Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail
Zeref probably would have remained in that spot, lost in an endless spiral of thoughts, if it were not for the sudden force shoving him to the ground. The others had been talking, mostly ignoring him for the time being. Levy and Edo-Mavis seemed to have finished comparing their worlds, King Jellal had given up on creating peace in the room to focus them, and Edo-Levy was almost falling asleep as she leaned against the wall. Edo-Natsu had given up on getting Zeref's attention, turning in favor for trying to entertain August, who kept glancing Zeref's way with worry on his face.
Still, the force that suddenly snapped Zeref out of his daze was unexpected. "Damn you, Zeref! What the hell were you doing with other me?" Natsu's voice shouted at him from above, his breath fanning against his ear and making Zeref grimace. His voice was loud enough without being that close to his ear.
"Hey!" Edo-Natsu shouted, coming over to see the commotion. Sometime during the conversation Zeref had ignored, apparently Natsu and Lucy had entered the room. "Get off of my brother. You don't want him around, so you can't complain if I invited him to stay with me!"
Turning over his shoulder, Natsu continued pinning Zeref down with a scowl. "What? Why the hell would you do that? This Zeref isn't your brother, and trust me, you don't want anything to do with him."
Sighing, Zeref closed his eyes. "Leave him be, Natsu." Really, he was getting tired of all of this already. Had he really wanted to stay in this world? Maybe it would be fine without the mix of his own world and this one. The lack of magic made it ideal, after all. Plus, there was his brother to consider. Which world did he favor? Did he simply despise both of them? Zeref didn't know anymore. Right now, he was still lost in thought about August. August…was his son. Despite trying to circle around and rethink that conclusion, he could not come up with anything new. Fairy Tail had enough wizards to make it possible, after all. Mavis and him had a son…and that son had found him, somehow.
Why was August silent on the matter? Why didn't Zeref see it sooner? He had even seen the similarities between August and Mavis when the boy was a child. That was even why he named the boy August! Irritated, Zeref scowled and shook his head. He had destroyed yet another family member's life, hadn't he? August didn't know what family was like. Zeref had raised him to do little other than follow orders…and turned him into a soldier for war. War was a despicable thing, and that was all he wanted August to know. His eyes felt warm, tears threatening to fall as his chest began to feel heavy. Why now? Why, when he had finally found a place he could be at peace? Now, there was yet another reason to return and fix his mistakes. August would be better off without him, too.
"I will not!" Natsu was still arguing, clearly angered. "You've messed up his head, tricking other me into thinking you're some kind of saint! Damn it, Zeref…what kind of game are you playing at here?"
"And I said to leave him alone!" Edo-Natsu rushed forward, grabbing Natsu Dragneel's arm and tugging on it. However, the boy's lack of training seemed to have little effect on the dragon slayer. "Please, you're hurting him! Zeref's crying, so please stop!"
Blinking, Zeref's head snapped towards him. He could feel the moisture, yes, but this was not the cause. However, Natsu looked down with a frown, his eyes widening at the expression on Zeref's face. "Oh…" He got up, backing away and rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, sorry. I didn't think it would bother you so much…I mean, I've pinned Lucy like that before, so I didn't think it was all that bad."
Zeref rolled over, remaining on the ground and shaking his head. "It's not that." He was quiet, closing his eyes. He truly was a selfish person, wasn't he? He was ready to abandon Natsu and August, just to be at peace here. Still, Zeref couldn't deny the longing for that life. A life without his curse, without magic, was too tempting to resist.
"Do…do you miss the other me?" August spoke quietly, walking closer. "I'm not certain if I can help…but it seems as if you were not quite so upset before I arrived."
It wasn't even that. Zeref didn't miss August's presence at all. No, what he lacked was the knowledge of the fact that he should have loved that child. Yet, what would have happened if he did? His head hurt, simply thinking about it. "I…I simply did not realize what you were to me." He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Perhaps he could find a way. With his ability to run Alvarez from afar, he could communicate with August over lacrima and letters. He could love his son, and treat him as his family for the first time. But…what would that accomplish? The probability of August surviving more than fifteen years longer at this point were slim to none. In fact, the elderly man could perish at any moment now, given his age. So, did Zeref alter his original plans? He could simply relive the last century and give August the life he deserved. But, what of Natsu then?
Grimacing, Zeref closed his eyes, tears continuing to fall. "I see. Did you believe that you had no family then? Because I think I would feel very lonely if I felt that way myself."
