I am so thrilled at the comments for Chapter 9, lots of praise coming in for how that chapter was handled. I also learned a friend, who reads this very story from chapter 1 just as it went up, admitted to me he is not really a NaLu fan, so I asked him why does he read Second Son and I was prepared for him to say 'cause we're friends' or something, instead he responded: Cause you write it so well. Now, yes he could be buttering me up so to speak, but I will currently take that as a win and move on from there. Of course I am going to thank my reviewers from the previous chapter: LoneBusterWolf, Angelic Shadow123, Guest Reviewer: Sierra, giNgaNiNja707, and Dreadbolt. Thanks to all those listed for taking their time to say a few words about the chapter, I hope to hear others as well, even if it's something simple to comment on the more the merrier. But, enough of my spiel, it's time for Chapter 10.

Chapter X: Second Son Triumphant

Natsu in his confusion and fear he could remember one thing...he didn't know why his brain was drifting back to this during such a stressful time, but perhaps everything could be traced there. When he was growing up, long before he found Fairy Tail, when he lived in the forest. He could remember it, the smell of the trees, the chirping of the birds...and of course, one moment as clear as day. The forest was idyllic and quiet like it should be, it was rarely ever disturbed...trees were always green, the birds were always chirping, everything was at peace and nothing could take that away... not the thundering footsteps that pounded on the ground and over the field. Casting a long shadow over the plains, the owner of the thundering footsteps craned his long neck to look over the tops of the forest: using his keen dragon eyes to spot the missing scamp. When he spoke his voice rumbled out over the forest tops, but such was the voice of the mighty Igneel. "Natsu! Where are you, it is nearly lunch time!"

He was getting concerned when he didn't see the scamp leap out of wherever he was hiding at the word 'lunch', he began to stretch his senses out to find him. His ears caught something, the slightest sound that didn't fit with nature: crying. Fearing the worst Igneel stomped over to the sound of crying, tearing through the woods, should anyone harm his son they would feel his wrath. Finally he came across the little Natsu, huddled against a tree, a few feet in front of him was an open book. Natsu lifted his head up when Igneel crashed through the trees, tears pouring out of his eyes.

"Natsu, are you hurt?"

Natsu, eyes bubbling with tears shook his head, giving an unhelpful sniffle as Igneel craned his head to look for any sign of something not meant to be here. He couldn't see anything, he couldn't sense anything, he turned back to the blubbering boy, "Then why do you cry Natsu?"

Natsu raised a finger to the open book that was in front of him, Igneel's eyes narrowed...where did this book come from? Was it dropped here? If so...by whom? It mattered not, he craned his head down to get a closer look at the pages: which depicted a human knight marrying a human princess. It was a fairy tale, which only confused Igneel as to why this caused him to cry. "Natsu why does this bring you tears...?"

Natsu was a blubbering mess, yet somehow through his tears he forced out words, "He...she was...the...he killed her friend Igneel!"

"Show me." Igneel asked, for his large claws would not allow Igneel to turn small pages of human books. Natsu turned the pages back and showed an image that immediately caused him to burst into fresh new tears, a human knight with his sword in a dragon, the following page showing the human knight riding off with the princess. Igneel knew that humans did not have popular opinions of dragons, and sowed their dislike into stories for their children called fairy tales, of course not all of them depicted dragons as evil and he was not denying there are corrupt and evil dragons...but it wasn't something he was proud to admit about. While he could take this as the reason for Natsu's tears...he knew Natsu couldn't read, they had yet to really begin their lessons for reading so he had to wonder what was it that caused Natsu to have such tears? "Natsu my son, these are stories by humans, fairy tales, they are not facts or history just things they tell their children for bed."
"B-but, why did he kill her friend Igneel?" Natsu asked through sobs, "the dragon was her friend and the knight killed him!"

Now it made sense, Igneel had realized Natsu had grossly misinterpreted the story itself and assumed the dragon was not the villain but the good guy and close protector of the princess in the castle, Natsu though continued to blubber away, "T-they were friends and that knight just took her away, never to see her friend again!"

