Hi Readers! I am very happy to be able to post earlier than expected. Honestly, I wanted to complete this story until chapter 26! But I didn't want this to make it too rush and thus, I ended up making it longer than it should. I am a bit shocked and dumbfounded at myself when I realized that I like to talk so much. Anyways, Enjoy reading!

Chapter 24

The room was silent, and dread after they heard the commotion from the young lad's room. But when they got there, Gray was kneeling by the bed, trying to wake the sleeping doll while shaking her. It was then they heard that Hikaru had intruded their home. Ul and Igneel tried to catch after the young lady, but they came back with nothing.

Mavis who was trying to call her friend, about her niece. But heard unfortunate news instead. Her tears started to fall after hearing about her friend's demise. She leaned to her husbands' chest as she cried from the news. Fortunately, her sons were asleep and weren't aware of the happenings around them.

Zeref and Igneel felt that they had failed her again, as they gritted their teeth in impatience. Their fist balled with anger due to the misfortune that has been happening to their only girl in the family. Ul could only sympathize with them as they watched them in despair.

"I shouldn't have left her that day" Igneel muttered to himself, his voice filled with regret.

"No, it's not your fault Uncle. I should have written the letter more clearly, so you won't have your suspicions. Also, I failed as her brother, since I didn't bother looking after her after hearing what happened to our parents." Zeref rebuked, as he was still trying to comfort his wife.

"That's because you had your reasons" Igneel sighed, as he looked to the ground.

"I had back then. But I should have made it clear to you that I only wanted to meet Natsu when she was still living with you. Due to me being unable to use the correct words. You only did what is right and left Natsu to Makarov for safety. Because of that, years passed by. Natsu tried to look for you as what Makarov told me, but then all of a sudden she went missing. Everything is -"

His words were halted when they saw a hammer made of Ice, slamming against the coffee table. Their eyes widen from the sudden table to pieces.

"Okay, okay. Let's stop this 'Everything is my Fault-brigade' and start finding leads for Natsu?" Ul asked, starting to get annoyed. "Anyway Mavis, did you hear other news from the Sakurai's?".

The blond woman pressed her lips thin, as she dried her eyes from the tears. "Currently they are trying to locate Hikaru. She actually visited them yesterday and Hinata was able to talk with Hikaru for a couple of hours. She tried to talk to her niece to have the curse be undone. But she was being stubborn and did not heed for their calls. It was during that night when they suddenly heard Hinata's cry for help. But she was already lifeless when they found her in the middle of her own blood." Mavis cleared her throat and sighed. "Hikaru had killed her own aunt."

Their eyes widen from the news.

"After that, they tried to apprehend her but failed when she successfully escaped her family"

Hours had passed when Gray suddenly came down with a bag hanging by his shoulders. Ul, who saw him, approached her son. "Gray, where are you going?"

"I received an email from Juvia. They got leads on where Hikaru is. I'll leave Natsu to you" He was about to leave, but Igneel had stood behind him demanding to be brought with him. With a nod, Gray left the door open, while waiting for the older man to wear his shoes.

"Then I should go as well" Zeref added and was about to stand.

"No, I think it's better if you stay with Natsu's side for now dear" his wife warned, as she stood up and grabbed him by his wrist. "I have a feeling that you will be more helpful this way." She smiled and excused themselves to Gray's room, where Natsu was currently asleep.

Gray started to run with the older man behind him. when Igneel suddenly asked him where they were heading.

"School"

It was a second later when he was being hoisted up, and all he could see his feet dangling in the air. His eyes widen as he grabs tightly on the arm around him. He tilted his head to find the man flying with wings behind his back.

"What the?" he mumbled dumbfoundedly as he stared at his wings.

Ignell noticed his reaction and realized something, "Don't tell me Natsu didn't tell you anything about me?"

Gray shook his head in response, "Aside from telling me that you are her Uncle is all"

Igneel just hummed, and in less than a minute later. Gray could finally see the rooftop of his school. He pointed towards an area, where Gray could see Juvia and another man that he isn't familiar with. Igneel nodded and landed close to them.

"Gray, we got leads about Hikaru." Juvia smiled, as she stared at the older man with Gray.

"I'll do the introductions later. This man here is Natsu's uncle."

"I know, I heard from Gajeel." she smiled back earning a confused lad.

"-and what news did you get?"

"It would be this." Gejeel pointed to an invisible wall. His hand hovering just beside it.

Igneel released a groan and sighed. "That old man should have used a much stronger barrier"

"She did create a strong wall though, I can't even pulverize it the ground" the metal user stated, as he tried it again.

"You're weak" Igneel laughed as he transformed into a dragon and used his feet to kick the wall, allowing it to appear before their eyes. The man then turned back into his human form and punched a fire towards the wall to create a gap.