Why was this August so much like his own? Zeref smiled at the boy, nodding towards him and wishing he could somehow communicate just slightly better. Coping with emotions had never been his strong point. Always, Zeref simply sought to ignore their existence. Still, being near August like this was making it easier. Natsu wouldn't care, and right now, he simply was shifting his weight awkwardly, waiting for Zeref to stop crying it seemed. Even Lucy looked uncertain of what to do, glancing towards Levy for answers.
"And you are also like me…unable to illusion yourself with the ideal that I am him." Zeref nodded, still not wishing to speak. "In the same regard…I do not believe I would be able to convince myself that you are my father, despite holding the same appearance. Differences are certain to exist between the two of you…and you are not the same man."
"Yeah, your Zeref sounds nothing like the one I know." Levy spoke, walking forward and frowning at him. "Our Zeref is kinda weird, it seems. One moment, he's intent on killing off an entire guild just so he can get his hands on some magic spell. The next, he's intent on just abandoning that plan entirely. Now, he's sobbing miserably over nothing. Can you tell me what it is you really want, or are you really just upset because you don't know what you want?"
Somehow, this girl could read him almost too well. It was frightening, to hear her do so. Zeref always kept his thoughts to himself. He never told anyone his full reasons for his actions. Even the Spriggan Twelve knew little beyond his desire to obtain Fairy Heart. Irene thought the spell was to stop Acnologia. August simply never questioned his motive. Invel asked, and Zeref stated that it was a power that belonged in the hands of Alvarez, not some guild in Fiore. Overall, the reasons he gave were truthful enough, but still not the full truth. Fixing the past would stop Acnologia from existing. Simply defeating Fairy Tail would place Fairy Heart into the hands of Alvarez. Overall, their goals would be achieved, but no one knew exactly how.
Glancing towards Levy, Zeref wondered what would have happened if it had been her he first met on Tenrou Island, not those other two wizards stumbling along. Would she have read his pain then? Would she have been able to stop him and remind him of why life was important? Little by little, he was starting to revert back to the state he had been in on that island. However, it was safe for him to do so here. Touching his head, he grimaced at the thought, closing his eyes. "I thought so." Levy took his silence as a response, shaking her head. "You think about that while we talk to Mystogan about our next job, okay? I guess it really won't hurt us too much to be looking into this Alvarez group here while trying to find a way back."
He had nearly forgotten about that task. Still, with the reminder in place, his head lifted, focusing on the room around him. Hadn't he suspected that Mavis was involved with them? Staring at her now, he frowned. She was working with Jellal, it seemed. Then again, strategically, it wasn't a bad ploy. Being near the king allowed her to know his movements. It allowed her to plant information into his mind that she wanted him to hear. The more Jellal trusted her, the more she could accomplish from the inside. With his eyes widening, Zeref realized what exactly she had done to gain that trust too.
"She sacrificed Invel…" His voice was too quiet to be heard, but August glanced at him with his whispered words. Did the child know? Zeref couldn't be certain. Were his loyalties with the crown, or his mother? Zeref thought it was with Jellal, but perhaps it was not quite the case.
"We've heard rumors that Alvarez has plans to infiltrate the Royal City in less then a month. Their intentions are to take me prisoner and force me to reveal how to create an Anima so they can finish on their goals." Jellal was explaining the situation to the others as Zeref thought. "We know little about their numbers and where they are located. However, we did manage to retrieve some names from our first Alvarez prisoner, Invel Yoran." Names changed in this realm? Zeref shook his head, ignoring the thought. It was unimportant, after all. "He says that there is a member of their group spying on us by taking up a position in the army. This member goes by the name of Sting Cliffside and—"
"Sting?" Natsu laughed, shaking his head. "There's no way he's following Alvarez, no matter what world we're in."
Likely, Natsu was correct. The name was a diversion, or at least a lower ranking member of their group. Glancing towards Mavis, Zeref smiled faintly and began walking towards her. Jellal continued explaining that he wanted them to investigate and prove those words to be true, but Zeref could care less about this minor member of the group. With her new age, Zeref's gaze met her steady as their heights now matched. She blinked at him, frowning in confusion. "Zeref? Did you want something?"
Leaning towards her ear, Zeref grabbed her shoulder. Startled, the girl remained stiff and frozen, her cheeks turning red at his proximity. Whispering in her ear, Zeref smiled to himself. "I know what you're doing, Mavis…Empress of Alvarez."
