.

We are the 0bservanc3.

We do NOT own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does, nor any characters seen within this timeline.

Well… perhaps one or two not seen elsewhere…

Read on…

And see how even small changes can alter the world.

Fairy Tail – Changed Fate

Ch.2 Stepping Forward to the Future

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Narrator:

In a land, far far away, lies the Kingdom of Fiore—a small peaceful nation of seventeen million and a place filled with magic. Found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace, for most magic is just merely a tool—a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, magic is an art and they've devoted their lives to its practice.

These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that would no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name… is Fairy Tail.

YEAR X777 – Outside of the Town of Lapis Bula

Lucy, still flying through the air, had long ago stopped screaming her head off as Natsu dragged her along. After all of the buildings in town had stopped whizzing by, she'd realized her new friend wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Lucy felt her face heat up as a blush crept across her pale skin. He'd called them friends so easily, it made her feel strangely warm. She couldn't believe how crazy everything had become.

Suddenly, Natsu stopped running. Lucy, still holding onto his hand, flew into his back as a cloud of swirling dust and dirt settled around them. With an 'oomph,' both children went crashing to the floor.

"Ah! Lucy, why the heck did you fall on me?" Natsu whined. She was heavy for such a small girl. The red in Lucy's face grew, this time due to her rising anger.

"You can't just stop like that when you're dragging someone behind you! What did you think would happen?" she yelled. Natsu flinched as Lucy's loud voice boomed into his ear.

"Why are you yelling at me?" he asked. Shakily, Natsu lifted a hand and covered the offended ear. Lucy sat back, still on top of Natsu, just now realizing her mistake.

"Sorry Natsu," Lucy said, eyes downcast. She hoped he didn't hate her now, but he shouldn't have just stopped like that. "I was just surprised when you stopped. You've been dragging me for awhile now." Lucy crawled off Natsu and tried to stand. Her legs were a bit wobbly.

"Why did you stop anyway?"

Natsu jumped up, eyes wide. That's right, he'd almost forgot! He opened his mouth to tell Lucy, but a deep rumbling shook the air. Lucy, shaking, leapt forward and latched onto Natsu with the hand that wasn't holding her keys - the same one he'd taken earlier. Her head swiveled left, then right, looking for the source of the scary noise.

"W-what was that?" she whispered. When Natsu didn't immediately answer, she looked at him. Her gaze found a red-faced pinkette.

"Sorry about that," Natsu said. "I'm just hungry."

Lucy couldn't believe that horrible noise had come from her new friend. 'He isn't that much bigger than me, there is no way he made such a sound,' she thought. Another rumble began. This time, Natsu grabbed his stomach as he slumped to the ground, and out of Lucy's grip, moaning. She stared, wide eyed. His stomach really was making that sound!

"L-lucy…" Natsu forced her name out through clenched teeth. He reached a trembling hand up to the blonde girl. He mumbled something, but Lucy couldn't hear what. Falling to her knees, she stuck her ear as close to his mouth as possible.

"I can't hear you Natsu. What can I do? What do you need?" she asked her friend. He mumbled something again. "I still can't hear you Natsu. Please, tell me how I can help!"

"F… fi—," Natsu gasped out. Lucy felt tears begin to sting her eyes. She couldn't help him if he didn't tell her what she could do.

"F-fire."

Lucy blinked. She'd heard what he'd had said that time, but had she heard him right? Fire? How was fire going to help? They had no food to cook to begin with.

"I don't understand Natsu, how will fire help?" Lucy pleaded. Natsu looked as if he was about to speak, but collapsed face first onto the ground. Panicking, Lucy looked around for help. Natsu had stopped them in the middle of a forest. There was nothing around that could help them here. No people. Nothing.

Wait…

Lucy listened hard, sure she could hear something familiar. Above Natsu's groans and pained breathing came the wonderful sound of rushing water! Thinking fast, Lucy grabbed Natsu by an arm and tried to drag him toward the water source.

Key word: tried.

Even pulling with all the strength she had, she couldn't move him an inch. Unwilling to let go of the last remnants of her mother, Lucy let go of Natsu and stood back. Glancing from the golden keys to the pinkette, she tried to think, but her thoughts just kept racing too quickly to concentrate.

Shaking her head furiously, Lucy made her decision. She just hoped it was the right one.

Turning away from the downed Natsu, Lucy took off running toward the sound of water she'd heard. Breathing hard, she pushed past every bush and bramble that tried to grab her now ruined dress. She couldn't afford to let her new friend down. Still…

'She's going to be SO mad at me for this…' the thought pounded through Lucy's head as her feet did the same across the forest floor. Crashing through the leaves of another low hanging tree limb, Lucy slowed to a stop. Sunlight burst into her vision as the vegetation she'd been racing through came to an abrupt end. She'd made it!

