Hello fanfiction. I know what you're all thinking about. And I'm working on my other three stories soon. But I just found this story a while ago and I just couldn't stop myself from re-working it to give it new life as the original version hasn't been updated in a few years so I thought I could take the idea and run with it. Also I've changed some things about the Fairy Tail universe to give myself more breathing room to work with as well as make this story more enjoyable for you guys.

Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Prologue

Natsu could not believe. He refused to believe it. But that didn't change the fact that it was true; Fairy Tail had been disbanded.

In Natsu's life, there had only ever been two places he could've gone for comfort: Igneel (who was now dead), and Fairy Tail (which was now gone). Of course, Natsu knew better than probably anyone that Fairy Tail was more than just a physical guild, it was a thing in one's heart. Normally, Natsu would've been able to live with that, but then he had watched, as everyone easily left….

(Flashback)

"What's your plan, Lu?" Levy asked Lucy with a smile. She, Lucy, Erza, and Wendy were all heading back to their respective dwellings, to start the job search. Everyone was acting pretty positive about the whole thing.

"I was thinking about going to Sorcerer's Weekly, maybe I can find work there," Lucy answered, "What about you?"

"Oh, I don't know," Levy answered, "Gajeel…" She abruptly silenced herself, turning red with embarrassment, after realizing what she just said. Lucy just giggled at her friend's discomfort.

"What about you, Erza?" she asked to the red head next to her.

"I'm going to Mermaid Heel," Erza answered simply in her usual stern but kind tone.

"Really?" Lucy asked, cocking her head, "I thought you'd join Crime Sorcière. Especially with him being there." Erza flushed red as at what Lucy implied, before clearing her throat to attempt to cover up her slip, even if both Lucy and Levy saw but fortunately for her, both didn't commit on it.

"Mermaid Heel is a legal guild, with constant job requests," she explained, "I can get steady work there, and be with Millianna. It'll feel nice to stay with her again after so long. Kagura will also be there, and I can't let down my 'little sister'." She said that last part with a twinkle in her eye. All eyes then fell to Wendy, who looked away.

"Well," she said, "I was actually going to talk to Lamia Scale, and see if they'd let me join."

"I'm sure they'll let you join," Lucy said, "You're pretty tough!"

"I don't know about that," Wendy said, wringing her hands, shyly.

"Don't sell yourself short," Carla said from her position in Wendy's arms.

"Do you know where anyone else is going?" Levy asked.

"Not really," Lucy said, "But I'm sure we'll remain in touch."

"I wonder what Natsu will do," Wendy said. Everyone did have to admit they were slightly worried about Natsu. They all knew that he was one of the people who the guild was most important too.

"Well, he'll be fine," Erza said, "It may take a while, but Natsu will learn to adapt. Fairy Tail's gone, we have to move on."

"Yeah, you're right," Lucy as the friends walked on, "But we'll always be together."

What they weren't aware of, was Natsu on the roof, as he listened. They were all leaving. Leaving Fairy Tail-like all the memories and things they done together could just be tossed aside, leaving him- behind like a bad memory. Natsu clenched his fists in a vain attempt to control his anger and feelings of hurt before as he jumped into the air, opened his fire wings, and flapped North, into the mountains.

(End Flashback)

And there Natsu was, sitting in a cave, his head hung, as the events sunk into him. He was angry, but not like he was angry in the past. This anger was primal, and fierce, almost like a fire…no a blazing inferno that burned all within its grasp, never satisfied. And for Natsu, that rage was justified.

At that moment, Natsu was still reeling from the death of his father, who he had to watch get horrendously ripped apart, and then blasted into oblivion by the Black Dragon, Acnologia. He had lost his father, and he could do nothing to help as even Igneel didn't think he could. However, at the time, he had Fairy Tail to go to for solace, a family he could seek comfort with and grow stronger to protect like he always done. And just like that, it was ripped out from under him. The others just walked away, like Natsu was supposed to just move on. But he could not move on just like that. They all had other places to go, things they could to do, Natsu…Natsu had none of that for him. All he had left was his magic, and his comrades, and one of those was seemingly lost to him.

"Igneel was wrong." A familiar voice called, as the cave fell apart around Natsu.

(In Natsu's inner world)

"Smaug…" Natsu said, as he gazed the massive, snake-like dragon loom over him. He was standing in the midst of massive volcanic region, which represented the deepest portions of his being that up a few hours ago, Igneel once inhabited. But the volcanoes were fiercer then any known on in all of Ishgar, all around him they were exploding angrily, blasting lava and black clouds of deadly gas hundreds of feet into the air of his inner world, all the while great wild-fires raged about. However none of that mattered to the boy and dragon, none of it was relevant to them as they both grew up surrounded by fire to a degree they might as well stand in the lava flows.

"All due respect to Igneel's passing," Smaug said with a tone of respect.

"Don't bullshit me," growled out Natsu at the obvious lie.

"Fine," Smaug growled, "But it doesn't matter. Igneel was wrong just I've been saying all along. He said those people would be your anchors. That they would forever be with you, and keep you from the darkness you face as you defend them. And now they abandon you so readily."

"They had their reasons," Natsu said, as he tried to hold onto hope for his friends.

