Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Loke couldn't quite believe what he had just heard. August…was claiming that Nab was in love with him. Nab, the wizard who did nothing but stand at the job request board. Nab, the wizard that never even spoke to him after that first job. Nab…the wizard that had practically forced him to join Fairy Tail. All Loke could wonder was why Nab never even tried to be friends. Really, it was flattering…but he just didn't know what to feel about it.

First of all, he was a celestial spirit. Relationships just weren't really the same for someone who technically wouldn't die. As the lion spirit, he had lived for a long time and would continue to live so long as he didn't abandon the celestial world or get banished again. As a result, Loke had personally taken to the habit of never forming a serious relationship. They were all short-lived ones, and while he cared for the people he was near, they never really grew to be anything more than a brief fling.

If that wasn't enough, there was the fact that Nab was well…a guy. Sure, Loke had heard of others with that kind of an interest, but he'd never particularly thought of himself as being romantically interested in other men. What others did didn't bother him in the slightest, so he wasn't exactly opposed to the idea, but it just…wasn't him. That kind of bond for him was something he'd always imagined being between a man and woman, which was why he was such a huge flirt when it came to others. Yet, he supposed it wasn't impossible for a guy to be interested in him. Just because he wasn't interested in men didn't mean the reverse was also true.

Really, Loke could even remember times when that kind of a thing was hated to the point that gay men married woman and ignored their own personal feelings. He couldn't quite remember the name of the wizard, but he'd even had a key holder long before Karen that was like that. It was somewhat of a miserable life, being forced to ignore one's own emotions. That was why Loke usually encouraged anyone he met to just follow their heart and do what they wanted. He did that himself, and he didn't really have many regrets when it came to relationships. This one, however, wasn't exactly something he wanted to deal with at the moment.

Nearby, August was rising to his feet, smiling faintly. "It appears as if he has left. Luckily, I was here and was able to—"

"Why did you say that?" Loke interrupted him, turning around with a frown. Really, he just wanted to be able to ignore those words and go back to how he used to be thinking. He didn't want to consider the possibility of having to shove Nab back onto the sidelines because he just wasn't the kind of person to be interested in another guy.

Raising his eyebrows, August tilted his head and studied Loke. "Because it was true and we needed him to focus. If you understood his majesty's way of thinking, perhaps—"

"There were other ways to do that!" Loke glared over at August, before remembering exactly who he was talking to. He probably wasn't going to be able to intimidate this guy, not with the magic power he had. "Nab…Nab was trying to keep that information to himself. Sometimes, people do things like that for a reason, August. They're afraid of rejection…of making things overly complicated and destroying what already exists. For Nab, someone who's already lacking that much confidence…I'm almost certain that he thinks no one would have accepted him. That's why he didn't want to even tell…tell anyone the name of who he cared for. That's why he didn't even let his feelings show, because he thought he was only good enough to be near…"

"You?" August finished for Loke after the celestial spirit paused. Nodding, Loke closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I am well aware of such emotions. His majesty himself has experienced such a fear before, though for different reasons. Perhaps it is a valid reason for remaining silent, yet such a decision cannot be allowed to interfere with normal tasks." The elderly man paused, sighing and glancing towards Loke. "You recall hearing that this other world lacks magic, correct?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Then his majesty is no longer immortal in that world." Considering what he'd heard about Zeref, that much Loke had already figured out. Somehow, the black wizard had lived for four hundred years, never once aging beyond seventeen from what he'd seen. That meant he had to have some kind of immortality, similar to a celestial spirit. "And for quite some time…it was his majesty's goal to end his own life. Given the premise of our truce, and the fact that such a goal has become possible for him…do you not see why I wish to accomplish this goal quickly? Swift actions are necessary to retrieve his majesty before he realizes his life can be lost, and takes action himself. By failing to retrieve him, the majority of my own comrades will wish to resume the war…and as such, Fairy Tail should also desire haste in this plan of ours."

