Hey guys its rambles here bringing you a new chapter of Dragon's Trifecta. I know its been a while since I updated and I'm getting round to writing new chapters for my other stories. Hopefully I'll have updates for them soon. I haven't been doing much writing lately as I've been working on a new idea for something. Anyway I'd like to remind you guys of the poll I have up on my page, its about what my next one shot should be about, so if you haven't already go and vote for who you want to see.

Anyway enough of me rambling lets get on with the story!

Chapter 4

Natsu and the others walked along, having left Magnolia behind them several hours ago as they headed towards the coast. Natsu was excited, wondering why the hell three legendary dragons needed his help, but it meant he was going to get stronger, so he wasn't that worried.

"So how much longer till we get there?" Natsu asked as Draco just shrugged.

"If we keep moving we could probably make it to the coast by tomorrow" He said, earning a groan from Rose.

"Can't we stop and rest?" She asked "We've been walking for hours and not only is it going to be too dark to see soon, but my feet are killing me" She grumbled.

Kai just rolled his eyes "Always something isn't there?" He asked before ducking as Happy and Yoriko whizzed past them, Happy and Yoriko were having fun flying while the rest of them were walking.

Rose sighed "Forgive me for being the only person here who cares about being able to see where we're going in the middle of the night" Rose huffed. Draco Kai and Rumi all shared a look before emitting a small light from each of them, providing enough light for them to be able to see clearly. Rose let out a small groan at this as the dragon slayers burst out laughing.

Natsu held his stomach as he tried to stop himself from laughing. "Man this is just too funny!" He said as he tried to take in a breath.

Draco chuckled "You wouldn't think that today is the first time we've met face-to-face for the first time in over 11 years would you?" He asked as Natsu shook his head.

"No" He said "You guys are a lot like my team back at the guild. Just your dragons slayers" He added "Speaking of, are you gonna tell me what exactly it is we're up against?" Natsu asked and Draco sighed.

"I guess we should" He said as he sat down on a nearby log. "Just be warned, its a very long story, and not all of it is very nice" He said as Rose lit a fire, the light the dragons slayers were emitting dieing down as Draco began.

"Basically a long time ago the 3 of us" He said, pointing to himself Rumi and Kai "We encountered a very dangerous man, there are two things that you have to understand about him before I continue" He added

"What are they?" Natsu asked

"One, he's insane" Rumi spat, anger crossing her features for a moment.

"And two, he's obsessed with dragon slayers" Kai added as Yoriko and Happy landed, having noticed that the group had stopped.

"So what does that mean?" Natsu asked

"It means that we're going up against a man whose built an army of dragon slayers" Draco said. Natsu was shocked as he stared at Draco.

"An army?" He mumbled, unsure of what to think of that "How?"

"He's developed some way of creating some new generation of dragon slayers" Rumi said "Unlike you or me, they weren't trained by a dragon or implanted with a lacrima" She added

"So how did he create them then?" Natsu asked

"We don't know" Kai said "But these things are cheap knock offs created by a madman, and they need to be stopped" He added

"I've spent the last 11 years of mine and Rose's lives hunting down his dragon slayers. But no matter how many we take out he finds a way to replace them. It's an endless cycle and recently he's stepped up production. Usually I'd fight no more than 10 at a time but the other day, there were 20 waiting for me, and from what we know they were all fresh slayers" Draco explained.

"So who is he?" Natsu asked, clenching his fist

"His name is Ivan Vanko" Akume said "He is a genius, not only has he created this army, but he has produced other inventions as well." She added

"How do you mean?" Natsu asked

"Everyone in this clearing expect you, Happy and Rose has had their lives affected by Vanko" Draco said, his fists clenching "The bastard kidnapped Rumi, turned Akume into a demon, and experimented on Yoriko, making her into how she is now" He growled, his fists were clenched so tight it was almost like he was trying to draw blood from them.

"What!" Natsu exclaimed, his anger flaring almost uncontrollably.

