*Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

The Dragneel Legacy

The guilds were pushed further and further in together as the dragons forced them back. Atlas Flame and Natsu plummeted to the ground, barely making a safe landing on the stone floor of Crocus's central. The other dragon slayers were forced back, bloody, bruised and barely standing. Future Rogue cackled, voice dripped in madness, "Humans can't hope to stand up to my army and now I can defeat Acnologia! I will become the Dragon King!"

There was a giant explosion of light and a great boom echoed across the city. Natsu's eyes widened as Lucy, Yukino and the royal officials plummeted out of the sky. Kagura caught Yukino as Natsu dashed to Lucy; catching her in true Natsu fashion; the others being caught by the various guilds. "Lucy, what happened?"

She struggled to her feet, "We were trying to destroy the Gate with Celestial magic but-" She gazed upward, "Oh no… it's open again."

Rogue grinned, a sickening glee infecting his face, his goal about to be fully realized. Instead a cloaked figured shot through the air, ungracefully screaming and flailing as it plummeted towards the group. A person? It was a person?

"Ow, that hurt." It was a woman, she turned towards the group of guilds, practically ignoring the six towering dragons, "Atlas? Hey, how you doing?"

"Could be better, after all I've been transported to the future, it's rather odd."

"Yeah, was wondering what that weirdo portal was all about," she lifted herself off the floor, she had long black hair, pulled away from her face by braids, and slanting eyes with green-grey irises and perfect pale skin. Her smile was fanged and ironically goofy. She was beautiful. "So, what exactly is going on here?"

"That man is from further in the future and is trying to become the king of it by bringing dragons from the past to take power," Atlas explained.

"So, he's a douche bag with a major god-complex?"

"Always so straight-forward Alia Gnil."

"How long have we known each other? And you still insist on using my last name? Stop being so damn formal."

"Alia, can we please focus on defeating them?"

She rolled her eyes, "Don't they have dragon slayers in this time?"

Lucy looked at Natsu, "What's wrong?"

"She smells kind of familiar, and nice, I- I don't know why."

Atlas sighed, "Yes, but they aren't like you."

"But… I feel kinda' weird about doing this in the future."

Future Rogue growled, furious at having the spotlight taken off his glorious ascension, "Who the hell are you?"

She sighed, "I guess I'm the one who's going to kick all your asses."

He cackled, "You, all alone?!"

Gajeel frowned, "She can't be serious."

Atlas chuckled, his demeanor now completely relaxed, "You're out of luck. You're looking at the original slayer. The Fire Dragon King Igneel's first in command."

The dragons' grins vanished, "You don't mean…?"

"That's right." Alia threw off her black cloak to reveal blue clothes and a scaled white scarf wrapped around her neck. She raced forward to the stone dragon and landed a direct punch on its face. The air quivered and the dragon was blown back, stones blasting off its body as it landed, limp, raw and barely alive. "Acnologia."

She growled, whining, "Atlas! You know I hate that stupid nickname!"

Everyone from Fairy Tail paled. This… this is Acnologia?!

Natsu shook his head, "She doesn't smell evil. If she's really Acnologia, this is before…"

Atlas Flame looked down questionably. There was another yelp from afar as two more figures were blown into the sky, landing a little farther off than Alia.

"Mamma! Mamma!" a little voice started calling, a child had come through the portal.

"Natsu! Stop! Come back!" called a deeper voice.

The little pink haired child ran through the dragons like it was nothing, running into Alia's arms. Another man with pink hair ran in after, eyes black as onyx. He had a few red scales spotted here and there, like he wasn't really human. He ran to the two. Every human was in shock, Natsu pale as a sheet and shaking. "Ig- Igneel…?"

Wendy shook her head, "That child smells like…"

Alia hugged the child and the man, "What are you doing here?!" she hissed.

The man shook his head, "He ran through."

She cuddled the boy, "And-?"

"Don't worry, his brother is safe with Grandeeny."

She sighed in relief.

"The rumors are true," Mother Glare's voice boomed, "You disgusting traitor!"

The little family froze.

"A dragon and a dragon slayer!" for the first time Alia and the man looked terrified, "I knew you loved humans Igneel! But to transform into one?! To mate with one?!"

That man is Igneel…?!

"That child, that thing, is an abomination! It has to be destroyed!" A vicious breath attack was fired by Mother Glare, aimed directly at the small child. Alia swung her arms in front, creating a great barrier, the guilds hadn't seen a magic circle that big. When the spells faded out they could all feel it. The bloodlust, so palpable it was like you could reach out and touch it. She was furious.

Alia handed the little boy to Igneel, "Get back."

"Alia…"

"Igneel, they know. I can't let them hurt Natsu."

Igneel stepped back, holding his son's head against his chest, "Be careful."

She gazed up at future Rogue and the five dragons, the sixth stone dragon, struggling to his feet in the distance, "I don't like killing dragons, I believe in second chances and redemption. But you threatened my family. My family!"