Indeed, snaking its way across the land was a wide and blue river. Lucy, still breathing quite raggedly from her sudden run, made her way to the river's bank. Glancing down, Lucy paused a moment at the sight looking back at her. The girl in the river was blonde, like her, and had brown eyes like hers, but that's where the expected similarities ended. The girl staring at Lucy was shaking from physical exertion, her mouth gapping as she dragged in large gulps of air. Her dress was torn and covered in dirt and grime, not to mention leaves. Her blonde hair was a wild mess of twigs too. This girl looked nothing like a princess of the Heartfilia family should.

Lucy couldn't help it as laughter replaced her labored breathing. This was why she wanted to leave the mansion. There was no way this could have happened in her father's perfect little world. Her legs were aching, her chest was killing her, she looked a mess, but Lucy Heartfilia basked in the feeling of utter freedom that rose inside her at the sight of her wild appearance.

That was, until she remembered why she was so crazed looking in the first place. Natsu was in trouble! Lucy took one last, deep breath. She opened the fist that had held the two golden keys she'd been carrying since she'd run away from home. Pushing the rising guilt aside for now, she slipped Cancer's key into one of her dress's two pockets. Raising the remaining key as high as she could, Lucy steeled her heart and swung it down, plunging it into the cold water below.

"Open, Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!" Lucy screamed to the heavens. A loud ding-dong resounded through the air as a bright flash of light erupted in the middle of the river. With an explosion of water and light, a marvelous sight arose from the body of water. Clad in only a royal blue bikini top that matched the color of her long fish-tailed lower body, the mermaid known as Aquarius swung her head back, flinging her aquamarine hair with it, as she raised a beautifully made urn above her. A scowl immediately marred her otherwise ethereally beautiful face.

"What the hell is this brat?" Aquarius shouted. Lucy flinched from the scathing tone, but held strong. "I didn't give you permission to call me today. And where are we anyway?"

"I-I know you didn't, and I'm s-sorry," Lucy said, pocketing the angry spirit's key. "But I really, really need your help!" She gestured behind her toward where she'd left Natsu. "My friend just collapsed and I don't know how to help him. Please! Do something!"

The celestial mermaid glared at the blonde child in front of her as tears began to pour down the girl's face. Aquarius grit her teeth in aggravation.

"What the hell do you want me to do about it? Do I look like a doctor?" Aquarius barked. Lucy shook her head furiously in response.

"N-No. B-but you have to help. You're the only one who can," Lucy said. Aquarius furrowed her brow in confusion. She didn't understand. The brat literally had an army of servants to attend to her every whim, why couldn't one of them help her.

"Tch. Why don't you get one of your servants to help your little friend?" Aquarius sneered. Her sneer turned to a frown as Lucy began to shake her head again. Aquarius suddenly felt chills sweep down her spine for some reason.

"You don't understand. I ran away!" Lucy uncharacteristically shouted at her angry spirit. "I don't have anything or anyone anymore. Just you and Natsu. Please, you have to help him I'm begging you!" Aquarius froze in shock. The brat had run away from home? Irritation morphed to actual rage as the celestial mermaid regarded her young summoner.

"What the hell were you thinking running away from home?" she shouted. Lucy, head now bowed, refused to respond. Bending, Aquarius lowered her face closer to the blonde's. "Answer me brat! Why. Did. You. Run. AWAY?" Aquarius felt her remaining patience dropping quickly as Lucy's teary silence continued.

"H-hey! Stop… Stop being mean to Lucy you… you fish-lady!" came a haggard cry from behind Lucy. She and a now even more pissed off Aquarius looked up to their intruder. Natsu, still holding his stomach in pain and breathing heavily, stood pressed against a tree with an accusing finger pointed straight at Aquarius.

"No one… and I m-mean… no one gets away with h-hurting… my friends!" Natsu gasped out. He promptly fell flat on his face again, all remaining energy have been expended finding Lucy after he had woken up to find she had gone.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried, breaking away from Aquarius' interrogation. The celestial mermaid stared hard at the two children as her blonde summoner ran to the weirdly pink-haired boy and tried to get him to stand up.

'Hmp… I can't believe this. How can one brat be so much trouble?' she thought. Sighing, Aquarius released her urn, which disappeared in a flash of light, and floated over to a struggling Lucy. She proceeded to lift the collapsed Natsu into the air with one hand.

"This is the one you're so concerned with brat?" Aquarius asked with a growl. Seeing Lucy's quick nod in response, Aquarius glared at the boy in her hand, shaking him slightly. "Well, what's wrong with you pinky?"

"Well… he did say he was hungry… you know, before…" Lucy said when no answer came from Natsu. Aquarius glanced at her before returning her glare to Natsu.

"Seriously? You're just hungry? That's it? By the way she's been blubbering over there, I thought you were on death's door or something," Aquarius said. Her opinion of this pink haired brat lowered even further than it already was. Without a backwards glance, the celestial mermaid threw Natsu over her shoulder. Lucy screamed in surprise as her friend flew through the air before landing in the river with a large geyser of water.

"Why would you do that? He's gonna drown? You killed him!" Lucy sobbed. Aquarius slumped with a sigh, her summoner really got on her nerves. Grabbing the crying blonde by a hand and hoisting her up into a surprisingly gentle carrying position, Aquarius turned and floated back to the river. Holding Lucy over the water, she pointed.

