The Tail of the Twin Dragons

12

They had been hunting the convict for days... both had been looking for anything they could identify as his scent, but they had found nothing.

"Hey Rogue, what's that?" Frosch asked. They were at a scene where royal soldiers had been attacked by the convict only a few days ago.

Frosch was pointing to a piece of white cloth with golden fuzz.

"Hey, Sting, show me that poster please?" Rogue asked.

Sting handed it over and Rogue studied it, the convict was wearing a white coat with a golden trim.

"I think this is his," Rogue said triumphantly.

"Can you identify his scent?" Sting asked.

Rogue smelled it, "the scent is stale... but at least I know what he smells like."

"Apparently he did a number on those royal guards," Sting chuckled.

"I would like to know whose side he's on," Rogue growled, "an enemy of the country may be a friend of ours."

"He's a murderer Rogue... he doesn't exactly sound like a pleasant guy," Sting chuckled.

It was another two days when they smelled the scent again.

"He went this way, only a few hours ago!" Rogue smiled.

"LET'S GO!" Lector yipped.

"FINALLY!" Sting roared in triumph.

They followed the scent into a hidden swamp. It stunk and prohibited them from smelling anything, it was full of insects that nipped at them making Sting want to incinerate the place and once or twice a snake tried to take out Lector.

"Well, if he wanted to hide, this is the place," Sting sighed as his foot slipped in mud, "Uhg".

"Hush," Rogue hissed, "We need to be cautious... I lost his scent when we entered this forsaken place."

Then they heard voices. Rogue gesture for them to move forward slowly to investigate. They crept until they were able to make out a small cottage in the swamp. In front were two figures, a woman... and the convict. Sting got up to attack, but Rogue held him down.

"We want to know what we're getting into," Rogue hissed. Sting nodded hearing the wisdom in the words.

"I hate that you go, I'm always afraid that you won't come back again," the woman said as she ran her head through the man's thick hair. She had deep purple hair and her green eyes matched her dress.

"Kinana... I can't stay here while the others are fending for themselves," the convict said. His maroon hair sat up in tufts.

"I hate it, the guards after you... every citizen watching for your face, the strongest mages out to get you... and Acnologia still searches... he know you got away... What if he found you... you could-" the woman named Kinana cried.

Sting looked to Rogue his gaze wide "Acnologia?" he asked.

"I'll be fine... but the other dragons are out there, Laxus, Grandeeney, I have to know Kinana... I can't be the only one left," the convict said. "I can't let him win like this... Besides if I stop fighting and bow down... God I won't let that happen."

"Just... please come home safe, please," she  begged leaning her head on his chest.

"How could I not..." he put his hand on her enlarged stomach, "But I have to keep fighting for us... and for our plus one."

"We could just stay hidden... you don't have to go," Kinana murmured.

"I swear I'll come back."

"You have to."

"I can't leave you alone to raise our child... what kind of man would that make me?" he chuckled.

"A criminal in my book," Kinana giggled before giving a defeated sigh.

"Well, then I'd be a criminal in every book."

Sting had shifted ever so slightly didn't notice that he had begun sinking in mud.

"Oh.... ^*!#$&()&%^$!" he swore when the mud was up to his calves.

The convict's head snapped up. Rogue shivered, the man had a long scar covering his right eye while the other was deep purple, and resembled either a cat's or a snake's.

"What?" Kinana asked.

"There's someone here, get inside," he instructed.

Kinana fled while the convict faced the bushes where Rogue and Sting were hiding.

"Come out before I make you," he growled.

Rogue helped Sting up and walked through the bushes, quite away's away from where the convict was, Sting was madly trying to shake the mud off of his foot.

"We don't want any trouble," Rogue said realizing that this man may very well be the kind of ally they were looking for.

"Well, you got it," the convict growled. He poised himself to fight, "I should have heard you coming, but I guess I was too focused."

"Don't do it," Sting warned in a growl.

The convict lunged forward; his hands changing from human to reptilian, the scale were maroon like his hair while the undersides were milky white. He slashed at rogue, a wake of poison followed. Rogue leaped back barely dodging his attack.

"You're... You're gifted with dragon's blood," Rogue gawked.

"So... what's it to you?" the convict asked.

"NO ONE LUNGES AT MY BROTHER!" Sting cried, his fists glowed and he attacked the convict.

"Sting hold up-" Rogue ordered realizing what was happening.

It was too late Sting punched... the convict leaned and Sting stumbled, hitting nothing. Sting tried to comeback with a kick but the convict sifted slightly and Sting missed. Sting kept coming, punch, kick, punch, punch, uppercut, round kick, tackle, the convict dodged each one with ease. Then he sent Sting stumbling with a punch to the gut. Sting caught himself, his eyes full of rage. They exchanged blows and then the convict sent him into the dirt, Sting didn't stay down long, he jumped to his feet and tried to retaliate. Again he fought and the convict dodged, then Sting was sent face first into the ground with another punch. Sting was on his feet quicker this time and fought fiercer, he was raging without thinking, his fist finally connected with the convict and sent him into the dirt, he tried a point blank White dragon Roar. The convict jumped last second and landed behind Sting before grabbing his skull pinning him to the ground ready to crush him. Rogue was about to stop him when the convict began laughing.

"Like freakin father, like freakin son," he laughed insanely.

"I'm sorry what!?" Sting growled as the convict released him.

"You're father tried that very same move... point blank fire dragon roar, man, I heard it coming a mile away. I did the exact same thing too ... grabbed his skull and threatened to crush it... you know what he did?" he laughed offering Sting a hand.

Sting looked both enthralled and confused, "what?" he asked.

"He freakin screamed! He claims that he roared, but my pride feels better if I think he was screaming, man it hurt like hell," he laughed; as he said it he rubbed his ears like the memory was still painful.

"You knew my dad?" Sting asked.

"Yeah, we fought... both against each other, and then for," the convicts eyes seemed to darken. "But the real issue is... you aren't supposed to be alive so before I say another damn word you better spit out how it is Natsu's son is alive while that damn stupid lizard got himself killed."