A/N: Thank you so much to all of you wonderful readers, I look forward to your thoughts and opinions on this fanfic. Now I know Dragon's Bookworm hasn't been updated lately, I'm hoping to fix that in the next day or two, but this chapter has been eating at me, and I knew it had to be put out there.

So please, remember to read and review, and feel free to make suggestions or ideas, and we'll see what happens! Enjoy!

Chapter 10 Newcomers

"Well, I think I figured out why you were able to get that soul bond. In what little bit of information I have about it….soul bonds are very tricky to obtain because more often than not….the traumatic experience cannot be planned, and it only worked because I got lucky in pulling you out of that pond. Usually getting a soul bond doesn't work…because the attempt usually results in death. If I hadn't been here…you would've died, and then so would Lucy."

Levy sat on the small step leading into Natsus home, head tilted back as she contemplated the stars above her. It had been a informative past hour, even more so the past five minutes, and at this point, she wasn't entirely sure just how much more she could take.

'Usually getting a soul bond doesn't work because the attempt usually results in death.' Igneels voice echoed through her head.

Wrapping her arms around her up-drawn legs, she rested her head on her knees, letting out a quiet sigh. She had seen the dragon that now graced Natsus arm, and after feeling like Lucy was there and touching it, she knew that a soul bond could indeed run very deep. Deeper than she had ever thought possible.

When Gajeel had muttered something about wanting to check on the salamander a few hours previously, Levy hadn't thought twice about going with him, it had just happened. After leaving Lily to keep Happy distracted, and Carla company in the guildhall, the walk to the small cabin just beyond the city limits had been a quiet one. So naturally, to break through the tries only to find Natsu pounding someone into the ground was a bit unexpected.

The events following that flew by in a flash, leaving Levy feeling a bit overwhelmed and uncertain of herself after all of it, and she had found herself needing a few minutes alone. However, she also knew that going too far from Gajeel at that point would probably be a bad idea, so sitting on the front step was going to have to make due.

Thinking back on the things she had found out over the last few days alone, Levy knew that she was going to have to do a lot of thinking. There were a few things that she knew for a fact. She loved Gajeel, that was a set in stone fact. She wanted to be his mate; yea another fact. There were so many facts about Gajeel that she knew that she was finding it hard to believe that she was stumbling over this one question that could change everything.

Did she want to be soul bonded to Gajeel?

She could see the pain that Natsu had been going through over the past number of months, and she wasn't sure if she could be as strong as he had been if she ended up on the verge of losing Gajeel. Besides, Natsu and Lucy were strong in their own right. To be bonded the way they were now only enhanced their gifts, and their awareness of each other even in spirit form.

Who was she kidding? She knew that she wanted to be soul bonded to the stubborn tin headed iron dragon. Burying her head further into her knees, she sniffled, fighting the burn in her eyes that threatened to tear up. She knew she wanted the soul bond, would be willing to chance death if it meant having that connection with him. But she also knew the truth.

She wasn't strong enough.

Who was she, a shrimpy script mage who kept her nose in the books all of time, who was she to be bound to a strong dragon slayer like Gajeel?

She was buried so deep into her thoughts that she never saw the shadows racing across the ground towards her.

Gajeel moved to dart after Levy when she ran from the room, only to be stopped by Igneels hand on his shoulder. Glaring at the dragon in human form, he fought to keep from throwing a punch right then.

"Give her a few minutes Gajeel. We've all been through a lot the last few days, this may have just been a bit too much after everything else." Igneel stated, keeping his eyes calm and level on Gajeel.

Shrugging off the restraining hand, Gajeel turned back to Natsu, seeing the salamander staring at his arm. Or more specifically, the black dragon that now shifted along his skin. The mark that Lucy had given him was an impressive one, and intrigued even him. Gritting his teeth, he fought against the thoughts in his head concerning the soul bond.

Would he and Levy have a soul bond? Would he want with her if it meant going through something so traumatic that they could end up dying? After everything that he had done to her, did he deserve that kind of connection? Did he really want her going through something that painful?