"Just shut up and look brat."

Lucy rubbed her face hurriedly so she could see what her spirit was pointing to. Looking down, she gasped.

The river was full of fish! There were so many of the scaled swimmers in the waters that they were literally packed to the gills. Lucy gasped again as she saw a figure moving about in the water. It was Natsu!

Indeed, it was Natsu. The frigidity of the river water had shocked him into conscious focus. When he had opened his eyes, scores and scores of fish had greeted his sight. At that moment, his hunger had made an immediate comeback, and he'd acted.

Darting out both hands, Natsu grabbed fish after fish and shoved them into his mouth. Feeling his empty stomach slowly fill, Natsu continued to devour any fish unlucky enough to come within arm's reach. When the need for air became too much for even his draconic lungs to handle, Natsu swung his arms around, up, and down as Igneel had taught him and shot to the surface of the river.

Breaking the surface, Natsu inhaled a deep breath and let out a shout of joy. That had been the best raw fish he'd ever eaten. He'd have to remember to come back to this river some day. Remembering the reason he was in the river in the first place, Natsu looked around for Lucy and the mean fish-lady who'd thrown him. They were nowhere to be found.

"Ugh, look up you idiot."

Looking up, Natsu freaked. The fish-lady was carrying Lucy with one hand while glaring at him. What was worse, the fish-lady was flying!

"What the heck? I thought you were a fish-lady, how are you flying?" Natsu shouted at the spirit. A grunt escaped his lips as Aquarius snatched him from the river and raised him up so they were eye to eye.

"I'm a celestial spirit dipshit, not a fish-lady," Aquarius growled at the insolent boy. "And where's my thank you for saving your sorry ass?" she demanded. Natsu returned her glare and crossed his arms, looking away.

"I ain't gonna thank some fish-lady who makes my friend cry," he said. Aquarius's eye twitched at the attitude from the pinkette. With a roar, she reared back and threw Natsu away. Again flying through the air, Natsu wasn't as lucky as before and hit a large oak tree with a thump! Sliding down to the ground, Natsu could have sworn he saw tiny dancing fish-ladies circling his head. Hoisting Lucy up much like she had Natsu, Aquarius glared at her shaking summoner.

"There. I helped," she snarled. "You'd better not call me again for a long-ass time brat." Lucy nodded her head in acquiescence. Aquarius smiled a smug little smile as she saw Lucy's frantically nodding face. Lowering the girl to the ground, Aquarius turned and began to float away. She stopped, frowning. "You'd better know what you're doing, running away like this. If anything should happen to you… Anyway, I'm going on a date with my boyfriend now! See ya!"

With a flash of golden light, the celestial mermaid returned to the world from whence she came.

"Yeah… you better run!" Natsu mumbled through his swirling eyes. Lucy, seeing the state of her friend, dashed to his side.

"Natsu, are you okay?" Lucy asked. Inspecting him, she was shocked at what she saw. She'd never seen Aquarius throw someone around like that and they be perfectly fine, but besides a rather bulbously round bump on the back of his head, Natsu looked completely fine! Like a spring, the pink-haired boy jumped up, shaking off the dizziness from hitting the tree. He gave Lucy a thumbs-up.

"You bet Lucy! Fire would've been better, but fish did the trick too," he shouted merrily. Lucy gave him a perplexed look.

"What do you mean fire would've been better? You said you were hungry," she asked him, confused. Natsu stared at his blonde friend before a look of understanding settled upon his face.

"Didn't I tell you?" he asked. "I can eat fire."

"What?" Lucy shouted. He couldn't be serious? "Natsu you can't eat fire! You'll get burned!" Natsu scratched the back of his head, chuckling quietly. Igneel had mentioned that normal people couldn't do what they did. He wished he could show her, but he didn't have anything to make a fire with and the very idea of eating his own flames almost turned his stomach.

'Oh well, I'll show her someday,' he thought.

"Nah, it's okay Lucy. I'll show you when-" A rumble, much quieter than the one that had come from Natsu's famished stomach, interrupted the dragon boy. Natsu looked around, wondering where the noise had come from before turning to Lucy to see if she had any idea. He stared, confused, when he saw that her face was red and her hands where now clutching her stomach.

"Lucy! What's wrong?" Natsu asked, becoming frantic that his blonde friend was changing color again. Lucy waved him off with a hand before clutching her stomach again.

"I-It's nothing Natsu. It's just… you kinda dragged me out of town before I could have anything to eat. I haven't had a meal since yesterday. And summoning Aquarius takes a lot out of me," Lucy explained. Natsu was horrified. Lucy had put herself in this position to help him and he'd eaten all those fish and hadn't even thought to save any for her! He was a terrible friend!

"I'll go and get you some fish right-"

"There is no ne-e-e-ed for that, boy-y-y," interrupted a deep, braying voice from behind the children. Natsu spun around, instinctively putting himself between Lucy and the unknown speaker. Neither Natsu nor Lucy could see who had spoken. Natsu cursed in his head, he hadn't even sensed a presence around them…

Even worse… he still couldn't.

