Notice: For those who read chapter 13 a long time ago, you'll notice I changed the spelling for the character Sayla. It's not Seilah because the manga translations are sometimes incorrect but the anime has clarified the proper spelling for her name. I didn't want any confusion on that. Enjoy.

Chapter 20. Seilah

Lia followed Yury closely behind. It had a few months Lia and Reiki joined Fairy Tail and both became fast friends with the rest of the members. Especially the founders. Mavis and Lia shared a close relationship ever since Lia broke down about the death of her family and sudden departure from her home country. Mavis divulged the story of her own tragic past and the two bonded. Lia never really had any friends growing up beside her family and Reiki. So when Yury asked Lia to come along to help get the rest of Mavis's stuff from Tenrou Island, because the Blonde was busy with a guild masters meeting, she didn't hesitate. Even something as small as packing contributed to thanking Mavis for providing them a new home and offering her friendship to complete strangers.

Yury's body went tense when they spotted a trespasser on the island.

"You there! Who are you? Why are you here?" Yury yelled across the clearing. They stood next to the library, which was near the little hut Mavis lived in while on the island. A raven haired voluptuous with large horns sticking out the sides of her head gave the Fairy Tail members a wary look. "I'm visiting. My guild used to be here years ago."

"The only other guild that was on this island was Red Lizard. But, all of the members died out years ago. Except our friend," Yury stated. The last two times outsiders came onto the island, they didn't harbor good intentions. He didn't want any more damage to come to Tenrou Island. "Our guild, Fairy Tail, now has ownership over it. You are trespassing."

The woman's eyes lit up. "That's my old guild! Red Lizard. They all died though. Except this one girl. I think her name was Mavis. I remember when everything was burning and she dragged me out of the rubble. Then I remember being really cold and… she was screaming my name as everything got dark. My book almost ended until…"

Lia gasped then furiously whispered into Yury's ear. "She's a demon but…" There was no doubt about it in their minds. From Mavis's description of her, the woman standing in front of them was definitely Zera.

Lia avoided bumping into Gray at all costs as the group from the future continued their stay in the past. Things had been awkward between the two. They hardly spoke anymore instead staying on opposite sides of the guild. He still held a grudge against her, which she found understandable. She hoped he would get over it before they went back to the future and placed anger on an unsuspecting future Lia. The other members of Team Natsu and Co. simmered down and were more hesitant to hate her. Especially as she was still cordial with them.

Mavis had grown fed up with the tension in the guild. She didn't want any negative energy in her guildhall and so she invited the future members of Fairy Tail on a trip to Tenrou Island, her birthplace and the Fairy Tail holy ground. Team Natsu and co hadn't been back to Tenrou Island since they were trapped there for seven years. It was a bit of a Déjà vu moment for them.

Fairy Tail to Mavis was supposed to be a place where people that didn't belong to anywhere could have a home. A place where friendships and bonds were made. Where everyone was protected by each other's love for one another. They didn't have to get along all the time, or even like everyone. They just had to stick together because in most cases, they were the only people they could count on. The guild was no place for foul feelings.

Mavis led everyone to the secret Fairy Tail library. Only the founders, Reiki, Lia and any future masters were allowed access. Mavis released a wave of magic energy and the library appeared before them. Gesturing the group inside, she watched their astounded expressions.

Rows and rows of books lined the vast library. There were several tables and chairs thrown around. They fingered the dusty shelves that housed ancient texts and scriptures.

"Shrimp would love it here," Gajeel commentated. He and Lucy shared a smile thinking of Levy who had stayed behind with the others.

"This is our library. It contains books we've collected throughout the years, most of them are books that were here when the village that used to be here before it was destroyed some years ago collected and stored. Reiki and Lia also keep books passed down in their clans here; the ones they could carry with them. It also contains Lia's small collection of living magic creations."

"This is where she hides the demons she creates?" Gray spat.

"Yes. Her more complex creations have to be designed and written in books before they can come to be."

"Is Deliora's here?" Gray looked around for said demon's book.

Mavis shook her head. "No. All demons Lia created with Zeref are in his library. That was part of the deal. That he got full rights to their books."

"I'm guessing Seilah's isn't here either?" Mira assumed. Mirajane had been wondering about the passionate book fanatic Tartarus member ever since seeing her at the Wizard Celebration.

"You guessed right," Mavis confirmed perplexed.

"Seilah however was the first Etherious demon we ever met.

