Wishfull-star: *evil laughter over Ace suffering*

Shit goes down in this chapter. Enjoy~

He could hear everyones' worry and fear as they were laid in the beds, taking up most of them in the room. They were watching the five breathe heavily, sweating. Porlyusica came to help them, and did her best. They didn't have the right medication to treat them. She was surprised Laxus was alive, and that Ace stayed conscious enough to get them back.

"Will this make his condition worse?"

"The devil particles are dangerous if breathed in. All five of them did quite a bit of breathing in. But they erased Ace's lingering infection." He pulled the shirt up to show there wasn't a trace of even light bruises. "But that doesn't mean he's out of the woods. There's this, now, which is terrible in its own way."

When night fell, the woman was still there. She was dedicated to this guild's health, it seemed. It was all by choice for her, but necessity for them. Ace didn't know what kind of relationship she had with Makarov, but they clearly had a history together. Ace slowly sat up, needing to pee, feeling confused. He stood up on wobbly feet, and Porlyusica called his name, hurrying over. His eyes were glazed over, a bit unaware, but also able to see fine enough. She looked at him in shock.

"Gotta… pee," he said. She was baffled, but helped him get to the bathroom attached, and kept him steady while he peed. He didn't see anything odd about this as he was so out of it, and she didn't care, seeing many of her patients naked before.

She then walked him back to his bed, and he laid down and fell back to sleep. She stared at him with a frown, and injected him with some sedative before getting to work on him, testing him for his original infection, doing plenty of blood work. As she worked, Ace stayed asleep, and didn't look in nearly as much pain as the others.

While she worked, she found that his blood could not make an antidote for the others. It was a shallow hope that his blood could help, since he seemed less affected by the gas. But what was really alarming was that his magic power was completely gone, not leaving a trace. But she pressed a scalpel gently to his arm. Flames came out instead of blood.

Ace's fire powers were not magical. Maybe they never had been, and everyone just assumed. It felt like he'd had magic before, but maybe that was never the case. Maybe the ethernano shadowed his real power, making all of him seem magical. It was a mystery and she had no idea what to say to anyone about it, if she would at all.

-x-

Ace was sitting up in the bed, and looked to Porlyusica, who was staring at him as he ate some applesauce. He'd been throwing up all day, with the chills. It didn't feel as painful as the last time he was severely ill. Nobody but she and the Master knew about his swift recovery, and the fact that Ace's fire was possibly not magic, if it had ever been in the first place.

"Did… Laxus save everyone?" he finally asked, knowing the answer. The devil particles had spread all around the town as he escaped. She shook her head, not there to lie to him. Ace looked sad, and then at the sick man. Was it for nothing? It made him sad, that he did this to himself and it ended up pointless. A lot of people died. Maybe Laxus had felt it was his fault, since he defeated that enemy who turned himself toxic. Maybe he'd feel responsible.

While Ace moped and ate, Sabo and the Master appeared in the room, and told Porlyusica to please leave. Seeing his firm expression, she did not protest, but told him to make it quick. "I will do my best." Ace smiled at seeing Sabo, who walked over, took Ace's blanket off to wrap around himself as he hugged his brother.

His healer had said he would be given the all clear if he was still in this shape three days later. Then maybe he could get a kiss from Marco. The Master sat down at the end of Ace's bed, more than big enough to fit them all. The other four sick wizards had a spell put over them just them to keep them from hearing what was going to be said. It made Ace nervous.

"I need to know about your time before you arrived here, before you died." The brother both looked conflicted and concerned about it. Was something wrong? Would they be kicked out? "I want know if there was magic in your other world. The way Edolas had magic, as well." Ace shrugged, having no idea. But Sabo did.

He said, "There was no magic. But there were things called devil fruits. If you ate one, you were granted some sort of power. I thought that was what happened to Ace at first, but I didn't anymore." Master asked for more information. "There were three categories. Logia, zoan and paramecia. The strongest were logias, being made of some substance. I thought Ace had a fire logia, with his body being actual fire. And the fact that he drowned. Devil fruit users can't swim."

"Porlyusica said she felt that Ace doesn't have magic, or at least didn't at first. What do you think, Ace?" He was thinking hard. He was trying to remember.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "I once dreamt of an orange fruit. It didn't look like a fruit, it was shaped weird. I don't remember ever eating it. But I can swim here, can't I?" Ace asked. "And I can absorb ethernano particles. Even now."

