Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Unlike Zeref, Loke knew almost nothing about what to expect in this house. He had been watching the other wizard closely from the moment they entered, though. Zeref seemed to be having far more issues with being here than he expected, and that was what made him so distracted. It felt strange, at first, speaking to Zeref as if they were allies rather than enemies. Yet, something about him was a lot like himself, Loke had realized. Maybe Loke was even older than Zeref, but Zeref carried his loneliness around him like a dark haze. He wasn't able to hide it behind a smile or a joke, not like Loke. Maybe it had to do with the odd honesty Zeref had about himself, and how it related to his ideas of deception.

Still, his attempts to get him focused had been having little effect. He'd tried directly asking him to focus, then he'd tried telling him to move on from his past. Nothing seemed to break through, and all the guy seemed to want to do was run away with Levy. So, he figured he'd remind Zeref a bit about what he currently had, to try and fight against whatever memories were tormenting him. That was what usually had helped himself, when he found himself thinking about Karen. So, he'd played his little game. Unlike Zeref, Loke had no issues with telling lies if it served a greater purpose. It was easy to do, even, given who he was talking about.

Levy had spoken even more strongly than Loke had expected, and it had worked rather well. He could see Zeref watching over their search, speaking quietly with his general. Loke had wondered how he acted around the Spriggan Twelve, wanting to see why they were so loyal to him. Yet, his interactions with August had not really given him any indication of the cause. However, he still smiled, happy to see that Zeref himself seemed to be smiling faintly as well.

Searching by his side, Nab glanced over at him with a frown. "Did…did you really do that on purpose?"

Nodding, Loke glanced over at him. "Yeah. I was just thinking…people say more than they mean to in the moment." Nab frowned, while Loke glanced at Levy, searching on her own and pulling aside debris closer to one of the walls. "He was clinging to her out of desperation…and sometimes, people doing that just need to hear that they're needed. I didn't expect Levy to speak that strongly for him…but she definitely said enough to get through to him, I think."

"That…well, of course she did." Nab looked away, focusing on clearing away a pile of rubble on his own. Really, they were shooting in the dark to try and find whatever this object was. "She loves him. I…anyone in love…would defend the person they want to be with."

Just like Nab kept doing, in his own weird way. Loke smiled, shaking his head. That was really how this all started, wasn't it? Nab's desire to protect him, even though he wouldn't have technically died…that pushed all of this into motion. "Some go farther than others." Staring at Zeref, Loke wondered how far he'd go. Reading the black wizard was almost impossible for him, and he couldn't tell if he would fight to defend Levy, or just use her affections for his own protection. That was the purpose of his second warning…but he didn't know if he'd phrased it quite right to get through to him.

Nodding, Nab smiled faintly. "Yeah…I guess so." He shrugged, pulling more out of his way. "This job…really turned out kinda weird, didn't it? I mean…we're working with August again….and now Levy and Zeref are here too. It's like we've gotten our own team together…kinda like Natsu has back home."

There was an odd fondness in Nab's voice, and Loke frowned at him. "I'd hardly go that far. I mean, August and Zeref aren't even a part of the guild, so it's not like we're an official team or anything. Plus, Levy's got Team Shadowgear…" He trailed off, while Nab shook his head.

"No, we're a team." He glanced towards them, smiling faintly. "Teams don't have to be from the same guild. I mean…there was…right! That time with that dark guild…what was their name? The job came from the Council…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "And even the war. We worked with other guilds…and formed teams with them too. So, us working together now…maybe we don't know Zeref that well, but I'd say we're almost friends with August, right? And Levy…she's from our guild, so of course we know her. We're working together for the same goal, and that's what counts."

Nab could have some oddly profound moments when he really wanted to. Shaking his head, Loke smiled at him. "Yeah, it seems like we are, then. Never thought I'd be on a team with wizards of that caliber, though. Who would've thought that Zeref would get this interested in our job?"

"Well…it is his home…" Nab trailed off, watching as Zeref leaned against the wall, smiling up at August. There was an odd fondness in that gaze, in the way he stared at August. Why did it seem like Loke was missing something between those two? It clearly wasn't romantic, but it was almost like what Fairy Tail members had between each other. "Plus…I mean, didn't he mention something about looking for an object here before? I'd…if I were him, I'd want to find it too. Especially if I knew it was the reason…all of this happened."

Glancing around, Loke nodded slowly. He could hardly imagine how much Zeref lost here. Pushing aside more shattered rafters, Loke scanned the ground. "I don't blame him for that." He frowned, finding an object face down on the ground there. It seemed intact, rectangular in shape. "Still, I just hope he doesn't decide to work against us once we find this thing. He says he needs to keep his promise to someone else, but I honestly can't imagine what kind of promise he made that he could still fulfill after all this time."

