- Three months later - 

Nashi was up before any of her family, rushing around the house making sure she looked presentable. She tussled with her hair at least five times making sure that her pink hair was perfect. She changed her outfits at least seven times and her floor was littered with the results.

Igneel awoke and slowly came downstairs to find Nashi muttering to herself.

"What are you doing?" Igneel asked, rubbing his eyes as he suppressed a yawn.

"Dad's taking me to one of his dragon meeting/assembly things... I have to be ready," Nashi breathed nervously.

"Okay... and that's scary why?" Igneel asked hopping onto the kitchen counter and reaching to the top of the cabinets for the cereals.

"Because this'll be the first time other dragons see me as Dad's heir... I have to make a good impression," Nashi explained.

Igneel rolled his eyes, "Their just a bunch of old lizards who are going to come to Dad and ask them to fix their problems. What do you care what they think about you?" 

Nashi sent Igneel a look, "They're not just old lizards, they're Dragons, Dad's citizens and subordinates, I have to show them that I deserve to be Dad's heir," Nashi nodded.

"No, you don't," Igneel scoffed pouring the cereal into a bowl, "If Dad says you're good enough, and Mom says you're good enough, then you're good enough."

Nashi wasn't listening, she was trying to run any situation she might face through her mind so that she'd be prepared if it happened.

"Naaaasshhi," Igneel called awaking his sister from her trance, "Have you even eaten?"

Nashi looked at him and sighed, "I'm not hungry."

A bowl of milk and cereal suddenly flew into Nashi's face.

"IGNEEL!"

"EVERYONE'S HUNGRY, YOU LIAR!! YOU'RE ALWAYS HUNGRY!"

"THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE! I HAVE MILK ALL OVER ME NOW!!!"

"EEEAAATTT SOMETHING!!! HOW CAN YOU FIGHT DRAGONS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH YOU WEIRDO!?"

"I'M THE WEIRDO!!???"

"FOOD IS LIFE!"

"WhAt iS gOinG On!?" Natsu asked stumbling down the stairs, almost tripping and falling on his face.

"It's too early," Happy whined flying down the stairs.

He saw Nashi covered in milk and Igneel pinned to the wall by his older sister, but he only chuckled.

"Is everyone alright?" Lucy asked right behind Natsu. She too saw the situation and held the bridge of her nose, "You two."

- An hour later - 

Nashi, with freshly brushed hair and a new outfit, walked out of the door with her father. Her nerves through the roof.

"Gosh, maybe we should go take those confidence lessons Erik was talking about," Natsu chuckled looking down at his daughter.

Nashi bit her lip.

"I'm KIDDING," Natsu sighed rubbing Nashi's hair.

"DAD! I just fixed the hair!" Nashi cried.

"Sorry, sorry," Natsu laughed putting his hands in the air.

They walked to the edge of Magnolia where Natsu transformed into a red dragon. Nashi climbed onto his back and the two flew off, towards the mountains in the distance.

"SO DAD!" Nashi called over the wind.

"Yeah?" Natsu asked back.

"WHAT'S THIS MEETING ON?" Nashi asked.

"Oh, some dragon family isn't getting along... and then there's something about cultists off in the west... oh and Laxus's fanboy has something to say... There was something else but I can't remember," Natsu answered flapping his powerful wings.

"UNCLE LAXUS HAS A FANBOY!?" Nashi asked as the wind picked up.

"Yeah, fun guy. I really want to punch his face in..." Natsu sighed. 

"WHY?" Nashi asked. It wasn't unusual, her Dad wanted to punch everyone... but something about his voice told her that this 'fanboy' was especially asking for it.

"You'll see," Natsu grumbled.

They were in the mountains in moments. Natsu landed with a heavy 'thud' and Nashi slid off his back, her eyes wide as she stared at the valley they were in. The large grey mountains rose up around them creating a sort of green bowl that she now stood in. The grass under her feet was thick and lush and the wind was a gentle breeze.

Natsu transformed back into a human and sighed as he walked up to his daughter, "It's a good day to do this."

Nashi nodded in agreement as she looked around. 

"Where is everyone else?" she asked.

