Mavis slowly awoke and when she opened her eyes, she realized she was cold, and her entire body hurt. She also felt something next to her, that something was warm. A little too warm for her taste since she was right next to the heat source. Mavis finally opened her eyes and saw Zeref, in her personal space.

She blinked and then sighed. Somebody obviously thought positioning them like this would be funny. Mavis had one hand on the back of Zeref's head, his face was buried in the crook of her neck. Her other arm snaked around his waist and her face touched his head. To be honest it could've been worse, but still, this was extremely uncomfortable. Their legs were tangled together and Zeref had his arms wrapped around her, his hands on her head. "Um… Zeref…" Mavis said quietly and shook him. Instead of waking up Zeref rolled over and pulled her to his chest. Mavis blushed and laid there for a moment, simply to think about what she was feeling when waking up next to him. She found that it wasn't as bad as she would've thought. In fact, he was rather warm and… when he didn't look like he wanted to murder her, maybe even cute… Mavis blinked and then quickly sat up and pushed Zeref back. "G-get off me!" Mavis cried and then scrambled backward, only to find that she and Zeref were cuffed together. "I can't believe this…" Mavis grumbled, trying to push Zeref off and get some personal space back. Whoever did this to her was going to die when she got her hands on him.

After all her yelling Zeref slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "What?" he grumbled, blinking sleep from his eyes. Mavis licked her lips and forced any embarrassment she might've had, down, and let a smirk glide easily over her face.

"Well good morning, sleeping beauty." Mavis said. "Not a morning person?" Zeref scowled at her and ran his fingers through his hair a few times, which actually messed it up more than to help tame it, then he said,

"No, I'm not." Zeref said.

"I can tell." Mavis said, smirking. Zeref sneered and sighed, leaning back.

"Why're we cuffed together?" he asked, closing his eyes. Mavis shrugged,

"I don't know, but I think someone thought it would be funny if we were cuffed together considering we're bitter enemies." Zeref snorted.

"Thrown into a situation where we have to interact even though we're enemies? Imagine that, it's almost like we're characters out of some sappy romance novel." Zeref said. Mavis smirked again and said,

"Well, wouldn't you just love that?" Zeref's eyes snapped open and he stared at her angrily, although it was more of a formality than true anger. "Admit it, you aren't as demonic and heartless as you want everyone to believe. I can tell you care for those two boys. Your Natsu and Gray, and if you can love those brats then… well, you're not so heartless after all." Mavis told him.

"Well, they may be brats, but I've known Natsu all my life and Gray since he was 5 months. When I watch them grow up, I'd hope that I love them. But… after all this time, I… I regret taking Gray in." Zeref said sadly. Mavis frowned,

"Why?" Mavis wondered. Didn't he just say that he loved them? Zeref sighed and said,

"It's not because I dislike him or anything it's just… well, I do dislike him, but I love him at the same time. Anyway, I regret taking him in, because I regret having to take him in. I mean, I… I killed his parents. And because I love him, it hurts to live knowing that I hurt him, knowing that the only reason he's here is because of me. And I wonder if I should've left him to die. Because if I'd left him to die, I wouldn't be feeling so guilty but, just wondering if I should've left him to die makes me feel guilty."

"Well… what'd you tell him?"

"I told him I found him in an alley and was feeling merciful." Mavis gave a short, humorless laugh.

"That's truly diabolical. How could you lie to him about something so important? Weren't you just going on about how your father lied to you? How is this any better!"

"I know… that's why I planned to tell him after all this, but we lost, so I never got the chance to tell him, and now… I might never get that chance." Zeref said quietly. Mavis bit her lip and peered up at him through her eyelashes.

"Are you going… If or when we get out of here do you still plan on telling him?" Mavis asked, frowning. Zeref shook his head.

"I don't know anymore. I don't want to ruin everything." Zeref felt as if he was the cause of everything bad that was happening at the moment.

"The only way you could possibly ruin it, is if you don't tell him. He's going to mad, and he's a kid so he won't understand how hard it is to admit something you don't want to admit. But he won't stay mad forever."