Letting out a sigh, he leaned back against the wall next to the bathroom, his own mind chaotic over the things they had just learned over the last few days. He didn't know where to go from here and he hoped that something, ANYTHING, would help give him some guidance, including getting bunny girl back.

A startled shriek from outside had him darting for the front door with the other two dragons following close behind. Yanking the door open had Gajeel almost tripping over Levy as she fell backwards followed by Natsu and Igneel running into him from behind.

"Shrimp! What is it? What's wrong?" Gajeel demanding, crouching down to wrap his arms around her, his gaze sweeping over the clear land in front of them.

"I'm afraid that's my fault for startling her." A lyrical voice stated from off to their left side. Looking to the side, the four adults blinked in confusion at the small creature that stepped out from the shadows of the house. "I promise I mean no harm, I'm only here to help. Well, and to find my partner."

"Uh….who are you?" Natsu asked, managing to ease past Gajeel and Levy to crouch down next to them.

"Are you Natsu?" The voice asked, its body still shadowed.

"I am. And you are?" Natsu repeated eyes narrowing as he picked up a vaguely familiar vibe. He knew he had felt something like it before, but it wasn't the same thing exactly, and he couldn't place where.

At the sudden impact to his chest, Natsu found himself landing rather hard on his ass with his arms wrapped around something warm, soft, and…furry? Looking down he saw big yellow eyes staring back at him, glowing with happiness.

"I'm so glad I found you! I'm Clarity, or Clari for short!" Pushing back slighltly, Clari hopped down from Natsu's lap. Doing this allowed for the others to see her completely, and Natsu realized she seemed familiar.

"An Exceed? What are you doing here?!" Natsu exclaimed, seeing the small body covered in mocha fur with blond stripes, and large eyes blinking with a smile curving its mouth.

"I'm here to find my partner, and to help." She paused as she heard a very loud clearing cough. "Ok, let me rephrase that. WE are here to find OUR partners, and to help. We were sent here by our Queen. She had a vision and was able to point us to who our partners are. If you'll have us that is."

"We? Us?" Levy asked, sitting up slightly but not going far as Gajeels arms kept her from doing so.

"Yes, we, us." Another voice stated from…above?

Looking up found a group of Exceeds above their heads, who quickly came down to join them. Standing before them now, in a range of colors, with Clari included, were nine exceeds, staring at them expectantly.

"Uh….I'm…I….ok, I'm confused…I don't think I've ever seen this many exceed gathered at once, not since after we came back from the trip to Edolas." Natsu muttered, looking over each other them in awe.

"Actually those from Edolas came and joined us, we've been around for a very long time, but kept to ourselves for reasons which may eventually be told." Clari stated with a smile. Crickets chirped for a moment as all but Igneel stared at her dumbfounded.

"Forget that, the better question is why are there so many, and who are they here for?" Gajeel grunted. Feeling pressure against his arms, he looked to see that Levy was trying to free herself from his grip, and with a grumble he let her go, only to watch as she crawled forward, reaching out to a particular grey and black spotted exceed. When said exceed shifted to look up at her with a smile and vibrant green eyes, Levy paused and stared.

"Hello, you must be Levy." The exceed stated softly, tilting its head.

"Um, yes, that's me, but how did you know?"

"We have heard a great many stories about the dragons and their friends in our village. Often a small blue haired bookworm was mentioned by Happy, Carla, and Lily when they came to visit."

"Wait, so you know Lily?" Gajeel asked, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees.

"Yes, though he doesn't know me. I, uh, I tended to stay to the outside whenever he came around." The exceed answered, a hint of pink staining it's face.

Before Gajeel could get in another question, Levy asked one of her own.

"What's your name? And who are you here for?"

"My name is Lynn. And I'm actually here to be your partner Levy. I've heard of your love for books, and the fierce sense of loyalty you have to your friends."

"Wait, my partner? But I'm not a dragon, and the only people I know with exceeds are dragons!"

"You're not a dragon. At least not yet. But seeing that you are meant to be mated to one, and you will eventually become part dragon, I'm here to be your partner." Lynn answered calmly.