Master looked bothered. "I have a hunch of why you both have or can currently suck magic from our world. Sabo doesn't have it nearly as severe as you, Ace, but it was there in the beginning. There are abnormalities sometimes, when someone dies. Magic can be attached to their dead bodies. It's invisible to see, but it has been measured before." Sabo was shocked, and Ace asked if it was because both of them had been dead. "It's likely. Possible. It's likely that the reason Ace was good at his magic was because he already had it, while Sabo had to develop his own here slowly. He didn't have it instantly."

Ace was frowning. "Are we just animated corpses?" he asked quietly. Sabo put his hand over Ace's over the sheet. "Not even living?"

Master shot this down. "You're clearly alive, and bodies healthy. We don't know how you ended up here. I asked Mystogan once if he knew. He said he hadn't. And there was no flash of light in the sky here when Ace appeared in the middle of the city, wet and not remembering anything." Ace asked if they were still welcome, even though the freckled teen might not even be using magic. "Of course you're still welcome." The old man sounded a bit annoyed by this question. "If I had a problem with anything, Sabo would have been kicked out a long time ago."

Ace smiled in relief. "But, there's another problem." He and his brother were uncomfortable again. "Ace, all of Acnologia's ethernano was destroyed by the devil particles." Ace was relieved with that, so why was it a bad thing? "But that doesn't mean nothing was left behind. That magic sat inside of you for seven years, and grew stronger as you did. Some had to stay."

He deflated, shoulders slumping. He was sleepy now, and wanted to take a nap. "So what stayed?"

"I don't want to make assumptions, but if I did, I'd say you are still part dragon, even without Acnologia's magic in you anymore." Ace sighed, and wanted to just be normal again. "You never have to use that side again if you don't want to. Nobody will ask you to." Ace nodded and thanked him. "And I won't tell anyone about this conversation."

"Thanks," Sabo said. "Even though we aren't from your world, thank you for welcoming us all this time." The Master just smiled, and lifted the spell that muted the others in the room. He told Ace to get some rest. The teen nodded, and laid back down. Sabo didn't leave, and his presence was comforting.

-x-

"Everyone left? To avenge us?" Ace asked sadly, sounding guilty. All his friends were gone, even Marco. They'd all gone off to fight against Tartaros. Because Ace and the Thunder God Tribe lost and got sick. Maybe if they'd all healed like Ace, a war wouldn't have broken out. Sabo was the only one to stay, refusing to leave.

Even though he would have been a great help, he promised to never leave Ace alone again. Marco left Ace a letter about it. About how he loved him, but had to do what he thought was right for all of them. Himself, Thatch, Ace and Sabo. His best friends and family. It was what he had to do.

This made Ace want to go to fight as much as him. Sabo kept him from leaving, making sure he knew he still wasn't 100% healed. If he wasn't, then he'd be a burden to himself and others. The truth hurt, but it was still the truth. He was stuck in the guild only, with many others. And for now, the guild wasn't exactly in war against Tartaros, they were looking for clues on where the hell their base was. Then the war would start.

Ace wished his blood could have been used as an antidote when he was sick enough to be solid with needles. Looking at Laxus, and knowing what he'd done was mostly wothrless, it hurt. It hurt knowing someone stronger than he was put out of action, while Ace got lucky and was healed from being sick. That was all it was, luck.

He was allowed out of the infirmary two days later, given the green card from the healer. She swatted him away when he went to hug her in thanks. So he left. She must be tired of caring for him. So many weeks she'd had to stay. Though he cut that time shorter after the devil particles cut off most magical ties to the monster dragon.

Sitting at the table, the guild hall was quiet. Nobody was loud and joyous. It sounded wrong. So quiet and uncomfortable. Ace stood up suddenly went to behind the guild at the beach part of the lake behind Magnolia. Sabo looked up and didn't follow for a bit until he did, catching up to Ace. "What are you doing?"

"I wanna see. What's left of what came from that monster." He was going to test if he really was a dragon still. When he transformed, he looked the same, but he was unable to attack with ethernano. Those days were behind him. He changed back, gasping and panting. That took up a lot of energy. He had no more magic power to help him. He attempted dragon force, but only a column off flames surrounded him. He couldn't let out any beams, either. He was no dragon slayer. Just a magicless fake.

He fell to his knees, and Sabo hurried over to him, crouching and asked what was wrong. "I've been a fake, all this time… it was never magic," he said, tears in his eyes. "It was all fake, not ever real! I thought - I thought I was this powerful wizard, I thought I was strong! I was a dragon slayer!"

"Did you really want to be one? That badly?"

"I deserved it, after seven years of that. I deserved to keep my strength. Now that's all gone. Years of training are null, now." Sabo pointed out that he'd grown with his fire power, too. More control, temperature, it was huge improvement on that, too. He could even use it as homing for people. And to run. "I'm the only one. The only one who didn't develop my powers with hard work and time.