Loke closed his hands into fists. He could feel his teeth clenching together, his eyes closing as his irritation grew. August was right, he knew that. Still, this just felt wrong. Pushing Nab like this…using his feelings against him to meet their goals, it wasn't how Fairy Tail did things. Heck, it wasn't how anyone did things, except Alvarez it seemed. "There should have been another way. Maybe…maybe you could have just left out the bit about who he was interested in? Just told him to stay focused…that should have done the same thing."

There was a pause from the other man, who seemed to give Loke a level gaze. "Is this now still truly about your friend, or has this become about the conflict that has arisen within you as a result of knowing the truth?" The lion spirit found himself unable to meet August's eyes. He couldn't even respond. Nab was his friend, sure, but this? This just seemed insane. "Nothing truly has to change with knowledge. Simply being aware does nothing to how you must act towards him, nor he towards you. I cannot imagine why such things are bothersome to most people."

"Because it does change how people act. When you…when anyone cares for someone, they usually have to choose whether to show that affection or not." Loke ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "I'll admit, I'm usually a fan of being more direct about things like this…but it doesn't surprise me that Nab isn't. Now that I know…well, it'll be hard not to think about it. Every time he does something, part of me will be wondering if I'm portraying the wrong thing in my response."

"Is that usually how most people act when it comes to affection?" There seemed to be a genuine curiosity in his gaze, making Loke frown at the man.

"Well, yeah. Haven't you ever been in love?" Loke wasn't certain if he'd quite label his past relationships as being that strong of an emotional attachment, but it was close enough. Still, August did not reply. He simply studied Loke, as if waiting for a more involved answer. "For someone of your age…I would have thought you'd know. There are just some things that are better left for people to deal with alone. This was one of them."

Shrugging, August moved closer, losing interest fairly easily. "Regardless, it is in the past and therefore, there is little to be concerned over now. All we are doing is wasting even more of our time."

Snorting, Loke crossed his arms over his chest. "And we're not already stuck as it is? We've lost Nab, and as a result, we can't really focus any further on training."

"But I saw his spell." True, that was the whole point of August observing these lessons. Loke frowned at him, while August pulled out a lacrima from his robes. "In addition, was he not given such a lacrima in the event that we needed to contact him? Nab was pivotal to our plans, and as a result, Invel insisted upon providing him with such a communication device."

Even so, there was no magic in Edolas. Then, as Loke stared at the lacrima August held, his eyes widened. Objects retained magic, didn't they? And communication lacrimas…the magic for those only flowed from the one making contact. The receiver only needed to have the initial spell connecting it to the second lacrima for it to activate, with magic provided at either end of the connection. "We can contact him…wherever he went, we can find out if he's near Lucy and the others."

Nodding, August held the lacrima out towards him. "Indeed. If he is in Edolas…I can recreate his spell." Loke stared at the object, still hesitating. Nab didn't want to be in contact with him, not right now. "Now do you see the reasoning behind my methods? Perhaps you disagree, but the results are undeniable. Our goals have been placed within reach, unlike before where they seemed too far off to be attainable."

"I'm pretty sure we're not going to agree on that point, August." Loke shook his head, still feeling strained. Why did everything have to get complicated so quickly? Maybe he could just ignore it and act like usual, like August suggested. Still, that also felt wrong. Wouldn't that kind of be like writing off Nab's feelings as nothing? Though, Loke also didn't want to give him the impression of feeling the same in return when he didn't. Sure, Nab did have his moments and could be incredibly protective and encouraging when he wanted to be, but that wasn't saying much. Nab was too afraid to really act, and he didn't ever leave the guild hall. "Just go ahead and activate it so we can finish dealing with this. I'd like to get back to the celestial world as soon as possible at the moment."

"Running away from your problems will not solve them either." August spoke calmly, before pausing for a moment with a frown. "Then again, I suppose I cannot be one to judge such things." Wait, what? Loke glanced towards him with a frown, about to ask what he meant, but that was when he activated the lacrima. He didn't get the chance to find out what problem he was running from at all, because Nab answered fairly quickly. Loke saw him stumble with the lacrima, nearly dropping it as he tried to reply.

"Oh…sorry! I just wasn't expecting…that is, there's supposedly no magic here, so I didn't think anyone would be able to contact me." Nab glanced over at August, before noticing Loke. His eyes went wide, before darting away towards some other space near him. "Um…yeah, the others are…well, here. I don't quite get how, but I managed to get to Edolas…I think."

