Disclaimers: I do not own Fairy Tail.

A/N: Chapter 5 in complete status. Sorry for the long wait.

Please Review, Fav, or Follow if you want.

This chapter was Beta by Iket45, author of such stories as Losing One of the Greats (My Hero Academia) and Secrets to Tell (Fairy Tail)

Also check out "Master of the Wild", "Fiery Hurricane of Love", and "Right Claw of the Dragon King"

Chapter 5

Remembering the Past (Complete)

"Let me see if I got this straight", Gajeel started to say as he, Pantherlily, Laki, Levy, and Max sat inside the partially destroyed guild hall, "Gildarts shows up late at night to see how everyone's doing, forgetting the fact that the average person isn't at the guild hall or even up at one in the morning. He destroys the front door, thus waking up the squirt who then proceed to go down the stairs to investigate. Upon seeing that Gildarts wasn't technically a threat he lowers his guard and accidentally creak on one of the stairs causing Gildarts, in a drunken haze, to attack him. The squirt retaliates for all the good it does him, and ends up getting his ass handed to him in a way that could only be described as comical. Then barkeeper girl arrives and throws a panic over the squirt's wounds and then Quickie here, who just so happen to be out on a late night run, see the fight happen and shows up and upon seeing the squirt's injuries goes off to get the crazy old lady with the broom, who I should point out still looks the same even after seven years…"

Gajeel takes a deep breath before continuing, ignoring the glares that were getting thrown his way.

"The old man, who up until this time had been sleeping, then decides to wake his ass up and see what's making all the noise. He then break up a potential fight between barkeeper and Gildarts and sometime after that me, Pantherlily, shrimp, Sandy, and Woody arrive. A little while after that Quickie shows back up with the crazy old lady who then proceed to take a look at the squirt and it turns out he'll be okay after resting for a few hours, and that barkeeper merely overreacted."

The Iron Dragon-Slayer looks over to his right where Mira, Master Makarov, Gildarts, Jet, and Porlyusica all stood around the bed where Romeo laid resting, "So basically I have to buy a new door to my house for no reason whatsoever?"

Levy's face turns bright red despite the annoyed look on it, "I said I was sorry."

"Oh no, I'm not mad. If anything I'm impress. Didn't know you could be so asserted, shrimp, gihihihihi!"

While Levy does her best to hide her blush, Max, Jet, and Laki all throw glances at one another.

"Sandy?", Max mouths.

"Quickie?", Jet groans.

"Woody?", Laki wonders.

"Crazy old lady?", Porlyusica threatens as she began to emit a deadly aura that cause everyone who could to back away from her, "Maybe next time you're in need of medical attention, I'll leave you to rot."

"Now now Porlyusica, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, right?", Makarov says while glaring at him, "We're always happy to have you here."

"Hmph", was all Porlyusica said as she began to pack up, "Now normally I would say that the kid needs a few days rest, but seeing how he only received a flesh wound at best, he should be good to go in a few hours."

"You see that's the part I don't get", Gildarts spoke up, "How's the kid okay after taking a direct headshot from me?"

Porlyusica looks over at him for a second, "Do you want to hear my theory?"

"If you would be so kind", Gildarts answered.

"He was trained for seven years by the same monster that took your arm, leg, and a chunk out your side, right?", the Potion Mage said while pointing to all the metal parts on the Gildarts' body.

"He did."

"Then his body is more than likely used to taking hits like that. He may go down, but he probably won't stay down for long", Porlyusica explained.

The guild hall is silent as its occupants take in everything that was just said.

"Well, that kind of puts a downer on things", Max said as he looks at his watch, "No point in going home now, might as well sleep here the rest of the night."

"Good idea, as soon as the squirt wakes up, we'll head to the exceed's village", Gajeel announced causing Mira to suddenly appear behind him with a not so happy smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, say that again?"

It took everything Gajeel had to not shiver at the tone she used, but he prevail...barely.

"I-I believe that since the kid has been given a clean bill of health, we should proceed with our plans to go to the exceed's village", Gajeel stuttered out.

"Oh really?", Mira says in a voice that easily suggested that a truckload of pain was about to come Gajeel's way if he didn't shut his mouth.

"I too believe we should head to the village as soon as Romeo awaken", Pantherlily voiced, catching Mira's attention as well.

"You too?"

"You see after we left the guild earlier today, I place a lacrima call to Queen Shaggote, letting her know of our arrival tomorrow", Pantherlily explained while avoiding Mira's stare, "She is looking forward to hosting us. It would be extreme rude not to show."

