Fighting to Remember

by zoepeanut

Throughout his childhood, Makarov has enjoyed many things from spending time in the guild to practicing magic with his team. He is also fond of Tenrou Island, and the mysterious friend he made there who is struggling to remember why he should value life at all. Makarov vows to find a way to help him, not realizing how long it will take to follow through on his promise.

8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Precht didn't have much to say as they took off. He spoke a little bit more with the boy from before, who was now a little bit older with the same blond hair as before. Boy's gaze was rather empty, listening to instructions before boarding the ship with Makarov and Porlyusica. "Makarov. It's been some time." Makarov nodded, while the boy seemed to pause, frowning at him. "Have you made any progress in what we discussed before?"

"In some ways, yes. However, I still have no news on where he might be."

Boy nodded at that, moving to set things up to sail away. Makarov joined him, while Porlyusica frowned. "Is he the one who gave you this job, Makarov? The reason you have us searching for Zeref?"

Boy looked up at her with a frown, while Makarov sighed. "Yes, and as I said before, I cannot explain why he wants that without his consent." Boy seemed to loosen at that, nodding and continuing his work. He still didn't want others to know the truth, it seemed. Makarov couldn't blame the child for it either.

Porlyusica let out a huff while shaking her head. "Boys. Always being stupid and thinking I can't understand anything." She wandered off a bit, giving them some space as she sat down at the other end of the ship, leaning back and staring up at the sky.

"Any luck with your mother?"

Boy shook his head. "The progress has been hindered by something…unusual." He was quiet, frowning for a moment. "Precht has forbidden me from speaking about it, however. It could be dangerous, if the wrong person hears of it."

"Is he still treating you like that?" Makarov didn't want to believe it, but after how cold the man had been yesterday, he was starting to think it was possible. Maybe Pippoco was right too; maybe Boy was a slave of some sort, though it pained Makarov to even consider it.

"I've remained useful, but yes, the threat still remains." Boy shrugged, finishing setting up and moving to leave Hargeon. "It is better than it could have been. Once I have an understanding of where my father is, I'm now prepared to leave entirely. Given my age, I can find work as a wizard now and make a living on my own, if need be. I simply need to locate him first."

"Are you sure he'll want you?" Makarov hesitated, staring out at the water. "From what I've seen in my search thus far, Zeref isn't known for kindness."

"He isn't. However, it does not change the truth of who he is to me." Boy frowned for a moment, staring at the water. "I want to know what it would be like, to be with my parents. To have a family, a family like what Precht claims his guild is."

"But you can find that anywhere! I'm certain you'd be welcome at Fairy Tail. I can talk to Precht—"

"You know he won't allow it." Makarov was quiet, while Boy sighed. "You know what it is to be loved, Makarov. To grow up knowing the affection of a parent. I do not have that luxury. Even if it is for just a moment…I wish to know what it is like. To know what could be. It matters not to me if Zeref is cruel or kind, selfless or selfish, good or evil. All that matters is that he is my father, and that I wish to do for him what I can…in return for whatever he may offer me as his son."

Patting his back, Makarov nodded. "Alright. I…I can understand that." Boy wasn't looking for anything unreasonable. However, Makarov hoped that Zeref wouldn't abuse it when they found him. After everything Boy sounded like he'd gone through, he deserved a place to just relax and be safe. Yet, he was willing to sacrifice and keep himself focused on repaying his father for what the man should do unconditionally.

"When we arrive, I will need you to help me locate the center of the island. Warrod should be there, finishing his protection spell." Makarov nodded, and Boy frowned. "Once there, I should be able to centralize the spell and give it a set radius."

It sounded simple enough. Makarov nodded, and after a moment, Porlyusica walked over and joined them as well. "Did the two of you finish catching up about the secret-stuff I'm not supposed to know?" Makarov nodded, and she snorted and shook her head. "Good. Now we can all talk like civilized people for a change. I'm Porlyusica." She held her hand out towards Boy, who stared at it just like he had done with Makarov.

