Chaos & Salamander

Chapter 88 - Fathers

Lucy's POV

I was enjoying sitting on Natsu's lap while he hugged my waist. It wasn't hard to see that he was already excited for our child to be born. A smile grew on my face as I imagined our child running around the guild with the other Dragon Slayer children. "You've got a weird smile Lucy" Happy teased and I growled. "Shut up cat!" I shouted and Natsu chuckled while Celestia giggled.

A loud roar resonated across the city, a roar clearly coming from a dragon. Everyone rushed out of the guild to see what was happening outside. Natsu held my hand as we joined the crowd. Outside, flying above the city was a black dragon with dark blue markings. Natsu pushed us to the front of the crowd. He tightened his grasp on my hand and I looked at him glaring up at the dragon. 'Does he know this dragon?' I wondered. "Natsu-" "Father" Natsu quietly growled, interrupting me. "Acnologia?" I muttered and then the dragon snapped his head to look at us.

Acnologia flew down towards us. Natsu immediately pulled me behind him as Acnologia landed in front of us. I felt a strong pulse vibrate through my body, making me slightly dizzy. "Natsu, my son, you've gotten weak. I've been watching you and I can't believe a son of mine has gone soft for humans. I'm extremely disappointed in you, especially after mating with Igneel's pathetic daughter" Acnologia growled. Another pulse went through my body.

Natsu growled and glared up at his father. "Don't you DARE speak about my Lucy that way" he growled. Acnologia moved his head closer to Natsu, growling. Another pulse. "How dare a son of mine have an offspring with Igneel's daughter!" he shouted. Another pulse and I felt my knees start to go weak. I grasped Natsu's shoulder while trying to keep my balance and he turned to look at me with worry.

"Lucy?" he said worried as he caught me before I fell to my knees. "See, she's weak" Acnologia chuckled and then another pulse vibrated through my body, worse than the times before. "Oh I see, come out to play Igneel~" he teased with a smirk. "What?" I questioned before a large painful pulse resonated through my body. "Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed. I screamed in pain which soon turned into a familiar roar that wasn't coming from me. Soon the pain subsided, and a red dragon collided with Acnologia. "Ignia?" Natsu muttered but I shook my head. This red dragon was clearly "Igneel" I said, happily. After all these years, I've finally found my father, Igneel. "Apologies Lucy, I've been inside your body the whole time" Igneel said as he and Acnologia took their fight to the sky.

"Are you ok?" Natsu asked and I nodded. "Yeah" I replied as he helped me stand. I noticed the burns on Natsu's arms. "Was that from me?" I asked. "It doesn't hurt" he replied nonchalantly but I knew I hurt him because of the pulses. For now, my guilt will have to wait as we watched our fathers fight in the air. Acnologia sent a beam of destruction from his mouth and blew up the edge of the city. Igneel was trying to stop Acnologia's attacks from harming the people as he sent his own fire attacks back. A fight between two of the strongest dragons would be catastrophic.

"We need to stop them. Everyone, evacuate the city. Celestia, get me up to them" I said but Natsu held my arm. "No, you can't go up there" he said. I could see the worry behind his stern eyes, for both me and our child. "Natsu, if we don't stop them, they might destroy Magnolia and the people in it or worse...one of us might lose a father. I promise I won't do anything that will harm our child" I said and nodded for Celestia to take me up to the fighting dragons. I could hear Natsu's frustrated growl behind me, but I had more important things to worry about.

Celestia flew me up near Acnologia and Igneel. "Fire Dragon Roar!" I chanted and blew a roar of fire between them. They both stopped and looked at me. "Stop! Let's talk this out or innocent people down there are going to die if this fight continues" I said. Acnologia growled and flew towards me. "Don't tell me what to do, you weak human!" he shouted. "Don't touch my daughter!" Igneel growled while tackling him to the ground outside of the city before he could touch me. "Dad!" I exclaimed and Happy flew me closer.

"Lucy!" Natsu flew towards me with Happy on his back. He flew in front of me protectively. "Stay back. I'll handle this" he said before flying towards the fighting dragons. "Be careful Natsu" I said which I was sure he heard over the destruction our fathers were creating. Now that my father didn't need to worry about the humans, he could go full force on Acnologia.

When Natsu had a chance, he sped down and punched Acnologia in the face. Acnologia stumbled back a little. "Stop father" Natsu shouted at Acnologia, hovering between him and Igneel. Acnologia groaned, "that girl really did make you soft" he said. "Or stronger" Natsu argued. Igneel quickly moved Natsu out of the way before Acnologia could grab him, protecting him.

"Lucy, I need to tell you something. I hid in your body all these years to create antibodies to prevent you from turning into a dragon because of your Dragon Slayer magic" Igneel explained as he continued to fight Acnologia. "Tell me later, when this is over" I replied. "After I destroy you, I'll go after your pathetic human daughter next and then your blood offspring" Acnologia said and Igneel roared in anger. Igneel lunged at Acnologia and they flew in the air.

Natsu faced Acnologia. "Chaos Dragon Roar!" he chanted. "Fire Dragon Roar!" Igneel and I chanted combining with Natsu's roar. Acnologia was knocked back by our powerful roar but was only a little harmed. "How dare you turn my own son against me!" Acnologia shouted while both dragons lunged at each other.

It felt like time stopped when they clashed. In Igneel's mouth was Acnologia's ripped off arm, but Acnologia had Igneel's ripped off arm in his mouth and ripped half of Igneel's torso. I screamed at the scene I was witnessing. "Igneel!" I cried as I watched him fall to the ground, creating a giant crater beneath him. I hurriedly flew down to the ground. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I ran towards Igneel. Natsu quickly flew down in front of me and pulled me into a hug to stop me from going further. I collapsed to the floor and Natsu crouched down with me, holding me close as I cried. "This isn't over Natsu" Acnologia growled before flying away while holding his missing arm.

"Don't cry, Lucy. I am so proud of you and the woman you've become. Come on, what have I taught you in times of sadness?" Igneel's spirit said as it was slowly disappearing in a red light. "I know" I replied as tears fell down my face. "Then try it. Get to your feet" he said and then I slowly stood up. Natsu stood up with me in his arms while watching me in silence. "I'll always be with you. Even now, from now on, all the way to the end. Show me more of how you've grown" he added. My voice struggled to come out, but I felt determined to speak. "I'm going to keep on living! I'm going to get stronger! I'm going to protect my family!" I shouted towards the sky. "That's right. Speak of the future. That is the power to live. Natsu, please love and protect her" Igneel's spirit breathed out his last words. "I will" Natsu said as he pulled me tighter to his body in a hug while I cried in his chest. With that, Igneel was gone.