Hi guys Azza here!

So since I kind of can't answer the questions from people's reviews from the last chapter of Volume II I'll put them here since Chapter 1 has the typical start of fic intro stuff. And if you did leave a review before I published this and it wasn't answered feel free to ask again in the review section for this fic and I'll answer it because for some reason certain reviews pop up and vanish for me on the app and my email alerts for them would've already made them go right down the list since I get flooded with them daily.

Reviews

Shadow465 – No Naruto will not be Hokage but I'd argue his new role embodies what a Kage truly is. The title of Hokage if memory serves me right translates to Fire Shadow, Ho meaning Fire and Kage meaning Shadow. Basically you could argue Naruto is the greatest Kage of them all since he is the Shadow that watches over the Elemental Nations at large.

Bio RL – That is a fair question but I'm pretty sure I've stated several times that it is up to the one who currently resides in the position who actually gets it when the time comes for them to step down. Eliza was chosen during a time where the Gods still weren't allowed contact with the mortal world like they had when she met Elise as a little girl so naturally the God of War before her was forced to choose from them.

If Eliza were to be killed before picking Elise however then the successor would've been chosen from the students an example being When the Time Goddess was killed during Volume II and Natsu appointed one of her students as the next Time Goddess.

ChaosofTime – Time got away from you, nice pun there haha! And yeah in the beginning obviously it'll be a bit interesting to get used to since I usually insert Natsu right in the middle of something rather than at the usually expected point of the start of the canon series but I'll be doing my best to smooth things out as the chapters go on.

Anyway with all that out of the way on with the story!

I do not own Fairy Tail, One Piece or the Nasuverse.

The Desert City Alabasta

/Natsu's POV/

Jumping backward Natsu avoided being struck by the wave of white smoke that the man had sent toward him and landed on top of a nearby table barely making a sound upon landing as he grinned at the man.

"So you smoke multiple cigars at the same time and your powers revolve around smoke, don't try too hard to hide your skills geez."

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you kid."

"I'm actually older than you thank you very much, er whatever your name is!"

Officer Of The Marines

The White Hunter

Captain Smoker

"Even your name's Smoker," Natsu said whilst trying not to burst out laughing. "So hold on your parents actually named you Smoker, for real?"

"Yes," Smoker replied as he clenched his teeth crushing the cigars in his mouth in the process as he sent several more waves of smoke at Natsu who effortlessly dodged them.

"You aren't very good at this are you?"

"Just who the hell are you," Smoker growled as he charged toward Natsu who easily dodged a smoke based series of punches before delivering a kick to the man's chest. To Natsu's surprise however the man's chest was blown apart revealing it to be nothing more than smoke.

"Gotcha!"

Smoker's chest closed up around Natsu's foot, severing it in the process as Natsu hopped backward no longer toying around.

"I knew there was something off about you," Natsu said with a frown as he stood on his one remaining foot as Smoker ignited two more cigars to replace the two he'd chewed through earlier.

"Its obvious you don't have a clue what happened so I'll be the bigger man and tell you, I'm a Smoke Human who ate the Plume Plume Fruit."

"A Devil Fruit User," Natsu hummed in response. "Now your strange abilities make more sense."

You don't stand a chance against me boy, not against a Logia Fruit User so you might as well stand down now and save yourself further humiliation."

"Humiliation? Since when was I humiliated?"

Smoker gestured to his missing foot prompting Natsu to laugh in the man's face as he regenerated it on the spot, complete with a new boot much to the shock of those present.

"I'll admit the idea of a human being made entirely out of an element surprises me but trust me when I say that there are ways to win even against a power like that, Smoker," Natsu said with a grin as sparks began to emanate from his body alongside a dark purple aura.

"I came here looking for Straw Hat Luffy yet this country seems to be full to the brim of all sorts of pirates and other shady characters," Smoker sighed as the bottom half of his body faded to smoke. "First I get stalled by Portgas D Ace then I find out Crocodile is out to take over this entire country and now you've gone and shown off abilities that I simply can't leave unchecked."

"Well then Mr Marine let's see what you can do to stop me eh," Natsu grinned as he vanished to avoid a jet of smoke that crashed into his former location. "Too slow!"

Smoker's head was blown into smoke before reforming as Natsu delivered a swift kick to the back of his head before vanishing.

