Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters; they belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima.

The names of Magnolia, Era, Desierto, Seven, Bosco, Pergrande Kingdom and Minj belong to Hiro Mashima too.

Search on the FT wikia and you'll find them on the Earthland map.

I do own the names of some cities, some countries and OCs that appear in this story and the general idea of it too.

Knowing it from the beginning.

(A I.-.-.I Kuroyagi I.-.-.I original fan-fiction story.)

Prologue

Chapter 0: The return of the Fire Dragon

(Magnolia; outskirts to the west.)

Walking through the hot deserts of Desierto he found nothing but sandstorms and mirages. Running through the leafy forests of Seven he found unbelievable landscapes and strange people. Dragging his feet through the powerful snow storms of the Pergrande Kingdom he only found nature in its wildest state.

It was after 5 long years that he decided to return to Fiore, to Magnolia, to his home, to his family, with clothes that had seen better times, with a backpack that had patches all over it, with a face that even after all the hardships that he had to endure, was still able to smile to its fullest. His pink hair was longer, if not spikier, his teeth were sharper and a little longer, his height now matching that of an adult and his mind more mature after seen the world to its fullest.

He experienced every aspect that life had to offer, he saw every kind of thing that a man could do to get what he wanted, be it good or bad. He experienced war in large scale, as he had to help a friend in need at one time, revolutions and coup d'etats that never ended well for anyone.

He saw buildings even larger than the magic council of his country or the tower of heaven that Jellal force to build; he saw magic that he never knew that existed, even saw those that he was taught and thought that were no more on this world.

Meet people that he would always remember and people he wished he had never met in his life. Knew of magicians like him, with the power taught by the dragons themselves and met them himself to ask for his long lost foster father or theirs. All giving him the same answer, they knew nothing of their foster fathers or mothers and haven't known of them since they leave them unannounced the 7-7-X777.

He also went in search of a man, in an iron-fist ruled nation called Minj, close to the hot deserts of the east, that was praised for having an answer to every question and when he found him he only came out with a weird riddle, an ancient law that he had never heard about in his entire life and troubles with the royal family of said nation.

It was a funny business the one that issued during that time, that included drama, humor, fighting, romance, nudity, more fighting, terror, supernatural stuff, some suspense, even more fighting and destruction of innocent buildings in the process… and a dead baby sheep… but that would be sidetracking from the main story, so going back with our guy, who was feeling down but not defeated, he was looking back at the past 5 years, and believing that he was out in that quest for long enough he started the long journey home.

Yes.

Natsu Dragneel saw the world.

Every piece of it that was available for his feet to go to, since getting on a ship and cross the vast sea of the east, south or west to the other continents was not an option. So he only check his own continent, which was enough for him and leaved him with the only option to go back home settle things in there, look for a friend or two that might want to join him and sail around the world to continue his search… along someone watching that he didn't get robbed or anything during his times of motion sickness.

That if Master Makarov allow him to do so; the old man was kind enough to allowed him to go out for that long of a time on his own, so he knew he shouldn't get his hopes high.

He walked for 3 long months to Fiore, reaching the town of Magnolia at the night, during what he remembered was the Fantasia parade. From the border of a cliff close to the city, he watched the big and spectacular show that his guild was giving and he decided to participate as well, doing something that would certainly call everyone's attention, if not scare them a little and set them on guard.

He chuckled quietly while he took some steps back, he needed precision and punctuality; he wanted to surprise all of his friends when their eyes where in the sky… and that was now that the fireworks were starting!

He started throwing quick and powerful blast of fire above the town, overwhelming those thrown by his comrades and quickly calling the attention of everyone in Magnolia. He was pleased with the cheers that erupted from the public, noticing how the members of the guild stopped throwing their own fireworks to locate the direction from which his blasts where coming from. That was when he knew that the grand finale needed to be done.

"And here goes nothing!" He screamed as he started to run to the end of the cliff, flames already engulfing his extremities. This was going to be one hell of an entrance if he pulled it right as he wanted. "I'm baaaaaaack!"