"Natsu, that is not how the tale goes...this book depicts the dragon as the princess's captor not as her protector, he-"

"No!" Natsu stood up, "No he was her friend! He protected her! He can't be a bad guy cause...cause you're a dragon and you're not a bad guy! Dragons can't be bad guys!"

"That's..." Igneel paused for a moment, "That's not entirely true Natsu-"

"I don't care!" Natsu shook his head, he gave the book a dark glare. Running up to his he swung his foot will all of his might, kicking the book across the plains, "The dragon was her friend! He protected her! And-and one day when I grow up I will find my own princess, and I will protect her from any bad guy and-and I'll show everyone dragons are not bad guys!"

Igneel didn't want to break his son's spirit over something like this, it wasn't worth such a sadness and he seemed obstinate enough to believe what he believed regardless. Instead Igneel gave a warm smile and nodded, "I am sure you will one day...now let's get some lunch Natsu."

"Yeah!" Natsu cheered up, shooting off his mood always ever changing in moments. Igneel made to follow him but he saw some writing on the back of the book, he knew sometimes humans liked to label books to show ownership. He got in close and began to read the writing on the back of the book, there wasn't much, just a simple label of where this book came from.

"...Love & Lucky..."

He gave a frown at the name, not even sure where this book came from or how it even got here he turned his back on it and followed Natsu to where lunch would be. Yet his mind drifted back to that book, there was something about it...something about the title...the K was a bit faded, he nearly read it as 'Love & Lucy'...

Some part of Natsu reflected on his feelings from that day as he stood there, feeling power course through his whole being. The others could feel it too, even Monsoon suddenly felt slightly overwhelmed by the heat and power pouring out of his body. Gray had leaned up as he was certain Monsoon was too distracted to strike, his eyes focused in on Natsu and his new form, "No way...Natsu?"

"Natsu!" Happy cried out, "Natsu you're okay!"

"Natsu...?" Lucy spoke as well, trying to call out to him. "Natsu is that you...?"

"Can't be!" Monsoon dismissed, "I killed Natsu Dragneel, there's no way that's him."

The second Monsoon spoke Natsu's eyes shot to his direction, smoke poured from his mouth as he opened up to a roar. It shook the buildings that still stood and caused the ground to rumble, everyone but Monsoon and Mathayus could feel their footing slip from them. Monsoon raised his hand began forming his Poseidon's Trident, "Poseidon-"

Suddenly something grabbed his throwing arm and he spun around to see Natsu, he had moved so fast he didn't even register it until he had grabbed him. His claws tightening around Monsoon's arm seconds before he spun around and threw him against a building. Monsoon yelled out as he crashed against the building wall, he tried to recover but Natsu had appeared in front of him and threw his fist: the punch was so strong it sent him through not one or two, nor three, but counting up to seven buildings before Monsoon collided with the stone statue from the 'town square', he crashed painfully to the ground. He yelled out as he stood up, his eyes widening as he saw Natsu at the hole in which he crashed from: red glowing energy gathering up to his maw as it formed a massive fireball. Monsoon leaped out of the way seconds before a massive beam of fire shot through the statue and all the remaining buildings up to the entrance. Which speaking of, Erza and Juvia had finally finished off the last of the knights when the beam of fire blasted through the houses near them. The two girls moved aside and stared with surprise at the singeing hole where the fire came from.

"This fire...is it Natsu?" Juvia asked.

"Natsu never had an attack like that..." Erza trailed off as she suddenly thought of the very thing she was trying to prevent, "Come on!"

Erza leaped onto the rooftop of one of the buildings just in time to see a brilliant explosion of fire blast from the town's center, she took a step back as she searching the explosion for the caster...then she saw a figure, someone composed out of water? She looked at it closer and recognized the shape as Monsoon, transformed, but it was him...then if she wasn't so intent on keeping track she would have thought what she saw was a trick of her eyes. She merely blinked and he was there, Natsu...but different, scale covered, sharp teeth and claws, the spot where his Lacrima injury glowing bright red as he swung his claw down and sent Monsoon to the ground.

