu whispered everyone could hear, and his uncharacteristic action caused Erza to blink before smiling fondly. Hmm hmm, I see becoming more intimate with Lucy has caused her to rub off on him more, and grow a little brain.

Lucy watching this wiped an imaginary tear of joy. Has my Natsu finally developed common sense?

Lucy sniffed in pride.

Wendy wasn't as thankful, she felt like her big brother just back stabbed her and put her on the chopping block as Erza turned her focus to her.

Wendy trembled slightly, and swallowed an inaudible gulp, before gritting her teeth and getting out with it.

"We think… We smell a dragon!"

And then their group froze, especially Happy, as he started trembling as he felt some grave trauma acting up.

"No! No! No! Not another one!" Happy cried, he loved Natsu, but respectfully, he hated Dragons and pretty much anything to do with them.

It was no fun at all. 

Carla clicked her tongue, "what are you doing Happy, stop acting like a coward, it's just a dragon, we've sealed Dragon Gods, there's nothing to fear."

Happy froze and then he looked at his sometimes crush like he was looking at an idiot. Happy had a lot of choice words for his fellow Exceed that he wished to voice.

Like how he felt it was a bit shameless for her to say we when the two of them did nothing much, or how her words didn't seem very convincing as she spoke them with trembling legs that seemed on the verge of giving out at any moment.

Happy wisely kept those words to himself. He felt like he's made a shit ton of progress with Carla over the years and especially the 100 year quest, and wasn't about to do anything to set himself back again and cock block himself.

So Happy pulled out a fish from his little bag and stuffed it in his mouth to calm himself.

Carla was about to snort before Gray's voice snapped her attention back to the matter at hand.

"You think, you're not sure?"

The party blinked as they reminded themselves of Wendy's strange word choice and were about to ask some questions, but once again Gray struck first. 

He gave a sly glance at Natsu and couldn't resist teasing him. "What's wrong Flame Brain? Nose broken, and doesn't work as well as it used to?"

 Natsu popped a forehead vein as his fists lit on fire, "say that again Ice Queen…"

Gray crossed his arms and smiled broader, "you heard me Flame Brain, are you broken or something?"

The point Gray was trying to make wasn't incorrect, Natsu and Wendy were dragon slayers, arguably the strongest in the world, well atleast natural ones, if they couldn't even identify a dragon's scent or smell, then really what are they doing in life?

They should just pack up, move to the countryside and start a farm.

Gray's point wasn't wrong. Just his word choice and tone left much to be desired. Gray wouldn't be Gray if he didn't mock Natsu, and Natsu wouldn't be Natsu if he didn't rise to the bait.

Natsu grit his teeth as the flames on his fists flickered with stronger intensity, "shaddap you stripper! My nose works just fine!"

Gray was about to let out another jeer but the dark glare Erza sent him made him freeze up and wilt like a weed.

Natsu, seeing this, had to suppress his inner laughter as Erza turned back to him and Wendy. 

She took a moment trying to piece together the remnants of the duo's earlier conversation and crossed her arms.

"If I'm getting this right, you smell a practical hybrid of a being, part-dragon, part-human nearby, so its hard to tell what it is?"

Wendy nodded before pausing, "and it's not just this… half-dragon…." Her voice trailed off as that's what she decided to call the strange scent.

Erza raised a brow and looked at her but instead of responding Wendy meekly looked at Natsu, and then everyone's eyes turned to him.

Natus parted his mouth, before biting his lip and lowering his head with a troubled look. "There's something else with this fake dragon…"

Lucy slowly walked forward and lightly placed a hand on Natsu's arm making him tense, a moment passed before she spoke softly.

"Come on Natsu, out with it… what is it?"

Natsu Dragneel squirted his brows before raising his head and trailing his gaze over his team.

He inhaled a deep breath and with a sigh got to the point.

"I smell something else… that smells kinda like me when I was all E.N.D, and smells like the other Etherious and demons…"

The group stiffened and froze, especially Lucy and Gray, who seemed about to lose their composure, before anyone could say anything reckless, Wendy tried to calm the atmosphere and interjected.

"Actually rather than the Etherious… I'd say it's more similar to Gray when he uses Devil Slayer Magic!"

Gray gaped, another Devil Slayer maybe… his father aside Gray had never met one so he was undoubtedly curious, but that thought didn't last long as Natsu shook his head with a grimace.

"You don't have to lie Wendy, Gray's magic smells like magic, it's unnatural, but this smell seems real and physical, authentic… like I was."

And then the group stiffened again, Lucy, Gray, Happy, and Erza remembered how monstrous and scary Natsu looked and acted when he was like that, they truthfully never wanted to encounter another END of devil.

END was different from the Etherious, who were just masses of mana and ethernano, Natsu is evidence of it, he's a real physical being, like the Demons of Galuna island, there not just essential spells of magical creations but as real as can be.

That makes them scarier.

Happy clutched his head in fear. "A Demon and a Dragon… together in one place… no… no… no… let's get out of here, I want to go home!" 

"Cease your crying, Happy, we're not going anywhere!" Erza declared, drawing the group's attention as she summoned her long sword and impeded in the earth beneath her. 

"What why?!" Happy cried.

Lucy quickly mirrored that look, earning her a sharp glare from Titania.

Erza clicked her tongue and shook her head, "from first experiences we know how dangerous and cruel demons and dragons can be, but we also know how friendly and loving they can be."

"So we must investigate, if these two parties are together and doing anything suspicious or extreme then we must deal with them! And we have the capacity and power to do so!"

Lucy and Happy paused to see Natsu and Gray suddenly grinning and giving one another a fist bump.

That still didn't make them feel much better, be it demons or dragons they've experienced too much trauma and pain at the hands of both.

Yeah they'd feel terrible if they pretend like they haven't seen anything, and hear about an accident later but still…. This has nothing to do with them, it's not a commission, they have no moral obligation or responsibility to step into what could easily be a life threatening mess.

The Fairies are good people, yes, but they're not heroes nor saints, if they were they wouldn't be trashing every city and town they pass through without a care, Lucy and Happy didn't want to get involved.

But unfortunately although this is team Natsu, Erza's the real one in charge, and with Natsu on the same page as her, and adding Gray, and evidentially Wendy and Carla into the mix, whatever they felt was irrelevant. 

With a grin Natsu led the way to the scent he was picking up, Happy and Lucy trailed along at the back of the group with comical tears.

The two of them hoped to god, luck would strike and they'd meet a good dragon and demon.

They would. But that didn't necessarily mean they'd get along.