Subject S

"So the Earthland mages really do have magic?" Byro asked, "Kegh! Kegh! Kegh! That is an interesting development." He and the rest of the military council was assembled, with the king also present.

"Hmmmm, so they're like Exceeds?" Sugarboy asked.

"Though surely they can't compare Exceeds, right?" Cocoa asked. Nobody actually answered that.

"Then that should mean that the blonde should have magic in her as well, right?" Hughes asked, "If that's the case, why should we kill her? Just take magic from her too."

"No," Faust said, "Queen Shagotte has ordered her death."

"The queen ordered her death!" Cocoa asked, "But… but… she's pregnant. We'll be killing an innocent baby."

"I don't like it either," Sugarboy said, "But an order from a queen can't be defied."

"That sure sucks!" Hughes said.

"Where does that leave the Dragon Slayers?" Pantherlily asked.

"They're not fully human," Byro explained, "We can potentially merge their power with that of Subject S, since their magical signature is rather similar. Once we put the two together, we could have an indefinite amount of magic at our disposal."

"That's awesome!" Hughes said.

"Yeah! That's wonderful!" Cocoa said, having forgotten that Lucy was pregnant.

"Begin immediately," Faust said, "We must do it as soon as possible. Dismissed." The group then began to file out.

"What are you planning on doing once we got infinite magic?" Hughes asked.

"Hmmm, maybe going to the ocean and surfing?" Sugarboy suggested.

"That sounds like tons of fun!" Cocoa said. The only one who hadn't left was Pantherlily.

"Is there a problem?" Faust asked.

"Your Majesty," Pantherlily said, "Do you think its possible to perhaps stall the girl's execution? The child is innocent."

"Are you questioning my orders?" Faust said, shooting a glare at the panther. Lily was silent, before he took a breath.

"No," he answered, as he also left.

(in the prison)

Lucy went over what she heard about Happy and Carla, about they were Exceeds.

"So the Exceeds are angels, and their queen is a god?" she mused, "Well, that must not do people any favors. And if she points to a random person and says 'die', the person has to die? That's stupid!"

"You're well informed," Erza said as she approached the cell, and entered it.

"Erza!" Lucy said happily. Erza narrowed her eyes at Lucy.

"That face," she said, "What's with it?"

"Oh, sorry," Lucy said smiling slightly, "I guess I know the Earthland version so well, I just sort of loosened up on reflex."

"So you know the Earthland version of me?" Erza asked.

"Well, you are part of Fairy Tail," Lucy said. Erza suddenly looked straight at her.

"What?" she said, deathly calm.

"Well you're strong, your cool, everyone trusts you, but you can also be really sweet when you need to," Lucy said, "And you really like…" She was silent as Erza started dragging her away by the hair, out of the prison.

"You talk too much," she said, "And here I figured you'd know I wasn't the Erza you know. You're rather stupid."

"Please stop!" Lucy said, "You're going to hurt my baby! Erza wouldn't do that!" She was then thrown against the side of the balcony.

"You've got to have something in common other than your appearance!" she said, "You have to…" She was silenced when Erza's spear suddenly swooped up, and held her over the edge.

"Will you be quiet already?" Erza said. Lucy let out a cry.

"Stop!" she cried, "You'll hurt my baby!"

"So?" Erza said coldly.

"Okay!" Lucy cried, "I admit it! You aren't my Erza! My Erza isn't anywhere near this vile and cruel! Do whatever you want with me! But don't hurt my baby!"

"Your child is born of Fairy Tail," she said, before grinning maliciously, "And as the Fairy Hunter, it is my role to kill them. And I won't lie, its pretty amusing." Lucy glared hard at her.

"Got anything to say?" Erza asked.

"Only this," Lucy said, "When Natsu finds out what you did, you will burn. As will your bastard of a king, and this whole damned kingdom! You'll be lucky if there's ash left when Natsu's done!" Erza sneered.

"I doubt it." With that, she dropped Lucy, who cried out. As she plummeted to the ground though, she heard a familiar voice.

"Lucy!" Suddenly, Lucy was swooped up, as Happy caught her, and pulled her back up. Carla flew up next to them.

"Exceeds?" Erza asked.

"Thanks a bunch!" Lucy said.

"Aye!" Happy answered.

"What are you doing?" Erza asked, "The Queen's orders were to execute the girl!"

"Well, seeing as the order was to kill the girl, and not her child, I believe you're in violation," Carla said. Erza cringed.

"You may be an Exceed, but the Queen is far above both of us," she said, "Please hand over the girl."

"How dare you," Carla said darkly, "You are addressing the daughter of Queen Shagotte, Crown Princess Carla of Extalia!" Everyone cried out in shock.

"Your Highness!" Erza said, falling to one knee, "Forgive my impudence!"

"Where are the Dragon Slayers?" Carla inquired.

"I…"

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

"They are in the basement of the West Tower."

"I see," Carla said, "Release them this instant."

"I…. I don't have the authority," Erza said.

"Do I look like I care?" Carla snapped, "Do it this instant! Or would you rather the Queen…"

"Captain Knightwalker!" Pantherlily yelled as he ran up.

"That's an Exceed!" Happy cried.

"Do you guys know him?" Lucy asked.

"Those are Fallen Exceeds!" Lily roared, "They're fugitives from the kingdom!"

"What?" Erza asked. Carla cringed.

"Let's go!" she instructed.