Yet, Zeref had also spoken to him about other things too. Rather vaguely, he'd discussed Nab and what to do about that situation. Glancing at the other wizard, he paused before studying his located object and frowned. It wasn't like him at all, to even consider this. He knew that much. Yet, was it really wrong of him to want to try for something? Loke's past relationships had been based on very little beyond physical attraction. With Nab, he knew more about the guy personally. Nab enjoyed nature, and he was shy and nervous around others. He had low self-confidence, yet he had a kind heart and was willing to fight if it meant protecting the people he loved. Really, Loke could have seen him getting easily attached to a girl with those qualities, so why not Nab?

Sighing, Loke ran a hand through his hair. He'd already decided with Zeref that he'd at least try. He needed to open himself up more, or else he really would be wasting away his life, even if that life would last forever. There would be so many more regrets if he didn't try at all, and the more he spoke with Nab, the more the other man seemed to be willing to open up to him. This job alone had brought them closer than Loke expected…and he was interested in seeing where it could go from here. "Hey Nab?" Loke interrupted him, making the other wizard glance towards him with a frown. "Next time…let's go out on an actual date instead. Apparently, jobs involve teams, and that kinda gets in the way of the actual point of us going alone together, doesn't it?"

The other wizard seemed to freeze, his eyes widening. "A….date? With me?" He looked shocked, unable to say much more.

Laughing softly, Loke nodded at him. "Yes. I think I'm ready to try having a serious relationship for a change. Your advice, and oddly Zeref's too…it's made me realize that I need to start looking at how I live my life a bit differently. Maybe it'll be weird, and maybe there'll be times when I can't be around because of what I am, but I'd still like to try." He paused, glancing towards Nab and raising his eyebrows. "Unless you've lost interest since we last spoke?"

Shaking his head, Nab smiled brightly ."Of-of course not! You…you told me not to…" He trailed off, biting his lip and shaking his head nervously. "Um…so yeah. I'll…I'll start thinking of what we can do."

Satisfied, Loke nodded and glanced back down at what he had found. "No need to get all nervous again, Nab. I mean, is it really all that different from the train ride? Or from us staying in that town on our way here?"

"I guess not…but I mean…doesn't labeling it as a date…mean something different?"

Chuckling, Loke shook his head. "Maybe this time, try and think about it like August. Just knowing something doesn't have to change how you act about it."

Nodding, Nab smiled faintly. "Right…he did say that, didn't he?" Moving back to his work, Nab nodded again. "Then maybe I can do that. I think." He glanced over towards Loke again, his smile not fading. "So, did you find something?"

"Maybe." He turned it over in his hands, frowning at first. It looked like a picture, with the glass frame shattered from the damage. How it had survived a fire was beyond him…but he could still make out the majority of the image. He saw two adults, smiling and standing side by side with two young boys in front of them. At first, Loke thought he must have been imagining things. First, it was obvious that one of the younger boys was Zeref, despite the uncharacteristically wide smile on his face as he stood with his family. However, what he couldn't take his eyes off of was the boy by his side, holding his hand with a familiar toothy grin, lacking the familiar fangs the dragon slayer had.

"That…is that Natsu?" Nab spoke, pointing to the boy. "How…I mean, that's Zeref there…and his parents? What…" Even if Loke had been speaking, he'd probably be just as disjointed as Nab was now.

Turning towards Zeref, he saw the other man had seemed to move for once, sitting with Levy as she searched. The girl seemed to be smiling as he spoke with her, and Zeref seemed rather content to just be near her. Loke wanted to know more, to know what this meant…yet what would that question do to Zeref? "Natsu, the dragon slayers…that's right." Loke shook his head, thinking back to what had happened during the fight with Tartaros. "They came from four hundred years in the past. I guess that explains why he could exist here, but still…" He trailed off, frowning. "I never realized they'd be related. Natsu himself doesn't even seem to remember that."

"But didn't Zeref say he lost everything here?" Nab frowned, glancing at the picture. "That…I mean, wouldn't that mean that Natsu and his parents died? It just…it sounds weird."

Yet, it brought to mind what Zeref said earlier, about avoiding the second floor. Too much damage had been done to his parents, but Loke had been lost as to what goal that had prevented. Staring at the image in front of him, Loke suddenly had a much better picture of just what Zeref would do when he was desperate to save the people he cared for. "He did." Loke stared at the picture, setting it back down on the ground. "Zeref created life with his demons. What would have stopped him from bringing Natsu back to life?"

