Leaf Village, Fiore, X768.
"Dammit." Minato Namikaze grunted as he fell to one knee, a gash in his side bleeding profusely. At the young age of twenty-three he had risen quickly through the ranks of the Magic Council, obtaining position of Vice-Chairman. A feat made even more impressive by his ability to simultaneously balance both his position in the council and his duty as his hometown's mayor. His magic is a combination of Teleportation and Light magic, though his greatest strengths lie in his vast knowledge of Runes and Lacrima. Unfortunately, none of this was able to help him in the slightest against his current opponent.
"This is the best you can do? With everything I've heard about you I thought you would actually give me a challenge, but nope, you're just another pathetic human after all!" His opponent cackled, the creature's name was Jackal, a member of the dark guild Tartaros of the Balam Alliance. He appears as a young muscular man with shoulder-length blond hair, part of it constantly covering the left side from sight, like his name sake he has a number of animal features: Part of the hair atop his head juts upward in a pair of prominent, ear-shaped protrusions and pointed, triangular teeth. His nose is small, black and canine-like and a furry tail the same colour as his hair protrudes from his lower back. His only visible eye has a dark, slit pupil, it also bears a thick, black outline. Underneath and above his eyes are small, black spots; similar shapes are present along his forearms, eventually the shapes converge at his wrists, turning his hands completely black. He wears a black vest, white, baggy pants and a long scarf is wrapped around his neck.
A few hours earlier the dark guild member had walked in to the village and then started bombing the area with his Curse. Many were injured in the blast; regardless it was still successful in gaining Minato's attention. The Vice-Chairman, along with the village's security force had immediately engaged the Tartaros member, unfortunately Jackal was as deadly as he was sadistic and quickly proved it by decimating the security forces. Now Minato and Jackal were the only combatants left. Thankfully Minato's skills meant he was able to last as long as he had, though Jackal eventually started fighting dirty. He had begun aiming his explosions at the villagers nearby that had yet to evacuate. Meaning Minato focused on keeping the villagers out of danger, causing him to slowly but surely exhaust his magic. The second the Magic Council member had to stop to recuperate, the ground beneath him exploded in a Landmine Curse, Minato was able to barely avoid it in time, however, the explosion caused a sharp piece of debris to lodge in his side. This resulted in the large gash causing the blood loss that was slowly killing him, whereas Jackal didn't even look remotely winded.
Minato coughed up a glob of blood and glared at the dark guild member, and coughing out a response, "Even if I die, you'll never get what you want, I swear this on my word as the leader of this village!"
Jackal's cackling ceased but he still kept an arrogant smirk "Tch, you know this could have been much easier? All I wanted was information on Face. Now look where we are; you're half dead and your village is barely more than a smoking crater, this could end right now if you tell me what I want to know. Otherwise I'll just have to go after someone who you care about… like maybe your wife and that new born brat." He sneered.
"You monster! I'll never let you hurt them. Besides, if I tell you you'll just kill us all anyway." Minato shouted defiantly, taking a knife from his belt and hurling it at Jackal.
"Heh, saw through that huh? Not that it matters." Jackal said, tilting his head to avoid the projectile, then getting ready to charge forward, "We'll just have to ask your success-urk!" Jackal started before a light-enclosed fist exploded from his back.
Shakily the demon turned his head, to see that Minato was now standing behind him, having used his Light magic to deal the critical blow. "H-how? You barely had enough magic left to move, never mind teleport before I could see you." Jackal croaked out, obviously surprised at the sudden change tide of the battle.
Minato gave a tired, yet triumphant smirk, pulling his fist from Jackal's chest, causing both fighters to collapse to their knees, "Pay closer attention to your surroundings. Look at the knife at your feet." When Jackal did so he gasped, engraved into the hilt of the knife were Runes, "Those Runes hold a small amount of my Teleportation magic, allowing me to transport instantly to the knife's location without wasting any magic, the rest of my magic was focused into my fist to end you!"
"You'd sacrifice yourself to kill me?" Jackal asked in shock, even if Minato wasn't in his current state exhausting one's supply of magic was fatal, though Jackal's features quickly relaxed into a smirk as he closed his eyes, "Heh, it doesn't matter, even if I die here my guild will revive me. Then we'll come back, wipe this pathetic little village off the face of the Earth and go after the next person who knows about Face!" Jackal proceeded to start laughing again.
Minato's eyes gained a mischievous glint to them as he pulled a small Lacrima crystal out of his pocket, "Don't be so sure of that." He said, thrusting the crystal into Jackal's chest, abruptly cutting off the demon's laughter.
