Same as it Never Was

On an almost uninhabited island at a gravesite, the spirit of Fairy Tail's first master looked around.

She had been sure she had gone back, to get ready but now she was back on Tenrou Island.

Mavis was one of the few unaffected by the time change, and like the brother's she too was part of this game a time goddess decided to play.

Why a god would do this, well time would one day tell.

For her brother had caused an upset, something they were not allowed to do.

Now there were two ways this would end, in despair or in tragedy for there is no happy ending to this story.

(Fairy Tail X778)

Any doubts of this being a dream were kicked out of Natsu mind as he looked around the guild; the only familiar face was gramps.

Everyone else was either younger or some member's that would leave Fairy Tail during their seven year sleep were still around.

It was strange being back in the past seeing everyone happy, knowing that in the not too distant future only heartache and war would await them.

A heartache he himself helped caused indirectly, the though made Natsu swallow thickly looking back to see Erza and Gray, the red head walking towards him while Gray's attention was taken by Cana.

"Natsu are you alright? You seem unwell?" Erza asked as she came up behind Natsu, he had seemed fine but now he seemed almost sick.

If he wasn't so busy trying to keep from just straight out running out of the guild, Erza's quiet approach would have surprised him.

Looking back with the fake tooth grinned" I'm fine, really Erza" the look she gave him was one of surprise and slight anger.

After all no one lied to Erza and got away with it, luck was on Natsu side today though.

"You're actually worrying about pinky? Geez, that's a first going soft on me Erza" taunted the very familiar voice of a certain take over mage.

Mirajane, kind and sweet if not a little frightening in the future; was currently glowing in a mischievous purple aura as she glared at her rival.

Taking a few steps back Natsu watched as Erza gained an angry red aura as she glared at the oldest of the takeover siblings.

"Come down here and say that to my face you witch!" several heads turned to the two teenage girls as was usual.

For Natsu it was a weird sight, it had been a long time since Mira acted like this.

So long many in the guild had gotten use to her sweet and caring personality, even when she had gained her magic back she hadn't been arrogant as she was now in her youth.

Taking the opportunity to sneak away from Erza, who once caught someone in a lie wouldn't let go.

Began to make his way to the main doors, looking around it was a bit nostalgic.

Wakaba and Macao hadn't really changed much from their younger selves; Levy was reading a book with a bouncing Jet and a still Droy trying to see what the bluenette was reading.

This is what would later lead to their infatuation with the bluenette, not knowing that completion would be in their future in the form of an Iron dragon slayer who seemed oblivious.

But they weren't the one's he was keeping an eye out for, finally the sight of familiar short white hair and a small blue kitten sitting with a younger Elfman made him quicken his pace.

If Lisanna caught him he'd never be alone, especially since this was still around the time she called herself his wife.

A thought that made him sweat drop as he realized he'd have to relive that, if he couldn't figure out how to get back to his time.

Of course as he made his way outside into what he now noticed was a slightly chilled air, as it seemed it was early fall the color's hadn't changed by much but a tree or two had yellowing leave's.

Yet someone had spotted the dragon slayer watching, and following in the shadows.

For Natsu and Zeref weren't the only one's brought back, gods couldn't change parallel worlds after all.

Breathing out a sigh of relief Natsu began to walk towards were he knew the river was, thinking wasn't something Natsu did often not because he was an idiot as his friends had all decided.

Because it was impractical in his opinion, he always went with his gut thinking meant letting possible what ifs? Letting doubt cloud the mind.

Others might disagree like Gray, but his magic didn't require much thinking as it did control not that he ever really controlled himself.

As much as he preferred not to think, the fact that he knew what was going to the happen in the next few years gave the guild an advantage.

But it could also be a danger, if acted on too quickly.

"This is crazy!" he exclaimed in a shout tugging at his spiky pink hair in annoyance Natsu finally saw the familiar river come into view, when he was younger which was now.

Past tenses were confusing, he often came here when he got into a particularly nasty fight with someone in guild or was sad thinking about Igneel.

