"Igneel!"

A shattered yell spread across the vast forest. Anna had her hands cupped around her mouth, calling for the enormous dragon. Her voice bounced through the winds that had suddenly increased its howls.

"Igneel, where are you!?"

Anna was desperate with her second calling. Time was slipping through the wisps in her hair, fleeing from her before she could even attempt to chase after it and take it back. The wind whistles aggressively, causing Anna's hair and dress to whip at her face and body. The woman shields her face with her arms while turning away from the fierce winds.

"You called, Anna?" A dragon's voice seeps into Anna's ears like water, morphing from deep and rough into smooth and near melodic.

The blonde woman turns around, eyes hardened as she recognized the voice. She met eyes with an unruly blue-haired man with dark skin and strange marks decorating his body. He held nothing but a smirk and misdeed within his gleaming eyes.

"Acnologia." Anna barely managed to murmur the murderous man's name without having a sudden fury surging through her.

"I take it you are looking for that overgrown infernal lizard?" Acnologia's smirk widens, bearing his sharp canines.

"Tamper with me not!" Anna growled in palliation. Her fingers scraped against her palms as they curled into tight balls. "I am in no frame of mind to quarry with you!"

"Tsk, tsk, " Acnologia shook his head as if disappointed. "Shame."

"What do you want?" Anna calmed herself a little.

"Beaten through the thorned bushes, I see. Very well, maiden. I smell war, destruction, " Acnologia stepped closer to the human, suddenly behind her, brushing stray strands of hair away from her neck, suddenly inhaling her scent. "And imagine my surprise that a fine woman like yourself involved with anything peace...is so saturated in?"

Anna makes no move, feeling it was safer if she stayed cautious and kept her words wary. She knew what this dragon was capable of. How much power he emits and contains. Such a force...she couldn't dare to trifle with him. She watches him shift from the corner of her eye.

"You know, smelling a woman does not get them to fancy you."

"It's not you that I'm smelling, although your natural scent is intoxicating, you basked in chaos, and chaos is what I do best."

"Where is Igneel?" Anna steps away from the man, uncomfortable with his soft grazes and ghostly carcasses.

"Should I know?" Acnologia smarted off, annoyed.

"As a fellow dragon, I would only assume you could sense each other's presence." Anna looks Acnologia straight in the eyes, her heart pounding along with the way, fiercely, may I add.

"You've assumed incorrectly, human. I take no part in what that mangy fire buffoon does."

"Very well. I shall be on my merry way then." Anna turns to leave, but her left wrist is seized by a large, rough, and very warm hand.

"And I assume you have specific business with that red lizard? Why else would a human be seeking out a dragon?" Acnologia forced Anna to look at him.

"I am on a short stick here, sir, " Anna grunts, attempting to take back her limb, but it was like she had no strength at all. "Suspicious that you desire to enlighten yourself by holding me here to inform you, someone, I am not all acquainted."

"You wound me, Dear, " Acnologia feigned his hurt, even though he didn't hide the fact he looked like an absolute madman on the outside.

"I fail to see your lack of emotion." Anna rolls her eyes sarcastically, finally yanking her arm away from the dragon-human man.

"Needn't be so cold, woman. I know what is coming." The dragon frowns. "It is far more dangerous and much more powerful than I."

Anna scoffs. "I very seriously doubt it, Acnologia."

"I am all but pretending!" The man boomed, a vein nearly bursting from his forehead. "He stirs in his deep slumber, groaning with the chants of his devoted followers!"

Ah. It makes sense now, Anna thought warily. Acnologia came to her because he sensed another, outer-worldly being and he felt threatened by its power? This was a first for her. Acnologia was feared far and wide, from the highest mountains to the deepest depths of the oceans, and here he is, threatened.

"You acquire help, I shall lend a hand if you correspond."

Her heart fanned wildly. Acnologia, Dragon of Destruction, the Apocolypse, was making a bargain with her. A bargain she couldn't turn down or turn away from. The world was at stake, and Anna knew if she didn't accept his help, millions of souls would be lost to that hellish creature.

Inhaling deeply, Anna looks the dragon in the eyes, soul burning with absolute determination. She would rather make a deal with this man than let people die.