"Oh." Nab stared at the photo, glancing back at Zeref. "He…he really is a powerful wizard, isn't he? I…even if I wanted to, I'd never be able to do something like that."

"I don't think any of us would have been able to, Nab." Loke patted his shoulder, shaking his head. "Makes me wonder exactly what it took. I mean, he sacrificed his brother as well, for some plan to stop the war from back then too. He…" Loke trailed off, finally seeing something about Zeref that he had failed to truly realize. "He's the kind of person who is willing to sacrifice everything, himself and those he cares for, if he thinks it will bring about a better future."

It was a dangerous attitude to have, but it did let Loke see exactly why Levy believed so strongly in him. She was right. Zeref would go down paths others were too afraid to take, because he was willing to make himself suffer for others. Yet, looking at Zeref now, he wondered if someone could stop him. That suffering was destroying him slowly, and he could see just how fragile the black wizard really was after speaking to him for just a few moments. He watched as Levy laughed at something he said, before he held out his hand and began tracing something in the air. It looked like a magic circle, or at least part of one. Yet, as Levy moved to copy the spell, he realized what was happening. He was teaching her magic as well, and he was happy to be doing so. She was finding something for him to do that wouldn't harm himself. Smiling, Loke looked away and continued his search. It seemed like he already had someone that just might be able to keep him away from his self-destructive path after all.

Zeref would admit, he was likely being more of a distraction than anything else. Talking to August, and then deciding to continue working with Levy on magic…both were his ways of avoiding what they were supposed to be doing. Yet, they were also helping him stay calm. He supposed that was why Levy had humored him when he began asking her about what further interests she had in learning the fundamentals of magic. He'd continued his explanation of the purpose of the outer ring in magic circles, talking about how they bound the magic to a particular element first and foremost. He'd even shown her what such a ring would look like, one that would represent wind in a spell.

Still, even after the brief break for such an explanation, she returned to work as usual. Zeref had watched her, sensing the magic aura himself that still pulsated within the house. He knew they weren't near it in this room. If they had been, he would have seen his parents arguing the night they brought the object here. If that wasn't enough, he could also sense directly where it was supposed to be. Really, he ought to save them the wasted time of searching…but he needed to be calm before doing so.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref rose to his feet. "I think…I think I've calmed down enough." Levy glanced at him, frowning slightly. "What we're looking for…is this way." He began moving past them, pausing by Nab and Loke. He frowned at them, seeing them focused on something on the ground. Zeref saw the photo, pausing for a moment as he smiled faintly at the image. "Ah…I had forgotten about this picture." He knelt down next to them, smiling as he saw them jerk back, startled by his nearness.

"Natsu died here too, didn't he?" Loke looked up towards Zeref. His gaze was level and calm, yet there was almost something wary in his eyes.

Nodding, Zeref rose to his feet, looking away. "Yes, he did." The book was still with him, too. Zeref quickly tried to move on, before he could remember more than just what this house would push him towards. "As I've told Levy, what we're searching for isn't in this room."

"And you didn't say something earlier?"

Shaking his head, Zeref shrugged. "I wished to calm down. Out of the rooms available to let you run free and search in…this one seemed to be the one with least concern." He glanced around, staring at the wreckage before him. "So little survived here…and further damage would be almost unnoticeable."

Silently, August moved towards them as well. "If you had simply opened your own senses, you would have realized the same thing. The aura is quite obviously coming from this direction." August pointed towards what was once a doorway leading to the kitchen. However, the fire had burned away the door and collapsed part of the wall, leaving it as a gaping hole with a pile of ash beneath it.

"Oh…well, I'm not…see, I haven't practiced enough to be…good with sensing that kind of thing. Yet." Nab spoke, nervously looking away from August. "Sorry…I know you kept pushing me to practice more, so I guess—"

"That was because I was in a hurry to retrieve his majesty." August spoke swiftly, glancing towards Zeref. "A world without magic is not a suitable place for him to linger in for long."

Considering what he'd done in that world, Zeref could not blame him. However, he frowned, still not all that fond of his title from August anymore. "August…what have I told you about calling me that now?" The elderly man frowned at him, glancing towards the others.

"I was of the impression we were still avoiding revealing such facts."

"I don't care so much with them." He glanced towards Nab and Loke, smiling faintly. "They are from Fairy Tail, not Alvarez. As a result…there really would be no political conflict from the knowledge being released to them."

"Political conflict? What are you even talking about?" Loke frowned at him, while Zeref simply glanced towards August.

Sighing, the elderly man shrugged. "He is speaking to our relationship. Recently, he has learned of the fact that I am his son."