She leapt up, face full of an absolute rage, as she released a wing attack. It was bright, white fire- the same technique Natsu could use. But the strength was completely out of Natsu's league, crushing two of the dragons. They let out a wailing cry as they died, covered in blood and smoking from the fire. Acnologia- or Alia- didn't waste any time. She withdrew the fires from her previous attack, focusing them into her palms until they were a mass of focused, dense energy, releasing them in opposite directions, completely obliterating the two dragons, as well as the stumbling dragon in the distance. In under a minute Alia had slain five dragons like it was nothing. She turned to future Rogue, "You have no idea. What it means to be a dragon slayer? You have no clue! About the pain, the suffering, the sacrifice! To be a dragon slayer in my time! To suffer the consequences of using magic the way I do! Don't you dare pretend to know what that means!" she lunged. No one had any idea exactly how it happened but there was Mother Glare and the future Rogue, defeated and dead in a moment.

Igneel rushed forward with little Natsu and Alia buried herself in their arms. Igneel kissed her deeply as she clung to his form, "You okay?"

"Mamma, did you beat all the monsters?"

She took little Natsu into her arms, "Of course I did. No one threatens my little dragon. I'll protect you no matter what."

"I can fight too!"

"Oh, I know you can! But why are you fighting?"

"Fighting's fun."

"Just like your Dad," Igneel smirked as Alia nuzzled Natsu, "You fight for something precious. For your friends and family."

Little Natsu giggled in the same goofy way, "Yup!"

Igneel rolled his eyes, "You're too serious sometimes."

"Coming from you that's funny, you should lighten up a bit, do something embarrassing and stupid every now and then."

Natsu nodded enthusiastically, "Like the shimmy dance!" he started to make dorky and (to Fairy Tail) familiar motions with his little hips.

"Please! Anything but that!" Igneel begged.

"Come on Natsu, you shouldn't scare your dad like that," she joked. Natsu snuggled in. Alia's face changed, suddenly pained and worried. "Igneel." He rushed over and took Natsu, running him to Atlas, "Atlas, please."

"You can trust me, old friend."

Present Natsu was shaking, he was quietly cautioned by Atlas to keep away and he held his tongue. Lucy grabbed his hand and he tightened his grip on her, watching as his parents were waved in front of his face yet just out of his reach.

Igneel went back to Alia who was now coughing black blood. She collapsed into his arms, noises pained and held back. "S- s- side-effects." Snapping noises resounded out of the empty space as her bones began to break.

He gripped her face, holding her to him, "Hey, stay with me. Alia, remember who you are."

"I-Igneel… sorry…" she screamed into his chest as her spine did its best to rip up and out of her skin. It temporary gave up, snapping back with so much force her body was slammed into the stone floor. She gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut as she was flipped onto her back as her arm began to bend itself back, so much so that her back arched, revealing her ribcage pushing out and widening against the skin of her torso. Her leg started to bend itself backward, a force pulling her back up to sitting, "I- Igneel, it's n- not working. You have to-"

"I'll seal it again."

"Don't, it hurts you-" she choked up more black blood. He nodded, laying Alia's broken body on the ground as she attempted to muffle her own screams. A huge bright blue magic circle appeared over the couple. Across Alia's skin blue markings, like flames, appeared, glowing as if they were searing into her skin. Magic and energy seemed to seep into the markings, coming directly from Igneel's body. She let out a scream that sounded like the horrific roar of Acnologia and then collapsed, exhausted, the marks fading.

Igneel sagged, his breathing heavy. His form began to shake and change, just like Mira's transformation magic. He took a few moments to focus so he could retain his human visage before shuffling closer to her, "You okay?" she asked.

He chuckled, "I should be asking you that question dummy."

She grinned weakly, "Fired up… and all that." He kissed her once again and then began to help her onto her feet. She stumbled a few times until she found her footing, "Take Natsu back through the portal with Atlas, I'll close the gate on this end, I can do it safely."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, and Igneel? Make a recording of the magic. It must be made a little bit in the future- our future. If we stop it then, we can stop this happening and that way-"

"They won't find out about us and they won't have to die so you won't endanger the seal again. You're not the only smart person here, you know."

"You're not a person, you're my dragon. And if we fail, you know you're going to have to-"

"No- not doing it."

"Igneel-"

"Don't even try. I won't do it and I won't need to. See you on the other side," he pecked on the cheek, transforming into his dragon self he took little Natsu into his claw and he, followed by Atlas, flew up and back through the Eclipse Gate.

Alia- Acnologia- turned to the group of guilds. "I need all of you to keep the whole future thing quiet and tell me whatever you know about that-" She stopped short, breath caught in her throat. "It can't be. That's not possible… Natsu? Is that you?" Natsu took a few hesitant steps forward. "Natsu Dragneel?"

"Are you…? Are you my mum?"

She broke into a beautiful smile, "Oh my god," she rushed to Natsu and wrapped her arms around him. He paused, stiff and shaking, before he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. "You're so beautiful. You look so much like your Dad, you have my eyes though," she pulled back, holding his face in her hands, she softly fingered the scarf, "This is mine, I guess I give to you?" Her face fell when she saw his expression, "I didn't? I didn't… Igneel?"

Natsu nodded, swallowing thickly, "Yeah."

