AN: Welcome to my new story. This is the Salamander's Predecessor. I will be uploading ideally once a week, I will let you know if this changes. Please, feel free to offer what you like, whether it be OC's, cause I might plan on adding a few more, to writing advice through the reviews.

The shack was the size of a bedroom, with a kitchen, bathroom, entry, closet, all of it was off to one side. A single bed and a desk occupied the opposite with a fireplace securing a position in the middle of the shack, allowing the heat from any fire made to spread in any and all directions.

When the front door was opened and closed swiftly, the cold mountain air barely breaking into the shack. A man, mid thirties, stood in the doorway with his orange cloak's hood flipped up and over his head, a wool neck warmer pulled up over his nose extending down past his throat, protecting his face from the bitter cold. His cloak covered down to his waist and then flowed back at a steady rate and stopped in one tip behind his calves. His black shorts went to his knees but were securely tucked into his black boots that topped off just above the knee cap.

Pulling back his hood, a man's face with not a single scar was hidden in the shadows of the shack. Not bothering to take off his boots, the man extended both arms in different directions as he walked forward. One towards the lamp that sat on his desk and one towards the fireplace in the shack. A flame emerged from each hand, dazzling red and orange danced together in perfect synchronization until they landed upon their targets. Instantly the shack was flooded with the warm glow of fire, warming up the dark, cold atmosphere of the room.

His brow was furrowed at what the oracle had told him as reward for his simple gesture of helping her defend herself from some bandits.

Flashback

Conley Drake, a strong man, wandering mage, and a honest person, walked alone down the road he took biweekly to get back to his little shack in the mountains. Which mountains? He didn't care to remember the name, he's never forgotten how to get back home. As long as that was how it stayed, he'd never have a need to remember the name.

He walked in peace, kicking a rock every few steps, sending it skittering on ahead of him. He'd recently finished a job helping clear out a few pesky thugs. Nothing challenging. Work is getting increasingly harder. All these guilds are being created. He thought. None of the jobs appeared at his doorstep since it would be too much of a hassle. Rather they were left in a box that had a hole in the side to drop of the job requests, he had the only key to the box. Every time he returned from a job he would open it up, gather the requests and sort through them in his home and decide on a job. It was time for another high pay job.

As he walked, a little old lady followed him. He knew she was there but there was no magical pressure surrounding her and not a trace inside even the smallest breath she made. When he rounded a bend in the road as well as a abandoned hay cart, and walked several meters past, he heard the smallest yelp erupt from the little elderly woman.

Turning around he saw three men, early twenties, stealing anything of value that they could get from her. He narrowed his eyes at the scene. The man in the middle had his hand over her mouth silencing her many attempts at shouts for help. Her wild eyes met Jakob's. He almost seemed to sigh.

Then she couldn't see him. Actually, for a moment she could only see an orange cloak before the hands that had been restraining her had suddenly disappeared.

"There you go," Conley said, continuing his way back to his homely mountain. "Have a safe trip."

She stood, mouth and lungs gasping for breath. "Wait!" She said, between mouthfuls of breath. "Let me reward you in some manner." She called, her age was clearly audible with the condition she was currently in. "Let me give you a future reading."

Ah, so that's it huh? An oracle. Oracles had made a reputation to follow people every now and then, but only when they saw something of either great promise or of great reward. "I'm not interested in being a benefit to you old woman!" He called over his should.

"This prophecy has nothing to do with you, young man. But rather, it effects your successor." She rasped.

Conley froze in his tracks. "Successor to what?" He asked, fearing the answer that he was almost sure to be voiced.

The old woman peered at him, stayed quiet and sat there staring. He waited. "Will you not have the decency to answer my question?"

"Many years from now," She began, her voice thick with wisdom and foretelling. "There will be another. It's in the distant future but the world is in danger, unlike the times of peace we currently live in. But, he will not have received the full training you've received and rather has been forced away from his father and mentor who became lost to him."

