Vivian's P. O. V:
As the shadows swirling around me dissipate, I raise my hand and blink my eyes up at my saviour as I lean up on my elbows, shock written over my features.
All the baby dragons have been blasted back by a very tall man with his snow white coloured hair reaching down below his tailbone, the right side of it ebony black. His back is to me so I can't exactly see his face as he holds out an arm to the dragons, now scattered around us on the ground and unmoving.
The white haired man also wears a black cape with yellow trimming and bits of cloth split around his waist as he wears a light long sleeved shirt with the right one having been singed away, and dark pants with tall boots.
"It looks like I got here just in time, my Queen," Says the man in a silky voice. It sounds vaguely familiar to me, but I can't quite put my finger on it. The man lowers his arm as he turns to me, a smile on his lips as his visible crimson eye swims with warmth, the other hidden by a thick veil of bangs.
"Wh-Who are you?" I question.
The white haired man kneels before me as he holds out his hand and says, "It will all be explained to you in due time, my Queen. It's best if you come with me. It's too dangerous for you here." I just stare at him, uncertain if I should trust this man, even though he did just save my life. "Please, my Queen, I need to get you somewhere safe."
I hesitate a moment more, but then I give a small nod. I grasp the man's hand and he swiftly pulls me to my feet before lifting me up bridal style in his arms, much to my shock.
"Hey, what are you—?!" My question is cut off when shadows swirl around us again and we teleport elsewhere. I feel like I'm choking on air before the shadows disperse. I blink my eyes as I find myself atop a giant adamantine dragon. My saviour sets me on my feet and I gaze around. My eyes were wide at the destruction below, blasts of magic visible in the darkness. I turn to the white haired man who is smiling at me, as though unfazed by all of this. "Who are you? Atlas Flame told me the dragons were to spare me upon your command. What connection do you have with me?"
"You mean, you still don't see it?" He asks, tilting his head. The man raises his hand and caresses my cheek. His touch was cool, making my skin tingle. "It's because you're my mate, Vivian-chan. I'm sparing your life because even after all these years, after everything I've done, I still love you. I'm Rogue, from seven years into the future."
I gaze at him through wide eyes, unable to believe what I'm hearing. "R-Rogue-kun?" I ask, uncertainly. He nods as his smile turns sad. I furrow my brows as I raise my hand to his face. Rogue doesn't pull away as I lift his bangs. Where his right crimson eye should be is nothing but a scar. I gasp softly in shock. "What happened to you? And why are you doing this?"
I pull my hand back. Rogue snakes both arms around my waist and pulls me against his strong chest. I try to pull away but he won't loosen his grip.
"Please, just let me hold you, Viv-chan. For now. Please," Rogue asks in a soft tone. I don't say anything as I relax against his body. "I succumbed to my shadow when both you and Frosch were killed, 1 year from now. I was just so lost and in so much pain that I couldn't stand it, so I let my shadow take over. Then I killed Sting and took his powers." I gasp at that. "Afterwards, I set out to use the Eclipse Gate in order to trick the Princess Hisui into bringing in the horde of dragons. Obviously, it didn't work as Lucy Heartfilia managed to close the gate before anymore could come through. No matter. Seven dragons is more than enough for me to defeat Acnologia. I plan to destroy him and become the next Dragon King. Then you'll rule at my side as my Queen. You and my past self will be the only ones to survive this battle." He tightens his arms around me as my body goes numb with shock.
"I don't regret a single thing I did because it led me back to you, my mate. There wasn't a single day that went by that I never once stopped thinking about you. When this night is over, you and I will have become one at last, and we'll rule the world together—"
I cut Rogue off as I jerk back and swing my right hand forward. My palm connects with his face with a resounding slap that rocks his head back a bit. Rogue looks back at me as I glare at him, tears welling up in my eyes.
He brushes his fingers against his left cheek, the one with the strange tattoo, and gives me an unfazed expression.
"There's no way in hell I would ever be your Queen, after what you've done!" I growl, Rogue finally releasing me. "I'll never help you! I'd rather die!"
