Ignis Draco Nocturna

by Sketch D Tail

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Other, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Human, Main 6
Length: 49555

History states that Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon away to the moon with the Elements of Harmony, that's true. But there was one other being present at the time who aided Celestia. A being who's magic can only be used by him and

History said that one thousand years ago, the younger sister of two sibling princesses grew jealous of her sister's day when ponies shunned her night and that she was banished to the moon for a thousand years through the power of the Elements of Harmony. However, only half of the truth has been recorded into books and ponies' minds. There was one other who aided the princess in sealing away Nightmare Moon, who without his help and his ancient magical power, would've meant eternal darkness in Equestria.

Warning: There will be some swearing used in later chapters. Also, as I been pulled up a couple of times, the beginning chapters are sub-par. I'll go back to the chapters at a later date to fix them. But, or now, I ask you to continue reading if the first chapters are what's putting you off.

This is a fan-based story, Fairy Tail, MLP and any references all belong to their respective owners. I own nothing.

Featured: 6/09/2014 Best birthday present ever! Thank you all so much guys!
Featured: 30/11/2014 Wow. Seriously, wow. Not even five minutes after submitting it and you guys got it into the featured box again. Thank you all, seriously, it means a lot to me.
Featured: 8/09/2015 Again. Seriously, this is amazing. Thanks everyone or making into the feature box again.

Published 2013-05-26 00:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-09-08 13:31:58 UTC

Chapter II - Chaos Ensues

The next few weeks were definitely eventful for both Natsu and the lunar princess, Luna taught him everything there was to now about Equestria: its laws, its wildlife, its nature, everything, including how dragons were native to her world but not as how Natsu described his father. In turn Natsu told his new teacher and sovereign all there was he knew about his world, the mark on his shoulder representing his guild, everyone he ever formed a bond with, his nakama and his father Igneel. He told of his many battles all for the sake of his friends, beginning with the fight with the fake 'Salamander' and meeting Lucy all the way to his win against future Rogue and his six dragons at the Grand Magic Games. When he told of his fight against Phantom Lord and 'Black Steel' Gajeel, the iron dragon slayer, this raised a few questions from Luna.

"There are other dragon slayers beside yourself Natsu? How many? Do they all attack with fire like you do?" She asked in rapid succession as if she was a mad scientist.

"Hey, hey, calm down lady Luna. I will answer all your questions but slow down a bit otherwise you could hyperventilate." Luna fully understood by what he meant, she herself felt as if she went a little mad for a moment, causing her to blush a little. Taking a large, deep breath, she managed to calm down and asked for Natsu to continue. "Okay, aside from me, there are six dragon slayers, each with their own special dragon slaying magic. Dragons in my world don't limit themselves to only fire, there're many different dragons of different elements. I'm the fire dragon slayer, Gajeel is the iron dragon slayer, Wendy is air, Laxus is lightning, Cobra of Oracion Seis is the poison one and Sting and Rogue of Sabertooth are the white or holy and shadow dragons. Finally, each of us dragon slayers have our own special attacks corresponding to our element but one thing we do share is our breath attacks."

"There are two drawbacks to being a dragon slayer though: one being that if we deplete our magical power, we need to find an outside source of our element to consume and replenish it, we cannot consume our own magic to gain it back and we cannot consume any other magic to power up either. If one were to do that, it'll be like eating poison, I did that once and I was out for three days straight. Anyway, in example, should I completely exhaust my magic, I need to find some fire from an outside source, I can't start a fire with my magic and then eat it, dragon slayer magic doesn't work that way. The second drawback to being a dragon slayer is that we are extremely motion-sick, we can't even stand up if we are on moving transport."

"That's terrible but it's understandable, even the greatest power has to have a few drawbacks, but breath attacks? What in the name of Tartarus are those?" She asked waving her hoof in the air like a schoolfilly

"Looks like you'll need to see to believe. Alright, let's step outside so that I can show you. Just let everypony know about my demonstration otherwise there will be a panic that neither of us want."

------ Ten minutes later, in the Royal Gardens.

"Alrighty, here I go!" He said bumping his fists together. 'Karyū no Hōkō!' He yelled in his mind and at the same time leaning back with his cheeks expanding to an immeasurable size. Using his hand as a barrel, Natsu breathed out and a massive torrent of fire was exuded at an alarming rate. It rocketed into the sky, going higher and higher until Natsu couldn't keep it up any longer. "Well? What do you think of my 'Karyū no Hōkō', or in English, 'Fire Dragon Roar'?"

"That was amazing, but I have couple of questions if you mind." Luna said.

"Shoot."

"Why did you use your hands? Obviously you can use that technique without them, correct? And 'Karyū no Hōkō'? Why say that and not fire dragon roar?" Her mind had many more questions but she believed he'd be overwhelmed, so the lunar princess decided to only ask those five.

"I use my hands to give my breath attack a more focused, direct approach. I could do it without my hands but the blast range increases tremendously, like three times as wide and four times taller. Plus, you saw how high it went through using my hands, if I directed that at an enemy, or if I was evil, I could destroy a town with just that technique. But I promise you, I'd never do that, I swore I'd protect you and your citizens the day you made me your student and guardian."

"Thank you Sir Natsu but you still have not answered my last two questions."

"Oh right, in my world, there's a language called Japanese, 'Karyū no Hōkō' literally translates to Fire Dragon Roar from Japanese to English. I use Japanese for my attack names rather than English because it sounds much cooler." He said with a sly, cheeky grin.

A deadpan expression was all Natsu got in reply from princess Luna. Her face was priceless from where he was standing, he couldn't help but laugh and the princess soon followed suit, laughing as well. 'I love this place, no fighting, no dark guilds trying to destroy Fairy Tail, nothing. There are a few things I don't especially like about my new life though." Natsu thought as he continued to laugh, neither him or Luna noticed a figure approach them from behind. "What's going on here?" The figure said, turning out to be Celestia.

'Speak of the devil' he thought as he turned to the sun's princess. "Hey Celestia, how's it going?"

"That's princess Celestia to you Natsu and you will answer my question." Celestia clearly annoyed greatly by just seeing his being in front of her.

Natsu, taken back by that comment simply rubbed his neck,"Jeez, bite my head off why don't ya? We were out here so that I could your sister my signature dragon breath attack. She was asking about my magic so I gave her a demonstration, and don't worry, we told everypony we walked by what we were going to do and that there was no need for a panic." He explained

"There's a limit to how reckless you can be Natsu." Celestia said with an annoyed tone and expression.

"Duly noted. Now, what's the real reason you're out here princess?" Luna and Celestia bore the same confused face as to what he said. "Surely you don't think I'm that stupid do you? There's no way in a million years you'd ever want to talk to me, you came to see Luna but you could've waited for her until we finished today's lesson, yet you didn't. Something big has happened hasn't it? I may be reckless but I'm not an idiot albeit majority of the time."

"Hmpf! I'm actually impressed Natsu, congratulations, that's the only compliment you'll ever hear from me. Yes, something has happened that requires both of you to help me with, much to my displeasure. It's him sister. Discord is back." Celestia said with anger slowly rising in her voice.

Natsu looked to Luna to ask who Discord was but what he saw made him nervous and widen his eyes. Luna's face went into a state of fear, absolute fear and anger. Celestia's face had more anger than fear but it was still there, whoever this Discord was, he's able to make the princesses who raise the sun and moon scared. Whoever he is, he must extremely powerful. "How bad and powerful is this Discord guy? Are we talking about extreme evil or?" Natsu asked to keep on topic.

"He is a draconequus and the physical embodiment of chaos itself. Wherever he goes, chaos and disharmony follows. He enjoys nothing but to see other ponies' suffering. Imagine back when you first fought that man Gajeel when he was in the Phantom Lord guild, just as sadistic but most likely twice as powerful and armed with chaotic magic." Luna replied with an audible growl full of spite.

Natsu simply chuckled."Well, this actually might be fun. Where is he princess Celestia?"

"Fun?! This is not a game we're talking about Natsu, he's an evil being who, like my sister said, takes joy in other's suffering. He's a monster!"

"And so am I, you said yourself Celestia that I'm a monster remember? I find this fun because if I beat him, I'll be able to protect your sister from anything and everything. Also, don't worry, I'll try my best not to destroy anything but no promises. I mean, destroying things is Fairy Tail's specialty. So, where is he?" Natsu asked, his resolve fully shown in his eyes not letting up a single bit. Celestia knew full well that even though she didn't like him, she knew that when Natsu has made up his mind not even her could stop him. She did the only thing she could do, she gave in and answered his question.

"Ugh, fine. He's coming from the north, if we leave him be, he'd be here in about thirty minutes." She said.

"Thirty minutes to the north, got it. I'll go there first to see if I can weaken him, even if it's just a bit, it'll help you when you get there. Once an hour passes when I have left, both of you come to us to help apprehend Discord. Is that okay with you two?"

"It's a good plan but why do you only have to go? Why can't we all go to attack him?" Luna asked with a sad, pleading look in her eyes as if she didn't want him to go, no matter how strong he was.

"I'm going alone because if we all go together I won't be able to fight him and protect the two of you at the same time, your lives are much more important than my own. If either or both of you die, then how will your citizens take it? If I die, they won't care because like you Celestia, I'm seen as a monster in their eyes. Don't you think it'll be an interesting battle between monsters?" His smile remaining evermore on his face but turned into a small frown."But just in case, should he get the upper hand, my Lady, can you give half of your magic a physical form for me to consume?" He asked looking down towards Luna.

"You can't! You said yourself that if you consume anything other than fire to boost your power, you'll be poisoning your body!" Protested his mistress, worry clearly shown in her tone.

"Exactly, which is why I asked if you could give your magic a physical form, say, a fireball for instance. It'll still be your magic but it would have fire properties." The sly smugness of his smile clearly showed that he was anticipating what Luna had just said.

"Oh you're good. I guess the last three weeks haven't been for naught have they?" She replied with a smile of her own, amazed by his progress in such a short timespan.

Natsu just simply shook his head. "Nuh-uh, no way." He kneeled down to look his teacher in the eyes. "Not when I have you, my saviour and my friend as a teacher, much better than Erza. Permission to hug before I go?"

"Granted you silly man." Luna said blushing as they embraced each other, for it could be the last time if Discord was too powerful for Natsu.

Many thoughts of Natsu never returning came to Luna, in just three short weeks, she had really grown fond of her new student and gaurdian, if something happened to him. No. Luna instantly shook away those dark thoughts, Natsu was incredibly strong, he could take care of himself just fine. The princess did her best to hide those thoughts but it showed on her face, to which Natsu ad noticed a tear forming in her eye.

"Oi, oi, save those tears for when we win." He said.

She did her job of working her magic into a small, condensed fireball. It looked magnificent, its core was a dark blue/black like the night sky but gave off a silver flickering flame that looked like the radiance of the moon, 'The flame of the night' he thought. Natsu grabbed ahold of it and placed in a jar he found laying around in the kitchen, he thought it might've come in handy later on, turns out he was right. After placing the jar containing his backup power into a small bag, Natsu was ready to go find and fight Discord. He gave his farewells and using his flames as a propulsion, he flew off into the distance like a rocket with the sole fixation of protecting his new home and his new lady.

After approximately twenty minutes, Natsu decided to run and not fly, which could give him the element of surprise against his new enemy and sure enough, he found a trail of where Discord was. Trees were different colours and levitating upside down, usually small animals had abnormally long legs and what looked liked cotton-candy clouds showering chocolate milk rain.

"What. The. Fuuuuuuuuuuck?" He asked to no one in particular with a look of pure disbelief and confusion. Well at least what the princesses said about him leaving chaos wherever he went was right. Now, if I just follow this track, I should be able to find him. But which way? Natsu thought looking between his left and his right. Using his dragon's sense of smell, he found the source of where the disharmony originated, coming from his left. Got 'im, the smell of evil is very strong down that way, and for some reason he smells of chocolate milk as well. I swear, this world never ceases to amaze me. I mean, what's next? A dragon falling in love with a pony? Natsu said in his mind as he began to chase after Discord.

"Muhahahahahaaaa!! Oh this is music to my ears and bliss to my eyes! I love my life, bringing chaos to others. Being the spirit of chaos definitely has its perks." said the mix-n-mash Draconequus sitting on a makeshift throne with a face of glee, drinking a glass of chocolate milk the other way around."It's too bad that silly Celestia and little Luna will soon be here to end all this but fail again ahahaaa. Hmmm?!" His attention instantly turning to a large torrent of fire coming towards him from his side. Quickly snapping his fingers, Discord vanished from existence but not before the oncoming flames managed to singe the lion's paw that made up his right hand. Blinking back into reality away from the raging flames, Discord just stood in shock holding his right palm trying to ease the pain.
"What in the name of Tartarus just happened there? Who did that?! A dragon?" He questioned into the open air, waiting for an answer. It came sooner than he expected.

"Well not exactly, but you're close." Said the unknown voice to the chaotic spirit. Turning to find where it came from, Discord saw a lean but well-built being with pink hair walking through the now scorched land.

"And just who are you? What are you in fact?" He asked the being before him.

"Well I guess proper introductions are in order." He said. Placing one leg behind the other, forearm across his torso and bowing his head "My name is Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel the 'fire dragon of the night'. I'm a human, fire dragon slayer of the Fairy Tail wizard guild, princess Luna's personal student/guardian and the guy who's gonna beat your ass. How's it going?" Natsu said with a smug smile standing back into a lazy position, arms folded.

"Huh. I have to admit, you definitely have attitude don't you mister Salamander? Why're you here? I'd expect your princesses to be here instead of you."

"I'm here to help with your apprehension, those two won't be here for a good half hour. Now that that's out of the way, I challenge you to a fight Discord." Natsu said as he began to walk closer towards the spirit of chaos.

"You challenge me? The spirit of chaos, to a fight?" He could not contain his laughter from hearing those words come from Natsu's mouth. Discord finally caught his breath after laughing so hard. "You are definitely different to what I'm used to Salamander, it's quite refreshing. But I accept nonetheless to your challenge, any rules that I should know of?" Discord asked with a mild cockiness in his voice. The two beings now stood right in front of each other, staring into one another's eyes, the look of excitement on their faces.

"Only one: no teleporting or flashing out of existence. Deal?" He said reaching out a hand to shake on to the deal. Natsu believed even a psychopath like Discord had a single shred of honour.

"Deal." Discord had accepted the terms of the fight and shook his eagle claw with Natsu's hand. "So when does this fight begin, may I ask?"

"As soon as my bag touches the ground." With those words, Natsu threw his bag far away so that its cargo wouldn't be in any immediate danger. Seconds felt like hours as time slowed down until the bag had finally hit the floor. "I'm all fired up! Well come on, COME AT ME BRO!!" Natsu exclaimed running towards his chaotic foe.

The fight between monsters begins now.

Author's Note

BOOM BABY!!! Chapter 2, done. Hope you guys like this chapter as well and remember, honest criticism is appreciated. So feel free to pull me up on anything I may have missed. Now, being a public holiday tomorrow means no school for me, so I'll see if I can get number 3 up and running to the best of my abilities.

Ciaossu, Sketch

Chapter III - Dragon Slayer vs Draconequus

III: Dragon vs Draconequus

Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes since the battle between monsters began, and everything within a hundred metre radius was reduced to nothing. All that was left was the remains of charred tree trunks, small craters from what appeared to be was the cause of explosions, dust and a bag containing something magical. The heat on the barren wasteland was immeasurable, it was as if Celestia's sun had come down upon the land itself. The sound of crackling fire, explosions, magic and yelling could be heard form miles away. Off in the distance, two figures were in the midst of all this destruction. One, a large creature of insanity and chaos, a Draconequus, colloquially known as Discord. The other, a small but lean and well-built creature of another world entirely, a human named Natsu Dragneel.

The battle was fierce, neither side letting up a chance for attack but that does not mean neither opponents haven't had their share of hits. Discord was covered in burns that ranged from first-degree to third, as well as some bruising on his upper limbs, specifically his face which was bleeding from his muzzle-like-thing. Natsu wasn't looking too good either, small scratches, small gashes and bruises of multiple sizes were all over on his body. At this point, it was anyone or anypony's game.

Natsu, breathing heavily, thought to himself. This guy is strong, who knew chocolate milk could be explosive? My second origin isn't helping as much as I thought, maybe the strain on my body from Celestia is still healing. If this goes on any longer, my magic will run out and he'll win. An image of Luna smiling formed in his head. I can't let that happen, I will protect her and this land, even if I die.

Who is this kid? He's nothing like Celestia and Luna, if anything, I'd say he's two times stronger than the both of them. Maybe a small break could work to find out more about him. Discord thought, grinning evilly. "I must say Mister Salamander, you're very interesting for both an opponent and creature, who may I ask taught you how to fight?"

"I taught myself how to fight expertly but the one who taught me my magic and the basics of combat was my father, Igneel."

"Igneel? Did you just say Igneel?" Discord said suprprised and very faintly, scared.

"You know him?" Natsu replied, confusion and surprise lacing his own voice.

"Yes, I know of Igneel, and there is no dragon in Equestria who doesn't know of their own king. I'm part dragon so I know. But what I don't understand is how you're his son when he's a dragon, not to mention the mightiest of all of them."

So he's also the dragon king of this world? Jeez dad, how popular can you be? Finally, something I can use to find him. "I'm his adopted son. He raised me from when I was a little boy, but he disappeared all of a sudden fourteen years ago."

"Fourteen? But you look eighteen at best, did he teach you when you the very moment when he adopted you?"

"Nah, he disappeared when I was ten or eleven. Myself and about a dozen of my nakama went missing on a island for seven years after a trial exam gone wrong. So, technically, I'm about 25 years old when I'm still only 18. Anyway, enough talk, I think it's time to turn this battle up a notch don't you think?" Natsu closed his eyes, seemingly meditating, but when he opened them once more, they were filled with rage, large amounts of fire spewed from his body along with streaks of yellow flashing light. He screamed"Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!! I will not let you ruin her home Discord!!!"

Natsu's power rise couldn't only be seen, it could be felt. Even by the spirit of chaos itself, as he backed away in fear. "You still have that much power? What are you?!"

The dragon slayer only responded by jumping high into the air, forming a ball of fire in his left hand, and a ball of lightning in his right. Brining both hands together, the two orbs came down upon Discord, molding together resulting in a massive explosion.

"Raienryū no Kōen!!" *

"Be patient sister, I believe in Natsu and his strength. He will win for us." Luna calmly stated to her disgruntled elder sister.

"I still can't believe that you trust such a beast. He could, at any given moment, kill the both of us with ease." Celestia replied, venom still in her tone towards the human.

"Tia, why must you be so harsh on him? Yes, he is from another world and have monstrous strength that rivals the both of us together, but I have never seen a purer heart than his my sister. He said to me himself the other day that he has never fought a battle for his own selfish needs, it has always been for others, for his nakama. He even fought a demon named Lullaby to save the his and the other guild masters of his world. The same with other wizards that vastly out powered him, such as Zero of 'Oracion Seis'. He never gives up when he fights for his friends. While you see him as a threat dear sister, I see him as the bravest and most noble friend one could possibly have in the entire world." The moon princess said with pride and absolute kindness in her voice, having full faith in her male companion. But her sister wouldn't have any of it.

"If you can fall for such a lie then you-" She began but was soundly interrupted by her younger sibling.

"It's not a lie! I searched through his memories myself, it's all real! I looked with his permission before you say it's a breach if privacy. I've had enough, I'm going to him whether you want me to or not!" Luna took off like a rocket, not wanting to hear any more unjust words from her sister about her friend.

"Wait, Lulu!" Celestia's words literally fell on deaf ears as an explosion unlike any other roared through the land, making Luna go all the more faster towards the battleground. "Oh you foolish mare, you could get yourself killed if you go there!" She screamed taking off after Luna

Natsu. Luna grimaced at the thought of Natsu in pain, or worse. Please be alright when I get there.

After the explosion subsided, Natsu looked over his work: a massive crater several metres wide in diameter, but he had a feeling that something wasn't right. His theory was proven correct when the centre of the crater had not a fallen Draconequus, but nothing at all. Discord was gone.

Ugh, shoulda figured he'd blink out like that, I would given the situation. The only question now is, where is he? Natsu thought. Focusing on nothing but his sense of smell and hearing hoping to find the spirit of chaos. Natsu tried to find Discord through the former option first, hoping to find the scent of chocolate he carried. What he got was the one thing he didn't hope to have, the scent of Princess Luna coming closer. Has it been an hour already?! Shit, this is bad. With Discord missing, he could literally be anywhere. Looks like I'll have to grab that, I'm getting too weak to attack Discord and protect her at the same time.

"Natsu, are you alright? Are you hurt? Where's Discord?" She asked worriedly, looking at the amounts of bruises, scrapes and cuts on his body didn't help either.

"I'm fine. I've been through worse, trust me and as for Discord, I have no idea. He's vanished. Give me a sec, I'll sniff him out." Natsu said focusing on his sense of smell like a bloodhound once more. Well, until Celestia joined in.

"What's going on? Where is Discord? Or did you fail and let him escape intentionally Salamander?"

"Tia, I'm trying to find him right now but your attitude is annoying me. So, with all due respect, shut the fuck up." He retorted with an angry look in his eyes.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME YOU FILTHY VERMIN?!!!" Celestia bellowed out using the royal Canterlot voice on full ball.

The arguing continued between the dragon slayer and the solar princess. All about one rude comment, and in the middle of a battle no less. The younger sister did her best to stop it all but nothing would work to quell the anger of its raging participants. Discord, in the meantime, was recuperating in a slip-space area he created, bewildered by the scene before him, he came up with a plan. To kill Princess Celestia. She's far too caught up in her argument with that Salamander, they'd never see him coming. Creeping further and further towards the trio as to make sure he doesn't raise any suspicion, even if he was in a slip-space, he could still be found if payed close attention to. Eventually, he was right behind her, only a few metres away.

"You will never be a part of our world! You're a monster that will threaten everything this world has to stand for. You're no better than Discord." Celestia said using the RCV on a lower volume this time.

"And what makes you think I'm unable to be part of your world huh? NEWSFLASH! I'm stuck here whether you want me or not!! So fuck you, you stuck up bitch!" He screamed giving the princess if the sun 'the bird'.

Now! This was the moment Discord was waiting for. The moment when these two had had enough of each other, when both of their guards were down. Slipping out of his own little dimension with claws at the ready to kill the solar princess. One massive swipe of his arm came down and connected with the flesh, but it was not the the princess'.... It was Natsu's.

Natsu, managing to be quicker than anypony could see, pushed Celestia out of the way and take the full force of Discord's attack in her place. Everyone's eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates, even Celestia's. Blood poured everywhere and the human fell to one knee trying to close or at least hold his wounds at bay. But it was no use. The scene before her was too horrifying for Luna, her friend slashed at the chest all the way down to his belly in a diagonal fashion with blood flowing like a river.

"NATSUUU!!!" She screamed as she ran over towards her injured companion. Discord, upset by his failure muttered a quick 'damn' before snapping his fingers and disappearing once more. "Natsu, are you okay?!"

"I have four slashes rapidly bleeding across my body. WHAT DO YOU THINK?!" He lashed out, growing paler by the second. Realising his mistake, Natsu quickly apologised. "I'm sorry Princess, this is the first time I've taken this much damage to my body. Look at me, I can barely stand. Luna, do me a favour and keep him distracted along with your sister, I have a final ace up my sleeve."

"Right, you can count on me! My sister and I bear the Elements of Harmony remember? That makes us almost as strong as you." Luna said somewhat arrogantly but te truth was there in her words.

"Yeah, almost, that's what I'm worried about. He still has plenty of strength left, don't underestimate him." Luna for her part, was confident about facing Discord, but shot Natsu a worried look. It looked as if she was saying she'd rather let Discord rule Equestria than to let her best friend die from protecting it. "Go. I'll be fine, trust me. Never underestimate a dragon slayer either." He said with the big, goofy grin she knows and loves.

Nodding in confirmation, Luna, together with her sister, set off to fight the disharmonious spirit who reappeared shortly. Charging like raging bulls to their target, Discord quickly found himself face to face with the two biggest threats he has yet to deal with. Witnessing the battle, Natsu quickly stood back up despite how much his body beckoned him not to, turning and walking away albeit very weakly from the danger zone. Heh, this is pathetic of me being caught off guard like that. Oh well, at least Celly's safe. Looking back towards the conflicted area, Natsu's smile turned to a grimace. Luna, please be alright when I get back.

"Now, where'd my bloody bag go?"

"Hahaha! You really think you can beat me like this princesses? That Salamander fellow was proving a better challenge than the two of you." Discord said mockingly to his new attackers, ducking and weaving every blast, hoof and horn that came in his direction.

"Silence foul beast! You will pay for hurting my friend!"

"Well I'm sorry, I was aiming for your sister but he just in the way. So really, it's his fault he's like that now, not mine."

"SHUT UP!! Everything is your fault! Our land, our citizens, my best friend! All for your sick twisted amusement."

"Do you hate me? Hold onto that hate lil' Luna, it will make you stronger."

"Don't fall for his tricks Lulu, he's trying to put you at a disadvantage." Celestia said stepping to the verbal fray, trying to calm her sister down. Luna was known for for losing herself when she got angry.

"I know dear sister, but it's too late. I'll kill him myself."

Luna did as her opponent had said and let her hate take control. Discord was right, it did make her strong but it also made her more brash and sluggish in her movements. Fighting him one on one in that situation is suicide, and the princess paid dearly. The spirit of chaos tricked her and managed to get the upperhand in the fight, eventually making her fall to her side with exploding chocolate milk in his hand at the ready.

"So long princess Luna." Said Discord wickedly with a smile that rivalled the Cheshire Cat.

"Luna no!" Celestia screamed, looking at Discord as if begging him to not do it.

BOOM!!

A massive explosion was all that the alicorns and Draconequus could see before their eyes, but there was something different about this explosion. Rather than an explosion causing mass amounts of smoke to be lifted. This explosion was completely made of black flames and lifted chunks of the very earth itself into the air. Slowly, the mass of flames began to churn and take shape.

What it took, was a grand dragon with it's wings spread.

Many things ran through every witness' mind but there was one feeling that everyone, including the three battlers could feel. Fear. Fear was conquering all their minds but all Luna could think was if this flame, this power, came from Natsu. Her answer was rewarded with the man in question walking towards them, but there was something different about him. Upon closer inspection, his fatal wounds have stopped bleeding and closed up to leave nothing but scars. Another thing was his eyes, Luna had seen what Natsu's personality is like through his eyes: strong and kind. But what she saw with the appearance of a dragon's eye, was pure, unadulterated resolve. The resolve to fight and win. Now only simple steps apart, the human did one thing that none would ever expect to see.

Luna, the princess of Equestria, raiser of the moon and holder of the Elements of Harmony, was slapped across the face.

"You dumbass! Don't listen to that bullshit, if you hold onto that hate then you'll become just like him." He said looking down upon his mistress in disappointment. Seeing the look in his, Luna had felt ashamed that she let wrath get the best of her and began to cry. "And I won't let that happen, not while I'm your guardian as well as Equestria's. This guy's going down, I promise." As those words were said his body went under change once more: his canines became sharper, his physical build strengthened partially and the weirdest change of them all; his face and forearms developed scales. The lunar princess had seen this before when she looked through Natsu's memories but to see it with her own eyes, it was even more fascinating, as well as intimidating. The ultimate and final form of Dragon Slayer magic: gaining the power of a real dragon, the power to utterly destroy everything.

"Dragon force." She whispered.

"What are you?!" Celestia yelled from the sidelines. Looking at her, she was struck to the core with fear, her legs were very visible in their shaking."You are had the power to beat us from the very beginning and you're three times stronger as you are now! Why are you doing this and not taking over Equestria like one would expect you monster?"

"Why? That's a pretty stupid question Celly. You're my nakama, and this is your home, and I'd do anything to protect what's important to my nakama. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a promise to keep." Natsu said with a determined scowl on his face. Discord, meanwhile, was also shaking. He, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, was afraid of the man in front of him. He prepared his fingers to snap himself away but was met with a knee to his chin.. Reeling back in pain, the spirit of chaos was not giving a chance to recover as the next moment both he and Natsu were flying across breaking trees as they going along, Discord taking the full brunt of the assault.

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU'RE THE REASON LUNA'S CRYING!" He yelled pushing Discord through more trees and even giant boulders. "I made a promise."

I, Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel hereby swear to protect princess Luna of Equestria and her home with all my might as a dragon slayer and wizard of the Fairy Tail guild, it's a promise. This guy's going down, I promise.

"I PROMISED!!" Screamed Natsu.

"You little shit!" Not being able to take any more damage, Discord snapped his fingers once more and flashed out of existence, reappearing and disappearing continuously in the air. "You'll never catch me like this!" He said like he had won but was sorely disappointed when Natsu came flying up to him and landed a punch to his stomach. "Impossible! I will not be defeated! This world will become a perfect paradise full of disharmony and chaos!"

"And you think by stealing other people's freedom you'll have your paradise? What kind of shit is that?!" Natsu screamed arguing with the madness of Discord's plan.

"Just by changing this world's culture I can create the perfect place for others like me, nothing and no one else matters. Why can't you idiots see that?!" He said lunging out bombardments or explosions one after another, not letting Natsu have a chance to get close. That is, until he recoiled from the pain from Natsu's own attacks previously. Oh shit.

"You'll never find freedom! There is no place in paradise for a guy tied down by his own madness!" Natsu said flying upwards, coating himself in flames. From the outside, it looked like a giant flaming arrow, but from Discord's perspective: it was a dragon with its maw open wide, ready to eat him whole and from inside the dragon, Natsu emerged fist at the ready.

"First free yourself Discord!" He said as his fist collided with the body of chaos' cheek, sending him plummeting to the ground in a second with such strength it caused the ground beneath to quake and crack under the massive force behind the punch. The celestial princesses, meanwhile, covered their eyes from the massive amount of debris being flown around back on ground level. When the dust finally cleared, they saw Discord battered and bruised, lying motionless in the crater he made on impact. Luna, get worried about Natsu didn't have to wait long to see her friend again as he came crashing down as well but unlike Discord, he landed on his feet. His face still holding the look of resolve he had before.

So this is Natsu's true power. This is...a Dragon Slayer. She thought happily but could pass the feeling of fear as to what could happen if he turned on both her sister and herself, just as Celestia had feared. No, that's impossible. Natsu is good, he'd never betray us. She protested in her mind as she saw the man walk towards her but something was off, his eyes had a shadow over them.

"I've kept my promise. Now, please excuse me for a while so..I can...rest." He said falling face-first into the ground, collapsing out of exhaustion. Fretting that something horrible was wrong, Luna ran as fast her little legs could make her go. Upon reaching her friend, she noticed the scale-like markings fade away back into the skin and he was sleeping like a baby.

"You asshole, making me worry like that. Look, you've gotten me talking like you now." Luna said chuckling quietly, but was also heard by her elder sister earning a quick scowl. "The battle has ended dear sister, we've won. Natsu won." Said Luna with a single tear forming in the corner of her eye, thanking the creators for sending this brave man to Equestria in its time of need.

"Not yet he hasn't I'm afraid!" Said a maniacal voice from behind the two princesses. Quickly turning around, both Celestia and Luna were flabbergasted to see Discord standing up with ease even with all the burns, bruises and lacerations on his body. "I am the embodiment of chaos and disharmony! I cannot be beaten by a simple life form like him! Never in a million years will I be beaten!"

"He's gone mad, he's finally lost what little sanity he had left." Right now, seeing this, Luna had felt something entirely new for the insane Draconequus, pity."Sister, let's put him away for good." The job needed to be done, Discord was no longer in control of his mind and most likely not even conscious too. Preparing the Elements of Harmony, Luna and Celestia gathered up their feelings and fired the rainbow laser-beam-thing. Colours of the rainbow filled the sky and when they passed, Discord was no longer mobile, he was a simple statue with one arm on his chest and another outstretched with a smile on his dial.

"Finally, he's gone forever now. Equestria is safe." Turning back around from Discord's statue-self, Luna went to go get Natsu and picked him up with magic, levitating him off the ground. "Up we go. Let's get you home Sir Salamander, you've done a fantastic job today as guardian." As she took her student/friend to the infirmary on the way back, she couldn't help but notice a tiny grin on that goofy face of his.

---------later that day-----------

White. That's what all one could see on this plane of existence. No rocks, no dirt, no people, nothing. Just white. Within this plane of nothingness, one lone human was walking across on what was like an invisible floor. Unable to hear anything, not even his own footsteps, he wondered how long it'd be like this. Until one voice came through to him.

"Natsu." It said soothingly but with a trace of worry.

"Hmm? Who's there?" Natsu replied sharply with his fists raised up to his face, ready to fight if need be.

"It's me Natsu, wake up. It's time to wake up Natsu." It said, Natsu realising the white area he's in is just a dream. Complying to what the voice said, he woke up...with two large cerulean eyes looking at him directly.

"Li...Lisanna?" Natsu said groggily thinking it was his former guildmate and childhood crush.

"No, it's me dummy. It's Luna." Said the midnight mare next to him. Upon seeing this he remembered that he passed out after beating Discord, he pieced together the fact that his friend had brought him back home to the castle but there was one thing that disturbed him: they were sharing a single bed.

"What are you doing in my bed?! Oh god we didn't did we?! Aww Celly's gonna kill me!" Natsu said in a small scream with his head completely red, being scared like he was about to be taught a lesson by Erza once more.

"Technically speaking, you're in my bed and no, what would make you think that? As much as the thought...interests me, there's no way it'd happen." She said showing a small blush as the words were ending. "Besides, you're very injured and my room was much closer than yours.

"Oh. In that case, thanks Luna." He said sheepishly. Wanting desperately to get out of his awkward situation, Natsu decided to change the subject. "What happened to Discord?"

"Don't worry about him, he's been turned to stone and won't cause anymore trouble for anypony." Luna said with a sad smile, feeling a tad sorry for Discord.

"Stone? Isn't that kinda harsh? I mean, yeah he was a bad guy but I don't think even he deserved that." Natsu said in defence for the Draconequus.

"Please understand Natsu, we had no choice. After you beat him, Discord went completely mad, there was no saving him." Luna explained sadly, understanding all he ever wanted to do was beat Discord, not to imprison him in stone.

"Can I go see him?" Natsu requested to his teacher, or rather, more of a plea.

"Sure, but I'm coming too, you're still injured."

And like that, they set off to see the body of chaos and disharmony one more time.

"Well at least he looks good while encased in stone." He said with a smile towards the Draconequus-turned-statue.

"Not the words I'd use but I guess so." Said his teacher with a slight chuckle. But then she became confused as she watched Natsu walk towards Discord, albeit poorly, and place his hand on the statue's chest and spoke softly to it.

"I'm sorry it turned out this way man, if you and I met earlier, maybe we could've been friends." He said before he began to hear something, footsteps, or in this case hoofsteps. Turning around, he saw who they belonged to, the one pony he didn't like in this world.

"What are you doing here Celestia?" He asked with a watchful glare in his eye.

"I'm here to move Discord into the royal gardens." Celestia replied flatly with a glare in her own rose-pink eyes.

"Why there sister?" Luna asked, slightly confused by what her elder sister had said.

"To let everypony see his defeat to us." She said. That's was the last straw, Natsu snapped. He ran towards Celestia and grabbed her neck. Lightly, mind you, he knew his boundaries.

"You mean you mean you're just gonna use him as a trophy?! He's a living being just like you and I! Don't you have any honour or has your arrogance and pride taken that from you!?" He screamed to the princess of the sun, but in his anger, his wounds had reopened and began to cough up blood.

"Don't stress yourself too much Salamander, your wounds are opening up once more, and next time I won't let anypony help you recover. You should also refrain from touching me ever again, for it is within my power that I can do the same thing to Discord unto you and I'll take great pleasure in doing so." She said condescendingly with a smirk on her face.

As Celestia began to walk away with Discord's statue, Luna went over to Natsu and began to use a healing spell on him, hoping to close the wounds before they got too serious. All the while, Natsu kept a threatening and deathly glare on the alicorn who he despised. How can she be so cruel? Hasn't Discord suffered enough? He thought. All these kinds of thoughts plagued his mind to no end, but one struck his core harder than any of the others.

It is all my fault.

"Mistress, I have two requests of you."

"Yes Natsu?"

"First, I wish for you to give me incredible healing powers where injuries that normally take days to recover would heal in hours. Secondly....."

"Yes? What's the second Natsu?"she asked inquisitively, wondering what brought him to ask these things.

"I want to become immortal, I know it's possible."

"Immortality, are you crazy!? Why would you wish such a thing? Don't you remember what happened to Eclair?"

"Of course I remember her, the mission my team went on with her was only a few weeks before the 'Dai Matō Enbu', the Grand Magic Games. I'll never forget her, nor the tears Lucy shed that night." He said, sadness and despair dripping in his voice

"But still. Why?"

"For a number of reasons actually:
1. Because it's not like I can see my family ever again, I'm in a different world and quite possibly in a different time compared to Earthland.
2. Truth be told, I want to fight Dsicord once more, but on equal terms, just a regular fist-fight.
3. And most importantly, I want to stay by your side, forever and ever." He explained with full resolve in his voice, showing how dead serious he was about his decision.

"Fine, while I still have reservations about your wishes Natsu, I'll grant them for you but only because you're my friend and I don't want to lose you like I almost did today." She said defeated by her student's undefeatable will.

"Thank you milady." Natsu said dutifully and gratefully.

'After my lady made me immortal, I've been able to serve her without a worry. Although Sombrero (or whatever the hell his name is) was a bit of a problem, that guy was pretty strong, but nothing we couldn't handle. The citizens of Equestria are still wary of me and I'm okay with that. I've even started treating her like a little sister rather than a princess, much to Celly's annoyance. Everything was going great but then the rumours started. I kept telling Luna to let it go and she said she did......so how did it turn out like this?'

The thing about dreamscapes, what'd seems like hours, days, even years wouldn't even be a minute in reality. The man spoke in a low tone but audible enough to be heard with his eyes remaining closed: "I swore on my life that I would forever serve Princess Luna faithfully and loyally, Your Majesty, that's why I asked her to make me immortal. She helped me when I was sick and dying when you continually wanted to get rid of me, like I was some kind of abomination." He said.

"Do you hear that dear sister? He will forever do as I say no matter what the order!" said Nightmare Moon in a triumphant tone. "Now my servant, would you be a dear and help dispose of my sister for me?"

After hearing his order, the man's eyes shot open filled with anger. He stretched his arm out until he was pointing his finger at Celestia, the end of his finger magically caught fire but proved no harm to him. The human began moving his finger in a circular shape, leaving a trail of fire in its wake, like he was drawing in mid-air. By the time he had finished moving his finger, what was left in the air was five circles inside one another with intricate patterns in between them and a dragon's head in the middle.

"So my sister, how do you like his 'Fire Dragon Seal Spell' or as he prefers to call it 'Karyuu no Fuin Jumon'?" said Nightmare Moon mockingly to Celestia. "According to him, this spell is strong enough to hold a fully-grown dragon in its place for hours on end at full power. Once the seal touches you, you cannot get out of the circle. But alas, the spell is only in its early stages, so it can only be of use for a few moments. But that alone is plenty of time for me to finish you off. Well? Get on with it human!" She demanded with an evil smile

"I will forever serve Princess Luna" he said walking towards Celestia, all the while Nightmare Moon's smile was growing larger until one more word from the man was muttered:

"However...."

With that one word, the man turned around in the blink of an eye and focused his seal spell while kneeling on the ground with his palm outstretched on Nightmare Moon rather than Celestia, confusing the two princesses together. Nightmare Moon opened her mouth but was interrupted by her former guardian.

"Before you ask why, my answer is simply that I said I'd forever serve Princess Luna. You aren't Luna, you are a monster, a nightmare. Luna would never call me 'servant' or 'human', she was my friend...and you took her smile away." He explained in a solemn tone but quickly turned and raised his voice to princess of the sun "Hurry your majesty!! I can only hold this for a few minutes at most! Use the Elements!!"

Needless to say, Nightmare Moon was absolutely infuriated, and that's an understatement. Constantly, never letting up, Nightmare Moon tried to get out of the seal and escape to get revenge for being betrayed. The man was struggling intensely just hold the seal in place, "At this rate I can only hold it for two more minutes if I push to my limits." He thought

"Please princess! There's no more time left, use the Elements of Harmony NOW!!!!” Yelled the man. Celestia just stood there, confused but cought grasp of the situation in front of her. A sweat was beginning to form on her brow.

"Alright" she replied quietly "You win".

"Thank you princess, now seal her away, I'm sorry you have to do this to your own family." he said sadly.

"It's fine, it is as you say, she is no longer my sister, she's a monster." Celestia said sadly

"Not completely your highness, Luna is still in there somewhere. I believe in her, like how I believe in you to do what is needed to be done."

Celestia's face showed a mixture of happiness, sadness and acknowledgement as she smiled weakly because what she was about to do next will break both of their hearts. In a flash of light, six floating orbs circled around Celestia in a lazy orbit, each bearing their own symbol and element: honesty, kindness, loyalty, laughter, generosity and magic, the six elements of harmony.

"It's over, goodbye sister and I'm sorry" was all Celestia said before the man's seal was dispelled, he quickly rolled away and a wide rainbow coloured arc headed towards Nightmare Moon. From this rainbow arc, the man's face came into view, what was seen was the face of a young boy, streams of tears riding down his entire face sourcing from his obsidian black eyes. Despair. That's all that was feeling for aiding in sealing away the mare who saved his life six years ago.

"Luna, if you're still in there somewhere, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me." He said with more tears gushing down his face.

"DAMN YOU SALAMANDER! I THOUGHT WE WERE NAKAMA!!!!" screamed Nightmare Moon to what would be her final words but before she was sent away, one final blast was sent towards Natsu and hit him square in the chest.

White, a great big flash of white was all that could be seen for a few minutes, it spread all over the forest and the surrounding battlefield, quickly blinding everyone and everypony caught in the flash's blast. After the large, white flash had subsided, Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be found, only those present to what actually happened knew full well where she was, Celestia and the Salamander stood there, looking up towards the moon from which a mare's head with a horn casted a shadow on its surface.

After what seemed like an eternity, Natsu's legs gave way and he fell to the ground, screaming and crying harder than he had ever felt before, even Celestia began to weep for her lost sister but even though it was only six years she acknowledged that her pain right now couldn't compare to his pain as of this moment, the moment when he betrayed the trust of his only friend in the world, the trust of the mare who saved his life. Their crying continued for close to half an hour.

Recollecting their composure, Celestia and Salamander exited out of the forest and walked (trotted in Celestia's case) towards the blood and body soaked area, not without being noticed by the war's participants. It was a hard decision on the pair's part but eventually it was Salamander who spoke up.

"Everypony! Listen up!" He beckoned, his voice was projected vastly across the battlefield. During those six years with his saviour, his best friend, taught him how to use the 'Royal Canterlot Voice', it was still nowhere near as powerful as either of the princesses but it still got the point across, even to the soldiers within their respective bases.

"Princess Luna, no, Nightmare Moon is gone! She has been sealed away! This war. Is over!!!" he beckoned as more tears began to fall but he held them back as best he could. Some soldiers began to cheer out of victory but Salamander cut them off to continue his speech.

"But do not think this day should be commemorated joyfully! Many of your bretheren have fallen, many lives have been lost in these last few months. Don't think this day should be one of victory and defeat, think of it as a day of loss and rememberence for those we have lost, think of it as a day that should never be repeated! This war is over now, there is no more need for anymore bloodshed, the time now is for peace and harmony between everyone! Who's with me?!" He asked raising a clenched fist with his clothes flapping in the wind.

Salamander was rewarded by hundreds if not thousands of cheers from the soldiers present who by now have dropped their weapons, mentally vowing to never let a situation like this to ever happen again. Celestia merely stood behind Salamander and watched in awe and dazed as he alone ended a war with so very few but heart-felt words. 'Maybe I was wrong about him after all these years' she thought. She snapped herself out of her daze when she had noticed that Salamander had turned around and was walking towards her.

"I leave the rest to you. They're your people, not mine." he whispered. With that, he just disappeared, not being seen again by anypony after his speech. Celestia went looking for him the week after the war in the room that Luna gave him since his arrival but found nothing except a note lying on his bed. Celestia picked it up with her magic, a gold-yellow aura wrapping around the note and was levitated to her face, and she read aloud:

"Dear Princess Celestia,

I'm sorry but by the time you will be reading this note, I'll have been long gone. But know that this is not goodbye, I'll be back one day but for now I'll endure the same punishment as your sister: loneliness. I guess I'll go find my father Igneel, I know he's out there somewhere, no one can just disappear like that and not leave traces, I just have to look very hard. I'm so sorry that this happened, you were right, I am a danger to your country, it's because of me that your sister changed. It's all my fault and you can't help me, this is my sin to bare.

That's all I have to say so please remember, I'll be back, I'm strong so don't worry about me. If there's any fights happening in any towns, I'll be there because you know me, I'll be in the center of it.

P.S. I hope your men are doing well, tell them I said hi would you?
P.P.S Would you mind doing me a favour? What I want you to do is....

As Celestia read on what the remainder of his note said, her heart felt like it broke in two. But why? Why place such a heavy burden on yourself? She thought, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Natsu." She said meekly.

As she finished the last sentences of his note, Celestia began to cry after realising how wrong she had been to judge the human named Natsu. He burdened her sins on himself for six whole years. That, to her, is the most beautiful and kind thing somepony, or in this case, someone has ever done for her. She walked towards the balcony and looked out at the peaceful land.

"Until then, Natsu. Take care of yourself, you reckless idiot." she said quietly wiping away her tears. At the same time, Natsu himself was at the top of a mountain clearing when he felt something call to him. He turned around and saw Canterlot on the horizon, far away and said to himself:

"I'll be back, you can count on it. Until next time, my friend." He turned back and walked away all the while, he had a sad smile on his face with his right arm in the air pointing his index finger and thumb out in the shape of an 'L' and he began to do something he had never once done in his life. He sang.

"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Binkusu no sake wo"
"Todoke ni yuku yo"
"Umikaze kimakaze namimakase"
"Shiono mokoude"
"Yuuhi mo sawa go"
"Sora nya wawa kakutori no uta"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"

"Scribes! Prepare to write down the tale of Salamander and last week's war. I also wish to have this mark placed upon my neck, get it done as soon as possible." Ordered the princess to her followers within the vicinity. Their expressions as hard as steel to not let their princess down.

And so, tales of the war and Salamander were passed down through the generations. Tales turned into legends, and legends turned into myths. There was even a prophecy:

"When the terrors of night and chaos are vanquished
once more by the bodies of Harmony,
The Lunar Dragon will rise again to fight with them." It said

These days, barely anypony remembers the stories of the dragon slayer and his duty to Equestria, but myths tend to be real in this world and Equestria was about to get a wake up call from the strongest being in the world.

Author's Note

* Raienryu no Koen - Lightning Flame Dragon's Brilliant Flame

"FINALLY THE THIRD CHAPTER IS OUT!!!!" Is what you're all probably thinking. Well all I'll say is that I'm very sorry that I couldn't upload it earlier, I was hit by loads of work for year 11 and writer's block. I'm sorry for making you all wait so long for this one chapter. It's the holidays for me next week so hopefully I can get two or three more chapters out by the end of them. Chapter 4 is already half done, I'll just finish it and get it edited.

Once again, I'm sorry for the massive wait but thank you all so much for having the patience for my laziness.

Chapter IV - Truth

Chapter 4: Truth

The Everfree Forest.

The most dangerous place in all of Equestria, estimated to be hundreds of acres long and the site of the war of the Sun and Moon. One thousand and two years have passed since that day Nightmare Moon was sealed away into the heavenly body. In those thousand years, the forest has become extremely dense, so dense in fact that Celestia's sun barely manages to get a few streaks of light in there even at high morning. The animals are extremely dangerous to run in to: timberwolves, manticores, cockatrices, even housing a few dragons. The weather changes on its own, no pegasi required and many toxic plants have been grown throughout the forest, no, jungle is more like it. It is without a doubt an area to avoid at all costs unless either you're brain dead, incredibly naive or you have a death wish. The middle option is most the most likely for three young fillies who have walked into said forest.

On their own.

"Are y'all sure that we should be here Scoots?" Asked a southern accented yellow earth pony filly with a blood-red mane wearing a matching red bow and amber eyes, earning an annoyed stare from her companion. Her friend, a pegasus, also a filly with a dark purple mane and tail, a brownish-orange coat and light violet irises.

"Of course we should be here Apple Bloom! The Everfree forest is the perfect place for us three to find our cutiemarks. Right Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo said irritated at her scared friend, looking for support from their last attendee. A unicorn filly with a white coat, a purple mane and tail with rose pink streaks and green eyes.

"I don't know Scootaloo, I agree with Apple Bloom on this one. I mean, didn't we learn the last time we were here from that there cockatrice accident?" She replied worriedly, taking Apple Bloom's side for danger.

"Oh come on, are you serious?! Do you really not want to get your cutiemarks and instead get bullied by Diamond Tiara & Silver Spoon for the rest of your lives?" Argued Scootaloo, looking very angry at her two friends.

"Well, Ah guess you have a point Scoots but Ah have just one tiny question: Where in the hay are we?" Looking around themselves, they found themselves in an unknown part of the forest, even in this dangerous area there are parts of it that have been explored, but not this one. They were utterly, and truely lost, and when you are in the deadliest forest known to ponykind, you're screwed.

Arguing amongst each other, namely blaming Scootaloo who was the self-appointed leader, the three fillies decided to go to the closest place they know that would be safe; the zebra, Zecora's hut. They didn't make it to the hut though for two reasons:
1. They went in the exact opposite direction to the hut and
2. Even if they did go the right direction, lingering in the shadows were their predators and even physical form of their nightmares, Timberwolves.
Timberwolves that were currently surrounding the Cutiemark Crusaders. The numbers between them vastly outmatched the three children, by about 10:1. Terrified for their lives, the CMC try to run away screaming from the savage canines only to fail because they were flanked from all sides.

"Well y'all, it's been great knowin' ya." Said Applebloom as the timberwolves came closer towards them.

"Same here." Said the other two.

Preparing for their imminent deaths, the three young fillies cuddled close together hoping it would be swift. But what do you say to the god of death when you still have a full life ahead of you?

Not today.

A melody began to ring throughout the forest, stopping all actions. Even the timberwolves stopped to hear what was going on. Chatting amongst themselves, the little fillies began to wonder who or what was creating the sound and where it was coming from. Their answer came from the shadows once more, a large being wearing a large, black cloak with a hood that covered all of its appearance aside from it's outer figure and a scale-white scarf while holding a flute was walking towards them, showing no hesitation in its steps.

The timberwolves, upon seeing the newcomer, attacked on sight believing it was a predator about to take their kill. Two wolves went after it first, but the being kept on playing its flute simply kicking the oncoming wolves away from it and back to their pack with no trouble whatsoever. Ten wolves were sent next, once more being kicked metres away from the strange being but the timberwolves showed no signs of stopping the onslaught. All of the remaining wolves plus the ones that had recovered enough were preparing to attack for the kill.

But still the being played its music.

All at once did the timberwolves attack. Going for all possible areas, vital and non-vital, they collided with their target. Or so they thought when they realised they only collided with each other. The cloaked figure jumped at the last second to avoid the fangs of solid wood, suspended in mid-air, you could swear the being was smiling. But the flute still played and the figure's legs were swayed, colliding with every branch limb of the wolves. From an outside perspective, like the Cutiemark Crusaders for example, the cloaked figure looked like it was dancing instead of fighting.

In a mere matter of minutes, it was over. Timberwolves lay everywhere, broken, battered and bruised, glowing green sap of what could be their blood sprayed all over the trees and ground. Ending up in front of the three fillies with its back turned, was their mysterious saviour who had finished playing its song. 30 timberwolves were put down in a three minute melody, only one word came to the figure's mind and out its mouth.

"Swag." It said. The figure then turned around to the three children he just saved. "Are you three okay? Nothing hurt?" He asked, worry in his voice.

"Ye-yeah, we're fine. And it's all thanks to ya mister!" Said Apple Bloom with relief filling her voice.

"That. Was. AWESOME!! You were all like 'Pow!', 'Whack!' and that was only with your legs! Still not as awesome as Rainbow Dash though." Said a rather overexcited Scootaloo who just five seconds ago was about to be killed, earning blank stares from everyone and everypony around her.

"Excuse me for saying this little one but what part of you being in the Everfree alone and nearly getting mauled to death by a pack of timberwolves awesome? Does this Rainbow Dash teach you to go waltzing into the most dangerous forest to ponykind?" He said with a tone that could kill, directing it at the tomboy. In response, the little girl just hung her head in shame and looked to the floor feeling very upset.

"Look, what happens if you come here again and someone or somepony else isn't here to protect you? Next time you may not be so lucky. You have to understand the consequences of your actions. One wrong move and it can cost you your lives, much like myself." He said, ending his words in a whisper. "Let's get you girls home okay? The nearest town isn't very far from here. Just stay close to me and I'll keep you safe alright?"

The three fillies nodded, not wanting something like that to happen once more. The trip was pretty much completely safe except for one manticore that thought they were trespassing. Didn't take much for the cloaked figure to beat it though, after avoiding its scorpion tail, three punches to the abdominal region and a knee to the face was all that was needed to knock out the wild beast.

The little girls couldn't stop themselves from bombarding him with questions, who he was, how was he so strong, where was he from, etc. He only answered one question though, he gave his name, or what the fillies thought was his name: 'Salamander'. The trio were so awestruck thinking how cool and awesome his name fit with his awesome strength. Eventually, they all made it out of the Everfree and made their way into town of Ponyville. But before entering said town, Salamander asked the three young ones to not interfere with what might happen, confusing the children.

The outcome for Salamander was to be expected as they entered the settlement, stares. Stares of worry, stares of fear, stares of anger, you name it. Natsu even received a stare of bewilderment and happiness from a certain aquamarine mare. The fillies behind him were a bit worried by the town's reaction towards him but he simply said to them without looking that it was fine, that he was used to this. To add insult to injury, literally, Salamander was delivered a speeding kick to the side of his head from a cyan and rainbow coloured blur. His body was sent flying for a few metres, falling face-first into the ground.

"Take that ya freak! You won't be terrorising my home anytime soon with the great Rainbow Dash around. So you better stay down if you know-" said the rainbow-maned pegasus with triumph in her voice but was to be disappointed when she saw the monster she had just kicked, with her full strength, stand back up with very little trouble. In response, Salamander simply cracked his neck and turned to face his attacker.

"Listen, I'm not here to cause trouble." He said with a small frown that could be seen under the hood he was wearing. Rainbow Dash for her part was both amazed and furious as to how the intruder (in her mind anyway) could just stand up after her strongest kick and come back like it was nothing. Afraid that he could attack her friends and family, Rainbow set off like a bullet to face her enemy, exchanging blow after blow. This was another thing Rainbow Dash was amazed by, he could keep track of all her moves and block them accordingly, he was as fast as her when it came to fighting.

"Your Rainbow Dash right? Please listen to me, I don't want to hurt you." Pleaded Salamander.

"Yeah right! Who'd want to listen to you, you monster. Why were you holding Scoots and the others captive if you don't want to cause trouble huh?!" Said the mare, continuing to throw her hooves at her enemy.

"I wasn't holding them captive, I was bringing them home! Just stop so we can talk, please!"

"No way! Who'd believe you? 'Cause I sure as hay don't." Dash said with her trademark arrogance.

"Will you just STOP!!" Yelled Salamander. Having had enough with this meaningless fight, he grabbed Rainbow Dash's hindhoof and slammed her into the ground, but he wasn't finished.

A fist tightly clenched came plummeting down a full-on smashed the ground underneath the rainbow mare right next to her muzzle, creating a grade 4 earthquake on the ricther scale and a crater metres wide. The whole town shook, surrounding houses trembled immensely, threatening to crumble. Some even started screaming overdramatically by saying stuff like 'we're under attack!' and 'the horror! the horror!'.Everypony was scared that it might get worse, not wanting that to happen, they began hoping it would be over soon. To which, thankfully for them, it did.

Rainbow Dash just now figured what she was dealing with; a being capable of sending a an earthquake through her whole town with just one punch. She thought it was impossible, nopony could ever do that, a dragon maybe, but this guy was no dragon. He had no scales or large muscles. So how is it possible?

"Now.." he stated "Do I have your undivided attention? I just want to talk." A meek nod with scared eyes was his response.

