AN: Thanks NinjaFang1331, AliceCullen3, Goku275, LoudOpinions, and scoolharis.
"My nature…" began Rogue, pausing for a moment as he thought about Levia's words. "I have never really considered it before. I guess… I am the type of person that does not like to see other people get hurt. During the brief time I spent in Sabertooth… and again during Tartaros's attacks… watching innocent people suffer made me angry."
"Are you certain about that?" questioned Levia, raising an eyebrow. "Because, as we both use the same magic, I can sense it. The darkness within your heart, empowered by your magic."
Rogue flinched as memories of his cruel alternate personality filled his mind. Unnoticed by the Fairy, the dragon gave a small smirk.
"What are you talking about?" Jura asked Levia. "Is this 'darkness' that thing that took over Rogue's body earlier today?"
The Shadow Dragon, aside from a small glance, ignored the Wizard Saint. Jura — along with the rest of Lamia Scale — were of no consequence to Levia.
"Interesting," spoke the dragon. "That part of you was in control so recently…"
"That thing isn't me!" shouted Rogue, vehemently rejecting what Levia said. "It's just a mass of Magic Power and rage! A parasite that clung to me and used my anger to steal control of my body!"
"Are you certain about that?" replied Levia. "Did it genuinely 'steal control' from you, or did you grant control to that part of you? You wanted to unleash your darkness, didn't you?"
"I… that's…" Rogue stuttered. The dragon's words were more accurate that he wanted to admit. The reason that Shadow Rogue had manifested was because the Fairy had given in to his anger, letting it flow freely.
"You yourself identified being enraged as behavior in line with your nature, no?" stated Levia, wearing a contemplative expression. Internally, though, he was getting excited. It wouldn't be much longer before he got to observe a Shadow Dragon (Slayer's) inner darkness.
Even since hearing the story from his mother, who, unfortunately, was not a Shadow Dragon herself, Levia had been curious what it would be like. And it was his immutable nature to be inquisitive.
"From my perspective," continued the dragon. "It appears that this darkness is your true self."
Rogue stiffed, horror etching itself onto his face as he contemplated Levia's claim and found himself unable to refute it. "Is that… who I am?"
The dragon slayer slumped to the ground, despairing. The members of Lamia Scale could only watch, unsure what they could say to make Rogue feel better.
"What are you sitting around for!?"
These words snapped Rogue out of his daze. He turned around and saw the speaker, Sting.
"Here, I'll help you take down this guy!" declared Sting, gesturing to Levia. "Let's go!"
"Sting," whispered Rogue, still trying to process his best friend's presence. "Did you… already defeat a dragon?"
"No…" answered the White Dragon Slayer. As he spoke, the rest of his dragon-slaying group arrived, running up from behind him. They all had frantic looks on their faces. "I brought mine along with me!"
At that moment, Scissor Runner made his presence known by smashing through a building, causing Sting to laugh sheepishly.
"You think this is funny!?" snapped Rogue, still emotional from Levia's words. "I'm busy trying to convince this dragon—" Rogue gestured to Levia "—to join our side, and your still just messing around!"
"We may talk big, but, in the end, we've always been a team, right?" said Sting, his laughter dying down.
His words calmed Rogue down. The Shadow Dragon Slayer knew his friend well enough to recognize that this was his way of admitting that he couldn't defeat his dragon alone.
"Me and the others can hold off Scissor Runner for a while longer, so that you can focus on recruiting your dragon," continued Sting. "Then, once you're done… help me show my dragon the power of the Twin Dragons!"
Rogue smiled.
"Right."
As the dragon slayers talked, so did the dragons they had approached.
"Scissor Runner!" shouted Levia, unhappy to see the Blade Dragon. "Don't you dare interfere with my research again!"
"You think I care, Levia!?" retorted Scissor Runner. "I'm here to kill these humans! No exceptions, especially not for your stupid 'research'!"
