The first time he met her, he was six years old.

She was crouched down outside his cell, hands wrapped carefully around her delicate knees. The girl peered at him with wide, brown eyes from the small, iron-barred window that glimpsed the outside world; the sky, the grass, and now, the strange little girl who's scent washed over him in a calming aroma. She smelled like starlight and fairy dust.
The little girl flashed him a brilliant smile and lifted a hand from her knee in a wave,

"Hi, I'm Lucy, why are you crying?"

-six hours earlier-

'Let's see..right now I should be in Acalypha.. I think?' The young boy tried to make sense of the piece of parchment he held in his hands, turning it this way and that to try and pin-point his location. He narrowed his eyes at the scribbles decorating the paper and gave a low growl, as if it would scare the scratches into readable words.

With a huff he finally gave up and shoved the map back into his bag. Instead he resorted to his excellent sense of smell to dictate where he was. Lifting his head, he took in a deep breath as he let the scents of his surroundings flood his mind.

He could smell… people. Lots of people. 'Well duh.' He thought to himself, 'I'm in the middle of a freaking town, man people have so many different scents, how does it not give them a headache, living so close together like this? Well, whatever, moving on.' The boy reaped in his thoughts as he let more and more scents drift across his nose, so many his own head started to ache, 'Ugh, this isn't working out so well…' He was about the pinch his nose shut when suddenly a new scent hit him. The boy flung his eyes open as the intoxicating scent filled his mind. He took a in a deep whiff, it smelled a lot like.… "Food!" the boy said aloud, causing a few heads to turn his way. He paid no notice, however, as he took off in the direction of the delicious smell.

He passed several buildings, none which he paid any mind to. They didn't smell like food after all. After his mad dash through the town's narrow streets, he finally came upon the source of the intoxicating smell.

In front of him stood a bakery, he concluded. It's name hung in the chicken-sctrach looking scribbles that also adorned the map he had found earlier that week. What's with this weird language anyways? It was nothing like the runes Igneel had taught him to read. Natsu quickly dismissed the thought and instead pressed his tiny forehead up against the glass window display. Breads, pastries, desserts, and other creations his limited vocabulary had no name for decorated the many display shelves.

Natsu couldn't help notice the hollow growling sound his stomach emitted at the sight of all the food. He was pretty sure he was drooling too. Suddenly a bell clanged and a door flew open, and he whipped his head in the direction of the sound. A gruff looking woman with wiry brown hair and a rolling pin in her hands stood in the doorframe. She raised and lowered the rolling pin from her palm as she glared at the pink-haired boy.

"You need somethin' boy?" She said in a rough tone that Natsu noted sounded anything but feminine. He took a step back, a bit intimidated by the woman's hard glare. 'You're a dragon Natsu! Dragons aren't scared of weird ladies with rolling pins!' He squirmed a bit under her gaze, 'Even if they do look really scary!' He added silently.

He managed to straighten himself up and look the lady in the eye, "Theres, uh, food here, right?" He said intelligently as his stomach made an audible growl. The boy blushed a bit as he averted his gaze. At this Natsu noticed the woman's eyes soften a bit, "Oh a hungry customer are you? Well come on then, in you go."

She ushered the boy inside before he could say otherwise, her rolling pin making a shooing motion from behind his back. He turned to say something to the woman, but as he opened his mouth, a hundred different scents flooded over him. Damn. If he thought the store had smelled good from the outside, the inside had him wondering if he'd died and found himself in heaven. He quickly clamped his mouth shut before he could start drooling again.

The woman from earlier moved to behind a stone counter, and Natsu took note of the little tables and chairs that dotted the room. Each table was filled with chattering people enjoying the many goodies the bakery had to offer. A couple sat at a table for two, next to them a large round table held six or so men who were chatting away excitedly about something Natsu couldn't pick up, a group of three teenish-looking kids sat next to them, and so on.

Natsu soon became bored with observing his surroundings and instead walked up to the stone counter the lady from earlier stood behind. He silently cursed his shortness as he barley managed to peek over the countertop. He curled his tiny hands around the counter's edge and stood on his tip-toes in an attempt to look a little taller. He looked up at the older woman only to see her smiling down at him. He squirmed a bit and didn't know if he should feel relieved or terrified.

"What can I get for you today little boy?" She asked in a slightly-less gruff tone then before. Natsu couldn't help it, he found himself smiling happily back at the older lady, who's eyes softened at his childish grin. He could just see the stacks of bread and pastries behind her, he hastily pointed a finger at a stack of bread, "Can I have one of those?" He asked innocently, head spinning at the though of food. The woman gave a curt nod and stuck out her hand, "That will be 300 jewels."