"When I was a little girl, I was in a guild that was located here on Tenrou Island. The guild and all the citizens were wiped out by another guild. The guild master's daughter and I were the only survivors. Zera, the other girl died shortly after however. I was so distraught and scared that I imagined that Zera was still alive. That she had never died but grew up as we lived on the island alone. I was so lonely and isolated that I believed creating Zera as an imaginary friend was the only thing keeping me from having a mental breakdown. As I learned illusion magic from the guild's library, I eventually created an illusion of Zera to solidify her existence in my mind. Three months before the formation of Fairy Tail, I met Yury, Pretch and Warrod who were treasure hunters at the time. We aligned to get the Tenrou Island Jade back after it was stolen in the Blue Skull raid years before. Following the defeat of the dark guild, we formed Fairy Tail. Reiki and Lia joined weeks later after my illusion Zera was gone. Everyone went along with my delusion of Zera's existence but they all found it unhealthy for me to interact with my illusion. No one else could see her but me. Zeref, unbeknownst to me, had been hiding on Tenrou Island when the raid happened. He found Zera's body and saw that it had a high amount of magic power left in it. He decided to breathe life back into her. But you can't technically bring people back to life without a cost. Zera was turned into a demon. I… I reacted badly to her. I remember seeing her and thinking I was looking at a walking corpse. Because that's what she was. Is. I still can't believe it honestly.

Mavis placed a heavy hand to her head. She felt drained retelling the story of one her most hated memories.

"Lia saw how I reacted to Zer-Seilah. But, together we all decided it was for the greater good that we later collaborate with Zeref to create some of his demons. He created those demons because he grew tired of living. He needs to die. More importantly wants to die. If we can help with his quest of eternal sleep then we have to do anything to achieve it. Each demon that fails to kill him, kill thousands instead. That's where we come in. We try our hardest to defeat them before they hurt others. Sometimes we get there too late…What I'm trying to say is, we may go about things in abnormal and questionable ways, but we always have the best of intentions."

Gray cocked his head to the side. "That was a great story and everything but that still doesn't excuse the fact that you guys helped to create the demon that killed my family and dozens of others. I'm still not sure I can forgive you for that."

Juvia placed a calming hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "While Juvia may always be on your side, Gray-sama, I do think we should give them a chance before we act so hastily."

Gray set her with a glare. "Well who cares what you think."

Gray breezed out the library with Juvia at his heels.

"Gray-sama! Gray-sama!"

Gray ignored his girlfriend and kept walking.

"Gray-sama you better listen to Juvia right now or else!"

Gray halted at Juvia's brash threat. She rarely scolded him. Their normal conversations consisted of her praising and listening to his worries.

"Gray-sama… Juvia don't see how you can be so cold to the original members."

The ice-make mage swerved his head and looked at his loving girlfriend incredulously.

"Don't know? Juvia they made the demon that killed my parents! Even if they didn't make Mard Geer they had a hand in making his twin brother who is worse than him. They can't be trusted!"

"Oh like you?"

"What?" Gray spoke with disbelief.

Juvia steeled her expression and released all the pent up anger she had been holding in since the guild reformed.

"Gray-sama left us! Gray-sama left Juvia! And all for what? To join a dark guild Gray-sama thought would have information on Zeref? On E.N.D? Well they didn't and when they found out Gray-sama was a spy Juvia had to come and save Gray-sama! And now Gray-sama has the gall to find suspicion with the founders after the stunt Gray-sama pulled last year. After all the pain Gray-sama has inflicted upon my heart for leaving and abandoning me and making me think you were evil. Gray should really think about who the real enemy is because the founders have never given us reason to not trust them. They may have had a hand in creating some of the demons but it may be for a good purpose. They may keep things from us but they do it for our own good. They protect us. The world. They risk their lives going back to horrible times to try and save Earth-Land. They killed Chaos. Not everyone person that has ever done something wrong has turned out to be evil. Just look at Ultear, Jellal, Gajeel, the rest of Crime Sorcière, Juvia. Think about that for Gray-sama puts blame onto everyone else for Gray-sama's misery but Gray-sama."

With that, Juvia left Gray to stew alone outside and joined her guild members inside.

The group traveled back to guild arriving as the sun was setting. Natsu saw Lia overlooking the water behind the guild. He watched her face, noting it wasn't as guarded compared to when others were around. "Hey, we're back!" Lia turned towards him and a grin spread across her face. "That's great how was it?" She knew about what Mavis had planned. The little blonde fairy couldn't keep a secret from her.

"It was good. It was nice seeing Tenrou Island again. Haven't been there in a while," he rubbed the back of his neck. The smile of Lia's face stayed in place as she said "Good. Glad you had fun then."

"Hey," Natsu said. "You always smile but your eyes are sad."

The smile melted off Lia's face before she could stop it. "What?"

"Yeah. Even in the future. You would smile all the time but most of the time I could tell it wasn't genuine. Why do you do that?"

The Spacetime wizard gazed at the Dragon Slayer with a blank expression. "I- I don't know…" It was the first time he'd seen her unsure of herself.

"Hey!" The rest of the Tenrou Island crew joined Natsu and Lia. Her smile was promptly back in place.

Gray sauntered over to Lia.

"I guess I'm done punishing you now. If you have to destroy Zeref by any means necessary," he extended a hand to the nonplussed Lia. She accepted his hand and they shook.