I go to jerk back, to find a way off this dragon, but Rogue grabs my left arm and holds it in a vicelike grip, even as I struggle. He yanks me closer as Rogue tells me, "You may refuse my offer now, but in time, you will come to your senses and see that I'm right, Viv-chan." I continue to struggle in his grip as Rogue reaches out his other hand and lovingly caresses my cheek, making my skin tingle once again. "You and I belong together, Viv-chan. I've always loved you, for you were so full of life. And I'll continue to love you no matter what happens or what I do."
With that, he leans in and kisses my lips, shocking me. The kiss was gentle but deep, full of love.
I was too shocked to return it, so he kisses me a few more times before I finally manage to Requip my rapier and thrust it towards him as it flares bright pink with Linear.
Rogue simply leans to the side and evades my attack, but it was enough for me to do a couple of back hand springs away from the Cheney. Rogue sends me a disapproving look as I land in a crouch and grip my rapier, pointing it at him.
"Stand down, Vivian," Rogue orders me in a dangerous tone. "I'll have you know I have seven years of training under my belt. You're no match for me."
"I won't know unless I try!" I yell before I take off towards him at a run. "Rquip: The Valkyrie!" My body glows gold as I summon my armor. "Oblique!" I thrust my sword forward in rapid succession at the older version of Rogue. He remains unfazed as he morphs into his shadow form and flits around my sword thrusts.
"I don't wish to hurt you, Viv-chan, but you leave me no choice," He says. I freeze when he reappears on my right. I go to slash at him but then Rogue thrusts a Shadow Sword at my right side.
I cry out as it slashes deep through my side and I stumble a little. He swings his sword again and I go to block it only for my rapier to pass right through.
Shit! His sword is made entirely out of shadow. Of course my block is useless!
I scream as the sword slashes my right arm, and I clutch it with my free hand.
"Surrender to me peacefully, Vivian," Rogue tells me.
"Tell me something," I say. "Who kills me and Frosch?"
A short pause before Rogue speaks up again. "Your childhood friend, Gray Fullbuster. It was unavoidable, so I couldn't have stopped it even if I'd wanted to."
My eyes jerk wide as I feel like my heart's stopped beating. "G-Gray kills us...?" I think in shock. I raise my eyes to my future mate. "And... And Rogue becomes this person standing before me because of that?!"
"No!" I shout with a stake of my head. "I refuse to believe my friend will kill us! And even if he is about to, I'll protect the both of us! And I'll sure as hell stop you and send you back to your own time! Shooting Star!"
I launch myself at the crimson eyed man as I thrust my sword forward, sending out bursts of green energy. Rogue clenches his sharp teeth in frustration as he turns into shadow to avoid my attack.
When Rogue transforms again, I thrust my rapier at him while sweeping it down, then back up. "Deadly Sins!" But once again he turns into shadow to avoid my attack, surprising me.
Rogue thrusts his shadow sword at me from behind but I was quicker this time and manage to dodge it.
"Snake Bite!" My rapier becomes enveloped by red energy before I run towards Rogue at my full speed. He sidesteps to avoid my attack before kicking me in my stomach and sending me flying back down the dragon's back. I immediately get back up again and launch myself at Rogue, from my right side this time, as the point of my sword glows pink. "Parallel Sting!"
I go to thrust it at Rogue but he simply grabs my wrist and holds it away from my body as I stop short before him. I meet his visible eye, anger glimmering in my own.
"Face it, Vivian, you could never hope to defeat me! I'm far stronger than you could ever hope to imagine!" Rogue says before he slugs me in the stomach with a fist.
My eyes jerk wide as he releases me and I'm sent tumbling to the dragon's back. I come to a stop and cough air back into my lungs.
Okay... that had hurt!
I lean up on my arms to see Rogue speaking. "The raw, destructive force of the dragons is amazing to behold! Their power will make my dreams a reality." He holds up his right hand and clenches it tightly. "Acnologia doesn't have a prayer against us. We will kill him for sure! Once he's taken his last breath, the world will be mine to rule as I see fit, with you at my side as my Queen."