She sucked in a harsh breath, shoving Zeref back forcefully. Zeref stumbled back, staying on his feet and smiling at her stunned expression. Her sudden actions caught the attentions of the others, who turned towards them with a frown. "Looks like your Zeref is making moves on Mavis, too. You didn't mention he was a flirt." Edo-Levy smirked at him, but Zeref really didn't mind whatever she wanted to insinuate. Really, his goal was to see Mavis' plans. What was her end goal? Did she have anything that was helping her move closer to it?
"He isn't." Lucy frowned at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Maybe he has some kind of history with Mavis…but he really isn't the type fo just randomly…" She trailed off, looking uncertain. Edo-Mavis was staring at the watchful eyes of the others, laughing nervously and rubbing the back of her head.
"Sorry everyone! Zeref startled me, that's all." She glanced towards him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Apparently, other me managed to learn some amazing magic from Zeref! She was willing to copy his own abilities in that other world so…" She trailed off, clearly not able to continue a story she didn't know. However, Zeref narrowed her eyes at her, realizing she had done more than simply guess at this tale. Likely, she had taken something from her own past and tailored it to his own world, believing it was likely to be true.
"She was willing to risk killing an entire town of people simply to save her friend." Zeref decided to let her play this game, finishing it for her. Edo-Mavis' eyes went wide, while Zeref smiled darkly. "It was an unfinished black magic spell, after all. Eventually, she finalized the details…but at the time, it had been a highly risky move to make."
"Why'd you even tell her about that, you idiot?" Lucy glared at him, while Natsu narrowed his eyes.
"To warn her." Zeref spoke with a dark tone, glancing towards Mavis. "Sometimes, unexpected events occur and you never know how you'll react."
Clearing his throat, Jellal tried to gather their attention again. Slowly, they stopped bothering Zeref, focusing back on the description of where to locate Sting and what his job was meant to entail. Moving back to Mavis, Zeref tilted his head and saw her glaring at him. "You have no proof, and you accuse me based on—"
"But I saw the mark." She stilled, her head lifting towards him. "Just below the collar of your dress…on your shoulder. I saw it when I leaned forward to whisper in your ear…the hints of the mark of Alvarez."
Her hand touched her chest, looking away with a scowl. "Well played. Still…you don't seem to be making an enemy of me. What exactly is it you want?"
"That depends upon what you are attempting to do, Mavis." He tilted his head, smiling darkly. "See, I'm rather fond of this world without magic. The entire reason I wish to remain is simply to be free of that burden. Now, I am hearing of someone attempting to bring it to this world…and I find I am rather upset with such an event. So, tell me…what is it you need magic so badly to accomplish? I just may be willing to help you find a way to avoid such a tedious process in the first place."
She looked away, biting her lip. "And I'm guessing you'll reveal me if I don't talk?"
"Perhaps. Once again, the timing is not yet right…but if it suits my needs, I will surely tell anyone I wish about who you really are."
"I see." She sighed, shaking her head. "Alvarez…it started between myself and the other you, to be honest. This was back when magic existed in Edolas still…just after my best friend died. Zera was gone, and I just…I couldn't—" Zeref had a sinking feeling as to what she was after. His other self had assisted as well, only strengthening that warning. "Zeref taught me a lot about magic. He wanted to help…to understand the same things I did. We thought we'd make the world a better place, simply by being able to fight back against death itself. Then…then he died too…and left me all alone…"
"Resurrection." Zeref looked away, his eyes darkening as he spotted August. "I can see what inspired your little story before…and how you were able to make such an accurate assumption." He sighed, shaking his head.
"Magic is necessary to do that. I'm sorry…but Alvarez won't stop until magic is back in this world. I won't stop…until I have both of them back, by my side."
"And then you'll truly be just like me…wishing for a world without magic, despite being the one to bring magic to this world."
She stared at him, while Zeref tilted his head and studied her. Perhaps this Mavis would be able to handle it better, but no one could completely cope with the curse and remain sane. Zeref still felt unstable, emotionally and mentally. The never-ending pain caused by the pressure that magic exerted on the mind was unbearable. It only grew stronger when the death predation was about to unleash itself on the world, too. Still, she was asking for such an existence without even knowing it. Zeref felt his head throb, making him frown and look away. It was a familiar sensation, but out of place.
