III: Dragon vs Draconequus
Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes since the battle between monsters began, and everything within a hundred metre radius was reduced to nothing. All that was left was the remains of charred tree trunks, small craters from what appeared to be was the cause of explosions, dust and a bag containing something magical. The heat on the barren wasteland was immeasurable, it was as if Celestia's sun had come down upon the land itself. The sound of crackling fire, explosions, magic and yelling could be heard form miles away. Off in the distance, two figures were in the midst of all this destruction. One, a large creature of insanity and chaos, a Draconequus, colloquially known as Discord. The other, a small but lean and well-built creature of another world entirely, a human named Natsu Dragneel.
The battle was fierce, neither side letting up a chance for attack but that does not mean neither opponents haven't had their share of hits. Discord was covered in burns that ranged from first-degree to third, as well as some bruising on his upper limbs, specifically his face which was bleeding from his muzzle-like-thing. Natsu wasn't looking too good either, small scratches, small gashes and bruises of multiple sizes were all over on his body. At this point, it was anyone or anypony's game.
Natsu, breathing heavily, thought to himself. This guy is strong, who knew chocolate milk could be explosive? My second origin isn't helping as much as I thought, maybe the strain on my body from Celestia is still healing. If this goes on any longer, my magic will run out and he'll win. An image of Luna smiling formed in his head. I can't let that happen, I will protect her and this land, even if I die.
Who is this kid? He's nothing like Celestia and Luna, if anything, I'd say he's two times stronger than the both of them. Maybe a small break could work to find out more about him. Discord thought, grinning evilly. "I must say Mister Salamander, you're very interesting for both an opponent and creature, who may I ask taught you how to fight?"
"I taught myself how to fight expertly but the one who taught me my magic and the basics of combat was my father, Igneel."
"Igneel? Did you just say Igneel?" Discord said suprprised and very faintly, scared.
"You know him?" Natsu replied, confusion and surprise lacing his own voice.
"Yes, I know of Igneel, and there is no dragon in Equestria who doesn't know of their own king. I'm part dragon so I know. But what I don't understand is how you're his son when he's a dragon, not to mention the mightiest of all of them."
So he's also the dragon king of this world? Jeez dad, how popular can you be? Finally, something I can use to find him. "I'm his adopted son. He raised me from when I was a little boy, but he disappeared all of a sudden fourteen years ago."
"Fourteen? But you look eighteen at best, did he teach you when you the very moment when he adopted you?"
"Nah, he disappeared when I was ten or eleven. Myself and about a dozen of my nakama went missing on a island for seven years after a trial exam gone wrong. So, technically, I'm about 25 years old when I'm still only 18. Anyway, enough talk, I think it's time to turn this battle up a notch don't you think?" Natsu closed his eyes, seemingly meditating, but when he opened them once more, they were filled with rage, large amounts of fire spewed from his body along with streaks of yellow flashing light. He screamed"Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!! I will not let you ruin her home Discord!!!"
Natsu's power rise couldn't only be seen, it could be felt. Even by the spirit of chaos itself, as he backed away in fear. "You still have that much power? What are you?!"
The dragon slayer only responded by jumping high into the air, forming a ball of fire in his left hand, and a ball of lightning in his right. Brining both hands together, the two orbs came down upon Discord, molding together resulting in a massive explosion.
"Raienryū no Kōen!!" *
---------
"Be patient sister, I believe in Natsu and his strength. He will win for us." Luna calmly stated to her disgruntled elder sister.
"I still can't believe that you trust such a beast. He could, at any given moment, kill the both of us with ease." Celestia replied, venom still in her tone towards the human.
"Tia, why must you be so harsh on him? Yes, he is from another world and have monstrous strength that rivals the both of us together, but I have never seen a purer heart than his my sister. He said to me himself the other day that he has never fought a battle for his own selfish needs, it has always been for others, for his nakama. He even fought a demon named Lullaby to save the his and the other guild masters of his world. The same with other wizards that vastly out powered him, such as Zero of 'Oracion Seis'. He never gives up when he fights for his friends. While you see him as a threat dear sister, I see him as the bravest and most noble friend one could possibly have in the entire world." The moon princess said with pride and absolute kindness in her voice, having full faith in her male companion. But her sister wouldn't have any of it.