"Good. Now, those three fillies were all alone in the Everfree and were about to be killed by a large pack of timberwolves. I saved them, I never wanted to bring them harm. All I was doing was bringing them home to their families, that is, until you started to fight me without any proper reason at all. I'm sorry I gave you the impression I was holding them hostage but know that I'd never do that, holding hostages is a coward's move and I'm no coward." Salamander explained standing upright. As he stood back up, Rainbow Dash saw that his hand was bleeding from the knuckles, the skin was torn and the flesh exposed, and yet he didn't even look like he felt the pain.

"Rainbow!!" Yelled a feminine voice from behind, closing in rapidly.

Looking behind, or in front in Dash's case, the two combatants saw five mares running towards them: a lavender unicorn adorning a dark purple tail and mane with a pink streak running through her mane, violet eyes and six, six pointed stars as a cutiemark. An alabaster unicorn with a very stylish violet mane and tail along with sea-blue eyes and a three diamond pattern cutiemark. A Stetson wearing orange earth pony with emerald green eyes, blonde mane and tail with three apples on her flanks. A creamy yellow pegasus with a long pink mane and tail, jade eyes and three butterflies as her cutiemark and finally an unusually bubbly pink earth pony with a slightly darker mane and tail, dark blue eyes and three balloons on her flanks.

There was something strange about these five and Rainbow Dash that Salamander could feel, something resonating between them. The next thing he noticed, the other Pegasus was tending to Rainbow Dash behind him and the four other mares were staring daggers at him, surrounding him from all angles.

"Who are you? What are you? Was it you who caused that tremor? Why're you holding those fillies captive? And why are you attacking my friend? Answer them all now." Said the lavender mare, not showing any signs of hesitation in her words. She was serious and there's nothing worse than an angry mare. Salamander just let out a tired sigh to see this entire fiasco with Rainbow Dash only to repeat.

To prove he was no threat, he removed his cloak to show his full body figure: his clothes comprised of a single sleeved black shirt with gold linings in the centre with a popped colar covered by a long, checkered white scarf with his right arm exposed, showing the red mark on his shoulder and a black wristband, white leggings with a black waistcape and gold linings around the edge, brown belt with a silver buckle and black sandals. Appearance-wise, he was just a boy, from the look of it, not much younger or older than the mares in front of him but stood as tall, if not taller than Celestia. He had a spikey pink mane that only covered the top of his head, onyx black eyes and a fair skin colour.

"I'm Salamander. Yes, it was I who caused that small earthquake, as you can see" showing his injured hand as evidence, letting the blood trail down his fingers and drip onto the ground. "I'm not holding the kids captive, I'm simply bringing them home from their adventure in the Everfree forest and it was your friend who attacked me first, I just got her to stop by creating that earthquake. Admittedly, that was overboard and I'm sorry for that." He explained in full but brief detail of what had happened today keeping a lazy, tired look in his eyes.

"S-Sa-Salamander?" Said the lavender mare shakily, who's eyes had shrunken to the size of pinpricks. The others around her took notice of her still form and fearful face, Natsu also seeing this thought to himself, she knows.

"Twahlight? You okay sugarcube?" Asked the orange earth pony with a strong southern accent in her voice. The following actions surprised everypony around the one named Twilight. Large amounts of magical energy circled around her horn and she opened fire on the human, sending him flying into a nearby hill right at it's base, causing the whole landscape to topple over him as he collided with it.

"Darling! What did you do that for?!" Screamed the other unicorn with a classy, refined tone of voice dominated by shock.

"I did it because he deserves it, I know who he truly is." Explained Twilight, looking upon the ruined mess of a hill and the man in question coming out from under the rubble that once covered him. "He is Salamander, and he is the reason for everything that's happened. He is the reason why Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon and the reason why five hundred and sixty-seven pony lives were lost in the Great War one thousand years ago!"

The fillies and mares present were absolutely terrified, more so than they already were.

"But that's impossible! If he's evil then why'd he save me, Scoots and Sweetie from those timberwolves? He's a good guy!" Protested Applebloom, thinking that Twilight was lying she ran over towards the human with watering eyes. "Right mister Salamander? Y'all a good guy aren't ya?" She asked pleadingly, hoping that the answer she wanted was the right one.

"I'm sorry. I really am, but what she says is true. It's because of me that all those good men and women died and why Luna became that monster. It's all my fault." He said sadly, the pain and sadness in his eyes were evident.

Groggily standing back up, Salamander began to walk towards the enraged mare named Twilight. She became even more scared as he saw him coming in her direction, acting on emotions, she fired magic beams from her horn relentlessly. About fifty percent of her shots hit him but when they did, they caused heavy damage: second degree burns, some caused lacerations and deep cuts.

"Stay back! No, don't come any closer!" She screamed begingly, but he continued to trek towards her. "I mean it! Stay away!" She screamed once more, but it wasn't heeded, for Salamander stood right in front of her and her friends right there and then. Tired, exhausted and in pain, Salamander fell to his knees, breathing raggedly and deeply. Confusing the six mares and drakeling, he simply spoke softly.

"I'm sorry....to all of you. Those ponies were my friends, I shared laughs, drinks, fun times with them and most of all we were happy to be soldiers of Equestria. It was my duty to protect them and my mistress, but I failed. I...never.....wanted....this." He said, ending his words by succumbing to the bliss of unconsciousness.

"Twah. What do we now?" Asked the orange mare.

"I know just what we'll do Applejack. Spike." She called to the young dragon. "Take a letter, tell Princess Celestia that we have her enemy. We have Salamander." She said looking down at the probe body in disgust.

"There's no need for that my little ponies." Spoke a regal voice from behind the six mares.

"P-P-Princess Celestia!" Said Twilight, fumbling her words as to why the princess herself would bother coming to the village. Quickly realising the situation, Twilight, her friends and everypony present bowed to their ruler. "What are you doing here your majesty?" She asked.

"I came to see him my faithful student. I sensed the earthquake from the castle and earthquakes don't occurr in Ponyville, not naturally anyway. The only option was Salamander since his physical power incredibly surpasses my own." Celestia explained to her young protege, all the while walking towards Salamander's still body. As if by coincidence, Salamander turned his head to look up at the solar princess just as she reached him.

"Heh, is there ever gonna be a day where we meet and I don't look like shit?" He said with a soft smile to the princess.

"Considering it's you Natsu, no. Here, let me give you a hoof with that." She said smiling back. Igniting her horn in a golden glow, Celestia casted a spell on Natsu's body, encasing it completely in the same glow. Slowly, the spell began to take effect, by closing all the cuts and regressing the burns on the man's body. It was a healing spell.

"Princess! With all due respect, why are you helping him?! He's the reason your sister became Nightmare Moon as well as the reason all those soldiers under yours and her command died!!" Yelled Twilight, demanding an explanation why her teacher was healing the monster who had caused so much pain in the world right before their eyes.

"That's enough Twilight. The reason I am helping him is because we are nakama, we are family." Said Celestia showing on her neck a black version of the exact same mark Salamander bore. What was more frightening was the fact she spoke with the one thing in her voice that Twilight had never ever heard since day one of her studies with the princess. Anger. "If you want to blame somepony, blame me! Blame me for fuelling my sister's jealousy and anger! Blame me for not letting Salamander have a chance in our world to prove himself! Blame me for not stopping my little ponies from spreading slander and lies about my sister and him! Blame me for being the worst sister and princess in Eque-" Celestia yelled at her student until something met her muzzle before finishing her last sentence. Something that sent her flying into the ground a number of meters away from everypony.

Natsu's fist.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!!!" He yelled with fury. Walking over towards Celestia, Natsu picked her off of the ground by the tuft of her neck and lifted her above the ground. "Luna always believed that you were the greatest sister and ruler of Equestria all the way until the very end. You were her inspiration, her best friend, her nakama, her family! All she ever wanted was to be like you! Don't you dare insult her memory by saying shit like that!!!" He hollered at the princess of the sun, who just looked at him in disbelief as did all the ponies around the two immortals.

Nopony could believe what had just happened, he just physically assaulted the princess of Equestria and was scolding her like a filly who stole the last cookie from the cookie jar (albeit more crudely). Celestia, regaining her composure asked Natsu to let go of her, to which he complied and apologised for. After all the commotion in just one day, Celestia decided that it was best for some relaxation and fun. This caused the pink mare with a bubbly mane to smile with pure glee, said smile was actually threatening to fall off of her face by how wide it was.

"So mister Salamander isn't a bad guy?" She asked.

"That is correct Miss Pie." Celestia replied to the happy mare.

"Do do you know what this calls for? A PARTY!!!" She yelled happily. Looking around himself, Natsu was suddenly in a building filled with streamers, party poppers, an assortment of food, beverages, music and many, many sweets. He also somehow had a drink in his hand without even realising. One second he was outside, the next he was inside and in a party, only one thing came to mind.

"What the hell just happened?!" He yelled confused to nobody in particular, thus earning a small laugh from Celestia who was right beside him.

"Forgive me Natsu, let me explain: that pink pony you just met is named Pinkie Pie, she's Ponyville's number one party pony. She also has this strange ability to..." She began but was intervened by her human friend.

"To take physics, bend it over and fuck it up the ass?" Natsu finished keeping the same confused look on his face. Only Celestia laughed at that comment, everypony who had heard gasped in horror at how foul-mouthed this Salamader was. Every adult covered a child's ears to prevent them from hearing any more. "Oh bugger, sorry about that folks. I tend to be a bit crude with my words when something strange like this happens."

"Hang on one cotton picking minute here. You told us your name was Salamander, so why is the princess calling you 'Natsu'?" Asked and inquisitive Apple Bloom. At this point even her friends and Twilight were curious as to why the Princess was calling him by a different name.

"Let me answer your question with another question little one: since when did I specifically say my name was Salamander?" He asked in return with a sly grin. "That's right, I never did. 'Salamander' is just a nickname and title, my actual name is Natsu Dragneel. Nice to meet ya."

After explaining himself, Natsu was met with a collective 'oh' from the ponies around him. Feeling he was getting peckish, Natsu went over to a table on the other end of the room to grab something to eat. He wasn't disappointed to say the least, for he was met with plenty of options to eat. So he, being a bloke, grabbed plenty of everything and began to scarf down it all as fast he could.

"Ugh, how uncivilised, and I thought he was bad enough from his crime and foul manners." Said the classy alabaster mare with unease.

"Well to be fair Miss Rarity, he's a wizard of Fairy Tail and they aren't known for their manners, especially him." Defended Celestia. Twilight just then, apparently to her friends, went into what they call 'Egghead Mode'. A mode where nothing interests her more than wanting to know the unknown, and the key word that caused this, was the word 'wizard'.

"Wizard? He's a wizard like Star Swirl the bearded, the most legendary unicorn to ever live?!" She asked inquisitively and crazily.

"Yes Twilight, Natsu is a wizard and one of the strongest there is on his world. Mainly due to the fact very few people on his world use the same magic he does."

"What kind of magic does he use that is so powerful only a few can use?" Twilight asked, curious now more than ever. Never in her life had she heard of a kind of magic only so few can use, even if it was magic from another world.

"In Neighpon, it is called 'Metsuryū Mahō'. But in Enquish, it is called something fierce, powerful and threatening." She explained.

"A-and what is it called your highness?" Asked the yellow mare rather shyly, even more so by the way she was hiding behind her friend with the Stetson. Fearing the worst if it was spoken out loud, Celestia brought the six mares in close so that only they would hear what she was about to say next.

"None of you may like it, but it's called Dragon Slayer magic." She whispered, although it couldn't be said the same for Twilight and her friends.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATT?!?!?!? He's a dragon slayer?!" They all yelled in unison, with the exception of the yellow mare who simply hid behind her mane, refusing to make eye contact with the human and the drake who simply ran away to hide somewhere. Celestia and Natsu both had their hands and hooves over their ears to prevent themselves from going deaf.

"Yes Twilight, his magic is the one used to kill dragons." Celestia stated trying to get the ringing out of her ears by knocking her head with a hoof.

"Then why is he allowed to just roam around free like this when he's a killer?"

"Woah there missy, you've misunderstood. My magic may be the kind that kills dragons but I've never killed a dragon before, nor have I killed in general. I also, will never kill a dragon because my father, the one who taught me my magic is a dragon too. So your little friend hiding under the table over there is safe."

"Huh?" She blankly said tilting her head to the side. "Now I'm hearing things, you didn't just say that your father is a dragon did you?" Twilight asked.

"No you heard right. Igneel, my father, is a dragon."

"And how do we know you're not lying, huh?" Rainbow Dash said accusingly, flying right up into Natsu's face with a deathly glare.

"He never lies about his family Miss Dash."

"Yeah? Well he's probably deceiving you like he did to princess Luna when he turned her into Nightmare Moon."

"HOW DARE YOU!!" Celestia furiously roared, scaring and attracting attention from everypony in the building. "Natsu is the most trustworthy, most loyal and most kind being in the world, don't you dare accuse him of-" she said with a rising tone that bordered on the Royal Canterlot Voice, and at the recieving end was Rainbow Dash, who was shaking like a leaf in the presence of a cyclone. Until she was saved by the one human in the room who stood in between Celestia and her. His face wasn't angry nor was it sad, it showed disappointment.

"That's enough Celestia, they don't know the truth about you, Luna and I, and I'm fine with that. Remember what I said to you one time many many years ago? 'What is begun in anger only ends in shame'. This is the second time you've let your anger take control of yourself today and scared all those around you. You're the princess, act like it. These sins are mine to bare and bare alone." He stated calmly but filled with command.

"The truth? What truth?" Applejack asked with concern. Realising he had let that little detail slip, Natsu mentally slapped himself in the face. Well, so much for that secret. He thought.

"I won't go into detail but I will tell you a few things. First off; what does history say about me?"

"That you infiltrated the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, gained the princess' trust and after six years of being with them, your plan of destroying the world came into fruition by turning Princess Luna into Nightmare Moon."

"Destroy the world? Do I really look like a comic book villain to you Celly? Couldn't you have come up with something better?" He said looking a bit miffed at the story he was given, looking towards the princess all he was given was a shrug.

"Where are you going with this?"

"One thousand years ago, due to certain circumstances, I arrived on this planet but not without complications. I never infiltrated the castle, I was sick and injured on that day, it was your princess who brought me in and nursed me back to health."

"Wow, you truly are kind aren't you Princess Celestia?" Twilight said, nuzzling her teacher's neck.

"What are you going on about Miss Twilight?" Asked Natsu.

"Well of course I'm talking about how princess Celestia brought you back to health despite how you repayed her."

"You're wrong. It was Luna who brought me back to health and healed me. Celestia was completely against the idea of bringing in an other-wolrdly creature like me, especially because of how much power I have."

"How much power you have? What does that mean?" Twilight pondered

"Anyway, I'm sure history says that I was cold to everyone and everything too. That is also false, it was everypony in this world that was cold to me. My only friend was the princess. That was my true relation to Luna; she was my saviour, my nakama, my family." A sad smile formed on his face but his eyes showed the meaning of true despair and the smile disappeared. "And now I have nothing left. Nothing at all." He said with absolutely no emotion in his voice, like it was dead. Like he was dead.

"I need some air." He said before walking out the door and into the cold night air. The six mares, three fillies and young drake tried to stop him but the princess stopped them by holding them back with a force-field. A quick nod was given to her as Natsu left, as if saying 'thank you'.

"Princess why won't you stop him? Why can't we stop him?" She said pleadingly

"Please understand Twilight, pain cannot be erased that easily and he knows all too well what true pain is like." She said sadly. "Natsu has literally lost everything. His entire family, his guild, his father, and the one who saved his life. Everything. I consider him a friend but there are things even I cannot do. I cannot erase what I have done to him all those years ago. Just leave him alone."

"I'm sorry princess but I can't obey that request, even if it's from you. He's in trouble and is need of a friend." Twilight said, refusing to heed her mentor's words for the first time in her life. Needless to say, everypony present was absolutely shocked, especially Twilight's five friends. After the shock and gaining the attention of her friends, she asked the fillies and drake to stay behind just in case.

Attagirl Twilight, one must do what's right even if it's against an order from your superior. If you do anything I say without question, you'd be nothing more than a puppet. Your destiny is at hand, but whether you choose to finish it is up to you.

------Outside------

"We've searched the whole town, where is he?" Twilight asked at her friends, desperately trying to find the despaired human.

"Ah dunno Twah, he's gone as fast as cider season." Said Applejack exhausted from searching all over town, including the farm her family owns, Sweet Apple Acres. Suddenly their pink friend began doing random actions that seemed against her will. This could only mean one thing, the Pinkie Sense has been activated, something is going to happen.

"Ooh! Ooh! Twitchy knee, itchy back and flappy ears! He's at Lake Equine!" Pinkie exclaimed. Twilight had been living in Ponyville for a year and thus known Pinkie Pie for a year as well. And yet, she, nor anypony else, could understand one thing about her actions. She was just....random.

"Uhh..........you know what? I won't even bother. Girls, let's go to the lake." She said and the others following suit.

In a few minutes they had reached the lake that resided on the outskirts of Ponyville. Upon entering its area, they had found their target, Natsu was sitting down at the lake's edge and was looking up at the moon that stood high in the night sky. The thing none of them expected was the human to begin singing, or the beautiful voice that accompanied with it.

Underneath the cold November sky
I’ll wait for you
As the pages of my life roll by
I’ll wait for you
I’m so desperate just to see your face
Meet me in this broken place

Hold me now
I need to feel you
Show me how
to make it new again
There’s no one I can run to
And nothing I could ever do
I’m nowhere if I’m here
Without you

Even if you take it all away
I’ll wait for you
Even when the light begins to fade
I’ll wait for you
I’m so desperate calling out your name
Meet me in this broken place

Hold me now
I need to feel you
Show me how
to make it new again
There’s no one I can run to
And nothing I could ever do
I’m nowhere if I’m here
Without you

I’m tired of running
and wrestling with these angels
I lay down
my life and I surrender

Hold me now
I need to feel you
Show me how
to make it new again
There’s no one I can run to
And nothing I could ever do
I’m nowhere if I’m here
Without you

As he sang, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow and Rarity could all feel the very emotion that could not be ignored: sadness. Tears welled up in all their eyes, some more than others, specifically Rarity and Fluttershy who were silently crying their eyes out until no tears could be shed. But it was from these tears that Natsu could smell and tell someone was with him.

"What are you six doing here?" He asked without so much as turning his head, scaring the group behind him.

"How'd you know we were here?"

"Dragon Slayer magic enhances the senses, I could smell the salt of your tears. Oh, and the classy chick's perfume, she's using so much my nose hurts." He explained, grinning slightly at Rarity's flustered face. "You still haven't answered my question, why are you here?" He asked once more.

"Well, we were worried about you, so we came to see if you needed cheering up."

"Don't even bother. There's no room for sympathy for a monster like me in this world." He said raising his hands so that the six mares could see him clench said hands into fists.

"These hands have sinned far too much for this world to handle. So don't bother getting all friendly with me, what I did that night is inexcusable. I don't deserve to live, I should've been dead after the Grand Magic Games. None of this would've happened if I didn't exist. Right, Celestia?" He yelled at a random tree to the left of him. Stepping from behind it was the regal alicorn herself.

"Sharp as ever and yes, you're right Natsu. None of this would've happened if you hadn't come here."

"See? Even your princess agrees with me."

"I wasn't finished. None of this would've happened: I wouldn't know what the value of life was, I wouldn't have met Twilight, she wouldn't have met her friends, they wouldn't become the new holders of the Elements of Harmony and they wouldn't have saved my sister from darkness." She said with a big smile.

"What...did you say?"

"You heard me, Luna is free Natsu. She's back."

He couldn't believe it. The mare who had saved his life, given him a home, a reason to live, his best friend, was back. To say that he was happy was the understatement of the millennium. He was positively overjoyed to the point where his eyes began to water and roll down his cheeks, like little streams comprised from the joy in his heart.

"Are you crying Natsu?" Teased Celestia at her old friend.

"I'm not crying! I'm not!" He protested but failed to convince his spectators. "Oh fuck it, who am I kidding? Yes I'm crying! Is there something wrong with that: crying after hearing my best friend is back?"

"Absolutely not." She replied, bringing Natsu into a winged embrace with tears marking her own eyes. Together they just let their light sobs just flow out, for it was the happiest moment in all their lives, when everypony and everyone was reunited. But this did not stop the questions Natsu had flowing through his mind.

"How long has she been back? Where is she? Is she alright? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asked, bombarding the solar princess. While they were legit and honest questions, they did not sit well with the ruler of Equestria when asked all at the same time.

"Natsu, first off, calm down." She said with a slightly annoyed expression. "Secondly, I can't really tell you when you're missing dummy!" Nervously did Natsu smile at Celestia while rubbing his neck, muttering a small 'sorry about that'.

"Anyway, she's been free for close to a year now and she's been more alive than ever. The only problem is: is that she's now more reserved around ponies, she doesn't know if she can trust them."

"Well it's understandable after what those bastards did to her a thousand years ago. So where is she now?" He said with spite in his voice.

"I do not know Natsu, for all I know she could be in Saddle Arabia right now. There're two reasons why I don't know: the first being that she's been away for a thousand years, she's missed a lot of things. Secondly, she's looking for you. She wants to find you really badly."

"Then I'll stay here, I'll wait for her as long as it takes. Just don't tell her I'm here, please?" He asked with resolve, earning a nod from his old friend who understood the reason behind his words when others didn't. There's one last thing to solve though, he turned around and faced the six mares, the Element bearers. "You six..I cannot express my gratitude high enough for this. You saved my nakama when I couldn't. Thank you. Thank you so much." Said Natsu as he got down on his knees and bowed his head. Celestia was both amazed and shocked at the scene before her and couldn't help but giggle a bit.

"You are definitely amazing my little ponies. You got Natsu to bow for you." She said when she regained her composure. Her student and subjects just blankly stared at her until Twilight spoke up for the group.

"Why do you make it sound like it's impossible Princess?" She asked.

"Because my student, it is. Ever since I met Natsu, he's only ever bowed once and that was for my sister." She explained. The mares were absolutely shocked looking at the man who now, stood tall with biggest grin on his face. To only ever bow once in front of a princess was unheard of, it was madness.

"Yeah well, it's like you said Celly: us Fairy Tail wizards aren't known for our manners. Come on, we have a party that needs attending to." He said as he began walking off
towards the location of the party.

As they all walked back together, Twilight asked some questions about his homeland. Natsu answered them as best he could, which was satisfactory to Twilight. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash had a question that nopony wanted or expected to hear from her mouth.

"How about we have a fight?" She asked. It was too much for Celestia and Natsu, they had tried to not laugh at her request but failed on epic proportions, they were laughing their guts out. She asked what was so funny but the two just kept laughing, they were even rolling on the floor holding their sides. Rainbow was completely embarrassed, her light blue muzzle had turned to a beet-red. She asked what was so funny again, only more furiously, but this time the laughing had died out and had been replaced with heavy breathing after so much torture on the lungs.

"You, want to challenge Natsu to a fight? Forgive me Miss Dash but give it up, you have no chance of beating Natsu in a fight." Celestia said gasping for air, still holding her sides.

"What? Why?!" Rainbow screamed.

"It's alright, I accept. Let's teach you a lesson Miss Dash, a lesson that should've been learnt after our last skirmish."

Last skirmish? Oh boy, she's dead. Celestia mused, a pained but happy expression embedded on her muzzle.

"Don't hold back okay? Ready? GO!!" She screamed and like that she flew towards him with the speed of a rifle bullet. Rainbow Dash began to fly in circles, creating a small cyclone around Natsu who simply just stood there with a look of complete disinterest. "What? Too scared to move? Are you that impressed by my awesome moves?" Rainbow taunted, her voice coming from everywhere at once. Her opponent just said and did nothing except close his eyes to focus.

Sight's gone, she's too fast when she's flying, I can't read her moves. Okay, smell and hearing. I can only rely on those in this situation. Focus Natsu, hear her wingbeats, her breathing, her heartbeat... He thought, clenching a fist shut tight, waiting for his opportunity. Time seemed to slow down for the Dragon Slayer, everything had become clearer to him. There! he thought finally. Launching his fist foward, it came into contact with nothing at first, but was instantly met with the flesh of Rainbow's head. The sheer force of punch sent the cyan mare rocketing at the same speed as before.....but also involving crashing into a tree and breaking said tree in half.

Ow.

-----3 minutes earlier, outside the arena-----

The spectators, just waited eagerly to see the end results of the fight. Everypony knew that even though it was a friendly fight, it didn't mean that Rainbow wouldn't go all out. Everypony was dead silent and the tension was incredible, so much so it was almost unbearable.

"What's going on Princess? Nothing's happening." Rarity said, clearly agitated from her tone of voice.

"It's simple Rarity, Natsu's waiting for his time to strike." She calmly stated back to the young mare.

"To strike? Nuttin' can hit RD when she's that fast, not even you princess. Uhh, no offence and all." Said Applejack, instantly regretting her choice of words.

"None taken Applejack. Let just ask you five a question: how long was this fight Natsu and Miss Dash had before I arrived?"

"About five minutes by the time we got to them in the center of town." Twilight answered.

"Then Rainbow Dash will never win against Natsu."

"Why do you say that? She has a chance, there's always a chance." Fluttershy spoke for the first time that day.

"Let me just tell you this then: back then, during the war, one would assume Natsu was placed on the frontlines due to his strength but that is wrong. Natsu wasn't a combatant in the war, he was the tactician. He does love a challenge, he loves to fight, get stronger and while he is a complete idiot, if you put him in a fight, his mind is a steel trap. Five minutes is all he needs to find out everything about his opponent. From their battle stance to their very breathing." She explained with proudness and a hint of fear, thus is true respect; to fear and admire one who is stronger than yourself at the same time.

All the younger females were shocked to the core, they couldn't believe that such a being could exist. How could somepony, or in this case someone be so strong that they can read their opponent like a foal's book after only a number of minutes?

It was at that moment that a sickening crack could be heard throughout the area. The crack itself, its origins belonged to a tree toppling over backwards from a certain blue pegasus crashing into it. The princess and everypony else, Natsu included, instantly ran over to their friend and aid her in any way possible. She was barely holding onto consciousness when they got to her unfortunately.

"Aww shit I did it again." Natsu said as he came upon Rainbow's lying body. For five minutes Twilight and her friends verbally attacked Natsu with questions like: 'Why'd you do that to her?' and 'How could you do that so mercilessly?'. Having had enough of the bickering, Celestia asked (more like ordered) them to drop the subject and focus on help Rainbow Dash who was only starting to feel better, despite having a black eye. Getting her back on her feet, sorry hooves, Twilight and Celestia casted a healing spell on Rainbow. All in all, a mild concussion, a black eye and four bruised vertebrae were healed completely in one minute.

"Now, in my defence, she did say not to hold back when the fight started." He said nervously, enticing a couple of glares towards him and his pegasus opponent who was also quite nervous around her companions. "So, shall we continue to the party? We kinda got sidetracked there." Natsu said taking point, leading the group back to the town. Thankfully, when they got back, the party was still underway with soft 'booms' escaping the walls. It was as if nopony even noticed six mares, a princess and a human leave the building, that or they didn't want to waste a good party that was already set up.

"Before you go in, Natsu, there's something I want to talk to you about in private. Do you think you could come to Canterlot tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure. Are we talking like lunch?"

"Yes that would be perfect. Now I'm sorry my little ponies but I have to bid farewell to you all for tonight." She said elegantly as she apologised. Looking to a far by clock tower, Teilight read the clock as quarter to ten.

"Well, it is getting quite late. Goodnight princess, I hope you have a safe trip back."

"Goodnight my faithful student. Also, I am sorry for how I behaved to you all today, especially you Natsu. This apology is long overdue, but I am sorry of everything that I did to you one thousand years ago and that I did not stop my sister from becoming Nightmare Moon. Please forgive me."

"I won't accept that petty excuse if an apology," he said coldly without expression but Celestia wasn't bothered by this, she hasn't expected him to forgive her after all those years. The rest of the group however was shocked, absolutely appalled by how cold his words were, until he brought the oldest looking book one had ever seen. Opening at a random page, he read aloud: "1008 years, 3 months, 4 weeks, 2 days. That's how long I've forgiven you, and there's something special about that day."