A moment of silence passed. Conley did not move, and knew precisely what she spoke of. So, he'd take on another child? The thought made the veteran mage chuckle. "How far in the future are we talking about, old woman?"

She narrowed her eyes at the younger man, "Just because you helped me doesn't give you the right to throw away those manner's you must've been taught, boy."

"How far?" He repeated his question.

Sighing she looked at him again. A minute later she had her answer. "Approximately two hundred and fifty years from now."

Conley stood, gazing ahead. "So be it." He muttered before continuing on his way, thinking about this prophecy. Only reason why she'd tell me that is if it would have importance. Oracles can't predict what won't be vital. He thought, walking away with a quicker step. I'll have to give him a little boost then.

Flashback ends

"Many years from now, there will be another. In the distant future, but he will not have received the full training you've had, rather his father and mentor will be lost."

He rubbed at the five o'clock shadow he had growing as he sat down at his desk. A note. No, a letter. A gift. It would be a gift. The poor boy in the future would be family. Except he'd be lacking the instruction of half of the spells that his mentor and parent would-should- have taught him. Sitting back, he looked at the first piece of paper that sat blank on his desk.

"Well, let's start with the basics shall we?" He mumbled before leaning forward to pick up his feather and began to write. The year is X539...

The year is X791. The Tenrou Island S-Class promotion trail team has returned. The entire guild is buzzing at both the excitement of the strongest members and the heart of Fairy Tail having returned as well as the announcement made by Master Makarov of the guild's participation in the Grand Magic Games.

The teams have gone their own ways. In the midst of their training, Natsu and his friends are taken by the Celestial spirits for a party, a welcome home celebration. But, at the end of the day, they've spent three Earthland weeks in the Celestial world.

"..." All the members stood facing the beach, the silence deafening to their ears.

"We've missed three weeks?" Erza mumbled, the tension rising.

"...Aye..." Happy whispered.

"WE GOTTA GET TO WORK!" Everyone shouted in unison, splitting into their own groups and instantly beginning their training once again.

But back at the guild, Levy had stayed. Seven years! She was still baffled. Imagine how much new information has been discovered! New languages! Rather than training her magic and her abilities, she trained her vast knowledge and began her work to update her arsenal of books. She did take the odd job. So, the fourth week of being back, she decided it was time for another. This job was granted to be safe from danger. All they needed was a mage who was capable of translating ancient text! Perfect!

"Kinana, I'm taking this job!" She hurried over, placing the request on the bar counter.

Kinana glanced over at it before grinning and marking down the job information and the job taker. "I thought you'd be interested in that job!"

Levy returned the smile. "Thanks! I'll see you later!" And with that, she hurried away from the guild in her sandals, straight for her home so she could pack and prepare to leave.

"Gale-force glasses, extra clothes, sandals, tooth brush, reference books..." She checked items off the list as she gathered her items back in her apartment. It was small but large. Crowded yet cozy. At least thats what she thought. Others seemed to disagree once they set foot into the apartment. Upon gazing at the walls, where you could not see any walls, you'd see the shelves filled with books. As well as the several dozen stacks of books that littered her home.

That's about it...alrighty, this job is going to be great! She couldn't help but think of how this job would be a nice change of pace. Some simple translating, new relics maybe, who knows? She sighed happily. No fighting above all, I maybe be a pure Fairy Tail mage through and through, but every now and then the fight needs to take a break.

She took a step outside her door with her bags in tow, she turned and locked her door. She then hurried downstairs, which wasn't very fast given her size and number of bags. Dropping off her keys at the front desk and saying 'bye' to the person working the desk, she headed to the train station. Sitting down in her chosen seat, she couldn't help but wiggle every now and then, before and after departure. Plus, the job is in Crocus! Not very often do I get to visit the capitol! She grinned, her hands pressed together in between her knees.

When the train finally arrived after what seemed like an eternity, Levy dragged her books with her, out of the train car and into the station, where she was to be greeted by someone who would help fill her in about the job.

