How very wrong Ivan was. Laxus took an immediate liking to Acnologia and Gildarts. Whenever Laxus was down, it was Gildarts who made him smile. Whenever he was made fun of by other kids, or his father called him weak, it was Acnologia who made him feel mighty. Laxus loved everyone, he was a sweet kid and because of that was loved by all. 

Ivan grew spiteful of the love centered around his son and began to hate even Laxus. Laxus was sickly, would have lung attacks, and was never good at sports, but he was always a joyful spirit. Acnologia loved the child; Laxus was a child who would rarely cry and when he did, he did so for good reason. He always tried to prove himself and was trying to be better, qualities that Acnologia could appreciate. Acnologia watched Laxus ride in the Fantasia Parade holding up his hand in a gesture that would become Fairy Tail's trademark. He'd never admit it but his eyes almost watered... almost... BUT THEY DIDN'T!

Then one afternoon there was a knock at Acnologia's door. Acnologia lived in a two-roomed apartment, nothing special or luxurious, but Acnologia spent most of his time in the guild or on jobs anyway. 

Acnologia pushed himself off from the couch where he had been reading and opened the door. There was a soldier from the Magic Council.

"Mr. Acnologia?" the soldier asked.

"It wasn't me," Acnologia growled slamming the door in the guard's face.

He walked back to the couch and had almost sat down when the guard knocked again. Acnologia growled, opened the door and stared at the guard.

"Sir, I'm here regarding an urgent matter," the soldier began again.

"The destruction was not my fault, go after Gildarts," Acnologia growled again slamming the door. As soon as it shut the soldier knocked again.

  "I'm this close to committing murder" Acnologia growled opening the door and showing the soldier the small gap between his fingers. 

"Sir, the magic council had been experimenting with dragon slaying magic and we believe we have a suitable subject... the counsel had asked you personally to overlook the preparations and the procedure," the soldier announced. There was a moment of dead silence.

"No," Acnologia answered slamming the door so hard that the walls shook.

'Stupid council, what are they thinking, experimenting with that stuff' a voice in his head growled.

'Let's go stop them!' another voice cheered.

'We can't just stop the council!'

'Why not'

'Because it's not X200 anymore!'

"Stupid Council," Acnologia growled aloud.

'What about this "subject", who is suicidal enough to go through with that?'

'... Did we meet any other dragon slayers?'

'What do you mean other slayers?' 

'Wasn't there an annoying cocky one?'

'That was a whole freakin life ago!'

'IT'S HIM, THE SUBJECT IS GOING TO BE THAT JERK DRAGON SLAYER!' A third voice cried.

'...Can we kill him?'

'What is wrong with us! No, we can't just kill him!'

'Why?'

'BECAUSE KILLING IS WRONG!'

"I'm going crazy," Acnologia sighed holding his head.

'It's true, we're bonkers,' A voice agreed.

'Is being crazy an excuse to kill stuff?'

'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH US!'

Acnologia ignored the voices, threw the door open, and looked at the soldier who was now walking down the hall. "Hold on," he hissed. The guard turned and Acnologia tried to hide a growl, "Someone needs to make sure you don't kill whatever idiot's going through with this."

The council was just as orderly and annoying as they had always been. Acnologia had been shoved and pushed from one area to another. He perfected the preparations and smacked idiots for being idiotic. He almost incinerated the council itself for going through with this idiotic plan. This project was called the hybrid theory... the name itself made Acnologia want to chuck someone out a window.

"We have one final crucial part of the operation that we'd like you to overlook," a frog thing stated.

"Oh do you now," Acnologia growled his left eye twitching slightly. He was done with the council and the entire endeavor.

"We'd like you to meet the subject and inform us if he is suitable," the frog stated.

Acnologia tried to regain composure. He was going to sit and study the idiotic suicidal maniac who volunteered for this.

'What kind of idiotic person would volunteer for eight *input word* lacrimas to be inserted in his chest?' a voice grumbled.

"He's right in here," the frog thing said preparing to open the door.

'It's gonna be some crazy, unstable-' The door opened and another voice in Acnologia's head choked, 'KID!'

There was a young boy, eleven maybe. His bright orange hair stood wildly in the air and his golden eyes looked up at Acnologia. There was no malice or hatred in those eyes, only expectation and a hint of fear. 

'BUT WHY A KID?!'

"He's a kid," Acnologia stated.

"Yes sir, children are found to be best suited for these kinds of-" The frog began. Acnologia reached out and grabbed the thing by its neck.

"I don't know how you found that out, and I don't want to know. Here's what I do know; If you want to live longer then the next five seconds you're going to explain to me in a brief sentence why a KID is going through this and another five seconds to get out of my sight."

The frog shivered.

"Your five seconds began," Acnologia growled.

"He's the only one who agreed after we told him all the dangers!" the frog croaked madly.

"And his parents?!"

"They consented!" the frog gasped.

Acnologia dropped the frog and the creature scrambled out of the room closing the door behind him. Acnologia looked back at the child and studied him for a few seconds. His body was weak, at least compared to what Acnologia had hoped for, and he looked far too happy for a kid who was going to possibly die tomorrow. On top of it all, the child had a scar crossing over his nose... that scar was all too familiar. 

It was the scar that brought the memory back. Now Acnologia could see the grown dragon slayer he had slaughtered in his last life... So this was God Serena.

"I'll make it right?" Serena asked looking at the operating table.

"Yeah," Acnologia nodded.

"You won't leave me?" Serena asked looking up at the dragon slayer.

"No."

Serena nodded and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Remember what we talked about?" Acnologia asked. 

Serena smiled and nodded, "It's all in the spirit," Serena recited.

"Good, now let's get this over with," Acnologia growled, walking over to the operating table. Serena walked over and jumped on to the metal slab.

"This is just to dull the pain," a frog said inserting a syringe into Serena's arm. Serena nodded and his eyes fogged over slightly.

"Lie down," Acnologia instructed, Serena did so and the dragon slayer locked his limbs in place. "You're still a crazy kid," he sighed.

Serena smiled and closed his eyes.

"He's ready," Acnologia called.

(Flashback)

'Why, why on Earthland are you doing this kid?" Acnologia sighed looking Serena in the eye.

"I want to be strong," Serena answered.

"Why!? You're ten years old! This could kill you!" Acnologia growled.

"I'm thirteen," Serena said looking down.

"You're thir... oh great you're thirteen that makes everything better," Acnologia hissed.

"I want to be strong," Serena repeated.

"Strong? Why? What on earth do you think strength gives you!?"

"The power to walk away," Serena answered.

Acnologia saw the anger in Serena's eyes and knew that they were finally getting to the heart of the matter.

"Walk away from what?" he asked slowly, crossing his arms.

The kid looked up unafraid and answered in a confident voice, "Expectations."

(Present time)

"There's no going back after this," Acnologia warned.

"I know... that's what I want," Serena grinned.

Slowly Acnologia reached down and picked up the first of the eight dragon lacrimas, "Here we go," he said and he brought it down on Serena's chest.