Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters.

Update: I forgot to add in a small bit with Jackal at the end. It's fixed now and I'll be posting the next chapter later today!

Chapter 25

Attack

"That's good…" Lucy said, quieter, "...Are you ready?"

"No." Natsu sighed, "Honestly, even though I'm tired, I probably won't go to sleep tonight."

"I get that." Lucy replied, "But don't wear yourself too thin, you'll only end up breaking down…"

Natsu sighed quietly and clutched his scarf.

Lucy continued, "...No matter when it is you forget, know that it won't be forever. I don't care how long it will take, I'll undo the spell. I promise."

"...Thank you…" Natsu whispered.

Throughout the night Natsu had to, occasionally, go to the small boat. But, as the night continued to wear on, Natsu reluctantly fell into slumber; he felt much more at ease with Lucy beside him.

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(Natsu POV)

It's finally done!

I carried my research paper over to my teachers and two others. It took a long time to complete; I always struggled with writing and reading so I had to pour all of my attention into this.

"Th-This paper…" My teacher stuttered, "Are you telling me you wrote this?"

"Yes!" I said, beaming.

One of them spoke, "The content is superb, but the theme is a bit too grave."

Why? I thought, in dismay.

"This is not a subject a child like you should be tackling anyway." My teacher informed.

"As it is," Another one started, "The matter of human life and death in magic has been taboo since ancient times."

"Even adults should refrain from carelessly touching on the subject." One of them pressed.

Is it really that bad?

My teacher agreed worriedly, "Yes… Lest they incite the rage of Ankhseram, the god of life and death."

That stupid god! They're always preaching about him!

"Henceforth," The other said, "Ensure that you do not conduct any further research of this nature. Understood Natsu?"

"...Yes." I said, begrudgingly.

I stomped away, out of school.

"I just want to know!" I shouted, "I want to know why people are born and why they die!"

Zeref barely had anytime in life, so why was he alive in the first place?! Why make his life so short?!

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(Normal POV)

"MMmmm…" Natsu groaned as he opened his eyes. His sleep had been restless. Natsu stretched out his body, yawning, before he sat up.

"...Natsu…?" Lucy mumbled, as she stirred.

Natsu's head snapped towards Lucy, remembering she was there.

"Lucy!" Natsu said, startled.

"What?" Lucy asked, still under the covers.

"I Didn't mean to yell, I just kinda forgot you were here." Natsu explained, embarrassed.

"Oh…" Lucy said, then it hit her and she sprung up, flustered. I totally forgot that I did that!

"What's wrong?!" Natsu asked, surprised by her sudden movement.

"Sorry," Lucy mumbled, "I forgot I was here too…"

Natsu snorted, "How?!"

"I don't know!" Lucy shouted, indignantly.

Chuckling, Natsu absentmindedly pulled on his scarf and then looked down at it, in confusion.

"Why do I have Zeref's scarf…?" Natsu asked in bewilderment.

Lucy's eyes widened and she asked, "You didn't forget… did you?"

"Forget what?" Natsu asked.

"Igneel!" Lucy shouted, desperately.

"Why would I forget Igneel?" Natsu asked, confused.

Lucy sighed in relief, "So you didn't forget him."

"I know I've been forgetting things, but I don't see why you'd be so concerned with me forgetting the dragon that raised Zeref." Natsu said. I mean he was a good friend and great help, but-

Lucy's panicked voice cut off Natsu's train of thought, "Igneel raised you!"

"What?" Natsu asked, "No he-"

Lucy practically jumped over Natsu to get to the notebook, on the other side of the room.

"What are you doing?!" Natsu asked, shocked.

Lucy yanked the book off the shelf and shoved it into Natsu's hands.

"My notebook?" Natsu asked, confused.

"You remember what it's for, right?!" Lucy asked, desperately. "Read it!"

Natsu opened the book and saw the first page titled "Igneel: My Dad"

"That's right…" Natsu said, "Yeah, I switched places with Zeref."

So since Igneel is Zeref's foster father now, that means he was my foster father.

"H-How are you so calm about this?!" Lucy shouted, tears welling up in her eyes, "You forgot your dad…"

Natsu looked down, almost in shame and replied, "I don't know…"

Lucy immediately felt guilty and she said, "Sorry, I know it's not your fault."