"Who's there? Come out and show yourself!" Natsu shouted his demand into the seemingly empty forest. Abruptly, the sounds of nature: the birds, the insects, the very wind itself… fell away.

From behind a large tree stepped the strangest being either child had ever seen; and Lucy could summon a half-fish, half-woman from thin air and Natsu's father was a real life dragon. The figure looked similar to an incredibly tall man. It was covered in white fur, and had a pair of curved horns that sprouted from its head. The thing looked like a goat that had decided to be a man. It wore a pair of pitch-black sunglasses and a tattered suit. Stopping a short distance from the children, the goat thing raised an arm to its waist and… bowed from the waist like a robot with rusted joints.

"My name is… Caprico. I am at your ser-er-ervice, Lucy-sa-a-ama," The now named Caprico announced.

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YEAR X777 – Town of Lapis Bula

The simple townsfolk of Lapis Bula were used to seeing the occasional oddly dressed fellow due to their train station. However, they wouldn't have been able to help themselves from stopping and staring at the strange sight that would have passed them by if they were walking down the town's main street at that very moment. To be fair, the man's dress wasn't the oddity at all. A yellow gi with green trim worn under a blue jacket that was topped by a bulbous red hat would have ranked about only twenty-seventh on the town's weirdness scale. It was the elderly man's size and demeanor that was so eye-catching. The widely grinning old man, carrying only a wooden staff with a strangely pink smiling face on it, was only the size of a ten year old.

Narrator:

This cheerful fellow is Makarov Dreyar. While he may not look it, he is much more than meets the eye. And unbeknownst to him, his simple trip to Lapis Bula is also about to become much more complicated.

Makarov hummed a tune as he beat an energetic march down the street. He was glad that he had decided to take this little trip out to the far country. Sure he could have sent one of his children to complete the chore, but it seemed like outside of Wizard saint and Guild Master meetings he hadn't left the guildhall in months. He needed this vacation.

Glancing around through eyes that looked almost completely shut, Makarov smiled at the purely rustic feeling around him. Compared to Magnolia's sprawling streets, Hargeon's wildly crisscrossing ones, or, Mavis-forbid, Crocus's utter chaos, the simple packed-dirt roads of Lapis Bula were refreshing. There were less people, less noise, and less chances he'd have to sit and watch as his children emptied his pocketbook with their destruction. It was relaxing.

"RRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRHHHH!"

And there went his relaxation.

Every window in Lapis Bula exploded as the shockwave of a furious roar rent the air. An enormous torrent of glowing flames erupted from the wilderness outside of the town, shooting into the sky and tinting the world red. Makarov froze, the immense magical power radiating from the tower of fire had to be incredibly strong if he could feel its pressure from such a distance. The people of Lapis Bula flew into a panic, bodies fleeing incoherently in the madness.

With a speed that belied his age and size, Makarov turned and dashed towards the tornado of fire. Whatever the source of such magic, Makarov knew he had to investigate. He couldn't let the people of this town become endangered.

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YEAR X777 – Eastern Fiore – Same Time

A small mountain range spikes upward surrounded by sprawling plains. Amongst the crags and crevices of the range one could see many caves dotting the titans of rock and stone.

"RRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRHHHH!"

The self-same roar that shook Makarov in Lapis Bula rolled through the air, largely diminished by distance. Its power was such that even so far to the east it could be heard.

Out from one of the numerous caves in the mountain range came running a young teen. This boy wore a ragged pair of black pants and the barest hints of a shirt. The most notable feature of this young man, besides his spikey black hair and blood-red eyes, was the few metal studs that dotted his face and ears.

The young man spun around, straining his ears, trying to pinpoint where the roar that had awoken him had come from. For the first time since he had awoken alone, his father gone, hope seared through his chest, burning away the resentment and hate that had begun to fester. While not completely familiar, there was no mistaking that sound. He had to find its source!

Against his will, desperation shot across the boy's face. He couldn't do it… the roar was already too distorted by the distance it had traveled. All he could tell was that it had been from a western location.

Desperation was quickly wiped out by determination. The young boy squared his shoulders, glaring westerly. He would track down whatever made that noise. He would find his father. And kick his ass.

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YEAR X777 – North Western Fiore – Same Time

Through the relatively mild wilderness of the area snaked a well-traveled road. Upon this road many merchants, Fiorian citizens, and wizards had traveled, and would continue to do so for years to come.

"RRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRHHHH!"

A small blue-haired girl, certainly looking no older than five years old, froze, nearly falling over, as the faint echo of a roar hit her ears. The slightly taller blue-haired boy she had been walking with noticed his companion had stopped unceremoniously.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

Tears began to spill from the young girl's eyes. Wordlessly, she grabbed the older boy's hand and began to run in the general direction she had heard the echo come from. Clueless, the boy followed with few complaints. The skies were still clear after all.