Nab and Loke were silent for a moment, staring at August with blank expressions. Then, Nab spoke up, frowning. "That…his son?" August nodded, while Nab shook his head. "It looks like the other way around…I guess that's the kinda thing that happens when you're immortal." His gaze seemed to move towards Loke, smiling faintly.

Nodding, Loke seemed to agree. "Even so, it just feels weird. Why would you even be in his army then? Wouldn't you technically be the prince or something?"

"Zeref's curse made things complicated." Levy spoke, glancing towards them. "Really, things are just fine as they are, though. Maybe it seems odd at first, but it doesn't take much time to get used to it." She smiled at August, who nodded towards her and kept moving forward.

"Now, were you not the one pushing me to focus on this job of yours in the first place?" Zeref interrupted them, smiling faintly as he turned towards Loke. "Considering I'm doing so now, I would expect you to cease getting so distracted by such a simple fact."

"I'm just trying to figure out how you could even have a kid…as Levy said, the curse would have complicated things."

"Mavis is my mother, if that helps." August replied, leaving Loke and Nab even more shocked.

Shaking his head, Zeref stopped now that they stood in another room of the home. "I suspect that it almost makes things worse, actually." He saw them staring at August, while Zeref chuckled faintly. Really, distracting others was far too simple. This would give him the time he needed to find the object and seal it away again, before they even realized what he was doing.

Moving forward swiftly, Zeref began closing his eyes and sensing around himself. The spell was in this room, and it was very close. However, the aura was almost blinding him as to its exact location at this point. "How does Mavis even have a child? I mean…she looks like…she seems rather…young." Nab was speaking, though Zeref was ignoring them now. They could discuss the matter amongst themselves as much as they wanted to.

Moving towards him, Levy seemed to focus for a moment as well. "It's hard to find it exactly…" She trailed off, crouching down towards the ground. "That spell you used outside of town…it should do the same thing in here, right? It would at least tell us where the fading sealing spell is."

She was right. Yet, he could use a more focused variation, given the space he needed to cover. Rather than alert Nab and Loke to his actions, Zeref altered the spell slightly, activating his sensing spell and pushing it in a streamlined path forward. As it scanned over the room, he saw a flash of light, just underneath where the dinner table would have been, if it still stood. Now, it was a pile of charred wood, waiting to be cleared away.

Moving towards the area, Zeref began pushing aside the ash. He didn't want to use too much magic and get the focus of the others, not yet. Levy joined him, smiling after a moment and pausing. "Solid Script: Breeze!" A slight wind pushed over the pile, moving aside anything that wasn't larger pieces of wood and blowing it against the far wall. She likely didn't realize his attempts at secrecy, but Nab and Loke were cornering August at the moment, trying to get more information about his parents likely.

Pulling aside the last of the debris, Zeref gazed down at the floor with a frown. It looked like plain tile, stained from the fire, but still intact. "Now…where is it?" Levy frowned, pressing her hand to the floor. "I…it is almost overshadowed by the other object…but I can almost sense it. I think…it feels like it's…" She trailed off, holding her hand out. In a flash of light, a wall seemed to ripple and form above the floor. There, Zeref stared with wide eyes at the enchantment revealed. It was a jutsu shiki enchantment, with the purpler lettering flashing before them. Given the era it was made in, this would have been the more difficult enchantment to break out of their options.

The letters were fraying, a sign of the decay of the spell over time. However, Levy smiled at the sight, reaching out towards it quickly. "Give me a moment. This one's already weak, so it shouldn't take long." And once she was finished, Zeref would confirm what was hidden and likely seal it away again. He watched her reordering the runes, smiling as she seemed to grow more confident in her abilities to do so. Really, how did Fairy Tail fail to see her potential?

The runes fell apart before long, and the floor seemed to release an enchantment in a flash of light. Now, instead of a smooth tile floor, Zeref could see the outlines of a latched door, with a handle to be lifted upwards. Reaching towards it, he carefully pulled it up, gazing at what was inside. The first thing he noticed was the heat, however. His face felt warm the moment he opened it, making him frown. On the walls of the darkened compartment, he saw further enchantments, altering the conditions of the area the object rested in. In the center, he saw it. The egg was dark red in color, a shade almost reminding him of Igneel's scales, if it weren't for the faint glow around it. The glowing seemed to pulse every few moments, and Zeref wondered if it was in sync with the dragon's magic, or his heartbeat. Either way, it was a mystery he had never taken the time to solve.