"And I have no name." She blinked at him, before glancing at Makarov. Yet, Boy didn't elaborate this time, instead focusing on their current task. "Keep Makarov occupied while I am working on my spell. Interruptions will not do well for a spell as complex as this. Distraction can quickly deviate from its initial intent and may result in accidentally placing someone else in charge of lifting the ward other than your guild master."

"Will control transfer as control of the guild transfers?"

Boy nodded at Porlyusica, smiling faintly. "Of course. That is what took us so long to perfect, actually."

"That would make sense. Magic isn't typically made to change based on free will, after all. It takes someone physically coming to interfere with the spell, most of the time." Porlyusica frowned. "Are you negating that entirely somehow? Because I highly doubt that could be done."

Shaking his head, Boy turned towards her. "It is negating the necessity of being near to alter the spell, while also placing a method for automatic transfer should an unexpected death occur. Intentional transfer will involve the guild master passing along the control from themself to another guild member. Death…will result in the automatic transfer of control over the ward from the dying guild master to the guild wizard with the strongest magical aura."

"Interesting. I could see—" Makarov began tuning them out, hearing how complex the conversation was getting. Porlyusica knew more about the technical side of it than he did, and Boy seemed invested in explaining it to her after all. Makarov was more interested in the approaching signs of Tenrou Island, where he'd be guiding them to the tree at the center of everything. He hadn't quite explored well enough to find it yet, but he understood enough about the island to figure it out fairly quickly.

Their conversation ended when they were forced to stop due to the shallowness of the water near the shore. It didn't take long for the three of them to make it onto the sandy land of Tenrou Island, getting off quickly. "Makarov, do you know where to go?"

"I know the start of the path at least." Makarov began walking, heading straight through the forest. "I haven't been here a lot, but I have been around enough to at least know a few landmarks."

"You still know this place better than I do. The only time I was here was a few months ago, and I never left the shore." Porlyusica glanced over at Makarov, who nodded in agreement. He hadn't been able to bring them to meet Pippoco, and he'd been too upset to linger around the island after talking to him.

They were quiet for the walk after that, with Makarov trying to focus on walking straight rather than following the trail of magic towards his friend. Yet, oddly, they seemed to be the same. He paused, straightening as he saw the first signs of getting close to him. There was a patch of death in front of him, making him hold out an arm to stop the others. "Come on, let's walk—"

"Makarov." Pippoco spoke before he could tell them to walk away. "This is sooner than expected." The man seemed to glance at him, blinking as he saw the others. "And you've brought your friends as well. I thought you'd let this play out like last time, given what happened."

"We…were heading for the center of the island. I didn't realize you were on the same path…" Technically, he had. He'd just ignored it until now, thinking he was mistaken. His instincts had yet to be wrong, however, and he should have listened.

Pippoco smiled faintly at that, shaking his head. "Why is it that you always find me when seeking out anything on this island? Strange, that you'd be drawn towards such a thing, despite its dangers." He glanced over at Porlyusica, who was staring at him with wide eyes. Boy was silent, not moving at all and staring at the man with wide eyes. "Who might your friends be? Are they the ones you spoke of before? If you've spoken of me at all with them…surely, they understood enough to know the dangers of wandering around this island carelessly."

"He told us you were likely a dark wizard." Porlyusica spoke, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "He spoke little of the details of the death that surrounds you."

"Seeing it should be enough to warn one of your age away." He turned towards the other, frowning. "Though, he may still be too young to dissuade." He didn't even comment on her evasion of his question. This was unusual for him. What had happened? Makarov stared at him, frowning.

"I know of the dangers of Ankhseram's Black Magic." Makarov frowned at that, glancing at the boy. Pippoco seemed to stiffen at those words as well, straightening and gazing at the boy. "Odd. There is no way to fully counter its effects. Though…" He seemed to trail off, tilting his head thoughtfully. "It is something to think about now that I've witnessed it in person."