"I'll do it."

~

Month 1

~

A dark dragon soared through the skies, just hidden away by clouds. Atop the dragon's head was a woman, squinting and breathing shallowly from the blasts of the high-altitude air. Suddenly, the dragon begins descending from the cloud banks.

"What are you doing?!" Anna called over the whistling winds.

"What you seek is in the golden plains!" Acnologia responded gruffly.

Anna could barely see through her squinted eyelids, but she saw the near-glowing golden plains. In the near center of the golden grasses, there was a wide windmill and some cows. She heard rumors of an...eccentric man-bull who lived his days on this particular plain. Apparently to the rumor, women who roam try to avoid this plain.

The golden wheat was blown in all directions as Acnoloiga plunged onto the land.

Immediately, Anna slid off Acnologia's back, crashing into the golden grasses, her face nearly as green as moss. She holds her left hand over her mouth as she hunches over, nearly on the verge of emptying out her stomach.

"You know, it's very unattractive for a woman to hack up after she rides me." Acnologia, now in his human form frowns disapprovingly at Anna, who regains her composure, and stomach.

"Do not place the blame on me, dragon. I've not been airborne before." Anna inhales deeply before she stalks toward the windmill.

"That, somehow, makes everything worse." Acnologia frowns deeper, following suit after Anna.

Anna ignores him, glancing at the cows and few bulls around her. They were on short-grass grounds, munching on the yellow trims.

"Taurus!" Anna calls, startling the cattle around her.

"Oi!" Acnologia grunts, not liking the loudness that burst from the woman.

"Taurus the Golden Bull!" Anna ignores the dragon-man, approaching the windmill.

"Oi, woman! Approach with caution!" Acnologia growled with uncertainty, eyeing the eerie windmill warily.

They enter the mill, looking around, but it was hard to see because it was darker than black in there. It was very dusty and old. Creaky and shaky.

Suddenly, from somewhere in the rafts, the wood creaked rather loudly and ominously. Anna shot her eyes up, looking at the barely visible rafts. Something was up there. Her heart hammered within her chest.

"MOO!"

Before either person could do anything, a yell cast out and a heavy body drops through the rafts, creating debris dust and wooden splinters to fly any and everywhere.

Anna lets out a surprised scream. Acnologia grunts out, grabbing onto Anna as he flings himself out of the windmill. They both roll quite a few feet. Not apart, no. Anna groaned as she lifted herself from Acnologia's body, which he lay on his back.

He smirked. "If you wished to be on top, you could have asked."

The blonde burns immediately, smacking him on the chest, "Quiet you! It was an accident!" She scrambles to her feet.

"I'm near sure you meant to try and seduce me, Anna Heartfilia." Acnologia went on with a dangerously dark grin.

His fun was soon cut short by a bulking body stepping outside of the windmill.

The man--er, bull? The creature easily towered at seven feet tall, his body was white, patched with black blotches, like the fur patterns of the cows nearby. The only piece of clothing he wore was a loincloth and a pair of boots.

He is equipped with a giant, two-handed, two-sided war ax on a leather holster around his very, very buff chest. He had a golden earring on his left ear and a leather tag on the right. He held a grin on his face, proud and rather excited.

"Moo! That's a smokin' body you got!" He swooned setting his eyes on Anna, raking his eyes up and down her body.

Anna couldn't help but feel a little...uncertain about this Zodiac. Instead of shying away, she smiles, slowly approaching the bull-man.

"I am Anna Heartfilia, " She paused just a few feet away from the giant spirit. "I've come to ask for an incredible favor, Taurus the Golden Bull."

Taurus glances down at Anna with an intrigued gleam in his eyes and a giant grin.

~

Month 2

~

It was hot. It was hotter than hot. Anna was sweating more than Acnologia was. The sun beat down on both of them and the sand scorched her feet through her slippers. Her dress was not helping her in cooling down.

Acnologia did not seem the least bit affected by the blazing sun and its cruel heat waves.

"How much longer?" Acnologia asked bored of their trek.

"I...I do not think it will be...much...longer..." Anna wiped the thick sweat from her brows with her sleeves.

"Need me to carry you, Heartfilia?" Acnologia said, noticing Anna's balmy fatigue.

