All Rights to Hiro Mashima

For KawaiiNekoSamaSanChan, because I have become someone's spirit animal and that is just too good to pass up. Here's to you darling. :3

(If anyone was wondering what my spirit animal is: a tiny platypus but entirely blue and likes to eat cookies and rides in comfy pockets of gigantic sweaters)

(Sorry for the long wait! I had been focusing on Band-Aid, another story that I am doing for NaLu week, and was completely appalled when someone informed me that Stolen hadn't been updated for like…almost a month. Whoopsie.)

BEWARE! DRAGONS GALORE! THAT IS ALL! PLUS SOME FORESHADOWING!

Chapter 34: Septerye

Created on the sea floors of the Cretaceous Period, this stone is found in Utah, Madagascar and Morocco; the name comes from the Latin word for dividing wall 'septum' and are usually Gray sedimentary rock with a yellow calcite crystal center; an old Malagasy legend calls these geodes 'Dragon Stone' as the formations resemble the scales of the long dead Dragons that died had fossilized on the sea floor.

He swam in the glorious fire that he had been without for what felt like thousands of years.

The Dragon had been trapped behind that pitiful excuse of a Demon Lord for far too long, only being subdued by the black magic in the boy and the fact that this body had physically died and left his disoriented and weak.

But no matter, he was back with a vengeance after using his considerable strength following the wake of all of his charges revelations and found memories. The Dragon rumbled and bathed in the boiling inferno of magic in Natsu's soul taunting END with snaps of his jaw and chuckles that sounded as dry as the ash that came from the sacred Molten.

"He will release me, Dragon. He will need my curses when his magic fails him yet again."

"I don't doubt it Demon, you are connected to the boy and his mate just as I am. But I know something that you do not."

"And pray tell, what would that be?"

"He will achieve his full strength at the next full moon. It will call his instincts to the forefront and when he becomes full Dragon…he will no longer need you and you will be expelled from his soul."

"That will never happen, if have claimed this boy as my vessel, my claws have hooked into his very being, his mind and heart as well, I influenced the bonding between him and the golden one!" The Demon was panicking and they both knew it.

Power slammed the Demon behind bars of iron and steel, there was no key for the non-existent lock on the heavy door. "It was my marks that he left on the one who would end all this, and you know this! You may have helped initiate it but I was the one who completed the ritual. He might need your non-magic once and a while, but this boy was always mine to claim. He is mine Demon."

The Dragon sunk beneath the waves of lava and basked in the feeling of being warm for the first time in almost eleven years and ignored the enraged rattling of chains in the background.

-ooo-

His eyes finally worked enough for him to peel them open.

He remembered everything, every half-formed hazy memory that hadn't manifested completely before now stood with remarkable clarity in his mind.

And then he saw the one most of those lost memories centred on, those big brown eyes and golden hair, small hands clutching Happy to her lap while she looked both hopeful and lost.

"…Natsu." A small shiver shook his frame, even her voice caused a reaction in his body.

She looked so amazing, a true sight for very sore eyes sitting there in a flowing white dress. She was his everything, even now.

It felt so good to finally be awake, truly awake after that awful nap. The darkness that had stifled his senses for nigh on ten years was almost crippling. But like a beacon, there she was, his Luce. Best friend and now…

Two still healing scars stood out against her pale skin and his gaze was captured by the implications.

…his bonded. Mate. His only regret was that he wasn't fully, truly aware of himself when the action took place. The memory screamed through him and the inferno of Dragon Fire in his belly burst into sparks, she was his other half, gifted with longevity, expanded magic reserves, and immunity to his element.

While he had been there, and in control of his actions when the Demon raged beneath his skin, he was a bit miffed that he wasn't in his true Dragon form when they had finally taken that last step.

But that only meant that he would have to take her like a true beast when it was next possible. Even now, the Dragon raged to feel a connection with her on a truly intimate level. He needed to become one with her again, to let his fire curl and flicker over her skin to see how she looked bathed in his magic.

To witness the incredible sight of his Queen in the throes of ecstasy, succumbing to him, to have her wrapped up in his wings, his talons wound through that crown of gold, his tail secured around her torso.

But now was not the time. Because he had questions and he just truly wanted a kiss from his beloved. Igneel had warned him about these things years ago when he was starting to transition from boy to man, but he was almost uninterested in them because the one person he loved more than anything was behind a rune wall, unable to even give him a hug.