"Who…who are you?" Pippoco seemed to focus on the boy now, ignoring Makarov completely. "How do you know of the name of this magic? Of its effects…enough to even consider attempting to counter it?"

"I have no name." The boy looked up, meeting his gaze. "And I understand this magic because I have now seen it."

Pippoco was silent at that, staring at the boy for a moment. Then, he looked away, gesturing behind him. "The center of the island is that way. You'll find Warrod there as well."

"You spoke with Warrod too?"

Pippoco nodded, smiling faintly. "He was rather surprised to find me here. It was good…to run into him again. He was always more understanding than the others…well, more so than Precht and Yuri at least."

"He knew all of the founders, Porlyusica." Makarov shrugged. "He mentions them a lot, actually."

"And you'll just let us walk past?"

"He doesn't want us to die." Boy spoke, grabbing her arm. "Come on. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we'll be able to return and speak with him further, if you'd like." He glanced over at Pippoco, frowning. "You will still be here, correct? To speak with?"

"And what interest do you have with me?"

The boy was quiet, staring into his eyes for a moment. He seemed to open his mouth to speak for a moment, before he looked away, dropping his gaze. "It matters little, I suppose, what my reasons were. Right now, I simply wish to escape the path that has been given to me."

"I cannot give you anything you might seek, child. Seek escape with someone else, if you wish to avoid further suffering."

Boy was quiet, standing still for a moment. He stared at Pippoco, before taking a deep breath and releasing Porlyusica. He glanced over at Makarov, lifting his hands for a moment. "Just as a precaution…this may feel a bit uncomfortable, Makarov." Frowning, Makarov wondered what he was even doing. However, then an odd golden light seemed to appear in front of Boy, which he began tapping away on to manipulate. It was magic of some form, but it was a sort that Makarov had not seen. Pippoco stared at it too, his eyes narrowed and studying it as Boy worked.

After a moment, a light surrounded Makarov and it felt like something had drilled through his head. Pain surged through it, making him gasp and fall to his knees. Yet, with that pain came images and an understanding beyond what he imagined. He saw magic circles, and how they fit together to create a ward unlike any other. Boy was teaching him the spell to ward Tenrou Island. It felt like it took hours to learn, but it was over in mere seconds, leaving him gasping on the ground. "If you harm my friend, I promise you it—"

"I am showing him something. This spell is not harmful." Boy spoke softly, looking up and meeting Pippoco's gaze. "And I am showing it to him so I can show you something in return."

"You think you can prove me wrong? That you will not suffer?" Pippoco smirked, chuckling darkly. "Take a look around me, child. You will perish just like this forest…just like all who are foolish enough to approach do."

Another magic circle appeared, and Boy held out his arms. It seemed to target his…shirt, not himself. The cloth glowed for a moment, and afterwords, Boy stepped forward. He seemed to pause, before nodding to himself. "No, I will not." With that, he walked forward, making Makarov's eyes widen. He was walking into the decayed land, without any hint of hesitation. Pippoco took a step back, his eyes widening in response. Yet, Boy kept moving forward, until he stood face to face with Pippoco. "There is no true counter…but there are spells that can allow some measure of resistance, even if only temporarily."

Pippoco didn't respond, but Boy nodded, satisfied with the result. With another magic circle, he vanished from the dead land, reappearing by Porlyusica's side with a quick teleportation. "Just how many kinds of magic do you even know?" Porlyusica stared at him, reaching out. "And what happened to your shirt?"

Boy was pulling it off, tossing it aside. The previously white fabric was now black, as if drowned in a sea of black ink. "I would not be so willing to contact it at this point. I used it to absorb his magic and approach. Now, it will hinder any healing, and likely result in health risks to those who wear it."

Pippoco hadn't said anything, yet Boy wordlessly turned to leave. "What—? I don't understand how you can do any of this. You're only…ten years old!" Porlyusica said. Makarov wasn't even certain if her comment on the boy's age was correct; it had been too long, and he certainly didn't act like a child.