"If you can fall for such a lie then you-" She began but was soundly interrupted by her younger sibling.
"It's not a lie! I searched through his memories myself, it's all real! I looked with his permission before you say it's a breach if privacy. I've had enough, I'm going to him whether you want me to or not!" Luna took off like a rocket, not wanting to hear any more unjust words from her sister about her friend.
"Wait, Lulu!" Celestia's words literally fell on deaf ears as an explosion unlike any other roared through the land, making Luna go all the more faster towards the battleground. "Oh you foolish mare, you could get yourself killed if you go there!" She screamed taking off after Luna
Natsu. Luna grimaced at the thought of Natsu in pain, or worse. Please be alright when I get there.
---------
After the explosion subsided, Natsu looked over his work: a massive crater several metres wide in diameter, but he had a feeling that something wasn't right. His theory was proven correct when the centre of the crater had not a fallen Draconequus, but nothing at all. Discord was gone.
Ugh, shoulda figured he'd blink out like that, I would given the situation. The only question now is, where is he? Natsu thought. Focusing on nothing but his sense of smell and hearing hoping to find the spirit of chaos. Natsu tried to find Discord through the former option first, hoping to find the scent of chocolate he carried. What he got was the one thing he didn't hope to have, the scent of Princess Luna coming closer. Has it been an hour already?! Shit, this is bad. With Discord missing, he could literally be anywhere. Looks like I'll have to grab that, I'm getting too weak to attack Discord and protect her at the same time.
"Natsu, are you alright? Are you hurt? Where's Discord?" She asked worriedly, looking at the amounts of bruises, scrapes and cuts on his body didn't help either.
"I'm fine. I've been through worse, trust me and as for Discord, I have no idea. He's vanished. Give me a sec, I'll sniff him out." Natsu said focusing on his sense of smell like a bloodhound once more. Well, until Celestia joined in.
"What's going on? Where is Discord? Or did you fail and let him escape intentionally Salamander?"
"Tia, I'm trying to find him right now but your attitude is annoying me. So, with all due respect, shut the fuck up." He retorted with an angry look in his eyes.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME YOU FILTHY VERMIN?!!!" Celestia bellowed out using the royal Canterlot voice on full ball.
The arguing continued between the dragon slayer and the solar princess. All about one rude comment, and in the middle of a battle no less. The younger sister did her best to stop it all but nothing would work to quell the anger of its raging participants. Discord, in the meantime, was recuperating in a slip-space area he created, bewildered by the scene before him, he came up with a plan. To kill Princess Celestia. She's far too caught up in her argument with that Salamander, they'd never see him coming. Creeping further and further towards the trio as to make sure he doesn't raise any suspicion, even if he was in a slip-space, he could still be found if payed close attention to. Eventually, he was right behind her, only a few metres away.
"You will never be a part of our world! You're a monster that will threaten everything this world has to stand for. You're no better than Discord." Celestia said using the RCV on a lower volume this time.
"And what makes you think I'm unable to be part of your world huh? NEWSFLASH! I'm stuck here whether you want me or not!! So fuck you, you stuck up bitch!" He screamed giving the princess if the sun 'the bird'.
Now! This was the moment Discord was waiting for. The moment when these two had had enough of each other, when both of their guards were down. Slipping out of his own little dimension with claws at the ready to kill the solar princess. One massive swipe of his arm came down and connected with the flesh, but it was not the the princess'.... It was Natsu's.
Natsu, managing to be quicker than anypony could see, pushed Celestia out of the way and take the full force of Discord's attack in her place. Everyone's eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates, even Celestia's. Blood poured everywhere and the human fell to one knee trying to close or at least hold his wounds at bay. But it was no use. The scene before her was too horrifying for Luna, her friend slashed at the chest all the way down to his belly in a diagonal fashion with blood flowing like a river.
"NATSUUU!!!" She screamed as she ran over towards her injured companion. Discord, upset by his failure muttered a quick 'damn' before snapping his fingers and disappearing once more. "Natsu, are you okay?!"