Natsu froze. What the heck were jewels? You needed jewels for food? Igneel had always just brought him food from who-knows where, or they'd gone fishing or something.. Igneel had mentioned places like bakeries and restaurants could provide food, but not that you had to trade something for it! 'Damnit Igneel' The little boy cursed his father silently, 'you always left out the important stuff!'

The boy let out a heavy sigh, "Oh, um, sorry, I don't think I have any of those." He released his grip on the counter and turned away sadly, his stomach growled in protest, it wasn't a fan of his decision. Behind the counter, the woman's heart tightened at the little boy's miserable state,

"Wait! Boy, come here." Natsu's head perked as he turned back towards the counter, the woman's hand was outstretched towards him as she beckoned him back towards her. He looked up at the lady again sadly, "I don't have any jewels or whatever, sorry…" The lady shook her head at him, "I think we burned some bread earlier this morning, I'll be right back." The lady turned and disappeared into the back as Natsu stood in wonder at the counter. The lady returned once again with a blackened loaf of bread in her hands, she held it out to the boy, "This is all I can give you I'm afraid, some jewels could have bought you a nicely baked piece but…" Natsu's eyes widened and he took the loaf from the woman' s hands,

"Seriously?! This is awesome! I'll take burned food over 'nicely baked' anyday!" He was practically squealing in joy as the woman looked down at him in confusion, "You like burned food?" Natsu tore his eyes from the bread and looked up at her, "Yeah, don't you?" The woman gave a light chuckle at his honest innocence, "No, I can't say I do."

Natsu gave a quick look around to see if anyone was listening before leaning in towards the woman, he put a hand to the side of his mouth like he was about to tell a secret, "Don't tell anyone, but it's probably because I'm actually a fire dragon." He flashed a fanged smile at the woman and she smiled right back, "Of course you are boy, now hurry along before my husband finds out I've been giving away bread again!" She made a shooing motion towards the door and Natsu began to take off, "Thanks again Mrs. Baker Lady!" The woman laughed as he took off through the door.

He had only made it a couple of steps out the door, however, before he ran smack into an older man, causing his bread to fly out of his hands, and right into a nearby fountain. Natsu stared in horror in the direction of the fountain.

"Hey, watch where you're going you punk." The older man growled, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. Natsu was equally annoyed, this guy had just made him lose his first meal in like two days!
"You watch it," He growled right back, looking up to peer into the man's cold, slanted eyes.
"You better watch your mouth if you don't wanna get what's coming to ya brat." The man spat back. Natsu's good mood was now thoroughly trampled as his eyes narrowed, he couldn't believe the nerve of this guy!
"You wanna go old man?" He hissed.

The man balked at him, "You can't be serious, a little punk like you challenging me? Do you even know who you're talking to?" The older man sneered in disbelief.
"No and I don't really care either," Natsu answered honestly, sliding himself into a fighting stance.
"You brat," The older man seethed, "I'm the Salamander! The strongest mage this town has to offer, and now, you're gonna get it!" The man pulled his fist back and brought it down to strike the child, but his target was to fast.

In an instant, Natsu had launched himself in the air, only to land gracefully right on top of his attacker's outstretched arm. For a split second he perched there, the man gawking at the boy's almost inhuman speed. Then, Natsu bunched his muscles and lept off the man's arm, the force of his jump caused the 'Salamander' as he called himself, to lose his balance and flail uselessly before crashing into the ground. Natsu flipped seamlessly midair and landed smoothly behind the man, laughing at how utterly ridiculous his attacker looked face-down in the dirt. The older man, on the other hand, was fuming in rage.

He quickly pushed himself up off the ground as the look in his eyes changed from rage to a chilling murderous intent. The young boy felt a flash of fear in his heart from the look of pure evil that lurked in the man's dark eyes. He quickly shrugged it off as the man came at him again, fist outstretched,"You're dead now boy!" Suddenly the older man's body erupted into flames, and Natsu's eyes widened, "You're a fire mage!? Sweet!" The man threw his fiery punch in Natsu's direction, but the young boy effortlessly dodged the blow once again, a huge grin plastered across his features. The older mage was seething at his cocky attitude.