Pulling Celestia closely so only she could hear his words, he whispered one sentence. Nopony else heard what Natsu had said but Celestia definitely did and she wept like a little foal. Flabberghasted was an understatement to the spectators, utter confusion roamed their minds. Did the man say something purely kind or dreadfully horrid? The open weeping lasted for a few moments, eventually relinquishing into small sobs. The whole time, Natsu was standing there embracing her. Ceasing from her crying, Celestia thanked Natsu and bid her farewells with tears marking her cheeks.

"What did you say that made the princess cry like that?" Twilight asked, speaking what was the main focal point on everypony's mind.

"Simple," he started, reaching his hand out to the doorknob of the building.

"It was the day I became Luna's guardian." Natsu joyously said with the widest smile anypony had ever seen as he opened the door.

That night, the sadness and despair that hollowed Dragon Slayer's heart was replaced and filled to the brim with happiness and joy. And drinking, oh god the drinking. The torn wizard had recovered what he had lost after one thousand years. It's an awful long time to wait, but the results were worth the world to him.

Definitely.

Author's Note

IMPORTANT!! PLEASE READ!

Okay, so here's chapter four. I technically finished this last night but I figured I'd leave it until morning where everybody's up and attem. Anyway, chapter five has been started but I cannot guarantee that it'll be finished any time soon. I have exams coming up in four weeks and I really need to knuckle up on my studies. So unfortunately, until they are done, I won't be writing at all. I can expect it though, to be done by the end of the school year. Hope you guys understand and will be patient with me. Thank you for waiting all this time for my story to be updated and I hope you like it.

ciaossu, Sketch.

Chapter V - Scars, Nobles and Lunch in the City

Chapter V: Scars, Nobles and Lunch in the City

Destruction. That's all that was laid out in a once prosperous city. Ruins of olden style homes, trading buildings, castles and an arena all laid down, levelled to the ground. But amongst all the rubble and chaos, one particular structure stood tall, proud and ominous.

A gate. The largest gates one could ever see in his entire lifetime. It's colours consisting of gold, silver, turquoise and navy blue with markings of a sun in the middle of the gate and rays spraying out from it. The design of the massived structure was intricate to say the very least and it was because of this gate that caused this fine city's destruction. For every gate or doorway, there's always something awaiting on the other side and this gate was a path.

A path to the past or future. This gate allows one to travel through time, where you'll go no one knows.

"Why do you have to go? This is my fault, I didn't close the gates in time. So I should be the sacrifice." Says a young feminine voice, her appearance is that of a teenager with long, blonde hair done into two pigtails.

"No, I won't let you. Rogue said the Eclipse gate needs an extreme power to close it. My magic gets stronger every time I fight, so mine should be more than enough to close the gate. Forever."

"But why? Fairy Tail won't be the same without you. You're way too important to me, I don't want to lose you too."

"Why? Because I have to. If the gate isn't closed now, who knows what'll come through? More dragons? Guys as evil and as strong as Rogue? I can't risk that Lucy, you know it too." The man said. Letting loose from the girl named Lucy's grip, he began to walk forward towards the giant gates. Lucy began to chase after him but before she could move even one metre, a giant wall of fire erupted from the ground upwards, creating a barrier between the two people.

"No!" Lucy screamed, tears stinging her eyes like wildfire.

"I'm sorry Lucy but you can't stop me this time. I'm doing this to protect you, I can't bear to see you or anyone get hurt if this happens again. Fairy Tail is my family, you have all treated me so nicely, some more than others. I could never repay that, so thank you. Thank you all for the memories."

"The Eclipse gates are a passage through time, I could be sent to the past or the future. I'm betting on the past because of where the dragons came from. I could be sent ten years back or fifty, maybe even a few hundred. But don't worry, I'll see you all again sometime. I don't know how and I don't know when but I will see you all again. I promise." He said smiling sadly, turning his back from his friend he raised his arm and gave the signature 'L' shape of the guild. It means no matter where I am, even if I can't see you, I will always be with you. Said a small boy with short blonde hair and a red shirt, posing himself the same way.

"Thank you all so much for these many years. Later."

"NATSU!!" Screamed Lucy with all of her willpower, crying a river.

White light was the only thing that welcomed the young man when he entered the gate. Then black, and then into a raining forest.

Natsu awoke with a startle, he was breathing deeply and raggedly, sweat dripped down from his brow like on a hot summer day, his eyes showed they were shaken to the core and his hands were trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Damn. That dream again, why can't it just stop haunting me? He mentally cursed. Bringing a shaking hand to cover some of face, he attempted to calm himself down. Equestria is my home now, has been for over a thousand years. Earthland is gone. Natsu sighed, remembering his old home and his family after all these years wouldn't help him go back.

"I need to calm down, maybe a shower or something will help." He said.

It wasn't until then that he had realised something. He wasn't in the same building as where the party was held the night before. Looking around, it seemed that he was in a library of sorts, what with all the masses of books stacked in shelves around him. Whoever lived there was also kind to give him the lounge to sleep on with a blanket and pillow.

"Aw man. I didn't do anything I should regret last night, did I?" He said to no one. "Ehh whatever. Where's the shower room?" Wriggling himself out of his makeshift bed, Natsu begins to walk randomly to an open door on his left. When he enters he finds a well-made mahogany table with six matching chairs, a gas stove, a sink with a working tap and a fridge.

No doubt about it, he had found the kitchen. Well at least I'm not fighting an agro princess who controls the sun and going through walls this time. He chuckled nervously, remembering the first time he met Celestia. BOY was that a bad first impression.

Continuing his journey through the unknown building, Natsu found a basement full of lab equipment and god knows what else. Natsu's blood went cold and shivers ran up his spine imagining what could happen down in the basement. God help whatever gets stuck down there for experiments.

Searching around the library, he had finally found the bathroom. There was a bath, a shower, a sink and a towel rack. Brilliant, time for a shower. Just hope it isn't too small for me. Thankfully, it wasn't. The shower was oddly just the right height for the human to fit in. It was as if someone or somepony expected him to have a shower at a random stranger's house. Natsu had a pretty good idea who but he didn't think it mattered, instead he took off his clothes and turned the water up to a pleasurable temperature.

Fifteen minutes later, Natsu had exited the splendid shower and grabbed a towel off the rack next to him. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he made sure it covered up his private parts. Just in case somepony came barging in, that would not be a nice situation to be in.

Looking himself in the mirror, Natsu saw many things besides his usual self. He saw a monster that had lost and betrayed many. He saw fleeting emotions, such as; joy, happiness, anger, despair. He saw the dozen scars on his body, front and back, from all the situations he had been through in his long years of living. But there was one mark on his chest that concerned him more: it was circular but had octagonal and triangular shapes as well, with a crescent moon comprising most of the structure and three conjoined four-pointed stars in the curve of the moon. Strange symbols marked the outer an inner rings, like runes of an ancient language.

Seeing this mark gave the human great pain, mostly mentally. It was like a sign of all his failures in this world. All he could do was to breathe deeply and attempt to push away all the dreadful memories from a thousand years ago.

"Morning sunshine. Sleep well?" A voice suddenly called out from behind the human. Turning around with cheeta-like speed, he saw the same purple pony who he had met yesterday (and ploughed him through a hill), Twilight Sparkle. But that wasn't what scared him, what scared him was the fact she saw his body of shameful scars. Grabbing his shirt quickly, he put it on.

"It's very rude to barge in unannounced Miss Twilight." Natsu said lowly. Looking to Twilight, he saw that she was only concerned about his body.

Sweet Celestia, his body! Those scars! Why does he have so many?! I mean, he did serve the princess but this is ridiculous. Seeing the way his body was begged so many questions that needed answers. It wasn't until Natsu spoke to her that these thoughts emptied out of her mind.

"About what you saw. Tell. No one." He said, his voice strong, stern and dangerous. The look in his eye made it all the more threatening, like if she did tell somepony that wasn't their business to begin with, bad things will happen. After a few moments, his expression softened and he apologised, ridding the subject by saying it was of no concern of theirs, that they shouldn't involve themselves in something they wouldn't understand.

Before putting the remainders of his clothes on his body, Natsu asked Twilight to vacate the premises. At first she was confused but then she realised she was talking to him, in the bathroom, while he was half-naked. If heads could explode, hers would from sheer embarrassment. The colour of her head turning from lavender to volcano red in a matter of seconds only helped to prove this point more. With speed like one of Alzack's bullets, Twilight left the room without a second thought. Natsu couldn't help but at least snicker in her quick getaway.

"Heh, she's a sweet kid. I can see why Celly likes her so much." He said softly, removing the towel from his waist putting the lower half of his clothes back on.

Oh Celestia-damn me! Why in the wide, wide world did I not realise that sooner! Ohhhh I'm going to Tartarus for this! She mentally fretted but her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Natsu's voice from the other end of the door. Hearing his words replaced all the embarrassment with absolute warmth. They were the words of an older brother, maybe even a father, full of careness and compassion.

"You know, it's a bit rude to call me a 'kid'. I am nineteen you know?" She said matter-of-factly, as if the events from ten seconds ago never happened. The door opened to reveal the human with his usual attire on completely this time. Looking down at his equine friend, Natsu held a smug grin on his face.

"Technically speaking, I'm one thousand and thirty-one, so pardon my language but bitch please. Everyone and everypony is a kid in my eyes, you're no exception kid." He said cockily, messing up Twilight's mane just for good measure on his way into the kitchen.

When they had entered, Natsu found Spike already at the stove cooking something for breakfast. Spike welcomed the human with a tired 'good morning'. Reading the clock above them, Natsu read it as 7.04 in the morning. Concerned it was a bit early for a baby dragon to be up, he offered to take over breakfast duty and let Spike sleep some more. Spike refused Natsu's request every time, waving it off by saying it was normal for him to be up this early because he was Twilight's faithful assistant.

"I forgot. Natsu, the Princess sent a letter while you were having your shower. Unfortunately, all her guards are on duty today so she cannot send a carriage for you. You'll need to catch the train to Canterlot." Twilight said, sipping out of a cup of tea Spike had apparently made a shortly before. Natsu's eyes meanwhile, shrunk to pinpricks and a cold sweat once again dropped from his brow.

"Seriously?! But she's the Princess, can't she pull a few strings?" He asked, the shakes of both their heads did not help. "Well how long does it take to get from here to Canterlot by train?"

"Three hours." Spike and Twilight said simultaneously. Two words that sounded easy, were absolutely not so for the dragon slayer. Releasing a loud groan, Natsu let gravity take control of his head and crash it on the table with a loud bang, rattling all the cutlery and plates.

"Fuck."

----3 hours of nonstop sickness later----

"Ugh...I *burp* fucking *bleugh* hate *huurp* trains!" He screamed as best he could while recovering from the train ride, desperately trying not to throw up. The first thing he was going to do when he saw Celestia was ask her why she didn't just teleport him there.

Crawling his way to some shade from a nearby building, Natsu simply laid against the wall trying to regulate his breathing and ease his troubled stomach. He sat down with both legs crossed, one underneath the other. Feebly looking around himself, he saw that all the ponies in the city were keeping their distance from him, not even being within a hundred metres of his body. Normally, this wouldn't have surprised nor upset Natsu but the ponies of Canterlot were the kind of ponies he hated most: pompous, stuffed-up, selfish, greedy nobles. Even with this in mind, Natsu couldn't even scowl at them, he was simply too weak from his motion-sickness.

Tch! Damn nobles, the lot of 'em. Always stuck up and care about nothing but themselves. I hate them. Natsu thought weakly.

"Are you alright there young lad?" Said a sophisticated, male voice. Looking up, Natsu saw two ponies in front of him, one a mare, the other a stallion. The stallion was a white unicorn with a wavy, cerulean blue mane, tail, eyes and moustache. He wore a monocle over his left eye, a casual tuxedo with a blue undershirt and light purple bowtie. Finally his cutie mark was three crowns with purple diamonds in the middle.

His female companion was also a white unicorn. She had a light pink mane and tail with cream highlights, her eyes were a lovely violet colour that contrasted nicely with her mane and tail. Her cutie mark was three strange symbols that looked cross-between a flower and a blade.

Well this is surprising. Never thought a noble would talk to me, let alone out of concern. Maybe this guy isn't so bad. he thought, managing a weak grin. "I've been worse sir. Don't worry about me, it's just motion-sickness from the train."

"Well that's most certainly not alright. You need something to help ease your troubles." Looking to his companion, the stallion asked "Fleur, can you go get the lad some water and some sickness tablets from the pharmacy?"

"Don't bother, it's going away. I still may not be feeling a hundred percent but I'm okay now."

"Are you sure? You sure you don't need a doctor or something?"

"I'm fine, trust me.... You know, I really hate nobles like the ones in this city. But you two are pretty cool, you actually felt concern for my health and weren't afraid to talk to me." Weakly reaching up an open hand, he held it in front of the kind stallion in front of him. "Name's Natsu Dragneel."

"I'm Fancy Pants. The lovely mare next to me is Madame Fleur de Lis." He said introducing himself and his mare companion, accepting the hand with kindness.

"I can't argue with that, she is rather beautiful. Pleasure to meet you Madame, I would bow but I still need a bit to fully recover."

"That's perfectly fine young colt. That is, if I can call you a colt seeing as we have no idea what you are. No offence." She said courteously, bowing her head as a sign of forgiveness.

"None taken. I'm a human being, so when you say something like that you add 'man' on the end. Kay?"

"Okay. Thank you Mister Dragneel."

"And none of that 'mister' stuff please, it makes me feel old. Just Natsu is fine."

"Oh, forgive us then Natsu. Why are you here in Canterlot?" Asked the suave stallion.

"I'm here to have lunch with my family."

"You have family here? Are they like you?"

"Nah, I'm the only human in the world here. My family are...." He said but suddenly stopped, his eyes sharpening like a hawk's. Sensing something was disturbing him, Fancy Pants asked Natsu what was wrong. All Natsu replied with was; "Something's wrong, can't you hear it?"

Fancy Pants and Fleur were confused to say the least. Being ponies, they have a higher sense of hearing than other animals and yet, they couldn't hear a thing except the busy life of the grand city they lived in. So what could Natsu hear that they couldn't?

Natsu began to stand up, when he did so, it was more imposing than the two unicorns originally thought. He pretty much towered over them, at full height Natsu was at least twice as tall as them, horn excluded. Not even saying a word, the young man began to walk away, his eyes remaining as sharp as they were moments ago, without showing any sign of letting up. Curiosity had got the better of the mare and stallion, out of concern and confusion they began to follow close by Natsu.

It was only a matter of mere minutes before the three had arrived in front of a restruant, a very expensive looking one at that. And from inside came the sounds of shattering glass. Some words could be heard but not a whole lot of them, the voice clearly belonging to a male from it's deep tone dripping with wrath.

Not wanting to stand by and watch somepony get hurt, Natsu opened the door and entered the restruant. What he saw, he didn't like. A light green earth pony waitress was on the ground trembling like an ant in the presence of a cyclone, and this cyclone came in the form of an angry unicorn stallion. This stallion was white, had a long brown mane and tail and sky blue eyes. His cutie mark was an eight pronged star, two four pointed stars overlapping each other. The top star was gold while the bottom was blue and he wore a white tuxedo and a blue bowtie. A tuxedo, that had a small, orange spot on his chest region.

"You filthy little wrench! How dare you spill the juice on me?!" He yelled, stomping a hoof right in front of the mare.

"I'm sorry sir! It was an accident!" She pleaded back at him, imploring him to forgive her for an accident.

"You DARE to talk back to ME?! Know your place you useless waste of space!" Spat the stallion as he began to physically abuse the waitress.

Natsu was disgusted by the stallion's actions. Here was a young mare who seemed to just simply make one tiny mistake and he was just pummelling her without mercy. But what he hated most was that two guardponies and many other normal ponies were inside as well, but they just stood there, doing nothing at all. It made Natsu's blood boil, and it takes a lot to do that.

Walking forward, Natsu ignored all the stares he was given and just walk onwards towards his target: the abusive stallion. When he was just a metre away, Natsu clenched his hand shut into a tight fist and punched the stallion in his uptight muzzle who flew right into a wall, cracking upon impact. Everypony in the vicinity froze like statues in his actions. Whoever he just punched, it was somepony important. Not that Natsu really gave a shit at that moment, his only concern was the waitress' safety.

"Oi, little miss. You alright?"

"Y-yes I'm f-fine. Thank you for helping me mister..."

"Natsu. My name is Natsu." He replied, his smile as warm as Celestia's. But that didn't hide the pain he saw before him.

From his perspective, Natsu saw many cuts, bruises and even a sprained hoof. She needed first aid but he had nothing him except the clothes on his back. There's the answer. Natsu ripped off his sleeve and grabbed a vase of flowers. Removing said flowers from the vase, he was left with just a vase of water. Using his removed sleeve as a rag, Natsu plunged it into the vase and moistened it enough for use.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm only going to help treat those injuries of yours. You can trust me." He said soothingly, his expression careful and compassionate. With a small nod, Natsu brought his wet sleeve to the mare's leg and began cleaning it from any infectious bacteria. "What's your name ojou-san?" He asked

"My-my name is Lily Blossom, Mister Natsu. Umm, what was that word you just said? The 'ojou' one?" She asked weakly while being treated.

"Ah, 'ojou-san' means 'young miss'. Rather fitting actually with your beautiful looks, I bet your milkshakes bring all the stallions to the yard huh?" Said Natsu, chuckling at Lily's expense from her furiously blushing muzzle and her stuttering words of objection.

"Why are you just standing there?! Arrest it!" Screamed a voice that undoubtedly belonged to the same stallion he had just hit. Looking behind himself, Natsu's suspicions were proven correct when he saw that poncey asshole again. Only with a swollen cheek. Natsu couldn't help but smile at the handiwork he had caused, it felt good to punch a noble.

"We cannot sir."

"I'll have your heads for this if you don't arrest that monstrosity right now!" Threatened the slightly injured stallion. He was lucky Natsu only punched him and didn't beat him into submission.

"But sir, that is Princess Celestia's little brother."

"Horseapples! There's no way my aunt would have a monster like that for a brother! Explain yourself for this lie!" He screamed again, his anger controlling his state if mind completely.

"It is no lie sir, a few hours ago Princess Celestia gathered all the guards in Canterlot..."

~~~~3 hours ago, Royal Guard training area~~~~

The whole training ground was filled with every single guard posted in Canterlot, even those who were off-duty. A number of the guards were talking amongst themselves, leaving their normal stoic gaze behind, wondering why the princess called all of them out. Whatever it was, it had to have been a matter of extreme emergence. As if their minds were read, the princess walked out onto the field, her regality almost pouring from her presence.

"Atten-TION!" Yelled a white unicorn with deep indigo and gold armour, his rank differentiating from the other guards. His cutie mark revealing to be a blue shield with a pink star in the middle of it and three smaller stars lacing the top of the shield. At the sound of his authoritive voice, all the guards in the area snapped to attention like lightning. "Present hooves!" He once again yelled, bringing his right forehoof up for a salute. All other ponies copying his actions.

"At ease my little ponies. I have called you all here today to tell you of wonderful news. My little brother is coming to Canterlot today for lunch." She said smiling radiantly. It wasn't the same for the guard ponies though. Every soldier's jaw had hit the floor with a simultaneous 'gong'. Stifling a giggle, Celestia continued speaking. "You are all thinking: 'A little brother? How in Tartarus is that possible? Princess Luna's your only family.' That is true, he's not my brother by blood but I trust him with my life. So please be on the look out for him. Any questions?" She asked out to her crowd.

There were a few moments of silence until a grey stallion wearing golden armour stepped forward. After asking permission to speak from his commanding officer and princess, he asked; "How will we know which stallion is him? None of us have ever known of this 'brother' of yours, let alone met him." He said, drawing a few unwanted murmurs from his comrades in arms.

"You don't have to worry about that, you'll know it's him on first sight because he isn't a stallion, nor is he even a pony. But if you still think you won't find him from that, he has a pink mane, a white scarf with a scale pattern and a red mark just like the one I have on my neck." Showing the mark on her neck gave all the stallions and mares an clear conscience on who specifically to look for and started to feel relieved somewhat.

"Now for the bad news." She said with remorse. The tension that had once left returned threefold. "Unfortunately, my brother is a troublemaker and he's much stronger than myself. So if he's in a fight, don't try to stop him until it's resolved. Because if you do, you'll be pulled into it and you don't want that, trust me on this. But also know he never starts a fight without reason. So, this is an official order: none of you are to fight him, nor are you allowed to arrest him, unless it is a matter of grave importance. So if my nephew is bitching about something he did to him, don't bother. And finally, he is allowed free reign over the city and castle. That is all, good luck."

~~~~

"And so, that is why we are not going to stop him. Unless it is important, we will not interfere with what he does." Replied the guard, his stone face remaining ever hardened.

"He just punched me in the face!" Hollered the stallion. But the guards' faces just remained the same stone-cold expression they were trained to hold no matter what. It was a few moments until the guard had replied.

"Unless it is important, we will not interfere with what he does." He repeated. Needless to say, the stallion was most certainly not impressed by this act of defiance from simple guards who're lower than himself. The only one who was impressed was Natsu who just started laughing.

"Get some cream for that burn why don't ya?" Taunted Natsu, who was still laughing.

"You..You are a beast." He grimaced, cringing his teeth at the human who had assaulted and humiliated him.

"And you're an asshole, what else is new? Listen buddy, I've been called stuff like 'monster' and 'beast' for centuries. I don't care what you do to me nor what you call me, but if you ever insult or attack my friends and family don't think you're gonna get away unhurt!" Said Natsu, baring his own fangs at the stallion.

"Friend?" Asked Lily. This was confusing for her, he had only known her no more than five minutes but he was already calling her his friend. Natsu, now looking at the mare had a look of confusion but turned into another radiant smile.

"Yeah, we're friends aren't we?" He asked in return.

"Don't you know who I am?!" Rolling his black eyes, Natsu looked back to the other stallion with a look that could clearly tell he was bored and/or didn't care.

"No and frankly, I don't give a shit."

"I am Prince Blueblood!"

"You, a prince? Don't make me laugh. A prince is supposed to protect, honour, and most importantly, treat his subjects with equality and kindness not treat them like dirt and almost try to kill them after a small accident. So let me ask you a question: what runs a kingdom?"

"That's a stupid question, the thing that runs a kingdom is it's money and most of all the power of the Royal Family."

"You're the stupid one if that's truly your answer. With an answer like that, you wouldn't last one day as a ruler. You'd quit immediately, turn away from your people and run with your tail in between your legs. Because that is what you are. A coward." Picking up his new friend, Natsu carried her as if she was a princess from a fairy tale book.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go have lunch with my family and friends." Walking towards the entrance of the building, everypony stayed out of his lest they wanted to be hurt too. But he stopped when he was in front of the two ponies who he had first met. "You two coming or what?"

"But we aren't your family nor your friends." Fleur replied, her head hanging a little and her eyes showed confusion.

"Nuh-uh, there's your mistake. You are my friends, you helped me when no one else would, and that's more than enough to make me call you my friends. Besides, if you come I can guarantee you two things:
1. A free meal
2. A free meal with the princess." He said, the smug grin he had on his face could be seen like a book. If that did not win them over, nothing would have. Thankfully it did, as they followed him without a second thought.

"One last thing. Guards," the human started, not turning his back from the entrance of the restruant. The two guardsponies instantly snapping to attention at their beckoning call. "Celestia said that I was stronger than her in her debrief, correct?"

"Yes sir, she did." He said solidly to his superior.

"Did she happen to say why and how I was stronger?"

"No sir, she didn't." His partner replied, slightly worried about why the princess didn't tell the royal guard why he was stronger than her.

"I see, then let me tell you why: it is because I am a Dragon Slayer. I can do whatever Celestia can't. So, Blueblood," at the sound of his name, Blueblood's body stiffened and his blood froze as he looked upon the dangerous Dragon Slayer. "should I find you treating anypony like this again, young or old, stallion or mare..."

Turning to face the prince, Natsu's face looked both calm and absolutely furious. His eyes adorning slits as pupils, giving them the image of a cat's...or a dragon's, the very kind he was raised and taught by.

"You are going to be playing dragon and you will taste a living hell." As he left, the frozen blood in Blueblood's veins began to boil and stir up all the anger that had been suppressed in that moment.

"Natsu huh? Well know this peasant, nopony makes a foal out of me. I will make you fear me and bow to me you cretin." His whisper barely audible and as dark as if the Grim Reaper himself had settled on his shoulders.

After the four had left the restruant, Natsu began ranting on about how fun it was to threaten Blueblood and see his reaction in turn. Fancy Pants, Fleur and Lily were a bit concerned by his actions but in the end, they were just and nopony could deny that. Feeling that it was uncomfortable for Lily being underneath the man's arm, he placed her behind his head like a father does to a filly. She felt like such and it felt nice, especially at the height she was, it was like being in a whole other world, like she was a bird.

It was only a few moments until the four had reached the castle's entrance. At the front of the large, barred gates were three guards; the one on the left bore traditional golden armour, he had a grey coat and a short white mane and tail. The right guard was white in colour with a black mane and tail, he too wore gold armour. However, the gaurd in the middle was vastly different: this one wore dark purple armour and had a two-toned blue mane and tail.

Upon seeing the human and three ponies, he stepped forward a bit, his gaze much harder and fiercer than the others. A true soldier.

"Are you the Princess' brother?" He asked cautiously, recieving a curt nod from the giant being in front of him. "I'm Shining Armour, captain of the Royal Guard. The princess has been expecting you for a while now, follow me." Turning around, Natsu and his friends began to follow the captain until he stopped once more and looked back to them. "I'm sorry sir, but they are not invited, they must remain outside of the castle." He explained, doing his duty, but this did not impress Natsu at all.

"Listen buddy, this girl here is injured from an act of violence from a guy named Blueblood and these other two have shown me more kindness than I anypony else right here, right now. They are staying with me and are coming to have lunch and I'm not going to let you or anypony else stop me."

"Hmph, you are lucky you're the Princess' brother. Alright, all of you follow me and don't fall behind unless you want to be lost for a number of days." Said the captain, smirking slightly. It was an outright lie of course, the castle was big but it wasn't a laypbyrinth. Although there wasn't any harm in teasing the guests a little bit.

After a few minutes of silent treading throughout the castle, Natsu felt a sense of unease well up in his stomach that he could not fathom as he looked at the armoured stallion next to him.

"Forgive me for my comment earlier Shining Armour, I was testing your loyalty."

"No problem at all sir."

"Actually there is a problem. You are over-loyal, you follow orders without question and one day it'll come back and bite you in the ass."

"What are trying to say here?" He questioned, his voice beginning to harden with concern and anger.

"What I'm saying is; there's nothing wrong with following orders. But if you follow them all your life, you'll be nothing more than a puppet."

"I am not a puppet."

"Maybe, but only time will tell. Listen, all I'm saying is to be careful. I didn't mean to step on anyone's shoes, I'm just looking out for you in the only way I know how. Please understand."

His words gave the captain a lot to think about. Was there a boundary to how loyal one can be? Would he have to betray his Princess and ruler to do what's right one day? Or would he sacrifice himself to be a puppet? A pawn?

No, you're wrong. I will never be a puppet. Don't talk like you know what's it's like sir. He steeled mentally. His endurance and resolve comparable to only the best soldiers of Equestria. He remembered to an old book he read as he was just a Private in the Royal Guard, ‘The Strongest Warrior, Salamander’ it was called. He wanted nothing more than to be like The Salamander, it was his dream.

Captain Armour didn't even realise that during his mental debate he was heading quickly into a door that led to the dining room. A resounding clang ran throughout the hallway and earned a few stares from surrounding guards and visitors. Dismissing their concerns, Shining Armour led them into the dining hall where the princess was.

Sitting at the far end of a long, fifteen-foot table was the princess in question, Celestia herself. In front of her was a fine china teapot with matching teacups, five to be exact.

Five teacups? Natsu thought. Looking to see Celestia, she held the normal warm smile she always had but there was a hidden meaning behind it. One Natsu clearly saw once the gears began working their magic. Ohhhhh that bitch, she knew all along.

"Welcome Natsu, and to you too Mister Fancy Pants, Madame Fleur and Miss Lily. I hope your day has been interesting meeting my little brother?"

"More so than you can imagine my Princess. I do hope you don't mind our intrusion into your castle."