He used his flames to propelled himself and shot through the night sky above everyone in the town, earning another round of cheers, some groans of frustration and some realizations from his friends: First, the childish shout and entrance made evident who was the one making those mysterious fireworks and second, the crashing in the middle of the guild's lunch hall through the roof gave proof that he didn't changed one bit in the past years… or so they thought. But questions and answers would have to wait since our dear hero was knocked unconscious by his "little" stunt that almost set the guild on fire.

8 hours later…

'You have answers to my questions?' Natsu said to a man smoking near a window from which the light from the sun shined bright. The man only turned his eyes in the boy's direction and shrugged before speaking with a low raspy voice.

'Only if you can answer my questions, Natsu Dragneel,' The boy was taken aback; he didn't expect the man to know his name but the guy only diverted his eyes back to the other side of the window and continue. 'Please don't be surprised, I'm supposed to know everything, remember? Now, about that dragon you're seeking…'

'Igneel.' Said Natsu emphasizing his reason for being there and interrupting the man who was now wondering if he should be more objective with the boy as he originally planned or just keep getting interrupted like that.

'Yes, Igneel; I do not know of his whereabouts but…'

'Then this was a waste of time…' Said Natsu while heading out the room and the house, leaving the man frozen with his mouth hanging and the words clinging on his tongue. He immediately went after the dragon slayer and tried to stop him from leaving. 'Wait! Okay! Okay! I'll drop the cool guy thing but hear what I have to say! It might be of help to you in your travel!'

'Then talk quickly, I have other leads to follow!' This annoyed the man as now Natsu was playing the cool guy act, but he swallowed his pride and started talking.

'Look, all I know is this…' He gave to Natsu a paper in which were shown two things, first a text and after it a picture of a tablet that described a rule or law that seemed to date from thousands of years ago and it was in language he never saw before. Natsu stared at it for a while and later looked in disbelief at the man, making him sweat dropped from the intense and questioning gaze, but later turned his eyes back to the paper and started to recite the legend or poem or whatever that was written in it.

'When the sins of man are too much to handle, the dark-one will come to make them pay for them. The ancient-ones will leave this plane in rage, for as the old law says: They are not to interfere in the affairs of man.' Natsu paused for a moment, digesting what he just read, since he was alone and he didn't want to look dumb in front of this man, he tried to decipher the message.

The ancient-ones should be the dragons, right?

And the 'dark-one' a menace that is yet to come, but why does it say that because of the sins of man they're going to pay?

He kept reading and found something that made his eyes widened in shock. 'Man is to solve its own problems and the ancient-ones respect the rule of no interference, but when many moons pass and the ancient-ones know that the coming of the dark-one draws close, they will bring under their tutelage those sons of man that were left aside. Preparing their children to protect the innocents from the dark-one, his paws and the eternal torture that he will bring with him… What?'

'What you've read, some dark-one is going to come and you and the other dragon-slayers that came here before you must unite to save us all from death or worse…' Said the man while eyeing his surroundings noticing how some of the people in the street were whispering while looking their way and that wasn't good, he started to push Natsu back inside the house. 'Come, let's go… It's not safe to talk outside about this…'

'What? Why?' He wondered as he too started to look around and noticed how many people was looking their way… specifically at him. 'Oh…'

'Yes, oh; now,' Getting inside his house and closing the door, the environment change completely into total darkness, the man turned to Natsu with his arms crossed and looking at the boy with a face mixed in between annoyance and confusion. 'Why are you having me repeat that experience? I thought I told that when I visit you in your dreams I wanted to find something comfortable like this…'

'I know; it's just that I was remembering about that paper and what I read…' The man let out a tired sigh as he watched Natsu sat on a chair that appeared out of nowhere. Doing the same, he change into a more formal, straight-to-the-point behavior.

'Did you get to your town?' Natsu nodded, the man nodded in acceptance. 'Good, did you explain the situation to your fellow dragon-slayers?' Natsu started to scratch the back of his head sheepishly; the man sweat drooped but continued his questions. 'What happened this time?'

