Acnologia shook as he went to open the guild door. The walk into Magnolia itself had been heart-wrenching... a few people were so overcome with their confusion that they were simply holding their heads in the streets. Some scuttled away from each other terrified by what they had seen, some dismissed it as some weird allusion, and those that had know Acnologia in another life trembled when the dragon king briskly walked through the town.

Terror. That was the emotion he felt. He was terrified that they would despise him; understandably so. But beyond that... he knew that if they hated him, they would be easier prey for Tyregenium... somehow, someway, he had to get them to safety. Somewhere where it would be hard for Tyregenium to get them... hell, he would drag them there kicking and screaming if they didn't listen to him any other way.

The doors creaked open and the silence in the guild suffocated the dragon king. Every guild member looked up at him, some of them looked scared, some scarred, some were shaking, others silently sitting in a corner. Acnologia took a step in but someone else stood in his path; Serena.

"Is it true?" he asked his voice shaking.

Acnologia opened his mouth but he couldn't make himself speak. He saw himself murdering Serena all those years ago, he closed his eyes and tried to think of something else but that was all that would come.

"We all saw different parts of the same life... what the hell was it?" Gray asked his arms crossed.

"An alternate timeline," Acnologia answered slowly, "One that took place before this one..."

"So then, those things happened in another time?" Cana asked... she wasn't drinking and was only sitting at the bar shivering.

"Yes," Acnologia nodded.

"Did you know?" Serena asked looking up at him... he was crying through gritted teeth, "Did you know that it existed?"

"Yes," Acnologia nodded swallowing his fear, "I'm the one who split the timelines and created this one." He looked into Serena's eyes and realized that he was afraid... he gritted his teeth, "I know I can't make up for -"

Serena hugged him and sobbed into his black cloak surprising the dragon king. He stood there stunned for a moment.

"Thank you," Serena sobbed.

"What?" Acnologia breathed.

"God I was a monster," Serena gritted clenching Acnologia cloak as he continued to cry. "I turned against Ishgar... I joined the Spriggan Twelve dammit!"

"No," Acnologia shook pushing him away, "You're not supposed to thank me," he was shaking now, there were too many emotions running through his head... He was confused. "I killed you."

"Thank god you did," Serena choked taking a step back and gripping his own robe, "I would have destroyed Fairy Tail otherwise."

"Yeah?" Laxus growled from the table he sat at. "I tried to destroy Fairy Tail while I was in it... and all of Magnolia for that matter so the fact that you tried to attack a guild you didn't know... I ... I don't think it's that bad," his voice was thick with self-hatred.

"Oh good for you... I WILLINGLY joined Sabertooth," Sting growled.

"It must be nice to know that that's the biggest stain on your soul," Gajeel stated darkly from where he sat in the corner.

"Gajeel, you can't feel guilty over that," Levy reassured him... she hesitated however before touching him.

"Don't fool yourself... I can see the fear in your eyes," Gajeel hissed looking away and shifting out of her reach.

"So what, you stapled Levy to a tree," Erik laughed... something about him was off. He laughed a bit more... but the laughs were forced, he looked up his eyes bright with hatred and tears building up in his eyes. He was shaking uncontrollably as he spoke, "I murdered thousands... thousands... not just mages... not just my enemies but everyone... mothers, fathers, children... hell I enjoyed it... You want to tell me again how bad you were in your previous life?"

"SHUT UP!" Rogue barked, "I sent an army of dragons to destroy the world... there's no way that your sins outweigh mine!" he was crying.

"I... I fought against my own brother and tried to melt Ur... I succeeded too," Lyon gritted.

"You moved past that," Ur reassured him.

Gray was darkly staring at the floor... his sins were right about even in both worlds.

Suddenly the guildhall was full of confessions. Murders, betrayals, mistakes, friendships never made, or bonds broken. People began smiling and crying. They embraced each other and grinned.

