Five months, that's how long it has been since Igneel met Natsu and took him in as his own. He never knew how stressful and frustrating being a single father was until Natsu came. Even Ignia didn't give him this much trouble when he was Natsu's age! Then again, he had his mate to help him back then.

"Again, Papa! Again!" Natsu shouted, jumping up and down. Igneel sighed. 'Why did I decide not to kill him again?' Igneel wrapped his tail around little Natsu and threw him in the river for what felt like the 100th time today.

Today was going to be a very special day for little Natsu. Today, he will be meeting Igneel's friend's kids. Igneel never imagined that he and his friends would find orphaned human children at the same time! It kind of made Igneel suspicious, was it just one of those weird coincidences or…did Zeref have something to do with those children as well? Whatever the case Igneel was happy and relieved that Natsu will have other kids to play with that were like him and keep up with his energy.

Natsu ran back to him with water dripping from his pink hair and grinned. "Again! Again!" Igneel rolled his eyes. "No, Natsu, we must be going now. Remember what I told you? You're going to meet my friends and their kids today."

Natsu pouted. "But I don't wanna meet anybody! I want to stay here and play!"

Igneel sighed. Natsu, for some reason, hates meeting people he doesn't know. Igneel has no idea why, but he had a feeling it had something to do with Zeref. Natsu tends to run away from every new creator or person that passes by, afraid that they will hurt him. Igneel tried to reassure him, but it didn't help much.

"Natsu, I know you don't like meeting people you don't know but trust me. I grew up with these dragons, I know them, they're my friends and they won't hurt you; I promise. Ok?"

"No!"

Igneel growled. "You did not have a problem when you first met me? Why is this any different?"

"Because you're my Papa." Natsu answered and Igneel raised a scaly brow. "I wasn't your Papa when you first met me." Natsu scowled. "Yes you were."

Igneel rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Well, regardless we're going. Whether you like it or not. Come on."

Igneel bent down so that Natsu could climb on his back, but the boy only backed away, crossing his arms. "No!"

Igneel glared at him. "Natsu, get on my back before I stomp you with my foot!" Natsu glared back. "Try it, you old lizard! I ain't scared of you!"

Igneel growled and stood to his full height. "You asked for it!"

…

Later,

Igneel was carrying a very unhappy Natsu in his claws with a satisfied smile. The boy was completely covered in mud, and he was yelling about how 'unfair' Igneel was, accusing him of 'cheating.'

Igneel of course challenged the boy in a fight to end the pointless arguing. If Natsu won, he wouldn't have to go to the meeting but if Igneel won he would have to go to the meeting and he gets to throw the poor kid in the mud. Igneel, of course won, being way stronger and bigger than Natsu.

"This is so unfair! You're way stronger than me!" Natsu continued to whine and Igneel chuckled. "Just because you are my son, doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you, brat."

Natsu pouted some more until they landed on a hill. Igneel set Natsu down and sat down waiting for the others. "Papa, can I play?" Natsu asked.

Igneel sighs. "Sure, just don't go too far. Stay where I can see you." Natsu grinned and immediately started running off. "Still hard to believe that he is related to that dark wizard." Igneel muttered.

"Igneel!"'

"You made it!"

Two voices said and Igneel looked to see two dragons land beside him. "Weisslogia, Skiadrum, nice of you to finally show up." Igneel said a little annoyed, he wasn't good at patience.

Weisslogia smiled. "Oh, come on. You weren't waiting that long, were you?" Igneel only huffed in response. "Whooooaaa…"

Two little voices said together and Igneel looked to see two little boys, hiding behind their dragons. One of them had blond spiky hair and a little scar on his eyebrow. The other had really short black hair and dark circles under his eyes.

Before Igneel could ask what, their names were, Metalicana and Grandine landed with their new children. Metalicana growled at the spiky black hair kid who had a few piercings above his eyebrows. He was biting on Metalicana's tail as he swung it back and forth trying to get him off.

"Let go of me, punk!" He yelled before swinging his tail hard enough to make the child lose his grip. The child flew in the air and rolled down the hill. When he finally landed, he glared at the dragon, ran up the hill and started biting him again.

Igneel looked at Grandine but didn't see any child with her. "Hey, Grandine, where's your kid?" Grandine smiled and moved her tail to show a little baby with blue hair curled up in her tail.

"Awww…What's her name?" Weisslogia and Skiadrum said together. She smiled proudly. "This is Wendy, she's almost 1 years old. I found her abandoned in the forest and I took her in, not knowing what else to do."