"I told you that nothing you do will harm me, I'm a Logia Fruit User!"

"Trial and error Smokey boy, trial and error," Natsu replied as he jumped high into the air to avoid a sea of smoke that was being expelled by Smoker below.

"I've got you now boy, Plume Plume: White Blow!"

Natsu shifted slightly in place to avoid a cloud of dense smoke fired from both of Smoker's arms however the man simply grinned as Natsu sensed the smoke suddenly freeze in place and begin to move to entrap him.

"Plume Plume: White Out!"

'So that's his game …'

Waiting until the last moment Natsu vanished in a burst of speed and appeared in the air behind Smoker who seemed to believe he'd successfully trapped him within his last attack. Lowering his guard Natsu managed to land a kick to the man's neck that sent him flying through several buildings much to the shock of the Marines who pointed their weapons at him.

"How dare you hurt the Captain!"

"Filthy Pirate scum!"

The Marines opened fire but Natsu simply raised his hands and caught the bullets and pushed them back into their chambers using his Gravity Magic as the Marines' guns exploded in their hands wounding many of them just as Smoker returned, charging toward him in the air.

"Leave my men out of this!"

"Hey they shot at me buddy not the other way around," Natsu replied avoiding several punches before trying to land another hit to the man only for his attack to phase right through him. "So it seems if a Logia User isn't fully paying attention their perfect defence falters when another element strikes them, interesting."

"But it seems that regular attacks do absolutely nothing though."

"So you've been paying attention Ahnkseram?"

"Yeah I wasn't expecting anyone in this place to put up much of a fight but then again you are suppressing your Aura so …"

"Well none of my elemental attacks seem to work when this guy is on guard so I may have to use a little bit of Aura, just a tiny bit, not enough to make anyone suspect it for what it truly is."

"You might want to hurry this up because I found that kid Shanks sent us here to find."

"Really?"

"Yeah he's fighting someone that feels similar to this guy and if he's not one of these Logia Users then he might need our help."

"Hmm guess I could test my Aura theory before booking it, don't really want to hurt anyone too bad since I just got here."

"Do whatever you want just make sure to keep my entertained, my verbal sparring partner is STILL asleep!"

"You remember how long Aava was asleep for last time Ahnkseram she's a kid still, draining all her power has to have consequences."

"I know," Ahnkseram sighed. "Just get a move on so we can explore some more alright?"

Natsu nodded as he channelled some Aura into two of his fingers and darted forward tapping Smoker on the neck as the man's eyes widened in shock.

"How-!"

"I'm just that good," Natsu replied as he summoned several Aura laced bolts of lightning that were coated in the same purple aura as his body. "Now I've got business elsewhere so I'll leave you with a little parting gift alright?"

Smoker was shocked as a kick to the shoulder sent him crashing into the ground as five small bolts of lightning impacted the ground around him forming a circle.

"Lightning Gravity Dragon Monarch's Suppression Spikes."

Smoker found himself unable to move as a crushing force smashed into him turning his whole body into smoke as it tried to escape, hitting a barrier in the circle preventing his escape.

"Nice to know that works, anyway see ya round Smoker," Natsu said as he vanished leaving the Marines and Smoker completely stunned at the retreating man's actions.

/Seilah's POV/

"Oh dear," Seilah sighed as the loud screams of a Marine echoed across the deck of the ship they were on. "It appears that your left arm was rather feeble, I do hope that you answer my questions soon otherwise the other one might come into an unfortunate accident …"

"ALRIGHT LADY I'LL TALK JUST STOP RIPPING LIMBS OFF!"

"See now that wasn't so hard was it," Seilah replied with a devilish smile. "Now I was told by some of your compatriots that you Marines had a database of sorts on this ship concerning the Straw Hat Pirates, where is it?"

"I-it's in the Captain's Office," the man cried. "Locked inside of a secure safe!"

"Security measures?"

"Only needs a key now please for the love of god let me go!"

"Of course," Seilah replied as she tore the other arm off and kicked him off of the deck, his arms following shortly after.

"There she is, open fire men!"

Seilah raised an eyebrow as a group of Marines began shooting at her from the dock platform, not daring to come onto the ship and meet the same fate as their comrades had. Shaking her head Seilah faded into the ground and took off for the Captain's quarters, sliding under the door and rematerializing in front of the safe.