Rogue then holds up his right hand. His black and white hair stands up behind him, more spikier and flared out, the right side of his body now black, the left white.
I stare as Rogue's left eye glows blue and white as shadow and light swirl in his palm. "White Shadow Dragon: Sylph!" Rogue calls before thrusting his hand towards me, sending out his white and shadow attack.
I jump into a crouch and hold out my hand. "Requip: Valkyrie Shield!" A giant round, silver and bronze shield, the exact same size as Erza's Adamantine Shield, appears in my hands just in time to block the shadow and white attack.
I let out a grunt as the attack slams into the shield but it holds fast.
I smirk as I sense Rogue's shock. "This shield is strong enough to block a Jupiter Cannon blast. It can easily block this attack of yours," I tell him, grunting with effort. I've used this very shield to block the Jupiter Cannon blast Phantom Lord fired at us seven years ago when we all learned about Lucy.
I'd been taken out and was unconscious until I'd gone to help Gray defeat Juvia.
The attack soon dies down and I set my shield on the dragon's back, breathing heavily.
I demand of Rogue, "White... Shadow...? B-But how?! That's impossible! H-How could you have Sting's powers?"
A twisted smirk tugs at the crimson eyed man's lips as he answers, "I took them for myself when I ended his life seven years ago, right after you and Frosch were killed." I gasp as I stare at him in disbelief. "In retrospect, I should've done it much sooner."
I grit my teeth as I seethe with a dark expression, "You... You monster! How could you?! Your best friend?!"
"Those feelings are a thing of the past," He says simply, making me angrier.
"Bastard!"
"You can't keep this up forever, Vivian," Rogue tells me. "Sooner or later, you'll surrender to me."
"Never!" I shout as I charge at Rogue. He sends the same attack back at me but I raise my shield to block it. Rogue was stunned as I continue to charge towards him. Upon reaching Rogue, I slam my shield forward into him when he goes to thrust a shadow and white engulfed hand at me, before I use Linear to slash at his stomach, making Rogue grunt in pain as he staggers back.
I block another blast of his combined power before slashing with my rapier, my face void of any emotion.
I once again block and push back against Rogue's combined attack, grunting with effort. When it dies down, I dash for him and ram my sword hilt into his left side powerfully, causing Rogue to stagger to the right. I run towards him as Rogue goes to use White Shadow Sylph.
My shield tears through it and I slam it into his stomach to push him back before I use Linear against his left side. Rogue grunts at the pain. The next strike of my shield was against his head which knocks him back a good few paces, almost to the edge of Motherglare.
Rogue runs at me to meet me head-on again, right hand raised and swirling with magic.
We repeat this, with me meeting Future Rogue and his White Shadow attack with my shield, then slashing or thrusting at him with my rapier for a few more moments. I've been ignoring my own wounds this whole time as I can't worry about them now.
I'll deal with my wounds later.
After repeating this for several more moments and slamming my shield into Rogue one final time, his black and white hair drifts back down around his his shoulders as the right side of his body returns to normal.
Rogue scowls at me in frustration, breathing heavily.
I send my shield back but keep my rapier in hand, brandishing it.
I run towards the Cheney and punch for his head which he dodges, but then I swing my clenched fist for his face. Rogue fails to avoid it and gets knocked back. I smirk as he stares back at me in shock.
I rush forwards again and land a left hook to his face, knocking Rogue back yet again. I then leap up and spin before landing a roundhouse kick to the side of Rogue's head.
Stumbling back, the Cheney demands, "How can you be this powerful?!"
"My Valkyrie Armor grants me immense strength, remember?" I remind him, getting back into my stance.
Rogue clenches his teeth in frustration. "I'm giving you one more chance to stand down, Vivian! You have no hope of defeating me!"
I don't respond before I dash forwards again. I swing my fist towards Rogue but he catches it before flipping me onto my back with a cry at the pain, my sword clattering from my hand.
"You will cease this nonsense and join me!" Rogue says sternly, crouching by me and keeping my arm pinned even as I struggle.
