Chapter 25

Changes

Outside the Valley of Gates…

"Alu. Are you okay? Wake up."

A small voiced echoed in Alu's head as she started to come back around. She soon became aware that she was resting up against something hard and rough. She winced and groaned as she struggled to open her eyes. She slowly brought her hand up to cover her right eye as she opened her left one a little. Her right eye felt like it was burning, her head was throbbing, and her whole body felt stiff and raw.

"Are you alright, Alu?"

Alu looked over to her left and saw Violet was standing next to her, her little paws caringly on Alu's arm.

"Violet." Alu groaned. "I…I think so. Just a little sore. Where are Aries and Aquarius?"

"They brought you out here and returned to the Celestial World." Violet explained. "Since you repaired Aquarius's key, they decided to go back to restore their life forces."

Alu blinked for a moment. She then looked over at her left hand and saw that it was clutching something. She brought it up and uncurled her fingers. Resting in the palm of her hand was the Aquarius's Key; fully repaired and glittering gold once again.

"Oh, that's right." Alu exhaled and smiled. "Well, I'm just glad those two are okay now."

Alu struggled to sit up. She looked back behind her and saw the large rock she had been resting up against. She rubbed her eye tenderly, trying to make the burning sensation go away. After a while, it faded slowly and she opened her right eye. Much to her relief, she found that she could still see out of it.

"Oh good," she exhaled in relief. "For a second I thought I was blind in this eye."

It was then that Violet made a small gasp and covered her mouth with her paws. She looked up at Alu with wide, horrified eyes.

"What's wrong?" Alu asked.

"Uh, Alu, what color are your eyes?" Violet asked shakily.

"Green." Alu answered, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Um, you might want to look at yourself."

Violet pointed with her right paw over to a pool of water that was just a few feet away. Alu made a curious face before getting up and walking over to it. She then knelt down and looked into the water.

She shrieked when she saw her reflection.

While Alu's left eye was still dark green like before, her right eye had turned to a bright cyan color. Not only that, but the pupil in that eye was now a slit, almost like a cat's eye. There was a large streak of emerald green in Alu's bangs.

Alu ran her fingers through her bangs and touched the lower part of her right eye, completely shocked and freaked.

When did this happen?

"Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha!" Alu stammered, unable to get out the words.

"Alu, are you okay?" Violet asked, unsure of what else to say.

"Am I OKAY?!" Alu screeched as she whipped around to the little Exceed. "Do I LOOK okay to you?! My hair's two different colors and my eye looks like it belongs to a Dragon!"

Violet stepped back and looked up at Alu fearfully. Alu noticed her reaction and blinked when she realized what she just did. She glanced away guiltily and rubbed her arm.

"I-I'm sorry, Violet, I didn't mean to snap." Alu said unsteadily. "I'm just really freaked out right now. How did this happen?"

"I don't know." Violet replied. "You just had the streak of green in your hair when Aquarius carried you out."

At the mention of that Spirit's name, Alu suddenly remembered something. Aquarius had given her a mysterious boost of power when they were re-forging her key. When that happened, Alu felt like her hair and eye were suddenly on fire. It was a very similar sensation to the one she felt just before her fire changed from orange to white back in the forest.

"Just what did Aquarius do to me?" Alu moaned, rubbing her eyes with one hand. "First my fire turns white and now this. What's going on with me?"

Violet just shrugged.

"Oh, never mind." Alu said. "I'm sure we can sort it out once we get back to Fairy Tail."

""We"?" Violet looked up at Alu suddenly.

"Yeah." Alu replied, giving and encouraging smile. "Why don't you come back to Fairy Tail with me? I know everyone will welcome you into the guild. After all, every member is considered family, and Gramps would never turn down anyone without a home."

Alu then inhaled deeply and her eyes widened. She quickly put Aquarius's Key inside her key pouch and stood up.

"Speaking of family, I gotta to save mine!" she exclaimed. "Now that Aquarius's Key is repaired, I gotta get back to Dad and Mom!"

Violet nodded in response and summoned her Aera Wings. She then flew over to Alu and grabbed her by her vest. She then carried Alu up into the sky, causing the human to shriek a little in surprise.

"We'll be a lot faster if we travel by air." Violet explained. "Don't worry, I won't drop you."

"Sure thing." Alu nodded. "Fairy Tail's that way."