"Combination lock," Seilah said cocking her head to the side before grabbing the top of the safe and ripping the door clean off with her Demonic strength and walking inside to examine the small room.

Looking around Seilah was glad whoever this Captain Smoker was he was clearly a man who valued keeping his documents orderly. Using her link to Natsu Seilah held her hand out and blasted all the walls with black flames before melting into the ground and shooting out of the room and back onto the deck where the Marines were calling for fire crews.

'If Master is serious about following these Straw Hats around this should keep these Marines off of us for a little while at least.'

Darting back onto the dock without her shadow being seen Seilah made her way back into town intending on doing a little more intel gathering before returning to Natsu.

/Mordred's POV/

"So this is the big shiny palace," Mordred mused as she stood before the front gates which looked like a bomb had gone off. "If this was Father's castle those responsible would've been subjected to … the dungeons."

Mordred shivered as she remembered the sadistic eyes of her Father whenever she spoke of the dungeons. Sure her Father was a kind and benevolent King but much like the King of Kings Gilgamesh she had little patience for those who would disturb the peace and order of her realm.

"We're almost at the palace boys," Mordred heard from behind her as a large crowd of Baroque Works soldiers charged toward her position.

"Look they still have a knight left, let's kill em and get to the treasury!"

"Hold on a sec I'm not-!"

Several gunshots later Mordred began to hear bullets bouncing off of her armor, a sound that prompted her to sigh as she readied Clarent for a fight. Killing these fools wouldn't be an issue for her but she really would've rather done it where Natsu could see.

A Servant liked to be praised for their combat prowess after all and although they were trash it would've been an opportunity for her Master to see what difference the Grail made to her power and combat ability.

Standing stock still Mordred could barely stifle a laugh as a sword broke against her armor signalling just how screwed the soldiers before her were. Once the first sword broke the Baroque Works soldiers seemed to understand they'd made a grave error in judgement however Mordred's blade was already releasing red sparks as she fired out a vertical slash attack comprised of electricity that cleaved most of them in half as the rest ran back down the stairs begging for their lives.

"Oi at least finish the job you started, bastards!"

"E-excuse me!"

Mordred turned around to see several servants from the castle coming out to greet her prompting her to lower her weapon and hear them out.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for driving back the Baroque Works forces, the guards up here are few so we would've been quickly overrun!"

"Why would you leave your palace so undefended I mean isn't your King in there or something?"

"King Cobra has been taken to the Alabasta Poneglyph though we have no idea why," one of the servants squeaked under the iron gaze of Mordred.

"Do any of you guys know where I can find a brat named Luffy?"

"Luffy … wait you mean Straw Hat Luffy," one of the guards asked as Mordred nodded. "He fought Crocodile here but lost though he went off in pursuit of him to the Alabasta Poneglyph a short while ago!"

"Guess that's where I'm heading then," Mordred sighed as she walked over toward the edge of the grassy surface that overlooked the city. "Barricade the palace just in case those idiots come back!"

"Wait hang on you aren't gonna jump-!"

Mordred ignored them and jumped off of the platform, a platform that was almost forty foot in height as she landed one knee in the centre of a road below.

"Who has time to take the long way round," Mordred scoffed as she ran off in search of this Luffy kid or perhaps even Natsu.

/Natsu's POV/

"So this is it?"

"Yeah he's down in that tomb or whatever it is," Ahnkseram replied as Natsu made his way inside wondering just what he'd find down there.

After some walking down a long hallway he heard the sound of battle and knew he was on the right track. Picking up the pace he walked in on a kid wearing a beaten up old straw hat laying into a well dressed man who seemed to be missing a hand.

"Oi Natsu, ten Jewel says the guy missing the hand is Crocodile."

"I won't take that bet but I'll bet the same that he had a hook for a hand at some point."

The pair sniggered as the kid unleashed a barrage of punches that broke through the ceiling exposing the tomb to the outside world sending Crocodile flying in a trail of blood out of sight.

The kid who Natsu assumed was Luffy hit the ground face first but was still somehow conscious enough to begin crawling toward another man who was also somewhat injured, clutching his stomach as Luffy dragged himself closer.