"Also the fact that the Queen is extremely enthusiastic about seeing me again so soon", Pantherlily thinks but decides to keep to himself. Unlike the rest of the guild, he kept his relationships a closely-guarded secret

Mira takes a step toward Pantherlily who backs away in a panic, "I'm only saying this because Romeo has already been medically clear and should be fine in a short while! If his condition was more severe I would have never suggested him going to the village, I swear!"

Mira's stare doesn't waver and Pantherlily feels his lifespan getting ever shorter.

"I should be in a reasonable condition to walk by the time morning comes around", a voice rings out from behind everyone.

Everyone turns around to see Romeo sitting up in his bed staring at them.

"Romeo!", Mira says as she rushes to his side, "Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine, but first things first", Romeo says before pointing at Gildarts, "Who is he?"

"That's Gildarts, the ace of Fairy Tail", Max explained.

"Was he at Tenrou with the others?", Romeo asks.

"Yes, he was", Max answered.

"Then why didn't I see him the day the rest of them got back?"

Everyone looks at Gildarts who laughs nervously while scratching his head, "I had some things to do."

Then the light-bulb goes on in Gildarts' head and his eyes narrowed, "And some of those things may involve you."

"Now is not the time, Gildarts", Makarov unexpectedly commanded.

"What better time will there be then now?", Gildarts ask.

"You can ask him when they come back from the exceed village", Makarov all but order while throwing a look at Mira, "Normally I would be in full agreement with Mira, but since Queen Shaggotte is expecting you and Porlyusica says he is good to go, I see no problem here."

"But Master-", Mira begins to argue but is stop by Master Makarov holding up his hand.

"Romeo has yet to leave Magnolia since we got him back, it's time he went back into the world", Makarov explained, "Beside, the village is in a relatively safe area not far from a couple army garrisons so the area isn't even plague by bandits so I doubt anything bad will happen to you."

Mira wanted to argue against it but deep down she knew she wouldn't get anywhere, "Guess I'll start cleaning up the place."

"Excellent idea", Master Makarov says before eyeing everyone but Porlyusica, "Since you're all here, you can help."

"It's almost four in the morning", Levy pointed out.

"Your point being?"

"Well, you lot have fun. I'm heading for that tavern outside of town", Gildarts called out as he strolls away only to be encase in a giant hand.

"You're helping too, this is not up for debate", Makarov said.

"Dammit."

The Next Morning

Overall the group got maybe four to five hours of sleep before they set out on the four hour walk to the village around noon. While Mira and Pantherlily were able to hide the effects of fatigue, everyone else didn't fare so well as Gajeel had a irritated scowl on his face while Levy constantly yawn throughout the trip. Max grumbled something along the lines of, "Next time I just won't investigate strange lights coming from the guild hall", while Laki just nodded her head in agreement and Romeo wore on the same expression he always had.

"How much longer until we arrive at our destination?", the boy asks.

"It should be just over this hill that's coming up", Pantherlily answers back, "Do you have mind the type of exceed you're looking for as a companion?"

"Well naturally it would have to be one that willing to leave their home and join up with me along with the fact that it should be one that the Queen allows to leave", Romeo answered.

"You should have no problem in that regards. I relay to the queen the reason behind our visit and she said that she would have a list compile of exceeds who make reasonable selections", Pantherlily said.

"The queen seems to be pretty reasonable in regards to us taking away one of her subjects", Max commented, "The fact that she is also making us a list just screams strange."

"The Queen holds Fairy Tail in high regards due to what happen in Edolas and the fact that we have befriended her daughter. She believes that in by sending one of her subjects to Fairy Tail that she is repaying a debt to us", Pantherlily explained, "She also hopes that by one subject willing going out into the world, others will decide to go out and explore as well."

"Oh then I guess-", Max started to say before being cut off by Gajeel who held a hand up to silence him.

"What's going on?", Levy questioned, noticing that Gajeel had a serious look on his face, a rarity nowadays.

"Something nearby", Gajeel answered, "And it's coming our way."

"I also pick up the heavy scent of sweat and a frantic heartbeat", Romeo added as he moves next to Gajeel at the front of the group, "Whatever is coming our way might be doing so out of fear."

Everyone turns to look at Romeo.

"You can tell if someone is afraid of you?", Pantherlily asks.