Alu pointed westward. Violet acknowledge the direction and began to fly off in that direction. Normally, Alu would've enjoyed the thrill of flying through the sky. She would've laughed and hooted with excitement of feeling the wind blow through her hair, the feeling of being weightless and unbound by the gravity of the world, and the sensation of freedom.

However, she had more important things on her mind to even think about that. The only thing she could think of was getting back to her parents as fast as she could.

Alu and Violet hadn't gone more than a mile when they heard a screech come from right in front of them.

"ALU!"

Alu looked straight ahead and saw a little dot in the distance growing larger by each second. She quickly realized that it was heading straight for her and Violet. As it got closer, it began to take on the form of a little blue exceed.

"Wait, Happy?!" Alu yelped.

Sure enough, Happy was coming towards her at Mach Speed. And he couldn't seem to slow himself down in time. He was heading straight for Alu's face.

Both Alu and Happy screamed for a split second before Happy collided head-on with her. The sudden jolt nearly made Violet drop Alu, but she still managed to hang on tightly. She did lower her altitude a bit though before stopping to hover in mid-air.

Alu groaned and grabbed Happy by his little body and pulled him off her face. She then shut her eyes and shook her head, trying to make her brain stop swimming. Once she had gotten her senses back, she opened her eyes and looked at the little Exceed in her hands.

"Happy, what are you doing here?" she asked. "And where's Dad?"

Happy looked dazed for a moment. From his perspective, he was seeing stars along with two blurred images of Alu.

"Wow, Alu," he slurred with dizziness, "when did you suddenly become twins?"

"Oh, get a hold of yourself, Happy." Alu encouraged gruffly. "Where's Dad?"

Happy blinked a few times and looked at Alu. His eyes then widened with shock and he screamed in terror. He shot out of Alu's hands and hovered above her, looking down at her with a horrified expression.

"AUGH!" he screeched. "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?!"

Alu frowned and her eyes glazed over with annoyance

"Get a grip, Happy," she said sharply. "I don't know how this happened. But I don't have time to explain either. What are you doing here? And where's Dad? Shouldn't he be with you?"

At the mention of Natsu, Happy's expression changed to even more worry.

"Natsu!" he cried. "He's in danger!"

"What?!" Alu's eyes widened in terror.

"Ivan tricked him!" Happy explained franticly. "He sent a ransom note saying that he was going to kill you if Natsu didn't come to Mount Zonia alone and by sunset! But it was all a trap! After Natsu ran off to save you, Carla had a premonition and found out that you were really here! I came to get you and bring you back because Carla saw you fighting off Ivan because you somehow found out about Natsu being captured!"

Alu stared in horror. Her blood felt like it had turned to ice, and her heart clenched inside her chest. Her throat tightened and she seemed to have a hard time breathing.

Her father was in danger, and it was because he was trying to rescue her. It was because of her he was walking into a trap. It was because of HER Ivan was going to take her father's soul for himself.

"No," she whispered fearfully, "I can't let that happen."

"Alu?" Violet looked at her friend with concern.

There was a short silence.

"I have to help him." Alu finally said. "I have to help my dad."

"But Alu, you can't!" Happy replied stressfully. "You're not strong enough to take him on! Carla said that she saw Natsu chained up and shouting in distress!"

That piece of information made Alu flinch and inhale shakily.

"I can't!" she shouted defiantly. "I can't leave him! I won't run away! I'll do whatever it takes to save my dad! And you can't stop me!"

"But Alu-!"

"You told me where to find him!" Alu scowled. "So I'm going!"

Happy's jaw dropped and he gave an alarmed expression.

He DID just tell her where to find Natsu! That's why Carla saw her fighting Ivan! This was his fault!

"OH CRAP!" Happy shrieked.

"Now I just need to know where to find Mount Zonia." Alu said.

"Mount Zonia?" Violet questioned.

"Yeah, do you know where it is, Violet?" Alu asked eagerly.

"Yes, I do." Violet replied. "I'm actually from there."

"What?!" Both Alu and Happy jolted.

"I was born and raised near Mount Zonia." Violet explained. "I lived with a bunch of other Exceeds and a few humans who lived in a village at the base of the mountain. But one day, we were attacked by Ivan and his Spirits. They scattered us. I flying for my life when you found me, Alu."