"None at all my little pony, any friend of Natsu's is a friend of mine. Please, do sit down while I request first aid for Miss Lily." She said getting up from her chair. Lily opened her mouth to protest but was brought to silence from Celestia's hoof in the air. "I won't take no for an answer, you are injured and need help. But I do see that Natsu has helped you much already hasn't he?"

It was true, her wounds had already been healing since the incident at the restruant. A few of the smaller bruises had disappeared, the larger ones had shrunk to half their original size, her cuts were closing up and the sprained hoof throbbed less and less. It was if a healing spell was cast on her without even realising. But remembering her first impression on Natsu, his justness, his kindness in his words, his smile, the way he had called her 'friend' after only minutes after meeting her had caused her to blush furiously.

A muffled snicker from both the Princess and her brother could be barely heard but were still heard nonetheless. Lily Blossom was so embarrassed that she could just die now. Well that is until she felt something be placed on her head, that thing being Natsu's hand. Looking up, she also saw the very same smile he had given her back at the restruant, he said then that it was mainly his fault the way she was acting in the first place. This specifically piqued Celestia's interest. She asked the immortal dragon slayer what he had said to her in a very annoying older sisterly tone.

"I said because of her beautiful looks that her milkshakes could bring all the stallions to the yard."

"Never thought you were the flirtatious kind of man Natsu. But you are correct to some degree, there aren't many mares as beautiful."

"Yeah, you wouldn't know anything about that would you, grandma?" He mocked, sitting down in the closest chair and putting his feet on the table. Aaaaannnd the penny drops. Everypony present dropped their jaws to the absolute rudeness that had just came from the human's mouth to their benevolent ruler. Celestia herself had an annoyed, disbelief look on her muzzle, a comical cross appearing on her temple.

"Wha-what was that, dear brother?" She questioned, a single eye twitching like crazy. Celestia was struggling intensely not to just jump out of her chair and strangle her rude friend. But that would lower her image a bit in front of her guests, so she tried to calm herself as best as possible.

"Nothing, I'm just teasing ya Celly. What's for lunch?"

"Anything you wish for." She said with a smile, her unease leaving her system. Lucky for Natsu. "Oh yes, I forgot to mention. Captain, how does it feel to meet your hero in the flesh?"

"I-I'm sorry your majesty?" Asked a confused guard captain.

"Your hero is Salamander correct? The strongest, most loyal, honourable soldier ever and my sister's pesonal guardian?"

"Yes your majesty. But The Salmander is only a legend, plus his whereabouts are unknown."

"Oh Captain, surely by now you realise that some legends are true. The Salamander is no exception."

"Even so Your Majesty, what do you mean by in the flesh?" A motion of her head pointing towards the human made the captain get the picture but he did not believe it, he looked back to his Princess again who just repeated the same motion.

"No. Nooooo no no. You aren't...you can't possibly be.." He stuttered, still shocked that the man in front of him was his hero, his idol. Natsu took the hint and introduced himself, including his aliases Salamander & The Lunar Dragon and shook the captain's very shaky hoof. If Shining Armour's smile grew any larger, it would've fallen off his face. "Well my life is complete now your Highness."

"Okay enough of this, time to eat! Excuse me," waving his hand, a waiter with a trimmed moustache came towards him, with the slightest hesitation in his steps. "can you please ask the chefs to make twenty-five bowls of ramen for me please? And none of the vegetarian garbage, I mean proper ramen, meat and everything. Oh, and some sake too please?"

"Umm, Mister Salamander?" Asked a shaky Lily, until she was shot an annoyed glare from the human she was talking to. "Sorry, Natsu, I have two questions." Easing his expression significantly, he nodded his head, motioning her to continue. "You eat meat? And twenty-five bowls of this ramen?"

"First answer, yes I eat meat but don't worry, I ain't gonna eat any of you ponies any time soon. Plus I'm the Guardian of Equestria, can't really call myself that if I eat the citizens can I? Second answer, yes twenty-five bowls because ramen is delicious and I have a dragon-sized appetite." Not even a minute had passed before all their meals came wagoning out of the kitchen. Natsu took great delight when his meal was presented to him. "Awwww you beauty! Thanks for the meal!"

As soon as everyone's food had arrived, the feast began. Fancy Pants and Fleur had a warm salad with some tea that was already provided prior to their entrance, Lily Blossom just had a daisy sandwich and some hay fries with a bottle of apple cider. The Princess had a slice of triple-choc, mud cake with tea and Natsu simply enjoyed and ploughed through his ramen. It took fifteen minutes for him to finish all his bowls. That's thirty-six seconds a bowl. The sheer speed in which he had finished his meal surprised and disgusted everypony a little. However, it was very fun for Celestia to see her immortal friend back to the way he used to be: cheerful, greedy and does not give a damn about anything.

"I am overjoyed that you are all having a wonderful time but I have more pressing matters to attend to with Natsu. Forgive me but I must ask you all to leave now for what I have to ask him is private." Celestia said sadly.

While it was great to have friends around the table for lunch, she really needed to talk to her step-brother. Everypony understood that the lunch had to end sometime and left the table but Lily was upset. She was upset that the lunch was so much fun and yet she had to leave and go back to work to that restruant.

"Wait, Lily." Removing a band from his neck, hidden by the scarf, Natsu gripped it tightly in his hand and threw it over to the waitress. Carefully catching it, Lily took a look at what was in her hooves. It was a coin of sorts with four different symbols based at each nautical point of the coin. "It's a good luck coin I got in Neighjing a few years back, I'm leaving it in your care."

"Thank you very much Mister Natsu."

"One more thing, remember to smile more. Good things will happen if you smile and you can take the rest of the day off of work, I'll talk to your boss. So just go home and rest up." The both of them just sat there as everypony left, once they all left the room and were out of sight, the doors closed with a loud bang. "Well they're gone, what do you want to talk about?"

"Where's your magic gone Natsu?" Putting on a serious expression, Celestia made her way to the other end of the table. Natsu however, just turned his head sideways in confusion. "Don't play coy with me Natsu, I can't feel a single ounce of your magical presence unless we are this close apart and it can only be compared to a newborn foal. So I'll ask one more time, where is your magic?" She said with extreme sternness. Giving up the facade, Natsu removed his shirt and showed Celestia the archaic circle on his torso.

"It's because of this." He said simply.

It looks like an arcane circle, similar to Natsu's but it has a moon and stars in it. Could it belong to Lulu? "And what is that?" She asked nonchalantly but tension grew at the back of her mind.

"Do you remember that last magic beam Nightmare Moon shot at me? That's what it actually was. It's a seal. It was made to completely shut off my access to use any kind of magic. However, like my Karyū no Fuin Jumon, it was still experimental and so, it only partially worked."

"And you know that how?"

"Because I helped Luna develop it." He said flatly, tucking his shirt back in. Celestia was dumbstruck, why would he help make a seal that would shut down his power completely? She was about to scream at him, physically force the answer out of him if need be, but didn't get the slightest chance to. "Before you go off your tits screaming at me, I begged her to do it. I wanted her to make this seal if there was ever a chance of me going AWOL and betraying Equestria. So that it would render me a normal, weak human. I did it for you, your sister and your country Celestia. Besides, no one would care if I was a normal human or not, I'm just a monster to you ponies."

"So what did this seal do to you?"

"It sealed away my healing abilities, my dragon scales, lungs, claws and any other magic I can use. So I'm just basically a human with enhanced strength and senses. Nothing more."

"Can't you break the seal?" By this point, Celestia was becoming extremely worried.

"No can do, it's a seal that can only be broken specifically by the caster, your sister, Princess Luna. If anyone else or I forcibly break the seal" Bringing his index finger to head at point-blank range, he imitated one of Alzack's or Bisca's guns, and pulled the trigger. "bang. You're dead."

"Is there any luck finding Igneel?"

"Nah, none. It's been a long one thousand years, I've met close to a hundred dragons, young and old, but there were never any solid leads to find him, only rumours that led to dead ends." Natsu said, feeling sadder and sadder by each passing moment that he talked about what has appended since the times of the war.

From behind the two, a giant grandfather clock chimed. By hearing alone, Natsu heard four chimes. He was surprised that originally a short visit had turned into a four hour long visit.

"Well, I think I should head back to Ponyville, but first I need to ask your Royal Blacksmith something, could you tell me where to find him or her Celestia?"

"Why do you need to see our Blacksmith?" Cocking a nonexistent eyebrow, Celestia was confused by her human friend's words. Laughing gently, Natsu finished his bottle of sake and said one word with a wink of his eye, secret.

The Royal Amoury and Blacksmith workshop weren't hard to find. Both were built right next to the other and only metres away from the edge of the training field for the soldiers. Needless to say, a six foot tall, bipedal, talking creature walking in your store is not the most peaceful thing to happen. Hammers, swords, spears and magic shots were are flung at the human. It took a bit of convincing (and a smack in the stomach from one of said hammers) but Natsu had managed to get to talk to the lead blacksmith of the store, a brown unicorn with a bronze coloured mane and tail, Iron Forge and his assistant, Black Hammer, a tan earth pony with a golden mane and tail.

After hearing that he was related to the Princesses, they began to apologise deeply and profusely. It had begun to annoy the human immensely after the 200th apology. So much so he would 'hit them over the head so hard they'd have brain damage if they said one more apology'. That certainly had closed their mouths to any other oncoming apololgies.

Clearing his throat, Iron Forge asked what he was doing in the workshop. Going into his clothes, Natsu pulled out a pile of sheets of paper, each with sketches and measurements of something. Looking through the sheets the immortal had given him, his eyes began to widen and shine like he had seen his idol in the flesh. Much like a certain Captain.

"This is...magnificent my liege. This is truly a new way of fighting, but what would you need this for?" Said Iron Forge, still scanning through the pages he had been given, not taking his eyes off of them and memorising every detail.

"I'm sorry but I only wish for you to make these for me, no one and nopony else. These are simply too dangerous for pony hooves." Looking up from the papers, Forge and Hammer's eyes turned to ones of shock. "I'm sorry but please do this for me."

"It's a big waste, but you seem like an honest kid so I'll do this just for you, even repairs when it's needed."

"Thank you Iron Forge and you too Black Hammer."

"Ain't nothing at all mate, in fact, what you've given us is bloody ace. Absolute bonzer!" Said a cheerful Black Hammer, his voice young and accompanied by the strangest accent and use of termonolgy one could ever hear in their lifetime.

"Australian?" Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow, although he had a feeling he knew what the answer was.

"Too right mate. Nice place down unda', you should go there some time."

"I'm a thousand and thirty-one years old, I'm pretty sure I've been to Australia." Turning back to the boss, he asked: "So Forge, you think you can have these done in two weeks?"

"You underestimate us Sir," taking a puff out of his pipe, Forge blew the smoke out above his head. "we can have it done in one. Just need to pull a few all-nighters." He said with a cocky attitude.

"Yeah no, if you have to pull all-nighters just for something unimportant then take all the time you need. I can't have you lose precious hours of sleeping just for something that I want for myself."

"It's great of you to think that way Sir but it's alright."

"No it's not. You will take your time with this, you have two weeks and I don't want to be the cause of any sleep deprivation that you might have."

It didn't take long for the little disagreement to turn into a full blown argument. One side saying health is more important than working but the other hand saying otherwise, that it'd be easier and faster to work nonstop. But it was Natsu who had ultimately won the argument, by a giving an order as Celestia's brother. As much as he hated to use the Princess' name to win the fight, it had to be done.

Leaving the smithery, Natsu felt absolutely tired after the day's events. Having a three hour train ride, meeting and making three new friends, meeting him, having a large lunch and arguing with a blacksmith for nearly an hour took a lot out of a man.

"You finished up with Sir Forge then?" Said Celestia, sitting on a bench near the workshop's opening. Standing up, she walked towards her tired brother. "You want a ride back to Ponyville?"

"Yes please, and speaking of which WHAT THE FUCK?! Why didn't you send a carriage or teleport me here instead of making me suffer for three hours on a train?!"

"Payback for hitting me yesterday." She said with a smug grin.

"Okay, I guess I deserve that much at least. But can you please teleport me back to Twilight's?"

"Wouldn't that affect your motion sickness?"

"I've had thoughts about that actually. Teleportation is moving from one place to another in the blink of an eye, instant transportation. Theoretically, I shouldn't get sick because it happens like that." Snapping his fingers, he enforced the point he was proving. The Princess on the other hand was doing something differently, she was actually staring at him, as if he'd discovered the meaning of life or something. "What?" He asked, annoyed at the way she was staring at him.

"I keep forgetting you're smarter than you look."

"Oh up yours too Celly, can you send me back now?" After having a bit of a laugh, Celestia ignited her horn with a golden glow that wrapped Natsu himself shortly after. He felt lighter when the spell begun to activate, like he was a feather. He also felt, tingly, like small needles were poking his skin but did not pierce it. "I'll come back tomorrow or the day after to see Forge and Hammer again. See you then."

And poof. Natsu was gone. Looking to the sky Celestia did her job as Solar Princess and began to lower the sun to make way for her sister's night. As the time of dusk set on the horizon, she looked down the small town of Ponyville.

"Take care, you stupid idiot."

-------Golden Oaks Library--------

"Oh, I wonder if Natsu's okay?" Grumbled a distressed Twilight Sparkle, pacing away in her home so much a groove was made into the floor. Beside her were all her friends, sitting at a table having tea, cider and sweets for nourishment since their arrival, courtesy of Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Applejack.

"He'll be fine sugarcube. Sure it's nearly time for supper but he'll be back sooner or later." Said the farm pony, trying to ease her friend's tension.

As if somepony above heard Applejack's words, Natsu flashed into the room with a brilliant golden light. Everypony had expression of happiness, especially Twilight, until Natsu collapsed right in front if their eyes.

"Natsu! What's wrong?!" Screamed Rarity. Looking at his face, his eyes were swirling about and his entire face was coloured green like in a cartoon.

"Never..teleporting..again."

And that was the day that Natsu found out that a train ride from Ponyville to Canterlot was fifty times better than teleporting.

Author's Note

Well here it is, chapter five. I hope you all enjoy it because this took a while to think of. I know there may be errors and such in the chapter, so I'll edit those later but for now I have to go out for tonight. I HAVE to go to awards night at my school apparently, don't see any reason why I should.

Ehh, anyway, I'll get a wriggle on with chapter six tomorrow morning and hopefully this one will get out in a shorter time span. Fingers crossed.

Ciaossu, Sketch

Chapter VI - Running Bonds

Chapter VI: Running Bonds

It was the day after the man's lunch with his royal friend. The day after he had met that failed excuse of a prince and a stallion, and the day after he had made his three new friends from Canterlot. The day couldn't be anymore perfect.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Screamed seven collective voices, six belonging to two pegasi, two unicorn and two earth pony mares and the last one to a six foot tall human. All of which were running away from a cave with a pack of more than thirty manticores hot on their tails.

Well it was perfect until this happened.

-------Half an hour earlier---------

It was a nice day out in the Ponyville fields. Nopony was around, the sun was shining and there was a cool breeze. Perfect day for a picnic. A picnic that six mares, and one Dragon Slayer wizard were currently enjoying. Natsu got the drinks (and tea, just for Rarity), Fluttershy brought a blanket large enough for all of them to sit on, Rarity brought cucumber sandwiches, Applejack brought apple pie and apple fritters, Pinkie brought an assortment of cupcakes and Twilight brought..... books. Honestly, who reads a book at a picnic with your friends? Apparently Twilight.

"Where's the closest dragon den Twilight?" Asked Natsu abruptly, causing the effect of the Element holders to simultaneously spit out all the fluids they were drinking.

"W-W-WHAT?!" She yelled as best she could, still choking on her tea.

"There's something I need to ask that only a dragon can answer."

"But why a dragon of all things?" Whined a distressed Rarity, using a napkin to wipe her mouth through her magic.

"That's private. Please understand when I say that I don't want any of you involved."

"You're not gonna go kill it are ya? I'm still cautious of you, ya know Salamander? Even if you are family to the Princess." Glared Rainbow Dash hardly, which only lasted a moment until the dragon slayer karate chopped her on the head, the fact she was clutching her head in pain made it evident that it hurt a lot.

"Baka. I may be a Dragon Slayer wizard but I'm never going to slay a dragon." He said with no attitude whatsoever, he was just calm and cool.

"I have no idea what you said just then, but it sounded like an insult."

"That's because it was, baaaaaka." He repeated, sticking his tongue out like an immature child.

It was enough, however, for Rainbow Dash to be pushed over her limits. She jumped on the wizard and began to bite him, kick him, flick him with her tail etc. but Rainbow Dash wasn't met without resistance either. The ever-living Salamander began to retaliate against his assailant by throwing his own punches and kicks. They, honest to Celestia, looked like little foals fighting on a schoolyard. Having had enough with the meaningless debacle, Twilight wrapped Natsu and Dash in a lavender glow and forcefully separated the two. When pulled apart, they still tried to reach other so that they could continue, but Twilight only pulled the two apart further. That did not stop the two, however, from glaring red hot daggers at each other.

Twilight sighed and continued drinking her tea. "The closest dragon den is deep into the Everfree Forest, a fair ways away from our friend Zecora's hut." She said. "We'll lead the way to it."

Twilight's tone was completely nonchalant, but to her friends, she was talking like a madpony. Everyone looked at her for a split second before yelling their lungs out with one word.

"WHAT?!"

With a fire in his eyes, Natsu spoke to Twilight, completely forgetting his fight with Rainbow Dash. "No way, you're not doing that. I'm not going to allow it."

"And why not? You don't know where the cave is, your only option is to take us with you."

"No, you're not coming with me!" Said Natsu angrily, standing up tall in attempt to intimidate the mare out of the preposterous idea.

"Yes we are, we're the Elements of Harmony! We can handle anything!"

"Not a dragon, they're way out of your league. Even Celestia, Luna and I would have a hard time because of their bodies, strength and massive numbers. You could very well die." Turning away from his friends, Natsu did not want them to see his wrathful expression.

"We want to help you Natsu! Why won't you let us come?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYMORE OF MY FRIENDS DIE BECAUSE OF ME!!!" Roared Natsu, using one of the few things he hadn't used since a thousand years ago. The Royal Canterlot Voice.

His voice reaching levels that weren't physically possible for the lungs of a body, human or pony. The very earth shaking under the pressure of his voice, reaching to the trees metres away from them, their leaves falling out like wildfire and scattering into the winds like ash. Reaching into his shirt once again, Natsu brought out an old book, most likely the same one from before at the welcoming party. Throwing it at Twilight's face, it hit her with slight pain and fell open into her own book.

Upon looking at the pages, they weren't written with journal entries or a story, they were filled with names and pictures of faces, the majority belonging to stallions. Each page had a different face and name with details about family and friends. But with every name, came a rank. Every one of those ponies in that book was a soldier.

"Private Iron Sword, Private First Class Swift Wing, Lieutenant Speed Havoc, Lieutenant Rosa Hawkeye, Lieutenant Colonel Hays Hughes, Colonel Flame Mustang, Major Hoofstrong, General Silver Shadow and over 500 more names are listed in this book. All of them were my friends, allies and comrades-in-arms who died in the war." He said. His tone still laced with anger towards the mares but the remorseful nostalgia was undeniable. His macho appearance gave into his emotions. Natsu's knees buckled under the pressure and he was struggling not to cry once more in front of them, his hands clenched into fists that were shaking uncontrollably. "Please don't make this list any bigger than it already is." He spoke softly, barely audible and in the form of a plea.

"We're sorry Natsu. We didn't know you-"

"It's okay. You needed to know anyway. You've also reminded me of another thing I need to do."

"What would that be?"

"Pay my respects to my old friends." He said, regaining that smile he always wore.

"Well, shall we go pay our respects to them while we are out?"

"Nah, we'll do it later."

"Why not now?" asked Applejack, raising an eyebrow.

"Because the anniversary of the end of the war is the day after Nightmare Night. We'll go then, that is, if you want to join me?"

"Of course, we're friends aren't we?" Pinkie asked, grinning from ear to ear. Natsu was amazed, just the other day he said the exact same words to a certain waitress with the exact same amount of kindness in them. He could not help but chuckle at how these girls can be so understanding and thoughtful to an old, foolish warrior like him.

"Yeah. Alright, you six can come with me on one condition: you stay away from the cave and hide in any nearby bushes, just in case things turn ugly. If I say run; you run. Run as fast as you can and leave me behind. No questions." He explained with a stone cold face, showing how serious he was about not wanting to put his nakama in danger. After a few exchanged glances of uncertainty, the mares reluctantly nodded to his agreement.

It had been no longer than ten minutes since Salamander and the Element bearers had entered the Everfree Forest and everyone was on edge about being there. Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's brave facades even began to betray them. The only one who remained unfazed by the deadliness of the forest, was Natsu. Naturally, everypony noticed and were confused.

"How in the hay can you be so calm in here? This is the Everfree Forset for pony sake!" Whined Rainbow Dash. Not even bothering to to look at the prismatic pegasus, Natsu trudged onwards through the forest.

"All I'll say is that once you have seen war like I have, you'll see something like this forest comparable to a cute kitten. If this place is a nightmare to you all, then a war is an unimaginable hell. You haven't seen what these eyes have." He said remorsefully. His words silencing everypony in respect for not wanting to push any further on the subject.

"N-Natsu?" Stammered a scared Fluttershy.

"Yeah? What's wrong Fluttershy?"

"Did..did you ever kill anypony in the war?" Everyone's eyes widen and instantly stop walking at the question. They all knew that Natsu was part of the war, but none of the mares had even thought to ask the one question that should at least be asked once. Did he do the deed? Did he kill? "Oh, I'm sorry! I spoke out of place, I was just curious. Please forgive me!"

"It's okay." Taking a heavy sigh, Natsu looked to the sky before he answered. "Whenever I fight, I have this one iron rule: fight to win, not to kill. So no, I never killed anyone during the war." He said looking back down to Fluttershy with a small smile. His words bringing great relief to the girls, especially Fluttershy as she hated death and fighting more than anypony in the world. I may have not killed anyone, but it doesn't escape the fact that I'm responsible for all their deaths. I cannot escape these scars. thought Natsu, his expression quickly saddening as he continued to walk. He didn't go unnoticed though, Applejack saw to that herself as she watched him go from happy to sad in seconds.

You must think that y'all are still responsible for what happened then, don't ya? It's not you're fault Natsu, everypony lives an' everypony dies. An' besides, that was then, this is now. Don't y'all think it's time to stop living in the past and move on? Ah know how you feel and what you're goin' through more than anypony here, ain't that right Ma an' Pa? She mused.

"Alright, there's the cave. Now you guys stay here, got it?"

"Nah way! I'm comin' on in to best some dragon butt!" Hollered the anxious cyan pegasus, her hard head completely forgetting any traes of the promise she had made no less than fifteen minutes ago. The deathly glares she got from her friends, and especially from Natsu caused her to shrink in her place. "Uh, I mean....sure. We'll wait here."

As the human entered the cave, he began to mentally curse himself because of the darkness. I can't see a damn thing, even with my dragon eyes! he screamed internally. But, he had an idea. Quickly patting himself down, he looked for something that he remembered having for a year or two hidden away. Aha! I knew I had match somewhere in my belt.

Lighting that match was the biggest mistake of his life. While the match provided a small source of light, it allowed Natsu to see just what exactly was in the cave.

Manticores. Lots and lots of manticores. Counting them up individually, Natsu counted up some serious double digits, 32 of them to be precise. Now, while Natsu loved to fight and manticores were easy pickings for him, even him, the immortal Salamander was not invincible. And with more than thirty manticores, that was enough to take him down.

Turning around quietly, Natsu tiptoed to the mouth of the cave. However, a ‘friend’ was waiting for that. The moment Natsu's face turned to the entrance, his solid obsidian eyes met with the slitted ones of an angry, growling and awake manticore. Chuckling nervously, Natsu did the only thing any human, Fairy Tail wizard, or he would do:

He punched the manticore out of his way and ran the fuck outta there.

Meanwhile, outside of the cave, Twilight and her friends were waiting patiently for their human companion. He had been gone for nearly ten minutes and everypony (Rainbow Dash) was getting restless. So much so, Applejack had to bite down on her tail constantly to stop her from dashing into the cave and threaten the 'dragon'. Or Natsu. It wasn't until they saw the man in question running towards them at break-neck speeds with a really worried look on his face that a more important question was pressed. What happened?

"Natsu?" They all asked in unison as he came running closer.

"Notadragonnotadragonnotadragonnotadragon!!!!!" Blurted out Natsu as he sped past them, not showing any signs of slowing down. Confused, each mare cocked their heads back towards the mouth of the cave, only to see the large pack of manticores coming out in rapid succession.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" They all screamed as they ran, full speed ahead.

"WHAT THE BUCK DID YOU DO?!" Raged Rainbow Dash, hitting the immortal human on the crown of his head as she flew, dodging easily all the trees that were in her way.

"NOTHING! I was on my way out but one of them woke up and got in my way!"

"Well hurry and beat them up already! You're a dragon slayer for Pete sake!"

"Even the strongest warrior can be taken down with a large enough army Rainbow. One manticore has a quarter of the strength of a fully grown dragon, so when you do the math, we have the equivalent of EIGHT dragons hot on our asses. Even I can't beat that many of them!" Argued Natsu. He was right, back at the Grand Magic Games, all seven dragon slayers were present and fighting, taking a dragon each and yet, not one dragon was defeated. The bitter taste in his mouth from that day still remained. This isn't good, without my magic I can't do jack to help these girls. All I have on me is my clothes, my book and my last flash bomb... he thought. But then it hit him, actually Natsu hit himself. Five times in the face. "Idiot! I'm such an idiot!" He yelled, smiling all the while.

"Already established that Natsu!" Braked an already angry Rainbow Dash.

"Girls, I have a plan! Twilight, when I say 'now', you teleport us three clicks to our west. I'm going to need you to be fast about it, can you do it?"

"Of course, I'm Celestia's star pupil! But a quick question: what's a 'click'?"

"Oh for God's sake, kilometres! Three kilometres to our west! Everypony, get ready." Reaching into the confines of his clothing, Natsu pulled out what looked like a metallic ball with a pin strapped to the top. Ripping the pin away from the ball, the pink haired human pitched the ball away a number of metres before he yelled to Twilight. "Now!" He screamed. And in a brilliant flash of magenta light, the team of seven were gone, leaving the wild animals confused with a small, iron ball in front of them. A faint tick, tick noise could be heard emanating from the ball.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Ding.

Suddenly, the iron ball exploded, releasing the brightest light imaginable, instantly blinding the feral creatures. The pained roars of the half-lions echoed throughout the Everfree, shaking trees and the ground from its magnitude.

At the same time on another area of the forest, Twilight, AJ, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Natsu all reappeared safe and sound. However, due to the teleportation, all of them were still trapped in running motion even after the spell had disappeared. All of them did stop, just with the help of a few trees. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, arms, legs and wings all flung forwards past the trees. In a very comical fashion, each pony and person peeled off the wooden poles and fell to the ground below, leaving large indents of the face of the trees, each one having a different expression plastered on it.

It was painful, but Natsu began to laugh, and laugh until his lungs burst. Slowly, everypony just looked at him with befuddled looks and red faces, except for Pinkie Pie who was also laughing with him. It was Applejack who soon voiced up her opinion.

"Now what's so darn funny huh? We could've died back there thanks to that little stunt you pulled." She said with a snarky tone, but Natsu still laughed.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't had that much fun in centuries, not since I arrived in Equestria, a thousand and eight years ago." Looking up into the heavily guarded sky, a small but extremely warm smile arrived on his lips. "You girls are the best." He said.

Giving off a small sigh, Natsu decided that it would be best to retire for the day and get some rest, that the search for the dragon can wait for another day. Not even bothering to argue, the harmonious mares began trudging their way out of the forest with a slight spring in their steps and the human following close behind. However, he was truly unaware of the blue flower that had wedged itself behind the scarf and his neck.

-----The next morning-----

It was a bright, early summer morning in Ponyville once again. However, the Sparkle household was expieriencing some...difficulties. Being the early riser that she is, Twilight woke up to go downstairs and begin studying once more. But when she did get down to the lower level, Natsu was nowhere to be found. He wasn't in his little lounge-bed, so the unicorn assumed he might be having a shower again, but there was no water running, there was no noise at all.

Getting very worried at this moment, Twilight decided to look around the house. When she came to the bathroom, she was greeted with the strangest sight: the door was locked and in front of her was a piece of paper simply saying ‘Do not come in, or you're dead!’.

