Chapter 1: Beginning of Summer
On the far periphery of the Flower Kingdom is a large and impenetrable forest. It occupies a very large area and borders both the mountains and the golden sand dunes that separate it from the sea. People call it the Forest of the East, but it doesn't actually have a real name because no one has ever been brave enough to explore it all and give it a first name. In fact, legend has it that the entire forest is populated by monsters and fierce creatures.
Few have dared to set foot in it, and those who have been lucky enough to return have contributed to the place's fame with terrible and frightening tales. But if a brave explorer had entered the Eastern Forest that early summer day, he would have found enchanting nature ready to greet him.
Great old trees thick with green leaves, pristine streams and lakes, fragrant yellow flowers and the sweet song of birds.
If the explorer had continued his journey after entering the thick of the trees, at some point he would surely have stumbled upon a very peculiar sight, less idyllic than the colors of nature but just as fascinating. Suddenly, in fact, the forest in front of him would have opened up to give way to a large clearing covered with thick, lush grass, and in this clearing the explorer would have found an immense red dragon, lying in the sun as it lazily swayed its tail.
The explorer would surely have been breathless as he observed its imposing bulk and its scales, the darkest ruby color, reflecting the sun like a gem. He would also have been struck by its large yellow eyes that almost resembled pools of molten gold and the large obsidian-black spines that decorated its back. The explorer would have looked with wonder and terror at the dragon's sharp horns, claws and fangs.
He would have thought for sure that such a beast was terrifying, and yet he would have been forced to admit that at that moment the dragon seemed no threat at all, so much so that sitting a few inches from its snout, the explorer would have found a child: a little boy who could not have been more than eight years old but nevertheless did not seem at all intimidated by the monster in front of him. A child with pink hair, black eyes, an awkward smile and tattered clothes but cheerful and in perfect health.
Witnessing such a scene, the explorer would be astonished, silently and breathlessly observing the two. The explorer would be forced to ask numerous questions and reconsider the many legends spun about the forest. In the end, they might convince themselves that perhaps the Eastern Forest wasn't as dreadful as they were led to believe, especially if, in such a place, even a dragon and a child could coexist peacefully side by side.
Yes, the explorer would undoubtedly be convinced. But after seeing the child jump to their feet, engulfed in flames, and unleash a blaze into the sky, they would surely run away, shouting that the Eastern Forest was nothing but a den of monsters.
"That's enough, Natsu!" roared the dragon, trapping the little rebel under one of its massive paws. However, the child had no intention of behaving and continued to scream and wriggle, trying to free themselves from their clawed prison. "But Igneel, I want to train more! Teach me another spell! Just one, come on!"
"We've had enough training for today," sighed the dragon. "If you overexert yourself, tomorrow you won't even be able to move. It's happened before, my son."
"Yes, but now I'm stronger than back then!"
"That was a week ago."
"Seven days are a lot!"
At this point, the great dragon named Igneel let out another puff, exhaling a cloud of gray smoke from its nostrils, and adjusted its captive under one of its claws to get a better look through its talons. "Listen carefully, Natsu. You are my son, and I care about you. Therefore, you must trust my advice. If I say your training is enough for today, then it is. We'll resume tomorrow, and for now, all you have to do is rest."
"But I don't want to rest!" whined little Natsu, trying in vain to pry open his father's claws with all his strength. "I want to train more and become stronger! I want to beat you in a fight and travel the world one day, fighting against everyone else. I want to become the strongest of all!"
Upon hearing these words, Igneel let out a little chuckle, a strange, dark yet amused sound. "Don't delude yourself, Natsu. Something like 'the strongest' doesn't exist. There will always be someone in the world better and more powerful than you. And I'm not teaching you dragon magic for that purpose. Do you understand?" Natsu paused to better follow what his father was saying and, for a moment, forgot to continue pounding his fists on his claws.
"I am teaching you dragon magic because I want you to use it to defend yourself, to provide for yourself, and one day, to defend your family and those you love," Igneel continued. "When you grow up, you'll be a Fire Dragon Slayer, strong enough to even kill a dragon. But I don't want you to go around the world sowing destruction and death."
"But I wanted to fight..."
Seeing the child's sad and puzzled expression, Igneel couldn't help but let out another little laugh, a slightly more pronounced one, baring his massive obsidian-like fangs. "If an opponent agrees to challenge you, and your encounter is a friendly one, like those between you and me, then there's nothing wrong with it," the dragon attempted to reassure him. "And as for that story about beating me..." Igneel grinned a bit more, revealing his large fangs. "You have no hope of doing that. You might defeat all the dragons in the world, but you will never manage to defeat your father!"
"And that's your fault!" Igneel didn't need to say more to reignite his son's spirit. "If I can't beat you, it's because you don't train me enough! Fight, old man!" And saying this, the child wasted no time blowing a cloud of flames out of his mouth, hitting his parent head-on. Such an attack would have charred anything else, but when the flames went out, Igneel's snout was still intact in its place, with a bored expression. "Natsu, how many times do I have to explain that fire can't harm a fire dragon?"
"But you still closed your eyes!"
Igneel strained to ignore the finger the child had pointed at him and to quiet him, roaring that he was making a serious speech about magic.
"Humans believe there are only two types of magic in the world: white magic and black magic. In short, good and evil magic," the colossus began again. "But we dragons know more than humans, and we know that white magic and black magic don't actually exist. Every spell has its positive and negative sides, and what makes them good or evil is how they're used. Our fire magic, for example, is very dangerous and can cause a lot of damage if used carelessly."
"Like when I destroyed all the trees here?" ventured little Natsu, now completely absorbed in the speech. Igneel nodded seriously. "Yes, just like that. If I hadn't been here to put out that disaster, perhaps now the entire forest would be unrecognizable. But our magic, Natsu, is not bad, it is not black because we can use it to do many good things."
"Like cooking?"
"Well... Even cooking." Mumbled Igneel, who knew well his son's gluttony and his vivacity and slow understanding. It was already strange enough that he had been so long still under his paw, listening to him. "And so, since I know much more about magic than you do, and I am the one who teaches, you must do as I say." Concluded the dragon. "For today, our training is over. Find a comfortable spot and sleep!"
"But I don't want to sleep!"
"Here we go again," thought Igneel, struggling to find some compromise with his son. "Come on, Natsu, it's such a beautiful early summer day. Is it possible that there's nothing else you want to do besides training? Don't you want to go play somewhere, wander through the forest, hunt wolves... Nothing?"
When little Natsu stopped to think, chin in hand, for a moment Igneel thought he was dreaming. The moments when he could admire his son thinking were so rare that he could count them on the talons of one paw.
"In reality... maybe there's another thing I want to do."
-—-
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