He silently lamented the loss of his father again for a moment before realising that while yes, Igneel was still lost, he could still be found. Unlike for Lucy, where her parents were gone somewhere, she was unready to follow.

There was time to deal with all the sadness that had accumulated over the years he had been split into two, and now wasn't that time.

Because his Lucy was staring at him, searching his face for something and he hoped that she found it.

Lucy was well and truly his, and he wouldn't let her out of his sight ever again. He had left her behind, falling into the great beyond then being filled again with black magic that felt like sludge in his veins, but the next time he was to tip into the next part of his journey, whenever that might be, she would be right by his side.

Even though his tongue felt like it was as dry as a bone and was as heavy as a thousand stones, he had to speak, to show her that he still knew her, still remembered.

But, seeing the realisation in her eyes, the words to reassure her died in his throat before they could even be formed.

She knew. Of course, she did, they were almost the same entity at this point and could speak without words.

"Lucy…it's…you…you're really here. Gods, you're so beautiful."

"Oh thank the Gods…" was the only thing she uttered under her breath before his breath was stolen away from him in a kiss so fierce that he knew that their lips would bruise.

It was wild and free from constraint, filled with every half-formed feeling, wish, hope and prayer that they had had over the last ten years.

No, longer than that.

Since Igneel had gone missing.

He didn't notice the small blue cat scamper out of Lucy's arms with a giggle to rest with Wendy before he was reaching forward and crushing his little golden Queen to his chest and wrapping his blood red wings around her, cocooning them in darkness where no one could hurt them. His tail – which he would swear had a mind of its own – slithered up and curled around her calf, Natsu relishing in the feel of her silky skin.

His feral eyes worked well in the dark and while Lucy worked her tongue into his absolutely scorching mouth, his own muscle ready and willing to twine with hers, he could see those scars – not just his mating owns – that dotted her body like brush strokes over canvas.

Her skin told a story and even though she had told him much of it, he wanted to hear it again. Because she was his other half and he was so happy to be fully aware again.

She was amazing and strong and so beautiful and his.

A growl ripped from his throat as her lithe fingers curled into the hairs at the base of his skull and pulled. All he wanted to do was buck into her and show his Luce just how fired up he was getting over a single kiss, but an awkwardly loud cough brought them both down to Earthland.

He was first confused but then annoyed as he was forced to disentangle himself from Lucy, lamenting quietly at the loss those soft lips of hers. But she only smiled at his little whine and nuzzled his neck in a motion that sent waves of contentment and muted pleasure through him. Did she know what every little action did to him?

Which brought him back to the present. Who had broken them up?

Didn't anyone know not to get in between a mated pair? Especially one who had been torn apart and then reunited, however convoluted that path may be?

He retracted his wings, sat up on the stone floor with Lucy curled up to his chest. One of her hands gripped the still blackened scarf around his neck in a fierce grip. He purred and pushed his nose against her ear in a way to offer her stability and comfort. It seemed to work as her hand loosened, but she didn't lift her head away from his chest and just listened to his heart beat.

He was definitely fine with that. There wasn't anywhere else that Lucy should be right at that moment and hold her close to him was keeping the raging Dragon in his mind that needed her from taking her hard and fast on the floor of the dining hall in front of their family.

Which reminded him that there were other people here and just him and his chosen. Natsu's gaze swept over the people gathered and found that an admonished looking King Makarov was having his head politely chewed off by a stern-faced Wendy.

Good, the little Sky Dragon had listened to her inner beast and was teaching others of the proper decorum when it came to Drakes.

His eyes were pulled to the blue cat standing off to the side and he smiled and gestured for Happy to join him and Lucy while the others were either gawking at Wendy who had just berated the King or laughing at the situation.

"NATSU! LOOK AT YOU! YOU'RE ALL SCALEY AGAIN!"

Of all the things Natsu thought his little friend would say to him as the cat crashed into his chest and cried fat tears into his tunic, that wasn't it.

But it wasn't a lie either, as ruby red scales had crept up and wound around his body, especially his clawed hands and feet, the base of his tail that rested at the bottom of his spine, around his arms and his cheeks.

"Happy! It's good to see you again. Well…really see you I guess." He fell silent and as if sensing something off, Lucy opened her eyes to catch his own gaze.

"…what do you mean Natsu?"