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YEAR X777 – Central Fiore Area – Same Time

A deep blue river sliced through the never-ending ranks of the ancient forest. The trees, massive in their elderly age, blotted out the sun, creating a cool shade.

"RRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRHHHH!"

Two young boys, one with the most golden hair to ever grace a child and the other with the blackest, sat snoring away under one of the more massive trees. Neither stirred from the echoed roar.

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YEAR X777 – Outside of the Town of Lapis Bula – Moments Earlier

"My name is… Caprico. At your ser-er-ervice, Lucy-sa-a-ama," Caprico said.

Natsu and Lucy stared at the strange goat-man, unsure of how to process the sight before them. Even raised by a dragon as he was, Natsu was stumped. Lucy didn't know what to think either, but something in her belly roiled against the intruder even as her mind seemed to itch at his presence. Something was off.

"Come along Lucy-sa-a-ama, we should b-e-e-e leaving now," Caprico bleated. The goat-man stepped toward the two stunned children, a large hand reaching for the blonde child.

Lucy instinctually slipped farther behind Natsu, her fingers digging into his back just as she had done with her mother when she'd been introduced to some new dignitary or business partner of her father's. She was momentarily taken aback at how warm Natsu was, his very being radiated heat.

Natsu, unsure on how to act until now, took Lucy's reaction and rolled with it. If she didn't want to go with the weird goat-man, then she wasn't going to go with him. And he was going to make sure of it. They were friends after all.

"Hey! Back off fuzzhead!" Natsu said, whipping out an accusatory finger at the approaching Caprico. "Lucy doesn't want to go with you. Leave her alone!" The advancing Caprico slowed to a stop. Though neither child could see through his black sunglasses, there was no doubt the goat-man's attention had turned from Lucy to the shouting pinkette.

"You would da-a-are stop me-e-e, boy-y-y? Caprico asked lowly. Natsu spit out a grim, snarling glare.

"If Lucy doesn't want to go with you, then hell yeah I'll dare," Natsu shouted. Lucy clenched her eyes shut. The roiling and itching was getting worse, and neither came from hunger. The bad feelings she got from this Caprico guy… they were almost like…

"Natsu, look out!"

The warning came too late. Caprico snapped out an open palm and an invisible wave of magic burst forth. Lucy held tight to Natsu as she felt the force of the attack send her flying back. Her grip was strong, so as they went sailing she didn't get separated from him. Both children slammed into trees behind them.

"I will not allow an ur-r-rchin like you to interfe-e-ere," Caprico bleated angrily. He waved the outstretched palm and Lucy was, once more feeling the grip of an invisible force, picked up and pulled towards him. Natsu's eyes shot open, rage consuming him as he saw his friend being taken. The blonde girl tried to wiggle out of the invisible hold, but it was useless. Natsu watched Lucy's terror filled gaze lock onto him as Caprico's furred grip latched onto the front of her dress, effortlessly holding her off the ground.

"Let me go! Natsu!"

Caprico's hidden eyes bugged out behind their darkened lenses as the pinkette in front of him burst into flame. The heat was so intense that the goat-man could feel his fur crisping from across the glade. The burning boy took a step forward, and Caprico had to fight the sudden instinctual urge to take a step back when he noticed the look in the child's eyes.

"Let. Lucy. Go," Natsu grunted, punctuating each word with a step. "Right. Now!" Natsu's fire was suddenly sucked inside his body. There was a moment of silence, but the oppressive weight of magic in the air caused Caprico to hesitate. He had never expected such power to come from a child so young, it was almost unbelievable.

Flicking his eyes to the blonde girl in his grasp, Caprico mentally slapping himself. What was he doing? He finally had everything he'd ever wanted within his grasp. Right there, in his hand, was a chance to have what his old master had denied him. All she would need was a little… tweaking…

Lucy stared at Natsu as he glared at the monster holding her. She could feel the power radiating off of him; it swept across everything in rising waves. Lucy faintly noticed the waves of magic acted differently when they reached her though, almost as if they were trying to wrap themselves around her. It should have been terrifying, but all she felt was gentle warmth. She couldn't believe the boy she'd met just that day was full of such potent magic.

Natsu could feel the strain of holding himself back. His magic had suddenly gone wild when he'd seen that goat-freak put his hands on Lucy. For some reason, the very act itself pissed him off, and Lucy's resistance only made him more so. But he couldn't just explode like he wanted to. What if he hurt Lucy with his fire? Igneel had warned him that of all elements, fire's hunger for more was almost unending. If he accidently let loose, would he be able to keep his fire from burning her?

He'd have to take that chance. Seeing Caprico about to snap out of whatever had caused him to freeze, Natsu finally allowed the restraint he'd placed on his magic to ease. The rush was almost overwhelming, and in the near ecstasy of pure magic he didn't notice his teeth sharpening to fangs or the scale-like patterns that began to crawl across his skin.

The prevailing silence, and the thoughts of those present, ended when Natsu opened his suddenly fanged mouth and the world exploded in a pillar of fire.

"RRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRHHHH!"