"I have four slashes rapidly bleeding across my body. WHAT DO YOU THINK?!" He lashed out, growing paler by the second. Realising his mistake, Natsu quickly apologised. "I'm sorry Princess, this is the first time I've taken this much damage to my body. Look at me, I can barely stand. Luna, do me a favour and keep him distracted along with your sister, I have a final ace up my sleeve."
"Right, you can count on me! My sister and I bear the Elements of Harmony remember? That makes us almost as strong as you." Luna said somewhat arrogantly but te truth was there in her words.
"Yeah, almost, that's what I'm worried about. He still has plenty of strength left, don't underestimate him." Luna for her part, was confident about facing Discord, but shot Natsu a worried look. It looked as if she was saying she'd rather let Discord rule Equestria than to let her best friend die from protecting it. "Go. I'll be fine, trust me. Never underestimate a dragon slayer either." He said with the big, goofy grin she knows and loves.
Nodding in confirmation, Luna, together with her sister, set off to fight the disharmonious spirit who reappeared shortly. Charging like raging bulls to their target, Discord quickly found himself face to face with the two biggest threats he has yet to deal with. Witnessing the battle, Natsu quickly stood back up despite how much his body beckoned him not to, turning and walking away albeit very weakly from the danger zone. Heh, this is pathetic of me being caught off guard like that. Oh well, at least Celly's safe. Looking back towards the conflicted area, Natsu's smile turned to a grimace. Luna, please be alright when I get back.
"Now, where'd my bloody bag go?"
----------
"Hahaha! You really think you can beat me like this princesses? That Salamander fellow was proving a better challenge than the two of you." Discord said mockingly to his new attackers, ducking and weaving every blast, hoof and horn that came in his direction.
"Silence foul beast! You will pay for hurting my friend!"
"Well I'm sorry, I was aiming for your sister but he just in the way. So really, it's his fault he's like that now, not mine."
"SHUT UP!! Everything is your fault! Our land, our citizens, my best friend! All for your sick twisted amusement."
"Do you hate me? Hold onto that hate lil' Luna, it will make you stronger."
"Don't fall for his tricks Lulu, he's trying to put you at a disadvantage." Celestia said stepping to the verbal fray, trying to calm her sister down. Luna was known for for losing herself when she got angry.
"I know dear sister, but it's too late. I'll kill him myself."
Luna did as her opponent had said and let her hate take control. Discord was right, it did make her strong but it also made her more brash and sluggish in her movements. Fighting him one on one in that situation is suicide, and the princess paid dearly. The spirit of chaos tricked her and managed to get the upperhand in the fight, eventually making her fall to her side with exploding chocolate milk in his hand at the ready.
"So long princess Luna." Said Discord wickedly with a smile that rivalled the Cheshire Cat.
"Luna no!" Celestia screamed, looking at Discord as if begging him to not do it.
A massive explosion was all that the alicorns and Draconequus could see before their eyes, but there was something different about this explosion. Rather than an explosion causing mass amounts of smoke to be lifted. This explosion was completely made of black flames and lifted chunks of the very earth itself into the air. Slowly, the mass of flames began to churn and take shape.
What it took, was a grand dragon with it's wings spread.
Many things ran through every witness' mind but there was one feeling that everyone, including the three battlers could feel. Fear. Fear was conquering all their minds but all Luna could think was if this flame, this power, came from Natsu. Her answer was rewarded with the man in question walking towards them, but there was something different about him. Upon closer inspection, his fatal wounds have stopped bleeding and closed up to leave nothing but scars. Another thing was his eyes, Luna had seen what Natsu's personality is like through his eyes: strong and kind. But what she saw with the appearance of a dragon's eye, was pure, unadulterated resolve. The resolve to fight and win. Now only simple steps apart, the human did one thing that none would ever expect to see.
Luna, the princess of Equestria, raiser of the moon and holder of the Elements of Harmony, was slapped across the face.