"It's hard to explain. I was there for everything, and I remember it all with such clarity, but the more recent memories are a little muted and warped. Everything after my resurrection was…tainted slightly by me being a Demon instead of what I was supposed to be."

"Does that mean that us…wasn't meant to happen at all?"

He growled at the thought. "Stop. Don't even think those thoughts. I have always been yours no matter what form I took and my mind and body and heart knew that even if I couldn't truly remember all our adventures." He brushed one clawed finger over the mark on her right shoulder and whispered in her ear. "You are mine, Nova."

"Glad to hear it Salamander."

He preened at the name. It had been so long since he had heard it spoken, he gave the shell of her ear a quick nip to show his appreciation and she giggled, something that he had missed, but she seemed to do so many things she had lost in her childhood again.

"As much as I enjoy seeing one of my brats again, safe from harm and together once again…I must ask questions even if Wendy has told me it is unwise." Makarov was right to look wary, Natsu's eyes held a fire and darkness that he didn't have when he was a child, and he wasn't sure how he would react.

But Natsu surprised them all by flashing that fanged grin that had wormed its way into their hearts when they had first seen it years ago and crowed happily while winding his strong arms around Lucy and happily snuggled up to his warmth. "Hiya Gramps! Miss me?"

The mischievous wiggle of Natsu's eyebrows had them all guffawing and rolling their eyes.

Yes. Their Dragon boy was definitely back. Makarov pinched his brows in sudden worry.

He would need to fireproof absolutely everything again.

-ooo-

It was established that Natsu knew everything END did and more, including all the memories that would usually give him a painful migraine and bleeding eyes when remembered.

If nothing else, he was thankful for his mind becoming whole once more without the skull splitting agony.

Throughout every little explanation, every question and every answer, Lucy sat curled in Natsu's lap dozing off, half in the waking world for the duration. Natsu was just so warm and his heart beat was so strong…she didn't truly want to move again. If she could stay there like that for years, she would. She was comfortable and she truly hadn't had a very good sleep in what felt like fifteen years.

She was ready to pass out for a week with her Dragon by her side and while away the time safe in a mound of blankets and pillows, snoozing and napping together.

Do Dragons hibernate? They are gigantic lizards… No matter, she would ask Natsu later. And if they do hibernate, she would volunteer her bedroom for the duration and join him for every moment.

Why am I so tired? I had a good sleep with Natsu last night…

Her bleary eyes still swimming with sleep spotted all the Slayers in the room with disgruntled looks on their faces and slight tears in their eyes.

Even Laxus, and even though he was a gigantic teddy-bear-pushover-Dragon (especially when it came to Freed or her), he never ever cried in public.

Ever.

She interrupted Natsu's rendition of his…interesting meeting with Porlyusica all those years ago – as he had refused to talk about the day that he realised that Igneel was truly lost before now. "Sting…are you alright?"

While happy to have his Queen's attention and concern, Sting was decidedly not alright. Something in the room smelt…terrible and he didn't really want to say what he thought was making it for fear of his Drake pummelling him into the stone floor. "Ahhh…yes? I'm fine?"

"…you are a terrible liar Sting. You should know that you can't make the answer sound like a question. Now…the truth."

"Sorry, Nova…it's just…Gods, how do I say this?" To Lucy, Sting looked like a nervous child trying to fess up to something they did wrong.

"Spit it out Eucliffe." Natsu's patience was waning. His Queen had asked a question, and he also wanted the answer.

With that direct demand from his leader...he had no choice. "Dammit! Natsu, you fucking stink!"

The other Slayers groaned and lifted their hands up to their faces to wipe away rebellious tears and plug their sensitive noses without seeming disrespectful.

Lucy cocked her head to the side, still trying to blink the drowsiness away. Why aren't my eyes cooperating? A small stab of panic welled in her heart and warning bells blared through her mind before she was once again pushed almost to the point of unconsciousness. "…Nat-su…some-somethings wrong…"

"Luce? What's going on?" Natsu looks up to Wendy who tries to scoot closer to take a look at Lucy with her magic but ends up cringing back.

"Wendy? What's happening?"

The little bluenette shakes her head. "It's the smell Natsu…it's…strong…it burns my nose!"

While Levy, Freed, and Makarov look on curiously, minds active and trying to figure out this turn of events, Lucy drapes a sluggish arm over her mate's shoulders and fingers his scarf slowly.

"Black." And then she faints.