Natsu smiled, reassuring Lucy that he didn't hold it against her, and said. "I guess I'll read this, now."

Lucy sat down quietly beside Natsu, on the bed, but she was harboring a strong sense of helplessness. It only makes sense, but it's like a part of him is gone… He still knows Igneel, but not as his father… he's probably lost a lot of his childhood memories and goal that drove so many of his choices…

After a little while, Natsu looked up at Lucy and said, "Ask me questions."

"What?" Lucy asked, surprised by his sudden command.

"Ask me any questions you have about myself, Fairy Tail, our friends, our adventures, magic, anything." Natsu explained, "I need to check something."

Nervously, Lucy replied, "O-Okay. What's your favorite…um...food?"

God, that was pathetic! Lucy thought, in embarrassment.

"I-" Natsu paused, "I think it's spicy... or was it hot food?"

"Fire?" Lucy suggested, a little confused.

Natsu looked at her in bewilderment, before a serious look appeared on his face and he flipped through the book; he did so until he came across his answer.

"Yeah." Natsu finally replied, a little surprised. "It was fire."

"Did you forget that?" Lucy asked, growing more concerned.

"Mm." Natsu confirmed, "...Ask me another question."

"...What spell do you like to use the most?" Lucy asked.

"..." Natsu didn't reply right away. He only knew a handful of spells at present and he was sure that he had learned those after becoming the dark wizard.

Natsu flipped through the notebook, again, and found everything he wrote on spells; he then said, "...I used 'Fire Dragon's Iron Fist' the most… but I also really enjoyed using my lightning fire dragon slayer magic'..."

"You had to look through the book to know that...?" Lucy asked, horrified at the realization.

"Yeah, I don't remember any of this magic…" Natsu said, trembling, "...Ask me one more question; ask me one that you want to know, that I should have the answer for…"

Lucy thought for minute and then asked, "How did you come across Fairy Tail?"

Natsu replied, "I... Gramps, he found me at some point and invited me to join…"

"At least you know that." Lucy said, a little relieved.

"Yeah, but…" Natsu continued, shaking. "There are so many blanks afterward and as for before…I don't remember anything…I never realized how much I've been forgetting."

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered, sharing his fear.

"Lucy…I'm going to disappear." Natsu said, his voice thick with defeat.

Suddenly, Lucy grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly, insisting, "No you're not! I won't let you, I promise! Didn't I tell you last night that I would undo the spell! I won't ever let you disappear!"

"...Just because we don't want me to disappear doesn't mean I won't!" Natsu said, raising his voice.

"That's not true!" Lucy protested.

"I'm disappearing right now!" Natsu shouted, "...That's what I wanted to check...I wanted to see how much of me was left…"

"Natsu…" Lucy said, her voice quavering, "You're still here-"

Lucy was cut off as the whole ship jolted.

"What was that?!" She asked, in shock.

"I-I don't know." Natsu said worriedly, "Let's go see."

Natsu attempted to put aside all of his grievances for now.

"Yeah." Lucy agreed.

The two hurried outside and saw the rest of the group was up as well.

"What's going on?!" Lucy asked.

Zeref turned to her and said, "The cube in the sky, a guy came flying out of it… then, a second ago, when he got close to the water, he froze it."

"What the hell?!" Natsu muttered.

"I think it might be Tartaros." Zeref continued.

Everyone stood on the defense as a man rose up on ice, chuckling, "It's finally time to put an end to you, Natsu."

Natsu took a defensive stance and after the man came into view, Gray seemed to flinch.

"You won't be able to lay a hand on him." Invel announced, calmly.

Ignoring him, the man asked, "Now, which one of you is the man I need to slay?"

He looked over the group. Eventually his eyes landed on Gray and he froze.

He opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, but even if he was going to, he didn't have a chance to say a word; another, presumed, demon had flung itself out of the cube, smashing into the ship.

"Shit!" Gray muttered.

This new, coyote-like, demon cackled as he stepped out of the hole in the ship, that he had created. "Finally! I had to chase your tails all over that stupid forest and I'm itching to get some payback!"

