Fairy Tail 1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Changes

A shadowy figure sat in a room; he watched, on lacrima vision, two dragon slayers fighting in the sky. One a pink haired fire breather, the other a purple haired poison spewer.

He watched them intently, very interested in both. They were dragon slayers, he was looking for dragon slayers. He had been for a long time. He traveled half way across the world just to find one, let alone three in one place.

He sat back in his chair. He didn't care much for the little blue haired Sky dragon slayer. She didn't fight to often and was mainly a healer.

The two before him though, they were magnificent, beautiful even! They fought with such ferocity such strength. Fire and poison was such an interesting combination. He wondered what would happen if they were... Lets say... Combined? Into an offspring?

The man smirked. He loved his magic so much. It's gotten him many loyal servants and very far in his life. He held his hand out and formed a deep purple colored fog in it. The fog solidified into a sold stone of the same shade. He stood up and walked out onto a balcony.

He held the stone above his head and whispered a few words before it vanished. He smirked again looking back at the lacrima vision. He would make these two part of his plan. Whether they liked it or not.

"Fire dragons roar!" Natsu screamed.

Cobra's snake simply flew out of the way of the blast, the dragon slayer riding it just smirked. "Are you ever goi to give up? I can hear you!"

The snake lunged at Natsu sending Cobra flying at him. Natsu shouted in surprise as Cobra punched him hard in the cheek, making the whole left side of his face go numb from poison.

"Damn it!" Natsu said, happy flew them away.

"Natsu! We won't last long against him! Nothing's working!"

"I know! But we can't give up we gotta stop this thing!"

"Aye sir!"

Natsu hovered and looked at Cobra, who simply stared back at him with that stupid smirk on his face.

"Oi! Those aren't very nice thoughts!" Cobra yelled at him after Natsu thought about char broiling Cobra and his stupid snake.

Natsu got a tick mark on his head, irritated how the poison user kept pointing out his ability to hear his thoughts.

"Your pissing me off!" Natsu yelled, Happy flew forward, rocketing Natsu strait at Cobra.

"Cubelious!" He hissed and the snake lunged as well. Both males aimed to punch the other in the face when suddenly something appeared in front of them.

"What the-!?" Natsu screamed back peddling.

"Shit!" Cobra hissed through gritted teeth trying to slow down.

Both boys collided with the object and it exploded in a purple fog so thick you couldn't see an inch in front of your face.

"What's that!?" Lucy yelped pointing into the sky at the purple cloud.

"I'm not sure..." Gray said cautiously watching it.

Many of the other have seen it as well. Brain, who had been watching the fight the entire time, had a stone face. Erza and Jellal were looking to the sky confused. This was the same reaction with most of the people present at the time.

"My nose!" Natsu screamed covering his face. "This scent is horrible!"

"Stop screaming!" Cobra's voice shouted back at him. As the smoke gradually cleared it became obvious to both dragon slayers that things were different.

"Natsu!" Happy screamed in shock.

"What?" Natsu looked at Happy then at a hand he had reached up to rub his nose with, it was clawed and covered in bright red scales up to his forearm. His pants were ruined with a long tail coming out if his rear end, a little flame burned brightly at the tip. His feet were the same as his arms.

"Wwhhhaaatttt?!" Natsu screamed in shock.

"God damn it!" Cobra yelled.

A purple clawed hand hand grabbed Natsu by his mouth and yanked him over. Cobra was in his face not caring about personal space.

"Scream again Salamander, I dare you." He said in a menacing voice.

Natsu was to busy staring at the massive purple wings now attached to Cobra's back. The ignorant fool hadn't even noticed he wasn't standing on his snake anymore but was flying on his own.

"Your... Your back." Natsu stuttered out, awe struck.

Cobra looked confused before glancing to his back. The back of his trench coat was ripped to shreds where the wings had forcefully grown themselves and pushed out of the confines of the clothing. Looking farther down, the back of his pants were completely missing showing off not only his ass but the long purple snakes tail the waved back and forth in the air.

Cobra was speechless. He looked at Natsu not sure whether to continue the fight or to figure of what had just happened to them.

The internal battle was cut off as Cobras pants, unable to stay on because the entire back half was gone, dropped and fell off, fluttering to the ground.

"Shit!" The poison user cursed letting Natsu go and covering himself up. His purple tail instinctively wrapped around his waist looking like an ugly snake skinned skirt.

Natsu burst out laughing point at Cobra. "Your pants fell off!"

"Yours did to dumb ass!"

"Eh?" Natsu looked down to see that they had indeed fallen off, the white garments fluttering down to the ground.

Cobra was laughing. "Your not as big as I thought you were!"

"Shut up!" Natsu yelled covering himself up. "Your probably not to big yourself!"

"Is that a challenge!?" Cobra hissed, pissed off.

"Natsu!" Happy said, obviously embarrassed by what they were talking about.

"Sorry, happy."

Suddenly something flew out of the sky and smacked into the back of Natsu, Happy went wheeling away unable to keep his grip as the Fire Mage went rocketing into the poison one.

Cobra instinctively through his arms out and caught the pinkette. "What's your problem!?"

He looked like he was about to throw Natsu down when the thing that had hit Natsu turned around and flew at Cobra.

"Damn!" He yelled and curled up in a ducking position, wrapping his body around Natsu in the process. The pinkette felt embarrassed to have his enemy hold him in such a protective/intimate way.

"If you weren't the only thing keeping me in the air I would burn you to ashes!" Natsu hissed at Cobra, his face sprinkled with a light pink blush.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your flying!"

"I'm what!?" Cobra looked down, finally noticing Cubelious was gone and that he was flying himself. As if by noticing he was flying the boys suddenly plummeted to the ground.

"What are you doing, fly!" Natsu screamed clinging to Cobra for dear life.

"I don't know how!" The poison dragon slayer screamed clinging to Natsu just as much. He looked like he was trying to, the big wings beating off rhythm in a feeble attempt to fly.

It didn't do any good as the boys landed on Nirvana, crashing through the roof of one of the buildings. A dust cloud could be seen where they landed.

Cobra laid sprawled out on his back, legs wide open and Natsu laid on top of him looking like he wanted to puke.

"I don't feel good." Natsu said covering his mouth up.

"Don't you dare.." Cobra said weakly, out of breathe from not only landing on the ground but Natsu landing on him as well.

He slowly rolled the fire Mage over so he laid on his back next to him instead of on top of him.

"What the hell just happened." Cobra said looking where they had fallen, it was an empty building. Obviously, no ones lived here for thousands of years.

Natsu sat up slowly, his face looking green. "H...Happy."

"Your cat friend isn't near by..." Cobra could hear the blue companions location. Oddly enough he couldn't tell where Cubelious was.

"The crash was over here!" The sound of Lucy's voice echoed in Cobra's ears, a little to loud for comfort. The poison user covered his ears and groaned.

"To loud.." Cobra stood up on shaky feet only to have Natsu grab him and yank him back down.

"Where do you think... Your going.." He said weakly. His grip was like iron though.

"L-let me go!" Cobra said shaking his leg, he really didn't want Natsu's friends to see parts of him that shouldn't be shown off in public.

Cobra shook his leg fiercely. The sound of running feet getting closer and louder. "Let go damn it!"

He tried taking a step away but winded up tripping on rubble and fell over on top of Natsu.

"In here!" Lucy yelled and ran into the room. She froze at the sight she was met with.

"Lucy?" Gray asked coming in along with Jura.

They stared at the sight. Cobra was in between Natsu's splayed out legs, his hands were on either side of the pinkette's head and of course, neither of them were waring pants.

"What... The hell." Gray said dumbfounded.

"Is this a dragon slayer thing...?" Jura asked looking away so as not to be rude.

"I don't know." Lucy chocked out, forever scared by what she was seeing.

"It's not...what it looks like..." Cobra said stiffly. Why was he even trying to clear things up with them? They were the enemy!

"What happened to them?" Jura asked. Lucy didn't want to look again but she did. She then noticed the scales and new appendages attached to the boys.

"It looks like... They're turning into dragons..." Lucy said surprised.

Cobra took their surprised moment to quickly get up and get out of there. To bad Natsu was still holding onto his leg so when he went up and out of the hole in the roof the fire Mage came with him.

"Would you leave me alone!" Cobra said shaking his foot again.

"Can't...let you get away." Natsu gagged.

"Your an idiot!" Cobra went to kick him with is other foot when something hard hit him from behind with so much force it sent him flying into the air.

Cobra tumbled to the ground and looked up at what hit him. It was some kind of animal. It was shiny like metal and had a hard looking head. It looked like a funky bird to be exact.

"What the hell." Cobra stared at it, it floated in the air watching him and Natsu before it dived at them.

Cobra quickly grabbed Natsu, tired of having to drag him around, and carried him bridal style as he ran down the streets of the abandoned Nirvana. The metal bird still chasing them, it was gaining pretty quickly too.

"This is just not my day." Cobra grunted. Natsu was heavier than he looked.

Cobra could hear the wind change as the bird sped up and aimed at his back again, right between his new wings. The poison Mage ducked in time and the bird flew over his head and smacked head long into the building in front of them.

Cobra stopped to see if the bird was dead or not. It wasn't, it slowly pulled itself from the hole it made in the wall and shook dust from it's shiny metal feathers.

"It can't be alive!" Cobra gasped as he started running again. Now that he listened to it all he could hear was he sound of gears moving and metal scraping against metal. "It's a machine!"

He had to duck again feeling grateful for his magical ears.

"Who sent this thing after us!?" Cobra could easily tell it wasn't fairy tails or the Oracian Seis's. It might have been sent by the same person who turned him and Natsu into these half dragon hybrid people.

The dragon slayer didn't have long to think about it before the mechanical death trap started at him again. He slung his head back and took in a big puff of air before screaming:

"Roar of the poison dragon!" Purple glittery smoke shot from his mouth and enveloped the shiny bird. It instantly began to rust into nothing and fell apart at Cobra's feet.

He smirked. "Take that you stupid bird."

The shadowy figure still watched. He had sent his machine to tire down the dragon slayer, but it obviously wasn't going to be that easy. He was already lucky that the pink haired one was down due to motion sickness, if both were up and moving perfectly fine he didn't know what he could do to capture them both.

He waved his hand and a hidden henchman bowed and took off, he would need more fire power to capture these specimens. He smirked at the thought of adding them to his massive collection; what would happen when he stuck them in the "habitat"? Would they join the others and accept their new life of normalcy, only to exist to be observed and to thrive. Or would they fight back hard and powerfully? Either way it was going to be a fun ride.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Captured

Cobra had Natsu slung over his shoulder and was heading back to Brain's location at the top of Nirvana.

Half way there he had actually found his lost pants and put them back on, well, best he could with the entire back gone. Luckily his new dragons tail covered up the massive hole that showed off his ass.

Cobra reaches the peak if Nirvana and sees Brain still working on getting the massive weapon to Cait Shelter.

"I kicked his ass for you." Cobra tossed the Salamander onto the floor.

"I watched. It was...different." Brain didn't look at Cobra, he was staring at the direction Nirvana was going.

"Oi, after we blow up Cait Shelter we need to fix this."

Brain turned around and looked Cobra over. "This is a problem." He walked up to the poison user and circled him, ignoring the hole in his pants. "I can tell its a powerful magic. I don't know if I can do anything for you."

"Can you at least tell what happened?"

Brain stopped his circling and stood behind Cobra. He reached a hand out and touched one of his purple scaly wings. They twitched and fluttered slightly blowing a small breeze.

"I can sense more magic power than usual..." The dark guild leader circled back to Cobra's front. "What ever that purple mist was that engulfed you and the Salamander has increased your magical power incredibly. I would say this was a good thing if it didn't have such... Unique side affects."

Cobra just groaned, slightly annoyed. "But what do we DO about it? I don't want to stay half dragon till I die!"

Brain cast him a glare and Cora shut up. "I know something you can do. But you won't like it to much, as far as in know, it's only myth-"

He stopped suddenly, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"Brain?" Cobra asked waving a hand in front of his face, the man leaned forward slightly before falling completely over and landing on the ground with a puff of dust. Behind where he had been standing was a cloaked woman. Her face was covered by a white mask and her body was dressed in all black.

Cobra leapt away, he didn't want to deal with someone who took Brain down like it was nothing. What had she done anyway? And how had he not heard her coming? The dragon slayer didn't have time to think about it before the woman was on top of him, she moved so quickly and silently that Cobra barely dodged out of instinct.

"You guys just come out of the wood work don't you." Cobra glared at her.

The woman didn't speak, she only lunged again, her fist aimed to hit Cobra in the navel. He easily side stepped it. His dragons legs made him more nimble and faster now, he found it interesting and slightly disturbing at the same time.

The woman seemed to expect it though, because she turned with him and kneed him in the stomach.

Cobra didn't think a girl could have such force behind a kick. He instantly doubled over clutching his stomach and resisting the urge to vomit up everything in his stomach. He heard the muscles in the woman's legs contract as she lifted her leg and brought it down on his head.

His head shot forward and smacked hard against the stone floor with a loud CRACK! He blacked out.

Natsu's eyes fluttered open. The first thing he noticed was the fact he was in a very dark very foul smelling room. He then noticed he was chained up; cuffs were tight around his wrists, every time he moved they would chafe painfully against his skin. He also had a collar around his neck that gave off a faint red glow.

The fire dragon slayer cursed slightly As he tried to bite through the chains linking his hands together.

"I wouldn't do that..." A voice said timidly.

"Wha-?" As if on cue electricity shot through Natsu's body. He screamed painfully and fell over onto the wet and sticky ground. In a daze of pain Natsu recognized the scent of blood, a lot of it. It was to dark to see where it was coming from but he could tell there was a body not to far from him.

"You okay?" The same timid voice asked again.

"Yeah" Natsu answered after a while, his mouth and throat were painfully dry so his voice sounded raspy. "Where am I what's going on?"

"Don't talk loudly or they'll come!" The voice whispered urgently, Natsu hadn't even been speaking loud. He squinted brought the darkness to try and see where he was and who was speaking but all he saw was pitch black.

"Your in a cage..." The voice whispered. It sounded male. "There's more in the room but only three people in them..."

"Three?" Natsu counted himself, and the voice was obviously another, who was the third?

"Yeah; you, me and the friend you came with."

Natsu wasn't sure what friend he was talking about. He didn't care at the moment either. "Why are we here?"

"We were captured by Archen's men... At least I was I don't know about you, you were just tossed in here a few hours ago..."

That explained why Natsu's body felt sore. The salamander crawled forward slightly, using his hands to feel around and get to know his surroundings a little. His hand landed in something wet and sticky, he withdrew it figuring it was the blood he'd smelt. Feeling farther along he felt clothing and what he though was a shoulder. This must have been the "friend" he had come with, the blood must be coming from a wound they have on their body. He wonders if they were still alive. He had started feeling down the persons arm when the voice whispered to him again.

"What species are you..? Fire? That's what it looks like."

Natsu looked in the direction of the voice. "What are you talking about?"

"Your dragon species, what are you? You look like a type of fire dragon; your scales are bright red and you have no wings. Plus there's the rag over your tail so I assume a flame goes there?"

Natsu suddenly remembered what had happened, his fight with Cobra and being turned into some weird dragon hybrid. He brought his tail up over his shoulder and felt some kind of silky cloth wrapped around the tip. It was soaked in some sweet smelling liquid which is probably what was keeping it from setting on fire and keep his tail unlit.

Natsu blinked for a second then looked to the voice. "Wait, how can you see me? It's pitch black."

A small chuckle echoed slightly. "I'm an earth dragon breed. I live in dark places so I can see easily in the dark. You should be able to as well, you have no wings witch means you should live in a cave or burrow right?"

"I have no idea what your talking about." Natsu said returning to feeling the person in front of him. "I live in a house with my best friend Happy."

"A Dragon Child living in a normal home? Where were you raised?" The voice sounded confused.

"Dragon Child?" Natsu asked just as confused.

The voice gasped. "You must be one of those rare ones! A dragon slayer turned into a dragon child! No wonder Archen is treating you better!"

"Okay woah back up." Natsu cut in. "What's a Dragon Child, who's this Archen guy, and again where are we!?"

The voice sounded excited now. "This is so amazing! I'm talking to a rare breed of Dragon Child!"

Natsu growled and the voice hesitated.

"Oh w-well... Dragon Children are half human half dragon hybrids. A long time ago when dragon slayers were everywhere they fought and gained power and well, the stronger they got the more dragon like they became."

"Literally." Natsu mumbles, his tail thumping against the cold steel floor self consciously.

"Yeah, I'm a descendant from the original Dragon Children. I live with many others in a hidden location called The Valley of Dragons. There a ton of us there!"

"If its so hidden how'd you get caught?"

The voice was silent for a while before speaking again. "I was running away... Something got complicated and I tried to run... I left the safety of the valley..."

"Sorry." Natsu simply said. He had felt most of the persons body at this point. He knew they were male had a tail like him and wings. He assumed it might have been Cobra but he wasn't sure.

"It's fine... Any way Archen is a man from a foreign country. He heard about Dragon Slayers and Dragon Children so he traveled all the way here just for us."

"He wants to capture you guys?"

"He wants to capture US. Your a Dragon Child too now."

Natsu sighed. What got him into this mess? The body under him shifted suddenly and gave off a low moan.

"Are you okay?" Natsu asked them but they didn't reply. He felt up near their head, their hair was matted with dried and fresh blood. "Nasty..."

The lights suddenly flashed blinding everyone. Natsu whined and snapped his eyes closed. He slowly opened them again to see the room though it was slightly blurry.

The room was big and had nothing in it except for cages. All were empty other than the one he and the other person was in.

He rubbed his watery eyes and looked down. It was indeed Cobra in the cage with him, the other male was bound just like Natsu was. The reason he seems to have not woke up yet was because of a nasty cut on his head that went from his cheek all the way up into his hair line. It bled a lot so Cobra must be anemic right now.

A banging on his cages bars made him look over. A woman was standing there, she had kicked the bars to get his attention. She was dressed in all black waring a kind of coat or poncho that hid her arms. It looked like a hood was attached to the coat but she had it down revealing a pretty face with long white hair and deep red eyes, she also looked very pale.

"Who the hell are you let me out of here!" Natsu shouted at her. The woman kept a poker face on, revealing no emotion. Natsu looked like he wanted to lunge and attack her but a quick "no!" Stopped him. He looked over to the other cage now able to get a good look at who he had been talking to.

It was indeed a boy, he was skinny and small looking probably sixteen or seventeen years old. He was in nothing but a pair of pants that had colorful intricate designs on them of dragons. His hair was shaggy and brown covering up one of his bright blue eyes. He had no wings like Natsu but instead had a deep green tail that was as long as his body some brown fur went down it and a spike was at the tip. His hands were dragon like with matching green scales that went all the way up to his shoulders. Natsu assumed all Dragon Children had the same build of either wings or no wings, a tail, and clawed hands and feet.

The woman kicked Natsu's cage again. He glared back at her. She still had the same stone face but now held out a clean cloth and a bottle to him. He looked at it questioningly. "What do I do with that?"

She nodded her head to Cobra who still lay behind him and she gestures he take the offerings. He did and then she turned around and left, this time leaving the lights on.

Natsu looked at what she had given him closer. The clothe was brand new and clean the bottle he held was brown and had no label. He unscrewed the cap and sniffed it, he quickly jerked his head away however when the fumes entered his sensitive nose.

"Alcohol..." He mumbled. The other boy had moved closer to the bars to take a look.

"She wants you to clean your friends wounds."

"He's not really my friend..." Natsu said as he sat down and dragged Cobra's head into his lap.

"Your not?" The boy sounded surprised for some reason.

Natsu shook his head as he poured some of the rubbing alcohol on the clothe. "What's your name anyway?"

The boy smiled a little. "Mino Urea."

Natsu smiled back. "I'm Natsu Dragneel! And this idiot here is Cobra."

Mino looked down at the unconscious dragon slayer. "He's got wings and purple scales. He must be a fire breed or earth breed to.."

Natsu cautiously pressed the wet clothe onto Cobra's wound, the boys face twitched a little, probably out of pain. "I know he's got some kind of listening magic and poison dragon slaying magic."

"A poison Dragon Child..." Mino mumbled thoughtfully. He had a look in his eyes that gave away how interested he was in the other two dragon slayers.

"Oi." Natsu started as he cleaned the wound. "Who was that woman?"

Mino paled slightly and shrunk back. "Her name is Paleoth. She's one of Archen's most trusted followers. He's got a few but she's the only he sends out on errands."

"Paleoth? That's a stupid name for a girl." Natsu puffed his cheeks out irritated slightly.

Mino chuckled at that. "Anyway, she never talks and never shows off her emotions."

"Wait, how do you know about Archen and Paleoth? You lived in the Valley right?"

Mino looked down. "I've been here for a couple of months now actually... The guards talk to me sometimes."

Natsu looked to the door and lowered his voice to a whisper. "I don't intend to spend a few months in this place and let some bad guy do what he wants with me." He looked back at Mino who blinked. "I'm gonna bust out! Why not come along?"

Mino's eyes widened. "Bust out!? How are you gonna do that with no magic? Your hand cuffs and collar prevent magic."

Natsu smirked. "So we get them off."

"How?"

"I'll think of something."

"Are we taking him with us?" Mino pointed to Cobra, his wound was now cleaned even though blood still leaked from it. Natsu ripped some of his shirt apart with his teeth and made a makeshift bandage around Cobra's head.

"Yeah I don't see why not." Natsu sighed. He then got his smirk back. "Now. Plan?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Great Escape

Archen stared at the lacrima screen in complete disbelief. On it he could see all three of his captured Dragon Children. The little Earth Child was bringing up the rear, a set of swords in his hands. He carried them clumsily and almost dropped them a few times.

The pink haired Fire Child was carrying the unconscious Poisonous one on his back. It was a funny sight the way he bounded and leaped over people while piggy backing the larger male.

The alarms had been blaring for a while now and he thanked god the Children still had their collars and cuffs on. But based on the direction they were running they were heading strait for the security room where the keys to there freedom were located.

It was a good thing they didn't know the lay out of the building to well. Then he'd really have a problem.

"Paleoth..." Archen said in a low voice. The white haired woman stepped up next to him to look at the screen. She blinked a few times then turned and left.

Natsu felt tired. He hated having to lug around the poison dragon slayer but he wasn't so mean as to go and leave him behind.

The plan had been to just jump the guards when they brought food in. But Natsu had to go over board...

He had beaten the shit out of them then bolted with Cobra on his back. Mino had at least been smart enough to take any weapons the guards had on them. The little earth Dragon child now carried dual blades, but based on the way he carried and used them he had never touched or even seen a sword in his life.

Shortly after their little escape the alarms had gone off and they had to seriously book it.

"Where's this security room!?" Natsu wheezed out. His legs felt like jelly.

Cobra was heavier than he had thought, he had expected him to be heavy to begin with considering the massive dragon wings and tail that dragged behind him, but Natsu was surprised he was THIS heavy! Maybe he had more muscle than Natsu could see. The poison dragon slayer obviously wasn't fat in anyway and he had seen Cobra's arms enough to know he may be muscular and attractive-

"Stop!" Mino's sudden voice halted Natsu's thoughts and steps. The salamander skidded to a halt and stared at the figure in his way.

He remembered her name was Paleoth. He thought that was such a weird and stupid name for a girl.

She just stood there with her blank expression and watched them.

"Move or I'll move you!" Natsu yelled taking a step forward.

"To weak."

Natsu looked confused. This was the first time he's heard her talk at all. Her voice was soft and quiet sounding, but full of power.

"What do you mean? I'm too weak!? I'll kick your ass!" Natsu then lunged at the woman.

"Natsu-san don't!" Mino yelled.

The salamander ignored the small boy and instead raised his leg to drop kick Paleoth.

But suddenly she wasn't there.

"Whaa-?"

A suddenly pain erupted through Natsu's stomach and he was sent flying backwards.

Paleoth stood there on one leg, the other one raised in the air. She had just kicked him in the gut.

Natsu went flying past Mino and hit a couple of guards who had been making their way over. All of them fell in a heap on the ground. Natsu was okay other than his stomach.

He lay there gasping like a fish, the wind knocked completely out of him.

"Natsu!" Mino yelled. He was suddenly stopped when Paleoth appeared in front of him and round house kicked him in the chest.

Mino went flying backwards, the swords removed from his hands. He smacked against the wall with a loud thud.

Natsu glare up at the white haired woman. She watched him with her passive red eyes. She moved her hand quickly and Natsu flinched thinking he was going to get punched again. When the blow didn't come he opened one eye to see Paleoth holding a remote.

"What's that?" Natsu wheezed.

"Collar and cuffs release switch."

Natsu's eyes widened. "Why are you..."

"Beat me. I give to you." Her speech was broken up, as if she was learning how to talk.

First she was saying he was weak now she's saying if Natsu beats her he can have the remote to their restraints? She looks down on him to much.

"I accept!" Natsu said staggering to his feet. He left Cobra on the ground with the other knocked out guards.

He stumbled over to Paleoth and got ready to hit her. Before he could move closer to her though she was gone again, this time behind him.

"Slow." She whispered in his ear then punched Natsu hard in the center of his back. He yelled in agony as something snapped. He collapsed on his knees and Paleoth brought a leg down between his neck and shoulders. Another Snap.

"Natsu!" Mino yelled. Trying to crawl over. Paleoth glanced to him.

"No threat. Also weak." She said softy. She walked over to Mino and put one of her boots on his shoulder. She dug the heel in making him yell in pain.

"Stay down."

"Leave him alone!" Natsu yelled, his voice was constricted and full of pain. He lay on his knees, hunched over clutching his left shoulder.

"All weak." Paleoth whispered and stopped grinding. Mino collapsed on the ground again, gasping in pain. To be honest the boy must not be very tolerable to pain. He's had the least damage done to him yet looks in massive pain.

Natsu slid forward onto his knees to stand up. His back screeched in agony and begged him to stop. He ignored the pain biting his lip, he couldn't stay down. All he had to do was kick the crap out of this chick and they would be free. But Natsu wasn't use to fighting without his magic.

He stood on wobbly legs and glared at Paleoth. Fire was alight in his eyes.

"Stay down. Spine fractured. Neck damaged." She stated, she must be telling him the damage she inflicted on his body. Natsu could definitely feel something wrong with his back.

He took a step forward.

Paleoth narrowed her eyes. Natsu was smart enough to know she couldn't kill them, not without her master getting pissed. So Natsu would fight until he was unconscious if he had to.

As he took another step forward a hand grabbed Natsu's scarf and yanked him backwards.

"Oi!" He spun to see who had grabbed him. A guard maybe? The spinning motion of his head caused his neck to cringe and he yelped in pain, his knees giving away.

Another hand wrapped around his waist keeping him from falling.

"Your such an idiot."

Natsu glared at Cobra. "Shut it, sleeping beauty."

Cobra growled at the Salamander and picked him up. "Shut up yourself."

"Put me down! I need to kick her ass!" Natsu flailed then winced when his back erupted in pain.

"You can't do shit." Cobra said leaning Natsu against the wall next to Mino. "I'm gonna kick her ass. I owe her for knocking me unconscious."

Cobra then stood and glared at Paleoth. The woman narrowed her eyes slightly. Cobra smirked.

"I can hear you."

Paleoth looked confused but it was quickly replaced by surprise when Cobra was suddenly in her face. She made a motion to punch him in the ribs but his hand caught her fist and head but her hard.

The white haired woman screamed and fell backwards. Cobra stumbled back clutching his head in pain. New blood was dripping down the side of his face, the wound reopened.

Paleoth corrected her footing and stared at Cobra. She was confused herself, people can't usually get close to her let alone actually do damage.

Cobra stood up strait, his face was twitching from pain but he was hiding it well. "Done already?"

"No." The female whispered before lunging at him. Cobra smirked and side stepped her, he tried to knee her in the stomach but she quickly pivoted on her feet away from him.

Cobra narrowed his eyes. The only thing keeping him from hitting her would be how quick and nimble she is. He can hear her movements and thoughts but he couldn't slow her down. He himself was slower than usual because of the bulky wings on his back. He was still getting used to having them there, maybe he could use them to his advantage..?

Cobra swung his fist to hit Paleoth in the face, she parried it and made her own motion to jab him in the throat. Cobra quickly tilted his head so she barely missed. He could see her growl in frustration.

"I can hear you." He said again then brought his knee up to hit her in the stomach. The blow landed and Paleoth gasped in pain and hunched over clutching the injured area.

Cobra took the moment to kick her backwards. She stumbled and landed against a window sill; the woman glared at him and stood up strait, her face full of rage.

"Can you fly?" Cobra asked before tackling her out the window. His hands quickly traveled Paleoth's body, searching and finding a small object.

As they fell Paleoth landed one last blow to Cobra's navel, it propelled her away from him. Cobra curled up a little, bringing his knees to his chest, his wings opened up instinctively as he began to glide through the air.

He looked around and took the moment to observe his surroundings. There was a massive forest below him, trees much bigger than what Cobra's ever seen. Birds and animals could be seen moving between and under them. The forest looked healthy and green it was almost unnatural.

Cobra tilted his body slightly to turn around, he wobbled a little and felt nervous about it but he was getting better at flying. He thought he was doing a damn good job for his second try. He turned and started gliding back to the window he had fallen out of. He was surprised to see the building him and Natsu had been imprisoned in was a ship, a strange airborne ship that moved very slowly across the open forest.

Natsu must not know its moving or he would be barfing all over the place.

Cobra stopped gliding in front of the window and slowly flapped his wings so he could float in front of it. The wings still moved slightly off beat making him bounce back and forth in the air.

"Oi! Hot head!" He called into the window. Natsu's pink head was slowly dragged into view. He looked in pain.

Cobra held up a small remote and clicked a button on it. His and Natsu's shackles instantly buzzed and released them. He had remembered voices echoing in his head about a control when he had been knocked out, his hearing was that good. Even unconscious he still hears things.

Cobra tossed away the remote and held out a hand.

"Let's go."

Natsu looked at Cobra suspiciously. "You're actually taking me with you...? You're not gonna fly off back to the Oracion seis?"

Cobra rolled his eyes and looked annoyed. "I don't know where the hell we are so I can't just go flying home. Besides..." Cora looked embarrassed. Natsu was surprised a small blush colored the other Dragon slayers cheeks. "You saved my ass... I probably would have bled to death... And you were taking me with you when you tried to escape... So I owe you! That's all!"

Natsu grinned. He found the poison dragons slayers nervousness funny.

"Plus I can't just go back home like this." He jabbed a thumb behind him pointing to his wings. Natsu had to agree on that. He didn't want to return to Fairy Tail half dragon.

"Oh!" A thought suddenly struck the Fire Mage. "Hang on!"

Cobra watched as the boy ran out of his view. Natsu slowly moved over to Mino, he was still slumped against the wall, he was at least trying to stand up now though.

"Mino, do you think your village of dragon people can turn us back to normal?"

The earth Dragon Child looked up at him and stood up strait. "Maybe... I'm not sure... We've never actually interacted with your breed... You know being dragon slayers first..."

"It's possible though right!?" Natsu got close to his face, a big grin plastered on his own.

"Y-eah, I guess." Mino stuttered out.

Natsu would have jumped for joy if his back didn't feel like snapping any second. He wobbled back over to the window where Cobra was flying in circles.

"What are you doing?"

"Practicing." Cobra said before coming over and floating again. "I guess we're bringing what's-his-face along to?"

"You heard us talking huh?"

"No shit."

"Can you carry two people?"

Cobra thought about it for a second. "Yeah. Probably. Sense he's smallest he can hop on my back in between my wings."

"What about me? My back is fragile..." Natsu asked. Mino came into view of the window.

Cobra glanced between the two before turning around. "Hop on shorty."

Mino blushed a little. "Eh. What?"

"Your gonna lead us back to your hidden village, Cobra will take us there."

"I'm not a god damn train you know."

Natsu ignored the poison dragon slayer and gestured for Mino to crawl onto Cobra's back.

He blushed a little more before climbing through the window and jumping onto the others body.

Cobra turned back around, and extended his arms to Natsu. "Hop in."

"What?" Natsu looked offended. "Your going to carry me like that? Like some kind of girl!?"

Cobra narrowed his eyes, a vein popping in his head from irritation. "It doesn't matter! We have to get out of here before more guards come and stick us in cages again."

"I refuse to be carried like a girl!"

"God damn it Natsu!" Cobra reached in grabbed Natsu and pulled him through the window.

And he dropped him.

"Cobraaaaa!" Natsu screamed in furry as he fell.

"What was that for!?"Mino yelled, he was surprised the poison dragon slayer did that. He certainly wasn't expecting it!

"Knocking sense into him." Cobra muttered before diving after the Salamander. He tucked his wings back so as to move faster.

Once he caught up Cobra hooked his arms under Natsu's body and opened his wings causing everyone to jerk backwards into the air.

Natsu was glaring at Cobra his arms crossed. "I hate you so much."

Cobra scoffed. "The feelings mutual."

They began to glide through the air. Natsu found it strange how he wasn't getting his motion sickness, he didn't see Cobra as a friend, maybe for saving him he sees him as a person now rather than a form of transportation?

Natsu glanced up at Cobra. The other was staring strait ahead, Mino was mumbling directions to him. Natsu found it strange how the earth Dragon Child's face was red.

A breeze blew and Natsu shivered. He squinted down at the surroundings. He liked how the forest was lush and green; he could see animals watching them from bellow, they were sitting amongst the branches or on the forest floor.

The sun could visibley be seen setting, it hung over the horizon waiting to sink further into darkness.

Flowers of all sizes were seen amongst the trees and bushes. They were such vibrant colors, Natsu had never seen them before. He found so many of them-

"What the fuck are you doing."

"Eh?" Natsu looked back to Cobra wondering what was wrong. He instantly saw what caused the other dragon slayer to speak.

Natsu was pressed close against Cobra's chest, his hands clutching the black shirt under his white trench coat. When Natsu looks up at him his face is pressed into the poison users neck.

Natsu wasn't sure what to say. When had he moved so close and so comfortably to Cobra's chest? The fire Mage instantly noticed how warm Cobra was and how cold he himself felt, his body was visibly shivering.

"I'm cold." Natsu blurted.

Cobra gave him a weird look. He didn't say anything and just kept flying.

Natsu felt his face flush a little in embarrassment. He adjusted himself slightly so he wasn't so close to Cobra. It wasn't easy to do considering he was being carried bridal style.

"Hey, Mino!" Natsu called up, he wanted to start some kind of conversation to distract him from what just happened.

"Yes..?"

"What's your village like?"

The Dragon Child smiled. "It's great! It's hidden like I said; the only entrance into the valley is through a tunnel and you come out at the water fall that span half of the cliffs! The entire valley itself is the size of a city maybe larger? We have large forest areas for hunting and farm land, a big lake where we fish. There's a river that we go to when we need to wash clothes and there's a separate small water fall where we bath."

"What's the actual town like? Where do you people live?" Natsu said fairly interested now.

"Well, different dragons have different homes. Dragon Children that don't have wings like you and me usually live in burrows in the ground or lower level caves that are easy to climb in and out of. Those who do have wings l-like Cobra-" Natsu noticed again how Mino's face turned red when he mentioned Cobra. "Live up high on the cliffs in caves. There are bridges connecting some houses and stairs so the people without wings can climb up. Most of the shops in the market place on are the second levels anyway."

"Market places?" Cobra spoke up titling his head a little.

"Yeah, we have normal shops even thought were half dragon you know. We have bakeries, clothing stores jewelry shops, all of that stuff." Mino stated all of this in a matter-of-fact way.

Natsu started drooling. "Food sounds good right now..." His stomach even growled for emphasis.

Another growl erupted in the air and Natsu looked to Cobra.

"What!?" The poison Mage said looking defensive. Natsu just kept staring.

"Okay, so I'm hungry to, what do you want me to do, go out and hunt down some freaking animal for you?"

"That would be logical..." Mino muttered. When Cobra cast him glare he began to stutter in an excuse to save himself. "I-in our culture the alpha dragons go and hunt! It's an occupation, they bring back food for the town and there families..."

"Alpha..?" Both Natsu and Cobra asked at the same time.

Mino blushed from embarrassment. "I think we should land... I'll explain everything I can..."

Cobra complied by slowly gliding down to the ground. He still wasn't perfect at flying so he smacked into a few trees on the way down. He stumbled into the landing, almost falling over, but he caught himself just in time so he wouldn't send everyone into the dirt.

Mino slid of his back so Cobra could sit Natsu down carefully. The Salamander was surprised his enemy was being so gentle with him.

"It's only for now." Cobra said randomly. "Sense were in the same boat there's no point in us fighting."

"Don't read my thoughts!" Natsu yelled at him.

Cobra just have him a look then stood up strait.

"Okay..." Mino clapped his hands to get their attention. "The alpha thing... In our dragon society there are alphas and betas. Alpha dragons are usually male and have wings." He gestured to Cobra. "The alphas in our village usually hunt and defend the valley from any threat whether it be an animal or any outside force. Betas don't usually have wings and do the farming. There are of course other occupations both can take! But only alphas hunt."

"So your saying I should hunt your dinner just because I have wings?" Cobra sounded a little offended.

"You don't have to... Every Dragon Child has hunting instinct."

Natsu sighed annoyed. "I don't care who hunts or how we eat food, I just want it!"

Mino sweat dropped. Cobra made a growling noise before storming off into the woods.

"Hey!" Mino went to follow but Cobra snapped at him to stay.

The little Earth Child sighed and sat next to Natsu. They both sat in silence before Natsu asked a question that's been bugging him.

"Why were you blushing whenever you talked to him?"

Mino jerked a little and looked at Natsu. "Y-you noticed!? Do you care!?"

Natsu made a face. "What..?"

Mino blinked a few times before sighing in relief. "Right I keep forgetting you guys were dragon slayers first, you weren't raised like us."

Natsu had a deadpan face. "Uh huh."

Mino began playing with his tail. "Well...the best way to say this is... Dragon Children don't see gender...only alpha and beta.."

Natsu leaned away, he could guess where this was going.

"Dragon Children's anatomy is different from humans. Betas are like hermaphrodites. We're submissive and are usually attracted to an alpha that's strong..."

"Y-your saying you're a beta... And you have a crush on..." Natsu stutters it out. He pointed a shaky finger where Cobra had gone.

Mino blushed even more and nodded his head. "How can I not? How can YOU not? He's perfect and you know it, your instinct does anyway."

"I do not have a crush on a guy! I'm a guy myself!"

"Dragon Children don't see gender!" Mino snapped at Natsu. "Your a beta which means there are alphas out there who will want to be your mate! Your friend is a perfectly FINE alpha. He's obviously strong, knows how to fight, he's sexy-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!" Natsu yelled covering his ears. "I don't need to hear you talk about Cobra like that!"

"What about me?"

Natsu went stiff and looked back to see the poison user strutting over, a deer thrown over his shoulder.

"Nice catch!" Mino said, his mouth watering.

"How much did you hear..?" Natsu asked nervously as he watched Cobra toss the dead animal onto the floor.

"Not much. I was listening for this thing mainly." He kicked the deer's corpse. "I only caught something about me being sexy."

Both Mino and Natsu blushed crimson red. The salamander made his mind a complete and utter blank so Cobra wouldn't hear his thoughts.

He glanced between the two boys sitting down before shaking his head. "Look I really don't care. Heres your stupid dinner, have fun cooking it."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Valley of Dragons

Natsu stared at the deer carcass, debating on how to cook it. He himself preferred slightly burnt and a little bloody still. But he didn't know how Mino or Cobra liked to eat. He was surprised he cared.

He was in charge of the cooking not only because he was the fire Mage but because he literally couldn't do anything else. Do to the damage done to his back and neck all he could do was sit around and do nothing. A grunt came from above him.

Cobra was sitting up in the lowest branch of the tree directly above Natsu. The branch he was laying across was about 20 feet in the air maybe less. Mino was scuffling around in bushes looking for any form of fruit or vegetable that could go with the meat.

"Salamander." Cobra called down from the tree branch. He sounded impatient.

"Shush I'm cooking." Natsu waved his hand up at him while still looking at the corpse.

"No you're not, you're thinking about a steak you could be having back at your guild."

"Stop reading my mind!" Natsu snapped angrily.

A vein popped up on the back of Cobra's head. "I told you already idiot! It's not mind reading its listening! LIST-EN- ING!"

"Well how about you listen now! Shut up and leave me alone!"

"You wanna go!?" Cobra yelled down at him, now ready to shoot poison at him.

"Please stop fighting" Mino yelled uncomfortably. He came back carrying a few pieces of weird yellow and blue fruit.

"What is that?" Natsu asked looking at the Earth Dragon's loot. Cobra's attention was also on the strange colored fruit.

Mino flushed feeling embarrassed from the attention he was getting. "It's just a common fruit we grow near our village. It's really sweet."

He tossed one to Natsu who caught it with ease. The salamander eyed the fruit for a second before taking a bite. The texture was like bitting into an apple, but the taste was sweet and tangy. Like a grapefruit with sugar on it.

"This is really good!" Natsu said taking another bite.

"Hey share!" Cobra almost whined, he was swinging an arm down gesturing for him to toss it up. Natsu complied and tossed the rest to him.

Cobra caught it and took his own bite. He looked shocked; Natsu thought maybe he didn't like it that much, that was until the poison dragon quickly devoured the rest of it leaving nothing but a core that he tossed away.

"I guess he liked it..." Natsu said sweat dropping.

Mino laughed giving Natsu another one. "It's called Day Fruit. Why, were not sure but that's what its called. We grow them on trees in the groves outside our village."

Natsu munched on his fruit. "Your village sounds pretty interesting."

"It is. We may look like barbarians but were actually very intelligent."

Cobra swung down from his branch landing with a 'whoosh' as he used his wings to slow his decent.

"You're getting good at using your wings." Mino said, a look of admiration in his eyes.

Cobra didn't reply, he just glanced at his wings which twitched slightly.

Natsu sweat dropped again. He could tell Mino was getting a big crush on Cobra. The Fire Dragon felt awkward the more he thought about that so he finished off his fruit and returned to his deer carcass. He'd have to cook it soon before it started to rot.

Natsu felt nervous about doing this because, to be honest, he's never cooked before... Nothing like THIS anyway. Was he suppose to skin it? Or does he leave the skin on...

"Natsu."

How would he cook it anyway? Light his body on fire and just lay on top of it? That sounds to weird.

"Natsu."

If he could get sticks he could build an actual fire then cut the dear into pieces and cook them individually. Or maybe-

"Natsu!" Cobra screamed directly into Natsu's ear making the Mage fall over in pain and surprise. The falling motion also rocketed pain up his spin and neck so Natsu just basically collapsed in a pain filled, twitching pile of Salamander on the floor.

"That got your attention, dense bastard." Cobra grunted the last part out. He was crouching on the ground where Natsu had been sitting.

The fire Mage didn't even bother getting up for fear of making his spinal wounds worse, if Cobra hasn't done that already that is...

"What do you want?" He whined.

Cobra raised an eyebrow. "I planned to cook instead of you because you obviously don't know how."

"Screw you I can cook just fine!" Natsu snapped.

"That's not what you were thinking earlier."

"For the last time... STOP LISTENING TO MY-"

"Guys..." Mino said suddenly. Cobra and Natsu stopped there bickering to look at the sandy haired boy, instead of seeing him though they saw other people.

Three people stood there, all of them Dragon Children. Two had wings that were golden yellow and tails to match the third was a small black haired girl with blue scales on her tail, feet and hands. She had tan skin and brown eyes. She wore a tribal like Tunic that was green and gold.

"Mino..." She said looking angry. "Make some new friends?"

Mino, who had rushed to hide behind a tree, looked scared shitless. "H-Hello Stella."

The girl who was obviously Stella looked pissed. She crossed her arms over her almost flat chest and glared at Cobra and Natsu.

"What the hell are you thinking bringing outsiders so close to our valley."

"They need help..." Mino mumbled. "They were Dragon Slayers turned into Dragon Children."

Stella narrowed her eyes at the pair, she momentarily glanced to the deer then back at the boys. "How do you know we can trust them."

"They were captured just like me... The helped me escape with them, I thought as repayment we could-"

"You don't knowing we can even change them back idiot!" Stella snapped.

Cobra stepped forward. "He said we could get help from your village."

The tan skinned girl glared at him. Her eyes traveled his body, eyeing his face, chest, arms and wings. Finally she sighed.

"You're lucky you're pretty." She muttered then turned around.

"Where are you-" Natsu was cut off when Stella waved her hand, a gesture for everyone to follow. One of the gold winged men walked over and quickly grabbed the deer.

Mino did as he was told and obediently followed. Cobra started to till Natsu yelled for him, the poison user turned on the spot and looked over at him.

Natsu looked embarrassed while pouting.

"What?" Cobra said bluntly.

Natsu looked away to embarrassed to voice what he had to say. Cobra could easily hear his thoughts, he sighed agitated then walked over and picked Natsu up.

"Thanks..." He mumbled.

Cobra grunted in response then jogged to catch up with the others.

Stella glanced back at them. "What's wrong with him."

"Damaged spine." Mino mumbled. He was obviously intimidated by the other Beta Dragon. Why Cobra or Natsu didn't know.

Stella grunted and looked to one of her gold scaled companions. "Fly back and prepare a few Sky Dragons. They could all use a little help."

The man to her right who was a burly man with short red hair nodded he was also the one carrying the deer. He took off into the sky.

"Is she the boss or something...?"  
>Natsu whispered.<p>

"Don't know. She should be a... Beta? Is that what it's called?" Cobra whispered back.

Natsu nodded. "Yeah a Beta, and the two with wings are Alphas. So shouldn't she be getting ordered not giving them?"

"Alpha and Beta don't determine stuff like that." Mino said slowing down to walk next to them. "Strength does, and Stella is crazy strong."

Cobra and Natsu looked up at the black haired girl in front of them she was talking to the other winged Alpha.

"How strong?" Natsu asked.

"Very. She could probably be stronger than Paleoth."

Cobra scoffed. "I beat that dumb albino easily."

"Yeah, after she gave you a concussion." Natsu chuckled.

Cobra glared ahead feeling embarrassed for some reason. The reminder of that humiliating defeat made his head wound throb.

"Your bleeding again..." Mino said reaching over to wipe it off.

Cobra flinched and jerked his head away. "Don't touch me!"

Mino flinched away looking very guilty and apologetic. He scuttled away to join Stella at the front.

Natsu flicked Cobra in his wound making the other male scream. Cobra got in his face looking thoroughly pissed off. "What the hell salamander!"

Natsu glared right back. "Stop being so mean! He helped us so why don't you just relax!"

"I don't want to relax around him!" Cobra hissed furiously. "I can tell he's got this little crush on me, it's weird and freaking me out."

Natsu didn't think Cobra was the type to "freak out".

"Yoo hoo. Boys." Stella's voice called to them. Both of them looked over to see her and a wall of vines and trees.

Cobra carried Natsu over and eyed the wall curiously. "What is this?"

"Our secret entrance..." Mino mumbled. Stella cast him a look and he shrunk away. Natsu didn't like the way she seemed to boss him around.

Stella grabbed a few of the fines and pulled it back to reveal a hole, it led directly down.

"In." She said bluntly. Natsu and Cobra just stared at her blankly. "Now!"

Mino leapt into the hole and the other burly man followed. Stella waited with her foot tapping for the others to get in.

Cobra walked over to the hole and held Natsu over it.

Natsu glanced down then stared wide eyed at Cobra. "Don't you dare."

Cobra smirked and let go.

"You ass hole!" Natsu screamed falling down into the hole, his voice echoing up.

Cobra chuckled to himself then followed. He tucked his wings in tightly so they wouldn't get damaged. Stella positioned herself above the hole closed the vines then fell.

Natsu's screaming could be heard throughout the entire ride down. It was like a long twisting slide, it turned and flipped them around, moss lining the inside made for an easy trip down.

Every now and again they would pass through a cave full of strange but amazing things. In one was a bunch of glowing blue Chrystal's, lizards basked on them and moths fluttered around them, it's a shame they only saw it for an instant Cobra and Natsu would have loved to see it again.

The mossy stone slide led under two water falls, both felt tingly on there skin. Natsu suddenly stopped screaming after the first one. Cobra enjoyed passing under it as well, his body felt clean and relaxed as the water quickly washed around him.

They followed the river of water on their slide to a light at the end, the boys expected to go rocketing out of it and land in a lake. That's exactly what they did.

Both of them flew out of the tunnel and for a split second they were met with a gorgeous view of the entire Valley of Dragons. They couldn't tell how big it was in all but it was definitely large.

It was almost like a big deep crater in the ground, half of it was rimmed by big water falls either some coming from holes like them or from the top of the cliffs. All water falls cascaded into a massive lake that had several rivers branching off into a big forest. The forest covered most of the land inside the crater; what wasn't forest was either rock like formations that resembled pillars or mountains in the center of the valley or farm land that was dotted around the land scape.

The view was perfect with a sunset nearly visible over the side of the cliffs. Natsu and Cobra stared at the mesmerizing landscape as they plummeted into the lake.

Natsu gasped when his head broke the surface of the lake, his back suddenly felt less painful, it ached more now rather than throbbed horribly. Cobra's head popped up somewhere behind him and the three other Dragon Children were already swimming to the shore.

Natsu began to paddle after them Cobra was having more of a tough time, his wings weighing him down horribly. He would swing his arms to swim and suddenly he would sink and disappear for a few seconds before resurfacing.

"Spread your wings." The gold scaled male ahead of them yelled. "Use them to float."

Cobra did so and his swimming became easier, it was still unorganized and panic looking but he at least stayed above the water.

They pulled themselves out of the water and collapses on the grass. It was a vibrant green.

"You can rest later we got to get to the village." Stella said removing her tunic and wringing it out.

"Why are you doing that!?" Natsu yelled a big blush on his face. Stella raised an eyebrow at him.

"Unlike you stupid humans were not shy about our bodies." Stella put the still wet tunic back on and started walking away. Natsu and Cobra kept their clothes on and remained sopping wet.

They were to put out by the unexpected dip to start a conversation. And nobody seemed to mind.

It was almost fully black when they finally reached the dragon rock formations Cobra and Natsu had seen when suspended in the air turned out to be the village itself. The rock forms served as homes and buildings. Down bellow were what looked like a few markets. There were a few holes in the ground that according to Mino were houses for cave and burrow dwelling dragons. Higher up were platforms sticking out that served as landing spots for air born dragons so they could easily get into their homes. There were some stairs in places to let the non flying dragons get upstairs but that was mainly so they could get up to more shoppes, bridges connected the second floor stores.

It was almost dark but Dragon Children still wondered around doing things. A few were carrying baskets of various things, adults were collecting children and people were flying around to get to their homes.

"What a cool town..." Natsu said looking around in awe.

"Looks like a few if the night dwelling dragons are starting to wake up." Stella said. She looked more relaxed now that she was back in home territory.

The sound of wings flapping drew everyone to look up. Three feather winged Dragon Children were gliding down to them. They were different from most of the Dragon Children seen around. They had feathers instead of scales, their talons were more bird like and their tails reminded Natsu of a birds tail feathers only longer and more flexible. Their feather colors looked like different birds.

One of them, a boy, rushed up to Cobra to investigate his head wound. It wasn't bleeding but a long gash wound was visible. It was most likely going to scar.

The other two checked out Natsu. They twisted his neck around and told him to bend over in a few different ways. All of this caused him to groan in pain.

"We're going to set up a temporary home for them so they can heal and get properly looked at." A woman dressed in a white silk shirt and pants that contrasted with her black and blue feathers said.

"Which home?" Stella asked.

"One of the upstairs ones. It's one of the few we have left." The woman replied.

Stella nodded then started talking to her gold scaled companion.

"Up stairs?" Natsu asked. He turned to look at Cobra but the male was already taking off into the sky, following the boy who had been looking at his wound. One of the medical Sky dragons awfully picked Natsu up and glided off.

They flew through the town allowing Natsu and Cobra to get a feel for it. The Salamander flew over a bakery and caught the scent of cinnamon bread and coal fire. His mouth watered.

He looked ahead at Cobra to see him flapping his wings hard, he must have been tired. Natsu himself was feeling pretty exhausted.

Their temporary home over looked a river, it glowed in the raising moonlight. The boy carrying Natsu landed on the platform outside their door and put him down. Natsu wobbled tiredly inside and saw in dim light no furniture. Looking around some more he saw it was an entire house inside the cave like structure. There was a spacious living room that branched off into a nice kitchen with an island for seats or cooking and a hallway that led to two bedrooms. One a master bed room with its own bathroom and the thee just a guest room. There was a smaller bathroom next to the guest room.

What Natsu had an issue with right now was the fact that instead of a bed in either rooms was just a dip in the ground in the center of the room full of colorful pillows and blankets.

"What are those?"Natsu asked one of the medical dragons while pointing to the dip in the ground.

"That's where you sleep." The male said.

Natsu stared down at the place to unbelieving to notice Cobra walk in.

"You get the guest room." He said making Natsu jump. It took a moment for Natsu to register what he said.

"What, why? Why do you get the master bed room?"

"Cause I said so." Cobra added a growl at the end of it making Natsu actually feel a little scared. Cobra didn't wait for anymore objects, instead he spun around so fast his tail smacked Natsu in the stomach and stomped off to the other room.

Natsu was to tired and sore to care though. He let the Sky Dragons look him over, tell him what to do and then heal his back up with their magic. When it was all over he didn't care he was crawling into a hole in the ground to sleep. He just curled up and closed his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Shopping

Natsu was woken by a hard kick in the ribs. He sat up and would have snapped at his waker but a strange image of Cobra, hair completely flat, looking beat tired and in nothing but a pair of boxers, made him stop.

Cobra yawned rubbing one of his eyes, he looked kind of adorable. "Wake up..."