Freed's eyes widen so quickly he looks like they may pop out of his skull. "…magic…the death wave." He then strode forward and ripped Lucy out of Natsu's grip, only to have the Fire Dragon snarling at the man who took his beloved from his side.

Makarov, truly the only one who could even match the Dragon's strength at the moment and not for much longer should his power increase after his awakening, enlarged his hand and slammed Natsu back to the floor before he could make a move. "Sit still brat! Something's wrong with her, don't you want to know?"

Freed lost no time and brought Lucy to their tiny healer who got to work without a moment's delay. "I believe it was your scarf Natsu that did this to Ms Lucy. Somehow, it syphoned off the black magic that poured off you when the seal that kept your memories away broke. We all witnessed it just an hour ago."

"I don't—"

"Nova told us the tale of when you fought for the very first time. How you're Hellfire drained her magic. You're curse. Dark magic. The opposite of hers."

Wendy sighed and let the glow of healing spells dissipate from her hands. "She is fine, just exhausted and her magic reserves are critically low. From trying to fight that death wave before that had you pinned to the floor and sitting so close to the concentrated form for over an hour sapped her of her strength. But, she will be fine tomorrow, granted she will need a full nights rest." Her pointed look at her Drake had the Dragon blinking owlishly, all too innocently.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh, don't give her that crap Salamander. We all know what you want to do, believe me, if I had been away from my bonded…sorta…for that long…I'd want to be with her in every way possible as soon as I could."

No one noticed the slight blush on Levy's cheeks, nor the way Gajeel's eyes flickered over her form when he was finished his little speech.

Natsu huffed, shuffling his wings petulantly. "…fine." Then he unwound his prized scarf from around his neck even though he was loathed to do so. He had just got it back after all, and it had saved his life and the life of those around him, it was even more precious now.

But it wasn't worth the life of his mate. Even if it was from Igneel.

"Excuse me…Natsu?" Wendy gave a quick dip of her head that seemed very natural to her when addressing her Drake to show the hierarchy, she as the youngest, was at the very bottom of the nest as it was, but being a healer had their perks, she had value in her leader's eyes.

Natsu's tail flicked out and his head cocked to the side, black eyes taking her in fully. "Yeah, Wendy? You know you don't have to do all that formal stuff with me? It's still me, even if I don't look like a Demon anymore."

Wendy let out a low hum that was echoed from the Drake. Full of comfort and familial love. "Alright. Uhm…" She fidgeted with the hem of her dress that Ms Mira had given her earlier that day, "I think I might be able to…heal you're scarf for you. If you'd allow me to try?"

Wings, tail, scales and horns burst into flames and dissipated before anyone could utter a sound. All that was left was Natsu in his human form, grinning and clambering to his feet, destroyed scarf in his hands. "Course Wendy. Have at it. I trust ya."

She smiled and purred, happy that Natsu still had trust in her abilities. Her pride glowed through her eyes and Natsu tried to hand her the scarf. Which made her cringe again. "Ugh. It really does smell, like black ice and death. It burns something terrible."

Happy padded over and took Igneel's gift back from Natsu, stowing it in her green backpack once more with the utmost care. "Don't worry Natsu! I'll keep it safe for you and I'll help Wendy and Charles to fix it!" With a small nuzzle to Natsu's cheek and a quick scratch for the kitten behind his ears from his pink-haired father figure, the little healer and her helpers were out the door in search of Chelia the God-Slayer and her mentor Porlyusica.

Natsu gathered Lucy into his arms again, relishing in the way Lucy twisted in his arms to seek out his warmth. It was unbelievably fascinating that she could sense him even when in a deep slumber.

"I have a question Levy, Freed…why can't Natsu smell it? Shouldn't it be bothering him as well?"

Makarov's question and Levy's answer of "I believe it's because he is still technically END…" bled into the background as Natsu leant against one wall, slid down to the bottom and closed his eyes focusing on the breathing of the woman in his arms.

While fascinating, the conversation washed over him like the tide of the sea, voices blending into something close to white noise. Before long, he felt a soft shove of his shoulder and woke up from his quick nap with his nose buried in Lucy's hair, soothing purrs escaping from his chest and Ryos' hand on his arm.

The Shadow Dragon offered a small bow of his head just as Wendy had earlier.

Natsu scoffed. "Enough of that. No formalities. I'm just Natsu right now. We'll get into this shit when we go into battle. You hear me?"