"He took me for my magic" Rumi said, wanting to curl up into a ball and forget, but she had to explain what had happened to her. "My form of dragon slayer magic allows me to study other forms of magic and replicate them, by adding dragon like effects to that magic" She explained "He saw this as a gold mine to create his army. He tried to create his army out of 2nd generations when he captured me" She said, tears threatening to spill until Natsu suddenly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace.

"Its okay" Natsu said, despite his calm and soothing tone he wanted nothing more than to pound Vanko into the dust.

"He would attack my body with magic for day after day, forcing me to study it and attack a special lacrima with the new magic, then he'd use the lacrima to create a dragon crystal to make a dragon slayer" She continued

"Thankfully Akume managed to break me out of that place" Rumi added after a moment's pause "But that was when we found Yoriko" She said.

Kai let out a low growl as he thought of what had happened to Yoriko. "You see, Vanko had one flaw with his dragon slayers, there was just one state that they couldn't achieve" He said.

"What was it?" Natsu asked

"Dragon force" Draco said "So he began experimenting, trying to find some improvement to allow his slayers to access that ultimate state. The result was Yoriko" He added, looking over at the shy girl "Her body is in a constant dragon force like state, she can't deactivate it" He said as Yoriko looked at Natsu.

Natsu looked sympathetically at her. Almost immediately Yoriko broke as she suddenly tackled Natsu in a hug, tears flooded down her cheeks. Natsu was confused for a moment before Yoriko spoke up "Your the only person I've met aside from these people who hasn't judged me for my appearance" She said and Kai smiled "Thank you" She said quietly.

"It's no problem" Natsu said, giving his trademark grin "To be honest I think your wings are really cool" He said, making Yoriko look up at him in surprise "Sure, how you got them isn't very nice, but they do look good, they kinda remind me of Igneel's wings actually" Natsu said as he studied Yoriko's wings.

"You think so?" Yoriko asked

"Yup" Natsu said "I wouldn't lie to one of my precious comrades now would I?" He said as he smiled at Yoriko.

After comforting Yoriko, Natsu looked up at Draco "So how do we stop this guy?" He asked

Draco thought for a moment "Honestly I'm not sure, I've spent my entire life fighting this guy and I've made no progress. I just hope with the three of us we can actually beat him once and for all" He said

"For now we just need to focus on your training" Rumi said "We can't worry about Vanko until your strong enough to be able to face him alongside us" She explained.

"Its not going to be easy" Kai added, leaning against a tree "The training your going to go through, its hell. All three of us went through it, and though there is a chance that you could be seriously injured by the training, if were going to stand any chance at beating Vanko, then this is our only option." He finished.

Natsu nodded

Draco then let out a tired sigh "Well I suppose we better get some rest. Tomorrow well push through to the coast" He said as the others nodded. Natsu and Akume lit a fire in the middle of the clearing and soon enough the group all fell asleep.

Except Natsu.

He lay on his back, staring up at the stars as he thought on what the others had told him. About Vanko and what he did to them. But there was still one thing Natsu didn't understand.

How could he help them?

Sure, he was powerful, he knew that, but these guys were legendary dragon slayers. He'd been told a story about their abilities once by Igneel, and he couldn't understand how someone like him could be of use to three legends.

He sat up and realised that everyone else was still asleep, he looked around, seeing Yoriko and Rumi, sleeping peacefully nearby.

"Even if I can't help them, he's gonna pay for hurting them" He said to himself as he clenched his fist, walking off into the forest to train while everyone slept.

However a figure watched him, hidden by the darkness he smirked, before pulling out a small communication Lacrima.

"It seems there resting for the moment, and the fire prince has gone off on his own" He reported, seeing the face of the man on the lacrima smiling "Should I take him out?" He asked, a small wisp of smoke floating around his hand as he grinned.

"No" Came the voice from the Lacrima "It is valliant how they think they can beat me, and I think Mr Dragneel will make for an excellent subject. And I wish to see his potential. So for now, we wait" The man explained as the shadowy figure sighed.

"Alright. I'll keep watching" The figure said as he morphed into a cloud of smoke and faded away.