Erza's hand flew to her breast plate as before her eyes her fears were slowly coming to pass. Natsu no...don't...don't go where I can't follow you... Erza thought to herself as the explosion died down, with a conviction in her heart Erza took off to the spot where the two of them were doing battle: fulling intending on stepping in, for fear if she didn't Natsu might do something...dark. Of course that would only work if he even reached Monsoon, he managed to gather enough water to create a shield against Natsu's attacks: but that wasn't going to last very long. Monsoon gathered up his remaining energy and caused all the aqueducts in the area to explode with water, gathering around his body and forming around him.

"I'm not losing to you Dragneel!" he roared as the water formed a massive figure, an oversized version of Monsoon looked down on the speck of Natsu. The water formed him into a massive titan, which pulled one of his fists back and swung it down on Natsu. Who shot his arms out and stopped the fist mid-punch, Natsu fought against the large fist and with a powerful push he shoved the swing back long enough for him to leap in the air. He leaped onto Monsoon's chest cavity, where the real Monsoon was protected inside, and began clawing at it: trying to break through his defenses. This didn't last very long when Monsoon grabbed Natsu and threw him off him, he crashed through a roof and into one of the houses.

Monsoon raised his arms and slammed down on the building, crumbling it to the ground and sending the rubble down on him. Monsoon pulled back his attacks as the rubble cleared to find Natsu still alive, not wasting anymore time he pounded his large fists on him over and over: sending Natsu deeper into the ground. After what seemed like forever he pulled his fist back, examining Natsu's body...it remained still for a moment, but only for a moment, he crawled out of the hole made for him and roared at Monsoon. For the first time in the whole fight, he began to panic: he hit him with everything, even this form with it's attacks should have felt like a tower of metal crashing down on Natsu yet nothing seemed to even slow him down.

"To hell with the plan!" Monsoon yelled, "To hell with it all! I am not getting killed over this!"

Thin points of water shot out into spikes and shot at Natsu, who tensed up to dodge when suddenly several discs made of Ice shot back and severed the points of water. Gray Fullbuster, stood there, shield still in hand and more discs in the other hand. "Not this time Monsoon!"

At that time Erza flew in, Heaven's Wheel Armor activated, and slashed the large form across the back: as he reached for his back in pain Erza took this vulnerable moment to land several slashes on his chest: weakening down his defenses. Monsoon swiped his hands at Erza, who nimbly flew out of the way and out of Monsoon's reach. Natsu rushed forward in a burst of flame and rammed himself at Monsoon's chest, the impact sending the massive water giant crashing to the ground. Natsu scratched his claws at the slashes Erza made, finally breaking through Monsoon's defenses...but the Typhoon of Fiore wasn't ready to call it quits just yet. Just as Natsu was about to break through his last defense Monsoon fired a blast of water, knocking Natsu back. The giant turned his arm over in the direction of Mathayus and Lucy, his arm liquidizing into water.

"If she is the reason you fight, then you will be the reason she dies!"

"Lucy run!" Happy cried.

Mathayus's eyes widened, Monsoon had lost it utterly: he didn't care anymore about his mission, just survival. The arm turned into a giant blast of hot water and shot in their direction, Mathayus moved to step in front of Lucy...but someone beat him to it, Natsu stood with his back turned to the blast, arms out as he held back the blast of water. Natsu roared out as the water boiled against him, Lucy yelled for fear she was going to be hit before her eyes registered Natsu there. Smoke emitted from his mouth as he fought against the funnel of water, growls coming out even over the drone of the water. Except as Lucy listened she realized it wasn't growls, these growls were forming into words...Natsu was trying to speak.

"Luuuucyyy..." he growled out, his voice rumbling from his throat, "Ruuuuun..."

Lucy's eyes widened and she honestly felt like crying, it was him: he was still there. Her Natsu was still under those scales and flames and rage, she shook her head at him and the Hybrid Dragon blinked at her decision. She stood up, walking closer to him, and despite boiling water raining around them she put her hands on his scale covered cheek. She did not attempt to kiss him like before, she just stared at those dragon eyes as if she could peer behind them to see her Natsu under could, she could see him smiling at her behind those monster eyes...and she could see his conviction and she knew he wouldn't ever let anything touch her. No blade, no boiling water, no punch shall ever get close with her...not as long as Natsu was willing enough to become a monster for her. She was afraid this power of his would change him, it did, but not for the dark reasons she feared. She felt it silly she even allowed herself to be afraid of such a man: even confronted with the most brutality, he would always do it for the right reasons. Which is why now Natsu didn't need fear or worry...he needed to know that she knew he was underneath it all, and she knew just what to say.