"She's so cute!" Skiadrum exclaimed and looked down to his child. "My kid's name is Rogue. I found him alone in some dark tower, he was so skinny and pale I couldn't just turn my back on him. He's about 3."

"My kid is too!" Weisslogia said with a smile before pushing his kid forward. "This is Sting. He just wandered in my cave one night with a head injury, that's why he has a scar on his head. I still don't know how he got it."

Grandine smiled. "What lovely names and your kids are very cute. What about you, Metalicana, what is your kid's name?" Metalicana trapped his kid under his claw before looking at her confused. "Name?"

"You haven't given him a name?!" She exclaimed. "What have you been calling him all this time? 'The kid?'" Igneel asked.

"No, I have been calling him punk because that's what he is! I was just in the forest, minding my business until he just came out of nowhere and bit me! I tried to get rid of him, but he just kept following me, not taking a hint!" Metalicana yelled while glaring down at the 'punk' who only stuck his tongue out at him in response.

Igneel smiled and rolled his eyes. "I know that feeling."

"So, how old is he?" Skiadrum asked. "He's 4." Metalicana answered before looking at Igneel. "Hey, Igneel, I thought you said you had a kid too!"

Igneel nodded. "I do. He's playing in the field." Grandine smiled. "What's his name?"

"His name is- NATSU! DON'T EAT THAT!!" Igneel scolded Natsu who was standing in the middle of the field with a butterfly in his mouth. He spat it out, watching it as it lazily flew away.

"HAHAHA!! That's your kid and you named him Natsu, are you kidding?! Metalicana laughed and Igneel growled at him. "He doesn't look like the sun that burns the whole world! He looks more like a pink cupcake with that pink hair of his!"

"Watch it, Metalicana!" Igneel warned, the dragon stopped with his comments, but he continued to laugh a while longer. Grandine glared at Metalicana before looking at Igneel. "How did you find him, Igneel?"

Igneel hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should tell them about Zeref and E.N.D just yet. He will tell them eventually but after they get to know Natsu first. So, they will see that he isn't the demon Zeref claims him to be. "I found him asleep in the woods. When he woke up, he followed me even though I threatened him, he just did not want to leave. So, I took him in as my own and before either of you ask, he is 4."

Grandine couldn't help but smile widely. "Our children's ages are so close together; I have no doubt that they will be good friends! We should go let them play so we can talk." She said to her fellow dragons before looking at the children. "Would you kids like to go and play now?"

"Yeah!" Sting and Rogue exclaimed. Wendy just laughed with a bright smile and 'punk' just scowled. "Well, then go on now."

Sting and Rogue immediately took off running. Wendy was about to join them, but her mother stopped her. "Hold on, Wendy. I don't think you can go down there by yourself; I'll take you." Grandine said before picking up Wendy with her jaws.

'Punk' just crossed his arms and glared, not really wanting to play. Metalicana saw this and grinned evilly. "Get going, punk!" He said, whipping him with his tail, making him roll down the hill again.

"Your kid is really quiet. Is he ok?" Grandine asked as she went back to them. "He's fine. He only talks when he wants to. Kinda like me. I never thought in a thousand years that I would be raising a human child. After what those monsters did to us!"

Igneel sighed. "Please, do not remind me."

…

Natsu was happily running around the field when Sting suddenly ran up to him, looking at him curiously. "Hi!" Natsu backed away a bit shyly, but Sting kept his smile. "I'm Sting. What's your name?"

"N-Natsu."

"Natsu, huh? That's a cool name." Sting said as Rogue went to stand by his side. "W-What are your names?" Natsu asked. "I'm Sting and this is Rogue! Would you like to play with us?"

Natsu grinned and was about to say 'yes' when a memory popped in his brain. An unknown figure was speaking to him, looking him dead in the eye. "Remember, Natsu, you must not speak to anyone! Or else you could get hurt; do you understand?"

Who was that weird voice in his head? It annoyed Natsu. He wanted so badly to play with the other kids, but that warning sounded important. They seemed so nice though, they did not seem like they wanted to hurt him, just have fun. Still, Igneel always told Natsu to trust his instincts…does weird voices count as instincts?

"STUPID BABY!" A new voice shouted, and the boys looked to see 'Punk' looking mad at little Wendy who was climbing on his lap. Wendy giggled and tried to reach for his face, but he immediately bit her little fingers when she touched his lips. Wendy stared at him in shock before her little lip wobbled and it was not long until she was in tears.