"How can he not! I killed his parents! He has every right to hate me forever."

Mavis regretted everything about this conversation because now she felt like she was playing councilor even though she had no experience doing such things, and on the rare occasion she did decide to help with emotional problems, she only helped her friends. She sighed and said, "Listen, Gray's gonna be mad. You killed his parents and kept it from him. But the reason he will be angry, it's not because you killed his parents." Zeref stared at her blankly. "Don't you get it? Gray wants to get to know his parents, and live a normal life, right?" Zeref nodded. "But he doesn't. It's only what he says because it's supposed to be what he wants. Gray might've liked his parents, wanted to meet them, but he doesn't know them, not even their names. And despite being the one's that gave birth to him, he doesn't love them. You can't love somebody that you never met. But he loves you, trusts you, and he wants to be like you. So, the only reason he's going to be mad, isn't because you killed his parents, not really. It's going to be because you lied about it."

Zeref wasn't so sure about that. Who wouldn't be angry that you killed the only parents you ever had? This was the empress he was talking to, and she'd never liked him. She was probably just giving him some false hope anyway. "Yeah… alright, whatever." Zeref mumbled, not truly believing it.
"Just you wait. You'll see." Mavis said. "And when I'm right you have to admit it."

"… Fine, but when you're wrong, you have to admit it." Zeref said. Mavis shrugged and nodded.

"Fine." Mavis said, crossing her arms. "Even though I'm right."

"We'll see." Zeref said doubtfully. Mavis stood up and turned to him.
"Well, since we're speaking and such, I would like to search your memories." Mavis said.

"Why?" Zeref asked, startled by the abrupt change in subject, and not really understanding. What would be the point in looking through his memories other than curiosity?
"Well, I can't deny I'm curious, but I also want to see if I can find some memories that will help us defeat Acnologia." Mavis told him. Zeref furrowed his eyebrows,

"You want to… see inside my memories?" Zeref asked. "The memories about… my father?"

Mavis nodded in confirmation. "No." Zeref said, shaking his head. "No, I don't want to."

"Why not? It might help us win or escape or something." She insisted.

"I don't care." Zeref said flatly, shaking his head. No one could know about what happened down in that dungeon. In this dungeon. Zeref's eyes wandered to the shackles hanging from the wall just a few inches above his head, he shivered. Zeref had never told anyone what happened down here. He'd never told his mother, he'd never told his friends, or his teachers, or his guards, or Porlyusica, or even his brother. No one but he and his father knew. Not anyone else, and never would anyone else. Zeref was content with knowing that the only thing that anyone had to go off of were his screams. Zeref didn't want them knowing anything else.

"It couldn't have been too bad." Mavis said softly, her eyes glittering with sympathy. Zeref gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"You weren't there." He said. "You know nothing, and that's how I want it to stay."

Mavis didn't know what she could say to convince him. He was obviously adamant about not letting anyone know about what happened between him in his father. Mavis could simply ignore his wishes and look into his memories anyway, however Mavis didn't want to resort to that. Especially when he would probably kill her after she was done. The worst part was she wouldn't blame him. Mavis licked her lips and said, "If you allow me to see the memories of you and your father, then I shall allow you to look into my memories as well." Mavis said. "A memory that no one else has seen, and a memory that I detest."

Zeref paused, seeming to think about it before saying, "And how do I know you're not lying?" Mavis laughed lightly,

"When have I ever lied to you?" Zeref did not reply but looked unimpressed regardless.

"I guess you never have… alright, fine but I have a question. Do… do I see the memories too?"

"Yes, you do, but we won't be experiencing the memory together, unless you want to. Generally, it's better to experience any memory, separately. Why? Do you have a preference?"

"Well… my preference would be to not see the memories at all but… since I have to, I would like to experience it together… if it's okay with you, that is."

