Chapter 31
Creation
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Flashback
"Scroll Communications / Tv"
Location / Date / Time Change
15 Years Before The Start of The Story
Atlas Laboratory
Zeref pulled a switch and a machine started powering on. Four lines of blood flowed through tubes until they reached a small pod, inside it was a stillborn infant. Dust powered the machine as the blood reached the corpse and a blue liquid filled the pod. The pod started to glow as the body started bouncing around until it stopped. The glow died down and the body was now horribly burned, but still dead.
"Damnit! Another failure!" He pounded the control panel in anger, breaking the metal in anger. "How am I supposed to do this if all the subjects don't work!?"
Zeref Stygian was probably one of the smartest people in Remnant. His theory's were brilliant, his methods airtight, and his discoveries changed the world. It's no wonder that Ironwood sought him out. The second Zeref left college, the general placed him of the Igneel Division of Atlas Biological Research, named after the God of creation.
A man of science, he paid no mind to the mythology Ironwood seemed obsessed with. His mission was simple; study Aura and how it works. A few years later, his research was handed over to the Geppetto Project. The man in charge of that focused on building some kinda Aura using robot. The projects were intertwined and the men in charge got along very well, until one day.
One day, Ironwood walked into the department, holding four vials of blood. He told Zeref that this blood was special, and that they needed to be studied. He never knew where the blood came from, but Zeref knew they were special. After studying an old plant under a microscope, he decided to place a drop of the blood on it. Amazingly, the blood seemed it regenerate the dead plant matter.
That gave Zeref an idea; if one drop from one vial could bring a plant back to life, what could all four vials do together, on a body? Zeref was obsessed with glory; if he could go down as the man who beat death, no one could ever top him. This started a spiral into madness, that caused him to focus only one what he dubbed Project Igneel.
Stem cell research was an issue that was solved long before he was ever born, so his department had plenty of test subjects donated to them; stillborns. He built a machine that infused the blood into the corpse, using Dust to give it a head start. In theory, it should have worked; but reality often had a hard time making theories work.
"I refuse to be beaten by a mere corpse." Zeref huffed, glaring up at the body in the jar.
A door burst opened and an assistant ran into the room. "Sir! We just got word from Matoi's branch!"
"Matoi?" Zeref asked. "What did he discover? Where is he?"
Ishiyn Matoi was a college buddy of his. He was obsessed with the Grimm, though that might have been because of his mentor, Dr. Merlot. But while Merlot thought the Grimm were the pinicle of evolution, Ishiyn was obsessed with answering the big questions about the creatures. Where did they come from, why did they hunt us, anyways to repeal them. So when Zeref was hired by Atlas, he brought along Ishiyn to head that division.
He had a theory that positive emotions were toxic to them, as negative emotions attracted them. Unfortunately, there was no way to test this theory on paper; he had to test this in reality. So he went to the one place we're there was plenty of Grimm; Mountain Glenn. He brought along two hundred solders to protect him and his assistants as he studied the creatures.
The aide panted heavily, bend over his knees before standing back up. "...He's dead." The assistant answered, somber in tone. "And as for what he discovered, you're gonna want to see it for yourself."
"Do you have his notes?" He asked.
"Just one set." The aid pulled out his Scroll and handed it to his boss, who opened it and studied the message sent to him. It was a hastily written message, barely legible with all its grammatical errors. To any sane man who read it, it was a warning to stay away lest they met the same fate. Zeref was no longer sane.
The second he read about something that could make life out of nothing, an idea popped into his head. "Set up a meeting with Ironwood for me." He picked up the pod and threw it into the incinerator as the corpse turned into mush, but the sturdy pod remained in one piece. "I want a new subject by the time I get back."
"Back?" The messenger asked as Zeref walked by him. "We're are you going?"
Zeref looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "I'm going to Mountain Glenn."
Mountain Glenn
It wasn't hard to get Ironwood's permission to go to Mountain Glenn. All he did was tell him that he wanted to check on his friend; that was partially true. James sent him there under the company of a thousand men. The ships landed in front of a cave and they worked their way in, Zeref smack dab in the middle of them.
It wasn't hard to find Ishyin's camp under the city. All they had to do was follow bodies that were running away, now being feasted on by the Creeps. The guards dealt with the beasts rather easily, but they just kept coming. They soon reached the research complex, and found nothing more that blood spattered papers and metal cages broken open, except for one whit the keys hanging in them.
"Sir, I don't think we should be here." One of the soilders said. "Were not going to find him alive, or at least not for much longer."
"I know." Zeref answered. "I didn't come here just for him." He stepped over a severed arm and walked to the wall in the back of the compound. It was filled with small cracks everywhere, all of them connected to one larger one. The spiderweb of cracks led so high his flashlight couldn't reach. The darkness was that of a Grimm, but powerful, more ancient. An enormous Grimm that had survived for possibly aeons, such a powerful specimen. It was no wonder why Ishyn chose this failure as his base. A wicked smile came across the young man's face as a dastardly idea came to mind.