"Because I had to be useful." He grabbed her wrist, pulling her along. Makarov watched them leave, uncertain of what to say after his display. Why had he even gone to such lengths? The only person he seemed willing to go to such extremes for was Precht, and he claimed he'd do the same for Zeref if he ever found the man.

Then, it seemed to sink in. Pippoco knew where Zeref was and wouldn't share that information. Boy wanted nothing more than to find Zeref, to reunite with his father. Pippoco was a dark wizard and he had never aged in the time Makarov knew him. Turning towards the man, he sat down, getting more comfortable as he stared at his friend with wide eyes. "You're Zeref."

Zeref turned towards him, blinking and seeming to be gradually recovering from Boy's display just moments ago. "Yet another surprise." He was quiet, and after a moment, Zeref seemed to lower down to the ground, sitting as well and closing his eyes. "Warrod was enough…enough for me to think I'd finished with shocks for the day. Seeing you wasn't completely unexpected, given our history. But that boy…how?" Zeref ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. "And now you have somehow determined who I am? Are we simply leaving everything a mystery today, or are we going to discuss things further?"

"That boy was the one who told me to look for you." Zeref stiffened at that, turning towards him. "I didn't know who you really were until just now, after seeing how he reacted to meeting you. I didn't realize — how did he even know who you were? It makes no sense…" Boy had never met his father, so he couldn't have recognized him based on appearance.

"The curse." Zeref spoke, sounding resigned. "It is rare enough that if he knew I possessed it…he'd be capable of identifying me simply by seeing it. Yet…there should no longer be records of it. They were rare enough when Mavis met me…and with how destroyed that library is, such records are likely gone completely now."

"He knew it by name." Zeref nodded, while Makarov frowned. "I suppose I can now see what you meant before with him. His magic—he taught me how to ward off this island completely from outsiders before warding off your magic."

"That's what that spell did?" Zeref frowned, tilting his head. "Strange. Is that what you were here to do? Warrod mentioned a protection spell…but I had not realized there were further plans."

Nodding, Makarov leaned back against the tree behind him. "We came here to guide that boy to the center of the island. He apparently knew a spell to let our guild master decide who could get on this island."

"This is beyond the skill of a simple prodigy." Zeref frowned, staring off towards where they had gone. "At his age…not even I had skill in so many disciplines of magic. Perhaps I had pushed the limits of what had been done before…but I was focused on…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Living magic?" Makarov had read enough to know what Zeref was known for, at least.

Nodding, Zeref let out a deep breath. "Yes…or at least creating it." It was still strange, to be sitting in front of him. Makarov didn't feel like anything had changed, yet so much was explained with just knowing his name.

"Do you know who he is then?" Makarov knew to some extent, but Boy hadn't shared the truth with Zeref. Given what Zeref had told him of this curse, he couldn't blame Boy for keeping it to himself.

Zeref slowly shook his head. "No. But…I know he is not a mere slave as I suggested before. Where exactly did Precht find a boy like him?" He paused, focusing on Makarov again with narrowed eyes. "What did he even wish to obtain from me? Did he wish to kill an enemy? Revive a lost loved one? There are few things I cannot imagine a child like him growing to be capable of…if he's already done this much so far. Already…teleportation, wards, comprehension of death magic, some new form of telepathy…" Zeref trailed off, shaking his head. "How? What would make it all possible?"

"He doesn't want your magic." Makarov was quiet, while Zeref turned towards him with a frown. "It is up to him to discuss what he truly wants from you, but I am willing to share that much, because you are still my friend as well, Zeref."

"Even now? You know my name. You know the things I've done."

Makarov nodded. "Even now. History tells little of why things happened, only that they did. I can see that you have anger, and that some of it may have been intentional, but right now, you are doing your best to avoid giving in. I cannot blame you for trying to redeem yourself, in whatever way you can." Zeref nodded, smiling faintly.

"Thank you." He inhaled deeply, leaning back. "I was afraid…that knowing would change things. Would scare you away, and keep you from returning."