Mavis blinked, surprised by what he wanted. She would like to ask him if he could explain his reasoning, but she didn't, because deep inside she already knew. Zeref didn't want to be alone with the most terrifying moment of his life. She knew, because that's what she would want. So, Mavis didn't ask any questions and nodded. "Yes, that's perfectly fine." she said and gently placed her fingertips on his temple. Zeref squeezed his eyes shut, his fingers digging into his legs. Mavis closed her eyes as well and mumbled quietly, "Angel memories." Mavis felt the power rise up within her and burst, before returning to a quiet hum in the back of her mind. Mavis bit her lip and hoped that what she saw when she opened her eyes was not as bad as what she thought.

Warning: This break contains torture. It is not necessary and can be skipped. If you are not comfortable, keep reading at the end of this break. Otherwise, please enjoy!

Mavis opened her eyes and found she was in a dark room. She recognized this place to be hell's dungeons. She didn't think this was where she would find herself, but she didn't care. Mavis glanced to the right and saw that Zeref was beside her, his eyes still screwed shut. "We're here, you can open your eyes now." Mavis said. Zeref shook his head and remained still.

"No, I won't." he whispered. Mavis disliked that he was being difficult but ignored it and turned her attention to the front of the room. The cell in front of her was not empty as she had once thought, for inside she could hear ragged breathing. Mavis walked forward, leaving Zeref to scrunch his eyes shut, and into the cell. A torch lit the jail, so she could dimly see a boy, a young boy, hanging from his wrists. Cold, iron shackles clamped around each pale wrist, and just underneath Mavis could make out purple bruises from how long he'd been cuffed there. Her eyes traveled downward, and she blushed slightly, realizing he was naked and quickly traveled back up. What she had seen though, horrified her. Bruises, and cuts ran the full length of his body, small stab wounds in multiple places. The boy hung limp, and he was so skinny that Mavis could see his bones sticking out sharply under his ghostly skin.

Behind her, Mavis heard the cell door open and turned slightly to watch Acnologia walk in. He was definitely younger, but his muscles were still as defined as ever. "Hello, boy." He said his voice filled with a controlled animosity that made sent shivers up Mavis's spine.

The boy looked up and Mavis could now tell that this was Zeref. She'd had her predictions but now she could tell, with undying certainty, that this was indeed the demon lord. But even though it was definitely his features, Mavis still had a hard time believing it was really him. The Zeref she knew was so terrifying and strong. Here, he looked like a boy. A terrified boy.

Zeref's eyes were filled with terror and he struggled slightly but seemed pretty resigned to his fate. "No, father, I'm sorry!" Zeref cried and struggled.

Mavis watched as Acnologia uncoiled a whip from the corner of the room and it unwrapped to the floor and she saw how Zeref shrunk back from it. Mavis wished she could close her eyes and run back and get out of this memory, but she was intrigued. She couldn't tear her eyes away. She was almost mesmerized by the shimmer of the cold, long whip. Acnologia walked up, gently placing a hand on Zeref's face, wiping away tears that Acnologia no doubt saw as weakness.

The first crack made Mavis jump, as it was fast and unexpected. Screams followed shortly after. "Oh, I'm sure you are, son. But you see… I don't care." He said finally. The next crack made Mavis cringe and now, with the spell broken Mavis wanted nothing more than to run away. She was fairly sure she wasn't the only one.

"Please!" Zeref sobbed and struggled, screaming. Acnologia paced the floor and swished the whip back and forth a few times.

He scoffed, "Please? I bet you get that neediness from your mother." Acnologia said with obvious distaste.

"I'll- I'll never do it again! I promise! I'll never ask for anything ever again!" he screamed. Mavis could feel tears coming to her eyes as the whip cracked down again and again. Blood was everywhere, screams rattled her bones. She couldn't help but think that he must be so terrified. He couldn't be older than thirteen or fourteen. Mavis hated to see this. Ragged breaths filled the air and Acnologia was only smiling. How could he smile? "I can see this lesson is getting through to you." He said. Was torturing a small child who couldn't defend himself really that amusing? Any respect she'd had for this man and his unbelievable power died instantly. Mavis knew that Acnologia hadn't been a good father. She knew ever since she'd seen her mother's memories that Zeref had been abused early in his life. But she had thought that his father might only be beating him. That was still horrible, but it paled in comparison to what she was seeing.