"Uh…I…I…" Burying her head in her hands, Levy tried to calm her racing thoughts. "I think I need a drink..."

"That actually sounds like a wonderful idea. So why don't we all go to the guildhall and get some drinks seeing as it's only around ten, I would think there are plenty of others still there." With that said, before Levy, Gajeel, or Natsu could argue, they were picked up by the exceeds and carried off with Igneel happily being carried along behind them.

When the guildhall doors burst open ten minutes later, it was to find a still fairly packed room that stopped to stare at the odd group coming through the doors.

Curses, and growls echoed throughout the hall, quickly followed by solid thuds as two dragon slayers were dropped roughly, while two others were lowered carefully until their feet touched the ground.

From his spot sitting on the bar, Markarov stared in surprise at the group of exceeds surrounding the tall man, the small bookworm, and the tangled limbs of two dragon slayers. "Just what in the hell is going on here?!" He shouted, feeling the presence of Laxus and Mira flanking him from behind the bar.

"Uh….I don't exactly know how to explain…but uh….well-" Levy started only to suddenly be cut off by a pair of voices.

"Laxus!"

"Mira!"

Small blurs were seen darting across the hall as two of the exceeds raced over to tackle the two standing behind the bar. The confused looks on their faces echoed those throughout out the hall.

Looking down at the small cat in her arms, Mira couldn't help but start squealing some as she hugged it closer. "Oh my god you're so cute! Who are you?" Mira asked after a moment, fingers reaching to scratch the cat between the ears.

"That's Willow. And the other is Kaden." Lily answered, hopping up to stand next to Markarov. Looking from the lilac and blue tipped body of Willow to the tan body of the exceed clinging to the shirt Laxus was wearing, he continued. "But what are you doing here?" Looking over his shoulder to those who had ventured further in. "What are all of you doing here?"

"It's simple really Lily." Willow answered with a purr, nuzzling against the hand petting her.

"We're here to be with our dragons, their mates, and join the guild!" Kaden answered, his slightly deeper voice raised to be heard by all.

Lifting a paw to rub his face, Lily darted a glance over to the rest of the exceeds who were still grouped together, Happy and Carla having joined them. There was one in particular he hoped was there, but he couldn't see the familiar gleam of grey fur.

"Looking for someone Lily?" A voice asked from right behind him. Smiling happily, he spun around to hug the other exceed close.

"Lynn! You're here! But why? Gajeel and Levy haven't…uh…well-"

"Don't worry, I know they haven't. But the queen had a vision, and sent us ahead now, even though this wasn't supposed to happen yet." Lynn interrupted, looking past Lily to see that Gajeel had managed to get free of Natsu and join Levy at the bar a few seats away, watching the exceeds.

"What's happened?" Lily asked quietly.

Before she could answer, Laxus spoke up, with a hint of confusion coloring his voice.

"Would someone mind telling me why I have a damn exceed attached to me right now? OW!"

"Laxus you be nice!" Mira huffed, lowering the hand that had smacked him across the back of his head.

"My name is Kaden, and I'm attached to you at the moment because I was sent to be your partner, just as Willow was sent to be Mira's, Lily is Gajeels, Happy is Natsu's, and Lynn is Levy's. We're here, because the others are going to be here soon."

"Wait, what others?" Carla asked from her spot on the table next to Wendy. It could be seen that of all of the dragons and mates, Wendy and Romeo seemed to be taking it in stride the best. An orange and red tipped exceed was perched on Romeo's shoulder, who in turn had a large grin on his face. Happy had taken his usual place on Natsu's head while Clari draped herself over Natsu's right arm. The last of the exceeds sat at the end of the table with Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo, paying attention to what was being said.

Stepping away from the doors that he had stayed by for a moment to watch everything, Igneel stepped up to brace a hip against the table with the other exceeds.

Smirking slightly, knowing that what he was one of the reasons for the exceeds being there, he raised his voice to answer Carla's question.

"The other slayers and their mates. ALL of them."