Yep, Natsu was in there. Only he would say something like that.

This warning sign both confused and intrigued the lavender unicorn, thinking it may be something important concerning the health of the human, she hurriedly ran to her friends' places and called them to follow her back to her house immediately.

"Natsu, darling, are you okay in there?" Asked Rarity, still wearing her personal bathrobe. No response.

"C'mon buddy, there's no need to hide yourself in that there bathroom." Comforted Applejack.

"Yes there is!" Came a scream the other side. Now that was something confusing, the tone definitely belonged to Natsu, but the actual pitch of the voice was much higher.

"Natsu, come outside so we can talk. Please, we can help you." Begged Fluttershy, who was growing concerned more and more with each passing minute. A few moments of silence passed

"Promise you won't laugh at me?" Whispered the high voice, sounding remarkably similar to Fluttershy's own voice.

"We promise." They all said together.

From behind the door sounded a small 'click', signifying that the door was finally unlocked. Slowly and slowly, the door parted away from the wall, creaking loudly. As soon as the door was fully open, the mares saw a completely different Natsu. His hair was longer, his face, arms, hands, legs and feet were much more slender and smooth, his hips were more curved and the most definitive change was two large orbs that had expanded on the chest region. Natsu had become a girl.

Each mare was positively stunned with slack jaws, all except one. A certain blue mare began laughing her heart out.

"What in the name of Jiminy Cricket?! What happened to ya Natsu?"

"Poison Joke." He-she whispered, not heard at all by the overcast of Rainbow's laughing. Applejack asked what he had said again but was still drowned out by the incessant laughing. It got very annoying, very quickly. All to the point where the cowmare and man-turned-woman had implanted a hoof and foot each into the abnoxious pegasus' rectum screaming "SHUT UP!" at the top of their lungs.

Finally, now that quietness had been archived in the household, the female Natsu began to explain how during their escapade into the Everfree the day before, a small poison joke flower had hidden itself in between his neck and clothing. It was amazing how he couldn't feel the flower at all during the night, one would imagine having a flower on your neck while sleeping would be uncomfortable. After the explaining had been said and done, the alabaster mare literally dragged the human to the one place one would expect a lady her to go to. The spa.

Natsu had asked her why they were all at a spa when he needed help. Originally, he thought that Rarity came to the spa just so she can please herself, but the fact that she said an antidote to the prankster blue flower was of use in the spa's vicinity made Natsu think otherwise. Almost like lightning, both the human and the white unicorn raced into the spa and asked the mare at the counter, who's name was Aloe, to get as bath ready with the P.J.A (poison joke antidote). In no less than five minutes, a large spa bath was filled and ready for use.

"Well, go ahead Natsu."

"Alright but can you girls close your eyes first?" She asked. Blank stares were his response from her friends, confused as to why she'd ask this. "Look, you ponies may be naked most of the time but us humans have to be clothed at all times otherwise it's indecent."

"Alright, if y'all say so. Just hurry it up alright?" Said the country mare who closed her eyes shut, as did everypony else. Without having to be told twice, Natsu began to remove her clothing quickly and efficiently. When it came to the scarf however, she just moved it from the neck up the the head and wore it like a bandana. The bath itself was beautiful, the temperature felt just right to warm him up but not too much. After a few minutes, the poison joke's effects had completely washed away (pun intended) and Natsu had his normal, male body back. Just as a precaution, he felt around his groin to see if those bits had returned as well, luckily they were.

"That's much better." He sighed happily, wrapping a towel around his waist, but his statement was met with silence. Looking to everypony else, he saw that they were all ogling at his finely toned body, even Rainbow. Everything from his strong legs to his pectorals to his biceps to his scars, all of it was eye candy to the mares who were also blushing. Fluttershy, Rarity and even AJ were blushing to the point their whole bodies were red. "Gosh I'm thrilled that you approve but for the last time, I'm up here! I'm up here!" Giving off a sharp, quick whistle, the shrill sound brought everypony back to reality with pointing from their eyes up to his. "I'm up here."

For around half an hour, everypony was apologising for their indiscreet actions towards the fit immortal, that it was uncouth and very rude to stare at somepony's body, especially his. Even after saying it was alright, they continued to apologise until the man threatened them the same way he did Iron Forge and his apprentice Black Hammer. It was surprising at how effective that threat was. Being the responsible one, Natsu dismissed everypony to go back to their respective jobs and/or houses, all except Rarity. All he said to her was to meet her at Carousel Boutique in an hour because they needed to talk.

When the hour had passed, Rarity thought she was genuinely in trouble. Did she do something wrong? Was it because she stared at his body earlier? Those were the only questions that raced through her mind, and each time they did, it only made her more nervous to see him. When the man actually did come knocking at her doorstep, she couldn't even look into his eyes. Nothing calm her down.

"Rarity, I need a favour." Said Natsu. That did it for her.

"A favour? Of course darling, what can I do you for?"

"I need you to make a set of clothes for me." Pulling a roll of papers from pretty much out of nowhere, he handed them to the fashionista. "Can you make this by Friday in two weeks?" He asked.

"My word," "this absolutely magnificent Sir Natsu! The colours, the composition, the design! It is all absolutely wonderful!"

"Breathe Rarity. Don't want you passing out or something." "So can you do it? If you can't that's perfectly fine."

"Oh darling, you don't know who you're talking to obviously. I am Lady Rarity, the future best fashionista in Equestria! It will take a while of course, I've never done something such as this, and the belt, that's going to be the hardest part I'm afraid."

"Already on it. I've got the royal blacksmith making the greaves, gauntlets and belt as we speak. Asked the bloke the other day while I was in the city."

"You certainly are prepared, aren't you darling? Alright, then I will focus on the rest of this outfit. May I get your measurements Natsu?" She asked, and without any further discussion, Natsu stood as still as a statue while his friend took all the measurement required from him. "Well, all done. Thank you Natsu, I'll do everything in my power to get this done for you faster than you can say 'she sells seashells by the seashore'." She smiled proudly.

"Take your time with it Rarity, there is no need for you to pull any all-nighters on my account."

"Oh but darling this needs all the work put into it this instant, that includes night time workings."

"Rarity," he said smiling, but the murderous aura he was emitting frightened the unicorn tremendously. "there is no need for you to do that. You need your beauty sleep and my outfit can wait for the mornings when you are awake, alert and fresh as a daisy. Got it?"

"Y-yes sir." She stuttered.

"Thanks Rares, I'll see ya in two weeks to pick this up."

Mental note Rarity: Always do what Natsu says. Well, I better get to work.

Later that night, Twilight spiked Natsu's tea with more poison joke. As for the reason why: "So that I may be able to study both the human male and female body." She said.

Author's Note

Excuses for why this has taken two months longer than wanted:
- Laziness
- Writer's block
- Preparation for Year 12
- Laziness
- New story production

So yeah, that's why this single chapter has taken two months rather than two weeks. I know saying sorry won't help but I'm sorry. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and while I cannot promise anything, chapter 7 will be coming out soon too. Also, if you can spot the Scrubs reference, I'll give you a triple chocolate biscuit (or cookie depending where you're from).

Chapter VII - Treat of a Tricky Night

Author's Note

So I figured, it's been FAR, FAR too long since this has been updated, it's my birthday today, so I figured, fuck it. Do the chapter, please the readers. I'm sorry that this has taken too long guys and girls. I wish I could control it but unfortunately I can't, not until I finish my final exams. With that said, those are coming soon and as soon as they're finished, I'll be doing nothing but writing. And working, I need to get a job and be a lazy couch potato.

Chapter VII - Treat of a Tricky Night

Chapter 7: The treat to a tricky night

The time has arrived. It is the night of nights for all little fillies and colts, even grown mares and stallions join in this night of festivities. It is Nightmare Night. Everypony is hustling and bustling about getting any last minute costumes or decorations even though they know it should have been done already.

At the Golden Oaks Library in Ponyville, one particular baby dragon was pacing around begrudgingly waiting for his older sister-figure, Twilight Sparkle to finish getting dressed so that he could go eat some nice lollies. Ironically, his costume was that of another dragon.

"Ugh, c'mon Twilight! We're gonna be late for the Nightmare Night festival!" He begrudgingly yelled upstairs to his unicorn friend. On cue to her calling, Twilight appeared from the top of the stairs wearing a dark blue cape and large hat that adorned stars, moons and lots of bells that jingled at any given movement with a gold necklace and blue jewel in the center and a faux grey beard.

Spike was really confused by her choice of costume for this night, asking her if she was a 'cooky old man from the retirement village'. Twilight did not like that comment. "I'm Star Swirl the Bearded." She explained, her expression bemused. Spike just stood there blankly and blinked twice.

"Father of the amniomorphic spell?" She continued. Again, Spike stood blank as a statue and blinked twice more. "Did you even read that book I gave you about obscure unicorn history?" Accused Twilight, pointing her hoof at her assistant's face.

Spike panicked, stuttered and sweated bullets struggling to find an answer without angering the unicorn. As if his prayers were answered, the door to the library was knocked three times. Saying it could be important, Spike absolutely bolted to the door, spinning Twilight like crazy and tangling her costume in the process. Opening the door, the drake was surprised out of his wits when three little fillies dressed as a Princess (from a storybook), an astronaught and a ladybug started chiming unexpectedly.

"Nightmare night, what a freight! Give us something sweet to bite!" They sang with pure cuteness and innocence accompanying them. Letting the scare go by, Spike wiped the sweat off his brow and let Twilight go to the door to answer for the fillies.

"Hi everypony, great costumes!" She greeted happily. "Happy Nightmare Night Granny Smith." She said greeting the elderly mare behind the children.

"I should have been asleep five hours ago!" She said, bordering on whining, bringing her aged face in closer to the young mare. Spike came back immeadiately with a large bowl of many assorted sweets and lollies.

Using her horn, Twilight wrapped three random sweets with a magenta aura around them, distributing one amongst each filly (cheap bitch) until a little colt squeezed his way through the small crowd. He was dressed in a black vest with a white undershirt, a red bandana atop his head, an eyepatch with a skull on it covering his right eye and he held a foam sword in his little mouth.

"Pipsqueak the Pirate at your service!" He saluted, speaking in a different accent to everypony else. "It's my very first Nightmare Night."

"Since you moved here from Trottingham?" Asked the bearded Twilight.

"Nope, my first Nightmare Night ever!" Beckoned Pipsqueak, throwing his hooves in the air for dramatic effect. But his drama was short lived when a chicken-costumed Pinkie Pie came squawking in the group. Not even joking, she was squawking like a chicken.

"Enough chit-chat, time is candy!" She yelled, her face serious for once in her happy-go-lucky life.

"Pinkie Pie, aren't you a little old for this?"

"Too old for free candy?!" Pinkie gasped, or clucked deeply at Twilight's question, as if the world had ended. "Never!" She said dark and dryly. With a roll of her eyes, Twilight levitated over a sweet to her hyperactive friend.

"I kinda agree with Pinks there Twily, there's nothing wrong with joining in this holiday without the intent of getting some sweets in the belly." Said an unmistakeable voice that belonged to a certain human, but the voice came from everywhere at once. Everypony looked around all their surroundings until they had found the human standing atop the peak of the building next door's chimney.

It was dark but even then it was noticeable to see him, his current apparel being the prime reason for that. It was certainly interesting to see but at the same time very extravagant and magnificent. It was a strange costume that consisted of a white shirt with long, puffy sleeves, some sort of a red and silver hooded, sleeveless vest, dark brown trousers, knee-high brown leather greaves, brown leather bracers, a brown cape that rested over his left shoulder with a red underside, a red sash that was covered by the strangest belt design ever. It was four leather straps attached to what seemed like a crown of leaves and an upside-down, stylised 'V'.

The human soon got off of his perch, landing as graceful as the princess and walked towards his costumed friends. "Natsu? What kind of costume is that?" Asked Twilight, clearly enthralled by the ensemble the immortal was wearing.

"Just a random one I thought of, but that doesn't matter, I'm joining in on this, so why can't Pinkie? Adults are just grown-up kids Twilight, remember that because I assume quite a few of us ain't changin' any time soon." He said pinching Twilight's nose and wiggling it like a father would to his child. "Here's a better question: why did you only give these kids only one damn candy each?!" It was a legitimate but bad question to ask the number one egghead in Equestria. It would only activate her lecture mode.

"Because Natsu by giving these fillies and colt, and Pinkie, only one piece of candy they won't have to worry about cavities. Eating a very large amount of sweets in one night, especially on a night like tonight, isn't good for neither your teeth nor one's general health. Sweets like these are filled to the brim with sugar and many other preservatives that can affect your teeth. By getting cavities in your teeth from candy, there is a very high chance of-"

Having had enough with a pointless lecture, Natsu opened his mouth and yelled, "NEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRDDD!!!!!!"

"Well that's just plain rude!" Barked the unicorn angrily

"I don't care! You've really gotta stop reading all those books Twi, even too much reading can be unhealthy for you. By the way, nice costume of Starly."

"Starly? Do you mean Star Swirl the Bearded?! You know him? What is he like?" Asked Twilight in rapid succession, literally getting right in Natsu's face.

The robed man grabbed the purple unicorn and dropped her on the ground, away from his face. "First off, calm your tits Twilight, and yes I have met Star Swirl but only a couple of times though when he was just a kid. Funny enough, I guess you could call him your ancestor by how much you two are alike." Natsu said as he began to walk off towards the center of town, the much younger pony and dragon following close by.

"Us? Alike?" Asked Twilight while not looking on the path ahead of them, relying on Spike to nudge her in case of a collision.

"Yeah. Starly loved to study, so much so that he would lock himself in his room and stay in the whole day studying, practicing his magic and creating his own genuine magic. Only bad part about that was that he also refused to eat or drink anything. Although I must say, it was impressive for him to create his own magic by himself. That boy truly deserved the title Equestria's finest Wizard. Well, finest pony wizard. He really was a nice kid, I wish I could've told him that."

"Natsu? What do you mean 'you wish you could've told him that'?"

"I only ever met him twice. The first time we hit it off like that, we instantly became friends, even with his incessant rambling."

"And the second?"

"The second time, he threw me away, calling me a traitor saying because of what happened to Luna was all my fault, he even punched me in the face (giving me a bloody nose in the process). And the thing is, he was right. It was all my fault." The blue-clad unicorn opened her mouth to ask for forgiveness but with super hearing skills, Natsu could tell what she was doing and interrupted her accordingly. "Don't apologise. I don't need it. What happened then was a millennia ago, and now Luna's been set free and have you guys as my nakama. All that matters to me now is whether or not she'll-" Natsu's uplifting words were interrupted however when somepony decided to strike thunder down above their heads.

From a critic's point of view, said somepony's costume was poorly made, stitches of sewing was shown everywhere, like it was made ten minutes prior. However, on a child's perspective, on a night like this, it was mighty alluring and scary. This pony had a black and deep purple uniform, yellow lightning bolts streaking the sides and the abdomen, finally on the face was a set of clean goggles, and the mane of this mystery pony stuck out the most with its rainbow colours. Of course, it was Rainbow Dash causing trouble.

Again.

The elderly-dressed Twilight looked up at the prismatic pegasus and gave her a mouthful about how scary and not to mention how dangerous using a thunder cloud was against them. Spike even fell on the floor gasping for air because of the coughing he received as an after affect. Still, Rainbow just shrugged it off as harmless fun, well...until she was roundhouse kicked across all of Ponyville by a certain agitated man. "That should keep her occupied for now." He said, and that was the end of that.

The rest of the night so far went off without a hitch, Applejack made plenty of bits from the fillies and colt who tried her bobbing apple stall (dressed as a scarecrow), Rarity was doing.....whatever it was she was doing, Pinkie Pie was leading all the children on a trick or treating campaign, Rainbow Dash went back to pranking others with her lightning cloud but Fluttershy was nowhere to be found however. Twilight explained that due to her incredible amount of shyness, Nightmare Night would probably give her a heart attack every twenty seconds. Admittedly, it made sense, that pony is scared of her own shadow.

Soon enough, everypony and Natsu gathered around the stage in front of the town fountain. Everypony was wearing a multitude of varying costumes: some wore masks, some wore dresses, some wore fake armour and one even wore paper bags. Ahh Derpy. Don't get it wrong, Natsu thought she was a sweet, honest pony whenever he spoke to her, she was just a bit..different to most ponies, which wasn't a bad thing.

"Welcome everypony, to the Nightmare Night festival!" Beckoned Mayor Mare, ending her words in a wicked cackle. It would have been creepy, had it not been for the less scary, more funny, clown costume she wore.

"The spooky voice would've worked better if she weren't dressed like that." Whispered an unamused dragon, eliciting a muffled giggle from the unicorn and immortal man.

I may not like this day as much as others because they don't know what really happened but now I can't give a flying shit, Luna's free. I just hope she's doing well.

While the human daydreamed of being back together with his long lost friend, Mayor Mare had given way to the podium on stage for Zecora. In the four days he had lived in Ponyville, Natsu had heard of this special Zebra. Apparently, she lived in the Everfree Forest and when Twilight had first moved in, she was ridiculed for living there and for her being a zebra. Talk about discrimination.

The human had also heard that her mane was in a Mohawk fashion, but with her mane down, covered in spiders and a black cloak on her body, she looked very impressive for a night such as this. Tonight, it was her job to tell all the fillies and colts about the story of Nigtmare Moon. Natsu had heard this story change multiple times over the millennia, each time slightly different to the last, and it didn't sound any better to his ears no matter what version he heard. It upset him that these ideas were being planted into little children's heads, but again, nopony knew the full truth of what happened except him and the princesses.

The immortal man cursed at himself mentally over and over again. No matter what he did, he couldn't get his old friend and mistress out if his head. Soon enough, he could be punching himself in the face to try and escape his thoughts. Luckily, Zecora asked for the fillies and colts (and Pinkie Pie) to follow her, deep into a part of Ponyville extremely close to the Everfree. Deciding that it could help rid him of the plaguing thoughts, Natsu, Twilight and Spike all decided to follow the children.

The journey was only a few minutes and everypony arrived to a small patch of grass that held a grand statue of Nightmare Moon, right in its center. Why something like that was built in a quaint town like Ponyville, Natsu had no idea.

"Listen close my little dears, and I'll tell you where you got your fears. A nightmare night, so dark and scary," Said Zecora in her regular rhyming rather ominously, scaring the little children in the process. Grabbing from within her garments, a hoof of glowing green dust was brought to the night's light before being blown it into the cold winds. The dust swirled magically in the air before almost imploding into the form of Nightmare Moon, flying down and straight towards everyone. "a Nightmare Moon who makes you wary." Continued the zebrican mare. "Every year, we put on a disguise, to save ourselves from her searching eyes. For Nightmare Moon wants only one thing: to gobble up ponies in one fell swing!"

Just seeing the children run away in freight made Natsu laugh, even with this silly story that's being told. He had to admit, this story he didn't mind that much. The whole “gobbling up ponies” thing was a bit over the top but it scared the kids, so he let it go.

Walking up to Zecora, the little pirate colt asked her why they had to sacrifice some their sweets if Nightmare Moon knew they were disguised. Her reply was that of the same thing she had said earlier, that Nightmare Moon would return and swallow them whole. Pinkie Pie and all the children screamed their little heads off and began dumping their sugar loads in front of the statue.

Natsu, Zecora, Spike and Twilight all smiled at the sight, but their smiles were about to be wiped from their faces. Swirling dark clouds, gusty winds, loud thunder and bright lightning rang through the sky without a shred of forewarning. The sudden weather change grabbed the attention of everyone and began to scare the children more than the story.

A moment after they arrived, the clouds parted in the center to reveal the night sky and a dot. A dot that grew by the millisecond. One dot became two, and two became three. The largest shape was a carriage as dark as the sky and pulling it were two dark grey ponies that were much different to anypony else, these ponies bearded large fangs, fluffy ears, cat-like eyes and wings that belonged to a bat while wearing dark blue armour. If Natsu was the guardian of the night, then they were the enforcers of the night. They are a mix breed of dragons and ponies through the science of magic. They are Threshals.

Threshals?! I thought they all disappeared when the war ended all those years ago. But if they're back, then that means... At a million kilometres an hour, the man's mind raced through all the memories all the times he had been with the dragon-ponies and he remembered definitely, the only person who, not even he, could command them and their wild attitudes.

"Luna." Was the only word that came out his mouth before racing to the town square, leaving his friends in his dust.

~~~~=====~~~~

By the time Natsu had reached the center of town, the carriage had already stopped in the air and its rider floated to the ground. The rider flipped its hood off and revealed the person he thought it too be. It was the lunar princess herself. For two weeks, he had been awaiting for her to arrive to say 'sorry' or 'hello' or whatever, but now that she was right in front of him, he was scared. He, the dragon slayer, the strongest being in the world, was scared. Scared of how she would think of him, if she could ever forgive him. A completely different fear from what the townsponies were experiencing.

Their fear was a fear of oppression and pony-swallowing. Fear that she was the monster she used to be. Natsu never knew until a number of days ago but Ponyville was the sight of Nightmare Moon's return last year. He could only imagine the images of that creature still fresh in their minds.

Needless to say, the first impression was terrible. Not only was Princess Luna not noticing how scared everypony was of her, she was using the Royal Canterlot Voice that only made her seem more terrifying.

Somehow, Natsu managed to scurry over to a wall and hid in the shadows to avoid eye contact. But at least he had a reason to be scared. Looking at the townsfolk, Natsu still saw them in cowering bows to the night princess. Hang on, they were moving away from her.

Not only are they being irrationally scared of Luna, their trying to avoid her, and right in front of her face! I mean, I'm doing that too but I have a reason...a stupid one though, but-Ooooohhh I wanna hit something. Thought the human within the confines of his mind as he watched upon the scene before him.

"Did you hear that everypony? Nightmare Moon is going to devour us all!!!" Yelled the chicken Pinkie, to which, every single child near her began running around like headless chooks.

"Fuck you Pinkie. Fuck you." Muttered Natsu with an unimpressed look on his face.

"What? No, dear children. Screams of delight are what your princess desires, not screams of terror." She pleaded, wanting them to understand her true intentions, only for it to be too late. Moving along, she walked to Mayor Mare presenting her hoof, wishing for it to be kissed like in the old days, only for it to be left hanging in front of the terrified pony. "What is the matter with you? Very well then. Be that way. We won't even grace thee with the royal farewell!" She said as she walked away with her nose pointing to the sky, looking and acting like somepony had called Rarity's latest design tacky.

Twilight, seeing the distress she was in, wanted and decided to go and help her mentor's long lost sister. If, a wuss of a drake didn't stop her.

"You can't do that! She's Nightmare Moon!" Begged Spike, grabbing Twilight's cloak to stop her. Twilight responded in kind by ripping the cloak from her assistant's claws, causing the young dragon to fall flat on his face.

"No she isn't, I saw the Elements of Harmony turn the Princess back to go-goo-..." Her argument with the drake was cut extremely short when she felt an extreme pressure coming from beside her and behind the young dragon. Its source was Natsu himself standing behind them, and his clothes were doing the strangest thing, they were flapping lightly in a completely nonexistent wind. It was like both of the Princesses manes but different.

But what scared her more was the fact of what appeared to be flames spouting from his own body. She had read it briefly during her years in Canterlot as a filly, but she never thought it to be true. The sheer wrath of a pony becoming visible on their bodies like flames and gravity seeming to completely dissipate around them: the killing intent.

"Spike." Said Natsu softly, but the quiet anger in his voice piercing even the bravest of hearts. "The next time I hear you say that, I'm going to be having dragon steaks for lunch tomorrow. So don't you dare call my princess that ever again. Got it?" He threatened, his eyes glowing blood red like they were pure evil.

"N-Natsu, she's walking away. Why aren't you going after her?" Asked Twilight, quickly trying to distract the enraged human.

Slowly, the glowing red eyes faded away to reveal a pair of sad black ones. "Because I'm scared Twilight. I'm scared that she won't forgive me for what I did back then." Admitted Natsu.

"Natsu, she was a different pony then. She's going to forgive you, I know it."

"I know that Twi but it was still her all the same. I betrayed the one who gave me a place to call home and friends that I call family. You've never experienced that kind of pain."

"You're right, I don't know what that's like." She admitted before gracing Natsu with a sincere smile. "But I do know what it means to be a friend. You've been friends with Princess Luna since before the Great War, and you still acknowledged her as your family even after her transformation. That's more than enough for her to forgive you, and you to forgive her."

Natsu chuckled and brushed a hand through his spiked hair. "A thousand and thirty-one years old, and yet, I'm beaten by a nineteen year old in terms of friendship problems. What is this world coming to?" He laughed quietly at the irony he was exposed to for a while before he turned to face the unicorn. "Twilight, I have a favour."

~~~~=====~~~~

To his request, Twilight followed the plan he had given her. To get Princess Luna accustomed to Ponyville through learning the customs of today while he his in the shadows, monitoring the both of them while gathering up the courage to face his old friend once more. Using her fine persuasive skills, Twilight had gotten the blue princess to agree to try and fit in to today's society. Their first lesson: speaking normally.

And Twilight knew just the pony to help them.

As the lavender unicorn and dark blue alicorn trekked towards Fluttershy's cottage, Natsu did as he said and remained in the shadows, careful not to alert the old Princess of his presence. But at the same time, careful not to be too close because knowing the Princess, his ears will be ruined in three seconds if he's nearby. Aaaaand he was right, but the yelling voice actually came from Fluttershy. It was the loudest he had ever heard her speak, she really didn't like Nightmare Night.

Natsu could hear clattering and falling objects from within the household, and could tell that it was Twilight trying to coax the canary coloured pegasus out of her home. It was a little difficult at first, but Twilight had managed to get her shy friend outside and in front of 'Nightmare Moon' as she so eloquently put it. Now that she was outside, teaching the princess how to speak normally was inevitable, Twilight even slammed the door in poor Fluttershy's face when she trie to run away. Natsu shouldn't have laughed, but he did, quietly. The scene was just too funny, but the smile disappeared when Pinkie Pie and the children came trotting up to Fluttershy's cottage.

Saying that Fluttershy's soul was taken and eaten by Nightmare Moon (when she was only in a daze from the impact of the door) and that they'd be next, the childish mare screamed and so did all the children as they ran away once again from the lunar princess.