"And how are you today?" He joked before pulling out a syringe and shoved it into what he could only assume to be the beasts head. He fill the vial with black tar-like blood before pulling out the needle. He stared at the vial as the contents began to bubble. "All for science."
A rumbling shook the mountain as the cracks in the wall began oozing a black substance. The second it touched the ground, Grimm popped up and started attacking the soldiers. "Get me out of here!" Zeref shouted.
"But sir!" The soldier shouted. "The others won't survive this!"
"I don't care!" The scientist shouted. "Your job is to protect me at all costs! These men are part of that costs."
With angry growl, the soldier led Zeref through the slaughter. Just as the airship was in sight, a Beowolf pounced and dug it's claws into the shoulder, forcing the soldier to the ground. "Help me!" He reached out and grabbed the door of the ship.
"Get us out of here!" Zeref ordered as the engines turned on before he turned to the solider. "I thank you for your contribution to science." Zeref kicked the hand off as the door closed and the ship took off.
"Damn you, Zeref!" The solider shouted as the Grimm brought its fangs down over the neck.
Atlas
After fooling Ironwood with the report, Zeref returned and set up a new tube that let the Grimm blood flow down into the pod. He walked over to the nearest tube and studied the vial feeding it. 'This is the last of the blood. If this doesn't work, nothing will.' "Start the experiment."
"But sir-" One of his assistance started.
"I said start it!" He shouted before marching over to the console and starting the experiment himself. As the pod filled with the liquid and the blood flowed to it, he looked up to find the pod empty. "Where's the subject!?"
"Sir, that's what I was trying to tell you!" The aid shouted. "We didn't have time to procure a new subject!" The Dust activated and the whole room was blinded by light as sparks shot off the device, destroying anything electrical they touched.
All lowered their arms from the bright light as it faded, and they were stunned by what they saw. Floating in a ball in the tube was a small child with pink hair. A small tail stuck out its back and its hands and feet were claws. "Did we just... make life? From Grimm blood?" The aid asked.
Zeref slowly circled the pod and studied the new life form. Project Igneel was a success, and all it took was the blood of a dragon. 'Dragon, Igneel... Dragneel.' A new idea crossed his mind. If Gary Blue* could make a weapon for Atlas, why couldn't he? "We shall name him End: Eradicator; Natsu Dragneel."
"Eradicator, sir?" The assistant asked.
Zeref nodded with a smile as he placed his hand on the glass. "That is what he will do to the Grimm..."
One Month Later
Ironwood was marching down the hall to Zeref's lab, his usually composed attitude was replaced with rage. He just read the report Zeref gave him, and he had had enough of being strung along. The General slammed the door open to find the infant in question being chocked full of electricity, a barbaric method of expanding ones Aura before the schools came to be.
"Zeref, what the hell do you think you're doing!?" The General shouted, making the scientist turn to him.
"I'm doing what you ordered me to." He answered before returning to his procedure, shocking the child even more.
"I told you to study the blood, not make a monster!" Ironwood shouted, quickly placing the scientist between the wall and his metal arm.
"I beg your pardon?" Zeref asked.
"There are three things you don't do in this world." Ironwood said. "You don't let Grimm loose into a town, you don't kill people to prove your point, And YOU DON'T DISOBEY MY ORDERS! You're done, Zeref!"
The soldiers that accompanied the general secured the other scientists and turned off all equipment, including the machine used on the child. "Where are you taking them!?" Zeref shouted.
"They're being reassigned." Ironwood told him. "All data you have on this little experiment is now mine. And I've talked to the pilot from your little escapade. You're under arrest Zeref!" Guards marched into the room and pointed their guns at him before one cuffed him.
"You can't stop progress, General!" Zeref shouted. "I've created the future! And he will show us all what's possible!" The guards dragged the now mad scientist out of the lab as Ironwood opened the door to the child.
He unstrapped the child and placed him down, only to find the child hanging off his neck, crying. Holding him close, he became a still guardian until the boy cried himself to sleep. 'What am I going to do? He's only a child, can I really just kill him in cold blood because of his genetics...' The General shook those thoughts from his head. 'He deserves a chance at life, but I can't provide him one. There's only one person I know who can do that.'
He cradled the child in his arms as he pulled out his Scroll and dialed a number. "Ozpin, I need a favor."
A few minutes later, he walked out carrying Natsu as Gary Blue walked into the room. "Sir, can you explain why Zeref was dragged out of here in cuffs?" Ironwood told him everything that Zeref did. "I see... Its a shame. If he hadn't gone insane, he would have been labeled a genius. So, what are you going to do with him?"