'I arrived in time for the Fantasia; I couldn't miss the chance to make an entrance…' The man felt like face palming but thought against it, he went straight to lecture the pink-haired boy.

'Stop losing time and tell them, every second counts, they need to know so they can prepare for it…' The man made a pack of cigarettes appear on the palm of his left hand, draw one from it and asked for some fire from the dragon-slayer. Natsu raised a finger and lit a little flame on the tip, allowing the man to light his venom without further adding. 'Thank you.'

'Talking about losing time, where are those two? I thought they were going to catch up with me on the frontier close to Bosco.' The man sighed again with smoke included and started to talk but this time his voice sounded weird.

'Wake-They're-Natsu-Bosco-up-you-Wake-but-Damn-it-Master-five-something-close-or-danger-Natsu!' Now Natsu understood, outside his dream, his friends were trying to wake him up. He tried to fight against it and listen to the last words that the man was saying. 'Garreth-isn't-close-anything-to-help-town-now!-Wait-Natsu-tonight-Mira-light up-move-candles-repeat-window…'

Not tolerating the pain that it brought to his mind the mixing of words from the man in his dream and the people outside of it, Natsu woke up with droplets of sweat all over his body and at least 3 familiar figures around his bed. Gildartz, Mirajane and Gray were all looking with relief at his awakened form and started to smile at their long absent friend; to which he didn't know if to feel offended for they interrupted a very important discussion or to pretend that he didn't know what was going on and explain later… he opted for the second choice. "Hey guys… What did I miss?"

"Welcome back, Natsu!" Yelled Mira to the top of her lungs as she flung herself to him and hugged him with all her strength, to which Natsu immediately prepared and failed to counter. Mira didn't change much, except for her hairstyle, one similar to that of her younger days; and the color of her dress, which was the same as her eyes. He was almost left without breath and unconscious again if it weren't be that Gray and Gildartz told the woman to tone the hug's strength a little, letting the boy hug her back in appreciation and also letting Gildartz take the opportunity to address the Dragon-Slayer now that he was sure to stay with them.

"Hey kid, how've you been? I hope that you aren't crashing on the rooftops of every town you visit as you did yesterday." He let out a hearty laugh as he looked at Natsu's embarrass face for the stunt he did on his return. Gray was the next to speak, his voice didn't change a lot, it sounded manly, as Elfman put it, and his hair and clothes were the same… and he was still stripping unconsciously if what Natsu saw him doing now told anything.

"Hey flame brain! Trying to check if your head was still hard enough or just showing off?" He said mockingly to what Natsu only shrugged and smirk at him, letting Mira stand correctly at the side of the bed now that she hugged him long enough.

"If I were to check on that, don't you think it would have been better to crash it against yours?" Gray was left speechless along with Gildartz and Mira; the three thinking how come Natsu didn't get angry at him like he used to and instead said something intelligent in return… maybe he matured? Anyway, the pink-haired took the chance and quickly addressed the other two with a big smile and thumb-up. "Hi Old man, Mira, I'm fine and you?"

"I'm not old! And I'm fine thank you for asking," Said the tall man while ending his sentence with a cough, he looked at Natsu seriously and asked for the other two to leave the room to let the others know of his awakening, and also leave the dragon-slayer with him for some questioning. "Tell me, who were you talking to?"

"Uh?" Trying to play dumb as best as he could, Natsu evaded the question and looked confusedly at the man, he knew that Gildartz was going to notice the usage of that magic but he also knew that he couldn't tell anyone of his outside friends and their coming. "With you, Gray and Mira, right?"

"Don't try to fool me, Natsu, I can recognize that spell a mile away, you were talking in your dreams with someone," The young man cursed internally, he should have avoided getting unconscious and slept on his own house to keep the secret, now he wouldn't be able to get Gildartz off his back. He sighed and looked at the white sheets that covered his body seriously; he needed to leave clear his motives and who his associates were without revealing too much too soon.

