Chapter Text
Natsu felt the machine stealing his magic turn off, his voice was hoarse and his throat burning from the constant screaming. They were hurting Wendy. They had hurt Wendy. He begged them not to hurt her, to take his magic instead. And they did. They took his magic. And now he had no magic left, but the machine kept pulling. His screams grew louder and more frantic as time ticked forward. Every agonizing second lasting eons. The machine was pulling on reserves of magic he wasn't even aware he HAD. The machine was no longer taking his magic, he had none left for it to take. But it kept pulling. Suddenly every muscle in his body tensed, and he went limp, no longer having enough energy to lift a single finger. The man stopped the machine. Natsu was on death's door, and the man had just rung the doorbell. He could hear Wendy sobbing out his name, but he couldn't let her know he was alive. He couldn't even move. There was a loud thud and a squeak, Wendy stopped sobbing. Natsu struggled to open his eyes, he had to make sure Wendy was okay. But he couldn't. Something collided with his head and he was out cold.
Gray kicked in the door, looking around wildly. His eyes focused on the unconscious members of his guild, he ran over to Wendy, more worried about her than Natsu. Lucy ran to Natsu, she screamed for him immediately. Wendy was fine, just unconscious. Natsu? Not so much. Gray had never seen the Dragonslayer as frail before, but that word defined Natsu perfectly. He looked simply terrible, much worse than Wendy. Gray felt panic rise in him, he went to shake him, but when his hands met Natsu's shoulders. He was cold. Not deathly cold, but far below normal. "Oh god.. What... What happened to them?" Gray managed. Before returning to Wendy's side, he pulled her over to where Natsu was. Carla was crying, apologizing to Wendy. Lucy screamed again, Gray turned to Lucy, but realized quickly what she was doing, CPR. After far too long Natsu took a shuddering breath and Lucy was crying she was so relieved. "Do you have anything to make fire- he needs fire-" Gray's voice had panic in it.
"Sagittarius might be able to do that thing he did before.."
"Open gate of the Archer! Sagittarius!" The horse spirit appeared. "Can you make fire like that one time you did! Its an emergency!"
Sagittarius then proceeded to make fire.
"Can i borrow an arrow?" Gray asks, but before he can answer takes one and breaks off the point. He sets it on fire and takes the flaming stick over to Natsu and forces in into his mouth. A tiny bit of color returns to his face, Gray continued this until Natsu didn't look like he was about to die.. Again. He popped an X ball down his throat, and immediately Natsu started coughing, his eyes popped open, but immediately rolled into his head, Gray swore. But at least Natsu wasn't dead, he needed medical help. And fast. They repeated the X ball thing with Wendy, who woke up, her eyes wide open, Gray helped her sit up, she immediately spotted Natsu and practically jumped at him, but Lucy pulled her back. "Save your energy Wendy..." Wendy looked frantic. "The others.. There in danger..." Wendy went on to explain what was going on what they had done to Natsu and herself. Gray looked absolutely livid when she told them that every time that they heard him screaming that they were draining his magic. Wendy tried to stand but her legs gave out after the first step, Natsu woke up when Gray was adjusting him on his back..
Gray heard Natsu whimper as he shifted him on his back. Natsu tensed and Gray sighed. "Natsu? You awake?"
"Yeah.." he rasped. Gray cringed at how pained he sounded. "I can.. Walk.." He forced out of his mouth, Gray shook his head. "Wendy can't even stand, and you are worse off than her. Don't act like I'm wrong"
"Its my fault.." He heard Natsu mutter. Gray stiffened. "No Natsu it isn't.. Come on let's just get going okay?"
Awhiles later, Natsu and Gray got separated.