Sobs and whimpers and pleas filled the once silent room. Nothing answered them. When Acnologia had given more than fifteen lashes she knew that she couldn't watch anymore. It was too horrifying. But at that moment, the lashes stopped and Acnologia sliced the chains open. He wrapped an arm around Zeref's waist and held him, walking up the stone steps, out of the prison, Zeref still screaming and sobbing.

End of torture scene, but they're still in the memory. Read on from here.

Mavis knew she had to leave this memory.

Plus, right now, young Zeref wasn't the only Zeref screaming any longer. Mavis might've gone over there to try and comfort him or something, only she didn't think it'd be a good idea to touch him right now. It probably wouldn't help anything, and he might rip her arm off. Mavis wasn't willing to take chances.

She wanted to see a different memory now anyway. She couldn't take the blood and the screams any longer. So, she closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted to see. She wanted to see what happened after this.

And when she opened her eyes again, she was standing in a room. Not the dungeon, thankfully. Zeref stood in the middle, whip marks running down his skin. They were fresh and still bleeding. On the far side of the room sat a woman, she had golden hair and brown eyes. Mavis gasped as she recognized Anna.

She hadn't thought what Zeref had said about his mother was true. But with this memory… it might be more probable. "Mommy." Zeref whispered, coming over to her. The woman looked up after only a few moments and when her eyes landed on Zeref her smile instantly vanished.

"Zeref…" she said slowly, her face pale. Mavis could tell she was hesitant to ask what she needed to, "What happened." She asked cautiously. Zeref stared at her for a few moments longer before bursting into tears. Anna shot to her feet and quickly ran over. "We have to get you to Porlyusica, right now." She said, her eyes glazed over with tears and her face clouded over with fear and guilt. "Come on, let's walk." Anna said, gently guiding Zeref out of the room, trying to touch somewhere that wasn't covered with injuries.

When Zeref and Anna finally reached Porlyusica's office, Mavis trailing behind, Anna didn't even bother to knock. "PORLYUSICA!" Anna's voice was frantic, filled with fear and panic. "PORLYUSCA! I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW!" silent tears slid down Zeref's face as Anna kept shouting for Porlyusica.

Finally, the woman came down, but her scowl faded quickly when her eyes landed on her knew patient. "Oh my…"

"Help him, help him please!" Porlyusica quickly descended the rest of the steps to her main office. She'd come from her bedroom upstairs, as it was rather late.

"You needn't even ask." Porlyusica said. "Come on, Zeref." Porlyusica said.

She cleaned the wounds and bandaged them quickly, getting Zeref some painkillers that made him drowsy. Some cuts she'd had to stitch the skin back together it was so deep and wide. "What happened?" Porlyusica asked.

Anna stared at the floor, in her eyes brewed a storm. "You know what happened." She whispered, her voice shaking from rage. "You know he did this!" she hissed and started cursing. "My son…" she cried and turned to Zeref, her face sad and angry.

"What are you going to do about it? You can't let this keep happening. Demons are tough, but Zeref's getting lucky. If this keeps happening, he will die." Porlyusica said.

"I know." Anna whispered. She licked her lips her eyes burning with rage. "I can't let this keep happening to him. Zeref's already scarred for life, he already went through it. I can't let that happen to Natsu. I can't." Anna shook her head and turned around. Staring at her son she said, "I will never let you go through that ever again." Anna then, gently cupped Zeref's face and kissed his forehead. "I love you." She whispered and stood. "That's why I'm going to kill my husband!" she seethed.

"Anna, I don't think that's a good idea." Porlyusica said, frowning.

"Mommy, I don't want you to get hurt." Zeref said quietly. Anna frowned and turned to him,

"Then, how do you think I feel about you getting hurt, dear? I'm your mommy, it's my job to make sure you're safe." Anna told him sternly. Zeref didn't say anything and stared blankly at his mother before slumping back down on to the bed, careful of his wounds.

Anna then turned to Porlyusica and said, "Please look after him… both of them." she said. Mavis heard the hidden meaning in those words. Anna didn't mean just today. Even Anna didn't believe she was coming back from this confrontation. She was asking Porlyusica to look after Zeref and Natsu until they didn't need it anymore.