"What are you doing Straw Hat!"

"Made a promise … to Vivi … not gonna back out now!"

The entire area began to shake as the hallway he came through collapsed in on itself forcing Natsu out into the open where he was noticed by both Luffy and the other man as well as a young woman dressed in a cowboy getup.

"Who are you," the man asked as Luffy rose to his knees in an attempt to fight him.

"I'm not an enemy," Natsu said raising his hands in a peaceful manner. "I came here looking for a Straw Hat Luffy."

"That's me," Luffy growled as he spat some blood onto the floor before looking up at him with an impressively fierce expression.

"Got a letter for you from Shanks kid," Natsu grinned as he watched the kid's expression do a complete one eighty as a goofy grin made its way onto his face.

"You know Shanks!?"

"Yeah I do, has red hair and is missing an arm, walks around acting like a badass but is really a deviant."

"That's him," Luffy replied with a grin. "Hey if you're a friend of Shanks could you do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Could you get us out of here, I'm beat," Luffy asked with a grin before collapsing unconscious as the other man staggered toward him to ensure he hadn't just died.

"We need to move quickly, Luffy was no doubt poisoned by Crocodile's hook so we need to get him treated immediately!"

"Fuck …"

"Told you Ahnk, had him pegged for a hook the moment I saw the stub!"

"Where should I take you two?"

"Take us to the palace at once!"

"Easily done," Natsu said as he snapped his fingers opening a portal beneath the pair as they fell through leaving Natsu alone with the girl who didn't seem inclined to join them. "And what about you?"

"Leave me here …"

"Why?"

"I no longer have a reason to live, not that I ever deserved to anyway …"

"And why's that," Natsu asked ignoring the collapsing ruins around them.

"My dream, my very dream is a sin to the world and yet I'd hoped that if I helped Crocodile I might finally achieve it only for my dreams to come crashing down around me."

"And what is your dream exactly?"

"To find and read the Poneglyph detailing what happened during the Void Century," the woman said as Natsu's eyes widened by a fraction. "I'd hoped this Poneglyph was the one I was looking for … but it isn't."

"So you plan on giving up just like that?"

"Just like that," the woman replied in a monotonous tone as the collapse of the ruins began to inch closer and closer to them.

Narrowing his eyes at the nearly dead look in the woman's own, the sheer lack of life left in her Natsu had to make a decision though he knew somewhere deep down that it would be for the better.

Picking the woman up she looked up at him in shock though surprisingly put up no resistance as he walked to where the hole in the roof was and began to float upward.

"What are you doing!"

"What does it look like?"

"I don't want to be saved!"

"Yeah well that's too bad for you because I'm doing it," Natsu replied as he tossed her onto the soft grass next to the hole in the ground. "If you really dream of finding a certain Poneglyph then harden up and realize that every journey isn't gonna be easy and the road is forever paved with obstacles and setbacks that we all must overcome."

"…"

"I saved you, what you do from here on out is your own business but if you really want to make good use of the second chance you've been given then I would advise getting back out there and searching for your dream with twice as much vigour as before."

Natsu landed next to the woman and was about to walk away when he felt a hand wrap around his ankle, one that was curiously protruding from the ground and not her own hand.

"Wait a minute, who are you!?"

"My name's Natsu Dragneel," Natsu replied with a grin. "And I'm just a guy passing on through to deliver a letter and perhaps a bit more."

"…"

"Did you say something?"

"I told you my name," the woman said barely above a whisper as Natsu turned around and crouched next to her.

"And what is your name?"

"My name is Nico Robin."

"Well Nico Robin," Natsu said with a warm smile. "It seems you have some soul searching to do if you want to succeed in your quest to find this mystery Poneglyph now don't you?"

Robin said nothing as Natsu rose and walked away leaving the girl to her thoughts as she pondered just what had driven the man to save her and show her such kindness when no one had ever dared to do such a thing before, at least not without a price.

"You and your saving people thing …"

"You think I should've just left her down there to die?"

"Of course not," Ahnkseram snapped. "I was going to remind you that we need a copy of that Poneglyph down there for Shanks, idiot!"

"Ah, that's actually a fair point."

"Oi Master!"

Natsu snapped out of his mental conversation to see Mordred running toward him, her sword and armor coated in blood though he was confident none of it was hers.