"Acnologia taught me to pick up on people's emotions, especially fear. He said that by knowing how people were feeling at the moment gave you the advantage", Romeo replied as the shuffling of feet was heard by the treeline.

They ready themselves for whatever was about to come their way, but all were shock when a young red exceed with loose white pants along with a body-length red vest burst out of the forest, drench in sweat. His black fur paws and hands were covered in scratches as well as his black tip tail and his face clearly convey the message that he fear for his life.

He was so busy looking over his shoulder at the forest behind him that he ran headlong into the Romeo's legs and promptly fell back on his butt. As he follows the legs up into Romeo's emotionless eyes and notices the people gather around him, only one question comes to mind.

"A-Are you going to hurt me?", the exceed stutters.

"That all depends on the circumstances of why you're running", Romeo answers.

"Romeo", Pantherlily begins, "Let me talk to the boy", as he approaches from behind Gajeel and a look of recognition comes across his face.

"Karma? What's wrong? Why do you so frighten?", Pantherlily asks as the boy turns to him.

"Ser Pantherlily, oh thank goodness!", the boy screams as he gets up and wraps his arms around the exceed swordsman, "Please you have to come help us! The village is being attack!"

"What!?", is Pantherlily response as both Gajeel and Romeo both suddenly look back up toward the forest as five cloak figure emerge from it.

"Shit, travelers!", the figure to the far left curses.

"You know the rules of engagement", the center figure said, "No one can know we were here! Take them out and retrieve the asset! Remember, this one in particular is vital so make sure you capture it alive and intact!"

"Friends of yours, kid?", Gajeel asks as he flexes his fingers.

"They're part of the group attacking the village!", Karma screams as the five figures advance on the team, each one pulling out dual long slender swords out of their cloaks.

"Iron Dragon's Club!" Gajeel casts as his arms transform into metal clubs and extend at a rapid speed toward the group, each arm knocking one of the shadowy figures out cold while the other three contiune their advance with the middle one heading straight for Romeo, who was the closest to Karma.

It was in mid-stride toward the boy that this man briefly got a clear look at his face, "I know I seen this boy somewhere before, but wh-" before his thoughts were violently cut short by savage kick straight to the middle of his neck, crushing his esophagus and causing him to collapse on the ground, twitching out every few moments as his comrades watch in horror as he finally expire.

Both of the remaining figure turn their eyes toward the person to deliver the blow and are shock as Romeo was staring straight back at them with cold eyes and apparently they weren't the only ones shock as Max, Laki, and Levy instinctively step away from the boy while Mira, Gajeel, and Pantherlily could only gawk at the brutality that just witness.

But it was Karma's reaction that actually caught Romeo off-guard. As the boy look down. Expecting the exceed to be backing away from him when he look down, Romeo was subtly surprise when he saw Karma looking back up at him with stars in his eyes.

"That...was…amazing!", Karma suddenly screams while jumping up and down excitedly, "Do it again! Do it again! Do it again!"

Romeo only stares at the exceed for a second with a raise eyebrow before returning his attention to the remaining two attackers.

"Young male, lower than average height, purple hair, black eyes", one of them started rambling off, "Gives off a cold, emotionless nature. I believe this is the one who was responsible for the Gryaute Incident two years ago.

"And you would be almost correct in that assumption", Romeo tells him, "I was there that day in Gryaute, but it was Acnologia who was responsible for what happen."

Gryaute in the Pogurate Region of the Alvarez Empire in X789

Located on the eastern shoreline some 500 miles from the capital, Gryaute was once a glamorous city of around one hundred thousand whose port that has been gradually falling into despair over the years due to the trading sea-routes located close to it being deem too dangerous for travel as the rise in sea creature attacks made the Alvarez navy declare the area too risky for constant patrols and a waste of time and resources.

While the economy has decline due to this, the population has only dip a little due to the fact that Gryaute was the regional capital and the only major city for hundred of miles, so the job opportunities were greater there than the small hamlets that dotted the landscape.

Two figures made there way through the back-alleys through of the shadier part of town, one was a small pre-teen boy, the other a grown man with wild hair and body adore with blue tattoos. Both were wearing long cloaks, though the boy's had a hood attach to it.

"Look at it, Romeo", the taller figure said to smaller one, "Look at the pathetic existence these humans allow themselves to be engulf in. Their trade routes are in shambles, their city is dying but yet instead up packing up and leaving for more prosperous lands, they chose to stay here."

"Why is that, Master Acnologia?", a twelve year old Romeo asks, "Why do they do this?"