"The day I snap, you'll be the first to go Pinkie." Cursed Natsu underneath his breath, still being hidden from sight before looking to the downed princess with saddened eyes. Seeing her this way broke his heart, Natsu never liked to see his nakama so depressed, but he could show his face to her, not right now anyway...

~~~~=====~~~~

Lesson two: having fun. As the unicorn and alicorn walked the streets of Ponyville, more ponies who saw them, or specifically Luna, ran away and screamed in fear.

"It is no use Twilight Sparkle. They have never liked Us, and they never shall." Said the Princess, her attitude turning to pessimism. Twilight went on undeterred though.

"My friend Applejack is one of the most likeable ponies around. I'm sure she'll have some ideas on how for you to fit in Princess." As if on cue, they met the farmer mare, dressed as a scarecrow, catch little Pipsqueak after nearly falling into the apple bobbing bucket.

"Watch yerself there partner." She said to the colt. As she turned around, she saw the princess and immediately began following the townsponies' example.

"Uhh...Applejack, the Princess is looking for a little advice on how to fit in around here." Twilight said, crouching next to her friend.

Applejack's eyes suddenly opened with a confused look about them. "Fit in? Really?" She asked, dumbfounded at her friend's statement. Not missing a beat, Twilight gave an annoyed growl at her. "Ah mean...that's easy! All ya gotta do is have th' right attitude. Loosen up, be positive, play a few games and have some fun."

Now it was the princess' turn to be confused. "Fun? What is this 'fun' you speak of?" She asked, but was given no reply, only being pushed towards a pony on the ground with what looked liked a giant spider's web with prop spiders set up behind her. "Pray tell, what purpose do these serve?" The princess asked observing the strange stall.

"Th-th-throw the s-sp-spiders onto the w-web." Stuttered the scared mare, pointing her hoof at the web away from her.

"You can do it Princess!" Called Applejack from behind her. Luna looked to the web target, spider in hoof. She aimed it with an eagle's eye and got the bullseye. Twilight and Applejack cheered for her, it felt..good.

"Ha! Your Princess enjoys this 'fun'. In what other ways may we experience it?" She asked, and right down the road was a stall that had pumpkin catapults as its attraction, or pump-tapults (kill me now. /)_-). Once more, she readied her weapon, and hit her mark with great accuracy. "Haha! The fun has been doubled!" She yelled, raising a triumphant hoof. Now everypony was cheering for her, they were no longer afraid of the Princess of the night.

Everything was going great, nopony feared her and with her words, they all even agreed on calling her 'Luna' and not 'Princess'. She asked Applejack to lead to the 'bobbing of apples' as she put it. When they arrived at the farmer's stall, they saw a colt fall into the bucket. Seeing this, Luna sprang to action and fished Pipsqueak out of the bucket. That's where things went as sour as a combination of off milk and lemons. Scratch that, even worse.

"Hey gals, has anypony seen Pip? We lost him the last time ww had to run-" Pinkie Pie didn't finish her sentence as she saw her friend's shirt being in Luna's mouth. "Ahh! Nightmare Moon is gobbling Pipsqueak! Everypony run!"

"Help! My backside has been gobbled!" Cried Pisqueak as he ran away from the mare who saved him.

"'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!" She yelled, furious at the accusation. A bolt lightning sparked and thunder rolled in the air out of nowhere, as if caused by her rage. All that was once happiness, turned to fear again as the villagers started backing away from the angry princess. "Fair villagers, do not back away. Let us partake in this fun...together." She pleaded, quickly grabbing another prop spider from next to her. She tossed it, only for it to not impress anypony. It was the last straw. "Not enough fun for you? Well what's say you to this?!" Luna yelled as she turned all the prop spiders, into malicious, real spiders.

"Ahh shit, she always did have anger issues. You were going so well Luna, why'd you fuck it up?" Natsu asked as a spider crawled past his feet. He needn't not look to tell what had happened.

"Haha! The fun has been doubled!" Princess Lun yelled, her smile twisting into a manical one with twitchy eyes. "Do not run away! As your Princess, we command you!" She ordered to all the Ponyvillians, only to be completely ignored in the chaos she created. "BE STILL!!" Her voice boomed thanks to the Royal Canterlot Voice, all movement ceased and everypony stared terrified eyes into the blue alicorn.

Twilight tried to calm the angered alicorn but she quickly dismissed her. She had had enough.

"If nopony will love us, then we hereby proclaim Nightmare Night to be over. Forever!" She beckoned before flying away. All the fillies and colts were crestfallen. Nightmare Night, over? Forever? Not if Twilight motherfucking Sparkle had anything to do with it!

~~~~=====~~~~

"Princess Luna?" Asked Twilight worriedly as she approached the down alicorn.

"Leave me be Twilight Sparkle." She pleaded, just wanting to be left alone. Like she was for a thousand years, but Twilight going to let her be like that again.

"Princess, I'm sorry that it hasn't worked out the way we wanted it to be. But, you have to believe me when I say that Nightmare Night is one of the best festivals we have all year." She reasoned.

"Yes, I can tell. By the way they all scream in fear as they run away." Luna said sarcastically, with rolling eyes.

Twilight was about to protest but felt something on her shoulder, a hand. She looked up and saw the one human in the world. If now was any good a time to show himself, now was the time. He nodded at her and realised it was time.

"Princess, there's somepony that wants to speak to you." Twilight said softly.

"Oh, and who in their sane minds would want to talk to us? In everypony's eyes, we are still Nightmare Moon. A monster. So who would ever want to talk to a monster like us?" Luna barked back, not bothering to turn her head away from the foreboding statue in front of her. Until a familiar voice reached her ears.

"An even bigger monster called your nakama. That's who." It spoke. As she turned around, she saw a tall person with an entriqute clothing design and a hood, but she didn't have to see his face to know who it was. The hood was removed, and she saw the one person she had been searching for all year. "Hello my Lady." Natsu said with a soft and gentle smile.

"Natsu." Was all she could say, before running up to him and hugging him so hard with tears staining her cheeks. "I've missed you so much, I thought I'd lost you forever." She said sobbing, her emotions running wild.

Natsu ran his hand through her mane, gently comforting her. "Me too Luna, me too. But I'm here, I'm back and I'm never going to leave you again."

"Yeah." She finally rose her head and looked her friend in the eyes, albeit with more tears coming out. "Welcome home."

"I'm the one who should be saying that to you, ya idiot."

"Natsu, I am so sorry for all that happened. I'm sorry I lost control of myself and became that...monster. Would you, at all, be willing to let me be a part of Fairy Tail again?"

Natsu looked shocked at the question. "Why would I do that, when you never left in the first place? You'd need the master's permission to leave." He stood up and removed the top part of his clothing to show his guild mark. "You're Luna of Fairy Tail, this is where you belong."

Tears began anew as Luna realised the meaning of his words. "Thank you." She said quietly.

"So uhh...hate to be a downer but uhh...can you, you know, undo the seal?" Natsu asked embarrassed.

"Oh yes! Of course brother, just stand still for a moment." As Luna charged her beam, small arcane circles appeared one after another until they touched the man and a bright red light expanded outwards from his body. Slowly, the light faded and seemed to go into his body instead of dispersing. It didn't matter to him though.

"Salamander's back baby." He said clenching a fist into the sky.

"Um..excuse me?" Said Twilight, making the two friends remember she was there too. "It's great and all that you've finally reunited but we still have the problem of getting the princess to be accepted by everypony."

Natsu just smirked. "Well, let's see what the number one reason for that has to say." He said.

~~~~=====~~~~

When you are trying to catch somepony without being noticed, the only way to do that is to be extremely quiet and know exactly what the pony you're targeting falls for. So, it was real easy for Natsu and Twilight to apprehend the impossible pony with simple sweets.

"No. No shrieking, no screaming and no squealing. Okay?" Said Natsu as he covered the pink mares mouth with his hands, silencing her. Well, mostly, as she muffled an 'okay' back to him.

Slowly, Natsu removed his hands from her mouth and moved away for her to see the Princess of the night. Surprisingly, she kept true to her word, almost. She almost screamed but quickly covered her own mouth. Luna moved closer to the chicken mare and offered to make peace, but some idiot, rainbow mare decided to strike lightning behind her and make her appear so much more threatening. Pinkie Pie once more began to run away with a Twilight giving chase to her while Natsu roundhouse kicked Rainbow to Canterlot this time.

Once the red left his vision, Natsu saw Twilight trying to stop Pinkie Pie by standing atop of her and saying the Princess wasn't evil and definitely not going gobble her up.

"Well duh!" Pinkie said, confusing all three of them. "Geez Twilight, she's as big as I am. How would she be able to eat me?"

"Then why were you running around, away from her and making her seem like the bad guy?! Do you how much that hurt both her and me?!" Yelled Natsu, angered by her stupid actions.

"Sometimes it's fun to be scared." She said, oblivious to the pain she caused.

"Fun?" Natsu asked before pausing to think. A lightbulb went off in his head at that moment. "Pinkie Pie, you're a genius!"

"No I'm not, I'm a chicken." She said before squawking.

"Luna, Twilight, I have a plan. Are you prepared for the biggest scare prank in Equestrian history?" He said with a sick smile. Luna knew this smile all too well, it was his 'I have a plan and it's going to be fucking great for me' smile. Whatever he had planned, it was going to be big on a night like this.

~~~~=====~~~~

Everypony had continued with the official holiday as if the whole 'Luna's return' incident never happened. The stalls were attended to and greeted with customers, Mayor Mare was enjoying her day off, and fillies and colts gathered more and more sweets for their stashes. Nopony even bothered to see what had happened to those who gave chase to the distressed princess. Nopony bothered, until a figure walked out of the Everfree forest.

A tall figure, wearing red, black and white. Its chest region was covered dominantly by black leather armour, but was patterned with red pieces of metal that formed the shape of bat wings on the shoulders, its arms were covered by white, metal gauntlets that ended with black gloves, the legs were similar. And it's face looked intimidating, no, it looked angry. Very angry.

"Natsu, what're you doin' partner?" Said the scarecrow-dressed farmer, not phased at all by the look of the newcomer, thinking it was their friend as she got closer to it.

But she was wrong.

"Natsu? Do you mean this piece of trash?" It said, raising the very familiar body of a certain human before throwing it face first into the ground like it was trash.

"Natsu!!" She yelled, quickly checking the body, the civilian crowd gathering like wildfire. AJ was no nurse, but she knew what she saw was fatal. Blood was everywhere, and no pulse was found on any spot of his body, not even the faintest sign of life. Natsu was dead. "Who-who are you?" Asked Applejack, her eyes brimming with tears and fear.

"You don't know me?!" It asked, feigning shock before laughing evilly. The evil laugh was further made scary by the biped's head doing a sudden, full, three-sixty turn. Like it was some kind of demon. "I'm Psycho Red." He said, his voice dripping with venom and evil joy.

"Run! Run away, it's a monster!" Hollered a bystander at the top of her lungs, the effect was immediate, the crowd separated and scattered around like headless chickens in seconds. Well, they would have, if not for another disturbance.

"Why run? We're having so much fun playing with you." Cooed a warped female voice that everypony in Equestria knew.

"Nightmare Moon!!" Screamed Pinkie Pie with sheer fear, no joking around.

Everypony was surrounded. There was no way out, not without having to face off against one of Equestria's greatest enemies and a being that could defeat the Salamander. Both villains began to laugh which began to unnerve the citizens, until the laughing that was heard wasn't out of craziness or malice, but out of plain joy, as if a prank had been played. The fact they soon were rolling on their bellies from the pain of laughter made it confusing for the ponies.

"Oh my god. That, was the most fun I've had in centuries!" Said 'Psycho Red' in a voice all of Ponyville recognised.

"We know what you are talking about brother, that was definitely fun." Said lunar nightmare in a single, young voice before her body was covered by light and reverted to the dark blue alicorn. "We haven't done something like that since we covered the nobleponies in eggs from our balcony a thousand years ago.

"Princess Luna? Then that means.." Seemingly to flick its digits behind Psycho Red's head, a couple of soft 'clicks' were heard and slowly, his head came off and revealed pink hair, fair skin and the hugest fucking grin one could wear.

"Heeeeeeeeeyy." Said Natsu teasingly and happily, savouring every moment of the shocked expressions while he placed the intimidating helmet by his side. The ponies looked back and forth between the man in front of them and the corpse on the ground that...has vanished. "You guys all just got pranked, big time!" One by one, each of the shocked expressions turned into embarrassed and angered ones. This did not go unnoticed by the dragon slayer. "Now, before you chase us out of Ponyville, remember that tonight is the night for pranking and I always take things overboard."

Nopony could deny that recklessness was definitely a defining flaw in Natsu's character. It took a little convincing from all of them, as well as an apology, but after about twenty minutes, the town forgave their actions and treated it as the most evil prank in Ponyville history. But before everypony went their seperate ways, he asked them one thing; to make a bonfire. Everypony was confused but did as they were asked, any spare wood for fireplaces and from the local wood deposit were transported to the center of town. All it took was one spark from Princess Luna and the bonfire light up like a beacon. 'Oohs' and 'ahhs' echoed through the crowd.

"Everypony, you're in for a real treat tonight. So sit back and stay calm, I promise, everything will be alright." Natsu exclaimed to the townspeople before looking to his new nakama. "Twilight, everyone, I need you to trust me on this. Don't put the fire out no matter what." He said calmly.

"Natsu?" Twilight inquired, wondering why he asked them to trust him. They soon found out when we walked away from them, and into the fire with his arms out as if he was embracing the flames. "Natsu, no!" She screamed, desperate for him to change his mind and come back.

"Be still Twilight Sparkle and friends. You too Ponyvillians." Luna said calmly, not phased by the event.

"Why are you perfectly calm at this?! Natsu just jumped into a bonfire and killed himself, and yet you don't even call out his name. What's wrong with you?!" Rainbow exclaimed, getting right into the Princess' face.

Luna was also unphased by this. "There is nothing wrong with us Rainbow Dash, because Natsu is just fine."

"How is he fine?! He's burnin' t' death!" Applejack yelled as she carried a bucket of water.

"If you do not believe in us, then tell us, do you hear him in pain or asking for help?" Luna's question went through all of their heads. They heard not a sound except the crackling of fire. "We believe in Natsu with all of our heart, something as simple as fire would never stop him. And if you don't believe in him with all of your heart, can you truly call yourselves his nakama?"

"Little bit harsh, don't you think Lulu? Couldn't you have said that a little bit nicer?" Asked a voice from within the fire. Natsu's voice.

"'Tis the truth brother, trust is the most important aspect of friendship." She said back to the flames, after a few seconds the same man came out of the bonfire, unscathed.

"Oi oi, I never said I didn't agree with you. Trust is the most important part to being a friend. However, the fact that I can trust them with my life is more than enough to call them my nakama." He said smiling like nothing happened.

"You...you just.." Stuttered almost everypony in the vicinity.

"How. The. BUCK are you still alive?! You just walked into bucking fire and came out like it was nothing, you don't even have a single burn on your clothes!! It's physically and scientifically impossible, fire burns everything in sight and yet you aren't even singed!! What the buck just happened and what the buck did you do?!" Screamed a very confused and agitated lavender mare, not even remotely remembering who's presence she was in.

"Miss Twilight, language. You're in the presence of children." Said Natsu, feigning shock at her behaviour when in reality, he just wanted to laugh. Twilight blushed at this but Natsu took pity on her and decided to explain. "I'm okay because that's the advantage of being the fire dragon slayer. Fire is competely harmless to me, and I can also do this." Breathing in deeply, it seemed like the man was trying to gather more and more air, but was replaced with flames that filled his belly. The ponies couldn't believe it, he was eating fire! "Oh man, it's been millennia since I've had a decent meal like that!"

And so, Natsu explained all the fundamentals of Dragon Slayer magic to the elements of harmony, all to the smallest detail just for Twilight's sake. She had managed to fill fourteen whole pages worth of notes just from the small teaching. Luna said that she had fun learning, just like Star Swirl back in the glory days. But even the strongest can get tired, and Natsu was such. Managing to flee from Twilight's incessant learning of new things, Luna brought her old friend to the local lake where they sat side by side in silence under a tree.

"Natsu?"

"Yes Luna?" He looked to his companion, cocking an eyebrow.

"Th-the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up next year and our sister is forcing us to join in the festivities. But we cannot, we-I am scared. I'm scared of what all the nobleponies will think of me after all these years."

"You want me to come to the Gala with you." Said Natsu, cutting straight through her intentions like a hot blade. The princess just laid her eyes on the grass floor, her cheeks beginning to tinge a light pink.

"Yes." She admitted.

Natsu sighed and looked out unto the shimmering lake. "There are two things I hate with a passion: nobles and formal events. What you're asking me is to go to a formal event filled with nobles for you, correct? I'm not your guardian anymore Luna, I can't dare to call myself that." Natsu spoke the truth, ever since the incident as he preferred to call it, he never trusted noblility except for Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis, and he was never one for formalities of formal events for as long as he could remember. "But I will always be your friend and I will always come to your call if you need help. I'll come to the Gala for you, Luna." He said with soft conviction in his voice, serious but kind. And it was this kindness of his that the human was given a reward.

It came in the form of two lips being locked on his own.

"I've missed you so Natsu."

"Y-yeah sure, no problem." And like that, with a flash, the Lunar Princess disappeared, teleporting back to her room in Canterlot Castle and leaving a very confused human to question what had just occurred. "Did...that just...happen?" He asked looking to the four mares that were hiding behind him in a bush, each one of them blushing and nodding their heads in confirmation with wide eyes. "I'm gonna need a drink." Natsu said, making his way towards the local tavern.

On that night, Princess Luna of Equestria, raiser of the moon and Natsu Dragneel, the strongest warrior of Equestria both got drunk off their tits in embarrassment. But the following days however, changed a great deal of many for them and their elder sibling.

"Luna? Where are you Lulu?" Hollered Celestia as she searched for her younger sister in the castle halls. Her searching ended when she had reached the sleeping chambers and saw not her, but a sheet of paper resting on one of the twenty pillows rested on the bed. Picking it up with her magic, she read the short message that was left on it.

"I'm taking Luna with me to Venice for a few weeks. Arrevederci Celly!
- Natsu Dragneel"

Slowly, keeping a straight smile on her face, Celestia walked towards her sister's balcony to the outside world and took a deep breath.

"Natsu, you son of a BITCH!!!" She screamed in her royal Canterlot voice, something she never used except for when she was extremely miffed.

"You hear that?" Asked an excited Luna.

"Nnnope." Said the ill man as he sat in the seat of the train, embarking towards Itaily. The train to his destination lasts for eight hours, it was going to be a long trip.

Chapter VIII - Respect

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Chapter IIX.V - A Night in Itaily

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Chapter IX - A Rodeo of a Day

Chapter 9: A Rodeo of a Day

"[url=hpps:// how was your day Natsu?" Asked Twilight as she walked Natsu off the train station's platform, Rainbow and Pinkie in tow.

"Tiring." He mumbled, the bags under his eyes evident of that.

He had just came back from Canterlot again. Ever since he and Luna had come back from Venice a month ago, Natsu been going to and fro between Canterlot and Ponyville. Why, none of the mares had any idea. But, they decided not to ask given his tendency to be quickly agitated when he did not want to about things he didn't like to be asked about.

It wasn't until after a few minutes of silent walking that he noticed that somepony was missing. He was told about how Fluttershy and Rarity were caught up with each of their own work, but AJ always had time to visit, even when she was one of the two ponies who managed the family farm.

"Hey, where's AJ?" He asked his three nakama.

"Oh she's gone to a rodeo event in Appleloosa, she left two days ago. That reminds me, Pinkie Pie's planning a party for her winning the first place prize money when she comes back home today." Explained Twilight as they continued walking through Ponyville's streets, occasionally being greeted by the civilians.

"Isn't it a bit too early for celebration?" Asked Natsu with concern.

"I don't see what your problem is Natsu. Applejack has won every single rodeo competition she's ever been in, since she was nine! Why would this one be any different?" Retorted Rainbow Dash, flying into the human's face.

"Because you can't win every fight." He stated without even a moment’s hesitation.

"Are you saying that AJ is going to lose?" Asked a curious Twilight, confused why he would have so little faith in their friend.

"No, I'm saying that it's possible for her to lose, that's all. I still believe that she has the abilities to win, but I'm just not underestimating competitions like that." He remarked. The others had to admit, he had a point in his words, even though it made it sound like he had such little faith in their friend. "I'm gonna go take a nap by the lake, I'll see you guys later." Said Natsu as he released a yawn into the open air.

"What makes you think that way Natsu?" Twilight asked him before he got too far from them. Natsu ceased his tread and looked into the vast, clear sky.

"Even in my thousand years of living, there's still one man I have never beaten. Hell, I haven't even managed to hurt him. It's pretty pathetic of me to be honest." He said, chuckling at his own weakness.

Twilight, Rainbow and Rarity were shocked to say the least. They knew the Salamander as somepony that not even the Princesses could defeat at full strength. To hear that he had not ever managed to injure an opponent from his world was both amazing and scary. It just proved to them not even the most experienced fighter has never lost before, even the strongest can be brought to their knees.