"You dumbass! Don't listen to that bullshit, if you hold onto that hate then you'll become just like him." He said looking down upon his mistress in disappointment. Seeing the look in his, Luna had felt ashamed that she let wrath get the best of her and began to cry. "And I won't let that happen, not while I'm your guardian as well as Equestria's. This guy's going down, I promise." As those words were said his body went under change once more: his canines became sharper, his physical build strengthened partially and the weirdest change of them all; his face and forearms developed scales. The lunar princess had seen this before when she looked through Natsu's memories but to see it with her own eyes, it was even more fascinating, as well as intimidating. The ultimate and final form of Dragon Slayer magic: gaining the power of a real dragon, the power to utterly destroy everything.
"Dragon force." She whispered.
"What are you?!" Celestia yelled from the sidelines. Looking at her, she was struck to the core with fear, her legs were very visible in their shaking."You are had the power to beat us from the very beginning and you're three times stronger as you are now! Why are you doing this and not taking over Equestria like one would expect you monster?"
"Why? That's a pretty stupid question Celly. You're my nakama, and this is your home, and I'd do anything to protect what's important to my nakama. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a promise to keep." Natsu said with a determined scowl on his face. Discord, meanwhile, was also shaking. He, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, was afraid of the man in front of him. He prepared his fingers to snap himself away but was met with a knee to his chin.. Reeling back in pain, the spirit of chaos was not giving a chance to recover as the next moment both he and Natsu were flying across breaking trees as they going along, Discord taking the full brunt of the assault.
"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU'RE THE REASON LUNA'S CRYING!" He yelled pushing Discord through more trees and even giant boulders. "I made a promise."
I, Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel hereby swear to protect princess Luna of Equestria and her home with all my might as a dragon slayer and wizard of the Fairy Tail guild, it's a promise. This guy's going down, I promise.
"I PROMISED!!" Screamed Natsu.
"You little shit!" Not being able to take any more damage, Discord snapped his fingers once more and flashed out of existence, reappearing and disappearing continuously in the air. "You'll never catch me like this!" He said like he had won but was sorely disappointed when Natsu came flying up to him and landed a punch to his stomach. "Impossible! I will not be defeated! This world will become a perfect paradise full of disharmony and chaos!"
"And you think by stealing other people's freedom you'll have your paradise? What kind of shit is that?!" Natsu screamed arguing with the madness of Discord's plan.
"Just by changing this world's culture I can create the perfect place for others like me, nothing and no one else matters. Why can't you idiots see that?!" He said lunging out bombardments or explosions one after another, not letting Natsu have a chance to get close. That is, until he recoiled from the pain from Natsu's own attacks previously. Oh shit.
"You'll never find freedom! There is no place in paradise for a guy tied down by his own madness!" Natsu said flying upwards, coating himself in flames. From the outside, it looked like a giant flaming arrow, but from Discord's perspective: it was a dragon with its maw open wide, ready to eat him whole and from inside the dragon, Natsu emerged fist at the ready.
"First free yourself Discord!" He said as his fist collided with the body of chaos' cheek, sending him plummeting to the ground in a second with such strength it caused the ground beneath to quake and crack under the massive force behind the punch. The celestial princesses, meanwhile, covered their eyes from the massive amount of debris being flown around back on ground level. When the dust finally cleared, they saw Discord battered and bruised, lying motionless in the crater he made on impact. Luna, get worried about Natsu didn't have to wait long to see her friend again as he came crashing down as well but unlike Discord, he landed on his feet. His face still holding the look of resolve he had before.
So this is Natsu's true power. This is...a Dragon Slayer. She thought happily but could pass the feeling of fear as to what could happen if he turned on both her sister and herself, just as Celestia had feared. No, that's impossible. Natsu is good, he'd never betray us. She protested in her mind as she saw the man walk towards her but something was off, his eyes had a shadow over them.
"I've kept my promise. Now, please excuse me for a while so..I can...rest." He said falling face-first into the ground, collapsing out of exhaustion. Fretting that something horrible was wrong, Luna ran as fast her little legs could make her go. Upon reaching her friend, she noticed the scale-like markings fade away back into the skin and he was sleeping like a baby.
"You asshole, making me worry like that. Look, you've gotten me talking like you now." Luna said chuckling quietly, but was also heard by her elder sister earning a quick scowl. "The battle has ended dear sister, we've won. Natsu won." Said Luna with a single tear forming in the corner of her eye, thanking the creators for sending this brave man to Equestria in its time of need.
