Hey guys! I know its been a while, but no matter how long I go between updates this story is never very far from my mind. Enjoy the latest chapter!

Half a day later found Natsu, Lucy, and Cobra silently trailing the large amphithere up the mountain once it had woken up. It had slept for several more hours - which was a ridiculous amount of time, according to Natsu's constant complaining - but once it had woken up, it led them to the entrance of a hidden cave where they were now waiting to see if anyone was home.

Their cover had nearly been blown several times throughout the day due to Natsu and Cobra's bickering and ridiculous need to one-up each other. If Cobra quickly scaled a cliff side then Natsu had to do it faster. If Natsu wandered too far ahead then Cobra needed to go further. There were other instances that were ridiculous to her and her patience was nearing its end rapidly. She even had to specifically order Loke not to come out of his gate because she knew, she just knew that he would end up egging the two slayers on and the last of her patience would snap and she'd probably kill them all.

Well not really, but if they just so happened to fall off the side of the mountain...who could blame her. Besides at least then she wouldn't have to deal with what she was right now.

Natsu was humming a highly annoying song that he knew she hated, but he wasn't doing it to annoy her. No, he was doing it because as the minutes ticked by, Cobra was becoming more and more agitated by it. So before she could find herself in the middle of an explosion of poisons and fire, she interrupted Natsu.

"Natsu Dragneel, if you do not stop that incessant humming, I swear on Mavis' very gravestone that I will tie you to this boulder and gag you for the rest of this mission and then I'll leave you here for the bugs to eat without thinking twice about it."

Natsu stopped instantly and Erik snickered, "I might just like you after all, Little Fairy. With threats like that you would have made a decent criminal."

"You shut up, too."

He chuckled silently, but said nothing else.

They all spent several minutes in thick silence, both Dragon Slayers listening intently as they tried to distinguish how many creatures were in the cave.

"With all the heartbeats and breathing I can hear I would say that there's at least a few dozen of them in there."

"No way!" Natsu objected, "Are your ears broken or something? It's gotta be closer to a hundred!"

"You're brain is fucking rotten mush if you think there's any more than fifty in there!"

"Some Dragon Slayer you are if-"

"Shhhh," Lucy harshly interrupted the immature squabble, "Don't you guys hear that?"

Natsu and Erik listened closer, wondering what they could have missed that someone with normal hearing could have picked up.

"I don't hear anything, Luce. Nothing but heartbeats and breathing…"

"How could you not...it's getting louder…just listen."

"What is?" Natsu asked after a moment of trying and failing to hear what she was.

"...that voice." she whispered quietly as she started to move towards the cave entrance. Her eyes glazed over and her features flooded with curiosity.

"Luce, stop! We can't go in yet!" Natsu tried to grab a hold of her arm to pull her back, but as soon as he touched her, her magic surged outside of her body and sent both of the Dragon Slayers flying through the mountain landscape, breaking several trees and colliding with many rocks.

"...Fuck." Erik hissed as he pulled himself back up to his feet and used a tree to painfully pop his dislocated shoulder back into place. "Let's not do that shit again."

Natsu landed nearby and was seemingly fine aside from his now-ripped vest.

"What happened?! Where is she?!" Natsu shouted.

"Well, judging by how far away she sounds...she threw us about half a mile south of the cave. ...Fucking bitch packs a nasty punch, too."

"Watch your fucking mouth!" Natsu snapped brashly at him.

"Not that its really her fault, she was obviously in some kind of trance."

"Huh..what are you talking about? I didn't see anything."

"I honestly want to know. How is it you're so dumb, yet still so alive? Her eyes were glazed, she was out of it, moving without thinking, hearing voices. She was under some kind of spell."

"How do you know all that?"

Erik shrugged, "I've been around once or twice, you learn to pick up on things. We better get back if you don't want her to become snake food."

The cave was as dark as it was big, shadows hung on every ridge and surface, she could hear the amphithere starting to shuffle awake, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She knew there was danger here, but the possessive need to reach the center of the cave was much too dense to focus on anything else.

She stepped deeper and deeper into the cave, able to hear but not see the large reptiles in the open space moving away from her.

Suddenly, a light began to gently glow a few feet away and the closer she got to it the more radiant it became. Somewhere in her muddled brain she recognized it as a Celestial Key, but she couldn't pinpoint who it belonged to.

Her arm outstretched slowly and as soon as her fingertips grazed the cold metal, the key exploded in cosmic light.

Her movements becoming her own again, she rubbed the light out of her eyes and looks around the, now, enlightened cavern. It was deep and it was filled with at least a couple hundred giant amphithere; it took a few more moments to process why, but they were running away...fast.