"Run into a little trouble did you?"

"Yeah a whole bunch of these Baroque Works bastards attacked me at the palace and on the way here, killed them to be sure they couldn't go get backup but it was still annoying. But that aside did you beat that Captain?"

"Nah he was stronger than Kaguya was," Natsu snorted in amusement as Mordred went to punch him in the shoulder. "Ok I didn't really beat him I kind of toyed with him for a bit before leaving him trapped since Ahnkseram figured out where Luffy was."

"And where was he?"

"He was down there beating the shit out of that Crocodile guy, the guy I assume was leading Baroque Works."

"So he's not a weakling then, nice."

"He's not particularly strong yet but I can see the kid has potential like Naruto did, only thing is I had to send him along with this other guy up to the palace."

"That was probably King Cobra," Mordred said as Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Some of the servants and guards up at the palace thanked me for pulling their asses out of the fire and told me Cobra was taken by Crocodile down here to something called the Alabasta Poneglyph and Luffy followed shortly after."

"Yeah the Poneglyph is down there, I have to go get a copy of it so would you hold down the fort here for a moment and give me a shout if any of those Marines or Baroque Works soldiers show up?"

"Got it Master," Mordred replied just as the shouts of Marines barking orders caught their ears. "Go on Master I can handle them."

Natsu nodded as he vanished, reappearing in the one clear spot inside the collapsed tomb housing the Poneglyph. Using his Crash Magic he forged a path to the Poneglyph and upon finding it realized he didn't know how to read whatever it was on them.

"Well I suppose Shanks has a way," Natsu mused as he summoned a small notebook and pen as he began writing down the symbols on all four faces of the Poneglyph.

"I wonder what language that is?"

"Nothing I've ever encountered though I'd bet the Council would know, Lucifer and Michael too probably."

"If I don't know it then it must be either an older language or an obscure one I was never taught growing up."

"You know I've kind of missed just doing something like this you know, delving into a ruin or tomb to find lost artefacts or information. Reminds me of that brief period back home where I got to be a normal person amongst my fellow guild mates, definitely a far cry from what I'm doing these days that's for sure!"

"If only we didn't have to fight our way here things could've been much more peaceful."

"Why Ahnkseram if I didn't know you any better I'd assume you were getting soft."

"Shut up I'm just old and want a bit of peace and quiet, a request that'll never happen since I've been bound to you!"

"Ah, none of the sass Ahnk or I'll stop working on my little project!"

"No you won't because you'd eventually feel bad and cave anyway."

"Bastard …"

Writing down the final few runes on the Poneglyph Natsu snapped the book shut and sent it back into his Requip Space before pulling out one of the chocolates he'd been given as a 'get well soon' present and popped it into his mouth.

"You know these things aren't half bad, get stuck in my teeth a bit but nothing a good brushing won't get out. What do they call these again?"

"A toffee?"

"Yeah that's the one, toffee!"

"You are actually so dumb sometimes …"

"I legit didn't know what it was so shut it," Natsu snapped as he warped back up to the surface to see Mordred and Seilah who had returned cut down the last two Marines in the area.

"Oh Master you just missed it Seilah and I wiped out like a hundred scrubs in under a minute!"

"I'm assuming Smoker still hasn't escaped from that trap I set, guess he's stuck there till it wears off then," Natsu chuckled in amusement as he walked toward the pair. "Find anything good Seilah?"

"Yes Master I did," Seilah replied as she summoned a pair of glasses and a notepad and began to read. "Firstly I have learnt of a Warlord of the Sea system that operates alongside the World Government and their Marines which is comprised of Seven notable Pirates of varying calibre."

"That Crocodile guy was one wasn't he?"

"Indeed he was Master which is why the Marines attacked us despite us attacking the invaders of this country because in the eyes of the World Government and the Marines they must support the Warlords to maintain a delicate balance of power."

"Balance of power," Mordred asked as Seilah shrugged.

"I wasn't able to get any information regarding this balance of power though most of the Marines I interrogated were of low rank so that may be a plausible explanation."

"Keeping the low ranks from knowing too much, pretty standard stuff," Natsu replied as the trio nodded in agreement. "Continue Seilah."