"Not yet he hasn't I'm afraid!" Said a maniacal voice from behind the two princesses. Quickly turning around, both Celestia and Luna were flabbergasted to see Discord standing up with ease even with all the burns, bruises and lacerations on his body. "I am the embodiment of chaos and disharmony! I cannot be beaten by a simple life form like him! Never in a million years will I be beaten!"
"He's gone mad, he's finally lost what little sanity he had left." Right now, seeing this, Luna had felt something entirely new for the insane Draconequus, pity."Sister, let's put him away for good." The job needed to be done, Discord was no longer in control of his mind and most likely not even conscious too. Preparing the Elements of Harmony, Luna and Celestia gathered up their feelings and fired the rainbow laser-beam-thing. Colours of the rainbow filled the sky and when they passed, Discord was no longer mobile, he was a simple statue with one arm on his chest and another outstretched with a smile on his dial.
"Finally, he's gone forever now. Equestria is safe." Turning back around from Discord's statue-self, Luna went to go get Natsu and picked him up with magic, levitating him off the ground. "Up we go. Let's get you home Sir Salamander, you've done a fantastic job today as guardian." As she took her student/friend to the infirmary on the way back, she couldn't help but notice a tiny grin on that goofy face of his.
---------later that day-----------
White. That's what all one could see on this plane of existence. No rocks, no dirt, no people, nothing. Just white. Within this plane of nothingness, one lone human was walking across on what was like an invisible floor. Unable to hear anything, not even his own footsteps, he wondered how long it'd be like this. Until one voice came through to him.
"Natsu." It said soothingly but with a trace of worry.
"Hmm? Who's there?" Natsu replied sharply with his fists raised up to his face, ready to fight if need be.
"It's me Natsu, wake up. It's time to wake up Natsu." It said, Natsu realising the white area he's in is just a dream. Complying to what the voice said, he woke up...with two large cerulean eyes looking at him directly.
"Li...Lisanna?" Natsu said groggily thinking it was his former guildmate and childhood crush.
"No, it's me dummy. It's Luna." Said the midnight mare next to him. Upon seeing this he remembered that he passed out after beating Discord, he pieced together the fact that his friend had brought him back home to the castle but there was one thing that disturbed him: they were sharing a single bed.
"What are you doing in my bed?! Oh god we didn't did we?! Aww Celly's gonna kill me!" Natsu said in a small scream with his head completely red, being scared like he was about to be taught a lesson by Erza once more.
"Technically speaking, you're in my bed and no, what would make you think that? As much as the thought...interests me, there's no way it'd happen." She said showing a small blush as the words were ending. "Besides, you're very injured and my room was much closer than yours.
"Oh. In that case, thanks Luna." He said sheepishly. Wanting desperately to get out of his awkward situation, Natsu decided to change the subject. "What happened to Discord?"
"Don't worry about him, he's been turned to stone and won't cause anymore trouble for anypony." Luna said with a sad smile, feeling a tad sorry for Discord.
"Stone? Isn't that kinda harsh? I mean, yeah he was a bad guy but I don't think even he deserved that." Natsu said in defence for the Draconequus.
"Please understand Natsu, we had no choice. After you beat him, Discord went completely mad, there was no saving him." Luna explained sadly, understanding all he ever wanted to do was beat Discord, not to imprison him in stone.
"Can I go see him?" Natsu requested to his teacher, or rather, more of a plea.
"Sure, but I'm coming too, you're still injured."
And like that, they set off to see the body of chaos and disharmony one more time.
-------
"Well at least he looks good while encased in stone." He said with a smile towards the Draconequus-turned-statue.
"Not the words I'd use but I guess so." Said his teacher with a slight chuckle. But then she became confused as she watched Natsu walk towards Discord, albeit poorly, and place his hand on the statue's chest and spoke softly to it.
"I'm sorry it turned out this way man, if you and I met earlier, maybe we could've been friends." He said before he began to hear something, footsteps, or in this case hoofsteps. Turning around, he saw who they belonged to, the one pony he didn't like in this world.