The stuttering was a sign of his discomfort, something Loke really should have picked up on sooner. Nervousness around someone you cared for was normal…and he just had ignored it. "Excellent. Have you located all of them then?" August spoke, meeting his gaze levelly.

However, that was when someone else seemed to pull the lacrima away, taking it from Nab. Loke saw Levy's face on the sphere, her expression tense and determined. "I suppose that depends on how you want to define all of us."

"Everyone who entered this other world, of course. His majesty must be located at all costs." August gazed towards the girl, frowning for a moment. "I remember you. You were the one with him…when he contacted me."

She nodded, looking away. "Yeah, I was." After a moment, Levy sighed and glanced behind her. "Hey…Zeref? Could you come over here for a second? I want to show my friend something."

There was a pause, before a second voice was heard nearby. "I find your style of magic quite fascinating. It clearly is a simple lacrima meant to hold magical energy…but you've connected it to another, with a binding circle that is usually used for—"

"Yeah, yeah, that's not the point," Levy said. Loke saw August frowning, studying the lacrima for a moment. "August…just please…don't freak out too much, okay? I'm still trying to work something out to fix this…and Lucy, Natsu, and Nab have all agreed to help."

Fix what? Loke frowned, watching as she spun the lacrima to show Zeref's face. Really, he didn't see much off. It was the same teenage boy he remembered, with dark black hair and pale skin standing out in contrast to his dark robes. However, he smiled brightly and waved when he saw them, walking forward. "Hello! Sorry…I'm really not certain what Levy wants me to do at this point…is there something you needed my help with? I know they're trying to get back home, but I don't quite see why she needs me for that…"

"You're not his majesty." August spoke with narrowed eyes, scowling into the lacrima. "What…just who are you?"

"Um…I'm Zeref? I thought Levy just mentioned that…"

"He's the Zeref of this world." Levy spoke, turning the lacrima back towards herself. "To put things simply…our Zeref is gone. This Zeref has taken his place."

August seemed to become still, while Loke's eyes went wide. Suddenly, August's warning from before seemed so much more important than it had been. Really, wasn't it easy to get one wizard back from Edolas? Considering they were getting the rest, he hadn't thought it would be a problem. "Wait…you can't be serious. Levy…if Zeref doesn't come back with us—"

"Wait, are you also that insistent on making sure Zeref gets back to Earthland?" Lucy spoke, frowning in confusion. "Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to help…but I still can't help but think we're creating an even bigger problem by doing this. We're somewhat hoping that he repays us by stopping the war…but really, all we've got as a basis that he might do so is Levy's word."

Loke couldn't see his keyholder, but he knew her voice when he heard it. "The truce we made with Alvarez hinges upon Zeref's return to Earthland. If the rest of you return without him…the war will resume. Even with your plan to return later for him, we won't be able to do so with Alvarez trying to destroy the guild again."

August still hadn't moved, still staring at her with an oddly distant expression in his gaze. Still, Levy was focused, frowning for a moment. "Well…can't you do something about that, August? From what I understand, you have a lot of influence—"

"August?" Another voice spoke, making Loke blink. It sounded like Mavis…but she couldn't be there, could she? "How in the world is that—"

"Not now." Levy shot back at her, narrowing her eyes. "We don't have time to get into the differences between our two worlds again." She sighed, turning back towards August. "As I was trying to say…with your influence in Alvarez, couldn't you at least convince them to give us some time to return and bring him back again? I'm certain they'd at least be reasonable to some form of an amendment to our agreement."

Being the one questioned seemed to bring at least some focus back to August, who slowly began to shake his head. "Perhaps I could argue such a point…but even as the leader of the Spriggan Twelve, my word only counts for so much. His majesty approved of our ceasefire, true…but he did not state that the war would not resume upon his return. Without such a word from him…and with our previous orders in place…the logical assumption that would be fought for by the majority of the others would be to resume his former goals. Invel, Ajeel, Jacob, Dimaria…they would all favor war, given their mindsets. Perhaps Irene would not argue either way…though she is eager to test her strength against a powerful foe in battle." He paused, slowly taking a deep breath and scowling at her. "The war will resume, regardless of what I request. And…I suspect it would be your fault, for ignoring my advice from before."