Gazing around the station she initially saw nothing, but then she noticed a man looking at the new arrivals, holding a sign that said 'Levy McGarden'. He was around Natsu's height and had silver hair that was combed over to the right. Clearly not a man that spent his time at the gym.

She approached him. "Hey, I'm Levy!" She introduced herself in her normal perky manner.

The man glanced at her. "Oh, good!" He said, tucking the sign underneath his arm, reaching forward to shake her hand. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to arrive on the next train!" He laughed. "I'm Jakob Palenski, or you can just call me Pal. Either works." He introduced himself with a nervous grin as they shook hands. Clearly just trying to use a nickname he made for himself. Levy couldn't help but giggle at the name.

"Great, well I'm very excited to get to work on these scripts you have," Levy started. "Mind helping me get these bags into whatever you used to get here?"

"Oh don't worry, the Museum is just a block away. We're walking there, not long." He replied, "But yes, I most certainly will help you!" He finished, reaching down to pick up one of the actually surprisingly heavy bags. "Oof! What's in here, your local library?" He said, reaching down to pick up one bag with both hands.

Levy chuckled, "Nah, a small portion of my personal collection." She said with a wink.

Jakob couldn't stop his jaw from dropping slightly. "Wh-wow-are you serious?" He asked, his mouth still agape.

"No time for this, I'm dying to start on this job!" Levy pushed past her novel hoarding-slash-collecting habits. "Now, what can you tell me about these scripts?" She asked, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Ok, so," Jakob took a deep breath. "About four or five months ago there was some ruins discovered out nearby Oak Town." He began as they walked towards the museum. "There were several known languages that we were able to translate easily. But, once we got to an area that is estimated to be the oldest part, about two or three hundred years old, we found one lone letter, written in languages that we don't understand. We can see two maybe three languages. We have no idea what they are written in. We know that translating mages are pretty difficult to come by that why we sent out a mass job request to even the now lesser guilds, like yours."

Levy couldn't help but feel slightly irked at what he implied. "Now, most of our most powerful wizards were gone for seven years, they are all back now, I'm sure you'll be hearing the name Fairy Tail a lot more now." She said, confident in her words.

"Pf, OK, yeah." Jakob said, disbelieving of the petite girl that stood infront of him. "Anyway," he said before she could retaliate. "We don't know what they contain, hence the reason we called in a translator. We need to find out what those letters are." He said as they walked into the museum.

Levy grinned as she saw the history in the building. Breathing in, her eyes glimmered with something beyond joy. "Well you've got the right girl for the job."

It's been four days. Two days longer than Levy originally expected. "What on Earthland. As frustrating this may be, this is incredible!" She said to the half awake Jakob next to her. "I've been studying ancient texts for many years, I've never seen anything like this!"

"This does not inspire confidence in me." Jakob mumbled into his elbow with his eyes closed.

"Don't you know what this means?!" She practically shook the boy. "This is a language never discovered before! If there is no translating piece in that location you found, or anything that can link these languages together, we have to essentially start from scratch." She clapped her hands together, bouncing. "Oh, this is exciting!"

"I fail to see how you are supposed to complete your job if you can't even compare this to anything related to this language." Jakob popped her bubble.

Son of a biscuit. Levy visibly drooped. "Well, I can tell you one thing about these texts." She hardly whispered.

Jakob jumped up. "What?! What can you tell us?"

"This," Levy pointed to one word. "Is the word 'Dragon'. It's repeated two other times in languages I know right next to it as well as using the alternate name for a dragon, a drake." She sighed, clearly disappointed with all that she's been able to uncover.

"When did you realize this?" Jakob asked, leaning over her shoulder looking at the texts.

Levy shrugged. "I remembered it around two or three days ago."

"Why didn't you say anything soon?!" Jakob practically yelled. "In a matter of days you've made more progress than we have in months! With one simple word!"

Covering her ear closest to him, she glared at Jakob. "Because I wanted to be able to report more than just 'dragon.'"