The two dragons glowered at one another, growling. Finally, not wanting to lose what might be his only opportunity to learn about a Shadow Dragon (Slayer's) inner darkness, Levia gave Scissor Runner an ultimatum.
"Just leave this dragon slayer–" Levia gestured to Rogue "—alone until I'm done, or else I'll interfere with your fun.
Scissor Runner scowled. The thought of Levia getting in the way was irritating, but so was the idea of obeying the annoying Shadow Dragon. However, the human that Levia was interested in wasn't one of the ones who attacked the Blade Dragon earlier…
Seeing Scissor Runner's indecision, Levia decided to sweeten the deal. "Depending on how things go, I may even let you have him too. And, based on the looks of things, that is the most likely outcome."
"…I accept," chose Scissor Runner, a bit grumpy about accepting the Shadow Dragon's terms. The Blade Dragon didn't have to mull on those feelings for long, though, because at that moment Sting and his group (now joined by Lamia Scale) attacked.
"Excellent," murmured Levia, turning back to Rogue. Scissor Runner had been convinced, and the vague language that the Shadow Dragon used meant that the dragon slayer still wasn't aware of the true purpose of their discussion. "It shouldn't be much longer before his inner darkness takes over."
"Now, where were we?" asked Levia with faux-innocence. The dragon already knew the answer. "Ah, right… my observation that your darkness is your true nature."
"You are wrong," rejected Rogue adamantly, his mind clearer after talking with Sting. "About me, that is, not what we were talking about. I admit that you are right about the darkness… about all that violent rage being a part of me, but it is not who I am!"
"Don't be ridiculous," responded Levia dismissively. "Just accept that your heart is drenched in darkness."
"No," said Rogue without a shred of doubt. "All of those times when my darker side emerged, it was because my friends were getting hurt. And, each time, those friends made sure that I did not succumb to my darkness."
"That still doesn't change your nature," retorted the Shadow Dragon, growing angry over the Fairy's stubbornness. "Those other humans may be able to help you fight your nature, but you can never change it! You are a being of darkness and hatred, now and forever! All you can do is accept your fate!"
In response to Levia's outburst, Rogue simply turned away from the dragon and walked toward where Sting's group was battling Scissor Runner.
"If that is my nature, then so be it," spoke Rogue. "Every time my other side has emerged, it has been because I was angry about people being harmed. My rage pushes me to protect people, and as long as I do not lose sight of that… as long as I don't let it warp me into a monster… that anger is a good thing!"
As he spoke, the Fairy felt a change within himself. By accepting 'Shadow Rogue' as a part of who he was, the distinction between the two had begun to fade. Rogue's magic power started to swell with his anger.
"Now, if you don't mind…" continued Rogue. "…I have better things to do than waste time talking to someone who clearly never intended to help my allies and me. After all, my best friend is waiting for me to join the fight!"
With that, the dragon slayer broke into a sprint, determined to fight alongside his friends and protect their kingdom.
"Holy Ray!" yelled Sting, his Dragon Force re-activated. A barrage of white rays shot from his hands, arcing toward Scissor Runner.
The Blade Dragon swung an arm coated in magic, cutting apart his spell. Then, the dragon brought that arm down on Sting.
"Shadow Dragon's Eruption!"
A surge of darkness erupted from the ground in front of Sting. Not only did it stall Scissor Runner's attack, but, when the shadows faded away, the dragon slayer was gone.
"Where did you go?" snarled the Blade Dragon, head twisting back and forth to search the area for any sign of the dragon slayer.
"Up here, you scaly dumbass!" cried Sting's voice from the roof of a nearby building that hadn't been leveled yet. Scissor Runner turned toward the dragon slayer and saw Rogue (Dragon Force also active) by his side. Both Fairies were gathering their Magic Power into balls in their hands, preparing for a Unison Raid.
"Get ready for the power of the Twin Dragons of Fairy Tail!" declared Rogue as the two of them finished their preparations. "With Sting, Frosch, and everybody else by my side, my negative emotions will never dictate who I am."