Natsu growled in anger. This was typical of Natsu, whenever he saw someone or something hurting someone weaker than them, his protective instinct dominated everything else, including that annoying voice in his head. "HEY!" He shouted walking up to the bully with his chest puffed out. The boy glared at him. "What?"

"You can't just be mean to her like that! She didn't do anything to you, you jerk!"

The boy scoffed. "Yeah, she did! She was annoying me! I told her to get lost, but she didn't!" Rouge then came over. "That is because she is a baby. She does not know any better." Then Sting. "Yeah, Natsu is right! You are a jerk!"

The boy growled. "Screw you guys! You can't tell me what to do! I can take any of you!" Natsu gave a challenging look. "Wanna bet?" The boy huffed and stood up, making Wendy fall on her back which made her cry more which made Natsu even more fired up then before. Luckily, Rogue and Sting quickly went over to try to sooth her. "You saying you want to fight me, Pinkie?"

Natsu grinned and raised his fists. "Hell yeah!"

Before Rogue, Sting, and Wendy could blink, the two were in a full-on fist fight. Rolling around the ground, growling, and yelling. Sting and Rogue glanced at each other before cheering Natsu on while Wendy just looked confused and frightened.

Meanwhile,

"YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE CHILD A NAME, METALICANA!"

"WHY?! HE DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE!"

"BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR A CHILD TO BE GIVEN A NAME AND NOT ONE THAT IS AN INSULT!!!"

Igneel sighed boredly and laid his head as he watched Grandine and Metalicana bicker. It would not be the first time the two bickered like this. Igneel and Metalicana bust heads too, but they do not argue nearly as much or as long as he and Grandine do. Maybe it was because they were so different. Grandine was a mother at heart, she is far too caring and kind, always nagging them to be more respectful of nature and humans and scolding them when they would do something stupid. Metalicana however, was like a troubled teenager, a pure bawler and very aggressive, likes to start fights and end them. (Maybe that is what Igneel likes about his bruited friend.) When he is not doing that however, he usually keeps to himself and listens quietly as everyone else talks, with an angry look but Igneel just thinks that's his face.

"I don't know what to name the kid, ok?!"

"Well, you must name him something!!"

Igneel growled and sat up. "Will you two just fight already and get it over with! I am tired of listening to you two going back and forth!"

Grandine turned to him. "Igneel, surely you must agree with me on this! That poor child has no name!" Igneel sighed. "I know and yes I agree with you but at the same time, he is not my kid, and he is not your kid, he is Metalicana's and he can name him whatever he wants, whenever he wants."

Metalicana huffed and gave Grandine a smug look while she just rolled her eyes and finally gave up. Weisslogia sighed in relief. "Good. Now that that's over, we…should probably talk about how exactly we are going to raise these kids. They won't survive amongst our kind with the way they are now and…there is Acnologia-"

"DO NOT SAY HIS NAME!" Igneel shouted and Weisslogia quickly turned to him. "Igneel I'm sorry but we must talk about it! I heard that Acnologia kills more of us each day from the other side of the world and anyone who is solicited with dragons! He could kill one of us or worse, the kids!"

Igneel scoffed. "He will never find us, Zeref sended him away and even if he does, I will defeat him!" Weisslogia glared at him. "What about Natsu?! You really want to risk dying by Acnologia and leaving him all alone?! What if Natsu wanders off and runs into him, how are you going to prepare him for that?! Acnologia can return one day Igneel and he will! What are we going to do about it?!"

Everyone went silent at that, fear for their children filling their hearts. How would that prepare them for the king of dragons? We'll they be able to protect them? Will the children be able to protect themselves? Acnologia is a powerful dragon, no one has defeated him, not even The Mighty Igneel himself.

Skiadrum opened his mouth then closed it a few times before he finally found his voice. "I…I do have one idea."

"What is it?" Grandine asked.

"Now this is just an idea but…this is the only thing that would have any chance for our children to defeat Acnologia if need be…and that is Dragon Slayer magic."

"NO!" Igneel shouted. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!!" Metalicana joined soon after. Igneel growled as he stood tall on his feet, glaring at Skiadrum. "Have you forgotten what made Acnologia what he is today?! Dragon Slayer magic is dangerous! It corrupts any human who dares to use it! No, my son will not suffer the same fate as Acnologia!!"