Natsu spoke up, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, fuzzy, but you won't even get to lay a finger on my friends!"

Natsu's voice seemed to pull the demon towards him and, once he saw him, the demon's eyes seemed to dilate.

His demeanor changed from cocky to predatory in an instant, putting the whole group on edge.

"Jackal?" The other man asked, wary of the sudden change. But, it seemed half-hearted.

The newly known as, Jackal, took a step forward, but was instantly covered in ice.

"What?" Natsu heard Erza mumbled, in surprise.

"That was my doing." Invel announced, "I assumed it would be fine to halt things before they went out of hand."

"Yeah." Natsu muttered, in agreement.

The group's attention turned back to the other man, expecting a similar move to the other demon.

However, they got no such response. The man almost looked defeated.

"What's wrong with him…?" Carla asked quietly.

"I-I don't know." Wendy replied, nervously.

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On the cube…

"What could he be doing?" Mard Geer pondered, with a smile.

Keyes, who was near by, spoke curiously. "Perhaps Silver isn't willing to end more human lives... But, who could be down there to cause such a change in his tale." Although Keyes was mostly speaking to himself, Mard Geer was listening.

Holding the book of E.N.D., Mard Geer stood up and announced, "I think I'll go see."

"Tell me what transpired in his story when you return, if you will?" Keyes requested, eagerly.

Mard Geer let out a small chuckle, "Very well. Then, don't let the others leave just yet."

He left the room, walking in a proud, but almost eerie fashion.

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Back on the ship…

Everyone stood on the defense, despite the man's lack of action.

He looked wistfully at Gray.

"I know you." Gray said, suddenly.

"You do?!" Lucy asked, surprised.

"I think so, but it's not possible…" Gray muttered.

"Who are you?" Natsu offered, for Gray's conformation.

The man looked vastly conflicted, as if he didn't know what his answer should be.

After a moment of silence, the man finally answered, "I'm might as well be a demon."

Zeref's eyes narrowed in suspicion. He's avoiding the question.

Suddenly, something else came falling out of the sky.

"Another one?!" Happy asked, in disbelief.

This one also landed on the ship, but he broke nothing.

Natsu gasped when he saw what this new, smirking, demon held.

The book of E.N.D.!

For some reason, probably a memory from the dark wizard that snuck in last night, Natsu now knew just what that book could do and how dangerous it was to everyone and to Zeref.

Getting that book safely out of the smirking demon's hands instantly became Natsu's top priority.

"That book." Natsu said, through gritted teeth, "Everyone, we need to get it from him in one piece."

Zeref looked at Natsu, knowingly. However he didn't understand why Natsu seemed so desperate.

"Why...?" Erza asked, warily.

"Because… it's dangerous and important. I don't know if all of you really trust me, but for this, if nothing else, please believe me." Natsu begged.

"...Very well." Erza agreed.

"Of course!" Wendy promised.

The others nodded at him, but Natsu could tell Gray was the most unsure. It would have to do for now.

The smirking demon laughed cruelly, at the group, and then turned to the other man. "I would normally dispatch you right here, but I'm feeling nice. And, Keyes would probably appreciate it if I didn't ruin his favorite toy. Go back to the cube."

The man looked at the ground solemnly before saying, "...And leave you here to kill them?"

"Why yes." The smirking demon said, with malice.

"No." The man said, sternly. "I won't let you do that!"

Immediately, the smirking demon was frozen where he stood and the man broke the book out his hands.

All of this transpired in a few seconds, which was just how long the layer of ice, freezing over the smirking demon, was able to hold him back.

"That stings." The smirking demon grimaced. It actually hurt more than he let on.

"Good. I've been waiting to do that for a while." The man said, fight in his words.

The smirking demon was about to take a step forward when the man warned, "Take another step and I'll snap this book clean in half."

Before the smirking demon could respond, Natsu snarled, "Don't you dare!"

The two demons stared in surprise before a sly grin spread across the smirking demon's face. "Do you not want to loose your best chance at dying, Natsu~?" He almost purred.

"What? No." Natsu growled. But, being reminded of that feeling, that longing, from a past night, a part of Natsu answered differently. Yes! It frightened him.

