**Alright, first things first. I don't own Fairy Tail. I don't own the characters. I don't write about them.

This story takes place after Makarov is rescued from the Alvarez Empire, but before The war's beginning. It assumes that Natsu and E.N.D. exist as separate entities.

And this was going to be NaZa, but I actually decided to make it NaMiZa (Natsu x Mirajane x Erza).

Updates will probably be a little slow, especially while I'm finishing up my other fanfic.

So now, without further ado, chapter 1**

"Mirajane, Erza. I need to speak with you two immediately."

"Yes Master!" The two female mages hurried to the guild master's office. The door closed behind them.

"The two of you need to go on a quest for me. I don't know how long it will take…"

"Wait, what?!" Erza glared at the master. "You're asking me to abandon Fairy Tail as we prepare for our greatest battle?"

Makarov sighed. "Just hear me out. I wouldn't ask this if it weren't extremely important. I can't send Laxus, because he's still suffering from the anti-magic particle sickness…"

He let that sink in, but neither of the mages seemed surprised. Both had noticed the lightning dragon slayer looking pained and holding his head in his hands when he believed nobody else was looking.

The master was fairly disappointed with the lack of effect. "Alright, here's the quest. There have been reports that there is another dragon in Fiore."

"Another dragon?" Erza's eyes widened.

"Shouldn't we send the dragon slayers then?" Mira asked, hiding her surprise a little better than Erza.

Makarov sighed. "None of them actually took down a dragon during the Eclipse Gate incident. They may be powerful, but we can't put our trust in them for that right now."

"What about Natsu?" Erza asked. "He's gotten a lot more powerful since the dragon invasion. He might be powerful enough to take down a dragon now."

Makarov sighed. "I thought about that too. But we need Natsu here. I don't know what hair-brained idea he's cracked up in that dense brain, but there's a chance he can beat Zeref…"

Erza sighed. "I understand," she said. "I know defeating Zeref is our top priority. But what about the rumors of the dragon? I thought dragons really were extinct, except Acnologia…"

"So did I," Makarov said. "I was going to just disregard the rumors, but Mavis remembered some old stories she read in the library on Tenroujima. The stories spoke of another dragon being seen some 150 years ago. A fire dragon whose strength could be said to rival Acnologia's. This dragon seems even more secretive, if it does exist, so it surely won't be easy to find."

"Then why would he show up now, suddenly?"

"I asked the same question," Makarov said. "Mavis said it's because of the upcoming war. Her theory is that this dragon has some part to play, for good or evil in the war. And that's another reason that I have to send you instead of Natsu…"

"You want us to talk to it?" Erza gaped.

Makarov nodded. "We have to see if it's a potential ally. If the rumors of its strength are true, it might be more powerful than Igneel, the fire king. You need to get as close as you can and try to make contact after you discover whether it's a friend or enemy."

Erza sweat-dropped, immediately recognizing why the master couldn't send the boisterous dragon slayer on such a quest. "Alright…" she said. "Assuming we find it, and talk to it, what then?"

"Depends on how it goes," Makarov replied. "If you discover that it could be friendly, try to make it an ally. If it's an enemy… Delay it as much as you can without getting yourselves killed."

"Great." Mira said, her most sarcastic smile on her face. "So it's either befriend the dragon or try not to get killed by it… You must really love us a lot to give us a mission like this, master…"

"I wouldn't send you if I thought there were any other choice." Makarov's voice was quiet. "And if it hadn't been for the insistence of the first master."

"Mavis wanted you to send us?" Erza was surprised again.

"She seemed to think it was very important." Makarov said. "And I'm not about to question her strategy."

"If Mavis thinks it's important, it must be." Erza, though surprised, could never doubt the first master. "We will accept this quest with honor, then."

"We'll do our best to find it," Mira agreed with her usual stoic smile.

"Thanks so much, Mirajane and Erza. And whatever you do… come back alive."

"That goes without saying," Mirajane smirked.

"Yeah, you can't get rid of us that easy," Erza said.

With that, the two headed out to pack. Neither of them allowed the fear that was deep in their hearts to show in their stride or on their faces. Both were very confident in their power as mages, but neither had forgotten that fateful day on Tenroujima…

Makarov returned to the strategy room, his eyes tearing up a little bit.

"They'll be fine, 8th Master." Mavis said reassuringly.

"How do you know?" Makarov asked.

"I feel it in my heart…" She smiled. "Plus, they're Fairy Tail mages!"

"Well, let's just hope your heart's not wrong." Makarov muttered as his eyes traveled back to the door.

~~~Several days later~~~

"These mountains are the last reasonable place in this area to search for a dragon," Erza sighed. "If he's gonna' show up, he'd better come soon."

The two were on a mountain trail, just reaching a large plateau that spanned about 200 feet before the mountain went up again.

Suddenly Mirajane stopped. "There are remnants of very powerful magic here…" she said, closing her eyes. "They seem to be focused from… over there!" she pointed to a cave in the side of the mountain.

The two sprinted the distance to the cave, and Erza looked at it, disappointed.

"This is way too small for a dragon to fit into," she said. "I'm not even sure that Elfman could get in there without crouching."

"Yeah…" Mira sighed. "Guess it's a bust."

"Not entirely," Erza grinned, looking at the sun that was moving swiftly toward the horizon. "It's a great place to set up camp."

"True," Mira grinned as the two entered the cave.

Moments later, they had their sleeping equipment laid out, and their packs all set up against a wall of the cave.

Erza pulled out a few loaves of bread and some dried meat. "We're running low on provisions," she sighed. "We'll have to go back to town to restock in a couple days."

Mira giggled. "As long as we can get something better than this bread and dried meat…"

"It's not so bad if you drink lots of water with it," Erza said, emptying her canteen.

"Except for the part where you have to pee all night," responded Mirajane.

"You just have to learn to hold it," Erza said, leaning back against the wall as she ate.

"Right… cause that's so easy to do."

"I don't see why not," Erza shrugged. "I did it."

Mira sighed, taking a sip from her canteen. "Well, I'm not one to doubt first master, but I'm starting to think there is no dragon."

"No!" Erza glared. "I will not hear such talk. First master Mavis is never wrong!"

"What about that three way fight with Kagura and Minerva?" Mira laughed.

"She was only half wrong," Erza declared.

"Well maybe she's half wrong this time too," Mira said. "The existing half," she muttered to herself.

"Look… we have to believe First Master… Otherwise…"

Her voice trailed off as a rush of wings sounded outside, and a shadow came over the cave. They looked out to see an enormous foot, large enough to cover the mouth of the cave by itself.

"You were saying, Mira?..." Erza whispered.

Mira was just gaping at the enormous foot outside. "I'm starting to have second thoughts about this quest…"

"At least it can't get in here…" Erza muttered. "It's way too big."

No sooner had she said that than the dragon was wrapped in a glowing fire and disappeared. Outside, the silhouette of a man approached the cave. Afraid, but resolved, the two mages stood side by side, prepared for battle or even death.