"W-what the hell did you do to me you damn human?!" Jackal growled out as he looked down at the now-glowing Lacrima embedded in his chest.
Minato smiled and moved into a sitting position, "I've heard a rumour about your guild. How none of you are humans, but demons from the Book of Zeref, glad to see they're true, it's given the perfect opportunity to test my Demon Sealing Lacrima. Originally, I was going to use it on Deliora or one of the other demons, but this will have to do. It should prevent any chance of revival and instead convert the magical barrier particles you're made of into Ethernano, sealing you inside!" He explained
Jackal snarled in anger, "Curse you, one day I'll get out, and when I do I'll-" He was cut off mid-rant as the Lacrima sealed him completely, silencing the creature forever. Minato sighed with relief before passing out.
Minato now lay on a medical bed with his village's doctor going over his injuries with a grim look. Off to the side was Kushina, Minato's wife, her eyes were filled with worry as she held a small bundle in her arms. After several hours the doctor came over to an expectant Kushina.
"I'm sorry." He said, taking off his medical gloves, "The damage is too severe, the debris nicked several vital organs, combined with the blood loss and magic depletion, I'd give him maybe an hour left."
Tearfully, Kushina nodded her head, holding the bundle close and walked over to her dying husband. When she got to his side, Minato's eyes weakly fluttered open. Seeing his wife standing over him, he cracked a small smile. "Hey Kushina, I'm glad to see you and Naruto are alright."
"Moron." Kushina mumbled playfully, even as he lay dying Minato would always try to get her to smile for him. "You always have to go and push yourself too hard, yah know? Now look at you, it's finally caught up with you."
After giving a quiet laugh Minato asked, "Kushina, can I hold Naruto please?"
Nodding in agreement Kushina unfolded the bundle, beneath the blankets a baby boy was revealed. The child couldn't have been more than a few months old, he had a patch of blond hair and three whisker-like birth marks on each cheek. Minato gently held the boy close, when he did so, the baby's eyes opened to reveal crystal blue pools. "Hey Naruto," Minato began, softly speaking to the infant, "I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I wish I could be a part of your life in the future, I know no matter what you'll do me proud. Just remember, your daddy loves you and listen to your motor mouth mother."
Naruto looked at his father for a few moments before he yawned and went back to sleep. Both parents chuckled at this before Minato looked at his wife with a serious expression, "Kushina…" He began, "I want to ask you to do something that you're not going to like, but before you say anything I want you to hear me out."
Kushina narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but motioned for Minato to continue. The Vice-Chairman's response was to reach under his bed sheets and pull out the Lacrima that contained Jackal's essence. Now the crystal was yellow in colour with black flecks dotted throughout. Minato seemed hesitant before he hardened his resolve. He decided to go with the direct route, given the person he was talking to, "I want this Lacrima to be implanted into Naruto."
Kushina's eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth as she got ready to hurl a tirade at what would possess her husband to think implanting the essence of a murderous psychopath into their own son. However, Minato raised his hand in a stop gesture, looking at his wife seriously, "I told you to hear me out, please." Slowly, Kushina settled down, though the frown on her face was a clear indicator she was sceptical about the idea.
Minato continued, "Thank you, now as to why I've decided this. I fear what happened today is simply the first step in something big, something bad, and something the world won't be ready for when the time comes. The information that demon was asking for were some of the highest kept secrets of the Magic Council. The fact at least one member from that accursed Alliance knows of its existence is troubling enough. Their methods clearly show they aren't above using force to get what they want. Someday, they may find out what they want and when they do, I want to make sure my family is ready for when that time comes."
He held up the Lacrima before continuing, "That demon, Jackal, if the information the council gathered was correct wasn't human at all and if I hadn't sealed his essence into this Lacrima, he would have been reborn by some method Tartaros knows. Also, his magic felt like no other magic I've ever encountered, and I have a feeling he wasn't even that guild's strongest member. If the other members have such magic I want to be able to fight fire with fire, but the only way to do that is to implant a Lacrima and train the person in how to control the power. I would have asked you, but Lacrima implantation is risky, especially if the subject has already awakened their magic. Which is why the procedure is best done on a small child or an infant. As for why Naruto, could you really ask me to place this burden on another child if I wasn't willing to do it to my own? Besides, I'll pass easier knowing Naruto will be better able to protect himself in the future."