Natsu blinked away the rest of his tiredness. "Why..?"

Cobra turned around and was slowly shuffling out of the room. "We're gonna go talk to whoever is in charge of this place"

Natsu instantly stood up, ran out of the guest room and he walked into an empty living room. His bed room had been that way and the kitchen was empty too. There were surprisingly appliances but other than that the kitchen had nothing not even food.

He moved away from the empty surroundings and followed Cobra back to the main bedroom. The Poison Dragon Slayer was putting on his red pants, the matching black long sleeved shirt already on. How he got it on with those massive wings he didn't know. Natsu could hear the clinking of his belt as he strapped it on. The Salamander found himself blushing for no reason.

Cobra turned around and grabbed his white trench coat, there was a loud ripping sound and Cobra's frustrated growl.

"What happened?" Natsu asked coming in.

Cobra was holding the now shredded coat. It had become fragile apparently from all the damage it had taken. "It ripped"

Natsu just shrugged. "Oh well, I'm sure you can find a new one here."

"I don't want a new one from here." Cobra tossed the ruined garment into the corner.

"Don't be a child!" Natsu said thinking Cobra was acting very immature.

"That's not what I mean idiot." Cobra snapped walking past him. "I mean I don't want to stay here long enough to need one. I want to get back to normal and back to my guild."

Natsu was silent for a while. "We're still enemies you know that right?"

"Of course." Cobra roled his eyes at Natsu's stupidity. "That's why I haven't been all buddy-buddy with you."

"Just making sure."

The two hadn't been at each others throats in while, so Natsu assumed that because their trapped in the same boat together they have a silent little truce going on till they were both back to normal.

Cobra walked past Natsu, through the living room and onto the balcony that was practically their porch. Natsu followed him after changing into his usual clothing. It's also his only set of clothes so its not like he had to choose an outfit.

Cobra looked down over the ledge, they were a good two possibly three stories up in the air.

"How do we find who's in charge?" Natsu asked.

"We ask." Cobra slid and arm around Natsu's shoulders and the other under his legs, picking him up bridal style.

"Hey! I'm better now I don't need you to-" he was cut off when Cobra took a running jump off the balcony.

"Stoooopp!" Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs clutching hard onto Cobra. He was going to get a fear of heights pretty soon.

Cobra did a nose dive then pulled up right before hitting the ground. He flapped his wing carrying them higher into the air. Natsu still clutched onto Cobra fearing for his life.

"Y-You ass h-hole..." Natsu stuttered out shaking slightly.

Cobra laughed, amused by Natsu's sudden fear of heights. "If I wanted to drop you I would."

Natsu stopped shaking and started thinking about what Cobra just said.

'He doesn't want to drop me? But we're enemies... Shouldn't he want to?'

Cobra suddenly shuttered violently and gave a strangled yell.

"Cobra!?"

"My ears!" He yelled, his head twitching and shaking violently from  
>side to side.<p>

Natsu looked around to see Stella down bellow blowing some kind of horn. Cobra dropped Natsu, his hand a flying up to cover his ears. Both of them plummeted to the ground.

Natsu landed with a loud boom and a large dust cloud. He glanced to Cobra who was laying near by writhing in pain and clutching his head.

Still able to move Natsu crawled to his feet and took a run at Stella. She turned to him curiously and was surprised when Natsu took her horn, threw it on the ground and smashed it with his foot.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Stella snapped grabbing the front of Natsu's shirt.

"You were hurting Cobra!" Natsu yelled back.

"What!? That horn doesn't make a sound that can be heard by normal Dragon children you Ding-Bat!"

Natsu grabbed Stella's hand and ripped it away from him. "Cobra has special hearing magic!"

Stella leaned back and glanced to Cobra. He had stopped squirming and was now just lying on the ground curled up in a ball.

The black haired dragon child sighed and relaxed. "Alright whatever. He's special woopty-frigging-do. Sorry for damaging his brain. Not much to damage though."

Natsu growled at her menacingly and she growled back, both baring their fangs.

"Enough."

Natsu and Stella looked up to see an old looking man flying down to them, he had a long beard dressed in a toga and had a cane. His wings where old but strong looking, they were white but shined many colors in the sunlight. His tail matched and had yellow fur going down it to the tip.

"Elder..!" Stella's eyes widened and she back up submissively. Natsu had a strong urge to do the same but resisted it. The old man landed with a huff and brushed dirt off of his dress.

"Hello there." He said kindly to Natsu. "You must be or of the special breed of DC I've heard about."

"Y-yes..." Natsu stuttered. He felt such a strong desire to role over for this man, he didn't like it.

"Is your friend okay?" He glanced to Cobra who was standing now and rubbing his ears. His skin was pail and his face sweaty. "I'm sorry... That horn was made to alert the guards, who also have special hearing."

"Alert them for what?" Natsu asked. He assumed they guarded the area from outsiders.

"Humans have been snooping around." Stella said. She had a bitter tone in her voice. "Ever sense you arrived yesterday the guards can smell and hear them moving around. I was letting them know its time to switch out."

Natsu looked down, now hoping he didn't interfere with the guards and cause trouble.

"Relax, fire breather." The old man said smiling. "It is alright. Now, shall we address the problem you have?"

Natsu nodded a thanks. "Cobra." He called gently, not wanting to harm the mans already painful ears. He looked over tiredly before trudging over. He stayed close to Natsu when he saw the old man.

"Alright. So, you two were Dragon Slayers turned into DC's?"

They nodded.

"I'm sorry to say... We can't change you back."

"What!?" Natsu yelled infest and shock, Cobra flinched next to him and Nastu apologized gently.

"Our ancestors never found a way to change your kind back because... Well, you would have to come here to get it done. And sense you've seen where we live and how we are... We can't let you leave. It's a security precaution..." The man looked truly sorry.

"So were stuck here till we die."  
>Cobra said bitterly. It was a statement, not a question.<p>

The old man nodded. The poison dragon cursed and turned around flailing his arms and tail. He looked like he wanted to break something.

"Thanks anyway..." Natsu said sadly. He couldn't go home... He can't see Happy again, can't fight with Erza or Gray... He can't spend time with Lucy or the guild anymore...

"I'll...leave you be..." The old man muttered and flew away, Stella looked at Natsu who was staring at the ground before moving away silently.

How could everything have gone wrong so fast? Just yesterday Natsu was fighting Cobra, trying to take down nirvana with all his friends... And now he was eternally trapped here to have a new life he didn't want. He'll probably end up some random Dragon Child's mate and get pregnant. Cause apparently he could do that.

"I want to go home..." Natsu mumbled to himself sadly. The salamander felt so weak right now, ever sense he got these new dragon appendages he's been different, his emotions, his feelings towards certain things, even his instincts have changed, he didn't like it and it was upsetting him to the point he would start to cry. And that just upset him even more because he never cried. All the more reason to hate this change.

He closed his eyes feeling tears build up in them and fall down his face.

The salamander suddenly felt a presence close to him. He looked up to see Cobra standing in front of him.

"I... I just... I don't..." Natsu tried to talk but Cobra spoke before he could form an actual sentence.

"Stop talking idiot..." Cobra sounded more general that usual. Natsu wasn't the only one who changed. "We're both here and stuck like this... And there's nothing we can do. The guards would catch us if we tried to run."

Natsu looked down again, Cobra put a hand on the pinkettes head. "Might as well make the most of this and try to fit in."

"You're suddenly positive." Natsu mumbled. "Wouldn't you fight back to get freedom."

"I know when I've lost. Especially with something this serious." Cobra took Natsu's hand and started dragging him along, much to Natsu's surprise. "I'm not gonna mope about like some child. Now lets go get some furniture for that empty 'Den' of ours."

Natsu watched the back of Cobra's head before looking down at his hand, which was currently wrapped in the poison users. Natsu squeezed it blushing.

He didn't need Cobra's hearing to know where his life was going from here.

On the way to the stores the two dragon children had gotten lost. Luckily they had run into Mino. Apparently he had been looking for them to. He came to give the two new members a bag of the city's currency, which consisted of different colored jewels, each color being a different amount of cash. He taught them both how to use the currency and then led them to the shopping area of the town. The first shop they hit was the clothing store.

Natsu was looking through new shirts and jackets he could ware when Mino popped up behind him.

"You two got close in such a short time..." He said leaning close.

Natsu looked at him suspiciously. "What do you mean..."

"You liiiikkeee each other." The earth dragon sang, sounding to much like Happy. Natsu's heart throbbed and then he moved away.

Mino blinked confused. "Was I wrong...?"

"I don't know." The pink haired dragon sighed picking up a new vest and matching pants. "We don't hate each other any more I know that."

"We'll if you do want him as your life partner you two need to mate soon." Mino said it so casually it was almost like he was just talking about the weather. Natsu dropped the clothes he had been waring and stared at Mino with a flushed face.

"W-what..?"

Mino chuckled at Natsu's face before picking up the fallen garments. "There are many other beta dragons who will want to have that." He pointed subtly to Cobra who was in front of a mirror trying on a new pair of pants. It was funny watching him stand there looking himself over like a girl would in a new dress. Looking around Natsu saw many wingless dragons were eyeing Cobra from afar. The thought of others doing that made him seethe inside.

"See what I mean?" Mino asked. "Around here it's first come first serve. So get him while you can, before someone else does."

Natsu looked down as Mino walked away. He felt confused. This was moving way to fast for him. He just realized a few minutes ago he just might like Cobra like that. Which really freaked him out! He was a man and so was Cobra... This was so awkward for him. He really didn't know what to do. Said poison user was then behind him.

"You find anything you like?" He leaned over Natsu's shoulder slightly to see what he held. Natsu didn't notice Cobra was taller than him...

"Ah..." He faulted staring at Cobra, his violet orbs stared back looking confused.

"Something wrong?"

"No!" The fire breather blurted a little to loudly. "Eh, no... I'm fine. I like these."

Natsu held out the new vest and pants. Cobra took them adding it to his own choosings before walking off to go and pay. With that done the two wondered around getting new things for the Den. They got furniture mainly; a couch, a few chairs, coffee table, rug. A table for the kitchen and chairs to go with it. Furniture for the rooms. More pillows for the beds and a few blankets. They had just enough left to buy food for themselves. While buying some of the stuff Natsu snagged a cook book. He remembered how Cobra bad mouthed him about not knowing how to cook, well then he'd learn.

By the end of the day, when all the furniture was settled, Natsu and Cobra were exhausted. Both crashed in the living room. Remains of their brief dinner laid out on the coffee table.

"Can we go to bed now?" Natsu asked lazily rolling over. "Comfy couch..."

Cobra yawned and stretched, his back popping several times. "Yeah... Lets go to bed."

Natsu looked practically dead, he was almost already unconscious on the couch. Cobra sighed irritated and picked the pinkette up.

"Stupid Salamander." He mumbled to himself as he carried him down the hall.

"Cobra..." Natsu asked, barely audible in his tired stupor. The poison dragon grunted as a sign he heard him. "Can I sleep with you...?"

Cobra stopped walking and stared in surprise at the fire dragon. He wants to sleep with him? Why? Natsu's head shifted closer and pressed against Cobra's chest. He sighed and carried him into the master bed room. The hole in the ground, also their bed, was big enough for the two of them.

The dark skinned man put Natsu down first before grabbing a blanket and making himself comfortable. He wasn't all that surprised when Natsu's sleeping form cuddled closer to him.

Cobra didn't mind it that much, he's heard a lot of things today from a lot of different people. And he was prepared for the changes in his life that were about to start.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Dragon Festival

"You look like a house wife."

Natsu cast Cobra a glare from the kitchen. The poison dragon was seated comfortably on the couch, his arms hanging down as he looked over the back. A big cocky smirk on that stupid face of his.

Natsu was in the kitchen trying out a recipe in that cook book he bought. He really did look like a house wife in an apron and cooking though.

"Shut up snake breathe." Natsu called over then returned to his stew.

The two of them have lived in the valley for almost two weeks now. At first they had been somewhat awkward; constantly asking people what they should do, mainly spending time away from people and in their den. But for now they fit in quite well. Cobra often went out on hunting parties whenever he got bored or they were running out of food at home. Natsu would occasionally go and help out the other Betas in the fields or orchards and would run people favors to get more money. They had filled their home with little decorations that fit their taste, it made the cave like structure look like an actual home.

Natsu finally got used to being around Cobra so much. In the begging he was super scared and nervous. He would only occasionally sleep in the same bed as him and every time Cobra touched him he'd shutter and shift away quickly. It would really piss the poison dragon off.

But now, he was acting like a house wife... Yeah he's definitely comfortable with his new life.

Only problem is neither of them have admitted any feelings towards the other, even though its obvious something was there. They sleep in the same bed for crying out loud.

Cobra winked at Natsu and in return he rolled his eyes. "Don't you have hunting or something to do."

"Nope." The maroon haired male jumped over the back of the couch and leaned over the counter to smell the concoction Natsu was brewing. "That doesn't smell deadly-ow!"

Cobra retreated away holding his head. "What was that for!? You hit me with a spoon!"

"It's not done!"

"Jeez! You really are a wife at this point." Natsu scowled at his remark.

"Your not going to get any at this point."

Cobra opened his mouth to retort but someone outside suddenly called their names.

"Who's that?" Natsu asked removing his apron and walking to the cave entrance. Cobra followed.

They both leaned over the edge of the landing platform to see Mino down bellow, waving up at him.

"Come down here guys!" He yelled up at them. "I got something excited to tell you!"

Natsu glanced to Cobra who shrugged. He picked the pinkette up in his arms then glided down to meet the earth dragon.

"What's up?" Natsu asked when he was on his own two feet.

"I came to tell you guys about our Villages Dragon Festival." The brunette said with a grin on his face.

"Sounds exciting." Cobra said crossing his arms, he didn't sound to excited though.

"The festival is held every year, you guys are lucky to see it. Being outsiders."

"We're citizens now though." Natsu pointed out.

"Cause we can't leave." Cobra muttered under his breathe earning a jab from Natsu. The tan male growled.

"The festival is our way of celebrating the day when our ancestors found this place. It's a lot of fun! There's food and things to buy and mess around with. Games for the children are set up, The fire dragons do a show and theres fire works at the end!" Mino went on and on about how the festival was so much fun and that they would enjoy it all. "It's in a few days. And, well, we could use help setting up... And Natsu with you being a fire dragon you need to participate in the show."

"I have to?" He asked with eye brows knit together.

Mino nodded. "It's tradition. You should start learning the dance while you can."

"Dance!?"

"Carter can explain everything to you. But we need to go now!" Mino grabbed Natsu's hand and yanked him away.

"Oi!" Cobra yelled. "What am I suppose to do!?"

Mino glanced back. "Go to the town square! Im sure you'll find something to do!"

Cobra glared at their retreating forms, feeling offended. "This is bullshit..." He muttered before taking flight.

Natsu was dragged all the way to a rocky clearing outside the main town, other dragons were milling around talking to each other. The area looked on fire with the mix of yellow, gold, orange and red.

"There's so many." Natsu gapped at all of them.

"Almost twenty or more." Mino said sounding proud. "Carter is over there."

He pointed to a tall woman with short blonde hair. She wore a tunic like shirt and shorts. Like all clothing it was modified so her tail and wings could easily move and fit into the clothes. Her wings were feathered and shades of blue and green, the same for her tail.

"She's female but has wings?" Natsu asked, he still didn't fully get the whole alpha and beta thing. Based on the information he got any DC with wings could get another with no wings pregnant... But what if they were both female or both male? It didn't make sense to him.

"Mino!" Carter called. "Bring the new guy over!"

The two betas jogged over to the woman. Natsu noticed how many alpha DC's watched them closely.

Up close Carter was actually very pretty. Her eyes were a shocking blue. "Your one of the alternate species I've heard so much about." She said smirking. "Hope you don't slack off on all this."

"I'll try not to." Natsu said, nervously scratching the back of his head. "Are you a fire dragon...?"

"Naw, I'm a water dragon. So are they." She pointed to a few others who were around instruments. "We're the most graceful of the dragons so we do the music and dance coordination."

"What kind of dance is it...?"

"Have a look." She clapped her hands suddenly and all the fire dragons around stopped talking and gathered around her.

"Okay guys! We need to show newbie here what's going on, so I want you to show him what we got so far. In places!"

The dragons scattered, breaking up into two groups. Alphas and betas. They stood on opposite ends of the clearing in lines.

Mino leaned close to Natsu. "This dance will be preformed down in the main courtyard of town. So they'll be hidden behind banners and buildings in this part."

Natsu nodded as one of the water dragons started a beat on the drums. It was just a simple pounding.

Bom Bom Bom Bom Bom.

With each strike of the drum the betas took a step, they would wave their arms gracefully as they walked onto what would have been a stage. When they reached the center two more drums were added and the beat got more complicated, as did the dance steps. The betas began doing fast movements with their feet. Dragging and pulling them around the floor, stomping occasionally with the drums. Natsu noticed every time they did this sparks would fly and dance around them. The beat began to build and build, faster and fast; the betas suddenly did a spin, one arm pointed to the ground the other pointing up, their hands were on fire and when they turned it made a flaming circle and they jumped through it. While the betas did all that the alphas were doing intricate dances in the sky with each other. They danced for a full minute before stopping.

Natsu jaw was hanging open.

"Good luck." Mino laughed.

Cobra originally returned home instead of going to town like Mino had told him to. But he got so bored because there was nothing to do. He first put Natsu's stew away before it went bad but then sat around doing nothing. So he finally got off his ass and went down town. And god was it busy. Dragons were everywhere putting up decorations, cooking in restaurants, running errands and building stands for whatever would be sold.

"When is this festival thing anyway." He mumbled to himself.

"In six days."

Cobra looked over to see a black haired girl had answered. She had black scales and long black hair, reminding the poison user of Natsu's Titania friend. The girl had no wings and looked around the age of eight.

"Do you need work to do?" The girl asked coming over with lanterns in her hands.

"I guess." Cobra said bluntly. The girl tilted her head looking almost confused but then handed him the lanterns.

"Mind hanging these up? I don't have wings so I can't get to the high areas."

Cobra eyed the lanterns before grabbing them and taking off. He landed on buildings and hooked them to the bottom of windows or against walls and under bridges. He was done quickly and landed next to the girl who just stared at him amazed.

"That was fast."

"Duh."

"What kind of dragon are you?"

The maroon haired male looked down at het with an 'are you stupid look'. "Why."

"Cause I've never seen a dragon with purple scales." The girl went to touch Cobra's long tail but he dragged it away so she couldn't.

"Poison dragon."

The girl gapped widely at him and a couple of people around looked over interested. This made the man uneasy.

"Poison dragon!? We've never seen one before!"

"S-seriously?" Cobra took a step back as others began coming over and started bombarding him with questions.

So many people started talking and shouting that his ears began to ring from to much noise, he covered them with his hands. "Everyone stop talking!"

They shut up, surprised by his sudden out burst. As the ringing stopped he couldn't help but notice a subtle sound going on somewhere in the distance. It sounded like...

"Hey girl!" He shouted.

"My names Shara!"

"Whatever, do you guys work with metal around here?"

Shara shook her head. "No we don't. We have no real need for it...why?"

Cobra's eyes widened. Suddenly everyone's attention was drawn away from him as two DC guards flew over them, chasing something small and metallic.

"What is that?"

"What's going on?"

"Is it dangerous?"

So many voices started filling Cobras head. He shook it shutting them out and watched the small metallic object in the sky. It was almost out of his sight before it did a loop and turned around, heading strait for them. The guards tried to maneuver and follow but ended up crashing into each other and landing on the ground

"Someone stop it!" A woman shouted.

"Look out!"

People dove out of the way as it cut through the crowd. Cobra saw what it actually was before it plowed him in the stomach, knocking the breathe out of him and taking him up into the sky.

People screamed as it carried him up, it seemed to scan him before slowing down and letting him fall. As he descended from the great hight he watched as the object rocketed off, leaving the town and heading off towards the rocky hills.

Cobra listened hard, wondering what it could possibly want over there. He hit the ground with a sickening crunch, rock and dust flying everywhere. People quickly ran to him looking into the dust at the small crater the poison dragon was dragging himself out of.

"Are you okay?" Shara asked worriedly.

Cobra stood up he almost fell over but caught himself. He listened to his body. 'Broken ribs... Fractured arm. No internal bleeding.'

"I'm fine." He coughed. He looked back up into the sky, watching where the metal thing had gone. It was that bird, the one from before when they were still at Nirvana. Cobra destroyed the last one, but how did this new one find him and Natsu? Or even this place? Wasn't it suppose to be secret and hidden or something?

"Sir?" Someone asked. He didn't answer, all he did was extend his wings and take off into the sky as fast as he could. He had to catch it before it reached it's destination, he knew what it wanted.

Natsu gasped as he lay collapsed on the ground in a pile of his own sweat. The dragons had all taken a break, Natsu had been out here for hours and he finally learned how to do the moves he had watched the other betas preform. Mino stayed around discussing plans with Carter leaving Natsu by himself to catch his breathe.

He looked up when a cup was presented to him. There was an alpha dragon crouching in front of him offering him water. "Jeez kid, can't take a lot of physical work can you."

Natsu crawled onto his hands and knees and took the water, gulping it down before replying. "Are you kidding!? I used to do all kinds of physical things before having this done to me!" He gestured to his body and the changes he had forcibly done. "I'm just not used to bending my body in such ways..."

The alpha laughed and held his hand out. "My names Loen."

Natsu shook it. "Natsu Dragneel."

Loen was a handsome platinum blonde man with tan skin, not like Cobras, more orange than brown. His eyes were a fiery red and his wings shimmered with the same color, orange and white was mixed in making them look aflame. His tail was long with a bright flame burning at the end. Natsu couldn't help but find the man attractive and couldn't meet his eyes.

"Shy too huh?" Loen teased.

"No!" Natsu snapped, embarrassed. He stood up quickly but dropped to the ground again when violent pains rocketed up his back.

"Whoaah did you stretch before doing any of the moves?" The blonde asked crouching by him again.

"I was... Suppose to s-stretch...?" Natsu whimpered out, his back filling with aches and cramps.

Loen chuckled. "Hold still okay?"

Natsu was about to ask why when his shirt was suddenly pulled off and cold hands connected with his back.

"What are you doing!?" Natsu yelped flailing his arms and trying to role over, but the hands held him down.

"Stop moving!" Loen growled. Natsu felt his hands press and move around on his bare back he instantly relaxed with a content sigh of pleasure.

"That feels so goooooood..."

"Glad your enjoying it." The alpha said continuing to massage his back. Natsu almost fell asleep it felt so good, but his eyes flew open when his body gave a massive shutter as Loen got near the base of his tail.

"S-stop!" Natsu shouted suddenly making Leon look over surprised.

"Sorry did I go to low?"

Natsu rolled over, his back feeling much better. "A little... Thanks for that, it was great."

"Sorry."

"No its fine!" Natsu said a blush on his face. "Really..."

"Lady's stop chatting and get over here!" Carter called. Natsu groaned, time for more lessons on how to dance properly.

It was almost pitch black when Natsu walked back home. His body didn't hurt as much after having Loen give him another massage. It felt so amazing.

"Cobra!" He called up feeling exhausted. There was no response. Natsu tilted his head, unless the tan male was still of helping, which he seriously doubted, then e had to be home. "Cobra!" He shouted louder this time, knowing very well her could be heard.

"Jeez your impatient." Cobra said, his body visible up in the door way of their home.

"Yeah yeah, give me a hand here would you?" Natsu called. Cobra floated down to the ground and scooped the salamander up. As Natsu wrapped an arm around his neck to secure himself better he noticed bruises and scratch marks on Cobras body.

"What happened?" The pinkette asked when the other male out him down.

"What are you talking about?" He asked walking inside.

"Your wounded." Natsu followed.

Cobra brought a hand up to his neck and trailed a hand over the bruise. "This? I dropped something while helping out, don't worry about it. How was your dancing?"

He put emphasis on dancing, making it sound girly and lame.

Natsu pouted. "Horrible."

"I bet you looked like a pretty fairy." Cobra mocked, a smile plastered on his face.

Natsu scowled now, not liking how the other made fun of him using his guilds name sake. "You probably wouldn't be able to the stuff I did! Your body is to big and bulky you'd be crying probably case it hurt so bad."

"If it hurt so bad and was oh so horrible how come your not writhing in pain?"

"I got a massage from a dude." Natsu snapped walking into the hall way.

The smile vanished from Cobra's face and he quickly followed. "What dude?"

"Just a handsome alpha dragon, his hands felt so good on my body! I asked him to give me one many times." Natsu had a dreamy smile on his face.

Cobra grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn around. "Why did you ask him!? I could have given you one!"

Natsu was surprised Cobra looked so upset. "Why do YOU care?"

"Are you stupid?" Cobra snapped.

Natsu glared. "No I'm not! I don't need to ask you for every little thing! It's bad enough you have to carry me around!"

"I do it cause I have to!" Their voices were getting louder as they argued. "I'll do something a stupid as give you a massage too if it keeps you away from bad and stupid people!"

"Bad and stupid!? This man was very nice! You don't know him you haven't met him!"

"Neither have you!"

"I just did!" Natsu shouted. "Today! I got to know him!"

"Don't talk to him again..." Cobra said with such venom in his voice the fire dragon thought a poisonous mist might actually come out.

"I don't have to listen to you..." Natsu shot back.

"I don't care." Cobra leaned closer, shadows casting over his face and getting so close their noses almost touched. "Don't. Talk to him again."

Cobra suddenly went flying back his shirt on fire. He stumbled back falling over the couch and landing painfully on the coffee table, his head smacking into the corner of it. Natsu could here his cry of pain as he instantly turned around after shoving him and retreated to the guest bed room. He slammed the door closed and locked it.

Cobra sat up holding the back of his head. He checked for blood glad their wasn't any. He stood up holding his side and slowly walked into his own room. He closed the door and locked it before walking over to a long mirror.

He removed the burnt remains of his shirt and tossed it away. He looked back into the mirror to see his scared and beat up body. Slash marks, burns and bruises covered him from head to toe. His ribs were still broken and his arm was worse. And now thanks to Natsu his head was throbbing. He had a few scratches on his face, glad the salamander was to dumb to notice.

The former Oracion seis member pulled open a drawer on the bottom of his dresser and pulled out the broken remains of the metal bird. This was the second time he's 'killed' one. But this one managed to beat the shit out of him before he finally took it down. It got so close to finding Natsu. Cobra was able to see the fire dragons dancing when he finally took it out.

Many people had asked him what it was and if he caught it. He told them no for both questions. Lying.

He put the bird back and grabbed a shirt putting it on to hide his wounds. He winced as the fabric stuck to the new and old burns. He crawled into bed and curled up. His body ached, in more ways than one.

Natsu wouldn't know he saved him. Wouldn't find out how much pain he went through to do it. Cobra closed his eyes saying he didn't care about how that dumb boy saw him, didn't care what the fire breathe did or who he talked to.

But in actuality he did.

(Know-your-place, you are offically one of my favorite people! i am a hardcore CobraxNatsu shipper and there needs to be more of it in the world!)


	7. Chapter 7: A Family

Wow didn't this just take forever to get out, and SO LONG look how long this chapter is! I hope you guys love it and I did my best too keep everyone in character for the situations. there a little bit of a... sour surprise in there for you guys ;) I don't own fairy tail or its charcters, I only own the plot and any ocs who pop through out! Please read and review cause you know I love your reviews! the more of those the more I'l write!

Chapter 7: A Family

Cobra woke the next morning to sore muscles and a pounding headache. He sat up slowly so as not to further anger his swollen and bruised body. He rubbed the back of his neck and stretched his back, it popped several times sending waves of pain up his spine and bringing a yelp from his throat. He stood up slowly, the blanket he had fell down showing the rest of his body battered and wounded. Wearing only a pair of boxers he walked to his mirror and looked over the wounds.

A large purple and green bruise was spreading over the left side of his rib cage, it hurt just moving his arm to look at it. Broken ribs sucked, that was probably the worst of the wounds he had sustained in his fight with the metal bird that had gone to collect Natsu. Aside from a bump on the back of his head that was made when his head hit the coffee table the rest of his wounds were nothing, just a few smaller bruises and cuts.

Cobra leaned forward to get a closer look at the ones on his face. Just a few more scratches nothing horrible. His eyes looked into themselves, their usual bright shining purple that caught many people's attention had become dull with exhaustion, and a dark shading had appeared around his eyes showing lack of sleep. Which he did have, every time he rolled over last night he would wake up and have difficulty falling back asleep.

In all the years Cobras been fighting he's always hated the day after the fight. The sore and aching muscles, on those days he would just lay in his bed with his friend Cubelious close by-

His thoughts faltered then, thinking back on his old life. Of his friends and guild. He wouldn't have that life back, he wouldn't see his friends again or go on missions. The most excitement he had now was probably hunting and killing some wild animal to later then eat... not like he hasn't done it before. He then remembered the time he caught the Deer for Natsu and Mino to eat. On his way back he had heard them talking, even though he pretended to have not. The conversation had been to awkward for him, talking about how attractive he had been... he didn't think Natsu saw him like that, he could use his hearing magic if he truly wanted to find out but some part of him was too scared to see the answer, to scared of possibly being-

"What happened to you!?"

Cobra glanced behind him, to tired and sore to care who it was or how they saw him.

Natsu stood in his door way, mouth ajar and his eyes going all over his body. The male he watched didn't reply, just stared tiredly back at him.

The pinkette walked into the room and spun Cobra around, the sudden movement made the poison dragon hiss and finch away.

"What have you done to yourself? Did you get in a fight with some one?" Natsu asked looking him over, he lightly prodded his ribs where the bruise was looking worse.

"You could say that." Cobra groaned. He back up and turned back to his dresser and pulled out a shirt. Natsu put a hand on his arm making him falter.

"What happened." Natsu sounded like he cared, it surprised Cobra. His ears twitched and he looked back at the pinkette, conflicting emotions crossing his face.

"I...did get in a fight..." He started. "It wasn't with another Dragon Child though..."

Natsu frowned. "With what then..?"

"Do you remember that contraption? The one I killed at Nirvana?"

The pinkette nodded his head. He remembered the metal bird that had chased the two of them for god knows what reason. "You fought one of those? Why?"

Cobra looked down, his hands clenching and playing with his shirt. 'It wanted to take you away' is what he wanted to say but then Natsu would question him on why he didn't want it to steal him and what not and Cobra didn't want to deal with that right now. At a later time when his feelings were sorted out maybe. "I saw it. And it attacked me. So I fought back simple as that."

Natsu's hands trailed his arm looking at Scratches and healing wounds, his fingers tracing the shape of his obvious bicep and triceps. Cobra looked down at him curiously as the younger fire dragon moved to stand in front of him instead. "Natsu..?"

The fire dragon was still tracing scratches and old scars from long ago. He acted like he didn't hear Cobra say his name. His hands moved to his bare chest, moving over the tan skin softly. "Natsu?" he tried again. But still the boy ignored him. His hands seemed to feel every inch of his chest, the poison dragon could feel a sweat building up as he felt his body temperature begin to rise slowly. Natsu's hands moved from his chest down to his stomach tracing his abs.

"Natsu" Cobra said again. He tried to add force behind it but it came out as a heated whisper instead, the beta dragon suddenly pushed his body up against Cobra's. Surprised Cobra took a step back but his foot caught on the edge of the dip where he sleeps and he fell backwards onto pillows. He felt hands on his chest and a force land on his hips. He gasped and looked up, Natsu was straddling him and looking very dazed.

The poison dragon held up his hands ready to push him off. His mind was going haywire with so many things he knew and didn't know about. It's like his mind was over active and getting blurred at the same time. He wanted to stop Natsu but half of him didn't, what was going on? First the pinkette was talking to him casually about his wounds, which were completely forgotten at this point, and now he's on top of him like he was about to ride him. What the hell triggered something in Natsu's brain saying it was okay to-

Fingers intertwined with his suddenly and pushed Cobra's raised hands down next to his head, at the same time something hot pressed against the side of his neck and started providing pressure.

Cobra felt electricity shoot up his spine in excitement. He in voluntarily gasped and bucked his hips upwards, right where Natsu sat. The fire dragon let out a moan against the others neck and started to grind down on him.

Cobra's vision was becoming blurry and white. He could feel Natsu moving down on him and god did it feel so good right now, he didn't want him to stop. The red head was pushing his own hips up against Natsu and moving with him, his mouth opening to let out a long moan. Natsu let go of his hands and grabbed his shoulders, flipping both of them over so Cobra was on top. This time the poison dragon dove for Natsu's neck, catching some skin in his teeth and biting. The salamander gasped and gripped the alpha dragon's shoulders tightly. The tan male felt something brush his rib cage and he winced in pain. He let Natsu go and looked to see what it was. The Salamander had spread his legs and brought them up so Cobra could easily get between them and do what he wanted... Cobra suddenly felt all the soreness of his muscles and pain come flowing back into his body, knocking sense back into him.

His eyes widened at what he was doing and stared down at Natsu in shock. The boy was flushed and panting, his eyes full of obvious want and need. "Cobra..." he whined in a lustful tone. "You stopped..."

Cobra sat up and gained control of his thoughts. 'Was I about to...' he stopped there, he didn't want to know what exactly would have happened if he kept going with this. Even if the answer was obvious. Hands brushed his cheeks and moved into his hair bring him back down so he was face to face with Natsu.

"Don't stop now..." The pinkette panted, using his fingers to rub and pull on Cobra's hair. "Were just starting..."

"Do you even know what you're starting?" Cobra hissed quickly as he tried to get away but Natsu had a firm grip on him.

"Yes." He purred. "We're gonna have sex."

More static shot up Cobra's spine. Something was seriously wrong here. He could totally go along with Natsu's delusion and screw the boy into next week, which his own body REALLY wanted to do right now he could feel it because his sleeping pants that were once loose weren't so loose anymore. OR he could try and convince Natsu he was being crazy and horny and something was wrong. The conflict went on for a while in Cobra's head.

It wasn't until Natsu was leaning up and trying to kiss him did he decide what he would do.

Cobra dodged the kiss and sunk his teeth into Natsu's neck making the boy gasp in pleasure and arch against the older's body. "Cobra-!" he moaned. He grabbed tightly onto the poison dragons red hair but soon the grip started to relax... and Natsu slowly slid away and relaxed against Cobra's bed. The winged dragon pulled away and rubbed at his mouth, small beads of poison dripped down his chin.

"Crazy Salamander... What the hell go into you...?" Cobra stood up and left Natsu sleeping soundly in his bed.

He quickly and as silently as possible dealt with his "problem" before throwing a blanket over the sleeping fire dragon and getting dressed then leaving to do whatever assignments would be given to him.

It was probably around nine or ten in the morning as the poison dragon flew over the city, admiring it slightly. He found it pretty amazing how a civilization like this had been living here for god knows how many years and not a single person back in magnolia or anywhere else knew about it. Their whole life style was pretty amazing too, based on what he's seen so far anyway. Each Dragon Child used their own abilities to contribute to the society. Water dragon helped make music and fountains and even made sure the drinking water stayed clean and safe, earth dragons helped build homes with fire dragons and have advice on growing crops. Shadow and light dragons were best at hunting and clothing making. Cobra was beginning to think about how the whole idea of this city was almost like a dream when he heard a distinctive voice down bellow calling his annoying nickname.

"Mr. Poison Dragon, Where are you? Mr. Poison Dragon!"

Cobra groaned and rolled his eyes as he tilted his wings slightly so he'd glide down in a slow spiral towards the little black dragon girl that had gotten oh-so attached to him.

He did the best landing he had yet of skipping to a halt. He walked up to the smiling girl and poked her in the chest with a purple clawed finger. "Listen brat, I already told you my name so use it."

The girl giggled and wiped at her chest like she was brushing off dirt. "Sorry, I forgot it."

"Cobra." He growled out slightly. "My name is Cobra."

She nodded her head. "Okay. Do you remember mine?"

The tan male made an uninterested face. "No, I didn't care to learn cause I didn't think I'd be seeing you again."

The black haired girl pouted and looked at him, or tried to, angrily. Cobra had to admit she looked adorable.

"Shara! My name is Shara! Shara Lockwood!" She stomped her foot and kicked Cobra lightly in the shin but he shoved her away with his leg and she stumbled back and fell on her butt. "You can be mean..."

"I know. I wasn't exactly a good guy before coming here you know."

"What kind of guy were you?" Shara tilted her head innocently.

"The bad kind who kill people." He brought a hand up to his face and pretended to admire his claws and ignore her. He hoped by admitting he's killed a few people in his life the girl wouldn't like him anymore and leave him alone.

He was wrong.

"Is your friend a bad man too?" Her little voice chirped at him.

Cobra looked down at her and blinked a few times. "You mean Natsu?" She nodded. "How'd you know he was with me?"

"Most people in the city know about you two. The two dragon slayers turned dragon child. Your kinda famous." She giggled and played with her feet as she sat down. "So is he a killer to? A bad guy?"

Cobra hesitated on answering but slowly said. "No... He's not. He was the good guy who was suppose to get rid of me..."

"He was suppose to kill you?" She tilted her head in the other direction.

"Probably." He looked away, not looking at the girl. He wondered if Natsu really would have killed him back on Nirvana. He didn't seem like the kinda guy but you never know, people have secrets. "I don't know. I just know I was the bad guy and he was the good guy who was suppose to come as save the day from my-"

"But then you fell in love with each other and he changed you right!?"

Cobra gaged on air and almost fell over because of his coughing fit. Shara watched him collect him self before he grabbed her by her tiny shoulders and lifted her up so she was face to face with him, his was beat red with the memory of what happened earlier that morning.

"Where did that come from!? What makes you think we're some kind of cheesy romantic couple out of a story book?!" He spoke through grit teeth trying not to raise his voice so high that people would stare at him.

Shara giggled again finding him amusing rather than intimidating or scary. "Cause it is a story. It's a book called 'The Good And The Bad.' I remember reading it at the orphanage."

The blush vanished from Cobra's face when he heard her last words.

"Orphanage...? You don't have parents?"

Shara shook her head not seeming too disgruntled by the question like most children might have been. "No. I never knew them. I was hatched in the orphanage, abandoned there by my parents. I was the runt of the clutch I guess... The people running it said I was really small. My mom and dad probably thought I was going to die so they got rid of me."

The poison dragon stared at her. She said it all so... So nonchalantly. Like it didn't bother her at all. But he could tell by the sound of her sped up heartbeat and fluctuated breathes that it did. It was a painful thought to her. No one likes being abandoned by family...

'Momma don't let them take me!'

A memory flashed through Cobra's mind quickly. The image of a small child reaching out towards a woman who was running away through a blazing town away from him, leaving him to get taken by the occultists who started the fire. The woman glanced back at him, a conflicted expression contorted her face before she turned and fled away. The boy looked heart broken as tears streamed down from his purple eyes.

"Mr. Cobra?" Shara put her hand to his cheeks, cupping them slightly. He blinked and looked down at her confused. "Why are you crying?"

He blinked once and felt the tears that had built up spill down over his cheeks and onto the girls hands. He didn't take a shuttered breath or sob or show anymore signs of being upset. His voice wasn't even strained as he spoke to her.

"It's not nice to abandon your child..." He said simply.

The girl looked at him almost surprised. "No it's not..."

Cobra put the girl down and rubbed the water from his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket. "Why did you bring me here kid...? What do you want?"

Shara's face broke into a huge grin. "I wanted to show you a little bit of the town! Sense I know you're kind of lazy and won't help out much with the festival preparations!"

The poison dragon sweat dropped at the lazy remark but let it slide, cause he knew it was true. Labor was not his thing. "What do you want to show me?"

The black scaled girl pointed behind her at a building Cobra hadn't even noticed until she gestured to it. It was a three story building carved right into the side of a cliff face. The roof was triangle shaped and held up with four pillars, complicated Windows's with intricate designs were on the front and a big stair case led up to two double oak doors that had to be the entrance. Dragon children were coming in and out of them.

"What is it." Cobra dead panned looking up at it.

"A library."

The older man internally groaned. The first thing this little girl had to go and show him was the library? Great. She grabbed his hand seeing his reluctance to go inside and pulled him up the stairs.

"Come on!"

He followed her up the stone stairs and through the open doors. The inside was massive, book shelves made of marble held books and scrolls of all colors and sizes. Dragon children moved through them and even flew around, carrying books and papers.

"Every book here was made here or in another dragon child city. We have books on everything!" The small black dragon spun in a circle waving at all the books. A librarian near by putting books away shushed her.

Shara calmed down but still held a smile. "Come this way." She grabbed Cobra's hand again and dragged him through the book cases. He noticed most of them smelled very old and well preserved.

Shara pulled him into a small circular section where pillows lay about in the room and a small desk the proper size for the little girl. She sat down at it, on one of the fluffy pillows, it made a soft poof sound when she flopped down onto it.

Cobra walked over, his tail dragging behind him. He looked around the room and noticed mainly small books of all colors. "A kids section?"

"Yeah! Me and the other kids at the orphanage come here when we're bored." She pointed to a book up on the shelf in front of her. "Grab that one!"

Cobra followed her finger ad saw a blue spined book, it was one of the thicker once out of most of them, and took a few steps over and grabbed it easily. The book was slightly bigger than his own hands and on it sat a simple sad looking boy in a happy background, the title read "Broken".

The poison dragon raised an eyebrow to Shara. "Okay. You want to read this?"

"No," she leaned forward and pointed to the pillow across from her and gestured for him to sit. "I want you to read it to me!"

Cobra gave her a look somewhere along the lines off appalled and disgusted. The girl shrunk in slightly and have a wary smile.

"Please?"

He stared at her before sighing begrudgingly and sitting down at the small table. He looked so awkward there with his legs crossed in front of a table two times smaller than it should have been for him. He opened the book and started to read the first page.

"'No one knows this Fairy Tale, of the boy was born and left all alone...' This sounds like a horrible story right off the bat." The tan male looked at Shara with uninterested eyes. She however looked ready to hang on his every word.

"Just keep reading!"

Cobra rolled his eyes and did as she wished. " 'Ever sense the day I was born, I was treated like a demon to scorn. Never knowing what I did wrong, or why I was hated, I accepted punishment without question. I was ordered around, given labor intensive jobs, and kicked around all of the time. People laughed at me. Called me a demon's offspring, yet I never knew my parents and no one talked about them, so I just assumed that's what I was. The child of a demon.' " Cobra paused in reading again. "This is so depressing! Why do you want me to read you this crap?" He smacked the book with his hand for emphasis.

Shara scrunched up her face in dislike. "Don't hit the books! Your getting to the good part keep going!"

He started up again. " 'I can't help but feeling sad, I guess that isn't bad. Why can't I go back home? To someone who cares about me? Tell me why, please tell me why, you beat me and hurt me when I've done nothing wrong. In this never ending fairy tale will I ever be happy?

"'It hurt right down to the core. All the pain and sadness left me sore; yet all this time, right behind me you watched me from the side. You weren't aloud to talk to this beaten me. But I beg, your name, will you tell me it please? "I wish I could, but I don't have the time." You scampered away and suddenly I craved for the things I've never had. A home, a family, kindness, laughter, and you. I went on through the days, of labour and pain and now, suddenly, everyday I saw you. Watching from the corner or a rooftop. Watching me of all people, the demon child. When I spotted you you'd smile and wave at me. And I'd smile back. The first time I've ever smiled in my horrible life and it was all because of you, I wish I could keep you. Why couldn't it be just me and you? Then one day, a rainy day, you came alone to me. You held out your hand and said to me: "Come, lets go and run away, take my hand and lets head home." I took your hand and we vanished into the rain. We won't be missed.

'Tell me why, please tell me why, I've been blessed with a gift such as you. Kind and loving, the only one to see through the beaten scars and look at the real me. I don't care where I don't care why, I want to stay forever with you. The only person who didn't see me as a monster of evil, but a person just like you.' "

At the end of the book, on the very last page was a picture of the same boy that had been on the front. He was standing there smiling and it was raining, but next to him was a girl and they held hands. She was smiling to. Cobra closed the book silently. He looked up to the little girl.

Shara had a smile on her face and her head was laying on the table. "It was a good book."

Cobra slowly nodded though he didn't realize he did. He was busy thinking on how his own life could relate to that book. The tower of heaven and being treated like crap was pretty relatable. The people there got whipped and punished on an hourly basis. Why is it though that when he thought of 'someone to see him differently' Natsu's face popped into his head? He buried the thought for another time and put the book down.

"Happy now?" He asked Shara.

She nodded her head. "Yeah. Thanks, it's been a while sense I've had someone read to me."

"Don't the people at the orphanage read to you at all? They take care of you right?"

"Sometimes... When their not busy the adult dragons will come and read to us or play with us..." She was tracing a claw along the table leaving tiny scratch marks in the marble. "But that doesn't happen often. Their always doing paper work for the kids who do get adopted."

Now that Cobra thought about it, no orphanage would just let one of their kids wonder around the city completely unsupervised and alone. They must be so busy doing work or whatever that they don't even notice Shara's gone.

The little black dragon had a sad look to her now, still scratching random shapes into the small table. Cobra glanced down to the book then up and around for a clock. He found one hanging from one of the stone book shelves. Time flies by when reading books and playing with little girls. It was around noon now almost one o'clock. Natsu would be awake by now and most likely confused. Cobra really didn't want to deal with the salamander after what happened that morning but he was better getting it over with now than later.

Cobra stood from the table and stretched. Shara watched him. "Are you leaving...?"

"Yep, gotta get home and check up on a certain fire dragon." He piped his shoulder and sighed contently.

The girl grabbed the book and smiled at him. "Okay. I'll see when whenever then." She pitter pattered around him and put the book back where she HA told Cobra to get it from before going an grabbing a new one to read by herself.

As he watched her sit down at the table again and open the book Cobra felt a small lurch in his stomach. She must do this everyday when she wasn't bothering him. Sit here alone and read to herself...

"Hey...bra-Shara." He quickly corrected himself and the girl looked up. "Do you want to come with me? It would be better than sitting here alone."

Shara's eyes grew wide in shock, then a big toothy grin split her face. "I can come with you..?"

Cobra nodded and the girl leapt for joy and practically through herself into his arms. He caught her clumsily but she didn't care, she was a giggling happy mess right now. Cobra smiled a little down at her.

"Can I ride on your back?" She asked trying to climb over his shoulder, she had kicked him in the face though and was already half way there before he could even answer.

Cobra waited to Shara was seated comfortably between his shoulder blades and her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Ready!"

She instantly squealed in excitement and glee as Cobra took off into the air, he avoided colliding with another dragon child before steering himself out of one of the large library windows and into the open air. Shara's giggles were cut off and turned into gasps as he glided over the city, taking the same route home he had before.

"I've never seen the city from this high before." She said looking in all directions.

Cobra smirked. "It's a view I see everyday."

The girl snuggled into his back. "I wish I could see this all the time. I'm a beta dragon though and don't have wings."

"Maybe I'll give you a ride every now and again."

"Promise?"

"Nope."

She smiled. "You really are a bad guy."

Cobra laughed and glided down towards his home. He landed on the patio ledge and knelt down so Shara could jump off. She instantly ran inside without hesitation.

"Do you always barge into people's homes?" He called after her.

"Only when it's you Mr. Cobra!" Her chirpy voice yelled back.

He shook his head and walked inside his home. He first walked back to his bed room to see if Natsu was there. He wasn't. A yelp from the guest bedroom signaled to Cobra where the salamander was though.

He followed the sound and leaned against the door frame when he saw Natsu, holding blankets and looking very surprised as little Shara bounced around him and bombarded him with questions.

"Are you being a house mate right now? Your a beta dragon too right? Your the good guy Mr. Cobra talked about? The one who loves him?"

Natsu stared down at her with a red face, his mouth ajar. He tried to talk but all that came out was "uuuhhhh."

The poison dragon let out a snort and Natsu looked up at him with a confused and almost scared expression. "Cobra... What's with the small child..."

"Stole her from some random family."

The salamander's eyes widened greatly and his face paled. The other dragon let out a booming laugh.

"Your face! Hahah! I'm joking." He calmed down and whistled to Shara who looked over. "This is Natsu, the boy I came with."

Sharas eyes sparkled and she instantly latched onto Natsu's leg. "I like him. He's pretty."

Natsu looked down at her still looking very confused. "I'm pretty...? Cobra what's going on."

"I met her yesterday while helping prepare the festival. She hunted me down today and we hung out for a few hours."

"I didn't know you liked kids." Natsu said, a smile playing at his lips.

"I don't. Not really." Cobra shrugged.

"Don't lie." Natsu took the blankets he had been holding and tossed them into the hole in the floor. "Why did you bring her here?"

Cobra scratched the back of his head. "She... Didn't have anywhere to go..."

"What about her family?"

There was an awkward silence, Cobra coughed and looked to Shara. "Why don't you... Go out into the living room? Wait for us there, we'll get you something to eat."

"Are you going to fight?" Cobra saw an expression of fear for the first time on her little petite face.

"No, were not going to fight, just talk."

"Promise?"

The male glanced to Natsu who looked amused. He wanted to curse him out but didn't he sighed and with a somewhat forced voice said, "I promise."

The smile returned to her little face. She let go of Natsu's leg and skipped out of the room and down the hall.

"She doesn't have a family." Cobra said once he knew she was out of ear shot. "She's an orphan."

Natsu looked sorry he mentioned the word "family". "Oh jeez, why's she running around then? Should she be in an orphanage with other kids?"

"Yes, she lives in one but I guess it's such a shitty place that she can leave for hours and hours and not even be missed or noticed."

Natsu played with his scarf while looking down. "So you brought her here so she wouldn't be bored?"

Cobra didn't look at Natsu but he could hear him smiling and holding back small chuckles. He stayed quiet.

"Hey Cobra, about this morning."

That got his attention again. The maroon haired man snapped his head over to Natsu, a blush tinting his face. The other was blushing greatly as well.

"Can we just... Forget it ever happened? I had no idea what I was doing and-"

"It's fine." Cobra cut him off. "It never happened. Lets just hope it doesn't happen again..."

Natsu nodded vigorously.

"Mr. Cobra! Pretty! Come on I'm bored!" Shara's little bird like voice called from the living room.

" ?" Natsu asked smirking at the poison dragons nickname.

"Shut up, Pretty, you're cooking." He shot back playfully before quickly leaving the room. Natsu shook his head and followed suit.

Cobra was relaxing on the couch longways, his eyes closed and arms crossed. Shara's knees were on his stomach and she was peeking over the back of the couch and through the small window where Natsu could be seen cooking.

"What are you making?" Shara asked, her tail wagging behind her and rubbing against Cobra's ribs.

"I'm attempting to cook deer... I've never actually cooked before so I'm not to sure if I'm doing this right." The pinkette leaned back a little to look at an open book on the counter. Shara could see the raw meet in his hands.

"Your a fire dragon right?" She tilted her head a little to the side.

"Yes I am." Natsu brought his red tail up for emphasis, showing off the flame that burned at it's tip.

"Shouldn't you be practicing for the festival?"

The boy groaned with a small smile. "Yes I should be... But with our home so high up Cobra is the only way of me getting in and out. He was gone when I woke up so I couldn't get to practice class in time." His hands light in fire and he started throwing the meat in the air, making sure it didn't stay on his aflame palms for to long.

"I can't wait to see you dance." The black dragon chirped. "Your going to be so pretty!"

Natsu glanced at her. "Why do you keep calling me pretty..?"

"Cause your the Beta, the wifey-say are you too married?"

The fire dragon dropped the meat onto the floor, stunned such a question was asked. "Wh-what-"

"I'm kidding!" Shara teased. "Look at you your face is all red, awww you dropped lunch..."

Natsu stared at her. She had a beaming bright face looking back. "You are a strange child."

"I know!" A snort suddenly came from under her and she looked down. "Did he just make that sound?"

Cobra had his mouth open slightly and looked much more relaxed than usual. If the room was completely silent you could have heard him snoring lightly.

"He fell asleep." Shara giggled.

"Oh! I have an idea." Natsu picked up the deer meat and threw it in a pan, planning to later burn off any dirt from the floor. He opened a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out something small and back before coming over and handing it to Shara.

She looked at it and smiled. "A marker?"

Natsu pressed his finger to his lips and pointed to Cobra's sleeping face. The grin on the little girls face grew wider. She crawled over so was above his face and uncapped the marker. She then pressed the tip of it to Cobras cheek and started scribbling.

Natu had to stop himself from laughing as she put cat whiskers on him and the word LOSER across his forehead.

"Oh god." Natsu said, straining not to sound loud and laugh. "He's gonna be pissed when he wakes up..."

They didn't have to wait long for it. Cobra suddenly snorted again, his body jerking and sending Shara's hand sideways, creating a long streak down over Cobra's left eye. He's head twitched and he opened it to see Shara hanging over him with a marker in her hand and looking very guilty.

"What the...?" He asked groggily.

"He's awake!" Shara shrieked. She tossed the marker to Natsu, who instinctively caught it, and she kept front the couch into the chair next to it.

Cobra registered her panic and shot up a hand at illy going over his face, he smeared one of set of cat whiskers a look at his hand to see smudges of black on it.

"What did you put on my-" he looked to Natsu, who held the uncapped marker. "NATSU DRAGNEEL!"

The salamander dropped the market and ran as Cobra leapt over the couch in an attempt to grab him.

"I didn't do it!" He shouted, avoiding the coffee table as the angry purple dragon still chased him.

"Your a dead man!" Cobra shouted, turning around one of the chairs sharply he came face to face with a fluffy pillow. As his legs went flying into the air and he fell backwards on his shoulders the pillow exploded and a thousand feathers went flying into the air.

Shara stood in the chair holding the broken pillow case that once held all the feather. Many were tangled in her hair, their white gloss very noticeable against her black hair. "What the- whats in this pillow BIRDS!?"