Porlyusica didn't answer for a long time, simply staring at her dear friend. "Alright." She said finally. "I will look after them."

Anna smiled at Porlyusica, a beautiful, perfect smile. "Thank you." She glanced in Zeref's direction one last time, before turning and walking out of the room. Porlyusica turned to Zeref then,

"Alright, let's get you a blanket. You should spend the night here, in the infirmary." Zeref didn't argue with her and Mavis watched Porlyusica walk out of the room. As soon as the door swung shut behind her Zeref slid off the bed and ran out the front door. Mavis followed him as he trailed behind his mother. She could see Zeref looked tired, like he wanted to fall asleep at any minute, but he remained awake, too alert to fall asleep. Mavis didn't even know what he was trying to do. What was the point of following his mother to her death?

"Where's mom going?" Zeref wondered aloud as he crouched behind a wall. Zeref didn't move for several seconds until Anna turned the corner before quickly, but silently moving after her.

Zeref followed her through twists and turns of the hallway, the walls moving and neither Zeref nor Anna seemed to bat an eyelash. Neither of them was shocked. In fact, Mavis would've guessed they'd be more shocked if the walls didn't move. But then again, they'd lived here for a while. This was probably the norm.

Zeref kept trailing behind Anna until she turned into what Mavis recognized as the throne room. She could never have mistaken it. The door was large with blood-red swirls flowing across the front. Anna went in and after a few moments Zeref quickly but silently ran up to the door and pressed his ear to it, listening and peering through the crack in the door.

Anna walked toward the throne where Acnologia sat, looking rather happy. His expression made Mavis feel sick to her stomach. How could he have that expression after torturing his own son? "Husband." Anna said, though that word that should've been said lovingly came out cold and detached. Acnologia's eyes met Anna's, twinkling with amusement.

"Yes? Is their something wrong, wife?" Acnologia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Can you tell me where my son got his injuries?" Anna asked. Acnologia didn't even hesitate to answer.

"Well, I gave them to him."

"Why? How could you do that to your eldest son?" Anna asked.

"Why is the sky blue? Why do we get burned when touching fire? Why must you ask such stupid questions?"

"What is wrong with you! Our son is half-dead in the infirmary right now! You go too far! WAY. TOO. FAR!" she cried.

"Okay, then tell me, what should I do?"

"Oh, I don't know? Maybe you should try telling him not to do it again!"

"But then how will he learn? Actions have consequences."

"Then send him to his room! Yell, ground, express your disappointment through WORDS! You do not, however, beat him until he's screaming! It is unacceptable, and I can not let you do this anymore! I indulged you for a while! I let you give him the bruises, but this is where I draw the line and I cannot take it anymore! I am taking Natsu and I am taking Zeref, and we are all leaving!"

"And going where?"

"I don't care, but I'd rather be anywhere but here!" Anna screamed before turning around. "Oh, and do not call me!"

Then she started walking out of the room. "No." Acnologia said. Anna froze, and she turned to him, her eyes flashing murderously.

"What did you say to me?" she asked.

"I said no. I will not allow you to leave. You will all stay right here."

"Why? Why do you "care"." Anna asked

"I care because all of you, especially you, belong to me. And you will not leave unless I say so. And I don't say so, so you stay." Acnologia said. Anna scowled and backed up still, but a little slower. "I will never let you leave, unless I feel that I want you to go." Acnologia said.

"No… I'm leaving! And I'm taking the kids with me!"

Acnologia shook his head in fake sadness, clucking his tongue in disappointment. "Well then, know that as this happens it was your own stubbornness that made it happen."

"That is false!" Anna cried. "You don't have to do anything! You're an obsessive control freak, and it's your stubbornness that's making this happen right now!" Anna growled, but Acnologia didn't even seem to be listening to her anymore.

"This is how it happened." Mavis jumped as she heard a voice right next to her. Mavis turned to look at Zeref, frowning. She'd forgotten he was even there. "This is how we lost all our memories." Mavis frowned and nodded.