"What are you doing here Celestia?" He asked with a watchful glare in his eye.
"I'm here to move Discord into the royal gardens." Celestia replied flatly with a glare in her own rose-pink eyes.
"Why there sister?" Luna asked, slightly confused by what her elder sister had said.
"To let everypony see his defeat to us." She said. That's was the last straw, Natsu snapped. He ran towards Celestia and grabbed her neck. Lightly, mind you, he knew his boundaries.
"You mean you mean you're just gonna use him as a trophy?! He's a living being just like you and I! Don't you have any honour or has your arrogance and pride taken that from you!?" He screamed to the princess of the sun, but in his anger, his wounds had reopened and began to cough up blood.
"Don't stress yourself too much Salamander, your wounds are opening up once more, and next time I won't let anypony help you recover. You should also refrain from touching me ever again, for it is within my power that I can do the same thing to Discord unto you and I'll take great pleasure in doing so." She said condescendingly with a smirk on her face.
As Celestia began to walk away with Discord's statue, Luna went over to Natsu and began to use a healing spell on him, hoping to close the wounds before they got too serious. All the while, Natsu kept a threatening and deathly glare on the alicorn who he despised. How can she be so cruel? Hasn't Discord suffered enough? He thought. All these kinds of thoughts plagued his mind to no end, but one struck his core harder than any of the others.
It is all my fault.
"Mistress, I have two requests of you."
"Yes Natsu?"
"First, I wish for you to give me incredible healing powers where injuries that normally take days to recover would heal in hours. Secondly....."
"Yes? What's the second Natsu?"she asked inquisitively, wondering what brought him to ask these things.
"I want to become immortal, I know it's possible."
"Immortality, are you crazy!? Why would you wish such a thing? Don't you remember what happened to Eclair?"
"Of course I remember her, the mission my team went on with her was only a few weeks before the 'Dai Matō Enbu', the Grand Magic Games. I'll never forget her, nor the tears Lucy shed that night." He said, sadness and despair dripping in his voice
"But still. Why?"
"For a number of reasons actually:
1. Because it's not like I can see my family ever again, I'm in a different world and quite possibly in a different time compared to Earthland.
2. Truth be told, I want to fight Dsicord once more, but on equal terms, just a regular fist-fight.
3. And most importantly, I want to stay by your side, forever and ever." He explained with full resolve in his voice, showing how dead serious he was about his decision.
"Fine, while I still have reservations about your wishes Natsu, I'll grant them for you but only because you're my friend and I don't want to lose you like I almost did today." She said defeated by her student's undefeatable will.
"Thank you milady." Natsu said dutifully and gratefully.
'After my lady made me immortal, I've been able to serve her without a worry. Although Sombrero (or whatever the hell his name is) was a bit of a problem, that guy was pretty strong, but nothing we couldn't handle. The citizens of Equestria are still wary of me and I'm okay with that. I've even started treating her like a little sister rather than a princess, much to Celly's annoyance. Everything was going great but then the rumours started. I kept telling Luna to let it go and she said she did......so how did it turn out like this?'
The thing about dreamscapes, what'd seems like hours, days, even years wouldn't even be a minute in reality. The man spoke in a low tone but audible enough to be heard with his eyes remaining closed: "I swore on my life that I would forever serve Princess Luna faithfully and loyally, Your Majesty, that's why I asked her to make me immortal. She helped me when I was sick and dying when you continually wanted to get rid of me, like I was some kind of abomination." He said.
"Do you hear that dear sister? He will forever do as I say no matter what the order!" said Nightmare Moon in a triumphant tone. "Now my servant, would you be a dear and help dispose of my sister for me?"
After hearing his order, the man's eyes shot open filled with anger. He stretched his arm out until he was pointing his finger at Celestia, the end of his finger magically caught fire but proved no harm to him. The human began moving his finger in a circular shape, leaving a trail of fire in its wake, like he was drawing in mid-air. By the time he had finished moving his finger, what was left in the air was five circles inside one another with intricate patterns in between them and a dragon's head in the middle.