That was something else for his already hurting head to process as he sat near the river bank, trying to remember what had been the last thing he did before waking up.

Unfortunately there were many fragmented memories but there was only one thing he could remember before waking up in his past, something he couldn't believe and didn't want to believe and seemed he couldn't forget.

But Zeref had pretty much rebuffed any denials, what the black mage had told him was true and no matter how much he wanted to pretend he wasn't he knew it was true.

It also explained so much to, the biggest clue had been Jackal no normal human could eat a demons curse; fire dragon slayer or not it shouldn't have been possible.

To think a whole year of training and then finding their old guild mates, only to find out the reality of the situation.

E.N.D wasn't locked away somewhere or in the book waiting to be summoned like Mard Geer and Tartaros had believe, Zeref's strongest demon was already awake and had been for a long time.

But it wasn't the reality of being Zeref's strongest demon that had haunted Natsu; it was the truth of his creation.

He was Etherious Natsu Dragneel, younger brother to Zeref Dragneel the vilest and strongest of his demons made to specifically destroy Zeref just like his fellow Etherious.

Natsu had no problem fulfilling his brother's request the urge to stop him was to great, even though it would cost him his own life in the end.

Happy had been the one to prevent that outcome though, had he not been there Natsu had no qualms in fulfilling Zeref's wish.

Especially with the sickening realizations about The Eclipse Gate, The Tower of Heaven and Deliora, what Zeref had unleashed into the world because he couldn't move on.

"When did everything get so complicated" he muttered looking at his reflection in the moving river, it was a face he hadn't seen in years.

It almost seemed foreign to him; it also made him wonder about that side of him.

What was he really a human, a dragon, or a demon? All this thinking was making his head hurt.

Things were going to become complicated; with everything he'd maybe have to relive it wasn't exactly what he'd call an easy situation.

That's when he looked up; he was younger but for some reason his sense where still a lot sharper than they were at his current age.

There was someone watching him, the activation of his magic was an instinct now to many time's in the future caution couldn't be thrown into the wind.

The flames were stronger than they should have been at the current timeline, but Natsu didn't notice to busy scanning the area for the spy he was sure was there.

"If you want a fight then get out here!" he really shouldn't threaten anyone considering the situation, but he was Natsu after all.

If being in the past wasn't enough of a shock the appearance of this next person would be.

Movement came from a bush as a very familiar figure walked out, covered in black fur except for a white muzzle. Wearing green pants, a scar near his right eye and a small sword on his back the spy revealed himself.

"You really shouldn't threaten an enemy you can't see" Panther Lily warned looking like he always did.

The sight of a familiar face caused the flame's to die out, only for confusion to follow.

"Wait you remember me?" Natsu asked the black furred Exceed who showed no signs of confusion.

Then again this was Gajeel's exceed; he was as hard to read as the rust bucket.

"Yes, though it seems you remember who I am as well" Panther Lily walked up to the dragon slayer now that he had made sure he was recognized" so mind explaining what happened? Did you have anything to do with our current state in time?" he asked Natsu.

"No, I woke up here and have no idea what's going on" Natsu had hoped Panther Lily would have an answer but it seems neither one knew what was going on.

"That's unfortunate" Lily sighed, the last thing he remembered was being with Gajeel then he woke up on the roof of the guild.

Though not the same one he remembered it was smaller and older than the previous one had been, seeing Natsu had been actively avoiding contact with anyone which in itself was suspicious.

He followed the now younger dragon slayer, leading to their meeting.

"Wait; aren't you supposed to be in Edolas? You weren't around this time" Natsu asked the exceed the darker thoughts being pushed back for now, for answer's.

"I find it strange myself, perhaps what magic did this couldn't cross over to Edolas" after all there was no longer any magic in that world.

"Great, were already screwing with the timeline" he couldn't leave Panther Lily on his own, but what would happen if he joined the guild early?

It shouldn't affect anything to badly right? After all it seemed their little trip to Edolas wasn't going to happen.