"Because they are weak; humans have and always will be weak creatures. They form governments in order to protect themselves, caring not that the same people they put in power are the same people that abuse them. It's the greatest of ironies that these weaklings happily worship one of the most dangerous mages to ever live", Acnologia explains as he glances over his shoulder and a sinister smiles graces his lips, "And they also happily and needlessly lay down their lives for him without a second thought."

Romeo cocks his head in the direction that Acnologia was looking and his enhance eye-sight picks up over a dozen cloak figures dashing across the roof tops toward them.

"What should we do about them, my master?", Romeo asks.

"I want you to handle these fools here", the Dragon King answers he looks ahead, "While I deal with the fools ahead of us."

Romeo's hearing picks up the sound of magic being cast in front of them, but continues to keep a eye of those behind him.

"Do not fail me or take too long", Acnologia warns, "Or they'll be consequences."

"Yes, my master", as Romeo stays where he was at as Acnologia moves forward.

"And remember, no survivors."

"Yes, my master."

As the walking apocalypse disappears from Romeo's sight, the boy starts to speak a chant and a black magic circle appears beneath him.

"Oh, ye spirit of the eternal wanderer, grant me your gifts so that I may send you tributes in return."

The cloak figures quicken their pace as they move to descend upon the boy and yellow magic circles start to appear around a four of them.

"Grant me your infamous tool along with your speed and agility. Grant the ability to become one with the shadows and allow me perform your sacred duties in your stead. For all that live know your name and all that oppose me shall know…."

The figures now pommel themselves off the roof and descend toward Romeo, with the four projecting magic circles each releasing a thunderbolt as they fell.

"Death!"

A upheaval of ghastly blackness erupts from the magic circle, completely covering Romeo and devouring the spells shot at him in the process. For a few seconds, a spiraling tower of black stretch up into the heavens before finally dispersing and leaving nothing behind but a small figure cover in a swirling black mass.

The cloak figures, who have since landed on the ground, shoot glances at one another in hopes that one of them knew what was going on.

"This is the boy that was said to be traveling with the Dragon King, yes?", one of them ask.

"He seems to match the description given by our spies", another one answers.

"Our orders are to capture him alive if possible."

"That is a secondary objective. Our primary mission it to kill the Dragon King. The Emperor demands his head and the 5th Elite Shadow unit does not fail."

A voice breaks through the flow of the conversation, "Unfortunately, your Emperor will be only receiving your heads in my master's stead", Romeo says as he takes a step forward, the spinning body of shadows conform to his body.

"If you leave now, then your lives could be spare for my master demands your heads."

Romeo receive no response as two of the elite shadows rush forward with fireballs in their hands at the ready.

"Feel the Emperor's flames: Imperial's Breath!", as both men bring their hands together simultaneously and a cone of a blazing inferno erupts from their hands and combine into one massive stream of red fire, burning all in its path and turning the ground into glass in the process.

When the flames die down, the only thing left was the hooded cloak Romeo was wearing, lying on the alley floor with a few small fires dancing across its fabric.

"Our orders were to bring him in alive."

"If possible, it matter not whether or not we could, now let's go catch up with the main group attacking Acnologia", one of the two men who attack Romeo said, "I don't want to miss out on the glory of bringing down the Dragon King."

"Then I apologize in advance for the disappointment you're about to feel as it will be the last thing you'll ever feel", as the man who was too interested in glory to be on the alert is impaled through the back with a sinister blade, its end coming out through the man's chest. Before his comrade standing next to him could react, the blade retract and slices open the man's guts and his intestines spill onto the ground, splattering blood along the wall while doing so.

The elite soldier barely had time to let out a cry before his head is remove from his shoulders, hitting the ground and rolling down the alley, stopping at the feet of one of the remaining elite shadows.

"So this is the power of the Dragon King's servant", the man says as he kicks the head away,

"Impressive to say the least."

Romeo merely stands there, his eyes darting all around, not keeping line of sight of a single elite shadow for more than a second before moving on to the next as the menacing scythe he was now wielding was hefted onto his shoulders.

"You know, it's a real shame, kid", the man says as he nods his head toward two of his men and they move to flank Romeo on both sides, "Because you went and kill those two, you're now deem too dangerous to be capture alive. Though you were already deem dangerous to begin with."

Blue lights shine from the hands of the two men on either side of Romeo, "Ice-Make Spike Barrage!", both men unleash a fury of of frozen stakes. Romeo moves with unnatural speed, leaving a shadowy afterimage in his wake as he vaults upward toward a nearby balcony, landing on the ledge with supernatural grace.