Natsu staggered to his feet, he had to continue fighting. He was out of energy, but he had to win. His fists were on fire, a horrible ringing filled his ears, he felt dizzy. Every time he moved, breathed, dodged, it was like a million red hot needles piercing his skin. But still he fought, and he beat them. But not at a price, right before he won they landed a devastating hit to his back. He knew that if he wasn't so weak right now he could have taken it, but the hit tore open his back and all he was aware of was the absolute agony he was in. He didn't remember winning, only pain so intense he felt like he was floating. The next thing he knew was that Wendy, despite being just as tortured as he was, was healing him. Gray was pulling him to his feet, asking him something. He couldn't understand what he was being said. He stumbled along, until the edges of his vision were darkening. He fell forward but Gray pulled him back to his feet, he still couldn't understand what he was saying so he just shook his head.
Gajeel stared at Natsu and Gray, he never expected to see Gray holding up the dragon slayer. Much less when Natsu was so clearly conscious. Natsu always pushed himself until he dropped, if all the time he's known him Natsu was never someone to need assistance when injured. Whatever had happened must be bad if Natsu admitted he needed help. He then noticed Wendy, who was on Lucy's back, she looked horrible. He felt his heart drop to his feet, concerned for the younger dragon slayers. Natsu looked like he might pass out any second, every step he took looked like it he was about to collapse. Gajeel watched as one of his legs gave out under him but Gray kept him from falling. Gray said something but Natsu shook his head. The island was moving now, He saw Natsu pull away from Gray and attempt to stop the collision, he only made it a few feet before his legs gave out under him, his knees collided with the ground and Gray darted over helping him back up. Gajeel felt numb. Anything that could reduce someone as strong as Natsu to a stumbling toddler must be horrible. He pulled away from Gray and ran to try to stop the collision, he looked so pathetic is made Gajeel feel sick. Natsu, despite looking like a stiff breeze could knock him over managed to convince everyone to help push. Somehow they stopped the collision. As soon as he was sure that everything wasn't going to collapse around them he rushed over to Gray and Natsu. The fire dragon slayer somehow looked worse up close. His skin was milky white and his eyes had bags that could carry groceries. Natsu smiled weakly, and fell forward like a stone. Gajeel caught him without missing a beat. Natsu muttered a weak thanks before passed out. "What happened?" Gajeel hissed to Gray, taking Natsu's pulse quickly.
"He and Wendy were drained of power, they-" Gray stumbled over words "When we found them Natsu was on the verge of dying.. No he was dead! If.. If Lucy didn't know cpr he would be.." Gray took a deep breath. Gajeel had never seen this side of the Ice mage "It was horrible! We could hear them screaming but we couldn't get to them... Natsu begged them to take his magic not Wendys... he sounded so.. Helpless.. He needs rest but we couldn't stop there.. There were guards everywhere.. And.. and then we got separated... Natsu got in a fight, He won.." Gajeel groaned already seeing where this was going "He couldn't hardly walk- but he somehow won.. They got a good hit on his back before i could get between them and block it.... he screamed.. He sounded like he was being killed... and He pounded them into the ground before.. Before I could get to him.. He refused to tell me if he was hurt.. Wendy used the last of her magic to help him." Gajeel nodded, lifting the now unconscious Natsu off ground. Natsu spelled like blood, he realized. He tore off Natsu's vest and shook his head. A giant bruise was forming, accompanied by a deep gash oozing blood. Gajeel bit the inside of his cheek, its wasn't as bad as he was expecting but Gray seemed shocked. "This doesn't warrant the scream.. They were both uninjured when we found them-"
"Just because they don't appear injured doesn't mean they aren't" Gajeel hissed at him. "There are types magic that attack your nerves and it f*cking hurts for ages. I assume that being conscious was hell for him, now this isn't over yet. Protect him Gray and I swear to god if him or Wendy die I will kill you personally."
After edolas ended Natsu and Wendy were confined to the infirmary. Natsu hated it but relented when he nearly cracked his head open by falling when he tried to stand. 2 days later he was allowed to go into the guildhall again. The first thing he did was annoy Gray, because why wouldn't he? Gray punched him once but Natsu nearly fell over. After that looked concerned. He pulled Natsu aside and asked if he was alright.