"Go get him."

Natsu looked at her for a moment before his sharp teeth bore in a grin, he spun around, gave a roar as fire burst from his mouth and combated the water: pushing it back and vaporizing it back up to Monsoon's body and in a burst of steam vaporized it. Monsoon yelled out as he lost his protective form, stripped back to the form from earlier he tried to reach out and gather more water around him to attack. However he soon felt Natsu's claws around his throat, holding him there before he threw Monsoon into the air. His claws igniting with fire, the stance and power felt very similar to Natsu's Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade, but he didn't once call it's name as he performed the attack.

Blasting Monsoon higher in the air until suddenly appeared above him, his dragon body igniting into fire as he then crashed down with Monsoon at high speed: sending him to the ground and creating an explosion of fire. It ripped through the ground and incinerated any house that had any piece of it still standing, leaving the ground floor of the dome very bare. The others gathered around the center as Natsu was seen standing over Monsoon's body, the latter was reverted back to his human form and breathing heavily – alive, but out of the fight. Natsu tilted his head back and gave a victorious roar, once again shaking the dome with the power behind his yell. Erza had great difficulty fighting the anxiousness in her heart as she stared at this frightening form of Natsu's. He didn't kill him...so she was relieved that somehow Natsu was still under there. Natsu had finally finished roaring, he turned his head to Lucy, he slowly began to make his way to her...only pausing when he heard fits of coughing. He turned around as he saw Monsoon slowly stagger up, barely able to stand and chose foolishly to waste his energy talking.

"You think you won...you little freak. You won for now but what about in the future? The more of us you take down...the more of a freak you become, your friends will no longer protect you they will fear you. When that day comes I will be laughing, you hear me?! I will be-"

He was quickly cut off when Gray brought his shield across the back of his head, knocking him out. The Ice-Make Wizard gave a dismissive grunt, "Someone had to shut him up."

Natsu let out a guttural chuckle, feeling the high of battle fade his scales began to revert back to skin. During this process he began to stumble a bit, feeling his energy leaving him as the great power of this form faded out. He was losing his footing but he continued to stumble to Lucy, fully intending to make his way there no matter what it takes. He felt his feet give out though and he lurched forward, but Lucy was already making her own way there and caught Natsu before he hit the ground. Easing him down as she knelt on the ground, Natsu resting on her shoulder fighting to stay awake. It was hard to do because the smell of everything Lucy was comforting and lulling him to sleep.

"I...I did it Lucy I...I beat him.." Natsu mumbled tiredly.

"Yes, yes you did." Lucy responded back, "You saved me Natsu, like you always do."

"Yeah...yeah I did..."

"Shhh..." she whispered, lightly stroking her hands through his salmon hair. "Rest now...everything will be okay...my silly little dragon..."

Happy flew over to Natsu and plopped himself down on his shoulders, spreading his arms as wide as he could to embrace his friend who he thought he had lost. Natsu was about to slip into the welcoming darkness of sleep...when a hearty laugh filled the air, causing him to snap up from Lucy's shoulder. The group of Fairy Tail turned to Mathayus, who laughed and clapped his hands together: the warrior was very jubilant. "Yes...I finally have the proof I searched for...you are the one! The Second Son! At long last!"

Gray raised an eyebrow at that time, "The Second Son? What are you going on about?"

"If only you were not exhausted, we could have our destined battle now!" Mathayus continued, ignoring Gray, "But alas...we will once again have to push off our conflict, till later anyway."

"No!" Erza roared, he blades aiming at Mathayus, "I want answers! Now! No more games! Who is your Master and why are you obsessed with Natsu?!"

Mathayus eyed Erza's blades as they threatened to attack him, "Yes...you have earned some answers...one I could tell you, but I need you to come to your own conclusion Titania. So, a little clue from me to you..." he gestured to the dome, "you have learned this town was built to train Kakarof yes?"