"I already told you I refuse!" I spit back at him.
Rogue tells me fiercely, "The shadows will become a cleansing light! The world will be reborn with its divine illumination!"
"I hate to burst your bubble, Rogue, but we've got no need for your crappy light!" I snap at him. With that, I wrap my legs around Rogue's neck and use my upper body strength to haul him over my shoulder and onto his back with a grunt from the man. I back hand spring away while snatching up my sword.
"THAT'S RIGHT!" Calls a familiar voice, making us both freeze as an irritated scowl crosses Rogue's features. He rises to his feet, his back to the owner of the voice.
"Uurrgghh... again?" He groans, turning to look behind me, only for his eyes to widen.
"BECAUSE WE'VE GOT OUR OWN SHINING RIGHT OUT OF OYR HEARTS! AND I GUARANTEE IT'S A MILLION TIMES BRIGHTER THAN WHATEVER YOU'VE GOT!" With that said, the flame dragon Natsu is riding on crashes into Motherglare, knocking her back a bit.
Wait... he's riding a freaking dragon?!
"Natsu-kun?!" I exclaim in surprise.
"You okay, Vivian?!" He asks, meeting my gaze from beside Future Rogue.
"Don't worry about me, Natsu-kun! I can handle this!"
"What are you even doing here, Viv?!" Natsu asks as Rogue faces him.
"Never mind that now. How the hell are you riding Atlas Flame?!" I ask.
Rogue demands to know, "Atlas Flame! Why have you betrayed me?!"
"I merely listened to my heart," The dragon responds.
"What?!"
"This boy is the son of Igneel, my dear friend," Atlas Flame explains.
Natsu grins at Atlas Flame as he says, "I appreciate the help! Thanks, Uncle!"
"U... Uncle...?" Atlas Flame echoes, sweat dropping.
"He's your Uncle?" I ask, tilting my head. Natsu nods his head, grinning.
Rogue says in confusion, "But this dragon should be under my control!" He shoots a glare at the Dragneel. "What have you done, Natsu?!"
"Your magic that clotted my mind is gone," Says Atlas Flame.
"It's simple: I just became friends with him. Right?" Natsu questions, glancing at Atlas Flame.
"You and that dragon... are friends?" Rogue murmurs.
I say with a deadpan expression, "If I had to take a guess, I'd say Natsu-kun tried eating him to regain power, but that somehow freed him of your mind control." Rogue narrows his eyes at me warningly to which I just smirk at.
"That's actually what happened," Atlas Flame tells me.
"Huh. Whaddya know. Looks like it was a big mistake on your part to summon a flame dragon where Natsu-kun, who is a Fire Dragon Slayer that devours fire, can eat fire, huh Rogue?" He clenches his teeth tightly in anger, knowing I'm right.
"ROGUEEE!! LET VIVIAN GO, DAMN YOU!" Natsu roars furiously.
Rogue simply glances at him before stepping closer to me. I point my rapier at him threateningly. Rogue simply pushes it aside as he asks me, "Vivian-chan, please, let me kiss you."
"Huh?" I blink my eyes a few times as Natsu's face gains an animated stunned expression.
"Just one more time. Let me kiss you once more. That's all I ask, Viv-chan," Rogue pleads, his intense gaze never leaving mine.
I don't say anything even as he steps forwards. Rogue leans in and kisses me just like before: gentle but deep.
"WHAT THE—?!" Natsu exclaims, stunned. "OKAY! WHAT DID I MISS?? WHY ARE YOU TWO KISSING?!"
None of us answer, even when Rogue leans back and...
... pushes me right off of Motherglare.
I let out a scream of shock and fear as I was falling in slow motion towards the earth, my hands stretched out.
"VIVIAN, NO!!" Natsu cries, trying to reach for me but we were too far apart.
I manage to turn my head just enough to the ground below to see a familiar head of black hair and crimson eyes gazing up at me, shocked to see me falling towards him.
I black out as soon as I land in a pair of warm, strong arms.