"Aye!" Happy said as he flew them away As Erza watched them, her face contorted in rage.

"I will rip them to pieces!" she growled. Meanwhile, Lucy and the Exceeds made their escape.

"Thanks for saving me," Lucy said, "You saved my baby too."

"You aren't angry?" Carla said.

"Why would I be?"

"We were the ones to lead you into that trap," Carla said.

"But, again you saved me and my child," Lucy said, "That more than makes up for everything. I'm most surprised that Carla's the daughter of the Queen."

"That is pretty awesome," Happy said.

"You are aware that is a bluff," Carla said.

"Oh," Lucy said, "Sorry." Happy just smiled.

"What are you smiling about?" Carla asked.

"Just, that was pretty cool," Happy said. Carla flushed red, which didn't go unnoticed by Lucy.

"Keep focused!" Carla said, "We need to find Natsu and Wendy! They are in the West Tower! We head there!"

"Aye ma'am!" Happy said. However, as they flying, there was a faint flapping sound. In the sky appeared a swarm of shapes.

"What's that?" Lucy said.

"Oh no," Carla muttered. Swooping down towards the group, was a swarm of Exceed warriors

"Meow!" Nichiya said, "We have finally found the Fallen!"

"So many cats!" Lucy said.

"They finally found us!" Happy said.

"Come on!" Carla said, as she started flying down, "We have to get to the ground!" However, as they started to flying down, they noticed the battalion of soldiers, with the captains assembled beneath them.

"Its the Royal Army!" Lucy said, "We're cornered!"

"Can't you use your magic?" Carla asked

"Not with this goo on me! And besides, none of my spirits can take on all these people!"

From the balcony of the courtyard, the king watched, as Cocoa buzzed behind him.

"The forces of Extalia are attacking!" she said, "They are pushing the Fallen!" Faust clinched his fists.

"Its time," he said, "Invoke Code ETD. And send a message for Byro. Prepare Subject S."

"Ye… yes," Cocoa said. But she did not truly know how to react to that.

Suddenly, a horn sounded out, as several banners rose, much to everyone's surprise.

"Code ETD?" Erza asked.

"The final plan, hmmmm?" Sugarboy said.

"What's all this?" Lucy asked.

"It doesn't matter!" Carla said, as she pointed, "There attention isn't on us! Get inside!" As the group escaped, several strange cannons were mounted on the castle walls. Without missing a beat, they fired. But they weren't at the Fairy Tail mages.

"Meow?" Nichiya said, as suddenly a massive light encompassed him and the others, "What is this!" Every Exceed was consumed in this light, roaring in pain. As Lucy was gentle set on the floor inside the walls, she looked up.

"They're attacking the Exceeds?" Lucy asked, "But they're angels, aren't they?"

"The people are rebelling," Carla noted, "But its not our problem. Our problem is saving our Dragon Slayers." With that, they hurried down the hall.

Eventually, the Exceeds were fully consumed. And from the light, a massive lacrima shaped like a cat dropped to the ground. The soldiers just stared in awe at the sight.

"Did that just happen?" one asked.

"Did we just turn on the Exceeds?" another asked.

"These creatures are not gods!" Faust said from atop the balcony, his arms spread, "And yet we've been living under their heel for so long! They greedily horde their magic, while we suffer with so little! No more! If the Exceeds will not share their magic, it will be taken! Rise up! Take our place, and let the Exceeds cower before the true power of Subject S! This is Code ETD!" The soldiers all cheered.

"This is totes a big deal," Hughes said, "We're finally doing it."

"Hmmm, it was inevitable," Sugbarboy said. Pantherlily clenched his fists as he heard all of that.

"So this was this buildup was about?" he muttered

(below the palace)

"I heard Code ETD is being invoked," Byro said, as he readied his machine. Both Natsu and Wendy were restrained on a pair of rocks, in a massive cavern beneath the palace.

"I guess now's the time for us to act. Kegh! Kegh! Kegh!" Wendy weakly looked up, glaring at him.

"Why are you doing this?" she demanded.

"Is it not clear?" Byro asked, "You're natural abilities give you an immense source of magic power. What we plan to do is take it." Natsu let out a growl, as he tried to lunge at him, but the restrains prevented him.

"You think we're that powerful?" Wendy asked, "Enough to sustain you forever?"

"Of course not," Byro said, "You're here to add to another source."

"Another source?" Byro took a step back.

"Allow me to demonstrate to you, Subject S!" Byro said, holding up his hands. Natsu and Wendy looked up, and through the shadows. They saw a massive shape. But once their eyes got adjusted, they saw what it really was. And they were so amazed, their fear was briefly overcome by it.

It had a long neck, with a rounded head; it had a large mouth, with massive teeth. It had a sleek, lean body, with four legs, ending in massive hooked claws. Framing its body were a massive pair of wings, with the wing joint having three fingered hands. It had a long tail, with a thin sail down the length of the tail. Chains were on the wing hands, as well as around its neck, arms, and legs, coming down from the ceiling. In its back, were several massive tubes, that were running up into the ceiling. Glowing purple energy was going through the tubes.

Subject S was a dragon.

Note: So this is what Subject S has been all this time, a dragon. More details to be revealed later.

I based the design of the dragon on the Gore Magala from the Monster Hunter franchise. I wanted a creature that looked truly monstrous. This will be where it starts to really deviate from canon. I was originally going to call it "Code ETD", but "Subject S" was more attention grabbing.

Be sure to review.