"Hey! Whatever you think Levy did, it isn't right to—"

"It's okay." Levy interrupted Loke, smiling faintly. However, her eyes were watery, as if pained at her admission. "He's right. This really is my fault…and that's exactly why I have to fix it." Her expression hardened, focusing on August. "I know you want him back, just as much as I do if not more. So please…he left us a message behind, one that I need my materials from back home to actually decipher. If I could just get those…I could possibly find a way to undo this and bring him back. I just need to be able to delay the war for a little while longer…"

"Are you asking for my assistance then?" August spoke calmly, narrowing his eyes.

"Wait…you're asking August for help?" Natsu spoke, sounding a bit surprised. "I thought he was some big-shot in Alvarez…why would he help us when it's our fault Zeref is stuck here?"

Really, Loke wondered the same thing. However, Levy wasn't answering, instead focusing her eyes on August. "I am. If anyone out of his generals will help…it would be him, I'm certain of it." Why? Once again, Loke was starting to realize how mysterious August really was. Even after working with the guy for months, he hardly understood a thing about the man.

There was a long pause, during which Nab seemed to clear his throat. "Um…you know, this might be a bad time to mention that I was probably the only person over there able to make a pathway to Edolas…now that I'm here, I don't think we have a way to get back anyway…"

"I saw you travel there." August spoke calmly, as if that explained everything. Taking a deep breath, he focused on Levy. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

Smiling faintly, Levy nodded and glanced towards the others. "Well…to start with, Alvarez is going to declare war if they think we've returned without Zeref. So…that means we'll need to take this Zeref back with us."

"That is out of the question." Mavis spoke again, this time seeming to walk closer based on the sounds of footsteps on the other end. "I've fought too hard to get him back only for you to—"

"I hate to break it to you, but when this is done with, you're coming with us to King Jellal." That voice…it oddly sounded like Levy again, yet she had not spoken. "No matter what Zeref does, you're going to be locked away for quite some time, Mavis."

"Um…yeah." A nervous sounding Natsu added to her comment, agreeing. "You've done some terrible things…and as much as I want my brother back…this is just too cruel of a way to do that."

"And even I would have to agree." Zeref spoke this time, sighing. "I may want to live and keep Natsu happy…but not at the cost of someone else's life. So, if it helps…count me in. I'll head to this other world with you…I'm guessing I'm going to be pretending to be the other me?"

"That would be impossible." August spoke swiftly, frowning at him. "Your mannerisms…the expressions you wear and the way you act, everything is quite obviously different from his majesty."

"I haven't even tried yet!" Zeref seemed to argue against this, making August nod after a moment of thought.

"I suppose that is correct. Levy, would you mind allowing me to witness such an attempt? Then I will make a final decision on such a plan."

The lacrima turned and once again, Zeref was visible. The boy blinked, glancing at August with wide eyes. "Oh…well, how do you feel about living?" Loke stared at him, wondering where the heck that question even came from.

August scowled immediately, shaking his head. "Absurd. Even the tone…perhaps with training and understanding of his majesty's character, he might be able to accomplish the role, but as he is now…I just can't fathom it. Even those that do not know him well would be able to see the differences."

Nodding, Loke hesitated before joining in. "I…I'd have to agree. Sorry, Levy, but even I am beginning to see how obvious it is that this person isn't the Zeref we know."

The girl returned to the focus on the lacrima, her gaze pleading with theirs. "Then what can we do? I need to make this work…I have to…" She trailed off, closing her eyes. "I owe it to him…so I can apologize for what I said. So I can smack him for going off and doing something stupid like this!"

"Levy!" Loke shouted at her, concerned about August's reaction. However, the elderly man seemed to give her a small smile, almost sympathizing with her.

"I see. You…you've spoken with him at length over there, haven't you?" Levy blinked, calming for a moment at his words. "You care for him…" He trailed off, frowning for a moment. "This may seem to be an odd inquiry…but how well do you know his majesty?"