Natsu fell over laughing. He was curled up on the floor holding his gut. "That was- amazing!" He said in between laughs.

Shara started giggling but then a pair of arms grabbed her and flipped her upside down. She screamed but seeing it was Cobra holding her upside down started laughing.

"Hey your making my dress fall out me down!" She laughed.

"Why should I? You drew all over my face." He bounced her up and down and she giggled. One of his hand slipped down to her side and she squealed and squirmed more violently.

"Aahhh that tickles!"

"Does it now?" Cobra smirked evilly before his hand started tickling her all over. She squealed and laughed, kicking her legs and waving her arms in a feeble attempt to get away.

"Gaah-HAHAHAHA! please stop! I'm gonna pee myself!" Shara said, giggling uncontrollably.

Cobra started laughing too. He stopped and flipped her over, holding her up in the air ad letting her catch her breathe. Everyone was smiling and Shara even had tears in her eyes from it all.

"We need to do this more often." Natsu said leaning against the couch. He must have pulled himself off the floor.

"Hey, , Pretty?" Shara asked smiling at them.

"Hm?" They both hummed.

"Is this what a family is like? Having parents that play with you and stuff?"

The smile on Cobra and Natsu's fced faltered. But the fire dragon said. "Yes. It absolutely is."

As the tan male brought the girl down and held her against his chest, her little arms going around his neck, he said. "Then does that make us a family?"

Cobra looked to Natsu before looking at her and saying. "I guess so."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Shara had to be returned to the orphanage that night, considering it would have been kidnapping if Cobra and Natsu decided to keep her. She wasn't to happy about it and complained viciously when Cobra had dropped her off. He had told her he couldn't keep her and it would be illegal if he did without filling out proper paper work and legitimately adopting her. She made him promise though to adopt her eventually. He couldn't believe it himself when he had nodded and said "yes".

The next morning both dragons went off to their usual duties. Cobra going to find Mino so he could work on the festival and Natsu going to the rocky plains to practice his fire dragons dance. He currently sat on one of the rocks next to Leon, both of them taking a break.

"Your learning fast." The blonde said smiling and bumping Natsu with his shoulder. The salamander blushed and rubbed his arm.

"Thanks. The faster I learn it the better."

"That's a good way to look at it I guess."

Natsu took a drink of water, his cup was removed from his hand after a few gulps and he saw Leon stealing some.

"Hey!" The fire dragon snapped. The flame at the end of his tail flaring up. The other fire dragon downed the last and chuckled him.

"Thanks. It was delicious."

"It was mine." Natsu pouted. Leon rubbed the too of his head affectionately and Natsu scooted away. "Stop that..."

A look Crossed Leon's face then he moved closer again, this time getting really close. Natsu tried to lean back but the larger dragon wrapped his arms around him and prevented him from running. "You know Natsu-"

The pinkette glanced away, he was surprised to find no one looking at what out of context would look to be molestation.

"I actually like you a lot."

"Really now...?" Natsu said nervously; he had his hands pressed against Leon's chest, prepared to shove him away if he did something the smaller didn't like.

"Yes. I do." Leon leaned over and pressed his face into Natsu's neck, he inhaled deeply. Natsu shuttered but not out of pleasure. "Very much so... I was hoping you would come with me back to my den after the festival."

"And do what?" Natsu bluntly asked, trying to push him away. The dragon stayed strong and didn't budge.

"What else?" He chuckled. "The festival serves as a... 'First date' in human standards. And after the first date..." He kissed Natsu's neck. Something glares up inside the pinkette, his hands lit aflame and he roared as he shoved Leon away. The surprised fire dragon growled in shock and pain as he went toppling to the ground.

Natsu stood over him, snarling, a feral look in his onyx eyes. Leon held his burned chest and stared at Natsu. It was almost a perverted gaze like he enjoyed the fact the Salamander was resisting him.

"What's going on!?" Carter's voice shouted. The water dragon was stomping over to them and the other fire dragons were keeping a distance.

Natsu stopped and looked at the angry blue scaled dragon. She had her arms crossed and was glaring down at the two of them. "What do you think your doing? Our dead line is tomorrow and your not doing any good by starting fights!"

Natsu shrunk away from her as she yelled at them. Leon just stood up and brushed himself off like it didn't even happen.

"Sorry Carter." He said them bowed. "It won't happen again."

The female nodded her head. "I should hope not." She clapped her hands and waves her arm. "Lets go people back to practice!"

Natsu went to follow but Leon suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. Natsu was surprised and wet to snap at him but a hand over his mouth stopped him.

"I wouldn't shout." He grinned evilly. Natsu's eyes widened. "Your a very fine dragon, Natsu. Pretty and powerful. I'll be damned if I loose you to that stupid purple scaled dragon."

The pinkette's eyes widened when he mentioned Cobra. Fire lit up in his eyes and the alpha chuckled.

"Your so cute when your defiant. I love it." He suddenly snapped at his lip, biting deep and hard. Natsu yelped and jumped back, he put a ham to his lips and when he pulled it away blood glistened on his finger tips. He glared up at Leon.

"Remember that mark cutie. Cause it means your mine." He then walked around Natsu and followed the crowd back to practice.

"Bullshit it does..." He muttered to himself. He wiped his lip with his sleeve and rejoined the group. Making sure to avoid Leon the rest of the class.

Cobra was sitting on one of the bridges, eating a cooked dear leg as he looked down at the festival arrangements. They finally finished up the last of them and the place looked spectacular. Thing like games and merchandise weren't out yet considering that stuff was all last minute and put up the day of the party. He was proud of the work he got done, seeing as it took forever.

As he finished up the rest of the meat he noticed little Shara hadn't stopped to pay a visit today. Usually she did-always did seeing as how no matter where he hid she always found him. So Cobra felt a little bored as he sat by himself. He tosses the bone away, he hears it hit someone and they shouted at him. He glanced down to see who it was and froze.

"Son of a flying fuck..." He slowly said as he stared down at Angel.

The white haired girl was glaring up at him, bone in hand. Her other hand was on her hip and she looked upset. "Jesus Cobra, throwing bones at girls what's gotten into you! Are you barbaric now after living with these people?"

He didn't say anything, just stared at her dumb struck. He was debating whether or not he was hallucinating or not. Part of him hoped to god he was but knew it was very real.

When he didn't answer immediately Angel snapped her fingers. "Hellooooo earth to Cobra? Dragon got your tongue?"

The poison user shook his head and jumped down, using his wings as a kind of parachute. He hurried to her and pulled her to the side. "What are you doing here?! How'd you find me?!" He hissed.

Angel got a proud look on her face. "It was hard work, what with Fairy Tail chasing us to kingdom come and brain throwing fits-"

"Fairy Tail followed you?!" Cora snapped quickly.

Angel held her hands up. "Whoah whoah relax. They aren't HERE they don't know where the valley is."

The dragon narrowed his eyes and he looked his old friend up and down. He noticed she still dressed the same and looked no different, he glanced around at the other dragon children. They passed by with no care in the world like they didn't notice a Mage standing in their midst.

"How are you here...? Humans can't get in..."

Angel laughed a little. "Midnight a magic is making me look like one of them. And speaking of Midnight I gotta take you back to him before he gets to tired and drops his magic."

"Where is he?"

Angel started walking away. "Follow me."

Cobra did so. He was honestly curious how his old guild found him. And what they planned to do now. Angel led him away from the town square and down to one of the bathing pools. It was empty of people thank god. She walked to a few boulders and shoved one out of the way after making sure no one was around to see.

"Get in here quick." She whispered and he did so. Keeping her wings tucked close to his back so they didn't snag on any of the rocks. She followed and pulled the rock back into place.

"You gain some muscle?" Cobra asked.

"No, the rocks are just lighter than they look around here." She stepped around him and led the way through a path. Cobra followed looking around every now and again but his eyes were drawn to a blue light up ahead.

The two turned a corner and came into an open cave. Several tunnels branched from the main one. What was making the light was a massive blue lacrima hanging from the ceiling.

"Whoah." Cobra stopped in his tracks to stare at it. He's never seen one that big before.

"Interesting right?" Angel asked. She walked over to a slump over object sitting on a rock. The poison eater recognized it as Midnight. She tapped his shoulder. "Wakey wakey Midnight! I found Cobra!"

The sleeping man lifted his head tiredly and looked at the dragon. "Oh... Are you sure it's him?"

"Yes!" Angel sighed. "I know he looks different but Brain told us he would."

That's right. Brain saw what had been done to Cobra before Paleoth knocked him out and he got kidnapped.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" Cobra asked impatiently.

Angel looked over. "Oh of course. Well... After you got kidnapped and Brain woke up he basically canceled the whole Nirvana plan."

The tan male looked surprised. "He canceled it? All because I got kidnapped?"

"Well, that and the fact Fairy Tail was winning... We didn't really have a choice in the matter. The magic council got involved too. We got away just in time."

Cobra crossed his arms, his tail slid back and forth on the ground in thought. "Alright. After that?"

Angel continued. "We returned to our guild hall. And Brain buried himself in his books. Started looking up stuff about dragons."

"He was looking for you." Midnight yawned. "Trying to figure out what happened to you."

"Some guy named Archen changed me." Cobra said bitterly. "Apparently he's from another country and has an obsession with Dragon People."

"The proper term is Dragon Child." Midnight said.

"I know that." Cobra growled. "What I'm saying is that you gotta find that Archen guy. He has foreign magic, so it won't be in our books."

"I don't know about that." Angel said scratching her cheek. She had a smile on her face. "We found a lot of books about Dragon Children, so we might be able to find something."

"What have you found so far?" The poison dragon raised an eyebrow.

"Mainly historic stuff." Midnight stood up and stretched. "Legends and what not about Dragon Children."

"I already know some of that." Cobra sighed.

"Did you know their native to magnolia? And there's more than one village?" Angel asked. Her smile grew, like she had some secret she desperately wanted to tell Cobra.

He watched her curiously. "I didn't know about the other village..."

"Oh yeah? Your currently in the Valley of Dragons. Other 'supposed' locations are Sky Drive, Mount ís Drekinn, and El Dador Del Agua."

"There's also Lost City." Midnight added.

Angel nodded. "Yeah that one too."

Cobra's eyes were wide. "There's MORE of them? More villages like this one?"

"We think so, the myths say there are more. If this place is real I can only guess so are the others." Angel flicked some dirt off of her shoulder.

Cobra's ears twitched. "Wait." He glared at Angel. She looked up and saw his gaze, she looked uncomfortable. "Your not telling me something."

Angel looked to Midnight as if to say 'help.' The sleepy boy stepped forward. "There is, but Brain said if we find you were not suppose to tell you."

"Why not? I figure I get special privileges from secrets seeing as this has happened." He gestured to his body, reminding them of his situation.

"We would tell you Cobra but its Brains orders." Angel mumbled. Cobra glared at them. He could hear he wouldn't be able to get it out of them.

"Fine." He snapped dropping the subject. "How'd you guys find this place?"

"It's actually in plain sight." Midnight said. "The Valley is right in the middle of Fiore. Fly high enough and you could see it, that is if you know it's there."

Cobra held a hand up. "Hang on, are you saying this place isn't hidden? At all?"

"That's right! If it weren't for the barrier that made people basically walk through it you could see it like any other town in the world." Angel was sounding matter-of-factly. Like she was proud to know this information.

"What barrier?" The tan male asked interested.

Midnight yawned. "See that lacrima?"

He point to the large Chrystal hanging from the ceiling it jutted out like some big massive glowing sapphire, several times larger than either of the Orecion Seis members or the poison dragon.

"Hard to miss it..." Cobra mumbled while staring at it in amazement and curiosity.

Midnight continued. "There's a lot of those inside the valley walls. Their some kind of special lacrima you can't find anymore."

Angel walked over with her hands one her hips and stood directly underneath it. "It emits a powerful magic that creates a barrier around the whole Valley. If anyone on the outside who doesn't know this valley is here or doesn't know a spell to nullify the barrier will simply pass through it. Like a door, you'll go in one end and come out the other like the Valley wasn't even here to begin with."

Cobra was impressed. He looked to the celestial Mage then up to the lacrima again. "Wow. That's crazy. How many are there?"

"To many to count." Midnight walked over and stood next to The maroon haired man, looking up at the lacrima with him. "The only issue is when one runs out of power or breaks it creates a hole in the barrier. And if someone happens to find it..."

"Bad things happen." Cobra finished. He looked down at Midnight. "So you guys found a way to weaken the Barrier to get in?"

"That's right." Angel sang as she pulled a necklace out of her cleavage. A small purple crystal glowed at the end of a silver chain. "This is another rare lacrima that was a bitch to find."

Midnight started playing with his own. "It works on any magic, weakening it. So we can't use a lot of our magic with them on. We only found the two so that's why it's just me and Angel here, and not all of us."

"Probably a good idea you guys didn't ring the whole guild." Cobra stated. He reached out and touched the small rock around his friends neck. He twirled it in his fingers before dropping it. "So what now?"

"We were hoping to take you back with us." Angel sighed. "But Brain says he wants you to stay here until he knows for sure how to change you back."

Cobra nodded. Part of him relieved that he was staying longer, a small fear inside him was nagging about not wanting to leave Natsu. He couldn't just abandon the kid after being with him this long, plus he's gotten very attached to him and he doubted Brain would let him keep the Fairy around.

"So you'll guys keep in touch I assume?" The poison dragon asked.

"Yep. If we need to or find out anything we'll let you know." Angel nodded her head.

Cobra started turning around. "Alright, I'm gonna head back. I got some stuff I want to do now." He took a few steps before pausing.

"Something wrong?" Angel asked. Midnight was already leaving.

Cobra glanced back at her. "Hey... Is Cubelious okay?"

Angel smiled. "Your friend is fine, Cobra. She's back at the guild with Brain right now. She's been jumpy a lot. Probably misses you."

Cobra smiled fondly. Curiosity about his snake had been bugging the crap out of him for weeks now. He was relieved to find out she was okay. "Alright, thanks Angel. Take care of her okay!"

The girl waved and Cobra left back through the tunnel. Once out he closed the hole up again and flew off to the library.

"Mr. Cobra!"

He wasn't even on the ground yet when the little black dragon came barreling up to him and jumped onto his back. Cobra yelled, surprised, and crash landed inside the library. He was sprawled out on the floor wish Shara sitting on his back happily.

"That was fun!" She chirped.

Cobra brought his head up and looked back at the girl. "That hurt."

She blushed shyly and looked down. "Oh sorry... Still it was fun."

She crawled off his back letting him get to his feet and dust off his clothes. Cobra looked down at her. "Where you been all day kiddo?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" She pouted and crossed her arms. "I went looking for you but you weren't in the town square."

Cobra sighed and scratched his jaw. "Ah, you must have just missed me. I had to go and do something with a friend."

"Was it Natsu?" She asked smiling up at him now. "We're you guys doing lovey things?"

Cobra gaged on air. "No we were not!"

Shara giggled and started running off.

Cobra grabbed her tail and held her upside down. She squealed and held her dress up so it would fall and show off her undergarments. "Hey! What's the big idea!"

"You spend a lot of time here right?" He asked.

"Yeah I do so what!" The shadow dragon squirmed in an attempt to get free.

"Where are the history books?"

She stopped and looked at him confused. "Why do you want to read History? That's boring."

"Because."

"Because why?"

He growled and dropped her. She yelped as she collided with the floor. "That wasn't nice..."

"Just because." He crossed his arms. "I want to learn more about dragon history."

Shara rubbed her head as she stood up. "Okay... But Dragon Child history isn't pretty..."

Cobra's eyebrows raised. "What do you mean."

Shara started walking. "Well. I only know what the orphanage teachers have told me. A long time ago there was Dragon Jen... Uh jeenooh-side?"

"Genocide." Cobra provided for the eight year old.

She nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah yeah that! Dragon Children back in the old days were protected by the big big dragons! We helped them and they helped us! But one day they went away and Dragon Children started dying."

"Why?"

"I dunno. Something to do with the humans- I didn't pay attention." Shara stopped walking and pointed to old leather bound books.

"Thanks." Cobra grabbed one and flipped through it. When he didn't find what he wanted he out it back.

Shara bounced on her little dragon feet looking bored. "Can I help?"

"No." He picked another and opened it.

"Why?" She whined.

Cobra hit her on the top of her head with the book. "Because you didn't pay attention in history class."

The girl whined and plopped down against the book case.

Cobra went through several books. Some he couldn't read because of damage or language issues. Others fell apart upon touch and he'd have to hide the evidence. The library was practically empty now and it was picture black outside. Shara was passed out on a pillow next to Cobra as he flipped through a scroll. It was BIG, very thick which meant it had a lot inside it. It had to be one of the older ones because its pages were fragile and yellow with age.

He was looking at pictures. There were some words to go with he images but most of them were rubbed away. So instead he tried to learn from the drawings. The one he currently looked at was of a dragon kneeling down, letting its nose touch the hand of what Cobra thought was a dragon child. It had a human body but a tail and wings sprouted from its body. The only word he could make out at the bottom was 'KINSHIP'.

He unrolled it some more to see the Dragons and Dragon Children working together to build a city. Dragons moved and carried large stones to pile on top of one another while the Children painted decorations and moved smaller bricks. There were no words with this picture.

Cobra moved on and was surprised to see the next image. The dragons were not in it. Only the Children, they looked scared and frightened as normal humans were coming into their town. He quickly unrolls more to see the next few pictures.

Each one showed destruction. Whether it be the city being destroyed, or Dragon children getting slaughtered.

Disturbing drawings of children being mauled, woman raped, and men murdered in front of families were on the paper several times. Cobra actually looked away from it feeling uncomfortable. His eyes flicked to the sleeping form of Shara and he imagined mages capturing her and torturing her small body for whatever reason, or raping her for their pleasure and enjoyment.

A low growl started building up in his throat and he shook his head, ridding himself of the horrible images. He snaked his tail around her pillow and dragged her closer to him. His tail covered her like a blanket and she let out a content purr, snuggling against it.

He sighed and looked back at the scroll. He skipped ahead to see Dragon Children in strange cages, they were hooked up to machines of some kind. Many of them looked half dead and starving.

He moved on. The next picture was of a Dragon Child screaming me holding a weapon. Many others were behind him and charging forward at humans. In big bold letters underneath it was 'REBELLION'.

The Dragon Children caught back against the mages that had in prisoned them. They returned the mages torture with full force...

Mages were tackled and eaten on the spot, stabbed, beaten to death, mauled, and dragged away into the shadows. The Children showed no mercy.

A war was waged. Dragon Child against Mage. It didn't say how long it lasted but it gave a list of dragon types that went extinct now because they were wiped out.

"Lightening, Blood, Rain, Diamond..." Cobra quietly read them aloud. Dragging his finger over the words as if they had some meaning to him. There were at least twenty dragon types on the list. He stopped on the last one. "Poison."

Cobra sat back against the boom shelf staring at the image of a Dragon Child grave yard. That explained why all the other villagers got excited when they found out about his Dragon type. He was the very last Poison Dragon child in the entire world. He was taken aback by this, even if he wasn't born a Dragon Child he still felt like it was important he stayed alive. To continue being what he was right now. But his guild was trying hard right now to find a way to change him back into a dragon slayer. He felt his stomach lurch.

"Dragon Slayer..." He stared down at the image. He felt sickened at the thought of going back to what he was before. Having magic specifically designed to kill dragons.

He unrolled the scroll more. More images of war and death, then of the Dragons Children flying. They were going away from the city they had built with their dragon ancestors. Spreading out to find new homes with new families. Safe homes...

Cobra rolled the scroll up and put it back where he got it from. He shook Shara awake and sent her home. After that he took a long glide over the village to clear his mind. He knew he would eventually have to decide whether to be human or dragon now. But he'd save that for when it really mattered.

The tan male glided down and landed on his terrace.

"Cobra!" Natsu came running out and hugged him tightly. He was surprised to say the least.

"Natsu what's up? What's wrong?" He pulled the pinkette off of him and held him at arms length, confused as to what was going in.

"I don't want to do the dance tomorrow!" Natsu blurted.

Cobra blinked in surprise. "What? Why, you've been practicing for a while now."

Natsu clutched onto his jacket and didn't look like he wanted to let go. "Please. I'll spend the whole day with you-we can go to the festive together and have fun!"

Cobra was confused and shocked. He knew something had thoroughly freaked the salamander out but he didn't want to be rude to him and go looking through his head for what was wrong. If Natsu didn't want to tell him right now that was fine. For now...

"Okay." Cobra said letting Natsu go.

The fire dragon smiled widely and hugged him again. "Thank you Cobra! Thank you!"

The poison dragon pat his head. "Yeah it's fine. Hey, you hit your face on something?"

Natsu jumped. "What makes you think I did...?"

"Your lip is split open."

Natsu let him go and dabbed his sleeve against the mark. "Oh, yeah I guess I did. I fell in practice today."

Cobra grabbed his chin and tilted his head to look at it. Natsu blushed.

"It's not that bad... It might scar though."

"I hope not!" Natsu jerked his head away. Cobra huffed.

"Alright alright. Well shall we eat? I haven't had anything after lunch." Cobra padded into the kitchen and Natsu followed.

"I'll cook something up real quick." The salamander said. Cobra watched him move about the kitchen. Preparing food and what not. But he got a feeling of foreboding every time he thought of the cut on Natsu's lip...


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: He's mine

"Cobra come on-come ON the festival is starting!" Natsu was bouncing up and down with energy out on the terrace. He was looking at all the lights coming from town square that shown bright in the evening dark.

Cobra came out pulling on his uncomfortable clothes. "What's the point of these outfits?"

"Mino said they're traditional clothes. Everyone is waring them." Natsu said adjusting his own. The salamander wore gold and brown. His pants were baggy and he had a sash around his waist, a tunic like vest was open and sat loose around how torso. He had glove like apparel on his hands and went up to his hands.

Cobra wore red and purple. A skin tight purple sleeveless turtle neck, a red decorative jacket, and the same pants as Natsu. Both their clothes were modified for tails and Cobra's wings.

"Your awfully excited for the festival." The alpha grabbed Natsu gently, lifting him up bridal style.

Natsu wrapped his arms around his neck. "Of course! We worked hard for it didn't we?"

"Yeah." Cobra took flight. "You sure you don't want to do the dance."

Natsu licked at the mark on his lip. "I'm positive... I want to spend the whole night with you..."

Cobra felt something swell in his chest. He smiled to himself. "I'm okay with that."

They glided over the festival. People were everywhere enjoying the festivities and playing games. Little kids ran around with lanterns of different colors. Tossing them in the air, some would fly away others would come back down for the kids to play with again.

"Is that Shara?" Natsu asked pointing down bellow. Cobra followed his finger and did indeed see the little black dragon playing around with other children. They had sparklers in their hands, a small fire dragon would light them up for the others.

"Lets say hi!" Natsu cheered. Cobra tilted his body so the two would glide down in a spiral. The children saw them coming and scattered. Shara however recognized her chosen "dad" and squealed running up to meet them.

Cobra landed with a soft tap of his pads and claws. He put Natsu down and the shadow dragon jumped up and hugged both of them. Natsu smiled at her and Cobra just ruffled her hair.

"I'm so glad you came Mr. Cobra!" Shara said with glee. She let them go and stepped back. "You to Pretty!"

Natsu sighed and hung his head at the nickname she has given him. Something told him it would take a while before she stopped calling him that.

The other kids started coming back over.

"Who are they Shara?" A little blue dragon boy asked.

Shara puffed her Chest out all proud like. She wore a tiny dress, it wrapped around her neck then compiled at the collar bone where a big jewel sat. It went down to her ankles and complicated swirl patterns glowed on it. The dress was gray and black. "This is Mr. Cobra and his mate Pretty!"

"N-no Shara-" Natsu stuttered out.

"We're not mates." Cobra said bluntly, it hurt a little for him to say that.

Shara laughed. "Yeah sure your not!"

The blue boy stood next to her. "These are the people who you said were going to adopt you?"

She nodded her head. "Yup! An guess what! Mr. Cobra is a poison dragon!"

Several of the kids gawked with wide eyes and started talking about how that was so cool and she was so lucky.

Cobra brought a hand to his face. Living as a celebrity was not his thing. The less people knew about his dragon type the better... He suddenly felt a tug in his shoulder and looked over to Natsu. He had a raise eyebrow.

"So were adopting?"

Cobra felt a chill run over him. "Oh uh... Well... I promised her..."

"Without telling me?" Natsu pouted. "Yeah that's smart we share the 'den' Cobra it would be great if you told me we were getting another body inside it!"

The tan male sighed. "Okay okay, I'm sorry. Next time something serious pops up ill tell you."

A look flashed through Natsu's eyes. Cobra felt his ear twitch and he heard a thought run through the other males head.

'Something important...'

"Natsu..." Cobra said slowly and turned to look him in the face. "Do you have something to tell me?"

Natsu gave a fake smile and Said "no." Cobra felt crestfallen. Did Natsu still not trust him to tell him important things? He knew this probably had to do with why he was so freaked out last night.

"Okay..." He sighed out. Natsu tilted his head confused. "Well. Should we go and check out what they got around here?"

"Yes please!" Shara said taking both the former Dragon Slayer's hands. Natsu smirks down at her and started walking, Cobra went along with it. Following wherever the girl led them.

She mainly went to games of course. Cobra would pay for her to try and she would mainly loose until Cobra offered to win her something. All he had to do was throw a ring onto moving pegs. It was easy a long as he cheated with his hearing magic. He handed the black haired girl her prize. Just a stuffed toy.

"Thanks Mr. Cobra I'll love it forever!" She then scurried away to Natsu who was looking at a vendor selling stones. The one he particularly liked was a glowing red on shaped like a red dragon. It probably reminded the kids of Igneel.

Cobra attempted to go and join them at the vendor but a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind. He looked and recognize blue scales, he followed the arm up to Stella. Her black hair pulled up into a pony tail. She wore her usual tunic dress only this one was fancier with blue swirls and sparkles that made her look like she was wearing dragon skin.

"Hi?" Cobra asked turning to face her. "Can I help you with something?"

Stella crossed her arms. As always she looked in a pissy mood. "I got something important to tell you."

"Can't it wait?" Cobra glanced back to the vendor, before he spotted Natsu again Stella snapped "no" and drew his attention back.

"Listen." She crossed her arms over her flat chest, the movement made her dress shimmer. "After this festival we're all leaving in a few days."

Cobra's eyes widened. "Leaving? Who is? To where?"

"The whole Valley duh." She said making him seem like he's stupid. "The Valley always goes up to it's neighboring City after the festival. Tonight certain dragons will be doing certain things... And then they migrate."

"Why?" Cobra asked suspiciously.

Stella rolled her eyes. "God I can't believe I have to be the one to tell you this, why couldn't Mino... We migrate because our Valley needs to rest. I'm not saying why. And because any dragons who did their certain things need different climate for after wards."

Cobra hated how vague she was being. "What are these "certain things" and what's after wards?" He added air quotes with his hands.

"Hatchlings." Stella said bluntly. "Any dragon child that winds up pregnant goes up to Mount Ís Drekinn. They stay there to lay the eggs then brings them back down here to the valley after they hatched, that way they can raise their fledglings in the proper area."

Cobra regret asking. "Great... So the whole valley makes this trip?"

"That's right. Just thought to let you know sense you're still technically knew."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"Not really. Maybe that the dragon dance is about to start?" She left with a flurry of her blue tail, flicking him with it and strutting away. He watched her go.

"I don't think I like her." Cobra mumbled to himself and shook his head. "Hey Natsu-" he stopped when he noticed the salamander wasn't there anymore. Even Shara was gone. Cobra looked around the crowd but didn't find either of them.

"Natsu?" He called over everyone's heads. "Shara?"

No replies came. He looked worried then remembered Stella had said the Fire Dragons Dance was starting. He moved through the crowd and back to the Main Street where the dance would be preformed. A decent amount of people had already surrounded the area and it was hard for Cobra to find a good place. He stood next to a winged female, her wings were feathery and blue, she had short blonde hair and looked upset.

The beta fire dragons started coming out onto the stage as the water dragons started pounding on the drums. Cobra looked to each one and felt his heart drop when he didn't see Natsu.

"Gah!" The woman next to him growled. "Where are those idiots? How could they miss the performance?!"

Cobra glanced to her. Using his ears he noticed she was talking about Natsu and some other man. "Excuse me." He asked getting her attention. "Who's missing?"

"That newbie I had to train and Leon." She sighed. "They've been messing around a lot lately- getting in fights with one another- I'm not surprised they missed this."

Cobra instantly cast his hearing as far as he could. Shara's voice caught him first.

"M-Mr. Cobra!" Her voice cried out. He could hear her huddled somewhere, her cheek throbbed and tears were streaming down her face, she clutched her toy tightly to her chest as she wailed out for him.

Cobra turned around quickly and shoved people out of the way to find his way to her. He kept his ears locked onto Shara and maneuvered which ever way he had to go to find her. She was well away from the crowd, she was under one of the other vendors benches, hidden by the sheet covering it up. As soon as he lifted it up and she saw him she bawled we eyes out and leapt for him, latching onto his body and crying into him.

"M-Mr. Cobra!" She wailed. The poison dragon picked her up and Ruben shed back gently. "I'm so sorry! He- he hit me and took Natsu away!"

Cobra felt rage build up in his body. "Calm down Shara, you need to calm down deep breathe. Who took Natsu?"

She hiccuped. "A-another fire dragon..! He was really mean! He grabbed Natsu and tried to take him but Natsu said no! I tried to help but he hit me and took Natsu away! I'm sorry!"

Cobra looked around for someone he knew. He couldn't leave the poor girl alone. "Deep breathes girl, deep breathes. I'll get Natsu back don't you worry."

"Promise?" She cried.

"I promise."

Cobra ran back into the ground and hunted down Stella. She was with Mino watching the dance. They noticed him approaching and looked over surprised.

"What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Mino asked worriedly.

Cobra handed Shara over to the earth dragon. He took her, confused, and looked at Cobra. "What's going on?"

"Natsu got taken by some stupid alpha." Cobra growled. "I gotta go et him back."

Both Stella and Mino looked surprised. They opened their mouths but Cobra was already taking off. Spreading his wings as rocketing into the sky, many people yelped when the wind hit them and cursed him out as he flew away.

Natsu screamed as his face was pressed into the ground, a fist had his hair in a right grip and held him there. The other hand had his hips which were raised in the air. He was glad he still had clothes on, though he didn't know how long that would last.

Leon leaned over him so he could whisper in his ear. "I told you, your mine. You had no business coming here with that dumb purple dragon."

"Cobra's not dumb." Natsu hissed and his face got ground into the rough floor.

"Not dumb? He's dumb enough to not notice thy I ran off with you. Or that I smacked that little mini-bitch." Leon trailed a hand into Natsu's jacket, feeling up his body. "To bad I'm not into kids."

"You're disgusting!" Natsu yelled. Leon smirked down at him. "I know." Natsu screamed as he felt claws get dragged down his torso. Bits of blood dripped from the new wound.

"I would be quiet and behave if I were you." Leon growled. He ripped Natsu's jacket off and bit down on his shoulder. Natsu resisted the urge to yell and scream. Knowing full well it would only get worse if he did.

Leon let him go an licked the wound making the pinkette shutter in disgust. He felt Leon start removing his pants, untying the gold sash and pulling them down. He flipped Natsu over and pulled them all the way off.

Natsu took that moment to kick out at Leon. He caught him in te jaw and scratched the side of his face.

The winged fire dragon roared in furry and yanked on his leg dragging him over. Natsu tried to stop but he couldn't. A hand flashed out and grabbed him by his face, silencing him.

"You are a dumb little shit aren't you Natsu." He would have spat in Leon's face if his face wasn't being squeezed in contorted. "Dumb but to sexy."

Leon loosened his grip and leaned down to kiss Natsu. The salamander closed his eyes, preparing himself for it. But it never happened.

Natsu opened his eyes to see Leon frozen over him. A furious glare plastered on his face. Suddenly a clawed hand came from behind the fire dragon and grabbed him by his face. There was an angry roar as Leon was dragged off of Natsu and thrown across the dragon home they had been residing in. Leon was thrown outside, bouncing painfully on the ground. He was lucky the den was on the bottom of the cliff or the fall would have ended worse.

Natsu watched the outline of another alpha dragon follow Leon outside. He recognized the unique purple scales.

"C-cobra..." Natsu was about to cry of relief. The poison dragon stomped over to Leon and smashed his foot into his face. The fire dragon howled in pain and covered his face as blood flew.

Cobra kicked him again and again, putting all his fury and rage into it. Leon growled and caught his foot. Cobra yelled in surprise as he was thrown over and smashed down onto the ground. He felt a massive amount of heat radiate onto his leg and screamed. Leon had breathed fire onto him.

Cobra rolled over quickly and used his long tail to coil around Leon's leg and yank him forward. The larger dragon fell down towards Cobra who rushed forward and give him and uppercut to the jaw. He stumbled away and Cobra quickly stood. He dug his feet into the ground and glared hard at Leon who was adjusting his now bruised jaw.

"I haven't done this in a while..."

Cobra puffed his chest out and inhaled deeply. "Dokuryuu no..."

Leon's eyes widened. "What are you-"

"HOKO!" Cobra let loose his dragons roar. A column of poison flew towards Leon. He flung his hand out, setting it on fire in an attempt to protect himself but it was useless as the poison corroded his fire and hand away. He yelled as the poison engulfed his body and sent him flying backwards.

Cobra stood up strait and wiped a few flecks of poison from his jaw. "I'm a dragon slayer, bitch."

Leon moaned in pain and collapsed on the ground completely. His body covered in raw spots where the poison had eaten away at his body.

Cobra turned around and rushed into the den where Natu still resided. He was huddled up, covering his body best he could.

"Thank god your okay..." Cobra said relieved, he collapsed in front of him and engulfed Natsu in his arms. The boy hugged back. Tears brimming in his eyes.

"I knew you'd come and find me... I knew you would..."

Cobra let him go and cupped both his cheeks. "I think it's time we both came out of denial." He said. Natsu expected it as Cobra leaned in and kissed him softly. One of his tan arms wrapped around Natsu's back, holding him close to his body. Natsu hugged him back. Making the kiss last as long as possible..

Cobra broke away first. "I've fallen in love with you Natsu Dragneel... First you were my enemy... Now your my mate."

Natsu laughed at that. "It's funny what happens when your thrown into a new situation huh?"

Cobra's reply was another kiss. This one much deeper than the first. When they broke apart again Natsu's was panting and his face was flushed.

"Can we continue this else where?" The pinkette asked winded. Cobra smirked and picked Natsu up, carrying him outside, then flying back to their own home.

- (there is a lemon after this point, if you don't like reading that kind of things skip over it)

Hands traveled all over his body, touching his hips, his sides, rubbing his chest and making sure to play with his nipples a little. Natsu groaned every time Cobra's hands did so, he loved how they touched him-it felt so good.

He gasped as a wet tongue slid up his body, from his hips to his neck. The mouth it belonged to lingered here, sucking and biting, playing with the flesh leaving marks everywhere. Natsu had lost his scarf long ago.

The pinkette wrapped his arms around Cobra's neck, bringing their mouths together in a heated kiss.

Natsu let the others tongue travel over his canine like teeth and play with his own tongue. They parted but only briefly to shift their heads slightly before kissing deeply again. Natsu moaned many times during the kiss, enjoying it very much. He officially loved Cobra's kisses, they always left him feeling tingly and heated.

The poison dragons hands rubbed up and down Natsu's sides, they moved to his back and their arms wrapped around him completely, pulling him up into their lap and causing closer contact.

The Salamander parted from the kiss suddenly gasping. The other had started rubbing his hips against the his own, consequently rubbing their groins together. Natsu rubbed back eager to get Cobra of his pants.

Cobra leaned him down kissing his neck again. Natsu put one hand in the others maroon locks gripping it as their hand rubbed against his throbbing erection harder.

"S-stop teasing!" He whined feeling a strong need growing inside him. Cobra smirked against his skin.

He leaned back and looked down at Natsu, his purple eyes filled with lust and love.

His husky voice made Natsu shutter. "You seem eager to go."

"Because I want you!" Natsu moaned out hoping to get a reaction. And boy he did.

The tan male visibly shuttered and then quickly removed their own shirt. Natsu got a brilliant idea.

While the other was tossing their decorative shirt onto the side of the bed and then starting to quickly fumble with their belt Natsu sat up and crawled over to him. He pushed Cobra down and straddle his hips.

"Natsu?" He asked curiously but smirking. Natsu smirked back and started kissing him, as he moved to his jaw and down his neck to his collar bone and chest he began to think things. Knowing very well they could hear him.

'I want you~' he sang in his head. 'I want to feel you touch me, I want to feel your tongue and kisses all over my body.'

Cobra moaned and arched a little he was getting even more aroused, even going crazy from his thoughts.

'I want you inside me.' Natsu removed the poison dragons belt and slowly slid his red pants down. 'Now. I want it now, so badly.'

Cobra flipped Natsu over so fast he yelped in surprise. He kicked away the pants and ripped off his boxers so fast you could hear the fabric actual rip.

"Oh you'll feel me alright." The old male said letting Natsu observe his fully naked body. "Every inch of me."

Natsu smirked and mated back, opening his legs so Cobra could get in between.

He smirked smirked and first went for Nastu's erection. He licked and played with it making the fire dragon moan his name before gripping it and stroking it.

"Oh god!" Natsu gasped. Bucking hips into the others hand. Cobra pumped Natsu harder making him groan and pant loudly.

Natsu's mouth hung open slightly gasping, his eyes screwed shut. The poison dragon took his other hand and placed it at Natsu's lips. The pinkette opened his mouth wider and took two fingers into his mouth, he sucked on them and licked them trying to get them coated in as much saliva as possible. He knew what those fingers would be doing to him very soon.

Cobra stopped pumping, much to Natsu's disappointment, and removed the fingers from his mouth.

He stood back and admired Natsu greatly. His body was already shining with a sheen of sweat, his face flushed and hot, his legs spread open revealing his full blown and leaking erection. Cobra licked his lips hungrily and leaned forward, he placed the two fingers at Natsu's entrance and circled it. Coating it in the saliva before pushing a finger inside slowly.

Natsu yelped and squeeze his eyes shut. The maroon haired male knew Natsu had never done this before so he made sure to go slow for him.

He moved the one finger in and out a few times before adding a second. Natsu gasped when Cobra started scissoring him, stretching him and preparing him. Natsu moved his hips slightly finding it more comfortable.

Cobra added another finger and another, stretching him as much as possible.

"Please" the pinkette moaned out lustfully. "No more waiting."

Cobra slid his fingers out of Natsu and placed himself self at his waiting entrance. Natsu moaned loudly as he slid inside him, moving slow at first.

Natsu never felt so good in his life. He didnt realize just how much hebloved Cobra till now. He loved him so much and wouldn't give him up to anyone. He was a Dragon Child now and he hoped to god they mated for life.

Cobra sped up slowly starting to lose self control. Both of the boys were panting hard, moving their bodies together to get as much pleasure as possible.

"Feel me yet?" Cobra whispered in Natsu's ear. He pounded into him. "I'm inside like you wanted, your gonna be sore tomorrow."

"Fine by me." Natsu gasped wrapping his arms around the others neck, keeping their bodies close.

The older slid his arms under Nastu's back and lifted him slowly into his lap. Natsu slung his head back moaning his name as he bounced up and down on top of him.

"Harder!" He panted out slamming down onto Cobra every time he pulled away. "Go much harder! I want more! More!"

Cobra was moving as fast as he could, slamming into Natsu with such force it made a loud slapping noise every time they made contact.

"Oh god! Oh god!" Natsu chanted to the sky. "More more more! Inside come inside!"

Both boys were so horny and lost in the moment, the other slammed into Natsu again and froze suddenly.

"Natsu!" He moaned as he unloaded himself into the younger boy, his body shook and vibrated violently as an orgasm racked his body.

Natsu tightened around the other, an orgasm going through his own body.

"God, Cobra!" He screamed in ecstasy, his own load blowing all over their chests.

The boys remained frozen, enjoying the feeling of their bodies before Cobra lay Natsu back down and pulled out of him.

He collapsed next to his pinkette and stared at him. "Enjoy yourself?"

"Oh yeah." Natsu sighed happily. "That was so... Amazing. We have to do it again sometime."

Cobra chuckled. "We can do it again tomorrow. And the day after and the day after if you want."

"I might take you up on that." Natsu said cuddling up to the poison dragon slayer.

There was a pause of silence.

"Cobra..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Cobra leaned down and kissed Natsu again. The Salamander happily kissed back. A boom outside made them stop.

"What was that?" Cobra asked. His ears twitching at the explosions.

"The fire works!" Natsu gasped excitedly. He crawled out of the nest, taking a blanket with him and slowly mad his way to their den entrance, Cobra cleaned himself up quickly and through on a loose pair of pants before following.

Natsu's silhouette was easily visible as lights and color exploded in the sky. Cobra stood behind him and rested his head on Natsu's shoulder. "Impressive." He said as another rocket exploded in the sky.

"You can thank the light, white and fire dragons." Natsu hummed tiredly. "They organized it."

Cobra smirked as he watched the show. "I like it."

"Cobra! Natsu!"

Both boys suddenly looked down to see Stella, Mino and Shara watching them from bellow. Stella was actually smiling.

"I'm guessing, based on the fact Natsu is wrapped in what looks like a blanket... You guys finally came out of the closet." She yelled up to them.

Shara bounced up and down. "Are you mated now?! Can we be a family now?!"

The earth and water dragon laughed at the excited little girl. Natsu's face exploded in a blush and Cobra laughed. The fire dragon quickly turned around and rushed back into the den.

"Oi! Babe! Where you going?!" Cobra called after him.

"To SLEEP!" Natsu shouted.

Cobra laughed to hard. He held his stomach and looked down at the other Dragon Children. "He's mine now! Turning into a Dragon Child was the best thing that ever happened to me!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: White Dragon Child

Shara was bouncing off the walls behind Cobra as he sat at a desk signing a few papers. Another Dragon Child sat across from him looking bored and handing him paper after paper.

"How many more?" Cobra asked surprised.

"Last one." They said and took them all from the poison dragon. Organizing them all nice and neat then putting them away into a folder.

"So that's it?" Cobra asked standing up.

"Yup. You're free to go."

"YAAAYY!" Shara screamed and leapt into Cobra's arms. He chuckled and caught her, carrying the little girl out of the orphanage for the first and last time. "I knew you would! I'm so happy!"

Cobra carried her through a crowd, they were cleaning up the last of the festival decorations. A few ribbons here, a lantern there. They made sure to get everything before it was time to leave. Cobra helped out a little but the one thing he had to do before leaving was get Shara.

"I can call you Dad now right Mr. Cobra?" Shara asked crawling onto his shoulders and resting her chin on his head.

He felt a little awkward about being called 'dad'. When he first joined Orecion seis he had no intention of getting married let alone have kids- adopted or not. "Eventually... But it's a little early for that..."

"Can I tell people your my dad?"

Cobra could give her that much. It wouldn't be very ethical if Shara just said. "Oh this is my adopted dad!" Most people might look at her with sympathy for that one.

"Shara." He asked suddenly.

"Hm?" She hummed in response.

"You've made the yearly trip before right?"

"Oh yeah definitely!" He could hear her smile. "This would make my third time going-that I remember."

"How's it work? We all just get up and leave?" Cobra avoided some kids that went running by. Making sure to lift his tail up. Last time it got stepped on several times.

Shara waved to them, maybe she knew a couple. "Well, last time we left in small groups. It would be kinda funny if we all left as a big big group! People would catch us. And then we wouldn't be all secret and stuff anymore."

"How small?"

"Hmmmm." She leaned forward and started playing with the tufts of hair that hung on the sides of his head. "Six? Maybe five people each?"

Cobra approached the cliffside where his home was located. He pulled Shara off his shoulders and held her to his chest as he took a jump and flew up to the terrace. Once landed he put Shara down and she ran into the house excitedly.

Cobra followed more slowly. He caught the sound of Natsu talking to someone. While Shara instantly started playing with the feather down pillows again he walked down the hall and peeked into Natsu and his shared bedroom.

The pinkette was sitting in a chair in front of a table that had a small lacrima sitting on it. A projection of Mino was coming out of it. The communications lacrima had been a gift from Stella the day after the festival. Apparently she wanted to keep in touch, Mino too, incase anything happened that they were involved in. Aka, if any information involving outsiders or Archen or other dragon slayers popped up she'd call them to deal with it. At lest they got paid if she actually gave them something to do.

"-any thing? At all?" Natsu asked, he had a worried look on his face.

"Not that we know of. The cage and ship itself was empty but we're looking in the surrounding area." Mino said scratching the back of his head. He had an apologetic look on his face.

"What's going on?" Cobra asked walking up. Natsu looked up and smiled.

"Your back!"

"Hey Cobra." The earth dragon called through the Lacrima. "You officially get Shara?"

The poison dragon stood next to Natsu and leaned his arm on the pinkette's head, he looked down at Mino. "Yup. Paper work is all signed and she is now in our custody."

"Congrats."

Cobra smirked. "Thanks." He jerked his head to the background of Mino's picture. "Where are you? What's going on?"

The smile on the other boys face vanished. He looked around behind him. Some guard dragons could be seen moving in the background. "Some patrol guards found a crashed ship. It's made of metal and really small. We think its a carrier. I called to ask Natsu if it was something your people made?"

Mino moved the Lacrima on his end so Cobra could see it. It was about the size of a carriage, maybe bigger. It was broken and busted, crashed into the ground with broken trees all around it.

Cobra looked it over then shook his head. "No way. We don't make flying ships. It's not from Fiore."

Natsu looked up at him. "I told him that I think it's Archen's."

The tan make nodded his head. "Yeah definitely. It's got the same look as that big one we had been inside. Maybe he's looking for us? Anyone inside it?"

Mino shook his head after bringing the lacrima back to his face. "Not that we know of. If there was a driver they bailed. There's a ton of empty-"

"Mino!"

Everyone's attention was drawn to a guard. He could be seen pulling a small busted up cage out of the back of the vehicle.

The guard carried it over so Natsu and Cobra could see it through the lacrima. "We missed one. It was up near the from seats, it's much smaller than the other. Something used to be inside it."

He held the age up, showing how the barns were broken from the inside out and blood was flecked all over the base.

"A child..." The earth dragon sounded heart broken. "Archen must have caught a young Dragon Child... Nothing else could fit in the cage."

"Mino!" Natsu caught the other beta's attention. "If the kids still alice it's out there all alone-and wounded no less!"

"We'll do what we can to find it sir." The guard nodded to Mino then left to put the cage down.

Mino sighed and looked back to the other two dragons. "If ask you guys to come out and help but you have to get ready to leave."

"We leave today?" Natsu asked, scrunching up his eyebrows.

"Yup. Our group is you, Cobra, me, Stella and now Shara."

Natsu sighed and leaned back. "Alright..."

"It'll be fine. I've done the trip before. All you got to do for prep is wash up, eat get rested and that's it."

"Where are we going?" Cobra asked leaning into the screen and getting off of Natsu.

"It's the closest neighbor town of Dragon Children we have, Mount Ís Drekkin. It's an ice fortress." Mino responded.

Natsu was instantly reminded of Gray. Ice was always his thing after all.

"Listen." Mino said. "I gotta finish this up before we leave. Okay? I'll see you guys later."

"Alright, but Mino, stay safe." Natsu said, Cobra waved good bye. The beta nodded and hung up.

Cobra stood up strait and sighed. "A massive exodus huh..."

Natsu tilted his head to look at him. "Interesting right?"

"You can say that again. But I am interested in going to this... Ís Drekkin mountain."

"Mr. Cobra!" Shara called from the living room. "There's a pretty lady here to see you!"

Natsu looked up at him with a questioning and accusing gaze. "A pretty lady? Cobra?"

The poison dragon shrugged. "I don't know..." Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Oh stop it you know I love you."

Natsu blushed and looked away. Having won that fight Cobra left the room and went out into the living room.

"Who's is it Sha- WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Cobra stopped and pointed accusingly at Angel. She was seated comfortably on the couch playing with a few feathers.

"Nice to see you to Cobra." She hummed, not looking at him.

Cobra moved around the couch and stood in front of her. "Angel." He growled.

"What?" She looked at him. "I told you we would stay in touch didn't I?"

"I didn't think you would come barging into my home! How'd you find it? How'd you get in it-were thirty feet in the air!"

Angel laughed. "I'll tell you later. I hear your going with them?"

"With them?"

"The move." She said seriously. Cobra paled. "I also hear you've gotten quite attached to a certain fairy tail wizard." She raises an eyebrow.

"How do you know all that?"

Angel sighed. "The villagers are going on about the one and only poison Dragon Child fought to the death for a fire Dragon Child. Because he loves him."

Cobra's face went beat red and he stared at the ground. It was only a matter of time before his guild found out. He didn't think it would be so soon though. He just saved Natsu from a rapist and confessed to him two days ago. News travels fast.

"I didn't think you swung that way."

"Neither did I..." Cobra muttered.

"Cobra? Who is it-" Natsu froze in coming out of the hallway, he stared at Angel with a blank expression. Angel smiled and waved.

Cobra groaned loudly and face palmed. He took a deep breathe to calm down then spoke. "Natsu... You remember my friend... Angel..."

"Yeah..." He almost whispered. "I do... Hard to forget someone who beats the shit out of your friends."

Angel still smiled. "I'm really sorry about that Natsu. If it helps any I can guarantee we won't be doing it again."

"Sure..." Natsu muttered, he watched her carefully as he moved into the kitchen.

Cobra limply collapsed down into one of the chairs, Shara instantly scurried over and crawled right into his lap. Angel watched her do this.

"Yeah... Uhm Cobra." She asked.

"Hm." He leaned his head on his palm and closed his eyes while Shara started playing yet again with one of his side burns.

"Who's the girl?"

"I'm his daughter!" Shara giggled happily.

Angel looked dumbfounded. "What?!"

Cobra opened one eye. "We adopted her."

Shara looked proud when he said that. The silver haired celestial Mage blinked a few times before composing herself again. "W-well... I'll be returning to Brain with a lot of news..."

"I would prefer if you didn't." Cobra said bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Angel sat back confused. "I have to report back to brain."

"No you don't." Cobra sighed. "You just choose to. You could stay here with us, or come to Mount Ís Drekkin with the village."

"You know I can't blend in without-" she stopped suddenly making Cobra look at her with curiosity. She was seated on the couch staring at him in amazement. Her blue eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, she looked excited somehow.

"Did you say Mount Ís Drekkin...?" She asked slowly.

Cobra nodded his head, thinking Angel was being really weird all of a sudden. She stood up quickly. "Oh my god all the legends just might be true!"

"Legends?" He asked. Shara pulled away and started giggling. Angel would have talked but she put her hands over her mouth in an attempt to not laugh. "What? What?!"

Angel looked around then grabbed a reflective dish that was sitting on the coffee table. She held it up in front of him a he saw Shara had braided the tufts that hung on the side of his head. He looked ridicules.

"God damn it Shara..." He mumbled under his breathe. The girl giggled and hopped off, running into the kitchen before Cobra decided to get her back.

Angel put the dish down and sat on the edge of the coffee table while Cobra worked the little braids out of his hair. "Cobra, you know brain isn't going to like you wanting to stay here right."

"Fuck Brain." Cobra said bluntly. Angel looked surprised. "He doesn't give a damn about us and you know it."

"Cobra-" Angel tried to say but the man cut her off.

"I'm offering now Angel. You can come with us. Or you can go back to Brain and be his lap dog like always."

"What's gotten into you?" Angel asked dumb struck. Cobra was like a different person now to her. He always used to behave albeit he did how own stuff but he didn't act like a rebellious teenager. When he didn't answer she sighed. "Even if I chose to I couldn't. I'm human, I can only visit you like this because of Midnights illusion magic."

Cobra sighed as he finished fixing his hair. "Alright."

Angel stood there awkwardly for a while before standing up. "Speaking of midnight... I need to go. He's probably getting tired with using so much magic..."

"Good bye, Angel." The dragon said simply.

"Bye Cobra." And with that she walked to the terrace and jumped down. Cobra didn't know how she intended to survive a fall like that but when he didn't hear a thump or scream he assumed she was fine.

Natsu came out of the kitchen holding hands with Shara. She was munching on some toast. "Having problems, Cobra?"

The dragon sighed and sunk into the seat. "Not anymore..."

"Well. It's time to go."

Cobra stood up and stretched his wings, getting ready to go and meet up with Stella and Mino. "Lets hit the sky."

"You just love taking your sweet time don't you." Stella remarked as she sat against a tree.

"Well sorry." Cobra snapped. He was bruises and had twigs coming out of his hair. Natsu wasn't much better. Their daughter was fine though.

"What happened to you?" Mino asked raising his eyebrows.

"We had to crawl back up through that hole." Natsu whined pulling a branch out of his shirt. "You know, the same one we fell through to get to the valley."

"Oh yeah. You've never done that before." Stella sounded uninterested and she checked her claws.

"Thanks for helping us." Cobra growled. Stella smiled at him.

"Anytime."

"How Long is this trip going to take?" Natsu asked walking up.

"A few days?" Mino sounded like he was asking a question.

"Better get started then." Cobra cracked his knuckles.

"Fly ahead and stay there." Stella said jerking her thumb to the sky. "You'll be air support and our eye in the sky in case something is out there looking for us."

The dragons were instantly reminded of Archen and his albino henchman Paleoth. Cobra wouldn't mind seeing her again just I have a real fight. She was fun. The tan male nodded his head and took flight.

"Be safe Mr. Cobra!" Shara called up to him. He waved down to her and took off ahead, disappearing into the tall thick trees.