"Oh, they'll be here... eventually," Natsu murmured, "I just thought I'd bring here earlier to help your nerves."

Nashi looked up to her father gratefully, "Thanks, Dad."

"Ah," Natsu dismissed waving his hands, "Now come on!" He ran off towards the center of the valley.

"Where are we going!?" Nashi yelled running after him.

"I'm gonna burn something down!!" Natsu laughed.

"PLEASE DON'T!"

***

Natsu hadn't been kidding, he had melted a mountain. Nashi stood staring at the smoking heap of cooling lava and sighed.

"Okay, Natsu, we've gotta talk about your presentation ideas," Erik sighed massaging his temple. The other dragon slayers had arrived and were chuckling in the background. Kina stood next to her father and was chuckling, she seemed prepared with a small backpack on her back and a knife strapped to her waist.

"What? It's an entrance!" Natsu defended, "Cause that one guy can't fly!"

"She's a girl, Natsu, Amenista is a female wyrm and she can climb," Erik sighed, massaging his head.

"Well, I made her an entrance!" Natsu growled.

"YOU BURNED DOWN A MOUNTAIN!" Gajeel yelled.

"MELTED! I MELTED A MOUNTAIN! You can't burn rock dummy," Natsu sighed.

"The hell you say smart ass?" Gajeel growled.

"Guys," Wendy interrupted putting a hand on Gajeel's shoulder. She nodded to the sky, "They're here.

"Okay, forget the mountain thing!" Laxus ordered.

"Hey! I helped!" Natsu laughed.

"He did think of others!" Sting defended.

"Shut up, Sting!" the group yelled.

"Well okay then," Sting grumbled. Rogue put a hand on his shoulder and chuckled.

The seven Kings and Queen settled down and watched as two groups of dragons landed in front of them. Kina and Nashi looked on.

"What do we do?" Nashi asked desperately.

"Whatever we want," Kina answered with a shrug, "There are no set rules. I like just hanging back and listening to them work. Come on, let's get a vantage point."

Nashi followed the purple-haired girl to the side of the mountain where they climbed up a bit until they reached a lovely outcropping where the two of them sat down. Their legs dangled off the edge as they listened to the introductions of the dragons. Nashi watched with wonder and excitement.

"It's a shame Lance didn't come," Kina murmured reaching into her backpack and pulling out an apple. She tossed it to Nashi who caught it and smiled.

"Yeah, Emma had something she was doing and Lance wasn't letting her go unsupervised," Nashi giggled taking a bite.

"Yeah, I wouldn't let that rascal of a girl go anywhere alone," Kina shrugged, pulling out another apple and taking a bite. She leaned back, propped up on an arm as she stared down at the group.

A growl tore Nashi's attention back to where her father was trying to cool down the two groups of dragons.

"We Emberscales would never stoop to that level!" an orange dragon growled, her frills on the side of her face rippling in anger.

"We have three eggs missing! Who else would risk our wrath!" a black dragon in the opposing group roared angrily, his wings splaying out.

"We may despise your nest, but messing with hatchlings is against our moral code!" a red and yellow dragon cried jumping to the orange female's side. He pressed his side up against the orange female trying to calm her.

"Where are my eggs!" a grey dragon screamed leaping forward.

"That's ENOUGH!" Wendy's voice roared sending a gust of wind through the two groups. The groups looked to their kings and queen in shame.

"Do you think the Emberscales really stole the eggs?" Nashi asked looking to Kina.

Kana crunched down on her apple, her eyes displaying no emotion, "No... I don't hear anything, but it's hard to guess... Dad'll know though."

The group down below all looked to be on edge, tension rippling as the two groups of dragons threatened to tear each other apart.

"Well, Erik?" Laxus asked looking over at his brother. Erik seemed deep in thought as he listened.

"What do you hear?" Sting asked.

"Let him listen," Rogue hushed his twin.

"None of the Emberscales here know of any kidnapping," Erik answered coldly. "But someone has clearly stolen the eggs from the Greywings."

"Then bring all of the Emberscales! Let all of their minds be heard by our king! He will find the thief!!" the grey female shrieked desperately.