She glanced around, likely at the other guild members before taking a deep breath. "Probably better than I should…I really don't understand what I did to manage it, but Zeref seemed to like working with me better than the others. All I really did was keep pushing and insisting that he needed to come back, that his home was back in Earthland…that he still had a place where he was cared for by at least one person, right?"

"Could you put up the pretense that the other Zeref cannot?"

His words were direct, making Levy's eyes widen for a moment. "Put up…you mean act like Zeref?" August nodded, and in response, Levy took a deep breath. She seemed to focus for a moment, before opening her eyes again and staring levelly at August. "Test me. Zeref doesn't openly speak to others without strong prompting, so I can't try without someone starting a conversation first."

The elderly man nodded, taking a seat on the ground. "How are the war plans going, your majesty?"

There was a slight twitch in her jaw, but Levy managed to remain fairly calm. "Rather uneventful as of late." She stopped there, not elaborating at all. It just seemed weird, but her gaze seemed to wander, not quite even bothering to meet August's eyes.

"I see." August smiled faintly, pausing for a moment. "This may be a bit bold of me to ask…but why exactly are we fighting in this war? It seems rather purposeless for someone such as you to seek a power like Fairy Heart."

Wait, did Levy really have to know his motives? Loke blinked, realizing just how impossible this really was given who was here to play the role. Still, Levy seemed to remain silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. "I expected as much from you, August..however, just as always, know that my reasons are my own, and just as important as any other. In time, you might understand."

So, she didn't know. However, August's smile widened ever so slightly and he leaned forward. "My apologies for being so disrespectful, your majesty. I simply could not help my curiosity."

"As I stated before, it was expected from you." She seemed to stop at that, frowning and tilting her head back. "Now, I do have other details to attend to. Good evening, August."

She seemed to stop again, leaving them staring at her in silence. Really, Loke didn't know whether she did well or not. She seemed rather skilled at dodging questions at least, but seeing Levy's face with those words just didn't quite give it the same feel. However, Lucy walked over, her eyes wide in what little Loke could see of her expression. "Wow! Where did you learn to act like that, Levy?"

Blushing, Levy looked away. "It's not that hard. Jobs that wizards like Natsu take that usually involve head-on confrontations aren't as easy for people like me. Sometimes, playing the part of someone else and being discrete lets you get closer to the target before launching a sneak attack of some kind." She paused again, looking at her lap. "Plus, there's all those easy jobs from that nearby theater group when there really aren't many that fit my magic well."

"Still…I don't get it. Why bother seeing if Levy can be Zeref? I mean, she looks nothing like him." Natsu spoke, sounding rather confused.

Nodding, August smiled faintly. "Because…I can mimic Irene's magic as well. Given his majesty's prolonged absences…out of our options, Levy just may be able to accomplish what we need." He rose to his feet, nodding at them. "I will prepare the necessary objects for your return. In the meantime…Levy, I suggest getting used to the idea of fulfilling the role of Emperor Spriggan upon arriving. Unless they have truly known him for some time, I suspect most would not see much of a difference,"

She nodded, rising to her feet. "Thank you." She smiled at August, placing a palm on the edge of the lacrima. "We'll bring him back, I promise. And…I'm sorry for not listening. I just didn't realize what you meant until it was too late."

He nodded, sighing and looking away. "I already anticipated the worst when he first vanished and I was unable to track him. This…so long as he left a path behind for us to bring him back, there is hope. His majesty would not have left a message if he did not intend for us to utilize it to our advantage."

"And I definitely will find a way to do just that." Levy nodded at him, while August smiled faintly.

"I can see why he admires you, Levy. There is something…something unique, about your determination and your spirit." He paused, nodding to himself. "You are a good fit for him."

Part of Loke wanted to smack August for being insensitive yet again, especially with how red Levy's face became. "It's not like that! He and I…I mean, I still hardly know anything about him!"

"Yet you can flawlessly pretend to be him?"

