"Hmph", Fairy Tail's guild master grunted, pondering the strange nature of the job, in addition to the cryptic written instructions he was asked to relay. Normally, he would pass off such a request as a practical joke: the product of mislead youngsters with too much time on their hands. However, this particular document, written in faded ink on string-bound sheets of parchment, edges burnt to a crisp and torn in several places, was signed with the mark of a massive claw print on the final page. The print itself was so detailed and well-made, that Makarov had doubts that any human would be capable of producing such a piece. It even outlined tiny scales that edged the tears in the parchment, at the tip of each finger, as well a large gouged out section where the thumb lay, which he supposed were the tears created by the claws of whoever- or whatever- wrote this. It was as though a dragon with a taste for light brown coffee beans had spat it out after realising it was paper, and scribbled the instructions down and signed it hastily by dipping its claws in ink. He chuckled, thinking that a certain fire wizard was more than capable of doing just that, should he ever choose to, heavens forbid, write a story. Or even go near a book for that matter.

"Hey Gramps! I heard that you were looking especially for me! What, did you miss me or something ?" An all too familiar laugh, coincidentally from the very same fire wizard, interrupted Makarov from his thoughts, like a slap in the face.

"As if I would miss you, brat! Learn some manners!" Makarov scolded, getting progressively more irritated as Natsu continued to ignore him.

"So anyway, what is this special request? Are you going to make me an S-class wizard?" He asked with a sudden burst of excitement, his face literally beaming with flames shooting out of his nose and mouth.

"Natsu, you know that you need to pass the test before you become an S-class, and you wouldn't be the only one being tested!" Lucy called in exasperation, hurrying to catch up to Natsu, who had cleared the guild hall in a few bounds upon hearing about a special request.

"Oh. Right. I forgot", he replied, chuckling.

"Anyway," Makarov cleared his throat, wanting to get the annoyance out of the way, "the request seems to have been made by an...interesting client." Makarov put special emphasis on the word "interesting", piquing Lucy's curiosity. Before Lucy could inquire further, she was startled by a yelp of surprise next to her.

"That's Igneel's mark! I know it is!" Natsu exclaimed in a mixture of disbelief and excitement. Before anyone even had time to react, Natsu grabbed the document in one hand, Lucy's arm in the other and sprinted her out the doors of the guild, Lucy seeming to flap in the breeze as her body helplessly flailed behind her arm.

"Kyaaaaaaaaa!" Lucy's screams seemed to disappear into the horizon with the Dragon Slayer and the flying cat tailing them, cheering Natsu with the occasional "Aye, sir!", as the guild hall burst into laughter at the sight.

"Come back safely! " Mirajane chirped at the slowly receding spot on the horizon of the town of Magnolia. "So, Master, do you really think that could have been Natsu's father who sent the request?"

"Hmm", Makarov grunted thoughtfully. It was entirely possible that a dragon had sent the request, considering the fact that it was left anonymously at Porlyuscia's house by an unknown client. However, what had truly caught the Sixth Guild Master's attention was not the claw print at the back; that was the second, far more minor anomaly. The document had a strange magical quality to it, so faint that it was almost undetectable. Despite it's weak strength, Makarov had a dreading feeling that the magic was somehow familiar, dangerously so. It had the same quality as the magic found in Fairy Tail's most dangerous secret: Lumen Histoire.