Before you fuss at me for the short chapter, remember that I actually updated a good long chapter on Thursday. Anyways, this is almost just filler for between scenes and plot points, you know the drill.

Also, sorry for skipping out on how Doriate was defeated. The reason I did is…

—

"The strongest and vilest of demon's from the Books of Zeref and Aki, he said," said Natsu. They were gathered in the infirmary of the guild, having recently returned with an unconscious Zeref and Aki. "END. What do you think-"

"That's not true…"

Everyone looked around to see Aki awake, pushing herself into a sitting position even as she trembled.

Gray snarled as the rest moved to her side. "What do you mean?" Lucy asked gently, though Aki still flinched, looking away.

"END," she said, voice scratchy. "He… he's not evil…"

"Oh really?" Gray demanded. He didn't care if she had helped this time, didn't care if she helped for the rest of her life. He stood, anger rising as she shook her head in response. He didn't care if she had had an excuse, hard past, cursed, whatever, if this was how she would act over the demon's they had created. He didn't care.

"Gray," Natsu growled, but he ignored him, pushing past to tower over Aki.

"You're saying that your demons aren't evil-"

"No!" Aki blurted, then winced and rubbed at her throat.

"You-" Gray started in a snarl, but he faltered as she looked up; she was glaring at him. Seeing it, he realized that it was the first time she had shown any hate towards him.

"They are, and I don't deny that! But END isn't like the rest!" she snapped, eyes glistening.

"What do you mean?" Lucy intervened.

Aki blinked, shrinking like a child caught in wrongdoing. "He- he-… he…" Finally, she bowed her head, fists clamping on her blanket.

"Aki-chan," Lucy started, but Gray grabbed the collar of Aki's shirt, pulling her up to his eyelevel.

"Gray-!" Natsu growled, starting forward.

"This doesn't have anything to do with you!" Gray retorted, not taking his eyes from Aki. "He what, Black Mage?" He ignored how Natsu grabbed his shoulders, protected from being punched only by his grip on Aki. "Only killed a few?!"

Aki shook her bowed head, silent, face hidden.

Fury swallowing him, he threw her back to the cot. She landed on the edge, sliding off onto the ground without a word. Natsu moved in front of her. "Just because you don't make them anymore doesn't mean you didn't! Take responsibility for the monsters you created, and-"

Gray froze as Aki's head shot up, revealing a face filled with something just as strong as Gray's rage. A protective fury, there registered a hatred none had thought to see on her face since the curse had been broken.

A second later, Gray was blasted backwards through the wall and into the hallway.

"He's not a monster!" Aki snapped, menacing even as she struggled to stand. "He's never killed anyone! He's not evil!"

Gray jumped up from the rubble, plaster dust in his black hair, and charged at her. She teleported to the left, but toppled to the ground, groaning slightly as the world waved in front of her. She barely managed to stay sitting upright, but Natsu was at her side, keeping her steady and glaring at Gray, lips pulled back in a growl, a silent warning.

Gray snarled, eyeing her from a few feet away.

Stepping forward, Erza met both gazes evenly. "Why did Atlas Flame say that Igneel failed to kill him, then?"

Aki shook her head again, still blinking rapidly. Instead of clearing up, the world slipped out from under her. Natsu held her shoulders firmly, lifting her and replacing her on the bed.

Trembling, not looking at anyone, she scraped out, "He must have… misunderstood… Igneel had no intention of…"

After a minute, during which it became plain that Aki wasn't going to speak unless forced to, Erza pressed, "Then explain."

Aki flinched. After mumbling incoherently for a second, she looked purposefully at them, determined as she spoke, "Only if you promise not to- to-" Her brows furrowed. "-not to hurt him. He hasn't done anything to anyone." She bit her lip, looking up at the ceiling. "He's far better than we ever… were… If you're going to hurt him… if you're going to hate him… I… I won't let you!" she ended forcefully, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Like Edolas-"

Erza cast Gray a warning glare, then nodded to Aki.

Aki was silent for a full minute, her breathing becoming slowly heavier. "END…" she finally panted, eyes tight shut, "END was the closest to human that we- that we got. And 'Igneel failed to kill him'…" She shook her head, gritting her teeth. "Igneel ch-chose not to."

"What do you mean?" asked Natsu, taking her hand. Lucy sat down at the foot of the bed; Aki was on one side, Zeref, still unconscious, beside her.

Aki quivered. "He ch-chose," she breathed, "he chose not to k-k-kill" —she gasped, chest rising and falling unevenly— "END, to instead-stead-" She shook her head. "We entrusted END to Igneel for- for…" She struggled. "Safekeeping."

Lucy's eyes widened.

"It-" Aki's breathing hitched, and the next words sounded excruciating as she forced out, "END is an- an a-a-acron-nym. It- it-" She broke off, lips pulled back over her teeth. "It- oh, please," she whimpered, covering her face with her hands. "I can't- won't- can't- don't ask me," she pleaded, now shaking so badly that Natsu seemed to be shivering from cold through his contact with her arm. "And Zeref-n-nii should be- be awake t-too, and- oh, please… please…"

Lucy and Erza exchanged looks, but Natsu was already grinning. "Great! It's settled then!"

"You said it was fine, right?" Lucy contributed.

Aki nodded jerkily.

"Then it's fine!" Natsu reiterated, lifting her and cradling her in his lap. She turned her face into him, fist balling around his vest, and Lucy thought she caught, faintly, a sob. Her stomach, already filled with butterflies, dropped.

"I agree!" she blurted, ignoring the sick feeling. "We should leave it be."

"I don't see why we have to know, if END really hasn't ever hurt anyone and never will," Erza conceded. She turned stern as she added to Aki, "If something happens, you will tell us?"

"Nothing ever will," Aki whispered, grip tightening.

"But will you tell us?" Erza repeated firmly.

Aki trembled, and nodded.

Erza nodded, the situation apparently settled.

"But-!" Gray started furiously, but quailed as Erza glared at him.

"Do you have a problem?" she asked menacingly.

Clearly dissatisfied, but faced with Erza-sama, Gray growled, spinning on his heel and stalking away.

—

…because I wasn't motivated to write it

*jazz hands*

Basically, Doriate was defeated, and Zeref and Aki were rescued without being involved in Doriate's defeat. So really, there wasn't much I would be writing anyways. Still. Uhm. Sorry.

….

…

….

I have other bad writer news…

Uhm…

Well…

Yall know I don't like writing romance, right?

Yeah. Uh.

Lucy and Natsu get together between now and next chapter oK BYEEEEEEEEE

*runs away*