With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 4

That night, Gray felt... off. The moment he got home, a strange dizziness washed over him. His head spun, his skin burned, and his legs started going numb. He barely made it to his bed before collapsing face-first onto the mattress. Unbeknownst to him, the scratch on his arm had started something. Something irreversible.

And Natsu, still unconscious in the hospital, was going through the same thing. His condition wasn't due to trauma alone—it was the Komodo dragon's bite that had triggered it.

Both boys had been exposed.

What no one yet understood was that the tiger and dragon hadn't been ordinary animals. They were part of a genetic experiment developed by Dr. Kingston, a radical scientist working in secret.

His research had one goal: to combine the DNA of multiple species into a mutagenic serum that, once introduced into a human body, could grant that person the abilities of those animals—stronger bodies, heightened senses, faster healing. A way to survive the dangers of the world, and possibly even cure fatal illnesses.

But before testing on humans, Dr. Kingston had altered the DNA of his two strongest profiles—the Komodo dragon and the Sumatran tiger. He wanted to enhance them first, make their strengths more potent.

Then the police arrived. Both animals were killed in the chaos... but not before they had passed on their altered DNA to Natsu and Gray.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the hospital window as Natsu blinked awake. The first thing he saw was his father's smiling face.

"Welcome back," Igneel said warmly. "How're you feeling, son?"

Natsu rubbed his forehead. "Bit of a headache... but I think I'll live. What happened to me?"

"You were bitten by a giant lizard and knocked out cold. You've been out all night."

"Do I still have my hand, or did it get eaten?"

Igneel chuckled and gestured. "See for yourself."

Natsu lifted his arm. His hand was still there, wrapped in clean white bandages.

"Was anyone else hurt?"

"Gray got scratched by the tiger, but he's okay. They sent him home with Ur last night. You should've seen her—she was a nervous wreck."

"Sounds like typical Ur," Natsu muttered.

Igneel leaned in. "If I may ask... how exactly did that lizard get you?"

"Uh... I was doing something stupid. Nothing important."

At that moment, a soft voice came from the doorway.

"Excuse me? May I come in?"

Natsu looked up and nearly jumped. "Lucy!"

She stepped inside the room, smiling gently. "I heard what happened from Professor Clive. I felt awful... especially since you ended up like this because you saved me."

Igneel arched an eyebrow, amused. "Saved you, huh?"

"Yes," she said with a grateful nod. "It was really brave, Natsu. Thank you. You're honestly the nicest guy."

"Oh, no I'm not," Natsu mumbled, blushing.

"You are. I mean it. I don't think anyone could ask for a better friend."

Natsu's face fell a little. "Oh... a friend."

"Anyway, I'm glad you're okay. I'd stay longer, but... I have a date. See you Monday?"

"Yeah."

"Great. Bye, Natsu. Mr. Dragneel—it was nice seeing you again."

"You too, Lucy," Igneel replied with a warm smile.

As the door closed behind her, Igneel turned to his son, grinning even wider.

"So... that bite you got—still think it was from doing something unimportant?"

"Okay, maybe it wasn't that stupid or unimportant," Natsu admitted. "The lizard went after Lucy, so I jumped in."

"I see," Igneel said, nodding. "You know... you never told me you had a girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend. You heard her, Dad. She's seeing someone."

"She's Captain Jude Heartfilia's daughter, right?"

"Yeah."

"I've met him. Good man. And from what I hear, Lucy's a remarkable young lady."

"She's too remarkable for someone like me."

"I wouldn't say that. She's outgoing, cheerful, bright... someone who could bring you out of your shell."

"My shell?"

"Well, you are a little shy and reserved, son. But you've got a lot to offer."

"I appreciate the support, Dad, but I'd rather not talk about my sad excuse for a love life."

Igneel chuckled and stood up. "Fair enough. Let's get you checked out of here."

Later, as Natsu changed out of his hospital gown in the bathroom, he caught sight of himself in the mirror—and froze.

"Whoa..."

His upper body had changed. He was leaner, stronger. His chest and arms had a rugged, sculpted look—muscles that hadn't been there the day before.

"Is this... some kind of growth spurt?"

Shrugging it off, he got dressed, and he and Igneel headed home.

"How about some breakfast?" Igneel offered.

"Sounds great."

While Igneel tossed eggs and bacon into a frying pan, Natsu grabbed a plate. As always, his dad flipped the first egg into the air for Natsu to catch.

But this time, something strange happened.

Natsu didn't catch the egg with the plate.

His tongue flicked out—long, thin, forked—and snatched the egg from mid-air, swallowing it whole before he even realized what he'd done.

"Huh?!"

Igneel turned. "Everything alright, Natsu?"

"Uh... yeah. Just... need to use the bathroom. Be right back!"

He rushed into the bathroom, slammed the door, and stared into the mirror.

Opening his mouth, he saw it: his tongue had become long and forked. His teeth were now thin and pointed, with tiny venom glands near the base. And his eyes—once black—had turned a sharp, reptilian yellow.

"What the hell?" he whispered. "Am I hallucinating?"

He shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again.

Everything was back to normal.

No forked tongue. No yellow eyes. No fangs.

"Must be hunger," he muttered, splashing cold water on his face. "That's all. Haven't eaten. Probably just imagining things."

He stared at himself in the mirror one last time.

"Yeah... I better eat before I start seeing a third eye or something."