Shaking his head, Makarov smiled faintly. "No, I still plan on returning as often as I can manage. Though, this ward might keep me out when I don't have permission from Precht to come by."

"True." Zeref was quiet again, glancing towards Makarov. "You…you know his true reasons for wishing to find me, correct?" Makarov nodded, meeting his gaze. "Does…can you tell me how long he's been searching? Or any clue as to why…what he wants with me? I've encountered so many that sought me out, Makarov. Dark guilds wish to use me, legal guilds wish to capture me, rune knights wish for my death…all of it pointless, and all of it meaningless. Yet that boy…he simply wished to prove a point. To prove that I could guide him towards a different path…what did he mean by that?"

"He means exactly as he says." Makarov looked away, frowning. "If he is to be believed, Precht has treated him rather poorly. I almost think he's been raised by Precht entirely thus far, though I don't know the details and that is just speculation. That boy wants to leave his side, but is afraid of being alone."

"And he thinks I can…help somehow? That someone cursed to be alone could help him find companions?"

"I cannot explain the details, Zeref. It involves his own history, a history for which he's told me to keep quiet about."

"A history which is his own choice to share…just as it is with me." Zeref sighed, shaking his head. "I cannot blame him, yet I think I can at least rest easy with your words. If he wishes to avoid Precht, I can think of at least one place where he'd do well…" He trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Yes…yes, I think he'd do very well there. Perhaps it is time to stop by for a visit…however brief it may be."

"A visit where?"

Smiling faintly, Zeref shook his head. "It matters little. Consider it…my second home, of sorts."

"Are you planning on returning here afterwords?" Makarov didn't know if future visits would still matter, if Zeref was just going to leave.

Smiling faintly, Zeref chuckled and shook his head. "Of course. Did you mistake this for me wishing to rejoin society?" Makarov found himself smiling along with him, realizing exactly why it was so hard to find anything on where he was now. Zeref had hidden himself well, on an island where no one would ever see him and manage to leave alive, or at least, that was the case for the majority of his visitors. "It should not take long…perhaps a year at most, to get him adjusted. Given your usual delays, I suspect it would take you just as long to return."

"True. And this time, I've got a grumpy guild master to find each time too." Makarov sighed, shaking his head. "Precht seems to be getting way too involved in his projects lately. I mean, he's still our Master and I respect him for all that he does, but he's never around for anything."

"What is he working on?"

"I'm not entirely certain. But…that boy has been helping him with it." Makarov frowned, remembering what he'd been saying. They were working on something involving the kid's mother and Mavis. Yet, if Zeref was his father, who was she? Suddenly, it was growing to be far more obvious the more he thought about it. "Something involving Mavis, that much I've figured out."

Zeref's eyes narrowed, staring off into the distance. "Something he should leave alone. Mavis is dead and—"

"No, she is not." Boy returned just then, walking up from behind him. Zeref turned, staring at him with that same narrowed focus. "Though, I do believe our interferences have made the matter more complex than it was before."

Behind him, Warrod and Porlyusica seemed to approach as well. Zeref glanced towards them briefly, before standing and focusing on the boy again. "You speak of an impossibility. I was there, when she perished. I brought her to the guild, returned her to the place she came from. It was my own—"

"She was cursed as well." Boy was quiet, while Makarov frowned. He glanced over at Warrod, seeing the older wizard sighing at those words. The transformation that had begun before he left seemed to have taken a stronger hold. His skin looked like tree bark, with his hair turning green now to look like leaves. "You know very well what such a curse would attempt to prevent."

"A curse? You…you're saying our first master was cursed?" Porlyusica frowned, glancing around. "Then if she's still alive, we just need to end this curse. Makarov, if you want to actually keep researching something while we're taking a break, we can start looking into—"

"No." Zeref spoke, turning sharply towards her. "If…if what he claims is true…the curse is the only thing keeping her alive at the moment." He frowned, tilting his head. "You and Precht have been attempting to reverse it? To free her from the curse?"