"Lets get walking." Stella sighed and started up. Mino and the others followed her silently.

It wasn't easy to strike up a conversation. Natsu would try but Stella wasn't the type to do small talk and Mino zoned in and out constantly. He asked what the earth dragon was thinking about but Mino would just mutter "things" and zone out again.

Instead Natsu opted for watching Shara and even the sky for Cobra. It wasn't often but he could see his mate circle around over them to check on them or get a look at behind them, making sure they weren't being followed. Shara on the other hand would constantly run off into the woods because she found something to entertain herself and Natsu would have to call her back. At one point she came back with a squirrel, still alive. Natsu had told her to put it back. The shadow dragon would even go and bother Stella for a while, who didn't look happy about it.

It was one of those moments; so while the water dragon watched Shara, Natsu approached Mino again. He tapped his shoulder and he looked over. "Hm?"

"What's Mount Ís Drekkin like?" Natsu asked.

"Uh well. I already said its an ice fortress and that was no understatement. The entire city is surrounded by a massive thick ice wall to protect it. The city itself is carved into a mountain." Mino explained. It was the first time in a few hours after they left. "The city is kind of inside the mountain I guess. Hence why the Dragon children call the place Mountain rather than City Ís Drekkin."

"Makes sense. It's not to cold is it? I mean I'm not to affected by it seeing as my body temperature is higher than others but what about you guys?" Natsu asked tilting his head.

Mino chuckled. "Thanks for the concern but it's not needed." He looked forward again. "It can get chilly but the only ice part of it is the wall and top of the mountain. The mountain itself is pretty large so humans can't find anything if they happen to go inside it. Take a look you can see it from here."

Mino pointed ahead and Natsu hallowed his finger. He could see different sized mountains all looking the same, but one right in the front stood out the most. It was the largest and almost looked alive. Snow and ice was at its peak looking like a blanket had been simply tossed over it.

"It's that one?" Natsu asked surprised. He didn't think it was so close to the Valley.

"Yup!" Mino nodded with a big grin on his face. "Impressive right? It's the most fortified Dragon Child settlement yet!"

"There's more?" Natsu wouldn't be surprised at the fact there was, more about how they all managed to stay hidden for so long and just remain a legend.

"Absolutely." Mino said. "Including The Valley and Ís Drekkin there's Four. There used to be five but the fifth one..."he faultered, like he didn't want to say it.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked looking worried.

"Well. The fifth location is called Lost City. It had another name but it was forgotten to time. Not many people can remember what it originally was. It's name speeds for itself, no one knows where it is."

"What happened to it?" Natsu asked, truly interested.

"It was abandoned."

Both beta dragons looked forward to Stella. She was still walking, not even glancing at them. She hadn't looked back even once during the whole conversation.

Natsu swallowed a lump in his throat before speaking. "Abandoned?"

"That's what the books say-" Mino tried to interjected but Stella cut him off with her crisp and authoritative voice.

"It's true. The entire city was abandoned a long long time ago. And then buried by its old inhabitants."

There was a long silence. Then Shara asked the question that Natsu was to intimidated to ask.

"Why did they abandon it?"

Stella glanced down at her then back at Natsu and Mino. The salamander's breathe hitched, for once Stella had the emotion of sorrow in her eyes. He's never seen her show much of anything except mockery and sarcasm. Seeing this on one of the supposed 'strongest dragon children' gave Nastu a bad feeling.

"Because they found something they shouldn't have."

The subject was dropped there when she looked back forward. Natsu glanced to Mino who looked just as intimidated as he did. Stella was a mystery to Natsu. He knew nothing about her. Or Mino for that matter...

"Everyone stop!" Cobra called from above. All the betas froze and looked up to him. He was gliding down towards them. He landed in front of the group with a bloody rag in his hand.

"What that?" Stella asked holding her hand out to take it.

Cobra tossed it to her. "A jacket of some kind. It's covered in blood, it's fresh."

The water dragon caught it and unfolded it, it was a sleeveless orange vest with no buttons. It was ripped in several pieces and covered in blood, old and new.

Stella sniffed it and cringed. "It's a Dragon Child. A young one. It's gotta be the same age as our little shadow dragon here." She looked at Shara who was staring at the bloody cloth. Mino was instantly at Stella's side.

"It could be the one we were looking for earlier!" He spoke quickly. "The one from the crashes vehicle!"

"Cobra!" Natsu called.

"In already on it." Cobra had his eyes closed and head tilted up. Natsu could see his ears twitching as he rotate his head every now and again.

"Hear anything?" Stella asked.

The former dragon slayer scrunched up his face. "I do... He's wounded whoever he is... I can hear him panting and wheezing..." Cobra's head jerked to the left of the group, the direction they had been going in. "He must have been running for a long time. He's wheezing pretty hard."

"He ran this far from the crash?" Mino asked surprised. "Impressive for a child."

Cobra's ears twitched again and he smirked. "I heard that." He opened his eyes and pointed forward at a patch of thick greenery. "He's there."

The bushes shook violently as something small ran off.

Stella dived for the child, tossing the garment in her hands to the side. There was a yell and the sound of a fight.

"Let me go! Stupid woman!"

There was also the sound of a fist hitting someone in the head. Stella came back out holding the kid by the back of his dirty and bloody shirt. She held him up for everyone to get a good look. He had blonde hair spiked backwards, pretty clear blue eyes and a scar up above his right eye, it angled down and crossed over his eyebrow. His black shirt was ripped and filthy along with his brown shorts. He had pure white scales with creamy colored fur at the end of his tail. He had a tiny pair of wings that fluttered at his back feebly. His hands and feet matched the appendage coming out of his back side.

"He smells different..." Mino pointed out. "Like you two."

Natsu and Cobra glacé to each other. Natsu approached him and the child froze and stared at him.

"Hey kid, are you a dragon slayer?"

The blond boy gapped at Natsu and nodded his head. "Yeah..."

"What happened to you?"

"I was with Lector... When this lady grabbed me and took me away. When I woke up I was in some cage and had these." He wagged his tail and fluttered his wings. One looked injured because it didn't move as much.

"Did the woman have white hair?" Cobra asked.

"No. Red. Are you Natsu Dragneel?"

The pinkette blinked in surprise. "Yes, I am how did you know my name?"

"Your famous!" The little white dragon yelped happily. "I've always wanted to meet you, your so strong! I promised lector I would meet you and fight you!"

"Who's Lector?" Mino asked.

"My exceed." The kid said proudly. "He wants to be my protege. But I have to fight Natsu first! I never thought I would meet you! Everyone said your went missing! But your Natsu the strongest dragon slayer I know you couldn't have gone missing!"

Natsu was taken aback by all this. Apparently almost all of Fiore new he was missing. Guess Fairy Tail went screaming around asking where he was. While he processed the info Stella shook the kid up and down. "What's your name kid?"

"Sting! Sting Eucliffe! My dad was Weislogia the white dragon!"

"Your dad went missing too?" Natsu asked sadly.

Sting drooped. "No... He made me kill him..."

No one spoke after that. They all glanced to each other silently. Shara stepped forward, Natsu was surprised she was quiet for so long. She poked Sting's shoulder and the kid yelped.

"That hurt!"

Natsu looked to Stella. "We can't leave him..."

"I know that." She said then promptly through the child at Natsu. He flung his arms out surprised and caught him. Sting clung to him for dear life. His tail thrashing this way and that. "He's all yours now."

"What?" Cobra snapped. "I already adopted one!"

"Do I get a brother!?" Shara asked bouncing up and down.

Stella knelt down and smiled at The shadow dragon, petting her head softly. "That's right. Natsu and Cobra are going to adopt this boy and keep him safe and love him just like you."

"YAY!" Shara ran at Cobra and tackled his legs, almost knocking him over. "THANK YOU THANK YOU MR. COBRA!"

Cobra glanced worriedly to Natsu and e gave a sheepish expression back. Sting leaned back from in Natsu's arms. "Adopting? Your adopting me now?"

Natsu sighed. "I guess so..."

Sting smirked. "I'm okay with that. As long as I still get my fight."

"Someday..." Natsu sighed. "You'll get it someday."

"That's enough ladies!" Stella yelled waving her arm, a shit eating grin plastered to her face. "You can chit chat while we walk!"

Mino chuckled and followed her.

"See ya Natsu." Cobra said quickly then took off into the air again.

"Cobra!" The salamander yelled after his mate. But it was to late. He was already left alone with the two children. One in his arms the other coming over to hold his hand.

"Thanks guys..." Natsu sighed, looking unamused. "Thanks a lot..."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Mount Ís Drekkin

Natsu felt winded as he climbed over another rock. The path up to the cities entrance was much steeper than it looked from far away. Stella and Mino were in front of him and he felt slightly relieved to learn they were having just as much trouble. Cobra had taken the kids on his back and flew ahead to the mountains entrance.

Stella looked back at him. She was breathing hard, probably because of the thin air. "You okay down there?"

"I'll be better when we reach the entrance! How much farther?" Natsu called up to her.

"Just a little more! It's right up ahead."

Natsu groaned and crawled up another boulder. He foot slipped and the rock crumpled, loosing his footing he started sliding back. Fear gripped him tightly as he dug his claws into the creases of the rock so he wouldn't plummet to his death.

"Stella! Mino!" He shouted as his fingers started to ache and loose their grip. The two looked back to see Natsu clinging I the edge of a rock.

"Natsu!" Mino shouted. The salamander opened his mouth to cry for help but his hands gave way and he vanished behind the rock. The two beta's stared in horror where Natsu used to be.

"I'm not telling Cobra." Stella broke the horrible silence. Mino looked at her like she slapped him in the face for no reason.

"Not telling me what?" Cobra's voice came from behind them. They spun around, scared to tell him his mate just died, then they looked relieved because Natsu was cradled in his arms. "I found him falling to his death, you two know anything about that?"

"Nope."

"Not at all."

Natsu rolled his eyes and sat comfortably in Cobra's arms. The poison dragon raised an eyebrow. "Really. Well uh, I'll take Natsu up ahead then and you two can climb the rest on your own."

"Don't be a dick!" Stella shouted but he was already taking Natsu away. "That ass hole..."

"Thanks for catching me." Natsu said smiling and hugging Cobra around the neck.

"Of course, babe. Like I was just going to let you die." He pecked Natsu on the lips making his face heat up. Cobra enjoyed the bashful look his mate got.

He landed on the snow covered ground in front of a solid block of ice. It covered most of this side of the mountain and looked thick.

"This is the entrance." Cobra said approaching the wall. He placed a hand on it and pushed. An outline appeared and a chunk of the ice slowly began to open like it a door. "Go ahead."

Natsu poked his head inside it finding a set of stairs leading into the mountain. Fire on the walls lit the whole way down and he wasn't all that surprised to the staircase also made of ice. He put his bare, dragon like foot down on the first step.

"It's not cold." He looked at Cobra surprised, who smirked at him as he passed.

"Cool right? According to some guards I met the entire city is like that."

Natsu got an image of a city seemingly made of glass, glittering gloriously and beautifully in sunlight. Natsu grinned. "I can't wait."

He followed Cobra down the stairs as the door closed by itself behind him. Natsu had to resist the urge to eat the flaming torches that served as their only light source in the mountain right now. The trip down was long.

"How deep is the city?" Natsu asked.

"I'm not sure." Cobra hummed. "I didn't ask but it's pretty far down. After all they don't want humans finding it."

Natsu suddenly saw a light up ahead, they approached it and as they got closer the pinkette realized it was the exit. He came out and big didn't even describe the size of the cavern he saw. Inside it was a city, blue and crystalline, glittering like rare gems. Cold looking water moved in the streets instead of roads, he could see Dragon Children on boats and even some swimming in the water as they get from one destination to the next. He gazed around at the walls of the Cavern; they didn't look naturally formed, instead it was almost like some giant creature had dug down and carved out this giant covered crater. Score marks were old looking and embedded in the walls. Lacrima were embedded in the top of the walls, four giant ones that served as a form of artificial sunlight for the undergrounders.

"Amazing." Natsu breathed out. He looked to Cobra to find him staring at the lacrima with interest. "Biggest I've ever seen."

Cobra blinked and looked over at him. "What?"

"The lacrima." Natsu pointed to one and Cobra looked back at it. "I bet they have it to serve as sunlight sense they can't get the real thing."

"Yeah..." Cobra sounded like he was deep in thought. He was starring at the glowing crystal closest to them. The fire dragon was about to ask if he was okay when a rock suddenly flew out from behind them and thwacked Cobra in the back of the head. He went lurching forward and face plants into the ground.

Natsu spun around to see Stella juggling another rock in her hand. She and Mino were exiting the stair case. "you're an asshole, you know that?" The water dragon said coming over. "That's what you get for abandoning us like that.

"You were fine on your own!" Cobra snapped bringing his head up. He had a big red mark where he hit the ground.

"And why did Natsu get special treatment?" She was pissed.

"Cause he's my mate and almost died!"

"Sure sure, whatever." Stella tossed the rock away then walked along the cliff that overlooked the glittering city below. She whistled. "Wow still as fabulous as ever. How much cleaning supplies you think they go through on this place?"

"Who cares." Cobra snapped. "Lets just go. Shara and Sting are waiting for us."

Stella grunted and started walking to a slope that led down to the cities main gates. It was made up of double doors made of THICK ice that were decorative. Natsu doubted he would be able to melt trough them.

The doors swung open slowly as they approached. Once wide open everyone could see the native Dragon Children on the other side. The city was truly dazzling. Any ground that wasn't water was the same ice that made up the protective entrance. Natsu followed Stella and Mini along a side walk that lined the river road. He stopped and bent over to look into the crystal clear blue water. Young water Dragon Children were swimming around, playing tag and racing. Unlike Stella, who was also a water type, these Dragon Children had webbed hands, gills, and tails that resembled a Dolphins. They had soft looking blue, aqua, or grey skin in the place of their scales. The kids swam fast, Natsu would never be able to keep up. He smiled as they went by.

"Natsu!"

The salamander looked ahead. Cobra was waiting for him as everyone was climbing onto large gondola. He hurried to catch up and stopped at the edge of the boat, hesitant to get on.

Cobra jumped on rocking the gondola slightly. He looked back at Natsu as he stood on the edge of the dock/sidewalk.

"Natsu?"

"Do I have to get on?" Natsu whined. Cobra gave him an "Are you serious?" look.

"Natsu..." His mate sighed. "The entire city floats on water. The way to get around his by boat you have to if you're not getting to our assigned home."

Natsu whined and begrudgingly crawled onto the boat and sat down next to Cobra. As soon as it started moving he got green with nausea and flopped over onto the poison eaters lap.

Cobra raised an eyebrow at him then just pat his head with a sigh. "There there, Natsu, there there."

"Is he okay?" Mino asked leaning over the back of his seat to look at the pink haired dragon.

"Yeah. Just the motion sickness. Mino gave them a sympathetic look then turned back around. Cobra closed his eyes and relaxed. Taking that moment to rest before he had to go and live with five other Dragon Children.

"Welcome home Mr. Cobra! Natsu!" Shara squealed from inside the living room. "You to Aunt Stella and Uncle Mino!"

"Don't call me that." Stella said bluntly as she walked past the girl into the back rooms.

Natsu walked in ruffling up Shara's hair. "Where's Sting?"

"I dunno." She shrugged then skipped away to Cobra. Natsu looked around the big area that was now their home. The building itself resembled a real house rather than a cave. It was carved and built into the sides of the cavern, almost hanging off the side of it. A nice stair case that went through a small garden led up to their home. They had several more as neighbors and it turned out these homes are specifically made for the Valley dragons that came up to visit every year. It was a two story house, with five bedrooms-Even though only four were probably going to be used- four bathrooms and a big kitchen and living room. The outside of it looked like ice but the inside was a normal house. Natsu peeked into the kitchen and passed through the living room to reach the stair case. He followed it up and looked into one of the rooms. It was full of furniture and carpets covered the ground. It still had the dip in the ground that served as the sleeping nest that Natsu had gotten so used to. He left the room and Sting was suddenly behind him, the salamander jumped in surprise and looked down at the child.

"Jeez Sting, you can move quietly..."

The blonde boy smiled at him. "This place is really big right!"

"Yeah it is. Where's your room?" Natsu asked looking along the line of doors on either side of him.

"Same as yours." Sting pointed to the door at the very end of the house. Natsu looked at him funny before going down to it. He opened the door to find a room that looked exactly the same as the other one he had looked at. The only difference is a large window that over looked the whole ice city was on one side of the room and the nest was bigger than the other. Pillows and blankets already filled it.

"We share a room?" He asked looking at the white dragon.

"I guess so. That's what the guys who showed me here said. Family's sleep in the same room..."

Natsu noticed how the boy got quieter as he mentioned 'Family.' Natsu pat his head and he looked up pouting a little.

"I know that as a parent, I can't replace Weislogia, but I do want to treat you like my child if you'll let me?" Sting was silent and Natsu took that as a sign he was aloud to continue. "I lost my own dragon too. His name was Igneel. And I didn't kill him... But he disappeared on me when I was your age. We won't be a prefect family, what with you having two dads... And the fact we're all half dragon... But me and Cobra will do out best to look after you till you're all grown up."

Sting's shoulders shook slightly as he leaned against Natsu's leg, one of his arms wrapping around to hug it tightly. Natsu smiled to himself and pet the boys head softly. He could tell Sting had been alone in the world except for his exceed. A family may be what the kid needs.

"So where's your mate?" Natsu heard a voice call from down stairs. It sounded female but not like Stella's or Shara's this was someone new. He let Sting go and wondered downstairs, the blonde followed.

Cobra was standing in the big living room with another Dragon Child beta. She had dark tan skin, like Cobra's but not like caramel. Her hair was silver and tied back in a spiky pony tail at the top if her head. Her dark red eyes were barely visible over a pair of small sun glasses that sat low on her nose. A decorative tank top and pants made up her attire. What caught Natsu's attention most was her scales. They were a shiny white looking almost translucent, when the light hit it right they shimmered a rainbow-y way, like how a light hits a prism and colors come out the other side. Her tail was pretty normal except for diamond like studs going down the top and one big spear head shape one at the tip.

She looked over at him as soon as he came into the room. She had a serious looking face and her red eyes bore into him. A smirk graced her face. "This must be him."

Cobra glanced to Natsu. "Yeah..."

The woman walked up to him and held her clawed and lustered hand out to him. "I'm Maria Trapz. I'm a permanent resident here at Mount Ís Drekkin."

Natsu shook her hand. "Natsu Dragneel. I'm a Dragon slayer turned."

"Yes, my superiors told me about you." She took her hand back and crossed her arms over her busty chest. "I run security around here. If there's a problem you tell me first. I was told you and your mate were special." She glanced to Cobra with a smirk. "He's special in more ways than one."

Cobra growled at her and a look of jealousy and paranoia crossed over Natsu's features. Maria chuckled deeply.

"You can relax. I'm not interested in him. He's yours after all."

Natsu kept his eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure he trusted this woman, unfortunately his and his new families life would now be entrusted to her as long a they were here.

Maria bent down in a crouch to look at Sting, who was clutching Natsu's pants.

"This must be your son. You also have a daughter right? Both adopted?"

"That's right." Cobra said from his spot he hasn't moved yet but Natsu could tell he was ready to in case. Something about this woman was just setting both of them off...

She pet Stings head while smiling. "He's a handsome lad."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Everyone looked to the stair case to see Stella stomping down. Maria's expression changed and she stop up strait. She had a dark look to her now, Stella didn't look much different. She got right up in Maria's face, the silver haired woman was taller by a few inches.

"Get the hell out." She hissed through her teeth.

"Still the same as always, McLean." Maria narrowed her red eyes in a glare at the water dragon, she glared back.

Shara, who had been playing in a corner rushed to Cobra's side and hung onto him. He put a reassuring hand on her head but kept his eyes on the two tense Females.

"Don't call me that." Stella hissed angrily.

"Why not? It's your name after all."

"But you lost the right to say it!"

"Oi!" Cobra shouted. The two girls cast their angry gazes to him. He looked unfazed, having seen more and worse over the years of being in a dark guild. "I don't care what you two are so pissed off at each other for but if your going to have some hissy fit do it somewhere else!"

Stella growled deep in her throat she snapped her head to Maria. "I don't ever want to see you around here again."

The water dragon the spun around, smacking Maria in the stomach with her tail as hard as she could before going up the stairs and shortly after a door slammed.

There was a long awkward silence before Narsu broke it. "History much?"

The tan woman chuckled but didn't sound amused. "You could say that. I'll see you around the city."

She turned around and left the house, closing the door with a soft click. Natsu moved to his mate quickly, taking Sting with him. "What's her deal?"

Cobra was staring at the door confused and frustrated looking. "I don't know. I can't hear her thoughts though."

That must have been why Cobra was being so cautious around her. He couldn't hear her singe didn't know if she was trustworthy. And not everyone carries around special magic that stops Cobra from listening, expect ally if they don't know he can do it in the first place.

"I don't think we have a choice but to trust her." The former Orecion seis member said. Natsu nodded in agreement.

"There's something about that I don't like..."

Suddenly the lights began to dim all around them.

"What's going on?" Sting asked.

"I don't know..." Natsu muttered then moved to the window. He saw the whole city was dark, he realized it was the Lacrima in the ceiling. All four of them had gone dim to simulate night time. "Oh, it's time for bed."

"Awwww." Shara whined. "Is it really? I wanted to go look at the City..."

"We can do it tomorrow." Cobra said picking her up. "Lets all hit the hay for now."

"Okay..." She said sadly but a yawn shortly followed. "I'm not even tired."

Cobra chuckled as he carried her up the stairs. "Sure your not."

Natsu felt Sting tug on his sleeve and looked down. The boy was looking shy and nervous as he played with his shirt. "We're all... Sleeping together right?"

Natsu smiled. "Yes of course."

Sting smiled a little. "Okay. I'll go get ready for bed." He pitter pattered up the stairs; Natsu went up with him, yawning and stretching. He'd be glad to get a good nights sleep after the long trip to this beautiful mountain city.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Stella McLean

Per Shara's request/demand the family went down to the ice city the next afternoon.

She was skipping around and bouncing up and down the sidewalks excitedly. A few of the city folk would laugh at her and move, others looked annoyed. Sting was latched onto Natsu's long sleeve so he wouldn't get lost, the salamander himself was giving Cobra a strange look. He was staring at that Lacrima again, the exact same big one from when they first arrived. Natsu tried talking to him but he must be casting his hearing somewhere else because he didn't respond in the slightest.

Natsu sighed and shook his head. He noticed his daughter going farther ahead into the crowd. "Shara, come back I don't want to loose you." He yelled after her vanishing form.

"Okay Natsu!" She replied and came back out of the crowd. She slowed down. "uhhh." Her little black hand pointed towards Cobra.

There was the sound of a yell then a splash. Water flecks hit Natsu and he looked over to see Cobra missing and ripple marks in the water. He bent over and saw through the clear water; Cobra was looking very confused, his cheeks puffed up as he held in air. The little finned water dragons swam to him quickly like hungry fish to bait. They grabbed him and started dragging him this way and that in an attempt to get him to play. He tried shooing them away but his scales and wings weren't made to go under water like the water dragons slick skin, so his movements were much more slow and the children just laughed at him finding it funny. He probably looked like he was going in slow-motion compared to them.

Suddenly a ton of bubbles came up to the surface as Cobra couldn't hold his breath anymore and relaxed. His eyes rolled back for a second as lack of oxygen started knocking him unconscious.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Sting asked while looking up at Natsu.

"Yeah we should." Natsu sighed, he knelt down and stuck his hand in the water-reaching for Cobra. One of the kids noticed and swam to Natsu. The girl grabbed his hand and played with it before nuzzling her cheek against his palm, the action reminded the salamander of a cat asking to be pet. He smiled at the funny girl but then she started trying to yank him inside the water.

"No I'm a fire dragon we don't swim well." He tried telling her but she kept pulling. "Let go-Cobra!"

The man look completely unconscious as he just floated there, the kids circled him trying to get a reaction. Natsu feared his mate just died when a hand grabbed his scarf and yanked him out of the water dragon grip. He was thrown to the side and saw Maria dive into the water. He blinked surprised as she pulled Cobra out of the water, he was gagging and coughing up water. Sting and Shara rushed over and helped the poison dragon as he collapsed on the edge of the sidewalk and just breathed. Maria climbed onto land and flicked water off of her hands.

"Sorry about that guys. The young water dragon around here are very playful." She said apologetically as she removed her shirt. Sting stared wide eyed at her bare chest, his mouth dropped open slightly. Natsu snatched up him and Shara, holding them by their heads with both his hands covering their eyes.

"Is it necessary to strip!?" Natsu hissed angrily. The beta dragon wrung her shirt out before throwing it back on. Everyone around them walked by with no interest except a few alphas who would stare before falling into the river roads themselves and become victims of the children.

"What? Oh right you normal humans hide your bodies excessively." She kicked her legs flicking water off of them.

"It's called having shame!" Natsu countered and Maria just shrugged.

She kicked Cobra's body. "You okay hot stuff?"

He groaned and coughed again. The silvernette laughed. "I'm really sorry. I would have warned you about the kids yesterday but Stella chased me out."

Natsu let the kids go and they rubbed their faces. "That hurt Natsu..." Shara whined.

"Sorry." He looked back to Maria. "So you know Stella?"

"Yup. I've known her sense she was a little little hatchling." She put her hand at thigh length to show how tall either she or Stella was at the time.

"You did? Why do you hate each other?" Natsu asked surprised.

Maria chuckled. "It's not a pretty story. I can tell you that. How about I tell you over lunch? My treat for you guys almost drowning?"

"Damn strait..." Cobra groaned. Sting and Shara laughed and Natsu just shook his head at his mate.

Natsu had never been in a Dragon Child Restaurant. It wasn't that different from a normal one back in Magnolia. Aside from the seats looking different, non of them had backs so the customers tail and and/or wings wouldn't be uncomfortable. The place was huge and packed, it was obviously popular, some place called Dreki Heim.

The five of them sat at a big round table in the back; Shara and Sting were having a contest on who could stack the most toothpicks without the structure falling over while the adults drank and talked.

"So, you knew Stella when she was a mean little shit?" Cobra asked around his glass.

Natsu threw a glare at him and he shrugged. Maria chuckled. "Believe it or not, she was a nice girl."

Natsu looked surprised. "Stella? NICE?"

The red eyed girl nodded her up and down like she didn't expect them to believe her. "It's true. She was nice and kind. She changed."

"We noticed." Cobra said bluntly.

"What happened?" Natsu asked shoving Cobra's leg to quiet him.

"One of our friends died..."

The table got quiet expect for the two children playing with their toothpicks.

Natsu swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn't know for sure if he wanted the first personal thing he ever learned about Stella to be the fact her friend died. That was the kind of thing she should tell him herself. Not hear it form a former childhood friend. Maria took their silence as a sign she could continue though.

"I was her friend, she lived here in Ís Drekkin. She's a native, we grew up together with another Dragon Child Named Layla. She was an alpha and... Stella liked her a lot." Maria sighed and took off her sunglasses. She stared into them, her crimson eyes watching her back in the reflection. "One day we were all outside the mountain where we shouldn't have been... But Stella was just dying to go and explore. Having lived in the city so long, seeing the same thing everyday, you get a hunger for something more. She wanted to see the sky. Being her friends we all agreed to go outside with her..." She closed her eyes, like she couldn't take her own stare anymore. "She wondered off, seeing the forest and wanting to go at in it. Me and Layla stayed back here on the mountain to watch. The ground started shaking and to opened up under us. Prior to the escape Layla had injured one of her wings and couldn't fly away. She fell in and I grabbed her hand. I tried to hold on but the ground was shaking to much... My grip slipped..."

She stopped there and put her glasses back on, pushing them all the way up on her nose so you couldn't see her eyes anymore. She took a deep breathe and let it out slowly while looking out the window. "Stella has always blamed me for dropping Layla. I didn't mean to, I tried to hold on. I told her all this but she refused to believe me. We stopped being friends and she ran away, for a long time I thought she die out there it got captured by the mages. But I guess she made it safe and sound to the Valley of Dragons."

"Yeah..." Natsu muttered awkwardly. "She's got friends now... No offense I'm sure you were heart broken when she hated you." Maria chuckled at that but didn't say anything. "She's befriended Mino and us. And I'm pretty sure she helps organize the guards back at the Valley."

"Mino?" Maria asked looking up interested. "You mean that fragile looking Earth dragon?"

"You get used to him after a while." Cobra stated finishing off the last of his drink, he was still staring longingly out the window at the lacrima.

"What is with you?" Natsu asked.

Cobra looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"You've been staring at that lacrima all damn day. Even yesterday- when we first got here! It's just a rock!" Natsu dropped his hand on the table shaking it and knocking over Sting and Stella's toothpick creations.

"Aww!" They both pouted and looked up to Natsu, their upset faces were replaced with worried ones when they saw Natsu glaring at Cobra.

"Your not fighting are you?" Stella asked quickly and leaning over the table.

Natsu glanced to her without saying anything. Sting sat silently. Cobra was quiet for a moment before saying: "No, we aren't. Just relax. Natsu..."

The salamander looked to him out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry for being so distracted. I just... Hear something..."

Natsu took the hint and relaxed. "Alright sorry for the outburst..."

"Hear something?" Maria asked raising her eyebrow.

"Cobra has special ears..." Sting muttered as he tried to rebuild his fallen toothpick tower.

"Special how?"

"I can hear things better than normal people." He said simply. "Like how there's a man running down the road right now."

A man suddenly went past the window. Natsu couldn't hear his fast footsteps even when he was right next to the window. Maria watched the man go by wit surprise. She slowly looked to Cobra. "You set that up..?"

"Nope. I just heard it."

"Hey Maria." Natsu said leaning over the table slightly. "I noticed your scales..."

Maria smiled widely. "You like them? They've caught many Alpha's eyes." She looked down at her forearm, she held it up so the sunlight could hit it and a flurry of rainbows shined on the table as the light bounced off. Shara stopped her toothpick play instantly and started playing with the rainbows.

"So pretty."

Sting stopped to and passed his ham over it a few times.

"What type of Dragon Child are you?" Natsu asked curiously.

"Diamond."

"Is that a native of Ís Drekkin? I haven't seen any Diamond Dragon Children around our valley." Natsu leaned back in his chair, Cobra was staring intently at Maria. Almost like he was hoping to burn a hole through her.

"No. Diamond Dragons are one of the several extinct species. You would know all about that wouldn't you Cobra?" She asked him. There was a look in her eyes and he narrowed his own brightpurple ones.

"Cobra?" Natsu asked looking to him.

The poison dragon didn't say anything at first. "I went to the library and read a few books."

"You? Read?" Natsu asked faking shock. Cobra shoved his head and the salamander laughed.

"Yes I read. I read a history book about Dragon Children. Apparently there was a big war and they were captured. Lots of them died and many species went extinct."

"Twenty to be exact." Maria chirped in. Cobra continued.

"On of the species listed was Diamond. Another was Poison..."

Natsu grabbed his shoulder tightly surprising him. "What?! Your the very last poison dragon ever?! Cobra that's insane!"

"I recommend making lots of babies." Maria teased taking a drink of tea.

Cobra blushed and glared at her though he didn't mean it. "Shut up. What about you? Your the last diamond dragon so the same goes for you!"

"I'm not ready for kids." The tan girl shrugged. "You however already have two of them." She waved a hand to the playful eight year olds at the table.

"Their adopted!" Cobra shot back. Natsu punched him in the ribs and he wheezed loudly as the air was knocked out of his lungs. "A-anyway... I was a poison dragon slayer turned into a Dragon Child ...what about you? You got two diamond dragon parents?"

"No, I don't." Maria said, laughing at the interactions between the two mates. "I was a recessive gene. My mother was an earth dragon and my father was a light. I guess I got lucky and was born with the Diamond ancestry. My brothers and sisters weren't so lucky."

"How many siblings do you have?" Natsu asked out of pure curiosity.

"Eight. Four are younger than me and three were born in the same clutch as me." She played with her fork twirled it around on the table.

"That's a lot of siblings." Natsu said surprised.

"That's a lot of kids..." Cobra muttered depressed. Natsu shoved him again.

Maria glanced around smiling when her eyes landed on a clock however she quickly stood up.

"What's wrong?" Sting asked.

"I have somewhere I have to be. Security issues. You don't mind if I leave do you?"

"Only if you leave money." Cobra said bluntly. He ended up with his head on the table as Natsu whacked him in the side again.

"God damn your rude!"

"...like your one to talk..." He whimpered out and slid onto the floor.

Maria dug around in her pants pocket and pulled out a stack of jewels. "Here. For your food wen you order it."

Natsu took it and thanked her before she left.

Shara looked up from her antics, having gone from rainbows to toothpicks again, and looked around confused. "Where's Mr. Cobra?"

"In time out." Natsu said smiling. "Now, are you guys hungry?"

"Yes!" Both kids gleefully said simultaneously.

Once everyone had eaten and Cobra finally pulled himself off the floor they were walking back home. The poison dragon had his shirt pulled up and was looking at a bruise on his naval.

"Look at this, you hit me to hard Natsu." He said prodding at it with a clawed finger.

Natsu had his nose up in the air and was walking ahead while holding hands with both Sting and Shara. "Well you should learn not to be so blunt and rude."

"I just call it as it is." Cobra said to his mate. Two dragon betas going by eyed Cobra's six pack and got flirtatious looks on their faces. Natsu noticed this and growled.

"Cobra please put your shirt down." He said. The poison dragon did so and adjusted his jacket and shirt so they weren't all ruffled up.

"Look it's Aunt Stella!" Shara said pointing ahead. The two Dragon Children looked up and saw the black haired girl coming at them as she moved with the crowd. She spotted them an came over but she paused when she was right in front.

"Where have you been..?" She asked while sniffing at them. Her eyes turned feral and she growled out: "You were with Maria!"

Cobra held a hand up as if to calm her down. "Relax, she told us your story."

"WHAT?!" The water dragon snapped furiously. Sting and Shara moved behind Natsu quickly as she clenched and unclenched her hands.

"Calm down!" Cobra said irritatedly. "We know Layla died."

Stella looked down at the ground her body shaking in rage. "First off, that was none of your god damned business. And second, you don't know anything."

"Stella-" Natsu starts but the female held up a finger right in his face.

"I'm going to say this once. And only once. You can NOT trust that woman. She will use you and get rid of you." She then walked right in between the two dragon slayers, bumping both their shoulders hard and storming away.

"She really hasn't let go has she?" Natsu said disappointedly.

Cobra shook his head and turned around to continue going home. Once back at the house cobra crashed on the couch and Shara joined him. Sting went off to play and Natsu was in the kitchen preparing dinner for later. He was going through the spice cabinets when someone knocked on the kitchen wall and he turned to see Mino.

"Hey..." The brown haired boy said awkwardly.

"Hi. Did you come to help?" Natsu put a few spices down on the counter and closed the cabinet.

"Sorry no... I heard you ran into Maria today." He played with his shirt feeling like he was stepping over a boundary.

"Yeah we went to lunch with her. She told us about Stella." Natsu opened. Drawer and pulled out a playing bag.

"Why did she say?" Natsu explained everything to the Earth dragon, even the bits Stella said about Maria. "Listen..." He came into the kitchen and sat down on a stool next to the island. "Stella doesn't lie about stuff. She's a really trustworthy person. An he's been through a lot."

"So you're telling me I should trust her when she says Maria is out to get us?"

"Don't put words in my mouth." Mino said simply. Natsu went back to work and let him talk on. "When Stella first came to our valley she looked almost crazy, she was so relieved to be away from this place. And every time the migration happened and she had to come back she hated it."

"What your point Mino?" Natsu asked putting some fish in the lag he had filled with spices.

"I'm telling you to take sides. But... Something happened here, and according to Stella... It's Still happening..."

Natsu stopped to look at the usually timid Earth dragon. He had a nervous expression, like he wasn't sure he was suppose to be saying this, but his deep blue eyes were completely serious. Natsu slowly nodded his head, he'd keep the information in mind for when ever he needed it. Mino nodded back and stood up and left.

Natsu went back to the fish, shaking the bag but his mind was somewhere else. Was there something wrong with this place? And what could it possibly be that it had to have started almost ten years ago?


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Under the mountain

Cobra resisted the strong urge to toss and turn in his nest. All kinds of sounds have been keeping him up lately, especially the one coming from the Lacrima. Its been ringing in his ears sense he first got here three days ago.

Drip, drip, drip

Sometimes the drips would be followed by the sound of a crack. It was so annoying and unnatural and he hated it. He couldn't find a way to tune it out he's tried everything from canceling his magic to earmuffs. He was about ready to scream from insanity because it wouldn't stop. He wanted to punch something but Natsu and the kids were asleep next to him. Even though he could hear that Sting wasn't asleep.

Cobra finally decided to check it out when he heard a powerful rumble in place of the small cracks. He slowly moved his wings up so they weren't wrapped around Natsu anymore. The Pinkette took no notice. He thanked god he was a hard sleeper. Slowly he removed himself form the nest and threw on his coat and pants. He glanced down the hall to make sure everyone was sound asleep before heading down the stairs and out the front door.

Cold night air hit him like a bullet. Sense the city was practically floating on water and sealed under a mountain the nights inside it were incredibly cold. He wrapped his jacket around him tighter and jumped up, spreading his wings and gliding up into the air. It was almost midnight and yet he could still see bits and places where people's light were still on in their home. Guards moved along the path ways and in boats, making sure no one was causing trouble at night or walking around where they shouldn't be.

He stayed high above the city keeping close to the dark spots along the ceiling so he wouldn't get caught by any prying eyes from bellow. It was a moment like this that he was glad his scales were purple, thy blende in well with the darkness. As he glided up along the roof he got a look at what he initially thought were claw marks, and that's exactly what they were. He paused in flight to stare up at the gouge marks. There was a patten to it: four marks consecutively next to each other but only three on another set- as if the creature that created this cavern was missing a finger or claw, or whatever it had used to dig.

Cobra moved on, flying towards the one lacrima that was closest to the entrance. The one that was annoying the crap out of him for so long. As he floated around it he compared it to the smaller version of it back at The Valley of Dragons. Both most likely served the same purpose: to hide and protect the cities they surrounded. But these four also acted as artificial sunlight and moonlight for the Citizens and plants.

Cobra lightly grazed his hand against, then he scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. He had expected to feel the crystal radiating with power, seeing as it must use a ton of magic to do what it does for long periods of time. But it felt cold and weak, like it was running out of power. Cobra kicked off the lacrima and flew to the one next to it. He touched this one and felt the power the other should have, it vibrated under his hand and it traveled up his arm and made his shoulder ache, plus it felt enough hot that Cobra couldn't keep his hand on it for long. He rubbed his warm hand and glanced around to the other two lacrimas, he didn't have a lot of time so he didn't want to visit all four of them. If he had to guess though the weak one was the only one acting up. He went back over to it and circled it. He stopped when he saw nothing near the bottom or top of it. He pressed his ear to the rigid side of the lacrima and heard several things.

He could hear the weak power moving through it, the drip drip of something inside it... And the sound of something breathing. He jerked his head away in fear as the image of a massive face came to his mind. Sharp teeth, cold and nearly lifeless blue eyes surrounded by black and white scales. He stared at the lacrima trying to figure out what he just saw, was the crystal alive somehow?

His ears twitched as he ears something else. Voices. They were coming from outside the mountain, however he couldn't make out what they were saying through the thick, magic protected walls. He flew down towards the cliff that had the stair case up, he paused there to glance behind him, making sure he wasn't being followed then climbed. He slowed down as he got closer to the surface and heard the voices.

"God damn it." An angry one shouted. "why am I in this god forsaken place?!"

"Because this is where you were assigned." A more calm and authoritative tone replied.

They were both female and came from farther up the mountain. Cobra stayed hidden in the stairs, he had to make sure if they were just mages traveling or not.

The calm voice continued. "Besides, I'm here too."

"But that's your choice, damn it! I'm here against my will!"

"Stop shouting."

"Why?" It's not like those stupid lizards can hear me."

Cobra narrowed his eyes. These women, whoever they are, know the village is here. And the only reason someone would chase a big legend like Dragon Children was because Archen told them to. The poison dragon moved closer up the stairs and slowly opened the ice door that led to the outside world. Snow blew in and he shuttered. He hated the cold... He stuck his head outside and looked around, up above him he could see two woman on a ledge. One had short curly red hair and dressed in skimpy armor, when she turned her head and Cobra got a look at her face he saw she had wild orange eyes, psychopathy was practically written all over her face and posture. The other woman had her back to him, all he could see was long Blonde hair and baggy cargo pants with electrical wires hanging down like suspenders.

He started to come out more to get a look at the blonde woman but the sound of claws against the icy stair case made him zip around. Sting was standing there holding his foot where he had stubbed it, he was biting his lip and whimpering, trying so hard not to cry out.

"Hold it in!" Cobra hissed and looked out the door again. The women were still there. He quickly close the door and rushed down the stairs, scooping up Sting in the processes and leaving quickly. Once out of the stair case sting let out a arranged cry.

"Oowww! My foot hurts now! That stupid stair case!"

Cobra held him out at arms length, giving him a stern look. "What are you doing here."

Sting took a few breathes to calm down. "I saw you leave..."

"And you followed me?"

Sting nodded. "It wasn't easy... I don't know how to fly right." He fluttered his white scales wings.

Cobra glanced behind him them back at Sting. "Did you hear anything?"

"Hear anything?" The white dragon tilted his head. "No. I just saw you looking outside... What were you doing?"

"Nothing. Sting listen, this never happened okay?" Cobra got a serious tone and that worried the child.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, okay? You can't tell Natsu about this. Promise?"

Sting looked unsure but nodded his head. "I promise... On one condition."

"What's that?" Cobra raised an eyebrow. He might follow it depending on what it was.

"Teach me to fly?"

The poison dragon blinked then laughed. "Yeah of course!"

Sting got a great big smile on his face. "Really?!"

"Yeah. I'll do it tomorrow morning. It's late right now and if we get caught were in big trouble." Cobra held Sting to his chest and flew off again. "By the way, if you leave the nest again this late at night, I'm punishing you."

Sting twitched in his arms. "Y-yes sir."

The following morning Cobra was woken with a tackle hug and a flurry of "WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP."

"I'm up I'm up whaz goin on." He slurred drowsily as he lifted his head and looked around. His hair was a mess, completely flat and not it's usual spiked backwards appearance, drowsy bags were under his eyes. Sting was up in his face, excited and everything. "Zting?"

Natsu moaned and turned next to Cobra, he brought his scruffy pink head up from under his mates wing and looked at Sting with drowsy and confused eyes. "What time is it?"

"Eight in the morning."

Both men groaned loudly and threw their heads down onto their pillows. Sting whined and shook Cobra's shoulders. "No no no you promised you promised!"

"What did you promise him..." Natsu groaned into the pillow.

Cobra yawned seemingly unfazed by Sting's attempts. "To teach him to fly."

"Cobra!" Sting yelled at him. Natsu grabbed the pillow and stuck it over his head. His mate nuzzled into his own pillow getting comfortable again.

"Wake me up again around ten..."

Sting pouted, looking very upset with his cheeks puffed out. "But daaaadddd!" He whined.

Cobra looked up at that. His eyebrow was raised and he had and amused look in his eyes. "What was that?"

Sting was blushing a dark red and he refuse to speak. Cobra shrugged and went back to laying down. "Guess you didn't say anything. See you in a few hours."

"Dad! I said Dad! Now get up and teach me!" Sting started pounding his fists on his head. Cobra chuckled and waved the boy off of him.

"Alright, alright. I'm up."

Sting got up and ran out of the room. Cobra sat up and did a little cat stretch to crack his back and stretch his wings out. Natsu stayed where he was, probably intending to sleep in a little longer. "He called you Dad."

"I noticed." Cobra yawned then stood up strait. He threw on his clothes and kissed Natsu's head before going down stairs. Stella and Mino were already up and about. The male in the kitchen making breakfast and the female looking through papers while drinking coffee.

"Do we have more of that?" Cobra asked pointing to her coffee mug. She looked up from taking a drink then used her head to point through the window into the kitchen where the coffee machine was. "Thanks."

Sting was running around the living room excited. Shara sat on the couch, still dressed in her pajamas, as she watched him and ate her breakfast.

"Stop running in the house Sting, you'll hurt yourself or break something." The poison dragon called out to him while grabbing a cup and pouring himself coffee. The boy slowed down and came over to the kitchen, hopping on a stool next to Stella. She looked down at him and smiled gleefully up at her.

"Morning Aunt Stella." He chirped.

She raised an eyebrow before ruffling up his hair and replying "Good morning."

Cobra chuckled at the interactions between the two before coming our of the kitchen coffee in hand. "Lets go Sting."

"Yes dad!"

Shara's head shot up at that. "Dad?! Why does he get to call you dad?!"

The tan male walked past her. "You can too now if you want."

Shara blinked ad smiled widely. "Yay!" She put her empty play on the coffee table and followed the two alpha dragons outside. "Whatcha doing?"

"Teaching Sting to fly." Cobra walked down to a clear patch of what could be their front lawn.

"Can I watch?" Shara asked.

"I don't see why not."

She jumped with glee and sat down on some grass, content.

Sting stood strait in front of Cobra. The poisons dragon knelt down and put his cup on the grass. He made a twirling motion with his finger. "Turn around for a second?"

Sting did as he was told so his wings faced Cobra now. The poison dragon grabbed one gently and stretched it out it was probably the same length as Sting himself wen fully stretched out. He moved the wing around then put it back, he grabbed the next in and stretched it. Sting winced. When Cobra started moving it the young dragon child started to quickly tell him to stop.

"It hurts?" Cobra asked putting the wing down.

Sting nodded his head. "Yeah... When that red haired lady caught me she kicked my wings and hurt them."

"Your wings hurts and you still want to fly with it?"

"Yes! It was hard following you last night but I want to learn!" Cobra glared at him and he shied away. "Sorry I forgot..."

The tan male sighed and stood up strait. "Well. I can try and teach you. I had to teach myself pretty fast."

"Why?"

"Cause I had jumped out a window, if I didn't learn I would have plummeted to the ground."

"Oh..."

Cobra clapped his hands. "Anyway. When you fly you got to let the wind carry you. So keep your wings spread out all the way at all times." His own wings extended. Their span much longer than his own height. "You flap when you think you're loosing altitude."

"What's altitude?" Sting asked raising his hand.

"How high you are in the sky." Cobra pointed up at the air. "If you think you're getting to low to the ground you flap your wings and you'll get carried up again."

"Okay."

"When you want to turn, or bank, to the left or right just tilt your body in the direction you want to go. You can also learn to hover." Cobra hopped and flapped his wings so he just hovered a little off the ground. "This is good for landing or taking off." He flapped harder and he started to rise in the air then leaned forward slightly and his wings have a huge heave. He flew forward and did a spiral into the air.

"Wow!" Shara and Sting gawked at the same time. Cobra puffed his chest out feeling a little proud of himself.

"You have to keep your wings flapping at the same time or you'll wobble. Give it a try." He waved to Sting, gesturing for him to come up to the sky with the older man.

The boy glanced back at his wings and started flapping them slowly, he winced as they hurt but he gradually flapped them harder. Once he thought they were good enough he did a bunny hop, he wobbled in the air a little trying to get his balance.

"Flap them at the same time Sting!" Cobra called down. He nodded and concentrated, he stopped wobbling and started rising in the air. "That's it! Now come on up here with me!" Sting flapped harder and slowly started moving towards Cobra. He leaned forward and that sped him up. He glided up to his adopted father and hovered in front of him.

"I did it!" The blonde cheered happily. Cobra pat his head and smiled at him.

"Good job kiddo. Think you can follow me?" He jerked his head to show which direction he was going to go in.

"Yes!" Sting said with a determined expression.

"Alright, lets go." Cobra turned around and flew off. Sting followed slower but stayed close so he could still see Cobra and which direction he would turn. They glided low in the city at first, many other Dragon Children watched them go and a few little kids waved. They then flew up closer to the ceiling of the cavern, moving around the hanging lacrima.

As Cobra flew past the entrance of the City he remembered the woman. He cast his hearing to the Lacrima, still the drip sound occurred. It could just be water falling onto it from a pocket above it. It could be his imagination thinking of crazy things. He let it be for now and glided to the other side of the cavern. Every now and again he glanced back to make sure Sting was still there and keeping up. They glided along the far wall, getting ready to circle around back home.

Suddenly a large gust got up underneath Stings wings.

"COLD!" He shouted and curled in on himself, his wings started flapping inconstantly.

"Sting!" Cobra shouted worriedly and glancing bak to him.

The gust blew again much stronger and the boys wings got slower.

"Sting you need to keep flapping!" The older man shouted back to him. But the boy was just getting slower and slower, gradually dropping in altitude.

"I-it's to cold..." Sting whimpered out. His wings stopped moving all together and he plummeted.

"STING!" Cobra did a sharp turn and tucked his wings in so he could dive faster after the limp child. He held his arms out and grabbed him before spreading his wings and turning back up to fly away from the ground. He titled his body so he would slowly good in circles, this way he could look at Sting and not worry about running into anything. The first thing Cobra noticed was how cold Sting was. His skin had turned a bluish and frost covered his entire body. He was rigid and stiff like his skin was frozen.

Cobra shook him a little.

"Sting-sting wake up! Can you hear me?" The boy didn't move, his eyes remained closed. "Shit..."

He adjusted Stings body so he was holding him like a baby with one arm, he used his other hand to rub the boys chest, trying to create friction and warm up his body. He alternated from his chest, to his cheeks, to his arms and hands. Cobra could still hear the little dragons heart beating and chest rise and fall as he breathed. He sighed in relief that Sting was still alive. He glanced around wondering where such a cold wind could have come from. Wind didn't flow much in the cavern anyway because it was all underground. He spotted a few small holes in the cave wall down at the bottom. He slowly descended towards them and noticed how the temperature dropped as he got closer. He held Sting close to his body and zipped up his jacket so the boy would stay warm as Cobra investigated.

He landed on a few rocks and approached the nearest hole. All of them looked like they were formed when the rocks around crumbled away and revealed the hole. The inside and outside was covered in snow and ice. Cobra stuck his hand inside and felt how the cold air moved in and out slowly and consistently; it was strong as well, he could feel it pull him in and blow him away. He brought his hand back out and saw frost covering it. He wiped his hand off on his pants before he got frost bite.

He looked into the hole, it was to dark to actually see anything. But he could hear something, something big. It was breathing. Once again the same face from before appeared in his head. The scales and lifeless eyes. He blinked... And crawled into the hole, there was something alive down wherever this led. He would have slowly and carefully moved into the hole and gone down slowly but his foot slipped on a chunk of ice and instead he went on a trip down it like a slide. He thought it would last long but it only took thirty second for him to reach the end and go flying out to land on some snow covered rocks.

He made sure Sting was okay in his shirt before sitting up and looking around to where he was. He saw he was in a decorative chamber of some kind. Complicated pillars and designed were carved into the walls, silver and cold trimmed everything. Snow and ice was all over the place. Icicles hung from the sealing, many jutting out from the deformed and bumpy ground, they formed a clustered up wall of black and white ice several feet in front of Cobra. He looked at where he had landed. He brushed snow away to find the floor was patterned, it was spotted with black and white and looked more like scales than stone or bricks, it was also very cold to the touch.

Suddenly the ground moved with a massive heave and cold air rocketed out from two small holes behind Cobra. He slowly turned around to see them moving as air went in and out. A loud and deep growl emitted from the ground and it vibrated under Cobra's hands. He stared around at the room again and realized the ground wasnt deformed, he was standing on a dragon. He could see that he was on it's muzzle, the icicles coming out of the ground were spikes on the back of its head, it's long neck twisted around and it's wings covered it's front legs. However he noticed it's left wing was missing, just a mangled and twisted nub of an appendage was in it place.

Cobra gawked at the creature. He could easily remember back at Nirvana how he had insulted Natsu and told him how dragons didn't exist, how they all had gone extinct. Yet here he was practically standing on ones face. He saw scales twitch and move as an eyelid slid upwards, cloudy blue eyes glowed but didn't move. Cobra slowly raised an arm in the air, when he didn't get a reaction he waved it around. The dragon must have been blind because the eye was wide open but didn't twitch once as he flailed his limbs in front of it. It heaved again and breathed out a puff of ice cold air. Cobra stood up slowly, one arm protectively wrapped around Sting's hidden body. The dragon twitched as soon as he took a step backwards.

"Dragon...Child..." A voice hummed out deeply. Cobra shuttered in fear and backed away off of the dragon nose. He clutched Sting to his chest tightly as he quickly spun around and went back up to tunnel before the dragon decided to awaken. Once out he rushed back to the city landing outside the town itself and taking Sting from put of is jacket. He places the boy on the ground and shook him.

"Sting? Are you okay?" The boy hummed, he was just asleep at this point...

Cobra sighed but jerked his head around when he heard footsteps coming. He saw Maria standing there looking confused. "Cobra? What are you doing here? Is that Sting?"

Cobra stood up and grabbed her shoulders. "What is with this city?!"

Maria looked confused and pushed him off. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play bullshit." Cobra growled glaring at her. "That god damned dragon under the city."

Maria's ruby eyes widened in ultimate surprise, her glasses falling down to the edge of her nose. "You... You found it...?"

"You knew it was there!" Cobra accused. This time Maria got in his face.

"Where is it?! Tell me!" She demanded. Cobra shoved her off and glared.

"Why is there a Dragon under the city?!" Cobra demanded, suddenly a clawed diamond covered hand was shoved underneath his throat.

"Where is it..." The beta's voice had gotten much deeper and threatening. Cobra glared at her and stood his ground.

