Ch. 7- Darkness and Light

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs © Me

"I think it would be in our best interest to go after Natsu," Hibiki stated, causing Haru and Lucy to look up at him as they sat underneath the tree. "He could be in for some serious trouble if nothing is done."

"Yeah... I'm actually a little worried about him," Lucy admitted. "He said that Jellal was alive... and he was one of the few people who actually made Natsu struggle in a fight, at least that's what I heard." She then looked over at Haru, who hugged her legs to her knees while Blue Fang sat beside her. "Haru... what are you gonna do?"

"...I better stay here," Haru answered. "Natsu told me to stay behind, anyway."

"Haru..." Lucy said, worriedly. "Do you still think that he doesn't trust you, anymore?"

"Why else would he tell me to stay here?" asked Haru as she looked up at her with a sad expression. "I messed up..."

Lucy sighed as she looked over at Happy and Blue Fang, who both returned her worried gaze. They both knew how attached Haru was to Natsu and how much his opinions mattered to her. She was absolutely convinced that her brother no longer trusted her and seeing her act so dismal... it just broke their hearts. They just wished that there was something they could do to help convince her that that wasn't the case.

"Oh, no!" Carla cried, startling everyone as they turned to look at her.

"What's wrong?!" Happy asked.

"It's Erza!" Carla answered, pointing at the spot where Erza was laying, earlier. "She's disappeared!"

"What?!" Lucy questioned.

"Oh, no...!" Haru whispered in dread. "Natsu told me to watch her!"

"Uhh... uhhh...!" Wendy moaned in despair as she gripped at her hair.

"How dare she!" Carla griped. "And she didn't even say a word of thanks to Wendy, of all things!"

"You... you don't think that Erza heard Jellal's name when Natsu said, do you?" Happy asked, worriedly.

"...Oh, no..." Haru muttered. "No, no, no!"

"This... this is all my fault...!" Wendy said... her eyes beginning to turn dark. "It's because... I revived Jellal... it's because of me that-"

All of a sudden, the Sky Dragon Slayer was struck by a ball of magic energy that burst from Hibiki's palm, causing the others to gasp in horror.

"What in the world is wrong with you?!" Carla questioned. "First, you try and flirt with her, and then you attack her?!"

"Relax!" Hibiki shouted as he gently picked Wendy up and placed her on his back. "She's just fine. I only knocked her out, that's all." Soon, he began to run off. "Hurry! We must find Natsu and Erza before it's too late!"

"But... but why did you?!" asked Lucy as she and the others began to follow him.

"Yeah, that was way too harsh!" Haru added. "And also, why the hell are we running?!"

"Because if I hadn't," Hibiki began, "she would have fallen under Nirvana's influence. That's also why we must find Natsu and Erza, right away!"

"Say what?" Lucy asked while Hibiki thinned his lips before he heaved a small sigh.

"Perhaps it's time I explained," he said. "You see... I know what Nirvana's power really is... but because of the nature of it, I couldn't just explain it right then and there, during our mission briefing. Being conscious of it, in and of itself, is dangerous! That's why Mr. Ichiya, Ren, and Eve don't know. Master Bob only told me."

"So... what does Nirvana do?" asked Lucy, although she appeared to be dreading what he might say.

"...It changes people," Hibiki answered, darkly. "It takes darkness and light... and reverses them. That is Nirvana."

"Darkness..." Happy repeated.

"And... light?" Carla added, nervously.

"It reverses them?" Lucy asked... while Haru suddenly became quiet, which Blue Fang instantly noticed as he whined with worry.

"That's the final stage," Hibiki answered. "When Nirvana awakens, the first thing that happens is it shoots off a beam of black light, just like the light we saw, earlier."

"And... and then what?" Lucy asked, growing more and more nervous by the second. "Initially, the black light takes people on the edge of light and darkness and makes them switch sides. People of the light that have strong negative feelings... they tumble into the darkness!"

"Huh?!" Lucy questioned in shock.

"I see, now," Carla realized. "That's why you had to knock out Wendy! When she started blaming herself..."

"It's because emotions such as guilt or anger are considered negative feelings," Hibiki answered. "If I hadn't knocked her out, she might have fallen into the darkness!"

"Wait... you said 'anger'!" Lucy added. "So does that mean that Natsu's in danger, too?!"

"I can't really say for sure," Hibiki answered. "If the anger he feels is for the sake of someone else, then I suppose it's not really considered a negative emotion."