"But what choice do we have?!" Skiadrum exclaimed. "Believe me, I do not like the idea either, but it is the only kind of power that can kill and defeat a dragon! No other mage power is strong enough! Maybe there is a way that we can prevent our kids from becoming like Acnologia!"

"Like what?" Grandine asked. "I-I don't know but there must be some way!"

"There isn't! If there was, we would have heard about it long ago!" Igneel said and Skiadrum sighed. "Well, if we do figure out a way then would any of you consider training our kids into Dragon Slayers?"

The others went quiet, thinking it over but before anyone could answer, Sting and Rogue came running back on the hill with Wendy in Sting's arms. Skiadrum knelt down. "Rogue what is it?"

"It's Natsu and, uh, I don't know the other boy's name, but they are fighting, and it is getting kind of out of hand!" He said and they all looked to see a bruised Natsu and a bruised 'punk' throwing punches at each other left and right.

Grandine looked horrified by the scene, but Igneel and Metalicana were arguing about who would win. She gave them a scolding look. "Metalicana! Igneel! Stop this before one of those boys gets hurt!"

Igneel sighed disappointingly while Metalicana threw Grandine a dirty look but thankfully chose not to argue this time. "HEY, PUNK!" Metalicana called and the boy immediately stopped to look at him, causing him to get punched in the face by Natsu which made him lose his balance and fall on his backside.

Natsu pumped his fists in the air. "I WIN!" Igneel gave Metalicana a smug look that made him roll his eyes before he looked back at Natsu. "NATSU, COME HERE!" Natsu smiled and came running up the hill. "Yes, Papa?"

Igneel knelt down. "Natsu, why were you fighting that boy?" Natsu's face scrunched up in anger. "Because we bit Wendy's fingers for no reason!" Grandine gasped and quickly looked at Wendy's fingers, they looked a bit red but nothing serious. She then looked at her metal friend. "Metalicana what are you going to do about this?"

"What do you mean?"

"He hurt my baby! What are you going to do about it?!"

"It looks like Natsu already took care of it, so why do I have to do something? Metalicana asked and Grandine shook her head. "Metalicana, that boy is obviously troubled. You must speak to him, if you don't then I will!"

Metalicana growled. "FINE!"

While Metalicana went to scold his son, Igneel smiled at Natsu. "I am proud that you defended Wendy Natsu, does this mean you are willing to be friends with her now?" Natsu hummed in thought before looking at baby Wendy who was reaching out for him in Sting's arms. Natsu smiled and took her in his own, giggling when her hands wandered in his hair. "Yeah, I guess so!"

"We're friends too, right?" Sting asked as Rogue looked just as curious to know the answer. Natsu smiled at them. "Sure!" Then looked back at Wendy. "Don't worry Wendy, I'll protect ya, that jerk won't hurt you ever again."

Wendy giggled at him as the parents awed the scene before them. Weisslogia chuckled. "You sound more like a big brother rather than a friend Natsu." Natsu grinned. "I wouldn't mind being Wendy's big brother!" The parents chuckled at that as Metalicana came back. "Grandine, you will be happy to know I came up with a name."

"Oh? What is it?" Grandine asked. "Gajeel." Grandine blinked. "Gajeel?" Metalicana nodded. "It means to bite, and this kid definitely has a lot of bite!" He said while showing the others his tail to see the newly named Gajeel furiously chewing at his tail.

The others laughed. "Well, that name definitely seems to suit him. Gajeel it is." Grandine said with a smile, happy that Metalicana finally named his son.

"So about what we were talking about-" Skiadrum started but Igneel cut him off. "Not in front of them! We'll talk about…that another time but I am still completely against it." Skiadrum nodded in agreement for now as the parents watched their kids play, fondly.

Igneel frowned slightly as he looked at Natsu. Weisslogia's words from earlier cut through him more than he rather admits. Skiadrum was right, though Igneel will not support the idea, he is right that Dragon Slayer magic is the only chance these children might have to defend themselves against Acnologia. Igneel could never forgive himself if Natsu died because he failed to prepare him but if his happy-go lucky son turned into a monstrous killing dragon because of the power he himself taught him, that would break Igneel's heart even more, maybe even destroy him. But if there was a way, anyway, that his son would not suffer that fate then maybe Igneel will teach him because he would rather die than let Acnologia take more from him…to take another son.

"Papa, play with us!" Natsu called, taking Igneel out of his thoughts. Igneel grinned. "Alright! Better run kids! *ROAR!*" Igneel then began to chase the kids as they screamed and laughed while running, the other parents soon joining in afterwards.