"Oh… oh. You're in the future, way further than you should be so what…?" she paused, looking up at the Gate, "The time portal. If I- if Igneel used the spell it would be a good escape hatch for you and your brother… Wait- is he-?"

"I didn't know I had a brother."

She covered her mouth, tears tumbling out of her eyes, "Do you- did you not know me?"

Natsu was crying now, "No."

"Is Igneel here?"

"He disappeared years ago, all the dragons did."

Her whole body was shaking, "You're a dragon slayer?"

"Yeah, a fire Dragon Slayer."

She shook her head, "You're more than that. Your father, Igneel, was the Fire Dragon King. He's the King of all Dragons. You're dragon royalty."

"S- so Igneel was my real Dad?"

She nodded, "Yes. We had to keep you hidden. You were a miracle. But humans and dragons agreed on one thing back then: we should never mix. Only a few know about Igneel and I. Grandeeny, Metalicana, Skiadrum and Weisslogia. And Atlas, now anyway. What about the side-effects of slayer magic, are you okay?"

"I don't have any, none of us do."

"I guess we figured out how to fix it, wish I knew."

"What was that before?"

"The more I fight, the more I slay the more I lose myself. I've slain dragons, and gods, and demons, and the more I do, the more I lose control. The magic eats at me, messes with my mind, starts to change my body… I developed Slayer Magic, and I knew when I did it I was breaking laws of magic that no creature was ever meant to mess with. But we were dying, all of us. I never meant to start anything. I defended towns and slayed dragons that hurt people, I didn't like it, even then. I came across Igneel and we started fighting, we fought for days, weeks… but by the end of it, I couldn't kill him," she smiled, the same goofy smile Natsu had, "He was a giant reptile and I couldn't do it. I liked him, he made me love dragons and I made him love humans. So we proposed living equally, and because of that I started a war between dragons." The smile vanished, quick as it came, "If they're gone, it's all because of me. And so many of them, I consider family."

"Look, in the future you-"

"No! You can't tell me. If I know I'm going to change it. I'm a Mum, if I could change it I know I'll try. And if I do, you won't be here. In this time. You're meant to be here, I can feel it." He sobbed, forehead against hers', "Did you grow up happy?"

He nodded, "I joined a wizard guild, called Fairy Tail."

"Can I meet them?"

He nodded and guided her towards the guild, "This is Gray and Erza, and Wendy, she's a sky dragon slayer." Natsu introduced the guild, everyone wary, debating what action to take. "And this is Gramps. He's Fairy Tail's master."

"Gramps?" Alia stepped towards the guild, "Thank you. I know it doesn't mean anything for what I owe you all. But thank you for looking after Natsu. He's my life and I know I don't get to see him grow up. But I can already tell he's amazing, and that's because of all of you," she bowed to them, "Thank you so much!"

Makarov smiled, tears speckling his eyes, "It was our pleasure."

She raised her head, wiping her eyes, "Fairy Tail? Do you know fairies?"

The small wizard shook his head, "No one knows if fairies have tails so it's the ultimate mystery."

"Do you want to know?"

"What?"

"If fairies have tails, do you want me to tell you?"

"You know fairies?"

"You could definitely say that."

Natsu shook his head, "Don't tell us, that removes the whole idea."

She nodded, "I thought you might say that." Alia made her way over to Lucy, wrapping her arms around the blonde, "Thank you for looking after my son. I'm leaving him your hands."

"My hands?!"

Alia smiled softly, "You really are something else. I think I can trust you," she leant into Lucy's ear, "My family has been cursed to darkness. Igneel saved me from it. I believe you can save Natsu. Keep him safe."

Lucy stuttered, blushing, "Uhhhhh…"

Alia moved back over to Natsu, "You have more potential than you know. I don't know what's going to happen, but whatever does I hope you're not ashamed of us when you figure out the whole story. I know Igneel better than anyone, he'll come and find you when the time is right," she hugged him, "I know you don't know me. But I was someone who had no family, and I was stuck in this horrible war, I'm always fighting for my life. But then I had you and Z-" she halted herself, "Probably a reason you don't know, so I'll trust Igneel on that- but you made us a family. You're such a trouble- maker. You made you're first fire when you were only a couple weeks old and set the whole place alight… You have no idea how loved you are," she kissed his forehead, "Goodbye Natsu, I am so proud of you." She leapt away. There was a huge explosion and the gate broke into pieces. The bodies of the dragons, future Rogue and Lucy disappeared, glowing gold as they were returned to their time.

Natsu fell to his knees, silently staring at the place his mother used to be. Where the Dragon of the Apocalypse had just been standing- the evil creature that stole seven years of their lives. No one moved. No one could move. Lucy forced herself to step forward, she knelt in front of Natsu, lip shaking, unsure of what to say. Instead she put a hand on the back of his neck, in his hair, and tugged him to rest his head on her chest. He paused a moment, still limp, before wrapping his arms around her. "Thank you, Lucy."

"I think I should be thanking you, little you anyway. I guess all you Dragneels are reckless."

His grip tightened, "You're welcome."