Caprico broke and used his arms to block out the painfully bright, not to mention hot, light of the fire. Even then, behind two arms and a pair of sunglasses, the release from the pinkette was so immense Caprico still found himself blinded.

Lucy dropped to the ground screaming, momentarily forgotten and terrified. She hadn't expected her new friend to suddenly explode. The heat was so intense she didn't know how she wasn't burning to a crisp that very instant. Not knowing what else to do, Lucy curled into a ball and waited for the chaos to end.

The pillar of rising flames ended as the last reverberations of Natsu's roar faded away. Cloaked in crimson fire, the young pinkette launched himself at Caprico with a rumbling growl. Recovering quickly from his blindness and shock, the goat-man pushed his magic outward and sharply snapped an open hand down. His shock returned as Natsu seemed to shrug off the attack and proceeded to slam a fist into his jaw.

Caprico staggered back, more from increased shock than any real pain. The punch, for all its intensity and power, was still just the uncontrolled punch of a young child after all. Growling himself, Caprico slammed a punishing uppercut into Natsu's stomach. The fire-coated pinkette choked out spittle from the force of the strike, his fire immediately dissipating. Caprico snarled, tossing the pinkette away to roll like a ragdoll back the way he'd come.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, tears pouring as she watched her friend being attacked so viciously. Caprico huffed, straightening himself.

"I don't know how you nu-u-ullified my Human Subjuga-a-ation magic," the goat-man said. "And I don't particularly ca-a-are. For a-a-all your lightshow was impre-e-esive, you a-a-re still just a we-e-eak child. Now be-e-e a good boy and sta-a-ay down. Lucy-sa-a-ama and I will be going now."

Lucy could only watch, horrified, as the looming shadow of Caprico came to stand over her, leaning ever closer. Clenching her eyes shut she tried to call upon the twinkling star of her magic, but as much as she wanted to her panic and fear were veritable iron walls baring her from connecting to the fledgling power. All she could see and feel was a dark, empty blank.

The smile that grew on Caprico's face lacked anything that could ever be considered warmth or goodness. It was instead a macabre nightmare of triumph and possession. He raised a hand, sliding a finger under Lucy's chin. He pulled up so the young blonde turned to face him. Lucy refused to look at the horror in front of her, keeping her eyes down and away from the grinning Caprico.

"Now now, Lucy-sa-a-ama," Caprico cooed. "Don't be-e-e so stu-u-ubborn. I assure you we will become the be-e-est of friends soon. We will e-e-even share … e-e-everything." Lucy's tears continued to fall as her whole body shook from fear. Whatever this thing meant, there was no way it was good for her. Lucy closed her eyes, refusing to surrender to the monster in front of her for as long as she could.

"FIRE DRAGON… ROAR!"

Lucy's eyes snapped open as she heard Natsu's scream. Before she could even look to her pinkheaded friend, there was a sudden rush of heat and flame as a massive wave of spinning fire crashed into Caprico and drove him back. The torrent of swirling flame continued for a few more moments, and although Lucy knew once again the fire blazing in front of her should be leaving burns, she didn't feel any pain. If they got out of this alive, and together, Lucy made a promise to herself to ask Natsu how that could be.

Natsu ended his attack as he felt the searing energy of his rampant magic empty away. His body ached from trying to handle so much power and he could feel the tiredness and fatigue settle into his bones. On top of that, his stomach still felt bruised and nauseous from Caprico's earlier punch.

'Note to self,' he thought. 'Eating and fighting don't always go together.'

As the magic fire died away, Natsu felt something he'd thought he'd never feel again. Cold fear. Icy fingers wrapped around his neck, squeezing, as the dragon slayer child looked into the billowing cloud of smoke and dust that had arisen from his roar.

Caprico stood, arms crossed in front of himself, looking nearly completely unharmed. His shirt had been burned away, true, and his fur was singed black in places, but on the whole the goat-man just looked pissed off. Natsu's mind refused to believe it. Besides Igneel, nothing had ever been able to stand up to his roar before. The young dragon slayer's fear deepened, as a realization slowly asserted itself into his thick skull.

'I'm can't beat him,' Natsu shouted internally. 'I can barely scratch him. How can I be this weak?' Before this train of thought could get too far, Natsu's natural stubborn streak kicked in. 'Even so, I'm still not gonna let him take Lucy!'

With a haggard cry, Natsu pushed through the fatigue weighing his body down and began to stumble towards Caprico. The goat-man smirked before disappearing from Natsu's sight. Lucy gasped, the vanishing of Caprico causing her to lurch forward and reach for her endangered friend.

"Natsu! Watch out!"

Natsu felt the strike before he saw it. Caprico moved so fast that the young dragon slayer's untrained eyes couldn't keep up, leading him to being unable to dodge the punch sent his way. The fist buried itself in his right cheek, and for a few moments the world went dark for the pinkette. When his mind flickered back to consciousness, Natsu realized Caprico had him by the throat. He also realized the burning he felt in his lungs was not the familiar build-up of a fire dragon roar, but the twin organs screaming for air.