"So my sister, how do you like his 'Fire Dragon Seal Spell' or as he prefers to call it 'Karyuu no Fuin Jumon'?" said Nightmare Moon mockingly to Celestia. "According to him, this spell is strong enough to hold a fully-grown dragon in its place for hours on end at full power. Once the seal touches you, you cannot get out of the circle. But alas, the spell is only in its early stages, so it can only be of use for a few moments. But that alone is plenty of time for me to finish you off. Well? Get on with it human!" She demanded with an evil smile
"I will forever serve Princess Luna" he said walking towards Celestia, all the while Nightmare Moon's smile was growing larger until one more word from the man was muttered:
"However...."
With that one word, the man turned around in the blink of an eye and focused his seal spell while kneeling on the ground with his palm outstretched on Nightmare Moon rather than Celestia, confusing the two princesses together. Nightmare Moon opened her mouth but was interrupted by her former guardian.
"Before you ask why, my answer is simply that I said I'd forever serve Princess Luna. You aren't Luna, you are a monster, a nightmare. Luna would never call me 'servant' or 'human', she was my friend...and you took her smile away." He explained in a solemn tone but quickly turned and raised his voice to princess of the sun "Hurry your majesty!! I can only hold this for a few minutes at most! Use the Elements!!"
Needless to say, Nightmare Moon was absolutely infuriated, and that's an understatement. Constantly, never letting up, Nightmare Moon tried to get out of the seal and escape to get revenge for being betrayed. The man was struggling intensely just hold the seal in place, "At this rate I can only hold it for two more minutes if I push to my limits." He thought
"Please princess! There's no more time left, use the Elements of Harmony NOW!!!!” Yelled the man. Celestia just stood there, confused but cought grasp of the situation in front of her. A sweat was beginning to form on her brow.
"Alright" she replied quietly "You win".
"Thank you princess, now seal her away, I'm sorry you have to do this to your own family." he said sadly.
"It's fine, it is as you say, she is no longer my sister, she's a monster." Celestia said sadly
"Not completely your highness, Luna is still in there somewhere. I believe in her, like how I believe in you to do what is needed to be done."
Celestia's face showed a mixture of happiness, sadness and acknowledgement as she smiled weakly because what she was about to do next will break both of their hearts. In a flash of light, six floating orbs circled around Celestia in a lazy orbit, each bearing their own symbol and element: honesty, kindness, loyalty, laughter, generosity and magic, the six elements of harmony.
"It's over, goodbye sister and I'm sorry" was all Celestia said before the man's seal was dispelled, he quickly rolled away and a wide rainbow coloured arc headed towards Nightmare Moon. From this rainbow arc, the man's face came into view, what was seen was the face of a young boy, streams of tears riding down his entire face sourcing from his obsidian black eyes. Despair. That's all that was feeling for aiding in sealing away the mare who saved his life six years ago.
"Luna, if you're still in there somewhere, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me." He said with more tears gushing down his face.
"DAMN YOU SALAMANDER! I THOUGHT WE WERE NAKAMA!!!!" screamed Nightmare Moon to what would be her final words but before she was sent away, one final blast was sent towards Natsu and hit him square in the chest.
White, a great big flash of white was all that could be seen for a few minutes, it spread all over the forest and the surrounding battlefield, quickly blinding everyone and everypony caught in the flash's blast. After the large, white flash had subsided, Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be found, only those present to what actually happened knew full well where she was, Celestia and the Salamander stood there, looking up towards the moon from which a mare's head with a horn casted a shadow on its surface.
After what seemed like an eternity, Natsu's legs gave way and he fell to the ground, screaming and crying harder than he had ever felt before, even Celestia began to weep for her lost sister but even though it was only six years she acknowledged that her pain right now couldn't compare to his pain as of this moment, the moment when he betrayed the trust of his only friend in the world, the trust of the mare who saved his life. Their crying continued for close to half an hour.
Recollecting their composure, Celestia and Salamander exited out of the forest and walked (trotted in Celestia's case) towards the blood and body soaked area, not without being noticed by the war's participants. It was a hard decision on the pair's part but eventually it was Salamander who spoke up.