"I won't say. Why is there a dragon under the city and what do you want with-" a fist was rammed into his stomach and he gagged, cobra wretched over and threw up the contents of his stomach onto the stone floor. He glared at the diamond dragon, her crimson eyes were cast down at him, hate and intimidation staring into him. She brought her leg back and, while covered in diamond, and kicked him across the face.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Stella's Trust

Natsu was wondering around the city aimlessly. He had been sitting at home for so long with Stella and Mino, he got bored fast. And all Shara wanted to do was play outside so she could tell when Cobra and Sting got back. But the Salamander really didn't want to do that. He wasn't in a playful mood today, instead he felt more calm and relaxed. So he opted for a stroll through the city. He didn't go into any stores or talk with anyone he just wondered, thinking about all kinds of things. Mainly Fairy Tail.

'I wonder what their doing right now? Do they think I'm dead? What's Lucy up to recently? I wonder how they'll react when I tell them I'm gay.'

He got the mental image of Lucy silently weeping and Erza blushing like a cherry. She's always been awkward and embarrassed about anything romantic related. So he could just picture her reaction perfectly when he told her that he and Cobra were dating and have had sex. Natsu tilted his head, the thought of having Cobra pound into him right now sounded really good all of a sudden. It's only been a half a week sense they did anything sexual last... So it's only natural for him to want more right?

Natsu's mind really began to wonder as he pictured Cobra, shirtless, kissing along his neck. Making hickeys and leaving subtle bite marks where ever he dragged his mouth. His hands would play with his chest or in between the pinkette's legs making him moan and whimper for more. After a little foreplay and begging Cobra would finally strip Natsu completely and slip inside making the smaller feel nothing but ecstasy as he thrust in and out.

Natsu quickly shook his head as he felt a rise subtly start to pop up down bellow. He slapped his face a few times to distract himself and started thinking of Erza's scary look. The one she always got when Gray and him got into fights and she'd break them apart. He shuttered in fear and the problem instantly dropped. He sighed in relief, he had to leave himself a mental note to later on ask Cobra to wreck him hardcore.

A woman yelped somewhere ahead of himself and Natsu lifted his head, he saw people moving out of the way as a child came rocketing down from the sky and go strait through the streets and crowds. Natsu realized to late that one: it was heading strait towards him. And Two: it was Sting.

The little white dragon slammed right into Natsu's chest without even bothering to slow down. The wind was knocked out of the Fairy Tail mages lungs and he flew backwards onto the ground. Many people around made a confused circle around him. They talked to themselves wondering if he was okay. Sting sat up; straddling Natsu's stomach he grabbed the mans shirt and started shaking it, trying to move the salamander but he was to heavy for the little boy to even budge.

"Get up get up! Bad things happened bad things happened!"

Natsu took a few deep breathes before sitting up on his elbows. He was about to make a sharp comment on how Cobra should have taught you how to land properly, but he noticed that his mate wasn't with their adopted son. They left together for flight lessons so Natsu doubted that the poison dragon would just leave Sting somewhere to practice on his own, they should have come home together. Yet here sting was by himself on his stomach, and looking on the brink of a panic attack at that.

"Sting calm down." Natsu said soothingly. He sat up more and the boy slid back into his lap. He was shaking uncontrollably and his eyes were getting puffy as tears built up at the edges. "What's happened?"

"W-we were flying... I was doing good. But I suddenly got c-cold and couldn't fly anymore... I fell asleep in mid... Mid air." The boys sentences were wracked with hiccups and shutters. He stuttered as he tried so hard to stay calm and try and tell Natsu what happened. But Sting was only eight or nine years old. Natsu didn't expect him to be perfect under any kind of pressure. After taking a few deep breathes the blonde continued. "I didn't mean too but I did... I fell asleep. When I woke up again Dad was gone." He broke into tears at that point, rubbing his eyes as he tried to stop. "I don't know where he went- he left me all alone! It took me forever to find you! U-uuaaaaahhh."

Natsu's panic mode was on over drive, not only was his new son in tears and looking heartbroken but Cobra was apparently missing now. The fire dragon picked Sting up and held him close i his chef while standing up. His tiny arms wrapped around Natsu's neck and clung tightly too him as he cried into his shoulder.

"Sting where did you last see Cobra?" Natsu asked as he moves trough the crowd back towards home.

"Th-the entrance..." Natsu stopped.

"The entrance? You mean to the city?"

Sting nodded his head. "Yeah... I saw him with someone when I woke up for a second. They have him something to wear but I fell back asleep."

Natsu turned around again and bolted down the sidewalk, racing as fast as he could to the gates of the city. Natsu had a bad feeling... His legs and lungs were screaming by the time he reached the spot Sting said he saw what happened. It was back on the cliff where the stair case to outside was. Natsu could smell a mixture of scents in the air. Cobra's was strong and so was Stings. Maria's was more subtle, but there were two others he didn't recognize. One was very metallic and made him shutter but the other... He was sure that he'd never met the person this sent belonged to, and yet it was so familiar. Like it was his friends. He ignored that bit of information for now and followed the scent to the stair case, it led all the way up and out the door. He stood in the ice barriers door way and looked back at Sting. The boy had gotten control of his water works and was trying to put on a determined face.

"Sting, can I ask you to be a big man for me?" Natsu asked him.

The blonde dragon nodded his head but didn't speak. Probably to scared his voice would still be teary and timid. Natsu slowly walked out of the barrier and looked around. The dirt and bits of snow in the area was turned up all over the place, so people have been up here a lot. He sniffed the air and followed it up a path that led to a ridge directly above the stair case entrance. Anyone standing at the door way could see anyone up here. Natsu looked around curiously. The scent had ended here and the only thing he could think of was maybe a secret entrance around-

"We gots our selves a lost little lizard."

Natsu spun to see three woman standing ahead of him. One he immediately recognized as Paleoth. "You! But you died! Cobra threw you out a window!"

There was a crazy loud and obnoxious laugh. It was one of the other two woman. The red haired one in amour that reminded Natsu of Erza's skimpy fire empress armor but without the wings. She had short curly red hair and wild orange eyes. A big grin split her face as she stared at Natsu.

"Kill Paleoth? You really think some over grown lizard could kill one of Archen's Valkyries?"

"Vera..." The other woman, a blonde, spoke to her in a calm tone. The red head glared at her companion and made a grinding noise with her teeth.

"Ah shove it Tia, like you said this is my assigned area which means I do what I want in it."

"Tia...?" Natsu asked. The blonde woman looked at him when he mentioned her. He got a good look at her face. She was a very pretty person even though she looked much older than both Vera and Paleoth. Her blonde hair split down the middle of her scull and parted in front so it framed her face, the strands falling in front formed lightening bolts that rested against her large breasts. Tattoos marked her body, looking like golden tribal markings drawn into her skin, they also resembled lightening; being placed all down both arms, her visible stomach and face. She stood bare foot in the snow and looked unaffected. This woman was the one giving off the scent of familiarity.

"That is my name." She spoke. Her grey eyes looked almost lifeless like Paleoth's, giving no emotion at all. "Tia Volkner."

"Have we met?" Natsu couldn't help but ask. Tia tilted her head.

"Not that I know of."

"Oh for Christ's sake Tia shut the fuck up!" Vera smacked her so called friend in the arm hard. Tia looked unfazed. "Don't have conversations with enemies."

The woman sighed and shook her head. "I see no reason why not to. We have to kill him now anyway."

Natsu's tail swung around instantly and wrapped protectively around Sting.

"Child." Paleoth said suddenly in her soft and broken voice. She brought a hand up and pointed to Sting.

"Vera." Tia started. "Is that not the little Dragon Slayer that Archen changed, and sent you to go and get?"

The girl spit on the ground and eyed the White dragon who cowered behind Natsu's legs. "Yeah. Little Shit. I've been looking everywhere for you."

Sting clung harder to Natsu's pants and the fire dragons tail constricted more around him. Vera noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"What, you taking the little shit under your wing or something? Whatever it don't matter to me. Archen'll be happy to get the both of you."

"Vera, we must take out leave now." Tia said brushing some hair to the side of her face. "Try not to take to long. We're in a right schedule now."

Vera waves her away like she didn't even care. "Yeah yeah sure."

The blonde woman rolled her eyes and started walking towards Natsu, Paleoth behind her. The salamander got into a fight ready pose, but as they got closer he realized they had no intention of harming him. They just wanted to leave.

Tia's shoulder brushed up against his own and a massive electrical shock passed through his body, buckling his hips and making him shout in pain.

"Natsu!" Sting yelled fearfully and grabbed onto him while the two woman still walked away.

"I'm fine Sting, that just... Surprised me." He stared into space for a second. Her magic, the way it felt to be electrocuted like that, felt so familiar. Vera's deranged laughter could be heard in the background as Natsu stood up.

"That's mighty impressive kid. To be shocked like that and still have the energy to stand!"

Natsu glared at the crazy red head. "Well, I've got this friend who does the same thing. He's a bit of a dick."

She chuckled at that, she looked like she was really enjoying herself. "You're a funny guy. To bad I got to get rid of you." She pulled her arms back then swung them forward. Natsu could visibly see a thin line of air fly from her arms and fly into him so fast it knocked him backwards of his feet. He went into the snow and did a role to get back, he landed on all fours and face Vera with hate in his eyes. His chest throbbed and he glanced down. The blows had been hard enough to rip open his shirt but not make him bleed, two long gash marks were ripped into his shirt along with the same marks red and irritated on his chest and stomach.

Sting was left standing in between them. Natsu stood back up and got ready for a full blown fight. "Sting. Get out of the way."

The scared white dragon had to dodge out of the way as Natsu's body light aflame and he rushed at him. Vera smirked insanely and laughed. "Bring it, lizard!"

She side stepped him letting him pass before throwing more wind at him. Natsu would take the blow but keep going to attack her. They would share blow after blow, bruising each other and drawing blood. Vera would be burned but act completely like it never happened, it's like she didn't feel the pain as her skin would blister and burn. Natsu's body was getting cut up like he was fighting Erza. Vera's winds were like swords that she moved and manipulated around to stab and stash him.

They jumped apart after punching each other in the face and stared. Natsu wiped blood from his chin and spat more out on the snow. Most of the soft powder was gone now after his fire fight.

Vera spit on the ground, her nose was bleeding but she didn't seem to take notice like every other wound on her body.

"You're such a fun play thing." She grinned with bloody teeth.

"Who are you exactly?" Natsu asked. "Why are you here? Are you involved with Archen?"

Vera let out a loud laugh. "Am I involved? Bitch, I work for him. I'm one of Archen's five Valkyries."

"There's five?"

The red head held up her thumb. "There's me: Vera Callum. Ranked number five. Then theirs number four: Amber Trauz. Tia is number three and Paleoth is two." Each time she mentioned a Valkyrie she added a finger to her hand till all five fingers were up. "Number one is Q."

Natsu swallowed. "So you're the weakest?"

A tick park popped up in Vera's head. "I'm weak in the rankings but beating a little lizard like you is a piece of cake, we do it all the Time."

"Do you now." Natsu kicked off the ground again and aimed to kick Vera with his flaming foot. But she dodged, Natsu did a pirouette because his momentum still moved and as he spun back around he took an inhale of breathe. "Kouryuu no hoko!"

He let blood his dragons roar and he watched the red head disappear in the flames. He landed on the ground in a crouch, his tail flicking back and forth as he waited to see her charred body. As the smoke and fire cleared he saw a pair of legs from the hip down standing there. He smirked with his victory but that vanished as the body moved, folding up was a stomach, then chest, shoulders, arms and head. She had barely managed to dodge the roar by slipping into a back bend at the last minute.

She wiped soot and ash off of her arms as she hummed some random tune to herself. Natsu was gaping at her. She stopped and looked up at him. "That was fun. Haven't done acrobats in a while. Thanks for that."

"That was point blank..." Natsu muttered.

She chuckled. "I'm in charge of the training at Archen's facility. So naturally I would know all kinda of tricks."

"If your suppose I be there why are you here?" Natsu asked taking a step back to create space between them.

Vera heaved an annoyed sigh. "I don't WANT to be here! Archen is forcing me. And I hate it."

"What's your goal."

A smile split the crazy girls face. "Strait and to the point? Why not. Do you know the origins of this city?"

Natsu slowly shook his head.

"Time for a history lesson!" Vera clapped her hands. "Pay attention students I'll only say it once! It's not uncommon knowledge to know dragons are all gone. They up and flew away high into the sky and went bye bye~" She made a bird flapping its wings with her hands. "This actually happened a long long time ago. When the dragons left all the poor Dragon Children who went without their protection were captured by the humans and tortured. They would be killed for their scales or attached to crazy machine to suck out their magic so it could be used as a power source. This went on for a long time, but one day a big kind Frost dragon swooped into the rescue!" She did a bunny hop, looking full of fake glee. "The Frost dragon ripped the Dragon Children from their chains that bound them to their prison and helped them start a riot that turned into a full blown war. Lots of humans died in the process, eaten alive or mauled in front of families. Once free the Dragon children scattered all over the world, deciding it would be a good idea to stay hidden for the rest of their days. The Frost dragon, Phaedra, was injured during the war however. The poor thing lost one of its wings and a claw. It couldn't fly away and was stuck. A few Dragon Children stayed with their living ancestor and helped it heal from it's war wounds; in return for helping it, and truly having nothing left to do in life: Phaedra found a mountain."

Natsu glanced down at the earth he stood on. "This mountain..."

"That's right." Vera sang. "Phaedra carved out the inside of this giant mountain, and created a beautiful crystallized paradise for the Children. A city hidden from the world where they could live and thrive all they wanted inside. Phaedra then buried itself under the city. Forever around to protect the descendants who it loved with all it's heart. Isn't that sweet?"

Natsu's eyes widened as he realized the reason for all this. "You want the dragon under the mountain."

"Bingo lizard!" She Mae a gun with her had and pointed it at him. "Archen wants Phaedra and I intend to get it for him!"

"How do you plan to do that? You can't get into the city because its protected by magic. And even if you could get inside you don't know how to get to it. What, will you blast the ground till you find it?"

Vera smiled and laughed. "According to one of my sources. A little lizard told her how to get into Phaedra's chamber. So we know how to get to the frost dragon. As for the protective barrier..." She brought out a big vile of purple liquid that shimmered like moonlight. Natsu instantly recognized it as moon drip. "To get inside, all I gotta do is this."

She started tipping the vile over to let the magic liquid fall onto the ground.

"Don't!" Natsu screamed, he started at her but it was too late. Vera tipped it all out onto the ground where it corroded the ground away and sunk into the dirt. The ground started vibrating as rocks deep user ground shifted and moved.

Vera stood their calmly. Her orange eyes dark with insanity and pleasure. "We've been putting Moon Drip on this mountain for years. You can't do shit to save the city now so just-"

"Hoko!" A white beam flew from begin Vera and smacked her in the back. She fell over where the ground started to crack and give way. She slowly stood back up and turned to glare at the small White Dragon Child. Sting looked scared as his mouth was smoking where he did his dragons roar.

"You are dead, little shit."

Natsu sprung forward as the ground finally buckled and collapsed completely in on itself. He kept from falling rock to falling rock and grabbed Sting. Rolling down the ridge so he landed down near the entrance to the Stair case. Vera laughed at then as she fell down into the rocks, bouncing down into the mountain from rock to rock.

Natsu ran into the cavern, not bothering to close the door this time. There would be no point if the whole city got crushed by the cave in. He carried Sting on his back as he rushed out of the stairs. The sight that met him was horrifying. The giant lacrima that Cobra would always stare at was falling, collapsing along with the majority of the ceiling, down into the cavern. It broke into pieces as it landed on the ground and started falling onto the city. Screams from down bellow could be heard as all the Dragon Children panicked.

"Natsu! What about Stella and Mino?" Sting asked worriedly. "Dad too..."

"Lets go find them!" Natsu avoided falling rocks as he raced as fast as he could down into the city he was glad his home was so far from the lacrima. The damage would take a whole to reach it and that give him time to get home to his family before it was to late.

Stella looked unamused as Shara and Mino played together in the living room. She had been stuck with them for hours now sense Cobra left with Sting and Natsu decided it would be a good idea for a stroll. She hated being around Mino most of the time but now it was worse with that little girl around, she was constantly asking the water dragon if she could play with her hair or do some kind of makeup and Stella would reject her but ten minutes later she would return asking for something else.

Mino told her she should lighten up around the little eight year old but she didn't care, her patients was wearing thin and she was getting thoroughly pissed off. She was distracted from Shara asking if she could put flowers she found in her hair when the front door opened. She saw the outline of Cobra standing there and he slouched into the room. The first thing Stella noticed about him was Sting wasn't there. The second she noticed was that Cobra had very slow movements and his eyes looked cloudy and faraway. Being in charge of security back at The Valley she learned to notice anything abnormal about anyone, incase traitors or magic was afoot...

"Cobra?" She asked, with suspicious eyes. His head jerked up at the sound of her voice and he glanced to her. She saw something was around his neck, a collar of sorts. It was metallic with glowing red jewels around it. She instantly knew what was wrong with him. "Mino!" She screamed as she grabbed Shara and through the little girl across the room to him. She screamed and flew through the air. Watching as her adopted father tackled Stella around the middle and smashed through the wall of the kitchen.

Mino caught the little girl in his open arms and held her close. He had to move as there was a loud thwack and Cobra's body came flying out backwards from the kitchen window. Stella leapt onto the counter and crouched there. She waved her arm Mino. "Get her out of here! I'll deal with him!"

The earth dragon did as he was told and fled up stairs with Shara screaming to be let go.

Cobra stood up, rubble from the hole in the wall he made falling off his back. He brought his head up and glared at Shara. She glared back. "I warned you! You should have never trusted Maria!"

Cobra kicked off the wall and flew at her again. Stella leaped off of the counter and went over him. She grabbed him by his shoulders and flipped over so she landed on her feet, she used all her strength to take the larger man with her so she could throw him as hard as she could back at the wall. He slammed into it again and She tried to punch him in the face but he move his head in time so her hand got stuck in the wall, Cobra's forehead collided with Stella's and she saw stars. She felt a blow to her rib cage and then she was kicked away, knocking the couch over. The poison dragon stood back up and pulled his arms up over his head. He brought them down again and poisonous dart like objects flew at her. She ducked and rolled behind the tipped couch and felt the impact of all the darts hitting it and corroding it away. When she felt it stop and heard Cobra coming at her she quickly got up and grabbed the edge of the sofa, swinging it around and hitting the tan male with it like she would a baseball with a bat.

The man went flying out the front doors and crashed into the garden. Stella tossed the couch to the side and followed him out. He was standing back up and even though he had a massive head wound looked completely unfazed. The water dragon jumped off the porch and walked towards him.

"Can you hear me?" She asked. Cobra swung at her and hit her across the face. She stumbled to the side then punched him back in the stomach, he gagged but grabbed her head and brought it right down into his knee. She felt her nose break and cried out in pain. She felt his hands grab her arm and throw her over his shoulder smashing her down onto the ground. The air went rushing from Stella's lungs and she coughed and gagged. Cobra placed his foot on the back of her arm and started bending it backwards. The black haired girl could feel the bones in her arm start straining painfully as the poison dragon attempted to break her arm. She thrashed the best she could as her lungs collected air again but it only made more pain shoot up her arm. Stella narrowed her eyes at the lifeless look in Cobra's own purple orbs. She inhaled deeply and puffed up her cheeks.

She screamed: "Suirō no hōkō!" And a torrent of water shot from her mouth knocking Cobra off of her and he shot back up into the house on the second floor. Stella quickly got to her feet.

"I'm going to finish this quickly." She spat in fury and leaped onto the wall, swinging up into the hole Cobra made. It led into his and Natsu's bed room. She could see him getting up from where he landed in the middle of the room. Stella rushed him and brought her clawed hand back, with a furious and feral look in her eyes she swung it at him. "Suirō no kanketsusen!" As soon as her fist collided with Cobra's chest he was enveloped in scalding hot water that shot like a geyser from Stella's hand. She brought her fist back as he screamed in pain and she kneed him in the stomach. Where he flew and hit the wall, not going through it this time. He opened his burned eyes to see Stella grab his face and smash the back of his head into the wall, she did this over and over again steadily making his head sink more and more into the building. She roared angrily as she grabbed the collar around his neck and began ripping it away. Cobra yelled in pain and clawed at his own throat as sparks flew as Stella broke the metal necklace and yanked it off from around his neck. Cobra fell forward and collapsed onto the ground in front of her and laid there limply. The water dragon looked at the foul collar and tossed it aside with a furious growl.

She looked down at Cobra's unconscious form and panted hard. She got the feeling he wasn't going all out so it was good she finished him off before he had the chance to. Mino came in from the room across from the one the two dragon slayers currently resided in and stared around the wreckage of everything.

"Good god Stella!" He gasped. Shara fell from his arms and rushed to Cobra.

"Dad?! Dad wake up!" She shook his body but he didn't wake up. Tears were building up in her eyes and she whipped her head to look up at Stella. "What did you do?! Did you kill him?!"

"I helped him." The black haired female shot back. She jerked her head to the earth dragon. "Help me out."

Mino moved Shara out of the way and knelt down so he could pull Cobra too his knees. His head lolled to the side, Stella inhaled and spat a steady stream of cold water in his face from her mouth. The tan make started sputtering and spitting the water back out. He slowly opened his eyes and them shut them again as he arched his back and wailed.

Shara tried to rush to him but Stella held him back. "Don't... The collar ha turned his pain receivers off while he fought, now that I've ripped it off all that pain is rushing back into his body at once. "

Cobra gasped like fish out of water and collapsed again, curling in on his elf as he whimpered and wheezed. "Guah... Ah... W... What.. Happened..." He managed to get out through grit teeth.

"You didn't listen to me that's what!" Stella snapped at him.

"Stella look!" Mino shouted from the hole in the wall. She looked over, and for the first time did she feel true despair and fear. She slowly walked to stand next to Mino, Shara too. Cobra eventually dragged himself off the ground and joined them.

"What's going on...?" He saw it too. And he expected it to happen eventually. All the Dragon Children watched as the ceiling caved in around the giant lacrima at the cities entrance. Many citizens were getting crushed as they tried to flee and get away from the doom that fell upon their peaceful lives.

"Oh my god..." Stella breathed out in horror. "What could have..."

"It was Maria." Cobra said breathing hard. "She put that fucking thing on me... And had me tell her where the dragon was. Fuck! She's been working for Archen the whole time..."

Stella spun in him. "Dragon?! You told her where Phaedra is?!"

"Phaedra..? Is that it's name?"

Stella shoved him out of the way and made her way back down the stairs. "God damn it." She cursed.

Everyone followed her.

"What's going on?" Mino asked.

"Archen is going to come here and capture that damned dragon!" Stella shouted in fury. "He's going to use it to kill people!"

"How do you know that?" Cobra asked.

"Because he raised me!" She screamed at him. Everyone was surprised to hear this news, even Mino who was suppose to her known her from a child. She trim a deep breath and stared at the ground. "I am a Dragon Child that was bred in captivity...At Archen's Habitat...He breeds Dragon Children there, uses them as par of some stupid occult to help him rule the world or some shit! Me and Maria are both bred in captivity. He put us in this city with the intention if us getting high authorize power placements and taking it over from the inside out... But I couldn't do it." Stellas eyes got desperate like she was trying to convince them she wasn't evil." I finally got a taste of what it's like to be a real Dragon Child. To live how I was suppose to if I had been born where I belonged! I even fell in love with a nice alpha girl... Layla... But Maria wouldn't have that! She killed Layla- murdered her! ... And she would have killed me too if I hadn't run away to the Valley... I wanted to live a normal life of a real Dragon Child... Not some inbred pet." She stared at the ground for a while, not once before had Stella shown any kind of weakness like now. Years and years worth of ache and sadness finally let out. And it felt so good. She brought tear filled eyes up to Cobra. He almost had a look of understanding in his eyes, like he knew what it was like to have been in prisoned and then freed after a long time.

"Then you showed up..." She sighed out. "You and Natsu... You looked so pathetic standing their lost with Mino in the middle of the forest... I knew you were victims of Archen's madness. I couldn't leave you be, to let him capture you and do what he wanted with you..."

"That's why you agreed so quickly to let them stay..." Mino said putting puzzle pieces together.

Stella nodded. "Archen wants you because your strong. Your the very last Poison Dragon Child in the world and he wants that in his little army."

"Fuck that." Cobra said bluntly. Stella stared at him surprised and confused. "Like hell I'm going to let anyone use me as their personal weapon again. I felt with that back at my god damned guild and there's no way in he I'm going back there."

Stella stared awestruck at him. He really did understand freedom. She started laughing and crying. "I'm so glad you guys are my friends..."

"So are we." Mino said putting a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for sharing all of that with us Stella. For finally trusting us."

She nodded her head up and down and wiped the years away. She had a soft smile on her face.

"Guys!" Natsu came running in and stopped in the living room, staring at all the damage. Sting was on his back. "What the hell happened here?!"

"I'll explain later!" Cobra shouted to him and picked Shara up on his own back. "You guys gotta follow me right now!"

"To where?" Natsu asked.

"Phaedra's chamber."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Phaedra

The group of friends had to avoid crowd after crowd of panicking and scared Dragon Children as they all swarmed to get away from the collapsing lacrima and falling debris. The two dragon slayers piggybacked their adopted children, doing their best to not let them see the death and panic around them.

"Mino!" Natsu called suddenly as he came skidding to a stop in a finally cleared area. It was next to a large boulder that sat in the middle of the water road, no one could get through unless they climbed over it.

The earth dragon hurried to his side. "What's up?"

"You need to take the kids and get to safety." He looked to the other beta dragon. "Stella go with him."

"Like hell!" She snapped.

"Stella-" Cobra started but she riled on him, silencing the snake tamer.

"Maria is at the dead center of this problem! I should have killed her a long long time ago but I didn't. She's MINE to kill now!"

Cobra glanced to Natsu who gave an exaggerated sigh. "Fine fine! You can kill the dumb bitch. But we need to get the kids to safety!"

"No! We want to stay to!" Sting called from over Natsu's shoulder. Stella reached over and bonked the white dragon his head. Tears built up in his eyes as he held his new head bump. "W-why would you do that?!"

"Because you're not using your head." She said pointing at him over Natsu's shoulder. "You parents are trying to protect you right now and make sure you get out of this shit-storm alive. You should listen to them."

Sting puffed up his cheeks in a pout but didn't say anything. There was another loud boom as more bits of lacrima landed around the city.

Cobra looked up at the ceiling, his ears twitching like mad. "The fissure above us is getting larger, the other lacrima are going to fall to!" He looked to the other with a grim expression. "This city is done for. The entire mountain is going to come down."

Stella cursed under her breathe and grabbed Mino by the collar of his shirt and yanked him over to her, their faces were so close they could have kissed. "Listen up Bitch Baby, it's about time you grew a pair because you got some crazy shit you're about to handle."

The timid brown haired boy swallowed nervously before nodding his head jerkily. Cobra didn't need hearing magic to know he was scared shitless.

Stella pointed to the far side of the cavern where all the Dragon Children had fled to. "There's thousands of innocent people getting caught up in this crap, and their all going to die if we don't get them out of here. The main entrance has closed itself off because of the cave in so you have to get all the earth dragons you can find and dig your way out!"

Mino's eyes widened. "Dig out?! That's crazy, with the mountain so unstable we could just make everything worse! And even with a hundred Earth Dragon Children we might not be able to-"

There was a reverberating slap as Stella struck him across the face. A red swollen hand mark instantly appeared on the stunned Dragon Child's face.

"What did I say?!" The water dragon shouted at him. "Grow a pair and save the citizens of this city damn it! You won't know shit until you actually do it!"

Mino bit his bottom lip hard and nodded again. Shara jumped down from Cobra's back and took the brunette a hand. "Come in Uncle Mino! We'll help! Right Sting?"

The white dragon kept down and scurried over to them. "Yeah! Lets go!"

Mino smiled. "Yeah." He looked to Stella and gave her the best determined look he could. "I'll do everything I possibly can."

"Damn strait you will." She said. The other male turned around and ran back the way they had all come. Natsu sighed. "I really hope we see them again."

"We will." Cobra said giving him a reassuring look. "I can hear it."

Natsu chuckled and shook his head. "Then it's a fact."

A whistle drew their heads to the boulder blocking their path. "Lets go ladies!" Stella was already half way to the top. Cobra stretched out his arms and wings, cracking a few joints.

"That's the slow route Stella." He smirked and snagged Natsu under his arm.

"No-no can't you hold me better?!" The salamander panicked as Cobra took off. The winged dragon grabbed the back of Stella's shirt and yanked her up too as they took flight. She gave a surprised cry but that was cut off as they saw the full view of damage that had been done. And they saw it even better as Cobra flew higher and banked over it to get to the chamber entrance he accidentally found.

"Archen truly is a mad man..." Stella hissed angrily as she stared at her once beloved and beautiful city. The glass buildings were smashed to pieces and stained red with the blood of the Children who couldn't get away.

"Well make him pay. Don't worry." Natsu assured as he looked down upon the carnage.

Cobra flew down to where he had found the ice rimmed hole. It was much larger now, blown open by Maria most likely. He let Stella and Natsu go and they approached the entrance.

"This is it?" The water dragon asked a little disappointed.

"I expected big doors and a massive chamber." Natsu muttered.

Cobra got whined them and put his hands on their shoulders. "The chamber is inside. Maybe you should check it out." He shoved them both in and they screamed the whole way down. Cobra, more prepared than last time, slid down along the icy slide and landed gracefully on the ground. Stella and Natsu were already on their feet glaring at two people who stood atop the dragons head.

"Heeeyy!" Vera yelled pointing to Natsu. "It's Lizard man! And look at that you brought friends."

"Get away from Phaedra!" Stella screamed in fury.

Maria looked down at her with her intense red eyes. "Have you no shame Stella? This was the purpose for our birth and you want to stop it?"

Stella screamed and threw her arm out. A blade of ware shot forward at the two and they jumped out of the way. It smashed into the dragons for head and it shifted, confused at what could be trying to wake it from its slumber.

"That's not nice!" Vera yelled throwing her own wind attacks at the group. They scattered, Cobra and Stella Charles at Maria, her arms covering up in diamond as she charge back at them.

Natsu took an inhale of breathe and blew fire out at Vera. "Kouryuu no hoko!"

Vera held her arm out and a green magic circle appeared. The fire collided with it then both magics vanished. "A Dragon Child using it's dragon slaying magic? A little ironic don't you think?"

Natsu didn't respond he just charged at her with his hands on fire, prepared to end her completely.

Cobra dove down with poisonous claws exposed. He slashed down and Maria held up her diamond covered arm to block, Stella tried to get in a hit while se was distracted by the poison eater but the diamond dragon held up and leg and blocked, then kicked her away as hard as she could.

Maria threw Cobra off and he floated in the air above her. "What goal will Archen accomplish by getting a retired dragon?"

Maria watched him from above her sun glasses. "The beast has become senile in its old age. If it can still move then it can easily be manipulated."

"That's cruel!" Stella spat going in for another struck but the red eyes female grabbed her fist. Stella threw another punch and Maria caught it too. "You should leave the dragon alone! Let it stay asleep where it wanted to be all along!"

"You've been blinded by freedom." Maria stated simply before head butting the water dragon. She cried out in pain and stumbled backwards off of the dragons head.

Cobra flew in and kicked her hard in the ribs sending her flying across the chamber. Stella watched as he went after her quickly before the diamond dragon got the chance to get up and fight back. She new if Cobra managed to get even a lite bit of his poison into her body the battle would be finished.

She heard yelling and screaming and saw Natsu going full force against the Valkyrie. She looked like she was having fun though, even when Natsu landed a blow every now and again. Stella curse under her breathe, both of their opponents were specially trained for this kind of situation, the odds of winning was not in their favor at all. She looked back upbeat the dragons head, even in old age it still looked beautiful and elegant with bits black and white scales.

Stella covered her head up as Cobra went flying by, dragging Maria by the leg and throwing her over to where Natsu and Vera were with a giant heave.

The diamond dragon, her body completely covered at this point, slammed into Vera. Cobra floated above them and puffed his heat out. Natsu saw what was coming and dived out of the way.

"Dokuryu no hōkō!" A massive cloud of glittery red ad black poison shot out towards the two females. Stella covered her sensitive nose, having been able to smell the bitter yet sweet dust from here. Natsu crawled over to her, he was covered in bruises as cuts.

"Please tell me there's an easy way to end this? It's like that crazy bitch doesn't feel pain!"

Stella nodded. "Yeah... And with Maria's indestructible armor we can't land a legitimate hit on her."

They both fell as a cold breeze blew into them from behind. They got back up, frost and ice shards on their back and in their hair. They both turned at the same time to stare at the Dragons muzzle that still breathed in and out as it slept.

Both of the beta dragons got evil smirks on their faces.

Cobra roared as he threw his arms and poisonous darts shot down at the females. Maria held her arms and took the hits that just bounced off and Vera dodged. Using her window magic to redirect any back at Cobra. He would just smack them away and glare down at her.

"You lizards are so fun to play with. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to get assigned here to this condemned mountain."

The poison dragon dove down at her and swung to kick her but she back stepped calmly, Cobra felt hands grab onto his tail. His eyes widened in fear as he pain shot through it and he was yanked backwards and thrown up into the air by Maria. Vera used the diamond dragon as a step and jumped up, grabbing Cobra. She pulled her fist back, wind swirling around it ad she punched him. She must have used some kind of condensed air because as son as her fist mad contact he was blown away, the force so strong he felt his ribs break and the air was forced out of his lungs. He gasped as he crashed into the ground making a crater. The Valkyrie and Silvernette stood over him. He glared up at them, he couldn't move. His torso was wailing in to much pain and agony to be able to move.

Vera but her metal boot on his chest an ground her heel into it. He grit his teeth to stop himself from crying out.

"Did you really think you could win against me, snake? Or both of us at once?" She giggled, she honestly looked like she was getting off on his pain.

Maria sighed and shook her head. "You were better off keeping your collar on. Archen would have had you after that and you could have lived a simple life."

He coughed up some blood and spat it at them. "A simple life huh... As his... Breeding tool?"

Maria sighed. "It would have happened to both of us. We're rare after all, the very last of our type. Do you honestly want to just let it die out?"

"I don't want... To be forced onto some slut just so... He can get my babies... And use them as war weapons."

She narrowed her eyes. "Your thinking like Stella now."

Cobra grinned showing off blood covered teeth. "Even if I wanted kids... I sure as hell would want them to be free... To live their own lives."

Maria shook her head in disappointment and turned around to walk away. "We'll have to give you another collar, freedom has gone to your head and corrupted-" She stopped as Cobra gave painful stiff laughs.

"Whatcha laughing at?" Vera asked leaning on her knee and thus pushing her foot harder against his broken chest.

"The my attacks... Seep into your very body..."

Maria glanced back at him. "You did not hit my body." She suddenly looked confused, finding her vision starting to blur.

"The venom...of the poison dragon... Corrodes everything it touches... And releases virus's into your body."

Maria stumbled and Vera looked at her. "What's the matter."

The Silvernette held up her arms, the diamond that was suppose to be protecting her was melted away. Turning into festering chunks that fell onto the ground and disintegrated.

"My armor..!" She gasped, breathing was starting to become difficult and darkness was coming in around the edges of her vision.

Vera blinked at her with wide eyes. "Did you get poisoned?"

The dragon child looked up, fear on her face for the first time. "He's melted the diamond protecting me..."

"Looks like your just dead wait now." Vera said and flicked her wrist. A small flurry of air spun out and went through Maria's chest. She jerked and gasped.

Cobra stared in shock as the Dragon Child collapsed backwards in death. Falling limply to the floor. "You...murdered her..." He croaked out.

Vera looked down at him with a pleasant smile. "I know. She was dead anyway, and useless at that."

"You bitch...!" He gasped.

The Valkyries orange eyes narrowed in pleasure. "I know." She raised a hand over Cobra. "If you miss her that much... You can join her."

His purple orbs widened in horror, he laid there defenseless as she flicked her wrist again doing the same thing she did to kill Maria.

"Leave my boyfriend alone!" Natsu's voice cut through.

Vera looked up in annoyance but that soon changed to shock as a thick black and white scaly trunk smacked into her at full speed and sent her flying across the chamber. It moved over Cobra missing him by a few feet. He stared up at Natsu who was riding on top of the once sleeping Frost Dragon. The dragon was fully awake now and most likely blind, it's eyes were a milky blue and stared into nothing. Stella stood next to him with a shit eating grin.

"God damn." Cobra whispered.

The two betas jumped down and rushed to Cobra's aid.

"Well didn't you get the shit kicked out of you." Stella mocked helping him sit up.

"Shut up." Cobra snapped in annoyance.

"You made a good distraction at least." Natsu gave a laugh and Cobra cast his purple orbs from Stella to Natsu. The salamander gave a big grin and Cobra couldn't help but smile back.

Phaedra leaned over them all and sniffed at Cobra, almost sucking everyone up as it did so. "You..." It's voice was elegant and female. Cold air emitted from her body and mouth as she talked. "I recognize you."

The group was surprised. "You do?" Natsu asked.

"Yes. You were the Dragon Child that found me first." Cobra remembered back when he first arrived here; the Frost Dragon had spoken, maybe not directly to him but she still talked.

"You actually remembered my scent?"

Phaedra let out a booming laugh that shook the whole room, Icicles fell around them almost impaling the trio while they amply shattered or bounced off of the dragons hide. "I do not forget the first scent I've been met with after god knows how long!"

Stella whistled loudly making Cobra cringe. "Phaedra listen! We really appreciate you bitch slapping Fire Crotch back there!" The dragon nodded her head as a 'your welcome'. "But your city has reached it's end!"

Phaedra got a confused look. "Ís Drekkin? What's wrong with my city?"

"A bad man came and destroyed it." Natsu yelled up to her. "The mountain is caving in and all the Dragon Children are trapped inside!"

"We have a fried rallying them on the far aside of the cavern! Their trying to get out." Stella was helping Cobra up as she filled the powerful dragon in on the situation. Phaedra growled ferally and knelt down so the Children could climb back onto her head.

"Then we must do what we can to assist them! I brought them into this mountain, I will save them from it."

Mino smashed rock after rock as he dug deeper into the side of the mountain, Sting and Shara were at his sides doing the same. More Dragon Children lined the six foot deep cave that they had all worked together on building. Many of them had bleeding and broken hands but still dug to save their families and friends. The cracks along the ceiling were getting larger and closer to them, they were running out of time fast.

No one knew how thick this was was so they had no idea if they were going to make it out or not. He had done his best to collect all the Dragon Children into a working force and get them to dig. The earth dragons ate away at the walks until it was to much then started digging. Shadow and water dragons used their attacks to chip away at the wall like miners. Each dragon type was throwing in their best attempts and hopes into each attack.

Shara fell backwards onto her tail and sat there crying. She cradled her bloody hands to her chest, she had dug so much and so hard that some of her claws had been ripped away and open gash wounds were created on her hands. The rocks where she had been digging were splattered with blood. Stings own hands were rubbed raw and bloody but be still dug.

Mino stopped and knelt by Shara, "are you okay?"

"I'm sorry..." She wept. "I'm so sorry, I can't dig anymore... I can't feel my hands..."

The earth dragon gave her a sad-sympathetic look and ushered her outside. "It's okay..."

There was the sound of rocks tumbling and he looks up. On the far side of the cavern the wall was crumbling away. Many of the other citizens came out from digging to look at their beloved city crumble before their very eyes.

"Oh god were dead!"

"We won't be able to dig fast enough!"

"I'm not ready to die!"

Everyone started screaming and yelling in panic as the walls shook and crumble away. Mino tried yelling at them to calm down but they wouldn't listen. Many clutches their children and wept on their knees, praying to god or the dragons to come and save them. Others ran around paranoid and started fighting each other for who knows what reasons.

It was over... They wouldn't be able to dig with this much chaos going on around them. The citizens were to panicked and scared to do anything now.

"It's cold..." Sting muttered as he rubbed his arms. Suddenly the same wall that was crumbling away exploded and a beam of snow and ice came barreling out, freezing anything in it's path. Everyone screamed and stared at the gaping frozen hole and the big white dragon that was pulling itself out of it.

"Oh my god..." Mino gapped standing up. "A dragon..."

"Dragon!" Someone screamed. Everyone started screaming and cheering in happiness and disbelief. Mino laughs to himself and smiled softly.

"They did it." Shara said breathlessly. As she watche the dragon turn its' head towards the Dragon Children and make its way over.

Mino turned around and yelled at everyone. "Get away from the wall! Get away!"

Everyone did as he told and scattered. The dragon came close to the wall and opened its mouth. Letting out a giant curt of snow, frost an ice grew up along the sides of the cavern, covering it completely, then Phaedra got up on the her back legs and clawed at the ice. Massive boulder sized chunks fell away as she dug, every time she dug away all the ice she would add more and repeat the process.

"Mino!"

The boy looked around for who called his name. He spotted Stella standing atop the Frost Dragons head waving at him.

"Good job man! You got everyone to work together! I knew you could do it!"

He smiled and blushed at her words. He regret the fact he was a beta. It was times like this that he wished he had been born with wings.

Phaedra dug and dug. Soon light shined into the dark cave and she blew a massive hole through it, big enough to let her and her citizens out. Everyone cheered and rushed outside in droves. Alpha's carried their mates or families out on their backs and many others simply climbed over rocks to be freed. Phaedra stepped out and took a deep breath.

"Fresh air... The sun... It's been to long." She sighed out happily. So many Dragon Children were rolling around in grass or patches of snow that was caused from Phaedra's breath. Many squinted and stared up at the beautiful blue sky. Children played and chased animals they have never seen before while their parents sobbed in glee at their survival.

Natsu looked down at all the cheering Citizens. "Wow. It's like they've never felt sunlight before."

"Because they haven't." Stella said taking a deep breath. "Your not aloud to leave the city, just like we can't leave The Valley. Except for special exception."

"That reminds me." Natsu said looking at her. "Why exactly did we leave the Valley to come here?"

The water dragon gapped at him. "You didn't know this entire time?! Didn't Cobra tell you?"

Natsu glared down at the poison dragon who was pretending to be asleep. "No. He did NOT."

Stella laughed. "Well, we mainly leave because our Cities lacrima need time to rest and recharge. We have some just like Íz Drekkin did. Ours can recharge after a period of time. So we leave to let them do that. The other reason is because we migrate to raise our young before bringing them back. The two happen to coincide at the time."

Natsu blinked looking like he didn't understand. "Okay..."

"Guys!" Mino called up. "Get down here so we can heal you and everyone else up! We got our Sky dragons healing!"

"Okay!"

Tia sat atop a rocky outcrop on a neighboring mountain. A pair of binoculars were pressed to her face and she watched the Dragon Children run about freely and happily.

"Looks like this plan was a failure." She said softly. She handed the binoculars to Paleoth who took a look.

"God damned Frost Dragon..." Vera cursed under her breathe. "I want that thing dead screw Archen it can go and OUCH AMBER!"

A girl with long white pig tails flinched as she tried wrapping and cleaning Vera's wounds. "I'm sorry...Your moving to much."

Tia came over with arms crossed. "You know Archen isn't going to be happy about this."

"No shit!" Vera spat. "I hate those fuckin Lizards... Especially those dragon slaying ones... I'm going to rip them apart..."

"If you ever get the chance..." Amber mumbled which earned her a smack from the angry red head. She cried and complained to Tia about how mean Vera was. But the blonde wasn't listening. She was staring at where the dragon was and how all the Dragon Children were partying. Ever sense the Fire dragon asked if she and him had ever met had gotten her thinking. He recognize her somehow yet they never knew each other...

"How peculiar." She muttered to herself.

"Hey Cobra." Natsu said sitting next to his mate while a Sky dragon heals Shia rib cage. He had a blissful look as all the pain vanished.

"Hmmm." He hummed softly to let the fire dragon know he was listening.

"While I was getting healed... The Doctor said there was something we aught to know..."

"What's that?" Shara asked from her spot in Natsu's lap. Sting was on Stella's back as she sat down getting her own wounds healed. Mino was off making sure everyone was alive and well.

Natsu pat her head. "Well uh..." He had trouble forming words. "I don't know how to say it..."

"How about you just spit it out?" Stella asked. Sting chuckled at that.

Nasu blushed. "It's not something easy for me to say! I didn't think I would EVER have to say this..."

Cobra opened his eyes and sat up. "Just relax and say it. We're safe now and have nothing to worry about. And besides if you don't tell me I'm just going pick your brain."

Natsu shot him an angry look. He hated it when Cobra listened to his thoughts without permission. "I'm trying to say it but it's just difficult!"

Everyone sighed in annoyance. Even the eight year olds.

"Fine fine!" Natsu snapped blushing a lot. His face was like Erza's hair at this point. "Uhm Cobra... You like having Shara and Sting around right?"

"Yes..." Cobra drawled out wondering where Natsu would go with that.

"Well.. That's good cause you.. Getting more..."

Cobra's eye twitched. "Natsu... Are you implying..."

"He's preggers!" Stella screamed and laughed. "You knocked him up! You knocked up Natsu oh my god!" She fell over laughing.

Stella screame with glee and hopped out his lap to bounce up and down with sting, the two cheering "We're gonna big siblings were gonna be big siblings!"

Cobra grabbed Natsu tightly by the shoulders. "Are you serious?"

Natsu nodded his head and subconsciously covered his stomach with his hands. Cobra looked dumbstruck. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he went limp as he fainted.


	16. Chapter 16

(I'm so sorry for taking this long to update. Been distracted. A lot. So sorry! In want to thank my lovely friend pleg for letting me borrow the name Neel. It's a good name and she'll probably yell at me for putting this here but oh well, got that copy write and shit to worry about. This is her account love her! u/3710873/Plegurl17)

Chapter 16: Day Dreaming

"This is crazy." Natsu muttered as he pouted in Cobra's arms. His arms were crossed and he was in a foul mood. Cobra had an unamused facial expression as he stared ahead to the horizon and flew onwards.

"Your the one who refused to get on the ship." Cobra pointed out.

"Yeah, but I really doubt you can fly all the way to... To..." Natsu struggled to find the name of the Third Dragon Child city he would be getting to see.

"El Dador del Agua." Cobra provided for him.

"Yeah! That!"

The tan male rolled his violet eyes and tuned the fire dragon out, he's gotten almost unbearable the last few weeks...

After escaping near death when the mountain completely collapsed in on itself the Dragon Children had made quick shelters outside the rubble so they could rest, relax and then plan what their next move was. Phaedra was kind enough to provide entertainment for the young ones and keep everyone safe from prying eyes when the Dragon children were at their weakest.

Cobra had still been dumbstruck by the fact he was going to be a dad. Natsu in the mean time had to learn everything he could about it before he gave birth or... Before he actually...

"Eggs?!" He yelled loudly. Many of the people around him looked over from their errands to look at him strangely. Mino rubbed his head feeling a headache coming on.

"Yes... Natsu... Your going to lay eggs. Dragon Children don't give birth to their children live were REPTILES after all."

"Y-yeah but..."

"No buts!" The brunette snapped. The earth dragon had gotten more forward with his emotions after the ordeal they all just went through. Natsu and everyone saw it as a good thing seeing as he had always been so timid. "You can't fight nature. You're a Dragon Child now not human."

Natsu slumped on the ground where they sat under a tree and pouted. "How many am I having?"

"Hard to tell. You could have one to eight."

Natsu almost passed out. "Eight?! I could have eight kids?! I can't do this I need an abortion!"

There was an explosion of red and black smoke in the distance as soon as he said that. Natsu and Mino stared at it with blinking eyes as birds dropped out of the sky and people scattered away from it screaming about a poisonous mist. The two betas glance to each other quietly knowing exactly what had happened.

"Or not..." Natsu muttered quietly scratching the back of his head. Mino nodded his head in a "yeah that's a good idea" kind of way.

Stella stumble out of the forest cough and hacking up her lungs. "What did you DO?!"

Natsu smiles sheepishly and apologized to her.

"He said the 'A' word." Mino said leaning back against the tree.

"Abortion?" Stella asked then looked to Natsu. "Sorry, pinky, but that's not aloud."

"One because we think it just wrong to kill a life that hasn't even been given a chance yet." Mino said holding out a finger. "And two; based on that reaction from Cobra- as shocked as he is about the news- I doubt he would let you."

Natsu hung his head in depression and shame. "Yeah... You got a point..."

Natsu went a few days of doing nothing after that conversation. Cobra was still in need of healing his shattered ribs and wasn't around to baby him or even talk to him. Shara and Sting stuck around to talk about what Natsu wanted to name the babies and if they were getting boys or girls or both. Stella would check in on him every now and again but wouldn't stay long and Mino didn't let him participate at all in any work... So for a full week, while all the other dragon Children were taking care of shelters and making sure everything was running smoothly, he sat around doing nothing with other pregnant Betas.

When Cobra could finally get up and walk around he was more than surprised to find Natsu already fattening up. It's only been one week and he already was showing a baby bump.

Cobra was sitting on a log staring intently at Natsu's stomach while the salamander fidgeted under his gaze. "Cobra..."

"Hm." The snake tamer hummed, his eyes not moving.

"Are you trying to stare a hole into me?"

Cobra chuckled and shook his head finally removing his gaze from Natsu's navel. "No. This is all just... Still crazy to me."

"Their growing really fast..." Natsu muttered nervously. He poked at the bump on his stomach, he was so much more self conscious now. Always worrying if he was getting stared at.

Cobra reached out hesitantly and put a hand on his stomach. Natsu blushed more as his mate then grabbed his hand and pulled him closer so he could lay his head down, ear pressed up against the bump. Natsu watched with waiting eyes as Cobra closed his own, then a smile split his face.

"I can hear their presence..."

Natsu smiled widely too. Feeling giddy and excited all of a sudden. It was a regular thing now for Cobra to lay his head against Natsu's belly and listen to his growing children. He did it whenever he came back from a hunting trip or from building/repairing a new shelter. Natsu slept a lot in his own temporary home now that he was showing. According to Mino, it would be three weeks before Natsu laid the eggs. The same went for a few other Dragon Children who were in the same situation. Some were ready to give birth sooner.

Stella and Mino met with Cobra on the 13th day of what the Dragon Children started calling 'post fall of Íz Drekkin'. They all stood around Phaedra making some kind of plan.

"We can't stay here any longer." Stella said bluntly.

"No duh..." Mino scoffed quietly. "We can't stay out in the open like this. It's to dangerous."

"A guild would have heard the mountain crumble and should be coming to check it out soon." Cobra said with his arms crossed. "I'm surprised they didn't show up yet."

"I've made an ice barrier around the area to keep any unwanted folks out." Phaedra said. The dragon children nodded their heads in thanks.

"We need to leave now." Stella started up again.

"And go where?" Mino asked. "We can't go back to the valley for another few months and the two other cities are so far away I doubt we'd be able to get there before our Betas lay their eggs. And you know that once they lay we can't move the eggs. It'll risk harming them."

Stella cursed to herself. "We can't go to Sky Drive, they live in the clouds our eggs won't survive up there, the pressure will crush them-" She noticed Cobra's face getting green at the thought of his unborn kids getting harmed or worse.

"That leaves El Dador Del Agua." Mino sighed.

"But it's so far away. We won't get there in time. And we can't barge in on them they aren't prepared for us." Stella argued.

Phaedra knelt her head down. "What if the necessary went to the island and the others went to Sky Drive?" The trio looked to her, intrigued. "This way less trouble is put on the islanders and we still save the young."

"I don't see another choice." Mino said.

Stella sighed and agreed. "Phaedra, would it be to much trouble to ask you to carry us to the coast? We have some transportation prepared to take us to the island there."

"I'll do what I must." The Frost dragon said proudly.

"Thanks."

All the Dragon Children were informed that only the pregnant and their families would be going to El Dador Del Agua. Everyone else would get a ride from alphas to be taken up to Sky Drive. Phaedra did as she was asked and carried almost half a cities worth of people to a cove that held a massive ship of some kind for all the Dragon Children to take to the island.

Natsu of course, being pregnant and difficult and himself... Refused to get on the ship.

"I do not want to get motion sick while pregnant!" He snapped. "I already throw up because of morning sickness I don't need this too!"

Cobra, Stella, and Mino groaned loudly at the irritating pink haired Mage.

"Come on!" Stella whined. "There's no other way to get to the island than by boat! It in the ocean after all!"

Natsu just stuck his nose in the air and turned his head, completely dissing her. Stella held a fist up, tick marks appearing on her head. "I'm gonna smack that attitude outbid your head if you keep this up..."

"Stella relax..." Cobra groaned while rubbing his temples. He was mumbling to himself how he wished He hadn't have knocked up Natsu now, just because of his stupid hormonal personality. "I'll just carry him..."

"You don't know where the Island is. And it's way out there you won't make it in just one day." Mino objected.

Cobra stretched out his shoulders and wings. "I better fly fast then. Besides I can kind of hear it from here."

And that's where they currently are. Speeding over the oceon with Natsu in tow. Cobra's eyebrows scrunched up as a new sound, other than birds and the wind whipping by, hit his ears.

Natsu noticed. "You okay?"

"I hear... Music." He said staring ahead. Nasu followed his gaze an narrowed his eyes. Barely on the horizon was a dot of green. His eyes widened and a smile broke his face. "The island!"

As they got closer smaller dots could be seen coming towards them. Natsu was about to ask what they were but Cobra spoke before he could.

"Their Dragon Children. Their coming to ask us why were here..."

Natsu clung tightly to his mate as he slowed down and hovered to let the others come to them.

Three dragons stopped in mid air a few feet away. Two of them green scales one red. Natsu instantly recognized the fire dragon and was reminded of Leon. He buried his head in Cobra's chest so he wouldn't be easily seen.

"Who are you?" The red dragon asked.