"Don't lose sight of him!"

The two men continue their barrage as they now focus their fire at the balcony where Romeo was currently at.

"What the hell is all that noise?", a plump woman says as she opens the door to the balcony and see Romeo, "What the hell are you doing, ki-Ahhh!", she says as Romeo jumps over her and pushes her from behind into the oncoming projectiles. The woman can't even let out a scream as a ice spike impales her through the mouth, as another goes through her chest, and the final one punctures her stomach and Romeo is off the balcony before the body even hits the floor, sprinting across the roof.

"You three, get up there! Close-quarters combat weapons!", the leader says as he points toward a trio of his remaining unit and they quickly leap into action. Within moments, they scaled the nearby buildings with ease and soon they were tailing behind Romeo across the rooftops of the city. As the trio moves to form a triangle formation with Romeo stuck in the middle, they each draw dual hilt-less katana and take different stances.

"That's most peculiar", Romeo tells himself as his eyes swiftly move between the trio of cloak figures, "They have each taken up a different sword styles". Romeo glances at the elite shadow behind him on his right side, "That one has taken up a offense sword stance, holding both of his swords in a standard grip." He then looked to the one behind him on his left side, "While that one has taken up a defensive sword stance with both his swords in the reverse grip style", and finally he lays his eyes on the one in front of him, "And this one seems to be a mixture of both with one sword in the standard grip while the other is in a reverse grip; I can't help but wonder-."

His attackers don't give him a chance to dwell too much on their styles as they begin their assault, with the elite shadow on his right suddenly charges, prepare to skewer him like a pig with both of his blades aimed at his heart in a precise thrust. Romeo uses the flat of his scythe's blade and bats away both sword and then moves to separate the man's right arm from the rest of his body, as the man was now off-balance and wide open after Romeo's parry.

CLANK!

If Romeo still had emotion at that time he would have been surprise at the fact that the elite shadow that was previously on his left was now standing in front of him currently blocking his strike while the elite shadow from behind him jumps over head and comes straight down on top of Romeo.

Present

Romeo is brought back to the present by the sound of swords being sheath and see that both of the remaining Elite Shadows getting ready to turn tail and run.

"We need to report this back to-",

"Loneliness Cages The Heart!", as wooden poles appear out of the ground around them and form into a birdcage, trapping them inside.

"Set us free or you shall face the wrath of the-", one of them began to yell before being knock out by Gajeel's Iron Club.

"That's one", he says to himself, before KOing the other one, "And that's two."

"What are we going to do with them?", Max asks.

"You could flay the skin off one of them and use it to strangle the other!", Karma spoke up with stars in his eyes, catching everyone's attention, for he look eerily similar to Happy whenever fish were involve, "Or you could tear out their entrails and shove it down the other one's throat! No, wait! You could choke them to death with the sheath of their own swords; it would be beautiful!"

...

...

...

"Ummm, Pantherlily?", Levy finally spoke up, looking down at the exceed.

"Karma is a ...special case", as the partner of the Iron Dragon Slayer rub the back of his head, "He has a complicated past and a even more complicated personality."

More silence fills the air.

"I find him amusing", Romeo finally spoke.

"NANI?!", everyone, including Laki, screams out, "You do?!"

"His creative mind may serve a purpose in the future", Romeo said.

"You think he's creative?", Mira wonder.

"For someone his age, yes", Romeo answer, "If possible, I would like to take him as my exceed partner, but that will have to wait until later. We have to deal with the rest of the force that these two came from."

A/N: I like to thank GoldenFairyKitten13 for submitting the exceed OC's, Karma (the personality is all me though). Also, there will be more memories of Romeo traveling with Acnologia. Also, I may have to move this story up to M, with what I got plan for Karma and others. More on why Romeo didn't use these abilities against Gildarts coming up later.

Also, If you recall, at this point Zeref is not technically running the empire. He wandering the land for whatever reason. Right now his orders are being carried out by his Spriggan, who, if God Serena's and Irene's attitudes mean anything, don't think Acnologia is as powerful as people think. None of the Spriggan have ever met Acnologia personally so they don't know his real power, so that why they're ordering people to attack Acnologia. They're trying to remove a threat while gauging his power.

Please Review, Fav, or Follow if you want.

Also check out "Master of the Wild", "Fiery Hurricane of Love", and "Right Claw of the Dragon King"