"It's not that hard." She placed her hands on her hips, scowling. "I mean, he just scowls all the time and gives vague, cryptic answers to every question. When he wants to be specific, he just gets creepy and disturbing…"

He chuckled, shaking his head. However, Loke actually gave in to his earlier impulse and smacked his arm, glaring at him. "Did you learn nothing from before?" The elderly man frowned at him, lost as to why he was angry. "Stop trying to toy with how people feel, August. It really isn't a nice thing to do at all."

"I am merely making observations. What is so wrong with that?"

"Because some of them aren't meant to be voiced out loud!" Nab shouted, before letting out an odd squeak. "Wait…did I just say that out loud? Oh no! I'm sorry, August, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just…I really didn't want…" He trailed off, not finishing that comment. "Never mind. It isn't really important, I guess."

Had he really run away because of what August said? Loke felt it was the case, but oddly, it made him smile faintly. Nab was nervous about everything, sure, but he spoke his mind and he was honest. Really, Loke hoped they could still be good friends after all of this blew over. Nab would move on eventually, right? "Unrequited love holds no purpose. I've done you a favor by expressing such feelings for you when fear was holding you back."

"Yeah? And look who's talking?" Levy smirked at him, before blinking with her eyes growing wide. "Wait…you probably didn't realize I knew that…" She trailed off, while August stiffened and narrowed her eyes at her.

"How?"

"Because…we met the other you. The one in this world…and things are at least similar enough that…things like that, at least, are the same." She was being deliberately vague, it seemed.

August stared at her for a moment, looking away. "Does he know as well?"

"He…he was the one who talked to me about it, actually."

The elderly man closed his eyes, remaining still. However, after a moment, he slowly smiled. "I see…so that's what he meant, when he gave me such a warning." He turned towards her, his smile fading after a brief moment. "However, given your former premise…I've quite clearly expressed my reverence for him on multiple occasions."

"Yet you never told him the truth you clearly knew."

"Can someone please tell me what we're even talking about? Because I can't follow a thing you guys are saying…" Natsu seemed to let out a loud complaint, interrupting quickly.

"I can't follow them either." Nab seemed to be oddly comfortable with this fact now that Natsu had admitted it as well. "Though…I can't say I want to. As upset as I am with August for what he did, I don't think I'd want him to have to deal with the same thing…"

"You're way too forgiving in your world, Nab." Edo-Levy spoke, sounding far darker than Earthland Levy ever would. "Our Nab would have jumped at the chance to get back at him for anything…he's always jumping into things rather recklessly. One of these days, he's probably going to get himself killed, but he just has this insane luck that seems to keep him alive every time."

"Sounds like the opposite of me, then." Nab chuckled faintly. "All I do is hurt myself on the simplest of jobs. That's why I keep waiting for the one that's perfect for me to come around…"

"Well, when you find it, let me know." Natsu spoke, surprising Loke. "I'd like the chance to be your first partner on a job, Nab! I mean, it would make you more comfortable, right?"

"Yeah….but I've already gone on a job with a partner before…"

"Oh? Well then you know how it works then!"

Oddly, Natsu's joyfulness at the job seemed to bother him for some reason. Loke frowned, looking at the ground as he leaned back against a nearby tree. What did it matter if Nab went on jobs with other people? It was a good sign, a sign that Nab was becoming more comfortable with his abilities as a wizard. Still, Loke couldn't help but think back to that job almost a decade ago, by his side. Things hadn't gone smoothly, sure, but it had been a lot of fun. Loke hadn't had a job like that since then, and he'd always been a bit of a loner on missions after that. Still, part of him somewhat wished for the same thing he had wanted back then. He still wanted a partner to work with on jobs. Maybe it came from being a celestial spirit. The thought made him snort, shaking his head. Even without a key holder, he still felt the need to work side by side with another wizard to accomplish any goal.

Thank you for the review, Lustwell! I always love hearing theories and predictions about where my stories are going, and I'm glad to hear you are still enjoying the progress of this story. I've belatedly realized this is also my first story where I put any sort of focus on Loke as a character. I'm finding it oddly interesting, to try and analyze his attitude from a different perspective now. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Things will be getting interesting soon, as people return and begin to search for a way to bring Earthland Zeref back. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!