Jakob sat down in his chair and leaned back, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. "OK, break time. Clearly you've been here longer than you've anticipated or prepared for. I gotta get back to other work, you need money for food or anything?"

"But I-"

"No buts." Jakob said, setting his chair back down properly quickly, pointing a finger at her. "You've been sitting here for four days. You need to go get some rest," he started listing on his fingers. "Food, a shower, a walk or two, some social time, anything that does not involve sitting here for the next..." He looked at his watch. "...eighteen hours. That means you can get to work again at nine o'clock sharp." He got up and walked away before she could object. "You have five minutes to wrap up for the next eighteen hours."

Levy sat in her chair, staring at the door. Dang flibbit.

Half an hour later, Levy found herself in the local market. Wandering between street stalls, looking at some new clothes, some hygienic supplies, she gathered items she needed one by one.

"Thanks!" She bowed to the lady at the stand slightly, before backing up and turning around. Into a face full of muscle. Sputtering and blushing slightly she backed up, mouth opening to apologize as she looked at the man she'd run head on into. "I'm sor-..Gajeel?" She asked, feeling her cheeks burn up even more. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Lily were training!"

Gajeel smirked slightly at the petite girl in front of him, blushing like crazy. "We are, we were training nearby Crocus and we are currently picking up supplies, much like you are by the looks of it." He said jabbing his thumb over his shoulder, to where the black exceed hovered with a sack of items.

"Hello Levy," Lily nodded.

"Hey Lily!"

"So squirt," Gajeel started again. "What are you doing in the mighty capitol?"

"Oh!" Levy straightened out. "I'm here on a translation job. I'm translating some scripts they found nearby Oak Town." Gajeel stiffened at the mentioning of his old guilds head quarters.

"What did they find?" He inquired.

"Oh, it's an ancient letter written in a language I've never seen before, nor is it related to any language I've seen. I've only recognized one word since it'd repeated in two other languages." She sighed. "How am I supposed to do the job if I can't compare it to anything?"

Gajeel looked at her. "Well, whats the word?"

Levy looked at him thoughtfully. "...Dragon or Drake, which ever you prefer."

Gajeel stopped walking and grabbed her arm. "This is a letter, right?" He asked, "and it says Dragon?"

"Yes, but-" Levy started as Gajeel pivoted to a pacing circle.

"I wonder." Gajeel pondered out loud, interrupting Levy.

Levy gave out a "hmph." Putting her hands on her hips she looked at Gajeel. "Wonder what?"

"Well, it's only been a rumor. Metalicana mentioned once of Dragon Slayer letters that he heard had been hidden." Gajeel stopped and tapped his chin. "That settles it."

"What?" Levy asked, "That settles what?"

Gajeel looked at her with a wicked grin. "Right now, I'm your best chance at helping you with your type of work."

Back at the museum, Levy walked back into the back, where Jakob sat sifting through filing cabinet. "Levy, what did I say, you still have like seventeen hours till you can work again. Now shoo," He said turning around to guide her back to the doors. "You need your rest."

"But-" Levy started.

"Like I said before, no buts." He said as he guided her through the door. Then a hand grabbed his shoulder and he looked up into the red eyes of a very tall, very muscular man. "Uh, um, hi, how can I help you?"

"Actually," Gajeel looked at him. "I'm here to help you." He stared down the smaller man before motioning with his head to the significantly smaller lady next to him. "And her."

"On the letter?" Jakob scoffed. Yea right, he knows an ancient language. "What do you know about ancient languages?" He asked.

"Har-" Gajeel began.

"He knows enough to actually possibly help." Levy cut in. "He is a Dragon Slayer." She added, gesturing to the metal covering his body as Gajeel let loose a grin with his canines exposed.

"Uh, well we don't-" Jakob didn't really want to let outsiders other than Levy back to the storage.

"Enough of this." Gajeel sighed and shouldered his way past Jakob with Levy right behind him.

"Hey!" Jakob shouted following after them. Shit! "Fine! But for a while OK? Levy has been around here for way too long and it for her health I sent her outside."