 Mest begged Wendy to forgive him for abandoning her on Tenrou... Wendy gave a smile but her eyes were full of confusion. Acnologia was shaking... he wasn't relieved yet, he just didn't understand how this was happening.

"Wait," he breathed as Cana and her father embraced. Pantherlily, Jet, Droy, and Levy tackled Gajeel and told him that he was forgiven. Kinana slid next to Erik and smiled as he put a hand on his shoulder, Erik looked at her thankfully. Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed reassured Laxus over and over again while Makarov smiled and told him it was alright. Rogue and Sting embraced each other and told each other that it was going to be okay. "WAIT!" Acnologia ordered. They all looked to him. "What is this?" he asked shaking.

"What is what?" Sting asked.

"Do none of you know who I was? What I did?" Acnologia shook.

The guild members looked at each other.

"Well, yeah," Sting choked out, "But I guess it just doesn't fit you."

"What?" Acnologia asked.

"We lived our whole lives looking up to you, being protected by you," Laxus explained, "that when we saw you in that life... it just isn't... you."

"It's very hard to think that the two of you are the same old friend," Makarov said smiling gently.

"But we are!" Acnologia cried his voice catching in his throat, "God knows I did all those things and I knew what I was doing... I knew... I willingly tried to kill you all... Hell, I did kill you, Serena," Acnologia cried looking to Serena.

"Acnologia," Ur scoffed. He looked to her she was smiling small tears at the corner of her eyes, "You saved my life..." she wrapped her arms around Lyon and Gray, one per arm, "Thanks to you I was able to watch these two grow... I was able to reunite with my daughter... You saved these two boys years of pain" she smiled looking at Lyon and Gray fondly. Lyon and Gray looked to Acnologia full of thanks.

"You helped me recognize the angel in front of me," Gildarts smiled grabbing Cana.

"Don't get comfortable old man!" Cana cried.

"You're daddy's little angel!" Gildarts cried comical tears streaming down his face.

"And you're creepy!" Cana objected shoving him away.

"You gave me many years of happiness with Simon and Jellal, I could never repay the debt I owe you,"  Erza bowed to Acnologia.

"You've helped me far too many times to count old friend," Makarov grinned bowing to him as well.

"And don't forget," Serena grinned punching Acnologia in the shoulder, he was still crying, "You saved eight dragon slayers from the world"

Acnologia looked up from Serena to Sting and Rogue, both who were smiling at him, Gajeel wasn't smiling, but he gave a nod to express his thanks, Erik allowed himself a small grateful smile, Laxus nodded reassuring the dragon king, Wendy ran up and hugged Acnologia.

"You're the best Uncle we could've asked for," Wendy smiled. Acnologia rubbed her hair, and then looked to the last dragon slayer. Natsu sat in a seat and was looking at the floor.

"I have a question," Natsu said, he looked up, "How the hell are we alive!?" the question wasn't serious and Natsu said it with the dumbest expression Acnologia had ever seen him with.

"What?" Acnologia asked not sure he had heard right.

"The last thing I remember in the other life was punching you... so did I beat you? How'd this happen? Did I win?" Natsu asked.

Acnologia chuckled as the relief crashed into him... somehow the fates, the gods, whoever was in charge of the word had shown him mercy. They didn't hate him...  they... they had forgiven him... more than that, they were grateful.

Acnologia sighed and looked around... the seriousness of the situation descended on him; he couldn't hide anything anymore.

"There's a story I need to tell you all," Acnologia said firmly his eyes full of sorrow, "It'll answer all of your questions hopefully... and explain everything.

"Hold on... did we win?" Natsu cried, "Answer my question!"

"Quiet Natsu," Laxus warned. The fire dragon slayer shut up with a "humph".

Acnologia began trying to think of where to start. And then it came clear to him what he needed to explain first, "Before I start... I need to make something clear," he looked at each of the Fairy Tail members in the eyes with his cold blue eyes, "Not all dragons are good."