But when he was about to speak, the door burst open and almost the entire guild entered the room, surprising the old man and moving him from his position at the bed's end; almost throwing him out the open window to a free fall 2 floors down. Recovering from the stampede fast and moving through the crowd skillfully, Gildartz left the room but not without leaving a clear message to Natsu. That made the boy gulped in fear. "We'll continue later…"

The fire dragon-slayer was now overwhelmed with the screams of joy, questions, news and everything else he missed or they wanted him to tell them. He was getting another headache and was sure that if something didn't happen any time soon, he would end up losing his patience and his facade. But luckily the older members like Macao and Wakaba calmed the youngsters after seeing the pained look on Natsu's face.

"So Natsu! How did it go?" Asked Macao after managing to calm the other mages, Natsu appreciated the old man interruption since he could completely grasp now what everyone was asking him. The boy looked down a moment and let everyone understand that it didn't go too well, however, he immediately raised his head with a full fledge smile as always. His friends let a sigh of relief wash over them.

"I didn't find Igneel or clues of where he is, but I found other dragon-slayers like me!" This made everyone quiet and made Gajeel, who was listening close to the door, spat at such information and rush to the boy's side pushing everyone out of his way and ask his fellow with his eyes meeting intensively at Natsu's calm ones.

"Others? How many?" Natsu frowned a bit at Gajeel skepticism and harshness but answered nonetheless with a straight face.

"Almost fifty dragon-slayers dispersed around the continent," Everyone looked wide-eyed at what was being told by their first dragon-slayer.

Fifty dragon-slayers?

That meant that there were like fifty dragons!

And fifty mages that could cause destruction like their fellows around the continent!

Everyone started to fear the thought of them ever deciding to do a reunion or gathering in Fiore. It could mean the destruction of the town or city they choose! Holy Igneel! It could mean the destruction of Magnolia, if Natsu invited them to their guild! This were the thoughts that crossed almost everyone's mind, except for Gajeel's, he was more excited to meet and defeat those others so much that he let an evil cackle out unconsciously.

Natsu sweat drooped at everyone's reaction and felt a shiver down his spine when he heard the cackling Gajeel, so he cough on his fist calling everyone's attention and reassure them that he did not invite those others to the guild.

This calmed his friends but Gajeel felt like they stole him his iron of the day… really pissed! He immediately grabbed Natsu by his scarf and growled to his face, to what the other only whispered a few words that shocked and calmed the iron dragon-slayer down and made him exit the room without further comment or growling.

The pointy-eyed boy only grinned to his fellows and dismissed the incident as if it was nothing and continued talking, despite the looks of shock and suspicion that were sent his way. "They couldn't come to the guild because of personal issues but we're going to meet in a few months… I think some of them are heading here already because of the long distance…"

Outside the town, there was a cat sleeping peacefully under the shade of a tree that was roughly woken up by the powerful scream that came from Fairy Tail. Natsu scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he looked how his fellows started to plan desperately countermeasures to what they called 'The Apocalypses' or 'End of Times', they end up leaving the kid alone in the infirmary with his own musings, just as he wanted.

But he couldn't enjoy that time alone for long enough as he watched how Gajeel entered the room again with a face that meant business. "You know? I missed the guild and everyone in it, is so sad that I'll have to abandon it so soon after returning to it..."

"Abandon it?" Gajeel's eyes widen at the comment, but did nothing but stare as he saw that Natsu was not joking or at least making signs that he was. The pinkette took the silence as an order to explain himself to his fellow, which he did.

"There's ten dragon-slayers in Fiore, five of them are natural like you and me and the other five are like Laxus and that Oracion Seis guy call Cobra, I understand that while I was gone another dragon-slayer arrive at the guild, right?" The fact that Natsu was speaking seriously and knew about the new one surprised the red-eyed man, who couldn't do anything more than nod and let his frienemy continue. "Well, besides her, Wendy, you and me, there's yet another natural dragon-slayer in Fiore but he's imprisoned… with the others help, we plan on rescue him."

Gajeel felt his eyes widen for the second time that the day, if what the boy said was true, then that dragon-slayer was keep in jail in the… "You are planning an attack on the…! ?"