To say the others were surprised at his sudden change of heart was an understatement. At dinner, they confronted him about it and he explained that he couldn't very well stay mad at the founders after forgiving Ultear and Lyon for their past desecrations. He concluded that Lia and the others had the world's best interest at heart and decided to forgive them. He still had his reservations about them, particularly concerning their countless secrets that they hid from them. He would keep an eye on them but also keep his judgments fair.

Lia didn't let go of his hand but instead tightened her grip. Gray's eyes rolled back and he collapsed. Lia yanked him forward so he fell into her arms.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia pressed her hands against his forehead.

"I knew that would happen," Mavis sighed proclaimed. "He looked paler than usual on the way back here. Lia, we'll have to banish this curse for him before it takes over."

"Curse?" Juvia questioned.

"Yes, I'm sad to say I didn't think of that when he showed off those markings that night. He'll die soon if the curse isn't removed," Mavis slip her fingers over the markings, trying to figure out which curse it was. "He got these from Mard Geer?" Mavis asked.

"Yeah…"

"Gajeel, carry him inside for me. Place him on onto an empty table," Mavis commanded.

Gray woke up to see Lia over him looking at the information provided by Ananke about his condition.

"Oh good. You're up," Lia's hands hovered over his abdomen. Her hands glowed and her eyes turned red as she looked at Ananke. "Your eyes…" Gray trailed off.

"Huh? What about them?"

"Are they supposed to be red, living mage?"

"I see you're hostile towards living magic. Ananke and God's Mercy actually requires both the magic of Spacetime and living so I guess not all living magic is evil right?" Gray mulled over her answer in his head.

"And the eyes?"

"Never you mind. You shouldn't be exhausting yourself with questions that don't concern you," Mavis spoke.

"Mira!" Lia yelled. "Can you come here for a second? Gray woke up." Mira stood off to the side.

"Mavis, the curse is attacking his liver. It looks like it lay dormant in his body."

"The markings are more of a warning than anything then," Mavis and Lia traded spots. Mavis now stood over Gray. "You're not going to do it?" Gray asked Lia. She just smiled and stood on the other side of him. "She could, but my light magic is more pleasant on the body than her magic. It sooths the pain along with banishing the curse." Yellow light poured out of Mavis's hands and washed over Gray. He felt calm and warm, like he was bathing in the hot springs. His marking lifted from his body in a large dark cloud. "Diverge!" The cloud disappeared inside Mirajane.

"Oh my goodness! Is that safe?" Lucy asked worried for Mira's wellbeing.

"My take-over allows me immunity to curses like those by demons," she walked away to get Gray a meal to eat. He felt light-headed and weak after Mavis's light vanished.

"You'll have to rest for a few days. Getting rid of curses can be heavy on the body. You should eat five meals a day and drink plenty of fluids until you feel better," Mavis instructed.

Lia stepped forward. "You're Zera right?"

Seilah lips tugged into a sad smile. "I'm called Seilah now."

"You were turned into a Etherious demon right? By Zeref?"

Seilah nodded. "I'm in his possession now. But he allowed me to travel here and find the whereabouts of Mavis. He said he met her before and that she would want to see me again as well."

Lia and Yury shared nervous glances. "Why don't you come back to the guild with us," Lia suggested.

The odd trio found Mavis behind the guild, looking at the water as the sun set.

Yury made the first move. "Mavis?" The blonde turned to greet them with a broad smile. "Back so soon?"

"Uh huh," Yury said. "We have a guest for you." Yury and Lia stepped aside to reveal Seilah.

Mavis's green orbs grew bigger. "Who… who is she?"

"Mavis… this is Zera. She's the one who died in the Tenrou Island raid. Not the one you made a illusion of before," Yury had a hard time being the one to tell her. His heart tightened when he saw the heartbroken face of the youngest founder.

"That can't be. Zera is dead. I remember when she died in my arms and then my illusion of her was created. Not that abomination. How could you say those things to me?!"

Lia ran forward and scoped Mavis up in her arms. Mavis's screams died down. She whimpered as she held onto Lia. "It can't be. But evidence is right in front of me isn't it? She's a demon now…" Salty tears stung the blonde's eyes.

"I shouldn't cry. It's bad to cry. My parents used to tell me if I cried I wouldn't be able to meet the fairies," Mavis sniffled.

"My mom told me I shouldn't cry in front of monsters. It was the ultimate weakness and vulnerability that they preyed on," Lia said.

"You both had some pretty smart parents," Yury chuckled.

Mavis looked Seilah who awkwardly stood away from the friends.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted. Please forgive me. It can't be any easier for you. Thank you for seeking me out."

Seilah nodded. "It's fine. I should be going though. Zeref will want me back." They watched as she left the guild.

Lia hugged Mavis closer to her. "You don't have to be lonely anymore Mavis. You have us now."

Yury took both of them into his arms for a bear hug. "Yeah best bud. As long as Fairy Tail exists, you'll always have a friend."

The three best friends stayed like that until the sunset.

Alright that's it for now. The next chapter will be really long. The longest i've ever written so I might not update until two week later after I post 21. Bye!