"There" Igneel smugly said and entered the building. "We should hurry and find this little girl that has been causing a lot of pain in the ass."

0o0o0

"Come on Natsu, wake up"

The pink-haired girl groaned from her bed, as she asked for another five minutes.

"You'll be late if you don't wake up now"

With a groan, she sat up from her bed and rubbed her eyes to wake. She then stood up from her bed and stretched her muscles. While dozing and still sleepy, she maneuvered her way to the kitchen and reached out for the refrigerator.

"What are you doing?" she heard someone scold her as they stole the box of milk from her hand.

"You're a lady, drink it from a glass"

Natsu pouted and went to the table to start eating her breakfast and then suddenly froze when the man in front of her served her a glass of milk. She raised a brow as she wondered who the man was.

"Who are you?" she asked while tilting her head.

"Seriously. Is that something you should ask from your brother early in the morning? Did you have a screw loose?"

She glared at the black-haired man and glinted her eyes towards him while they ate.

"Should you really be glaring at me? The man who cooked you breakfast and woke you up?"

But she just continued to glare at him suspiciously. She instantly had her forehead almost touch her meal, when a hand smacked her from the head.

"Natsu, don't be mean to your brother. Hurry and get change already. so you can head to school" Natsu turned her head to the person behind him, and her eyes were wide upon looking at him. She stood up from her chair and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Igneel, where have you been? I've been looking for you" she cried, as she held on him tight. Making the two males raised a brow and confused about what she meant.

With a sigh, Igneel pried her arms off. "Come on. You're going to be late. Also, Hikaru is here to fetch you. You shouldn't cause trouble for her you know."

"Hikaru? Whose that?" she asked curiously with snot dripping from her nose.

"That's disgusting. Hurry and go change already if your done eating"

Natsu nodded her head meekly and went back to her to change, it was a few minutes later when she left the house and greeted a curly black haired girl.

"Good morning Natsu" Hikaru smiled, as she connected their hands together.

Natsu in turn greeted her with a smile but felt something weird upon seeing her.

0o0o0

Ul was sitting by the window sill, watching the so-called older brother staring at his sister. She did wonder though about their conversations earlier on why they need to leave the little girl all alone. If she had a brother, why did the brother have to result in sending two suspicious people with a letter to his Uncles' home to allow him to see his little sister?

She had known Igneel a decade ago when they happened to be on the same work. It was only after hearing about what happened to his twin brother, that she started to notice him acting off. Being overly cautious to anyone, and had attempted to request in allowing him to work on his own home.

She tried to ask him what was happening after he went to visit his sibling. But Igneel suddenly quit working and heard that he went back to his hometown.

Ul pressed her lips to the side and wondered if the siblings have been separated since they were young. Her curiosity was reaching its peak, she sighed and just asked the younger man.

"Hey, Zeref. I want to ask you about your statement earlier."

Zeref turned his head and looked at the woman back.

"Were you and Natsu separated when you were young?"

The black-haired man nodded his head and smiled. "Something like that. But I wasn't aware though that she survived after our parents were killed."

"Killed?"

The man nodded his head again. "At first I heard that it was a fire, but our family has been descendants of a fire dragon, so I find it weird why my father would die from fire when he could control it. Also, they were burned just outside of our house, and after further investigations. It was reported that they were stabbed and burned to death in our backyard."

Ul nodded her head in agreement. She was surprised to learn though, about the Dragneels' ancestors.

"It was then when I started to investigate it myself that I learned it was them who were after me who killed my parents."

"After you why?"

"When I was young, I learned and developed dark magics, and when the Sakurai family heard about it and knew that I am a Drageneel. They wanted me to work for them despite my young age. My father who knows about them declined, and honestly, some of the Sakurai family understood and accepted the rejection. However, one woman wasn't able to accept it. She tried to persuade me into joining her, she even attempted to kidnap me. There was a time when she was able to get a hold of me that she started to threaten me."

Zeref smiled sadly to his wife, who was looking worried at him after he felt her brush his hand on him.

"Years passed by, I started to learn something from that woman. She wasn't actually after me because I learned dark magic nor I am a Dragneel. She was after me because I am my father's son, and she wanted me dead because I look a lot like my mother. Luckily though I received an offer to study overseas from a professor who has taken a liking to me. I tried to ask my parents that they should come with me. But we aren't exactly wealthy enough for us to suddenly move. So when I reached fifteen, I moved out to study abroad."

"What happened after that?"

"After that, I kept contacting my parents and heard about the pregnancy. But months later, I received news from the professor that my parents are dead."

"Then when did you learn that your sister was alive?"