"Do with who?" A voice asked from the scientist pocket.
"Oh, sorry Penny." Gary said, taking out his Scroll. "It's just another child. Would you like to meet him?"
Natsu opened his eyes to find a black screen at him. A green power symbol appeared on it before it shifted into an outline of a face with curled hair and a bow. "My name's Penny. It's a pleasure to meet you." In a terrified panic, Natsu launched out of Ironwood's arms and hid behind his legs. "Did I do something wrong?" Penny asked.
"No, I think it's because he hasn't seen an A.I. before." Gary chuckled. "So, back to my question."
"I'm sending him to Ozpin." James answered. "If he stays here, the will only be another Zeref who does this to him. In Vale, no one will know who he is. He has a chance at a real life there."
"I see." Gary nodded. He leaned down and looked at Natsu, who hid further behind the generals legs. "I just wish there was something I could do to make him feel better."
"Father, what about that?" Penny suggested.
"Oh, right." Gary said loudly, scaring Natsu. "Sorry, James, give me one second." He ran out of the room, and a few seconds later he returned, a long white scarf in his hands. "I was gonna give this to Penny, but I think he needs it more." He crouched down and held it out for Natsu, who stared at it confused. "Let me help."
Natsu winced for pain as Gary wrapped the cloth around his neck. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"
"I hope we can be friends someday." Penny said with a smile. Natsu nervously smiled back before returning to his hiding place.
"Gary. Can I talk to you for a second, in private?" Ironwood said, motioning to Penny.
"Oh, sure." The scientist was confused by the request but still abided by it. "Penny. I need you to shut down for a bit, okay?"
"Okay, father." The lines nodded before they faded away.
"So, what is it?" Gary asked.
"I need you to erase Penny's memories about this." Ironwood request. "Natsu might seem fine now, but I'm guessing he's repressing everything that's happened to him. If he mets Penny again, they could all come back to him. Who knows what kind of damage that could do to him."
"But, what about Penny?" Gary asked, concerned about his daughter. "This could negatively affect her as well."
"I know, but we also know that she can't lie." Ironwood said back. "So we can't ask her to lie if they ever met again. This is the safest route." With a reluctant sigh, Gary nodded in agreement. "Thank you. Natsu, let's go." He reached down and the child took his hand before the cyborg lead him to the motor pool.
Gary turned his Scroll back on and quickly accessed Penny's memory file. "Father, what are you doing?"
"Penny, you're online?" Gary asked. "Please, just go offline for a little longer. This is-"
"To help Natsu." Penny finished. "I know, I heard everything."
"I thought I asked you to shut down?" Gary asked.
"You did, I just choose not to listen." Penny answered. "Will this really help him?"
"Ironwood thinks so." Gary nodded.
"...Then do it." Penny told him.
"Are you sure?" Her father asked, making the lines nodded. Feeling a little better that he wasn't taking them away from her without her consent, he deleted the last ten minutes of her memories. "Penny, are you okay?"
"Of course, father. Why wouldn't I be?" Penny asked, completely forgetting about what happened.
"No reason." Gary said as he walked out of the room. "Now, back to our previous descusion. Do you have any suggestions for what you want your body to look like?"
"Um... How about this?" The lines turned into an attractive woman with long hair and a tuff sticking up in the front in a long dress.
"Maybe we try something simpler." Her father joked.
Present
Salem's Domain
Neo skipped down the hall in joy. Now that she was a Maiden, she'd have as much chance with Natsu as Cinder, all she needed was her Scroll and he would follow her every command. To a normal person, she would come off as a psychopath, but to her, it was simply that she fell head over heels for the dragon.
The Battle At Kuroyuri
Neo raced into the fray, she had just jumped from the back of a tribesman after slashing their Achilles tendons, giving an easy kill to her mindless beasts, when she saw her target. Hina stood across from her as an Ursa charged the Maiden. The tribeswoman summoned a vine and flung the bear over the tri colored girl, who charged at the Maiden.
Neo jumped and tried to slam her knee into the mask, but the first hatchet blocked her and the second one almost took her foot off. Neo flipped back before trying a 540 kick. Hina punched her in the face and Neo slid back along the ground before she used her Semblance, making two copies of Neo. Hina pulled both hatchets back and charged them both. One went clean through like glass, the other nicked Neo's arm.
Clutching the wound as her Aura healed it, Hina turned the hatchets into the bow form and she fired a volley of arrows at Neo. With her one good arm, she opened her umbrella and the arrows bounced off the dust infused fabric, save for one that clipped her leg. Limping away into an old building, Hina chased after her.