"We will not be treated like criminals for a crime we did not commit!" the orange female roared back.

"MY CHILDREN ARE MISSING!" the grey female roared.

"Acumli," Rogue's voice threatened. The grey female turned to the man, her eyes narrowing.

"I understand you are desperate," Rogue soothed, "Your children will be found. We all understand the importance of hatchlings. If there is indeed someone stealing eggs then it is not only your nest that is in danger."

"I've got an idea," Sting announced snapping his fingers. He looked to the Emberscale family, "Some of you are tracker dragons, right?"

Two of the yellow dragons in the back walked up and nodded. They were small, nimble, with large snouts and wide eyes.

"If someone's stealing eggs from the Greywing nest, you can bet that your nest is also in danger," Sting explained, "So it's in your guys's best interest to help the Greywings find and stop this egg thief!"

"After they've accused us!?" The orange female snarled.

"Amura," the red and yellow dragon by her side soothed, "What of our clutch? Surely you would've done the same if one of ours went missing... and if three vanished... we would've done the same."

The orange dragon, Amura released a long breath, smoke billowing from her nostrils. "Very well, but I do it reluctantly."

The grey female, Acumli, stepped back, shaking slightly.

"I will join the search," Rogue swore, "I'll see to it myself that this thief is found and your children returned to you."

Acumli bowed her head and the black male nuzzled her neck assuringly.

"Thank you," Acumli agreed.

"Searches shall begin immediately, as soon as this meeting comes to a close I shall fly over and assist," Rogue swore.

"Thank you, my lord," the black dragon bowed.

"And," Erik added, "When all this is done if you have found that the Emberscales are indeed not to blame, I ask that you apologize."

Acumli gazed over to Amura and nodded.

"I shall do it now, I am sorry Amura," the grey dragon bowed her head.

Amura bowed her head back but remained silent.

"Let's go, quickly!" one of the yellow tracker dragons announced raising his wings, "Perhaps the thief's scent can still be picked up!"

"I shall take you to the nest immediately!" the black male agreed, taking to the sky. The dragons departed with a flap of their wings and a swoosh of the air.

"Hey, Acumli," Natsu beckoned. The grey mother looked to Natsu. Nashi couldn't tell from her vantage point, but her father's eyes were blazing. "You can do whatever you want to those thieves. We'll sort it all out with the council if it gets out of hand," Natsu stated.

"Thank you, Lord," Acumli bowed.

"No one messes with anyone's family," Natsu growled, "Especially with not kids... not hatchlings."

"I will try not to cause too much trouble for you lords and lady," Acumli bowed once more before taking to the sky.

Nashi watched it all in admiration, "I hope they find the eggs."

Kina said nothing but continued to watch, her eyes narrowing.

The kings and queens took a breath and looked to each other.

"Do you think it was a black market dealer, looking to sell hatchlings?" Wendy asked darkly.

"Well, they had a deathwish taking Greywing eggs," Erik growled, "Acumli is going to tear the poor bastards apart."

"Egg thieves, a great way to start the day off," Sting murmured sitting down in the grass, "Who else do we have today?"

"We've barely started," Laxus sighed.

From up above, Nashi gazed at Kina. "How long does this take?" she asked.

"Don't expect to leave before dinner," Kana yawned, "... unless your dad or Uncle Gajeel does something really stupid." 

The day went on and Nashi watched dragon after dragon land before her father. Resutra and Galin, dragons from the east with came with news of a minor rebellion. Emrelda, an old, brilliant green dragon brought news on cult attacks in the south. There were a few more minor arguments over dragon territories and skirmishes between dragons over stupid things. A few times the kings and queen lost their temper... Natsu almost incinerated a particularly rambunxious old eastern dragon who was about ready to eat his opposing rain dragon who swore up and down that the easter dragon had infringed on his territory. It would've been comical had someone not almost died.

Nashi and Kina watched it all, munching on the snacks that Kina had brought and commenting every so often.

By the early afternoon, it seemed to have calmed down a bit. There were thirty minutes of peace when no dragons came or gone.

"Is that it?" Sting asked hopefully, "Are we done?"