She didn't know from what until she heard Natsu scream her name in terror. She whipped her head around to find him and saw he and Erik trying their best to push their way through an army of eight foot tall reptiles.

"Dammit, Lucy! MOVE!" he screamed again, louder this time, more manic.

It was only then that she became fully aware of what was happening. The amphithere were running from something extraordinarily massive.

She'd been drawn to a key, had barely touched it and summoned a huge spirit.

If she could just get to the key again, then she could close the gate or maybe at least figure out who it was, but the snakes were like a title wave as they pushed her farther and farther away.

But then, she heard it. The indistinguishable roar of power, full of rage and confusion.

She'd summoned Draco, The Dragon Constellation.

She couldn't even begin to believe it. His key was a myth, a scary campfire story told amongst Celestial Wizards. It wasn't supposed to be real.

Pain ripped through her arm as it was hit by the dragon's horned tail and she went flying to the ground. It certainly didn't feel like just a story anymore. Draco was real and he was going to crush her if she couldn't find a way to get out from under his feet.

She slowly pushed herself to stand again, clutching her arm in pain. She was so preoccupied trying to find a way out from under the dragon's feet that when she did, she didn't notice that half the ceiling was about to fall down on her.

"Luce!" Natsu screamed, running to her aid as was natural for him, "Move!"

He tackled her to the ground, away from the hazardous boulder and the jostling and the once again sharp pain in her arm fully awakened her.

All sluggishness was removed from the last of whatever haze she'd been in and now only panic remained.

"What the hell is happening?!" she shouted, not believing the scene before her.

"You summoned a fucking dragon!" Cobra shouted while nearly all of his attention was being focused on not being trampled by the humongous magical beast as it thrashed around it its confusion, "Fucking Dumbass! What were you thinking!?"

Lucy pushed Natsu off of her and got up from the ground, pulling him with her as she went, "Shut up! I didn't do anything! I barely even remember walking in here!" She yelled back at Cobra.

"Well it looks like a dragon, but smells like a spirit, so you'd better do something 'Celestial Summoner' or we're all going to die by being fucking stepped on! And I refuse to die from something so gods damned fucking stupid!" He growled, more frustrated than he was afraid.

"Come on!" Natsu yelled as he avoided yet another falling chunk of boulder, "We need to get out of here, let's go!"

"The fucking beasts are blocking the only exit," Cobra shouted, "What do you expect us to do?!"

Natsu's fists lit aflame as he began running towards a wall, "Make a new one!" he unleashed a dragon's cry that made the creature above them momentarily still in confusion and punched a hole straight through the side of the cavern to the outside of the mountain.

"Hurry up!" he shouted, running through his personally crafted exit and the other two mages quickly followed, eager to be away from the feet of a massive stomping dragon.

Once outside, they found themselves on an extended ledge, but still essentially trapped. They backed away as far as they could from the creature that had materialized out of seemingly nowhere. When they reached the edge, a decently safe distance away, they allowed a moment to take in the scene before them.

A massive black dragon, bigger than any of them had ever seen, was thrashing its body around in a frantic manner - trying in vain to free itself from the rock. It's long slender neck trapped within a hole it's head had made upon summoning itself in the much too small cavern. It had a mane made of hundreds of spikes of different lengths. It's elongated sharp teeth and strong jaw were trying to find somewhere on the mountain to latch onto to pull itself free.

Lucy felt immense unease and quietly summoned a confused Loke to her side, to aide her in a fight she was sure they were about to find themselves in.

"Princess!" Loke cried loudly, his voice just barely registering above the loud - nearly constant - quaking of the mountain, "...How did you...Where are we?" he took one glance at the large beastly creature before them and placed himself protectively between his summoner and the dragon, "How did you manage to find Draco's Key? He's not allowed any human to come near him in nearly half a millennium! …I can't believe he answered your summons…"

"I didn't summon him! He summoned himself, in that tiny ass cavern and now he's stuck and he's nearly killed us a dozen times."

Cobra watched them all, calculating, trying to anticipate everyone's next move. He was trying to get a read on the dragon's soul, but was finding it difficult to get a lock on it or to interpret it. It was beyond frustrating.

Natsu, for his part, was pretty much just stunned where he stood. After Igneel had battled with Acnologia, he'd never imagined he'd see another dragon. He didn't know what to do; fight, run, make friends...he just felt overwhelmed.

"Draco!" Loke shouted out to the thrashing spirit.

Lucy quickly grabbed his wrist as he began walking towards the dragon cautiously, "What are you doing?!" she yelled harshly over the chaos, "He could hurt you!"

