Chapter 5 - If I Die, You Die!
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN?!" Natsu angered at his new found brother.
"I KNEW YOU WERE DENSE BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" Zeref replied, it looks like the brothers have many things in common.
"HEY! I MIGHT NOT BE THE SMARTEST BUT I'M SMARTER THEN YOU!" he retorted.
"AND WHO CREATED YOU!' Zeref retorted in the same manner.
"WHO ASKED YOU TO!" Zeref felt a sad shiver in his heart. While Natsu pouted not realizing he had hurt his brother.
Zeref turns around and starts walking away from Natsu in the forest. "I knew this was a bad idea!" he mumbled walking away. But Natsu caught it with his enhanced senses.
Natsu gave out an obvious sigh and followed after him calling out "Alright fine, I may not be the smartest but what I am is grateful…" Zeref stopped in his tracks to turn back to him and question why "For giving me another chance at life… bro" Zeref's heart stopped. He didn't say a word but started walking again with a small smile on his once sad face.
A while passed before Zeref talked again, before coming to a realization, after the light bulb on his head lit he finally realized something and he abruptly turned around to surprise the fire breather who was chowing down on snacks while walking. "There might be a way!"
Natsu was so surprised at this sudden outburst that he started choking on his food and Zeref freaked out with a scarred look on his face. Confusion took over him as he didn't know what to do before making a fist in his right hand and punching Natsu in the stomach. Natsu fell to the ground and spat out the chewed up food he had ogled. Zeref relaxed his shoulders when Natsu found his composure and got an evil look in his eyes and sprang up to punch Zeref. Who was taken by surprise.
"That's Payback!" Natsu yelled idiotically.
"But I was saving your life you idiot!" Zeref replied.
Natsu realized and dangled his face "Ugh old habits…"
"OLD HABITS! You're telling me you hit everyone who saves your life"
"No! But you remind me of this idiot who's always getting on my nerves, but he's been sort of like my brother I guess" - back at Fairy Tail Gray sneezed out while standing at the bar next to Juvia-
"Fine" Zeref replied
"So what might be a way?" Natsu asked as Zeref got up.
"To keep you alive! There might be a way!" Zeref replied
"OOH What?!" Natsu replied as if he had won food in some competition.
"IGNEEL!" Zeref said.
Meanwhile in a bar outside the large forest laid two Fairy Tail drunkards. Gildarts and Laxus stomp the their empty cups of beer on the bar to signal for refills.
"So what are we doing here?" Gildarts asked.
"Aside from taking a drink, We are waiting on an old acquaintance of Fairy Tail."
"An old acquaintance?" Gildarts asked as he picked up his refilled Beer.
"Yeah, did Master or Erza ever tell you about a guy name Jellal?" Laxus asked the man before taking another drink.
"Nope! Who is he?"
"He is-"
"That would be me!" Jellal replied standing by his partner, Meredy.
"Well well, you sure took your time"
"Sorry we got hung up" he replied.
"Well Jellal, Gildarts, Gildarts, Jellal" Laxus said introducing the two.
"Nice to meet you" Jellal said
"Same here" Gildarts said a bit tipsy.
"SO! Did Erza tell you about Natsu's situation?"
"Yeah, her letter was horrifyingly saddening, and unbelievable" he replied.
"Wait you told him about Natsu?" Gildarts asked.
"You said we would need all the help we can get!" Laxus replied "Plus Jellal's a good friend!"
"Fine! Let's get on with this"
"Anyways, I think since he is traveling with Zeref and we have intel of them travelling somewhere in the deep forest, thank you mermaid heel, I might be able to track the two!"
"That's amazing!" Gildarts said finally trusting the man.
Back with Natsu and Zeref in the forest….
"Wait so you're saying that all this time! All those damn trains! And Igneel's been within me trying to keep me from turning into a DRAGON!" Natsu yelled.
"Yup" Zeref said in a small cheery tone.
"I am so going to kill him!"
"That might be a bad idea" Zeref replied.
"Why?"
"Because, He is lying dormant within you, if you can get in touch with him, maybe you can ask him to contribute his life force to you!"
Natsu just gave him a dense look.