The group, including the other man, warily watched the two interact.

Confusion flashed over the smirking demon's face for a second, before dissipating. "You don't want to die?"

"No, not anymore." Natsu hissed.

The smirking demon frowned and then shrugged. "Well it doesn't matter if you want it or not anymore. However, I am ever so curious as to why you don't want the book to be destroyed then. Surely it would be better."

"I have my reasons." Natsu spat.

"Whatever the case," The smirking demon said, "I've decided E.N.D. doesn't matter anymore. We had a plan to release him from the book, to help find you, but that'll no longer be necessary."

This statement confused Natsu. Release him from the book? A plan? Doesn't he know he just has to open it? Natsu dismissed his confusion; It was better that this demon didn't know, anyway.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked, suddenly.

Disappointment flickered in the smirking demon's eyes and he said, "Mard Geer, King of the underworld."

"Well, Mard Geer," Natsu said, venomously, "You and that other demon there won't be releasing, or killing, E.N.D. anytime soon."

"I have no reason not kill the demon." The other man said, preparing to snap the frozen book.

Natsu's eyes widened in horror. "STOP!" He begged, "Please don't kill him!"

The fear in Natsu's eyes made the man pause and the rest the group stood, with mouths agape, at his desperation. Fear flared in Zeref's eyes

Something flashed across the other man's face and he walked over to Gray, unfreezing the book.

"I'm leaving this up to you, Gray." The man said.

"How do you…?" Gray trailed off in confusion, taking the book, "You can't be…"

The man stepped back.

Mard Geer watched, curiously; he no longer cared about E.N.D., but he was finding these humans entertaining.

Oh well, entertaining or not, they're about to die. He held out a hand.

"What's he doing?" Lucy asked, nervously.

As she spoke, black fog began to manifest around them. The "magic" filled with malice.

"I don't know," Natsu said, his eyes flickering between Gray and Mard Geer, "but it can't be good."

Invel waved his hand swiftly, freezing the fog.

Surprise covered Mard Geer's face and he grimaced. "You could be quite the troublesome one, couldn't you?" Mard Geer said, with distaste.

"Anyone who will stand in the way of his majesty, Natsu, is to be promptly dealt with." Invel said, calmly.

"A lowly human thinks he can stop me?" Mard Geer chuckled, "You fools, I will fulfill my purpose to-"

Mard Geer stopped as a jagged ice spear was shoved through his gut. It hurt as if he was being ripped to shreds and he collapsed to the ground.

"Ice devil slayer magic…" He hissed, "...Curse you Silver…"

Gray's eyes widened at the man who had stabbed Mard Geer in the back.

"Silver…there's no way…" Gray muttered, "I mean, you died!"

"What do you mean?" Zeref asked. Focusing on the man, who he now knew was named Silver, Zeref realized just how much he smelled like Gray.

"What the…?" Zeref muttered.

"Explain yourself!" Gray demanded, angrily.

"...Very well…" Silver relented, "...But first, we need to get out of here."

The ice around the boat slowly melted away and he look down at Mard Geer, still crumpled on the ground, in agony.

"The rest of them will probably be arriving soon and I can't go back. Will I be able to travel with you for a short while?" Silver asked.

Natsu looked hesitant, but eventually said, "...Yes."

None of the others opposed him, at least vocally.

"Let's dump these two off the ship." Silver said, looking at the demon with disgust and something that seemed akin to pity.

"...Right." Erza said, moving to grab, the frozen, Jackal.

Silver froze Mard Geer's hands together, his feet as well, making the demon let out an undignified yelp.

Wendy looked away as they threw them off the ship. Even though they were demons and probably still did horrible things, it still seemed cruel.

"Let's go." Silver said.

The rest of the group nodded warily, looking at one another.

However, Gray focused solely on the man he thought to be dead.

A/N: I just wanted to let you know, in my headcanon, opening any of the demon's books will awaken or start up their instinct to kill Zeref (Natsu). However, some demons, like in Jackal's case, will have their book opened, but the pull is much weaker, because they are far away from their creator; this causes them to interpret their desire as just trying to find Zeref (Natsu), until they get close enough. It's the same feeling if their book has been opened, but then closed again.