Kushina's face was creased with worry lines, while there were certainly no gaps in Minato's logic his plan certainly had lots of 'what ifs'. She also didn't like the idea of their son using the magic of the demon that attacked their village. But, as long as she had known Minato his intuition on these matters had never once failed. Plus, with her husband on his deathbed, could she really refuse?
Kushina sighed before continuing, "…All right, I don't like it, but I'll do it. Though, keep in mind that if you're wrong about this, I'll beat you up so badly you'll come back to life just to beg for mercy!" She finished as a dark aura surrounded her and her hair began to float in a non-existent breeze.
At this Minato couldn't help but laugh nervously, but it soon turned into a coughing fit, "Kushina… I feel my time is coming… could you do me one last favour after I pass?"
"O-of course." Kushina stammered, beginning to tear up, leaning in so she wouldn't miss her love's last wish.
"Take Naruto… to your old guild… take him… to Fairy Tail. I… know he'll be safe there. I love you… Kushina…Na…ruto." And with that Minato Namikaze passed away, leaving behind a sobbing wife and a crying son.
Three months later
Kushina took a deep breath nervously as she stood outside the doors to the guild she hadn't set foot in for nearly three long years with a bundle strapped to her back. She was hit by a wave of nostalgia as she stepped through the doors, nothing much had really changed about the guild. Sure, there were different faces, but there was the same partying, the same brawls, the same comradery and the same feeling of family the guild she loved had when she joined at the tender age of ten years old. Going along the wall so she wouldn't attract too much attention, avoiding flying debris with practiced ease, she made her way to a familiar old man wearing an orange and blue-striped jester outfit. When she reached the old man, she tapped him gently on the shoulder, when he turned to her the old man couldn't contain the excited gasp that left him, "Kushina!" A few heads turned their direction as Makarov used his Titan magic to enlarge his arms and wrap them around the young woman and give her a gentle hug, "You came back!"
"Hello master." Kushina smiled happily, glad that the old man hadn't forgotten her after so long.
"It's been too long child!" He exclaimed enthusiastically before muttering, "You could have written to let us know you were coming, you know?"
"I know." Kushina replied, though her smile vanished as she addressed Makarov with a more serious expression, "Master, can I speak to you in private? It's urgent."
Makarov nodded, becoming quite worried when the normally happy young woman suddenly became serious. Leading her to his office, Makarov locked the door behind him and put up a Silencing spell to deter eavesdroppers. He then turned to the redhead and asked in a worried tone, "What's wrong?"
Taking another deep breath, Kushina explained everything that had happened to the Wizard Saint since she left the guild to marry the youngest Magic Council member Minato Namikaze. Then telling Makarov about Minato's last wishes, the master placed a comforting hand on the woman's now trembling shoulder. When she finished, the normally strong young woman had broken down in tears, letting out the emotions she'd been holding back for the last few months.
After she had calmed down the two took their respective seats, Kushina taking the bundle off her back and holding it maternally. Getting behind his desk, Makarov looked at Kushina sympathetically with his hands folded, "I'm so sorry to hear about Minato, he was a good man and one of the few on the Council who would stick up for Fairy Tail besides Yajima. I take it, the bundle is Naruto?"
Kushina nodded as Makarov continued, "How did the implantation process go? I know from experience with Ivan thinking he could be clever with Laxus about a year ago, so I know the difficulty of the process."
"The implantation itself went off without a hitch, but afterwards there were a few… changes."
"Changes?" Makarov asked.
Instead of verbally answering Kushina unwrapped the blankets to reveal a sleeping Naruto. Like earlier he had his father's blond hair, his mother's face and three-whisker like birthmarks on each cheek. Though there were several noticeable differences from how he looked three months ago: two spikes of blond hair were longer than the rest, making them look like fox ears, he had black markings on his wrists that converged at the hands, colouring them completely black, his nose was black and canine-like, his feet now had blond fur and appeared as a mix of a dog's paw and an ape's foot, and last, but not least, a blond coloured, dog-like tail waved lazily behind him.
Kushina went on to explain, "A few hours after the Lacrima was implanted, Naruto's body experienced these changes. I can only assume that the magic within was trying to create a body more suited to its needs and gave him characteristics from that Tartaros member Jackal to compensate. I've run several tests and although his mind and soul remain intact, his body is like that of a Demon from the Book of Zeref." Kushina finished, with a downcast expression.
Makarov went to comfort the woman he still saw as one of his children, "There, there it will be alright."
"Alright!" Kushina shouted, "Not only has my son lost his father, but his humanity all before he's even a year old! I'm his mother and I let that happen, how is that alright?!" She finished, her voice filled with self-loathing.