"Which gives them reason to abandon their home?" Smaug responded, "To abandon you, while you experience pain like you've never felt before, to leave behind EVERYTHING they've built and move on so carelessly?" Natsu grabbed onto his head. They had all left him alone, and they did it with so little question, so little doubt.

"No, I can't accept that! I won't accept it!" he said.

"I only desire what is the best for us," Smaug answered, "Acnologia killed our father. He must be punished…he must die."

"I will punish him!" Natsu yelled, "I'll turn him to ash!" He yelled even louder than before as the

"Yes, you will!" Smaug said, filled with nothing at joy at the prospect of the boy finally doing what he always wished he did. "But how will you accomplish that as is? You're weak!" Smaug bellowed, pushing the boy in the direction he wanted to go, farther than ever before.

"I'm not weak!" Natsu yelled in frustration, fury, desperation at his other self.

"Then tell me why you've never been able to do anything against Acnologia!" Smaug roared, "Tell me why Mard Geer, a mere DEMON! A FALSE DEMON at that was only barely defeated!" Natsu let out a roar, as he tried to breathe fire at Smaug, only for it to barely come out as a puff.

"You have rejected the fire for all this time," Smaug said, "As you have rejected your true nature. That is why you are weak. Those humans have done nothing but to hold you down. And you left them, they casted you aside like you were disposable, as was their home…your home." Natsu looked into the smoke, and saw images of the members of Fairy Tail, before each one faded away, one by one. He had rejected Smaug for a long time, so as to protect all of them from him. But now…

"I'm alone," Natsu said softly, as he fell to his knees, "Igneel is gone, Fairy Tail is gone. I've lost everything." Natsu sobbed as it all came crashing down on him that he had no-where to turn to.

"Yes, all else has left you, but you still have one thing," Smaug said, as he approached Natsu in the same manner as a snake would, "You still have your vengeance." Natsu then saw an image of Acnologia, as he ripped Igneel clean in half, before blowing him to pieces. Natsu's rage built as he watched. The fire surrounding him flared up as well, growing to new heights, burning brighter than ever before.

"Acnologia," Natsu growled. Suddenly, at this moment, everything else vanished from his thoughts. Only one thing was present: destroy Acnologia, burn the black dragon to the ground and send him to oblivion in the blaze so hot, the heavens will cry out.

"He…. will…," Natsu said slowly, "burn."

"As will all your enemies!" Smaug roared to him, shaking the very earth they stood on, "You need no one else! Your own power, is your greatest ally! Everyone else is a hindrance!" His chest then flared up.

"Now tell me, do you accept the fire?" Natsu turned to face his dragon counterpart.

"I accept the fire." He spoke those words with more conviction that almost anything else he said, with a few exceptions.

"So be it." With that, Smaug let out his fire. Natsu held up his arms, as he let the dragon's fire surround him.

(In the real world-five minutes later)

Natsu rose to his feet, as his fire cloaked his body.

"As of now, I serve myself, and myself alone!" he loudly proclaimed, "I don't need anyone, anymore! With my own two claws, I will rip Acnologia's throat open, and claim for me, the title of Dragon King! And all those who stand in the way of my vengeance will be turned to ash!" With that, the fire flared up, as it completely consumed Natsu, burning brighter…burning hotter than any fire he had ever produced as he truly allowed the flames of emotions to come out. Within that very same fire, scales grew along Natsu's body, horns grew out of his head, and his fingers turned to claws. His clothes then fell from him in tatters as he grew larger, stronger, more reptile than human.

"Now, what are you?" Smaug's voice echoed within the depths of his mind.

"I AM… FIRE!" Natsu roared, "I AM… DEATH!"

The roar of a dragon echoed across the mountains. Announcing the presence of a new, powerful and terrifying force to reckon with.

For those of you that recognise the plot of the story, yes this is a re-imaging of 'I see fire in the sky' by snakeboy33 and for those who don't, you should really consider reading it, it's an old one but still a good read as these kinds of stories are rare to come across. As you can see unlike, cannon Natsu has a much more human reaction and response to the fact that good ole' Igneel is torn apart and blasted to ash than he has in cannon which always made me wonder how he was able to just bounce back from. Another human thing he did was to run back to a place he thought would give him time to heal but as you can see from the chapter, that didn't go down very well for him. As you can imagine the next time we see him he will NOT be the same lovable idiot we know and love but someone else…something else (Get what I did there :] ). Also like the original idea, Smaug is just a representation of Natsu's power and darker emotions, hence why he wants Natsu to not only embrace his more dark emotions but gain his own power to carry his plan out rather than rely on others while at the same time. The reason for this is pride as I'll explain in later chapters, this in turn makes him far more volatile and malicious then ever but not necessarily evil, think punisher or Moon Knight in that regard.. Also, I acknowledge the fact that some of the other members may also be OOC in acting so cheerful, but I though it necessary for the benefit of the story as they all were present when Makarov made the declaration for disbandment and are trying to come to terms with that by trying to find something to do, Natsu was not present so to him, they just seem to be leaving, though there's another thing about that I won't yet reveal. Lastly, I also acknowledge Natsu's hypocrisy, with him getting angry about them leaving, while he himself just left on his own, and that Happy is still with him, but I will address that soon.