"We need him to calm down or he'll collapse the entire mountain trying to get free." He looked back at her with confidence, "He summoned himself, so he must want to speak with you, but right now he needs our help, Princess."

Lucy took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, it didn't really help, but this dragon was a Celestial Spirit and she wouldn't allow him to struggle any longer. She nodded to The Lion Spirit and he continued trying to gain the dragon's attention.

After several failed attempts at trying to be diplomatic and get the dragon's attention with his words, he gave up. He fired a Regulus Blast that hit a rock near where Draco's head was. The large reptile stilled completely to turn his head and see where the attack had come from.

"Leo…" the great dragon growled, recognizing the Zodiac Leader standing not far away. He snapped his large jaws in the lion's direction, "If you aim even one more shot at me, I will eat you; one scrawny limb at a time."

Loke crossed his arms in confidence, and tauntingly quipped, "How will you do that when your huge head is stuck inside of a mountain?"

When all he got in response was a threatening growl that promised extreme pain, he chuckled.

"No need to worry, Draco, we'll get you out." Loke offered, "Before that, though, I need to know why you've summoned yourself here. You have broken several Celestial Laws by coming to this world of your own volition as an uncontracted spirit and hiding your own key without explanation for a long as you have."

Draco observed all who were present and then spoke backhandedly, "I do not need to explain my actions to the overly glorified rodent that you are. I came, solely, with the intent of speaking to the Heartfilia Heir when I felt their presence near my key. I do not require that you be here, nor do I wish for these two Dragon Slayers to be present. Take them with you when you go. I will not tolerate them."

Natsu and Cobra produced objections of the dragon's easy dismissal with shouts of, "No way I'm leaving!" and "Fat fucking chance, Scaly Bastard!"

Lucy watched on in silent contemplation. She was wary of the large spirit, but also wanted to understand his quick distrust of her friends and she was curious to know what matter was so pressing that he was risking invoking the wrath of The King to speak with her.

"I am not leaving, Draco." Loke stated assertively, "Lucy Heartfilia's business is my own as she is my contracted mage. I am bound to serve her for the entirety of her life, I do not take that lightly."

"That...is highly unfortunate for you, girl. What might you have done to deserve a life long attachment to this whining kitten?" Draco addressed Lucy directly now, feeling satisfied when Loke face grew sour at the insult. It would seem, even though centuries had passed between their last encounter, it was still just as easy and amusing to get a rise out of The Lion Spirit.

Loke was about to protest to the insult placed on him, but Lucy stepped in front of him to speak to the dragon, "I may have righted an injustice that saved his life, but that is not pressing news. Would you please tell me how I can be of help to you? You sought me out, I would like to know why."

He took stock of her demeanor, of how she held herself while addressing him even though she was obviously afraid. She stood tall and proud, confident in her sincere words and actions. She was everything he'd ever known a Heartfilia to be.

He inclined his large horned head towards her, "Very well, Heartfilia, but first, I wish to be free of this confinement."

"You can just call me Lucy," she smiled up at him, "but help with your predicament...well, I'm sure Natsu can help get you out."

The Ancient Dragon quickly turned his piercing gaze over to the pink haired human standing not an arms length away from the Celestial Wizard. Taking a longer observation of him he recognized his features and his scent from many, many years ago.

"That is Igneel's Dragon Slayer." Draco observed aloud, "Why is he here?"

"You knew my dad!?" Natsu shouted excitedly, "That is so cool! You have to fight me!"

Draco did not move as Natsu began to charge towards him because he was only in motion for a moment. Lucy quickly grabbed Natsu by his ear and he yelped in pain. She whispered something to him that even the ancient dragon could not hear, but all the same, Natsu sat down on the rubble scattered ground and pouted like a hatchling.

"...Fucking dumbass." Draco heard the other dragon slayer scoff under his breath. He did not recognize this one and wanted to know from which dragon the man hailed.

"Who are you?" Draco questioned Cobra.

"None of your fucking business." Cobra snapped

"I do not trust Dragon Slayers, insolent human, so you will tell me who you are and what Draconic Magic you possess or the first thing I do when I am freed will be to remove you from this mountain."

"Are you seriously threatening me?" Cobra bared his teeth in response, "I will end your life so gruesomely that all you'll know is pain!"

A star filled whip snapped through the tense air and attention from all parties was brought back to Lucy. She didn't have control over Erik like she did over Natsu, so if she had to stop a fight between him and Draco, she would have to use force. She didn't want to do that, though, so she answered for Erik and hoped for the best.

"His name is Cobra. He is Earthland's Poison Dragon Slayer. He's what we've come to call a Second Generation; not trained by a dragon, but has the ability to use the magic all the same. He channels his magic from a dragon lacrima implanted in him. He is a bit hostile, but he is somewhat a friend."