He threw punch after punch, all of which Natsu dodged with little effort. The older man smirked as and idea came to him, this boy was only a child after all, "Hey! Look over there!" He called, pointing a finger off to the right. Natsu's head instantly snapped in the direction he pointed, "Huh?" He suddenly felt himself flying backwards as one of the older mage's punches finally hit.

The older mage stood triumphantly a few feet away from the boy, who was still regaining his balance from the blow. A dangerous glint sparked in the older man's dark eyes, "It's over for you boy, I'll teach you to mess with a mage." The older man suddenly spread his arms wide, a magic seal appearing in front of him, glowing red with power. The Salamander aimed himself at the young boy, who had just begun to stand again. The spectators that had gathered to watch the heated fight gasped in horror, "Say goodbye boy! Prominence Typhoon!" A column of flames twisted towards the young boy, engulfing him in it's fiery masses.

Witnesses shrieked, sure that the poor boy could never have survived the attack. The Salamander grinned wickedly, it was over.

Or so he had thought.

Suddenly, the flames began to spiral inwards, growing smaller and smaller as it did. The spectators looked on in wonder. Finally, the flames parted to revel a small figure, unscathed by the blazing fire around him. The Salamander froze in shock, was this boy.. eating his flames?!

Natsu's head was tilted upwards, his onyx eyes closed in delight. A loud sucking sound escaped him as the last of the flames twirled their way down into the young boy's mouth. As he finished, he lowered his head, wiped his moth with the back of his hand, and gave his rounded stomach a satisfied pat. "Man your flames taste like shit." He commented, still patting his exposed stomach, "But hey, a meal's a meal, thanks anyways." His eyes glinted in a feral expression, fangs bared in widening grin,
"And now, I'll take the liberty of kicking your ass for ruining my breakfast!"

The boy took a step towards the other fire mage, flames beginning to twist their way around his tiny body. The Salamander managed to recover from his initial shock, only to point a shaking finger at the fire-clad boy, "Y-you! You're a d-dragon slayer!" Natsu flashed another fanged grin at the man, eyes narrowed in feral power, "Bingo, dipstick, but knowing that isn't going to do you much good now." Natsu put his fists to his mouth and took in a steady breath, the flames around his body burned ever brighter, "Fire Dragon's.…" Fire began to spiral at his mouth, he flung open his eyes, only to revel they were now a beastly green. He smirked and released the breath he had been gathering, "..ROAR!"

A pillar of golden-red flames shot itself at the older mage, who had once again frozen in schock, he gave an undignified screech as the flames engulfed him, "EEEEEEEEYYAAA HOT HOT HOOOOTTT!" Through the flames the supposed 'fire' mage flailed his hand in the air, "Help! I'm on fire!"

By the time the flames had vanished, the other mage was burned to a crisp, face first in the dirt, butt in the air. Natsu roared in laughter as the flames around him disappeared. The 'Salamander' coughed as a trail of smoke drifted from his open mouth, "I'll.. get you.. *cough* for this *wheeze*.. you damned kid!"

Natsu was still laughing so hard there were tears in his eyes, he had fallen to the floor in a laughing fit, hands in the air above him, "Ahahah! You look so dumb! And the look on your face! 'Y-you're a dragon slayer?' " He mocked in a false tone, a hysteric look on his young face. He stood from the ground, still laughing, and gave a satisfied stretch.
His laughter suddenly died, however, when he felt two cold metal bands curl around his slender wrists.

"What the.." He looked up behind him, only to see the six men he'd seen in the bakery looking down at him with solum faces. Natsu tugged his hands down, only to find he couldn't. The cuffs around his wrists attached to a rather long, sturdy chain that one of the six men held with a death grip in his hands. Natsu's eyes hardened,

"What the hell? Let me go!" He yanked against the chain and willed fire to his fists, only to find his magic instantly deflate within him. His eyes widened, "Wha..?" He tried again and again to spark his fire, but to no avail. He whipped his head to the men behind him and snarled, "What did you do!?"

The six men didn't even flinch as the young dragon slayer thrashed against them, "What the hell did you do!?" He roared again, unable to writhe his way out of the cuffs iron grip. One man looked down on him, Natsu realized he was the one who had placed the cuffs on him in the first place,

"Fire Dragon Slayer, you are under arrest for treason against the kingdom."

Hi there everyone! This is my first fanfic, so please bare with me through my many mistakes!

I was informed that the story was a bit hard to follow, so I broke up this chapter and the next in an attempt to make it a little easier to understand.

Thank you for putting up with me and I hope you'll continue to follow the story!

Reviews make my world go round~