Shaking his head, Boy met his eyes carefully. "No. As you said, doing so at the time would have killed her. Now, Precht hasn't been listening to me warning him about his actions. He keeps layering spell upon spell on her, not focusing on what the effects will be. Already, he had used preservation spells in the past that…" He broke off, closing his mouth and shaking his head. "He isn't being careful. The result as of right now…he is no longer concerned with Mavis, but rather with recreating that which he has made. I do not wish to be a part of that, nor do I wish to help further his ambitions any longer. Precht cannot be trusted with that power."

"And leaving would not create the same issue?"

Boy seemed to hesitate, his gaze flickering towards Makarov for a moment before focusing on Zeref again. "I have…already put a few things in motion, to take it away from him. Someone more worthy of such trust will take possession of his creation…and hopefully determine a way to free Mavis, despite its interference."

"Precht isn't dangerous." Warrod spoke, shaking his head. "We've been friends for a long time, and I know he seems intimidating, but trust me, he has a good heart and means well."

"Then why did he seek to abandon me the moment I was born?" Boy turned towards him, tilting his head. "During our journey towards a remote desert, I saw wizards practicing in the streets. I saw telepathy, and other magics. Precht did not realize it was possible…and when he went to leave me on the ground, I forced him to change his mind. I was not capable of survival on my own then, and he was a suitable caretaker for the time being."

"Precht wouldn't abandon a baby!" Warrod shook his head, sighing. "You would've been too young to remember a thing."

"I remember everything." Boy looked at him, shaking his head.

"You have a photographic memory? That is incredible. How does it feel? Are there certain details that get blurred as you try to remember others? Do they fade at all over time?" Porlyusica walked towards him, looking intrigued by the idea.

"Even with such a type of memory, recollections from such a young age are typically forgotten." Zeref interrupted, looking at them. "Yet, what would make Precht wary of you?" He seemed to grow thoughtful, quiet as he stared up at the sky. His eyes were closed, and Makarov wondered what the dark wizard was doing. However, after a moment, he chuckled, shaking his head. "That's what it was. I can feel it now…your potential. You were born with magic, magic strong enough to make him wary of what you would become. Given your age, it was only a few years after I had returned Mavis as well…likely making him realize that there was a darker side to magic as well as the light that Mavis showed him."

Years? Makarov frowned at that, glancing at Boy. That shouldn't have been possible. Yet, seeing his gaze, Makarov heard Boy's voice in his head. Preservation spells interfered with the development of the pregnancy, delaying it. Those were the spells Precht did not think on before casting at first…having side-effects on me as well. My mind was fully developed well before I was born, and my magic…was of a sort that forced me to absorb knowledge I was not meant to possess.

He remembered things from before he was born? Makarov wanted to say he was lying, but that was when he saw a few images flash in his head. It was like looking through someone else's eyes, but he could see Zeref, standing in the distance and talking about magic. By his side seemed to be a much younger version of Precht, Warrod, and Dad. There was some other girl there too, with brown hair and an orange dress, though Makarov had never seen her before. The image shifted again, transforming into just seeing Zeref, and overhearing a conversation between him and the person he was looking through. In another moment, it was the sensation of sharing a kiss with Zeref, before feeling weak and collapsing completely, the warmth of the kiss fading too quickly.

Flinching away, Makarov stared at Boy with wide eyes. That had been…Mavis' memories? It seemed impossible, but there was no other explanation. "You can't possibly be agreeing with him! You taught Precht magic yourself."

"I did." Zeref sighed, shaking his head. "And he was ambitious even then, asking for more knowledge as we trained. Asking questions about the foundations of magic, questions which the rest of you didn't bother with. Given your end-goal, such knowledge was not important after all."

"He was trying to help Mavis protect Magnolia." Porlyusica shook her head. "Master Precht was doing it for her sake."

Shrugging, Zeref turned back towards Boy instead, seeming to have lost interest in them. "Believe what you wish. I am far more interested in what his ambition has created, and in what more this child has to speak to me of."