"No." She simply rejected, suddenly squinting at something ahead. "What--what is that?"

"Hm?" Acnologia looks ahead.

It was like dust. A giant cloud of sand and dust. The cloud couldn't have been more than twenty feet high. The man grunts seeing how fast the sandstorm approached them. He acts without hesitating.

"Anna!" He grabs his female companion, quickly transforming into a dragon, shielding the both of them with his massive wings. He curls his body around Anna, protecting her from the fierce winds and grainy sand that whipped and snagged at Acnologia's scales and wings.

Anna didn't really have a chance to react to the dragon's action. Besides the whistling and the constant sounds of sand pounding against hard flesh, she seemed to be fine.

She lay curled underneath Acnologia's dragon form for a while, she couldn't tell how long, but then the whistling faded, and Acnologia shifted a few times.

"You still alive?" Acnologia said, shaking his wings up.

"Yes, " Anna answered softly, staring up at the dragon's white chest.

"I think it is over, " Acnologia said, scooping Anna into his claws.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Anna clambered within his claws.

The large creature and panicking woman burst from their sandy burial, sand spraying everywhere.

"Stop yellin', would ya?! I just saved our asses!" Acnologia morphed into his human, still having a hold on Anna, but now he held her in his arms.

"Vulgar!" Anna spilled out as she was set on her feet again. "But...you did save me from dying a dry and sandy death. I thank you, Acnologia." She said patting out any wrinkling and sand from her dress and hair.

The man didn't say anything except give her a grunt.

"Are you alright?" Anna asked, glancing at the blue-haired man, genuine with her question.

She didn't receive an answer, but instead, Acnologia move in front of her, holding his arm out to the side as if to either protect her or to hide her.

"What are you---?" Anna began to say, but then she realized what Acnologia was doing.

Scorpions. Possibly hundreds or even thousands. They scuttled across the sand. Where did the scorpions come from? They seemed to build in numbers, appearing out of thin air. The scorpions seemed to surround the two.

"What is happening? They are everywhere!" Anna's fingers grazed against Taurus' key since Aquarius' key is useless in the dry desert. She knew they had to be careful. Scorpions were deadly, she didn't know if Acnologia would be affected by their poisons, but she knew for certain she would be affected if one stung her.

"Whoa! Whoa! My pretty babies!" A quirky and loud voice shouts out, causing the scorpions to halt their movements, their stingers twitch in anticipation. Suddenly, some a small gust of sanded wind, a man appeared.

He was tall, lean, his complexion was dark and he had very distinctive red and white hair. He has a large, tail made of metal, the contraption was uniquely made, but it was a scorpion tail, nonetheless, and there was a word engraved on the tip of the metal tail, "Antares". He wore no shirt, but has a flower-shaped collar that's red and trimmed with gold. He has a red sheet-like material around his waist and it's kept up by a large belt, which has the Zodiac symbol of Scorpio on it.

"Yo! Yo! Who comes about here?" The man, Anna assumed who is Scorpio.

"Anna Heartfilia, " Anna introduces herself, stepping around Acnologia, who had put his arm down, but cautious as he did so. "I've...I've come to ask a favor of you."

"We are gettin' a party started now! What kind of favor?" Scorpio eyes the woman with a large grin of piqued interest.

~

Month 3

~

"This shall be easier than trekking through a desert, " Anna giggled next to Acnologia, who stood beside her. "I rather enjoy this type of scenery. Don't you?"

Acnologia had his arms folded over his chest, a frown gracing his face, "Keh! Only you females could ever dare to think the sea is a delightful sight!" The man distastefully curled his lip.

"Oh, do lighten up, sourpuss! Frowning will create wrinkles before you turn forty!" Anna egged on, stepping onto the wet sand.

This time, instead of a scorching desert or a windmill on a plain in the middle of nowhere, it was a nice setting. A white sanded beach with crystal water and cream-like foam splashing the sands.

"You think I care about what I look like?" Acnologia peered at the smaller woman, holding his small surprise inside.

"I suppose you are a decently handsome enough, frowning will only decrease your looks." Anna didn't know why she was so enthralled with making conversation about his looks. Perhaps she was nervous about something? Or perhaps she was too eager to obtain all the Zodiac keys in order to save all mankind?