Makarov's arms once again embraced her as he spoke in a grandfatherly voice, "You're a mother who did what was best in a desperate situation. No one but the dark guild is to blame for this misfortune. As for your son losing his humanity," Makarov looked down to see Naruto still in his mother's arms, now cuddling his tail like it was a teddy bear, "Even if the rest of the world rejects him for his looks, you will always be there for him, just as Fairy Tail will be there for both of you."
Kushina looked up, startled at the response, "Master, does that mean…?"
Makarov laughed, "Of course my wayward child! Both you and Naruto can become members immediately. Besides do you remember the Three Rules of Fairy Tail when a member leaves? It may tell you not to reveal sensitive information about the guild but it also states that so long as you remain true to Fairy Tail's teachings, you will always be welcomed back into the guild with open arms. As for Naruto, fear not, far stranger members have joined our ranks and if anyone has problem with it they can answer to me!"
Kushina began crying again, though this time not out of sorrow, instead it was out of joy. As this occurred a red Fairy Tail stamp on the back of her thigh faded back into existence. Her son would soon bare a similar insignia only in orange and on his stomach.
Fairy Tail had simultaneously regained an old member and gained a new one!
Time skip, X778
"Come on, this is the best you've got? Booooring!" A now ten-year old Naruto taunted a Gorian, him and his friends had been assigned to take down a den of the semi-sentient apes within the East Forest. Naruto looked like an older version of himself as a baby, including his more demonic features. He wore an orange vest, black shorts, no shoes, exposing his claw-like feet and a pair of goggles were strapped around his neck. His blond tail wagged excitedly as he leapt over a second Gorian, causing it and the one chasing him to collide. Twisting in mid-air and pulling his goggles over his eyes he yelled out, "Bomb Burst!" Immediately light suddenly flew from his hand towards the two Gorians. As soon as it made contact, the light detonated in an intense, but controlled explosion. Initially Naruto's Bomb Curse had caused so much damage, Makarov nearly had a mental breakdown from all the complaints he'd received from the Magic Council, demanding either apologies or compensation. When the smoke cleared it revealed the pair of Gorians in a smoking crater, charred and unconscious, but alive.
"Ha, did you see that guys? Two in one go!" He said, turning to face his companions, Natsu, the Fire Dragon Slayer and Lisanna, a young Take-Over mage. The only female member of the group was nowhere to be seen, having given chase to another Gorian further into the forest while Naruto was dealing with his pair. Whereas Natsu was currently squaring off against another of the Forest Vulcans. "You and Lis are really going to have to step up your games if you want to catch up!" He shouted boastfully.
"Oh yeah well watch this!" Natsu shouted back, "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Driving the fiery fist into the Gorian's diaphragm, knocking it out cold.
The two friends chuckled as they walked towards each other, though what neither realised was that another one of the Forest Vulcans had hid itself in the canopy downwind of Natsu's sense of smell. It leapt down, neither of the boys noticed its presence until it was almost on top of them. It was at that point that a purple blur crashed into the creature, sending it sprawling across the clearing, the purple being landing cleanly with a loud thump, "What was that you were saying about upping our game Naruto?" It asked teasingly, as it turned around, revealing it was a large purple rabbit.
"You guys aren't half bad." Naruto said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to save his pride. The three friends began laughing with each other at that, however, a group of at least a dozen of the Forest Vulcans descended from the treetops, surrounding the smaller group.
"I guess there must have been more than the flyer let on." Lisanna said worriedly, she, Natsu and Naruto had all just been battling and as such were tired. Their opponents however, hadn't been exerting themselves and were raring for a fight.
"I guess so, any bright ideas guys?" Natsu asked, clearly just as worried about the threat the group of Gorians posed to the three.
"Yeah." Naruto grinned, his teeth becoming much sharper as his eyes whitened out. His stature and muscles increased in size as the blond fur on his feet and tail spread across his body. Claws sprang from his fingertips and his face took on a more canine appearance. Standing in his more werewolf-like form he let out a roar that shocked the Gorians, "Hit them hard with everything you've got and show them why it isn't a smart idea to mess with Fairy Tail mages!" He shouted in a much deeper voice before charging at the creatures.
His two friends, having seen Naruto's other form previously, simply grinned, "You ready Natsu?" Lisanna asked, gesturing with her head to get on.
"Yeah," Natsu answered, creating sparks as he ignited his fists and jumped onto Lisanna, "Let's show these guys what Team Wildfire can do! I'm all fired up now!"