"I'm never going to be like that." Mavis moved closer, reaching for his arm. However, Zeref pulled away, feeling a faint pain growing in his mind. Why? How was it even possible? He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"You've already started…" He breathed out the words through his teeth, glaring at her.
He saw her startled reaction, the way she blinked at him. Her green eyes were surprised, and Zeref knew that not even she could fake such a reaction. "Started? No…if we had magic, there would have been no need for me to stay here and research the animas behind the scenes. Invel wouldn't have to be revealing information to—"
"Very well." Zeref interrupted, not needing the full story. Still, the pounding in his head was faint, just the slightest hint of the usual pain that came with the curse. "This may seem like an odd question…but do you have some form of weapon on your person?"
Mavis blinked, shaking her head and narrowing her eyes. "Do you think I'm that stupid? I've planned out—"
"I was not going to ask to be given it." Zeref interrupted again, wondering how to go about this. Who else could he ask? Then, he spotted Lucy. She had her keys, didn't she? Perhaps it was rather rude of him to use a celestial gate key to test his theory, but he had few options. However, before he approached, he hesitated. How close to unleashing the curse was he? Usually, the sensation would build over time. The more he focused on salvaging life in any form, on protecting it, the faster the pressure built. It would only explode once the pressure was too much for his body to contain, and then the cycle would repeat itself.
Still, he had been focused a lot on such things today. If the curse truly was active…no, if there truly was any form of magic in this world, today would have pushed it into overdrive. In fact, the entire time he was here would have done the same. Glancing at Natsu, he frowned. They seemed to have finished convening with Jellal, and were waiting on Zeref to leave. "Hey, stop just staring around at the room and get moving." Natsu sounded annoyed, but Zeref remained still.
Edo-Natsu looked at him, frowning and moving closer. "Something's wrong…Zeref, what happened?" He glanced towards Mavis, biting his lip. "I know you probably wanted the same life from before here, but I don't think Mavis is willing to treat you like my Zeref…I'm sorry."
He made assumptions once again, but Zeref ignored them. No, what caught his attention was the boy's attempt to reach out and give him a hug. Previously, he would have accepted it in silence. Now, he swiftly stepped aside, keeping his distance warily. "No…I am the one that is sorry. This world is not as I thought it to be." He glanced towards Jellal, narrowing his eyes. "Despite your false assumptions, magic exists in this world. Perhaps it has weakened…perhaps you attempted to eliminate it…but it is still here."
"That's not possible! We—er, the Demon Lord Dragneel activated the Anima machine in reverse, draining away the last of our magic in one blow." Zeref truly didn't care about what he believed to be possible or impossible.
Taking a moment to think about it, he frowned. What could connect their worlds still, then? The portal that took them here was one thing, but even that wouldn't transfer over enough magic to populate an entire atmosphere. No, it was something else. Then, his eyes widened, realizing just what may have been the cause. "The Time Rift…it exists outside of both space and time, and thusly, connects to all realms…" He glanced around, seeing the others staring at him in confusion.
"I'm sorry, a what?" Jellal hadn't heard. In fact, no one probably had given how quietly Zeref spoke.
"It is unimportant. Just know that it is not something you can stop…and that magic will return one day, regardless of what anyone does in this world." And then, Zeref would be stuck in the same place he was at home. At least there, he had a chance of undoing all of his mistakes. "Levy…I do not think you will need to be debating with me any further. It appears as if you were correct…this world is going to reject me just as ours does, and thusly, it matters little which one I end up in. At least at home…I have a plan in motion to fix everything." He smiled darkly, likely intimidating the people he was working with. Based on the way Natsu and Lucy glared at him, he had. However, Levy simply nodded, holding a hand out towards him.
"Then come on. We've got a mission to take care of first." Glancing behind him, Zeref shook his head.
"Indeed we do. And Mavis…I'd like to see them, I think." She froze, her eyes widening. To further his little game, he pulled free the Book of END from his robes, holding it out as a taunting gesture. "After all…this is exactly what you were asking about, isn't it?" She eyed the book with wide eyes, unable to respond under the watchful gaze of Jellal. "Do make sure you show me them soon…for I am starting to lose my patience with this world rather quickly, Mavis." With that, he turned around and left, leaving the others staring at him in confusion. Perhaps they did not understand the game he was playing with Mavis, but that was alright. After all, it was a game between strategists, to see exactly which one of them could use the other just enough to fulfill their desires.
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