"It…it is an egg." Levy stared at it with wide eyes, looking up at Zeref. "But after all this time…"

"It's alive." Zeref spoke quietly, closing the hatch and glancing towards her. "The enchantments in there…mimic the conditions of a fire dragon's nest." He'd seen one before, once Igneel had managed to convince him to do something other than sit and read with the dragon for a change. "As for the egg itself, dragons have an odd sort of incubation. In theory, so long as the proper conditions are maintained, a dragon is immortal within its egg. It has a minimum incubation period, but no maximum. Hatching time is determined by…" He trailed off, gazing at the hatch with dark eyes. That was why Igneel forced him into that promise back then…the promise to bring him here. As it stood, the dragon would not hatch without another dragon to signal that it was time to break free of the egg.

Closing his eyes, Zeref decided to at least begin something for the egg. Opening the hatch again, he glanced at the enchantments within. Reaching forward, he felt the heat intensify, making him grimace and pull back. He couldn't quite reach the enchantments, could he? Sighing, he decided to do this a little differently, then. Focusing, he began channeling his energy into the current spells, staying as close as he could to minimize the energy loss to the area around him. Glancing at them again, he saw that at least the enchantments maintaining the conditions of the compartment were restored to some degree as a result.

"Wait…what is that over there?" Loke seemed to have noticed him, and Zeref moved quickly as a result. Shutting the compartment, he placed his palm over the surface. Now, the more difficult enchantment to break would come from a layered circle of sorts. Sealing spells were more difficult to create than people seemed to realize, or at least, they could be if done properly. Each layer was designed to hide something specific, be it a magic aura, an appearance, smell, sight, sound…all of it needed to vanish. From there, it needed to be strengthened and complicated, so that anyone viewing the spell would be unable to decipher each layer and counter them with a known spell. As one of the few people remaining with a history of understanding the underlying principles of magic, Zeref's seals were virtually impossible to break once completed. "He's…Zeref, stop! That's what—"

Levy moved towards him, shaking her head. "Let him do this. That…you don't want to bring that to some merchant to sell." She glanced towards Zeref, who pulled his hand back with the sealing spell finished. The aura faded entirely from his senses again, as did the signs of the existence of the compartment on the floor.

Glancing at her, Nab bit his lip. "Was…was it an egg like he thought?" Levy nodded, and Zeref rose to his feet, staring at the ground. Levy could explain what he found well enough. However…he needed to think. Were there any surviving dragons? In theory, any fire dragon would work. Yet…the war killed them all. The last of them had been sent through with Natsu and the dragon slayers to this era…and had since perished again.

Closing his eyes, Zeref clenched his hands into fists. He could still remember that discussion with Igneel, the first one he'd had with the dragon since the disaster that destroyed his home. "Igneel…I know you're there." He had come to the dragon's home, for the first time trying to ignore his anger and betrayed feelings. It had been clear that fire dragons had taken everything for him, and Igneel was their leader. At the time, he'd simply needed someone to blame…and Igneel had been the perfect one to place that blame on.

"It's been some time, old friend." The gravelly voice of the dragon reached him, and from the trees, he saw Igneel emerge. "I see you're not alone, either." Natsu had been asleep, carried in his arms to this point and then placed on the ground by his side. "Am I finally getting the chance to meet Natsu as we planned?"

Clenching his hands into fists, Zeref had glared at Igneel. "You know quite well…why that had to be delayed." He had issues controlling his anger at that time. He had just been cursed, and he had begun to realize how impossible his death was. After giving up on traditional methods of suicide, he'd turned to more powerful demons…eventually stopping with Natsu, realizing that he'd given his brother far more power than the others. "Your own clan destroyed him. You took everything from me, yet you still stand there and claim that we were friends."

There had been a distant look in the dragon's gaze, turning away. "There was nothing I could have done. Something had been taken from us as well, you see. Given our moods, my options were limited. Either we'd join the war entirely against mankind…or I'd allow them one chance to recover what had been lost. That chance was taken, and while never found…they held to our agreement."

"Our?" Zeref caught on to his hint, seeing Igneel nod ever so slightly.

"Yes, our." Igneel turned away. "I am prone to moments of anger as well, young one. Loss…loss of something so important often pushes us to dark deeds. While I regret the loss of life that day, I regret our failure even more."

Glancing at the ground, Zeref clenched his hands into fists. He really had no choice…even if he now hated this dragon for what he'd done. He'd seen what his curse would do, repeatedly as people tried to come to Mildian Magic Academy in search of the lost students. Natsu would not meet that same fate, not again. "Regardless…the past was not what I came to discuss with you. I've come to realize that I truly don't have anyone to turn to. People never once began to understand me…and I've lived an isolated life since then. Really, it should have been expected that I come here to you…"

"Are you seeking a favor from me now?" Igneel seemed to frown. "All the hatred in your heart…the anger I see, it is preventing you from speaking clearly. Let the past exist in the past, Zeref. I'd much prefer to speak to the man you are now."