"Really?" Alu blinked. "Can you take me there?"

"Are you sure?" Violet said.

Alu nodded in response.

"Okay then." Violet answered. "It's not to far from here. We should be there by sunset."

"Wait!" Happy shouted. "I can't let you go alone!"

"Don't try to stop me, Happy!" Alu snapped. "I have to save my dad!"

Happy narrowed his eyes.

"Okay, fine," he said in a serious voice. "But I'm going with you. I promised Natsu and Lucy and bring you back safely. So if you're going, then I'm going with you."

Alu stared at Happy for a brief second. She then narrowed her eyebrows and nodded.

"Fine," she said. "Let's get moving. We don't have much time. Violet, we'll let you lead the way."

"Leave it to me." Violet replied.

With that, Violet adjusted her direction north by northwest and flew off with Alu as fast as she could. Happy flew alongside them. Fortunately for the group, the wind current was helping them with their speed. It was blowing in the direction they wanted to go. It looked like luck was on their side for now.

The whole time they flew, Alu had a determined look on her face. The thought of Ivan using her as a trick to get her father's soul made her both sick with worry, and blazing with anger. How dare he abuse Natsu's protective instincts to lure him into a trap. If that man so much as lays a finger on her father, Alu swore to herself that she would burn Ivan into a pile of ashes.

"Hang on, Dad!" she thought to herself. "I'm coming to save you!"

A few hours later, at Mount Zonia…

"Finally." Natsu exhaled. "I found an entrance."

At around the last hour before sunset, Natsu had managed to climb up the mountain and find an opening. It was a cave that led down into the mountain. It was a bit of a narrow fit, so Natsu had to squeeze through the opening. It took him about five minutes to get through. Although for him, it felt like fifteen minutes. Once he was inside, he stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

It was then that Natsu felt something sinister. It was such an ominous feeling that it made him shudder and wrap his arms around himself. He couldn't quite explain it, but something about this sensation felt eerily familiar. Like something he had felt before, but it was so long ago that he almost forgot about it. Not to mention, there was a stench that hit his nose with a deadly familiarity. But he just couldn't remember from where.

But this feeling made Natsu feel very, very sick.

"Man," he shivered, "I haven't felt something this evil for a while. But it feels like its from something that's long gone. Whatever it was, it certainly left its stain here."

Natsu then shook his head and cleared his mind. He couldn't think about that right now.

"I have to find Alu," he said, clenching his fists. "But I can't catch her sent because of this air. It's like its poisoned with only one scent. I guess I'll just have to find her on my own then."

Natsu then straightened himself up and turned around. He began to walk down a tunnel in front of him, keeping his senses on high alert for any signs of Alu. Eventually, the tunnel led him to a large cavern that was about the size of the Fairy Tail Guild hall. There wasn't much in it expect for a large slap of stone with a circular kind of alter on it. It rested in the far corner of the cave. All around walls were torches that were lit with fire.

Natsu stopped at the entrance of the tunnel and scowled. For just a few yards in front of him, looking at him with a villainous grin, was Ivan.

"Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail." Ivan said malevolently. "So you came after all."

"Shut your face, Ivan!" Natsu glared. "I didn't come here to have a chat; I came to get my daughter back! Now where is she?!"

Ivan just grinned and reached for something underneath his cloak.

"You mean the little pipsqueak?" he drawled maliciously. "Oh, so sorry, but she's not here."

"What?!"

"That was just an incentive to get you here." Ivan continued. "And it looks like you've fallen for it."

Natsu scowled even harder and snarled. He clenched his fists and summoned his Dragon Slayer Magic. He then charged forward in an attempt punch Ivan's face in.

"WHERE'S ALU?!" Natsu roared.

Ivan just smiled wickedly and swiped a red key out from underneath his cloak. Before Natsu knew what was happening, his fist collided with an arm that was clad in gold armor. He was then forced to leap back and avoid a punch that was backed up with a black fire substance. Natsu landed on his feet and looked up to see a corrupted version of Leo standing in front of him.

"Neo Leo," Ivan ordered, "beat this Dragon Slayer into submission. But keep him alive, I need his soul to complete my plans."

"As you wish, master." Neo Leo replied.

"Bring it on!" Natsu shouted.

With that, Natsu and Neo Leo both charged towards each other.