"And why are you here?" One green, a female, asked.

"My name is Cobra, and this is my mate: Natsu." He used his head to point at the Salamander who kept his face hidden. "We're coming from Ís Drekkin."

The male red dragon leaned into the male green one. "Isn't The Valley suppose to be doing their migration around now?"

"We did." Cobra called to them. The two makes looked up, surprised he heard them. "Horrible things have happened. Ís Drekkin is gone."

All of them looked unbelieving.

"Gone...? What do you mean?" The female asked.

"Gone as in destroyed. The mountain caved in on itself."

"You lie!" One of the men shouted. "How can a whole mountain collapse?!"

"With human interference." Cobra said bitterly. There was an awkward silence before the poison dragon spoke again. "I've flown here from the coast with my pregnant mate in my arms... I'm tired and so is he... Please can we have permission to go onto your island for rest?"

The three dragons glanced to one another before the female earth came or ward. "Follow me."

The tan male did as he was told and glided after her. The other two staying in the air, probably guards. The temperature grew hotter as he approached the island. He could see tree houses easily at the front in the dense forest, a beach and bathing pool with Dragon Children playing inside it was situated right at the front. The sand looked so warm, Cobra could hear Natsu's desire to curl up under it and take a nap.

"Later..." He chuckled making Natsu smile. They flew in between the trees and maneuvered around branches and wooden bridges. They looked hand made with rope woven around then to act as nets and railing. Many hammocks hung around, some empty others full of kids or adults napping. Cobra had to dodge as a child alpha flew by are ting a basket full of fruit. It was so ripe both dragon slayers could smell the sweet Day Fruit and others they didn't know.

"I'm starving." Natsu drooled. "I could eat a bonfire right now..."

Cobra gave a deep throated chuckle. "We'll get you something don't worry."

The woman landed on a wooden platform that acted as a terrace. Cobra landed and put Natsu down before stretching his stiff and sore arms.

"God Natsu." He groaned while popping his shoulder. "You're heavy as shit. You didn't used to be."

Natsu spun on him and pointed a clawed finger in his face. "I gained weight! Thanks to you- I've got possibly eight of your kids inside me right now!"

Cobra held his hands up in surrender. A cough from the girl made them look over. Now that he could concentrate on something other than carrying Natsu Cobra could see the Alpha was very pretty. Long blonde/brown hair that had dreadlocks and braids randomly through it, soft brown eyes, very tan skin that made the green scales stand out. Her tail was similar to Mino's being long, one color, and having fur at the tip of it. She had a decorative skirt on with a long slit down it showing off her leg and a bikini tank top that did nothing to hide her busty chest.

"This way please?" She asked kindly and walked towards the shelter they would be staying in. Cobra stood back to look at it while Natsu just followed her inside. It was a tree house sitting against a massive oak tree so tall Cobra couldn't see the top. The house had several levels that wet e connected by ropes, ladders, or widen stairs that winded around the trunk of the tree. He walked up and noticed how that instead of a door a canopy of colorful translucent beads hung down to block the entrance.

Cobra pushed them aside and slid inside. He was surprised to see it was all made of furs and wood. He was so used to living in a cave at this point that he didn't think wood could be used as material anymore. Natsu could be heard in what he thought might be a kitchen. The green scaled woman, an earth dragon most likely, came up to him.

"Your mate is eating right now." She informed him. Her voice was very soft and she talked quietly. "Before I leave I would appreciate a debrief that I could return to my superiors with?"

Cobra explained everything he knew. Everything from the trip to Íz Drekkin to saying good by to Stella and Mino at the coast. The girl took it all in, listening intently. Every now and again she would ask a question or for more details and Cobra would give them to her. When he had finished she nodded her head. "Very well, thank you." She then left the building and flew off.

"Coobraaaa" Natsu sang from the kitchen. The poison dragons ears twitched before he walked into the next room, it was a nice kitchen. Natsu was sitting on the counter, his scaled legs swinging back and forth. He looked like he had eaten with all the wrappings and such around him.

"Yes?" Cobra asked leaning his hands on the counter in either side of Natsu. The salamander smirked.

"Is the lady gone?"

"Yes."

"Good." Natsu swung his arms around Cobra's neck and pulled him in for a kiss. The poison dragon was surprised by the motion but didn't complain. The kiss turned from sweet to sexy in less than a second, with Natsu practically grabbing Cobra's jacket and pulling it off.

He gave his mate a suspicious but playful look and Natsu pouted. "What... We haven't done it in forever..."

"I really don't think I should be screwing you while you're this pregnant." Cobra asked leaning down and kissing Natsu's stomach. The salamander blushed and for some reason found himself wanted Cobra even more because of the action.

"Please Cobra... I'm really horny right now..." Natsu whined. His alpha looked up from his spot and smirked.

"Can't argue when you beg." He hissed and came back up kissing Natsu again. He broke away leaving the smaller male breathless and nipped at his neck while he undid his scarf and shirt. Natsu watched dazed.

Cobra stopped for a second. "You know. This going to be awkward because of your bump."

Natsu pouted. "Work your way around it."

Cobra thought for a minute the figured it out. "Lets go to the couch."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to ride me."

Natsu eagerly followed him out into the living room and waited for Cobra to strip his pants and lay, Natsu lost his own pants before climbing on top and straddling him.

Natsu leaned forward and moved above his mates erection.

"No prep?" Cobra asked amused.

"No patience." Natsu responded before slowly lowering himself. He had to go slow or he would have ripped himself open. Cobra sighed with pleasure and leaned his head back while Natsu would wince and groan. Once he was siting on the males tan hips he rested, letting his body adjust to the large size inside him.

Once the pain was all gone he started bouncing up and down. Natsu closed his eyes and moaned at the feeling. It really had been to long sense the two of them did this. Suddenly Cobra bucked his hips up and slammed into Natsu making the Salamander cry out in pleasure and surprise. "C-Cobra...?" He trembled.

"Sorry." The other responded, thrusting up again. "You were going to slow..."

Natsu moaned his name as Cobra continued to thrust in and out. He really made him scream when he found his prostate and rammed into it.

"Guah god! Cobra!" Natsu gasped his onyx eyes going wide and his vision going white. Cobra smirked and gripped Natsu's hips hard so he could hold him down while he moved in and out against that spot. He felt Natsu's tail wrap tightly around his own. "Cobra..."

The maroon haired male could hear Natsu's erection twitching. He was close to cumming. Cobra let on of his hands grabbed the throbbing member and squeeze it. Natsu hissed in pleasure and gasped more as Cobra stroked him.

Natsu was just moaning incoherently now with so much pleasure wracking his body. Cobra winced as his mate tightened around his erection making it twitch and spray while Natsu came in his hand. The two relaxed as their sex high went up then down again.

"That didn't take long..." Natsu sounded slightly disappointed.

"It was just a quick one anyway." Cobra muttered. He wiped his off on his shirt, it was then he realized he had been waring this same shirt for the past week and a half. He cringed as he realized just how filthy he was.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked pulling off of Cobra.

"We need a bath." He said bluntly.

Natsu looked down at himself and made a disgusted face. "Yeah your right... I haven't bathed sense... God I don't even know..."

The pinkette crawled off and pulled his other clothes back on. "We can visit that bathing pool at the front of the island."

Cobra pulled his pants back in and ten went into another room, searching for a bedroom. He found one and looked around the drawers, he felt lucky when he found clothes inside one. They were all silk and colorful, with interesting floral/tribal like patterns on them. He grabbed a random amount and went back out to Natsu. "Carry these." He tossed them and Natsu caught it.

"Why do I have to?" He asked.

"Because I'm carrying you." He slipped his arms under Natsu and then exited through their beaded door way. He took off and did his best to fly back the way that the earth dragon had led them. While flying they looked around the scenery and city. It amazed them how different the cultures of each city were different. The Valley was a very tribal based town, living in caves and using mainly stone as a resource. Ís Drekkin had been more modernized, living in actual buildings made of ice and having water roads instead of actual roads. And now there was this... It was more like a village than a city. All the buildings were up high in the branches of trees, being the ultimate tree houses. Bridges connected almost all of them together. Nothing was on the ground except a few animals the Dragon Children most likely hunted.

In fact the two dragon slayers watched as a young boy who had been clinging to the side of a tree spotted a wild bite and lunged or it. He landed hard on its back with his back legs making a reverberating snap that echoed in Cobra's ears. With its spine broken he killed the boar quickly and flew away with its carcass.

They came out of the forest and immediately came out onto the beach. Natsu practically jumped out of Cobra's arms and dived for the sand. He rolled around in it loving the warmth it gave. Cobra tried to land but the sand was to hot for his soft pads so he opted for simply floating a few feet above the ground.

He chuckled at how childish Natsu looked while bathing in the warm sand and sunlight. "Come on Natsu, forget about our baths?"

Natsu sat up. "Nope. Lets go."

They put their clothes on near by rocks like everyone else seems to have done and stripped. They tossed the dirt clothes away and climbed into the water.

"Oh! It feels good!" Natsu sighed and completely submerged himself. Cobra glanced to the other dragon children in the big pool. They watched him mainly and whispered to each other. Cobra could hear that they mainly talked about how they've never seen a dragon with purple scales before. He expected this. For a few reasons.

The pool was nicely sized, at most fifteen Dragon Children were in it right now and it looked mostly empty with that. It was constantly being filtered out by a stream that led out towards the ocean. Cobra felt his tail get tugged on and he looked down to see Natsu, under water, grinning up at him. Cobra raised and eyebrow at him but started having a fit of laughter as Natsu suddenly coughed up a bunch of bubbles. He flung his head out of the water and took a strong inhale of air.

"I almost died!" He coughed.

"No you didn't." Cobra said grabbing him and making him sit down in the water again. "You were just being an idiot. Now wash up."

The salamander pouted and started throwing water over his arms. Cobra glance around at the others to see they were actually using the sand from the bottom of the clear pool and rubbing it on their scales and bodies. Cobra grabbed a hand full and brought it oh of the water. It was normal wet sand, except for the sparkly bits of tiny grain sized rocks that was mixed in with it. Cobra hesitantly rubbed the sand over his arm and was surprised to find that the grainy feeling was pleasant against his scales. He rubbed harder, when the sand was all gone he saw his scales were shiny now, buffed and shined to perfection. He gawked at it. There had to be minerals of some kind at the bottom of the pool.

He heard splashing an saw Natsu still throwing just water on his body. He sighed and shook his head before grabbing his mates arm. "Natsu, come here."

"Eh?" Natsu was placed in between Cobra's legs, his back facing the male. He felt something grainy placed against his back and asked what it was.

"The sand. You use the sand to wash yourself." Cobra told him. Then rubbed it in circles on the Salamanders back. Natsu arched in surprise and promptly purred at how good it felt. It was almost like a gentle back scratch and massage in one.

Cobra smiles to himself as he got all of the pinkette's back, making sure to clean him up good. "Can you get the rest of your body?"

"Of course!" Natsu said.

Cobra backed off and let Natsu get to himself. The older man sighed and washed himself with the sand before relaxing in the water with his eyes closed.

"...! ...bra ...Cobra... Dad!"

His eyes opened again to find himself laying in a soft bed. His hands brushed against the material, he hasn't felt an actual mattress in weeks. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He was in a bedroom he didn't recognize and a bed that looked like his old one from his room back at the Orecion Seis guild hall. He looked out a window and winced at sunlight. Red curtains were pulled back to show a foresty back yard with a small tree house and tire swing in a big oak at the edge of it. He blinked in confusion. He stood up and walked up to the window, placing his hand on the warm glass. He notice how his hand looked normal tab skin an short finger nails instead of claws and purple scales. His other hand shot to his ass. His tail was gone and so were his wings. He was a normal human being again. He felt so confused... Where was the pool he had just been bathing in? Where was Natsu? Had the whole thing just been some elaborate dream?

The sound of laughter brought his attention to the window again. He saw a child running out of the side of the building and go strait for the tree house. He had shirt maroon hair and tan skin...

Cobra instantly recognized it as himself. He also remembered the room and where he was. He was in his old home, the one he lived in before the occultists came and took him away, before his mother had abandoned him to let them take him and save herself. This room was his, his mothers was across the hall. That tree house was his. His mother had built it for him when he was little. Cobra never knew his father.

He watched as the kid climbed up the Little rope ladder and into the bottom of the tiny house. The younger Cobra peeked over a railing and waved at him. Gesturing at him to come and play. Suddenly the railing tipped forward off the house, and the kid plummeted to the ground.

Cobra suddenly found himself outside, running to the kid. He didn't notice how he got outside or when. He just wanted to make sure he caught the child. He held his arms out and dived for the kid. He landed safely in his arms.

Cobra sighed and stood up, cradling the kid. He glanced down to find it didn't look like himself anymore. It honestly looked like Natsu... Only younger and with the same eyes, but his hair wasn't as wild and he had Cobra's maroon hair color. His onyx eyes were tearing up and he clung to Cobra's chest. He hiccuped.

"Th-that was scary!" He cried. The kid had to be six or seven years old.

Cobra didn't know what to do. He fidgeted around awkwardly for a few seconds before hesitantly patting the kid on the head. "There there... You're safe now..."

The child looked up with watery eyes. "Thank you for catching me daddy..."

Cobra felt like he had been hit in the gut. "D-daddy..?!"

"Cobra!"

The tan male stiffly turned around to see Natsu running out of the house with two more kids following him a pink haired girl and tan, maroon haired boy. Cobra didn't know what to feel. Natsu knelt down and hugged the boy.

"Are you okay, Neel?! What happened?!" The salamander asked worriedly. The boy hugged back and cried into his fathers(mothers?) arms.

"I feel out if the tree house! But daddy caught me I was scared!"

The little girl came up with a stern face. "You fell? Come on it couldn't have been that bad stop being a baby!"

"Lilith, stop it." Natsu shot to her while rubbing Neel's back. Cobra instantly recognized the name of his late mother. What could possibly posses him to name his daughter after the woman who left him to die.

The girl turned we nose up and huffed. She obviously had Cobra's attitude when he was younger.

Natsu picked his son up and held him close. "I think it's getting late to play outside. Dinners almost ready anyway lets go in."

"Okay!" The other two kids cheered and ran back inside.

Natsu looks down at Cobra who was still seated on the ground. "Cobra?"

The tan male looked up at Natsu.

"Cobra..?" He asked again. The dragon slayer opened his mouth to respond but he he suddenly found his eyes flying open and Natsu standing above him, red scales and all. His eyes was full of curiosity.

Cobra blinked his own violet orbs a few times enforce asking what happened.

"You dozed off. I noticed you started sinking into the bath so I woke you up." The salamander tilted his head. "What were you dreaming about?"

Memories of the dream flashed through his head. "Just...us."

That answer seemed to satisfy Natsu because he stood up an started heading out of the bath. "Okay."

Cobra stretched and follows, the water rolled off his scales easily but any part if his actually skin had gotten pruned. He wonder for a moment how long he had napped before shaking it off and climb out. Natsu lit himself on fire and dried off that way. Cobra just flapped his wings several times, blowing the heat radiating off of the pinkette's body around him; basically making a giant blow drier.

As they were throwing their clothes on an old man approached them. He had white scales and looked like the same type as Sting. A long beard and mustache came from his face.

"Are you... The two who flew in from Íz Drekkin..?" He asked in an age ridden voice.

"We are." Cobra said.

"I am this Islands head elder, Touhou May I speak with you?"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Lightening Dragon Child

Natsu and Cobra both sat at a table in what the elder, Touhou, had called the 'courthouse of the town.' The old man sat across from them looking very passive and almost fragile, with his withered hands clasping each other as they rested on the table.

Cobra was looking nervous as he waited patiently. After what felt like forever Natsu spoke up asking why they were here.

"Ahh well. As the representatives of your village..."

"Representatives?" Cobra asked extremely surprised. He leaned forward. "What's this about?"

"We need to have a serious discussion over what has happened to Ís Drekkin."

The boys sighed. They had hoped to come here and relax a little while before getting thrown into any politics and what not. But it was expected considering they were directly involved on multiple levels.

Cobra leaned back in his chair and prepared himself for a long discussion. "What do you want us to say?"

"I would hope, that it wasn't real..." Touhou sighed closing his eyes. "That Ís Drekkin was still standing."

"So do we." Natsu said sadly.

"We were there as it happened..." Cobra said. "We're sorry we couldn't do better to help."

Touhou raised a hand and shook his head. "There was nothing you could do... Based on your story this would have happened with age anyway. The humans simply sped up the inevitable."

There was a silence after that. Natsu and Cobra really felt guilty about not being able to do more for the Mountain City. If they had tried harder or if Cobra had approached Vera and her friend while he had first found them...

Natsu gripped Cobra's hand under the table, sensing his internal conflict. He relaxed and let out a breathe of air he hadn't realized he was holding. Natsu was probably feeling the same way... It wasn't there faults. He had to keep telling himself that.

"With Ís Drekkin gone now there are hundreds of Dragon Children with no home..." Touhou said. "And you Valley dragons can't go back for another few months."

The tan male nodded his head. "We had many go to... Sky Drive, while the necessary are coming here."

"It's mainly made up of those and their families in need of nests for..." Natsu paused, feeling awkward at mention that they had to lay eggs. It was still weird for either of the slayers to think that Natsu was going to lay eggs.

"I understand." The elder said. "Though we have limited space."

Cobra leaned on the table. "At Ís Drekkin, we kept several Dragon Children in one home at once. We can do that again right?"

"We can... But with so many Dragon Children carrying their own children..." Touhou made a face. Cobra suddenly got the mental image of two hormonal dragon children having mood swing together, mainly crying a lot and starting fights. He paled a little. Touhou nodded in understanding while Natsu sat oblivious to the conversation; he was poking at his stomach, most likely off in his own little world now.

The poison dragon swallowed a lump in his throat before asking what to do about the humans.

"Well..." The elder stroked at his beard. "Naturally... We wage war."

Cobra stood up immediately, his chair falling backwards behind him. Natsu and Touhou looked at him surprised. The maroon haired man had fear and horror in his wide purple eyes. Images from the scroll he had read back in the Valley flashed through his head. "You... You can't be serious..."

"I am." The old white Dragon Child said seriously. "This is not the first time the humans have discovered and taken out one of our precious cities. I want it to be the last though."

"You can't wage war!" Cobra yelled slamming his fist on the table. "Especially against the mages-Against Fiore! They were not involved!"

Natsu looked horrified and in a small voice said. "You were going to attack Fiore..?"

Touhou's eyes widened. "How did you know I was planning that...?"

"It was all Archen!" Cobra continued, ignoring the old man. "Archen and his Valkyries attacked the city and are trying to enslave all Dragon Children so he himself can attack Fiore! He's breeding his own to do his dirty work! Just talk to Ste-"

"Cobra!" Natsu shouted, stopping the poison dragons rant. The older male stopped before he said his friends name. He forgot that that information was Stella's, he had no right to tell anyone her precious secret without her permission.

"Sorry..." He muttered quietly while looking down. Touhou slowly stood up.

"As of now... You two will be involved in any... War meetings... We may hold. You and your friends obviously hold valuable information."

Both dragon slayers stiffened at the mention of war. They really didn't want this but the more they thought about it... The more they realized it had been coming for a while.

Suddenly the ground seemed to vibrated as something somewhere collided with a hard surface. Cobra looked down, his ears twitching. "A prisoner..?"

Touhou stood, brushing off his robes. "Yes... A human Mage. Dragon Slayer he says, we found him drowning in the ocean after a ship near by capsized. According to him he was traveling around."

"A dragon slayer?" Natsu asked, peaking his interest. He only knew of three others, only two were male. "What's he look like?"

"You don't need to worry about it." The elder said raising a withered hand. "We have him under control."

"You sure about that?" Cobra asked. He ha closed his eyes to listen harder. "You appear to have really misjudged his strength, you can't hold him down."

Touhou gave a low growl. Irritated at how Cobra was so easily able to obtain information and secrets.

"Cobra." Natsu said pulling on the sleeve of his jacket. "What's the guy look like?"

Cobra tilted his head down as if this would help him hear better. He scrunched his brow in concentration. "...Big... Blonde? Pissed off."

Natsu stood up. "Take me to him!" He said quickly to Touhou. The old man looked confused.

"Why must I-"

"Because I know him! Take me to your prisoner!"

The prison cells underneath the court house were surprisingly clean and empty. Natsu and Cobta actually expected them to be empty seeing as how they were a secret civilization, so people rarely found them.

More booms and yells could be heard farther down. This prisoner Natsu was so interested in was putting up quite a fight. Of course Cobra would too if he had been captured, especially if he was this pissed off.

Touhou opened a large thick wooden door and let the two Dragon Slayers slip inside. They saw a railing and approached it finding a small coliseum like room. In a pit was a big brawny blonde man who was chained to the floor, the restraints only long enough for him to stand and stretch his arms out. Two Dragon Children wielding sharp burning red pokers were stabbing at the man in the middle, he would yell in pain and then light would erupt from his body and the Dragon Children would be electrocuted and sent flying away from him.

"LAXUS!" Natsu shouted and leaned over the railing, the best he could with his baby bump.

The blonde immediately reacted to the call of his name. His head shot up and his eyes landed on Natsu and Cobra. A look of pure shock bloomed on the lightening dragon slayers face, his jaw dropped open and his dark eyes went wide.

"Nat...su..?" He asked in a dry voice. He sounded like he hasn't had a drink of water in days. Of course his voice could just be raw from all his screaming.

The salamander was staring down at his old friend in glee and happiness. Cobra shifted closer to him, feeling uneasy around the new dragon slayer. No one moved as they all just scared at each other in silence, enjoying the moment you could say.

Natsu broke it. To happy and eager to talk to a familiar face again. "What are you doing here? What happened?"

Laxus glanced to the Dragon Children who still held red hot pokers then back to Natsu. "I was traveling... You know, sense the old man kicked me out? I was on a boat going up along Fiore's coasts. But a storm hit and it capsized... When I woke up I was here chained like some dog." He threw his hands up to show Natsu. He yanked on the chains angrily but gave up. The pinkette could see he would tug on them a lot, his wrists were raw and dried blood was coating the edges of the shackles.

"Cobra let him out." Natsu said bitterly.

"I can't authorize that." Touhou said coming over.

"I wasn't asking for your authorization." The salamander snapped bitterly. "He's my friend, he won't do you any harm. Cobra?"

The poison eater spread his wings and jumped down into the hole. The other Dragon Children back away when he hissed and growled at them. Laxus watched Cobra cautiously as he approached him. Both males could feel some kind of... Feeling, building up between them. ..Like magnets? Yes the way magnets feel when you bring them together. Cobra could literally feel himself getting pulled towards the other man. It made him very uneasy and jittery.

Cobra stood in front of him and held out a clawed hand. Laxus looked at it confused at first before placing his chained hands in the others palm. As soon as there was skin contact a flurry of magic exploded around them. Pushing both dragon slayers apart. Cobra flew and smashed into the wall, his back embedding itself into it and crushing his wings. The sound of Chains snapping was heard when Laxus went flying in the opposite direction.

"You see!" Touhou screamed as purple smoke billowed from the explosion point, covering and hiding both Laxus and Cobra. "You should have just let us handle him he was not your friend!"

The flame on Natsu's tail flared up in anger. "Shut up gramps!" He looked back down into the hole, recognizing the same magic that had turned him and Cobra into Dragon Children...

"Laxus...?"

There was a groan on the other side of the room as a response. Natsu sighed, at least he was alive.

Cobra crawled out of the hole, feeling tired and bruised. He rested over the railing, breathing hard. "The things I do for you..."

Natsu chuckled sheepishly and kissed his head. "I love you..."

"Yeah you better..." He said then slid the rest of his way over the railing and laid on the ground. Natsu looked back into the hole calling out to his friend again. "Laxus?"

The smoke began to clear and what Nastu had feared for had happened. All over Laxus's body was gold and white metallic like scales, big feathery wings protruded from his back and a long tail with some fur at the end of it had ripped through the rag like pants he had been wearing previously.

"Son of a bitch..." Natsu muttered to himself. Apparently now; if any of them ran into Gajeel and Wendy, or any other dragon slayer for that matter, they weren't aloud to touch them at all lest they be turned into Dragon Children too.

Natsu sighed heavily and looked back to Touhou who was staring down at the newly born Dragon Child. "Still gonna keep him prisoner?"

The elder let Laxus go. Leaving Natsu and Cobra to care for him. He was tired after the explosion so Cobra had one of his arms slung up over his shoulder as they exited the Court building. They stopped at the edge of the platform and looked down then back at Laxus.

"I am NOT carrying him." Cobra dead panned. Natsu put his hands on his hips as a way of protest. "No! I already have to carry you! I can't carry you both he's to big! He's bigger than me!"

"Then teach him to fly!"

Laxus groaned and pulled himself off of Cobra, much to the others approval. "Can't you give me a minute to take all this in..?"

The two dragons glanced to each other than back at Laxus. "No."

The new Lightning Dragon Child glared at them but he stopped when he finally noticed Natsu's swollen stomach. He pointed at him looking horrified. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!"

Natsu's whole face went beat red and he quickly moved behind Cobra, who spread his wings out to hide him better. The poison dragon crossed his arms in irritation as he glared at Laxus. "That was rude."

Laxus was speechless for a few seconds. "But.. He... How.. Is he fat or pregnant?!"

"Pregnant." Cobra growled out.

"Are you the DAD?"

Cobra nodded his head and spread his wings out more, attempting to look bigger and probably intimidate the larger male. It must have worked a little because Laxus closed his mouth and sat down on the floor. He looked like he was thinking to himself.

"Pregnant..." He muttered. "Natsu... Pregnant... Good god how does that even happen?"

Cobra crouched next to him with a shit eating grin and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well you see, when a beta and an Alpha love each other very much..."

"Shut up shut up!" Laxus yelled blushing. "I'm not stupid I know what sex is! I wanna know how a man gets another man pregnant!"

"Dragon Children don't see gender..." Natsu muttered. His tail had wrapped itself around his stomach because of how awkward and self conscious he was now. "They don't have male and female it's alpha and beta... Beta's don't have wings and get pregnant... Alphas have wings and impregnate."

"It makes no fucking sense." Cobra said patting Laxus's should reassuringly. "Be glad you got wings buddy. Now lets use 'em."

Cobra stood up and took a running leap off the platform. Laxus watched as he disappeared out of sight then came flying back up.

"Your turn!"

Laxus's eyes widened. "I don't know how to fly!"

Cobra came down, grabbed Laxus by the arms and yanked him off the side of the platform.

"It's called, learning on the job!" The poison user said grinning then dropped him.

"Cobra!" Natsu snapped as Laxus plummeted down with a yell of fright. His mate looked to him and sighed.

"Can't I have any fun?"

"Not with my friends Go get him!" Natsu shouted pointing after the blondes falling body. Cobra groaned and dived after him.

The tan male caught up with his wings folded and fell with him. He knocked on Laxus's head like a door. "Hello? Hello? Are you stupid, open your wings!"

Laxus glared at him. Cobra chuckled. "Those aren't nice thoughts."

Laxus blinked in confusion but then gagged slightly a his shoulders were yanked up suddenly. Cobra had hooked his hands under the blonds brawny shoulders and stopped his descent. They were a few feet above the ground.

The poison dragon started carrying Laxus back up while he just relaxed like a doll. When he decided to travel around after grandpa Makarov kicked him out this was NOT what he expected to happen a few months afterwards.

Cobra stopped half way between Natsu and the ground. He looked down at the lightning dragon and whistled. The blondes head slowly looked up at him. "Listen to me okay? You have to open your wings."

Laxus glanced at the big gold and white appendages on his back. They were three times as big as he was, he made one move and found it felt strange to move a limb he didn't have ten minutes ago. He moved the other and slowly opened them up all the way.

"I'm going to let you go now." Cobra said. "Start flapping."

Laxus did so as the purple taloned hands gradually slid out from under his arms. He jerked around in the air for a while looking like a sick bird before slowly getting the hang of it.

Cobra clapped his hands. "Congratulations you can fly now."

Laxus glared at him. "Your a shitty teacher."

Cobra clicked his tongue and winked. "My son would disagree with you."

"Son?" Laxus asked surprised. "You have more kids with Natsu?"

"A daughter and a son. Both adopted. Our son Sting is like us."

"Dragon slayer...?" Laxus question just to make sure. Cobra nodded his head and Laxus looked serious.

"To think all this is even getting children involved..."

Cobra was silent for a while thinking back to how scared Sting must have been when he had been turned, beaten, and captured in a cage.

"Cobra! Laxus!" Natsu called down to them. Both alphas looked up to find him leaning over the side slightly. "Can we go home now? I'm hungry."

"Again?" Cobra yelled back up. "You already ate!"

"I'm eating for nine or less!"

"Say what!?" Laxus shouted.

Cobra covered his ears with a groan and looked at Laxus. "Dragon Children have up to eight kids."

"Good god." The blonde said. "I'm glad I don't plan to have kids... And that I want to change back."

Cobra laughed. "Hahaha! You see, that's what thought at first." Cobra slung his arm over Laxus's shoulder and pointed up at a confused Natsu. "Then I met him."

He then flew away to grab his lovely pinkette and carry him home. Laxus shook his head.

"Still not gonna be a dad..."

Laxus did his best to follow the more experienced Dragon Child through the tree house village and into their own little home. The lightning dragon child had a rough landing though, toppling and tripping at the last moment which caused him to face plant right into the wooden floor.

Once inside he crashed on the couch and groaned loudly.

"I'll show you landing tomorrow." Cobra said walking by. Laxus flipped him the bird in response.

Natsu went to fidget in the kitchen while his mate went to count the amount of rooms they had.

"There threw rooms in all." He yelled through the house. "We might be cramming a few people into one."

"That's fine! Shara and Sting can sleep with us, Stella and Mino can have one room and Laxus can have his own." Natsu shouted back.

"Thank god." Laxus said into a pillow. The sound of a pan clattering to the floor made him look up and towards the kitchen. There was a pause of silence... "Natsu?"

Still nothing. Cobra came out of the hall way and looked to the kitchen door worriedly. Both men approached it and slowly pushed there way inside. Natsu was standing in the middle of the kitchen, his back to them and a pot at his feet, he was visibly trembling.

"Natsu?" Cobra asked approaching him. "Are you okay?"

Natsu's slowly and jerkily turned his head to look at them. He looked scared and sweat had built up on his face.

"Natsu-" Cobra went to ask what was wrong when his eyes widened and he looked scared shitless too. His ears were going like mad.

Laxus shook his shoulder from behind. "Oi what's wrong with you two?"

He looked up as Natsu started shuffling around so he was facing them. Hi hands were clutching his stomach and the are around his crotch was dripping wet.

Laxus looked confused. "Did you wet yourself?"

The salamander quickly shook his head. It took a moment for Laxus to process what was going on before his facial expression matched Cobras perfectly.

"RIGHT NOW?!" They both screamed.

Natsu shook his head again then gasped in surprise. "Right now!"

Cobra and Laxus both grabbed the salamander under his arms and lifted him up then quickly carriers him into one of the back rooms, they just picked a random one. They carefully laid him down in the nest at the center of the room.

"What do we do?!" Cobra said hurriedly.

"I don't know!" Laxus replied. "You're the dad!"

"That doesn't mean I know what to do!"

"Then you a bad dad I guess!"

"GUYS!" Natsu screamed at the bickering pair. They stopped and looked at him. "My pants?!"

"Oh." Cobra crouched down and carefully removed the silky material from Natsu's waist and legs. Once they were off he couldn't help but look down and literally fell over as he almost feinted.

"What's your problem?" Laxus asked taking a look an his eyes widened as a blush appeared on his cheeks. "Whoa! it's already coming out!"

Natsu groaned in pain and bit his lip hard. Laxus pulled Cobra back to his feet and shook him slightly to wake him up. "Come on do something!"

"You do something!"

"It you baby!"

"It's an egg!" Cobra shoved him off and took a few breathes ten quickly said. "Dragon Children are reptiles they don't give birth live they lay eggs Natsu is laying eggs right now!"

"Great!" Laxus snapped. "Thanks for the update! Now lets fucking do something!"

"Right!"

Both men crouched down and cringed at the sight of a shiny purple ball being pushed out of Natsu. It was roughly the size of a watermelon.

"I think I'm gonna hurl a little..." Laxus said covering his mouth.

"Don't you dare." Cobra said but he was very green in the face too. He wasn't sick that Natsu was having the eggs it was more... He was sick to watch a man in general having to push something this large out of his ass, and a couple of times at that.

Cobra took shaky hands and place them underneath the fragile purple egg. It came out completely and he held it up. Both Laxus and Cobra stared at the egg. Holding it up in the light the men could almost see the outline of the tiny baby inside. A huge grin broke across the tan males face. "My baby..."

"Cobra!" Natsu shouted. "Laxus!"

Cobra handed the egg to Laxus and braced himself to go through it again.

An hour and forty five minutes later Natsu was passed out in the nest and four glossy purple eggs were rapped up in a blanket next to him.

Laxus and Cobra were seated on the ground next to them. Cross legged and looking down. They just stared.

"...this happened right?" Laxus asked. "I'm not having some crazy ass dream back on that boat."

"Nope." Cobra breathes out. "It's real..." He reached over and poked one. It was smooth and glossy.

"You have six kids." Laxus dead panned.

Cobra jerked at that. Images of dealing with six children breaking things and running around the house injuring themselves were brought to his mind. He fell backwards and fainted again.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: New Home

Shara ran off the boat as a giddy laughing mess. Her big brother Sting was right behind her, just as excited to see the island; El Dador del Agua. She's never been to any other city aside from Ís Drekkin so you can imagine just how excited she was.

Stella and Mino followed them more slowly down the ramp and onto the stone paved path that led into the forest from the beach.

"Can I fly around?" Sting asked looking to Stella. "Please please?!"

"No." She dead panned. The little blonde boy hung his head in disappointment.

Mino laughed. "Come on Stella he just wants to explore."

"If he gets lost under my watch Natsu and Cobra are going to have a cow." She looked to the approaching forest. "Plus... I've never been to this city before so I don't know anything about it."

"Come on, it's a Dragon Child city." Mino insisted. "So it's gotta be safe."

"That's what we thought about Ís Drekkin."

That silenced the earth dragon quickly. If Stella wanted to be extra cautious now after all what's happened... Mino wouldn't blame or stop her.

Many winged dragons were taking off to fly up to tree houses that made up the city or village as it looks. The ones that couldn't fly or had no ride were left to climb up spiral staircases that traveled up the side of trees. Stella pulled everyone away from the stairs once they came out onto the main platform that branched off to other buildings.

"We need to find Natsu and Cobra." She said looking around.

"If their here." Mino said quietly.

"They are here!" Shara snapped at him. "There's no way their not!"

Mino smiled but gave her a sympathetic kind of look. "It's good that you believe in them but you have to remember it is a long way from the coast to here. For all we know their still on their way."

Shara puffed her cheeks out at him and shook her little hands. "They made it they made it! Mom and Dad are here!"

Mino bit his lip to stop the rising chuckles in his chest and Stella let out a booming laugh. She hunched over holding her stomach and just let loose. Sting and Shara blinked in confusion.

"What's so funny?" Sting asked looking to his adopted sister. "Did you make a joke I didn't hear?"

The black haired girl looked just as confused. "No... I don't think I did."

The two older betas kept laughing and once they gained their composure again they were still giggling.

"You..." Mino took a deep breath to calm down before speaking. "You called Natsu mom."

Shara blinked then blushed in embarrassment. "Oh s-sorry..."

"No no!" Stella said still cracking up. "That's awesome if you wanna call him mom go right on ahead!"

Shara blushed and looked down while Sting just giggled to himself.

"Mino!" A female voice called.

The earth dragon looked up to see a female alpha flying down towards him. He smiled widely at the familiar face. "Ah! Hey Aspen!"

The alpha landed; her green scales shining in the sunlight and her pretty face caught Shara's attention. Her eyes widened and she stared. "Your pretty..."

Aspen chuckled. "Thank you little one." She looked back to Mino. "I've been asked to take you to your Friends, Natsu and Cobra right?"

"Yeah!" Shara started bouncing up and down in glee. "Are they okay?"

"Their fine." The earth dragon said smiling. "They've had a meeting with our elder I'm sure he'll want to talk to you two eventually as well." She gestured to Stella and Mino.

"That can be done later." The water dragon groaned. "Lets just get home and relax..."

Everyone followed Aspen through the bridges to the house Natsu and Cobra were assigned. Seeing as there wasn't a lot of space for the group all six of them would need to be one house. Stella walked in the door way and looked around.

"It's nicely sized. Should be good for all of us." She walked into the living room and the children bolted past her to find their parents. Mino came in talking to Aspen, they seemed pretty deep in conversation, talking about wen thy were younger.

Stella didn't know Mino knew this girl... Or anyone else other than her and the dragon slayers for that matter. She heard a door open and turned, expecting to see Cobra or Natsu coming to greet them. Instead she saw a big blonde man with gorgeous gold and white scales and a lightning shaped scar over his eye.

"Are you Stella?" He asked in a deep voice.

The black haired for slowly nodded, trying with all her might not to flip out.

"Natsu and His... Boyfriend... Are back here." He turned around and left through the same door into the Hallway. As soon as she was sure the man was out of ear shot her hands shot to her chest and she swooned.

"He's GORGEOUS!"

Mino and Aspen looked over confused. Then the beta got a big grin on his face. "What's this? Does Stella have a little crush?"

She turned on him. He expected to get yelled at and hit but instead she was grinning and blushing. Something you don't see everyday...

"Are you kidding me?! Screw crush I love him! He's fucking amazing."

"You just met him..." Mino pointed out.

Stella shoved his face away. "Love at first sight, look it up- it's a thing!" She then scurried down the hall into Natsu's room. "Ah! Mino get in here!"

The earth dragon blinked in confusion. He glanced to Aspen who shrugged and followed him to the far bed room. When he walked in his found everyone was in the room. Mainly surrounding the nest where Natsu and Cobra lay curled around four eggs.

"Natsu laid the eggs!" Mino yelled excitedly and hurried over to see them. Natsu was asleep but Cobra had his head resting on a pillow and used his wings to make a kind of blanket for Natsu and the Eggs. All four of them were a pail purple color and shiny.

"Four of them, wow." Stella said impressed. She rubbed Natsu's head and he stirred. "Rest up dude, you've earned it."

Cobra chuckled. "An hour and a half is how long he was pushing."

The blonde dragon shuttered at the memory. "It looked painful that's for sure..."

"Cobra who is this guy?" Stella whispered excitedly to him. The tan male raised and eyebrow.

"He's one of Natsu's old guild mates. Their friends I guess. His name is Laxus."

Stella sat back and closed her eyes, repeating the name in her head so she would memorize it.

"That reminds me." Cobra said looking up to the thunder Dragon Child. "You're like me. The last of your kind."

Laxus looked surprised. Mino and Stella jumped at it.

"Another?! What kind is he?" Mino asked.

"Based on his scales and that scar a lightning Dragon." Stella said smiling at him. Laxus huffed and looked away from her.

She grinned and thought to herself. 'Keep playing hard to get big boy. We'll be making babies you and I.'

Cobra's cheeks puffed out as he resisted the urge to laugh. Stella punched him in the face when Laxus asked what he was laughing about.

"I told him a joke." The water dragon said cheerfully. Cobra pushed her fist away and massaged his wounded nose.

"Bitch..." He muttered.

"Dick."

"Whore."

"Slut."

"Guys!" Mino yelled at them.

"She/he started it!" They both said pointing to each other. Laxus, Mino and Aspen got a look that asked if they were seriously doing that right now.

"Childish..." Laxus muttered. Stella looked heart broken and hung her head in shame. Cobra snickered at her.

Shara popped out from under Cobra's wings. "What do we do now?"

Sting joined her. "Now that we're here?"

"Nothing." Stella said.

"Except help plan a war..." Cobra said darkly.

"What?!" Everyone but Laxus and Natsu said.

Cobra looked at them seriously. "Touhou wants to start a war with Archen for attacking Ís Drekkin. He wants us to help arrange the whole thing."

"Screw that!" Stella snapped. "A war with Archen is only going to end in disaster!"

"You think I don't know that?" Cobra asked her, his wings tightened around all six of his children. Everyone got quiet. If a war were to happen everyone would know the casualties that could not be avoided. Loosing friends and family.

"We have to make sure it doesn't happen then." Laxus said. Everyone looked to him, he was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "We convince the old man that war isn't the answer."

Everyone nodded their head. Cobra smiled and rested his head down again. "That's a plan I guess..." He noticed Aspen standing there and recognized her. "Your that Alpha. The one that brought us here from the ocean."

Aspen waved. "Yep. I'm Aspen Corly. Nice to meet you."

"Aspen's an old friend of mine." Mino said happily. "We knew each other as kids, she used to visit the Valley as a guard in training."

"You were such a twig then." She said bumping with her shoulder. She was significantly taller than the brunette boy, probable four or five inches.

"He still is." Stella muttered. Mino glared at her and she grinned back. "What, it's true."

Mino came over and crouch next to the better to get a better look at the eggs. "What will you name them?"

Cobra lifted his wing to look. Sting and Shara were curled up together against Cobra's body, napping, they were also pressed against the eggs. "I don't know. We don't know their name or type."

Mino nodded. "True. But, based on their color their probably all poison dragons. Maybe one or two will be fire."

"Good to know." Cobra said. "When will they hatch?"

"Six weeks." Stella interjected before Mino could answer. "Give or take a few days."

Cobra sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Six kids..."

"It's your own fault." Stella chuckled.

"I only intended to have ONE KID!" Cobra snapped. "And it was Shara. I didn't know at the time that I knocked up Natsu and I sure as hell didn't intend to adopt Sting! That was your idea..."

He quieted down suddenly. The water and earth dragons looked at him funny. He lifted his wing and peeked under it. "Sting..." He said gently. The little blonde boy could be seen shuffling inside the nest, his head low. "Sting."

His was popped up and all you could see were his eyes, looking sad and watery. Everyone looked down to see him and he hid again. Cobra cast them a look that said, "back up."

They did so giving them space. Cobra reached his arm in and hooked it around the little white dragons body, pulling him forward so her lay under the poison dragons shoulder now. He was looking down away from his adopted dads face.

"I'm sorry." Cobra said nudging him closer. "I didn't mean to say that, I shouldn't have. I didn't mean it."

The boy still didn't look at him. The tan male frowned and bit his ear. Sting yelped in pain and surprised and covered it, he looked at Cobra confused and angry. "What was that for?!"

"Ignoring me." Cobra stated. "Listen. Just because your adopted doesn't mean you're less important than those eggs."

Sting stared at him quietly.

"I'm your dad okay? I love you just as much as them." He nuzzled Stings face affectionately and the little dragon gave off a purr. He curled up against Cobra and closed his eyes.

"Sorry..."

"What for?"

"Thinking like that..." Sting muttered.

"It's understandable." Cobra said, smiling softly. He hugged Sting and left him to fall back asleep.

Stella and Mino had knowing smiles on their faces when he looked up at them. "What?" He asked.

"You've just changed so much." Mino said happily.

"You used to he so blunt and mean." Stella said. "Now look at you."

Cobra thought about it for a while, Comparing when they first arrived to now. Even back when he was still in Orecion seis. He smirked. "I guess... This had been good for me."

Laxus gave a deep throated chuckle. "I never knew you before now, but something tells me you used to be an ass hole."

"Same goes for you." Cobra shot back. "Trying to take over you own guild, eh?"

Laxus blushed with embarrassment. "How did you know about that?! Did Natsu tell you?"

The poison dragon tapped his ear with one hand. "Nope. I heard it."

"Heard it..?"

"Cobra's got hearing magic." Mino said. Laxus groaned.

"Great. Just what I need."

"You get used to it." Stella said. She walked over and pat him on the shoulder. "Welcome to our little family. It's not as good as a guild I guess but we provide."

Mino and Cobra smiled. Sting poked his head out one more time. "Uncle Laxus!"

The lightning dragon blushed with embarrassment and turned away with a huff. Everyone laughed at him. Cobra rubbed Stings blonde hair proudly. "That's my boy."


	19. Chapter 19

I write this chapter for a little fan of mine. I love her and her friends, they always put me in a good mood and I love chatting with them. Enjoy your chapter Pay~

Chapter 19: A day in the life of Laxus

Laxus sat by himself on the couch with a book. He'd gotten so bored in the nearly empty house that he actually grabbed some random paper back and started reading randomly through it. Natsu and Cobra had to go shopping for food and other things they may need in their new house. Stella and Mino were called to meet some older geezer named Touhou and Aspen was taken away on guard duty. So he had nothing to do.

The blonde sighed heavily and closed the book. He noticed then he had two young Dragon Children sitting on the ground in front of him. They stared at each other for a while before Laxus cleared his throat.

"What do you want?"

Shara smiled. "We want to go around town."

"We're bored, please?" Sting asked.

"You want me take you?"

"Yeah!" Both kids cheered.

"No." Laxus had gotten up and was going into the kitchen. The kids got a depressive cloud around them and moved to the corner.

"Uncle Laxus is so mean..." Sting muttered.

"Yeah he's the worst..." Shara joined. Laxus attempted to ignore them.

"He must hate children or something" the black dragon continued. "

"Dad would have taken us out... We should tell him Laxus was mean to us."

"Yeah tell him he was really really rude and mean."

The lightening dragon froze at that comment and started sweating slightly. He just met Cobra a few days ago and didn't exactly know him very well but based on the small interactions they've had, like how he almost mauled the blonde man to death just for trying to pick up one of his eggs, he guessed that he would wind up dead if these kids decided to go and be tattle tales...

Laxus slowly turned around and he jerked in surprise. The two kids were grinning at him evilly, knowing full well what would happen if they told Papa Cobra what happened. He cursed at them mentally for playing him so well. They would grow up to be pains in anyone's ass that's for sure.

So Laxus found himself getting dragged along a wooden bridge, suspended high in the air, as the kids rushed off to the first thing they saw. The scent of cinnamon and sugar wafted around him and he drooled a little. He wouldn't admit it but he liked a good sweet snack every now and again. They all entered the bakery and the kids took a deep breath.

"Sugar..." Shara sighed out. Sting ran to a counter where he could see several kinds of pastries stacked up behind glass. Shara and Laxus were behind him.

"Can I help you with anything sir?" The cashier asked from behind the counter. Laxus was about to say no bit Shara yanked on his shirt and pointed to stack of brownies covered in white powder.

"Can I have this? Please, Uncle Laxus?"

"I don't think-"

"Uncle, this!" Sting had his hands pressed to the glass and he was staring intently at a red velvet Cupcake with cream cheese frosting. "Please please please."

Laxus sweat dropped before reaching around to his backside. He felt the small leather pouch full of money he had strapped to his belt. He had an internal battle of whether or not to buy the kids these sweets. Would Cobra or Natsu get pissed if he did? Or didn't? Sighing he glanced to the cashier and nodded once.

The kids were handed their sweets and happily thanked Laxus for getting them. He paid the cashier and left with the two little dragons. They sat themselves at the edge of a platform and instantly dug into their treats. The chocolate didn't last long in their hands, it was devoured almost instantly. The kid faces were covered in icing or crumbs and they sat contently at the edge. Happy to have full stomachs, even if it's with sugar.

"Thank you again uncle!" Shara said smiling at him.

"Yeah sure..." He sighed counting the money he had left. He still didn't know the whole money system yet sense they used gems instead of coins. Was it the blue ones that cost the most or the red ones...? The green ones?

"Uncle can we go somewhere else?" Sting asked excitedly.

Laxus internally groaned, he didn't want to be dragging these kids around. Then again it was better than sitting alone in that boring house of theirs, stuck with nothing but a paper back book. He sighed again. "Where to next..."

They dragged him all over the place. He went into clothing stores, candy stores, toy stores. Every single place that looked entertaining to a child. He wound up spending more money too, flat broke half way through the day.

He shook the empty pouch depressively as Shara played with a little stuffed sky dragon behind him. She absolutely adored it and wouldn't shut up about it. Sting was next to Laxus, kicking his legs and thinking about who knows what.

"You kids are a handful you know that..." The lightning dragon muttered. "How did Cobra put up with you guys... And then he's got four more in the works? I feel sorry for him."

"Well." Sting hummed. "At first it was just Shara. Cobra adopted her first. Then there was me. And then the eggs came..."

The blonde huffed. "And he's a good 'dad'?"

"Yes! He loves us even when we're not his own..." Sting got quiet slowly before abruptly stopping. Laxus looked down at him and got worried by the sad and sullen look on his face.

"Hey you okay kiddo?" He asked.

The little white dragon looked up at him, conflicting was obvious in his blue eyes but then it changed to serious and Laxus was completely taken aback by his question.

"Where do babies come from."

Shara's head popped up and she scurried over. "Babies? We're learning about babies?" She looked from Sting to Laxus almost excitedly.

The blonde man thought he would choke on air and die right there. This was not the kind of question he of all people should be asked, especially by someone else's kids. "Uhhh w-well... Er..."

The dragons waited patiently for his answer.

"I..I can't answer that." He said quickly. Sting looked at him strangely and Laxus fumbled for his words. "W-well Dragon Children do this differently from normal humans right? I just know how men and women do it not Alphas and Beta's so I don't know that, you'd have to ask your... Dads... For that answer they know more about it than I do!"

The two dragons blinked at him then both said "okay!" He sighed in relief that he managed to dodged that bullet. He had no intention of talking about sex to eight year olds.

"Uncle." Laxus looked down at Shara who ha tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. "I want a bath."

The blonde man sweat dropped. He couldn't help but think that was somewhat random, why did she want a bath right now in the middle of the day?

"I don't think you need one..." He said awkwardly. Shara pouted, her cheeks puffing out. Even though she wasn't related to him she looked a lot like Natsu when she did that.

"I want one!" She shouted, clutching the dragon toy to her chest. "I want one I want one I want one!"

"Stop yelling! A temper tantrum won't get you what you want!" He snapped at her. She closed her mouth and looked like she was going to cry. "Fine!"

She stormed off after that. Laxus sighed and shook his head, she'd be back she didn't know the way home or even around the town. He sat there with Sting waiting for him to get bored and want to go home. After about five minutes though Laxus was getting impatient. All the kid did was sit there and stare into space.

Laxus poked his head. "Hey, kid." Sting looked up at him passively. "You wanna go home yet."

"No." He went back to staring. Laxus got a tick mark but looked down to see what he was staring at. Far bellow, clinging onto the bark of one of the trees was a squirrel, and a big one at that. It was just minding its own business, crawling around and looking for food. The older man could tell what Sting wanted to do.

"Go for it."

The white dragon looked at him confused. Laxus waved his hand down at the squirrel. "Go ahead. Try."

Sting smiled widely then stood up. He crouched on the edge on the platform and watched the squirrel intently. It didn't notice him, even as he silently lunged forward and smashed it into the side of tree it clung too. The rodent gave a strangled cry and writhed in the boys grip before dying of its broken spine and falling still. Sting proudly flew back up and held the dead animal out to Laxus.

"I caught it!"

"You also killed it..." He said poking the carcass. "I guess Natsu's got some dinner to make now..."

"Lets take it home so we can eat it!" Sting cheered happily.

"No objection here." The blonde man stood up and stretched, he spread his wings and was about to take the short way home until he noticed Shara still wasn't around. He glanced around hoping to see her coming back but had no such luck.

"Sting did you see which way your sister went?"

The blonde boy shook his head 'no'. Laxus growled to himself and started to panic. He had to find her before someone else did or before anyone noticed she was missing. "Shit..."

He grabbed Sting and flew off. Gliding towards home to see if Shara had possibly tried going back after getting upset. He didn't see her on any of the bridges on the way there and when he got into the house itself the only people there were Stella and Mino. The female practically jumped out of her pretty frilly panties when she saw him.

"Laxus! We were just wondering where you went!"

The blonde ignored her attempt at flirting and looked around. He didn't see the little shadow dragon. "Is Shara here?"

"No why?" Mino said coming down the hall. Cursing Laxus turned around and flew out of the house again. If she wasn't home where could she be? Then he remembered her asking about a bath. He flew faster, keeping Sting close to his chest as he avoided trees and bridges, he came out of the forest and roughly landed on the sandy beach. He looked around and saw Shara's clothes and stuffed Dragon sitting on a rock, but didn't see her.

He put Sting down next to her things and told him to stay put. Wondering around Laxus called out for Shara, hoping she would tell back, sadly she didn't and the man started getting nervous and scared. What if something bad happened to her... He wouldn't forgive himself.

"Shara!" He called out again.

He heard a yelp and a scream from the edge of the woods. The bushes shook subtly and muffled sounds were coming from behind it. He narrowed his eyes and slowly approached the bush.

"Hold her down! She bit me damn it..."

Laxus practically yanked the bush out of the ground and glared at what was going on. His eyes widened in rage as he saw two men in black holding Shara, naked, down and attempting to Tie her up. The two men spun around in surprise and horror as the saw Laxus towering over them.

"What do you think your doing to her..." He said lowly, his eyes were hidden by shadows cast by the sun behind him. The two men sweat dropped.

"Crap."

Lightning erupted from the area. Sting blinked from his spot a little confused, he guess Laxus found something and didn't like it...

The two men lay twitching on the ground, charred and unconscious while Laxus untied the little girl from her binds. Once free she leaped into her uncles arms and hugged him tightly, she started crying into his shoulder.

"Thank you thank you!" She wept. "I-I won't run off again! Or throw a tantrum I promise I'm sorry!"

Laxus picked her up and did the best to hide her body as he took her back to Sting, who was sitting patiently. "It's fine, I'm just glad I found you..."

He put her down so she could get dressed. Sting asked what happened but Laxus just said she was lost in the woods. He seemed to half accept that. After returning home the trip found Natsu and Cobra talking in the living room, just relaxing. The boys looked over when they saw them enter the room.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Natsu asked. Shara rushed to him and crawled ito his lap, curling up. "Woah you okay?"