"I eventually found the Marine Captain's ship after some more thorough interrogation. Since you were busy and I knew we were planning on trying to at least ally with these Straw Hat Pirates you briefly mentioned I took the liberty of raiding the Marines centre of intelligence in the Captain's quarters and destroyed all information within, I hope you do not mind?"

"No that was actually a good idea," Natsu said nodding in approval. "I just watched that Luffy kid take out Crocodile which means he's likely gonna draw the ire of these Marines even more if they are in league with these Warlords of the Sea."

"Well we've cut down a significant number of their troops too so by destroying their intel, subduing their commanding officer and thinning the ranks we've made it easier for the Straw Hats to make an escape," Mordred added knowingly having been ordered by her Father numerous times to do the exact same thing when she was alive.

"Well I've made a few discoveries of my own; the Captain I fought was what is known as a Devil Fruit User."

"Yes I had heard the same from one of the Marines I was interrogating, Captain Smoker apparently has been chasing the Straw Hats from Loguetown, the place where Shanks took you Master," Seilah said as Natsu's eyes widened slightly.

"That's a long way," Natsu muttered as he felt the distance from where they currently stood to Loguetown. "Anyway Smoker falls under a specific category of Devil Fruit Users known as the Logia Type. It seems that their entire body is made out of a specific element and without Aura I wasn't able to damage him aside from one lucky shot with an elementally charged kick to the neck when he was off guard."

"So these Logia Users are foes that Mordred should probably avoid then," Seilah replied earning a glare from Mordred though it went unnoticed since she had her helmet on.

"At least until we have more information on how they work yes, for the time being Mordred leave them to Seilah or myself since we have a method of fighting them."

"Fine," Mordred grumbled in response. "But you'd better figure out some way for me to fight them!"

"We'll do our best to figure one out," Natsu replied with a slightly nervous grin since an unhappy Mordred often led to many sore spots on his body.

"So was there anything else you learnt Master?"

"I managed to record the Alabasta Poneglyph into an empty journal I'm planning on using for recording all the ones we come across. It seems though that if Shanks doesn't have a viable method of translating them that we'll have to find one ourselves since not even Ahnkseram recognizes the language on them."

"Well that's interesting," Seilah mused. "Ahnkseram has a vast array of knowledge that spans centuries so for him to not even know …?"

"At first Ahnkseram said that the Council might know and I threw Michael and Lucifer in there but thinking back on something Shanks told me in Loguetown I'm actually wondering if that could be true or not since the Council tasked Shanks on discovering what happened during the Void Century which tells me at least that they have no idea."

"We should be careful with whatever information we do find," Mordred said after several minutes of silence. "If the Council don't even know then that could only mean that someone has gone to great lengths to hide the secret."

"I agree, to manage to hide something from the Gods of Creation and Destruction would take the work of at least an Elder God or Devil, perhaps even an Arch God or Arch Devil considering we're dealing with entire centuries simply vanishing from record."

"Eight hundred years Shanks said, all under an impenetrable Time Lock that not even they or any God or Goddess of Time can get through," Natsu added with a frown. "It's why I want to keep Aura use to a minimum unless we can help it, something is seriously wrong with this world and I intend to get to the bottom of it."

"Proceeding with caution is our safest bet I think and laying low with a relatively new pirate crew like the Straw Hats is truly our best bet, at least that's what I believe Master."

"So we're definitely in agreement on joining the Straw Hats should we receive the offer?"

"Of course we are Master," Mordred replied in a much more cheerful tone. "The fact that you even asked is all the more proof that you are the best Master I've ever had!"

"Of course I agree with our next course of action Master, you haven't led us astray yet and even then I am your humble assistant and will follow you to the gates of hell and back but thank you for considering my input."

"You two always know just how to embarrass me, but I still love you both all the same!"

"Sh-shut up idiot," Mordred stuttered as she punched him in the shoulder again.

"Now then I think it's time we went and saw the Straw Hats for ourselves don't you think," Natsu asked with a grin as he fended off a plated fist with his left arm.

"Indeed Master it should be interesting to meet the child that has drawn the attention of Lord Shanks," Seilah replied in agreement as Natsu grabbed a hold of Mordred's fist and took Seilah's hand.

"To the palace we go," Natsu cried in a childish manner as they vanished into thin air.

Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!