Before he could complete that sentence, Natsu had him fast against the wall with a hand over his mouth, a serious look eyeing him straight to his eyes and telling him to not say that name out loud. "Yes." The young man answered dryly while frowning at Gajeel's attempts to release himself from his grip. "I cannot give you more details yet, as I have yet to know if you're trustworthy, but yes; we plan to attack Era and release him before the end of the year, we don't want those madman from Fiore's branch do to him what they did to one of ours years ago."

Finally releasing the man from his grasp, Natsu took two steps back and waited for the man's questions that were sure to come but instead, Gajeel gave a death glare for the holding against the wall and walked to the closest window, making a sign for the other man to follow him. "Let's talk it in a more private place…"

Nodding to the other's request, Natsu followed Gajeel through the window and out the guild, to what he could discern as the remnants of the building that was once the main base of Phantom Lord.

(Country of Bosco; Nirad port.)

Two hooded men were walking down the street at a calm pace, scaring the people and merchants, and raising suspicion from the town's guard that was quick to send at least 3 men to watch them closely. The 2 men only continue walking like nothing, eying the people around them, letting them see their bright and strange colored eyes for their own amusement at their reactions.

The look that the one on the right did was so scary that it ended up scaring and making cry a little girl that happened to get in their path. He immediately jumped in fear at the little girl's reaction and started to throw apologies to her in an attempt to calm her down, annoying his companion and letting the guards have a reason to question them. A tall guard that looked like the higher ranked addressed them in a harsh tone, stopping them in their actions and making them turned around to face the group with their bright eyes.

The other two guards cower in fear at the eyes that the hooded men had but the tall one kept a straight face and continued with his questions that were answered with complete silence each and every time. This made a vein pop-up on his forehead; he loosed his patience and ordered the other two guards to proceed and arrest the strangers but to his surprised his men runaway along with the people on the street. "What the…! ?"

"Listen, we're just passing by this town," Said the one on the right while his partner growl viciously, the tall guardsman felt his legs shaking as the sound reminded him of the time he met a lion. "We're not looking for trouble, leave us alone and your life will be forgiven…"

This tipped off the tall guardsman and made him unsheathed his sword in anger at these outsiders' proclamations. They thought they could cross the town like they own it and order the city guard as if they were gods?

Not on his watch.

He charged at them with his sword up and a mighty war cry but before he could notice it, the one on the left was gone… and a dozen spears were pointing at his throat. Looking back through the corner of his eye, he saw the missing one holding one of the spears and pointing it right at his spine. "Look, we've been traveling for almost two months, crossed a goddamn desert to later face your fucking snowstorms and blizzards! And now you come and try to bother us with your rules and shit! ? I'm so fucking pissed that I don't know why I didn't kill you yet! So listen to my friend's calm warning and leave us alone or die!"

The guard could only nod slowly at the threat and after that, all the spears disappeared but the one that the guy was holding. Falling butt first on the floor, he heard another growl and felt a death glare coming from the man. "If you try anything again, I'll skewer you like a pig and exposed your death raped body on the city square! Got it?"

Leaving the poor guardsman to faint and piss on his pants with the terrible threat, both men restarted their walking through the street without more trouble. The guy to the right sigh tiredly at his companion's past behavior to which the other only snickered in a mocking fashion. "At least I was going to give him a quick death; you were going to make him suffer slowly and painfully if he didn't heed your warning, Fuyu…"

"That's why I'm sighing; you never let me have any fun, Kurisu…" Both men let a dark laugh envelop them as they scared the living soul of the people that crossed near them, all backing away, even the city's guards after hearing how easily they overwhelmed their lieutenant. "Do you think Natsu understood the Master's message?"

"Hell if I know! That brat is so fucking unpredictable that I don't even know what he thinks!" Disregarding the cursing the other man started to think with a hand on his chin, showing a silver-blue ring with the form of a dragon biting its own tail.

"I just hope that he doesn't back down from the plan because of meeting his friends once again; that would be unacceptable…" The other made the spear disappear and let another laugh out as he pulled the hood back from his head, showing his scarred face and a single sharp fang coming from his mouth, alongside his hardened features, dark hair and red eyes. But what called more the attention was the intricate black tribal tattoo that ran along the left side of his face.