She grinned. "Yeah! Uncle took us out to town today!"

"Did he." Cobra said giving his usual cocky grin. "That was nice, what did you guys do?"

"We got treats, and toys, and looked at cool stuff." Sting said sitting himself next to his dad. "We had fun!"

Natsu looked at Laxus with an almost amused expression. "That's good."

The blonde sat himself in a chair and relaxed. He could use a nap after that day. He sighed. 'Coulda been worse.'


	20. Special Chapter (Halloween)

_Happy Halloween kittens! I haven't updated in a while so, as a 'trick or treat' gift to you I've written a special Halloween chapter to go along with the new update! Enjoy and have a happy Halloween! If you don't celebrate it then have a good October!_

Special Chapter

"Here Cobra."

Cobra blinked his eyes in confusion. He was standing in a big Guild Hall, he had to guess it was Natsu's seeing as he saw the FairyTail symbols hanging from banisters on the walls. People were around him but they were dressed strangely... Wrapped in bandages from head to tow, tails and wings protruding from their backs, masks and missing limbs...

"Cobra..?"

The tan male looked over and saw Natsu standing there. Only he was pale as a ghost, shackles were around his neck and wrists, the white of his eyes had gone black, his onyx irises barely visible in them. He had his old clothes on but they were tattered and ripped to shreds. Not only that but he was almost see through and floating a foot above the ground.

"Whoa!" Cobra yelled jumping back away from him. The ghost like Natsu scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"Are you okay?" He asked floating closer.

Cobra held a hand out. "Stop there!"

Natsu looked offended and hurt. "What..? What did I do?"

Cobra was trembling. Where did Natsu's scales go? His tail-his body?! Did he die?! Cobra looked around the room quickly. Shara and Sting were standing on tables tossing what looked like a ball back and forth... To bad it was a head...

"Stop this instant!" Erza's head yelled as she landed in Shara's arms.

"Why sssshould we?" The black haired girl hissed. Bits of her black hair came up to reveal snakes on the tips and they hissed at Erza.

"Because I said so! Where's my body? Where's your father?!"

"Your body is over there!" Sting pointed to a column where Erza's armored body was tied up so she couldn't move no matter how hard it struggled. The white dragon didn't have his tail or wings just like Natsu and Shara. Instead he had dog ears on his head and a wolfs tail that wagged back and forth, claws and fangs dawned his mouth and hands.

"Sting, catch!" Shara called to him and threw Erza's head again. Sting caught it and started up their game of catch again.

Cobra watched the whole thing with his jaw dropped. What happened to his kids? They weren't Dragon Children anymore they were... Monsters...

A cold hand on his back made him shiver and turn around to see Natsu. He had a very worried expression and was gripping a bag of blood to his chest.

"Cobra your acting strange.."

"Am I..?" Cobra asked slowly.

"Your probably hungry, here." Natsu offered the blood bag to him and Cobra leaned back away from it.

"I'm suppose to eat that..?"

Natsu laughed. "Duh; what else will you do with it, put it back?"

The tan male didn't even want to know where (or who) the blood came from. He was also scared to know why Natsu was trying to get him to drink it. Slowly Cobra looked down at his hands, they were normal aside from being paler than his usual caramel and the fact he didn't have scales anymore. He rubbed his hands together and realized they were cold, he also saw he was waring a strange cape and suit instead of his usual jacket and pants. He felt fancy as fuck.

Cobra looked to the guild bar and saw a white haired woman attending it. At first he thought it was Paleoth but when she turned around he saw it was Natsu's friend Mirajane. He wouldn't know any of these people's names or who they were if Natsu hadn't told him about them forever ago.

A mirror was sitting on the bar and he rushed to it. As he got closer Mira smiled at him.

"Hello Cobra. Are you hungry?" She asked nicely.

"N-no not really..." He said awkwardly and snatched the mirror. Mira looked at him confused.

"You.. Won't be able to see yourself Cobra... You know that."

She was right. Cobra was staring into the mirror horrified as he realized he couldn't see his reflection, Just the clothes he was waring. He looked up at Mira, he noticed how she had red skin and horns coming out of her white hair.

"Am I a..." He didn't want to say it, he never believed in monsters so the thought of being one scared him a little.

"Vampire?" The satanic looking woman asked. "Yes. You are. I think your anemic, better eat up."

Cobra dropped the mirror and it shattered. His hands shot to his face and he felt how cold his skin was. He stuck two fingers in his mouth and felt needle like fangs where his dragon canines were suppose to be. He hunched over in depression giving up.

"I'm a mother fucking Vampire..." He said gloomily.

"You always have been, idiot." Stella's voice came from above.

Cobra looked up to see the woman swinging from a beam on bandages that came from her own body. She was wrapped head to toe like a mummy...

"What happened to my wings?! Our scales, the Dragon Children!" He shouted up to her.

The black haired woman raised an eyebrow at the tan male and looked at him like he was stupid. "Dragon Children? The fuck is that?"

Cobra screamed while pulling on his hair. He slouched again and dragged his hands over his face. He slapped himself a few times hoping to wake up but nothing worked. It hurt though, so was this not a dream?

"Cobra!"

He turned around to find Natsu again. His form had a red glow to it instead of a pale blue. "You've been acting strange all day! Sit down!"

Cobra did so and sat down on one of the many bar stools. Mira giggled at them.

Natsu thrust the blood bag at him and pressed it into his hands. "Eat already! You're going to get sick and even worse if you don't!"

Cobra looked at Natsu then slowly down at the bag. His stomach twisted and growled at the sight of it and he was almost horrified when his mouth watered. Natsu crossed his arms, refusing to move until Cobra ate.

He swallowed a lump in his throat and brought the bag hesitantly to his mouth, he bit down on it and punctured the plastic protecting the iron rich liquid. Blood flowed into his mouth instantly and he almost gagged on it. But as soon as it started going down his throat and he tasted it he couldn't help but start chugging.

It was thick and felt good going down, tasting sweet like candy but also bitter and metallic. Still he drained the bag to nothing and sighed contently, he wished he could have another. He licked his lips, making the taste lasted longer on his tongue.

Natsu was chuckling in front of him. "See, you were hungry."

"Apparently." Cobra purred as he tossed the empty bag away. "To bad you don't have a body or I would be draining you dry."

Natsu blushed, his ghostly body turning as pink as his hair. "Cobra..."

The vampire chuckled.

"Having fun?" Shara asked skipping over to join her adoptive parents. Sting was with her.

"Yes, we are." Natsu said smiling. "Did you give Erza her head back?"

"Yup!" Sting said wagging his tail. "Dad dad! Can we play?"

Cobra raised an eyebrow. "Sure I suppose."

Sting went through his pants and pulled a small tennis ball out, he handed it to Cobra and he looked at it awkwardly. The tan vampire looked from the ball then to Sting who was practically bouncing, his tail going a mile a minute.

"You serious..?" Cobra asked.

"Throw it throw it! Bark!" Sting jumped up and down barking his head off. Cobra stared blankly as he threw the ball and Sting instantly turned and ran after it on all fours, yapping like a small dog.

"I just did that." Cobra said, not believing what he just did. "I'm playing fetch with my son."

Shara chased after the werewolf while giggling. Natsu was smiling and floating next to Cobra who was blinking in confusion.

"Is it like this all the time?" Cobra asked Natsu.

"What do you mean?"

"In the guild. Are we always... Monsters?"

Natsu laughed. "Yeah of course Cobra! It's a guild of monsters after all, this is where they come when they have no where else to go. When people drive them away from their real homes. That's why we exist."

Cobra smiled a little to himself. "That's good."

"Look out!" Stella screamed. Cobra looked up to see the mummy falling down.

"Fuck." He said bitterly as she landed on him. He blacked out for a second but then someone started shaking him violently.

"Snap out of it Cobra! Snap out of it!"

"Snap out of what?!" He screamed. He pushed whoever was shaking him off before they broke his neck. He looked to see it was Natsu, red scales and flaming tail. The tan male stared in confusion then looked at his hands. They were back to being covered in purple scales. He felt his tail move around behind him and he stretched his wings.

"Was it a dream...?" He asked.

"Dream? No! What's with you trying to bite everyone! And what do you mean I'm suppose to be dead!" Natsu shouted angrily.

Everyone was standing around him while he sat on the floor. Sting was there, normal, and so was Shara. Stella and Mino were behind them and Laxus too. He scratched his head in confusion.

"What... Happened?" Cobra asked.

"I'll tell you what happened!" Stella said. "You suddenly went raving about being a Vampire and how you had to get back to some big guild of monsters or some nonsense!"

"You said we play fetch..." Sting said feeling awkward.

"And that I liked stone work." Shara raised her hand.

Cobra blinked then shook his head. "Ah well I'm sorry... It won't happen again..."

Everyone didn't look to sure but they all walked away to leave him alone. He stayed seated on the ground thinking hard about what just happened. He scratched the top of his head and glanced around. He was back in his home at El Dador Del Agua, sitting in the room he and Natsu shared. His eyes got caught on the mirror across the room. He was standing in it, waring a suit and cape, red eyes and pale skin. His reflection smiled and waved, fangs protruded from under his upper lip.

Cobra shot to his feet and grabbed the mirror. "It was real?!" He hissed to it.

The reflection nodded. "Sorry about that. I was messing with this." The vampire held up a complicated and old looking book. "Didn't think it would make me switch with an alternate version of myself."

Cobra stared at the book then at himself. The reflection winked and held a finger to his mouth. "Sorry, again. Lets keep this incident a secret between ourselves, eh? No need to make our families think were crazy right?"

Cobra nodded his head slowly. The vampire grinned, showing off his fangs. He waved again. "Well, bye bye then. Maybe we'll see each other again?"

And with that the reflection changed back to the normal Dragon Child Cobra. He stared at his own reflection and shook his head. He glanced around to make sure no one saw him talking to... Himself?

He then sighed and rubbed his head before grabbing a jacket and leaving the room to find his friends.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Safety

A barren wasteland stretched out in all directions no matter which way he looked. Buildings were shattered to nothing but rubble, the roads buckling up and scattered with bodies of Mage and Dragon Child alike. Blood splattered everywhere like it rained from the dark sky above.

He looked around mortified, his body felt bruised and damaged. It hurt so much. His heart hurt so much. The flash of an image of Natsu being taken down, the fire dragons blood flying through the air flashed through his mind. He screamed and held his head shaking it. Telling himself it didn't happen. When he very much felt like it did. He felt despair in his very being, like he didn't have anything else to live for.

Sting, slashed apart by dragon children.

Shara, lost in the crowd of fleeing people that were trying to get away from the fight.

Laxus, lost somewhere in the sky when the onslaught first happened.

Stella and Mino, both last seen fighting side by side on the ground, vanishing under sword and shield as more people came at them.

He stared around at the aftermath of the fight. Why was he the only one left standing. Not even any enemies were left, no friends, no mutual party... All of it was just gone... Even Archen...

He took a step forward and felt his foot crunch on something brittle and thin. He looked down to find purple eggshells strewn across the ground. His eyes widened as he saw liquid and small undeveloped bodies laying amongst them. He felt his stomach lurch and a hand flew to his mouth as bile rose up his esophagus. He couldn't hold it as vomit fell from his mouth onto the floor, he gasped and gagged trying not to look at the destroyed bodies of unhatched children.

He stumbled backwards to get away and tripped over a body. He fell backwards landing behind it, he felt a scream rise in his throat as he recognized blood splattered pink hair and the ripped open body of his beloved. He tried not to scream as onyx eyes stared lifelessly at him.

"It's... This can't..." He tried to say but tears and gasps stopped his speech. "Natsu... Shara... Sting... What's happened... WHAT IS THIS?!" He screamed.

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder and he spun to see a woman standing there, her face so close to his. He saw long blonde hair and lifeless blue eyes, yet her face was full of spirit. She looked completely untouched by the tragedy around him, her pink and white clothes untouched by dirt and grime and her pale skin free of scars. When she spoke her voice was light and soft.

"Change this."

Cobra went shooting up from his nest screaming in surprise.

"Oh no he's awake!" Sting shouted falling back from where he was seated on His dad's chest.

"Run!" Shara yelled getting up and taking off out of the room. Sting stumbled to stand, tossing a marker he had in his hand away and running too.

Natsu was laughing from his spot next to Cobra in their nest. "They finished it at least..."

"Finished..?" Cobra said confused. His mind was fuzzy from his intense dream. All that death and dread. He stared at Nastu, who sat fully alive next him right now. His pink hair clean, his body fully intact and healthy.

"Yeah, they drew on your chest see?" Natsu poked his left breast and Cobra slowly looked down to see a very bad drawing of Natsu's fairy tail symbol. It was colored in and everything with a purple marker. Cobra wasn't staring at the mark though, instead it was the Salamnders hand. He reached up and grabbed it surprising his mate. He intertwined his tan fingers with Natsu's and squeezed.

"C-cobra?" Natsu asked confused, a blush forming on his cheeks. Cobra just stared at their hands, glad it was very real. He brought Natsu's hand over and kissed it.

"I love you..."

Natsu's whole face light up in red and his hair caught fire. "Wh-where did that come from?!"

Cobra gave him a look. "I mean it."

The fire dragon shook his head quickly, putting out the flames. "Okay! I... I love you too..."

The poison dragon debated telling his mate about the dream, but decided against it so as not to worry him. They've got enough to worry about already with the elders of the island trying to convince them to help start a war. There was no need to worry him with such things as a nightmare.

Cobra let his hand go and started rubbing at the drawing on his chest. "Why did they do this..." He groaned as he rubbed harder, but all he managed to do was irritate the skin and make it hurt.

"They saw mine." Natsu flashed his shoulder, the crimson fairy tail mark still sat pleasantly on his nice skin. One of the only things he had left from his guild. They talked about it before, their guild marks, Cobra got his removed from his back a while ago having decided to officially forget about Orecion Seis. Natsu however wanted to keep his, it was a reminder of friends he had and the life he lived.

"So they decided to draw one in you."

"They just had to use a permanent marker didn't they..." Cobra groaned as he stood up and stretched, his wings extending fully before slowly folding back up.

"I told them not to..." Natsu said grinning.

"Sure you did." Cobra grabbed his clothes and quickly got dressed.

"Laxus wants to talk to you by the way." He heard.

The poison dragon glanced to his mate in curiosity. He was rolling over to go back to dozing.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Natsu asked drowsily.

"Why does Laxus want to talk to me."

"He does?" The pinkette head popped up and Cobra knit his eyebrows in confusion.

"Didn't you just tell me...?" He trailed off.

"I didn't say anything." Natsu yawned, taking no notice to how strange that was and put his head back down. Cobra glanced around the room. Now that he thought about it, it wasn't Natsu's voice he heard... It was more feminine and elegant for sure. Natsu couldn't sound elegant to save his life.

The maroon haired male listened, his ears twitching as he cast his magic out. At first he did it too far, going all the way down to the beach on accident where he heard people talking and having fun. He shook his head and pulled it back more. He didn't remember his hearing going that far... He listened around the tree house now; Shara and Sting were chasing each other out on the landing platform, Stella was in the living room still fawning over Laxus who was just leaning against a wall waiting and Mino was in the kitchen with Aspen most likely cooking something.

He heard no unwanted or unexpected people. He didn't sense any other magic either, though Laxus's was off the charts. He was definitely a power house. Cobra sighed and rubbed his ears, it felt good every now and again to touch them, like a cat. He left the room and walked down the hall to see the lightning Dragon Child waiting for him. As he came out of the hall way and into the living room Laxus grabbed his shoulder.

"Can we talk?"

He glanced at him and stared for a second. "About what?"

"Things..."

Cobra didn't know the older man well but he certainly didn't seem the type to just up and say 'we need to talk' for no reason. And be awkward about it no less.

"Alright."

Laxus led him outside, Stella tried to follow but the blonde growled at her and she shrunk away. The two alpha's continued outside.

"Dad!" Sting said excitedly as Cobra and Laxus came outside. The little blonde and Shara ran and leaped up onto him, the poison dragon caught them both and lifted them onto his shoulders.

"Kyahahah! Dad!" Shara squealed as she squirmed.

"You two drew on me while I slept." He said carrying them back to the house.

"Did not!" Sting tried.

"Oh yeah? Then how did that purple fairy tail mark get on my chest, huh? Pretty sure I saw you running out of the room after I woke up."

Sting started laughing nervously. "S-sorry..."

"It's fine." Cobra assured the kids. He put them down and ushered them inside the house. "Don't do it again. Now go eat or something."

"No objection there!" Shara giggled and ran off to find Mino with Sting. Cobra turned back around to face Laxus who was leaning on the railing that outlined one side of the platform. He walked up to the big man and leaned backwards on the railing so his tail and wings hung over it.

"So what's up?"

"I don't know if you're the right person to talk about this with..." Laxus started.

"Is this about Stella getting all doe eyed for you." The other alpha dead panned.

"No." The lightning dragon snapped, a blush forming on his cheeks. Cobra smirked and shook his head. "It's just... I'm not used to this whole Dragon Child thing yet."

"It's only been a few days." Cobra provided. "It took us a long time to adjust to it too."

"I bet... But I don't want to stay this way."

Laxus looked at him and Cobra saw how his gray eyes were full of conflict and worry. The same look Natsu and himself had so long ago when they first arrived at the Valley. He took a breathe.

"Natsu and I thought the same thing, you know." Cobra started. "We were turned in the middle of a fight. And then this, white haired bitch came in and knocked us out. Stuck us in cages on some flying contraption and was aiming to take us somewhere."

"Where?" Laxus asked curiously.

"Dunno. We didn't stick around to find out as you can see." Cobra's tail flicked back and forth. "Mino helped us escape and took us to the Valley of Dragons, intending to get us changed back... But." He paused, feeling nostalgic about the whole conversation, all the memories coming back so easily like they just happened. "One of the elders of the Valley told us he didn't have the power to change us back. And we couldn't leave because their existence was a secret, has been for hundreds of years. They didn't trust us to leave and keep their secret."

"So they kept you prisoner?" Laxus asked appalled.

"Not exactly. They treated us nicely: healed our wounds, gave us money, food, a home, and even lessons on how to live in their society. I don't know what Natsu was thinking during the first few days but... For me I started thinking, 'could this be a new start?' I was practically raised in a dark guild, I've killed people and destroyed families and guild halls by myself. I didn't have a good life. And although it was a weird and sudden start. I think I was given a new one."

Laxus was quiet while it seemed like Cobra bared his emotions, feelings and thoughts he's been thinking form the very beginning of this whole thing. The tan man smirked and shook his head.

"I'm rambling. My point is, maybe you could do what we did? Start over?"

"Why would I do that... My situation isn't the same as yours." The blonde said slowly.

"Pretty similar though." Cobra shrugged. "I know what you did." He tapped his ears. "Heard it. You think about it everyday and you regret it."

Laxus looked away from him, down at the ground. He saw a child jump from tree to tree and catch a bird in mid flight with his claws. The kid then carried it away up the tree to bring back to his family, hoping to impress his mother or father.

"It's up to you of course, but even if you did manage to find a way to change yourself back... Where are you going to go? I couldn't go back to my guild because we were getting our asses kicked and after that I'd be in jail for the rest of my life. You're not going to jail, but you don't exactly have a home to go back to..." Cobra turned around so he faced Laxus fully now. He pointed a thumb back at the house. "The six of us are a big family now. We weren't at first but now we stick together through everything. Hell we got four new little ones joining it. It's all up to you but... I'm certain we'd be happy to take you into OUR family." Laxus looked up at him. "We wont replace the old one. Just give you a place to come back to." Cobra smirked at him.

The blonde Dragon Child smiled back nervously and stood up straight. If he was going to respond he didn't have time too.

"Protect yourselves." The elegant voice said simply.

"What?" Laxus asked Cobra. The man shook his head.

"Wasn't me- wait you heard that?"

"Yeah. It was telepathy." Laxus rubbed his head. "We got a guy at our guild who can use it so I know the feeling..."

"That voice spoke to me this morning, told me you had to talk." Cobra looked around for the telepath.

"They eves dropping on our heads?" Laxus asked as he narrowed his eyes and looked around. The two dragons stood back to back as they looked around.

"I don't know much about telepathic magic..." Cobra said quietly, using his ears to try and pinpoint where and who was using the magic.

"Depending on how strong they are depends on the range and how long they can use it..." The lightning dragon looked around. "I don't see anyone."

"I don't hear anyone either." Cobra cursed. "They gotta be pretty strong then."

"What did she even say?" Laxus looked back at Cobra.

"Protect yourself?" He repeated.

An explosion went off on the platform suddenly. The force threw both alpha dragons back hard against the wooden railing, making the structure splinter and crack.

"What was that?!" Cobra shouted, dazed. His ears were ringing from the sudden and loud explosive sound.

"Hold on!" Laxus yelled. The platform lurched, tilting down suddenly with a loud splintering sound. Cobra looked over and saw that it was breaking in a jagged line down the middle where a flaming mound lay, burning the wood to a crisp faster than seemed possible.

"Laxus! Cobra!" Aspen's voice screamed from inside the house.

"Stay inside!" Laxus screamed through the blaze. "Go out the back-" he cut off as the platform jumped again and fell down more.

"Keep the kids safe!" Cobra yelled, latching onto the railing as it teetered. "Get everyone out of the house! And find help!"

The wood completely gave way, plummeting the burning half down to the ground, along with Laxus and Cobra.

The boys let go of the railing and kicked off to dive at the ground.

"How you doing at flying?" Cobra called to the blonde Dragon Child.

"Better than before!"

They both extended their wings and dodged falling debris, Laxus got his wing clipped by a fire ball but didn't show any sign of noticing. They glided out and over the flaming platform as it hit the ground with a reverberating boom. Cinders and ashes flew into the air as the two dragon slayers just watched.

"What was that..." Laxus coughed as he and Cobra floated above the mess.

"Someone attack us?" The poison dragon asked. His eyes widened the longer he stared at the wreckage. "Laxus! Look!"

At first the blonde looked to him then down to where he pointed at the fire ball. His own heart dropped as he saw what he was talking about.

Among the broken pieces of wood was a mangled and charred body of a dragon child, it's wings and tail ripped to shreds along with its feminine like body.

Cobra ground his teeth then his head shot up as he heard two more people approaching. Two of them, one female the other male, in the middle of some kind of chase.

"Laxus!" Cobra shouted.

"I'm on it!" His body erupted in sparks and lightning; he was gone in a flash, turning into the very thing his magic was made up of. The stream of energy dodged past the fleeing female who met up with Cobra and rammed into the male in pursuit of her. He screamed in pain then was silenced as Laxus changed back to normal and spun, whacking him hard with his thick gold tail. He went flying into a near by house where he didn't come back out.

"Are you alright?" Cobra asked the girl. She was a water dragon, her feathered wings bleeding and matted and her body bruised with missing patches of scales and skin. "Hey, wait your Carter. You taught Natsu his Fire Dragon Dance."

The blonde girl looked to Cobra and then Laxus as he glided over. "P-please..." She groaned out. "We need help..."

"What happened." Laxus demanded.

"Sky Drive... It's being attacked!" She coughed and her body shook. Cobra grabbed Carter's shoulders and made her look at him.

"Is it Archen?!"

"Dragon Children... Their attacking their own kind..."

The poison dragon glanced horrified to Laxus who couldn't exactly grasp the situation.

"Help please... I was sent to get help..." Carter groaned, her eyes were tearing up from pain.

"The guards will be here for the explosion soon." Laxus said suddenly. "If you wait here you can talk to them."

Both of the other alphas glanced to him. He had a determined expression and his body was energetic with sparks.

"We'll go to Sky Drive for now and handle these traitorous Dragon Children."

"Two more wont make a difference..." Carter said sadly. "Dragon children aren't suppose to fight each other..."

"We're not just Dragon Children." Laxus said grabbing Cobra's arm and yanking him over. "We're Dragon Slayers."

Carter watched them swiftly fly away. Heading strait for the sky.

"Follow the scent of the blood trail she left." Cobra said speeding off. "It's still very fresh, it'll lead us to Sky Drive."

It wasn't difficult to follow or get there. Traveling between cities on the ground was hard because of all the terrain you had to go over; trees, hills, swamp, marsh. But this was easy, all they had to do was fly straight up as fast as possible and pierce the clouds.

Cobra would have called the city beautiful if it wasn't in the middle of what looked like a war. The old fashion looking buildings were damaged and falling, they used to sit on clouds and floating platforms to stay in the air. The sky itself was scattered with fighting Dragon Children, looking like bees from far away.

"What the hell..." Laxus muttered.

"Have they gone crazy?" Cobra said worriedly.

"Who knows." Laxus called to him. "What do we do about it?"

"I don't even know... I can't tell who's friend and who's foe." Cobra watched as a Dragon Child came from behind and rammed into Laxus. Rocketing off with him. "Laxus!"

Cobra tilted his wings and did a barrel role to avoid his own attacker that sprung behind him. He watched the Dragon Child fly by and spin in the air. It stopped and looked at Cobra curiously.

The poison dragon narrowed his own eyes and looked him over, instantly noticing the collar locked tightly around his neck. He growled remembering his own experience with that foul device.

"Archen is controlling these people..." Cobra hissed. He dodged another attack. The only way to help them now is to remove the collars, but he can't go around taking them off one by one. It would take way to long. With this many Dragon Children under control there could be one massive signal being used to control them? Which means-

Cobra turned to suddenly get a big hammer in the face. He felt his nose break and teeth go strait into the back of his mouth. He went flying backwards and slammed into the side of a building, going through the wall and ending up in some kind of living room of a house.

"Guah..." He gasped and rolled over spitting out his teeth and blood, one of his canines was missing now and that pissed him off. He dabbed at his nose and hissed in pain, he could easily see and feel just how broken it was.

"Did that hurt little Poison dragon?" A happy voice asked. Cobra looked up to see a female form floating in the hole he made in the wall. She had a very long jacket on that acted as a dress too, the sleeves were long and the hood was so wide it draped over her shoulders. Fishnet tights and boots covered her legs, she had bright blue eyes and long white hair that was up in two pigtails. She reminded Cobra of Paleoth. He distinctively noticed how two small wings protruded from her back and he could hear another smaller body behind her, holding her up.

She gripped a big red hammer in one of her hands and the other was on her hip, a big child like smile on her face. "I hope it did. That's kind of what I was aiming for."

"Hurt like a bitch." Cobra said bluntly.

"Yay!" The girl cheered and gave herself a small round of applause. "I'm doing my job!"

The tan male spit again before standing up and glaring at her. "Who are you..."

She swung the hammer around playfully. "My name is Amber! And this~" she spun around to show a small green exceed on her back. "Is Dae!"

"Why'd you hit me in the face." Cobra growled.

"It's my job. I remember you and the other boy from Íz Drekkin. We never actually met in person but I saw you. You messed up our plans."

"You're a Valkyrie?" Cobra asked surprised.

"I am! Amber Velco, ranked number four!"

What was that last girl, Vera? What was she ranked? It didn't matter now, Cobra found who he had to beat to save the Dragon Children. He brought one foot back and got ready to lunge. Before he could Amber brought her hammer up and smashed down into the already cracked floor, it shattered and started collapsing. Before Cobra got caught in the already damaged building and falling pieces he kicked off one chunk of the ground and flew at the white haired girl.

"Are we playing baseball now?" She asked innocently and she pulled her hammer back. Cobra cursed to himself and threw his arms up as the weapons collided with his body. He screamed in pain as the momentum fired him back out of the building again and out into some kind of street. He bounced a few times on the ground before sliding slowly to a stop. He groaned as he lifted himself to his feet and held his left arm.

"I don't see why Vera had such trouble dealing with you." Cobra looked up, Amber was floating down from the building looking confused. "You don't seem that hard to fight. I mean... You haven't even tried to land a hit on me..."

Cobra growled at her ferally.

"Maybe Vera is the one who's weak?" A small female voice said. It was the exceed on Amber's back talking. "She is the last one ranked and their IS a big gap between your powers."

The maroon haired male lunged while she talked; he would swipe at her, kick, punch, do whatever he could to land a hit but she kept avoiding him. Dodging by a few inches so he just barely missed and he wasn't getting any closer with hitting her. It was starting to piss Cobra off. It seemed like she was purposely mocking him.

"I can see your angry face~" the Valkyrie sang. She swung her hammer again and Cobra used his wings to push back and avoid getting hit again. "You can learn!"

Cobra floated back and stared at her, she didn't have a single scratch on her, completely untouched. And he was bruised and battered already with just a few hits... Not only that but they were just hits with her hammer, she hasn't even started using magic if she has any. Plus there was no way in hell this was her being serious in a fight, she was toying with him...

"Come on little Poison dragon!" Amber said gripping her red hammer with both hands and smiling cheerfully. "You can't be done yet?"

"Not by a long shot!" He swung his arms, and threw poison darts her way. She used her hammer to swat them away, and before she had the chance to bring the big weapon back Cobra appeared in her space bubble. Surprise was written in her eyes even though she still wore a pleasant smile. He swung his arm back to punch her with a fist full of poison.

Laxus kicked one Dragon Child in the face, he ripped another off his shoulder and used it to hit another one coming at him from the side. It's been a while senesce he fought in a crowd and was getting a bit rusty but he still managed.

The one that originally attacked him from behind and carried him off had dragged him to some kind of city hall like building. They crashed through the glass roof and smashed a pillar on the way in. Various other flightless Dragon Children were cowering under and behind objects like desks and pillars, even rubble. They watched as Laxus took the heads of the last two attacking him and smashed them together, knocking them unconscious. Their bodies fell limp to the ground and the blonde turned to face the cowering Beta Dragons.

"Everyone okay?"

"We are now." They all swooned over him.

Laxus sweat dropped. "I already have a chick who's following me around all the time because of some crush. I don't need a whole crowd."

"Awwww" The betas droned depressingly.

"Can anyone tell me what's going on?"

Several Dragon Children started shouting to him at once, each one telling a different story on what happened in the city. Laxus waved his hands to quiet them. "Alright alright! One person tell me! Not all of you."

A long lime green haired girl was shoved forward. She stumbled before standing up strait in front of him, she fiddled with her fancy skirt nervously.

"Well?" Laxus asked. The girl swallowed.

"We aren't... One hundred percent sure what happened..."

"That's fine." The alpha said dismissively. "Just tell me what you can."

"Okay... This all started today, and it happened completely out of no where."

"That's usually how war starts. Suddenly."

The girl pouted. "We know that... But... Our own friends started attacking us. One minute were all doing our daily errands and habits and then were ripping each others throats out..."

"How long has this been going on?" Laxus asked.

"It started yesterday evening." The green haired girl said. "And we've been fighting ever sense."

Laxus glanced around, now that he noticed several people were looking injured and exhausted. "Alright guys, were doing what we can to help, is there anyone else still around?"

"Yes!" The green haired girl said suddenly. "In the back! Help us please!"

"What's the matter?"

"I'll show you." She grabbed his arm and started dragging him away. She led him past the group, which started following them anyway, and to the back of the building. Down a few hallways he saw what the problem was. Part of the ceiling and roof had collapsed blocking off the other side.

"There are still people on the other side..." The greenette whimpered. Laxus glanced down at her then back to the rubble wall. He walked up to it and started fiddling with boulders and debris. He could feel it shift every time he tugged on something.

"I can't move the rocks..." Laxus said sadly. "Not unless you want the rest of the ceiling to come down on top of us too."

"We can't leave them!" Someone in the crowd shouted.

"Do we have any earth dragons?" The girl called. Several people started shouting.

"Quiet down." Laxus snapped. Everyone suddenly flinched as an explosion was heard outside and shook the building. Muffled yells of alarm and fear were barely heard on the other side of the debris.

The blonde turned around. "Alright if you're an earth dragon get up here and start digging!" The building shook with another boom from outside. "Now!"

Plenty of green and brown scaled Dragon Children came rushing forward and jumped onto the rubble pile. Climbing over it to find safe places to dig.

"They can do this right?" Laxus asked nervously.

"Of course, earth dragons are amazing diggers. They can dig mines anywhere." The green haired girl smiled at him and the blonde "hmf'd."

Laxus looked down at her. She was very small and petite, her head coming only to his chest. Her hair was short, curling over her shoulders being parted down the middle. She wore similar clothes to everyone else in Sky Drive, more fancy modern clothes rather than-like the El Dador Del Agua residents- something like a bikini top and flashy skirt or tight fitting tops and pants. The Sky Drives clothing was very Victorian like. You could only see half her calf and down, some of her shoulders and her arms. Her scales were a metallic grey. Her tail shorter than most but a sharp blade was tipped at the end.

"What Dragon are you?" Laxus found himself asking.

The girl looked up at him. "I'm a steal dragon.

"Your hair reminds me of someone."

The girl flushed and put a hand on top of her bright green hair. "Really..?"

"We made it through!" Someone shouted.

Laxus and the girl immediately looked to see dirty and injured Dragon Children coming in through a small hole, two big betas were holding rocks up so they wouldn't collapse while the others escaped.

"Hurry..." One of them groaned. The other Dragon Children were helping the injured get through the hole and then down the hall as fast as possible.

"What do we do when we're outside?" A man asked Laxus as he had another alpha with broken wings on his shoulder.

"Try and find a safe place for these people to hide. We don't know how much longer this fighting will go on." A boom went off again. "Hopefully not much longer..."

"I'm slipping!"

Everyone turned to see one of big betas crouching low, more rubble falling on top of him. The rock he was using as a base was slipping, knocked loose in the last explosion. Another one went off and a massive crack appeared in the floor.

"Oh no..." The greenette said clinging to Laxus.

"We're in the sky..."Laxus said slowly.

"Yeah, when the floor falls it's going strait down to the ground!"

"Everyone run!" Laxus shouted as the crack only grew larger. The two betas holding the rocks up let go and dived down the hall. Without their support the entire roof started caving in, large pieces falling down into the crack which broke awake at the floor, the very far down surface of the world was seen.

Laxus and the girl spun around to follow everyone else as they made their way down the long hallway and out into the main room. Columns were collapsing around them; their large size crashing into the floor and speeding up the floors collapse.

Laxus dodged another big rock, the girl stumbled back to avoid getting crush by a Column that fell in front of her. She tried climbing over it but the ground suddenly sunk in, jolting her.

"Help me!" She screamed.

Laxus spun around to watch the ground give way and her plummet down. He kicked off the ground and dived forward and down the growing hole, he snagged the girl in his arms and spread his wings. He spun around and saw the entire building now falling down onto them. The girl screamed and clung into Laxus as he sped up towards the falling building. He broke through a window, cutting up skin that want protected by scales and maneuvered through the massive/broken room and out another window on the other side. He hovered in the air as he watched it fall down to the earth.

"Wonder how the magic council's gonna handle buildings falling from the sky..." The blonde muttered to himself. He looked at the green haired girl who was latched into him, her tail wrapped tightly around his torso as she hyperventilated into his chest. He looked up to see the other Beta Dragon Children perfectly safe. They leaned over to watch him and the debris fall. Laxus flew back up and landed softly on the street like material that sat on the clouds.

"Everyone alright?" He asked around.

There were several replies, all of them yes. The lightening dragon sighed in relief. He put the girl down and helped her calm down. After she was breathing right again and the color had returned to her face he asked her name.

"Jetta... My name is Jetta."

"I'm Laxus." He held a hand out and she shook it.

"Wow. You really couldn't put up a fight could you." Town square was destroyed thanks to Cobra and Ambers fighting. They traveled all over the place going at each other in the sky till the Valkyrie's Exeed, Dae, ran out of magic and they had to continue the battle on the ground. "Maybe next time you won't cause all this trouble."

Cobra lay bruised and broken in a crater, Amber crouching next to him and poked him with the end of her hammer. She looked disappointed.

"Man... Vera must be weaker than we thought. You aren't that strong at all." She stood up strait. "Archen's gonna wanna have a talk with her."

Cobra glared at her and spat up a small amount of blood. She grinned down at him. "Sorry little poison dragon. But you lose. I wonder if Archen wants you back or not?" She tapped her chin in thought. "He was pretty upset after loosing Maria. Now the Diamond Dragon Children are gone forever... He'll be happy again if I bring you back."

She dug through the hood of her jacket and pulled out two things. One, a remote control that was very small and simple looking. Two, a silver collar. Cobra cringed, he refused to wear another one of those things. He could have killed his family last time if it wasn't for Stella, and she wasn't here right now to kick the crap out of him. Even though that had already been done.

"I'll make a deal with you?" Amber bent down to kneel next to him again. "I won't put this on you, if you give me your babies."

Cobra's eyes widened in horror.

"We know you've got some. You have cute little eggs back wherever you guys are hiding. I won't take you, if you give them to me. If you refuse then put this collar on you, and then you'll be a daddy to lots and lots of other babies." Amber was spinning the silver ring on the tip of her finger as she talked. She still had that calm smile on her face, like she was completely care free.

Cobra coughed again instead of answering. Amber frowned. "What's wrong? Did I puncture a lung?"

He glared at her.

"Why don't we just do both?" The tiny Exeed spoke. She didn't talk often, looking sophisticated and not wanting to he here.

"Both?" Amber tilted her head like she hasn't thought of that. "Yeah! Both! We can take him and the babies!" She stopped spinning the collar and caught it. She unclipped it and bent down to put it on Cobra's neck. He squirmed and groaned to get away, but his body was to broken to move.

Suddenly the remote control in the white haired girls other hand exploded. She screamed and dropped the collar which deactivated now that it's remote was broken.

"That hurt!" She said holding her burned hand to her chest. "Dae! What was that!"

The Exeed was looking around. "Some kind of long distance magic. Lightening I'm guessing."

Suddenly Ambers while body erupted in electricity. She screamed in pain and dropped everything. Her body was burned and blistered when the energy went away.

"Who...?" she panted. The innocent look she had replaced with pain, she looked like she was gonna cry. She screamed again as more lightening struck her.

"Amber!" Dae yelled to her friend. Cobra watched in awe as strike after strike of lightning hit the Valkyrie.

"No more!" She screamed flailing her arms. "No moooore!" She cried and rushed to Dae who grabbed her and flew away with her. Not even caring they left Cobra behind or that the city was now free from their control.

Cobra leaned back and relaxed. He was tired and sore and ready for sleep. He didn't know if it was safe or not but he didn't care. He could sleep forever. His eyes were getting blurry as he saw someone standing over him. They knelt down and put a hand on his head. He could tell they were blonde but that's it. They lifted him up and he slipped unconscious. He heard an elegant voice in his fuzzy mind.

"Stay safe."


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: King Cobra

Cobra shot up kicking and screaming. The bed sheet flying from over his body as he flailed in an attempt to rid himself of the horrible nightmare again. He went rigid though and stopped, that's all it had been- a dream. His babies were safe in their nest with Natsu and everyone was still alive.

His scaled hands covered his face as he used all his will power to stop himself from weeping. The dream had been so much more vivid than before. He could feel the pain in his body from a long fight, he could see crystal clear the dead body's and touch the sticky warm blood that secreted from their bodies.

The poison dragon took deep breathes before registering where he was and what had happened: He had a fight with Amber, the fourth ranked Valkyrie. He lost said fight. He was about to be captured but someone came to his rescue. That someone used lightning magic. He wasn't outside anymore. He was in an infirmary-

And there was a woman next to him.

Cobra cautiously glanced to her, she was sitting in a chair next to his bed with her hands politely placed in her lap and her head nodding every now and again. When Cobra waved a bandaged hand in front of her it became obvious she was asleep. Who was she...? He glanced her over.

Long strait blonde hair, it spilt in the middle of her head and framed her face all the way down to her breasts in a lightening bolt shape. She had incredibly long eyelashes, and yellow tattoos on her face and body resembling tribal like lightning marks. She wore black gloves, a black tight sleeveless leather crop top, green cargo pants and black electrical wires hung down like suspenders. He sweat dropped when he saw she didn't wear any shoes. She seemed familiar but Cobra couldn't put a name to her face...

Just as a precaution he directed his hearing towards her, her dream mainly, trying to get a handle on who she was. Oddly enough he saw Laxus in her dream. She was standing on a cliff side watched him interact with Natsu, Stella and himself. The ice dragon Phaedra was there as well, talking to them. And the blonde woman just watched, her deep grey eyes never leaving Laxus's form. The image shifted to a much happier time. It was the woman again except she was wearing a grey dress and smiling happily. A blue Pegasus guild mark stamped above her left breast. She was wondering around a town happily. Looking forward to meeting her date, she was about to approach a raven haired man when she faltered and the dream froze.

"It's not nice to eves drop." An elegant voice spoke in Cobra's mind. He stopped his hearing to notice the woman was awake and watching with those stormy grey eyes.

"Your voice..." Cobra said slowly.

"Yes." She simply stated. She had been the one telling him all those things before; when Laxus had wanted to talk or when he was warned before.

"It was you..?"

"Yes." She said again. "I've been watching you for a while now, Cobra."

"You even know my name..."

"I know everyone's names: Natsu, Stella, Mino, Sting and Shara... Laxus." She lingered on the last name. As if she was tasting it.

"Who are you?" Cobra asked nervously. He wasn't sure he could trust this woman. She was so strange, her eyes were so lifeless and half lidded. Her face remained relaxed and void of emotion at all times.

"Tia Volkner is my name." She said softly.

"Why are you here...?" Cobra asked slowly.

"Watching over you." She dead panned. Cobra sweat dropped.

"Alright but whhhy?"

"Because you are incapable of protecting yourself."

Cobra felt like he had an arrow with 'FAILURE' written on it jab into his torso. "I-I can protect my-"

"Wrong." Tia interjected bluntly making Cobra jerk. "You were incapable of defeating Vera, you needed a dragons help, and now you've failed to defend yourself against Amber. Have you no power at all?"

Cobra stopped and stared at her. "How do you know their names... How do you know I lost."

"I told you, I've been watching you." Her eyes were boring into his and he found himself not looking away. He stared back into those broken eyes.

"What's happened to you." He asked.

"What do you mean."

"What happened to make you such an empty shell of your former self."

Without any hesitation, or remorse, or sadness, Tia said: "my whole world was ripped away from me."

Cobra blinked at her, not giving away any emotion himself. They stared at each other silently for a few moments before Cobra remembered he has important things to do.

"Where's Laxus?" He asked looking around the infirmary room.

"Talking with the cities elder."

Cobra started unwrapping his bandages. "How are you in here? Your human wouldn't the Dragon Children kick you out?"

"They would if they could catch me."

Cobra looked at her suspiciously but she suddenly wasn't there. He looked around the room for her but she wasn't in his visible range. "I think I get it..."

"Then lets go." Tia was in the infirmary door way, standing there calmly with her hands at her sides, electricity glimmered around her body. "Your friend is having problems with the leaders of this city."

"What kind of problems." Cobra asked tossing away the bandages on his body, already feeling revived. He made a mental note to make a friend who was a sky dragon, they were amazing to have around after a battle.

"The war kind."

Natsu had his own disaster going on as Cobra and Laxus flew off into the sky. He wasn't one hundred percent sure what was going on but he knew he had to get everyone out of their burning home.

"Lets get a move on!" Aspen shouted, she had the eggs in her arms as she shouted for Natsu.

"On it!" He yelled back, he snatched up Sting and Mino grabbed Shara. "Lets go Stella!"

The water dragon halted in her attempts to put out the blaze and turned swiftly to join the fleeing family. They followed the alpha female out a back door and jumped over to a neighboring tree. They watched as other Dragon Children came out of their homes to watch as one of their tree houses crumbled and collapsed onto the floor. Three blue alpha dragons quickly flew by and started putting the fire out before it spread along the island floor.

Natsu glanced around, he could see a panic starting up in the crowd of villagers watching. Many held their children close and watched the sky's wearily.

"What's happened here?!" An old man said coming over to the group.

"Dragon Children attacked, Touhou." Aspen said handing the eggs off to Stella, who gingerly took them into her arms, not wanting to hurt the little embryos inside.

"Dragon Children?!" The old man gapped at his guard. "What purpose would a Dragon Child have to attack-"

"It's Archen!" Natsu said, butting in. Sting shivered in the mans arms, frightened by what's happened. "He's breeding Dragon Children in Captivity and is aiming to use them as war weapons!"

Touhou stared awestruck at the Fire dragon. "Our own species is attacking itself... What has befallen us... What did we do to deserve this..."

"We remained secret." Mino blurted. Everyone looked to him in surprise and he looked back. Natsu expected the nervous earth dragon to back down, sense that's how his personality was but instead he stepped forward and put Shara down. "If Dragon Children had come out of hiding long ago we would not be seen as a second rate species."

"How dare you!" Touhou snapped at the young beta dragon. "It is because our species has been hiding that we've been able to live in peace all these years!"

"You call this peace?!" Mino snapped pointing towards the now charred remains of their home. "This is not peace this is the start of a war! Another one cause by Dragon Children! The second was because we didn't want to be locked up, our ancestors wanted freedom! They didn't want to be used as a power source for the humans anymore!"

"Silence your tongue!" Touhou snapped.

"I won't!" Mino got up in his face, making the old man stumble back words into a tree where he got cornered by the earth dragon. "Archen hunts us because of our rarity and secrecy. He craves our power just as all the other humans did long ago. The same ones that murdered our ancestors and imprisoned them. They slay us just like Deagons!"

Natsu found himself taking a step back. Did all this really happen in dragon history...? Did humans and mages really do such horrible things... He clutched Sting tightly, finding the term "dragon slayer" suddenly repulsive. He was ashamed how he used to be proud of that name.

The furious beta continued his rant. "Our ancestors wanted freedom so then why do we spend out entire lives in secrecy? Why do we live in a prison?"

"We do not-" touhou started.

"But we do..." Aspen interrupted. Everyone turned to her now, she stood by Mino. "We live on this island and can't go any farther than the sand we set foot on. We aren't aloud beyond it unless something terrible has happened."

"Children and family's can't leave the valley walls and explore the world..." Stella muttered, just loud enough to be heard. "And even when they leave the walls they are placed in a big underground city... Where they can't even see the sky or stars anymore..."

"How is all of this any different from a prison..." Mino growled at the elder.

All of the villagers that had come to watch the fire burn now had their attention on Natsu's group. They were listening intently to the speech, muttering and whispering to each other about how they agree. How they wanted to TRULY be free.

"This could be considered blasphemy..." Touhou said breathlessly.

"Who cares." Stella snapped, now standing beside Mino. "We are a legend, and people chase legends. Because someone found out we are real they now want to use us for their own personal use- at their beck and call. If we had come out of hiding long ago this just might not be happening."

"We could be living in peace with the humans." Aspen added. All the Dragon Children around started nodding their heads, their voices getting louder. Demanding a change in their life.

"You'll get yourselves killed!" Touhou shouted. "We can not go to the humans! You have no idea what they'll do to us!"

"Actually... I do." Everyone turned to Natsu. His hand silently raised. "I used to be human. I have human friends-an entire guilds worth. A guild that's been looking for me all this time..."

"You can be our bridge Natsu." Mino said smiling. "A bridge to help humans and Dragon Children finally integrate."

Natsu swallowed a lump in his throat, he wasn't sure if this was a great idea or horrible one. After all... He's gotta take the entire Dragon Child species back to Fairy Tail... Back to his friends...

Cobra walked down the hall ways of the "City Hall" building. Tia walking elegantly and disturbingly quietly next to him. Many of the other Dragon Children loitering there or working there avoided both of them. Probably because of the fact Tia is human and Cobra looked pissed off. He slammed two thin wooden doors open and walked in on a meeting between several Dragon Children.

A few elders, younger alphas, and laxus say around a big table. How typical.

"What's going on." Cobra asked walking in completely uninvited.

"We could ask you the same thing." an old woman asked, eyeing him and Tia. "Who are you and why have you brought this human."

"He's okay." Laxus said looking to Cobra. "I don't know about the woman though..."

"Her names Tia and she's fine." The poison dragon said putting his hands on the table. He noticed a little green haired beta clinging to Laxus' arm nervously but didn't say anything about it, instead he looked around the table. "What's this I hear about you wanting to start a war?"

"You got good ears if you heard that all the way from the infirmary." A young alpha sitting at the end of the table said. He had short scruffy black hair and deep green scales.

"You have no idea." Cobra shot back at him. The man narrowed his red eyes at the poison dragon, who stared back with his purple ones.

"You've interrupted out meeting."

"Yeah I noticed." The purple alpha grabbed a chair and dragged it over, sitting down in it and placing his elbows on the table. "Do continue with it."

"You can't be here." An old man snapped.

"Whether I'm here or not I'll be listening in on your conversation." Cobra's ears twitched as he said that.

Laxus groaned and put his face in a hand. "Your such a pain in the ass..."

"You met a few days ago."

"I know. I kinda wish I hadn't..." He muttered the last part as his eyes drifted to Tia. The woman had been staring at him the entire time without a break. He felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Your just attracting all the ladies." Cobra chuckled under his breathe.

"Shut it!" Laxus snapped, blushing.

"Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat drawing the lightning and poison dragon out of their teasing.

"As I was saying..." The black haired dragon said. "We need to finally declare war on these people. Íz Drekkin was destroyed and Sky Drive was their next target."

While he talked about reasons why to attack humans Cobra scooted closer to Laxus and whispered to him.

"By the way... Thanks for saving my ass before ."

The blonde looked at him funny. "What?"

"Back when that Valkyrie chick pounded me into the... 'Ground'" he put air quotes around 'ground' seeing as they were in a floating city in the clouds. "That was your lightning that stopped her right? From putting one of the collars on me?"

Laxus shook his head confused. "I didn't do anything... I helped get people out of the rubble around the city till I was called by this guy." He jerked his head to the still talking Alpha.

"So you didn't..." Cobra paused, then spun around with his chair to look at Tia. "It was you?"

Tia blinked at him and nodded her head. "I did not want you to be placed in that situation."

"The situation where I'm a mindless slave making poisonous babies for Archen."

"Correct." Tia bowed slightly to him.

Cobra spun back around, even more curious about Tia know.

"-should do a first assault on the ground as a warning. If the humans attack back then we destroy the town."

"Woah, time out." Cobra said, using his hands to make T for the 'time out' signal. "You want to attack the people on the GROUND? Like magnolia and Crocus and Cedar?"

"What else are we going to attack? It is a human who had made these attacks on our hidden cities." The black haired man said seriously.

"Yeah it's a human, one man and five crazy women." The maroon haired man leaned forward. "You should attack THEM not the town down bellow. They still don't know we exist! You'd be causing massive problems I'm sure you don't want to deal with if you attacked them- from their perspective- without reason."

"Oh we have a reason." An old lady beta said with a toothy grin. "We're tired of those humans EXISTING. They've always caused problems for us."

Cobra stiffened and he stared around the table, Laxus to had a dark look in his eyes. "What are you going to do..."

"Genocide." The black haired man said calmly. "It's about time a few humans lost their lives."

"Are you insane?!" Laxus snapped standing up. Making the beta on his arm yell and clutch harder.

Cobra joined him. "You can't murder people who did nothing wrong!"

"What did we do wrong?!" The man snapped at the two. "We've been living in peace away from humans and yet they come and attack us! We've buried so many of our friends just today!"

"You can't MURDER people!" Cobra screamed.

"Of course you'd side with the humans!" The old woman snapped at them. "You both used to be one of them. You've brought one here as your body guard!" She tossed a wrinkly hand in Tia's direction, the blonde woman stood there expressionless. "How do we know we can trust you."

"It's thanks to me that the raid on your city stopped!" Cobra snarled at her then glared at the black haired man. "You can NOT do this."

"Of course I can." He said calmly. "I'm the king."

Cobra narrowed his eyes in confusion and suspicion.

"King?" Laxus asked. "I was under the impression the Elders ran things in the villages."

"Ah no that's wrong..." The green haired girl spoke up. Laxus looked down at her, as did Cobra, she seemed nervous to be put on the spot. "Uh... Uh.. Yes, the elders help run the cities but each Dragon Child area has a "King" to make final decisions and be the figure head of their society... Archer is the current king of Sky Drive..."

Laxus and Cobra glared at the green scaled Dragon Child, Archer. He smirked back. "It's my choice whether to go to war or not, you can't do anything about it."

"Wrong." Everyone looked to Tia in surprise.

"What do you mean." Archer asked with narrowed red eyes.

"If another Dragon Child sees fit they may choose to challenge you for the right of 'King'. The two Dragons fight and who ever comes out victoriously is the new King."

"How do you know that." Archer fumed at the human woman.

"She's been watching you." Cobra chuckled. Tia looked at him, giving no amusement away, but he knew he was right.

The room was silent. They knew exactly what was going to happen next. Cobra grinned and turned to the 'king'. "I formally challenge you, KING Archer."

"Why not me?" Laxus asked a little offended. The beta that likes him so much looked worried and shook her head tugging him away.

"Your still knew to the whole Dragon Child thing, Laxus. I don't think you could handle using claws and Fangs in a fight."

Laxus huffed and looked down to the Beta, muttering to her to calm her down.

"You challenge me, Cobra?" Archer said seriously, and obviously upset. "For my seat of power?"

"I do."

"Then lets deal with this now." He stood up, pushing his chair back. Cobra went to turn and leave so they could fight outside and out of the way of people, but Archer would have none of that.

A powerful force smacked Cobra in the back sending him flying hard enough that he smashed through the wall behind him, and a few others along the way. Laxus stared dumb struck at the piece of rock jutting out of the ground where Cobra had been. Archer stayed where he was smirking like a smart ass.

Cobra stood up from the rubble at the end of a hallway and glared down it.

"You gonna keep going or can I get back to my meeting?" Archer called down after him.

Cobra started walking down the hall, his wings tucked back and his hands balled into fists. Poisonous mist was circulating around them lazily.