Ryos nodded and gave a small smile gesturing to Lucy. "Why don't you go to bed Natsu? Your awakening must have been both painful and tiring and it would do Lucy a benefit if she had somewhere more comfortable to rest other than his chilly room."

While Natsu had so many protests which ranged from "I am comfy" to "I'm warming than any fire there ever was" he kept his tongue inside his head and only nodded. He would have a crick in his neck from sleeping against a wall if he wasn't careful and he really didn't need that on top of all the other shit he had to deal with once the morning came.

One was trying to deal with the Faux-Dragons and where they fit inside his strange nest, and whether or not they would submit to him being a Drake. Both Cobra and Laxus were hard headed and stubborn, a trait he felt was both endearing and insufferable when it came to Lucy and it was still mind-boggling that Lucy and Laxus weren't related by blood.

The other was his scarf, but Wendy had that well in hand.

Then there was Sting, who was vying for the position of Right-Hand of his Lucy so he would need to stay away from that interaction as much as possible.

And the most troubling was the appearance of his horns in this Dragon form. It seemed that his time had finally come, just as Igneel had told him it would. There was a painful process ahead of him at the next full moon – he would need to know when that was to warn those in the castle to give him the space he needed – but he was looking forward to it immensely.

He hoped Lucy felt the same way.

Which was another problem. How was he supposed to tell Lucy that he was going to become so different overnight? He snorted at the thought and nuzzled his mate's hair once again, savouring her scent. She wouldn't care what he looked like. She fell in love with him when he was nothing but a Demon, and loved him for most of his life as a half-Dragon.

Everything would work out well enough.

"Alright. Thank you, Rogue."

He nodded to Makarov and Laxus – even if the blonde fell under Natsu's species (sort of) Laxus was still a Prince in his own right and deserved the respect he was due. For looking after Lucy for all those years and for recognising his need to keep his mate close to him even if he didn't understand.

Natsu climbed the stairs and traversed the corridors of the bustling castle – it was only mid-afternoon after all – and after only a couple of strange looks from the many knights and workers and mages that mingled around – image their faces if he hadn't dropped his half-Dragon – he made it to a familiar room that was steeped in memories blanketed in gaze of the Demon's. It was both a terrible and great thing to him.

Locking the door behind him, so that they were not disturbed for at least twelve hours, Natsu laid Lucy gently down on her bed, her soft snores drifting up to him through the still night air. He chuckled at his mate. She was such a weirdo and he loved her.

But there was still a bit of a problem.

On one hand, he was still the same person as END was. He was still him. Natsu. But now he was so much more, complete and whole. Both Demon and Dragon. But his more animalistic side detested the fact that END had been able to fully bond with Lucy before it was able to.

He shed all of his clothes, then stripped his mate down completely. If he couldn't have her like he wanted to, he would need to feel as close to her as possible. Skin on skin with no cumbersome fabrics in between.

Bundled in her comforter, wrapped around each other for the first time since the day before he had left to find Igneel – it was so long ago that he almost wept for the lost time together – Natsu gripped his mate to his chest and didn't let go, even in his sleep.

Which, for once, was filled with dreams.

-ooo-

"Say that again! You can't possibly have it correct!"

"I'm telling you Invel! My information's correct, and you know that I am never wrong. I am the Valkyrie, and I pride myself on being correct. You know this!"

The Winter General pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Just tell me."

Dimeria shifted her stance from foot to foot suddenly uncomfortable. "Chaos and disparity have returned."

"That's all you heard?"

"It's that enough! It's proof that he's back! The Emperor must know that he was never killed when Kind Dragneel left to kill him, he wasn't removed from the board, just waylaid by many years to build his ire."

"ALRIGHT! Alright…"

Dimeria watched as her superior just stood in the courtyard they had met in. "Aren't you going to do it now? He must know this as soon as possible?"

His grin was chilling, far worse than his magic could ever be. "Oh no, my dear Dimeria. This is your information you insisted was correct, you will be the one to share it with our dear Leader."

Suddenly, she knew fear. Her lord was not a merciful man and this information she brought was not the good kind. Her eyes were pleading while Invel's held pity and laughter in equal measure.

"Send my regards to the Underworld…"

Her life was forfeited. And she knew it.

Quick little chapter to get somethings moving. Looks like we are heading into the inevitable clash!