"You dumb bitch, mind your own fucking business!"

"You need to hold your fucking tongue! You made it my business when you threatened harm upon a Celestial Spirit. I will not tolerate violence, from any of you." She glared at him with such an intense ferocity that he found himself slightly backing down - it shocked him, he'd never felt that way before. Then she took a quick glance at everyone and cemented her warning. Natsu didn't need it, though, he believed her just fine. He'd known her for far too long to think she wouldn't make good on a threat like that.

Draco said nothing in response to their bickering, only observing the way she handled herself and those around her.

"Natsu! Get Draco free. Erik take a fucking walk if you have to, or go the fuck back to your guild."

Natsu quickly got up from his seated position and got to work busting away the rock around the dragon.

"I'm not going fucking anywhere, so deal with it." Cobra grumbled. Yeah he could go back to Crime Sorciere, but there was a living dragon right in front of him that wasn't trying to kill them at the moment and he'd be damned if he was going to miss out on the potential for some answers to his magic.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but said nothing back. She simply waited for Draco to be free of the cave, all the while desperately trying to avoid the nonstop vibrations in her pocket from her Communications Lacrima that was more than likely Laxus trying to talk to her. She didn't want to face him yet, not after the brief time they shared together that he probably didn't even remember. Not after she covered up all the evidence...not after she ran.

About twenty minutes minutes later found Natsu and a huffy Loke removing the last of the mountain side causing their problems.

Erik, even though he refused to help, also refused to leave. So he was just sitting in a small amount of shade he managed to find, watching everyone else's work.

Draco stretched his long horned neck after being completely freed and noticing that the space on the ledge was still limited he decided to lay down to try to occupy less of it.

"Thank you for help," Draco spoke as he got settled, "Now, we shouldn't waste anymore time. Tell me what you know of your family's past so that I may fill what holes there may be after so many centuries, thus fulfilling my obligation to your ancestors."

"That's...that's all you want to talk about? My family?" Lucy questioned incredulously.

"It is hardly a minute topic, but yes, that is essentially all."

"Uh..okay," She started roughly, "Well, there's uh..its just me. My mom got sick when I was little and after a few years she died. Um, I ran away from my father's estate when I was seventeen, disappeared for seven years, and when I came back, he was dead too."

She thought about it for a while longer, "There's really not much more to tell. Mama never got to tell me stories about her parents and my dad never knew his. I had to learn how to use my magic as I went along. Capricorn and Aquarius helped a lot, but I'm sure I'd be much better at it if Mama would have had time to teach me how to do more than just summon and form contracts.

Draco's large slit eyes widened in surprise, an interesting expression on a dragon, "That is all you know? That is nothing, girl! This is unacceptable! You are the sole Heartfilia Heir, you should know your own history!"

"Then tell me what you know." She said flooded with inquisition.

Draco sighed a big breath, jostling her hair, "I will, but not here. There is a lot to know and this place is not safe. There are too many possible ears listening that cannot know these secrets."

"So you did all this, almost killed us a dozen fucking times and now you're not gonna say anything?!" Cobra barked up at the dragon, "Well fuck you!"

Draco ignored him completely.

"Lucy Heartfilia, you will summon me when you find a more secluded place to discuss the past. Only you and Capricorn - The Sea Goat - may be present, your Dragon Slayers may not attend. I shall see to it that there will be consequences if you do not obey my terms. See to it that its soon, you've been kept in the dark far too long."

With his command released, Draco faded away in a shimmering light.

"Get back here!" Natsu yelled at the sky, shaking a flaming fist, "Tell me what you know about my dad!"

Confusion creased deep in her brows, Lucy turned to Loke, "What did he mean?"

Loke ran his hands nervously through his wild hair, "I think it would be best to listen to him, Princess. I will help you and the others finish this job, but then you need to go back home and summon Draco again."

She opened her mouth to object when she realized something that near broke her heart, "You know what this is all about, don't you?"

Her lion averted his eyes, avoiding her pained gaze.

"If a spirit that's been missing for centuries knows something about my family, then you definitely did...and you kept it from me…"

"Lucy, please, don't be hurt. I've wanted to tell you, but it's not my place. You'll understand soon. Let's just finish this job, go home, and it will all be cleared up. I promise."

Lucy was silent for some time as she thought, "No. I think...I think you should go."

"...What? No, I want to help you finish thi-"

"No, Leo. I think its best if you go home. I'll call you after I know everything. We'll talk then."

"Lucy, Wait!"

"Forced Gate Closure." She spoke numbly.

Loke disappeared with shock etched on his features.

She called him Leo…