"Everypony! Listen up!" He beckoned, his voice was projected vastly across the battlefield. During those six years with his saviour, his best friend, taught him how to use the 'Royal Canterlot Voice', it was still nowhere near as powerful as either of the princesses but it still got the point across, even to the soldiers within their respective bases.
"Princess Luna, no, Nightmare Moon is gone! She has been sealed away! This war. Is over!!!" he beckoned as more tears began to fall but he held them back as best he could. Some soldiers began to cheer out of victory but Salamander cut them off to continue his speech.
"But do not think this day should be commemorated joyfully! Many of your bretheren have fallen, many lives have been lost in these last few months. Don't think this day should be one of victory and defeat, think of it as a day of loss and rememberence for those we have lost, think of it as a day that should never be repeated! This war is over now, there is no more need for anymore bloodshed, the time now is for peace and harmony between everyone! Who's with me?!" He asked raising a clenched fist with his clothes flapping in the wind.
Salamander was rewarded by hundreds if not thousands of cheers from the soldiers present who by now have dropped their weapons, mentally vowing to never let a situation like this to ever happen again. Celestia merely stood behind Salamander and watched in awe and dazed as he alone ended a war with so very few but heart-felt words. 'Maybe I was wrong about him after all these years' she thought. She snapped herself out of her daze when she had noticed that Salamander had turned around and was walking towards her.
"I leave the rest to you. They're your people, not mine." he whispered. With that, he just disappeared, not being seen again by anypony after his speech. Celestia went looking for him the week after the war in the room that Luna gave him since his arrival but found nothing except a note lying on his bed. Celestia picked it up with her magic, a gold-yellow aura wrapping around the note and was levitated to her face, and she read aloud:
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I'm sorry but by the time you will be reading this note, I'll have been long gone. But know that this is not goodbye, I'll be back one day but for now I'll endure the same punishment as your sister: loneliness. I guess I'll go find my father Igneel, I know he's out there somewhere, no one can just disappear like that and not leave traces, I just have to look very hard. I'm so sorry that this happened, you were right, I am a danger to your country, it's because of me that your sister changed. It's all my fault and you can't help me, this is my sin to bare.
That's all I have to say so please remember, I'll be back, I'm strong so don't worry about me. If there's any fights happening in any towns, I'll be there because you know me, I'll be in the center of it.
P.S. I hope your men are doing well, tell them I said hi would you?
P.P.S Would you mind doing me a favour? What I want you to do is....
As Celestia read on what the remainder of his note said, her heart felt like it broke in two. But why? Why place such a heavy burden on yourself? She thought, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Natsu." She said meekly.
As she finished the last sentences of his note, Celestia began to cry after realising how wrong she had been to judge the human named Natsu. He burdened her sins on himself for six whole years. That, to her, is the most beautiful and kind thing somepony, or in this case, someone has ever done for her. She walked towards the balcony and looked out at the peaceful land.
"Until then, Natsu. Take care of yourself, you reckless idiot." she said quietly wiping away her tears. At the same time, Natsu himself was at the top of a mountain clearing when he felt something call to him. He turned around and saw Canterlot on the horizon, far away and said to himself:
"I'll be back, you can count on it. Until next time, my friend." He turned back and walked away all the while, he had a sad smile on his face with his right arm in the air pointing his index finger and thumb out in the shape of an 'L' and he began to do something he had never once done in his life. He sang.
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Binkusu no sake wo"
"Todoke ni yuku yo"
"Umikaze kimakaze namimakase"
"Shiono mokoude"
"Yuuhi mo sawa go"
"Sora nya wawa kakutori no uta"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho"
"Scribes! Prepare to write down the tale of Salamander and last week's war. I also wish to have this mark placed upon my neck, get it done as soon as possible." Ordered the princess to her followers within the vicinity. Their expressions as hard as steel to not let their princess down.
And so, tales of the war and Salamander were passed down through the generations. Tales turned into legends, and legends turned into myths. There was even a prophecy:
"When the terrors of night and chaos are vanquished
once more by the bodies of Harmony,
The Lunar Dragon will rise again to fight with them." It said
These days, barely anypony remembers the stories of the dragon slayer and his duty to Equestria, but myths tend to be real in this world and Equestria was about to get a wake up call from the strongest being in the world.