"Would you?" Zeref had felt an emptiness growing in him, even then. "I'd much prefer to be as I was then. Perhaps that way…I could have stopped myself, before it was too late."

Even with his anger, Zeref couldn't stop himself from speaking to Igneel as he always had. The dragon…despite being responsible for the destruction of Mildia, Igneel was his only friend. He had always been that way, and his wisdom was what Zeref needed at that moment. "Then tell me what troubles you, and I will tell you if I can help." So, Zeref did. He explained to him his goals after Midlia had fallen, talking of his plans to bring Natsu back. He spoke of magic, and of his curse, and of the death that now followed him. He'd been lucky to make it this far with Natsu so close to him. He'd only been able to do so…by focusing on his anger towards Igneel and trying to feed his desire to avenge his fallen parents.

After his explanation, he moved away from his sleeping brother, towards the trees to demonstrate. Upon a single touch, the massive tree seemed to deteriorate away and decay into dust. "This is my existence, Igneel. This is all I can create, as I am now. Do you still wish to speak to that man?"

"That man is you, Zeref, and you are still fighting for the right things unlike most I encounter." Igneel had smiled at him, lying down on the forest floor. "I would gladly speak to you for as long as you wish, just as I always have before."

Nodding, Zeref glanced towards the child on the ground. "Unfortunately, that was not my goal in coming to you today." Igneel nodded, sniffing the boy. "Natsu…cannot be near me. As you can see, I am not safe…and I need him to survive and become strong." He knew not to reveal why to Igneel. While he had explained his curse to the dragon, his most recent desire to end his life and been omitted from his stories. Igneel would never help with that goal, unless he was unaware that he was offering his assistance to that end. "I…I need someone to raise him for me, someone capable of keeping him safe as this war comes to a close. Dragon slaying magic…it could help him grow strong. And we are in need of another dragon slayer after all…" He had trailed off, not quite able to go into the details of that plan yet either.

"You…you are giving your brother to me?" Zeref nodded, while Igneel seemed to become puzzled, gazing down at the boy. "To raise…as if he were my son." There was something distant in his gaze. Moving closer to Natsu, Igneel had brushed his nose gently over the blankets covering the boy. They pulled down faintly, revealing the spiky pink hair that Natsu had always been known for. "I see. Then…I suppose I must thank you, as well as make a request of you in return. You came here with anger in your heart, towards me for what happened so long ago. I ask that you search for the reason, then."

Zeref was confused, growing at Igneel's words. "I…I don't understand. What reason could you possibly have in desiring this? In wishing to raise a human child…or in having me seek out these answers?"

"This is the first step, to make up for what was taken." Zeref still didn't understand, though he had grasped that it related to the attack on Mildia. Moving towards Zeref, Igneel began dragging his claw across the ground, a circle slowly becoming visible in the dirt. "Yet, promise me…as I do this for you, the moment you find what was taken, you will use this spell and bring me to you at once."

The spell was a beacon of sorts, though Zeref could see the runes were unfamiliar, even to him. He'd later learn that the spell had roots in ancient magic from the dragons, meant to only be visible to them. Back then, it had been so easy to agree to those terms. After that meeting, he'd returned to Mildia to search for the answer…but found nothing. Now that he found it, it was too late. Yet, hadn't Igneel himself known?

Another memory flashed, this one of him standing before the dragon slayers as the enchantment on them and their dragons was placed. "So…this is the end, isn't it old friend?" Igneel had smiled at Zeref, having rarely seen him throughout his time raising Natsu. He missed those conversations, but he'd slowly grown used to being alone.

"I suppose it is. I'm sorry…I never managed to find what you were searching for."

Igneel had snorted, shaking his head. "I hardly expected it to be an easy task." Igneel had glanced towards the sleeping children, slowly being enchanted into a deeper sleep due to Irene's assistance. Anna had watched over the process, speaking with the other dragons about what to expect. However, Igneel had chosen to speak with Zeref instead. "This enchantment…it will weaken ourselves, won't it? It's likely that we won't survive." Zeref nodded, while Igneel sighed. "Then I suppose it is for the best. By this point…it is likely too late anyway. Natsu…Natsu alone, was enough, to give me that which I had wished for. That boy…he truly has become my son. I wish I could have watched him grow older, seen his accomplishments for myself when they came." He paused, glancing towards Zeref. "Will you be there for him, at least? To help guide him along a path to avoid despair when I am not there for him?"