Caprico tightened his grip as the pink-haired boy in his grasp began to wake up and struggle. He increased the pressure slowly, wanting to enjoy the act. Lucy saw what was happening to Natsu and tried to get to her feet. She had to save him.

"Leave him alone!" Lucy screamed. "Please!" Caprico took a moment to glance at the wailing blonde girl. Then he turned back, without a word, and continued to choke the life out of the boy in his hands.

Lucy screamed louder, grasping hands outward. She couldn't reach Caprico or Natsu, but she couldn't do anything else but try. Her tears felt like a never-ending river.

Natsu's world became fuzzy. Caprico's grip was so tight that he couldn't even drag in a sliver of air at this point. He had long since passed the point of panic and had allowed his survival instincts to envelope him, for what good they did him. Natsu refused to acknowledge the blackness that was creeping in at the edges of his vision. That, however, didn't stop it from growing until the world was a mere pinprick of light.

'I'm sorry… Lucy.'

.

...

"Rain of Light!"

All three combatants were unprepared for the shafts of shining light that came forth from seemingly nowhere and speared through Caprico. Natsu fell to the ground as Caprico reeled back from the searing pain shooting through his body. This was nothing like the pinkhead's attacks. Lucy scrambled forward, throwing her thin arms around Natsu's shoulders as the pinkette sucked in massive amounts of air. Still gasping for breath, Natsu looked over Lucy's trembling shoulders to see who, or what, had saved them from the goat-man.

Standing at the edge of the forest was an incredibly short old man. He had his arms crossed and was wearing a yellow and green gi under a blue jacket and sported a strange looking red hat on his head. The old man was giving the speared Caprico an enraged glare. A shining magic seal was hovering in front of him before it flickered away.

"Just what is the meaning of this?" the old man asked. Even though the demand, for it was not a question, wasn't directed towards them, both Natsu and Lucy found themselves freezing at the tone in the elderly man's voice. Caprico grit his teeth through the pulsating agony he felt as the spears of light flared.

"None… of your… business," he grunted out. Flexing his own magic, the goat-man slowly felt the light spears being pushed out of his body. With a painful burst, Caprico felt his magic eject the spears. Wheezing, he lurched around to face his new opponent.

"When the killing of children is involved, I will make it my business," the old man bellowed. A glistening, sparkling light flowed over the old man's clothes. As the flowing light descended, it left behind a billowing white robe with golden shoulder pads. The robe was furred on the edges, making the elderly man look slightly like a puffed up porcupine. When the robe was fully formed, a blue and silver badge came into being on the man's left breast. "And by the end of this… business, my friend, I think you will realize why those who commit acts of evil such as yourself fear the Wizard Saint Makarov Dreyar!"

Neither Natsu or Lucy knew what a wizard saint was, nor who Makarov Dreyar was, but if he was going to take care of Caprico they'd gladly let him. Lucy had calmed down enough, though still had herself wrapped around Natsu, to turn and watch the event before her unfold. Natsu hadn't taken his eyes off of Makarov since he'd caught sight of him. The guy may have been old, but he was radiating so much magic, and controlling it at that, that Natsu couldn't help but stare at the incredible sight. Deep inside of him, he felt what Igneel called his Dragon nod in respect.

Caprico, unlike Natsu and Lucy, reacted much more violently. As soon as he heard the name Makarov Dreyar, he launched himself at the tiny man. He was immediately smashed into the ground as Makarov inflated an arm and fist and used them like a giant hammer to pound him down. From under the giant-sized fist, Caprico managed to thrust out a hand and send a wave of his Human Subjugation magic at the wizard saint. Panic rolled through his body as instead of his magic causing Makarov to release him, the elderly man only seemed to crush him harder.

At this point, both children lost the ability to conceive of what was happening. The old man had smashed the goat-man like it was nothing!

Caprico felt Makarov open his fist, only to wrap giant fingers around him in a crushing grip. Yanking harshly, Makarov pulled the goat-man to him, still holding the unmovable glare from before. Caprico struggled against the grip, but it was no use against Makarov's inhuman strength. Huffing, the diminutive wizard saint stared into the goat-man's covered eyes, as if searching for something.

"As I suspected," Makarov said. Caprico's eyes widened behind their lenses; the wizard saint couldn't have discovered his secret already… could he? "You are more than you appear to be, aren't you?"

"You don't know anything old man!" Caprico shouted at the top of his lungs, his struggling renewed and vigorous. Makarov only smirked in response. Natsu and Lucy couldn't believe that the monster that had terrorized them earlier was now shaking and screaming in fear itself.

Makarov tossed Caprico to the ground, creating a crater, before shrinking his hand back to normal. The goat-man twitched, unable to do more. Stepping back, the wizard saint placed both hands in front of himself, palms flat and fingertips touching. The other three present could feel the tiny man's magic, already stiflingly thick in the air, increase. Lucy began to shake under the pressure, Natsu following soon after.

"I will not allow such abominable actions to go unpunished!" Makarov shouted, his magic coalescing into a shining light between his palms. "You do not deserve even the kindness of a lesson." Natsu and Lucy collapsed, unable to support themselves against the power of the wizard saint's magic. Fighting against unconsciousness, Natsu forced himself to watch what happened next.