Archer raised his hands and more rocks shot out of the ground and floated around him. "Lets make this quick."

"With pleasure." Cobra lunged, planted on foot firmly in front of Archer and flew forward with his fist. The earth dragon slammed his forearms together and two big chunks of the walls came in from the sides and crashed together making a wall. It shook and cracked as Cobra's fist collided with it. Archer smirked but it faltered as the crack grew and more punches hit the shield. He gasped in surprise when Cobra's hand went threw it and grabbed his face, yanking it threw and shattering the remains of the rock walls. The purple dragon lifted Archer over his head and smashed him into the floor. He did this repeatedly till his hand slipped and he let go.

Archer landed on his feet and kicked off grabbing Cobra by the shoulders with his taloned hands and carrying him out into the open sky. He threw Cobra, who was to dazed to open his wings, and threw an arm up, a pillar came rocketing from the ground and smashed into Cobra's back.

The poison dragon let out a wheezed scream when it collided. And another as a second pillar came from the side and hit him like a baseball bat, sending him far into a building. He was wedged into it, sitting there and thinking.

"Fuck..." He gasped, blood dripping from his mouth and new head wounds. "I'm gonna loose... And this fast..."

Another pillar came and Cobra barely had enough time to dodge it. He would have been flattened if he didn't get out of the way of that one. He pulled his arms back and threw poisonous "fangs" at Archer who maneuver out of the way and came close to punch him. Cobra blocked, pushing the fist out of the way so it grazed his cheek. They went back and forth like that, throwing a punch or a kick only to get it blocked.

It made a difference when Archer brought both hands up and down over Cobra's scull sending him down to the ground. He landed, doing an awkward and painful role. He took the moment to wipe the blood from his mouth. His face felt swollen, he is fighting a king after all...

'If you want to win your going to have to try harder.' Tia's voice echoed in his head.

"You try doing this." He spat.

'I could easily win, besides the point, you are the challenger and what you want will not happen if you do not win.'

"What exactly do I want?" He asked moving out of the way as the ground began to mold and melt around him, grabbing at him.

'You want to survive. You want your children to live, to fly through a peaceful sky.'

Cobra froze, crouched on the ground. He realized his mistake to late as another pillar smashed into him and he was implanted into a wall. His head lolled, making him look dead but his eyes were wide open. Staring at nothing as his dream flashed over and over in his mind. The death, destruction, despair, and the blonde girl in the pink dress. She was standing over him now, her pretty pail face looking passive aggressively down at him.

Cobra pulled his head up and looked at her. They stared at one another before Cobra wheezed out. "Are... Are you real?"

"Yes." She said. She reached out and touched him. Her hand was deathly cold, she was a dead girl walking... Her hand rested on Cobras left pectoral muscle. "I told you to change the fate brought onto us."

"The wasteland..." Cobra muttered, blood dripping from his mouth onto his pants. He watched the drop get soaked up.

"You can change it." She said seriously. She pushed on his chest gently. "Fairy tail wizards don't give up."

"I'm not a wizard or part of fairy tail..."

"That's not true." She pulled open his shirt to look at the crudely drawn purple Fairy tail mark on his chest. "That looks like our guild mark to me."

Cobra stared at her with tiring eyes, he couldn't think of anything to really say. She continued.

"Think of this fight as the start. There will be more to come of course. But this is the first step in securing your family's safety."

Cobra's eyes slid closed and he suddenly started hearing things, they were far away voices and blurry images danced in front of him.

"Look-look papa! I did it I learned to fly!" A pink haired version of his younger self flapped little red wings and bounced around him.

The image changed to an egg sitting in his lap, it was twitching and slow cracks were appearing along it. Soon a big bit of shell was pushed away and a pudgy scaled hand pushed through, groping at the air. His held his hand out to it and little fingers curled around his thumb.

Cobra's chest swelled with pride and love as his eyes flew open. The first thing he saw was a pillar coming at him again, he wrenched himself from the wall and pulled a bruised arm back.

"Dokuryuu no souga!" He screamed and threw the arm forward. A poisonous fang flew sharply into the pillar and cut it in half, it split and crashed into the wall on either side of him.

Archer looked down at him mockingly. "Still got some fight in him I see." He muttered. "He's gonna get himself killed."

Cobra glared up at the black haired man, he clenched his fists, feeling his talons and the desire to bite into the others jugular. "Lets fight like dragons." He growled. And with the image of his hatching child in his mind Cobra flew at Archer.

He rammed headlong into him, digging hiss claws into his shoulders and pushing him back through the sky.

Archer howled and did an uppercut to Cobras ribs, but the purple dragons tail whacked his arm out of her way. He moved up and did a flip, diving towards the ground with Archer in his grip. The king screamed as they plummeted to the ground and smashed right into the cement floor, cracking it.

Cobra let go and was going to back up but one of Archers legs came around and whacked him across the face, leaving four long scratch marks diagonally across his face. Cobra had to close one of his eyes out of pain as he grabbed onto the same leg that scratched him picked him up and smashed into the ground. Archer screamed and thrashed about to Cobra let go.

He got up on his legs and dashed at him, Cobra ran at him too and the two crashed into each other, there for heads pressed together and their hands locked together, trying to push the other back.

"Give up." Archer spat at him. Shoving forward.

Cobra shoved back. "No way... Your an idiot and know nothing of humans." He pushed harder, scooting the other alpha back. His eyes were wide and dilated- one bloodshot and blurry from the damage done to it. "You'll lead this species into nothing but its downfall!"

"I'll lead it to survival! The others will agree with me!"

"Your wrong!" Cobra hissed, spitting poison in his face. Archer related back and the maroon haired male took that moment to knee him in the stomach, punch him in the face and returned the scratch to his face ten fold.

Archer collapsed on the ground, curled up and holding his bleeding face. Cobra stood over him and smashed a foot down his torso making Archer cry out. "Stop it you've won! You're king, you're king!"

Hearing that made Cobra rear his head back and scream, but it came out more like a roar. Hearing that te people back in the meeting room looked out windows and came outside to see the victorious Dragon Child.

Cobra was panting, bruises covering his body and his face wounded enough to leave scars. He glared at the people he was talking to before- the ones who wanted Genocide. He pointed at them.

"You will bring me two people right NOW. Your King demands it."


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Introduction

Natsu walked down the street, bundled up from head to toe in a cloak to hide his true from the other people of magnolia town. Sting and Shara were dressed similarly only skipping around excitedly, Sting was used to the outside world, so he wasn't as excited as the little shadow dragon was to be seeing real humans.

"Shara!" Natsu hissed at her. She paused and looked to him. "Your tail is showing."

She glanced behind her to see the small black appendage waving back and forth excitedly. "Oh... Sorry Mama." She brought it back under the cloak and wrapped it around her waist like the other two dragon children had it. She then smiled at him. "Are we almost there?"

"Just about..." Natsu stopped in front of a building. It was tall and glorious, the Fairy Tail sign and symbol proudly displayed on the front. Sting and Shara gawked at it.

"A real guild." The black haired girl said staring up at the building from under her little hood. "I've heard about them... All people who use magic gather here."

"Not all of them." Natsu said walking up to the door. "Just a few of the best..."

He placed his clawed hand on the door and slowly pushed it open. Inside was your typical Fairy Tail. Gray and Elfman going head to head in a fight that was breaking tables and chairs. Cana sitting on the guild bar, a cup of beer swinging in her hand. Erza was ignoring the chaos around her as she enjoyed her strawberry cake. Even Lucy was there, Happy clutched in her arms as she yelled at Gray to stop fighting and put some clothes on.

"Cool." Shara breathed out, looking around.

Natsu picked her up and hugged her, he felt so overwhelmed to be here again. When was the last time he was at the guild... A long time ago, almost a year. And now here he was. He almost felt bad about not thinking about them sense he was taken away that night by Paleoth. He actually felt grateful to the albino woman for doing what she has. He wouldn't have gotten to know Cobra better, or Shara or Mino and Stella. He wouldn't have had his eggs.

"Can we help you?" A small voice asked.

Natsu stopped in his thinking to look down, a little blue haired girl stood in front of him nervously with a white cat next to her.

"Wendy?" Natsu asked surprised. "You joined the guild?"

The little sky dragon blinked in surprise. "You know my name?"

Natsu smiled. "Of course I do. We fought together."

"Who are you?" Charle asked taking a step forward and eyeing Natsu suspiciously.

The pinkette put Shara down and she moved under his cloak where Sting was already hiding. "Don't freak out please? I'll look a little different but I'm completely normal."

Wendy tilted her head confused but the confusion turned to surprise and then joy. Her hands flew to her face as she started shaking.

Natsu had taken his hood down, so now his face, scales and all, and hair was visible to everyone. Though only Wendy was paying attention.

"Natsu...?" Wendy squeaked out of her vibrating body.

"It's really me Wendy. Just...Please don't start screaming at the top of your lungs or something."

Wendy shook her head back and forth quickly, looking like she was going to cry. "N-natsu..."

"Wendy..." Natsu held a hand out.

"Natsu's back!" She cried out before leaping at him.

"Wendy no!" Natsu screamed throwing his arms out, he caught her and what he thought would happen did. The two of them exploded in a purple mist as soon as they touched.

The entire guild looked over when it happened, it would be hard to miss. Shara and Sting were tossed to the side, knocking over a table and laying there, whimpering in pain.

Natsu was shoved up against a wall, his body aching like he had just gone a round with Laxus. He peeked his eyes open to see everyone hanging around Wendy's form. But she definitely wasn't human anymore. Her skin was scaled, pretty blue and white scales, and no wings were planted on her back but a long feathery tail was hanging out from under her skirt.

"Wendy?! Wendy?!" Carle was shouting worriedly. The cat spun around to snap at Natsu. "What did you do to here?! Natsu would never hurt Wendy!"

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Natsu yelled holding an arm out. "Look I'm the same way see! I got scales too!"

A few of the guild mates looked to Natsu, all kinds of expressions and emotions were mixed in the group. He swallowed a lump in his throat and shrunk back a little. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

"Natsu..?" Happy flew over and landed right in front of the pinkette. "Is it really you?"

He nodded. "It really is... I've been a bit... Missing."

"We noticed!" Cana shouted, throwing a beer stein at him. "The fuck you been?!"

"I will explain-"

"Mama..." Shara whimpered from the mess of tables her and Sting were laying in.

"Mama?" Ezra asked. "Are you kids lost?"

Natsu was jumping to his feet and diving for the kids. Digging them up and freeing them. They crawled out of the wreckage and onto Natsu. He held Shara in his arms and Sting used his claws to cling to Natsu's back.

"Their all scaly!" Happy chirped.

Sting stuck his tongue out at the cat. "We're Dragon Children! We're gonna have scales!"

"Dragon children?" Master Makarov asked, he walked out of the group that was tending to the still knocked out Wendy.

Natsu got a sheepish expression. "I have a lot of explaining to do..."

"Oh yeah." Gray said, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

The Master sat him down and the guild surrounded him. Once Wendy was awake she sat next to him, scratching at her new scales.

"You shouldn't do that..." Shara whispered to her.

"Eh?" Wendy blushed nervously.

"If you scratch them they'll come off and it'll hurt."

Wendy stopped and just put her hands in her lap, waiting patiently for Natsu's story.

The fire dragon took a deep breath. "In most legend books you'll find this... Species, called Dragon Children. They are an old civilization that worked with dragons a long time ago." Levy was paying particular attention to him, taking notes and rummaging through a bag she had. "Way back when the dragons up and left the Dragon children were 'abandoned' and were attacked by humans. They were im-prisoned and tortured because they had dragon magic. Later they started a rebellion and attacked the humans... When that war was over they went into hiding, becoming a legend."

"Why are you telling us this." Lucy asked.

Natsu played with his scarf. "Ah well, they aren't a legend."

"We are Dragon Children!" Shara said excitedly, she flashed her tail and feet at them to show the guild her dragon body parts. They stared at her.

"Dragon Children aren't a legend... They never have been."

"He's right!" Levy pipped up shoving a book onto the table. "Take a look at this! There here in the history books. The really really old ones but their here!" On the pages she was showing was Dragons building cities for the winged people at the bottom of the page.

"How did you find them?" Master Makarov asked taking the book from Levy and skimming it over.

Natsu took a deep breath and started telling his story, from the very beginning. Telling them about nirvana and the strange smoke that would change Dragon Slayers into Dragon Children. About the Valley of Dragons and living there, then Íz Drekkin and its down fall... He left out parts like how he and Cobra were living together and they were in love and had cute little eggs together. In fact as a precaution he left Cobra out of it all together.

Once he was done the guild watched him silently. Makarov stared at him with his piercing aged eyes. "Natsu... Why come back now? Why tell all of us this."

"War is coming..." Natsu said sadly. "The Dragon Children want to attack the humans when their already at war with Archen and themselves... Their blaming the humans and want to get rid of them. Please help us-"

The pinkette stopped talking as he saw the look of disappointment in his old maters eyes. Confusion built up in his chest.

"M-master Makarov?"

"Why didn't you come back?" He asked simply. All the other guild members started scrutinizing him, expecting a good answer.

Natsu swallowed. "I wasn't able to get here before..."

"I find that hard to believe." Gray scoffed.

"It's true!" Natsu snapped. "I wasn't aloud to leave the Valley!"

"Has that ever stopped you before?" Lucy asked. "Come one Natsu, we all know better. You're known for breaking and destroying things, like you couldn't find a way out of a big city?"

The boy stared at all of them. He didn't try to get out now that he looked back on it, to when the old Dragon Child told him and Cobra they had to stay. He just accepted it... Like that... He didn't even attempt to fight back and try to escape he just chose to give up.

He slouched on the bench, staring at the table. Why didn't he try...? He could have come home. He could have been fixed. He could-

"Momma?" Shara's voice asked timidly. A small hand tugged on Natsu's scarf and he looked down to its owner. The White and Shadow dragons were watching their adopted parent in worry. They could see the conflict his mind was going through.

The pinkette thought back to when Cobra first brought Shara home as their daughter, everyone was so happy. Even when they found Sting and adopted him. He thought of his eggs, safely back with Stella and Aspen, their little bodies growing steadily to someday hatch, and then he could hold them in his arms. His babies... And his mate, Cobra was off fighting for everyone at Sky Drive right now. Natsu couldn't help but reminisce on their peaceful time in the valley. The things they did together, the way they fell in love. He didn't regret any of it. If he hadn't have chosen to stay, none of this would have happened.

Natsu stood up suddenly, all his old guild mates watched expectantly. "I want you know that if I had the chance... I wouldn't change it."

"Natsu?" Ezra asked tilting her head.

"I'm happy with the choices I've made so far. I'm a proud Dragon Child even if it isn't by blood I've proven myself. I have a mate, I have a family." He put his hands on Sting and Shara's heads and they smiled up at him. "I wouldn't change any of this for the world, or the guild. I do not regret my choice to stay in the Valley. Because if I didn't none of this would have happened."

The guild was surprised, but not disappointed. They all smiled and him and crowded around him. "There we go! God Natsu you should have said your mind from the start."

Makarov smiled at the confused expression on Natsu's face. "We were never disappointed in you Natsu. We just simply wanted an explanation."

"We completely understand." Happy said flying around and landing on his head. "Welcome back Natsu!"

Everyone gave him a similar greeting, even people like Elfman and Gray were lifting Sting and Shara up on their shoulders and bouncing around, making them laugh. Natsu smiled widely at everyone, he felt like he just might cry...

"You guys are awesome..." He said with a strained voice. Conversations started up then, mainly the guild telling Natsu every thing that happened while he was gone.

"Wait a second!" Wendy's voice popped up. Everyone stopped talking and turned to her. She was timidly standing outside the group with Charle clutched in her arms. "What about me...?"

Natsu came over and glanced Wendy over. "You make a good Dragon Child."

"I don't want to be a dragon child!" Wendy said worriedly.

Natsu put a hand on her head sympathetically. "Sorry Wendy... But as far as we know there's no reversal spell to this..."

The little Sky dragon looked heart broken. "But don't worry." Natsu reassured her. "Laxus doesn't want to stay this way either so I'm sure a cure will be found eventually."

"You've seen Laxus?" Gajeel asked, keeping a long distance from him and Wendy. Everyone joined in on the new topic.

"Sense his banishment?"

"Yeah. He washed up on an island with Dragon Children and wound up becoming their prisoner. Me and Cobra found him and he got turned the same way Wendy did..."

"Perhaps the magic used on you isn't a normal magic..." Levy said coming up to Natsu and looking him over carefully. "Instead of acting as a spell it acts as a parasite instead..."

"What's that mean?" Wendy asked.

"Normal magic doesn't spread like a sickness does. You can't pass it onto someone just by touching them. But with your magic you can. Knowing that I just might be able to fix it."

Wendy started bouncing up and down with glee. "Oh yay thank you Levy!"

"No problem!" She gave them a thumbs up. "Given time I can totally find a cure for you guys."

"With all do respect Levy..." Natsu interrupted. "I would rather stay this way."

"Why?" Happy asked from atop Natsu's head.

"Because my family members are Dragon Children."

"Like us!" Sting glided over and landed in Natsu's arms. "And then theres Aunt Stella, uncle Mino."

"Don't forget Papa!" Shara said from on Elfmans shoulders. "And our soon to be siblings!"

Natsu laughed and hugged Sting. "That's right. I got a great big Dragon Child family."

"And a human one!" Ezra declared, smacking Natsu hard on the back and making him jerk forward. "You still have all of us here at fairy tail!"

"That's right!" Lucy said.

Natsu smiled. "Yeah. I still have you guys."

"Say Natsu..." Lucy asked coming closer. "Those kids keep calling you mom."

"Yeah?" The pinkette asked.

"Why? If anything wouldn't you be dad?"

"No." He dead panned making everyone around him sweat-drop.

"I'm pretty sure your a boy Natsu." Gray said with his usual blunt tone.

"Not in Dragon terms."

"Wait what?!" Several guild members shrieked. Natsu blushed and scratched the back of his head.

"I'm a Dragon Child without wings... This makes me a Beta- and in a sense- female."

"Wait so your a mom now?!" Lucy screamed. "That doesn't make any sense!"

"I don't get it to much either." Natsu shrugged. "I'm over it now though, sense I gave birth."

"You gave birth?!" Ezra suddenly spun Natsu around and started shaking him violently.

"Who was it?! How did it happen- why?!"

"E-erza stop! I'm getting dizzy!" The fire dragon wailed as his eyes started to spin.

The red headed titania stopped and Natsu gathered his head and stomach.

"It was an accident, I didn't plan to have kids..."

"Is it these two?!" She asked pointing to Sting and Shara.

"That wouldn't be physically possible! He's only been gone for a year!" Lucy yelled from the background.

"No..." Natsu said with a nervous smile. "Sting and Shara are adopted."

"Hello~" The young Shadow Dragon Child sang happily while waving.

"I gave birth to four others."

"Where are they?" Wendy asked.

"Back with my Dragon Child friends. You'll get to see them."

"Wait." Gray said holding up a hand. "You said you have a family, and your the mom."

"That's right." The fire breather nodded.

Gray took a big breath before asking, "Then who's the dad?"

There was a long pause.

"That's right!" Happy said. "It takes two to make a baby!"

"So this mastery guy is Natsu's boyfriend..." Levy said with Wendy nodding next to her.

"He's the father of his children." Erza had a big blush going across her face and she was trembling slightly. "That means... Natsu... With another boy..."

"Who is it?!" Lucy asked coming closer to her old friend. The other guild mates surrounded Natsu, bombarding him with question of who he was and what's he like. Others started saying that if he was a jerk or ever hurt Natsu they would break his legs and wings and do other horrible things to him.

"Stop stop!" Natsu said, quickly quieting everyone up.

"Oh wait!" Lucy said. "Is that other guy with you?!"

Natsu blinked suddenly. "Other guy...?"

"Don't change the subject!" Gajeel snapped at Lucy. "I wanna find out who Natsu went all Homo for!"

"Gajeel!" Levy snapped at him. "That's so rude!"

"So?"

"So you can't just be rude to Natsu cause he's gay." Gray snapped. "He can do what he wants."

"Oh are getting jealous?" Elfman teased. "You wanted Natsu all to yourself?"

"No!" Gray shouted.

"I don't believe that, Fullbuster!" Someone else called.

"Juvia disagrees!"

Everyone started talking about how Of a homo Gray was now.

"What other guy?!" Natsu asked loudly over the talking guild. All the mages stopped and looked to Lucy. Sense she's the one who originally brought it up and know who the 'other guy' is.

She started twiddling her fingers nervously. "Back on Nirvana... You were fighting a guy? He got turned like you. And me, Gray and Jura saw you together... You guys were..." She trailed off blushing.

"Oh!" Gray smacked his hand into fist in realization, suddenly has hand was frozen solid. "AW CRAP." He shook his hand before given up and addressing Natsu. "That Orecion Seis guy, Cobra. You vanished with him and we never saw you again where's he?"

"I do remember you saying that." Erza said looking to Gray.

Natsu blushed and looked down bashfully. "Oh... Cobra..."

"Not that we care about him." Gray said waving his frozen hand. "It's just after the whole thing with you and him vanishing we found Brain unconscious and the entire dark guild vanished... Him and his friends are still out and about so we were just curious."

The fire dragon looked at them all sheepishly. "I've been living with him..."

"You what?!" Erza snapped. "Natsu he's the enemy!"

"Not anymore! We were stuck in the same situation so we just decided to stick together and over time we...bonded..."

"D-Don't tell me..." Lucy stuttered as a horrible feeling crept over her.

"Papa Cobra!" Shara sang happily, confirming everyone's thoughts. They all hung their heads, a dark cloud of depression over them.

'Why him...' They all thought.

"Natsu." Master Makarov asked suddenly. The boy looked down to his elder. "You came here for a reason?"

Levy laid a map out on a table, it was the entire continent of Fiore. Natsu and the others were around it. "We believe Archen is from another Country, seeing as his magic is significantly different from ours -being like a sickness- and no ones ever heard of him before."

"Besides Fiore there's a country called Lyrus." Levi said pulling a few more maps out, although they were much smaller. "Lyrus is the closest. Then there's Argentia which is across the Red Sea. Then in the opposite direction going westward is Iris. Those are the main continents." She pointed to each country in turn as she named them.

"I don't know which one he's from..." Natsu said sadly. "Does Fiore have contact with the other country's?"

"Not that we know of." Makarov said, looking the maps over. "We do trade within our own land, I don't even know if people travel to the others. These maps are very old..."

"We can deal with where he's from later." Natsu brushed the smaller maps aside and brought the big one forward. "This space here?" He pointed to a spot in the lower left corner of the map, it was mainly green with no towns or inhabitants near by. "This is where the Valley of Dragons is."

"How can that be?" Erza asked leaning a hand on the table. "This map is not old, in fact it's brand new, just updated. How can a place like that not be on any map at all?"

"Inside the walls of the valley are special Lacrima." Natsu informed. "Their gigantic and every Dragon Child City has them."

"Yeah you said that in the mountain city... Is Dragon? One of the Lacrima collapsed and destroyed the city?" Lucy asked.

"Íz Drekkin." Gray corrected her.

"Sorry..."

Natsu waved a hand. "You're almost right. That did happen. But the Lacrima at the Valley are specifically made so that if you come into their magical radius you are teleported to the other side."

"Giving you the illusion you just took a few steps instead of traveling a great distance." Erza said impressed.

Natsu nodded. "The Lacrima at Íz Drekkin however didn't do that. The city was already well hidden inside a mountain. Their Lacrima served as an artificial sun. Giving them warmth, light, the ability to grow plants."

"Alright." Makarov stated. "Where are the other cities?"

"There are five in all." Natsu said. He brought his finger to the upper right mountainous part of the map. "Íz Drekkin was here before collapsing."

"I remember someone said an earth quake happened in that area." Lissana said.

Her sister, Mirajane nodded. "That's right, it was so powerful it leveled the mountain."

"It wasn't an Earthquake..." Natsu said. They all nodded having already heard the story. His hand then moved to a space out in the ocean. "This is where the island is, El Dador Del Agua."

"It's Lacrima must be the same as the Valley." Juvia said making her way next to Natsu. "The islands name translates to 'the water giver.'"

Natsu stood straight up. "I'm not sure on Sky Drives location. I don't know if it moves or not... Just that it's in the sky."

Makarov nodded. "What about the last City?"

"No one knows."

"How do you not know?" Gray asked annoyed.

Natsu sneered. "Oh I dunno, slanty eyes. It's called 'the lost city' for a reason."

"What did you call me, soot-for-brains?!"

"You wanna go Gray?! Bring it!"

"That's enough!" Erza smashed both their heads into the table. "Get serious you two were making plans for war!"

"Yes ma'am..." They both groaned.

Shara giggled and Sting shook his head. "Momma got put down..."

"Are you sure you don't know where that city is, Natsu?" Mirajane asked.

He nodded his bleeding head. "Positive. Even the Dragon Children don't know where it is... They know it was the first dragon city to be built, and the first to fall. It was abandoned a long time ago."

"Then it won't matter." Erza said taking a knife out. She stabbed the map where Íz Drekkin supposedly was. "This city is out of Comission. As is this one." She took another and stabbed where the Valley was. "We need not worry about them."

"Where is Archen?" Makarov asked.

Natsu looked sick all of a sudden. "He travels around on an air ship... I don't know we're he is..."

"That may be a problem." Erza said, thinking hard. "That would decrease our chance of Victory considerably. Can't kill a plant if you don't get it at the roots."

"We'll find out some how." Natsu said, removing Erza's knives and rolling up the Map. "We'll make official war plans when everything else has been settled."

"Everything else?" Lucy asked.

"As of yesterday Sky Drive was attacked. Cobra and Laxus went to check it out and I think we should wait until they return with some kind of report on the City's conditions."

Erza smacked his shoulder and had a proud expression. "Look at you Natsu! Your being smart!"

"That's a first." Gray scoffed crossing his arms.

"Shut up!" Natsu snapped as the guild members laughed.

"What happens if Cobra and Laxus don't return?" Juvia asked, taking her usual place at Gray's side.

Natsu looked down, his eyes dark. "I pray that doesn't happen... But if they don't return within the next twenty four hours then we will continue on with the plan."

"What is the plan?" Makarov asked.

Natsu smiled. "First things first is we get the humans and Dragon Children comfortable with each other. Being unknown for so long and almost alien to each other, I doubt they would be completely willing to fight side by side yet."

Wendy nodded her head. "Yeah... You guys are pretty scary at first glance..."

"Hey your insulting how you look!" Charle said. Wendy started whining and apologizing.

"How do you want to start?" Erza asked. Natsu smacked the rolled up map against his shoulder as he smiled.

"All of the Dragon Children from Íz Drekkin are at El Dador Del Agua right now. I was hoping to take Fairy Tail over there and introduce the two species."

"You want Fairy Tail to Represent all of the human Race?!" Lucy asked, dumb struck. "I don't think that's-"

"It's perfect!" Makarov said, addressing the others. "Fairy Tail will show The Dragon Children what real humans and mages are like! We're a family after all were perfect!"

Guild members screamed in agreement. Lucy just muttered to herself: "yeah let's just leave out the part about how we destroy things so easily and get in trouble a lot."

"Shall we be off to the island?" Makarov asked Natsu.

The salamander smiled widely, his usual grin perfectly placed on his face. "Right!"

The trip wasn't bad. After all fairy tail takes trips to Tenriou island. The only person who really had a problem with it was Natsu, him and his motion sickness and what not.

Once they arrived at the island a bunch of the guild members were excited to get off, they could see on the beach several island residence waiting and watching with curiosity. Stella was at the front, her arms crossed and waiting expectantly with a hard expression.

Natsu waited for the ship to stop before letting the wooden bridge down and climbing off onto land. The rest of the guild waited excitedly for him to give a signal to follow. Sting and Shara however went barreling down to find their siblings.

Natsu approached the patient Stella. "You brought them?" She asked.

He nodded and glanced to the ship. Everyone was waiting on the top deck, staring wide eyed at the Dragon Children who watched them back like owls in the forest.

Stella sighed. "You know... If this thing backfires..."

"It won't." Natsu reassured her. He waved his hand and slowly the Fairy Tail guild members came down the wooden ramp and stood on the beach. The Dragon Children backed up slightly, staying behind Stella at all times.

"The sand feels nice." Levi said taking her sandals off and digging her toes into it. Lissana bent down and picked a handful up.

"It's sparkly. And so fine."

"The sand on this island is full of minerals." Stella said getting everyone's attention. She pointed to the bathing pools on the beach. "Dragon Children rub the sand on their bodies, because of the minerals it cleans and buffs the scales, making them shiny."

"Fascinating." Levi said picking the sand up

The Dragon Children raised their eyebrows and took a few more steps back.

"What are they doing...?"

"Humans are strange..."

"The sand fascinates them..."

"Weird..."

Natsu and Stella looked worried. It wasn't going to well so far, the Dragon Children just kept moving farther an farther back away from the guild members.

"Natsu I think-" Stella was cut off as two little Dragon Children came running out of the group, two of Natsu's eggs in their hands. Aspen chasing after them.

"Don't run with those kids!" She called to them. She stopped in front of Natsu. "Oh, your back?"

The salamander nodded as Aspen looked to the group of Mages. "Ah!" She gasped excitedly. "You're Natsu's friends! I'm Aspen!" She approached them with a hand held out. Erza was the first to step forward and shake her hand. "I'm an Alpha, earth dragon breed."

Erza smiled. "My name is Erza Scarlet. My magic is requip."

"I don't know what that means." The earth Alpha said smiling.

"I can show you!" Erza held a hand out and a sword appeared in it. Aspen's eyes lit up brightly.

"That's amazing! Magic is cool!"

"You dragon children have magic don't you?" Lucy asked.

"We'll yes if course but our magic is decided when were born with it. We don't get to choose what we want to learn. I can't be born like this and decide I want to be a sky dragon."

"Have you ever tried to learn other magic?" Charle asked.

Aspen tilted her head. "It's never occurred to me..."

"I guess that goes to show just how sheltered your species is." Gray said, trying to make it sound like a joke.

The earth dragon laughed. "Yeah I guess your right about that!"

"Wendy Wendy lookie!" Shara was holding one the purple eggs up to her, they were that different in hight, Shara was slightly shorter than Wendy. The sky dragon tentatively took it. She blushed slightly and hugged it.

"It's so warm..."

MiraJane came over and took the egg, holding it up in the sunlight. A few others came over and looked to the egg. All of them smiled when they saw the little embryo twitching and growing inside it.

"So cute!" Mirajane said excitedly. Others came to Sting and asked to hold the egg and soon all four of them were being passed around. Stella smiled and walked up to the crowd, starting up a conversation with Gray. Soon Mino came out of the crowd. You would have never know about his once timid nature with the confident strides he was making.

All the other dragon children glanced around to each other before coming out of the forest and approaching the group, and Fairy Tail greeted them with open arms. Energetic and happy conversations filled the air as the two species interacted. Elfman and Lissana started showing off their magic, giving little kids rides and making them laugh. Everyone in the guild was having fun showing off and talking about all kinds of things.

Touhou came up to Natsu and cleared his throat to get the fire dragons attention. "I have to admit I'm surprised... I was expecting this to end in a giant failure."

"My friends have this thing about outsiders..." Natsu said smiling at the giant group. "We kind of get along with them well."

The elder laughed then approached the ground with the fire dragon behind him. "Everyone!" He called in his hold voice. Natsu was surprised it had such range.

The conversations stopped and all of the people, dragon and human, looked over.

"I think a welcome party is in order."

The Dragon Children screamed in excitement and scattered to set up what ever they had to do. By night fall everyone was having fun. With the stars shining brightly above and a massive bonfire on the beach it was a glorious sight to behold. Different animals were cooking on the fire, Fairy Tail mages were giving a show with their magic, Erza throwing swords and Gray making ice sculptures and snow for the kids to play on.

Lissana and Lucy were bathing with Mirajane and a few beta Dragon Children, getting advice on skin care and having 'girl talk'.

Juvia was socializing with many water Dragon Children. Impressing them with her magic and sharing stories.

Elfman and Aspen and a few of the others were having an eating contest, many people around them were cheering and making bets.

Natsu was seated on a rock at the edge of the island, cold water lapped at his taloned feet. As he sat there with a drink and watched the happy interactions. Mino came over and sat down next to him.

"This was a great idea Natsu." He said happily.

The salamander nodded. "Pretty good way to spend the last day we have before war."

The smile didn't leave the earth Dragons face. "I suppose your right."

There was a pregnant pause. "Mino, if Cobra doesn't come back tomorrow I'm starting the next part of the plan."

"That's fine." He said softly. "But lets deal with that tomorrow and enjoy today."

Natsu smiled and nodded his head.

"Natsu!" Stella shouted at him. She was waving a drum around. "Come on we want a fire festival dance!"

Natsu blinked. "W-what?"

"That's a great idea!" Mino shouted and made Natsu stand up. "Come on come on!"

"A d-dance?" Natsu stuttered. "I don't know any!"

"It's the dance you did at the festival in the Valley!" Mino shoved him towards the Bon fire.

"But I didn't actually dance in it!"

"Good!" Stella said giving him a shove and he was now standing up in front of the fire with other fire Dragon Children. "You can make up for it right now!"

She started pounding a beat into the drums and a few light dragons started playing wind instruments. Natsu swallowed and did his best to recreate the dance moves Carter had taught him a long time ago. The other dragons joined in and everyone came to watch, even the guild mates.

Slowly Natsu remembered the moves and started enjoying himself as he danced. His friends and family cheered for him as he danced to his hearts content. He really had to enjoy the moment. Today was today, and when tomorrow comes they'll deal with Archen and the war.

But right now he just wanted to have fun with everyone else.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The War Meeting

Natsu stood impatiently in a room on the second floor of Fairy Tail. He was staring out a window while seated on a bed, his eggs next to him, clean and polished curtesy of an OCD Lucy after Mino had explained the birthing to her on the night of their party. It had been two days sense then... And Cobra hadn't come back... Which means Natsu would have to continue the plan and do this alone.

In all honesty he was very much frightened... A war meeting had been organized and thanks to his friends all the guilds from around Fiore had come to it. And he was going to explain Dragon Children to them... And the horrible situation they were in. It was almost to much but it had to be done because of Natsu didn't do there weren't many other people who could.

"Natsu?" Erza pokes her head into his room. He glanced to her but didn't say anything. She came in and clicked the door softy to close it, she took few steps to the bed and sat on the other side of Natsu.

"Is everything okay?"

He looked to her and her expression softened. She would know how he felt, she was in a similar situation a long time ago in the tower or heaven. The only difference is that she was younger then.

"Not really..." Natsu said taking one of his eggs and holding it in his lap. He could sense the little body inside switching and moving. "I'm scared..."

"Your about to start a war... I would be scared too." Erza said soothingly.

"That's good to hear from you." The salamander smiled. "Your always so tough and strong and ready to sacrifice yourself."

"So are you. There have been many occasions you were ready to die for your friends."

Natsu nodded. "Yeah... But I can't do that now. If I were to die during this fight..." He stroked the shiny egg in his lap. "I'll be leaving so much behind."

"Then don't die." Erza said bluntly. "Simple as that."

Natsu laughed at her. "I'll do my best not too."

She smacked his shoulder hard with a steal clad fist. "You won't die at all!" She demanded.

Natsu cringed with tears brimming in his eyes. "E-Erza that hurt..."

"Good!" She huffed. The two gradually broke into laughter, it got rid of the uncomfortable atmosphere and made both of them feel better.

"Natsu." Titania started after the giggles. "Everything will be okay. I promise, were gonna win this thing."

Natsu nodded his head putting on a strong face.

"It's time to tell everyone your plan."

The fire breather took a deep breath and put his baby down. He stood up and walked with Erza to the door. He would go to a stage and talk to many people, including guild masters and some of the best in Fiore. To say this was intimidating was an under statement.

They walked down a hall and through a door that led behind fairy tails stage. Currently Stella and Mini were standing there talking to each other and people were wondering around to make sure everything was okay.

"Mino, Stella? What are you two doing here?" Natsu asked going up to them.

"We're supporting you." Stella said blunty. "Duuuh."

"You don't have to-"

Mino interjected. "Don't say it. We want to do this Natsu. We're your friends."

Stella wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Besides. We thought you could use the help incase you faint or go brain dead during this little briefing."

"Shut up!" Natsu snapped playfully at the water dragon. They shared a laugh, even Erza was in in it. But the fairy tails Mage paused as she looked around.

"Where is the winged girl? Does she not want to be here?"

The others glanced around noticing they were missing a member of their party. "Aspen?" Mino said. "She said she had something to handle. I guess some Dragon Children are getting rowdy."

Natsu shrugged leaving that where it was and looked to Erza. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Of course."

"Will you be Shara and Sting's guardian until this is over...? Take them to the island with the others and the eggs?"

Erza scrunched her eyebrows together. "Are you sure you don't want me in the fight?"

Natsu grinned. "I would rather have the Queen of the Fairy's protecting my family. I know they'll be safe if your around."

Erza nodded her head. "I promise to protect them with my very body."

"Natsu!" Mirajane called. "It's time!"

The fire dragon nodded his head and looked to everyone. "Let's get this over with..."

A curtain was drawn back and there was Natsu, standing center stage. All his scales and tail completely visible. He could see that the Fairy Tail guild hall was packed. Every guild you could think of was here; Lamia scale, Sabertooth, Mermaid heel. Each guild master and each guilds best mages. He could see Lyon and Jura among them.

All of the talking become hushed whispers and then silence as people gradually began to notice Natsu. They muttered momentarily about his strange appearance before waiting. Natsu took a deep breath.

"You all know me, I assume. The Salamander of Fairy Tail, Natsu Dragneel. Some of you have heard of me as others have personally met me." A few people in the crowd were nodding their heads or looking bored, probably wondering why they were hear listening to this retarded pyromaniac.

"I'm sure you also heard about how I went missing a year ago."

"Oh yeah." Someone in the crowd said.

"Fairy Tail wouldn't shut up about that."

"Quiet down." Makarov stated from the front of the crowd and the talking stopped.

Natsu continued. "I was kidnapped by a man named Archen. And was physically changed." He gestured to his body. "I was turned into a Dragon Child. Long ago when the dragons were in abundance these Dragon Children coexisted with them." Mino and Stella came out from behind the sides of the sage and stood on either side of Natsu. They stood there showing themselves off. Many of the mages here started muttering about how strange this all was and what the point was.

"Dragon Children have been a secret civilization living off in hidden cities. Their history with humans have kept them from revealing themselves completely to us. But now they choose to meet us! The mages and humans of Fiore. I must beg that you don't reject them, just give then a chance. I'm sure it's strange to see them but they are a wonderful group."

"What's the point of this?" A girl from Mermaid Heel called. "You called of us here because you want to the two species to coexist?"

Natsu looked saddened. "I wish it were that simple... I called of you here because this is a war meeting."

That shut everyone up.

"The man, Archen, is attacking the Dragon Children. And in turn they blame the residents of Fiore. We do NOT want unnecessary blood shed between Dragon Children and humans that are innocent. We want to attack Archen directly, he his pitting Dragon Child against Dragon Child." Natsu paused. He took a deep breath again before begging. "Please... I know you don't have a direct reason for helping us but the Dragons can't do this by themselves. So many lives will be lost."

"That's war." The Lamia scale leader called. "There is no war without casualties!"

Natsu nodded. "That's true but we would like to loose as little lives a possible..."

"Who is Archen?" Someone from Blue Pegasus shouted. "Where's he come from?"

"Another country all together." Natsu said and many people were surprised. "He is a man who traveled here to hunt down these Dragon Children, chased their legend, and now wants to use them as war weapons. He already is with ones he breed in captivity." Natsu cast a glance to Stella who stood her ground. "Once he wipes out and enslaves the native Dragon Children he will attack Fiore! Please help us..."

An uproar started, people shouting things to Natsu or towards each other. All of them debating whether or not to do something about the upcoming problem. Natsu's confidence was falling fast. Even after all the information given and all the pleading he put into his words the mages of Fiore still might not help.

Mino put a hand on Natsu's shoulder sympathetically, getting his feelings.

"Why shouldn't we help them?" Jura's voice broke above all the others. Everyone stopped on hearing the wizard saint speak and all turned to him. He was addressing the crowd as a whole. "These people are reaching out to us for help! It is a wizards job- Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus or Fairy tail -to assist those who come to put guilds for help."

"He's got a point." Hibiki of blue Pegasus said with a smirk. "I won't abandon some asking for my help. Especially with something this big."

Ichiya came leaping forward standing on a table and pointing at Natsu Dramatically. "Blue Pegasus is your ally!"

Natsu's face broke into a small smile of relief.

The Lamia scale Master came forward. "We will lend you our strength."

"Mermaid heel too!"

"Sabertooth will fight by your side!"

All of the guilds started coming forward and declaring their help to Natsu. Stella and Mino had big grins as they over looked the groups of mages.

"Thank you so much!" Mino shouted.

"What's the plan?" Lyon asked.

"We have to get rid of Archen." Natsu called to them all. "The only set back is we don't know where he is..."

"How are we suppose to kill him if we can't find him?!" Someone shouted.

"We're working on it!" Stella shouted. "He travels around in a big air ship in the sky so we can't pinpoint him."

"If you do find him we can knock the ship out of the sky!" Ichya said. "We have Christina!"

Natsu remembers the blue Pegasus bomber the guild had brought with them on the Nirvana mission. It just might be able to kick down the ship Archen was hiding in. "It's a start."

"Men!" Ichya shouted and the three boys behind him saluted him.

"Yes Sensei!"

"Let's go get the magical bomber! Quickly!"

"Yes sir!" And with that the four of them were gone.

"How do you plan to find the Air Ship?" Jura called.

Natsu scratched at the scales on his arm and his tail flicked around behind him in nervousness. "To be honest we don't know... Only me and two other people have been inside."

"And escaped..." Mino muttered under his breath.

"We'll if it makes ya guys feel any better were right outside."

There was a massive wave as everyone in the room turned around to look at the Guild Halls main entrance. Three women were standing there. Natsu recognized Paleoth and Vera in an instant. But the other girl he didn't. She had white hair tied back in pig tails and a big hammer in her arms.

Stella and Mino started growling ferally at seeing them.

"Who are..." Jura started asking but suddenly he got a hammer to the face and was sent flying back across the guild hall, landing on the stage next to Natsu and denting the wood there.

The hammer wielding girl giggled and twirled the weapon before leaning against it. "A little birdie told us you guys were making plaaans~"

"Who are you!" Lyon demanded as he made an ice sword and got into a fighting stance. Many other mages followed his example and prepared themselves.

"Well." The girl sang. "I'm Amber. This is Paleoth and that's Vera. We're the Valkyries working for Archen."

That's all Lyon needed to hear before lunging at at the girl. He swung at her and she blocked with her hammer. She pulled it back and went to hit him in the side but Lyon ducked in time to have it just graze him and the two started in a dance of weapons.

Other guild members started charging at Vera and Paleoth, their magic and or weapons at the ready.

"Fuckin' pussys." Vera scoffed before snapping her fingers. All the windows in the building shattered as Dragon Children came flying in. Attacking from above and carrying mages away in a fit of rage.

Natsu stared at the onslaught. He couldn't believe this was happening, how did they find out they were meeting? They didn't exactly watch them or even know Natsu and the other were here...

"Natsu!" Mino shouted. He was snapped from his daze in time to duck an Alpha light dragon. He covered his foot in fire and gave them a hard kick to the ribs then shoved them away. He used his tail to smack another coming at him from behind and blew fire at more coming from around his sides.

"Holy hell there's a lot!" Stella screamed as she rammed two Alphas heads together, knocking them unconscious.

"How did they know we were meeting here?!" Mino said as he was pushed into Natsu's back by two other enemy's.

"We're unprepared!" Natsu declared before charging into the crowd with Stella and Mino behind him. The only thought going through his head right now was that he hoped Erza had gotten far away with his children

Needless to say it was a battlefield now. Slave Dragon Children fighting Fiore mages... And it was evident that the mages were loosing. The reptilian species wasn't as powerful as dragons but they were as strong as dragon slayers. And those mages have proven themselves strong in their guilds countless times. So blood was flying and bodies were laying around on the ground, moving and unmoving... People were winding up outside, wether they were getting thrown out windows or getting smashed through walls so the fight was beginning to spread into the town.

Natsu punched one dragon in the face and swept his tail around through the crowd. He grit his teeth and glared hard over the fighting to look directly at the closest Valkyrie. The pig tailed girl who Lyon was fighting. Except he was looking battered and bruised, his legs were wobbling as he was barely able to stand. The ice Mage made a sword and charged her the best he could but the girl swung her hammer, which lit itself on fire and crashed it into him. His sword instantly melted and Lyon was thrown to the side like some kind of rag doll.

The salamander howled and his whole body became aflame, causing everyone around him to yell and flee from the intense pain. He charges through the crowd directly towards the girl. She raised he hammer again to finish Lyon off but Natsu punched her hard in the side of the face and sent her flying. She crashed into the wall of the Fairy Tail guild hall, and went through it. Landing outside and leaving a trench in the street.

Natsu stood in the hole in the wall and growled at her. His claws and fangs itched for a fight.

The girl sat up holding her swollen cheek. She pouted and looked at Natsu. "How dare you! I was in the middle of something!"

The Salamander approached her, fury obvious as his body swirled with red hot flames. "That something was killing one of my comrades."

"We'll yeah that's my job!" She said standing up. She spun her hammer around before pointing it at him. "Your purple boys boyfriend aren't you!"

Natsu's eyes dilated. "Purple boy... Cobra?"

"Yeah him~" It was sickening how innocent her tone was. "I played with him. He didn't put up much a fight and I was gonna take him home till some outside person attack me."

"What did you do to Cobra?!" Natsu demanded.

She smiled. "All I dead was beat him up and make him bleed. If I wasn't being told to capture or kill either of you I would totally ship it, I can see you two are so cute together!"

Natsu ignored her and lunged. His claws ready and his teeth clenched hard in rage. The girl lit her hammer on fire and swung it at him as he came forward, but all Natsu had to do was throw his hand out and the hammer stopped instantly. The flames vanishing.

"What?!" The girl said, shock evident on her face. It wasn't there long as Natsu punched her square in the nose. Blood flew and she cried out in pain. He punched her again in the cheek and the have her an uppercut to her jaw. She flew backwards and landed sideways on the ground.

Natsu approached her with his malicious eyes watching her like pray being hunted. A shiver ran down her spin and she quickly retrieved her hammer. "Dae!"

Natsu lunged to kick her this time but his foot collided with air as a green streak came hurdling by and picked her up, rocketing off with her into the sky.

"Happy!" Natsu screamed as loud as e could.

There was an "Aye Sir!" From the crowd behind him and then Happy came speeding out of it and snagged Natsu from behind, carrying him after her. As he started gain ground (air?) on her he saw she had her own little green exceed on her back. A plan started to form in his mind.

"You ready to fight Happy?" Natsu asked.

"Always!"

"Then lets do this!" Natsu took a deep breath, his chest puffing out and his cheeks inflating with heat. "Fire Dragons Roar!"

The girl had barely enough time to dodge so she wasn't turned into a human bar-B-Q. She turned on her back and pulled her hammer behind her, it lit on fire again before she swung it forward, arrows of flames shooting towards Natsu.

Happy did his best maneuver around them, any that he couldn't dodge we're just eaten by Natsu.

"You eat the fire?!" The girl asked appalled.

"That's what Dragon Slayers do." Natsu called to her. He pulled his leg back and kicked forward sending a column of fire at her. She dished again but Natsu took the moment to move in closer. The girl swung her Hammer and Natsu took the hit, using his arm to block and getting sent a little father back. Happy waited there as Natsu inspected his arm. It didn't feel broken but he could feel the pain and throbbing of it.

"You're Strong..." The girl said timidly. "I'm not sure I'm gonna win this one..."

"Let's find out, shall we?" Natsu flew at her again and she went to swing her hammer. Not bothering with her fire magic at this point, considering it was all just going to get eaten. Happy carried Natsu up and he arched over her so now he was upside down and Behind her.

The poor girl didn't have time to react or even turn. She realized her mistake and what was about to happen as Natsu pulled his fist back. "Fire dragons..." He slammed his flaming hand into the poor Exceed on her back. It screamed in pain and the wings instantly vanished and she fell unconscious. "Iron fist!"

The girl was thrown forward with such force that she tumbled through the air and crashed into several buildings and roofs. She finally ricocheted off a chimney, shattering it in the process and landed in a heaping pile in the middle of a broke and damaged street.

Natsu landed a few feet away from her as she slowly peeled herself off the ground and glared up at Natsu. She looked like crap with blood dripping from her nose, head and mouth. "Where's... Where's Dae..."

"She'll get taken care of." Natsu said bitterly as he walked away and picked up the girls hammer. It was heavy but not a challenge for him to lift. He stood in front of her again and pointed the hammer at her. "Tell me where I can find Archen."

The girl spat on the ground, any childlike innocence gone from her demeanor now. "Why would I tell you huh? I'd sooner die than tell."

"That can be arranged." Natsu brought the hammer back behind him and was ready to swing it down on her head but found he couldn't do it, in fact he couldn't move the hammer from its spot at all.

He slowly turned around to see a woman standing there. He knew she was another Valkyrie. It was the woman he thought he recognized before, outside of Mount Íz Drekkin. She had been talking with Vera. The blonde woman's leather glove clad hand was calmly holding the tip of the hammer so Natsu couldn't swing it down.

"Come to protect your friend..." He said warmingly, his glare was daring her to try and he was ready to kill her too if he had to.

"Not exactly." She said in her calm and elegant voice. She let the hammer go and walked past Natsu up to the girl. "Looks like you loose Amber."

"T-Tia..?" The girl stuttered in fear as the blonde put her hand on her face. There was a big flash of electricity and Amber's body fell to the side, smoking and burned.

Tia turned around to face Natsu who leapt backwards and prepared the hammer to fight her. She held a hand up. "You need not worry Natsu. I am not her to harm you."

"Then why are you!? Did Archen send you?!"

The electrical Mage shook her head, the lighting shaped manga going down the side of her face wisping back and forth.

"I follow a new master now. One I choose to follow for better reasons." She started walking towards Natsu and past him. "He can not be here sadly because of new duties thrust upon him but he sent me to make sure you were safe."

She stopped a few feet from him and stared at the battle field before her. The other Valkyrie, Vera, spotted her. "Tia?! Whatchu doin' here?! Where the fuck have you been Archens pissed!"

Tia didn't response and instead raised her tattooed arm up into the sky and extended her hand as far as she could. Her hand began to spark.

Vera's eyes widened in horror. "Paleoth we gotta go!" She screamed and was gone in an instant. The albino punched a girl from mermaid heel on last time before she too saw what Tia was doing and vanished. Just as they fled an left their slaves behind lighting flashed in the sky and hundreds of arching lightening bolts shot down and, with incredible accuracy, shocked only the Dragon Children.

Shouts of pain and agony echoed from all of them, the collars around tee necks exploding and all of them collapsing in exhaustion.

Natsu stared at it. She was incredible... And after watching that display of skill and power he truly felt like he's fought her before.

"Grab her."

Natsu blinked. "What?"

Tia pointed to Ambers body. "She is not dead. Bring her with you to the guild."

"Ah." Natsu turned and hauled Amber over his shoulder and followed Tia back to the guild hall. Everyone was running around trying their hardest to help the people that were the worst injured. Poor little Wendy was going to have her hands full thats for sure...

Natsu laid the white haired Valkyrie down and made sure to tie her up good. Incase she woke up and started causing problems.

"What is he doing here?!" Stella's exclamation drew Natsu's attention. She was pointing a bloody finger at Tia who simply stared at her monotony.

"She helped us..." Natsu said, standing next to her. "It's thanks to her all the Dragon Children here are free now..."

Stella was snarling her hair almost looked like it was fluffing up. "She's a Valkyrie! Archens third strongest!" Natsu looked at Tia impressed. "Her name is Tia Volkner..."

"What did you just say?" Now everyone's attention was drawn to Master Makarov who was getting bandaged up by Wendy. He was staring dumb struck at Tia.

"Tia...? Our Tia?!"

"Hello father." She said bowing slightly.

"Father?!" Natsu and Happy shouted in shock. The fire dragon flailed his arms in confusion. "What do to mean father who are YOU?!"

Makarov glared at Natsu. "Have some respect!" Natsu shut his mouth. "Tia was my daughter in law for while..."

"She was?" Wendy asked surprised.

Makarov nodded his head, his eyes never leaving Tia's face. "She was a member of Blue Pegasus before meeting Ivan and marrying him... She is also Laxus's mother."

Happy and Natsu's mouth dropped open in awe. No wonder se was so familiar to him in almost every way...

"Tia..." Makarov said sadly. "What happened to you... I thought you died but I see you now and I must know what happened..."

The blonde woman showed emotion for the first time and it was hate. Her eyebrows knit together and she sneered, showing her teeth. "That bastard son of yours tricked me and Stole Laxus away. He forced me into an early labor and took my son away from me to do what he saw fit..."

"Ivan is a son of a bitch." Natsu said bluntly. "We all know that."

Makarov raised a hand to silence him. "I'm sorry that happened to you Tia... But Ivan is not here anymore. He was banished a long time ago."

"That does not make up for his sins." Her face softened. "However I have found Lacus again... So all is well."

The Fairy Tail guild master smiled at that. "Then as of right now can you lend us all a hand? We could use all the help we can get..."

"Of course." She said before walking away. Natsu followed her.

"I thought I recognized you! Your smell and looks, your magic! It's all like Laxus! He's definitely your son!"

The corner of Tia's mouth twitch slightly. Like she was resisting the urge to smile. "Like son like mother."


End file.

Fairy Tail, Adventure, Humor