But if that was true then there was tragedy that would have to be stopped in a few years. If it was possible that Edolas really wasn't connected to earthland anymore that meant.

"Is the world trying to break my head!" Natsu complained with a childish waving of his arms.

Which at his current age wasn't at all suspicious, that and no one else was around.

"So, seeing as only we remember what should we do?" asking the dragon slayer was probably a stupid idea, but only Natsu seemed to remember the past or more like the future.

Sighing at the question" the only thing we can do, try not to change anything too much" Natsu was actually a bit nervous, he knew Ultear had time magic but never something on this level.

So whoever had done this was strong really strong, it was possible they were permanently stuck living their lives again.

"A good idea" Panther Lily was a little surprised, but the dragon slayer did have his moments.

"I'm not as dumb as every thinks ya know" Natsu tried to defend himself at the look in the exceed's face, not at all realizing he just insulted himself.

After all something's were already changed, for one they both had memories of things that had yet to happen.

Two, he knew of Zeref and his connection to the black mage and in a bit of fear wondered if Zeref still had his memories since he was immortal.

It wouldn't be easy living through the past again, knowing so much he honestly didn't think he would be able to act like his old self.

Erza already suspected something from his lack of fear, and when she caught him zoning out.

Oh yeah, he also snuck away from her which meant.

"I don't know what's going to kill me first" the pinkette muttered as he began his journey back to the guild Panther Lily following, studying the younger features of the dragon slayer.

The exceed wondered how long exactly until they caught up with part of the original timeline, right now he knew Gajeel wouldn't be part of the guild as the iron dragon slayer's past wasn't exactly a secret.

"So exactly how different is the guild in this time?" Panther Lily decided to ask, he never really asked about people's past seeing as they were usually always in some sort of fight against an adversary.

"Not much, but you might want to avoid Mira unless you want to fight" Natsu deadpanned, that was something else he wasn't looking forward to.

Sure he had liked picking fights with her in the past, but now it just felt weird if he did.

"I find that hard to believe" sure Lily had heard a few random tales of Mira's personality and abilities in the past, he would soon find out exactly why she was called The Demon.

Natsu just gave him a look" You'll believe it when we get there" though now he was going to have to make up a story on how he found Panther Lily.

And knowing Happy he'd be hard to pry off the older exceed, since beside's fish the little blue exceed had always had an admiration of anyone who was powerful and a cat.

The funny thoughts kept the much darker one's from arising, denial though was impossible when something you have inside you is slowly beginning to fester like an itch.

(Tenrou Island)

On Tenrou Island unlike Natsu, Zeref had a better idea of what may have happened.

What he didn't understand was why, there was only one thing that could change the past yet choose to leave someone with memories of the timeline they had been in.

The Goddess of Time, Aeternitas.

Which was what confused the black mage; he had already been cursed by one god to an immortal life and bringer of death.

Why would a God who controlled time intervene? His actions would weren't what one wouldn't call pure especially with what he was going to unleash.

Yet it wasn't something that would warrant the attention of the divine like his experiments four hundred years ago had, which meant she was acting out of her own accord.

Zeref never really feared anything, he wished for death after all he no longer wanted to live in a world that rejected him.

It wasn't like he would leave any loose ends; his death signaled the death of all his creations.

But if a God had decided to play their hand, what exactly would be in store for him this time around.

And most importantly, looking out towards the sea the blue sky was all that was visible in the horizon.

"What will happen when we meet again, Natsu?" no one could answer his question, but he was sure of one thing.

This timeline would be different; he could already feel the first stirrings of the curse of the flames.

And the dark mage wasn't the only one to feel the stirrings those from the books in the guild Tartaros, as well as Deliora even locked in ice barley alive.

They could all feel the flicker.

This time Zeref might get his wish, because E.N.D wouldn't be silenced any longer.

First time writing a back in time fanfic I hope I did well to entertain you my readers. Your support and reviews mean everything to me and I always want to do my best to not disappoint.