Caprico pulled himself upright and painfully scrambled back, throwing up his hands to ward off whatever the wizard saint was about to unleash.

Natsu held onto Lucy, making sure his body protectively covered hers. The darkness from earlier was beginning to creep back into his vision.

Makarov pulled his hands back, then thrust them forward, and the magic that had been flowing around him erupted. Natsu couldn't keep his eyes open and felt himself slipping away. He could hardly hear what was going on, even with his enhanced senses.

"I invoke," he heard Makarov say. "Holy…"

Natsu passed out, not seeing or hearing what happened next.

What happened was this:

Makarov finished his spell, causing an explosion of light and power. Caprico felt the light slam into him, an overwhelming force. It didn't stop there, however. Caprico could feel the light burning through his fur, into his skin, and through his body. He could even feel the light touching his mind, his soul. And that is when his screaming really began.

Caprico felt the light tearing at the darkness inside of him, ripping it apart. He could do nothing as the unending pain climaxed and the being known as Caprico ceased to exist as its body split in two.

Makarov stood, after releasing his spell, and gazed upon what had been wrought. Lying on the ground were four bodies. Two were the children he had rescued. One was his opponent, the goat-man. The new body, the one he hadn't seen before, was an afro-ed man dressed in purple robes with white sleeves. The man had distinctive scar marks around his mouth, giving him a grimly smiling look. As Makarov calmly walked forward, the man's eyes shot open and he jumped up.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" the man shouted. Makarov raised an eyebrow in silent question. The strange man slammed his hands into his face, peeking one shaking eye between splayed fingers.

"You've killed me!"

Silent, Makarov took another step forward. The man stepped back, beginning to scream. Makarov watched as, without any warning, the man began to dissolve into mots of light. With each step, more of the man melted away.

"So this is the punishment of committing a taboo?" Makarov asked in understanding. The man continued screaming as the last of his body disappeared. As the disseverment reached his face, the man locked eyes with Makarov.

"Please! Help…" and he was gone.

Makarove stood, now alone in the clearing with three unconscious bodies. The wizard saint sighed ruefully as his official garb dissolved back into his regular clothing.

"Vacation my ass…"

)|(

YEAR X777 – Outside of the Town of Lapis Bula – Sometime Later

Natsu shot awake with a gasp. He tried to sit up, but Lucy's still unconscious body, now having somehow moved to lying on top of his own, was too heavy.

"I see you've finally decided to join us."

Natsu wiggled around under Lucy until he could see the small old man from earlier. The man, Makarov if he'd heard right, gave him a wide smile.

"It's good to see you awake my boy," Makarov said. Natsu nodded slowly, eyes falling upon Lucy's still sleeping face. The dragon slayer's brow furrowed.

"Wait a minute… Who's us?" he asked, trying to keep his voice quiet.

"I belie-e-eve he is referring to me-e-e." Natsu's eyes widened at the sound of Caprico's voice. He'd thought the old man was going to take care of him. Twisting around, Natsu rolled on top of Lucy and glared up at the goat-man, who he hadn't realized was standing beside Makarov. Natsu raised a fist at the monster that had been tormenting him and his best friend before setting it on fire.

Or tried to at least. All he got was a sputtering flame instead of the small inferno he'd been going for.

"I'm warning you fuzzhead!" Natsu shouted, shaking his fist. "The old man might not have taken you out, but if you take one more step towards Lucy I'll clobber you!"

The goat-man raised his hands up in silent surrender, causing Natsu to narrow his eyes.

"I me-e-ean you no harm. While it is ha-a-ard to expla-a-ain, who you fought ear-r-rlier was not me-e-e," the goat-man said. Natsu shook his head in denial.

"Liar! You look and smell exactly like him," the dragon slayer shouted. "What are you trying to pull?"

Natsu realized his mistake when he felt Lucy begin to wiggle under him. Looking down, Natsu was met with a red-faced blonde. Before he could say anything, Lucy sent him flying with a kick to the stomach. Screaming, Natsu flew through the air before landing at Makarov's feet, all thoughts of attacking goat-men gone.

Tensing, Natsu looked up at the man who may or may not have saved him and Lucy. Makarov gave him another smile before reaching out an open hand.

"It looks like you two have quite the stories to tell," Makarov said. "If you so desire, I know just the place you can rest up. What do you say?"

Natsu's thoughts immediately flew to Igneel, who was still missing. Could he afford to just abandon the search for his father? He glanced over to the goat-man, but he was staring at Lucy through his now broken sunglasses. Natsu looked over to Lucy, who was looking from him to Makarov. She seemed to have no problem with the goat-man now.

Natsu could admit to being a little dense every once in a while, but even he could tell that the blonde girl was gazing at the old man with a tentatively hopeful look. Natsu guessed that was that.

Smiling, Natsu smacked his hand into Makarov's.

"Alright old man, let's see what you got!"

)|(

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