Just a small warning to a few clueless folks. There's a bit of a spoiler about Igneel in this chapter, so unless your up-to-date and read, all the Fairy Tail chapters, then yeah. Heads Up. Recommended that you read the manga first.

But hey, I'm just the author, what do I have a say in your opinion. If you want, go for it. If you listen to me, thank you… T.T

While I'd love to claim credit for everything, trust me, my imagination is not sophisticated enough to have thought of this anime. I thought of a couple characters and ideas. That's all. Thanks.

(Natsu's POV)

Soft spears of sunlight fell upon Natsu's face, gently waking the young boy from his rest. Natsu sleepily tried to roll away from the rays of light, but couldn't escape its reach.

Eventually, he had to summon his energy to get up. And that left him more awake then he would have liked.

He flicked his eyes around and was surprised to see Igneel lying beside him. Natsu started, and some of his sleepiness was shed. Igneel was warm. So warm, that Natsu could feel small droplets of sweat beading down his forehead.

There was no way he cloud sleep beside a furnace, so he decided to get up.

Easier said than done.

Despite his shock, Natsu realized he was rather comfy for the forest floor. Hmm. Why was that? He forced himself to tilt his head down. Beneath him, was a small pile of… green moss?

It had this certain jelly-like substance that kept him from falling off, yet wrapped around him enough to keep him warm.

Excited by this new toy, any traces of sleep left Natsu. His face elated and a grin replaced his former frown. He began to laugh and jump up and down on the moss.

It was bouncy enough to be a trampoline, and the happy child bounced, and bounced, and bounced…

Until of course, Natsu bounced a little too high and hit a branch against his head. Again. In the exactly the same spot as yesterday.

History repeated itself, and once again, the darkness enveloped Natsu, welcoming him back.

The unconscious boy was unable to control his descent, therefore unable to control his ascent to the river miles away.

(Igneel's POV)

Irritating. Irritating, irritating, IRRATATING! Where was that boy!? He had already disappeared. The sun had barely risen, and already, Natsu was causing trouble for Igneel. Where had he gone!?

Igneel sighed. He was acting like a father who had found out his son had snuck out. He inhaled, exhaled, and inhaled again, identifying Natsu's scent.

Having found Natsu's of stench, he decided when he found the boy; he would get talking to of his life. Maybe a good beating too.

Igneel prepared himself for a long journey, and trudged off, following the all-too-familiar smell of human.

(Natsu POV)

Ahhh… What bliss… Silence… Nothingness… He didn't move, he barely thought, and he couldn't talk. He didn't even breathe. He couldn't breathe. He tried, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. Something was stopping him. He kept trying, and trying and trying and—

SPLASH

Natsu surfaced the water. The human instinct to survive kicked in, and he slowly dog paddled back to solid ground.

He had self-taught himself to float, because of all the times he had to make a quick getaway when he was… RELIEVING, the nobles of their valuables.

Surviving meant resorting to the most desperate, pathetic, and despicable tactics.

Natsu wasn't proud of his past.

But he had been, and still was forced to depend on this instinct for the better part of his life.

All this streamed into his thoughts, like the water in his ears. He clambered ashore, gasping for air, and coughing out water at the same time.

When he had more air than water in his lungs, he lay on his back and stared at the trees.

Once again, though in less dangerous circumstances, he had almost died.

Pathetic. Truly pathetic.

He had to go back and find Igneel before he somehow killed himself.

He was wet, and his clothes were soaked. He supposed he needed to wash his clothes eventually. He was amazed his clothes had lasted so long.

He sniffed around. He tried to smell Igneel, but the water had cleared out his nose, and he couldn't sniff that far. But he did smell smoke somewhere, and since he had no real clue where to go, he decided to follow the scent of something familiar.

He began to trudge his sodden shoes caked in mud, in his mindless walk, step by step.

(Igneel's POV)

Igneel made a deep sound at the back of his throat. The boy's scent was getting fainter and fainter, until finally, it ended at a river.

Igneel stamped his foreclaws. The water had washed away the scent. This was getting more troublesome by the second. Great. What now?

Just then, a smell wafted into Igneel's nostrils. Igneel gave an incredulous gasp. That smell… It couldn't be…

Igneel turned toward the scents direction. He hadn't been up long enough to fly. He still didn't have the energy. So he was forced to walk as fast as he could.