"I get ya," Gajeel agreed. "She can spend too much time indoors for her own good. Probably why you're so small right shorty?" He nudged Levy, earning a small glare but even Jakob couldn't miss the fondness and the crush that lit up her eyes every time she looked at him.

They entered the back study that had been set up for the translating mage that was hired-Levy.

"Here," Levy picked up the first page of the letter and handed it to Gajeel. "That the letter that says Dragon or Drake."

Gajeel stared at the paper, his eyes scanning it, side to side. His red eyes fixed in concentration. After a few minutes he looked up at Levy. "You can't read this?"

Narrowing her eyes she answered. "No, why, can you?"

"Yes."

"What!?" Jakob shouted. "How can an untrained translator read a language no body has ever seen?!"

"When we Dragon Slayer's were raised by our Dragons, we learned culture, how to read, how to write, everything really. That included two languages. Our common tongue and-"

"-And the language of Dragons." Levy finished.

Gajeel nodded. "Right." He still furrowed his brow, almost seeming disappointed.

"What?" Levy asked, looking at the paper in his hand. "Is it damaged?"

"No," Gajeel sighed. "It's just that this letter is not made for me."

For him? Jakob wondered. "What do you mean?"

"Surely you don't believe that each dragon only raised one child and taught them the arts of Dragon Slayer magic. After all," Gajeel said, waving a hand. "It's been four hundred years since the times of war."

"So, which dragon wrote this?" Levy asked.

"Dragon?" Gajeel snorted. "Dragon didn't write this shit. Nah, it's written by a man named Conley Drake." At this Gajeel furrowed his brows again, this time in jealousy by the looks of it.

"Is this bad?" Levy asked.

"Well, not necessarily." Gajeel sighed. "It means I won't be on par with Salamander for much longer though." He said grumpily.

"What, why not?" Levy inquired.

"Who's Salamander?" Jakob asked.

Ignoring the small research man, Gajeel continued. "It contains spells and abilities that are only useful to those of a Fire Dragon Slayer." He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This damn letter was written specifically for that pink haired bastard by the previous son of Igneel, the former Fire Dragon Slayer."

Levy and Jakob, stood mouths agape at the revelation at what the letter was.

Turning around, Levy grabbed her times from all around, and began stuffing them away. "Jakob, how much does the museum want for this letter?"

"What?" Jakob couldn't believe her ears. "They aren't for sale! Especially since we know its the language of Dragons!"

"And, it's not your rightful property. It belongs to the current Fire Dragon Slayer of Fairy Tail." Levy replied not bothering to stop packing and began to reach for the letter before Jakob snatched it up.

"No, absolutely not!" Jakob shouted. "We hired you to translate this piece not translate it and then buy it!"

"It doesn't belong to you! It belongs to Natsu!"

"Well, where is his name? I don't see it anywhere!" Jakob held the letter back.

"But it's there." Gajeel said. "His name is written on the damn paper. Just in the draconic language."

"But you can't-" Jakob started before Gajeel took the letter out of his hands.

"This," Gajeel held the letter to his face. "Is NOT your property." He said fiercely. Turning away he picked up both of Levy's bags. "Lets go shrimp."

"What do you think you're doing!" Jakob shouted. "I'll report you for this!"

"Go for it!" Gajeel snapped back. "Now that all three of Fairy Tail's Dragon Slayers, all of the S-Class mages, a Wizard Saint and several potential S-Class mages have returned after all these years, we're still the best, we'll take you down if you try to destroy us." He finished with a huff and pushed through the final pair of doors and exited the building with Levy, headed straight for the train station.

"Why are you helping Natsu become stronger?" Levy asked. "I thought you couldn't wait to kick his butt!"

"I will have to wait. Right now, we need to train as much as we can after missing seven years." Gajeel mumbled, letting his pride leave him for the time being.

"We need to make sure Natsu can kick ass again."

AN: So, how was it? You get what I'm aiming for? Well, follow, fav, review whatever you lads want.