"You would make him suffer if that happens, right?" It was the turn of Fuyu to laugh, only that this time it was a maniacal one that almost sent a shiver down his partner's spine.

"Yeah… That is a nice thought…" Kurisu release another laugh while they both continue walking, now exiting the town and going back to the frozen roads of Bosco that lead to Fiore, to Natsu and to their objective.

(Magnolia; outskirts to the north.)

'I warned Natsu of your possible arrival on Magnolia tonight, he'll light candles on the windows of his house, be careful that no one sees you enter the place and do whatever Natsu tells you to do, Garreth.' The strange man from Natsu's dream told to the one in front of him in a rushed manner, to what the other only nodded in response. 'Fuyu and Kurisu would be arriving in a month approximately, tell Natsu to have everything in order for their arrival.'

'Yes, Farseer.' He said in a monotone voice while coming back to reality and cutting the connection with his superior.

Waking up in less than a second after the communication was cut, Garreth found himself lying on one of a tree's many branches, the leafs' shadow covering his body from the sun and people that could pass nearby. He took a look at his surroundings and after checking that no one was close, he jumped down the tree and started running in direction to the south, to where the town of Magnolia was located, which was just a few miles away now that he pushed himself during the night before. "Farseer and Natsu-sama will be pleased with my steadfastness for the cause."

Running down the road, his dark figure let itself be touched by the sun's rays and his hood fell due to the wind's effect, showing his bright silver, shoulder length; hair and white eyes, and his stoic young face that shown him as a person that saw a lot on his life. Nothing seemed to disturbed the man on his run to the town but the almost impossible thought that he could not make it in time, which was almost nonexistent and left as fast as it came.

'For Farseer and Natsu, we'll free Jellal Fernandez.' Was this last thought, he spotted the town where the second part of their plan would begin, where he was supposed to meet Natsu Dragneel, where the change in the magic world would begin; be it for the better or the worst of everyone in it.

(Era; Magic Council's prison.)

'Be ready, the time is almost close.' Said the strange man while his form merged with the dark surroundings to a completely startled blue haired man. 'Jellal Fernandez, you'll be free once again.'

'But I don't want to be free! Not at that cost!' His screams fell on deaf ears as he noticed that his consciousness was coming back to him.

Jellal Fernandez didn't understand anything that was happening. In the last six months, his 'normal' life in prison was turned upside down.

At the start, something entered his cell while no one was looking and did something to the tattoo that was on his face and now he met a strange man in his dreams that told him to be ready since his imprisonment was about to come to an abrupt end.

Sincerely, he was more than a little happy with the idea of getting out but when he heard the name of the one that planned to release him, he took every chance he had with the strange man to try and talk them down from doing it.

He wanted to be free, breath the fresh air and look at the skies as he did when he was revived during that incident with Nirvana and the dark guild, Oracion Seis; but not if it cost the freedom of a lot people and specially the freedom of Natsu Dragneel.

'Natsu,' He thought while his jailers dropped a bowl with some water on his cell and quickly took their leave. 'You said that I made Erza cried and that was what made you hate me so much, but... What'll you do when Erza and the rest of your guild witness what you are about to do?'

Think was the only thing that Jellal could do while in lock-down, think and pray that something made Natsu withdraw from such an idea. But his past experience with him told him one thing, and it wasn't a positive one; Natsu always manages to fulfill his objectives and goals.

To be continued.

This was a prototype of an Romance-Fantasy FF story.

Good reviews are welcome, flames will be use to feed Natsu and those of you that read but don't review, will be haunted in your dreams by the strange man.

Thanks for reading, this is my very first story -from the many that I now have- and I hope that you find it of your liking.

R&R is a sure way to let me know how to improve, so even if you can't think of something to say or are not used to review, please leave one; it encourages me to write better and more. ^^

Saludos.

Remake 01/30/12: Prologue improved, mistakes corrected, real names from the manga added, and some other things.