"I just ate some convoluted fruit and ended up like that. I cheated." Sabo rubbed his shoulder, knowing no reassurances would help Ace right now. They sat at the beach in silence for a bit. Ace said he wanted to go on a walk. Just through Magnolia. Then he'd go to his home and change clothes.

The blonde asked if he wanted Sabo to come. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. I may be a fake, but at least the fire is still there. I'm done being a dragon. For good." Sabo nodded, looking sad, as Ace walked back through the guild hall and out the front door. Everyone was worried about Tartaros, but Ace was more consumed with his own internal problems.

It was selfish, but he needed time to process the new developments. That he wasn't magic, and was also a corpse. That's the only reason he was able to use ethernano and all. Because he was ultimately a dead body. He'd drowned, and died. He believed Sabo's explanation fully, he had no doubt in his brother.

He wished he could see Marco. Hoped he would come back soon.

The next thing he knew, there was a black around him, as if he'd lost every sense. He couldn't feel himself, even knowing he was moving his arms. Was in fire form, and that's why he couldn't feel himself? But if he was fire, he should be someplace bright. He shouted, but couldn't hear himself. Everything was black.

When light did come back, when he was aware, he didn't know where he was. Just that he was in a tank of jelly, and a mask over his face to breathe. It was down his throat, not around his face. So he couldn't speak without it being uncomfortable. Even though it was clear around him, he couldn't move, as the "liquid" was actually a solid.

At least he could move his eyes around. They searched the room in front of him frantically. The only light was coming from the bottom of the tank, and only lit up some of the wall. He tried to use his fire, but it didn't work. He tried to thrash around with all his might, but it didn't give. He was desperate and scared enough to try and turn into a dragon, but that didn't work either.

Then a woman came in, one in a lab coat with a round face and black bunny ears coming from her black hair. She had a clipboard, and generally looked annoying. "Such a pretty face for once. You're hot." Ace realized he was butt naked. Then he also noticed there were black things tied around his limbs and chest.

Ace had no idea what they were, but they burnt where they were touching him. Ace wanted to know where he was, but couldn't speak. This was terrifying, and made him furious at the same time. This woman's laugh was the most annoying sound Ace had probably ever heard. "You should be excited to be here! You won't be some throwaway human and all!"

He wasn't going to be a human? Maybe she was saying he was a dragon at heart. Did this have to do with that? God, he wished he could speak. "You have good potential. Lady Kyoka went and got you personally. You should be flattered! After all, you're the only human we've ever heard of to resist devil particles! You must be terribly durable. Plus, you have no magic in your system anymore, but still can turn into fire. Hehe, I stabbed you in your sleep."

Wanting too scowl, but being unable to, Ace couldn't react in any single way. "So, now we'll turn you into one of us." So, he's just have bunny ears? That couldn't be so bad. "We even have a book to put you in. Unused of course," she said, holding a book in her hands that was strapped shut and with a lock. A book that wasn't easily opened, it seemed. Ace didn't understand what was going on. Was he going to be trapped in a book? Like a curse? To live in a book, all alone. It would be terrible.

"You'll be an artificial demon of the books of Zeref," she finally said it. Ace's face drained of color. They couldn't do that, only Zeref wrote those books, a long time ago, too. Ace forced fire out, needing to get out, but it was sucked into the black vines sticking to him. Ace was absolutely helpless.

He creepy bunny woman with a terrible laugh kept staring at his exposed body, and it made him uncomfortable. He couldn't exactly move to cover it, though, so he dealt with it. Everyone would come soon enough. "If you're thinking anyone will come for you, hehe, you're mistaken! This is the most sealed location in the whole guild! And we're about to attack Fairy Tail. You won't care much once you're fully changed.

"Go to sleep, hot guy," she asid, and gas was released and into the breathing tube, giving him no possible way to hold his breath or resist. He was sleeping as the vines embedded into his intangible body, just making them get fueled by his fire, not burning them away. It felt like someone was tearing up his skin and shoving a foreign object inside.

When he next woke up, it looked the exact same, but someone else was there. A woman with a strange head piece/mask on, a revealing clothes in some places, and sharp, big hands. She had a nasty, cocky face on, what little of it that he could see. She looked to have, long, fluffy green furred ears.

"My name is Kyoka, one of the nine demon gates. Perhaps you'll replace someone else soon enough," Kyoka said. Ace had no idea what she was talking about. This was Tartaros, he had no doubt. But he didn't know much about it other than it was bad and was hurting the council members.