"He doesn't even know I exist." Zeref had smiled bitterly, glancing towards his brother. "Natsu…is better off without me, I think. Anna…she will be there. She'll help him find his way, in whatever era he ends up in."

"And I will be with him, waiting for our moment as well." Igneel glanced towards Zeref, smiling faintly. "If you do find it one day, Zeref…the reason for what I did…know that I am sorry, and do not despair over what we did not accomplish. The path we've taken…I'm glad to have been on it, and to have been able to be your friend, and Natsu's father, no matter the pain that it took to push me to this point."

Those words…he knew what Igneel meant. He wanted Zeref to give up on this task completely…yet how could he? His oldest friend, the only person who had truly remembered him from before and after the curse…he owed him this much. This egg…he needed to find a way to hatch it, even without the dragons. "Zeref?" Loke spoke, frowning at him. "You look…distracted. Is everything okay?"

"Loke…I think we should give him some space…" Nab glanced over at Zeref, biting his lip. Even Levy and August looked concerned, making Zeref finally realize his cheeks were moist. Had he been crying? For how long? Either way, he supposed it didn't matter.

There was one avenue to explore, as unlikely as it was. "Nab or Loke…do you have a method of contacting Fairy Tail here?" He glanced towards them, seeing them frown and share a look.

"I didn't think to bring anything along…but Nab packed a few communication lacrimas with him."

Chuckling nervously, Nab nodded and pulled one out. "Yeah…I always have bad luck on jobs…I thought I might need to call for help…eventually."

Moving towards him, Zeref grabbed it and activated it quickly. Nab looked startled by his sudden motion, watching him while Zeref tried to remain focused. "Hello! Sorry, Master's not—Zeref?" A girl with long white hair was speaking, someone Zeref had never met. He was rather tired of people recognizing him when he didn't know them, but he supposed he should be used to it by now.

"I need to speak to Natsu. Is he there?" The girl seemed to frown, staring at him for a moment.

"Yes…but, I don't know if I should…"

"Take that, Gray!" A shout and a flash of someone flying over the girl's shoulder was seen.

"You think that's all I've got?" Gray seemed to get up, and Zeref frowned as he paused when he spotted the lacrima in the girl's hand. "Wait…Mira, is that—"

Mira nodded, glancing towards him. "Oi, you giving up now, ice princess?" Natsu's voice again, which made Zeref smile faintly. He had odd friends, it seemed, yet it was oddly like him to pick a fight like this. As a child, he'd claimed he wanted to be strong, despite being nervous and timid when it came to actually facing danger. He seemed to have overcome that with Igneel, and now he had far more confidence than he remembered. Natsu moved into his line of sight, and Zeref decided to take advantage of the strange opportunity.

"Natsu." He spoke his brother's name, making the dragon slayer pause and turn towards him.

"Zeref? What are you doing contacting Mira? I thought you were meeting with Gramps about ending the war!"

"I thought he was too…but I think this might explain why he's been so delayed. That really doesn't look like an emperor's castle, from what I can see."

"It isn't. Your guild master is likely waiting for me to return." Zeref turned the lacrima towards Nab and Loke. "I'm currently assisting your own guild members with a job, however."

There seemed to be a pause from Mira, Gray, and Natsu. "A…job?" Gray spoke, frowning in confusion. "You…went on a job…with our wizards?"

"It wasn't planned, but I suppose I have."

Turning the lacrima back towards himself, Zeref waited for them to focus once more. Natsu shrugged, moving towards Mira and looking over at him. "Okay. Well, what did you need us for then? I mean…I'd think you would know more about magic than us…plus, you don't really seem like the kind of person to ask for help often."

"I…" He didn't quite know how to begin this, considering the subject. Natsu was likely sensitive about the matter still, just as Zeref could be if he truly thought deeply about what had happened to Igneel. "Your training with Igneel. I apologize for having to ask this of you…but did he instruct you on more obscure magics involving dragons? Or was it focused on fire dragon slaying magic as a whole, attacks and their variations?"

Frowning, Natsu shrugged. "Dunno what that's supposed to mean. What's the difference?"

Of course Natsu wouldn't realize that. Sighing, Zeref glanced towards the sealed compartment with a frown. "I've found something…that would typically require an actual dragon to deal with." Exciting Natsu too much would be a poor decision as well. So, he would keep this as vague as possible for now. "Given your abilities as a dragon slayer, the most likely candidate to be able to imitate a spell utilized by an actual dragon would be one of you. However…your teachings were focused specifically on attacks, correct?"

Nodding, Natsu frowned. "Yeah, but Wendy was shown healing and stuff, so she might know something."