"That was five years later after their death when I heard that my Uncle took her under his care. I tried to contact him and ask why he didn't tell me. But I lost contact with him. It was only a year ago that I learned he was hiding in their parents' old home. That's why I sent someone there to deliver the message to him. Though I wasn't aware that that woman was following him around using a disguise."

"That woman?"

"Yes, that woman. She was Hikaru's mother"

Ul was astounded from the news, she sighed "So the Mother was after the father, and now the daughter is after his daughter."

0o0o0

"Are you sure that she's here?" Gray asked Gajeel.

"Why, are you doubting me?" The lad asked back, looking annoyed, only to earn a scolding from his childhood friend.

Gray only glared back as he continued walking the halls following Igneel, who was leading them the way as if he knew where. Gray heard the man sniff the air, and his steps started to move faster. The three teenagers hurried on their steps as they walked and tried to keep their eyes following the older man.

Suddenly Igneel halted and punched the wall beside him. They were surprised by the sudden outburst, and could only watch the dust and small rocks falling off the wall. They turned their head towards the red-haired man when he entered the gap that he just created. Following behind them, Gajeel decided to stay behind for a lookout.

However, they found nothing.

Gray frowned and looked around. He tries to find something that can lead them to the missing girl, he sighs in defeat, when all they could find are pictures and newspapers being scattered around.

"This is?" Juvia muttered while picking up the pictures. Gray stood beside her and peeked at the pictures. "It's Natsu".

Igneel turned towards them and to the papers scattered on the ground. He started to walk to an empty wall and punched it again. Gray and Juvia had squatted down from the impact and waited for the dust to vanish. They then stood up and followed the older man to the other room.

"No one's here" Juvia frowned.

"No. She's here I say." Igneel sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

Hikaru was trapped in a web, smiling eerily as they watched them enter her home. She suddenly turned into a set of butterflies and landed in front of Igneel. "You look just like her" She smiled, as she floated in the air."

"Undo the curse on Natsu. Now" The older man demanded, as she glared at the girl. Hikaru only smiled though and stayed afloat, slowly disintegrating into butterflies. She was then found sitting back to the web, as she leaned on her knees.

"It's not up to me though"

"What do you mean?" the ice user asked, glaring at the black-haired girl.

"Natsu is currently sleeping and living the life she wanted." she then gasped and turned to Gray "Oh, but if you want. I can undo it for her, but I'll have to kill you"

Everything was in slow motion when Hikaru suddenly appeared behind the raven-haired lad. All Gray suddenly felt was blood was coming out from his mouth and agonizing pain from his back. He suddenly fell to his knees, slowly losing consciousness after she pushed the knife even deeper inside.

Juvia shouted horrified after seeing Gray on the ground, she instantly used her water magic in an attempt to hit her, but Hikaru had already evaded. She started to laugh at them as she lied back down to her web, her fingers playing on her knife. Juvia ran towards Gray and carried his upper body to her chest while glaring at the woman.

"Well, that felt good." She sat up again and crossed her legs. "Now that's one less problem to take care of." She giggled as she looked at their eyes, "Oh. I can see your hatred." She sighed and leaned on her palm. "I am actually pretty weak right now, and I could die right away if you want. But do you really want that?" She chuckled when she saw the change of their facial expressions.

"Well, even if you get my blood, it will be too late anyway." She stood up and floated a few feet away from the older man. "You know, because of that woman. I am only able to use a few of my powers. It must be because of that man. But who cares once I am gone, Natsu will be gone as well"

With anger planted in his face and unable to hold on, he flew towards the girl and punched her on the face. Hikaru was taken aback that she failed to evade, had hit the wall. Her blood had flown out from her mouth and slid to the ground.

"Stop your Drama. I know that you're not hurt." Igneel stated and glared at the woman. Indeed Hikaru surfaced again looking healthy, behind him. His tail appeared behind him and used to hit her on her side, but it passed through her as her midsection had turned into butterflies.

"You know, I am actually weak and I doubt I would be able to defeat you since you're ten times stronger than me." she flew far away from the enraged man, "I actually save this one for that man who used that woman to take my powers from me. But I think it's better if I use it on you" She smiled and used a spell on him. Igneel was confused as he tried to fly towards her but failed when his body had turned to stone.

What she didn't realize though, was that she has been long trapped in her opponent's trap. Her eyes widened from the cage that had trapped her inside. Using her hands to get away, she cast what she could use to get out.

"Juvia, are you alright?" Gray asked worriedly to the water user who has been using her magic for their reflection.

"Nice job young man" Igneel complimented to the other lad, who was now sporting a grin back at him, looking proud.

TBC

I'll post another chapter at a later time this month.

Laters,

-B27