Zeref just sighed "I have to explain it to you don't I. Okay Dragons live for hundreds sometimes even thousands of years. When a dragon teaches a human dragon slayer magic, he has to make sure that the human doesn't turn into a dragon. He can do that by sealing himself with his student. In this case you! You with me so far?" Natsu nodded with absolute seriousness to know what comes next "Igneel, is making sure your body doesn't turn into a dragon, and by this time I am pretty sure he has taken care of that. He is probably waiting for the right moment to appear. Maybe when your life is in grave danger. I think if we can get in touch with him you can convince him to give you his life force!"
"What's his Life force?"
"It's the magic that gives him life, though I am pretty sure he'll say no!"
"Why?"
"Well if he does that you will definitely turn into a dragon, but since you're not really human, and my invention, a demon you can overcome his life force power, which if you do will probably give you the remainder of Igneel's life!"
"Nope!" Natsu finally said.
"You're saying that you want me to sacrifice my dad so I can live! I would never do that!"
"But he would! I'm pretty sure if he knew this was possible he would do it!"
"I don't care!"
"It's not your decision!"
"Yes it is!"
"You have to let Igneel decide!"
"Even if I do let him decide how am I gonna tell him huh?!" Natsu asked punching a tree next to them creating cracks throughout.
"Simple all we need is a mage who knows the lost magic Arc of Time!" Zeref said cheery but then got to thinking "But I don't know anyone who uses that…" he wallowed.
"Actually I think I might know someone!" Natsu replied to Zeref.
Back at the bar…
"What do you mean she's dead?!" Laxus yelled.
"Well you see Ultear died when she tried to turn back time when the dragons attacked during the Grand Magic Games" Meredy said as Jellal looked off into the distance with a sad look.
Laxus's face was stuck still in realization flashing back to his battle against the jaded dragon.
"So…" Gildarts intervened trying to stir of the topic.
"Let's be on our way, we shouldn't waste any time, I suggest we keep moving till we find them" Jellal said readying himself for the move.
Days passed by, Gildarts, Laxus, Jellal, and Meredy made their way towards the tracks of Zeref's dark magic. And soon they find themselves closing in as they walk through a dead forest. They were walking through a green forest that soon ended and brought them to a forest which was… well how do I put it…. DEAD.
"What the hell is all this?" Meredy asked
"This Magic… It's aura" Laxus muttered
"Zeref must be close, which means Natsu might be nearby!" Jellal said.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Gildarts kept walking.
As they walked through Laxus started to smell something spiffy, something familiar. He knows this scent, it was undoubtedly Natsu. He must be close, his mind was churning in ten different ways thinking about him and Zeref. Suddenly Meredy who was walking to his left looking at something through Laxus and into the abyss. The other three stopped to turn at what she was looking at when suddenly they saw a part of the forest that looked heavily burned. A small fire was still going, it was evident that it use to be a large fire but the cold wind has been reducing it to a mere spark.
"That fire… It's warmth reminds me of Natsu…." Meredy said out loud.
"Where is that idiot?"Gildarts questioned himself.
"Right Here!" Natsu yelled out standing ten meters in front of them. They had no idea when he had appeared there. Hell even Laxus hadn't caught him approaching.
"NATSU!" They yelled in unison. There he stood, with a grey hood covering everything but his face and his sack over his shoulders. He had a small grin on his face but not like his classic ones that cheered everybody up.
"Gildarts! I thought I told you not to come after me, and keep everyone else from coming after me!"
"Well that changed when I heard you joined up with Zeref!"
"That's right brat! How could you even think of something this stupid?" Laxus intervened.
"You know just how and why so don't question me Laxus, but I'll tell you this thanks for bringing crime sorciere too" he retorted getting ever more serious. While Jellal and Meredy fell into mass confusion about what he had just said.
"What the hell is wrong with you Natsu?"
"Due time Jellal, right now I need to have a word with Ultear, where is she?"
"What does that have to do with anything, and where's Zeref?"
"I'm meeting him at the banks in two weeks, we're headed over to Alvarez, before that I need to ask Ultear to do something. Now I have answered your question, now answer mine!"
They just looked at each other for a few minutes before he announced out "She died! During the Grand Magic Games incident" Jellal said.
Natsu was looked as if he had lost all hope.
"Natsu WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Gildarts demanded.
"It was a long shot anyways, oh well I'm gonna go, have a nice trip home"
"WAIT! Where's Zeref?" Jellal asked
"I just told you! I thought you were smart Jellal?" Natsu said as he turned back around to face them.
"Then what the hell are you doing with him?"
"If I answer your questions will you leave me alone?"