She didn't monologue much, but instead, she taunted him about no longer beng a human soon, what little amount of human was left in him. "A walking corpse like you would be easy to change." Ace wished he'd told Marco everything when he'd been able. Was he okay? Who was going to rescue him, since he clearly couldn't get out himself? She brought a mirror over, and showed that the black things were all over his body, like black veins. He was also shown his face, which had black veins as well, even inside of his eyeballs. He closed them to not look. "Don't be so shy. You'll be perfectly happy soon enough. We'll destroy the magic world, and return to Zeref."

Ace didn't want to return to Zeref, what the hell?! He wanted to go home! To Marco and Sabo. And everyone else, too. But he blacked out after that, too. When he next woke up, he felt like he was going to vomit, but couldn't. Looking to the side, he saw his hands were completely black. The black was creeping up his arms.

He'd never been more scared than now. No matter what else he'd gone through, never was he this terrified. When with the concept of losing his friends somehow. Even mentally tortured. He looked to the other side of his body, eyes sliding to the left. He saw he was holding that old book, only it was slightly open, with his hands sticking in between the pages. Black was creeping into his skin from the book, too, and Ace could see ink being written on the page.

Really… he really was going to turn into a demon from the books of Zeref. His enemy. Every wizards' enemy. Unwillingly, he was turned into a dragon. Unwillingly he was being turned into a vile demon. Tears pooled in his eyes. He needed someone to come rescue him and turn him back.

The bunny ear girl was back, lucky not staring at his exposed body anymore. "I'll give you some advice. If you destroy that book, it'll kill you. So don't think or destroying it to be free. There's no way to free you. You'll be one of them forever. But it's not fair I don't get to be used as one!" she whined. Ace was tired of her bullshit, her teasing. At least the other woman, Kyoka, seemed serious about the whole thing.

Then came that one from before, the one who let out te devil particles. He was the reason, probably. It was all his fault. He said nothing, and then another weird looking one with one eye showed up. He was mostly a snot colored green with some red stripes. "Oh, how much is this one worth? How much?"

"Does he really get to be a demon?" the furry one from before asked. He got his name as Tempesta from the other guy. He said they had never met a human like this one. They didn't menton Sabo, thank god.

"Look, his book is almost finished. Are you feeling the pull to Zeref yet?" No, he wasn't. He wanted to go home, to his friends. But to get out, he had to pretend. He would get away somehow. Fairy Tail was waiting for him, they were going to save him. They went to war over their defeat, but they were able to be healed. Ace was becoming even less human than before.

Another female demon came in, looking sweet and kind, though with curled horns coming out of her skull. "A demon, dragon, and human. I think he'll be of great use. Ah, it's finished." Ace's vision went black as he fell unconscious. He didn't feel himself getting pulled out of the now empty tank, the book removed form his hand and closed tightly.

It was taken away from anywhere Ace could reach, and he wasn't awake to see where it had gone. Now his life was constantly in danger if he didn't have that book! How would he get better, then? He needed that book! In his sleep, he was dressed in relatively normal clothing compared to those demons he'd just seen.

When he woke up, he was hazy. He sat up, looking around to see he was in a dark room, but on a bed. He felt sluggish and off. Standing up, he walked to the only source of light, which was coming out from under the door. He opened it, finding he was in a stone hallway. The roof and walls were stone, too.

He heard crumbling, and the place around him was being damaged. Dust fell from the ceiling. "Ace. Welcome back to the world. I have orders to give you," Kyoka said. He remembered her face. Ace asked what she wanted. "You need to go and take care of Fairy Tail, along with the rest of us. You're a demon, now. A demon who is also part dragon. I'm sure Zeref will be happy with you."

Ace had no pull to Zeref. Theses demons, he'd heard them blab on and on about Zeref, how Ace's new life would make him happy. They were going to use him to help pull of the Face plan. He wasn't told what it was, but that's what they wanted. He remembered that book. The one he was connected to.

If he was a demon of the book of Zeref, he couldn't destroy the book without killing himself. But that didn't mean he could let it be in the hands of someone else. Ace said he would go help. "Good," Kyoka said, sounding satisfied.

Ace walked past her most of the way before he grew claws and ripped her head off, burning it to nothing. He burnt her body away, too. "Why would I ever go kill my friends, Kyoka-san. That's my book, I'll find it no matter what." His friends could take care of it all while Ace searched for the book. But he must look nothing like he did before. They might get him confused.

The gravity of his situation hadn't quite sunk in yet. That he was now part of two monsters. Dragon and demon. A demon was bad enough, but from the book of Zeref? Surely it couldn't be the same as the real books. He was unimportant compared to others. He would find it.

That's right bitches, Ace's new form of suffering is being turned into a demon mwahahahaha!