"Actually..." Said Natsu in a quiet tone as he thought out loud. He scratched his chin. "Now that I'm much stronger than before, maybe I can finally beat Gildarts. Haha! When I see you again, I'll kick your ass old man! I'll become the strongest person in Fairy Tail ever!!" Yelled the man with glee, sounding like a crazy person to the townsfolk around him.

~~~~~~At the lakeside, 2 hours later~~~~~~

It was a very nice day for a nap by the edge of the lake in Ponyville. The sun shone down with moderate heat, providing brilliant shade, and the breeze was just cool enough to balance out the heat of the sun. All in all, a beautiful summer's day. Underneath the lone tree by the lakeside, laid the millennium aged wizard himself, resting peacefully underneath the shade of the piece of nature.

"Natsu!" Yelled Twilight as she vigorously shook the sleeping human. "Natsu, wake up!" She yelled once more.

"What? What? I'm up already." He said groggily as he woke back up.

"Applejack isn't coming back to Ponyville." Stated the protégé of Celestia, her voice in fear and worry for her close friend. Like a switch being flipped, Natsu’s sleepy demeanour vanished in a second and turned into one of seriousness.

"What?! Did she say why?" Natsu asked immediately, his voice bordering on yelling.

"No, she just said she was never coming home again." Twilight said as she grew ever more worried for Applejack and what had caused her to make such a decision. When Natsu had stood up and began to walk away from her, she asked, "Where are you going?"

"After Applejack. You're coming with me right?" He asked Twilight as he kept walking back to the library.

"You think I wouldn't after this happens?" She asked back as she followed the human, both of them knowing the question was rhetorical.

"So where the hell has she holed herself in?" He asked the lavender unicorn.

"A remote place outside of Appleoosa called Dodge Junction. Apparently that’s where all the contestants of the rodeo go to for resting." She said to the man.

"Well, to Jodge Dunction the-Jodge Dunction?" Natsu asked himself as he noticed the flub in his words. "How do words good? Hahaha. Goddamn I'm an idiot." He said laughing at his own screw up as the two walked back into Ponyville's borders where their friends were waiting.

Luckily for them, the journey wasn't an extremely long one. Dodge Junction was a small, remote town that was only a few minutes before Appleoosa. All in all, the journey there was around three hours long. But for those three hours, barely anything was said on the train. Everyone couldn't help but think of what could've happened to their friend. What could've been so bad that caused Applejack to say that she's never coming home again?

“How are we going to break it to the Apple family if we can’t bring her back?” Fluttershy questioned quietly to her friends as got closer to their destination.

“How’re we gonna break it to all of Ponyville?!” Twilight shouted, smacking her hooves on her cheeks in panic.

“How’re we gonna make it to the next stop?!” Exclaimed Pinkie Pie from out of nowhere, her randomness both expected and not wanted in this situation by her friends.

“We won’t have to. Applejack is coming home with us, even if I have to beat her to a pulp to do it. She has a lot of explaining to do when we get home.” Natsu said as he tried to calm the nerves of his nakama, however, now they were afraid of Natsu beating up their friend.

The screeching of the train’s brakes broke everyone’s attention as they had come to the realisation they’ve arrived at Dodge Junction. The train slowed down to a complete halt as the station came closer and closer.

"All aboard!" Yelled the conductor as the final whistle of the train blew through the small town.

One by one, each of the six stepped off of the train and walked onto the deck of Dodge Junction's station. The citizens waiting to board stared at Natsu, never seeing a person before in their lives. It was something he'd gotten used to over his many years of living though, evident as he walked past them all without paying any heed to their stares.

As they walked through the station, Natsu and Twilight conversed about a plan on how to get the answers from AJ when they had found her. Unfortunately for Natsu, his plans of beating the information out of her was shot down faster than he could finish his suggestion. Pinkie Pie though, had other plans, as she really needed to go to the toilet. Like, desperately.

Ignoring her and sticking to the situation at hand, Natsu had followed Twilight's decision and ask ponies to see if anypony had seen Applejack around town. Finding a stallion who had finished saying goodbye to who he could assume to be a family member of some kind, Natsu walked over to him.

"Excuse me, me and my friends are looking for a mare named Applejack. She has an orange coat, freckles, blond mane and tail, wears a Stetson, and says sugarcube in almost every sentence she makes. Have you seen her?" He asked the citizen who seemed confused at first by his sudden appearance and question, but his eyes quickly travelled behind the man and saw something of interest. Or rather, Natsu's interest.

"Ya mean her?" He said pointing a hoof at the very same mare they were looking for a few hundred metres away. Uttering a quick thanks, Natsu ran towards his missing friend.

"Applejack!" He yelled, and like a signal, all his other friends came running towards the mare.

"Applejack, why aren't you coming home?" Twilight asked the farm mare as they all clambered around her.

"Yeah! What was the deal with that shoddy letter you sent us?" Rainbow barked to her long-time rival.

One by one without mercy, each of the mares questioned Applejack about the reason fro her not coming back home to Ponyville. So many questions that Applejack seemed ready to bolt out of there, her heavily sweating brow accentuating that theory.

"Applejack, are these some of your Ponyville friends?" Asked an older, female voice from behind the group of seven.

Turning to see who it belonged to, everyone saw a cream coated mare with a two-toned crimson mane and tail and a beauty mark underneath her let eye. She wore a pink ascot around her neck and a headband lined cherries on it, and on her flanks were two cherries connected by a stalk. By Rarity's definition, she was the countryside's lady.

"Who're you?" Natsu asked with almost an angry tone, but was quickly reminded of it when Twilight kicked him in the shins. He kneeled to the ground, gripping his injured leg and groaning in pain.

"Yes, we are. Who might you be?" Twilight asked the mare with a much nicer tone of voice.

"Why, I'm Cherry Jubilee, owner of Cherry Hill ranch. Hasn't Applejack told ya? I watched her compete during the Equestria Rodeo. I've never seen somepony win so many medals." Said the mare Jubilee as she continued to praise the Ponyvillian.

"Aw shucks Miss Jubilee, ain't no need to get into that stuff." Said an embarrassed Applejack as she began to blush from the praise.

"Oh, she's so modest. Anyway, I can always use a pony with quick hooves and a strong back. So, when I heard Applejack was looking for a change of scenery, I snapped her up as quick as I could and brought her to Dodge Junction." Explained the country mare as she explained how AJ came to stay in Dodge Junction. "Um, if'n ya don't mind me asking, who are you exactly?" She asked Natsu as she came closer to him, curious about him, just as anypony would be from meeting their first human.

"Natsu Dragneel; human being, Fairy Tail wizard, dragon slayer and Applejack's abusive friend whenever he gets angry." He said without a single moment of hesitation in his voice. The last point made by Natsu made Jubilee flinch a little bit, but then again, it would to almost everyone who had heard it.

"Well, I'll let you catch up with your friends. See you back at the ranch." Jubilee said as she left with a bit more speed than she had intended. When she had left, Natsu looked at Applejack with a less than impressed face.

"So, 'change of scenery' huh?" He said with an equally less than impressed tone. She knew that Cherry's explanation wasn't a good enough one to make him happy.

"S'no big deal guys. Ah just thought cherries would be nice change from apples, so I took the job here. That’s it, end of story." Applejack said as she kept on walking to the cherry ranch.

"That’s it? That’s the worst story ever!" Chimed Pinkie Pie, to which everybody ignored.

"Sorry, but that’s all there is to it. Thanks fer checkin' up on me, but y'all can go home now. Tell mah family Ah said hi and that Ah'm just fine." Said Applejack as she began to leave to her new workplace. But when she couldn't feel her hooves on the ground and a vice around her neck, she could tell who was causing it and how angry he was.

"Oh no you don't bitch. We came all the way here to find you and bring you home. We're not leaving without you or a real explanation either!" Natsu barked as he brought the mare face to face. Applejack squirmed under his grip, trying desperately to escape it.

"Excuse me, Ah didn’t ask you t' come look fer me! There is nothin' t' tell and Ah'm not goin' back t' Ponyville!" She retorted, barking just as much back at the human. After he released his grip, Applejack fell onto the ground and stormed away from her friends in anger.

"I don’t care what she says, Applejack's not telling us something." Twilight said the group when Applejack had gotten out of earshot.

"Twi's right, we gotta get her to spill the beans somehow." Said Rainbow Dash as she flew overhead of the others. But Natsu had something different in mind.

"You girls go try and get the answer out of her, I'm gonna go to Appleoosa."

"Why there?" Rarity asked him.

"I have a feeling the answer will be there too…" Said Natsu with a hint of what seemed to be regret and sadness.

And so, Natsu broke off from the other five and walked back to the station platform. As if the gods were smiling on him, another train had begun to pull into Dodge Junction and Natsu boarded it as soon as the doors had opened. Next stop, Appleoosa.

When Natsu arrived half an hour later, he quickly began his search for answers. After a few questions on where to find the place where the rodeo was held, Natsu found an already half-taken down arena with plenty of different little areas that held purposes for different activities.

He found a stallion with a large moustache and Stetson hat standing off to the side, instructing others on what part went where. Walking up to him, Natsu asked the stallion about the outcome of the rodeo earlier that day. After the initial shock of seeing the man passed, the stallion, who was the sheriff of Appleoosa, led Natsu to a pin-up board. On it was a dozen event sheets that held all the names of the participants, where they were from and what place they all came for each event.

After finding Applejack's name on each of the event sheets, Natsu found the exact answer he wanted. Not only that, it was the only answer he expected to see.

Nothing else would've made Applejack act the way she is. What a stupid fool. He thought as began to head back towards the town. The next train won't be until morning. Let's hope AJ doesn’t decide to make a runner until then.

Morning has come, and with that, the answers that were promised to the five mares from Applejack are coming. It didn't take much, well… it took a bit of coercing. All that was needed was Pinkie Pie and her insatiable amount of energy and ability to make anypony lose their minds after being alone with her.

The apple had promised to tell Twilight and the others the truth at breakfast after what had seemed like hours of torture from the hell that was Pinkie Pie's rambling. Now, it was time to hold up her end of the bargain and keep her pinkie promise. But little did they know, real hell would soon descend upon them all…

"Good morning Applejack! Are you ready for-" Said Pinkie happily as she looked in the room, the empty room. The room with nopony in it. The room where somepony had gone back on a promise. This angered Pinkamena Diane Pie greatly, great enough to the point her face flushed red and steam shot out her ears like the most powerful train whistle.

"Nopony breaks a pinkie promise!" She yelled, her voice slowly warping into demon territory. Speeding out of the house Jubilee had given them to stay in for the night, Twilight and everypony else followed suit, just barely keeping up with Pinkie Pie.

As they ran, they all found Applejack standing on the station platform eager for the train to hurry up and let her board.

"Applejaaaaaaaack!" The mare's ears shot up with extreme speed and she turned to see all of her friends run towards her. And one of them was less than happy, she was absolutely livid. "YOU PINKIE PROMISED!!" She bellowed, eyes full of flaming rage. Literally, her eyes were on fire.

Applejack gasped in horror of the demon she had awoken and tried to run away into the train that had just arrived, but she quickly bumped into something on her way out. Something that stood six feet tall.

"Ahh, Natsu, y'all gotta help me partner. Pinkie Pie's afta me!" She begged to the human, thankful for his appearance and knowing that he could protect anybody. He held out his hand to help her and she gladly took it, but when she was slowly being lifted from the ground, Applejack grew confused and wary. "Natsu?" She asked her human companion, but she only became more scared when he suddenly threw her high into the air.

Applejack screamed her lungs out as she flew higher and higher into the air. If Natsu was anything, he was strong, very strong. But what goes up must come down, and Applejack was coming down fast. However, she was not just going to smash into the ground, oh no, she was going to crash into something that was going to hurt much harder as she saw it being prepared. [url=hpps:// heavy punch ready to crush her into oblivion.]

Closer and closer she came to the ground, and at just the right moment, she saw the fist fly from Natsu's side and impact into her own. There was nothing but silence as time slowed down immensely and the punch connected, but Applejack and Natsu could both clearly hear a crack in her ribs. When time finally returned to normal, their other friends screamed in shock at the display and Applejack flew off of Natsu's and past the station, past the walls of the next building and bounce on the ground for metres.

Applejack could barely breathe, she knew that the punch had broken at least her bottom two ribs. She struggled to even bring herself to her hooves, the aftershock of Natsu's sudden attack still ringing in her mind and scaring her to bits.

"Quit being pathetic Applejack!" Natsu yelled through the hole in the wall. Just as AJ had managed to stand back up, she could see every fear inducing step Natsu made as he came closer towards her. He was fully intending to beat her into the ground. "Just because you lose one competition, it doesn't give you the right to banish yourself from your friends and family out of self loathing!" He spat to the mare when he was just inches away from her.

"An' how would y'all know what it's like?" Applejack muttered as she continued to take deep and painful breaths. "How would ya know what it's like t' have somepony's hopes an' faith restin' on yer shoulders, an' then lose when y'all couldn't live up to the promise ya made them?!" She yelled harshly, throwing one of her hooves at her own friend in hopes of returning the rib-breaking punch she received. However, it was completely and shockingly seen through as Natsu caught the flying hoof was the upmost ease. He didn't even feel a thing when the hoof collided with his open palm.

"You have no right to complain to me about that kind of thing." Natsu growled venomously as he pulled the mare up once more, and locked eyes with her. Flinging Applejack backwards, she skipped and skidded across the desert plains. This time around, Natsu moved faster towards the mare, intent on not letting her escape his sights. "Iron, Swift, Havoc, Hawkeye, Mustang, Hoofstrong, Hughes, Silver! They put all their hopes and dreams, all their faith in me, knowing that I would be the greatest guardian of all for the Princesses. But look what happened!" Screamed Natsu as he listed off the names of his fallen family before he picked Applejack once again.

But this time, she had accidentally grabbed Natsu's shirt and it ripped apart as she was flung again. She didn’t go as far as the first two times, but flung nonetheless. Now running on nothing but adrenaline, Applejack picked herself up much faster than before and looked at the painful sight that was Natsu's back. Natsu knew she was looking at it and that was why he hadn't moved, he wanted her to see his scars.

"These scars on my back are from all the whippings I received from Nightmare Moon every time I did not follow her orders. If I so much as hesitated, I would be whipped again and again. The Luna I had known for six years turned into a monster and there was nothing I could do about it, and I spent a thousand years on my own, all because I failed. I failed the world, I failed my duty, I failed my family. I failed her..." Said Natsu sadly as he lightly gripped a scar that reached across his shoulder. Facing her again, Applejack could now see that his old wrathful expression had been replaced with one of pain and sadness. "I banished myself because I had nobody there to help me, nobody to stop me, because everybody I loved died that night. I told you this just a few weeks ago AJ. Did you really forget who I am and the hell I've seen in such a short time?" He asked the apple farmer, genuinely shocked that she might've forgotten who's presence she was in.

Slowly, Applejack's own serious face because saddened and she collapsed onto her haunches. "But Ah'm a failure, Ah can't go home." She said sadly, and she brought her saddlebags forward and let it fall onto the ground. Thus letting its contents spill onto the floor as well, inside the bags were an assortment of ribbons in a variety of colours. "Ah've got ribbons fer second, third, even fourth and fifth. But no first place. Ah couldn't get the prize money t' fix th' barn an' town hall. Ah let everypony down..." She said as tears began to well up in her eyes.

Natsu laid a gentle hand on Applejack's shoulder, showing that he meant no more harm. "You can't win every time Applejack, there is no success without struggle. Failing is part of life, I know that more than anypony in this world. I may be powerful, but I'm still human, even I've lost my fair share of fights. You just have to accept this as your loss AJ, otherwise you can never get better, and you'll never win another rodeo." Said Natsu with the most relaxed and calm tone Applejack had ever heard. It was as soothing and as loving as an older brother embracing their sibling.

"Thanks for smacking me out of it Natsu." Applejack said looking up at her friend, still slightly battered and bruised from the beating she received from him.

"I did a bit more than smack you out of it, but, I guess that's why they call it 'tough love'." Natsu said as he chuckled while Applejack rolled her eyes at the terrible joke. When he finished his laughter, Natsu looked at Applejack with a determined expression. "Don't worry about the money, I'll work something out." He said.

-----The Next Day-----

"Yo, Big Mac, toss me up fifteen more boards and a bucket of nails!" Yelled Natsu from nearly two hundred metres above the large farm pony. Around his head was his signature scarf, used as a bandana of sorts to soak up all the sweat his was producing on this hot day.

"Eeyup!" Shouted back the red stallion on the ground.

The materials that were requested were all next to each other, the problem was to get them up to where Natsu was without a pulley system. Well, it'd be a problem if it were any other pony. However, since it is Big Mac, the strongest stallion in Ponyville, all he needed was a makeshift seesaw. Carefully loading the boards on one by one with the nails on top of the final board, the red stallion moved to the other end of the seesaw, raised his hind legs to their highest, and stomped down with all his might. The materials soared into the sky, and with extreme agility, Natsu caught each panel one by one and put them under his arm. When only the nail bucket remained, Natsu simply used the end of the last board he caught and slipped it under the bucket's handle.

Thirty minutes passed as he hammered down board after board upon the town hall's roof. Finally, he had finished the last one. Natsu wiped his forehead with his wrist as he looked in pride of his improved carpentry skills. Jumping off of the building, Natsu landed on his feet, only sending a shiver through the earth from the impact.

"And that's the town hall done. Next up, the barn." He said happily before turning around and into the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

The walk was mostly in silence, not a single word was exchanged between the large farm pony and the dragon slayer. The only noise was Natsu humming a little tune to himself, until the unlikely one to talk broke the silence between them.

"Natsu." Said the red stallion, gathering the attention of his human counterpart. Macintosh looked up at Natsu with a pleased and relaxed expression on his muzzle. "We're really grateful that y'all are doin' this fer us, even though we don't got no money." He said, truly thankful for the kindness the human was giving out.

"Maccy, I've said this before, you don't have to worry about anything. You ponies of Ponyville have given me a place to call home again, a place where I can be me without any worries, and you didn't judge me at all because of who I am. I owe you guys so much, this is the least I could do." Said Natsu, more grateful to the pony than the reverse. Certainly, it helped to have friends in very high places, but even without them, he would’ve found a way to help the ponies of Ponyville.

"Still, thank you."

"It's really no problem man. Hey, how about you and I go to a bar for a few pints when we're done?"

"Ah don't see why not." Big Mac said after thinking for a few moments. He had nothing else to do on the farm, so why not? It was about time he got some time to himself. "Say, how'd y'all get the bits to pay fer all o' this?" He asked Natsu, now curious about where the supplies were coming from.

"My sister, but I owe her now."

"Ya owe 'er?" Mac asked in curiosity. "What exactly is she making y'all do? Ya look like Apple Bloom when she came home at midnight tha' one time."

"Ihavetobeherbutlerfortwomonths." Natsu mumbled, his voice sounding reminiscent to Fluttershy's in terms of quietness.

"Wha' was that?" Mac asked, wanting to actually hear the answer.

"I have to be her butler for two months..." He grumbled, fully audible to the naked ear.

Big Mac could hardly believe what his own ears had heard. The immortal Salamander, the strongest fighter in Equestria, was reduced to the princess' personal servant. Image after image popped into the stallion's mind and none of them weren’t funny. They were all so funny that he had broken out into hearty and loud laughter. Everypony around them could only look in wonder of what could’ve been said to make the most silent stallion in Ponyville burst out into laughter.

"After what ya did wit' princess Luna, Ah think it's a fair trade." Said the red stallion as he finally stopped his laughing, only to leave Natsu shocked that knew what he did. "Yeah, we were told what ya did." He said, smirking at the man's shock.

"You fucking traitor. I should be getting your sympathies, not that shit. That bitch called my sister is the fucking devil."

"Fine, Ah'm sorry that y'all are so stupid." Said Big Mac in the most blatant sarcastic voice in the world.

"Fuck you too." Said Natsu, pushing the stallion's head and making his body veer off their path a slight bit. "C'mon, we still have a barn to fix up."

"Lead the way mah friend." Said the large Apple family member.

Author's Note

Two chapters, one night. Enjoy my friends.:twilightsmile:

Chapter I

ATTENTION: This chapter has been redone because apparently I didn't do a good job with expanding it, it seemed rushed so I have redone the chapter. Big thanks to Chrystalis McCloud for helping me with this

Chapter I: 1000 Years Ago.......

"War brings death..and wounds and pain to both sides. There's nothing harder to accept than the deaths of those you love. So you believe they could never die. Especially those who haven't known war."
~ Nagato Uzumaki

The sounds of war cries, screams of pain, anguish and weapons colliding were echoed throughout all the land in Equestria from Pegasi, Unicorns and Earth Ponies alike for this was the war of the Sun and Moon. The war had been waging for two months now and both sides felt, no, they knew that the battle was drawing to a close, when however, nopony knew. Celestia and her sun guardians at this point were having an advantage due to the amount of soldiers on their side, but Nightmare Moon and her darkness legion weren't pushovers either, while Celestia's warriors had numbers and strength on their side, Nightmare Moon's legion had speed and agility. Meanwhile, inside the base of warriors of the sun, a soldier clad in bright red armour, showing his rank in the army, shouted loudly enough to be heard throughout the entire base.

"You possibly cannot do such a thing your majesty! You can't go alone! Not there!" beckoned the soldier towards the Princess of the Sun herself, Celestia.

"I know that admiral Sol! But what other choice do I have to protect my little ponies?!" she yelled back.

The admiral was taken back by the anger and sadness in her voice. There was a silence between her and Sol for a few moments before Sol came forth with possibly the craziest idea he's ever had in his twenty-five years of service under Princess Celestia.

"Let me come with you, your majesty" he proposed with nervousness but seriousness in his voice.

"No! Absolutely not! You are the finest stallion and greatest friend I have ever met in my army during my long years of living! I won't have you die!" Celestia loudly protested to her old friend and admiral. The two of them argued for about ten minutes stating why and why not the two of them should go to where Celestia planned to go alone, after such time, Sol gave his full resolve to go with the Princess, eventually she gave in and accepted his proposal.

"Very well then, you may come with me. Your eyes prove you won't take 'no' for an answer, there's no point in arguing any further." Princess Celestia spoke softly but sternly. The next thing Sol noticed was that her eyes changed from that of acceptance and defeat to fierceness and determination.

"This will be the turning point of the battle Admiral Sol, are you ready?" to which, he nodded almost immediately. "Tonight, you and will go to my sister's base in the forest personally and stop this war!" said the sun princess with overwhelming confidence.

-------------------------------------------------- 5 hours later ---------------------------------------------------

Sol and Princess Celestia began heading out to Nightmare Moon's base of operations, but they knew the amount of danger they were putting themselves in, one tiny mishap can cost them their lives. Even more so, since they're in the middle of a war. After half an hour of trekking carefully through the forest (the Everfree forest in later years), the princess and her admiral were only a few hundred metres southerly from her sister's base and they could see it just off in the distance.

"We're so close, it's right there!" stated the princess' companion. Celestia nodded but then sensed a presence close behind them.

"Yes, so close but no cigar I'm afraid dear sister, mr soldier" said a mature but cold, evil voice.

Celestia and Sol instantly turned around and found the source of the cold voice, Nightmare Moon, standing right behind them with a smug grin on her face whereas the other two had a look of shock and anger on their faces. No sounds were heard except for the beating hearts of Celestia and her admiral and the sound of Nightmare Moon slightly chuckling under her breath as if out of victory.

Out of shock, Sol murmured: "But....how-"

He was then cut off by Nightmare Moon quickly replying with, "How, my dear soldier? Simple: I've known with my sister long enough to know what she's thinking. I figured she would at some point in time, come see me personally. So I took the liberty of making preparations beforehand." She explained

Nightmare Moon laughed evilly but was rather rudely (in her case) interrupted by the admiral dashing up to her with a sword in his mouth, she did not like this but yet, she still smiled because at the moment Sol was in striking distance, a shadow from the forest moved towards him and struck him in the side of the muzzle, sending him flying and crashing into a tree rendering him unconscious. The shadow rose but the figure wasn't of a pony but of another creature that made Celestia begin to cower in both fear and recognition even with its face remaining in the shadows. A creature that stood on two legs and attacked with its bare hands. A human, clad in a black vest and waist cape with gold linings, white leggings a checkered white scarf and black sandals.

"Why? WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" She screamed

The creature simply remained where it was, just standing there with a look of sadness and tiredness, as if it has seen so much and lost much more. It closed its eyes, images ran through the human's mind as if flipping quickly through a scrapbook. They were his memories: his memories from before the war, memories that were close to six years old.

The very first memory was that of him walking through the forest, it was late at night, storming heavily, and he was sick with a very high fever. The last thing he knew before passing out was that he saw a midnight blue coated pony with a horn and wings coming towards him and said "Don't worry, I'll help you, now please, rest up."

Everything after that was blur, save for two voices: a voice that belonged to Celestia and another that belonged to somepony else, a slightly higher voice, similar to that of a child.

"Get rid of it now, it's a monster!" screamed the voice belonging to Celestia

"It's hurt! I can't leave it out in the storm sick like this!" protested the other voice

"You fool. Why are you being kind to this thing Luna?! You can feel its power just as much as I can, he alone has the power to beat the both of us combined!" Celestia protested back with absolute spite in her voice

"I'm a princess too, it's my duty to help all things, even if they look like they are monsters." Calmly said the younger voice

"Fine, do what you will sister. But in my opinion of that creature, it should just die." Celestia said lastly

"Please don't mind her, she doesn't understand." Said the revealing the face of Luna. "You may be dangerous but nopony should be left alone when they're in need, not even you. I'll be back in a few minutes, I'm just going to get a fresh towel and some medicinal herbs to help your recovery." The moon princess turned to leave the room but stopped when she heard a soft mumble from behind her. "Thank you, Miss Luna." Turning to look back at the being she recovered outside, she saw him bearing a weak but very visible smile. Luna couldn't bear to see him like this, so she smiled back and walked away.

" 'I'll be back in a few minutes' she said. I may not have a watch but I definitely know that it's been at least an hour or two since she left." Thought the semi-conscious man, beginning to grow restless with worry. "That's it, I'm going to go find her."

As he was getting up from the bed he was given, his body caved in and he collapsed to the floor, giving off a small 'thud'. But that didn't stop him, his resolve to find the princess who saved his life from that storm wouldn't be quenched by mere body failure. He tried and failed, he tried again but failed, a third time he tried but the results were the same. "I won't give up! I will never give up!" He grunted under his breath ending in a quiet yell. Continuously and ferociously, he tried and tried again without succession, by this point in time some blood started to trickle down his forehead but he still tried and after many attempts, he stood up. He gave himself a small victory dance but it was short lived, he quickly turned towards the door and started walking.

"Excellent! Now, to go find Miss Luna, she could be in danger." He said. Stumbling, he walked towards the door of the room he was in, grasping his side for it was throbbing in extreme pain. Upon opening the door, he was greeted, well more rather rudely, with said door slamming into his face and knocking him backwards on to the floor again. After a small yelp of pain the man looked up to to see what the cause the door hitting his face was, what he saw was a large cream-white horse that stood as tall, if not a little shorter than himself, with a horn, wings and a ethernal flowing mane with the colours of the rainbow that looked upon him with a stoic and stern gaze. There was silence between the two beings, each bearing a dark gaze at each other's eyes until it was the majestic horse that spoke.

"Where do you think you're going creature?" She said while maintaining eye-contact in a wary, angry tone.

"I know that voice, you're Miss Luna's sister aren't you?" He asked when he recognised the voice. "And in answer to your question: I'm going to find her, your sister."

"Firstly, yes, I am Princess Luna's sister, so you will address me as Princess Celestia. Secondly, you're not going anywhere unless you get my permission. Thirdly, what my sister does has nothing to do with you, so go back you're undeserving bed in our castle creature." Celestia said rather crudely and descriminately. The man looked back at her with a pained fury and resolve in his eyes.

He was struggling but he stood up again with a shadow over his eyes."So you expect me to just roll over and do what you say when my saviour is possibly in danger? Don't screw with me Princess! Us mages of Fairy Tail always repay our debts, whether it be large or small, we always repay them!" He barked "So excuse me Miss Celestia, but I have someone to find!"

Celestia's eyes widened in shock and agitation, this single being was willing to help a pony, her sister, who he's only met for no more than ten minutes, while injured and sick no less. She opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by the nephilim who somehow managed to get past her and was walking through the open hallway.

"I don't care about my life, I have nothing to lose. All my friends, my family, my father, they're all gone! I have nothing left to lose, the least I could do is help the one who saved my life." he continued as he stumbled through the hall. "Oh yeah, and my name's not 'creature', it's Natsu."

"Why're you doing all this?! You shouldn't even exist in this world!"

"Heh, I guess my pride as a dragon slayer and mage of Fairy Tail won't let me die so easily."

"What did you just say? About your pride?" Questioned Celestia

"Huh? As a dragon slayer or a mage of Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked back

He turned to see Celestia's face but was hit by a hard blast which felt like being hit a sharp stone the size of Igneel's claw. The nephilim was flying backwards and even went through a wall, his wounds opened and more had been inflicted from the blast and it's aftereffects, all the while scaring any nearby ponies. He struggled to get on his feet but was hit with another blast before he could stand, this time it hit his back, causing serious pain. The next thing he knew, he was laying on his back in an unknown area, but judging by the smell, he could tell he was near the kitchen. Again trying to get up, but instead of being hit with another blast, a hoof came down on his chest with extreme force, knocking the air out of his lungs and causing him to cough up a little blood. The hoof kept applying more pressure, threatening to crush his ribs, he yelled in pain, it was loud enough to be heard everywhere. Celestia looked down on him and Natsu looked back, his eyes still holding the resolve he had before, while hers had a look of fear and anger in them.

"You cannot be allowed to live, I can feel your power and what you just said as to what you were gives me all the more reason to eliminate you."

"So you decide to take me out while I'm injured and sick? Heh, how noble of you princess."

"Enough of your insolence!" She yelled raising her hoof, ready to come down like a rocket. "Prepare to die!" Threatened Celestia with a hoof coming down strongly and quickly. Is this it? Is this how Natsu will die? Without even seeing if the princess who saved his life is alright? These questions were racing through the man's mind as the hoof of death came closer and closer and closer until a very loud scream came from above.

"SISTER!!! THOU WILL CEASE THIS TOMFOOLERY AT ONCE!!" It screamed, making Natsu cover his ears due to his sensitive hearing. The incoming hoof stopped only a hair width form Natsu's chest, the sheer air pressure from the failed hit was incredible, it caused Natsu's hair to dance wildly. That yell was very loud but very recogniseable, the man and Celestia both looked up to see a pretty mad princess Luna. Upon seeing her sister, Celestia was filled with annoyance whereas Natsu with relief to see that she was alright.

"Why did you stop me Luna? This creature is dangerous!" Celestia questioned while backing away from Natsu

"THOU SHALT GIVE US A PROPER REASON AS TO WHY YOU WERE ATTACKING HIM!"

"He said so himself! He called himself a 'dragon slayer'!" She protested

"That's what this is about!? Listen lady, my magic may be called 'dragon slayer magic' but that does not mean I have actually slayed any dragons. Where I'm from, as a little kid, dragons were extremely rare and then one day, they just disappeared without a word. I know this because my father, the one who taught me my magic, was a dragon as well. Even when he disappeared, I never used my magic to hurt innocents, I always used it to protect my friends! Especially ever since I entered the Fairy Tail guild! So don't go accusing me of being a monster until you get to know me, got that?!" He wildly screamed as he proclaimed his innocence.

As he finished both Luna and Celestia had not interruptted once during his small speech and stared at him with wide eyes as big as fishbowls. 'He was raised by a dragon?' They both thought. Luna felt sad for Natsu because the only family he had was that dragon and this 'Fairy Tail guild', but wherever that was, he wouldn't be able to see any of them again. Celestia just stared in disbelief at both how he acted and he explained his history, unable to say anything. Natsu on the other hand eventually had the adrenaline leave his body and began to feel the pain come rushing back. He was so tired and in so much pain from what he had to go through today, all he could do was lay down on his back a wriggle in pain grabbing his sides. Luna noticed this and went over to him in an attempt to help ease his pain with succession and the aid of the medicinal herbs she originally sought out for. After a few minutes, Luna moved Natsu back to his room to get him to rest again and this time, fully recover. After the incident, Celestia ordered the wall to be fixed and returned to her chambers with scorn written on her face.

With the aid of princess Luna's healing magic and the herbs, Natsu was able to make a full recovery within three days, the fractured ribs, the high fever, the lacerations, the bruised spine, everything, it was all healed. Finally able to walk properly, Natsu decide the first thing he'd do after his treatment was to go for a run, get his body back in physical shape. "Yeah, a good five kilometre run should be good and then I should ask Miss Luna if there's a gym of sorts around here." He started his run but he sensed something behind him and stopped and payed attention to his surroundings. He gave a long, tired sigh when he realised who it was that was spying on him. "I'm training as soon as I'm out of recovery because if I don't get back into peak physical shape I won't be able to fight, and if I'm unable to fight then I won't be able to protect you. Is that not okay Miss Luna?"

From out of nowhere, the moon's princess materialised behind Natsu. "How did you know that I was here? Nopony in this kingdom could ever hope to find me when I'm in that form, not even our most expert unicorns, so how?"

"You know how I said that I was raised by a dragon and that he taught me my magic?" Luna gave a nod to let Natsu continue."Well, dragon slayer magic allows the user to take on the all physical qualities of a dragon. That includes: a dragon's sense of sight, smell and hearing." To say that Luna was shocked would be an understatement, her jaw was slack and almost hitting the floor. She snapped out of her daze and asked with amazement and bewilderment in her eyes.

"So, you mean to say that your body is on par to that of a dragon's?" She dazily asked

"To sum it all up, yeah basically." Natsu replied with a slightly bored expression.

"What about fire?" Again she asked.

"Doesn't affect me whatsoever. My skin is like dragon scales, abling me to dissolve fire, I have dragon-like lungs to breathe fire and my hands are like dragon claws to attack with fire. So in all essence, should a dragon attack me with fire, I can simply eat it and attack with the same fire only twice as powerful."

"Can you show me? Please?"

"Sure thing, but, what about your sister?"

"Please, don't mind 'Tia, she just wants to protect me since I am her little sister as well as the rest of the citizens of Equestria." Luna explained

" 'Tia? Oh, I get it now. Well okay, if you're sure then sit back and enjoy the show!" He said with a wide, cheeky smile. Instantly after he finished talking, he clenched his hands into fists and brought them together to create a small 'smack' noise. When he did so, Luna noticed a large circular mark appear in front of his fists but what got her attention the most from it was that a dragon's head was in the middle of the marking. The next thing she knew, she was staring at Natsu's hands which were currently set ablaze but the flames weren't flickering like a normal, wild fire would, no, these flames were calm, full of careness and compassion, as if there was no threat in them to begin with. Luna could not help but stare at Natsu and his flames in awe as well as some happiness.

"So beautiful." She said simply with her wide eyes and soft smile

"Fire isn't evil, sure it burns everything it touches but fire could be most likely the world's greatest creation ever. Otherwise we'd have nothing to light our way with, we'd be left in the dark. But the same applies to the darkness, it isn't evil, it's scary but not evil, that's why we have your moon to light our way too, that's why I like the night more than the day." Natsu replied smiling as well.

Luna began to blush, even through her midnight-blue coat it could be seen. Upon seeing this, Natsu was desperately trying to hold back his laughter but to no avail, he let a few giggles escape his mouth. "Hehe, I'm sorry princess but I truly did not mean to see that happen." Keeping his smile, he closed his eyes and turned his head to the open sky. "The day is warm and bright but it's too loud with everyone, sorry, everypony outside but why I favour the night more is its quietness, its peace, its serenity. I feel at ease when the night comes, like I have nothing to worry about in the entire world." He continued, all the while Luna's blushing grew to a ferocious red in colour. But his smile faded and turned into a frown. "But I can't live like that all my life, I need something to protect."

Luna stared at him inquisitively and her blush faded away. "What do you mean you 'need something to protect'?" She asked, craning her heard sideways in confusion.

"What I mean is that I want to protect someone with my life on the line, and that one is you." He got down on his knees, arms out, hands on the ground and bowed his head. "Please! I beg of you! Make me your personal student and guardian! You saved my life and I could never be able to repay that debt, at least let me do this much. Please." He said, pleading as hard as he could.

"Would you really do that? Just for me taking you in these last few days?"

"Gladly, and I'd do it a thousand times over if I could."

"Well then, we happily dub thee Sir Natsu, 'the lunar dragon', our personal student and guardian." Proclaimed Luna as she touched her horn on each of his shoulders . "Arise my student we have plenty to teach you." To which Natsu gladly complied with, giving a bow as he stood up again.

"Yes, my lady." He said formally as he finished bowing.

Meanwhile, somewhere high in the castle, Celestia was looking down upon what had transpired between the human and her sister from her quarters. The look of scorn and anger clearly written on her muzzle. "Hmph! Don't think that this is over between us Natsu, should one day you betray my sister and I, I will take your life without a second thought for you are a danger to us all." she growled as she walked towards the hall beyond her chambers.

Natsu hearing this with his dragon-like ears, simply smirked and talked under his breath. "Heh, well then I promise I won't let either of you down I swear on my pride I won't."

Author's Note

Whoo! First chapter! Righto, so this is my first fan-fic, I hope it satisfies you. I am open to any criticism if I've done anything wrong, so please let me know where there needs improving. This story has just been plaguing my mind for he last few weeks and I've only been able to get it on now because of exams, so I had to put it off until afterwards. Anyway, as I said, any criticism is great be it bad criticism or good, anything that can help me with this story getting better. I'll try my best to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. That's all from me, later!

Ciaossu, Sketch