"Holy Shadow Dragon's Flash Fang!" they shouted together, unleashing a storm of darkness and white light.
Scissor Runner felt a tinge of fear as the Unison Raid approached, recognizing that this attack was strong enough to cause the dragon genuine harm. However, this nervousness only made the dragon angrier.
"How dare mere humans make me feel afraid!" roared Scissor Runner. "I'll tear apart their attack with one of my own! Blade Dragon's Tearing Ro—"
"…"
Levia stared silently as Rogue joined the fight against Scissor Runner. The Shadow Dragon wasn't angry about the human's (accurate) accusations or excited to finally see Rogue's inner darkness in action. No, Levia was stunned by the dragon slayer's behavior.
"He… accepted his nature yet is still acting opposed to it?" thought the dragon, struggling to comprehend what Rogue had just done. "No, that isn't right. He's following his nature right now, otherwise he wouldn't be in sync with his inner darkness. He's taken his negative, destructive nature and is… channeling it into his positive, protective desire!?"
The contradiction baffled Levia. Using such malicious and violent power to selflessly defend others? It sounded as ridiculous as harming somebody by healing them!
"And yet, that is exactly what he's doing," admitted Levia mentally, watching as Rogue and his fellow dragon slayer readied themselves to perform a Unison Raid. The dragon gave a chuckle. "Incredible. Incredible! Rogue Cheney, you have exceeded my expectations!"
Then, as the 'Twin Dragons' cast their spell and Scissor Runner began to react, Levia came to a decision.
"Blade Dragon's Tearing Ro—"
As Scissor Runner attempted a counterattack, shadows wrapped around the dragon's body and mouth, cutting off the spell and making it impossible to dodge the Unison Rogue.
The Holy Shadow Dragon's Flash Fang collided with Scissor Runner, breaking through the dragon's scales and forming several deep gouges.
"Gaaah!" cried the Blade Dragon, the shadowy bindings having disappeared after the attack landed. The dragon turned toward Levia, furious. "What the fuck!? What happened to letting me kill these humans!?"
"I changed my mind," replied Levia lightly, unfazed by Scissor Runner's rage. "Rogue was more persuasive than I anticipated." "I had intended to influence him, yet, instead, he influenced me. There's no way I could let such a fascinating human die, and letting his uniqueness get spoiled by the pain of losing his comrades would be just as misfortunate!"
"Now," said Levia, growing serious. The pleasantries were over. "Shadow Dragon's Roar!"
With that, Levia fired a stream of darkness at the Blade Dragon's injuries, exacerbating them. Scissor Runner screamed, pained and furious. Internally, the dragon vowed to kill the Shadow Dragon, along with every last human present.
Unfortunately for Scissor Runner, between the damage inflicted and the numbers advantage held by the enemy, that pledge would never be fulfilled.
Omake
"I've discovered what I shall research next," thought Levia gleefully as the dragon and humans battled Scissor Runner. "It truly was the correct decision to ally myself with these humans. Such a fascinating specimen… 'Ichiya,' I believe they called it."
At first, Levia had thought the mage was just another human. But, after getting a good look at the mage's appearance and abilities, the Shadow Dragon had realized the truth; Ichiya wasn't a human at all.
"Just what sort of beast are you? Able to mimic a human's behavior to such an extent, including coherent speech. Fufufu… I cannot wait to find out!"
AN: I kind of feel like using a Unison Raid immediately after Rogue joined the fight was a bit abrupt. That being said, I do not regret it or think it was unrealistic. Him and Sting were fighting a dragon, and they would've already known from fighting Natsu that they would need to pull out the big guns just to stand a chance.
Two more dragons are no longer a danger to the city or its inhabitants, leaving only Motherglare and the Armor Dragon as threats from the Eclipse Gate. Well, them and the dragon-like creatures spawned by Motherglare, though I don't intend to focus on those.
That's all for now. Bye!