"No," Wendy smiled looking back to the incinerated mountain that Natsu had melted earlier. Scuttling over the cooled rock was a snake-like creature. It was huge, dragon-sized but long and thin like a serpent, it was colored like stone and had large eyes that were dark.

"Who's that?" Nashi asked peering at the approaching creature.

"Amenista," Kina answered, "A wyrm... a dragon with no wings. Most were killed at birth when Tyregnium ruled them all so they're pretty rare... since all those that live hatched after Tyregnium died, most have hardly had their first flight yet."

Indeed the dragon-like creature had only small bumps in her back where the wings should've been.

"Okay... but who is she?" Nashi asked.

"She's a wyrm that Tyregenium let live because she has foresight," Kina answered simply.

"She can see the future?" Nashi asked in wonder.

"Yeah, that's only reason Tyregenium let her live. Once his spell broke and the dragons were free of his brainwashing, she gave Dad and everyone else a bunch of prophecies that they've used to avoid disasters."

"Well, her gift didn't work too well for Tyregenium," Nashi laughed.

"No... but I don't think he listened to her too well either," Kina murmured darkly.

As the wyrm got closer, Nashi made out old claw scars in her smooth serpent body. The creature looked awkward with no wings but Nashi felt an aura of respect and reverence for the old beast who seemed mystical in some way.

"Amenista," Wendy greeted walking up to the wyrm and bowing.

"Lady Wendy," Amenista bowed her head and flicked her forked tongue. "How are you?"

"I'm wonderful," Wendy answered.

"Yes... I sense something of that sort," Amenista answered carefully studying Wendy. No one saw Wendy's small blush, Amenista only snorted in response.

"How've you been?" Natsu laughed greeting the wyrm.

"Quite glorious, my day was made much better when I realized that a mountain had been brought down making my entrance into the valley very simple. Small miracles I suppose, though I hope no one was hurt however it happened," the old wyrm murmured.

Natsu smirked at the other dragon slayers who were about to loudly object when the wyrm shushed them.

"And I suppose the new face peering down on me is Natsu's heir," Amenista smiled raising her head to look at Nashi. Nashi met her gaze and then smiled shyly, giving a small wave.

"She is much like her mother," Amenista supposed.

"What makes you say that?" Natsu asked.

"She didn't jump up and scream 'Hell Yeah I Am!'," Rogue guessed sarcastically.

"I am this close to - "Natsu threatened, turning to face Rogue.

"Boys!" Wendy snapped. She looked back to Amenista, "What brings you here today, Amenista?"

"I'm afraid there's little time for pleasantries and I should skip straight to the point... I come bearing less than glorious news," Amenista murmured darkly, walking up to them all and sitting, her long body coiling around her.

"What?" Sting asked nervously.

"I have had another vision," Amenista murmured flicking her tongue. Erik seemed to already be listening intently.

"What was it?" Gajeel asked.

"I saw you six," Amenista said gesturing to the boys with her snout, "You were attacked. There were flashes of brilliant light and then suddenly you were gone."

"Whoa, gone as in dead or just 'poof'!" Sting asked holding his hands up in the time-out signal.

"I do not know," Amenista murmured, "But I felt as if you were all simply gone. Then, I saw children... I could not see faces but I know they were children, humans and dragons, hatchling and child, they were fighting and screaming against an enemy that I couldn't see nor sense," Amenista recalled, closing her eyes and reliving it. Her body quivered at the thought and a similar sensation rippled through Erik.

"Then, I saw a mountain, tall and lonesome. It smelled of suffering and of dark magic. Then, suddenly it exploded in a fury of smoke and fire, but something rose from its ashes that made my heart trembled in my chest."

"What?" Gajeel asked. The group watched the wyrm in anticipation. Nashi and Kina both leaned forward and listened intently.

"Acnologia, king of the dragons rose from the ashes, fearsome... and great," Amenista murmured.

"Acno?" Sting asked, "What, like Uncle?"

"No," Erik answered darkly hearing the thoughts of Amenista, "Not Uncle."