"Absolutely not!" Meredy demanded.
"Oh hey Meredy, you're still looking cute as ever!" Natsu said to make her blush.
"Thank you…" she whispered.
"Fiiiine…. He is training me while we hunt his demons. He is also training me for my rematch with Acnologia!"
"What?!" Another unison came out but it wasn't the last!
"Oh and also it turns out he's my brother" he muttered
And there was another one.
"Natsu, you're not making any sense right now!" Gildarts said.
"Isn't it usually the other way around?" Natsu asked
"The world really has turned upside down, even I don't know what you're talking about?" Jellal said looking mortified.
"400 years ago my family died in a dragon attack, Zeref, my brother was the only survivor, I died too. To rectify this unbearable world Zeref created his demons, whilst he studied his dark magic. And one day he found a way to bring me back. AS E.N.D - ETHERIOUS NATSU DRAGNEEL. Not long after that Igneel found me. He didn't hate me for being that demon, he actually loved me as a son. Took me in, took care of me like a father should." he said he looked sad "I have no idea the kind of courage it takes to take something that is suppose to be pure evil and turn it into well me… Igneel really is the Greatest Dragon that ever lived!"
"What does that have to do with Ultear though?" Meredy questioned while still trying to grasp the knowledge she had acquired with the three next to her.
"To protect us from becoming dragon slayers, dragons have to enter our bodies and make sure we don't turn into dragons like Acnologia. When Igneel entered my body 400 years ago, me along with other dragon slayers fell asleep, the day when we woke up was when we thought our dragons had left us. So it turns out after all that time, our dragons have been within us the entire time! Might want to pass along the message Laxus!" Natsu said breaking away for a second " I need her to use her Arc of Time magic and help me get rid of a particular part of the seal. Surprisingly Zeref said we can't let Igneel out he might be waiting on something, or so I should get into contact with him by deteriorating a part of the seal he has on me, so he can help me with some Dragon slayer magic, and maybe help me keep my life force, because to end all of Zeref's demons, I have to end Zeref too!"
"Wait a minute what do you mean by keep your life force?" Gildarts questioned.
"Well if all of Zeref's inventions die, when he dies then-"
"Then you dies too!" Jellal yelled out. "So Zeref escapes death once again"
"I will see about that. He may be my brother but A Little Girl Still Died, right in front of my eyes. Who knows how many more have seen this pain and suffering!"
"What do you mean by that?" Meredy asked.
"His Threshold of Violence will end! But before that a Harsh Winter is Coming and I'll make sure it's turned to ash!"
"What winter is that?" Meredy asked
"Acnologia!" Jellal said
"Well well, look who's finally awake! Tell the rest to back off, because next time I won't be alone and I will be forced to kill whoever comes in my way. Even if it is someone from Fairy Tail!"
"And you think you can take us?" Laxus intervened.
Natsu gave a cocky smile out before forming his words "Well a few days of training with Zeref feels like a years training done in a flash."
"I doubt you've reached our level yet Brat!"
"You sure you wanna go down this road Laxus?"
"We're here to bring you back Natsu and that's that!" Gildarts took a step up.
"Let's have some fun then shall we?" Natsu asked before the nearby land was engulfed in his power of fire. Soon rocks, dirt, trees, even his cloak was flying into the air as he was engulfed in an immense amount of power. This power is nothing compared to what Natsu had back at the guild when he was still a member. Suddenly the other four were shielding themselves from this immense power, as the fire around them started carrying lightning. The sight was a sudden deja vu to the demonstration Gildarts had given the boy on Tenrou Island. Natsu's eyes red like his was, his power, outrageously colossal. The three behind Gildarts were blown down to the ground trying to keep their ground and Gildarts was on his knees his face covered in fear. The lesson he had given to his pupil was delivered right back to him. Fear, had caused him defeat.
Natsu returned to his normal state has his hair fell back into its place when he remarked "A real deja vu ain't it Gildarts?" And out of nowhere he was gone….
Hey Guys, I hope you liked this chapter it took me a couple days to put it together. Please 's starting to get a bit intense around here, know that there will be a little time jump. Natsu has gone back to Zeref and now time has come face his next greatest enemy, someone who he had lied to in the first chapter, something that hurt him a lot, Something really blonde. I hope the next chapter will be much more exciting for you guys. I really do suggest for your suggestion, question, remarks, and reviews please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW.
Shay