'Why was HE here? It was still thousands of years too early for him to have gotten out of that seal. Please don't be him. If it is, please don't let Natsu meet him. Not yet. I haven't taught him anything yet. Please'

Igneel prayed like crazy, but Fate was a fickle mistress, and disregarded any prayers that came from Igneel.

(Natsu's POV)

The darkness of the night was starting to wrap the forest in its wide cloak. Natsu energy and patience were both running low. He still hadn't recovered from yesterday, and now he was forced to walk at least the same distance to a spot that MIGHT be recognizable.

Can this get any worse?

BOOM

The clouds overhead thundered, and released rain from its hold.

Natsu was not amused.

He couldn't run, his legs were too sore, he couldn't talk, his mouth was frozen, and his arms were glued to the insides of his armpits.

Why did this have to happen to him? He was just having a little fun, then the next moment, he was drowning, then he was forced to walk for miles in the cold wet rain.

At this point, he couldn't smell anything anymore, so he was just blindly following the direction he had been walking in. And he just acquired a cold.

Natsu sneezed.

"Gazuntite" A piece of cloth was offered to Natsu. Natsu gratefully took it, his limbs slow and heavy.

He blew as hard as he could, then gave it back to the man who was now beside him.

"Such a depressing rain. Wish it would stop"

Natsu gave the barest of nods in agreement. Then his eyes widened.

Wait. What? A man?

Natsu whirled around, in a crouching stance that was made to judge situations. Such as if he should attack, defend, or run like crazy.

The man gave a soft laugh. The sound of a man dying inside, a man whose best friend was most likely solitude. Just like on the streets, he had heard that kind of laugh too many times. Just like… home.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked in a low, wary voice.

The rain was so thick; it was impossible to see anything past arms length. The man's face was a mere shadow, and his stooped, exhausted looking body revealed nothing other than sadness.

He was about 6 feet tall, with a thin body. Natsu couldn't see anything else about him but guessed he was about sixteen to eighteen years old.

"Me? No idea. People call me things, but those are just titles. I gave myself a name of course, and I think people use it. But what about you?" Though seeming innocent enough, the shadow covering his face kept staring at Natsu, which sent shivers up the boy's spine.

Natsu swallowed. Hard. He could've sworn the man had heard it.

"My name is Natsu"

The man tilted his head.

"Natsu is it? Nice to meet you" He held out his hand, obviously really hoping Natsu would do the same.

He didn't.

The man sighed.

"No? I'm not evil. I just end up hurting others anyway" He gestured with his hand that he still wished to shake Natsu's.

Natsu didn't move.

"I don't shake someone's hand if I don't know them"

Then the man did the most unexpected things.

He laughed. He laughed so hard; that he was on he was forced onto his knees from lack of breath.

"You're a very cautious person aren't you Natsu?" he said between breaths.

Natsu just stared.

When the man finally stopped laughing, he stood straight up and smiled

"Ahhh," He breathed in. "I haven't laughed like that in ages. Thank you Natsu"

Natsu kept staring, trying not to let all the conflicting emotions wander on his face. The man didn't seem to notice, and a serious expression replaced his once joyful demeanor.

"Well, that's probably for the best. If you're too careless these days, people who aren't as nice as me would love to take advantage of you"

Natsu could relate to that. He had things like that happen to him before. He looked to the side, closing his eyes, trying to shut out the memories.

But somehow, despite the blanket of rain covering the man's face, he could see Natsu, because then he said

"Aha. So you know what it feels like, to just barely survive everyday. We're right you know. A human has to be forever wary of his surroundings, else be eaten by it"

Natsu eyes widened and he looked at the man. He knew. He knew what it was like, to live in a harsh environment. To live at the very height of fear would allow. The way life demanded you kill, or be killed.

'Just like me' Natsu realized.

"Yes," the man drawled, "I know exactly what it feels like. We are brothers by bond, are we not?" Once more, the man reached out his hands to shake. This time, Natsu reached for it.

CRASH

The trees behind Natsu exploded and Natsu whirled around to see Igneel running to him.

ROAR

Natsu hands flew to his ears, trying to drown out the sound. He glanced at the man, but he hadn't moved at all, he didn't even look surprised to see Igneel. Just annoyed at all the noise.

"DON'T MOVE!" Igneel shouted. He kept his eyes fixed on the man at all times. "Natsu, get over here"

Natsu frowned. Still annoyed at the dragon for interrupting him, he asked innocently

"What do you want me to do? Go to you, or stay here?"