"A terrible beast who is Acnologia only in form," Amenista murmured, "I could only tell by the eyes and the markings, all else was wrong. He was a being that commanded death and destruction... my friends, I witnessed an apocalypse beginning," Amenista shivered, opening her eyes.

"So, to reiterate. We guys vanish, kids get hurt, mountain explodes, BOOM! Acno's back but he's... scary," Sting relayed.

"They could all be metaphors," Wendy wondered, "You guys vanishing in a flash of light may mean that whatever is coming is coming fast and will come for you guys first. The kids may simply represent the innocent who will suffer if we fail, the mountain could be anything and Acnologia's return may symbolize the coming of the apocalypse as Amenista said... Acno may not come back, but what he represented might... Power, strength, and if his physical traits exist with a cruel mind in the form of a new enemy... then perhaps that is the struggle Amenista saw," Wendy murmured.

"Or a flash of light makes us go 'Poof'," Sting countered.

"Whatever it is, I couldn't leave you unaware," Amenista murmured, flicking her forked tongue many times in nervousness.

"Well, whatever it is, I'll incinerate it," Natsu grinned.

"See... you say that... and then we get in a whole lot of trouble," Erik sighed looking to his feet.

"We'll stay alert, keep watch on the rebellions and cultists and if anything seems fishy, we'll check it out. Stay on our toes," Laxus explained.

"Sounds uneventful, but it's the best thing we have," Rogue murmured.

"Then it is a good plan to start with," Amenista murmured.

"Thank you, Amenista," Wendy smiled, "I know it was not easy for you to make the journey."

"It was fine, and besides, I plan to stay in Magnolia for a while," Amenista murmured, "And that is only a few hours walk from here.

"Walk!" Natsu cried, "Heck no, I'll fly you there myself! We can't have you walking all that way after you came all this way!"

Amenista chuckled in a hiss and smiled, "Your fiery kindness impresses me as always, my Lord, but I'm afraid that the joy of flying is lost on me and I would much rather have all of my claws firmly on the earth."

"Are you sure?" Wendy asked.

"Certain, my dear," Amenista nodded uncoiling and turning for the melted mountain, "I shall see you in Magnolia in a few hours, until then best of luck with the incoming issues!"

The wyrm skittered away and was out of sight in a few minutes.

"Well, that was some foreboding messages that we didn't need," Sting sighed.

"Yeah, now I've got a bad feeling," Gajeel murmured.

"I'd be concerned if you didn't," Rogue responded.

"Speaking of bad feelings," Erik sighed looking to the sky, "I hear Vixt."

"What did he say?" Nashi asked Kina.

"Vixt..." Kina sighed, her green eyes showing no emotion, "A dragon slayer... he calls himself Uncle Laxus's disciple."

"Yikes," Nashi grimaced.

"Oh yes, he's a whack-job," Kina chuckled, "He was pretty young when Tyregenium was destroyed but that doesn't mean that his sanity's all there. He still had a few years of training to be a psychopath."

"Lovely," Nashi murmured.

The blue sky began to suddenly darken with clouds and Nashi's pink hair became static, small strands of hair standing up.

"And he's here," Kina murmured crossing her legs and looking down to where the kings and queen stood.

There was a flash of blue lightning as someone jumped down from the clouds, singing the earth before the royalty and leaving the stench of burning. The clouds suddenly cleared and standing before the kings and queen was a young man. He was tall with electric blue hair that had its tips dyed a neon yellow. His smile was too big and his stance conveyed pride and self-assurance... Nashi immediately supposed he was arrogant. She didn't know why but she immediately didn't like the man.

"Your highnesses," Vixt bowed dramatically. He stood and looked to Laxus, "Master," he greeted.

Nashi couldn't see Laxus's face, but she could guess that her Uncle looked less than happy. Uncle Laxus was never big for the title 'Master'. He'd refused to become Fairy Tail's master for that reason and instead just shrugged it off saying that Makarov would be the master until he died.

Makarov didn't like that and was still fuming about it in his ancient age.

"Vixt, what is it that brings you here today?" Wendy asked sweetly.

"I came because I heard a very troubling rumor," Vixt smiled.

The group all looked to Natsu.