"I see, so that's how this craziness began. That's interesting." Mavis said quietly.

Acnologia raised his hands as if getting ready to cast a spell and he muttered some magic words under his breath. Anna looked at him with wide eyes, knowing that there was nothing she could do to stop whatever Acnologia was planning. "Wait, stop! You don't know what you're doing! Why don't you just calm down and really think about what you're about to do!" But again, Acnologia wasn't listening and carried on with what he had been doing. "Stop!" Anna screamed as Acnologia finished his spell. Throughout the entire castle a shock wave pulsed through the air. At that time young Zeref fell over backwards and sat there, on the ground for several moments.

"What was I doing?" He wondered quietly. Just as Zeref said that Acnologia said,

"Guards! I've caught a rogue fallen angel hiding out in our castle!" Quickly the guards came running and immediately apprehended Anna.

"What do you want us to do?" one guard asked.

"Take her to the west wing. And make a barrier as well. I want the best demons with rune magic on the job, alright?" Acnologia said sternly. The guards nodded and dragged Anna away whilst she was screaming that she was the queen and that this was all a big misunderstanding.

Zeref only wondered who that strange lady who was getting dragged away was. "Father, who was that woman?"

"Just some crazy old loon. Nothing." Acnologia answered before everything was silent for several seconds.

Then, Acnologia turned and shot a glare at Zeref. "Get lost you little twerp." He grumbled unhappily, flicking his son's forehead. Zeref froze for a split second before running off.

Once he emerged from the room, he closed the door quickly but quietly and let out a sigh of relief, letting his shoulders relax hesitantly. Then, he started to walk back to the infirmary, presumably to get the rest of him healed.

Mavis didn't think there was much else to see in the memory, so she turned to Zeref who stood next to her, blank-faced, and asked, "So, are you ready to leave?" he nodded mutely, and Mavis pulled the two of them out. When she opened her eyes again, they were back in the cell, handcuffed together. She knew they had only been gone about a minute or two, but she felt as if she'd been gone a life-time. She always felt that way once she came out of the memory. She was drained from using so much magic, but she thought she could pull one more spell off, if it was quick. "Do you still want to see my memory?" Mavis asked, unsure of how mentally stable the demon lord was at the moment. Zeref turned to her his eyes glassy, but he nodded firmly and spoke for the second time since they'd entered that memory,

"Yes." He said. Apparently, he figured that even though he doubtfully wanted to see her memory, he thought that she had tortured him in her own way, so he saw fit to return the favor.

Mavis licked her lips, regretting the fact that she had promised him. "Alright." She said quietly. "Then take my hands." Zeref complied and she brought her fingertips to her own forehead and whispered the same spell she had only a few minutes ago.

When Mavis hesitantly opened her eyes she was indeed, in the memory she'd experienced so long ago. What she wanted to do was run from this memory. It seemed all she knew how to do was run from it. But if Zeref could face his worst memory again, albeit, while curling up in a ball, then so could she.

After all, she wasn't like Zeref. She didn't live in constant fear of this very thing happening again… but she still feared it. It still made her cry, even though it happened more than ten years ago. She would never forget his face, cruel, unmerciful. And she would never forget HER face. The face of her best friend.

Mavis had been so scared that she hadn't been able to move. It was like she was watching a film and all she could do was look on in horror as it happened right in front of her.

Now, here she was, in the same room as it had happened so many moons ago. The day her best friend died. The day Zera died and she was left all alone, only able to watch, and not powerful enough to do a thing. Her mother had come, before he got her. But in Mavis's mind it had already been too late. Nothing would ever be the same. Not like it was before. Now she was here again, in this horrid memory, and whether she liked it or not, she was here to watch again, not able to do anything. Just like last time. It had never occurred to her before, but this spell she possessed… It really was cruel, wasn't it?

A/N So, here's the new update. I hope you enjoyed, the next chapter will be about Mavis's past. Zeref and Mavis are FINALLY starting to become something more than just enemies hahaha, so anyway, thanks for reading reviews/favorites/follows are all appreciated. Maybe I'll update again on Sunday, but as usual, we'll see. See you guys next time, bye!