In response, Igneel blasted a jet of fire beside Natsu. It was weak because of the rain, but Natsu got the message.

He scampered between Igneel's legs, sides burning hot from the fire.

But privately, Natsu was glad of the cover from the rain, and hoped that Igneel would also allow the man to take shelter.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

(Igneel's POV)

Good. Now Natsu would be out of harms way from HIM. His son was safe. Igneel surprised himself. He already thought of the child as his son. No matter, he would think about that later.

First he needed to educate the brat who ran away.

He blasted another burst of fire at Natsu's face. There were no lasting flames, but the heat was still agonizing. Natsu rolled in the mud clutching his face, and whining about how unfair it all was.

"Excuses later," he growled, "First, I need to deal with the bigger problem"

Igneel face the man. The man stared right back.

Then Igneel bared his fangs and chomped at the man. Natsu gasped. But Igneel hadn't gotten him. In the man's place was only air. The man was now sitting on a rock a few feet away.

"What are you doing here?" Igneel demanded. The man kept staring, but slowly answered

"I woke up. I'm still sleepy, but I thought a good walk would wake me up"

Igneel snapped at him again, but the results were the same. Igneel caught air, and the man was another few feet away.

"Don't mock me!" Igneel thundered "You were sealed away, and for thousands of years, and was supposed to stay that way for eons more! HOW. DID. YOU. GET. OUT!?"

The man was too calm. Natsu was scared. What was Igneel talking about? Sealed away? Thousands of years? How old did that make the man?

Natsu made a confused frown. Just thinking about it made his head hurt.
"I really don't know. I just woke up. I think something… broke my seal. But I thought that was impossible"

"It was supposed to be, and should still be!"

"Well it's the only explanation. It would've been impossible to get out myself. But here I am. So what are you going to do about it? You know you can't take me on yourself"

Igneel dug his foreclaws into the ground and clenched. The man was right. Taking him on even in his weak state would be impossible. And the man knew it. But he was the fire king Igneel, and he wasn't friendless.

"If you fight me, then even you will be drained. And my death will alert the other dragons. You don't want them another war do you? For now, just go back to sleep. I promise not to harm you while you're here, so long as you don't come near this boy" he pointed at Natsu.

The man nodded.

"I agree to your terms. I bid you good night Igneel, Natsu"

And the man melted into the shadows.

Igneel felt the weight of the sky life off his shoulders. Finally, he was gone. Then he glared at Natsu, ready to punish him for all the trouble he had caused… but the child was already scared enough. Igneel sighed. He really was getting old.

(Natsu's POV)

Natsu mouth dropped. 'Where did he go?' Natsu wondered. He had just dissapered.

Igneel glared at Natsu, and the little boy felt like crying.

"Natsu, don't ever go near that man. He is dangerous, and will kill you if he feels like it. Understand?"

Natsu nodded, and Igneel sighed. He began walking to his favourite tree, not really looking forward to the long hours back.

"Come Natsu. I'm tired. Today has been a long day"

Natsu followed, eager please Igneel after all that had happened.

"Igneel? I don't even really know who that he is. What was that man's name?"

Igneel stopped in his tracks. Natsu hid behind a rock, fearful he had angered Igneel. But Igneel merely sighed again, and looked back.

"Lets go home, I want to get away from this accursed rain"

Natsu hopped onto Igneel's back and lay down. Home. A home in the forest. That sounded… Yawn… great… but still…

"So what was his name again?" but by then, Natsu was already asleep.

Igneel looked at Natsu, out like a log. And he decided to answer him.

"The man's name, is Zeref"

How many of you could guess who that man was? Not many huh? Ah well. I'm not sure what Zeref's personality is like, they don't say much about him himself, but I rather enjoyed writing about him. For now, he'll be a little more cheerful kind of man. A little.

Anyway, I think everybody should love a mysterious character. He'll be a big influence on Natsu's life, in all my stories, even if in some he wont physically be there. But enough said.

If you enjoyed reading this, please check out my other story: Lucy Heartfillia: Joys Of Love, Sorrows of Loneliness

Thanks a bunch for reading guys! I hope you enjoyed this! Please review and suggest what I can do for the next chapters and what I should fix.

Thanks again!

- Justin, Lover of anime, enemy of haters, and family to all my otaku brothers and sisters. Welcome to my world! XD