Glancing towards the others, Boy seemed to hesitate. "It is not something I should speak of…with others present. In the wrong hands, it could be devastating."

"Yet you trust me with the knowledge?" Zeref raised his eyebrows at Boy.

Nodding, Boy met his gaze. "I do." He glanced over at Makarov, frowning for a moment. "You still kept it to yourself? My secret?" Makarov nodded, and Boy smiled faintly. "Thank you, then. You are a kind person, loyal to your friends. I will not forget that, Makarov. It seems as if I have chosen well, placing my trust in you."

"Trust? What did you need to trust me with other than…this?"

He smiled sadly, shaking his head. "You will find out soon enough." He focused back on Zeref instead. "I think at this point, the rest of you are welcome to leave. I have more to discuss with…Warrod's teacher, and I don't have intentions of returning to Precht. Do not mention me to him, or else what I have put in place to disappear will be unraveled quickly."

"What did you do?" Warrod narrowed his eyes, stepping forward. "You attacked Precht?" Boy still didn't answer, and Warrod stomped his foot on the ground. Trees began to grow around Boy, but after a brief frown, a magic circle appeared from his palm. In an instant, they vanished completely, Warrod's magic stopping with Boy standing unharmed. Blinking in shock, Warrod stared at Boy, who sighed. "How…but the spell was in progress! I've used it countless times before—"

"All spells can be countered in some form." Boy glanced over towards Zeref, frowning for a moment. "No, sorry, I misspoke. Most spells can be countered in some form. Yours just happens to be one that can be."

"Copy magic." Zeref seemed to smile at that, gazing at the child. "That is the reason for your memory…for your abilities at such a young age…" He trailed off, chuckling. "Yes, I think I do know of a place for you, if you still wish for me to take you away."

"I do." Zeref smiled at that, taking a deep breath. After a moment, he stepped closer to Boy, startling Makarov. However, the decay didn't follow with him. Something had shifted, placing him closer to the mindset he was in the last time Makarov visited. Boy…Boy had caused that shift.

"Z—Pippoco…do not forget our agreement before." Zeref glanced towards him, frowning for a moment. "I'm not letting you forget so easily, understand? Take care of this mess with him, but I'm going to come back soon, and I will force you to remember if I have to."

"Good luck, Makarov." Zeref smiled darkly, placing a hand on Boy's shoulder. "I knew I was correct to put my faith in you. However, to leave this island, I need to change my way of thinking…and so long as you can return me to who I've been thus far, there is no need for concern, now is there?"

Nodding, Makarov turned away. "Then we're in agreement." He began walking away, with Warrod and Porlyusica staring after him with a frown.

"Makarov, what was that about?" Porlyusica moved to catch up to him, with Warrod following not long after.

"It seemed as if you knew him." Warrod was watching him too, as they moved towards the shore where their boat would be.

"I met him before, whenever we came to this island." Makarov was quiet, stopping once they reached the water. "He has been here for my entire life, I think. And he made me promise to help him keep something important in mind."

"If it was important, you'd think it would be easy to remember it."

For most people, Porlyusica's comment would make sense. "Not for him. Just now, he intentionally let go of that. I'm going to have to come back soon and force him to remember who he is."

"A dark wizard?" Warrod spoke, while Makarov glared at him for the comment. The man slowly grinned, laughing at his comment. "Just kidding!"

"Someone who cares. Someone who wants to do his best to protect kind people." That was who Zeref had been thus far. He was patient, waiting for someone named Natsu to come find him. He had gone through his own grief and suffering, with his curse. Zeref had loved, and he had lost already. He didn't deserve to be alone, and he was a better person than he gave himself credit for. Makarov would help him see that, the next time he was here. Right now, he was the only person that could — the only person who knew who Zeref really was, and understood which side of his internal struggle the man wanted to stay on.

In contrast to yesterday's update, here's an incredibly long chapter. With everything going on in this one, I couldn't find a good spot to break it up, so all of this ended up coming at once. I do hope you enjoyed. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!