"ALRIGHT! Yes, I did accidentally incinerate a castle but it was Sting's fault," Natsu growled.

"No, that was all you," Sting denied.

"Was not!" Natsu hissed.

"No, my lords, I have not heard that one," Vixt answered, confused, "No I heard that my Master..." he looked to Laxus and bowed slightly, "I heard that Master Laxus seeks an heir.

Tension stifled the atmosphere and Nashi's breath hitched.

"No way," Nashi breathed, "Kakumi is going to be Uncle's heir."

Nashi's mind was racing. Kakumi was only thirteen so he had two more years until he was initiated into the nest... but all he wanted was to prove himself. Sure he was timid and sometimes sick but there's no way Uncle Laxus would do that to...

Kina's eyes narrowed as she stared down at Laxus.

Laxus released a long breath, "You heard wrong."

Vixt's face fell, "No... I've heard correctly. Everyone is saying it; that you need a true heir."

"I have one," Laxus responded simply, "He just isn't old enough yet."

Nashi let out a huge breath and leaned back. She should just trust her family. Laxus would never crush his son's spirit like that. 

"That's what I thought," Kina nodded from Nashi's side, "Though, it's troubling."

"What?" Nashi asked.

"The other dragons don't think Kakumi's cut out for the job," Kina murmured.

Nashi thought back to the happy blonde-haired boy who was always so eager to help, "How can they judge him, they hardly know him!?"

"They know he's sickly," Kina breathed, "And they know that his magic is weak... "

"So what!?" Nashi demanded his voice rising, the temperature around her body tripled.

"Shhhh," Kina hissed gesturing for the girl to quiet down.

"They say that your child is weak and can hardly roar," Vixt sais straightening, "Some of them say that if the child pushes himself too hard, he may die."

"Don't believe everything you hear," Erik's voice growled, his tone was clearly dangerous. Kina knew that tone, her father clearly didn't like what he was hearing.

"I didn't come to argue, I came to offer," Vixt bit, glaring at Erik, "I wanted to put my name into the lot and tell my Master that I would happily train night and day to be his heir."

"No," Laxus growled, the air crackling with the threat of electricity.

That was it, no 'thank you', no manners, just the rejection.

"No consideration necessary?" Vixt asked, his voice strained.

"No," Laxus stated again, "Vixt, you aren't fit to lead."

"Neither is your child," Vixt countered.

"His child," Erik snarled, "has time to grow."

Vixt now looked annoyed, "I am of close magic type to yours, Master. I am stronger than most dragons. I can lead - "

"You can control," Laxus countered. "That's not that same thing."

"Vixt," Wendy soothed, "Thank you for coming, but your request has been denied."

"Shut up," Vixt snapped.

"YOU WANT TO GO DRAKE!?" Natsu demanded embers dancing around him.

"Natsu, chill," Rogue interjected putting a hand on Natsu's shoulder.

"Maybe I do," Vixt snarled.

"Okay, I tried," Rogue sighed putting his hands up.

"We are not fighting!" Wendy snarled, her voice full of threats. "Vixt. Go."

Vixt sneered and the tension in the air grew a few more levels. "Very well," the man agreed with a small sneer. He then left in a flash of electricity.

"Stupid little punk *input word* son of a lizard *input word* *input word*," Gajeel grumbled.

"WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, *INPUT WORD*, MY DAUGHTER'S UP THERE!" Natsu roared.

"HYPOCRITE!" Gajeel yelled back.

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, SO THERE!" Natsu retorted.

Erik massaged his head again and Sting chuckled.

"That brat's trouble," Laxus snarled looking up at the sky.

"Yeah, well he's mostly your trouble so watch yourself," Rogue sighed.

Nashi looked at Kina, "Are the meetings like this all the time?"

"No," Kina chuckled, "Usually one of them goes into dragon form and the meeting site gets decimated."

Nashi laughed nervously, "Great...."

(Oh-ho-ho... Am I setting up conflict? Yes... yes I am. You didn't think this book wasn't gonna have a bad guy in it? Or a big ol' fight. Or some angsty moments. HA! if you did, you were wrong~

Thanks for reading! Have a good day/night!)