Erza nodded and Mathayus continued, "And that we let him ravage the town so we may find a guild and a female wizard equal to our needs," Lucy's eyes widened at this, but the rest having heard this before nodded, "I'm afraid it goes a bit deeper than that...one final clue you have yet to hear of...don't you think it was funny how easy you found us?"

Erza scoffs, "If you're implying you led us here, Mistral already-"

"No, not really...not in the way you're thinking. I mean...don't you think it was convenient? You were pointed here...given a rather clear road to get here too...did you not once question how easy it was to find us?"

Erza tilts her head to the side, not really liking where this was heading, "What are you talking about...?"

"Think...you were not only given a clear map of how to get here...but told the exact nature and history of the very spell Lucy Heartfilia has right now...all that from someone who lives in a small village? You never once guessed?"

Erza's eyes widened as the realization kicked in, Juvia's hands flew to her mouth as well once she pieced it together. Gray shook his head denial, even Lucy looked like she was going to be sick. Natsu wasn't quite there yet...but he was about to be. Erza's voice became soft and trembling, "We've been played...right from the beginning...the Master was there all along...and we never even knew!"

In the shadows of his throne the Master grins, thinking of his triumph and of how his plan worked so perfectly...Kakarof was the perfect tool to manipulate, an outcast with no direction given power is an idiot who believes he's the king of the world. Feed him lies of a higher purpose and give him the tools to do it and he could cause enough trouble, after waiting a good while of Kakarof razing the village he then had the request sent out to guilds. Fairy Tail answered and as predicted Kakarof went down like a sack of bolts, too easy...all too easy. During the celebration he would suggest to the villagers he would have someone, in this case the young aspiring billionaire Damon, woo the wizard of his choice...and he chose Lucy Heartfilia.

Sundowner and Monsoon told him to choose Erza, because the famous Titania would have more than enough energy...but no, Celestial Wizards were interesting in their talent and Lucy had quite a bit of it...he chose her instead. Damon successfully wooed Lucy to the docks that night, where he and Mathayus put her to sleep and cast the spell on her. With that in place he created his message to Fairy Tail, knowing they would follow Lucy to Hollow Island regardless of what he said to them. Because the spell and the wizard were only one part of the success, the rest came from trials...he needed to throw Lucy into stressful situations and trials, it would be risky because it could trigger birth, but the upside would be all the stress and battles would build her energy even more...making her all that much sweeter when he drained her life and energy. Worming into their trust was too easy...after all...who would suspect the town's own Doctor?

He had won. Heartfilia was on her way here and soon he would once again cheat death.

"Monsoon screwed up."

"What?!" The Master turned to Sundowner, who had entered the room, "How-"

"Same as Mistral, Natsu Dragneel."

There it was...the one wild card in his perfect plan, Natsu Dragneel, no one expected him. Despite his findings when he checked him over Natsu had somehow shown incredible strength and power, so much so he became Mathayus's obsession...that story of the 'Second Son' or something. He didn't pay much attention to it in the past, but it seemed now he must alter his flippant feelings to Mathayus's obsession. He clenched his hands into fists and turned to Sundowner, rage could be felt from the darkness he sat in. "We're running out of time, pull the plug Sundowner. No mercy, no games, let loose everything we have and get Lucy Heartfilia to me now...all the stress she just endured she will be giving birth any time soon, the spell won't have the same potency if she does. Get her to me now!"

Sundowner grinned all white teeth, "I was hoping you'd say that...and Scorpion?"

"His games are getting in my way now," the Master growled, "If you see him...send him to me. If he refuses, kill him."

"I take that back...that's what I have been wanting to hear," Sundowner laughed, running from the room to prepare for his turn now to enter the field. The Master slammed his fist on the throne chair, this game was going on long enough...Lucy Heartfilia would not walk out of this alive, she would not. He's worked too hard to let this slip by him because of one little brat who can't work out his own feelings to her, he would have Fairy Tail under his boot and crushed. Nothing was going to stop him, nothing at all. Tonight is the night Fairy Tail falls.