Shaking his head, Zeref closed his eyes. "It needs to be a fire dragon. Even if she were aware of the process…the alterations would be large enough that it would not succeed."

"What are you even trying to do?" Natsu frowned, studying him with narrowed eyes. "This isn't some creepy plan again like your war, right? I mean…I think Loke would realize if you were doing something like that and try to stop you…but you can also be pretty mysterious too."

Laughing, Levy shook her head. "Natsu, don't worry about it." Hearing her, Natsu blinked in surprise.

"Levy's there too?"

"Yes." Zeref spoke, frowning slightly. Mira had walked away, leaving Natsu to deal with him. Gray had done the same, and on his side, Nab and Loke still looked lost as to what Zeref was trying to do. "As for what I'm attempting to accomplish…can I trust that you will not overreact? I imagine you would be quite excited about the idea."

"Hey! Since when do I do that?"

"I've heard rumors. Aren't you known for destroying things when you take jobs? Salamander is a rather famous name given to you for your abilities…and rumors can spread beyond your own country, Natsu."

Scowling, Natsu looked away. "Fine. I won't do anything if you're sure it won't help."

Nodding, Zeref glanced towards the compartment again. "I'm trying to hatch a dragon egg." Natsu seemed to have frozen, his eyes growing wide. Turning back towards him after the silence lasted, Zeref frowned. "That was the object Loke and Nab were searching for here…though I suppose I have interfered with their job by preventing them from returning it to the person who requested to have it retrieved."

"So what?" Natsu grinned, rising to his feet. "If you're out there trying to hatch a dragon egg…trying to bring dragons back at all…I'm all for it." That phrasing…Zeref frowned, wondering if it was possible. "Count me in, brother. We'll find a way to teach me how to do this, and we'll do it together."

Gazing at Natsu, he wondered if perhaps there was a better option. "Wait…he knows you're his brother?" Loke spoke, and Zeref smiled faintly.

"I told him…when he came to kill me during the war."

"That seems like…a weird moment to choose." Nab hesitated, while Zeref shrugged.

"It was a warning as well. Simply put, my death would kill Natsu as well."

"Hey!" Natsu glared at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't just go spreading stuff like that around without thinking about it. I mean, Fairy Tail doesn't know that yet…"

"And yet, they seem to be accepting the idea of working with me just fine. Do you think they would not do the same with you?" Zeref watched as Natsu hesitated, sighing and nodding. Seeing the confusion of the others, Zeref smiled faintly. "In order to resurrect Natsu…I had to make him one of my demons. Though, those powers and his demonic nature remain sealed away…"

Still, while surprising, Loke and Nab seemed to accept it rather quickly. Maybe working with them, he actually would find a way to succeed. However…his usual methods would not be powerful enough for his secondary option. "Speaking of which…Natsu, how badly do you wish for the chance to see Igneel again?" The dragon slayer froze, his eyes widening. "I…I need to look back at my old notes, but perhaps…perhaps I can alter one method enough to make it work."

"You're…you mean, bring him back like me?" Natsu stared at him with wide eyes, and Zeref nodded.

"I'd like to speak with him again…and to keep the promise I made to him four hundred years ago. So…yes. It isn't quite the task you imagined, but it is the one I intend to follow through on. If you wish to assist, I'd—"

"Hell yes I'm helping!" Flames danced around Natsu's fist as he grinned at Zeref. "I'm already getting fired up. You just tell me what you need, and I'll be there."

"Then I will stop by Fairy Tail before I return to Vistarion. And before then…" He trailed off, glancing at the others. "I think I will be returning to school."

Setting the lacrima aside, Zeref let it darken as he stopped fueling it with magic. Glancing towards the others, he saw them frowning at him in confusion. "Are…are you really going to try and bring a dragon back to life?"

Nodding, Zeref rose to his feet. "It will be difficult…but yes." In fact, he had systems in place that theoretically could have done so. The R-System, if not for the energy requirement, would have been perfect for the matter. His later theorizing had eliminated the need for a sacrifice, after all, utilizing the book as the tether for the soul rather than the body of a living person. However, that thought made him realize something. The R-System was the answer…he just needed the assistance of that guild master in Vistarion. "August…perhaps it is time I concede to a few demands in this treaty we are forming. It appears as if I might need their assistance after all." The elderly man nodded, moving to stand by his side. Rather than going to the academy…he'd grab Natsu and return to Vistarion. Then, he'd speak with Jellal in private…and see if they could come to an agreement of sorts, so he could finish his goal.

So, this was originally two chapters, but given the length of the first section and the delays I've had lately with getting updates out, I figured I'd give you guys something a little bit longer to read through and enjoy instead. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!