"Ugh... this is way too deep for me!" Happy exclaimed, holding his head. "What do we do?!"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?!" asked Carla. "He means that with the seal on Nirvana broken, those whose hearts are moved by justice or by evil will have their personalities reversed!"

"That's why I didn't tell anyone about Nirvana, at first," Hibiki replied. "When people start thinking in terms of good and evil, it brings on negative emotions without them even intending to do so! Thoughts such as 'If only he didn't exist' or 'Who's to blame for putting me through this' or 'Why does this always happen to me?!'... Nirvana takes such thoughts and judges them."

"...Wait a second," Lucy said as she realized that Haru had not said so much as a single word... and as she looked back, she saw the Beast Wizard clinging to a tree, her body trembling as Blue Fang watched her with worry. "H... Haru?"

"...It's my fault..." Haru muttered. "It's my fault...!"

"Oh, no... don't tell me!" Carla cried.

"Haru, not you, too!" Happy shouted.

"It's... it's all my fault...!" Haru said. "If I hadn't encouraged into reviving Jellal... then... Natsu... and Erza...!" She dug her nails into the tree so deep that she made gashes in the bark. "They... they could...!"

"This is bad!" Hibiki declared. "We have to do something! She's falling under Nirvana's influence!"

"Haru!" Lucy cried as she ran over to her and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Haru, listen to me! You have to fight it!"

"...But it's true," Haru said, her eyes beginning to darken just like Wendy's did. "Jellal unleashed Nirvana... and now... Natsu... he doesn't trust me, anymore...!" She sucked in a deep breath as her body shuddered from the mere action. "My brother... doesn't trust me!"

"That's not true!" Lucy shouted as she shook her. "Haru... I'm sure Natsu still trusts you! He's not the kind of guy who would hold a grudge against his family! Especially not his little sister!"

Haru shakily turned to face Lucy, who stared into her eyes with the utmost sincerity as she gripped her shoulders.

"Please, Haru," said the Celestial Spirit Wizard. "You don't really believe that Natsu doesn't trust you anymore, do you? Deep in your heart, you know that nothing you do could ever let Natsu down! He's always said that he's proud of you, hasn't he?!"

Haru's eyes went wide... the darkness in her eyes beginning to fade, which caused Lucy to smile.

"You've never once let Natsu down, have you?" asked Lucy. "And even if he was disappointed, you know that he'd never, ever stop loving you, right? Please, Haru... don't ever think for one second that Natsu doesn't trust you anymore... he's your big brother... he's someone that you believe in, and he'll always believe in you, too... right?"

At that moment, the light in Haru's eyes finally returned, causing her to sigh as tears welled up in her eyes... and she collapsed against Lucy's chest, causing the blonde wizard to smile as she held her while Hibiki, Happy, Carla, and Blue Fang all heaved a collective sigh of relief.

"...Thanks, Lucy..." Haru said.

"No problem," Lucy replied. "Do you feel better, now, Haru?"

"Yeah... I do," Haru replied. "Now come on... let's hurry and find Natsu and Erza!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed before they all kept running toward the direction of the black light.

"Now, Hibiki," said Lucy. "Continuing from where we left off... what if Nirvana were to gain full power? Are you saying that we'd all turn evil if that happened?"

"It's a possibility," replied Hibiki.

"But if that's the case," Happy began, "isn't that also a good thing? That means that the Dark Guilds will all turn good, right?"

"If it were only that simple," Hibiki corrected. "You see... Nirvana's power, at least some of it, can also be controlled."

"What?!" Haru questioned.

"Let's say that if Nirvana were to be used on a legal guild, such as Fairy Tail," Hibiki began, "the results would be catastrophic... your friends could end up turning against each other and even kill each other without even a hint of remorse... or start a guild war without reason. Under the influence of Nirvana, they can easily be manipulated!"

"Oh, my god...!" Lucy whispered in horror, and Haru, Happy, Carla, and Blue Fang were just as horrified as she was. The idea that Fairy Tail would turn into everything it stood against... that was the very thing that they tried to prevent when Laxus tried to take over.

"That's why we have to find Natsu and Erza and stop Nirvana without delay!" Hibiki replied. "If we don't hurry... all of the Guilds of the Light will be eradicated!"

Lucy and Haru glanced at each other, the gravity of the situation now sinking in completely: every legal guild in Fiore was in great danger, including theirs.

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