It could have been both. Debating on the right answer was difficult.

"Son of a ---!" Acnologia's abrupt howl snapped Anna from her thoughts.

She then heard little clicks. The woman glanced down to see a few crabs, probably the size of her hands, snipping their claws at Acnologia's bare feet. The crabs chased after the dragon's toes with their pinchers furiously clicking together as if they didn't want Acnologia on the beach. Anna giggles behind her hands.

"This ain't funny, woman!" Acnologia growled, jumping away from the snipping pinchers.

"Oh, it is quite so funny, " Anna responds giggling a little louder. She couldn't help but laugh at his pain. He, a man of destruction and incredible power, was hobbling and hopping away from three tiny crabs pinching his toes.

"Little---!" The blue-haired man cursed as he went to stomp the crabs dead with his heels.

"Watch it, Ebi!" A smooth voice sings out, the crabs retracting upon the calling. Acnologia halted his stomp at the last second, allowing the little crabs to scuttle away from his feet.

Both persons snap their attention toward the voice. The man was very unique, to say the least. He had black hair, in which there were some strands that were red and braided back into cornrows. He had black trousers and a striped drape shirt. His neck is decorated with a single gold chain. He wore boots and there were red scissors strapped to his thighs, they had resembled the very crab pinchers.

"My babies are precious, Ebi!" He glared at Acnologia from behind his glasses.

"Who the hell are you?!" The blue-haired man growled, irked by the fact the little pinching demons were spared.

The man's glasses gleamed against the setting sun's light.

"Might I ask you the same thing, Ebi?" The man glowered nearly dangerous.

"May I cut in?" Anna stepped in between the two men before Acnologia had the chance to throw a ball of chaos. "I am Anna Heartfilia. I am in search of the Zodiac Cancer, the Giant Crab. Have you any clue of where he may reside?"

"You're lookin' at 'em, Ebi." The spirit grinned approvingly. "I've heard from my fellow Zodiac you have been lookin' for me, Ebi."

Anna smiled. Good. She needn't waste her breath and explaining to him why she was in search of him.

"Then you know why I want to make a contract?"

Cancer's face becomes stone, "Yes."

"Then, will you make a contract with me, Cancer?" Anna asked.

"I will, Ebi."

~

Month 4

~

Now, with four Zodiac keys on her hip, Anna had gone onto her next sights: Gemini. They were not particularly easy to find. They had lodged themselves into a cavern, by the rumors of many Celestial Mages. None that Anna had met had been able to have one Zodiac, much less four or five. Shocked, they were, to say the least.

And on the road, if Acnologia weren't with her, even with her newly contracted spirits, she felt she would have fallen by hostile assailants full of greed and lust. The dragon took them out with a single swipe of his fist. Anna was impressed, brawls normally lasted longer than one punch. A fight that ended that quick, well, it needn't be a fight at all.

"I pray this is the correct location," Anna murmurs softly.

"You must have heard wrong, " Acnologia grumbled, looking down from the small cliff. "There is nothing here nor any signs of life." His eyes scanned the ocean as it crashed against the cliff, spraying a small mist of seawater at them.

Anna frowned, crouching down. "I do not understand...Gemini should be resting here..."

"Well, hate to break to you, woman, " Acnologia scoffed apathetically. "There nothing here but sea."

"But maybe there isn't, " Anna wasn't willing to give up when she was nearly halfway there. She reached out to the water, her finger tingling as small droplets splashed them. "What if we have to look closer?" She squinted at the water.

"What are you babbling about?"

That was it! Anna's hope roared like a great fire once more. Although she couldn't exactly see it, she knew it was there. It was there! She could sense it!

"What are you looking for, woman?" Acnologia wasn't as open-minded as Anna was. There he stood behind her, frowning intensely. There wasn't any evidence the two-faced Zodiac could be here.

"An underwater cavern!" Anna gasped in marvelment.

"A what?" The dragon barked.

"An underwater cavern! I am not entirely sure of its existence, but there are stories from sailors."

"Then how do you know these caverns exist?"

"Could you not chaff me for, I don't know, the rest of my mortal life?" Anna glared back at Acnologia.