She enetered the building and was met with a kick to the face as Neo stabbed the door frame and used her umbrella like a monkey bar. Her wounds healed, Neo raced forward before she jumped off of Hina, breaking half of the mask with her heel. Her eye freed from the material, she flared before Neo flashed. In the blink of an eye, Hina found herself surrounded by a ring of Neos. She held out her hands and two vines shot out of the palms. Spinning around in a circle, she was shocked to find them going through ALL of them.
By the time she realized she was tricked, Neo jumped off the roof and dug her heel into Hina's check, scratching it. Hina turned to the girl as she rolled to saftey and then sprinted towards her. She flipped her bow into the hatchets and threw them at Neo. She ducked the first one, but the second one hit her and she shattered like glass. 'A trick on top of a trick?'
She raced and grabbed her hatches off the ground and turned, only for the blade in the umbrella to slice along her belly. Blood poured out of the wound as Hina dropped her weapons and gasped in pain. "Lady... Raven..." Neo wasn't going to let that obstacle get the power she fought tooth and nail for, raising her hand to the brown haired face, her glove glowed before an insectoid Grimm appeared, beginning to absorb the Sping Maiden's powers and give them to her.
The Maiden gasped for air as she fell against the wall. As the green glow went into Neo, making her eyes turn green, Hina bled out from her torn aorta and died. Her body slouched to the ground as Neo flicked the blood of her blade and the bug returned to the glove.
The second the corpse hit the ground, the grass around her died and turned into mulch. A green ball of energy shot out of the now dead tribeswoman and into the air. Neo activated the glove again and the black bug shot out and up, grabbing the ball of magic. It quickly pulled it back down and into Neo. The second it merged with the power in her, Neo felt unbelievable strength. The kind she never felt before. Her Semblance was like a drop of rain in a storm compared to this.
A flare shot up into the sky and she knew it was the sign to retreat. She raced back to the man-Grimm and the two took off on the back of the Nevermore. She glanced over to the side as Natsu flew along side the large bird.
Present
Neo reached Natsu's room and opened it, but calling it a room might have been a bit of an overstatement. It was as basic a place to live in as it could be, the bed wasn't even slept in once. She looked around and found no sign of Natsu, so she waited. Time was hard to tell in this plain because there was no sun, no clouds, nothing.
In the time she spent waiting, she practiced with her powers, making small vines from her palm and even turning her flesh into bark. The door opened and she turned to find Natsu, holding Cinder in his arms as she had her own around his neck.
Cinder chuckled at the crush shown by Neo as Natsu put her down and keeping her stable. She flashed her Scroll around in a bragging fashion before Neo swatted it, making it land on the bed. The two Maidens glared at each other, ready to fight over the man they both fell for.
Before any fists were thrown, a Seer floated by and clicked at the two. Salem wanted them, and it was a very bad idea to keep her waiting. Neo pushed Cinder out of the way and she fell on to Natsu's bed, next to her Scroll. Neo chuckled at how pathetic the Fall Maiden looked before she walked down hall. Natsu was behind her, carrying Cinder, again.
The two followed the Seer to the training area and found Salem waiting for them. Cinder was placed on the ground and a Berginel dragged Natsu out by the wings. "I have eyes everywhere, and I have had enough of your constant bickering. The two of are Maidens, and yet here you are, acting like children. It's disgraceful."
The two hung their heads in shame and fear as Salem walked over to them. "If you two insist on hating each other, then I must train you to use it properly." She snapped her fingers and black blood started oozing out of the wall before it turned Beowolves that crept towards them. "You two must work together to survive, no exceptions." She walked passed the girls as they glared at each other, both blaming the other for the trouble they were in.
A Beowolf pounced and the two turned to it in anger before destroying it with vines and fire.
*Gary Blue - A play on words of the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio, who brought the puppet to life. Remember the white haired dude who watched the Vytal Festival from Atlas in Volume 3, episode 9? That's what he looks like. When and if we find out the name of Penny's father, I will go back and change it.
I know I said I wasn't going to do another chapter until volume five came out, but that's just WAY too long a wait. So I gave you something special. Here we have a glimps into Natsu's... birth, I guess? I wrote this and I don't even know what to call it. Seriously what is this? Creation, delivery? Seriously, someone tell me. I don't know if this makes Penny and Natsu 'siblings' since Zeref helped to make them both, but... fuckit. It's my story.
Speaking of Zeref, I don't care HOW WRONG I am about how he made Natsu in the Fairy Tail world, or why he made him, and I don't wanna know. In this story, this is how it went! I'll read about the canon way on my own, not through spoilers! His last name, Stygian, is used to describe darkness.
As for why Neo is in this chapter, people WANTED to see the fight between her and Hina. I screw up, I admit it. And I guess it is the 'creation' of a new Maiden. One last thing before I go; if Igneel is the god of creation (The older brother), who do you think is god of destruction (the younger brother)?
Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.